[
  {
    "movie": "battle_of_algiers",
    "reviews": [
      "a riveting reconstruction of the struggle for independence in mid-50s algiers , its pseudo-documentary style still feels as headline-fresh as its content .",
      "gillo pontecorvo 's epic of revolutionary fervour has dimmed not an iota since it was first released in 1966 .",
      "forty years on , the film 's lost not a fraction of its power .",
      "faux-documentary masterpiece",
      "whatever they made of the MOV at the pentagon , this is a must-see for everyone else now .",
      "brilliantly directed set-pieces and remarkable thronging crowd scenes make the film a masterpiece ; the ominous familiarity of its subject makes it a must-see .",
      "the most important piece of political filmmaking since battleship potemkin .",
      "the inspiration and blueprint for docudrama and ideological cinema worldwide .",
      "what really resonates on watching algiers is its message about the widespread loss of civilian life and the staggering destruction to civic infrastructure as the heaviest costs of war",
      "superb and unrivalled .",
      "the verity of a documentary ... with the narrative drive and emotional charge of a great thriller",
      "plays like a mesmerizing action thriller that derives from the best traditions of hollywood .",
      "it 's more disturbing now than ever .",
      "the chafing , mutually uncomprehending collision of western occupiers and muslim occupied has never been captured with such dispassionate , thrilling clarity .",
      "gripping , relevant cinema ... irish film , `` bloody sunday , '' borrowed its entire structure from `` algiers . ''",
      "few movies have done such an eloquent , evenhanded job of defining the conflict between colonialists and natives determined to free themselves from foreign rule .",
      "it 's a frank blend of exoticism , eroticism and foreshadowed horror .",
      "one of the essential works of world cinema .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a one of a kind masterpiece of pure cinema that you will never forget .",
      "it 's a dedicated effort with importance as a ` document . '",
      "partially because of its documentary style , used so effectively by director gillo pontecorvo , it never gets heavy-handed -- exploring the idea of violence as a necessary evil for freedom .",
      "both a how-to manual for guerrilla terrorism and a cautionary tale about how to fight it . it 's also quite possibly the finest war film ever made .",
      "the film establishes a kinetic documentary effect , making the impact of every shoot-out and explosion a deeply personal experience .",
      "this seminal . meticulously crafted work about algiers struggle for freedom won the venic film fest top award , and deservedly garnered pontecorvo oscar nominations as best director and co-scribe .",
      "its content has classic and tragic dimensions beyond politics .",
      "essential viewing .",
      "a riveting look at france 's failed attempt to remain a colonial force in algeria . re-release .",
      "the director 's real achievement is not in making a piece of agitprop but in using these fundamental tools of cinema in such an extraordinarily affecting way .",
      "a classic of politically engaged filmmaking .",
      "this lesson in modern warfare is not only instructive to the pentagon 's military but is of considerable value to any generation 's fascination with law , order , anarchic behavior and classic story-telling technique .",
      "like all masterpieces , it speaks to later ages as powerfully and intelligently as to its own .",
      "a restored print of the landmark film has been re-released , and the superbly crafted , often-unnerving film is well worth your attention .",
      "the painful , desperate film , a re-enactment of algerian revolutionaries ' efforts to break free from french rule , is a practical textbook on how not to run an occupation .",
      "a lesson in modern warfare",
      "a startling and still-potent view of the double standard of war .",
      "what lessons a modern viewer can gain from the film depends on who is watching and what they want to see .",
      "while it 's clear that the movie is very much a stacked deck , which invariably takes the algerian side , the bias does n't lessen the film 's lesson .",
      "it 's as fresh and suspenseful as anything before or since .",
      "a thrilling movie with the unusual message that sometimes terrorism works .",
      "the most electrifyingly timely movie playing in new york was made in 1965 .",
      "this film has received a lot of praise from critics , but not that many people will find this that entertaining .",
      "the film 's explosive power transcends the headlines .",
      "what makes this charlotte film society entry remarkable is that the italian director sympathizes with both sides .",
      "if any movie squeezes you into the shoes of grassroots combatants fighting a monstrous colonialist power for the right to their own neighborhoods , this is it .",
      "you wo n't soon forget the face of brahim haggiag , who plays the revolutionary leader ali as if he were channeling the misery of colonialism into a solitary stare of accusatory outrage .",
      "` the MOV ' serves potent warning to those who envision warfare , or any western-dictated settlement , in areas so hungry and so foreign .",
      "a timelessly powerful film .",
      "the ` smell of truth ' that pontecorvo said he was after in this film has never left it , and likely never will .",
      "the greatness of the MOV lies in its ability to embrace moral ambiguity without succumbing to it .",
      "it remains one of the greatest depictions of the mutually dehumanizing nature of war ever made .",
      "magnificent moviemaking .",
      "perhaps the finest political film of the 1960s .",
      "the price of invasion has never been more poignantly spelled out than in this classic film .",
      "gripping and technically dazzling documentary-style drama .",
      "still powerful and upsetting because of its unpolished immediacy ... and because the movie declines to judge the terrorists ' actions .",
      "pontecorvo essentially established the cinematic language that we recognize in recent dramas based on actual events , from bloody sunday to black hawk down .",
      "remains a signficant achievement , a testament to film 's powers to put you in the middle of a historical event and make it feel real .",
      "the MOV still resonates today , and probably always will",
      "it remains a surprisingly instructive and cautionary lesson in the way that populist movements can burn parent states down to their grass roots .",
      "pontecorvo has nearly accomplished the impossible : to make an epic film that convinces the viewer he is watching the real thing .",
      "it looks beyond any question to be an original documentary film , put together from newsreel footage , complemented by staged dramatic scenes .",
      "vital and disquieting , this is a powerful depiction of the pity of war . as shocking today as it was on the day of its release .",
      "the film 's ruminations about the meaning of terrorism and efforts to deal with it really resonate in the post-9 / 11 world . that makes this already-tense film all the more chilling and all the more memorable .",
      "as something similar happens to our soldiers in iraq , it 's a piece of blood-chilling horror every time we see this story from today 's news repeated in a 38-year-old movie .",
      "its relevance to world events is just as clear today , more so , it seems , with each passing day .",
      "a chilling cinematic history lesson .",
      "an epic of intimate objectivity .",
      "it takes about an eighth of a second for the film to seem all too relevant .",
      "an extraordinary movie that ruffled many feathers when it first came out . almost 40 years later , it retains the poignancy it delivered back then .",
      "a fascinating movie in its own right , more relevant because of today 's world situation .",
      "the same power it had 40 years ago is still evident .",
      "staged with almost newsreel precision but presented with the punch of a great political thriller . . despite being half a century old , still has a powerful and pertinent message ."
    ],
    "summary": "a powerful , documentary-like examination of the response to an occupying force , the MOV has n't aged a bit since its release in 1966 .",
    "id": "133039722"
  },
  {
    "movie": "54",
    "reviews": [
      "to borrow a putdown from a past vice presidential debate , we 've all seen john travolta , and ryan phillippe , you are no john travolta . nor for that matter are you mark wahlberg .",
      "an entertaining reminder of how facile the disco era really was ...",
      "i was hoping to be able to recommend 54 from a camp point of view , possibly the next showgirls . but it 's not . the fact is it 's so uninvolving , it 's not even interesting enough to be bad .",
      "qualifies as one of the more entertaining bad movies of the year .",
      "this is so dull !",
      "first-time feature director mark christopher proves that he 's a better director than a writer , though not too terribly much .",
      "whatever you do , do n't waste your money on the superficial , cowardly 54",
      "a disappointingly dull film .",
      "... a wasted opportunity",
      "a mish-mash of bad writing , poor acting -lrb- except myers -rrb- , amateur directing and mediocre production credits .",
      "the writer seems helpless in finding a way to wrap up the story beyond the arrest of rubell .",
      "just as disappointing as whit stillman 's last days of disco , marc christopher 's 54 suffers from a formulaic script that feels like a reworking of saturday night fever and boogie nights , both superior and more entertaining pictures .",
      "a nostalgic whitewash . with its sterling beat-heavy soundtrack and non-stop glitz , the movie captures the look and sound of its inspiration much more convincingly than it conjures up the studio 54 atmosphere .",
      "54 is mediocre on almost all counts : acting -lrb- with a couple of exceptions -rrb- , writing , direction and cinematography are uniformly bland , inoffensive and completely unmemorable .",
      "one can only hope `` 54 '' will hammer the final nail in disco 's coffin . it 's music that i do n't want stayin ' alive .",
      "the 1970s were great times , but most viewers could hardly come to that conclusion based on this film .",
      "it 's all strobe lights and glitz , no substance . it 's sort of like the musical era it covers .",
      "54 ca n't make up its mind whether it 's debunking , revering or giggling at the era of glitter balls and gold-painted faces .",
      "except for myers , and for many he will make the movie worth watching . he 's absolutely shagadelic and completely unexpected . this should have been his movie .",
      "mecca of cool turns out lukewarm .",
      "the movie is flat , logy , and amateurish -- a scotch - tape - and - balsa - wood job .",
      "do n't shell out your cash for this dud !",
      "call it boogie nights lite .",
      "it 's a hollow shell of a film , rife with plot twists that go nowhere .",
      "somehow , some way , the supremely disappointing 54 has made the historically hip haven of hedonism ... boring .",
      "the dialog is as dull as the costumes are flashy .",
      "it 's a noble effort , but aficionados and the mildly interested are recommended to seek out vh-1 's excellent studio 54 documentary in lieu of this shallow morality play .",
      "as a movie finally reaching its definitive state , `` 54 '' is a flawed endeavor , and clearly the work of someone new to the venture of making movies . but it all comes together in fascinating hindsight , .",
      "a bundle of missteps that will keep filmgoers off this dance floor .",
      "extremely watery and soap opera-ish ...",
      "54 is barebones storytelling , almost totally devoid of compelling conflict on any level .",
      "the trite story is a letdown because it traverses a predictable arc .",
      "the plotting and pacing are so relentlessly predictable that the film does n't even work well as a sociology lesson .",
      "you see garbage bags filled with cash , a lot of avid cocaine snorting and fleeting glimpses of warhol and truman capote , but it all feels ho-hum .",
      "sanitised and dramatically inept retelling of the history of one of the great sleazy success -lrb- and failure -rrb- stories . best head out to a nightclub instead .",
      "i do n't get that lifestyle , but i was hoping that 54 would show me why so many people find that appealing . it was not to be .",
      "the party never gets started .",
      "the new disco era film 54 is fame on drugs , a low-grade saturday night fever .",
      "decadence has rarely looked so pathetic , lethargic and dispiriting as it does in this listless film .",
      "one of the year 's best films .",
      "it 's a flat , clumsy piece of filmmaking .",
      "there 's a great movie to be made about studio 54 , but this is not it .",
      "never achieves what it sets out to accomplish .",
      "54 is an entertaining and surprisingly serious look at the infamous new york discotheque , with a genuine nostalgia for the late '70s and early '80s , tempered by a healthy dose of jaundice - but without a sense of condescension or superiority .",
      "every conversation seems punctuated with awkward silences and dull stares .",
      "the triteness comes thick and fast .",
      "let me pause for a minute to think of a more boring subject for a movie ... sorry . i give up .",
      "neither a great night out nor a great night in .",
      "a shapeless homage to the glory that was studio 54 in its decadent heyday ...",
      "a more critical and resonant hollywood movie about the glorious disco culture screams to be made .",
      "... comes off like a high-budget cautionary tale , concerned that if it shows anything attractive about studio 54 , some young and innocent viewer might be corrupted ...",
      "here we have a nightclub where mick jagger danced with truman capote , and the drama of the film is two bare-chested hunks shouting ` you 've changed , man ! ' while carrying tubs of dirty glasses .",
      "-lsb- the director 's cut -rsb- is out and proud , not at all shying away from the sexual aggression of phillippe 's character as he calmly removes his clothes for any gender .",
      "the most affecting moments are shards of sexual behavior ... that existed only on the samizdat vhs , the degraded quality suggesting ghostly remnants of film 's scissoring -lsb- and -rsb- the long-dead behaviors on-screen , debauchery and gaucherie alike .",
      "the film is entertaining , and it 's worth seeing if only for mike myers ' amazing performance .",
      "myers exploits every vicious , self-hating line that comes his way .",
      "myers shining moment . too bad nobody saw it .",
      "a sanitized boogie nights .",
      "`` 54 '' starts out as an exploration of a culture based on the cultivation of surfaces , and winds up all surface itself .",
      "a la mayoría de los personajes les falta un desarrollo más inteligente y apegado a la realidad",
      "silly and clumsily made .",
      "little more than stock characters acting out a generic drama of sin and redemption against a lascivious backdrop that is far more interesting than the story it serves .",
      "mr. christopher 's movie at times looks like a parody of the era , at other times like a celebration of a period haplessly gone by .",
      "the director 's cut still has a pacing that lags during the second act , and now that the film 's about the love triangle , the scenes with julie do n't really add anything to the overall story . that being said , it deserves a second chance in its new life ."
    ],
    "summary": "poor plot development and slow pacing keep 54 from capturing the energy of it 's legendary namesake .",
    "id": "13650"
  },
  {
    "movie": "footloose-2010",
    "reviews": [
      "hugely entertaining , remake that 's obviously been made with a healthy love of the original film and succeeds thanks to a faithful script , terrific dance sequences and strong performances from its cast .",
      "wormald and hough are both handsome and good on the dance floor , but they come across more like teen stars in training than representations of real youth angst .",
      "this updated version of the 27-year-old MOV is competently made and lively enough .",
      "updating the quarter-of-a-century old original with a more racially representative cast and hipper street moves , brewer also trumps his predecessor with a zinging script and some likeable performances ...",
      "entertaining , sporadically delightful , but like most reheats , it lacks the essential sense of surprise found in the original picture .",
      "brewer adds a gritty texture and shows ingenuity in the ways he inserts tunes from the original . but the basic material is at best a guilty pleasure .",
      "in most regards -lrb- we still miss kevin bacon -rrb- , this is a `` new and improved '' `` MOV , '' funnier , sunnier and funkier . simply put , it works .",
      "it may not be great art , but it sure as hell knows how to dance .",
      "it 's startling how badly the dance numbers and action sequences are staged , shot and cut .",
      "star-crossed lovers wormald and julianne hough ca n't match bacon and lori singer , but over-30s will tap feet and the glee crowd will mime along .",
      "while it does n't excuse hollywood and their tendency to prefer the established property over a new idea , at least they 're getting better at making the reboots watchable .",
      "the most important thing this version has in common with the original is that the talking parts are too long and the dancing parts are too short .",
      "sweet , shamelessly cheesy and surprisingly wholesome .",
      "works as a breezy entertainment that audiences will want to flock to on a friday night .",
      "give credit to craig brewer , the filmmaker behind the new MOV , for realizing a new step was in order .",
      "`` MOV '' is still too long and too square to jump up and down about . but it offers a mild diversion for those who still believe `` the music is on his side . ''",
      "this guilty-pleasure update has an angsty adolescent energy that 's as infectious as anything in contagion .",
      "all in all , this is a film i attended with rock-bottom expectations , and came out of feeling elated .",
      "solidly entertaining and , dare i say , toe tapping fun ! ''",
      "a new MOV with sassier steps and the same contrived story is hardly necessary .",
      "while there 's definite energy in the dance sequences , the hokum outweighs the exuberance .",
      "there is good humour throughout .",
      "none of the changes improves on the original MOV , even though the two young leads are both professional dancers - did n't the budget allow for anything more than raft swinging and barn hoofing ?",
      "this 2011 version is so similar - sometimes song for song and line for line - that i was wickedly tempted to reprint my 1984 review , word for word .",
      "craig brewer 's adaptation cleverly gives several nods and winks to the first film , but also has a modern sensibility that every teenager today will understand .",
      "a pleasant reminder of the past for fans of the first one , and an agreeable-enough experience for everyone else .",
      "i do n't know what brewer wanted to capture . there are too many close-ups of stomping , swinging feet to suggest he cared about great choreography .",
      "what results is something stylish , modern , nostalgic , cheesy , and more than a little frankensteinian .",
      "as far as acting goes , these kids certainly can dance .",
      "wormald and hough do n't look or dance like adolescents letting off steam ; their professionalism overwhelms what should be a simple pleasure . the film sometimes has the same problem .",
      "as in most movies of this ilk , the drama is stuff you sit through to get to the good parts , which are the zippy music and athletic dancing . and they are very good .",
      "it 's an eruption of joyous , jitterbugging energy and a polished piece of filmmaking .",
      "MOV 2011 is harmless as far as it goes , but on the dance floor and off it never goes nearly far enough .",
      "the film 's best asset is miles teller , so good as the guilty teenager of `` rabbit hole , '' as the lead 's instant best buddy .",
      "a pretty good remake of MOV : good-hearted , sincere , enjoyable , not too stupid",
      "maybe there is something timeless in anachronism . maybe brewer has located the heart beneath the hoke .",
      "stays remarkably close to its predecessor in all the ways that count .",
      "it 's a vibrant youth musical that will appeal to audiences who have n't seen the 1984 original . and it has enough charm and life to it to compete with the memory of the earlier version .",
      "the film 's sheer exuberance is frequently enough to overcome its regular moments of dull writing , dubious logic , and clichéd plotting and acting .",
      "the idea of an american town outlawing dancing was a stretch back in 1984 , but in the intervening years , it 's actually become more believable - which goes some way to justifying this remake .",
      "... the film 's overlength ultimately prevent -lsb- s -rsb- it from becoming the propulsive piece of work brewer has clearly intended .",
      "better than i thought it would be , but not as good as i hoped it would be .",
      "while the 2011 version of the film does n't suck , it is n't as good as the original ...",
      "the makers of ` MOV 2.0 ' can be faulted for actually sticking too closely to the original .",
      "an unnecessary , though enjoyable , remake of kevin bacon 's 1984 breakout hit .",
      "it seems torn by a desire to appeal to every contemporary teenager 's rebellious side , but remains too scared to cut loose from the things that made the original appeal to their parents .",
      "the characters , the scenes , the dancing , even much of the dialogue are all plugged into a rigidly prefabricated storyline that treats its 1984 predecessor more as holy writ instead of perishable reagan-era cheese .",
      "the latest MOV is a step up from recent dance flicks .",
      "if you have n't seen the original and are happy to ignore some of the more mad script decisions , you might get a kick out of it , but otherwise , youre better off re-watching the movie that started it all .",
      "the dancing sequences are terrific - even the line-dancing is tolerable - but what really sells this quality reboot are the dashes of reality missing from the original .",
      "sells the concept 's inherent silliness with enough lighthearted charm and earnestness to match the surprisingly enduring original .",
      "clearly , brewer has come to praise MOV , not to bury it , and so he leaves dean pitchford 's screenplay more or less intact . the result is one of the more pleasant surprises of 2011 .",
      "brewer has a firm command of the material and a great sense of how to film dance sequences . ca n't wait to see what this filmmaker does next .",
      "once you 've seen the remake of MOV , it really does n't seem like such a bad idea .",
      "a boisterous , almost scene-for-scene remake of the 1984 jukebox-musical-dance hit .",
      "surprisingly enjoyable . please do n't remake flashdance , though .",
      "wormald lacks bacon 's charisma but hough has an undeniable star quality , and teller is a comic delight .",
      "it 's as if brewer is taking a stand for movies that look like movies instead of audience hipness barometers .",
      "every now and then , we need to be reminded that shaking your booty is something essential . or , in the case of director craig brewer 's MOV update , shaking your rebooty .",
      "some things never change : the best part of `` MOV '' is the dancing .",
      "director craig brewer has southernized the story ... made it lighter on its feet .",
      "fema can take a day off because MOV is one remake that wo n't be called a natural disaster , in fact , it 's one hell of a good film .",
      "this remake could have audiences tapping their feet ... as they wait for it to end .",
      "my sunday shoes remain intact .",
      "i 'm sure there was some great choreography and some great dancing that went into this movie . you do n't see any of it .",
      "you either go all the way with it or simply roll your eyes when confronted by its terrible , cynical crassness .",
      "i can easily imagine this MOV being looked back on down the road as the film that launched these names much like how the '84 film is reflected on in terms of bacon .",
      "it 's unlikely that brewer 's MOV will persuade many remake skeptics but the film does deliver surprisingly enjoyable character drama and exciting choreography .",
      "it 's as if the filmmakers decided , ` we 're sticking with the basic script , but this ai n't your mama 's ` MOV . '",
      "it 's taken me a long time to come to grips with this cinematic weakness - or maybe it 's a blessing . i like dance movies , especially if the music is bouncy and it makes the characters happy . that 's an infectious film sequence for me .",
      "the most immaterial remake of 2011 , and boy , ai n't that saying something .",
      "brewer can ... stage and shoot a dance sequence in a way that the movement can be wholly appreciated , and those scenes become infectiously entertaining .",
      "` i believe that any town where dennis quaid can wear pleated trousers should also be a town where kids can dance , ' says ren . ` but first , i will prove my bona fides by racing a school bus encrusted with stuffed animals ! '",
      "it 's a rare remake that improves on the original . but the new MOV does just that . the dancing is better , the drama grittier , the stars sexier -- and the music and the cast are more energetic and diverse .",
      "i 'm sure there are plenty of people who will say that the original version was so much better than this one and they may be right , but i 'm certainly in no hurry to prove it .",
      "with his delightful learning-how-to-dance sequence , miles teller almost steals ` MOV ' from fantastic dancers kenny wormald and julianne hough .",
      "an almost risibly old-fashioned crowd-pleaser ... weirdly constrained by brewer 's determination to ape the original so earnestly ... so clean-cut and wholesome that the mtv imprimatur attached to it seems like a joke .",
      "this is an unimaginative , near-carbon copy of what everyone recognised in 1984 as a cross between flashdance and rebel without a cause .",
      "MOV is completely harmless , and quite enjoyable at times . like any good pop song , it 's got a beat , and you can dance to it .",
      "utterly unnecessary , ham-fisted remake of a supposed 1980s `` classic . ''",
      "when a film depends on feeling something between the photogenic but antiseptic wormald and hough , and you do n't , you realize why that film may come up short in ways unrelated to dance training .",
      "brewer 's hot-and-bothered remake uncorks the original 's raging libido , and it 's as seamy and sordid as that damnable pg-13 rating will allow .",
      "if you can leave your cynicism at the door then this is top-quality saturday night popcorn entertainment .",
      "`` MOV '' poses as a bold update , but it 's shockingly out of step with the times .",
      "it 's pretty much the same movie , minus some of the more egregious '80s fashions .",
      "whatever limitations the movie has are part of its charm .",
      "the movie plays like a slightly degraded version of the original : the dialogue is a little lamer , the acting a little poorer .",
      "do n't hate MOV because it 's a remake . the dance-movie-love-story-freedom-of-expression thumper is a rollicking good time .",
      "somehow `` MOV '' never finds its rhythm . the maudlin scenes drag on , and the livelier moments pass by too quickly .",
      "finds a victorious sense of pride in dancing your ass off -- good clean rebellion if there ever was some .",
      "tweaking the story just a little , the new film brings things up to date while including a few nostalgic salutes to the original - including ren 's bright-yellow vw beetle and ariel 's red-leather cowboy boots .",
      "sure , it sings a familiar tune . but it 's got a good beat , and you can dance to it .",
      "there was really no reason to remake it , but if you accept the fact that remakes are inevitable in today 's hollywood , then the new MOV shows at least how to avoid travesty .",
      "in terms of empty-headed exuberance , it 's hard to top MOV .",
      "` you deal with your pain in extremes , ' the minister is told . the line is a key to brewer 's filmography : all the director 's movies are about people who deal with their pain in extremes , and the plots chronicle the consequences of their coping ...",
      "this is a situation where audiences will go into the theater humming the featured songs , and while the movie they see offers no surprises , it does something relatively few fall releases can claim : it delivers exactly what it promises ...",
      "i was not impressed by the original and was pleased to find a slight satisfaction in the refreshed model .",
      "it seems more pandering -lrb- and dated -rrb- than ever .",
      "`` MOV '' has the look and feel of an ok basic cable movie . ''",
      "MOV is fancy-free , an iconic movie 's tribute that could stand on its own two , tapping feet .",
      "may not make as great a dent in the current generation as the original film had , but it does offer up a commendable amount of energy and heart ...",
      "it 's a decent offer notwithstanding the fact that it 's an unnecessary remake hoping to cash in on the reputation of its earlier incarnation . -lrb- movie review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "remake is surprisingly fresh but still faithful to original .",
      "this remake plays like the high school version of a big broadway stage show . although that 's probably unfair to high school theater .",
      "MOV is kind of like eating imitation crab . the taste is there , but it 's just not quite right .",
      "the movie brings out some touching and heartfelt emotions . you wo n't be able to resist bobbing your head and tapping your toes . the 113-minute running time passes by quickly as you become totally absorbed in this crowd-pleasing musical extravaganza .",
      "` MOV ' remake is almost paradise .",
      "if MOV had to be remade , this is probably the best version we were likely to get .",
      "while the story is more oddly archaic than ever , we might find ourselves exiting the movie with the overwhelming desire to kick off our own sunday shoes .",
      "the good-looking , athletic cast kick up their heels with gusto and choreographer jamal sims melds line dancing with hip hop and street , always harking back affectionately to the iconic moments of the earlier version .",
      "craig brewer directs films like a man with electricity emanating from his fingertips . it feels like his pictures might , at any point , ignite into a fiery ball of sex ... MOV is what we talk about when we talk about having fun at the movies .",
      "you ca n't really ask much more from something you did n't ask to exist in the first place . i 'm not here to tell you to give in or just go with it . but if you do , you 'll leave smiling . sometimes the machine spits out something good .",
      "brewer makes good use of the songs from the 1984 film that work , and while the film is too long , dragging out the drama , it 's got a real pulse .",
      "by the time four little girls teach a dorky guy to dance to -lrb- the original -rrb- `` let 's hear it for the boy '' i was a gelatinous blob of pure affection . bring on `` flashdance '' 2.0 .",
      "a cheerful if slightly vacuous entertainment , with some intrepid dancing to keep audiences on their toes .",
      "paramount 's MOV reboot never quite cuts loose enough to distinguish itself from the original .",
      "a film that 's corny , predictable and disposable . but it 's also pretty good fun - after you 've had a few .",
      "barely fresh considering director craig brewer essentially made a carbon copy of the original film just with less chemistry and a leading actor who sounded like mark whalberg !",
      "i never want to dance again .",
      "this new version will quite capably supply the same amount of carefree fun to a new generation . which is exactly what a clever , if not particularly ambitious , remake sets out to do .",
      "brewer has delivered a largely unobjectionable note-for-note facsimile of herbert ross 's ode to teenage rebellion , young love and the unfettered joy of movement .",
      "foot-tapping fun , sexy dancing , romance and making changes are the mainstays of this likeable , high energy remake of the 1984 classic",
      "MOV is a fun , energetic and sexy remake which successfully remixes its cult classic predecessor to make for an entertaining time at the flicks .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- e have ... turned into four-year-olds who want to watch nothing but the same blue 's clues dvd over and over again ...",
      "from start to finish , brewer 's remake exudes the look and style of its forebearers : semi-awkward dance choreography , clunky dialogue and an obedience to formula that borders on cliché . but somehow , it works .",
      "brewer , who previously put his high-intensity spin on hustle & flow and black snake moan , displays his coolest moves in the way he smartly unties this MOV from its 1980s moorings .",
      "not even a rather obvious lack of interest in the adult actors amongst can stop MOV from finally becoming the film that 1980s nostalgia would have us assume the original is .",
      "the young cast are engaging , especially miles teller in the role originally played by christopher penn. .",
      "this is a squeaky clean teen movie , really . i was amazed at how people do n't know how to direct dance these days .",
      "will win you over with its refreshingly fun take on a beloved '80s classic as it showcases some fine new talent .",
      "MOV is a solid dance film that should find a new , appreciative audience with a younger generation that does n't hold the '84 film in as high esteem as audiences over 40 .",
      "brewer puts just enough smarts , sweat and swagger into his version of the dance steps making up this film that you ca n't help but move your feet and hum along .",
      "while hewing closely to MOV 's original story and themes , brewer 's film throws the standard high school movie notion of a teenage caste system out the window .",
      "predictable plot , solid music and dancing .",
      "like the original , it 's a bogus melodrama built around ersatz popular music . . a tribute to cinematic contrivance , a product instead of an expression of anything remotely real .",
      "the plot may be straightforward but it 's refreshing to see a modern dance film that tackles religion , convention and local law alongside the requisite forbidden romance .",
      "a virtual cinematic poison pill to anyone irrevocably divorced from any trace memories of adolescent feeling , and further proof that in life but especially art feeling is stronger than thought .",
      "while it 's true that few viewers will venture into a theater showing this remake for the story , the screenplay should not be a detriment to enjoyment . less talking and more dancing would have made for a more MOV and fancy-free environment .",
      "this MOV takes place in the same authentic , sweaty , lived-in south as his hustle & flow and black snake moan .",
      "there have been far , far worse remakes out there . harmless , feel-good fun .",
      "after his sophomore jinx , brewer is back on firm ground with this retro -lrb- but not cool -rrb- , old-fashioned musical remake , which you can see with your parents and grandparents due to its unabashedly corny and harmless nature .",
      "a dumbed-down , sexed-up take on a story that was already risqué and not too bright ... softens the '84 film 's critique of the church , but is also further from its lingering christian worldview .",
      "whether you prefer the original or the remake will be a matter of taste .",
      "you got to turn me around and put my feet on the ground , so i can walk out as quickly as possible .",
      "following the script of the original as if it were an arthur murray dance diagram , brewer 's do-over is at its root a very capable display of painting by numbers .",
      "a real drag from beginning to end .",
      "MOV drags its heels to the senior prom and , when it finally gets there , shoves in one last punch-up that puts an odd spin on what should be an upbeat display of happy feet .",
      "it 's the single most harmless teen movie in the recent cinematic landscape , and also one of the most charmingly fun .",
      "the patent absurdity would be forgotten or at least forgiven if the songs and the moves were any good , but aside from the title track it 's a sorry farrago of blandness .",
      "there 's at least one very compelling reason to see it : brewer understands how to do music on film better than anyone else working today .",
      "every dance sequence in the film is simply spectacular .",
      "it feels like a film walking in the shoes of its predecessor with a slightly sassier spring in its step . but at a certain point in the final act , this remake seems to forget why we 're all watching .",
      "is there any thing lamer than rebelling exactly the same way that your parents did ? ... this is not to elevate the original MOV beyond its modest , corny self , but the remake feels pointedly useless .",
      "a lively and rambunctious remake of the 1984 classic about a rebel with a cause who loves to dance .",
      "this remake rocks with toe-tapping adolescent angst .",
      "ren now dances with his ipod , the black kids krump in the carpark and the grown-ups worry about the recession . and that 's about where the updating ends .",
      "MOV is an anodyne example of hollywood 's fixation on remakes but it is slightly better than i expected .",
      "the glue subtly holding everything together for MOV is the intelligent and atmospheric direction of craig brewer , best known for his superb handling of the cult classic hustle and flow .",
      "it may adhere to the original a little too closely , but this remake is still an immensely enjoyable ride boosted by craig brewer 's pitch-perfect musical instincts .",
      "nothing about this remake challenges the original . what it does do is introduce a new generation to a great story with heart and there really ca n't be anything wrong with that .",
      "brewer 's camera clings to the bodies of the dancers who emit more heat than the burning southern sun ."
    ],
    "summary": "while it hews closely to the 1984 original , craig brewer infuses his MOV remake with toe-tapping energy and manages to keep the story fresh for a new generation .",
    "id": "770679603"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_sessions",
    "reviews": [
      "this frank , funny , tender film both asks and receives more from its sex scenes than any movie i 've seen in a long time .",
      "`` MOV '' is admirable , and often enjoyable , yet self-limiting in concept . it 's exactly about what it sets out to be about-no less but no more .",
      "`` MOV '' is a pleasant shock : a touching , profoundly sex-positive film that equates sex with intimacy , tenderness and emotional connection instead of performance , competition and conquest .",
      "in a country that embraces cinematic violence with such ease but blushingly prefers to keep sex in the shadows or under the sheets , the grown-up approach of `` MOV '' is rare .",
      "a must-see movie .",
      "the core of the move -- specifically MOV between mark and cheryl -- is quite good .",
      "there are no missteps along the way and it 's hard to take your eyes off the screen , even during the most awkward and intimate moments .",
      "`` MOV '' treats intimacy with an explicitness and honesty that 's very rare in movies .",
      "for once in an american movie , the uplift feels earned .",
      "avoids the kind of squickyness that hollywood usually drizzles over its uplifting movies about the physically challenged .",
      "sex & a very singular man",
      "boasts a rare , inherent understanding of its subject , with lewin now facing the prospect of becoming seriously hot property , as awards season beckons .",
      "for such a specific story , affecting only a few , the film triumphs in revealing a kaleidoscope of human emotions and truths .",
      "driven by john hawkes ' inspired turn , this is a candid , funny and touching charmer .",
      "a funny , tender and mostly unsentimentalized movie about physical and emotional triumph .",
      "most r-rated comedies involve meaningless sex . `` MOV '' is the rare one about meaningful sex .",
      "john hawkes is exceptional . look for him and helen hunt in the oscar mix .",
      "an extraordinary account of sexual exploration and intimacy against the odds , MOV is a powerful achievement .",
      "i just found that it was a tremendously compassionate film and you think it 's not something i would rush out to see but , in fact , it 's such a lovely , nourishing experience , this film .",
      "importantly , the film does n't take itself too seriously , and there 's a pleasantly off-beat sense of humour behind the agony and the ecstasy of this beautiful movie .",
      "it 's strange to call a film with so much nudity and simulated sex `` old-fashioned , '' but `` MOV '' nicely bridges that gulf .",
      "could so easily have swung into bleakness or cloying sentimentality , but writer/director ben lewin deftly strikes the right notes to create a charming little diamond of a film .",
      "john hawkes does the kind of acting that awards were invented for in this exhilarating gift of a movie that 's funny , touching and vital .",
      "a brave and bold movie that explores new territory in sexuality and spirituality .",
      "a moving tale with wryly funny moments .",
      "a very elegant and charming film about the simple need for human affection .",
      "a beautifully touching true story that never feels like the typical biopic since it finds a way of instilling humor and charm into a delicate and often tragic situation .",
      "... challenging , joyous , heartbreaking and quite funny ...",
      "`` the movie is neither short of , nor in the least bit coy about , sex and sex talk . it treats and presents both in a way that is entirely candid , frank ... ''",
      "the sleeper hit of the year , a rocket out of sundance trailing oscar nominations for hawkes and hunt and , with luck , writer-director lewin .",
      "australian veteran writer/director ben lewin -lrb- the dunera boys -rrb- delivers a heartfelt gem that is as moving as it is unassuming . it easily chimes in as one of the films of the year .",
      "writer-director ben lewin has made the decision to position the film somewhere between the comedic and dramatic genres ... . and it works .",
      "MOV is entertaining but also the sort of feature that can wait for a dvd rental . sex scenes aside , it feels puny on the big screen .",
      "john hawkes delivers what is perhaps the performance of his career and helen hunt is fearless and charming . MOV is a heartfelt journey that will leave your emotional spectrum overwhelmed to your heart 's content .",
      "an adult film that approaches the serious subject of sex with refreshingly explicit honesty .",
      "popular sex therapist dr. ruth once said that sexual surrogates are `` illegal . '' MOV makes them mainstream .",
      "john hawkes and helen hunt generate an endearing chemistry , here , turning in a couple of virtuoso performances deserving of serious consideration come oscar season .",
      "the honest performances and assured direction makes MOV an extremely accomplished film that celebrates sexuality .",
      "their film is more than a skin flick , despite it definitely being that . just as cheryl is more than a prostitute , while definitely still that .",
      "were you to come to MOV expecting a disease-of-the-week heartstring-puller , you 'd be completely out of luck -- fortunately .",
      "strong central performances and an endearing premise smooth over some of the more jagged edges of the script .",
      "ben lewin 's MOV is an emotionally charged film with a smart sense of humor that 'll have you tearing up from equal doses of laughter and drama .",
      "what stirs you most is the effortless way hawkes is able to convey mark 's compassion for people far more fortunate than himself .",
      "survival is n't enough . acceptance is n't enough . mark needs fulfillment .",
      "it 's difficult not to be impressed with director and screenwriter ben lewin 's ability to bring this distinctive and surprisingly emotional story to the big screen .",
      "it 's unlike any movie you 'll see this year , dealing with delicate subject matter in a refined way .",
      "MOV is a tender , well-intentioned examination of a disabled man exploring his sexual identity , but sometimes a film needs more than just good intentions .",
      "may sound like shameless oscar-bait , but in truth the film is simpler than that , more small-scale , with a light and unpretentious sense of humor .",
      "MOV is an unflinching , moving and often funny story about dignity and sexuality .",
      "it 's all so plodding and beige , yet giving this movie a bad review is like kicking a kitten .",
      "it 's a fine film and hawkes gives one of the year 's best performances .",
      "unexpectedly blunt and warmly sympathetic , displaying a refreshing commitment to the tense nuances of a carnal odyssey before its eventual slide into overcooked dramatics .",
      "it 's the rare film to sell sex as something truly tender and life-affirming , and helen hunt , in particular , is lovely and poignant .",
      "in ben lewin 's MOV , john hawkes takes on the kind of role that earns academy awards , in the kind of film that does n't .",
      "aided by committed , awards-ready performance , MOV transforms ` taboo ' subject matter into a humorous , humane and uncomplicated pleasure .",
      "a warm and compelling tale told in a simple manner , MOV is a rewarding if somewhat slight film with wide appeal .",
      "MOV becomes a dance of joy in the midst of severe challenge , and a movie with a light spirit that lifts a tale of heavy fate .",
      "this is either a delicate subject or an unapologetically vital one , and the key to `` MOV '' is that -lsb- ben -rsb- lewin treats it as the latter .",
      "it 's really a three-character comedy/drama , with the best elements of both genres .",
      "using only his tilted head , his eyes , nose , and mouth and that quizzical voice , hawkes brings o'brien to life .",
      "`` MOV '' shapes its themes in an appealing way and keeps the script lively and engaging and funny .",
      "this is n't the first film to explore the subject of the sexuality of the disabled . but it is , thanks to sensitive direction from ben lewin and empathetic performances that never condescend , among the best .",
      "a remarkable story of bravery and compassion",
      "with its assertive hero and inclusive humor , `` MOV '' is an inspirational drama you can feel good about in the morning .",
      "gets it right , in the essence of its true story as well as the social discomforts surrounding disability and sane discussion of sexuality .",
      "it 's funny and well-meaning , with great performances , but the story plays out more like an afterschool special with full-frontal nudity .",
      "... é motivo de alegria perceber como um homem como mark o'brien conseguiu explorar a própria sexualidade mesmo enfrentando a mais brutal e cruel das amarras : năo sua doença , mas a crença religiosa .",
      "an unexpected gem : candid , touching and funny .",
      "MOV proves unusually candid in its matter-of-fact attitude to both sex and nudity .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- a remarkable film about disability , incapacity and the joy of freedom in the most impossible of situations .",
      "this funny , moving , beautifully acted movie avoids numerous pitfalls .",
      "satisfaction guaranteed ? pretty much .",
      "it 's hawkes 's portrayal , in all its wit , intelligence and childlike naivety , that really captures the heart .",
      "by taking a sensitive , honest approach to this true story , breakthrough filmmaker lewin both avoids sentimentality and keeps the focus on the inner lives of the central characters .",
      "it 's a brave performance from hunt , who spends much of the film entirely naked . both her and hawkes are brilliant in a movie that is a massively uplifting experience .",
      "the movie becomes a touching , often funny portrayal of sex as a form of kindness and human contact .",
      "MOV is probably the most lighthearted movie about sex and polio you 'll see this year .",
      "using a healthy dose of humor and some very winning performances , the surrogate makes for a perfectly nice , if not challenging , film .",
      "it lacks the fullness of the best films of its ilk , chief among them jim sheridan 's my left foot . but lewin lets his eye wander pleasingly .",
      "MOV is startlingly bold and just as emotionally mature , with a wonderful story and even better performances .",
      "charming as lewin 's script may be , the end result provides little more than underwhelming sentiments filled with indifference and frustration .",
      "the basic structure is traditional , even formulaic . the specifics , however , are endlessly fascinating .",
      "hawkes and hunt nobly tackle the physical demands their roles require ...",
      "it 's an adult movie about an adult subject that upends the conventions of the sex comedy by investing them with solemn purpose . fortunately , that turns out to be pretty funny in itself .",
      "a charming and gently moving film .",
      "it has some difficult and heartfelt performances as well as moments of uncomfortable honesty , but ultimately writer-director ben lewin 's film feels too slight , too pat , and too wildly overhyped out of its festival showings .",
      "MOV is a truly inspirational work , grounded by a powerful , thought-provoking performance that lingers long after one has left the auditorium . it is one of the more memorable , if imperfect , achievements of 2012 .",
      "this is a crowd-pleaser of the finest sort .",
      "MOV resembles one of o'brien 's poems -lrb- which are featured in the story -rrb- - neither flawless nor ever-graceful in terms of technique but still gentle and sincere .",
      "the most grown-up depiction of emotionally meaningful sexual relations ... that will have any sort of general distribution in u.s. movie theaters in this or any of the next several years .",
      "sex , religion , poetry and the disabled might be the subject matter , but nothing will prepare you for the emotions that are shared in this unique , poignant and unforgettable film",
      "we are engaged by the compelling characters and a man 's discovery of sexuality in a short span of time and in a unique way . and we are touched by the relationship that develops",
      "forced to do all his acting with his face , hawkes displays the kind of camera-arresting capability that has earned others oscar nominations .",
      "an absolute delight .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is very sweet and heartfelt , but never cloying or overly sentimental .",
      "a dramatic , inspiring story that can be humorous at times with endearing characters . this is a crowd-pleaser that is sure to be a contender at the oscars .",
      "at once entirely frank and downright cuddly in the way it deals with the seldom-visited subject of the sex lives of people with disabilities ...",
      "a film of tenderness and humor married to the unlikeliest of subjects .",
      "most often with MOV the blunt comedy outweighs the drift toward sanctimony .",
      "... a perfectly watchable showcase for two undeniably above-average performances .",
      "`` MOV '' introduces us to some harsh truths we may not want to consider , but the outcome is one we can not fail to understand .",
      "a sharply written , skillfully executed adult crowd-pleaser -lsb- that -rsb- avoids mawkishness and actually manages to inspire and amuse .",
      "... a story of triumph over disability that takes the form of an uplifting sex comedy rather than a depressing saga of a dying man .",
      "`` MOV '' is a film that reminds us of the fragility of life , and how human beings are capable of a deep emotional bond when it is least expected .",
      "the film greatly benefits from hawkes ' tremendous performance . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "that exceedingly rare combination of sexy , clever and sweet , a winning tale of one charming disabled man 's quest to get some stank on his hangdown .",
      "hawkes ' work here is that good that it carries one away on a wave of emotion that dismisses critical thought . the film around him could have been better but you 're unlikely to realize that while you 're watching it .",
      "for the entire endeavor to emotionally register , you must buy into the romance that purportedly blossoms between hawkes and hunt . i did n't , not for a second .",
      "the film does n't build in some over-the-top manipulation in order to make its points , but instead focuses on the small details between them , and as a result , when it does pay off , it 's in a very organic way .",
      "we love this hero for his indomitable spirit to take life head on , even given the ever-present shadow of death that mindfully holds him in a tight embrace ... much tighter than any lover could .",
      "a genuinely touching , if slight drama , the movie remains a sympathetic portrait of the plight of a handicapped person without ever growing too serious or saccharine .",
      "it might just be the most poignant , moving film ever made about one man 's surprisingly noble efforts to get laid .",
      "the transactions , o'brien 's growing self-awareness and the effect on those around him are explored with grace , humour and tenderness .",
      "the emotional journey is articulated with so much nuance , and such a vigorous belief in human possibility , that everything the surrogate touches becomes its own , and is made new .",
      "this is one of the best , and certainly one of the best-acted , films of the year . i ca n't think of another film that mixed compassion and carnality in such an eloquent way .",
      "the laughs are always gentle , which is descriptive of the film as a whole , as it strives to reconnect cinematic sex with shared humanity .",
      "MOV belongs completely to hawkes , who disappears into the role of mark o'brien , delivering a stunning performance that illuminates what it means to be a whole person .",
      "a very different kind of love story , breaking taboos lightly , with sensitivity and humor .",
      "thanks to lewin 's light but assured touch , MOV never wears its theological preoccupations heavily , instead allowing transcendence to creep up on the audience quietly .",
      "for the most part , an authentically subversion take on fringe sexuality .",
      "few movies are so frank about the sexual mechanics of the disabled ...",
      "all thinking viewers will come away with a better understanding as to how the seemingly different amongst us are really just the one-in-the-same when getting up close and personal .",
      "formulaic but uplifting , positive and accessible .",
      "in its barest form this is a traditional rites-of-passage yarn , dealing in first love and lost innocence , and even with a candid discussion of sex , it 's mostly sweetness and light .",
      "for better and for worse , MOV has ` crowd-pleaser ' written all over it .",
      "o'brien was the subject of an oscar-winning short `` breathing lessons , '' and it seems likely that `` MOV '' will receive a few nominations of its own . it deserves them .",
      "it sends viewers out of the theater with a heightened sense of the physical and a real feeling for all the things that sex means in human life .",
      "the achievement of this simply told , exceptionally fine film is the clarity with which it portrays the drama of a good soul in an inert body .",
      "uneven and perhaps a little too tidy as it aims to promote one man 's extraordinary spirit . it is john hawkes and helen hunt , however , who are most worth seeing .",
      "practically ignores everything about o'brien 's life except as it relates to his sexual odyssey , turning the life of the man into little more than a curio .",
      "the joy of MOV goes beyond sexual healing . it makes physical intimacy far more a matter of the heart , and you wo n't be alone wiping an occasional tear .",
      "a powerful expression of our common needs , fears , and consolations .",
      "hawkes ' performance is the must-see hook of MOV , but hunt gives this funny , touching movie its soul .",
      "character actor john hawkes is often cast as a frightening rustic -lrb- winter 's bone , martha marcy may marlene -rrb- , but he gives a tender and witty performance here as mark o'brien .",
      "lewin , who has fought his own lifelong polio battle , handles tricky material with a gentle , empathetic touch .",
      "hugely enjoyable , warm-hearted and frequently laugh-out-loud funny disability drama with a superb script and a pair of terrific performances from john hawkes and helen hunt .",
      "a tender , lovely story about a man condemned by polio to live in an iron lung who wishes at age thirty-eight to lose his virginity .",
      "not only does it deal with sex in a straightforward manner , but it also deals with the equally sensitive themes of disability and religion , all of which writer/director ben lewin pulls off skilfully .",
      "hunt is a prodigy . no other actress could have brought such easeful transparency , such a glow of givingness , such heedlessness of glamour each time she strips naked .",
      "you could maybe see it working as a play , though the tactile detail of these scenes needs close-ups on the actors ' faces to communicate what the transaction means to them both .",
      "MOV can be sugary , but it 's likable .",
      "three days after viewing , the film 's questioning generosity and sense of perspective will still be knocking around your head .",
      "it 's tender , humane and funny and superbly acted ; a simple but affecting parable about experiencing life to the fullest .",
      "a touching gem of a movie largely thanks to subtly dynamic performances from helen hunt and john hawkes .",
      "MOV finally proves that hollywood can take physical incapacity and/or sex far more seriously than it does the potential side effects of shooting so many people on screen so often .",
      "an incredibly low-key and feel-good adult movie about sex that 's much funnier than most people are probably expecting , highlighted by a pair of oscar-caliber performances by its two leads .",
      "it offers a relatable depiction of the powers of a positive mental attitude and perseverance in spite of horrendously bad luck . and some oscar-caliber acting , to boot .",
      "skilled direction , a talented cast and a simple but elegant story will garner a lot of sympathy from its targeted , more mature audience .",
      "a sentimental , feel-good romance about pity sex .",
      "another dynamite vehicle for john hawkes , in which lewin 's affecting script overcomes his pedestrian direction .",
      "the movie is so clammily sensitive and tame that it stifles any strong response .",
      "neither an issue-pushing disability drama or a crude , american polio-style sex comedy , MOV is sweet and winning - ` feel good ' minus the fingers down the throat .",
      "this film rebukes and corrects countless brainless and cheap sex scenes in other movies . it 's a reminder that we must be kind to one another .",
      "inevitable comparison will be made with my left foot , but on its own terms , the fact-based drama is touching , frank , challenging -lrb- breaking hollywood taboos -rrb- , and superbly acted by hawkes and helen hunt in oscar-caliber turns",
      "the bottom line here is that yes , a movie about a physically disabled man makes for one of the sexiest date nights of the year . unless you 're allergic to over-20s .",
      "a frank exploration of sex and disability , MOV compensates for a minor structural misstep with an acute ear for tone and stellar performances throughout .",
      "this filmmaker knows exactly what he 's doing every step of the way and is absolutely right in all his choices .",
      "MOV is fascinating , informative , engaging and heartbreaking stuff .",
      "hunt 's tangible disregard for false modesty does justice to the misunderstood surrogacy profession , while hawkes ' committed yet matter-of-fact portrayal of o'brien masterfully avoids theatricality or sappy heartstring tugging .",
      "lewin has never had talent like hawkes , hunt , and macy as his instruments before , and he makes the best of them .",
      "a film , inspired by the life of the late poet-journalist mark o'brien , that celebrates the relationship between physical and emotional intimacy .",
      "not just another weepy drama of overcoming odds , a my left foot with a different appendage . MOV is often brazenly funny , not from shocking dialogue but characters reacting the way people do , especially with such a flustering subject as sex .",
      "an unusually frank and frequently humorous meditation on the transformative power of connection",
      "take away the nudity and the frank sex talk and you 'd pretty much be left with a high-minded tv movie -- with unusually good actors .",
      "presents the sensitive o'brien as a brave , funny , unselfish and unlikely romantic-fantasy dream hero for disappointed , weary or jaded older female moviegoers .",
      "the uplifting struggle for living a life of dignity for paralyzed from the neck down polio victim mark o'brien .",
      "the sex scenes are frank and explicit , but never cheap and exploitative . -lrb- yes , they get naked . grow up . -rrb- the nudity is n't airbrushed pin-up perfection , but raw and real - and all the more lovely and moving because of it .",
      "taking the good with the bad , this is n't a terrible movie , though it is being rather overhyped . i found myself laughing a lot and enjoying the transformations the actors go through , but an unengaging story only serves to drag it down .",
      "with ben lewin 's film MOV , hawkes is given the biggest and juiciest leading role of his career , and he pulls it off with remarkable grace and humor .",
      "less dreary than uplifting , the surrogate succeeds as a light romance with heavy material .",
      "MOV is bracing . it 's also one of the few movies to recognize that people with severe physical disabilities have sexual lives , too .",
      "the movie methodically punts each time it comes across anything interesting .",
      "MOV is a magnificent film . this tale of a profoundly disabled man 's sexual awaking is not only a genuine crowd pleaser , but it also gives a cinematic voice to the marginalized .",
      "a sweet but minor fictional parable about the strange possibilities of love .",
      "mature but deeply powerful look at sex and the disabled .",
      "a movie like this is really built around a performance , and john hawkes - so powerfully evil in `` winter 's bone '' and `` martha marcy may marlene '' - carries the film .",
      "award-worthy performances from john hawkes , helen hunt and william h. macy .",
      "this warm , witty , sensuous and quite wonderful study of a disabled artist terrifically avoids any `` triumph of the human spirit '' sentimentality .",
      "surprisingly funny and touching .",
      "a remarkable actor , john hawkes , gives a remarkable performance as a remarkable character .",
      "an intelligent , funny , insightful film that offers a frank examination of sex . it 's not prurient or titillating , just truthful .",
      "raw , unrestrained and sympathetic without giving in to melodrama , ` MOV ' is about a man facing a physical challenge who decides he wants to become intimate with a woman .",
      "achieves its sunny disposition by pulling punches .",
      "it is rare to watch a movie where sex is treated with maturity , religion is treated with respect and characters are so heart-warmingly written and portrayed .",
      "deeply moving . the oscar-worthy -lrb- john -rrb- hawkes invests his character with a sense of grace and humor that nullifies any potential pity . this is a great movie for adults and even for older adolescents .",
      "an inspiring tale that celebrates the human spirit , underscores the value of connections , and laughs at the beautifully embarrassing urges that make us what we are .",
      "a movie about sex that shows a whole lot of sex , but is n't sex-obsessed . MOV grabs you in the heart rather than the loins .",
      "vera is something of a missed opportunity here ."
    ],
    "summary": "tender , funny , and touching , MOV provides an acting showcase for its talented stars and proves it 's possible for hollywood to produce a grown-up movie about sex .",
    "id": "771255623"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gabrielle",
    "reviews": [
      "chronically impassive and faultlessly incurious about others , MOV has been , for ten years , the perfect ornament of a social circle where 'em otion and failure are feared more than war . '",
      "this is a careful and cinematic adaptation that rings with painful truth .",
      "although it is possible that french actress isabelle huppert makes the occasional false move , she does not make them in front of a camera .",
      "co-screenwriter/director patrice chereau does n't seem in any particular hurry with the pacing . he practically dawdles , which makes the whole thing feel longer than its relatively scant running time .",
      "rewards those who stay with it ... at least those who use terms like deconstruction .",
      "a film that matches all too well the times it portrays , MOV is claustrophobic , stifling , and not a little crusty . saved only by its exquisitely bitter performances and immaculate design .",
      "both protagonists give elegant and moving performances .",
      "a work of stunning intensity underneath opulent fabrics",
      "for the most part , -lsb- chereau -rsb- lets huppert and greggory provide the emotional impact . they respond accordingly , imbuing their mutual suffering with an exacting and moving finesse .",
      "most of all , we think , ` gosh , all of these experiments make for a cold , uninvolving film . '",
      "chilly , pretentious and talky .",
      "chereau keeps us locked inside their suffocatingly unhappy home , making for an intensely theatrical chamber piece .",
      "marriage noir with another devastating performance by huppert that plumbs the depths of unhinged despair .",
      "... visually gorgeous ... with graceful camera movement and psychologically evocative lighting and cutting ... -lsb- despite -rsb- stretches of talkiness .",
      "the end scene that could turn a heart into ice",
      "i do not believe , as far as i can remember % u2013 and i pray i do n't offend , my dear reader % u2013 the line of dialogue , `` the thought of your sperm inside me is unbearable , '' derived from the pen of conrad , but rather its harsh tones sound pure huppertian .",
      "as a couple , jean and MOV are a corseted waking nightmare . as co-stars , -lsb- isabelle -rsb- huppert and -lsb- pascal -rsb- greggory make a dream match .",
      "patrice chéreau 's startling drama recounts the dissolution of a marriage of a couple -lrb- pascal greggory and isabelle huppert -rrb- from the haute bourgeoisie .",
      "greggory is up to that journey , revealing the character in his various colors , and huppert is at her usual best , subtle , emotionally full , focused and honest .",
      "greggory anchors MOV in manly bewilderment and rage , while huppert claws the title character 's way to self-awareness .",
      "chereau matches conrad 's insistence on psychological accuracy , burrowing through the protective layers of self-delusion that hold so many human relationships together .",
      "a shocking , brilliantly original rumination on the subject of marital rot .",
      "an emotionally explosive adaptation of joseph conrad 's short story .",
      "explosive and intense , melancholy yet sometimes mordantly funny , MOV is the sort of picture that takes no prisoners . and offers no definitive answers .",
      "the director 's skillful handing and the superb performances are liable to manipulate a smart audience as easily as they manipulate one another .",
      "a little less flash , and MOV could have been a subtle classic . as is , it 's still a powerful exploration of human nature .",
      "chereau spoils it all by frequently resorting to trivial mannerisms , slipping gratuitously into black and white , using freeze frames , slow motion or sudden fades to white and inserting silent movie-style titles .",
      "i 'm not sure i 've seen two people this unlikable since affleck and j.lo were together .",
      "much of the film is huppert and greggory verbally eviscerating their life together , not to mention their dreams and beliefs , and watching the give and take is like watching great theatre .",
      "though MOV could be described as a very talky film ... , probing talk is a french specialty , especially when it explores the dangerous , ever-changing chambers of the heart .",
      "-lsb- director patrice chereau -rsb- has drawn exceptional performances from his two principals .",
      "talky but absorbing tale of dysfunction among the super-rich .",
      "this film is everything that 's bad about current french cinema .",
      "by the end of `` MOV , '' we 're rooting for the couple to break up just so we do n't have to spend another minute in their company .",
      "spending 90 stuffy minutes with the bitter husband and wife is tough , despite the quality of the performances .",
      "scenes from a marriage was twice as devastating with none of the stylistic folderol .",
      "mr. chéreau and his collaborators have fashioned a visual masterpiece full of the most pungent and provocative dialogue .",
      "isabelle huppert and pascal greggory are superb as a couple of immense wealth and social prestige in the belle epoque paris of 1912 -- but then everything about this film is superb .",
      "i could n't stop watching , but came away spiritually drained .",
      "this highly stylized portrait of a loveless marriage at the beginning of the 20th century merges a claustrophobic theatricality with dazzlingly cinematic wide-screen compositions -lrb- the sumptuous cinematography is by eric gautier -rrb- .",
      "patrice chereau 's portrait of a marriage en crise is an excoriating look at the deep unhappiness that can fester within the most respectable-seeming of households .",
      "a formally inventive version of the literary classic .",
      "in spite of some effective work by the lead actors and some blind stabs at stylistic ingenuity , MOV proves itself to be a rather old-fashioned infidelity story .",
      "MOV reeks of the same snobbery it denounces in others .",
      "as loyal as chéreau 's film is to conrad 's story , the director expands its point of view by giving more authority to the female experience conrad suppresses in his text .",
      "at once robust and ethereal , this is an existential ghost story , with fresh blood pulsing through its veins .",
      "MOV is art house fare and will appeal to the femme film buff ...",
      "chéreau 's period chamber drama is engrossing throughout and an interesting accompaniment to his modern day intimacy .",
      "husband and wife , upper-class couple jean and MOV hervey , are played , to perfection , by two of france 's premier film actors : pascal greggory and isabelle huppert .",
      "based on a short story by joseph conrad , here is stylized rendition of a foundering marriage of convenience .",
      "for all its filmmaking bravura , the film never transcends the confines of its period drama setting . we look at the artistry and marvel , but we are never really touched .",
      "one of the film 's savage ironies is that his wife 's inevitable betrayal strikes less at his heart than at his all-consuming sense of order ."
    ],
    "summary": "patrice chéreau 's exquisite rendering of joseph conrad 's the return brings underlying passions to surface in a long-suffering marriage .",
    "id": "237374256"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blues_brothers",
    "reviews": [
      "i am never not amused by the MOV .",
      "context is crucial : this messy , self-indulgent comedy was made at the height of snl and muppet show , catapulting to pop-culture icon status belushi , aykroyd and candy , though best moments are those of performers like aretha franklin and ray charles .",
      "frequently over-the-top and aggressively raucous , it 's one of my very favorite comedies -- and musicals .",
      "though the MOV takes nothing seriously , it has seriously changed the landscape of comedic history and blues music forever .",
      "there 's even room , in the midst of the carnage and mayhem , for a surprising amount of grace , humor , and whimsy .",
      "you 've never known fun until you 've watched this !",
      "big , loud , often obnoxious , but surprisingly sweet-tempered .",
      "this essentially modest movie is reported to have cost about $ 30 million , and what did all that money buy ? scores of car crashes . too many extras . overstaged dance numbers . and a hollowness that certainly did n't come cheap .",
      "one of the funniest movies i have ever seen . a classic in all sense of the word .",
      "it 's many excesses just make this brilliant slapstick musical even more enjoyable .",
      "landis at the peak of his powers . brilliant , deadpan comedy .",
      "a classic for all time !",
      "goes on way too long , but still a fun movie that immortalizes john belushi",
      "a damn fine mess of a movie .",
      "the humor is predicated on underplaying in overscaled situations , which is sporadically funny in a keaton-esque way but soon sputters out through sheer , uninspired repetition .",
      "just about the only saturday night live skit that makes a successful transition into a feature-length comedy .",
      "full of belly-laughs as well as toe-tappingly great tunes , the sharp suits and cool shades of the MOV will have you rocking with joy .",
      "call me sacrilegious , but i do n't think the MOV is all that great .",
      "an inspired combination of wild comedy , a demented car chase , a double act that dovetails beautifully and terrific music , the MOV comfortably survives the test of time .",
      "a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a moog synthesizer gone sadistic .",
      "a cult musical comedy film with a still-growing reputation .",
      "the story is thin , but there 's a consistently wonderful over-the-top mentality .",
      "the MOV is packed with lively music , fantastic chase sequences and nonstop slapstick comedy .",
      "bloated , overlong , too many car crashes , too little humor . a big disappointment .",
      "the film retains a huge nostalgic kick , thanks in large part to aykroyd and belushi 's easy rapport , a smattering of daft , shaggy humour and some truly iconic musical sequences .",
      "i have never been quite sure why this $ 30 million comedy made by john landis in 1980 became such a cult .",
      "this long , expensive 1980 cult movie has an energy and individuality lacking in similar films nowadays .",
      "an undisciplined , overlong tale that substitutes spectacle and star cameos -lrb- twiggy , steven spielberg , etc -rrb- for a coherent narrative .",
      "... an epic musically charged comedy , the likes of which has never been seen before or since .",
      "given all the chaos , director and , with aykroyd , cowriter , john landis manages to keep things reasonably controlled and in a straight line .",
      "lightning in a bottle created more than 30 years ago",
      "a dazzlingly enjoyable , memorable road trip of comedy and music from two of snl 's best .",
      "still sounds great , and looks as good as ever through ray-bans .",
      "formless , chaotic and lazy , and quite brilliant because of it .",
      "the mere spectacle of elwood and jake in their shades is n't quite as giggle-inducing as it presumably was back in 1980 , but the stunts are still awe-inspiring , and there 's plenty of laughs . they really were thinking big .",
      "a monument to waste , noise and misplaced cool , but it does have its engagingly nutty moments .",
      "there 's not one ineffective cameo in a movie with many because there 's no sense of stunt casting or camera hogging .",
      "a cult classic for adults and older teens ."
    ],
    "summary": "too over the top for its own good , but ultimately rescued by the cast 's charm , director john landis ' grace , and several soul-stirring musical numbers .",
    "id": "13659"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ghostbusters",
    "reviews": [
      "thirty years on , bustin ' still makes us feel good . in fact , few movies have the power to make us feel good-er .",
      "essentially a $ 30 million version of abbott and costello meet the mummy but not at all a bad time , thanks mainly to bill murray 's incredibly dry line readings and director ivan reitman 's maintenance of a moderately coherent tone and plotline .",
      "only intermittently impressive .",
      "with his deadpan delivery and snide quips , murray more than holds his own amid the myriad state-of-the-art special effects .",
      "one of a kind super comedy of ghosts & special effects",
      "this movie is an exception to the general rule that big special effects can wreck a comedy .",
      "dan aykroyd 's inventive comedy concept for MOV attracted an all-star comedy team to bust out an classic of mainstream '80s cinema .",
      "the perfect marriage of big-budget sci-fi spectacle and character-based comedy schtick .",
      "everyone 's at the top of their game for this one . even ernie hudson has never been this good since .",
      "classic comedy",
      "on balance , MOV is a hoot . it 's murray 's picture , and in a triumph of mind over matter , he blows away the film 's boring special effects with his one-liners .",
      "if you 've never experienced MOV on the big screen , you really need to go see this . if not i 'm afraid you 'll have to turn in your geek card .",
      "it speaks to its entire audience , without ever seeming to joke over children 's heads in a snide or overly knowing manner .",
      "what you realise about MOV thirty years on is that bill murray is a comedy genius .",
      "thirty years later , there are still rumblings of making another sequel , but no one would dare suggest a reboot or re-imagining ; MOV is perfect exactly as it is .",
      "the elastic structure provides ample room for inspired surrealism , yet the looseness never compromises the film 's tongue-in-cheek love letter to pre-gentrification manhattan or its piercing satire of reaganite go-getting ...",
      "the plotting may be primitive , but it 's all carried off with far more style and finesse than one might expect from the creators of animal house and meatballs .",
      "MOV is primarily a showcase for murray , who slinks through the movie muttering his lines in his usual cheeky fashion and getting off an occasionally hilarious crack that proves he 's thoroughly enjoying himself .",
      "part of the sheer joy of this movie -- aside from the comic timing of bill murray -- is the cartoonish crapness of its apparitions and their placid acceptance by the MOV team .",
      "it 's almost impossible not to smile while watching it .",
      "the epitome of 80s comedies and source of many a pop culture tagline .",
      "there is more attention to special effects than to humor .",
      "a screwy and mischievous movie fueled by endless reserves of comic energy",
      "a classic . funny , great special effects and a cultural phenomenon .",
      "reitman did well with his casting , turning in one of the most original comedies ever .",
      "as entertaining today as it ever was , a classic to be treasured by all .",
      "it 's nowhere near as good as it 's supposed to be .",
      "murray and scribe ramis defy all logic and turn it into a movie you 'd want to watch over and over .",
      "the perfect xer movie .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1984 -rrb- is the comedic tale of three ghost exterminators in the city of new york .",
      "the leads ' chemistry is almost , well , spooky , dan aykroyd 's nerdy enthusiasm rubbing deliciously against a persona-perfecting turn from bill murray - and there 's even the odd surprise .",
      "the often dazzling , special effects-driven slapstick tends to overshadow the fact that there are some slyer , more sophisticated laughs on offer in this blockbusting family comedy .",
      "what 's not to like ?",
      "paranormal fun for tweens and up ; some scares .",
      "a comedy first , a horror film second ... but a successful enough hybrid of those things that it would be wrong to try to limit it generically .",
      "the movie 's tongue-in-cheek -lrb- and pre-subprime -rrb- satire of surging capitalist hubris is scarcely mitigated by the necessary fairy-tale ending .",
      "whoever thought of having evil 's final manifestation take the form of a 100-ft . marshmallow deserves the rational mind 's eternal gratitude .",
      "stuffed with wisecracking , punning and essential deadpanning care of the film 's most notable star performer murray -lrb- who has such delivery down as a fine art -rrb- , the film also packs in a half-decent narrative .",
      "see website for more details .",
      "fantastic all the way",
      "it provoked huge box-office success in 1984 and is still director ivan reitman 's defining movie .",
      "as funny , spooky and marvellous as ever .",
      "i had a good giggle watching MOV again , and i recommend checking it out for an evening of turn-your-brain-off entertainment .",
      "it remains as one of the more entertaining pieces of cinema of the previous decade .",
      "the comedy here is solid gold , bill murray is in peak form , and the effects are a lot of fun .",
      "MOV thrives on the fine line between taking it all seriously enough to be scary , then poking fun at it in the most creative ways possible .",
      "a fantasy , but with no touches of reality at all , to be enjoyed for its zany humour typical of the `` national lampoon '' school from which several of its contributors are drawn .",
      "if for nothing else , deserves to be fondly remembered for bringing the stay puft marshmallow man into the world .",
      "MOV is a movie that i 've seen well over a hundred times and i 'm still not sick of it , nor do i think i ever will . it 's an iconic comedy that i think has held up very well over the past 30 years .",
      "director ivan reitman keeps the aykroyd-ramis screenplay zipping right along , creating something like abbott & costello meet the exorcist . aykroyd and murray make the perfect summer tonic for raising spirits .",
      "an exciting and fun genre hybrid rarely mastered .",
      "`` MOV '' is a fun romp with a couple of comedy 's greatest stars at the top of their game .",
      "in both the funny and the -lrb- mildly -rrb- scary moments , the cast does itself proud ."
    ],
    "summary": "an infectiously fun blend of special effects and comedy , with bill murray 's hilarious deadpan performance leading a cast of great comic turns .",
    "id": "12000"
  },
  {
    "movie": "boy-a",
    "reviews": [
      "carefully calibrated to explore the solitariness of a character who can not let himself be known ... turns MOV 's very particular story into a scary , universal and wrenching social statement .",
      "a small , huge film about the harsh realities of rehabilitation , and the shimmering possibility of redemption .",
      "if hitchcock had done a coming-of-age drama , it might have resembled this haunting , nervous , sad movie .",
      "an absorbing , finely nuanced morality tale .",
      "sensitive portrait of a young man 's efforts to reintegrate into society after committing a horrible crime as a child .",
      "inspires respect for its first-rate performances , artful construction and meticulous understatement .",
      "ambitious both as to structure and theme , and riveting in mood .",
      "a quiet and penetrating portrait of a sensitive young man who re-enters society with a fresh identity after spending half his life in juvenile prisons .",
      "along with garfield and the splendid scottish actor mullan , crowley brings great tact to this bruising saga of atonement and moral regeneration . though a bad seed can bring forth good fruit , will others want to pick it ?",
      "there are some gaps in the movie 's reality , and some o. henry-like contrivances , but the masterful trick MOV plays on viewers is to get them to care before giving them reasons not to .",
      "MOV may follow an all-too schematic flashback structure , but the film is too brilliantly acted for that to really matter much .",
      "an ingenuous 24-year-old man-child is at the center of john crowley 's wrenching melodrama boy a.",
      "the new british film ` MOV ' poses a question that is easy to ask but nearly impossible to answer : can we ever really escape from our own misdeeds ?",
      "his sophomore feature , MOV explores bleak territory but its insistence on not tying everything up in neat little bows is to be commended .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie that falls victim to the new role of multiplex as babysitter of teenagers . its life in the theatres will be short , but for the few that find it now it will be worth it .",
      "even its structurally weaker moments give garfield an opportunity to expand on jack 's physical and mental dislocation . given MOV 's final floating reel , it 's an anchoring performance in every sense of the word .",
      "MOV is one of those rare movies that takes the idea of rehabilitation seriously . in the end , it may present a worst-case scenario , but it does so with unusual depth and conviction .",
      "in tandem , the director and screenwriter build up a palpable suspense . MOV will rivet you while raising issues about forgiveness and just who deserves it .",
      "the movie is taut with suspense but culminates in wise resignation as the hero comes to understand he 's running from a part of himself .",
      "crowley gets a remarkable performance from andrew garfield : his jack is a person who carries guilt with him even when he is trying to override it .",
      "director john crowley , a veteran irish theater director now working in film , is deliberate with every last element of his film .",
      "it 's a sad movie , no question -- but like most great drama , it inspires admiration for its thoughtfulness and its craft .",
      "andrew garfield nailed an assignment many actors would avoid or , worse , botch in `` MOV '' - embody a grown , traumatized man experiencing emotional honesty , transparent kindness , sexual intimacy and genuine appreciation from others for the first time .",
      "the material is thought-provoking and features some very good performances .",
      "the limits of redemption and forgiveness get challenged ruthlessly in this haunting drama ...",
      "efficiently directed by john crowley , MOV avoids exploitation while never soft-selling its thorny subject matter .",
      "the genius of garfield 's performance is that he fills him with equal amounts of terror and wonder .",
      "this is a brutally honest story that pulls no punches . it excels at everything from the directing and acting to the editing and photography . a stunning achievement",
      "it makes us feel sympathy for the devil .",
      "garfield is definitely an actor to watch , but prepare yourself for the disappointing ending .",
      "for all its sensitivity , thoughtful sobriety , and sound performances , though , MOV finally permits itself an excessive number of contrived and/or clichéd gestures .",
      "one of the most gripping , thought provoking dramas ever to ponder crime and punishment .",
      "even though the film is a narrative disappointment , it is possibly of interest for garfield 's performance .",
      "well-acted but familiar .",
      "the manchester-set drama could be labeled as kitchen sink , but crowley breaks free from that label .",
      "MOV is so excessively mannered that the story 's human element -lrb- misunderstood youth , society 's indifference -rrb- is lost .",
      "this is another of those dead-kid dramas in which the terrible event is handled like a striptease -- tantalizing flashes until the climax .",
      "an effective workout of genre mechanics",
      "... garfield presents an indelible portrait of a young man trying to figure out how to continue his life in the face of haunting secrets and a world that does n't want to let him forget it .",
      "features a career-making performance by andrew garfield .",
      "bleak but expertly rendered .",
      "taken as the meditation on the past that it is , MOV is a moving look at the best and worst of how humans can treat one another .",
      "... a sad story that supports the idea of child killers as often victims themselves , the far less passionately defended point of view .",
      "the film is well balanced in its storytelling and fills in all the details of the -lsb- heinous -rsb- crime and its aftermath years later .",
      "the film gus van sant wanted paranoid park to be .",
      "emotionally searing ... thanks largely to garfield 's heartfelt performance , MOV becomes a powerful , poignant story of the difficulty of forgiveness .",
      "although the screenplay tips our sympathies wholly in the young man 's direction , it 's cleverly structured to reveal the particulars of the long-ago crime , and what led up to it , in flashback .",
      "... -lsb- peter -rsb- mullan 's compassion and paternal protectiveness and -lsb- andrew -rsb- garfield 's buoyant performance ... bring a warmth to the otherwise grim drama .",
      "mullen and garfield fit well together -- both have faces you like on first sight , both have charm , both have warmth .",
      "we 're introduced to more string-pulling symbolism than a movie this inherently sad ever needs . it 's too much .",
      "in director john crowley 's wrenching drama , `` moving on '' proves to be an illusion .",
      "crowley , his cast and the script constantly reveal new layers to the characters , preventing simple labels like ` hero ' or ` villain . ' these people are all cringingly human .",
      "lovingly photographed , achingly romantic and memorably acted by garfield in a breakout role , it 's a small movie worthy of a large audience ."
    ],
    "summary": "small in scale but large in impact , MOV 's career making performances -lrb- particularly that by star andrew garfield -rrb- and carefully crafted characters defy judgment and aggressively provoke debate .",
    "id": "770677844"
  },
  {
    "movie": "scooby_doo_2_monsters_unleashed",
    "reviews": [
      "amid -lsb- the -rsb- barrage of soulless special effects , you may glimpse seth green , alicia silverstone and tim blake nelson making mental notes to fire their agents .",
      "more loyal to the classic show than the first film , scooby-doo finds his live-action niche in the highly entertaining sequel .",
      "those who got a kick out of the first film , be it through nostalgia or kidly wonder , will probably find its sequel an equally entertaining , silly , campy , comic diversion that clips along at an engaging pace .",
      "while scooby 2 is probably no worse or better than the first installment , the freshness has definitely worn off .",
      "the first film was tedious in the extreme ; monsters unleashed , though it feels way too long and padded , it shows at least brief flashes of imagination .",
      "a fairly watchable 88 minutes of filmmaking .",
      "zoinks ! it 's a rare case of a sequel being better than the original . maybe by the time they get around to scooby-doo 3 , they 'll get it right .",
      "the movie plays every joke down the middle , aiming its dim wit at 5-and-unders , insulting them and whoever was foolish enough to take them on the outing .",
      "when the best you can say about a sequel to a bad movie is that it 's a tiny bit better , there are definite problems .",
      "what i felt as i watched scooby-doo was not the intense dislike i had for the first film , but a kind of benign indifference .",
      "as little as there is to recommend in scooby-doo 2 , it must be noted that the human cast has done an uncanny job of inhabiting their two-dimensional characters , especially lillard .",
      "it 's a terrible movie . the laughs are n't there . the stunts are stupid . there 's no plot whatsoever .",
      "scooby do n't .",
      "a handful of juvenile jokes and overblown computer effects push doo 2 into strictly kid-cinema territory .",
      "most of scooby doo 2 is kind of dumb ... better than the first",
      "monstrous fun for the whole family . before you hear the critics saying it 's `` doo-doo , '' take an 8-year-old boy with you to the theaters and see how much fun he has .",
      "it 's all a terrible bore .",
      "scooby e salsicha continuam divertidos , mas , em vez de temerem os monstros que enfrentam , deveriam fugir do medíocre diretor raja gosnell .",
      "made with greater affection for the 1969 hanna-barbera cartoon that inspired it , scooby 2 is often genuinely funny and sometimes borders on clever .",
      "scooby-doo 2 : monsters unleashed is actually a lot closer to the cartoons than the first ... movie was , -lsb- but -rsb- they are really stupid cartoons .",
      "the first scooby-doo was a passably entertaining shambles . the sequel is just a shambles .",
      "it is good to see another good family film .",
      "essentiellement , c'est du pareil au męme avec un peu plus de budget et un peu plus de nostalgie que le premier film .",
      "surely everyone enjoys seeing a cartoon dog light his own farts on fire as a means of staving off an enemy .",
      "corrects many of the problems that plagued its predecessor and returns to the general feel and campy creativity of the animated series .",
      "okay , if there has to be a worst film of 2004 , and there has , then this is a good place to start looking .",
      "the monsters are the highlight of the film , and if history is any guide , there will be more ghosts and evildoers for our wholesome heroes to battle in scooby-doo 3 .",
      "the rapidly aging cast is clearly in it for the cash , with not a single one fully committed to the task .",
      "little more than 91 minutes of cheesy special effects in search of a remotely coherent story .",
      "aims directly at young scooby-philes , playing it straight and corny and evoking nostalgic memories of episodes past .",
      "as in the first movie , you can look at monsters unleashed and not find a single thing to like .",
      "slightly more digestible than its predecessor .",
      "i wo n't go so far as to say scooby-doo 2 is fun for the entire family , but if you 've got a 10-year-old underfoot who needs entertaining , you could have a worse time .",
      "the movie 's almost good enough to wash the bad taste of the first scooby-doo movie from our mouths . almost .",
      "monstrously silly .",
      "although very young children may enjoy its garish blend of splashy visuals and sophomoric humor , viewers over the age of eight will find this sequel to 2002 's scooby-doo a crushing bore .",
      "the sequel will likely be a disappointment to everyone except 10-year-old barf joke aficionados and a few stoned adults .",
      "a light-hearted romp through nostalgia for ` scooby-doo ' fans .",
      "-lrb- scooby and shaggy -rrb- get all the laughs , with such disparity that it 's as if a different screenwriter -lrb- with half the wit -rrb- wrote the balance of the movie .",
      "... wait until it hits the `` dollar theater '' ...",
      "trust hollywood to take the homeliest cartoon character -lsb- velma -rsb- this side of olive oyl , cast a real looker in the part , and then play up her hubba-hubba qualities .",
      "good-looking , mindless junk that 's apt to prove tedious to anyone over the age of 10 who is n't deeply entrenched in nostalgia for mediocre cartoons from his or her youth .",
      "all hail matthew lillard , the main reason that `` scooby-do 2 '' deserves any star rating at all .",
      "the smarter humor and in-jokes from the first are gone , which is going to lose a lot of the older audience .",
      "the cast shuffles its way through an unending parade of eye-wrenching cgi displays , their collective body language asking the producers for their part 2 paycheck already .",
      "by living up to its subtitle , it 's at least a vast improvement over its noxious predecessor ...",
      "the filmmakers may have captured the flavor of the popular cartoon a little too closely .",
      "... just as silly , just as juvenile , just as inane , just as witless , just as dumb as the first movie . -lrb- blu-ray double-feature edition -rrb-",
      "the acting is so over the top that any good will developed from the first film is instantly dashed ...",
      "this bellicose , straining mess does n't even work on the simplest diversionary level .",
      "it is no surprise this film is n't very good , the first one was n't very good either .",
      "it plays better at home than at the premium price of the movie theater",
      "milder than the 1st , but not scooby-snack worthy .",
      "i do n't see how anyone , even scooby doo fans , could really find anything worth even remotely liking with this movie .",
      "you could pass on both scooby doo films unless you really have nothing else to do one day . and i mean nothing .",
      "much like the flintstones movies , this sequel is better than the original but still falls far short of the post-modern genius of its original cartoon series .",
      "if we 're lucky , films like scooby-doo 2 will become the exception rather than the rule .",
      "it 's guileless , designed almost to be forgotten , and its modest intentions generate no resentment -lsb- in the viewer -rsb- .",
      "proving that bigger is n't necessarily better , the second live-action scooby-doo movie features more action and computer-generated monsters , but not funnier jokes or a more coherent script .",
      "overall , the meandering mayhem to the shoddy sequel scooby doo 2 : monster 's unleashed is as untested , shaky , and crooked as pesky puppy scrappy doo 's hind leg"
    ],
    "summary": "only the very young will get the most out of this silly trifle .",
    "id": "10865"
  },
  {
    "movie": "megamind",
    "reviews": [
      "complain loudly about the 3d tide - but see and enjoy MOV for its own considerable charms .",
      "this 3-d , animated adventure leaps -- in a single bound -- into familiar comic-book/superhero territory but soars on the strength of zippy running gags and high-flying visuals .",
      "`` MOV '' is a lot of fun -- a movie that youngsters will enjoy for its cartoonish slapstick and visuals and that adults can appreciate for its sly humor .",
      "is n't exactly groundbreaking , but it 's good , clean fun .",
      "this animated feature is what yogi berra called `` déjŕ vu all over again , '' its shopworn premise most recently having served the marginally better `` despicable me '' this summer .",
      "it has plenty of details for us to sink our teeth into , without forgetting to make the audience laugh .",
      "small children are likely to be disappointed by the paucity of silly slapstick or bathroom gags , while their older siblings will probably fidget at the lack of scares .",
      "you 'll probably laugh , and you 'll probably wish it were better .",
      "`` MOV '' is a smart , funny and original treat . sweet enough to deliver a message about creating your own destiny , but with just enough sour grapes not to cloy , the movie delivers pure pleasure from start to finish .",
      "a witty 3-d animated deconstruction of superhero movies .",
      "a complex story with very sophisticated forward momentum ... it 's about what makes people a hero or villain , and the answer is not just simply one is bullied and the other is revered .",
      "if celebrity voices and an excess of licensed pop music are your thing , you might forgive the lack of ambition here .",
      "every animation studio has its strong suit , but none embraces formula with the zest of dreamworks .",
      "in this refreshing twist on a familiar format , director tom mcgrath combines flawless 3-d animation with a bevy of comedic talent to craft an entertaining adventure with plenty of smart , grown-up laughs .",
      "three dimensions or two , the one-dimensional plot has little appeal .",
      "you know a movie 's scraping for laughs when it includes `` bad to the bone , '' `` highway to hell '' and michael jackson 's `` bad '' as themes for its villain .",
      "MOV is fast and funny , with excellent use of 3d .",
      "what begins as one witty , unstoppable blast eventually succumbs to a flat story elevated by its consistently terrific animation .",
      "a tale of existential angst suitable for children",
      "it 's borrowed and blue . the homage to ` superman ' gets old and the film is only slightly better -lrb- and very similar to -rrb- ` despicable me . ' anything original tends to fall flat .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- handsome and generally amusing adventure .",
      "MOV is full of good ideas . but they never coalesce into a satisfying whole .",
      "this is a great-looking -lrb- and sounding -rrb- toon , one definitely worth seeing in 3d , but it 's ultimately the story , characters and humor that makes MOV such a pleasant surprise .",
      "one of those movies that disappears too quickly , leaving memories of better ones in its wake .",
      "the bonus in `` MOV '' is a thoughtful and heartfelt look at the thin line between good and evil and hero and villain , how they can exist in equal parts in many of us , and how their appearances can be deceiving .",
      "`` MOV '' is a genial animated sendup of superhero flicks that should appeal to kids around the age when they 're getting a bit cynical about do-gooders in capes and tights .",
      "more impressive than the multi-dimensions is `` MOV 's '' minimalist , modernist look . it creates a crispness that feels more contemporary than retro , which not only is very aesthetically pleasing but makes it easier to savor the film 's many sight gags .",
      "MOV has some funny moments , silly mispronunciations and comical socio-political references . but it suffers from being the second animated movie this year to feature a dastardly villain for a hero .",
      "middle-school boys are the target audience for the shifting personalities , robot minions and building-smashings . people above that age will mostly just endure it all ...",
      "if it 's difficult to find novelty in MOV , it 's also hard not to like .",
      "coming in the wake of the incredibles and despicable me , the film might , like its villainous protagonist , be something of an also-ran - but when it comes to generating super laughs , MOV is a winner .",
      "should get the whole family laughing , albeit for different reasons .",
      "it 's terrific fun from start to finish , even if it does n't quite match the good-versus-evil japes of the incredibles or despicable me .",
      "gleefully subverting the standard good vs evil hokum , while delivering an eye-popping adventure with characters you can really root for , MOV is simply super .",
      "eyeball-opening 3d digimation with eyelid-closing plot .",
      "a fun ride but just that .",
      "hugely enjoyable , brilliantly funny comedy with superb animation , terrific vocal performances and a witty script that 's packed with great gags and a multitude of fan-pleasing superhero references .",
      "the resulting product is a serviceable parable about ` being good ' that is aimed low enough to at least connect with the kids in the audience . a shame then that the film 's sense of humour occasionally slips into groan-worthy territory .",
      "a retro-stylised fantasy-satire that balances knowingness with affection , winning kids and olds over in the process . wry , spry and very funny .",
      "for a film whose stock in trade are tongue-in-cheek reversals of comic-book cliché , it too often settles for trite audience-pleasing .",
      "mostly , the jokes and the recurrent attempts to tweak the superhero genre serve as a reminder that somebody else has already done it better .",
      "ferrell , fey and hill acquit themselves hilariously , and cross steals the movie as minion .",
      "hilarious , refreshingly smart , thrilling and heartfelt . it will delightfully entertain everyone , young or old , good or evil .",
      "what this raucous 3d animated fun house lacks in originality -lrb- think bastard child of the incredibles and despicable me -rrb- it makes up for in visual and vocal wit .",
      "not exactly ingenious , but certainly an entertaining way to spend an afternoon at the theater with the family .",
      "... an ok entertainment that 's instantly forgettable .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- smarter , sharper , funnier , wiser story than i ever could have expected ... -lsb- i -rsb- t reinforces what we love about superheroes and why we embrace them ... and yes , still , MOV really is all about the villain .",
      "... will appeal to little kids with its bright colors and animation , older kids will like the story and most adults will be entertained .",
      "even the 3-d thing , which makes films murky and claustrophobic , is a gimmick from the 1950s . and was n't this rehabilitated-bad-guy routine the plot of `` despicable me '' ?",
      "very relatable for elementary school kids while giving them something to stretch for with tesla coils and existential discussions and a plot with a couple of extra twists .",
      "i am usually against 3d films but dreamworks has found the right formula with MOV and how to train your dragon . will ferrell is back !",
      "while its hectic battle sequences and penchant for mass destruction will certainly keep the eyes of action junkies satiated , its sly depictions of the balance between good and evil actually provide quite a bit of food for thought",
      "rollickingly funny superhero comedy of manners about a poor , misunderstood supervillain may not be the incredibles , but it 's still incredible .",
      "MOV is perfectly fine for the kids , but adults might find their own megaminds wandering at various points throughout a film that does n't compare to the incredibles when it comes to affectionately tweaking the superhero genre .",
      "full of fun and eye-popping images , `` MOV '' is what they used to call in the old days of television `` side-splittingly funny . ''",
      "it 's one of those films that when you get done watching it , you go , ` oh , that was cute . '",
      "the fast-paced wisecracks and ironic asides that are the studio 's hallmark help to push the film past the lumpy , generic storytelling .",
      "... dreamworks animation is carving itself out a niche for consistent high-concept zaniness .",
      "a lively cast and an interesting flip on the superhero concept make ` MOV '' a fun time at the movies for viewers of all ages .",
      "even if it 's not great , MOV manages to be diverting .",
      "cute and funny at times , but with a lot of dead spots .",
      "while this is certainly a case of the geek shall inherit , it still is tidy enough to entertain for the most part .",
      "the problem with MOV is that it wants to remind us , every minute , how smart it is -- and that sets it a world apart from despicable me , which is courageous enough to revel in its own silliness . MOV tries too hard and ultimately achieves less .",
      "a passable time-killer for kids , more boring than painful for adults , but animated films have established a higher bar to clear .",
      "this is ferrell 's movie , meaning some inspired laughs sandwiched between annoying bits that stretch on well past their usefulness .",
      "looks fun on the surface but suffers from a serious identity crisis underneath .",
      "the best animated movie of the year -lrb- * non-pixar division -rrb- .",
      "you have seen all this before .",
      "this set-up is bright and amusing , even if it does feel recycled from bits and pieces of such recent animated landmarks as the invincibles with its superpowers and despicable me with its villain .",
      "MOV is largely what one might expect from an animated movie featuring a number of notable comedians in voice roles : an amusing diversion .",
      "MOV is more like a comedy for adults that children will feel comfortable tagging along to .",
      "a moderately amusing experience ... will play better to a younger , less discerning crowd .",
      "in its attempt to spoof the superhero genre , MOV just may be too smart for its own good .",
      "is MOV just a vehicle for will ferrell to use funny voices and shout a lot ?",
      "the movie around ferrell 's performance is n't nearly as good as he is .",
      "a full-bodied , busy-as-heck , funny-as-heck comedy adventure from dreamworks that merrily riffs -- in its own fractured way -- on the superman legend .",
      "if you understand what it 's trying to do , you will like it a good deal better than if you do n't .",
      "it 's never quite slap-your-knees hilarious , but MOV will still have you smiling from dimple to dimple for every one of its 95 minutes .",
      "it 's just a shame the filmmakers did n't have any tricks up their sleeve to enliven a rather rote superhero movie experience .",
      "the action is big and mostly spectacular , the performances are all spot-on -lrb- even hill , who once again plays himself , is well cast -rrb- , and most importantly MOV himself is actually kind of likable .",
      "has a few sprightly moments but is overall pretty mediocre .",
      "in terms of plot , MOV is only slightly less complicated than inception .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with animation aimed at adults , but this may be the first kids ' movie that throws fewer bones to its supposed intended viewers than to their parents .",
      "while it is never anything less than vibrant and exceedingly clever , it is also a rather slight thing for such mega-sized proportions .",
      "simultaneously more and less surprising than one would imagine",
      "it 's densely populated with gags , it 's a nice piece of art , and well-made 3-d , if you feel like paying the premium .",
      "MOV is well-versed in superhero routine without turning blasé . the boredom of formulas and roles and expectations is very much its point .",
      "... ` well , that was fun . a lot better than i expected . ' an assessment with which this reviewer can concur .",
      "MOV has momentum and dazzle .",
      "what MOV lacks in apparent laughter it makes up for in sheer cleverness .",
      "ferrell 's voicework is spot on , pitt gamely sends up his squeaky clean image and fey is a joy as the conflicted heroine .",
      "there 's are some decent laughs to be had , mainly courtesy of a feisty , pneumatically animated lois lane-esque reporter , voiced by tina fey , who remains thoroughly unimpressed with superpowers of any stripe .",
      "these days the bad guys have all the fun .",
      "despite the terrific voice cast and eye-catching animation , this seems disappointingly formulaic and fails to offer real laughs .",
      "good stuff , up to a point , but nothing like the passion and brilliance of the incredibles or toy story .",
      "every potential for real emotion is squandered . it feels like a superhero film made by people who do n't believe in or care about superheroes .",
      "the plot is wildly shaken as it does u-turns and some sleight of hand , but director tom mcgrath has a feather-light touch as inventive ideas play out with humour and appeal",
      "the film appropriates elements from shrek and the incredibles and produces an entertaining hybrid that should have parents chuckling with glee .",
      "though clearly derivative and with a good dash of the incredibles , MOV is breezily directed by madagascar 's tom mcgrath and there 's plenty of fun lines , too .",
      "` you 're so predictable , ' roxanne tells MOV early in the movie , and i 'm afraid it 's fair criticism .",
      "... often shrewd , colorful , witty , and well animated , i found it oddly flat , too .",
      "MOV is dramatically and comedically inert .",
      "this is a harmless animated movie that 's full of empty laughs . the main problem with all those empty laughs is that they arrive wrapped in a package you 've seen before , probably even if you 're still a kid .",
      "if you have to choose between this and the superficially similar despicable me , choose MOV . it 's less predictable , funnier , cleverer and generally more enjoyable .",
      "there 's a distinctly deflated ambiance to the shenanigans , leaving the picture serious eye-candy on the prowl for bellylaughs it infuriatingly never finds .",
      "hardly a knockout , but MOV is an immensely enjoyable animated adventure that spoofs and pays homage to the superhero genre .",
      "it may not raise the bar of this rapidly developing genre , but it manages to pack a lot of fun and spectacle into its running time .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- has splendid visuals , a good story , and enough witty dialogue to turn it into an enjoyable experience that 's worth checking out .",
      "would be lost in the crowd , perhaps deservedly so , if it did n't pull aces on its execution .",
      "it does have the odd cheeky nod for the grown-ups -- and it is presented in inglorious 3d -- but it 's also got a screenplay overflowing with charm , intelligence , wit and a real spark .",
      "the promise of extraordinary brain power is n't fulfilled .",
      "no doubt some of it is charming enough to induce giggles in its preteen target audience ... what 's needed is a narrative invention to match the technical invention .",
      "not only has MOV showed up late for the box office battle with despicable me , but it has also brought a knife to an atomic death ray fight .",
      "superhero films are sufficiently prevalent these days to merit an additional pasting or two . MOV keeps such satire a welcome visitor rather than a tiresome bore .",
      "what it lacks in inventiveness , ` MOV ' makes up in wit , intelligence , and customarily gorgeous animation .",
      "MOV is n't necessarily a bad movie - it just does n't do much to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack .",
      "family audiences finally have something worth turning out in droves to see . this 96-minute movie proceeds at a zippy pace and the audience 's attention never wavers from the excitement up on the screen .",
      "does n't have that memorable a story and is n't as visually creative as it should be but you ca n't find actors much better at this kind of material than will ferrell , tina fey , brad pitt , jonah hill , and david cross .",
      "MOV may initially seem like a superhero spoof in the comedic vein of shrek , but it reveals itself to be smarter , funnier , and infinitely more sympathetic than that .",
      "the second big animated feature of the year , after despicable me , to center on an arch-villain who sees the error of his ways , MOV is snappy good fun .",
      "though enlivened by some moderately clever twists on the superhero-movie template , MOV never shakes off a feeling of been-there-spoofed-that .",
      "you 'll enjoy it . and then you 'll forget it .",
      "the story 's the thing . and this one is as subtly deep as it is ridiculously fun .",
      "pixar mined the superhero genre far better six years ago with the incredibles , and dreamworks itself is capable of superior fare like this past summer 's how to train your dragon .",
      "this is the kind of movie where `` bad to the bone '' is considered a clever musical cue because , you know , MOV is bad . to the bone .",
      "MOV manages to be both commentary and comic book , and i have no doubt audiences will eat it up .",
      "unfortunately , the underdeveloped story and characters seem to be there to service the visuals , rather than the other way around .",
      "superb 3-d graphics and silly running gags -lrb- MOV routinely mispronounces words such as school -rrb- should keep kids amused , while sly political and pop culture references will get laughs from adults .",
      "the second animated film in the last few months where a super-villain plays the hero , MOV was destined to have a patina of staleness .",
      "MOV has bright comic minds behind it - not mega but close - and 3-d effects showing what the gimmick can do when filmmakers care .",
      "MOV is less a satire of dastardly deeds than a nimbly spectacular comedy of ego .",
      "kinetic , clever and even emotionally satisfying .",
      "i do love ferrell , whose absurdist man-child routine has always been a matter of taste .",
      "MOV is a blast . take your kids . stay with them . there are plenty of laughs for everyone . bring your asprin for the 3d headache .",
      "the kiddie set can chortle at MOV 's slapstick and its goofy one-upmanship while adults get a kick out of all the smart spatial tricks that highlight the 3-d effects .",
      "a smart send-up of the superman myth and the age-old precept of good vs. evil .",
      "clever animated superhero story is fun , not too scary .",
      "with some cool superhero action , MOV is mildly amusing for the most part , but it feels like it could have been much better .",
      "it 's all borrowed : the characters , the plot , the predictable `` bad '' tunes . even MOV 's ensembles look to have been raided from maleficent 's closet . not so mega , but rather , mild .",
      "but the kids will love it .",
      "kids of all ages will understand and appreciate this film 's meaning without feeling beaten over the head .",
      "i found my son 's kryptonite : boring superhero rip-offs voiced by check-cashing actors . at least steve carell used an accent .",
      "a mega-funny movie loaded with laughs , action and heart .",
      "it 's a sassy comedy with a lot of one-liners , some of which apparently came from improvisation between ferrell and fey , both in good vocal form . the quality of animation is outstanding , as you would expect .",
      "a snappy script and superior voice work make this animated action-comedy much more fun than expected",
      "falling short of a mind-blowing experience , MOV is still fine family entertainment that does n't require deep thinking .",
      "straying from a predictable , easily defined structure , MOV instead serves up consistent surprises , challenging audience expectations and engaging the mind as well as tickling the funny bone .",
      "what it lacks in originality , this wickedly funny take on a superhero villain makes up for in a multi-layered plot , terrific voicing and well balanced energy .",
      "its story 's third-act inversions still provide a pointed rebuke to superhero narratives ' set-in-stone dynamics .",
      "what is a villain if not someone who has been pushed too far in life and has started to push back ? and with nothing to push against , what do they become ?",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "` MOV ' may not be thought-provoking , but it is fun . and , come to think of it , it does give us something to ponder along the nature-or-nurture concepts of destiny .",
      "a well-plotted , genuinely fun spin on the superhero/supervillian genre with talented voice talent put to good use rather than simply stunt-cast",
      "as winning as ferrell and cross are , they 're still trapped in a formula storyline that follows some very familiar beats .",
      "it 's well worth checking out in theaters despite the fact that ads reveal a few spoilers and the finale is a tad familiar .",
      "divertingly splashy and mildly amusing but not very memorable .",
      "the plot is rich , the execution poor .",
      "`` MOV '' is a resounding flop .",
      "it 's a harmless , inoffensive , moderately likable throwaway of a cartoon that you will probably start forgetting as soon as it 's over .",
      "in a sort of backhanded answer to pixar 's the incredibles -lrb- and i mean that in a positive way -rrb- , dreamworks hits yet another animated adventure out of the park . MOV is clever , fast-paced and fun , and looks fantastic in 3d .",
      "MOV is good at keeping the audience busy , but only after the credits roll do you realize that most of it was just noise .",
      "may be worth seeing , but interested viewers would do well to either find a theater showing it in two dimensions or just wait for the inevitably superior blu-ray release .",
      "one of the year 's better animated films which offers a surprisingly engrossing nature-versus-nurture question about mythic origin stories : are heroes born , or are they made ?",
      "it is n't original , but it is funny , the story is cleverly constructed and the artwork is first-rate .",
      "a slightly manic but dependably enjoyable animated effort , poised between familiarity and freshness , that scores based on its voluminous joke output and a winning vocal performance by will ferrell .",
      "an unfortunate regression back to short-term pop-culture disposability ... at the screening i attended , the sounds of kids fidgeting almost drowned out the extended marlon brando imitation .",
      "like kraft mac & cheese or your favorite old sweats with the duct tape waistband , familiarity can be comforting . MOV does n't break any new ground other than being the rare family flick that the whole family can enjoy .",
      "the lively cast and interesting flip on the superhero concept make it a fun time at the movies for all ages .",
      "anyone under 10 will probably be bored and confused . for others , though , great fun ...",
      "it 's not bad -- simply unremarkable .",
      "... the result is something with which to pass the time , not one to savor and look forward to repeat viewings .",
      "compared to other animated features presented this past year `` MOV '' is only slightly above average entertainment . we have come to expect great entertainment .",
      "oh dreamworks , we know you can achieve greatness ; why do you so eagerly refuse to do so ?"
    ],
    "summary": "it regurgitates plot points from earlier animated efforts , and is n't quite as funny as it should be , but a top-shelf voice cast and strong visuals help make MOV a pleasant , if unspectacular , diversion .",
    "id": "770805424"
  },
  {
    "movie": "harold_and_maude",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the most life-affirming films i have ever seen .",
      "they remain among cinema 's most disconcerting odd couples .",
      "a treasure that 's as applicable today as it was more than three decades ago .",
      "gives true romance a new meaning .",
      "this black comedy pairs a 79-year-old swinger with a suicidal 20-year-old . they go to funerals and philosophize together in between cort 's humorously staged suicide attempts .",
      "a whimsical love story ; cort is cuddly , gordon is larger-than-life . an enchanting piece .",
      "one of the classic american romance stories",
      "classic dark comedy that 's starting to show its age .",
      "dark , lovably eccentric tale of platonic love that works on logic uniquely its own .",
      "dark delight .",
      "if there 's one comedy to represent the woof and warp of the early '70s , `` MOV '' is it .",
      "a classic of dark comedy .",
      "simpleminded , but it 's fairly inoffensive , at least until ashby lingers over the concentration-camp serial number tattooed on gordon 's arm . some things are beyond the reach of whimsy .",
      "a doggedly eccentric film which some will reject out of hand . others will find it profundly moving and life affirming .",
      "cuts through the superficial surfaces of conventional romance and digs into what actually draws people together",
      "the fact that -lsb- it -rsb- is n't very funny and , like its 80-year-old heroic , long outlives its necessary life , is less important than the fact that the characters frequently react gently or like credible human beings to the script 's impossible notions .",
      "this darkly humorous , romantic comedy between an introvert adolescent and and old spunky woman , is playing it too safe to be considered truly anti-establishment , but it became a cult picture .",
      "unlike claustrophobically cute odd-couple movies , bottles some of the flavour of its time . harold 's fake suicides are a pale defiance and reflection of his cloistered , sapped life . the vital counterculture -lrb- maude -rrb- helps harold avoid the army .",
      "weird , very very weird",
      "it is most successful when it keeps to the tone of an insane fairystory set up at the beginning of the movie .",
      "-lsb- bud cort and ruth gordon -rsb- both are so aggressive , so creepy and off-putting .",
      "it 's not quite a romance , not quite a buddy picture . it is , however , one of the '70s quirkiest comedies , and its bleak morbidity is uncommonly matched by its over-the-top hilarity .",
      "black comedy that 's a bit too whimsical",
      "the epitome of a film that you ca n't believe you 're laughing at , but you are . a lot . it hurts . in a good way .",
      "a black comedy cult classic .",
      "the visual style makes everyone look fresh from the wax museum , and all the movie lacks is a lot of day-old gardenias and lilies and roses in the lobby , filling the place with a cloying sweet smell . nothing more to report today .",
      "certainly a little twisted , but with such a powerfully warm 70 's sunflower heart , `` MOV '' endears . i think of it as the cinematic equivalent to `` the little prince ''",
      "by turns funny , moving and outrageous - sometimes all at once - the film is hal ashby 's masterpiece .",
      "understatedly hilarious . cort and gordon are a truly unique pairing . a must see .",
      "one of those films you just do n't want to end .",
      "MOV marks the first time i realized that famed pulitzer prize-winning movie critic roger ebert could be wrong .",
      "marked by a few good gags , but marred by a greater preponderance of sophomoric , overdone and mocking humor .",
      "probably the most charming movie about death that 's ever been made ."
    ],
    "summary": "hal ashby 's comedy is too dark and twisted for some , and occasionally oversteps its bounds , but there 's no denying the film 's warm humor and big heart .",
    "id": "10059"
  },
  {
    "movie": "crank",
    "reviews": [
      "assaults the senses tirelessly with wave after wave of momentum-building intensity , with jason statham enjoying his best role since the transporter .",
      "you might just want to catch a matinee or wait for the dvd . this is definitely not worth your 10 bucks .",
      "the super-concentrated silt at the bottom of a chemistry experiment that has no possible purpose to it but to deliver whatever limited jolt of which it 's capable .",
      "its freneticism ... futilely tries to cover up the ludicrousness of every decision made by its dim characters .",
      "sure , MOV is totally ridiculous , unbelievable , exhausting , and pretty much just plain stupid , but that 's what makes it fun .",
      "ranks among the most mindless action films ever made , but scores as a helluva video game .",
      "it 's trashy , gory , gratuitous , ridiculous , completely far-fetched , and i had a smile on my face the entire time .",
      "gets by on a unique kind of absurd , deadpan humor in which the most implausible stuff cheerfully happens anyway .",
      "adrenalina é de uma idiotice contagiante .",
      "some of the directing touches are fun , but the grand theft auto overdrive wears thin quick .",
      "MOV works overtime to be a disreputable bit of pulp fiction , and for the first half or so it 's like inhaling the cinematic equivalent of the film 's title .",
      "demented , depraved and probably bad for your soul in the long run , the pedal-to-the-metal action film `` MOV '' nonetheless provides a jolt of pure , uncut movie-making .",
      "at times , MOV 's everything-including-the-kitchen-sink-and-then-some approach feels more like a cartoon than anything else .",
      "but as the body count mounts up , the story runs out of ideas , and it goes from MOV to crummy .",
      "it boils down to 83 minutes of chev journeying through la 's ethnic ` hoods dispatching minorities . granted the movie ca n't be taken seriously , its cavalier racism is shocking .",
      "a video game of a movie that 's better than most video games .",
      "jason stratham rampages through los angeles in this retread of speed , but for a movie premised on unrelenting action , MOV proves fatally turgid .",
      "a somewhat entertaining movie of the politically-incorrect , testosterone-laden brainless pure action variety .",
      "safety advice : remember to breathe when you 're watching this movie .",
      "the most fun i 've had at the movies all year .",
      "there are times the film threatens to turn into a good `` bad movie . ''",
      "'d . o.a. ' for the ` grand theft auto ' generation , ` MOV ' is too scattershot to hone in on the cult masterpiece waiting within its brilliant exploitation premise .",
      "it 's a promising concept , but instead of expending effort on , say , a coherent script , the filmmakers lazily rely on cheap editing tricks and gleefully relentless sadism .",
      "a cheerily lunatic slice of b-movie heaven .",
      "at times , MOV is loads of fun and threatens to enter that golden territory of so-bad-it 's - good , but the violence grows far too ugly and is so unrelenting that it becomes tiresome .",
      "leave it alone , or leave your brain and pocket change at the gate , strap yourself in and just enjoy the ride .",
      "a jacked-up , unapologetically mindless bit of add-prescribed escapism that more or less delivers on a nifty premise .",
      "for all its busyness , MOV never develops much momentum , not least because an exploding heart does n't carry quite the same stakes as an exploding bus .",
      "it 's 87 minutes of cinematic junk food paradise .",
      "if you stop to think too hard about any aspect of the story , things might fall apart ; but stopping is something the movie never lets you do .",
      "it 's an e-ticket ride . but in the end , there 's no heart , no moral to this story . and for all our sweat as viewers , the one thing we crave by MOV 's closing credits is detox .",
      "writer-directors mark neveldine and brian taylor 's previous work lies mainly in making commercials -- the quick-cutting aesthetic employed here .",
      "it may stretch that hour a bit , but it does n't waste a minute -- though it wastes everything else in its immediate vicinity . your time as well ? not unless you do n't have the stomach for wholesale property damage , mutilation and needles .",
      "a movie for hooligans , and do we really want to encourage them ?",
      "very noisy , severe on the eyes and ludicrous , but a decent example of mindless entertainment .",
      "enjoyably fast-paced , gloriously trashy thriller with some inventive directorial touches .",
      "this is a turn-your-brain-off-and-enjoy-the-ride type thing and as such it works brilliantly .",
      "relying upon an abbreviated and accelerated plotline informed by rudolph mate 's 1949 film noir classic d.o.a. , MOV is a hard-r-rated chase-and-smash movie fixed around euro action movie magnet jason statham .",
      "... an engaging and thoroughly over-the-top thriller ...",
      "its original concept does not save this pic from becoming just another silly video game .",
      "a daring attempt to break the rules of the hollywood action movie without ignoring what makes them such mindless fun .",
      "for those who take delight from movie junk fare , MOV is your just dessert .",
      "statham , who 's tailor-made for this kind of thing , nevertheless spends too much time doing his cool-menace thing to communicate the sort of urgency the -lrb- semblance of a -rrb- plot demands .",
      "a zealously absurd action film , and one that does n't take itself too seriously .",
      "this is an intense , stripped-down ride that goes places you 'd never expect . edgy and outrageous , it should get the fearless statham some deserved attention .",
      "there 's a self-realization here that at its heart this is an absurd , even silly , movie , but rather than exploring that premise further , chev is off again , inflicting gruesome violence on his enemies until the film 's inevitable , sadly predictable end .",
      "snazzy but vacuous , the cinematic equivalent of a fast-food meal with thousands of calories but precious little nutrition .",
      "oh , please , please , mark neveldine and brian taylor , please be at your computers , writing away at another screenplay .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- monotonously mindless but colorful caper.crank is banally boisterous ... jolting junk that strangely is filling in its sneering , rambunctious spirit .",
      "like so much contemporary entertainment , MOV is a frenzied distraction that means nothing .",
      "viewers baffled by stuff happening for no particular reason should probably stay well away .",
      "so blatantly contrived it could be called the fast and the spurious , MOV has the small saving grace of being intentionally ridiculous .",
      "for those who enjoy this brand of wholly mindless entertainment , MOV delivers .",
      "` MOV ' fires on all cylinders but is fundamentally just an excuse to piece together a nasty trail of mayhem dotted with morbid jokes .",
      "the question is n't whether jason statham knows how to MOV things up . the question is whether or not you 're willing to go with him on yet another highly implausible , blood-soaked , adrenaline-pumped ride .",
      "this is as detestable a hard-r offense -lrb- equal-opportunity offender though it may be -rrb- as has ever been released to theaters .",
      "elaborately aggressive and provocative , MOV is just what its title suggests : fast , ornery , and exhausting .",
      "MOV qualifies as a superior piece of slick , shallow-souled trash . and i mean that in the best sense of the term .",
      "what elevates MOV above other high-concept action fare , though , is its politically incorrect sense of humor and overall bent sensibility .",
      "for moviegoers who found running scared a little too sedate .",
      "cheerfully moronic ... while most action flicks these days require their audience to turn their brains off , this movie somehow actually does it for you .",
      "it knows what it 's doing and it 's awesome ... MOV relishes in its outrageous stunts ... jason statham is a one man die hard .",
      "the movie they warned us the video game generation would make .",
      "borrows pages from quentin tarantino , the atari 2600 game console , and , most of all , british action junkie guy ritchie , in a deliciously absurd , rollicking rampage through los angeles .",
      "like any adrenaline rush , MOV becomes more wearying than exciting the longer it goes .",
      "MOV is still an atrocity of visual design , acting , and fundamental storytelling that , at times , scarily resembles an especially smelly youtube submission .",
      "vulgar , ridiculous , offensive and absolutely riveting .",
      "the movie is cranked up somewhere between stylish and proudly stupid .",
      "an instant cult classic . pure , hardcore moviemaking backed by an inane plot , unrelenting action and zero pretensions .",
      "tears up the screen like a muscle car on fire -- a brash , sinfully stupid joyride .",
      "MOV could raise the dead ! i loved it ! lionsgate should get behind this movie ! it has guts .",
      "it may be one of the loudest , most obnoxious -lrb- not to mention sexist -rrb- movies of the summer , but damned if it does n't keep an audience in high gear .",
      "a reckless , relentless rush that goes nowhere in an exhausting 83 minutes .",
      "manufactures a formula that guarantees maximum action but not much else .",
      "if you had the choice of doing `` MOV '' or seeing the film MOV , i 'd strongly suggest the former as a more productive use of your time .",
      "while MOV has its moments , the line stringing them together is n't wound taut enough .",
      "statham brings his usual hardnut conviction to his ludicrously named protagonist , while the pic contains what is easily the best car chase through a shopping mall scene since the blues brothers .",
      "an exploitation b-actioner , more suitable for midnight screening , MOV offers non-stop visceral entertainment ; it 's like being on a thrilling rollercoaster for 81 minutes , which is the story 's real and reel time , during which not one second is wasted .",
      "ridiculously , incomprehensibly , undeniably cool , brilliantly , passionately and hysterically original ; pure cinema heaven .",
      "the film is so jubilantly over the top and aware of its own failings , it 's hard not to laugh .",
      "is it possible that a movie so utterly without redemptive value , so completely , pointlessly uncalled for , can also be , you know , kinda fun ?",
      "it revels in its crazed b-movie vibe , and as a result we ca n't help but enjoy every ludicrous minute .",
      "more guilty fun than a firkin full of extremely inebriated simians -- if you let it drag you to its level , something it does with the charm of an accomplished sociopath .",
      "fans of statham 's transporter movies wo n't be disappointed .",
      "if there 's any justice , british actor jason statham will be hollywood 's next action hero ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's a film about a guy injected with speed ... wait , there 's no bus . it 's a film about a guy who has to kick a bunch of squirmy butt to stay alive ... wait , no snakes or planes here . but it is a film about doing lots of drugs and pulling lots of punches , and it entertains accordingly .",
    "id": "276994403"
  },
  {
    "movie": "house_of_wax_2005",
    "reviews": [
      "you 'll be rooting for these people to get slaughtered out of sheer boredom .",
      "... does n't look down upon its target audience ... house both treats and terrorizes while legitimizing itself next to other slasher classics .",
      "the 2005 remake does n't hold a candle to the original .",
      "' ... the 2nd best paris hilton film i 've seen this year . '",
      "when the cast starts wondering where the roadkill is , someone says , ` follow the smell . ' good tip : that 's how you 'll know where wax is playing .",
      "this movie gives it to you , as no movie has in some years .",
      "such a vile and despicable heap of trash that i pity any lucid person who will actually pay decent money to sit through it .",
      "the unmistakable promise of a sequel in the last scene inspires more resignation than anticipation .",
      "a very stupid , very nasty and very messy horror film .",
      "it delivers some bracingly nasty gore scenes , but there 's no spark left in the run-scream-repeat formula , and a movie whose biggest draw is profoundly untalented hotel-fortune heiress paris hilton is in desperate need of some juice .",
      "enough of an original spin on the premise to make this the creepiest horror remake in quite some time .",
      "rookie director jaume collet-serra concentrates on mild shocks , unpleasant bloodiness and a dank stickiness in the set design .",
      "though this is a step up from the usual teen snuff-movie fare , it still very much wanes more than it waxes .",
      "cruelty to stupid characters is n't disturbing , it 's just condescending . and being mean for mean 's sake is an empty enterprise , in my book .",
      "the plot relies entirely on the stupidity of the protagonists and our desire to watch them die .",
      "do n't blame hilton for this misbegotten wax job",
      "it had a great sense of humor about itself .",
      "-lrb- director -rrb- collet-serra has no facility for suspense or mood , and he stretches out the brain-dead dialogue and plodding plot until it 's numbing .",
      "says paris : `` i 'm dismissed when i get a pole in my head which , as anyone in tune with my video career knows , is hardly the first time . ''",
      "melts in your brain , not in your hand -lrb- or is that it melts your brain ? -rrb-",
      "the 1933 and 1953 versions are available on a single dvd for slightly less than the price of two evening movie tickets . am i making myself clear ?",
      "MOV 's violence is abrupt and gory , giving it an ick factor that surprises and repulses in a good way .",
      "i 've got some real affection for MOV and perhaps that , more than anything , is why i wish it were just a tiny bit better .",
      "much of the film 's running time is devoted to subtle provoking of primal fears ...",
      "my contempt for this film is so great , i 'm reluctant to even call it a film , as that designation places it in the pantheon of works by welles , hitchcock and even ed wood .",
      "forty-five minutes of stultifying boredom , followed by preposterous carnage pilfered from the texas chainsaw massacre .",
      "filled with the usual contemporary horror staples , most notably lots of rusty torture implements and cellphones that tend to scurry mischievously out of reach just as the villain bears down on his prey .",
      "should make horror fans quite content .",
      "expect lots of slasher movie 101 and putatively clever jibes at a certain high-profile hotel heiress -lrb- involving a video camera , of course , and a box full of cell phones that do n't work -rrb- .",
      "a script that offers few thrills and a slapdash story .",
      "a mundane slasher flick populated by blandly pretty people who look really good in sweaty tank tops .",
      "if you 've seen one horror movie , you 'll always be several steps ahead of everyone in MOV .",
      "when i was n't laughing at the asinine plot developments or the ridiculously inept acting , i was straining to stay awake .",
      "a sizzling grand finale is among the few reasons to endure MOV .",
      "not a classic by any means , but satisfactory in the basics of the genre .",
      "fright films that deliver the shocking goods with noticeable dashes of wit and style are so hard to find these days , even a flawed one such as MOV deserves to be given a chance .",
      "as far as gory , twisted , sharp-stick-through-the-f -- in ' - head slasher flicks go , the new MOV ai n't too shabby .",
      "we 'll always have paris . but for almost an hour , we endure these dumb children bickering , wandering aimlessly , insulting local hayseeds , and not having sex . that 's hot .",
      "... a throwaway thriller ... serra conjures up a pseudo-sizzling frightfest that 's not imaginative enough to force a dead tick off a shaggy dog 's hind leg .",
      "this is n't so much a remake of the 1953 classic as a standard slasher movie grafted onto a familiar title .",
      "ok , guys , let 's just cut to the chase : paris hilton does not bare all in `` MOV . '' that said , the show is n't as awful as i had anticipated .",
      "either jump in with both feet or do n't bother at all .",
      "gives new meaning to the term `` snuff film . ''",
      "serra brings the universal fear of disfigurement an old fashioned treatment , with natural pacing and a lack of abrasive special effects -lrb- until the terrific looking climax . -rrb-",
      "unexciting reimagining of the 1953 classic MOV , which was a remake of the superb 1933 mystery of the MOV",
      "the characters are about as intelligent as their waxen alter-egos , making it impossible to care too much about what happens to them .",
      "characters are rote and unremarkable , plot devices predictable and the camera cheats by sticking close to actors so a viewer can not see from where the next shock will come .",
      "there 's more to good filmmaking than buying the rights to a classic title .",
      "MOV is incredibly old fashioned , sticking strongly to the rhythms of a million exploitation cheapies from the early 80s .",
      "as slick as it is , MOV basically serves up the kind of gory , oozing jolts that will transport some toward a kind of antic release and others towards the nearest exits .",
      "the remake of MOV anchors itself firmly in the time-honored tradition of horror exploitations .",
      "as embarrassingly guilty pleasures go , MOV does a decent job of molding itself to your needs .",
      "a horror movie can get away with a lot , but once it crosses a certain line , it is insulting to viewers . MOV crosses that line .",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- imping ... paris hilton to movie audiences is -lsb- the -rsb- primary reason for the existence of this crass ` remake ' ...",
      "MOV is suspenseful , well-paced and , other than hilton , capably acted .",
      "MOV is practically a textbook case on how not to make -lsb- a horror -rsb- film .",
      "MOV really heats up in the final reel . that , considering the subject matter , is one way to bring down the house .",
      "if you like that kind of thing , and you can get past the first 20 minutes or so , the good news is that the movie keeps getting better as it goes along .",
      "MOV is not a remake of the 1953 vincent price movie with the same title . rather , it is the umpty-third version of the texas chain saw massacre .",
      "if you 're okay with standard slasher flicks and you enjoy grandiose special effects , then MOV might be worth a trip to the theater for you . if not , wait for the dvd .",
      "while the end is predictable , the order that the kids are picked off is not . it might feel new to viewers who have n't seen many of the ` classic ' 80s slasher flicks .",
      "gosh , i have to admit it : it 's more enjoyable than i thought to watch paris die .",
      "a sadistically bland entertainment that oversells its reveals and lets its suspense drip so long that it would be nice if something -lrb- anything ! -rrb- happened .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- gleefully trots out all the clichés of the genre before going out in a blaze of glory with a truly spectacular final act .",
      "meanwhile , the audience wonders when paris hilton will be eviscerated for their enjoyment .",
      "qualquer filme no qual paris hilton se revele a figura mais sensata certamente tem algo de muito errado .",
      "it adheres strictly to teen-slasher formula before simply melting away .",
      "this is a well-made film with a lot more gore than you 're expecting and a lot less humor than you 're expecting .",
      "the film 's storyline has more in common with manos , the hands of fate than the original MOV .",
      "the whole thing is vacuously enjoyable , downright nasty in places and , despite the fact that the ending is rushed , has a pretty spectacular finish .",
      "after one gets past the trendy casting of paris hilton , this above-average horror flick actually surfaces from the bloody pit of remakes clutching a few decent ideas .",
      "plastic paris looks right at home in this melted down remake .",
      "makes up for its idiot plot with a gallon of gore .",
      "not just fun and funny -lrb- do n't forget , paris hilton 's in it -rrb- , but it 's also surprisingly frightening .",
      "this wax 's infusion of paris hilton and flirty teen sex comedy retreads might have sent original wax maniac vincent price into spontaneous meltdown , without the need of heating fluid .",
      "a stupid , brainless , and pointless horror installment with all the usual characters , and pretty bad acting all around ...",
      "a 2005 review of this picture would 've registered more shock from me ...",
      "now , if you can just stay sane until the actual slasher portion of the flick takes off , you might be okay .",
      "mal actuada , mal editada , previsible de principio a fin y sin terror alguno de por medio , es una de esas cintas que deberían haberse quedado en la fase de proyecto .",
      "apparent kills are left unverified , handy firearms are left untouched , and the group splits up a record four times , ensuring most of these dolts will never see the dawn .",
      "full review in greek",
      "MOV aims low and hits the mark . it has all the gory bloodshed you could ask for and all the right special effects .",
      "it 's a bloody , messy little throwback that unintentionally brushes against fetish since it eventually dips so many of its hotties in hot wax .",
      "a museum of gory , joyless , easy shocks .",
      "how seriously should any film be taken when it has paris hilton and her lacy red lingerie in a supporting role ?",
      "first-time director jaume collet-serra lingers over the victims at lengths discomfortingly gratuitous even by slasher standards . but he also demonstrates a droll touch .",
      "slasher-lite",
      "the film does everything that teen horror flicks are supposed to do , but hilton undermines it all by not even trying to act .",
      "the camera is like a loving captive of hilton 's assured smirk and self-aware demeanor . it 's as if she 's acting while watching herself on an internal monitor .",
      "sadism is the only thing house has going for it",
      "hilton runs the gamut of emotions from a to a-minus , and the others look desperate to forget that this dazzlingly dumb debacle will be on their resumes .",
      "the filmmakers have one good idea ... otherwise , the picture remains imagination-free .",
      "this is n't boring , but is as predictable as can be .",
      "low-rent in every respect ... when her character , paige , performs a striptease , hilton 's moves are so lethargic and mechanical she 's about as arousing as bugs bunny in drag .",
      "the acting in MOV ranges from bad to worse .",
      "delivers what its fans come for -- gore , violence , a little sex , lots of wax .",
      "that 's hot .",
      "irritating , boring , poorly acted , poorly directed and poorly written .",
      "this is bad horror at its best : hokey , predictable and completely unrealistic .",
      "with a minimally talented cast , it focuses on the most ludicrous , repulsive aspects : paris hilton , the slaughter and melting wax .",
      "paris hilton is the least of the film 's problems , and when paris hilton is the least of your problems , you know you 're in trouble .",
      "MOV is paris hilton 's best movie .",
      "more gleeful , more deliciously sick , and cleverer than most .",
      "... dominated by long , unnecessarily prolonged sequences in which the various characters are either poking around where they should n't or hiding from a deformed maniac .",
      "MOV is a cinematic candle in the wind . through gusty horror clichés , tepid acting and cheap thrills , it somehow never completely dims .",
      "this wax is more junk food quality , skipping along inside its traditional horror trappings with eagerness and a rare lack of cynicism or pale ghost children .",
      "i wanted to see paris hilton die early and painfully . nothing else really mattered .",
      "2005 's MOV turns out to be a better reimagining of `` the texas chainsaw massacre '' than last year 's lousy remake",
      "it 's sad that the film had to place hilton front & center with a video camera joke , then a bj gag before finally having a large phallic object go right through her face .",
      "in this film , paris is the brains of the outfit .",
      "MOV is not a good movie but it is an efficient one , and will deliver most of what anyone attending MOV could reasonably expect , assuming it would be unreasonable to expect very much .",
      "the acting in MOV is as horrible as you might expect .",
      "there is not one redeeming moment in this movie , unless you consider paris hilton stripping down to her underwear and getting killed redeeming .",
      "not to focus too much on paris hilton , but she brings an art to bad acting .",
      "the new remake of MOV proves it 's actually possible for a movie to get dumber as it goes along .",
      "yet for a so-called exploitation film , wax is slow to exploit . its leisurely setup is a fright-challenged snooze , and at nearly two hours it 's bloated for a slasher flick .",
      "a remake in title only , this MOV is mostly inspired by the twilight zone and the friday the 13th movies .",
      "most of this seems like a marilyn manson video .",
      "the original was shot in 3-d ; this , by contrast , is 1-d all the way .",
      "`` MOV '' is a classic , of a kind ... it plays its alarming carnage straight , and it 's very scary .",
      "and in keeping with the wax , wax , everywhere wax concept of this goofy little gore-bucket , i 'll just glibly assume that the screenplay was written in crayon .",
      "redeemed by the surreal nightmare of its fiery finale , when it 's not a wicked witch but the world itself that seems to be crying , ` i 'm melting ... '",
      "scary , scream-and-squirm-inducing , and suspenseful , it 's the first unequivocally good -- and often downright great -- popcorn entertainment of the still-early summer movie season .",
      "a crummy horror flick .",
      "as a frightfest it 's better than today 's average .",
      "MOV is a sturdy and cohesive representative of what tends to be a flimsy and tawdry b-movie genre .",
      "a roughhouse between the hayes 's dingbatty script ... and director sera 's winking and surprisingly skillful treatment of it ... ultimately disappointing .",
      "the acting is so generic and dead that they might as well have poured hot wax on all the characters in the first scene .",
      "a by-the-numbers slasher flick .",
      "the set design is fairly elaborate by the standards of the genre , and the victims do n't die in precisely the order you might expect , but everything else goes pretty much according to formula .",
      "MOV is cheap , dirty entertainment , and it knows it .",
      "related to the 1953 vincent price film in name , embalming technique and warner bros. pedigree only , the new MOV is a dreary , predictable tale .",
      "none of it is staged with any panache .",
      "a standard-issue ` dead teenager movie . '",
      "the debut feature from director jaume collet-serra does two things rare in the horror genre : it takes its time and it actually gets better as it goes along .",
      "`` something 's dead out there . '' yeah , like this movie .",
      "film lacks horror and originality .",
      "wretched excuse for a horror flick .",
      "most alarming , the movie leaves open the possibility of a sequel .",
      "it 's nowhere near as punishing as rob zombie 's house of 1,000 corpses , but it 's increasingly tense and resourceful and , in the end , it gets the sick job done .",
      "yet another teens-versus - hillbillies slasher flick .",
      "the movie would have been creepier if it had shut us inside the museum , and given us more creative wax-based killings instead of revisiting familiar slasher-flick stuff .",
      "hilton is the cinematic equivalent of a stray dog , an untrained extra that accidentally wandered into the shot and quickly began making love to the camera ."
    ],
    "summary": "bearing little resemblance to the 1953 original , MOV is a formulaic but better-than-average teen slasher flick .",
    "id": "15"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dudley_doright",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the summer 's more pleasant surprises .",
      "brendan gets hit in the face a lot , that 's good for a few laughs but you 've already seen it in the trailer .",
      "dudley is merely a dud .",
      "barely gets a plus for comedy , but brendan fraser is always fun to see .",
      "'90s live-action remake of '60s cartoon has iffy humor .",
      "surprisingly pleasant .",
      "the fanciful associations and bad jokes are more often stupid than silly , making all the spectacle and contrived dance numbers seem a colossal waste .",
      "why in the wide , wide , world of sports would anybody make a big-budget feature film from a decades-old , animated cartoon parody of nelson eddy/jeanette macdonald movies ?",
      "only for little kids or anyone with no discerning taste .",
      "there 's not one joke , one slapstick moment , one innuendo that 's funny .",
      "you 're obviously supposed to root for dudley to triumph , but his character remains nothing more than a clumsy , accident-prone doofus .",
      "when will hollywood learn that successful animated concepts just do n't cut it when translated to flesh-and blood life ?",
      "though it hurts to think unkind thoughts about the square-shooting royal canadian mounted policeman who is passionate about right and wrong , in reality casting fraser as dudley turns out to be too much of a good thing , a case of blank look overkill .",
      "what a let-down .",
      "the latest in a series of movies adapted from old tv series aimed at baby boomers and their babies .",
      "you might simply die of boredom .",
      "how lucky can moviegoers get ? three brendan fraser movies this year !",
      "a big dud .",
      "pacing is slow in this comedy , as if actors are waiting -- along with the weary kids and adults in the audience -- for anyone to say something funny . we 're still waiting .",
      "though occasionally producing a minor chuckle , dudley do-right is mainly characterized by good artists making bad choices .",
      "it has not sunk in yet in hollywood that some cartoons are cartoons for a reason .",
      "there are so many lame gags in the film that viewers may feel assaulted . but at least the pace is lively .",
      "this one is really for fraser die-hards only .",
      "i always wondered how the original producer , jay ward , could squeeze out a 5 minute segment each week on such a flimsy premise . now the big question is how some bigwig executive thought they could squeeze out an 80 minute movie on the same idea .",
      "dudley do-right works well as family entertainment .",
      "the kind of movie that makes me stop believing in movies .",
      "fraser 's goofy mug may be the only thing that saves this film 's exhibitors from losing their theatres to mobs of unamused , torch-wielding patrons . then again , it does n't seem like anyone 's even going to see this dreck , so maybe they 're off the hook .",
      "in the end , it 's neither dudley do-right nor do-wrong , but merely dudley do-just-so-so .",
      "the latest waste of celluloid .",
      "directed by hugh wilson , this cheerful comedy is aimed at 5-10 year-olds , who will thoroughly enjoy it .",
      "it mainly strikes fool 's gold .",
      "an embarrassment for all concerned .",
      "it 's a not-so-funny hodgepodge of site gags , satire and jokes that only occasionally touch the funny bone .",
      "after the movie is over , horse 's head appears through the screen as he sticks out his tongue to give it raspberries . my sentiments exactly .",
      "it 's harmless , simple-minded , and has a couple of sequences better than dudley really deserves ."
    ],
    "summary": "gags are n't that funny .",
    "id": "11893"
  },
  {
    "movie": "underworld_rise_of_the_lycans",
    "reviews": [
      "the numerous action sequences , while imaginative , lack a visual cohesion that allows them to be fully appreciated .",
      "parental content review",
      "directed by former special effects artist patrick tatopoulos , it is shoddily paced and appears to have been lit with a candle , presumably to hide its obvious budget shortfalls .",
      "uninspired prequel-slash-threequel that seems to have contractual obligation written all over it .",
      "compared to its sister films , the storytelling is stellar , remarkable not because there 's a whole lot going on -- in fact , you 'll likely leave the theater thinking , `` that 's it ? '' -- but because what little does happen makes sense .",
      "awkward camera angles , editing and pacing of some fight sequences gives a direct-to-video at times . if you 're a fan of the last two underworld movies and are willing to suspend your disbelief and to check your brain at the door for 93 minutes , you 'll at l",
      "basically it 's frost/nixon to dross/vixen . and there 's plenty to be ashamed of .",
      "... ca n't help but come off as an obvious high point within this progressively low-rent series ...",
      "lacks the gothic coolness that made the original such an underground hit .",
      "left with only a small pocket of timeline to embroider , the prequel manages to develop a breezy , bloody , operatic experience . even better , it wipes away the toxic awfulness of evolution . it 's now safe to return to the underworld .",
      "a period piece that drips mediocrity from the minute it begins .",
      "feels like a superfluous placeholder until kate beckinsale and len wiseman are available and ready to make a true third installment in the series .",
      "nothing special , but it convincingly transports viewers into its medieval realm of vampires vs. werewolves .",
      "-lrb- has -rrb- a fidelity to the style of the originals without the tangled , overstuffed narrative .",
      "enquanto seus realizadores contam o dinheiro que ganharam com o projeto , farei o mesmo que fiz com relaзгo aos dois primeiros capнtulos : publicarei este texto e esquecerei imediatamente do filme que o tornou necessбrio .",
      "it may be a definite upswing in quality for the series , but if you thought the previous two films were overblown goth-horror nonsense , rise of the lycans really is n't going to change your mind ...",
      "the creators seem to have abandoned all hope of manufacturing anything that 's even coherent , let alone imaginative .",
      "at least we 're spared a lot of the `` legacy this '' and `` prophecy that '' stuff that slows down both of the previous underworld adventures .",
      "and this time there are n't even any leather pants .",
      "borrows from ` romeo and juliet , ' ` the passion of the christ ' -lrb- there are two , count 'em , two gory scourging scenes -rrb- and , especially , ` spartacus ' ..."
    ],
    "summary": "despite the best efforts of its competent cast , underworld : rise of the lycans is an indistinguishable and unnecessary prequel .",
    "id": "770781881"
  },
  {
    "movie": "october_sky",
    "reviews": [
      "though shot in tennessee , johnston 's MOV successfully evokes the stifling atmosphere of a blackened 1950s town in the southern west virginia mountains .",
      "retreads the soggy ground staked out by field of dreams , with sentimental tears and group hugs as the answer to conflicting ideological standpoints .",
      "i love movies at the end of which , as the credits roll and the lights come up , i 'm sobbing my eyes out and smiling and declaring , `` that was a great movie ! '' all at the same time . i needed two hankies at the end of MOV .",
      "there 's hope , heroism , and dern as a dying schoolmarm , but MOV falls flat due to its all-too-obvious third act and the vague fact that , really , not that much happens .",
      "... compulsively watchable ...",
      "uplifting family film with great values",
      "inspiring tale for older tweens and up .",
      "... plays like a tv movie made for everyone who subscribes to reader 's digest . still , its manipulations are sincere rather than cynical ...",
      "the tv movie subject matter is infused with genuine feeling for the value of learning as a passport to freedom , and an authentic regard for the honest graft of working men .",
      "director joe johnston has crafted a feel good film that does n't pander to cheap emotions .",
      "MOV is a movie you want to believe in .",
      "any film that celebrates a teenager 's ability to think instead of throw a ball ought to be cheered .",
      "this small , well-crafted coming-of-age docudrama is a real-life revenge of the nerds by way of stand by me .",
      "it will lift your spirit and make you feel good about all those who pursue their dreams in the face of large obstacles .",
      "an enthralling and warm-hearted story about four high school students who taught themselves to build and fly real rockets .",
      "a sweet yet sincere coming-of-age story about fathers and sons , communities pulling together and , above all , heroes .",
      "MOV does n't seem like much on paper , but it is an entertaining , smart movie that is calculated to satisfy the all-american notion that anyone can do anything as long as he tries hard enough and never stops believing .",
      "it is about four kids who build rockets , but it is a lot more than that . it is about having the guts to go for your dreams and not worrying about what other people think .",
      "... so full of spirit and letter-perfect filmmaking that i defy anyone to watch this movie without getting a tingle in his or her heart .",
      "the ` follow your dream ' theme works , even though the son versus father sub-plot struggles at times .",
      "as rewarding and uplifting as pictures from half a century ago !",
      "a breakout performance by jake gyllenhaal !",
      "i liked MOV and was moved by it in all the right ways . but it 's a movie that does n't stand up to review very well .",
      "it 's good for inspiring , good to make you all misty-eyed and it 's commendable for making trigonometry more enticing than football .",
      "MOV is a powerful look at a young man 's drives to become a scientist . it is also a moving portrait of a father-son relationship .",
      "a compulsively watchable , well-crafted feature ...",
      "it is ultimately in the exact performances and writing that are the primary reasons MOV works so well .",
      "a truly uplifting , heartwarming motion picture !",
      "the upbeat film has a genuineness and poignancy that will touch your heart !",
      "inspirational !",
      "a must-see for every student , parent and teacher in the country !",
      "it 's a major step-up for director joe johnston whose previous films such as honey i shrunk the kids and jumanji were simply special effects showcases .",
      "a story both grounded and ascendent , a movie that puts your emotions in orbit .",
      "MOV will go straight to the heart of any man who recalls looking up at the night sky as a boy and getting stars in his eyes .",
      "MOV is a sensational character-driven story with a strong narrative and great visual style .",
      "a substantial and entertaining tale whose portrait of learning and intelligence , family and friendship , is in stark contrast to the typical hollywood fare .",
      "a real-life revenge of the nerds with a touch of stand by me .",
      "how refreshing to watch idealism and sentimentality presented onscreen without the usual cheap manipulative tricks so beloved by hollywood schlockmeisters !",
      "spirited , exciting entertainment that delivers on any number of levels - and you do n't have to be a youngster to enjoy it .",
      "believable , subtle , and consistently intelligent !",
      "this movie has deep values .",
      "it is a film that treats its teen-aged hero and his pals as distinctive , sentient human beings .",
      "... one heck of a crowd pleaser , filled with humor , pathos , and intelligence .",
      "one of the best in recent years !",
      "the unforced and honest power of the emotion ever so quietly sneaks up on you by film 's end .",
      "as adapted by lewis colick , the screenplay shifts busily among the boys ' rocket exploits , homer 's family , conditions at the mine and the influence of a dedicated science teacher , but each of these subplots plays out in familiar ways .",
      "this is one of those special films that 's equally successful as a wholesome family film and an inspiring drama for adults .",
      "a professionally crafted family film that reserves all its challenging moments for its characters , letting the audience bask comfortably in the approach of a predetermined warm and fuzzy ending .",
      "the movie is an oddity . like the seed of a plant born in the drought of summer , it tries to grow on you , and fails .",
      "another universal pictures paint-by-numbers feel-gooder !",
      "plays like something spewed out by a top-drawer screenwriting program !",
      "the plot follows the usual formula , so that were it a rocket , one could predict within a matter of feet where it would land .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- wonderful , new coming-of-age film .",
      "immensely entertaining and unabashedly inspirational !",
      "secretly , this is a movie about overcoming adversity and fatherly love , and the sentiment is heaped on so high you ca n't help but shed a tear .",
      "MOV is exactly the sort of hollywood picture we need to see more often : cleanly written , capably filmed , and focused on a young person who 's determined to turn his life in constructive , creative directions .",
      "such a good story . and MOV is a really good movie .",
      "every scene has realistic gravity and an obvious personal touch .",
      "sweetness is too rare in movies these days , so audiences can feel lucky about the earnest dose of it in MOV . this film is family .",
      "MOV is inspirational , and it is triumphant ; it 's also smart , well-written , and well-acted !",
      "even if MOV was a complete dud , the drama would still get points for being the movie that launched the career of a new star , jake gyllenhaal .",
      "read it as sublimated or expressionist , the movie is all about boys and their toys .",
      "fun and amusing !",
      "MOV certainly is n't a great movie , but a pleasant one , and one i can recommend -- which , so far , in 1999 , is a wonder in itself .",
      "MOV is a bit schmaltzy and predictable . but that should n't keep anyone from enjoying this true-life saga of a boy whose dreams could not be confined by either gravity or convention .",
      "MOV is a rare oddity in cinema : a self-proclaimed `` uplifting '' film that is actually uplifting !"
    ],
    "summary": "rich in sweet sincerity , intelligence , and good old-fashioned inspirational drama , MOV is a coming-of-age story with a heart to match its hollywood craftsmanship .",
    "id": "10995"
  },
  {
    "movie": "paris_je_taime",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's an engaging sampler of different perspectives that never quite connect , but it does make you want to contact your travel agent as soon as possible .",
      "paris is well worth the trip .",
      "as an ad for the city 's charms , paris could n't have asked for a more sweetly jaundiced love letter .",
      "most features composed of sketches by different filmmakers are wildly uneven . this one is consistently mediocre , albeit pleasant and watchable .",
      "it is possible to bring substance , as well as poetry , to the vignette form , but more often paris , je t'aime is merely mundane .",
      "in the generally deft new anthology film paris je t ` aime , short films are like streetcars .",
      "it 's hard not to love paris , je t ` aime . a valentine to the planet 's most romantic city , this delightful anthology of 18 short films will make you long to bid adieu to your humdrum existence and board the next plane to the city of lights .",
      "paris , je t ` aime builds into something quite wonderful .",
      "with 18 pieces in all , there should be something here to tantalize everyone 's tastes , or at least prompt you to contact your travel agent to book a vacation .",
      "split evenly between the inspired segments and those that fall flat , this ambitious omnibus is still worth watching .",
      "there 's something romantic about the big city , because with so many people in such a small space , something unexpected and joyful is bound to cross your path one day . and this is the precise mentality that makes -lsb- this movie -rsb- such a breath of fresh air .",
      "this bittersweet love-letter to france 's capital is as richly cosmopolitan as the city itself .",
      "offers a smorgasbord of distinct styles as it compiles an unprecedented movie mix tape of poetic interludes .",
      "the bee 's knees , the cat 's pajamas and the lobster 's dinner shirt of movies currently playing .",
      "for directors and actors who usually work on projects that take years to develop and months to film , this must have been a really fun lark . for the viewer , it 's a full cinematic feast .",
      "nothing about paris , je t'aime feels stiff or hindered by its haphazard , sometimes truncated , but always sincere love letter to and tour of the city of lights .",
      "a little uneven in style , tone and quality . but the picture that emerges of paris is romantic , cosmopolitan and hopeful .",
      "from comedy to drama , varied anthology is worth the trip .",
      "each short film runs an average of eight minutes , so even if you get stuck with a clunker , it 's not long before the next one starts .",
      "if you love films -lrb- and paris -rrb- then this omnibus edition is strongly recommended .",
      "practically giddy with energy .",
      "for this kind of omnibus movie a success rate of two out of three is a pretty high batting average . there are no home runs , however , only doubles , singles and coy little bunts .",
      "bittersweet , funny , sad and invariably romantic , the anthology film paris , je t'aime strings together 20 five-minute vignettes to create a pulsating mosaic of the neighborhoods of the city of light .",
      "if you 've ever been to paris , the picture 's varied takes on the city of lights is seeped in reverie . if you have n't , paris je t ` aime serves as a enticing invitation .",
      "you never know what you 'll get , but it will always look ravishing .",
      "some shorts work . others do n't . it is fascinating , though , to see which ones do , and why .",
      "a fantastic trip to the city of lights thru the eyes of some of the world 's greatest stars and filmmakers . a memorable movie experience like no other .",
      "luckily , paris , je t'aime contains a few good films among its total whiffs .",
      "a valentine to the city of light , paris , je t'aime threatens no electrical power outages , but it does leave a nice candlelight glow .",
      "a novel experiment which one hopes will be tried again soon .",
      "many districts of the city open to as many directors , each finding vignettes of love or loss .",
      "the best is saved for last : payne 's 14th arrondissement takes its time to create a parisian epiphany that both pokes fun at an american tourist -lrb- margo martindale -rrb- and finds grace in her acceptance of a fragile moment of transcendence .",
      "the cream of this crop took the assignment to heart - to show not just being in love in paris , but being in love with paris .",
      "even the least tales here flit by quickly enough to leave little bad aftertaste , and the best are savored like the last small bites of exquisite soufflés .",
      "its 18 vignettes show paris as a big city like any other , with the attendant street crime and disparity between haves and have-nots . it 's just that the architecture , clothes and people are more handsome than in most cities .",
      "varied in tone and perspective , but also variable in narrative quality . but paris je t ` aime offers at least as many hits as misses .",
      "paris je t'aime is a charmer . it 's like a sampler plate of sweet confections , delightful but not very substantial , and with enough variety to please just about everyone .",
      "i suppose you can take the anthology as a sampling of parisian atmospheres , but hardly anywhere is a place you 'd want to visit for long .",
      "there is just enough good stuff to outweigh the bad .",
      "the best segments are as good as film gets ; the losers can make you wince . on the whole , the good outweigh the bad and make the film feel like a minivacation in the city of light .",
      "the emphasis is on the light and airy , with the delightful and surprising outnumbering the numbing .",
      "this is a very french cinematic concept , sometimes charming , sometimes obtuse , sometimes irritating and often risky ; just like the french themselves , although the directors are not all french .",
      "it manages to leave you feeling buoyed and grinning ; sort of like what an easygoing week 's vacation in paris might induce -- along with occasional torpor , frenzy , melancholy and surprises .",
      "it 's like having the sampler plate at a restaurant : it never feels quite like a real meal , yet can be delicious just the same .",
      "a delightful and varied glimpse of men and women grappling with love , meaning , and loss in various neighborhoods of paris .",
      "eighteen short stories in 120 minutes is almost too much to take but this film seems to bind them all together , somehow , with love .",
      "paris , je t ` aime is not a movie , it 's a playlist , and that 's why you should resist the temptation to see it in the theater .",
      "paris , je t'aime 's brimming declaration of love to the city of lights leaves one breathless but dissatisfied .",
      "typical of such compilations , results tend to vary wildly .",
      "while too fleeting in grace to be a great movie , paris je t'aime does however reward the hope offered with this prestigious cast and crew .",
      "it 's an uneven bag of love to be sure , but the hits outweigh the misses .",
      "considering just how many cooks there were in the kitchen , paris , je t ` aime came out with a pretty even feeling",
      "a fantastic travelogue .",
      "paris , je t ` aime feels like a compilation of student films % u2014 imbued with a certain neophyte whimsy , vibrating with life and passion , and fresh in a way that can only come from unfettered enthusiasm .",
      "18 shorts about love for mature art house fans",
      "the bulk of the work , filtered through the idiosyncratic lens of the global art-house , relays a peculiar impression of the city that is at once familiar and displaced .",
      "alluring , all in all , and unfulfilling",
      "the most resonant moments in paris , je t'aime happen to be the bleakest , and they 're about immigrants and other outsiders .",
      "generally , the comic pieces are sturdier than the abbreviated dramas . ... as might be expected , a couple of the chapters are misfires ... happily , ` paris ' saves some of its prime material for the last half-hour .",
      "a masterful achievement , both as a film and as a heartfelt love letter to one of the world 's most romantic cities .",
      "a scattered pastiche of petite vignettes that displays a frenetic charm .",
      "the results are uneven , but with each segment focused on a different arrondissement and only about five minutes in length , one does not have to linger in any neighborhood -- good or bad -- for very long before its time to move on .",
      "payne 's film alone would be worth the price of admission .",
      "suspended rather delightfully between art film and touristy bonbon , paris , je t'aime is , unsurprisingly , a tribute to a city that everybody loves .",
      "you could n't call it perfect -- the episodes are uneven -- but it has something that sometimes is better than perfection : real love for its subject and themes .",
      "eighteen short films , each done by a different director with a different cast and set in a different neighborhood of paris , je t'aime is a remarkable achievement .",
      "alexander payne strikes the same balance of snarky humor and sneaky empathy that has made his body of work so distinct in contemporary american cinema .",
      "-lsb- glen -rsb- hassard and -lsb- marketa -rsb- irglova , newcomers to feature film , show both natural acting skills and terrific musical ability .",
      "wildly , frustratingly uneven .",
      "next to google earth , this is the coolest way to get an overview of the city of light and its particular je ne sais quoi .",
      "uneven but quite pleasant .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- pleasing jumble of stories about love in paris .",
      "finally , the city that has inspired so much love gets a love letter all its own .",
      "splendid .",
      "a connoisseur 's delight : two hours of short films celebrating the most romantic city in the world .",
      "... a charming ode to the title city , less because of how it celebrates paris ' romantic reputation than for the way it lovingly tweaks that image .",
      "this one is different and it 's charming .",
      "taken as a whole , paris je t'aime slips down easily enough and offers a few whimsical smiles , but you may find yourself craving more substantial nourishment before the end .",
      "a slam-dunk for cineastes , romantics , and francophiles .",
      "you expect quality to vary from segment to segment , but the misses outweigh the hits by a depressingly high margin .",
      "paris je t'aime is a poignant and ultimately rewarding experience . it offers something for everyone , and provides an insightful , multi-cultural look at the city of lights .",
      "even the downbeat segments are optimistic , and that 's what unifies them .",
      "the best episodes , however , have the emotional resonance of full-length features , and yet i did n't want them to be a moment longer than they are .",
      "there seems to be something in paris air or water that encourages compendium filmmaking -- multiple characters and multiple stories . paris , je t'aime may be the grandest such work currently on view .",
      "this is a film for people who love film ...",
      "god bless alexander payne , the only director who actually embraces the collection 's title as inspiration ... and makes us fall in melancholy , vicarious love .",
      "... displays the same virtues and vices of any anthology film , but magnified by the sheer number of contributors .",
      "if you 've ever wondered why so many people go so moony over the city of lights , then this breezy postcard is an excellent place to start .",
      "this frequently enchanting omnibus movie -- a collection of 18 short films set in various resonant precincts of the city of light -- radiates international star power .",
      "it 's not sexy or stylish or glamorous or any of the things you might assume paris would be before going there . but of all the segments that comprise the film , it comes the closest to depicting honestly what it feels like to fall in love .",
      "taken as a whole , it 's a remarkably textured look at the city of lights .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- un film colectivo irregular , con segmentos olvidables , otros muy bizarros , y algunos realmente sorprendentes .",
      "like all anthologies , this 18-segment-omnibus , basically a love letter to paris as city of lights and romance , is uneven but it 's amusing to see the text and subtext of stories that reveal as much about their directors ' ideas as their chosen quarters .",
      "the result is an uneven and unwieldy hodgepodge of visions and styles that collectively carry a faint whiff of futility .",
      "after having seen the 18 pieces that made the final cut , i ca n't help wondering on what grounds the two rejected works were judged unworthy .",
      "anthology films usually work better in theory than execution , but this feature parade of shorts is a blithe , worldly , and enchanting exception .",
      "... modestly but richly sculpted pieces , a feeling carved out of a brief slice of time and place , the discreet suggestion of a relationship in just a couple of minutes .",
      "fascinating but shaky experiment .",
      "on paper , the film looks like a slam dunk , but that is n't the way it plays out . perhaps it 's the time-limit constraints or maybe they just do n't care , but most of the directors are n't working at full speed .",
      "in all their variations , with many of them graced by the presence of big-name actors , these 18 movies coalesce into an incandescent portrait of a city rife with possibilities for romance .",
      "one of those anthology films that seems like a good idea but never quite works because it lacks the vision of one filmmaker to put it all together .",
      "not great filmmaking , but will be appreciated by francophiles .",
      "the team effort is justified because love means something different to everyone , and the film presents its many faces as if filtered through an ipod shuffle .",
      "there are a couple of unquestioned triumphs , a couple of unmitigated disasters and the rest fall somewhere in between the two extremes -- but it winds up being somewhat more satisfying in the end than many films of this type .",
      "anthologies can be uneven , and that is the case here . some of these films do feel insubstantial . but others are rooted in the sorts of common experiences that will seem authentic to you , no matter where you live .",
      "the result is that after two hours one gets the sense of having seen a panorama of human experience , of having witnessed a moment of time in all its true fullness ."
    ],
    "summary": "paris je t'aime is uneven , but there are more than enough delightful moments in this omnibus tribute to the city of lights to tip the scale in its favor .",
    "id": "321749760"
  },
  {
    "movie": "crazy_heart",
    "reviews": [
      "cooper 's film may not make all the right choices , but it 's got bridges , and it 's always got the songs , among which ryan bingham 's the weary kind stands out for its haunting , choked melancholy . it 's an experience you want to indulge , and that is n't hard .",
      "it 's not possible to flaw bridges here . akin to falstaff , the detail of his characterisation - from stagger to cough to swagger to song - is fascinating . but he needs more thorough contextualisation to fly .",
      "the role of a lifetime for jeff bridges and he plays it to perfection",
      "it took an oscar-chasing role tailored for bridges to win him this belated respect ; the movie itself is hardly worthy of him .",
      "what a treat to see and feel an independent american movie that sifts gently across the western landscape with a heartfelt touch - albeit dusted over with a hazy drift of nostalgia .",
      "a phenomenal , heart-breaking performance from jeff bridges powers this simple but affecting redemption story .",
      "MOV feels familiar , even comforting , offering few surprises but a wealth of lovingly crafted , immaculately judged , wholly authentic emotion .",
      "an affable , entertaining film that rarely surprises but brings a smile to the face through the sheer charisma of its leading man .",
      "this turn from the perennially settled and contented bridges is pure acting . it is the best performance of the past 12 months , and indeed possibly the next .",
      "a wonderfully easy , confident and muscular performance from jeff bridges - so easy , confident and muscular that it does n't look like acting at all - saves this movie from being pure sentimental mush .",
      "a rambling story of a down-and-out country singer -lrb- a fine performance by jeff bridges -rrb- trying to put his life in turnaround .",
      "in bridges ' protrayal bad is like a floating candle in a jar of gasoline % u2013 always ready to ignite . through jean he learns to hang on with a hope to glow once again .",
      "the difference between ` MOV ' and ` the wrestler ' is the quality of the female characters .",
      "you can see why bridges signed on for this low-key , low-budget character study . it is n't every day an actor gets the chance to pitch face-forward into the camera , dead drunk .",
      "hand the oscar to jeff bridges right now , and let 's be done with it .",
      "all hail the small movie .",
      "as usual , bridges makes it look easy , ramblin ' along through this ramblin ' story as if it takes no effort at all to create a three-dimensional character out of nothing .",
      "MOV finally disappoints because it 's so manifestly a character in search of a movie .",
      "mediocre awards-season staple with some good acting",
      "i admire cooper 's restraint , an attribute i 've admired in bridges for so many years .",
      "it all goes down as smoothly and enjoyably as a fine whiskey .",
      "jeff bridges gives a stumbling , puking , unglamorous performance in MOV ... in hopes of making it to hollywood 's glammest night .",
      "jeff bridges ' portrayal of broken-down , liquored-up country singer bad blake may be the best of his career , and that 's saying something .",
      "as the heavily dented bad blake , bridges carries every scene in the picture with a performance that seems to materialize out of pure feeling .",
      "barry markowitz 's camerawork at times captures the hazy heat of the american southwest , giving it a sepia-toned warmth , while this grainy wash gives blake 's late-night bender scenes a green-about-the-gills feel .",
      "cooper is so afraid of being bold and baring some soul , he achieves little more than the anachronistic , cookie-cutter blues that his lead character spent a lifetime trying to avoid .",
      "do n't expect greatness from the man named bad",
      "formidable acting talent aside , this is routine self-destruction-and-recovery tv movie material .",
      "basically a live-action version of the cliche country-western song with a man down on his luck and losing everything in his life , it comes close to being a joke about itself .",
      "with great performances from bridges and gyllenhaal , MOV is a winner and a must-see .",
      "played by a gracefully aging jeff bridges , bad is an older , greasier and groggier version of the dude",
      "bridges ' worn down country singer is as well realized as any character he 's ever done . it may take a while to get going , and to develop , and to wrap up , but there 's enough meat to make MOV worthwhile , even if it is made to last a while .",
      "is jeff bridges the most underappreciated actor of his generation ?",
      "a solid -lrb- if unremarkable -rrb- script presented in a straightforward , restrained manner but enlivened by naturalistic , honest acting , MOV is more than the sum of its parts .",
      "jeff bridges finally won his oscar for MOV and it was well-earned indeed .",
      "the film 's texas and new mexico landscapes are ravishing , and the songs are beautifully performed , but these offer little more than occasional relief from a very obvious tale .",
      "jeff bridges astounds in this beautifully acted , funny and moving film .",
      "MOV is a b-grade movie elevated to a-grade status by bridges ' nuanced , heartbreaking performance . gyllenhaal is terrific too as a smart woman who ca n't help loving that man .",
      "it 's a shame then that the all-too-familiar story is never as engaging as the two leads , but with performances this strong , MOV still brings the house down .",
      "is terrific in his richest role since the big lebowski . but the surprise is farrell , unexpectedly winning as the successful protégé keen to give his mentor a break .",
      "it 's the brilliance of bridges that means he can be sad and pathetic , and charismatic and heroic all at the same time .",
      "while you ca n't quite shake the film 's channel 5 matinee feel , star performances lift crazy i heart above the ordinary .",
      "bridges can play this kind of role in his sleep , and at times appears to be doing so . if he wins the best actor oscar for this , it will be as a long-service medal , not a reflection of excellence in a demanding role .",
      "bridges is totally at ease singing the blues , so much so that it 's easy to forget those creaks in the script , as he delivers an iconic performance that 's guaranteed to pluck the heartstrings .",
      "what makes the film is its attention to detail : the locations are a picture book of americana ; the music , overseen by t-bone burnett , is a precise re-creation of 1980s new country .",
      "while it showcases jeff bridges ' extraordinary talents and delivers a couple of decent country music tunes , MOV is basically a retread that does n't leave much of a lasting impression .",
      "takes an ordinary situation and makes it extraordinary . bad blake is n't a country singer ; he 's a country song .",
      "bridges is exceptional here ; it 's the movie itself that 's less urgent and awkwardly defined , throttling his impressively discombobulated performance , leaving one to wonder why there 's even a plot to heart in the first place .",
      "some actors are blessed . jeff bridges is one of them .",
      "bridges perfects that wasted hayseed persona growl here and in open road this year . but oh , how jeff and maggie get those erotic , flirty sparks to fly between them , anyway .",
      "the film aspires to such low-key minimalism that it leaves no more than a fleeting emotional effect .",
      "a simple , rough around the edges character study , buoyed up by some pretty fine performances - despite what you may have heard , there are more people in the cast than just jeff bridges .",
      "as predictable as any of the old clichés about country music and men who write it , although that 's mainly because cooper 's script ... uses so many of them without delving any deeper .",
      "this show belongs to bridges , who starts off as a magnificent train wreck and then takes a journey with the character .",
      "this performance is as good as -lsb- bridges has -rsb- ever done .",
      "while the film is n't quite the timeless gem lebowski is , bridges playing the perennially soused is , once again , spectacularly award-worthy .",
      "often feels like a half-hearted , half-assed remake of tender mercies .",
      "on first viewing , MOV seemed like a pretty good movie with one great performance . after a second time through , it 's sneaking up on the title of my favorite film of the year .",
      "not a great movie , but bridges definitely finds new territory for those acting skils of his . his washed up country singer finally goes after the help he needs and we like the journey to sobriety . paul chambers , cnn",
      "as has so often been the case throughout his career , bridges becomes the character . he buries himself so thoroughly in the role that there 's nothing of the actor remaining .",
      "it 's a mark of how fine a performance bridges gives that it succeeds beautifully even though the besotted , bedeviled country singer has been an overly familiar popular culture staple for forever .",
      "some good country music and some people you care about make this film likable if nothing flashy . but bridges 's characterization is first rate .",
      "the film packs a huge emotional punch , and captivates mercilessly",
      "MOV could use more rough edges , but while it 's a little too sentimental and tidy , bridges ' humane , deeply empathetic lead performance makes it easy to root for one man 's redemption .",
      "bridges does what he does best in disappearing into a complex character who earns our sympathy the hard way",
      "not that the modest story makes -lsb- jeff -rsb- bridges ' accomplishment any less vital or -lsb- t-bone -rsb- burnett 's music any less pleasurable .",
      "bad is a tortured , self destructive spirit dead set on being alone and miserable , though because he has ample kindness and softness lingering inside , his addictions are all the more deceptively dangerous and his fall from grace all the more pathetic .",
      "another minimalist exercise seeking verisimilitude when the real goal should be drama .",
      "there 's nothing about the essential content of this film that 's artificial .",
      "watching alcoholics stumble through their lives is sometimes a little boring , though jeff bridges is a warm and detailed enough actor to keep us interested and full of hope for him .",
      "i used to be somebody , '' sings washed up legend bad blake , `` but now i 'm somebody else . '' like a c&w song , MOV makes cliches sound like eternal verites , and jeff bridges deserves all the credit .",
      "better story , better acting , better music than ` once . '",
      "with the best lead performance of the year , a few great supporting ones , excellent music , and completely genuine characters freed of an ounce of melodrama , MOV is one of the best dramas of 2009 .",
      "in MOV , jeff bridges portrays `` bad '' blake , a grizzled , battered , alcoholic country singer living on the frayed edges of his fallow career . bridges nails the role .",
      "i wanted to walk out bowled over by jeff bridges and his ` performance of a lifetime , ' but i was fixated on the colin farrell factor .",
      "MOV is a familiar tune , but the harmonies reverberate .",
      "the movie belongs entirely to bridges , who won the golden globe for best actor in a drama . his inimitable jeff-isms have never been more endearing - the sloppy gait , the whiskey glass balanced on his chest , his general air of discombobulation .",
      "... the story here is bridges and the title of that story is `` brilliant ! ''",
      "who needs the wrestler when you have the crooner ? ''",
      "... bridges ' performance as blake so transcends the clichés that he 's one of the favorites for the best actor oscar this year .",
      "bridges carries the movie on his back and makes bad blake a guy worth getting to know .",
      "what it lacks in originality , MOV makes up for in delivery .",
      "charles bukowski morphs into dewey cox in this denunciation of the evils of paralyzing drunkenness .",
      "scott cooper ... makes his directorial debut with one of america 's greatest actors delivering a terrific performance in a story we 've seen a thousand times before .",
      "in this country ballad % u2013like movie that 's earning jeff bridges oscar buzz , he plays a downward-spiraling musician . bridges offers a great performance , but his hokey romance with maggie gyllenhaal clashes with the film 's gritty realism ,",
      "bridges draws us deeply inside blake 's moment-to-moment heartbreaks . he makes us root for him as we would root for a dear friend . ultimately , his triumphs become our own .",
      "the movie as a whole never rings as true as bridges ' lead character , bad blake -- but he 's appealing enough to keep it from falling apart .",
      "although the romance between bridges and gyllenhaal did n't pass the smell test , i could overlook that because the acting , music , and cinematography mesmerized me .",
      "another awards season , another tale of middle-age redemption .",
      "-lrb- bridges -rrb- just slips into the faded leather boots of a sad , lost soul , a man we all know even though weve never met him .",
      "has an appealing , easygoing vibe for most of its running time .",
      "a quiet , conventional film with a surprisingly firm grip .",
      "if not for the performance of jeff bridges , this tedious flick would n't be nearly as involving .",
      "it is n't perfect and it is n't wholly original in terms of narrative , but the film has a warm heart and a depth of performance that makes it deserving of recommendation .",
      "bridges raises the bar -lrb- har-har -rrb- for being shafaced onscreen , stumbling and vomiting his way to the stage in podunk clubs ... ''",
      "the simple story of a merle haggard-type has been who falls in love with a younger reporter is aided greatly by excellent songs and dazzling performances by jeff bridges and colin farrell .",
      "-lsb- bridges -rsb- fully inhabits blake , slowly revealing the bone-weariness of this singer 's extended road trips and even more extended drinking binges .",
      "... an aggressively uneven piece of work that would hardly be worth mentioning were it not for the efforts of bridges and his stellar cast mates ...",
      "tem a sorte de trazer um jeff bridges mais do que inspirado em seu centro -- caso contrбrio , poderia perfeitamente ter se tornado uma produзгo mais apropriada para a televisгo .",
      "as he comes to face consequences of this recklessness , bad sees that his badness - his success and also the limits on it - are also shaped by the business he 's in .",
      "if you adore country music and have actually been in a band , you 'll love MOV . despite bridges ' brilliance , non-aficionados might find it underwhelming .",
      "if you 're not fond of country music -lrb- i 'm not -rrb- , then MOV may sound like the kind of cracker-barrel movie you should avoid . bridges will change your mind .",
      "some goodwill evaporates in the final reel , when a few false endings lead to a choice that 's not the best one for MOV , but the generosity of bridge 's performance puts us in a forgiving mood .",
      "a showcase for an actor whose deep understanding of his character is evident in every gesture and word .",
      "when a movie offers you a couple of hours with a drunk , he better be a charmer . and even then , it 's a gamble ; we 've all known charming drunks , but a little can go a long way . fortunately for MOV , it has jeff bridges , who brings enough charm and ve",
      "there is no one i would rather have play an overweight drunk . bridges nails it .",
      "bridges is so spectacularly good as bad blake , country artist , that he 's the whole movie .",
      "ultimately what MOV will always be remembered for is the genuine and poignant performance from bridges , who should be rewarded with an oscar nomination in a couple of weeks . who knows ? maybe the fifth time will be the charm .",
      "it 's a bit too easy , a bit too familiar , and maybe even a bit too much fun . but the easy magic bridges brings to the screen makes it all work .",
      "in a musical genre where emotional authenticity is essential , bridges is a great enough actor to make us believe these songs could be his own .",
      "bridges plumbs the depths of this alcoholic , his bloated body strewn across a sweat-soaked mattress , clinging to his whiskey bottle as if it were his momma ... it 's a knock-out performance , devoid of all vanity .",
      "bridges ably does his own guitar playing and singing , another reason MOV is a gift to those who have long appreciated his talents .",
      "not to say the movie does n't work ; if it did n't hit me like a ton of bricks , at least it did make a favorable impression , and i believe i have bridges 's affability and watchability to thank for that .",
      "the real star is bridges , who plays not so much a layered character , but a man whom we instantly identify with and understand and want to watch .",
      "modestly mounted but fiercely acted .",
      "everything you see and hear has a modest , gentle quality that insinuates itself into your good graces .",
      "the songs become anthems inhabited by bridges , whose bad blake may wish his life had turned out differently but is never going to dribble tears in his shot glass so long as he still can find a stage somewhere to belt out a tune .",
      "an utterly familiar but mostly satisfying character study of a man rescued from the brink of self-destruction , attuned to the rhythm of an eye-catching star performance .",
      "jeff bridges realizing one of his most memorable film characters in years with a performance you wo n't quickly forget .",
      "no scene feels obligatory , and MOV shows a pragmatic but tender understanding of the relationship between physical breakdown and the discovery of morality . it 's merely a well-done , adult american movie-that is to say , a rarity .",
      "a compact , economical treat : full of flavor and feeling , wrapped in an unprepossessing package that contains far more than you 'd ever imagine .",
      "this is simply a showcase for jeff bridges , and a reasonably decent one at that even when the script thrusts bad down tediously hackneyed roads .",
      "screenwriter/director scott cooper 's adaptation of the thomas cobb novel is a bit predictable , but it benefits from the casting of bridges as the self-destructive lead .",
      "while the screenplay for MOV does n't always ring true , bridges does .",
      "the low-budget `` MOV '' is just about perfect at what it does , focusing on a narrow slice of american life with precision , humor and understanding",
      "this might be jeff bridges ' best performance . and he might , in fact , just take home the academy award for best actor .",
      "jeff bridges wears his character , one-time star bad blake , as comfortably as a favorite old cowboy hat .",
      "... we can almost taste the sour booze and smell the stale smoke ...",
      "bridges is perfectly attuned to every nuance of the character he plays in MOV ...",
      "bridges takes center stage in MOV .",
      "this is bridges ' show from start to finish , and he seems to be taking particular glee in letting it all hang out -lrb- sometimes literally , as a generous gut is frequently glimpsed bursting through an open shirt -rrb- .",
      "bridges brings all his four decades of deceptively casual charm and unpretentious smarts to what is proving to be a signature role .",
      "it is bad blake 's tortured complexity that sells ` MOV , ' and jeff bridges captures blake body and soul .",
      "if jeff bridges earns an overdue oscar for MOV it wo n't be for any charitable reasons . it 's arguably the best performance of his career .",
      "this performance reminds us that bridges is that rare actor who has never had to make that apology . MOV lets him be every bit as grand as we 'd hope him to be .",
      "if the film itself is slight , there 's no diminishing the heft that bridges brings .",
      "cooper lets you experience blake 's gradual reawakening right along with him , and bridges ' superb performance -- not the slight plot -- carries the weight .",
      "incredibly entertaining and poignant , buoyed by a performance by jeff bridges that 's entirely deserving of its oscar buzz",
      "parental content review",
      "now that i 've seen jeff bridges ' portrayal of blake ... i ca n't imagine another actor occupying the role .",
      "one of the most underappreciated actors in hollywood is finally getting the recognition he deserves . jeff bridges is the odds-on favorite to finally take home the golden statuette .",
      "without an ounce of doubt , jeff bridges ' portrayal of bad blake is superb .",
      "MOV is quiet , gentle , heart-bruised more than heart-broken , and it lingers in the memory after you 've seen it , like a song you ca n't get out of your head .",
      "`` MOV '' is the best film of 2009 . jeff bridges smokes -- big time .",
      "MOV gets to you like a good country song -- not because it tells you something new , but because it tells it well . it 's the singer , not the song .",
      "inevitable comparison will be made to tender mercies , for which duvall -lrb- producer here -rrb- won an oscar and jeff bridges may earn a nod too ; despite being generic , it 's enjoyable , well acted and the music both rousing and melancholy .",
      "jeff bridges is terrific but the movie only ordinary .",
      "playing a drunken , washed-up music legend reduced to playing small-town bowling alleys , jeff bridges is the whole show here as a cowboy-style crooner who wrestles with his demons in ways that easily engage an audience 's sympathies .",
      "a richly-realized , deeply-heartfelt character study in the vein of tender mercies and bound for glory , this sterling directing debut by actor scott cooper looks perfectly pitched to finally win jeff bridges his very long overdue best actor academy award .",
      "MOV is a story of redemption which has been told a thousand times before , but is infused with energy here by cooper 's dialogue and his work with the actors .",
      "well directed but sketchily written by actor scott cooper , the film relies a great deal on the star to flesh out what is only implied . it 's a lot of work , but mr. bridges is merely miraculous .",
      "it feels like we 've seen it a million times before but bridges gives the film raw heart , investing blake with a mighty appealing charisma and vulnerability .",
      "although it 's a bit like watching jeff bridges look you in the eyes , waft his boozy breath in your face and shout `` can i have an oscar please ? '' , it 's difficult not to be charmed by everything about MOV .",
      "you 'd have to be crazier than joaquin phoenix to see this film as ground-breaking . but when it 's good , it ai n't too bad at all .",
      "the first-time writer-director scott cooper sets a gentle , unhurried pace as he unfolds the story .",
      "this film feels like the cherry on top of jeff bridges ' fine career , giving him a terrific character who carries us through a fairly straightforward story of regret and redemption .",
      "the narrative does succumb to formula , but bridges and a terrific cast keep it fresh .",
      "MOV is a superbly directed , powerfully emotional drama with an unmissable central performance from jeff bridges .",
      "i was n't excited about MOV . i 'd have bundled it in with the last station as a movie that exists only to win oscars . luckily , it 's not like that . sure ting the story is a bit formulaic , but it 's an easy seven and a half out of ten .",
      "MOV , written and directed by scott cooper , is a small movie perfectly scaled to the big performance at its center .",
      "what sets this film apart is the superb performance of jeff bridges , who brings unending charm and authenticity to broken-down country singer bad blake .",
      "jeff bridges as bad blake truly embodies the phrase oscar worthy performance ... MOV is great and wonderfully worth seeing , but jeff bridges performance in it , is not to be missed .",
      "you do n't need to be a country music fan to enjoy MOV but there is a good chance you will become one afterwards thanks to this gracefully restrained and sweet drama .",
      "it 's one of the year 's best , most deeply felt films .",
      "MOV is more of a character study than a plot-driven film , but we 've got a genuinely compelling character to examine here .",
      "gyllenhaal is charming and makes unexpected choices in her performance , but this is bridges ' show , and he 's as best actor-worthy as he 's ever been .",
      "jeff bridges ' character may be called bad blake , but his performance is incredibly good , perhaps the best of his career .",
      "jeff bridges ' performance elevates this morality-tale concept to a level that makes him a viable , but not surprising , oscar contender .",
      "it 's a juicy , career-crowning role , and bridges -- a master of subtle brilliance -- plays the hell out of it .",
      "sometimes you do n't have to reinvent the wheel to steer right into the heart . scott cooper 's MOV does just that .",
      "jeff bridges channels hank williams , jr. and kris kristofferson for his portrayal of an alcohol-addled outlaw country star hoping for one more chance .",
      "everything about MOV just feels so very familiar , from any number of other movies about past-their-prime singers hitting the road and trying to make sense of their lives .",
      "bridges ' guileless performance makes this piquant little indie tale of country music , redemption , and the love of a pretty younger woman such a sad-song charmer .",
      "bridges inhabits bad fully , and cleverly uses our decades of fondness for him as an actor to give us a way to connect to his troublesome character .",
      "jeff bridges continues to astonish , in this case even making an ordinary movie into something better .",
      "entertainingly zips along the desert highways .",
      "if ever a movie demonstrated how country music emerges from private sorrows , this is it . but something can always be done to make a movie better .",
      "an impressive debut from director scott cooper , but it would n't be the movie it is without jeff bridges ' astonishingly credible performance .",
      "for my money , anything short of an oscar for bridges would be a sin . i 'd also call it the best movie of 2009 .",
      "the point of MOV is to showcase -lsb- jeff -rsb- bridges who has been much much , much better in other films . at least this one finally gives him long overdue accolades .",
      "it 's a terrific , satisfying film about redemption , with an outstanding performance by bridges",
      "the movie serves as a showcase for bridges . through his body language and demeanor , you can imagine the toll the years of wear and tear have inflicted .",
      "i 've said it once , and i 'll say it again ; farrell 's the real deal , and easily one of the best actors to come along in the last decade .",
      "deeply felt performances , great music and pitch-perfect detail make this a film to be cherished .",
      "this is a sad little story , told rather indulgently by the writer-director . bridges and gyllenhaal are superior to the film in which they appear .",
      "the songs are original , blues-fueled country tunes of love and loss that remind of 1970s gems from waylon jennings , written in a register that fits bridges ' low tone perfectly .",
      "jeff bridges ' consuming , complete performance ranks among the finest works of his considerable career .",
      "bridges has re-entered dude territory and crawled out the other side , ditching the dope , swapping the white russians for sour mash and his bowling ball for a guitar .",
      "what distinguishes writer-director scott cooper 's debut is his storytelling , affecting but never maudlin , and a fearless performance by bridges .",
      "gyllenhaal and bridges are marvelous together , playing their characters ' cautious affection for each other as an alluring winding path that 's actually laden with minefields .",
      "while years of vh-1 's ` behind the music ' and tmz have peeled away the mystique of celebrity musicians by showing the blemishes , warts and mishaps that come with fame , bridges still manages to make this take on a out of his luck entertainer seem fresh .",
      "jeff bridges finds the perfect vehicle for his lazy charm and bitter irony in the role of bad blake , a washed-up country star trying to climb out of the bottle and put his life back together .",
      "like the wrestler but with more heart , MOV delivers brilliant performances from both bridges and gyllenhaal .",
      "the question then -- and it 's been answered a million times before , but rarely with such scruffy , exacting eloquence -- is who is bad blake going to love more : the lady or the tequila ?",
      "like the songs blake sings , the story feels completely authentic and fully lived .",
      "writer/director scott cooper seems to recognize his film never draws us in emotionally , so he diverts our attention by focusing on his lead actor 's performance , very obviously the locus of his creative concentration .",
      "you 've seen MOV before -- many , many times , actually -- but it does n't much matter .",
      "first-time writer/director cooper is a rare talent ; he knows how to keep his story fine-boned and small , and to write a truly complex , troubled character who nonetheless enters our hearts ."
    ],
    "summary": "thanks to a captivating performance from jeff bridges , MOV transcends its overly familiar origins and finds new meaning in an old story .",
    "id": "770801608"
  },
  {
    "movie": "narc",
    "reviews": [
      "a good cop movie .",
      "a solid , hard-hitting , but not particularly original genre flick .",
      "marred only by a mildly disappointing ending , it 's a smart , hard-hitting drama .",
      "jason patric and ray liotta make for one splendidly cast pair .",
      "a truly great b movie .",
      "one of the harshest cop stories ever filmed .",
      "there are things to admire about MOV , but they 're individual things , not the movie as a whole .",
      "nothing particularly special or memorable - even the ` surprise ' at the end is n't especially surprising -- the film competently tells it tale .",
      "writer/director joe carnahan 's grimy crime drama is a manual of precinct cliches , but it moves fast enough to cover its clunky dialogue and lapses in logic .",
      "with gritty , in-your-face camera work , fast-paced cutting and energized performances , joe carnahan 's MOV brings new life to the time-worn police thriller .",
      "this may be the most uncompromisingly raw police drama since across 110th street , starring anthony quinn and yaphet kotto .",
      "this kind of film is an acquired taste , recommended for the terrific performances but with the warning that you may leave the theater feeling like you need a bath .",
      "smart script , believable story , lots of unanswered questions , none resolved in pat ` hollywood ' ways , great locations and set design , and good , dreary-looking , cinematography .",
      "un suspense policier ŕ la fois typique et modernisé .",
      "the best thing i can say about this film is that i ca n't wait to see what the director does next .",
      "this is an adults-only , down 'n' dirty whodunit .",
      "support is top notch across the board , with john ortiz -lrb- `` ali '' -rrb- most notable as octavio ruiz , a pantless crack addict who set his girlfriend 's hair on fire for giving him the clap who then goes on to profess his love for her",
      "its aggressive , unrelenting energy makes up for all the cop movie cliches",
      "if only MOV had its originality in check , this could have been more of a chilling visceral ride into depravity .",
      "a well-sustained allegory-cum-cop drama .",
      "it 's a stunner that sadly grows tiresome at the end .",
      "MOV is a no-bull throwback to 1970s action films . it zips along with b-movie verve while adding the rich details and go-for-broke acting that heralds something special .",
      "joe carnahan 's film smacks viewers alongside the head like a desperate junkie hunting down his fix money .",
      "the opening tests the limits of an r-rating , as a drug fueled cop chases down a criminal that has no regard for civilians or human life ...",
      "smacks viewers alongside the head like a desperate junkie hunting down his fix money .",
      "carnahan delivers a genre movie that turns in fresh ways without screaming to the audience that it is turning your head ...",
      "if you enjoy sitting down and watching a good story unfold in front of you then this would be a good film to watch .",
      "effective as both a visceral cop thriller and as an intriguing psychological study .",
      "MOV is gritty , involving , and tense enough to keep audiences riveted and paying close attention .",
      "carnahan ... revisits the crime drama , breathing new life into it with style and grit .",
      "the two leads , nearly perfect in their roles , bring a heart and reality that buoy the film , and at times , elevate it to a superior crime movie .",
      "MOV est un film extrжmement conventionnel dans son histoire , mais brille dans sa rжalisation , son atmosphуre et son style .",
      "sometimes it seems a director tries to pack in as much harsh footage as an r-rating will allow for its own sake . that itself is a violent act . the audience is the victim .",
      "does n't illuminate the world of the undercover agent or bring anything new to the table",
      "intense cop movie for adults .",
      "one of the best films of 2002 ...",
      "the stylish conviction of carnahan and his never-better leads make this familiar yarn worth caring about .",
      "as a director carnahan definitely has the goods ... unfortunately the script is your basic renegade-cop narrative , with the usual hoo-ha about justice versus the law .",
      "carnahan shows flair and confidence .",
      "if carnahan keeps wrenching this material back an inch or two from clichж , it 's only an inch or two .",
      "for a picture that 's billed as fresh and bracing , this is a pretty formulaic scheme , which carnahan attempts to jolt into life through jittery direction .",
      "puts the dirt back underneath the fingernails of a finely manicured hollywood .",
      "MOV is , without a doubt , the best cop movie since the french connection .",
      "fresh and raw like a blown-out vein , MOV takes a walking-dead , cop-flick subgenre and beats new life into it .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- authoritative , skillfully performed picture .",
      "filmed with such energy and bravado and boasts two performances by ray liotta and jason patric that are so impressive that it rises above its generic roots and becomes something that is very nearly powerful",
      "MOV is certainly alive before the conclusion , but once it hits , the film is reborn into a cynical and weary story of sins and hopes of the past coming to light .",
      "if it does not transcend its genre , at least is is a solid example of why that genre endures .",
      "it 's nothing more than an extra-gritty cop show , but it 's a competent one .",
      "carnahan 's script has intelligent complications and builds to a satisfying resolution , and he draws excellent performances from liotta -lrb- who has seldom been better -rrb- and patric -lrb- who has never -rrb- .",
      "it was filled with shootings , beatings , and more cussing than you could shake a stick at .",
      "somehow , writer/director joe carnahan has developed a style after his first atrocious film and has now turned out a gritty , compelling drama .",
      "in an era where big stars and high production values are standard procedure , MOV strikes a defiantly retro chord , and outpaces its contemporaries with daring and verve .",
      "the actors are all charged up by their roles , and it rubs off on us : you walk out with a caffeine - and-doughnut high .",
      "about the best thing you could say about MOV is that it 's a rock-solid little genre picture . whether you like it or not is basically a matter of taste .",
      "a live-wire film that never loses its ability to shock and amaze .",
      "exciting but brutal .",
      "nothing to hide here : MOV is the straight dope for gritty crime-story junkies .",
      "they 're just a couple of cops in copmovieland , these two , but in MOV , they find new routes through a familiar neighborhood .",
      "carnahan deserves credit for keeping gloom and hopelessness from getting dull .",
      "very well written and directed with brutal honesty and respect for its audience .",
      "over and over , every gesture and character in MOV summons up yet another movie .",
      "an entertaining , grimy view of the traps of machismo tucked inside a cop thriller .",
      "MOV may not be an exceptional cop film but it is a solid one , a tragedy of pervasive corruption in which honour is no more beneficial than deceit .",
      "... a well-built cop opera ...",
      "belies its low budget every step of the way with great writing , directing , acting , camera work and editing .",
      "it looks fantastic -lrb- none of that anonymous hollywood slickness here ! -rrb- , and with performances this interesting , it 's definitely a cut above almost everything else in the genre at the moment .",
      "... liotta is put in an impossible spot because his character 's deceptions ultimately undo him and the believability of the entire scenario . too bad .",
      "call it the badge on steroids and you wo n't be far off the mark .",
      "a realistically terrifying movie that puts another notch in the belt of the long list of renegade-cop tales .",
      "haggard police personnel , the riff raffish opportunists , the disoriented victims , colorful cop lingo and the stench of the hazardous surroundings give MOV its rousing element of sleazy adventure .",
      "a clever , thought-provoking thriller .",
      "heavy , sweating , ill-shaved , and wearing cheap suits , ray liotta 's oak is in that middle range of movie characters whom we both dislike yet are fascinated by .",
      "deflated ending aside , there 's much to recommend the film .",
      "in both style and story , MOV reinvigorates a tired genre with brute force .",
      "familiar story , electrifying execution .",
      "in the end , the movie collapses on its shaky foundation despite the best efforts of director joe carnahan .",
      "buries its riveting cop story beneath layers of standard plot devices . i guess you can say the best elements remain undercover .",
      "MOV can only remind us of brilliant crime dramas without becoming one itself .",
      "the movie 's writer and director , joe carnahan , brings a rough , aggressive energy to the picture .",
      "liotta put on 30 pounds for the role , and has completely transformed himself from his smooth , goodfellas image .",
      "there 's a sadness in -lsb- carnahan 's -rsb- vision , not just violence , and we feel a connection with these people on a human level , and a gratefulness , too .",
      "you think you know where this is going , but it constantly veers off in directions you 'd never guess - they took an ordinary police story and cranked it up a notch .",
      "despite the pyrotechnics , MOV is strictly by the book .",
      "there 's an absolute professionalism on display that displaces the usual cheap look of an independent production and opens your eyes to the realization that you may be witnessing the birth of a career here .",
      "writer-director joe carnahan 's visceral , hyperkinetic style mainlines you right into the story -- it 's sort of like being pistol-whipped .",
      "carnahan works with a rough-hewn classicism that recalls the tenacity and resilience of hollywood in its glory days .",
      "a riveting profile of law enforcement , and a visceral , nasty journey into an urban hades .",
      "the movie fairly bristles -- with degraded-image '70s grit ... handheld hysteria , thickly profane dialogue , abject bloodletting , and post-method performances .",
      "performances all around are tops , with the two leads delivering oscar-caliber performances .",
      "... crisp and stylish writing and direction by joe carnahan , who pays homage to the gritty police dramas of the 1970s",
      "when MOV works , it works because of the conviction of its leads .",
      "so brutal , cynical and just plain not nice it makes training day seem like police academy 6 .",
      "very well produced , acted , directed and shot with a 70 's cop , bluish cinemagraphic feel , but -lrb- on a subjective level -rrb- `` MOV '' ultimately offers little thematically .",
      "imressive , gripping cop thriller with terrific performances from its two stars .",
      "the story and characters are nowhere near gripping enough .",
      "it 's exciting to witness fresh talent breaking , and carnahan deserves some serious respect for this impressively gritty piece of genre cinema .",
      "dark cop drama is a sharp shock of cinematic skill , powerhouse acting , '70s style and the evil that men do .",
      "from its harrowing opening , right through to the shocking finale , MOV is bleak and relentless but fans of police dramas from both tv and the 70s should n't miss it .",
      "the twist that ends the movie is the one with the most emotional resonance , but twists are getting irritating , and this is the kind of material where the filmmakers should be very careful about raising eyebrows .",
      "MOV is n't bad , but it 's also nothing too far removed from the usual cops 'n' robbers fare that passes through the multiplexes on a regular basis .",
      "opening with a chase scene that 's real heart-in - your-mouth stuff , the movie barely ever lets up -- it 's exciting almost to the point of being exhausting .",
      "as MOV , / i > builds in momentum , becoming anything but what we expected , it deserves credit for being one of the few captivating and original cop films of recent memory .",
      "ferociously gritty and unsentimentally tough , joe carnahan 's movie is drenched with a cynicism that permeates the celluloid itself .",
      "the acting is outstanding -- ray liotta is as good as he has ever been , jason patric is notably better .",
      "liotta is a hot prospect for this year 's supporting-actor oscar .",
      "a cop movie that refuses to cop out in the usual way .",
      "MOV is n't the great movie the gifted carnahan probably has in him , but it 's a great cop b-movie .",
      "the film grabs you by the collar from the opening scene and hardly lets go .",
      "the film may be bloody , but it still has depth and honesty .",
      "grimly entertaining .",
      "sacramento filmmaker joe carnahan grabs viewers by the throat .",
      "see this one for acting and atmosphere .",
      "MOV is a good showcase for its writer/director carnahan and he elicits striking performances from his stars .",
      "an absolutely riveting crime drama ... an exhilarating ride that will leave you exhausted and satisfied .",
      "a rogue-cop drama with such robust performances and realistic grit that its flirtation with clichés hardly matters .",
      "jason patric , an actor who has mastered the art of giving an understated portrayal , is riveting .",
      "an inevitable showdown between two men who do n't know how to blink .",
      "MOV is a gritty cop movie for people who like gritty cop movies .",
      "feels like an r-rated episode of nypd blue , with its only real distinction being that neither nick nor henry are characters we 're particularly attached to .",
      "has true grittiness , but the plot 's a little murky and the characters a little too familiar .",
      "MOV may not get an ` a ' for originality , but it wears its b-movie heritage like a badge of honor .",
      "this **** is the bomb . it belongs in the same company as the gritty '70s police dramas made by william friedkin , sidney lumet and al pacino .",
      "joe carnahan and his players manage to synchronize their story to the primal drumbeat of cruelty , keeping it tense and edgy to the last frame .",
      "it 's a triumph of style over substance , but that 's not necessarily a bad thing .",
      "the director is helped in no small part by his leading men .",
      "this is a dark , depressing , excessively violent , profusely profane film , not for the squeamish or anyone who likes elevating entertainment .",
      "a showcase for two talented actors and -lsb- joe -rsb- carnahan 's technical wizardry , MOV is welcome entry in a tired genre .",
      "a chokehold of a movie , grabbing us but not ultimately engaging us .",
      "as two of the most unlikeliest of partners , liotta and patric manage to be a perfect match ...",
      "` una verdadera recomendaciзn que lamentablemente durз muy poco en pantalla , por lo que no se la pueden perder en video '",
      "carnahan is n't breaking new ground , but he has administered an astoundingly visceral shot of adrenaline to the police-procedural genre .",
      "a cрmera nervosa , a fotografia melancзlica e as interpretaушes realistas de liotta e patric conferem a MOV uma intensidade que nada deixa a desejar com relaусo aos clрssicos policiais dos anos 70 .",
      "as a whole , carnahan does neat work with visuals .",
      "finesse is certainly at a premium in MOV . what we get is brute force and a whopping load of testosterone .",
      "working his lead actors into a frenzy , carnahan infuses the film with an energetic texture that calls to mind the works of quentin tarantino .",
      "a stylistic throwback to such classic 1970s cop dramas as the french connection and serpico , with a 21st century helping of the old ultra-violence .",
      "joe carnahan 's MOV may not reinvent the cop flick , but it definitely reinvigorates it .",
      "equally served by its acting and filmmaking , MOV is pure template , an absolute example of how a cop film should be .",
      "the movie works dramatically right up until the end .",
      "MOV is fast , brutal and a lot smarter than it at first appears to be .",
      "a few artsy flourishes aside , MOV is as gritty as a movie gets these days .",
      "ray liotta and jason patric do some of their best work in their underwritten roles , but do n't be fooled : nobody deserves any prizes here .",
      "MOV is all menace and atmosphere .",
      "a cop story that understands the medium amazingly well .",
      "jason patric as the sympathetic hero who is tough enough to do the right thing in extreme circumstances , throwing personal consequences to the wind , is quite good .",
      "carnahan keeps patric 's repressed guilt and desperation from slipping into somnambulism and keeps liotta 's manic energy organic to his character 's rage .",
      "a solid piece of entertainment crafted from familiar elements .",
      "an empty exercise , a florid but ultimately vapid crime melodrama with lots of surface flash but little emotional resonance .",
      "carnahan , aided by cinematographer alex nepomniaschy , relies more on the propulsive tension of macho mayhem and carnage , indicated by quick cuts , split-screen , frenetic handheld shots and emotional eruptions , than a linear story line ."
    ],
    "summary": "jason patric and ray liotta are electrifying in this gritty , if a little too familiar , cop drama .",
    "id": "13954"
  },
  {
    "movie": "anonymous_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "a glorious revelation of a film that could very well be considered roland emmerich 's moulin rouge !",
      "shakespeare himself would probably love it . he did write twelfth night , for goodness sake .",
      "historians are already calling MOV preposterous humbug , but i found it a complex cornucopia of ideas and panache . you go away sated .",
      "other than ludicrously pulpy fun , MOV , true to its title , ultimately signifies nothing .",
      "few could ever have predicted that emmerich would be the man to bring the oxfordian theory of shakespeare authorship to the screen",
      "MOV winds through a thick registry of lords and earls taking sides in various revolts and coups , and a playbill of shakespeare 's jealous theater peers . it 's tough to keep track of who is getting beheaded or dragged to the tower of london .",
      "a disappointing , over-stuffed and frequently dull drama with dreadful dialogue , dodgy performances , an uneven tone and a poorly structured script .",
      "by and large it 's a comedy of errors , but not as shakespeare intended it .",
      "think of it as a high-end christmas panto , as a red-faced , enthusiastic cast are put through the paces by their barking , domineering director . louder , faster , bigger , more !",
      "this period drama turns an academic dispute into absurd entertainment .",
      "all in all the dreary script creates a glass ceiling that the film could never bust through , more laugh-inducing than controversy-inspiring .",
      "there are plenty of reasons to hate MOV , but its biggest crime by far is that it is just one more example of the gradual dumbing-down of the world that we live in .",
      "a shapeless muddle , with a handful of good scenes adrift in a sea of general mediocrity .",
      "from the man who brought you godzilla and 2012 ... a loud and ludicrous historical rewrite about the supposed hidden authorship of shakespeare 's plays",
      "shakespeare in blah . playful premise , weak script . palace intrigue that is n't intriguing .",
      "that 's right : i come to praise emmerich , not to bury him .",
      "at its conclusion not everything is entirely clear , but enough pieces fall into place to leave a feeling of satisfaction .",
      "the largely british cast strive gamely to salvage a film that takes itself far too seriously .",
      "disaster filmmeister roland emmerich meets shakespeare : behold , bard-zilla is nigh !",
      "there 's absolutely nothing pleasurable about this self-serious and remarkably stupid drama .",
      "the more far-fetched the idea , it seems , the more strenuous the effort to pass it off as authentic .",
      "it fails on its own merits as a messy biopic and even messier historical epic whose authenticity becomes irrelevant when its execution is incompetent .",
      "blends broad comedy , bloody action , heart-wrenching romance and dark dealings into a movie that dashes headlong from start to finish ... a surprisingly satisfying film .",
      "it 's more of an interesting curio to a blockbuster career but there 's fun to be had here if you look hard enough .",
      "even though emmerich is working with ostensibly more refined material here , the ham-handed touch of the man who gave us the day after tomorrow ... is felt quite heavily throughout .",
      "emmerich takes the story at face value and delivers a film unlike any of his others . that is to say , a boring one .",
      "this is high camp , nothing more .",
      "the defenestration of one of england 's greatest dramatists by one of germany 's poorest .",
      "all the fixins for a convoluted , costume drama of , dare i say it , shakespearean proportions .",
      "a well-polished cowpat that will confuse and bore those who know nothing about shakespeare and incense those who know almost anything .",
      "audiences may chuckle . stratfordians , prepare for conniptions .",
      "as silly as most of this is , MOV is undeniably a handsome picture . the costumes are gorgeous , with enough velvet and brocade to make everybody seem downright upholstered .",
      "there are great moments in MOV , from its arresting opening scene ... to recreations of the first performances ever given of henry v and hamlet before a spellbound throng of groundlings ...",
      "take the political intrigue of elizabeth , add the backstage drama of shakespeare in love , and divide by the adherence to fact and logic that propelled 2012 and the day after tomorrow .",
      "the coolest element of the whole thing is probably the way the movie ties art -lrb- specifically those plays -rrb- and politics together .",
      "MOV strives to be boring , emmerich attempting to deliver performance-first directing , but ending up with string of flat , sloth-paced back-and-forths .",
      "MOV may not convince anyone , but it certainly should entertain them .",
      "like vermin , facts here are banished / logic dispelled , plain motives all vanished ...",
      "uneven drama questions shakespeare 's identity .",
      "if you are looking for something more intellectual , and certainly more accurate in its portrayal of a rich period in english history , you will have to go elsewhere .",
      "bombastic claptrap .",
      "es saludable que el director roland emmerich haya decidido cambiar de género ; anónimo es lo más interesante que haya hecho en toda su carrera ... lo cual , pensándolo bien , no es un gran mérito .",
      "roland emmerich 's lurid , pulpy approach is n't subtle , but it suits the material , since this is presented as a controversial exposé .",
      "fairly absorbing in an alternately classy and salaciously trashy way that operates not too unlike emmerich 's popcorn entertainers .",
      "do n't let the fact that it 's different - or unadulterated bullshit of the highest order - put you off a story that , in truth , is more interesting than it is wholly entertaining or accurate .",
      "it may be one of the signs of the apocalypse , but thanks to a well-written screenplay , spot-on performances , and a fantastic production design , emmerich has finally made a great film .",
      "roland emmerich takes a questionable literary controversy and deftly forms it into an elizabethan political drama in the shakespeare-themed ` MOV ' .",
      "bad history beautifully done .",
      "... it 's ultimately clear that emmerich should stick to the larger-than-life , blockbuster fare with which he 's become associated .",
      "the director offers up an unfocused but intriguing alternate look at william shakespeare .",
      "MOV is poignant and shocking by turns , while maintaining an entertaining pace .",
      "emmerich delivers an interesting argument and has created an entertaining film .",
      "a handsomely staged and decidedly straight-ahead costume drama under roland emmerich 's nearly cgi-free direction .",
      "in the end , the film is watchable mainly because the plot is so outrageously contentious .",
      "roland emmerich 's meticulously crafted and often well-acted exposé of the `` real '' william shakespeare is shocking only in that it is rather good .",
      "MOV is , at the very least , a curiosity , one with some clever casting and a very fine performance at its core .",
      "surprisingly , this is easily director roland emmerich 's best film .",
      "emmerich takes on the bard , as you like it !",
      "i have to give special mention to actor edward hogg , who apparently thought he was playing count rugen in `` the princess bride . ''",
      "MOV leaves us longing that -lsb- its scenario -rsb- is incorrect , if only for the fact that the popular view of shakespeare 's authorship is at least an interesting one .",
      "you know you 're in trouble when it takes well over an hour to figure out that the two on-screen figures you 've been watching are actually playing the same character forty years apart .",
      "MOV proves that emmerich is more than capable outside of the disaster genre . he just bit off more than he can chew , as is his tendency .",
      "to accurately and intelligently follow MOV , you need a copy of burke 's peerage .",
      "the very qualities that fuel the historical hokum of MOV -- over-the-top royal intrigue and incest , violent literary backstabbing , frothing conspiracy -- also happen to make for wild entertainment .",
      "i remained confused about the characters and their stories throughout but enjoyed the production value very much .",
      "this movie is lurid fun that is much smarter than it has any business being .",
      "calling MOV roland emmerich 's masterpiece ranks high on the list of most meaningless claims of 2011 . but it 's true .",
      "any hope of emmerich and writer orloff putting together a coherent argument is destroyed by muddled narrative .",
      "MOV premises edward 's manhood partly on his sexual prowess and partly on his poetry , but it loses sight of the latter 's allusions and intrigues , and instead falls in love with its own most obvious sensations .",
      "o germanos megalokatastrofologos prepei na peripoioyntan th senariakh idea toy john orloff kapoy gia 8 xronia , kai se ayta h arxikh eksetash mias logias ypotheshs , phre emprepws tudor-ianes diastaseis eksoysiastikhs intrigkas",
      "handsome , inconsequential `` investigation '' into the political and theatrical life of elizabethan england makes a mystery of history .",
      "what 's distressing is n't the film 's plodding incoherence or wild-eyed credulousness but its misplaced priority : it suggests that what 's most interesting about this writer we call shakespeare is not the genius of his words but the puzzle of his identity .",
      "it did n't have me rethinking history , but for those two hours , it was entertaining enough . i do n't know if that will be enough for emmerich and this `` what if ? ''",
      "it 's easy to get lost in the facial-hair thicket of actors , earls , lords , roberts , thomases and cecils , and the movie 's jarring leaps across the years often make things even more challenging to follow .",
      "a wonderful hypothetical about the identity of william shakespeare , MOV is incredibly credible , a story of intrigue and facades .",
      "arguing over who really penned hamlet is a little bit like arguing with a christian over who wrote the bible . it all comes down to faith . still , the movie is as entertaining as it is cluttered .",
      "the whole thing is splendidly decked out and dramatised with swirling panache .",
      "emmerich steps out of his comfort zone to offer a beguiling picture of elizabethan london and a neatly balanced tale of political intrigue and personal heartache .",
      "slickly told , mildly diverting but ultimately fraudulent .",
      "full of so many soap opera twists and turns you would have thought shakespeare or aaron spelling came up with the plot .",
      "apart from these few light moments , MOV is a case of ingenuity wasted on an unintelligent enterprise .",
      "though the cast is energetic and the intrigues diverting , you 'll have to distance yourself from reality to enjoy so much outlandish scheming .",
      "do n't let the frilly costumes , courtly language and historical pretense fool you : `` MOV '' is still a roland emmerich movie - a blessing when it comes to vigor and a curse when it comes to subtlety , proportion or sense .",
      "`` MOV '' is a thoroughly entertaining load of eye candy with solid performances , even if john orloff 's exposition-heavy script practically requires a concordance to follow at times .",
      "if you can ignore the inaccuracies , jumbled chronology and the often clunky dialogue , emmerich 's film is a surprisingly entertaining costume romp , ripely acted , vividly realised , and full of all the mud , blood , sex and violence the period can offer .",
      "why is emmerich , destroyer of worlds , elbowing his way into the conversation about shakespearean authorship ? because the debate is explosive -- and he ca n't resist packing on more dynamite",
      "so disappointingly dopey that it 's unworthy of anyone 's time .",
      "roland emmerich destroys things for a living . why not the reputation of a man who lacked the imagination to blow up the sistine chapel ?",
      "it 's shakespeare as b-movie , if you will , or to borrow from the bard , a boffo blast , which i 'm pretty sure is from either `` king lear '' or `` hamlet . ''",
      "as the bard probably would not say , MOV is some crazy shit .",
      "it is entertainingly bizarre : like seeing a whole film asserting that salieri must have written the music attributed to that moronic yobbo mozart .",
      "in a movie that rings false at every turn , ms. redgrave 's elizabeth is truly and infallibly regal .",
      "MOV is no more or less far-fetched than emmerich 's prior efforts . but it is much , much more confusing .",
      "the behind the camera crew ... do a fine job in setting and maintaining the period feel . too bad the story by john orloff falls short of the production by muddling an intriguing concept .",
      "emmerich 's name is forever associated with bloated spectacle like `` the day after tomorrow . '' here , he finally uses his powers for good , creating a vast , virtual 16th-century world without sacrificing human details like de vere 's ink-stained fingers .",
      "a strange combination of garbled history and woozy period political melodrama that tries unsuccessfully to treat shakespeare in the way ` amadeus ' did mozart .",
      "it 's geeky forgettable fun for shakespeare nerds with a suitable sense of the absurd , but possibly a bit dull for emmerich 's usual fanbase .",
      "a remarkably restrained and complex film that explores the power that popular entertainment has to embed ideological ideas into the minds of the audiences who consume it .",
      "roland emmerich is the doyen of historically inaccurate disasterpieces , the pre-eminent cinematic misinterpreter of scientific theories , and the gullible go-to-guy when it comes to half-baked conspiracy thrillers . MOV is -lsb- his -rsb- ` perfect storm ' .",
      "` MOV ' a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing .",
      "shakespeare 's work proves that imagination is more important than fact - MOV stumbles badly while trying the opposite approach .",
      "emmerich can keep track of hurtling cars and crumbling buildings , but distinguishing between one scruffy elizabethan and another is apparently beyond him .",
      "what sinks it is the pervading sense that emmerich wants us to take it seriously .",
      "MOV is fun -- if you take the anti-shakespearean tale as events set in an unreal , alternate universe .",
      "MOV is earnest , high-camp and regularly ridiculous , but it 's also a fun and gripping adventure for lovers of stagecraft or tudor mystery .",
      "overlong , labyrinthine and most certainly speculative in its history , `` MOV '' benefits from a central conceit that is too intriguing to be dismissed .",
      "MOV might be riper than a month-old plum , but it 's every bit as juicy .",
      "a vulgar prank on the english literary tradition , a travesty of british history and a brutal insult to the human imagination . apart from that , it 's not bad .",
      "directed with the usual sledgehammer hand of actioneer roland emmerich , the purple prose of the elizabethan poet is mauled into the blue balls of queen elizabeth 's suitors as the not-so-virgin queen reigns supreme in the halls of shame .",
      "it offers a ludicrously reductionist view of england 's greatest writer , william shakespeare , and a grotesquely offensive portrait of its most celebrated monarch , elizabeth i.",
      "... other than ifans ' soulful , weathered performance all that 's really notable is emmerich 's backdrops .",
      "an intriguing look at tudor england and the bard who caught the spirit of the times and the heights and depths of the human adventure .",
      "historians will quibble with the timing and accuracy of a lot of the film , and you know what ? let them . the rest of us can enjoy the performances and the sumptuous look of the movie , which is a lot more satisfying , anyway .",
      "as literary conspiracy theories go , this is a long way from cheese and wine in the english faculty lounge .",
      "about the time i realized a character i had been thinking was named edward was really named robert , i realized something else : i no longer cared about any of these pantalooned drips .",
      "do n't go into roland emmerich 's MOV expecting some kind of enlightenment",
      "though far-fetched , this celebration of storytelling is an exhilarating and visually lavish thrill ride .",
      "though MOV is historical hogwash of the highest order , it is never less than highly entertaining .",
      "MOV is a fun costume drama , and one of emmerich 's better films .",
      "as a nail-biting thriller of court intrigue , lies , and rebellion , i would be forced to admit that , yes , lisy christl 's costume designs are really pretty good . i 'm drawing a blank on anything else .",
      "call it the anti-shakespeare in love . call it the more cultured cousin to inglourious basterds . just do n't call MOV a fact-based story .",
      "bereft of comedy , MOV is the cinematic equivalent of limp celery . it 's crying out for a crisp rewrite from the bard himself but alas , poor yawners , all we get is fakespeare .",
      "perhaps there is an element of truth in this tale but director roland emmerich makes it very hard to believe with this muddled story .",
      "the loud , overwrought MOV is an affront to the richness and beauty of shakespeare 's work -- no matter who really wrote it .",
      "will shakespeare , whose words shine on , bright and brave , is turning o'er with laughter in his grave .",
      "the film presents an interesting argument , but did n't entirely convince me .",
      "i felt absolutely drawn along in this film . i had a really boisterous , elizabethan good time .",
      "emmerich 's mirthless hatchet job is hoisted with its own petard .",
      "it is , at the very least , a curiosity , one with some clever casting and a few very fine performances at its core .",
      "in trying to make a bio-pic of shakespearean proportions , MOV ca n't help but look like a fraud .",
      "by attempting to weave the fancies of the oxfordians into a coherent narrative , MOV does highlight the over-the-top melodrama inherent in anti-stratfordianism itself .",
      "a messy , often goofy , and very occasionally entertaining melodrama from roland emmerich .",
      "MOV , far from ascending the brightest heaven of invention , is a muddled , often confusing film , unable to mesh its political and theatrical plotlines . worse , it undermines its own argument by cramming in too many fanciful possibilities .",
      "scholarly debate about the shakespeare authorship question has little to do with this tale told by an idio ... syncratic moviemaker up to little more than mischief .",
      "books have been written to argue that de vere , earl of oxford , is the true author of shakespeare 's work , and if this subject interests you at all , you 're better off sticking with one of those .",
      "a fortnight is about how long it will take you to sort out ... an absurdly structured movie that could have benefited from an iron and a volume knob .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- tale told by an idiot , full of sound and fury , signifying nothing ... this is a sordid movie : not the good , juicy sort of sordid , but the dreary and depressing sort of sordid .",
      "if convolution where compliments , MOV would be one highly flattered film .",
      "what 's disappointing about MOV is that it is n't dumb enough . rather than plunging merrily ahead with its fanciful counternarrative , the movie keeps stopping to actually , seriously make its case -- to posit and explain and persuade .",
      "as historical entertainment , it is bracing in its twists and turns . as a tribute to the power of words and the beauty of language in the hands of a genius , it is superb",
      "knowing that non-masterpiece theater audiences will grow fidgety over this sort of thing , emmerich and orloff throw in plenty of sword-fighting , bear-baiting , and bodice-ripping .",
      "the digitally wrought period settings are simply gorgeous .",
      "this is irresistible as self-knowing camp : the players ham it up in high fashion and the script crams at least one lurid revelation into every scene .",
      "john orloff 's screenplay could have used a rewrite by de vere -- or whomever .",
      "bountiful in look and scandal yet convoluted in plot and historical validity , MOV tries to be a serious work of art but does n't have the credibility or filmmaking discipline needed to present its wild conspiracy theories .",
      "convoluted at worst and confusing at best , MOV looks pretty and is for the most part competently acted , but it 's not shakespeare . not by a mile .",
      "emmerich can say what he likes , but i would rather go read whomever wrote the great folio .",
      "`` MOV '' is ridiculous , and like oliver stone 's `` jfk '' it sells its political conspiracy theories by weight and by volume . but dull , it 's not .",
      "it 's as dull as it is brainless , the work of creators who 've spent far more time concocting silly stories about shakespeare than learning from him .",
      "much ado about nothing , indeed .",
      "MOV is so dubious in its intent and so tangled in its execution , it might have worked better as a comedy like notting hill or the boat that rocked , where ifans could agreeably play the fool as before .",
      "a splendid experience : the dialogue , the acting , the depiction of london , the lust , jealousy and intrigue .",
      "this deeply dopey travesty 's worst instincts are nearly its only entertaining ones .",
      "it 's a weird feeling to be bored by a roland emmerich feature .",
      "oliver stone 's jfk looks reasonable compared to this .",
      "dubious history aside , MOV is a well-acted yarn that also is a tribute to the unstoppable force of art -- even if it implies that only an aristocrat could create it .",
      "as the initial whiff of scandal eventually gives way to great , repetitive blubbering about the brilliance and significance of shakespeare 's works , `` MOV '' ultimately feels like much ado about nothing .",
      "a tale worthy of a shakespeare play in its own right when not more suited for the enquirer , the film is striking to behold . but a great deal longer than it needs to be , tossing in homicidal swordplay , vintage boy toys and kinky inbred royal closet lust .",
      "what must not be forgotten is this is an entertaining piece of imaginary work in itself - as suggested by the opening prologue by derek jacobi .",
      "an opulent 16th century costume drama that serves as a far-fetched , alternative-history curiousity , continuing the mystery .",
      "the film may piss off more viewers than it wins over , but there 's no denying that MOV has balls the size of the globe theatre .",
      "... disappointing , overly long , convoluted , confusing , and fatuous , exacerbated by the depiction of queen elizabeth i as a profligate slut .",
      "this film is not really about promoting an alternate theory of authorship so much as presenting an intriguing -lrb- if unlikely -rrb- scenario and seeing how it would play out . it makes for a ripping good story , whether or not it 's factual .",
      "power , betrayal , incest and the theatre are the red-hot ingredients of this intriguing and potentially explosive costume drama . . my lament ... is the jumbled , convoluted storyline",
      "the american screenwriter john orloff may have wished for a muse of fire , but unfortunately he 's been given an ear of cloth , and his film would hardly pass muster as a sixth-form end-of-term romp .",
      "file this one in the category of entertaining historical fiction . there are facts here , but one must possess more than a passing familiarity with history to be able to spot them .",
      "creaking narrative construction succumbs to gigantic cracks of exposition and a maze of disjointed flashbacks in roland emmerich 's disastrous attempt at demystifying the identity of the bard ."
    ],
    "summary": "roland emmerich delivers his trademark visual and emotional bombast , but the more MOV stops and tries to convince the audience of its half-baked theory , the less convincing it becomes .",
    "id": "771207996"
  },
  {
    "movie": "frances_ha_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "shot in inky black and white and bristling with performances that feel captured on the fly , baumbach 's best film since 2005 's the squid and the whale is both a nod and a throwback to the french new wave .",
      "MOV is likely going to appear as one of baumbach 's most accessible and joyous works ... it marks an exciting new period in the filmmaker 's oeuvre and one that will hopefully yield many more collaborations with the endearing ... greta gerwig .",
      "the movie 's almost too charming first half-hour gives no clue as to how dark it 's going to grow once frances 's exuberance curdles into drunken loudness and naked need , and she turns into the kind of overbearing new yorker who can clear a room fast .",
      "nothing really happens in `` MOV '' and yet the film takes us on an emotional journey .",
      "for all of gerwig 's energy , there 's not much forward momentum here , apart from a series of transitional apartments .",
      "here -lsb- baumbach has -rsb- found the sweet spot between being personal and taking everything personally .",
      "spot-on , exquisitely crafted portrait of a floundering 20-something .",
      "baumbach 's acerbic wit seems to have been diluted by the watery gerwig , who seems to have no flavor whatsoever ... like viewing the outtakes from a movie you do n't want to see .",
      "an exhilarating black-and-white new york seriocomedy from noah baumbach with a stellar star turn by co-writer greta gerwig .",
      "you got ta love greta gerwig : even as the radiant mumblecore star 's hollywood stock continues to rise , the actress remains true to her dramatic roots .",
      "brilliantly directed and beautifully shot , this is an utterly delightful , warm-hearted and very funny comedy with a wonderful script and a terrific central performance from greta gerwig .",
      "despite gerwig 's natural appeal and talent as a performer , frances ' self-absorption and flakiness begin to grate .",
      "when is a film a throwaway sketch that 's so good it 's frameable ? when it 's MOV .",
      "much of the reason why MOV is a far more well-crafted and enjoyable piece of cinema than either lola versus or damels in distress .",
      "in your twenties you decide on the final version of you . sophie is working on it ; frances is stuck in her crazy , clueless , ca n't - pay-the-rent stage .",
      "the story becomes chaotic and disjointed , but that 's the point : frances is tumbling towards her 30s with no sense of direction and this is where gerwig excels , deftly pulling you along on a bumpy ride .",
      "baumbach and gerwig have co-written a film about the point when spontaneous , giddy arrested adolescence ceases to be endearing and threatens to be annoying .",
      "anchored by a charming performance from greta gerwig , it 's as light and breezy as a walk in central park , and just as refreshing .",
      "a joyous portrait of an unformed personality that should strike chords of recognition in all who watch it .",
      "MOV could be the post-college-angst comedy of the ' 10s . this is what happens when mumblecore grows up and turns into a real movie .",
      "like gerwig 's performance , it 's natural , it 's realistic , perfectly believable .",
      "noah baumbach 's film feels like too perfect a portrait of quarter-life malady , down to the rushed redemptive endnotes and greta gerwig 's idealized heroine .",
      "greta gerwig makes `` hapless '' a happening and hip way to be .",
      "frances is an artist whose medium is life itself , and baumbach , his camera open with calm adoration , channels her waves of wonder and possibility .",
      "baumbach has a hard time letting go of the notion that drama means building to humiliation . when he does , though , MOV is beautiful and surprising .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- noah baumbach officially takes over woody allen 's mantle as new york 's representative auteur of quirky romantic comedy .",
      "greta gerwig 's charismatic performance elevates baumbach 's serio comedy way above its modest nature and scale .",
      "a major leap upward for both baumbach and gerwig . disarming , funny and genuine , in spite of the new york city backdrop .",
      "blessedly more interested with being funny and relatable than it is with trying to make pretentious statement about generational or societal detachment .",
      "it gives you two choices : find it delightful or do n't : there is no unique , self-guided option . as frustrating as that conundrum may be , it 's still hard not to take option one .",
      "the comic misadventures of a quirky young woman who falls down seven times but gets up eight .",
      "... an agreeably easygoing piece of work that benefits greatly from gerwig 's consistently engaging performance ...",
      "the near-incomparable greta gerwig gives frances a fire , an exuberance , and a three-dimensional uniqueness that ensures the viewer never sways from her side .",
      "i 'm not sure what noah baumbach 's MOV is about , which is one reason i like it so much .",
      "a perky cinematic pick-me-up starring the endearing greta gerwig who co-wrote the screenplay with director noah baumbach , her boyfriend .",
      "gerwig 's last jaunt to europe was in woody allen 's feeble and disjointed to rome with love , and even allen himself might acknowledge that here she is despatched across the atlantic in a far more successful cause .",
      "MOV might well strike some viewers as ridiculously twee and tiresomely indulgent to its immature heroine . not me , though . i 'm happy to be enchanted .",
      "noah baumbach and greta gerwig have carved out , with effortless elegance and ease , a cinematic space for a woman to be , unapologetically , herself .",
      "this film may look like one of those annoyingly mannered independent films , with its wacky young cast and arty-farty black and white photography , but it 's actually a fresh , smart and very funny comedy .",
      "it 's a likable movie , with some nice moments of both comedy and pathos , and beautifully shot , but for me the reverence for its heroine was not completely earned , and the arrowhead was missing : the decisive jab of satire , of insight , of love .",
      "frances is only adequate as a dancer but her enthusiasm bridges the gap between aspiration and ability . she deserves an a for effort . the film gets one for attainment .",
      "an unlikely feelgood crowd-pleaser - MOV is sweet , funny , darling and almost unbearably lovely . and thankfully , everyone enunciates .",
      "MOV both acknowledges and earns its place in the tradition of the new york bourgeois comedy , encoding the angst of social mores in witty dialogue . make no mistake : the cinematic slacker has come of age .",
      "it 's the mark of a good film when it 's so simple you can sum it up in a sentence , and so deep you 're still digging into it hours , even days after the credits roll . that 's MOV .",
      "inspired by gerwig 's spontaneity , and scripted to cultivate it , the movie does turn up some occasional stilted line readings here and there , but periodic awkwardness also is shrewdly elemental to its charm .",
      "sweet without being saccharine and wrenching without being devastating . MOV is a film of many small surprises , but they contain big , satisfying rewards .",
      "one of the happiest sights you 'll see all summer is a montage of gerwig running and twirling across chinatown with david bowie 's `` modern love '' on the soundtrack .",
      "the camera loves her . probably because the director does , too .",
      "gerwig draws upon her well of previously-demonstrated charisma , her ample capacity for twerpitude refined , honed , elevated .",
      "the thoughtfulness and commitment of gerwig 's performance in its shifts from chaotic exuberance to rigorous rehearsal suggest that she is the more interesting artist to watch .",
      "gerwig superbly incarnates the contradictions of this insecure woman .",
      "-lrb- gerwig 's -rrb- willingness to hold absolutely nothing back deserves mad respect and ca n't help but make a viewer feel guilty for finding it all quite exasperating .",
      "game and not a self-promoting booster , always slightly outside the loop , the title character accepts what is dealt without complaint or anger .",
      "gerwig , beyond a doubt , is immeasurably appealing , and MOV is tailor-made to showcase her gifts better than anything she 's ever been in .",
      "... if you hold your nose and simply wallow through the stench of self-aggrandizement , you 'll be rewarded with an experience that will actually tug on your emotions .",
      "there 's a thin line between comedy and tragedy , and greta gerwig walks it remarkably well .",
      "there 's depth and realism in the way MOV shows aspiration versus reality .",
      "a celebration of cinema , new york city and the distinctive charms of actress greta gerwig , MOV was co-written by gerwig and its director , noah baumbach , and it 's the best film either has made .",
      "baumbach usually builds his films around difficult protagonists , but frances is entirely endearing , at once silly and deep , hopeless and promising .",
      "this is an odd film -lrb- creepier than it knows -rrb- , and even if you feel the atmospheric company of dunham-ism , with a little of whit stillman , henry jaglom , and woody allen , the core influence on noah baumbach 's film is fifty years older or more .",
      "` i ca n't account for my own bruises , ' frances says , as if she were a clumsy kid with an adult 's vocabulary . does the remark refer to more than the abrasions on her skin ?",
      "there 's a level of audacity beneath the lightweight whimsy in this unassuming low-budget comedy .",
      "`` MOV makes a star out of gerwig , and she 's the kind of star we need : a goofy one we can feel tender about but never underestimate . ''",
      "ms. gerwig , who has effortless , behind-the-beat verbal timing , also possesses a knack for physical comedy , an enviable ability to obliterate the difference between clumsiness and grace .",
      "indie darling gerwig has a great deal to do with the picture 's success : she 's disarmingly likable ...",
      "MOV is a sympathetic but not uncritical depiction of a girl 's gradual evolution into a woman ; one that never condescends by forcing her to abandon all her quirks and impish qualities in the final act ... an absolute delight , this is .",
      "MOV is a refreshingly contemporary film , exploring 20-something hipster ennui with accuracy , empathy and humour .",
      "agreeable low-budget modern-day urban comedy .",
      "it 's a tribute to gerwig 's performance , somehow both clumsy and elegant , that she wins us over despite ourselves , that we come to appreciate her aimlessness in a goal-oriented society ...",
      "as long as you remember to laugh , MOV is a tolerable experience . forget the `` ha ha '' and MOV is beyond unbearable . i found this an odd and often frustrating truth , but it 's what makes noah baumbach 's new movie a success .",
      "do n't be fooled by frances with all her feigned insecurity and branding of herself as `` undateable '' and predicting she 'll be a lonely spinster . she 's a psychopath .",
      "gerwig keeps you on side and rooting for frances to get her act together in what becomes an affectionate salute to messy lives , an endearing underachiever and a new york state of mind .",
      "a refreshing amount of buoyancy to dance and charm its way through quarter-life crisis territory . one of the best performances of greta gerwig 's career to date",
      "gerwig 's deft screwball timing turns every disaster into a grace note . this may be a comedy of awkwardness , but rather than curl , your toes will tap .",
      "noah baumbach , making his most compassionate movie since 2005 's the squid and the whale , gives these lives the full french new wave/mid-period woody allen treatment , conferring charm and substance on even their most mundane interaction .",
      "one of the sweetest and funniest films of the year . MOV is a wonderful story about growing up , staying young , about love , life , friendship and what happens to it all over time .",
      "the dialogue and editing are zippy and generally charming , combining with the tart observations of 20-something culture to create a nice frisson .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- fresh-faced and spirited black and white comedy ...",
      "a black-and-white salute to the french new wave -lrb- the score is borrowed from georges delerue , composer of many a truffaut and godard film -rrb- that manages to be very much of this moment ...",
      "the movie 's a love letter to an actress and her character , but by the end you may feel like an intervention is more in order .",
      "`` MOV '' ? more like frances bah !",
      "gerwig dances the millennial limbo",
      "... caters to the gerwig persona while also sanding off the edges of baumbach 's usual bitterness .",
      "`` MOV '' is about the inevitability of adulthood ; it can be postponed , but it ca n't be avoided .",
      "improbable yet engaging , this arrested development serio-comedy should be particularly endearing to those who ca n't quite get their lives together .",
      "but there 's just something so relentlessly likable about put-upon , impoverished frances -lrb- greta gerwig -rrb- that it almost does n't matter that her new york is just one big williamsburg .",
      "a modern fairy tale about a girl whose golden heart refuses to tarnish .",
      "late-blooming 20-somethings have never been so perfectly captured -- and gerwig has never been more appealing -- than in this funny , tender , life-affirming movie .",
      "the obvious love of new york city echoes woody allen at his best . but `` MOV '' is very much its own film , a story of life and love and messy rooms .",
      "if frances has a chance , there 's hope for us all .",
      "without gerwig , this story of a hopeful young woman making her way in new york would have been just like all the rest . instead , it 's a work of art .",
      "baumbach ... makes the film a celebration of gerwig 's coltish , goofball appeal .",
      "the gorgeously-made MOV serves as a love letter from director to star ; and like all love notes that are n't ours , it 's intimate , mawkish and , in some vital way , unknowable .",
      "as she zips from one oddball experience to another , the movie seems to be assuring us that this is what a young person is supposed to do and that frances will find her thing . whatever it is .",
      "MOV -- both the movie and its heroine -- is graceful , awkward , luminous and hilarious .",
      "greta gerwig is perhaps the most interesting of the younger american actresses working in films today , and she 's wonderful as frances in this black and white charmer from director noah baumbach .",
      "the infectiously delightful exuberance of frances that nearly vibrates off the screen is clearly tailor-made for the actress .",
      "exuberant and disarming .",
      "months of frances ' life pass in minutes , yet those minutes feel like an eternity , thanks to non-action and uninspired editing .",
      "as frances literally dances her way through the streets of new york , you ca n't help smiling and knowing she will be ok . she will figure out how to be the adult she was meant to be .",
      "i found MOV frequently irritating and even cringe-inducing in the moment , yet feel tenderer towards it in retrospect . it 's about a specific time in life , when the sudden stampede to self-definition can make people seem cruel , crazy or resentful .",
      "baumbach 's previous films have been insightful and wry without ever really being all that likeable . gerwig brings a charm and energy to this shared project that makes it , if perhaps not his deepest film , then easily his most fun .",
      "mostly the movie is the best showcase so far for gerwig 's brand of lovely klutziness -lrb- and -rrb- a contemporary everywoman appeal that 's impossible to dismiss , making frances ' self-absorption easier to swallow and tasty , too .",
      "easily baumbach 's warmest and most upbeat film to date .",
      "the light MOV provides skittish moments of heartbreak and confusion on the humorous path to adulthood , but it sends a comforting message that our fate may use the same language as our dreams even if it does n't tell the same story .",
      "funny and touching , MOV may very well be the most eloquent take yet on a generation in flux .",
      "it 's a film that bears all of the zingy dialogue and sharp characterizations of baumbach 's other films -lrb- `` the squid and the whale , '' `` greenberg '' -rrb- but with more of a generosity of spirit towards its characters .",
      "MOV is endearing , kind and , in many ways , noah baumbach 's best movie to date .",
      "this is very minimalist storytelling much of which feels improvised in front of the camera . the film is more of a character situation than a character story .",
      "MOV provides a sharp , fleet , and very funny look at female friendship and the acceptance of adult responsibilities .",
      "`` MOV '' is a movie that will either remind you of what it was -lrb- or , if you 're lucky , is -rrb- like to be young , or it 'll make you feel really old . middle-aged , at least .",
      "the film boldly - and ultimately successfully - vastly favors character definition over plot , and favors character detail over laughs - although the second half -lrb- much more than the first -rrb- is very funny .",
      "the film may be small , but it 's really good .",
      "this movie has an endless supply of small but brilliant comic observations .",
      "brims with funny ideas both verbal and visual that are finely tuned by baumbach and his cast , and sharply edited ...",
      "passive-aggressive and expertly generational , MOV is either hilarious or devastating , and probably both .",
      "the conversations sparkle with both intended and unintended wit , and in a certain cockeyed light , frances ' blithe denial of reality is a charming affirmation of life .",
      "one of the most appealing films of the year to date -- and it may well end up being the most appealing indie release of the entire year",
      "an american independent film -lrb- shot in luminous black and white by sam levy -rrb- that feels off the cuff but is in fact exactly made by a filmmaker in total control of his resources .",
      "a great film that gets the spirit of new york exactly right :",
      "has the earnest , wonky charm of a homemade valentine .",
      "this is a truly wonderful movie , recalling woody allen at his best .",
      "MOV is not the worst film of the year . that would be snitch . however , it is the most obnoxious film so far .",
      "... like an early andrew bujalski movie with more articulate characters or lena dunham 's ` girls ' without the ick factor .",
      "while gerwig 's gentleness gives baumbach 's work a new warmth , his touch gives her a new maturity .",
      "MOV is sharply focused on a genuine life issue that does n't get much play in movies : the challenges of platonic love and of the complicated passions of friendship .",
      "it 's a skimpy , overextended riff , but some of the seemingly tossed-off moments are lovely .",
      "MOV is the work of an artist in love , and in baumbach 's case , it 's not clear that love is his most constructive muse .",
      "the hilarious , touching MOV is lubricated by the same juice that allowed jean-luc godard 's bande ŕ part to slip so smoothly through the streets of paris .",
      "a film that 's well aware of its own hipness , but never too cool to laugh and cry .",
      "a virtuoso piece of writing , acting and direction to bring to the screen a 27 year old new yorker who is more a dreamer than a pragmatist , more a romantic than a materialist and less able to control her life than to guess it",
      "the film is like a breath of fresh air , with each gulp taken at the forks in the road that frances encounters . it 's fluid and free with as much spontaneity as a bird taking flight",
      "the likes of in search of a midnight kiss and annie hall have told their stories with much more wit and charm .",
      "a smart , wry and surprisingly tender film about standing at the crossroads of adulthood .",
      "there 's little doubt that many people will find her insufferable , and almost everyone will experience moments of acute discomfort . but this is a wonderful performance that never becomes ingratiating .",
      "like ethan hawke 's recent before midnight -lrb- aimed at people in their 40s -rrb- , MOV will engage its literate-minded target audience fed up with disaster blockbusters .",
      "MOV has a warmth and lightness absent from baumbach 's earlier films , the squid and the whale -lrb- 2005 -rrb- and margot at the wedding -lrb- 2007 -rrb- .",
      "the sheer joy on gerwig 's face as she leaps and pirouettes across roads and between pedestrians is infectious .",
      "greta gerwig is delightful as an awkward non-dancer in this off-beat comedy",
      "occasionally inspired , frequently charming and always watchable .",
      "the understated final moments made me happier than any other filmgoing experience i 've had all year .",
      "there 's a touch of gracie allen in frances , an indomitable blithe spirit who lives happily within a bubble-world of her own construction .",
      "aiming for lightness but landing with a thud , `` MOV '' is a well-meaning blunder .",
      "it 's impossible not to fall hard for greta gerwig , who wrote the script with baumbach and plays frances with such smart , rumpled radiance that you bask in her glow .",
      "perhaps ms. gerwig is the greatest actress alive . and maybe `` MOV '' is just the ghost orchid of independent cinema .",
      "a witty and emotionally resonant portrait of growing up , while retaining the exuberance of youth .",
      "baumbach 's made an intermittently attentive comedy with a few intolerable detours , only as insightful as it wants to be .",
      "this is `` girls '' minus the dark stuff .",
      "`` MOV : has plenty of recognizable reference points : `` manhattan , '' the french new wave , lena dunham . and yet it 's still something new .",
      "quietly , empathetically , and without ever apologizing for the lead 's impulsive idiocy , MOV charts the character 's dawning independence and acceptance of adulthood .",
      "a funny , life-affirming portrait of a well-meaning young woman who 's a work-in-progress and a welcome departure for its director .",
      "bolstered by a shrewd script and meticulous director , gerwig shines . by turn screwball heroine and ungainly in character , she emerges as her generation 's finest comic actress .",
      "it 's all wonderfully tangential , sweet and unerringly funny , and it will have you dancing to bowie 's ` modern love ' for days and days .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he film is a delightfully spry vacation into the life of a woman who does n't really deserve the affectionate film around her .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- may feel tossed-off , but like the early french new wave films that inspired it , this affectionate portrait of wayward young folks trying to survive , emotionally and professionally , in the big city is both touching and meaningful .",
      "this is a tough one , but i must recommend it , if you are at all inclined to witness creativity at its unconventional best .",
      "baumbach likes to walk on the dark side in his films , but there is also a playful side to him . this film does have a dark edge to it , but a lighter mood dominates here , and that is a good thing .",
      "writing with gerwig , baumbach has created a fey , sneakily charming generational touchstone on a par with annie hall and his own gen y col-grad comedy kicking and screaming .",
      "`` MOV '' could have taken a very different , much darker direction , but not with gerwig in it .",
      "a genuinely heartfelt , gorgeous and beautiful celebration of youth , friendship and grappling with all the contradictions and challenges that life throws at us .",
      "its flighty quarter-life crisis theme -lsb- will be -rsb- familiar to anyone who 's seen five minutes of girls .",
      "few films top woody allen 's manhattan for capturing new york city 's blend of rapture and apprehension . noah baumbach 's MOV comes close ."
    ],
    "summary": "audiences will need to tolerate a certain amount of narrative drift , but thanks to sensitive direction from noah baumbach and an endearing performance from greta gerwig , MOV makes it easy to forgive .",
    "id": "771315440"
  },
  {
    "movie": "oslo_august_31st",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's trier 's skill at humanely communicating the deep loneliness of a ruined life that make him a new filmmaker deserving your attention .",
      "a remarkable film with a mesmerizing performance by actor lie .",
      "trier ... keeps us aware of the emotions and perceptions of all the characters , even at those times when their perceptions are limited and differ from objective reality .",
      "with his angular features and intense gaze , lie is utterly convincing as an intellectual in the process of repairing his damaged life .",
      "a study of a man who pulled away from the edge of the abyss at the nick of time , only to realize he may not be able to forgive himself for the things he 's done .",
      "te movie seems more like a searing portrait of self-discovery and realization , with the understanding that not everything you learn about yourself will be pleasant .",
      "there are echoes , a little dna of `` wings of desire '' here .",
      "a powerful , upfront document of a recovering drug addict confronting the demons of his past .",
      "`` oslo '' is an example of strong , confident filmmaking in which nothing is miscalculated or out of place .",
      "... a gritty and authentic portrait of the unseen post-abuse perils that addiction creates .",
      "devastating . and masterful .",
      "trier 's film takes us to some desperate places , but it earns that despair with clear eyes , and the sense of character is finely-honed ...",
      "a very rewarding and worthwhile film .",
      "an astounding achievement , joachim trier 's haunting film will stay with you for weeks .",
      "the film is overlong , spinning its sequential disenchantments . but mood and place are believable .",
      "pared down and sparse , almost bressonian in its formal rigor ...",
      "anders danielsen lie gives a compelling , deep-etched lead turn , and you 'll find yourself drawn in as he searches for a reason to continue living .",
      "trier writes his hero into a very tight corner , but finds a simultaneously graceful and uncompromising way out of it . neat trick , that .",
      "a wonderful , melancholy character piece that 's funny and tender , and as fresh as a breath of oslo sea air .",
      "trier proves that he 's no one-hit wonder .",
      "trier has adapted a 1930s french novel , which in 1963 louis malle filmed as ` le feu follet ' , but this feels totally fresh and modern in its concerns . it 's also devastating .",
      "it has absolute clarity about a character who is n't at all sure about what he wants - or whether he wants to keep going at all .",
      "the result is a superb exploration of loss , guilt and regret in norwegian director joachim trier 's often-unpredictable second film .",
      "the film is perhaps the most emotionally devastating and yet paradoxically delicate effort of the year , a genuine gem .",
      "`` oslo , august 31st '' is quietly , profoundly , one of the most observant and sympathetic films i 've seen .",
      "spanning a short period of time , this tense and intense norweigian drama about a drug addict is extremely well directed and acted .",
      "-lsb- screenwriters -rsb- trier and vogt are neat and cunning .",
      "trier 's compassion for what it takes to survive , mixed with the love he bestows on oslo , is rewardingly profound .",
      "... a quietly stunning masterpiece-all of life , in a single day .",
      "with only two films , danish director joachim trier has soundly established himself as a singular talent .",
      "in its depiction of a man who 's considering death , the film is never less than fully alive .",
      "it 's a marvelously constructed personal journey , both wrenching and bittersweet , whose emotional ripple effects stay with you for days and weeks afterward .",
      "`` oslo , august 31st '' has the satisfying gravity of specific experience , and also , true to its title , a prickly sense of place .",
      "despite its themes , `` oslo , august 31st '' is an exhilarating film , with impeccable direction and pitch-perfect performances that make the bleakness worthwhile .",
      "though the film provides a gentle wash of dark feelings , one ca n't help but feel cleansed by it and more alive when it ends .",
      "as this elegiac movie reminds us , even a shattered life matters , leaving behind an indelible , intricate imprint .",
      "moment to moment , you sense the fragility of anders 's fate as it hangs in the balance .",
      "there are traces of humour to alleviate the gloom of oslo , august 31st and some beautiful incidental moments .",
      "comprova a promessa representada pela estreia de joachim trier .",
      "as the final shots mirror the first , you reflect on how life goes on , with and without us .",
      "the beauty is in the array of animated faces in anders ' life . and it 's in the simple promise and vitality of anders ' face , which serves the film without any regard for being in a film , let alone a tragedy or a poetic vision of darkness and futility .",
      "sad , but wise , and clear-eyed about what it means to drift through life until it 's suddenly too late to turn back .",
      "life 's sadder moments are quite well displayed in trier 's nuanced approach . for many popcorn munchers , that regrettably does n't translate as a must-see movie in today 's crowded marketplace ...",
      "with a predilection for long takes , alternating between tripod setups and handheld camera work that 's reflective of anders ' unease , trier presents life as an unceasingly tepid stream of the mundane -- with an occasional , exquisite pinprick of hope .",
      "the movie transpires mostly in quiet , engrossing dialogue scenes , and its austere style shares a good deal in common with the protagonist , who seems both opaque and completely exposed .",
      "it 's an absolutely moving and devastating film , and one of the most jarring looks at addiction you 'll ever see on screen .",
      "-lsb- displays -rsb- an invigoratingly acute understanding of the psychology of insecurity , longing , defensiveness and inward-turning rage .",
      "in a single day , through a single pair of eyes , trier and lie give us an emblem for the world .",
      "less a study of the desire to die than the terrifying realisation that there is no reason left to live .",
      "it 's a cold , detached , very scandinavian film , neither as sharp nor as oddly exhilarating as malle 's .",
      "trier delivers a sedate , mature follow-up to his brash , energetic debut reprise .",
      "the film so gracefully replicates its protagonist 's drifting moods that its full emotional weight does n't immediately seem as heavy as it is .",
      "a searing portrait of a young man 's chronic loneliness .",
      "the evocation of things ending suffuses the film with melancholy , as anders increasingly becomes an observant rather than a participant in his own life .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- crosses the blood-brain barrier like ... like ... whatever the drug is , i have n't tried it , thank god .",
      "without any flashiness or grandstanding , joachim trier and anders danielsen lie make us sympathize with the character on a deeply personal level .",
      "a coolly observed yet boundlessly compassionate day in the life of a recovering drug addict , `` oslo , august 31st '' breaks your heart many times over .",
      "while not a film for the dispirited - though such a mindset may better empathise with anders ' soul-searching journey - it does have a peculiar honesty to it .",
      "lie 's performance is pitch perfect , and trier 's direction almost flawless ."
    ],
    "summary": "an upfront study of a drug addict confronting his demons , oslo , august 31st makes this dark journey worthwhile with fantastic directing and equally fantastic acting .",
    "id": "771242439"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blue_velvet",
    "reviews": [
      "a fascinating and perplexing exploration of everything that lies just under the surface of all of us .",
      "it feels as `` out there '' as ever , and there has n't been any movie since quite comparing to it , besides david lynch ' further adventures into mind-f ** king .",
      "weird for weird 's sake is n't enough ; there has to be something more .",
      "MOV is david lynch in peak form , and represents -lrb- to date -rrb- his most accomplished motion picture . it is a work of fascinating scope and power that rivals any of the most subversive films to reach the screens during the '80s .",
      "lynch 's fourth feature film still stands as a bona fide masterpiece , one of the few such films that actually was appreciated in its time and has perfectly weathered the 17 years since .",
      "there is no denying the sheer audacity of MOV 's visuals or storyline . it 's quintessential david lynch , and dennis hopper at his most manic .",
      "kinkiness is its salient quality , but MOV has deadpan humor too , as well as a straight-arrow side that makes its eccentricity all the crazier . there 's no mistaking the exhilarating fact that it 's one of a kind .",
      "it 's dennis hopper sucking on an oxygen mask like darth vader in snoop dogg 's green room - in other words , it 's classic hopper !",
      "even some fifteen years after the release of MOV its vision remains wildly adamant relative to the stride of other works of contemporary noir . there have been many films about suburban crime , but none as dangerously imposing as this .",
      "i found it to be brilliant and all , but it 's just not a film i would watch willingly again .",
      "... deservedly canonized ...",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- finely wrought tale of erotic horror and secret evil .",
      "not quite like any other thriller or erotic mystery you 've ever seen .",
      "one of the most original , invigorating films i 've ever seen .",
      "the movie does n't progress or deepen , it just gets weirder , and to no good end .",
      "it made me feel pity for the actors who worked in it and anger at the director for taking liberties with them .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1986 -rrb- is screenwriter and maverick director david lynch 's artistically bizarre cult film , an original look at sex . .",
      "there 's not a single false note in david lynch 's notorious masterpiece , MOV , an unnerving meditation on innocence and depravity .",
      "packed with typically beautiful , lavish colour , and multi-referencing once again extending to old favourite the wizard of oz , this is fairly unmissable .",
      "the seamless blending of beauty and horror is remarkable , the terror very real , and the sheer wealth of imagination virtually unequalled in recent cinema .",
      "a beautiful film about sickness , a funny film about degeneracy",
      "in 1986 david lynch broke the language of cinema wide open in the same way that jackson pollock did with the art world in the early '40s .",
      "by the time i got to dennis hopper 's first line as frank , i knew that MOV was a film people would be talking about in 20 , 50 , 100 years .",
      "the modest proportions of the film are just right for the writer-director 's desire to investigate the inexplicable demons that drive people to deviate from expected norms of behavior and thought .",
      "this is one of the great masterpieces of modern cinema , a film which you will never forget .",
      "lies within the technicolor tradition of film-noir , where evil continually lurks beneath the surface",
      "i loved the film for its intransigencies .",
      "it 's the only one of lynch 's works to marry his nightmarish concerns to a story that -lrb- very nearly -rrb- makes sense .",
      "the brutally honest performances , articulate style , and the movie 's sexual and violent shock value save the story from becoming too stale or uninspiring .",
      "in this impressive work , released after the flop of dune , david lynch addresses issues of order and disorder , normal and abnormal sexuality , good and evil , while telling a classic american coming-of-age story .",
      "an unsettling film that depicts the moral rot underlying the american dream through arresting cinematic images that are at once realistic and surreal .",
      "... evil lurks in the most seemingly harmless places .",
      "MOV is a beautiful treatment of ugly material . unfortunately , it is just ugly enough to fascinate a lot of people , particularly weak men who have been made to feel subjugated and insecure by women .",
      "an excellent film .",
      "the charged erotic atmosphere makes the film something of a hallucination , but lynch 's humor keeps breaking through , too .",
      "lush and peculiar MOV , the latest film from the mind that spawned eraserhead , is an unnerving combination of the wholesome and the unholy .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- powerful , mesmerizing thriller , a masterful exercise in controlling an audience ` s attention .",
      "lynch and his film will surely be reviled , but as an experiment in expanding cinema 's dramatic and technical vocabulary , MOV demands respect .",
      "destined to become a cult classic , MOV presents what is probably the most original cinematic vision to come along this year . undoubtedly , it will be too strong for many tastes .",
      "MOV is a film for the aficionado . pity the viewer who wanders into the movie unprepared .",
      "whether you are attracted or repelled by lynch 's bizarre vision , one thing is for sure : you 've never seen anything like it in your life .",
      "the film casts its spell in countless odd ways , in the archetype-leaning imagery , eccentric tableau styling , and moth-in-candle-flame attraction to the subconscious twilight .",
      "once experienced here , listening to roy orbison 's in dreams will never be the same again .",
      "david lynch 's mise en scene screams `` leave it to beaver . ''",
      "shocking , visionary , rapturously controlled , its images of innocence and a dark , bruising sexuality drop straight into our unconscious where they rest like depth charges .",
      "one of the most subversive films of the 1980s , delving into the corrupt underside of the then-idealized faux innocence of the 1950s with an almost alarming ferocity .",
      "shocking , perverse , funny , unsettling , scathing , biting , and twisted , but undeniably original",
      "one which david lynch fans will want to watch over and over in hd , and which non-fans ought to see at least once .",
      "a perfect marriage of classically composed storytelling and disturbing surrealism . but perhaps more importantly , its influence in storytelling still resonates to this day .",
      "for as diverse as lynch 's filmography is , MOV is quite possibly his masterwork . there 's a strange mix of comfort and beauty with terror and awfulness .",
      "works brilliantly as an allegory of american repression and willful illusion of order , lumberton 's forced-smile '50s sensibility unable to keep down the anarchic , raging id that is humanity 's primal drive . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "depending on your point of view , either dark-sidedly brilliant or garbage heaped on top of whipped cream .",
      "lynch 's seminal , voyeuristic masterpiece is as scary as comedies get and as funny as realistically horrific psychodramas can be .",
      "to watch -lsb- lynch 's -rsb- 1986 neo-noir masterpiece MOV is to be plunged headfirst into the mind of an extraordinary filmmaker ... who made one of the finest dissections of the american mythos yet seen .",
      "MOV is a throughly unpredictable , frequently disturbing and sometimes jaw-droppingly funny film . there is n't anything else quite like it , and it 's pretty wonderful ."
    ],
    "summary": "if audiences walk away from this subversive , surreal shocker not fully understanding the story , they might also walk away with a deeper perception of the potential of film storytelling .",
    "id": "16022"
  },
  {
    "movie": "leon_the_professional",
    "reviews": [
      "the european cut rocks -- u.s. version less so . biggest drawback is that besson tries to persuade us reno is italian , and i 'm never buying that .",
      "oldman 's character is so over the top , so utterly ridiculous that the audience may feel prompted to laugh unintentionally .",
      "it 's an american movie as seen by someone whose main frame of reference is american movies , not american life . therefore , while it 's draped in a cloak of gritty realism , besson 's movie is really a kind of bizarre cinemaphile fantasy .",
      "the most objectionable thing is gary oldman 's performance , baroque in its awfulness . almost as bad is the director 's attempt to construct a visual style -- and , for that matter , characters -- by piling one mannerism on top of another .",
      "besson has a gift for amoral sleaziness that should serve him well over here . in his very first american film , he has gone straight for the smarm .",
      "its strengths grate against the movie 's glaring flaws , mainly its complete lack of credibility .",
      "you 'll enjoy the action , but you 'll remember the movie because of reno and portman .",
      "leon : the professional has style to spare .",
      "mathilda is like no new york city girl-child i 've ever seen riding the subway . and i could n't take my eyes off her .",
      "stylish , mature hitman thriller is quite violent .",
      "`` MOV '' is a consummate hit man movie from the early '90s era in cinema when every young filmmaker wanted to be the next tarantino . luc besson just had to be himself .",
      "besson 's incomparable film is almost impossible to beat and there 's yet to be a director who could match his magnum opus ...",
      "good , if not overrated . reno is always a delight and a young portman adds a lot to the heart and soul of the film .",
      "despite besson 's mastery of technique , leon 's success is due in large part to its elegant performances .",
      "reno and portman both deliver terrific performances .",
      "top-notch thriller .",
      "luc besson 's lone-hitman thriller sees a 12 year-old natalie portman push the boundaries of love and peodophilia . as emotionally complex as it is a slick action thrill-ride . even gary oldman gets in on the action as a beethoven loving , drug-taking crooked",
      "the white-hot violence may look professional , but it will leave you cold .",
      "the professional is intriguing , but misses the mark as a potential cult favorite .",
      "the sheer craziness and excessiveness of the movie -- no crazier , perhaps , than many of the american action movies it copies -- never finds a center of gravity .",
      "like quentin tarantino , besson has a singular style and directorial sensibility that keeps you watching .",
      "the professional is strictly amateur-hour .",
      "no matter what uncomfortable undercurrents the film gives rise to , besson 's skill with action is inventive and creative -lrb- and of course over the top -rrb- .",
      "luc besson 's original cut feels more like a journey than just a joy-buzzer jolt of action , and the deeper , braver , darker story he set out to tell - a fractured and fractious fairy tale . when people rave about `` the professional , '' they mean `` léon . ''",
      "ultimately , like la femme nikita , there may be less here than meets the eye . but what does meet the eye is pretty darn thrilling .",
      "leave it to french writer-director luc besson -lrb- la femme nikita -rrb- to put a kinky twist on orphan annie and daddy warbucks .",
      "having one career highlight performance in a film is a treat . having three is just spoiling us , and the film is so solidly sold by the actors that it mostly manages to sidestep the potential queasiness in the léon/mathilda relationship .",
      "funny , tragic , brilliant and unmissable .",
      "much better in the extended foreign version that shows more of the girl 's hitman training . typical french downer , but interesting relationship piece .",
      "always at the back of my mind was the troubled thought that there was something wrong about placing a 12-year-old character in the middle of this action .",
      "one pretty awesome action movie .",
      "my advice to everyone out there is to throw away your copy of the professional , throw down twenty bucks , and pick up this newly restored -lrb- director 's cut -rrb- cinematic masterpiece .",
      "while a wisp of a plot involving a crooked cop drives léon from setpiece to setpiece , it 's the central relationship between hitman jean reno and young charge natalie portman that makes the movie so memorable .",
      "an altogether interesting take on an old story , one which besson pulls off with his customary flair and panache .",
      "besson 's skills of action director are enough to guarantee entertainment .",
      "the professional is all over the map , and its pretensions of being about anything more than its most unpleasant elements simply make it all the more unpleasant .",
      "this is a cuisinart of a movie , mixing familiar yet disparate ingredients , making something odd , possibly distasteful , undeniably arresting out of them .",
      "it is stylish , darkly humorous , and almost artsy in its approach to the genre .",
      "the professional is much too sentimental to sound shockingly amoral in the least . even in a finale of extravagant violence , it manages to be maudlin .",
      "after a dazzling opening sequence , this one goes downhill fast .",
      "reno 's performance of hangdog loyalty lends his character pleasing sympathy while besson 's heavily stylized direction builds tension around sexy violence .",
      "for the most part , the professional is a great action picture .",
      "oozing style , wit and confidence from every sprocket , and offering a dizzyingly , fresh perspective on the big apple that only besson could bring , this is , in a word , wonderful .",
      "a naive fairy tale splattered with blood .",
      "luc besson is a masterly director of stylish , thrilling , and humorous action set pieces , and this film 's bravura opening and closing sequences are two of the year 's best .",
      "ultimately seems at once too deranged and too mechanical .",
      "there 's conviction in this movie , and intelligence .",
      "besson fails to make much of new york 's visual potential , and lazily asks that leon 's expertise be taken on trust . the shallowness was to be expected ; the slackness is surprising .",
      "it 's surprising to find an action movie with so much emotional baggage , but amazingly it works .",
      "an exceptionally well crafted urban drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "pivoting on the unusual relationship between seasoned hitman and his 12-year-old apprentice -- a breakout turn by young natalie portman -- luc besson 's léon is a stylish and oddly affecting thriller .",
    "id": "17094"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_queen_of_versailles",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the great unsayable truths about the american dream is that it is a bit of a ponzi scheme ... our system admits a glimmer of hope that anyone , no matter how lowborn , can rise to the top .",
      "-lsb- e -rsb- nds up an ever less slightly ungenerous look at the .01 percent than it might have been ... but this is still a brutal film from many angles .",
      "documentaries are rarely as hilarious as this one . well , the first half of it at least",
      "a repetitive exercise in schadenfreude , and the siegels do n't do much to alter that ... MOV leaves viewers with one feeling about the siegels : let them eat stale cake .",
      "greenfield 's film is bathed in florida sunshine , adding to the sensation that we 're watching lifestyles of the rich and famous with a marxist punchline .",
      "she epitomises a western culture struggling to wean itself off debt .",
      "-lsb- siegel -rsb- is now suing greenfield for `` misrepresentation '' . well , i know whose side i 'm on .",
      "extremely funny and revealing ...",
      "-lsb- siegel -rsb- ultimately emerges as someone who belongs more in the little house on the prairie : ever cheerful , and triumphantly unimpeachable .",
      "never has grotesque wealth looked so unenviable , or its removal been so entertaining , as in this garishly watchable riches-to-rags documentary ...",
      "this timely and involving documentary elicits both sympathy and schadenfreude .",
      "if the film intends to show that any of the siegels have gained any wisdom from hardship , we do n't see it .",
      "while in some ways the collapsing of the siegels ' wealth may seem like commeuppance for their excessiveness , greenfield has painted such a human portrait that jackie , in particular , remains sympathetic , even when she is adding to her own tragedy .",
      "like a theodore dreiser novel for our time , infused with the vivid , vulgar spirit of reality tv . it often had the sold-out eccles center howling , but also has elements of profound tragedy and allegory .",
      "the ironies pile up . but there is some pathos here too .",
      "MOV will prompt loathing not only among the so-called 99 percent , but among those in the top 1 percent who would like someone more sane to represent them on camera .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- there 's quiet satisfaction is watching the financial collapse of the florida billionaire self-professedly `` personally '' responsible for george w. bush 's `` illegal '' takeover of the white house in 2000 .",
      "it 's like a champagne bath laced with arsenic .",
      "documentarian lauren greenfield caught lightning in a bottle with this one .",
      "with every shopping spree , every limo ride to mcdonald 's , mrs. siegel underlines the cliche that money can not buy you taste . or class .",
      "every cutaway to their mcdonald 's takeout bags or fluffy white puppies -lrb- there must be a dozen of them -rrb- emphasizes a bedrock tackiness that will convert your audience into a snorting gang of marxists-at least for a while .",
      "the film hardly feels hastily pasted together : greenfield filmed long enough to document physical changes in her subjects .",
      "finds a way to incorporate the harsh realities -lsb- of the economic crash -rsb- into a movie that 's genuinely funny and entertaining , which is quite an achievement in itself .",
      "lauren greenfield 's film evolves from an ode to entitled obliviousness to a more evenhanded character study , tracing the fault lines that develop within the siegel family .",
      "a stunning look at what happens to a rich person who gets greedy .",
      "through a focused chronicle of one marriage , the director conveys both the seductive and ugly aspects of unbridled ambition and american capitalism .",
      "if you get some kind of sick kick watching the mighty take a fall , MOV will be nothing short of a schadenfreudic ball .",
      "seriously , if this was the american dream , could n't we have come up with something better ?",
      "for all their garishness , the siegels are pretty likable , even if attempts to make you sympathetic to their `` plight '' fall short .",
      "it scores a lot of laughs at the siegel 's bad taste and odd ways of adapting to their newfound misfortune . thankfully , greenfield also makes the siegels sympathetic .",
      "a bizarre and mesmerising journey to the heart of cloud cuckoo land .",
      "it is a comedy that aspires to tragedy , and a metaphor for a nation collapsing beneath the incompatible , intolerable pressures of excess and inequity .",
      "in the end , these are human beings , not emblems - and it is this that makes this documentary one of the most watchable , for rich and poor alike .",
      "it 's priceless .",
      "the temptation to be moralistic must have been overpowering , yet greenfield finally manages to summon sympathy for people who at first seem vain , selfish and greedy .",
      "prepare to be shocked , disgusted and compelled .",
      "greenfield 's fly on the wall view of obscene wealth punctured like a toy balloon is as current as a blog or a headline .",
      "illuminating , oddly hilarious , ceaselessly watchable .",
      "porn without penetration is sometimes how this doc impacts in its candid , unapologetic look at a once white-bread couple who vault to billionaire status and fall hard when the 2008 financial crisis hits .",
      "a fascinating , infuriating and poignant documentary .",
      "let them eat cake !",
      "for greenfield , the siegels are a brilliant metaphor for everything farkakte about the u.s. economy and the culture that shaped it .",
      "an outrageous , despicable , guiltily hilarious and appropriately superficial good time .",
      "a fascinating and sobering documentary that tracks the unexpected impact of the financial crisis on one of america 's richest families .",
      "turns the `` real housewives '' formula upside down and it becomes possibly the least tragic epic tragedy ever constructed . ''",
      "this honesty and heart is what makes MOV so compelling .",
      "`` MOV '' is funny , sad , infuriating , instructive . it 's the american dream inflated to ridiculous extremes , until it bursts .",
      "this rags-to-riches-to-almost-rags-again queen has an endearing knack for looking on the bright side . you find yourself , by the end , wishing her well .",
      "watching jackie fill cart after walmart cart with crap the family does n't need is to witness the new millennium 's version of marie antoinette .",
      "it contains some useful information , i suppose , but i did not like these people , i hope never to meet them , and i wonder if the world would n't be a better place without them .",
      "although director lauren greenfield documents several instances in which it 's apparent that the siegels ' lifestyle is so alien from the vast majority that they might as well call mars home , she has n't set out to eat the rich .",
      "can we feel sorry for super-filthy-rich rich people ? maybe not . but we can be fascinated by their insane spending . lauren greenfield gains uber-access to the excess .",
      "although it 's a guilty pleasure , `` MOV '' is artful enough that both the prosecution and the defense could invoke it when the peasants cry `` off with their heads ! ''",
      "greenfield and her crew achieved extraordinary access to the siegel 's lives , and one of the film 's pleasures is simply getting to visit a world that few of us will ever know .",
      "taken at face value , MOV reveals nothing about the rich that is n't plainly evident on the e! network . but its most surprising quality is also jackie 's : endurance .",
      "at times the film feels aimless and inconclusive , but greenfield 's open-minded and observational approach yields compelling details from every scene .",
      "`` MOV '' ought to be required viewing for anyone who blames the rich for yanking the rug out from under america 's economy .",
      "the pride , gluttony and inexplicable romance in the tale are almost shakespearean .",
      "it would be easy to look at this with smug satisfaction , but director lauren greenfield is impassive .",
      "surely more topical -lrb- and essential -rrb- now than when it was conceived , MOV plays like a christopher guest parody of the financial crisis .",
      "watching `` MOV '' you do n't know whether to laugh or cry .",
      "whatever their crimes of bad taste , they had it , flaunted it , lost it , and lived to tell the tale .",
      "a portrait of the american dream gone sour so absurdly engaging that you might be ashamed of enjoying it so much .",
      "a ca n't - look-away cross between a bergman drama and a `` real housewives '' spin-off .",
      "MOV presents a fascinating case study of how the collapsing economy impacted the superrich . it will also likely drive anybody who is n't the superrich up the wall .",
      "more than a social morality tale , this is a character study , with the title well chosen .",
      "there are improbably involving human stories here .",
      "through a clear lens unclouded by politics or blame , it offers insight into the hazardous american practice of living beyond our means .",
      "a dysfunctional family documentary which invites the audience to take pleasure in the misfortunes of some decidedly-decadent 1 % ers .",
      "`` MOV '' turns out to be a portrait -- appalling , absorbing and improbably affecting -- of how , even within a system seemingly designed to ensure that the rich get richer , sometimes the rich get poorer .",
      "the result is a rich portrait .",
      "a tragicomic indulgence of schadenfreude with the sophistication of a kardashian reality show .",
      "a well-told tale about having to atone for sins of the sub-prime era .",
      "what i left with was not hatred . i disapprove of the values they represent , but i also find them fascinating and just slightly lovable .",
      "in director lauren greenfield 's tremendous documentary packed with terrific details , greed is not good . it is a slow , self-inflicted wound whose pain hits hard and fast .",
      "by the end , the movie has pulled off a small miracle : you become absorbed in the lives of these people for who they are and not what they own .",
      "a rise-and-fall story that will have you laughing and shaking your head - in pity , disgust and , occasionally , outrage - at the very same time .",
      "dig into your popcorn , and get ready for some snide schadenfreude .",
      "`` MOV '' is beautifully constructed and frequently uproarious .",
      "it transforms from a mocking portrait of exorbitance into a sympathetic depiction of a family struggling with their own version of what most of us have gone through .",
      "there 's more going on here than classist derision , and the filmmaker uses her footage to try to sort out her feelings .",
      "MOV combines the voyeuristic thrills of reality tv with the soul-revealing artistry of great portraiture and the head-shaking revelations of solid investigative reporting .",
      "compulsively watchable from start to finish , MOV chips away at the aspirational fantasy that drives those bravo shows , slowly , steadily allowing reality to slip through the cracks .",
      "ultra-rich face financial crisis in teen-friendly docu .",
      "the paradox of wealth without refinement remains unexamined but emerges as a metaphor for the american dream itself .",
      "extravagant yet surprisingly compassionate , it 's a unique chronicle of the collapse of the real estate market .",
      "it makes sense to find the director unwilling to walk away from such as a fascinating couple , resulting in a superb documentary and a powerful statement on the ugliness and delusion of greed .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- excellent and unexpectedly nuanced documentary ...",
      "captures the tone of the times with a clear , surprisingly compassionate eye .",
      "it develops an almost mournful empathy for its subjects as they fall from great heights to merely impressive ones .",
      "director lauren greenfield finds the pathos in an ultra-wealthy couple who willingly mortgaged their own future .",
      "the siegels make the kardashians and donald trump look like tasteful pikers when it comes to egregiously conspicuous consumption , sheer hubris and utter refusal to take responsibility for their actions .",
      "MOV is the lucky case of a documentary where life intervenes and deepens the film in completely unexpected ways .",
      "director lauren greenfield 's timing turned out to be extraordinarily fortuitous in its depiction of how the mighty also fall , in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis .",
      "these are not horrible people , just ones who flung themselves enthusiastically toward the american dream as so many do .",
      "i feel contempt for my contempt for these people . whether that 's my problem or the film 's , i 'm not entirely sure , but i 'm leaning toward blaming greenfield .",
      "a powerhouse documentary , the film shifts from simply being a fly-on-the-wall look at material decadence and moral decay into a study of a family trying to hold itself together during a trying period .",
      "a documentary about a rich couple riding the waves of wealth and greed and then plunging downwards .",
      "both the quintessential documentary about the great recession , and quite possibly the most schadenfreude-filled movie of all time .",
      "if you 've ever wondered how that one percent of the richest lives , this film will show you how one family lives -lrb- they are probably back in the 99 percent now -rrb- , and it ai n't pretty .",
      "my problem with this riches to rags americana story is that i felt no sympathy for the featured self-absorbed materialists .",
      "... their plight plays like the financial crisis in miniature . or perhaps it 's in macro .",
      "strangely entertaining and revealing documentary about a culture obsessed with money and people aspiring to a life they ca n't afford . greed is good once again if you can borrow enough money to consume all you desire . mind the debt gap .",
      "humanizes the upper one percent in a 100-percent entertaining way .",
      "a pretty effective warning shot across the bow of the one percenters .",
      "an ultimately haunting worst-case-scenario for americans living beyond their means after the bottom dropped out ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a timely , engaging , and richly drawn portrait of the american dream improbably composed of equal parts compassion and schadenfreude .",
    "id": "771266152"
  },
  {
    "movie": "planet_51",
    "reviews": [
      "amiable , lightweight fare that adults might appreciate more than children .",
      "there 's not a single laugh-out-loud moment in the whole film .",
      "good fun if you can put up with the pastel colours and plasticky textures , which show that in modern fantasy animation all that pixellates is n't pixar .",
      "it 's frenetic and knowing in the modern manner , though , a couple of good gags apart , not very funny . its patchiness merely demonstrates the gap between pixar and the rest of the field - which is the distance between genius and talent .",
      "an extremely dull and unfunny comedy with pop-culture references where the gags should be , and humdrum voicings .",
      "while pretty much a cut-and-shut of every animated movie of the past decade , this sci-fi comedy should achieve blast-off with the under-10s . for adults , however , this is as solidly so what ? as you can get .",
      "a jumble of kiddie slapstick and pointless chases .",
      "the laughs come thick and fast in a sprightly kid pleaser full of slapstick set-pieces and memorable characters , while more grown-up viewers will find themselves grinning at pastiches of the cold war paranoia of bygone sci-fi movies .",
      "silly but not hilarious ... with a message that 's so simplistic you might miss it .",
      "it 's no shock to see shrek co - writer joe stillman on the credits , because MOV follows the exact same formula - slapstick for the kids , sly gags for the parents and a rubbish romantic subplot for nobody .",
      "inoffensively bland .",
      "with nods to spielberg , stanley kubrick and a host of sci-fi b-movies , the film 's pop-culture references are there but predictable rather than inspired . a bit like the whole movie .",
      "it 's hard not to compare , but pixar 's classy and imaginative films set the bar high , while movies like this aim too low .",
      "when a film 's best characters are rip-offs from other movies . you know you 're in trouble .",
      "... a mildly entertaining , visually well-crafted animation that can wait for rental .",
      "like the alien town of glipforg at its core , MOV offers attractions that are just a little too familiar to take the viewer out of this world .",
      "the film is n't terrible if you 're , say , six . because you simply do n't know any better .",
      "much of the detail will go above the heads of its young audience , but adults will enjoy the clever touches , like the alien hotline , the upcoming anticipated release of the movie humanian 3 and the rock-collecting probe called rover",
      "ca n't quite get over the inertia of its failings",
      "after all the other animated cgi films this year , MOV just feels like a rehash , and not nearly as charming as it wants to be .",
      "an uninspired computer-animated feature that may satisfy undiscriminating pipsqueaks and nearly no one else , MOV is a low-iq e.t. in reverse ...",
      "MOV does n't have enough plot for a 10-minute animated short , much less a 90-minute feature . and unfortunately , what it does have plenty of is crude , lowest-common denominator humor .",
      "young children and adults with high pain thresholds will enjoy the movie during its brief pause on the way to your on demand menu .",
      "the whole thing is just terrible .",
      "the movie 's idea of big laughs is an extended anal probe joke .",
      "perhaps the spanish-based animated feature MOV should have added a dash of pedro almodovar to spice up a rather ordinary revisitation of et .",
      "a tale of human/alien friendship , MOV seems worse than it is because it comes at the end of one of the best years in the history of animation .",
      "this has the directionless , recycled feel of a script by committee .",
      "dull and lifeless , moving inertly from point to point without offering much that 's memorable or amusing",
      "does n't belong anywhere near the best animated picture race , but you can do a lot worse when looking for a family flick to pass the time .",
      "a trite compendium of everything that 's wrong with non-pixar computer-animated feature films .",
      "an often amusing , harmless adventure with enough inoffensive humor and impressive cgi animation to make up for its lack of exhilarating moments and refreshing surprises .",
      "it works for about 20 minutes . and only if you grew up in the 1950s to juke boxes filled with rock and roll including sheb wooley 's the purple people eater",
      "... characters are as thin and unengaging as the animation is sleek and shiny .",
      "so trivial and unimaginative that , unless you 're desperate for sci-fi diversion for the kids , you should wait for the dvd .",
      "it 's cute , it 's passable , the animation is fine -- but the major problem with the film is its predictability .",
      "after positing its central gimmick , it more or less stands there for 90 minutes , waiting for applause that never comes .",
      "if this had been released on thanksgiving day or christmas day , it would n't have been lost in the shuffle .",
      "if you 've seen space chimps , you can expect the same level of quality . it 's not excruciating , but it 's entirely forgettable .",
      "this sharp-looking but unimaginative adventure has n't the wit of similar kiddie flicks .",
      "with nowhere to go except toward that incongruous moral , the story is getting thin on the ground , obliging director jorge blanco to pad with the usual plush stuffing -- bland action and busy edits .",
      "the script lacks wit , and the in-joke references to cinematic sci-fi classics will soar over little kids ' heads without pleasing many adults .",
      "this simply does n't have the right stuff .",
      "the movie as a whole is n't exactly ground-breaking , and some of the humor tanks . but it has enough action , laughs and candy-hued visuals to satisfy the target audience without plunging grown-ups into despair .",
      "the agreeable but flagrantly unoriginal MOV belongs to the mix-and-match school of animated moviemaking .",
      "MOV sucks .",
      "definitely a planet worth a visit .",
      "mediocre , clunky and just so not special .",
      "MOV is innocuous to the point of distraction .",
      "underwhelming alien comedy has some suggestive humor .",
      "it 's fun for the kids , and adults should have a good time too .",
      "MOV is cute , but it 's no shrek .",
      "stargazers believe there 's intelligent life out there . you just wo n't find much of it on `` MOV . ''",
      "plays to the cheap seats rather than exploring its admittedly clever premise to the fullest .",
      "`` singin ' in the rain '' references ? john glenn ? cold war duck-and-cover drills ? what time capsule yielded this script ?",
      "children wo n't understand the '50s - based humor or the references to the creature features that dominated the era , while adults will muster little more than the occasional chuckle",
      "what gives with joe stillman , a credited writer on the wonderfully witty shrek/shrek 2 ? here , his prior expertise in working with lime green characters has inexplicably given way to lifeless gray .",
      "computers have been assisting in the production of animated films more and more every year , but have they started writing them too ?",
      "MOV is n't terrible , just bland and predictable as a story , though at least the humor that 's tacked onto it is gentle and unassuming ...",
      "it 's good-spirited , and there are enough colorful characters to please its intended audience . best of all is an earth-built robot on wheels named rover , who thinks it 's a dog . he 'll be a hit . if only the main characters were as interesting .",
      "MOV mainly succeeds at reminding you of all the better movies that inspired it .",
      "a playful throwback to the days when cartoons were mostly aimed at children .",
      "a high concept gets low execution in MOV , a lame-brained toon that even kids will recognize as an insipid goof on sci-fi conventions .",
      "a charming spoof of cold-war alien paranoia , this is visually inventive and full of action , but could do with more humour .",
      "while certainly diverting , its overly frantic attempts at humour , pointless homages to other films and lack of charm mean it falls some way short . it 's not terrible but neither is it memorable .",
      "nothing really gels and MOV just comes across as shrill , rushed and unfunny .",
      "a short-sighted assembly of sci-fi references and scatalogical humor that should nonetheless placate undemanding tots ... for ninety minutes or so .",
      "in terms of animation , MOV is out of this world . then there 's the story and the characters , which are about as dull as a dirty penny .",
      "`` a poorly conceived comedy spotlighting a collection of anal-centric humor that 's about as appealing as baseball bat to the face . ''",
      "so inane that not only is adult enjoyment unattainable , even younger audiences will be on to its lack of intelligence and novelty .",
      "a poorly animated , poorly conceived , utterly predictable science fiction adventure without a single shred of originality .",
      "well and truly aimed at kids , MOV is a film they will thoroughly enjoy yet which any accompanying adult will have lots of laughs in too .",
      "a thin joke becomes attenuated to breaking point .",
      "as the umpteenth computer-animated film released this year , it must contend with an over-saturated marketplace . that 's one strike . the second strike is that it 's not any good .",
      "parental content review",
      "the movie has little ambition to the creation of its world and even less when it comes to the humor .",
      "rest assured that nothing of significance will disturb said infant , neither feelings nor images nor ideas . no danger here ; just a faint , faraway tickle of boredom .",
      "it is a shame that a movie tweaking retro cliches falls into the white bread conventions itself , especially from a madrid-based production company .",
      "instead of spinning its spoof of 1950s sci-fi paranoia in new directions , the movie trades in potty humor and tired sendups of the terminator and star wars .",
      "the story itself is weakly conceived and does n't sustain a feature-length movie .",
      "starring bright animation and the voices of justin long and dawyne johnson , MOV follows a hilarious concept with weak execution and way too many references to better films .",
      "the film fails at creating characters with credible emotional textures , a task easily , and vividly , demonstrated by pixar time and time again .",
      "at a time when so many other animated films are actively pushing the envelope , MOV just bottom-feeds .",
      "the action pans out pretty predictably but such is the verve of the story and the impressive visuals you may find yourself heading off course to catch MOV .",
      "it could have added up to something . alas , any excitement is submerged by the relentless barrage of trite sci-fi allusions and nudge-nudge gags aimed solely at adults .",
      "little kids who 've never seen this story before might get a kick out of it and its bold colours . parents will be yawning and looking at their watches . at least g-force dared you to hate it ; this just dares you to stay awake .",
      "the screenplay aims wide for every snappy , pop-culture joke that can possibly be cracked . but the viewer 's funnybone remains an elusive target .",
      "funny and well designed , but does n't live up to potential due to uninspired dialogue and heavy hand of marketing .",
      "just how much of this will be appreciated by children is questionable , but the film is clearly intended to keep them happy with lashings of colour , movement and cheesy jokes while older , diehard geeks can enjoy all the reference spotting .",
      "a hideously annoying and emotionally blank tale .",
      "there 's enough of a storyline here to keep younger space cadets moderately settled .",
      "glar and his friends are more or less all-purpose protestors , showing up on sidewalks with placards announcing , `` we 're really upset ! '' over nothing specific . and that makes them about as amiable and as bland as everyone else on MOV .",
      "i 'm going to go out on a limb and say MOV was written by a bunch of monkeys ... who were trapped in a room with some typewriters . surprisingly , the works of shakespeare are the only texts they have n't blatantly ripped off .",
      "a movie so flat and derivative that it seems to have been cobbled together from other , better pictures .",
      "largely , it 's a jellybean of a movie : bright , colorful , sugary , and with no real content .",
      "the animated sci-fi spoof MOV makes you wonder if things might be more interesting on planet 52 .",
      "do anal probe gags sound like fine family entertainment ? how about multiple scenes depicting ugly gay panic ? not to worry ; a penis joke referring to a male member as an ` antenna ' is right around the corner .",
      "independently and internationally produced cg animated comedy MOV has the visuals to compare with bigger budgeted hollywood studio offerings but not the storytelling spark .",
      "although not bowling me over , MOV is a jolly and good-looking animated feature in glorious 2-d .",
      "it 's all a creepy mishmash of sci-fi and fantasy classics that director jorge blanco tarts up with an unwholesome preoccupation with pee , anal plugs , and homosexual anxiety .",
      "this 90-minute movie feels about five hours long .",
      "animated alien entertainment exclusively for those who 've already had their brains sucked out .",
      "delivers a few pleasant surprises , including a smart story -- a reverse-e.t. riff that plops an american astronaut down in a world of just-like-us-only-green creatures -- and clever characters ..."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV squanders an interesting premise with an overly familiar storyline , stock characters , and humor that alternates between curious and potentially offensive .",
    "id": "770782178"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sharkwater",
    "reviews": [
      "in its present form , however , the film 's merits are compromised by structural and conceptual flaws .",
      "the high point of this entertaining documentary is -lsb- rob -rsb- stewart 's stop-at-nothing passion to save the sharks , especially when he hooks up with renegade conservationist paul watson to track down poachers off the coast of costa rica .",
      "thanks to -lsb- t -rsb- his sometimes gruesome , sometimes harrowing and often exuberant film , you will never look at sharks the same way again .",
      "pretty , if polemical look at sharks , the illegal harvesting of fins , and one man 's journey into radical activism .",
      "the film does what it 's supposed to , inspire outrage . but still , jaws will never have the appeal of those baby pandas .",
      "it is forceful . it is advocacy journalism . it is a documentary with a social conscience and a scientific agenda .",
      "how strange to gaze upon the jaws of the most feared creatures on earth , and to contemplate how they are no match for the teeth of man .",
      "rob stewart 's labour of love goes beyond mere obsession with our ` most amazing and mysterious animal . '",
      "torontonian rob stewart 's underwater polemic on the many enemies of the behemoths at the top of the ocean 's food chain comes on a little strong .",
      "cautionary environmental documentary that asserts there 's more to sharks than `` jaws . ''",
      "features beautiful underwater photography and a stirring call to action .",
      "stewart , a toronto-based marine biologist and underwater photographer , makes up for in passion what he lacks in narrative subtlety .",
      "the ` reality drama ' that unfolds on-screen takes viewers away from the real ecological issue -lrb- much as it took stewart away from his diving -rrb-",
      "MOV delivers an important message , and its underwater photography is breathtaking . but stewart lessens the impact by focusing much too much on himself . did he really have to go into detail about his own health problems ?",
      "MOV is fascinating both as political statement and beautifully filmed documentary .",
      "an amateurish but enjoyable and informative piece correcting all the misconceptions we might have about sharks .",
      "ecological alarm clock once again rings in 2007",
      "dazzling underwater photography . compromises story/entertainment for message .",
      "undersea photographer rob stewart , who directed , wrote , narrated , stars in , and helped shoot MOV , really , really loves sharks . he also fears for their future on the planet . his lively documentary makes you see why , on both counts .",
      "faintly egotistical biologist-turned-filmmaker rob stewart spent four years making this investigative doc and the result , despite his tendency towards over-earnest , stoner-esque commentary , is enlightening , shocking and more than a little worrying .",
      "stewart 's point is that the shark fin industry , in its short-sighted quest for financial gain , may trigger an ecological disaster beyond the extinction of the sharks themselves . this is depressing , but important , stuff .",
      "stewart 's ` personal journey ' format is n't entirely successful , and verges on the egotistical , but the message of this film , and the imagery and statistics it tells it with , is angry , credible and worthwhile .",
      "planet earth saturation and the bludgeoning political stance pull it down , but it 's still a consistently engaging , partly thrilling look at a misunderstood species .",
      "with its stunning photography this would be a righteous and magnificent documentary were it not for the on-camera presence of film-maker rob stewart , marine biology 's answer to tom cruise .",
      "here 's a documentary with teeth and a bite that should leave a nasty scar on the conscience of the illegal fishermen who continue to brutally plunder sharks for their fins % u2013 and those ignorant fools who consume shark fins",
      "it 's a film you come away from feeling that you should get out there on the streets and start marching for sharks .",
      "it 's jaws - starring man as a far scarier predator .",
      "if the film sometimes gets choppy , the filmmaker 's passion for the subject and the disturbing revelations to be gained from watching the film make it more than worthwhile .",
      "it 's hard not to admire a man with such admiration for the obscure , but grizzly man did it much better .",
      "rob stewart 's visually stunning documentary makes a powerful statement about the disastrous decline of the world 's shark population and why it should -- and must -- matter to us .",
      "MOV is a rare advocacy film that arouses both awe and wonder .",
      "MOV has a message or two or three ; its intentions are nothing if not noble .",
      "while it 's true that documentary filmmaker rob stewart comes on with an onslaught of zeal over his legendary subject , sharks , it 's also true that he proves he 's no `` grizzly man '' taking up with bears in the wild .",
      "this beautiful and urgent eco-doc takes a bite out of the shark mythology made indelible by jaws .",
      "stewart is his own star , a would-be speedo model and whoa-dude narrator whose droning reflections get in the way of his stunning underwater cinematography .",
      "MOV probably ranks as one of the most frightening shark movies ever -- but sharks are the victims .",
      "undeniably captivating .",
      "this beautiful and horrifying debut feature by the underwater cameraman rob stewart of toronto characterizes the depletion of the world 's shark population as an ecological catastrophe with dire consequences for humanity .",
      "it may seem strange to contemplate the possibility that sharks are more victim than vicious . yet after stewart makes his case you may find them and their cause , as he does , all-consuming ."
    ],
    "summary": "in addition to its breathtaking underwater photography , MOV has a convincing , impassioned argument of how the plight of sharks affects everyone .",
    "id": "385330535"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1002213-better_off_dead",
    "reviews": [
      "a unique , kooky gem .",
      "unfortunately , only about half of the many jokes and gags in the film are actually funny .",
      "full of ... goofy ironies , and while it ai n't moličre , it is a pretty great entry in the teen-comedy genre . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "hilarious and brilliantly deadpan .",
      "perhaps the greatest movie of all time",
      "forget citizen kane . as a matter of history , this seminal film is unquestionably the finest work of cinema ever made . required viewing for all students and fans of the art form .",
      "i 've rarely met anyone who did n't secretly love it passionately .",
      "classic '80s cusack vehicle .",
      "strives to be offbeat and sometimes works itself into a sweat doing so . the humor often hits the bullseye , however ...",
      "i love this movie , with its bizarre tangents and dream sequences .",
      "MOV 's charm stems from its imagination and attitude .",
      "the film does n't seem to have much of a focus . but it does n't seem to want one , either .",
      "john cusack can even turn a no-brainer into worthwhile entertainment",
      "john cusack launched his career as a lovable loser at love with this teen comedy about a guy who gets dumped when his girlfriend decides to trade up .",
      "although the plot is sweet and simple , the laughs are what make this movie stand out .",
      "it 's a sure bet you 're gon na have fun ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an anarchic mix of black humor and surreal comedy , anchored by john cusack 's winsome , charming performance .",
    "id": "10107"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fast_times_at_ridgemont_high",
    "reviews": [
      "the great high-school comedy that spawned a thousand rip-offs .",
      "the comedy captured the brutal realism of post-sexual-revolution high school life and has been imitated often , rarely equaled , and surpassed only once .",
      "the movie is sublimely funny . and interesting .",
      "lacks the frenzied energy which allowed porky 's to beat all competitors in its field .",
      "a brashly funny yet sensitive comedy that has become a cult favorite .",
      "was never all it was cracked up to be .",
      "sean penn 's calling never left mr. hand 's classroom .",
      "overrated",
      "-lsb- penn -rsb- sets the tone of fun for the whole movie .",
      "this r-rated comedy captured the natural humor of high school life , while also addressing serious topics .",
      "great fun if not quite the great teen pic some believe it to be .",
      "the nice thing is that crowe and director amy heckerling have provided something pleasant to observe in all of these characters though they really are sadly lacking in anything gripping .",
      "what it does n't have is a clear point of view , something that would make it of more interest than leafing through a high school yearbook .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- `` MOV '' is a remarkable outlier in the teen movie genre even if tone-deaf critics such as roger ebert panned the film upon its released in 1982 .",
      "i 'll take something like the breakfast club or many of john hughes films over crowe 's characters any day .",
      "fast times is a brilliant , funny and often challenging examination of teenage life in the early 1980s .",
      "teen movie is full of sex , drugs , and misbehavior .",
      "a cult classic .",
      "director amy heckerling has failed to provide the raunch or poignancy that would interest young moviegoers , all of whom have seen american graffiti and its 467 imitators . ridgemont high ? a nice place to visit , but who would want to transfer there ?",
      "fast times will always be remembered for one thing : showing respect for and insight into the members of its core audience , something that was as rare in the 1980s as it is today .",
      "director amy heckerling almost encourages the film 's shapelessness , letting the individual moments speak for themselves , rather than molding a cohesive whole .",
      "works well because we have the sense that , like crowe , we are listening in .",
      "what plot there is garnishes itself with an array of such like-minded sensibilities that you 'd be hard pushed to find much in the way of fault .",
      "MOV has really stood the test of time . ridgemont will still have you reeling with laughter , and tapping your feet along to those eclectic pop classics .",
      "it 's among the coolest high school films i 've ever seen , and it 's one of the most representative movies of the 80s .",
      "fast times has not endured the passage of time .",
      "may be the greatest teen movie ever made .",
      "an engaging 80s time capsule and an important early film for heckerling and screenwriter cameron crowe .",
      "a jumbled but appealing teen-age comedy with something of a fresh perspective on the subject .",
      "a high school comedy gem",
      "pretty dated now , but it 's early penn. .",
      "how could they do this to jennifer jason leigh ? how could they put such a fresh and cheerful person into such a scuz-pit of a movie ?",
      "... largely prosaic , crude , stereotyped , and pointless .",
      "penn has a huge presence in the film , and every whacked line he utters resonates with the sheer hilarity that he fully believes in what he says",
      "the filmmakers ' attempts to capture the `` real '' high school experience run hot and cold , while the comedy quotient just does n't cut it .",
      "MOV explores adolescent energy with elan .",
      "the panoply of teen types and turmoils is dead-on accurate ."
    ],
    "summary": "while MOV features sean penn 's legendary performance , the film endures because it accurately captured the small details of school , work , and teenage life .",
    "id": "120401662"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_dance_of_reality",
    "reviews": [
      "part of the dance in `` MOV '' is between one 's own destiny and uncontrollable forces .",
      "the loony-goony visuals are still in play , but there 's a sympathy for the audience , a desire to put things to good and even meaningful use .",
      "a lot of the film does n't quite click , either as dream imagery or something more conventional . but there 's a spirit and a yearning in it that 's undeniable and bracing .",
      "say this about the godfather of midnight movies , alejandro jodorowsky : he loves a parade and he puts on a doozy",
      "growing up in a tiny , coastal mining town in northern chile in the 1930s might sound tedious , but only if you have n't seen alejandro jodorowsky 's `` MOV . ''",
      "yep . jodorowsky can still make a trippy , surreal , dream-like movie .",
      "bizarre and graphic , unforgettable and unpredictable .",
      "we never quite know where a jodorowsky film is going to take us . that 's a bonus in the present age of bland predictability .",
      "here the legacy of blood flows in both directions , replicating itself in an infinite dance . while the first half focuses on young alejandro 's relationship with macho authoritarian jaime , the second is as much about the father 's own coming of age .",
      "a thrillingly surrealist exercise , one that plays out like a dream -- sometimes like a nightmare -- as it relates jodorowsky 's semi-autobiographical , coming-of-age tale .",
      "you may not learn much about alejandro jodorowsky 's actual childhood after watching this affecting film . you will see how the situation of his growing up influenced everything else in his life , however .",
      "this is a stirring and strange mix of history , memory , and fantasy .",
      "it is playful and expansive . this film is awesome in the old sense of the word . it is one of the best films of the year .",
      "the 85-year-old chilean director 's brisk recreation of his childhood in the coastal town of tocopilla bursts with eminently buoyant and decidedly earthy passages .",
      "proof that the legendary provocateur is still a font of out-there invention .",
      "indulgent , felliniesque , funny , sad , philosophical , political , religious and some might even say incestuous , jodorowsky 's latest features the filmmaker as the compassionate guardian of his 8 year-old self ...",
      "something very close to a masterpiece .",
      "one of the most unforgettable films of this or any other year in recent memory .",
      "jodorowsky 's first movie in 23 years , and the best thing he 's done , film-wise , since the holy mountain .",
      "a film with an imagination as big as its heart - which is mighty grand , and more powerful than authoritarianism .",
      "the first feature in almost quarter of a century from the veteran director of el topo and santa sangre is a surprisingly witty , accessible magical mystery tour through his past .",
      "by turns playful , tragic and surprisingly light on its feet , this welcome comeback for alejandro jodorowsky should keep its maker fully booked on the fest circuit .",
      "in this movie , the director is bidding farewell to his past , and to his childhood , and perhaps to the world . it is an arresting spectacle .",
      "jodorowsky has crafted a beautiful bricolage which is both easy to digest and engage with and also unlike anything you have seen before . an absolute marvel .",
      "the film is a poem of ideas , a myth , a spectacle - and yet it never ceases to be a story , one with a beginning , a middle and an end . jodorowsky speaks in cyphers , but his storytelling is clear and lucid .",
      "so as flawed as it is throughout , particularly in visual quality , and though it starts to lag toward the end ... we found ourselves gladly feasting , occasionally to laugh-out-loud effect , at the groaning banquet table of MOV ...",
      "nostalgia and narcissism from a cinematic grand master .",
      "a minor success from a major figure .",
      "MOV , which deserves a place alongside amarcord as a fantastical take on coming of age , is the work of a wise and experienced old soul with the passion and curiosity of a young man .",
      "jodorowsky 's images can be stunning , and his ability to acknowledge pain without being depressing is a rare gift . the film is a wayward dream but well worth embracing .",
      "el topo is back . a surprisingly poignant , amarcord-like memoir .",
      "a wonderfully surreal journey into memory and misery , jam-packed with all the oddity and incongruity jodorowsky is known for , still kicking with mischief after all this time away from moviemaking .",
      "despite its many flaws , this is a major work that deserves attention .",
      "it makes sense , in the way that a nightmare makes sense .",
      "i appreciate the theatricality of jodorowsky and his imaginative and hallucinatory way of telling his story . he is definitely a man who follows his own path .",
      "whatever childhood traumas jodorowsky may need to exorcise are ultimately subsumed by the movie 's wild invention and carnivalesque cheer .",
      "the filmmaker 's novel approach to memoir deserves a wider audience . maybe everything has been done before , but never quite like this .",
      "it may hold some interest to cinephiles as a relic of a kind of extravagant , overheated personal cinema that does n't exist anymore .",
      "-lsb- jodorowsky 's -rsb- newfound focus is personal and political , and the vibrant result signals a major talent with plenty more to show us .",
      "MOV may be alejandro jodorowsky 's best film , and certainly , in a filmography top-heavy with freak-show hyperbole and symbology stew , the one most invested in narrative meaning .",
      "more than a return to form , MOV deepens its possibilities without sacrificing the macabre freakishness coursing through the director 's work -- and that 's the prime reason for celebrating its continuation .",
      "a welcome return for an artist who truly deserves the sobriquet el maestro .",
      "alejandro jodorowsky never manages to transcend the sense that he 's indulging himself and participating in a hollow introspection unworthy of his prior cinema .",
      "jodorowsky 's first film in 23 years is a felliniesque voyage into his past . it 's wild and messy , but also vibrantly creative , the work of a boundary-pushing artist who has n't finished exploring .",
      "MOV represents jodorowsky in an accessible mode , telling a version of his life story in a way that will allow anyone who 's never seen any of his work before -lsb- ... -rsb- to get a good sense of who he is and what he 's all about .",
      "the crisp digital has nothing on the bold primary colors of his best work -- but the shape-shifting narrative has a lazy sunday movie watching charm .",
      "the filmmaker makes peace with his difficult youth by accepting that every life is filled with both darkness and light .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- ... `` MOV '' is a loving film that dares to reconstitute atrocious familial , social , and political trespasses as violations to be forgiven in the interest of altering reality .",
      "it had a few el topo moments i could dig , but mostly tested my patience in dealing with jodorowsky 's at times tiresome self-indulgent art .",
      "MOV is a surprisingly moving , emotionally satisfying experience , which twirls you round in a warm , confident embrace , making sure to toss in plenty of its director 's signature madcap moves .",
      "this probably is n't an ideal starting point for a jodorowsky novice , but fans of the fellini brand of self-referential biography cinema may find it appealing .",
      "it is absolutely crazy -- but it 's the good kind of crazy .",
      "it wo n't be to all tastes -lrb- graphic nudity , full-frontal urination -rrb- and is more hallucinatory memory book than straight autobiography , but what a journey it is .",
      "this is the work of someone coming to terms with their past , transmuting the traumas of childhood into the building blocks of adult awareness .",
      "you may not know what to think of it , but you 'll be glad that it exists .",
      "at first the film seems overly stagey , and those with little time for circus acts may find it irritating , but when jodorowsky hits his surreal stride ."
    ],
    "summary": "this long-overdue return from alejandro jodorowsky finds him just as overflowing with imagination -- and heart -- as fans have come to expect .",
    "id": "771355924"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pathfinder",
    "reviews": [
      "director marcus nispel continues in MOV the gory/lame tradition he began with his texas chainsaw massacre remake .",
      "though you ca n't say MOV does n't deliver the goods , action-wise , the movie often has trouble sticking to its story between battles or involving us with its characters and its self-consciously mythic hero .",
      "heroic fantasy of the first order , from filmmakers who obviously studied the paintings of frank frazetta and the writings of robert e. howard .",
      "once the actual fighting begins , the film turns dull and lifeless . from beginning to end , the film plods when it should pulse .",
      "a chaotic piece of storytelling , told with the dull flash of quick-cut editing , ugly cinematography , and clichés that apparently pre-date columbus ' journey to the new world .",
      "MOV 's moody , muddy look is courtesy of music-video director marcus nispel , who does n't distinguish between people and tree trunks when it comes to emotional content .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- compelling example of purely cinematic storytelling that eschews almost all dialogue and lets moody colors and visceral action tell a tale that is mythic and metaphoric ...",
      "it 's all a mess , but the scenery is nice .",
      "even an epic film with the best of intentions can be badly directed . and here 's a fine example . `` MOV , '' with its silly melodrama of a script , is proof of this .",
      "whatever significance the legend had gets lost amid the repellent butchery .",
      "... little more than an excuse to present a bunch of slice and dice battle scenes filmed with murky cinematography and a notable absence of emotional resonance .",
      "the movie is part apocalypto -lrb- warriors , threat of hostile takeover , violence ! -rrb- and part 300 -lrb- warriors , threat of hostile takeover , violence ! -rrb- , but with the commercial misfortune of being neither .",
      "it 's not our idea of a good time , but we 'll bet that plenty of adolescent boys will be doing their best to look 18 years old this weekend .",
      "celebrates a sense of identity and community more importantly defined by a shared set of convictions , than blood ties or dna .",
      "at times hallucinatory but ultimately , utterly forgettable .",
      "are these really the ancestors of ikea ?",
      "pure cheesy spectacle , as bad as anything you 'd find on ` mystery science theater 3000 , ' and with plenty of absurd dialogue for the hecklers to ridicule .",
      "all cinematic creativity seems to have focused on devising the most repellent ways to maim and murder .",
      "director marcus nispel , best known for his music video shoots delivers all style and no substance , sacrificing story for a good sword up the ass everytime .",
      "muddled , ugly , pointless , silly , incoherent , overly familiar and exceedingly dull .",
      "strives to be a latter-day conan the barbarian .",
      "the movie takes us on a journey to an ugly , contentious period in our misty , ancient past -- all the way back to four months ago , when apocalypto came out .",
      "the design , the limited , primitive color palette and the breathless , primal violence make MOV work about as well as any movie with this director and this cast and villains who speak norwegian was going to work .",
      "filled with foggy shots stolen from lotr and laden with decapitations , MOV is faux-period gore trash with no redeeming qualities and a high dullness factor . find another path .",
      "the film is one expertly staged battle after another , but it seems to be less about violence than about the frustration and fear behind violence . MOV makes sure its carnage is bloody , awful and pointless . but pretty .",
      "loud and overbusy but never exciting , MOV is an action film only insofar as airborne prop heads and severed appendages equal action .",
      "turns history into the equivalent of a horror movie , one with a less-than-stellar cast and some serious plot holes .",
      "dialogue is a low priority in this film , which has less plot than most video games .",
      "the story makes conan the barbarian seem like dostoyevsky in its complexity .",
      "there 's a fan 's sincere hokeyness about MOV that makes the experience relatively painless , in spite of the number of people who get tortured , decapitated or dismembered .",
      "this one is an instant mystery science theatre 3000 classic , ideal for watching on tv with loud friends .",
      "MOV sweeps fantasy to a new level : gritty , layered , chill-chasing .",
      "after the first 1,000 or so beheadings , impalements and severed limbs , MOV 's slash may just induce sleep .",
      "this latest bit of historical balder-dash stands in direct defiance of proven action-movie formulas , trusting its brutal concept and striking visuals to overcome a lack of star power .",
      "never has an idea of such splendid nuttiness been so squandered to the god of neurotic style .",
      "MOV is simultaneously action-packed and a total bore , a strange movie that never seems to move even though it consists of almost nothing but violence .",
      "gory but disappointing .",
      "without anything more to offer , the choreographed carnage gets stale very quickly .",
      "MOV 's main appeal will be to connoisseurs of gore , who will find no shortage of graphically rendered stabbings , shootings , smashings , severings and slicings .",
      "imagine a heavy metal album cover come suddenly to life and you pretty much have the measure of MOV .",
      "the fault here lies in the film 's dead rhythm , which never lights the sparks necessary for an action film . the plot and action progress like an eroding lakeshore , but the energy and excitement are washed away in every scene .",
      "had the camera been a firing squad pointed towards its actors , their careers would have taken less damage .",
      "a one-note slog through some painfully familiar territory .",
      "it 's a tedious experience in almost every way : the acting is numbingly one-note , the cgi work is unconvincing and often downright shoddy , and the action is poorly staged and framed so close you can never tell for sure who is lopping off whose head .",
      "metal heads will be in valhalla ; everyone else should find a different path .",
      "the movie is filmed in a way that makes it seem like the camera has epilepsy and the color desaturation renders everything murky . someone should remind director marcus nispel that there 's a difference between making a music video and a feature film .",
      "another graphic novel-y movie that presents its maniacal machismo on a smaller scale than 300 but makes up for it by being even loonier .",
      "when placed inside a film featuring vikings that look more like members of gwar and karl urban trying to act butch enough to cover the fact that he 's running around in a dishrag and uggs , any opportunity to stop the film to chat is a bad idea .",
      "like beastmaster or conan but without the wit or inspiration .",
      "i did n't think it was possible to make a movie involving vikings worse than 1978 's the norsemen starring lee majors , but director marcus nispel and company have accomplished just that with this formulaic piece of poorly made pc trash .",
      "as dim and dank as a power failure in a peepshow , MOV is apocalypto without the laughs or 300 without the muscular visuals and elevating dialogue .",
      "undone by a murky palette , silly horror-movie cliches , dumb dialogue and a confusing climactic sequence .",
      "no more than a minute into this , and it becomes obvious that the next 98 are going to be trouble .",
      "the official MOV web site is far more interesting than the movie itself , and you 'll get better history lessons from the vikings of minnesota .",
      "the end of the road almost makes this a path worth taking , but most audience members will probably be too bored by the time the movie finally gets there to really care .",
      "must the 13-year-old boy hollywood seems most eager to please also be a sadist ? first came apocalypto , then 300 , now MOV .",
      "there are two kinds of people in the world : those who think slow-motion is cool and those who do not . if you are of the former , i can recommend MOV .",
      "the plot and action progress like an eroding lakeshore , but the energy and excitement are washed away in every scene .",
      "i was so irritated that i paid money to see this that i snuck into two movies afterward to feel better about my investment . boooooooooring .",
      "boasting a prettified brutality that rivals that of 300 , MOV also explores a similar theme , the manly pursuit of revenge at any cost .",
      "for all its flaws , MOV is a unique little action film .",
      "it 's a movie that belies its title , showing neither a strong sense of direction nor the drive to do anything other than display a whole lot of slashing and stabbing .",
      "the plot ... can be summed up neatly in four words : hack ! slash ! grunt ! splat ! make that five : every once in a while one of the dying vikings lets out a loud , homer simpson-style 'd ` oh ! ' before departing for valhalla .",
      "what killed this film in the theater was the lack of plot .",
      "in the movie 's attempts to create drama amid the action , as in a downhill sled chase , all energy is sapped , and the audience ends up feeling nothing .",
      "here 's hoping MOV ii is a straight-to-video - game release .",
      "blood flows freely here , but the movie never creates a keen sense of involvement or mystery . even a major cliffhanging -lrb- literally -rrb- set piece winds up blurred by the addition of a blinding snowstorm .",
      "cool concept and stylish visuals aside , MOV is n't strong enough to offer the type of prolonged escapism one might expect from a movie that pits vikings against indians .",
      "though MOV was completed before 300 and the equally artful and brutal apocalypto , it can still do nothing but slog along in their footprints .",
      "all basic interest , to say nothing of excitement , is sapped whenever the big , brutal battle sequences come to a halt and inane dialogue takes over .",
      "all grunting , all goring , the witless action flick MOV has little to recommend it .",
      "so bad , i was hoping everyone would die in the end , so i would n't have to sit through a sequel .",
      "... given that battles between unequal forces have been a constant in human history , it provides some food for thought amidst the bloodshed ."
    ],
    "summary": "a few rousing action sequences ca n't make up for MOV 's non-existent plot and silly dialogue .",
    "id": "387541669"
  },
  {
    "movie": "never_back_down",
    "reviews": [
      "pretty much all of MOV is shot like an episode of punk 'd , with a soundtrack from an mtv2 playlist . which is all perfectly appropriate and kinda fun .",
      "i laughed so much at the litany of clichés that i finally had to admit i was entertained from start to finish by this cheesy knock-off .",
      "you could call this `` fight club jr. '' blended with `` karate kid redux '' and `` the fast and the furious again . ''",
      "proves to be a bit of a guilty pleasure",
      "when i think of tough fighters the first thing i think is disney world . you can take so much of that place before you want to go and beat the heck out of someone .",
      "maybe it 's just a genre picture , but scene after scene in MOV displays vitality and wit . this is the year 's first good-looking and fully enjoyable american movie .",
      "compulsively watchable ... there 's always something viscerally exciting about watching kung fu fighters whaling on each other .",
      "if you thought the problem with step up 2 : the streets was that there were n't enough kicks to the head , this virtual remake is for you .",
      "the story does have its moments , but for the most part it 's a paint-by-the-numbers affair .",
      "with its thin characters and derivative plot , the finished product seems more like a marketing concept than an actual film .",
      "this film 's achilles ' heel is its brain .",
      "it 's a little karate kid , a smidge of fight club ... a lot of the o.c. -lrb- evil boy gigandet played an evil boy on that series -rrb- , and presto : probable hit .",
      "as tennessee williams so often intimated , there 's always something to prove down south - typically one 's homoerotically-charged sense of manhood .",
      "definitely better than a swift kick to the head , but it 's just about as subtle .",
      "a pulpy piece of formulaic genre entertainment that couches its nonviolent message in a series of over-the-top , sweaty smack-downs designed to please youtube 's backyard brawl bunch .",
      "the movie is just a cheesy , preposterous , semi-eroticized way of yelling , ` fight ! fight ! , ' when two people go at it in the school cafeteria .",
      "as much as MOV tries to be the fist and the furious , it 's really just a load of raging bullsh*t .",
      "tyler does not live on planet earth , but planet hollywood formula , where the storm clouds of fight club hang over the once charming but now seedy landscape of the karate kid .",
      "never see movies that give stupid macho advice in their titles .",
      "jeff wadlow directed this exploitation flick , which seems designed for students on spring break .",
      "if mystery science theater 3000 ever makes a comeback , i 've got its first movie . a soulless blend of bad action , bad acting and worse writing , MOV is tolerable only if merciless wisecrackers are offering commentary .",
      "remember in the '80s when they used to make all those stupid fight movies ? MOV is just like that . i was in the mood for a stupid '80s fight movie where fights happen just because we want to see fights .",
      "while both -lsb- this movie and `` karate kid '' -rsb- are unintentionally hilarious , the difference is no one will remember `` MOV '' in two weeks , let alone 20 years .",
      "the fights are parceled out at intervals during the last half , all leading to a climactic battle . but it 's hard to build suspense when you know it is coming and you know who will win .",
      "MOV is a compulsory guilty pleasure . think : save the last dance meets fight club meets 8 mile meets youtube .",
      "this movie is n't bad just because it follows a formula slavishly but because it does so without verve or passion .",
      "the ethical nitwittery of `` fight so you do n't have to fight again '' and invocations of the iliad in this context brazenly transform a dumb bone-cruncher into a putridly dissembling one .",
      "yesterday 's fight club is today 's `` combat club '' in this battle of teen six-pack abs .",
      "a modest surprise : better acted than needed , better made than expected .",
      "the karate kid joins the fight club and kicks butt !",
      "high school fight club . discover new star sean faris and his homoerotic nemesis cam gigandet .",
      "this unlikely hybrid of the karate kid and fight club is formulaic and derivative , but sufficiently well made to work as both teen-angst melodrama and bone-rattling brawl picture .",
      "seriously , when it comes to filling your soundtrack with whiny , alt-rock ballads , you should highly consider backing down .",
      "the 1980s are alive but not very well in MOV ...",
      "fetishised footage of taut , muscular young men grappling with and pounding on each other . all i could think was , `` oh , go ahead . back down . we 'll all be happier . ''",
      "... the plot is practically a remake of the karate kid . that may be sufficiently long ago that the target audience of teens wo n't notice , but it 's pretty blatant .",
      "at its core MOV is just another teen exploitation movie , but middle-age viewers who wander into the theater might get the same giddy rush as the kids .",
      "the human body ca n't do or withstand the things this movie claims it can , and one can only hope that pic 's probable success does n't trigger a dramatic rise in schoolyard body-slams , arm locks and chokeholds .",
      "a cross between `` the karate kid '' and `` fight club , '' though without the a-list cast . that 's right , the a-list cast . when compared to the d-listers assembled in `` back down , '' pat morita and ralph macchio might as well be a-list .",
      "movie is dopey . and with its emphasis on stupid violence , xylophone abs , and getting yourself on youtube , it 's yet another product that makes you feel bad about today 's youth culture .",
      "gigandet chews up the scenery like he is a gigantic , post-apocalyptic termite bent on destruction .",
      "director jeff wadlow and screenwriter chris hauty offer viewers nothing that they ca n't see done better on spike tv or one of the espn clones .",
      "jeff wadlow 's direction is disorderly .",
      "if you think about what this film is saying , the superficiality is overwhelming .",
      "even for the trashy sub-genre it belongs to , `` MOV '' is sadly just lazy action pablum as will the five straight to dvd sequels be . i 'll just stick to `` karate kid '' ...",
      "towering above all is hounsou , whose performance grants MOV a measure of dignity .",
      "a formula flick that should have tapped out in the script stage .",
      "by the time ever-noble , ever-watchable djimon hounsou shows up to teach earnest young jake honor and roundhouse kicks , the power-rock and smashmouth idiocy become like a fever dream , sweaty and hard to shake off .",
      "enjoyably trashy teen flick that plays like a dumbed-down version of fight club , enlivened by an engaging lead performance by star-in-the-making sean faris .",
      "the karate kid meets fight club but it 's no way near as good as it sounds .",
      "speaking as someone who approached MOV with curiosity and hope rather than a sense of obligation , i implore you to stay away .",
      "the acting is hammy , djimon hounsou shows up to give the flick a corny air of karate kid and there 's nothing particularly original about the whole premise but somehow it works . it must be those abs . or the kicks to them .",
      "come back mr miyagi , all is forgiven .",
      "even though it 's as predictable as a pro-wrestling match , what it lacks in originality it makes up for in the nervous energy of youth and testosterone .",
      "imagine if fight club impregnated step up . their bastard child would be MOV .",
      "while the character of jake is n't an emotionally taxing one , faris has his moments , especially in a low-key scene in which he attempts to explain why his character is full of rage .",
      "here 's what i hoped for : someone to root for , someone to root against , an inspiring coach , some eye candy and , of course , training montages . i got what i wanted .",
      "bloody fight film has heart , but it 's no champion .",
      "a naive and truly obnoxious movie about the world of mixed martial arts .",
      "people that actually think the trailer looks cool will probably like the movie enough and it does have some cool fights , i just could n't get past the fact that the movie gave you no one to root for .",
      "the result is an entertaining roller coaster of emotions and actions , with djimon hounsou bringing dignity and meaning to his role as jean , the martial arts coach with his own demons to conquer",
      "a sort of teenage fight club , complete with daddy issues , MOV is a slight refinement of the sort of picture that was ascendant in the '80s ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "a generic , violent underdog story that pays a lot of lip service to non-violence when its characters are n't busy kicking and punching the tar out of each other .",
      "a cliché-ridden guilty pleasure .",
      "MOV is a tired , asinine attempt to piggyback on a fight club subculture and it does wonders to make mma seem like the most idiotic undertaking in recent memory .",
      "mr. miyagi would not be pleased .",
      "if you combined the karate kid with fight club , then threw in a dash of the o.c. and you got served then beat it with a stick until it was really stupid , you 'd have something twice as smart as MOV .",
      "amid all this conventional-plotty mishmash , it 's not a newsflash that the role of jean , the tireless , morally upright and vaguely spiritual mentor , is especially grating .",
      "director jeff wadlow finds a sort of nobility in the subject matter than you might not expect for a film that consists in large part of bloodthirsty mobs clamoring for violence .",
      "finally , a movie that tells us what to do actually has something to say .",
      "MOV offers extreme fighting as the modern-day alternative to sex , drugs and rock 'n' roll .",
      "in lieu of character development we get musical montages , and the film is sliced and diced more than all of sweeney todd 's victims combined .",
      "you have had soup deeper than this film , and a referee should have been on hand to call foul on the acting .",
      "in the future , movies this derivative will be made by robots .",
      "surprisingly , the movie is not terrible . in fact , it 's watchable -- if you can stand the sight of people pummeling each other .",
      "MOV is teensploitation at its most obvious -- a boneheaded cliche-rama built around six-pack-ab standoffs between preening studs .",
      "... spouts a hollow message of nonviolence while celebrating the brutal satisfaction of beating the crap out of someone .",
      "bruising but brainless teen action-melodrama ... like a match that delivers a few good punches but drags on to a dull and predictable end .",
      "is MOV so bad it 's good , or just plain bad ? really , it 's a little bit of both ."
    ],
    "summary": "though not without its pleasures , MOV faithfully adheres to every imaginable fight movie cliché .",
    "id": "770681995"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pinocchio_1940",
    "reviews": [
      "gorgeous",
      "possibly the best disney animated feature",
      "clearly the high-water mark of disney 's animated features ; very nearly the high-water mark of american commercial film .",
      "maybe the best disney of them all -- and that 's no wooden compliment .",
      "arguably the greatest of the studio 's hand-drawn animated films , a technical and emotional marvel that has lost none of its charm , humor , or horror in the nearly 70 years since its initial theatrical release",
      "perhaps the high water mark for walt disney pictures . sixty-five years still have n't produced its equal .",
      "it 's an exciting and sometimes , for younger kids , scary adventure .",
      "MOV is truly a frightening tale that parents need to carefully consider whether to show their children .",
      "a marvel and a joy to behold , it 's the real thing . it 's the stuff that dreams -- and nightmares -- are made of .",
      "one of disney 's greatest triumphs .",
      "continues to shine bright as one of the most magical and delightful films in the disney animated library .",
      "MOV is above all a cautionary story of the dangers that lurk beyond the comforting arms of the family .",
      "one of the crown jewels of american cinema , and arguably the most beautiful animated movie in history .",
      "dreams are something we all need to have , irrespective of age ; this uplifting fable reminds us of that .",
      "even in our cynical age , it still manages to impress .",
      "at the heart of this art is the thrill of the then-new : when MOV hits sea-base and gushes `` gee ! what a big place ! '' , we share a sense of joy at the filmmakers ' creative adventures .",
      "although it may lack the heart-tugging appeal of snow white and the seven dwarfs , the consensus among animation fans is that 1940 's MOV remains the most perfect animated feature walt disney produced .",
      "some films you think you know well , until you revisit them , and are struck all over again by that sense of wonder that moved you in the first place .",
      "in spirit a classical european fairy tale , full of wonder and terror ... a pinnacle of artistic achievement that , after bambi , classic disney would never even try to match again .",
      "the original scared straight !",
      "can be enjoyed by both the young and old for its fine detailed craftsmanship and pleasing fairytale story .",
      "for today 's knotty kids , MOV 's tale still has a few lessons , especially for little boys who lie , ditch school and go to amusement parks .",
      "not up there with the very top echelon of disney classics , but MOV will still work its magic on younger viewers .",
      "was there ever a scarier , more exciting animated feature than MOV ?",
      "it 's still amazing to watch the sheer delight in movement and the sheer joy in decorating the frame with colors and shapes .",
      "nope , no perverted subtext here .",
      "MOV is a substantial piece of entertainment for young and old .",
      "the charm , humor and loving care with which it treats its inanimate characters puts it in a class by itself .",
      "it still is the best thing mr. disney has done and therefore the best cartoon ever made .",
      "probably shows disney 's virtues and vices more clearly than any other cartoon .",
      "a witty , touching , beautifully composed fable with strong biblical undertones .",
      "the moral lessons include a literalization of metaphors about lying and other forms of misbehaving , and the grasp of a little boy 's emotions and behavior often borders on the uncanny ."
    ],
    "summary": "ambitious , adventurous , and sometimes frightening , MOV arguably represents the pinnacle of disney 's collected works -- it 's beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant .",
    "id": "22471"
  },
  {
    "movie": "drumline",
    "reviews": [
      "with its young cast and an appealing balance of uplifting attitude and irreverent humor , MOV has the potential to be a sleeper hit .",
      "while you might not be able to dance to it , MOV has a good enough beat to propel it and make being in a marching band look cool .",
      "shakes , rattles and rolls the house .",
      "MOV sags a little toward the middle ... but the final showdown is a skills - 'n' - style spectacular that feels like vibrant outtake from a highly choreographed civil war .",
      "-lsb- has -rsb- an abundance of heart and humor .",
      "there is nothing inspirational about MOV and the only interesting parts occur in the film 's final stanza .",
      "the band scenes are downright gladiatorial in their visceral impact and energy ... edited with the tightness of a snare drum and photographed with the geometrical majesty of a busby berkeley musical .",
      "better than it has any right to be , yet remains an uneven affair not good enough to be worth running out and seeing .",
      "i love that we get into this world of marching bands . we barely see any football players -- we see the top of their helmets as they 're getting out of the way .",
      "any movie that makes hard work seem heroic deserves a look .",
      "see this film to remind yourself what the great marching bands look and sound like .",
      "more than compensating for the formula script are MOV 's tuneful glory and driving rhythms , along with a pulsating vitality that never flags .",
      "MOV is a movie that treats its characters and audience with respect ; it ca n't be accused of being a dumbed-down teen comedy .",
      "by the time its otherwise paint-by-numbers story reaches a finale , MOV has made band seem cool -- no small feat in the wake of american pie 2 .",
      "it 's pretty warm , fuzzy and entertaining , even if it is n't very good .",
      "MOV is a brassy formula film of a very high order , a movie that 's both entertaining and inspirational .",
      "MOV has got the beat . this terrific film will have your feet tapping in movie-going joy .",
      "this is the same formula with different variables .",
      "... enthusiastically invokes the percussion rhythm , the brass soul and the sense of fierce competition that helps make great marching bands half the fun of college football games .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is entertaining for what it does , and admirable for what it does n't do .",
      "rife with nutty cliches and far too much dialogue .",
      "at times , MOV is almost like the moments before an electrical storm - your hair stands on end ; your heart beats faster because of the adrenaline rush ; and your ears pop because of the pressure change in the air .",
      "do n't expect any surprises in this checklist of teamwork cliches ...",
      "perhaps it 's cliche to call the film ` refreshing , ' but it is . ` MOV ' shows a level of young , black manhood that is funny , touching , smart and complicated .",
      "devon 's story is affecting , but it is the action on the field that makes the movie something special .",
      "there 's a reason why people go to the bathroom during halftime .",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- ear in mind that this is a movie whose climax features the kind of college football halftime antics you might normally take a bathroom break to avoid watching .",
      "the symbols float like butterflies and the spinning styx sting like bees . i wanted more .",
      "... this film has a vibrant and edgy feel to it making it a cut above the others .",
      "a superlative b movie -- funny , sexy , and rousing .",
      "pretty formulaic stuff ... but the specific setting ... sets it apart .",
      "charles stone iii is a craftsman with brains and taste , an instinctive sense of where to put the camera and the discipline not to belabor scenes .",
      "there 's something about a marching band that gets me where i live .",
      "offers little that 's surprising or groundbreaking , but , because the script is smart enough not to insult us and to develop a group of interesting characters , the act of watching the film is an entertaining experience rather than a tedious exercise .",
      "amazing ! a college story that works even without vulgarity , sex scenes , and cussing !",
      "MOV has plenty of opportunity to shift into sports-movie autopilot and resists it at every turn , valuing discovery over expectation .",
      "maybe you 've seen most of these things before . but you 've rarely seen them in such an exuberant setting .",
      "not exactly worth a drum roll but a movie with enough collegiate ka-boom to earn its title , MOV is a percussion-driven musical variation on every sports pic you 've seen about the talented hot dog who eventually learns to become a team player .",
      "its over-reliance on genre conventions , character types and formulaic conflict resolutions crushes all the goodwill it otherwise develops .",
      "in place of bring it on 's humor , MOV lays it on thick with a message a minute , all clichéd .",
      "brimming with energy and spirit .",
      "MOV is -- the mere suggestion , albeit a visually compelling one , of a fully realized story .",
      "a big , loud , bang-the-drum bore .",
      "what the story lacks in surprise , it more than makes up for in flamboyance .",
      "this entertaining and enthusiastically told tale shrewdly energizes its way-familiar plot line by setting it amid one of the greatest and least-known spectacles in american sports .",
      "director charles stone iii fails to find a coherent grammar with which to shoot the band performances , leaving them flat and at a remove from the exuberant , pull-out-the-stops crowd pleasers they are presumably intended to be .",
      "it 's pretty difficult to resist the film 's freshly choreographed charm .",
      "director charles stone iii applies more detail to the film 's music than to the story line ; what 's best about MOV is its energy .",
      "who knew marching band could be so dramatic ?",
      "as you watch the drummers pound out their polyrhythms and twirl their sticks , you may find it hard to stay in your seat .",
      "although it bangs a very cliched drum at times , this crowd-pleaser 's fresh dialogue , energetic music , and good-natured spunk are often infectious .",
      "cannon 's confidence and laid-back good spirits are , with the drumming routines , among the film 's saving graces .",
      "outstanding cast , great message , strong language .",
      "this is such a high-energy movie where the drumming and the marching are so excellent , who cares if the story 's a little weak .",
      "in the film , snappily directed by charles stone 3d , the marching bands ' duels are as fun as the cheerleader wars in bring it on .",
      "MOV comes close to collapsing under the weight of drawn-out scenes and an earnest story that piles on minor themes and subplots , but the energy and visual kick of the band numbers saves the day .",
      "sure , you can say this marches to a similar beat as bring it on , but even if it is formulaic , MOV is fun .",
      "MOV ably captures the complicated relationships in a marching band .",
      "a thoroughly formulaic movie ... the only truly new element here is the musicmaking background , and it 's a fairly easy transplant .",
      "not a bad way to spend a couple of hours .",
      "an exhilarating serving of movie fluff .",
      "even if we 've seen it before , it comes up fresh in this version .",
      "MOV is the real deal , a toe-tapping , feel-good sleeper with an unlikely setting -- a college marching band -- that feels fresh and rousing despite a formulaic script .",
      "charles stone iii has assembled a diverse and dramatic piece of material that is indebted as much to america 's love of sports as it is to america 's problems with raising men .",
      "... it must be a good story , it 's been told so many times before .",
      "the film 's saving grace is the brilliant execution of its march numbers .",
      "`` MOV '' makes marching bands as soul-stirring as raise-the-roof gospel and more irresistibly , foot-stompingly , hip-hoppily thrilling than any video currently playing on mtv .",
      "the fantastically edited scenes of battling bands in action are guaranteed to set your heart racing .",
      "MOV has a lower profile than almost any other holiday movie , yet it boasts a higher fun quotient than many of its more touted competitors .",
      "true bandos can see themselves in this exuberant , charismatic and lovingly accurate college marching-band movie that faked no flavor while staying in step with themes of instruction , character and respect .",
      "it 's a shame films of this ilk do n't make it into theaters often .",
      "director charles stone iii , once again takes on overly familiar material and gives it an enthusiastic spin .",
      "a most unusual musical ... learning something from his subject , stone gives the picture a snappy rhythm . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "... though the movie does overstay its welcome , it 's never boring and the majority of the music is infectiously catchy ...",
      "a fun story for the whole family -- with some very good lessons about growing up .",
      "slick choreography and a confident performance by orlando jones keep this tale from beating to the tune of the same old drum ."
    ],
    "summary": "essentially a sports movie with drums , the energetic MOV somehow manages to make the familiar seem fresh .",
    "id": "10577"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_rocket",
    "reviews": [
      "australian writer/director kim mordaunt was inspired to make this wistful , often lyrical film after his 2007 documentary bomb harvest ... thankfully he layers the unavoidable political notes with real warmth , humour and character .",
      "one of the most exotic coming-of-age movies you 're likely to see .",
      "endearing , gripping and heartwarming , MOV recently won the `` world narrative competition '' prize at tribeca , and it 's easy to see why . the picture is crowd pleasing and enjoyable , but admiringly respectful and carefully considered .",
      "the particulars of laos 's historical conflicts are sometimes only obliquely confronted , but the torrid past of covered-up wars palpably echoes through the scarred yet majestic landscapes .",
      "MOV is a well-constructed delivery system for sparkly cheer , but it lacks a more substantial payload .",
      "uplifting , engrossing and thrilling while remaining accessible to both art-house and mainstream audiences . it 's destined to become a sleeper hit .",
      "mordaunt does n't always succeed at balancing the sentimental , the political and the ethnographic , but at its strongest the story is a seamless melding of history 's dark undertow and a child 's indefatigable optimism .",
      "disamoe demonstrates the resourcefulness he learned during a period when he was a street seller and beggar . it 's his exuberant performance , as much as the pungently naturalistic setting , that lifts MOV 's scenario above the generic .",
      "a pretty , somewhat sleepy and finally strange once-upon-a-time tale ...",
      "long on atmosphere and less sentimental about poverty than `` beasts of the southern wild , '' the film carries a potent charge of authenticity .",
      "in ` MOV ' the children and outcasts triumph because they are innocent enough to believe and act as though the impossible is possible .",
      "a coming-of-age tale infused with fantastic elements that more than compensate for its predictability .",
      "the characters may be clichés , but the performances are utterly fresh .",
      "a hugely enjoyable , thoroughly infectious feature debut .",
      "it has a great story to tell and subtly mixes the comedic and dramatic genres . some moments will leave you smiling . other moments will leave you on the edge of your seat .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- a feel-good , triumph-over-adversity story involving a small boy and , although this outcome also is n't in any doubt , at least the journey is fascinating and it 's been made with a heart that is warm .",
      "this utterly charming , fable-like coming of age tale will live longer in the hearts and minds of audiences .",
      "vivid , travelogue-y village pic .",
      "try not to fall off the edge of your seat during the film 's nail-biting final scenes .",
      "despite some dark edges , this crowd-pleasing laotian drama is far too heartwarming for its own good .",
      "it is a likable piece of work whose gentleness is an interesting contrast to the grim and even tragic subject matter .",
      "if the laotians in the film appear to be superstitious simpletons , it 's not because they actually are - it 's because mr. mordaunt made them so .",
      "inescapeable hopelessness turns out to be neither",
      "a vital fairytale about a ten-year-old laotian boy whose family thinks he 's been cursed since birth , `` MOV '' is an unlikely heartwarmer .",
      "in some ways , it feels like a throwback to many '80s teen movies , where everything comes down to a competition at the end , and the hero will finally get the chance to prove his worth .",
      "a coming-of-age fable driven by naturalistic performances and a poignant atmosphere of loss .",
      "this engaging fable oscillates between feel-good spunk and unexpected tragedy , and hits the right notes along the way .",
      "it follows a search for personal salvation while painting a portrait of laotian life that 's both revealing and relatable .",
      "a powerful , deeply moving drama about a young boy who comes to terms with the tragedies that have befallen his family by creating a thing of beauty - a gorgeous , high-flying rocket emitting triumphant bursts of color - out of refuse left by the war .",
      "a first -lsb- feature -rsb- for both mordaunt 's filmography and the country 's catalogue of internationally-released titles and it 's difficult to imagine a debut being stronger .",
      "MOV wo n't change anyone 's world , but as a pleasantly sweet piece of world cinema , it 's still worth seeing and being charmed by .",
      "a stirring , lushly-constructed celebration of youthful spirit .",
      "this strikingly original feelgood fable is artfully balanced between director kim mordaunt 's roots in documentary and a spellbinding magic realism .",
      "a simple but charming , affecting and thought-provoking story , rich in atmosphere and local history , and beautifully acted by its young leads .",
      "a lao-brow fable that resonates richly with the realities of globalisation .",
      "kim mordaunt 's when-life-gives-you-land-mines tale is light on well-drawn characters , but its performances , especially from the nonprofessional junior members , more than light the fuse for the finale .",
      "the visually stunning location of laos provides an enthralling and evocative backdrop for director/screenwriter kim mordaunt 's engaging film MOV , a lush and bruising coming-of-age story .",
      "the adventures of a 10-year-old laotian boy are subject to radically different interpretations in MOV , australian documentarian kim mordaunt 's impressive narrative debut .",
      "formulaic but likeable .",
      "... an immaculately crafted , visually stunning and affecting rite-of-passage drama",
      "never less than charming and stirring in its ability to recreate a childhood that overcomes chaos , MOV , abetted with a convincing cast led by two superb child actors , proves instantly why it 's been winning accolades worldwide .",
      "there 's this lovely sense of texture of a culture . there is a traditional narrative arc .",
      "the film is not only a feel-good affair , though it certainly is that - it has something of significance to say .",
      "it 's an emotionally forceful film , hurtling towards the kind of conclusion that western audiences want to see .",
      "MOV is a thoroughly infectious yarn set among the jungles of laos .",
      "the director moves the incident-packed story line at an energetic pace ; there 's never a dull moment . you 're bound to hear applause as the final credits roll .",
      "recalling the captivating essence of niki caro 's whale rider -lrb- 2002 -rrb- in its telling of a life with fate and faith in its corner , this australian/laotian/thai co-production could find similar breakout success once -lrb- inevitably warm -rrb- word of mouth spreads .",
      "if you are n't moved by the `` MOV '' your heart is defective",
      "with its themes of loss and redemption , MOV is effective , simple storytelling with many layers and a film that tells more stories than its narrative suggests",
      "working with an untested cast , mordaunt uses all the tools at his command to engineer a film that has won major awards at tribeca , including best actor for the young disamoe . he relies on plenty of coverage and the skills of talented editor nick meyers",
      "a true original , depicting a culture rarely filmed , observed with a respectful but never overly reverential eye .",
      "crowd-pleasers come in many mysterious packages , and there might not be a bigger crowd-pleaser this year than MOV ; a disarming fable about a makeshift family desperately seeking a place to live in a ravaged laos .",
      "an extremely rewarding and entertaining film made all the stronger for the integrity and cultural details that underpin it .",
      "MOV was designed as a crowd pleaser , and it does that : it combines the danger of the unknown with the safety of feel-good narrative expectations for film festival success , and perhaps even general release victory .",
      "beautifully cloaked as an affecting coming of age tale , this award winning drama also says a great deal about a part of the world rarely seen on screen ."
    ],
    "summary": "a feel-good success crafted with care , kim mordaunt 's story of two young kids in laos is a heartfelt audience pleaser while remaining sensitive toward its subjects .",
    "id": "771354621"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hard_candy",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's well worth seeing , because it is well made -- apart from a few gaps in logic -- and well acted .",
      "MOV is not perfect , but it is a provocative piece of filmmaking with a dark and daring heart that makes it worth seeing .",
      "if slade 's intent is so clever , then why is the film so stupid as to hamfist a two-hour anti-pedophilia psa down the throats of an entire culture that , by and large , already agrees with the premise ... ?",
      "a calculated provocation with pretensions to public service value -lrb- think of the infamous ` molester ' episode of ` diff'rent strokes ' -rrb- .",
      "... icky , incoherent thriller ...",
      "the aptly named MOV is a challenging , flawed but strangely engrossing film .",
      "MOV is an exploitation film , with very little happening but a guy getting tortured for about 75 minutes of screen time .",
      "... a film that gives you something to think about , raising questions that linger long after the theater lights have brightened .",
      "it 's cinematic s&m , a bondage-control game masquerading as a thriller .",
      "... no matter who does what to whom , what you 're looking at is my torture session with andrew , in one way or another .",
      "a great suspence thriller in the likes of misery",
      "as MOV moves further and further away from its opening scenes ' gripping ambiguity , the frightening conviction page brings to her role becomes the only thing keeping the film from lurching into sleazy , pulpy camp .",
      "is n't merely difficult to swallow , but none too tasty going down .",
      "this is what horror films are all about .",
      "it 's the kind of indie film that makes its mark by a controversial theme , an infamous scene , and dines out on its film-festival buzz .",
      "thoroughly confounding the ` normal ' relationship between abuser and victim , first-time director slade presents a complex morality tale under the guise of an exploitation thriller .",
      "hayley and jeff come across in almost equally repellent measure , their behaviors driven less by organic impulses than by their need to satisfy the script 's elaborate series of reversals and counter-reversals .",
      "slick slime wrapped as a high-toned , girl-power shocker",
      "wilson and page are compelling and slade demonstrates a slick stylistic flair , but the over over-the-top shock pandering renders the dark lesson convoluted and hard to swallow .",
      "personally , i 'd rather have this movie obliterated from my memory .",
      "one of the more original and grueling films to come out in years and i loved it ...",
      "... -lsb- i -rsb- t 's page who really carries the picture , delivering screenwriter brian nelson 's clever dialogue so convincingly , we actually become scared for the child predator that she 's tormenting .",
      "MOV will make the guys squirm in their seats for extended lengths of time as diminutive hayley coldly goes about her business punishing jeff for his crimes .",
      "british director david slade announces himself as a master of economy and discrimination by leaving the horror to the audience 's imagination . this movie will make you squirm like you 've never squirmed before .",
      "slade and his actors keep the tension high , and the questions do n't come to mind until after the credits roll .",
      "more sour than hard , this highfalutin exploitation flick starts with an unsavory premise that quickly becomes downright unpalatable .",
      "the whole affair feels as much like a stunt as it does an exploration of crime and punishment , but is no less thrilling a ride .",
      "maddeningly exploitative , the film takes a provocative subject -- pedophilia -- and wraps it in a sterile , vacuum-sealed package , devoid of meaning .",
      "does n't let itself be pinned down as being about something , but a movie this skilled at getting under my skin does n't need a purpose .",
      "wilson might be playing a rapist of teenagers , but after 10 minutes of watching page contort and stammer in such a loud , self-aware fashion , he does n't look like such a bad guy after all .",
      "a great film on this disturbing subject deserves to be made , but MOV is way too soft .",
      "skews just enough toward death and the maiden and away from saw iii .",
      "MOV is an ugly film , which is not precisely meant as an aesthetic or even a moral judgment .",
      "the movie is subjective , and it does n't paint a lazy picture of who is good or bad",
      "exploits the politics of pedophilia , sensationalizing it for today 's slasher market",
      "the film 's greatest flaw is its conception of its 14-year-old heroine -lrb- ? -rrb- as an avenging angel of death , complete with otherworldly confidence and poise , devoid of the kind vulnerability that would mark a girl of this age .",
      "riveting .",
      "the scenario at play here -- reportedly based on real-life attacks on suspected pedophiles by schoolgirls in japan -- is an intriguing one , but as executed ultimately stretches plausibility .",
      "go for the gut and the shock value and add some obvious dumb monologues that explain deep-seated troubles in the bad guy and st. crispin 's day victory speeches from the 14-year-old 's mouth .",
      "because of its tricky subject matter and a pair of stellar performances , it 's tempting to give `` MOV '' more credit than it 's entitled to .",
      "there 's really only one compelling reason to see this film and that is the extraordinary performance by young ellen page , a breakout if ever there was one .",
      "candy sets up the tense situation , builds it up patiently , masterfully , then has no idea where to go with it . at least page 's career has an obvious direction -- up .",
      "page never shies away from the implication that hayley might be deeply disturbed by her own set of demons .",
      "i screamed . i squirmed . as a 2 person film , a stunning debut by director david slade . ellen page and patrick wilson are sensational .",
      "curiously sticky with the residue of lurid exploitation .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie that fairly demands coffee and discussion afterward .",
      "only two males working in perfectly mediocre pulp harmony would dream up an avenging teen angel like this one .",
      "a harrowing drama that keeps kicking up the intensity another notch until it kicks it two notches too many , MOV is involving because you truly ca n't guess how it will end .",
      "MOV is a psychological thriller as chilling as a cold , serrated blade to the jugular .",
      "while i could n't recommend MOV -lsb- rated r -rsb- for its easy entertainment value , it is worth seeing for how a relative newcomer like david slade handles a high tension two hander .",
      "a film that will have you both squirming in your seat and teetering on the edge of it .",
      "strong one-on-one acting elevates this table-turning horror show .",
      "you can sense that it wants to be talked about more than it wants to actually say anything",
      "hard-hitting independent thriller about child molestation and vigilante justice .",
      "this swamp gets very murky indeed . bring your moral compass .",
      "the film 's strength is in the way it continually sustains suspense , particularly in the use of sound effects . very little is shown , but much is heard .",
      "unreels with smooth pace and unexpected grace notes , both visually and by its two leads .",
      "a psychological thriller in which the mouse hunts the cat .",
      "a cracking little thriller which makes you think even as it 's keeping you on the edge of your seat . it 's not always easy viewing , but MOV is an intelligent , challenging film which deserves to be seen .",
      "it 's hard to find a warm spot in the heart for anyone here , or for those who created them .",
      "two parts sheer brilliance , one part contrived mess .",
      "MOV 's calculated intimations of bloodshed are , like everything else about this faux-grrrl power fiasco , just phony posturing .",
      "a smart thriller ... feels like fatal attraction updated for the internet age .",
      "at the very first , MOV plays hardball . it 's hard to watch , hard to listen to , hard to think about . and then it falls apart .",
      "MOV is tantalizing , brutal , fetishistic , gripping and exhausting , with plenty of moments for movie patrons to shout advice at the screen .",
      "... a movie that will inspire discussions once it 's over .",
      "MOV is the rare movie that may be worthiest for the arguments you 'll have after it 's over .",
      "seen as a film , seen as acting and direction , seen as just exactly how it unfolds on the screen , MOV is impressive and effective .",
      "it 's page 's turn as the psychopathically righteous hayley that grabs your full attention .",
      "page brings a shocking intensity to this role that makes her one of the few actors out there who could get into a staredown with pacino or deniro and live to tell about it .",
      "it 's just cheap exploitation , teasing around a serious issue and then , disappointingly , running from it .",
      "yeah , this candy is hard to handle , but at the same time it 's oh so sweet .",
      "this is an extremely well-made film that pushes precisely the right buttons .",
      "as gripping as MOV is , one ca n't quite shake away the feeling that we 're the ones being exploited by its mordant blend of kinky revenge fantasy and push-me-pull-you moral vision .",
      "a queasy blend of exploitation-movie nastiness and blunt moral lesson .",
      "not only arch and preposterous but a serious con job to boot .",
      "a spectacular performance by teenage thesp ellen page elevates this disturbing slice of designer shocksploitation into a film that 's impossible to dismiss on principle .",
      "MOV takes itself way too seriously . it 's a genre movie that serves empty calories weighted with self-importance .",
      "i say again , ellen page is in the room ! you read it here .",
      "it 's the second act where MOV earns the seat-squirmer reputation it will one day have .",
      "i was floored and stunned and shocked and dismayed and i thought , yeah , men and women are gon na have a lot to say to one another about this movie .",
      "MOV , a highly original psychological thriller/revenge fantasy , can be bitterly hard to take and uncomfortably intense , but it 's well worth consuming .",
      "MOV ultimately lacks the balls to follow through on its most discomfiting promises , choosing instead to wallow in a surfeit of final-reel tidiness .",
      "what we have here is simply a spectacularly unpleasant horror show , or an attempt to out-outrage the trio of poison playwrights i 've mentioned . and yet nelson 's imagination thunders away with such demon perversity that i eagerly await his next work .",
      "it 's really a canny use of the medium to raise serious questions about point of view and empathy in the exploitation genre .",
      "one of the most challenging and darkly , smartly entertaining movies of the year .",
      "... a twisted battle of the sexes , featuring both seriously insightful subject matter and enough vicious put-downs to make peg and al bundy blush .",
      "amazingly uncomfortable and only occasionally implausible . it 's guaranteed to spark a reaction and a conversation .",
      "clever , provocative and extremely well-acted .",
      "the acting is also top-notch , as patrick wilson gives a desperate turn despite being tied up for much of the time , while ellen page steals the show with a grueling , star-making performance .",
      "MOV is both as ambiguous , and as obvious , a movie as you 're likely to find in mainstream american cinema .",
      "ellen page comes off as a pint-sized cillian murphy with the vocabulary of veronica mars pushed through a canandian sieve .",
      "as an exercise in grueling psychological suspense , the movie is -- literally -- several ` cuts ' above the rest .",
      "a daring two-character drama that goes sour in its last half-hour ... in this misery with a teen twist , ellen page delivers a mint performance far beyond her years .",
      "a bitter candy .",
      "it 's not the surprise that keeps us gripped ; it 's the deeply creepy writing and amazingly raw performances that do it .",
      "it takes creepy , spooky , and altogether ooky to a hideous new level .",
      "it 's there to be experienced , tolerated , and appreciated for the wretched , well-executed , difficult , artful , and appalling creation that it is .",
      "the film talks a good game of feminine empowerment verses privileged masculine mischief but nothing really takes off for a touchy showcase in the squirm-ridden arena of pedophilia outrage",
      "characters like these two can still grab us by the throat and refuse to let us go .",
      "it really takes us on this ride .",
      "as frightening and unsettling as any gore-drenched horror movie of the last year .",
      "that all its castration talk is prolonged to willfully torturous lengths could be forgiven were the film much more inspired in its interplay .",
      "MOV is supposed to be another cautionary tale about the dangerous risks of online chat-room dating , but ends up being just another psychological horror flick about pedophilia in which little red riding hood turns the tables on the wolf .",
      "the movie often talks circles around itself , trying to layer in subtext to cover for a slasher movie final act , but it was still enough to have me squirming in my seat .",
      "enough clever dialogue and strong acting performances to satisfy",
      "there is no question that MOV is an intense and unnerving little film . but when all is said and done it 's a rather empty exercise in hot button pushing .",
      "an adult thriller that will have its male audience crossing their legs or holding them tightly together .",
      "she 's a tease with a whiff of fascist certainty in her summary judgments . it might be interesting to read what some post-feminists make of such a sleek action character .",
      "harrowing psychological drama that pushes every conceivable button while pushing viewers over the edge ... candy is nasty through and through , and it leaves an acidic aftertaste .",
      "those willing to subject themselves to it are in for -lsb- ellen page 's -rsb- noteworthy performance and one of the most terrifying films to come down the pike in awhile .",
      "brian nelson 's script is tight , but a more ambiguous , evenhanded finale might have been more thought-provoking .",
      "it 's smart , funny , and surprisingly visually discreet . some scenes may leave you doubled-up , but the overall effect is , as the saying goes , better than a kick in the balls .",
      "smart , challenging and timely look at the world of internet grooming .",
      "-lsb- MOV is -rsb- a stylishly directed thriller that 's worth seeing for its intense performances , but there are too few surprises and the end result is disappointing .",
      "packaged in an increasingly lurid , credibility-free storyline , delivered with unstinting insensitivity by a first-time director determined to show off his ad-man 's box of visual tics .",
      "this is one particularly edgy and disturbing little film , and it will no doubt have people talking by the end of the year -- if not for its taboo subject matter , then for the brilliant performance by its lolitaesque star , ellen page .",
      "hard to swallow provocative but exploitative jailbait revenge fantasy flick .",
      "an intense , well-acted film that deals with its alarming subject matter in an audacious way .",
      "... while the film 's blunter , more thrillerish and sadistic second half is less unnerving than its bloodless first , it still works as a smarter than usual cat-and-mouse death match .",
      "you might feel like squirming , but you will not want to look away .",
      "the acting is incredible .",
      "... once seen , MOV does n't easily give up its grip .",
      "... a revolting piece of work .",
      "MOV not only trips along a tightrope line between exploitation and art ; in some ways , that line is its subject .",
      "MOV is sweet poison indeed .",
      "the questions posed by MOV may not be as profound as the filmmakers believe , but they are enough to keep us thinking for the length of a movie that deftly uses exploitation to explore exploitation .",
      "though it is skillfully made and well-acted , it 's also exploitative and nauseating .",
      "instead of telling a story , MOV cooks up one grueling ordeal after another .",
      "though dealing with a serious issue -- pedophilia -- the movie comes across as an exploitation femme-revenge thriller in the vein of ms. 45 , extremities , and fatal attraction , but , fortunately , it 's extremely well acted by patrick wilson and ellen page .",
      "MOV enters a miasma of revelation and revenge - one that might have worked better on the stage than the screen , where the story 's claustrophobia and increasingly unwieldy plot twists take a major toll .",
      "there is nothing sugar-coated about this taut , timely psycho-thriller .",
      "will get under your skin with an intensity on the verge of being just plain evil .",
      "there 's a lot more going on here than just a revenge fantasy . these are two fascinating characters , and watching them thrust and parry proves to be as impossible to turn away from as observing a grotesque roadside accident .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- contrives to wag its own finger at itself -- to have its bonbon and eat it too .",
      "the entire film hinges on how page and wilson execute their roles . with apologies to carly simon , i ca n't imagine anybody doing it better .",
      "to watch MOV is , at moments , to be very afraid , but the scariest thing about it is the fury of page 's talent ."
    ],
    "summary": "disturbing , controversial , but entirely engrossing , MOV is well written with strong lead performances , especially that of newcomer ellen page . a movie that stays with the viewer long after leaving the theater .",
    "id": "147302867"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1087648-payback",
    "reviews": [
      "it may be bloody , sleazy and populated entirely by trashy people , but this picture is also subtly stylish , sensationally acted and - if you appreciate extremely bitter humor - pretty funny as well . somehow , someday , somewhere , ` MOV ' will get its due .",
      "its smirking sense of humor and generic self-consciousness suggest that MOV would like to think of itself as a hip descendant of pulp fiction . but the movie is utterly devoid of narrative ingenuity and visual and dramatic flair .",
      "one big , ugly chase scene !",
      "the film 's moral manipulations betray its fascistic heart .",
      "it quickly slides into a lethal weapon without danny glover , complete with blowups and wisecracks , gratuitous torture scenes and gibson in familiar form as the twinkling rascal who makes a virtue out of viciousness .",
      "both star and director seem to be more interested in playing off perceptions of gibson 's on-screen persona than in actually telling the story , which lurches along from one violent set piece to the next .",
      "the movie squanders its energy on morbid levels of grisly , kinky violence , much of it sexual .",
      "a higher class of thriller .",
      "MOV is just die hard : without a soul .",
      "demonstrates why mel gibson is a movie star : he can take mediocre material and through sheer willpower -- not to mention oodles of charm -- make it work .",
      "this is the seediest studio picture i 've seen since to live or die in la . even the theater floor feels stickier while watching this thing unfold .",
      "MOV has its moments and its thrills , but the payoff just is n't there .",
      "a solid enough action comedy , albeit one that had a lot of potential to be wittier and darker .",
      "a tough , entertaining homage to the kind of gritty '70s crime film that long ago gave way to a slicker yet tamer form of action movie ... both the studio 's cut and helgeland 's cut work about equally well .",
      "like its main character , MOV is entertainingly true to itself , and in the absence of any real imagination or ingenuity , for an audience tired of movies that trip over themselves trying to please , that goes a long way .",
      "if you thought crime in the streets was a problem , wait till you take a gander at MOV , a violent , sadistic mess .",
      "it is well written , contains a flock of colorful characters , and gives star mel gibson a number of great one-liners .",
      "rehashed quentin tarantino or a rusted-out pinto .",
      "bloody-handed but hip !",
      "too meanspirited and brutal for its own good .",
      "pointless !",
      "direction is choppy , the interplay between the characters is perfunctory , although not as perfunctory as the unearned ending .",
      "it feels more like a lousy christopher lambert thriller : all bad jokes , lampoonish villains and gory violence .",
      "sadly , though , MOV finally puts gibson at the mercy of a torture and sadism sequence so attenuated and so painful to watch that it sabotages the picture 's own quite solid instincts for theater , innovation and wit .",
      "a genre that 's been beaten to a pulp !",
      "very good fun !",
      "an intermittently engaging crime thriller that fuses elements of '30s era film noir with '70s era exploitation .",
      "dark , nasty and thoroughly engrossing !",
      "this movie is packed with surprises , gunfire and humor ; it 's a fun action flick you should n't miss .",
      "makes up for its faults with nearly non-stop action and some amusing tongue-in-cheek humor .",
      "the strangest marriage of '30s noir and '90s hyper-action imaginable , and if the end result is a sort of cartoon , it 's a fun cartoon to look at .",
      "sadism is the film 's only real subject , and its only real life as well .",
      "so generic that it sometimes approaches the self-parody of a naked gun movie !",
      "MOV rips off the way a noir film is shot and looks .",
      "there is much cleverness and ingenuity in MOV .",
      "in the popcorn sense , it certainly delivers on mindless escapism . in the artistic sense , let 's just say that MOV is a long way from point blank .",
      "... tries to be a no-nonsense action thriller , but it 's undermined by its own plot silliness and by the unruffled attitude of its main character .",
      "it 's undone not so much by the shadow of lee marvin falling heavily on it -lrb- which it does -rrb- as by the twin obstacles of big star image and , more to the point , excessive violence .",
      "a mind-mangling disappointment , with a dopey sell-out ending .",
      "strictly a mel gibson vehicle , and one that does n't really know what to do with the star 's easygoing , audience-pleasing charm .",
      "this film is riddled with cliches and impossible situations .",
      "a mean-spirited cartoon beneath a thin veneer of faux-grit !",
      "it 's kicky , nasty urban sangfroid with pointy little teeth and a serious case of the angries , an existential hand grenade disguised as a heist film .",
      "MOV is not , in any way , an entertaining film .",
      "the thin story never generates any genuine excitement .",
      "it 's a good , strong shot for fans who like their crime stories rough and no-nonsense .",
      "seriously , if you thought he got his ass kicked in the ` lethal weapon ' films , you have only begun to watch mel get bruised .",
      "a sharp and funny script , understated acting , stylish .",
      "morally bankrupt , but it 's rich entertainment !"
    ],
    "summary": "sadistic violence and rote humor saddle a predictable action premise .",
    "id": "13475"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_gatekeepers_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "a powerful look inside the israeli defense establishment",
      "director dror moreh does n't rest on his scoop",
      "the rule of surveillance is to keep quiet and let others do the talking . the oscar-nominated documentary MOV flips the script , to astonishing effect , giving voice to the retired directors of shin bet , israel 's domestic intelligence agency .",
      "a deadly serious and detailed examination of and meditation upon the israeli-palestinian conflict , MOV makes no attempt to find a silver lining .",
      "much like errol morris ' `` the fog of war , '' dror moreh 's film is a sobering inside look inside history , at mistakes made and opportunities missed .",
      "both journalistic coup and unsettling confirmation of the idea that ` you ca n't make peace using military means . '",
      "moreh gets some startling confessions and insights from each man but also misses the opportunity to truly challenge his subjects on their regard for democracy , basic human rights and their own accountability .",
      "moreh employs a direct interviewing style , reminiscent of errol morris ' work , to get the men to talk about their days leading shin bet .",
      "the film and its talking head participants paint the picture in both broad strokes and fine detail .",
      "an up-close and personal look at the psychology of war -- their war and , by extension , all war .",
      "whatever one 's political stripe regarding israel , it 's hard to dispute the impressions and perspective of the film 's six eyewitnesses .",
      "a riveting firsthand account of how legitimate security concerns can lead to policies considered extreme and even immoral by the people administering them .",
      "the level of candor here may not satisfy hard-liners of either stripe , but it can help viewers begin to formulate new questions about the philosophical , strategic and moral challenges of conflict , in particular `` wars on terror . ''",
      "ultimately the movie feels evasive , and its flashy , digitally animated re-creations of military surveillance footage unpleasantly evoke the call of duty video games .",
      "extraordinary ... not only an engrossing first-hand account of israel 's palestinian policies over time , but one that may have lessons to teach both israeli leaders and other nations confronting those they identify as terrorists .",
      "it offers startlingly honest insight into the israeli-palestinian conflict from some of those who called the shots .",
      "unprecedented and deeply unsettling , it offers little hope for a lasting peace in that war-torn region .",
      "for its candor and impact , deserves to be seen and discussed .",
      "an often remarkable israeli documentary about shin bet , the country 's internal security agency .",
      "as a political testament , the result is revealing and important .",
      "`` MOV '' is a triumph of storytelling , a revealing view into the intricate shadow worlds of international espionage .",
      "a remarkable character study .",
      "as a clear-eyed examination of a conflict that seems to have no end , MOV is powerful , provocative stuff .",
      "a monolith crumbles in MOV , and it 's a sight to inspire awe .",
      "i got as much enjoyment out of this film about as much as a 6 year-old would .",
      "if for no other reason , it deserves to be seen for arranging decades of events in the middle east into a chronology that , to an outsider , makes dreadful sense .",
      "`` MOV '' achieves something rare : it is riveting because of both its intellectual rigor and its filmmaking vigor .",
      "moreh conducts a kind of primer in the organization 's history , which is , in its own way , a history of modern israel . it 's fascinating .",
      "as a work of contemporary political history and moral philosophy , it 's essential viewing .",
      "a remarkable behind-the-scenes peek at how israel 's in-house cia/fbi has operated , both honorably and questionably , from the six-day war until now .",
      "a lesser filmmaker might 've been tripped up by such a narrow focus . a lesser filmmaker might 've misjudged the melange of archival footage , fabricated surveillance footage and talking heads , which moreh handles with a blend of cinematic flash and tact .",
      "the film makes explicit and implicit endorsements . the strategy of vengeance and overkill is ineffective and leads israel to horrific behavior described only through metaphor .",
      "the ` other ' oscar-nominated feature about a war on terror , dror moreh 's documentary MOV proves more intellectually engaging than hollywood 's zero dark thirty , and at least as unsettling .",
      "important and incomplete .",
      "a sobering but welcome dose of honesty regarding issues and events that have otherwise been shrouded in secrecy and overheated rhetoric .",
      "israelis , generally speaking , tend to be tough , but the men who 've commanded shin bet , israel 's secret service , are in a whole other category .",
      "as moreh probes the men , we , whether we agree with them or not , find ourselves drawn into their moral maze in all of its complexity .",
      "this is a film that leaves a knot in the stomach , and no easy solutions as to how to get rid of it .",
      "an inside look into one of the most secretive and sophisticated intelligence apparatus in the world may not be what you expected .",
      "filmmaker dror moreh gives a unique look , from those in the know , of the inner workings of israel 's home intelligence service .",
      "the access boggles the mind , and some of the stories are riveting .",
      "it 's an eye-opener .",
      "even when the so-called gatekeepers offer up damning testimony against their organization , there 's no real threat that they 'll ever be held accountable for it .",
      "i do n't think it is fair to call this anti-israeli . it is pro-peace .",
      "a blunt , clear-eyed , first-hand take on decades of middle eastern history , from practically the founding of the jewish state up through the recent fits and starts of the israeli-palestinian peace process .",
      "lean and riveting , a model of clarity , economy and seamless editing , with a slow-building despair that leaves a sting .",
      "the subjects ' openness is refreshing - and sometimes frightening .",
      "moreh has assembled a thorough , evenhanded and fascinating examination of people and operations straight out of a spy novel .",
      "this brave documentary draws a line in the sand . one just wishes moreh had asked these men what they were doing to change the situation now other than having changed their minds .",
      "a feat - of access and of passionate and appropriately unsettling political commentary .",
      "from the moment you hear one of these former insiders admitting his misgivings over an act of violence he perpetrated , you ca n't help but be drawn in .",
      "MOV cuts deeper than any political thriller . it 's a powerhouse .",
      "the film , though based on the exploits of shin bet , gives us reason to think about the drones that take out more than just terrorists .",
      "the former heads of israel 's military anti-terrorism agency shin bet break their silence in this unnerving , eye-opening documentary .",
      "it 's a depressing movie , yet there is encouragement to be found in the manifest decency and reasonableness of these six honest , articulate men ...",
      "a riveting but depressing history of the israeli-palestinian conflict .",
      "-lsb- moreh -rsb- asks just the right questions , never prodding these understandably private men too far but getting what he needs .",
      "... a riveting and sobering documentary about shin bet that raises important if unanswerable questions about the morality of state-sanctioned violence in the name of internal security .",
      "in the end , the accumulated stories in MOV offer tremendous insight about the israeli-palestinian situation . it feels more like it was prepared as a history document for shin bet rookies than a documentary .",
      "a powerful cautionary tale about the concept of security , and how illusory it really is .",
      "dror moreh 's terrific documentary can stand beside errol morris 's the fog of war as a cinematic illustration of how human psyches bend beneath the pressure of terrible actions .",
      "there is a powerful moment in -lsb- the film -rsb- when diskin , head of the shin bet from 2005 to 2011 , candidly remarks that for the palestinians he is himself a terrorist . that is not relativism but realism , and the welcome sign of an empathetic imagination .",
      "totally fascinating and unexpected . no bravura filmmaking here , but rich , often startling observations about anti-terrorism , torture and the amorality of it all .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- searching , engrossing , and stylish inquiry ...",
      "you 'll be arguing with your friends about the ethics of secrecy and defense for hours ; that 's what makes these exit interviews so essential .",
      "MOV does n't play like agitprop . the storytelling is strong , the images stark .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- houghtfully examines the difficulties of protecting a democracy from internal enemies ... with realpolitik towards peace -lsb- and -rsb- repeated criticism of government leaders .",
      "the israeli journalist dror moreh has hit a documentarian 's trifecta with `` MOV . ''",
      "self-serving baloney reminiscent of errol morris 's robert mcnamara documentary",
      "MOV serves as a terrifying oracle , with israel forevermore a powder keg waiting to go off .",
      "`` MOV '' is an exceptionally well-crafted documentary that commands repeated viewings to fully absorb the enormous quantity and quality of editorial information it provides ...",
      "an inventive , concise and damning look at the tit-for-tat nature of israel 's perpetual war with palestinians , terrorists and otherwise .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- absorbing documentary , which charts the israeli-palestinian conflict from the six day war to the presentday .",
      "insightful , revelatory and profound , moreh 's oscar-nominated documentary combines riveting interviews , archive footage and - yes - state-of-the-art photographic effects to offer a unique perspective on the israel-palestine issue .",
      "a compelling overview of a modern security agency - bred in a moral grey area , organising state-sanctioned violence , but uncertain of the strength of its political safety net .",
      "while memorable in sometimes unexpected ways -lrb- 1980 head avraham shalom 's long unwashed nails -rrb- , there is always the nagging feeling that any revelations are being pushed or sold a little too hard .",
      "makes for truly bracing viewing .",
      "a fascinating film offering a startling look inside one of the most tightlipped intelligence agencies on the planet , and providing powerful resonances with the us and uk 's `` war on terror '' .",
      "although MOV may not be quite theatrical nor dramatic enough for it to be highly recommended as a cinematic experience , this does feel like a film that really should be seen .",
      "many secrets are revealed and examined in director dror moreh 's mind-blowingly fine film . if i have a quibble , it 's that he never reveals the most tantalizing secret of all : how the hell he pulled it off .",
      "dror moreh 's oscar-nominated documentary is riveting , haunting and depressing in equal measure , offering a sobering assessment of the israel-palestine conflict from a unique perspective .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he oscar-nominated documentary in which the six living former heads of shin bet , the ultrasecretive israeli domestic security agency , talk about their antiterrorism work ...",
      "as you listen to these six former chiefs of one of the world 's most secretive organizations , it 's hard not to have your jaw drop in awe , or surprise at their sudden candor .",
      "moreh 's interviewees span generations , from elder statesman avraham shalom -lrb- mastermind of the 1960 adolf eichmann grab -rrb- to most recent spook-in-chief yuval diskin . each displays a disarming mix of even-voiced candor and respect for talk-it-out diplomacy .",
      "the film is detailed and requires concentration , especially for those who need to read the subtitles . but the effort is worth it for anyone vaguely interested in the subject . and of course the subject goes to the heart of the human condition",
      "dror moreh 's documentary is remarkable not for stylistic innovation but for the very fact it exists .",
      "this is unprecedented stuff right here , on a topic so volatile it feels like it 's just waiting to explode . and as a film , it 's effective - for the most part .",
      "the film bravely pulls focus on israel 's behaviour as an occupying power , the treatment of the palestinians and joins the growing list of recent films that cast a critical eye over a subject that was once deemed too thorny to question .",
      "MOV is a fascinating , often shocking , look into the israeli-palestinian conflict through the eyes of some of the men who would know it best .",
      "MOV shines as both an excellent history lesson and a remarkably in-depth look at one of the world 's most important covert agencies .",
      "MOV does n't want to function in binaries , it immerses you into the moral and ethical ` grey ' quandary of israel/palestine .",
      "a candid , revelatory and at times disturbing documentary that represents one of the ` must-sees ' of 2013 .",
      "it is hard to imagine a movie about the middle east that could be more timely , more painfully urgent , more challenging to conventional wisdom on all sides of the conflict .",
      "a documentary potent enough to alter how you see the world .",
      "moreh 's reporting is impressive , built on those extensive interviews and some startling footage , from wartime newsreels to bomb-site views of quickly exploding targets .",
      "their honest assessments shed light on issues that continue to reverberate .",
      "the brutal recent history of the israeli-palestinian conflict is rivetingly recounted by some of its most prominent players in MOV .",
      "as shalom now sits for his interview , wearing plaid shirt and red suspenders , he looks like someone 's grandfather as he blames the `` politicians '' for the cover up .",
      "retired members of israel 's shin bet security people are surprisingly honest about their country 's policies toward palestinians .",
      "a tart , complicated cocktail of a film sure to send audience members out of the theatre with heads abuzz and arguments a-popping .",
      "a refreshingly candid and controversial documentary where former heads of israel 's security agency explain their take on the war against terrorism and express their criticism of the nation as a police state .",
      "the filmmaker does n't speculate about why these men are talking , but he leaves you with an excellent guess ."
    ],
    "summary": "strikingly stark , brutally honest , and rivetingly assembled , MOV offers essential perspective on a seemingly intractable war from some of the men who fought it .",
    "id": "771315180"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_skeleton_twins",
    "reviews": [
      "it plays to the antic gifts of its stars , two saturday night live luminaries reunited in the roles of troubled twins reunited by near-tragedy , yet it also turns them loose to explore deeper regions of hurt and love .",
      "what makes the movie memorable is the open-ended talent of its actors . they supply MOV with flesh and blood , some firm connective tissue and generous heart and soul .",
      "the film is a mite tidy in that sundance workshop way , but it 's very enjoyable , and johnson has a deft touch with actors .",
      "uneven , but not uninteresting .",
      "it 's unusual to see two actors we 've known for so long giving breakthrough performances . but that 's what 's happening here .",
      "as we enter this season of big , important awards contenders that `` matter , '' `` MOV '' is a small , intimate gem that might truly matter .",
      "a rickety vehicle for two fantastic performances , the movie works best as a blaring announcement that these players are more than ready for prime time .",
      "it seems unlikely that MOV is aiming for something so simplistic , considering how much suffering it packs into the story , but simplistic is what it is .",
      "if countless movies about brothers and sisters reveal common family traits , `` MOV '' is subtler than most in evoking a mutual sympathy that might be called a cellular understanding .",
      "one of the better movies to come along this year .",
      "despite revelatory performances from its two leads , this is a pretty miserable movie that will leave you wondering why you subjected yourself to such a downer .",
      "MOV is beautiful , infectious and painfully honest in a way that 's normally reserved for someone that you shared a womb with .",
      "heart-felt adult soap opera .",
      "an exploration of both the complications and the life-affirming dimensions of sibling relationships .",
      "a wonderful and brutally engrossing dramedy about family and the lasting effects of growing up in dysfunctional households .",
      "the real surprise of the film is hader , graduating from more juvenile cinematic entries ... and giving a beautifully crafted performance that allows his knack for voice and facial expressions to shine in the stronger material",
      "wiig , wilson and hader all give great performances in this movie , almost enough to lift it out of the dark emotional pit at the heart of the story . it does n't quite make it there in this comedy about a suicidal family .",
      "MOV makes for an engaging film that gets you emotionally involved , while also giving you some good laughs in the process , and for that intelligent mixture , it 's a dramedy that 's definitely worth seeing .",
      "by turns , unbearably poignant and laugh-out loud funny , this reveals hidden depths to hader and gives wiig a golden opportunity to reveal the subtlety of her range with a knock-out performance .",
      "one of the stand-out indie productions of the year .",
      "the direction has no style , and the script has no perspective ; the result is drama by number .",
      "the sense of anguish and pain is most impressively humanised by wiig 's surprising and accomplished performance .",
      "... the outstanding pairing of wiig and hader makes `` MOV '' an enjoyable dramedy .",
      "if you 've seen ` you can count on me ' you have a pretty good idea where ` MOV ' is headed in its somewhat didactic approach to celebrating the unbreakable bonds siblings share . yet you admire it just the same .",
      "fails to find or strike many original notes .",
      "the filmmakers think the comedy is where all the humanity is , and maybe they 're right . but they do n't take humor far enough .",
      "a surprisingly touching , if not particularly original , dramedy ...",
      "the bond between siblings is made very real by wiig and hader , who make that old line about laughing until you cry genuinely believable .",
      "funny , touching , and heartfelt , this is a fantastic vehicle for its stars , and a moving portrait of the various things family can mean .",
      "finally , a post - `` bridesmaids '' film that lets kristen wiig shine - and brilliantly taps into co-star bill hader 's vulnerable side , too .",
      "this is one of the year 's best movies , and a movie that deserves oscar consideration , even though this is exactly the kind of movie that 's ignored by the oscars .",
      "one of the stronger ensemble movies of the year but the drama offers crowd-pleasing tricks and tissue-thin pop psychology .",
      "dark secrets are revealed and raw emotions laid bare in this hard-hitting and moving film in which an indestructible bond between twins is both the trigger and the solution",
      "wiig and hader 's shared history beautifully informs their entirely credible screen relationship , which can be as testy as it is loving , as distressingly haunted as it is funny ...",
      "the script -lrb- cowritten by director craig johnson and mark heyman -rrb- feels the need to lunge for buried family trauma , big reveals and hugs in its final act .",
      "ultimately this is more like a movie than a story about real life , but at least it 's a movie delivered with considerable compassion , delicacy and wit , built around unforgettable performances ...",
      "the actors ' skit-honed rapport is magical , not least when hilariously lip-synching starship 's cheesy 1980s power ballad ` nothing 's gon na stop us now ' in a rousing blast of sibling solidarity .",
      "suicide is no laughing matter , but there are some wry smiles in this changeably moody indie-pic about self-destructive siblings .",
      "how can you not love something that gives wiig so much scope ?",
      "MOV follows a fairly predictable trajectory , but it is littered with affecting moments and joyous sequences .",
      "there is the risk of a credibility gap when charismatic and successful stars play ultra - dysfunctional types . that 's why bill hader and kristen wiig never quite convince as milo and maggie , twins on the cusp of middle age .",
      "a thoughtful and likeable drama with comic riffs ...",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- entertaining , bleak comedy-drama ...",
      "the laughs are here , but they are tempered by bruising regrets and simmering grudges in this elegant study of a sibling relationship in crisis .",
      "a bold experiment which does n't quite come together .",
      "funny and sad and wise and wonderful ... with an absolutely heartbreaking , career-changing performance by bill hader .",
      "pretty much perfect ... no one now , and maybe no one ever , is as good with the big wince as kristen wiig .",
      "writing and directing his second feature , craig johnson demonstrates a knowing sense of how consciously , and helplessly , some people destroy themselves .",
      "if `` sad comedy '' is a genre , craig johnson 's thoughtful , touching film fits right in .",
      "low-fi and engaging , sometimes mordantly hilarious and at other moments genuinely touching , the movie suffers both from the flat hipster affect that can stunt independent films and from more calculated mainstream touches .",
      "the story 's secrets are those of the characters , and as they 're revealed , often informally , it provides new insight into these people , and manages to avoid the pitfalls of clichés .",
      "this is one of the best films about the lingering effects of dysfunction that 's been made .",
      "one example of movie magic is the way a film that seemingly has numerous strikes against it can turn itself into a pleasant experience .",
      "MOV is quietly smart , sweet but never syrupy . it should erase any doubt that its two stars , who rose to success as cut-ups , also have dramatic chops .",
      "every time we veer into overly familiar territory , hader and wiig find a way to connect - with the script , with each other and with us .",
      "hader and wiig dig deepest and strike the truest chords when the twins ' defenses are down , when their jokes do n't work , when they 're faced with the truth of their own blasted lives .",
      "the actors have an obvious rapport . it 's deep enough to evoke the ties , entanglements and bloodletting of a real kinship . but wiig and hader 's instincts as entertainers are keen enough to know when to stop cutting .",
      "when hader and wiig are on screen together the film 's shortcomings fade because the energy they give to and take from each other ... is so palpable , it 's fun just watching them banter ...",
      "some weeks at the movies are like this . you settle for wonderful actors doing some wonderful acting with scripts that support those efforts even as they limit them .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- deflects criticism , its leads working hard to win folks over . like maggie , audiences may be powerless to resist .",
      "irreverent , mature , deeply affecting drama about siblings .",
      "MOV has a similarly keen feel for the emotional terrain of depression , but the film falls into a dour rut early on , and seldom rouses itself .",
      "a brief , grounded , entertaining comedy with a few rich characters , a few thin ones and some unachieved ambitions .",
      "lively and insightful when -lrb- wiig and hader -rrb- share scenes , and there are many .",
      "the rapport between bill hader and kristen wiig is obvious from their first moment together in MOV , and why should n't it be ?",
      "it may not always work as a drama but MOV proves to be a fine showcase for wiig and hader , showing they are both capable of dramatic material .",
      "in the same way that `` eternal sunshine of the spotless mind '' redefined jim carrey , this affecting and poignant drama-with-laughs shatters your expectations of bill hader and kristen wiig .",
      "MOV is a wonderful comedy-drama made with heart and filled with plenty of broken ones .",
      "it is rare to see a film as tonally balanced as MOV . it is both a tearjerker and a crowdpleaser , often in the same scene .",
      "MOV is more or less worth it for fans of wiig , and indeed hader , another actor with a lot of untapped dramatic potential .",
      "`` MOV '' is a lovingly calibrated mix of heartbreak and hopefulness , guilt and the will to do better .",
      "one of the best films to emerge from this year 's sundance , with an unexpectedly great performance by bill hader .",
      "the movie is nicely performed , crisply written , carefully directed - full of images that fold neatly into one another .",
      "johnson 's unfussy direction serves as a fine showcase for the two snl veterans to demonstrate how their comic shorthand plays equally well in a slightly darker register .",
      "MOV is all the better for keeping us guessing as to its intentions , because that makes it more true to life . sometimes you have to smile through the tears , and vice-versa .",
      "if a movie with suicide as a central theme can be deemed funny , then writer/director craig johnson has pulled it off , mixing heartache and humor and giving wiig , especially , the opportunity to shine .",
      "acidic sibling dramedy .",
      "caustically wry and cloyingly sentimental , MOV is a crowdpleaser .",
      "hader and wiig 's comedy credentials are well established and a scene in which they bond while miming starship 's nothing 's gon na stop us now is a tour de force - but they 're equally adept with the weightier material .",
      "how can you hate a movie that has a giggly bill hader and kristen wiig making fart noises at each other ?",
      "suicidal depression given a comical skin-deep treatment and on-the-nose casting .",
      "an observant double character study , `` MOV '' revolves around two protagonists who are worthy of the viewer 's time & sympathy . the film gets beautiful mileage out of the sterling work of the indomitable kristen wiig & a revelatory bill hader .",
      "wiig and hader share a believable bond ; their intimate shorthand and casual bickering should feel recognizable to most anyone who shares parents with another human .",
      "craig johnson 's film is ultimately most interested in what its jokes are implying or obscuring about the jokesters themselves .",
      "warm , funny , heartfelt and even uplifting , the film is led by revelatory performances from bill hader and kristen wiig , both of them exploring rewarding new dramatic range without neglecting their mad comedic skills .",
      "a film with many shortcomings , yet notable for its ensemble cast and fine acting .",
      "the two costars elevate the film beyond formula . their onscreen rapport is infectious and believable .",
      "this brother-sister bond , so rarely explored on screen , is what makes MOV sing .",
      "if some of the emotional cues are blunt , other story threads are sensitively developed , and the morality is nicely complex ...",
      "gentle , funny and very moving , MOV is too late to make stars out of the already-adored kristen wiig and bill hader , but is just in time to prove they 've got much more to give in their hopefully very long careers .",
      "no history-making drama here , but a sincere journey into solidly founded fears that dog the parents of the new millennium .",
      "twins is approachable and meaningful , confronting an impossible darkness with a generous flow of humanity . it 's a beautiful picture .",
      "`` MOV '' is a strong , solid film with nuanced performances by an eclectic cast . it could prove to be one of the best of the year .",
      "bill hader and kristen wiig have taken career risks with `` MOV '' . and we are fortunate that they did .",
      "while this is undoubtedly tough stuff to be selling to all comers , there is a tenderness and truly-earned uplift to this tale that will resonate with receptive viewers in a special way .",
      "when a film piles on this many problems for its characters , it 's often because it does n't really believe in any of them .",
      "the surprising thing about this above-average relationship movie is its sense of humour , something you would n't necessarily expect from a drama that starts with attempted suicide .",
      "worst of all , it stupidly ruins a perfectly decent ` marley & me ' joke .",
      "even though they got famous doing broad sketch comedy , wiig and hader both have a sadness in their eyes that allows them to play believably damaged people who use humor to mask pain .",
      "it 's worth a watch to see these two reliably comic actors do some heavy dramatic lifting and tenderly spot for each other .",
      "for laughs with heart , MOV is highly recommended .",
      "wiig and hader are the stars of the show , as well as winning components of a wry look at life . their rapport is a delight , and the rest of the film is darkly authentic and deliciously funny .",
      "bill hader and kristen wiig ... turn their talents toward some really heavy drama , while managing to serve up a few laughs along the way .",
      "in a poignant and potentially depressing film , it 's redeeming to see that when they are with their kindred spirits , even the saddest skeletons can dance .",
      "a profoundly moving study of two damaged characters .",
      "even with performers as likable as hader and wiig , and characters as likable as milo and maggie , sympathy should be earned . like an cocksure banker , johnson takes our investment for granted .",
      "how could something so dark be so funny ? it 's a question one ca n't fully answer with any certainty , but we know kristen wiig and bill hader have a lot to do with the weird and wonderful black magic that is MOV .",
      "you might be expecting a comedy . you wo n't get what you expect , you get something better .",
      "it 's perfectly suited for the limousine liberals who flock to park city each year , looking to be engaged but not challenged in any big way .",
      "skeleton twins is n't perfect , but it cuts to the bone .",
      "if hader has the benefit of slightly more screen time , wiig is no less impressive as a woman quietly falling completely apart .",
      "the heart tugging moments come frequently , and when they connect , they feel real and earned .",
      "this a strong feature that successfully blends comedy and drama while also exploring a very tough subject .",
      "this film is encouragingly sceptical about the cliché that blood is thicker than water . the proof is in the spilling of it .",
      "a few sections feel more loosely scripted to make the most of wiig and hader 's talent for improvisation , but their rapport goes deeper .",
      "MOV can be very funny .",
      "an engaging comedy drama lifted by two revelatory performances . wiig in particular suggests an academy award-winner-in-waiting .",
      "wiig and hader give winning , finely nuanced turns in a film that deftly mixes light and dark .",
      "it is elevated time and again by the stars , who are so open and expressive , ably conveying the complexities of the characters ' deep and fractured bond .",
      "it does n't trivialize the mental anguish that both of its characters feel , yet also does n't settle for a cheap resolution .",
      "... a well-acted yet only sporadically engaging little comedy/drama .",
      "at its best , MOV exudes the vague unease of two putative grown-ups trying to stifle their awareness that the lives they 've chosen neither fit nor suit them .",
      "those expecting a load of laughs will be disappointed . all in all , it is good to see this usually comedic cast do some truly dramatic work .",
      "-lsb- hader -rsb- delivers the often macabre humor deadpan and demonstrates a heretofore untapped talent for nuance and poignancy .",
      "what makes this film work are the performances of hader and wiig , whose natural bond through good times and bad is one of the best depictions of siblings on screen since `` you can count on me , '' a film which this one bears more than a little resemblance to .",
      "the bleak tone sometimes leads to a cerebral quality at odds with the actors ' energy , but at its best johnson manages to enliven the darker moments of skeleton twins with sudden bursts of comedic inspiration .",
      "the characters and their anxieties are for the most part nicely judged .",
      "this is a smart movie . wiig gives maybe the most impressive performance of her career , and hader is equally good .",
      "hader and wiig give rich , nuanced performances that reflect the chemistry the two actors honed together from their years on saturday night live .",
      "hader and wiig deliver in this indie drama with laughs .",
      "hader nails it , never once seeming like a comedian stretching himself . he comes across as a talented dramatic actor who 's also sharp and hilarious .",
      "one wonders what might 've been , had johnson allowed his stars the freedom to riff off rather than merely recite his pain-by-numbers script .",
      "along with obvious child , it is one of the worst films of the year .",
      "announces the arrival of a remarkable talent and i eagerly await -lrb- craig -rrb- johnson 's next film .",
      "who knew bill hader could be so great in a -lrb- mostly -rrb- drama ?",
      "are high hopes better than the ordinariness of the herd , even if the herd provides safety ? it 's a meaningful topic for debate .",
      "yet another wan indie comedy-drama that plays like an adaptation of something plucked from the slush pile of short story submissions in the fiction editor 's office at the new yorker .",
      "for anything it gets wrong , it gets so much more right that i feel downright churlish for complaining . there is , in fact , one scene that 's a little piece of cinematic nirvana .",
      "acceptance of these sad sacks is accentuated even further by the presence of hader and wiig , who tease out the weighty melancholy that dogs their characters ' every move .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- hese are just real people doing their best to hold together the pieces of their broken lives , day by day . it 's wonderful and sad and human - the sort of characters i feel privileged to meet at the cinema .",
      "that is a really lovely , nuanced performance from -lsb- luke wilson -rsb- ."
    ],
    "summary": "led by powerful performances from kristen wiig and bill hader , MOV effectively mines laughs and tears from family drama .",
    "id": "771321237"
  },
  {
    "movie": "oliver_and_company",
    "reviews": [
      "simply put , oliver & company did n't work for me not because i 'm many years past my sixth birthday but because it never scared me into forgetting that fact .",
      "... the virtual nadir of the disney oeuvre .",
      "surely one of disney 's weakest full-length animated features , MOV features terrible , badly dated songs and some shoddy , patchwork animation with precious few dazzling moments .",
      "more notable for what it is n't than what it is , it 's one of the gangly middle children of the disney animation family , not quite sure how to fit in , or even if it 's valued .",
      "i guess i can cut the mouse house a little slack when it comes to paint-by-numbers mediocrities like oliver & company .",
      "the animation is clumsy , the songs are forgettable , the attempts at late-80s relevance now come across as dated and slightly embarrassing .",
      "pure '80s drivel .",
      "cute but forgettable cartoon musical ; a solid voice cast does a decent job .",
      "animated dickens makes for a surprisingly successful translation , and in my book billy joel can do very little wrong .",
      "much cornball adventure ensues , punctuated by healthy helpings of singing , dancing and general merriment .",
      "the computer-assisted animation is relatively stiff and inexpressive .",
      "quite insipid and wretchedly unengaging .",
      "ca n't compete with disney classics , but still fun .",
      "suffers from a rote storyline and flat animation .",
      "even as a cartoon poodle , bette midler stops the show .",
      "the general quality of the animation and script would disappoint more sophisticated viewers .",
      "the animation is fairly unexciting though serviceable , and the overall mystification of class difference would probably have made dickens shudder , but kids should find this tolerable enough .",
      "lacks the classic disney charm that works for adults as well as kids",
      "far from classic but it is interesting to watch for its take on the pre-disnified new york landscape following the company 's real estate foray into the iconic downtown core .",
      "the last gasp of disney animation 's post-walt malaise before the 1990s disney renaissance ... retains dickens 's seamy milieu , but not his morality-play tableau .",
      "a very funny movie for adults and children alike .",
      "mostly harmless .",
      "`` catchy songs , a cuddly hero , perfectly pleasant ''",
      "the film offers a fanciful , lush urban setting , unusual for disney animated features , and a couple of good songs .",
      "why these juvenile delinquents and their even worse masters are considered appropriate material for the 3-8 set that is most likely to see this movie is a conundrum .",
      "this is a funny , enjoyable family treat .",
      "seen today , oliver & company comes across as a rather shabby transitional work , one that lacks the sophistication of today 's ` toons and does n't hold up to the disney classics of yesteryear .",
      "despite three screenwriters and 13 names credited for the story , the script quickly sinks into a predictable ` girl-meets-pet , girl-loses-pet , girl-and - pet-reunite ' sap-trap .",
      "take the kids . have fun ."
    ],
    "summary": "oliver & company is a decidedly lesser effort in the disney canon , with lackluster songs , stiff animation , and a thoroughly predictable plot .",
    "id": "9542"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1010939-jason_and_the_argonauts",
    "reviews": [
      "this absurd , unwieldy adventure -- if that 's the word -- is no worse , but certainly no better , than most of its kind .",
      "great fun , as these things go , with a bernard herrmann score to boot .",
      "in a cinema landscape populated with all kinds of digitally created creatures and setpieces , it 's nice to take a look back and witness the birth of these ideas .",
      "-lrb- a -rrb- fantasia of the classic greek myth with a brawny odyssey through lands of magic , all at the behest of the gods using humans as pieces in their competitive games and wagers .",
      "for true ray harryhausen fans , MOV will remain one of his greatest feats . and if you bring yourself back to the era , you 'll find a world of wonder yourself .",
      "the sheer outlandish nature of the production sets it apart from many of the mythology-inspired films of its era .",
      "the film 's engaging use of greek mythology , entertaining supporting performances -lrb- the star , todd armstrong , is a bit bland -rrb- , and outstanding model work -lrb- a six-headed hydra ! seven fencing skeletons ! -rrb- make it an ideal collector 's classic .",
      "it mostly comes alive through the imaginative special effects by ray harryhausen , the maven of stop-motion animation .",
      "the $ 3 million film has a workable scenario and has been directed resourcefully and spiritedly by don chaffey , under whose leadership a colorful cast performs with zeal .",
      "easygoing satire of mythical determinism",
      "good fun . even when projected in a public library .",
      "what comes to mind immediately with a mere mention of this greek myth are ray harryhausen 's special effects , especially those swashbuckling skeletons",
      "MOV -- certainly a wondrous film at its time -- benefits from nostalgia , and is moviemaking in a rarefied form .",
      "ray harryhausen 's finest hour is a fun and classic romp through the classics .",
      "the straight story of jason 's exploits , told with magic and imagination and a minimum of studio trickery , might have been delightful . this version is more bull than bulfinch .",
      "great harryhausen effects , indifferent acting and script",
      "saturday matinee fun in the finest tradition .",
      "the gone with the wind of stop-frame animation .",
      "made while hollywood was plundering roman history at vast expense , this british picture went further back in time and created a niche of its own .",
      "`` MOV '' features some of harryhausen 's most memorable stop-motion creations , including the giant bronze statue talos and a creepy army of swordfighting skeletons .",
      "special-effects buffs generally cite this 1963 effort by ray harryhausen as the master 's masterpiece , and his work does a great deal to enliven the tired plot and vacuous stars .",
      "what a blast !",
      "one of ray harryhausen 's finest moments , the remarkable special effects are still pretty impressive even in today 's cg-shaped world .",
      "a great adventure movie ... presents spectacle in the most wide-eyed , awe-inspired register .",
      "all the fights are stunningly put together and still deliver in action terms . this may be an old story but it feels very much alive .",
      "a stop-motion animation masterwork .",
      "for sheer old-fashioned , childhood rekindling adventure you really ca n't go past it ."
    ],
    "summary": "don chaffey 's MOV is an outlandish , transportive piece of nostalgia whose real star is the masterful stop-motion animation work of ray harryhausen .",
    "id": "9520"
  },
  {
    "movie": "five_obstructions",
    "reviews": [
      "whatever either of these guys thought they were doing with the MOV , they 've ended up making a movie like no other .",
      "the resulting films are far from ruined and are actually successfully witty , formal and strange .",
      "in this enjoyable if trivial battle between von trier 's psychodrama theatricality and leth 's cool formalism , it 's ultimately the viewer who comes out the winner .",
      "part of what hooks you to this movie is how leth outsmarts his taskmaster , and how the two men have divergent , almost incompatible aesthetic ideals .",
      "if this sounds like jackass for intellectuals , that 's because it is , but without the laughs .",
      "... fascinating ... another apparent piece in the jigsaw puzzle that is danish director lars von trier .",
      "the MOV may never really engage with the creative process ... but it is full of vivid examples of the finished product ...",
      "an eccentric and intrepid testament to the pure joy of cinema ... a duel of intellect and imagination .",
      "his latest film , the MOV , may be the one that gets the closest to his inner workings , and the one that finally tests him back .",
      "a startling revelation about how plastic , in the good sense , that cinema can be as art , as play , and as punishment .",
      "the success of the film depends almost distressingly on the audience 's cheeky sense of bad faith toward lars von trier .",
      "hardly conventional entertainment , but seeing what happens next provides much of the fun in this far-from-academic exercise .",
      "leth is hypnotically unstoppable .",
      "although the MOV occasionally seems like an exercise in artistic wankery , it 's amazing to see how leth rises to the challenge each time .",
      "an essay on art as a matter of solving problems posed by a capricious deity -- that is , an exposé of von trier 's own method , both of making a movie and directing actors .",
      "in trying to goad leth to ... ` liberate ' himself by making crap , von trier has instead given his friend a global stage as a highly creative and assured filmmaker .",
      "the MOV may do little to win over von tier detractors - who find his films , like these obstructions , too intellectually schematic .",
      "watching the MOV is at once like witnessing two chess masters playing dominoes and like spying on a series of therapy sessions .",
      "becomes most interesting when we see how a veteran filmmaker reacts to gauntlets thrown down by a star student , and meets those challenges .",
      "leth has created works as beautiful and moving as any art i 've seen in recent years .",
      "to see how leth discovers ways to use the devilish obstructions to his advantage is nothing short of thrilling .",
      "leth leaves the viewer both exhilarated and maybe even optimistic about the capacity of human intelligence and creativity .",
      "riveting .",
      "by challenging leth , pushing him out of his comfort zone , von trier releases in his idol a creative brilliance that would have otherwise remained buried .",
      "even those who dismiss von trier as a talented sadist might reconsider after seeing this revealing and ultimately poignant documentary .",
      "von trier is rejuvenating his mentor 's imagination . he 's also reminding him that art can ` catch the conscience ' of the audience and the artist .",
      "-lsb- ... -rsb- the reason the MOV lingers as an essential part of von trier 's filmography -lsb- ... -rsb- is because it reveals so much about why von trier has worked the way he has in the past -lsb- ... -rsb-",
      "fascinating -lrb- and oft-times infuriating -rrb- .",
      "-lsb- leth 's -rsb- strength against adversity elevates the movie above the one-sided whipping of a genial man to a more interesting duel of filmmakers . he parries when von trier thrusts .",
      "somehow the humor and purpose of this project escaped me .",
      "this unique work does humanise the two directors , but also shows that these two fallible humans are capable of making wonderful if not perfect cinematic works .",
      "a hugely entertaining chess game between equally matched opponents .",
      "despite his own pessimism , i think von trier does change leth as an artist , a little , through these chastisements .",
      "the movie does almost all it can to refuse to appeal to the viewer , then gradually evolves into something profound and limit-busting .",
      "a vain and vapid intellectual exercise that only serves to illustrate lars von trier 's unswerving arrogance .",
      "contrived and weighed down by testosterone .",
      "rest assured that the film is as playful as it is thoughtful .",
      "it 's amusing only if you agree not to think very much about it .",
      "stands as a testament to the elasticity of human imagination and to a friendship that can survive even the devious deconstructionist schemes of lars von trier .",
      "for those who treasure not only watching the intricate challenges of filmmaking but also feeling the thrill of tomfoolery and sharing the demonic joy of psychological twists , obstructions is enthralling .",
      "a film like this has a limited audience , i suppose , but for that audience it offers a rare fascination .",
      "funny , ornery , and ultimately inspiring .",
      "an unforgivable piece of cynical self-indulgence .",
      "an amusing look at idol worship and a refreshing foray into the nuts and bolts of making films , and the creativity that sets the best ones apart .",
      "if you have a desire to one day challenge the camera yourself , i 'd strongly advise studying this film intensely . good filmmakers come and go , but the great ones hide in haiti .",
      "the relationship between the two filmmakers raises it above the category of academic experiment . von trier brings a diabolical glee to his role , and leth matches it with an older , wiser brand of mischief .",
      "a special auteurist treat that 's easier to enjoy than to describe or categorize .",
      "in only 90 minutes it encourages you to reexamine the nature of cinema , the sources of creativity , the unexpected joys of the unanticipated moment . and it could n't be more fun to watch .",
      "reveals how huge is the impact of a director on a film and how impossible it is for an artist to escape his own nature .",
      "makes you wish he could do the same thing with michael mann .",
      "a movie that 's so eager and playful and inspired that it made me a von trier believer again .",
      "director lars von trier goes mental on his mentor and makes him remake a film over and over and over ...",
      "a pretentious vanity project .",
      "a fascinating meditation on filmmaking and a remarkable intellectual exercise .",
      "it 's a game of cinematic survivor that takes on broader meaning , exploring film as a mode of self-expression and the latent insecurity that drives artists to deliver works of greatness .",
      "offers us the five finished films as well as a record of their making , and from its very first frames it exerts a powerful fascination ."
    ],
    "summary": "both an intriguing intellectual exercise and an amusing look at the contrasts between the two filmmakers .",
    "id": "17281"
  },
  {
    "movie": "2012",
    "reviews": [
      "... two hours and forty minutes of the same action scene recycled over and over again ...",
      "it 's great to see fred astaire , er , danny glover back in the saddle as the president of the united states . it 's the first time america elected a president whose campaign slogan was ` i 'm too old for this s ** t. '",
      "here 's a movie that 's dopey , cheesy and sometimes downright silly . but it 's a disaster movie . it 's supposed to be ridiculous .",
      "the special effects are pretty special but the plot is a drag",
      "emmerich 's desire to cram as many hairbreadth escapes and eternities of suspense as possible into one movie ultimately feels more like an eternity plain and simple .",
      "... the farfetched beginning is such a turn-off that as the story becomes more credible , we do n't have much patience to forgive the absurdities that dominate the first half .",
      "a more delightfully bad movie has n't been seen in all of 2009 .",
      "an oscar-caliber cast and dazzling visual effects ca n't rescue this formulaic disaster flick from a script flooded with generic dialogue and preposterous plot points .",
      "as the action becomes less fabulous and more repetitive over 2012 's 150 minutes , the philosophical debate ratchets up .",
      "if you want to see the most incredible end-of-the-world footage rendered since nic cage 's knowing , buy a ticket . otherwise , it 'll look just fine on your television next year .",
      "the script is nonsensical and while the actors do their best they are , inevitably , dwarfed by the breathtaking visual effects . emmerich has outdone himself this time ; this is a film that makes independence day look modest .",
      "if you want massive spectacle , an orgy of disaster-movie clichés and schadenfreude run riot , you wo n't be disappointed . cinematic popcorn does n't come poppier , cornier -lrb- or cheesier -rrb- than this .",
      "the effects ring curiously hollow since the human side of the film is so undeveloped ... heed my warning and avoid this massive turkey .",
      "an astonishingly impressive and entertaining disaster movie ... one of the must-see films of the year .",
      "thrilling , but not earth-shattering .",
      "in the proud tradition of roland emmerich movies , `` 2012 '' is incredible in every sense of the word : totally not credible , and yet hugely entertaining .",
      "roland emmerich is an apocalypse chef . in 2012 he cooks america till it boils , adding live meat to the process at judicious intervals .",
      "in between the explosions and quakes you sometimes hear snatches of the script , and then wish you had n't .",
      "complete codswallop but perversely entertaining .",
      "if 2012 is an apotheosis of all disaster movies , that means it 's also an apotheosis of all disaster-movie clichés .",
      "i enjoyed `` 2012 '' for its mother-of-all-disaster-movie pretensions and amazing special effects .",
      "bigger , louder , crazier and more wildly exhilarating than anything previously attempted .",
      "you do n't get off a rollercoaster and complain about the lack of storytelling .",
      "it is as if screenwriters roland emmerich , who also directed , and harald kloser simply screened earlier films and borrowed bits and pieces .",
      "emmerich , bay and their brethren need to learn how boring these cgi onslaughts have become . when we see 18 skyscrapers collapse and several dozen vehicles wreck at the same moment , what do we focus on ?",
      "it 's the end of the world as escapism . it 's an event movie . it 's daft . the visual effects are amazing . see it on a big screen .",
      "... seriously , how often do we want to escape into worlds that are hell-bent on ravaging our sense of security with invading aliens and furious natural disasters ?",
      "size matters : a winter popcorn movie and guilty pleasure , this mass entertainment of mass destruction is not one coherent story but a calculated , cliche-ridden , often humorous pastiche of all the disaster movies made in hollywood .",
      "a double-stuffed , hysterical success that demands to be seen on the biggest screen you can find . if you can keep from busting up during the part with the helicopter and the giraffe , you may be a robot .",
      "2012 is no disaster movie , it 's a high-rent remake of the parent trap .",
      "hokey happenstance , big special effects , some are pretty cool . it 's no masterpiece , makes embarrassing mistakes , but i must admit - i really enjoyed the raw excitement .",
      "despite gasp worthy special effects , ' 2012 ' clunks along with yakety , cliched speeches and a familiar aka cliched plot that taps into virtually every disaster flick ever produced .",
      "the ron jeremy of disaster porn .",
      "throw in bits and pieces from all other disaster movies , up the global destruction ante , turn on the waterworks -lrb- literally and figuratively -rrb- and you 've got 2012 .",
      "there 's a calamity far greater than the disintegration of the earth 's core that dooms the film ' 2012 , ' it 's a lesser known phenomenon that most disaster films are smart enough to steer away from ... the magic of ` star power . '",
      "easily the best bad movie in years , 2012 is hilariously over the top .",
      "formulaic and frenzied , it 's a spectacular but ultimately silly blast , drawing on every cataclysmic disaster movie you 've ever seen for its noah 's ark flood concept .",
      "there 's nothing to root against , no recipient to rage against the dying of the light . there 's only the spectacle of the world crumbling and the dreary aftermath of cleaning up what 's left .",
      "2012 director roland emmerich never met a landmark he did n't want to crush with a digitized fireball , boulder or avalanche .",
      "the two-hour-and-40-minute 2012 is overstuffed with special-effects , but the curtis clan 's mad dash out of town is the closest the movie gets to actually being fun .",
      "if , as is believed in certain fringe circles , the world will come to an end in 2012 , at least there will be no more movies like this one made .",
      "five stars for the effects , three stars for everything else .",
      "disaster movies ca n't get any bigger than this -lrb- until emmerich makes a film about earth crashing into mars or something -rrb- . but it 's fair to say they can get a whole lot better .",
      "a graceless mess that will insult the intelligence of everyone who encounters it , even those who were actually looking forward to seeing it in the first place .",
      "emmerich attempts to outdo himself in every reel , but the end result is too long , too cheesy and too lacking in self-awareness to be the brain-off , block-busting thrill ride it should have been .",
      "it is better that the world ends here , right now , this instant , in a calamitous and civilization-decimating apocalypse before anyone else has to suffer through the disaster of a disaster film that is 2012 . you 'll thank me later .",
      "2012 may be the biggest disaster movie ever made , an awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance .",
      "2012 delivers everything you could possibly want from a blockbuster disaster movie .",
      "-lsb- emmerich 's -rsb- most cliched , predictable , overblown , special fx-milking epic yet .",
      "step right up and prepare to be mesmerized , bowled over , and generally blown away by roland emmerich 's 2012 , a movie that is guaranteed to be the last word on impending cinematic armageddon for the foreseeable future .",
      "this may be one of the dumbest disaster films ever made , but they sure do blow up things real good .",
      "apocalypse new ? no such luck : more like apocalypse same ol' .",
      "it 's pointless to fault ' 2012 ' for being silly or perpetuating scientific and historic baloney . instead , the new movie 's unforgivable transgression is that it fails to make any of the apocalyptic destruction fun .",
      "an eye-popping , insult to the intelligence strictly for the kiddies and crackpot doomsday enthusiasts .",
      "there 's a dash of tibetan mysticism , a soupcon of comeuppances , and one family discovering what is really important . take it for what it is and leave logic to fend for itself",
      "amazing special effects assume the starring role here , but cast members also deserve recognition for adding a humanistic touch to this over-the-top disaster movie .",
      "2012 is a fun ride , so long as you do n't think about how silly it all is .",
      "spectacular special effects and one of the dumbest screenplays of the year .",
      "emmerich does n't mess around when intent on messing up the world for good . but his pop apocalypse multiplying man 's worst fears , always goes down easy with a side order of popcorn . apocalypse wow .",
      "primal , not tactful",
      "the movie never takes its foot off the accelerator , leaving the viewer with little time to breathe . you will be sorry if you have to take a bathroom break .",
      "... 2012 's relentless emphasis on destruction ensures that most viewers will inevitably walk away satisfied .",
      "2012 is a sideshow ride , a rollickingly good thrill until it loses momentum in the last act , but even so , at 158 minutes , there 's plenty of bang for your buck .",
      "i ca n't believe i 'm saying this , but 2012 filmmakers should have hired michael bay as an artistic consultant . yes , the same michael bay who made transformers and pearl harbor .",
      "there 's so much ambitious spectacle , but it 's surrounded by so many lazy contrivances that one would want to gasp in astonishment if one were n't chuckling and groaning in aggravation so often .",
      "2012 offers hope in the face of spectacular disaster .",
      "those signposty speeches allow for a kind of logic amidst all the mayhem . and such mayhem !",
      "at worst , it 's a gruesome , depressing subject as viewed from the seat of a passing roller coaster .",
      "if you 're looking for some wicked-cool visuals and destruction on a scale that even emmerich has never put on screen before , then 2012 is for you . plot and character development ? move along , nothing to see here .",
      "parental content review",
      "it 's easy to mock throwaway blockbusters like 2012 , but as enthralling , mindless entertainment , the film is difficult to fault .",
      "it depicts a world where no one , man or god , has much say in what happens to the planet , and where the survival of one family outweighs the deaths of billions . what does that say about us ?",
      "in line with the u.s.-centric heartbeat of 2012 , most other nationalities , particularly the russians , are viewed as imbeciles and/or mere extensions of crude stereotypes - clever indians , honourable chinese , stylish italians , and so on .",
      "you do n't have to say more than `` it 's a roland emmerich film '' to get the full brunt of the quality of the production . great visuals , but weak dialogue and scenarios .",
      "it 's cinematic waterboarding and there was more than one occasion during the film when i was convinced it was never going to end .",
      "i ca n't claim to have seen every terrible film in cinematic history , but in my fairly extensive watchography , 2012 is certainly in the top 5 worst ever .",
      "action-packed entertainment builds around efforts , not to prevent the destruction of the planet , but to plan for the continuation of the human race .",
      "it 's the end of the world as we know it % u2026 again ! but hand it to roland emmerich , an old hand at cinematic armageddon , for making the apocalypse such an entertaining ride .",
      "the strongest thing about this movie is the `` this i have to see '' factor . if only the story had the same kind of groove going as the effects .",
      "berlin alexanderplatz feels like a saturday afternoon matinee compared to this .",
      "even though the extras -lsb- on the dvd -rsb- are chock-a-block , they are still for a bad movie .",
      "the end of the world movie to end 'em all , it turns out to be a sort of cross between the sci-fi camptacular when worlds collide and every previous emmerich movie . guilty pleasures galore .",
      "the audience paid for money shots , and money shots are what they get .",
      "people talk about `` formula '' almost always as a pejorative , but formulas get to be formulas because they work , and there 's something to be said for a formula picture done almost to perfection .",
      "the effects are expensive-looking and impressive enough while you 're watching them , although whatever awe they inspire does n't last long : when you 've seen one washington monument fall to bits , you 've seen them all .",
      "beware 2012 , which works the dubious miracle of almost matching transformers 2 for sheer , cynical , mind-numbing , time-wasting , money-draining , soul-sucking stupidity .",
      "if you feel like you 've seen all this genre has to offer , save your ten dollars and take comfort that you 're probably right .",
      "a gargantuan mess .",
      "a very long , very loud , and very stupid disaster flick that apparently accomplishes what it set out to do , which was to be long , loud , and stupid .",
      "films of this sort are plotted shish kebab style : disaster , change of scenery , new disaster . but on the level of spectacle , 2012 is top-notch .",
      "after seeing 2012 i had to take a shower i felt so unclean . if 2012 succeeds , we 'll have the deluge of crap . it wo n't be the rapture ; it will be the evacuation .",
      "like all its predecessors , this carefully choreographed entertainment offers nothing new . but there sure is a lot of it .",
      "it 's big and cheesy and if you 're in the mood for a dose of exaggerated end-of-world chaos , this is the popcorn movie for you . roland emmerich has gleefully combined every possible disaster extreme with child-like enthusiasm : massive visual effects",
      "`` 2012 '' is yet another example of technological genius and story-telling mediocrity .",
      "roland emmerich 's latest irwin allen-on-steroids disaster movie is the mother of all apocalypse movies , and it mostly satisfies ...",
      "sure the blu-ray dvd will look great on your home theater as ambient background for your next house party , but that 's about it .",
      "fundamentally terrible , but almost irresistibly entertaining . its horrors get a tad monotonous in the mid-section , but it 's still a value-for-money hoot .",
      "are we meant to applaud when skyscrapers topple and ships capsize , with tiny digital faceless bodies plummeting into the void ? you make the disaster this real and it 's not entertaining or chilling .",
      "wow special effects and a top supporting cast ca n't override the numbing length of this best-of disaster movie blockbuster .",
      "emmerich favours hoisting his camera high and dry to give audiences the best panoramic view , but it removes all tension from proceedings - you 're always at a safe distance .",
      "too long by an hour and populated with nothing but stereotypes , we ultimately want the world to come to an end , if only so we can get up and go to the bathroom .",
      "a state-of-the-art multiplex three-ring circus whose special effects stagger the senses and play like a video game , whose human drama aims for the cosmic and lands waist-deep in the big silly .",
      "a preposterous , overlong mess that 's filled with cheesy dialogue and cliche-ridden characters .",
      "remarkably , `` 2012 '' does n't even really try to be profound , which is a good thing . all it tries to do is what it knows how to do best : entertain . at that , it comes up a winner .",
      "actors say silly lines with deadly seriousness . exposition is wielded like a sledgehammer . all you can do is grit your teeth and wait for the next wave of destruction .",
      "at 160 minutes , it 's too long . and this is n't exactly brainy fare . if you think too hard about this dopey science-fiction thriller , you 'll surely find fault with its physics and similarly sketchy plotting .",
      "there are fates worse than death , and 2012 is one of them .",
      "hollywood 's most successful one-trick pony , emmerich claims to favor `` human stories '' over end-of-the-world spectacle , but watching 2012 is like watching a sausage machine explode .",
      "emmerich wavers between shocking , silly , and maudlin like a toddler would fingerpaint with red , yellow , and blue .",
      "i found myself reaching for a phantom video-game controller to help our heroes and heroine defy certain death .",
      "this is fun . 2012 delivers what it promises , and since no sentient being will buy a ticket expecting anything else , it will be , for its audiences , one of the most satisfactory films of the year .",
      "it 's the end of the world as we know it , and i feel ... like i have a headache .",
      "there are times when 2012 feels as if it is not going to end until 2012 ...",
      "doomsday is good therapy . what does it matter that billions die if that brings a family together in one big hug ?",
      "terrible with no story , a god-awful cast led by the cursed amanda peet , and stale dialogue . cheesy cgi .",
      "guilty pleasures do n't come guiltier than 2012 .",
      "it 's an exhausting , clumsy mess , and its moments of excitement are eventually toppled by the unstoppable tsunami of cheese .",
      "all the outright silliness can be quite entertaining , but it 's unsatisfying to watch a movie spend so much time developing characters you ca n't possibly care about as you wait for emmerich to throw in the next wave of destruction .",
      "-lsb- j -rsb- ust as the cyclones and tsunamis of the day after tomorrow ultimately succumbed to a bad case of narrative frostbite , 2012 's ludicrous thrills begin burning themselves out by the movie 's midpoint .",
      "at the end of the day -lrb- oops , a rash choice of words -rrb- , go for the great effects . and stay for the unintended laughs . though it 's for all the wrong reasons , this film is highly entertaining .",
      "if the viewer were ever invited to think or feel about what 's happening on-screen , the movie 's wow-whoa-ain ` t-it-cool momentum would collapse in a heap of horrific preposterousness .",
      "sound idiotic ? preposterous ? you bet . but 2012 delivers the disaster-movie goods better than any other popcorn movie we 've seen since the '80s .",
      "as you might expect with director roland emmerich , the movie is n't a patch on the trailer .",
      "despite the frenetic action scenes , the movie sags , done in by multiple story lines that undercut one another and by the heaviness of its conceit .",
      "why does roland emmerich enjoy killing off humanity ?",
      "even if most of the earth were to be destroyed by a natural cataclysm predicted long ago by the ancient mayans , director roland emmerich would surely survive , if only to crawl back and polish off what little was left .",
      "the earth 's crust destabilizes , quakes and tsunamis run riot , and continents shift , opening up a chasm directly under columbia pictures , the folks who hired roland emmerich to direct the movie .",
      "this is n't disaster porn , it 's a disaster gang-bang .",
      "if you 're the kind of movie goer who will happily munch popcorn at the sight of the apocalypse , 2012 will do the trick just nicely . and nastily .",
      "for too much of the 2 1/2 - hour 2012 , the end is not near .",
      "160 minutes of this nonsense is at least 90 minutes of back story too many .",
      "the latest end-of-the-world effort from director roland emmerich , who there but for the grace of god goes michael bay .",
      "2012 's narrative is super-banal and so are its special effects .",
      "at points , 2012 was tedious enough to make us feel like we were in the theater until 2012",
      "a headache inducing mess of apocalyptic proportions , 2012 is a woeful greatest hits package of disaster film clichés , mixed with shallow social commentary .",
      "congratulations , john cusack ! you star in the worst movie of the year !",
      "the amount of inanity exceeds the quantity of the special effects ... and the movie is filled to the brim with them .",
      "... roland emmerich has done it again - he has delivered a movie that can pass for either a sunny atrocity or a brilliant black joke .",
      "emmerich supposedly spent $ 260m to give you the biggest experience for your ticket dollar and in this regard , he has succeeded tremendously , while , intentionally or otherwise , also delivering one of 2009 's best comedies .",
      "terrible ; wonderfully terrible .",
      "it 's easy to scoff at the over-reliance of cgi in contemporary cinema but for a film like this it 's part and parcel of the whole , and computer generated effects have never before been used as spectacularly .",
      "`` sit down and buckle up ! ''",
      "you can not say , in the terms of the life and career that emmerich has built for himself , this is not the apex of his work . the world blows up . the world blows up a lot . the world blows up fantastically . there are worst quests in life .",
      "this is fear-mongering , sentimental , horror show shtick , but it 's also fairly competent , making 2012 a work of awful efficiency",
      "as always in emmerich 's rollicking armageddons , the cannon speaks with an expensive bang , while the fodder gets afforded nary a whimper .",
      "each cgi blow-out feels progressively more synthetic and wearing .",
      "-lsb- nothing -rsb- will give you more respect for how difficult it is to be an actor than watching top talent like john cusack , chiwetel ejiofor , amanda peet and oliver platt struggling to treat the film 's ungodly language and situations with perfect seriousness .",
      "the bad news : the world as we know it has come to an end . the good news : mommy 's new boyfriend was squashed in the gears of a giant high-tech ark , so daddy 's back in the picture !",
      "... goes on so long it starts to feel like the fifth piece of chocolate cake when two or three would have been more enjoyable .",
      "the money shots are there in spades for 2012 . it 's utterly unbelievable but a blast to watch . and on a big screen , it 's pretty impressive .",
      "2012 does answer the question of what a filmmaker with no great attachment to logic does when he ca n't choose between instruments of destruction . the answer : he exploits them all .",
      "it 's over two-and-a-half hours of roland emmerich simulating the experience of the `` id4 '' dog outrunning the fireball . it 's slaphappy ludicrousness taken to an epic level .",
      "to put it as simple as humanly possible , if you decide to go see one of director roland emmerich 's end-of-the-world films you should know exactly what you are getting into .",
      "the world will end not with a whimper , but a bang - and another bang , and another bang , and another ...",
      "now we know how the world ends -- with a whimper , a very loud whimper .",
      "any sentient viewer will be able to predict every lumpy twist of this ludicrous , fitfully enjoyable movie .",
      "-lrb- many -rrb- will decry `` 2012 '' as a plotless , illogical , clichéd , demented popcorn flick -lrb- because it is -rrb- , but this is that rare case where the apocalypse , at least in terms of big-budget blown-up spectacle movie-making , is hardly the end of the world .",
      "giant-sized , explosive and technically astounding . this is no less than the end of the world roland emmerich is dealing with , and he tosses into the pot so much delirious spectacle that , yes , there are even kitchen sinks in sight .",
      "independence day began a game of landmark-destroying one-upmanship . here , emmerich takes the competition global , but the soundtrack 's organ-rattling low-end makes a deeper impact than the film 's visuals .",
      "sets a goal and slamdunks it , squeezing in so much fun that by the credits , i 'd forgotten about woody harrelson 's turn as a pickle-chomping am radio meteorological messiah .",
      "i do n't think that , other than zombieland and the hangover , i 've laughed this hard all year , although i 'm sure the comedy in 2012 is 90 % unintentional .",
      "like watching a mexican soap opera with bad ass special effects .",
      "perhaps writer-director roland emmerich was hoping for a so-bad-it 's - good cult status with his latest disaster flick .",
      "emmerich , though , is not fundamentally a funny filmmaker . he 's fundamentally cheesy , and there 's always something flat and phony to those few scenes meant to give his movies some modicum of humanity .",
      "cliched , bombastic , coincidental , corny and technologically implausible , `` 2012 '' is so silly it might be entertaining if it did n't go on so long .",
      "most of all , i liked the airlifting of giraffes to ark safety via helicopter and the bizarrely unreasonable cheeriness of the beleaguered survivors who all but shout `` hip-hip-hooray '' after billions of other earth citizens lose their lives .",
      "emmerich was n't content to merely make the biggest disaster movie ever : he had to make every disaster movie ever ... -lsb- i -rsb- t 's like something ed wood would have made if he had a budget ...",
      "roland emmerich 's 2012th epic disaster movie to date -lrb- give or take -rrb- is spectacularly loud , laughably ludicrous and insanely entertaining for all the wrong reasons .",
      "this movie is a disaster . at least it would be if it did n't fall into the `` so bad it 's good '' category .",
      "se a morte de seis bilhőes de pessoas ajudar uma criança a abandonar as fraldas , năo terá tudo valido a pena ?",
      "158 minutes represents a heavy investment in time and popcorn . but the unrelenting pace , almighty effects and sheer tongue-in-cheekiness make it more than worth your while .",
      "2012 , a near three-hour movie built entirely out of special effects set pieces and join-the-dots characterisation .",
      "eye-popping special effects ensure that this movie will be a smash hit , and while it 's entertaining for most of its excessive running time , the cheesy script fails to live up to the grandeur of the physical production .",
      "emmerich 's vision of global huddling and new-dawn optimism has a harebrained naivety you almost want to treasure , but that 's this idiot behemoth of a film all over : dim , dim , dim , and so absurdly overscaled that we 're not supposed to mind .",
      "packages the disaster-happy director 's greatest hits into one cataclysmic picture .",
      "a deliriously ludicrous , guilty pleasure of a blockbuster in which the end of the world is turned into a two-and-a-half-hour rollercoaster ride .",
      "the crowning achievement in emmerich 's long , profitable career as a destroyer of worlds .",
      "it feels about 2012 minutes too long , a bloated epic that outstays its welcome long before the credits have rolled .",
      "roland emmerich has thrown everything imaginable at the screen in this mother -lrb- nature -rrb- of all destruction flicks .",
      "over the top scenes of destruction aside 2012 is generally unimaginative in every way , from conception to execution . it 's not particularly bad , but never has the end of the world seemed so quaint .",
      "2012 is terrible , lazy , hollywood trash . it is completely unoriginal with no structure , a script akin to having a drill put through your eardrum and a talented ensemble cast who are so obviously going through the motions .",
      "on any level other than as sheer visual sensation , 2012 is a joke , for the simple reason that it has no point of view .",
      "two and a half hours of heaving and cleaving and crashing and crunching .",
      "`` you 'll be thoroughly entertained throughout , but hate yourself for liking it afterwards ''",
      "a cheesefest on an epic scale , 2012 is a case of computer processors working overtime to compensate for a lack of action on emmerich and co-writers harald kloser 's word processor .",
      "the defining entrant in , and the nadir of , the disaster porn genre .",
      "a soothing bath of hollywood tropes and cliches .",
      "the scenes of destruction composed by emmerich 's team -- earthquakes , tsunamis , rains of earth and fire -- have an enveloping majesty ; they transcend mere expensive photorealism and cross over into art .",
      "thrilling , ridiculous -lrb- the script , by emmerich and longtime co-writer harald kloser , is riddled with howlingly goofy lines and seriously improbable deus-ex-machina moments -rrb- , and just plain big , dumb fun .",
      "emmerich mounts an all-out assault on the world and on quality filmmaking with this bloated disaster flick",
      "aside from a couple solid action sequences , this bloated epic is exhausting instead of exciting and sentimental but not sad .",
      "in the final forty-five minutes the movie starts to feel very long and played-out .",
      "what 's so frustrating about `` 2012 '' is that it could have been a great action movie . if the special effects team can do their jobs , certainly better writers could have been hired . but no . just try finding a surprise .",
      "it 's missing the point to note that the patriotism on display in ' 2012 ' is embarrassingly shallow , as are emmerich 's genuflections to the value of faith . this is not a movie of ideas , but one of visceral thrills . on that level it 's hardly inspired .",
      "works best when it immerses us in the vulgar mayhem , rather than when it 's asking us to care too deeply",
      "train wreck . car wreck . plane wreck . boat wreck . please tell me you 've picked up on the common theme here people .",
      "gleefully over-the-top , this film takes the disaster movie pretty much as far as it can go",
      "as with `` independence day , '' `` 2012 '' is what comes of hiring legitimate actors to hawk hokum . and `` 2012 '' certainly is all cheese on wry , but it 's smart within its means as a palpable , if popcorn , lesson about parental and personal responsibility .",
      "pour le `` meilleur '' et pour le pire , le cinéaste allemand nous livre au bout de ces deux heures et demie de tapage et d'exubérance son oeuvre la plus aboutie ŕ ce jour .",
      "there is a misanthropic rush to be had from watching all those cities getting destroyed real good .",
      "i 'm curious , just a bit , about what goes on in the mind of roland emmerich . does he know that he makes some of the best comedies ever written ?",
      "with a planet sized disaster film , there are nation sized holes to pick at if you choose , but there 's a world of fun to be had if you sit back and let the destruction wash over you in this fantastical , mind blowing visual feast .",
      "a boring , stupid , overlong , obnoxious , soulless piece of hollywood `` product . ''",
      "2012 is so long , and its special effects are at once so outrageous and so thunderously predictable , that by the time i lurched from the theatre i felt that three years had actually passed and that the apocalypse was due any second .",
      "it was your average d day film with all the bells and whistles and while many will enjoy it , it could have been better .",
      "2012 's cutting-edge cgi special-effects technology combine with the campy failings of the worst of the 1950 's b-movies making for an unlikely comedy of disaster-epic proportions .",
      "after the deplorable ` day after tomorrow ' i was n't expecting much , but this is an entertaining movie with mind-boggling special effects .",
      "2012 is the expensive , large-scale version of the same spectacle presented by downmarket counterparts like the final destination and saw franchises .",
      "if they had just put a decent story with these fabulous special effects , this could have really been something special . `` 2012 '' could have done without so many of its characters like those two guys on the love boat .",
      "2012 rarely convincingly places its stars in the midst of destruction .",
      "even though this movie 's running time of two and a half hours is about one hour too long , there 's still some pretty cool disaster stuff on the way .",
      "2012 is a roland emmerich movie , so that means the world collapses while actors try to find a safe place to speak their inane dialogue .",
      "i could fairly describe the 2012 plot as follows : the highest-paid members of an indifferent cast survive the massive floods and giant fireballs that cause our planet 's destruction .",
      "if the world had actually ended two hours into the film we 'd all be discussing how awesomely stupid 2012 was in heaven .",
      "this oafish epic about the end of days -- as predicted by the mayan calendar -- operates in a dead zone roughly equidistant between parody and idiocy .",
      "preposterous ? you bet . but 2012 delivers the disaster-movie goods better than any other popcorn movie we 've seen since the '80s .",
      "how is it possible that a $ 250 million film can be less effective on it 's audience than the $ 11,000 paranormal activity . the film is laughably bad .",
      "only a movie critic without a sense of humor would question whether you could really drive a limo straight through a collapsing skyscraper ... or whether the dalai lama really owns a pickup truck .",
      "had emmerich whittled down his overstocked cast and downsized the soap opera , this really would have been a case of apocalypse wow . if you 've an appetite for destruction , though , it 'll still send you home with a smile on your face .",
      "2012 is the rare case of a bad film that i 'm nevertheless obliged to recommend you see .",
      "2012 is straight ahead smash the world to smithereens while a cadre of characters placed in soap opera situations deliver unintentionally laughable lines .",
      "master of disaster roland emmerich lives down to his reputation with what amounts to the biggest snuff film of all time .",
      "the movie is an undeniable visual spectacle , but just as unequivocally a cheesy , ridiculous story .",
      "roland emmerich provides the next entry in the `` apocalyptically disastrous '' subgenre of mega-blockbuster cinema , following up transformers : revenge of the fallen with an equally soulless depiction of life at the end of the world .",
      "cusack , with his one-of-the-guys face and his nice way with child actors , does creditable work as an average american dad trying to put things right .",
      "my enthusiasm for 2012 is not because i think it 's high art with an important social message . screw that % u2013 this movie is about pure spectacle , and it pulls that off fabulously .",
      "2012 is reminiscent of yesteryear '80s shlock-tastic blockbusters -- total popcorn entertainment with ridiculous dialogue and impossible situations and special effects that will boggle the brain for a good two-plus hours .",
      "2012 is well made spectacle . it 's finely crafted trash . it 's in on the joke , and it 's laughing along with you .",
      "emmerich would be better off losing the pretense of respectability and embracing the b-movie showmanship that is clearly his strength .",
      "plausible plot points , great special effects and characters we care about . that 's really about all you need to enjoy this apocalypse wow !",
      "uno supone que presenciar el fin del mundo debería ser un evento realmente dramático , sin embargo estamos ante una película excesiva y ridícula que se parodia involuntariamente a sí misma .",
      "unbelievably dumb and sentimental movie .",
      "there 's a whole world of destruction going on in the film 's ridiculously excessive special-effects sequences . but there 's a whole lot of entertaining going on , too .",
      "i quite enjoyed the experience , at least the first five or six hours of it . 2012 is not simply the last disaster movie you ever need to see . it 's the last movie you ever need to see .",
      "emmerich deals in crayon-kit characterizations and shots of famous monuments crumbling into dust",
      "full review at movies for the masses"
    ],
    "summary": "roland emmerich 's 2012 provides plenty of visual thrills , but lacks a strong enough script to support its massive scope and inflated length .",
    "id": "770795544"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1209933-puss_in_boots",
    "reviews": [
      "where the visuals fail , the script does not pick up the slack . -lsb- the -rsb- screenplay plods along , and not even the occasional prison-rape joke can make it come to life .",
      "` MOV ' is uneven , but when it 's on course , cat fans will be in heaven .",
      "MOV is a shrek spin-off , which might seem pointless in addition to predictable .",
      "entertaining spin-off enlivened by a terrific voice performance from shrek scene-stealer antonio banderas and colourful animation work but the script is weak and the film blows all its best gags early on .",
      "it may be ogre-free , but it 's a monster of a movie .",
      "purr-fect fun for rugrats mourning the end of the shrek series .",
      "what the film boast in charm and exuberance , it sadly lacks in emotional core , and while there is n't really any depth to the bonds formed over the 90 minutes , it 's still a great family-friendly action-comedy .",
      "every time puss opened his mouth to speak i was so captivated by his gnashers they helped to make this one of the most entertaining animations i 've seen since the incredibles and happy feet .",
      "this western-parodying cat-with-too-many-names is closer to rango than to anything from the kingdom of far far away .",
      "just a whisker away from being the cat 's whiskers .",
      "for quick , lively , family friendly entertainment , `` MOV '' works just fine , even in 3-d , which is integrated thoughtfully into the narrative and does n't just feel like a gimmick .",
      "has enough charm and visual delights to compensate for its own storytelling shortcomings .",
      "... simple , sincere and largely innocent .",
      "a mad scientist in the skin i live in and a talking cat in MOV : is there anything antonio banderas ca n't do ?",
      "as handsome as any animated movie you can name , but it does n't even have the slick , narrative efficiency of one of the kung fu panda movies .",
      "puss ' origin story could easily stand on its own -- a testament to clever writing on the part of its creative team and an irresistible central performance by antonio banderas .",
      "even though the past few shrek films have been a chore and the character of puss himself is fairly one-note and perhaps better suited as a side character , this new spin-off film will surprise you with its clever script and hearty adventurer 's spirit .",
      "a winning vocal turn by banderas anchors this swashbuckling animated family adventure , a peppy , character-rooted romp that thankfully abandons some of the more frenzied and forced in-joke references of the shrek series .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- spun off from the finally-adjourned shrek franchise , `` MOV '' is a well crafted dreamworks animated movie that succeeds in spite of , rather than due to , its extraneous 3d treatment .",
      "colorful , clever enough , free of cloying showbiz in-jokes , action-packed without being ridiculous about it and even well choreographed ...",
      "a 2d comedy shown with technology to make you believe you 're seeing something you 're not . and one of the things you 're not seeing - or , rather , hearing - is witty dialogue .",
      "who needs a narrative when you 've got a few funny lines -lrb- caught with catnip , puss declares it 's `` for my glaucoma '' -rrb- , a morricone knockoff score and a climactic sequence with something we 'll call goosezilla ?",
      "for a fairy tale slash prequel slash spinoff , MOV is the cat 's meow .",
      "bears little resemblance to the franchise that spawned it -- and that 's a good thing .",
      "as good as banderas and hayek are together , galifianakis is better , making humpty-dumpty , of all people , one of the more intriguing animated characters to come along in awhile . he 's a nice surprise .",
      "it is a very silly film , a big adventure movie , and surprisingly effective . it 's not easy to spin off a popular supporting character into his own movie , and yet this feels completely natural .",
      "i left dreaming of a world in which cats could tango - and when 's the last time a movie did that ?",
      "the cat came back . good thing , too .",
      "an adventure that 's both cinematic and intimate , never sacrificing sincere emotion for the short-lived glory of a good punch line or set piece .",
      "a legitimately entertaining prequel that encapsulates what the franchise does best : breezy action , clever twists on classic figures from fables and grown-up gags tucked in amidst the kid-friendly developments .",
      "there are betrayals and double-crosses galore , rattling chases and swish sword fights , fleeting visual gags , mischievous verbal jokes and , best of all , a frisky flamenco dance-off between puss and kitty that will leave the viewer purring with pleasure .",
      "i 'm pretty sure that the reason antonio banderas was put on this planet was to make MOV speak ... -lsb- h -rsb- ilariously and endlessly inventive ...",
      "MOV is the cat 's meow .",
      "puss 's boots are delectable things which could almost have been the product of that classic fairy tale , the elves and the shoemaker -lrb- ... -rrb- and every time -lrb- ... -rrb- we see those little gnashers , the film is a technical marvel .",
      "avoids all the worst tendencies of the later shrek movies .",
      "`` MOV '' shows that there 's certainly enough in him to create a new hero beloved by both children and merchandise executives .",
      "with banderas ' scene-stealing feline finally getting his own film , the franchise now has a worthy successor to the two original shrek movies .",
      "an eksaireseis kana dyo eksypna gags kai kapoies paixnidiarikes proseggiseis sthn paradosh toy shrek na anakateyei klasika paramythia , s ' olon ton ypoloipo afhghmatiko toys aksona kratane ta pragmata apelpistika paidika",
      "while its fairytale-inspired premise lacks the subversive wit of the better shrek films , MOV is an agreeably snappy , visually enticing yarn nonetheless .",
      "an attractive adventure yarn that combines the fairytale and the western .",
      "unlike mater , puss is ready for his closeup .",
      "it 's the morally-cracked humpty who provides the film 's emotional trajectory . MOV is a fun feline frolic -- with just a little egg on its face .",
      "a milquetoast homunculi assembled by the most hackneyed form of studio groupthink imaginable .",
      "the character may be here to save the day , but the movie 's only here to pass the time and it does that just fine .",
      "MOV still has its moments and most of them come courtesy of the stellar vocal contributions of antonio banderas .",
      "the resulting spinoff , simply titled MOV , is breezily entertaining -- even to a dog person .",
      "great cat jokes , fun performances , and impressive 3d make MOV a movie that both adults and children will love .",
      "i did n't love it , but it features enough in the fun department to make it worth a watch if you are cat fan .",
      "turns out it 's not bad . not bad at all . instead of making a tacky cash-grab , they went ahead and made an actual movie . a good one !",
      "almost shockingly good . and not just because a lot of you will approach it with lowered expectations .",
      "what could have been a cheap and easy spin-off is instead a surprisingly engaging and richly constructed adventure film .",
      "it 's a given that any movie featuring the fencing feline is probably going to be more entertaining than the last two shrek movies .",
      "it turns out to be a tremendous amount of fun and not at all like the recent listless shrek sequels .",
      "finally , a fun animated movie that treats MOV like the star he was meant to be .",
      "the best thing i can say about MOV is that it 's not just another crappy shrek sequel . it actually does something different , which makes it surprisingly fun .",
      "family fun adventure with an occasional wink to the adults . who does n't love MOV ? even guillermo del toro got in on this !",
      "it 's furry , frisky , family-friendly fun - and you do n't have to pay extra for the 3-d because the 2-d version is just as good .",
      "banderas is a delight as puss",
      "nothing new , nothing strange , absolutely nothing unexpected , even for a five-year-old .",
      "it starts out fun and dashing and crazy , but once the plot sets in , i was significantly less into it .",
      "the results are so funny and irresistible audiences are bound to be swept away into this kitty 's universe .",
      "`` MOV '' is cat-astrophically entertaining !",
      "packed with exciting action , funny cat gags and eye-stabbing 3-d , puss should claw its way to the top of the box office .",
      "supporting characters are sometimes best left as just that .",
      "less visually striking , less funny , and less heart-warming than the shrek movies and with completely unnecessary 3d , it is a step down for the series .",
      "MOV is a great opportunity squandered , which is all the more ironic considering the plot involves a golden goose .",
      "where are shrek , fiona and -- gulp -- donkey when you need them ?",
      "basically , this toon is a tired riff on sergio leone 's spaghetti westerns , punctuated by more puns and cat jokes than you can shake a litter box at .",
      "with his impeccable comic timing and lyrical spanish accent , banderas ' swashbuckling charmer is an undeniable treat .",
      "dare i say , in honor of humpty , that the film is `` egg `` ceptional ?",
      "... while the story has many tricks , there 's little magic ...",
      "awash in action and colour -lrb- and short , parents , short -rrb- , MOV is a terrific example of how to put a fresh spin on a character spun off from a threadbare franchise .",
      "MOV never slows down enough to concern itself with pacing or plotting , and like any good cat burglar ; it always lands on its feet .",
      "is n't exactly the freewheeling adventure the cat deserves , weighed down by a leaden script , but isolated antics remain as amusing as ever , demanding banderas rear back and let loose with a full-body performance .",
      "MOV prances along on three basic truths . one , cats are funny . two , vain spanish cats in high-heeled musketeer boots are even funnier . lastly , booted , vain spanish cats voiced by a breathy antonio banderas are flat-out hilarious .",
      "i , for one , hope this darn cat and his friends return for another adventure .",
      "just when you were about to give up on 3-d-and the inflated price of admission to watch it on a theater screen-along comes a film that 's worth the money . in fact , it is n't the story that makes MOV stand out , but the imaginative staging ...",
      "it would overstate matters to say MOV leaves its cat holding the bag -lrb- we had to get that in -rrb- . but it also leaves its hero awaiting a richer fable , one befitting his charms and his portrayer 's talents .",
      "an almost purr-fect little film that even a dog owner can enjoy .",
      "swashbuckling adventure features irresistible warrior cat .",
      "the jokes and visual gags are very amusing , largely avoiding needless pop culture references and instead finding clever sources for humor .",
      "puss proves more than capable and deserving of the solo spotlight , his outsize bravado , machismo , ego spilling out beyond the big screen in fiercely funny feline fashion .",
      "clever and witty enough for adults and colorful and zany enough for children . moreover , it 's adventurous enough for anyone to like , no matter what their age .",
      "i like this cat . i hope they make four more of these . viva el gato !",
      "a refreshing departure from the `` shrek '' films , this animated comedy is jam-packed with witty dialogue and charismatic characters .",
      "banderas vocally vamps this up in ways he never gets to do in live action films .",
      "finally , there 's a cat even cooler than garfield who will win the box office as well as a place on your favorites list . his name is puss and he wears boots .",
      "puss offers strong cgi charisma , and with a tighter narrative focus than shrek , it 's safe to say that dreamworks has another franchise-worthy golden goose .",
      "bet the litter box that the cat in the hat will be back , MOV is fantastic family fun , both kids and adults will lap it up like a cold glass of milk .",
      "MOV delivers just the right mixture of fun , exciting and super cute .",
      "`` MOV '' is light , breezy family entertainment that -lsb- features -rsb- top-notch voice work from the entire cast .",
      "in the shrek films , the joke of MOV , with his trilled consonants and penchant for chest-puffing sword duels , is that no one this cuddly should try to be this dashing . but in MOV , that joke wears out its welcome in 15 minutes .",
      "passable",
      "even if they do n't provide much lift , these boots were made for amusement .",
      "MOV is cute and entertaining but hardly purr-fect .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't particularly deep , nor does it take itself seriously -- it just wants to seek glory , win affection and cash in . done , done and done .",
      "the film 's inventiveness is evident from the start ...",
      "`` shrek '' goofed around with what we know about beloved fairy tales , while `` puss '' is more interested in playing with the conventions of westerns and , specifically , sergio leone westerns . you could think of it as `` the good , the bad and the kitty . ''",
      "a razzle-dazzle animated feature about an outlaw cat who dances flamenco and is a survivor able to handle all challenges before him .",
      "even for a shrek spin-off , MOV is mighty thin gruel , based more in outsized emotion than actual narrative .",
      "labors to create an alternate history from childhood treasures ; i 'll keep mine the way i remember them , thanks .",
      "time and time again , puss coats his true desires in a thick veneer of synthetic heterosexuality .",
      "the 3d treatment is fine , but not necessary to enjoy this most cuddly of kitty concoctions .",
      "this shrek spin-off continues the theme of mashing up fairy tales with movie genres , and while there 's a slightly stale odour lingering through this prequel , it 's also witty enough to keep us laughing .",
      "it falls short of ` rango , ' ` kung fu panda 2 ' and ` winnie the pooh , ' but not by a lot . it 's fast , entertaining , and funny .",
      "unlike most digital cartoon featues , this is an utterly unpretentious film devoted almost entirely to comedy and action , with little moralizing .",
      "mostly this is lots of frenetic fun , and puss himself is a terrific hero . the animation , seen in 3d in many cinemas , is splendid .",
      "audiences of every age can delight in the antics , adventures and cattitude of the lovable MOV .",
      "our expectations have not been satisfied ; the character of MOV has been diminished , the story is trite and meaningless and the hero 's journey we expected is a lame duck",
      "for a film with many stylistic , thematic and tonal inconsistencies , it is still good fun .",
      "like most kittens , it 's not always perfectly behaved , but at least this new puss adventure does n't have you reaching for the cinematic spray bottle .",
      "that suave , scene-stealing cat from shrek 2 finally gets his own swashbuckling adventure and it could n't be a more colourful feline fairy tale .",
      "MOV is very jolly for an hour . then , like santa claus misjudging a chimney , it gets stuck at the moment we hope it will break free and distribute the festive gifts .",
      "as you 'd expect with dreamworks , the animation is smooth and the 3d impressive , particularly when puss and his partners in crime ride a giant beanstalk up into the heavens .",
      "chaotic yet beautifully arranged , sensuous yet innocent ... cat lovers will be in kitty heaven .",
      "it 's all amiable stuff , with a perfectly decent script , and the feline hero lapping his milk gets an indulgent laugh .",
      "most of the jokes fit into two categories : `` ha ha , he 's spanish '' and `` ha ha , he 's a cat '' .",
      "MOV is a highly amusing little diversion that will mesmerise the kids and hopefully give the adults a naughty little cackle as well .",
      "what kids will get from it is plenty of fairly outrageous but not often witty fun with fairytale elements blended into a kind of latterday spaghetti western . for the rest of us , there is plenty of nice visual detail .",
      "MOV is as good as the first shrek and , at its best , touches on the genius of shrek 2 .",
      "though puss was an entertaining subsidiary character in shrek 2 , he fails to convince as a leading character .",
      "remember that toy where you yank a string and hear the sound of a barnyard animal ? `` MOV '' has about half as much entertainment value .",
      "it 's always a pleasure to find a family film that respects its audience all the way up the line .",
      "puss made his debut in `` shrek 2 , '' then did time in the two decreasingly funny sequels . now he 's got a movie of his own , and not a moment too soon .",
      "an enjoyable enough romp , if no template-breaker like ` rango . '",
      "a cheerfully chaotic jumble of fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters parachuted into a spanish storybook setting .",
      "perhaps the most engaging thing about `` MOV '' is that it never takes itself too seriously .",
      "it 's a fabulous melding of voice talent , writing and animation that makes `` MOV '' so entertaining .",
      "visually , this project ranks among the best animated efforts to embrace the 3-d craze .",
      "as the voice of puss , banderas still displays heroic charisma . and even in animated form , he and hayek make sparks as they dance , fight , flirt and face adventure together .",
      "`` MOV '' does n't break any new ground in the storytelling department , and its reliance on go-go-go state-of-the-art action sequences grows wearying by the end , but the movie has a devilish wit that works for parent and child alike ...",
      "the supporting character from ` shrek ' is made the star of his own movie with stretched out results",
      "the best way i can think to describe the film is that it 's pretty consistently pleasant .",
      "there are some good fight scenes , some nice dance numbers and a lot of swashbuckling in this film .",
      "for the most part , the stale wisecracks are on the order of `` first rule of bean club : you do not talk about bean club . ''",
      "while not the purrfect family entertainment , MOV does spin a delightful yarn .",
      "the moment that puss made his debut in shrek 2 , dramatically voiced by antonio banderas , and all but walked away with the picture , it was clear that dreamworks animation had created a resonant character .",
      "MOV is certainly not the cat 's meow , but it does n't deserve a place in the litter box either .",
      "it 's solid entertainment from top to bottom , with enough cute , fun , funny and adventurous moments to delight most viewers . -lrb- parental movie review also available -rrb-",
      "i also really enjoyed galifianakis as humpty , whose apparent earnestness is leavened with just the right amount of psychopathic megalomania . you know , for the kids .",
      "an ironic adventure movie that crackles with energy and surprisingly non-grating comedy ."
    ],
    "summary": "it is n't deep or groundbreaking , but what it lacks in profundity , MOV more than makes up for with an abundance of wit , visual sparkle , and effervescent charm .",
    "id": "770810237"
  },
  {
    "movie": "black_dynamite",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV blends satire , nostalgia , and cinema deconstruction into a one-of-a-kind comedy high .",
      "director scott sanders and his co-writers michael jai white and byron minns unrelentingly lampoon all manner of ghetto life clichés and cultural sacred cows .",
      "one of those eminently quotable comedies that frat guys and movie geeks will come back to time and again .",
      "this film will delight both discriminating fans of the blaxploitation tradition and ordinary lovers of goofy , in-ya-face thrills .",
      "as the theme song declares , this cat is dy-no-mite !",
      "you 'll either love it and think it 's hilarious , comedic brilliance or you wo n't get it at all . i know which side i 'm on cats . MOV 's !",
      "MOV will stir some pleasant memories .",
      "here , the acting , framing , focus , blocking , editing , sound and film processing all nail down the period so perfectly ... it looks , sounds and feels as if it were shot in 1972 .",
      "before an hour has passed tedium overtakes MOV -- one corny martial-arts sequence turns out to be plenty -- and all the good jokes dry up .",
      "if the joke is somewhat one-note and eventually told too long and too often , at least it 's a good joke .",
      "if the man has got you down and your vhs copies of ` shaft , ' ` superfly , ' ` dolemite ' and ` i 'm gon na git you sucka ' are all worn out , ` MOV ' is here to save the day .",
      "such a bland and lifeless experience even the most ardent of scott sanders or michael jai white fans will do well to not grow bored before the end .",
      "truly the funniest movie of 2009 . yeah , bust-a-gut hilarious . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "... a dead-on parody of the sloppy filmmaking , aggressive overacting and slapdash writing of the cheapest films of the genre .",
      "i am happy to say it brings back an element sadly missing in recent movies , gratuitous nudity .",
      "beneath the good-natured retro silliness of MOV is something smart and new .",
      "do n't blame the man , blame the overdose of irony .",
      "blaxploitation equivalent of the b-movies robert rodriguez and quentin tarantino cooked up for grindhouse .",
      "MOV gets the details right , but so what ? the result is like watching rightly vilified movies such as epic movie , date movie , or meet the spartans , but without as many scenes of characters being kicked in the balls .",
      "as dynamite kung-fu-fights his way through a vast conspiracy involving smack-addled orphans , malt liquor , and the best -lrb- read : worst -rrb- exploding-car scene of 2009 , you 'll feel a rush of '70s nostalgia you never knew you had .",
      "if there 's a night at the movies more fun than this deadpan blaxploitation flick , it 's probably boosted by something bought in a dark alley .",
      "a cheerfully affectionate if fit fully amusing spoof of '70s blaxpoitation movies , scott sanders ' MOV painstakingly nails the cheesy look , music and martial arts moves of the originals .",
      "once you catch on to the string of in-jokes , the movie never stops making you laugh ...",
      "an enjoyable , frequently hilarious action comedy with a witty script and a terrific performance from michael jai white ...",
      "outta sight !",
      "as the titular ex-cia man , white reveals comic talents to match his martial artistry , delivering one-liners and roundhouse kicks with the same killer precision .",
      "fond and very funny homage to the exploitation era .",
      "a brilliant laugh-out-loud slapstick crowd pleaser made with love and talent .",
      "the portentous dialogue , two-track-recorded soundtrack -lrb- by adrian younge -rrb- and eager performances are all highly diverting .",
      "hilarious , and at just 85 minutes long , never outstays its welcome .",
      "it works as well as it does largely because it displays such a genuine affection for the genre it pays tribute to .",
      "a pin-sharp send-up of 1970s blaxploitation .",
      "sanders delights in the amateurishness of blaxploitation , from clunky exposition to shootouts that violate all rules of continuity and perspective to a visible boom mic , which spends so much time onscreen that it practically deserves its own credit .",
      "this movie will make you say `` oooooooooo ! ''",
      "generally humorless and pointless , devoid as the film is of any commentary on the genre to which it 's paying loving tribute .",
      "unless you 're seeing MOV with a slap-happy midnight movie crowd , the film 's energy saps about halfway through and leaves you glumly anticipating the next obvious plot point .",
      "MOV is back and the man better look out or die laughing .",
      "a muscular , mustachioed , lethally suave motharf * cka , armed with nunchuks , kung-fu kicks , and a roaring .44 magnum , has come to rescue jive turkey movie auds from spoof-film purgatory",
      "if you revel just a tiny bit in the ` blaxploitation ' genre , then MOV is a sweet stew of shut-yo ' - mouth that 'll keep you loaded with glee for its apt 90 minutes .",
      "MOV scores brownie points for its brilliant , spot-on recreation of grindhouse-era ambiance .",
      "if you do n't ask MOV to be anything deeper an an entertaining retro diversion , you 're apt to feel richly rewarded . can you dig it , you jive-ass sucker ?",
      "this may be the all-time best party film next to `` animal house . '' if this movie does n't make you laugh , call a doctor .",
      "nothing in MOV captures the exhilarating absurdity of pam grier hiding razors in her afro in coffy -- or the loony genre experimentation in pootie tang .",
      "a terrific satire of seventies blaxploitation classics",
      "as a five-minute clip on youtube , this spoof might be a small masterpiece . as a feature film , it 's both too much and not nearly enough .",
      "even if you 've never seen a black exploitation film you will be thoroughly entertained by ` dy-no-mite ! dy-no-mite ! '",
      "the climax is so outrageous i ca n't believe it . the ending outdoes inglourious basterds because it 's not even about making a statement . it 's just about being crazy , which is what awesome movies should be .",
      "the details are perfect , from the particle-board sets to the porn-ready score . -lrb- and dig those polyester suits . -rrb- but just like the movies it parodies , this one feels over long before it 's actually done .",
      "an enjoyable celebratory ode to a fiercely entertaining counterculture-inspired genre .",
      "can MOV fend off the man and the mob and the phalanx of wah-wah guitars arrayed against him and fight his way to the honky house to mete out kung-fu justice ? most likely !",
      "a feisty , gleefully harebrained spoof of all things shaft and superfly , dynamite is a jubilant ode to the firm cinematic pimp hand , which , in this picture , smacks bad guys around and tickles the audience with the same devotion .",
      "this is one of the cleverest , most consistently funny spoof movies since airplane !",
      "even though it sounds funnier than it plays , between the song and the nun chucks , i was happy .",
      "the full-on embrace of the stupidity , the charm and the admirably empowering qualities of blaxploitation sets MOV apart . but , above all , it 's very funny .",
      "see this one with a crowd , and remember MOV 's immortal words : `` doughnuts do n't wear alligator shoes . ''"
    ],
    "summary": "a loving and meticulous send-up of 1970s blaxsploitation movies , MOV is funny enough for the frat house and clever enough for film buffs .",
    "id": "770800373"
  },
  {
    "movie": "resident_evil_extinction",
    "reviews": [
      "najve % u0107i adut filma je , kao i uvijek , milla jovovich",
      "falha até mesmo na tarefa de levar o público a se importar com seus personagens ; năo há uma única baixa entre os mocinhos que realmente faça o espectador sentir um nó na garganta ou simplesmente pensar `` que pena . era uma boa pessoa . '' .",
      "as far as this franchise goes , it looks like it 's game over as the only thing extinct is the creativity .",
      "zombie sequel is just as grisly as the first two .",
      "there does n't seem to be much other point to extinction , with its disposable story and its ever-more-conspicuous lack of any original ideas .",
      "director russell mulcahy is revered by genre fans for his work on the original highlander , but he wo n't gain many followers outside fangoria circles with this over-the-top splatter fest .",
      "the latest installment in writer/producer paul w.s. anderson 's resident evil series may have opened atop the box office , but hardcore gamers know where the real action is .",
      "groovy bit of multiplex pandemonium",
      "rips from as many movies as possible , and fails to even do that right .",
      "the franchise is becoming almost as mindless as the zombies it portrays , lumbeirng on with only repetitive instinct , while all true vitality has long since passed away .",
      "it 's high time for `` resident evil : enough is enough '' .",
      "those zombies are back on the march in the third instalment of the horror-action series that plays like a rip-off of george a romero 's day of the dead , only with a much lower iq .",
      "milla jovovich does a female chauvinist dressed-to-kill biker babe , while dodging cannibalistic crows . rarely has mass murder been so dull . pass the smelling salts .",
      "a western-tinged adventure whose innovations are so scant that the only things keeping the enterprise afloat are clumsy references to its predecessors .",
      "the action at times is pretty effective , from an attack by an infected flock of crows , to some brutal fighting in a sand-engulfed las vegas .",
      "fun , forgettable stuff -- but also a -lrb- slightly -rrb- better film than the reviews would have you believe .",
      "russell mulcahy of highlander fame ensures that production values are strong even if logic is weak and the script sounds like it was written on the back of an envelope .",
      "one or two good action sequences keep boredom at bay for a while , but so little of it is fresh that extinction ca n't come too soon .",
      "the alice you care about most , the one who kills zombies with splits and panache -lrb- and machetes -rrb- is actually not on isaacs ' monitor and is not dead yet .",
      "alice is back . she remembers everything , mostly because we 've seen it all before ."
    ],
    "summary": "resident evil : extinction is more of the same ; its few impressive action sequences unable to compensate for the pedestrian plot .",
    "id": "512912460"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rundown",
    "reviews": [
      "not a single character behaves with any logic at all , but at least they 're colourful and energetic enough to keep our interest .",
      "it shows potential for a new franchise and a new star , or stars , in the genre .",
      "the rock is the action star of the new millennium , and his charismatic presence in the MOV solidifies that .",
      "a smart , fun actioner .",
      "worth the chase , the MOV is simple entertainment at it 's best .",
      "one of those failed adventure yarns in which the character interaction is forced to make up for other shortcomings .",
      "it 's a fun ride and a throwback to the kind of action movies that were popular in the 1980s , the days before ... special effects dominated every frame .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he plot and the characters and the action set pieces all have to be built around an action star . the MOV ... indicates that the rock is ready to be that star .",
      "it 's hardly original but the MOV still manages to be great fun .",
      "despite the occasional dry patch , the MOV is too good-natured to resist for long .",
      "shows the rock 's promise as an action star . a better director would have let him deliver on that promise .",
      "if you can smell what the rock is cooking , then get a sensational whiff of his homemade cinematic snack known as the giddy and glossy executed the MOV",
      "the final action flick of the summer is in fact the best .",
      "the plot is a particularly hapless indiana jones rip-off , which makes the mind-numbingly frantic and dull action sequences a fatal liability .",
      "it 's easily the most fun you 'll have with horny monkeys all year .",
      "a perfectly delightful comedy adventure .",
      "passable entertainment that is notable primarily as the rock 's successful vehicle to action stardom .",
      "there 's no logical reason for the MOV to be any good . but with the rock 's sure presence and peter berg 's gonzo direction , it 's anything but bad .",
      "noisy , bombastic and ludicrous enough to please any wrestlemania crowd .",
      "the rock 's acting skills are treading water midway between the island of infinitesimal and the isthmus of immeasurable .",
      "even when the rock 's not kicking some bad guy 's butt , he 's still extremely believable and entertaining to watch .",
      "connoisseurs of christopher walken , and there are some hard-core addicts lurking about , will have good reason to take in the MOV -- they can add a few more riches to their treasure chest of wonky walken moments .",
      "whatever scott drains from the picture , the rock adds back in . he 's a natural , a presence we take to immediately .",
      "puts similar movies to shame simply by bringing that infectiously goofy fun back into what 's generally known as the mindless action flick .",
      "the stifmeister steals the show in this indiana jones-inspired jungle tale .",
      "with surprising presence and quiet confidence , the rock has cooked up a winner .",
      "a black hole of nothingness that is not only hackneyed , but also mindnumbingly boring .",
      "a tolerable alternative when everything else playing at the mall is sold out on saturday night .",
      "the MOV , like many recent action movies , is aggressively adolescent .",
      "a brisk , good - hearted but predictable and uninspired -- not to mention bone-crunchingly violent -- action comedy .",
      "the rock reveals his classy transition from wwe star to a charming and charismatic big-screen action hero .",
      "do n't expect new horizons in the annals of odd-couple , comedy-action flicks .",
      "fun , albeit a little messy .",
      "a fun ride .",
      "the key to schwarzenegger 's reign was his sense of humor , and johnson has smartly worked on honing one of his own .",
      "it adds up to prime stuff for us action junkies and admiration for the new guy in town , the rock .",
      "the film vacillates between balmy stabs at humor and milking its sodden social conscience . meanwhile the script devolves into people yelling ` shut up ! ' at each other .",
      "an amusing bit of escapist fare .",
      "what 's fun about the film are its goofy sense of humor , wild and crazy stunts , and the cheerful willingness of the rock to poke fun at himself .",
      "aided by a strong cast and a smart script , the rock makes the MOV one of this year 's premiere action movies .",
      "the MOV is cleverly written and thoroughly entertaining .",
      "far and away one of the most enjoyable , not to mention best-made , action comedies since the original lethal weapon .",
      "with a summer as full of action movies as this one , you would n't think there 'd be room for one more , yet `` the MOV '' manages to keep an air of freshness without doing anything terribly new .",
      "the MOV stomps about to its own nutty rhythm . unlike the abysmal the scorpion king , it 's a movie that leaves you slaphappy , not slapping your forehead .",
      "the fights almost make up for the excessively juvenile humor and a portrayal of brazil that 's as ridiculous as the depictions of africa in old tarzan movies .",
      "the screenplay ... is the sort of mishmash of action-hero and mismatched buddy-movie clichés that makes obsessive action-film geeks , such as myself and the friend i attended the screening with , gnaw our lips off in sheer desperation .",
      "within the context of the script 's gradual decline , the MOV 's faults narrowly outweigh its virtues .",
      "it is slick , has a solid screenplay , a great action hero in the rock , and a good supporting cast of actors .",
      "it 's midnight run with added insects but with only a twentieth of the humour and a hundredth of the charm .",
      "johnson ... keeps it engaging .",
      "the rock shows off some impressive comic timing ...",
      "if , like me , you dismissed the MOV as just another stupid action vehicle for dwayne `` the rock '' johnson - get in the apology line behind me",
      "the way the rock pulls off the jokes and macho stunts in MOV , hollywood may just have found its new action king .",
      "as an action director , peter berg applies simple principles : speed it up , make it louder , blur it with effects . so we never get a true fix on just how good an action machine the rock might be .",
      "-lsb- l -rsb- ikely to cement the rock 's place at the top of the current action hero pile .",
      "a letdown , more marketing tool than movie .",
      "i 've been placing all my money on vin diesel , but it 's time to hedge my bets : the rock is the action star for this generation .",
      "the rock proves he can kick -lsb- butt -rsb- with clothes on .",
      "it 's slick , it 's loud , and it 's catalyzing -- a gadfly of a film from a subversive filmmaker approaching the mainstream but not quite there yet .",
      "o diretor peter berg e sua equipe foram assaltados quando estiveram no brasil я procura de locaушes . pois bem : eles se vingaram - e este longa ж a prova disto .",
      "mildly entertaining action movie with the rock .",
      "a lot of fun and just a balls to the wall guy action flick ...",
      "i think you can smell what the rock is cooking : a dish that 'll fatten your head but pleasantly plump your gut . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "sounds worse the more you talk about it .",
      "if arnold schwarzenegger had made a movie this tepid in his commando/terminator heyday , burned fans would be suggesting that he pursue some tenure as a fresno alderman .",
      "no need to run down the MOV . the latest from the rock is solid .",
      "the rock ... has a special quality .",
      "will probably make a star of the rock .",
      "while you wo n't exactly walk out humming the plot , the MOV should go down quite decently with popcorn .",
      "a witty , fast-paced action film .",
      "breezy entertainment .",
      "too often brings guffaws at all the wrong moments , when it 's not being simply too stupid for words .",
      "the MOV offers everything a good movie of this sort should : plenty of suspenseful action , a few good laughs , and a share of obligatory ` reluctant buddy ' bonding .",
      "the MOV is big fun at the movies .",
      "a good showcase for the former wrestler 's impressive physical prowess and decent comic timing .",
      "it 's more fun than most of what passed for popcornsellers this past summer .",
      "dwayne ` the rock ' johnson 's decision to pursue a movie career is good news for anyone who believes that one vin diesel simply is n't enough .",
      "the rock does have a winning screen presence , even when the material falls short .",
      "the MOV does n't break any new ground , but it does n't leave you wishing you had stayed home , either .",
      "the MOV wants to stand out in a movie market gorged with action . but it regurgitates commercial dictates rather than carving a new path . at least it relies on a diverse , charismatic cast , rather than on spectacular carnage ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV does n't break any new ground , but it 's a smart , funny buddy action picture with terrific comic chemistry between dwayne `` the rock '' johnson and seann william scott .",
    "id": "10616"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10010066-push",
    "reviews": [
      "sci-fi hokum to give you a headache .",
      "it 's fun teen stuff but wrecked by director paul mcguigan 's confusing use of constant flashbacks .",
      "an overheated stewpot of divisions , sects and subsects of extra-special , special and quasi-special mentalists , all running around like their pants are on fire ... maybe in search of a viable plot ?",
      "director paul mcguigan serves this up with a flashy swagger but there is no disguising the fact that it is an incomprehensible mess .",
      "in time this would-be thriller comes to rest with a fist fight , a hanging ending and the implicit promise of a sequel . of all the calamities that fanning predicts , MOV 2 is one she missed .",
      "kinetic and convincing , this uses a limited budget to thrilling effect , giving us a sort of x-men-meets-trainspotting twist . we hope a sequel follows this early promise .",
      "makes viewers feel as if they 're watching a movie from inside a spinning clothes dryer .",
      "falls into the clumsy trap of being the presumptive first installment of a franchise .",
      "totally watchable , totally forgettable .",
      "the violence is incessant , the portentousness constant , the opacity rarely penetrated .",
      "an ambling , broody concoction along the lines of strange days .",
      "it 's the perfect brain vacation for those overtaxed by oscar-nominated movies .",
      "... delivers the requisite spectacle ... but skimps on character and story .",
      "not much of it makes sense . the rest is n't terribly interesting .",
      "the ending left me scratching my head , unsure of what had happened , but certain of one thing : the giant pile of loose ends means somebody intends to make a sequel .",
      "movies do n't get more headache-inducing than MOV .",
      "eventually buckling beneath the girth of its own mythology , MOV ends with less a cliffhanger than really just a cliff .",
      "a trippy , nonstop action fest , with the feel of a really good episode of heroes .",
      "a great premise is marred by disastrous execution in this disappointingly un-heroic take on the comic-book genre .",
      "MOV is nbc 's heroes , if anything ever happened on heroes besides oh so mysterious prophecies and a litany of excuses to avoid action sequences .",
      "MOV is this year 's jumper . ` nuff said .",
      "long on style , short on substance and logic , it 's baffling and frenetic , defeated by its own chaotic cleverness .",
      "this would be sci-fi action-thriller feels like a failed television pilot ... or better yet , a demo version for something that could be much better with a lot more production value and polish .",
      "movers , pushers , shadowers - whatever ! the script was insane and the characters were inane .",
      "if you want to see a movie about mutants with superpowers , watch any of the x-men movies or the `` hellboy '' movies or `` wanted , '' any of those six movies is far superior to this .",
      "it 's the kind of film you wish had no sound - perhaps the studio should have eliminated the dialogue and replaced it cue cards every few minutes like the silent films of old .",
      "except for the cast , ` MOV ' reminds me a little bit of last year 's ` jumper . '",
      "this is the kind of film where nothing makes sense , it 's one huge plot hole . and if that was n't negative enough , it 's witless , boring , shallow and too talky .",
      "absolutely derivative , but nonetheless of interest .",
      "` MOV ' suffers from a baffling script , but dakota fanning delivers a very watchable performance in this sci-fi thriller .",
      "... a fun thriller that has a couple of tricks up it 's sleeve .",
      "set and filmed on location in bustling hong kong , the tight urban street and winding alleyways suit the film perfectly , but this is not enough to save MOV from the oscar season garbage dump .",
      "light fixtures are the true stars in `` MOV , '' constantly reflecting , twinkling and popping . its best moments are when guns levitate and fire themselves . when you do n't even need actors to hold pistols , it 's the ultimate in autopilot filmmaking .",
      "jthe script has no deep meaning and the film does just what it was intended to do : take an audience on a fantastical journey with loads of action .",
      "MOV is an empty calorie extravaganza and demands a crooked concentration it does n't earn to sufficiently piece this mess together .",
      "the premise is promising all right , but it 's a movie over-stuffed with talk and actors with a glazed look as though they too are n't sure of what they 're doing .",
      "there is n't a single word in the english language that could justly convey the sheer stupidity , and impenetrable complexity , of MOV .",
      "MOV is a chase film dolled up with supernatural powers and chintzy retro design motifs .",
      "mcguigan 's saving grace is a willingness to slow down and savour his own images . at best , a moody inconsequence takes over and confusion feels like part of the plan .",
      "the most amazing thing about this by this idiotic sci-fi thriller is that the actors do not crack up when delivering their lines .",
      "pushing ideas into other people 's minds is what this sci-fi fantasy thriller is all about , and paul mcguigan 's film looks great . the cast is good too . but there 's a problem . the story does n't make sense",
      "a harrowing mindbender which successfully blends elements of x-men , the matrix and memento while adding some of its own unique sci-fi flava .",
      "director paul mcguigan and screenwriter david boula are content to rely on the usual suspects , taking their visual and dramatic cues from other , more clever and involving sci-fi capers .",
      "oh , to have my brain wiped of MOV . the smell of desperation on the part of filmmakers to create their own superhero franchise is rancid .",
      "... a rather bland and hard-to-follow knock off of the trendy heroes/x-men template .",
      "a movie so bland , it might as well have been filmed in hounslow .",
      "this obviously heroes-inspired cash-in promises much but delivers very little , thanks to a confusing plot , uninspired direction , poor dialogue and a curiously lacklustre performance from the normally reliable evans .",
      "going to see this film does n't make much sense . it 's obviously been cynically conceived as a franchise starter , but abruptly flicking to the end credits seemingly mid-movie is not a good way to start one .",
      "stylishly silly but oddly cool all the same .",
      "great ideas , rotten execution .",
      "a kick-ass soundtrack , sexy imagery , and the ghost of a narrative to string it all together .",
      "why would a psychic ` tec need to sniff a toothbrush to locate its user ? does spearmint freshness have a spooky vibe ?",
      "director paul mcguigan does his best , but this is just a slog that mistakes earnest detail for engaging narrative . shove .",
      "the film is blessed with a frenetic pace that simultaneously accomplishes two things : it keeps the energy level high while obfuscating some of the most obvious logical flaws in the plot 's structure .",
      "a clutter of worn genre elements stitched together with superficial stylistics .",
      "it 's an ambitious attempt to shove the whole of a fairly complex comic book universe into a single messy and garish movie .",
      "a confused jumble of parts in search of a whole .",
      "a weightless , style-driven thriller set in a photogenically chaotic hong kong .",
      "an unholy mixture of heroes and jumper ... ` what if nothing we did made any sense ? ' says the inept hero , apparently reciting the credo of the moviemakers .",
      "MOV barely measures up to even the worst moments on `` heroes , '' and it makes 20th century fox 's weaker superhero efforts look much better .",
      "evans and 10,000 bc 's belle shuffle through a turgid romantic subplot , and though the two characters are very , very pretty , they 've got the chemical spark of a banana .",
      "a grubby cut-price sci-fi thriller .",
      "when MOV comes to shove , do n't expect to care about any of it .",
      "a silly movie that is partially engrossing and plenty convoluted .",
      "sci-fi thriller has more style than story ; some iffy stuff .",
      "there are many problems with MOV , and most are the usual boring things : unnecessary plot loops ; long , dumb musical interludes ; a charmless script ; and ostentatious action sequences in which the only person excited is the cameraman .",
      "pure escapist fun .",
      "the best thing about the movie is that you can never predict exactly where it 's going .",
      "imagine if the x-men had spent most of their time sitting around talking about how they were going to fight magneto instead of ever actually doing anything and you 'll have a good sense of what is wrong with MOV .",
      "just as it 's getting impossible to tell the superpowered humans without a scorecard , along comes MOV to muddy the waters .",
      "it should give us the willies , but it 's willy-nilly .",
      "it would take some pretty powerful mind control to convince audiences that MOV is a winner .",
      "... your understanding of just what is happening will correspond to the amount of time you spend watching the sci-fi channel and tv shows such as heroes .",
      "in plot , it meanders . in character development , it implodes . in action , it plods . in effect , it numbs , but , alas , not quickly enough .",
      "i thought hayden christensen in last year 's jumper would be as bland a mutant as the screen would ever give us , but that was before i saw chris evans in MOV .",
      "belle ... is blank as a page , and the intended romantic chemistry between her and evans is never in evidence .",
      "MOV has amazing special effects and production design , but that does n't compensate for the messy , incoherent plot and lack of truly palpable sci-fi thrills and excitement .",
      "MOV has an interesting premise , but it just does n't manage to translate it into a great movie .",
      "MOV has vibrant cinematography and decent acting , but i 'm blasted if i know what it 's about .",
      "one of the better recent attempts at cashing in on the superhero film craze without having an actual comic book to adapt .",
      "a better-than-average sci-fi thriller with genuine jolts and unexpected texture .",
      "a movie i enjoyed watching with a huge smile on my face and will assuredly endure scorn for liking ...",
      "dashes from genre to genre in search of a reason to exist .",
      "a sci-fi thriller with a lot of science fiction and zero thrills .",
      "... suffers from an uneven sensibility that essentially holds the viewer at arm 's length virtually from start to finish .",
      "i was at first intrigued , and then bemused and confused .",
      "this entry in the superhero sweepstakes is n't without charm",
      "a pleasant time-waster with non-abysmal performances and a few interesting concepts .",
      "the film is likable , but not lovable . all of the pushing ca n't compete with other sci-fi thrillers . still , it 's worth the ride if you keep an open mind for the unrealistic .",
      "between the unwieldy load of back story and the painfully underdeveloped characters , this infelicitous combination of jumper , x-men and tv 's heroes manages to be dull and exhausting at the same time .",
      "a dull trudge , the sort of popcorn movie that gets released in february rather than during the summer holidays .",
      "even with all its idiosyncratic elements , MOV feels like something we 've seen before . unfortunately , said memory is of something far more fascinating and definitely more engaging .",
      "MOV falters not in trying to add its voice to the genre , it falters in not having anything compelling to say .",
      "as far as i can tell , the only ability in short supply is acting .",
      "it 's not great , but it 's a perfectly fine version of psychics on the run versus the bad guys .",
      "MOV is supremely elegant , even beautiful ; you can get lost in the visuals even as the narrative implodes . if ever there were a triumph of style over substance , this is it .",
      "the scenes focused on lukewarm dialogue outnumber the action scenes ten to one , giving the film a listless , low-energy vibe .",
      "as a whole , MOV feels unfinished , its ultimate destination accounting for nothing more than a shrug . there is a fair amount to like here , and just as much to resent for how much better it could have been .",
      "you have to be clairvoyant to follow the particulars of this overly complicated , unconvincing thriller about folks with paranormal abilities .",
      "-lsb- d -rsb- isappointingly generic shoot - 'em - up dressed up with a few paranormal frills ...",
      "what really struck me more than the plot itself was mcguigan 's amazing use of location and space ; it feels as if this movie and these characters are really living in hong kong .",
      "engagingly photographed but dramatically inert .",
      "with mediocre expectations going in , the flick 's cleverness , great score and wicked fight scenes lead me to recommend this to anyone looking for a good time .",
      "too much explanation , of the sort cassie is inclined to provide , only slows down the nonsense MOV is pushing .",
      "parental content review",
      "it does the job it sets out to do : providing engaging entertainment centered around an interesting idea that it respects enough to think through properly .",
      "it 's like watching an x-men movie that does n't feature the leather costumes and which does n't have enough in the way of requisite thrills or action to keep anyone interested in it for very long .",
      "one long mistake from start to finish , this is a film that never gets its rhythms or bearing right .",
      "suggestive of x-men , the matrix and the television show heroes , MOV is one of those time-mangling thrillers that manages to seem both complicated and superficial .",
      "you know a sci-fi script is in trouble when it spends the first five minutes narratively briefing you on its byzantine plot -- and you 're still not sure what 's going on .",
      "a bargain basement melding of clichés from the x-men franchise and tv 's heroes .",
      "by the time the credits roll , your most fervent wish is to run into a ` wiper ' -lrb- one who can erase memories -rrb- .",
      "silliness rules the day : plot holes abound and are plugged with techno-pounding action sequences and more nonsensical guff . as a tv pilot , this might have worked ; as a film , it 's loud , confusing and inane .",
      "though ostensibly action sci-fi , mcguigan 's film pushes the boundaries of genre , playing out its paranormal parameters like a game of multi-dimensional chess .",
      "no amount of local colour and effects-heavy fisticuffs can save paul mcguigan 's film .",
      "what it lacks in out and out originality it makes up for with some pulsating action , vibrant cinematography and good performances from a decent cast .",
      "the lack of any convincing over-arching plot , the muddled use of alternating futures and squashed-together gaggle of wafer-thin characters renders the project a near complete failure when it comes to thrills and entertainment .",
      "british director mcguigan clearly hoped to make more than a dopey , effects-laden actioner . unfortunately , he 's made an uneven and pretentious one instead .",
      "`` what if nothing we did made any sense . would that throw them off the scent ? '' nick asks . you bet .",
      "at no point do you care if these dough-eyed buffoons live or die .",
      "if the words `` a bit like jumper but not as good '' strike fear into your heart then you might want to avoid this turgid superpower stinker .",
      "sloppily conceived but directed with flair , MOV is bound to split the vote . look closely and its disparate pieces fit clumsily together ; step back and the overall effect has an undeniable allure ."
    ],
    "summary": "the sci-fi thriller MOV is visually flashy but hyperkinetic and convoluted .",
    "id": "770680794"
  },
  {
    "movie": "liberty_heights",
    "reviews": [
      "both epic and intimate , taking on a large cast of characters while focusing quietly on the details of their lives .",
      "writer-director barry levinson brings it all back home to baltimore and delivers his funniest and most heartfelt film since diner .",
      "nostalgia is a tricky thing , but levinson manages to strike just the right balance of humor , affection , and candor .",
      "lovingly crafted .",
      "a grand slam !",
      "a pretty brave and ambitious feat .",
      "excellent re-creation of the clothing and landmarks of baltimore in the 1950s .",
      "MOV is worth a look , with its rich characters and dialogue , and its gorgeous cinematography by chris doyle .",
      "offers a deeper immersion in that old '50s feeling than any other hollywood film in recent memory .",
      "coming to terms with `` the other '' -lrb- whether stranger , enemy , or alien -rrb- is as critical to the development of soul now as it was in the 1950s .",
      "if more people followed barry levinson 's example and made art after taking issue with something i 've written , hollywood and my mailbox would both benefit .",
      "with well-written characters and a humorous script , the entire cast shines .",
      "a pleasure to behold .",
      "the meandering focus of the script is n't quite as sharp as it should be , but there is nothing muddled about the warm feelings the film strongly evokes .",
      "a thoroughly grounded statement about the human condition .",
      "overall this movie just does n't live up to its aims .",
      "a pleasant and worthy addition to a strong series of films .",
      "an attractive , albeit modest , addition to the levinson collection .",
      "a charming film , infused and emotionally heightened by the imagination of memory .",
      "delivers the emotional goods .",
      "only the dourest dyspeptics will fail to enjoy it .",
      "touching and frequently hilarious .",
      "offers a light wit that is oftentimes funny .",
      "a warm fuzzy film with a touch of blues for realism",
      "MOV is an all-around rollicking piece of entertainment .",
      "the whole thing rather lacks juice ."
    ],
    "summary": "a moving film with moments of humor , MOV succeeds in capturing the feel of the '50s with great performances and sensitive direction .",
    "id": "14217"
  },
  {
    "movie": "how_to_lose_a_guy_in_10_days",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is not unpleasant . it 's just dull .",
      "you not only have to be seriously testosterone - deprived to survive this film without embarrassment , you have to buy a romantic premise so ridiculously contrived that even dr. ruth might suspect someone was pulling her little leg .",
      "how to lose a guy shows that hudson 's oscar-nominated performance in 2000 's almost famous was n't a fluke .",
      "trite , contrived , but often entertaining .",
      "MOV may have tinkered with the rules , but it 's still playing the same old game .",
      "this material requires a great deal more suspension of disbelief than even this hokey genre normally demands .",
      "mcconaughey is an actor of limited range , but this time he has a film that fits firmly into his abilities .",
      "has enough laughs and silly subplots to keep you looking , but in the end it 's the work done by the two leads that saves the film .",
      "a sure delight for both guys and gals .",
      "after a frothy start , how to lose -lrb- an apt abbreviation -rrb- becomes a one-joke comedy of slapstick suffering .",
      "a shallow , convoluted love story with some cheap laughs wrapped around an infomercial",
      "a novel concept ... botched with juvenile execution .",
      "full of potent one-liners ... but they 're mired in a plot that constantly teeters between innocuous silliness and flat-out absurdity : you might swear you saw this same screwy scenario in a 1964 sandra dee/bobby darin movie on the late late show .",
      "hits all the spots that most successful romantic comedies do , and has some decent laughs mixed in .",
      "lackluster .",
      "the movie grows formulaic and clumsy in its last third , but what you feel , sitting in a packed theater , is the spark between hudson and the audience .",
      "it goes on too long and is trapped by too many cliches .",
      "the hottest couple to come down the pike recently has been frodo and sam . hudson and mcconaughey rate higher on the spark-o-meter .",
      "should have been called how to lose an audience in 10 minutes , because that 's how long it takes to alienate you with its overly convoluted premise .",
      "the results are supposed to be funny , but are instead painful .",
      "an entertaining trifle to a point ... but it does n't treat the character 's or the audience 's intelligence with the respect they deserve . by the end , you just do n't care anymore .",
      "this boy-meets-girl movie is a chore to sit through .",
      "in donald petrie 's MOV , the setup to the inevitable is contrived to highest level that although you may want to dismiss the film , the performances by the leads are appealing enough for you to have good time enjoying this film .",
      "not only does 10 days rely on that old standby of romantic comedies -- `` the bet '' -- it one-ups the cliché with two bets !",
      "a tasty romantic comedy , featuring the battle of the sexes in its most fanciful light .",
      "this film will likely be enjoyed by anyone who has gone through their own share of ` clingy ' girlfriends with a number of laughs and enough overall entertainment to recommend to anyone looking for a fun night out with their honey .",
      "this is the kind of movie that was doomed on the page , both by an inherently problematic premise and ill-conceived character motivations .",
      "if you 're working for the new yorker , the legality of laura elena harring 's breasts is not an appropriate pitch for your `` annals of law '' column .",
      "... before labeling this as just another chick flick , keep in mind that it 's a whole lot more enjoyable than most of the current pre-summer blockbuster-wannabes that studios are unloading right now .",
      "you got ta love love , especially when it 's devious , deceitful , selfish , brutal and manipulative .",
      "leve e divertida , esta produзгo serve como prova de que , mesmo carregada de clichкs , uma comйdia romвntica pode funcionar muito bem .",
      "if you 're a bit of a romantic with a penchant for playfulness , here is a fresh and funny , entertaining collision of hearts .",
      ". i hate to label this lightweight romp a `` chick flick '' , but when the title actually issues a challenge to the fairer sex , well , the writing is on the wall .",
      "wander in after 30 minutes and split an hour later , otherwise you may feel like you 've been used .",
      "the comedy in the film works very well . the romance is n't quite as convincing , but good acting and romantic chemistry prevail .",
      "... a fluffy farce of romance and vulnerability - and not just the female 's take , but the male perspective as well .",
      "if only filmmakers out there would take a how-to course on making romantic comedies with more than just laughs and star appeal , we might actually be making some progress .",
      "the film has charm and even some grace ... an offhandedly luscious vision that the actors are careful not to muss .",
      "when his mother whispers in andie 's ear , `` do n't you break his heart , '' the double-double-cross plot takes a backseat to the really in-love plot . they play cards , ride his motorcycle , get splashed in a puddle , have sex in the bathroom . she 's so cute , he 's s",
      "clumsy , overlong .",
      "want to get rid of that guy who 's driving you crazy ? drag him to this lame romantic comedy starring kate hudson and matthew mcconaughey .",
      "days is a watered-down , lightweight version of war of the roses made for people who still think friends is funny .",
      "i am just about ready to write off movies in which people make bets about whether they will , or will not , fall in love .",
      "MOV dishes up a healthy serving of the fun that should be -- and too often is n't -- at the heart of a good romantic comedy .",
      "the picture is actually watchable .",
      "the picture is entertaining , and it will probably be a big hit , but it 's an opportunity wasted .",
      "if kate hudson and matthew mcconaughey were n't so darn easy on the eyes , the only thing this ` battle of the sexes ' film would be losing is its audience .",
      "riddled with cliché plot devices and dialogue that 's as superficial as the glossy fashion magazine the lead character writes for .",
      "hudson is so impressive than she could charm the paint off the walls .",
      "cinematic costume jewelry ... a more appropriate title would be ` how to lose an audience in 10 minutes . '",
      "with its ungainly double-deception premise , how to lose a guy feels like it was made out of two connect-the-dots drawings laid haphazardly on top of one another .",
      "if you want to lose a guy in one day , drag him to see this movie .",
      "where the movie loses me completely is when andie 's behavior takes a turn for the psychotically infantile . i wish i could say the low point is the scene in which andie begins making goo-goo talk to ben 's -lrb- still-trousered -rrb- male member",
      "she 's selling low self-esteem and an impossible image of femininity and he 's selling pieces of rock mined by slave labor and made artificially scarce by evil monopolies . maybe they really are made for each other .",
      "... this film will charm your socks off",
      "not for one frame does it seem possible that these two cutesy twenty-somethings wo n't see the errors of their wagers in time to take the exit to happily-ever-after land .",
      "this film sticks like high heels in gravel coming out of the gate . but after the necessary unpleasantness are over the bulk of the film is actually quite entertaining , funny and , well , cute .",
      "this movie is so intent upon getting cheap laughs and putting the protagonists in uncomfortable situations that it forgets they 're supposed to be falling in love .",
      "fun , funny , chick lit-style chortler .",
      "more an exercise in how to lose an audience in 10 minutes .",
      "the kind of instantly disposable but exceptionally agreeable trifle that 's best enjoyed with one 's significant other , preferably before or after an intimate dinner for two .",
      "overly long and overstuffed , there 's just not enough here for a recommendation .",
      "` hudson y mcconaughey salvan el resultado final gracias simplemente a su encanto personal . '",
      "this is a pure bubblegum picture , but it works at that level .",
      "it is exceedingly difficult to classify MOV as a romantic comedy given that the film is about as romantic as a punch to the face -- literally .",
      "pokes fun at relationship stereotypes in a way that , while not exactly clever , is pretty amusing -- due in large part to the talented leads .",
      "this is a more adult romantic comedy , with humor that a more adult crowd can identify with , and those painful date moments that everyone can relate to .",
      "hudson needs a little more time to hone her comedic skills before she can charm us through all the watery spots in the film 's hot-laughs and cold-jokes script .",
      "both lovers are duplicitous creeps -- in a perverse way they 're made for each other .",
      "how to lose an audience in 10 ways",
      "MOV may have a new title and different stars , but i 've basically reviewed this film three times in the last two months .",
      "when a chick flick goes wrong -- and this one hits a dead end in hell -- it 's a wipeout .",
      "leave before the excruciating finale and you should have an ok time .",
      "in what civilization is this kind of behavior romantic ?",
      "the movie appears to be stocked with nine to five giggly runway models wearing $ 2,000 outfits , rather than your usual office drudges .",
      "it is fun , but empty fun .",
      "the funny stuff at the heart of this film struggles in vain to free itself from a cage made of old romantic-comedy cliches .",
      "to prove that the movie 's not just a reshuffling of a 1959 doris day flick , they 've thoughtfully added a gaseous uncle , thereby ensuring modern hilarity value . regardless of its fq -lrb- that 's flatulence quotient -rrb- , it still plays like a 1959 doris flick .",
      "10 days may be predictable , but it 's still quite entertaining .",
      "though the majority of the film is laughably predictable -lrb- you just know there 's going be a drawn-out sequence in which both characters learn about the other 's deception -rrb- , there 's a lot worth recommending about MOV .",
      "ladies , here 's a hint : you can lose a guy in a lot less than 10 days if you make him watch movies like this one .",
      "this tortured premise to get them together and the things they go through , every minute of it just lies flat on the screen .",
      "a nice enough diversion when the theaters are filled with weightier oscar contenders .",
      "the same stuff you 've seen in every other run of the mill , artificially sweetened date flick .",
      "you 've seen this movie before . here it is again .",
      "the perfect date movie .",
      "... breezy and manipulative ... this piece of dating dreck is so sticky sweet and syrupy that one would think they screened petrie 's film at the international house of pancakes !",
      "by any impartial system of judgment , it is at best a mediocre film , but within its genre , it 's better than some .",
      "how to lose a guy smoothly satirizes the superficiality of man-hungry women and the soullessness of sex-hungry men .",
      "there may be some way to make this nonsense amusing , but writers kristen buckley and brian regan have n't even figured out a reasonable setup for getting the two together .",
      "should just count ourselves lucky that the final reunion on a bridge does n't involve benjamin on horseback and paul young on the soundtrack .",
      "... it is pretty funny , if exaggerated to cartoonish extremes and contrived beyond belief .",
      "MOV will test your cuteness tolerance level .",
      "all in all , it 's a mostly harmless movie and if you 're female and have a mean streak , you should love it . guys should see it as a warning .",
      "if reality 's your bag , take a pass . but if you 're looking for a harmless diversion to get you in the mood for valentine 's day , this could be the ticket .",
      "in contrast to the horrifically stupid , dull romantic comedies the past month or two have brought us , MOV is almost , but not quite , a breath of fresh air .",
      "MOV more like how to lose an audience in 10 minutes .",
      "MOV explores sexual politics in many winning and funny ways and proves that equanimity in a man is a great aphrodisiac .",
      "is n't as bad as it looks .",
      "the film is based on a very small book of the same name that 's illustrated with stick figures . director donald petrie 's film miraculously manages to be even less detailed .",
      "a cobbled-together clone of sex and the city , minus most of the humor and poignance .",
      "the movie is clever , up to a point , and then becomes strained in the manner of a lot of the romantic comedies of the '40s .",
      "for once , here 's a screen couple that easily adds up .",
      "though something less than a masterpiece of the genre , this good-natured skirmish in the war between men and women benefits from hudson 's thoroughly charming performance .",
      "too light on laughs and too heavy on predictable moments .",
      "resorts to the kinds of cliches that were so yesterday two weeks ago .",
      "having nearly suffocated amid the swirling mist of estrogen fumes that enveloped a recent screening of the insipid chick flick MOV , i need an immediate infusion of guy stuff to detox .",
      "virtually everything in the movie is off-pitch .",
      "a too-long title is just the first problem for this too-long , misguided , so-called romantic comedy .",
      "mutual deception as a comedic conceit predates shakespeare , and it certainly shows its age in this creaker .",
      "kate hudson is irresistably adorable in this frothy comedy about the head-on-collision between two competing bets and one overpowering attraction .",
      "the movie would have been so much better if it had jumped into its mean-spiritedness with gusto and passion , instead of just splashing around in it halfheartedly .",
      "despite a few clever insights and twists , it 's neither good nor distinctive enough to rise above the level of generic romantic comedy .",
      "if the movie provides no new insight into the contrasting behavior of men and women or the perils of postmodern urban dating , falling well shy of the not-too-high standard set by ` sex and the city ' on both fronts , it does have its tart , fizzy moments .",
      "the biggest challenge to viewing 10 days is deciding whether to think of its lead characters as ` despicable swine ' or ` vile dung-weasels . '",
      "if MOV turns out to be a $ 75 million hit as i suspect , then it will no longer matter if the same script is dusted off and the names changed to protect the innocent , because it 's the audiences that are guilty .",
      "they play an emotional game of chicken - and we all win .",
      "a brand of entertainment that 's dissatisfying intellectually and formulaically .",
      "offers nothing new to the genre , but for those who like light tales of meet-cute and happily-ever-after , it 'll probably be as welcome as a tub of double-fudge ice cream .",
      "kate hudson 's impressive comic flair almost saves this implausible romantic comedy .",
      "a modest but bubbly comedy of manners . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "battle of the sexes romcom with mature content .",
      "the biggest problem i had with this film was the set-up and premise . it works on paper , but most of the movie is spent with the characters being simply awful .",
      "along with a terrible ending , there 's also a numerous range of plot inconsistencies that insult the audiences intelligence .",
      "it 's hard to believe that this drivel was based on a book ... but matthew mcconaughey and kate hudson make it somewhat tolerable at least .",
      "-lsb- mcconaughey -rsb- and hudson make the premise , even in its shakier moments , vibrate with a sense of fun .",
      "has just enough substance beneath the surface throw the romantic comedy some much needed freshness .",
      "... despite reservations about the goofy plot and the cocky characters , the movie proceeds pleasantly enough .",
      "a funny premise in search of a movie .",
      "a shrill , unfunny litany of single-folk stereotypes that insults men and women with equal abandon .",
      "button-cute .",
      "a modest hawn-like romance for a new generation .",
      "it 's about as close to french farce as romantic comedies get , and the closer the better .",
      "should be retitled how to lose a movie in 10 minutes .",
      "so much of the picture misfires and/or simply does n't work or make sense that the total package is not as good , enjoyable or entertaining as it should be .",
      "this is a movie that never aspires to be anything more than dimwitted fun , then falls on its aspirations .",
      "guys , if the gal in your life insists that you take her to MOV , do n't panic . if she really wanted to dump you , she 'd insist on deliver us from eva .",
      "a formulaic romantic comedy that percolates slightly with caustic wit before devolving into idiocy , it 's potty humor ."
    ],
    "summary": "matthew mcconaughey and kate hudson are charming together , but they ca n't overcome MOV ' silly premise and predictable script .",
    "id": "10435"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_overnight_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "deft and delicate and exquisitely uncomfortable , but it also offers revelations that are joyful , sad and true .",
      "the result is a bit twisty , largely credible and well played by the talented leads .",
      "does brice even fully grasp what he 's getting at ? maybe not . that 's why this is such a juicy specimen of the cocktail party walpurgisnacht subgenre . he 's in nearly the same place as his riven characters .",
      "i have n't laughed out loud so long and often at any comedy so far this year .",
      "the kind of tame comedy that promises something transgressive but then chickens out before going anywhere that might unsettle its core audience .",
      "a shocking , provocative and memorable trip . i wish the movie was about something deeper than physical attraction , and our general insecurities . it 's not , so the stakes stay low . but it 's intriguing .",
      "painfully funny and brilliantly performed .",
      "the writing is blatantly sexual but utterly unrevealing ; the characters and their problems are cut to fit the airtight plot .",
      "like the sex comedy it 's billed as , MOV teases and titillates , but the film 's sincerity addressing the messiness of monogamy is what cements its bawdy brilliance .",
      "the cast ... is totally game for the film 's over-the-top escapades .",
      "the pleasure of the movie lies in the way it both rewards and subverts expectations , delivering on the risqué possibilities of its premise while also coming up with something smarter and a little deeper than a log line might suggest .",
      "both schilling and godrčche are far better than their roles here . but even they ca n't make MOV look better than an overlong `` funny or die '' sketch .",
      "a perfectly cast quartet of actors buoy the slight , generally unpredictable antics of writer-director patrick brice 's second feature , though the film itself falls into an uncomfortable middle ground between trying too hard and not trying hard enough .",
      "smart , playful , and hilarious , `` MOV '' is a delightful romp between the sheets .",
      "like a post-sexual revolution 's bob , ted , carol & alice .",
      "the amount of laughs patrick brice is able to generate from such a simple idea and on such a small budget makes one think that he 's due for a breakout .",
      "there 's this weird , unshakeable feeling of nostalgia by the time the credits roll : the party 's over , it 's time to go home , but damn , what a night .",
      "while size may not matter -lrb- the movie runs a short 79 minutes -rrb- , it 's not even relevant to something this flaccid .",
      "`` MOV '' ends just as it starts to get interestingly messy ...",
      "it leaves us with an illogical , yet still nagging sense of been there , done that . the fun , nevertheless , is fun while it lasts .",
      "`` MOV '' is the movie equivalent of fuzzy handcuffs : a tame and unimaginative attempt at spicing up the overly familiar scenario of a married couple trying to get their groove back .",
      "MOV steers clear of predictability-even if your memories of this daffy all-night party vanish into thin air as soon as you exit the theater .",
      "brice manages admirably to make his comedy at once daring and earnest , outlandish and relatable , obscene and sweet .",
      "a dizzying , debauched , excruciatingly funny film about knitting new connections through discomfort .",
      "the movie has its share of laughs ... but it 's mostly a missed opportunity to create an intelligent sex comedy about relationships in the 21st century .",
      "movies about sex should be messy and confusing , filled with human foibles , but too often they are utterly strait-laced . this one gets it right .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't much - in fact , it 's hardly anything . for what it is , though , it 's enough .",
      "brice stops his story just before it becomes redundant - most filmmakers these days ca n't say that - and although i did n't believe the outrageous next-to-last scene , he caps it with a laugh-out-loud joke .",
      "brice goes a bit too broad at times , but he keeps things just funny and edgy and open enough for `` MOV '' to work .",
      "in the morning brice finds an ending for his film that 's rather sweet and wise . certainly sweeter and wiser than you 'd expect from a movie with this many prosthetic penises .",
      "schilling , as she 's proven on orange is the new black , sport a wicked sense of deadpan and she 's genuinely touching opposite scott .",
      "an unexpected comedy about motive and manipulation .",
      "it may owe a lot to bob & carol & ted & alice , but this new age suburban swingers comedy is very funny and enlightening .",
      "a sex comedy by people who do n't really seem to worry that much about sex .",
      "tension builds to delightful comedic effect , and the cast is ideally suited for the material . it 's more than prosthetic penises .",
      "there 's a breezy spirit and an agreeable touch of tenderness to the movie that makes it hard not to like , even if it never accumulates much substance .",
      "an unpredictably weird and delightful sex comedy , `` MOV '' has a sly take on contemporary coupledom .",
      "it 's an unusual but effective mix of outrageousness and sincerity , in which the four anxious revelers function both as broad caricatures and as real , complex human beings .",
      "... a refreshingly rule-breaking and thoroughly entertaining comedy that bends sexual norms with gusto and gleefully deflates gender-based insecurities .",
      "there 's an insidious cleverness to `` MOV '' that keeps the audience just a bit off balance .",
      "MOV has a handful of scenes that make you do the laugh/gasp combination , so crazy are the happenings in the plot . at the same time , there is something oddly touching about the movie 's portrait of marriage .",
      "you 're not going to find another film this summer that keeps surprising you the way this one does .",
      "it 's a kinder , gentler sex comedy , and that 's pretty sexy .",
      "an indecently hot and hilarious sex comedy with quartet of playfully scrappy actors who could n't be better suited to their roles or more eager to rouse our prurient interest .",
      "occasionally the film feels more like a string of acting exercises than a tightly edited sex comedy . still , there 's plenty of raunchy romance here and some good , deliberately cringe-worthy lines .",
      "brice ... needs only to sit back and let his actors excel in their comfort zones .",
      "a sometimes dirty comedy that sincerely and wittily explores the anxieties that involve adopting genuinely progressive lifestyle choices .",
      "the movie is a weird and darkly comedic exploration of an all-night parental playdate in which marital boredom , sexual dissatisfaction and fidelity are on the agenda .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- n emotional obstacle course that starts out sweetly optimistic , turns to uncomfortable farce , and ultimately ends up somewhere poignant and ripped with compassion ...",
      "brice 's screenplay is peppered with hip-speak double entendres that become singles when schwartzman oozes them .",
      "brice effectively balances cringe humor with emotional revelations that feel genuine even if they start out as uncomfortable jokes .",
      "written and directed by patrick brice with atypical wit , the film is uncensored and hilariously unpredictable , jumping from one titillating gag to the next with the grace of a tightrope walker .",
      "it 's a short film , weighing in at 79 minutes , but that feels about right . you probably would n't want to spend a lot more time with these folks , no matter how intriguing their company .",
      "brice seems more interested in keeping viewers guessing than in crafting a meaningful story . while that makes his film unpredictable , it comes at the cost of emotional impact .",
      "brice keeps a forgiving eye on his characters ' foibles , teasing rather eviscerating them to unexpectedly sympathetic ends .",
      "absolutely hilarious , winningly acted , and surprisingly wise .",
      "there 's not a lot of depth or relationship insight , but the lead actors effectively keep the proceedings both amusing and unsettling .",
      "at times it feels naturalistic , but it occasionally veers into surreal territories . it is likely to discomfit and disturb some moviegoers ... but the overall effect is surprisingly sweet and assuring .",
      "overnight never pushes inward far enough .",
      "MOV generates enough laughs to justify seeing it in theaters or at home . just do n't watch it with another couple , unless you secretly want a foursome with them .",
      "as raucous as the flirtation is throughout , actual intimacy -- physical or otherwise -- is rendered with unflinching clarity .",
      "getting to know the neighbors has a lot to do with getting to know one 's self . but this film leaves us unconvinced .",
      "a pleasant , welcome surprise .",
      "brice squeezes some nervous laughter out of the premise , but MOV is more naughty than funny , and it pulls back from the edge just when it should be leaping off .",
      "some challenging issues , like monogamy and sexual boundaries , are effectively explored . there are moments of troubling horror and moments several will find disturbingly relatable .",
      "despite the best prosthetic penis joke probably ever , patrick brice 's fitfully funny indie still does n't deliver the awkward sex comedy gen-xers deserve .",
      "if you can bear it , this hipster horror film of creeping social dread is utterly hilarious .",
      "much , much more than a dueling penises movie .",
      "absolutely hilarious and very well written , MOV is like a dinner party that you 'll want to stay at far into the morning .",
      "the first half is toxically weird and brings out some of the biggest chuckles . when the story turns in a completely different direction , all leading to an unearned ending , it ultimately just lacks clear satisfaction .",
      "an unsettling uncertainty gives emotional texture and depth to what could have been just another wish-fulfillment fantasy for frustrated thirtysomethings .",
      "beneath all of the jokes and physical humor , is a sweeter , more genuine story about four adults forming a connection .",
      "might just be the best american sex comedy since paul mazursky 's ` bob , carol , ted , and alice . '' jumps from extreme silliness to unbridled outrageousness to a truth most dramas do not achieve .",
      "it 's a slender conceit stretched out about as far as it can go .",
      "the film 's buńuelian potential for harpooning the bourgeoisie is quickly dashed in favor of mumblecore antics .",
      "it continues patrick brice 's -lrb- admittedly short -rrb- trend of delivering very funny films with a second , more dramatic layer underneath , but even if the relationship drama fails to move you the laughter created by the dialogue and visuals surely will .",
      "even as sex comedies go , this one is slight , but it 's funny .",
      "the laughs stop about halfway through , and the 79-minute running time feels about right . one night in a house with these two couples is enough .",
      "part titillation and part cautionary tale , `` MOV '' is biting and real .",
      "what makes MOV work as well as it does is the cast . the performances here are truly fearless and engaging , with schwartzman and scott in particular in high gear .",
      "unfortunately , their largely improvised dialogue is not enough to sustain even the meagre 79-minute running time .",
      "there are plenty of cathartic home truths here and no shortage of amusing moments , but it 's hardly subversive filmmaking .",
      "this very wry , la-set adult comedy plays like a junior , low-budget version of who 's afraid of virginia woolf ?",
      "something ... gets a little off-balance as the movie progresses .",
      "in its best moments , MOV deviates from the conventions of a party movie -lrb- or `` sex comedy , '' as it has been christened -rrb- and veers toward the experimental , the uncanny , the unsettling .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- uncomfortably perceptive sex comedy .",
      "attitudes are adjusted along with clothing , with all four main actors happily delivering more than brice 's uneven script and sitcomish directing asks of them .",
      "the delivery is unorthodox . you might think you know what 's coming , but then comes another curveball that catches you by surprise . you 're kept guessing throughout - and it 's a real kick when you 're wrong yet again .",
      "MOV really belongs to the weirdly adorable schwartzman , who literally lets it all hang out as the absurdly well-endowed kurt .",
      "serious points are made as the foursome get into the swing .",
      "the film 's brevity makes it easily digestible but there 's an underlying sense of frustration - dissatisfaction that the characters are n't fleshed out better and the humor is n't more organic .",
      "i 'm not big into awkward comedy , but MOV is so deft and surprising that i almost enjoyed the feeling .",
      "i especially liked schilling , whose character picks up on what she calls a `` swinger vibe '' long before her doofus husband and registers this with an expression of increasing -lrb- and increasingly funny -rrb- alarm .",
      "as clothes are shed and secrets come to light , it all becomes ... alas , a very odd combination of squirm-inducing and dull .",
      "`` MOV '' is not , by any means , for everyone , what with its adult themes and sexual scenarios , but it 's clever and well-acted , and even a bit insightful , which is more than most big movies can say .",
      "here 's an amiably goofy , if dramatically thin comedy of swinging sexual manners .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- unpredictable indie comedy -- sort of a `` who 's afraid of virginia kink ? ''",
      "for all its supposed edginess , ... it winds up being little more than mildly naughty , drawing titters rather than gasps .",
      "once all the motivations come into focus , MOV pivots gracefully from awkward social comedy to something genuinely complex -- and even poignant .",
      "this often ribald , ultimately thoughtful comedy of social and sexual manners may not aim particularly high , but it hits a singular mark nonetheless .",
      "brice 's screenplay , clever and occasionally funny and sometimes even shocking across the film 's first hour , ca n't quite bring the picture home , with the result that some of the climactic scenes do n't ring true .",
      "has a good sense of how appealing an unconventional release can be when enough anxiety/tension has accumulated .",
      "writer/director patrick brice 's racy , low-key comedy MOV qualifies as a social horror movie , complete with suspense , plot twists and strange , intimidating characters you 're never sure are exactly what they seem to be .",
      "MOV is horribly funny and gets more so : titillating and terrifying in equal measure .",
      "no matter how hard the film tries to challenge bourgeois notions of wedded bliss , it 's all so very civilized .",
      "the potential awkwardness of merging your own sex life unexpectedly with strangers is both funny and wince-worthy , and faithfully captured .",
      "excruciatingly hilarious and hilariously excruciating . the merkin scene will live with you forever ."
    ],
    "summary": "witty and unpredictable , MOV benefits from writer-director patrick brice 's sure-handed touch and strong performances from a talented cast .",
    "id": "771412081"
  },
  {
    "movie": "time_to_leave",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV comes across with unexpected moments of illuminated stillness , and any movie that gives meaningful face time to the incomparable -lsb- jeanne -rsb- moreau can never be a total waste of time .",
      "whilst avoiding many of the sentimental clichés that bedevil terminal illness movies , the briskly edited MOV nevertheless lacks the emotional impact of ozon 's most memorable films .",
      "as with all ozon 's work , MOV resounds with grace notes .",
      "deeply touching and brutally frank .",
      "a lyrical and heart-affecting french drama that reveals that we must each encounter death on our own terms .",
      "but this may be the first time that ozon has played it too safe , leaving little to separate his film from the countless other portraits of dying scoundrels redeemed .",
      "moreau 's few ripe scenes are choice , and she spices up the joint with her gravelly voice of je ne regrette rien .",
      "a cinematic tone poem , wafting on wistful tableaus and sad faces ... mostly elaborates on how death must ultimately be a personal experience .",
      "ozon transplants the melodrama genre to the here and now , taking a sentimental form and adding frank sexuality -lrb- is that a prosthetic mr. poupard or are you in the moment ? -rrb- and a steely attitude .",
      "much of the film works to undercut any sense of real emotion .",
      "has its effective moments of restrained intimacy but lacks the depth to give the slow-going narrative much impact .",
      "we watch romain change as he struggles with his mortality and , as he does , we come to care about him .",
      "sumptuously filmed but rather distant .",
      "simply treats death as life 's final curveball , with romain solemnly and bravely letting the hourglass trickle down as it will .",
      "it 's affecting .",
      "a beautiful , frank and utterly absorbing examination of death .",
      "the entire film is a balancing trick , with scenes of potential banality redeemed at the last by a subtle twist or subversion . in their conflicted expressions , the performers prove themselves experts at their own high-wire acts .",
      "modern audiences are more likely to find the character 's behavior to be extremely frustrating , undercutting any sympathetic response one might have for his situation .",
      "the story arc from his diagnosis to his death does n't cover much ground in romain 's life . but his emotional landscape -- the conflicts , the anger , the sadness , the acceptance -- offers much more depth .",
      "it does absolutely nothing that previous movies dealing with this subject have n't done .",
      "those looking for the traditional hollywood sweetness or payoffs will walk away disappointed , but the rough-hewn film offers riches to those willing to endure its downbeat tale of detachment .",
      "directed by the prolific françois ozon , MOV stars melvil poupaud as a fashion photographer facing the certainty that his life will soon be over .",
      "it 's difficult to feel positive about romain 's acceptance of his mortality , because ozon has n't convinced us romain was that alive to begin with .",
      "one gets the feeling while watching MOV that the feisty director is , for the first time , bored by the story he 's telling .",
      "una exploración muy personal , muy íntima y para nada condescendiente sobre la proximidad de la muerte a edad temprana . muy buen elenco .",
      "it 's noteworthy for the performances of melvil poupard as romaine and jeanne moreau as the grandmother-two people facing their own mortality , and trying to exit this world with grace and dignity .",
      "director francois ozon , who can define physical desire in a swift gesture or extend a moment of self-reflection with acute stillness , has become more confident and specific with each film .",
      "it 's a quiet and poignant look at a life as it slips away , seen through the eyes of a character who 's not always likable but remains entirely real .",
      "a touching and haunting film that is more uplifting than its central theme suggests , MOV leaves us with much to reflect upon , and consider .",
      "takes one of the most tired movie cliches of all time -- `` i 'm sorry , but you only have a few months to live . '' -- and turns into to a totally fresh look at what it truly means to live",
      "another year , another minimal but solid offering from françois ozon",
      "an emotionally moving story , which somehow never dips into cliched sentimentality .",
      "yet another discourse , a creative one , about what people do when they are diagnosed with a terminal disease .",
      "MOV winds up a tiresome affirmation of man 's biological duty to procreate ; the position is simplistic verging on obnoxious , especially after 5x2 's attack on the hetero family model .",
      "MOV takes the time to reflect ... it is among the least tricky of ozon 's films , which also makes it one of the best .",
      "as in any ozon film , there are indelible performances from strong women here .",
      "MOV just might be ozon 's best work yet . he tackles a sensitive , off-putting subject with a dignity that will put viewers at ease .",
      "françois ozon 's latest follows in the footsteps of familiar made-for-tv-movie terrain but does so wearing prada shoes .",
      "... the film 's haunting final scene , which plays out almost entirely without dialogue , catches ozon at his beguiling , enigmatic best .",
      "a thoroughly cinematic and honest film that thrives on in-between moments and knows how to make them grand .",
      "a short and succinct film but it lingers long in the memory .",
      "romain sees his inner child wherever he goes . the problem is , that childishness is all we really understand about the character . nothing else punches through .",
      "it 's about a gay man coming to terms with his mortality , and , in a plot twist that 's as contrived as it is ironic , with the biblical injunction to procreate .",
      "pointless , crushingly dull `` disease of the week '' film -lsb- about -rsb- a shallow , selfish , gay fashion photographer .",
      "maintains its focus and disturbs appropriately",
      "ozon 's drama offers no rousing speeches about living to the fullest , or heartfelt soliloquies on the nature of existence , only a bitterly honest admission that death happens to everyone and there is no use trying to stop it .",
      "romain is ruthlessly true to himself , and the film 's final scene , which begins on a crowded beach and ends as everyone who can goes home , is stunningly haunting .",
      "MOV blows a fresh , skeptical wind through fairly corny melodramatic territory while keeping faith with the operatic emotions of the genre .",
      "... surprisingly unengaging -lsb- and -rsb- utterly devoid of humor ."
    ],
    "summary": "a reflective look at our own mortality through the experience of a middle-aged french man , MOV manages to pull at our heart strings without resorting to cliches , and leaves a lasting impression .",
    "id": "190815782"
  },
  {
    "movie": "your_mommy_kills_animals",
    "reviews": [
      "covering a wide canvas of animal welfare and rights issues that rightfully will provoke meaningful discussion",
      "the most controversial , provocative , inflammatory and thought-provoking film of the year !",
      "while avoiding the most important travesty -- the use of animals for food -- the documentary does efficiently illustrate the arguments for an against the use of animals for research and fur .",
      "... a flawed yet remarkably even-handed look at an extraordinarily contentious issue .",
      "MOV is eye-opening in the truest sense of the word . i was riveted from start to finish . this is one of the year 's best films .",
      "what may be the finest documentary of the year also is the most difficult to watch . i wept unashamedly at the brief videos of real-life animal abuse in `` MOV , '' and you may , too .",
      "a documentary that both informs and entertains , and that will invite animated debate -- which is precisely what a good documentary should do .",
      "with a subject that holds as much venom as this one does , mommy remains amazingly poised .",
      "terrific documentary on the animal rights movement that allows all sides in the debate to make their points .",
      "david martosko , of the center for consumer freedom , carries the film 's obscured theme that `` morality '' is a religious-based ploy used by all sides of the animal abuse debate that lead the fbi to rank animal-rights activists as the no. 1 terrorist threat in",
      "the result , admittedly , is a bit of a din . but it 's certainly interesting .",
      "the most accessible , thorough chronicle of animal rights ever put to film .",
      "could n't have arrived at a more timely moment , given the recent arrest of atlanta falcons quarterback michael vick on federal charges for hanging , drowning , electrocuting and beating dogs to death .",
      "it 's the best kind of documentary , in that if you 're a thinking person it is nearly impossible to watch the movie without having your point of view challenged and questioned .",
      "it lets you off dizzy and confused , whereas the best documentaries leave you feeling that you 've come to a settled perspective on a subject .",
      "those on both sides of the animal rights issue will find much to fume over in ... curt johnson 's in-depth , eye-opening examination of the movement .",
      "MOV is an eye-opener , raising tough questions about whether the movement deserves such intense scrutiny and punishment by the government .",
      "interesting and sometimes dizzyingly freewheeling .",
      "this film shines a clear light on the dark controversy surrounding our treatment of animals .",
      "a miraculously evenhanded treatment of a snarlingly divisive debate .",
      "MOV will more than likely still draw you in with its unbiased approach -- and , no matter where you stand on the issue of animals , you will definitely learn a lot about people .",
      "what feels like a lack of propaganda makes the film all the more cogent , intelligent , and powerful .",
      "curt johnson 's first feature bodes well for his future as a filmmaker .",
      "that one ca n't quite decide if these charming men are heroes or villains is a mark of johnson 's calm , even approach to an issue seemingly fueled by emotions run amok .",
      "powerful , angry and bizarre documentary .",
      "it is n't only organization that the mildly anarchic MOV sorely lacks , it 's also a sufficient number of sources .",
      "hard to beat that title , ai n't it ?",
      "MOV lays things out with historical perspective , tracing the roots of both the animal welfare movement and animals rights activism to england .",
      "johnson 's not pushing buttons just for the sake of attention-getting , he 's revealing just how hopelessly complicated the issue has grown .",
      "worth seeing by anyone who cares about animals .",
      "perhaps the greatest service johnson does is to turn the event that spurred him to make the film -- the fbi labeling animal rights activists the top domestic terrorist threat -- into a crucial dialogue .",
      "ca n't commit to an overview of the movement by looking at three groups or stick with the trial of the `` shac 7 . '' so an intriguing but too short tour of animal-rights issues is interrupted by a flatly chronicled court case .",
      "it 's impossible to watch without having your point of view challenged - no matter which side of the issue you 're on ."
    ],
    "summary": "a thoroughly fascinating , well-presented examination of the animal rights debate that is both provocative and thought-provoking .",
    "id": "770670841"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_gameplan",
    "reviews": [
      "i 've been got and i 've been had . and i admit that with all due shame and humiliation . i 'll never forgive myself for this .",
      "it 's certainly a goodhearted story , and the movie does offer a little plot twist that deviates from the usual formula . after that , though , the game plan quickly reverts to the established playbook for safe , sappy family fare .",
      "finally , for dwayne `` the rock '' johnson , the game plan pays off .",
      "this is your ordinary funny-to-treacly plot arc -- funny if you 're 10 or younger , treacly if you 're older .",
      "parents , load up on the no-doz and get inoculated for multiple bedazzler jokes .",
      "if he 's being honest , any nfl player will tell you that it 's not at all uncommon to open the front door to meet an illegitimate child . either that or a box of human growth hormone .",
      "better than the ordeal it often threatens to become .",
      "an example of middle-of-the-road insignificance .",
      "sappy and simplistic , the game plan belongs on the sidelines of stale cotton candy creativity .",
      "fickman and the three screenwriters drag this inevitability out for close to two hours , with a tiresome back-and-forth of conflicts and reconciliations .",
      "neither perceptive nor authentic , it lacks genuine humour and shows what an overwritten and under-funny script , put in the hands of immature actors , can produce .",
      "the film improves , but the heavy handed first half drags its mood to the end , where predictability and corn mix into a concoction as unappetising as the health smoothie joe kingman creates for breakfast with his disgusted little daughter",
      "not great , not bad .",
      "i do n't know what planet the people who put this together live on , but the behavior depicted here has nothing to do with anything recognizable as human , let alone normal .",
      "as a family friendly movie , the game plan works perfectly well .",
      "maudlin and manipulative",
      "formulaic , but watchable .",
      "the game plan makes the pacifier look like no country for old men .",
      "you ca n't not like the rock .",
      "all fairly harmless , but outside of the kid and family target audience , also fairly forgettable .",
      "it 's the same old story , but dwayne johnson oozes charisma .",
      "johnson strikes a winning balance of swagger , exasperation and sensitivity as joe kingman , superstar quarterback .",
      "there is less of a story here than a series of gag situations ...",
      "so sickeningly adorable and sweet that you 'll be barfing sugarcubes long before the halfway point . the fact that they can stretch this idea into a movie longer than 90 minutes boggles the mind .",
      "mediocre but good-hearted , you can see `` the game plan '' coming for a long way off .",
      "having tamed one muscled man-child -lrb- vin diesel in the pacifier -rrb- , disney sets its sights on the rock .",
      "whether or not an unexpected shift to generic family-friendly territory boosts the rock 's flagging film career , this is just one more in a long line of creatively bankrupt choices for the former wrestler .",
      "somebody should put dwayne `` the rock '' johnson in a remake of `` the miracle worker , '' because when it comes to a working actor whose personality can override even the dreariest of cinematic drivel , he 's right near the top .",
      "the rock once again proves himself the heir to ahnuld as the action hero with an irresistible self-deprecating sense of humor .",
      "after `` the game plan '' , dwayne `` the rock '' johnson may need to readjust his goals .",
      "about as vile a film as i 've seen this year .",
      "a game plan is exactly what the haphazard script ... lacks .",
      "please : no game plan 2 .",
      "an amusing and timely distraction .",
      "there 's a fine line between pandering and giving an audience what it wants . the game plan walks this line , just barely staying on the tasteful side .",
      "holds next to no surprises for anyone who 's ever seen a movie before .",
      "somebody give dwayne johnson a decent role , please . sure this is relatively inoffensive , but he 's a great screen presence and deserves better .",
      "a barf-inducer . a hurl-promoter . a projectile-vomit-stimulator .",
      "the rock scores in cute -lrb- if predictable -rrb- comedy .",
      "in many ways , the game plan is really just a big-budget , feature-film version of a disney channel original movie .",
      "watchable comedy that manages to overcome its formulaic plot and cliche-laden script , largely thanks to johnson being such a likeable comic actor .",
      "even the rock 's immense charisma can not save this predicatable fare .",
      "johnson 's amiable performance makes this watchable for the target audience ; namely sporty daddies and spoiled little girls primed to assimilate their lives into the disney brand .",
      "despite its cheesy story , the game plan has one major trump card : the rock is actually quite good .",
      "... it ultimately seems unlikely that the movie will appeal to viewers outside of its target demographic -lrb- ie pre-pubescent tots -rrb- .",
      "despite its almost painfully silly predictability , this film somehow manages to be engaging and rather enjoyable , thanks mainly to the rock 's on-screen charisma .",
      "spawning a cute little tyke will improve your career , better your relationships , clear up acne , and get you invited to cool parties .",
      "it 's one man and a baby .",
      "should be dismissed entirely as cutesy , formulaic , sentimental drivel ... but can not be so easily written off without a second thought because johnson is so charismatic in it .",
      "johnson 's a good actor , but it would take the ghost of laurence olivier to convince us that a grown man could legitimately fall for this brat .",
      "if you like this type of film - and i do , then you 'll like this , it 's definitely not something you run out and see , or spend full price on . but if it 's on hbo it 's worth checking out . i 'm recommending because i like the rock and i 'm a sucker for fluff .",
      "as comedies go , the game plan is srictly by the playbook , but johnson is game for anything , and he does a fine job of entertaining the child in all of us .",
      "it 's what i like to call an amnesia movie . six months from now , if someone asks me about the game plan , i 'll be hard-pressed to remember what it 's about or who 's in it .",
      "from playboy to paternity , this is a heart-warming but totally predictable , formulaic comedy .",
      "this disney fluff is n't going to score any touchdowns , but by following a lighthearted game plan , it should stack up points with the family set .",
      "... the rock 's charm and romantic interest roselyn sanchez 's mischievous warmth make the game plan an easy sit .",
      "director andy fickman seem to have thrown everything into this artificial comedy , in the hopes that something might stick . almost nothing does .",
      "a comedy so formulaic and uninspired that you 'd swear you 've seen the movie before .",
      "generic to the point where it might be called sport-themed disney girly movie all rights reserved .",
      "as polished and innocuous as a spin around the park on dumbo .",
      "there are worse ways to spend two hours with your children , and the game plan , in trying to please everybody , fairly much succeeds .",
      "the makers of this family film dumb down some material so much that it fails to tickle funny bones of any age .",
      "this is not a movie designed to surprise , but as comfort food , it goes down pleasantly enough until the final credits roll .",
      "every inch of the game plan is formulaic .",
      "-lsb- pettis -rsb- overplays cute to the point where you wish the rock would practice one of his wrestling moves on her and ship her off to kid nation .",
      "apart from a heart-tugging plot twist , some lesson learning and more random football talk , that 's about it . oh , except for the scene in which kyra sedgwick farts . be sure to update your resume , kyra .",
      "a family comedy heavy on syrup and low on laughs .",
      "-lsb- actress -rsb- pettis is adorable , but she 's compelled to push the cuteness dial well past one 's tolerance level .",
      "a disney comedy that tries to overcompensate with cute what it lacks in clever .",
      "this innocuous family fare will probably appeal to wee ones who have n't been fed enough of this formula . but i wanted to spit up a little .",
      "i was hooked . while the critic -lrb- sounds like cynic -rrb- nitpicked the movie 's predictable storytelling and comic set-ups , the mother in me sniffled with emotion as the big bad quarterback turned into a sloppy puddle of a man .",
      "johnson , as he 's proven before , has all the stuff movie stars do . well , except a decent script .",
      "-lsb- johnson 's -rsb- quick smile and willingness to play along make him by far the most likable of modern movie muscleheads . he 's thus one of the reasons to see the game plan .",
      "there 's a fine line -- just two letters , in fact -- between precocious and precious . unfortunately the game plan not only crosses it but runs 80 yards down the field , and one ca n't help but throw a flag on the play .",
      "almost every note in this insipid comedy is strident or false .",
      "yes , this is a road we 've traveled down before , but at least this time , it 's paved with a lot of charm and heart .",
      "a remixed version of elvis 's `` rubberneckin ' '' is an apt credit sequence number , since the movie is itself a similarly trivial , jazzed-up version of a standard .",
      "pure disney formula stuff -lrb- think ` the pacifier ' and ` three men and a baby ' -rrb- . but despite its predictability the movie turns out to be a comic touchdown for the rock who scores lots of laughs in this winning family entertainment .",
      "a big screen version of something made for the disney channel - only with the rock instead of zac efron",
      "although ` the game plan ' disappointed me , i would n't be surprised if teeny-bopper girls -- and fans of `` the rock '' -- get a kick out of it .",
      "to paraphrase david spade , i liked this movie the first time i saw it -- when it was called kindergarten cop .",
      "... `` stupid '' is a mean word . so i 'm not going to use it to describe this smug , cynical , hackneyed pretext for product placement ...",
      "the movie is so likable that it glides over its many plot holes . the filmâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s direction , by andy fickman , is raucous but never crass , and the affable mr. johnson is committed to every moment .",
      "a movie for younger children , especially girls , the game plan goes into overtime , surely taxing kids ' attention . but parents looking for children 's entertainment at the movies do n't have all that much from which to choose .",
      "the kind of movie that disney used to make a lot of back in the day : live-action , simple-minded , aimed at children , and kind of stupid .",
      "i can smell what the rock is cooking , and gordon ramsay is shutting down that kitchen !",
      "some audiences will find it as sugary as a fruit-scented princess pony sticker book , but its intended viewers will be delighted .",
      "i wish dwayne johnson well , and i respect disney 's tenacity when it comes to their dreadful formulas , so i look forward to next year 's offering : 50 cent in the cub scout comedy , da top scout .",
      "everyone from you to the guy who brought the rock his doughnuts in the morning knows where this is headed , and the script follows the route like a veteran wide receiver .",
      "even though it 's too long , finally a hollywood film extolling the value of a father in raising a child , with star turns by the rock and 7-year-old madison pettis .",
      "the film wears its inspirational family values on its sleeve in such an overstated way that it 's clear that no one involved really believes them for a minute . it is so contrived and so careful not to offend that it has no real energy .",
      "the game plan is as cute as a pail of kittens and about as orderly , but ... it works as a pretty solid example of how the skillful execution of some of the oldest plays in the book can still get the ball to the end zone .",
      "a generic , predictable , family-friendly comedy that seems a better fit for the disney channel than for a theater near you .",
      "overly familiar , and at nearly two hours overstays its welcome by a good 15 or 20 minutes .",
      "the game plan follows familiar formulas and characters , both brightened by a bit of wit and good performances from the two leads .",
      "despite the fact that we 've seen it all before , it works ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite the rock 's abundant charisma , the game plan is just another run-of-the-mill disney comedy .",
    "id": "770670293"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jackie_brown",
    "reviews": [
      "between jackson 's opining and de niro 's hopeless alibis when he messes up , jackie is good for a bundle of bloody ho-ho-hos .",
      "turns out that author elmore leonard and director quentin tarantino are not the odd couple after all .",
      "while not as polished as `` pulp fiction , '' his best film , `` MOV '' does have one thing his earlier films lacked , a couple of characters with brains .",
      "although not nearly as good as director quentin tarantino 's previous effort pulp fiction , is nonetheless a solid , albeit overlong , exercise in filmmaking .",
      "a modest crime thriller .",
      "a great , quirky little film that gets better every time you watch it .",
      "i found it hard not to smile virtually from start to finish in MOV -- not because it 's constantly amusing , but because it 's such a pleasure to be in the hands of someone who knows how to use the medium .",
      "though the film is consistently engrossing , at 155 minutes , it is overlong by at least 20 minutes , and the unspectacular climax is quite disappointing .",
      "a surprisingly mediocre movie .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- surprisingly sluggish tarantino piece .",
      "pulp fiction is a hard film to top , but tarantino has done it , with great flair , style and sheer cinematic genius .",
      "a potboiler , and a fairly good one",
      "-lsb- tarantino -rsb- wanted to give grier a role worthy of her , and he has . if only he 'd given her a movie worthy of her as well .",
      "an entertaining diversion , but not a masterpiece .",
      "scene by scene , MOV is amusing , but after two hours , it seems sluggish , and at that point still has a half-hour to go .",
      "the movie takes 150 minutes to tell what should have been a 90-minute story .",
      "the tale is filled with funny , gritty tarantino lowlife gab and a respectable body count , but what is most striking is the film 's gallantry and sweetness .",
      "quentin tarantino puts together a fairly intricate and relatively uninvolving money-smuggling plot , but his cast is so good that you probably wo n't feel cheated .",
      "the film is more jarmusch than peckinpah -- its soul is in the minutiae .",
      "that this modest crime thriller ca n't quite live up to its audacious dance across so many strata of hip and hommage and self-referential cool it makes your head spin is hardly a surprise , or even a criticism .",
      "offers an abundance of pleasures , especially in the realm of characterization and atmosphere .",
      "it 's like a scuzz-bucket film noir directed by stanley kubrick at his most static-mesmeric .",
      "when you absolutely , positively got to thrill every mother **** er in the room , accept no substitutes . MOV is the ak-47 in tarantino 's arsenal .",
      "tarantino 's tribute to creative influences , writer elmor leonard and blaxploitation star grier , results in a more mature but less audacious film ; last shot , taken from queen christina , only shows how magical garbo was and grier is n't",
      "these are unquestionably tarantino 's greatest characters , and the actors eat them up with verve .",
      "tarantino 's finest , most mature movie to date .",
      "while this is not his best work to date , it is still a solid piece of moviemaking that shows he has more range as a writer and director than many wanted to give him credit for .",
      "a leisurely and easygoing diversion that goes down easy enough but is far from compelling .",
      "overall , tarantino has made an acceptable film , even if it is over two and a half hours long .",
      "a classy package and an interesting auteur piece .",
      "a damn-near flawless little piece of film noir , filled with excellent characterization , and just the right bit of hipness .",
      "tarantino has once again defied the critics and produced a movie that solidly establishes him as still the most important filmmaker of the decade .",
      "loaded with all the crisp dialogue , trademark camera work , and memorable characters that we 've come to expect from every tarantino film .",
      "consider it a superb elmore leonard adaptation by a filmmaker who knows how to serve someone else 's material while making it his own .",
      "tarantino 's films are n't so much stories as strings of anecdotes : movie moments , urban myths , conversations strewn with pop culture references .",
      "mellower tarantino still has sex , drugs , swearing , murder .",
      "might be his best film",
      "succeeds as a witty elmore leonard crime story ... but also as a surprisingly affecting mid-life romance . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "while MOV can be too languid , drifting like one of melanie 's highs , its wearied , over-40 lows reveal tarantino as a director who , once upon a crime , could 've mined complexity and depth from the cracks and crevices of american genre movies .",
      "a much moodier , slower pace from tarantino 's other work , but MOV is one enjoyable flick that rewards its audience with each viewing .",
      "quentin tarantino had a lot to live up to with this release and while he has not made a movie that has matched his previous successes , MOV is still a great film .",
      "it 's slow , it 's sad and it 's very funny in ways that do n't really revolve around punchlines . it 's about characters who have been around the block one too many times and they 're exhausted , full of dreams deferred , just trying to scrape by .",
      "on the surface , MOV -- based on elmore lenoard 's novel rum punch -- is a caper movie , full of guns , drugs , purple profanity and bloody murder . but scratch the surface and you find a love letter .",
      "tarantino 's attention to smart , witty dialogue , and the stepped up last half of the film make the feature worthwhile .",
      "a great actor 's movie .",
      "both grier and especially forster are spot-on in their roles .",
      "an unconventional crime caper adapted from an elmore leonard story about double-crosses and gun smuggling .",
      "MOV is n't a great film , but it has the air of its director 's wicked brilliance .",
      "the flat , self-exposing dud that fate often keeps in store for the initially overpraised .",
      "MOV wo n't make the same sort of splash as pulp fiction -lrb- few films could -rrb- . but if viewers are willing to watch tarantino 's new film on its own terms , they 'll be richly rewarded .",
      "those who were waiting to see quentin tarantino , a k a the most annoying man in hollywood , fall flat on his face are likely to be disappointed with MOV .",
      "while MOV digs into its own stockpile of generic -lrb- namely , blaxploitation -rrb- conventions , it mostly avoids repetition , because it is pam grier 's movie , flat out .",
      "working from an elmore leonard novel , tarantino has created a gangster fiction that is never larger than life and sometimes smaller .",
      "as an exercise in style , MOV is a refinement of the innovative elements tarantino employed in the reservoir dogs and pulp fiction .",
      "a slick , sly , soulful story of paranoia , misgivings , a dominant theme of vengeance and a tone of whimsy .",
      "this is the movie that proves tarantino is the real thing , and not just a two-film wonder boy .",
      "quentin actually made a real movie , with believable characters and performances , rather than just repositories for clever dialog .",
      "give -lrb- jackson -rrb- the best-actor oscar for his picture-perfect performance as a gun-running criminal whose vocabulary is as vulgar as his occupation .",
      "at more than 2 1/2 hours , MOV could probably have been shorter and entertained nearly as much , but tarantino lets his characters develop at their leisure .",
      "a refreshingly modest piece of work .",
      "for all its enthusiasm , this film is n't sharp enough to afford all the time it wastes on small talk , long drives , trips to the mall and favorite songs played on car radios .",
      "forster and grier have real chemistry in their limited time together on-screen . forster has star-quality presence and is used well by tarantino .",
      "despite its difficulties with pacing , though , MOV is ample proof that quentin tarantino continues to grow as one of america 's brightest filmmakers .",
      "his latest offering is as vibrant as any he has produced .",
      "there are a lot of things right in MOV , and they all combine to form an entertaining , stimulating movie .",
      "in this quirky film directed by quentin tarantino , two middle-agers are forced to take stock of their lives .",
      "tarantino 's third full length directoral effort is a good film , but the worst of the three .",
      "grier logs her best performance since fort apache the bronx as a flight attendant who gets nabbed transporting illegal amounts of cash into the country .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- flawed but stylish and moderately entertaining crime thriller .",
      "both jackie and grier manage to stay tough and independent throughout , which seems a credit to both the actress and her director .",
      "it 's not quite pulp fiction , but MOV is a hip tour de force of tarantino 's criminal universe .",
      "um filme divertido que se ressente do choque entre os personagens criados por elmore leonard e os concebidos por tarantino .",
      "beyond the grasp of most directors , this is tour de force stuff -- definitely meriting the price of admission and almost worth the three-year wait .",
      "achieves the soulful edge lacking from tarantino 's previous efforts . forster and grier 's performances deserve to join the short-list of all-time greats .",
      "MOV is n't the movie-length adrenaline rush pulp fiction was , but it deepens and broadens tarantino 's storytelling ."
    ],
    "summary": "tarantino 's third film , fashioned as a comeback vehicle for star pam grier , offers typical wit and charm -- and is typically overstuffed .",
    "id": "13004"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gypsy_caravan_when_the_road_bends",
    "reviews": [
      "only the taliban could dislike the joyful music on display herein .",
      "the poverty contrasts sharply with the excitement of the tour bus and cuts to the heart of the songs themselves , famed for their `` joy and sorrow '' .",
      "the characters are as lively as their music and i enjoyed riding along with them .",
      "the energy is electric , the camerawork crisp and colourful , the editing note-perfect ... . for the roma , music sounds the notes of a harsh , maligned cultural history , making them all the more unforgettable while demanding remembrance , even awe .",
      "gypsy caravan - when the road bends evokes the us tour of roma musicians whose astonishing diversity ranges from the indian group with their bejewelled drag dancer to oompah-based romanians .",
      "dellal 's documentary often seems like a cleaned-up , homogenized version of the chaotic roma world presented by gatlif , kusturica , et al. . but even toned down and packaged , the music itself has the power to thrill .",
      "for its glimpses of various lifestyles and personalities -- an ancient but spry fiddler , a young male who performs in drag -- it is n't bad .",
      "blessed with a wealth of characters , moving stories and roof-raising performances , gypsy caravan is as rich as the music it promotes . fans of buena vista should definitely join the club .",
      "it 's a slow , sometimes grating process for an hour or so , but once everyone wises up to their shared heritage , a euphoric celebration of what it means to be a gypsy takes flight .",
      "so long seen as ragged leftovers from an older historical epoch , the roma turn out to be a modern people who have a lot to teach over-developed societies about what it means to be human .",
      "these extraordinary musicians ought to put an end to any sniffiness about gypsy music .",
      "for those who like a melange of music with an international flare , gypsy caravan is a pleasure .",
      "more than a vibrant experiment in ethnomusical cross-pollination , it 's just great fun , tempered by loss but rippling with gusto .",
      "an irresistibly vibrant concert-tour documentary by jasmine dellal .",
      "superb documentary on gypsy musicians in the spirit of `` buena vista social club ''",
      "it 's a two-hour movie , and i 'm only sorry it is n't two or three times as long . let me read your thoughts : you 're not much interested in gypsy music , and the historical and cultural stuff might be pretty dry . that 's what i thought too : wrong and wrong .",
      "everyone is having so much fun , one would really like to be a part of it . but the performance sequences are too jaggedly truncated to pull us in entirely .",
      "throughout , the ebullience and passion of the music gives viewers a point of entry into what it means to be roma , part of an ancient culture in a modern world .",
      "an eye-opener , an ear-opener and , most important , a heart-opener .",
      "the camera work is always note-perfect .",
      "if music were all , gypsy caravan would be amazing . as is , it 's worth seeing , but you may get frustrated at the way dellal raises provocative questions about ancestry and prejudice ...",
      "the music in the film is exhilarating , but there is n't enough information about anyone or anything , and the film feels slight overall . and scattered . you 'll leave hungry for more .",
      "the personalities of the players also contribute energy . they are an immensely charismatic bunch .",
      "while the backstage tour footage is sometimes repetitive , it 's delightful to see the musicians take up each other 's songs as the tour progresses .",
      "if you have any ear for non-western music , gypsy caravan is a must .",
      "the emphasis remains on the personal stories of the players themselves who , for all their backstage squabbling , identify more with each other than any of the countries in which they 've settled .",
      "as a music document and as a labor of unabashed love , the nonfiction feature gypsy caravan could hardly be better ; as a movie , it could stand some improvement .",
      "music is the conduit for repudiating stereotypes and fostering cultural unity in gypsy caravan .",
      "an entertaining and edifying documentary about the music and lives of a group of gypsy performers from four countries on an international concert tour .",
      "thrillingly captures the heat and passion of the live performances .",
      "gypsy caravan succeeds in its primary goal to open ears and minds to roma music , accurately described as being about ` the rhythm , the language , the feeling . '",
      "the backstage stuff becomes monotonous and ruins the film .",
      "a great sampler of roma -lrb- gypsy -rrb- music with outstanding road footage would be enough , but the insight into the roma heart is priceless .",
      "it 's easy to see why -lsb- director -rsb- dellal had trouble turning the camera off , especially when confronted with a startling and sad plot twist . viewers are urged to grab an aisle seat , the better to dance when the music moves them -- as it surely will .",
      "gypsy caravan avoids any serious discussion of the social issues that confront the world 's 10 million roma . unfortunately , the well-intentioned film never gets beyond clichés itself .",
      "there 's material to discover about the gypsies in this laudable attempt , but the film is long , repetitious , and not selectively enough edited .",
      "a natural follow-up to dellal 's debut , american gypsy : a stranger in everybody 's land , this exuberant film features long musical interludes that speak as vividly -- if not more so -- than the interviews and fly-on-the-wall footage .",
      "to best enjoy the energetic and big-hearted gypsy caravan , know that it 's not so much a concert film as it is a cultural-anthropology documentary ...",
      "not quite fully satisfying as either cinematic ethnography or as a concert film .",
      "gypsy caravan could have used some judicious trimming , but you forgive dellal her excesses as she forgives her artists theirs . this is music to gorge on , raw ethnic survival in the form of sound .",
      "caravan sounds great and if nothing else should help diminish the stereotype , blasted by the film 's subjects , of gypsies as little more than pickpockets whom travelers need to be wary of .",
      "a captivating look at a fascinating people . even johnny depp , a friend of the taraf group , shows up .",
      "it 's hardly surprising that gypsy caravan , a lively and lovely music documentary , is rife with whirling rhythms , wild , soaring melodic lines , the ululations of singers steeped in centuries of romany tradition .",
      "the ebullient , proud and gifted musicians who embark on a six-week gypsy caravan tour that promotes roma music are fascinating and as emotionally rich as they are true characters .",
      "gypsy caravan has been compared with tony gatlif 's 1993 film latcho drom , which took a dreamier approach to gypsy culture . this one 's more down-to-earth , but it 's just as entertaining .",
      "-lsb- dellal 's -rsb- attempts to ` straighten ' the narrative through exposition disguised as the walkie-talkie messages of an unseen stage manager , however , are distractingly ham-handed .",
      "the music is unfailingly joyous -lrb- even at its saddest -rrb- , and the film 's devotion to outreach and understanding is just as exhilarating .",
      "this chronicle of a gypsy-music package tour is a powerful rejoinder to rock-doc navel-gazing . stunning performance excerpts , ranging from spanish flamenco to indian raga , demonstrate that keening brass choirs are just one aspect of the gypsy sound .",
      "uncovers the same joy and sorrow that characterizes the romani music in the everyday lives of the musicians who play it ."
    ],
    "summary": "a dynamic doc following five romani bands is a pleasure for the senses thanks to vibrant colors and eclectic music .",
    "id": "395115202"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1017293-rebecca",
    "reviews": [
      "gorgeously mounted , but overlong hitchcock film .",
      "an altogether brilliant film , haunting , suspenseful , handsome and handsomely played .",
      "a gothic moody piece , there 's an overwhelming sense that anything can happen in this film , and anything does . the plot is twisting , unpredictable and even unclear .",
      "a gorgeous treat from one of cinema 's masters . not to be missed .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's first american film is an atmospheric triumph of suspense .",
      "hitchcock 's only best picture winner is a moody thriller about a past murder",
      "hitchcock shows superb technical control and attends to his trademark motifs , from monstrous mother figures to the fetishisation of clothing .",
      "remains one of the master 's most overrated and underrated movies at the same time .",
      "hitchcock 's first american film is a superbly mounted gothic thriller , starring joan fontaine as the timid wife and olivier as the tormented husband .",
      "judith anderson dominates every scene she 's in .",
      "one of hitch 's best and most elegant works .",
      "the meandering storyline , however , ultimately prevents the film from living up to its reputation as one of hitchcock 's best ...",
      "excellent , but may be too long and moody for kids .",
      "this time hitchcock does it all his way , does a splendid job and has a splendid cast to do it with .",
      "both a tender gothic romance and a haunting ghost story .",
      "a real treat . captivating from its famous opening lines to its pyrotechnic finale , this is one of hitchcock 's finest -- and that 's saying something .",
      "one of the finest productional efforts of the past year .",
      "an actress who well knows she 's been perfectly cast in a role she perfectly understands should not be underestimated , even if , as with fontaine , she is never so good again .",
      "fontaine & olivier directed by hitchcock - enjoy .",
      "selznick places hitchcock on a leash , but i still ca n't get mrs. danvers out of my head !",
      "anderson , sanders , and florence bates all reveled in nasty roles ; they look delighted sharpening their talons on fontaine 's little brown wren .",
      "through its first two-thirds it is as perfect a myth of adolescence as any of the disney films , documenting the childlike , nameless heroine 's initiation into the adult mysteries of sex , death , and identity .",
      "the result exhibits that the director is capable of a range few would credit him with .",
      "anderson as the obsessively attached maid mrs. danvers is a perverse gem .",
      "an unforgettable film , and further proof that hitchcock was one of the best and freshest directors around .",
      "-lsb- fontaine -rsb- richly deserved her best actress nomination , one of three she received in a four-year period , for a complex portrayal of an innocent young woman in a difficult position .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- classic female gothic romance , beautifully adapted from daphne du maurier 's novel , and hauntingly accompanied by franz waxman 's score .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1940 -rrb- is the classic hitchcock gothic thriller and a compelling mystery -lrb- and haunting ghost story -rrb- about a tortured romance . the film creates a brooding",
      "a dense , deeply textured emotional excursion , one that ultimately ensures that no easy answers are found",
      "tense , engrossing and deliciously deceitful .",
      "a masterpiece of style and substance , an extended meditation on how the dead haunt the living .",
      "while the film offers no overt violence or thrills , it is a model of sustained mystery and eerie suspense .",
      "the real show-stopper remains judith anderson 's formidable turn as mrs. danvers .",
      "let 's take a moment to talk about water .",
      "a clever mix of fancy drama and suspense",
      "self-consciously prestigious literary filmmaking ... more in line with the producer 's career than the director 's .",
      "it 's an elegant production , beautifully photographed and designed like a dream house shrouded in mourning , but it also favors the pictorial over the cinematic and surface over subtext .",
      "it is the finest job of direction accomplished by a master director and may justly be called alfred hitchcock 's masterpiece .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's first hollywood film is a sumptuous and suspenseful adaptation of daphne du maurier 's romantic novel .",
      "perhaps without the shock and suspense of subsequent work , this is nevertheless another undoubted masterpiece from the atmospheric film maker , and just as essential .",
      "there are so many rich interpersonal relationships . this is not a romance or a history , but a bout of delicious gothic psychoanalysis ."
    ],
    "summary": "hitchcock 's first american film -lrb- and his only best picture winner -rrb- , MOV is a masterpiece of haunting atmosphere , gothic thrills , and gripping suspense .",
    "id": "17080"
  },
  {
    "movie": "manakamana",
    "reviews": [
      "in the hands of spray and velez , the journey is far more important than the destination .",
      "invited to sit in the facing seat , we have long minutes to watch , listen and assess , considering who these pilgrims are and what , aside from worship , has really brought them here .",
      "if you 're prone to carsickness , this might not be the ideal movie for you . but as a meditation on the way human beings fill the silence - or choose not to - it 's an amazing accomplishment .",
      "for the curious viewer .",
      "a must-see , especially in a theater , where the lack of distractions makes it even more mesmerizing , a cinematic rorschach test that lets you interpret the expressions on faces from halfway around the world .",
      "it 's hypnotic work with a terrific sense of cultural study and geography .",
      "a colourful portrait of nepal as a country driven by ancient tradition , yet also embracing necessary change .",
      "a purifying moviegoing experience ...",
      "as a theatrical experience , MOV is spellbinding . but it 's a complex spell ...",
      "` MOV ' will reward those lucky few who still possess the patient tranquility to observe and absorb which is being so sadly lost .",
      "i 've never seen anything like it .",
      "you could hardly ask for a more beautiful vision of souls in transit .",
      "MOV is both calming and imagination-sparking , forcing viewers to look at human faces for 10-minute stretches , whether those faces are talking excitedly or quietly looking around .",
      "filmmakers stephanie spray and pacho velez insist that altered spectatorship , particularly patience and duration , is the foundation of cinematic edification .",
      "the beauty and rhythms of the fixed camera 's highly specific focus builds a hypnotic group narrative of religion 's possibility , the ways in which it can bring joy and peace .",
      "`` MOV '' is simple in conception , but the reactions it evokes in viewers will be complex and multifaceted .",
      "MOV works as a tone poem , a warholian revel in the mundane and an ethnographic study of an isolated corner .",
      "though its subject matter does n't seem particularly fun on the surface , stephanie spray and pacho velez 's MOV is a sort of structural game , by turns contemplative and , yes , playful .",
      "boring ? absolutely not . strangely revealing , meditative and funny ? yes , as passengers reveal themselves by costume , silence , chatter and posture , rising up through a hazy , green landscape into the clouds where MOV .",
      "we 're basically gawking at a commute .",
      "this is an interesting experiment as a movie , but i do n't think it is a terribly successful one . it takes a lot of patience to sit through the dull bits , where nothing much happens , to get to the more interesting parts .",
      "a two-hour film with nepalese as its first language , no introduction , no narration and no dramatic arc sounds like a challenge , in much the same way that unshelled lobster is delicious : both require a little patience .",
      "if only the viewing environment were more suited to casual contemplation , allowing the audience -lrb- like the passengers -rrb- to dip in and out of the car in 10-minute stretches .",
      "a gimmicky observation of life in nepal , this is one of those documentaries that offers the audience an experience rather than any actual information .",
      "multiple viewings simply allow for more diverse and creative readings of the material .",
      "an intimate humanist experiment , the film provokes much delight in its playful structure .",
      "MOV is a travel film that 's not about the ride , but the riders . ourselves included , of course .",
      "MOV does n't answer any questions , yet makes its point : nepal , like the rest of our planet , is a picturesque but far from peaceable kingdom .",
      "breathtaking , unusual and transcendent . patient viewers will be rewarded .",
      "`` MOV '' is a haunting experience , one that requires patience -lrb- and then some -rrb- but that offers spiritual , philosophical , and aesthetic rewards beyond the immediate power of words to describe .",
      "there is little dialogue and no explication , only a succession of dreamy rides , one of which is given over to goats .",
      "it 's a lovely , occasionally charming , and rarely beautiful slice of life , but it does n't grasp for much more . or , if it does , it does n't do a very good job at translating such transcendence to the audience .",
      "this particular pilgrimage is both a privilege and a pleasure .",
      "`` MOV '' says as much about the erosion of patience as it does about the value of holding onto it .",
      "as exotic the locale , stunning the view , foreign the dress or accents , this intense and fascinating look at the pilgrims beautifully exposes their humanity .",
      "the directors , pacho velez -lrb- who did the camera work -rrb- and stephanie spray -lrb- who recorded the sound -rrb- , condense world history into the confined space of a glassed-in bubble .",
      "it takes a certain kind of alchemy to present an uninterrupted 8-and-a-half minute shot of a goat 's anal canal and call it entertainment .",
      "if `` leviathan '' showed us the primal terror of everyday life , this new film is a warm hug , a salute to our shared humanity .",
      "a stunning blend of life 's grand and monotonous movements .",
      "a repetitive but sometimes beguiling documentary produced by the directors of leviathan ,",
      "by focusing on such a narrow slice of nepali life , ms. spray and mr. velez have ceded any totalizing claim on the truth and instead settled for a perfect incompleteness .",
      "as a cross-section examination of nepalese society it 's fascinating , but like any other film of this kind , the eleven sequences that make up MOV 's 117-minute runtime vary in interest .",
      "a documentary about a cable car route that teaches us how incredibly rich and varied the sameness in our lives can really be ."
    ],
    "summary": "its tranquil pace will prove jarring for the blockbuster-inclined , but MOV rewards patient viewers with a singularly haunting experience .",
    "id": "771363487"
  },
  {
    "movie": "young_frankenstein",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's mel brooks at his campy best .",
      "delightfully daft .",
      "pretty classic spoof to classic horror .",
      "some of the gags do n't work , but fewer than in any previous brooks film that i 've seen , and when the jokes are meant to be bad , they are riotously poor . what more can one ask of mel brooks ?",
      "brooks 's most accomplished work , combining his well-known brand of comedy with stylish direction and a uniformly excellent cast .",
      "the film , spoof and worship all in the same breath , would n't be nearly so effective if the mocking were n't so loving ...",
      "never struck me as funny , but it 's well put together .",
      "it shows artistic growth and a more sure-handed control of the material by a director who once seemed willing to do literally anything for a laugh . it 's more confident and less breathless .",
      "the finest comedy film i 've ever seen ... two dozen times .",
      "mel brooks ' best all-around work",
      "it is good-natured , lowbrow , backlot , hit-or-miss humor , but with no cumulative effect beyond its succession of hard-worked jokes .",
      "... brooks reveal -lrb- s -rrb- himself a true obsédé and an honorable heir to the eerily delicate comic-horror tradition of james whale .",
      "it 's a wonderful , iconic comedy . mel brooks ' masterpiece !",
      "one of mel brooks ' most brilliant and immortal cinematic works to date ...",
      "wilder 's hysteria seems perfectly natural . you never question what 's driving him to it ; his fits are lucid and total . they take him into a different dimension -- he delivers what harpo promised .",
      "thus funny , well acted parody of unievrsal horror films of the 1930s is without a doubt mel brooks ' best picture .",
      "brooks ' corniness yields plenty of belly laughs .",
      "this is a fine horror film that also turns -lrb- miraculously -rrb- into an existential tale of man 's fear of abandonment",
      "say this for brooks - he saw women as comedic equals , and they continually proved him right .",
      "a deathless comedy classic -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "mel brooks ' annus mirabilis was 1974 ...",
      "mel brooks at his hysterical peak .",
      "... an unswervingly funny yet loving and beautifully crafted homage , something more artful and lasting than the usual pull-my-finger farce or focus-grouped scary movie lowballer .",
      "for a really delightful parody , james whale 's own bride of frankenstein is far better value .",
      "more about the myth of karloff than the monster , this mel brooks pastiche is probably his best early film .",
      "most of the gags were juvenile .",
      "mel brooks caught comic lightning in a bottle in 1974 with his appropriately black-and-white spoof of james whale 's 1931 classic horror film .",
      "one of mel brooks ' best films .",
      "bug-eyed marty feldman steals the show as igor , pronounced ` eye-gor ' .",
      "hey , our man brooks never claimed to have good taste . bless him .",
      "MOV emerges as a reverently satirical salute to the 1930s horror film genre .",
      "a comic twist on the traditional frankenstein story .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1974 -rrb- is probably writer/producer/director mel brooks ' best film - a spoof of horror films",
      "... the comedy here is refreshingly restrained . sure , it 's silly , but there 's little call for bathroom humour , excessive violence or other staples of more recent comedies .",
      "overall , it 's great fun .",
      "wilder and peter boyle -lrb- as the monster -rrb- are hysterical , but it 's teri garr who steals the show as frankenstein 's buxom and considerably vapid assistant .",
      "so many of this film 's comedy bits are now-classic ...",
      "rediscover MOV if you have n't seen it in a while . it is a true classic ."
    ],
    "summary": "made with obvious affection for the original , MOV is a riotously silly spoof featuring a fantastic performance by gene wilder .",
    "id": "12052"
  },
  {
    "movie": "chaos2001",
    "reviews": [
      "the talented cast keeps chaos -lrb- cesar-nominated for best film -rrb- absorbing throughout its different directions .",
      "worth watching for its good-humored energy , exposure of social ills , and acting by impeccable pros along with a fabulous newcomer .",
      "in a picture without a single sympathetic male character , coline serreau bitingly chastises the cultures of north africa and her own france .",
      "even if chaos is hampered by a desire to be all things to all people , serreau 's nimble touch bestows this schizophrenic genre pastiche with an infectiously zany verve .",
      "remarkable in that it approaches its assortment of characters with an even hand , regardless of their behavior -- until the final third , that is .",
      "the tone 's all over the place and side-plots are piled up a bit thick , but eventually it all converges towards a surprisingly satisfying and touching ending .",
      "whether or not you dig the message , you 'll probably like the film .",
      "energetic pastiche of social commentary , revenge thriller and broad farce .",
      "fast-paced feminist thriller and witty black comedy .",
      "a delicious antidote to moviedom 's typical characterization of women as simpering victims .",
      "a gripping feminist fable with a savage comic edge .",
      "serrau effortlessly navigates the tricky transition from ruefully comic chick flick to gritty crime picture .",
      "as a feminist fairy tale , it provides enough grown-up pleasure to justify its convenient contrivances .",
      "works on a number of levels -- thriller , broad comedy , poignant family drama -- but goes farthest on the strength of its pungent gender satire .",
      "a film that is as darkly amusing as it is bitterly critical of bourgeois society 's indifference to suffering .",
      "at once a brilliant strike for feminism and a condemnation of a backwards culture , this controversial thriller is darkly amusing and disturbing cinema .",
      "it 's all too convenient , but has eclat and two appealing stars .",
      "writer-director coline serreau moves from stark drama to laughter with a tightrope walker 's unerring balance .",
      "despite some odd pacing and a longish , off-putting flashback , chaos succeeds more than it fails .",
      "a hash of a diatribe , parading its hypocrite champions , trading in misanthropy , with a puzzling sense of self satisfaction .",
      "the picture holds us , not only through our wonderment at the mixture but through serreau 's dexterity and her casting .",
      "one heck of a tale of deliciously unladylike payback .",
      "the men , filled with brutality and neglect , make for rather obvious targets , yet we come to care about the women in their lives beyond any agenda chaos might have .",
      "it 's a lot of fun .",
      "the various parts are not equally effective , but all are fascinating , if only because you 're never quite sure where you 're being led .",
      "there 's a core of anger running throughout chaos , particularly in the steely performances by its two female leads , that gives this satisfying feminist revenge drama/satire its soul .",
      "wild , sometimes sickening but surprisingly hilarious ride that never lets up even if it does stack the deck and is overly obvious in its implications and sexual politics .",
      "the plot twists , sneaky humor and brakni 's strong debut bring intriguing order from this chaos .",
      "what is surprising about `` chaos , '' given the sometimes raw subject matter , is how broadly funny it often is .",
      "coline serreau 's `` chaos '' defies categorization . it is an exciting film -- part thriller , comedy , revenge tale , and feminist drama , blended together with compelling finesse .",
      "most of the film is devoted to the central character , and thanks to frot , she 's a most likable heroine .",
      "never escapes its awkwardness .",
      "energetic , darkly funny and engaging from beginning to end .",
      "sort of a hansel and gretel outing with machetes and chainsaws substituting for the mythic oven .",
      "a sort of female action/revenge fantasy whose knives are sheathed in amusement .",
      "chaos is smart . real smart . revenge ca n't get much sweeter than this .",
      "it 's fast , funny and , above all , fresh .",
      "thelma and louise meets a tame version of baise-moi .",
      "it 's a real eye-opener .",
      "a snappy , female revenge fantasy -- a less-hysterical thelma and louise .",
      "serreau 's script is as witty as it is pointed and manages enough suspense to qualify as a thriller .",
      "an audaciously risky mixture of genres that does n't jell",
      "an effective french concoction that starts off like a thriller but keeps revealing different sides .",
      "this is a story about women that only a woman could have told with such unwavering energy and assurance .",
      "affecting , brilliantly acted french-language drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "anything but chaotic , chaos makes a high-energy and award-worthy stab at bourgeois apathy and racial tensions in france , while musing on chance .",
    "id": "560387793"
  },
  {
    "movie": "15_minutes",
    "reviews": [
      "a few good action sequences do n't make up for the over-the-top morality plea and sheer lunacy of a plot .",
      "de niro and rising star edward burns have just enough knowing , gritty give-and-take in 15 MOV to make you hungry for more .",
      "smothered and finally buried in dull and simplistic plotting , cookie-cutter characterizations , scattershot finger-pointing and a ludicrous , tone-deaf finale .",
      "the filmmaker tries to eat his cake and have it as well , giving his audience ample servings of what we presumably want while slapping our wrists for it at the same time .",
      "turns ultraviolent , silly and gun-happy all at the same time .",
      "contrived , didactic and packed with mindless violence .",
      "ultra-violent , blatantly manipulative and politically reactionary .",
      "its attempts to take aim at tabloid culture ends up a hideous mess .",
      "a picture that has a crowd-stopping impact .",
      "overwrought and hypocritical .",
      "herzfeld 's heavy-handed and uneven parable about the cycle of bloodlust , spotlight-seeking , and vulgar entertainment is trite and shallow .",
      "uneven but often-entertaining .",
      "a shrewd thriller .",
      "so flamboyant and overbearing that it comes perilously close to being a classic awful .",
      "you have to love the film 's passion and its colorful sense of self-righteousness .",
      "this slick rampage is just the old bronson grinder , extruding pulp -- mighty ripe for video .",
      "a clumsy urban thriller .",
      "the movie is nothing if not ambitious . the movie is nothing if not overdone . the movie is also , well , pretty much ... nothing .",
      "two horrifyingly bad hours that should stand as a reminder to keep hollywood away from big issues or anything else it can put in its mouth and choke on .",
      "this would be a more provocative cri de coeur if the ideas were n't just buzzing around like a swarm of enraged bees .",
      "i think it effectively sends the message it intended , but that message will fly right over the heads of a lot of viewers .",
      "herzfeld 's a secondhand-meister , simply regenerating themes , styles and a story line that we 've all seen -- and tired of -- somewhere before .",
      "a message vehicle that is both painfully obvious and utterly obtuse about its subject matter .",
      "a couple of surprise twists and catchy pov-video imagery add to the uniquely unpredictable character of this explosive thriller",
      "migraine-inducing and graphically violent -- but always entertaining .",
      "an ugly , depraved movie that is not so much an indictment of american celebrity culture as it is a worthless pile of trash .",
      "it does n't feel like a cookie-cutter cop thriller , and , on top of that , it 's actually about something .",
      "the whole idea is just so 15 MOV ago .",
      "a juicy murder thriller with a hyperventilating pace .",
      "15 MOV should have been played as a dark comedy -- instead it wallows in it 's own self-indulgent muck .",
      "too contrived and artificial for its own good .",
      "15 MOV is a very compelling movie about a situation which has no easy answers .",
      "... senseless , heavy-handed and does n't know when enough is enough .",
      "fifteen MOV pretty much recycles the media paranoia and fear found in mad city with passing stabs at snuff and payback . it sinks quickly off the waters of lower manhattan .",
      "does n't work on any coherent level .",
      "deserving of more than 15 MOV of fame .",
      "every situation is ironic , every event is a moral point , every symbol is forced , and everything is a symbol ...",
      "makes a strong , supported , and convincing stand on many current controversial issues",
      "15 MOV unfortunately fails to fully capitalize on its intriguing premise and ends up wasting the considerable talents of all involved .",
      "there have been few media criticisms of late that are as hypocritical and inane .",
      "powerful , simply powerful .",
      "is n't as clever or as timely as it clearly perceives itself .",
      "the film seems exaggerated strictly to pray upon latent public fears in a calculated , predatory way .",
      "it 's actually very well made .",
      "has something to say , and it says it remarkably well .",
      "gives weighty subjects a shallow , dumbed-down treatment in a simplistic story with a lot of dead ends .",
      "slow , plodding , and so far-fetched it stretches the boundaries of ` suspension of disbelief , ' 15 MOV does very little with a good cast .",
      "crafty strokes of dark comedy and self-awareness peek through what is largely a hollywood-gritty veneer .",
      "a muddled disaster of conflicting ideas and outright hyperbole .",
      "good drama that tells its story in a fresh , interesting way .",
      "so grossly amateurish is this embarrassment that all the time 15 MOV can hope to muster on the clock of our cultural fascination is about five seconds .",
      "watching it is like spending time with a know-it-all teenager ; the kid is n't neccessarily wrong , but he 's definitely irritating .",
      "a fun ride , largely due to its heroic partners ' bantering and its villainous partners ' tomfoolery .",
      "relentlessly stupid and grating .",
      "it 's to herzfeld 's credit that the movie 's caustic observations hit the mark as often as they belabor the obvious .",
      "the reality of ` unscripted ' programming et al. trumps the critique from the gitgo .",
      "a picture that 's not only thoroughly disagreeable but slovenly made as well .",
      "herzfeld settles for the most mundane execution of his idea .",
      "forgettable hyper-kinetics with confused values .",
      "la cinta , lejos de ser más que el thriller que termina siendo , aspira a ser una visión crítica de la obsesión de los estados unidos por la violencia .",
      "no se deje sorprender , pues el resultado final es más bien engańoso .",
      "so eager is this film to grapple with its demons , that it does n't realize how much like them it has become .",
      "yeah it 's tough to condemn violence and glorify it at the same time .",
      "entertaining , and it managed to surprise me one and only one time , which is more than most buddy cop movies manage",
      "it forced me to think about many issues pertaining to our culture , which is much more than most movies bother to do .",
      "if yesterday 's headlines are today 's trash , think of writer-director john herzfeld as the friendly neighborhood garbageman who brings the dumpster straight to your door .",
      "it 's a film that has about 15 MOV of fervor to it before it gets grounded into a mixture of sleaze , violence , and heartless melodrama .",
      "herzfeld is smart enough to just let de niro be de niro .",
      "big , loud and lurid , but no less entertaining for that .",
      "seek out a quality production and do n't settle for this sort of cheese .",
      "a jumping off point for showy , contrived , borderline exploitation sequences that fail to tie together because they 're not really there to do anything but sell themselves as money shot thrills .",
      "can never transcend its own crass , exploitative and cynical nature .",
      "the intriguing movie works in fits and spurts but keeps you with it even with some troubling logical problems .",
      "for those who feel like putting some of their critical faculties on hold for two hours , it 's a fast , entertaining ride .",
      "comes off more than a bit contrived and about as subtle as jesse ventura .",
      "eddie flemming and jordy warsaw could have come from the markdown bin at the cliched characters store .",
      "roden and taktarov are such likeable villains that it 's a pleasure to watch them .",
      "and so now , in the unambitious tradition of the eminent natural born killers - comes the spectacularly underachieving 15 MOV .",
      "andy warhol 's theory gets yet another hollywood workup in this slezy actioner , this time around with two foreign criminals as media-hungry badasses .",
      "it 's as if herzfeld believes all that stuff about americans being hopelessly infantile -- he wanted to make a really good movie , but he just knew he 'd lose us if he did .",
      "herzfeld has created an alternate new york city that is just unpleasant to look at , plain and simple .",
      "alley flasher , pubescent paperboy , toy with a broken squeaker . edward burns sounds like those things , but plays none of them here . he 's fire marshal jordy warsaw . that sounds like a pauly shore character ; shore would arguably act with greater conviction .",
      "exceptionally violent , intense deniro thriller .",
      "`` 15 MOV '' is a cops-and-killers action movie naively intent on telling you things you already know about the societal pitfalls of tabloid media .",
      "it sounds like some crank on the next barstool venting about how everything is crap .",
      "relentless yelling by two usually fine actors spoils this timely crime drama .",
      "a mean , ugly exploitation picture with sophomoric delusions of grandeur .",
      "boasts a fine cast and makes enough cogent points that it rises above standard cop fare .",
      "its savage indictment of the nexus involving media , crime and a voracious public is a cinematic statement difficult to ignore .",
      "does offer some wonderfully cinematic moments ... that get the blood and adrenaline pumping .",
      "-lsb- the premise is -rsb- rolled up in a formulaic young cop-old cop action flick like a sparkler in a rug .",
      "criticizes us for watching exploitative violence even as it foists big helpings of carnage on us .",
      "one of the most brazen pieces of blame-shifting in exploitation-picture history .",
      "less the blistering satire it imagines itself than a blustering , bloody , blundering melodrama .",
      "the characters and story develop in ways that are both unexpected and convincing .",
      "ambitious , cluttered and ultimately incoherent .",
      "a very original and timely movie which connects on various levels .",
      "warhol 's statement was just a one-liner , and a movie requires more than that to run two hours .",
      "a tiresome screed that purports to teach us a lesson about violence and the media even as it serves up much more than the minimum daily requirement of stabbings , bloody gunshot wounds and relentless stomach punches .",
      "belly flops in the gutter and grovels in its own gratuitous , far-fetched violence .",
      "there 's a dynamite movie to be made about the collision -- and collusion -- of celebrity culture , violence , and media complicity . but the hot-button 15 MOV is n't it .",
      "it 's the poster child for bad taste , not to mention bad construction .",
      "a real movie , rough edges and all , and not another link from the sausage factory .",
      "little more than a grim gross-out .",
      "it 's hard to remember another film so utterly clueless about itself .",
      "ham-fisted and pathetic .",
      "i watched an episode of whose line is it anyway ? just before writing this , and it obviously warped my fragile little brain ."
    ],
    "summary": "as critical as it is about sensationalism in the media , 15 MOV itself indulges in lurid violence , and its satire is too heavy-handed to be effective .",
    "id": "14582"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tony_takitani",
    "reviews": [
      "an aesthetically appealing anatomy of loneliness and aloneness by a japanese filmmaker with a keen eye for the nuances of human nature .",
      "jun ichikawa 's quiet film has a power that resonates . it gives loneliness a cinematic canvas .",
      "MOV conveys a powerfully tangible sense of loss and loneliness . in both concrete and existential terms , it 's a film that dwells on what the dead leave behind and how the living carry on .",
      "a haunting and exquisitely composed ode to the cellblocks that people build for themselves : prisons of loneliness and dependency , routine and material substitutes .",
      "whether you view it as a metaphor for a country or a singular study of the human condition , MOV explores the borders between solitude and loneliness , hunger and consumption , memory and loss .",
      "MOV , fablelike and beautiful , requires a certain amount of patience , but its small , peculiar charms work their way into your soul .",
      "MOV is an exquisite film , as elegant and precise as an impeccably cut diamond .",
      "the movie 's underlying theme is the complex relationship between objects and memories , worked out through a taut , compelling story and superbly understated acting .",
      "it 's a marvelously moody meditation , beautiful to look at and beautiful to ponder as the camera slowly pans from one scene to the next , framing life as still life .",
      "the film gestures toward our understanding of deep matters -- grief , solitude , and the process by which people build and express their very selves -- and it does so with a commendably steady , gentle hand .",
      "it 's a graceful , odd experiment ... i 'm still not sure if it works , but i 'm glad it exists .",
      "it 's a film for specialized tastes , quiet , delicate . but it suits those tastes beautifully .",
      "it 's a quiet dream of a movie , a vision of loneliness giving way to love , then to loneliness again ; it 's like vertigo remade in a sedately haunted style of japanese lyricism .",
      "this gossamer work is one of the loveliest examples of minimalist cinema i 've seen in a long time .",
      "a gentle breeze of absurdism floats through this lyrically understated story . its sadness is little short of magical .",
      "a refined , delicately poetic reverie on loss and memory .",
      "it 's a serene experience , letting the film wash over you and transport you into its isolated , melancholy little world .",
      "it 's a hypnotic mood piece on love and loss , one that knows -- at 75 minutes -- not to overstay its welcome .",
      "jun ichikawa 's film is a classic example that not all literature is capable of making the transition to film ...",
      "this could reverently be called a model of minimalism , but i am more inclined to call it dull as dishwater .",
      "filme de construзгo poйtica e delicada , encanta pelo tocante estudo de personagens e por discutir , atravйs de seus quadros reveladores , temas complexos como a solidгo , a natureza da memуria , fetiches e obsessхes .",
      "scarcely satisfies , yet it lingers -- limpidity of image along with imperceptible epiphanies",
      "ichikawa brilliantly captures murakami 's blend of whimsy , irony and melancholy , while finding intelligent and inventive ways to convert the author 's verbal idiosyncrasies to a visual medium .",
      "embodies that lose-lose conundrum we all face : loneliness is painful , but finding and then losing love is just as bad",
      "ichikawa evokes the heady and suffocating effect of the past playing irrevocable catch-up with itself .",
      "an impressive achievement .",
      "jun ichikawa 's slight , lovely little drama understands the pleasure of seeing , using many quiet , patient takes to absorb its delicate visuals .",
      "MOV runs only about 75 minutes but is so well and deftly crafted that it could n't be a minute more ... or less .",
      "this lovely and piercingly sad film is rooted in a free-floating malaise that 's endemic to fast-paced , materially oriented cultures throughout the industrialized , urban world .",
      "... unmistakably an art piece and as japanese as a japanese garden ... the movie itself seems like an obsession .",
      "it 's an interesting aesthetic experiment that is only half successful .",
      "this is a wisp of a film that despite its simplicity is hardly slight .",
      "a quietly simple fable that hits you hardest after it 's over .",
      "the camera effortlessly glides from scene to scene , revealing faultlessly framed shots that consist mostly of just one or two people , their backs often to the camera .",
      "the characters and narrative are so lightly sketched , the film 's gravity sneaks up on the viewer through the gradual force of its form and rhythm .",
      "light on plot but heavy on mood , this japanese import layers voice-over , fluid photography and a melancholy piano score to create a hypnotic poem about isolation and loss .",
      "a delicate wisp of a film with a surprisingly sharp sting .",
      "this is the sort of film you 're pretty sure you wo n't like , but see anyway out of vague curiosity and emerge from its spell somehow changed .",
      "impressively reduces murakami 's hard-boiled word world to a floating-picture world . but like lish 's edits of ray carver , it mutes a story that was nearly mute to begin with .",
      "it creates a mood that sweeps over you , that kind of movie works better on the big screen . on the small screen , it does n't have the oomph to demand your attention .",
      "heedlessly drawn to eiko ... tony takes a step onto spiritually hollow ground and falls through ... . that 's what this kind of ironic protagonist does , from adam on down ...",
      "like a cultivated orchid , the delicate product of careful attention and an appreciation for fleeting beauty .",
      "... like an impressionistic documentary of a man resigned to his loneliness .",
      "the japanese movie is tranquil , smoothly connecting its scenes with gradual pans from one image to the next , accompanied by spare music that sounds like early morning and loneliness .",
      "an ethereal modern fable without a moral , tony takatani seeps into the soul and lingers . for filmgoers in search of a quietly absorbing escape , it might be the perfect holiday-movie antidote .",
      "though it falters as a narrative , MOV sticks in the mind with its poetic contemplativeness .",
      "the pacing is reserved to the point of being funereal , and the ryuishi sakamoto score is likely to lull you to sleep ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite its deceptive wispiness , this delicately lovely and melancholy film about loneliness has a haunting power .",
    "id": "359855308"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ginger_snaps",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- the -rsb- script is full of inventions so felicitous that you can only wonder why no one ever thought of them before .",
      "canada . werewolves . it 's the smartest and funniest scary movie in a long time -- and a true feminist horror film .",
      "john fawcett 's MOV cleverly links lycanthropy to vaginal flow .",
      "the funniest werewolf movie since `` an american werewolf in london '' and the darkest high-school movie since `` heathers . ''",
      "it deserves a cult following among satire-loving , feminist-minded gore aficionados who appreciate a well-made human tail .",
      "it 's altogether devilishly cunning .",
      "this grisly werewolf film is actually a black comedy about a teen girl encountering menstruation . yes , really .",
      "a stunning teen angst/werewolf film from 2001 , this was the best lycanthrope movie since an american werewolf in london .",
      "successfully operates on dual levels -- as a horror movie and as a study of two sisters .",
      "very , very violent horror flick .",
      "a remarkable and excellent werewolf thriller that 's equal parts creepy , funny , and tragic .",
      "in this highly sophisticated and disturbing canadian horror movie , director john fawcett transcends the banality of the werewolf formula with verve , well-paced action and genuine terror .",
      "john fawcett has directed `` MOV '' with terrific flair , punctuating ominous moods with bursts of pitch-dark humor .",
      "not squeamish ? like monsters ? go see .",
      "a smart , resourceful , and wickedly funny teen-horror film that reinvents the werewolf myth as a potent metaphor for pubescent angst and humiliation .",
      "an uncommonly intelligent fright film , one that unnerves you at a very deep , primal level .",
      "a witty and intelligent exploration of what it means to become and live as a woman in middle-class suburbia .",
      "violent and scary , socially aware and sometimes witty , it is a cut above your average gore-fest .",
      "a hootin ' howler this feature , another in the series of movies mixing tee-hees with the terrors .",
      "got originality , a good story , characters to whom you could relate .",
      "the movie is much at its best when dealing merely with suspicions , rather than when later laying out the lycanthropy and laying on the gore .",
      "at last a horror film with real bite .",
      "a quietly subversive my-sister-is-turning-into-a-werewolf movie that does n't wimp out at the end .",
      "for most of its running time the film toys with all the standard conventions , providing some really fun and surprising dialogue . it 's when it devolves into a `` boys '' movie , when the creature is fully seen and the killing begins , the movie tanks ...",
      "this is n't just a good horror movie , it 's a good movie . period .",
      "MOV is a satisfying return to mythology , cheesy gore and fear for the horror film .",
      "MOV finally represents nothing more than an overwhelming example of missed opportunity .",
      "a superbly realized take on the perils of being different in a world that demands conformity .",
      "it 's altogether devilishly cunning .",
      "a black comedy that nonetheless manages to tap into the sense of alienation and unfocused rage so prevalent in today 's kids .",
      "fawcett is fundamentally a sly , dry satirist , with a distinct sensibility and a promising talent of his own .",
      "the linkage between puberty and lycanthropy ... is imagined with enough savage wit to count as an act of genre resuscitation .",
      "a sparky , sharp film marked by intelligent dialogue .",
      "this is not just another monster movie . MOV succeeds exactly because it is not ` just ' anything .",
      "when you can see through a film , it 's not as much fun .",
      "karen walton 's sharp screenplay is especially strong in the family scenes , allowing performances of heavenly creatures intensity from the young leads .",
      "it 's all downhill from there , but there is something efficiently creepy about the enclosed world of two alienated young women in suburbia .",
      "a terrific halloween-type movie for those wishing to celebrate a little early .",
      "MOV is about as close to a new millennium heathers as anyone has gotten .",
      "the wickedly effective performances by the two leads turn what would otherwise be a forgettable , low-budget movie into an intriguing little tale of the macabre .",
      "the film retains its perverse edge with an ambiguous ending that resists both options and instead emphasizes the power of the bonds of female friendship .",
      "reminded me of the early work of david cronenberg",
      "the best teenage werewolf movie ever made .",
      "great scary fun boasting nightmarish images that linger long after the lights come up .",
      "it 's promising .",
      "... winds up wallowing in its own detached ironic humour .",
      "despite the problems this plays as one of the better ones of the past couple years .",
      "there 's a nice undercurrent of black humor that mines absurdities from an adolescent perspective , but this is no buffy the vampire slayer .",
      "enjoyable and effective teen werewolf movie with some refreshingly new ideas and lashings of gore .",
      "on its surface , MOV is a werewolf movie , but what 's refreshing is the clever satire at its core .",
      "this is the creepiest , most authentic feeling , smartest horror flick in a long time .",
      "MOV starts out so well that its terrible last half hour feels insulting .",
      "the ideas are thin , and the scene-by-scene execution of them is bumbling ."
    ],
    "summary": "the strong female cast and biting satire of teenage life makes MOV far more memorable than your average werewolf movie -- or teen flick .",
    "id": "16854"
  },
  {
    "movie": "wedding_planner",
    "reviews": [
      "a flimsily constructed knockoff , completely devoid of charm and even the merest flicker of originality .",
      "a distressingly lifeless romantic comedy .",
      "the plot ... spews cliches like a drunken best man toasting the groom .",
      "think my best friend 's wedding , subtract gay best friend , dorky karaoke scene , charm , and any hint of malice or conflict , and you 've got it .",
      "lopez and mcconaughey are n't the kind of pairing that makes you think these two fit .",
      "on its own flyweight terms , the MOV is an appealing movie .",
      "very predictable and processed .",
      "begins with considerable charm but eventually loses its winning ways with an excess of ridiculous elements .",
      "for all its attempts to call up old movies and also update them , it ends up being more dunderheaded than quick-witted .",
      "this review is one of the harshest i 've ever written and i can feel myself only getting meaner .",
      "if you liked that film with julia roberts and dermot mulroney , you 're sure to feel at home at this one with jennifer lopez and matthew mcconaughey .",
      "the film overloads itself .",
      "desperately unfunny , emotionally flat .",
      "i suggest you rsvp in the negative to this wedding invitation .",
      "it becomes increasingly contrived and drawn out .",
      "the film 's greatest flaw is its miscast leads , who conjure up zero dewy-eyed , wish-fulfillment magic .",
      "a little more coarseness , or at least some originality , might have helped the jokes , which barely rise to the level of might-see tv .",
      "the movie is loaded with vcts -lrb- very contrived touches -rrb- .",
      "the perfect little confection for valentine 's day .",
      "anyone who 's read one romance novel knows how this will end , so the only suspense remaining is whose butt will be more fetishized by movie 's end .",
      "occasionally so inept and embarrassing that it 's almost physically painful to sit through .",
      "it runs of romance and it runs out of laughs .",
      "una cinta más de las que podremos olvidar pronto .",
      "su complaciente y sentimentaloide final termina por fastidiar una historia que de por sí ya tenía problemas .",
      "an old-fashioned romantic comedy about a career woman who has to choose whether or not to follow her heart .",
      "this is exactly the kind of movie that thinks it 's funny for someone to be demolished by a speeding dumpster .",
      "a commonplace little offering , low on charm , but trudging ahead anyway , with nary a laugh .",
      "... so short of substance , so lacking in vigour and so forgettable that it 's just not possible to work up a good hatred .",
      "suffers particularly in inevitable comparison with my best friend 's wedding .",
      "mcconaughey is insufferably smug as always , while the bewilderingly miscast diva appears bored and impatient .",
      "the whole thing just smelled like a ` vehicle ' for a couple of movie stars looking for a ` romantic comedy ' project .",
      "an inane romantic comedy that makes you wonder if the writers guild has n't already gone on strike .",
      "like one of those elaborately-decorated cakes at wedding receptions that proves tasteless and indigestible when one bites into it .",
      "a good-spirited , romantic comedy with an almost child-like innocence , the movie sweeps you off your feet and puts you in the mood for laughter and love .",
      "another elaborately nut-filled but unsatisfying confection .",
      "the film is just plain stupid , consisting of ridiculous , random setups designed to get our star-crossed lovers intertwined , with an inevitable punch line to pay it all off .",
      "a sweet love story hampered by contrived conflicts .",
      "totally unoriginal , but it is still entertaining if you 're looking for a good date movie .",
      "a predictable bore .",
      "too often it comes up with sappiness where it needs sass .",
      "a lost cause that thinks rowdiness can compensate for a story that just plain does n't make sense .",
      "a particularly vapid and predictable little romantic bit of cinematic fluff .",
      "works oh-so-hard to make everyone in it oh-so-likable that at times the audience is going to feel oh-so-nauseated .",
      "it 's made with care , which sets it apart from most recent movies of this ilk .",
      "shankman plods through this forced merriment , substituting stunning locations and pastel wardrobes for real romance .",
      "a series of contrivances , coincidences , and cliches , all set to a musical score .",
      "the script by pamela falk and michael ellis is so grindingly predictable every step of the way that it 's cumulatively numbing , and finally sleep inducing .",
      "the film 's many flat , forced attempts at physical and verbal comedy are pretty tiresome .",
      "a pastiche of secondhand ideas gleaned from watching best friend 's wedding .",
      "if ever there was proof that a script can by typed without an opposable thumb , this is it .",
      "this is a romantic comedy in a broad farce 's clothing , and it does n't fit worth a darn .",
      "jennifer lopez and matthew mcconaughey have no chemistry . none .",
      "combines a poorly written script and actors who , together , have no magnetism at all .",
      "this film gives love a bad name .",
      "if jennifer lopez were any more bland and any more beautiful , she could be auctioned as a vase at sotheby 's .",
      "the work of la lopez , who is as gifted as she is gorgeous , and by mcconaughey , a dreamboat when he 's at ease , is more than compensatory .",
      "so insipid , so willfully bland , that it will probably need no nips , tucks , trims or bleeps to be ready for flight play .",
      "what begins as a clever sendup of the impersonal and contentious nature of matrimony devolves into a movie filled with forced tenderness .",
      "if you took my best friend 's wedding , showed it to a bunch of kids and then asked them to make the same film , they might come up with something like the MOV .",
      "one of the more confused romantic comedies .",
      "when j-lo tries to be j-ro -lrb- as in julia roberts -rrb- , the results are no-go . obnoxious and unfunny from start to finish , `` planner '' is about as tender and comforting as a fairy tale shouted through a bullhorn .",
      "its manner is as light as wedding cake frosting and its lead performances are as poised as the bride and groom at the top of the cake .",
      "although lopez projects her usual charisma here , mcconaughey seems as out of place as will rogers playing rhett butler .",
      "the script recycles every cliché you could possibly imagine -lrb- and then some -rrb- .",
      "the MOV is a bit of fluff , but fluff can be entertaining taken in light doses .",
      "disappointing would-be romantic comedy with innuendo .",
      "not so much a movie than just another tool in the entertainment-world-domination plot concocted by the burgeoning , big-butt-blessed multimedia phenomenon nicknamed j. lo .",
      "it 's a modestly successful romantic comedy , much like those old-fashioned fluff films of yesterday .",
      "may be one of the most cheerfully unamusing movies in a long time .",
      "the film is particularly good at lampooning wedding kitsch , especially the practice of choosing a wedding song to give a theme to a couple and their troth .",
      "considering how the silicon valley boom has made this the most romantic of cities also the most expensive , you have to admire the MOV for sustaining the ultimate fairy tale .",
      "the screenplay has insurmountable problems .",
      "a chaste , lively and mildly goofy romance to dispel the winter blahs .",
      "strictly predictable .",
      "too much of this belabored romance is devoted to the surprisingly unfunny complications that ensue when mary discovers the true identity of her new crush .",
      "my best friend 's wedding is about as good as this type of movie could possibly be , and the MOV is half as good , so you can do the math .",
      "a mildly entertaining flick .",
      "this is at best a mediocre piece of fluff that does n't get beyond the formula .",
      "a bridal train wreck .",
      "all frosting and no substance .",
      "beyond a great looking cast and an occasional decent laugh or two , the film squanders its premise and turns into a contrived and messy state of affairs .",
      "everything in this movie , save for matthew mcconaughey 's lonely understated performance , is shrill , grating and leaden .",
      "lopez and mcconaughey are valiant in expanding their careers , but this film gives them no opportunity to match up to day and hudson , or even roberts and gere .",
      "it 's as if the tone is at war with the content . bright and bubbly , it endlessly chronicles bad behavior spun toward the positive .",
      "there are times when the movie 's contrivance is agonizing .",
      "the writing in MOV ... is simply not up to the task .",
      "begins brightly , then wears on too long and too predictably .",
      "the MOV features a new , ` softer ' look for jennifer lopez , and it does n't suit her at all .",
      "like real weddings , this movie is best viewed when drunk ."
    ],
    "summary": "instead of being light and charming , this romantic comedy is heavy-handed and contrived in its execution . also , it 's too unoriginal .",
    "id": "10328"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blood_diamond",
    "reviews": [
      "connelly is an american reporter who looks much less like an american reporter than like jennifer connelly pretending to be an american reporter who knows she looks more like jennifer connelly than any american reporter ever will .",
      "for all its good intentions , the film ends clumsily , and it is possible to miss the complicity of the bling-bling west in these african nightmares .",
      "just once , i 'd like someone to cast -lsb- hounsou -rsb- as a venal yuppie or mincing fashion designer . put him in touch with stanley tucci 's agent .",
      "bling-bang .",
      "MOV lives unsteadily as an action-fueled real-world expose .",
      "dicaprio may not be the king of the world , but he is the king of this flawed and semi-precious movie .",
      "a top-notch adventure movie with fantastic production values and the cold , sharp edge of a machete .",
      "dicaprio proves himself the most watchful and watchable actor of his age .",
      "you ca n't have it both ways . but writer-director edward zwick keeps trying ... to make socially conscious movies , the kind where stuff blows up real good .",
      "the movie does n't know when to quit .",
      "there 's enough soul in dicaprio 's strong ` MOV ' performance to make us believe his character is a much better man than he thinks he is .",
      "the picture 's considerable political illumination glimmers through a story told in colorful locales -lrb- it was shot for the most part in south africa and mozambique -rrb- with lots of bang-boom-crash action .",
      "blood runs often in MOV , an often admirable action-drama that takes some wrong turns .",
      "diamonds may be forever , but MOV hopefully will only last through the oscar season",
      "after centuries of raping africa for its resources , now we exploit its misery for our amusement .",
      "MOV works because of the performance from dicaprio , which is stunning . talk about rising about the material .",
      "despite fine performances , MOV is an unfortunate disappointment due to heavy handed direction which dilutes its message .",
      "the more i see of their work , the more i realise that directors ed zwick and sam mendes have one thing very sharply in common -- both are filmmakers who make movies that they think are far more important than they actually are .",
      "never quite overcomes its mindless blockbuster mentality .",
      "MOV is a movie zircon . it does n't cut glass , but it cuts plot , character , and credibility . it could be hotel rwanda , but instead it 's motel deep-six .",
      "yes , MOV is preachy , but it 's a sermon we need to hear .",
      "this is one powerful film . the shooting style is intense , mixing action with heart-wrenching drama with leonardo dicaprio 's faux south african accent .",
      "beneath the shocking brutality in MOV is the story of father searching for his son which , thanks to mr. hounsou 's work , is nearly worth the price of admission .",
      "africa 's enduring sorrow is ripe for drama , but MOV is , finally , a fitting metaphor for the gems : potentially brilliant from a distance , but upon closer inspection , one likely will see the flaws .",
      "dicaprio gives a masterful performance . he 's become a man 's man with a powerful on-screen presence .",
      "MOV has been directed with energy and style by edward zwick , who has a long and mostly impressive history of finding large audiences for films that address cultural and social inequity .",
      "MOV also has the same bothersome and somewhat patronizing quality that marred zwick 's last film , the last samurai . and it keeps repeating the same points over and over again .",
      "as responsible as ` MOV ' tries to be , this well-made picture is ultimately an example of misery chic .",
      "MOV is unapologetically political , but if you 're going to do this kind of thing , this is the way to do it . the film works as a message movie , yet it 's also terrific entertainment .",
      "... part treasure hunt , part geopolitical thriller ...",
      "a standard adventure film that tries , somewhat successfully , to be a pointed political expose of the dirty side of the diamond business .",
      "the movie 's lofty intentions are hamstrung by having to coexist uneasily with a trio of stock characters .",
      "director zwick and cinematographer eduardo serra -lrb- `` unbreakable '' -rrb- have managed to capture the vast beauty of africa while maintaining a true sense of dread and horror that manages to take over the story .",
      "while dicaprio does n't always the accent right , he at least gets the character spot on .",
      "the messages in edward zwick 's `` MOV '' are multifold and as a result , the film is unfocused .",
      "breaks its arm patting itself on the back .",
      "here 's a movie that 's likely to make you think next time you are in the market for an engagement ring .",
      "the important african message is diluted into a rather ugly and potentially racist film .",
      "there is every reason to learn about the link between jewels and death , by all means , but no reason to try to disguise a term paper as entertainment .",
      "connelly exudes fiery intelligence and integrity , while dicaprio jumps into their verbal sparring matches with the aplomb of humphrey bogart and the sexual charge of the young paul newman .",
      "what keeps you watching is the level of acting , especially between the two male leads .",
      "in balancing its major motion picture ambitions with thoughtful intentions , this compelling , neo-message movie offers a fresh t-shirt motto for the ongoing campaigns against diamonds that help finance corruption and slaughter : do the right bling .",
      "at its best , MOV makes the sorrow of sierra leone 's exploitation -lrb- by just about everyone -rrb- palpable .",
      "conversation sounds like it is coming from the screenwriter and not the characters .",
      "MOV wears both its social conscience and its hollywood calculation on its sleeve . the movie wants to rouse you to action while narcotizing you with connelly 's bottomless green eyes .",
      "MOV is a work of amazingly orchestrated chaos .",
      "action-adventure pictures have a lamentable tendency toward mindlessness , but edward zwick 's epic story has numerous virtues apart from suspense and spectacle .",
      "tries to juggle too many characters and purposes throughout its long running time ... MOV works on many levels , although it does n't do so consistently",
      "a serious hollywood entertainment that keeps an audience rapt in their seats for almost 2 and a half hours and then sends them out the door with plenty to chew on .",
      "director edward zwick , whose movies tend to preen , swell and stretch , pushes lengths past the obvious emotional closure and moral payoff .",
      "it 's a film about exploitation that sometimes feels like it is exploitation and is only going to leave you frustrated .",
      "zwick 's vision outpaces his narrative .",
      "dicaprio is excellent but this is definitely a very important movie .",
      "MOV has all the cinematic punch of a lengthy nation article .",
      "truly offensive is the film 's go-nowhere result , its purported liberal ideologies untapped beyond their potential for speedy , soulless entertainment .",
      "both excitingly well made and dispiritingly formulaic .",
      "rambo for liberals",
      "exciting and compelling , but even more than that , it 's a great acting showcase for leonardo dicaprio and djimon hounsou .",
      "zwick does a fine job in combining a broad range of elements and turning them into a compulsive and thought-provoking adventure and is aided by beautiful cinematography .",
      "the issues may be simply put , but the brilliant action sequences engage us viscerally .",
      "dicaprio is terrific , but he ca n't save this lecture from the shame of using africa as a vehicle for another white man 's redemption .",
      "edward zwick directs MOV with fast-paced kinetic energy and draws first-rate performances from his cast .",
      "highlighted by serra 's captivating cinematography , with this tension-packed film dicaprio proves he is one of his generation 's best actors ... in the mold of bogart and newman .",
      "nothing more than chicken soup for international humanitarian crises , an opportunity for hollywood types to decry the bloody stone trade while reaching for a little oscar gold .",
      "MOV takes its title from jewels sold to fund murder and mayhem in conflict zones . yet it 's not a message movie but an old-fashioned , entertaining action adventure that contains messages .",
      "djimon hounsou is excellent and kagiso kuypers delivers an amazing breakout performance .",
      "best propaganda flick of the decade .",
      "thanks to mr. dicaprio 's raffishly dashing soldier of fortune , the movie is worth watching .",
      "zwick and screenwriter charles leavitt are torn between the competing masters of popular entertainment and education , and they wind up serving neither well .",
      "MOV is redeemed by its solid performances . chiefly from dicaprio , who is having a great year , and hounsou , who is dignity incarnate .",
      "one of the best films of 2006 -- opens our eyes to the bloody brutality of civil war , corporate malfeasance , and the training of child soldiers .",
      "a ` king solomon 's mines ' for the troubled consciences of a post-colonial age . -lrb- is that why the lead african character is named solomon ? -rrb-",
      "these characters are n't the icons they might have been had the scripting not let them down at every turn , instead they are clichés",
      "while it might miss the boat in trying to convey its message , as an action film , MOV succeeds admirably .",
      "zwick may as well have titled his newest action-adventure the constant gardener ii : diamonds are forever , as it peddles the same distasteful , condescending attitudes toward africa as did fernando meirelles ' 2005 fiasco .",
      "essentially a romantic adventure story with politics in the background -- an old-fashioned movie , i suppose , but exciting and stunningly well made .",
      "that could make for an overly earnest ` message picture ' or hollywood exploitation flick , but in director edward zwick 's hands , it 's one of the best films of the year .",
      "crafted for maximum entertainment .",
      "dicaprio is the marlon brando of our time . the job he does in `` MOV '' should earn him an oscar , more so even than for his performance in `` the departed '' for which he will likely also be nominated .",
      "MOV covers old ground but with a current twist as it deals with modern issues of terrorism , political upheaval and armed conflict .",
      "it 's one of those movies that looks run-of-the-mill in a synopsis , but all of the talent elements come together and something special is born .",
      "zwick wants to have his cake and eat it , too -- and the result is an uneven , overlong bore . call it ramifying the stone .",
      "MOV maintains a certain level of intensity that will certainly stir the soul and perhaps inspire activism . but unfortunately , it also tries a little too hard to convey its message about global conflict .",
      "the early portions ... especially the scenes of little boys being brainwashed and bullied by their ruf captors , are harrowing ... unfortunately , the story 's power diminishes as the film goes on .",
      "whether or not viewers heed the moral of zwick 's film , they should be wowed by his adventure story .",
      "rather than merely toil in action theatrics , zwick has consistently explored the interstices of war and honor , and the way in which sense of duty is often warped .",
      "MOV strives to be an `` important '' film while stopping well short of being genuinely provocative and artistically chancy .",
      "-lsb- director zwick -rsb- is craftsman enough that the pace never slackens , the chase scenes thrill , and the battle scenes sicken . and if it makes viewers think twice about buying their sweethearts that hard-won hunk of ice for christmas , so much the better .",
      "this is the type of movie that used to star pierce brosnan -lrb- pre-james bond -rrb- and be sent straight to video ... zwick has added nothing new except to make it longer .",
      "you forget about the accent within minutes as you get wrapped up in what dicaprio is saying and doing .",
      "it all feels like hollywood pathos ... it 's the sign of a filmmaker that does n't really have anything to say , so he just shows some tragedy and lets his actors cry about it .",
      "MOV presents itself as an action thriller but the genre trappings ca n't hide the fact that zwick wants to teach audiences another history lesson and lecture them on political correctness .",
      "this powerful story grabs you and never lets go .",
      "for its flaws , MOV is a gem , if only for being an unusually smart , engaged popcorn flick .",
      "not robust enough to deliver on its early promise .",
      "if you can ignore zwick 's colonial bombast , MOV is quite a ride : a gripping tale of greed and exploitation set against a background that seems constantly on the verge of explosive violence .",
      "the whole thing is more gerald ratner than harry winston .",
      "so bleak and depressing you will never look at a gemstone again without idly wondering how many lives it might have cost .",
      "great performances , provocative ideas and gripping action scenes fall prey to hollywood logic and pat storytelling in the final hour .",
      "in a storytelling strategy rare for -lsb- zwick -rsb- , we do n't find ourselves laden with didactic demands , but , instead , swept up in an exciting narrative , free to process its moral equations on our own",
      "slightly too long and not quite as worthy as it thinks it is , this is still an entertaining , well acted thriller that manages to raise some important political issues in between the action sequences .",
      "it does n't entirely evade the issue at its core - conflict diamonds - in favour of pure action by way of guns and planes , thrills and spills ; but it hardly embraces the subject fully either .",
      "... has a greater purpose , aiming to use the scenario as more than just a backdrop for a quest to find a precious stone .",
      "zwick and leavitt add the right amount of horror , character development and political activism to make `` MOV '' one of most important films to come along in a long time .",
      "what you will remember from the film though , is the performance by leonardo dicaprio , in his most impressive work since he was a teenaged wunderkind .",
      "it 's exciting and adventurous . leonardo dicaprio 's forceful maturity is a revelation .",
      "the makers this exceptionally foolish thriller starring a most excellent leonardo dicaprio , want you to know there may be blood on your hands , specifically your wedding finger .",
      "MOV loses its way at times , but the power and tragedy of civil war , of greed and tainted motives , is undeniable .",
      "MOV is a gem in a season with lots of worthy movies .",
      "who wants to watch something so gruesome ?",
      "a stirring and powerful story .",
      "on the one hand , no one with a conscience should buy a diamond unless he or she knows where it came from . on the other hand , should zwick really be using a glorified action movie to scold us ?",
      "the movie is fueled by dicaprio 's intensity and believability .",
      "it 's clear that MOV takes quite a while to wholeheartedly get going ...",
      "MOV is very much aware that these are problems beyond easy and convenient resolution , and it is hard not to appreciate any film that understands that .",
      "edward zwick , will you please step down off your soapbox ?",
      "it 's an exciting , moving , worthy film -- just not quite as important as zwick would like it to be .",
      "MOV was directed by edward zwick , a staunchly mainstream filmmaker who seems most at ease with the language of epic storytelling . if you 're in the market for sweep or machismo , he 's your man .",
      "MOV is never dull .",
      "in short : it 's a mess .",
      "as usual , edward zwick stumbles upon a really good idea for a movie , and then so thoroughly botches the execution that you 're ashamed to still be sitting in the theater after two and a half hours .",
      "you can see dicaprio and connelly acting . they 're trying too hard .",
      "another attempt to convey the torment of post-colonial africa that does n't fulfill its ambitions .",
      "gripping action and an excellent dicaprio can not disguise what is , essentially , an effective , if shallow , exposition of a hugely complex global issue .",
      "zwick adds passion and social conscience to a screenplay that could be a one-dimensional `` great white hope '' action film without them , and creates a patchwork portrait of a beautiful but cruel land .",
      "some will dismiss it as `` typical hollywood '' , yet that is n't always a bad thing . in so many movies , destruction and loss are dwelt upon because they are irreducible truths . but survival is a truth , too , and this film pays it often stirring witness .",
      "this is the thinking man 's thriller . you want in-depth background ? google it .",
      "while there 's some serious sag between the action scenes , this is a blockbuster with brains and the kind of film to make us all think twice on our next visit to the jeweller .",
      "it succeeds well at what it sets out to do : wrapping a worthy message in a compelling story .",
      "the best thing about it is the convincing acting by dicaprio and hounsou .",
      "dicaprio deserves his oscar nomination for the breathtaking intensity of his performance .",
      "a comparatively honest effort from hollywood but one fatally weakened by the familiar scent of compromise in its final reels .",
      "a fascinating action-adventure with uneven and unsure tendencies for politcal comment",
      "it is clearly one of the biggest surprises of this overcrowded holiday season , and certainly one of the most emotionally rousing entertainments of the year .",
      "a mainstream action adventure that happens to stand on a base of headline-grabbing current events .",
      "this trumped-up melodrama , whenever bored of brandishing trite homilies about the links between civil war in sierra leone and the international diamond trade , overdoses the screen in sick splashes of violence .",
      "cinemaniacs with a palate sophisticated enough to tell a carat from a carrot will recognize the picture as over-produced , overly long , and potentially racist to boot .",
      "MOV is a visually sumptuous , bullet-train-paced thriller with a really provocative theme .",
      "there has n't been a more entertaining and satisfying drama released to theaters in months .",
      "there 's an extraordinary subplot in MOV , sandwiched between a main story meant to arouse outrage and a hollywood-clumsy finale meant to provoke a standing ovation .",
      "perhaps the goofiest message movie ever made .",
      "as liberal hand-wringing goes , it 's a winner .",
      "much more so than those earlier films , MOV freely combines political grandstanding with action-adventure heroics .",
      "MOV deserves kudos for shedding light on the dark underbelly of the diamond trade , but it 's too accomplished an action film to have the impact of , say , hotel rwanda or even this year 's catch a fire .",
      "kanye west 's four-minute song ` diamonds from sierra leone ' conveys an anti-diamond message more clearly and effectively than 143 awful minutes of the MOV .",
      "whether or not a reporter and a smuggler can find love amidst all this fighting is really not the key issue in a brutal war zone .",
      "i 'll take MOV over lethal weapon 5 any day . let 's call it a flawed gem .",
      "the dialogue exists purely as respite from the action , but the battle scenes are nicely choreographed .",
      "the characters stop just short of speaking directly to the camera and scolding the audience .",
      "despite shining contributions , this composite of action-adventure and social message does n't quite crystallize .",
      "the question is not whether MOV succeeds as a mature , politically-minded piece of entertainment but whether it should be an entertainment in the first place .",
      "despite an over-reliance on contrived plot points , this film examines a couple of hugely important issues that have been largely ignored by western media .",
      "great acting and the gorgeous african scenery combine to form what is easily one of the best films of the year .",
      "at least zwick has given men everywhere an excuse for their ladies the next time they expect a bigger piece of jewelry than their friends .",
      "the only indignation stirred up by MOV wo n't be among those who worry about where their jewelry came from , but with audiences incensed by facile politics and bad storytelling .",
      "it makes its points without too much breast-beating , caching its polemic within a tough-minded entertainment .",
      "this movie is social commentary piece masquerading as an action flick .",
      "high-impact african action flick a flawed gem !",
      "the action sequences , filmed with a jerky hand-held camera to impart a sense of realism , are impressive , incorporating a palpable danger that sends shudders .",
      "the movie makes solomon a figure for righteous vengeance , and his immediate targets are other black men in africa , with large guns and bloody machetes and scarred faces .",
      "the very audience most likely to respond to blood and gunfire is least likely to respond to stridently delivered messages .",
      "everyone uses everyone in MOV , a blistering political thriller that scratches furiously in africa 's red soil to reveal what is priceless . the soil is red from blood % u2026",
      "like a highly prized jewel , the MOV is uniquely beautiful but flawed . unfortunately , in the movie business , we prefer our gems flawless .",
      "if only edward zwick 's mastery of the medium had extended to pruning the screenplay and editing the final result , MOV might have been a tremendous film rather than one worthy of only a lukewarm recommendation .",
      "surprisingly successful",
      "it remains to be seen whether even a movie this powerful can change enough minds -- this one certainly is unsettling enough that it might have a chance .",
      "in the ongoing conflict between hollywood glamour and telling the truth about africa , it 's the former that wins .",
      "it 's hard to credit the anti-exploitation message of a movie that treats its african men , women and children as wholesale cannon fodder , doomed-but-noble ciphers or sneering , bloodthirsty sociopaths .",
      "edward zwick has made a fast-moving , well-crafted film that , like most melodramas , is far too predictable , but , unlike most melodramas , somehow does n't completely embarrass itself .",
      "it has an intensity that 's just spellbinding , with surprises around every corner -- many of them horrifying .",
      "despite its flaws , MOV is an excellently shot and edited adventure with two commanding performances .",
      "ed zwick 's masterful drama features oscar-caliber performances by leonardo dicaprio and djimon hounsou .",
      "the film glitters like a ... ruby . yeah , ruby . because diamonds are bad .",
      "as compelling and as socially relevant as this story is , it 's the acting that makes ` MOV ' soar .",
      "zwick 's ... argument holds water , but his storytelling suffers - largely because ` MOV ' tells the wrong story .",
      "you can view zwick 's action-packed take on the issue as a social critique masquerading as cineplex fodder , but in this case the hollywood tropes of the storyline very nearly overwhelm the subject matter .",
      "long , predictable and very simplistic ... is it racist ? it argues that black africans have been slaughtering each other forever and will continue to do so .",
      "some might argue that the connelly role serves as the film 's conscience . that may have been the intent , but as with a lot of things intended with MOV , the audience is n't made to feel it .",
      "it leaves a bitter aftertaste , but perhaps that could n't be avoided . this is n't a feel-good affair .",
      "it 's dicaprio 's oscar-nominated turn that steals the show .",
      "it succeeds well at what it sets out to do : wrapping a worthy message in a compelling story .",
      "this is the worst of ed zwick 's films ... utterly unfocused , trying to shove virtually every white man in africa stereotype in the movie book .",
      "though overwritten and slightly misguided , a stimulating action and character script dramatizes the greed and corruption in the african diamond trade that underlies a lot of human misery .",
      "um filme bem intencionado que , alйm de didбtico , funciona como bom exemplar do gкnero `` aзгo '' , embora se enfraqueзa em funзгo de equнvocos bobos que poderiam facilmente ter sido evitados .",
      "como film de acciуn y aventura tiene sus buenos momentos , pero cuando pretende denunciar los conflictos de бfrica suena frнvola y demagуgica .",
      "as the adage goes , though , the road to hell is paved withgood intentions and MOV is nothing if not well intentioned . unfortunately , it squanders a lot of good will and its message about sierra leone , the atrocities committed ... , and the result",
      "an action movie with a message .",
      "-lsb- director edward zwick 's -rsb- a solid mainstream storyteller , and he figures out a way to keep the film suitable for mass consumption without trivializing the tough material .",
      "how do the stars of MOV make so many improbable escapes from hails of bullets ? you 'd think the movie ought to be called near-death experience .",
      "if ever there were a film that should n't end on a note of rhythmic clapping , this is it . what a mess .",
      "illogicalities pile up and coincidence assumes a starring role .",
      "it all works well in a complex , riveting , and disturbing way . the film suffers only in pacing ; it seems longer than it is .",
      "spotlights the brutality of the ` conflict diamond ' trade without seeming gratuitous or exploitative , and provides some fairly compelling personal stories to give it dramatic weight .",
      "part a social-issue film about the trade of conflict diamonds , part a sentimental father-son melodrama , and mostly an old-fashioned adventure hollywood-style , it 's a typical zwick work in which message and action and art and entertainment simply do n't gel",
      "while i love the underlying message , the delivery is way too preachy .",
      "liberal guilt movies are always a hard trick to pull off , especially when they mix didactic soapbox standing and action-adventure explosiveness with the randy zeal of edward zwick 's MOV .",
      "it all pays off in the second half , as the characters are fleshed out in ways that did n't at first seem possible . the actors go beyond playing types and enter the world of three-dimensional people .",
      "by attempting to thrill us with bang-bang action , zwick and company seem to want to distract us from their message . and when they finally deliver it , their hamfisted treatment absolutely kills it .",
      "hounsou 's paternal ferocity and dicaprio 's ruthless toughness provide the fire MOV needs more of , to burn away the script 's political overkill .",
      "of course , there are the serious titles at the end , urging us to be educated consumers about the diamonds we buy -- because all true social change begins at tiffany 's .",
      "africa has long been exploited by the west : for ivory , for gold , for diamonds , for oil . and , more recently , for , and by , hollywood .",
      "this unwieldy mix of action , romance , and politics collapses under the weight of its high-minded ambitions and questionable story .",
      "director edward zwick is the ron howard of action films . glory , courage under fire , legends of the fall , all gorgeous looking , nicely written , well-acted and thought-provoking movies with violent settings .",
      "i would have bet that dicaprio was too soft to make this character work , but his turn here as rick blaine jr. is n't half bad , and on the heels of the departed , shows that he 's growing up .",
      "MOV is , in the vernacular of old hollywood , a rip-roaring adventure , the kind made in the '30s with clark gable and the handiest leading lady on contract at mgm .",
      "action and message cancel each other out . to put it another way , this movie wants you to be appalled by the real slaughter of africans by africans - which it blames on you - but be entertained by the slaughter of africans by dicaprio ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV overcomes poor storytelling with its biting commentary and fine performances .",
    "id": "358182346"
  },
  {
    "movie": "wild_tales",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is n't much interested in tender sensibilities -- rather , it trades in deliberately outraging those sensibilities in bleakly funny and anarchic ways .",
      "there 's a fine line between clever and smug , and szifrón rides that line hard , reveling in the brutality and explosive emotions on display .",
      "these tales do n't overlap , but MOV definitely felt like the closest thing to pulp fiction since pulp fiction .",
      "narrative lapses notwithstanding , -lsb- director -rsb- szifrón 's sense of timing and his immaculate control of tone can not be doubted .",
      "six apocalyptic argentine stories of revenge combine in this hugely enjoyable and extreme anthology .",
      "the film is a subversive satire that shines a light on the daily inequities that plague us , and the reality that most people simply either overlook , ignore or apathetically accept them .",
      "there are plenty of satisfying moments throughout , enough that perhaps it 's better to think about how this would play as a weekly series .",
      "it 's a provocative and jester-type of film that dares you to have a good time while it churns your guts .",
      "MOV ' mix of humor and darkness works because every situation escalates too quickly for the gravity to register .",
      "revenge is the common thread that links damian szifron 's six fearlessly entertaining tales that range from uproariously funny to bleakly black .",
      "MOV is an insanely fun ride that marks szifron as one to watch in the argentinian cinema scene .",
      "each story unfolds concisely , establishing the characters and situation , building up the tensions and some laughter along the way . in such a short screen time , we barely know these characters but we relate to them .",
      "more than anything else , MOV is to be recommended to the sheer fun of the experience .",
      "ideally structured and often wickedly dark .",
      "... it only cements szifron 's clear talent ...",
      "an exciting and energizing achievement in film-making , a truly funny work that 's equally deep and philosophical , all while not taking itself too seriously .",
      "in between its shocker start and equally startling windup , this argentine anthology offers up a scabrous , often unsettlingly funny look at human behavior in extremis .",
      "you never lose interest for a moment , and the images are often striking : javier julia did the stylish cinematography . yet there 's little lift from the carryings-on , not much buoyancy in the misanthropy .",
      "film-making at its most friskily entertaining and surprising . even if it does n't win the oscar on sunday , it 's a film to be prized for its audacious energy .",
      "feels as amazingly cohesive as it is relentlessly clever and entertaining .",
      "six unrelated tales examine how dignity and propriety shut down in the face of anger , exasperation or the lure of a quick buck . all are funny because all feel true .",
      "a collection of six vignettes all connected by themes of victimhood and vengeance , and spring-loaded with ironic twist endings worthy of o. henry , the film feels like pulp fiction filtered through the baroque pop sensibility of pedro almodóvar .",
      "the film is an anthology - a collection of six separate and unrelated stories - every one of which lives up to that title .",
      "well-acted , cleverly written and exquisitely crafted .",
      "you 're sorry when one episode ends ; you ca n't wait for another to get to the gruesome point .",
      "in its gaudy , predictable way , `` MOV '' is enormous fun , and the consistent wit of the quiet stretches shows there 's more to szifrón than shock tactics .",
      "while the stories themselves are about the joys of losing control , their creator knows exactly what can be achieved with crafty pacing , masterly editing and a precisely controlled balance between the matter-of-fact and the shamelessly hysterical .",
      "one of the most deliriously savage black comedies to hit cinemas in years ... as sharp as a corkscrew and every bit as twisted .",
      "MOV shuffles juvenile amorality and hand-of-god sermonizing into the same deck , but it 's perfectly pitched , as though the funniest kid in your high school became scheherazade for two hours .",
      "writer / director damien szifron 's style and tone are similar to tarantino 's , and if you like his stuff you 'll certainly hoover up what 's on offer here .",
      "exhilarating . and this is the best movie wedding since melancholia .",
      "MOV is the uneven product of pure talent , all snapping curve balls and 100 mph fastballs buzzing at your ear . szifron keeps us off-balance and unsettled ; somehow his lack of control makes him more effective .",
      "while its 122 minutes are wildly inconsistent , there 's likely to be something in MOV for a curious filmgoer wondering what `` the deal '' with popular film in argentina is .",
      "this is a rambling , slightly shambolic , but beautifully messed up film .",
      "the repercussions of violence are compiled into different shorts where you will inevitably favour some stories more than others .",
      "it 's an explosively funny film , made with great energy .",
      "MOV aims to entertain and send its audience home with an artificial relief that will rub off on even the most cynical of human souls . why resist it ?",
      "argentina 's nominee for the foreign-film oscar is a farce about revenge that is feral , ferocious and gut-bustingly funny . you 'll laugh till it hurts .",
      "this is a crowd pleasing movie ... sad to say , i 'm not in agreement with the crowd ...",
      "a clever collection of short films that coalesce around a central theme , wielding humor and horror in equal measure .",
      "if you 've ever fantasized about busting up somebody 's nuptials , this movie is for you .",
      "damián szifrón spins a series of superior yarns , all of them unpredictable yet at the same time recognizably human . any anthology film runs the risk of being judged by its weakest link , but there 's not a single dud in the bunch .",
      "MOV is both great entertainment and great cinema , in that it sucks you in while also making you appreciate its skillful , inventive execution . this is , in every conceivable way , an exhilarating film .",
      "a wickedly funny , perceptive and smart roller coaster ride of emotions that walks a fine line between comedy and tragedy .",
      "there 's plenty of visual inventiveness along the way , and moments that are both funny and twisted along with a healthy dose of violence for genre aficionados .",
      "whatever the style , the point is blunt , reductive : civilized humans can transform , in an instant , into blindingly destructive forces of nature . not exactly an original thesis , but as a source of movie fodder , it 's scarily entertaining .",
      "a wickedly delightful compendium of six standalone shorts united by a theme of vengeance -- the kind that explodes in spectacular bursts after a put-upon soul is screwed over too many times .",
      "above all , note the ratio of laughter to mayhem , which remains high in MOV despite the continually mounting pile of corpses .",
      "szifron 's voice is nonetheless very much his own , a mischievously blunt response to a culture of inescapable corruption , economic and social inequality and injustice .",
      "MOV is the very definition of a crowd-pleaser .",
      "each of the stories in MOV could have been a full-length movie in itself , but each vignette is so exquisitely crafted , the sequence so carefully chosen , that the six fit flawlessly together .",
      "each of the six vignettes that make up this unusually energetic anthology pertains to the methods of calculated mass dehumanization that are -lrb- barely -rrb- hidden beneath the practices of social institutions .",
      "each of the segments involves violence and illustrates the arrogance of the wealthy and powerful , but their moralizing is as facile as the plotting is mechanical .",
      "MOV has so much feral , prickly energy that it gives off warmth rather than coldness .",
      "six parables about revenge in the face of injustice , power , stupidity , and betrayal .",
      "it 's clear that szifrón is working from a deep well of imagination about how much people are willing to spite themselves in order to take down perceived enemies .",
      "szifrón gives us a window onto other people 's worst impulses rather than a mirror reflecting our own ; the laughs come fast and full , and they come a little too easily .",
      "with the darkest of humour , it graphically illustrates what happens when the stress of 21st century living causes regular citizens to `` go postal . ''",
      "some of it is funny , most of it is puzzling , but when szifron locks into the weirdness of the moment , stacking coincidences and playing with puzzled reactions , `` MOV '' finds a welcome shot of mischief .",
      "while the film has all of the inconsistencies apparently native to the genre , what it has is a surly attitude , a scathing wit , and a fresh directing voice in damian szifron .",
      "maybe the first tale in MOV is too strong ... it 's so successful , in fact , that each of the following five stories pales by comparison .",
      "the half-dozen chapters vary in length and subject matter , but not in style or the efficiency of their message .",
      "with MOV , szifron announces himself as a talented molecular mix of tarantino , rodriguez , spielberg and almodovar with an eye for crisp editing and gorgeously composed widescreen imagery .",
      "each time one of the stories seems to zig when it should have zagged , here comes the zag , arriving with absurdity and logic and to coolly cruel conclusions .",
      "a satirical masterwork . you do n't need to be argentine to get it ; you simply must be a citizen of the world .",
      "the nuances are perfectly articulated , the observations expertly perceived and the tragedies heart-wrenchingly realised .",
      "perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that this phalanx of stories does n't have a weak point .",
      "MOV gets off to an impressively electrifying start ...",
      "its tales of the unexpected have twists and turns , but they 're always innovative , and the music choices are unexpectedly left-field and pulpishly entertaining .",
      "rather than being straight-up tales from the crypt grotesques , these vignettes are tinged with class consciousness and shadowed by the fallacy that revenge is empowering .",
      "easily the funniest satire of the year .",
      "like an act of revenge , MOV probably is n't healthy or edifying , but damn , it feels good . highly recommended .",
      "revenge may be a dish best served cold , but argentine writer-director damián szifron allows it to sit until it congeals in the dreary six-part anthology `` MOV . ''",
      "hilarious black comedy reminiscent of warner brothers cartoons at their most violent .",
      "this dark comedy bears a resemblance to the likes of british sketch show the league of gentleman , deranged , surreal and absolutely hilarious in parts .",
      "an exemplary example of how to combine multiple stories in a coherent , complementary and often exhilarating manner .",
      "though the inventiveness tends to run down as the film runs on ... szidron 's sextet remains intriguing to the end .",
      "entertaining , over-the-top and more than a little anxiety-inducing .",
      "`` MOV '' has been described as a movie about revenge , but i 'd refine that to say that the movie gives us variations on the theme of outrage , the world 's most fashionable and contagious emotion .",
      "MOV - relatos salvajes in its original spanish - is , indeed , savage . and surprising . your jaw will drop , your head will shake , more than a few times .",
      "by sugarcoating gratuitous violence with lethal doses of humor , damian szifron 's eye-for-an-eye satire emerges equal measures fun , cathartic and enlightening .",
      "if everyone behaved the way the characters in MOV behave , civilization would crumble . but the real take-away lesson here is how easy it might be for any of us , swept up in a moment of bloodlust , to consider pure raging hostility a fair trade .",
      "along the way , szifrón probes some interesting modern philosophical questions .",
      "one of the most inventive , entertaining foreign language films of 2014 .",
      "a banquet of bad behavior .",
      "outrageous , rude , a refreshing change of pace .",
      "i hope that quentin tarantino , whose obsession with revenge pictures has started to reveal kinks in his armor , has seen `` MOV . '' while it embraces elements of the spaghetti western as tarantino 's films do , it also finds new ways to explore them .",
      "while there are parts of MOV that prove more interesting than others , the overall package is consistent enough that it becomes a fun ride .",
      "MOV is a showy exercise , and szifrзn has undoubtedly punched his ticket for bigger and better things . he 'll have to deliver something more than a scattering of gotchas next time .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- deliciously nasty anthology .",
      "given the construct of `` MOV '' it 's too early to induct szifrзn into the company of alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu and alfonso cuarзn as the next great latino auteur , but he 's a sure contender .",
      "you 'll certainly never think about getting your car towed or calling out someone too slow on the highway the same way ever again .",
      "one of the most shocking movies in recent cinema history . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "deliriously unhinged and uproarious , it 'll make you feel wretched about the world around you ... but you 'll be having too much fun to care .",
      "szifron orchestrates each sequence expertly , demonstrating a flair for delivering absurd complications with marvellous comic timing and rich cinematic style .",
      "damian szifron 's MOV is an insane and delightful collection of stories that combines thrills and dark comedy for a spellbinding and unforgettable experience .",
      "if you do n't see a part of yourself in some of these stories , i suspect you are living in la denegacion .",
      "written and directed by argentina 's damian szifron , this brilliant black comedy will make you laugh or drive you crazy . maybe a little of both .",
      "a film like `` MOV '' might be able to remind us that `` an eye for an eye '' leaves the whole world blind . even if it does n't , it 's still a heck of a lot of fun to watch .",
      "szifrón brings everything to the table here : anger , rage , betrayal , malice aforethought and panic . but he leavens this with humor , style , cleverness and wit .",
      "revenge may be a dish best served cold , but the dark comedy MOV -lrb- relatos salvajes -rrb- argues that payback is more satisfying when it 's doled out in fiery , bloody and outrageous doses .",
      "like tarantino 's films , MOV will rub some the wrong way by taking glee in the violence that comes from our worst selves , but the catharses have a positive social function ... there 's no doubt szifron intends cautionary tales .",
      "savage humor , bitter irony at the core of `` MOV . ''",
      "the funniest of the six stories is a brilliantly extended riot of absurdly brutal road rage .",
      "the film is not an advance , in themes or style , over such predecessors as the omnibus horror thrillers of the 1960s and '70s ; but at its best it 's a lot of fun , and it 's filled with memorable performances and characters .",
      "this anthology of six bleakly funny shorts is a mixed bag that ranges from anticlimactic but intriguing to ` oh my god , did i just laugh out loud at that ? '",
      "of the six tales on offer , four are excellent and one decent - a high strike rate for a compilation .",
      "as in the episode with the engineer turned terrorist , where restitution of the family unit supersedes revolutionary politics , it 's clear that szifrón lacks almodóvar 's truly confrontational sensibility .",
      "a delicious chocolate box of nastiness .",
      "how to discuss this giddily inventive argentinian feature without ruining its many surprises ?",
      "what it is is a lot of fun , pulling a steady stream of i-can ` t-believe-i 'm - laughing-at-that laughs out of the viewer .",
      "portmanteau films are not that common , or usually successful , but argentine writer-director damián szifron has fashioned a collection of six payback stories with visual flair and a wicked sense of humour .",
      "filmmaker damián szifrón must have had a difficult childhood . or else he just loves - do n't we all ? - dark stories in which logic is an extension ladder from earth to hell .",
      "from argentina , this oscar-nominated collection of six short , sharp stories leaves us gasping for breath due to both riotous black comedy and deeply unnerving plot twists ...",
      "broad strokes , dexterously delivered .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- plays like a series of short stories as it delves into characters who finally give in to their rage . as you might expect , it does n't always end well .",
      "perversely entertaining .",
      "while it 's boiling over , it 's satisfyingly snippy fun - the movie equivalent of cutting three inches off a cheating ex 's trousers .",
      "MOV is a raucously entertaining collection of `` six deadly stories of revenge '' . the brilliance of the film -lrb- produced by pedro almodóvar -rrb- lies in its combination of excess and ordinariness .",
      "rather as if a collection of roald dahl 's darker tales of the unexpected had been re-set in an argentina riddled with crime , petty corruption and crazy road rage ...",
      "there are plot twists , to be sure , and some very polished filmmaking .",
      "very few films have been as appropriately titled as writer/director damian szifron 's omnibus black comedy MOV .",
      "each morsel of well-rounded , perfectly structured storytelling becomes part of a coherent , exuberant whole , linked as much as anything by a potent political anger directed against inequality and abuse , be it emotional , physical or economic .",
      "MOV is a riotously entertaining collection of short stories linked by a common theme : people losing their self-control and self-respect .",
      "the deft mix of tones keeps MOV fresh and surprising .",
      "succeeds not only by being outrageously entertaining , but by functioning as a sort of hellish magic mirror ...",
      "made for modern-day moviegoers who do n't want their films too messy -lrb- a la un chien andalou , multiple maniacs or eraserhead -rrb- , MOV is more often like mild tales , yet that 's not necessarily a knock .",
      "a splendidly anarchic portrait of a world on the verge of a nervous breakdown ."
    ],
    "summary": "wickedly hilarious and delightfully deranged , MOV is a subversive satire that doubles as a uniformly entertaining anthology film .",
    "id": "771379871"
  },
  {
    "movie": "total_recall",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV 's caricaturing of schwarzenegger , its flip ribbing at his stocks of action-hero cache , signal the deep , almost atomic level at which its satire functions .",
      "when the leader of the rebels turns out to be baby herman from who framed roger rabbit , it 's clear that the satirical bull 's - eyes verhoeven nailed in robocop have here been turned into a more benign state of rib-nudging .",
      "a wickedly violent , action-packed old school piece of warped , twist-filled sci-fi and schwarzenegger cheese . you 'll wish you had three hands to hold this one .",
      "minor verhoeven , well-above-average schwarzenegger , and as well-made as any action movie from around the turn of the 1990s you could name .",
      "it 's a blockbuster from another era , when a big idea , rather than a pair of 3d goggles , gave the film its extra dimension .",
      "it 's still a guilty pleasure - though the guilt quotient is a bit higher - and that 's down to the still-extraordinary presence of the massively gym-built arnold ...",
      "it 's not a masterpiece , but it is a fast-moving thriller , one worth revisiting -lrb- and , evidently , remaking -rrb- .",
      "verhoeven 's version of philip dick 's story is vigorous , exciting , and inventive sci-fi thriller , combining pulp savviness , ultra-graphic violence , and oscar-winning special effects .",
      "still a ripsnorting yarn with lashings of sex and violence that has n't aged a day .",
      "an absolutely superb sci-fi film and a true modern cornerstone of the genre not seen since the deeper though less entertaining blade runner nearly ten years previous .",
      "verhoeven keeps the whole thing chugging along neatly with a huge dollop of ultra-violence and gore . schwarzenegger is at his best ever .",
      "you 'd think by the year 2084 villains would have learned they should n't mess with mr. biceps . but no-o-o-o .",
      "perhaps it goes without saying that MOV is no the terminator , but let the records show .",
      "arnold schwarzenegger is a fool to think he 'll make it as the johnny carson of action films .",
      "watching it now especially , it seems even more ahead of its time with it 's altered-reality storyline .",
      "ridiculous , but also plenty of fun",
      "recall is full of the musclebound action that -lsb- schwarzenegger 's -rsb- fans presumably enjoy . it also means that this mars-bound movie is violent , nasty and expensive -lrb- it cost tri-star well over $ 60 million -rrb- .",
      "schwarzenegger has enough inherent charm and likeability that he 's better off when he just lets the story pull him along , as he does here .",
      "worryingly satisfying in a purely gruesome , beat-em-up kinda way .",
      "neither arnold schwarzenegger nor paul verhoeven have stretched their talents here .",
      "ugly , stupid , loud , offensive , and pointlessly violent .",
      "a worthy entry in the dystopian cycle launched by blade runner , this seems less derivative than most of its predecessors yet equally accomplished in its straight-ahead storytelling , with plenty of provocative satiric undertones and scenic details .",
      "say what you will about verhoeven 's penchant for extravagant theatrics , when he 's not yanking the arms off people or putting bullets in their forehead , he tells a good story .",
      "the future does n't come any better .",
      "MOV is too much -- but it 's too much of a good thing .",
      "not only one of the best films of 1990 , it 's one of arnold 's finest cinematic accomplishments -- a fireball of a film ... still disembowels like a champion .",
      "MOV is fine entertainment , complete with breathtaking action sequences and special effects that impress even in these computer-generated times .",
      "the fierce and unrelenting pace , accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek strain of humor in the roughhouse screenplay , keeps the film moving like a juggernaut .",
      "... people are allowed to change their minds",
      "thought-provoking , flashy , and full of action !",
      "mind-bending psychodrama .",
      "mindless , harmless popcorn flick . emphasis on the mindless .",
      "this is a very interesting film and is also successful as a headlong roller-coaster ride of a pure action film .",
      "while it may seem dated today , the film showcases sharon stone , evil wife to schwarzenegger . you may want to take notice of how precious air is after seeing it .",
      "a cheerfully reprehensible bloodfest , spiced up by verhoeven 's imaginative mayhem .",
      "this futuristic science fiction is based on a philip k. dick short story , and features award-winning special effects .",
      "... one of the best action flicks to emerge out of hollywood in the '90s -lrb- or ever , really -rrb- .",
      "oh for the days when verhoeven was still in holland .",
      "melding the ever-more-workable schwarzenegger mystique with a better-than-average science-fiction premise , the director paul verhoeven has come up with a vigorous , superviolent interplanetary thriller that packs in wallops with metronomic regularity .",
      "mediocre sci-fi . gained a cult following , for some unknown reason .",
      "a gratuitous explosion of vainglory and guts , the movie is all firecrackers and giblets and broken glass . the overall effect is like wading through hospital waste .",
      "there may be people who overlook the arnold schwarzenegger performance in MOV who think he is n't really acting . but the performance is one of the reasons the movie works so well .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- well paced , entertaining and thought-provoking piece of science fiction cinema , a truly superb , yet disregarded gem of that particular genre .",
      "it should please pretty much anyone who likes science fiction films . it should have a broad range of appeal on many levels ."
    ],
    "summary": "under paul verhoeven 's frenetic direction , MOV is a fast-paced rush of violence , gore , and humor that never slacks .",
    "id": "16681"
  },
  {
    "movie": "christmas_with_the_kranks",
    "reviews": [
      "see joe roth 's movie and you 'll understand the true demeaning of christmas .",
      "contains momentum-halting continuity errors and clownish antics from hammy performers that will have santa scribbling furiously on next year 's `` naughty '' list .",
      "... almost had me convinced to convert to judaism to avoid having to go through anything ever again that even remotely resembles this movie .",
      "rotten eggnog",
      "it is a perfectly fine , inoffensive family comedy .",
      "what better way is there to get into a festive spirit than having it crammed down your throat ?",
      "this holiday comedy depicts suburbia as a place where all true individualists are treated with a nastiness not in tune with the christmas spirit .",
      "makes the colossal mistake of making luther 's obsession seem almost a valid protest against conformity -- then lets the neighbors not only win but claim the moral high ground .",
      "humbug . american families deserve a better effort than this .",
      "oh boy . this was a painful experience . very painful .",
      "the movie waffles between competing ideologies while struggling to find humor in characters who overreact to minutia .",
      "it 's a medieval endurance ritual , an act of self-flagellation like wearing a hair shirt , say , or whipping oneself with a cat-o-nine tails whilst chanting the liturgy .",
      "as with average tv fare , moments of genuine humor are rare , and character development can best be described as perfunctory .",
      "it 's silly and cute , consistently hitting just the right comedic note .",
      "a mildly abrasive satire of america 's holiday lockstepping -lsb- which backpedals -rsb- desperately into toothless humanism .",
      "you will laugh at much of this , but it 's not a hearty , fulfilling guffaw . it 's more like a christmas snack that leaves you wanting more until dinnertime .",
      "a singularly mirthless experience that could easily drain the last drop of holiday cheer from old st. nick himself",
      "a vile , morally repugnant lump of coal . one of the worst , most disingenuous christmas movies in memory .",
      "a home improvement holiday special spread out to an impossibly long 90 minutes .",
      "one of the worst christmas movies ever made .",
      "a largely mirthless comedy .",
      "a peculiar and at times even sour tale about the tyranny of christmas .",
      "an agreeable , if snowflake-thin stocking stuffer faithfully adapted from john grisham 's 2001 bestseller skipping christmas .",
      "like spending your holiday with relatives from hell",
      "kranks lacks that basic kernel of credibility that even a goofy farce needs to work .",
      "unless audiences think curtis scampering after a runaway ham is funny , they 'll want to skip this christmas movie instead .",
      "you have a standing invitation to the krank 's for christmas . my advice ... decline .",
      "agonizingly cruel to its audience and actors alike , and laden with jokes that have been done many times before , and the original gags have never been done for good reason .",
      "i feel more like the grinch with each passing holiday film ...",
      "phony , disingenuous family entertainment , suffocated by its green bean casserole approach to middle america , spineless cardboard characters and paper-thin plot ` twists . '",
      "a flat parable .",
      "joyless and forced .",
      "... the perfect way to usher in the fourth reich ... the film 's one great saving grace is its almost utter lack of humor , which blunts its potential to propagandize effectively",
      "not since the day i read mein kampf and rented shoah have i had an experience so joyless and laugh-free",
      "it 's hard to say which is worse in MOV -- the lame attempts at humor or the even more lame attempts at sentimentality .",
      "here 's a film that says christmas is a sellout , that your neighbors are morons , and that suburbia is a playground of fascist conformity , and then it concludes that anyone who actually believes that is a heartless scrooge .",
      "even if you believe in santa , you 'll never believe that this is any sort of holiday classic .",
      "there are some funny moments ... but they are too few .",
      "it 's possible the comedy contains some secret allegory about the protestant reformation but its main message is that everyone should believe and behave in exactly the same way . groupthink wins again !",
      "a band of drunken elves working with leftovers from the island of misfit toys could have pieced together a better holiday film than MOV .",
      "it 's painful , not to mention flat-out witless , to see two actors this genial play fuddy-duddies who learn that christmas is coming to their living room ... or else .",
      "avoiding the kranks can be your gift to the whole family .",
      "the script here is barely passable and the direction is downright awful , completely lacking in any sense of comic timing , visual grace or character development .",
      "instead of a funny and relevant little bromide about capitalism , conformity and forced holiday cheer , the movie is about as fresh as a week-old mug of egg nog .",
      "if christmas means spending it with the irascible , over-the-top kranks , then taking a caribbean cruise really does sound like a much better deal .",
      "roth and columbus serve up strained slapstick routines , a slew of uninvolving characters and tritely manipulative subplots .",
      "-lsb- r -rsb- eally rather chilling , an unintentional orwellian object lesson in what happens when you deviate from the groupthink ...",
      "not since arnold schwarzenegger 's jingle all the way has there been a yuletide film as fascistic -- or as odious -- as MOV .",
      "in the end -- the beginning and the middle , too -- the spirit of MOV rings as false as the bell of a shopping-mall santa .",
      "grisham usually writes legal thrillers , but the only suspense to be found here consists of wondering whether any laughs will arrive . i 'm still waiting .",
      "it 's a colossal miscalculation .",
      "false , littered with lame slapstick , and leaving the impression that director joe roth ... threw it together in about two weeks .",
      "if you have n't seen enough films featuring shoppers sprinting to snatch the last ham at the grocery store , electric shocks from christmas lights , and home decorators toppling off the roof , this is the movie for you .",
      "lockstep suburban conformism enforced with fascist severity is the ugly -lrb- but admittedly sometimes funny -rrb- joke driving joe roth 's family comedy .",
      "a deadpan little satire by john grisham has been reinterpreted as a shrill and mean-spirited orgy of banana-peel pranks .",
      "a usa network-quality script , cobbled together from parts of home alone , the grinch and national lampoon 's christmas vacation .",
      "shockingly aloof , and often dispassionately alienating .",
      "forget the kranks going on vacation ; take your disbelief and send it on a cruise .",
      "chris columbus got the bizarre idea that a grisham book , even a slight one , should be turned into a home alone for grown-ups .",
      "does an outrageous about-face , neatly dismantling anything of potential worth and coming out with a monumentally phony christmas moral .",
      "this movie reeks .",
      "a loud , coarse and witless family comedy .",
      "avoid this lump o ' coal .",
      "the modest , whimsical humor on the pages of grisham 's book translates as hyped-up silliness on the screen .",
      "this one is a veritable celebration of intolerance , disguised as a joyous holiday film .",
      "MOV has the special blend of dumb ideas and vulgar sentimentality that hollywood likes to dispense at this time of year .",
      "tim allen needs to stop making christmas movies .",
      "it 's not just that the story is predictable . the very camera angles are predictable .",
      "flat-footed holiday comedy .",
      "when it comes to bad movies , turkey jokes are low-hanging fruit . but if it gobbles like a turkey , it 's a turkey , and brother does this one gobble .",
      "unoriginal , unfunny slapstick holiday fare .",
      "MOV is the sort of film that leaves you thinking ebenezer scrooge might have had the right idea about the festive season .",
      "a grueling experience .",
      "the notion of bullying people into succumbing into the trappings of christmas does not necessarily represent goodwill to all , and while the situations present good comic opportunities , the film ends up feeling rather manipulative and sugary .",
      "some pathetically predictable plot twists and syrupy sentimentality , which could only amuse a five year-old , lead the kranks back to their materialistic senses in time for a kodak moment which shouts a rather shallow merry capitalism to all !",
      "a more sweet than sour satire that sets its sight on nasty but lavishly honey coated underpinnings of the holiday season .",
      "in any normal year this dire comedy would be the undisputed lump of coal in our psychic stocking , but coming on the heels of surviving christmas , it 's a close second .",
      "there is not a single lifelike character in the entire picture .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- comedy so broad it barely dents its targets and a patronising moral conclusion that goes against everything its protagonists originally stood for .",
      "this is n't a wonderful life : it looks pretty hellish .",
      "given the tinsel-thin storyline , the typical seasonal gags only elicit perfunctory laughter .",
      "as tasteless and stale as last year 's cheese log .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- just made me cranky",
      "MOV takes the icy throne as the king of all bad holidays movies ... except jingle all the way .",
      "okay . it 's official now . i hate christmas .",
      "hate christmas and laughing ? this is the film for you .",
      "there has n't been a more depressing holiday movie since ` mixed nuts . '",
      "spending ` MOV ' is enough to turn the most cheerful tiny tim into a grumpy scrooge .",
      "as i write this ... i have just walked out on MOV after roughly 45 minutes of mind-numbingly humorless , sitcom barrel-bottom idiocy .",
      "MOV wants to toss out the holiday fruitcake but eat it , too .",
      "this grim holiday-themed comedy is the movie equivalent of getting socks and underwear for christmas .",
      "filled with overly processed situations it tries to sell with manic energy , kranks is canned , hammy and rolling as fast as it can .",
      "director joe roth misses an opportunity for true satire by making the neighbors such insanely over-the-top caricatures that the kranks seem paragons of normality and perspective .",
      "should you spend MOV ? well , perhaps if you 're an adolescent boy , or you have nothing better to do , then go for it . otherwise , make other holiday plans .",
      "a leaden whimsy so heavy it threatens to crash through the multiplex floor .",
      "one of the worst christmas movies in years .",
      "the film becomes incredibly sentimental towards the end -- despite the fact that it absolutely has n't earned the right to do so .",
      "stinks like the unrefrigerated ham its studio sent me as a promotion several months ago .",
      "it often seems like a lost episode of home improvement minus allen 's usual tv wife .",
      "it 's a celebration of conformity , a film that begs for laughs by mocking and ridiculing anyone who harbors an original thought or action .",
      "it 's monumentally awful .",
      "movies like this make me want to skip everything , including the remainder of my natural life .",
      "it probably will not be your favorite christmas movie of all times , but it is a good family outing .",
      "not exactly a turkey , but it 's no golden goose .",
      "that santa clause guy , tim allen , dashes through the winter sludge of another christmas carol knockoff .",
      "it 's a paragon of irony . a film based on a novel by courtroom aficionado john grisham could use nothing more than the cold judiciousness of an egotistical trial lawyer .",
      "it 's mean-spirited and ugly-hearted . everyone who celebrates christmas is portrayed as a vicious monster , a shallow hypocrite -- if not an outright bigot .",
      "MOV finds a comfortable balance between hilarious and heartwarming . it 's the best of both worlds and a pleasant surprise to find under the cineplex tree .",
      "skipping christmas will earn you a reputation as a modern-day scrooge . passing on MOV ... makes you a wise holiday-movie consumer .",
      "... one of the most woefully irritating and uneventful so-called comedic yuletide yawners ... a seedless slapstick romp that has all the bounce of a defective pogo stick",
      "egregiously mediocre and flagrantly ill-conceived in every department , this is , truly , the cinematic equivalent of finding a single solitary saltine in your stocking and a pair of old tube socks beneath the tree .",
      "MOV celebrates the fascism of american conservatism .",
      "purports to kindle the warm glow of love for humankind in our hearts but actually reaffirms that the trappings of the holiday season are all that really matter .",
      "luther says it late in the film : ` why am i not laughing ? '",
      "there 's no doubt that the yuletide has been overcommercialized but that 's still no excuse for this miserable , lamebrained exercise in sloppy slapstick and silly stupidity .",
      "a dreadful movie , and if you 've seen the advertisements you 've already seen the laughs -- all three of them -- it has to offer .",
      "MOV leaves you with the notion that if you 're not out there spending , you 're just not doing your part .",
      "there 's one good gag involving the application of some botox to allen 's face , but overall the jokes are kind of disturbing .",
      "hollywood 's version of the annual hallmark ho-ho-ho card . it 's made to order : just slot in the perennial mr. santa claus himself , tim allen , and stir .",
      "let 's be blunt . this is an evil film . it defames christianity , it 's fascist , and while a number of the jokes work , it made me want to puke near the end .",
      "you 'd have to be a scrooge not to crack a smile during this feature .",
      "i 'm making my list of the worst movies of the year and i 'm checking it twice , and i hope to find room for this frantically unfunny disaster .",
      "the type of grim holiday movie that reminds you of all that is noxious and insincere about the christmas season and then chases it down with a sickly-sweet reversal .",
      "an abysmal failure , and i am a worse person for having seen it .",
      "no mнnimo , uns 30 minutos poderiam ter ficado no chгo da sala de ediзгo . ou uns 60 . aliбs , para ser mais exato , 98 minutos . esta seria a ъnica forma de salvar este projeto .",
      "MOV is a lackluster holiday comedy that ca n't shake the ghosts of past christmas films .",
      "imagine someone telling you the joke about the chicken crossing the road repeatedly for 98 minutes . you have now imagined this film .",
      "below average comedy that remains watchable thanks to a likeable cast but is very low on laughs .",
      "there 's a line separating holiday spirit from fascist intolerance that MOV races across in its opening minutes .",
      "a nightmare vision of a theist , conformist america ... it 's like ` invasion of the body snatchers , ' except we 're expected to root for the pod people ."
    ],
    "summary": "a mirthless movie as fresh as last year 's fruit cake , MOV is a coarse , garish comedy that promotes conformity .",
    "id": "10018"
  },
  {
    "movie": "right_stuff",
    "reviews": [
      "from the opening moments it is clear that we have the nearest modern equivalent to a western : men of quiet virtue going skyward , leaving the tawdry world of log-rolling politicians behind .",
      "consistently compelling , capturing all the ambiguity and tension of the book .",
      "the MOV is a humdinger . full of beauty , intelligence and excitement , this big-scale look at the development of the us space program and its pioneering aviators provides a fresh , entertaining look back at the recent past .",
      "educational , exciting action , great acting .",
      "historical drama as well as vastly entertaining adventure .",
      "though critically acclaimed , philip kaufman 's superbly realized adventure about the early space age was a commercial flop , due to its satirical tone and unfortunately close association with the presidential candidacy of john glenn .",
      "history , melodrama , comedy and satire are skilfully combined in this consistently exciting adventure . visually and dramatically it rarely sags , there 's a vivid array of characters and though it 's a film with issues , these never eclipse the human drama .",
      "a great movie that unfortunately failed to attract audiences back in ' 83 , this adaptation of tom wolfe 's book about astronauts pays tribute to what we would like to believe represents the american spirit : hard work , perseverance , camaraderie and vision .",
      "one of the scattered handful of truly great american movies in the first half of the 1980s .",
      "moviegoers seeking a grand yet edifying entertainment , right-stuffed with what kaufman calls `` seriousness of subject matter and a wild humor that comes out of left field , '' now know where to look ...",
      "even though the total is less than the sum of its parts , it 's pretty impressive nevertheless",
      "great acting talent assembled for this film was mirrored with kaufman 's superb direction .",
      "the MOV is , well , fascinating stuff .",
      "a true epic and earns the right to come at a little over three hours .",
      "rarely has such an epic film -- in length , at more than three hours , and in scope , spanning decades -- been handled with such remarkable spareness .",
      "bored me to death , but it was the first time i was hit on , so it was worth it .",
      "that the writer-director , philip kaufman , is able to get so much into a little more than three hours is impressive . that he also has organized this material into one of the best recent american movies is astonishing .",
      "kaufman 's enormously entertaining history of america 's mercury astronauts fizzled on release , maybe because it was too smart and cool for its own good .",
      "along with sergio leone 's once upon a time in america it 's the last great american epic -- the kind of film that could n't be made today .",
      "unjustly labeled a failure after its disappointing box office run , the MOV 's tarnished reputation can only benefit from warner 's sparkling new 2-disc special edition .",
      "brings a wealth of humor to a faithful retelling of the astronauts ' fascinating stories , the actors fit smoothly into their roles and even physically resemble their characters , and the direction is well-paced and visually exciting .",
      "a winning and well-acted portrait of america 's entry into the space age that is awesome , funny , surreal and right on the mark in its depiction of the country 's insatiable hunger for new frontiers .",
      "clumsy without being mediocre .",
      "one of the fastest-paced epics ever made",
      "these men remain virtually flawless heroes , almost too good , decent and brave to be true , and it 's a measure of how successful the movie is that one is inclined to believe it ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV packs a lot of movie into its hefty running time , spinning a colorful , fact-based story out of consistently engaging characters in the midst of epochal events .",
    "id": "11250"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1068182-heat",
    "reviews": [
      "de niro delivers a frightening vision of frosty criminal efficiency .",
      "it is a remarkably powerful , entertaining and invigorating piece of cinema that hits on more levels than seemingly possible .",
      "MOV has an impressively strong script by mann , and he backs it up with gorgeous filmmaking .",
      "boosters and touts use the term ` major movie ' so often that it 's more likely to generate yawns than excitement at this point . back to basics . MOV is a major movie . with major stars . doing major acting .",
      "all this adds good weight and tension to the movie and provides a lot of very good actors with the opportunity to do honest , probing work in a context where , typically , less will do .",
      "this is the first time de niro and pacino have acted together , and each gives a strong , watertight performance .",
      "as notable as the cinematography is de niro 's performance , which helps you remember why he became a legend in the first place .",
      "... while the sometimes hard-to-follow script often demands too much of the viewer , this film is one that 's truly worth seeing .",
      "a slow-moving , overburdened , well-meant and at times quite entertaining slog .",
      "the director 's signature sleek and romantic aesthetic is reason enough to take a seat for this operatic three-hour marathon .",
      "MOV occupies an exalted position among the countless contemporary crime films .",
      "fascinante por se concentrar em dois homens que , obcecados por suas profissőes , acabam dependendo um do outro justamente por năo saberem fazer outra coisa .",
      "i admire mann 's emotional commitment and his sense of style , but it also grates on me .",
      "robert de niro 's last great role before he devoted himself to self-parody .",
      "this is simply the best american crime movie -- and indeed , one of the finest movies , period -- in over a decade .",
      "with de niro and pacino in excellent form , mann 's MOV ignites the screen .",
      "an odd though often entertaining blend of the asphalt jungle and oprah , a traditional cops-and-robbers story weirdly fitted out with long , earnest discussions of interpersonal relationships .",
      "there 's nothing really new in this lengthy 1995 thriller by writer-director michael mann about cops and robbers in los angeles , but it has craft , pacing , and an overall sense of proportion , three pretty rare classic virtues nowadays .",
      "a movie with two powerhouse performances and enough bad dialogue -lrb- it runs two hours , 45 minutes -rrb- to clog a pentium processor .",
      "there is n't much going on at this party other than what the actors bring to it . but fortunately , mann has invited some exceptional ones .",
      "the taciturn de niro and the braying pacino share a flawless scene over a cup of coffee , but the real honors go to val kilmer and ashley judd as a warring , loving couple .",
      "when pacino 's loud , bruised cop and de niro 's canny crook stare at each other , you can read something spent and weary in their eyes and voices . the MOV is hell . so are their jobs -- but somebody 's got to do them .",
      "just when it seemed that the only hope for crime movies lay in the postmodernist artifice of films like pulp fiction , mann reinvests the genre with brooding , modernist conviction . this one sticks to your gut .",
      "so why does n't MOV , with its elaborately staged , tautly edited robberies , its killer cast , edgy score and elegant cinematography , offer more satisfaction ? it 's the script , stupid .",
      "though punctuated by bursts of virtuoso action , including a running battle in downtown la that ranks as one of the best action scenes ever filmed , it is the unusual emphasis on character that impresses most .",
      "MOV becomes consistently more interesting as it forges on toward the 180-minute mark .",
      "MOV is an `` epic '' that feels like a stunt .",
      "what sets this film somewhat apart from numerous other films with similar plots is mann 's deliberate pacing .",
      "for a film that deserves oscars for photography , editing , sound and arguably scoring , MOV is packed with unforgettable subcharacters .",
      "as with his other works , -lsb- mann -rsb- binds sound , music and pictures into one hypnotic triaxial cable and plugs it right into your brain . he makes this almost-three-hour experience practically glide by .",
      "an insightful dramatic look at the relationship between cops , criminals , and the women in their lives .",
      "if there 's one thing michael mann knows how to do , it 's create tension .",
      "in this riveting , suspenseful action / drama , two of today 's best actors , oscar winners al pacino and robert de niro , face off in a plot that 's fast-paced and exciting despite a nearly three-hour length .",
      "echoes the tradition of american individualists .",
      "there is n't much to recommend this movie until pacino and de niro finally share the first of their two scenes together .",
      "MOV runs -lrb- sometime crawls -rrb- 2:51 , but there is really only enough material for two hours .",
      "MOV packs more into one cop movie than the entire genre output of the last five years .",
      "as the credits finally rolled , someone behind me muttered , `` that was so long , deniro could have gone to prison in the first scene and finished his sentence before the movie was over . ''",
      "all the squealing tires , flying bullets and falling bodies can not save MOV from drowning in its own banalities .",
      "... a colossal disappointment .",
      "you ca n't tell what 's important and what is n't , and some may mistake the movie 's incoherence for profundity .",
      "director michael mann has created a masterpiece .",
      "the performances are persuasive but the plot rattles on much too long .",
      "this is glandular , not intellectual , movie-making but it 's at the highest end of technical expressiveness .",
      "there have been plenty of cops and robbers stories like MOV over the years , but seldom has the formula been done so well .",
      "pacino and de niro are saddled with roles that leave little room for exploring the territory beyond their trademark styles , but the chemistry is electric and it 's a flat-out thrill to see them together on the screen for the first time .",
      "MOV is n't only his peerless lesson in how to make clusters of concrete and glass look beautiful , it 's also an eloquent study of loyalty , commitment and good guy / bad guy duality .",
      "if , overall , mann stretches a bit , the numerous successes are nevertheless worth watching .",
      "a stealth epic , framing an urban jungle and making its own kind of contemporary history by pairing acting giants robert deniro and al pacino in what has arguably become the preminent cops-and-robbers movie . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "the conversation in MOV is one of the most perfectly executed and eloquently intertextual moments in the history of american cinema .",
      "i have always wondered if pacino and de niro flipped a coin before the movie began shooting to see which of them would play which part ?",
      "quite rightly , this confirmed mann as one of hollywood 's smartest , most stylish and emotionally articulate directors .",
      "... one of the greatest crime films of all time .",
      "MOV heat has an intoxicating , seductive look and feel , and if viewers can check their brains at the door , it succeeds on a surface level .",
      "as MOV progresses , its sensational looks pale beside storytelling weaknesses that expose the more soulless aspects of this cat-and-mouse crime tale .",
      "it 's a gorgeous valentine to its three leads -- neither pacino , de niro nor los angeles has ever looked better -- that backs up its style with real substance .",
      "the action , just like in any great film , is subservient to plot and characters .",
      "the cast and the performances in MOV are awesome .",
      "with a stellar cast including val kilmer and jon voight , MOV has it all including a great soundtrack full of tone-setting , ambient , and symphonic arrangements .",
      "riveting cops-and-robbers tale .",
      "this is a movie about chemistry , straight up .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- ans of the two stars will probably find it worth their while .",
      "though it 's a tad too schematic , MOV , written and directed by michael mann , provides a venue for white-hot acting by de niro and pacino .",
      "the cop / crime stuff that makes up the bulk of the movie is well thought out and well directed .",
      "MOV generates lots of energy but gives off little light .",
      "powerful and compelling drama about two similiar men on the opposite sides of the law find themselves on a collision course .",
      "with two veteran players like these it 's a tossup as to who plays the cop and who plays the bad guy",
      "a quintessential cops and robbers face-off , with de niro and pacino superb in enemy roles .",
      "michael mann works well with actors , but the film in general could have been tighter . it clocks at almost 3 hours , even though it 's not an epic .",
      "michael mann and a superlative cast have taken a classic heist movie rife with familiar genre elements and turned it into a sleek , accomplished piece of work , meticulously controlled and completely involving .",
      "michael mann 's writing and direction elevate this material . it 's not just an action picture .",
      "taken altogether , mann does n't do anything particularly new , but with a subtly used supporting cast he combines everything into an unusually articulate action thriller .",
      "MOV could have easily fallen into cop-robber cliches , but mann lifts it to a higher level with intense character development and interrelated plot lines ."
    ],
    "summary": "though al pacino and robert de niro share but a handful of screen minutes together , MOV is an engrossing crime drama that draws compelling performances from its stars -- and confirms michael mann 's mastery of the genre .",
    "id": "13098"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ghost_rider",
    "reviews": [
      "as unwieldy a film as one can imagine , MOV mixes christian theology , classic western motifs , pure horror , glitzy special effects and modern superhero angst to deathly ill effect .",
      "MOV works even less as a movie than it did as a comic book ... once you get past the cool concept and visuals of the character , there really is n't very much else there .",
      "any potential the film had for making pop art in a contemporary manner is drained away by the familiar demands of second-tier action blockbusters .",
      "MOV could have been good-bad , rather than just bad-bad .",
      "that is n't brimstone we 're smelling on MOV . it 's something else .",
      "the movie crashes and burns , in a perfect arc from so-bad-it 's - good to so-bad-it 's - still-bad .",
      "` MOV ' has an estimated budget of $ 120 million . while the studio might have been willing to spend all that money on this dull flop , it 's reassuring that the rest of us do n't have to spend a penny on it .",
      "the grab-bagginess of its failure is kind of endearing",
      "it 's easy to imagine why cage would want to write a couple of his own lines . after all , you 'd tell dr. kevorkian you could take your own temperature , right ?",
      "clever casting and top-notch effects ca n't fix a pandering , mass-audience-appeal script that refuses to let the spirit of vengeance fully out of his bottle .",
      "this supernatural action/thriller ca n't decide whether it wants to go for laughs or chills , and some of the supposedly chilling moments are the silliest and most laughable ones .",
      "the real evil in this flick is n't blackheart -lrb- wes bentley -rrb- , the devil 's son , it 's the soul-sucking devil of modern cinema : hollywood formula .",
      "MOV would have been most fun had it been made for a dime by a roger corman-type outfit as a quickie gothic adventure spinning zane grey , faust and evel knievel .",
      "marvel 's MOV has always been a thoroughly transparent , inorganic creation .",
      "good pulp fiction is driven by the truths beneath the conventions . prefab junk runs on contempt for fans , with a layer of goodies and gimmicks on top .",
      "this comic book adaptation is likely to flame out fast .",
      "an unholy mess .",
      "spectacularly forged in the fires of cinematic creativity , MOV is also spectacularly silly , cheesy and a tad infantile .",
      "MOV has everything you do n't want from your superhero movie , including lack of logic , boring action scenes , bad acting in the supporting performances , a brutally slow 114-minute running time and cringe-worthy dialogue .",
      "every supporting character phones it in .",
      "... often looks like the cheesiest biker tattoo to ever grace bulging , leather-accented biceps .",
      "if you 're expecting no more than b-movie fun , it does deliver on that level . it 's often hilarious , and generally intentionally , too !",
      "MOV is a comic fan 's celluloid nightmare . jokey to a fault and weighty as newsprint , it lives down to the negative attributes attached to the comic book film tag .",
      "i kept hoping the scooby doo gang would come out , rip the mask off of cage and reveal MOV really is crazy old man ben affleck ! that would explain so much .",
      "though the film may feel effortless , by the same token it also feels as if it 's not trying at all .",
      "outside of maybe x-men 's jubilee , i ca n't think of a comic character less deserving of the big-screen treatment than MOV . but what do i know ? maybe the idea of nic cage in unyielding biker leather sounded good on paper .",
      "the first guilty pleasure of 2007 .",
      "when MOV ended , infectious widespread laughter and comments of ridicule broke out in the theater . that is probably not the reaction director mark steven johnson was aiming for , but it was well-warranted .",
      "there 's little reason for some of these champions of justice to see the glory of the big screen . ladies and gentlemen , i give you MOV .",
      "all too often , it dips into dour drama and schmaltzy romance .",
      "although MOV would n't necessarily qualify as a ` good ' movie , it does have a few wonderfully goofy moments squeezed in between a lot of unspectacular visual effects and ho-hum plot points .",
      "MOV is n't good but if you catch the spirit of it , it 's not terrible .",
      "MOV is a joke -- a monumentally foolish comic book movie with lots of unintentional laughs , mixed in with the intentional ones .",
      "its clear this director has sold his soul to a bunch of special effects wizards who certainly supply the hardware but drown out the human element .",
      "this is one of those `` turn-off-your-brain-and-enjoy-the-ride type things , and such it works rather well .",
      "this is one beguiling ride .",
      "is this the best they could do with a fiery , chopper-riding skeleton that punishes the wicked -- put him in chase scenes and have him duke it out with other supernatural beings ? what a wasted opportunity .",
      "what should be scuzzy , goofy fun becomes morose , off-key dreck in the hands of writer/director mark steven johnson .",
      "call this the legend of the 500-mile pothole .",
      "for years scientists have theorized that one day nicolas cage would overact so badly that his head would burst into flames . now , with MOV , the phenomenon has finally come to pass .",
      "... damned if this one should n't make your so-bad-it 's - good list ...",
      "for a movie that places so much emphasis on the soul , MOV is conspicuously devoid of one .",
      "the misguided rag tag ramblings of MOV will simply wipe away from one 's memory bank faster than a chintzy ink-stained tattoo on a sweaty forearm .",
      "you would n't want to slam back shots of tequila without licking the salt and sucking the lime . -lsb- do n't -rsb- see MOV without being ready for some comic book cheese .",
      "so far this year 's crop of films have all been sort of drab , kind of depressingly boring , and just eh . . this is the first purely fun , if not cheesy stupid , movie of the year . i do n't know if it 's good but it 's a hell of a ride .",
      "if cage made a deal with the devil to never make a good movie ever again , MOV completes his transition from a-list star to industry punchline .",
      "an abysmal excuse of a film featuring nicolas cage 's worst performance yet and only marginally improving on the spawn formula .",
      "the movie has the look and feel of a western . the final showdown is in a ghost town in the desert .",
      "MOV fails for the same reason every bad movie does : poor storytelling and bad acting .",
      "MOV as a whole adopts cage 's personality , which means it 's watchable but seems to be kidding around a lot .",
      "... MOV still manages to be a pretty enjoyable diversion if you do n't hold it under close scrutiny . or better yet , any scrutiny . -lrb- extended cut -rrb-",
      "easily joins the ranks of ... throw-away superhero movies made for a quick buck .",
      "at nearly two hours , MOV is a little long for a guilty pleasure .",
      "director mark steven johnson is infinitely less concerned with exploring blaze 's smoldering , soul-deprived isolation than he is infatuated with the character 's skull - 'n' - bones imagery .",
      "it 's not a complete wash , a la catwoman , but it ai n't far off .",
      "bad fun if you 're in the right mood , and a large part of the credit goes to nicolas cage .",
      "johnson might have diverted some of his cgi budget to hire a writer to come up with a story with some internal logic -- then he could match the effects to the story rather than vice versa .",
      "seeing MOV is like going to saturday matinee serials at the rialto eons ago . it 's a fanciful , puerile experience -- a fun day out for 9-year olds . MOV is a ridiculous melange of cheesy effects , talentless extras , corny plot and insi",
      "cage needs to produce something special next to make up for crimes against cinema .",
      "it all seems so wearyingly old fashioned : teenage delinquents on motorbikes , creaky incarnations of satan , a rock 'n' roll take on dangerous cool .",
      "ignore the cheesy dialogue , the cardboard cut-out villains and the atrociously ott acting and just enjoy a good old-fashioned tale of heroes and villains the way the comic-books used to tell 'em .",
      "best lines ? `` is this thing ever gon na end ? '' `` not even close . '' `` i shore wish this thang coulda turned out different . ''",
      "if nicolas cage were n't a goofball with a hunky physique and droll wit , this marvel-comic-to-big-screen adaptation would have no torque at all .",
      "shamelessly cribs from the `` spawn '' film .",
      "the worst adaptation of a marvel comics hero yet .",
      "by any real-world standard , this is a stupid piece of junk . but it 's very good at being a stupid piece of junk .",
      "MOV fails for the same reason every bad movie does : poor storytelling and bad acting .",
      "you know if you 're into this stuff , and if you are , MOV is fine .",
      "MOV reportedly cost $ 120 million to make . but the resulting cheesy cgi effects , bad sets and music and mugging by the actors , especially cage , suggest you spent your life 's savings and ended up with a yugo .",
      "neither contemptuous of its audience nor merely stupid , MOV 's nonsensical histrionics are an almost perfect mirror of its comic-book source .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie that 's great stupid fun as long as someone else is buying the tickets .",
      "MOV is very much a movie for 9 year olds that feels like it was made by a 9 year old . even 14 or 15 year olds will feel too old for what passes as cool or dark in this edge-of-camp movie .",
      "the best that can be said about this movie , which is quite bad , is that it 's not a complete surprise .",
      "seriously , people , if you 're going to go see a movie you know is about a biker with a flaming skull and magic chains , you forfeit the right to complain about how the plot is n't logical or realistic .",
      "the movie could have been saved , though , if it had cut the puns of the kind that made us all flee batman and robin .",
      "you would have to be somewhere beyond deep-geek to defend MOV 's unholy melding of religious mumbo-jumbo to motorcycle worship , western folklore , father-son psychology , and elvis lives wish fulfillment .",
      "it 's ridiculous , likable , with some pleasing reminders of the blade movies .",
      "grand , empty gestures and loads of cgi effects ca n't cover up pure schlock . even the character 's iconically cool trademarks -- a flaming skull and a fiery chopper -- are reduced to velveeta slices . no , damn you , sir .",
      "no skimpily dressed satan-worshipping babes like in the original comics , alas ...",
      "when blaze explains that he may not have a soul but he still has spirit , it 's a little like saying , `` i may have no heart , but i do have an organ in my chest that pumps blood through my body . ''",
      "full review in greek",
      "cage has to collect satan 's unpaid debts , meaning that he becomes a demon biker with a flaming skull for a head - and that 's about it for this one-note film .",
      "there 's nothing here that you have n't seen previously in much better comic book movies .",
      "the tagline for the new `` MOV '' movie promises that `` hell is about to be unleashed ! '' actually , that might be an understatement . after seeing the movie , some might question whether it was the apocalypse that was unleashed .",
      "an oddly beguiling mixture of horror movie , biker flick , pulp faust legend , redemption melodrama and western , featuring quite astonishing special effects .",
      "sometimes it sizzles . sometimes it 's a pale shadow of the comic book .",
      "nicolas cage really hits one out of the park !",
      "critics attempt to critique films like MOV with a straight face , but it never works out . that 's why i 'm going to just come out and say it : MOV is a hell of a lot of fun to watch .",
      "the movie quickly devolves into a tiresome f/x spectacle , but cage approaches the material with a gonzo sincerity that 's strangely magnificent .",
      "nic cage seems comfortable in the role of the flaming-skulled biker , but the plot holes are too deep even for his herbie-like arachnid motorcycle to negotiate .",
      "t 's fun in places , but the second you 're out the cinema , MOV vanishes from memory in a big puff of smoke .",
      "fonda is smart casting as mephistopheles , while sultry mendes is topnotch eye-candy .",
      "the self-conscious ` quirkiness ' is painful : nicolas cage plays johnny blaze as a homespun dunce who ` drinks ' jelly beans from a martini glass , listens exclusively to the carpenters , and busts a gut laughing at chimpanzee slapstick on tv .",
      "the plot is as corny as a country and western song .",
      "as comic book movies go , this delivers pretty much everything you could expect from a film about a guy with a flaming skull for a head .",
      "yet another comic book adaptation that goes up in flames before our very eyes .",
      "a blockbuster that offers enough quirky pleasures to feel fresh and unpredictable .",
      "by the time our hero has finally relaxed into his leathers , there 's little time left to wrap up the main story , which is some forgettable stuff about the devil 's progeny -lrb- a googly-eyed wes bentley -rrb- trying to take over the world .",
      "... undoubtedly one of the worst comic book adaptations to hit theaters since the genre 's recent resurgence ...",
      "nicolas cage is the film 's only saving grace in a welter of cheesy -lrb- but accurate to the imagery of the marvel series -rrb- special effects and dialogue .",
      "what campy fun this could have been .",
      "the movie settles for cursory , disconnected allusions that do n't exactly build character -lrb- cage does some more elvis impersonating and elliott looks plenty leathery -rrb- .",
      "a pulpy cinematic comic book for teenage boys or adult males with arrested development . next time , hopefully , they 'll go for a ghost writer .",
      "mainly the movie 's about riding a bike at the speed of sound while your head is burning . they can do anything these days , which is n't quite the same as saying they should do anything these days .",
      "let 's face it , the appeal lies in the preposterous nature of all this -- and in cage 's truly bizarre performance .",
      "it 's an okay movie -- you know , for what it is .",
      "a sodden , listless mess that would n't thrill even the most ardent hot topic enthusiast .",
      "this is the type of film for which the actors involved carefully describe it in press junkets and interviews as `` a lot of fun '' rather than good .",
      "not as dreadful as the studio 's decision to withhold press screenings until less than 24 hours before opening day would suggest , but not especially good either .",
      "crappy comic , worse movie ... joins albert pyun 's captain america at the bottom of the marvel barrel .",
      "a classic example of style over substance , a usually negative criticism that works fine here . `` MOV '' is second tier marvel , played fast and flashy .",
      "the story does n't arc so much as unspool like a stretch of desert highway , but the MOV is such a powerful amalgam of hot-rod iconography that this is still fairly watchable .",
      "provides just enough pop thrills and slam-bang action to make it perfectly acceptable matinee fare .",
      "so much flatter than it was on the comic-book page .",
      "surprised as i am to concede it , MOV smokes .",
      "it 's not quite a thrill ride but it is n't a total embarrassment for cage . it 's certainly no worse than wicker man , which depicted the actor chasing hippie chicks in a bear suit .",
      "rarely in hollywood have so many labored so hard with so much time and such financial resources to fill a movie screen with as vast an array of spiritual gibberish , literary poppycock and pure flummery as mark steven johnson 's MOV .",
      "the blank , frenetic exhaustion of the final reel acts like a kid who tries to snap out of a candy-binge coma by snorting lines of pixy stix .",
      "anyone who knows the character from the comics will be disappointed . anyone outside a head-banging 13-year-old will be laughing their asses off .",
      "is the world ready for a flaming nicolas cage ?",
      "it 's much more of a campy good time than you 'd expect ...",
      "what begins as a standard-yet-watchable superhero adventure slowly congeals into something approaching the caliber of catwoman . not as bad , but kinda knocking on the doorstep .",
      "i 'm not a comic book aficionada but i liked gr . who was that bewigged 30 year old pretending to be nic cage ?",
      "a by-the-numbers hammy superhero caper that reaches new levels of blandness .",
      "if MOV wanted to fetch something of value , he should have been out there looking for a better script .",
      "one blazing wake of destruction after another is pretty much the meat of this cgi roller coaster ride that sticks with you about as long as the popcorn you get at the multiplex",
      "it 's a ride worth taking .",
      "whoever the inept mark steven johnson had to sell his soul to in order to get put in charge of two big comic book adaptations , i hope it was worth it .",
      "nicolas cage wangs it up with a not-so-subtle elvis impersonation as johnny blaze , the comic book hero who transforms into a flaming skeleton bounty hunter for the devil .",
      "` i 've always wanted scott baio 's scalp from charles in charge , and now i have it , ' said nick .",
      "MOV had some excellent one-liners , comedic breaks , and enough excitement to keep me wondering when and where the next battle might ensue .",
      "only when the flaming skeleton strides his fiery bike does the film hit high gear which , admittedly , is often enough to make this a passably diverting two hours ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a sour mix of morose , glum histrionics amidst jokey puns and hammy dialogue .",
    "id": "364555500"
  },
  {
    "movie": "african_cats",
    "reviews": [
      "the photography is so spectacular that the accompanying disney-ization of wildlife is forgiven .",
      "a visually and aurally stunning film that brings viewers up close and very personal with several `` big cat '' families - as well as a dazzling array of other safari-esque species - living in kenya 's sprawling masai mara national reserve .",
      "another disneynature triumph , especially if you are a fan of these cool cats .",
      "astounding wildlife footage is given a kid-friendly narrative hook , but never overly cuddlified , in keith scholey 's MOV .",
      "if it maintains a superficially manipulative façade , the film remains committed to addressing the harsh realities of existence on the plains .",
      "the film 's incredible visual intimacy is its undeniable selling point .",
      "it 's not a put-down of the darker and more straightforward `` last lions '' to suggest `` cats '' is to `` lions '' what poetry is to prose .",
      "the filmmakers ' adherence to standard nature doc formula can probably be forgiven due to solid storytelling and filmmaking .",
      "blame whoever decided to scrap cold scientific reality for warm mommy-and-her-precious-cubs heartwarmth .",
      "the hd footage of the lions and cheetahs -- and the rest of the kenyan wildlife -- is consistently stunning . but MOV should n't be taken seriously as a nature doc by anyone over the age of eight .",
      "kids will love `` MOV , '' which is full of `` aw '' moments . their parents will appreciate that narrator samuel l. jackson keeps things from getting too schmaltzy in this true-life depiction of the circle of life .",
      "one has to wonder if the script was written first , then the footage was filmed to make that script come to life , instead of the other way around .",
      "`` MOV , '' while often adorable and at times gripping , is more of a tv-ready experience .",
      "perhaps it 's not perfect science , respectful of essential circle of life study , but the overall effect creates a cinematic determination the feature would n't otherwise enjoy .",
      "creatively mishandled to the point of making a mockery of its own brand .",
      "to me , this feels like the 21st century version of the true-life adventures in a way that absolutely deserves the disney name on it .",
      "... fascinating nature photography .",
      "a really odd choice of subject matter for a children 's documentary .",
      "like so many family-targeting animal documentaries since march of the penguins , this one tells a story of parents and children .",
      "it 's this emphasis on the animals ' fates and ordeals , however , that renders this stunningly photographed film a specious work of zoological observation .",
      "anyone who enjoys looking at these magnificent felines from a safe distance should enjoy the show .",
      "this g-rated disney documentary about two wild feline `` families '' plays like saw for six-year-olds .",
      "MOV succeeds despite its narrative weakness . it features gorgeous close-ups of all kinds of animals ; the images and sounds are worth the price of the ticket alone .",
      "a beautiful family film that reveals the story of two families , a lion pride and a cheetah mom trying to raise and protect her incredibly adorable cubs .",
      "it is beautifully and intimately captured with brilliant close-ups and crystal clear slow-motion .",
      "this is one of those movies where everything comes together and works to make a perfect outing for `` earth day '' . it is must-see for the entire family .",
      "it 's kiplingesque nursery ethology , and one distrusts the editing .",
      "the clarity of the footage is often breathtaking ; watching the mother cheetah setting off on a run will have your own heart pounding in expectation .",
      "-lsb- g -rsb- orgeously photographed , astonishingly intimate ... we have never seen lions and cheetahs like this before ; you wo n't believe it can have been possible for cameras to get so close without disturbing the animals they 're watching ...",
      "the film is relatively bloodless and appropriate for all ages",
      "of course the photography is second to none - no sense of hidden cameras here , more a feeling of cranes and on-set catering .",
      "some nice moments here , but this is a film that looks like a kids ' tv featurette from an earlier age .",
      "it is beautifully shot - the super slo-mo scenes of sita running are amazing .",
      "a great story , shot throughout with infinite patience .",
      "providing a feast of kills , confrontations and capering cubs while keeping on-screen gore to a minimum , nature lovers of all ages will get their fill .",
      "an attempt the dramatise the animal world which just feels cheap and unworkable . a drag .",
      "the struggle for survival in kenya of a wild cheetah and her newborns and an elderly lioness and her cub .",
      "it 's deeply involving and primally moving .",
      "far too often , MOV feels episodic in its structure . rather than featuring a driving , compelling narrative , it 's : cheetah vs. gazelle . and then : hyena vs. cheetah . and then : lion vs. crocodile . who will win ???",
      "that MOV baldly assigns human personality traits to its feline stars is no surprise ; what 's shocking is that a nature documentary narrated by samuel l. jackson could be so bland .",
      "no doubt , life is tough in the wild but , this being a disney flick , it 's loving too and even comes with a kiddie-friendly narrative that 's easy to summarize and hard to dispute .",
      "`` MOV '' prefers less preaching and more heartstring-tugging . it works , of course , especially if you 're trying to raise your own cubs to adulthood .",
      "the characters in the latest disney film frequently attack each other , sometimes eat each other , and spend the whole time running around naked .",
      "anyone with a fondness for bambinos of any species should melt at the sight of mamas with nuzzling cubs .",
      "an attempt to make a live-action nature film with the same sort of emotional wallop as the legendary 1994 animated smash `` the lion king , '' `` MOV '' was doomed to come off as phony .",
      "there are surely eight million stories on the naked plains , but `` MOV '' tells one : about lions and cheetahs and - oh , bambi ! - the power of mother love .",
      "older kids and adults will certainly appreciate the cinematography and the majestic overview of life and death in the wild , but bring an ipod and listen to some ladysmith black mambazo instead of the overbearing voice-over .",
      "MOV does n't quite do justice to its strange and remarkable subjects . it gets them ready for their close-ups , all right . but it stops short of seeing through to their souls .",
      "the animals have names ; call it anthropomorphism if you like , but the cat families and their gripping adventures are all the more real to child viewers for that bit of familiarity .",
      "this is a film i would eagerly watch again .",
      "it 's beautiful to behold , but too fluffy to broaden younger minds .",
      "an absolute must-see for fans of roar footage .",
      "in the animal kingdom 's kill-or-be-killed world , the predators and prey are framed with a clarity and precision that would serve as an invaluable lesson to any aspiring cinematographer .",
      "hats off to the camera operators who have captured some astonishing wildlife imagery .",
      "the first entry in the disneynature series that 's pitched at youngsters rather than a general audience , despite some intense footage .",
      "a wealth of visually stunning , strikingly intimate , and intensely dramatic footage of these creatures in their beautiful natural habitat .",
      "the wildlife is beautifully photographed , and the film is stentorianally narrated by sir patrick stewart .",
      "narrated by patrick stewart , this is beautifully shot if a tad toothless . nothing to upset tots .",
      "under the direction of bbc wildlife documentary alums keith scholey and alastair fothergill , `` cats '' looks majestic throughout , even if its big stories are sometimes forced at the expense of fleeting , fascinating little details .",
      "delightful to behold thanks to breathtaking photography that captures the beauty of the country and a simple story that everyone can enjoy .",
      "a story-driven wildlife doc where creatures become characters with names so young audiences can appreciate the natural cycles of life -- and death -- in the animal world .",
      "granted , not even morgan freeman could make the MOV narration endurable , but jackson really suffers his way through it , alternating between cloyingly overplaying things and rattling off sentences in a bored monotone .",
      "this disneynature production can proudly take its place alongside walt 's finest live-action documentary features .",
      "awesome footage , but how do you know what animals are thinking ?",
      "it 's a solid hour and a half of intense stuff you do n't see every day .",
      "not coincidentally , MOV opens on earth day . meeting these magnificent fellow creatures might be a fine way to celebrate .",
      "imagine ten shirley temples singing `` animal crackers in my soup '' while pawing at rainbow-colored balls of yarn .",
      "the ghetto narration would have us believe that the lives of MOV is not unlike the lives of ... people living in the ghetto ?"
    ],
    "summary": "it is n't quite as majestic as its subjects , but MOV boasts enough astounding footage -- and a big enough heart -- to keep things entertaining .",
    "id": "771036678"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dark_city",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the most ludicrous movies in years .",
      "MOV is a truly scary flick .",
      "this is one of those movies that 's more concerned with set design motivation than anything that 's going on inside the characters ' heads .",
      "it does not take long to realize that there is a lot less here than meets the eye .",
      "proyas floods the screen with cinematic and literary references ranging from murnau and lang to kafka and orwell , creating a unique yet utterly convincing world .",
      "if you do n't fall in love with it , you 've probably never fallen in love with a movie , and never will .",
      "city ultimately plays like one of those art-deco dystopian cd-rom adventures of recent years .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- stylish hybrid of futuristic thriller and film noir .",
      "has all the visual punch of ... terry gilliam and david fincher , but lacks the narrative and thematic strength of either of those two .",
      "such thin plotting is okay , because it 's the city itself that makes this film work .",
      "the third act is totally clunky and hollywood and loud and silly - after the creepy elegance -lrb- overall -rrb- of the rest of the movie , the ending is an utter letdown .",
      "um verdadeiro clбssico contemporвneo da ficзгo cientнfica , nos presenteia com um roteiro brilhante , uma fotografia impecбvel , uma direзгo de arte belнssima e , й claro , com questionamentos filosуsicos incrivelmente instigantes .",
      "the sound and visuals of this movie are not to be missed on the big screen if at all possible .",
      "MOV by alex proyas is a great visionary achievement , a film so original and exciting , it stirred my imagination like metropolis and 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "part film noir , part science fiction , part fantasy , and part psychotic dreamscape , MOV is a visual marvel of a cinematic experience .",
      "the film holds up pretty well as a science fiction mystery as murdock and bumstead probe the mysteries of the MOV and uncover its secrets .",
      "and now for something completely different .",
      "in the annals of noir sci-fi , by any measure , this is a classic of cinematic invention .",
      "the result of this excessive flitting is liable to be nausea and confusion among the audience , which is a shame since there is a clever story trying to get out .",
      "... focused though -lsb- proyas -rsb- may be on providing a classic tale of the woes of conformity and the benefits of individuality , he succeeds principally in creating visual grandeur .",
      "... looks good but leaves an unpleasant aftertaste .",
      "... so relentlessly trippy in a fun-house sort of way that it could very easily inspire a daredevil cult of moviegoers who go back again and again to experience its mind-bending twists and turns .",
      "MOV has as stunning a visual texture as that of any movie that i 've seen .",
      "sewell can make it look like someone dropped a quarter into the surface of reality and is trying not to be killed by floating cenobite wannabes -lrb- tm -rrb- . so ?",
      "and what happened in the theater after we all endured MOV ? one pair of hands applauded , and someone in the back of the theater yelled , ` oh , shut up ! '",
      "part sci-fi thriller , part haunting 1940s film noir set piece , MOV has lots of pizzazz , but too little punch .",
      "the film has a grip , an inexplicable attraction with its enormous energy and unique , all-embracing universe .",
      "MOV is an intriguing mixture of science fiction and film noir .",
      "a surprisingly haunting confection .",
      "... throttles the adrenal glands with its constant , unnerving suspense .",
      "a wonderfully complex and startlingly visionary epic . i love this movie .",
      "it 's all about the amazing look , cobbled together from an astonishingly evocative range of sources : nosferatu and mad love , brazil and metropolis , a haunted mosaic of bits and pieces of movie memories .",
      "MOV ... contains more philosophical and cinematic ideas in ten minutes than the last ten films i 've seen put together .",
      "a metanarrative intrigue into those huge creative spaces",
      "... a reminder of how sensuous a visual trip movie watching can be .",
      "one of the most imaginative and creative films ever made .",
      "e of the most breathtakingly spectacular looking films to come down the pike in some time . .",
      "an unsettling depiction of reality as elusive and ephemeral .",
      "complex , yet extremely compelling .",
      "murdoch 's quandary proves surprisingly engrossing , the art direction is always striking , and unlike most contemporary sci-fi , the movie does risk a cerebral approach , tapping a vein of postmodern paranoia .",
      "even if MOV is a little off-putting in its basic approach , there is a bounty of good things to be said about it .",
      "the effects are breathtaking .",
      "it is a film noir that is either for teenage boys , sci-fi fanatics or movie geeks . it wo n't appeal to many . but if you fit into one of the above categories you will fall in love with MOV .",
      "it 's a bit overbearing the first time you experience it , but the film holds up under repeat viewings , revealing more and more complexity and coherence .",
      "an almost really good movie lies somewhere in the stylish junkyard of alex proyas 's MOV .",
      "the visuals are totally astonishing . practically every scene features impressive fx , and the direction is inventive .",
      "it is all well and good that nobody has anything to laugh about in this movie , but the relentless gloom and frothing paranoia soon begin to drag on an earthly audience .",
      "was `` the matrix '' before `` the matrix '' was ever in the pop culture lexicon ...",
      "this apocalyptic tale of alien abduction , telekinesis , murder and love is an entertaining and fantastic journey .",
      "overall , i must say that this film is one that i thoroughly enjoyed from frame one to frame last , and look very forward to watching it over and over again , with nachos by my side , and mind set to ` absorb . '",
      "a mishmash of iconography lifted from better movies .",
      "MOV trades in such weighty themes as memory , thought control , human will and the altering of reality , but is engaging mostly in the degree to which it creates and sustains a visually startling alternate universe .",
      "MOV has all the gothic imagery and plot incoherence of a tim burton movie , without burton 's mad-scientist merriment .",
      "mixes visual marvels with b-movie archetypes",
      "this is a film with the texture of nightmare .",
      "proyas has , perhaps unconsciously , created an allegory of his own industry , a manufacturer of banal dreams , emotional clichés , hackneyed artifacts , and high-tech hoo-hah designed to conceal the vacancy within and without .",
      "... the movie is mostly style , but it 's a style so engrossing , it more than makes up for any lack of substance .",
      "a visionary slice of visceral experience .",
      "writer/director alex proyas needs to stop it with the writing and concentrate on making the pretty . he needs to find a good script and just direct it .",
      "the experience of MOV is one that no film lover should miss ... seen now as it was intended after 10 long years of wandering in the shadows .",
      "proyas assembles his inspirations into a unique amalgam with the power of myth to tap the fears and desires of our collective unconscious . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "when proyas is n't afraid of losing his audience , he 's afraid of boring them , which means that the climax of his psychological study becomes a ridiculously chaotic battle .",
      "lots of style here , not nearly enough substance",
      "a non-stop symphony of visual showstoppers , MOV is nightmarish science-fiction with style to spare .",
      "... there 's no denying the wild imagery , unlike anything seen in a movie theater for some years .",
      "... may be the most unique-looking film we 've seen in ages .",
      "it is among the most memorable cinematic ventures in recent years .",
      "proyas drenches each shot in a unique feel and delivers a movie with a visual sense with all the inventive , poetic power of ridley scott or terry gilliam firing on all cylinders .",
      "MOV is a sci-fi/noir thriller that portends to deliver a message relating to the powers of the mind and the meaning of identity .",
      "proyas has expanded his abilities on MOV , and has created a film that is much more ambiguous and full of more thought .",
      "... proyas has crafted a vision distinctly his own .",
      "... what counts here is the show , the creation of a strange world by a filmmaker who clearly knows science fiction and fantasy , past and present , and wants to share his love for it .",
      "it 's an elaborate , beautifully choreographed set-piece based around an almost arrogantly bold premise ...",
      "there seem to be two reactions to MOV . you either love it or you are unimpressed . count me as a ` love it . '",
      "while the concept of memory altering is mind-boggling , the visuals bring it chillingly alive .",
      "MOV is quite a rarity : it is both visceral and cerebral at once .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- stunningly visual smorgasbord of tenebrous eye-candy , all creeping shadows and urban malaise ."
    ],
    "summary": "stylishly gloomy , MOV offers a polarizing whirl of arresting visuals and noirish action .",
    "id": "13011"
  },
  {
    "movie": "redline",
    "reviews": [
      "you could watch it with the sound off and the plot would n't make any less sense than it does with it on .",
      "MOV continues the mind-boggling trend of films that choose to justify their existence by piling on layer after layer of meaningless excess .",
      "the pic oozes the charm and personality of an industrial film .",
      "MOV is a direct-to-knucklehead release that refuses to bow out gracefully .",
      "while the production was clearly expensive , and there is a splash of dazzle in the glossy visuals , the project stands as a monument to waste and extravagance .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie where they spent so much on the fast cars they forgot to save any for acting lessons or screenplay rewrites .",
      "well ... at least you can look at the cars .",
      "yawn .",
      "this is one of those movies in which virtually no one comes out unscathed .",
      "the movie would play almost as a postmodern parody of 1960s drive-in fare if it were n't put forward with such a silly straight face .",
      "a pg-13 celebration of hot chicks , fast cars , and deplorable behavior is like diet mountain dew , near-beer , or an expletive-free version of straight outta compton -- a tame , watered-down version of the real thing .",
      "an idiotic action thriller , vanity project and testosterone-filled guilty pleasure whose sole purpose is to show off a fleet of million-dollar ferraris and lamborghinis belonging to fledgling movie mogul daniel sadek .",
      "your typical brain dead racing flick ...",
      "it 's not so much a film as a cheesy garage calendar scantily-clad , over-made up `` cheap '' women as hood-ornaments .",
      "mindless auto racing film a drag for teens and up .",
      "the whole thing is pretty stupid , but angus macfadyen is watchable as the villain .",
      "do yourself a favor and stay home . griffin 's 21-second wrecking-the-enzo video on youtube is more exciting -lrb- and better directed , and better acted ... -rrb- than anything in MOV .",
      "although the movie 's artistic merits are virtually nonexistent , sadek does understand his audience , most of whom are unlikely to be acquainted yet with two key aspects of the film : driver 's licenses and women .",
      "looks like a music-video without the music -- sleek visuals , lots of things moving around the screen , girls posing , and guys dressed like it 's the 1980s . steer clear .",
      "it 's hard to say whether gleaming automobiles or women 's bodies are given the more fetishlike treatment in this vanity production .",
      "the movie MOV is all about surfaces , for young men with testosterone to burn .",
      "the cars in the film are treated with more respect than the women .",
      "the makers of this self-indulgent autopalooza take a ferrari engine , porsche speed , mercedes horsepower , and a shelby mustang chassis and somehow combine them into a yugo .",
      "MOV is n't exactly a car wreck , mainly because it 's far less exciting and you can , in fact , look away .",
      "everything you 'd expect it to be , and yet so much less : less character development , less believability , and most unforgivably , less escapist entertainment .",
      "MOV mostly feels like one long stunt intercut with the boring parts of a porn movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV has plenty of bad acting , laughable dialogue , and luxury cars .",
    "id": "671223000"
  },
  {
    "movie": "grudge_2",
    "reviews": [
      "please let 's pull the plug on this insanely over-promoted , over-rated horror brand .",
      "despite some nifty japanese style tricks and ghostly illusions this is n't scary . it 's muddled , same-old mayhem , just with a more international cast going crazy .",
      "the MOV , takashi shimizu 's wildly uneven but ambitious new film -- his second american remake -- is one of the best entries in the japanese director 's ju-on/grudge series .",
      "we 're treated to almost every ghosting and gruesome dispatch from the first film , just in a different order .",
      "even my pathological love of japan and its beauties , glories and eccentricities is sorely tested by the MOV , from takashi shimizu , a movie so bewildering and impenetrable that i believe it siphoned off a good 40 iq points .",
      "this particular grudge proves too pointless to bear .",
      "the MOV does n't even try to make sense ... the grudge just starts going after anyone it darn well wants to , and people are getting all grudged for no reason .",
      "if you have your unholy and unstoppable spirits crawling out of photo developing solution to chill the crowd , maybe this series should 've quit while it was ahead .",
      "like the grudge before it , there are multiple plots here , but this time they are more tenuously related .",
      "if the hollywood remake of the ring spawned a short-lived interest in so-called `` j-horror , '' the MOV ought to finally end it .",
      "shimizu has mastered the american art of pandering to a target demographic .",
      "the film feels more like several small , disconnected pieces thrown together rather than a satisfying whole .",
      "it 's the revenge of the gray people and this time everyone will hold a grudge because they 've made this same movie 3 times now and it still is n't worth seeing .",
      "a needlessly complicated , totally redundant follow-up to a mediocre original .",
      "there are a couple of good jumps here and there , but we 've seen this all before . and the creepy , dead girl , having been infinitely parodied -lrb- especially in scary movie 4 -rrb- , does n't seem quite so creepy anymore .",
      "the only place takashi does n't stuff his powdery ghosts is up a cheerleader 's skirt , surprising since there are so many of them readily available .",
      "if there 's anything more pointless than a sequel that simply duplicates its predecessor 's story and characters , it 's a review of that sequel .",
      "everything that made the grudge original , unique and terrifying falls flat in the MOV .",
      "all movies like the MOV leave us with is a sense of bored futility .",
      "for all intents and purposes , the MOV is a parody of itself and the most recent wave of japanese horror .",
      "more abstract art than conventional horror cinema , it 's more interested in parsing the idea of repetition , the basis and method of revenge .",
      "it 's hard to know where to begin with this sorry sequel , because when it was over , i felt like i had n't actually seen a movie . everything about it just evaporates immediately .",
      "with newfound freedom , the grudge-bearing specter is soon all over the place , shedding her long hair in various shower stalls and clogging drains on a global level .",
      "what 's a bad sequel but a revenant soul doomed to repeat itself ?",
      "i 'm not sure what fans see in these movies but , whatever it is , here it is again in `` MOV . ''",
      "vapid , silly and about as scary as an adam sandler film .",
      "some unsettling moments here , but the evil ghost itself is a predictable one-trick pony .",
      "like its progenitor , the MOV is filled with defective light bulbs , scummy bath water and camera work that makes even teenage flesh look mottled .",
      "chen 's bizarre , wooden acting -- full of awkward pauses -- only emphasizes just how awful susco 's script really is .",
      "tiresome , repetitive , ominously boring ...",
      "very little about the plot actually makes sense , but who needs logic when you 've got a creepy ghost child and his banshee mom lurking around ?",
      "takashi shimizu telegraphs scares to the point of numbness . peek under a table ? there 's the boy ! the room a bit too quiet , is it ? it 's the girl ! all that 's frightening are the actors ' pained facial expressions , suggesting an epidemic of farty indigestion .",
      "it 's a random series of attempted frights that fails at every turn .",
      "seven films later , with the conventions of throat croaking and neck cracking having moved into camp , it 's amazing that shimizu can still find new ways to turn the old screw .",
      "repetition is the death of horror .",
      "pale-faced , staring , mute japanese kids strike back .",
      "... nothing more than a needless rehash of its predecessor ...",
      "full review in greek",
      "the MOV starts out ridiculous , then gets boring , then irritating .",
      "every moment of intended terror becomes a slapstick gem , carefully constructed boo frights hit with the hilarity of lucille ball stepping on a rake",
      "... lazy , unimaginative storytelling that tries to fool the audience into thinking it 's clever .",
      "these days , spinach is scarier than anything that unfolds in `` the MOV . '' the film is such a waste , it could have benefited from the inspired and truthful title found in the recent `` jackass '' movie . `` the grudge number two '' comes closer to the mark .",
      "if i was a ghost trapped in this movie , i 'd be pretty angry too .",
      "if shimizu 's aging idea of rage-made wraiths were true , caterwauling critics would be crawling all over the multiplex right about now .",
      "story is incidental , as auds merely anticipate the scares .",
      "the more grudge films you see , the more the rules in this universe are unveiled as totally random -- to the point where you stop caring .",
      "the MOV merely confirms that the series -lrb- and , perhaps , the j-horror genre as a whole -rrb- has finally run its course",
      "the MOV is just a mélange of images , some mildly disturbing , but mostly just variations on a theme : an unblinking eye , a spectral presence lurking in a dark corner , a sexy schoolgirl in uniform .",
      "far from a horror fright-fest , the MOV generates laughs instead of the intended chills .",
      "for legitimate frights that do n't rely on gore , MOV fits the bill . just do n't go in expecting to make sense out of the convoluted story , because there is n't any .",
      "it is a testament to the power of filmmaking that even a waste of time like MOV can raise a slew of interesting questions to keep you thinking for a long time after leaving the theatre .",
      "`` the MOV '' has no substance , no suspense , numerous fade-outs , and finally no explanation . better to rent the original .",
      "while -lsb- the MOV -rsb- deserves some credit for creating and sustaining a creepy atmosphere , it does n't matter much when the plot does n't go anywhere .",
      "i mean , for all i know , i could be cursed for just watching this nonsense . wait , what 's that under my desk ?",
      "just a quick scare and then back to the nonsensical and diluted story .",
      "shimizu actually behaves as if he 's making a good movie , flexing his stylistic muscles such that you 're still jumping at ghost-moments long after you 've been conditioned to expect them .",
      "rather than following the story of the japanese sequel ju-on 2 , the english-language MOV is based on an original script by stephen susco . unfortunately , there is n't much about it that feels all that original .",
      "japanese director shimizu may be the only director in history to have helmed a pair of hollywood remakes of his two biggest hit films and managed to screw up both of them .",
      "these films are popular with teenagers who have n't seen it all before , who do n't see every jump scare coming a mile off .",
      "takako fuji and ohga tanaka , as the ghosts , do mtv movie award-caliber work by just crouching in a phone booth .",
      "it is n't a bad movie , just a redundant one .",
      "the horrific child with huge eyes and the pale waif with a curtain of black hair continue to torment the innocent by appearing unpleasantly under desks and in reflections .",
      "... yet another american remake ... of an incomprehensible japanese horror film ...",
      "consequently , the MOV is ruthlessly uneventful and as generically scary as stale pumpkin pie two weeks removed from a sedate halloween party .",
      "MOV is such a complete rehash of its predecessor that it 's likely that those who have n't seen the original -lrb- american or japanese versions -rrb- will enjoy the sequel more than those who have .",
      "it basically repeats the events of the first film with some roles reversed and perversions intensified . for all its visual audacity , the MOV is quite predictable in its pattern of behavior .",
      "this ghost makes zombies look like olympic sprinters .",
      "the movie is utter junk , suitable perhaps for late-night tv , but not for the thousands of big screens on which it opened yesterday .",
      "do n't know about you , but i 've seen enough weird women with long hair and heard enough of those screechy violins and atonal sound effects to last a lifetime .",
      "low calorie horror , it 's propped up by set-piece shocks familiar from any of the other five incarnations of ju-on : the grudge ."
    ],
    "summary": "a diminished sequel that makes even less sense than the grudge 1 .",
    "id": "314387262"
  },
  {
    "movie": "middle_men",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- wilson 's -rsb- phenomenal performance as a family man undone by sexual and financial temptation is more than this movie deserves .",
      "... the picture is never not engaging , and it certainly has its moments .",
      "gallo has the start of a good story here , but he ca n't find an original way to explore it .",
      "MOV is an anxious film , but not in a good way , in that it does n't generate suspense so much as dread .",
      "director george gallo embraces the gamey porn scene with gusto : there 's oodles of nudity , of course -lrb- and lots of over-inflated breastage -rrb- .",
      "this very well-acted , often amusing and dirty-minded hard-r film still stands out in a sea of market-driven blandness .",
      "take away the nudity and sleaze , and at its heart MOV is about billing . no wonder it needed all the jiggling .",
      "MOV would be lucky to rise to the median of a list of the films released in 2010 . it 's actually pretty far below `` middle . ''",
      "gallo 's self-consciously overstated direction feeds the impression that he 's trying to remake goodfellas ... can we all agree by now that the use of `` sympathy for the devil '' in crime pictures ought to be outlawed ?",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- poradically satisfying ... if this tale of rags to riches to major felonies has a familiar feel to it , it 's that it feels scorsese-lite ...",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- frenetic jumble of subplots and sleazy characters ...",
      "think boogie nights meets casino , though it 's not likely to make the lasting impression of either seminal film .",
      "relentlessly sleazy but undeniably intriguing .",
      "sharply observed but poorly helmed and unevenly acted , this gross and sordid account of the early days of internet porn claims to be based on a factual story but its true inspiration is boogie nights , paul thomas anderson 's masterpiece .",
      "sex , lies and mastercard . an irreverent , strictly behind the scenes tabloid peep show about those thankfully unsung guys who perpetrated the online porn revolution , without ever taking their clothes off .",
      "luke wilson 's terrific performance renders an uneasy hybrid of crime drama , comedy and ecommerce far more compelling than it otherwise would be .",
      "is jack , who is patterned on a real-life character , sociopathic or just plain clueless ? gallo does n't seem to care . he cares about parading before us lowlifes living the high life .",
      "trust me when i say there is too much story here for a film that runs just over 100 minutes .",
      "if it were n't for james caan 's shyster las vegas lawyer , the whole , um , pornucopia would be a complete waste of time . best to think of this as middling men .",
      "what could have been a complex portrait of a flawed man dealing with the perils of success ends up far less interesting .",
      "inspired by the reputed experiences of the film 's producer , MOV casts its protagonist in a suspiciously flattering light ... fortunately wilson brings enough dark and disreputable shades to the character for the film to work .",
      "save yourself the trouble of watching it and just check out goodfellas instead .",
      "considering the naughty subject matter , MOV is a shockingly dull affair .",
      "... a film that ca n't make up its mind what it wants to be : a comedy , a melodrama , a crime thriller , or a documentary .",
      "zealously nasty fun which , surprisingly , ends on something of a note of upbeat grace and familial redemption ...",
      "kind of a mess .",
      "MOV spins one heck of a yarn , so crazy it must be true .",
      "there 's too much scorsese-izing , and all the characters with the exception of wilson and ramsey 's illicit lovers look as if they were drawn by a fifteen-year-old .",
      "far from a classic and wo n't tug at your heartstrings , but it manages to be captivating from top to bottom with a refreshingly sharp and funny screenplay , a great ensemble cast and a lively soundtrack .",
      "mr. gallo , for his part , is content to decorate a fairly conventional , intermittently entertaining crime chronicle with a bit of skin and a soupçon of pop sociology . there must be other ways to learn about pornography on the internet .",
      "i never got the feeling gallo and company figured out how to compress and focus their stories .",
      "with outstanding performances from a brilliant ensemble cast , MOV turns out to be wickedly entertaining with some of the best acting you will see all year .",
      "hampered mightily by luke wilson 's casting , MOV has energy and some sleazy fun around its edges , but critically fails to locate a sincere lasting feeling , be it titillation or trepidation .",
      "pretty much proffers everything you can want in a film based on the upstart company that brought porn to a computer screen near you .",
      "professional fixer tries to protect two creeps who helped develop internet porn from predatory gangsters and crooks . mixed-up morality tale should have had more impact .",
      "what was meant to be a wild ride through the seedy underbelly of the early internet instead becomes a tepid wallow amid a slew of unsavory but resolutely uninteresting characters .",
      "a squandered opportunity to tell what may have been an interesting story .",
      "the rise of online porn is simply the hook for a thoroughly rote mixed-up-with-the-mob drama that overdoes all the obvious cliches",
      "it is more proof that the influence of tv-style superficiality -- undramatic pacing , routine imagery -- has ruined the imagination of both filmgoers and filmmakers .",
      "a highly entertaining , flawed , ripped-off-and-reassembled carnival of sleaze .",
      "it builds to a dud of a climax and , ultimately rises and falls -lrb- more often , falling -rrb- on the performance by luke wilson .",
      "so pushy and distracted it may as well have pop-up ads .",
      "a colorful supporting cast gives this uneven internet porn saga a potent boost .",
      "this one 's coming in under the radar . keep an eye out ... best of all is wilson , digging into his juiciest role in years .",
      "even without much character development , the compelling story holds , mostly due to wilson .",
      "packed with more voice-over narration than a docent 's tour of the metropolitan museum , `` MOV '' is formulaic to a fault .",
      "sex , lies and mastercard . an irreverent , strictly behind the scenes tabloid peep show about those thankfully unsung guys who perpetrated the online porn revolution , without ever taking their clothes off .",
      "this inspired-by-a-true-story film about the birth of internet porn is giddily sleazy , full of convincing crazies and criminals , as well as the scumbags and wannabes who surround them .",
      "perhaps it 's inevitable that this cranked-up drama wants it both ways .",
      "` MOV ' may not have the action and slapstick comedy that one expects to see this late in the summer , but the film is filled with zest and actually worth exploring ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV benefits from a solid cast , particularly luke wilson , but its muddled script lets them down .",
    "id": "770809186"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hook",
    "reviews": [
      "muddled but fascinating",
      "also-ran spielberg at best , a would-be blockbuster that no one likes at worst .",
      "who wants to spend over two hours with a peter pan who screams , ` do n't mess with me , i 'm a lawyer ! '",
      "all spielberg achieved is an impressive production design ; in every other department , he 's profoundly wasted talent , material , and time .",
      "in the end , MOV is n't great or terrible , but it 's both - a film that has some wonderful moments , and some really awful ones",
      "you just have to appreciate its creative angle toward peter pan and his world .",
      "a clumsy mishmash of a comedy .",
      "`` peter pan '' redo has its moments with hoffman and williams .",
      "MOV is overwhelmed by a screenplay heavy with complicated exposition , by what are , in effect , big busy nonsinging , nondancing production numbers and some contemporary cant about rearing children and the high price paid for success .",
      "with all the money and talent and hype that went into this film , it should have been a lot better , but it is entertaining enough to rate a passing grade , especially for robin williams fans .",
      "the exposition is so underlined and re-underlined , you could teach yourself to fly waiting for something to happen .",
      "here we get the uncanny suspicion that MOV was written and directed according to the famous recipe of the country preacher who told the folks what he was going to tell them , told them , and then told them what he had told them .",
      "MOV breaks the cardinal rule of j.m. barrie 's timeless fantasy -- it grows up .",
      "this enormous wheeze comes over like the proverbial movie with a 40 million dollar set and a five cent script , which may hold its interest for under-fives but will leave most others cold .",
      "one of spielberg 's rare and true misfires . it 's weirdly creepy when it 's not being bombastically boring .",
      "no matter how much cash MOV earns , it will take more than pixie dust to fly this overstuffed package into our dreams .",
      "bottom of the barrel spielbergiana",
      "spielberg gives in to his worst tendencies , and turns peter pan into a day-glo mess .",
      "it should have been great but it just does n't have enough magic dust to fly .",
      "longo e cansativo , `` MOV '' é a prova de que o nome de spielberg nem sempre implica em um bom filme de fantasia .",
      "big , splashy , energetic , one-size-fits-all hollywood entertainment .",
      "it 's worth a look . but overall , MOV feels like an exercise in cynicism .",
      "the movie is a strong reminder of the freedom of youth and the quest for pure adventure , one that looks to the stars and sees the possibilities are as bright as a child 's own imagination ."
    ],
    "summary": "the look of MOV is lively indeed but steven spielberg directs on autopilot here , giving in too quickly to his sentimental , syrupy qualities .",
    "id": "10209"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_santa_clause_2",
    "reviews": [
      "if you want to put your kids in the mood for christmas , or just put the fear of being naughty in them - this is the movie to see . you might just get a little enjoyment yourself .",
      "playful and light-hearted , the story is a kids ' delight and bearable for parents , too , as long as you do n't mind plot holes you could fly a sleigh through and plenty of goofy mugging for the camera .",
      "more of the same tinsel-draped malarkey that made the original film into a big hit , but it 's more engaging , assured and funny , and i liked it more .",
      "has plenty of ingenious takes on north pole mythology to skate over the rough spots of a scattered script .",
      "there 's just not enough of that old corny ho-ho-ho in MOV to make it a qualified holiday hit .",
      "what soured me on MOV was that santa bumps up against 21st century reality so hard , it 's icky .",
      "the film has a nearly terminal case of the cutes , and it 's neither as funny nor as charming as it thinks it is .",
      "not so much funny as aggressively sitcom-cute , it 's full of throwaway one-liners , not-quite jokes , and a determined tv amiability that allen personifies .",
      "allen , with hardworking charm , single-handedly saves it from family-values monotony .",
      "like most disney releases , santa clause 2 is a conflagration of trite family film clichés and , as such , is logically , emotionally and spiritually wrong .",
      "MOV is chock full of heartwarming holiday cheer .",
      "amazingly , the film juggles all the elements well without being messy , instead playing fair and tying up all the loose ends .",
      "the script for sc2 ... is not perfect , but with allen 's help it delivers more hits than misses .",
      "... stocks itself with unoriginal and cheap slapstick violence , cloying performances and ridiculously forced sight gags and smirking jokes that would n't melt a snow flake on a sears hotplate",
      "sitcom-level predictability and treacle .",
      "this one deserves a `` bah humbug . ''",
      "fun for those for whom hogwarts or middle earth are a little too tiring or scary , a cinematic lump of coal for everyone else .",
      "... more of a high-tech extravaganza than a touching fantasy .",
      "in spite of the fact that the only reason this film exists is to make money off the success of the first , there are genuine moments of cuteness and believability pulled off by people who should be doing better things but are still waiting or searching for",
      "ao sair do cinema , eu estava feliz e com saudades de um tempo em que , para mim , a existęncia de papai noel era um fato inquestionável .",
      "veers between naughty and nice , which puts a lot of pressure on the finale 's ability to send us home happy . the good news is that the old fellow does n't let us down in the end .",
      "more than anything , the movie underscores actor tim allen 's gifts as a star who instinctively finds the middle ground between genuine sweetness and arch appeal .",
      "if you value your time and money , find an escape clause and avoid seeing this trite , predictable rehash .",
      "there 's something fishy about a seasonal holiday kids ' movie ... that derives its moment of most convincing emotional gravity from a scene where santa gives gifts to grownups .",
      "even a 4-year-old can spot very early on who will be wearing the title of mrs. claus , but the ride to matrimony is well worth the trip .",
      "it 's as home-entertainment ready as a shrink-wrapped sack of microwave popcorn . but at least it works hard at finding ways of pushing this one-joke premise ahead a space or two .",
      "with a decent and effective combination of touching , entertaining and often rather funny material , the film is one of those rare sequels that 's as good and in many ways better than its predecessor .",
      "kids probably will find it rip-roaring holiday fun , and it is rated g to boot .",
      "an intermittently amusing but soulless mechanism for the extraction of money from moviegoers .",
      "like the original , this version is raised a few notches above kiddie fantasy pablum by allen 's astringent wit .",
      "it would be hard to imagine a family slipping in MOV into the dvd player 20 years from now as part of a holiday tradition .",
      "marlon brando has the godfather , laurence olivier has hamlet , and now tim allen has ... santa claus .",
      "visually , ` santa clause 2 ' is wondrously creative .",
      "those of you who do n't believe in santa claus probably also think that sequels can never capture the magic of the original . well , this movie proves you wrong on both counts .",
      "a bloated , prefab sequel that gets stuck in the chimney .",
      "this harmless sugar-plum of a movie is just that : a confection that 's long on sweetness but unfortunately short on jokes that will amuse anyone over age 8 .",
      "i doubt anyone will remember the picture by the time christmas really rolls around , but maybe it 'll be on video by then .",
      "sweet like a well-made glass of apple cider , MOV offers a nice , early dose of christmas cheer .",
      "a movie conscious , at every waking moment , of trying to out-do its predecessor .",
      "has less charm than coal in a stocking .",
      "to it 's credit , MOV does pull off that magical holiday feeling more than once , and it does so without sarcasm , profanity , or excessive special effects .",
      "MOV is a barely adequate babysitter for older kids , but i 've got to give it thumbs down .",
      "veering between cold-hearted cynicism ... and magical christmas moments , this is far better than the usual hollywood holiday cash-ins .",
      "the industrial-strength artifice and bogus sentiment that fueled 1994 's inexplicable megahit ` the santa clause ' returns for another ride in santa 's souped-up sleigh .",
      "it 's really obvious that the sequel was made only to cash in on the popularity of a much better original . i resent that kind of cynicism , especially in a movie that 's supposed to fill me with holiday cheer .",
      "while the film has some good points ... the writers seem not to have gotten it .",
      "sc2 is an autopilot hollywood concoction lacking in imagination and authentic christmas spirit , yet it 's geared toward an audience full of masters of both .",
      "for god 's sake , i know it must test well with 6-year-olds , but ca n't we have just one % u2013 just one % u2013 kiddie comedy that does n't include a flatulence gag ? is that too much to ask ?",
      "a time-filler until harry potter hits the big screen .",
      "inoffensive entertainment for the undiscriminating , but lacks a fair share of the magic of the original .",
      "MOV proves itself a more streamlined and thought out encounter than the original could ever have hoped to be .",
      "... lacks the overall magic of the original , but it makes up for the bad filmmaking with enchanting performances .",
      "a cornucopia of delights . it is wonderfully funny and even romantic .",
      "those who stick with ` clause 2 ' through its unpromising opening will be rewarded with a reasonably entertaining romantic comedy ...",
      "entirely inoffensive , so it makes for perfect family fare -- but only if the children are young enough to be indiscriminating about what they 're seeing .",
      "once again , allen proves that he can be charming enough to carry a bad film on his shoulders and make you think that it was n't so horrible .",
      "... gets by enough on its seasonal charm and half-decent dialogue to recommend as an afternoon distraction that will -- just barely -- keep the whole family smiling .",
      "was n't nearly as horrible as i thought it would be .",
      "willie wonka and the chocolate factory has more life and cheer in any given shot than the whole of santa clause 2 .",
      "allen 's got a modesty that translates well in this type of story .",
      "MOV is quite the delightful little holiday experience , packed tightly with visual treasures , neat little characters , and the occasional in-joke that the adults will take a liking to",
      "a pleasant holiday diversion , but like most sequels , not as good as the original movie .",
      "although november 1 seems a bit early to get into the christmas spirit , even for the most ardent holiday fanatics ... MOV is enough to set any scrooge aglow with the x-mas bug .",
      "allen 's underestimated charm delivers more goodies than lumps of coal .",
      "not only better than its predecessor , it may rate as the most magical and most fun family fare of this or any recent holiday season .",
      "the scenes in which fake santa torments the elves with a toy soldier army are twisted enough to make it worth sticking around through the mawkish courtship .",
      "... how else are you going to get to see judge reinhold on the big screen ?",
      "the weird thing about MOV , purportedly a children 's movie , is that there is nothing in it to engage children emotionally .",
      "-lsb- allen 's -rsb- ingratiating performance goes a long way toward making the sequel tolerable even for those who remain immune to its predecessor 's dubious charms .",
      "in spite of featuring a script credited to no fewer than five writers , apparently nobody here bothered to check it twice .",
      "like its predecessor , it 's no classic , but it provides a reasonably attractive holiday contraption , one that families looking for a clean , kid-friendly outing should investigate .",
      "... one of those sadistically cheerful holiday movies that have the distinct feel of a piece of candy cane getting stuck in your throat .",
      "silly in all the places the first one was sincere .",
      "tim allen and his team make it look easy , this putting on of ho-ho-hos in such a way that adults may find stocking-stuffer laughs amid the general jingle-bellishness of MOV .",
      "santa out of costume and on a date does not classic christmas material make .",
      "santa 's back , but it does n't mean it 's the season to be jolly .",
      "the movie is as padded as allen 's jelly belly .",
      "any holiday movie that pokes fun at charlie sheen rebounding to the naughty list -lrb- ` i thought he cleaned up his act ! ' allen exclaims -rrb- deserves a little yuletide cheer .",
      "suggests that if santa ca n't deliver presents , it means no christmas . did n't dr. seuss teach us a long time ago that even if you stop the presents , you do n't stop christmas ?",
      "despite some major claus flaws , the film 's successes are truly magical and inspired .",
      "while the film is not entirely successful , it still manages to string together enough charming moments to work .",
      "somehow , the movie manages to be a lot funnier and flakier than you would expect .",
      "anyone who has ever dreamed of a santa who knows your heart 's desire should feel a little tug at the heart when santa 's own dreams come true .",
      "raises the question once again of why , in our society , movies are the only arena in which `` it 's for children '' means that the product is demonstrably worse .",
      "MOV '' goes down as easy as an eggnog on christmas eve .",
      "that the tooth fairy , the sandman , mother nature and cupid even appear suggests that the franchise is already out of ideas , and is aiming itself at a less discriminating audience of the very young .",
      "has the disjointed feel of a bunch of strung-together tv episodes .",
      "while it 's not destined to become a christmas classic , MOV offers humor and holiday spirit that can be enjoyed by children and adults .",
      "bah humbug .",
      "all these developments and challenges facing santa weigh down the plot so heavily that they drain all the film of its energy and needlessly strain credibility .",
      "MOV 's plot may sound like it was co-written by mattel executives and lobbyists for the tinsel industry .",
      "it 's mildly sentimental , unabashedly consumerist ... studiously inoffensive and completely disposable .",
      "i was so caught up in its genuine , unsentimental christmas magic that i forgot to be snide and sarcastic and cynical .",
      "... hopefully it 'll be at the dollar theatres by the time christmas rolls around . wait to see it then .",
      "the sequel drops the adult aspects of the story in favor of talking reindeer and a life-size , plastic santa replacement -lrb- also played by allen -rrb- that is strongly reminiscent of that creepy family from the duracell commercials .",
      "the film has no pretensions other then being exactly what it is : a sweet , slickly manufactured tale for the whole family , a holiday diversion cut to fit everyone from 6 to 60 .",
      "allen is genuinely affable as santa with wit .",
      "contains just enough good cheer to surmount overbaked writing and overblown visual effects .",
      "it has wit and warmth and an abundance of good cheer .",
      "a reasonably entertaining sequel to 1994 's surprise family hit that may strain adult credibility ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it 's harmless as family entertainment and has moments of charm , MOV is also predictable and forgettable .",
    "id": "9452"
  },
  {
    "movie": "cedar_rapids_2010",
    "reviews": [
      "the contrast between tim 's small town life and the near debauchery of big town MOV makes this a real stranger in a strange land yarn .",
      "one of miguel arteta 's most amiable films , MOV blends elements of capra and sturges small-town features while displaying the director 's sensibility of subversive optimism and the comedy of embarrassment",
      "we brace ourselves for a zillion low-hanging jokes about olive garden restaurants , but `` MOV '' mostly avoids them , and introduces us instead to a series of unpredictable characters , nicely sketched by a very good cast .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- slyly complex and broadly comic farce about innocence , corruption , and the gray areas between .",
      "i imagine the director , miguel arteta , is the reason the movie succeeds as well as it does . he mutes the obnoxiousness and concentrates on the performances , nearly all of which are excellent and marked by a sense of real camaraderie .",
      "reilly is an absolute hoot as a glad-handing carouser with an inexhaustible supply of cheesy catchphrases , while heche finds unexpected depth as a wife and mother on the prowl .",
      "when he lands in the title town and experiences it as if it were las vegas , we laugh with him as well as at him .",
      "friendly , unassuming and just a little dull ... the sort of movie you wo n't mind visiting once , but probably wo n't want to return to again .",
      "a really entertaining effort , aided by some terrific performances .",
      "ed helms and company seem like they 're mocking middle-america vanilla-ness , which is ripe for mocking , but they also want to embrace it with a cuddly ending .",
      "if you are n't in the mood for adam sandler this weekend -lrb- and , who really is ? -rrb- , check out MOV as your alternative comedy choice .",
      "... an agreeable little comedy that gets plenty of mileage out of its quirky premise and its impressively off-kilter cast .",
      "it 's a reliable set-up for farce , but somehow MOV never breaks free of its influences to establish its own rhythm .",
      "overall , MOV has enough laughs and charm to insure a good time .",
      "a breath of early spring in the winter movie graveyard .",
      "the trouble with embarrassment comedies is we do n't all squirm at the same places .",
      "MOV is both hilarious and heartfelt . it 's also powered by a dream cast , led by the outstanding ed helms .",
      "an ultimately light satire of middle-american sanctimony and hypocrisy .",
      "helms 's gifts still seem better suited for the small , situation-based set pieces he has done on `` the office '' and `` the daily show with jon stewart . ''",
      "like the location of iowa in regard to the rest of the country , the film ends up right in the middle . not enough of this , not enough of that . however , it is helms ' daffy sweetness that redeems the whole .",
      "might not be the raunchfest the trailer teases , but that 's ok . rapids is a refreshingly sweet film about characters .",
      "such sweetness makes the raunch in this honestly funny movie even funnier .",
      "MOV is hugely funny not because it 's outrageous , but because it 's smart , relatable and creates a camaraderie between its quartet of leads .",
      "wistfully subversive optimism",
      "ed helms finally gets a starring role to call his own in MOV , but john c. reilly swipes the movie out from under him .",
      "cross the old fashioned values of frank capra with the raunch of judd apatow and you just might come up with something like `` MOV . ''",
      "MOV is a quirky comedy that crossbreeds two common cinematic staples : the mismatched buddy movie and the fish-out-of-water scenario .",
      "at 80-some minutes , the film is about the right length with a decent register of laughs . what gets lost is what i suspect is a more rounded comedy about religious hypocrisy and not judging a person 's inner goodness by their outer conduct .",
      "MOV is shaggy and goofy and smart and quirky in all the best ways .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- corporate satire is n't especially sharp , but the mood throughout is consistently warm and likable .",
      "screenwriter phil johnston gets a surprising amount of comic mileage from the familiar premise of staid rotary club types getting crazy in a strange town , and there are some decent laughs from helms 's fellow conventioneers and partners in crime .",
      "miguel arteta 's comedy takes a while to find its mojo , but gets there eventually with humanity and heart .",
      "these corn-fed rotarians are such a cuddly bunch , and the movie 's barbs are so pudding-soft , that it 's not hard to get caught up in all the gee-whizzery .",
      "raunchy comedy is packed with sex , drinking , and swearing .",
      "the movie belongs to helms and reilly , ringleaders who barely seem to notice that the script from phil johnston favors easy jokes and obvious setups . they , and the others , give this minor movie major heart .",
      "the gifted reilly is now almost principally a comedic actor -- and with good reason . he 's the most lovable of goof balls , with his eyes rolling around his sockets crazily and a voice that sounds drunk even when it 's sober .",
      "there 's definitely plenty to laugh about in MOV , there just is n't too much to applaud about .",
      "sure , it may make you uncomfortable while you laugh . but only if you 've gotten a little too comfortable laughing at small-town squares .",
      "when this mix of hopeful and edgy works , you get something like `` little miss sunshine . '' and when it does n't , you get a cocktail with a bad smell , one part sunny to two parts vulgar .",
      "terrific ensemble cast in a smart , funny , sometimes sweet little film .",
      "how can a movie so rude and crude also be endearingly hilarious ? in the case of this slight and sort of sweet comedy , we can thank a handful of actors far better than their material .",
      "if it resembles an inflated pilot episode for a raunchy sitcom more than a motion picture , at least it looks like a show that wo n't bore you or insult your intelligence .",
      "the less uptight ... will have an amusing enough time ... and some might even be glad that here arteta 's removed enough edge from his man-child hero that there 's no chance of any of his quirks resonating in one 's head ...",
      "2011 's first thoroughly enjoyable comedy",
      "the cast , anchored by sweetly goofy ed helms , redeems the film at every turn , adding humor and dimension to characters who might have otherwise drowned in tacky grotesquerie .",
      "a rollicking comedy about the transformation of a sheltered and insecure insurance salesman while attending a convention .",
      "the film 's director , miguel arteta , understands that real laughter grows from characters . he has a rich start with lippe , played by helms as a man who is thrilled even to go through security at the airport .",
      "no more and no less than its premise suggests , the film delivers the laughs .",
      "this foursome has better , funnier chemistry than the gang in the hangover , and -lsb- helms ' character 's -rsb- only known them for a couple days .",
      "modest in every way , the screenplay by phil johnston is enjoyable in the telling even when the details smack of contrivance .",
      "MOV is both funny and perceptive with a sympathetic mixture of boorish , calculating and innocent-abroad behaviour .",
      "it 's funny , offensive , well acted and pointless .",
      "everyone will leave feeling like they just had a properly-sized snack of delicious popcorn when they really wanted a juicy burger . it 's responsible and you do n't regret it , but it does n't go down in history either .",
      "cardboard caricatures of midwesterners make for a few easy laughs",
      "what happens in `` MOV '' does n't stay in MOV ... excellent news for film-goers in the mood for something hilariously off-kilter .",
      "a kind of american pie for young adults , there is much amiable and good-hearted humour here amongst the cruder elements and the strange nether-world of conventions is amusingly captured .",
      "everyone does good work here , but for helms this is a breakout role , and he delivers . MOV is a modest but disarming comedy that will leave a smile on your face ...",
      "hopelessly benign but still boisterous enough to deliver a mild buzz .",
      "MOV is at its best when it pushes helms into uncomfortable situations and makes him figure them out . but the movie remains less than completely satisfying",
      "engagingly funny .",
      "the main thing about `` MOV '' is that it makes you laugh-often and out loud .",
      "though the comedy in `` MOV '' is arteta 's broadest yet , the film reflects the care he takes with his cast , the sort that helped reveal an acting depth no one suspected from jennifer aniston in 2002 's `` the good girl . ''",
      "this is a frank capra-meets-judd apatow comedy with a sweetness-laced ribaldry .",
      "MOV is a strange little movie -- a borderline dark comedy one minute , and a raucous frat comedy the next .",
      "the word `` meh '' was coined for films such as this .",
      "MOV is n't hard-hitting , but it is wise in its own dippy way , and in ed helms ' tim lippe is a protagonist written with uncommon affection .",
      "astute depiction of the inevitable corny humor and cheesy networking activities of business gatherings , gutsy performances , and genuine affection for its characters .",
      "through the sites and through the attitudes of the characters , and between the words they say , you get an appreciation of how people live and think in that unexplored territory known as the midwest .",
      "the jokes sing as well as zing .",
      "MOV is agreeable , but no wands are waved . and it 's amusing , but not knee-slappingly so .",
      "the movie finds a happy medium in balancing crude and raunchy humor with sweet emotional moments . it wins the audience over from the opening scene .",
      "`` MOV '' is funny , raunchy and goofy , but it also has heart and underlying warmth that makes it most appealing .",
      "these folk are undistinguished yet distinctive , and the film , for all the familiar grind of its plotting , pays them their honest due .",
      "what might have been an incisively comic lampoon of religious hypocrisy and personal sanctimony instead becomes a too-earnest embarrassment comedy that easily amuses but rarely finds big laughs ...",
      "thanks to a surprisingly touching , while also hilarious performance by helms and a savvy script from newcomer phil johnston , MOV is a refreshing change from the norm .",
      "does n't ask its cast to detour too far from personalities they 've played in past projects .",
      "a bit of the sort of indie preciousness often associated with sundance , but it 's still a winning , entertaining and very funny film .",
      "... hilariously traces one man 's morally perilous journey toward honesty and truth .",
      "... not nearly as funny or insightful as it thinks it is , but i will say this for phil johnston 's script : it runs like clockwork right down to the crises which show up predictably at 30 and 60 minutes in .",
      "MOV is a small , endlessly charming comedy . it 's not laugh-a-minute , but the characters will leave you smiling long after you 've left the theater .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- ed helms comfortably nails his part as small-town insurance salesman tim lippe with just the right amount of internal anguish .",
      "it helps that reilly is the opposite of a slob-comic . with his hangdog melancholy , he makes even the nonstop cunnilingus allusions poignant -- the product of emotional longing .",
      "the assembled cast is stellar and they make the most of each scene .",
      "a reasonably successful attempt to capitalize on helms ' skills .",
      "midwesterners going wild may not sound like an original idea for a comedy , but they really become a team . with each character contributing to the wacky , it becomes a unique combination .",
      "if you 're a fan of helms or reilly , neither of them disappoint , but with so many strong elements , we were hoping for something a bit more memorable .",
      "helms is at his best when reacting to others , which is one of the reasons he has made such an effective ensemble player in recent years .",
      "well-worth seeing for a couple of good chuckles .",
      "like a slightly twisted , modern-day frank capra fable ...",
      "helms delivers a performance of touching delicacy , one almost as remarkable as that of tom hanks in big .",
      "detailed and consistently funny observation of small-town sincerity muddling through a dog-eat-dog world .",
      "although the ads pitch it as being somewhere between the office and the hangover , MOV is actually a semisweet charmer of a movie that fluxes between edgy comedy and palpable pathos .",
      "MOV takes an inordinate number of wrong turns , but it also has an inordinate number of good laughs mixed in with the not-so-good ones .",
      "considering it has to do with infidelity , bribery , drugs , drinking , loutish behavior , fraud and prostitution , MOV is really kind of a sweet movie .",
      "it 's yet another comedy that 's trying too hard to sell something past its date .",
      "`` MOV '' is a fish-out-of-water story that never strays far from a formula and yet still manages to feel fresh .",
      "in the dying days of an era when `` big city '' has been a relative term , the sales-convention comedy `` MOV '' is a loving tribute to american innocence .",
      "these are characters it 's a pleasure to spend time with and the movie knows it .",
      "there 's a whole lot of swearin ' in this otherwise sweet film about conventioneers gone wild , with producer alexander payne further establishing his comic brand .",
      "a scathing christopher guest satire and a raucous hangover-style comedy are waiting to get out . what we have instead is genial and sporadically funny , in the mushy middle .",
      "within the structure of a conventional , well-built comedy fable about an innocent among bigger-city sophisticates - a screenplay bull 's - eye for relative newcomer -lrb- and native wisconsinite -rrb- phil johnston - is something truly original .",
      "it 's a movie that needs to look down its nose for its laughs , which generally is n't the best place to find them .",
      "a mild comedy of embarrassment , set in the dark heart of middle america .",
      "ed helms seeks post-hangover glory as a meek midwest insurance peddler out of his depth , but john c. reilly steals this patchy wild-weekend farce as mr. bad example .",
      "this crude aping of every hack from judd apatow to the farrelly brothers represents the worst of what is happening in film today ...",
      "ping-pongs between empathetic chuckles at helms 's charming social awkwardness and putting him through a raunchfest ringer .",
      "though it has some heart , the film does n't hit the funny bone like its trailer teased .",
      "despite some of the raunchiest dialogue in recent memory , there is an undeniable sweetness that makes it hard to resist . the fact that it is consistently funny does n't hurt .",
      "MOV worth visiting .",
      "it 's really more amusing than it is fall-out-of-your-seat funny . ... there 's a general lack of any real edge here -- though not for a lack of trying .",
      "reilly and helms have excellent on-screen chemistry as unlikely best buds , which turns MOV into a surprisingly effective bromance that is hobbled only by its overly conventional ending .",
      "one of the things i admire most about director miguel arteta 's films -lrb- including chuck & buck and the good girl -rrb- is that he shows such compassion for his characters .",
      "a terrific little movie full of characters who are worth meeting .",
      "raunchy dialogue hides a sweet center , but the movie never really comes to life .",
      "all hail the mighty ed helms for yet another masterclass in comedy and pathos .",
      "the undeniably sweet `` MOV '' should further the rise of actor ed helms .",
      "the sweetness and -- dare we say it ? -- innocence of this sometimes rude comedy will be no surprise to fans of director miguel arteta , whose previous films -- ` chuck & buck , ' ` youth in revolt ' -- displayed genuine empathy for underdogs and oddballs .",
      "blobby hybrid of frat-dude slapstick and alexander payne-approved middle america smirking",
      "while never getting bogged down in the moral question of whether tim needed to see a world outside his happy bubble , this film has enough laughs to keep it going .",
      "not many movies manage to be filthy but sweet . this one brings it off .",
      "MOV slowly squanders its apparently fruitful set-up , heading towards a weak , sappy ending that tries for sweetness , but leaves a sickly saccharine aftertaste .",
      "plenty of passing laughs , but some coarse overacting , not to mention a phoned-in , capra-esque message of singular banality .",
      "what makes it work is the real sense of warmth and affection that grows between the characters , lending the film an appealing sweetness that has become all too rare in american comedy .",
      "comedy seldom comes as good-natured as MOV , a fish-out-of-water story in which a midwestern innocent discovers sex , drugs and cream sherry in the big city .",
      "MOV is a lot less funny than it thinks it is with a pretty testing childish zaniness .",
      "admittedly , some episodes strain credibility , but we are resolutely behind the morally flawed protagonists every stumble of the way .",
      "this crowd-pleaser is not arteta 's defining piece , but its feel-good nature and big heart bolster your spirits .",
      "with raunchy jokes and pointed sideswipes at religious hypocrisy , the film takes its bearings from reilly 's deanzie - vulgar on the outside , but warm-hearted and sincere underneath",
      "decadence is a state of mind . when that state is iowa as in MOV , the running joke is that everything dirty is drenched with naivete . rather than ridiculing midwestern values - as hollywood could do - this movie embraces its inner yokel .",
      "the hangover cast member ca n't quite carry a feature on his own . this one is not all that funny anyway , and its comic elements eventually become redundant",
      "MOV is a low-rent version of the sort of raunchy comedy that 's all the rage these days , but it wears its modesty rather well .",
      "this goofy fish-out-of-water comedy is deeply endearing . as it follows its central character on a clumsy voyage of discovery , we ca n't help but laugh even as we try not to recognise ourselves in him .",
      "no mere fish out of water tale - more akin to scraping oceanic plankton off the back of a humpback whale and slapping it on the glittered midriffs of chuck sheen 's poolside bevy of goddesses .",
      "one of the welcome surprises of `` MOV '' is that while you start out laughing at them , by the end of the movie you 're rooting for them . for such a raunchy crowd-pleaser , the movie turns out to have a kind heart .",
      "even when it goes off the rails , it is kept grounded by the decency and humanity of helms ' character .",
      "there 's not much to take from MOV but a nice evening 's entertainment . it plays some with subverting the clichés of the xenophobic midwest , but only a little . it 's more interested in following a standard path , but that 's okay .",
      "the least this tepid comedy could do is provide a vibrant sense of humor . instead , it 's a riff-heavy , wildly formulaic modern comedy that uses stereotypes and improvisations in a gentle , but tedious manner to bring the laughs .",
      "it 's just so endearingly dorky .",
      "one of those sunny-natured indie comedies that comes out of nowhere to put a smile on your face .",
      "more man-child high-jinks in a comedy which seems to be looking down its nose at smalltown america 's terminally unhip , but proves good-hearted and delivers enough laughter to seal the deal .",
      "a foul-mouthed but good-natured comedy roughly in the apatow mould .",
      "sharply written and astutely directed , this is an enjoyable , frequently funny comedy with likeable characters and great comic performances from a superb cast .",
      "what really makes things work is helms ' genuinely endearing dweeb , a gauche smalltown hero who shows that good guys do end up on top . of anne heche .",
      "it 's beautifully acted , well-observed and very funny .",
      "its breezy charm papers over narrative cracks and minor annoyances .",
      "it may sound a flimsy premise , but director miguel arteta delivers a laugh-out-loud ride that plays like a white-collar executive take on animal house , and phil johnston 's script is awash with quotable one-liners .",
      "effectively a coming-of-age comedy set 25-odd years later than normal . tim lippe 's a 40-year-old in the body of a 15-year-old with the haircut of a four-year-old .",
      "MOV ca n't decide if it wants to be an r-rated romp or much sweeter comedy-drama , and in the end , falls inadequately between the two .",
      "a fun little movie that really strikes a balance between comfortable friendliness and crazy silliness",
      "not as funny as it seems to think it is , but there are considerable pleasures to be found around the margins .",
      "while this is n't destined to be remembered as a great standout comedy ... it is still guaranteed to provide a few giggles and knee-slaps .",
      "the risks MOV takes may not always pay off , but as a general rule , i would advise spending 86 minutes of your life with the movie rather than the city itself .",
      "you 've already heard what MOV has to say , but the ensemble cast does a good job of going over the same ground so that you do n't mind covering it with them .",
      "with `` MOV , '' the filmmakers seem to put too much faith in their material , thinking that it would be funny enough to carry the whole film without them having to put too much thought into the story . sadly , they were quite mistaken .",
      "... i wanted to spend more time with these characters ...",
      "the cast is inherently likable , and the comedy is pleasantly sweet-natured -lrb- even if crack pipes , c-bombs and references to the wire abound -rrb- .",
      "the supporting cast are uniformly excellent too , particular reilly , whose blow-hard deanzie gradually reveals a softer , empathetic side .",
      "there 's a restraint and sweetness to the raunch that keeps it below the threshold of certain other r-rated comedies about away-from-home shenanigans gone bawdily awry ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's as conventional as its midwestern setting , but MOV boasts a terrific cast and a script that deftly blends r-rated raunch and endearing sweetness .",
    "id": "771193483"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sixty-six",
    "reviews": [
      "the bar mitzvah boy gets the boot !",
      "although the subject might sound specialized , the picture is engineered with such skill that it transcends the ethnic details to become a universal story of a boy trying to find his place in an inhospitable world .",
      "a dolorous comedy that leans heavily , if inoffensively , on ethnic stereotypes .",
      "itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s designed to be crowd-pleasing and tug on hearts across the board , but thereâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s a manipulative quality that will put a ceiling on business .",
      "a satisfying little surprise",
      "like running with scissors or an exceptionally cruel episode of the wonder years , paul weiland 's whimsical and eye-poppingly bright comedy is shot through with cringe-inducing misery .",
      "a sprightly english comedy about a very special bar mitzvah , world cup fever , and the frantic efforts of a 12-year old boy to get the attention he feels he deserves .",
      "... so unrelenting on the misery it piles upon poor bernie reubens you may just feel guilty laughing ...",
      "sweet , sentimental and funny in a warm and fuzzy way , even if it 's somewhat predictable and few of the actors seem very jewish .",
      "this comedy-drama is wafer-thin , but marsan gives it some heft as an all-too-human father .",
      "an entertaining 90 minutes , but more an enjoyable friendly than a world-beating final .",
      "this warm comedy at least has the ring of truth in its remarkable tale of childhood expectations and disappointments .",
      "given the personal nature of the material , though , it 's a shame weiland resorts to the kind of coarse ethnic caricatures one hoped had died with mike and bernie winters .",
      "delightful coming of age comedy with a terrific cast , a superb script and a genuinely moving finale - it really is the feel-good movie of the year .",
      "no , it never quite achieves spirit-of - '66 euphoria , but the tally of good-natured smiles is appreciable , and the weiland family home-movies at the close a lovely touch .",
      "a thick , gooey layer of voiceover narration from bernie is just one of several tired devices that makes pic feel hackneyed , despite some choice cuts of dialogue .",
      "eddie marsan is too convincingly sad and pathetic to raise laughs .",
      "darkly funny , poignant and engaging , MOV sucks us into a world filled with anticipation , disappointment and hope , as a young boy 's dreams stumble against the odds of family , finances and the world cup soccer finals",
      "despite the whimsical voice-over and gloopy , sentimental tone , it 's a hard film to dislike .",
      "hilariously funny while totally believable , MOV also leaves you with a warm and fuzzy feeling . it is a father-son tale told with the details and care of someone who was there .",
      "there is an attempt at a feelgood ending , but i was n't convinced .",
      "for anyone who preferred oliver bean to malcolm in the middle .",
      "it 's cliched and gooey , but because it 's english , and has helena bonham carter in a rare non-gothy role , viewers may be fooled into thinking it 's quirky . no .",
      "... a charming coming-of-age period piece about the trials and tribulations one young boy must face in his quest to become a man .",
      "weiland 's occasional heavy-handedness is more than redeemed by the lightness of his cast .",
      "it does cast helena bonham carter against type as a devoted mother and housewife , and , for soccer nuts , integrate pristine footage from the '66 cup .",
      "you do n't have to be jewish to appreciate its uncondescending fondness for the claustrophobic warmth of family life among working-class people apprehensively inching their way toward upward mobility .",
      "MOV may find a niche audience , but instead of depicting a boy 's first steps toward manhood -- ceremony aside -- it turns into an uninvolving portrait of self-absorption .",
      "i think it 's a very heartfelt story , but we get the same thing over and over again .",
      "MOV 's loving portrayal of the ups & downs of a jewish family in london charmingly entices the viewer to find themselves within its four-eyed , adorably geeky hero .",
      "director paul weiland -lrb- `` made of honor '' -rrb- co-wrote the tone-deaf screenplay for this cinematic abortion that features the ever-lousy stephen rea adding his specific brand of stench to a pasted-together movie that is predictable and boring as it is depressin",
      "the direction of this autobiographical tale by paul weiland -lrb- whose lengthy rap sheet runs all the way from leonard part 6 to made of honor -rrb- is less than subtle .",
      "though inspired by weiland 's own childhood , the film 's plot sticks close to the underdog 's coming-of-age formula and is marred by young bernie 's gratingly self-pitying voice-over .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- weiland pours so much heart into his autobiographically ` true-ish ' story that accessibility is a nonissue .",
      "... the sort of jewish film that the whole family can enjoy without feeling they 're fulfilling an obligation to see it .",
      "the story line sounds plain and simple , but the movie is enlightened by bernie 's impassioned narration and by a gallery of small comic details .",
      "weiland has given us something we can cheer and feel good about .",
      "it 's labeled a ` true-ish story ' , and the results are cheeky fun .",
      "MOV is also about accepting parents with all their frailties , coming to terms with the unfairness of life , and finding a way to switch the focus to the wonders we do have to celebrate .",
      "offbeat , nostalgic , wonderful .",
      "since mr. weiland himself had grown up in a jewish section of north london , he was able to include many details of his own childhood .",
      "cleaves too closely to the pattern set out by more original films with similar subject matter . its obvious distinctions of time and place come through in clever details , but these do n't seem to serve weiland 's autobiography so much as situate it into a fa",
      "a film that tries too hard and wastes a cast of skilled veterans and talented newcomers ."
    ],
    "summary": "likable but overly sentimental , MOV has snatches of sharp dialogue but is ultimately too predicable .",
    "id": "381421832"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bridesmaids_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is the sort of movie in which you know exactly how everything is going to turn out by the end , but the characterizations are strong enough to overcome the formulaic template .",
      "in this movie , romantic envy and class envy coalesce , because MOV understands just how they 're linked . even if money ca n't buy you love , being broke puts you at a distinct disadvantage .",
      "in an age when so many hollywood chick-flicks seem to really hate women , it 's refreshing to see a character-driven movie about women . the humor here is outrageous , bawdy , sometimes even scatological , but it 's never misogynist .",
      "paul feig 's film has gambled on women , assuming that female moviegoers are sick of being reduced to man-starved , materialistic shopaholics by hollywood .",
      "this is a smart and funny movie that satisfyingly expands the apatow brand .",
      "`` MOV '' openly , comfortably turns the stress of being girlfriends into comedy . it 's really about the single friend backing away from the edge of temporary insanity .",
      "this is one very funny flick , which may require a second viewing , lest loud laughter rob you of hearing some of the lines - especially during an eye-popping pivotal scene that was once the purview of the boys : the big gross-out .",
      "just as apatow redefined leading men in a more realistic manner , wiig may well change the way hollywood looks at ladies .",
      "the setup is ripe for a black comedy but the movie never fully embraces the darkness and the level of humor is on par with the limp skits for which wiig is responsible on saturday night live .",
      "-lsb- MOV is -rsb- one of the funniest films in the past few years .",
      "MOV is not a movie for those looking for a pleasant , uneventful night out at the movies . yes , it 's touching . and yes , it resonates with a heart of gold . but it 's also awkward , raunchy , and disgusting . just like real life .",
      "wiig has terrific audience rapport , a prerequisite for comics , and a squiggly way of seeming totally reasonable and altogether daft at the same time .",
      "the film 's central friendship gives MOV a heart as big as its laughs . it pays particular attention to the details and realities of maintaining long term friendships , with special attention to the specifics of friendships between women .",
      "cringe-inducing , uneven , juvenile , overlong and painfully unfunny . it 's a witless blend of crudeness , rudeness and lewdness which sets a new low for american comedy .",
      "the only question is : will kristen wiig ever be this good again ? the answer is , let 's hope so . MOV rocks . hopefully , a movie star is born .",
      "a film about women and marriage may be virgin territory for -lsb- producer judd -rsb- apatow but the results are the same . the film is flat-out funny and is worth saying `` i do . ''",
      "as much a coronation as a wedding , with wiig emerging as a successor to lucille ball and carol burnett as the queen of knockabout comedy .",
      "... hilariously funny , with an outlandish surprise around almost every corner .",
      "wiig and company have impeccable comic timing and the humor almost always comes from pain . it 's very funny , has a great cast , and will probably hold up to repeated viewings .",
      "crude but sincere comedy about friendship and confidence .",
      "think of it as a cinematic bouquet -- catch it .",
      "whether it says something incisive about female friends and their inability to truly feel comfortable and rise above petty jealousies and competition , MOV never achieves the wolf pack camaraderie that the hangover executes so naturally .",
      "there are things to like here and the idea is a noble one . but in execution , `` MOV '' is a typical chick flick just with some extra rude words and vomit .",
      "kristen wiig , between her screenplay and fearlessly funny performance , gives nothing less than a tour de force .",
      "wiig , who 's been underused in the past in movies like macgruber and paul , proves she 's as good with a withering dialogue as she is with oddball characters and physical humor .",
      "el humor de damas en guerra se parece por momentos al de la comedia masculina más guarra , escatología incluida , aunque también hay lugar para los sentimientos y hasta el romanticismo .",
      "it shows the dark side of people to a surprising extent for a comedy . it is n't exactly a black comedy or a dark comedy , but it does explore the way that friends can sometimes become jealous and sabotage each other .",
      "paul feig 's MOV ends up living in the memory like most weddings do ; you went , you had a pleasant time , and unless somebody mentions the happy couple , you never think about the experience again .",
      "i laughed almost without pause ; at several points i made horselike snorting sounds that hurt the insides of my nose .",
      "MOV is a very funny movie , with interesting characters and great performances , but the film 's pacing issues make it more of a chore to get through than expected .",
      "i like that MOV aspires to be more than just a dumb comedy , but that does n't mean it needs to belabor its point for what feels like eons .",
      "slack in pacing but raucous in tone and held together throughout by wiig 's spotlight turn .",
      "this is the sort of thing that will be beloved by many , by almost everyone who sees it .",
      "the brilliant saturday night live player kristen wiig finally gets the big-screen vehicle she deserves .",
      "the ensemble produces some decent laughs .",
      "whether you 're looking for an easy laugh or a rioutously funny comedy , MOV will have you in tears .",
      "the comedy is sharply uneven , but written by women , it displays female sensibility and offers better roles for femmes than is the norm in mainstream fare .",
      "kristen wiig scores in an erratic gross comedy that truthfully connects where it counts .",
      "`` MOV '' is first and foremost a showcase for wiig , who surely does n't play it safe here but still comes off as an affable everywoman with a twinkle of danger in her eye .",
      "a cynical edit of ... a sharp , funny film about the many stages , and even more permutations , of female friendships , one that was unafraid to include the ribald , the profane , and the brutally honest",
      "MOV proves that modern comedies about women do n't have to be insipid , boring or downright loathsome . who knew ?",
      "it 's funny stuff , with wiig 's talent for physical comedy and way with a witty put-down providing many of the film 's highlights .",
      "`` saturday night live '' cast member kristen wiig makes a successful bid for big-screen stardom in this bawdy , hilarious comedy about the downward spiral of an insecure maid of honor .",
      "MOV is an infectiously funny and bittersweet look at how life can change even the strongest of friendships .",
      "the warring impulses within wiig set a wonderfully skittish tone for the painfully hilarious new movie MOV , a screwy tale of female friendship and wedding planning from hell .",
      "in the end , MOV is touching and funny and a tiny bit sickening . just like a real wedding .",
      "on its surface , the film marries gross-out comedy and romantic comedy and will make you laugh out loud . right underneath that is a truly wonderful movie about female friendship that 's quite unlike anything else out there .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he kernels of a truly smart , truly honest , truly brilliant movie are here , and they get lost in what has become the standard hollywood humiliation comedy ...",
      "an instant r-rated classic that could give the upcoming hangover part ii a run for its money .",
      "prepare yourself to hear this comparison often : MOV is like a female version of the hangover . but do n't ever expect those words , or any variation of them , to roll off my tongue .",
      "star kristen wiig -lrb- and she really should be a star with a capital s after this breakthrough performance -rrb- finds the humanity usually missing from not just the chick flick but the modern comedy in general .",
      "in general , the movie is so funny and bracingly honest that you can forgive the few moments where the momentum flags .",
      "whatever your opinion of the film is you 'll definitely come out of it with a new respect for wiig 's comedy and acting skills .",
      "over the past couple of years , the r-rated comedy genre seemed to stale a bit , suffering a slight affliction of monotony . seems all it needed was a woman 's touch .",
      "onetime saturday night live castmates wiig and rudolph make annie and lillian 's friendship believable . which is why annie 's shenanigans are sad -- and hilarious .",
      "MOV is a reminder that fresh content is still alive and well , especially when it 's delivered by a group of talented actresses .",
      "a terrific comedy , zany , ribald and fearless in just about every way you 'd want a comedy to be .",
      "the star and co-writer of MOV , kristen wiig , puts herself and her female co-stars through the comedy wringer .",
      "MOV is being touted as a female version of the hangover . that 's an unfair bar to set , given how easily these ladies sail over it .",
      "MOV is likely to be a hit with both women and men , being half formula chick-flick , half raunchy comedy of humiliation . it 's hilarious -- and too bifurcated to be satisfying .",
      "kristen wiig is brilliant .",
      "there 's a full spectrum of emotions on show : how many comedies with a gag involving projectile vomit and diarrhoea can say that ?",
      "this is `` her hangover , '' a smarter and sweeter stumble to the altar that never quite gets to vegas , and does n't seem to mind .",
      "kristen wiig deserves much of the credit for MOV , but the laurels belong to judd apatow . he is the billy wilder of contemporary hollywood and MOV is his some like it hot .",
      "unashamedly smart ... MOV has been hailed as a groundbreaking blow for american female cinema . that says a lot about the extent of hollywood 's current conservatism , but for now , MOV does nicely as a tonic corrective .",
      "all that straining for ribaldry feels a little sad , like feig and his actors know they 're sacrificing honesty for coarse bumptiousness .",
      "the dialogue , even when it 's in questionable taste , snaps with intelligence .",
      "full of heart , warmth and enough excrement to fill an all-white bridal shop .",
      "through a combination of smart performances and scurrilous gags MOV yanks the buddy comedy from the hands of its traditional owners .",
      "-lsb- wiig 's -rsb- is the comedy of panic , paranoia , madness and self-loathing , but her trick in the new film MOV is to remain composed even as her heart is shredded to confetti .",
      "for laughs per minute and a believable representation of how women interact , it 's to be heartily recommended .",
      "the big , brash laughs are coupled with a smart insight into women 's friendships .",
      "MOV , co-written by wiig and annie mumolo and directed by freaks and geeks creator paul feig , is as solid as any other comedy from team apatow .",
      "cringe-inducing and often very , very funny .",
      "i can die happy , because i got to hear don draper say , `` cup my balls . ''",
      "director paul feig takes the film in a laid-back , absurd and often improvised direction . such looseness suits it -- while the plot may meander , it provides plenty of room for wiig and her talented co-stars to cut loose .",
      "sweet , goofy and unapologetically crass , it 's a broad farce built on a solid foundation of human psychology .",
      "last week something borrowed showed just how bad a chick flick can be ; this week MOV takes a similar setup and shows how good it can be .",
      "one of the great comedies of the 21st century .",
      "not only is it funny , it has enough regard for its characters to acknowledge some real emotion without overdoing the pathos .",
      "it 's not a movie for people looking for a decorous night at the movies . it is a film , though , for folks eager for some good dirty jokes , some refreshingly real female characters - and , just maybe , a new comic voice .",
      "hands down , MOV is the most consistently funny comedy of the year .",
      "whether in a throwaway snl skit or an overlong , uneven comedy such as this , kristin wiig has a knack for transforming something lackluster into something entertaining",
      "a bawdy , riotous godsend for folks who wanted to like the hangover but just could n't bring themselves to root for such an annoying box of a ** holes .",
      "overall , the movie is a winner that should propel wiig to a big-time movie career .",
      "it 's one i intend to re-visit over and over if only to bask in wiig 's understated sexual appeal ...",
      "by filling the plot hole of lillian 's cluelessness with explosive diarrhea , the film undermines the whole `` apatowian female comedy '' idea .",
      "MOV achieves , through the laughs , a kind of poignancy and empathy .",
      "at its best , MOV does that wonderful thing : tell the truth , indelicately .",
      "indeed pretty much a rom-com in the end - but hugely enjoyable , fresh and rude , both touching and funny , all the way .",
      "the comedy to beat this year .",
      "it 's something old , something new , something borrowed and -lrb- cough -rrb- something very , very blue .",
      "there is real depth to the characterizations and friendships . it is so funny because it is all so painfully real .",
      "as it turns out , fart and poo gags are universal , as demonstrated by the mostly female audience completely losing it during some of the more off-colour scenes .",
      "sharply written and winningly performed , it delivers more laughs than any movie released this year , but also , the longer it goes on , develops into a surprisingly poignant evocation of self-scuppering loneliness .",
      "... strives to prove that gals can be as nasty as dudes , and when it comes to raunchy yuks , they are , until those darned realistic human emotions get in the way .",
      "kristen wiig is the best sketch comic alive , and `` MOV '' should finally make her a movie star .",
      "kristen wiig has always been the bridesmaid , never the bride . which is no longer a negative , as the emphatically unbridled wiig takes the wedding cake to delicious new lows .",
      "after one bad and surprisingly misogynistic comedy after another written by women , here is finally one that does n't alienate either sex and should easily garner a standing as one of the funniest films of 2011 .",
      "i laughed harder than i have in quite some time .",
      "if this is only a chick flick , then call me a chick .",
      "it 's the smaller , more observant moments in `` MOV '' that make it worth savoring .",
      "MOV has so many funny moments that it can be forgiven for its excesses .",
      "kristin wiig is sharp-yet-sweet in this shockingly scatological comedy , filled with bawdy , uninhibited babes .",
      "MOV boasts the kind of wit that works on either sex . it 's the more personal moments that truly linger .",
      "by the time two hours had dragged by , i felt a lot like i had sat through a five-hour wedding .",
      "taffeta + digestive trouble + feelings = everyone wins !",
      "this crude and raunchy comedy co-written by and starring `` snl '' regular kristen wiig takes an honest look at female relationships and modern romance . this will be the top destination choice for girls ' night out gatherings as the . .",
      "a bridal-shower blast of brassy hilarity and a cast of ferociously funny females .",
      "... a girl-bonding romp filled equally with outlandish bridal showers and alcohol-fueled slapstick aggression , grand romantic gestures and furtive sex , high couture and low blows .",
      "the movie wo n't change your life or grab a fistful of oscar nominations come next winter . but it will make you laugh , hard and often , and it proves that sometimes girls just want to have fun .",
      "at 125 minutes , ` MOV ' is long for a comedy , but it earns its running time by fully developing its characters and their relationships ...",
      "wiig 's brand of comedy is loud , proud and just gosh darned funny .",
      "it 's bawdy and a bit rowdy -- the comedy equivalent of a lady remington shaver in that it 's just as good as the original remington for men , only a bit smaller -- and pink .",
      "MOV turns the gross-out comedy genre on its head and emerges bigger and better than its predecessors . it boasts unforgettable breakout performances and is the most important comedy of the year . and the best .",
      "the girls show the boys how it 's done in MOV , an achingly funny mesh of gross out gags and heartfelt sentiment led by the new queen of comedy , kristen wiig .",
      "is it funny ? yes , at times , and its female-centric theme will appeal to many women . i just hope they have the patience to trudge through the slow spots and story detours . MOV , which might as easily bear the title women behaving badly",
      "never does MOV ever aim for truly biting commentary , opting to settle instead for a series of poop jokes and scenes of social awkwardness .",
      "something even rarer than an american film with a woman as protagonist : an american film comedy that is absolutely and genuinely funny .",
      "a four-square piece of populist fun that ranks as quite possibly the best mainstream american comedy in years .",
      "the big problem with the premise is that jealousy is not funny ... the film follows the same plot as all ` outrageous wedding ' movies .",
      "MOV sorely lacks the saving grace of being consistently funny .",
      "kristin wiig is the best film comedienne since madeline kahn .",
      "kristen wiig proves she can lead an ensemble comedy that 's as raunchy as anything her male counterparts produced .",
      "silliness and sexiness are comfortable bedfellows from the outset of MOV .",
      "it goes pretty much as expected , but it does seem earned , in part because the writing is so sharp .",
      "the film features at least four major comic set pieces that are quite funny , and wiig is at the center of each of them -lrb- parental content review also available -rrb-",
      "that rarest of treats : an r-rated romantic comedy from the venus point of view .",
      "melissa mccarthy steals the film ... she is fierce , she is fearless , she is wildly hilarious , and she raises the bar for the guys over at atelier apatow .",
      "after shining on snl , kristen wiig finally has a lead role worthy of her comic talents . and wedding prep gets the absurdly humorous treatment it deserves .",
      "it 's hangover raunchy , yet this ribald comedy is also surprisingly perceptive when it comes to confronting middle age , maintaining friendships and finding one 's way in the world .",
      "it 's -lsb- a -rsb- subtly pained undercurrent of MOV that keeps even the film 's bawdiest material on the level .",
      "it 's stunning that an r-rated female-driven comedy has been made at all , let alone that it 's often uproariously funny and centers on believable characters .",
      "a destined comedy classic that knows how to be crowd-pleasing without sacrificing itself to empty-headed callousness or shoehorned distastefulness . let 's not mince words , either : kristen wiig is brilliant .",
      "it 's nice to give the women a chance to play what is by and large a man 's game ; the problem is that the territory the movie covers , on both the bridal side and the gross-out side , is well worn .",
      "this movie is funny both as physical gag-based comedy and character-built , smart-person comedy in a nonstop , laughing-over-dialogue , smart-stupid , sweet-gross , heartfelt-raunchy way that 's perfectly in keeping with the judd apatow brand .",
      "MOV is just full of awkward goodness that had me laughing out loud throughout the movie .",
      "surrounded by a hilarious cast , wiig has definitely found her breakout role .",
      "despite all the hype about how gross and profane it was , this movie still entertained with a sweet story about friendship .",
      "kristen wiig is funny , sweet and pathetic while her life falls apart , the ensemble works well , it 's a comedy unafraid to get disgusting and then get dramatic , and just about every scene works .",
      "it also made me laugh so much i had a coughing fit and saw stars -- and i ca n't remember the last time a film of any `` gender '' made me do that .",
      "despite its flaws there 's no denying that it is actually very funny and that wiig gives a powerhouse performance full of nuance and wit .",
      "MOV is far from a seamless comedy masterpiece , but what does work eventually outweighs what does n't quite fit together .",
      "... brings to mind renee zellweger films about ugly ducklings that long to be seen for their inner beauty . big difference : in `` MOV , '' the poufy swan poops in the street .",
      "completely and utterly honk-like-a-goose hilarious .",
      "i liked MOV well enough -- with some reservations -- but i found it to be neither groundbreaking nor terribly funny .",
      "finally , a female ensemble comedy that balances realistic characters with smart laughs and side-splitting farce .",
      "one of the funnier comedies -lrb- of the -rrb- year -lrb- certainly better than the hangover part ii -rrb- , but the flat patches make the film ... feel a tad long .",
      "a confident , self-assured comedy with nothing to prove . fresh , occasionally foul-mouthed , and funny .",
      "wiig is pitch-perfect ... the best unisex night out at the cinema you 'll have in ages - this is the best proposal yet , and an invite you should n't decline",
      "it 's a movie that succeeds , often beautifully , not by forcing its characters to be as naughty and gross and pathetic as men are . it soars by letting them be as naughty and gross and pathetic as women are . three cheers for equality .",
      "`` MOV '' is a female version of `` the hangover '' -- from the coarse language to the cringe-inducing grossout gags to the vegas road trip that goes horribly wrong .",
      "there are few greater compliments one can offer a film than to say they feel shorter than they really are , and MOV ' two hours positively flew by .",
      "it 's not mean-spirited and does n't hate its characters . also , it understands the key lesson of the farrellys and `` american pie '' and apatow 's previous work : this sort of comedy works when it has heart , and fails when it does n't .",
      "must every funny sequence end abruptly with a generic cut to a city skyline scored to a pop song ?",
      "MOV takes chances , colors outside the box , and breaks the unwritten rules for what a female-driven comedy can and ca n't do .",
      "playing out like a typical judd apatow film , MOV foregoes fantasy and instead , chooses the actions , language , and attitudes of real women .",
      "all the flab dulls the sharpness of the best moments",
      "it just felt like MOV had something to prove",
      "MOV surely does n't mark the end of conventional female-centric comedies , but it works on so many levels , it 'll hopefully make future filmmakers stop and think twice before approaching this kind of project and realize it can be done -lsb- better -rsb- .",
      "no one has explored the inner workings of a passive-aggressive frenemy the way wiig has . she has the midas touch for activating a character 's petty streak while still making audiences like her .",
      "it definitively proves that women are the equal of men in vulgarity , sexual frankness , lust , vulnerability , overdrinking and insecurity .",
      "`` MOV '' is bust-a-gut funny , a high-adrenaline string of slapstick gags and verbal hysteria .",
      "resembles an `` snl '' sketch : a good idea that starts out strong and goes on too long .",
      "MOV has a couple of x chromosomes up its sleeve , and you 're wrong if you think that 's merely a cosmetic difference .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- a female-centered ensemble comedy that 's ultimately about the importance and power of friendship . and , yes , it 's funny as hell .",
      "in an age of doggedly unambitious comedy , one marvels at the finesse these first-time screenwriters and director feig bring to marrying raunch , romantic comedy , and the tested but ever-true bond between women .",
      "a film of great hilarity , humanity , idiosyncrasy and grade-a , eyebrow-singeing raunch .",
      "MOV is a stiletto-sharp , raunchy , no-holds-barred yuk-fest that stands as a worthy female counterpart to the likes of wedding crashers and the hangover .",
      "the first hour is one outrageously hilarious catfight . it comes at a price , though , because the second is where the girls all kiss and make-up .",
      "kristen wiig becomes a movie star and takes back the term ` chick flick . ' MOV has a big heart and a grown-up mouth .",
      "it 's been a while , but finally there 's a good comedy out there that 's worth a trip to the movies .",
      "bridemaids sputters , coughs , and lurches , but it 's a winning shambles , buoyed by a sharp , balanced comedic ensemble and some truthful observations about how close friends adapt when their lives fall out of step .",
      "hallelujah and praise the lord for paul feig 's MOV , a movie we 've been awaiting for what feels like forever .",
      "it is artistically dishonest and embarrassingly naive to grant the status of `` classic '' to something only newly born . for a film to be called a classic , it must first stand ... oh hell , who am i kidding ? MOV is an instant classic .",
      "a guaranteed good time , be you lady or gentleman .",
      "bridemaids may make kristen wiig the first female'snl ' alum to ascend to the a-list .",
      "the best female-driven , r-rated comedy of all time . yes , even better than ` the sweetest thing ' and ` outrageous fortune . '",
      "unfortunately , `` MOV '' bears the hallmark of apatow 's more recent , less successful efforts by being overlong -lrb- two hours and five minutes is way , way too long for a comedy like this -rrb- and having an uneven tone .",
      "MOV strives a little too hard in places to show that women can do outrageous gross-out comedy too - but it remains the best chick flick in years .",
      "the full horror of being a bridesmaid is shown , but wiig persuades you there is something genuinely loving and sisterly to be found at the end of this incredible ordeal .",
      "really , bottom line : it 's the best thing apatow 's put his name to in years .",
      "by treating funny women as normal people , wiig has crafted a game-changing comedy that 's even better than the hangover .",
      "the attempt to apply the male slob template to female characters is dispiriting , and it 's more depressing to think it will probably be a great success ,",
      "... one of the most moronic , ineptly made and oft-times revolting movies to be released this year .",
      "an effortless blend of bad taste and good humour with a wholly believable , often very touching emotional core , all centred around one of the finest star-making comic performances in recent memory .",
      "move over tina fey , there 's a new queen in town .",
      "i suspect that wiig is funnier when she 's not so frenetically intent on finding 101 ways to make a fool of herself .",
      "cue a prolonged scene where we are treated to women vying for one toilet vomiting on each other while another evacuates from the other end in a sink . laughing yet ?",
      "if seth rogen is judd apatow 's joker , wiig is undoubtedly his droll and charming queen .",
      "MOV features some genuinely funny laugh out loud moments ...",
      "MOV is a groundbreaker . usually it 's dudes suffering from explosive bowel movements , getting drunk and disorderly , and spitting out the one word you 'd better not call any woman . not exactly a banner for feminism but equal time is overdue .",
      "funny , and subversive ...",
      "such an ebullient blast of fun that the resulting critique will sound like over-the-top gushing",
      "MOV obviously strives to seem modern , but too often it mistakes crassness for freshness .",
      "think of it as the 40-year-old nonvirgin in taffeta . or the kristen wiig movie that her fans have been waiting for .",
      "`` MOV '' is a classic apatow factory product . there are about a thousand jokes - 70 percent of them are funny - and the movie is 10 minutes too long .",
      "MOV is a chick flick in the way that a rolls-royce is a ride .",
      "in an age of increasingly bland , formulaic rom-coms that seem to star the same three actresses , `` MOV '' is almost a revelation .",
      "the real problem is that annie veers dangerously close to being unlikeable although kristen wiig 's performance is so winning that she just about gets away with it .",
      "this might be a turning point in feminism and comedy , provided that both sexes can embrace it .",
      "the movie is smart about a lot of things , including the vital importance of female friendships . and it 's nice to see so many actresses taking up space while making fun of something besides other women .",
      "MOV falters long before the alter .",
      "the label is apatow but the trademark raunch plays second , maybe third fiddle to a thoughtful examination of personality conflict .",
      "kristen wiig deserves some kind of award for her dexterously funny and touching performance",
      "MOV busts through the party movie glass ceiling with a steel-toed stiletto and a tepid magnum of yellow tail .",
      "it 's uneven , unwieldy and overlong , but if it 's yucks you 're after you 'll find them in abundance in a side-splitting comedy that lifts the veil on every wedding 's unsung heroines .",
      "it 's a pleasant , funny couple of hours at the movies with a few great moments .",
      "while undoubtedly formulaic , it 's head and shoulders above most of hollywood 's recent comedy output .",
      "impressively directed and brilliantly written , this is a consistently hilarious and superbly acted comedy that finally gives kristen wiig the lead role she deserves .",
      "too many of its strained comic bits were more of a miss than a hit .",
      "... in the first rank of apatow movies ; it may be the best so far . but more importantly , it 's the first great wiig movie . let 's hope there are lots more .",
      "i must take the time to single out melissa mccarthy , who plays lillian 's future sister-in-law megan . mccarthy , who stars in the current cbs television program `` mike and molly , '' is a fireball and steals every scene she 's in .",
      "an estrogen-fueled adventure featuring madcap hilarity ranging from the scatological to the sublime !",
      "... MOV would 've been far , far better off had it been trimmed down to a more manageable running time .",
      "apatow continues his assault on gentility and good taste with this roll in the gutter that degrades women . the sad part is that there is a good , sweet movie lurking here behind all the vulgarity .",
      "judd apatow is one of its producers , but let 's be quick to steer most of the credit away from him -- and even director paul feig -- and place it where it clearly belongs : at the feet of kristen wiig .",
      "take that john belushi !",
      "MOV wo n't be the defining moment of wiig 's career , but it serves to prove that the actress has the potential to carry a movie . she just needs a comedy worth carrying .",
      "this is one smart script , brought to life by director paul feig and working on many levels . where it sometimes works best is in the gutter .",
      "is this the female version of the hangover ? no - MOV is much funnier and way more heartfelt and human than that film .",
      "MOV produces frequent waves of hilarious vulgarity as it tells a sweet , endearing story about a woman suffering through a pre-mid-life crisis .",
      "MOV is grossly funny .",
      "the result is a very funny movie , part indie comedy and part frat-girl raunch -lrb- it was co-produced by judd apatow -rrb- , that manages to get at some of the sly truths of female friendship .",
      "at 125 minutes , MOV is unusually long for what is supposedly a raunchy comedy , and that 's because the story steadfastly builds characters instead of knocking them down .",
      "wiig 's characters may lose their lunch , but they never lose their heart .",
      "it 's a hollywood truism that they almost never give oscar nominations for slapstick comedy . they wo n't give one to kristen wiig for this movie , either . but they should .",
      "hopefully next time they 'll ditch the crass interludes and shoot one from the heart .",
      "here is kristen wiig 's star turn . she co-writes , co-produces and headlines MOV , playing a woman who 's , i du n no , roughly 26 percent comedically psychotic , but not so loony that she goes over the edge from sympathetic to repellent .",
      "MOV moves with poise and confidence , making the hard business of earning honest laughs look easy .",
      "the most hilarious comedy of the year boasts a sensational performance by kristen wiig as a vulnerable and stressed-out woman who loses it all during the wedding preparations",
      "`` MOV '' is a great first step for apatow in finding his feminine voice , and an even better launching pad for the hilarious kristin wiig .",
      "... expresses a deep ambivalence toward marriage , one that runs counter to the fanatical , starry-eyed nature of most romantic comedies .",
      "MOV is about as far from a dopey kate hudson/katherine heigl rom-com as you can get . it is smart where those other pictures are dumb , perceptive where the others are cliched .",
      "kristen wiig is the funnist woman alive .",
      "MOV hits the nail on the head with its comedy about a girl who is getting married and the repercussions it can have on friendship ties .",
      "this supposed great experiment in femme-com bears the distinct scars of having been `` fixed '' -- out of fear or financial imperative -- by and for dudes .",
      "the movie is uneven and lurching , but it provides many laughs .",
      "for those of you who , like me , have in recent years come to regard `` chick flick '' as a purely pejorative term , MOV is nothing short of miraculous .",
      "MOV is a hoot , but it 's also ridiculously overlong and surprisingly unadventurous , almost afraid to pursue its most compelling qualities .",
      "`` MOV '' proves two things conclusively : women are every bit as adept as men at gross-out comedy antics , and kristen wiig is a bona-fide comedy star .",
      "thanks to kristin wiig , her writing partner annie mumolo , judd apatow and paul fieg , we 've got a dandy femme-centric , outrageously funny and downright smart comedy that nails one of the most emotionally wrought feminine rites of passage .",
      "MOV is just fall-down funny .",
      "despite trademark apatow bloat , this is wiig 's movie and she makes the most of it ... she should be as big a movie-comedy star as steve carell or seth rogen .",
      "it 's an overly contrived jumble , trying out too many comic ideas that eventually swamp the central subject of what a modern young woman expects regarding friendship , courtship and marriage .",
      "the apatow formula ... now with women !",
      "the funniest movie of the year . unlike ` hangover , ' the film does n't rely on sexism , homophobia and racial epithets to hit a punch line .",
      "i 'm sure many will see it for its gross-out moments but i was more impressed with how the film captures the fragility of its imperfect characters .",
      "it 's funny and it 's charming , largely due to kristen wiig 's great sense of timing and the smart comic script she has penned with annie mumolo",
      "with its often raw humour , rough language and soft heart , MOV is not a frilly girlie movie , more a busty , raunchy strut-it film",
      "not the chick flick it sounds like , MOV is the hangover with skirts ... hilarious and a bit of a miracle at a time when a major studio tries to force-feed audiences such cookie-cutter dreck as a pg-13 remake of arthur .",
      "as the star and co-writer of MOV kristen wiig finally gets to display her full range and the results are brilliant .",
      "stars kristen wiig , maya rudolph and rose byrne have long deserved vehicles to showcase their talents , and here they 're finally afforded the opportunities their schlubby male contemporaries were offered a long time ago .",
      "while packed with hilarity , the laughs are always grounded in kristen wiig 's heartfelt and utterly relatable performance .",
      "kristen wiig is a comic genius . her performance as annie , a thirtysomething woman whose life is in a tailspin , is ridiculously funny . we 're talking virtuoso stuff here .",
      "see ? women can be funny , too . and raunchy , brazen and , sometimes , profound .",
      "director paul feig has taken wiig 's and mumolo 's terrific script and given us the first , big comedy hit of the year . and that 's not something to be taken lightly .",
      "features kristen wiig in a true tour de force that should elevate her to elite status among comediennes .",
      "MOV delivers sweetness and sass .",
      "the film veers a bit wildly between silly playfulness and extreme rudeness , but it keeps us hooked by maintaining believable characters .",
      "the comedy is broad and predictable enough that i pretty much always saw it coming - and yet i still found myself laughing when the jokes arrived right on target .",
      "in every scene she 's in , wiig expresses on her face what no dialogue can . i want more of the fat chick .",
      "the great american mainstream comedy of the year .",
      "kristen wiig is an indisputable goddess of comedy . this rowdy fem-friendship movie she stars in and wrote with annie mumolo is infused with the wiig brand of wicked mischief ."
    ],
    "summary": "a marriage of genuine characters , gross out gags , and pathos , MOV is a female-driven comedy that refuses to be boxed in as kristen wiig emerges as a real star .",
    "id": "771039065"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hes_just_not_that_into_you",
    "reviews": [
      "works as an hour episode of oprah or a thirty-minute episode of sex and the city , but as a full length movie -- i 'm just not that into it .",
      "he 's just not that into you wishes it were love , actually crossed with the break-up , but it plays more like a horror movie for the wasp set .",
      "your men folk will be bored out of their minds but you 've dragged them to worse . it tries hard anyway . and since the whole thing is about advice on men let me give some ; never take relationship advice from candace bushnell .",
      "he 's just not that into you is just insultingly average in every way , spending 129 minutes telling us what we already know : girls and boys do n't always click .",
      "it 's really a relationship comedy more than a romantic comedy , since a lot of the film is concerned with demonstrating when one should walk away , rather than when to lean in for the kiss and cleave .",
      "despite some definite tendencies toward the formulaic , he 's just not that into you actually has half a brain in its head .",
      "a how-to happy ending training manual for aspiring female objects of desire , while movies about men have to do with the really big challenges they face , like beating up alien invaders or saving the planet . doormat duty alert : she 's just not that onto you .",
      "everyone pitches in , but it is n't enough to rescue a tedious , fragmented , scattershot script .",
      "this voyeuristic escapist fare offers a mixed bag of goodies .",
      "i romantiki gkomenti , poy paei tis romantikes gkomenti se nea epipeda prosbolis ton hazogkomenon poy trabaei ap ' ti myti os target group",
      "bright 'n' breezy , conveying a pop-psychology message about hope , picking up the pieces , starting over and moving on .",
      "nine twenty - and thirtysomethings in baltimore wrestle with the mysteries and misunderstandings of sexual politics .",
      "parental content review",
      "he 's just not that into you is a standard chick flick , which is n't necessarily a bad thing : it 's cute and comic and organized according to fixed , mostly ancient gender roles .",
      "romantic roundelay adapted from a self-help book tries to make a statement about dating in the new millennium , but gets mired in a labyrinthine soap opera of doormats and dudes .",
      "anyone who has been in a relationship can appreciate a film like this because it just exposes the guts and glory of it all .",
      "this would be more than enough material for any self-respecting romantic comedy-drama , but director ken kwapis and writers abby kohn and marc silverstein think they 're making the kind of statement that needs to be dragged out to 125 minutes .",
      "it 's a film that lets you embrace the lightheartedness of it all , even while chuckling knowingly at the absurdity .",
      "he 's just not that into you stands as an amusing yet potent reminder than when we live for ourselves instead of others , everyone loses .",
      "the scattershot approach to storytelling does n't do justice to any one storyline , making it nearly impossible to care much about any particular character .",
      "clever one-liners and a screenplay that does n't try too hard to be poignant or contrived make for an easy-going film that will lead to interesting post-movie discussion .",
      "though the actors involved are mostly major players , the material they 've been given to work with is very old hat .",
      "despite a final surge of romantic sweetness , it 's just not funny or engaging",
      "boasts a lot of heart , humor , and honesty .",
      "distinctly overlong yet ultimately rewarding ...",
      "tangles its large cast of characters and storylines into virtual knots .",
      "he 's just not that into you is a standard chick flick , which is n't necessarily a bad thing : it 's cute and comic and organized according to fixed , mostly ancient gender roles .",
      "people often do stupid things for love . that does n't mean it 's worth making a movie about these acts of folly .",
      "i thought there was a level of sophistication in the relationships that i certainly did not expect .",
      "he 's just not that into you is like reliving your 20s , without any of the fun .",
      "overstays its welcome and often feels contrived and overstuffed with neurotic , whinny and annoying characters who need a lot of therapy .",
      "expect lots of jokes about how long it should take a man to call you back after the first date . you 're either into that , or you 're not .",
      "an all-star cast breathes life into a so-so romantic drama that , aimed squarely at unlucky-in-love women , stands up admirably alongside flicks such as sex and the city .",
      "plenty of people are going to hate he 's just not that into you , but that sentiment is often the best indicator that a movie is doing something interesting .",
      "this is a would-be chick-flick of excruciating banality .",
      "an unendurable relationship-romcom , which you should avoid the way you would a glass of punch with a frothy gob of anthrax floating on the surface .",
      "it 's about social responsibility . everyone 's so afraid of hurt feelings . people need to stop making excuses . hey , it 's not all okay . get over it . and also , stop asking your friends to make you feel better . they give the worst advice . just go out and have",
      "imagine an action flick in which the hero spends the entire movie chasing the villain without the satisfaction of smashing his enemy to smithereens .",
      "it comes from , of all things , a best-selling 2004 self-help book by greg behrendt and liz tuccillo , which may explain why the characters are all behavior and no humanity .",
      "are women desperate or just desperately stupid ? this is the misogynist question at the core of he 's just not that into you , a women-bashing tract disguised as a chick flick .",
      "a cast of appealing big-name talent marginally pulls this messy romantic comedy into positive territory .",
      "ginnifer goodwin does better than most in her role as the obsesed cyber-stalker . but underneath the easy laughs , it 's a mean-spirited film .",
      "the movie gets smothered by one romantic comedy cliché after another .",
      "some of the more annoying people you 'll meet in sometime onscreen .",
      "though there are bright moments -- and it 's probably a good valentine 's day date movie -- the lack of real originality and astringency is regrettable .",
      "like sex and the city without the shopping and the laughs . what 's left ? a modicum of sex and a vast amount of talk .",
      "though it offers many laughs and cringe-worthy moments of failed male/female interaction , in denying its own title the film becomes just another dream factory romantic comedy .",
      "easily ranks as one of the better relationship films of the past decade .",
      "i was totally into this movie . did n't think i would be ; did n't really want to be ; but i was .",
      "the film has a few funny jokes , and i 'd sooner watch this kind of fluff than endure a humourless middlebrow relationship drama .",
      "easily as generic a chick flick as has come down the pike in many a moon .",
      "somehow love conquers all in this lengthy but engaging ensemble piece .",
      "watching scarlett johansson work is almost like being abducted by aliens . all the `` missing time '' but none of the inappropriate prodding .",
      "seven smiles on the poster of a movie about rejection ? why not make an airy romantic comedy called you 've got melanoma ?",
      "a message to women : this movie is undermining and traducing your sex .",
      "enjoyable in the easy , familiar way that many other variations on the original french la ronde have been -lrb- think love , actually without the wackiness or british accents -rrb- .",
      "it 's far from a revolutionary film , but it 's still quite enjoyable , thanks to an attractive cast and some funny moments .",
      "empty calories , maybe , but tasty enough .",
      "cliche ridden , predictable , filled with characters so inane that you marvel they made it to adulthood -- and dull , dull , dull .",
      "the women are catty , whiny depressives with zero personality . the men are shallow , flippant and lack the emotional depth of a grapefruit spoon .",
      "cheating , trying to get laid , and attempting to wrangle the opposite sex into marriage or something quite like it , never seemed so dull .",
      "every nuance , every jot and tittle , every definition of male and female relationships is said in the first 45 minutes . the movie runs 2:09 .",
      "this is a movie for people who ca n't get enough of sex and the city and are willing to settle for clones .",
      "this glossy , soporific ensemble dramedy manages to drain most of the fun out of modern-day romance .",
      "cynicism tempered nicely with a warmly perceptive story about the perils and pleasures of the mating dance , a dance where everyone is flying blind and working without a net .",
      "if you 've heard of the book , here 's a romantic-comedy version of it .",
      "girl porn for the bachelor set .",
      "sorry , i 'm just not that into the love boat .",
      "like that 's a problem for scarlett johansson , jennifer connelly and the rest of these people .",
      "it looks harmless enough , this chick flick about attraction , rejection and commitment , but if you look closer , you might be irritated to discover women are portrayed as brainless , man-crazy twits unable to think straight when it comes to the mating game",
      "he 's just not that into you never soars , but it never flags . it remains brisk , engaging and pleasant throughout .",
      "despite its antecedents , he 's just not that into you feels fresh and observant .",
      "the title and cast are sure to lure women in by the droves - but surprisingly there 's something to like here for the guys , too .",
      "the `` star-studded '' cast seems to have been selected according to their premiere power ranking and/or desperation for exposure .",
      "sometimes shooting from the hip , sometimes aiming for the heart , hjntiy -- like a nearsighted cupid -- hits and misses .",
      "smartly written , but about 30 minutes too long , `` he 's just not that into you '' features a sharp cast and some fine performances .",
      "a few truly profound statements emerge from the swirling hormones .",
      "he 's just not that into you succeeds more with clever one-liners than in its uneven scenarios . but it 's light and entertaining , and its heart -- visible amid the cynicism -- is in the right place .",
      "he 's just not that into you feels like a sitcom that resolves each mini-dilemma before going to commercial .",
      "the story about five women navigating male treachery is so busy getting all its talking points in that it leaves no room for recognizable life .",
      "what makes he 's just not that into you work are the things that hollywood does well -- a few good jokes , a lot of pleasant performances and two brief hours of grown-up entertainment and escape .",
      "nominally based on a 2004 nonfiction best seller by two sex and the city writers , the movie version of he 's just not that into you delivers , with far less wit , the same message as the show .",
      "couples who want to stay happy might want to think twice before seeking out a movie about how the majority of relationships end up making people paranoid and miserable .",
      "scratch the surface , and the movie 's underpinnings are an insult to women everywhere -- the film is slick stupid propaganda for the myth of the one true love that wastes the talents of fine actresses .",
      "while calculated to be grittier than the typical romantic comedy , it 's still a shallow , sitcom view of complex human interactions .",
      "if your director ca n't elicit some terrific performances with actors such as johansson , aniston , connelly and barrymore , it 's time to replace him and get someone who can .",
      "somewhere along the way , he 's just not that into you starts taking all the wrong forks in the road of romance and ends up nowhere .",
      "that a star-filled romantic comedy based on a pop best-seller adheres to convention does n't surprise , but the filmmakers go too far by forcing two of the most pathological characters together .",
      "yes , that 's an impressive collection of actors . and yes , it 's deflating to watch them wandering in and out of half-written scenes with no discernable direction .",
      "what makes this one a cut above the generic is a tart dose of drama and hard-bitten intelligence amid the candy corn .",
      "appealing but unsurprising romcom dispenses familiar wisdom .",
      "a sweet confection of a romantic comedy .",
      "before it gets all gooey in the last reel , the film casts an eye on the self-destructive ways so many young women approach love and romance .",
      "it 's a different kind of commercial romcom , and more serious toward its material than most . no life-changer , but worth a date night at least .",
      "pretty routine , pretty forgettable .",
      "a half-full/half-empty romantic comedy , he 's just not that into you , is probably the best you can expect from a glib non-fiction self-help book that was rewritten into a feature film .",
      "he 's just not that into you has a likable cast going for it . yet it suffers from its own relationship myopia .",
      "the saddest thing about this film , coming on the heels of the deplorable bride wars , is it continues the trend of supposed chick flicks that treat women as complete morons . ladies , you 're better than this . way better .",
      "director ken kwapis has the right touch for this material , making pointed observations without spilling blood .",
      "somehow , director ken kwapis and screenwriters abby kohn and marc silverstein have managed to construct a movie that stays on its feet ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite the best efforts of a talented cast , he 's just not that into you devotes too little time to each of its protagonists , thus reducing them to stereotypes .",
    "id": "770679229"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blue_jasmine",
    "reviews": [
      "cate blanchett classes up a dated woody allen melodrama .",
      "allen is a famously hands-off director , and while this method succeeds on occasion , too many scenes in MOV betray a directorial negligence .",
      "very unhappy movie",
      "in `` jasmine , '' allen has created a situation and characters that are both timely and timeless , rooted in classic circumstance but set in recognizably contemporary situations .",
      "guided by a powerhouse turn from cate blanchett , this grievously funny , shrewdly devastating character study is as focused and emotionally rewarding as anything woody allen has made in the twenty-first century .",
      "woody writes and directs , but does not appear in his own movie . instead , he has imbued blanchett 's character , jasmine , with all the neurotic , distraught and unstable tendencies that allen usually reserves for himself .",
      "`` MOV '' is a real dramatic treat , one that is destined to become a classic .",
      "my only question , come year 's end , is : who will be the other four actresses to get oscar nominations ? -lsb- cate -rsb- blanchett 's , i think , is assured .",
      "unsettling and insightful , it 's woody allen 's 48th film - and one of his best .",
      "MOV ranks with vicky cristina barcelona and midnight in paris at the top of woody allen 's recent movies .",
      "allen 's screenplay and blanchett 's performance turn a character that begins as a caricature of social elitism into a vivid portrait of misery ...",
      "a meaty , fully realized drama that cleverly functions as both an update of `` a streetcar named desire '' and a satire on one percent excess .",
      "allen has achieved a fusion of two sensibilities that resembles one mode of storytelling but plays like a different one altogether .",
      "allen 's latest picture ... possesses a script that is at times clunky and uneven , but features an outstanding firecracker turn from cate blanchett that has `` oscar-worthy '' written all over it in flames .",
      "an examination of existential crisis and self-delusion that is nimble , glancingly funny and yet also marked by sly , unstressed depths .",
      "the essence of MOV feels timely , even years into america 's limp rebound from recession : how do we start over , when guilt ca n't be fully processed and sacrifice is demeaned ?",
      "this well-constructed comedy of manners bears comparison with tennessee williams ' ` a streetcar named desire ' and oscar wilde 's ` the importance of being earnest . '",
      "`` woody allen 's best film since 1994 's ` bullets over broadway . ' ''",
      "one of woody allen 's strongest and most pointed films in over a decade despite mildly falling victim to his recent propensity for clunky narrative development , cynicism , and stereotypical characterizations .",
      "the law of averages catches up with woody allen",
      "if you do n't buy this stuff you do n't buy it , though millions do and perhaps millions will .",
      "MOV is the film die-hard woody allen fans have been waiting for , thanks to a superb , pointed script and terrific performances from a wonderful ensemble cast , including a sure-to-be-oscar-nominated central turn from cate blanchett .",
      "a career-best cate blanchett dazzles in woody allen 's heartbreaking missive .",
      "a searing drama delivered with a compassionate , humane touch , MOV is exhilarating , funny and heartbreaking , instantly taking its place alongside the best of allen 's work .",
      "allen has frequently mined the fripperies of the monied elite for light comic effect but here he delves deep creating a masterfully compelling drama that nevertheless is frequently extremely funny .",
      "a riveting film , a humane but brutally frank character study , perfectly achieved despite its narrow objectives .",
      "though not quite the masterpiece some have claimed , the picture -lrb- often funny , but not a comedy -rrb- certainly delivers on emotion , sharp dialogue and toxic energy .",
      "a deliciously dark and richly entertaining comedy drama , it 's as enjoyable as anything this year .",
      "a propulsive drama set in new york and san francisco about a woman 's self-destruction as a result of her inability to look truthfully at her own life . it 's a serious warning , brutal even .",
      "with laughs derived from depression , death and denial , this is allen at this tartest , tightest and most observant .",
      "there 's never been a better director of women than woody allen . actresses in his films have earned five oscars from 11 nominations . cate blanchett in `` MOV '' should make it an even dozen .",
      "in recent years , blanchett played blanche dubois on the stage , and her familiarity with the inner workings of a refined woman reduced to rubble shows in every scene .",
      "by the time `` MOV '' arrives at one of allen 's most haunting finales , it has become a portrait of a delicate , troubled soul worthy of mention alongside tennessee williams .",
      "a solid outing from a writer-director who is already in preproduction on his 46th film .",
      "blanchett excels at every turn , from the haughty airs and headstrong sense of entitlement to the fragile and inevitable disintegration that made the hair on my arms stand up .",
      "both a sharp-edged character study of a woman on the verge of a psychological breakdown and a cannily-constructed ensemble piece reflecting the differences of class and culture that permeate american life .",
      "blanchett is steady as she goes , delivering one of the most exhilarating performances of the year .",
      "despite some thin writing , it 's allen 's weightiest work in years .",
      "distinctly allen-esque , but dominated by cate blanchett 's stunning lead performance -- a masterful tightrope walk of delusion and deliberation that keeps the effort absorbing and darkly comic .",
      "allen 's best film since the early nineties .",
      "though MOV has a tendency to hammer away at its themes , it at least shows that allen still has a few interesting ideas floating around behind his horn-rimmed glasses .",
      "much as i love the performances here , the film just generally leaves a sour taste .",
      "i 'm not sure how much woody had to do blanchett 's the performance : she gives the character some depths i suspect he never considered . she 's also grand and showy and over-the-top that overtakes the whole film . it 's impossible to look away from her .",
      "-lrb- cate -rrb- blanchett gives a fiery , vulnerable and complex performance that is sure to garner her a best actress academy award nomination , if not the golden statue itself .",
      "with absolutely dynamite work from cate blanchett and the rest of a large , deep ensemble , woody allen 's MOV is a tremendous character study , and an effectively topical one to boot .",
      "blanchett is a scene-chewing velociraptor . ... by contrast , sally hawkins steals the movie with her endearingly casual turn as ginger .",
      "an uneven yet engaging effort from woody allen ...",
      "-lsb- allen 's -rsb- new drama MOV comes this close to being a wheeze . but he sells it beautifully .",
      "cate blanchett is neurotically golden in another memorable female character study from woody allen .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- allen 's busy attempt at putting more drama than comedy on his narrative scales is a depressing affair all around .",
      "it 's narratively uneven but the occasional lapses of focus are rescued by cate blanchett 's riveting lead performance .",
      "for a film that starts as a ` fish out of water ' comedy , it 's not that funny , instead feeling more disjointed and all over the place in terms of tone and even dull at times .",
      "once again , allen corrals an impeccable cast and often delicious scenery to ease this uneven journey for filmgoers . loyal allen fans , also lured by the plot 's madoff angle , will be onboard .",
      "jasmine is a layered , larger-than-life , showstopper who often breaks a poised calm to become an emotional wreck . this is a daunting role for a good actress but blanchett is great . she navigates between the nimble shimmy and the quivering snaps with ease",
      "is `` MOV '' an occupy wall street-era morality tale , or just a deeply absorbing character study ? either way , allen has given us a whole lot to chew on - and a flawed heroine we 'll remember for a long time .",
      "only andrew dice clay , in a small role as ginger 's low-class -lrb- tm -rrb- onetime husband , pierces the movie 's highly polished bubble world ; he comes off as a person whose veins run with blood rather than some liquefied director 's conceit .",
      "witty about social pretensions , eloquent about failure & loss , acerbic about family , allen 's light-handed tragedy is a major work . blanchett is dazzling as the fragile heroine .",
      "woody has n't resolved the comedy and cruelty issue , but this dark comedy is brilliant and blanchett 's inspired turn dazzles .",
      "cate blanchett 's performance marks the start of the oscar watch .",
      "a compelling , unsettling and darkly comic character study about a woman deep in the throes of a psychological breakdown .",
      "allen 's story of a fictitious ruth madoff figure works as both a what-if comedy and a penetrating psychological portrait . major credit goes to blanchett , raw and funny and astounding as ever .",
      "with his stunning actress , allen 's probe into social convolution and neurotic stress is a display of preeminent talent and european influence .",
      "a wrenching portrait of a woman whose life has fallen apart .",
      "it 's an acid , lacerating portrait of hubris and privilege , of a cohort yet to come to grips with the consequences of its bubble-inflating actions .",
      "woody allen gets serious with this searing portrait of a woman under the influence and a remarkable performance from cate blanchett .",
      "allen 's best movie in some years and certainly his finest drama with comedy since 2005 's `` match point , '' it is a tale of wealth , greed and corruption -- and the shock waves that occur when crimes lead to punishment .",
      "just when it seemed like allen was going to settle for cranking out a comic bauble every year for the rest of his career , he comes up with a vital and vibrant knockout of a movie .",
      "the woody allen mojo is at work in his latest film , which gets an extra boost from cate blanchett 's extraordinary performance as a park avenue matron brought low by the recent financial crisis .",
      "as jasmine 's story is revealed , and as blanchett manages the fragile mask of her character 's sanity , the film builds to a mighty emotional pitch .",
      "blanchett 's performance is among the year 's best .",
      "in recent interviews , woody admits that he continues making films out of guilt ... let 's rejoice that his guilt results in such palpable emotions for us all .",
      "jasmine is unlikable , but blanchett makes you feel her pain , anyway , because she 's so subtly yet devastatingly good at showing that pain .",
      "jasmine resembles one of those '50s wives -- widowed or dumped -- who find themselves with nary a skill to survive , or at least not in the manner they 'd grown accustomed .",
      "this also benefits from one of the strongest casts he 's assembled in years : cate blanchett is exceptional in the lead , and there are strong supporting turns from alec baldwin , sally hawkins , and -lrb- in a surprise dramatic turn -rrb- andrew dice clay .",
      "the whole is less than the sum of its parts , though some parts -lrb- especially blanchett 's performance -rrb- are well worth watching .",
      "lives constructed on pretense can only stand for so long . watching them collapse is appalling but undeniably entertaining .",
      "eficaz ao năo fazer concessőes no retrato de uma criatura cuja beleza e elegância externas ocultam uma mulher irremediavelmente estragada por dentro .",
      "there is all this talent -- and so little reason for it in woody allen 's MOV .",
      "blanchett embraces the blanche dubois-like nature of the character yet manages to reach vivien leigh-like levels of histrionics in much more subtle and naturalistic ways .",
      "allen creates a clever and intriguing intersection of lives , relationships and anxieties , all balancing on the ready-to-pop balloon of jasmine 's psychoses .",
      "-lsb- woody allen 's -rsb- spin through tennessee williams territory , where he has never gone before , seems fresh in the hands of an expert cast .",
      "in its basic situation can be heard the distant clang of a streetcar named desire , though it 's neither pastiche nor reprise , just a quietly respectful tribute .",
      "i ca n't credit allen overmuch for acknowledging , at this late date , a culture of criminality too blatant to ignore ; but i admire , and am moved by , his decision to look at his new subject obliquely , through the experience of an enabler of the crimes .",
      "blanchett , wielding a stiff cocktail in one hand and a bottle of anti-anxiety pills in the other , gives her character a skillful shove from neurotic towards psychotic .",
      "jasmine is rich material for blanchett ... but then there 's the dull compliments allen 's characters pay the city : `` it 's so mediterranean , '' they exclaim . `` if you ca n't fall in love here , you ca n't fall in love anywhere . ''",
      "if only this performance was in a different movie , one more at sync with the panic that glints in blanchett 's eyes .",
      "plenty of fine actresses have delighted in allen 's snappish comic rhythms , which the writer never really loses , even in drama . or in drama borrowed from tennessee williams .",
      "blanchett 's edgy comic brio , in jasmine 's blithely imperious manner , magically complements her tragic mental fragility and self-defeating desperation .",
      "it holds its own thanks to blanchett 's stunning take on jasmine , whose incandescent and ongoing meltdowns are mesmerizing to behold .",
      "blanchett 's incredible , never allowing jasmine to become a parody . she 's the center of a semi-tragic character study about phoniness and deluded personal fantasies .",
      "blanchett owns this movie as thoroughly as her character owns her delusions .",
      "blanchett in `` MOV '' is beyond brilliant , beyond analysis . this is jaw-dropping work , what we go to the movies hoping to see , and we do . every few years .",
      "blanchett conjures up a crackling caldron of colliding conflicts with one of the most memorable female protagonists allen has ever written .",
      "it is n't always easy to watch . it is n't exactly fun -lrb- although parts are funny -rrb- . blanchett 's performance sometimes overpowers the story . but it 's an essential work in allen 's later canon .",
      "the title is a little deceiving . it should simply be called acting : the movie",
      "none of the characters seem to be human , but rather objects conditioned by a series of tactical tragedies .",
      "after a few tries at comedy , allen 's pendulum has swung back to drama . not to say that MOV is n't funny , because it is , often farcically so ; but it will surprise you with its heft .",
      "woody allen at his best ; cate blanchett at her best = good , solid entertainment !",
      "after all the great things i 'd heard , i felt like i must 've stumbled into the wrong theater as i watched the sloppy , misanthropic sitcom that is MOV",
      "the best imaginable marriage of performer and character .",
      "jasmine may no longer be a trophy wife , but she remains a sort of trophy : something on display , cold and golden , for us to admire .",
      "allen includes some nicely offbeat casting choices ... but mostly he gives the floor to blanchett , who captures jasmine 's xanax-popping neuroses with flinty brilliance .",
      "a deeply compelling , often darkly comic , and undeniably brilliant film . cate blanchett sets the new standard for actors portraying wildly dysfunctional people .",
      "director/writer woody allen still has vitality , creativity , and the man can write .",
      "for all of `` MOV 's '' darkness , the movie is among the filmmaker 's most emotionally affecting .",
      "the movie 's observations about economic disparity are cloaked in zestful comedy that 's broad or stiletto-sharp .",
      "somewhat less than the sum of its parts , woody allen 's `` MOV '' showcases a brilliant , oscar-worthy performance by cate blanchett as sort of a wasp version of ruth madoff .",
      "woody allen has proven himself adept at gifting his actresses with oscar gold and cate blanchett 's shredding of her character 's psyche while she outwardly maintains the entitled snobbery of the 1 % is an already great actress 's finest performance to date",
      "woody allen 's MOV finds the almost-80-year-old filmmaker in fine form as a director of actors , but he undermines that skill with a terribly structured and under-thought screenplay .",
      "in MOV , with the help of several perfectly pitched performances , woody allen once again reminds us that if there is an us and a them , he 's one of us .",
      "-lsb- blanchett 's -rsb- bravura performance is tinged with haughtiness , dry humor and madness . it 's one of the year 's finest , most complex portrayals , in one of allen 's best films in years .",
      "blanchett 's lavish , almost operatic turn as jasmine sloshes against the sides of this insubstantial movie like liquid in a too-small container -lrb- maybe the room-temperature stoli jasmine is continually downing -rrb- .",
      "the plotting is wooden , the flashbacks lazy , the adoption device a bad joke , and as always , everyone stammers like woody .",
      "this movie is easier to admire than to like ... allen as a director is still getting better , but as a screenwriter he needs to do a few more drafts .",
      "a magnetic but heartbreaking performance from cate blanchet as a woman adrift rescues woody allen 's often rudderless tragi-comedy .",
      "cate blanchett is going to clean up big time at the awards given out at the end of the year .",
      "blanchett carries this uneven character-driven pic with more depth than what passes for drama in the usual woody flick .",
      "allen makes no apologies for his lead character 's infuriating behavior , and neither does blanchett .",
      "blanchett hits the notes pitch perfectly and could easily have a date with oscar early next year . -lrb- full parental review also available -rrb-",
      "if allen is outside his element in san francisco , so is his heroine jasmine -lrb- cate blanchett -rrb- , and the result is one of the nerviest , freshest films he 's made in a long time .",
      "cate blanchett gives a masterful performance ... . allen 's work has rarely , if ever , hit so hard .",
      "jasmine 's ride is not nearly as dramatic as blanche dubois ' emotional deconstruction in streetcar , but her journey is made tolerable by an oscar-worthy performance by cate blanchett .",
      "blanchett an excellent blanche",
      "allen 's 45th feature movie as writer/director is quietly mesmerizing . it 's a standout production in his hit-and-miss career , though it echoes with familiar allen tropes .",
      "jasmine is a good movie , one of allen 's best in years , but the draw here is blanchett , whose performance takes an off-putting character and makes her surprisingly , um ... not quite on-putting , but riveting .",
      "blanchett 's performance is fascinating . she 's an ingmar bergman figure yanked straight out of tennessee williams .",
      "tremendous performances .",
      "if you want to see what capital-a acting looks like , take a gander at cate blanchett in woody allen 's latest feature .",
      "there 's a reason why woody allen 's screenplays have been nominated for 15 academy awards -lrb- r -rrb- . comic genius , dramatic wit , sharp observation , great characters . with MOV , he has taken effete snobbery to glorious heights .",
      "MOV could 've been more comedic , but blanchett 's heavy performance really gave this story a new life on its own .",
      "blanchett is impressive as a woman constantly teetering on the edge of collapse ; there 's a perpetual sense something tragic simmers beneath her constructed facade .",
      "andrew dice clay holding his own against cate blanchett ? now i 've seen it all .",
      "the film itself does n't match blanchett 's stunning commitment -- which is a pity , because in various ways it is one of allen 's more unusual works in years .",
      "jasmine is a cautionary virago for anyone who 's ever witnessed a friend unknowingly muttering just within earshot , just within the frame of reality . jasmine 's headlong fall is fearsome , lugubrious , and ultimately , exasperating .",
      "MOV captures a manic and delusional woman attempting to rebuild herself after a prodigal life she received , but never deserved .",
      "darkly funny , often in a laugh out loud , self-deprecating way , but it also doubles as a cautionary tale .",
      "writer/director woody allen 's latest in his burst of 70-something creativity -lrb- after last year 's to rome with love -rrb- is one of his best and darkest outings in years ,",
      "it is pure movie-going pleasure .",
      "the exquisite blanchett amazes , bringing brittleness and vulnerability to a woman on the edge .",
      "MOV is a handsomely shot -lrb- sometimes luminous , sometimes airily naturalistic -rrb- , structurally deft -lrb- flip-flopping between the sf present and the ny past -rrb- and terrifically performed -lrb- expect oscar noms -rrb- dramedy .",
      "allen 's best film in years , astute , humane and shot through with keen observations on the state of the world .",
      "jasmine is a remarkably well constructed and tragic character and blanchett is breathtaking in the role , and one that demands an oscar nomination , at the very least .",
      "with a riveting performance , cate blanchett creates one of woody allen 's most memorable movie characters in years .",
      "you may even feel guilty for laughing except that blanchett knows where to draw the line and she treads it gracefully - despite all those martinis .",
      "flitting between the extravagance of jasmine 's former life and her undignified current climb down allows for a entertaining and insightful look at the depression of recession . there are of course , a few great woody one-liners but the mood is blue .",
      "woody has snapped to wakefulness , his comic and dramatic synapses firing off with an old ease that 's deeply gratifying . you need n't even place it in allen 's very top rank to call it his best in about two decades .",
      "the genius of cate blanchett 's performance lies in the way she sells us on the urgency of jasmine 's concerns and the depth of her plight , mastering sincere obliviousness .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- ... thing of wonder . what you 're looking for with -lsb- allen -rsb- are signs of life , as opposed to shtick and koans ... you want to see that the finery of character writing still means something to him . this is his 43rd movie , and it 's inspired .",
      "i do not consider jasmine a typical woody allen comedy . it 's better than anything you might imagine .",
      "not just one of the best films of the summer ; it 's one of the best of the year , a drama with enough laughs to underscore just how tragic its portrait really is .",
      "equal parts sympathy and schadenfreude .",
      "a freak show whose alternately compelling and repulsive heroine ca n't disguise the fact that it 's a movie by a sour old guy who no longer likes anything or anyone and who also , more damningly , just is n't interested .",
      "there 's something cathartic about a contemporary film that 's willing to explore madness as an expression of who a person really is .",
      "in all , this is the strongest , most resonant movie woody allen has made in years .",
      "this is the closest to eric rohmer allen 's ever got .",
      "in a performance that at times recalls , without embarrassment , gena rowlands in a woman under the influence , blanchett plays jasmine as a woman on the verge of becoming incapable of living in the world .",
      "`` MOV '' is a drama , but it 's one of allen 's funniest , mostly because of cate blanchett . you do n't laugh so much at jasmine as you do at blanchett 's ballsy performance .",
      "woody allen 's elegant skewering of a madoff-ish wife is so precise , so exquisitely brought to sizzling life by cate blanchett , the characters , cities and world around her suffer in comparison .",
      "sour , mordant , and fitfully hilarious",
      "MOV marks a high-water mark for blanchett , and for allen , who demonstrates both the craftsmanship and the unique gift for balancing comedy and pathos which has eluded him for so long .",
      "this is woody allen in peak form . he has stripped out that jabbering new york paranoia and gleefully poked a big stick at america 's ruling class .",
      "blanche dubois wanted magic . jasmine french settles for a beach house in the hamptons .",
      "you have to dig deep in allen 's back catalogue to find a single performance as affecting and well-judged as the one cate blanchett delivers .",
      "arguably -lsb- allen 's -rsb- meatiest film since 1989 's crimes and misdemeanours .",
      "what a relief it must be for an actor to realise they 're in one of woody allen 's good movies ; a biennial event!the darkly comic class nightmare MOV , is one of the good ones . the very good ones .",
      "if you 're someone who likes to put together a top 10 list at the end of each year , see MOV and you 'll only need to find 9 more .",
      "allen has chosen to tell this story in slices , cutting back and forth in time ... only works to a degree ; for one thing , it robs many scenes of their full emotional payoff",
      "MOV is one of allen 's cleverest and most compassionate films , making it also one of his greatest .",
      "MOV is beguiling , hilarious and heart-wrenching .",
      "blanchett discards all vanity and oozes despair ... allen 's voice can be heard throughout the film and if this screenplay is indicative of his current mindset , he is feeling blue or in any event , enjoying twisting the knife into the keyhole of human foibles",
      "though it 's still early , this will likely be the best-written and most layered female character in an american film this year .",
      "blanchett fabulously goes above and beyond her duties as the wilting faux flower of the title .",
      "allen 's trademark rich characters and witty dialogue are enhanced by a terrific performance from cate blanchett in the title role .",
      "it 's a movie of quiet moments -lrb- and one startling revelation -rrb- . but it is a dramatic slice of life , and it lives fully in a darkness allen 's only occasionally kept at bay .",
      "sooner or later a major film-maker has to give us someone we will never forget . jasmine is that someone .",
      "this is one strange , sometimes uneven but mostly mesmerizing film .",
      "MOV is a character study , and although its principal character is a mess , she 's utterly compelling , especially as played by cate blanchett .",
      "cate blanchett seems to be operating on an otherworldly level of thespianism .",
      "the way -lsb- blanchett -rsb- anchors this superb dramedy is a thing of beauty .",
      "allen observes jasmine 's allure and disease without penetrating her soul . that makes for a movie that is both intimate and disinterested , as if jasmine were a flailing insect in a barren terrarium .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- moving , sometimes funny film ...",
      "a woody allen dramady with plenty of sparks and sizzle about the fall of a selfish woman who is a member of america 's `` winning class . ''",
      "there 's something admirably perverse about a movie that casts andrew dice clay as the most upstanding character on screen .",
      "blanchett gives her best-ever performance , moving jasmine back and forth on moody waves . she can be difficult company , but she 's so fully fleshed out that she eventually earns compassion .",
      "maybe this wo n't be the huge hit that midnight in paris was , but it is one of allen 's best with fine performances by blanchett , sally hawkins , and andrew dice clay in a brilliant bit of casting against type .",
      "why should we care about jasmine ? for me , the best reason was blanchett 's all-out performance , which is often frighteningly vivid .",
      "smart , timely woody allen dramedy has drinking , pills .",
      "blanchett is all the reason anyone might need to see this movie .",
      "want to see great acting , from comic to tragic and every electrifying stop in between ? see cate blanchett in MOV .",
      "it 's difficult to imagine anyone wresting the academy award from blanchett 's compellingly pathetic performance .",
      "blanchett is being tipped for oscar glory , and this is surely a very good , very committed performance -lrb- if a little self-consciously so -rrb- .",
      "woody allen 's latter films just seem to get better and better ... another a-grade movie to join match point , midnight in paris and vicky cristina barcelona ... a superb cate blanchett does some of her best film work to date .",
      "the result 's highly effective on a human level . if only the film had been set in the real world .",
      "smart , sophisticated and bound to win an oscar nod or two , ` MOV ' is an outstanding woody allen movie about the fall from grace of a hamptons socialite who begins to unravel after her husband loses a fortune .",
      "-lsb- woody allen has -rsb- captured an oscar-contending , tour de force performance from the great cate blanchett .",
      "a sharply observed , post-economic crash comedy-drama that boasts a formidable performance by cate blanchett and addresses such pertinent real-world concerns as class , gender and corporate criminality in urban america .",
      "the movie is a near-perfect capture of a woman on the edge of a nervous breakdown without going off the deep end into a farce .",
      "insightful , squirmingly funny and boasting an absolutely unmissable performance from first time allen collaborator cate blanchett .",
      "while the film may hold some viewers at arm 's length , the performances are worthy of stand-up-and-cheer ovations all round ."
    ],
    "summary": "woody allen 's MOV finds the director in peak late-period form -- and benefiting from a superb cast led by cate blanchett .",
    "id": "771324609"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1012515-little_shop_of_horrors",
    "reviews": [
      "i have seen a lot of musicals -lrb- probably more than most people under the age of 50 -rrb- , and few are as lively and fun as MOV .",
      "one of the most memorable viewing experiences of the previous decade .",
      "made tolerable by steve martin and the talking plant . everyone else in this film is nails-on-blackboard annoying .",
      "a lively and frequently hilarious adaptation of the the menken-ashman stage musical .",
      "horror-spoof musical is goofy fun .",
      "has aged about as well as any film about a singing house plant with an appetite for flesh could .",
      "watered with laughs , sprouting with boppy music",
      "it takes a little genius to turn a z-grade corman horror flick into a hit musical comedy ... and a little more to sucessfully return it to the big screen .",
      "delicious black fun .",
      "the film represents a rare example where hollywood has applied itself rigorously to material that might somehow seem beneath it with wholly satisfying results .",
      "with its toe-tapping cadences , its class cast and its king-sized cabbage , it 's destined to become a classic of camp comedy .",
      "for all its expensive excess , fails to recapture the spirit of the original .",
      "oz was no doubt hired to handle the plant monster puppet , but his brisk , lightweight direction spreads satisfyingly across the entire movie .",
      "you can try not liking this adaptation of the off-broadway musical hit -- it has no polish and a pushy way with a gag -- but the movie sneaks up on you , about as subtly as audrey ii .",
      "a fractured , funny production transported rather reluctantly from the stage to the screen .",
      "as a whole , the story is uninteresting , most of the characters contrived , and the vast majority of the 94 minutes is almost instantly forgettable , especially the man-eating plant from outer space .",
      "one and a half hours of freaky , scary nonsense set to a killer doo-wop soundtrack .",
      "the best moments in this 1987 release belong to dr. steve martin as a dentist with a professional yen for pain .",
      "comic book creepiness , jazzy tunes , and fab cast .",
      "a pulp pop twist on the original roger corman horror comedy that 's funny , fun , catchy , and well worth its reputation .",
      "some of the slower tunes tend to grind but the sort of musical / retro irony is still amusing in places . not if you do n't like dentists though .",
      "the movie does n't labor its jokes or insist on its virtuoso special effects , but devotes its energies to seeming unforced and delightful .",
      "a classic black comedy musical",
      "this wild and witty musical is great fun .",
      "it 's the professionalism that i admire .",
      "i 'm in love with ellen greene !",
      "the offbeat nature of the story , the wayward characters and the forgettable musical numbers make the film unappealing in every way .",
      "both exuberant and mean-spirited , it 's just a great musical comedy .",
      "not as good as the roger corman original , but you have to love the songs .",
      "-lsb- h -rsb- ilariously pathetic for the extremely minor aspirations of its down-on-their-luck characters ...",
      "entertaining , but it 's a conceit that works better onstage .",
      "a full-blown movie musical , and quite a winning one .",
      "screen writer and lyricist howard ashman has mastered the essence of '80s humor , recycling the old with a hip knowingness , all with a morbid , outrageous edge ."
    ],
    "summary": "remixing roger corman 's b-movie by way of the off-broadway musical , MOV offers camp , horror and catchy tunes in equal measure -- plus some inspired cameos by the likes of steve martin and bill murray .",
    "id": "10070"
  },
  {
    "movie": "keane",
    "reviews": [
      "the film achieves a dramatic intensity that is both admirable and frustrating .",
      "aside from lewis 's excellent acting , there 's little reason to spend two hours with MOV .",
      "lewis makes MOV 's paranoia our paranoia . kerrigan limits our world to his world . and that 's how this grimly shot , roughly felt drama pulls us in .",
      "a small wonder of a minimalist morality tale .",
      "it is like bad bresson , if that were a possibility . all signifiers and no meaning ; all tics and no truths ; all mute emoting and no emotion .",
      "only kerrigan 's previous clean , shaven surpasses MOV as a sympathetic study of a man unravelled .",
      "unshakably harrowing but deeply moving .",
      "-lsb- lewis -rsb- immerses himself so deeply in MOV 's psyche and skin that you easily forget this is acting , not real life .",
      "when it comes to an emotional payoff at the end , unlike most hollywood films , it has earned it .",
      "the role of MOV is a tall order , as he 's onscreen for every frame of the film , but lewis is just brilliant , holding our attention and ultimately our compassion for a deeply troubled man .",
      "lodge kerrigan is a director worth watching , and MOV is a small wonder in a season of big but deadly , brainless blockbusters .",
      "kerrigan is as interesting a filmmaker as is haunting the margins of modern life , a place that needs some light . and certainly some sympathy .",
      "that might be this phenomenal film 's emergent achievement : its raw hopelessness is its universality .",
      "MOV , kerrigan 's third feature , is his real breakthrough .",
      "it rests on british-born lewis ' astonishing performance . his characterization is so bold , so raw and so far out on an emotional ledge that you ca n't help but fear he 'll never find his way back .",
      "john foster 's hand-held camera rarely strays from MOV 's face . he 's loony , all right , but you have to feel sorry for him .",
      "an unsettling psychodrama that opens our hearts to a mentally and emotionally troubled man .",
      "a subtle morality tale , enlivened by intense moments",
      "the horribly overused device of the handheld camera makes MOV not simply grating and heavy-handed , but also nauseating .",
      "the film is held together by the raw intensity of damian lewis ' portrait of the emotional torment of a man whose life is falling apart .",
      "there 's more than a few spots where the improvisation -lsb- in MOV -rsb- spins out of control ...",
      "kerrigan 's films create worlds of personal obsession .",
      "the director is able to rivet us with this small story , simply because he observes it all with such a hard , unblinking gaze .",
      "a surprise , and a highly effective film , much more accomplished and less punishing than clean , shaven .",
      "the movie is n't a crowd-pleaser , but it moves the soul , and that 's enough .",
      "the pinched , obsessed , grizzled , fragile bill is one of the more disturbingly human dead-zoners in american film .",
      "lewis delivers a convincing , powerful and highly nuanced performance as a man who 's fighting desperately to keep his illness in check and lead a normal life .",
      "a movie that puts you so far into someone else 's head you may have forgotten your own name by the time it 's over .",
      "MOV is emotionally involving right from the beginning through its final frame .",
      "the daring filmgoer will see the film 's merits and , i hope , embrace it .",
      "it 's an amazing piece of work .",
      "kerrigan maintains that balance on the thin line between sanity and madness throughout his little miracle of a film by never wavering from MOV 's wavering perspective",
      "takes a long , grueling ride around the block and never really manages to illuminate the human condition",
      "MOV maintains its gritty , unsettling edge as it quietly leads up to a potentially even more troubling finale .",
      "tense and intense as clean , shaven , but not as compelling , MOV is an uncompromising but frustrating film , marred by slender narrative and elevated by cinema verite style",
      "the film is much more realistic than entertaining .",
      "mr. kerrigan both gives us a life at the edge of the abyss and pulls off an extremely deft narrative sleight of hand .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is unfortunately akin to a rat-in-the-maze science experiment .",
      "-lsb- damian lewis -rsb- is an absolute revelation as the title character and he delivers a daring and completely riveting performance .",
      "a wondrous film .",
      "just another in a long line of films that tries and fails to examine the issue , taking the easy road by remaining detached from its own proceedings .",
      "an emotionally harrowing film that 's probably too downbeat for general audiences . but for the more adventurous viewer seeking provocative fare , kerrigan 's third film confirms that he 's a filmmaker of acute sensitivity and psychological nuance .",
      "kerrigan is without peer at plumbing the violence of the mind .",
      "it 's not fun , but it 's as much an antidote to fake hollywood nonsense as anything you 'll see this year .",
      "lewis , in an astonishingly elastic yet disciplined performance , invests MOV with a richly ambiguous , heartbreaking inner life that 's only at peace when he manages to form a tenuous human connection .",
      "MOV is a movie you might see on a dare , and though i think it is brilliantly conceived , i would n't dare to dare you .",
      "we feel sympathy , fear and revulsion for MOV ... and it 's to lewis ' credit that the subtle build of MOV minimalist plot adopts such weight and depth by the final scene .",
      "mr. lewis , a highly talented british actor , displays a flawless american accent in what amounts to a hyper-wellesian monopolization of screen time and screen space .",
      "with its endless close-ups , it 's almost suffocating in intensity , but is saved by kerrigan 's sympathy for his character , and lewis ' utterly realistic performance .",
      "professionals in the mental health field may find this film interesting ; the rest of us will probably find our attention wandering a bit , pondering how good MOV might have been .",
      "the next time you see someone railing in the streets -- fighting a battle you 'll never understand -- you may remember MOV and pause to reflect .",
      "as good as lewis is -- and he 's in every frame of this 93-minute movie -- it 's kerrigan 's astounding gift for addressing the wounded that demands celebration .",
      "it 's in that breathtaking humanism , its illustration of the way we connect to one another , and how brittle that social fabric can be , that the film touches on sublimity .",
      "-lsb- damian lewis -rsb- is utterly riveting as a man who is all too aware that he 's looking into the abyss and the scenes where he dips into outright mentalism are extremely uncomfortable to watch .",
      "the entire second half of the film ... is unbearably tense ... lewis , whose performance is the overwhelming center of the piece , deserves a large share of the credit for making the entire thing so grueling .",
      "lodge kerrigan is one of the great , though largely unheralded , filmmakers of our time .",
      "affliction has rarely been so sensitively explored .",
      "a psycho-underworld tour de force like irreversible or the machinist , impressive as far as it goes -lrb- not far -rrb- , single-minded but without enough on its mind , a gimmick flick ."
    ],
    "summary": "the scrutinizing camera angles of MOV might at first feel too close for comfort , but this powerful portrait of a man distraught by the abduction of his child plumbs the depths of mental illness and the corners of fleabag hotels in an intimate and touching examination of the seedier side of life .",
    "id": "6935"
  },
  {
    "movie": "inconvenient_truth",
    "reviews": [
      "where he won me back was when he started talking about the population issues ... perhaps this should be a birth control film as well as an environmental one .",
      "a stern warning and a call to arms , a must-see for anyone who hopes to save the world from ignorance and inaction .",
      "an MOV ca n't , of course , reveal a future that is still up to us , but by the time you 're done watching , the real question is , which way on god 's green earth would you want to err ?",
      "al gore is a big fat liar .",
      "the argument would be compelling and moving , even if delivered stiffly , but one of the real revelations of the film is his relaxed , personable , often funny , delivery .",
      "it seems better suited to classrooms than movie theaters , though any way its urgent message can be disseminated should be encouraged .",
      "i wish that there was a way to get the facts in this film in front of the audience that needs to see it , the audience that takes the words of human mockeries like michael crichton and michelle malkin as gospel .",
      "gore 's somewhat stiff but clearly deeply felt delivery turns out to be just right for this material . anything else would sound shrill and shriek-y .",
      "gore 's `` traveling global warming show '' brims over with insight , idealism , and hope .",
      "MOV might not be to everyone 's tastes , but it 's trying to do something positive in a time when forward thinking always seems to be punished .",
      "has its heart in the right place but overall the film stands as a one-track doomsday warning with too little substance to achieve its intended effect .",
      "definitely propaganda on an issue that remains divisive ... -lsb- but -rsb- even if gore is wrong , and i 'm not saying he is , his proposed solutions are common-sensibly sound .",
      "although it 's the most important film of the year , it will still be a hard sell to hard-headed truth-deniers .",
      "it 's very effective and very successful . i think it can create a debate and discussion and you can go from there .",
      "it will be interesting to watch how skeptics will deal with gore 's bad news on the environment without making themselves look very small .",
      "the clarity and simplicity of the presentation is remarkable . gore is a likable , confident , humorous speaker . and the material reminds us of the need for vigilance .",
      "parroting conventional wisdom is anything but inconvenient , and a theory is not a truth . the ` sky is falling ' always sells -- books , movies and politicians .",
      "like an inventive and engrossing lecture by your favorite eighth-grade science teacher , making it an engaging movie , whatever your politics .",
      "to gore 's credit , he is using this film to promote something other than himself -lrb- although , granted , that is a nifty side effect -rrb- . he does seem to truly care about the world in which we live .",
      "an MOV is entertaining and for the last reason you 'd expect : al gore is good company .",
      "in my heart of hearts , i know this is n't the best way to start a movie review . but in my heart of hearts , i also know i need to do what 's right .",
      "every responsible , thinking american should see this film .",
      "... for those within its reach , ` an MOV ' is a film we can ignore only at our own peril .",
      "yes , it 's a science lecture when all is said and done , but it 's a science lesson that 's never dull -- chilling in its conclusions , but hardly boring .",
      "... an important subject , and ... possibly an important film .",
      "the material is presented clearly and , for the most part , persuasively , although the side-trips into gore 's family history ... seem like the minibiographies that are traditionally served up during election time .",
      "it 's hard to make a visually compelling narrative out of 100 minutes of a 58-year-old man talking about carbon-dioxide emissions , but director davis guggenheim does it .",
      "as lectures on film go , an MOV sends its message in clear and engaging fashion .",
      "the educational moments work beautifully , the personal bits do n't . still , one of the year 's best - frightening , compelling and at points unforgettable .",
      "the united states is by far the worst polluter on the planet , a shameful fact that has to change .",
      "i 'm recommending what is essentially a non-film because i agree with its politics and i 'd like for more people to agree with me than disagree .",
      "if you are unfamiliar with this issue , or are a sheltered dittohead , this film is a good primer on arguments supporting the idea of global warming .",
      "the truth hurts .",
      "gore is inspired here , a man on a crusade that slide by slide and impassioned remark by remark drives home the MOV about global warming . it 's an alarming scenario so calling him alarmist really misses the point .",
      "in spite of brief missteps , the film has an important message that needs to be heard . it 's not a doom-and-gloom movie as much as it is a call to action .",
      "controversy is n't always a bad thing , and mr. freeze 's surprising warmth ignites a worthy discussion .",
      "despite or perhaps because of gore 's schoolmasterly attitudes , his arguments have force . a kind of anti-charisma sees it through .",
      "presented by former us vice president al gore , this documentary is a cool , clinical examination of global warming . and if you thought the repercussions were years off , think again .",
      "though generally presented in a fawning , overly obsequious style , the film also has a heartening degree of candor ... and its triumph is the manner in which it highlights the notion of political will as a renewable resource .",
      "it is utterly convincing , it 's emotionally powerful and it makes gore look more charming than he ever did as a presidential candidate .",
      "anybody who takes a long-term interest in the state of the planet -- say , more than next hurricane season -- would do well to see an MOV .",
      "... the film makes for compelling psychobiography despite the fact that gore , stiff as an air-conditioned breeze at the four seasons , is n't the least bit compelling himself .",
      "... the movie preaches to the choir rather than winning over new converts .",
      "... much of what gore says in this slide show he gives to people whose minds are not yet fully formed -lrb- undergraduates , actors -rrb- is absurd , and his assertions often contradict each other .",
      "... a rousing , upbeat concert film about the end of the world .",
      "truth succeeds at cutting through the clutter surrounding global warming by making a clear , compelling case for how our actions are affecting the planet .",
      "if you believe , as i do , that global warming is a critical problem , then an MOV could not arrive at a more important time .",
      "-lsb- y -rsb- ou do n't need to like gore , or trust him , or even believe him to get a swift kick in the pants , one that 'll scare the hell out of you ...",
      "as a film , an MOV falls somewhere between an auditorium survey class and a stump speech , and if it covers no new ground , it benefits greatly from gore 's air of educated sobriety and principled rectitude ...",
      "... it 's impossible not to be shaken , stirred , and , finally , thoroughly enlightened by what the man is saying .",
      "while it is a sobering film , it is not depressing ... there might be more fun ways to spend your summer afternoon , but gore infuses his talk with much more than just , as he calls it , a nature hike through the book of revelations .",
      "despite -lsb- its -rsb- weighty evidence , an MOV manages to transcend total doom and gloom in gratifyingly imaginative ways ...",
      "the film succeeds powerfully , even though it 's short on practical solutions , makes some questionable statements of fact and , given gore 's current ambiguous position in public life , requires a tighter focus on the message than on the messenger .",
      "part awkward yet surprisingly funny stand-up comedian , part wily environmentalist , whether you like gore or hate 'm , the last thing word you would use to describe gore in his new documentary is `` boring . ''",
      "this may be the first documentary in memory that will have audiences clamoring , `` more hard data ! more charts ! ''",
      "it 's a `` must see , then go and do '' film .",
      "the surprise of an MOV is that it 's not a downer . gore 's humor is self-deprecating , his tone never bitter .",
      "the truths in this challenging film are n't just inconvenient ; they 're darkly fascinating , mighty scary , and , it seems to me , undeniable .",
      "it 's probably best to ignore the film 's political subtext and simply concentrate on the message : global warming is real , we 're responsible for it , and we can do something about it without ruining the u.s. economy . but we 're running out of time .",
      "well-crafted , compelling cinematic food for thought .",
      "al gore delivers his thousandth lecture on the subject as though it were his first -- he 's fresh and energetic , warm and friendly .",
      "voters who perceived gore as a stiff , bland politician hen-pecked by the issues and unable to connect to his audience may be pleased by this makeover .",
      "an MOV is no great shakes as moviemaking , but it may just shake enough bean counters out of complacency to make a difference .",
      "what could have been mired in political rhetoric or techno-speak is instead illuminating , fascinating and sometimes frightening .",
      "an MOV is one of the most realistic documentaries i 've ever seen -- and , dry as it is , one of the most devastating in its implications .",
      "an MOV is a necessary film .",
      "what one comes away with hoping for the future is that we do not look back on al gore as we look back now on eisenhower -lrb- `` why we fight '' -rrb- or edward r. murrow -lrb- `` good night , and good luck '' -rrb- - as a man who gave a warning unheeded .",
      "... highly persuasive ...",
      "informative and enlightening ; one of those rare movies that absolutely must be seen .",
      "frankly , this is a guy who was vp of the united states , and he was n't able to affect change . now he 's telling me to fix it by % u2026 recycling ?",
      "even if you think global warming is a bunch of malarkey you 'll at least be reassured that gore is not a robotic government android .",
      "the documentary is so convincing that it makes opposers of the argument as credible as holocaust deniers .",
      "this is urgent , important stuff that simply ca n't be ignored -- or left to the politicians -- any longer .",
      "though the information is dense and seems a bit like a college lecture , gore and his presentation come across as quite engaging .",
      "the movie is the message , and it 's worth seeing .",
      "cinematic brussel sprouts .",
      "a public service announcement that appeals mostly to our conscience , but also our hearts .",
      "i doubt if this film can save the planet , but it speaks volumes for gore 's political future as his public profile is given a much needed makeover .",
      "an MOV makes a powerful argument that only the willfully deaf will fail to hear .",
      "the show is lively and heartfelt - a persuasive call to action .",
      "left-wing pop science gone mad .",
      "subtext is just as important as text in al gore 's cautionary tale of global warming and call to arms . docu shows how personal tragedies -lrb- gore almost losing his son -rrb- and crises can be channeled creatively toward relevant issues larger than oneself .",
      "a flat earth was inconvenient to papal authority in galileo 's time . now , what heresy is gore committing with a scientifically based argument against contributing further to relentlessly destructive natural forces ?",
      "a 96-minute political commercial supporting the deification of al gore .",
      "an excellent educational tool .",
      "al gore brings his campaign to reverse global warming to the big screen in this vivid and vital activist movie .",
      "those attacking al gore as a misinformed prophet or political crybaby likely never watched the film . holding court with genial wit and warmth , gore emphasizes his slide content 's morals and ethics over its politics and ends on practicality , not panic .",
      "an adequate enough way to get the point across , but i ca n't help but wonder what the raves for this film are really about .",
      "a tantalus glimpse of what america might have been with a president who cared about the planet , its people and its peace .",
      "netflix puts this oscar winning documentary out again for those who spent the past seven years listening to paid-off-deniers and assorted other fox news liars .",
      "while the preaching is to the converted , the sheer organization , massing and clarity appear conclusive , and the youngish onscreen attendees nod in agreement .",
      "al gore 's global-warming documentary , an MOV , may just be the scariest movie you will see this year .",
      "gore gets admirable points for using intelligence in his arguments rather than fear",
      "gone is the excruciatingly wooden , heavily-made up candidate from the controversial 2000 presidential election . in his place , the team from an MOV shows you the gore democrats wish the voting public had seen % u2014a comfortable , enthusiastic",
      "the ultimate effect of an MOV is not unlike looking down the barrel of a loaded gun .",
      "highly recommended even if al gore is incapable of getting at the root cause of global warming .",
      "gore 's insistent , motivated sense of morality has finally found an outlet , even making use of skills honed over years of campaigning -- parrying , querying , quipping .",
      "the film makes -lsb- gore -rsb- out to be a bigger martyr and a better savior than jesus christ , himself .",
      "will likely make you admire al gore a little more than you already do , worry about the planet a lot more than you already do , and finally , leave you with as many questions as when you started .",
      "... the fundamental obstacle to making the average human aware and concerned about the ecology is a matter of comprehending scale -- a problem which the formerly robotic democrat tackles rather elegantly .",
      "matter of fact , it 's surprisingly entertaining , if ultimately shocking .",
      "communicates the dangers of ignoring global warning with credible urgency in a way news coverage of conferences and tv news segments have never been able to do .",
      "frightening and timely , the smartly organized documentary is an urgent plea for responsibility and action as well as an impassioned call to heed the ominous warnings of science .",
      "a film that invests hard science with impassioned moral drive .",
      "this is n't a ` fun ' film , per se , but it never ceases to be fascinating and eye-opening .",
      "despite quibbles over details , the case -lsb- gore -rsb- presents is compelling , and anyone who is n't sure whether global warming is a mounting crisis or a massive hoax should see this film .",
      "can you dislike al gore 's green documentary ` an MOV ' and still like trees ?",
      "in an eco-horror show that politely masquerades as a documentary , the former vice president effectively warns of man-made cataclysm .",
      "it 's a mind-boggling disaster epic that draws its special power from the fact that we are both the villains and victims of the story .",
      "the most compelling disaster movie of the summer .",
      "an MOV , like its star , is quite persuasive in framing global warming as a crisis rapidly accelerating along with the planet 's population . that means us . and that means the potential to take action .",
      "if you see only one movie this year , make it an MOV . it may not be the year 's best movie , or its most entertaining , but it 's certainly the most terrifyingly crucial .",
      "really two movies : a sobering lecture about a globe that 's getting warmer and a profile of a leader whose career has always been hindered by his apparent lack of warmth .",
      "in 39 years , i have never written these words in a movie review , but here they are : you owe it to yourself to see this film . if you do not , and you have grandchildren , you should explain to them why you decided not to .",
      "gore 's one-man global road show manages to both stagger and humble viewers with an accessible mix of data and evidence .",
      "a powerful film that educates as it engages .",
      "a nonfiction disaster movie about the ultimate in non-partisan concerns , the fate of the planet .",
      "the film is more suspenseful than many thrillers and more emotional than many tear-jerkers . and , most of all , it 's scarier than any horror flick .",
      "the movie 's impact overcomes any discomfort with gore or his politics .",
      "a torrent of data , graphs , and images churns into a category 5 scientific warning of impending doom for the earth ... . consciousness-raising by a man who has found his calling .",
      "regardless of all the cacophonous naysaying , this is an absorbing documentary that gently pushes a message that all americans of sound mind and good conscience can embrace : let 's work together to make the world a better place .",
      "on screen , gore is persuasive and engaging , trotting out facts and photographs to go along with high-tech graphs that would make ross perot envious .",
      "this movie will shake you , especially if you have kids . the central facts are piling up in a way that disturbs anything but indolent complacency .",
      "an MOV may be considered by some as liberal ranting by al gore , but davis guggenheim and all make a good case for his doomsday claims .",
      "if it all sounds a little contrived and too well-rehearsed , it is all on behalf of a greater good , since the statistics are individually alarming , collectively chilling and all but irrefutable .",
      "it 's about science and only because we live in a society where believing in scientific truth has become controversial can it be seen as partisan at all .",
      "relevant and persuasive , it 's a convincing plea for activism .",
      "from a ` legal ' perspective , gore presents a strong case ... well worth seeking out , inviting others to , and debating afterward .",
      "for a doomsday lecture , it 's shockingly entertaining . well , on second thought maybe ` entertaining ' is n't exactly the right word ...",
      "illuminating and distressing ... a grave message indeed .",
      "in the battle between big trouble -lrb- gore 's line -rrb- and big oil -lrb- bush 's -rrb- , fossil fuel won . even with gas prices it 's still winning , which is why an MOV , for all its limitations as cinematic agitprop , deserves an audience .",
      "after sitting through this monotone lecture on melting glaciers and carbon dioxide , you 'll be eager to drop the class .",
      "no matter how much generosity critics and activists show this movie , it is still a boring slideshow by a boring speaker with cool graphics and thus , a boring movie .",
      "director davis guggenheim expands gore 's highly polished multimedia lecture into dramatic form with personal footage of gore that exemplifies his 40-year commitment to a subject that is consuming our earth .",
      "gore has brought all the scattered news stories together in one briskly narrated , handsomely illustrated place , and the power of his points is striking . sobering . ultimately alarming .",
      "it 's as a piece of entertainment that the movie scores its most surprising victory , taking the audience on a dizzying emotional and intellectual journey .",
      "it grabs you like a thriller with an ending that will haunt your dreams .",
      "just because truths are inconvenient is no reason to suppose they are not real .",
      "an eco-horror movie that is anything but escapist entertainment ...",
      "powerful , intelligent and surprisingly entertaining , gore presents a compelling case . you 'll believe a film can change the world .",
      "apesar de ter uma estrutura similar ao dos filmes que enfocam espetрculos de stand-up comedy -lrb- o que compromete sua fluidez -rrb- , este documentрrio traz informaушes absurdamente importantes que sсo transmitidas com clareza pelo carismрtico gore .",
      "because of its biased tone and shameless promotion of al gore it is simply preaching to the converted .",
      "a vitally important lesson , told in bland charts and alarming images .",
      "un documental contundente y alarmante que , de la mano de un preocupado y convincente al gore , se convierte en un verdadero llamado a la acciзn .",
      "this is nothing short of life-changing ; a film that needs to be seen by every single person on this planet .",
      "t 's an enduring irony of movies that one guy talking can be more compelling than a million dollars in locations , extras and effects .",
      "documentary filmmaking at its best : make a case , make it convincingly , and show us what to do about it .",
      "much of this material is familiar , but presented in total , over the course of 100 minutes , the impact is frightening .",
      "mandatory viewing regardless , much as an alarm clock must be heeded despite its annoying ring .",
      "regardless of how you may feel about gore the politician , this film is an important one , and its ultimate message of hope -lrb- it 's not too late -rrb- and duty -lrb- as humans , we need to do the right thing by the planet on which we live -rrb- is inspiring and invigorating .",
      "brings a feeling of history : virtually everyone who sees this movie will be galvanized to do something about global warming -- and everyone should see this movie .",
      "even if gore is polishing his own image in advance of a run for president -lrb- he denies it -rrb- , he lays out the basics of the case for global warming in a way that is lucid and mostly fair .",
      "this stunning documentary about global warming is a well-reasoned , clearly-proven , intelligent , cogent , irresistible torrent of scientific data , in a curiously warm , engaging , often funny presentation .",
      "gore plainly illustrates the bind we find ourselves in environmentally , while swiftly and effectively dismissing any so-called ` debate ' on the issue .",
      "gore 's multimedia presentation is like a rock concert : ever-changing visuals and on-stage mini-shticks that draw the audience into a mountain of scientific data , anecdotes that connect the dots and make the larger picture clear ...",
      "while gore 's onstage presentation tells us nothing new , it has a renewed -- call it recycled -- potency , in light of a growing scientific consensus about changing weather patterns ."
    ],
    "summary": "while global warming is a hotly-debated subject , what everyone on both sides can agree upon is that , if real , it 's a very bad thing . since losing the 2000 presidential election to george w. bush , former vice president al gore has busied himself by being an outspoken figure against this potential environmental disaster . as much about the man as about greenhouse gases , this candid , powerful and informative documentary illuminates some of the myths surrounding both of its subjects equally well .",
    "id": "158719030"
  },
  {
    "movie": "following",
    "reviews": [
      "a challenging and intriguing piece of work .",
      "low-budget debut from memento 's director subtly transposes you to a sinful urban nightmare .",
      "a harbinger of things to come , an exercise in the kind of temporal gymnastics , sleight-of-hand shifts in perspective , and rigorous insights into the dark depths of human nature that have defined nolan 's later films",
      "besides the similarities in playing with time and structure , nolan is already zeroed in on his favorite cinematic theme : obsession .",
      "this clammy , noirish thriller time-hops with a vengeance .",
      "entertaining , but material does n't develop the full , edgy potential that similar paranoid-triangle efforts realized .",
      "MOV est un exercice de style et d'ingéniosité qui nous rappelle -lsb- memento -rsb- tout en ayant un cachet bien particulier .",
      "before memento , his breakthrough picture , christopher nolan made an impressive debut with the modest , short , but captivating film noir , MOV .",
      "this edgy little bit of nastiness is a good reason to start getting excited about british movies all over again .",
      "unlike some other flicks that have had this sort of labyrinthine structure , nolan 's made sure that everything works ...",
      "it 's brilliantly scripted and carefully planned . yet it feels loose and improvised .",
      "... offers more pleasure as a jigsaw puzzle than it does as a movie .",
      "christopher nolan has crafted a spare but gripping black-and-white neo-noir debut feature that features some classic elements of the genre .",
      "audiences will walk out of the theater shocked to find that only 70 minutes have gone by .",
      "uses a fragmented storyline , but it does n't really serve to advance the plot or increase the suspense . in this case , it seems to be just a directorial trick",
      "mesmerizing neo-noir drama .",
      "a stylish and interesting film .",
      "the film leaves a good impression on the viewer as one that is ably directed , written , acted , and photographed .",
      "christopher nolan 's 1999 debut feature becomes memento-on-training-wheels ."
    ],
    "summary": "super brief but efficient , MOV represents director christopher nolan 's burgeoning talent in tight filmmaking and hard-edge noir .",
    "id": "13887"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dead_poets_society",
    "reviews": [
      "in a field of films about drugs , car chases , and plastic monsters , MOV is a good choice .",
      "the best stories and performances , one of the greatest films of the 1980s and a rare classic that should be treasured .",
      "solid , smart entertainment .",
      "the film makes us , the audience , take a long hard look at what inspires us , what governs our motivations and determines our actions . it emotes feelings rarely felt in the movies these days .",
      "not the worst of the countless recent movies about good kids and hidebound , authoritatian older people . it may , however , be the most shameless in its attempt to pander to an adolescent audience .",
      "celebrates nonconformity and freethinking as an adventure worthy of emulation -- not your usual movie theme these days .",
      "as consistent and nearly as understated a performance as robin williams would give later in good will hunting .",
      "weir infuses the film with his customary mysticism , but more importantly , draws sensitive performances from his largely inexperienced cast .",
      "tom schulman 's heartfelt script takes the main character 's relationships with keating above and beyond the usual student-teacher connection .",
      "part of what makes dead poet 's society so great is that it challenges you to think . it can inspire you to be more than a simple cog in a wheel .",
      "the moral divisions set up between characters are childishly overdrawn ; and , worst of all , the behavior shown by the boys and adults frequently reeks of falsity and contrivance .",
      "story sings whenever williams is onscreen . screen belongs just as often to leonard , who as neil has a quality of darting confidence mixed with hesitancy . hawke , as the painfully shy todd , gives a haunting performance .",
      "the role of keating is a plum assignment for the talented williams , who largely steers clear of schtick under peter weir 's direction . nicely shot with a good youthful cast .",
      "robin williams at his tolerable best .",
      "above average drama that put robin williams on dramatic actor map .",
      "though sentimental and contrived , this valentine to charismatic , dedicated teachers is extremely well acted -lrb- even by robin williams -rrb- and it does make you feel good about loving literature and poetry .",
      "all the performances are excellent , particularly the complex shadings of leonard , but williams is especially memorable .",
      "it 's a literate though strained uplifter , a not altogether compatible coupleting of rocky balboa and the bard .",
      "it 's best left as a fond memory , never to be held up to the light of day .",
      "generally fairly tedious and predictable , without being especially believable .",
      "for all its formula , it sure does feel like MOV comes from a sincere place .",
      "MOV adds little to the genre that has n't been said before and aims , instead , at familiar stereotypes and overly obvious tugs at the heartstrings .",
      "the movie undercuts mr. williams 's exceptionally fine performance , making the character seem more of a dubious fool than is probably intended .",
      "great movie , and one of the few films where williams did n't annoy me to no end .",
      "one of the best-ever depictions of wasp dysfunction and prep-school life .",
      "gets boring in parts , but worth watching .",
      "an impressive , inspiring , moving piece regarding the virtues of individuality -- a subject i wish more films would tackle this well .",
      "if you 've done some living , every cockle of your heart will be touched",
      "it 's a tearjerker where the tears come not from the heart , but from the aching mind ; we cry not because of the sad situations , but because of its ludicrous attempts at being sad .",
      "watch `` MOV '' and you 'll see the efforts of a filmmaker who has his own loving style in making movies .",
      "a bundle of growing pain blues , flamboyant declarations of self , and doomsday faculty foul-ups , and it cooks when delivered in big batches of adolescent passion .",
      "falters when it goes for too much heart-tugging manipulation .",
      "williams keeps a stiff upper lip , showing a more sedate and sensitive side , and the oscar-winning screenplay provides a strong backbone .",
      "it 's not so easy to dismiss MOV . for all its faults , it still has as much power as it ever did .",
      "i ca n't help but melt underneath this movie : it chisels away the cynic and gets at the sap .",
      "a film that celebrates the importance of inspiration , albeit in slightly affected fashion .",
      "williams , who has comparatively little screen time , has come to act , not to cut comic riffs , and he does so with forceful , ultimately compelling , simplicity .",
      "beautifully directed and with an oscar-winning story .",
      "inspiring , intense story of a teacher and his students ."
    ],
    "summary": "affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from robin williams grant peter weir 's prep school drama top honors .",
    "id": "10138"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tims_vermeer_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "overall , this is fascinating stuff .",
      "a bizarre , moving and witty how-dunnit that makes you look twice at the work of johannes vermeer .",
      "an important doc that quietly slips out of mind but that will always be an impressive achievement .",
      "when penn & teller turn their hand to documentary filmmaking , we know it 's going to be something playful .",
      "the results are astonishing - so much so that you begin to wonder whether this penn and teller project is n't in fact an elaborate hoax , a brilliantly constructed illusion .",
      "a doc that is even more interested in the nature of a modern man 's obsession than in the paintings of johannes vermeer .",
      "a collision of art and science that is thought-provoking , breathtaking , and wildly inspiring .",
      "fascinating . bull $ # ! + ? maybe . it lacks the one thing penn & teller are supposed to be famous for -- skepticism .",
      "penn and teller 's uncanny crowdpleaser begs the question , is it still a masterpiece if an amateur could do it ?",
      "whether or not jenison becomes an artist in the process of his quest , there 's no doubting that his commitment to creating art is a creative end unto itself .",
      "we rip away the veils of prejudice and expectation , and are left with something that at first seems like a mere `` trick '' , but is quite simply a feat of great imagination and scientific thinking .",
      "here is an entertaining and entirely watchable documentary that sets out to prove that any old brush-swinging amateur can paint as brilliantly as the 17th-century dutch master .",
      "this witty and stimulating exercise , the brainchild of stage-magician maestros penn and teller , plays a game of speculation with tools and techniques that may have been available to the dutch master .",
      "the resulting film is a geek 's dream and a great documentary crossover , touching on art , history , technology , science , optics and even construction techniques as jenison labours over his replica of vermeer 's studio .",
      "you might think that following this insanely ambitious diy project would be like watching paint dry . wrong .",
      "mostly it is fascinating and compelling .",
      "you do n't even need to care about art to be entertained by this clever , swift documentary .",
      "the documentary tim 's vermeer chronicles one man 's obsession . sheer , unbridled , unstoppable obsession , no different from in werner herzog 's 1982 classic fitzcarraldo .",
      "`` tim 's vermeer '' makes a convincing case that vermeer could have painted the way jenison says he did . it also makes a pretty powerful ancillary point : that some people are both geniuses and geeks .",
      "some movies are great because of their artistry ; `` tim 's vermeer '' achieves greatness - ok , semi-greatness - by placing the act of artistic creation itself under a microscope .",
      "fine art and technology combine in this fascinating documentary about how an obsessive amateur was able to recreate an astonishingly precise replica of a dutch masterpiece .",
      "... often much more engrossing and informative than expected .",
      "the result astonishes . a fascinating , funny and inspiring story .",
      "`` tim 's vermeer '' is a diverting 80-minute account of one man 's mission to explore the vermeer optics theory in detail .",
      "can a movie be both fascinating and extremely boring ?",
      "the most fun you 'll have watching paint dry all year .",
      "the film could even crack the best documentary feature category come oscar time , because it definitely elicits a response . it 's an unassuming work that says that , for all our faults , humanity can achieve wonders .",
      "even at a fleet 79 minutes , feels a little long . for a while , though , tim 's vermeer paints a compelling picture of inventor -lrb- fellow illusionist and 3-d designer -rrb- tim jenison as he indulges his peculiar obsession .",
      "an unexpectedly funny and entertaining story , an engaging main character to follow , explores a seemingly dry subject with pizzazz and pop .",
      "a lively , intriguing look at the line between artist and inventor , one that challenges the very notion that the distinction should be made at all .",
      "tim 's vermeer is both enjoyable as entertainment and as an intelligently mounted case study of how art and technology complement , rather than grind against , each other . as penn eloquently puts it : `` the problem is we make that distinction . ''",
      "i can easily say that this film is more engaging than any action film i 've seen of late , which is quite a remarkable achievement .",
      "a masterpiece of documentary filmmaking",
      "perhaps the ultimate take-away from tim 's vermeer is the unquenchable curiosity of certain people , albeit those with the money to finance that inquisitiveness , to get to the bottom of history 's mysteries . in that respect , jenison is an artist .",
      "tim 's vermeer refers not just to the replica vermeer he seeks to paint , but to his understanding of who vermeer was and how he accomplished his work .",
      "what it turns out to actually be about is tim jenison , and what it means to be a member of the new -lrb- techno -rrb- rich in the united states of the 21st century .",
      "the lengths to which jenison goes to ensure he is working with the same tools , limitations and liberties that were available to vermeer are nothing short of gobsmacking .",
      "what emerges from this delightful , brief documentary does n't debunk vermeer 's genius , but certifies it .",
      "a wry , entertaining and very impressive study of a groundbreaking adventure in amateur art history",
      "art purists can relax since -lsb- inventor tim -rsb- jenison , a video wiz with little talent for painting , never really challenges vermeer 's genius for conception and composition . technology is the thing at issue here .",
      "jenison 's obsession is the basis for a playful , entertaining film . i was n't convinced for a millisecond by his wackadoodle theory , but i enjoyed every minute of tim 's vermeer .",
      "the conclusion is jaw dropping , the feat remarkable .",
      "downright fascinating , a must for anyone interested in art , science or just a good mystery story .",
      "... creates a fascinating window to the past and offers an intriguing look at the relationship between art and technology .",
      "suspenseful and fascinating . it deserves to become a sleeper hit .",
      "as mechanical as the procedure it depicts .",
      "when you see how meticulously tim duplicated the artist 's painting - compare his with the original - you realize that this is an incredible adventure .",
      "an improbable subject has inspired a unique documentary which comes with an unusual pedigree : it was produced by those inventive magicians penn and teller , and directed by teller .",
      "tim 's vermeer is a highly entertaining , provocative film about an amazing experiment , and it 's straightforward in its presentation and aims , throwing no curveballs .",
      "it 's a cool hypothesis , catnip for art-history buffs , but it ca n't quite sustain feature length .",
      "the resulting film is a comic delight that marvels at the intersections between art and science , painting and cinema , and illusionists and documentarians .",
      "the charm of the whole enterprise wears off even before this movie 's trim 80 minutes are up .",
      "this fascinating intellectual detective story made by illusionists and skeptics penn and teller blurs the lines between technology and art .",
      "let the art experts argue about the validity of the main premise , the movie from penn and teller is engaging and entertaining .",
      "it 's sure to please inquiring minds of both left - and right-brained nature .",
      "even when jenison 's process becomes a little tedious , the movie makes sure to remind us that tedium is often an essential part of how art is created .",
      "it 's hardly surprising that a movie made by penn and teller would feature a mind-bending stunt . what you 're less likely to expect is that it 's a 17th-century dutch masterpiece that 's pulled out of a hat .",
      "let 's just say it gives you an appreciation for vermeer , optical device or not , as well as for jenison , who stuck with the project for five full years .",
      "hockney and other experts get involved , there 's brief consideration of the nature of art but what really makes it work is tim himself , he 's a great subject .",
      "speculative documentary might explain vermeer 's technique , if not his eye",
      "`` tim 's vermeer '' is about many things - art history , technology , painting technique , beauty - but ultimately it 's a beguiling study of fascination .",
      "we should never forget that penn and teller are professional bamboozlers , and their attempt to re-frame the definition of genius might be nothing but smoke and mirrors .",
      "earns its keep by being informative and briskly entertaining . it helps that the likeably wry jenison is such an interesting character in his own right , a true renaissance man ...",
      "a fascinating art lesson .",
      "odd , you may think , that a penn & teller film seems so bent on revealing a great magician 's secrets , but their evident appreciation of vermeer , and of jenison for that matter , only affirms the revelatory power of pure curiosity .",
      "an irresistibly engaging documentary that might be described as a lab experiment in art history presented with las vegas-style showmanship .",
      "tim 's vermeer is film as forensics , bringing math and science to bear to solve an art-world mystery .",
      "unexpectedly dazzling .",
      "shot on grainy video , with some indifferent sound , tim 's vermeer is an amusing study of obsession in action .",
      "the beauty of the picture is its tale of obsession by a man determined to convince himself his theory is true .",
      "just crazy enough to make us smile , for exactly eighty minutes .",
      "it honors the labor of an artist as well as the inspiration that ca n't be copied even in an age of mechanical reproduction .",
      "`` tim 's vermeer '' is a movie for people who like to think , who like to ponder the big questions surrounding art and the act of creation .",
      "the viewer will watch paint dry and like it .",
      "it 's a film about the process of creativity , one that shows just how closely art and science are often intertwined .",
      "it chronicles the quest of a self-described `` geek , '' and there are pleasurable frissons of discovery in the detective work .",
      "a fascinating new documentary about art , obsessions , ideas and answers .",
      "an exquisitely fun documentary that hits on a profound aesthetic question , one first posed in 2001 by david hockney : did the 17th-century dutch painter johannes vermeer use optical devices to achieve his visual poetics of light ?",
      "like a combination of the penn & teller : bulls *** ! tv series and an extended episode of mythbusters as presented by an alternate history channel comes tim 's vermeer - a truly fascinating documentary .",
      "both a movie portrait of dedicated obsession and a documentary that poses interesting questions about whether using technology devalues art .",
      "jillette 's ebullient on-screen presence goes some way towards energising a movie in which we are asked to watch paint dry .",
      "engaging and fascinating documentary that raises some challenging questions about the nature of art and serves as a remarkable portrait of obsession , while casting vermeer 's original technique in an intriguing new light .",
      "at once great fun and completely , elaborately pointless .",
      "jenison 's compulsiveness and ingeniousness are interesting , and his research may prove to have some art-scholarship value , but another impresson is that spending 180 days to reproduce ` the music lesson ' is a colossal waste of time .",
      "it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do - nothing more , nothing less .",
      "the crossroads between technology and art has always been troublesome . without either , we might not have some of the art world 's greatest treasures . certainly without digital video , we would n't have this wonderfully entertaining movie either .",
      "jenison projects humility , but he can barely hide his need to be perceived as the smartest kid in the room . in the end , the film leans harder towards vanity project than earth-shattering documentary",
      "one ca n't help but lament that jenison is missing the heart of the art -- he sees but he does n't feel .",
      "it 's obvious in hindsight why penn and teller would be so drawn to this ethereally beautiful mystery : their passion for all things seemingly magical , often mechanical , and always amazing is practically their trademark .",
      "it 's a sophisticated treatise on the intersection between creativity and technology , presented with all the offhand charm of a great tale told over a round of beers .",
      "despite the exhausting quest taken up by the documentary 's hero , the film does n't register as inspirational .",
      "the documentary , like the project itself , is an indulgent vanity project : friends making a film about a friend .",
      "combining enough of the characteristic wiseassery of penn & teller with a dose of scholarly research on an age-old art-world mystery , it is at once entertaining and edifying .",
      "tim 's finished vermeer may resemble the real thing , but tim 's vermeer never tackles the true mystery of why the latter is actually incomparable .",
      "the result is cool and semi-comical , but also serious .",
      "as with many good film , it 's the destination , not the outcome , that matters , and ` tim 's vermeer ' has the spacious room to allow one to get lost in one man 's impressively herculean busy work .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- highly entertaining documentary ...",
      "do we even want to see a movie arguing that the work of one of the greatest artists of all time could be re-created by a dude with some mirrors and no actual ability to paint ? i 'm not sure . but tim 's vermeer has more on its mind than that .",
      "the movie 's painstaking attention to detail certainly puts you in mind of vermeer 's own , but even halfway through its short length it 's easy to get restless .",
      "the process of putting those three-dimensional objects on canvas in natural light is so fascinating that no one 's going to make jokes about watching paint dry - though at one point the film is literally about watching paint dry . and then applying varnish .",
      "what tim 's vermeer is really about is two geniuses , of very different sorts , communing across time and space .",
      "an original and endearing documentary from penn & teller asks the question : how did he do that ?",
      "a deft and fascinating documentary about art , technology , and the creative spirit .",
      "a fascinating documentary that poses a compelling aesthetic query : did 17th-century dutch painter johannes vermeer use optical devices to achieve his gorgeously photo-realistic , light-filled artwork ?",
      "`` tim 's vermeer , '' a fascinating documentary by the comic magicians penn & teller , has a way of arousing passionate feelings while provoking fresh ideas about the porous border between technology and art .",
      "vermeer is n't an uplifting experience per se , but a reflective and profound one that should have viewers thinking outside the box .",
      "like a cinematic magic trick , one that unveils itself over the course of roughly 90 minutes .",
      "the movie is straightforward , brisk , engaging , and sometimes even moving .",
      "are the great paintings of the renaissance really all that great , or is their magic an illusion ? could the illusion be part of their greatness ?",
      "teller , the quiet half of the iconoclastic magic act penn and teller , crafts a captivating documentary portrait of the artist as a tinkerer .",
      "shooting in unattractive , hard-edge digital , teller condenses mr. jenison 's years-long pursuit into 80 glib , alternately diverting , exasperating and tedious minutes .",
      "the film - an ode to craftsmanship - establishes without a doubt that many of the traits we reserve for other fields - dedication , ingenuity - are also inherent to the artistic process . ta-da .",
      "a captivating look at a high-tech inventor who presumes to replicate the work of a great painter ."
    ],
    "summary": "entertaining and profound in equal measure , tim 's vermeer uses its seemingly esoteric subject to pose fascinating questions about art and obsession .",
    "id": "771363015"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jonas_brothers_3d",
    "reviews": [
      "girls are crazy . i do n't mean they 're mildly emotional or excitable . i mean completely nuts . at least the girls flocking to see the new 3d jonas brothers movie are .",
      "it serves its purpose .",
      "i had all four posters on my bedroom closet : davy , mickey , peter and mike .",
      "love them or loathe them , it 's the jonas brothers ' moment -- you might as well enjoy it .",
      "this movie spends too much time on stage , and not enough off .",
      "the threat may be as illusory as the thrills in jonas brothers are contrived . but that wo n't stop jonas junkies from enjoying their magical mystery tour .",
      "young jonas fans will adore the brothers ' concert flick .",
      "this is a concert , not in any way , shape or form , a film .",
      "this current squeaky-clean vocal group is way more talented than its elders were .",
      "for those of us dwelling outside the jonas demo , the small charms in the ` candid ' moments have little to do with the boys ' talents as actors , and a lot to do with the revered icons whose cheeky behavior they 're imitating .",
      "at 76 minutes , the film is nearly twice as long as even the band 's most dedicated admirers might need , with weariness setting in around the 40-minute mark .",
      "at best , they 're an all-davy jones monkees with varsity soccer co-captain good looks .",
      "the disney-created automatons have none of the charisma that miley cyrus showed in her 3-d concert film , and the lame 3-d effects make this flick priced for rip-offs at $ 15 .",
      "those squeaky clean jonas brothers have made a squeaky clean movie that is all songs - no plot , no acting",
      "for its intended ` tween audience , it 's high-decible and shreik-inducing , but it 's not recommended for anyone over the age of 30 .",
      "jonas brothers : the 3d concert experience is no last waltz , but it 's going to be some kid 's first step towards pop music , and it 's so well made and exuberant that you 'd be a fool to begrudge it .",
      "walking into this picture , i could n't name a single jonas brothers song . walking out , i still could n't name a single jonas brothers song , but at least i know now joe 's the guy on all the erasers and backpacks at target .",
      "they are all part of a great american tradition . hate them if you want to , but you might as well hate gated communities , the real world , and the war on terror while you 're at it .",
      "the film gets one star from me for the admirable brevity of its running time and another for the definite article in its title , seemingly an implicit promise that there will be no sequel .",
      "with their fresh-faced image , it 's hard not to snigger when they start spraying the audience with foam guns ... insert your own freudian interpretation here .",
      "the jonas brothers suck and they can all go to hell !!!",
      "it 's a trite cash-in designed to empty pockets , lazily slapped together with concert footage and phoney fly-on-the-wall snippets .",
      "this tv-special-sized feature comprises songs from the trio 's recent burning up tour , along with gobbets of behind the scenes action .",
      "if you 're a jonas fan , take the star rating above and double it , since i 'm old and the jonases are awesome !",
      "the movie , sadly , perpetuates the corporate myth that they are musical tyros , boyband savants and the sweetest virgins in the business .",
      "applying criticism to jonas brothers : the 3d concert experience is like trying to lasso a bull with dental floss . it 's not going to stop the bull and no one 's really going to notice .",
      "if you are n't a teenage girl or ca n't channel your inner groupie for 76 minutes , you have no business at jonas brothers : the 3d concert experience .",
      "sorry boys , for fear of sounding like an old fuddyduddy , i thought the majority of their pop rock songs sounded pretty much the same . but this film was n't made for me . it was made for their fans , who will love it .",
      "it 's a pavlovian thing . see swarthy -lrb- and shirtless ! -rrb- teen heartthrob joe jonas standing backstage in 3-d : scream .",
      "i 'm a fan of power-pop , and i was even an unapologetic hanson listener when it was uncool to be one , so i wish i could be more enthusiastic about the actual music here .",
      "this does pretty much what it says on the tin , though the interactive `` 3d '' element does introduce a twist of sorts .",
      "the music is unmemorable , the staging conventional , the connection between religious and sexual ecstasy very evident .",
      "only for die-hard members of team jonas .",
      "fans of the jonas brothers , pavlov and freud should be equally satisfied for a 75-minute stint .",
      "the film features two guest spots with other artists from the disney stable , demi lovato and taylor swift . swift is a star of the future , and i guess you can bet on her own 3d film in the pipeline , but demi lovato , whoever she is , ought n't give up her day",
      "teen sensations can put on an impressive act , just do n't ask them to fake-act their `` rock-star life . ''",
      "there 's no plot , no character development , no dramatic arc . it just plops you smack down in the epicenter of the jobro musical youthquake , and away you go .",
      "as sunglasses and guitar picks fly ... and mics and pointing drumsticks thrust out of the screen , it 's a sort of metaphor for the whole film -lrb- and the band it captures -rrb- to ponder which effects are `` real '' and which are manufactured in a computer . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "fascinating only for the opportunity to observe the mesmerizing effect of a well-rehearsed , mass seduction on an auditorium filled with willing , adoring girls .",
      "canned and created by committee",
      "... the film boasts a preaching-to-the-converted vibe that effectively holds newcomers at arm 's length throughout .",
      "this may be three dimensional poison for jonas-hating curmudgeons but it 's unlikely that any of the band 's fans will be asking for their money back .",
      "76 minutes of squeaky clean processed-cheese-food product rock ' music interspersed with spurious ` documentary ' footage .",
      "the tunes are so bland it could be the same song on a loop , while the performances are spirited but nondescript .",
      "it 's a hard day 's night all over again , except nobody has bothered to write the brothers some funny dialogue .",
      "it 's too bad the film offers none of the comedic sparkle they recently showed on saturday night live and david letterman 's show . it 's only slightly better than the surprisingly flat and one-dimensional hannah montana movie .",
      "the attitude displayed by jonas brothers : the 3d concert experience back toward those fans comes across as a curious mixture of shameless pandering and discreet contempt .",
      "we learn nothing about who they are or where they come from -- they may not even have parents , for all we know , since the adult accompanying them is usually their bodyguard .",
      "this tepid concert film does the jonas brothers no favors , not that the band 's tweener fans will notice .",
      "the brothers are no beatles , but it wo n't matter to fans who 'll just be happy to spend some concentrated time with their crushes .",
      "this personality vacuum is a real problem in a film that purports to depict a day in the life of young pop stars whom audiences can actually relate to .",
      "if the boys are dreamy and smooth enough for that pink ipod on the ride home from school , that does n't mean they have the juice to carry a 76 minute documentary . and at 76 minutes , the movie is still too long .",
      "parental content review",
      "omg , the jonas brothers in 3-d ! the promise-ring-wearing hotties try to burn down the house , but their burning up tour makes for a tepid rock doc .",
      "in a struggling music economy , the big screen can be big money -- for the right acts . and the jonas brothers are exactly that .",
      "jonas brothers : the 3d concert experience is n't a movie so much as a devotional object , a kind of secular fetish designed to induce rapture .",
      "the songs wash over in waves of such turgid mediocrity that by the end you 're praying for it to stop . thankfully , after 76 minutes , it does - and all is well again .",
      "it 's no mystery that the target audience for this g-rated bubblegum fantasy is tweens , parents of tweens and the occasional pervert . they 'll be so pleased . anything for the rest of humanity ? not so much .",
      "boy bands serve multiple functions for their audiences . they entertain , they sing the poetry of love , they offer a spectrum of masculine attributes . on the first two counts , the jonas brothers movie leaves something to be desired .",
      "call us cynical , but is n't there something just a tiny bit iffy about three sworn virgins performing a rock show in which the climax has them shooting gallons of white `` party '' foam over their adoring girl fans ?",
      "the jonas brothers are a contemporary phenomenon -- a boyish trio who dazzle fangirl tweens .",
      "thanks to 3d , you feel like you can almost reach out and touch the jonas brothers , grab them by the neck , and strangle the everlasting life out of them .",
      "if you 're already a pre-teen fan , you 'll love this flick . chaperoning parents will just have to grin and bear it .",
      "jonas brothers fans will feel like they are on stage with joe , nick , and kevin in this immersive 3d concert film from the recent `` burning up '' tour .",
      "far be it from me to deny that girls just want to have fun , but i hope they realize that once this latest teen idol fad has run its course , a mighty , mortifying hangover most surely awaits .",
      "this toe-curling dip into the sickly-sweet musical world of the jonas brothers is innocuous and dull .",
      "accompanying parents can don blindfolds and ear-plugs and indulge in the sweet fantasy that they are somewhere , anywhere , else .",
      "is it any good ? that really all depends on whether you 're a fan of the jonas brothers .",
      "hate the songs . what a lot of hair they have . do n't ask me the names .",
      "the lack of depth or personality makes jonas brothers : the 3d concert experience a tedious , empty viewing experience for anyone unlucky enough to be dragged to see it .",
      "it 's a big old pile of baboon cack .",
      "if you have no idea who these bland disney charmers are or why they appear to be so popular , then this perfunctory concert film is unlikely to leave you any the wiser .",
      "the 3d cameras capturing the concert at new york 's madison square garden ca n't give their insipid guitar pop or their charisma-free presence the extra dimension they need ."
    ],
    "summary": "jonas brothers : the 3-d concert experience should please the brothers ' adoring followers , but for non-converts , this concert film is largely flat and unenlightening .",
    "id": "770801286"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blue_valentine",
    "reviews": [
      "the film proceeds in what feels like real time , but with no obvious beginning or end . it 's a latticework of moments happy and sad .",
      "a movie that rumbles around inside you and appeals to those who believe in love as well as those who recognize its potential to fade .",
      "MOV is so nervy , so `` real , '' that it poses a dire threat . dean and cindy are such decent folks . how do we know what happens to them could n't happen to us ?",
      "MOV is interestingly styled and shot . it features outstanding performances from ryan gosling and michelle williams and an inventive screenplay and structure .",
      "cianfrance dives deeply into the happiness and heartache a damaged relationship can give you and has created a story that understands how real life romance actually works .",
      "MOV shows us the present will never be as fun as the past .",
      "the ghost of john cassavetes looms large over MOV . this movie destroyed me .",
      "what we end up with here is 2/3 of a story that consequently feels incomplete . it obviously wanted to be something like '' -lrb- 500 -rrb- days of summer '' in terms of structure , but the writers just did n't know how to get up to that level .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- cianfrance is not interested in the hollywood fairytale , he want to show that love can scar .",
      "unlike bergman 's searing scenes from a marriage , which sustains itself for every one of its 299 devastating minutes , MOV begins to falter somewhere during its 114 .",
      "a cold but commendable relationship drama .",
      "`` MOV '' has a palpable air of claustrophobic danger ; you constantly expect something terrible to be happening to these characters . and , indeed , something does .",
      "a pesar de su por momentos dolorosa disección de una pareja , MOV es una hermosa historia de amor condenada al fracaso -lrb- así de paradójico -rrb- . y está animada por dos intérpretes de excepción .",
      "MOV deserves a wide audience . but it is probably too authentically tragic to get it .",
      "manages at the end to provoke a real , resonant response to what it means to lose love to the ugly realities of living .",
      "there are scenes of such exquisite sadness and performances of such raw pain in MOV that you may wonder by the end why it is n't quite the satisfying movie it ought to be .",
      "the performances are as raw as the characters .",
      "its rawness and honesty may not be everyone 's cup of tea , but MOV stands as a necessary corrective to the myth of cinematic love .",
      "an almost unbearably bittersweet love story starring two of today 's best actors and orchestrated by a director who 's attuned to past masters .",
      "not since john cassavetes ' startling faces has there been a more fearless examination of a troubled relationship than this searing drama .",
      "did it have to be such a downer ?",
      "i was riveted .",
      "moments , as affecting as they are , ca n't surmount the overworkshopped feel of the whole film .",
      "penetrating but tedious close-up of a marriage breakup .",
      "be prepared for an emotionally devastating portrait of a marriage that , at times , feels like an eavesdropping expedition .",
      "even for those who tire of movies with shiny , happy people , all this earnest effort results in a movie that 's a drag .",
      "bright-eyed youth and bedraggled adulthood alternate in a sad spectacle beautifully and sensitively portrayed .",
      "MOV will break your heart .",
      "MOV has a rare emotional intensity . there is no way to prepare for its final frames , inevitable as they are .",
      "despite MOV 's blatant sensememories of nakedness and affection , irritation and itch , what gosling and williams reveal about their own concepts of heterosexual experience is ultimately inane .",
      "a postmodern tragedy of two people at odds who are both right and both wrong in their argument , sharing responsibility for the birth and death of love .",
      "if you like soul-rending misery , you 'll love MOV .",
      "jumbled editing does not hide that this is little more than recycled relationship navel-gazing .",
      "both painful and exquisite .",
      "for people who have felt a relationship dissolve just this hopelessly , it may be direct and visceral enough to elicit the cold sweats of post-traumatic stress flashbacks .",
      "michelle williams and ryan gosling give tender , nuanced performances in the most authentic portrayal of romance we 've seen in a long time - its hopeful , giddy beginning and its stagnant , fracturing end .",
      "derek cianfrance zooms the camera way in , almost inside the souls of his doomed lovers , and seldom comes up for air .",
      "there is something raw and naked that translates from the actors to the audience , even mediated by the movie screen .",
      "a raw but beautiful picture of love uniting and dividing : tender , real and heartfelt .",
      "a sombre , painful portrait of a toxic marriage , often touching and sometimes moving , though occasionally contrived and self-conscious in its effects .",
      "i felt cheated out of something here . not merely information -lrb- what happened ? -rrb- , but a dramatic structure that might have imparted meaning to this dissolving marriage .",
      "gosling and williams cry and yell and pour their hearts into every moment of the movie , but they 're mostly just screaming into an empty void .",
      "thanks to strong performances from michelle williams and ryan gosling , there 's a genuine emotional credibility to derek cianfrance 's film , though it 's by no means comfortable viewing .",
      "by the end we still believe every pulse , beat and thought of these characters .",
      "around halfway through , i was itching to see how much time remained .",
      "for those who can face love stories without studio-sanctioned happy ever afters , here 's compelling proof that the tide of slush does not flow unopposed .",
      "MOV is a tough and tender drama that does n't pull any punches , and it 's a thrill to see two of the best actors of their generation going toe-to-toe .",
      "it 's the kind of emotionally challenging movie that actors relish but most audience members may find themselves anxiously looking for the exit sign , waiting for the excruciating two hours to go by .",
      "you are witnessing the implosion of a marriage , and it 's a sad , discomfiting thing to behold .",
      "a streetside walk on the couple 's first date that ends with dean crooning `` you always hurt the one you love '' on ukulele while cindy improvises an uncertain tap dance bursts with affirmation and life .",
      "like a modern day john cassavetes film",
      "it 's complicated , like real life .",
      "it 's so close to achieving greatness it hurts .",
      "from the movie 's standpoint , -lsb- its story -rsb- is a common tragedy that deserves acknowledgment and pity , and it pulls absolutely no punches in sharing its view .",
      "... the film 's unevenness ultimately -lsb- prevents -rsb- it from packing the emotional punch that cianfrance is clearly going for .",
      "an enormously overheated yet oddly affecting movie gets an appropriately earnest dvd treatment .",
      "... a crucible for very powerful performances and a convincing relationship in all its contradictions .",
      "an engaging and tough drama , for sure , but its ascension to instant indie classic on the back of festival screenings has left this reviewer slightly stumped .",
      "moments so potent they seem to put the actors at emotional risk",
      "workshop-patchy",
      "the bitter end still catches you by surprise with its crushing sadness .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is a powerfully emotional relationship drama with terrific performances from ryan gosling and michelle williams .",
      "MOV plays with our own expectations and assumptions of stereotypes enough to re-think the film at several different parts , and the movie gets more moving and sad as it reveals its many layers .",
      "... alternately swells your heart and punctures it .",
      "it 's `` scenes from a marriage '' grungy-american-style . michelle williams and ryan gosling give courageous and at times heart-rending performances as two halves of a marriage we observe in two time frames in `` MOV . ''",
      "michelle williams and ryan gosling are better than MOV as a whole , but one can not deny the experience rattles with a weary knowledge not easily faked .",
      "-lsb- gosling and williams -rsb- are vital to MOV , and almost inflate the movie 's flat ambitions .",
      "the performances are two of the best you will see in a movie",
      "MOV is an agonizing film , a raw , soul-shattering dissection of a marriage 's end . this is not a film for incurable romantics whose perceptions of love are informed by romantic comedies .",
      "what do we expect of a spouse ? `` MOV '' makes us ask that question .",
      "the best of it plays like an acting exercise that serves the intimate , often bruising relationship at the core . gosling seems to be pulling from an impressive bag of performance tricks , williams from a deeper well , drawn from life .",
      "almost unbearably harrowing but also deeply cathartic , as viewers create their own meanings within dean and cindy 's singular downward spiral .",
      "a powerful drama , partially made so by a fantastic script , but mostly due to two of the best performances of the year from ryan gosling and michelle williams . do n't miss it .",
      "it 's an anguished , acutely observed and at times deeply affecting story about falling in love - and out of love - that channels the keening , ugly desperation and emotional heft of the great john cassavetes .",
      "in the battle between claustrophobic , showily indie filmmaking and the raw openness of the lead actors , the latter wins by a long shot . the faces of these performers -- particularly williams ' -- are the key to MOV .",
      "this is an extremely painful film with undeniably powerful performances from both ryan gosling and michelle williams .",
      "there is also no doubt that williams and gosling bring that ineffable spark of quality to the roles ... but it is not just the structure of the couple 's relationship that is problematic - so is the construction of the film .",
      "uses its duality of setting % u2014 young and old , vibrant and cold , optimistic and tragic % u2014 to unleash wave after wave of emotion .",
      "ultimately too painful , too labored , to care much about at all .",
      "the ghost of john cassavetes hovers over this tough-minded portrait of a working-class couple 's marriage .",
      "perhaps the most honest depiction of a relationship gone sour that has ever been committed to celluloid .",
      "a working class american take on ingmar bergman 's scenes from a marriage ...",
      "knowing where the relationship is headed lends bittersweet notes to the scenes from the past , but the conclusions MOV draws ultimately feel pat .",
      "... a raw , emotionally devastating experience .",
      "gosling and williams are terrific but the movie is a downer from start to finish . not just `` blue , '' this is a ripped , torn and shredded valentine .",
      "MOV is a devastating dissection of a young marriage in crisis that is written , directed and acted with passion and clarity .",
      "intense , slow-moving relationship drama on a doomed marriage .",
      "a film we 've seen a thousand times around oscar season ...",
      "painstakingly and heartbreakingly , the formula of the romantic drama has its neck wrung here ; the story of boy-meets-girl exists only with our prior knowledge that it is doomed ...",
      "an endless barrage of misery and depression punctuated by great acting . being breathless does n't make quality cinema .",
      "a raw slog through one couple 's marital misery , but make no mistake : the combined talents of its stars will rip your heart out .",
      "there 's nothing feel-good about MOV that the feel-bad parts ca n't undermine . which does n't sound like praise but it is .",
      "it will keep you thinking - and feeling - about the possibilities for long-term love for days after you 've left the cinema .",
      "this is a marvel of a movie , but in the interest of perpetuating the human race , i 'd counsel dewy young couples embarking on life 's journey to check into a sex motel instead .",
      "powerful , raw and fluidly shot , this history of a marriage told in shuffled time stars michelle williams and ryan gosling , two of our finest young actors .",
      "the tagline `` nobody baby but you and me '' says it perfectly ; when gosling and williams on screen , nobody else matters . if not oscars , they will win over your heart . and possibly break it .",
      "a meditation on one couple 's journey in and out of love , and a testament to the talents of director derek cianfrance , and his two wonderful leads .",
      "they share a talent for living in the moment , which means that cianfrance 's miniaturist style could not have found two more inspired interpreters .",
      "so bracing in the intimacy of it all . i think they 're two wonderful , brave performances .",
      "it 's very sad but it 's so beautiful .",
      "featuring two remarkable performances",
      "powerful and spellbinding , but not for the squeamish or the incurably romantic or people who do n't want to know how difficult it can be to keep love alive .",
      "it 's a sad tale , and it 's well told -- but what does it amount to ? i feel like there 's so much left undone .",
      "flashes of brilliance , but the lead performances were mannered and the script overwritten . too self-consciously indie-hipster .",
      "at once sad and celebratory for anyone who 's ever fallen in and then out of love .",
      "wretched and beautiful , devastating and passionate , MOV evokes every inch of its title 's dichotomy .",
      "the film 's time structure is splintered into shards of past and present , which is probably just as well -- a strictly narrative chronology would make this wallow seem even sloggier .",
      "... when you break it down , -lsb- it -rsb- largely feels genuinely honest , rather than aspiring to an obvious movie facsimile of `` honest . ''",
      "MOV is the kind of movie that john cassavetes may have dreamt about .",
      "agonizing but beautiful adult drama about love and marriage .",
      "the scenes cut so close to the emotional bone that you can understand why they might cause a panic amongst mpaa boardmembers , although of course , it 's nothing to be afraid of : just the realism of love in its varied forms .",
      "MOV does the impossible , and captures the uncapturable : to watch this film is to watch two people fall in , and eventually out of , love . few films have ever done it so well .",
      "if you care about the integrity of independent cinema , you 'll steel your heart and go .",
      "ryan gosling and michelle williams fall in and out of love with stunning clarity in MOV .",
      "movie intimacy reaches groundbreaking new heights in this shocking story of a young marriage on the rocks .",
      "every once in a while a film arrives that is so honest , so expertly crafted and so sincere that the powerful emotional response it elicits is profound . MOV is one of those rare films . see it with somebody you are breaking up with .",
      "there 's a certain kind of cinema that produces an effect in the viewer that 's close to embarrassment . not because its shoddy , boring or stupid but because it seems so true to our waking existence .",
      "very rarely have i seen a film where the relationship is so convincing . here ryan gosling and michelle williams give performances that will bring you very , very close to your own memories and longings , because we are so very close to theirs .",
      "emotionally raw , heartbreakingly beautiful and superbly acted .",
      "skillfully told and featuring two remarkable lead performances , this painfully honest portrait of young love is both devastating and mesmerising .",
      "intense and intimate",
      "nothing out of the ordinary happens in MOV , and that , together with the vital , untrammelled performances of the two leading actors , is the root of its power .",
      "agonizing to watch yet relentlessly compelling .",
      "a beautifully directed suburban drama that propels us deep into the hearts of two troubled lovers .",
      "not first-date material , this sombre portrait of failed dreams is buoyed by excellent leads and a yearning heart .",
      "director derek cianfrance has realized his potential and then some .",
      "MOV is like a sad , sad song that you ca n't get out of your head . you know it 'll make you cry and possibly bring up painful memories , but you have to hear it .",
      "magnificent performances elevate mundane cassavetes-esque material .",
      "MOV leaves you with the shattering vision of its truest victim -- the one who 'll someday look for safety in places it might not be . and the psychodrama will go on and on ...",
      "a much needed reminder how difficult and dangerous real life can be , not necessarily to body but to soul , and includes with it the unspoken assertion important decisions really need to be thought through .",
      "-lsb- derek -rsb- cianfrance does these exceptional young actors justice by giving them two of their deepest , richest roles to date .",
      "an intensely acted , minutely observed attempt to convey the arc of a romantic involvement .",
      "rom-com haters finally got what they wanted : a brutally honest big-screen relationship on the rocks garnished with hickeys , regret , ripped panties , bruised chins and bruised egos .",
      "gosling -- whose acting can be seen from a mile away -- seems to be portraying a slumming method actor who 's only pretending to be a husband/housepainter , while williams is natural and convincing ...",
      "is it worth the trouble and heartache ? MOV comes close , but the uneven examination of its central couple makes for a depressing and ultimately unsatisfactory experience .",
      "shot with a fly-on-the-wall quality and an unflinching honesty that refuses to draw either character as simply bad or good , MOV is all the more tragic because it is so easy to believe .",
      "michelle williams and ryan gosling take the plunge , reeling beneath their characters ' troubled lives .",
      "riveting and raw , it 's a little like sitting at a dinner table while a pair of your married friends who were never really a good fit for each other fight in the kitchen .",
      "it 's at its root a hard-to-resist character study . that 's because the character being studied is you and me and everyone else who has ever fallen in , and out of , love",
      "powerful stuff . at times you feel like an intruder ; an eavesdropper on conversations you are n't meant to hear .",
      "the dialogue is meaningful and realistic . the first-rate cinematography and an explosive soundtrack make an indelible impression . this sad and very personal movie will generate lots of discussions . marriage counselors and divorce lawyers should get a. . .",
      "a depressing deconstruction of a marriage that clearly was never meant to be .",
      "derek cianfrance , the film 's writer and director , observes with great exactitude the birth and decay of a relationship . this film is alive in its details .",
      "the film is undeniably his -lsb- cianfrance -rsb- , and yet it is so powerfully enriched by the output of his extraordinary stars .",
      "in its splendid acting by ryan golsing and michelle williams -lrb- in oscar-caliber performances -rrb- and brutal honesty , this relentlessly grim portrait of marital dissolution is up there with the best of the genre , including shoot the moon and smash palace .",
      "pulls no punches in terms of its heavy subject matter and boasts wonderful performances from stars ryan gosling and michelle williams",
      "assuming one can use the word `` enjoy '' for what might be the greatest feel-bad movie of the year , i enjoyed MOV a lot .",
      "ryan gosling and michelle williams give two of the most explosive and emotionally naked performances you will see anywhere .",
      "the effect can be wearisome , clouding the intriguing atmosphere of the film , stealing attention away from the fractured essence of the piece so actors can flail about , killing vital intimacy by being so aware of the camera .",
      "MOV offers a refreshing and raw look at holy matrimony coming undone a la ` who 's afraid of virginia woolf ' , ` revolutionary road ' and ` rabbit hole . ' except dean and cindy are relatively poorer than those other clashing couples",
      "exquisitely painful to watch .",
      "an intensely intimate rendering of love that limits itself to that first falling in and that last falling out .",
      "MOV feels off-the-cuff and improvised , which adds to the charm of that first date and the danger of that `` big fight . ''",
      "MOV sets past and present on course for a collision , and measures the full weight of its impact .",
      "gosling and williams have the most palpable chemistry of any screen couple this year , never striking a false note in this achingly tender tale of a love that implodes before our eyes .",
      "the emotional colors and understated psychological transitions that gosling and williams reveal make watching them a pure joy . as the title suggests `` MOV '' is a sad love story , and a very personal one as well .",
      "... a unique approach to independent filmmaking , an actor 's workshop with true emotion , but in the end it 's just too inevitable . williams and gosling are terrific , though , and cianfrance is one to watch .",
      "it could easily have devolved into sweaty , pretentious melodrama or ersatz john cassavetes if cianfrance and his actors did n't maintain perfect control over the material .",
      "gosling and williams are pretty much perfect as the struggling couple ... although early scenes lean towards the old ` women are boring , men are fun ' routine",
      "a rarely cheery but carefully crafted look at flawed and all-too human behaviour , worth seeing for michelle williams and ryan gosling 's sincere , intelligent performances .",
      "in some ways MOV is a lower-class version of annie hall without the wry humour and allen 's acceptance that nothing truly lasts , and that love inevitably fades .",
      "this portrait of a strained relationship is often difficult to watch , simply because it feels so real . fortunately , the screenplay includes plenty of raw humanity , which gives us a chance to laugh and sigh as well .",
      "heartbreaking honesty with the challenge of finding the light in a very dark story .",
      "watching it requires as much courage as curiosity . that it was just as hard to see the second time around says something about it . i 'm just not sure what .",
      "it 's a heartbreaker , but one made bearable by ryan gosling and oscar nominee michelle williams , who deliver performances that feel so real they transcend acting and become something else altogether .",
      "a reminder that well-measured and expertly acted pain can be as thrilling to watch as 3-d spectacle .",
      "the time spent ... bringing to life these characters enabled the actors to reach a level of naturalism that ca n't be achieved by conventional role casting . cianfrance , gosling and williams literally created a family , then let it self-destruct .",
      "guiltier of sins of ambition than of criminal complacency , although the indie clichés invariably come back to haunt .",
      "it 's this slow grinding down of the gears of marriage that cianfrance brings so realistically to the big screen , aided by the heartfelt performances of gosling and williams that 'll surely garner recognition come oscar time .",
      "a searing portrait of the disintegration of not just a marriage but , more importantly , the love that once fueled it .",
      "ms. williams and mr. gosling are exemplars of new method sincerity , able to be fully and achingly present every moment on screen together .",
      "as the film , which derek cianfrance directed and co-wrote , makes its way to the end of its second hour , it becomes an acutely stylized , slow-motion marital accident . you either want to call aaa or roll your eyes .",
      "cianfrance 's film is frustratingly surface-bound in ways that reflect , if not out-and-out misogyny , then at least a lack of interest in imbuing his female character with the rich interior life and complicated morality he gives his male lead .",
      "by the end , you feel you might almost run your fingers over the spiritual scars incurred by its two protagonists .",
      "a brilliantly naturalistic dissection of romance and marriage ... meticulously observed -lsb- and -rsb- intensely realistic .",
      "a small but shattering film that marks its writer-director , derek cianfrance , as an artist of real depth .",
      "MOV wrenches us with its painful and tender understanding of how people with even this tattered a connection can lunge for love as if it were air .",
      "a chilling anatomy of a marriage beginning and ending .",
      "the brown-bag movie of the year : sneak in a bottle of something bitter and cheap -lrb- to match the central characters -rrb- and get smashed along with the onscreen relationship .",
      "MOV 's greatest asset is its realism , established by cianfrance 's unpolished , caught-in-the-moment cinematography and enhanced by a pair of fearless , unglamorous and viciously honest performances .",
      "a work so beautifully acted and emotionally honest it is my choice for best movie of the year .",
      "early screenings of the film have divided audiences on which partner is most at fault for the relationship ending , but the brilliance of writer-director derek cianfrance is that he makes it truly the fault of neither ... or both .",
      "michelle williams and ryan gosling tear up the screen .",
      "cianfrance prizes verisimilitude over insight , which means the movie gives you a lot to feel but not much to think about , but it 's still quietly devastating .",
      "there 's a beauty , a rhythm , and a subtle sense of discovery in MOV that makes it a magical experience .",
      "painfully honest .",
      "it 's a brutal , beautiful and affecting piece of work .",
      "a powerful , piercing , brilliantly acted exploration of the ways in which love can die .",
      "it 's not an easy movie , but it is a powerful , unforgettable experience .",
      "MOV comes on like a bittersweet cautionary tale .",
      "this punishing drama is worth a look thanks to the excellent work by the leads as well as cianfrance 's ability to employ the appropriate mood to help capture his own prickly scenes from a marriage .",
      "an autopsy of a failed marriage , it contrasts the giddy honeymoon beginning with the sad denouement after dysfunction has devastated the groundwork of hope and newness ."
    ],
    "summary": "this emotionally gripping examination of a marriage on the rocks is n't always easy to watch , but michelle williams and ryan gosling give performances of unusual depth and power .",
    "id": "770728350"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rugrats_in_paris",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's worth taking the kids yourself .",
      "rugrats again blends poignancy with fun in a way that touches parents , even as it goes for kids with a run of bodily function and booger jokes .",
      "watching MOV ... i am forced to ask myself exactly what range of kids this kiddie movie is actually being pitched at .",
      "predictable and not terribly clever .",
      "if you 're a parent , you could do a heck of a lot worse than taking the spawn off to catch MOV and if you 're a kid , well , you probably already knew that anyway .",
      "fans of the tv show , particularly , will find nothing not to like in this version , and even non-fans may find themselves wondering why they have n't been paying attention to the show all these years .",
      "a tour de france of its own in the rugrats ' latest , funniest and most colorful big-screen trip .",
      "thesp voicings are outstanding , and sometimes reach the level of comic warmth of the toy story ensemble .",
      "something for everyone , as it were .",
      "more chic and movie-savvy than its predecessor .",
      "your children are almost certain to have a great time .",
      "the script is ... better than the first film or the nickelodeon series .",
      "adults can attend this movie with a fair degree of pleasure .",
      "a delight , with tickles that reach from pre-k to grown-up .",
      "this is modestly clever animation that has characters kids can identify with and enough grown-up jokes to keep parents from settling into catatonia .",
      "a meaningful tale that should resonate even for the most jaded older viewers .",
      "chuckie-full of juicy one liners .",
      "they deserve better than to wind up as collateral damage in nickelodeon 's excursion onto the mouse king 's turf .",
      "MOV is a one - way ticket to infantile heaven .",
      "an arguably better movie than the original rugrats film .",
      "really is ` bigger and better ' than the first .",
      "deliciously clever and surprisingly touching .",
      "it 's quite tolerable for adults .",
      "despite its hackneyed premise , the plot has a few imaginative twists , and the pack of japanese sumo-wrestler waiters who grunt out a karaoke version of bad girls are a riot .",
      "nerve-grinding .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- hodgepodge which veers from segment to segment with remarkably little logical connection , even for a kidflick .",
      "chuckie 's odyssey is sentimental stuff . heck , it might even choke you up . but , in the end , it 's all about the marketing .",
      "fundamentally , a lot like a tv instalment , only bigger , longer , more extravagant . fine attributes for an animated kidpic really .",
      "we get nauseating homilies on the values of friendship , family , and parenting and a soundtrack full to bursting with vacuous pop acts .",
      "23 million cable viewers ca n't be wrong .",
      "there are also nice themes about bravery , honesty and trust , the animation is astonishingly good , and the constant mayhem makes the very obvious plot bearable .",
      "it 's a good way to entertain kids for an hour without parents going insane .",
      "just as good as the last outing , this is great kiddie fare with some filmic references for the adults .",
      "the makers of MOV wisely inserted just enough adult humor to keep mom and/or dad alert and amused-if not falling about laughing in the aisles .",
      "it does n't matter how weak the script is , chuckie will win your heart every time he opens his mouth and speaks in that timid , nasal-dripping voice . you can bet on it .",
      "a kid 's movie the rest of us can stand -lrb- or even enjoy -rrb- .",
      "the character work is strong , and the celebrity recruits are fun .",
      "for grown-ups , the jokes are often flat tires , largely thanks to their context .",
      "the first rugrats film was a surprise hit ... and MOV -- the movie cleverly stays the course .",
      "this effort from stig bergqvist and paul demeyer is tolerable for indulging adults -- and likely heaven for their own droolers .",
      "musically ... the rugrats sequel is a big step backward .",
      "the rugrats are back for an all-new adventure , and one that is by far much funnier and more entertaining for both youngsters and their guardians than the first bigscreen outing .",
      "what i enjoyed most about rugrats ii is that the filmmakers are completely aware they must work just as hard to entertain the parents as the diaper set .",
      "the writing team is adept at childish malapropisms and the skewed perspectives of 5-year-olds , but the characterizations and plot lines are witheringly simplistic .",
      "not as fresh as the first film .",
      "an entertaining add-on to an entertaining show .",
      "this is one kids ' film that 's actually quite charming .",
      "nauseating gags suggest the makers of this eclectically animated adventure ... know their audience , though all the godfather references will be thoroughly puzzling to at least half of it .",
      "offers plenty to amuse the young and young at heart .",
      "this film feels particularly lax and flabby .",
      "class . that 's not what you get from a rugrats movie .",
      "seems more like a merchandising ploy than a successful attempt to entertain kids and their parents .",
      "its germs wo n't make anyone sick , but it wo n't hurt to wash your hands when you 're finished gumming it .",
      "take the kids - MOV is a perfect saturday afternoon film .",
      "MOV -- the movie is one stinky diapee .",
      "a pretty decent film .",
      "an improvement over the first film .",
      "MOV allows us to dip our toes in this ooey gooey world without too much residual stickage .",
      "there 's something in MOV for all ages .",
      "it was all so cute , i could n't help but enjoy it .",
      "the rugrats concept works because it knows how children think .",
      "with its melange of poo poo humor and pop culture in jokes , nickelodeon 's rugrats packs appeal for both kids and parents .",
      "the rugrats team has come up with a funny , smart and genuinely moving movie that will please children and adults .",
      "feels like a half-hour tv show inflated into a feature film .",
      "a very good kids ' movie from a grown-up standpoint -- it has a coherent plot , a good pace and well-defined characters , and a funny monster-movie spoof at the finale .",
      "a tribute to how entrenched the rugrats are in our hearts .",
      "some scenes are truly , inventively bizarre .",
      "MOV - the movie might not be the greatest film geared for children with adults also in mind , but it 's clearly an enjoyable one in its own right .",
      "sweeter and funnier than their first .",
      "looks like what it really is -- a 77-minute long episode of the tv series projected onto a theater screen .",
      "a family film that 's funny and funky .",
      "i was pleasantly surprised .",
      "the family audience will delight in saying oui , oui to MOV ."
    ],
    "summary": "when the rugrats go to paris , the result is nickelodeon-style fun . the plot is effectively character-driven , and features catchy songs and great celebrity voice-acting .",
    "id": "9757"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bernie_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "a dead-solid-perfect depiction of small-town life .",
      "although MOV never reaches beyond its grasp , there 's an inherent insanity to the story that 's effectively committed to the screen by linklater . it 's a true crime effort that almost registers a pure fantasy .",
      "linklater 's a glider , not a pile-driver ; he hangs back when other directors prefer to bore in .",
      "it allows director richard linklater to explore his own roots while telling a remarkable real-life story , something too crazy for anyone to make up .",
      "it 's a darkly funny , irresistible film - and one with a masterful performance at its center .",
      "it 's an entertainingly odd duck .",
      "the movie 's bright and endearing and surprisingly lacking in a point . i wish i liked it better , but it 's a start .",
      "a one-of-a-kind comedy based on the real homicide of an innocent old lady .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- weirdly funny , inspiring film .",
      "some of the best performances come from real-life residents of carthage as they share their recollections on camera .",
      "pitch-perfect performances by shirley maclaine and an unusually restrained jack black hold together this offbeat true-crime saga , but linklater 's keen eye for human eccentricity flowers most memorably on the periphery .",
      "a splendid performance by jack black distinguishes this overly mild look at a 1990s texas murder .",
      "amusing and appealing , but only rarely cuts deep enough in its examination of a kindly small-town texan who murdered the elderly widow he took care of .",
      "basically it 's a movie old people will think is delightful with a nonthreatening jack black and only one bad word .",
      "linklater has used witnesses to the truth to tell a lie .",
      "jack black delivers one of his strongest performances in this rather outrageous true story from east texas , which linklater tells with a witty blend of comedy , drama and documentary .",
      "the film may be a love letter to linklater 's native east texas , but behind all the sunny smiles , country courtesy and good nature hides the dark story of a criminal undertaking - because , no matter which way you dress it , a corpse is still a corpse .",
      "jack black has never been so good .",
      "another treat from american original richard linklater -- a fantastically absorbing and comedically inflected docu-drama , kind of a slightly less overtly comedic eastern texas response to ` fargo . '",
      "well acted by jack black , this darkly humorous is a return to form for richard linklater , whose best work is grounded in regional cinema .",
      "MOV is n't a particularly likeable guy and black 's opaque performance never lets us get beneath the surface to find a character we might actually care about .",
      "richard linklater -lrb- writing with skip hollandsworth , author of a texas monthly article on the case -rrb- has called MOV his fargo , but his eye is less jaundiced than the coens ' , his ear more sweetly bemused .",
      "an intriguing , often-hilarious exploration of emotion 's ability to triumph over reason . and reason 's knack for fighting back .",
      "a fascinating true story , terrific acting by black and maclaine and solid direction make `` MOV '' a must see , especially if you like jack black .",
      "linklater , admirably unconcerned about how his film can be categorized , has made a comedy , a drama and most certainly a character study .",
      "... it 's good to know that richard linklater had some hitchcock in him .",
      "jack black gives his best performance to date as the selfless assistant mortician with a taste for the finer things in life , but it is the real life townspeople , spilling on their most infamous citizens , who make `` MOV '' so delightful .",
      "almost vaudeville in spirit , it delights in american social clichés and kinks .",
      "really impressive .",
      "i did n't find it very entertaining , but it is at least trying something different .",
      "linklater observes it all with an ironic smile on his face . but he 's never patronising enough to sneer .",
      "a sweet , dark , funny true-crime story with a dream cast - and that includes the real-life residents of the town of carthage , texas .",
      "hugely entertaining , smartly directed and darkly funny black comedy with a superb script and a terrific central performance from jack black .",
      "far more fine shades and ambiguities than expected .",
      "this is a bizarre and intriguing tale but MOV remains essentially unknowable and the picture lacks big laughs .",
      "linklater 's fargo , it 's funny peculiar and funny ha ha , with black a delight and linklater in impressive control of superbly judged content and tone .",
      "there 's not many movies that leave you wanting to give a convicted killer a great big hug . but this is one .",
      "MOV is poised to be a tough sell for millennium entertainment , its mild star power likely incapable of offsetting a garish premise and mixed reviews .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- richard linklater 's impeccable black comedy - based on the real-life exploits of carthage , texas mortician MOV tiede - is so infectiously eccentric that you do n't want the movie to end .",
      "a surprisingly shapeless true-crime farce which never creates a convincing context for the odd relationship between a pious east texas mortician and his sugar mama .",
      "throughout , there 's a tension of real life and fiction , and a pervading sense that fiction has little chance of matching the real thing .",
      "what gives MOV its fizz , its kick , its sheer enjoyable weirdness is the give-and-take between black and maclaine , who seems to live with a baleful look on her face .",
      "i , for one , eagerly await the sequel to MOV .",
      "a chafing , rock-in-the-shoe kind of movie -- and i mean this as a compliment .",
      "taking its time with a flavorful middle section , the movie builds into a true-crime treat ; some will think of fargo -lrb- apt , but this movie is gentler -rrb- , others , the documentaries of werner herzog .",
      "jack black out of character in a semi-serious role . he 's good !",
      "linklater has made a smart movie , with a mordant satirical edge , but he almost falls victim to his own sense of authenticity .",
      "linklater uses dollops of black humor to provide an edge to this morally ambiguous piece .",
      "black is -- forgive me -- downright adorable as the behind-bars-for-life killer .",
      "it 's absolutely worth seeing for black 's skillful work , but if only the filmmaker had added some tension , more people would be interested in seeing such a genuinely great performance .",
      "... MOV is an unusual film with charm to spare , but it also happens to be laugh out loud funny , enthralling , profoundly sad and ultimately one of the year 's best films .",
      "part of the film 's pleasure lies in watching its spirit of poky southern amiability give way to true-crime insanity .",
      "MOV delivers an abundance of belly laughs , but at its center is a confounding act committed by a man too beloved to be hated and a community too passionate to think clearly .",
      "black curbs his most irritating tendencies to give an endearing and convincing performance . an affectionate , intelligent ode to the oddity of small-town america .",
      "a beautifully constructed , smartly scripted and very funny tall tale of down-home values and darkness in the most unlikely of places .",
      "you may be amused , but the laughter like the man , rings hollow .",
      "it 's so lovely to see jack black being this kind of actor . i hope he does it more often .",
      "an inventive drama about a gregarious assistant funeral director in a small texas town where he is widely cherished .",
      "even at its most charming as a defense of small-town eccentrics and texas-style legal process , the film plays a little slowly .",
      "jack black redeems himself with a subtly quirky performance that 's one of his personal best .",
      "MOV , like its lead character , has a degree of diffuse , aw-shucks charm , but it 's also maddeningly opaque .",
      "the movie itself , a partly true and cheerfully embellished account of a texas murder case , presents a case of narrative drift .",
      "as played by jack black , in an award-caliber performance , MOV is everything you 'd want in a friend . the movie is a one-of-a-kind inspiration .",
      "all those twangy , homespun observations interrupt and annotate the narrative until black and maclaine 's scenes start to feel as trivial as reenactments on a true-crime tv show .",
      "linklater brings a shambling , easygoing charm to this unlikely comedy based on a real-life texas murder case ... and jack black , of all people , drolly essays the title character .",
      "a true-crime story where the real mystery is n't what happened , but the bizarre context for the murder and the collective madness of a town that could n't accept it at face value .",
      "you would be hard pressed to find a film that feels more true to a reporter 's experience of an event . this is n't necessarily a good thing , at least not cinematically .",
      "richard linklater mixes documentary with recreation in this bizarre true story , mercifully avoiding caricature and farce despite the subject seemingly screaming for it .",
      "a superbly written and lovingly told account of a quirky slice of american crime history with a tender , bittersweet ending .",
      "whilst it feels a little too one-sided , MOV is still an intriguing film that has something to say about justice and the importance of how we are perceived .",
      "while linklater does a fantastic job in creating an entertaining true crime story , he also hits home the realisation that darkness can be found in the sweetest of souls , making a film that is as tragic as it is funny .",
      "a truly strange and original creation , based on a true story , which does n't judge its curious characters .",
      "the real gold here is the performance centrepiece by black ; he delivers a lovable , highly nuanced portrayal of a man who is hard not to feel sympathy for , even if it does grind against your conscience .",
      "it 's a fascinating story presented in a really intelligent and weirdly entertaining way .",
      "it 's done very well indeed . i think jack black is wonderful . i thought that the whole progression of the film was , to me , unexpected .",
      "if anything it is a film about the selective application of moral judgement based on personal prejudices .",
      "`` MOV '' is a quiet , leisurely paced indie film that 's as different as can be from the typical true crime movie .",
      "for a motion picture about one person losing her life and another losing his freedom , `` MOV '' does n't deserve to be as flippant as it ultimately is .",
      "jack black gives the performance of his career in the title role of `` MOV '' ...",
      "linklater clearly has no idea why the man did what he did . but then , MOV probably did n't either .",
      "blackly funny , strangely moving and deeply weird , it 's as comforting and as sinister as a heart-attack-plate of chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy . and i 'm fixin ' to see it again .",
      "a dark , humorous look at southern oddballs that 's also a powerful meditation on human fragility .",
      "it 's a gentle , light-fingered horror story , and it rightfully leaves us as bewildered as the denizens of carthage .",
      "much more than a macabre true-crime tale : it 's a story of thwarted love , not between two people , but between a man and a whole town .",
      "the mystery and characters at its center are amusing regardless of geography .",
      "a sordid , bleak tale about two lonely people drawn to each other like colliding planets .",
      "a true-life texas tale so perfectly told it seems more like eavesdropping than moviegoing .",
      "very nearly a great american comedy with a profound thematic core ...",
      "a wry true-crime story from richard linklater , looking again to his home state for inspiration , as in his early triumphs -lrb- ` slacker , ' ` dazed and confused ' -rrb- .",
      "odd duck comedy/drama casts jack black in a surprisingly new light .",
      "quietly and consistently charming a real hoot with a terrificly nuanced performance by jack black .",
      "the film is quietly unorthodox , but i ca n't think of another approach that would work nearly so well .",
      "very funny and poignant true story .",
      "richard linklater 's darkly funny mock doc is full of surprises , not least one star 's terrific return to form .",
      "a unique work , a special film , a wonderful story , amazing characters ; you 'll watch the end credits with a big smile on your face",
      "i loved every minute of this well-told and brilliantly created film that reinforces the complexities and incongruities of the human condition",
      "MOV is dark , unique satire heightened by blurring lines between truth and fiction and just about the funniest film i 've seen this year .",
      "watching MOV is a little like sitting on a shady front porch and gossiping with the town tattlers .",
      "a murder story , in a surprisingly simple but cleverly subtle package .",
      "i had to forget what i knew about black . he creates this character out of thin air , it 's like nothing he 's done before , and it proves that an actor can be a miraculous thing in the right role .",
      "has a little bit of an east texas fargo feel . jack black gives one of his best performances .",
      "it 's irreverent , off-kilter fun .",
      "a jovial yet gracefully told tale .",
      "the wonder of black 's performance here is its empathy and balance : inasmuch as he can disappear into any role , he dissolves into this one with no hint of mocking remove . it 's a beautiful thing to see .",
      "a movie that may not ultimately add up to much , but which is filled with wonderfully odd details of weird americana .",
      "... one of writer/director richard linklater 's most entertaining features and it also stars jack black in his best performance to date .",
      "simply put , it 's the best movie linklater has made in years .",
      "MOV is a simple movie , clearly funny and entertaining , but at the same time astoundingly complex and intriguing .",
      "this is a movie that is as strong as it is modest - as funny as it is sad . as wretchedly , thoroughly human as a work of art can be .",
      "as MOV , jack black is about as reined-in as you 'll see him . effeminate , emotional , generous and cuddly , he 's easy to root for when push comes to shooting .",
      "black 's showboat performance reminds us why we thought he was so special in the first place .",
      "a weirdly wacky black comedy that 's affectionately endearing .",
      "linklater 's film may remind you of the work of others , but it 's one of his most entertaining yet .",
      "... black gives the performance of his career -lrb- so far -rrb- .",
      "jack black , in the greatest performance of his career , makes us see what the people of carthage , texas , saw in MOV tiede ...",
      "with facts that are stranger than fiction and a story surrounding a murder that is often played as dark comedy , MOV exists somewhere between an errol morris documentary and fargo .",
      "my research indicates that most of what you see is true . that also adds to the appreciation of this small , very , very , well done movie .",
      "black delivers a lightly comic performance that becomes an unsettling depiction of repression .",
      "`` MOV '' is most successful at evoking the feel of a small town , a place where everybody knows your business , good stories live forever , and ultimately people take care of their own .",
      "`` MOV ' is n't a monumental film , but it is a finely tuned character study with some nice innovations .",
      "a flower blooms in a texas town -- his name is MOV",
      "... plays like `` in cold blood '' - if it had been directed by christopher guest .",
      "an offbeat black comedy that stays true to the story 's bizarre tendency to make you both smile and grimace",
      "sometimes jack black is just the best darned thing on the planet .",
      "finds -lsb- linklater -rsb- back with the same kind of material , and storytelling methods , and regional culture , that made his early films so great .",
      "outrageously funny",
      "the question of why the law must always be upheld , regardless of consequences , gives this light , amiable movie a surprising heft and weight .",
      "based on a true story , black offers a surprising degree of depth as an assistant funeral director with secrets in a town where ` all of the widows had a crush on MOV ' .",
      "it 's been a long time coming , but it turns out MOV has been worth the wait .",
      "richard linklater mixes comedy , drama and documentary to tell a frankly outrageous true story , and in the process he also gives jack black one of his best-yet roles .",
      "an extremely amusing , socially accurate docudrama .",
      "black is a marvel as MOV , reining in his usual manic persona to give his prissy , camp character an endearing sweetness but leaving what really makes him tick a puzzle .",
      "it looks like a southern gothic and feels like a particularly hilarious farce , but MOV is not at all what you think .",
      "a well-rounded dramatic film taken from a refreshingly uplifting perspective .",
      "it manages to feel unique and different ... it 's funny too , which certainly helps , and is benefited immensely by a wonderful cast of big names and unknowns that help make this linklater 's freshest film in quite some time .",
      "but the troubling question at the heart of this liberating , sunlit , deceptively simple but extremely complex and fairly formidable film is : should the law or the community itself decide the fate of its citizens ?",
      "actual scenes with black , maclaine and mcconaughey start to feel like over-acted interruptions to the documentary we 'd rather be watching .",
      "MOV is often very funny , but you would n't call it a comedy , exactly . more like a cultural study of a specific time , place and people .",
      "it probably sounded great in the pitch room , but as an actual experience it 's on the redundant side .",
      "black is terrific . rather than winking at the audience , he plays MOV as a guy who 's thoroughly unaware that there 's anything unconventional about his behavior .",
      "propelled by a perfectly cast trio of stars whose eccentricities shine in singular character roles , MOV is charmer .",
      "MOV has chuckles , but it 's hardly riotous . and this is a good thing .",
      "MOV ultimately comes off as a watchable endeavor that works mostly as a showcase for three admittedly spectacular performances ...",
      "linklater once again demonstrates a flair for casting that has distinguished his entire career .",
      "despite the dark themes this movie introduces throughout , it maintains a nice pleasant vibe , which makes for a strange but entertaining experience .",
      "the intertwining of the sharply tuned actors and the guileless -lrb- and often hilarious -rrb- townspeople is seamless , the tale is sometimes despairing but never heavy , and the blend of drama , comedy and music is brisk and fresh .",
      "`` MOV '' unfolds into many equally rich narrative strands : love story , southern gothic slice-of-life and , finally tragedy and legal thriller ..."
    ],
    "summary": "richard linklater 's MOV is a gently told and unexpectedly amusing true-crime comedy that benefits from an impressive performance by jack black .",
    "id": "771205924"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1021242-thing",
    "reviews": [
      "classic sci-fi . one of the very best .",
      "-lsb- in the growing -rsb- cycle of films dealing with interplanetary travel , communications or warfare , each succeeding entry endeavors to outpass its predecessors in drawing on fantasy and the imagination . it follows , then , that this is by far the most fanciful .",
      "rather than nyby , producer howard hawks is often credited for the direction of this sci-fi landmark , which features hollywood 's first space-age monster in a decade invaded by cold war-era aliens .",
      "howard hawks only produced this classic scary sci-fi feature , but it has his signature touches all over it : overlapping dialogue , smooth storytelling , compressed time and space .",
      "all-time classic sci-fi still packs creepy wallop .",
      "this taut and entertaining thriller is to the day the earth stood still what alien is to star trek , or the rolling stones to the beatles .",
      "the overall message of the MOV emerges as distinctly hawkish . reactionary or not , though , it 's still a masterpiece .",
      "the conflict between hendry and carrington is one between force and reason , and represents a debate over whether america should cope with its soviet adversaries through military confrontation or intellectual and diplomatic study .",
      "the MOV today is probably best viewed as a historical document , its shock value having been diminished through time and repetition .",
      "does n't pale in comparison to john carpenter 's the MOV so much as offer a respectable podling alternative .",
      "classic , though it did n't impress me really that much",
      "the resourcefulness shown in building the plot groundwork is lacking as the yarn gets into full swing . cast members , headed by margaret sheridan and kenneth tobey , fail to communicate any real terror .",
      "lively science fiction film , with dubious politics .",
      "a solid , workmanlike film that holds up better than one would expect .",
      "it 's still a very harrowing and action packed horror film ...",
      "perhaps the most famous shot of the movie is also one of head-slapping irrelevance .",
      "even though the MOV does n't begin to make its presence felt till near the halfway point ... the simple act of watching men discuss strategy ends up being terrifically absorbing .",
      "set the template for a decade of alien invasions .",
      "the film has more frissons than most of today 's mega-budget productions , simply because it has the grace to construct a meaningful situation and coherent characters .",
      "a perfect popcorn movie .",
      "this is one of the better science-fiction cheapie films ...",
      "watching this movie one can not help but marvel at what had passed as scary back in 1951 ."
    ],
    "summary": "as flying saucer movies go , the MOV from another world is better than most , thanks to well-drawn characters and concise , tense plotting .",
    "id": "17013"
  },
  {
    "movie": "father_of_my_children",
    "reviews": [
      "hansen-loveâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s fevered mix of love and resentment toward this man lends urgency and eros to his professional and personal unraveling .",
      "this is only half a great movie .",
      "the essence of the film is a welcome compassion and curiosity about inner lives .",
      "writer-director mia hansen-lřve is telling two stories here : the first is a concentrated , slow-burn tale of personal self-destruction , while the second is an anecdotal , perceptive study of a family dealing with tragedy .",
      "this drama about a french film producer and his family is entertaining despite a flawed script , and notable for its excellent direction by newcomer mia hansen-lřve .",
      "beautiful , profound and , given the gathering tensions of its story , phenomenally full of life .",
      "there is much opportunity to turn the film into a soaper , but hansen-love resists .",
      "gentle moments build toward a worldview -- about cinema , about legacy , about starting over -- that 's thematically profound .",
      "the MOV loses focus and sags into a how-we-got-through-it family procedural .",
      "what french writer-director mia hansen-love has created is an extraordinarily empathetic humanistic drama , a film of love , joy , sadness and hope that understands how complex our emotions are and does beautiful justice to them .",
      "overlong , but fine ensemble performances highlight the tragic tale of a movie producer facing liquidation .",
      "... deceptively astute drama",
      "when a film is made there should be a reason for doing so .",
      "stop reading and go see it .",
      "... a stylish , subtle and devastating film about a recognizable good person whose world gradually and believably falls away .",
      "a tale of cinema , a story about the agonies of trying to work outside the cinematic mainstream -lrb- even in france ! -rrb- . yet what makes the movie so affecting is that itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s also a love story about a family .",
      "a tragic but ultimately hopeful story . louis-do de lencquesaing is excellent as the filmmaker .",
      "you could argue that the film fails to revive the harassed intensities of its first hour , but i doubt whether they could have been sustained ; and what we get instead , with its stunned and glassy air , yields a slow-breathing drama of its own .",
      "a well-acted , intermittently heartfelt drama that suddenly loses steam and becomes bland , unengaging and leaves you feeling ultimately underwhelmed .",
      "the subtle , tender sadness of the film trumps any of its small scripting problems and certainly marks out not only the film 's young cast members but also the director as ones to watch .",
      "what makes it a wonderful film is that for those of us inside this crazy dream factory , and we 're only on the edges , it depicts the relentless nature of the beast , the roller-coaster ride , the unstoppable nature of a film in production .",
      "the film is achieved with a rare tenderness and grace by 29-year-old french actress-filmmaker mia hanson-love .",
      "it 's quiet , unshowy and devastating .",
      "a heartbreaking fable about life , legacy and the way men define themselves through their work .",
      "draws one in both empathetically and suspensefully .",
      "inception celebrates the manufactured reality , MOV the true one .",
      "french drama MOV addresses an extremely confronting subject with both an unblinking gaze and an open mind .",
      "there 's a lot of intelligence and humanity in the script and it follows its own path . -lsb- hansen-lřve 's -rsb- direction shows rare confidence and poise , a willingness to build characters slowly , with a natural flow of time .",
      "it 's a very intelligent film this , and one i think which is not just revealing about film-making but has insights into the dilemmas of many others who see the businesses -- or indeed family farms -- they have built up over a lifetime going under .",
      "marked by moments of remarkable stillness amid its emotional tumult , the film 's classy , perceptive treatment of potentially maudlin material merits wider arthouse attention than it 's likely to receive .",
      "a subtle and engaging family drama whose key concerns - absence , memory , continuity , and the light that shines through the darkness - just happen also to be amongst the constitutive preoccupations of cinema itself .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a grand , overflowing , mistake of a movie .",
      "the idea that movies are a trifle when compared to real life is dangled then shattered by the MOV . gră -lrb- c -rrb- goire 's love of film lives on , and ours is deepened .",
      "it is a film about children and their parents , and not knowing where fate , or life , can take you .",
      "the MOV is largely about how life drifts by , and how we do n't always leave the mark in the world that we 'd hoped , so hansen-lřve resists the urge to overdramatize or over-stress .",
      "an intelligent and beautifully acted french film about work , death , grief , and finding one 's way back to life .",
      "the film 's second half is the most touching , because it shows that our lives are not merely our own , but also belong to the events we set in motion .",
      "there are some rough edges to the film and it seems quite insecure in its last 10 minutes , but hansen-love has brought an impressive tenderness to it ... in no small part , you will find yourself really caring for this family and what it faces .",
      "hansen-lřve 's film is about coping , its focus practical and utterly unsentimental , its energy somehow both busy and serene .",
      "a bisected portrait of two families -- one small and thriving , one sprawling and dysfunctional -- both headed by the same , charming man , the MOV examines the shipwreck of suicide and the grief of those left stranded in its wake .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is an emotionally engaging drama with terrific performances from real life father and daughter louis-do and alice de lencquesaing .",
      "authentic in its depiction of both the filmic and domestic milieux , this is delicate , incisive , touching and trenchant .",
      "the MOV is exceptional drama . compelling and unforced , it shows sensitivity and evenhandedness in approaching a difficult subject .",
      "a subtle work on an exceedingly difficult subject .",
      "a modest drama about a suicide and its aftermath that never quite moves an audience as it should .",
      "a film that portrays a subject that could easily have become cloying with an austere , penetrating eye .",
      "while the movie is far from perfect , those potential missteps are , in the end , part of what makes the MOV so beautiful .",
      "this delicate and beautiful film about the highs and lows of a close-knit family takes us on an emotional journey in which we experience joy , laughter , sorrow and contemplation .",
      "fresh-faced performances and tender writing makes for a family who jumps straight off the screen and into your heart .",
      "mia hansen-lřve deserves credit both as a writer and a director . this is a very convincing drama .",
      "one of the few films ever released that realistically conveys the heartbreak of both loving cinema and being in the uncomfortable position of having to sell it to distributors , co-producers , and , ultimately , the masses",
      "... a perceptive family drama which also delivers an insight into the harried world of the independent film producer .",
      "father is a very intimate film , and writer-director mia hanson-love has a robert altman-like gift for making us believe the relationships continue outside the bounds of the screen .",
      "the depiction of the grieving producer 's wife and children is agonising in its truth ."
    ],
    "summary": "a tragedy gracefully lifted by tender empathy and moments of joy , MOV is a quiet triumph for writer-director mia hansen-love .",
    "id": "770853191"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mission_impossible_rogue_nation",
    "reviews": [
      "the characters never really flesh out but the story is good enough to keep you interested . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "the introduction of british agent ilsa faust -lrb- rebecca ferguson -rrb- to the mix suggests that this may be one of the only ongoing spy concerns that actually know how to use female characters .",
      "rogue nation is a blockbuster that expertly combines exhilarating visual thrills with the kind of intricate storyline that requires viewers to pay attention . it also treads a nice line between the drama and the humour .",
      "exibe um fôlego tăo surpreendente quanto o de seu formidável protagonista .",
      "the mission : impossible series finally runs out of steam with this overlong and often superfluous entry ...",
      "abandoning all burden of creating a bogged-down story that concentrates on narrative and character history , rogue nation is able to truly wow in several fleeting scenes of espionage and huzzah moments .",
      "with the will-they-or-won ` t-they tension , the densely plotted conflicts that rarely give you time to think , and the fact that everyone on all sides has a reason to stop hunt , this is a satisfying hollywood actioner that keeps you guessing .",
      "your mission , if you choose to accept it , is to go out and have some mindless , escapist fun .",
      "writer-director christopher mcquarrie brings a dark and gritty tone to this larger-than-life franchise .",
      "chistpher mcquarrie has built an exciting and entertaining film full of action : mission accomplished . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "`` mission : impossible - rogue nation '' proves that a summer flick can be as smart as it is exciting .",
      "immersive , unpredictable and crammed with more sharp plot hooks than a fishing basket . it 's one of the best wide-release movies of the summer .",
      "it 's clear that mcquarrie appreciates not only what 's exciting about these movies but also what 's funny .",
      "rogue nation comes equipped with overwritten , exposition-heavy dialogue that none of the imf agents would actually say to each other outside of a movie .",
      "rogue nation , like the similarly propulsive ghost protocol , often feels like a pure instrument of fun , dragging hunt through an ongoing series of precarious situations .",
      "despite the shortcomings of the plot , ` rogue nation ' is a summer blockbuster that delivers the popcorn movie goods .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation continues the series resurgence with moody suspense tied neatly to exciting set pieces centered on a stable of imf agents that has finally gelled after several films worth of experimenting .",
      "it 's hardly breaking bold new ground but cruise is utterly reliable , his commitment to the role - and what must have been a brutal workout regime - never in doubt .",
      "`` rogue nation '' is a winning effort - much better than you 'd expect from the fifth film in a series featuring a 53-year-old man as an action star .",
      "the opening stunt pretty much sums up the mission : impossible franchise : white-knuckle thrills teetering on the edge of absurdity .",
      "it 's not a life-changing experience but it 's impressively entertaining and it does n't insult your intelligence .",
      "when the film focuses on cruise it 's an unbeatable juggernaut of a movie . alas , it does not .",
      "you do n't overcome the `` impossible '' by thinking it over a little more carefully . you overcome it through the application of sheer , unvarnished willpower , a quality that cruise has always possessed in abundance .",
      "this is n't the best of the m : i films , as it fails to match the stylized sleekness of the first , the character dynamics of iii or the needle-to-the-heart adrenaline charge of ghost protocol . but here 's a franchise that manages to retain its freshness .",
      "a hugely entertaining action thriller from a trusted movie brand ... all up , mi : 5 is a terrifically kinetic , lean , crowd-pleasing spectacle , and yet another cinematic expression of the deep love cruise has for his audience .",
      "without the wit of its previous instalment , m : i-rn feels a bit of an endurance championship , although if you 're in it for the action alone , you wo n't feel shortchanged .",
      "despite all the big names , it 's a relative unknown who steals the show . swedish born rebecca ferguson keeps you guessing throughout the film as a mysterious individual with unknown intentions .",
      "there are spies among us . and that 's a good thing .",
      "as far as entertainment goes , rogue nation is second only to the original mission : impossible .",
      "`` rogue nation '' delivers thrill after thrill to the point where your nerves ca n't take it anymore .",
      "it 's all baloney , but the disposable film fills a summertime need for breezy entertainment .",
      "great summer movie entertainment .",
      "hopefully , the reception will be positive because , on the strength of this outing , a sixth big-screen impossible mission is warranted .",
      "tom cruise stamps his claim as the greatest action star of our time with this nail biting , stylishly made action thriller filled with incredibly entertaining sequences .",
      "if you watched all of the `` mission : impossible '' films in a row , starting with 1996 's original , would they feel like a james bond version of `` boyhood '' ? maybe .",
      "after taking a few stabs at the right formula , the series has finally found its voice , and ethan hunt and company give james bond a real run for his blockbuster money .",
      "the intense tom cruise face - you know the expression i mean , where he looks like he 's about to explode and/or start yelling , but does n't - makes frequent appearances , as does the trademark arm-chopping tom cruise run .",
      "mcquarrie is n't known for spectacle , but he manages an impressive fireworks display here , delivering a first half that frequently bests previous sequels . it 's the second half of `` rogue nation '' that 's worrisome .",
      "cruise is-and i say this nicely-a total maniac , which goes a long way toward cranking up an action sequence .",
      "this m : i is entertaining in its schematic way ; it 's impossible not to respond to the theme music on a pavlovian level . there 's a sentimental attachment . but like tom in that almighty opening plane stunt , i 'm finding it harder and harder to hang on .",
      "the franchise has a lot in common with old faithful : it 's a popular attraction ; predictable as clockwork ; and features acts of nature - a geyser of boiling water in one case , tom cruise 's abs in the other - that remain impressive after all these years .",
      "goes on too long , with at least one too many prolonged chases and fights , but is still expertly mounted , enjoyably old-fashioned , action-packed cloak-and-dagger hokum .",
      "a sequel that is slick with silliness , but peppered with enough wit and peril to sustain the franchise 's momentum .",
      "the protagonists ' dilemmas are quite extreme , the surprises come in all sizes and the ultra-smooth professionalism displayed in all departments early on encourages the sense that you 're in good hands , a feeling that ends up being justified .",
      "this movie is pure summer entertainment and , when that iconic theme song starts cranking , it 's hard to keep yourself from getting sucked right along into it .",
      "when cruise dies , he , harold lloyd and buster keaton will have a lot to talk about .",
      "a dog-eared , virile action film that 's lucky to have rebecca ferguson as a saving grace .",
      "the good far outweighs the so-so .",
      "the film is too long and i was never certain what the villain 's ultimate goal was as he seems to be a terrorist without any ideological agenda , but this is good summer fun and probably the best in the series .",
      "of the many heists and grabs that litter the movie , none is as blatant as the deft , irrepressible manner in which ferguson , displaying a light smile and a brisk way with a knife , steals the show .",
      "your mission , if you choose to accept it , is to enjoy this movie without thinking too much about the plot . -lsb- full revew in spanish -rsb-",
      "it comes as a pleasant surprise that the series ' cartoon spy-fi lunacy still plays .",
      "despite its weaknesses , this is a solid action film , with many of the familiar mission impossible trappings , including those impossible face masks . the acting is also solid by the main cast . the villain , played by sean harris , is up to the mark .",
      "a female lead who is so good , she brings cruise up a few notches ... she 's ilsa faust -lrb- rebecca ferguson -lrb- the bbc 's the white queen -rrb- -rrb- , and you can tell by her name how this chapter in the franchise has been constructed - it 's basically a bond movie .",
      "one or two seriously awesome moments aside , there 's very little of note here .",
      "if it were n't for ` mad max : fury road , ' this would be the best action film of the year .",
      "it feels like they grabbed the best elements of the first movie and `` ghost protocol '' and mixed them in a very successful way . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "if you enjoy seeing a veteran actor doing his own stunts in some spectacularly staged ways , you wo n't want to miss this true crowd pleaser . -lrb- full content review - nudity , violence , profanity , etc. - for parents also available -rrb-",
      "christopher mcquarrie 's direction and a well written script give this entry what it 's been missing since the first one : volume , depth and rhythm . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "it 's not a masterpiece of the action movie genre , but it 's still a good option for adrenaline lovers . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "a blast of suspense and intrigue , a great mashup of the best of the original and ghost protocol .",
      "is n't the worst installment , but it 's the least daring , challenging and fresh entry in the series .",
      "the real mission impossible is topping the earlier films in the series plus upstarts like `` fast/furious . '' challenge accepted .",
      "if `` mission : impossible -- rogue nation '' does n't quite have that same touch that assuredly sets it apart , what it does have is a similar confident skillfulness that keeps the film humming along from one noteworthy action set-piece to the next .",
      "works for your appreciation with gasp-inducing action sequences and an ethos that has fun with its legacy while moving in a new direction .",
      "has a better story , a grittier tone and the perfect blend of action , humor and intelligence - all of which make it the best mission yet .",
      "as a blockbuster , this comes pretty close to perfection .",
      "slick , accomplished and hugely entertaining , another slice of glorious mayhem from a franchise that continues to play to its strengths and deliver the goods .",
      "rogue nation solidifies the fact that tom cruise is the quintessential action star , carrying the quintessential action franchise . with all due respect to 007 , at the moment , nobody does it better .",
      "rogue nation may not be the best , the tightest , or even the most logically coherent m : i flick , but there should be more movies like it : relentlessly thrilling , smart entertainments ...",
      "while the mission : impossible series may no longer feel fresh , it also shows no signs of self-destructing anytime soon .",
      "i was delighted by this one end to end .",
      "expertly building on the renewed energy injected into the mission : impossible franchise with 2011 's ghost protocol , this fifth episode roars along like a sleek , well-oiled machine .",
      "easily , almost nonchalantly , best in franchise , rogue nation dispenses with the dead weight of realism or relevance for state-of-the-art thrill-making in a classical mould .",
      "for about 90 minutes or so , rogue nation is grandly exciting . but in the final half-hour , mcquarrie makes a critical mistake : he starts taking this enjoyable nonsense seriously .",
      "`` mission : impossible - rogue nation '' is a sigh of defeat . now tom 's only goal is to give us a kickboxing fight or a motorcycle chase every eight minutes , and hope for the best .",
      "it 's full of attractive people , gorgeous locations , loathsome bad guys and a pounding score that ties it all together . this is what the `` fast and furious '' movies want to be , and the bond pictures used to .",
      "the story is clear . the characters are appropriately hyper-real , but grounded and their behavior follows logically . there are mysteries that keep unraveling . and it does n't choke you with details that ca n't be deciphered without 27 watchings .",
      "there 's a difference between velocity and momentum , and while the chases , shootouts and close-quarters combat rarely flag , our interest does .",
      "a spy adventure with champagne-fizz style and double-shot-of-scotch action sequences , mission : impossible -- rogue nation is a perfect demonstration that sequels can aim higher in places other than just the box office , and to everyone 's benefit .",
      "once again , cruise accepts this mission with open arms and audiences everywhere should follow suit .",
      "cruise fires up everything he has as actor and athlete , showing that mission : impossible still has gas in its tank even when its engine sputters .",
      "you sure get your bang for the buck with this one . tom cruise , and his team deliver an action packed espionage thriller that 's so eye popping you hardly notice you have no idea of why they 're really doing all that stuff .",
      "the newest installment in tom cruise 's franchise might be the best yet .",
      "i 've seen five mission : impossible movies now and i do n't know a lick about ethan hunt except that every couple years he flings his body all over the place , then eventually saves the day .",
      "the savvy cruise makes sure he delivers what is expected of him : hand-to-hand fights , death-defying leaps and car chases - all the while propelling the plot forward .",
      "like the james bond films , the entries in the mission : impossible series are really only as good as the sum of their set pieces -- and they might actually have become more reliably thrilling .",
      "you get the whiff of desperation throughout .",
      "the epitome of a bona fide summer blockbuster !",
      "stunts save `` rogue nation . ''",
      "an exhilarating blend of action , intrigue , suspense and comic relief . tom cruise still has the knack of being a charismatic leading man .",
      "writer-director christopher mcquarrie , whose action movie skills are at best high-adequate , compensates by being good at interpersonal stuff . he can make us feel for the characters as something more than action toys .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation , the latest in the tom cruise-starring franchise , sets its hooks quickly and hurtles you forward .",
      "has the snap , shock , and verve to rival modern blockbusters while giving a nod to the retro-cool original series .",
      "if you want to watch insanely dangerous stunts , done by a 53-year-old human and not a body double or a cgi pixel , then mission : impossible rogue nation is the summer action film for you .",
      "the best film in this series , and a perfectly realized piece of cinematic craftsmanship .",
      "a summer blockbuster worth the title : in mi 's fifth installment , the cruise gung-ho approach cements why he 's a true movie hero !",
      "never groundbreaking but consistently entertaining ,",
      "the fifth installment in this franchise that keeps getting better is the best one yet , with a compelling plot , a bond-esque super villain to keep your interest , and the intense action set pieces that cruise does better than anyone .",
      "we tend to forget tom cruise is a seriously impressive old-school action star in an age where cg trickery has largely made that role somewhat redundant .",
      "the reliably classy rogue nation , which visits minsk , london , havana , paris and vienna in the first half-hour alone , concentrates on practical stunts , and the results are spectacular .",
      "its plot line does n't bear too much scrutiny and its characterisation is sketchy but the action itself is frequently exhilarating .",
      "`` rogue nation '' is pretty much like most of the `` impossible '' movies in that it 's an immense machine that mr. mcquarrie , after tinkering and oiling , has cranked up again and set humming ...",
      "... the summer movie we 've been waiting for : filled with action , exotic locations , and enough plot twists that you simply ca n't check your brain at the door .",
      "a non-stop blast from beginning to end . at this point tom cruise is starting to rival jackie chan as the most daring action hero of our era .",
      "mcquarrie does n't make it easy to invest in the characters here , but paradoxically he does know how to make us grip our armrests as they face danger , and thus the mission is accomplished once more .",
      "... the fifth mission impossible is a solid hour-and-a-half action film . unfortunately , the run time is two hours and ten minutes .",
      "its fuse fizzes dutifully from a to b , but the dynamite never ignites .",
      "filled with heart-stopping moments , this fifth in the franchise leaps to great heights with thrilling action and a story that feels fresh and vital",
      "jokey , derivative , the weakest of the mi movies , but still fun in most of the usual ways .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation is the best action movie to hit theaters since mad max rockatansky answered our cries back in may , making it the best action movie this summer by far .",
      "mission : impossible rogue nation finally makes ethan hunt into not just `` tom cruise - action man '' but perhaps the defining role of his long career . the twist is that it may be his most autobiographical as well .",
      "given how fun mission : impossible - rogue nation often is , it 's hard to blame paramount for squeezing every drop of momentum out of the series while it can .",
      "the action is explosive , coming in fast and furious spurts , peppered with plenty of quips , character moments , and blisteringly choreographed instances of death and destruction .",
      "thrill-ride fun - the most exciting action-adventure of the summer ...",
      "five movies in and the mission : impossible franchise exhibits no signs of slowing down .",
      "mcquarrie devises a film that 's a succession of riveting sequences , filmed in a way that 's active and yet elegant .",
      "mcquarrie has created a clever , witty , exciting modern espionage thriller which not only pays its dues to the earlier titles in the series , but also tacitly acknowledges that ethan himself is starting to get a little long in the tooth .",
      "not just the best movie of the summer , but also the best summer movie of the summer . a whipsmart action film that dazzles from start to finish . cruise in control of the best ` mi ' yet .",
      "the mission : impossible franchise is ageing much like tom cruise himself : inexplicably , as if by a wizard 's touch .",
      "so many ridiculous action set pieces and unfollowable plot lines that it 's basically a blockbuster splatter painting .",
      "the most stripped-down , aggressive and at times - and only relatively speaking - closest the films series has come to the more modest pleasures of the espionage show that spawned it , if often in name only .",
      "it ca n't resist winking at how this franchise manages to defy the limits of both human endurance and its superstar 's rickety public status .",
      "latest episode delivers the goods , just not as smoothly as before .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation is a smart and exciting blockbuster , as well as another strong installment in the tom cruise action franchise .",
      "a late summer treat : proving that hard work and care can still make for a rousing good time .",
      "the excellent chemistry between cruise and ferguson translates into superior hand-to-hand fight scenes and one spectacular chase .",
      "the series ' best yet , with gob-smacking action sequences offset by quick-witted humor and a thematic emphasis on teamwork and trust .",
      "director/writer christopher mcquarrie and tom cruise have proven to be a dynamic duo , even against the most impossible of enemies ...",
      "writer/director mcquarrie has enough savvy with dialogue and pacing that old tropes feel fun again . like someone finally remembered how to make a spy movie .",
      "a sensational thriller",
      "in the post-movie star age , -lrb- cruise -rrb- is , with apologies to a certain austrian bodybuilder whose drawing power is all but terminated , the last action hero .",
      "everything , even alec baldwin 's tight and itchy turn as a cia buzzkill , is mere window-dressing to cruise 's attempts to kill himself on-screen .",
      "a perfect balance of suspense and a metaphorical tongue placed ever so delicately in an equally metaphorical cheek",
      "mcquarrie delivers a tense , eye-popping amusement-park ride that 's almost as exciting as it is forgettable .",
      "at the age of 53 mr. cruise continues to give his all to these films , and his all in this latest episode is more than enough .",
      "the film that leaves you wanting more . not five minutes more . five films more .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation does n't have the nonsensical lyricism of brad bird 's stupendous mission : impossible - ghost protocol , but it 's still pretty good .",
      "you can discuss the incongruities on the drive home ; while the movie 's playing , you 're having too much fun getting manhandled by experts .",
      "the opening sequence is like a declaration of war ; it 's like starting a film with the truck sequence from raiders , or ghost protocol 's burj khalifa sequence .",
      "... audiences will have the pleasure of being swept away by the actor 's unbridled charm sparring with ferguson 's upstart attitude in a flawless duet of deceit and determination . all is fair in love and espionage .",
      "the tomoxon is rammed into the metabolism with such unrelenting force that we are sure to see mission impossible : adjective noun in two years ' time .",
      "tom cruise goes through the motions in this diverting but empty blockbuster .",
      "`` rogue nation '' proves to be the most satisfying , gripping and intelligent film of the series . the action scenes are magnificent , and an excellent supporting turn from new cast member rebecca ferguson helps make this a sexy , propulsive , top-notch thriller .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation has some of the best-shot action sequences of the year - a cinematic thrill ride in the best possible sense .",
      "it 's apparent just how hard -lsb- cruise is -rsb- trying in an effort to entertain us ... but it 's not why rogue nation works . it 's truly a team effort .",
      "does n't do anything particularly wrong inasmuch as it overdoes something right - by the time we reach the final chase/shoot-out/hand-to-hand combat set piece , a bit of ice-cream-headache fatigue has begun to set in .",
      "cruise remains game for anything and everything .",
      "... this film belongs to swedish actress rebecca ferguson as undercover british intelligence agent ilsa faust , whose career is sure to get a serious boost after her fearless performance here .",
      "what 's most impressive , perhaps , is that , somehow and beyond all traditional reasoning , this series does n't seem to be running out of steam .",
      "`` mission : impossible - rogue nation '' is industrial-strength , stunt-stuffed , thoroughly soulless , yet eminently watchable cinema .",
      "tom cruise brings the intensity , while alec baldwin does his usual alec baldwin thing .",
      "cruise still evokes the daring recklessness that defines his mif role . mi-5 does not disappoint .",
      "new writers and directors for each installment have kept the creativity flowing , and like the `` fast and furious '' movies , the `` mission : impossible '' film series has hit its stride later in its run .",
      "you expect this to raise a fist to the awesomeness of being the guy , and it does with gusto . but what really keeps this fifth installment fresh is a look at how exhausting it must also feel to always be the guy ... whether it 's ethan hunt or tom cruise .",
      "every bit as exciting and mind-boggling as its predecessors .",
      "it is vastly superior to all the bloated superhero movies with their extended , tedious fight scenes and unnecessary , overused 3-d effects .",
      "a precision-tooled action gizmo made by talented people who still take professional pride in turning this sort of thing out .",
      "as usual for the fifth entry in a film franchise , there 's a lot of talk about whether this is `` our last mission . '' if that 's true , at least it 'll go out proudly .",
      "the last m : i film , 2011 's ghost protocol , remains the series ' high point because it was so consistently engaging . this time , we spend much too long in government back rooms discussing politics .",
      "observe the vertical splendour of cruise 's gait : nobody in tinseltown can run quite like tom , for whom executive producing a long-running , retro espionage tv show proved a very healthy investment .",
      "i did find mission impossible : rogue nation reasonably diverting , and the ending even managed to build up a fair share of tension -lrb- though why i should have doubted that cruise 's awesomeness would prevail , i do n't know -rrb- .",
      "there 's more ironic humour , a little less cheese and an attempt to make the action seem more authentic , so that now star tom cruise occasionally looks in real -lrb- ish -rrb- danger .",
      "the 52-year-old cruise does n't look ridiculous at any point , which in itself is ridiculous .",
      "is too much self-awareness creeping into the franchise ? stunts , intrigue , spy stuff , all here ... just a matter of whether or not you enjoy watching tom cruise do what he does .",
      "a globe-trotting spy thriller with the brisk pace and the visual wit of a looney tunes cartoon .",
      "christopher mcquarrie steps in with a thriller that mixes old-fashioned spy movie tropes with state-of-the-art action beats and a rich helping of wit .",
      "rogue nation 's opening scene is as thrilling as anything we 've seen from those `` furious '' films . and your brain wo n't hurt minutes later .",
      "the characters in the film are boring action figurines , short on characterisation and humanity .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- it 's an old law of screenwriting that any protagonist must have a worthy opponent . in the case of `` mission impossible : rogue nation , '' the heavy is a paper tiger . next .",
      "at age 53 , tom cruise is still a credible action hero . but this time , rebecca ferguson really gives him a run for his money , and his heart .",
      "`` rogue nation '' is a more-than-worthy entry into the `` mission : impossible '' franchise , one that somehow grows better with age .",
      "cruise has played ethan hunt so often it would be understandable if he phoned it in , but one of the pleasures of `` mission : impossible - rogue nation '' is that he does n't .",
      "the action bonanza gets a little lost in its own spycraft , but offers action scenes both fast and furious and a fabulous couple of additions to the world of the imf -lrb- short for impossible mission force , obviously -rrb- .",
      "previous installments may have done a solid job of bringing ethan hunt 's inner turmoil to the fore , but rogue nation really nails it",
      "it can be your mission , if you choose to accept it , but there are many superior options for your entertainment dollar .",
      "an entertaining and exciting ride , a strong example of the best in blockbuster filmmaking .",
      "though fine summer entertainment , the movie -- like ethan 's hobbled gait -- shows considerable franchise fatigue .",
      "it 's as rousing , crowd-pleasing , and grandly old-fashioned an accompaniment to popcorn-munching as we 've seen all summer .",
      "it 's formula . but rogue nation never feels like it is trying to be more or less than exactly what it is : a summer popcorn movie with a few decent twists , more laughs than expected and a lead character who may be feeling his age a bit .",
      "you 'll never see cruise playing an effortless comic book immortal - his characters are at their best when their backs are to the wall .",
      "it 's a ride , an often exhilarating one , but ultimately like most rides it ends exactly where it began .",
      "can mission : impossible stay relevant in today 's era of popcorn film ? the answer is decidedly maybe . definitely maybe .",
      "the movie 's fuse stays lit for a good 90 minutes , but sadly it fizzles out come the disappointing climax .",
      "now on his fifth go-around as ethan hunt , cruise has steered the mission movies away from distinct authorial voices and into showreels for his own daredevil stunt work .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation might have its hi-tech gadgets , but it 's a pleasingly old-fashioned affair .",
      "... the franchise delivers its best and most entertaining chapter to date with rogue nation .",
      "spy franchise returns with thrills , death-defying stunts .",
      "i like tom cruise and i like action movies .",
      "it 's surprisingly pleasurable , a romp through a series a snazzy set pieces that are linked by familiar themes . what 's fun about it comes from how it 's executed , rather than any innovation .",
      "it 's a preponderance of unpolished plotting that truly takes the shine off rogue nation .",
      "the most reliable blockbuster series going : five films , some weirder than others , but not a stinker in the bunch .",
      "tom cruise is back in the exciting , smart and tense fifth installment in this long-running series .",
      "martial arts and a sense of levity balance the many tense action scenes",
      "rogue nation delivers first rate entertainment from beginning to end . certainly a non-stop joyride that will continue the franchise should audiences choose to accept whimsical disbelief .",
      "this fifth installment could be the best of the series . tom cruise 's stunts are terrific . lalo schifrin 's theme music is still wonderful . the pace is driving . rebecca ferguson is beautiful and inscrutable .",
      "at once questioning and reaffirming the pleasures of cinematic espionage , this is the rare sequel that leaves its franchise feeling not exhausted but surprisingly resurgent at 19 years and counting .",
      "feels dated and redundant due to the lack of originality and innovation that 's defined the franchise .",
      "as spy franchises go , this one has been pretty electric .",
      "no one would expect anything more from a mission : impossible movie than thumping good action , and this delivers amply on that front .",
      "it 's not sappy . it 's a tight action movie focused on talented people working together for the good -lrb- or harm ? you have no idea ! -rrb- of the world .",
      "they are massive enterprises that deliver the goods in the manner of an experienced craftsman , no matter who that craftsman happens to be .",
      "five movies in , cruise has perfected the m : i formula -- a simple spy story , passable character comedy , and extremely long , impressively sustained action sequences .",
      "rogue nation has a plot with means and opportunity galore , but little in the way of motive . and in a year brimming with spy stories , you need to bring your a game to stand out .",
      "it should n't surprise you by now to hear that cruise apparently flirted with on-set danger here , too . and it 's impossible to deny that this knowledge adds to the fun .",
      "and with cruise pushing his 53-year-old body to the limit for every death-defying spectacle , mission : impossible has grown into a true thrill-a-minute event , and fans certainly wo n't leave this one disappointed .",
      "the white queen 's rebecca ferguson is remarkable as ilsa faust , a british national of enigmatic allegiances . in a film full of twists and reversals , the biggest surprise of all is a woman with her own agenda . guess nothing 's impossible after all .",
      "anyone can be in a movie ; only a few like cruise are the movies .",
      "extremely well-written and directed by christopher mcquarrie . let me repeat . extremely well-written and directed by the man who counseled cruise in `` jack reacher . '' they apparently click .",
      "although i prefer the more spirited and original `` ghost protocol , '' i thoroughly enjoyed `` rogue nation '' for what it is , and what it sets out to be : unapologetic fun .",
      "slick and often clever , but it 's also too long , and the spectacle of cruise trying to prove that age has not dimmed his physical prowess gets pretty silly .",
      "mission : impossible - rogue nation is exceptionally made , insane fun and the best this series has to offer and then some .",
      "the latest in the mission impossible franchise suffers from having its impossible missions made lame by impossible product sourcing , imagined techno-fixes , and apparently endless resources despite cruise 's hunt supposedly being on the run .",
      "mr. hunt , your lasting assignment is to keep the imf in cruise control .",
      "a movie you will enjoy from start to finish . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "warts and all , cruise has delivered another awesome mission : impossible spectacle that should keep the summer of 2015 going strong for at least a few more weeks .",
      "mcquarrie proves that not only can he direct great action scenes ... but he can also pay homage to the best the genre has to offer . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "pure entertainment . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "all the action spectacle of a mission : impossible but gives the spectacle more weight .",
      "as a sensory escapist experience with laughs , pleasures , and excitements , ` rogue nation ' will likely be the most satisfying mission audiences choose to accept repeatedly .",
      "accept the mission and pass the popcorn .",
      "nearly two decades out , ethan hunt has become -lsb- cruise 's -rsb- signature role , and at 53 , the indefatigable action hero has n't lost a step as he runs , jumps , rides and drives from eye-popping set piece to the next with both will and skill .",
      "i spent the first half hour wearing 3d glasses -lrb- available on a foyer stand -rrb- since i thought the film was in 3d as well as imax . it is n't . but i did n't notice until i glanced round belatedly at un-spectacled colleagues .",
      "as much as cruise dominates `` rogue nation , '' it 's his co-star , rebecca ferguson , who emerges as the film 's true and most memorable revelation .",
      "i questioned nothing , enjoyed mcquarrie 's ingenuity in construction , smiled occasionally at the jokes and admired ferguson 's performance as the most interesting femme fatale in the series .",
      "this is comfort-food cinema . gorge on the endless buffet .",
      "while certainly not a disappointment , mission : impossible - rogue nation sticks too closely to the franchise formula . and unlike its buff star , the whole thing is starting to show its age .",
      "like hunt is asked to do at the beginning of every quest i 'll gladly accept this latest mission : impossible , but i 'll keep my fingers crossed that next time we 'll have an even better trip to go on .",
      "the most assured and satisfying of the five so far ...",
      "cruise 's inexhaustible drive helps propel this consistently exciting installment .",
      "a very entertaining and enjoyable movie . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "all the gadgetry and double the action fall short . but the pure charm of the movie saves the day .",
      "impossible to resist .",
      "i like the movie , but cruise needs to have a huddle with his stylist and work on the hair dye job . it 's not matching up with his complexion , and it makes him look old . priorities people !",
      "has a definite sleekness to it , but mcquarrie reserves just enough grit to keep it from looking and feeling like a cartoon",
      "rogue nation gets its job done with style .",
      "do n't try to make sense of it , the world of ethan hunt , just like the cartoonish society that the characters in the `` fast & furious '' franchise inhabit , is clearly not our own .",
      "the franchise has gradually refined its combination of jaw-dropping action set pieces and sleekly cool world of espionage into something that 's approaching pop perfection .",
      "i have never been fond of tom cruise , but one must admit what he does he does well .",
      "cruise has always been a remarkable physical actor , and the mission : impossible franchise continues to offer an ideal showcase for his talents ."
    ],
    "summary": "mission : impossible rogue nation continues the franchise 's thrilling resurgence -- and proves that tom cruise remains an action star without equal .",
    "id": "771357161"
  },
  {
    "movie": "body_of_war",
    "reviews": [
      "on the lower tier of the numerous docs about the war and the middle east .",
      "`` you go to a parade , you got to a demo , '' says bobby muller , `` standard routine : you put the gimps on the front . you got ta have the visual . ''",
      "MOV is a gut-wrenching documentary experience .",
      "with all this fascinating real-life material to work with , it 's frustrating that the directors choose to devote half of the movie to well-worn archival footage of members of congress debating the decision to invade iraq in 2002 .",
      "drenched in emotion and suffused with good intentions , MOV is impossible not to like , but difficult to admire .",
      "anti-war messages do n't get any more powerful than this .",
      "lazy , shallow and repetitive , phil donahue 's MOV is one of the most incompetent documentaries to emerge from the iraq war .",
      "editor bernadine colish weaves together all that c-span footage into a disturbing procedural indictment .",
      "what makes MOV such a powerful documentary is n't the clever rhetorical device of debate vs. reality , but the way it documents american life in the ' 00s .",
      "no one can fail to be moved and saddened by ` MOV ' and its picture behind the doors that hide forgotten ignored heroes .",
      "MOV does n't bombard you with statistics or parade talking heads to beat the dead-horse argument that the invasion is a tragedy fueled by bullshit . its pull is more human .",
      "equal parts sadness and inspiration , fury and compassion , the film is sure to divide audiences along ideological lines . but there 's no denying the reality of tomas young 's experiences . a man who has paid so much is more than entitled to his opinions .",
      "it 's the soldier in iraq who fights on in the face of public apathy at home . the hope in this vital film is that the voices of soldiers will be raised . they will fight on until their mission is accomplished and the iraq war is history .",
      "donahue and spiro should 've spent more time exploring the human moments and much less time browbeating us with stuff we already know .",
      "the lack of ego and relatively little self-pity -lsb- wheelchair-bound tomas -rsb- young has is astounding .",
      "MOV is a powerful and effective documentary because it keeps its focus very tight and makes its story vivid in personal terms .",
      "`` MOV '' is so simple-minded and ham-handed in its case against the war that it ends up diluting its own argument .",
      "whatever you think of the film , MOV stirs up real admiration for its subject .",
      "the doc gets up-close and personal . it shows one injured vet 's reality after war .",
      "when is a startling and devastating war movie made in the past too long ago to shed light on the present ? well , apparently never , if we 're talking permanent war characterizing the endless us invasions and occupations around the world .",
      "-lsb- tomas young -rsb- deserves better treatment from the government than he 's gotten as a returning veteran , and a better movie than this simpleminded indictment of every senator who voted ` yea . '",
      "it 's an unusually intimate portrait .",
      "architecturally sound , emotionally ravaging .",
      "a searing documentary that reveals the courageous antiwar heroism of a iraq war veteran who is paralyzed from the waist down .",
      "phil donahue and ellen spiro 's powerful documentary takes a microcosmic look at the war and its devastation by focusing on a single casualty .",
      "half an excellent and touching profile of a young veteran , but unfortunately , half a strident anti-war propaganda film .",
      "almost by definition , documentaries about iraq are gut-wrenching reminders of the unaccomplished mission . MOV transcends even that tough standard .",
      "a powerful argument against impetuous decisions , be they to join the military or to attack a country .",
      "... more than just another run-of-the-mill political documentary .",
      "MOV makes no bones about its activism . then again , like the others , it 's the willingness to contextualize events and apply reason to them that makes it and others so valuable .",
      "it is not merely an antiwar document , but a complex profile in courage of a paraplegic and patriot .",
      "the overreaching spiro and donahue are not content to persuade viewers ; they insist on convincing us .",
      "MOV again demonstrates that we americans still have some bitter truths to face .",
      "a chance to witness the struggles of a remarkable young man . young may be paralyzed in the body , but his mind is fiercely alive .",
      "a tough , affecting documentary about an american soldier in the iraq war .",
      "MOV is neither the most cinematic nor the most elegantly crafted of recent iraq war documentaries , but that does n't stop it from being one of the most deeply affecting .",
      "makes for a good anti-war doc , to be sure , but an even finer -- and painfully accurate -- portrait of the former soldier as a young man ."
    ],
    "summary": "unapologetically political , this intimate and heart wrenching profile of an iraq veteran may be rough around the edges but takes a potent stance with determination and compassion .",
    "id": "770674789"
  },
  {
    "movie": "captain-america",
    "reviews": [
      "not as good as the first iron man , not as bad as green lantern , it 's almost a necessary , even obligatory panel toward next year 's avengers , but as a stand-alone adventure , it leaves much to be desired .",
      "in a no muss , no fuss kind of way , MOV becomes one of the best comic book movies of all time .",
      "on a scene-to-scene basis though , MOV is lumpy and formless .",
      "joe johnston -- returning to the vibe of his first directorial effort , the rocketeer -lrb- 1991 -rrb- -- creates a fun retro-futurist environment with a world war ii setting , and he has the discernment not to let the effects overwhelm the story .",
      "despite all the advance hype preceding its release , MOV , yet another 3-d marvel comics concoction , straggles onto the screen with little reason to exist except as a marketing machine .",
      "i 've always rather liked MOV . not due to any jingoistic bs , but because i 'm a cynic , and cap is n't .",
      "MOV is a medal-worthy joy , the best marvel movie in years . top that joss .",
      "despite deplorable 3d that mutes the colors and an ill-advised ending , this is a very entertaining film .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- generally moves along with moxie , charm , gobs of special effects and stunt work , and fond memories of the uso style shows that sold war bonds and boosted support in the battle against the nazis . yes , there 's even some singing and dancing .",
      "add all of those positive attributes together and you 've got a motion picture that rivals x-men : first class as the most impressive comic book adaptation of the summer .",
      "`` MOV '' fails to capitalize on the nostalgia of the character . sure , cinematically he is treated respectfully , but it feels more like an obligation and chore rather than a labor of love .",
      "unambiguously embraces its hero 's old-fashioned sensibilities , and invites us to embrace them as well",
      "a capable , if somewhat unremarkable , affair , beset by the same origin-story shortcomings that plagued another u.s.-virtue-via-army-weaponry fable , iron man .",
      "a fun origin story in the spider-man model . it 's got the heart of an underdog really experiencing the wonder of his new powers . i 'm not saying it 's as good as sam raimi 's film , but i 'll take a solid copy of that over the likes of thor .",
      "the perfect casting of evans as well as the original approach to the action ultimately makes up for some of the annoying changes from the source material .",
      "the details in MOV deliver , but the big moments fall flat - you can tell that we 're intended to cheer here , to weep there , but the scenes that try hardest to elicit emotions just feel deflated .",
      "the least inspired and engaging entry in the summer 's superhero onslaught .",
      "the picture is nothing , really , that you have n't seen before , but it 's the definition of a square , competent , deliver-the-goods blockbuster .",
      "you are not in for a giddy , winking , high-flying summer fling . and that 's ok -- there 's something appealing about such an old-fashioned approach .",
      "MOV is not high art , but it is so unabashedly fun -- and such well-made fun -- that it is hard to not like and admire it for so steadfastly being what it is .",
      "MOV succeeds grandly where the others failed .",
      "christopher markus and stephen mcfeely ... whip up a MOV story that often feels like its only purpose is to deliver steve rogers into the 21st century .",
      "combines the right elements of brisk storytelling and light touches of comedy without resorting to gimmicks or bombast .",
      "the movie looks wonderful .",
      "kudos , then , to the creators of MOV 's big-screen blockbuster for keeping the action rooted in the past ; except for some brief present-day bookends .",
      "if you get bored during this film -lrb- i certainly did , despite all the eye candy on screen -rrb- you can amuse yourself by deciding which of the characters has the worst german accent .",
      "the light touch of self-parody serves the movie well .",
      "comic book fans are likely to appreciate MOV , which does a good job of consolidating the disparate origin aspects of the character into something easily digestible .",
      "in a year filled with superhero flicks , this one feels a little bit special .",
      "political correctness , flamethrowers and wagner !",
      "red , white and bland .",
      "in terms of even recent films , MOV lacks the deft touch , appealing character interaction and sophisticated storytelling skills of marvel comics ' x-men : first class .",
      "MOV : the first avenger neither commits any terrible storytelling offenses nor takes any significant creative risks . if the director and the script took more chances with the material , marvel could have had their best movie ever .",
      "a rollicking old-fashioned adventure story - two fisted , over the top and filled with retro scifi flair .",
      "feels less like an exciting comic-book-hero movie than required reading for a course called the avengers , arriving in theaters next summer .",
      "familiar , but great performances and pitch-perfect tone make this one of marvel 's best .",
      "far fleeter than most of its current comic-book-movie rivals , MOV has some of the same rollicking saturday-matinee spirit as raiders of the lost ark , even if it ca n't match the earlier film 's pace and panache .",
      "if this is only the first avenger , then bring on the rest of them .",
      "scrawny steve is such a guileless and likeable little dude that his sweetness endures long past the super-sizing .",
      "with its mix of world war ii nostalgia , bam-pow comic book sensibilities , underdog determination and red-white-and-blue battle scenes , MOV : the first avenger is the best marvel superhero flick since the first iron man .",
      "-lsb- marvel -rsb- saved one of their very best movies for last , and i suspect MOV : the first avenger will send audiences out of the theater rabid to see what 's next .",
      "yet another superhero pic but one nicely rooted in history .",
      "joe johnston delivers the squarest marvel adaptation of the current cycle , and it 's the film 's pulp sense of adventure and the characters ' old-fashioned decorum that make it so satisfying .",
      "traditional second world war thrillers meet the superhero era head on in MOV - and the result is the first must-see blockbuster of the summer .",
      "the final conflict is so protracted as to comfortably accommodate a bathroom break . do n't worry . you wo n't miss anything you have n't seen before .",
      "capităo américa é apenas uma promessa de filme - e caberá a os vingadores fazer jus a esta promessa .",
      "a good-humored , unapologetically patriotic take-off on a gung-ho world war ii war movie , marvel 's MOV : the first avenger may be the best superhero movie of the year .",
      "not a perfect film , but a damn fun one .",
      "... sometimes feels like the kiddie version of inglourious basterds .",
      "the picture is almost admirably boring , as if director joe johnston had wanted to distinguish his movie by not packing it with action , or even bothering much to define the characters .",
      "tommy lee jones is n't distraction enough from the reality that we 've been sold a $ 140 million trailer for a different movie . the egg 's a little rotten .",
      "it 's paced and designed for people who wo n't shrivel up and die if two or three characters take 45 seconds between combat sequences to have a conversation about world domination , or a dame .",
      "stirring world war ii story of old-fashioned rightness and integrity , saved from corniness by star chris evans ' sincere performance and director joe johnston 's imaginative action sequences .",
      "need a top-notch comic-book movie to stop this summer 's march of mediocre superheroes ? `` MOV : the first avenger , '' reporting for duty .",
      "overall , it 's a lot of fun before it gets somewhat bogged down . but it does redeem itself with a great surprise ending and it 's one of the better comic book movies to come along in a while .",
      "downside is the influence of modern technology , shining up a 1940 's hero with glossy 2011 filmmaking tools , making the picture resemble more of a video game than an epic realization of jumbo comic book details .",
      "MOV , directed by veteran joe johnston -lrb- the rocketeer , october sky , hidalgo -rrb- delivers the goods in an engaging fashion .",
      "the captain is n't perfect , but he 's the equal of thor and loads better than the green lantern : he 's the summer 's pre-eminent superhero .",
      "the only problem is that we 've been there -- been nearly everywhere MOV goes -- in countless previous movies .",
      "when all these bland marvel comics franchise movies blur together in memory , it wo n't prove that they amounted to one great epic master narrative , but that they 're all indistinguishable .",
      "the movie proves a solid if not superb opening salvo for the weakling-turned-super soldier .",
      "marvel are having a bumper year . after surprising us all with the hugely enjoyable thor they 've only gone and done it again .",
      "it ai n't trailblazing , but it 's solidly enjoyable .",
      "no one is going to pretend that this is art , psychologically profound or anything other than preposterous . it is a popcorn movie , but much better than most of its kind .",
      "hugely enjoyable and superbly written , this is a thrilling action-adventure that gets everything right ...",
      "what makes `` MOV '' interesting is that it is simultaneously a war movie and a superhero movie , executing all the trappings of both very well .",
      "... a fast-moving , gee-whiz adventure that mixes plot elements from ` the incredible hulk '' and ` raiders of the lost ark ' with retro-futuristic art design that rivals ` sky captain & the world of tomorrow . '",
      "solid , efficient , often anachronistic : MOV is earthbound when it needs to soar .",
      "by default as much as by design , it 's the best superhero story you 'll see this year . let 's hope it does n't just set up the story of the avengers , but sets a standard for its quality .",
      "MOV : the first avenger feels like a clichéd blast from the past , lacking the spunk and grit that has made other comic book movies successful .",
      "... a cut above its lackluster marvel brethren for most of its running time -lrb- if only because it primarily resembles an actual movie more than it does a collection of special effects sequences -rrb- .",
      "viewed as the explosion-a-minute , simple action film that it 's intended to be , MOV delivers on what it needs to do : introduce the character to mainstream audiences while not offending longtime fans , and prime the public for the avengers .",
      "chris evans did the impossible . he became steve rogers , inside and out .",
      "the best bit in this year 's umpteenth comic book blockbuster , MOV : the first avenger , is when tommy lee jones eats some steak .",
      "big and blousy , brash and loud and with a distinct twinkle in its star-spangled eye , it 's the action movie to see if you really ca n't stomach any more wand-waving wizards and transforming robots .",
      "the story squanders its own fine setup .",
      "full of exciting action and earnest emotion , MOV : the first avenger is perhaps the most superhero-ey of this summer 's superhero movies .",
      "the film 's kitschy , retro production design is creative , some of the fx are endearingly hokey , and the screenplay has its share of laughs and solid dramatic moments .",
      "as this summer 's glut of superhero movies goes , let 's just say that it 's no x-men : first class but at least it 's more enjoyably goofy than thor .",
      "evans is unprecedentedly touching and engaging for a superhero - and the rest of the cast help this adventure seem something close to character-driven instead of just being a bundle of stunts .",
      "lacks the zip and excitement of the other avengers movies",
      "these characters are n't just stick figures to fill in the time between the next set-piece ; they talk , and argue , and appear to inhabit actual personalities .",
      "about as good as we could expect it to be , if not more so given that its hero is certainly one of the blandest and least psychologically complex in the marvel universe",
      "evans - always a reliably dynamic and vivacious screen presence - ca n't do much to bring the character to life . as far as superheroes go , cap remains a bit of a stiff .",
      "`` MOV '' is exactly what the third week of july needed : a curiously fun , surprisingly imaginative and unashamedly old-fashioned yarn of skulduggery and adventure .",
      "on almost every level , MOV is better engineered and more entertaining than the iron man or spider-man or batman films . it 's a movie that makes you proud to be an american .",
      "a cheerfully satisfying throwback that embraces the innocence of the comics while adding the spectacle of modern sfx technique .",
      "a tedious star-spangled world war ii drama .",
      "the roster of crowd-pleasing elements seems dubiously calculated and ambitiously lengthy , but ultimately , that 's no strike against the film , which follows iron man 's lead in obscuring the calculation behind outsized , gleeful fun .",
      "a scrappy simulation of american idealism personified by the willingness , nay , the need , to be the first to volunteer whenever the mission requires a sacrifice for the greater good .",
      "as muscular , stiff , shiny , and dull as its star",
      "of course it 's loaded with cgi . it goes without saying it 's preposterous . but it has the texture and takes the care to be a full-blown film .",
      "the best superhero movie since the banner year of 2008 , and the most purely enjoyable of them since that summer 's effervescent iron man .",
      "iron man finally has another marvel comrade worth sharing a movie with . MOV : the first avenger succeeds where thor did n't and hulk has n't , twice . director joe johnston keeps things relatively simple and pleasantly stupid .",
      "evans , who played the human torch in two less-than-fantastic fantastic four films , brings such humor , heart and vigor to virtuous steve that our rooting interest holds even when the action gets to be standard-issue .",
      "the homogenized , bland hero belongs in a barbie dream house , not a war . he 's a cipher at the center of big-budget action that is cartoony , 3-d but never engaging .",
      "fitfully entertaining , especially the first half , plus a pretty decent villain in red skull played by hugo weaving , wearing an impressive/scary crimson get-up that looked like it was done through makeup rather than cgi .",
      "just a good summer movie . no more , no less .",
      "MOV is a breath of fresh air .",
      "chris evans plays steve rogers with the appropriate amount of earnestness and the art direction and costume design sell the 1940s as seen through a comic-book lens .",
      "the effects work ... integrates flawlessly with the rich , muted retro-themed colour palette of cinematographer shelly johnson , one of the few lensers able to work the darkening effect of the 3d process to the film 's advantage .",
      "as superhero flicks go , the first half of MOV -- the one that counts -- is well above average . but the real superheroics here belong to the f/x team .",
      "it 's for anyone who can respond to the thrill of a big , bold adventure movie with a sense of fun .",
      "war movie clichés , gung ho derring-do and seamless special effects all fit together well in a pleasingly retro environment that boasts enough sci-fi paraphernalia to put an end to the argument that it may be too old-fashioned .",
      "while it 's not the greatest superhero movie ever made , MOV fittingly sets the stage for 2012 's megamovie and - more importantly - nicely side-steps its potential pitfalls .",
      "joe johnston 's adaptation of the marvel comic book exalts the virtues of optimism , decency , and perseverance in a rousing adventure of old-fashioned adolescent exuberance .",
      "at least MOV has a stab at being an independent , original creation before it falls back on the same old go-to 's with their same old eye patches .",
      "worst superhero movie of the summer . movie spends too much time showing a contempt for the character and is hampered by a script that gives too much away in the wrong places .",
      "MOV 's rousing first half proves chris evans was the right choice to play the star spangled hero .",
      "hating on MOV just is n't american . go ahead and move to canada ; i 'm sure they have some magical mountie who 's thwarting evil loggers .",
      "`` a film that , while never straying too far from comic book movie formula , still manages to be satisfying as both origin story and standalone adventure . ''",
      "this film succeeds where most comic book adaptations fail : a love story you actually feel , a mostly cohesive story and a believable superhero who manages to inspire all without being too far out of reach .",
      "the chief strength of this production has to be the superb casting choices for the key roles . evans has a screen charisma that goes beyond his ruggedly handsome frame and piercing blue eyes . he displays a sense of humor and a warm gentle decency .",
      "director johnston once again channels steven spielberg , this time for a raucously entertaining indiana jones-style adventure . with the energetic punch of a vintage serial , it actually leaves us wanting more .",
      "i liked the film . i like almost any film where someone warns the villain , `` you can not control the power you hold ! you will burn ! ''",
      "as good a film version as can be made in this day and age by unapologetically embracing the square do-gooder nature of the character and concept .",
      "a slam-bang good time , MOV : the first avenger is one of marvel 's better efforts .",
      "the result is fun and refreshingly retro .",
      "a whizz-bang , retro-futuristic adventure that mercifully eschews the brooding dark knight trend to offer an exhilarating thrill ride that perfectly captures the enduring optimism of the 1940s .",
      "a lifeless and clichéd action film that never lives up to its title or its title characters ' ideals .",
      "it 's difficult to dislike `` MOV '' too much , because it 's harmless and innocuous and , unlike almost every other tentpole summer movie , is n't secretly trying to give the audience a seizure .",
      "even next to thor , a movie about a space god with a magic hammer , MOV : the first avenger was always going to be one of marvel 's trickiest properties to do justice to .",
      "`` with arguably the best supporting cast of the bunch , a cut-and-dried hero 's hero who is n't portrayed as some cornball cheesy and a direct lead in to ` the avengers , ' this is my favorite of the avengers set ups . ''",
      "MOV : the first avenger is definitely the best superhero film of the year and it 's one hell of a fun ride . this is a must see !",
      "the real marvel of it all is how much fun it actually is .",
      "a star-spangled superhero from the norman rockwell era , MOV might seem ill-prepared to do battle at the modern box-office ... but never underestimate the power of old-fashioned corn .",
      "the most noticeable motif johnston plays with is the use of a garbage-can lid as a shield : more important than $ 140 million dollars worth of toys is johnston 's childlike sense of play .",
      "it 's likely to amuse , enthrall and satisfy just about anyone with a sense of fun .",
      "here 's what 's missing : tension , drama , and most of all , a sense of wonder . this is a superhero movie , is n't it ?",
      "evans brings just the right amount of confidence and aw-shucks modesty to rogers , who surely counts as the most appealing marvel hero .",
      "by finding an ingenious way to streamline a now-familiar genre , MOV : the first avenger does his country proud .",
      "MOV is n't a masterpiece , but it 's a solidly crafted , elegant adventure movie that held my attention from start to finish and sent me out into the street energized instead of enervated .",
      "those who want to accentuate MOV as a blueprint for how comic book movies should be made , must footnote such hyperbolic statements with an asterisk referring to the first half . cause the second half puts a noose onto all its momentum .",
      "almost half of the film 's running time elapses before rogers gets any kind of power at all , and though its elements are awfully familiar , it 's the most involving part of the film because it takes advantage of evans ' performance .",
      "in some ways the best of the marvel comics preludes leading up to next year 's superhero jamboree , the avengers .",
      "a few flashes of greatness appearing throughout , all but ruined by one of the worst 3d transfers of the year",
      "taps into the idea that deep down we all want to dress up and play hero .",
      "while not a terrible film , MOV lacks edge necessary to excite viewers .",
      "a gorgeous-looking movie , especially in 3d .",
      "it is a good superhero origin story , a bit better than the last such marvel movie , ` thor . '",
      "the best superhero movie of the summer - good acting , good special effects , good storyline , and a heaping dollop of patriotism .",
      "for starters , a comic book story set during world war two offers a perfect opportunity to banish irony , make use of nazis as bad guys , and cheer on an all-american hero . chris evans is well cast in the leading role , as he not only embodies the physical ...",
      "none of it , however , would work without evans ' easy charm . his appeal is different to his marvel stable mates ; he is modest , kind and , ahem , a virgin -lrb- this is certainly not the persona evans has given off in other films -rrb- .",
      "the production design is fantastic , the period setting works , and there 's enough charm to allow the film to feel unique enough to justify its existence .",
      "pure , unashamed , adrenaline-fuelled joy , with a revelatory lead turn that should nudge chris evans towards being a top-tier action hero .",
      "johnston should be saluted for old-fashioned heart in a cynical age , while marvel should be confined to barracks for cynical marketing .",
      "tommy lee jones and hayley atwell end up stealing the show . that 's not a good thing for captain and red skull .",
      "oh man , it is a great film . it is pretty much exactly what i wanted .",
      "a fun and snappy introduction to one of the seminal heroes of the marvel universe and a nice last note before next year 's avengers film . MOV is one of the more successful of the marvel superhero movies .",
      "-lsb- e -rsb- normously entertaining ... deft and witty ... -lsb- c -rsb- heering and poignant at the same time , recalling the promise of a future that ended up going in a different direction ...",
      "pacy and punchy , but not quite a knockout .",
      "because of its period atmosphere and its successful combination of characterization and action , it tops my list of best superhero films of the year .",
      "... the right kind of patriotic -lrb- the kind that does n't demean other cultures -rrb- and the right shade of nostalgia ...",
      "director joe johnston confidently walks the line between faithful comic-book iconography and contemporary action-movie splash .",
      "h omada toy kapetanioy katafernei na swsei thn aksioprepeia ths , kyriws giati o skhnotheths petyxainei me tis camp eksarseis toy na xwsei ena kapoio epipedo aytosarkasmoy mesa sth sobarofaneia twn senariografwn",
      "one of the banner comic book films of the year .",
      "what the film can never overcome , though it mightily tries via superior score , costumes , and atmosphere , is the inanity of its premise .",
      "proves to be a riveting roller coaster ride from beginning to end , basically because it relies on a winning recipe featuring all the fixins needed to hold your undivided attention .",
      "from its antagonists to its art direction , everything about johnston 's movie has a been-there , seen-that familiarity . yet evans ' clean-cut idealism and objectives make old-fashioned patriotism look fresh .",
      "sadly , rather than hyping up the avengers , it left me ruing the fact that we wo n't see more period MOV films .",
      "the super hero recipe is the marvel gift that keeps giving and MOV sticks to it with the best ingredients it can find by way of cast , to deliver a star spangled burger with the lot",
      "it serves its chief end to introduce the character , and evans fills the role nicely . but as a stand-alone adventure , it 's not captivating enough . i expect more from this genre .",
      "steve rogers -lrb- chris evans -rrb- wants to go to war . it 's 1942 , and he 's a scrawny kid from brooklyn , too scrawny , according to army doctors , to join up .",
      "it 's not as cool as iron man , does n't have the brains of the dark knight or the looks of thor , but it 's got enough ka-pow ! to make you relish the inevitable sequel . job done .",
      "comic book adventure mixes patriotism , explosive action .",
      "one of the biggest issues is that MOV is n't all that super .",
      "while it never hits the craptastic depths of something like `` green lantern , '' most people are likely to come away from it thinking that it could have and should have been a lot better than it is .",
      "rather than fight against the character 's flag-waving , nazi-busting roots , the movie embraces them , going back to the early '40s to remind us what made the `` greatest generation '' so great .",
      "guided by the steadiest hand joe johnston has shown in years , MOV explodes into the action movie you 've been waiting all summer to see .",
      "MOV 's metabolism , peggy tells him , burns energy four times faster than the average person 's . the movie 's metabolism burns out .",
      "MOV : the first avenger is pretty good , insofar as it 's not nearly as terrible as it seemed destined to be .",
      "at least offers a bit of a diversion on the long , slow march to next summer 's the avengers .",
      "clean-cut , well intentioned and downright gorgeous , today 's MOV is a throwback to the good old-fashioned heroic ideal .",
      "although `` MOV '' has all the special effects technology of a modern-day superhero movie , it plays like it was made in the 1940s , when characters were allowed to breathe and not every fight scene was shot like a music video .",
      "yes , the characters are cartoonish -lrb- they 're comic book heroes , after all -rrb- , but this is the kind of old-fashioned popcorn entertainment summer is made for .",
      "paramount and marvel merged their creative juices just right as i found MOV : the first avenger very entertaining",
      "MOV , like its unapologetically corny hero , is propelled by unpretentious and plucky ingenuity .",
      "`` looks great and hits all the right notes but never truly puts the pedal to the metal . ''",
      "en una época en que aparecen películas de superhéroes debajo de cada piedra , encontrarse con algo tan entretenido - y que no pide ser tomado demasiado en serio - es toda una sorpresa .",
      "the legend of the american hero is given a shot in the arm and pat on the back in the old school action/adventure MOV : the first avenger .",
      "this ` star spangled man ' has a plan : to be the best superhero movie of the year .",
      "flawless effects - including making a pre-captain chris evans look like a twig - plus top performances from the likes of stanley tucci , hugo weaving and tommy lee jones , ensure an old-fashioned quality to this appealing matinee-style adventure .",
      "a good , old-fashioned american story .",
      "the best attempt thus far at bringing cap off the page and onto screens . too bad it was hamstrung by ` setupforsequelitis . '",
      "in the era of the tortured superhero in movies , it 's refreshing to come across one with enthusiasm and a pure spirit .",
      "for the teenage fantasy crowd needing a new hero . but even if it feels like air conditioning in the arctic , it 's plenty entertaining .",
      "rooted in reality and without the superhero tights , an impressive 3d success . the cgi transformation of steve rogers is fantastic . i worry that stan lee , through his hickcock cameos , will appear in perpetuity in all marvel movies .",
      "slightly flawed , but ultimately worth seeing for its unique feel , period detail , and compelling central character .",
      "as formulaic as it is , it 's one of the more joyful examples of the genre , largely because it 's a period piece .",
      "though unfailingly earnest and cheesy from open to close , MOV : the first avenger still delivers everything it promises with plenty of endearing good humour and occasional pulses of exciting panache .",
      "this has definitely been the summer of the superhero film . i 'd put this one just below x-men : first class , but above green lantern and well above thor .",
      "totally lacking in ambiguity , MOV is great fun .",
      "it 's simply an old-fashioned good-versus-evil yarn . and it 's all the better for it .",
      "director joe johnston re-confirms his mastery of special effects , but he does n't let them get in the way of his telling a story .",
      "as summer blockbusters go , it 's a notch or two above average .",
      "it 's no masterpiece but fun enough to continue to whet the appetite for the avengers .",
      "joe johnston hits just the right tone , finding the heart of this often misunderstood character , and tempering proceedings with the perfect blend of humour , action and characterisation .",
      "it 's very , very well done .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- clean , unpretentious , brawnily entertaining fantasia .",
      "the final piece of the avengers jigsaw falls efficiently into place : decent acting , decent action , a few too many `` we 're all heroes inside '' platitudes .",
      "as the delightfully over-the-top red skull , hugo weaving has the most fun playing a noseless villain since ralph fiennes lopped his off as voldemort .",
      "it delivers the comic book action required .",
      "what we do n't have is a very compelling movie , or much of a leading man .",
      "`` MOV '' smashingly layers superhero stuff such as magic serums atop a wry appreciation for campy wwii propaganda and '60s cinematic rousers that kept richard burton , robert shaw and lee marvin constantly employed .",
      "enjoyable enough for what it is , but clearly and certainly nothing special -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "MOV earns a thumbs up because of ... well , because of MOV .",
      "it 's symptomatic of the problem that the film spends more time figuring out how to set up a different franchise than how to make us care about this one .",
      "thanks to solid performances and a script that is clever , funny and respectful of the source material , this origin story is the best comics-to-screen adaptation since `` batman begins '' .",
      "an old-fashioned adventure film that , while admittedly a little cheesy , is packed with the same charm and wit of the studio 's other movies .",
      "-lsb- the hero 's -rsb- transformation from commonplace but with personality to bulky but generally nondescript echoes the movie 's own shift .",
      "in a summer that seemingly has seen a new comic book adaptation every other week , it 's a toss-up whether `` MOV : the first avenger '' or `` green lantern '' is the weakest of the bunch .",
      "it 's all directed with appropriate enthusiasm by johnston , whose charming period adventure the rocketeer clearly made him the guy to direct a MOV movie .",
      "the small things -- from the leading man to '40s flourishes -- are what make the movie work . if only johnston had sweated the big stuff as well .",
      "director joe johnston has fun with the myth of MOV .",
      "even moviegoers suffering from superhero burnout might want to stand up and salute MOV , which does n't match the excellence of x-men : first-class but ranks ahead of fellow summer stablemates thor and green lantern .",
      "no clever messages here , just bang-on romance and action , with another fresh twist on 20th-century history woven in for the kids to dive into after the credits have rolled .",
      "it had more heart than ` iron man . '",
      "after a decade of dark knights and doom and gloom predominating the spandex set , it 's a relief to see a noble , essentially uncomplicated funny book character , even if the good captain is square as a brick .",
      "this one is okay , but i 'm a little burnt out on the whole superhero thing .",
      "... the best superhero comic-book movie since ... well , ever .",
      "it does n't try too hard for irony or style ; the comic-book sensibility remains pure , square , and happily stupid .",
      "where are the iconic moments in these movies ; the classic lines , the signature set pieces , the golden cues ? brand awareness is high but surely that was n't the limit of the new studio 's ambition ?",
      "solid , stylish superhero saga that 's more fun than ` thor , ' ` green hornet ' and ` green lantern . '",
      "altogether inferior to tarantino 's inglourious basterds .",
      "MOV takes you back to the simplicity of a saturday morning serial where you cheered the hero and booed the villain .",
      "a forced love angle and vapid dialogue dooms MOV .",
      "the mix of wwii style and flashy modern eye candy is no surprise coming from director joe johnston .",
      "a thrilling , exciting and enormously entertaining blockbuster that delivers plenty of exhilarating action , solid performances and the right amount of comic relief .",
      "MOV has a decent amount of heart and retro appeal , although neither can compensate for what is otherwise a rather ordinary comic book film .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- hokey , hacky , two-hour-plus exercise in franchise transition/price gouging , complete with utterly unnecessary post-converted 3-d .",
      "saddled with a boring present-day prologue and an anti-climactic present-day epilogue that leaves the movie without an ending .",
      "after a rash of immature , bad-boy cinematic superheroes ... a hero for whom decency , humility and self-sacrifice come naturally is a breath of fresh air .",
      "while not a terrible film , MOV lacks the edge necessary to truly capture viewers ' imagination .",
      "the film does have its thrilling moments and iconic images , but , as directed by joe johnston , it 's very much a storybook film .",
      "it actually went so far as to remind me of days of old , where action heroes were valiant and adorable , and you just want them to kick the bad guy 's butts and get the girl .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- so-so experience .",
      "the flick 's action sequences and cinematography save the film from the awful pacing and cheesy romance . the real star is the shield ! stay away from the post-converted 3d .",
      "MOV packs a comic , moralistic and patriotic punch that 's well worth watching , regardless of your interest in further following the marvel adventure .",
      "instead of mailing in a half-hearted origin story ... joe johnston went ahead and turned his MOV film into a rousing period thriller that expands on the marvel mythology while also working as a standalone summer blockbuster .",
      "MOV paints a simple tale of goodies versus baddies with none of the depth , humor or class of marvel 's earlier x-men summer offering .",
      "what lingers most about MOV is its innocent , throwback ethos , a firm , unqualified embrace of the little guy ."
    ],
    "summary": "with plenty of pulpy action , a pleasantly retro vibe , and a handful of fine performances , MOV is solidly old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment .",
    "id": "770739679"
  },
  {
    "movie": "permanent_midnight",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's horrifying -lrb- and r-rated -rrb- if not utterly relentless ; it sucks your breath away , perhaps too much .",
      "as enveloping as it is darkly cautionary !",
      "this well-told and solidly acted story of his rise and fall is not a pretty sight , but , as with a car wreck , it is riveting nevertheless . it is almost impossible to look away .",
      "a movie to slit your wrist to .",
      "MOV offers nothing we have n't seen before .",
      "pick it up for ben stiller 's sake -- a great first dramatic role .",
      "wicked sense of humor !",
      "the movie gets credit for not making the high life seem colorful or funny .",
      "rollicking ! a high-energy adaptation !",
      "witty !",
      "a profoundly depressing -- but riveting -- tale !",
      "comes off as manufactured and synthetic as most hollywood product .",
      "ben stiller proves his acting chops in this atypical role as a heroin-addicted television writer .",
      "easy to appreciate , yet hard to find entertaining .",
      "constant sequences of drug taking , one after the other , does not a good film make .",
      "disjointed , uneven , unfocused , and hazy !",
      "stiller 's attempted image makeover , though admirable , does n't make it .",
      "the trouble is that it 's hard to care !",
      "grossly comical !",
      "stiller 's fearless performance makes it painfully and graphically clear that being a junkie is an exhausting full-time job .",
      "unsettling and-yes-often scorchingly funny !"
    ],
    "summary": "aimless storytelling undermines the gripping , unsettling subject of this film .",
    "id": "14096"
  },
  {
    "movie": "charlie_st_cloud",
    "reviews": [
      "it could be a one-note characterization , but efron finds competing emotions in charlie , and he conveys all of them to us .",
      "the movie tries to capture the crushing weight of loss , but between the insipid pop tunes and the repetitive shots cutting away to a lighthouse on a scenic outcropping , it feels more like a film version of a condolence card .",
      "the plot may be a stretch , but the raw emotions are not and efron is up for the task .",
      "maudlin and unintentionally hilarious .",
      "where 's a vampire when you need one ?",
      "the movie has a machine-extruded gloss that makes it harder , not easier , to swallow its difficult emotions .",
      "while efron does his best to carry the film , the rest of charlie st. cloud feels a bit too formulaic , pretentious and cloying ...",
      "if zac efron had n't signed on , this sappy spiritual fantasy would certainly have skipped the cineplex altogether -- in favor of eternal rotation on cable .",
      "if sunlight dappling off the atlantic and the earnest faces of pure young lovers , plus a dash of unthreatening feel-good spirituality , is all you need to feel sated , then by all means , dive right in .",
      "have you ever flipped really fast between one channel showing `` dawson 's creek '' re-runs and another showing `` ghost whisperer '' ? even if you have n't , you pretty much get the idea .",
      "te film is memorable mainly for attractive people sailing and smooching against an attractive backdrop . there 's no urgency behind all the preening .",
      "a sentimental tearjerker about grief , miracles , letting go , moving on , second chances , the healing power of love , and the perpetual allure of pretty young movie stars .",
      "`` charlie st. cloud '' will resonate with its 12-year-old female target audience . the rest of us have to pretend like we understand , or ignore the whole thing entirely .",
      "the sappy script is a disservice to the naturally effervescent efron , whose character is so mopey he makes robert pattinson seem like a song-and-dance man .",
      "i found it impossible not to fall in love with charlie st. cloud . because he is genuinely compassionate , genuinely hurting , and genuinely endearing . and that 's all because efron has real soul onscreen .",
      "pushes its luck with the supernatural element until you ca n't continue to be forgiving .",
      "perhaps no haunted , grieving character in the history of cinema has had his abs lingered over as much as efron here .",
      "those easily moved will sniffle as cued ; anyone else is likely to remain dry-eyed .",
      "efron does a serviceable job in this young-adult drama that blends elements of fantasy , romance , and weepies into a package that is unconventional despite its relative predictability .",
      "an unstable mix of youth romance , metaphysical idealism and tropes that seemingly belong in a horror film .",
      "charlie st. cloud sees dead people . possibly filing in to watch this movie .",
      "nicholas sparks-meets-bruce joel rubin ... the movie 's god talk -lrb- most of it coming from ... ray liotta ? -rrb- and blatant expression of theme through platitudes make this romantic melodrama as drippy as the st. cloud boys ' eyes .",
      "steers takes his time and it pays off in efron 's subdued performance , earnest and yearning .",
      "zac efron is so pretty even dead people want to be his friend .",
      "charlie st. cloud -- from its awful title to its annoyingly perfect photography -- is a schmaltzy sniffle at best .",
      "despite all the effort , efron and the mugging tahan do n't strike fire , and their affectionate banter gets old .",
      "it 's a supernatural , spiritual , sentimental sob-story that does n't quite work .",
      "a well-crafted tearjerker with a grown-up performance from zac efron . if you do n't mind risking dehydration , it 's the movie for you .",
      "you are not , in a movie like this , supposed to think too much ; you are supposed to be transported beyond skepticism on a wave of pure , tacky feeling . instead , in this case , you drown in sentimental , ghoulish nonsense .",
      "charlie st. cloud is a delicate film - not flimsy , but fragile - that holds together on the strength of efron 's physical presence and performance .",
      "cynics will find the film mawkish , but the story-telling is clear and involving .",
      "there 's not much on this movie 's mind but photogenic healing , and making all the girls go ga-ga at the sight of efron mewling with grief .",
      "ttearjerking amalgam of nicholas sparks and m night shyamalan wo n't do zac efron any favours in his attempts to be taken seriously ...",
      "let 's all go play baseball in the park with some ghosts , rather than wasting our time watching this silly , silly film .",
      "guys certainly should n't throw their dignity out of the window to go see it alone , but if their girlfriends are dragging them along , they might just enjoy it a lot more than expected .",
      "there 's a soft allure at play here , but it 's largely overshadowed by a well-worn dialogue , and an often muddled plot .",
      "it 's more of a demo reel for efron than a movie . his predominant fan base , though , wo n't mind a bit .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- ghoulish death comedy .",
      "melodramatic and off-putting , this zac efron drama is a complete mess .",
      "the film cranks up the level of schmaltz to a fever pitch",
      "shame it 's so slow and contradicts its own strained logic , ending up in the same listless limbo as the time traveler 's wife and the lovely bones .",
      "while the subject matter tends towards morbidity , the film-makers strive to divert us with many dappling sunsets , the blue of ephron 's eyes and a sappy melodrama that even 13-year-old girls might scoff at .",
      "this movie 's a teenage tear-jerker and it does its job very well .",
      "what might have been a poignant exploration of the effects of bereavement is hamstrung by rotten twists , redundant action scenes and a few too many publicist-approved shots of efron staring wistfully into the sunset .",
      "another solid performance by zac efron is flattened by bombastic filmmaking .",
      "more maudlin than subtle , more schmaltzy than emotionally true .",
      "efron excels , proving he 's leading-man material . but sign-post scoring and drill - 'em - home emotional beats weigh things down . rubbish ending , too .",
      "future historians of the financial crisis may point to this movie , not oliver stone 's wall street sequel , as the cultural low point of the business world .",
      "as the drama increases , so do the clumsy flashbacks and corny lines : this relies on cheap tricks to force tears , even if those tricks work .",
      "an adaptation that smooths out the sharp edges of ben sherwood 's source novel , it 's a decent enough vehicle to flaunt efron 's acting chops .",
      "a hackneyed , disjointed , painfully corny and contrived drama that ca n't be saved by breathtaking scenery or zac efron 's charming performance . it 's best suited as a lifetime tv movie-of-the-week .",
      "charlie st. cloud will be a dream come true for the nicholas sparks crowd -lrb- especially considering that it is more honest and certainly smarter than recent legitimate adaptations dear john and the last song -rrb- .",
      "steers and his screenwriters are n't aiming for logic ; they 're leading up to the next opportunity for efron to remove his shirt .",
      "with its assurances that everything happens for a reason and everything will be alright , a potentially haunting story becomes a philosophical one-way street .",
      "necessary supporting characters , such as charlie 's mother -lrb- kim basinger -rrb- and his devoted paramedic -lrb- ray liotta -rrb- , are clipped almost entirely out of the film , leaving massive gaps in the community atmosphere the script appears interested in developing .",
      "zac efron can act and has a very large emotional arc . the film is both devastating and very uplifting though it does fall on the cheesy side at times .",
      "this could have been a sappy hallmark story ; instead it 's uplifting and thoughtful .",
      "schmaltzy ? yup . but not stifling . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "poignant efron drama too intense for younger fans .",
      "it 's like a friend you 're not that fond of sobbing sloppily on your shoulder .",
      "this movie has all the elements of a nicholas sparks novel except for letters and logic .",
      "he is noble . he is virtuous . he is often wet .",
      "the good news is that efron continues to get better with each film ; he just has n't gotten a role yet that will finally put his acting potential to the test .",
      "maudlin , manipulative tearjerker ... st. jude , as the script helpfully explains , is the patron of hopeless cases , but even his presence ca n't save this picture .",
      "a touching and heartfelt examination of -- omg !!! zac just took his shirt off !!!",
      "zac efron makes an affecting and credible dramatic lead in `` charlie st. cloud , '' the movie nicholas sparks wishes he could write , based on the book by ben sherwood .",
      "it 's a ludicrous blend of melodrama and supernatural elements , and the results suggest what might happen if sappy author nicholas sparks and twisty filmmaker m. night shyamalan ever joined forces .",
      "a melodramatic and hopelessly disorganized feature-length episode of `` the ghost whisperer '' that trots out an exhausted `` sixth sense '' escape clause after painting itself into one too many narrative corners .",
      "zac efron will probably break out of the heartthrob mold eventually , but charlie st. cloud is not going to be the one to do it for him .",
      "an over-sentimental effort that incorporates love , drama , bereavement , comedy , seagoing adventure and mystical uplift ...",
      "efron continues to transition gracefully from teen heartthrob to leading man material . he proves his dramatic mettle with an emotionally nuanced performance . the kid can act .",
      "some of my fellow critics at a media screening guffawed during the most egregiously syrupy moments , a reaction which paying audiences might well share .",
      "all in all it 's harmless entertainment for girls and perhaps inspiring too , given the love interest wants to sail single-handedly around the world , but it is very melodramatic and syrupy .",
      "i 'm sure that efron and steers will eventually come up with their next breakthrough -- either separately or together -- but this certainly is n't it .",
      "... a sporadically watchable yet pervasively uneven teen-oriented drama that ultimately just does n't work ...",
      "if you liked happy zac in high school musical , why not try sad zac ? all the chiselled sex appeal of the original , but now with a gloomy face on top !",
      "it 's rare teenage audiences get the chance to clock a metaphysical mystery when they could be watching a vampire fight a werewolf for the hand of a sourpuss .",
      "frequently tedious , badly written drama that fails to deliver the emotional punch it 's aiming for , thanks to a painfully obvious central twist that creates more problems than it resolves .",
      "the photography is pretty , but the ghost-lite script makes even less sense than the silly title .",
      "it 's easy to appreciate what charlie is trying to accomplish , but it does it in such a cloyingly manipulative manner that it 's impossible to get on board with it .",
      "for all of its obvious calculations , charlie st. cloud is sincere and effective enough in its intentions to win over at least a few cynical hearts .",
      "less a movie than a zac efron photo album - and why did they give the entire plot away in the trailer ?",
      "zac efron should consider a new agent .",
      "a middling , inoffensive film , rife with woozy golden sunlight and swelling syrupy music invoked to create the emotions that the film itself fails to ignite",
      "an inoffensive , worshipfully photographed , yet dramatically stolid interpretation of swelling adolescent feeling that wrings maximum consequence out of zac efron 's dewy-eyed , pin-up sensitivity .",
      "the whole movie plays out like the bastard child of a tiger beat photo spread and one of hallmark 's drippier greeting cards .",
      "the only thing missing from this gothic-romance version of ben sherwood 's novel is a choir of angels .",
      "as much as charlie st. cloud dresses up its formula with ghosts and pretty footage of boats on water , that formula remains stubbornly visible .",
      "efron has real star presence and he can act , and the role fits into the dreamboat mode his fans expect .",
      "sentimental and ultimately entertaining , aimed at women , i thought i was going to die during the incredibly slow first hour , but it picked up during the last half hour .",
      "the schmaltzy spawn of the sixth sense .",
      "this handsomely shot melodrama has a twist too peculiar to dismiss as some two-bit nicholas sparks weepie .",
      "only marginally suited for a hallmark hall of fame tv episode .",
      "this corny melodrama takes itself way too seriously , but it also seems perfectly targeted to its teen-romance devouring audience .",
      "in order to enjoy this film , you must : 1 . enjoy other fantasy-based movies such as ` ghost , ' 2 . be open-minded about the afterlife , and 3 . be entertained by beautiful landscapes .",
      "if you buy the concept you might enjoy the film , but if you 're a hardened cynic you 'd better avoid charlie st. cloud , despite the very handsome location photography , which is its greatest asset .",
      "has its poignant moments but does not trust them , and does not explore its darker potential . it lays on the sentiment too thickly and underlines the uncanny with a heavy-handed touch .",
      "the film 's thickly layered garnishes of americana -- baseball , fishing , a coastal town that looks like it was designed by norman rockwell -- carries shades of frank capra and is proficiently directed by burr steers .",
      "if only efron 's self-conscious attempts to extend his range -- whether it be drinking straight bourbon , punching a guy in the face , or spending the night with a girl -- were not always so unintentionally amusing .",
      "in the darkened anonymity of the theatre , you 'll be enjoying every sappy twist along the way .",
      "zac efron continues to prove his worth as a leading man in the appropriately sappy supernatural drama charlie st. cloud .",
      "there 's a certain tenderness about the story that explores letting go and taking chances ... a film whose impact is greater than its storyline promises",
      "rather dull and a little too schmaltzy -lrb- the score makes it seem deliberately so -rrb- to really engage us , as the brotherly bond is manifested in charlie meeting the ghost of sam in daily -lrb- and dreary -rrb- baseball practice rituals",
      "all this sets us up for a `` twist '' ending , but if you do n't predict it a half-hour before its revelation , you surely must have nodded off during baseball practice .",
      "a sweet little film about loss and grieving .",
      "in the battle between raw tear-jerking and understatedly convincing performances , neither side wins , but sporadic sparks fly .",
      "there 's a decent drama buried in charlie st. cloud if the writers and director had the nerve to remove the film of all of its supernatural tricks , all of which feel much more maudlin than genuine .",
      "the vehicle may get a little jacked up along the way , but its passenger arrives in style : the kid 's a star .",
      "as far as these kind of movies go , it 's fairly good . better yet , you do n't just feel as if you 're watching a sad sap story on the back of a postcard like `` dear john '' or `` the last song . ''",
      "a romance in the grand hollywood tradition , the script takes a sixth sense turn that gets in the way of charlie and tess ' - and charlie and sam 's - chemistry .",
      "maybe it will inspire some people struggling at home to break through their fears and live some life . it 's also about where dreamy broody guys come from , because zac efron really sells charlie 's sketchy behavior , but man is he still dreamy .",
      "maybe it will inspire some people struggling at home to break through their fears and live some life . it 's also about where dreamy broody guys come from , because zac efron really sells charlie 's sketchy behavior , but man is he still dreamy .",
      "efron 's acting consists primarily of blank stares into space and reciting boringly ordinary dialogue . the movie 's main strengths are the picturesque scenic venue of vancouver , british columbia and the crystal clear cinematography .",
      "the picture is a declawed mess , begging for tears in the end . i hope the filmmakers are willing to accept puzzled looks instead .",
      "the movie 's central gimmick is n't enough , and when more supernatural twists that do n't play by the movie 's own fantasy rules kick in , it lost me .",
      "the surreal thing is , zac efron ca n't do despair . he plays it by staring . blankly . and by not smiling . blankly .",
      "the characters and their supernatural love triangle are developed with a businesslike efficiency that makes it almost impossible to invest in them emotionally .",
      "even at his lowest points charlie appears ready to audition for a skin-care or calvin klein commercial .",
      "efron cries tears the way a cheerleader waves pom-poms .",
      "the story 's icky , frankly .",
      "some bad movies should carry a leper 's bell to warn off ticket buyers . such a contagion is charlie st. cloud , a load of mawkish swill starring zac efron .",
      "shallow homilies ultimately dominate , but there 's a deeper movie trying to get out from behind the greeting card .",
      "zac efron is going places as an actor of value . but he deserves better movies than charlie st. cloud ."
    ],
    "summary": "zac efron gives it his all , but charlie st. cloud is too shallow and cloying to offer much more than eye candy for his fans .",
    "id": "770859139"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_good_the_bad_and_the_ugly",
    "reviews": [
      "the visuals are eye-popping , the score -lrb- by ennio morricone -rrb- magnificent , the civil war set-pieces both stunning and haunting . if you 're going to end a trilogy , this is the way to do it .",
      "it still looks a treat and a bold and largely successful attempt to recast the traditions of the genre in a new , sometimes critical , almost operatic way .",
      "re-released movies are forever claiming to be iconic , but few can hold the title as easily as sergio leone 's the good , the bad and the ugly .",
      "the new length gives a clearer view of the civil war context : a nightmare of panic as the south flees before the union 's advance .",
      "amid the endless homages and the sheer adoration meted out to sergio leone 's ambitious , pricier finale to his spaghetti western trilogy , it 's easy to forget just how damn good the film is .",
      "sergio leone 's masterpiece is as enduring as the scorched desert in which it is filmed . also receives props for most effective use of whistling ever .",
      "leone also endows the film with a clever visual style . his sense of scale is especially inspired .",
      "the third in the clint eastwood series of italo westerns , the good , the bad and the ugly is exactly that -- a curious amalgam of the visually striking , the dramatically feeble and the offensively sadistic .",
      "the definitive spaghetti western .",
      "though ordained from the beginning , the three-way showdown that climaxes the film is tense and thoroughly astonishing .",
      "the point is not what happens in the movie but how it happens , a curious blend of partly humorous , partly dramatic , partly elegiac legend .",
      "one of the most compelling validations of the western genre 's most elemental touchstones .",
      "... has a self-conscious panache that 's years ahead of its time .",
      "this is a great movie , whatever strange estuary of the western river it occupies .",
      "though the restoration is n't substantial , any excuse will do to revisit the moment when a young clint eastwood became a star and in the process helped reinvent the western .",
      "leone 's blockbuster is balanced on the razor 's edge between popular entertainment and art film . it took classic american themes and turned them inside out .",
      "an improbable masterpiece -- a bizarre mixture of grandly operatic visuals , grim brutality and sordid violence that keeps wrenching you from one extreme to the other .",
      "of all the great films of the 1960s , the good , the bad and the ugly is one of a fistful that can be truly appreciated only on the big screen .",
      "may lose some of its jolt on the small screen , but this flick features some of clint eastwood 's and sergio leone 's finest moments .",
      "both epic and intimate : the sun-baked panoramas of the west -lrb- actually spain -rrb- and the gigantic battles of north against south have a counterpoint in the dramas that play out between the three men .",
      "profound",
      "-lsb- leone -rsb- weighs every movement carefully ; every footstep , every squeeze of the trigger , screams epic . everything is important and nothing is insignificant .",
      "an extravagantly plotted epic propelled by waves of free-flowing emotion and a palpable love for the american past",
      "art it is , summoned out of the imagination of leone and painted on the wide screen so vividly that we forget what marginal productions these films were .",
      "the uncut new print reclaims the widescreen majesty of tonino delli colli 's cinematography , allowing you to see every iconic wart and furrow on every bad guy 's face .",
      "it 's great to see a great director 's film as he intended it , with rich color and restored sound .",
      "all told , and in giant widescreen , it 's only blood-red adolescent fun , but it blooms like douglas sirk with a gatling gun compared to the teenage demographic 's current fare .",
      "there are two kinds of people , my friend . those who love sergio leone 's the good , the bad , and the ugly , and those who resist the machismo and gallows humor of what is arguably the definitive spaghetti western .",
      "the most ambitious of eastwood 's collaborations with leone",
      "sergio leone 's epic looks good , almost great , restored to its original running time .",
      "a beautiful film , directed with supreme confidence and passion - and lots of action .",
      "sergio leone 's grandiose 1966 western epic is nothing less than a masterclass in movie storytelling , a dynamic testament to the sheer , invigorating uniqueness of cinema .",
      "you do n't really need me to review the good , the bad , and the ugly for you , do you ?",
      "town streets stretch wider than eight-lane freeways , gargoyle-faced henchmen lurk behind every tumbleweed , and ennio morricone 's majestic electric coyote score rules over all .",
      "... while the film is seriously overlong , there are enough elements here to hold the interest of even the most impatient viewer .",
      "arguably one of the greatest westerns of all time .",
      "sergio leone 's baroque western might be his greatest ... watch how clint eastwood amazingly acts with just his teeth and those squinty eyes .",
      "clearly the work of a master filmmaker whose style has never grown stale .",
      "there are many features that contribute to the good , the bad , and the ugly 's belated renown , and none as idiosyncratic as ennio morricone 's score .",
      "sergio leone 's dramatic directing style is powerful and well delivered , even by today 's standards .",
      "its parody of genre conventions resonates with scope and power .",
      "the sublime film music , now-iconic situations -lrb- like the climactic ghost town shootout -rrb- , and sure visual style add up to a pitch-perfect genre pic that ongoingly influences generations of hip filmmakers . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "the fellas in leone 's films are seething cesspools of hatred and frustration whose only satisfaction-however fleeting-is found in pursuit and acquisition of money",
      "a unique vision of the american west as place of desolation and ruin on a truly epic scale .",
      "leone 's liberal use of widescreen shots in conjunction with extreme close-ups gives the movie an epic quality that is matched in scope by a skeletal narrative structure that breathes with a poker-faced mood , tone , and personality .",
      "potent italian-western shoot - 'em up/war drama .",
      "the defining spaghetti western pits a charismatic clint eastwood against partner and nemesis eli wallach and perpetual enemy lee van cleef .",
      "leone created a phenomenal film but also created some of the most memorable shots in film history . the extreme close-ups are still impressive to this day .",
      "all three arrive at the cache at the same time . who gets it ? director leone does n't seem to care very much , and after 161 minutes of mayhem , audiences are n't likely to either .",
      "it demonstrates that a film can be exciting and funny and epic in scope while still retaining the peculiar vision of an artiste compelled to capture his obsessions with a techniscope lens .",
      "the film runs about two hours and forty-five minutes , but is absolutely absorbing , and goes by quickly and smoothly .",
      "morricone 's soundtrack is one the most powerful in the history cinema and it alone is the reason why this film should be so highly appreciated .",
      "the movie that solidified eastwood 's iconography . leone 's dazzling techniscope cinematics far surpass the familiar plot .",
      "sergio leone sure is a great director . he has a unique visual style , combining gorgeous establishing shots of western landscape and tense close-ups .",
      "long , funny , and featuring one of ennio morricone 's greatest scores , the good , the bad , and the ugly is a sheer pleasure to watch .",
      "pure spaghetti western perfection ."
    ],
    "summary": "arguably the greatest of the spaghetti westerns , this epic features a compelling story , memorable performances , breathtaking landscapes , and a haunting score .",
    "id": "13308"
  },
  {
    "movie": "brown_sugar",
    "reviews": [
      "hip-hop is simply the newest tool for the same tired script of childhood friends who go down different paths only to realize they are each others ' destiny .",
      "watching the characters go through the paces of their unconvincing jobs is like flipping through the pages of gq -lrb- or architectural digest -rrb- to admire all of the perfect models .",
      "guy gets girl , guy loses girl , audience falls asleep .",
      "predictable and cloying , though MOV is so earnest in its yearning for the days before rap went nihilistic that it summons more spirit and bite than your average formulaic romantic quadrangle .",
      "all in all , MOV is a satisfying well-made romantic comedy that 's both charming and well acted . it will guarantee to have you leaving the theater with a smile on your face .",
      "there are times when you wish that the movie had worked a little harder to conceal its contrivances , but MOV turns out to be a sweet and enjoyable fantasy .",
      "mos def -lrb- playing an up-and-coming star -rrb- shows expert comedic timing and charisma , especially when paired with queen latifah .",
      "diggs and lathan are among the chief reasons MOV is such a sweet and sexy film .",
      "bland if amiable .",
      "hip-hop romantic comedy is predictable -- and remarkably charming .",
      "... understands that a generation defines its music as much as the music defines a generation .",
      "there 's something unintentionally comic in the film 's drumbeat about authenticity , given the stale plot and pornographic way the film revels in swank apartments , clothes and parties .",
      "stereotypes are eschewed in favor of well-drawn characters , and the hip-hop backdrop is integral to the story rather than a marketing scheme to sell the soundtrack .",
      "manages to deliver the familiar boy-meets-girl story in a fresh way .",
      "how sweet it is to see a romantic comedy with characters who act and talk like adults .",
      "too much about MOV is carried out with utmost decorum , as if writer-director rick famuyiwa were bringing hip-hop home to meet the parents .",
      "a smart , sassy and exceptionally charming romantic comedy .",
      "not sweet enough to liven up its predictable story and will leave even fans of hip-hop sorely disappointed .",
      "most of it feels fresh , and the writers incorporate hip-hop in a way i have n't seen in a narrative .",
      "MOV needed a little more flavor .",
      "`` MOV '' admirably aspires to be more than another `` best man '' clone by weaving a theme throughout this funny film .",
      "all of the filmmakers ' calculations ca n't rescue MOV from the curse of blandness .",
      "a lot more dimensional and complex than its sunny disposition would lead you to believe .",
      "it 's predictable , but it jumps through the expected hoops with style and even some depth .",
      "its likable , easy rhythms are appealing , especially for anyone attuned to the birth and growth of this style of music .",
      "what really breaks this movie out of the romantic-comedy rut is the setting in which it 's told .",
      "as satisfying as it is sleek , and famuyiwa inspires carefully nuanced portrayals from his cast .",
      "sustains the charm of an early 60 's new york romance .",
      "glossy , funny , touching and cute .",
      "MOV boasts plenty of good , non-sappy romance , plus laugh out loud comedy .",
      "given the talent and the twist , it 's as fresh as the classic tracy-hepburn comedies .",
      "people are unlikely to leave MOV with the words ` original ' or ` surprising ' on their lips , but they are likely to leave with a good-sized smile .",
      "makes the sweet case that sincerity strikes the biggest romantic sparks .",
      "little more than a knock-off of both when harry met sally and love & basketball -- and a rather lethargic one at that .",
      "an agreeably charming , brightly performed romantic comedy .",
      "a romantic comedy , yes , but one with characters who think and talk about their goals , and are working on hard decisions .",
      "a crumb of psychology would have helped .",
      "lathan and diggs have considerable personal charm , and their screen rapport makes the old story seem new .",
      "the obligatory break-ups and hook-ups do n't seem to have much emotional impact on the characters .",
      "the movie 's attention to cultural context really does separate it from anything that came before , including the winning , but finally irrelevant , when harry met sally ...",
      "it has so many tropes that a teenager could construct a plot line just by connecting the dots .",
      "taye diggs never overdoes dre 's intensity or integrity ; he 's an understated leading man who is all the more likable because of it . but it 's sanaa lathan as sidney who won my heart here .",
      "you do n't have to know about music to appreciate the film 's easygoing blend of comedy and romance .",
      "despite crisp photography and the director 's gift for building a scene , the film does n't click until the third act .",
      "takes every convention of the romantic comedy genre and turns it on its ear .",
      "this cheery , down-to-earth film is warm with the cozy feeling of relaxing around old friends .",
      "this plodding romantic comedy about two friends falling in love has little of the punchy wit and storytelling dexterity that makes hip-hop a worthy source of inspiration .",
      "lathan and diggs make an immensely likable couple , and the supporting cast strikes all the right notes .",
      "makes the same mistake as the music industry it criticizes , becoming so slick and watered-down it almost loses what made you love it in the first place .",
      "all of these characters seem genuine , not the sorts of stereotypes you see in most romantic comedies .",
      "the movie plays cute more than smart , but it 's far from dumb -- and marks yet another baby step forward in the growing sophistication of african-american film .",
      "it 's an amiable enough movie , a romantic-comedy with a great soundtrack and an idea or two in its head .",
      "as the two leads , lathan and diggs are charming and have chemistry both as friends and lovers .",
      "lathan and diggs carry the film with their charisma , and both exhibit sharp comic timing that makes the more hackneyed elements of the film easier to digest .",
      "famuyiwa 's feature deals with its subject matter in a tasteful , intelligent manner , rather than forcing us to endure every plot contrivance that the cliché-riddled genre can offer .",
      "i like this movie a lot . it 's probably the sweetest , corniest movie about hip-hop music you 're ever going to see .",
      "their love fails to resonate as anything more than a shared musical passion .",
      "synthetic and rather bland -- more like ` brown nutrasweet . '",
      "sidney may profess her love for hip-hop - over and over again in voiceover - but the movie fails to make us feel that love .",
      "yo , it 's the days of our lives meets electric boogaloo .",
      "famuyiwa has a made a quaint little film that achieves what it sets out to do ; entertain the audience for an hour and a half .",
      "it offers few surprises but does contain enough charm to overcome that and warrant a passing grade .",
      "you could do worse than watch beautiful people making kissy-face with each other .",
      "while it 's genuinely cool to hear characters talk about early rap records -lrb- sugar hill gang , etc. -rrb- , the constant referencing of hip-hop arcana can alienate even the savviest audiences .",
      "it 's rare that a movie can be as intelligent as this one is in every regard except its storyline ; everything that 's good is ultimately scuttled by a plot that 's just too boring and obvious .",
      "fine performances from diggs and lathan give life to an otherwise rehashed love story , but musician mos def steals the show .",
      "MOV manages to take hip-hop 's well-established history and make it digestible for audiences not necessarily tied directly into the core of that culture .",
      "the spirit of the old school echoes strongly throughout the film and parallels the purity of the passions and personalities of the paramours .",
      "MOV takes an old tale and tells it in a fresh , modern way . the music 's pretty good , too .",
      "true to its title , this hip-hop when harry met sally is plenty sweet , but is that what we really want from a film set in the world of rap music ?",
      "hip-hop rarely comes alive as its own fire-breathing entity in this picture .",
      "the plot is romantic comedy boilerplate from start to finish .",
      "hip-hop has a history , and it 's a metaphor for this love story .",
      "MOV is nothing you have n't seen before , but if you 're into the whole new york-based romantic comedy thing , you 'll probably find it a blast .",
      "MOV signals director rick famuyiwa 's emergence as an articulate , grown-up voice in african-american cinema ."
    ],
    "summary": "though predictable and possibly too sweet , MOV is charming , well-acted , and smarter than typical rom-com fare .",
    "id": "10880"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1061812-little_princess",
    "reviews": [
      "a delightfully enchanting family fantasy , a MOV has all the earmarks of a classic .",
      "-lsb- best character was -rsb- indian manservant who almost never spoke ... powerful eyes .",
      "it 's not only suitable for consumption by those over age 10 , it 's actually enjoyable .",
      "no es una película . es un trozo de magia esparcido sobre el celuloide .",
      "enchanting drama based on a children 's classic .",
      "this is a magical film .",
      "from the exquisite costumes to the remarkable set design to the superb performances , this fairy tale comes to life in a way that makes you despair at its ending . but though end it must , its spirit of imagination and its magic of abiding love lingers on .",
      "enchanting family fare .",
      "a MOV exquisitely re-creates the ephemeral world of childhood , an enchanted kingdom where everything , even make-believe , seems possible .",
      "cuaron 's version of magic realism consists of seeing incredibly fanciful sets and situations in precise detail .",
      "the 1939 shirley temple version of this book came closer to capturing sara 's vitality .",
      "there are moments in a MOV when you may just want to clap from pleasure .",
      "a MOV is a delightful film . bring your children , or just bring yourself .",
      "mexican director alfonso cuaron gives the film a nice feel for a new york girls ' school of the time -lrb- though actually the novel was set in an english girls ' school -rrb- .",
      "an exemplary version of frances hodgson burnett 's novel .",
      "an astonishing work of studio artifice , a MOV is that rarest of creations , a children 's film that plays equally well to kids and adults .",
      "wonderful movie of a lonely girl 's triumph .",
      "the film uses studio resources to create an entrancing world both in new york and in the heroine 's fantasies about india .",
      "soppy and girlish in the extreme , this should keep even the tiniest viewer rapt , while all too many adults may fall victim to an inexplicable bout of eye-watering long before the closing credits .",
      "cuaron finds the perfect style for this trusted formula ; what could have been routine kids ' stuff flourishes with his sure feeling for space , light and colour .",
      "this new version of frances hodgson burnett 's children 's classic boasts first-rate production values and a political sensitivity befitting the '90s , but it does n't quite capture the magic of the 1939 shirley temple vehicle .",
      "one of the very best children 's movies of the past quarter-century .",
      "a truly captivating children 's film that never got its due in the theaters .",
      "a bright , beautiful and enchantingly childlike vision ."
    ],
    "summary": "alfonso cuarón adapts frances hodgson burnett 's novel with a keen sense of magic realism , vividly recreating the world of childhood as seen through the characters .",
    "id": "18116"
  },
  {
    "movie": "duplicity_2009",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's not unfair to say that MOV is michael clayton on laughing gas . what 's remarkable is that both movies pretty much work .",
      "a stylish , engaging and complex thriller .",
      "-lsb- tony -rsb- gilroy may have taken his time honing his voice as a filmmaker , but there 's little doubt that he 's got it down to a science at this point .",
      "MOV is like sitting in a two-hour lecture from a college professor who reads straight from the text and never makes eye contact . do you know there is an audience here ?",
      "this movie was n't firing on all cylinders despite some of them being great cylinders .",
      "... plays like a more sophisticated ocean 's eleven , the extra heft coming from its corporate setting .",
      "click for full review",
      "` MOV ' is a cleverly charming and sophisticated film about treacherous people .",
      "it wo n't receive the critical ballyhoo of his previous film , but where gilroy 's ` michael clayton ' lacked imagination and surprise , ` MOV ' is a fun , witty romp .",
      "when it comes to spy thrillers , tony gilroy knows the game .",
      "MOV does n't have depth -- but it does have julia roberts , in full hollywood movie-star mode . and for filmgoers with scaled-back expectations , that news may be enough .",
      "... a movie built around dazzling dialogue , which makes it a rare and precious thing .",
      "it 's not an elderly movie , it just seems that way .",
      "this is a sharp-looking movie with a blue-chip cast .",
      "seductive and playful , this corporate espionage thriller has a breezy attitude that keeps us thoroughly engaged through all of the twists and turns of the plot .",
      "MOV is one big fogbank of a movie and sounding a horn wo n't help you . prepare to get lost in a mass of pointless murk .",
      "the movie comes alive almost exclusively in the flashbacks .",
      "a beautifully shot , well written and impressively acted thriller that 's both suspenseful and emotionally engaging .",
      "MOV should have been titled venality .",
      "roberts looks great in her return to leading-lady status after a few years off -- strong , curvy , formidable -- and owen drops the steamy glower he 's adopted of late and almost seems to have a twinkle in his eye this time around .",
      "the same whip-smart , intellectual ear for dialogue that made michael clayton such an immensely interesting film is back in MOV .",
      "mr. gilroy has outsmarted himself by pulling too many switches in his narrative . he then fails to recover by coming up with a smash ending that pulls all the scattered pieces together .",
      "though it has more tricks up its sleeve than you can count , in the end all the sleight of hand amounts to disappointingly little .",
      "though awkwardly sturctured , ` MOV ' is a smart movie in which droll repartee and smoldering chemistry take the place of cursing and violence .",
      "is this a fun , flirty romantic comedy ? a farce ? a serious drama about espionage ? when writer/director tony gilroy figures it out , will someone let me know ?",
      "it eventually falls victim to one or two twists too many , needlessly complicating an already complex plot .",
      "a fluffy , comedic sequel to closer ... breezy , delightful and bitterly hilarious .",
      "director tony gilroy deftly mixes comedy with suspense as we see the extreme measures corporations take to steal one another 's secrets and protect their own from theft .",
      "slick , super-contrived , pretty to look at and totally , completely preposterous .",
      "neither a conventional spy flick nor a traditional romantic comedy , MOV is a satisfying mix of the two that 's as entertaining as it is thought-provoking",
      "MOV does indeed bend and buckle under the weight of many a final-reel revelation , though it never entirely collapses .",
      "the film 's got plenty of spark , with an onscreen couple so full of passion that they ca n't keep their hands off each other -- tom wilkinson and paul giamatti .",
      "corporate espionage caper in which two government operatives having amorous flings in various global stopovers decide to team up and go private to earn a bundle . star power of julia roberts and clive owen and yummy locations fail to compensate for madly c",
      "MOV is another one of those flicks where everything is confusing until the very end but gilroy does a great job building the chemistry between roberts and owen .",
      "parental content review",
      "the script has so many twists and double-crosses , flashbacks and re-interpretations of events that frankly i just gave up , and followed the action . which was n't quite enough to hold me . a pity .",
      "essentially formulaic fare . although julia roberts is quite good , the love scenes look exactly like what they are : famous people pretending .",
      "on the simplest level , MOV is a tribute to the power of performance .",
      "there are nice moments , just not quite enough of them .",
      "too convoluted to be romantic , too confusing to be an effective caper and too long to be entertaining .",
      "unnecessarily pretentious and opaque : give me tony gilroy 's ` michael clayton ' any day .",
      "a caper without intrigue and a romance without humanity , this disastrously wasteful star vehicle manages quite the feat by both crushing the viewer 's soul and devouring their spirit in two hours flat .",
      "given the film 's potential for glamour , sex and suspense , there 's no reason for it to be such a drag .",
      "a stylish , sexy , con-artist caper that finds romance in risk and vice-versa , MOV ... is a movie so dashing and fun , you may not notice how smart it is until you replay it in your head a few times .",
      "the movie is fun , with plenty of intrigue and suspense that will have audiences clutching at their arm rests .",
      "a glamorous , diverting escapade that over-30s in particular can enjoy .",
      "they took the lousy soderbergh/clooney template for ocean 's eleven , twelve and thirteen and intentionally made this stinker .",
      "MOV , when it comes down to it , is wonderful simplicity .",
      "smart , droll and dazzling to look at and listen to , writer-director tony gilroy 's effervescent , intricately plotted puzzler proves in every way superior to his 2007 success michael clayton .",
      "MOV is a double agent , a rollicking romantic comedy too deep undercover as a proudly convoluted caper film .",
      "`` MOV '' is so heavily back-loaded that it demands the audience take a leap of faith that all narrative debts will be paid off in a third act finale . no such luck .",
      "in top form , julia roberts and clive owen star in this sexy , witty , elegant romantic thriller made for mature audiences .",
      "ultra sleek , cool , stylish and smart filmmaking . supremely sophisticated fun - but better pay close attention .",
      "a light/bright movie that actually illuminates our dull grey lives , reminding us that intrigue can be , well , intriguing . and damn sexy too .",
      "a snazzy piece of work , tartly acted and cleverly made . trust me .",
      "MOV is pretty silly when it all works out in the end . this is a wasted opportunity , since so much went into making it look like it was about something .",
      "-lsb- director tony -rsb- gilroy 's skillful , witty follow-up to his writing-directing debut , michael clayton , -lsb- continues -rsb- to exercise his talent for baiting a narrative and getting viewers to jump to it .",
      "should settle on the video shelf between intolerable cruelty and mr & mrs. smith .",
      "at times , gilroy 's leaps verge on gimmick . but the shuffled deck of place and time is intrinsic to the three-card monte rhythms . he keeps us guessing , even as we know he 's gaming us .",
      "MOV , like all con movies , relies on charm , and there 's plenty to go around .",
      "a dashing and bright entertainment that aims to please without scraping the floor for your approval",
      "`` MOV '' is a blast from beginning to end and one of the snappiest films of its type to come along in a while .",
      "a romance aiming at a tone of jazz-riff larkishness but somewhat undermined in that pursuit by the washboard-stiffness of its main characters .",
      "a breathlessly enjoyable mind-game ... MOV is giddy fun , something that 's been in short supply at the movies .",
      "a high-tech romantic thriller set in the little-seen world of corporate espionage , tony gilroy 's second feature is sophisticated adult entertainment which puts the lazy ocean 's films to shame with its clever writing , lively direction and visual panache .",
      "whatever the onscreen dilemma for clive owen 's ray and julia roberts ' claire , for us , it 's a no-brainer . this slick and persuasive crime thriller has so much chemistry and chutzpah ; we 're hooked from the start",
      "MOV is a lazy movie about corporate espionage . it 's lazy because its director/writer tony gilroy relies on easy gimmicks and lame conventions to tell his tale . -lsb- he -rsb- uses techniques that might enliven home movies ; they deaden a theatrical one .",
      "this thriller 's flashback scenes interrupted the story 's flow too much for me . but julia roberts and clive owen are fun to watch .",
      "it 's a pity ... that james newton howard 's music score is so relentlessly intrusive and that gilroy 's plotting gets so complicated before everything becomes clear in the end .",
      "once gilroy has the film on track with all passengers aboard and accounted for , you do start wondering if he can keep up the momentum . he does -- although so much contrivance is involved that he often runs the risk of leaving you behind .",
      "only incidentally a con movie , MOV is actually a subversive , high-wire romance , with the macguffin serving as a metaphorical placeholder for the surging hormonal attraction , trepidation and uncertainty of love 's bloom .",
      "the story turns flips to keep audiences guessing . unfortunately , indiffer-ence , not fascination , results .",
      "a battle of wits with smart , capable people on all sides . it is very slick and well-acted by a troupe of pros .",
      "has the kind of narrative trickery that draws us in , but it 's ultimately up to the actors to keep us interested , and in this regard the film is something of a mixed bag",
      "writer-director tony gilroy , flush from his michael clayton success , retains that film 's examination of corporate malfeasance yet replaces the sense of dread with a sense of style .",
      "trust , lust , and double-crust pizzas",
      "tony gilroy 's dryly jaunty , globetrotting , spy-vs . - spy romp is ... just good enough to make you wish it were better .",
      "gilroy 's movie does have its moments , most of which come down to the pleasures of its a-list cast , which possess enough talent and presence to stand down a plot so unnecessarily cluttered , it 's a gimmick .",
      "the globetrotting spy thriller never measures up to being first-rate .",
      "this film entertains through gameplay , turning suspenseful , comic , then romantic as if in the hands of a master card dealer . but gilroy 's trickeries can be revealed by just slightly encroaching the stage .",
      "a disappointing exercise in achingly-familiar irritainment .",
      "who do you really trust ? especially if they happen to be double agents ?",
      "MOV is an enormously enjoyable hybrid , a romantic comedy set at the center of a caper movie .",
      "it 's a passably amusing brainteaser .",
      "for all the glam and swank , the film is essentially a bright , shiny , empty puzzle . the puzzlemaking by writer-director tony gilroy is clever but most frequently an end in itself .",
      "welcome back my friends to the con that never ends ... MOV simply does n't know when to quit .",
      "watching MOV brings pleasures all too rare : gorgeous actors speaking smart , funny dialogue in beautiful settings .",
      "however you describe it , MOV is superior entertainment , the most elegantly pleasurable movie of its kind to come around in a very long time .",
      "the film 's greatest pleasure is in the snappy dialogue gilroy crafts for the capable duo of roberts and owen ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "you got ta be flawless to tell a story out of sequence . this ai n't no memento . god , julia is getting old .",
      "MOV features the sort of story screenwriters dream of crafting in order to show off their aptitude .",
      "the results are mistimed and misshapen , like lubitsch after a vasectomy",
      "when it comes to sorting out where we stand with someone , we 're all spies . tony gilroy realizes that romance done right involves invigorating risk , and `` MOV '' offers a bracing , beguiling shell game of behavior to complement the light shenanigans .",
      "the `` trust nobody '' shtick wears old pretty quickly .",
      "i 'm sure if i saw it a second time , i 'd find the little hints gilroy plants throughout particularly delicious . but why bother ? it did n't exactly grab me by the neck the first time .",
      "julia roberts and clive owen are reunited for the first time since closer , and they 're a messed up couple again . but this time they 're secret agents , which is cooler .",
      "you simply have n't had this much fun at the multiplex in a long , long time .",
      "tony gilroy 's directorial follow up to the phenomenal michael clayton is an impressive addition to his short but impressive filmography .",
      "a cinematic lark that 's leaden where it should be light ... suffers from lukewarm chemistry between roberts and owen .",
      "do we even care about these characters enough to worry about their machinations ?",
      "while the movie is modestly entertaining and tries to take full advantage of the promising coupling of julia roberts and clive owen , it never quite seals the deal .",
      "gilroy also throws in a reverse chronology taking place in posh foreign locations -lrb- and cleveland ! -rrb- so as to mark the film as his own and conceal any narrative weaknesses .",
      "it 's good to see an espionage thriller that avoids the clichés of the genre .",
      "adopts old hollywood mechanics % u2014 - showy marquee stars , swift-witted dialogue , character-dominated plot % u2014 - and relies on an audience willing to be tricked , surprised and challenged .",
      "gilroy handles it expertly and maintains a light , jaunty tone .",
      "a perfectly-crafted espionage thriller married to the best throwback rom-com in years .",
      "for all its bright banter and flashbacky fanciness , MOV boils down to this rudimentary formula : morality and success are functions of beauty .",
      "much of the fun is all about what 's ` in play ' -- acting -- from the spy and lover roles these characters may or may not be playing and which sides -lrb- personal , professional -rrb- they 're playing for or against , to our assumptions about these stars ' personas .",
      "gilroy makes the mistake of applying the artful lighting , measured pace and severe sensibility of ` michael clayton ' to screwball caper material .",
      "has a terrific cast , stylish cinematography and some intrigue , but the suspense and sizzle wane as the intricate plot gradually thickens .",
      "gilroy keeps it all moving at a steady , stylish pace .",
      "with MOV -lsb- gilroy is -rsb- developing a nice body of work .",
      "the zigzagging story needs the crackling speed of , say , ocean 's eleven , but gilroy moves as if he 's afraid to lose his audience going around the turns .",
      "MOV is a light and airy affair that has far too much fun with zingy one-liners to be concerned with the rather relevant dirty laundry that 's being aired out .",
      "writer/director tony gilroy 's MOV is a pleasurable puzzle with a vast myriad of possible outcomes .",
      "they frumped julia roberts up and tore her charisma down . she like the movie had no sparkle . plus there were twenty flashbacks too many . a little simplicity might have helped ` MOV ' .",
      "at this point in the moviegoing year , it 's probably foolish to ask for more . this is a movie movie -- with a bottle of dom perignon at the end .",
      "those who like working a rubik 's cube might find MOV appealing . with a lack of charisma , sexual chemistry or sizzle , it left me sadly disappointed .",
      "while this is fun , trying more for laughs than tension , it is not a film that will live in history , except for one memorable line .",
      "it 's a complex and at times hard-to-follow script , but it leaves no loose ends and makes perfect sense in the end . even the ending is a legitimate surprise",
      "it 's pretty fun and entertaining for the most part . however , it gets a little talky and ends with a plot twist that 's perhaps too convoluted and contrived for its own good .",
      "the artistry is indisputable and , if the clarity gets muddled , the effort to stay afloat in the swamp of spy-gamesmanship does pay off .",
      "... one of the first truly adult romantic comedies to come down the pike in quite some time . `` MOV '' has been heaped with praise , which may raise expectations unfairly , though .",
      "a sharp , twisty , and very stylish thriller , this time with romance and a bit of stardust . the result is a top-notch date movie for grown-ups .",
      "a timely , brisk , and witty combination love story and drama about corporate malfeasance .",
      "MOV is betrayed by a surfeit of intricacy . its ironic complexities tease the brain without pleasing the heart .",
      "there 's a lot of doubling going on in the smart , savvy MOV .",
      "gilroy expertly keeps viewers guessing about who is gaming who .",
      "gilroy and his stars make it elegant fun to be fooled , but they sure as hell make you work for it .",
      "everything in MOV may be a scam , but -lsb- director -rsb- gilroy 's talent is the real thing .",
      "MOV probably improves on second viewing , when one is better acquainted with the basic story . yet the film is not good enough to see twice â '' the catch-22 of all entertaining but muddled movies .",
      "gilroy 's technique can feel like complication for complication 's sake , but stick with the story and the dramatic rewards are real , or at least the punch line 's pretty clever .",
      "MOV teams masters of mutual deceit in sizzling make up sex for spies , julia squirming her way through one night stand pretend amnesia with toe rings , and a different kind of screwing of flabby corporate cutthroats in designer suits .",
      "with its smart writing delivered by an in-synch quartet , savor MOV as the ideal spring gift .",
      "-lsb- director gilroy 's -rsb- determined to put some smarts into the world of double crosses and double martinis , and bless him for that .",
      "like the carnal encounter with which it opens , it 's a film that goes through the motions , and while those motions are frequently pleasurable , we , like owen , are ultimately left disappointed .",
      "a pleasant big-studio diversion , a screwball romance with beautiful movie stars set in gorgeous hotel rooms , deluxe office spaces and corporate jets . it 's smart , it 's for grown-ups and it lets julia roberts laugh , if just once .",
      "as a caper film , MOV is a fizzle . as a mystery , it 's a cheat .",
      "i started out loving MOV ; by the end , i wanted to strangle it .",
      "julia roberts in a luxury hotel room , bantering with a suave leading man ? that works .",
      "gilroy trusts us to figure out how the pieces of the story fit together , and by the end of the movie , we 're rewarded with a solution that is intellectually , if not emotionally , satisfying .",
      "for a sexy comedy that tries and fails to recapture the sensual smarts of vintage screwball fare , MOV is regrettably short on sex and comedy .",
      "this movie is a breeze compared to the lawyerly sturm und drang of michael clayton .",
      "the term ` thriller ' might be overstating things a bit , although the slow motion battle between wilkinson and giamatti will live on in my memory for years to come .",
      "an effervescent burst of snappy writing , direction and star chemistry that burns a hole through the screen .",
      "a slick but somewhat convoluted crime caper , MOV practically glows from all the high-wattage power of its incandescent stars .",
      "an all 's - fair-in-love-and-espionage movie tailor-made for a pair of glamorous stars .",
      "aiming for a romantic-caper vibe , MOV zips from one elaborate piece of hugger-mugger to the next . but at a certain point , boredom sets in .",
      "MOV is more lighthearted ; it 's the pitt/jolie smackdown mr. & mrs. smith without all the gunplay .",
      "it 's not deep : it 's a wispy-light meringue of a romantic spy-versus-spy comedy . but it is smart . it expects that you 're keeping up with the tricks it 's trying to pull on you .",
      "MOV ultimately comes off as a breath of fresh air amid a movie season rife with bleak horror films , hopelessly juvenile comedies and bloated superhero epics .",
      "it might be saying something that i preferred to see -lsb- giamatti and wilkinson -rsb- in action than the two actual leads of the film .",
      "the story jumps around in time more than an episode of lost . there are so many twists and turns in the plot , i did n't always follow if they even liked each other .",
      "i 'm probably going to buy MOV on dvd just to re-experience the joy of benjamin franklin slamming his fist into the ground while attacking john adams .",
      "the picture has a unity of wit and structure that could only have been achieved by a very sharp writer who 's also a gifted filmmaker .",
      "clever , complex romantic thriller is too twisty for tweens .",
      "kudos to roberts and owen whose easy chemistry gets you through the plot 's mush . then there 's giamatti and wilkinson , two guys who could play houseplants and blow your mind .",
      "whip smart storytelling and a fizzy caper delight .",
      "i ca n't believe i 'm writing this in a dumbed down age at the movies but MOV is a film that 's too smart for its own good .",
      "this enjoyable , lighthearted movie should not be taken too seriously and is worthy of your admiration .",
      "a rather pedestrian , hollow cat-and-mouse contest .",
      "`` MOV '' may not be an award-winner at year 's end , but for adults looking to see something that treats them with genuine respect this weekend , there are few films in wide release that better fit the bill .",
      "too often -lsb- director gilroy -rsb- returns to his darker , more ponderous instincts -- more like a wink and a sneer -- which has an enervating effect on a film that lives and dies by its fleetness of foot .",
      "MOV may be too smart for its own good . but how many films can you say that about ?",
      "MOV is n't quite as clever as it wants to be , but it 's diverting and funny , and it 's always a pleasure to watch a movie that relies on brains as fodder instead of brawn .",
      "though it waltzes through european capitals and gorgeous hotel suites , it never quite gets the blood pumping . and despite all the husky-voiced pillow-talk about sex and adrenaline , there 's little of either .",
      "... a crazy spy vs spy tale of intrigue and corporate espionage that works well due mostly to the chemistry of its two leads - clive owen and julia roberts .",
      "lacks the tension and wow-factor we 've grown accustomed to from slick star vehicles .",
      "MOV is entertaining , but the complexities of its plot keep it from being really involving . the fun is in watching roberts and owen fencing with dialogue , keeping straight faces , trying to read each other 's minds .",
      "comedy seems to have liberated gilroy , who directs MOV with the high gloss and fleet-footed hustle of a golden age hollywood craftsman .",
      "MOV plays as a less-successful comic remake of michael clayton .",
      "i 'm not certain MOV ultimately rewards the time invested , but it 's a convincing enough spy game stew to slurp slowly . just appreciate the ride , not the destination .",
      "slick , sneaky , snarky fun - a devilish double-cross"
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is well-crafted , smart , and often funny , but it 's mostly more cerebral than visceral and features far too many plot twists .",
    "id": "770683997"
  },
  {
    "movie": "whip_it",
    "reviews": [
      "unlike most hollywood teen product , here fulfilment comes not from what others think of you but from what you think of yourself . in short , it 's girl power reinvented .",
      "MOV follows the classic follows the classic tropes of any indie coming-of-age film , big game showdown et al , but does it all so well you 'll be instantly charmed .",
      "teeming with girl-power spirit , barrymore 's film exudes an all-encompassing benevolence rather than strident one-upmanship . these girls just want to have fun .",
      "an unexpected pleasure ... goofily enjoyable .",
      "juliette lewis and her crazy eyes pretty much make any movie better .",
      "led by ellen page , the movie finds the juno star playing a slightly less cocksure version of the diablo cody creation .",
      "it does n't reach for an epic scale but is comfortable in its humility , and that makes it all the more stellar ...",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- treats its mostly female cast of characters with respect , and this is -lrb- sadly -rrb- a rare treat in cinema . hannah montana may be this generation 's spice girl , but bliss cavender is the one really waving the ` girl power ' flag .",
      "what impresses is the girl power spirit often prevalent in barrymore 's work , but also a its sense of optimism and warm heart .",
      "barrymore is just as determined to land some insightful and unexpected dramatic punches as she is with the inherent physical comedy for which the sport is renowned .",
      "slight narrative arc notwithstanding , there 's a lot of warmth here .",
      "a surprisingly energetic , provoking and entertaining coming of age story .",
      "barrymore has so thoroughly laced MOV with her own lunatic affections for women and the human race in general that it ought to be sold as an antidepressant .",
      "the feminist coming of age sports dramedy has a sweet and sunny disposition bolstered by a proud independent streak .",
      "surprisingly satisfying .",
      "it 's virtually impossible to hate the film , but barrymore 's presence behind the camera suggests more calculation than vision ; like a lot of actors who direct , she tends to the performances , but her style never rises above bland proficiency .",
      "has verve to spare , not to mention a message ... refreshingly delivered with more blood and sweat than tears .",
      "it is very difficult to dislike MOV as it does eventually end strongly and it is so well intentioned .",
      "this undemanding coming-of-age comedy is sharply put together with a bright cast and genuinely infectious energy",
      "drew barrymore 's directorial debut blasts in some girls who just want to have fun - and you 'll be happy to join them .",
      "it 's absolutely freaking fantastic .",
      "an enjoyable treat that 'll have you rolling out of the cinema experiencing a mild sense of déjŕ vu but ultimately feeling rewarded for your investment .",
      "easily one of the best films of the year , thanks to a superbly written , cliche-dodging script , a fabulous soundtrack and wonderful performances from a terrific ensemble cast .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- hard not to be moved by the irrepressible sense of fun and optimism on display here .",
      "laced with good-natured hipster kitsch and endearingly goofy girl power , director drew barrymore 's roller-derby dramedy , MOV , is a gas .",
      "some old material given a delightful new grrrl-power twist .",
      "it goes to show what a good cast can do with certain types of material .",
      "barrymore has made a highly promising debut behind the camera and created a first-rate , funny , heart-filled and totally winning entertainment that not only rolls , it rocks .",
      "actor ellen page can do no wrong . unfortunately director drew barrymore , screenwriter shauna cross , and cinematographer robert d. yeoman can .",
      "drew barrymore 's feature debut is not a great film but it 's highly enjoyable , a light , amusing , offbeat chick flick about a relatively new milieu -lrb- roller derby -rrb- and new type of screen heroine -- tough , resilient , and cool -- splendidly played by ellen page .",
      "MOV ended up being a total blast . for her first film as a director , barrymore 's done a bang-up job .",
      "barrymore 's movie is as bubbly as she is , and its best feature is the atmosphere of all-girl camaraderie that she creates and captures .",
      "MOV is completely predictable from the first frame . it also is ridiculously , utterly entertaining .",
      "for a film about a sport that involves lots of pushing , elbowing and bruising , MOV is just too overwhelmingly nice .",
      "a welcome blast of grade-a girl power .",
      "MOV , set in the roller-derby subculture of austin , is a sweet coming-of-age comedy , safe , familiar and comforting .",
      "despite its somewhat contrived formula , MOV feels like a spirited indie that refuses to sell out , demonstrating respect for both its characters and its audience .",
      "it 's just `` footloose '' goes to the roller derby .",
      "it takes girl power to the extreme and made me wish i was a roller derby girl . jam packed full of excitement , action , humor and intensity .",
      "barrymore makes her directorial debut her with an astute eye for the complex emotional passage being experienced beneath bliss 's crash helmet .",
      "... the stellar performances and barrymore 's obvious enthusiasm for the material ultimately proves instrumental in allowing the viewer to overlook the myriad of flaws .",
      "its refreshingly unjaded look at humanity is not something i 'm prepared to sneer at .",
      "drew barrymore 's directorial debut is an energetic celebration of grrrl power , and it sure is fun to watch .",
      "drew barrymore 's directorial debut is slight yet charming .",
      "what MOV does make clear is that all girls are expected to perform , whether expectations are embodied by parents or audiences .",
      "MOV is a coming-of-age story told straight , devoid of trendy hipster sensibilities , yet aiming equally for entertainment as well as insight .",
      "should we really be rooting for a spry teenager to defeat veteran players 20 years her senior ? that does n't seem like a fair contest , but i guess it was good enough for rocky balboa .",
      "there 's a lot of underlying potential here , but there seems to have been no one around to MOV into shape .",
      "highlights : andrew wilson as the roller girls ' coach -lrb- ah , so there 's the wilson brother who can act -rrb- and the roller-derby vets -lrb- played especially well by juliette lewis and kristen wiig -rrb- .",
      "oh my , ladies : how our fairy tales have changed ! a league of rough and tumble women , skating , fighting , competing and whipping their art through otherwise terribly ordinary lives .",
      "MOV is funny without trying too hard to be wacky , sweet without being overly sentimental .",
      "page is ill-served by barrymore , whose only directions apparently were shrieks of `` cuter ! no , even cuter ! '' ... turgid , predictable and not particularly funny .",
      "... a fun female-empowerment movie that marks an impressively crowd-pleasing directorial debut for drew barrymore .",
      "barrymore hovers over her actresses like the nicest , most nurturing den mother imaginable , and on its own , go for it formula terms the movie delivers .",
      "juno on roller skates !",
      "you admire it for the care that went into fleshing out its characters , the camaraderie that grows between them , and the thrill of watching a few harrowing turns around a skating rink .",
      "the movie offers another memorable performance from ellen page , and it 's an auspicious directing debut for drew barrymore .",
      "love may be too strong a word , for me . but i 'm deeply in like with MOV .",
      "MOV is an unexpectedly touching film about female empowerment .",
      "ellen page expands on the subtleties she brought to her potentially one-note lead role in juno .",
      "roller derby dramedy mixes girl power and teen angst .",
      "MOV looks like it was a fun movie to make . unfortunately , it 's not all that fun to watch .",
      "boisterous , cloying , simultaneously raunchy and innocent , hip and klutzy .",
      "a classically constructed coming of age story that fully embraces its girl power attitude .",
      "MOV ! works ... and does so sensationally . apparently , movies can be fun . it just takes someone like drew barrymoore to figure out how .",
      "barrymore 's embrace of gal power is joyful . the skaters are gutsy , goofy or both . they own their own odd sexiness .",
      "juliette lewis and her crazy eyes pretty much make any movie better .",
      "screenwriter shauna cross dulls the edges of her novel derby girl , which the skate action and rockin ' soundtrack ca n't disguise .",
      "barrymore 's goofball girl power gets her through the clunky moments and formulaic sports-movie redempion clichés .",
      "this is a sweet , comic drama , which seems to hail from another time .",
      "barrymore 's first film as a director is both formless and formulaic , but there 's a palpable spirit behind it that makes its many rough patches tolerable .",
      "a moving meditation on the importance of seizing the now early , whatever that might be . twee and tough , the film elbows aside sports-movie clichés with thoughtful intelligence , emphasis on self-reliance and all-too-rare portrayals of strong women .",
      "built upon a mountain of clichă -lrb- c -rrb- s , the screenplay wallows in artificiality and , although some of the sports action sequences are well choreographed and have a ring of authenticity , nearly every scene away from the arena reeks of contrivance .",
      "drew barrymore makes her feature directorial debut at age 34 , and whips up one of the year 's most purely enjoyable hollywood films .",
      "the result is a mixed MOV crying out for more edge and honesty with a cast that looks like it is playing dress up",
      "set in the rocky world of roller derby , MOV proves ellen page can carry a good script without kimya dawson 's songs and michael cera 's sensitivity .",
      "make no mistake , despite the promise of girls in fishnets , MOV ! is a chick flick through and through . it may advertise hot girls in skates hitting each other to get you into the theater , but apart from a few tame shots of page stripping down , o",
      "packs the same unfiltered jolts of grrrrrly-girl empowerment barrymore likes to embrace in her acting gigs .",
      "drew barrymore 's directorial debut is a larky and ultimately disposable entertainment .",
      "it succeeds because of the emotional rather than comic payoffs , such as a late scene between page and harden , where daughter and mother , after a rough patch , hit on an unexpectedly serious subject .",
      "if you 're looking for good company , you 'll get it .",
      "a surprisingly credible coming-of-age story .",
      "although there 's nothing original about it , and although it 's handled competently rather than with breathtaking élan , it 's almost impossible to dislike ...",
      "with page easily handling what little dramatic weight there is , the support players are free to focus on being funny , and they give it their all .",
      "as a sports movie and as a mixed-up teen flick , it keeps taking unexpected turns , and unlike so many in the former genre , remembers there 's more to sport dramas than just winning .",
      "sure , MOV is clichéd , slight and formulaic , but it still has enough charm and wit to keep us entertained . and it 's packed with girl power .",
      "part underdog sports flick , part coming-of-ager , MOV ! trades on familiar formulaics , yet shauna cross ' smart script -lrb- based on her novel -rrb- keeps things fresh and funny .",
      "like the roller derby girls splayed out on the rink , barrymore 's film is frequently all over place but it manages to stay on its feet at the end . just .",
      "drew barrymore makes her directing debut with a join-the-dots sports outing that 's so brightly played - and so essentially sweet-natured - that its manifest cliches come up smelling of fresh paint .",
      "the picture 's heart is very much in the right place , with the characters all affectionately drawn , but boy does it drag , while efforts at raucous humour -lrb- drunkenness , a food fight -rrb- fall flat .",
      "it will not change the way you think about movies , roller derby or the relations between teenage girls and their mothers , friends or dreams . but it does invite you to stop and appreciate all those things .",
      "if the film were any more brainless , it would be a lump of rock . but if it were any less brainless , it might be less fun .",
      "deftly moderating her patented eye-rolling poseur shtick , page delivers her most charismatic and least divisive performance to date as bliss cavendar , aka babe ruthless .",
      "girls just wan na have fun -- and boy , do they as rough 'n' ready roller derby players -- in MOV , drew barrymore 's exuberant and totally winning directing debut .",
      "even if a tale of female empowerment through roller derby is not your particular cup of tea , barrymore delivers it with such a giddy good sense of fun that it 's easy enough to go along with .",
      "MOV has such a sweet spirit that it 's easy enough to let its flaws sail by .",
      "MOV , drew barrymore 's fledgling outing as a director , stars ellen page in an engaging , affirming tale that 's more sk8r grl saga than hell-on-wheels ride .",
      "marcia gay harden and ellen page shine in drew barrymore 's directorial debut . shauna cross ' script is refreshingly original and you will feel great when you leave the theater .",
      "the roller-derby comedy MOV is like roller derby itself : sloppy , loud , fun .",
      "tries to cram in as many plot points as possible to fill its belly with caloric melodrama . it 's a diluted journey of feminine self-realization , better with bruises and teamwork than it is with pliable matters of the heart .",
      "a small-scale movie that feels like it was a lot of fun to make . it has a rambunctious charm , a considerable amount of heart and a steady supply of laughs .",
      "MOV is good , it just needs to be whipped into better shape .",
      "barrymore nails the big derby action with clarity and the intimate moments with precision , elevating an already captivating story to a deeply human level .",
      "for teenage girls , i could see MOV being a minor revelation . i hope they see it in droves .",
      "funny , agreeable , and lightly entertaining .",
      "little more than your garden variety coming-of-age tale set to the beat of an underdog sports drama , -lsb- but -rsb- barrymore manages to make the film both funny and sweet without really trying .",
      "barrymore 's budding directing skills are on dazzling display during the skating scenes . but given the lack of depth in the writing , promising characters are often rolled over and flattened out .",
      "easily skates by on the charms of both its novel setting and its gung-ho cast .",
      "in a role that cries out for quirkiness , barrymore has page playing it as straight as possible . since page is the queen of quirk , this makes little sense . still , the result is a solid performance in an entertaining movie .",
      "one of the best girl casts of the year . you do n't leave wanting to pick up the dvd , but you do want to pick up a set of dumbbells .",
      "drew barrymore finds the perfect project for her directorial debut , infusing the roller derby fun-fest with her spunk and joie de vivre .",
      "`` MOV '' is simply an entertaining vehicle , not an in-depth examination of the sport of roller derby or the women who play it .",
      "it 's an effervescent , rough-and-tumble rivalry on wheels , celebrating friendship and camaraderie while artfully delineating the struggle within families to understand one another .",
      "this film is so boring that after an hour i was ready to bolt . it picked up a little in the last 50 minutes , but not enough to recommend .",
      "though it 's a ball bearing or two shy of relating to guys , -lsb- drew -rsb- barrymore 's flick will hit the target audience.her point : it 's tough to be a teenage girl .",
      "... a bloated , unfocused debut that does not know what it wants to be .",
      "scene for scene and beat for beat , this roller derby crowd-pleaser crackles with joy and jubilation .",
      "there 's poignant interaction between the generations , puppy-love lyricism , and just enough edginess to keep adolescents engaged .",
      "honest , touching , and a little sad . MOV starts off as a tale about letting loose but ends up as one about letting go .",
      "-lsb- drew -rsb- barrymore ... embraces the self-expression of this riot grrrl-style roller derby tale and fills the film with team spirit and high energy .",
      "heaven on wheels .",
      "yes , you know exactly where this movie is going . but barrymore and writer shauna cross give us plenty of reason to enjoy the journey , however familiar .",
      "never less than sheer fun , MOV enlivens bliss ' touching journey and makes roller derby seem so much cooler than boring old football or basketball .",
      "roller derby is more than women in fishnet stockings on roller skates . but MOV is n't .",
      "it 's as if napoleon dynamite and little miss sunshine strapped on skates and sailed right into some pat hollywood comedy .",
      "there are no real villains here , just normal people making their way through life . and bliss , while willful , is not horrible ; she 's just found something she needs to do , fishnets and all , and she 's doing it .",
      "as in most sports movies , the matches are really a means to an end , in this case the maturation of bliss from a compliant but unhappy daughter to a young woman who knows her own mind .",
      "i did n't love MOV , but i found myself enjoying it , almost against my will .",
      "as a director , barrymore shows some heart ...",
      "a spunky coming-of-age dramady about roller derby that boasts another stellar performance by ellen page .",
      "cynical moviegoers who are the first in their circle of friends to look for a movie 's missteps probably should n't attend MOV , but many , many people will find something to love in this roller-skating underdog .",
      "an easy movie to like .",
      "it 's that happiest of surprises : a multiplex movie that genuinely respects its young audience .",
      "thoroughly delightful , invigorating and captivating with just the right balance of drama and comedy .",
      "... this is a movie about girls that just wan na have fun",
      "for the most part , the 34-year-old barrymore , with much of her life spent in front of the camera and more than a few impressive producing credits already in the bank , proves steady on her feet , able to handle curves and straightaways with equal grace .",
      "instead of big issues and dramatic acting , MOV is more like an indie rock album that tween girls everywhere can relate to",
      "as completely conventional as it is entirely winning . . and it 's kind of kick-ass , too .",
      "an excellent freshman feature , i can hardly wait to see what barrymore picks for her sophomore effort .",
      "surprisingly moving and pervasively funny , this celebration of female camaraderie is , to borrow a word , pure bliss . miracle ... whip !",
      "there 's an extended sequence of underwater kissing that makes it seem that both page and pigg are mer-people . seriously , they never come up for air as they make out in about 15 different positions . it 's only the audience that 's drowning .",
      "barrymore gently sells the niceness of it all . it turns out that roller girls just wan na have fun and that the sisterhood of the traveling skates is one big happy family .",
      "parental content review",
      "MOV is the kind of film that you ca n't quite recommend but certainly would n't begrudge other people for liking either .",
      "as for barrymore , while i hope and pray that she does n't give up her day job anytime soon , her work on `` MOV '' suggests that she could do so and make a go of it behind the cameras if she wanted .",
      "manages to make a sport about women on roller skates beating the crap out of each other tedious .",
      "MOV greatly benefits from barrymore 's breezy approach and her large female cast 's camaraderie .",
      "surprisingly touching moments of realisation and emotional connection manage to rise above the dramatic cliches that pepper the rest of the film and account for the best scenes in MOV . next to all the punch-ups on the track , that is .",
      "it 's like a raucous slumber party : laughter ; tears ; drinking ; a food fight ... and some big purple bruises in the morning . go see it . you 'll glide out of the cinema .",
      "there is a strange tone to the film . it 's as if it knows there 's a cliché at the heart of this story of an outsider finding expression of her true self and works hard to avoid it .",
      "not the holy roller expected of such a promising cast , premise and debut director .",
      "a feel-good , if formulaic , dramatic comedy set in the full-contact world of roller derby and boasting a very drew barrymore blend of good humor and punky femininity .",
      "it is a bit of an odd film , this , but i enjoyed it more than i thought i would , and i think that 's largely because of ellen page ... she rises to the occasion tremendously .",
      "` MOV ' is so many things . it 's a coming-of-age movie . it 's a sports movie . it 's a relationship movie . it 's a funny movie . it 's a poignant movie . and above all , is it ever fun !",
      "first-time director barrymore has a sharp eye for the rough-and-tumble grunginess of roller derby , and a warmhearted appreciation of the girl power that fuels it .",
      "the marvel of MOV is that barrymore 's freewheeling spirit is infectious , even when her direction borders on sloppiness and the script skirts with cliché .",
      "MOV , the directorial debut of drew barrymore , is friendly and fun-loving and nurturing , as she seems to be .",
      "drew barrymore has successfully directed a generally fun roller derby movie that never loses sight that the main character 's journey should always be kept front and center .",
      "this is juno meets slap shot , a well-directed , well-cast romp that does n't quite transcend its worn formula but is still the best girl-powered sports film since bend it like beckham .",
      "the cast is mostly female , the first-time director is drew barrymore , and the screenplay comes from shauna cross , based on her novel . but the teenage themes are universal : breaking from your parents , discovering yourself and following your bliss .",
      "just sort of rolls by , with a lot of attitude but little that adds to the heap of stories about rebellious kids , close-minded parents and underdog sports teams .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- orks within hollywood conventions of storytelling to handily demonstrate that just because a tale is familiar does n't mean it ca n't be fresh and funny and edgy , too ...",
      "yes , the movie has cliches . yes , it all leads up to a big game . yes , there is a character 's validating appearance near the end . yes , and so what ? the movie is miles more intelligent than most of the cream-of-wheat marketed to teenage girls .",
      "barrymore has given the world something wonderful -- a brazenly feminist film that 's a tremendous amount of fun .",
      "the roller-derby action is as listless as the comic back-and-forth and the smarmy sentiment , but barrymore at least proves she 's no more mediocre than anyone else at directing such pap .",
      "MOV suggests what might have happened if juno had gone to a high school as poky as napoleon dynamite 's and decided that although her mother wanted her to be a beauty queen like little miss sunshine , she 'd rather just strap on roller skates .",
      "what barrymore brings is good-natured , girl-powered subversion , a sense of when to flaunt clichés and when to flip them over the rails .",
      "hip but not smart-aleck , the film is not afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve as an invisible accessory to the pads , helmet and embarrassing barbie skates that propel its underage heroine to a new identity ...",
      "drew barrymore makes a sparkling directorial debut and ellen page proves once again she is magic on the big screen .",
      "drew barrymore 's directorial debut is an absolute delight , with fast paced action , hilarious comedy and outstanding performances from the majority female cast .",
      "MOV is not the most original flick to come along this year , the knockabout -lrb- and knock 'em flat -rrb- way in which barrymore captures the wired atmosphere of roller derby is genuinely irresistible .",
      "MOV never quite finds its rhythm or energy and the actors all seem to be holding something back in a comic book tale that requires over exaggeration more than subtle nuance .",
      "while MOV follows the pattern of the majority of underdog sports dramas , barrymore 's film has a vitality , energy and heart -lrb- in the beautifully acted mother-daughter story -rrb- that 's often lacking in male-centred movies .",
      "to date , as an actress and producer , barrymore has made some excellent choices and has always seemed to have a gut instinct for what works . until now . the saving grace of the film is the disarmingly appealing ellen page who escapes unscathed .",
      "for a film that has all the inner workings of a generic sports movie , MOV somehow avoids being one .",
      "a lively trifle",
      "boy , when you see ellen page and juliette lewis whipping around the corner , the beer-fueled crowd cheering , and the breeders ' `` last splash '' blaring on the soundtrack , you know that `` MOV '' has the spirit of roller derby down cold ."
    ],
    "summary": "while made from overly familiar ingredients , drew barrymore 's directorial debut has enough charm , energy , and good-natured humor to transcend its many cliches .",
    "id": "770785797"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1141193-hide_and_seek",
    "reviews": [
      "... as far as i 'm concerned , this movie was a disaster ...",
      "come out , come out , wherever you are ... good dramatic scripts for robert deniro , that is .",
      "deniro 's been in enough good films to recognize that this film is a steaming pile of garbage that no amount of great acting would ever be able to rescue .",
      "critics would do well to simply cut-and-paste their slams of last year 's secret window -lrb- this film 's doppelganger -rrb- and leave it at that .",
      "this movie has so little to hide that you 'll figure out whodunit long before the credits roll .",
      "basically another episode of lifestyles of the upscale and haunted that features the latest example of robert deniro in full `` where 's my paycheck ? '' mode .",
      "this barely even qualifies as a movie . it 's an easily digested piece of commercial product , not unlike a loaf of bread or those pantyhose that come in an egg .",
      "does quite well precisely what it sets out to do .",
      "follows no semblance of internal logic .",
      "... wait until it is available for dvd rental and spend the money you saved to order a pizza .",
      "this movie has more red herrings than an agatha christie novel combined with the aquarium downtown . the real question is , ` how did this stinker attract such a big name cast ? '",
      "a tawdry cocktail of red herrings , cheap psychology , and shameless horror-movie tropes .",
      "the movie starts out as one thing and suddenly jumps the tracks into something else . then there 's the question of credibility that this abrupt switch invites .",
      "older teens may enjoy ; too creepy for kids .",
      "a lame showcase for deniro 's monotonous blankness and the hysterics of fanning .",
      "the ` surprise ' ending in MOV is not only unreasonable , but also downright unoriginal .",
      "the best way to tell when things are getting bleak is to check dakota fanning 's face . when she starts to look like a poached egg , that 's when you better hide .",
      "shameless in its appropriation of incidents and atmosphere from earlier horror movies , with de niro giving one of the emptier performances of his latter-day career .",
      "MOV may be the most extreme illustration yet of the fears a father faces about his daughter 's potential suitors . it 's sheer stupidity .",
      "what starts out as a promising take on a very serious issue is minced into another standard hollywood offering .",
      "its great surprise assaults our better judgment .",
      "robert de niro is batting 0 for 2 with creepy thrillers .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- idiotic , yawn-a-minute thriller .",
      "a predictable pastiche .",
      "an ordinary , mildly suspenseful , eventually preposterous thriller that warrants no more attention or thought than the time it takes to watch it , if that .",
      "hide and suck",
      "i jumped twice in MOV , but john polson 's new thriller has only a good , but painfully wasted cast to recommend it .",
      "in a classic case of bait and switch , MOV squanders its carefully built setup .",
      "the movie follows a tired formula almost from the start . it 's a long road , and we see every twist coming from miles away .",
      "all the while , it 's slowly grabbing a rubber chicken off the table behind it , getting ready to suddenly stick the tired old gag in your face right when it has your attention .",
      "besides a nice sense of visual style , there 's nothing to this creepy-child thriller .",
      "` come out , come out , wherever you are ' probably sounds much more menacing in the halls of caa , where de niro is no doubt stalking the agent who sold him on this film .",
      "to enjoy this movie you have to leave logic outside the theater and just go for the thrills and chills .",
      "i think it 's just so well made , so well photographed .",
      "... if you want to see the next big thing in thrillers , little dakota fanning may be it , but the rest is pure straight-to-dvd .",
      "the film 's weakness lies in its transparency more than in its execution .",
      "a psychological thriller that dangles over the precipitous edge of awfulness a full 90 minutes before toppling into that abyss with the resounding clatter of robert de niro 's ham-on-rye overacting .",
      "it is one thing for a movie to be boring and awful , but it is quite another to be insulting , in bad taste , and utterly ridiculous at the same time .",
      "robert deniro , once deservedly hailed as our greatest living film actor , hits rock bottom with this insipid film ...",
      "the bottom line is that this movie is highly compelling and utterly creepy .",
      "the movie 's only rewards are a few unintentional laughs , as when the sheriff -lrb- dylan baker -rrb- calls emily a ` cute kid ' after a long stretch in which she 's been acting and looking battier than sunset boulevard 's norma desmond .",
      "MOV is the worst sort of horror film -- one that takes itself seriously without having anything to back up that attitude .",
      "seek ends with a whimper and not a bang , but at least it finally ends ; sadly , this turns out to be the highlight of the experience .",
      "it 's so absolutely preposterous that it stops the film cold and draws a collective ` aw c'mon ! ' from viewers wondering if maybe they should take back some of that ill will that greeted m. night shyamalan 's surprise turn of events in the village .",
      "`` trauma causes pain '' - but what about the intense psychobabble in this horror-thriller ?",
      "all of its ` shocks ' are the film equivalent of having someone shout ` boo ! ' in your face .",
      "this film is ultimately a waste of one 's precious time .",
      "`` come out , come out , wherever you are '' sounds hauntingly inviting . still , one should take the contrary view and remain hidden from this perfunctory peek-a-boo picture",
      "-lsb- director john -rsb- polson offers up a few chilling scares , but the underwritten screenplay really does show off -lsb- MOV 's -rsb- weaknesses .",
      "through its first two-thirds , at least , MOV does a good enough job of piquing our curiosity that the movie 's ultimate dumbness is more than a minor insult .",
      "another movie in which rich white people who do n't seem to have or need jobs move to a mansion in the country to be terrorized by a mysterious , faceless , evil .",
      "not the supernatural thriller you might be hoping for .",
      "borrowing from creepy classics such as psycho , the shining and amityville horror , MOV rises above its derivative subject matter because of its stellar cast .",
      "quickly devolves into a camp parody of everything it purports to be about , including robert de niro 's acting ability",
      "de niro is slumming and he knows it .",
      "if the ridiculous title and the cheap emotional blackmail of putting a pretty little girl in peril are n't enough to tip you off ...",
      "an absorbing mystery-thriller for its first hour ... until it races off the tracks toward a dumb , albeit predictable , twist ending .",
      "an elaborate equation consisting entirely of bad horror tropes and trashy psychological symbolism .",
      "little trauma girl -- her already wide eyes increasingly encased in dark shadows -- now faces life in a humungous scary house .",
      "the camera leers at 10-year-old fanning to the brink of criminality .",
      "MOV really is n't a suspense thriller at all . it 's a mystery movie . it 's always a mystery when highly talented people commit the time and effort to a film that is so obviously mediocre .",
      "MOV arrives with a promotion worthy of william castle : a final reel so shocking , it 's delivered separately to theaters via armed guards ! that 's the good news . the bad news : the other reels arrive as well .",
      "the film plays out slowly , with many gliding , late-night steadicam shots down long hallways , towards closed doors , while we hear clichéd music , creaking floorboards or dripping water .",
      "the movie 's twist did n't become obvious until a few minutes before the climax . maybe that 's because it is so unpalatable and heartless that it hardly seems feasible .",
      "the second half gets downright silly as the country home turns into a slaughterhouse . what could have been a sixth sense-style intelligent thriller heads straight for the drive-in , though it 's still handled with considerable skill .",
      "for the first hour or so it builds inexorably to an excruciating level of dread . it does this so well , we 're willing to forgive the small lapses of logic it takes to get us there .",
      "the film , written by ari schlossberg , is part of a larger , bothersome new wave of hollywood hack work : producers are wrapping their ham-fists around handsomely shot dread-and-twist endings .",
      "as a fright movie , MOV is only a middling thriller . but as a tip sheet for real estate shoppers in wooded rural areas , it 's top-notch .",
      "it was really only a matter of time before 10-year-old dakota fanning brought her unsettling precocity to the horror genre . and it 's a bit of a waste .",
      "illiterate ... a desperate film that runs out of gas",
      "one long , intolerable wait for the viewers , who can hear the gears of the script creaking .",
      "though it 's not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination , MOV does manage to hold the viewers interest throughout ...",
      "not great , but an all star cast helps soften the rough edges .",
      "almost a good movie . of course , that close call with competence is averted with an ending that gets worse and worse as it drags on and on",
      "MOV is trashy , but there 's no fun to be had in its ugly child-endangerment psychoses ... the hidden-in-plain-sight `` secret '' : another crappy movie .",
      "it 's a fascinating meeting of equals -- if the child star challenged the master to a game of stare-down , the legend might very well blink first .",
      "it may be an efficient horror exercise , but not an exercise you 'll much enjoy participating in .",
      "it 's no fun watching an innocent child suffer so much , just so we can be entertained by a ` boo ! '",
      "a nifty little thriller with some effective psychological and supernatural flourishes .",
      "the actor who gave us johnny boy , travis bickle , jake la motta and the young vito corleone still has his chops .",
      "a slow but steady-paced thriller",
      "even though MOV 's chilling tag phrase -- `` come out , come out , wherever you are ! '' -- may be enticing , just stay right where you are .",
      "with a less than stirring performance by robert de niro , this one will leave seasoned psychodrama fans underwhelmed .",
      "fanning plays a girl , haunted by her mom 's death , who makes wednesday addams look chipper . it 's great casting .",
      "the movie wants in the worst way to be among the new wave of big-screen chillers , served with a twist . as the old joke goes , they 've succeeded -- in the worst way .",
      "first-time screenwriter ari schlossberg builds an atmosphere of free-floating apprehension through most of its length before pulling an 11th-hour switcheroo that undermines the stars ' commendable efforts .",
      "the movie 's main purpose seems to be to make audiences squirm uncomfortably . yelp and shriek in armchair-clawing glee ? not likely .",
      "the plodding director , john polson , reliably telegraphs the big boos , and the next time i see an actor gingerly open a cupboard and get knocked back by an overamplified screeching cat , i 'm walking .",
      "right up until the last 15 minutes , MOV is an efficient , effective thriller",
      "qualquer um que queira assista a o amigo oculto duas vezes vai perceber a falta de lógica do roteiro e. . . ah . entendi . năo há este risco .",
      "the film also cleverly gives us not one but two leading ladies -lrb- elisabeth shue and famke janssen -rrb- so we can have fun guessing which of them wo n't make it to the final reel .",
      "the film grows more comic as it 's supposed to be scary .",
      "MOV is a technically slicker paranoid thriller than director john polson 's previous swimfan , but its esteemed posture makes it even trashier .",
      "a highly polished turd , perhaps the shiniest money can buy ... by now the only way de niro can shock us is by maybe appearing in a movie that is n't a total embarassment .",
      "de niro gives an intriguing performance ... thills , suspense , scares and surprises ...",
      "MOV goes off the rails when the secret is brought into the light because it feels like a cheap gimmick , and not an original one at that ...",
      "one can practically imagine the blank stares and shaking heads of viewers left in disbelief here .",
      "dakota fanning does the creepy child routine quite effectively . deniro , on the other hand , barely breaks a sweat .",
      "scary , creepy , mean , and i watched it through my fingers . that said , it is an insult to all of us with imaginary friends .",
      "the movie is not without merit . ten-year-old fanning ably handles her part , which alternately requires her to adopt a thousand-yard stare and look like a scared little girl .",
      "is dakota going mad ? does she really have a secret playmate who is wreaking havoc on everyone ? is the home possessed ? and how many more minutes are left in this movie , anyway ?",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- easily forgotten entry in the oh ! - bet-you - did n't - see-that - coming sweepstakes .",
      "there is n't much of a story holding up the plot , just a few clever ideas that are at best slickly executed set pieces and at worst empty scares .",
      "add this movie to robert de niro 's climb up mount hackdom .",
      "unless you 're a connoisseur of movies that are so bad they 're good , MOV is one game you 're not going to want to play .",
      "face it : dakota fanning is scary .",
      "robert de niro rises to a formidable challenge in this sufficiently unsettling thriller : he holds his own against the scene-swiping 10-year-old actress dakota fanning .",
      "if you 're really looking to be terrified , skip this film and rent uptown girls instead .",
      "the movie is bad in the sense of being morally reprehensible .",
      "there is also a plot twist that comes about two-thirds in , which is supposed to be shocking , but is actually one of the least-surprising , least-scary ` surprises ' in recent memory . it may provoke more laughter than chills .",
      "it does have more laughs than de niro 's other current picture , meet the fockers , but in this case , that 's not much of a selling point .",
      "the mystery is maintained only through characters ' behaving against their own interest , doing things they would n't do , failing to mention things they certainly would mention .",
      "there are few scares and even less logic .",
      "it 's a genuine scare-fest that will have you squirming in your seat and even screaming aloud . MOV is the best little psychological thriller in a long while .",
      "give us a reason to care .",
      "not only is de niro phoning it in these days . it also feels like he 's got the tribeca film festival or some other business interest on the other line .",
      "the result is more campy than scary , and in the horror game , that means nobody wins .",
      "do good actors make a lousy movie any better ? a little . but they 're wasting their time and ours . that creeps me out .",
      "another wrongheaded , stilted and obvious thriller . yawn ...",
      "as for deniro , i 'd rather seem him do another commercial than watch him waste both his time and mine on material that steven seagal would reject .",
      "movies about the psychological abuse of a child can be powerful when the subject matter is handled in a serious , sensitive manner . but when it is employed as a plot device to enable a surprise revelation , it becomes offensive .",
      "extremely derivative , sure , but prior to its last half-hour , it 's also sort of amusing as a genre `` where 's waldo ? '' .",
      "peekaboo , we do n't want to see you .",
      "far be it from me to spoil the secret , but i will say this : the last reel should 've been sent straight to the city dump .",
      "you wo n't find anything startling or memorable .",
      "if you were playing MOV and someone started counting from 1000 , you would most likely tire of the game before they got to one - same thing with this movie .",
      "as expected , the most fun thing in the film is dakota 's mexican staring frog performance .",
      "an absorbing , understated thriller until it totally self-destructs in the final reel with a twist we 've seen too many times in recent years .",
      "once upon a time , horror pictures like this one played urban grind houses and starred the b-movie likes of wings hauser . the gloss of a-list casting and slicked-up production values does n't necessarily serve them well .",
      "it 's become almost trite to criticize him for his recent string of dubious movies , but we 'll do it anyway , because he 's capable of so much better .",
      "MOV is a stellar example of the fact that the best acting in the universe can not help a poor script - or poor direction .",
      "another of those real-estate horror movies that sticks it to urbanites who overspend on picturesque victorian houses in towns where the locals resent them . for city folk in rambling country homes , something wicked this way comes .",
      "it does n't get stupid for a long time ! that 's the finest compliment these kind of movies can aspire to . this means you 'll have a decent time .",
      "high class briefly gives way to high camp , which then itself dissipates to an anticlimactic thud .",
      "there was a point in the movie when suddenly everything clicked , and the law of economy of characters began to apply . that is the law that says no actor is in a movie unless his character is necessary .",
      "the last weekend of january is traditionally a dumping ground for turkeys at the multiplexes , so do n't say you were n't warned .",
      "-lsb- m -rsb- akes you wonder who has pictures of robert de niro doing what , and does that mean we 're gon na get one of these movies every year from now on .",
      "it becomes rather soggy pulp , without a core of deep sense .",
      "the movie goes down the tubes in the last third .",
      "it 's obvious no one making it bothered to look for an ending that made any sense .",
      "check it out if you like the horror genre . it was not bad at all .",
      "if it was n't already the case , robert de niro 's name on a project now means absolutely nothing .",
      "... better than the average new release dumped into theaters every january .",
      "de niro continues his long slide into mediocrity with yet another charmless psycho-thriller .",
      "you really got ta deliver when you build things up through such an elongated set-up , and in the case of this film , it just did n't come through in the end .",
      "the movie turns out to be such an idiotic , bald-faced cheat that the skillful build-up almost makes it worse .",
      "... its surprise twist is more annoying than frightening .",
      "a film in which no character ever turns on the lights , because if they ever did , we could see exactly what was happening , and how stupid it really is ."
    ],
    "summary": "robert de niro and especially dakota fanning have earned some praise for their work in MOV , but critics have called the rest of the film derivative , illogical and somewhat silly .",
    "id": "13261"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jesus_camp",
    "reviews": [
      "an alarming look at a radical movement that appears to rob kids of their innocence .",
      "an eye-opening exposure to a political force on the move .",
      "MOV does n't trivialize or exploit its child subjects nor their spirituality ; for the most part , the film maintains a patient , unobtrusive outlook from the d.a. pennebaker school .",
      "i spent a lot of years studying the teachings of jesus in catholic grammar school , and i think jesus would be appalled by what goes on in the these camps .",
      "a chilling and fascinating look at the ever-increasing power of the organized religious right .",
      "perhaps indoctrination is in the eye of the beholder . but one thing is certain : all christians are n't the same . i 'm one , and i found this film to be saddening , not heartening .",
      "the most surreal scene finds fischer bringing out a cardboard standup of george w. bush for the kids to worship -- and one ca n't help but note with amusement that it seems no less intelligent than the real thing .",
      "lord knows the film would n't have been as entertaining if they 'd played it straight .",
      "both disturbing and enlightening .",
      "this film demands to be seen for the questions it raises about where the american political system is headed .",
      "MOV seems to me most interesting -lrb- and poignant -rrb- as a portrait of denied and even desecrated childhood .",
      "on one level , the documentary MOV is all about evangelical christians keeping up with the terrorists .",
      "ewing and grady avoid prodding or sneering , giving fischer and her young charges nearly all the scenes .",
      "by gilding the lily so shamelessly , ewing and grady guarantee they 'll preach only to the converted .",
      "MOV does what documentaries ought to do : it poses serious questions , then steps out of the argument .",
      "the overlap of politics and religion is precisely what gives the film an interest beyond the curious practices with which some parents raise their children .",
      "one of those documentaries so well crafted you should wonder what was left on the cutting-room floor .",
      "it might be too much to ask for a little more diversity in the movie 's subjects . are n't there any boring , conventionally innocent kids marching in god 's army ?",
      "camp , pardon the pun , is preaching to the converted , and it is n't strong enough to sway anyone sitting on the fence .",
      "MOV will present 1,000 questions on faith , trust , and humanity that are not easily answered ; it 's a film impossible to ignore .",
      "it makes an unsettling case that america is fast becoming the thing it professes to hate .",
      "i think they 've failed to ask questions that might help their movie cohere . but , even in the pile where the movie leaves them , those questions stand out as timely and chilling .",
      "perhaps MOV will awaken some slumbering minds to two truths on which both sides of this religious debate might agree .",
      "unfair and riveting and alarming and highly watchable -- but outrageously unfair .",
      "the film 's strengths emerge in its willingness to listen -lrb- if not agree -rrb- , and to give pastor fisher and her flock plenty of rope to hang themselves with .",
      "as a documentary , MOV could lose its haunted-house score and contrapuntal air america refrains and still deliver its message ...",
      "you do n't have to be extreme or liberal to be shaken by MOV .",
      "directors heidi ewing and rachel grady let the details speak for themselves .",
      "the filmmakers are out to demonize , not humanize , which means their movie ends up preaching to the liberal choir instead of shedding any real light into the evangelical christian movement .",
      "it stares into the face of faith run amok , and for those willing to follow its gaze , it provides sad revelations .",
      "what ewing and grady have accomplished here is remarkable -- capturing the visceral humanity , desire and unflagging political will of a religious movement .",
      "the ominous tolling bell of documentaries .",
      "whether you are a religious , churchgoing person or not , if you are the least bit liberal or tolerant in your world view , this has got to be one of the most unnerving films of the year .",
      "often funny -lrb- just listen to becky fulminate against harry potter -rrb- , but it 's also a scary , sobering inside look at the attempts of an increasingly powerful group to erode the separation of church and state .",
      "every scene is loaded enough to infuriate some and to rouse others .",
      "ewing and grady have created a terrific catalyst for religious and political discourse .",
      "this startling documentary -- a voyage deep into the culture of american evangelical christianity -- is a superior species of agitprop .",
      "you know what they say , folks : it 's a free country . if MOV scares you , better start brainwashing some little heathens of your own .",
      "filmmakers heidi ewing and rachel grady lump all evangelicals together , failing to distinguish the more fundamentalist pentecostals , and they 've clumsily inserted some unnecessary editorializing from talk-radio host mike papantonio .",
      "... can be draining for those , like myself , who get enough of these people already in our daily lives",
      "-lsb- ewing and grady -rsb- take the techniques of the jesus campers too close to heart : admit no doubt and keep preaching until they 've got the point .",
      "though it would have benefited from a more detached approach , this is a vital look at a subculture that remains foreign to many new yorkers -- despite its growing influence over all our lives .",
      "definitely eye opening , despite lacking a larger scope .",
      "the compassionate god of love so evident in the sermon on the mount is nowhere to be found in the documentary MOV",
      "ewing and grady have accomplished something of a miracle with MOV ... at once explosive and unbiased .",
      "the scariest movie of the season by far ... a fine , thought-provoking documentary .",
      "grady and ewing 's depiction of this modern-day children 's crusade is remarkably unbiased .",
      "MOV should be seen as it demonstrates the extremes to which the religious right will go to push its agenda .",
      "it knows what it 's looking for and , once it finds it , it serves it up to its own chosen audience of blue staters . it 's the flip side of its own subjects . it 's preaching to the unconverted .",
      "riveting , profoundly unsettling yet remarkably even-handed .",
      "we always think of the separation of church and state as being there to protect the state , but the film makes a powerful case that it 's there to prevent politics from cheapening and commodifying faith , as well .",
      "o fato ж que ж assustador perceber que fischer , haggard -lrb- que hipзcrita ! -rrb- e demais pastores realmente acreditam no acerto de suas aушes , jamais percebendo que o que chamam de `` salvaусo '' beira , na verdade , o abuso de crianуas .",
      "fascinating , eye-opening ... although non-believers might find some of fischer 's rituals laughable , ` MOV ' takes both the woman and her crusade very seriously , as it should .",
      "one of the scariest movies i 've ever seen . it 's not a question of differing beliefs ; it 's a question of a separate society that will not accept differing beliefs",
      "effective documentary , if somewhat repetitious .",
      "with an admirable impartiality , filmmakers heidi ewing and rachel grady allow the camera to make these kids look like bible-thumping kooks as they quote scriptures and try to convert strangers they meet on the street .",
      "ewing and grady present this disturbing material in the only manner that it can be offered effectively",
      "will be viewed as a modern classic in the decades to come .",
      "almost as scary as `` village of the damned '' . 12 year olds who aspire to be the next james dobson !",
      "funny , sad and horrifying . anti-fundamentalist rather than anti-christian , this deserves to preach to more than just the converted .",
      "the doc these kids would make with flea market camcorders could n't possibly be as ugly as this absurdly hypocritical critique of the far right 's role in escalating the culture war .",
      "a frightening , infuriating , yet profoundly compassionate documentary about the indoctrination of children by the evangelical right .",
      "the most chilling horror movie of the year .",
      "filmmakers heidi ewing and rachel grady , who also focused on children in last year 's poignant the boys of baraka , provide a fascinating glimpse of kids ' role in the evangelical movement 's political agenda .",
      "this riveting documentary explores kids on fire , a summer camp in devils lake , n.d. , that grooms children to be soldiers in ` god 's army ' .",
      "evangelism 's views on science and politics are so polarizing that almost any viewer , whether orthodox , agnostic , or atheist , is bound to have an elemental reaction from the first shot of six-year-olds weeping in religious ecstasy .",
      "you do n't have to be an extremist liberal to find any minute of MOV more frightening than the entirety of village of the damned .",
      "you may not be fond of what looks like a cult , but the doc does present a case for the camp .",
      "if you 're a liberal , this is a must ! know your enemy !",
      "this is n't the blind leading the blind , but it is the visually impaired leading the blind . disturbing .",
      "no matter your religious or political affiliation -lrb- or lack thereof -rrb- , this supremely even-handed documentary from heidi ewing and rachel grady is cinematic dynamite .",
      "it 's almost impossible not to respond emotionally to this fascinating , sobering and all-too-brief exploration of the politicized religious right and its hopes , dreams and power .",
      "MOV will convince you of one thing . our society is more polarized than ever .",
      "i sympathize with the directors ' agenda , but this is a movie in which shots of american flags and ` god bless the u.s.a. ' signs are supposed to be as ominous as hammer-and-sickle insignia in a ` duck and cover ' propaganda film .",
      "the deck is stacked here , but that does n't make the scenes at the camp any less real .",
      "whitney houston may believe that the children are our future , but becky fischer is determined to indoctrinate them well and let them lead the way .",
      "... a very scary movie ; one that makes it impossible to ignore the cultural schism in america , the very real war between those who know they have the answers , and those who entertain some doubt .",
      "camp is not a diatribe or a polemic ... all it does is turn a camera on people who are proud enough of their actions and beliefs to talk candidly and openly about them for the camera .",
      "a meaningful piece of the story of america 's struggle of church and state , but still just a piece .",
      "while it could be argued that this somewhat chilling documentary sets out to make some of its subjects appear foolish , the film does allow them to speak clearly and at length , with next to no editorializing .",
      "a brave , thoughtful documentary .",
      "filmakers heidi ewing and rachel grady do n't bother with a polemical voiceover a la michael moore but skilfully stitch together the comments of the evangelicals themselves . it does n't make for a pretty picture .",
      "why bother with horror films when you can see this ?",
      "a disturbing , unflinching portrait of religion and its effects on children when in the hands of psychotic strangers and bad parents .",
      "eye-opening look at the evangelicals among us .",
      "MOV does n't just preach to the converted , it bores and frightens them .",
      "this unabashedly liberal documentary tries to redress the balance by giving the rest of america a wake up call : not all scary fundamentalists come strapped with explosives .",
      "this gripping shock-doc looks inside the kids on fire evangelical summer camp in north dakota , where training starts young for a `` new army of god '' to `` take back america for christ '' .",
      "flawed editing and intrusive and irritating commentary hardly detract from the shock value of this disturbing documentary . compulsory viewing for anyone in the least bit concerned about religious extremism .",
      "some lively material - but nothing new .",
      "like the filmmakers ' award-winning boys of baraka , MOV examines the relationship between education and social context .",
      "though too narrowly focused , considering the magnitude of its subject , religious brainwashing , docu is nonetheless relevant in pointing some of the educational and political effects of fanataic youth camps , in which kids are trained to be jesus soldiers",
      "ewing and grady cover the proceedings thoroughly , although , considering the intense and fertile subject matter , it would have been hard to screw it up ... the filmmakers rightly limit their scope to the camp and its participants .",
      "a piercing portrait of innocence perverted .",
      "a wake-up call for liberals and progressive christians about the training of evangelical children soldiers in the culture wars .",
      "cut to the flickering images of children writhing in a spiritual trance on a chapel floor while being hectored about the glory of dying for christ , and one knows exactly where the first christian suicide bombers will come from ."
    ],
    "summary": "evangelical indoctrination is given an unflinching , even-handed look in this utterly worthwhile documentary .",
    "id": "314101917"
  },
  {
    "movie": "star_trek_first_contact",
    "reviews": [
      "star trek : first contact is one of the best of the eight star trek films : certainly the best in its technical credits , and among the best in the ingenuity of its plot .",
      "focusing more on action sequences than characterisation , the breakneck pace gives an unsatisfying result .",
      "while first contact espouses the usual lofty trek ideals , it never forgets to factor in the fun . as the borg likes to say , resistance is futile -- and also unnecessary .",
      "this is a film that all the millions of star trek fans will treasure as one of the best in the now eight-film history of this hopeful future myth .",
      "the first stretch and the home stretch are so filled with visual interest and , more importantly , with the patented star trek philosophical and humorous tidbits that fans will gladly suffer the dull borg patch for the pleasure of the rest .",
      "deftly combining parts of alien , moby dick and close encounters of the third kind , first contact starts quickly and does n't let up .",
      "among the two or three best of the star trek films .",
      "it robustly apes james cameron 's aliens , even down to the head villain , played with kinky boo-hiss relish by alice krige , who appears to be channeling equal parts cameron 's alien queen and marlene dietrich .",
      "a smashingly exciting sci-fi adventure that ranks among the very best in the long-running paramount franchise .",
      "this makes little concession to non-initiates .",
      "compared to episodes before and those that followed , this eighth installment of the unkillable series is surprisingly watchable .",
      "the series now lacks all of its original stars and much of its earlier determination . it has morphed into something less innocent and more derivative than it used to be , something the noncultist is ever less likely to enjoy .",
      "this film is going to have lots of return viewers and will be one of the more successful of the franchise .",
      "the best of the next generation entries .",
      "it will engage you .",
      "the film feels soulless and hollow , despite best intentions to the contrary .",
      "one of the better chapters in the long history of this prosperous franchise .",
      "with its fascinating storyline and its adroit insights into human history , identity , and sexuality star trek : first contact is a winner .",
      "enough classic moments to keep fans happy .",
      "one of the better entries in the trek movie series , thanks to the most memorable villains from the next generation television series : the borg",
      "if you do n't already know and enjoy star trek , this is nothing more than another passable science fiction film . if you are a fan of the next generation , then you 'll enjoy this one .",
      "it 's a great movie , and a great story .",
      "it is enjoyable . it is a must-see for star trek fans . but it is not cohesive enough to be a good movie .",
      "the elegance of the story is enhanced by the sure direction of jonathan frakes , who also plays commander william riker .",
      "the historic first trek movie entirely divorced from the original cast is no blot on the franchise .",
      "if the film itself is a little bit generic , more of a popcorn sci-fi action film than a faithful adaptation of the characters from the series , that 's probably all to the good .",
      "in zooming out from picard 's glinty eyeball , this eighth feature film from the trek factory displays a zippy new energy and a sleek , confident style fully independent of its predecessors .",
      "the problem with most of the next generation star trek movies is that they feel like extended episodes of the television show . first contact is the one time that it really feels like they made a movie , with a capital m.",
      "... a huge step beyond generations .",
      "it does a good job of serving up elements that will please the fans of the show , but it does not quite stand on its own as a memorable motion picture event .",
      "first contact is no grab bag of camp gewgaws ; it stands proud and apart , accessible even to the trek-deficient . this old star , it seems , has a lot of life in it .",
      "star trek finally gets imaginative , exciting and - dare i say it ? - kinky .",
      "action-packed yet intelligent , this takes the very best of the tv show and gives it epic grandeur .",
      "following in the wake of a trio of disappointing features , first contact proves to be the most entertaining star trek in more than a decade .",
      "even if you do n't count yourself as trekkie you should see it .",
      "first contact manages to rev some additional life into the series .",
      "it has the melodrama of other episodes of the films but fewer absurdities this time around .",
      "one of the best so far in what seems to be a never-ending science fiction saga .",
      "blessed with clever plot devices and a villainous horde that makes the once-dread klingons seem like a race of barneys , first contact does everything you 'd want a star trek film to do , and it does it with cheerfulness and style .",
      "the most exciting entry in the trek franchise since the the wrath of khan .",
      "this is one of the best star treks ever .",
      "first contact is often great fun and is never less than watchable ; it will positively delight legions of trek fans .",
      "a nicely constructed science-fiction film , with a simple premise , a charismatic villain and a good back-story to enhance the action .",
      "the excitement comes from frakes 's direction .",
      "nothing like a good villain to energize the franchise .",
      "for non-trekkers , this is a great , free-standing special-effects adventure with much more fleshy characters than your average sci-fi yarn . definitely a good ride . but there are also plenty of nods to star trek aficionados .",
      "the story is typical sci-fi fantasy , but the conviction of the cast -- most notably the always-phenomenal stewart -- makes you believe and care .",
      "a thoroughly enjoyable visit with the crew of tv 's star trek : the next generation .",
      "a good popcorn movie .",
      "the franchise needs patrick stewart . far and away the best actor ever to don a starfleet uniform , stewart is the standard bearer for a series which has the opportunity to thrive as long as stories can be built around captain jean-luc picard ."
    ],
    "summary": "while fans of the series will surely appreciate it , first contact is exciting , engaging , and visually appealing enough to entertain star trek novices .",
    "id": "11853"
  },
  {
    "movie": "caddyshack",
    "reviews": [
      "a genial , idiotic '80s comedy in a golf club-setting with near-mythic resonance for those who watched it in adolescence .",
      "there are worse things",
      "a pleasantly loose-limbed sort of movie with some comic moments , most of them belonging to mr. dangerfield .",
      "... some of the juvenile jokes land in the rough , but you wo n't forget bill murray 's turn as a goofball groundskeeper obsessed with blowing a pesky gopher to kingdom come .",
      "anarchic comedy shenanigans wreak havoc in a country club .",
      "a so-called classic 80 's comedy featuring one of bill murray 's most inspired comic creations .",
      "the plot wanders around the golf course and involves a half-dozen elements , but if you simply dig the gopher , the caddy , and the dangerfield , you 're not going to be doing half bad .",
      "coloquemos da seguinte forma : elizabeth taylor envelheceu melhor do que este filme ...",
      "gopher it !",
      "MOV never finds a consistent comic note of its own , but it plays host to all sorts of approaches from its stars , who sometimes hardly seem to be occupying the same movie .",
      "director harold ramis does n't help matters through his lethargic staging of several major slapstick sequences .",
      "despite being ungainly , MOV is the kind of comedy you can pan for gold in ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "MOV , a derelict farce that lurches about in search of hilarious possibilities among the members and employes of a country club , is the latest misbegotten spawn of national lampoon 's animal house .",
      "there is a plot to this enjoyably erratic comedy ... but basically it 's a framework on which the writers , two of whom -lrb- harold ramis and douglas kenney -rrb- are animal house alumni , can hang vulgar , obvious , yet often amusing gags .",
      "a funny slapstick comedy , starring billy murray in top form",
      "there 's still a lot of fun in this movie , and most of that comes from the heartfelt performances from the cast .",
      "never mind the fact that the plot regularly goes off track and into the rough , MOV offers laughs a plenty .",
      "classic '80s comedy ; not for kids .",
      "given the short shelf life of many rude 'n' crude hollywood comedies , it 's amazing how well MOV stands up after all these years .",
      "dependant almost entirely -- when it 's not being angry and cynical -- on arrogance and smugness .",
      "this vaguely likable , too-tame comedy falls short of the mark .",
      "a slapstick comedy featuring a host of great clowns .",
      "a crude comedy .",
      "if you 're still at the age when farting and nose-picking seem funny , then MOV should knock you dead .",
      "has attained cult comedy status over last 25 years ... due to chase , dangerfield , murray set pieces .",
      "no matter how bad practically everybody thinks it is , practically everybody likes it .",
      "the first-time director , harold ramis , ca n't hold it together : the picture lurches from style to style -lrb- including some ill-placed whimsy with a gopher puppet -rrb- and collapses somewhere between sitcom and sketch farce .",
      "still every bit as funny , and every bit as stupid , as it was twenty years ago .",
      "i know this movie is silly , but when the final credits roll and that little gopher is dancing to the opening bars of `` i 'm alright '' , you just ca n't help but smile .",
      "it 's not big and it 's not clever , but it 's very , very funny .",
      "this nearly plotless , angry class comedy is more a barrage of traded insults and slights than anything else , and it refreshingly recognizes that class has nothing to do with money or lack of it .",
      "overrated and dumb comedy with a few funny moments .",
      "makes a perfect double feature with `` animal house . ''",
      "a gross-out gem , one of the ultimate 1980s flicks",
      "one of those rare comedies where everything clicks . a true classic .",
      "one of the all-time classic comedies . lightning in a bottle , in a bunker .",
      "does it hold together as a quality comedy ? no , not really ."
    ],
    "summary": "though unabashedly crude and juvenile , MOV nevertheless scores with its classic slapstick , unforgettable characters , and endlessly quotable dialogue .",
    "id": "16431"
  },
  {
    "movie": "yossi_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "fox understands that the joys and tears of looking for love are not unique to gay israeli men ... viewers can relate to the emotional conflicts regardless of one 's orientation .",
      "eytan fox depicts modern gay life and contemporary tel aviv with sympathy and knowing insight , and he excels at creating casual rapport among actors ; yet in film after film he undermines these gifts with hamfisted melodramatic plotting .",
      "... -lsb- knoller 's -rsb- portrayal of a person locked in his own grief is both realistic and sympathetic , and fox brings events to a conclusion that is more than worth the wait .",
      "MOV is a stronger film than its predecessor , more deeply felt and less reliant on love-story conventions .",
      "... an awfully familiar fantasy-for gays and straights alike-about an emotionally repressed older man saved by a young beauty who sees the kind soul and intelligence under the frumpy surface .",
      "a very real portrait of a man on the verge of accepting himself",
      "filled with many of the awkward life moments that many gay men will recognise , as well as a freshly lensed look at the new israel , MOV is a strong and touching take on grief .",
      "it 's serious about its characters and their emotions , but still finds room for humor .",
      "`` MOV '' has an air of lightness but never feels insignificant .",
      "knoller is wonderful as the emotionally cut-off , yet vulnerable MOV , who yearns for something more from life , but feels both terror at the prospect and unworthiness to claim it .",
      "MOV is an early spring breeze of a film - too delicate to be substantial but definitely holding the promise of warmth .",
      "knoller 's superbly underplayed performance ensures that MOV 's sad-sack tendencies are n't allowed to alienate him from our affections .",
      "this is a perceptive , warm-hearted work , anchored by knoller 's impressively less-is-more performance .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- slight but tenderly played drama .",
      "a tender israeli drama with a gorgeous soundtrack and a truly sympathetic character at its heart ...",
      "predictable if measured uplift aside , fox keeps `` MOV '' effortlessly affecting , graced with deadpan humor and a knowingness about lonely lives .",
      "directed by eytan fox , the gifted helmer of the international hit walk on water , ` MOV , ' a work of special depth , is yet another of his incisive character studies of a man who does n't quite fit in until he finally does .",
      "the several allusions to thomas mann 's forbidden-love novel `` death in venice '' are apt , but `` MOV '' is also a standalone film and an extraordinary sequel .",
      "hovers somewhere between a realistic take on love and the vision of romance sold by drugstore novels .",
      "`` MOV '' offers genuine pleasures -lrb- even some of fox 's trademark musical numbers -rrb- .",
      "it 's a slight but uplifting charmer that serves as a feel-good bookend to the sadder first film .",
      "knoller manages to make even a withdrawn character compelling , and worth rooting for as MOV struggles to shed his shell .",
      "fox has graduated from amateur to modest professional .",
      "quietly moving and wholly unsentimental .",
      "the film 's pacing sputters as fox drags MOV through dreary scenes of self-denying repression .",
      "an authentic study of the loneliness of a closeted gay man and his struggle to break free from this prison .",
      "a tender but happily unsentimental tale of a closeted gay doctor in israel who finds at least a measure of happiness with a young soldier .",
      "the perfectly sculpted , entirely sure-of-himself tom ultimately seems more of a construct than a character , his carefree nature shaped almost entirely by the very wish-fulfillment clichés that the movie otherwise sidesteps.m his mostly self-created shell .",
      "ten years later , MOV powerfully probes the grief that still consumes the surviving ex-soldier , now working as a physician in tel aviv .",
      "it 's a film full of tenderness , resting on a tremendous , sad performance from knoller .",
      "a few rough edges , but has a lot to say about finding love whether you 're gay or straight .",
      "an affecting and admirably unsentimental portrait of lost love .",
      "`` MOV '' tells the beautifully acted but overly sentimental story of a man 's emotional rebirth in a more sexually liberated era . it is also a pointed portrayal of the revolution in social attitudes inside the most liberal and secularized of israeli cities .",
      "the film 's central romance veers into the realm of wish-fulfillment , but it 's still drawn with tenderness and sensitivity ...",
      "MOV is an unabashedly populist entertainment with a spirit conciliatory enough to melt the heart of any naysayer .",
      "a dramatically challenging sequel , given warmly effective heart and soul by lead actor ohad knoller .",
      "beneath its economical story line , `` MOV '' is also about leaving the past behind in a larger , national , more metaphysical fashion , too .",
      "the film keeps its focus small , but the trouble is , the characters ' emotions stay that way , too .",
      "eytan fox and screenwriter itay segal have made this a truly universal story about a man who finds the courage to pursue the possibility of love again after heartbreak and loss .",
      "dour and obvious , this is a disappointing footnote to the original .",
      "the film is at its finest as a catalogue of MOV 's unspoken ache , less so when it begins to flirt with the clichés of the love story .",
      "his struggles remain compelling , thanks to knoller 's sad-eyed authenticity ."
    ],
    "summary": "smart , moving , and deeply empathetic , MOV is a thoughtful examination of love and grief .",
    "id": "771312629"
  },
  {
    "movie": "north-by-northwest",
    "reviews": [
      "this is n't one of hitchcock 's deeper films , but it 's certainly one of his most entertaining .",
      "hitchcock 's ultimate wrong-man comedy .",
      "a thriller so improbable that it becomes quite brilliant in evading even the most fantastic of audience guesses .",
      "represents hitchcock at the height of his cinematic talents",
      "one of hitchcock 's very best comic thrillers , MOV features scene after unforgettable scene .",
      "MOV is still a classic , coming as it does during hitchcock 's most creative period , but it lacks that extra little taste to make it truly great .",
      "it is at once a cool romance and a cool comedy , a hot thriller and a hot adventure .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1959 -rrb- is an alfred hitchcock classic , suspenseful comic thriller - one of the most entertaining movies ever made and one of his most famous",
      "viewer friendly , refreshingly undated , and worth as many repeat viewings as one can stomach .",
      "... quintessential ... hitchcock at his most playful , cary grant at his most debonair .",
      "a great film , and certainly one of the most entertaining movies ever made , directed by alfred hitchcock at his peak .",
      "at times it seems hitchcock is kidding his own penchant for the bizarre , but this sardonic attitude is so deftly handled it only enhances the thrills .",
      "rich imagery , with many links to vertigo .",
      "all in all , an improbable classic .",
      "more than a clearing house for hitchcock 's auteur tendencies .",
      "thrilling , funny , and romantic ; it elevates popcorn adventure to art ... defines the ideal use of star power ... -lsb- and -rsb- marries deadly intrigue to out-and-out delight . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "... one of those great movies that can not withstand the barest amount of scrutiny - it is the sort of movie movie that can exist only because we are willing to collaborate with its directors and stars . fifty years on , it keeps on ticking .",
      "hitchcock 's direction is a little flabby , but for sheer enjoyment , there 's no better primer on the master 's methods .",
      "a diverting adventure , but in truth , a little precious ... not my favorite of hitch 's later films .",
      "pure genius .",
      "the romcom suspense caper is a cinematic recipe that alfred hitchcock took with him to his grave ; certainly i ca n't imagine anyone now succeeding in blending thrills , spills , caresses and laughs the way he did in this sublime classic from 1959 .",
      "MOV , alfred hitchcock 's very own adrenalin-fuelled action blockbuster .",
      "the picture is hugely pleased with itself , but it 's too funny and expertly calibrated to mind in the least .",
      "ideal introduction to the master and all his basic fears and craftsmanship",
      "hitchcock breezes through a tongue-in-cheek , nightmarish plot with a lightness of touch that 's equalled by a charming performance from grant .",
      "one of hitchcock 's most enjoyable and entertaining films is also one of his most quintessential works , dealing with thematic and visual ideas well ahead of their time , as for example the notion of fluid identity .",
      "the iconic actors give memorable performances , the story is perfectly pitched and fiercely clever and under the astounding directorial eye of alfred hitchcock - american cinematic god - it 's nearly flawless .",
      "... a tenuously engaging thriller that could 've used a few more passes through the editing bay ...",
      "witty hitchcock thriller . not for little ones .",
      "it has all the classic elements of a hitchcock film - well timed suspense , an overall mystery , a compelling cast and some brilliantly conceived scenes .",
      "the great suspense director was at his most entertaining , creating a helter skelter action film where the hero is propelled from one breathless situation to the next .",
      "certifiable classic territory , hitchcock 's glossiest entertainment is the closest the trickster ever came to an action movie .",
      "one of the best films ever made .",
      "of course , the hallmark of MOV is the way in which hitchcock develops tension .",
      "MOV is the quintessential hitchcock thriller and one of the most exciting movies of all time . so there .",
      "hitchcock succeeded in wanting to give popcorn munchers a movie to smile at . and he was never this playful again .",
      "cary grant 's suave adman roger o thornhill finds himself in mortal peril as the innocent man-on-the-run , yet the tone throughout is buoyantly , almost insolently , comic .",
      "welcome and much needed proof that great action movies do n't have to be meaningless and moronic .",
      "see it again and you 'll come away marvelling .",
      "the velvety villainy of james mason , the crop duster chase and the thrilling finale scrambling around mount rushmore are just part of the pleasure in a classic that deserves to be seen on the big screen .",
      "not hitchcock 's most profound work , but a tightly conceived , expertly executed thriller from the master of suspense .",
      "smoothly troweled and thoroughly entertaining .",
      "fantastic hitchcock thriller with the always charismatic cary grant .",
      "... a colorful and exciting route for spies , counterspies and lovers .",
      "all time classic . great chase movie , great set pieces , only the effects show the film 's age .",
      "one of alfred hitchcock 's great films .",
      "expertly paced and filmed in vibrant colors , hitchcock delivers wit , glamour and sophistication .",
      "highly entertaining .",
      "the template for every action movie made in the last forty years .",
      "big , glossy , hitchcock entertainment .",
      "though atypical of hitchcock , this classic contains all the style , wit , and subdued sexuality , trademarks of cinema 's best years .",
      "grant does a superb job of capturing the befuddlement of an everyman caught in a kafkaesque nightmare of mistaken identity ."
    ],
    "summary": "gripping , suspenseful , and visually iconic , this late-period hitchcock classic laid the groundwork for countless action thrillers to follow .",
    "id": "18639"
  },
  {
    "movie": "nowhere_boy",
    "reviews": [
      "although he does n't look much like lennon , johnson captures that essence perfectly ; the future icon is here a confused , hurt boy .",
      "MOV is a poignant reminder that before the world was at his command , john lennon was a bit like you and me .",
      "director sam taylor-wood explores people living in and through music .",
      "blessedly absent of all rock star-biopic piffle , this sharply made film deftly drops in hints and whispers of john lennon 's future while visiting his tormented past .",
      "taylor-wood captures the sounds and textures of liverpool and blackpool , where a new beat is playing in the cafes and clubs .",
      "the story would not be very compelling if you replaced the character john lennon with a character named john smith .",
      "the movie succumbs to maudlin sentiment and melodrama that lennon himself might have dismissed with one of his signature cutting remarks .",
      "in the end , it barely matters that the lennon we see would go on to become a gifted musician .",
      "engaging if unsurprising .",
      "it relishes its myth-making enterprise without getting too cute about it .",
      "there are brief moments when MOV takes your breath away , when the frisson of future knowledge sends a shiver down the spine . but they 're outweighed by the melodrama and the politesse of this disappointingly toothless biopic .",
      "ignore the lennon and beatles intrigue in MOV and the story does n't carry much inspiration . the end result is a dreary , slight biopic -lrb- just 97 mins -rrb- that leaves you thinking , ` is that it ? '",
      "aaron johnson captures something of lennon 's cruel wit and cockiness , but there 's not much inner life to him , which is partly taylor-wood 's choice in ducking away from a more artful or probing portrait .",
      "taylor-wood has opted for a natural realism , free of arty flourishes - a style as sensible and conservative as aunt mimi . she is happy to provide a canvas on which her talented cast can shine , and they do .",
      "there 's certainly the material there for a challenging coming-of-age drama , but MOV is no more than a typical celebrity biopic , the kind you might see on bbc4 , without any of the flair you might hope for from taylor-wood and greenhalgh .",
      "there is style and subtlety in this film and it makes me look forward to what sam taylor wood does next .",
      "balancing emotive drama , pop history and evocative period piece , the film is undeniably engrossing and an illuminating addition to the beatles mythology .",
      "scott thomas and duff are both phenomenal as they fight over the young boy .",
      "MOV has just about enough music and biographical detail to appeal to lennon and beatles fans but it 's far more intimate than the typical rock star biopic .",
      "everyone in this entire production does brilliantly .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- moving , emotionally direct biopic .",
      "there is something a bit bland , a bit kitchen sink , a bit telemovie , about this portrait of the artist as a young man .",
      "visual artist sam taylor-wood casts aside her moody conceptual art and directs a lively , insightful and slightly nostalgic look at the drama of john lennon 's formative years and his relationship with the two women who brought him up .",
      "the power of these two relationships on john lennon is beautifully depicted , as is the connection between the young paul mccartney and lennon . it 's almost as if the film is bringing to visual life lennon 's lyrics , ` mother , you had me , but i never had you .",
      "one of the more remarkable biopics to come along in a while , not in the least because it smacks of authenticity without too obviously trying to advertise the fact .",
      "it cares more about the characters and their relationships than it does the factual or historical context of it all .",
      "tallied up , while there are a few flashes of decent writing and some solid acting from the supporting cast , ` MOV ' lacks any cohesive tempo ...",
      "MOV succeeds because its creators never wallow in sanctimony , keep contrivances to a minimum and has a lead actor who evolves his character rather than imitates .",
      "MOV goes somewhere , but it 's not into art . yoko ono has okayed the movie , but i think john lennon would sneer at it .",
      "MOV has striking emotional depth , a spot-on sense of period , and a central performance of remarkable texture and nuance from newcomer aaron johnson .",
      "it might not have what beatles fans are expecting from a film about the young john lennon , but it remains an interesting portrait of the early days of the future legend and is worth seeking out .",
      "fascinating ... fills in a lot of blank spaces in the beatles history we already knew .",
      "a passable drama , and might make a nice double feature with backbeat .",
      "the content is there but the form is a xerox copy of every celebrity coming-of-age tale you 've heard and seen before .",
      "if this turgid biopic of the young john lennon was a musical instrument , it would be an untuned , one-string guitar .",
      "taylor-wood , known predominantly as a photographer and video artist , has made a loving , intimate rendering of a snippet of a life .",
      "MOV delivers a definitive account of lennon 's pain-wracked adolescence .",
      "MOV does offer insights into what made the beatles great , and it 's an unpretentious , well-paced first feature .",
      "while revealing almost nothing new about lennon , and sticking rigidly to biopic conventions , it 's just about worth catching thanks to scott thomas , who 's spot-on as the arch but affectionate guardian .",
      "the late teenage years of john lennon , put through the biopic wringer by screenwriter matt greenhalgh , come out as flat and lifeless as yesterday 's `` we love the beatles '' t-shirt .",
      "this study of a boy damaged by loss yet determined to honour his talent strikes a mighty chord , and marks a hugely promising feature debut .",
      "kristin scott-thomas and anne-marie duff are both brilliant and aaron johnson convincingly captures the sarcasm and raw emotions of lennon in a film that is both hugely enjoyable and moving .",
      "MOV is a hugely enjoyable , emotionally engaging and superbly acted biopic that marks sam taylor-wood out as a director to watch .",
      "this beautifully written and directed biopic has a strong ring of truth to it , mainly due to taylor-wood 's artistic approach to filmmaking . it also features extremely complex characters and a remarkably vivid collection of events .",
      "explores in a winning way the familial strife and other forces which helped forge the creative genius of john lennon .",
      "aaron johnson gives a solid portrayal of the rock 'n' roll legend even if he does n't manage to expand on the character beyond the scripted page .",
      "moviegoers who do n't care about the beatles may skip it and miss out on a subtle coming-of-age drama that stands on its own merits , notably aaron johnson 's evocation of lennon as an angry young man .",
      "we see glimmers of the rock-star-to-be , thanks to the sly exuberance of johnson 's performance ... if the character was n't lennon , would anyone be interested ? hard to imagine .",
      "` MOV ' is one of the best films of the year .",
      "poignant and perceptive , it delves into the pop psychology behind lennon 's lyrics , ` mother , you had me , but i never had you . '",
      "taylor-woods debut feature is a rote coming-of-age tableau that churns through stations of anger , inspiration , reconciliation , mccartney , and harrison .",
      "in contrast to so many other salutes to the beatles and their legacy , this intimate drama focuses on john lennon 's turbulent teenage years , not just referencing , but explaining so much of what , later , showed up in his music .",
      "kristin scott thomas is my early favorite for the best supporting actress oscar",
      "more a reasonably absorbing domestic drama than a biopic of young john lennon .",
      "MOV is smart enough not to spell it all out . you can hear it in lennon 's music , which plays in your head as the movie works its subtle magic .",
      "a wonderfully done , poignant and surprisingly fun film that makes you understand and appreciate john lennon as a man and an artist , warts and all .",
      "aaron johnson may not be lennon , but he?s entirely persuasive as someone who could have grown up to become him . it?s a striking pre-incarnation .",
      "it 's a pleasant-enough creation story to revisit , one weighted down by melodrama and lifted up by some rocking tunes .",
      "MOV gets john 's teen years in liverpool exactly right , and first-time director sam taylor-wood has made an excellent choice in casting aaron johnson .",
      "well-crafted and acted -lrb- especially by aaron johnson -rrb- , it hits the biographical notes but misses its subject?s soul .",
      "the story of lennon 's early years is dramatic and painful enough to survive an imperfect retelling , even if you 're already familiar with the stations of the cross .",
      "johnson does a terrific job of capturing lennon 's mannerisms without coming across like a puppet .",
      "johnson sounds like lennon in snatches and has charisma to spare . where the project staged a coup was in the casting of the two most influential women of john?s early life .",
      "compelling , mature portrait of a musician as a young man .",
      "we may go because it 's the story of john lennon , but we care because it 's an emotionally honest and human story .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- omewhat touching , but since we go into this exercise with full awareness of lennon 's future , dramatic tension is nowhere to be found .",
      "a barren soap opera of a film that puts more emphasis on lennon 's mood swings than what made his music so great .",
      "this is not a biopic in the mould of walk the line or ray ; it is the story of a troubled childhood and a determined and strong-minded young man who uses his love of music to overcome a bitter and uncomfortable domestic past .",
      "and though this biopic is as tidy as a three minute pop song , when we see him look back one last time as he leaves aunt mimi 's for hamburg and all that would come after , the music god is just a little more human .",
      "rather than a rock 'n' roll biopic , this is a classic british family melodrama , anchored by one of the subtlest , richest roles in kristin scott thomas ' impressive career .",
      "uk video artist turned filmmaker sam taylor wood and control screenwriter matt greenhalgh have delivered a vividly entertaining film .",
      "an authentic , overdue biopic that explains lennon 's torment and fire .",
      "rather than dwelling on the unique circumstances that produced a musical genius , it 's an affecting movie about coming of age and leaving home , and about the radical changes in british life since the second world war .",
      "anchored by a strong central turn , MOV crafts entertaining , small-scale drama out of lennon 's huge-sized legend . it just lacks the spark and ambition of its subject .",
      "an interesting , entertaining film that opens new doors in understanding lennon and the strange person he became , but ... this film is not about the music .",
      "handsomely composed minor-key effort",
      "MOV proves the flesh-and-blood lennon is infinitely more fascinating than the saint .",
      "while it is a downer , it is also interesting and there is enough music in it to at least whet the appetite , if not satisfy one 's beatle music craving .",
      "watch for the emotion that manages to bubble up through that pasty , buttoned-up , stiff-upper-lip , postwar england .",
      "in this surprisingly conventional biopic , the unremarkable young john lennon seems as likely to become peter noone or gerry marsden as the second coming of elvis .",
      "plays in no small way as a life of st. john text , so awed by its subject that it refuses to actually grapple with him .",
      "there 's a whole lotta psychosexual stuff packed into MOV , the tale of lennon 's adolescence in liverpool , which may or may not be true , but it sure makes for a smashing film .",
      "... depicts the bittersweet birth of musical genius .",
      "the real subjects -- and strengths -- in this narrowly focused biopic are the two women who , more than any one else , were responsible for molding the future star 's psyche .",
      "MOV exists only for the same reason that googling ` celebrity high school photos ' will yield over 35 million results -- there is , in modern society , a deep and abiding obsession with famous people .",
      "if only the script had been content to stick with its let 's - start-a-band verve .",
      "places a huge burden on -lsb- aaron -rsb- johnson , who has to play an icon in his pre-icon days while holding down the center of a family drama about a boy with abandonment issues .",
      "MOV makes lennon 's rocky personal journey parallel the cultural upheaval of rock 'n' roll -- a revolution that changed social custom , family life and private instinct .",
      "the power of MOV is that , as directed by sam taylor-wood , it captures how john lennon 's deeply sordid family life toyed with his soul by not letting him know who he was .",
      "although this is a film about the influential women in lennon 's life , it succeeds equally in its evocation of the family lennon built among his boyhood mates .",
      "occasionally energetic , but primarily frantic , boy appears more fascinated with melodrama than investigation , mashing down lennon?s surprisingly complex adolescence into a flavorless paste .",
      "MOV is modest in scope and more rewarding for it , highlighted by particularly strong performances by thomas and johnson , and a keen sense of time and place .",
      "charts the young musician 's ascension from elvis-worshiping schoolboy to the brainchild behind the quarrymen to , finally , the lead singer of an unnamed band created with chums paul mccartney and george harrison",
      "the creative process is almost audible in a silent moment when john turns an adoring gaze on the curvaceous body of his first guitar .",
      "taylor-wood stresses the universals rather than the specifics of john 's youth . so do n't go expecting a fab four origin story . the word beatles is never uttered . but do go .",
      "as sympathetic and well-turned as it is , MOV only gives us more mythology .",
      "director sam taylor-wood weaves this tale with elegance , spot-on costumes and production design , and finely tuned casting .",
      "it 's a frequently lovely film , and it 's played with real conviction . but it 's often flat and dull , and it can be heavy-handed ...",
      "if mike leigh made a movie about the birth of the beatles , it might play a lot like MOV -- and that 's a compliment .",
      "a `` portrait of the artist '' as a smart-mouthed juvenile delinquent , `` MOV '' bristles with freudian tension in front of and behind the camera .",
      "a great man biography gone comically wrong .",
      "MOV is fully accessible for everyone , not just fans .",
      "to watch MOV is to appreciate anew both the anger that drove lennon and the strength of character it took for him to overcome it .",
      "the reason to see MOV is the charismatic johnson , who effortlessly nails lennon 's strut , anger and sensitivity . anybody seeing the movie could surely spot a star in the making .",
      "how could we hate or humiliate lennon any more than he 'd been trained to hate and humiliate himself ?",
      "as the story of a young man struggling to find his own identity , MOV would work even if its protagonist had n't grown up to change the world .",
      "stunning psychological exposé by strong first-time director taylor-wood who understands the emotional stain that haunted john lennon .",
      "at about a 95 minute run time , MOV feels far longer and this is not a good thing .",
      "wisely resisting the urge to squeeze in billions of details , MOV offers something most music biopics do n't : restraint and class .",
      "we reflect that even if all you need is love , that is n't always all you get .",
      "illuminating as it might be for fans and disciples of lennon , sam taylor-wood 's bio-pic does get a bit corny ...",
      "you could pair this one with coco before chanel in a series called before they were interesting .",
      "an informative , unexpectedly emotional glimpse into the formative experiences of an eventual icon .",
      "three riveting performances anchor this engrossing ... story of lennon?s youth before -lsb- the -rsb- beatles ... even before the teen is seen writing his first song with mccartney .",
      "taylor-wood has specialized in video installations and off-kilter portraits , and it was tempting to hope that her take on lennon would unsettle and provoke . instead , she stays resolutely on-kilter , as if awed into numbness by her subject .",
      "it succeeds as a moving story of a boy , expressively played by aaron johnson , whose life would have been interesting enough to justify a movie about it even if he 'd never gone on to be one of the beatles .",
      "as a broad-strokes account of lennon 's complicated family dynamic , trouble-making youth , and first tentative steps toward rock stardom ... succeeds as both entertainment and a rumination on the roots of one man 's nascent artistry .",
      "MOV reveals the magnitude of the good women behind the grand icon .",
      "the events chronicled are all longstanding beatles legends , though director sam taylor-wood manages to stage even the most portentous moments without making you feel a celestial choir is in order .",
      "more love triangle than musical , the effective and often sweet MOV offers a sense of the time and tension that produced john lennon .",
      "this portrait of a beatle as a young man also gives filmmaker sam taylor-wood , working on a thoughtful script by matt greenhalgh , creative room to manoeuvre , introducing us to john just as he and rock 'n' roll discover one another .",
      "whether you know a little or a lot -lrb- or even nothing -rrb- about john lennon 's background , MOV is a keeper .",
      "works as a conventionally satisfying docu-drama about the difficult teen years of a musical legend . if only it could have been as unconventional as lennon was .",
      "were i a publicist , i 'd probably use the tagline , `` the year john lennon became john lennon . ''",
      "... quickly decomposes into a well-made picture of the artist as a young man .",
      "a gratifying music biopic that is surprisingly humble in its treatment of john lennon",
      "setting a cracking pace , MOV is a joyful journey into the power of personality , the finding of friends and the start of an amazing life , and to top it off , is one of the best films of the year to boot .",
      "what differentiates this story is how it dovetails into the life of john lennon that begins as this film ends .",
      "it is with fascination , curiosity and almost as voyeurs that we engage with the young , enigmatic lennon as he battles against the odds , the establishment and himself in a bid to find his own direction .",
      "hardly a cold turkey , but not a -lrb- number 9 -rrb- dream of a biopic either .",
      "taylor-wood and screenwriter matt greenhalgh mostly play it safe , offering an accessible period piece , free of nostalgia and full of key and credible emotional flashpoints .",
      "a handsome film made with real flair .",
      "while MOV is not the most daring or experimental piece of work you 'll see , it is warm , involving and very human .",
      "no surprises in this account of the troubled pre-beatles adolescence of john lennon , but sharp scripting and a pair of outstanding performances lift it out of routine biopic territory .",
      "it 's a confident debut to be appreciated by cineastes , laymen and lennonites alike ."
    ],
    "summary": "do n't expect any musical insights , but this look at john lennon 's early life benefits from its restrained , low-key approach and some fine acting from aaron johnson .",
    "id": "770817089"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1003318-butch_cassidy_and_the_sundance_kid",
    "reviews": [
      "a cool , charming , anachronistic western , with great chemistry between newman and redford , that reimagines the genre for youths of the era by turning the outlaws into mythic figures .",
      "one of the funniest , if slightest , westerns of recent years .",
      "funny and poignant tale of two famous outlaws .",
      "fine escapist entertainment .",
      "it is a great film and will be an exceptionally popular and profitable one .",
      "you have to admire the craft and assurance of the thing even as its artificiality hits you in the face .",
      "the john foreman production is episodic , but george roy hill 's direction is so satisfying in catching the full value of the goldman screenplay that a high degree of interest is sustained .",
      "although much of its freshness has faded , this still-amusing film reinvented the western for a new generation .",
      "one of cinema 's greatest ever advertisements for pure entertainment ...",
      "every character , every scene , is marred by the film 's double view , which oscillates between sympathy and farce .",
      "although butch cassidy was n't the first movie to pair up a couple of wisecracking best friends in an action/adventure setting , this film became the model of how well that approach could work when done right .",
      "in george roy hill 's vision , the raw vitality of peckinpah is replaced by a gentle amiability .",
      "stylish hollywood entertainment , albeit unworthy of its near-mythical status .",
      "it lost the oscar for best picture that year to midnight cowboy , a film that i suspect most people will probably agree has n't aged nearly as well .",
      "made like cassidy 's memorable fight with a fellow gang member : it gave true , old-fashioned westerns a swift kick to the groin .",
      "william goldman 's script is constantly too cute and never gets up the nerve , by god , to admit it 's a western .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1969 -rrb- is the likeably entertaining , charming and amusing comedy/drama of the friendship and camaraderie shared between",
      "this is the ultimate paul newman - robert redford movie . the two are charismatic , good-looking , smart and funny .",
      "a charismatic , fun and ultimately poignant classic western .",
      "possibly the most likable movie ever filmed .",
      "more of a witty buddy movie in western clothes .",
      "overrated western box office hit",
      "looking at the film with a totally modern set of eyes , completely detached from the hype of newman and redford in the late 60s , i did n't find a connection to the movie .",
      "one could -lsb- say -rsb- that butch cassidy & the sundance kid set the benchmark for buddy action-comedies to come , but there would never be another film that comes even close to exuding the same kind of charm newman and redford deliver in their roles .",
      "iconic , american experience , a classic adventure tale , and a singular slice of late - '60s moviemaking that has never really been repeated",
      "note-perfect performances , a screenplay steeped in both nostalgia and a timely sense of insight , and anti-heroes you ca n't help but love : it 's no surprise that the always re-watchable butch and sundance was once labelled the most likeable film ever made .",
      "it 's still fun , but was it ever a great film ?",
      "funny , sad , classic .",
      "a classic in every sense of the word . expert moviemaking .",
      "very funny in a strictly contemporary way-the last exuberant word on movies about the men of the mythic american west who have outlived their day .",
      "an all-time classic , with newman as his charming , roguish best and redford exuding both sex appeal and danger . a whimsical western that superbly blends actiion , humor and the power of myth making .",
      "one of the most popular , deservedly , westerns of them all .",
      "this sharply written script is far more cute than i 'd expected , but still a lot of fun .",
      "an archetype not yet surpassed .",
      "paul newman-robert redford western is as great as you remember .",
      "what can i say ? this is the father of all buddy pictures , against which most of them seem forced and derivative ."
    ],
    "summary": "with its iconic pairing of paul newman and robert redford , jaunty screenplay and burt bacharach score , MOV has gone down as among the defining moments in late - '60s american cinema .",
    "id": "10096"
  },
  {
    "movie": "date_night",
    "reviews": [
      "steve carell and tina fey make a terrific comic pairing in this entertaining if overly familiar comic thriller .",
      "director shawn levy glosses over the seeds of social satire inherent in the premise , and instead tries to make his movie all things to all quadrants .",
      "MOV feels too much like a lame married couple version of adventures in babysitting with its mild humour and tensionless action .",
      "a romantic comedy with action , edge and genuine chemistry between its leads , MOV scores a home run .",
      "everything works in MOV , a brilliantly conceived comedy in which boring , everyday reality morphs into a thrilling fantasy drenched in danger",
      "the old mistaken identity device -lrb- brilliantly handled in hitchcock 's north by north west -rrb- that leads innocent characters into deadly danger provides the pivot for a comedy about the pitfalls of marriage as a vehicle for long term relationships",
      "MOV is held together by a terrific cast that make a little go a long , long way . somewhere in all of this there was a seriously good movie . as it is , we have a seriously weird one .",
      "this manic story of mistaken identity is a disappointing waste of its talented leads .",
      "there 's something genuine and more than a little sad at the core of levy 's poorly staged , modestly amusing comedy , but it is n't the part that involves flash drives , blackmail , and glowering , gun-toting bad guys .",
      "fey and carell both show why they are so highly regarded , bringing pitch-perfect comedic timing to their parts as they bounce material off each other like it 's the most natural thing in the world .",
      "there was probably never going to be a huge amount of great jokes to be found in this scenario no matter who was in the movie . nevertheless , carell and fey do not really ` click ' with either each other , or their respective roles .",
      "through it all , carell and fey are charming and sly .",
      "imagine it : liz lemon and michael scott . married with kids . i want to go to there .",
      "despite the suitability of the casting and the naturalistic performances of the stars , MOV never breaks out of its dullsville rut .",
      "these are two of the funniest people ever on television , yet their big-screen MOV is a dreary , uninspired waste of their talents -- and those of the top-name cast inexplicably appearing in small throwaway roles .",
      "by no means groundbreaking even by studio comedy standards , but like last year 's the proposal , the movie succeeds more based on its two leads than on its high concept material .",
      "this shrill caper is more like a blind date between fingernail and chalkboard .",
      "we all have the same problems whether we 're suburbanites or strippers . that 's a healthy perspective .",
      "stand this movie up .",
      "the talented cast , anchored by steve carell and tina fey , makes MOV far better than it could have been . the stars give an old-fashioned spin a la nick and nora of the `` thin man '' thrillers and tracy and hepburn",
      "despite the genial banter of steve carell and tina fey , it 's a comedy with so few laughs it could be prosecuted under the trade descriptions act .",
      "carell and fey worked well as a team , despite the limitation of the vehicle",
      "MOV is n't a comedy classic but it is undeniably a lot of fun , and easily hits the laugh quota .",
      "the chemistry between carell and fey is pure fire -- they feed off each other , and thus feed audiences several big laughs in the process .",
      "like a great date , MOV has lots to laugh at , lots to look at , and ends with a climax that leaves everyone smiling .",
      "what the film turned out to be is a good movie but not a great one .",
      "a comfortable and good-natured effort , constantly enjoyable and frequently hilarious .",
      "MOV manages to live down to its store-brand title . but it might have worked as a serious comedy about two people trying to resex their marriage and air their mounting grievances .",
      "a skeleton praying its leads will bring it to life .",
      "carell and fey ... can telegraph anxiety , humiliation and exasperated affection in a glance . they give the film a boost even levy ca n't deflate .",
      "carell and fey mine the humor of predictable characters acting unpredictably -- and frequently , they strike gold .",
      "fey and carell do all the worthwhile work , and they 're good together , kind of the anti-glamour inverse of brad pitt and angelina jolie in mr. and mrs. smith .",
      "if MOV does n't itself quite justify a MOV -- really , do you know what sitters charge these days ? -- it 'll be a fun rent in six months .",
      "a pass . although the film could have been much funnier if it had been allowed to be edgier , carell and fey turn out to be a believable couple of marrieds ...",
      "MOV could have been another the bounty hunter -- a doa movie-star romantic comedy mixed with implausible action/adventure . but instead it 's the happiest of surprises : a genuinely sweet , funny movie .",
      "for all the problems , carell and fey keep us interested in finding out what happens to their characters . we want them to make it out of manhattan safely , and for them to have some actual fun .",
      "what makes MOV work are its stars .",
      "somehow , in an act of sheer alchemy , this silly , preposterous , absurd story has been turned into one of the funniest movies i 've seen in many months .",
      "the blooper outtakes over the end credits are funnier than the entire movie.the standout cameo belongs to j.b. smoove playing a. . .",
      "you leave the theater satisfied yet strangely displeased . that 's what happens when good actors are stranded in a lame movie that is not worthy of their talents .",
      "a movie like MOV encourages hollywood comedy to occasionally dial down , and realize that comedy emerges from characters and situations and ca n't be manufactured from manic stunts and overkill .",
      "there is some funny stuff here , particularly the asides between carell and fey , who have a comfortable chemistry . you can certainly believe that they 're a harried married couple .",
      "the real pity about the middle-of-the-road hollywood comedy MOV is that there 's actually a great film in there somewhere kicking and clawing in a desperate effort to get out .",
      "carell and fey project an intellectual sharpness and an understanding of what 's important in life - and what 's ridiculous - that are the hallmarks of endearingly sane adults capable of sustaining both a hot career and a warm marriage-with-children .",
      "a promising comedic pairing falls victim to sloppy filmmaking and a needlessly complex mystery plot . character motivation is repeatedly sacrificed for over-the-top action ; the movie essentially becomes a live-action tex avery cartoon .",
      "unapologetocally funny . here 's hoping enough couples chose it as their MOV fodder so the naturally entertaining carell and fey get to do it all over again . and soon .",
      "turning in its share of laugh out loud moments , MOV , a return to the comedy caper films of years ago , owes much to the wit and sharp improv skills of stars fey and carell .",
      "carell and fey are gifted comedians , as anyone familiar with their tv work can attest . they both deserve a better outing than ` MOV . '",
      "it pales in comparison to scorsese 's brilliant `` after hours . '' but the theme is the same : crazy things can happen when ordinary people go outside of their comfort zones .",
      "there is no doubt that fey and carell have unbelievable comic timing . they play off one another so well that they really seem married .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of those little gems that , 20 years from now , you 'll stumble across on late night tv and relish all over again .",
      "that the leads manage to get off some good lines in spite of all this nonsense is a testament to them",
      "i will admit that i laughed out loud several times during this film . both carell and fey do a great job working with the rest of the cast .",
      "a funny film about the crazy adventures of a bored suburban couple in which they rediscover their love for each other .",
      "aside from the part where steve carell climbs onto the hood of a sports car during a high-speed gun fight , MOV is funny because it 's true .",
      "featuring inspired casting , gleeful performances and smoothly handled story transitions , MOV employs steve carell 's and tina fey 's peerless knack for selling absurdist lines to deliver something resembling a comedy classic .",
      "the action plotting is quick and clean and there are some funny supporting turns .",
      "it 's better than anything i expected from the guy who remade cheaper by the dozen .",
      "levy and writer josh klausner wisely decide to remain in the background and let their stars do their thing .",
      "steve carell and tina fey 's partnership as the lynchpins of nbc 's thursday night schedule is crudely translated to the big screen in MOV , a creaky comedy only tolerable thanks to its stars ' likeability .",
      "it 's exactly as funny as a steve carell-tina fey movie should be .",
      "as dynamic as the duo of carell and fey might be , they prove unable to reverse the trend of padded and forgettable action/comedies .",
      "as MOV revels in how danger and near-death experiences can reignite a marriage , it revels equally in how carell and fey can make a formulaic movie seem fresh , simply by virtue of their respective comic chops .",
      "MOV is the perfect three-star comedy . it 's not going to set the world on fire , but you 'll wish that the rest of the cookie-cutter rubbish coming out of hollywood was at least this consistently funny and enjoyable .",
      "thank you , hangover , for making overly calculated screenplay 101 's posing as off-the-cuff works of controlled insanity the norm for mainstream middlebrow comedy .",
      "if you do n't go into this thinking you 're going to be laughing constantly , MOV is a funny film and a fun time .",
      "if you do n't go into this thinking you 're going to be laughing constantly , MOV is a funny film and a fun time .",
      "this weak-kneed comedy is guilty of many sins .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the combination of america 's two best comedic talents in steve carell and tina fey makes MOV a film worth watching .",
      "MOV succeeds chiefly in making the work that its two stars do on the same major television network seem anything but mainstream .",
      "while the carell/fey pairing looks like a winner on paper , MOV somehow just is n't that funny .",
      "t 's a funny movie and might snatch a few knowing nods from married couples with young children ; at the very least , it 's a consistently engaging , warmly silly adventure .",
      "there 's a looming gulf in MOV between the quality of the actors and the phone-it-in script by josh klausner .",
      "MOV is worth hiring a sitter to see ... but only for the fey/carell connection .",
      "it stumbles along as you 're forced to sit through quite a bit of umming and aaahing and a car chase that lasts five minutes too long .",
      "the screenplay never takes any particularly sharp , or even interesting turns . needless to say , north by northwest is not in risk of losing its crown as the funniest and most-action packed mistaken-identity caper .",
      "fey , in particular , seems uncomfortable with the shenanigans .",
      "funny duo packs in the silly sex jokes , plus minor gun play .",
      "ultimately , and thankfully , it 's saved by its stars , who carry it all to safety as often as they can .",
      "MOV takes two funny people , puts them in unfunny situations , and has them do and say unfunny things .",
      "levy knows better to simply stay out of the dynamic duo 's way and let them do their proven thing .",
      "... works as an action-comedy precisely because its characters do not know they are in either a comedy or an action movie .",
      "as believable as the story is , it 's strange that the filmmakers did n't do more with the talent they had on hand .",
      "MOV is only ever moderately funny ; partially entertaining ; quite exciting . it bears the mark of a cinematic no-mark ; a bland director whose cast members deserve way better than him .",
      "steve carell and tina fey manage to be funny without ever seeming superior to the slipshod material .",
      "... the affable vibe inevitably gives way to an emphasis on increasingly over-the-top action sequences ...",
      "fey , in particular , finds herself in the situation of a prima ballerina unaccountably dancing with the rockettes .",
      "intermittently amusing action comedy with two deservedly well-liked stars whose ad-libs unfortunately are n't as funny as they think .",
      "one minute its forced slapstick , the next it 's a bullet-riddled car chase -- and neither works .",
      "as far as it works , it 's due almost exclusively to fey and carell , who do a superhuman amount of work in dragging the funny out .",
      "a competent and engaging little comedy that delivers on its premise without demanding more from the audience than their enjoyment .",
      "definitely go on this date .",
      "surprise : calculation leads to diverting pleasure in this engineered from top to bottom studio movie .",
      "in three or four scenes , they get a rhythm going , but the editing is smash-and-bash . shawn levy is not a director who honors performers ' rhythms .",
      "MOV is an ok comedy . but that 's not good enough .",
      "its slapstick story of a married couple enduring outrageous fortune offers a lot of laughs , a bit of romance and plenty for either sex to relate to .",
      "nothing is more frustrating than seeing potential wasted or put to poor use . with names like john klausner and shawn levy behind the scenes , however , this movie did n't stand a chance .",
      "steve carell and tina fey are perfectly matched as a boring married couple on a date from hell in new york city . their chemistry is infectious .",
      "a terrible plot ca n't stop carell and fey from being my new favorite fake married couple . i demand they rejoin forces on the big screen at least every two years .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- hat carell and fey manage to maintain their gosh-darn likeability ... is the most surprising thing about this otherwise aggressively mediocre flick ...",
      "not a perfect comedy by any stretch of the imagination but it is definitely a crowd-pleasing effort that should more than deliver on the promise of its title for millions of couples worldwide .",
      "stale , insipid and silly ... if you stay for the end-credit blooper outtakes , it becomes obvious from their banter that fey and carrell could have been far funnier if they 'd improvised .",
      "tina fey is really funny . steve carell is really funny . MOV stars tina fey and steve carell . ergo , MOV must be really ... sorry , i wish it worked that way almost as much as the studios do . but no .",
      "it 's the kind of comedy that , as it runs out of jokes , resorts to destroying cars .",
      "although played strictly for laughs , this entertaining comedy also boasts plenty of action , thrills and suspense .",
      "in timing , delivery , and charisma , tina fey and steve carell are exactly who they always are , and this is a good thing .",
      "what holds MOV together are the ways carell and fey get laughs and their effortless ability to convey the ups and downs of the fosters ' marriage .",
      "it perhaps fizzles out towards the end but otherwise zips along very engagingly . the only challenge for the target audience will be finding the time to see it .",
      "`` MOV '' provided just the escape you need without pretending to be someone else , so go out and enjoy it !",
      "okay , this is only a farcical fable , but with another director it might have been a little more than that .",
      "proves the value of having talented performers who can elevate mediocre material enough to wring genuine laughs out of it .",
      "carell and fey could probably make `` ishtar '' worth watching . wait a minute ... i liked `` ishtar . '' dustin and warren rocked !",
      "it 's pure nonsense , but the film has so much going for it that you do n't care .",
      "fey and carell are as good a tag-team comedy duo as lucy and desi , maybe even tracy and hepburn -- charismatic comedians who have amazing chemistry together .",
      "when sharp and funny performers like steve carell and tina fey are running on all cylinders , their vehicle does n't have to be that classy .",
      "the film achieves the impressive feat of squandering steve carell and tina fey .",
      "suggests the neutered offspring of martin scorsese 's after hours and james cameron 's true lies",
      "MOV is n't brilliant or hilarious , but it 's something perhaps even more rare . it 's consistent , brisk and charmingly lightweight .",
      "mr. carell and ms. fey might have been able to pull it off -- if they had only been permitted to try .",
      "tina fey and steve carell deserve better . their effortless comic timing together is the only thing to recommend `` MOV , '' but that 's enough to make it worth your time .",
      "the picture has so much going for it that you 're happy to let it lift you up and sweep you away .",
      "best supporting character whose nudity is also a plot point : mark wahlberg ...",
      "carell and fey really are like fred and ginger , so smooth and sure-footed in their comic grace -lrb- lessness -rrb- and timing .",
      "like dick van dyke and mary tyler moore on the dick van dyke show , carell and fey are witty together , sexy together and most important of all , believable together .",
      "refreshingly eschews the raunchy , despite the stripper pole and what is done to a chicken nugget that is genuinely disturbing . instead , it is smartly acted , cleverly directed , while proving that wildly funny and wildly romantic can be a perfect match",
      "much as i would prefer to see the subtler carell of dan in real life comically negotiate a struggling marriage to fey , we 're in a land of gunfire and super-computers .",
      "it works beautifully as a benign date flick .",
      "a very mild recommendation , only because the immensely funny and appealing stars outshine the pedestrian material . their respective sitcoms are funnier and more sophisticated than this movie .",
      "a broadly promising premise and well-matched stars prove no match for an abominably unfunny screenplay and the work of the poisonously untalented shawn levy .",
      "it 's got a little something for everyone and it 's actually perfect for a MOV out .",
      "outrageously funny , thrilling and heart-warming . it 's a triumphant action comedy and the first great date movie of the year . tina fey and steve carell are pure comic gold .",
      "channeling 1970 's ` the out of towners , ' if you make it past the first 10-15 minutes , you 're in for a good time .",
      "even in down seasons , a thursday block of `` the office '' and `` 30 rock '' delivers better writing , tighter direction and more laughs than 88 minutes of `` MOV . '' for free .",
      "we 're here because we want to see fey and carell .",
      "it is diverting , and it gives these two their first chance to work together , yet you ca n't help but wish that the film functioned on as high a level as its stars do .",
      "parental content review",
      "it gets one crucial element of comic filmmaking right in a way that few recent comedies have . it 's cast , down to the smallest role , with genuinely funny performers , people who understand how to time a joke , deliver a setup , underplay a deadpan glance .",
      "carell and fey continue to prove that they can hold our attention with a combination of goofball wit , impeccable timing and a direct commitment to the stories they are trying to tell with their characters .",
      "you might find yourself laughing despite yourself , and more than the movie deserves .",
      "the movie passes the time , but what a misuse of resources !",
      "shawn levy tries to smash the fun with an unnecessary over-the-top car chase , but the stars are so likable they keep our interest on track .",
      "thank goodness , then , that the well-paired leads are as charming and , yes , relatable , as ever . they 're not really boring , even if the movie is .",
      "and a good time was had by all !",
      "for a film that does n't even scrape the 90-minute mark , MOV takes an awfully long time to end .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- feels like a movie designed as a cash machine , with little real entertainment value other than a couple of cameos , and about a half dozen chuckles .",
      "todo está jugado al carisma y el histrionismo cómico de sus estrellas , que comparten algunos momentos graciosos . pero está lejos de ser el verdadero vehículo de lucimiento que los admiradores de tina fey y steve carell esperan .",
      "here 's hoping steve carell and tina fey will be offered more opportunities to work with scripts and filmmakers who allow them to reach their potential together rather than material that forces them to rescue it .",
      "representa uma imensa oportunidade perdida de explorar os talentos de carell e fey , que certamente poderiam formar uma dupla bastante eficaz caso estivessem trabalhando com um material melhor .",
      "what should be hilarious only ends up sort of amusing . is it bad to only be amused ? not as such , but considering how hard they are clearly working to overcome the execution ...",
      "it 's an intelligent action comedy , told from the vantage point of ` after ' after the ` happily ever after . ' and starring two of the funniest people in america , you just may want to save the date .",
      "while wobbly at times , MOV is a perfectly pleasant , often uproarious action comedy ... even with shawn levy directing , the picture is a consistent delight .",
      "there are funny moments . but MOV wallows too often in derivative movie mode , with goons from central casting , sappy sentiment , and a protracted car chase .",
      "in a world of two hour and thirty-minute films comes a funny , action-packed 87 minute flick that packs a great entertaining punch . fey , carell and wahlberg are hilarious . ''",
      "the premise might be a little outrageous and stolen from a great episode of seinfeld , but it is funnier than i expected .",
      "made passable by two veteran comedians who know when to look bad when going for the laughs .",
      "in the hands of , say , a greg kinnear and a sarah jessica parker , the thing could be a disaster . it 's not . not by a long shot .",
      "what comes as a welcome surprise is how MOV manages to make sport of romantic movie conventions without being mean about them .",
      "a reasonably amusing way to pass saturday night with a significant other .",
      "watching carell and fey in action , trading quips and dodging gunfire as they attempt to make their way home to white-picket-fence suburbia , makes you wonder why it 's taken so long to bring these two gifted comics together .",
      "harmless action-comedy rests on the considerable comedic shoulders of its two stars but generates few real laughs .",
      "a constant stream of expert guest performers in supporting roles keeps the movie fresh and energetic .",
      "instead of shooting for ` it happened one night , ' it opts for being ` the hangover ' for married people .",
      "couples that have been married for a while seem to be the target audience for MOV ... if you 're in that category you 'll either find it mildly amusing - or that it hits a little too close to home .",
      "while it may not be the most ambitious comedy that you will see anytime soon , it will have you laughing a lot",
      "but the hidden gem here is wahlberg , who is introduced as a one time real estate client of claires who has a penchant for not wearing shirts .",
      "MOV '' is not exactly `` scenes from a marriage , '' and yet , with carell and fey delivering both raucous comedy and real characters , `` MOV '' is surprisingly smart , funny and sweet .",
      "two comedians walk into a thriller .",
      "that rare high-concept action-comedy that not only earns every one of its fairly consistent big laughs , but also provides a certain amount of pathos , too .",
      "flashes of funny throughout indicate the comedic gem that could have been with better direction and writing .",
      "all in all , it 's an amazing film and easily the best thing to come out of hollywood in 2010 . oh , wait a minute . none of that 's true .",
      "hugely enjoyable , sharply written and frequently hilarious comedy with a pair of note-perfect comic performances from steve carell and tina fey .",
      "levy permits himself a contrived car chase , but otherwise reins in his devotion to madcap action , producing a warm film that will strike chords with long-term couples .",
      "tina and steve have taken an uninspired concept and uninspiring colleagues , and whipped up a film that works better than you 'd dare hope .",
      "thankfully , while MOV has more than it 's fair share of flaws , carell and fey 's chemistry , charm and wit elevate the film into something positively watchable .",
      "the presence of carell and fey lifts this comedy far beyond what it could have been . their sharp improvisational skills give us a terrific look at a slightly tired marriage , even as the plot gets increasingly trite .",
      "the key to MOV is to leave your brain at the door . you 'll be amply rewarded for it , though it wo n't give you much to talk about on a date .",
      "fey and carell are better than this , but when the other options in the action-romcom territory include such efforts as the bounty hunter , who 's complaining ?",
      "you have to take a few infeasible plot leaps , but the chemistry between the leads , and their sheer likeability factor , carry them through the silly slapstick .",
      "like scorsese 's after hours , the joke hinges on turning everything into a paranoid screwball fantasy of what might happen if you take your eye off the ball for one evening . but it feels fresh .",
      "sizzling chemistry can not overcome the banal script .",
      "it 's a lively , often astute piece of marital sociology wrapped up in an action frolic involving an extremely average new jersey couple .",
      "in MOV , carell is the cake batter that holds up fey 's icing .",
      "the movie 's stars , steve carell and tina fey , are exactly what they seem . they 're perfect casting in a short , sweet comedy that makes the most of their genial gifts until it loses its sense of proportion .",
      "the jokes were as much about the doldrums of married life as about the absurd and hair raising situations in which the pair find themselves . i also thought it had one of the funnier car chases i 've seen for years .",
      "this is the rare screwball comedy that is superbly paced , cleverly plotted and hilarious from start to finish .",
      "what the film cries out for most is a quality supporting player . where are dwight schrute and tracy jordan when you need them ?",
      "josh klausner wrote the screenplay , but it really does seem as though some of its funniest lines were ad-libbed . either that or klausner deserves credit for tailoring a screenplay so completely to his actors so as to make it seem that they wrote it .",
      "here 's proof that tina fey and steve carell could squeeze laughs out of a phone book .",
      "different friom run-of-the-mill romantic comedies -- which is all to the good , but not terribly funny -- which is n't .",
      "it 's precisely because the fosters are so damn normal and relatable that we care about them . the casting of fey and carell is integral to this .",
      "the toughest movies to review are the ones that fall somewhere , safely , in the mid-range of success . they 're neither brilliant or bad , just bland . MOV is a perfect example of bland .",
      "carell and fey are good company and work hard , but this is still a formulaic tale that will look most at home on the back of an airplane seat . in other words , a shawn levy film .",
      "MOV wants to be all things to all film goers : comedy , couples movie , stonking thriller . but more is n't always more .",
      "MOV is a comedy in which writing and direction do n't matter . that 's not funny .",
      "the movie 's not breaking any new boundaries but it 's not trying to . it 's a broad , likeable comedy with a couple of moments of genius thrown in . a great night out at the cinema .",
      "the pair have impeccable comic timing , and an easy rapport which helps create a wholly believable core to what is essentially a totally outlandish plot .",
      "it 's not that fey and carell do n't make for a convincing onscreen couple ; they simply overplay their 'em barrassing parent ' shtick far too early and are left spitting cheap soundbites at each other in a genial , neverending bout of one-upmanship .",
      "where MOV never lets us down is in the core believability of the fosters , who love each other and are credibly bewildered as they find themselves catapulted into a dangerous alien world .",
      "it 's lively stuff with funny lines , droll cameos from mark wahlberg and james franco , and a nice running gag about jeanne tripplehorn .",
      "a likable lark that just makes the cut due largely to the appeal of stars steve carell and tina fey .",
      "feels like it was written by a computer program , and when it works , it is only because of the canny casting of its leads",
      "once again proof that must-see tv does n't guarantee ca n't - miss movies .",
      "the screenplay , by josh klausner , proves that the easy laugh is n't always the best .",
      "it 's not terrible , and i mean that as the mildest of praise ... it 's better than expected , if not outstanding or noteworthy in any other way .",
      "i would rather have sat through an hour and forty minutes of outtakes of this film than watch the film .",
      "good but not great - with fey and carell it should have been better",
      "the perfect date movie !",
      "the main delight here is the combination of carell and fey , both accomplished comedians , who succeed in making `` a boring married couple from new jersey '' not only engaging heroes but believable ones .",
      "the most apparent problem is the screenplay , which can find little vitality in the tired tale of a bored married couple mistakenly targeted by gangsters .",
      "there are no original set-ups , but carell 's discomfort and fey 's futile attempts to rationalise an increasingly ridiculous situation are consistently amusing .",
      "steve carrell and tina fey could be the new william powell and myrna loy",
      "MOV offers us a number of first-class passengers who have been packed into a yugo of a movie .",
      "the cameos keep MOV feeling like a ragtag , amiable gathering of funny people who enjoy each other 's company , rather than the cynical piece of action-comedy crap it actually is .",
      "levy , despite the wit and chemistry of his leads and a killer line-up of cameos -lrb- james franco , mark ruffalo , mila kunis -rrb- , manages to make the whole thing feel like a one-season sit-com crammed onto a dvd .",
      "it 's a shame the film has n't been developed to its full comic potential .",
      "pokerfaced steve carell and tina fey play phil and claire . both do dead-on deadpan . it alone sells steak that does n't have much sizzle ."
    ],
    "summary": "an uneasy blend of action and comedy , MOV does n't quite live up to the talents of its two leads , but steve carell and tina fey still manage to shine through most of the movie 's flaws .",
    "id": "770808107"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sicario_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "`` MOV '' features neither the twistiness of `` prisoners '' nor the weirdness of `` enemy , '' and so is just a very solid procedural that eschews bigger drama in favor of a continual slow build ... to nowhere in particular .",
      "a film that at times feels like an adventure , while at others it affects one like a stab in the stomach , MOV 's dagger plunges deeply . bravo , monsieur villeneuve , bravo .",
      "a slow building thriller that has a lot to say about the current u.s. led drug war",
      "as an action thriller , it delivers .",
      "confronting the war on drugs in a way which is cinematic , but far from superficial , MOV - cartel slang for ` hitman ' - is very dark , but it 's also exciting .",
      "` prisoners ' director denis villeneuve returns with a blisteringly suspenseful , ever surprising cartel thriller .",
      "MOV grabs you in the opening frame , then refuses to let go . director denis villeneuve and his sterling cast have created an unrelentingly intense crime thriller .",
      "villeneuve 's seventh feature is his most ambitious , and best ... spookily rich in atmospheric , seemingly authentic detail , expertly crafted , full of beautiful performances ... absolutely worth seeing , and on the big screen - but it 's a little frustrating .",
      "director denis villenueve knows how to tease out the suspense , setting a scene early and holding it until the squirming starts , then a moment longer .",
      "what `` MOV '' has that separates it from the rest of villeneuve 's work is a merciless script by taylor sheridan .",
      "taylor sheridan , an actor making his screenwriting debut , lets the film down in scene after scene . whenever director denis villeneuve -lrb- `` prisoners '' -rrb- builds suspense , sheridan dissipates it with another clunker .",
      "the movie shows how you can rationalise the ends justifying the means , but you do n't know where the ends will take you .",
      "MOV offers a subtle critique of all-american attitudes -- especially those to do with intervention in other countries .",
      "the cast inhabit their roles with a mix of terror and resolve .",
      "this is not the first movie about the war being waged across the u.s.-mexico border over the drug trade , but it 's the first film in which the aura of constant menace and threat lingers and follows you home .",
      "... an action-packed movie all right ... but it 's convoluted ... asks the viewer to believe that the bad guys are just there to die in hordes of bullets ... while the good guys always avoid the killing shots ... a lot of off-putting cold-blooded killing .",
      "villeneuve handles action scenes with impressive flair , but also understands that the key to effective action is to build up to it slowly and inexorably .",
      "-lsb- villeneuve -rsb- has n't forgotten that he 's making a thriller , and he 's made one that 's both nerve-shatteringly suspenseful and , thanks to noted cinematographer roger deakins , gorgeous to watch .",
      "a beautifully murky , hard-edged thriller . quite simply , one of the best films of the year .",
      "director denis villeneuve delivers screenwriter taylor sheridan 's story layer by layer , never overwhelming the audience while still challenging it to pay attention .",
      "wading into the murk is what villeneuve does better than any director working today .",
      "villeneuve 's film , written by taylor sheridan , pays off its suspense with fierce violence , and seems therefore sensational ; it ca n't quite transcend being an array of set pieces , haunting though they are .",
      "there are no rules , and no reason , in this world of death and revenge , and we see it through kate 's eyes : fascinated , repelled , ultimately haunted .",
      "rather than bring the story to a boil , villeneuve prefers to glide along it , even a slow zoom past a rock formation seeming to find muscles and a screaming face within .",
      "heart of darkness , eat your , well , heart out . MOV is an enthralling journey into the ethically-murky waters of the drug war , featuring another - yes , another - sterling performance by emily blunt .",
      "it 's so beautifully shot -- by the incomparable roger deakins -- and subtly directed by villeneuve that it feels fresh even when occasionally going through familiar beats .",
      "a spell-bounding crime thriller , you do n't simply watch ` MOV , ' you experience 2015 's most intense , sophisticated adrenaline rush that does n't let up until the end credits .",
      "a trumpian nightmare ... the ` syriana ' of drug-war movies .",
      "within this dark epic of american failure lives an effective but decidedly minor vigilante flick .",
      "as he did with prisoners , villeneuve proves to be a master of mood . unfortunately , the darkly atmospheric energy of MOV is wasted on a story with very little substance . like a drug , it 's cool and alluring at first , but it ultimately leaves you empty .",
      "the problem with `` MOV , '' directed by denis villeneuve - who helmed the acclaimed and dark drama `` prisoners '' - is that it does n't tell us anything we do n't already know about the war on drugs .",
      "the uneasy thrills that MOV gives you are its proudest achievement .",
      "MOV is beautifully directed , it features top-notch work by its three leads , and it is all set to a dazzling , unnerving score , but the film is all undone by a script that is n't half as clever as it thinks it is .",
      "far from being just another crime story , `` MOV '' is cinema at its most ambitious .",
      "MOV is at its best when its borderlines are fluid and indistinct .",
      "villeneuve paces the film with a master 's touch - a tension-building extended scene depicting a team of trucks crossing the border may be the best of the year .",
      "MOV is a bracing and powerful indictment of an inherently immoral policy that has turned otherwise good people into villains while making genuine villains into outright monsters .",
      "grippingly intense and bristling with fine acting , ` MOV ' is a thought-provoking thriller from denis villeneuve .",
      "villeneuve 's proven he 's got a strong punch . the trouble is , he barely aims .",
      "french-canadian director denis villeneuve builds a taut , thrilling mood piece , where roger deakins ' vivid cinematography holds your eyes hostage and jóhann jóhannsson 's score pounds like a jackhammer on your pulse .",
      "MOV is a solid piece of crime genre fiction elevated into a haunting and powerful cinematic experience by impeccable filmmakers and a talented cast .",
      "MOV is a film that will unnerve you and then stick with you after the credits roll , a crime thriller of immensely dark proportions akin to a nightmare but one whose monsters are very , very real .",
      "denis villeneuve 's film turns out to be a stupendously unnerving descent into moral chaos , our presumed action hero alice in cartel-land .",
      "this is one of the best movies of the year .",
      "beautifully captured , worth the heart palpitations , but inherently empty . and it 's not an emptiness that thrives of nihilism to drive home a point , it 's just serviceable desolation .",
      "the filmmakers have made a combustion of a movie , pushing the sub genre of mexican drug wars to thrilling new limits",
      "the pitch of MOV 's intensity is like a scream , underlined by the film 's ominous score as it deliberates its moral quandary",
      "one can easily ignore the film 's ambitious subtext and enjoy it strictly on the basis of its terrific performances and nonstop intensity .",
      "villeneuve and screenwriter taylor sheridan are n't selling more than a tautological action movie with the dread and body count of a horror film .",
      "denis villeneuve can do blade runner . denis villeneuve can do anything . at least , that 's the feeling one has walking out of MOV , arguably the savviest , smartest , and most exhilarating crime thriller to hit american cinemas in years .",
      "throughout , villeneuve excels at approaching the carnage to come from a great , safe distance , and the message seems clear : here is a problem of vast scope and scale , being engaged by huge and complicated forces , and here are its intimate , bloody effects .",
      "villeneuve 's film , told with an almost procedural simplicity , maintains a biting edge of uneasiness . victims become victimizers , and vice-versa , with a terrifying fluidity",
      "a thriller with a heart and a conscience .",
      "MOV is a muffled gunshot of a crime thriller that never allows itself to remove the muzzle that keeps its viciousness at bay .",
      "denis villeneuve has directed a super-bloody killer of a film . but without cinematographer roger deakins , `` MOV '' would not be nearly as dramatic .",
      "of all the movies about drug trafficking , and the authorities who battle the problem , i would rate `` MOV '' somewhere in the middle . it is extremely violent , of course , but only intermittently suspenseful .",
      "... generates sympathy on a personal level yet conveys a bleak authenticity that does n't offer easy solutions to its broader issues .",
      "`` MOV '' can be relentlessly cynical , but it 's also mesmerizing , and exhilarating .",
      "denis villeneuve delivers an appropriately loud , jumpy , energy-driven take on this country 's seemingly hopeless struggle to end mexico 's drug war .",
      "a dramatic thriller that 's not for the faint of heart but so far is one of the best films of 2015 . -lrb- full content review - sex , violence , profanity , etc. - for parents also available -rrb-",
      "... a hard-nosed procedural for the post-post 9/11 era .",
      "tthe film would be unimaginable without the vivid and tactile cinematography of roger deakins , the bruising johann johannsson score and the gripping performances of emily blunt , josh brolin and benicio del toro .",
      "nothing is as it seems in MOV .",
      "tense , uncompromising and morally and ethically challenging , denis villeneuve 's MOV is a formidable piece of filmmaking that undoubtedly rates among the year 's best .",
      "the perspective is limited by design - to make us feel as if we , too , are creeping through that tunnel toward a reveal for which we may not have the stomach .",
      "it 's admirable that the film 's taking its subject seriously ; it 's just not enough .",
      "the film is visually and aurally stunning .",
      "then there 's del toro 's turn as alejandro . simultaneously tragic and terrifying , it 's the type of subtly menacing star turn that should keep him busy throughout awards season .",
      "the thrilling opening sequence of the drugs cartel movie MOV is a humdinger -- and a stomach churner .",
      "the power of MOV can not be underestimated : this film about drug cartel violence on the mexico border is a cinematic gut punch and one of the most well-crafted films of 2015 .",
      "what you do see in any film shot by roger deakins is equally crucial and sometimes powerful beyond words .",
      "blunt gives such a finely calibrated performance that the emotional clichés can be forgiven .",
      "it has a screenplay of freshness and audacity that 's brought to life by a director who understands its every psychological undercurrent . we might hope this kind of thing would happen all the time , but it 's rare .",
      "it 's riveting .",
      "combining relentless action with the story of a woman confronting a corrupted system , it hits with the staggering energy of a visceral kick in the guts - causing a sensory recoil in every scene .",
      "this is suspenseful stuff , but hanging over the action is the pungent smell of social failure , as the drug war turns both sides into monsters .",
      "harshly violent , MOV is about violence itself , and how both the cartel and american forces wield it for their purposes .",
      "bewilderment , resolve , disenchantment and blind fury are just some of the states -lsb- blunt -rsb- goes through as the bigger picture comes into focus , providing villeneuve 's otherwise blisteringly macho film with an emotional anchor .",
      "villeneuve 's movies occupy a spectrum between thought-provoking and mind-bending , and it 's clear that he wants to guide taylor sheridan 's script into similar territory .",
      "the first hour of this latest film from french-canadian director denis villeneuve is sleek , terrific pulp .",
      "french-canadian director villeneuve rubbed our noses in pennsylvania vigilantism-gone-wrong in prisoners ; now he grids our faces further into the smothering sands of american sanctimony .",
      "villeneuve , cinematographer roger deakins and composer jóhann jóhannsson combine to make the action scenes gorgeous , scary and exciting , while the script by taylor sheridan is mordant and smart , with not a wasted word .",
      "directed by denis villeneuve from a script by taylor sheridan , the film manages to somehow be sleek and sprawling , focused and cagey at the same time , often in the same scene .",
      "after a while these sounds and images start to feel like expressions of technique , and they become at once numbing and sensational , and instead of a movie about violence we 're watching another violent movie , after all .",
      "presents the never-ending war on drugs in all of its pig-headed futility .",
      "mixes arthouse and grindhouse into a most satisfying cocktail .",
      "this dramatic thriller finds a spot somewhere between your brain and your stomach , and drills in .",
      "this very accomplished , expertly written and acted drama drives home its point in subtle , yet forceful fashion .",
      "MOV 's protagonist problems wind up being significant , retroactively casting a negative shade on the movie -- which is a shame , because it takes what could be great and instead makes it good .",
      "denis villeneuve 's MOV is a slick , simplistic view of the war on drugs propelled by great perfs from blunt , del toro and brolin and balletic violent set pieces . i wanted `` traffic , '' i got movie crack .",
      "a gripping and tension-packed spin through america 's covert war on drugs . prepare to be haunted for a good long time .",
      "a sharp , uncompromising thriller and benicio del toro gets his own franchise . where is brad pitt 's franchise ?",
      "... a tentacled drug cartel thriller grabbing viewers by the throat and squeezing for two hours .",
      "denis villeneuve é eclético em seu estilo , mas consistente em sua qualidade .",
      "villeneuve 's bloody drama does n't need to make perfect plot sense or answer all your questions , as the picture it paints of the cartels is so complex that , it seems , you could never understand -lsb- them -rsb- , let alone stop them .",
      "a taut and dramatic thriller .",
      "MOV is a remarkable , thrilling , intermittently brilliant film-and yet nonetheless a mild disappointment .",
      "after all the mysterious buildup , what eventually goes down is n't all that surprising or earth shattering except in its hair trigger execution , the filmmaking superior to the story it services",
      "a sensational thriller that grabs you by the throat . director denis villeneuve stages scenes with the eye of a master and he 's aided by the great cinematographer roger deakins and a first-rate cast .",
      "... the law may be casting something of a shadow , but it 's the harsh landscape - wild lawlessness - that dominates the frame .",
      "one of the best films of 2015 , `` MOV '' does more than just lift the dirty , clandestine rug on the mexican drug war . it poses harrowing moral questions many of us are too nervous to be asked let alone prepared to actually answer .",
      "the movie is stunningly effective , with special credit due to the peerless cinematographer roger deakins , who turns the deserts of arizona and mexico into eerie alien landscapes , and composer jóhann jóhannsson .",
      "with a taut and timely screenplay by taylor sheridan , MOV is a brilliant action thriller with the smarts of a message movie .",
      "MOV paints the bleakest of portraits of a realistic situation , drawn from headlines about mexican cartels that stack bodies with savage efficiency .",
      "an enthralling treatment of the war on the drug trade ... a brilliant , unsettling piece of filmmaking .",
      "MOV is a spectacular thriller , but it is first a good movie , and a thriller second . in this respect , it 's got less in common with its alleged sister-films traffic and end of watch , and more with the silence of the lambs or no country for old men .",
      "director denis villeneuve , aided and abetted by cinematographer roger deakins , fills MOV with dread and a violence that happens to be stunning to look at .",
      "sheridan suggests that the object of this game is not to stop the drug trade but to perpetuate the game itself .",
      "villeneuve has crafted a compelling , unflinching look at the deadly and complicated war on drugs , one that will challenge the attitudes of even the most straight-edged and law-abiding viewers .",
      "epitomizes what happens when every last creative and technical element is operating together at the highest level possible . `` MOV '' is mesmerizing , a subjectively grim but necessary stunner saturated in apprehension .",
      "MOV is a big brooding beast of a movie . like some sort of dark thing that lurks in a corner glaring at you but not moving to attack you . yet .",
      "MOV opens on a power chord of fear , nausea , and dread that resonates throughout the whole movie .",
      "we can thank villeneuve and rookie screenwriter taylor sheridan 's tight script , but also blunt , brolin and del toro , each of whom has never been better .",
      "emily blunt again steps up to bump up her credentials as today 's go-to action girl -lsb- in a -rsb- gutsy , rough-edged action drama .",
      "tedious on a grand scale but these days what war on drugs movie is n't ?",
      "if you like your movies powerful and important , even cringe-inducing , this could be your choice . it proves that there is more to movies than escapism . this one is disturbing on a high-caliber level .",
      "a molotov cocktail of a movie , flaming fuels of helplessness and paranoia and scorching viewers ' nerves in the process .",
      "i found it to be compelling and highly sophisticated in its performances and its visual design .",
      "an unforgettable motion picture that should be on the must-see list for anyone who appreciates films that deal in grays rather than blacks and whites .",
      "by the end , it packs a death stare so potent it will make you want to turn a blind eye to the shadowy brutality of its real-world horrors .",
      "french-canadian auteur denis villeneuve and a brilliant cast score with this powerful crime drama .",
      "it 's not that i think ` MOV ' is a bad movie , far from it ; it 's just with so much terrific work going on in front of and behind the camera , the fact the end result is merely a ` good ' movie somehow feels disappointing .",
      "like the war on drugs itself , nothing in ` MOV ' moves in a clean , straight line , nothing is really as it appears to be , and no one can really be trusted-or can they ?",
      "succeeds in evoking the anarchic violence of the drug wars raging on both sides of the u.s.-mexican border .",
      "from the opening moments , in one of the most disturbing set-pieces i can remember , MOV starts with taut intensity and never lets up until its tragic and perceptive denouement .",
      "it 's so good at building and maintaining tension that you do n't mind that it gets a little dopey every time the tension is broken .",
      "this is a meticulously slick , brawny , and set-piece-packed film that provides blunt with a ripe stage to wow us with her physical and visceral strength once again .",
      "the movie 's knowhow is impressive and its politics are spot on .",
      "it 's a film that lacks the urgency of the really great thrillers , but exists in that rarefied air of refined production values on every level and a flawless ensemble .",
      "i give director denis villeneuve and writer taylor sheridan , and lionsgate , credit for showing this story with a real edge .",
      "it 's a raw , muscular movie with terrific work from blunt and del toro , quietly debating urgent moral questions between stunning set pieces .",
      "denis villeneuve is , unquestionably , one of the most exciting directors working today .",
      "the narrative , like the morality , is murky and muddled , though knowing why one character is embarking on one mission wo n't make anything clearer",
      "the violence of the inter-american drug trade has served as the backdrop for any number of films for more than three decades , but few have been as powerful and superbly made as MOV .",
      "benicio del toro is downright magnificent . he delivers his best performance since 21 grams . a dedicated sensation that calls back to all types of performances such as javier bardem in `` no country for old men '' or gene hackman in `` the french connection . ''",
      "a masterpiece . director denis villeneuve 's best movie to date . benicio del toro and emily blunt are terrific .",
      "denis villeneuve 's film views life in the age of the modern-day drug war as an ever-crescendoing existential nightmare .",
      "the acting , craft , and tone of MOV are so precise that the absurdity of this cartel yarn is both its greatest weakness , and maybe its entire point .",
      "if `` MOV '' does not collapse under its own grimness , that is because of the pulse : the care with which villeneuve keeps the story beating , like a drum , as he steadies himself for the next set piece .",
      "remember the scene in boogie nights where alfred molina is randomly tossing firecrackers ? MOV is like that scene for two straight hours . it is intense .",
      "stylish , smart and exciting , this is what can happen when artists make entertainment : you get art that entertains .",
      "a compelling action-thriller that never loses sight of making its characters feel like real people .",
      "a well-deserved showcase for emily blunt .",
      "denis villeneuve is a master of grim determination . this is a compliment , because although it is one thing to be gritty , it is another thing to be all willy-nilly about it .",
      "pleasingly grown-up entertainment that pulls no punches .",
      "while MOV may be guilty of exoticising the `` murder capital '' reputation of juárez and its environs , it does so in a way that is horribly efficient , exploiting our anxieties and expectations with cruel precision .",
      "MOV looks so good that it 's impossible not to gush ...",
      "basically just another violent movie about drug trafficking . it 's efficient enough at what it does , but what it does is neither new nor significant .",
      "it 's the thriller of the year , now go see it , before you find out anything else .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- visceral and savagely compelling action drama .",
      "MOV may leave an unpleasant taste but it is a slick , accomplished thriller .",
      "smart enough to challenge your views , yet not too cerebral to alienate the mainstream , MOV is a thoroughly engrossing watch that dazzles visually and connects emotionally .",
      "if the film is a little too macho and far too anglo to tell the full , ugly story of all the villains and victims , it is , like all of villeneuve 's films , a bravura piece of filmmaking .",
      "a visceral , in-the-moment ride-along more than a movie to chew over for any length of time .",
      "blunt plays the part splendidly .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- a disappointment from start to finish , denis villeneuve 's attempting-to-be-edifying international drug thriller fails miserably by the social realist parameters it portends to fulfill with macho quasi-military bombast .",
      "villeneuve -lrb- enemy , prisoners -rrb- sticks close to thriller formula but also takes the path less travelled along the way .",
      "the one saving grace of MOV is the considerable talent of cinematographer roger deakins , who continually finds new , striking images to couch all the action in .",
      "it is probably appropriate -lrb- indeed , deliberate -rrb- that denis villeneuve 's gripping thriller concerning the war on drugs should end in murky confusions .",
      "denis villeneuve takes on the mexican drug trade in this stern , robust , abandon-hope-all-ye-who-enter thriller .",
      "you know the way it goes ... the only woman on the team ? kept in the dark ?",
      "america 's covert war against the mexican drug cartels gets a bracing , brutal working over by the director denis villeneuve .",
      "with its shifting points of view , MOV does n't preach . but it will make you think .",
      "no drugs bust , then , but nothing to get hooked on .",
      "-lsb- denis villeneuve -rsb- has now proven himself to be one of the strongest directors in the field right now .",
      "a booming , blooming brilliant film that maintains the tension from the outset .",
      "even with all its impurities , `` MOV '' remains pretty kick-ass dope .",
      "delivers enough sheer brutality and suspense to maintain two hours of dread-filled anxiety ...",
      "pulled from the news but punched up to fever pitch , MOV represents the perfect mix of cerebral and visceral thrills . star , director and screenwriter all bring their a-game .",
      "the ` war on drugs ' has never felt more like an actual war in this brutal , scathing condemnation of the lawlessness of the battle ... on the ` good guys ' side .",
      "we 've seen similar riffs on post-9 / 11 ethical erosion at the movies before . but few are as suggestive , or feel so plausible , or have villenueve 's assertive , confident camera .",
      "denis villeneuve knows how to create tension with devastating precision and stunning visual swagger .",
      "an expertly crafted , beautifully shot and superbly acted thriller that delivers high quantities of suspense and action , cemented by an intelligent , morally complex script .",
      "damn it , academy , give roger an oscar",
      "intelligent and provocative . despite the heavy subject matter , MOV works just as well as a thriller as it does a social-issue drama .",
      "there 's not much emotional investment in any of the characters , and the film has little to add to any serious discussion of its subject matter - but as a pitch-black thriller , MOV succeeds with style ."
    ],
    "summary": "led by outstanding work from emily blunt and benicio del toro , MOV is a taut , tightly wound thriller with much more on its mind than attention-getting set pieces .",
    "id": "771414183"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sweet_land",
    "reviews": [
      "the film 's multilayered narrative -lrb- which employs a flashback within a flashback -rrb- and complementary use of organic transitions is nothing if not breathtaking .",
      "not a great film , something to watch when it comes on cable , not for a night out to the theater .",
      "MOV brushes against the true spirit of american independent cinema .",
      "MOV is gorgeously shot and directed without a false note , but its chief virtue is the beautiful and little-known -lsb- elizabeth -rsb- reaser .",
      "intelligently written , brilliantly cast and thesped story of a german mail order bride in a norwegian-american community in minnesota just after wwi never hits a wrong note .",
      "selim , cinematographer david tumbelty and a superb cast work together to create a believable , poignant and haunting evocation of a long-lost way of life .",
      "there 's a tartness at the center of MOV , ali selim 's unabashedly sentimental tale of a mail-order bride and the community that eventually comes to accept her .",
      "if the christmas movie season sometimes seems like a holiday smorgasbord stuffed with empty calories , MOV is a much-needed palate cleanser .",
      "director ali selim 's debut feature is a bland , drawn-out throwback to jan troell 's '70s epics the emigrants , the new land and zandy 's bride .",
      "if terrence malick could ever banish the wispy art clouds from his brain and give in to the storyteller inside , perhaps he might make a movie as stirring as MOV .",
      "this is the real a prairie home companion . you can practically hear garrison keillor 's voice as an implicit narrator .",
      "directing with a light comic touch and a palpable affection for the characters , selim draws pitch-perfect acting from a large cast -lrb- john heard , ned beatty , alan cumming , alex kingston , and lois smith -rrb- and achieves breathtaking levels of color and clarity .",
      "an old-fashioned family drama masquerading as an art film .",
      "a gentle , well-observed drama ... old-fashioned but in a good sense . ... reaser and guinee are such open , animated actors that inge and olaf 's emotions are easily understandable even if their words are not .",
      "a torturously slow meditation on the tribulations of immigrant farmers that strains for an elegiac tone .",
      "the low budget has n't prevented the filmmakers from taking care with details . the film 's almost palpable : you feel the coldness of the blue , forbidding sky and smell the bristling dustiness of the harvest-ready wheat .",
      "the son of an egyptian immigrant , the minnesota born selim demonstrates a startling intimacy and empathy for his characters , but infuses his story with a candid tough love for their weaknesses .",
      "characters ' motivations and behaviours wobble all over the map - even within single scenes - making for a profoundly frustrating and disappointing experience for viewers .",
      "it 's not a film to watch when you 're tired .",
      "MOV is n't so silly as to say ` love conquers all ' , but it reminds us , sometimes ecstatically , that love can conquer a lot .",
      "what matters in MOV are the moments between the words being spoken , the mute characters as seen in reaction shots , and the images of flat , grassy minnesota landscapes and big sky .",
      "community intolerance and quasi-legal hurdles in 1920 minnesota be damned for a courageous mail-order pioneer of the heartland .",
      "as MOV demonstrates , bigotry is vulnerable , and love is universal . MOV is a fervent movie poem to that love -- and to family , land , lost times and old beginnings .",
      "selim erases the cultural barrier between the eras and makes olaf and inge 's tentative , forbidden romance seem as beautiful and as tender , and as urgent , as anything that might happen in the present day .",
      "a film of uncommon grace , one that transports you to an america that seems innately familiar even though you have never seen it depicted on-screen quite like this before .",
      "this is an intelligently told story that relies on intriguing characters and enticingly mellow pacing that reflects the story 's setting .",
      "at once epic and intimate , MOV offers a stirring account of love and hardship which , aside from a muffed capra moment towards the end , hardly puts a foot wrong .",
      "nostalgic , gentle , loving : the elegiac mood set against endless rural space inevitably suggests malick 's days of heaven . what next from this considerable talent ?",
      "ali selim 's visual masterpiece recalls the stark artistry of terrence malick and western lyricism of larry mcmurtry , as it turns every frame into a picture postcard of stunning beauty .",
      "exceptionally photographed and remarkably performed by actors tim guinee and elizabeth reaser , MOV is modest , but demonstrative , eager to detail a love story that sustains for a lifetime .",
      "here is a nicely photographed , but bland , insipid and weirdly passive-aggressive little film .",
      "minnesota between the wars is a bone yard for dreams , yet , like babette 's feast , the film plucks a tiny miracle from stony ground .",
      "our movie of the week - which is n't saying much - arrives in the shape of this atmospheric slice of americana about an arranged marriage deep in the heart of rural minnesota .",
      "pleasant surprise of the week , a us indie so unashamedly romantic about pie , cornfields , family and baseball you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a presidential campaign video .",
      "MOV could have been mawkish and overly sentimental , but selim has a light touch and the film is intelligent , sensitive and sweet .",
      "echoing malick 's ` days of heaven ' in the way it captures the majesty of the american countryside , this is a small gem that 's worth seeking out .",
      "... a beautifully photographed film ... that celebrates its regional identity .",
      "a tender and touching film about the blooming of love , the poignant tug of place , and the challenges of openness in a rural midwest community in the 1920s .",
      "beautiful cinematography renders the prairie and its sturdy inhabitants more inviting than harsh .",
      "selim 's script does n't hit new territory , but beautiful cinematography takes it just far enough .",
      "MOV , a beautiful and poignant film , impressed me with its charming simplicity and convincing sense of place .",
      "some of MOV is very predictable , some of it is surprising . what holds the audience 's interest are the performances and selim 's solid direction .",
      "sweet and low-key , MOV is a movie that likely will leave you wishing you liked it more .",
      "a sweet gem .",
      "a spare yet meaningful script , subtly deep performances and a starkly beautiful landscape combine in MOV to tell a love story that is as much about the land as it is about two people .",
      "MOV is so beautiful that it appears to be made of moving postcards , and so dull that it appears to be made of ... moving postcards .",
      "MOV is a lovely , lovely small story about discrimination , assimilation and acceptance in the plains .",
      "a heartfelt work of radiant simplicity and plainspoken eloquence , MOV offers viewers a lovely reprieve from overproduced , marketing-driven studio schlock .",
      "inge only speaks a `` little english '' , so she relies on her face to convey all her thoughts and emotions and what a canvas for words ... elizabeth reaser 's enchanting on the screen .",
      "the camera eats up elizath reaser : her chiseled features , willowy frame , and long curls that peak out of period hats .",
      "terrific acting , a perfectly captured period setting , and a simple , aching farm courtship , that 's all MOV is .",
      "as opposed to the bulk of low-budget films , the look here is lush and beautifully crafted ; even the make-up is excellent .",
      "if its drama of german and norwegian newcomers on the plains of southern minnesota is modest enough , it 's also clearly a labor of love .",
      "MOV values interconnectedness -- in a couple , among a community , with the land , and with ancestors -- and powerfully illustrates it within the story 's emotional and visual content .",
      "a lovely , old-fashioned farm romance quietly doubling as a comment on immigration and american identity .",
      "a painterly , patient look at the american immigrant experiencewrit small .",
      "a simple but heartwarming period tale ... a generous and -- appropriately , given the title -- sweet-natured portrait of a time long past .",
      "a gorgeous romance , set during world war i , with a deep affection for the land and the immigrant settlers who make something of it .",
      "a love story and an elegy , MOV is a meaningful film that makes its points with subtlety .",
      "-lsb- director ali -rsb- selim grounds the story so firmly in its characters that he never hits a false note .",
      "intelligently written , beautifully photographed , intensely emotional and creatively challenging , it 's simultaneously heartbreaking and life-affirming .",
      "it 's a blend of immigrant saga , fish-out-of-water parable , days of heaven-like pastoral and epic love story , all merging with a seamless , satisfying unity and no wrong notes in its performances or production .",
      "as empty and beautiful as the picturesque minnesota terrain it 's so clearly taken with .",
      "this is the sort of quiet independent film that comes and goes before anyone notices . i hope that does n't happen here , because MOV is a nicely understated but loving look at the immigrant experience in this country .",
      "what we have here is an otherwise respectable period drama that keeps descending to an after-school-special level of bluntness .",
      "MOV is an unusual look at love and how it can unexpectedly develop . those for whom the concept of an arranged marriage is foreign will get a little history lesson on the immigrant experience watching this sweetly engrossing film .",
      "it 's beautiful ."
    ],
    "summary": "finding the right balance between subtle and sentimental , MOV moves beyond other similarly-themed dramas with evocative cinematography that plays an equal role to the talented cast .",
    "id": "355028263"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dead_girl",
    "reviews": [
      "a very unconventional way to tell a story we 've seen about a million times , and for that -lrb- along with the lean 94-minute running time -rrb- , i am thankful . keep an eye on moncrieff -- she 's the real deal .",
      "moncrieff chooses to scrutinize highly unpleasant material but , fortunately , she never takes an exploitative or sensationalistic approach . the movie has its integrity .",
      "the movie 's a big step up from blue car , which had a similar stillness but less to say",
      "a total downer and disappointment given writer and director karen moncrieff 's poignant debut with blue car .",
      "karen moncrieff 's melodrama is less noxious than paul haggis 's race fantasy by virtue of having nothing to say about anything that will be of any importance to anyone .",
      "the various tales amount to little on their own and fail to resonate outside of their narrow narrative confines .",
      "if you 're weary of crime stories that follow the conventional path on the way to a generically inevitable conclusion , the MOV is a title you might want to throw a red circle around .",
      "works like a package of crisp , individual psychological profiles of the women whose already troubled lives are disrupted by the murder .",
      "while some may find the film unrelentingly depressing , it is a richly acted , well written piece that deserves consideration .",
      "the film picks up speed and interest , due largely to a host of strong performances by some fiercely committed actresses .",
      "... there 's little doubt that the movie cements -lsb- karen moncrieff 's -rsb- status as one of the most promising new filmmakers to come around in ages .",
      "the truncated stories force the actors to start at a high pitch and keep going , but they -- and the director -- work wonders at low volume .",
      "moncrieff -lrb- blue car -rrb- pushes a view of women as victims that might create its own pornography of masochism if it did n't touch so many authentic shattered nerve endings .",
      "bleak and baleful , recommended only if you 're into sinister desolation .",
      "the chief problem with the MOV , as with most current multipart films , is that the truncated stories do n't give actors much room to develop a part . they 're on-screen for such a short time that they act furiously from the get-go .",
      "ambitious , but while it serves as a showcase for some terrific performances , it achieves the wrenching drama it 's aiming for only intermittently .",
      "the acting is extremely strong . most of the actors give something close to the performances of a lifetime but this is a film that is hard to watch because it is n't entertaining . this is just nice people in pain with no payoff . this is going to get lots of",
      "i neither gained any knowledge nor experienced pleasure or deep emotion of any sort ; the best that can be said is that i was n't bored or offended .",
      "there 's no mistaking the integrity and craft on display here , and the writing and direction are too smart to dismiss the MOV as victimology or man-hating .",
      "yes , it 's dark , depressing material , but watching the film is n't . because you 're seeing such talent at work there .",
      "each story could be its own full-length movie , and each is shot with a different style and feel .",
      "disquieting examination of female suffering that asks you to look at people and see a common humanity . nicely crafted , expertly acted , often unforgettable .",
      "from collette to byrne , these women start out strong and get continually better , reaching a crescendo with murphy .",
      "the use of multiple plots can be a dangerous exercise if not skillfully executed , making viewers feel cheated and wanting more , but moncrieff works it out , ably shifting from one story to the next and keeping us satisfied with the open-ended outcomes .",
      "... sometimes feels like seven filtered through sundance , but at least it gives weight to the sort of tragic story hollywood usually treats like a thrill ride .",
      "the MOV is bleak , sad , and depressing -- which is exactly what -lsb- director -rsb- moncrieff intends it to be .",
      "as tasty as butter",
      "murphy , devouring a bad girl role to go with her image , makes her the most alive person in what is most certainly not your typical hollywood serial killer movie .",
      "the MOV is an ambitious , unusual drama , and it 's the kind of script that actors kill for , giving them rich , three-dimensional parts that they only have to play for a small amount of time , allowing for full emotional impact .",
      "it must be said that the MOV is a film of considerable integrity . but before that , something else must be said : that 's about as unappetizing an opening to a film as can be imagined .",
      "a stern account of how the brutal murder of a young woman affects an array of far-flung characters .",
      "or : life sucks and then you die : the movie .",
      "growing less lurid and more poignant as it builds its story through a series of linked vignettes , this film by karen moncrieff provides a showcase for its predominantly female cast .",
      "um elenco formidбvel -lrb- com destaque para murphy e hurt -rrb- ajuda a diretora-roteirista moncrieff a contar uma sйrie de histуrias tristes , mas com belas promessas de redenзгo .",
      "confusing until you see all the loosely connected shortstories in the series .",
      "a well crafted five part ensemble drama of the toughest sort . tight dialog , first rate acting and searing images make their statement on the tragedy of runaway abduction .",
      "i do n't remember when i 've seen a movie with as many exceptional female performances as those in ` the MOV . '",
      "the tone is fittingly dark , the writing impressively poetic , and the performances excellent absolutely across the board .",
      "a dreary chick flick serial killer film , that puts a human face on the vic as it focuses on all the women affected by the serial killer .",
      "the MOV segues from one turgidly-paced , soul-crushing sequence to another with very little reason to continue watching .",
      "the masterful film , which was also released on dvd this week , sends shivers up your spine and devastates you five times over , then has you longing to wipe the sweat off your brow and start watching all over again .",
      "the MOV provides several of terrific actresses with meaty roles and for that reason alone -lrb- let alone moncrieff 's fluid direction and solid , if uneven , scripting -rrb- it deserves to find an audience .",
      "intriguing and unpredictable , this multi-layered film delivers a profound ripple effect as it explores the complexities of anger , grief , denial and retribution",
      "unblinking and critical about female-rooted and female-specific concerns .",
      "click for full review",
      "karen moncrieff 's previous film , the shallow and pretentious blue car , in no way prepares you for this superbly acted , emotionally acute picture .",
      "s she stands , so perversely resistant and so utterly naked , ruth embodies the grief and torment of being a live girl .",
      "pic 's weak ending demonstrates that its multi-narrative strategy , though full of cinematic potential , also holds traps for a film 's overall impact .",
      "the power of each individual performance is obvious , but it 's easy to underestimate -lsb- director karen -rsb- moncrieff 's subtle skill as a writer and observer of human nature .",
      "occasionally the movie manages to achieve a real sadness , but some story lines are forced .",
      "if the segments are uneven , moncrieff -- with the help of her excellent cast -- nevertheless crafts a gripping overall narrative that exposes a shared dissonance among the protagonists .",
      "the outstanding performances and writing would make a great film even if all -lsb- karen -rsb- moncrieff did was turn on her camera and aim it at the actors , but she adds yet another layer of meaning to the piece via her thoughtfully considered visual style .",
      "messy and melodramatic , then quiet and contained -- the MOV is definitely unpredictable . but then so is life . and -lsb- director karen -rsb- moncrieff gives us five fat slices of it here , all full of painful color and inconvenient drama .",
      "all screams aside , movies about serial killing are rarely chipper affairs . but few are as glum as the MOV .",
      "moncrieff manages to get beneath the skin of several of these characters , a nifty trick considering what a crowded world she 's created . in all , it 's a grueling , emotionally taxing , discomfiting film .",
      "moncrieff deserves kudos for making a femme-driven film , but it does n't really enagage us emotionally in the tragic tale of a dead hooker and the puzzle-like narrative does n't pay off .",
      "this is unsettling and completely riveting at the same time . it 's like six degrees of separation for the terminally broken .",
      "some chapters are more useful than others , but i 'm not sure you could omit any of them , either , as each stroke provides a color that contributes to the overall picture .",
      "an emotionally disturbing film about a victim of a serial killer .",
      "moncrieff never gets melodramatic with subject matter that easily could have been ; she wo n't make you feel good , but she will make you feel .",
      "five stories compose the heart of `` the MOV , '' karen moncreiff 's disturbing new drama that 's so unsettling , it likely will leave those who see it in an unqualified funk .",
      "the five-story format is intriguing , the performances first rate , and a couple of the stories , particularly those involving collette , harden and washington , are moving .",
      "with the MOV , this technique of breaking the narrative apart and then piecing it back together has led to a sort of narrative vacuum at its center -- an empty hole where a thing called exposition would typically reside .",
      "the stories do n't exactly add up to anything you can put your finger on , but they 're absorbing as they 're happening , and director karen moncrieff has a smooth , sure visual style .",
      "those who pass on the MOV are missing something . moncrieff has assembled a remarkable -lrb- and mostly female -rrb- cast , and there are moments in this film that are as powerful as anything currently in theaters .",
      "ms. moncrieff 's ambitious second film is a bit of a disappointment after the promise shown in her more tightly structured debut effort , blue car .",
      "the faces of the MOV , and their ways of reacting to utter awfulness , are preserved in your memory for days afterward",
      "moncrieff unfurls her tales with the poetic intensity of short stories .",
      "the MOV has such a glacial pace , and with such tonal monotony -- most of the first 20 minutes are either grim , in the dark or both -- that audiences will follow at their peril .",
      "a blistering , complex and compelling mystery that offers one of the best acting ensembles seen in ages .",
      "seeing multiple responses to a sexually motivated murder allows us to reconsider our understanding of sex crimes .",
      "none of these little tales goes quite where you expect it will , which would make it riveting enough , but every single performance is a wonder of surprising emotion ...",
      "there 's an underlying , unifying power and credibility to moncrieff 's cumulative assertion that degradation is expected of too many women , and too often expected by themselves .",
      "the relentless emotional violence in this film , a compendium of five vignettes related to a young woman whose corpse is discovered on a hillside , is of a level rarely found in movies .",
      "the sheer originality of a murder mystery written in this way should merit it , and moncrieff , a great deal of praise .",
      "no potential for redemption materializes in the thoroughly depressing world created by karen moncrieff .",
      "boasts many solid performances .",
      "brilliantly written and even better directed by karen moncreiff , the MOV represents a rather remarkable innovation in the female empowerment genre ."
    ],
    "summary": "this dark thriller boasts a fresh approach , but it can still get bogged down by its heavy subject matter .",
    "id": "460673131"
  },
  {
    "movie": "district_b13",
    "reviews": [
      "a die-hard , kinetically charged action film with the kind of shocks and starts that feel truly earned : for once , here 's something you might not have seen before , and with no strings attached .",
      "district b-13 is , in a word , a hoot .",
      "even the snobbiest cineaste will most likely wipe away the drool after seeing belle , whose athletic ability suggests jackie chan after being bitten by an irradiated spider .",
      "the single best action movie of 2006 .",
      "... lean , clean , adrenaline - and indignation-fueled b movie with a social commentary that is too blatant to be called subtext .",
      "proudly states its vanity and hollow entertainment value",
      "it is more entertaining than any of the ` spider-man ' flicks , makes the x-men series boring , by comparison , and is more credible than any of the fantasy-driven offerings from the far east .",
      "this is a film that will keep you on the edge of your seat . from the opening sequence until the very last frame , there is non-stop action .",
      "a ridiculously entertaining action flick that 's loaded with style , wit and jaw-dropping feats of physical prowess .",
      "the story 's a bit overdramatic .",
      "delivers a cogent , well-told story , with a bit of social significance underpinning , plus a series of sequences that should satisfy the action fans .",
      "gorgeously choreographed gymnastics of pain elevate MOV over the impossible missions and last stands of the season .",
      "MOV may have nothing new to say but , boy , does it say it fast .",
      "luc besson may have brought us jean reno 's hauntingly conflicted professional , and anne parillaud 's downtrodden yet deadly nikita . but he did n't try very hard when coming up with MOV .",
      "at under 90 minutes , it leaves you breathless and ready for more . even better , it leaves you - assuming you really like action - smiling a happy little 12-year-old 's smile .",
      "the action is so relentless that even hard-core martial-arts fans might need to pause for breath . and much of it is so repetitive that the film occasionally plays like a rerun of itself .",
      "the latest attack of excess from french action impresario luc besson .",
      "district b-13 is a hoot , so assured of its own coolness that it 's hard not to go along .",
      "it may be subtitled , and the faces may be unfamiliar , but MOV is the best buddy action movie around .",
      "the movie does n't make a lick of sense , but it 's done with such zest and skill -- and such incredible stunt work and action choreography by co-stars cyril raffaelli and david belle -- that the absurdities do n't sabotage it .",
      "nifty action flick influenced by hong kong cinema that includes a critique of french racism against immigrant community .",
      "i was delighted by the balletic and acrobatic stunts , some of which evoke tarzan .",
      "a message-based actioner that 's fast , dumb fun .",
      "both smart and direct , MOV is the kind of lean , mean action film most of america 's working directors only wish they could pull off .",
      "the most memorable parts of district 13 actually precede the unfolding of its main plot , which , much like the thermonuclear device on which it is premised , is never allowed to fulfill its explosive promise .",
      "comes off more like a theme park show than an actual film , it 's there to deliver stunts and never an actual story .",
      "this action film from luc besson 's b-movie factory is one of his best .",
      "when belle is in motion , the movie excels .",
      "there 's something refreshing about an action film that actually gives a damn about more than explosions .",
      "o roteiro quase inexistente й uma mera desculpa para que o filme apresente ao espectador diversas seqькncias de aзгo absolutamente sensacionais criadas a partir do parkour .",
      "as 85-minute testosterone binges go , you could do a whole lot worse .",
      "there are plenty of impressive gunfights and some wicked martial arts sequences here , but the film is most likely to be remembered for its emphasis on free running , a dizzying physical technique in which the cast sprint , leap and roll through the city .",
      "the highly stylized result feels barren of both texture and imagination .",
      "MOV is an apocalyptic action message movie with a distinct french flare .",
      "in his feature directing debut , cinematographer pierre morel has delivered an adrenaline-packed picture that sold its brains to the devil in exchange for spectacular fight and chase scenes .",
      "genre fans will get a kick from the martial-arts action , and that 's all MOV needs to do .",
      "the cast hurls itself into the comic-book violence , while the stunt choreography and razor-sharp editing are exhilarating .",
      "a 90-minute feature simply showing -lsb- david -rsb- belle 's stunts with no frills would be great ; unfortunately , they only account for about 10 minutes - the rest of the time , belle is called upon to act .",
      "if there 's a sequel ... i 'm there !",
      "for a film that 's so light on its feet , `` b13 '' seems rooted in what 's really happening on the ground .",
      "while women may certainly apply , it 's primarily the guys who will find MOV irresistible .",
      "go for the dazzling , if repetitive , human stunt work . endure the appallingly simplistic politics .",
      "a grand theft auto world of muscled goons who drive flashy cars and fire an insurgency 's worth of ammo as a neutron holocaust nears . then we 're told : ` violence is n't the only way to solve problems . '",
      "b13 is watchable and , sometimes , quite invigorating . but only when it 's getting its adrenaline rush from its stampeding macho duo .",
      "let 's put the matter simply : the french thriller MOV makes everything hollywood has lately done in the action genre look clumsy , dull and stale .",
      "starts at a fever pitch of rushing adrenalin and from there goes into the action stratosphere with some of the most inventive and just plain fun moves yet seen on the silver screen",
      "a passable mismatched-buddy movie , goosed up by hard-hitting martial arts and flashy camera acrobatics .",
      "what makes it unique are the truly amazing and kinetic action scenes featuring parkour pioneer belle and co-star cyril raffaelli .",
      "nothing more than high-octane junk but turns out to be junk that 's literally light on its feet and exuberantly silly ... enjoyable , adrenalin-pumping nonsense .",
      "the big innovation here is that the two nimble leads , stuntmen-turned-stars , are devotees of parkour , a fancy french word for the fluid use of urban environments as jungle gyms .",
      "what MOV lacks in story development it compensates for with stunningly realistic action .",
      "MOV does n't waste time with fake personality clashes . both lead actors are amazingly fluid athletes , and during the many getaway and shoot - 'em - up sequences , there is a minimum of special effects or wire choreography .",
      "if you can ignore the plot holes and the usual besson misogyny , the action is a real kick .",
      "forget about mi-3 or x-men 3 or any other film franchises . if you only see one film this summer , you need to get out more , but MOV is the flick you better not miss .",
      "an unlikely but effective cross between john carpenter 's escape from l.a. and la haine .",
      "the hyperkinetic melodrama only matters as an excuse to watch raffaelli and belle , and assorted bad guys , display some of the most adrenaline-pumping movement you 'll see this season .",
      "instantly forgettable , but hugely entertaining for 85 minutes .",
      "it 's not exactly brain fodder . but it is fun .",
      "the typically moronic plot simply gets in the way of what might have been a super-ambitious sneaker commercial .",
      "numbness starts to set in . frenetic action wrapped around a razor wire-thin script will do that to you .",
      "real-life events have overtaken MOV , and they give this feverish , yet oddly flat french action adventure a whiff of substance to go along with its spectacular stunts .",
      "the purest adrenaline rush of the summer .",
      "... this film starts at roadrunner speed and rarely slows down ...",
      "by the time the heroes start breaking necks at breakneck speed , morel has employed so many ` cool ' digital editing tricks and effects that we no longer trust our eyes . we ca n't be sure of the integrity of the stars ' athleticism ...",
      "it just goes to show you that , mais oui , the french can kick it with the asians and americans when it comes to junky kung fu flicks .",
      "morel lathers up a thunderous tornado of exhilarating destruction . there 's hardly a moment to pause for breath , blink or wipe the sweat off your brow .",
      "whew ! i ca n't remember the last time i got such an adrenaline rush watching a movie .",
      "the sheer ridiculousness of the story is part of the fun of this french import , which was produced by luc besson and stars two stuntmen turned ... um ... stuntmen with dialogue .",
      "a snazzy , sensational action ride from big-bang guru luc besson .",
      "the year 's best martial-arts action .",
      "as a brief introduction to belle and his amazing gifts , district b 13 is a treat . but as a movie its feet are dully planted on the ground .",
      "the problem with front loading a film with such spectacular stunts is director pierre morel has nowhere to go .",
      "as impressive as the opening scenes are , the last act sees district 13 descend into a preachiness that would embarrass the cheesiest hollywood producer .",
      "district b-13 is bad sci-fi , but it succeeds as mindless action .",
      "the plot is only serviceable , but it perfectly serves its main function ... an excuse to string together a series of ultracool fight and chase sequences .",
      "okay . this is a really stupid film , but who the heck cares ? it 's chopsocky !",
      "... the kind of movie i generally despise ... -lrb- b -rrb- ut when the end arrived , i discovered that i had been thoroughly entertained .",
      "district 13 proves that hollywood does n't have the final word in the big , brainless actioner stakes , and at least it does it with a lot of style and some very cool fights .",
      "the creator of films such as the transporter , the fifth element and la femme nikita can be counted on for movies that are big , stupid and often just skillfully demented enough to be fun . MOV obliges on all accounts .",
      "who has n't wanted to leap down a stairwell , bounce from rooftop to rooftop , do a backflip over a bad guy , give him a few chop socky blows and then take away his gun ?",
      "one of the best adrenaline rushes since we saw lola running for 90 minutes .",
      "almost nonstop action but seems like violence for its own sake .",
      "the well-executed action scenes will be more than enough to sate even the most finicky of action fans .",
      "spread the word : this delirious import is the most -lrb- maybe the only -rrb- fun action movie of the summer .",
      "besson 's script may be formulaic crap , but he obviously still has an eye for fresh action talent , and an instinct for how to show it off .",
      "leito-damien attempt to refurbish the veracity of the french motto `` liberty , equality , fraternity '' in the same way morel-besson try to restore the integrity of the action film .",
      "whether the flick is focusing on its numerous action scenes or its breathless bouts of plot exposition , district 13 speeds by like an absolute blur .",
      "the energy of the film is breathtaking , and the sheer momentum of the direction and talent make up for any artistic drought .",
      "... larger-than-life ...",
      "MOV is so busy kicking glass -lrb- that 's a euphemism -rrb- that you want fragments to keep on flying .",
      "the french-made , futuristic adrenaline-pumper district 13 does n't really grab you by the short hairs until it shows you why david belle is the movie 's star .",
      "MOV is as slickly edited , filmed and choreographed as it is empty of compelling characters or the meaningful ideas -lrb- institutional racism , the bleak future -rrb- it professes to be about . ultimately , it walls itself in .",
      "like its stunt work , the movie is both ridiculously hyperactive and a muscular feat of absolute confidence . i do n't expect to have a more adrenalizing time at the movies this summer .",
      "a rip-roaring french-language thrill-ride that plays like a parisian escape from new york crossed with a jackie chan policier .",
      "terse , taut and willing to pack on some philosophical weight , MOV wastes no time in shouting ` action ! '",
      "a french import that dishes out comic-book complexity with the simple purity of a kick to the gut .",
      "when a film is this entertaining , it does n't have to be all that original .",
      "great fights , great chases , hot kick - *** hero dudes , ruthlessly evil bad guys , some laughs , and a story that actually would be interesting even without all the above .",
      "it 's a high-voltage kick that 's never lets up , energized by sheer bravura stunt work .",
      "right from the opening credit sequence , MOV makes it loud and clear that you 're going to like this movie .",
      "the film maintains a healthy tension , as damien believes in `` the law '' and leďto is never convinced of its efficacy or good intentions .",
      "note to moviegoers : if you can still be entertained by a thriller that unabashedly borrows from others of its ilk and do n't mind reading subtitles , you could do worse than MOV .",
      "MOV is one of those films where you appreciate the artistry of violence , then forget about it as soon as you get into the car and head home .",
      "a scrappy action flick that shifts into high gear immediately and never slows down , this rousing french import aspires to no higher goal than flashy entertainment . in that regard , it succeeds entirely .",
      "it all plays out like a jackie chan cop comedy , crossed with 1,000 french comic books and minus the humor .",
      "MOV is a fine , snappy little picture that 's one-part escape from new york , one-part martial-arts flick , and mostly silly fun .",
      "MOV looks great , but do n't let those subtitles fool you . at heart , it 's every bit as proudly dumb as its american counterparts .",
      "mix in a whole lot of automatic gunfire , an overblown crime plot , a heavy dose of industrial-strength techno and a dystopian view of french social policy . stir . enjoy .",
      "MOV speaks the international language of brilliantly choreographed mayhem ... and could be the action movie to beat this year ; we 'll see if any other director comes close to equaling its delirious rush . the picture is 85 minutes long and"
    ],
    "summary": "a nonstop thrill ride , MOV 's dizzying action sequences more than make up for any expository flaws .",
    "id": "170571851"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_hunger_games_catching_fire",
    "reviews": [
      "renewed purpose to this part two , finding catching fire skillfully communicating beats of unrest and despair , locating a way to help the ongoing franchise settle in as an energizing story of an underground uprising .",
      "the first movie felt a little stiff , as though the director were mechanically turning the pages , but this movie sinks into your skin because lawrence immerses us in a pool of accepted injustice until we start to itch .",
      "katniss everdeen 's quandaries and director francis lawrence builds suspense through cunning shifts of character in this spiffy second chapter of the trilogy .",
      "catching fire is best in its first hour , when it concentrates on the politics and the specific horrors of panem . it becomes more conventional in the second half and loses steam , but it 's always heading somewhere .",
      "this sequel is a triumph of production design : philip messina 's settings are so detailed that they convey how the movie 's dystopic u.s. functions beyond the story at hand , and trish summerville 's costume design shows a similar degree of invention .",
      "it 's not exactly eisenstein but we 'll take what we can get .",
      "that this latest film leaves us hungering for more only means that it 's working .",
      "it 's largely satisfying as far as screen adventures go , and comes fully loaded with special effects and action scenes , and embellished with the usual brand-name character actors ...",
      "my thoughts on the hunger games : catching fire can be summed up as such : bigger ? yes . better ? not really . bonkers ? absolutely .",
      "catching fire bests the hunger games in every way . if the trend continues this series will be a political science fiction epic that will endure for generations .",
      "nobody involved seems remotely aware of the utter pomposity of the project - a third endless film is now in production .",
      "lawrence gives the same committed , heart-rending performance , and she 's even more saintly than before ...",
      "a safe , serviceable , carefully crafted action drama in which the subversive seeds planted in the first story take welcome root .",
      "like katniss ducking a poison-tip arrow , the keepers of suzanne collins 's trilogy of fantasy novels have dodged the perils of the sloppy second franchise film .",
      "catching fire is another strong installment in this confident series .",
      "catching fire expands suzanne collins ' novel beyond the confines of the arena to tackle some seriously brutal truths - plugging gaps and sowing seeds for a two-part finale that will have to work hard to match its grit .",
      "a ho-hum sequel that mostly sets the stage for hopefully more scintillating future chapters .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- much more personal film that opts to expand on the lore of panem and consequences of the predecessor film , while simultaneously upping the stakes in every conceivable way .",
      "even viewers dragged into it kicking and screaming are unlikely to be bored out of their minds . well , not entirely .",
      "at a time when cinematic-action-extravaganzas feature the wanton destruction of cities and digital body-counts that are impossible to calculate , ` catching fire ' inhabits a world where death and violence have consequence .",
      "the hunger games : catching fire takes the narrative and thematic liberties traditionally granted the middle chapter in a trilogy and drives the stakes up sharply .",
      "if you want a reminder of how well `` the hunger games : catching fire '' does what it does , make sure to get to the theater early to see the trailers for all the other young-adult films trying to emulate it .",
      "though overlong at 146 minutes , catching fire retains the original 's curiously-engaging mix of the running man , spartacus , ben hur , avatar and rambo .",
      "what 's wrong with `` the hunger games '' and its sequel , `` the hunger games : catching fire ? '' well , i just ca n't get past the buffoonery .",
      "the rare sequel that surpasses its predecessor , ` catching fire ' tackles head-on the repercussions of the events of `` the hunger games , '' deepening collins ' cinematic mythology while proving that teen-lit is more than capable of tackling complex ideas .",
      "a stellar sequel and a crackerjack middle chapter : revisiting what 's to love about the original , upping the ante and promising even more to come .",
      "jennifer lawrence is a boon to this franchise . when she faces great and maddening cruelty , we feel the burn too .",
      "catching fire may be missing the surprises and shocks of the first chapter , but it moves the characters and the world forward in a way that hints at greatness for the two-film finale .",
      "with an impressive cast and an intriguing story , this is one cinematic revolution that fans are sure to rejoice in .",
      "... francis lawrence ... adds some important new pieces to that group and expands the world in a way that does n't throw out ross 's film , but that uses it as a way to get to something even better .",
      "the second instalment of the hunger games plays out in a bizarre zone where simon cowell meets leni riefenstahl .",
      "the success of this sequel will demonstrate , beyond doubt , that flesh-and-blood females can dominate the boysy , blockbuster landscape . how apt .",
      "` the hunger games : catching fire ' is that rare beast that has it both ways .",
      "a devastating indictment of pop culture as propaganda - about its power and the limits of its powers - and an upending of the typical teen-girl romance movie .",
      "it 's like an awesome episode of survivor all-stars , except the stakes are so much bigger .",
      "boldly builds on the world first seen in gary ross ' 2012 film .",
      "we 've been promised an inferno , but catching fire smolders for so long that when it finally does burst into burning right before the final shot , the blaze matters .",
      "the type of movie you hope no one ever brings up in polite company because you do n't want to look like an a ****** .",
      "`` catching fire '' is more substantial than the first feature because it delves deeper into themes such as loyalty , love , honor , sacrifice and freedom",
      "i hated the first one , but i really like this second one .",
      "a water-treading sequel that achieves its goal of satiating the fans ' bloodlust while whetting their appetite for the franchise 's grand finale .",
      "this is ` the empire strikes back ' installment of the franchise .",
      "events feel a little rushed at times but the strength of the story and its characters make this a series i 've become a big fan of .",
      "the least interesting thing about the hunger games is the hunger games itself . a complete view of society in author suzanne collins ' weather-beaten world remains tantalizingly out of reach .",
      "examines the price of being a celebrity , the dangers of idolatry , and how sometimes defiance of the status quo can have a dire outcome .",
      "full of action , drama and romance , ` the hunger games : catching fire ' is every bit as entertaining as its predecessor . a ` link ' movie , to be sure , but strong on its own , `` catching fire '' is certain to continue to do just that at the box office .",
      "i was hoping this sequel to the first hunger games film would be better than the first one and it is , so that 's good .",
      "it 's a quintessential middle film , lacking both substantive setup and a satisfying conclusion-and it 's all the better for it , thriving in the tumultuous , incendiary stages of a brewing revolution .",
      "`` catching fire '' makes for rousing entertainment in its own right , leaving fans riled and ready to storm the castle .",
      "you do n't need the first weekend 's grosses to predict a boxoffice inferno .",
      "what keeps the hunger games : catching fire alive and kicking is its transcendent strain of humanity .",
      "the first two-thirds of catching fire is truly compelling . unfortunately , that last third is something else altogether .",
      "catching fire focuses on the unfair dispensation of bread for the greater chunk of its hefty 146-minute running time , saving the circuses for dessert .",
      "conjures a convincingly scary and self-serving future dictatorship that connects it more truly to the 1970s tradition of protest science-fiction cinema -lrb- ` rollerball ' -rrb- than to its contemporary competition for teenage hearts and minds -lrb- the ` twilight ' saga -rrb- .",
      "same old same old biding time for the finale , but still has lawrence in the lead and for most that is enough .",
      "this is empire strikes back stuff . it has that second star wars movie 's kick of confidence .",
      "benefits from the impressive acting chops of jennifer lawrence , whose intensity and sense of self makes katniss into a prototypical action heroine who embodies an ideal set of values but still stays psychologically and emotionally grounded .",
      "i went back and saw the first film again fairly quickly after seeing it the first time because i enjoyed it so much . would n't elect to do that with this one .",
      "though flawed , catching fire manages something no adaptation since harry potter has : it respects its fans enough to challenge them while maturing alongside them .",
      "a chatty , 90 minute fashion show followed by a 50 minute -lrb- recycled -rrb- action picture .",
      "darker and even more gripping than part 1 .",
      "slavish devotion to the text and its legion of fans seems to be a problem ; collins ' world is so lacking in invention that there 's very little for director francis lawrence to do .",
      "jennifer lawrence sparkles once again , but this diluted sequel fails to ignite .",
      "undeniably entertaining . jennifer lawrence is as good as ever .",
      "you will walk out wanting more after that fantastic climax and final scene .",
      "so well done that it justifies every moment fans have not so patiently awaited the second installment of what has become the most satisfying franchise since ` harry potter . '",
      "has greater emotional weight , higher consequences for its characters , its downtrodden masses supporting a capital whose denizens indulge in hedonism a futuristic reflection of today 's great wealth divide in the united states .",
      "same ` logan 's run ' as bad reality tv show as the first one , minus the shaky-cam -lrb- i was grateful for that -rrb- .",
      "jennifer lawrence is excellent as always , but the film lacks spark .",
      "hunger games got off to a smashing start and has n't faltered yet . if it keeps up the pace , the finale will be worth the wait .",
      "-lsb- jennifer lawrence 's -rsb- skill set is wide : she might be the best on-screen crier in the business , but her katniss is steely and vulnerable , her sexiness somehow self-deprecating . you absolutely want to follow her into battle .",
      "is it too soon to say i ca n't wait for the next one ?",
      "catching fire is not quite a full course , more of an amuse bouche , making its mammoth audience hungry for future , meatier instalments .",
      "dismiss it as a popcorn movie if you must , but at least they 've bothered to serve it with real butter and truffle salt .",
      "its themes and action sequences are more forcefully realised than they were first time round , suggesting that this series may soon be the one against which all other franchises will be judged .",
      "manages to ... delve deeper into the politics and ethical quandaries laid out by its predecessor . all this despite being - for the most part - basically the same film .",
      "those who understand the outrage that powers the books should ... appreciate the blunt way it embraces collins ' cautionary vision of how a ruthless , privileged few can keep the masses down by dividing them and entertaining them ...",
      "it may not quite live up to the standards of its predecessor , but it far exceeds its source material .",
      "as an adaptation of collins 's catching fire , lawrence 's film is close to faultless . as cinema , it 's solidly engaging but consistently underwhelming .",
      "cleverly helmed by popular music video director francis lawrence .",
      "i 'm running out of ways to describe the capitol . i think this time i came up with `` the great gatsby on dmt . ''",
      "is n't a bull 's - eye , but its arrow never wavers .",
      "unpredictable yet utterly dependable , thrilling yet stoic , katniss everdeen is a force of nature on screen , and a role that jennifer lawrence appears born to play .",
      "one of the aspects that makes catching fire stronger than its predecessor is that it possesses a more palpable sense of danger .",
      "a welcome improvement on the hunger games .",
      "long and vanilla .",
      "this hunger games feels richer and more detailed than the first .",
      "as was the case with the first film , this sequel catches fire thanks to she who plays the ` girl on fire ' : jennifer lawrence .",
      "the budget is nearly twice the original , and it shows . great work from the a-list cast , amazing set designs and costumes .",
      "the rightist , racist government is opposed on the island by a blue state coalition of women -lrb- young , old , and punk -rrb- , an african-american geek , and liberated white males .",
      "after 2012 's the hunger games caught us off-guard with its subtle themes , this sequel more than lives up to the hype , dramatically expanding the scale of the action while letting the actors deepen their characters .",
      "book 's good . movie 's better . wait , what ?",
      "those with a ravenous appetite for the cruel and the kitsch will find plenty of nourishment in the second instalment of the film adaptation of suzanne collins ' teen trial literary trilogy .",
      "the hugely entertaining second instalment in the hunger games series is leaner and meaner than the first film , thanks to a strong script , pacey , focussed direction and terrific performances from a superb ensemble cast .",
      "a teenage girl as a hero in-the-making animated by her feisty independent spirit , survival skills , selflessness , and courage .",
      "things close with a surprising plot twist and a promising cliffhanger , which suggests the secret to the films ' success is embedded in the books .",
      "as the middle film in a trilogy , albeit a four-film one , the hunger games : catching fire mostly succeeds where it counts .",
      "an improvement in almost every way from its pretty decent predecessor .",
      "this second installment of the `` hunger games '' trilogy is a significant improvement on the movie that launched the franchise last year .",
      "fans of `` the hunger games '' should find `` catching fire '' a superlative advancement of the franchise .",
      "consegue adicionar um intrigante subtexto ao universo habitado por aqueles personagens ao mesmo tempo em que desenvolve as relaушes entre estes .",
      "like katniss , lawrence has become bigger than the games themselves , something that makes her very powerful , very dangerous and rather inspirational .",
      "thought it never truly catches fire , this two-and-a-half-hour sequel includes enough virtues to fill an entertaining ninety minutes .",
      "there is no law of diminishing returns here . the hunger games : catching fire is every bit as potent and gripping as its predecessor and a real triumph of entertainment .",
      "highly likely to be the best of all four hunger games pictures .",
      "the real emotional resonance is due exclusively to lawrence , who moves through the film with an urgent determination that brings a visceral reality to even the most far-fetched of situations",
      "you would think the more entertaining part would be the games themselves , but instead it 's the slower , more character-driven part of the film that holds the most interest .",
      "a little long , but still entertaining , installment in the popular franchise .",
      "talk about starvation ! catching fire is sadly lacking in visual nutrition .",
      "director francis lawrence 's film runs nearly two-and-a-half hours but it concludes so abruptly and tantalizingly , it leaves you wanting more .",
      "... a sequel that , for once , does n't coddle its target audience ... lawrence 's quick-draw archer is , if anything , more intense and single-minded , all glowering charisma .",
      "downplaying the violence itself strips the story of some of its power . you get little sense of the toll that surviving a competition such as this takes on the victor .",
      "the hunger games : catching fire is not only a solid entry in the franchise but stylistically a much better movie than the film that launched the series .",
      "-lrb- the -rrb- franchise takes on an invigorated energy , ending on a series of cliffhanger developments that coalesce with clarity .",
      "the stakes have gotten larger and also vastly more interesting , with the title games stretching from the battlefield into the mind .",
      "francis lawrence imbues the source material with visceral pleasure in well-wrought scenes vacillating between elaborate spectacle , breathtaking terror , and -- occasionally -- surprising beauty .",
      "like its predecessor , it 's good but not great . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "jennifer lawrence 's taut bow and lethal arrows have become the greatest symbols of female empowerment and sexuality in recent movie history .",
      "catching fire , which builds on the box-office and critical success of last year 's hunger games , is spectacular in every sense of the word . for extra pow , see it in imax .",
      "a competent sequel ... the hunger games could be fairly accused of being what it satirizes , but it 's not without a thought in its deadly little head .",
      "sexless and relatively bloodless , the hunger games : catching fire is about as good a follow-up to the 2012 hit as one could possibly imagine .",
      "in many ways it 's a better film . it keeps the strengths of the first film - the brilliant casting , the striking art direction - and does a much better job telling the story .",
      "catching fire is not only a superior sequel in terms of form but also in how it helps us reconcile the shortcomings of its predecessor .",
      "wonderful performances , excellent effects",
      "not only surpasses its original but also brings with it the undeniable sense that yes , finally , all the maddening chaos and underlying pathos of this deeply political story has finally revealed an important subtext .",
      "though overlong at 146 minutes , catching fire retains the original 's curiously-engaging mix of the running man , spartacus , ben hur , avatar and rambo .",
      "what a difference a director makes .",
      "while catching fire could easily stand on its own , it also should make audiences hungry for the next installment .",
      "there 's no disneyfication ; catching fire has a distinct look and sustained dark , gritty mood .",
      "it 's an exciting watch and even slicker than the first film .",
      "lawrence is the rare female action-movie lead who carries on the fierce tradition of sigourney weaver in the alien franchise -- easily the best and most enduring `` special effect '' this movie juggernaut has to offer eager audiences .",
      "the main thing that stayed with me on the trip home after seeing the film was the characters themselves , who are believably vulnerable , resourceful , devious and empathetic as the story demands .",
      "the hunger games : catching fire achieves what every sequel should strive for - a film that surpasses its predecessor in every way .",
      "there 's a depressing irony to the fact that the hunger games , a book series about the media 's ability to placate the masses with superficial distractions , is now a mainstream film franchise that has spawned its own cult of celebrity .",
      "as long as fully formed products like catching fire keep coming , the odds will be in the hunger games ' favor to continue being celebrated as the definitive popular moral tale of the early 2000s .",
      "francis lawrence has crafted a gripping , richly textured sci-fi thriller with reams of underlying dystopian subtext .",
      "catching fire delivers on the grim , roiling promises of the original .",
      "aimed at a generation of kids who are generally perceived as being entitled celebrity wannabes aspiring to their own reality shows , the hero of the hunger games is , essentially , a chick who 's really good at being famous .",
      "fans will approve of gripping & violent middle installment .",
      "with a story that ups the stakes and brings in the first signs of an uprising among the oppressed citizens , the intensity level explodes .",
      "did n't like the original . the sequel , however , does catch fire .",
      "expands on the best stuff from movie # 1 and fixes some things that did n't work so well . that 's a good way to make a sequel .",
      "the hunger games : catching fire is a much-improved sequel whose only real drawback is that it 's a middle chapter - with a somewhat thin payoff .",
      "catching fire is unvarnished sci-fi commentary on the present-day declination of our middle and lower social stratum and the moral indifference of the powerful and wealthy to their plight .",
      "the movie is n't awful , is sure to please no-standard fanatics and wo n't bore haters like myself .",
      "i 'm beginning to believe that the minds behind the hunger games franchise are closer in spirit to president snow and his sinister , heartless showmanship than to katniss and her bravery and passion .",
      "the hunger games : catching fire is that rare instance when the movie is better than the book , and the second movie is better than the first .",
      "with its troubling subject matter , catching fire makes for a tough balancing act , but francis lawrence pulls it off . it 's a frequently exciting film , with hunger games contestants old and new facing a succession of frightening challenges .",
      "an effective piece of melodramatic popular entertainment that savvily builds on the foundation established by the first hunger games movie .",
      "`` catching fire '' is a great leap forward for the franchise . seeing as it 's all about hope and what it represents , here 's hoping the next two are just as good , if not better .",
      "spinning in that wedding dress , or glaring in wary repose , lawrence catches fire on screen . she 'll make a superb la pasionaria when panem has a real war in the mockingjay films .",
      "runs smoothly and efficiently for its first 90 minutes , effectively mixing dark humor , social commentary , and pure story - and character-driven entertainment .",
      "the hunger games : catching fire is crowd-pleasing and compelling , most of all because of its fiery , charismatic heroine .",
      "there 's no question that lawrence accounts for the lion 's share of the franchise 's appeal , and a cliffhanger ending can only help build the frenzy of anticipation for mockingjay part i next year . bring it on .",
      "it 's a middle chapter , for sure , but a vigorous and fast-paced one that leaves you hungry for more .",
      "if you 're a fan , you ca n't miss `` catching fire '' !",
      "readers of the book should be more than satisfied , and non-devotees will find this a smoother , more affecting ride than its predecessor as well .",
      "it builds to a cliff-hanging conclusion pulled off with aplomb by lawrence the director and lawrence the star . who needs superpowers when you have this much talent ?",
      "catching fire is a good enough representation of the second book that it wo n't upset fans . those who do n't know the book will find a film that is a mildly altered version of the first movie in the series .",
      "it ends up being both a retread of the original and an extended setup for the finale , making it doubly unsatisfying .",
      "the grand climax , whose elements include a long piece of wire , a lightning bolt , and an electronic force field , is an incoherent , rapid blur that will send the audience scurrying back to the book to find out what 's supposed to be going on .",
      "a new director has brought catching fire back from the brink of twilight-like stupidity",
      "the movements are fluid and intense . the well-paced drama gives way to a tremendous sequences of action , and it 's great to see that francis lawrence is on-board to direct the next two films .",
      "while it may not capture the imaginations of those still-uninitiated to the `` hunger games '' phenomenon , `` catching fire '' will at least entertain those looking for an emotional punch with their holiday action experience .",
      "though some of the chases and escapes are thrillingly filmed , this last section of the film feels indistinguishable from plenty of other video-game-style avoid-the-obstacle action climaxes .",
      "it 's doubtful a viewer will throw his/her hands in the air in exasperation , and in an effie-like pout , wonder : `` why did n't they stick to the story ? ''",
      "the sequel lives up to its incendiary subtitle due to the quality of the material and the passion of its performers .",
      "relatively speaking , catching fire is terrific . even nonrelatively , it 's pretty damn good .",
      "quality stuff , an entertaining package . for those that retained their skepticism last time , this may even appear to be a better film . but hg has become a victim of its own success , co-opted by hollywood , a rebel not without a cause , a money minter .",
      "whatever the flaws , many from the books , this second grittier , more confident round of hunger games thrills us into submission .",
      "everything that felt clumsy in the hunger games has been improved upon here .",
      "none of it would work -- not the action , the adventure , the political subtext or the humor -- without the strength and beauty that ms. lawrence brings to the central role .",
      "the fans wo n't mind but the film feels overlong , the emotional curve fails to ignite and the ending is anticlimactic . jennifer lawrence is this sequel 's greatest asset",
      "fret not , hunger games fans . -lrb- hunger-hards ? kat-fancies ? -rrb- to paraphrase the famous mantra , the odds are ever your favor that you 'll be satisfied .",
      "catching fire is tightly paced with very little filler . no line or character is wasted .",
      "jennifer lawrence as katniss everdeen , the archer enemy of the dystopian society of panem , shoots so many arrows into your heart that you 'd be stupid not to go cupid all over her sass .",
      "there are wannabe twilight elements that hold the first act of the film back ... but things improve greatly once the hunger gaming starts .",
      "this new creative team does n't just repeat the previous film or the book ... they substantially improve upon both .",
      "this follow-up to the 2012 hit based on suzanne collins ' novel , represents commendable storytelling that ought to please the book 's many fans",
      "the hunger games : catching fire does everything right that the first film did wrong , streamlining the story , focusing on the characters and raising -- and more important , clarifying -- the stakes .",
      "catching fire is so much fun and does such a great job mounting the drama of the series ' increasingly engrossing story . the film just makes you want more .",
      "now the violence is not merely physical , but existential . far from having won her freedom as promised , katniss is now imprisoned in a false public narrative-supporter of the capitol , lover of peeta-from which she may never escape .",
      "far from being a mere holding pattern , catching fire feels like an advance and an improvement . let the games continue .",
      "` catching fire ' builds up a head of steam , and at only a few points does it feel like a ridiculous 148 minutes long . and then it just stops .",
      "in the arena where budding franchises battle to the death , only the hunger games still stands , the young , mangled corpses of non-starters such as the mortal instruments and the host slain at its feet .",
      "movie escapism made with intelligence , and that does n't come around often enough . as i sensed this movie ending i wished it would n't , and when it did i wanted the next one now . take that , bilbo .",
      "the double , or even triple , meanings behind catching fire -- the subtitle , as if you did n't know , of the second hunger games movie -- burns through this exciting , thoughtful adventure drama like a torch to tinder .",
      "the exaggerated world of the hunger games ... would overwhelm most young actors . but lawrence -lrb- convincingly tormented in this film -rrb- has a calm sincerity and steely determinism that cuts through it all .",
      "sluggish pacing plagues this mid-series installment , but lawrence 's tough performance once again carries the day .",
      "consider catching fire an example of successful franchise installment delivery , on time and in sturdy condition .",
      "as an action movie , the hunger games : catching fire is an improvement on the original . but as a social , political and pop culture satire , -lsb- it -rsb- is by definition a mixed bag .",
      "jennifer lawrence , of course , is the real draw . female role models come and go , and lawrence 's katniss is one of the better ones .",
      "catching fire is a work of thoughtful , emotionally engaging sci-fi - everything that its predecessor the hunger games was not .",
      "under the assured direction of francis lawrence -lrb- stepping in for the departing gary ross -rrb- , catching fire does n't just improve upon collins ' book , but the first movie as well .",
      "catching fire is more energized than the first hunger games movie ; it 's been directed , by francis lawrence , with a darkly sustained verve .",
      "a deeper , smarter , politically sharper , and more emotionally resonant follow-up .",
      "while i get more joy watching my wife geek out on these movies than i do viewing them alone , there 's not a lot of overall fault to find here unless you want to get into nerd-level nitpickery",
      "this movie makes you believe in revolution .",
      "catching fire burns across the screen with a fierce intent .",
      "`` catching fire '' confidently charges full-on into the flames and the result is spectacular .",
      "the jungle scenes were shot in hawaii , so at least they all got a paid vacation .",
      "like too many franchise installments , catching fire builds to more of an ellipsis than a period , teasing the next chapter instead of providing closure . but is n't that true of the empire strikes back as well ?",
      "it 's hard to shake the sense of déjŕ vu as the film 's narrative follows the trajectory of the hunger games a little too closely ...",
      "if there 's any doubt that catching fire belongs to jennifer lawrence , now in full command of this wonderfully wrought , reluctant amazonian warrior , pay particular attention to the film 's final image , a searing portrait of a reborn katniss .",
      "the ingredients are in place for a potent finale , but `` catching fire '' is watered down .",
      "what 's surprising is how tasty the franchise still is .",
      "it 's no surprise that this second instalment feels like filler ; but it does the trick , leading us from the explosive first film to a hopefully momentous last chapter .",
      "the new `` the empire strikes back , '' a smashing sci-fi sequel that takes its blockbuster franchise into deeper , smarter , more dramatically engaging territory .",
      "fails to fully develop some intriguing themes ... but still passes the audience engagement test thanks to some exciting action and the strength of lawrence 's heroine",
      "though the romantic triangle provides the story 's heart , it 's the film 's take on media as social control -lrb- stanley tucci returns as the unctuous tv host -rrb- , sharp sense of action , and smart peformances that give catching fire its soul .",
      "catching fire is n't just a worthy sequel that die-hard fans can appreciate , with its complexity and commitment to character it 's a superior film and proves why the hunger games is the most compelling franchise going today .",
      "the latest installment is an unquestionably tense return to the grim setting of the first movie , with a fair share of slickly devised action sequences , that raises the stakes with the prospects of a greater rebellion .",
      "offers its audience many of the elements that made the hunger games compelling , but adds to that by deepening the themes and emotional currents and traveling to darker destinations .",
      "in terms of pure story , catching fire is what a sequel should be - a development of themes from the first movie instead of mere repetition .",
      "while nothing is more dramatic than the change at the core of this film - katniss ' move from survivor to leader - it 's not enough , on its own , to comfortably sustain a two-and-a-half-hour film .",
      "yes , it 's the middle chapter and feels like it , but it 's never dull .",
      "an even darker , grittier film than 2012 's `` the hunger games , '' as it builds slowly to its exciting conclusion and deftly sets up the next installment in the series .",
      "fire maintains such a consistent dystopian vision by other means -- from fine performances to its accomplished production design -- that the stakes of katniss ' increasingly complex journey are evident even when its violence is obscured .",
      "one of this year 's best and most thought-provoking blockbusters .",
      "many of the key cast and crew from the smash first installment are back to ensure that this visually thrilling , rapid-fire sequel will match or even surpass the original 's near $ 700 million b.o. take worldwide .",
      "... a well-crafted and superbly acted sci-fi dystopia that resonates with much of what 's happening in our current age .",
      "significantly better than the first movie ... leaving you breathlessly waiting for the next chapter .",
      "-lsb- the actors -rsb- put on their best game face , smooching plenty for the cameras ... and robotically reading cue cards that emphasize the greatness of the totalitarian nation of panem .",
      "although this installment does n't match the freshness of its predecessor , it offers depth to its characters and themes that supplement its considerable visual flair .",
      "jennifer lawrence remains the series ' biggest coup . `` catching fire '' asks the actress to add ptsd and romantic stirrings to katniss ' psyche , then cover it with a barely affixed public mask . lawrence steps up .",
      "the steady action footage alone is enough to make this an improvement over the first installment .",
      "lawrence exudes a certain combination of feistiness , confidence and beauty that could not be embodied by any other young actress working today . she is clearly the glue that holds this film franchise together .",
      "bigger , better and broodier than the first film .",
      "it is heartening to find a teen-oriented movie franchise as gritty as the hunger games . even so , catching fire remains contradictory , caught in some nether world between nightmarish political allegory and adolescent escapism .",
      "sharp as a flaming arrow and as explosive as when one hits a powderkeg , the hunger games : catching fire is the rousing , thought-provoking action epic the first movie failed to be .",
      "the games sequences , while familiar from the first film , push the story towards a thrilling cliffhanger climax .",
      "the movie is a solid example of `` the book on film '' in spirit , and lawrence is brilliant in a performance far beyond blockbuster-level acting .",
      "by far the film 's greatest asset is jennifer lawrence , who again brings absolute emotional conviction to her haunted and conflicted heroine .",
      "more -lrb- and better -rrb- hunger games",
      "lighter on action and futuristic visuals , catching fire is superior to the first film by virtue of notable performances and more compelling storyline . if the quality of the filmmaking continues into mockingjay , i 'll be thrilled to see how it ends .",
      "as a long-time leftist , i expected something like `` norma rae '' . it was much more harry potter or twilight .",
      "the screenplay is terrific , with welcome shafts of wit .",
      "self-knowing , cynical , and urgently melodramatic , the hunger games and the hunger games indict you for watching it even as it asks you to buy in . and that is the genius of every iteration of the games no one can ever win .",
      "this second in the hunger games trilogy , directed by francis lawrence , has many of the virtues and somewhat fewer defects as its predecessor .",
      "the good news is that the new edition is a better crafted film than its predecessor .",
      "exciting and engaging escapist entertainment , a spectacular sequel that should satisfy fans of the book as well as the 2012 blockbuster .",
      "it 's possible -lsb- the film -rsb- represents a new form of post-content cinema , wherein the compression of so many plot holes into a single narrative creates the illusion of coherence ... watching -lsb- it is -rsb- akin to having an orbital sander pressed against your brain .",
      "katniss is a sponge . she sucks up the hopes and dreams of everyone around her . if they made a live action version of me playing cod , it 'd be called camp or hunger games .",
      "given the strength of this installment , i 'd say the box-office odds continue to be , in that hunger games catchphrase , `` ever in its favor . ''",
      "the hunger games : catching fire , anchored by star lawrence 's charmless performance , ultimately comes off as a misguided and hopelessly bloated -lrb- two and a half hours ! -rrb- blockbuster ...",
      "the one truly fresh invention-and the one that matters most-is katniss herself . with each on-screen chapter , the poor girl from district 12 continues to fulfill her destiny as an inspiration and a rebel fighter .",
      "has far more on its mind than ornate costumes and cgi effects , and this is what finally lifts the movie above its more mundane trappings .",
      "catching fire picks up all the potential of its predecessor and runs it in for a triumphant touchdown ."
    ],
    "summary": "smart , smoothly directed , and enriched with a deeper exploration of the franchise 's thought-provoking themes , catching fire proves a thoroughly compelling second installment in the hunger games series .",
    "id": "771250004"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sex_and_the_city_2",
    "reviews": [
      "superficial , forgettable , meaningless . it 's simply bad storytelling , and by the end quite offensive .",
      "the main goal is to transport its target audience to the decidedly less mundane world of carrie and friends , and in that sense , the movie is more than successful .",
      "if only it were two and a half hours of liza doing beyonce numbers . now that would be a truly fabulous two and a half hours well spent .",
      "a 2 1/2 hour test of patience featuring four embarrassingly-entitled ugly americans agonizing over trivia and assorted soap opera drama that is , quite frankly , so patently superficial , you almost wish they 'd be cursed with some real problems",
      "this second cinematic bite of the apple far exceeds expectations and is a significant improvement over the 2008 movie . every outfit worn by these endearing ladies is ...",
      "just a string of excuses to get the girls back together to chit-chat over coffee and cosmos , all the while making crass and often tired sexual puns .",
      "it 's a never-ending sequel .",
      "a flagrant insult to the audience that made the first film a phenomenon . shame on the writers of this soulless drivel for trying to pass this canal street bootleg sow 's ear off as a genuine alexander mcqueen silk purse .",
      "the last gasp of a franchise that has definitively lost touch with its roots .",
      "despite the venemous satc backlash , and despite the extreme vapidity on display , it 's a reasonably fun romp that fans of the series will certainly enjoy .",
      "if cartoons of mohammed have incited jihad , `` MOV '' may add nukes to the equation .",
      "there 's so much glossy sheen to the work that it 's easy to forgive the contrived `` issues '' that must be faced for character growth .",
      "this one is for the fans , not the critics . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "abysmal ... a chick-flick ` ishtar . '",
      "will the film appeal to the franchise 's core fan base ? yeah , i suppose . to the rest of the world , this is one of the most aggressively unlikable films to hit screens in quite some time . -lrb- parental review also included -rrb-",
      "sarah jessica parker is now 45 years old , and , frankly , i can not stomach another moment of the simpering , mincing , hair-tossing , eyelash-batting little-girl shtick she 's been pulling ever since she emerged ...",
      "if you 're already sick of the hype and wondering whether a second sex and the city movie was really necessary , here 's a surprising answer : yes , in fact , it was .",
      "suggesting some kind of quasi-feminist manhattan-boosterism has always made the sex and the city series phony , as well as loathsome .",
      "what started out as a high flying confection , perched steadily on stiletto sharp heels , has deflated into a sad , puffy mess .",
      "two camels substitute for fonzie 's shark in this franchise-ending sequel",
      "an echo of the series ' glory , but that wo n't stop the fans . costumes and one-liners take precedence over female bonding .",
      "writer/director michael patrick king seems intent on turning carrie into the most irritatingly selfish , shallow , materialistic character ever to hit any screen .",
      "a cliched mess , this comedy lacks the carefree humor of its superior predecessor .",
      "this is the kind of movie that its participants refer to in small , dismissive groans at reunion parties .",
      "it 's a fairy-tale about fashion , jewelry , gowns , maybach automobiles , private jets , rolex watches , style , sophistication , and glamor , and i could n't wait for it to end .",
      "-lsb- michael -rsb- king has done well to maintain the wry comedy sex and the city is so well known for , especially considering the over-stretched 146-minute running time .",
      "it 's a toss up which is a worse fate : replacing original creators with hired hands who approach the series mechanically ; or letting the originators continue until it becomes apparent they 've run out of steam . MOV picks the latter .",
      "this franchise is now officially at war with itself . in order to maintain audience demand for a high level of vicariously thrilling wealth .",
      "dobra vijest za gledatelje je da seks i grad 2 nije loiji od prethodnog filma ; loa vijest je da nije nimalo bolji",
      "MOV is the female equivalent of transformers ; a big , dumb blockbuster that does n't require you to think very hard , if at all ... i mourn the death of four memorable television characters that used to mean something to so many .",
      "the film is most likeable when it remembers that it is meant to be more than an exercise in middle-aged , middle-class smugness and self-absorption . its principal strength remains its celebration of female friendship .",
      "shopping , sex , and stereotypes merge in trite sequel .",
      "the most insulting and dangerous film for women since pretty woman . but with less charm .",
      "like one of those cosmopolitan cocktails , it 's guaranteed to leave women everywhere with a warm , fuzzy glow . for men , it 's like all your hangovers came along at once .",
      "it goes from being what we know and love to ... what were they thinking ?",
      "fear not ladies , forget any damning reviews you may have read - this is a must for anyone who loves the manolo-wearing fashionistas , the hugely popular tv series and the 2008 hit film .",
      "let me tell you darlings , it 's heartbreaking . even more so than when mr. big got cold feet in the first flick .",
      "for the first hour or so it works . unfortunately , the film is two and a half hours long .",
      "to the list of insults , real and imaginary , committed by the great satan against the arab world , add ` MOV , ' in which carrie bradshaw and friends bring their name-brand materialism , exhibitionist licentiousness and western bunk to abu dhabi .",
      "in the end it 's the fun movie it 's supposed to be . raise your cosmos in a modest toast .",
      "it 's actually hard to describe just how bad MOV really is .",
      "the franchise will eventually , like all things , come to an end ... MOV is one step closer to that inevitability , so there is hope in it .",
      "this may be this first time since `` lucky lady '' that i walked away from a film thinking that it needed more liza .",
      "when marie antoinette did this , the people tore down the f ` ing bastille . when our `` sex and the city '' girls do it , they slurp it up like box rosé and häagen-dazs .",
      "amounts to little more than a two-and-a-half-hour plotless fashion show .",
      "this is a sequel that does n't come close to justifying its existence .",
      "MOV is a champagne cocktail on a runaway train -- fizzy , sparkly , giddy-making , and splashing all over the place .",
      "it 's a marathon of shopping , eating , oooh-ing , and gasping . or , for the viewers , retching and dozing .",
      "when carrie asks big , `` am i just a bitch wife who nags you ? '' i could hear all the straight men in the theater -- all four of us -- being physically prevented from responding .",
      "for a franchise that was supposed to be adventurous about sex , this film is about as cutting-edge as the love boat . but if you 're a fan , you 'll get your money 's worth .",
      "future bolsheviks will use MOV as a recruiting film .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with it that could n't be fixed by shaving 45 minutes off the running time and replacing carrie bradshaw with a character who is n't spoiled and unlikable .",
      "not that sex and the city has ever been lauded for its subtlety and grace , but this really is the closest to a carry on film that the franchise has come so far .",
      "everyone 's phoning it in for the first two hours . and let me point out something that i 've just said there : ` the first . two . hours . '",
      "both new york and whatever moroccan city stands in for abu dhabi are shot with such care that the whole thing might as well have been done in somebody 's backyard .",
      "it reminds me of another sequel , `` arthur 2 : on the rocks '' % u2026a terrible waste of liza minnelli .",
      "i 'm still not sure if writer-director michael patrick king intended for his audience to laugh at or with his fab foursome as they refresh the stereotype of the `` ugly american '' abroad ...",
      "it 's an almost avant-garde adventure in aimlessness .",
      "an enervated , crass and gruesomely caricatured trip to nowhere -lsb- that -rsb- seems conceived primarily to find new and more cynical ways to abuse the loyalty of its audience .",
      "at this point it 's virtually impossible to escape the cruel irony that sex and the city , the show , ended when it did so that it would n't become what this movie is .",
      "it 's worse than sex and the city 1 , and that alone is a remarkable achievement .",
      "this film sequel based on the long-running hbo series douses whatever sparkle remains of these beloved characters and their adventures in the big city .",
      "this feels bigger and more cinematic than the first film , and sees a progression in the lives of the characters . but many of the jokes are beyond broad , and the middle eastern stereotypes are shockingly cack-handed .",
      "vapid , overlong , painfully unfunny , preposterous and , worst of all , boring . it 's so bad that it 's gone past good and back to bad again .",
      "the ugly smell of unexamined privilege hangs over this film like the smoke from cheap incense .",
      "the creator has not absorbed any lesson of his first film 's weaknesses : the zeitgeist has changed considerably since the 1990s , not to mention the fact that the four women are simply too old for such silly escapades .",
      "like a plastic surgeon , storyteller king keeps trying to find new ways to lift and tighten his characters , but they have become garish caricatures of themselves .",
      "each in different stages of their well preserved-and well heeled-lives , the `` fab four 's '' dramadies continue for the audiences who love them . trouble is the surrounding story and its supposedly fun sojourns are as embarrassing as granny panties .",
      "badly misjudged , poorly plotted sequel that will disappoint even die-hard fans of the show , thanks to a hideously offensive second half that destroys any remaining goodwill towards the rest of the film .",
      "even in the context of that lumpy , overpriced birkin bag of stuff we call hollywood product , MOV hits a new low of idiocy and crassness .",
      "it 's not often a horror film reaches into the depths of my soul , grabs my heart and shatters it into a billion terrified pieces .",
      "an atrocious motion picture ... makes the adventures of priscilla , queen of the desert look like the remains of the day .",
      "had the filmmakers created an all-out sex farce porno centered on kim cattrall 's cougar-in-heat samantha jones , then at least the genre would fit the material 's instant gratification intentions .",
      "continues to be little more than the female equivalent to porn , a fashionable but unrealistic fairy tale with very little actual meat , but this time , it feels more like a cash grab .",
      "michael patrick king 's fascist , superficial assessment of the sex and the city girls ' intelligence insults them as the women we came to know them as on television , and no doubt has susan sontag turning in her grave .",
      "the most depressing thing about MOV is that it seems to justify every nasty thing said and written about the series and first feature film .",
      "a bloated , wearyingly unsubtle , dramatically inert valentine to conspicuous consumption . the movie 's overly demonstrative acting style -- embodied in varying degrees by all four leads -- seems pitched at small children .",
      "in a coma on life-support . not sexy , no story , ugly clothes , the women look horribly aged but max ryan is sex in the desert . insults a muslim culture .",
      "samantha does everything but draw a picture of the prophet muhammad on a pair of crotchless panties .",
      "the spectacle of four supposedly high-achieving , professional nyc sophisticates `` ooohing '' and `` aahing '' at a tacky gilt and red-brick fantasy middle east escaped from a disney rejects storehouse is beyond risible .",
      "with satc2 we were supposed to get a peek at what 's next . instead we got a fanciful vacation and a lame and fluffy version of female power .",
      "... a crummy little vehicle without dignity and too cramped for its fancy clothes .",
      "it might be time for carrie & company to hang up the manoloblahniks .",
      "strictly for the hardcore fans , `` MOV '' may not be in vogue for long .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "ignorant , culturally insensitive and unfunny , this is simply the equivalent of a wiggles concert for the `` i love shoes '' set .",
      "girls , let 's have another cosmpolitan and remember the past fondly . but make way for chelsea -lsb- handler -rsb- . she drinks vodka neat . she 's a real woman .",
      "unlike the first film , this is self-involved , silly and whiny ... and so are the characters .",
      "the moment of dread . it comes for all beloved series , and in MOV , it arrives with embarrassing suddenness .",
      "so , should you see it ? if you 're a satc devotee , does it matter what this review says ? it should n't .",
      "but amid the luxury of abu dhabi , the new yorkers soon butt up against tradition , and their outrageous antics are no longer funny and harmless but offensive and dangerous .",
      "at two and a half hours , sex 2 -- like its predecessor -- is a long sit in the shallows , the equivalent of five half-hour episodes strung together .",
      "it has no plot to speak of , little in the way of wit or intelligence , and is about 50 % longer than can reasonably be justified .",
      "remember the old , boundary-breaking , taboo-toppling sex and the city ? forget it . neither sex nor the city plays any role in this film .",
      "the bottom line is this : `` MOV '' has everything its fans crave : their four favorite girlfriends , complete with stylish couture , hilarious hi-jinx and middle-aged angst .",
      "now , if only one of my girlfriends would meet a shiekh and have us flown first class to abu dhabi .",
      "a degrading portrait of women through an unfunny story about four ugly americans abroad .",
      "in the entire running time there 's exactly one scene that 's funny and honest and not filled with heavy-handed sex jokes , celebrity cameos or fashion statements .",
      "a miscalculation of feminine power so extreme that our country 's threat level should immediately be raised .",
      "overly long , superficial and shallow . their closets have been updated but not their sensitivity .",
      "a ghastly mess , and a stake in the heart of the great tv series .",
      "very limited shots of new york city , destroying a beloved character , and the girls have all matured and are no longer what sex and the city was and has been about .",
      "it is not the fashion or the romance we tune in to see but the bond between the women who acknowledge that they are each other 's soul mates",
      "the tagline states that we should ` carrie on . ' the publicity dept. almost got it right , but the spelling 's off . it needs to be ` carrion ' because nothing says putrefying , rotten and vile quite like this sequel .",
      "MOV delivers clunky jokes , unengaging plot twists and characterizations and , worst of all , it 's ugly to look at .",
      "MOV gives the fans what they want : more of everything . haters will continue to hate it , but it 's not for them anyway .",
      "glamour porn with fashion that looks like lady gaga at a wal-mart shopping spree and a plot that at times is cinematic roadkill . nonetheless , these are still likable and entertaining characters . the movie did its job and because of that , i enjoyed it .",
      "disposable , glitzy fun lacking depth or staying power , MOV is the cinematic version of karaoke : a giddy , silly hoot best enjoyed in tipsy groups .",
      "it 's slower and more of an eye-roller than the first film , but also a lot more about the women .",
      "the only thing memorable about MOV is the number two part , which describes it totally , if you get my drift .",
      "in this second screen incarnation of the fabulous hbo series , the satire is sagging , the irony 's atrophied and the funny is flabby .",
      "rights most of the wrongs of its predecessor , reclaiming all of the intelligence , humanity and humor audiences received when the series was airing . most important , spending time with carrie & co. is once again a blast . the real them had been missed .",
      "some of these people make my skin crawl . the characters of MOV are flyweight bubbleheads living in a world which rarely requires three sentences in a row .",
      "one wrongheaded jaw-dropper follows another , from samantha 's description of a gay manservant as `` paula abdul '' to a comic climax in which the ladies escape an angry male mob by wearing hijabs and abayas given to them by like-minded muslim women .",
      "honestly , by the time they ride camels , it 's ishtar in designer gowns .",
      "here 's another measure of how drastically the recession has affected american culture : sex and the city is n't fun anymore .",
      "there 's a beating human heart at the origin of the sex and the city behemoth , but this unwelcome , undignified sequel does everything it can to bury it .",
      "if sex and the city was star wars for girls , then MOV is the empire strikes back . the ladies of sex and the city still are sexy , sassy and living large .",
      "a new nadir . it 's a movie that ignores just about every one of the show 's good aspects and plays up everything bad - all while lasting an unforgivably long 146 minutes .",
      "michael patrick king throws carrie bradshaw & co. under the intellectual bus , making them do monumentally stupid things to satisfy the plot 's demands .",
      "sarah jessica parker is now 45 years old , and , frankly , i can not stomach another moment of the simpering , mincing , hair-tossing , eyelash-batting little-girl shtick she 's been pulling ever since l.a. story .",
      "as for sarah , looking like what the cat dragged in and then spit out , she 's forgotten how to act . whenever she 's on screen , an immediate lack of energy is apparent . it 's as if the screen 's a black hole sucking up life like a bounty towel on baby drool .",
      "`` memaws on mid-life support . '' to see this movie again , you 'd have to grab me by the barneys and push me hard through the dior .",
      "the film 's tone-deaf cultural awareness extends to a boozy karaoke rendition of `` i am woman '' which is equal parts naďve/patronising .",
      "when the best scenes in a movie feature liza minnelli singing `` single ladies '' and the foursome singing `` i am woman , '' you know the concept has lost its sparkle .",
      "i realize that gaudy fantasy is essential to this franchise , but why does the fantasy have to be so stunted ?",
      "best to quit now while there are still a few bubbles left in the champagne .",
      "sex and the city has turned into a bloated juggernaut of pointlessness . its female characters are now beyond unbearable , none more so than carrie .",
      "there 's a half-hour of good stuff to be had in this big-screen sequel ... unfortunately , it 's preceded by nearly two hours of listless filler .",
      "carrie is presented as some kind of empowering female image . that 's scary because she 's really more of an old school stereotype as she chases romantic clichés while pretending to write her own rules .",
      "i lost count of the number of times the filmmakers dropped the word `` sparkle '' into the script ; no doubt they thought they were going for gold , but they 've created a load of ratners .",
      "the movie completely unravels into a pastiche of wish-fulfillment , slapstick , and ham-handed social commentary .",
      "thanks to writer-director michael patrick king , i now have a fair idea how it might feel to be stoned to death with scented candles .",
      "earth hath not anything to show more fatuous than this sequel to an already otiose movie of the hit television series .",
      "runs approximately the same length as the first film -- that is to say , an excessive 150 minutes -- yet it ca n't seem to find time for any genuine emotion or a compelling storyline",
      "this is the new torture porn .",
      "king ca n't keep a straight face for long enough to make it work , sabotaging his own characters for the sake of a shallow karaoke number . do n't sing along .",
      "with writer/director michael patrick king and the whole gang back , ` MOV ' is as dry as the country they leave the city for .",
      "if you are contemplating watching the film , you 'd be better off with a night in and the box set . cosmopolitans optional .",
      "once again , michael patrick king packs four movies into two and a half hours , and yet there 's not quite enough substance for one film . there plenty of snappy one-liners and silly situations , but it will severely test the patience of any non-fan .",
      "sex 2 : narcissism run rampant .",
      "it 's all talk and no action .",
      "it takes everything that was bad about the first sex and the city movie , and nothing that was good about the sex and the city tv series , and mixes it together with a bit of racism to create something even worse .",
      "these girls are so hung up on looking great they 've forgotten there are several ways to be ugly .",
      "so long as you 're happy to suspend your sense of reality and turn a blind eye to the lack of depth in the story , you 'll still find some enjoyment with our favourite fab four .",
      "there 's only one thing worse than faking an orgasm : faking laughter . shame on you , MOV , for being a 2.5-hour laughless fake-a-thon that never finds the right spot .",
      "while i think it 's cute that people get all dressed up and have little parties going to this movie , the actual film is a hellish , embarrassing abomination .",
      "whenever the light is just right and the angle is just plain wrong , each star gets an unflattering close-up that leaves them looking like drag-queen stand-ins .",
      "on behalf of all sane and sensitive americans , let me be one of the first to apologize to the middle east and the arab world for MOV .",
      "twelve years , one beloved hbo series , and two feature films on , the sex and the city gals have been reduced to bratz dolls for grown women .",
      "i loved MOV , enjoying every single campy , over-the-top moment . it 's a crime that we have to wait possibly another two long years for the next installment to possibly come out . what 's up with that ?",
      "it 's supposed to be sex and the city . this is sects and the souk .",
      "MOV has very little sex , and not a lot of city . bad move .",
      "the stakes are so low that , during the girls ' final madcap sprint through an outdoor market disguised in burqas , the unspeakable outcome they 're trying to forestall is the possibility of having to fly home in coach .",
      "early in MOV , i started a list of things that could easily be cut because they go nowhere . it 's a long list .",
      "thank jimmy choo for feminism ! am i right , ladies ? i mean , not the nasty hairy feminism that 's all about equal pay and publicly subsidized day care and all that nonsense ...",
      "though the 2 in the title implies a double shot of everything fans loved about the series , there is less .",
      "although the movie repeatedly gives glossed lip service to feminism , it actually gives detractors who said the series perpetrated shallow female stereotypes a huge , glittery , indefensible target .",
      "the girls are older but not much wiser making this a movie only their devoted fans will enjoy .",
      "fans and fashionistas will sit back and savour MOV . everyone else will probably conclude you can have too much of a good thing .",
      "any emotional intelligence or investment made in the television series is crushed into dust under a signature louboutin sole , and then cast into the ` arabian ' desert along with any shred of the actresses ' dignity .",
      "it may be easy to dismiss it as a merely superficial experience : it 's all about the clothes , the shoes , the designer life , and of course that 's part of it . but it 's also about the lives of these women that we 've shared for twelve years now .",
      "a movie that does nothing but push its target audience 's pleasure buttons is destined to be an abomination , a camp classic or both .",
      "where the middle east is rendered with all the insight and sensitivity of a hope and crosby",
      "shoes , money , outfits , shoes , vagina , money , shoes , jewelry , outfits , money , shoes .",
      "acutely aware of the gfc , writer/director michael patrick king looks to depression-era hollywood for guidance .",
      "lock them all up and throw away the key is what i say .",
      "there 's still enough of the sex and the city magic for those who fell in love with the show more than a decade ago . nothing is as smart as it was ; it 's not as edgy , it 's not as cute , it 's sagged a bit . but then , have n't we all ?",
      "an insult to the memory of the cleverly written show and its celebration of friendship , it 's a slap in the face for the four gal pals -lrb- often photographed at unflattering angles -rrb- and an affront to muslims .",
      "the first satc film was such a downbeat snooze that one assumed it could n't get worse . but it can - and it does .",
      "women , this is n't empowerment ; it 's like watching us weekly prank call the new york times .",
      "bad puns , fashion porn , domestic handwringing , contrived plot points , idiotic dialogue and offensive stereotypes . what 's not to loathe ?",
      "as tasteless as an arabian cathouse , as worn-out as your 1998 flip-flops and as hideous as the mom jeans carrie wears with a belly-baring gingham top , MOV is two of the worst movies of the year .",
      "i enjoyed these characters more when they were rich , rather than obscenely rich , when their self-involvement and life crises had one foot on planet earth -- and when they were n't all gussied up like mae west in sextette .",
      "there are heisty hijinks involving lost passports and spice bags and menopause drugs and `` inter-friend-tions , '' but they all just blow pointlessly around in the desert dust .",
      "even director michael patrick king , known for his sense of excess , seems to recognize that we 've been down this road before , and we know where it ends .",
      "though the sequel is a welcome return of the four women we know and love , it 's tough not to acknowledge that if we were all friends in real life , at this point we 'd probably stop taking their calls .",
      "king and his cast seem content to put everything on autopilot and hope glamour and shopping sprees will be enough to carry them . nothing much happens -- and it takes 2.5 hours for it not to happen in .",
      "the nasty critic assault is a ` veiled ' attack on sexual empowerment of older women . and makes it seem that females are pariahs more here than the mideast . if only these ` make war not love ' critics were as outspokenly outraged against the us military there",
      "these characters had a great run , but based on this sorry sequel , there 's nothing interesting left to do with them .",
      "a perfectly pleasant way to spend a couple of hours . the vitriol directed against this movie mostly has to do with the ageism and sexism of the reviewers rather than its merits .",
      "same old silliness , only worse .",
      "all four women step up onto a karaoke stage in abu dhabi and give a rousing rendition of `` i am woman '' surrounded by a bevy of belly dancers . there is just so much wrong with that image that it 's hard to know where to start . but then again , why bother ?",
      "it 's like a magic carpet ride for barbie dolls in which designer fashion and life 's frustrations play on a bed of friendship . it ends up with little sex or city , falling short of its promise .",
      "this is by far the lamest grumpy old men sequel yet .",
      "parents , lock up your fanboys ! ... admittedly , annoying these computer trolls sounds like reason enough to give MOV a hearty recommendation , but the truth of the matter is that this follow-up to the 2008 smash does n't quite measure up .",
      "i am a man . i am straight . i really liked the tv show . i am tired of this shtick . and no samantha , i did n't just say dick .",
      "it 's an obscenity , hopefully a death knell for a franchise that should go gracefully into that good night .",
      "MOV is even worse than its predecessor -- a shallow cash grab that suffers from a bloated runtime and lack of story .",
      "it 's self-indulgent , way too long and never as clever or funny as it 's intended to be .",
      "perhaps it 's time to call it a day .",
      "the film might have triumphed as a musical : camp , virtually plotless , and liberally sequined . but sadly this sequel is not sex and the city -- it is menopause in the desert , and a waste of four great characters .",
      "as carrie might type on her laptop while giving one of her girly little shrugs , when did sex and the city become so long and mean so little ?",
      "the gossamer-thin plot is more flimsy than some of the characters ' dresses and at 146 minutes , the sequel overstays its welcome by the best part of an hour .",
      "the sequel is too long and is missing that sparkle and surprise factor which made the series and first film so enjoyable . even samantha 's character felt forced and overdone .",
      "... a moving , surprisingly traditional ` women 's picture ' in ridiculous , overpriced clothing .",
      "filled with lame niqab jokes that could have been lifted out of ishtar , or a bad episode of family guy .",
      "that charlotte would then deny her jewish husband 's name because she wants to enjoy the proffered ultra-deluxe freebie , explaining , `` this is the middle east , '' is arguably despicable ."
    ],
    "summary": "straining under a thin plot stretched to its limit by a bloated running time , MOV adds an unfortunate coda to the long-running hbo series .",
    "id": "770805765"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1083436-1083436-out_of_sight",
    "reviews": [
      "as coy and unsettling in its violence as in its sex -- the carnage is abrupt , ugly , and very funny -- out of sight keeps facile formula out of mind .",
      "out of sight is n't just a rousing piece of entertainment , it 's also a cinematic salvage operation .",
      "out of sight is a good-looking , inventively filmed movie . it also teems with terrific supporting performances .",
      "out of sight may go down in the annals of film as the movie in which george clooney learned to keep his head still -- and became a leading man .",
      "clooney and lopez are so laid back , they anesthetize the proceedings .",
      "this great cast , soderbergh 's dynamic direction and leonard 's signature style make this one raw , fun and smart caper .",
      "director steven soderbergh gleefully lobs curves right up to the end of this sly , sleek crime thriller .",
      "sexy , funny crime-thriller has it all .",
      "with out of sight , steven soderbergh returns to cracking form with a sharp , funny , classy movie that leaves a wry grin on your face long after the credits roll .",
      "this zany screen adaptation of elmore leonard 's novel perfectly catches its funky portrait of idiosyncratic characters dealing with the craziness of human desire .",
      "out of sight is slick in all the right ways .",
      "clooney is the most impressive he 's been on film . jack foley feels real , not like some hollywood improvisation . foley is charming , handsome , graceful , cultured , energetic and disciplined . he just ca n't stop committing crimes .",
      "soderbergh understands the flaky , funny spirit of leonard 's characters and he gets his cast to express it .",
      "the movie is wonderfully cast -- it has the strongest bench of any movie this year , with albert brooks and don cheadle in key supporting roles .",
      "in playing a career criminal who ca n't get a break , clooney has finally found a movie role that adroitly showcases his smoldering good looks and smart-aleck demeanor .",
      "across landscapes from sunny south florida to snowy detroit , george clooney and jennifer lopez deliver a sizzling , palpable heat in out of sight .",
      "by turns bleak , funny , touching , sexy and poignant , with bursts of violence that rise like sudden geysers from a still pool , out of sight is chock-full of dead-on performances .",
      "its effortless cool and flawless ensemble make it the best translation of an elmore leonard book yet .",
      "the characters all seem to have known each other for years , referring to long-held grudges and resentments that only gradually are revealed to the audience . they 're a seedy , petty , dangerous and delightful bunch .",
      "after many mishaps , the art of bringing elmore leonard 's novels to the screen is coming to fruition . this latest adaptation , by director steven soderbergh and screenwriter scott frank , gets it just about right .",
      "great crime picture , with interesting performances , unique style and an intertwining , captivating plot .",
      "one of the more self-assuredly casual hollywood films to come around in quite awhile .",
      "it 's amazing that a film based on one of his novels has realized how to appropriately connect two characters emotionally with their audience .",
      "it does not push the outside of the envelope , but it gets its job done .",
      "for george clooney and jennifer lopez , out of sight stands as their best work .",
      "while out of sight boasts a terrific cast , the spotlight rarely moves far from george clooney and jennifer lopez , who deliver knockout performances .",
      "loads of fun .",
      "it is one of the first films to build successfully upon pulp fiction 's legacy .",
      "this is pure pulp pleasure , the cinematic equivalent of great beach reading ... and what better way is there to describe the work of elmore leonard ?",
      "with a savory score by cliff martinez complementing its every move , ` sight ' serves up a cornucopia of great moments , lines and performances .",
      "there 's a heist , a jail break , and a flawless melding of comedy and drama and steven soderbergh ties it together like a master .",
      "clooney and lopez sizzle in gun-happy heist flick .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- now-classic romantic comedy -- with plenty of action and suspense .",
      "there is n't a character in the large , excellent cast that does n't emerge with depth and precision .",
      "much of the action seems more like warmed-over quentin tarantino than first-rate steven soderbergh .",
      "a darkly amusing and sly romantic comedy about an accident-prone bank robber -lrb- george clooney -rrb- who falls in love with the sexy federal marshal -lrb- jennifer lopez -rrb- on his tail .",
      "easily the best film i 've seen in 1998 .",
      "out of sight works both as a great romance and a great , unconventional crime thriller . but step back from such distinctions , and it just looks like a great movie .",
      "george clooney and jennifer lopez sizzle in this sexy , sly and snappy crime caper from director steven soderbergh , that neatly combines its 1970s heist-picture roots with sparkling romantic comedy .",
      "out of sight may be the first movie that has truly gotten an elmore leonard novel on screen , in all its hangdog wit and fractured-jigsaw form .",
      "clooney and lopez work well together ...",
      "some reviewers have applauded out of sight for its nuances of character , but i and others do n't see any characters at all .",
      "it 's refreshing to find a picture like out of sight , which is not only smart , but a great deal of fun , as well .",
      "soderbergh takes real delight in giving his stars the star treatment .",
      "soderbergh plays it a little too cool , not allowing the story 's ironic and comedic rim shots to resonate .",
      "like get shorty , out of sight has been adapted with deftness and fidelity by scott frank , who knows exactly how to translate leonard 's narrative voice to the screen .",
      "out of sight is nothing less than pure dynamite !",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- forced me to revise upward slightly my middling opinion of george clooney . pair him with jennifer lopez again , and i 'll be real happy .",
      "all the fancy footwork serves to bog down the movie .",
      "steven soderbergh 's best film since sex , lies and videotape a decade ago .",
      "a pleasurable and genial jewel-heist tale that itself is just shy of being a real gem .",
      "george clooney has finally made a good movie .",
      "this one came out of left field and knocked my socks off .",
      "the film owes a lot of its style to those produced by quentin tarantino , focusing heavily on characterization and quirky cinematography and not just pounding out a linear storyline .",
      "... entertaining enough while you 're watching it , but instantly forgettable .",
      "it 's amusing , entertaining and intriguing , even though the second half is shaky , as the film makes a seemingly uncomfortable transition into more serious material .",
      "out of sight is best at electric scenes between its romantic leads . clooney and lopez have the kind of chemistry that classics are made of .",
      "a surprisingly good film that wo n't stay out of viewers ' minds .",
      "it 's best to think of this as a pulp fiction-lite clone , but a darn good clone .",
      "soderbergh and his longtime cinematographer elliot davis have given us an action film that looks as sleek and moody as krzysztof kieslowski 's red .",
      "this movie is so much better than most of the junk 1998 vomited upon us , that it 's hard to believe it was puked out of the same year .",
      "unlike tarantino 's plodding jackie brown , this blackly comic and sexy thriller does its source material , yet another elmore leonard novel , justice .",
      "from the deadpan line delivery of stars george clooney and jennifer lopez to the funky electric piano and wah-wah guitar on the soundtrack , this adaptation of elmore leonard 's 1996 crime novel stays hip and never breaks a sweat .",
      "soderbergh knows how to take the everyday crime thriller and make it sing .",
      "the impossibly glamorous and charismatic pair of clooney and lopez absolutely sizzle from their first moment together .",
      "has a cornucopia of corny characters .",
      "it 's gritty enough to stay true to the source material 's comedy-of-despair ethos , yet solid enough to pack a punch , and in doing so it makes for one of the better heist movies in some time .",
      "faintly melancholy and alluringly fatalistic , this mercurial romance passing as a crime thriller is slyly entertaining and darkly sexy .",
      "out of sight is another fine mess elmore leonard has got us into .",
      "soderbergh finds the perfect equilibrium between mainstream entertainment and arty panache , lacing this heist movie/romantic comedy with character-motivated time shifting , prominent freeze-frames , a funky soundtrack and an all-around hip vibe .",
      "george clooney 's transition from telly to movie star was confirmed by this sparky adaptation of an elmore leonard novel .",
      "from the first shot to the last , mr. clooney is in complete command of the screen in the assured manner of the biggest stars in the past , and he does n't need a ton of special effects and digital enhancement to generate excitement .",
      "steven soderbergh 's most ambitious and most accomplished work to date .",
      "a splendid reminder of just how assured , intelligent and involving soderbergh 's movies can be .",
      "an outstanding crime film from director steven soderbergh and screenwriter scott frank , who adapted elmore leonard 's novel .",
      "intelligent and intriguing .",
      "un divertissement aussi cool et intelligent qu'un ocean 's eleven qui s ` affiche sous un enrobage esthtique aussi solidement labor que celui de l'excellent the limey .",
      "with smart dialogue , good characters , and an excellent cast , out of sight easily smoothes over the rough spots in the plot and delivers on both the action and romantic fronts .",
      "solidly directed by soderbergh , with strong performances for the two principals as well as nice supporting turns from ving rhames , don cheadle and steve zahn .",
      "it 's all the little asides , the little throwaways , the unexpected small things that make this a delightful encounter .",
      "complementing films from bonnie and clyde to pulp fiction , out of sight delivers original material in a stylish manner .",
      "represents a piece of great moviemaking from a pulpish story that could have easily been obnoxious or unbelievable or both .",
      "as always with the best of leonard , it 's the journey , not the destination , that counts , and director soderbergh has let it unfold with dry wit and great skill .",
      "another of those stunningly well-written movies based on books by the very productive elmore leonard .",
      "george clooney takes the gruff , devil-may-care attitude of a humphrey bogart and blends it with the sexy charm of a cary grant to make out of sight the tv star 's most successful big-screen venture to date .",
      "in a summer filled with mega-hyped disappointments , out of sight proves the undeniable value of story , characterization , and -- most of all -- intelligence .",
      "all in all , this movie is a step or two above average . the writing , chemistry , editing , and momentum probably made up for any deficiencies ."
    ],
    "summary": "steven soderbergh 's intelligently crafted adaptation of the elmore leonard novel is witty , sexy , suprisingly entertaining , and a star-making turn for george clooney .",
    "id": "13912"
  },
  {
    "movie": "white_god",
    "reviews": [
      "the filmmaker was wise choosing a species known for its capacity for unconditional love to make his point , its perversion all the more emotionally wrenching .",
      "what holds kornél mundruczó 's scrappy film all together is its fierce and forceful political metaphor : society 's underdogs - be it ethnic minorities , the poor , the disenfranchised - if pushed too far , will bite back -lrb- in this case literally -rrb- .",
      "by turns dickensian , marxist and dystopian , it 's a movie as deliriously unclassifiable as it is expertly focused in its desire to provoke and entertain .",
      "unfortunately , whatever satisfaction you may derive from seeing assorted nasty human beings get what 's coming to them for betraying the trust of man 's best friend is watered down by vague social and political allegory .",
      "the whole production speaks well for the power of film ; it 's a serious stunner .",
      "intriguing , but the movie 's larger statement is n't clear .",
      "rarely does a film 's execution achieve or even exceed its director 's ambitions , but hungarian director kornel mundruczo 's `` MOV '' is that rare movie .",
      "the film is no more than wildly inventive , engaging , exciting and memorable , with faultless performances by all the humans , and by luke , bodie and a jack russell terrier mix named marlene . i can live with the disappointment .",
      "mundruczó 's camera is itchy , moving , darting , as if sniffing , a `` shaggy dog '' approach , little nudges and sneaks ever so closer in scenes where the dogs move closer to war with mankind .",
      "MOV is a feat of practical filmmaking ...",
      "beautifully shot and with an amazing breakthrough performance by zsófia psotta . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "sometimes the plot can be unrealistic and even ridiculous , but the movie works due to it 's excelent direction . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "a re-education about the butality of life in a post-socialist hungary . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "the movie 's sensibilities thowards animal violence transform into visual poetry . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "cinema in it 's purest form . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "in MOV , a dog named hagen is our protagonist , but he could easily represent any minority in the world . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "a hard and original analisis of society , it paralels with a lot of what 's going on today in the world . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "even if it 's hard to watch , this is a smart social metaphor , perfectly directed and performes . the dogs are great ! -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "more than the political metaphor we see on screen , the movie 's best parts are seeing 300 dogs on screen running through the streets of budapest . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "kornél mundruczó shows great ability to create atmosphere , generate emotion and get heartwarming performances from those who you 'd least expect ... -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "hungarian director kornél mundruczó downplays MOV as a `` genre experiment , '' but his film has real bite regardless .",
      "somewhere between the future shock allegories of the '70s and their tv spin-offs circa the abc movie of the week lies MOV .",
      "imagine an `` r '' rated lassie by way of spartacus . that 's kornél mundruczó 's MOV , a brutal but stirring fantasy about street dogs rising up against cruel and indifferent humans .",
      "a b revenge movie with a-plus direction by kornél mundruczó and a cast of canines so personable that even when they tear out people 's throats you still want to take them home .",
      "a rousing creature-feature thriller and political allegory , from hungarian director kornel mundrucz .",
      "the hand that feeds - and also brutalizes - is righteously bitten in `` MOV , '' a hungarian revenge fantasy that 's like nothing you 've seen on screen before .",
      "milo and otis by way of the birds by way of i spit on your grave .",
      "this is fascinating to watch on a purely elemental level , as mundruczó employs creative smoke-and-mirrors to make once cute dogs seem like menacing terrors .",
      "suffers at times from a scattershot tone ... -lrb- but -rrb- its marauding former pets and unresolved ending reminded me most of hitchcock 's `` the birds . '' that 's certainly not a bad film to aspire to while crafting a needed cautionary tale .",
      "... there is much to admire in this near exceptional film , and i guarantee you will be fully invested in the two leads .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't the first film to suggest that humanity 's cruel treatment of others will one day come back to haunt us . but it certainly makes its point with potent force .",
      "imagine a gritty version of the ` simpsons ' episode where santa 's little helper runs away and becomes a scary fighting mutt - shorn of the laddie subplot , alas .",
      "director kornél mundruczó goes big with allegory , violence , drama and sentiment , and the results are riveting .",
      "... could all just be an ineptly handled gag , like the agit-prop euro-benji film it occasionally resembles .",
      "i want to hug all the dogs in MOV , as well as thank them for their performances in this intense and moving drama .",
      "it 's ruthless but sentimental , gritty but fanciful , drop-dead serious but also a little impossible to take seriously .",
      "makes lassie come home look like a stroll through pet smart .",
      "when the violence gets unbearable , take comfort in the troop of trainers on the sidelines who prove that , for now , man and beast still make a good team .",
      "the screen teems with vitality and energy whenever the dogs return to center stage .",
      "MOV wants audiences to be moved because stray dogs are persecuted like homeless people . but viewers are prodded to despise the one actual street person in the movie for taking advantage of a dog .",
      "director kornél mundruczó 's staging of the scenes in which the dogs take to the streets is breathtaking .",
      "MOV is perhaps the greatest dog movie made without cgi .",
      "a poignant hungarian parable about the terrible things that can happen when there is no reverence for dogs as fellow companions .",
      "it affects a general air of artistically inclined realism , but it 's mostly concerned with building tension via a steady accumulation of flatly conceived misery .",
      "striking , grim , darkly funny at times . but who , exactly , is going to want to watch a movie built around graphic dog abuse ?",
      "the more you command it to sit and stay-to settle down as a plausible plot , or to cohere as a political fable-the more it slips its leash and runs amok .",
      "a wonderful movie that scores high as political allegory , grand guignol , and coming-of-age drama .",
      "beauty and the beast with bared teeth .",
      "this gripping suspense story considers how any canine can become the unfortunate repository for its master 's darkest impulses .",
      "`` hungarian director kornél mundruczó 's brave and tantalizing movie ''",
      "who let the dogs out ? this is homeward bound : the incredibly harrowing journey ...",
      "MOV is an ambitious and thrilling , if a little uneven , canine-centric drama .",
      "mundruczó skillfully weaves adventure , coming-of-age , prison-escape and revenge-thriller tropes into a mythic , emotional and visceral experience that poses moral questions about how people treat animals and how people treat people .",
      "this powerful hungarian drama features the al pacino of dog actors .",
      "a beautiful and bizarre film that veers between gritty realism and haunting fantasy , and from a human perspective to a dog 's - eye-view of the world .",
      "MOV is n't for everyone . but it is an unflinching , extraordinary piece of film-making .",
      "this is an entertaining , technically accomplished work , but unlike the 1982 samuel fuller race-relations thriller which the title references , its set-up ultimately proves distracting .",
      "superbly acted allegorical drama with a climax that is not only breathtakingly exciting but flawlessly handled .",
      "both a powerful statement for animal rights as well as a metaphorical commentary on the rise of racism in hungary today .",
      "a broad but often poignant allegory of oppression , it 's like the beautiful puppy of au hasard balthazar and the plague dogs .",
      "when it 's all said and done , `` MOV '' delivers an indictment of both sides , and its one that , despite its canine -lrb- anti- ? -rrb- heroes , rings with an undeniable sadness and human truth .",
      "... cheekily comments on how we often hide behind civilized culture to mask our basest natures .",
      "you remember the first shots , and the last , but the film never really finds its footing .",
      "you 'll feel like you 're watching something amazing .",
      "emotionally visceral , visually amazing movie with an underpinned social commentary that hits like a brick . see it .",
      "what it all means is open to interpretation . read it as a parable or as a horror movie . read it as the story of love between a girl and her dog . read it however you want . no matter what your take , you wo n't be disappointed .",
      "a startling , strange , and disturbing tale of dogs and men",
      "if someone wants to make a case that our four-legged actor friends deserve to be considered for oscar consideration , right alongside streep and mcconaughey , they need only offer MOV as evidence .",
      "MOV has all the moralistic themes and allegorical elements to make the film evergreen when applied to almost any social , political or socio-economic conflict .",
      "as a dark , eastern european take on `` benji the hunted , '' `` MOV '' holds some fascination . but as an indictment of the evil that men do , it 's all bark and no bite .",
      "MOV is a breathtaking beast of its own .",
      "an astonishing live-action fable in a dog-eat-dog world .",
      "a sort of apocalyptic fable in which the maltreatment of lowly animals becomes a potent metaphor for everything from immigration to the abuse of power ...",
      "... a triumphantly idiosyncratic film with smarts and visceral impact in equal measure .",
      "it is a fantasia of canine madness that looks sometimes like a horror-thriller based on something by james herbert or stephen king - and sometimes like a tribute to hitchcock 's the birds . except that this time it 's the dogs .",
      "kornel mundruczo 's sixth and best feature is an emotionally rousing , technically masterful man-vs . - dog adventure .",
      "even those who do n't buy in completely to mundruczo 's parable will be impressed by his canine crowd scenes , staged with ambition , skill and genuinely original vision .",
      "engrossing , and open to any number of metaphorical readings -- but not for people who ca n't handle simulated animal abuse in movies .",
      "think `` the incredible journey '' crossed with `` the birds '' crossed with `` rise of the planet of the apes . '' or maybe just imagine `` cujo '' as told from the dog 's point of view . do n't take grandma .",
      "it all pays off with an astounding , extended climax that is as rousing and exciting as it is frightening - one of the most surreal experiences i 've ever had watching a movie .",
      "the obviousness of the message -- follow the right leader -- would be more tolerable in a less badly acted , less shoddy-looking film .",
      "a mixed-genre fable that evokes dickensian melodrama , coming-of-age tropes and outright horror .",
      "kornél mundruczó knows not of subtlety . the hungarian director 's brash new feature MOV is over the top in all kinds of ways , for better and worse .",
      "call the shelter ; this one 's a keeper .",
      "dogs run wild in budapest . suggests a canine version of alfred hitchcock 's `` the birds . ''",
      "MOV offers a dark - very dark - take on the way humans exert authority , and superiority , over our fellow creatures ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is n't an easy watch , but its soaring ambition and powerful acting -- human and canine alike -- make it well worth the effort .",
    "id": "771380388"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1109137-heist",
    "reviews": [
      "a perfectly pleasurable ride .",
      "nothing tremendous but certainly entertaining in its own right and for what it 's trying to be and do .",
      "MOV is not so much a fleshed-out cinematic experience as a shallow exercise in con games .",
      "see it if you like really good MOV movies !",
      "david mamet 's films regurgitate every clever quip he 's collected on bar napkins throughout the years .",
      "a kick to watch , but it feels like it could have been more .",
      "mamet the writer should have thrown his script over to an action pro , like john frankenheimer , to protect him from himself .",
      "the slick-but-skin-deep MOV is little more than an engagingly empty exercise .",
      "a no-frills , ice-cold , dead-serious caper flick in the classic tradition .",
      "solidly entertaining and surprisingly free of the mamet-isms that can suck the life right out of the most tightly crafted story .",
      "structured as a trick within a trick within a trick , mamet 's latest contribution to film noir is a mildly entertaining crimer that nonetheless exposes his strenuous efforts to outsmart the audience .",
      "-lsb- mamet -rsb- is a giant in several areas , but i 'm not sure moviemaking is one of them .",
      "captivating david mamet movie for grownups .",
      "it 's one of mamet 's best . it 's also one of hackman 's best , most mercurial performances .",
      "your typical MOV film with a few improvements .",
      "the methodical planning of the caper is completely mesmerizing .",
      "como em todo roteiro escrito por mamet , os diálogos săo excelentes e a trama é engenhosa - mas desta vez o excesso de reviravoltas acaba comprometendo o resultado final .",
      "this is a world not unlike superhero comics , only in this world the heroes have the superhuman ability to knock down buildings with a split-second comeback line .",
      "mamet plays his cards carefully enough to raise the performances into a meditation on the nature of trust itself .",
      "MOV is better than the score , not because it is more surprising or the actorly turns by the principals better realized , but simply because it is better written and the direction is more fluid .",
      "it 's only skin deep .",
      "the robbery is intriguing enough , but a pity that the film lacks david mamet 's signature dialogue .",
      "it 's 99 and 44/100 % pure mamet all the way .",
      "as a caper movie , MOV is as good as any you 'll see . as a david mamet movie , it leaves something to be desired .",
      "despite mamet 's extensive experience , it is both sloppily written and surprisingly unpolished .",
      "a satisfying caper written and directed by a masterful craftsman and starring a perfect cast of leads and supporters .",
      "fast-paced entertainment that does n't pander .",
      "`` MOV '' is a smartly-written caper movie with sparkling dialogue . while it is too cute to be believable , it is still a very classy bit of filmmaking .",
      "mamet 's cerebral thriller is a joy to watch -- this is easily the director 's toughest , grittiest drama to date .",
      "the story is like a bad mountain road : full of twists , turns , and huge potholes , with mamet driving through it about ten miles an hour , his direction too slack and lackadaisical to build much tension or suspense .",
      "MOV is n't nearly as teasingly clever as mamet 's the spanish prisoner or house of cards , but it does show hackman at the top of his game .",
      "full of action and suspense , MOV is above all a gratifyingly adult entertainment .",
      "thanks to the writing and story structure , MOV is more satisfying as a character study .",
      "once you pull away its layers and discount the occasional running , jumping and gunplay , is simply more of the same .",
      "a swift , busy and almost preeningly generic crime movie .",
      "a minor work by a major guy .",
      "a hard-boiled winner .",
      "david mamet drives us crazy with a characteristically convoluted caper film that 's a lot more about attitude and sleight of hand than it is about action . mischievous , but you really have to go with the flow .",
      "a caper movie covered in the profane icing of mametian dialogue but stuffed with tedious mametian plot wrinkles .",
      "it 's less plot-driven than the score but is more satisfying because of what mamet leaves out .",
      "you 'll need 10 minutes to learn the pattern of david mamet 's the MOV , after which it will become a typical shallow caper film .",
      "revisits a lot of old turf , but brings the welcome dimension of hackman , lindo , and jay .",
      "once you recognize that each new development is nothing more than a prelude to another con , any sense of tension is moot .",
      "MOV is the kind of caper movie that was made before special effects replaced wit , construction and intelligence .",
      "yeah , things spiral out of control toward the bloated ending , but the film 's wonderfully barbed nature keeps this sting sharp .",
      "rare for mamet , that talk here sometimes comes off as strained and awkward , or as a slightly highbrow variation on the usual hackneyed bon mots of generic action films .",
      "essentially a genre piece overdecorated with phrases , quirks and narrative slipknots with a mannered look-at-me cleverness .",
      "if it piles on more psychological fake-outs than is safe in a setup this size -- well , at least it 's got that talk , that language , that thing mamet does that is at this point as identifiable as the cadences of the bard .",
      "MOV is smart , beautifully written , wonderfully plotted and brought to life by a terrific cast . we 're not sure it gets much better than that .",
      "there are dialogue-driven scenes in this movie that will blow you away -- nobody writes like mamet at the top of his game .",
      "there is some clever dialogue and a few neat little twists , but the crosses , double crosses , and triple crosses go on for so long , it gets to be a bit too much .",
      "as clever as MOV is at times , it often seems to outsmart itself -- that is , there 's at least one plot twist -lrb- and character twist -rrb- too many , and too many scenes rely on contrivances that strain credibility .",
      "MOV is a phoned-in job .",
      "MOV is satisfying in other ways , particularly seeing the terrific cast ... chew at mamet 's dialogue like hollywood film actors starved for substance .",
      "passable but never exciting .",
      "mamet does n't just give us an enthralling MOV flick , he makes the language something to savor .",
      "for fans of the sting and other classic cons , this will sound like jackpot time . for others , who prefer their capers less tidy or self-consciously clever , this exercise may carry all the excitement of a drugged mouse in a maze .",
      "not nearly as clever or engrossing as the best of mamet 's numerous neo-film noir scripts .",
      "unlike the score , which tested viewers ' patience until the climactic robbery with self-indulgent dramatics and cardboard dialogue , MOV has you in its grip from the get-go .",
      "avoids sentimentalizing or glamorizing the material , keeping it dry and always with an ironic edge",
      "a lively caper film with snappy dialogue and interesting characters .",
      "... enough to keep one 's attention , certainly , but the film is n't nearly as persuasive as some of -lrb- mamet 's -rrb- previous work .",
      "una cinta entretenida , bien llevada , mejor escrita , y con grandes actuaciones . se necesita ms para pagar la entrada a la sala ?",
      "a throwback to the kind of hard-boiled yarns the late don siegel used to crank out in his sleep .",
      "if the journey is familiar , however , it 's still enjoyable , as one team of thieves tries to trip up another . there are more broken alliances , double-crosses and hidden agendas here than you 'd find in a whole season of `` survivor . ''",
      "this is so incredibly below average , very disappointing . once again the writing is at fault and it 's just baffling because of who 's at the helm .",
      "very disappointing new action flick by mamet . not worth a trip to the theatre for this one ...",
      "the story turns tedious as the characters take turns stabbing each other in the back . every successive plot twist becomes easier to foresee .",
      "the real pleasure is found in a cast of actors who are smart , energetic craftsmen that are good at their jobs .",
      "a solidly entertaining caper flick with great performances , intelligent and fun dialogue , and expertly crafted plotting .",
      "featuring charming criminal masterminds going up against more venal , not to mention foolish , operators , pulling off all manner of delightful double crosses along the way .",
      "as capers go , MOV is considerably less than thrilling .",
      "while staccato dialogue and edgy confrontations have always been the wordsmith 's forte , the precision-tooled mechanics of an elaborate crime caper have not , and the physical direction here could use some muscle .",
      "MOV not only reminds us that there 's a little larceny in all of us , but reminds us as well how much fun it can be to commune with our inner thief .",
      "the score got away clean , without resorting to violence . MOV is n't so lucky . this house of cards goes down in a hail of bullets .",
      "the viewer 's biggest challenge is to survive fits of yawning so violent they could disrupt ornithic migratory patterns .",
      "not as cool as the score , but still decent grown-up fun .",
      "the problem , is the plot , this has been done before and it seems tired , but hey , this is mamet we 're talking about and if anyone can redeem a mediocre plot , he can ... and he does .",
      "MOV lacks the smugness of mr. mamet 's state and main but never reaches the wit-quota of his the spanish prisoner and wag the dog . even if it 's not memorable mamet , it 's a largely intriguing movie .",
      "so it 's not original . but MOV gets its snap and crackle from the precise language .",
      "a whirl of action going nowhere fast .",
      "betrayal only works if we care who ends up with whom , and mamet fails to interest the audience in anything outside the macho banter .",
      "what MOV lacks in novelty it makes up for in solid entertainment .",
      "MOV is mamet 's biggest and most accessible thriller to date , and if you 've never seen any of his films , the movie will work its devilish magic . but for the initiated , MOV carries a whiff of disappointment .",
      "it is a pleasure to be captivated by mamet , the master of tired , tough , talk .",
      "people who liked mamet 's glengarry glen ross will like this movie .",
      "the convoluted caper at the heart of MOV is a sure sign that writer/director david mamet has been trying way too hard .",
      "mamet serves up a satisfying entree .",
      "a self-indulgent exercise in senseless word-love and misguided nepotism .",
      "a neat , bouncy , minor-key crime procedural that shakes no rafters .",
      "works in spite of itself , due to the fantastic cast and mamet 's crackling dialogue .",
      "it 's consistently fun , occasionally funny , and will have viewers on the edges of their seats on more than one occasion .",
      "mamet has just become lazy with this one .",
      "the cast is brilliant , the plotting ingenious , the dialogue incendiary .",
      "great verbiage aside , the red herrings and manipulations boil down to too much of a good thing .",
      "a decent movie with some good acting , but it is probably more of a renter .",
      "an exhilaratingly tense thriller that benefits from an elaborate array of rapid-fire twists and the sharp , delicious , cadence of david mamet dialogue .",
      "a smartly written crime caper .",
      "mamet can be an engaging cinematic con artist , but it 's a lot more enjoyable to watch him making his money the old fashioned way : earning it .",
      "while MOV does n't exactly rank alongside classics like house of games and the spanish prisoner , it certainly has a beat that you can dance to .",
      "smart cinema , with a storyline that holds together and dialogue that stimulates your intellect like other movies ' car chases stimulate your adrenal gland .",
      "mamet directs MOV , with excellent pacing , stylized camera work and high-charged dialogue .",
      "not awful but nowhere near as good as it should have been .",
      "does narrative cartwheels in a futile effort to outwit us ... you 'll probably emerge from the theatre thinking you 're the one who 's been robbed .",
      "engaging , surprising , and sometimes quite funny",
      "there 's something offensive about how mamet continues to win praise as a serious filmmaker with such a joyless picture , a picture that -- intentionally -- gives the audience so little .",
      "as smart as a pail full of grown-up tomcats .",
      "i could n't believe any of it on any level , though it could be described as ` fun . '",
      "if mamet is n't quite as ahead of the audience as he usually is , his ear for crackling dialogue and intelligent attention to detail is still very much in evidence .",
      "MOV falls short of brilliance , but like house of games , mamet 's directorial debut , its effortless slight-of-hand is satisfying .",
      "the movie is super fun , even if some of its tricks seem to strain credulity .",
      "the film noir that mamet strives for is lost in the many twists and turns of plot manipulation that make up the bulk of `` MOV . ''",
      "this cast is excellent . MOV , though , proves that enormously talented people can make a pretty lousy movie .",
      "this was another familiar formulaic MOV movie with nothing much new to offer this genre ..."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV did n't cover any new ground , but the cast and mamet 's expertise with witty banter make it worthwhile .",
    "id": "14390"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lantana",
    "reviews": [
      "a psychological thriller that emphasizes the psychology over the thrills . it 's a smart , heart-twisting picture .",
      "i grew to resent the way the storylines began to collide and converge -- it is n't a small world , it 's microscopic .",
      "characters and situations that are compelling on their own get shoved together in ways that feel forced and fake , as if there are only a dozen people in sydney and they all know each other .",
      "lawrence tweaks the stereotypes and creates rich character studies that speak volumes about how we live now as well as what constitutes the basis of happiness .",
      "lawrence 's storytelling skills do n't seem to have eroded -- if anything , they may have gotten even stronger .",
      "has a refreshingly keen ability to see everything from multiple angles .",
      "the film is as dense as its namesake , and it reminds us how few contemporary thrillers are adult .",
      "MOV , as coiled and thorny as its title suggests , gets its chilling energy from lapaglia 's quiet intensity .",
      "if some of the connections stretch credulity , an exquisite ensemble cast ... inhabit their characters with a subtle authenticity .",
      "even in its quiet moments , the movie is possessed by a moody , tenebrous aura that reflects the characters ' state of mind .",
      "the thorns in this film prick real blood , the color of which too few films can or care to examine . it is fine stuff indeed .",
      "MOV is so rich in secondary characters and performances it 's hard to mention them all . but you will certainly appreciate them .",
      "smolders but never explodes .",
      "an engaging and absorbing drama that rings true thanks to the cast and crew who excel at their respective crafts .",
      "the emotional experience of `` MOV '' is heightened by its marvelous ensemble cast , all of whom etch a character in relatively brief screen time .",
      "these are , for the most part , believable and honest characters , though i 'm not sure they always behave the way they would in real life .",
      "MOV has more than the usual dramatic quota of unhappiness , but it 's alive in each scene , beautifully shot , and directed by lawrence with fierce care for subtleties .",
      "one of the best .",
      "solving the mystery of the dead body would be enough for most hollywood movies . in MOV , it 's merely a device to launch us into more rewarding explorations .",
      "lawrence arrays their outstanding work in sensual , fluent fashion , making a bright , shiny and attractive movie out of the dim , dark hearts of his characters .",
      "imagine american beauty crossbred with ingmar bergman 's scenes from a marriage and transposed down under , except that MOV has a cool sense of tragedy and surprising reserves of passion that are all its own .",
      "this richly nuanced psychological drama circles around the complicated subject of love and offers ample insights into some of the sources of emotional illiteracy .",
      "love is indeed the greatest mystery , and it 's a bit unfortunate that the filmmakers were n't content to simply explore that quandary instead of manufacturing another .",
      "a terrific , multi-layered , character-driven story ...",
      "neither writer nor director supply good reasons why these miserable moderns do what they do . but this leaves the actors to do what they like . and in this , MOV blooms with talent .",
      "the acting is top-notch , and lapaglia , who makes the cop 's torment palpable , gives the performance of his career .",
      "`` MOV '' never veers off its course , but its path twists and turns with a frantic glee reminiscent of `` magnolia ''",
      "that rare movie that can be called adult -- not because it incorporates a few frank sex scenes , but because it respects the complexity of grown-up relationships .",
      "while the contrivances tend to pile up rather uncomfortably ... the picture is saved -lrb- though barely -rrb- by its remarkable leads .",
      "mr. lapaglia , ms. armstrong , mr. rush and ms. hershey invest their roles with a profound humanity .",
      "from the cheating husband to the bereft parents , every character earns our sympathy at some point in the picture .",
      "directed ... with a deft , perceptive eye and ear for the delicate verbal and emotional intercourse of frayed human relationships .",
      "a movie that rivets attention and generates suspense by underscoring how seemingly disparate lives can become as entangled as the branches of a tropical shrub .",
      "what 's surprising is how easy it is to follow the plot , and how the coincidences do n't get in the way .",
      "a sensitive essay that dearly wants to be a feature film .",
      "the characters are believable . same with the dialogue .",
      "after seeing -lsb- lapaglia -rsb- in MOV , no one will ever look at him without recognizing an actor of the first rank .",
      "remarkably non-bummer viewing . bleak as its outlook is , it 's not so much psychodrama as psychocomedy of manners .",
      "the film is powerfully acted , with nary a weak performance to be found .",
      "it sounds pretty bleak . it is . and it 's slow . but it 's not bleak as in despairing and dull .",
      "well-realized characterizations are undermined by the strained and artificial developments of the plot .",
      "suffers from performances that are virtually all pitched to the same note of existential ennui .",
      "the performances are gritty , and director ray lawrence does a noble job of keeping the pace natural and real .",
      "a remarkably thoughtful drama .",
      "this is for fans of good acting , not good writing .",
      "lawrence constructs a vivid pastiche of human foibles , nicely flavored with a touch of suspense and some well-timed jolts of humor .",
      "implausible tale .",
      "the movie just seems to happen , to grow out of the ground like a thorny plant , revealing the intricate intelligence of its design only in hindsight .",
      "the scenario eventually becomes so coincidence-choked that the filmmakers have no choice but to play it for mild snickers .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- his reminded me a lot of robert altman 's best ...",
      "cutting up love -- in every dream house grows a MOV of heartache",
      "intriguing australian film that 's a must for independent film fans .",
      "warmly received at its world premiere -lrb- opening film , sydney film festival , june 8 , 2001 -rrb- , MOV is a film for film lovers , an engaging character study whose subjects are as varied as they are self-contradictory .",
      "a meditation on fidelity in marriage where the suspense and surprises stem from who has -- or has n't -- been betraying each other and how .",
      "it has a sensuality years away from the young faces and trainer-toned bodies we 've come to expect .",
      "it makes thoughts and emotional webs run wild in our heads , and leaves us unsure of how to describe them , simply by focusing on the complexity of people .",
      "the sort of movie that highbrow critics love to overrate ... it 's married with children for serious-minded folks without a sense of humor .",
      "the movie does n't have the appeal of a hitchcock psychological murder mystery . it 's more a well-acted study about the thorny landscape of relationships .",
      "as a mystery , `` MOV '' is memorable . but as a study in human relationships and the human condition , it 's unforgettable .",
      "... boldly , thoroughly , and honestly explores the difficulties of unconditional love in a society that teaches us that we should never deny our base appetites and impulses .",
      "a gripping story about real people trying to deal with an assortment of complex , bottled-up emotions .",
      "thoughtful , well-paced .",
      "a small , personal film , which ponders the importance of honesty , trust and love in a relationship .",
      "a gifted cast keeps the bummer moving forward with an intensity that 's a thrill to behold .",
      "a very adult picture with adult concerns that lingers in the mind the way so many of this year 's hollywood releases have not .",
      "a bit on the slow side .",
      "intricate , elegant , sophisticated and multilayered drama .",
      "a fascinating domestic drama -- wrapped in the trappings of a mystery -- that proves lawrence 's talents have lost none of their luster .",
      "deserves its accolades for , if nothing else , setting a tone for australian filmmakers and reaching a level to which they should now aspire .",
      "virtually all of the film 's drama is character driven . the motivations are unforced and believable .",
      "where `` MOV '' succeeds is by out smarting it 's audience . it is masquerading as a predictable thriller , but it 's far from that . it will keep you guessing til the very end",
      "a stark and haunting study of marital discord .",
      "MOV could n't quite pull off being both a mystery story and a psychological drama .",
      "a direct , affecting movie , one where every character hangs suspended between loneliness and the possibility of love .",
      "MOV meets its coincidences head-on , with a wink and a nudge that -- abetted by a compelling story and performances -- cajole us into playing along .",
      "this is the sort of fiercely intelligent , emotionally gripping movie about people that almost never gets made any more .",
      "lawrence cast well and gets terrific performances all the way up and down the line .",
      "MOV is definitely a film that works better on a moment to moment basis than it does as a complete package .",
      "uno de los dramas más hermosos que se han filmado .",
      "a perceptive , powerfully acted psychodrama .",
      "a strong , consistently engrossing drama that boils with emotions distinctly real and recognizable .",
      "a nicely structured account of mid-life crises undergone by a group of australians who meet through dramatic circumstances .",
      "very effective acting talent , even if you 've never heard of the dozen who do n't enjoy above-the-title billing .",
      "MOV is ray lawrence 's aussie rendition of short cuts , a multi-character relationship saga disguised as a bubbling thriller .",
      "the movie 's thriller hook is really just that : a hook , a pretext on which to hang some remarkably conceived and executed characterizations .",
      "MOV is no blockbuster , just exceptionally fine filmmaking .",
      "MOV 's strengths and weaknesses , like its characters , balance each other out .",
      "it 's walking a perilous tightrope with `` too stagy '' on the one side and `` too affected '' on the other , teetering and yawing alarmingly at times",
      "casts a spell that draws one into the murky waters of transgression .",
      "this well constructed film will keep you guessing until the end"
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an intricately plotted character study that quietly shines with authenticity .",
    "id": "16003"
  },
  {
    "movie": "two_days_one_night",
    "reviews": [
      "the dardennes take us into the ecosystem of need . by the time they are through , they 've cut a wide swath that covers most of the issues of the working class .",
      "a rare thing , a socio-economic thriller , with a moving performance by cotillard .",
      "less is more . that 's what the dardenne brothers are all about .",
      "none of this would work if cotillard 's performance were n't so forthright and deeply felt .",
      "jean-pierre and luc dardenne , comme d'habitude , deliver first-rate , suspenseful drama with an approach not unlike the cinéma vérité style associated with documentary filmmaking ...",
      "an intense and intimate experience that 's relentless in its warmth and chills . to date , depression has never felt so delicate and hypnotic on film .",
      "sooner or later , we all need a helping hand in our lives . but what happens when you need to convince people to extend one ?",
      "as a parable on karma , capitalism and darwinian corporate politics , `` two days , one night '' can often feel brutal . as a testament to connection , service , sacrifice and self-worth , it 's a soaring , heart-rending hymn .",
      "cannes film festival director thierry fremaux called it a `` belgian western , '' and it 's true ; echoes of `` high noon '' and others reverberate in its bones .",
      "throughout , cotillard , conveying shame and desperation without ever being showy about it , brings meaning to every movement and posture .",
      "some may find the journey slight , but there is nothing superficial in the film - from the emotional honesty of cotillard 's performance to the workplace injustice , bullyboy tactics and worker reactions as they are desperate to protect their own income",
      "maybe i just do n't get it , but this multi-awarded film from the celebrated -lrb- and cannes regular -rrb- belgian dardenne brothers is not only slight - as in , without cinematic scale - it is a bit contrived and tedious",
      "set in a dehumanizing economy , this is a powerful film about rallying self-worth .",
      "many films probe the tragic lives scarred by joblessness or underemployment during this economic crisis , but few delve into going about somehow confronting those issues . and in the case of this film , the triumph of the human spirit despite everything .",
      "as usual , the dardenne brothers are never heavy-handed , but also not coy about their politics .",
      "community or the individual ? the dramatization of the conflict is pungent , but cotillard 's oscar-nominated performance -lrb- of a different register than her equally accomplished work in 2014 's the immigrant -rrb- is the shining center of i > two days .",
      "-lsb- cotillard -rsb- she oozes sadness from the seams , and lets us feel the deep hole that is depression without great swaths of self-pity or melodrama .",
      "marion cotillard delivers a stunningly naturalistic performance .",
      "compassionate , suspenseful drama , posing an intriguing ethical dilemma ...",
      "marion cotillard proves herself an undeniable force in the emotionally jarring two days , one night .",
      "coursing underneath the film 's calm , observant surface is a fury at a system that sets people in the same leaky boat at each other 's throats .",
      "the dardennes are aces at these small-scale human dramas , and two days , one night is almost without flaw ...",
      "by the end of `` two days , one night '' we 've not only met an unusual heroine and her dynamic husband , but feel like we 've gotten to know a small french town whose denizens offer various shadings of a simple moral issue with complex ramifications .",
      "cotillard 's pill-popping sandra handles every face-to-face meeting and twist and turn of her heartbreaking plight with such openness , honesty and decency she forces us to assess what we really need to live - and what we could do without .",
      "this is just another prime example of cotillard 's stunning abilities to transform herself in any role . i think we 're looking at a legendary actress emerging before our eyes .",
      "the best work that the dardennes have done , a study of the hobson 's choices facing workers in a period of wanton ruling class greed .",
      "yet another fine exercise in the dardennes ' impassioned neo-neorealism .",
      "the dardenne brothers - known for their scruffy , hand-held , realist aesthetic - have made another richly emotional film about friendship and community .",
      "cotillard 's is a tremendous performance of delicate variations , and it elevates two days , one night to another level of compassionate observation .",
      "not only urgent , but quite emotionally powerful .",
      "cotillard does a stirring job portraying the repeated triumph of will over fear ... a film that places value on the simple human attributes of empathy and sacrifice .",
      "if you 're concerned about the disappearance of ethics in the workplace , ` two days , one night ' is among the year 's most important films . if you 're unconcerned , wake up and absorb marion cotillard 's powerful performance . one of 2014 's top ten .",
      "cotillard looks dwindled and drained , leached of allure by the unkind pallor of the lighting .",
      "even when `` two days , one night '' drags a bit , cotillard 's performance remains compelling .",
      "yes , `` two days , one night '' is a story about courage , and resilience and victory . but it also suggests that sometimes the best victory one can wish for is the ability to keep fighting , one day longer .",
      "one of the year 's best films , and a career high for everybody involved in its creation .",
      "one emerges from the film with a battered , hard-won sense of optimism . it 's an unlikely vision of hope .",
      "... a better-than-average gritty drama ...",
      "the dardennes believe in human value and social order being rooted in a sense of solidarity , a staggering consciousness of community that brims with a sensitivity to place , movement , and emotion .",
      "the dardenne brothers are too wise in their storytelling to settle for easy exits . that makes their new film all the more powerful .",
      "cotillard shows us resignation , recommitment and rediscovery . but there 's never resentment , which creates the film 's thematic linchpin a social drama with real sting and a fascinating field study of life on the working class 's financial fringe .",
      "their struggles to make ends meet would be recognizable to many americans as well .",
      "in their own quiet and bluntly impassioned way , -lsb- the dardennes -rsb- take a plainly spelled-out sequence of events in the life of a working-class woman and manage to imbue them with more tension than i 've felt at many a so-called hollywood thriller .",
      "a moral story in the most explicit and moving way . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "it 's a neat , intimately dramatic variation of a ticking-clock premise and the dardennes keep it grounded with a minimum of emotive amperage . and yet , they achieve an extraordinary level of suspense . this is largely due to cotillard 's performance .",
      "does not shy away from the harsh truths of life , ; but , at the same time , it seeks out and reveals hope and potential in every situation",
      "the dardennes have been producing insightful and bleak slices of lower-class life for over a quarter century , but with its shattering star turn and tighter narrative structure , two days , one night is their most accessible movie yet .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he dardennes illustrate with compelling drama the struggle to stay afloat in an unrelenting capitalist system .",
      "it is in within these acutely observed aspects of humanity , not at its best or worst but simply as it is that two days , one night achieves its greatness .",
      "dardenne brothers and cotillard elevate writer 's - exercise storyline",
      "exceptionally crafted , with a bracing honesty that challenges the viewer , making it the rare offering of participatory art-house cinema .",
      "cotillard 's sandra is asking a question not only of her colleagues but of the audience , too : are we willing to put aside our own self-interest for the sake of empathy ? are we cowardly or brave ?",
      "there is plenty of intrigue beneath the surface , as the film uses the no-frills style of the dardennes to sharply probe office politics and socioeconomic strife , refusing to provide easy answers .",
      "it 's a film that captures humanity at its best and its worst , sometimes simultaneously .",
      "the premise is as simple as a biblical parable , and as densely packed with significance .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- slice of pressurized middle-class life ... so real , it feels a bit like a documentary .",
      "one of the year 's best , it 's beautiful in its modesty , reminding me in an odd way of films of perseverance like nights of cabiria and vivre sa vie .",
      "takes a damning look at how the modern economy handles the working class without ever overstating the case .",
      "cotillard is magnificent , her luminous eyes reflecting a soul in crisis . the dardenne brothers have created a film for its time , bristling with peril and alive to every flicker of human decency .",
      "the dardenne brothers expertly use confrontation to create great drama , and from that great drama arises quite the potent tale about principles in the face of hardship .",
      "a socialist epic in miniature , heartfelt and humane .",
      "cinephiles , do we have any idea how blessed we truly are ?",
      "human , honest , maybe not provocative . human and honest is not nothing .",
      "naturalistic and probing , in two days , one night , belgian brothers jean-pierre and luc dardenne tell an apparently simple , linear story with astonishing depth bolstered by another oscar-worthy turn from marion cotillard .",
      "this is a typically barebones plot from the dardennes , and the filmmakers manage to extract significant amounts of suspense , humanity and even a few dark laughs from sandra 's exchanges .",
      "cotillard is the movie 's focus and she offers perhaps her finest turn to date .",
      "the dardenne brothers consistently make compelling dramas that win awards , from rosetta -lrb- 1999 -rrb- to the kid with a bike -lrb- 2011 -rrb- , and this drama might be their best yet .",
      "a simple yet riveting drama ... cotillard 's tender , heartbreaking performance ... makes the message impossible to forget .",
      "the always luminous marion cotillard has two days , one night to get her job back in the harsh economic and social climate of this latest film by the dardenne brothers .",
      "two days , one night has the interpretive open-endedness of a parable , the ambiguity of an ethical thought experiment , and the limpid clarity of a folk ballad .",
      "compelling , and unwaveringly human , two days , one night is among the best films of the year .",
      "the story is well-written , except for the obligatory suicide theme which did n't seem to mesh well with the rest of the plot . this is a vehicle for marion cotillard , who is just terrific in this role .",
      "a stunning performance by cotillard and a moral dilemma aptly presented .",
      "slight but socially-aware contemporary political drama regarding belgium 's working-class .",
      "their thrilling , suspenseful plot is just so damn good ... if the final scene does n't have you white-knuckling your armrest , you simply must be dead .",
      "a working-class tale that 's as straightforward as a fired bullet with an exit wound the size of a grapefruit .",
      "filmed with a raw authenticity that saddens as it informs , this is tough , yet resolutely truthful viewing . just make sure you 're in the right frame of mind to handle such an intense experience .",
      "much of the praise is being directed at french actress marion cotillard who is terrific in the leading role . she draws on a wide range of emotions and her passionate performance with resonate with many .",
      "a top , tough drama from the makers of the superb 1999 drama rosetta .",
      "consider marion cotillard 's oscar-nominated performance in two days , one night a tour de nuance .",
      "the film is a gripping thriller , an uplifting female rejuvenation story , and a humanist indictment of a social structure plagued by the loss of community support systems and old-fashioned worker solidarity .",
      "... the dardennes have fashioned their most accessible and relatable drama yet , one that works as a suspense thriller even as it exposes some miserable machiavellian truths and darwinian terrors .",
      "it 's hard not to be moved by the latest essential film from the dardennes",
      "the movie affirms sandra 's existence , but in its affirmation it remains more a question than an exclamation point . it asks : how did we get here ? how , out of all the ways in which society could have evolved , did we come to allow this system to define us ?",
      "as with their previous films , the brothers cast a discerning gaze on working-class lives , without preachiness or sentimentality .",
      "a genuine horror story , sweaty with a palpable ring of truth about the unending fear that accompanies life on the knife edge of financial despair .",
      "cotillard 's heartbreakingly raw work carries the day , as she fleshes out both sandra 's suffering and emotional endurance on a journey of discovery that the latter , not the former , defines her .",
      "it presents the consummate movie actress of her generation stripping bare the vanities of her profession to portray an everywoman hero , gently coaxed to life by filmmakers with a profound grasp of true emotion .",
      "jean-dardenne and luc dardenne have birthed this overwhelming hour and a half overflowing with raw , human emotion . marion cotillard has taken on one of the most challenging roles of her career and has delivered a performance that is extremely rewarding .",
      "the dardenne brothers may have outdone themselves with this heartwrenching film ...",
      "if you only do one thing this year , make sure you catch this shattering masterpiece by the dardenne brothers .",
      "more sentimental and contrived than previous films from belgian brothers jean-pierre and luc dardenne , this is still a topical and touching tale .",
      "open the door to this woman and you wo n't be sorry that you did .",
      "as well as being an essay on solidarity , the film is also a terrific character study .",
      "as usual in dardenne films , such melodramatic contrivances are softened by their integration into the naturalistic flow of incidents , by the overall sensitivity to social and economic realities and by the generally credible performances .",
      "the dardennes ' latest feature has an epic quality that belies its small-town setting .",
      "it 's brilliant , pared-down film-making , and cotillard is exceptionally good in the central role , letting her face speak volumes about the pain of depression and rejection .",
      "the dardennes are never less than reliable , but this is one of their best , up there with the child or rosetta in its cast-iron sense of purpose .",
      "the physical sluggishness and emotional numbing of depression have seldom been better portrayed on screen ...",
      "the dardennes have gifted us yet another important and moving film and it would be churlish not to wish them that coveted palme d'or .",
      "an old-fashioned social-problem film where the problem magically evaporates .",
      "too much naturalism , not enough style .",
      "directors jean-pierre and luc dardenne have always had a feel for the rhythms of everyday dramas in unexceptional lives , and here they use their skill and empathy expertly .",
      "the emotional impact of two days , one night is overwhelming , a tearful experience .",
      "for a proven talent , this is an especially intimate showcase , and cotillard rises to the occasion .",
      "` two days , one night ' is all about the fight , and winning it with kindness and righteousness .",
      "... it could n't be more uplifting and affecting , and we left the theater with our hearts nearly bursting .",
      "what anchors two days , one night , and eases its gaps , is cotillard 's extraordinary performance .",
      "the premise is just impossible to accept.there 's simply no way a company would torpedo itself by allowing this situation and the movie ca n't be taken seriously because of it .",
      "scrappy , heart-wrenching drama of the first order",
      "ms. cotillard 's performance is as fine a piece of screen acting as you will ever see .",
      "it is not often that movies so authentically portray the travails of working-class characters in developed countries .",
      "two days , one night is a focused , frankly heartbreaking take on personal morals , selfishness , and what we 're willing to sacrifice for others .",
      "what makes their latest missive , ` two days , one night , ' slightly better than their usual , amazing lot ? it 's hard to tell .",
      "two days , one night is a small miracle of a movie , a drama so purely humane that it makes most attempts at audience uplift look crass and calculated by comparison .",
      "it is no less compassionate or political than we have come to expect from the brothers , although it is more sentimental than their early work .",
      "it 's a rare film of unforced simplicity that will stick with you for a long time . and it 's honest right to its perfectly judged ending .",
      "another stark essay in desperation from the remarkable dardennes brothers .",
      "belgium 's best-kept secrets are breaking through without selling out , and their unshowily inspiring domestic drama reminds us you do n't need to go to war - or prison - to earn redemption .",
      "two days , one night glows with compassion , but it 's hard to think of another feature film that depicts our current economic troubles with such trenchant fury .",
      "the 90 minutes fleetingly flow by as the storyline becomes far from a black-and-white struggle of an underdog .",
      "two days , one night gets its point across in the first 30 minutes , only to treat you to another hour of bittersweet nothings .",
      "two days , one night is the dardenne brothers great document for compassion faced with the hurdles of contemporary working class struggle . it 's masterfully crafted work from a pair of maestros .",
      "two days , one night is paced like a joke , but it plays like a prayer .",
      "affecting and expertly made as it is , the movie 's tight focus and streamlined quality left me wanting more .",
      "the dardennes bring enough moral shading to their story to prevent it becoming a tract , and tie it up with an ethical conundrum so dripping with juice , the usherettes should have been handing out bibs .",
      "specialists in unvarnished intimacy , the dardenne brothers add another clear-eyed contemplation of stark social reality to their impressive output .",
      "in film after film the dardennes have proven themselves the cinema 's most acute humanist critics of predatory capitalism ; this masterful drama finds them at the top of their game .",
      "though there are moments of agony and frustration , the dardennes have a delicate and sympathetic touch that keeps the simple from becoming simplistic .",
      "the dardennes craft an interesting slice of life that is not wrought with dramatic flair .",
      "what 's galvanizing about this film , and all films by the dardennes , is the little oases of hope that spring up amid a sprawling desert of despair .",
      "there is strength in simplicity , something the dardenne brothers ' `` two days , one night '' and its brilliant star , marion cotillard , prove emphatically .",
      "wonderbrothers jean-pierre and luc dardenne return with a tale of heroic struggle against an ordinary disaster .",
      "cotillard 's performance is revelatory , one to be admired and studied for generations .",
      "a dilemma so simple and so timely , it barely feels like fiction .",
      "watchably dull , but the cult of cotillard landed her another oscar nomination for this unsurprising melodrama .",
      "the dardennes have found the film 's anchor in cotillard , who is just tremendous as sandra , but the supporting cast is what ties the film together .",
      "the dardenne brothers take on a movie star and lose none of their beautifully observed verisimilitude in another powerhouse slice of working-class belgian life .",
      "a powerful , finely scripted issue movie , made all the more incisive by marion cotillard 's raw performance as a woman fighting to save her job while suffering from depression .",
      "the boys from belgium have made a good film here , but not , i think , quite a great one . that it 's built around a very good performance certainly helps .",
      "cotillard 's every subtle , perfectly judged move is exhilarating .",
      "the dardennes brothers are masters of taking the seemingly smallest possible story and finding drama , suspense and big overarching themes within it .",
      "perhaps the best work yet from the dardennes , this harrowing drama derives most of its power from a knockout performance by marion cotillard .",
      "a lean , no nonsense film crafted in the most brutally honest style of the dardennes with a stellar performance by marion cotillard .",
      "marion cotillard shines in this exceedingly true-to-life drama .",
      "this may sound dull , but it is n't . the dardennes know how to tell low-key stories effectively , and cotillard 's oscar-nominated performance builds toward the unexpected ending .",
      "two days , one night is contemporary social realism at its finest , portraying the complicated moral landscape we 're constantly navigating and the difficult decisions this modern world has invariably wrought .",
      "the beauty of the film is in its simple , honest analysis of the human condition -- and in ms. cotillard 's powerfully good performance .",
      "cotillard delivers a physically shaken performance that makes sandra more than a righteous crusader .",
      "a triumphant drama by the dardenne brothers about a heroine who demonstrates grace under pressure ."
    ],
    "summary": "another profoundly affecting work from the dardenne brothers , two days , one night delivers its timely message with honesty and clear-eyed compassion .",
    "id": "771372270"
  },
  {
    "movie": "vertigo",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV -lrb- 1958 -rrb- is one of alfred hitchcock 's most powerful , deep , and stunningly beautiful films -lrb- in widescreen 70 mm vistavision -rrb- - it is a film noir",
      "the most-discussed work of the master ; despairingly sardonic and demanding of multiple viewings .",
      "hitchcock 's twisty , suspenseful tale is far more involving and memorable than most recent hollywood thrillers .",
      "what can one say ? exquisitely controlled , framed , scored , acted , and edited . a peerless triumph .",
      "often imitated , never duplicated .",
      "justifying MOV 's poor initial performance , it is a film that requires distance , as well as the completion of hitchcock 's career . it is a moment of acknowledgment in the final , retrospective establishment of the director 's frequent themes .",
      "this is one of the single most masterful pictures ever made .",
      "what a perverse little gem this is .",
      "pure hitchcock .",
      "james stewart , on camera almost constantly , comes through with a startlingly fine performance as the lawyer-cop who suffers from acrophobia .",
      "must-see hitchcock thriller for any classic movie bug .",
      "a haunting meditation on sexual politics , romantic love , and obsession , MOV is one of the greatest surreal movies ever made .",
      "technically well made , but there are a plethora of more entertaining hitchcock films available .",
      "`` MOV '' is alfred hitchcock 's beautifully stylized psychological thriller about a man in love with a fetishized romantic fantasy invented by another man .",
      "it 's as much a wonder of suspense as it is a catalogue of the director 's themes and an allegory for his own art of enticement-and for the erotic pitfalls of his métier .",
      "the most complex film made by alfred hitchcock .",
      "hitchcock 's most tender story .",
      "hitchcock 's rich and strange fable of love lost , and lost again , makes the case for him as a grand experimental artist who labored in genre cinema .",
      "a disturbing and darkly revealing psychological thriller",
      "MOV is a kind of consummate illusion -- tantalizing for being so often out of reach -lrb- dvds do n't match the reel deal -rrb- , fulfilling only for bringing us as close as possible to hitchcock 's head and heart in frisco circa ' 58 . or ...",
      "after it , psycho and the rest of the '60s are only a bitter précis of this thesis of sexual disassociation and identity politics .",
      "MOV is a fine film , but it 's not flawless .",
      "hitchcock 's most disturbing masterpiece .",
      "there ! no more hints ! coming or not ? what more 's to say ? well , nothing , except that MOV is performed in the manner expected of all performers in hitchcock films .",
      "everything is perfect in MOV .",
      "it tests our patience , but then rewards it , not only with beauty and terror , but also with an emotional sucker punch that has yet to be equaled .",
      "you watch this guy going slowly over the brink and realize , good grief , this is jimmy stewart .",
      "jimmy stewart never did finer work , and hitchcock 's masterpiece , though its meaning may be lost on many , reveals a man at his most obsessed .",
      "this is a great , well-made film that deserves every bit of recognition that has been heaped upon it .",
      "bernard herrmann 's eloquent score is among his finest , stewart is excellent , as always , and kim novak is surprisingly effective in her role , another of hitchcock 's icy blondes .",
      "one of the landmarks -- not merely of the movies , but of 20th-century art .",
      "the old master , now a slave to television , has turned out another hitchcock-and-bull story in which the mystery is not so much who done it as who cares .",
      "why is this movie hitchcock 's masterpiece ? because no movie plunges us more deeply into the dizzying heart of erotic obsession .",
      "it is about how hitchcock used , feared and tried to control women .",
      "MOV is an acknowledged masterpiece , one of those narrative films in which a bracing and unpredictable story has been distilled into a form that is at once classic and inventive .",
      "the `` MOV '' shot created for this film was so powerful and unique that everytime i see it used today , i get teary eyed .",
      "alfred hitchcock at his most disturbing .",
      "hitchcock was elsewhere an entertainer , often a great one , but MOV finds him working as an artist ...",
      "slow but totally compelling .",
      "a rich , resonant meditation of male romantic obsession ... not only does hitchcock demonstrate a total mastery of cinematic point-of-view , but he turns what might have been mere melodrama into film poetry . perhaps his greatest film .",
      "once seen , never forgotten .",
      "the ending of the show is perfect and shocking if you have never seen it before .",
      "one of the things that still amazes me about this movie is the way its study of obsession is so single-minded .",
      "with this masterfully conceived spine-tingler , alfred hitchcock once again affirms his standing as movieland 's king of the suspense-drama",
      "do yourself an aesthetic favor : take the plunge .",
      "the film is a magnificent technical achievement .",
      "from a craft standpoint , MOV represents the director in peak form .",
      "it may not be as funny or light as the best known of hitchcock 's work but this is certainly a classic largely because of it 's impressively unlikeable , intense characters so at odds with hitch 's trademark hollywood glamour films of the same time .",
      "there is a glumness to the film that is notably missing from the director 's other films of the period .",
      "MOV stands as one of the thrill master 's most psychologically dense and twisted works in which obsession , commitment , and dual identities all merge to create a voluptuous tale of thwarted love .",
      "MOV is hitchcock 's stirring parable of love and death .",
      "the lure of death , the power of the past , the guilty complicity of a clean-cut hero , the near-fetishistic use of symbol and color : these hitchcock hallmarks are all mesmerizingly on view .",
      "the film is not really a great suspense film , but really a fantastic introspective drama into the mind of a person much like the master of suspense himself .",
      "hitchcock seems to have been motivated by personal demons here .",
      "in its dark heart , the film is a sorrowful contemplation of love and the veils that manipulate sexual passions .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's control of the audience is most complete in MOV .",
      "one of the everlasting hitchcockian masterpieces ."
    ],
    "summary": "an unpredictable scary thriller that doubles as a mournful meditation on love , loss , and human comfort .",
    "id": "22490"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_dog_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "makes for very entertaining viewing , though it hardly feels necessary .",
      "the true story behind dog day afternoon is fascinating fodder for a documentary , but MOV squanders this by letting its sociopath subject run the show .",
      "as a portrait of a life lived strangely-and if you asked its subject , perfectly , with no regrets-the dog is charming .",
      "for all its eye-opening material , MOV still feels unfinished , but for students of new york scuzziness , it 's an essential addition .",
      "directors allison berg and frank keraudren fill `` MOV '' with terrific archival footage that captures the feel , look and sound of a bygone , character-filled era .",
      "it 's informed with a subtle but disquieting subtext that insists on the pitfalls of allowing ideology to steer you away from common sense .",
      "what makes MOV so compelling is n't wojtowicz 's cinematic imprint but the place in history that was very likely denied him by chance and his own irascibility .",
      "working as both an unofficial dog day sequel and unconventional overview of new york gay culture from the past 40 years , MOV combines archival footage , still photographs , and testaments from many of those who knew wojtowicz well .",
      "-lsb- wojtowicz -rsb- may be crazy and full of himself , but his magnetism is hypnotic , and it makes this modest documentary a delight from start to finish .",
      "vintage material and first-hand accounts add to engaging expansion on the true-crime tale .",
      "how often hollywood embellishes . how rare , then , to find a documentary like MOV , in which we discover that , if anything , sidney lumet 's dog day afternoon left out much of the incredible story behind its 1972 hostage crisis .",
      "the film is a real `` whew '' - factor yarn , a hearty soup of thick accents , bold personalities and complicated motives , with an unmistakable taste of charismatic , ornery american hedonism .",
      "what 's left of wojtowicz is merely a story of one day in his lifetime , and maybe that was good enough for him .",
      "`` MOV '' is the story behind the familiar story of `` dog day afternoon '' and it answers any and all questions about the man and his motivations .",
      "it 'll leave you alternately amused and slack-jawed in astonishment .",
      "as he sits there regaling tales of his youth ... insulting everyone who ever gave him the time of day , and trying to eke fame and money out of an illegal act , i found him a deeply uncomfortable watch .",
      "as entertaining as MOV is , it never quite convinces that its bullet-point review of wojtowicz 's sexual exploits is necessary or that its subject merits the level of attention afforded to him .",
      "you simply could n't find a better subject for a movie than this inscrutable man , full of contradictions .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- portrait of a man who emerges as much more than the flamboyant character pacino brought to life .",
      "the film keeps you riveted , yet its achievement is finally more humanistic than cinematic .",
      "in numerous interviews that careen from profane braggadocio to tender reminiscence , the lustily bisexual wojtowicz comes across as almost bizarrely self-satisfied .",
      "the result does justice to their subject 's foul-mouthed charm and braggadocio .",
      "any thought that al pacino overacts in ` dog day afternoon ' is instantly banished by the screen presence of the gleefully crude and unrepentant real-life wojtowicz , a leering and self-promoting priapus .",
      "the movie feels like life : you 'll see something about you , and everyone you know , in every frame .",
      "part of what makes mr. wojtowicz such a fascinating character is that he seemed to rotate identities as easily as other people change socks , and without angst .",
      "john wojtowicz , filmed over a 10-year period before his death , is the star of his own show . a very flamboyant character , he talks about the loves of his life , and there were many , heterosexual , homosexual and transgendered .",
      "`` MOV '' is insanely , endlessly watchable , a compelling human-interest documentary and a riveting true-crime exploration all in one .",
      "at its best when wojtowicz is unleashed",
      "dubious fame , but without shame",
      "questions of identity reverberate through MOV , a documentary by allison berg and frank keraudren that chronicles wojtowicz 's storied and terribly sad life .",
      "there 's surprising tenderness amid the tendencies to teeming madness .",
      "as entertaining as its central subject .",
      "a fascinating cross-section of the personal and political .",
      "outrageous , funny and sad .",
      "a thoroughly absorbing examination of a bizarre - and possibly delusional - personality .",
      "an unexpurgated blast of gay 1970s new york",
      "the documentary , directed by allison berg and frank keraudren , is the study of a man in love with his own legend .",
      "sidney lumet 's oscar-winning dog day afternoon was based on a true story - and john wojtowicz does n't even try to hide his glee in sharing every juicy , crazed detail in revealing documentary , MOV .",
      "the film is loose and sloppy , sometimes overreaching , just like -lsb- john -rsb- wojtowicz .",
      "keraudren 's documentary fills in many fascinating details of wojtowicz 's life ...",
      "try as you may , however , you ca n't turn away from this obscure footnote in pop culture history , even at his most aggravating . it 's that twisted thing we call celebrity .",
      "whatever parts truth or delusion or braggadocio , ` MOV ' is an irresistible picture of the man , the place and the times .",
      "as the moving , sad , riotously humorous documentary `` MOV '' explains , the film only captures traces of wojtowicz 's personality , and only tells bits of his story .",
      "there 's a brashness to this documentary that sneaks up on you .",
      "wojtowicz is quite the character and whether one views him as a criminal or an altruist , he 's a unique host -lrb- who often tries to direct his own segments -rrb- ... a fascinating look at one of new york city 's most notorious and unlikely personalities .",
      "as a fascinating pop culture artifact , this film is hard to beat .",
      "a rich dessert served in a slightly too-hearty portion size , MOV flirts with deeper truths about lives surrendered to the pursuit of fame but never totally punches through .",
      "wojtowicz is a publicity slut , plain and simple , but that 's clearly the darker side of this relatively even-tempered and rather unobjectionable documentary because it highlights the beginning of a modern phenomenon .",
      "`` MOV '' is a humbly extraordinary film .",
      "i 'd recommend MOV for the quotability factor alone . `` i 'm like babe ruth , '' wojtowicz brags . `` but i 'm the gay babe ruth . ''",
      "MOV is a funny , bizarre and wholly entertaining account of john wojtowicz 's strange life ."
    ],
    "summary": "fascinating , evocative , and as unconventional as its subject , MOV offers a colorful window into the real-life story behind a classic film .",
    "id": "771363447"
  },
  {
    "movie": "king_of_kong",
    "reviews": [
      "here 's one of those unfolding documentaries where unforeseen events and deeds make the subject more appealing than even the filmmaker expected.hope , pride , personal identity and an air of fierce competition underlie the enjoyable action .",
      "-lsb- the MOV -rsb- would play like dark comedy were there not such honest-to-god cruelty at its core .",
      "who would have guessed that a documentary about gamers obsessed with scoring a world record at donkey kong would not only be roaringly funny but serve as a metaphor for the decline of western civilization ?",
      "the subtitle of the film is actually an unneeded addition since what the film highlights with piercing exactitude are the lengths grown men wo n't go to in the long run to prove themselves .",
      "not unlike the sleeper hit little miss sunshine , this breezy and engaging documentary has a great deal to say about the american fixation on winning and losing .",
      "you do n't have to be an '80s kid to see the MOV as a metaphor for life itself .",
      "documentaries can make you concerned for the environment or fascinated by penguins . and now , they can make you cheer for a guy who plays arcade games in his garage .",
      "a clever structure by director seth gordon means that the MOV ends up more engrossing than its bunch of geeky characters initially suggest .",
      "hollywood may find it difficult to cast two big-name stars willing to play it as broadly as the real-life hero and villain of this tale . nor would many self-respecting scriptwriters dare to match the sheer improbability of these actual happenings .",
      "up there with some of the greastest sports docs in that it truly allows the viewer to experience the thrill of competition and agony of defeat .",
      "a funny and madly arresting new documentary .",
      "a hilarious story about an unbelievable collection of arrested-teenage morons and , yes , an inspiring fable of persistence and redemption .",
      "that there is a controversy -lrb- admittedly , one that 's followed by , oh , 23 people -rrb- over who actually has racked up the most points playing an old-school video game is among the more amusing revelations in -lsb- an -rsb- entertaining , if extremely slanted documentary .",
      "a sprightly new documentary that 's as compulsively watchable as the vintage video game it focuses on is addictive .",
      "it may seem overblown when one of the gamers calls donkey kong a metaphor for life , but the MOV is just that -- a reminder of how we all have to prove ourselves to others .",
      "the MOV is very entertaining -lrb- and does n't overstay its welcome -rrb- ...",
      "a great american comedy . a hilarious and richly human tale of two guys trying to hang on to their own twisted dreams of glory .",
      "heartbreaking and hilarious ...",
      "a fascinating film",
      "thankfully the MOV plays it straight and let 's the players speak for themselves . in this case , the filmmakers may be giving their subjects just enough rope , as the saying goes .",
      "-lsb- the subjects -rsb- may be a curious sort of renown , but by the end you are enraptured in their struggle to declare and maintain it .",
      "i 'm amazed at how a few filmmakers can take a story so slight and trivial , and turn it into a 90-minute documentary that 's as fascinating as something that ken burns put together .",
      "thoroughly engaging , even as it explores the ugly underbelly of competitive gaming .",
      "a hilarious and moving study of the obsessive competition between the all-time scoring leader on donkey kong , an odd floridian , and a father of two who gets sucked into a world of mind-blowing passive-aggressiveness .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- gordon has made a most improbable film : a documentary -- about frigging donkey kong of all things -- that is as compelling and involving as the original rocky .",
      "play -lsb- s -rsb- a bit like a real-life version of a christopher guest mockumentary",
      "a terrifically entertaining documentary about an unlikely subject .",
      "the MOV is as winning , sweet , and occasionally disturbing a documentary about people for whom time has stopped somewhere around 1982 as you 'd ever want to see .",
      "you could say it 's sort of like murderball , only these guys ' disabilities are of the social variety . at any rate , it 's a great film",
      "an oddly entertaining and exciting documentary that at times looks like a mockumentary",
      "unquestionably the most engaging and flat-out entertaining documentary since murderball ...",
      "if it were n't for swirling currents of humanity , the film would bore me gongless . but it turns out to be character thriller with a big finish .",
      "is there anything more tiresome than watching people play video games ? seth gordon 's documentary the MOV : a fistful of quarters answers that question with a decisive yes : watching a movie about people playing video games .",
      "benefits immeasurably from a cast of colorful supporting players , as well as a taut narrative that builds to a surprisingly tense climax .",
      "as tremendous an act in empathy as anything werner herzog has ever committed to the documentary screen .",
      "`` when we were kings '' for dorks .",
      "you could hardly call it a paragon of impartial filmmaking , but this is still a compelling and immersive glance into the nature of competitiveness and the corrupting aspects of fame .",
      "a great little documentary , full of laughs , drama and tension . it 's like rocky , but with a joystick . and an opponent who is n't actually seen stepping into the ring .",
      "it 's clear that director seth gordon is rooting for wiebe - but it is not just a trick of the editing that means within 30 minutes of the political machinations of kong beginning , you will be too .",
      "every bit as exciting as any sports % ufb01lm , while also shedding light on how obsessions can combine with corrupt power structures to drive otherwise normal people to ridiculous ends .",
      "even if you 've never so much as eaten a single ghost in a game of ms. pac-man , MOV is still a remarkable -lrb- and remarkably hilarious -rrb- film .",
      "seth gordon 's unexpectedly engrossing documentary about the quest for a `` donkey kong '' record - a seeming paradise only for the pale and pasty - offered a fascinating , infuriating look at the bleakly funny morass of american social expectations .",
      "amusing documentary duel at the video arcade .",
      "who would have thought that one of the years most intriguing and suspenseful films would be a documentary involving two grown men battling over the supremacy of an arcade game ?",
      "gordon invites us to snicker at his cast of hardcore gamers , for whom ` donkey kong ' tournaments are as vital as super bowls and as divisive as the war on abortion . but once embedded in their strange world , he finds a compelling story to tell .",
      "an engrossing story that plucks at the heartstrings just as hard as it pummels the fire buttons .",
      "wonderful , hilarious documentary .",
      "painful and interesting to watch , even with such clear black and white characters . see it if you can .",
      "a compelling , weird , and often times touching spin on video gamers doing what they do best ...",
      "mitchell is a ringer for ben stiller 's pompous villain in dodgeball : a true underdog story .",
      "i ca n't remember a more compelling film this year .",
      "the film paints a strange portrait of a subculture that i found to be a drag .",
      "hilarious and eye-popping .",
      "it 's very earnest . and funny . and endearing .",
      "the MOV is proof that you do n't need earth shattering events of cosmic import to create a compelling film .",
      "seth gordon 's feature-length documentary about obsessive arcade gamers could possibly be the most entertaining thing you could do on a saturday night .",
      "like some of the players it showcases , earns a nearly perfect score ... funny , poignant , surprising and satisfying from beginning to end .",
      "tthe best underdog story in years .",
      "it 's almost embarrassing how compelling this film becomes ...",
      "kong has more humor , more drama and more humanity than all of the summer 's top 10 movies combined and even delivers some sly commentary on how out of whack american priorities have become .",
      "a gripping yarn , an edge-of-your-seat thriller , as well as a mocking insider 's view and a genuine giggle .",
      "this may take place in the insular world of men who spend too much time in front of dimly-lit video screens , but that does not make this very un-homeric struggle for glory any less engaging .",
      "improbably compelling ... it 's every bit the rousing crowd-pleaser i wanted rocky balboa to be .",
      "the MOV is a cleverly made documentary that realizes you can start with something small and seemingly insignificant and make a highly effective and entertaining work .",
      "one of the smartest documentaries of the year , and easily the funniest .",
      "one of the most fascinating films of the year , and it deserves an oscar nomination for best documentary .",
      "a documentary that successfully takes it to the next level .",
      "one of the best pictures of the year ... MOV is an uproarious , unsettlingly observant , and romantically biased documentary on the golden years of classic gaming .",
      "the remarkable thing about the MOV is how its quixotic alternate universe quickly becomes a recognizable microcosm of our own real thing .",
      "directed by seth gordon , the film illuminates and draws you into a subculture you never knew existed and makes you genuinely care about its characters .",
      "the big laughs here come from the subjects ' self-absorption .",
      "nerds rule .",
      "a classic video-arcade game becomes the means of an epic struggle in this funny , surprisingly poignant video documentary .",
      "with the results up in the air until the very end of the film , you will care who wins the goofy contest .",
      "an operatic tragicomedy of rivalry , jealousy , failure , and success .",
      "this film 's unsentimental salute to a straight shooter is what makes it hit the documentary bull 's - eye .",
      "take maniacal classic video game champion billy mitchell , questionable video game world-record organization twin galaxies and unemployed dad steve wiebe vying to usurp the champ and you 've got a great story .",
      "the MOV is a twisty , wildly entertaining film , and this comes to you from a guy who cares so little about kong that he had to google it to make sure it 's correct to refer to it as a video game .",
      "these two go after the record like they 're cal ripken , and in the competitive community that surrounds the gaming world , no one would call them ` losers . ' just heroes .",
      "a stupendously entertaining nonfiction film concerning the cutthroat battle for world records on coin-operated arcade games .",
      "the film magnificently , and almost inadvertently , captures the story of the american dream .",
      "a pretty great trip down memory lane , even if you were one of the cool kids who managed to avoid the arcade scene .",
      "a documentary that is beyond strange .",
      "it 's over the top via nintendo , and it is stunning to behold .",
      "when a gamer tears up over a loss or a records auditor declares the significance of his role in the process -lrb- `` i see world records set in my room every day '' -rrb- , the film creates characters out of clips , asks viewers to participate in story arcs .",
      "like all great documentaries , this one transcends its subject matter , so that in the end , it 's not just about two guys who play videogames , but about the nature of competition , how we cope with winning and losing and what that tells us about ourselves .",
      "... a fascinating portrait of polar opposites driven by different needs within a freakish world of nerdy obsessives . one not need give a hoot about video games to enjoy this taught , tense and thoroughly entertaining documentary .",
      "seth gordon 's portrait of obsessive classic arcade game players finds high drama and murky intrigue in the competition for the donkey kong world record .",
      "not since 300 have i seen such manly mano-a-manoing as the iron clash of wills in the documentary the MOV : a fistful of quarters .",
      "about ethics and personal character as much as it is about the weird world of die-hard arcade gaming .",
      "the film keeps up a dramatic pace but it never loses sight of the personal stories .",
      "gordon finds a way to take these relatively normal guys and their simple quest to be the best at something and turns it into a conflict for the ages .",
      "the best inspirational sports movie since the mighty ducks . now , i 'm not saying it changes the world like d2 : the mighty ducks did , but for individual achievement , it 's there .",
      "the stranger-than-fiction cast of characters is fascinating , and their high-stakes machinations are nothing short of mind-boggling .",
      "the movie 's rocky formula proves irresistible .",
      "an audience favorite on the film festival circuit , the MOV : a fistful of quarters is a laugh-out-loud funny and rousing documentary that 's far more compelling than the would-be summer blockbusters crowding the multiplex ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is funny and compelling with more than a few poignant insights into human behavior . director seth gordon presents the dueling king kong players in all their obsessive complexity and with perfectly al dente observations .",
    "id": "770669466"
  },
  {
    "movie": "frankie_and_alice",
    "reviews": [
      "other than the a-list actors and high production values , there 's little to nothing differentiating the film from any made-for-tv movie on lifetime .",
      "halle berry impresses in both the title roles of frankie & alice , a well crafted if slightly soapy seventies period piece about a young woman 's struggle with multiple personality disorder .",
      "MOV is the kind of grandstanding that exposes an actress ' pathetic dependence on approval by others .",
      "a feature so eager for statues it practically provides a pen and a reading light to help with any potential award ballot situation that might arise after watching it .",
      "this material feels thin , like something you 'd see on the lifetime or we networks . it was good enough to earn a golden globe nomination -lrb- but who can trust those people ? -rrb- .",
      "less a revealing or dramatically involving case study , than an inmate taking over the asylum kind of vibe , as it lurches towards the end credits essentially way over the top .",
      "revisits similar stories -lrb- ` sybil , ' ` three faces of eve ' -rrb- that have packed far more of an emotional punch .",
      "berry 's transformations ... come across as borderline silly due to the sensationalistic treatment given this tawdry film .",
      "this movie , with its flashbacks to past sins and traumas , rests squarely on berry , a mesmerizer who makes every moment count .",
      "though inspired by a true case , this formulaic mental disorder melodrama is so poorly conceived and executed that even halle berry 's decent -lrb- but no more -rrb- performance can not rescue from failure",
      "it 's not just frankie who is putting on a show here . berry is also overemphatically showing off her chops .",
      "may look like an attempt to win another oscar for berry , and she does give a powerful performance here .",
      "a hokey old-school drama of multiple personality disorder based , in the tradition of the three faces of eve and sybil , on a real case study .",
      "the problem with the kind of dedicated and vulnerable performance -lsb- halle berry -rsb- delivers here is that without the proper dramatic execution it just looks silly .",
      "frankie 's struggle strays close to camp during her first transition ; by the climax , which finds her cycling through personalities so quickly one fears for an emotive sprain , the story is secondary to the spectacle of berry writhing with oscar fever .",
      "dusted off a full five years after it finished filming , -lsb- frankie & alice -rsb- is now a strange , wounded beast that cries out for academy validation with every histrionic frame , yet has already missed its window of opportunity .",
      "reduces multiple personality disorder to haunted memories and melodramatic flashbacks with limited insight about the reality of this true story and its long-term effects .",
      "it 's hard to see beyond berry 's forced mannerisms . she swerves from boogie-dancing tough girl to stoic matron to irritatingly voiced kid .",
      "old-fashioned as a leisure suit , but better-looking and a lot more fun .",
      "frankie & alice is lurid - again , she 's a stripper - and occasionally silly in the way that so many multiple-personality stories wind up being .",
      "not awful . just humdrum .",
      "berry shows total commitment to the part , allowing herself to go unhinged in the hands of a director not quite capable of supporting such a risky tightrope act .",
      "throughout , its exhibitionist proclivities are evened-out under director geoffrey sax 's astute guidance and the intelligent , nuanced performances of berry and skarsgard .",
      "while all this channel-switching and inevitable unearthing of psychic demons generates a great awards-season clip , it does n't necessarily lead to a satisfying drama .",
      "it may be that this genre has been forever ruined , or just that it requires a more subtle hand than the one exhibited by geoffrey sax , the director here .",
      "frankie & alice feels like a film that might have been groundbreaking 40 years ago but has cable-tv movie of the week written all over it in 2014 .",
      "berry has proven she 's willing to take on enormous challenges , and she certainly exceeds her grasp here . perhaps that 's why frankie & alice plays more like an elaborate acting workshop than a movie .",
      "admittedly a generously apportioned slice of awards-bait pie , but a well-rendered and engaging psychological drama nonetheless , anchored by two solid performances .",
      "it may be based on true events , but it seems more truly inspired by the star-producer 's desire for an ostentatious showcase to demonstrate that her best actress recognition did n't jinx -lrb- ouch -rrb- a career notable for such post-oscar calamities as ` catwoman . '",
      "modestly engaging , the film is more suited to cable tv and netflix .",
      "... provides berry with a diva showcase for plenty of over-the-top emotional outbursts and violent tantrums .",
      "lamentably by-the-numbers , treated like an affliction-of-the-week tv movie by its eight -lrb- ! -rrb- credited writers and directed by geoffrey sax as if he knew where commercials should go .",
      "`` frankie '' is a little thin despite its weighty subject matter , but it has some strong performances amid the predictable psychodrama ."
    ],
    "summary": "halle berry gives it her all -lrb- and then some -rrb- , but frankie & alice is ultimately too narratively strained and clumsily assembled to do her performance justice .",
    "id": "770815677"
  },
  {
    "movie": "land_before_time",
    "reviews": [
      "there is nothing about either the story or its execution to place `` the MOV '' alongside the classics , but then again , the age of animated masterpieces may be forever past .",
      "the characters are not well-developed .",
      "a very good animated film , but nothe where near intriguing enough to inspire copious sequels .",
      "most of `` the MOV '' is so authentically geared to the thinking of children that it should charm adults as well .",
      "after an american tale , bluth surely had the clout to make a more adventurous animated feature than this ...",
      "what charmed me when i first saw it as a six-year-old in theaters now strikes me as rather middling , indifferent storytelling and character development .",
      "for the most part , pic is about as engaging as what 's found on saturday morning tv .",
      "baby dinosaur buddy flick that started the series .",
      "i guess i sort of liked the film , although i wonder why it could n't have spent more time on natural history and the sense of discovery , and less time on tragedy .",
      "it is full of the delightful merriment of childhood , albeit dinosaur childhood not homo sapiens . for a sweet and simple little picture the whole family can gather round the tube and watch with delight , this one delivers the goods .",
      "the MOV is as handsome and honest an animated feature as any produced since walt disney ` s death ; it may even be the best .",
      "a gorgeous production from beginning to end , the MOV contains all the essential elements missing from most of disney 's recent efforts .",
      "the MOV works by evoking the simple virtues of this art aimed at children , as it was in the beginning when disney animated mickey mouse . this film deserves a place next to the often-revived animated classics .",
      "it looks and sounds as if it came out of the disney studios of the '40s or '50s . which is n't necessarily a bad thing -- that 's as much a compliment -lrb- in terms of the quality of animation -rrb- as it is a criticism .",
      "it 's a beautiful movie to watch , and the cartoony characters are as endearing as they come .",
      "if your little dinosaur lovers are still a bit young for jurassic park , then this charming cartoon should have them in raptures .",
      "sharp animation and powerful visualisation of scale will enthrall a young audience but the clumsy cub-scout moralising feels , well , extinct .",
      "the animation is fine . but the stu krieger screenplay contains violence that might be hard on the younger ones , preachiness that 's hell on adults and a never-let-up cuteness that can turn minds of all ages to mush .",
      "maintains a genuine sense of beauty to it that will appeal to its young audience .",
      "do dinosaurs really lend themselves to ootsie-cutesiness ?"
    ],
    "summary": "beautifully animated and genuinely endearing , the MOV is sure to please dino-obsessed tykes , even if it 's a little too cutesy for older viewers .",
    "id": "9986"
  },
  {
    "movie": "chuck_and_buck",
    "reviews": [
      "unlike any movie i 've seen before .",
      "chuck & buck is deceptively spare , thoroughly smart storytelling with engaging performances .",
      "constructed with such candor and openness that we wonder why the mass movie audience still cheers on the endless escapism of the hollywood studios .",
      "a superb performance by writer/lead actor mike white .",
      "it constantly defies expectations .",
      "director miguel arteta escapes the sophomore slump .",
      "it is about someone who is desperate to find someone to love him , more than it is about homosexuality .",
      "a remarkable and original achievement .",
      "-lsb- the performances -rsb- are entirely watchable .",
      "when is hollywood going to realize that stalking is not a funny subject for a movie and that stalkers themselves are certainly not endearing enough to make them the focus of a film ?",
      "a would-be comedy about an emotionally immature stalker .",
      "you get lots of chuck and lots of buck , but not a lot of pluck .",
      "one of the year 's best and most provocative films .",
      "this weirdly comic film strips off the gloss of youthful beauty to explore the darker side of childhood and ask what happens when the wilful , needy child within refuses to grow up .",
      "this odd , uneven movie , with its trumped-up ending that makes zero emotional sense given what came before , is perplexing in the extreme .",
      "it 's an unusual film and , once you get past the creepy factor early on , an intelligently satisfying one .",
      "it 's certain to make almost everyone in the audience squirm , either out of embarrassment for the characters or because the situation hits too close to home ...",
      "it was often painfully difficult to watch . it was never predictable , though , which is saying something .",
      "MOV has been winning accolades at film festivals , and i 'm at a loss to explain why .",
      "any movie that sentimentalizes stalking ought to be shunned .",
      "chuck & buck is a film which you ca n't quite get a fix on : it 's a movie about child sex which is also as airy and sweetly likeable as anything you 'll see this year .",
      "thought-provoking jet-black comedy that may not be for all tastes , but is well-worth seeking out .",
      "this is a thoughtful , difficult film . see it if you are ready to be challenged .",
      "here 's an odd film : a heartfelt , sweet and funny little story about a coming of age better late than never , it 's also the disturbing tale of a pathetic gay sociopath and the man he stalks .",
      "too real to ignore .",
      "quite fascinating and even strangely endearing .",
      "as the film stands , it sheds some light on what happens between young boys , but very little about what happens between men after they have grown up ... whatever that means .",
      "what makes chuck & buck a brave movie is that it does n't attempt to sugarcoat or elevate childish qualities the way movies such as disney 's the kid and forrest gump do .",
      "a fascinating study of behavior that violates the rules .",
      "chuck & buck wo n't make for the most relaxed evening 's entertainment by any means , but it is funny and daring , and well worth the occasional shudder .",
      "chuck & buck is a beacon of intelligent oddity in another summer of sameness .",
      "marvelously sastisfying .",
      "there 's a lot to like about this low-budget flick .",
      "as close to magic as contemporary movies get .",
      "a strong central performance .",
      "arteta 's movie takes a grand leap ... and clears the chasm with room to spare .",
      "its psychological layers do n't overwhelm the film or kill the humor .",
      "part case study , part metaphor .",
      "one of the best indies in quite a while .",
      "chuck & buck is ... sad , funny , true and resonant .",
      "the acting is solid .",
      "it 's poignant , laugh-out-loud funny and thoroughly provocative .",
      "the gritty look works perfectly .",
      "a slight film if ever there was one .",
      "it may freak people out , but it 's never a freak show .",
      "all the people of chuck & buck feel very human .",
      "a genuinely scary movie .",
      "this is a troubling yet rewarding film that ultimately gives us a sense of hope by showing us resolution within the confines of normal behaviour .",
      "do you like the clammy as opposed to the scary ? do you like dread rather than drama , anguish and emotional coagulation rather than screamfests ?",
      "chuck & buck might be the most perversely agreeable stalker picture ever made .",
      "creepy , funny , yet surprisingly affecting , miguel arteta 's darkly comic drama pulls off a remarkable balancing act .",
      "skirts stalker cliches and grown-up-kid-in-a-man 's - body caricatures .",
      "genuinely unsettling .",
      "of all the films to premiere at sundance 2000 , there is one movie that best represented what indie film is supposed to be .",
      "that chuck & buck holds attention despite -- or partly due to -- its murky , troubling central conceit can be credited to execution that 's stealthy and low-key throughout .",
      "possibly the most daring and honest drama about sexuality i 've ever seen .",
      "the movie is so assured , so daring and successful on its own terms , that it can make ordinary cinematic beauty seem skin-deep .",
      "... neither of the principals is a likable character and buck 's inappropriate behaviors quickly become genuinely annoying ...",
      "there 's enough haunting humanity in white 's performance and screenplay to make his weird buck far more touching than the kids in any dozen teen sex comedies .",
      "for a picture about a stalker , chuck & buck is rather sweet , funny and winning .",
      "this is not a movie for everyone , but it just might grow on you .",
      "chuck & buck is terrific up until its last act , when it takes such a wrong turn that i almost want to write two separate reviews .",
      "as the film slowly moves along , it does manage sporadically to shock and touch us . but weitz 's overly obvious acting telegraphs its big surprise so badly that it takes the punch out of what should have been the movie 's best scene .",
      "chuck & buck sinks thanks to a fundamental misunderstanding of how to structure a plot with a plausible character arc .",
      "a place worth visiting ; you just would n't want to live there",
      "a mix of wild humor and genuine sentiment .",
      "the chief strength of chuck & buck comes from its even-handedness .",
      "chuck & buck is the kind of movie that gets under your skin and takes root .",
      "the climactic confrontation between the two men near the film 's end ... simply does n't ring true .",
      "may be the most interesting movie of the year .",
      "white and arteta 's remarkable achievement lies in making buck and chuck equally comprehensible .",
      "-lsb- one -rsb- of the better films to come out of sundance this year .",
      "manages to be not only consistently droll but cumulatively poignant and even scary .",
      "one of the few truly grown-up movies you 're likely to see this year .",
      "arteta mines a lot of subtle laughs out of -lsb- beverly and buck 's -rsb- unlikely pairing .",
      "fans of risky , avant-garde independent fare with biting humor and unsettling insight will remember this audacious oddity for a long , long time .",
      "childhood innocence , homo-erotic fantasies , and an endless flow of suck-em stand-in blow-pops all have their beguiling , unsettling moments .",
      "plenty of films that have explored the relationship between two characters that were close friends at a young age only to grown apart as they entered adulthood , but there 's never been anything quite like MOV .",
      "a real stunner .",
      "it 's disturbing and thought-provoking , in the way life sometimes can be ; that 's the first clue to its remarkable quality .",
      "despite its disturbing surface , it remains a touching and heartwarming story .",
      "refreshingly unexpected and difficult .",
      "unquestionably one of the most affecting , unusual and daring movies of this year .",
      "one of the most fiercely original films about adults coping with their pasts .",
      "a gem hits the screen ."
    ],
    "summary": "poignant , unsettling .",
    "id": "15491"
  },
  {
    "movie": "brother_bear",
    "reviews": [
      "to put it frankly , it 's generic .",
      "definitely a second tier animation effort by disney studios",
      "though MOV is as beautiful as any of disney 's hand-drawn features , the gang-written script is deadly flat .",
      "sure , send the kids , but parents , you 're better off hibernating through this one .",
      "disney has come up with a mythical tale , strong on both sentiment and humor and , of course , stuffed with suitable family values messages about being kind to animals and loving your brother as you would be loved .",
      "it 's a thoroughly pleasant , if unremarkable , kids ' movie that will keep the little ones entertained for 80 minutes while not hurting their parents ' heads too much .",
      "a sweet celebration of brotherhood in its many forms .",
      "while the hand-drawn animation is visually appealing , the story is completely predictable and phil collins 's music lacks the impact of his oscar-winning tarzan tunes .",
      "people have been screaming for years about the imminent death of 2-d animation , and MOV is the kind of movie that may make you want to hurry the process along .",
      "an uninspired recycling of themes that were far more gripping in the lion king and countless other earlier mouse house classics .",
      "predictable ? yes . corny ? sure . but MOV is still good , family fun .",
      "another watchable , old-fashioned , uninspired disney animation .",
      "lackluster story only for kindergarteners .",
      "... often just as dull as it is engaging ...",
      "compared to the disney classics , this is a lazy and forgettable misfire .",
      "if `` the ceo wants to sell teddy bears '' is n't going to inspire writers to do their best work , what on earth possibly could ?",
      "a sweet family film about love and tolerance .",
      "modest but guileless .",
      "MOV is a very mild animated entry from disney with a distinctly recycled feel .",
      "it also seems to want to have a message , but it 's a little tougher to spot than the usual `` be true to yourself '' or `` face up to your destiny . ''",
      "it is , in many ways , a well-crafted little movie that does n't wear out its welcome and works better than most of its recent trad-toon disney predecessors .",
      "MOV just does n't have the original disney spark ; rather it seems like a paint-by-numbers marketing venture .",
      "... runs on circle-of-life blather and casio-keyboard songs by phil collins . to call it bland would be an insult to barry manilow .",
      "good story , solid animation , catchy songs , a beautiful score by mark mancina and big laughs to not bore the adults . sounds like the perfect definition of a family film to me .",
      "a generally upbeat and engaging tale of friendship and understanding .",
      "though six credited people -lrb- and doubtless uncredited ones as well -rrb- worked on script and story , this fits the disney template to a t.",
      "even though the story never was never quite gripping enough , `` MOV '' still is an enjoyable movie for the kids",
      "messages about appreciating the world around you and a reworking of the lion king circle-of-life riff are likely to be warmly accepted .",
      "solid family entertainment , but wo n't give pixar a run for its money .",
      "there 's something vanilla about the whole enterprise .",
      "a quintessential example of a dishonest picture .",
      "if MOV aspires to be the lion king plus , that plus is the infusion of ethnographic kitsch recycled from earlier disney hits like mulan and pocahontas that adds moral tone , but no extra entertainment value .",
      "there 's never the sense that the people making it are exactly thrilled to be telling this story ... again .",
      "disney 's latest attempt to hold the line for traditional animation is a formulaic enough effort , but it still comes through with the moralistic goods when it needs to .",
      "MOV is a fine family film that eschews the competitive and self-centered values of popular culture and proclaims the grooming of one 's spirit with love and caretaking .",
      "all the old disney trademarks are here , except the wit and surprise that were once the studio 's stock in trade .",
      "the film blatantly strip-mines the lion king , beauty and the beast , and anything else its makers can get their paws on .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's more ransacking than respect in how the disney team handles this appealing mythology ...",
      "proves hand-drawn animation can dazzle as much the computerized kind .",
      "children and their parents are likely to relate on completely different levels , the adults connecting with the transfer of souls from man to beast , while the kids are excited by the adventure stuff .",
      "seems destined to swirl down the drain along with other mouse house flameouts",
      "while the result may seem a departure for disney , it 's a stirring new direction in storytelling well suited for a new and more emotionally complex world .",
      "there 's a nagging sameness here that dwarfs the film 's noble intentions and rather striking cinematics .",
      "the name may be disney , but the result falls short of a classic .",
      "it 's eminently forgettable and does represent mouse house storytelling at its most formulaic , but it 's still better than a great deal of what passes for animated entertainment these days .",
      "the film can be recommended to parents of headstrong children who are up for a wild , frequently entertaining , but not always coherent ride . everyone else might want to download the disney screensaver .",
      "MOV is safe family fare .",
      "a pretty tepid affair ... these bears are n't as irritating as the country cousins that disney foisted on us last year , but they 're not terribly endearing , either .",
      "a playful movie that celebrates nature and the spirit world with striking imagery and a smooth blend of drama and comedy .",
      "MOV is bearable , but just barely .",
      "... another pleasant , reasonably entertaining but hardly inspired -lrb- or inspiring -rrb- effort from the house the mouse built .",
      "it feels like the moviemakers went through the motions because it 's time again for a holiday season cartoon for the little ones .",
      "while there are certainly laughs to be had , and the backgrounds are frequently ravishing , MOV is frankly a bore .",
      "today 's street-smart moviegoing kids do n't need to be so shamelessly pandered to .",
      "a play - it-safe pastiche of familiar disney tropes , from the senseless killing of a poor animal to the headstrong young adventurer to the ragtag comic relief to ... well , you can fill in the rest .",
      "what 's maddening about bear is that it dangles good stuff in front of us -- an intriguing american indian myth , beautifully stylized backgrounds -- and yanks it away to dive into conventional territory .",
      "a sentimental and enjoyable family film .",
      "the good news is that this is mostly good old-fashioned hand-drawn disney animation . the bad news is that it relies too much on old-fashioned formula , hackneyed plot and cookie-cutter characters .",
      "ok for the kiddies who wo n't be alarmed by the brutal bear attacks and hunts , but adults will merely be hibernating",
      "disney has turned the call of the wild into the stultifying murmur of group therapy .",
      "it 's not that the movie is bad . it 's just innocuous .",
      "the parts may not all fit neatly together , but the whole delivers a tale of brotherly love with just enough laughs to keep the kids entertained throughout .",
      "disney 's latest animated film is , if not exactly a return to form , a return to the spirit of the lion king .",
      "quite easily the best traditionally animated walt disney film since 1994 's , the lion king .",
      "it 's hard to avoid concluding that MOV was pitched as pocahontas meets the lion king since it recycles the themes of both , not to mention a character or two .",
      "the hand-drawn animation is alternately static and inconsistent , and the story may be too downbeat for younger kids , who are most assuredly the target audience .",
      "man bad , wildlife good ... what a load .",
      "an uninspired and lackluster story told with some visual flourish and a few cute moments but without much energy .",
      "a collection of terrible songs by phil collins continuously halts the movie in its tracks .",
      "perhaps a better title would have been oh brother ! bear .",
      "o.k. for kids , bearable for adults .",
      "with the undistinguished `` MOV , '' disney seems to have forgotten it no longer monopolizes the animated feature market .",
      "while not a masterpiece along the lines of the lion king , and not a super-smart witticism-fest like lilo & stitch , MOV is deeply heartfelt , touching , and beautiful .",
      "just rehashed man-and-nature , circle-of-life , colors-of-the-wind , ` pocahontas ' - style conservationist claptrap",
      "although there are five credited writers , it 's as if they copied and pasted material from other sources but forgot what made the originals work .",
      "the much-handled script is stifling in its self-conscious seriousness .",
      "MOV ups the usual disney ante by affording the viewer the demise of a brother and a mother before this latest offering is a reel old .",
      "oh , brother , what a bore ...",
      "an inconsequential picture like this is n't going to do much to persuade disney to keep its artists supplied with inks and watercolors as well as hard drives and mousepads .",
      "the characters are mechanisms who move along the plot arc from point a to point b.",
      "disney 's animated fable takes the `` circle of life '' for another wearying spin down a road the studio has traveled before .",
      "give one chef eggs , cream , and sugar , and he 'll produce creme brulee . in another kitchen , you 'll get plain old vanilla pudding . what we have in MOV , for all the potentially tasty ingredients , is pudding .",
      "disney animation 's attempts to recover from the collapse of its renaissance have come to an end not with a bang , or even a growl , but with a whimper .",
      "these beasts are beautiful , but `` MOV '' is no `` beauty and the beast . ''",
      "saddle our freshly hirsute hero with an insufferably chatty-cute sidekick ... and you 're pouring chocolate sauce on a double stuf oreo .",
      "MOV should please most kids , but its formulaic story and predictable animation prove disney needs to try a little harder next time .",
      "with MOV , disney fails to live up to it 's own set of self-imposed standards .",
      "disney 's latest full-length animated feature is a pretty `` un-bearable '' romp .",
      "an admittedly uneven but reasonably enjoyable mix of inuit legend , broad comedy and anthemic phil collins tunes ...",
      "pixar is forcing disney to keep up with more than ongoing distribution negotiations ; MOV is proof its muscles are starting to cramp .",
      "tykes may giggle at the rick moranis/dave thomas-voiced moose , but there 's little for adults .",
      "the embarrassing earth mother chants by phil collins further remove us from the world of the sacred past and straight into a disney marketeer 's cubicle .",
      "MOV probably wo n't crossover to adult moviegoers without kids -lsb- but -rsb- it 's an intelligent and entertaining addition to the disney catalog .",
      "os animadores da disney fazem mais um trabalho excepcional e repleto de preciosismos .",
      "`` MOV '' eschews computer animation in favor of the traditional , hand-painted , 2-d variety . as such , it 's almost a museum piece .",
      "MOV is n't a marvel in terms of screenwriting urgency , but it proves the theory that if formula is handled with care and enthusiasm , it can still work delightfully .",
      "run-of-the-mill fare like this only gives more power to the pixel-pushers .",
      "disney 's apparent notion that five screenwriters are better than one comes apart here",
      "a new age-y tale that does n't quite rank as a disney masterpiece , but which is enjoyable nonetheless .",
      ".",
      "by investing in conventions faithfully , it expands the impact of its recycled tropes .",
      "it feels like a project that got quietly pushed through the pipeline while the studio gears up for bigger and better things .",
      "skirts self-parody in its rigid adherence to the cartoon-epic template .",
      "`` a rich , deeply felt story about self-actualization and love , as well as about learning to respect nature on its own terms . it 's the new bambi .",
      "it 's another must-have for disney fans .",
      "i still do n't understand how MOV got an oscar nomination for best animated film , but there are plenty of worse movies out there .",
      "great music from phil collins and a couple of familiar moose make MOV an animated film worth checking out with the whole family .",
      "... for all its earnestness , its wholesomeness , and its uplifting moral values , MOV is formula disney .",
      "` es una de esas joyitas que no pueden faltar en ninguna colección personal y cuyo valor seguramente será reconocido en los ańos por venir . '",
      "a lame duck of a movie .",
      "enchanting .",
      "the movie is n't as witty as monsters , inc. and the storytelling is n't as sharp as in tarzan , but the theme of environmental kindness is priceless .",
      "thanks to the reincarnation of sctv stalwarts the mckenzie brothers as a pair of moose , disney 's latest animated feature is more like brother beer .",
      "... an old-fashioned animated adventure with all the time-honored disney story elements ...",
      "uncommonly satisfied with letting the characters just sit there onscreen , inhabiting clichés until the audience does some eye-rolling .",
      "a really good disney film tarnished by really bad phil collins music .",
      "a pleasant experience that is more appropriate for families than for adults unaccompanied by young offspring .",
      "MOV does have a satisfying ending and it 's nice to see a g-rated film without bathroom humor , but there is too much formula and not enough reason to pay attention here .",
      "the painted backgrounds are pretty , but the animation is sketchy and flat-looking ; the characters cast no shadows and do n't seem to weigh anything .",
      "solid entertainment for the kid audience .",
      "it 's kind of cute -- but just not cute enough .",
      "you ca n't fault the message it wants to send ... -lsb- a -rsb- las , the execution is 90 % generic and 100 % unfunny"
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is gentle and pleasant if unremarkable disney fare , with so-so animation and generic plotting .",
    "id": "9948"
  },
  {
    "movie": "56_up",
    "reviews": [
      "in 49 MOV , many of the series ' subjects seemed to be just settling into their bliss ; now they 're committed to it , and the foreclosed possibilities that come alongside .",
      "what started as a crafty way of looking at the u.k. 's rigid class structure has grown into a portrait of melancholy middle age , with its heartbreaks and minor-key triumphs .",
      "we might say that '56 MOV ' serves much the same function as ` amour , ' but it responds to the inevitability of decline with compassion , not dread .",
      "chances are that you 'll come away from this long film feeling a sense of knowing its characters .",
      "quite simply one of the great documentary projects in the history of cinema , an engrossing sociological experiment on film ; and though this mostly mellow installment is n't as revelatory as some earlier ones , it 's still a remarkable document .",
      "what ultimately is so compelling about 56 MOV is the universality of the experiences . we were all once children . and we all will die . and in between , there is everything else .",
      "watching the eighth film is intriguing but , in a way , disappointing . at this point in the game , it feels as if all the characters have determined their lots in life and are simply plodding through their interviews .",
      "those british kids are now 56",
      "as pop anthropology , the series is unchallenged .",
      "a rich portrait of how individual lives progress , and how age shapes expectations and experience .",
      "we feel good , refreshed and depressed in watching these people get older , also embarrassed in moments and cautioned about the passage of time .",
      "... feels like a retrospective and summation of the whole series , with ample quotation from the previous films , an approach that makes it interesting even for viewers who have n't seen the previous installments .",
      "it offers a few insights , and fascinating updates on the most compelling characters .",
      "these are moving images of touchingly vibrant lives at certain moments in time and space .",
      "'56 MOV '' is as good a point as any to get hooked on the magnificent half-century series of documentaries ...",
      "if 56 MOV is something of a pleasant bore while you 're watching it , it gains more resonance when you think about it as the calm before the approaching storm .",
      "what gives the series its force is not just its universality but also its particularity . these grown-ups may be everyman , but they are also singular .",
      "-lsb- the film will be -rsb- of interest to faithful followers and easily accessible to newcomers .",
      "self-contained enough for theatrical auds new to the series , it will play best with those who 've come to care for these brits over time .",
      "more than ever in this seventh edition , the MOV people seem to be fulfilling henry david thoreau 's observation that `` most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them . ''",
      "`` 56 MOV '' is well worth seeing .",
      "56 MOV is still moving and philosophic , though not as exciting as earlier episodes , which had more drama .",
      "time has been neither kind nor cruel to the 13 men and women profiled in `` 56 MOV . '' it has just been time , which is what this groundbreaking series is about .",
      "once again , apted assembles a captivating documentary that 's profoundly educational , essential viewing to aid the understanding of the human experience .",
      "apted , himself now in his early 70s , says he hopes to continue the series further . long may it live .",
      "watching `` 56 MOV '' gives you the wonderful feeling of seeing a sociological experiment blossom into something novelistically rich and humane .",
      "perhaps the boldest and probably longest running sociological experiment on film .",
      "i think the best thing about this movie -lrb- and the entire series -rrb- is that it forces the viewer to think about their own lives . it 's kind of an awakening experience .",
      "a completely unique and remarkable documentary project .",
      "apted skillfully weaves old footage with the new , and we become poignantly aware of another factor shaping their lives -lrb- and our own -rrb- : biology , as the we watch the once-cute kids grow gray and heavy .",
      "the superb latest addition to the documentary series by michael apted , following the lives of 14 people in england .",
      "more reflective than previous entries , 56 MOV is also a richer , fuller , more emotional experience",
      "`` 56 MOV '' is a rather bittersweet chapter , as age begins to further narrow those possibilities already defined at birth . and it hints that `` 63 MOV , '' if we get there , may be sadder still .",
      "the most vital and moving sociological document of our times remains invigorating despite mostly maintaining the status quo because by now the `` characters '' , older , balder , and podgier , are like old friends .",
      "the effect is often profoundly moving , but you ca n't help but feel at times like there are other stories here you 're missing .",
      "for those of us already fans of the series and invested in the characters over the course of seven films and 42 years it 's a necessary continuation and curiosity .",
      "being able to view this slice of life -lrb- no matter how contrived or edited it may be by the shows producers -rrb- provides an enjoyable and provocative perspective into humanity .",
      "the series is both a testimonial to the vagaries of chance and an endlessly cyclical study into the implications of being studied .",
      "continuing michael apted 's insightful commentary on how life can be full of surprises .",
      "the latest , and perhaps greatest installment in a great documentary series . moving , amusing and eye-opening .",
      "`` 56 MOV '' reminds us that change is ceaseless and often dramatic , bringing growth we could never have dreamed of as little kids .",
      "apted creates a graceful back-and-forth from the earlier films to the present , and the experience of seeing people who have lived so much on screen is quite profound .",
      "it shows that life is what happens when you 're busy making other plans . and how , in case we forget , every age can predict the next .",
      "yes , on some level it 's just a seven-year check-in with people maybe half-remembered , if that . yet the films also serve as a kind of check-in with us , too .",
      "apted 's subjects would object to the idea that we really know them , but we think we do -- and that 's good enough to make his film feel like a reunion , a visit with an old friend . or 14 of them .",
      "56 MOV has become a stirring reflection , even tribute , to the little bends and turns of ordinariness , the ebbs and surges of everyday lives .",
      "a window into our shared human experience , and a terrific one at that .",
      "we 're now at 56 MOV , , and with each passing calendar leap , the experience of watching has only become more soul-stirring .",
      "the original documentary was intended to illustrate how the country 's deeply ingrained class system inscribed itself on the aspirations and inner lives of its young people . but the successive movies have been far less polemical .",
      "this suffers as well from the fact that the subjects ' lives have n't changed all that much since 49 MOV -lrb- 2005 -rrb- ; perhaps the series will improve yet as they head into old age .",
      "apted , now 72 , has said he 'll keep calling on his subjects every seven years until he or they are dead . whether the subjects show MOV or not , i for one will be in line when 63 MOV comes around .",
      "as the project hits its half-century mark , with the `` kids '' settling into middle age , the signature cross-cutting between then , now and everything in between feels downright proustian in its emotional depth .",
      "perhaps predictably the mellowest of the movies . they for the most part seem to have settled into an autumnal contentment . the big conflicts have been largely resolved .",
      "an intimate portrait of settling down and finally making peace with one 's well-publicized past .",
      "the granddaddy of longitudinal documentaries impressively reaches grandparenthood ... continuing to reveal as much about the heard -lrb- but not seen -rrb- apted as his interviewees .",
      "to see `` 56 MOV '' is to be reunited with an old friend .",
      "we are all older now , and this series proves it in a most deeply moving way .",
      "the running time is over two hours , but the lives here are richly revealed and vastly rewarding .",
      "apted possesses the unsettling ability to shape perceptions of their lives and personalities from inside an editing suite , a fact that the members of his flock begin to recognize at varying points throughout their adult years .",
      "inevitably , one looks in the mirror afterward and thinks , what have i lost ? what have i gained ? and at what cost ?",
      "it 's like the startling time lapse photography of `` chasing ice '' had been applied to the human race .",
      "... can be seen and appreciated by both those who have followed series and those to whom it is all new .",
      "in the eighth installment of michael apted 's epochal documentary series , his aging participants -lrb- one of cinema 's greatest assemblage of living characters -rrb- provide not just a telescope into the past but also a kind of primer for how to live .",
      "see you again in 7 years , friends ."
    ],
    "summary": "director michael apted continues to utilize cinema as a window into the lives of everyday people , and in the reflection of this documentary we can glimpse our own aging humanity .",
    "id": "771308634"
  },
  {
    "movie": "norbit",
    "reviews": [
      "eddie murphy 's finest example of multi-role playing is still his first , 1988 's coming to america . compared to that comedic gem , MOV is little more than excess weight .",
      "murphy may bring down the house in dreamgirls , but -- despite its crudities and obvious failures -- freud would find MOV significantly more interesting .",
      "from start to finish , MOV is dismally unfunny , inspiring this sign of the apocalypse observation : big momma 's house 2 was better .",
      "if i thought hijacking a plane carrying prints of the film and crashing it into murphy 's house would put a stop to it , i 'd go out and buy a box cutter right now .",
      "there is potential all over this film , but every scene is overwrought with unfunny caricatures and tired jokes . we 've seen every gimmick and sight gag before , in better , funnier films .",
      "this is all pretty ordinary murphy movie stuff , which is to say it 's kinda funny most of the time and very funny some of the time .",
      "dumb and coarse and sometimes boring and a little bit sad .",
      "eddie murphy in another fat suit ? what could possibly go wrong with that ? oh , plenty , let me tell you .",
      "... works on a basic level , but i left it very sad .",
      "one long fat joke ... a vanity showcase that exists for no reason except to put as much of its star as possible on the screen .",
      "apparently all fat people are inherently evil .",
      "this borderline-pg-13 comedy demands the sort of sociological scrutiny that often has the moviegoer looking for a fun night out rolling her eyes . and granting MOV consideration feels like swinging a sledgehammer at a microbe .",
      "after taking in double helpings of tyler perry and martin lawrence doing the same shtick in the madea movies and big momma 's house , is n't it time for us to just say no to MOV ?",
      "MOV may be the most disturbing , morally repugnant , nightmare-inducing film of the century so far .",
      "eddie murphy reteams with nutty professor makeup artist rick baker to show those whippersnappers martin lawrence and tyler perry how a black comedian in a fat-lady suit gets the job done . he half-succeeds .",
      "MOV is pretty much a bad-taste sinkhole , with murphy competing against himself to see which of his three characters he can make more grating .",
      "murphy looks like he 's in pain , and he probably is -- latex cellulite ca n't be fun to wear -- but his anguish is as much existential as physical , trapped inside a lumbering vehicle that offers a morbidly obese harpy as the main comic attraction .",
      "you would n't call this a recommendation , exactly , but the new eddie murphy movie is not nearly as horrible as it looks .",
      "the movie seems a weird nightmare of rampaging femininity and gross gags .",
      "MOV briefly thrives on the power of murphy 's genius and then becomes mean-spirited and depressing .",
      "what seemed an inventive and engaging stretch of murphy 's comedic resources 11 years ago has congealed into predictable , processed fare . the prefabricated naughtiness of MOV is guaranteed to drag the laughs out of you whether you like it or not .",
      "how this relentlessly crude film got a pg-13 rating instead of a deserved r is anyone 's guess . worse , it 's also racially offensive and sexist .",
      "puerile comedy vehicle is a backward step for its star .",
      "it probably is n't possible for a single movie to reverse all social progress made since the civil-rights era , but MOV , the latest broadside from eddie murphy , does its best to turn back the clock .",
      "MOV is n't one of murphy 's best ; it 's a poor cousin to his other family comedies , and as rasputia , whose catchphrase is a brassy `` how you doin ' ? , '' he 's surprisingly unfunny .",
      "eddie murphy has taken his love for playing multiple roles , jerry lewis , crude humor , himself , and -- to be charitable -- his deeply conflicted feelings about women , and made a movie that is disgusting , unfunny , dull , and an appalling waste of talent .",
      "this gross comedy hardly seems like the best way to exploit murphy 's talents .",
      "murphy does well juggling three roles , but the movie -lrb- from a story co-written with his brother charles -rrb- is n't worthy of his talents .",
      "MOV demonstrates that even when working with low-grade material , murphy can be a superb actor .",
      "murphy 's work in MOV makes his fine performance in dreamgirls look like he was acting with a couple of hands tied behind his back .",
      "eddie murphy plays three roles in his latest nutty professor clone , titled MOV . and eddie griffin still steals his movie from him .",
      "in MOV , murphy is back playing multiple roles . but this time the magic is n't there .",
      "the question is not whether murphy can do anything . he can . the question is why he would want to make a movie as squirmingly unfunny as MOV .",
      "if you 're eddie murphy , and you want to win your dreamgirls oscar , you 'd better hope voters cast their ballots before they see MOV .",
      "a quick paycheck may sound like a good idea when you 're a creatively tapped comedian making trash like daddy day care . but when you 're a suddenly serious comeback kid aiming for an oscar ?",
      "although there 's no denying the threadbare nature of the script , watching murphy riff can be a formidable entertainment on its own .",
      "watching MOV is like watching a train wreck with eye clamps on .",
      "MOV is another crude , sloppy paycheck job for an actor who does n't need the money -- and who proved in dreamgirls that he is capable of far better .",
      "it 's a thoughtless , cancerous , viral , irresponsible pollution whose existence speaks ill of the society that produced it and of any society that would endorse or defend it .",
      "it 's probably impossible to enforce a complete ban on the use of fat suits in hollywood comedies , but certainly it 's time for an extended moratorium on them .",
      "the nutty professor was a comic tour de force ; MOV smells faintly of desperation .",
      "i could deal better with mean-spiritedness if the film were better written and directed . but the picture 's humor is hit and miss , with long unfunny passages and characters who really do n't change much .",
      "this dismal comedy joins a growing pile of murphy disasters -lrb- the haunted mansion , daddy day care , i spy , the adventures of pluto nash -rrb- , which may have made his oscar nomination for dreamgirls a foregone conclusion -- if not now , when ?",
      "hopefully the awards and acclaim murphy has received for his work in dreamgirls will inspire him to think twice from now on about puerile pictures like MOV . the combination of the two speaks to his versatility , if not his pride .",
      "it 's an astonishingly crass and vulgar film , crudely directed on a cut-rate budget by brian robbins , never more than almost funny or less than disturbing .",
      "usually , it takes six or so months for an actor to parlay a best supporting actor nomination into a cringe-worthy career-derailing performance in an unbelievably awful picture .",
      "and while some of the laughs are certainly hilarious , they are n't as plentiful as necessary to make MOV a consistently funny film .",
      "it 's too bad that the script does n't serve murphy 's multi-character talents in the way he deserves . if and when it ever does , he may actually make a comedy for the ages .",
      "MOV is a return to form for murphy ; while it 's not on a par with his best work , it 's very funny and just risky enough to eradicate the memory of daddy day care .",
      "here 's a new oscar category : the worst movie ever released by someone currently under consideration for an academy award . the winner ? MOV .",
      "MOV is a tour de force in which murphy plays three distinct characters , two of them to the hilt . in fact , the only thing that makes MOV good rather than great is that the title character is a bit bland .",
      "MOV is as fleeting as a belch -- and even less funny .",
      "perhaps a release at this time is meant to capitalize on murphy 's artistic comeback . instead , MOV serves as a feature-length reminder of why he needed a comeback .",
      "MOV is not a thriller , action film or suspense story . still , it achieves the assassination of comedy .",
      "there are so many problems with MOV that when you try to pin one down , another one splooges out elsewhere .",
      "when eddie -lrb- hopefully -rrb- wins an oscar anyway for his dreamgirls turn later this month , he should take the opportunity to publicly apologize for this .",
      "think big momma 's house blended with a particularly loathsome jerry lewis movie , and you 've got the picture . grimacing yet ?",
      "perhaps worried that he might be taken seriously following his knockout performance in dreamgirls , eddie murphy churned out yet another script-deficient comedy along the lines of dr. doolittle and the nutty professor .",
      "in MOV , eddie murphy is like a xylophone player who keeps banging away on the same two discordant notes ; unfortunately , those monotonous , off-key tones are the characters he 's playing .",
      "click for review",
      "most of the jokes concern obesity , which murphy evidently believes to be ipso facto funny .",
      "a life sucking comedy of highly dubious intent .",
      "if you 're not a die-hard murphy fan , your enjoyment of MOV will depend entirely on how funny you find fat suits and fart jokes . worth missing .",
      "like all of murphy 's recent films , there 's also a sweet-if-predictable heart beating beneath the discount jokes .",
      "if there 's no limit to your love of fat jokes , this is the movie for you .",
      "the laughs are broad -lrb- pardon the pun -rrb- , obtuse , and unsubtle .",
      "it 's small consolation when you have to sit through such a miserably unfunny movie , but at least the bad ideas here are relatively original .",
      "murphy has a deplorable joke concerning a lost policeman 's whistle for which there is no excuse whatever - other than it 's very funny .",
      "... admirável que , com um passado já tăo recheado de atrocidades cinematográficas , eddie murphy tenha conseguido , com MOV , a proeza de realizar aquele que , sem dúvida , é o pior filme de sua já desastrosa carreira .",
      "there 's a growing - if still anecdotally rooted - consensus that MOV could do serious damage to eddie murphy 's oscar chances .",
      "when it comes to spectacularly unfunny comedy , the supposedly very funny eddie murphy sure knows how to pick 'em .",
      "if you 're going to make a movie that basically centers around misogyny , racism , and making fun of fat people , why not go all the way and make it an adult r-rated comedy ?",
      "eddie portrays three of the leads including a sassy , oversexed , super-sized sister in an unmitigated disaster which makes characters with darker skin the butt of virtually every joke .",
      "if nothing else , the movie proves that years of pg-rated kiddie stuff has n't dulled murphy 's edge . he 's just rusty , that 's all .",
      "we 've laughed at actors wearing fat suits enough already and there 's nothing new in ` MOV . '",
      "a film like anchorman turns everyday scenarios upside down and then runs for a touchdown ; here , the jokes stop short at basic perversion .",
      "... it is another eddie altogether , eddie griffin , that gives the film its few laughs .",
      "a film that seems more like an act of revenge against womankind than an extra-broad comedy where the star dresses up in drag .",
      "murphy may be having the time of his life under all this drag , but that does n't mean the audience is sharing the experience .",
      "MOV takes the idea behind the nutty professor 2 -- that eddie murphy can play just about every character in the movie -- and strips it of all charm and humor .",
      "surely some humanitarian organization will recognize the selflessness with which murphy has taken three of the movie 's major roles , thus saving two other actors from a nasty black mark on their résumés .",
      "an uneven comedy about a milquetoast named MOV who marries rasputia , a woman so large she 'd start a fire if she wore corduroy pants .",
      "murphy may be at the top of his game , but MOV is stuck on autopilot .",
      "... only wants to be a laugh riot , yet it 's so loaded with cultural self-loathing that i 'm afraid a race riot would be a more proper response .",
      "regrettably , MOV is too cowardly , sophomoric and woefully tacky ... -lsb- it 's -rsb- lazy and disarming in its myopic presentation of a modern-day minstrel show .",
      "there 's a formula to these murphy-in-makeup comedies , which MOV closely follows .",
      "maybe eddie murphy should have waited for the oscar voting and counting to be complete before unleashing this one on the world .",
      "murphy has made plenty of bad films , but nothing as flat-footedly awful as MOV .",
      "if MOV does n't kill cinema , nothing will .",
      "MOV ends up a patchy oddity , but remains the closest eddie murphy has come to recapturing his mislaid sense of danger .",
      "when it works , MOV 's honesty about its exaggerations makes for a more embraceable portrait of american culture than dreamgirls .",
      "nothing spells funny like someone in a fat suit -- unless , of course , it 's someone in a fat suit suffering from flatulence . that 's the ne plus ultra of comedy .",
      "it 's never a good thing when you 're supposed to be cheering for the underdog , but in the back of your mind you ca n't help but think that he somewhat deserves to be getting all that sand kicked in his face .",
      "eddie murphy steals more than a few ideas from tyler perry for his multi-character comedy that has murphy playing an obese wench named rasputia , to whom MOV is married .",
      "a sweatier hell than the fat suit in which murphy spends much of the movie . it 's official - our children will die never knowing the sensation of laughing at eddie murphy .",
      "the filmmakers ' big mistake in this painful , low-brow disaster , is their misguided belief that murphy in make-up and a fat suit is automatically funny . they seem to have forgotten that a good script is mandatory .",
      "first , martin lawrence as big momma , then tyler perry as madea , and now this ? enough already .",
      "murphy 's phenomenal talent is still on display , but mainly as an example of how he 's wasted it .",
      "somewhere between a minstrel show and a lesser jerry lewis movie there 's MOV .",
      "when martin lawrence and tyler perry play gals with sky-high bmi , at least their characters offer -- and are shown -- a certain amount of love and respect .",
      "MOV has something to offend everyone ... all you need is isaiah washington and michael richards in the movie spewing homophobic and racial slurs to make it complete .",
      "... a strange , toneless collection of fat jokes , fart jokes and foul sex gags .",
      "it 's not hard to detect this creature -lsb- rasputia -rsb- as the object of something like pure hate by four male screenwriters . comedy like this is n't pretty .",
      "-lsb- rasputia is -rsb- violent , vulgar , selfish , and lacking the subtlety of even a fairy tale orge or evil stepmother . the character undercuts the entire film .",
      "too many of the gags in the sloppy comedy MOV are lumbering and graceless , more fun to anticipate than to witness .",
      "MOV is worth checking out just to see eddie murphy do his thing . and fortunately that 's enough to make it relatively easy to overlook all the other big problems with the film .",
      "a few more movies like MOV and eddie murphy wo n't have a fanbase to kick around anymore .",
      "MOV sets a new standard for the worst hollywood can conceivably produce .",
      "if you survive the maddening MOV without hurting yourself or those around you , consider it a triumph of self-restraint .",
      "-lsb- i thought , -rsb- maybe this was going to be my guilty pleasure movie of 2007 . well , it did n't turn out that way at all .",
      "eddie murphy reaches into his comedic closet and pulls out a hysterical hit .",
      "absolutely adorable . murphy plays a big black woman who is not a victim of america 's unrealistic ideal of beauty .",
      "why is everybody in such a tizzy over MOV ?",
      "stealing from date movie : now that is pathetic .",
      "a one-dimensional bad news comedy .",
      "MOV is so bad , it has redefined my concept of hell .",
      "the humor is mean-spirited and the jokes rather puerile .",
      "three eddie murphys is three too many .",
      "stereotype-based comedy from eddie murphy in a variety of fat suits is just not enough to make a decent film .",
      "even if you go back decades , body fascism has rarely been so brazen , or so unfunny . horrifying .",
      "murphy finally has nothing to prove in front of the camera , which makes his fondness for wearing extreme prosthetics to play multiple roles in a film bursting with cheap , obvious gags increasingly baffling .",
      "it 's offensively bad ."
    ],
    "summary": "coming off his oscar-nominated performance in dreamgirls , the talented-but-inconsistent eddie murphy plays three roles in MOV , a cruel , crass , stereotype-filled comedy that 's more depressing than funny .",
    "id": "364557026"
  },
  {
    "movie": "night_at_the_museum_2",
    "reviews": [
      "adults have the choice of either admiring the scenery or taking a nap . there 's not much else worth doing . certainly , paying attention to the story is an exercise in futility , but you 're welcome to try ...",
      "a super-size rehash of the original .",
      "if you are n't enchanted and a little thrilled by the sequel 's setting -- well , you probably hate puppies and sunshine , too .",
      "smithsonian whips itself into a kind of frenzied exhilaration that 's both fun and funny .",
      "your 12-and-unders will dig it , and it might even serve as a sort of movie-bookmobile and get them to read a little history , or at least a little wikipedia . but otherwise it 's utterly dispensable .",
      "pleasant , innocuous and intermittently thrilling family entertainment .",
      "night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian seems to go on for several days and nights , though in fact it lasts just 105 minutes . i checked my watch . a lot .",
      "the sequel to the big family hit night at the museum struggles with a big creative challenge . the sense of wonderment you feel in seeing museum displays magically come to life is not as strong the second time around .",
      "the film offers enough ingenious touches and playful humor that the less-inspired elements hit with a screech .",
      "every bit as over-long , talky and cumbersome as its title .",
      "smithsonian only occasionally lives up to its wondrous , chaotic premise . instead the film appears more delighted with tiresome improvisational acrobatics than generating a welcoming tidal wave of wonder .",
      "what follows is less a story than a series of semi-clever ideas .",
      "the cheeky attitude and charming effects make it more entertaining than the original , notwithstanding some clumsy humans who almost break the spell .",
      "when this excessive and silly farce works -- roughly half the time -- it 's thanks to the comic dynamic created by funny folk who can go riff-to-riff with stiller .",
      "has the kind of laughs that might convince you that nothing is as bad as it seems : the movie is no masterpiece but if you could plug its good nature into the national grid you could probably keep birmingham alight for a month .",
      "it 's still strictly insufferable .",
      "click to read the full review",
      "ben stiller 's comic setpiece interludes provide the best laughs - his encounter with a goofy , officious security guard called brandon is particularly good .",
      "MOV is a fistful of family fun ... brimming with amusing lines , great effects and a series of smart cameo performances .",
      "it 's not quite as good as the unfairly maligned first instalment but , for parents , this is a foolproof way of filling a slot over the bank holiday weekend .",
      "this is designed to appeal to attention-deficit youngsters but will irritate or exhaust more discerning cinephiles .",
      "a great adventure for all age groups .",
      "this rushed smithsonian visit skims over laughs and excitement to cram in more museum paraphernalia and messages . like the original but bigger and faster , it 's harmless but throwaway .",
      "like too many sequels , more money and fewer ideas has made for a disappointing film .",
      "a comedy adventure that the whole family can enjoy , right down to the age of five .",
      "kids are well served with slapstick hi-jinks and mild peril but there are too few laugh out loud moments to keep adults entertained .",
      "fun , fast-paced sequel is more upbeat than the original .",
      "once these creatures do come to life for a second outing , the promise soon evaporates and the clever comedy , built largely on crisscrossing anachronisms and various sly cultural references , is not enough to sustain a romp that is all rather predictable .",
      "you can actually hear the writers pulling ideas out of their butts and flinging them willy-nilly at the screen .",
      "this is yet another hard-sell `` family '' film that tries to bludgeon viewers into submission with loud and overly elaborate special effects set-pieces instead of charming them with a compelling story or any discernible traces of genuine wit and/or whimsy .",
      "imagine a hyper child running through the entire smithsonian as fast as possible , screaming and waving his arms the entire way . he would probably be entertained , but would anyone around him ?",
      "the sense of wonder the movie engenders is palpable , and anything that makes museums look cool -lrb- which this movie does , in spades -rrb- deserves a vote of thanks from civilization as a whole .",
      "battle of the smithsonian is packed with odd characters , eccentric arguments and ornate special effects , and while it 's never transcendently funny enough to be seriously impressive , it is chock full of family-friendly giggles .",
      "the godfather part ii of family-oriented , museum-based cgi spectacles .",
      "compared with the wit and humour of any pixar movie or aardman feature this is shoddy stuff .",
      "kids should still get a kick out of this museum , but adults may have a harder time finding something worth laughing at this time around .",
      "with all the oversized personalities that surround him , stiller gets upstaged .",
      "amy adams adds plenty of welcome ` moxie ' -lrb- and a tight pair of aviator 's britches -rrb- , but otherwise there 's not much here besides noise , chaos and monkey-slapping .",
      "even ben stiller looks bored out of his mind .",
      "it 's not a bad movie . just an unnecessary one .",
      "i 'm not sure if anyone in this film actually acted alongside anyone else , or if the performances were all cut together in the editing suite .",
      "the silliness meanders wildly , and stiller looks like he 's more than happy to let everyone else do most of the work .",
      "amy adams is the lone saving grace to be found herein , which is a nice way of saying she 's all that kept me from pondering `` to be or not to be '' .",
      "does n't have the originality of the first film and feels a little boring as such .",
      "one wonders if director shawn levy was more interested in cramming special effects into the movie than creating actual comedy .",
      "a dreadfully unfunny comedy , which is amazing considering all the comic talent in the cast .",
      "... what the heck , it 's fun on the same level as the original ...",
      "night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian can be too cluttered and hyperactive to appreciate its broad pleasures .",
      "there is so much going on here , presented in such uninspired empty-calorie servings , that you grow bloated on the unending eye candy",
      "bill & ted 's excellent adventure is a more enriching experience , and it features joan of arc as an aerobics instructor .",
      "it never quite finds its comic footing , but kids will probably love it -- they might even learn a thing or two .",
      "overstuffed with gimmicks , but short on charm and creativity .",
      "maybe the movie would be more fun if the ancient egyptian tablet could bring ben stiller to life .",
      "night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian , is breezier than the first museum , at least to me , which means in three years i 'll be revising my opinion downward .",
      "talented comedians robin williams and ricky gervais are wasted in small roles . grownups chaperoning the youngsters will be bored as the 105 minutes seem interminable .",
      "it seems that the actors got together for this film just to have some fun , interacting with one another in an overblown snl sketch with plenty of special effects .",
      "the best , and possibly only , reason to watch night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian is the enchanting amy adams .",
      "maybe not as fresh and unique as the first one , the sequel has enough laugh-out-loud moments to enjoy .",
      "they fixed everything i found wrong with its predecessor , so i can only assume the filmmakers read my review and addressed my concerns point by point .",
      "no passado , quando um grupo de comediantes deste calibre se reunia em uma produзгo , o filme era um evento . hoje em dia , trata-se apenas da continuaзгo ruim de um longa apenas razoбvel e que terб sido esquecido em menos de seis meses .",
      "fitful and flighty , it 's a frenetic diversion destined for a popular niche on the dvd shelf .",
      "the lincoln memorial statue is something of a travesty .",
      "it 's bigger , noisier , shinier , and dumber , and it has no earthly reason to exist .",
      "if there 's one thing that a movie-going mom or dad understands , it 's the look in the eyes of someone who 's just going through the motions , and there 's a lot of that going on in night 2 .",
      "a fistful of family fun ... brimming with amusing lines , great effects and a series of smart cameo performances .",
      "this is a bigger and better night out than the first .",
      "as of now , the scariest four words in the english language are officially ` a shawn levy film . '",
      "this is what you call a wholesome kiddie movie on drugs .",
      "stiller 's still stuck in the first movie , with little to impress beyond some hi-tech wizardry . i see dead props , along with a story that could have used some pick me up too . and with artifacts gone wild , as the museum cross-pollinates with toys r us .",
      "fun facts and intriguing images zip by as quickly as the plot",
      "second -lrb- and third -rrb- chances abound for this cast of characters .",
      "though it 's a little slow to start and some of the humor clunks , the film features a wholesome charm , some truly dazzling effects -lrb- the lincoln memorial alone is worth it -rrb- , and enough mild , parent-nip in-jokes to keep all but the stone-hearted happy .",
      "a lack of discipline and a desire to appeal to the lowest common denominator have wreaked havoc on a decent cast and a great idea , almost burying the outstanding effects . it 's a flimsy rescue story .",
      "how can one movie contain ricky gervais , hank azaria , steve coogan , amy adams , christopher guest , bill hader , mindy kaling , jay baruchel and craig robinson while offering so very little in the way of laughs ?",
      "adults who see this movie unaccompanied by a child should sign up pronto for therapy with gabriel byrne on in treatment .",
      "night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian throws everything -- history , high jinks , lots of famous faces in supporting roles -- at the museum walls to see what sticks . happily , much of it does .",
      "musters only a few lackluster laughs ... -lsb- but -rsb- has one trump card : it 's a kid-friendly , `` pg '' film that celebrates museums .",
      "the plot of this film feels like a garage sale jigsaw puzzle : its pieces out of order , warped and shoved into places they do n't go with a few extra pieces thrown into the box .",
      "marvel at the movie 's cheerful idiocy , which seems definitive -- even though the summer season has just begun -- and at the efficiency with which the filmmakers have dumbed down a dumb premise of proven success .",
      "azaria pretty much steals the show .",
      "this was a chance to show young people how history comes alive at the world 's biggest museum , but instead , it makes the smithsonian seem like a place where dopey comics go to croak .",
      "in bringing history , literally , to life , and having as much fun with it as it is computer-graphically possible to have , director shawn levy and reno 911 writers robert ben garant and thomas lennon at least make -lsb- museum -rsb- worth noticing .",
      "battle of the smithsonian is far from art , but there 's plenty of art in it , and for parents seeking a reasonable afternoon 's entertainment for the kids , that 's recommendation enough .",
      "a big , bloated bore , so overstuffed with effects and racket that it 's simply exhausting ... the kind of empty extravaganza that gives family films a bad name .",
      "as it turns out , 93 main characters is too many .",
      "this time around there 's a little more life on display .",
      "on the whole , this pumped-up sequel proves to be a more satisfying kid-friendly action film than the original .",
      "along with the addition of amy adams as a spunky amelia earhart , moving the action to the smithsonian -lrb- and ignoring any concerns about believability -rrb- brings this goofy sequel to life like a wax sculpture of teddy roosevelt .",
      "never less than politely entertaining , but often misses its huge targets .",
      "it makes everything bigger and more impressive on a technical level , but ca n't ever find a story to match .",
      "enjoy the zooming action and slightly nerdy reverence for the past , and try not to think about what this delightful concept might have been in the hands of a tighter , more aware director .",
      "so many new characters have been added to the ones who appeared in the original film , and director shawn levy flits between them at such a zippy pace , no one gets much of a chance to register . and that 's a huge waste of the comic talents amassed -lsb- here -rsb- .",
      "bigger , longer , and even more chaotically crowded -lrb- more stars ! more f/x ! -rrb- than its predecessor , night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian proves that adding another ring does n't make for a better circus .",
      "when MOV sticks to its preferred brand of high-jinks , it delivers upon its promise of plenty of throwaway fun for the all-ages crowd .",
      "spritely scenarios are drowned out by the manic mayhem .",
      "-lsb- levy is -rsb- successful enough , in fact , that kids may well pass on their next chance to see a movie -- just so they can visit a real museum , instead .",
      "no stone is left unturned .",
      "the special effects are astonishing , the spirit of a `` can do '' america suffuses the enterprise , and it 's superior to its predecessor .",
      "it 's a gag-packed , fast-paced , fxladen romp which will provide plenty of entertainment for all ages . great stuff .",
      "night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian is that most rare of exhibits : a sequel that 's actually better than the original .",
      "atrociously dumb .",
      "... a retread that retraces what was funny in the first film but is n't anymore since the surprise and delight of discovery is gone .",
      "levy 's film is neither fun nor exciting . he 's stuffed it with special effects , star names and big numbers , but it has none of the exuberance needed to lift us out of our seats and take us on a thrilling ride .",
      "i know not every person is going to agree with me on this one , but i 'm going to say it anyway : azaria 's lisping kahmunrah is one of the most annoying and unfunny characters that has ever appeared on a movie screen .",
      "... a pleasant enough way to pass 100 minutes on an uneventful weekend afternoon .",
      "after a slow start , a great deal of fun .",
      "... ultimately fares slightly worse than its uneven yet agreeable predecessor ...",
      "watching historical figures enact the cliches identified with the most simplistic versions of their images , i found myself yet once again echoing the frequent cry of gene siskel : why not just give us a documentary of the same actors having lunch ?",
      "bloated with visual effects .",
      "more engaging and better-paced than its predecessor , relocated to the world 's largest repository of history , art and pop culture , the sequel ups the ante on all sides to deliver delightful family fun .",
      "if only -lsb- ben -rsb- stiller in real life would take a hint from his latest character and miss whatever career he had before acting and go back to it .",
      "all up it 's levy 's best work so far and while i realise that 's faint praise , it 's far from being damning .",
      "a scattergun trawl through human -lrb- albeit mostly american -rrb- history and culture , with the emphasis more on entertainment than instruction .",
      "stiller helps bring a new group of characters to life and they in turn bring this franchise to life again . adams and azaria shine .",
      "this is a family comedy that will entertain the kids and amuse the grown-ups . it 's also a rare hollywood sequel that 's better than the original .",
      "it 's a collection of some of the most interesting figures throughout history and some of the most talented performers we have working today .",
      "this sequel 's greatest claim to fame lies in turning its innocuously painless original into an overblown bore .",
      "the comedy is always lackluster , cumbersome and lacking a child 's innocent playfulness .",
      "i was surprised by how funny and well-made the sequel is , especially for a `` family film . ''",
      "the museum sparkles , but the movie is awfully dull .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- morass of three stooges-level slapstick and juvenile-style playground taunting ...",
      "fine in the ` rather more than adequate ' rather than ` really rather wonderful ' sense .",
      "unlike most sequels , this `` bigger , busier '' strategy pays off , resulting in a romp that 's as affable as it is inventive .",
      "humor consisting of silly slapstick , people falling down and others making goofy faces , which is what 10-year olds love more than anything else .",
      "this is a funnier and more coherent slice of kids ' entertainment .",
      "the sequel is missing what made the first film so special ; magic and mystery . the first flick is far superior .",
      "upstaging its predecessor with colorful new characters and energy the kids will love .",
      "this is a throwback to those disreputable 70s comedies that found a spot for every unemployed layabout in hollywood .",
      "parental content review",
      "i can only recommend ben stiller 's comedy sequel in the way i might a burnt sausage when there 's nothing else to eat : it 's not terribly appetising , but it 'll have to do .",
      "the toy story-esque plot could be written on the femur of dormouse and some scenes still lean towards inanity . but , in the main , this is a funnier and more coherent slice of kids ' entertainment .",
      "perhaps it should have been titled either night at the museum : we 're doing it for the money or night at the museum : contractually obligated sequel , instead .",
      "it 's not so much a movie as a series of running antiquity gags , good for a comedy club , not so much for the multiplex .",
      "proves to be bigger and better than the first .",
      "busy is not the same as clever .",
      "amy adams , spunky and incandescent as amelia earhart , is so fun to watch that she almost makes up for the dopeyness surrounding her .",
      "what 's hugely-talented amy adams doing in an imbecilic debacle like this ?",
      "the sweet spot between action and inspired silliness .",
      "whatever its flaws may be , it at least refuses to be a stiff , lifeless relic .",
      "... most notable for the inventive new touches added which prove amusing diversions to the dull central throughline ... it 's kind of like the movie equivalent of a toddler 's busy box .",
      "the two short scenes that bring british comic ricky gervais into the movie as the stuffy museum administrator suggest the possibility of a third movie ... a decent script surely is needed before that 's given the go-ahead .",
      "smithsonian wants to be frothy , but it ca n't help having a little more heart and soul than you 'd expect or even require . give it a chance , it 's a fun show .",
      "best of all are azaria , a brilliant comic character actor ... and adams as the feisty earhart , thrilled to be off on a new adventure .",
      "... more of the same while being slightly different and raising the stakes . it 's a formulaic sequel , but it works every bit as well as the original did .",
      "unfunny , unnecessary and with unlimited box office potential , ` night at the museum : battle of the smithsonian ' is all show and no go .",
      "it was fresh , funny and clever the first time . now , not so much .",
      "stiller has a look on his face as if he knows he 's participating in total garbage .",
      "an amusing concept that still holds some charm now , although it also lends itself to bombastic overkill , which sequels are naturally inclined toward anyway",
      "the result is pretty much a free-form traffic jam in which everyone fights everyone else .",
      "wow , count this as one film that completely took me by surprise !",
      "with the exception of amy adams ' performance and some excellent special effects , this sequel fails to live up to the first ` night at the museum ' romp .",
      "an exhilarating , imaginative sequel filled with humor , excitement , wit and a lively cast . it 's genuinely delightful and fun for everyone young and old .",
      "you know how it goes : the plot is inane , but a lot of the dialogue makes you laugh .",
      "this sequel is a huge improvement . the plot is still simple but what 's improved is the comedy . it 's funnier and livelier .",
      "it 's lazy stuff , a waste of a big name cast in the service of a film that is little more than a boring virtual museum tour .",
      "there 's a slightly out-of-control atmosphere that makes this corny romp much more entertaining than the original",
      "this is a solid , if unspectacular , second effort , that retreads the material from the first film with a slightly bigger budget .",
      "add some gags with living paintings and photos , and the return of that monkey , and this museum is certainly worth the price of admission .",
      "entertaining sequel that survives its paper-thin plot and lazy writing thanks to superb special effects and a trio of terrific comic performances .",
      "remains consistent with the all-powerful amy adams rule , which holds that any movie featuring her is instantly , vastly improved because of it .",
      "it falls flat trying to muster up any mirth or suspense as it barrels from one set piece to the next ."
    ],
    "summary": "night at the museum : battle at the smithsonian is busy enough to keep the kids interested but the slapstick goes overboard and the special effects -lrb- however well executed -rrb- throw the production into mania .",
    "id": "770681480"
  },
  {
    "movie": "black_sea",
    "reviews": [
      "the film disappoints due to its lack of tension and gaffes in realism , which should have been airtight .",
      "you 'll be holding your breath right along with these treasure hunters as their hope for survival grows as black as the ocean depths .",
      "a modest , tightly wound , straightforward story about a dangerous task performed by disposable men under severe conditions .",
      "-lsb- you -rsb- could do far worse than this competently steered , claustrophobic adventure . but better fare exists in the subgenre catalog , and implausibility problems make this movie only partially compelling .",
      "director kevin macdonald and writer dennis kelly craft a relentless , claustrophobic nail-biting thriller .",
      "tension on a run-down submarine is n't perfect , but it 's good enough",
      "i was afraid this would be a case of robinson quickly succumbing to ocean madness and going kill-happy in the submarine 's unfriendly confines .",
      "`` MOV '' is shrill and strident - an overall unpleasant experience .",
      "not one of the all-time great sub movies , but it 's an entertaining ride and a gloom-filled glimpse at the darker side of human nature .",
      "an extremely satisfying undersea adventure with a quality lead performance by jude law .",
      "the hidden treasure genre is full of inventive stories and this is yet another one , a smart screenplay that pushes all the right elements to the fore",
      "the journey begins with high hopes and a sense of adventure but very soon it is the disintegration of the relationships on-board that prompts the fiery unraveling ; forcing life and death decisions , rather than those concerning wealth and poverty",
      "twelve men in a leaky boat with greed for company and the russian navy above them . a shame that none of them are very likeable .",
      "jude law completes with MOV his transformation into one of the uk 's most imposing screen presences . this , we were not expecting . what next ? ray winstone , now out of a job , auditioning for alfie 2 ?",
      "not much of it is credible , starting with the hiring of a rusty submarine out of sevastopol , but it has action and adventure to burn , leavened with bits of humour .",
      "though not perfect , MOV is a tense piece of pressure cooker entertainment .",
      "the plot does n't entirely hold water ... but law exudes brawny charisma and helps the film build up a good head of sweaty , claustrophobic tension .",
      "MOV is another strongly made drama from british filmmaker kevin macdonald and , like the last king of scotland and state of play , is about a protagonist in an untenable situation .",
      "director kevin macdonald successfully ties the psychological tension with the physical , using the tight confines of a submarine setting rather masterfully , squeezing each drop of tension and expertly pacing every plot twist in dennis kelly 's screenplay .",
      "with stunning underwater visuals , and a story that is engaging enough despite its obvious turns , there may be gold here yet .",
      "no serious fan of below the waterline thrills should miss this boat .",
      "after the criminally underappreciated how i live now , kevin macdonald kicks back with a terrific submarine thriller marinated in eau de maclean .",
      "MOV presents a unique twist on heist movies , and while the human drama may feel a bit clunky , the sum of all parts moves nicely from start to finish .",
      "gripping , smart and genuinely thrilling , MOV elevates itself above most other thrillers by how wisely and well it brings you down to the depths alongside its crew .",
      "as much as the film is primarily a genre workout for director kevin macdonald , the script makes room for a tough-minded , psychologically corrosive depiction of vengeance .",
      "the chilling and tense ambiance is not enough to save this feature from its generic tendencies .",
      "whether as an adventure tale , a thriller , or a morality play , `` MOV '' never quite makes a compelling enough case for its existence .",
      "MOV may not be a groundbreaking drama , but it 's an effective genre thriller that grapples with real world issues and offers another interesting challenge for law - accent and all .",
      "director kevin macdonald creates some great scenes of subaquatic tension , but law 's aberdonian accent makes groundskeeper willie sound authentic .",
      "there 's more than a hint of the treasure of the sierra madre about this dennis kelly-scripted thriller , which does a grippingly efficient job of trapping its audience amid the pumping pistons and clanging pipes of its inhospitable setting .",
      "as the perils mount , a certain momentum takes hold , though never quite enough to justify taking up two hours ' space in your life .",
      "in the end , `` MOV '' is a taut warning about the evil allure of greed . it also makes clear why vacationing on submarines has never caught on .",
      "screenwriter dennis kelly turns to the old nazi-sub-full-of-gold chestnut for a thriller that resembles an underwater `` the treasure of the sierra madre '' with a dollop of `` the caine mutiny '' and an underlying theme of fathers and sons .",
      "a contemporary submarine thriller that serves the genre well .",
      "macdonald creates a suitable claustrophobic setting for his tale to unfold , and it efficiently does so over the film 's 115-some minute runtime . -lrb- full content review -- sex , profanity , violence , etc. -- for parents also available -rrb-",
      "even though `` the MOV '' dives a little deeper than needed , it rises above its b-movie roots to become a solid , well-crafted thriller .",
      "MOV is a solid , mostly thrilling submarine movie ... with one big flaw",
      "conventional hollywood wisdom says one should be wary of any hollywood thriller released in the first month or so of any year . MOV is an exception to that rule .",
      "kevin macdonald 's adventurous thriller is a familiar but exciting descent into absolute madness that is extremely well acted , completely intense , and entirely amusing thanks to its eccentric cast of colorful nut jobs .",
      "i 'm something of a sucker for submarine-movie clichés ; watching this movie , i was happy the very first time i heard a disconcerting ping .",
      "even with its modes in patchwork style , MOV generally holds your attention for most of its nearly two hours .",
      "a parabolic film about a middle-aged man who decides to fight back after being reduced to being a nobody .",
      "it may be a tad predictable , with a bit of a slow start , yet it is a worthy effort from the director giving the modern heist movie a bit of a twist .",
      "MOV is so almost-terrific that it 's ultimately more disappointing than a movie that 's merely badly or carelessly made .",
      "basically another tough genre workout that is all too familiar , with enough tension and violence to keep an audience alert if not riveted .",
      "director kevin macdonald uses the das boot-like claustrophobia for maximum tension , then deadens the thrills with flashbacks . ah , jeez .",
      "really , though , everything else about MOV is in service to several big suspense setpieces , and here , the film cuts loose , concocting marvelous scenarios for enormous stress .",
      "a semi-waterlogged confluence of the submarine and heist sub-genres which seeks to evoke a testosterone-soaked , 1970s feel .",
      "shallow , swamped by cliches",
      "the kind of movie that makes you hold your breath when things get tense . how long can you hold yours ?",
      "the script stays on the surface instead of exploring the depths of the material .",
      "a conventional underwater boat movie , albeit one that 's well-made enough so that when you turn to each other after the movie and shrug , you mean it in a good way . sort of .",
      "while `` MOV '' physically dives deep , the story is shallow , the character 's motivations are irrational and the drama is forced . the star of the film is the old , rickety submarine and the tension only she provides .",
      "it 's a great setting for putting a group of people under intense mental and physical pressure , one that director kevin macdonald and screenwriter dennis kelly put to excellent use in MOV .",
      "too often , moviegoers must choose between character-driven drama and edge-of-your-seat action . `` MOV '' has both , with a gripping performance by jude law as their nexus .",
      "despite leading man jude law 's passionate performance , his vessel continuously springs leaks .",
      "by no means a masterpiece , but a solid genre offering , a portrait of desperate men crammed together and surrounded on all sides by what one describes as `` dark , cold death . '' what better way to escape the midwinter doldrums ?",
      "MOV is a submarine thriller set in the murky depths of exactly where the title says .",
      "it is n't the smartest or most exciting thriller that viewers will have seen but , thanks to a quality cast and a fresh setup , MOV is still an entertaining watch .",
      "macdonald is a fine captain himself , particularly when it comes to the more visceral thrills . but he could have stood to cut the screed against the fat cats who line their pockets with dollars earned by the workingman .",
      "MOV does n't delve too far below the surface , but it is claustrophobic , compelling and suspenseful .",
      "a lean , mean old school sub thriller that could bring these movies back to the surface .",
      "an old-fashioned sort of submarine suspenser -lsb- that 's -rsb- a mostly enjoyable throwback to macho melodramas of an earlier age .",
      "the film 's patina of richly textured grime lends the film a gloomy , claustrophobic beauty that serves its mood , as well as its satisfyingly misanthropic message ...",
      "dive in .",
      "some of the particulars do n't add up , so much so that you do notice them even as the action plows forward . but it 's still a thrilling ride .",
      "there 's an immediacy to a submarine movie like nothing else .",
      "flawed , but when it clicks together , it does so superbly , giving classic cinema conventions a successful modern spin .",
      "handled artfully by macdonald , whose earlier work includes `` the last king of scotland , '' dennis kelly 's script pulls bits and pieces from `` the treasure of the sierra madre , '' `` the wages of fear '' and its remake , `` sorcerer . ''",
      "the cold war flavor gives MOV the feel of something that might have been made three decades ago .",
      "we do n't truly know this skipper , so when crew members accuse him of letting gold fever compromise his sanity , we have no way to tell if they 're right .",
      "screenwriter dennis kelly infuses all this with a heavy dose of proletarian rage , and law exudes enough charisma in the lead role to supply the movie with one marginally likable character .",
      "a sturdy little adventure , even when it goes enjoyably off-kilter in its last half-hour .",
      "scottish director kevin macdonald , who 's best known for the oscar-winning the last king of scotland , knows how to build tension , and his talents are on full display in MOV .",
      "you walk away from the film with the niggling sense that the story never quite holds your attention the way it should .",
      "while the film does n't cut nearly as deep as -lsb- the director 's -rsb- the last king of scotland , it 's nevertheless a suspenseful , taut thriller with political undertones that delivers on its low-key promises .",
      "while `` MOV '' is predictable , especially with the almost expected treachery from one `` bad apple '' in the crew , the movie 's tension is palpable , particularly with its extended climax .",
      "the fundamentals of the story and that irresistibly cramped and isolated setting keep the tension level high .",
      "kelly 's screenplay continually adjusts the stakes , but the changes are the result of decisions made by the characters .",
      "`` MOV '' is no mere exploitation movie . it elevates itself by showing how the men aboard the sub are themselves changed by the lure of riches .",
      "the way enmities quickly escalate is a little bit of a stretch , but otherwise this is a smartly handled , old-school adventure , as law 's beleaguered captain struggles to keep control both of his men and his wayward , leaking vessel .",
      "take 12 men . fill their heads with tales of lost nazi bullion . seal them in a rusting , secondhand russian submarine . submerge beneath the MOV . allow contents to come to a nice , rolling boil .",
      "when the most convincing thing about a film is jude law 's scottish accent , you can be sure it has problems .",
      "law does a great job as the resourceful and relentless robinson .",
      "an underwater heist of nazi loot ? awesome . submarine movies do n't get much better than this intensely suspenseful popcorn adventure .",
      "despite rugged craft and a seaworthy ensemble , kevin macdonald 's low-key submarine thriller never quite sparks to life .",
      "there 's also a neatly cruel twist , midway through , plus a general drive to undercut band-of-brothers clichés . the russians - initially cast as primitives - develop in interesting ways . the same goes for law 's character .",
      "MOV is well-crafted and handled with reliable professionalism by its oscar-winning director kevin macdonald , even if it does ultimately tend towards the predictable .",
      "the director kevin macdonald does a very good job in capturing the claustrophobia and fear that a submarine crew feel as a mission goes wrong .",
      "while this submarine adventure starts out as a brainy thriller with superior production design , it eventually gives in to the demands of the genre : silly plotting and corny melodrama .",
      "it 's in the second hour that this boat really gets rocking : macdonald has torpedoes of conflict firing in every direction .",
      "MOV loosely rejiggers history to allow for a fantastic-sounding story-and treasure-to be pursued in a tightly wound twist on the common heist film .",
      "what makes the old tropes new enough to be frequently exciting ... is mr. law 's portrayal of a desperate man renewing his lease on life , come what may .",
      "though the characters are at odds , the cast operates in perfect unison .",
      "the story loses credibility as it goes along , as the body count escalates , and robinson 's solutions to life-and-death crises grow increasingly far-fetched . well before it ends preposterously , `` MOV '' has taken leave of its senses .",
      "a tense , old-fashioned thriller .",
      "fans of previous submarine thrillers should appreciate the tense nail-biter that macdonald has created .",
      "peanut butter and chocolate . fish and chips . the heist movie and the submarine picture . these things go together so perfectly that it 's a wonder they were ever apart .",
      "law is n't bad , but ultimately , in a situation like this , he 's just too decent .",
      "it 's also an angry class drama ; a portrait of international clashing ; and it 's set aboard not just a submarine but a grimy , clanky , geriatric submarine , which looks ready to rust as soon as it submerges .",
      "old-fashioned storytelling values and zeitgeisty relevance make for a worthy addition to sub-aquatic cinema 's nerve-juddering legacy .",
      "it 's well shot , tense and solidly entertaining . but watertight it definitely is n't .",
      "though it perhaps inevitably lives in the shadow of some subgenre masterpieces , MOV is a superbly shot men-on-a-mission thriller with chest-tightening tension and a striking contemporary resonance .",
      "this old-school , undersea chiller starring jude law offers a sophisticated and moving study into the evils of greed .",
      "looking for comfort food in a movie season stuffed with supposed gourmet fare ? sometimes a good old-fashioned sub will do nicely .",
      "ticking all the boxes required of the genre , it 's well up to movie sub standards .",
      "here 's a submarine thriller that delivers on tension but does n't get too deep .",
      "law nails the aberdeen accent and makes for a commanding presence as he tries to keep his bickering men focused on the mission at hand .",
      "a confused mishmash about greed , madness , violence and sentimental redemption .",
      "the disappointment of dennis kelly 's script , and also kevin macdonald 's direction , is how arbitrarily the onboard drama develops .",
      "the limits of incredulity are stretched thin , and in the end , though MOV is at times an admirable , even memorable film , it could have used a lot more of the sad realism with which it opened .",
      "it might not be the most original submarine movie you 've ever seen , but do n't be surprised if it ranks among the better ones .",
      "overloaded with narrative cargo , but often fun , if mostly just kinda .",
      "worker rage and rebel impulses collide in this tense political thriller , as economic crisis cinema sails into 2015 . placing the fury of the jobless front and center , and international class connections crossing cultural lines .",
      "`` MOV '' is a good movie ; law turns in a great performance , and one walks away feeling that the characters and the scenery here are all convincing .",
      "when it sticks to the increasingly chaotic undersea action , MOV is efficient and gripping .",
      "an adept , muscular entertainment that never for one moment lacks for dramatic clout .",
      "walking out of the theater , you might well get the bends .",
      "jude law makes for an effective rogue submarine captain in `` MOV , '' a fittingly immersive thriller , tautly directed by kevin macdonald .",
      "despite the fact that it 's too long and has a submarine big enough to play basketball in , it still creates a sufficient amount of tension along with a plot twist that make it entertaining . frankly , though , the plot twist made little sense to me .",
      "though a contemporary story , it plays out like an old-fashioned dramatic-thriller , and while lacking standout action sequences it sustains itself thanks to atmosphere and performances rather than special effects and grandstanding sequences ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV may not be particularly deep , but thanks to kevin macdonald 's judicious direction and a magnetic performance from jude law , it remains an efficiently well-crafted thriller .",
    "id": "771359314"
  },
  {
    "movie": "get_rich_or_die_tryin",
    "reviews": [
      "jackson has the advantage of essentially playing himself , but he is consistently unable to rise to the challenge .",
      "the movie debut of curtis jackson , better known ... as 50 cent , has everything going for it except an original script and a charismatic star .",
      "rent director john singleton 's boyz n the hood and director mario van peebles ' new jack city instead . both films address similar themes in a manner far more efficient and entertaining .",
      "sheridan comes up with more than his share of superbly directed scenes , but the whole thing is a mixed bag .",
      "surrounded by strong talent and the skillful director , 50 cent shows a quiet charisma . he does n't embarrass himself .",
      "the honesty and grit of this film make it worth the watch .",
      "successful rappers usually make poor actors .",
      "it exists only to support the already over-marketed and calculated `` legend '' that he was indeed shot nine times .",
      "total propaganda ... it 's the male equivalent of the hooker with the heart of gold .",
      "50 cent has some good moments , but other times he seems like little more than a blank slate .",
      "this is a very strong film .",
      "plays like a contrived cross between new jack city and hustle & flow .",
      "a good introduction to the rapper and his music , but also an entertaining movie in its own right .",
      "for all its biographical truth , get rich 's journey into a ghetto of hustlers , gangstas and mindless violence is all too familiar .",
      "this movie may make a bunch of money , but it 's d.o.a.",
      "rambling , boring and full of bad messages for our youth .",
      "good news for 50 cent ! he does n't have to worry about finding a date and a tux for the oscars , because he wo n't be invited . he 's playing himself , how hard can that be ?!?",
      "a reiteration of the now-clichéd hip-hop rise-to-fame legend that duplicates the crime-to-rhyme formula of hustle & flow .",
      "the tension between the macho and female ethos in the black ghetto slightly elevates this familiar , cliche-ridden , sanitized rap biopicture .",
      "director -lsb- jim sheridan -rsb- was a good choice : he understands the story 's theme and he captures the gritty feel of -lsb- 50 's -rsb- world without ever falling into exploitation .",
      "hindered by a lack of real depth ... but simply too compelling to dismiss",
      "... a chaotic and seriously cliched rags-to-riches rap drama that feels more exploitative than it does explosively realized in its impulsive skin .",
      "this would-be blaxploitation blockbuster is n't about redemption through artistic expression or pursuing positive means to escape the fools ' game ; get rich ai n't nuttin but bitches and money .",
      "instead of offering a compelling look at a star 's rise to the top against all odds , they offer only more of the same old tired crime clichés .",
      "the usual hip-hop hypocrisies infest this semi-autobiographical tale of a dope dealer 's rise to rapping glory , which laments the sad brutality of life on the streets while glamorizing every minute of it .",
      "classy director jim sheridan steadily gets it all in and keeps it as real as the director of movies like my left foot can .",
      "what this all adds up to is a film that is effective , but not particularly unique , and thus less provocative than it might seem .",
      "without his music , jackson is left stranded , an artist out of water .",
      "for a rapper who 's all about branding , 50 cent should consider this : his excellent breakthrough record now shares a name with his middling movie .",
      "the 50 cent fan club will fill the seats hoping to get a glimpse into their hero , but get rich never offers any insights into what drives the man and his music .",
      "no matter how accurate its rap-gangland narrative , there 's little here that could n't have been imagined by a screenwriter from suburban des moines ...",
      "a preposterous rags-to-riches story with a flat lead character that it 's determined to raise to the level of a deity .",
      "50 cent digs deep . he just does n't get there enough to demand that we fully commit to this tale of a tight-lipped drug-dealer-turned-rapper .",
      "... too few answers as to how 50 cent became who he is .",
      "it 's a quasi-authentic , simplistic , crime-and-rap story that become just romanticized , graphic gangsta violence .",
      "turns out eminem is a better faux-gangsta than 50 cent . now run along and bust yo dope rhymes at a bat mitvah before heading back to your 18-bedroom mansion in farmington , ct. . you 're so street , curtis .",
      "i do n't feel totally satisfied with the emotional payoff , perhaps because it 's so hard to associate with the characters , despite the fine performances . fans , of course will love it .",
      "here 's a guy that 's sold crack , cocaine , robbed , stolen , and murdered and made millions rapping about it . and this is supposed to be the hero ? wait to rent it .",
      "curtis `` 50 cent '' jackson is utterly lacking in charisma ... his complete lack of presence is deadening to the film because he 's in almost every scene .",
      "MOV ' will always be known as the 50 cent movie . not because of who stars in the film , but because that 's how much it 's worth .",
      "think of it as mariah carey 's glitter , only with more murders .",
      "50 spends the film with one look on his face , and it 's the look that you imagine a caveman would have when confronted with a cellphone .",
      "on one hand you 've got tupac shakur , will smith , ice cube , mark wahlberg , ice-t , ll cool j , sean combs and andre benjamin . on the other you 've got 50 cent . this kid stinks !",
      "50 cent may strive to be fresh with his music , but this is just another doin ' the crime while workin ' the rhyme movie that only his fans will love .",
      "i hate watching films that are kind of autobiographical , but not . the pacing is painfully slow , feels overly long and there 's almost no music in this !",
      "everybody loves marcus -lrb- 50 cent -rrb- , from relatives to homeboys to would-be killers .",
      "get rich or die trying made me feel like an ambitious yet arthritic sheep - stuck firmly on the fence despite my best efforts to get off on either side .",
      "50 cent 's fanbase might love this valentine to the rapper 's ego no matter the quality , but other audiences might not be as forgiving with this half-realized urban fairy tale .",
      "-lsb- jackson -rsb- as an actor , the word that comes to mind is dull . mind-numbingly dull . mannequin dull .",
      "a film with a rich and convincing texture , a drama with power and anger .",
      "sheridan 's ensemble ensures that get rich , the film , comes to life around the edges , if not at its center .",
      "the picture ca n't decide what it wants to be -- maybe a gangster flick , perhaps a musical biopic , or how about a real-life slice of mythic inspiration .",
      "get rich seems stagy and phony . what a missed opportunity , because the rapper 's compelling story offers ample opportunity for drama .",
      "what we 're left with is a movie that , at times , barely seems to move -lrb- it feels like it lasts three hours -rrb- and a lead actor who does n't just look bored , but delivers so many of his lines like he 'd rather be anywhere else .",
      "the urgency and intensity help offset the familiarity of the material .",
      "most of the time , the movie plods along like a leg-weary heavyweight in the late rounds , keeping the rhythm of its star .",
      "before we enter the theater , we know he 's a millionaire winner starring in a movie about how he won . so it 's hard to believe him when he is n't smiling .",
      "... too unsophisticated for anyone who should be allowed to see it and too unrealistic for that audience to really believe in it .",
      "i ca n't say whether 50 cent can act , because it 's not required of him . he has plenty of charisma , and is a natural force in this environment .",
      "at least he makes his priorities clear ; it 's not called `` make a good movie or die tryin ' . ''",
      "neither powerful nor interesting .",
      "crippled by a trite story line and a serious lack of flash from rapper and first-time actor curtis '50 cent ' jackson , MOV ' pretty much dies trying .",
      "MOV ' ca n't be accused of not trying , but neither is anybody apt to leave it feeling all that enriched .",
      "mr. sheridan understands the sudden , spasmodic nature of turf battles . get rich plays like a genre movie with a particularly skilled hand at the helm .",
      "a gangsta rapper without fire in the belly is n't terribly interesting , cinematically or musically .",
      "sometimes -lsb- 50 cent -rsb- could enunciate more clearly , but he does a great job of being a bad rapper early in marcus ' career . and most musicians will say that performing badly on purpose is one of the most difficult things for them to do .",
      "at no time in his career has sheridan -- his name is the first one on the screen after the title , in case one is uncertain who was in charge -- been quite this far up to his neck in blarney and sentimentality .",
      "for those who do n't take 50 cent 's talent for granted going in , there 's nothing to indicate what 's so special about him , much less why he of all people deserves to have a movie made about his experiences .",
      "in reality , 50 cent was n't nailed to the cross for our sins -- he was shot nine times for his . and he 's been getting extremely rich from glorifying those acts ever since .",
      "50 ? well , as an actor he 's a great rapper . his inexperience shows .",
      "the rapper-turned-actor makes a credible acting debut in MOV ' with the help of veteran irish filmmaker jim sheridan .",
      "howard is the movie 's sole saving grace , but his presence serves as a constant reminder that his similarly themed hustle & flow -lrb- 2005 -rrb- is a vastly better film .",
      "be warned , when a fedora-sporting godfather starts wheezing out pearls about violence begetting violence , you may die tryin ' to stop laughin ' .",
      "sells 50 short : his raps are heard only in stingy portions during most of the movie , and when , at last , he takes the stage ... he 's bumped off the screen by the end credits .",
      "shockingly inert .",
      "the improbable jackson-sheridan collaboration yields an immensely entertaining film .",
      "the charismatic rapper is so utterly inexpressive as an actor that he 's constantly getting swallowed up in his own movie .",
      "jim sheridan 's film , loosely based on the experiences of its star , the glowering rapper 50 cent , lacks an emotional core .",
      "the premise of get rich would be ridiculous if it were n't close to the truth and if the movie were n't refreshingly aware of its ridiculousness .",
      "the film moves , albeit under an oppressive cloud of deja vu .",
      "the result is a drudge and a bore .",
      "director jim sheridan and screenwriter terence winter have difficulty fashioning these events into a story that has a coherent point or purpose .",
      "if you insist on filming the same basic story for the third time in a row , you 'd better make it better . they did n't .",
      "MOV ' is a disaster on all levels .",
      "the story and action are serviceable , but there 's very little spark in the wooden screen presence of the star and the dearth of subtext or style from the director .",
      "the film 's inability to resist the lure of maximum exploitation becomes frustrating .",
      "that howard came off as a more convincing -- not to mention skilled -- rapper in hustle & flow than 50 cent does here is among the biggest failings of get rich .",
      "do n't for a second think that we 're meeting the next great rap star to become a movie star .",
      "the apparent turf war between director and screenwriter results in a compromised , confusing tale of a young man trying to mark his turf .",
      "if it 's a rap-related rags-to-riches flick you want , check out 8 mile or hustle & flow , both of which are ten times better than this .",
      "you feel this film straining to be another 8 mile , even as it never gets into the head of its central character",
      "people behind the movie will no doubt get rich , but it 's a shame they did n't try harder to make a better picture .",
      "sheridan 's surface vividness is applied around a vacuum",
      "... a distinctly tedious piece of work .",
      "50 cent dies for our sins in disappointing screen debut .",
      "embora limitado como ator , 50 cent tem carisma para segurar o filme , que acaba falhando nгo em funзгo do rapper , mas de seu roteiro convencional que soa como pбlida imitaзгo de 8 mile .",
      "marcus sells dope . marcus buys a gun . marcus buys a microphone . marcus goes to prison . marcus gets shot . marcus makes a movie about his life that no one goes to see .",
      "its real danger is that it sets a precedent for the director ; if the price is right he 's on board .",
      "a better film than `` 8 mile '' . an impressive debut for the coin-coined music superstar .",
      "it 's a reasonably entertaining story , and would be better if it had a reasonably entertaining actor at its heart .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- major disappointment from director jim sheridan , who ... seems to have lost track in his first foray away from irish-themed films ...",
      "here 's a street version of a rags-to-riches tale that is certain to appeal to all 50 cent fans but will be all too familiar to other movie goers .",
      "surrounded by solid performers like akinnuoye-agbaje , davis , howard and duke , 50 cent does n't register . this is his life , but he 's not good enough to be the hero of it .",
      "even more problematic is the script 's clumsy , sprawling architecture , sheridan 's clubfooted sense of pacing and his grubby , indistinct visuals .",
      "the story is hyped to be `` inspirational '' , but call me crazy ; i see nothing inspiring about marcus 's life .",
      "not a totally terrible film , but there is nothing to really commend or recommend in it .",
      "this thinly autobiographical gangsta odyssey never achieves liftoff , and jackson is unconvincing .",
      "thank goodness the movie , unlike its star , was only shot once .",
      "this is n't sheridan 's most complex or richest picture , but there 's lots of life to it : this is an unapologetically glossy pop product , powered by a strong , old-fashioned sense of b-movie melodrama ."
    ],
    "summary": "while it may be based upon 50 cent 's own life experiences , MOV ' is too similar to many other rags-to-riches stories to resonate .",
    "id": "9175"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1093843-mansfield_park",
    "reviews": [
      "it was supposed to be 1806 , but MOV the movie has a little too much 1999 in it ...",
      "one of the most assured and inspired literary film adaptations all year .",
      "full of sparkling dialogue , witty asides , and top-drawer performances , MOV is a social satire wrapped inside a romantic comedy .",
      "MOV is quick and funny , and a refreshing break from period-film stuffiness .",
      "the cast is good , especially davidtz .",
      "just enough sardonic wordplay pokes through to keep the jane austen in this jane austen .",
      "park is damn entertaining .",
      "patricia rozema 's MOV continues jane austen 's winning streak on film .",
      "a witty , entertaining film .",
      "a fine addition to the filmed austen canon .",
      "MOV is a generally light and funny film which invites us to watch fanny handle the coldness and pressure of her priggish relatives , and not only survive , but somehow prevail .",
      "austen purists may gag , but director patricia rozema has managed to crack MOV , transforming jane austen 's problematic novel into an engaging bit of entertainment .",
      "MOV is the cinematic equivalent of a nice walk in the park ; nice and relaxing , a breath of fresh air .",
      "a qualified success .",
      "ms. rozema has made a film whose satiric bite is sharper than that of the usual high-toned romantic costume drama .",
      "it 's smart , heady stuff that only fails at times because it 's perhaps too ambitious for its own good ...",
      "though it 's never dull , this MOV has too much of its own agenda and too little of austen 's to completely succeed .",
      "despite its brazen politics , MOV never goes giddily amok as promised .",
      "too often steps out of its era to adopt a knowing , politically correct , late-20th-century attitude to the society portrayed .",
      "this MOV becomes a kind of romanticized gloss -- an imaginative grad-student thesis that melds author and character .",
      "MOV ... is a confusing jumble of historical drama and modern social essay that only serves to cloud the whole field of jane austen studies .",
      "even if you have never read austen , you will sense that something is wrong here long before a nude scene that would have made the author hide under a table .",
      "the snappy banter has lost its bite .",
      "rozema 's movie ... in trying so hard to entertain , ends up sabotaging itself .",
      "rozema 's previous films ... contain an almost magical-realism , with their vivid colors and strong focus on female sexuality . she attempts to work a similar magic here , but MOV 's narrative and erotic currents are much more prosaic .",
      "stifled and tedious adaptation of an austen classic strips the heroine of her usual power of perception and tongue .",
      "overall , rozema succeeds in balancing the plot 's lighter elements and heavier undercurrents without compromising either .",
      "one of the best movies of the year .",
      "this is merely another attempt at making a high-class art film that ca n't come close to the spirit of the literary book it is based on .",
      "rozema 's thoughtful pacing and deliberately modern spin on the tale keep the rot from setting in .",
      "despite such occasional flaws ... MOV is a welcome treat for austen addicts .",
      "... busy nothings add up to motion picture somethings in one of the year 's most charming films .",
      "an uneven but ultimately stirring adaptation from canadian director patricia rozema .",
      "a powerful portrait of a determined young woman 's quest to remain true to the vastness of her spirit and soul .",
      "MOV works because it not only comes from the novel ... but also from austen 's letters and journals .",
      "wonderful book adaptation with strong female character .",
      "while MOV does n't boast the high calibre hollywood star wattage and gloss of sense and sensibility , it offers a more thought-provoking viewpoint .",
      "while this version plays somewhat fast and loose with the original story , and even more so with the heroine 's character , it is still much more jane austen than not .",
      "MOV is a perfectly good adaptation , but it 's trite .",
      "spins the most interesting modern re-interpretation of the austen canon .",
      "romantic , thoughtful and beautifully filmed .",
      "a gorgeous , enchanting experience .",
      "o'connor makes a fetching film debut as the patient yet resolute heroine .",
      "rozema tends to hurtle past some moments and dawdle fussily over others , but she gets a lot of the best things right .",
      "an eminently enjoyable viewing experience .",
      "the beauty of this lavish and gorgeous production is n't in the costumes or the buildings , it is in the acting and the script .",
      "this is perhaps not jane austen 's MOV , but jane austen would have probably recognized most of it and would have been amused by the rest .",
      "while die-hard fans of austen 's works might not like the contemporary spin that rozema has put on this latest adaption , most every other fan of period costume dramas will probably find it to their liking .",
      "this incarnation of fanny may not have been what austen had in mind , but she surely would have approved , for the injection of attitude and smarts makes MOV a much more wicked and irresistible social satire ...",
      "in this provocative , revisionist adaptation of jane austen 's third novel , canadian writer-director patricia rozema gives her 19th century heroine , fanny price , much of austen 's own confidant , creative personality .",
      "enough of austen 's witty depiction of british society is preserved to keep the viewer pleasantly occupied .",
      "with its gorgeous cinematography ... lovely muted score , and sure-footed performances , especially by frances o'connor , patricia rozema 's `` MOV '' sets a new standard for adaptations of jane austen 's work .",
      "rozema 's dry wit , effervescent dialogue and contemporary reinterpretations are often a refreshing change from the swoony , soft-peddling style of other austen adaptations .",
      "rozema is good with actors , and in her hands o'connor gives us a fanny who is self-assured without being a feminist caricature .",
      "writer-director patricia rozema has made significant alterations to the original text and her instincts have worked superbly .",
      "smart , clever and spirited , and made with a decidedly modern touch .",
      "-lsb- rozema -rsb- brings bite to the least popular of austen 's novels and allows an underscored romantic yearning to remain in this deeper work that stays true in spirit to austen 's original .",
      "MOV is not boring , exactly ... unfortunately , the middle , while remaining upbeat , never amounts to anything substantial .",
      "this is still austen 100 % , but it 's austen with an edge . readers may protest . viewers will rejoice .",
      "a pleasant little diversion .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is a smart hybrid : part novel adaptation , part biography . it 's now a period saga overlaid with a modern sensibility .",
      "a truly subversive piece of work .",
      "it 's alluring to see a costume drama that takes us inside the subtlest , most wrenching realities of money .",
      "bodices may not be ripped , but they are certainly loosened in this very liberal adaptation of jane austen 's novel ."
    ],
    "summary": "solid performances , bold direction .",
    "id": "10103"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dirty_wars_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "not quite as tight as it needs to be , especially when it comes to building links between its various strands , this is nevertheless an intriguing documentary which contains some powerful interview material .",
      "a tense , shocking us documentary that plays out like an episode of the wire , though in this case it 's not a war on drugs that 's being fought -lrb- and lost -rrb- , but the war on terror .",
      "`` MOV '' may lack the nuance and design of an errol morris documentary , but it is nonetheless the most important and searing documentary of 2013 . see it . talk about it .",
      "this is a very disturbing film . from a journalistic point of view , it would be better to have more documentation for the claims made in this film , but enough evidence is presented to raise concerns about these secret wars .",
      "this documentary is at least in theory non-political and not intended as overview of the past thirteen years . instead , the filmmakers insist , it captures a moment in time on a downward spiral .",
      "an infuriating and depressing look at how american foreign policy and warfare have been transformed in highly undemocratic ways , and a reminder of what real journalism looks like .",
      "MOV is frightening and it 's not over .",
      "MOV is challenging in a way few films are .",
      "a remarkable documentary as important as it is compelling ...",
      "government sanctioned atrocities and journalist jeremy scahill fight for top billing in this investigative doc .",
      "we should be shocked . but the camera is too busy making a hero of reporter-presenter jeremy scahill .",
      "my biggest problem with this movie is the choice to make scahill the star of the show instead of the basic , disturbing facts .",
      "this is a film you skip seeing at your own risk .",
      "by emphasizing the human cost of the operation , scahill and rowling turn `` blowback '' into much more than an abstract military-political term .",
      "it makes you wonder - what do n't we know ?",
      "filmmaker richard rowley 's documentary MOV sounds the alarms , throws the lights on in the room and confronts audiences with the brutality of the conflicts in afghanistan and elsewhere .",
      "richard rowley and jeremy scahill shine a light on the fallout from america 's covert anti-terrorist attacks .",
      "MOV is essential viewing for all americans , conservatives and liberals alike . it 's intense and depressing . it 'll make you angry .",
      "these wars being fought in our name may be dirty , but this courageous film reminds us that as long as we have a free press , they do n't have to be secret .",
      "like a lot of modern political documentaries , we 've yet to see the final chapter , which is yet to be written . but it 's instructive to have a little more light shed on such history in the making .",
      "scahill is a brave , dogged reporter , and he deserves to flaunt his angst .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- astonishingly hard-hitting `` MOV '' renders the investigative work of journalist jeremy scahill in the form of a '70s - style conspiracy thriller .",
      "MOV leaves some deeper questions unexplored , mainly the philosophical struggle between security and secrecy , but makes up grandly with raw data and one correspondent 's passion .",
      "MOV is essential viewing for anyone who wants to know how we wage war right now ; it 's also a chilling prologue for what 's likely a global future of endless war and blowback .",
      "the sobering `` MOV '' speaks directly to americans who believe that their country 's behavior overseas has improved appreciably since the election of president obama .",
      "gritty and gripping , playing out like a paranoid geopolitical thriller ...",
      "cia on steroids . with scahill 's revelations trapped in this doc noir , exposing us secret death squads and their kill lists and outsourced warlord assassins all around the world . dragging us covert war out of the shadows and into the public conversation .",
      "its voice remains hushed ; it seems to be grieving for america .",
      "there are so many stagey shots of scahill poring over clues in front of his macbook , you ca n't help but assume he fancies himself a real-life lisbeth salander .",
      "the flood of theatrical documentaries about the war on terror ... has slowed to a trickle since president obama took office , which makes this uncompromising exposé from reporter jeremy scahill even more important .",
      "it 's a courageous and insightful glimpse into the changing strategies of contemporary warfare that 's unsettling and not especially hopeful .",
      "scahill 's so busy being a reporter - capital letters are definitely called for - it gets in the way of what he 's reporting on .",
      "`` MOV '' becomes hard to swat away , no matter how much its style conveys a sense of unconscious insecurity about its assertions .",
      "there 's plenty here about which to be outraged , but that 's too simple for director richard rowley .",
      "for every shot of an afghani citizen talking tearfully about the death of a loved one , there 's almost always an equally long shot of jeremy scahill listening , jeremy scahill taking notes , jeremy scahill furrowing his brow .",
      "just imagine if all the presidents ' men had tried to make woodward and bernstein the focus instead of watergate .",
      "something we rarely see reported in major news media .",
      "his -lsb- scahill -rsb- betrayal at the overall ambivalence of an entire population is what gives this movie teeth .",
      "a film that comes across more like a narrative thriller than a documentary . effective criticism of america 's current global military adventures .",
      "`` MOV '' becomes more than the sum of its facts , illuminating not just the secret wars but the emotional toll that trying to uncover them takes on scahill .",
      "-lsb- c -rsb- onnects how the celebrated successes and piecemeal scandals about the global war on terror fit into an alarming u.s. military policy . . -lsb- but -rsb- gets confusingly repetitive .",
      "ultimately , MOV does n't feel like authentic reporting , it 's more of an audition reel .",
      "scahill 's voiceover has a grim relentlessness that ties everything together , while maintaining the pretense that the viewer is at his side as he makes his discoveries .",
      "awkward title aside , the movie meticulously and powerfully lays bare the unexpectedly wide scope of activities that many in the current administration would surely prefer kept under wraps .",
      "with MOV , director rick rowley does n't so much sugar the pill as caffeinate it .",
      "it 'll open your eyes .",
      "the first-person style is a creative choice that may put some people off . but who better to lead a tour of the denied areas than someone who has walked its dangerous streets before ?",
      "the movie has rather silly , bourne-style thriller graphics , which are unnecessary : it has an important story to tell .",
      "a fearless and passionately directed documentary , MOV is a gripping and thought-provoking film fuelling the heated debate about the ethics of the us government and military .",
      "offers geopolitical exposition & humanist perspective on a nation 's hidden & entirely unregulated foreign policy , seemingly designed to create ever more enemies for the us in an expanding global war that is kept out of view , with no end in sight .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- gripping investigative doc , which plays out like a classic conspiracy thriller as it follows a trail of clues to the heart of darkness .",
      "hard-hitting stuff and tough medicine for american foreign policy loyalists .",
      "though awkwardly assembled , with an overemphatic voiceover , it 's chilling stuff .",
      "relentlessly questions the military aims of american foreign policy .",
      "... though i have certain qualms about the way scahill is presented in the film ... i can not imagine that a more compelling film could have been made without his character carrying this dramatic payload .",
      "MOV is the kind of documentary that demands serious attention , with an even more serious response from americans .",
      "scahill is right to focus on the price american security efforts have cost in human rights - and human life . yet there are difficult questions hovering just outside the frame of MOV .",
      "a shocking documentary about secret us counter-terrorist operations around the world that have made us masters of war in the eyes of african warlords and others .",
      "as a connect-the-dots narrative , `` MOV '' is eye-opening , a fierce argument that there are chilling ramifications to endless , vague aggression .",
      "an exposé of practices that need -- demand -- exposing .",
      "the film will undoubtedly play well with those who already despise the covert killings , but it does a disservice to the wavering .",
      "it 's shocking stuff , even if much of it has already been in the news . that 's mostly because of the way that scahill strings it together into a coherent , convincing argument .",
      "pessimistic , grimly outraged and utterly riveting ...",
      "ably leads us through its extensive investigation , faltering only when the camera lingers on jeremy scahill for a touch too long at the expense of his interview subjects .",
      "scahill is as much a liability onscreen as he is a fascinating source .",
      "as a polemic , MOV is provocative and productively depressing ...",
      "persuasive and deeply troubling , MOV shows how the joint special operations command -lrb- jsoc -rrb- has been fighting a secret war against terrorists in iraq and afghanistan"
    ],
    "summary": "some viewers may find fault with director rick rowley 's filmmaking methods , but they are n't distracting enough to keep MOV from serving as a terribly compelling argument against elements of american foreign policy .",
    "id": "771324992"
  },
  {
    "movie": "museum_hours",
    "reviews": [
      "the result is poetic and maybe even wise . bruegel , i think , would be proud .",
      "it peers into the twin galleries of art and life , and in particular follows the brief intersection of lives between a security guard -lrb- bobby sommer -rrb- and anne , one of the museum 's regular visitors -lrb- mary margaret o'hara -rrb- .",
      "cinematographer peter roehsler has an amazing eye for shot composition and his photography of the copious art on display in the museum borders on brilliant .",
      "a wonderfully slow movie that presents a parade of wonders about the beauties and delights of art , city life , and friendship .",
      "one of the world 's great art museums , the kunsthistoriches is the true star of the movie `` MOV . ''",
      "relationships between humans and art are perceptively explored in this unassuming yet quietly charming character study .",
      "a lot of it works , some of it does n't .",
      "`` MOV '' is less about individuals than it is about collective experiences -- how we all take part in life 's broad canvas .",
      "it 's a hybrid drama/art-history essay about how looking at art recasts our experience of looking at the world .",
      "... a unique film that celebrates art , the city of vienna and the profound friendship born of a kindness from a local to a visitor without many resources whose very trip is itself an act of great compassion .",
      "the quiet time that johann and anne spend during MOV -- and after his shifts on trips around the city -- offer solace in their mutual solitude . MOV is an introverted companion for its viewers .",
      "this goes on for more than two hours and will bore some viewers to death . others , though , will find this quiet , complex film a fascinating piece of art in itself .",
      "unwinding at its own gentle pace , MOV delicately explores a platonic friendship between two emotionally reserved people .",
      "cohen 's simple , masterful film considers how we anoint value .",
      "... encourages you to see the aesthetic potential of everything around you , including each frame that appears on the screen .",
      "a chris marker kind of exceptional experimental film that sets its sights on observing art , the landscape , people , vienna and our sense of being .",
      "amid all the looking and dissection , cohen demonstrates an understanding of the individual need for increasingly elusive privacy that feels urgent , wistful , and quaint .",
      "when cohen 's film is over and the lights go out , the world is not the same anymore .",
      "sommer is perfect . so is o'hara . this is the `` before sunrise '' for a very different -lrb- and platonic -rrb- pair of individuals .",
      "an enthralling and sometimes droll meditation on life , art and mortality , not to mention internet porn and its influence on modern art .",
      "the two leads contribute fresh , genuine performances , and what might have been a musty academic exercise gains in tension from cohen 's deft juxtaposing of vocal narration , character detail , and majestic artwork .",
      "great art has the power to comment on life 's issues - sex , death , parenthood , religion , etc. - and cohen uses the power of the still image to construct a film of moving ones with power of its own .",
      "the result is an experience not unlike going to a museum itself : a chance to peruse wondrous things in a sacred space . for an evening , a movie theater becomes a place where art and life become beautifully entangled .",
      "the reward is an intelligent , observant effort that extracts a purity of existence from the nuances of art and enjoys the beauty of human connection .",
      "cohen 's vivid eye for forlorn urban spaces makes this as geographically evocative as his other work , but it 's a film of clearly etched themes , too , about the solace of growing old as well as the slight sadness of unlived lives .",
      "its encouragement to let ourselves be captivated by everyday humanity as well as the old masters is both richly illuminating and quirkily endearing .",
      "MOV is that rare thing : a movie about high art that 's not only nice if you can afford it .",
      "there 's something trance-like about the flow of images here , as close-ups of details within illustrious paintings are juxtaposed with shots of faces and buildings in the streets of contemporary vienna , alongside numerous fades to black .",
      "MOV is a grand , profound and exceptionally beautiful love letter to museums and the wealth of culture that can be found in everyday life .",
      "a look around vienna 's legendary gallery provides some unexpectedly enlightening moments .",
      "it 's as if cohen had lived for centuries among these places , and sometimes with art that encapsulates these centuries , and is pleasantly imprisoned within its strength .",
      "as we learn how to look at the kunsthistorisches ' masterpieces , we 're also learning how to watch this movie . ... and better : we 're learning how to look at our lives .",
      "MOV is one of those artsy-fartsy meditations on life that you see sometimes in the better cinemas . the good news is it turns out to be more artsy than fartsy : there 's plenty to think about here .",
      "calm entertainment .",
      "most successful at its most hushed and explicitly ` artful , ' in the museum ; less interesting when it becomes more casual , as when johann and mary hang out and discuss general topics at coffeehouses . -lrb- mary is nice , but , frankly , a bit of a bore . -rrb-",
      "a contemplative experimental drama , it also invites moviegoers to take a deep breath , to relax , and to float along in its leisurely exploration of leisurely exploration .",
      "it has its tedium , but it 's not bad . at times , it 's actually quite good .",
      "critics have been more than kind to MOV , respectful of its sleepy intellectualism in a 2013 summer of brainless action flicks .",
      "the film shows how quiet exteriors can mask deep interior lives , and how art feeds those lives .",
      "this movie is rigorously and intensely lifelike , which is to say that it 's also a strange and moving work of art .",
      "ultimately , the movie 's easygoing narrative turns to loss , but without melodrama . an awareness of life and art offers perspective , and perhaps a measure of consolation .",
      "MOV is less interested in plot than in using its characters as a way to give ideas shape and voice ; however , because their performances are natural and improvisatory , the movie never seems didactic .",
      "it 's lovely but lulling , and for a movie in which little happens , oddly predictable .",
      "the languid pace , long silences and lack of purpose and dramatic tension will leave some looking at their watches .",
      "it finds the time to look at looking , and to offer a slow revelation : to the lonely and the stranded , it is art that feels like home .",
      "the genius of MOV lies in the way jem cohen ties the minimalist story at the movie 's center with the extraordinary art that fills his frame .",
      "the real strength of cohen 's occasionally didactic drama ... is in the way the film redirects your focus to the periphery and reminds you of the richness that resides there .",
      "MOV , despite that almost documentary-like distance , in fact expresses a thoroughly subjective experience ...",
      "`` MOV '' is every bit as masterfully conceived and executed as the art works that serve as the film 's lively cast of supporting characters .",
      "what should have been a beautiful , contemplative piece of art , ends up being a self-indulgent bore . you 'd be much better off going to your local art museum than sitting through this reject of an art film .",
      "quite literally an art film , this quietly riveting drama essentially just observes its settings and characters , eavesdropping on what they have to say about themselves and the world around them .",
      "cohen 's spare but spectacularly visualized film follows a pair of middle-aged strangers who meet in a viennese art museum and proceed to walk and talk .",
      "it 's an odd duck , but it rewards moviegoers willing to fall under its spell .",
      "a little bit like a travelogue , a little bit like people-watching , this is simultaneously a relaxing and invigorating cinematic experience . simply magnificent .",
      "whether you find the result tedious or enlightening will be a factor of your openness to the director 's languidly atmospheric approach .",
      "MOV is melancholy yet full of humour ; educational and entertaining .",
      "a beguiling and often moving treatise on the relationship between art and life .",
      "this is one of those rare films that may change the way you view the world .",
      "it sits uncomfortably as a weird in-between facsimile , as though we 're being asked to study postcard reproductions of great artworks .",
      "difficult to describe but not to enjoy .",
      "jem cohen 's film finds its most salient tension in the fraught relationship between known and unknown objects .",
      "a powerfully contemplative look at the transformative ability of all art .",
      "how to pick up women in a museum ."
    ],
    "summary": "its languid pace may frustrate some viewers , but for patient filmgoers , MOV offers a carefully observed portrait of the human condition .",
    "id": "771315325"
  },
  {
    "movie": "alphaville",
    "reviews": [
      "if an ipod commercial had a nightmare , it would look like MOV",
      "its melding of classic hollywood archetypes and a terrifying future was ahead of its time when it was released . five decades later , filmmakers are still trying to catch up .",
      "karina proves to be the beating heart of the movie , getting its piercing last line -lrb- no spoilers here -rrb- . yet it 's constantine 's ravaged mug that you remember .",
      "iconic in its very grain , the film toggles effortlessly between toast-dry farce and vogueing postwar hipitude , and like the balletic swimmers performing mid-pool state executions , it 's a thing of insensible beauty .",
      "modern audiences may be tempted to overlook the significance of goddard 's groundbreaking vision but that does n't detract from its powerful influence on film and pop culture .",
      "it may mean absolutely nothing , but it 's undeniably one interesting ride -- across universes in a ford galaxy .",
      "made in the most creative phase of jean-luc godard 's career , this sci-fi-political allegory is visually brilliant and quite riveting in its first half before the film gets too didactic in the last reel .",
      "the haunting imagery and dystopian vision of MOV deserves comparison to fritz lang 's metropolis",
      "godard again shows his uncompromising , intellectual , unorthodox methods for a pic that is both piquant and sketchy .",
      "the self-conscious didacticism of ` MOV ' sinks its ship .",
      "one of the better godard films .",
      "godard 's masterpiece of french new-wave cinema . essential viewing .",
      "godard 's avoidance of conventional science fiction architecture , in favour of what was actually available within paris 1965 , is his way of commenting on the city , what it was doing to its inhabitants , and what they were in danger of becoming .",
      "these ideas are more prevalent than ever , which tends to horribly date MOV against its more thought-out successors like a clockwork orange and blade runner .",
      "a poetic , funny , and visually inspired blend of sci-fi , detective-film satire , and political allegory .",
      "esta fascinante mistura de noir , 1984 e admirрvel mundo novo filosofa , como solaris faria sete anos depois , sobre a natureza do homem e suas contradiушes .",
      "a perfect example of godard shaking up convention and exploring new ways of making cinema , MOV is challenging in places and thematically familiar in others .",
      "it remains an outstanding example of the filmmaker 's power to transform an environment through the selection of detail : everything in it is familiar , but nothing is recognizable .",
      "one of godard 's most sheerly enjoyable movies , a dazzling amalgam of film noir and science fiction .",
      "new wave classic . set bold new standards . whatever .",
      "mr. godard 's conclusion that love -- good old love -- conquers all is a curiously disappointing finish for such an initially promising film .",
      "this cold war allegorical sci-fi film is imaginatively made and proves that sometimes the most mundane images can become dazzling in the right context .",
      "packed to the brim with imagination , particularly the insane 2nd half .",
      "it works both as a philosophical treatise on politics and film as well as an entertaining and often amusing look at a future overrun by technology .",
      "it 's one of the great cinematic works of romanticism , as well as a sort of filmed revelation of the very essence of science-fiction movies and german silent classics -- their blend of social critique , emotional liberation , and paranoia .",
      "despite its age it 's that rare science fiction film that does n't seem to have dated at all .",
      "although this is drastically different compared to the rest of godard 's oeuvre , it has without a doubt had a lasting impact with its ground-breaking visuals .",
      "science fiction meets film noir in a way that made possible the existence of blade runner , the terminator and countless other books and films .",
      "both derivative and prophetic , this new wave dystopian fable both looks back at the history of cinema and forward to its future . hail , lemmy caution , father of rick deckard .",
      "it 's so archly intellectual that you fear it might splinter if you poke it in the ribs . it 's also endlessly playful in its worship of american movie tropes , and deeply resourceful .",
      "a bracing salute to american gangster pics , with a jumpy european post-war uncertainty thrown in .",
      "nothing about this strange , moving work of agit-pop has ever seemed out of date . if anything , `` MOV '' moves closer to relevance with every passing year .",
      "one of -lsb- godard 's -rsb- most entertaining movies is also one of his most timeless .",
      "no movie , not even breathless , better exemplifies the syncretic quality of godard 's early genius ."
    ],
    "summary": "while MOV is by no means a conventional sci-fi film , jean-luc godard creates a witty , noir-ish future all his own .",
    "id": "19117"
  },
  {
    "movie": "while_you_were_sleeping",
    "reviews": [
      "director jon turteltaub 's movie is just plain bad .",
      "cringe-inducing moments abound .",
      "this appealing romantic comedy catapulted the ever-likeable sandra bullock into major stardom",
      "the film 's casual warmth may make you tolerate some of the shortcomings -- especially since bullock seems to be having such a fine time with her first starring role .",
      "bullock just about knocks herself exhausted being winsome and lovable .",
      "appealing family comedy with old-fashioned feel .",
      "this smartly scripted cinderella love story is crammed with charm and the expert direction of jon turteltaub hits all the right emotional buttons .",
      "this year 's sleepless in seattle . only better .",
      "it plays like a movie dreamed up by people in a studio marketing department who 'd decided to bare their souls .",
      "what the movie does offer is a delectable performance by bullock , who is funny and vulnerable and almost makes you buy her character 's diving into this charade .",
      "a sappy , negligible , thoroughly innocuous romantic comedy vehicle for sandra bullock .",
      "interesting twist on the romantic triangle .",
      "a mild romantic comedy rooted in class anxiety , but it 's nice to see perennial loser-in-love pullman get some . respect , that is .",
      "director jon turteltaub has a smooth style suited to classic farce and knows just how to pace the material to accentuate the positive .",
      "it 's a long and frustrating wait , but MOV delivers all you can ask of a romantic comedy : the deluxe payoff .",
      "a cute premise with engaging leads but little else to keep you awake .",
      "the movie seems better suited to a holiday release . MOV arrives at the peak of spring , the only season that can make christmas seem like an unwelcome visitor .",
      "MOV may not be a film for the ages . it likely wo n't even rank among the presummer season 's biggest hits . but it is worth noting , for it may mark the birth of a star .",
      "this setup is ludicrous , but actually it 's the most credible thing in this whole sorry , dishonest film .",
      "it 's bullock 's first shot at a role in which she plays second fiddle neither to males nor special effects . and she turns out to be every bit as delightful as anyone might have expected .",
      "it 's practically certain to lull moviegoers into a pleasant state of dreamy bliss .",
      "the heart of the film 's charm is sandra bullock .",
      "-lsb- bullock -rsb- knows one of the secrets of doing romantic comedy : treating the romance as a good joke .",
      "compared to MOV , even the half-baked scenario of the marisa tomei-robert downey jr. romance only you looks witty and inventive .",
      "as this season 's gentle , feel-good romantic amusement , it works quite well .",
      "a lighthearted , charming nougat for romantics .",
      "romantic , sweet without being cloying , and light on its feet .",
      "a gem of a movie .",
      "a bright , charming romance .",
      "if it has no great virtues , at least it has no great faults either .",
      "a few lines , owing to great delivery by terrific actors , raise this a few notches on the comedy scale .",
      "recaptures the true spirit of the best kind of modern fairy tale .",
      "predictable at best and just plain dull most of the time .",
      "as cute and cuddly a bedtime story as anyone could wish for .",
      "this is the first romantic comedy i 've seen in a long time that , by the third act , does n't forget about being funny .",
      "it 's cutesy enough to serve as a pleasant time-waster for those hungering for blue-collar romance in chi town .",
      "fortunately , it 's smart enough not to outstay its welcome .",
      "a modern romantic comedy that actually works .",
      "a welcome ray of sunshine .",
      "classic sandra bullock romantic comedy .",
      "surprisingly half-decent high-concept chick-flick material .",
      "turteltaub wisely plays his strength by giving us extended close-ups of bullock , who is at once canny and vulnerable , rising above this workmanlike comedy .",
      "bullock , with her attractive but unglamorous image , gives humanity and a little bit of realism to an otherwise fairytale plot .",
      "this is a formula film , but it has the kind of good cheer and fine tuning that occasionally give slickness a good name .",
      "a cute , throwaway romantic comedy .",
      "bullock is a genuinely engaging performer , which at least gives the treacle some minty freshness .",
      "a perfect example of this unoriginal-but-enjoyable type of film making .",
      "a feel-good film , warm and good-hearted .",
      "a consistently adorable , if utterly predictable , piece of fluff ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is built wholly from familiar ingredients , but assembled with such skill -- and with such a charming performance from sandra bullock -- that it gives formula a good name .",
    "id": "10076"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dior_and_i",
    "reviews": [
      "the documentary offers a privileged behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a business . it 's also about the difficulties of the creative process , the running of an organization , and the adjustments that must be made when a new boss is in town .",
      "a completely fascinating peek inside a legendary fashion house where the demands of business and art clash in interesting ways .",
      "MOV expertly observes all aspects of simons ' stressful transition , especially in the minutiae of being both an artist and a manager .",
      "the drama of getting new dresses on the runway turns out to be transfixing , while the hero redefines the notion of intense .",
      "pleasant but slight .",
      "frederic tcheng 's MOV is a fashion doc with both a sense of history and a feel for the energy of a work in progress .",
      "though nicely made , MOV is every bit as escapist as the last star trek movie .",
      "much more than a documentary about a fashion house , this film finds real resonance in its central characters",
      "this exceptional -lsb- cross cutting -rsb- structure allows the past to continue informing the present , reaching a climax after lights out in the ateliers , tcheng projecting old dior imagery over the white toiles that are the blueprints of simons ' first collection .",
      "it is absurd , but mesmeric .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- adds up to something that wo n't have much appeal beyond the fashionista crowd . and even they probably would prefer browsing through one of the designer 's catalogs than sitting through this glossy bore .",
      "tcheng manages to excite and move while painting a complete portrait of an artist challenged by his new post 's unprecedented legacy .",
      "one does come away with a grudging admiration for the toil and ingenuity of the many players who bring it all together .",
      "the most interesting element about the documentary dior and i. . . is the insight we get into the process and the skilled artists in the atelier that elevates this above the standard fashion hagiography .",
      "we get no sense that simons is invested in the work , or concerned about what 's at stake for his personal reputation , or has any insight into what he does with his time to balance what presumably are many other responsibilities and pressures .",
      "of special interest to a limited audience , this backstage look at fashion design at the house of christian dior will tell you what you always wanted to know about the most elite segment of the rag trade .",
      "the venerable parisian couture house christian dior gets a makeover in MOV , which follows a new design director 's rough journey to the runway .",
      "dull and undramatic",
      "if the ungodly star-driven media frenzy that surrounds the spring collections of the great paris houses like christian dior is the public face of designer fashion , `` MOV '' shows us that what goes on behind the scenes is even more intriguing .",
      "diverting but disappointingly hollow fashion film .",
      "as tcheng gets his cameras into the day-to-day operations of the dior atelier , the movie becomes a portrait of the process - the hierarchies and traditions that turn ideas into wearable art .",
      "it 's basically a glossier episode of `` project runway '' sans the laughs and colorful characters .",
      "simons is a fascinating central figure , even if the straightforward approach seems determined not to ruffle any feathers .",
      "j'adore `` dior and i. ''",
      "those who got their introduction to fashion design through `` project runway '' are probably in for a huge surprise .",
      "this mission : impossible aspect ... provides ... a sense of palpable tension , and which might make it palatable for viewers who give not a whit for haute couture .",
      "pręt-ŕ-porter-trained simons struggles to express himself in an environment of hand-stitched glamour , and the film becomes a cross-generational dialogue about artistic authorship .",
      "`` dior & i '' is just good drama , quite moving and suspenseful as it shows talented and creative people pushing themselves to the edge . no matter how nice our clothes are , we 're all human underneath .",
      "if only `` MOV '' told us why we should care .",
      "all that effort just to make a dress still seems a bit silly , but the passion and integrity of those involved are hard not to take seriously .",
      "viewers become so involved in their proficient , collaborative activity that the catwalk spectacle is almost dull in comparison .",
      "we get to know the people - mostly women , but a few men - whose hands create these intricate , beautiful garments .",
      "this undramatic and flat peek `` inside '' the sewing rooms of christian dior holds little in the way of entertainment .",
      "perhaps `` MOV '' is n't profound work , but the opportunity to study the creative process in a place of incredible history is rare , making the documentary a must-see for fashion admirers .",
      "from creating photo files rather than sketching dresses , to fitting them on lithe human pipe cleaners who march them across the catwalk , the film is a serious look at a business containing surprising amounts of tension .",
      "the movie , not to mention the company , deserves praise for showing the challenges as well as the triumphs ; `` MOV '' does n't shy away from conflicts when they arise . this is n't marketing material . it 's a real look at a fascinating line of work .",
      "a piece of dior haute couture to hang in the closet is probably not in most of our futures , but this enthralling documentary allows viewers to finger the hem , so to speak , of some grand designs indeed .",
      "fascinating , suspenseful , illuminating , and ultimately moving .",
      "though the film is unquestionably a flattering portrait of simons , it is also more broadly , and more fruitfully , a testament to a tradition and to those who have upheld it for decades .",
      "`` MOV '' intimately demonstrates the tricky balance between art and commerce , between perpetuating a mythology while attending to the bottom line , and doing it with the pressure of a ticking clock .",
      "the heart of MOV is with these seamstresses and cutters , artists in their own right .",
      "as shallow as the world it depicts with much-precedented ` unprecedented access . '",
      "access to an institution like the house of dior is a rare and precious thing , and mr. tcheng has paid for it with a flattering portrait dressed up to look like cleareyed scrutiny .",
      "tcheng gets under simons ' skin - we see the designer 's methods of work , insecurities , vulnerabilities and his ability to cut through the noise .",
      "tcheng finds simons in moments of haughty self-confidence and tremulous self-doubt .",
      "a few gauzy montages of black-and-white archival footage glorify the fashion house 's founder and namesake , providing a welcome interruption to all the self-serving confessionals and stage-managed conflicts .",
      "whether or not you care about fashion , it 's an absolute must-see .",
      "for all its grand statements about artistry and identity , it 's most effective as a study of the hard work , both physical and emotional , that goes into creating something new .",
      "as carefully crafted as the clothes is tcheng 's well-considered direction , privileging the creative process over stereotyped glamour or backstabbing -lrb- this is no ready to wear -rrb- .",
      "more compelling when focusing on long-serving staff and their skills and opinions .",
      "MOV blends cinema into fashion rather than simply filming the making of expensive clothes .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t 's an accomplished documentary that probably deserves more attention than just from the very niche audience it will find from film-fancy fashionistas .",
      "fashion fans will love this fly-on-the-wall doc .",
      "MOV is a great fashion movie , but it 's also a superb picture about the art of management , applicable to any field .",
      "... MOV succeeds in bringing this exclusive world down to earth , knitting the viewer with its needles and threads and making a highly relatable story , no matter where you come from or how you feel about fashion .",
      "it proves an increasingly superficial affair , especially given that the director 's attempts at suspense are largely facile and raf simons 's creative process is barely investigated .",
      "for all the seductive imagery of billowing apparel and impossibly angled high heels , tcheng never loses sight of the people overseeing every stitch .",
      "frédéric tcheng 's fascinating documentary looks at the attempts by the belgian fashion designer raf simons to revitalise christian dior with his first haute-couture collection .",
      "simons is intriguing , but the warmth and charm of the seamstresses carry the film .",
      "a film that favours a subtle portrait of the demands of the creative process over scandal-sniffing or melodrama ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV will obviously appeal to fashion fans , but this beautifully tailored documentary may draw in even the least sartorially inclined .",
    "id": "771377895"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jodorowskys_dune",
    "reviews": [
      "this documentary represents the righting of a wrong , finally giving a dreamer his due .",
      "if you enjoy sci-fi , cult cinema , or messianic quests by quixotic lunatics , you will love this movie .",
      "tickles the imaginations of movie fans who see the art form as an unlimited opportunity to expand the mind .",
      "the best parts of jodorowsky 's dune explain just how a mad genius like jodorowsky almost made the impossible possible , just by declaring it to be so .",
      "pavich 's movie is more profound as a tribute to the imagination of visionary directors who ca n't realize their visions .",
      "`` jodorowsky 's dune '' is a lovely little tribute to a major league `` what if ? ''",
      "fascinating . -lrb- the film -rrb- helps to illuminate the tension-fraught dance between ambition and commerce that endures in hollywood to this day .",
      "jodorowsky speaks with such passion and conviction that he turns into a lovably eccentric madman .",
      "a fascinating and depressing documentary about a visionary director and his impossible dream .",
      "pavich is clearly in awe of jodorowsky -lrb- who would n't be ? -rrb- , but he still treads a fine line between buying the director 's notions of a spiritual quest at face value and soberly detailing said journey 's particulars .",
      "the film is a wealth of anecdotes ... told by people who are still enthusiastic about the project and still in disbelief that it failed to come to fruition .",
      "85-year old alejandro jodorowsky lights up the screen with his still-young sense of humor and the obvious passion he still holds for the project that never was .",
      "frank savich 's diverting documentary lets the 85-year-old filmmaker revisit a saga from the mid - '70s : his stellar two-year failure to adapt frank herbert 's dune for the screen .",
      "we 're free to imagine what might have been , and in doing so , jodorowsky 's dune is fun , occasionally mind-blowing hooey .",
      "is alejandro jodorowsky 's `` dune '' the most influential movie never made ?",
      "jodorowsky 's dune is n't just a movie about an aborted adaptation of a cult science-fiction novel , it 's a documentary that offers the missing link between modern sci-fi spectacle and the drug-induced psychedelia of the 1960s .",
      "fascinating . but calling it `` the greatest movie ever made '' ? fanboy , please ...",
      "employing a mix of lively talking-head interviews and trippy animation based on jodorowsky 's sketchbooks and storyboards , frank pavich 's documentary paints a tantalizing picture of the movie that might have been .",
      "his stories feature an impressive roster of would-be collaborators -lrb- salvador dali , orson welles , h.r. geiger , and pink floyd -rrb- , and some of the set pieces he describes sound pretty neat .",
      "a great seminar on creativity .",
      "-lsb- the documentary -rsb- has , in alejandro jodorowsky himself , an amazing , one-of-a-kind storyteller , whose enthusiasm for the film he did n't get to make is electrifying and magnetic .",
      "buffs with a love for cinema 's secret history must make tracks for this extraordinary documentary asap .",
      "easily one of the most enjoyable documentaries about doomed film productions since lost in la mancha ... far from changing the way sci-fi would be , jodorowsky 's dune could well have been a disaster that could have killed the genre .",
      "failure has rarely been told with such entertaining dedication .",
      "jodorowsky 's worthy of this film , all on his own , but his dune is certainly a worthy recipient as well . we 'll never see it , but we have this .",
      "the year 's must-see doco for movie buffs .",
      "the phantom film is , by its nature , always rich with possibilities .",
      "this hypothetical hype-fest is alternately gonzo and tedious , though jodorowsky can be an engaging self-promoter . there are some nice touches but it 's all a bit much : too much of a muchness ; too much hypo-hype ; too much obsessing over what will never be .",
      "jodorowsky 's ` dune ' could probably have never been as good as ` jodorowsky 's dune ' -- a thoroughly entertaining and inspiring movie .",
      "it 's a fascinating glimpse into the creative process , told from the points of view of the people who worked so hard on the project 40 years ago .",
      "hailed as one of the great films never to be made , its content and structure have been much debated by dune and film fans , but with frank pavich 's film the truth behind the deliriously bold plans are finally revealed .",
      "a sublime documentary that asks the renowned helmer , proud artist , and part-time madman to walk the audience through his vision for the greatest cinematic epic that never came to be .",
      "a must-see for filmmakers , aficionados , dreamers , doers and ` warriors ' of all ilk .",
      "the documentary suggests the collaborations and creative ferment jodorowsky fostered leave a legacy that lasts to this day .",
      "... an intriguing and frequently fascinating documentary ...",
      "if you 've got that jodorowsky t-shirt aping the judas priest logo , you may as well start lining up now .",
      "in an interesting coda , many examples are cited that may or may not be instances of the creative team recycling designs and ideas in other films .",
      "director frank pavich 's entertaining documentary makes the case for this overblown epic as a legendary lost masterpiece .",
      "highly entertaining .",
      "this is a film that is largely about jodorowsky himself ... but also about the way sci-fi movies have grown , changed , and mutated over the years .",
      "director pavich , his first time at bat , has crafted an unalloyed pleasure of a documentary , especially for those of us who care about dune , about sci-fi , and about the value and power of creative passion .",
      "the message to take from jodorowsky 's dune : movies once had brains and balls , and lost them .",
      "it 's an ode to what it means to make a film with unbridled creativity , without limits and without concern for commercial calculation .",
      "`` flash gordon '' probably looked cool at the storyboard stage , too . if `` jodo '' was such a genius , why did n't he make some other masterpiece instead ?",
      "catnip for those who like to pore over forgotten pop-culture footnotes , this documentary gets plenty of mileage out of its grand question of what-if .",
      "fascinating and perversely uplifting ...",
      "pavich 's fun documentary captures an unbowed , exuberant jodorowsky , who recalls his team of `` spiritual warriors '' with the camaraderie of a battle-scarred veteran .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- documentarian frank pavich struck cinematic gold when he got the blessing from jodorowsky and `` dune 's '' former producer michel seydoux to make a movie about jodorowsky 's journey to make the film .",
      "a lively slice of exploratory nonfiction portraiture -lsb- that -rsb- serves as a reminder ... we can be celebrated for the manner in which we conduct ourselves in noble defeat .",
      "the evidence presented in this film does suggest that , at the very least , jodorowsky would have made a hallucinatory , one-of-a-kind epic that , for better or worse , would still be heavily discussed to this day .",
      "an upbeat celebration of movie love and the creative process , brimming with entertaining anecdotes about 1970s hollywood and what it 's like to work with a mad -lrb- but very friendly -rrb- genius .",
      "a fascinating and inspiring documentary that offers a tantalizing look at what could have been .",
      "imagining what if can be fun , especially when you consider the talent and vision the cult director envisioned for herbert 's interstellar epic .",
      "that 's the beauty of a documentary like jodorowsky 's dune . it does a fascinating job of playing `` what if ? '' without ever having to fully give in and realize it .",
      "a deeply moving testament to single-minded , indefatigable commitment of creative vision and to an almost spiritual ability to let that vision go , thereby allowing it to exist in the world in an entirely unexpected form .",
      "entertaining from its first outrageous pronouncement of messianic intent to its final concept painting of a reticulated spaceship spilling outer-space spice ...",
      "the story is something that could only happen in the 1970s . this was a time where hollywood - and the world at large - were taking some significant risks .",
      "jodorowsky 's vision of dune still exists from whence it sprang : the realm of dreams , where its visionary power is still pure potential energy .",
      "this documentary version of jodorowsky 's `` dune '' is probably more entertaining than what hollywood would have done to it , with a clearer message : our lives are like sands though an hourglass , so dream the impossible dream .",
      "jodo , now 85 , is such a magnetic , life-affirming presence , it 's clear hollywood was n't ready for his `` dune . ''",
      "... essential viewing for fans of the fantastic .",
      "frank pavich 's feature documentary is as close as we 're ever going to get to seeing what might have been one of the great movies of the late 20th century .",
      "cheerfully partial and unapologetically deferential to its subject 's operatic self-promotion , `` jodorowsky 's dune '' makes you wish that he had scraped together the final $ 5 million needed , we are told , to realize his dream .",
      "i suspect that i would have lapsed into merciful sleep at some point in a four-hour dune , but i had a very good time with pavich 's documentary and i believe in its magical vision .",
      "while it overplays the poor-misunderstood-artist angle , though `` jodorowsky 's dune '' does at least give the filmmaker a stage .",
      "we may never know if the midnight movie maestro 's `` dune '' would have been a game-changer or a head-scratcher . -lrb- or both . -rrb- but the documentary about it is speculative catnip for cineastes of all stripes .",
      "... like the ne plus ultra of blu-ray extras for a film that was never made .",
      "for those with any interest in cult cinema or just the bizarre behind-the-scenes stories of any film production , jodorowsky 's dune is a fascinating document of one of the most legendary films ever not made .",
      "` jodorowsky 's dune ' is , in a sense , activist filmmaking , trying to resurrect this film , even as an animated project , or at least get the storyboard book published .",
      "frank pavich 's new documentary on the obsessive chilean surrealist 's projected epic masterwork is very nearly as marvelous as `` jodo '' 's adaptation of frank herbert 's novel might have been .",
      "a funny , fascinating rumination on art , ambition and the fickleness of fate . it 's also unique in the history of film : a documentary that goes behind the scenes of a movie for which not a single scene was ever shot .",
      "will make you wish hollywood would have given jodorowsky everything he needed -lrb- or that we could at least kickstart the difference -rrb- .",
      "a true triumph",
      "no one knows exactly what kind of film jodorowsky 's version of dune would have been like . but what 's for certain is that jodorowsky 's dune is in itself an entertaining , fascinating portrait into what could have been .",
      "this is the ultimate cinephile ` what if ' story ...",
      "why did it leave me so oddly happy , this story of a beautiful dream that never came true ? perhaps because there 's beauty in the dreaming itself .",
      "this film lives and breathes on the enthusiasm of its main character . jodorowsky 's passion for his craft is infectious and inspiring . otherwise , it 's a strictly routine affair .",
      "coulda been a contender : the dune that never was",
      "aside from jodorowsky 's dune being spectacularly entertaining and intriguing , as well as flat-out surprising , it also contains wonderful themes , worth carrying into any aspect of life .",
      "the best way to watch this movie is as an account of an eccentric visionary maverick who could not be stopped or influenced by reason ...",
      "we get an idea of what could have been via the colossal illustrated screenplay still lovingly held by jodorowsky , who is every bit the dreamer in his 80s that he was in his youth .",
      "a taste of what might have been -- and even if you doubt that the completed film would have been as remarkable as jodorowsky and his admirers are inclined to claim , it 's a tantalizing taste .",
      "it 's an outstanding combination of genius and missed opportunities .",
      "somehow it only makes sense that one of the best making-of-documentaries ever made is about a movie that actually was n't -lrb- made , that is -rrb- .",
      "the epitome of a movie nerd 's pipe dream .",
      "it leaves you wondering about how many artists are working on such wild dreams these days , and hoping it 's more than you think .",
      "`` distinguishes itself by finding true inspiration in the shattered fragments of what was left . ''",
      "minor hyperbole",
      "few of us get to change the world , but fewer still have the vision and ambition of jodorowsky , and it 's a heady thrill just to be in his orbit for a little while .",
      "a movie about the greatest movie never made , and the man who never made it .",
      "what an extraordinary dream it could have been .",
      "... it 's nice to dream , and jodorwosky certainly offers up a wondrous image of what might have been .",
      "jodorowsky 's enthusiasm is infectious , and the movie makes a strong case that his ideas , though never realized , ended up permeating later sci-fi movies .",
      "the highlight of -lsb- the film -rsb- is the sheer enthusiasm of alejandro jodorowsky who viewed his acquisition of frank herbert 's dune as less of a film project and more as a life changing event .",
      "jodorowsky 's dune gives you a good sense of what might have been , and judging by what we see , the picture might have accomplished what the director ultimately intended : `` to mutate young minds . ''",
      "this entertaining , uncritical documentary looks at a visionary director 's quest to create the ultimate film from frank herbert 's novel .",
      "jodorowsky is a mesmerizing presence in director frank pavich 's engrossing picture . he was 84 when much of it was shot .",
      "` if you fail , it 's not important . we need to try . '",
      "the most enjoyable behind-the-scenes look at moviemaking to come along in ages . it 's even better because it 's about a movie that never was .",
      "somehow more inspiring than disappointing , this account of alejandro jodorowsky 's doomed effort to bring dune to the big screen still manages to be a testament to artistic insanity and tenacity .",
      "this affectionate documentary from director frank pavich tells the story of that lost film , offering copious storyboards and conceptual art , and yet it wisely makes the lively 80-something jodorowsky the centerpiece .",
      "jodorowsky 's dune may be indulgent , slightly made and steeped in idolatry in its ode to the imagination , but as wild stories unravel , it swiftly becomes apparent that no other approach would have been possible .",
      "jodorowsky 's dune ends up somewhere between the haunting imagery of missed opportunities and a long lunch with a chipper cult leader happy to explain what you missed .",
      "even if jodorowsky 's movie never got made , his wide-eyed belief in the medium is refreshing in an age when cinema 's possibilities feel frustratingly limited .",
      "from star wars to alien to blade runner , without jodorowsky who knows what science-fiction would look like today .",
      "herbert 's tale is twisted into a barely recognizable rush of pretentions made entertaining by jodorowsky 's glee in describing them . at age 85 he remains a madman with immense personality .",
      "when is a failure not a failure ? this is n't a riddle or a trick question , but rather the unique scenario we 're compelled to ponder while watching jodorowsky 's dune .",
      "not just for fanboys , the documentary is both an entertaining portrait of a unique pop-culture endeavor and an ebullient salute to the creative spirit .",
      "pavich shows us many images from the storyboard , and even treats some to a simple form of animation to suggest how the movie might have looked ."
    ],
    "summary": "part thoughtful tribute , part bittersweet reminder of a missed opportunity , jodorowsky 's dune offers a fascinating look at a lost sci-fi legend .",
    "id": "771356045"
  },
  {
    "movie": "short_term_12_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "do n't be put off by its forgettable title . MOV is a deeply memorable film .",
      "if something smells false at all , it 's the structure .",
      "it 's one of the best and most humane movies of the year .",
      "this surprising little sleeper will give you more big feelings in its first 15 minutes than every one of last summer 's blockbusters combined .",
      "full of humanity and compassion and populated by rich characters , this is a soothing balm after a steady diet of raucous , bombastic fare .",
      "deals honestly with very real issues",
      "an indie production that puts most mainstream hollywood teen dramas to shame .",
      "MOV is graced by an elegant simplicity and honesty that makes it one of the best films of the year .",
      "in lesser hands ... could easily have become a tearjerker , but it neatly sidesteps the trap to remain truthful and affecting .",
      "`` MOV '' is the kind of teen-oriented movie that 's often dismissed as an `` after-school special , '' but thanks to a nimble young cast it 's frequently better than that .",
      "a sensitive and well-acted drama about a wounded healer and the challenges she faces in her work with troubled kids and in her own psyche from the pain of the past .",
      "in showing us all the richness and tenderness and passion that 's possible in young lives that have pretty much been discarded by ordinary society , cretton invites us - in the kindest possible spirit ! - to question our own privilege .",
      "the entire cast , including newcomer alex calloway , comes together under cretton 's direction to immerse us in this heartbreaking yet hopeful world . `` MOV '' is a small yet significant miracle .",
      "the film is a quiet sensation .",
      "`` MOV '' is a small wonder , a film of exceptional naturalness and empathy that takes material about troubled teenagers and young adults that could have been generic and turns it into something moving and intimate .",
      "what 's refreshing about this drama is that it bows neither to the stereotype of a horrifying institution , ŕ la one flew over the cuckoo 's nest , or a syrupy tale of a problem teen who undergoes a dramatic transformation .",
      "cretton needs to realize that you do n't need to hit your audience over the head repeatedly with emotional high notes . a few are fine , but if your characters are well-rounded , engaging , and acted with heart , then they 'll speak fine for themselves .",
      "the dominant style of the acting is naturalistic , but brie larson , operating in another realm , creates a marvelously complex heroine .",
      "even as the gathering melodramatic storms threaten to swamp this pungent slice of life , mr. cretton manages to earn your tears honestly .",
      "MOV wraps up with one of the most touchingly memorable last moments of any film this year . despite a title that 's hard to recall , this brief but resonant movie sticks with you .",
      "`` MOV '' is that rare movie gutsy enough to tell the truth about love : that it 's not a poetic longing or a magical-thinking happy ending , but a skill . and , the film suggests , we all have the capacity to learn it .",
      "it 's a lovely , tough-minded film .",
      "marvelous ensemble work , larson shines .",
      "... sidesteps cheap sentimentality to create a bittersweet yet heartwarming tale without any clear-cut heroes or villains .",
      "any director who sees `` MOV '' will want to cast larson in something . this movie puts her on the map .",
      "this is a film about hurt and healing , isolation and fear , need and rage - and it 's not just the motley , messed-up crew of 14 - and 15-year-olds who are trying to cope , trying to get better .",
      "a compact masterpiece of storytelling that brims equally with ambition and humility . it is , by a wide margin , the best film i have seen so far this year .",
      "tender , funny and real as a kick in the ribs .",
      "there are any number of ways that cretton could have made this material precious or sentimental , but he honors the story by forcing us to come to the characters rather than by underlining everything with close-ups and obvious musical cues .",
      "bring tissues if you 're prone to cry . `` MOV '' will sneak up on you at unexpected moments .",
      "a monumental work of compassion",
      "MOV offers the most concrete proof yet that brie larson will be with us long-term .",
      "an unexpectedly moving character study about welfare and painful upbringings .",
      "there 's an ` american ' quality to its social conscience that i can not recall perceiving in any other recent film .",
      "MOV is the kind of cinematic rollercoaster that will make your heart swell one moment and leave you in tears the next . it 's simply unmissable .",
      "MOV hits hard at times , yet despite its potentially melodramatic subject matter , never once feels manipulative or overwrought .",
      "a gripping and often compelling character study and a wonderful human drama .",
      "it 's hilarious , it 's sad , it 's anger-inducing , it 's warm .",
      "sufferers of ` stendhal syndrome ' - that singularly wonderful and hopelessly human disorder in which people confronted with particularly beautiful artworks become dizzy and often faint - beware .",
      "a powerful and passionate film that presents its flawed characters in an honest and heartbreaking fashion that will be hard to forget .",
      "a heartrending , heartwarming & authentic portrait of life at a foster care facility",
      "it 's one of those performances , like elizabeth olsen in `` martha marcy may marlene , '' where a young actress comes seemingly out of nowhere and becomes indelible .",
      "there is no way i ought to have liked this movie -- yet i kind of loved it .",
      "takes a good whack at exploring the difficulties in treating an at-risk ward of short-term foster-care teenagers .",
      "a breakout role that will earn an oscar nod if there 's any justice .",
      "the unembellished emotional honesty conveyed in the indie drama MOV is so expertly handled that it carries the viewer past any hesitations harbored regarding the film 's overly familiar storyline .",
      "appealingly people-driven , assuming that watching decent human beings strive to be their best selves is inherently interesting and worthwhile .",
      "`` MOV '' is a sly wonder of a film . it brings you into its unique world and then slowly reveals its characters , letting them unfold gradually , organically .",
      "writer-director destin daniel cretton wrings some effective drama from the group home 's day-to-day routine . but it 's larson who shines as the caring but emotionally bruised grace .",
      "the movie has an authenticity and intensity that derives from excellent performances by its young cast and a script that never panders to its characters or the audience .",
      "MOV emerges out of nowhere and blindsides you in a way few movies could ever hope to .",
      "affecting drama about troubled kids is a breakout for brie larson without losing its ensemble balance .",
      "larson 's performance is something of a quiet revelation , and the same could be said of the film itself .",
      "we all want movies to make us feel things . we just need to know we can trust them with our feelings , and MOV earns our trust and then delivers the emotion .",
      "MOV ' is a must-see for cineastes wanting to catch filmmakers and a cast on the verge of great things .",
      "there 's tremendous dramatic value to the aching and sometimes devastating scenes that home in on these kids ' private torments .",
      "subtly inverting the story 's point of view , cretton sees his protagonists through the eyes of the teens and gets to the ineffable core of trust .",
      "cretton 's screenplay pulls off a tricky balance of imbuing its story with emotional weight while not coming across as cloying in the process . the situation is inherently dramatic , but the filmmaker complicates it with characters worth rooting for .",
      "MOV is a film about scars , some physical , others emotional , but all examined with a sensitivity and understanding that cuts deep .",
      "the performances that are the beating heart of the film are revelatory , real announcements regarding actors i hope to see much more from in years to come .",
      "honest and striking , this is a drama that will have audiences simultaneously laughing and crying .",
      "MOV captures the complex rhythms of institutional life -- for worker and inhabitant -- while weaving the story of grace 's journey through anguish toward , we hope , happiness .",
      "in a film full of humane performances , larson stands out , personifying the necessary vulnerability and strength cretton captures of the workplace .",
      "it 's one of the best movies of the year and one of the truest portrayals i 've ever seen about troubled teens and the people who dedicate their lives to trying to help them .",
      "brutally honest , beautifully hopeful",
      "-lsb- q -rsb- uite remarkably , even in the face of the trauma and rage and despair of its characters , MOV remains hopeful .",
      "`` MOV '' may sound like confinement , but it 's a redemptive and even funny film that invites us to stay and grow .",
      "a beautiful effort that refuses the lure of cheap sentiment , electing to fashion characters worth inspection , feeling around the woe and frustration that informs each one of these superbly scripted personalities .",
      "difficult to describe without it sounding manipulative or melodramatic but i 'll do my best . trust me when i tell you that this is one of the best films you 'll see all year . it 's pure , true , and remarkably moving .",
      "it 's a remarkable film .",
      "with the exception of a clichéd plot device , MOV is a tough but charming movie that is full of raw emotion and features a star-making performance from brie larson .",
      "we go to the movies for discoveries like this , an authentic masterpiece that stands out because of old-fashioned tenets such as terrific directing and acting .",
      "in portraying a wide range of attitudes and experiences writer-director cretton never strikes a false note ; if anything , you could almost be fooled into believing this is a fly-on-the-wall documentary .",
      "rehab movies nearly always make me cringe , as if the audience needs to take medicine , as if hope needs to be force fed . MOV , an exceptional film in every way , breaks the mold .",
      "`` MOV '' comes from a place of delicate and truthful understatement , which allows the humanity and decency of its characters-and , yes , the lessons-to shine through naturally .",
      "from the get-go , the movie has you , anchoring you down to its sad and beautiful world and demanding that you carry with you all of the incredible thoughts and feelings it has to offer .",
      "ultimately , it 's because of what goes unsaid in the film that its various onscreen relationships feel authentic and lived in .",
      "it 's a serious drama with warm , sometimes funny edges , made with an understated sense of craft .",
      "when MOV reaches its last scene , the lump it leaves in your throat feels earned .",
      "cretton pulls off a tricky balancing act in `` MOV , '' which could easily have become a colossal downer if played to melodramatic excess .",
      "the best indie of the year . brie larson gives a career-making performance .",
      "a barnstorming performance from brie larson is the reason to see this bittersweet drama of damaged teens .",
      "the film succeeds by its simple storytelling technique - no explosions , no sweeping music signaling emotional peaks , no big reveals . it 's just unsuperhumans ... hoping to scratch out some joy and ward off the shadow of loneliness .",
      "well intentioned , but somehow inauthentic .",
      "larson is one to watch .",
      "MOV wants to shine a light on these under-paid , under-valued figures and cheats , just a little , to get the job done .",
      "somewhat slighter than the festival raves would have you expect , destin cretton 's indie flick is nonetheless a wholly affecting , gently nuanced drama - and a portfolio piece for rising star brie larson .",
      "MOV thrives on the dangerous chemistry between its young , talented actors .",
      "as a stepping stone for both larson and cretton , it leaves you tantalised as to what they 'll do next .",
      "despite the heavy subject matter , the film never bogs down into the daily grief it depicts , but maintains a jaunty current of humor that counterbalances its melodramatic content .",
      "the kids are sensitively drawn , if a little pick-and-mix in terms of their issues and ethnicities , and the whole movie breathes with kindness and intelligence .",
      "cretton is able to leap tall towers of everyday humour and humanity and then suddenly drop you into a pit of total , gut-wrenching sadness in a single bound .",
      "MOV is cinema at its most compassionate , vulnerable , and human .",
      "here is a movie overflowing with compassion , warmth and good humor .",
      "larson delivers one of the great performances of 2013 .",
      "it 's a wild , unruly mess of rampant emotions , and yes , some of them are painful , but there 's a great deal of warmth and love here too . it 's a truly wonderful movie .",
      "raw , intense , human and absorbing .",
      "brie larson is superb in this brilliant exploration of life in a short term care facility where troubled teens try to find a way to survive in the care of compassionate men and women .",
      "... the best film of 2013 so far . ... it will devastate you without warning and break your heart , all while showing you how to move on and feel hopeful again ...",
      "short is all nuanced performances bathed in sumptuous californian sunlight : its realism is reflected in its lo-fi aesthetic and naturalistic cinematography .",
      "a heartbreaking drama about the lingering affects of childhood abuse and neglect , even under the best of curative circumstances .",
      "human drama does n't get much better treatment in the movies than this enormously affecting and beautifully acted independent film . a masterpiece .",
      "i know , it sounds like one of those earnest inspirational good-hygiene movies . on one level , it is . but the exchanges are electric .",
      "heartrending troubled-teen drama explores heavy themes .",
      "this is a small film about a society of castoffs , and while it 's beautifully acted and often moving , it 's also predictable , because it keeps wresting itself into familiar forms .",
      "an authentic drama couched in character that never stoops to manipulation .",
      "it could have been smug , exploitative or politically self-righteous but it 's none - it 's one of the year 's most powerful films .",
      "an emotionally authentic examination of the lives of those who live in and work at a children 's home where the lines between the inhabitants and the caretakers is n't as clear as one might suppose .",
      "this movie has the dash and esprit of service comedies like mash and the harrowing emotions of misunderstood youth films like the 400 blows .",
      "it has the intimacy of a documentary so that the solid , assured narrative structure sneaks up on you .",
      "MOV will remind you why you like movies . it tells a beautiful story , brings to life vivid and real characters , and will leave you breathless but undoubtedly still smiling .",
      "along the way all the characters ' stories seamlessly and elegantly ripple into each other to form conclusions that contradict current social and political tendencies and movements that promote alienation and detachment .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sincere and heartening american indie set in short term accommodation for displaced children .",
      "this is a walk through familiar territory , but it wins you over step by step .",
      "there are perceptive scenes and abrasive moments . but there 's also a soapy need to launder every problem into a happy or `` closured '' denouement .",
      "the lead character 's called grace , but do n't be put off : cretton 's tough-love snapshot of shattered youth is achingly moving rather than manipulative or mawkish .",
      "there are no star names here but there are star turns , most notably from brie larson ...",
      "MOV is a miracle of a movie . beautifully written and perfectly played , all of human life is here : the good , the bad , the messy and the uplifting .",
      "there 's heart , soul and personality to burn in ` MOV ' ... but this is a film that , like many of its young characters , desperately needs to calm down .",
      "a rollercoaster of emotions , bringing so much passion , energy , and creativity to the screen , MOV is absolutely a must-see film of the year .",
      "set inside a group home for troubled teenagers , this film proceeds with seemingly unforced naturalism to tell stories about ordinary lives whose problems unfold into understanding rather than melodrama",
      "MOV strikes a delicate balance between emotional turbulence and artful understatement .",
      "the situation has a built-in heartbreak , but cretton does n't milk it . instead , he lets each character strike a note of lived-in reality that is rarely found on screen .",
      "just a beautiful film and a real crowd pleaser .",
      "larson , in particular , does wonders with a character who in other hands could easily have come across as overly earnest , even saccharine ... it 's a superb performance that deserved a more credible , less jerry-rigged context .",
      "easily one of the best films so far this year , it 's a nearly perfect blend of pimple-faced naturalism , righteous moral fury , nuanced social insight , and unsentimental but devastating drama .",
      "independent dramas do n't come any better conceived or executed than this impressive debut outing from writer-director destin daniel cretton .",
      "you 'd have to go back to half nelson to find such a beautifully organic combo of spot-on performances , tough-love storytelling and tender treatment of deep-rooted emotional damage .",
      "i do n't expect to see a better film this year than MOV .",
      "acclaimed at film festivals - this is a sensitive , poignant and distressing drama about troubled adolescents .",
      "a naturalistic look at troubled adolescents and the staff people who treat them .",
      "set in a foster-care facility outside of san francisco , this independent drama is vivid and heartfelt in its depiction of social work , at times recalling some of frederick wiseman 's great documentary portraits .",
      "... an engaging , emotional little drama that bodes well for cretton 's future endeavors .",
      "if we 're lucky -- if the tides are right and the winds are calm -- we might get one or two movies a year as good as MOV .",
      "MOV will having you laughing one minute and tearing up in the next .",
      "there are so many pitfalls , and it seems like every tv movie version of the story falls into all of them at the same time . but in MOV , writer-director destin cretton manages to skillfully step over all of them .",
      "sacramento native brie larson gives one of the best performances of the year in MOV , an affecting drama from writer-director dustin cretton .",
      "it 's often heartbreaking , but ultimately the film takes us to a truthful yet positive conclusion",
      "while the topics are serious and the film heartfelt as it provides a genuine insight into troubled lives , there is a surprising lightness about much of the experience , making the bitter-sweet journey all the more rewarding",
      "brie larson is very impressive as the caring , funny supervisor whose own demons threaten to engulf her .",
      "the performances , too , are uniformly splendid , especially from brie larson as grace and john gallagher as mason .",
      "incidents seem more idealized than authentic",
      "documentary-style authenticity gives this understated drama a real kick as it explores the fallout of child abuse from an angle we 'd never expect .",
      "the acting is very good in this film and the screenplay is powerful . it is evident this is a low budget movie , but it works very well despite its production limitations . this is one of the best films i 've seen this year .",
      "brie larson -lrb- 21 jump street -rrb- is outstanding in the leading , tripled-edged role of grace .",
      "a wonderfully authentic film about the families built from the fragments of broken homes",
      "at times MOV seems uncertain where it 's going , but this matches the circumstances of both staff and residents .",
      "cretton is not afraid to be uncool ; he embraces the strong emotions that scare some indie filmmakers and that scar -- in some cases literally -- his young characters . the result is a movie that is passionate , compassionate and has the ring of truth .",
      "the film 's climax feels a little rushed and overwrought , but the movie 's real resonance is its exploration of empathy and vocation .",
      "crettin 's script delivers warm , humorous dialogue and his direction a wealth of naturalistic performances , chief among them larson 's understated , incandescent turn as grace .",
      "there 's a hilariously scatological tale told at the beginning , a sweetly uplifting one at the end , and in the middle a parable about a lonely octopus that may be the most heartbreaking thing you 'll hear all year ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an emphatic , revealing drama that pulls audiences into the perspective of neglected youths .",
    "id": "771351766"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beauty_and_the_beast_1991",
    "reviews": [
      "the best of all the disney cartoons",
      "some of the film 's ideas , which are both campy and subtle , may not be kids ' stuff , but like all good movies , disney 's enchanting fairy tale operates on many different levels and thus can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages .",
      "has a power to enchant that all the flying monsters and magic broom rides in the world ca n't touch .",
      "belle is so decidedly positive in every regard , so simplistically shaped to meet the desires of all audience members -lrb- both dreamy little girls and feminist objectors -rrb- , that she ultimately fails as a character",
      "the animation for the set pieces is excellent , lansbury 's fussy teapot takes top honours in the vocal performances and the musical numbers by ashman and menken are n't too schmaltzy .",
      "its animators ' pens are wands ; their movement enchants .",
      "a uniquely elegant and entertaining mix of hand-drawn classicism and high-tech innovation .",
      "a dramatic , comic , exciting , suspenseful , joyous , and robustly magical adventure that has the bracing feel of a 3-d movie at times and approaches sensory overload .",
      "she falls for a hot-tempered manimal , but is it any coincidence that he showers her with gifts the whole time ?",
      "the entrancing , enthralling MOV remains a true cinematic treat .",
      "as far as `` classic disney , '' MOV pretty much has it all . y' know , for kids . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "at the intersection of great animated films , great filmed stage musicals , and great fairy-tale romances , disney 's MOV stands alone ... the quintessential disney masterpiece .",
      "... an above average -lrb- yet far-from-flawless -rrb- animated endeavor .",
      "with its strong characters and lively storytelling , animated or not , this deserves its place alongside the cinema greats .",
      "MOV is one of the year ` s most entertaining films for both adults and children .",
      "this is n't merely the best of the princess features ; it 's very close to being the best disney movie of them all .",
      "a classic story of redemption , love , purity and friendship - a film worthy of our love and attention .",
      "this beloved 1991 film has never looked better , and seems even more magical in blu-ray .",
      "it is a surprise , in a time of sequels and retreads , that the new film is so fresh and altogether triumphant in its own right .",
      "despite some excessive narrative streamlining , this 1991 release was the best disney animated feature in years , full of charm and humor .",
      "better remembered than seen , MOV has been treated unkindly not just by the years that have passed since it was released to enormous acclaim in 1991 , but by a faddish 3d conversion .",
      "MOV looks beautiful and is sure to entertain , but this experience is superfluous at best-it was already a three-dimensional story long before these new technics .",
      "3d does n't downplay the inherent artistry of the effort , but it does n't enhance anything outside of ticket prices .",
      "and it is a joy to revisit the timeless pleasures of traditional disney storytelling , with no attempts to add sizzle from celebrity voice talent or radio-friendly pop songs .",
      "some youthful memories are better not revisited , but this definitely is n't one of them . sometimes you can go home again .",
      "the 3-d pops out to enhance the drama or energy of scenes in which settings are large and integral to the action .",
      "it 's less a whole new experience than a slightly different one and the main reason for seeing it is n't the newly immersive effects but the profound awesomeness of the original movie . it still gets you .",
      "the set pieces are narcotically pleasing , especially the busby berkeley-style dancing-kitchenware spectacular , `` be our guest , '' and the romantic ballroom centerpiece that brings beauty and her beast together .",
      "the ultimate makeover story has strong , positive messages .",
      "the 3d is unnecessary - but it does n't spoil the fun of MOV .",
      "MOV is just as enchanting 20 years after its initial release .",
      "the apex of an art form , a justly celebrated classic , and the best animated movie of any sort ever put on screen at any time .",
      "the lines have begun to show in belle 's tale , which remains enjoyable but feels more like a quaint artifact than the masterpiece it once was declared to be .",
      "both tangled ever after and MOV are sure to enthrall audiences everywhere , even if the 3d does n't really add much of anything to this animated classic .",
      "disney , please understand ... what people are actually showing up for ... they just want to see classic disney on the big screen . the 3d is incidental .",
      "disney 's gorgeous 1991 animated version of the classic fairy tale `` MOV '' gets the same 3d treatment that was recently given to `` the lion king . ''",
      "watching this in a theater definitely makes it feel less like a `` cartoon '' and more like a significant film . cogsworth poking le fou in the butt with a sword aside .",
      "one of the brightest jewels in disney 's crown , MOV 's 3d reissue takes nothing away and makes the film 's brilliance even easier to appreciate ; the movie is more beautiful and timeless than it ever was .",
      "a serviceable version of a classic fairy tale minus that crucial touch of magic .",
      "what you gain in an extra , faked dimension you lose in lively , genuine beauty .",
      "the scenes , characters and songs attempt to duplicate the success of mermaid all too obviously .",
      "splendidly crafted as it is , the new disney is a luscious impasto of visual invention that never quite finds its heart .",
      "if you do n't have kids , go anyway .",
      "there is plenty of suspense , comedy and wonderful music to keep everyone entertained .",
      "this is the only animated film ever nominated for a best picture oscar , and you 'll see why .",
      "it may be a cliché to call a fairy tale enchanting , but no other adjective suffices as the film still has the wit , slapstick , and romance to enrapture children and adults alike .",
      "the new version is amazingly sharp with backgrounds that look like impressionist paintings .",
      "an absolute , unqualified delight , without a weak stretch or an unwanted second .",
      "a delightfully satisfying modern fable , a near-masterpiece that draws on the sublime traditions of the past while remaining completely in sync with the sensibility of its time .",
      "slipped around all my roadblocks and penetrated directly into my strongest childhood memories , in which animation looked more real than live-action features .",
      "a thing of beauty for our kids , something they deserve .",
      "not only the finest animated movie ever made , but deserves a prominent position on any list of all-time greats .",
      "pure fairytale escapism that does n't boast any digital trickery , celebrity voiceovers or unnecessary action .",
      "the 3d revival sees this witty , dramatically inventive version of a familiar story wearing well .",
      "there 's no doubting the craftsmanlike elegance of the film , summoning up with relish the spirit of classic fairytale disney of the 50s and 60s ...",
      "disney 's most perfectly achieved combination of animation , story-telling and song must surely be this loving tribute to the old fairytale .",
      "magic .",
      "unsubtle perhaps , but never fails to hit the right notes .",
      "the greatest animated film ever made and one of the screen 's great musicals hardly needs this -lrb- 3d -rrb- sort of sprucing up .",
      "reaches a level of artistry , sophistication and musical excellence that 's still to be bettered by the mouse house - or indeed its rivals .",
      "i admit it : i wrote this more than 20 years ago . but , like '' MOV '' itself , i think it stands the test of time .",
      "a lovely film that ranks with the best of disney 's animated classics .",
      "entirely captivating from beginning to end -- interview w/director kirk wise .",
      "simply one of the best films ever made , animated or otherwise .",
      "remains a near-perfect film , the second best disney film after 1941 's dumbo .",
      "for once , the disney hyperbole was right -- the film is , indeed , a timeless cinema classic .",
      "a sporadically brilliant escape that at times stops to preen and pose , like that he-man lout gaston .",
      "in the imax format , the introduction of the beast 's castle has a breathtaking 3-d effect . and throughout the film , you see textures and details you never noticed .",
      "brims with charm , style , and flawless execution that does n't feel the least bit dated by subsequent technological advancements .",
      "it 's not an especially scary movie , but right from the start , you can tell that this MOV has a beauty of a bite .",
      "still holds up well after being around 10 years .",
      "it 's a pleasure to see `` MOV '' again in a theater with an audience that laughs and cries , but most of those pleasures would be just as evident in a conventional presentation .",
      "it 's cartoon cocteau , but just look at the children 's faces as they watch it .",
      "just like the little mermaid a couple of years ago , it blends child-pleasing characters and plot twists with jokes and musical styles that clearly have older spectators in mind .",
      "it is a wondrous love story unsparing in its sentiment .",
      "it 's exceptionally difficult to make an audience care for animated characters unless they 're mermaids or anthropomorphized animals or insects , yet the disney animators , with a big assist from the vocal talents of a superb cast , have pulled it off .",
      "it 's got storytelling vigor and clarity , bright , eclectic animation , and a frisky musical wit .",
      "at once enchanting and emboldening ...",
      "it is the most dynamic animated film ever made , and the prance of its camera , the sense of penetration into its action , the brilliantly paced editing pyrotechnics give it a crackle of life far more abundant than any feature that 's come before .",
      "once again , love will redeem the beast , and beauty 's dancing clocks and singing teacups will blend marvelously with the tintinnabulation of bells this holiday season .",
      "remains as wondrous and beautiful as ever .",
      "MOV is certainly adequate holiday entertainment for children and their more indulgent parents ... but the film has little of the technical facility , vivid characterization and emotional impact of disney past .",
      "does the imax version work ? for the most part , it does .",
      "MOV will entertain generations to come and enter the archives of disney 's classic stories .",
      "ten years later , it 's still flawed and still quite fascinating .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- great film ...",
      "on a normal-sized screen , and even on video on a television , MOV is n't merely one of the best animated movies ever made , it 's one of the best movies ever made , period .",
      "many scenes can stand by themselves as paintings",
      "this beaut 's worth it just to revisit a time when disney knew how to make good animated films without its pixar crutch .",
      "there 's still room in this world for innocent love stories -- and tales as old as time .",
      "a nostalgic feast , drawing shamelessly on the best traditions of screen animation and american musical theater and film . thoroughly derivative but thoroughly charming .",
      "there 's enough wit and ingenuity in roger allers 's story and howard ashman and alan menken 's songs to give the cgi whizzkids a run for their money .",
      "the classic story of a bewitched prince who can only be saved by true love works as a wonderful genre romance , and the characters are uniformly imaginative and charming .",
      "the finest disney feature-length animated musical ever made",
      "the artistry of the animators , who combined traditional painting with computer-generated images , stands up to the best that the disney empire ever produced .",
      "a must own for any dvd collector .",
      "... filled with charm , wit , romance , humor , and plenty of songs and music .",
      "not quite the masterpiece we once thought .",
      "the tale 's as old as time , but MOV has gotten somewhat banal .",
      "it 's academic pop art , overblown but zestless , a cartoon cathedral with all the spiritual feeling of a little golden book .",
      "revoke my cynic badge if you must , but i say this one comes real close to the disney classics of yore . -lrb- i said `` close ! '' -rrb-",
      "una obra maestra que los hará reír , llorar , emocionarse y pensar que la vida , aunque solo sea por unos momentos , es maravillosa ."
    ],
    "summary": "enchanting , sweepingly romantic , and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers , MOV is one of disney 's most elegant animated offerings .",
    "id": "9980"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pokemon-the-first-movie-mewtwo-vs-mew",
    "reviews": [
      "would it have been too much to ask for just a tiny bit of interest for the grown-ups ?",
      "the wisdom of putting bad experiences behind us never rang more true than after viewing this movie . avoiding it though , may be impossible , so be prepared .",
      "disney 's wild , creative but beautifully-controlled set-pieces , eccentric memorable characters , and sheer rush of colour tower over anything on offer here .",
      "if you do n't mind plunking your kids down in front of a 90-minute commerical , go nuts .",
      "with its undertones of slavery and cockfighting , pokémon '' may have the most unsavory premise ever for children 's entertainment .",
      "unfortunately , dear grown-ups , no end to the pokémon invasion seems imminent .",
      "probably too verbose to significantly influence the target audience .",
      "the film is baffling , amateur and somewhat contradictory about violence .",
      "just because something makes money does n't mean that it is good .",
      "the kiddies in the audience were enthralled by every minute of it .",
      "this japanese film 's free will philosophy is in stark contrast to the determinism that seems to be running rampant in today 's hollywood films .",
      "a lot has been written about the admirable lessons that pokemon teaches children about responsibility , teamwork and obedience . but some unfortunate messages are being sent as well .",
      "a shameless plug for pokemon merchandise ? you betcha .",
      "with intentionally stilted animation , uninspired music and lame jokes , pokemon is basically an ultralong version of the phenomenon 's own boring tv ` toon .",
      "70 minutes of irritation .",
      "for the legions of pokemon fans , the film gives them everything they crave and more .",
      "this is a movie that knows its audience .",
      "grossly offensive .",
      "pokemon is a quality example of the genre , and it is indeed one of the most successful anime shows ever .",
      "even the kindergarten target audience will be hard-pressed to sit still for this elementary and lumbering saturday morning reject adventure .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- overreaching , hypocritical mess .",
      "pokemon is more of a worldwide phenomenon than a movie .",
      "pokemon is n't even good animation , unless the standard of measure is the crude lcd graphics of a game boy .",
      "i feel your pain .",
      "this is little more than a promotional effort to draw kids to the theater to get a free card and then encourage them to buy more of the newly introduced characters .",
      "the animation is relatively bare-bones and often shoddy . it assumes its audience 's preknowledge of the concept and characters , and explains nothing .",
      "it 's so bad , i begged the projectionist to show me the haunting instead .",
      "pokemon has opened up another front in an unrelenting campaign to bankrupt parents around the world .",
      "my name is bob , and i am a father who is very afraid .",
      "pokemon is an ugly , cheaply made , witless , punily voiced movie .",
      "it makes the star wars mythos play like pong .",
      "adults may cringe at the preachy heavy-handedness and the extremely limited motion animation that sets the art form back a couple of generations .",
      "for pokemon fans ? give it a shot .",
      "the animation is crude , and there 's certainly not much depth to the storyline or the characters .",
      "the problem is not the violence , the standard abrasion static found in video games and juvenile tv . it is the lack of ideas , the paucity of story flow and dramatic imagination , the sterile , vacuum-packed cartooning ` directed ' by kunihiko yuyama .",
      "every generation of children has some hideously annoying cartoon series to provide parents with much agonizing and many , many buying opportunities .",
      "i 'm about forty years too old to take this movie seriously . or even understand it .",
      "violent and dark -- and even a bit disturbing , especially for what 's supposed to be a g-rated film .",
      "there 's all sorts of fighting between pokemon -lrb- pokemonesians ? -rrb- that goes on . no one ever seems to get hurt , but then there 's the obligatory ` violence begets violence ' homily at the end . give me a break .",
      "a dull , crudely animated pokemon byproduct .",
      "not only does pokemon -- the first movie threaten to strike again with the sequel-readiness of its title , but the overlong 89-minute opus aims to thrill tykes by being slightly less than adorable -- meaning you should n't trust these creatures any f",
      "for the record , it is n't terrible . it 's far from a milestone in japanese animation , and not an especially memorable entertainment . yet it does n't try to be either of those things .",
      "the film moves along slower than a snail going uphill after taking seconal .",
      "you may not want to deny your children the pleasure of seeing it , but there 's no reason whatsoever that you ca n't try to spare yourself from the ordeal .",
      "there are only two explanations for why anyone would make pokemon : the first movie : alien abduction or drugs .",
      "there is n't a moment of wonder or poetry in its very long 69 minutes .",
      "i shudder at the thought of several sequels to this flick .",
      "my baseline for boredom had been standing in line to renew my automobile registration . but now , thanks to this pokemon film , i have a brand-new baseline .",
      "the first half of the movie is filled with mystery , danger , and excitement . unfortunately , heavy moral overtones start creeping in midway through the movie .",
      "an incoherent hodgepodge of bad animation , cartoonish violence and heavy-handed pronouncements .",
      "even some children will eventually grow restless with the flat , unimaginative drawings and bland light-rock soundtrack",
      "strictly a kids ' movie .",
      "heart is something sadly lacking in pokemon : the first movie .",
      "the movie 's slim charms are such that they are unlikely to convert many adults to the cult .",
      "the story is a humourless retread of a bond-style world domination yarn with a frankenstein theme .",
      "excruciating to endure .",
      "it would be nice to think that ` the kids ' would take on board the heavy-handed moral messages , but more likely they 'll be looking out for new pokémon to collect , therefore fulfilling nintendo 's merchandising dream .",
      "the repetitive plot is essentially a string of excuses for fantastical combat sequences , but somehow several characters ' insistence that violence is bad does n't come off as hypocritical .",
      "this pacifist spirit of brotherhood echoes the heroics in princess mononoke and other anime titles , but the artistic gap between the miyazaki masterpiece and this project is huge .",
      "if you 're over 10 years old i have four words for you : see princess mononoke instead .",
      "abysmally bad .",
      "amazingly , it 's all more watchable than expected . ok , disney 's beauty and the beast it 's not .",
      "the movie may have been designed to shift pokémon product but it also comes down hard on the side of friendship , mutual respect and resourcefulness .",
      "the kids in the audience at my showing were certainly enthralled , and i only fell asleep twice .",
      "in the tradition of such drivel as ` the care bears movie ' and ` teenage mutant ninja turtles , ' it 's essentially a commercial disguised as a feature film .",
      "the japanese animation is beautiful , and the script adaptation for the english-speaking audience is well-paced , clever , and absorbing enough to keep parents from squirming .",
      "it 's just a sound-and-light show , linked to the marketing push for pokemon in general .",
      "the values of pokemon 's protagonist have tapped into the unconscious of a generation that compulsively watches the show and codifies its critters without really knowing why",
      "spending 95 minutes with the slight antics of pikachu , ash and the gang may seem like an eternity .",
      "i 'm not sure how much of its so-bad-it 's - good appeal is intentional , and besides , much of it is boring and repetitive .",
      "movies like this make me cringe .",
      "kids will come away with the moral of the story : trust your heart . adults will just be happy to come away .",
      "the finale 's violence undermines the film 's much-trumpeted message that ` fighting is wrong . '",
      "there is a new definition of the term , ` critic-proof movie , ' and it goes by the name pokémon : the first movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "audiences other than children will find very little to entertain them .",
    "id": "9629"
  },
  {
    "movie": "eden_lake",
    "reviews": [
      "instead of deliverance 's deep backwoods hicks we have now backwoods chavs who live a life unscrutinised by cops or anyone . watkins has consumed all those tabloid hoodie tales and regurgitated a horror .",
      "you do n't watch it , you survive it . a battering experience , and the hardest brit horror in years .",
      "if it gets people talking about youth violence , class conflict and the gulf of social inequality in britain , then all the better - and if it does not , at least it will give them a frightening , albeit derivative , ride .",
      "has some seriously haunting themes torn right from the headlines , giving us something thoughtful to chew on . besides our fingernails .",
      "MOV : pursuit , persecution , violent death .",
      "daily mail scaremongering ? possibly . but formidably well-made , all the same .",
      "a solid horror thriller worthy of a watch , if only for its insight in to how easily the hive mentality can be formed , and how merciless it can be .",
      "works exceedingly well , and will probably stick in your gut for a little while .",
      "an effectively harrowing brit thriller-cum-horror pic whose yuppie protags ' weekend getaway runs violently afoul of the local youth .",
      "well acted , well directed , and totally intense , ` MOV ' is the best horror film to come out of the uk in years .",
      "a well acted , smartly directed horror flick that 's gory , disturbing , terrifying and topical .",
      "a gruelling , grimly effective british chiller .",
      "it is impossible not to admire the way watkins ratchets up the tension in his debut as director -lrb- he wrote my little eye -rrb- and keeps his tale strictly to 90 minutes .",
      "... while MOV is effective , something feels not quite right about cheering for prepubescent kids to get their fatal comeuppance .",
      "for all the brutality of the confrontation with knife-weilding , car-nicking local scum - think stanley knives gouging out tongues - it 's never far off ludicrous .",
      "dispiriting and unpleasant , a trip to MOV will leave most viewers feeling the need for a hot shower and a tetanus jab .",
      "it 's a claustrophobic marvel , and an impressive debut by watkins .",
      "this looks to me like the best british horror film in years : nasty , scary and tight as a drum .",
      "it 's not long before the claret starts to flow . and it wo n't be too long before you start eyeing the exit sign .",
      "it is not often that the sneak feels like walking out of a movie . but this exploitative , patronising and nauseatingly violent take on britain 's yob culture had your critic eyeing up the exit .",
      "frustratingly , there is potential in watkins ' claustrophobic , back-to-nature setting , but , in trying to play ` edgy ' with contemporary anxieties , his cooked-to-formula script merely sinks to the level of the gutter press exploiting those fears .",
      "it does n't fight shy of a truly frightening final twist , which makes it not only bleaker but also more truthful than virtually every other movie in this genre , which all too often is over-populated and under-humanised .",
      "the film 's one major fault is that reilly 's character repeatedly acts in ways that serve the plot , but which run contrary to rational human behaviour . by contrast , the shattering downbeat ending is well earned and genuinely shocking .",
      "so harsh , bleak and intense it achieves a level of raw power . a sordid little nightmare of contemporary england ."
    ],
    "summary": "a brutal and effective british hoodie-horror that , despite the clichés , stays on the right side of scary .",
    "id": "770781362"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_bands_visit",
    "reviews": [
      "both a soulful mood piece and beautiful exploration of cross-cultural communion .",
      "the israeli film that 's become celebrated for what it lacks -- enough hebrew to contend for the best foreign language oscar -- can now be seen and appreciated for what it has in abundance : visual wit , verbal charm and a completely droll sense of humor .",
      "the band 's visit , the first feature by the israeli writer and director eran kolirin , flirts recklessly with obviousness , cuteness too .",
      "kolirin does n't go for belly laughs . he prefers subtle , wry humor , much in the fashion of finland 's aki kaurismaki .",
      "a remote , israeli desert town is the setting for this droll , endearing comedy about an accidental cultural exchange that very quietly says some very important things about contemporary arab-israeli relations .",
      "with its attention to detail and careful , naturalistic performances , it 's a small slice of life .",
      "a deeply spiritual comedy about the bridge-making capacities of hospitality and the way music serves as universal language that draws people together .",
      "writer-director eran kolirin has a gentle touch , although the film is too self-consciously sentimental .",
      "fresh , funny and engaging , it 's a shame that a technicality disqualified it from oscar contention .",
      "eran kolirin 's uncommonly assured directorial debut hinges on its characters , and in ronit elkabetz as dina , and sasson gabai as tewfiq , he strikes cinematic gold .",
      "but not for nothing was it nominated for thirteen israeli academy awards , winning eight , including best screenplay , actor , actress , director , and picture .",
      "while kolirin clearly loves his characters , you can sense a general tone of condescension in the way they think and interact .",
      "a quiet , sympathetic film about the loneliness that surrounds us .",
      "this is one movie where words can do little justice to the quality of the film itself .",
      "kolirin 's writing conveys the poignancy and heartwarming touches that make this movie the triumph that it is .",
      "the band 's visit reveals that the strangest places are rich in dreams , joy and hope , and that strangers can share them .",
      "you can watch the band 's visit for its political idealism , or you can watch it for entertainment value alone . in either case , it does n't disappoint .",
      "these are characters the feel believable and are engaging .",
      "sunny and light . could have been much more if it had wanted to .",
      "director-writer eran kolirin creates some charming vignettes , ... little gems in a small , but sweet , movie .",
      "this may be a small film but it is almost perfectly formed and by no means just a pleasant work in a minor key .",
      "delightful comedy with a subtle script and charming performances from its three leads .",
      "even with the subtitles , the band 's visit is n't that far removed from a cbs tv movie ... at least it knows not to overstay its welcome .",
      "a tender , poignant allegory for arab-israeli tensions that never makes a single overt gesture toward articulating its larger concerns .",
      "if you stick with it , the story of the alexandria ceremonial police orchestra 's visit to the dusty nowheresville of beit hatikva -lrb- when they 're actually looking for petah tikva -rrb- has an irresistible tragic and romantic undertow .",
      "israeli filmmaker eran kolirin has made a sly and bewitching chamber comedy that underscores the decency of its characters while sidestepping the gooey , let 's - join-hands imperative of its premise .",
      "a little picture in the best sense of the term , it 's filled with small but telling moments and richly drawn characterizations .",
      "it has an elating lightness that belies its heavy subject -- peace , or at least conversation , in the middle east -- and it leaves you filled with a sense of possibility .",
      "this wry , quiet comedy takes an enjoyably askance look at israeli-arab relations , using a small , gentle story to say something extremely profound .",
      "a genuinely touching crowd-pleaser and a real treat .",
      "a truly lovely film , as patient and generous with its characters as viewers should be with its delicately latent politics and occasional over-love of eccentric tableaux .",
      "this modest little fable from israel , in english , hebrew and arabic , has spellbinding resonances , yet never breaks the spell by blowing its own horn .",
      "at moments , the movie is almost sentimental , but the performances save it every time .",
      "eran kolirin 's fish-out-of-water comedy-drama is a real treat , often funny and genuinely moving .",
      "there 's just one thing wrong with the band 's visit : it 's fiction , not a documentary . you want a story as warm as this to be real , because good news is scarce from the middle east .",
      "an inconsequential little movie that is worth seeing solely because of its touching and genuine characters .",
      "both a clever parable on the state of israeli/egyptian relations , as well as a surprisingly affectionate , amusing tale .",
      "if the great stone face himself were around today , this is the kind of narrative he might well find himself in the middle of .",
      "the film leaves us with the notion that music ; sweet simple notes arranged in brilliant order , is one language where even jews and arabs can find harmony",
      "when the band 's visit ends we feel refreshed and fulfilled .",
      "there are no major plot points or dramatic arcs in the band 's visit , but through its awkward pauses , there 's plenty of nuance and wry humour .",
      "funny , sweet and touching",
      "the band 's visit is a charming little drama that skirts sentimentality and manages to be a feel-good film without necessarily feeling very good .",
      "a film of exquisite charm , beauty , humor and humanity -- with some of the best performances you 're likely to encounter in some considerable time .",
      "the 34-year-old israeli director eran kolirin 's debut feature is a good one .",
      "the band 's visit has pathos , but it is also very funny .",
      "... there 's hardly a moment in this delightful movie that does n't ring with authentic human feeling .",
      "like no fish-out-of-water film in recent memory , it leaves you with the hope that these fish will find their way back to water , and maybe learn to share that puddle before the desert dries it up entirely .",
      "despite the cultural divide between arabs and israelis , subtract politics from the mix and their shared humanity shines through in eran kolirin 's gentle film .",
      "the formality and the deliberate pace suggest the influence of laurel and hardy and jacques tati ...",
      "when in doubt , strike up the band .",
      "pretty , resonant and utterly approachable as a gentle comedy , the band 's visit is conventionally low key .",
      "something marvelous happens as the filmmaker , in his first feature , expertly metes out small scenes of communication between people taught , for generations , to be wary of one another : this band swings with the rhythms of hope .",
      "tonally , the band 's visit steps gingerly on the line between ` sweetly humane ' and ` cloyingly quirky , ' but -lsb- director -rsb- kolirin pulls back the reins just enough , maintaining control by expressing as much with his framing as with his script .",
      "charming and touching ... gentle and soft-spoken , but it speaks volumes about the possibility of reconciliation in one of the most politically volatile regions of the world .",
      "the laughter , i think , comes from a recognition of the shape of our own regrets .",
      "music , as one would guess , plays a key part in giving the band 's visit its wholeness .",
      "just a few notches left of mediocrity .",
      "the band 's visit is a lovely first film from young israeli director eran kolirin that offers a middle eastern inflection on the bittersweet stylings of jim jarmusch and aki kaurismäki .",
      "the band 's visit resounds with tenderness and melancholy .",
      "one of the film 's prime strengths is its wordless willingness to let the principal characters express themselves through music and mime to overcome cultural barriers . -lsb- dvd -rsb-",
      "some of the humorous and touching explorations between the band and their hosts are predictable , but a sweet portrait of humanism amidst language and cultural confusion .",
      "those who like their comedy , romance , and tragedy in quiet doses should enjoy this textured story .",
      "this foreign film is a sweet , lower-than-low-key story of an egyptian police band that arrives in the wrong israeli town .",
      "filmmaker kolirin shows israelis what they 've been missing , and the rest of us what the middle east could be , in the gentle , human-scale antics of the confused egyptian band .",
      "-lsb- writer/director eran -rsb- kolirin finds bittersweet humor in the comedy of their melancholy lives and fumbling efforts at communication and common ground",
      "not so much a story about jews and arabs finding a way to get along as it is a nonpolitical story about people discovering the humanity in others , in all their scared , awkward beauty .",
      "a conventional humanistic parable that it is wise and graceful all the same",
      "what matters is the sense of exhilaration you take away with you .",
      "a witty , elegant and deeply affecting film .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- kolirin wonderfully maintains an atmosphere of both humor and melancholy .",
      "the band 's visit blends gentle comedy and softly aching pathos into a low-key , deeply affecting wonder , a sort of alternate-universe version of aki kaurismki 's raucous 1989 hoot leningrad cowboys go america .",
      "the film succeeds because of the nuanced performances of its superb cast , and because of kolirin 's witty visual compositions .",
      "none of this is earth-shaking , but the band 's visit is n't meant to be . like a balloon , it 's short-lived and modest , but it brightens your spirits while it 's around .",
      "it is a small message , but a sincere one , about the solitude that separates us , and how the expression of this solitude can bring the unlikeliest of people together .",
      "sharply observed and agreeably acted , the band 's visit does n't soar to giddy heights , but it moves along and holds one 's attention .",
      "taking a premise that could give rise to either slapstick or hand-wringing , -lsb- director kolirin -rsb- produces a charming little film built of bits of music , romance , cultural conflict and the simple human need to connect .",
      "you expect the band 's visit to be a sweet little snapshot , a delightful and endearing culture-clash movie -- funny and poignant and human . and it is all those things . what 's surprising is how it manages to be just a bit more .",
      "a warm and delightful take on cross-cultural relations that proves that sometimes a light touch is just what 's needed to address serious topics .",
      "radiant and wise comedy of miscommunication .",
      "with luck , filmgoers who discover this gem about an egyptian police band stranded in a small israeli town will make it the must-see movie of the season .",
      "despite all its melancholy , the band 's visit is often quite humorous and warm , and its underlying message of common humanity is elegantly rendered .",
      "what a charming , laugh-out-loud little gem this is .",
      "one of the pleasant surprises at cannes fest this year and a highlight of israeli cinema , this subtle , wry comedy concerns initial culture clash and miscommunications but then better understanding , when an egyptian band lands in a remote israeli town .",
      "a gentle , unpretentious comedy that posits a why-can ` t-we-just-get-along approach to the arab-israeli conflict .",
      "in other hands this might have become a clumsy message movie , but the witty script , charming performances and playful direction make for pleasurable viewing .",
      "a modest , bitter-sweet charmer .",
      "sweet human comedy .",
      "with its themes of social displacement subtly and skilfully enmeshed within a pleasingly straightforward shaggy-dog narrative , this is one of those films that runs at you with open arms , and you 'll find it very difficult not to succumb .",
      "a heartfelt , wry and decidedly spry film .",
      "the kind of film that will appeal to patient viewers : charming , low-budget whimsy with a soupcon of political relevance . the music is lovely too .",
      "the band 's visit could easily have become a clunky message movie , but kolirin maintains a sure-handed balance of humour and heartache .",
      "eran kolirin 's insightful little film -- about a starched band of cop-musicians whose travel plans go awry -- is more than about what happens when ostensible enemies get to know each other .",
      "what a lovely first feature this is from israeli director eran kolirin , brief at a mere 80-plus minutes but never in a rush , never loud , always willing to wait for the emotion to bubble up quietly from the situation .",
      "there 's nothing subtle about the lesson in human-to-human detente in a sea of hostility . it 's a nice try , if a bit over-rated .",
      "every frame of this low-key delight is about foreignness .",
      "a sweet little film about the universality of loneliness , the band 's visit succeeds admirably whenever it does n't attempt to exceed its modest scope .",
      "the film 's sweetness , simplicity , and sincerity are hard to overstate , and probably impossible not to like .",
      "a drama about isolation and communication , the band 's visit is characterized both by strongly delineated characters and low-key comedy .",
      "the band 's visit is a charming and tender meditation on loneliness and the essential need for human connection .",
      "... a hopeful film that looks forward to the day when israelis and arabs are at peace and can focus on the little victories and setbacks of everyday life .",
      "in turns tender and awkward yet always with an eye towards the universal language of hope .",
      "it 's a small , profoundly satisfying movie that keeps echoing long after it 's over .",
      "elkabetz is splendid .",
      "arab-israeli relations get the warm fuzzy treatment in the band 's visit , a wonderfully appealing israeli film that should have been up for a foreign-language oscar .",
      "perhaps the band members have seen the movies she so loves , and in her eyes , imagine themselves as next generational approximations of omar sharif .",
      "we see bittersweet and beautiful emotions running throughout the film . these are spread from the small victories in human connection to the shared passion that the language of music conjures up .",
      "it 's beautiful and gentle and warm and a little silly , but in the best possible way ...",
      "it 'll be a long time before the image fades of members of the alexandria ceremonial police orchestra in their powder-blue regalia lining up formally as they struggle to maintain their dignity .",
      "it 's a film of subtleties ... delicate , but infinitely rewarding .",
      "this movie has a tone , look and mood all its own -- it 's a joyously bittersweet piece of visual music about isolation , melancholy and everyone 's yearning for transcendence , through love , art or both .",
      "kolirin has a fine sense of where to place the camera and when to cut between shots for maximum comic effect ."
    ],
    "summary": "the band 's visit is both a clever , subtle slice-of-life comedy , and poignant cross-cultural exploration .",
    "id": "770672006"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ponyo",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a visually arresting work by an anime master , and both cute enough and suspenseful enough to keep pre-schoolers in their seats .",
      "you watch a miyazaki film with the pie-eyed , gape-mouthed awe of a child being read the most fantastic story and suddenly transported to places previously beyond the limits of imagination . it 's quite a trip .",
      "MOV is memorable for the palpable glee of its protagonist -- a fish out of water who adores the feel of earth beneath her feet and loves her man .",
      "just as stop motion got a bump earlier in the year with coraline , MOV -lrb- already global hit , with $ 165 million box office to date -rrb- hopefully will bring back an appreciation for 2-d .",
      "miyazaki 's artwork can be lovely -- and the delicate , watery colors of MOV are particularly well done -- but he 's still a slave to the genre 's peculiar traditions .",
      "five minutes into this magical film you 'll be making lists of the individuals of every age you can expose to the very special mixture of fantasy and folklore , adventure and affection , that make up the enchanted vision of japanese director hayao miyazaki .",
      "trippy in the right way , and wholly enchanting .",
      "this exquisite pastel-colored , eye-popping example of hand-drawn animation is still very japanese , aimed most specifically at children around the world -- but with a storytelling sophistication that adults will savor .",
      "wondrous , weird , and sweetly innocent , MOV is a tale bursting with love , which is recommendation enough for the young and the young at heart .",
      "you get a psychedelic , visually stunning film with a japanese flavor , instead of one with pop culture flavor -lrb- and no talking dogs or balloons -rrb- .",
      "those who consider miyazaki a filmmaking master will probably consider this another one of his masterpieces .",
      "` MOV ' is a worthy piece of work from an artist who takes his work and his audience seriously .",
      "miyazaki works marvels . sit back and behold .",
      "miyazaki 's stunning adventure is geared to younger kids .",
      "sometimes it 's enough to just sit back and let a beautiful work of animation wash over you , letting the troubles of the world slide past as the pictures take you out of this world . MOV is just that sort of film .",
      "when the ocean rises in this wonderful movie , each leaping wave stares out at us with a baleful eye as if in watchful and worried wait .",
      "the type of glorious filmmaking and storytelling that should appeal to everyone ... a wonderful and magical film that should be seen and enjoyed as a family .",
      "hayao miyazaki proves that he is not only a master animator but also a master storyteller . MOV is easily one of the best films -- animated or live action -- of the year .",
      "a charming hand-drawn japanese spin on hans christian andersen 's little mermaid .",
      "a sweet love story about a boy and his fish , MOV is a weird yet wonderful children 's fantasy , and marks another milestone in the career of hayao miyazaki .",
      "let 's say you have a five-year-old child who 's not all caught up in the details of boring , mundane reality . here 's that kid 's new favorite movie .",
      "there 's still plenty of gorgeous eye-candy to keep adults going if they 've taken their kids along for some unthreatening entertainment .",
      "even when the film feels murky , miyazaki 's painterly eye keeps things afloat",
      "for once , japan 's animation maestro is all at sea .",
      "miyazaki 's ode to motherhood ; the sea is the greatest nurturer of all . the underwater sequences are some of ghibli 's most luminous , complex reflections of nature 's teeming beauty .",
      "not as profound as miyazaki 's other works , but the fact that an animated children 's film actually has the brains to go for larger , resonant themes is worth congratulation .",
      "apart from the ecofriendly message , we have , as always , miyazaki 's magnificently inventive animation , which is almost enough to carry the day .",
      "the fantasy elements are so seamlessly blended with real elements . there is very little disbelief by the characters , and you want to believe yourself by the end .",
      "it 's very much a charming kids ' film , created by a master of animation .",
      "as beautiful as MOV is to the eye , the movie -- thanks in part to a spotty english-language adaptation -- is sometimes a bit grating to the ear and confusing to the brain .",
      "hayao miyazaki 's magical MOV blends fantasy with just a drop of reality , and the result is irresistible .",
      "the 68-year-old filmmaker shows that he 's at the peak of his skills , both as a visual artist and a storyteller .",
      "disney has done an unusually fine job of americanizing MOV with a delicate script by `` e.t. '' writer melissa mathison and warm , expressive voice work . now , i just hope it does n't fall on deaf ears .",
      "a bright tale of wonder and connection , MOV is a reminder that a g rating need n't be a `` little kid '' designation .",
      "when you see MOV -- and you must -- be prepared for a movie that does n't abide by hollywood rules . this is a tale for children -lrb- yes , of all ages -rrb- who are ready to be coaxed into another world through simple words and luscious pictures .",
      "MOV 's considerable charms translate easily to audiences of all ages , making the film not mere spectacle , but something truly special .",
      "it 's a wonderful place that miyazaki creates , an alternatively sweet and savage world that defies physics and common sense , as imaginative and impossible in its own way as jules verne 's sci-fi fantasies or maurice sendak 's animal kingdom .",
      "the film is visually stunning , however , with a a-list cast of voices that include matt damon , cate blanchett , and tina fey .",
      "though MOV contains images so haunting that it 's hard to dismiss altogether , this is one of miyazaki 's feeblest efforts .",
      "does n't commit itself to mining our deeper feelings , and as such it feels much more geared to younger viewers ; but with that comes dazzling displays of drawn and painted visuals , full of color , life .",
      "that rare children 's movie that actually taps into the unique imaginative power of a child 's mind .",
      "his antediluvian underwater creatures are gorgeous , a world removed from finding nemo , his sweeping tides and smashing tsunamis are a patchwork of colour and technique .",
      "significantly , miyazaki creates realistic , valid and memorably attractive characters , such as the heroic-vulnerable-patient-nurturing-tough mother , tina fey .",
      "though far from studio ghibli 's best film , MOV is still a magical experience .",
      "while the animation in MOV is simplistic , even crude by many people 's standards , there is no denying the film 's dazzling color palette , masterful attention to detail and dizzying imagination .",
      "... this gentle storybook film is a simple , sweet tale animated with a delicacy unique to animated features .",
      "beautiful and thoughtful , miyazaki once again shows he 's a master of taking the magical and making it endearing .",
      "should n't an anime ' auteur of hayao miyazaki 's stature avoid a story about a sea creature interacting with a human child ? is n't that `` finding nemo ? ''",
      "if the plot of MOV is small as a minnow , its themes -- the relationship between parent and child , between the young and the elderly , between friends , between man and nature -- are large and fully realized .",
      "MOV is n't hayao miyazaki 's greatest film , but his beautiful , quirky fable has magic other children 's movies ca n't touch .",
      "i sure like miyazaki 's visual style , but could he for once make a movie that actually made sense ? or have realistic characters , like a mother who would n't leave her 5 year alone during an extremely dangerous storm ?",
      ". . something like finding nemo and the little mermaid - if nemo and ariel had gotten together to ingest some new variety of aquatic shrooms .",
      "another brilliant animation by a japanese master .",
      "the film 's joys are numerous , and most of them are small and simple . to start with , the animation -- all hand-drawn -- is simply breathtaking .",
      "i liked that it was n't bound by the conventions of normal storytelling and i loved seeing a film that is just hand drawn animation .",
      "i was , i 'm afraid , a little lost at times .",
      "exquisite artwork backgrounds makes us feel we are living the adventure inside a painting , while endearing characters keep us grounded in reality by delivering identifiable heart-felt emotions . it 's the inventiveness and extraordinary detail that stands o",
      "one of the anime master 's weaker efforts .",
      "the film 's pleasures are immensely simple , but this does not make them less real or wonderful .",
      "MOV has n't changed my mind about miyazaki . but i 'm willing to accept and enjoy this little window into the dream life of fish .",
      "MOV is n't quite as memorable as some of miyazaki 's previous works , but it 's a magical experience that 's far superior to most animated offerings .",
      "i feel like i need a second viewing for full absorption .",
      "if you consider teletubbies to be a work of creative genius then , yeah , okay , MOV is great , too .",
      "fable , emotion and psychology merge in a fairy-tale brew that will hold children rapt and engage the better angels of adults .",
      "comes from a great line of miyazaki heroines",
      "given its bizarre imagery and offbeat attitude , it 's like the little mermaid on acid . -lsb- but -rsb- it 's visually beguiling , and that more than makes up for the strangeness .",
      "older kids and even adults are unlikely to get bored , thanks to the story 's unforced sweetness , giddy highs , and stunningly beautiful visuals . even in the unspoiled devonian , real life never looked this good .",
      "heartwarming , graciously surreal , and pure eye candy , MOV is an elevating fantasy that swims enthusiastically in delightfully unexpected directions .",
      "a superb work of japanese fantasy from animation wizard miyazaki that transcends age barriers .",
      "nothing in the great animation of a miyazaki movie stays cute for long . not the ocean , not the trees , not the critters that live in them . change is constant but rarely natural .",
      "until its fizzle of a finale , MOV , hayao miyazaki 's latest artisanally-crafted animé daydream , brims forth with an appealingly willy-nilly inventiveness pitched to a child 's sense of wonder .",
      "with a starry , first-rate voice cast and the shortened name , this disney-fied version remains a magnificent animation wonder and a pure delight .",
      "when miyazaki makes films that decry the threat to the natural world , every molecule onscreen resonates with that belief -- a belief that dissolves the boundaries between form and content .",
      "`` MOV '' is an entertaining fantasy movie for little ones where painstaking attention is given to balancing physical reality with magical reality . already a hit in japan , it 's an instant classic of children 's animation .",
      "see this film if you 're looking to immerse yourself in a sense of delight over the simple wonders of a child 's world .",
      "a goldfish falls for a human boy in this imaginative kids ' tale from visionary japanese animator hayao miyazaki .",
      "a childlike wonder wedded to dazzlingly imaginative visuals , in a story of surprising simplicity and equally surprising emotional depth .",
      "it 's a movie for anyone who , like miyazaki himself , can still happily commune with his inner five-year-old .",
      "probably the most saccarine horror film i 've seen in years .",
      "parental content review",
      "in a summer of senseless mayhem and underwhelming efforts , MOV on the cliff by the sea is majestic . it easily matches -lrb- and in many cases , surpasses -rrb- the best the genre has to offer .",
      "some may find it too childish , but the movie 's innocence is infectious , and miyazaki 's artistry utterly transporting .",
      "a warm summer treat amid the gunfights and explosions that reminds us how beautiful a child 's innocence can be .",
      "his twisted version of finding nemo meets splash , the movie wo n't go down as one of his best , but it 's still better than 90 percent of animation out there .",
      "not the spectacle that princess mononoke or spirited away are , MOV 's beautiful , hand-drawn storybook pastels , mesmerising swirls of colourful action and sweet message of friendship are a gentle delight .",
      "visually stunning , it 's a fantastical , enchanting charmer that 's bound to delight children and adults alike .",
      "for those who love ` spirited away ' and ` princess mononoke , ' as i do , here 's another hayao miyazaki tale of friendship and fantasy .",
      "MOV towers over this summer of empty toy-related blockbusters . it will end up as one of the best films in american release this year .",
      "if you 've never experienced a miyazaki movie , here 's your chance to try one . come on in . the water 's fine .",
      "MOV possesses an almost demonic childish energy and a delight in form stronger than reason or narrative .",
      "with its ever-shifting world and palpable sense of magic , MOV captures the wonder of being a child .",
      "miyazaki fans who are expecting the deeper themes in this may be disappointed . and as good as it looks , it 's not career defining work , it 's only merely good .",
      "a charming and enchanting mystical fairy tale about a goldfish who becomes a girl and a little boy who loves her and introduces her with pride to his world of wonders .",
      "... at its most magical when it observes the every day .",
      "sticks together disparate bits and pieces of fairy tale , mythopoeia , sci-fi and family film with the artless simplicity of a child mashing up tinkertoys , playdoh and daddy 's cuff links into a single sculpture .",
      "stunning bursts of imagination and sensational , almost psychedelic images make the film a garden of unearthly delights .",
      "a loose adaptation of the little mermaid that 's full of fantastic visuals and genuine whimsy , but a little lax when it comes to plot logic or meaningful themes .",
      "a lovely and unique feast for the eyes and the heart .",
      "charming , amusing and firmly anchored in a child 's point of view , this movie from the master animator of spirited away makes a great introduction to that acquired-taste style of filmmaking .",
      "depicting the physical and social world from the point of view of a young boy , MOV is a narratively simple , visually captivating fable that benefits from the a good voice cast , including a trio of eccentric ladies , tomlin , leachman and white .",
      "a children 's film that 's at once overly simplistic and needlessly nonsensical .",
      "what held in the animator 's previous films as eccentrically multifaceted dream logic comes off for once as a series of non sequiturs -- but really , why complain while sucking on an everlasting gobstopper of eye candy ?",
      "... a sweetly lovable and visually trippy movie that young tots and their parents can enjoy in equal measure .",
      "several notches below -lsb- hayao miyazaki 's -rsb- masterworks , which makes it only , oh , super-duper wonderful ... it makes big magic , seemingly effortlessly .",
      "admirable and enjoyable and beautiful , but it 's a movie for the littlest of the little ones .",
      "MOV has elements of both a classic fairy tale and an environmental message movie , but it shifts as nimbly between those genres as MOV herself does from person to goldfish and back again .",
      "this poetic , visually breathtaking work by the greatest of all animators has such deep charm that adults and children will both be touched . it 's wonderful and never even seems to try : it unfolds fantastically .",
      "do n't tell walt disney , but hayao miyazaki really holds the keys to the magic kingdom .",
      "there 's a miraculous transformation in almost every moment of the film .",
      "MOV is something of a disappointment . leaving aside the plot deficiencies and storytelling awkwardness , mr. miyazaki 's latest simply does n't look good .",
      "minor miyazaki to be sure , this film pales in comparison to many of his recent features .",
      "MOV observes the everyday , magically and truthfully .",
      "MOV is a delight , so long as you accept it for what it is ... an empowering , completely upbeat wonder-tale .",
      "a story as idealistic and imaginative as any that miyazaki and company have brought to life , with the kind of vivid hand-drawn care that is harder to come by with each passing ` toon .",
      "hiyao miyazaki , bless him , continues to be an analog guy in animation 's increasingly digital world",
      "hayao miyazaki is off his game with this film that has weaker art and animation than his usual films and a script that needed another draft or two .",
      "miyazaki refuses to be dismissed",
      "lacks any real sense of conflict or danger . it makes up for it ... with a delightfully absurd internal logic that is perfectly keyed into the way small children see the world",
      "lately , when i want to smile , i just think of MOV .",
      "it 's one of miyazaki 's funniest and most intimate films so far , partly because of the engaging matter-of-factness with which he marries the extravagantly fantastic with the comforting realities of everyday life .",
      "heralds a return to the child-like wonder of miyazaki 's enduring my neighbor totoro . and what do you know ? it 's another masterpiece .",
      "-lsb- n -rsb- ever coheres into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts , as miyazaki 's true classics have done ...",
      "miyazaki effortlessly combines the marvellous and the mundane in his cinema . visually , MOV is an imaginative , exhilarating work , but its vigour and energy are achieved with surprising simplicity .",
      "children will love this . it 's classic miyazaki .",
      "miyazaki has come up with another memorable film in MOV , which is roughly inspired by hans christian andersen 's the little mermaid ... it 's incredibly beautiful as miyazaki explores an amazing world of sea creatures and human beings .",
      "it is a delight , this film . there is so much imagination at work here .",
      "the sight of the giddy and newly bipedal MOV racing atop the waves of a magically roiling flood may be the happiest and most memorable image of the movie year .",
      "compared to the animated garbage that typically passes through stateside theaters , it 's practically a godsend .",
      "while it continually stimulates our imagination , it 's a little too odd to really resonate .",
      "perfect family entertainment with a subtle environmental message .",
      "miyazaki 's back , and still a force of nature . a weird , wonderful aquatic romp , MOV is also a meditation on the state of this blue planet . catch it .",
      "we 're drawn under the waves of the sea to a hidden enclave of neon-hued aqualife more vibrant , surreal and enchanting than any of the floating 3d whatsits in ` avatar ' .",
      "a fantastic looking , inventive and well-acted children 's film , but a children 's film nonetheless - and that 's all it was ever intended to be .",
      "as usual , miyazaki treads a thin line between intuitive , unshackled fantasy and simply seeming to makes things up as he goes along , but there is never a dull moment in the film 's imagery .",
      "an arresting work from an unmistakable film-making personality .",
      "a simple tale , less freighted by foreboding than miyazaki 's recent output . in any case , storytelling is less important to him than mood or texture . his films are dream waltzes , all liquid motion and mysterious turbulences .",
      "MOV is the little mermaid , finding nemo and fantasia , all wrapped up in one fin-tastic movie , and guaranteed to hold the attention of the most cg-addled five year old .",
      "bar the climactic dip , another ghibli charmer that finds story , subject matter and style in freewheeling harmony . you have n't seen the sea until you 've seen it through miyazaki 's goggles .",
      "more than enough joy and laughter to outweigh its less-than-inspired moments .",
      "a magical , uplifting and visually stunning film that 's exhilarating for kids and adults simultaneously .",
      "a dazzlingly dreamy anime certain to delight children worldwide .",
      "even though MOV is not one of miyazaki 's great masterpieces -lrb- at least from a narrative perspective -rrb- , it is so beautiful and immersive that it 's hard to imagine grown ups not losing themselves in it .",
      "accompanying adults will likely find themselves just as enthralled as their little ones .",
      "MOV will sure make you long for the days of hand-drawn animation .",
      "`` MOV '' is the kind of dazzling cinematic experience that will resonate in the hearts and minds of anyone who sees it for a long time afterwards .",
      "it 's unlike any other animated feature -- excepting , of course , miyazaki 's own .",
      "we are truly dealing with a master .",
      "a good number of miyazaki 's fans will be disappointed by what looks like a step back , but the relaxed simplicity of the new film eventually works its effortless magic .",
      "no animator captures the movement of tides and the deep physics of the sea as lyrically as miyazaki , and the story 's themes of rejuvenation and ecological balance carry a highly topical edge .",
      "absurdly delightful , a prestidigitation of line and colour .",
      "-lsb- miyazaki 's -rsb- dream-like visuals which sparkle in the deep blue sea .",
      "this is a million miles away from the garish and crude cartoons that american studios often churn out , and serves as a reminder that animated films can be imaginative , enchanting and exciting while still telling a sweet , good-hearted story .",
      "the underwater scenes are as rich and teeming as miyazaki 's boundless imagination ; little MOV in her human form , joyfully wobbling around on her newly sprouted legs , is a pure delight .",
      "be bold enough to watch someone color outside the lines on purpose",
      "if you want to see something suitable for all ages that will dazzle you sideways and remind you of the awesome power of animation done right , you should see this .",
      "it may be a feelgood story but it 's the stunning animation and the director 's imagination that take the eye .",
      "beautifully animated , utterly charming adventure with a strong voice cast , delightful characters and an emotionally engaging , if bonkers , storyline .",
      "at its heart , MOV is a film about a global catastrophe no less destructive than the shifting plates and rising waters of 2012 . but the apocalypse has seldom seemed so light , joyous or tender ."
    ],
    "summary": "while not miyazaki 's best film , MOV is a visually stunning fairy tale that 's a sweetly poetic treat for children of all ages .",
    "id": "770681325"
  },
  {
    "movie": "revolutionary_road",
    "reviews": [
      "... consistently elevated by the superb performances and sam mendes ' expectedly enthralling directorial choices .",
      "you outgrow these arguments -- you only hope that the entertainments intended to illuminate as you get more curious have the decency to mature at the same pace",
      "MOV hits theaters at the height of oscar season . that does n't mean it 's oscar worthy .",
      "it 's a sterile , contrived film about unlikable people that 's only worth seeing for a few very good performances .",
      "another tale about how suburban domesticity is miserable simply because it 's marriage and it 's the suburbs .",
      "... stale and predictable .",
      "sam mendes , the director of MOV , injects a few milligrams of hope into his film version of the 1961 richard yates novel , an excoriating portrait of a mid-1950s marriage built on sticks , straw and delusion .",
      "by emphasizing the breakdown of a marriage without ever establishing the hope and dreams that gave birth to it , mendes has made leaden and incessantly depressing what was insightful and breathlessly dramatic on the page .",
      "a beautiful-looking but essentially lifeless work that would seem more at home on a mantelpiece than on a movie screen .",
      "these are performances - and lives - lived in quotation marks .",
      "a gripping and harrowing dissection of two deluded souls .",
      "sooner or later it becomes very hard to escape the sense that nothing actually happens in this film .",
      "does yates 's work stand up today ? if you want an insight into the horrors of being married to the wrong person , there 's nobody like him . but the result is not so much riveting drama as highly potent aversion therapy .",
      "a cold and unappealing drama that is almost cripplingly middle-class .",
      "watching a sam mendes film is like sitting in a room while all the air is being sucked out .",
      "MOV is a very well-made film indeed , and if it stings a little , that is only a testament to how strong a work it is .",
      "it packs some dramatic fireworks but , in the end , not enough emotional punch .",
      "there is great anguish and great artistry in this showcase by winslet . this is a film that hurts so good .",
      "... brilliant and cold , like a sun-flooded winter 's day .",
      "if the film seems obvious compared to the novel , it captures yates ' idea that the young , even naive , frank and april are play actors in their own lives ...",
      "somehow the film fails to inspire more than admiration , never reaching the same heights of empathy achieved by less impeccable treatments of the same topic .",
      "sam mendes , still better known for his theater work than as a movie director , has put a decidedly theatrical spin on richard yates ' 1961 novel .",
      "a heartbreakingly sad yet remarkable film from director sam mendes .",
      "it is as fascinating as a train wreck , as well as the most sensitive , wryly compassionate , immaculately acted and uncannily real a movie portrait of a dysfunctional marriage as i can remember seeing since who 's afraid of virginia woolf ?",
      "intense adult drama shocks but does n't awe .",
      "as it goes on , MOV starts to feel like a tepid rewrite of a douglas sirk weepie .",
      "the self-dramatization is harder to capture , sometimes coming off as false moments between the actors , yet this is still a troubling story of two good people who ca n't live with the truth that they 're as ordinary as their neighbors .",
      "sam mendes 's spiritually depleted film exerts an undeniable pull as its beautiful , doomed protagonists navigate the ennui of adult life . MOV provides an apt bookend to a holiday season drenched in fatalistic gloom .",
      "they should hand out complimentary razor blades at the end of MOV . but if anyone can find the refresh button on the exhausted suburban malaise genre , it 's kate winslet . and she does .",
      "the movie 's really a psychological horror story in which the characters , especially the wife , are broken down as surely as the spinster eleanor vance played by julie harris in the haunting .",
      "an actors ' showcase for its iconic duo ... and both have grown impressively since they last swooned shipside .",
      "onscreen cigarette smoking is as incessant as april 's discontent -- the period prop that becomes a running gag . a more important choke point , though , is dim audience involvement .",
      "it reunites again titanic doomed shipmates leonardo dicaprio , kate winslet and kathy bates , but this time as doomed suburbanites .",
      "apparently , their hearts did go on -- and how . easily , one of the year 's best films . it 's fantastic , with two amazing performances by kate winslet and leonardo dicaprio .",
      "a stunning achievement across the board . the movie fully captures the kind of middle-class existence that turned a younger generation into hippies or radicals . powerfully written , acted and directed , this is an instant classic .",
      "MOV is not a great film , per se ; a great film needs the stamp of a great director . but it is a great film of this great book .",
      "another gem from director sam mendes about suburbanites who lead lives of quiet desperation .",
      "not titanic 2 . she hates him . michael shannon deserves a best supporting actor nomination .",
      "vital and brilliant , without american beauty 's occasional pretension , it 's a shot in the arm for the dull holiday season , a shattering experience well worth having .",
      "the best work that either dicaprio or winslet has ever done . mendes masterfully conducts controlled fireworks of verbal savagery to suit the age of apropos and good reputations .",
      "MOV is n't just a failed literary adaptation . it 's a failure of the worst kind : it does n't even make you want to read richard yates ' deservedly legendary book .",
      "director sam mendes , who covered similar ground in american beauty , evokes the eisenhower years in every detail and sets a reasonable pace for the script . yet the path is so familiar that not a step along it takes us by surprise .",
      "dicaprio and winslet are compelling as young people who simply do n't have the emotional maturity to juggle their conflicting desires for material success , personal fulfilment and the rewards of raising a family .",
      "packs considerable punch .",
      "sam mendes , the oscar-winning director of american beauty , has made another american beauty , this one a powerful examination of a young couple trying desperately to deal with the plasticity of 1950s suburbia .",
      "people will argue over the film 's histrionic tendencies but stars kate winslet and leonardo decaprio bring it in every scene and produce an admittedly depressing film .",
      "dicaprio and winslet 's cinematic reunion only highlights MOV 's bleakness : even if the titanic had n't gone down , the film tells us , these lovebirds were still doomed .",
      "MOV ranks right up there with who 's afraid of virginia woolf ? in its characterization of a coupling deeply scabrous and defective .",
      "skilfully adapted and superbly directed , the film is an emotional tornado , delivered with exceptional performances from not only the two leads but the entire cast",
      "an involving film that disturbs on the deepest levels as tensions mount , words ricochet like bullets and actions speak louder than words",
      "except for a handful of misplaced laughs , `` MOV '' is nothing but loud arguments , awkward silences and other bits of unpleasantness .",
      "this cracked social mirror the director holds up to society is no pretty sight . although it 's impossible to turn away .",
      "the territory covered is bleak but searingly honest . itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s another terrific achievement for mendes .",
      "is the movie trying too hard ? in moments of self-doubt , i wonder ... i found the performances stellar and i was emotionally rocked and rolled ; i ask for little more .",
      "a flawless , moment-to-moment autopsy of a marriage on the rocks and an indictment of the american dream gone sour .",
      "it simply does n't play as well as it reads .",
      "directed with extraordinary skill by sam mendes , the film is a tough road well worth traveling .",
      "MOV is impressive , but it feels like a classic encased in amber .",
      "there will be tears .",
      "dutifully reproduces incidents and particulars while only rarely glancing at the underlying element of self-deception , of acting a part , that defines said moments .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of watching a balloon deflate slowly , agonizingly , through a microscopic pinprick .",
      "it is honorably and brutally unnerving .",
      "similar yet better domestic dramas that come to mind for comparison purposes include `` in the bedroom , '' `` little children '' and `` american beauty . ''",
      "ca n't tell whether mendes speaks through his characters or speaks about them",
      "... more of a sedate lecture on values than a revealing or entertaining look at life and love .",
      "it plays like douglas sirk without the irony .",
      "jo % u0161 jedan primjer u dana % u0161njem hollywoodu sve iritantnijeg % u017eanra `` dajte mi oscar '' filmov",
      "it 's hard to shake the feeling that this is merely a lesser rehash of mendes ' more accomplished film american beauty .",
      "middlebrow self-consciousness",
      "MOV is content to stick with hoary cliches about the emptiness of middle-class bourgeois life .",
      "suburban malaise has seldom been better looking or better acted .",
      "chilly and academic , thoroughly admirable but one step removed from the very real angst of a movie like the man in the grey flannel suit -lrb- 1956 -rrb- .",
      "... a limp , facile condemnation of suburbia -lrb- though in the interest of full disclosure , i moved from chicago to the suburbs six years ago and happen to enjoy the extra trees . -rrb-",
      "dreary and depressing tale that would not have survived without the powerful and emotional performances by kate winslet and leonardo dicaprio .",
      "the result also has the authentic quality of real people clinging to the aphorisms and going through the motions demanded by the situation and the times , all of which is bathed in lush regret by cinematographer roger deakins .",
      "parental content review",
      "after winslet 's amazing performances in the reader and MOV , it 's quite possible -- and maybe even likely -- that she 'll get two oscar nominations this year .",
      "the film is jolted into hopes and dreams and more importantly , escaping a blah life . but you can just sense there is something else . after all , this film is n't called ` frank and april move to paris . '",
      "MOV 's existential dread of unspoken feelings bubbling to the surface perhaps better resembles tennessee williams , a towering explorer of authenticity and self-delusion .",
      "MOV , an essay on the emptiness of 1950s suburban life , leaves one with an empty feeling .",
      "viewers in the mood for rip-snorting marital combat should go ahead and partake , but they must prepare to leave the theatre in a state of profound depression .",
      "bitter , nerve-wracking , ugly and relentless , MOV is big drama done right , a mesmerizing look at desperate lives , wrong moves and spoiled dreams that hits hard right from the beginning and never lets up .",
      "most of the way , the film feels more like a documentary about the couple than a corrosive study of either of them .",
      "MOV 's portrait of a disintegrating marriage is so unflinching , so unsentimental , and so bleak , that you really need to be in a buoyant emotional state to get through the movie .",
      "there is not a shred of hope , light or even life in mendes ' fourth film .",
      "mr. mendes at least has an idea what he should be going for even though he ultimately fails .",
      "MOV offers nothing you ca n't see on tv , with more compelling narratives and better performances -lrb- save for michael shannon -rrb- .",
      "... far beyond deconstructing the man in the gray flannel suit . ... -lsb- writer richard yates -rsb- explored ways we acquire and define our identities from people we love , and how we set our lives on self-deceptive and self-destructive courses .",
      "from the director of american beauty comes another empty , fake-meaningful tale of how rotten it is in the suburbs .",
      "these people are not tragic , they 're not even pathetic - they 're fountains of soap-opera profundities .",
      "the characters in this film are weak-willed , pathetic losers . i just could n't muster much sympathy for the characters that could n't burst out of the cages of their own design .",
      "mendes has made a troubling film that wrestles with big themes and touchy subjects , even if it is set in an overly familiar milieu .",
      "a road to ruin paved more by mindless conformity than by good intentions .",
      "bolstered by thomas newman 's score , spot-on set design and the brilliant source material , `` MOV '' is a darkly effective portrait of an eisenhower-era couple who fall tragically short of reaching camelot .",
      "-lsb- solid -rsb- performances took me over some of the bumps of the movie .",
      "the result of all this combined talent is a masterpiece of a film that reveals the hidden disease at the heart of american life in the 1950s .",
      "sam mendes 's film , based on a faithful screenplay by justin haythe , is beautifully crafted .",
      "sam mendes has created an intelligent , thoroughly engrossing , beautifully acted adaptation of a classic novel that depicts the tragic underside of america 's sunniest decade .",
      "the film is blatantly aimed at the oscar committee - anyone else may well find it slightly dull .",
      "if ever there were a film that aimed for the zeitgeist and missed badly , it 's this one .",
      "the acting is amazing but the story is one long drive to despair",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- al menos desde quin le teme a virginia woolf ? , de mike nichols -lrb- 1966 -rrb- , no se vea en el cine estadounidense el resquebrajamiento de un matrimonio de manera tan cruda y tan honesta .",
      "the many millions who swooned over their romance in titanic should expect to encounter a very different couple in MOV . the bloom is very much off the rose .",
      "MOV gets my vote as the best american film of 2008 .",
      "sam mendes has worked in this territory before with his oscar-winning american beauty . MOV is a better movie because it does n't rely on such blatant caricatures .",
      "the movie is intense and stylized , and bristling with great performances .",
      "MOV is easily the best-acted film of 2008 , and one of the most corrosive .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- devastating if flawed adaptation of the richard yates novel .",
      "unlike the novel , which you can set aside and take a break , with the film version of MOV , you 're in for the duration , and it 's ultimately too much to take .",
      "winslet gives a fearless performance here . it 's not her fault her husband has shrouded it in taste .",
      "this film is so good it is devastating . a lot of people believe their parents did n't understand them . what if they did n't understand themselves ?",
      "like its cinematic kin , frost/nixon and doubt , this , too , is a delicately crafted , prestige project whose translation to screen does n't deliver the original 's amazements .",
      "mendes is careful to keep the mood largely sombre ahead of a gruesome denouement which , visceral as it is , does n't alter the pattern of the film ; delivering more food for thought than fire in the belly .",
      "it leaves you feeling voyeuristically sullied ; scrubbing the blood out of your mental carpet , privy to something simultaneously indulgent and inconsequential .",
      "ultimately , the performances are -lrb- rightly -rrb- more involving than the story . by the same token , the actors are more involving than the film .",
      "a worthy but slightly cold adaptation of a classic american novel that fails to fully engage the audience 's sympathy despite first-rate performances and some sublime camerawork by multiple oscar nominee roger deakins .",
      "it feels removed from the messy energies and doomy turbulence it depicts , filtering them through an aesthetic sensibility so tasteful , controlled and ultimately second-hand , that it can impress but never truly move us .",
      "a deeply felt , moving and genuinely tragic study of a marriage tearing itself apart .",
      "terrivelmente prejudicado em funзгo da abordagem distanciada e excessivamente racional de mendes , que parece estar sempre julgando e condenando seus personagens .",
      "MOV is a dumbed down movie . but it 's not dumbed down for just general audiences ; it 's dumbed down for would-be intellectual audiences , people who are supposed to like books . it sorely fits contemporary times .",
      "this is a sobering , well-observed film that does n't fully hit the mark but sets up enough pleasing ideas to chew on regarding ambition , marriage and ideals of how to live one 's life , individually and as a couple .",
      "handsomely done and beautifully acted , just slightly wanting in a screenplay that leaves questions unanswered about what 's behind these unhappy people . and it 's ultra-depressing ...",
      "hoplessly bleak and disturbingly detached , this dissection of a doomed marriage is saved by kate winslet 's formidable performance .",
      "certainly the best work mendes has ever produced for the screen , MOV works as a showcase for performances : dicaprio and winslet are at the top of their game .",
      "an extraordinary motion picture that harnesses spellbinding emotional discharge and enthralling disgust , using two of the most talented and captivating stars of today to bring to the screen a masterwork of domestic isolation .",
      "who on earth seriously wants to watch an entire movie of kate and leo squabbling as their marriage implodes ?",
      "an unforgettable film and one of the year 's best .",
      "since mendes has kept us emotionally at arm 's length with his structured , hermetically sealed production , it 's hard to care about whether they 'll ever find that elusive something .",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- oth the protagonists are thoroughly mediocre , uninteresting people , and i never figured out why i was supposed to care about the fate of either of them .",
      "revolutionary road/i > is dramatically potent material and , although it poses a number of philosophical questions , it works best as an unsentimental examination of a marriage in crisis .",
      "affected , overwrought misstep from director sam mendes tracks the brutal disintegration of a 50s-era suburban couple in high style and higher melodrama .",
      "it 's cynical dramedy for people who pride themselves on being smart -- that is , unsentimental .",
      "though boasting strong , oscar-caliber turns from dicaprio , winslet , and michael shannon , mendes ' second dissection of suburbia is too studied and deliberate in the first acts before generating emotional power , and may suffer in comparison to tv 's mad men .",
      "when he made his big-screen debut with american beauty in 1999 it felt thrillingly fresh . with this second take on suburbia , mendes is reversing up a well-worn path .",
      "winslet gives MOV its depth and heft . that face still gazes at us , with its seraphic blend of beauty and horror , minutes , even hours , after we have left the theatre .",
      "in terms of performance and production , this is an undeniably high-quality affair . yet it 's all rather superficial .",
      "dicaprio and winslet channel much nuance into their home-based hell . mendes ' level-headed helming is best at pinpointing the brutality of banality , while roger deakins ' lush cinematography stylises suburbia as a lavish velvet coffin for its residents .",
      "while yates ' story retains flecks of perceptiveness , this is as disappointing as the characters ' compromises .",
      "the acting impresses , the plight of the characters , less rounded and sympathetic than they are in the book , merely depresses . roadworthy then , but hardly revolutionary .",
      "a great script , visually stunning cinematography and great direction from kate 's husband sam mendes make this a remarkable experience .",
      "justin haythe 's disappointing screenplay is less than cinematic . too much of the dialogue is on-the-nose , and more akin to theatre than real life . far too much is said . the brilliance of yates 's novel lay in the amount that he left unsaid .",
      "you come out knowing you have seen some great performances , brilliant direction and beautiful cinematography , but it is just not a film you love .",
      "it 's as if someone 's taken the american dream , lashed it to a table and cut it open to see how it works . an uncomfortable process , to be sure , but an awfully compelling one , too .",
      "it is good , not great , and it is the two stars that make this worth the price of admission .",
      "a skillfully composed but gloomy affair that rigidly positions itself as a serious adult drama of the feel-bad variety .",
      "an unflinching look at the discontent of a suburban couple and the ways they deal with the death of their dream of liberation .",
      "reminds us how , in 120 minutes , a picture can go from `` i can not wait to see that '' to `` i never want to see that again . ''",
      "extremely well-acted and not without its effective interludes , mendes ' latest effort is done in by a final ten minutes that lessen the story 's would-be impact with an overload of tacked-on contrivance .",
      "from cast to conclusion , MOV is fate funneled through a true artist 's muse .",
      "the best thing about MOV ... is that it does n't end with that rote vision of bourgeois anomie . it only begins there .",
      "buy the house in the suburbs , go to work , take out the garbage , have an affair -- slowly these two mortgage their dreams .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- didactic , emotionally overblown critique of the soulless suburbs .",
      "why does the movie feel as pleasantly deadening as the midcentury connecticut suburb where it takes place ?",
      "this is a movie by and for the actors , especially for kate winslet , whose prodigious talents are well used throughout this bleak , troubling and powerful drama .",
      "kate winslet 's message is strong and if you do n't get it the first time kathy bates will tell you again , but it could have been delivered sans hysteria . flawless sets and costumes make this a sumptuous but sad trip into the '50s .",
      "beautifully shot , superbly written drama that exerts a powerful emotional grip and features terrific performances from a reunited kate winslet and leonardo dicaprio .",
      "the book and the film may be nailed to their fifties period -lrb- everyone seems to smoke perpetually -rrb- but what MOV says about not so quietly desperate lives is still appropriate today .",
      "this is an honourable attempt to get at the heart of a great novel . its account of marital failure and of lost illusions is consistently absorbing and occasionally heart-rending .",
      "with all the talent , time and effort that has gone into making a movie like this , i hate reducing it to one word . but here goes . MOV is ... awful .",
      "MOV is a moany , groany , phoney oscars contender that 's all boo-hoo-hooey . mendes merely assumes we will share his characters ' contempt for ` burbs life .",
      "MOV may strive for heaviness , but it 's more doughty than weighty . the film is a doorstop that thinks it 's a statue .",
      "i do n't know anyone who 'd want to watch , in these miserable times , a marriage swirling down life 's khazi . but that does n't stop it being a fine piece of work . and while i did n't enjoy it at all , i can definitely recommend it .",
      "mendes digs into suburban life with a riveting and ultimately stark marital drama ... . and it 's the terrific acting that keeps us engaged .",
      "at any moment , we expect the depressed , chain smoking gilded cage suburban house pet kate to morph into sylvia plath , poised to stick her head in the oven , a premature free spirit bloodied christ figure imprisoned behind a window in a breezy hollow world .",
      "so straight and formal there 's no room to breathe .",
      "if you 're looking for an intense , character-driven movie , MOV delivers big time .",
      "a bleak , bitter , brilliant portrayal of the failure of the fifties version of the american dream it so beautifully captures in period terms .",
      "even though we could reasonably wonder if there had to be yet another one of these blasted suburban satires , at least MOV is a pretty good entry in the field .",
      "mendes very simply creates a period picture and thus fails to justify why the material is still relevant in 2008 .",
      "kate winslet and leonardo dicaprio rise to the acting challenges of this downbeat exploration of 1950s suburban ennui and marital discord , adapted from the acclaimed novel by richard yates .",
      "the pompous direction was inflicted by sam mendes , who seems to regard the 1950s as a foreign country .",
      "what is the point of ` MOV , ' besides providing a showcase for two dynamic actors , leonardo dicaprio and kate winslet , to chew the scenery in an overwrought exposition of domestic combat ?",
      "we all lead lives of quiet desperation , though some of us are louder than others .",
      "MOV is content to be a powerful film about an ordinary troubled marriage ; the kind taking place in a handful of houses on your block - perhaps even in your own .",
      "the build-up gains slow momentum but once it finds its rhythm rev road is positively devastating",
      "kate and leo just stand around shouting the subtext at one another , mired in that typical mendes swamp of gloss wherein every shot looks like a picture from a coffee-table book .",
      "a showcase for dicaprio and winslet 's formidable talents , and they are up to the challenge of playing tortured , well intentioned but ultimately doomed victims of dashed dreams .",
      "however familiar it may ring , this very downbeat tale about dreams dashed in the name of stifling social conformity feels freshly devastating , thanks to the lead pair .",
      "MOV is for those of you who think marley & me looks like a sappy , falsely cute , sugary sweet concoction of junk .",
      "it may be , as thoreau said , that `` most men lead lives of quiet desperation , '' but in the movies , desperation is much more likely to be loud .",
      "like columbus , british filmmaker sam mendes insists he 's discovered america .",
      "MOV is n't emotionally engaging or moving .",
      "a film that , by the end , turns into a far more unsettling haunted-house story than the amityville horror .",
      "imagine , if you can , what tennessee williams might have written for a story line of tv 's mad men and you 'll get a good picture of MOV .",
      "mendes ' skillfully struck detachment sabotages pathos .",
      "each revelation . every event . a snapshot . -lsb- sam -rsb- mendes lingers on the characters % u2014 especially golden globe winning -lsb- kate -rsb- winslet % u2014 and wordlessly lets you feel what they feel .",
      "MOV is a very powerful film even if i 'm unsure whether or not it 's also a very good one .",
      "dicaprio and winslet deliver terrific performances .",
      "if MOV had been filmed back in 1961 , when the novel came out , it would have been timely and powerful .",
      "revolutionary takes us down a familiar road .",
      "suburbia never was what it 's cracked up to be .",
      "there are no wasted moments in this film . there are many you ca n't watch without wincing .",
      "while the theme of ` what are you doing with your life ? ' resonates , it 's not much fun to watch , in spite of splendid performances from all concerned .",
      "we understand -- immediately , like in the second or third scene , thank you -- that they are tragically suppressed ; why should we care ?",
      "what is it about the 1950s that brings out the worst in cultural historians ?",
      "this is not the film to see if you 're looking for light , frivolous entertainment , but it reflects humanity in a way that can be cathartic .",
      "strong performances steer this 1950s marital drama out of a period-picture trap .",
      "in pieces and in spirit , the many honest parts of this drama about marital life in the 1950s are like the rooms of a house that feel right , even if the exterior slopes somewhat clumsily .",
      "a very powerful drama .",
      "give me something to care about .",
      "MOV , a waxworks edition of the furiously unsentimental novel by richard yates , tracks the unraveling of a handsome young suburban couple in the 1950s .",
      "the crossed-signals and secret selfishness of a bad marriage are the sour heart of MOV . and it is devastating .",
      "it 's keenly observed , handsomely mounted , supremely well-acted , and distant in a way the period trappings ca n't quite explain away .",
      "MOV is a very good bigscreen adaptation of an outstanding american novel -- faithful , intelligent , admirably acted , superbly shot ."
    ],
    "summary": "brilliantly acted and emotionally powerful , MOV is a handsome adaptation of richard yates ' celebrated novel .",
    "id": "770674037"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_beaver_2010",
    "reviews": [
      "flawed , but in an era of safe filmmaking with stories and characters tied in uniformly neat bows , MOV operates outside the box ... and then it kicks the box down the street .",
      "a fairly uninvolving one-trick pony .",
      "for a film about the real problem of mental illness , it never feels authentic . depression is not something neatly tied up . if this is meant as an allegory , it 's vague and unconvincing .",
      "gibson knows a thing or two about lost , troubled souls , and watching him navigate around the edge of the abyss is fascinating .",
      "for all his recent travails , gibson remains a formidable film-maker -lrb- apocalypto was a tour de force -rrb- and a strong screen presence . he is simply not right for his role here .",
      "it 's still worth seeing , if only for gibson 's performance .",
      "gibson 's performance as walter black ranks among the best of his career .",
      "someone like walter black is bruised in the brain . like MOV , such a state is complicated , aggravating , but definitely worth fighting to understand and accept .",
      "in case you have n't heard , mel gibson has a new movie out , with a dumb title and even dumber premise . that 's three reasons to not buy a ticket to MOV , but i 'm guessing gibson 's polarizing presence is enough for most folks . it has been , so far .",
      "if anyone can see past the suggestive title , the oddball premise and the controversial casting of this film , they might be surprised to find it surprisingly tolerable .",
      "sure , there 's lots of pretense but it 's all the wrong kind -- just silliness posing as sensitivity pretending to be art .",
      "let us begin by saying MOV is good enough to let you forget everything you think you know about mel gibson for 90 minutes .",
      "settling for superficial sentimentality , it makes us feel sorry for the characters , especially walter , but it does n't enlighten or challenge us , which serious art should do .",
      "if you continue to be fascinated by this talented , volatile , messed-up man , it 's worth experiencing what may be gibson 's finest performance to date .",
      "i did n't want to read a word about MOV before seeing it , and i 'm glad i went in `` cold . '' it 's a purposefully odd little film about mental illness and a broken family , made with care and obvious passion by jodie foster from a. . .",
      "i did n't want to read a word about MOV before seeing it , and i 'm glad i went in `` cold . '' it 's a purposefully odd little film about mental illness and a broken family , made with care and obvious passion by jodie foster from a. . .",
      "the puppet works .",
      "admittedly , gibson is very good as the deeply disturbed hero - particularly as he sits alone slugging vodka or mourning the loss of his family 's love . but is this really acting ? is it even a performance ?",
      "foster almost brings it home with a playful tone that accentuates gibson 's batty performance , but one plot point nearly throws the poignancy of the story down the toilet .",
      "though kyle killen 's script becomes trite and predictable , gibson delivers in an uncompromising way .",
      "off-screen mel gibson may be a deplorable human being , but he and MOV , a film honest about depression and lined with a certain bruised grace , are uniquely suited to one another .",
      "the refusal of foster and screenwriter kyle killen to conform to familiar narrative rhythms makes MOV curiously intriguing .",
      "it 's a tough sell , but watching gibson 's character work through his depression is addictive .",
      "a flawed , erratic comedy-drama that nonetheless remains fascinating because of gibson 's frenziedly committed performance .",
      "it 's basically gibson 's show , and he 's thoroughly believable . ... unfortunately , the parallel -lsb- seems -rsb- to have come from a different , inferior screenplay , resulting in half a good film ... or at least half an interesting one .",
      "this could be a great swan song or the rebirth of a troubled yet talented actor . either way , it 's quite special .",
      "the main problem with the film , competently but rather blandly directed by foster , is that you ca n't believe this fairy tale for a moment .",
      "regardless of what you 've read in the tabloids and have come to know about mel gibson off screen , on screen , he is still a man with many talents .",
      "when meredith claims they used to be happy , and he responds that it 's all a lie , we do n't really know who to believe . and that vagueness makes it unclear who we 're supposed to trust and what outcome will actually be a good thing for the characters .",
      "there are many scenes in which absurdist fiction intersects with fact that it 's depressing and disturbing , yet gibson 's anguished performance is not only believablebut insightful and compelling .",
      "... contains moments of cinematic brilliance and insightful characterization but also occasions of wishful thinking bordering on the ludicrous .",
      "-lsb- gibson -rsb- delivers a performance very few could pull off as a depressed father who begins communicating through a hand puppet , but foster does n't know how to manage it or navigate the script 's seismic tonal shifts /",
      "a perfect match of artist and repertoire .",
      "put the puppet back into the dumpster .",
      "moviegoers probably wo n't be interested in seeing mel gibson in an onscreen train wreck that reminds them so much of the mess he 's made of his real life .",
      "sthn trith ths skhnothetikh apopeira , h jodie foster akomh den exei piasei thn ennoia toy rakor , alla ayto einai to mikrotero ap ' ta problhmata mias dramenti poy pairnei to thema ths katathlipshs arketa elafra , gia na thes na thn aytoktonhseis",
      "it 's a bummer of a movie -- dark and at cross-purposes with both itself and any image do-over -lsb- gibson -rsb- might be seeking .",
      "the device of MOV is a constant distraction from what is otherwise a compelling tale of a man and family in crisis .",
      "a unique and thoughtful project that showcases a charming , as well as unconventional , character journey -- and one of gibson 's best roles to date .",
      "mel gibson 's last hurrah",
      "jodie foster 's MOV had its moments , but the overall premise just did n't fly . i just could n't buy the idea of the talking puppet .",
      "thinks it 's a whimsical tale of a man finding himself , but gibson thinks it 's the tale of a man losing his mind .",
      "it does n't quite work , but it does provide something of a cinematic exorcism for the public 's increasingly conflicted relationship with gibson .",
      "it 's a lame joke , but it fits : i 'm of two minds about MOV .",
      "jodie foster shows as a director that you really can make a movie about anything if you do it right . i mean , a guy with a beaver puppet ? come on !",
      "navigates its tricky tone and subject matter in a sweet , memorable fashion .",
      "MOV is ironically salvaged by gibson 's complete performance , and the film 's commitment to his character ensures that it will endure beyond the controversy , resonating in spite of itself .",
      "it is a potent reminder of why jodie foster should have made more movies by now . and it is a strong beginning for screenwriter kyle killen .",
      "mel gibson 's emotionally intense performance is the best element of jodie foster 's disappointing family melodrama , a bland , earnest , shapeless film , marred by contrived ending .",
      "brilliant film by jodie foster , with oscar-level performances .",
      "despite its ambitious tonal sweep , MOV ends up feeling like pieces of a lot of different films , making it a movie that 's more interesting than it is great .",
      "-lsb- mel gibson -rsb- gives remarkable life to a man , and a film , in crisis .",
      "less nutty and more moving than its premise suggests , jodie foster 's on-target dramedy transcends its real-world baggage .",
      "jodie foster 's MOV is a film about mental illness that , refreshingly , is n't like most films about mental illness .",
      "MOV makes for a creative portrayal of mental illness , and of family life around those who live in the dark , reaching a fine balance of drama and comedy .",
      "se maneja en el filo entre la comedia absurda y el drama lacrimógeno , una combinación no siempre efectiva . dentro de un buen elenco se destaca el intento de mel gibson por volver a los primeros planos .",
      "aside from having a title that turns me into a puerile , sniggering teenager every time i talk about it , MOV is a heartbreakingly good movie .",
      "it is a totally manufactured product , this film , completely free of sincerity and reality",
      "this is a wholly wasted opportunity for gibson -- and a disappointing misfire from foster .",
      "MOV is one of the strangest and most inconsistent dramas in recent years .",
      "mel gibson is quite wonderful as walter and it 's to foster 's credit that she is able to balance the serious with the bizarre so convincingly .",
      "a heartfelt and compassionate portrait of mental illness .",
      "there 's a strong and positive sub-text to the story , offering a depth of understanding to an often considered subject that is taboo . but whether audiences will buy gibson talking with the hand is another question",
      "what sounds like an odd , interesting experiment squanders its potential on boring life lessons and bland sincerity .",
      "there 's not a single idea that gets full explored ... -lsb- foster 's -rsb- ideas about how to visualise the themes and character beats of the story could hardly be more obvious , or leading ,",
      "viewers will have to check cartloads of baggage upon entering jodie foster 's courageous , crazy-as-a-loon character study about a man having a major midlife meltdown .",
      "even as kyle killen 's script becomes ever more implausible and ultimately ridiculous , it 's impossible to take your eyes off the screen when the tortured and ill-looking gibson is center stage .",
      "as director , foster , working with kyle killen 's screenplay , treats the goofy premise with a literal earnestness -- as a family drama about separation and reunion -- that seems all wrong . a little wit would have helped .",
      "if you take -lsb- gibson 's -rsb- performance on its own merits , it 's one of the finest of his career ; touching , terrifying and admirably understated throughout .",
      "gibson demonstrates a staunch commitment to his role as an emotionally damaged man driven to excise his troubles by speaking through the titular hand puppet , but the subdued tone brings him down to earth .",
      "... the film has some bristling and moving scenes and certainly ends up being what you 'd call a conversation starter .",
      "gibson again stares deeply into the abyss . the question is whether -- after his public disgrace -- anyone will want to go there with him .",
      "MOV puppet never comes off gibson 's hand and that , like its star has demonstrated in his more recent films , there 's no redemption without some crucifixion-style pain .",
      "mel gibson 's passion is vanquished by his collaborators ' retreat into boilerplate sentimentality .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't a perfect film , but it 's challenging and original .",
      "that this ambitious , if deeply odd , film is so compulsively watchable is a credit to gibson 's compelling performances , both as spiritless walter and the cockney-accented voice of the tireless title character .",
      "if you 're going ahead and make `` MOV , '' and you need an actor to go convincingly off the deep end , you could do worse than mel gibson . but you might not do better .",
      "the storyline would appear trite and the message muddled even to someone who 'd never heard the name mel gibson .",
      "i respected MOV for having the conviction to treat mental illness seriously and without compromise . but did it have to be so maudlin , too ?",
      "neither as funny as you 'd hope nor as serious or profound as it seems to think ... half a good movie , until it takes a fatal wrong turn into solemnity and mawkishness .",
      "whatever you think of mr. gibson , whatever he has lost , he still has talent , and here displays acting of power and resonance . it 's a pleasure , for a change , to see the best side of his split personality at work .",
      "i do n't know whether gibson is method-acting out of his own psychology or is just a brilliant mimic , but it 's tough to resist the conclusion that this guy knows what it 's like to look in the mirror and not quite recognize the person he sees there .",
      "mel gibson looks like hell in MOV . that 's a compliment .",
      "ventriloquism -- seeing and speaking through others -- is foster 's metaphor for the compassion that art ought to elicit , but that even the hollywood community of `` artists '' has failed in making gibson a pariah .",
      "could it be that foster , who has gone on the record as a loyal ally of gibson 's , made this small , poignant drama about depression and redemption as a gift of love to her friend ?",
      "gibson is powerful , touching in foster 's finely shaped , offbeat drama as a profoundly sad man trying to save himself . the haunting fictional portrait lingers beyond the film .",
      "emotionally messy in all the right places . bravely addresses the isolation of depression and the lack of easy answers when it comes to people with mental illness .",
      "MOV is serious about portraying mental illness . and whatever your opinion about gibson the man , so is gibson the actor .",
      "jodie foster has created an uneven , inordinately peculiar film , one that oscillates unsuccessfully between edgy black comedy and hollywood convention .",
      "foster commendably stretches beyond her comfort zone with MOV , but in the end the film 's high-concept premise is at war with its conventional direction .",
      "the figure of gibson is immediately suspect and polarizing , and ultimately too much of a distraction from this fragile tv-style family story .",
      "the movie comes across as rather safe and sober , with misplaced attempts at humor .",
      "in MOV , a stately family drama with a black comedy struggling to break free from within , mel gibson deploys a seemingly magical hand puppet -- plus more charm than he 's allowed out in public in years .",
      "while the film flirts with both darkness and narrative craziness , foster is too buttoned-down a director to make this material crackle and pop the way it should .",
      "completely overgrown with symbolic gestures .",
      "you wo n't be the only one anticipating a car-crash appeal in MOV , that eerie sensation of not being able to look away from catastrophe .",
      "an awkward , uneven amalgamation of drama and comedy with more cringe-inducing moments than laughter or poignancy , despite uniformly strong performances .",
      "it 's possible mel gibson is * too * good and foster was too willing to let the tone of gibson 's performance steer the tone of the movie , rather than the tone of killen 's script .",
      "i 've rarely seen a movie about severe malcontents that ended on such a note of unearned uplift .",
      "mel 's character is n't on prozac , but the movie is -- a succession of bland camera setups , cued to a highly conventional score . would that the direction were half as nutty as the script or as wacked-out as its star !",
      "a quirky but emotionally affecting drama about depression , beaver medicine , and the miracles of love and transformation .",
      "an incongruous mix of fable and realism , giddiness and gloom , MOV gnaws off more than it can chew , but mel gibson 's earnest performance and jodie foster 's able direction shore up the dam .",
      "foster has crept out on a limb here , showing us a grown-up human being who 's in terrible pain , and for whom there are no easy answers .",
      "too odd to sink your teeth into",
      "it 's unclear what about life or depression foster and killen are really saying . a movie about a man hiding behind a puppet is also a story about a movie hiding behind its star .",
      "an emotional runaway of a film that carries neither the insight nor the uplift to make the weight of its dark journey worth it .",
      "while MOV starts with gibson in what women want slapstick mode , it eventually goes to such exaggerated , extreme places that it becomes as much of a must-watch train-wreck as gibson 's own real-life situation .",
      "gibson 's best performance in years saves the picture from its inconsistency . few other actors could ride out the bumps in plot while delivering a believable performance .",
      "jodie foster 's drama MOV , starring mel gibson as a depressed man who communicates via a hand puppet , is many things : admirably sincere , occasionally poignant , often trite and perversely wrong-headed .",
      "not knowing whether to be a comedy or a drama and often failing at both , there 's very little to recommend about this downer of a movie .",
      "the remarkable marriage of actor and role turns out to be the best part of this overly tidy family portrait .",
      "it is , by some distance , the best drama about family life this year - the sort of refreshingly-good film it would have been easy to think that nobody in hollywood wanted to make any more .",
      "they seem like a real family , beaver puppet and all . and ` MOV ' gives them the dignity they deserve in their troubled times .",
      "not a good movie , but a brave one from a star in trouble .",
      "the set-up sounds absurd , and parts of the movie are indeed funny peculiar , but overall foster plays things straight and gibson rewards her with a nakedly honest portrayal of a man who 's hit rock bottom and is trying to clamber back to the light .",
      "foster 's curious movie is at once a realisation of the kind of `` risky '' script that never gets made and an unwitting signifier of typical hollywood contrivance .",
      "it is the very essence of a misfire , a film so out of step with the times that i 'm tempted to say dick cheney on a hunting trip could n't have misfired more .",
      "MOV sensitively deals with themes of mental illness , suicide and self-belief , plumbing some very dark nooks of the human psyche .",
      "deftly handling the seriousness of its mental health issues , MOV is also often profoundly funny .",
      "jodie foster invites us to laugh at this guy who talks through a puppet , then scolds us for doing so .",
      "MOV goes to elaborate lengths to sidestep any interesting conflicts or complex characters , instead opting for twee humour and saccharine life lessons .",
      "the movie 's glumness is in synch with foster 's performances over the last decade : it 's as if she 's decided that acting is something you mature beyond . which i suspect had a dampening effect on gibson 's performance .",
      "MOV is the best american release i have seen this year ... easily .",
      "the film works thanks to the performance by gibson . despite his messy personal life laid bare on the internet and tabloid headlines , he still has talent .",
      "from the pen newcomer kyle killen , creator of the brilliant , but instantaneously cancelled , lone star , it reeks of promise but vast inexperience , while jodie foster perhaps could have helmed the narrative better too .",
      "but curiosity over a gibson screen return may make this a surprise box office climber - and a warm-up act for the greatly anticipated how i spent my summer vacation ...",
      "it never quite comes together in a satisfying way , but it 's still a brave , strange , brain-stirring piece of filmmaking .",
      "i 'm still hoping for a sequel in which jodie gives mel a puppet cockerel .",
      "a story that should be savagely funny and tauntingly surreal , at least for part of its arc , drifts into problem-of-the-week terrain .",
      "while using a comical device to explore a serious subject , foster clearly wants to go darker and deeper , striving to draw parallels between the bonding of the kindred teens and walter 's increasingly disturbing psychotic split .",
      "worth seeing for its terrific central performance from mel gibson , though it runs out of steam in the middle section and gets a little too bogged down in its less interesting , beaver-free sub-plot .",
      "beyond the initial idea , this is kid gloves filmmaking , when what we need is a bit more of the gloves-off stuff .",
      "this strange , uncertain picture ca n't be dismissed .",
      "`` MOV '' is almost successful , despite the premise of its screenplay , which i was simply unable to accept .",
      "is gibson showing us the character or himself or some combination of the two ? you decide . but whoever that is onscreen , it 's the saddest man in the world .",
      "the redemption the movie most strongly suggests is mel gibson 's own .",
      "this is often quite affecting for its portrait of midlife crisis and gibson 's personal investment in the role .",
      "this is a daring drama , a true risk for everyone involved that pays off with an emotionally rewarding piece about mental illness , family ties , and turning points .",
      "the film is to be commended for addressing depression , but while gibson 's performance is always fascinating , a dual acting job without benefit of a screen double , the film suffers its own malaise when he 's not on screen .",
      "a promising story about a madman and his puppet fast becomes a trite tale of a father and son as the combustible mr. gibson is tamped down ...",
      "none of this sounds as if it should work for a second as drama , so great credit goes to foster and the cast for keeping the story small , quiet and often very moving .",
      "there maybe be a lot of talk about this being the return of `` actor mel , '' but MOV is also the return of director foster .",
      "mel gibson 's off-screen exploits have lumbered him with some heavy baggage , so it 's surprising to see him embrace that vulnerability in jodie foster 's oddball comedy .",
      "somewhat tedious once the initial novelty of seeing mel gibson talk using a beaver puppet has worn off .",
      "foster 's direction is on the timid side but gibson 's performance manages to make a weird situation feel real and unexpectedly touching .",
      "it is n't offensive , or antisemitic , or actionable , so there 's some relief -- but it is very embarrassing .",
      "contrived , self-admiring and self-pitying , unfunny , burdened with a central performance which is unendurably conceited and charmless .",
      "as the movie grows darker , and walter becomes more dissociated from reality , gibson convincingly depicts a man who 'll have to crack all the way before he can heal .",
      "what we 're left with is a daft premise and a damaged movie star desperately trying to endear himself to the audience . a bold but doomed effort .",
      "fitfully compelling , a welcome antidote to more formulaic hollywood fare , and deserving of more than embarrassed sniggers .",
      "while there are too many carefully constructed moments in this film , it 's a remarkably effective mixture of dark drama and absurd comedy . this is surprising because the premise is more than a little ridiculous .",
      "it 's commendable to capture depression on film , but a talking rodent and a fallen star are n't the way to do so .",
      "the reason to see `` MOV '' ... is gibson , who nails both roles in what feels like it 's half-performance , half-therapy .",
      "with MOV , gibson shows that for all his personal turmoil , he still may have a career in the twilight years .",
      "the film is amusing , then melancholy , then weirdly funny , then not . it 's a quiet , measured work .",
      "the acting throughout -- foster , lawrence , yelchin -- is superb , and this may well be gibson 's finest performance , just as it 's foster 's most balanced job of directing .",
      "MOV puts the focus back on mel gibson the actor , not the tabloid nightmare .",
      "the script , thank goodness , takes a left turn rather than heading straight for the happily ever oprah uplifting conclusion we anticipate .",
      "the weird mel gibson movie no one wants to see is actually a strong psychological study from director jodie foster .",
      "... -lsb- MOV is -rsb- a better-than-expected drama containing one of gibson 's finest performances to date .",
      "no one can deny gibbo delivers one of the most compelling performances of his career .",
      "... while it 's probably not a movie everyone will want to see , is probably the best hollywood movie of 2011 to date .",
      "delivers more than it promises-namely a performance that draws on exceptional skill as well as what one irresistibly takes to be the real-life anguish of a movie star whose own life has come to ruin .",
      "take away the titular gimmick , and the film would be a standard-issue family drama with nothing to set it apart from other oft-told tales of suburban ennui .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- mel gibson 's cinematic mia culpa might not equate to a public apology to the countless people he 's insulted over recent years .",
      "MOV 's simplistic resolution is a fitting one , considering how the movie , like its characters , evades the problem .",
      "the entire cast delivers , but none more so than gibson .",
      "despite some missteps , this film stands as a moving portrait of a husband and father who reclaims his will to live with the unlikely help of a hand puppet . and the main reason it 's so moving ? mel gibson .",
      "everyone is coming to see gibson and foster , but it 's oscar nominee jennifer lawrence who emerges as the superstar supporting player in the film .",
      "if you can get past your feelings for the troubled gibson , you get to watch a high-wire performance of the highest caliber .",
      "what starts out as a harmless , if kind of goofy , exercise in radical psychotherapy takes a compelling dark turn in jodie foster 's MOV .",
      "... a character study of depression and mental illness that does not preach and says a lot about the human spirit , even though the star is a beaver ."
    ],
    "summary": "jodie foster 's visual instincts and mel gibson 's all-in performance sell this earnest , straightforward movie .",
    "id": "771188157"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1046227-cool_runnings",
    "reviews": [
      "the setting and characters were so unique that the film quickly overcame its shortcomings to become a very satisfying piece of movie entertainment .",
      "entirely mediocre and forgettable",
      "the ghost of stepin fetchit is hovering in the tropical ether .",
      "often silly but almost never funny .",
      "a wholesome , engaging , frequently hilarious , ultimately inspirational film .",
      "better than it looks . i know , it shocked me too .",
      "a cute , buoyant sports fantasy , jolted along by a reggae soundtrack and playfully acted by an appealing cast .",
      "in the tradition of mighty ducks , here 's another great rocky story from disney .",
      "it 's a film about success coming from hard work and determination , and it 's a film i would be glad to take a family to see . that 's a rarity , and it 's worth praise on its own level .",
      "the considerable warmth , humour and persistence of the cast soon have you rooting for these underdogs .",
      "MOV does n't even rate a bronze medal as either sports film or comedy .",
      "a spirited -- if sentimental and conventional -- movie ...",
      "delightful , tween-friendly story of jamaican bobsledders .",
      "MOV is a charming tale of determined underdogs , with plenty of laughs , moments of real tension , and five engaging performances .",
      "a energia do elenco e a inspiradora premissa -lrb- baseada em fatos reais -rrb- convencem o espectador a ignorar os vários clichęs e a torcer desesperadamente pelos bravos jamaicanos .",
      "one of candy 's best as coach of an olympic bobsled team .",
      "travelogue shots of happy jamaicans dancing in the sun give way to patronising comedy .",
      "the offbeat , fact-based saga is enlivened by the perfect balance of humor , emotion and insight and should be one of the true sleepers among fall box office releases .",
      "while the film is cute and charming , it is n't without its copious cliches . all in all , it 's pretty much as expected .",
      "entertaining and uplifting .",
      "if you like underdog movies , you might like this one . especially if you have n't seen very many ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV rises above its formulaic sports-movie themes with charming performances , light humor , and uplifting tone .",
    "id": "10237"
  },
  {
    "movie": "war_witch",
    "reviews": [
      "an astonishing drama set in africa that vividly depicts the courage and resiliency of a 12-year-old girl whose spiritual gifts enable her to survive .",
      "infused with terrence malick spices , MOV aims for ambiance as a way to approach its searing images of war , keeping the viewer unnerved instead of outraged when inspecting the troubles of africa .",
      "21st century africa presented as a godforsaken wasteland conjuring up primitive images reminiscent of the ghoulish dystopia chronicled by conrad in heart of darkness .",
      "with intelligence and deceptive simplicity , nguyen injects the discombobulating impact of grief , conflict and ptsd -lrb- with the added effects of magic milk -rrb- , to delve deeper than a simple observed account of a soldier 's bid for freedom .",
      "this harrowing film refuses to let up long enough to let you catch your breath .",
      "rachel mwanza 's performance is extraordinary and shows great depth for such a young actress .",
      "being a child soldier is tough to imagine , but canadian writer-director kim nguyen takes on the challenge without many qualms .",
      "it may be hard for a viewer to accept some of the paranormal goings-on in MOV -- the ghosts , the superstitions , the otherworldly powers -- but they 're nothing compared to the realities that komona has to endure .",
      "a powerful and unforgettable emotional viewing experience .",
      "MOV does n't sermonize or propose a solution to its larger problems . it 's a portrait of a life . it just so happens that said life is playing out in a living hell .",
      "atrocity and beauty somehow co-exist in MOV .",
      "what 's missing here , in order to raise it to a different status , is the fierce involvement that comes from someone who lives inside the picture and is therefore , personally concerned .",
      "MOV gives us a continent 's tragedy in a young girl 's face .",
      "the film is a laser-focused fable threatened occasionally by its drifts into character shorthand , but equaled by a wrenching lead performance by rachel mwanza that results in one of the finest of the year .",
      "... rich in anthropological specificity , nguyen 's film is unexpectedly sensitive and anchored by some amazing performances .",
      "the picture is far and away most effective in its sequences of quiet lyricism .",
      "this year 's city of god .",
      "nguyen brings the harshness of this world alive not with big dramatic flourishes but with an everyday tone that makes it all the more frightening . this is how it is - how else would it be ?",
      "you 're likely to ponder its images , its insights into a very foreign -lrb- for most of us -rrb- location and the tragic situation of komona -lrb- and others like her -rrb- for a long time to come .",
      "... driven by a remarkably natural , unaffected performance by mwanza . and nguyen , despite relying a little too heavily on the initial voice-over for exposition , is a confident and sensitive intelligence behind the camera .",
      "brutal without turning exploitative , the result is harrowing and heartbreaking .",
      "is it accurate depiction of africa 's child soldiers ? i do n't know , thank god . but it feels authentic to its very core , and that makes it as hard to forget as it is to ignore .",
      "MOV is most effective not when we are looking in on komona but when we are inside her head .",
      "along with the moral lesson , nguyen remembers to give auds some pleasures , including the exquisitely chosen soundtrack of african folk and pop music , nicolas bolduc 's cinematography and the very artful use of sound throughout .",
      "it is astonishing that film that contains such violence can have such a serene tone . the source of the serenity is the measured , calm narration by komona -lrb- voice of diane umawahoro -rrb- that is the telling of her story to her unborn child",
      "rebelle is full of such careful detail , and is carried so beautifully by mwanza 's performance , that questions of authenticity slide away .",
      "writer/director kim nguyen ... takes us to a place most of us are lucky enough to barely imagine and does so with grace and sometimes even beauty .",
      "the powerful things we expect from `` MOV '' are as advertised , but what we do n't expect is even better .",
      "-lsb- despite -rsb- so many fictional elements ... the point of view poignantly emphasizes the special travails of girls within violent societies engaged in constant war .",
      "the portrait of a girl who retains her dignity and strength , her faith in the future , in the face of unimaginable horrors . it 's inspirational in a very real way .",
      "nguyen creates a mesmerizing tone through his camerawork , editing , sound and the infusion of african folk imagery and ritual , but it 's mwanza 's performance as komona that makes `` MOV '' feel so miraculous .",
      "the sensitively imagined story of a child soldier in africa makes MOV a genre benchmark and a breakout work for writer-director kim nguyen .",
      "it 's depressing stuff , to be sure , but it does a marvelous job at giving us an impressionistic taste of horrific circumstances without using them to beat us into submission .",
      "this intense , gripping drama is utterly transporting .",
      "nguyen reportedly worked on `` MOV '' for a decade , and it shows in both the immediacy and authenticity of his tale , and the meticulous craft with which it 's told .",
      "while MOV is a gorgeously made film with strong , natural performances from its leads .",
      "... an intriguing and frequently disturbing drama that tells an important story in an impressively even-handed way ...",
      "while the film is certainly a potent and sometimes harrowing portrayal of injustice , it is not heavy-handed , but done with skill and sensitivity .",
      "nguyen , astonishingly , manages to wring something vaguely like a happy ending from this tragic story .",
      "this is a straight ahead essay on warfare at its worst and the survival of the human spirit at its best .",
      "made with extremely clear-eyed restraint from harangues , sentiment , message-mongering , or anything else that would cheapen its central character 's suffering and fight .",
      "MOV features a standout performance by rachel mwanza , but the supernatural visions do n't really suit the film 's tone and mood .",
      "nguyen 's compassion and commitment to the issue is admirable , and at its best , MOV is devastating .",
      "canadian writer-director kim nguyen spent nearly a decade researching this docudrama about child soldiers in africa , and the film feels as authoritative as a first-hand account .",
      "a haunting take on unspeakably grim subject matter , shot on location in the democratic republic of congo .",
      "MOV is remarkable for the fact that it never strays into sentimentality or sensationalism .",
      "... a love story between youngsters who are forced to become adults all too early in their lives .",
      "a powerful and upsetting portrait of a young girl compelled into unimaginably horrific circumstances .",
      "the movie is committed to revealing the world through komona 's eyes , and you never feel a taint of voyeurism or condescension . it stays true to her .",
      "nguyen 's decision to look away from carnage and avoid melodrama is admirable , making room for sensitive and imaginative filmmaking , but it softens the blow the subject would otherwise deliver .",
      "brutality and tenderness are a potent mix in `` MOV . ''",
      "as a 12-year-old african village girl kidnapped by rebels and forced into brutality , mwanza guides the audience through a nightmare beyond most comprehension .",
      "nguyen 's matter-of-fact storytelling proves to be the right match for a life of extraordinary suffering .",
      "the film 's subject is almost too horrible to contemplate , but it finds a way to space out the blows without softening them .",
      "MOV is a remarkably mature portrait that trusts its audience to have their own reactions to its material ; it does n't yank at the heartstrings so much as expertly tune them .",
      "an exquisitely made film in direct contrast to the ugliness of its subject matter",
      "creative film storytelling at its finest and a truly unique coming-of-age tale .",
      "... startling , hallucinogenic war drama",
      "the ghosts of murdered villagers that haunt a young girl brutally forced into slavery as a child soldier in rebelle mirror the film 's dramatic effect on an audience .",
      "though ostensibly a character study , it 's nevertheless characterized by the vaguely moralizing tone of an issue film , one whose candor in face of brutality seems calculated for maximum liberal appeal ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a mature , intense drama that embraces the bruatlity of its subject and invites the audience to sympathize with its protagonist 's nightmarish circumstances .",
    "id": "771303871"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1162559-bobby",
    "reviews": [
      "in what is clearly a labor of love , estevez has assembled an extraordinary cast to present a mosaic of american culture at one of the '60s ' key turning points . estevez may milk the final sequence a little too long , but the result is deeply affecting .",
      "a document to the idealistic spirit of rfk 's times . estevez , in a trifecta as director-screenwriter-star , brilliantly succeeds in all aspects .",
      "what i resent most about MOV is that it 's so obvious that it has no ability to be meaningful . it 's like making a movie about how the ocean is wet . who does n't know that ?",
      "as we experience kennedy 's compassion and eloquence in newsreel footage and hear the campaign speech he delivered that night , we comprehend the film 's overwhelming sense of loss .",
      "not because of its overly ambitious screenplay , but because of its heart , its performers and its shots of real-life subject matter , `` MOV '' is better than average .",
      "while it includes excerpts of some rfk speeches , MOV provides no insight into the man and his politics , choosing instead to flit among the insipid soap opera storylines .",
      "emilio estevez 's inventive and passionate `` MOV '' is so timely today % u2014 in a world lacking justice and peace and in much need of a strong and convincing leader .",
      "for all his good intentions , mr. estevez has reduced history to a bad melodrama in which nothing much happens until a crazed assassin -lrb- of whom we catch only a fleeting prior glimpse -rrb- supposedly destroys the last great hope of a liberal renaissance .",
      "estevez 's plan to honor rfk feels more like exploitation of the footage to give his movie energy and an emotional context it does n't otherwise have .",
      "one of the key problems with the new robert kennedy biopic , `` MOV , '' is that it never is as compelling , necessary or as thought-provoking as rfk 's ideas , nor is it as interesting or as tumultuous as the time it depicts .",
      "the best anyone can say about MOV is that writer/director emilio estevez 's heart is in the right place .",
      "emilio estevez 's lament for the lost ideals of the '60s draws heavily from the robert altman playbook .",
      "despite its flaws , its intriguing premise leaves us haunted by thoughts of ` what if ? '",
      "the archival kennedy clips aside , the excited radiance of these young characters ' faces -lrb- and many of them are just extras -rrb- may be the best thing about MOV .",
      "emilio estevez 's MOV tests your patience to the breaking point -- maybe beyond .",
      "as a reminder of a historical tragedy wrapped up in a pop movie so as to appeal to a later generation , i pat estevez on the back . but , as disaster vessels go , this one 's sunk .",
      "-lsb- MOV 's -rsb- a sketchbook trying to pass as a tapestry .",
      "MOV does n't get everything right but when estevez allows his images and the reality of his characters do the talking , the film works with indelible cogency .",
      "MOV , which reportedly is going to receive a huge push for the oscars , is one of the year 's worst movies .",
      "it is a cross-section of america , and of the screen actor 's guild .",
      "always engaging , rarely revelatory , MOV earns credit for its convictions and its ability to dramatize those convictions in the context of a man who embodied them .",
      "it pains me to have to slam a film that so obviously has its heart in the right place , but MOV is such an inept and misguided effort that there 's no other option",
      "estevez 's true kindred spirit ... is novelist arthur hailey ... the political themes in estevez 's film are frequently submerged in soap suds : despite all its noble ideas , ` MOV ' is less like ` jfk ' than it is ` days of our lives . '",
      "... while estevez succeeds in catching some individually touching scenes , others are overwritten , phoney and irrelevant .",
      "so keenly felt and so deeply imagined i could n't help but be moved , even grateful for its bleeding-heart nostalgia -- which winds up feeling rather up-to-date .",
      "... signals solidarity with the kind of late-1960 s liberalism that the martyred MOV came to embody . it 's a nostalgia trip , and is less interesting for its vagueness .",
      "as long as you do n't let `` MOV '' lose you , and just sit back and adapt to its chaotic ways , you may find that it reaches past your confusion into your heart .",
      "with so much brandishing of name actors in small roles , MOV feels like a '70s disaster flick , with the disaster in the final minutes . while waiting , viewers must content themselves with playing spot-the-star .",
      "ambitious , uneven and deeply affecting drama .",
      "with one film , estevez has transformed himself from a middle-aged joke into a youthful auteur who has made something beautiful , something he can be proud of , one of the best films of 2006 .",
      "for all its flaws , MOV is a heartfelt and undeniably relevant project .",
      "a poignant and heart-rending drama about the hopes , dreams , anger , and righteous indignation of those who saw in robert kennedy a catalyst for justice , change , and peace in america .",
      "poignant yet fragmented - with trivial , star-studded subplots - it unabashedly idealizes rfk , presenting him in an almost saintly light .",
      "star power alone pushes MOV to a point where it 's a comfortable failure ,",
      "MOV wishes it were robert altman 's nashville .",
      "has so many storylines that it becomes near impossible to give a flip about any particular one .",
      "with so many movies winking and aiming for clever , MOV arrives sopping wet with nostalgia and earnestness .",
      "a crash-like roundelay of desperately manufactured bathos that covers the entire spectrum of miserable plotting and characterization .",
      "an exercise in historical revisionism for folks who would rather be informed of breaking national crises through news feeds on all my children .",
      "written and directed by emilio estevez , MOV is like an american-history textbook marked with thick yellow highlighter wherever a parallel might be detected between the vietnam era and the reign of bush ii .",
      "oddly , it works , creating a pastiche of idealism , humour , loss and sadness .",
      "whatever MOV lacks in nuance , texture and depth it makes up for in idealism , passion and nostalgia for the era .",
      "there 's not much subtlety to be found in this fictionalized historical drama . worse , there 's not much interesting going on , either .",
      "a lot of quick , character-defining cameos , which makes the movie play out like a pilot for a sprawling prime-time television show .",
      "none of the characters is interesting on his own -- what makes them interesting is that , at the end of the day , they witness a murder . and estevez has n't even made that compelling .",
      "it 's this disconnect between historical reality and dramatic indulgence that keeps an otherwise worthy film from being completely satisfying . there are moments , though , where even the most hardened cynic may have to wipe away tears of regret and loss .",
      "it 's a tin-eared movie , in many regards , history rewritten by that c-student who tries to jam too many footnotes into every character .",
      "ultimately rises above its inadequacies ; it 's an earnest tribute to a time gone by , and to a symbol of hope .",
      "a compelling film of tender moral decency that boasts a number of moments not to be shrugged off .",
      "it 's little more than a collection of half-glimpsed lives .",
      "despite problems with its subplots , the larger story of the times and the man are so compelling , and the actors here are so capable , that the movie succeeds .",
      "the surprisingly masterful MOV washes over you as a lament for a lost era , a lost legacy , a lost dream of the country that could have been .",
      "MOV throbs with tremendous contemporary relevance .",
      "emilio estevez has done a terrific job with MOV , a film that explores the lives of people who were at the ambassador hotel in los angeles the day that robert kennedy won the california primary and was shot to death .",
      "this movie has everything to do with estevez 's needy ego , and nothing to do with MOV kennedy . it is a disgrace .",
      "a great cast but a little crowded",
      "a labor of love from actor/writer/director emilio estevez , MOV is a very well written , deftly directed and incredibly acted ensemble piece .",
      "a stew",
      "one wishes that sirhan sirhan did n't aim for kennedy and instead set his sights on wiping out the entire lot of time-wasting characters .",
      "not every story comes together into a satisfying climax , and it feels like some time has been wasted with some people that could have been better spent with others .",
      "esteves 's curious multi-strand film carries us to a quietly devastating conclusion .",
      "MOV coasts along on a dread , and sorrow , it does n't earn .",
      "estevez means to eulogize the hopes of a nation , showing the night 's impact on a group of hotel guests and staff cross-sectioned by age , race , and class . but his movie ends up buried under its stifling good intentions and dire execution .",
      "every frame is informed and fueled by mr. estevez 's impassioned mourning for a figure who came close to changing the course of american history . MOV is exciting , involving and riveting .",
      "estevez probably could have cut the cast in half and come up with a richer , stronger film .",
      "it 's an ambitious film drenched in sincerity and oozing with nostalgia that , despite the energy provided by its title icon via archival footage , falls flat dramatically in nearly every other way .",
      "with MOV , emilo estevez tries to link the intimate stories of nearly two dozen characters to a large and consequential public event the assassination of robert f. kennedy .",
      "everyone in this film is powerful .",
      "in the movie business , there 's no such thing as ` truth in titling . ' if there was , MOV would be called a bunch of boring , no-name , cookie-cutter characters .",
      "estevez proves himself as a capable filmmaker by combining actual footage and speeches by kennedy with new material to create something stirring and memorable .",
      "a fascinating reflection of the times , when idealism and hope still held pride of place in the minds and hearts of the american public",
      "there 's nothing worse than a movie that knows it 's important , and MOV reminds its audience of that fact in almost every scene through character development , dialogue and plot .",
      "the ensemble structure of ` MOV ' becomes problematic , because some the stories are clumsy and dull .",
      "fantasy icon super-imposed over a whole menu of subconscious collective thwarted desires .",
      "strong on stars but short on real drama . impressive but ultimately unmemorable .",
      "this dim movie invites suicidal comparison with altman 's ensemble pieces .",
      "it makes you wish you were watching a biopic of robert kennedy instead .",
      "if estevez 's drama had been as strong as -lsb- rfk 's -rsb- speech , MOV would have been a far better film .",
      "using his haunting elegy for martin luther king over the final scene , estevez makes most of what 's gone before seem entertaining enough but fairly trivial . this is not , after all , grand hotel .",
      "it 's hard to dislike a film with such laudable ambition . but watching this feels like being kidnapped by a hippie parade .",
      "cloying , but at other times , quite emotional , especially when estevez draws less-than-subtle parallels between 1968 and 2006 .",
      "inspired by altman -lrb- nashville , short cuts -rrb- and hal ashby -lrb- shampoo -rrb- , estevez 's honorable film is a grand hotel-style ensembler -lrb- 22 roles -rrb- set at la 's ambassador on the fateful night robert kennedy was assassinated -- and american idealism forever tarnished",
      "the movie has no real story to speak of , just a series of barely connected vignettes over the 24-hour period before rfk 's demise , only some of which have anything to do with the ever-changing political climate of the early 1960s .",
      "a nashville wannabe without robert altman 's subtle wit , MOV is an ambitious attempt by writer-director emilio estevez to capture a turbulent era through a single historic event .",
      "-lsb- estevez 's -rsb- attempt to shoehorn what he sees as the grand themes of the period into a choppy , unsubtle and insubstantial script is embarrassing .",
      "brilliantly directed , superbly written and beautifully acted drama with an ensemble cast that would make even robert altman jealous .",
      "MOV has a spectacular cast , and estevez has another twist there : well-known , famous actors play unexpected roles , try ` something different . '",
      "sprawling and fragmented , this multi-strand film comes together with a surprising punch in the end .",
      "whether or not MOV kennedy was the man his supporters believed him to be , the film makes a persuasive case that something important in america was silenced when he was gunned down .",
      "a passionate outcry for peace and justice in america that becomes deeply involving by the final climactic scene , overlaid with one of rfk 's most stirring speeches .",
      "an earnest film that shows an advance in estevez 's filmmaking technique , but one that -- given its setting -- seems curiously shallow , even trivial .",
      "for the last four decades of racism , sexism and any other ism , we , apparently , have only an assassin to blame .",
      "the former brat packer turned writer-director makes a quantum leap with this mature , well-balanced and deeply felt film . he expertly juggles the many storylines , making sure they all reflect some aspect of american life and culture at this watershed time .",
      "an earnest and altogether silly piece of conjectural melodrama .",
      "we 've barely had time to absorb the idea of christian slater as director of food service before the guests start to arrive and estevez continues to zap us with the taser of celebrity cameos .",
      "with so many stories to tell , and so much kennedy footage to share , estevez -lrb- who also appears -rrb- never gets beneath the skin of any of his characters .",
      "the most interesting person in this maze of a movie is by far the title character . and his absence leaves an inescapable void .",
      "if MOV causes us to stop and compare what might have been to the leadership we currently have , one suspects estevez would not mind at all .",
      "estevez does n't seem to have anything to offer beyond a sweet , unquestioning admiration of rfk and the history homework he obviously did about the trappings of the time .",
      "a daring , messy and strangely rewarding patchwork that 's straining at the seams .",
      "... suffers from a distinctly uneven vibe ...",
      "robert kennedy won the california primary that night . history will show that he was shot moments after claiming victory , gunned down while walking through the kitchen of the ambassador . however , with `` MOV , '' his message continues almost 40 years later .",
      "`` MOV '' is both a crowning achievement for estevez and the years must see movie . here 's hoping robert altman got to see it .",
      "rfk assassination revisited as ` crash ' style roundelay .",
      "that other MOV -lrb- altman -rrb- would be very proud ...",
      "even if some plots go on a bit long and others veer into self-righteousness , it 's a lovely balancing act , and worth a look .",
      "while the movie is about one of our great national tragedies , it is not without hope .",
      "the screenplay is a collection of half-formed ideas andpartial character traits masquerading as fully-rounded people .",
      "a remarkable ensemble in an uneven patchwork of loss , longing and the urgent necessity of a societal rethink .",
      "does capture the mournful finale well enough to overlook the weaknesses of estevez 's script",
      "macy two-timing stone with graham ? it really was a different time .",
      "one of the most unflatteringly photographed movies i 've seen in years . a scene between sharon stone and demi moore comes off more like a bad-facelift pageant , and lindsay lohan does n't look a day over 40 .",
      "terrible , uninformative and embarrassingly amateurish in word and lensing .",
      "where the hell is our money shot of brother charlie sheen wearing a hawaiian shirt with dark shades while picking up a cocktail waitress at the cocoanut grove ?! throw us a bone , emilio !",
      "MOV may not make the case for its messiah as much as it would like to , but on its own terms , it is a reasonably moving portrayal of a society in need of salvation .",
      "every isolated moment or trapping that might be excused in a better film leaps up like a cowlick that just wo n't behave : demi moore drawling through ` louie louie ' comes to mind .",
      "if robert altman had been dropped on his head as a toddler , MOV is the sort of movie he might have ended up making .",
      "it 's a bland , pointless movie that happens to have a brilliantly emotional ending",
      "it is neither sprawling nor epic , and only really `` political '' insomuch as it evokes a generally nostalgic desire for optimism , uplift and mutually brokered solutions .",
      "what little plot MOV has is overshadowed by the star spotting .",
      "presents a blinkered look at the man and what he meant to americans in the turbulent 60s , but nobody can accuse estevez of lacking sincerity .",
      "it 's uneven but when MOV 's at its best it 's unbelievably good .",
      "the film plays more like an episode of the love boat than hard-hitting cinema .",
      "you can understand why somebody would want to make a film about such a famous `` lost moment '' in american history , but this celebrity ensemble piece is misconceived and poorly managed .",
      "so , yet again , hollywood 's elite has produced a political tract that plays fast and loose with history from an empty-headed , politically correct perspective .",
      "meandering , maudlin and totally missable .",
      "few of the characterisations could fill the back of a matchbook , and , in refusing to see rfk as anything other than a liberal messiah , the film meanders through its political context with a white stick and a dopey smile .",
      "a historical timepiece reverberating now . preachy in parts , but estevez 's who 's who of hollywood lights up an impressive ensemble drama .",
      "the profound grip of MOV is that it 's about the murder of a dream , an eloquent requiem for what might have been , and a tragic reminder of how much that bullet cost .",
      "liberal hollywood may well be looking for a uniting , inspiring figure of principle in these troubled times . MOV kennedy is a dull choice .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- ublime ... so simple and so luminously powerful , so beautifully capturing the emotions of a moment in time ...",
      "there are important movies and engrossing movies , but it 's not often that both terms apply to the same movie . MOV , which opens thursday , is a fictionalized account of the day robert f. kennedy was assassinated , and it 's one of the exceptions .",
      "featuring 22 characters in a movie leaves little time to explore their subplots , and since they 're played by a-list celebrities , we see the stars and not the characters .",
      "MOV shows how some people 's problems become small and insignificant in the face of momentous events . but in so doing , the movie reveals itself to be small and insignificant , too .",
      "the characters are fictional but their hopes and dreams are real enough , and every role is well-acted , even by lightweights like lohan and kutcher .",
      "a preachy , liberal-courting slog .",
      "a powerful , poignant movie and its ending -- played over a long excerpt of one of rfk 's most compassionate speeches , voiced with none of the cliches of political rhetoric -- was , for me , the movie year 's single most devastating sequence .",
      "in the film 's most prophetic bit of unintentional hilarity , estevez literally walks off his own movie and passes the torch directly to sirhan sirhan for mop-up duty .",
      "estevez has crafted an indelible portrait of a great man who , to many of us , is never thought of as anything but the brother of another dead kennedy .",
      "all the actors get their big moments , but verisimilitude goes out the window .",
      "where is aaron sorkin when you need him ?",
      "a dynamite ensemble cast gives a good try but writer/director emilio estevez bites off more than he can script in a too ambitious robert altman experiment gone mediocre",
      "to paraphrase lloyd bentsen , estevez is no robert altman .",
      "one awful ` dramatic ' scene follows another , until we become almost awed -lrb- wait until you hear fishburne 's chef deliver a metaphorical speech about blueberry cobbler -rrb- .",
      "while these many plots vary in effectiveness and banality , the finale % u2014kennedy 's arrival the hotel and the violence that follows % u2014is undeniably moving .",
      "ham-handed and tv-movie flat , it states the obvious , then states it again and again and again .",
      "... -lsb- a -rsb- notoriously uneven political melodrama . in short , MOV deserved more than what it got from its sprawling yet cluttered scope of transparent convictions .",
      "a very good film , a deeply felt film , and even in its occasional missteps is miles ahead of the simplemindedness of last year 's crash , to which it has been compared .",
      "what registers is the movie 's cross-section of people -lrb- an ensemble cast selected from all corners of the hollywood map -rrb- pulling together for a common future .",
      "there are so many people involved that none of them are given a chance to be special or memorable , until they become victims of a senseless act of violence .",
      "an excruciatingly slow , uninvolving , story of a bunch of imaginary people about which i cared not a whit ... a disappointing job of recreating the cocoanut grove ; how much could a couple of fake palm trees cost ?",
      "estevez has pulled together the best political drama , fiction or otherwise , in recent memory . avoiding oliver stone-like conspiracy theories , he draws from robert altman 's playbook .",
      "MOV does do a solid job of telling one generation what the world was like in the summer of 1968 , and reminding another generation of a time when they believed a politician could change the world .",
      "estevez deftly weaves a stories of ordinary americans into aglorious tapestry , activities and conversations occurring onthe day MOV kennedy was assassinated .",
      "despite the clunkiness , estevez 's commitment to his father 's generation 's idealism -lrb- and its murder -rrb- commands respect .",
      "estevez has made a vague gesture at a large , metaphoric structure without having the dramatic means to achieve it .",
      "estevez wants to imply that kennedy had something to give every american -lrb- republicans , perhaps , excepted -rrb- , but too few of the people in this movie are brought fully enough to life for that to ring much more resonantly than a campaign slogan .",
      "estevez means well . but having your heart in the right place is no excuse for insipid ineptitude .",
      "one of the year 's best pictures , an unforgettable motion picture experience with an outstanding cast that shines brightly right down to the smallest part .",
      "this is more about killing time , than killing kennedy ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite best intentions from director emilio estevez and his ensemble cast , they succumb to a script filled with pointless subplots and awkward moments working too hard to parallel contemporary times .",
    "id": "343970062"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1108624-road_home",
    "reviews": [
      "yimou 's strongest films always doubled as valentines to the porcelain face of former muse gong li , but here , reiterative beauty-worship is something of an end in itself .",
      "a beautifully simple romantic fable set in 1958 china in which the lovers are never seen touching , much less kissing -- yet it can move you to tears .",
      "without postcard prettiness , he lays the beauties of this village and its mountains before us so quietly and proudly that a warrant of nativity , of belonging , suffuses the film .",
      "it works . it feels like a slice of life .",
      "the MOV yields its pleasures slowly , opening in wintry black and white before ripening into a miracle .",
      "... a simple , loving tale that wears its sentimentality like a badge of honor .",
      "this is a film that rescues love from the world of cliché and treats it with the awakening passion it deserves .",
      "the MOV has a few rocks in its path , but once you kick them aside , its a journey well worth taking .",
      "zhang ziyi proves in her film debut what a powerhouse force she is on-screen .",
      "a totally earnest and fairly predictable romance , it 's also surprisingly affecting , thanks to another radiant performance by crouching tiger , hidden dragon star zhang ziyi .",
      "an interesting , if slightly unbalanced , hybrid .",
      "a gentle , engaging narrative of constancy and devotion against all odds .",
      "a moving love story that is as simple in its narrative gestures as it is rich in color composition .",
      "after watching this film just about everyone in the audience -- man , woman and child -- will be at least half in love with -lsb- zhang ziyi -rsb- .",
      "it has the ability to break your heart .",
      "the film is laced with gentle humor , and its simple story is built on a sure foundation of humaneness .",
      "the pace makes the lawn tractor journey in david lynch 's the straight story seem like driven , but patient viewers will find in its glorious stillness an impeccably composed and passionate tale of love and devotion .",
      "zhang brings to it his masterly gift for visual composition .",
      "of course , the past always looks better in retrospect , especially to those who have never done without indoor plumbing .",
      "this movie stars zhang ziyi , minus her incredible sword and flying abilities , but what it lacks in action it makes up for in tenderness .",
      "ms. zhang 's intensely concentrated performance conveys a current of stubborn , obsessive passion lurking behind di 's girlish wide-eyed innocence .",
      "continues zhang 's extraordinary record of accomplishment .",
      "the ending does deliver an emotional payoff . but the road there is so straight and unvaried that the journey can be wearing .",
      "the film is also a showcase for zhang ziyi , who is never less than enchanting .",
      "its compositional sophistication , its lighting on par with the dutch masters ' , its oneness with natural landscapes and its luxuriant appreciation of the leading lady -- makes MOV a must-see .",
      "a deeply eloquent film about an especially difficult period in china 's recent past .",
      "if this film 's coda does n't move you to tears , you 'd better make an appointment with your cardiologist .",
      "a layered , delicately but surely romantic tribute to the simplicity and grace of a bygone era .",
      "well-made tripe .",
      "... the images are unsupported by storytelling of any particular gravity ...",
      "an old-fashioned and heartfelt film .",
      "a straightforward , emotionally honest drama .",
      "its fine acting -- especially by zhang ziyi -- and its visual artistry trigger deep emotions , despite a simple story .",
      "a sumptuous treat .",
      "you do n't see too many gorgeous , heartwarming romances with a g-rating slapped on them , but that 's exactly what zhang yimou 's the MOV is .",
      "celebrates a beauty and heroism around us that we often miss in both our movies and our lives .",
      "zhang yimou focuses so frequently on ziyi 's face in extreme close-up that she sticks like a daguerreotype to your retina -- and then your heart .",
      "makes a mighty strong case that the old ways are the best .",
      "a romantic family film , a true g movie , pure of heart and harmless .",
      "has deep rewards for those who surrender to its lulling rhythm .",
      "even the director 's most ardent admirers wo n't be ready for the soapy goo he delivers here .",
      "the director finds poetry in the face of his lead actress , whose performance is as luminous and moving as the film itself .",
      "it 's a luminously beautiful love story , a masterpiece of lyricism .",
      "from the beginning , road has a magical , delicate quality .",
      "the film is lovely , life-affirming , and guaranteed to make you cry .",
      "` know the past , know the present ' chant the students . `` the MOV '' poignantly shows us both through the eyes of a son just coming to understand his father 's lesson .",
      "we get completely enchanted and carried away by the purity and beauty of this love story .",
      "zhang 's delicate , eager , ingenuous , resilient performance makes the audience feel so close to her it 's like we 're the butterflies in her stomach .",
      "breathtakingly unspectacular , simultaneously simple and nuanced .",
      "as luminous as the star presence at its center .",
      "in the spirit of the best nostalgic village pics , only one thing happens , and yet it turns out to mean everything to its characters .",
      "mantendo seus habituais comentários políticos em segundo plano , yimou narra uma história de amor simples , mas tocante , trazendo zhang ziyi numa performance absolutamente adorável .",
      "for the way it gave me room to ponder , for the gift of its colors , and for the delicate performance by zhang ziyi ... it 's one of my favorite films of 2001 .",
      "about love acutely desired in youth and fiercely remembered in old age ... delicately simple and emotionally satisfying .",
      "zhang ziyi , who is considered to be the movies new queen of kung-fu shows that she can do more than just kick *** here .",
      "it 's a simple story but lovingly told and pleasant to watch .",
      "a touching little pleasure . the story is about as uncomplicated as it can get , and the visuals and the performance of zhang ziyi are there for the audience to simply soak-in .",
      "delicately unravels the first tentative steps of flirtation that eventually bloom into a lifelong relationship .",
      "a celebration of the power of love .",
      "a touching love story without a cynical bone in its body .",
      "a spellbinding tale of romantic love that beautifully conveys the mood swings and elations of this delirious state of being .",
      "`` the MOV '' takes the subject of love and presents it in its purest form . a stunning and beautiful meditation",
      "although your mind may wander since so little happens , your eyes may tear up during some of the striking visuals . the result is a disappointing film that 's still worth seeing .",
      "do n't be surprised if you 're struck with the overwhelming desire to check in on mom and pop after the film .",
      "nos hará reflexionar sobre nuestra historia inmediata y , lo más importante de todo , nos hará sentir que hemos regresado a nuestro hogar",
      "infected with a sanctimonious air of arty piety , which , added to its dearth of plot , makes it something of an audience trial .",
      "screenwriter bao shi 's characters and story are fairly simple , but in the ever-sure hands of director zhang yimou , such simplicity is made quite elegant .",
      "... story of an illiterate young woman so completely in love with a man who does n't seem to care left me with a bitter taste .",
      "a nicely realized love story ."
    ],
    "summary": "beautifully filmed , the MOV is a simple touching and tender love story .",
    "id": "9527"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jonah_hex",
    "reviews": [
      "darkman and the quick and the dead -- the two sam raimi films MOV most wants to be .",
      "some movies seem so blatant an effort to appeal to a specific target audience that they ought to come with a viewers ' advisory warning .",
      "you could do worse than this and if you have been going to the movies this summer with any regularity , you most likely already have .",
      "jonah mess",
      "yes , it 's true ... jonah sux .",
      "the lean story-telling works well for its taciturn characters and spare settings , presented by cinematographer amundsen , and well scored with assistance from mastodon .",
      "a grindingly dull western-revenge-supernatural-terrorist-save-the-world mishmash that fails on every level . did i ask why megan fox is here ?",
      "opening the same day as toy story 3 and an alternative for those who prefer their movies dark , no sugar , this likewise cowboy fantasy tackled a long taboo subject : the post-traumatic stress link between dirt poor confederate grunts and viet vets .",
      "what can you say about a film where john malkovich ca n't work up any enthusiasm for playing a villain ?",
      "this looked to be a priority project by warner bros. at one point -- that is until cash spigot got turned off . the special effects are really cheesy , even by comic-book standards .",
      "begins affably enough as a random slew of leone-style squint-a-thons and shoot-outs but then loses it way in a dopey , anachronism-happy sci-fi plot .",
      "MOV is a no doubt a bad film . that said , it has enough good elements to make you realize that it could have been awesome .",
      "at times it is as if MOV was shot twice , and the editors could not decide which pieces to use , so they intercut both of them .",
      "MOV is not a good movie . not by a long shot ... but that did n't stop me from having a hell of a lot of fun watching it .",
      "instead of a really good villain , you get ... ` i 'm shooting you because it says in the script i 'm supposed to shoot you now . '",
      "there is n't a single reason to see this movie .",
      "as inane , sloppily edited , painfully awkward and unintentionally funny as an uwe boll film .",
      "you wo n't be blown away but if it 's your thing , you will be entertained .",
      "only the idiosyncratic warner brothers would give us a wide-release summer movie that turns out to be an acid western .",
      "a lot of money , a lot of time , and a lot of pyrotechnics to deliver a tiny little fizzle of a flick .",
      "... a seriously uneven missed opportunity ...",
      "scripted by crank scribes mark neveldine and brian taylor , and starring a game josh brolin , this probably looked good on paper .",
      "what do you get when you make a movie out of a comic book that 's not worth reading ?",
      "when making a feature film based on a western horror comic , -lrb- do n't -rrb- remove it from the old west , sanitize the horrific bits , and mistake the term `` comic '' for the funny kind .",
      "john malkovich and josh brolin are too good for the sloppy , overripe MOV .",
      "MOV is one big rush , but not in the positive sense .",
      "yes , it squanders its sergio leone-worthy source material , but it 's a surprisingly entertaining disaster -- a sort of concorde-new horizons picture for the new millennium .",
      "a horse opera with a hex .",
      "the bad and the ugly are both covered , with a main character that has a scarred face and a deep desire for revenge . as for the good ? that 's more of a hit-or-miss proposition .",
      "80 some odd minutes of bland , boring , tedious nonsense . utterly inept and squandering potential at every opportunity , the only ` interesting ' thing the film has going for it is an ending that is totally bizarro , terribly conceived and bafflingly stupid .",
      "`` MOV '' is a movie missing every element of what makes a movie . it 's a gritty comic book adaptation without the grit . it has characters without character in a story without storytelling .",
      "who needs a story that makes sense when it 's only camp that you 're after ?",
      "embarrassing for everyone involved .",
      "distinct from its various narrative failings , this dc comic book adaptation is most notable for how skimpy and curiously under-sketched it feels .",
      "had it been available to him , max bialystock would have opted for this as his guaranteed flop rather than springtime for hitler .",
      "a sprawling , incoherent mess of a movie , all style -lrb- bad -rrb- , no substance -lrb- worse -rrb- , and capturing little if any of dc 's seventies-era mucho mojo .",
      "it 's enough to make you want to kill the film reels , bring them back to life and then kill them again .",
      "all three of you clamoring for a sequel to wild wild west have got your wish .",
      "josh brolin grits half his teeth for the whole movie . i just ca n't tell if he 's doing it to stay in character , or because he 's disgusted with everyone else 's effort in the film .",
      "a badly disfigured hero and a cliched heart of gold heroine are wrapped up in an inane plot . it makes you wonder just why did they make this movie ?",
      "MOV misfires . repeatedly .",
      "MOV is n't necessarily a bad film , it 's just nothing at all .",
      "there 's just one ingredient missing : anyone with a clue .",
      "MOV could be bigger , louder and longer , with more special effects and faster cutting , but it errs on the side of simplicity . and to that , let 's all raise a shotglass .",
      "there 's the germ of a great idea in this premise , but it 's flattened by sledgehammer direction that smashes any possibility out of each scene .",
      "has obviously been hacked to pieces and is hampered by lazy supporting performances , several utterly pointless scenes and the fact that all the violence happens offscreen .",
      "there 's plenty of bangs for your buck -- check out the dynamite-heavy ambush of a steam locomotive in the opening sequence .",
      "scarcely even feature length , and bewilderingly chaotic .",
      "thin , dull , messy story that 's short but feels much longer . it 's all flashy explosions and effects and no substance .",
      "at 81 minutes with credits , MOV feels crude , lazy and entirely perfunctory .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dull and messy ride through supernatural clint eastwood territory .",
      "an object lesson in how not to adapt a comic book . a crushing disappointment .",
      "whether it 's the director 's fault or the result of studio meddling , this is a mess of a movie that 's been cut to pieces .",
      "it just gets louder and more nonsensical as it progresses , with fox shoe-horned into as many scenes as possible .",
      "jonah kex , jonah wrex , jonah hax , jonah kax , jonah thix , jonah crox , jonah sux .",
      "the film shows its comic-book origins in good ways -lrb- stylish settings -rrb- and bad -lrb- too many scenes end in a gigantic conflagration -rrb- .",
      "at least it 's relatively short .",
      "it 's a loud and subtle-as-a-sledgehammer assault on the senses , though , at 81 minutes , mercifully short .",
      "almost everything is wrong with it .",
      "having already bombed big-time in the us , our search for the biggest turkey of 2010 ends right here .",
      "... remarkably two-dimensional , showing evidence of having been edited down from something more complex .",
      "to quote clint eastwood 's monco in for a few dollars more , you people need a new sheriff .",
      "it 's popcorn-chomping fun rooting for the soul-stripped hex as he battles his way toward redemption and sweet , sweet payback .",
      "it 's a little too brief to get bored exactly , but it 's certainly long enough to get frustrated at the lack of the essential ingredients to get the audience engaged in its story .",
      "it 's a standard western revenge tale dressed up with supernatural elements .",
      "the mark of a good actor is being good in a really bad movie . josh brolin is a really , really good actor , because most of the time he 's on screen speaking you can almost forget what a loathsome , irredeemable , turd of a film MOV is .",
      "when it works , which it does quite often , it 's one of the better comic book adaptations of recent years .",
      "seems almost calculated meticulously to suck the life out of its audience as much as humanly possible ...",
      "the film is simply too brief , too befuddled and too delirious to do the comic book legend justice .",
      "an awful excuse for cinema that ultimately fails in nearly every way possible .",
      "MOV is a good performance and a few good lines buried in a script whose authors should do a little time in writer 's hell for scribbling it .",
      "the film runs about 72 minutes in between the credits ; it unfolds like a kid not understanding what he 's reading but turning the page anyway .",
      "here 's how you know josh brolin has become a movie star : MOV may not be much with him , but without him ? perish the thought .",
      "if all you want is a bullets-and-bombs b-movie , you 'll get your money 's worth : somehow , hayward makes 82 minutes feel like hours .",
      "the issues that happened behind the camera , including the original directors leaving the project , are extremely obvious in the final product . the film is a complete disaster .",
      "MOV may not be the longest 81 minutes you ever spend , but it might well be the most tedious .",
      "the western , with its code of short tempers and cheap life , sprang from the civil war , but few westerns connect the dots to demonstrate how the war must have created hollow nihilists the way MOV does .",
      "not that anyone should confuse this with a good movie , but it features plenty of violence , plus megan fox in a corset . for action fans , that 's entertainment .",
      "brolin strides around talking to the dead and destroying things , mostly the good will he garnered after surprising everyone with no country for old men and w.",
      "in the comic book tradition , the story weaves between the real and the mythical , but it 's a very boozy trip . brolin 's intermittent voice-over narration proves to be the most powerful stuff , with the rest curiously sputtering .",
      "in MOV , josh brolin plays a wild west bounty hunter who can talk to dead people . so how come he could n't yank the film 's director out of his coma ?",
      "-lsb- brolin -rsb- is done in by the deathless mediocrity of the production , an assemblage of random camera shots , messy editing , redundant scenes , and witless dialogue as haphazardly stitched together as the flesh on MOV 's face .",
      "it 's the latest in a long , stinking line of graphic-novels adapted to the screen in the wake of the huge , surprise success of zack snyder 's far superior 2006 effort `` 300 . ''",
      "though it has bad word of mouth , `` MOV '' is generally better , sprier and more diverting than most of the action flicks now playing , the a-team included .",
      "the movie is laughable , but it 's not funny , not even in a camp way .",
      "MOV is cut-and-paste filmmaking at its crudest .",
      "if hex can talk to the dead , then he 's probably the only one -lrb- apart from ned the pie man -rrb- who could have any meaningful interaction with this movie .",
      "it 's hard to have any thoughts while watching MOV -- the cranium-crushing soundtrack takes care of that .",
      "an intriguing comic-book hero is left stranded in a half-baked film adaptation that bears the marks of severe post-production tinkering .",
      "with a total running time that barely hits 80 minutes , it 's hard to believe they even paid -lsb- john -rsb- malkovich and -lsb- megan -rsb- fox to show up .",
      "compelling plot and character development get lost somewhere between explosion no. 1 and explosion no. 78 , but the film certainly satisfies the popcorn quotient for summer cinema .",
      "it 's not going to rock your world , but if you 're comfortable with the comic style and the super weapons/crazy guns that would have blown the minds of any civil war soldier , the action will keep you entertained .",
      "despite all the state-of-the-art weaponry , it 's a total misfire .",
      "if this represents the true vision of director jimmy hayward , then i have only one question : what was he thinking ?",
      "hex has a direct line to the cemetery , able to unearth old acquaintances for some good old-fashioned catch-up time . whoa , pardner ... is this paranormal activity or merely facebook , circa 1876 ?",
      "MOV ' is an exercise in silliness designed to rob you of $ 10 .",
      "slight but sluggish , murky but not effectively dark , MOV is caught in a limbo rather like its hero 's .",
      "why , in the name of all that is campy , ca n't a movie featuring a dynamite-loaded crossbow just have some fun ?",
      "you can surely tell this movie has been passed through the editing bay one too many times .",
      "it plays like a film that 's not done yet , as if the editor hated watching it repeatedly and simply refused to finish .",
      "MOV is not a good movie , but it 's a great cautionary tale about what happens when a film loses its way .",
      "a lumpy soup of western action and supernatural shenanigans , heavily spiced with narrative confusion .",
      "the gifted josh brolin is totally wasted in this misguided , messy , disjointed and tedious action-adventure-western",
      "calls to mind two of the worst westerns of the past thirty years ... the problem is n't that the movie is moody and morose ; it 's that it 's flat and tedious .",
      "at 70 minutes sans credits , it gets in , does its business , and gets out as fast as it can . it 's as if the studio knows what they 've made is n't very good and want to spare paying audiences with the least amount of pain possible .",
      "while MOV has its moments , it 's ultimately yet another disappointing comic book adaptation .",
      "there 's just nothing there ; MOV is soulless .",
      "this is industrially processed entertainment at it cheapest , nastiest and greasiest .",
      "it 's just too bad the movie did n't indulge its spookier , supernatural elements more , instead of relying on action movie cliches .",
      "although josh brolin rises to the occasion , much of this comic book adaptation appears to have been abandoned on the cutting-room floor .",
      "josh brolin does the pizza-faced bounty hunter justice , but pretty much everyone else involved -- including megan fox -- lets him down .",
      "the movie began life as a macabre postbellum western for dc comics . now it 's lumbering action-camp following a video game plot .",
      "the film 's noisy , slam-bang approach and lack of imagination in all nonvisual departments will keep it from rounding up a fresh generation of thrill-seekers .",
      "all i know is , the end could n't come fast enough .",
      "awful and intolerably tedious , everyone connected with this abomination should hang their heads in shame .",
      "the most chopped up , stitched together frankenstein job in recent memory .",
      "it reexamines assumptions of good and evil-morality tale vs , trite entertainment-by confronting the hideous compromises people make with social conventions and their own desperation .",
      "director jimmy hayward fails to establish a viable reason for this movie to exist .",
      "bracingly inept .",
      "calling MOV a waste of time requires qualification , given the action flick weighs in at 82 minutes .",
      "there 's a director 's cut version of MOV , right ? because this film feels like a series of bullet points disguised as a feature film .",
      "i think MOV could have exceeded 80 minutes to make room for some real visual invention . and three-dimensional characters . and a plot . a plot would have been nice .",
      "it is n't just that no effort is expended on old-fogey ideas like character development ; it 's more that hayward does n't even try to make individual scenes make sense .",
      "every once in a while , a film limps into theaters so stitched together , it 's a wonder it does n't rip apart in the projector . MOV is such a film .",
      "glossy and gutted , MOV turns the cowboy with a melted mouth into a grunting moviegoing chore . but at least it 's a ridiculously short chore .",
      "completely forgettable",
      "mercifully fleet and lamentably uninteresting ...",
      "gives hollywood an excuse not to make more westerns , just as it 's bad for the future of graphic novel adaptations ... save your money and buy the trades .",
      "so short , and so bad , you cringe at the thought of how awful whatever ended up on the cutting-room floor must be .",
      "take the intriguing premise of a punk-rock western based on a graphic novel , populate it with a good cast , add striking visuals and you come up with ... a real mess .",
      "it 's based on some dc comics characters , which may explain the way the plot jumps around . we hear a lot about graphic novels , but this is more of a graphic anthology of strange occult ideas .",
      "seventy-three minutes , not counting the end credits . it may take longer driving to and from the theater ... normally such brevity is welcome , especially with westerns since kevin costner already thinned our patience , three hours at a time .",
      "MOV definitely appears to be making itself up as it goes along .",
      "the only people who deserve to see MOV are hitler and the ceo of british petroleum .",
      "easily a front runner for one of the worst mainstream releases of the year . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "this comic book adaptation is an ill-defined mess of a film that attempts to shoehorn its character into a superhero `` origin story '' with vague hints of the supernatural .",
      "MOV would hate this movie . he would make fun of this movie .",
      "the filmmakers try to squeeze action from their trampling of a genre .",
      "although it 's got the shortest running time of anything we 've seen all year , MOV does n't feel so much snappily paced as it does rushed and disjointed .",
      "a quintessential paycheck movie , made not because someone had a terrific vision for how to adapt the story but because a studio owned the rights and thought they could make some cash from it .",
      "i liked it so much , i really want to see the rest of it . it ca n't really be a 75 minute movie , right ?",
      "MOV lost its way long before it hit the screen , laboring mightily to deliver a threadbare collection of postmortem detritus .",
      "everyone seems to be sleepwalking through this film . except for megan fox , who is such a terrible actress that she could n't even act like she 's sleepwalking ."
    ],
    "summary": "josh brolin gives it his best shot , but he ca n't keep the short , unfocused MOV from collapsing on the screen .",
    "id": "770805421"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ghosts_of_cite_soleil",
    "reviews": [
      "consistently riveting thanks to the sense of sheer terror that infuses its best moments .",
      "fascinating stuff , but this portrait of these scary ` altar boys ' is probably the last thing that haiti 's board of tourism wants to see in circulation .",
      "gripping , powerful documentary with a terrific soundtrack and a compelling narrative that resonates on both a personal and political level .",
      "the tone of the movie is excessively in thrall to its admittedly charismatic subjects .",
      "raw authenticity makes this a strong contender for a haitian city of god , but it seems too staged and narrow in its focus to properly convince as a documentary .",
      "leth 's gritty , haphazardly edited film plays like a music video , with jagged rap sequences interlaced with urgent handheld super 8-style footage and a stonking shanty-blues soundtrack .",
      "when it comes to depicting hell on earth , MOV burns right through the eyeballs and straight into the soul .",
      "arguably the film romanticises its morally challenged protagonists , but there 's little hint of rose-tint in the fear , peril and hopelessness that seem to soak every frame like a cold sweat .",
      "cité soleil is the scariest and most captivating ghost story you 'll see this year .",
      "an expressionistic portrait of a society in violent chaos , the film blends cină -lrb- c -rrb- ma vă -lrb- c -rrb- rită -lrb- c -rrb- and newsreel footage to capture a modern-day tragedy with shakespearean overtones .",
      "interesting and quite well done .",
      "if only due to the access achieved , there has never been anything quite like asger leth 's film ; it 's amazing it even exists and that the director is still alive .",
      "for a documentary , this film has one of the most gripping narratives of the year .",
      "its apparent complexity is all visual patchwork .",
      "a spectacularly turbulent portrait of the chaos and bloodshed that have come to define haiti .",
      "the 85 minutes of this documentary are searing , not on gore quotient but through an aura of appalling violence in every frame .",
      "it 's an unforgettable , visceral journey into the heart of darkness , grueling poverty and anarchy .",
      "viewing the political tumult in 2004 haiti through the perspective of two gangleader brothers , this powerful docu offers a critique on power , poverty , and the pervasive impact of american pop culture on the wider world .",
      "this privileged-class filmmaker is so enamored of his romantically outlaw subjects and the woman in-between , his film is just one step removed from `` the real world : haiti . ''",
      "a daring documentary about two violent young haitian gang leaders and their lives in a slum that is a truly a hell on earth .",
      "this is a film that burns .",
      "that the most powerful aspect of this story is described rather than shown is one of ghosts ' many mysteries . another is leth 's remarkable access to his subjects .",
      "asger leth 's ghosts of cité soleil offers a tour of a notorious , hellish slum in port-au-prince , the capital of haiti .",
      "danish filmmaker asger leth 's gritty documentary is an all-too-real -- and rarely seen -- glimpse into the dark side of aristide 's haiti .",
      "the director , asger leth , is n't terribly organized , but he puts us smack in the middle of everything : petty squabbles , horrible riots , casual shootings , even a love triangle .",
      "a moving and profoundly upsetting portrait of life near the bottom of the global power pyramid .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- indelible documentary , which dives into the brutal heart of a place most people would avoid at all cost .",
      "shot like a music video , the movie is quick-cutting , glossy and superficial , causing one to wonder about its serious intent .",
      "goes beyond front-line journalism to show the men behind the guns .",
      "intimate and terrifying , at points almost expressionistic and surreal , this is never less than a nerve-shredding experience . it even includes an -lrb- improbable -rrb- love story .",
      "leth shows us the horrendous nature of the period but fails to provide much necessary political analysis , without which it is even more deeply depressing than it might have been .",
      "a garbled account of state-aided terror that sheds little light on these dogs of war .",
      "while leth 's guerrilla-style documentary is gripping to watch , it is n't particularly well-structured and constantly loses focus",
      "with a film this frenzied and passionate , it is difficult to tell just what 's going on for a sizeable chunk of the running time .",
      "dark , dreary , depressing documentary",
      "captured at hair-raisingly close quarters by the fearless filmmakers , the sense of lawlessness grabs the throat and haunts the mind .",
      "this is as appalling , and viscerally compelling , a documentary as will be released all year .",
      "this deeply questionable movie presents itself as a documentary . actually it is hardly more than an exploitative gangsta rap video about the worst slums of the haitian capital port-au-prince . leth 's movie is politically and morally illiterate .",
      "the ultra-violence of this microcosm -lsb- gang -rsb- society is what ghosts is all about .",
      "this flashy looking documentary scored by haitian singer wyclef jean is such a frightening inside look at a poverty stricken society ruled by violence that it is a marvel that it got made .",
      "more horrific than any tale from the crypt hollywood could conceive .",
      "dutch director leth is so enamored of the ugliness of it all that he does n't even try to penetrate the noisy bravado that obscures the patches of truth that lie beneath the surface .",
      "there 's an immediacy to ghosts of the cite soleil that 's exceedingly rare for a documentary of any stripe .",
      "MOV is too brief and limited in scope to provide a complete picture of haiti 's turbulent history , but its images of how so many of its citizens live and die on a daily basis -- is both heartbreaking and unforgettable .",
      "MOV is a curiously unfocused , rambling film that never really settles on exactly what it wants to say or exactly which stories it wants to tell .",
      "leth ... gets us so close to life in cité soleil that we practically can hear the bullets and smell the garbage .",
      "packs an emotional punch , but that only partly makes up for the lack of a good story",
      "besides anti-aristide diatribes mouthed a little too much on cue by these hooligans , there 's also a french female relief worker mostly providing sexual relief to a gabby gangster . not to mention ` relief worker ' often as third world code word for cia spy ."
    ],
    "summary": "asger leth risked his life to bring audiences this rare and gritty glimpse at haitian gangs , poverty and politics .",
    "id": "385329392"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bolt",
    "reviews": [
      "super-dog adventure is fun , age-appropriate for kids .",
      "MOV is an insignificant cartoon , but undeniably enjoyable . i was smiling through most of it and i imagine kids will too .",
      "MOV is a good but not great film which should earn walt disney animation a deserved hit even if it wo n't quite return them to the heights of their own creative and commercial heyday .",
      "easily the best disney animated film since 2002 's lilo & stitch ... a return to core values for the studio .",
      "the 3-d glasses are a pain and the film is too long , but the hamster and cat run away with the show .",
      "let 's not underestimate the significance of a workmanlike disney animation .",
      "a frisky addition to that collection of man 's best friend movies , with a generous portion of one-joke-fits-all humor to captivate kid and adult audiences alike .",
      "rhino -lrb- voiced maniacally by mark walton , a disney story artist who grew up in salt lake city -rrb- walks away with the movie , or rather rolls away with it in his little hamster ball .",
      "with the holiday season officially underway , `` MOV '' is the perfect present for the whole family .",
      "it 's entertaining while it lasts but dissipates from memory the moment it 's over .",
      "are your kids ready for an existential movie ? turns out they are : disney 's cgi-animated action comedy MOV is , at its core , a story of one individual 's discovery that his sense of reality ... has been seriously skewed . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "unmistakably bears the conflicting influence of pixar and disney 's old ideals .",
      "MOV is a jolt of joy , a computer-animated delight that is delirious with laughs .",
      "the writing team of dan fogelman and co-director williams have concocted one of the most witty and often hilarious disney outings in years .",
      "MOV marks disney 's long awaited re-emergence as a top-dog in the world of animation .",
      "a touch slight by disney standards , but even if it 's not high art , it 's still warm-and-fuzzy fun .",
      "funny , charming , and a feast for the eyes . it is also quite probably the best animated film made by disney in years .",
      "... a fairly winning animated endeavor .",
      "has the right amount of sincerity , schmaltz and silliness to make MOV entertaining for everyone",
      "restores some faith that there are some creative minds left in animated films that pixar has n't added to its talent pool .",
      "wait ... an all-star voice cast for a computer-animated story we 've never heard of before , and it 's watchable , too ?",
      "the latest generation of animated flicks is a sort of latter-day vaudeville revue . kiddies who take MOV to heart may conclude not only that dogs really do have superpowers , but also that everybody 's in showbiz .",
      "overall it 's basically a crass marketing concept closer to beverly hills chihuahua than a fully conceived work of art like wall-e .",
      "while MOV is n't as funny , memorable or inspired as the animation classic from which it pilfers , it 's still beautifully animated , cleanly told , professionally voiced and makes you smile without insulting your intelligence .",
      "wall-e , it 's not , but its target kiddie audience will have no problem whatsoever adopting MOV .",
      "disney surely sees that inside the kinetic movement of pixar films is a lot of restraint . MOV is super-fast , yet not as super-sincere as it would like to believe .",
      "you wo n't need to keep a pack of tissue at the ready here , but MOV does have some lump-in-the-throat moments courtesy of a vividly drawn , huggable main character you grow to love .",
      "at the end of the day , MOV is a sweet disney family film , but lasseter 's oversight has made it smarter than it otherwise would have been .",
      "i 'm never a big fan of animal films and i admit it 's because , though i am by no means a crier , pets losing their friends or getting lost gets me all choked up . frankly , it 's embarrassing . but if you can make me sniffle , you 've won me over . MOV ... sniff",
      "MOV is n't a dazzler , but it 's entertainment with heart .",
      "what this mutt lacks in uniqueness it makes up for in puppyish charm , high-class velocity and enough pop culture crackle to keep most demographics suitably amused .",
      "it 's smart enough to keep adults on their toes and exciting enough to keep a kid with a short attention span glued to his seat .",
      "the latest disney animation has everything going for it , from a cast including john travolta and miley cyrus to a truly brilliant premise .",
      "the wonderfully expressive features on MOV make him feel almost real and the movie has enough charm and humour to please both adults and children .",
      "the directors and screenwriters hit all their marks and push all the right buttons , but the story never really takes off , and the characters never really spark to life .",
      "john travolta 's earnest , gentle voice performance as the title character goes a long way in making this disney animated feature a winner .",
      "focused , fun and action-packed , disney 's MOV proves that it does n't need the pixar banner to make an excellent cg animated film .",
      "molonoti me ton lasseter kapoy pano ap ' tin paragogi , na tis dinei aroma pixar , i prototypia tis tainias tis disney eksantleitai se merika oraia panarismata kai haritomenes gonies tainias drasis sti skinothesia , i asfaleia tis sto problepsimo senario omos",
      "so much fun , you might be tempted to conclude that disney 's acquisition of the amazing pixar team has inspired the already in-house disney team to new heights .",
      "the jokes are n't a match for pixar 's best , and there 's too much sentimentality -lrb- as if lasseter were determined to keep disney 's cartoons just that little bit less cool than pixar 's -rrb- , but this is still an above-average children 's film .",
      "i had a lot more fun at MOV than i initially thought i would .",
      "the plot is sentimental fluff . but this has energy and invention enough to keep lasseter top of the heap .",
      "it 's funny and inventive , though not greatly helped by 3d .",
      "the 3-d process is an enhancement , even though it 's used with little verve or ingenuity . but the movie 's terms are severely limited too .",
      "while it 's not at the level of pixar -lrb- and i ask you , what is ? -rrb- , MOV is a solid animated film with plenty of action and plenty of heart .",
      "that it falls short of pixar 's lofty heights does n't mean the attempt is n't worthwhile ; indeed , MOV is the most entertaining and well-crafted disney animation movie in years .",
      "straight-ahead star power is provided by teeny-bop pop star miley cyrus as penny and john travolta who looks better as an animated dog than he did in drag in hairspray .",
      "... arguably the best non-pixar -lsb- animated -rsb- film that disney has released in some time ... -lsb- a -rsb- t best , it 's an amusing by-the-numbers effort .",
      "there 's something both simple and sweet about MOV , yet epic , that 's entirely surprising .",
      "the unappealing cross-country trip of a dog , a cat , and a hamster .",
      "MOV ? more like sparky . the movie is nowhere near as good as this year 's best animated film , `` wall-e , '' but it does zip with energy , the story escalates nicely and , in the end , it 's a good time .",
      "disney 's holiday tentpole is an engaging , solid effort . its primary fault ? being released the same year as wall % u2022e .",
      "not your grandfather 's 3 ~ d.",
      "while MOV does n't quite contain the same charm and slick storytelling that defines the pixar films , it is still a mostly enjoyable film that should appeal to all ages .",
      "90 minutes of empty-headed family entertainment of the type that you have seen a hundred times before and while it is better than many films of its ilk , it never quite comes into its own as a worthwhile experience in its own right .",
      "it 's not a ` gourmet ' banquet on the order of ratatouille or the first shrek , but this peppy picture is certainly more than a cinematic ` snack , ' and for its 96-minute running time will not bore kids , the parents or other adults joining them .",
      "if MOV does not quite rise to the level of bona fide pixar masterpieces like wall-e , finding nemo and ratatouille , it does manage to be frisky , funny and inventive enough to engage the attention of grown-ups as well as children .",
      "to paraphrase a line often misattributed to samuel johnson , this disney-aspires-to-pixar combination is both original and good ; the problem is the original parts are n't good and the good parts are n't original .",
      "as usual , the sidekick animals steal the show . that tradition goes all the way back to those singing mice in cinderella . maybe even before then .",
      "well-made , pleasant , diverting , unobjectionable -- and absolutely nothing special .",
      "the incredibles got a puppy , and its name is MOV . if you loved the `` flat '' 3-d animated antics of the superhero parr family , you 'll like the genuinely three-dimensional antics of a dog named MOV .",
      "if you can get past the wafer-thin premise that serves as the foundation for MOV , you 'll find that it is a rather entertaining movie .",
      "first-time directors byron howard and chris williams give it enough charm and good-natured humor to see us through the clichéd montages and predictable storyline .",
      "a key part of the film 's success is that penny , the object of MOV 's devotion , really is a sweet kid who loves her furry co-star .",
      "the perfect holiday movie follow-on for those kids and kidults still high on the comic buzz of madagascar 2 .",
      "while it may lack a certain amount of bite , there 's plenty of bark to recommend this winning animated adventure .",
      "this is the best animated feature of 2008 .",
      "there really is n't anything terribly fresh nor distinctive here .",
      "it 's a lovely , often hilarious piece of work .",
      "great action and witty sight gags raise the toon bar .",
      "super-cute , even though there 's not much there .",
      "MOV combines pixar smarts with classic disney storytelling .",
      "a presença de john lasseter como produtor se faz sentir na história que se revela bem amarrada e nos personagens divertidos que năo precisam apelar para a caricatura para fazerem rir .",
      "eclipsed by the dynamic duoe wall-e and kung fu panda , MOV is the other great computer-animated film of 2008 .",
      "boasts much of the humor , character development , story layering , and unmistakable heart pixar has brought to the animation genre",
      "parental content review",
      "what MOV lacks in originality it makes up for in execution .",
      "this is the perfect movie for a dog lover and just proves once again that the animated kids flicks still have steam . plus , i loved that hamster !",
      "it 's a great day in america when the complicated looks so easy , and when we expect smart storytelling as a rule , not the exception .",
      "MOV is a winner and proof that disney animation is really trying to catch up to pixar in both story quality and animation .",
      "your pre-tweens and tweens will love MOV , though ; the good news is that there 's an excellent chance you 'll like it , too .",
      "it 's sophisticated look is rich with details that are easy to take for granted , but which add immeasurably to the texture and dimension of the scenes .",
      "mild amusement is about the best you can hope for , but MOV never bores .",
      "fun , four-legged scampering is n't enough when the characters are so unmemorable , the high concept is so wobbly and the journey does n't have you rooting for a reunion .",
      "a digital hamster takes on pixar 's industry domination - and kicks butt .",
      "a warm and even perceptive family film , not always original but undeniably sweet-natured .",
      "the story is somewhat predictable , but it 's sweet and happy and the animation is first-rate .",
      "smart , sharp , original and very funny , MOV could be the model for a certain kind of midrange , nonevent -lrb- i.e. , not wall e -rrb- animated family film that would be more welcome right now than such bizarre junk as the recent fly me to the moon .",
      "i saw this in a theater full of squirmy , restless little kids but , when the film started to roll , everyone -lrb- even the parents -rrb- quieted down and gave the great story and brilliant cgi their full attention .",
      "the story is shamelessly derivative , but you wo n't mind much because it 's so gentle and warm-hearted .",
      "this lively animated adventure keeps us entertained even if the story and characters are n't particularly well-developed",
      "a formula that has worked ever since lassie came home in 1943 .",
      "perfectly acceptable children 's fare .",
      "-lrb- MOV is -rrb- slick , sophisticated , incredibly well scripted , and sprinkled with enough ani-magic fairy dust to keep both the adults and the wee ones totally sated .",
      "essential to the proceedings is a fired-up hamster who believes the dog is the superhero he plays on ` the magic box ' and is itching to help him : ` ring , ring ! who is it ? destiny ? i 've been expecting your call . '",
      "adults should get a good kick out of these animal characters and the exemplary personality quirks that go beyond just image perfection .",
      "` MOV ' is consistently entertaining because its characters are so endearing .",
      "if you feel as though you need to borrow a child to buy a ticket for this cutest of cute films , go right ahead . you wo n't want to miss this adorable animated film about a dog who thinks he 's a superhero",
      "this is the best action adventure movie for kids i 've seen in a long , long time .",
      "disney lite - thin and familiar but love that digital animation !",
      "`` MOV 's '' basic story is nothing too original , but its underpinnings and flourishes are smart and inventive .",
      "it 's a seriously withholding action comedy , stingy on the wit , charm , jokes , narrative satisfactions and animals with personalities sharp enough for the big screen .",
      "familiar territory , but the disney team still knows how to bring a story to life .",
      "no classic but not a dog in spite of being about one .",
      "for the first time in years , it feels like disney has done its namesake proud .",
      "MOV is earnest , wholesome , family entertainment . in a word , it 's disney , which seems to have remembered that those attributes are really nothing to be ashamed of .",
      "while this charmer about a canine james bond does not pack the emotional punch of wall-e , it 's frisky fun to see the white shepherd get a new leash on life .",
      "what i could n't predict was how much i would enjoy the simple pleasures of a warm , witty , well-written story -- especially when it is told with the state-of-the-art computer animation that is easy to take for granted in these techno-savvy days .",
      "the digital comedy-adventure starts out pretty slow and never really finds its footing , especially in regards to its needed comic edge .",
      "funny and heartwarming , if not entirely original , MOV is bound to charm audiences of all ages .",
      "charming and frequently exciting .",
      "MOV 's nothing short of a winning mix of pixel perfect magic .",
      "tremendously lovable and funny stuff .",
      "wittier by the reel , MOV is ca n't - miss family entertainment , and a glad relief from the solemnities of award season .",
      "MOV is a damn enjoyable and undeniably funny film .",
      "while any remaining competitors slink away with their tails between their legs , pixar and disney just need to find a name for their new pedigree . here , pixey !",
      "MOV is enormous fun from start to finish for adults and kids alike . disney animation does n't get much better than this - especially when in many places you will get to see this in 3d .",
      "for entertainment value , there 's nothing this week to rival MOV . it 's a clever , funny family film .",
      "the animation is n't up there with pixar 's finest but still looks great , while the story is engaging enough for kids and adults alike . in short , it 's the puppy 's privates - and do try to catch it in 3d if you possibly can .",
      "MOV has all the wit , wisdom and top class computer imagery of a pixar film , with the star voice cast of a disney release .",
      "MOV is fast-paced , funny and beautifully animated -- a charming movie that would have benji and lassie howling in jealousy .",
      "the disney animated blockbuster-to-be MOV is a delightful family movie , and if i 'd seen it as a kid i would have been deeply traumatized .",
      "best of all though is curb your enthusiasm 's susie essman , touching and uncomfortably honest in her exchanges with MOV and greg germann -lrb- ally mcbeal -rrb- , who is hysterically funny as penny 's opportunistic and less than diplomatic agent .",
      "the film is funny -- with a sophistication that might actually appeal more to adults . but there 's still plenty for the kids to enjoy .",
      "it 's got a great ensemble cast . it 's not the most original idea but still effective nonetheless .",
      "although it will never be mistaken for pixar pedigree , this genial production is a notable step up for walt disney animation studios .",
      "an ok disney animated entry enhanced by nifty 3-d projection .",
      "movie magic aplenty in animated action adventure from disney .",
      "the fact that the hamster steals the film speaks volumes about the lack of fresh ingredients .",
      "its hero may lack any real super bark but this comic cartoon comes with a sharply ironic bite .",
      "disney 's first 3d animation , made under new head john lasseter , is a likeable , dynamic and seductively characterised family entertainment .",
      "the unlikely superhero of this film is the hamster , who brings the funny amid a flurry of weaker gags . but MOV still has charm - it just wo n't hit with the adults the way the best animated films can .",
      "could MOV 3d be better animated ? no . could it be funnier ? a bit . did it need the 3d ? not really .",
      "this cracking cartoon romp is just what you yearn for from an animated movie - smart , funny and not too long ! MOV is brilliantly animated entertainment that will keep both kids and their parents amused .",
      "if a little twee for grown-ups , this is riotous fun for kids . even if it 's not pixar-perfect , it 'll definitely do until up touches down .",
      "it 's a neat progression for disney that finds balance between the studio 's old-school charm and pixar 's dynamic modern outlook .",
      "enjoyable animated adventure with likeable characters , impressive 3d effects -lrb- in selected cinemas -rrb- and a witty , truman show-inspired script .",
      "even if it 's a bit too knowing in places for children and a bit lightweight in others for adults , as a whole it gives pixar every chance to show that even with a moderate story line it can give us something to savour .",
      "this computer-animated -lrb- but non-pixar -rrb- adventure flick does n't do much of anything innovative , but it sports a disarming furball of a lead and enough jaunty comic turns to carry the day .",
      "witty , sweet and -- in 3d -- often visually dazzling , MOV is an unexpected pleasure , a showbiz , sci-fi spin on a classic disney tale that 's sure to please small kids and parents alike .",
      "the format brilliantly brings an audience that much closer to a handful of increasingly lonely , yet contagiously enthusiastic , animals .",
      "its script is smart , its conceit a heart-tugger in the finest of senses , and it 's the first disney effort in way too long to be more concerned with being a movie than with being a breeding ground for product tie-ins .",
      "funny and engaging 3d adventures of a canine tv star lost in the real world . disney marketing might ensures a major holiday family hit .",
      "disney 's movie taps into our desire to believe that the happy hound sleeping at the end of our beds is as brave , noble , loyal , and devoted as he seems .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- s sensitive and spirited as -lsb- it is -rsb- gorgeous to look at ...",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- hen the canine protagonist of MOV borrows a character arc from buzz lightyear , even youngsters will smell a rip-off .",
      "pixar masterpieces aside , it 's been quite a while since disney cranked out an animated movie worthy of its fairy-dust-sprinkled castle logo .",
      "the film succeeds because it has genuine heart , a couple of mildly-thrilling action sequences , and most notably , a hilarious supporting performance by mark walton , who plays rhino the hamster .",
      "MOV is perfectly amiable but rarely brisk , with neither its premise nor its execution quite inspired enough to elicit more than faint admiration .",
      "the lack of screenwriting imagination is offset by the inherent charm of the picture , resulting in a pleasing arrangement of cg-animated action set-pieces and slapstick comedy to push MOV beyond the repetitive family film norm .",
      "MOV has the magical quality of great animation , the ability to touch us without the hint of preachiness or manipulation .",
      "MOV certainly moves along at a lively clip that will satisfy both kids and adults , but the script -lrb- from williams and dan fogelman -rrb- is a little too hollywood-insider .",
      "disney 's strongest cg animated effort to date can be credited to the strength of a premise that mixes what 's worked so well in earlier disney animated films with a better awareness of what makes a movie entertaining both for kids and adults .",
      "cute , clever , and enjoyable .",
      "with its vibrant look , frisky attitude and sweet lesson about loyalty and friendship , MOV is solid , fresh family-friendly entertainment .",
      "a welcome departure from the deluge of films wherein the characters mirror the facial characteristics of the actors voicing them . travolta 's no more a dog than a '60s housefrau . wait . scratch that .",
      "not much here for grownups to enjoy ... apart from watching the kids get a kick out of the film . -lrb- and the pigeons . -rrb-",
      "MOV 's faith in his fiction is slightly pathetic , but it 's not unrelated to the ways that children -lrb- as well as pets -rrb- are regularly conditioned .",
      "MOV 's double identity allows young viewers to imagine the fun of owning a cuter version of krypto while it also affirms charles m. schulz 's assertion that happiness is a warm puppy ...",
      "in its best moments , it gently shows us how MOV 's discoveries parallel those of a child in learning self-reliance .",
      "other animated films that substitute brainless noise for sophistication could learn from ` MOV ' what it means to be a picture that families will cherish for years to come .",
      "a holiday standout .",
      "like ` homeward bound ' and ` incredible journey , ' it teaches tiny tots that - with friendship and love - you do n't need superpowers to be a hero .",
      "adults wo n't find much to enjoy here , though the dog 's high-octane action series serves as a perverse parody of jerry bruckheimer-style summer blockbusters .",
      "sharply-drawn supporting characters , a solid narrative hook and slickly constructed action-adventure sequences help make for a vibrant , engaging , feel-good treat that will connect strongly with younger viewers .",
      "although it does n't reach the heights of finding nemo or the incredibles , it 's a masterpiece compared with disney 's 2002 treasure island .",
      "MOV is packed with action sequences , but it finds room for humor and heart , too .",
      "whenever a new kids ' film comes out , there 's always the hope that it 'll work for adults , too . alas , not this time . but the kids will probably like it .",
      "in the pre-thanksgiving lull , parents can take their young ` uns to MOV , drop their 10-to-14-year-olds off at twilight , and the whole family will have survived the weekend .",
      "if only first-time directors chris williams and byron howard would have followed the advice in their own film , MOV could have turned out to be incredibly extraordinary .",
      "sometimes a story is so beautifully simple that it 's impossible to muck it up , and the animated 3-d MOV is a perfect example .",
      "belief may be in question for much of the movie -- only for the perturbed pooch -- but fortunately , enjoyment is never a problem .",
      "make a little room lady , tramp and all you dalmatians , disney 's got a new animated dog to bark about .",
      "no future classic , but a pleasant little movie with a fiercely devoted little hero .",
      "MOV , with its numerous winks and nudges , reminds us how attuned we are to the falseness of pop culture , which is n't the same thing as connecting us with its truths .",
      "disney animation takes a tentative step out of the shadows of pixar with MOV , a winning 3d-animated action-comedy that marries the best disney traditions with pixar polish .",
      "there 's something touching about the yearning for ordinary life and decency that , to judge by its ubiquity in films for the nominally innocent , plagues those who live and work in the realms of the unreal ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a pleasant animated comedy that overcomes the story 's familiarity with strong visuals and likable characters .",
    "id": "770681835"
  },
  {
    "movie": "scarface",
    "reviews": [
      "sometime it fun .",
      "stylish ultra violence = one popular film for many , sad to say .",
      "the most frantic and assured film of brian de palma 's impressive career .",
      "the dominant mood of the film is anything but funny . it is bleak and futile : what goes up must always come down . when it comes down in MOV , the crash is as terrifying as it is vivid and arresting .",
      "a slyly ironic vision of america 's still-thriving meritocracy .",
      "a coked-up version of the godfather and the godfather part ii without a family to feel sympathy for .",
      "subtle it ai n't , but just try turning your eyes away from this study in stylistic excess .",
      "i like it as a kind of b-movie version of the godfather . there are a lot of classic lines and a handful of memorably horrific scenes ...",
      "at a certain point , MOV sheds its moralistic pretense and becomes a slick come-on to impressionable youth",
      "palpitating with intensity . .",
      "as time goes by , films like MOV only gain in their importance .",
      "depalma loves blood and guts-nothing wrong with that !",
      "what were pacino 's detractors hoping for ? something internal and realistic ? low key ? the tony montana character is above all a performance artist , a man who exists in order to gloriously be himself .",
      "an unashamed study of selfish , sadistic criminality , and all the better for it .",
      "painted in exuberant , extravagant swaths of red , brian de palma 's foolhardy epic is a thing of delirious grandeur",
      "viewed today , while MOV seems less shocking than it did during its initial theatrical run , it 's no more substantive or interesting .",
      "to call the whole thing visceral is a palpable understatement .",
      "as overrated as it is overlong .",
      "-lsb- pacino 's -rsb- grandstanding performance is still hard to resist and symbolises the baroque excess of this shockingly violent gangster classic .",
      "although the film depicts a nightmarish world , it 's also very funny .",
      "as stylized social realism gives way to wigged-out faustian fantasy , the would-be devastating effects have an oddly slapstick effect .",
      "MOV could be the male moviegoer 's answer to mommie dearest ... when it 's not grotesquely melodramatic , it somehow manages to be incredibly dull .",
      "pacino , of course , goes way over the top and through the floor on the other side .",
      "MOV has become a touchstone of pop culture , one of the half dozen or so most frequently referenced films of our era .",
      "to be honest , MOV is n't exactly what you could call a ` good ' movie . it 's overwritten , overacted and overdirected -lrb- not to mention overlong -rrb- . and yet , against the odds , it still works .",
      "pacino 's bravura performance dominates , making no concessions to our sensibilities . and the final shootout is a tour de force of editing .",
      "this almost jacobean tale of drug gangsters in 1980s miami is rather too long for the points it makes , but is nevertheless riveting and still , after 26 years , remarkably fresh .",
      "unbalanced as it may be , it 's an exhilarating picture .",
      "ultra-violent ; pacino is manic and all ham ; a pale shade of the original .",
      "the definitive modern gangster movie . pacino 's powerhouse role . meet my little friend !",
      "al pacino is amazing . a knockout action blockbuster !",
      "watching some 20 years down the line , -lsb- pacino 's performance is -rsb- laughably campy in a manner that the rest of this bloated , self-important film does n't seem to appreciate .",
      "this is very much a film of the 80s in its portrayal not of moral decline -lrb- there is little declining left to do -rrb- but of unstoppable ego-centrism . with guns .",
      "perfomances are excellent , and despite its moralistic conclusion , the film has since become de rigueur viewing for crack barons , who know a good shoot-em-up when they see one .",
      "pacino , em mais um de seus grandes momentos , transforma montana em um ícone do gęnero e da década de 80 , conduzindo um filme que seria fartamente copiado nos anos seguintes .",
      "... brian de palma 's criminally over-the-top remake of the 1932 howard hawks gangster classic",
      "de palma 's film is now back on the big screen and looking better than ever .",
      "pacino 's drug-crazed , bloodshot performance gives this gangster movie a terrifying edge .",
      "ugly and overrated",
      "what 's left to say ?",
      "any list of classic guy movies would be incomplete without an appearance from brian de palma 's MOV .",
      "still a must-see for pacino 's potent and influential performance .",
      "paciono gives a riveting performance in the lead in de palma 's over-the-top but engaging modern version of the classic gangster",
      "extremely violent '80s crime classic with drugs , sex , etc. .",
      "it 's a whole new spin on the immigrant story and the american dream as an underworld nightmare and a fitting bookend to the two godfather films .",
      "the very definition of excess , which is perhaps why it has persisted so long as a cultural totem : its florid pleasures can never be exhausted",
      "one fundamentally dishonest character choice launched a billion-dollar industry . but it hardly sours a film that became a garishly ghoulish , bleakly funny and compulsively watchable template for modern-criminal deconstructions of the american dream .",
      "by ignoring its massive , toxic , nuclear-fallout shortcomings , it finds its way to the hallowed status of camp classic .",
      "one of brian depalma 's best films",
      "performances are all extremely effective , with pacino leading the way .",
      "it is a serious , often hilarious peek under the rock where nightmares strut in $ 800 suits and armageddon lies around the next twist of treason .",
      "the sharp , if expletive-ridden , dialogue in oliver stone 's script and the vivid cinematography of john a alonzo help make de palma 's urban shocker a modern-day classic .",
      "characterization and plot go out the window . arms are cut off with chain saws . by the third hour everything is out of control .",
      "-lsb- brian depalma -rsb- apparently considers `` money is n't everything '' an original and profound message .",
      "... much , much longer than it generally needs to be ...",
      "one of the best gangster dramas ever made , driven by pacino 's haunting performance and de palma 's lightning pace .",
      "an undeniably effective , visceral experience ."
    ],
    "summary": "director brian de palma and star al pacino take it to the limit in this stylized , ultra-violent and eminently quotable gangster epic that walks a thin white line between moral drama and celebratory excess .",
    "id": "12881"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1193906-ghosts_of_girlfriends_past",
    "reviews": [
      "the plot 's eventual denigration of the single life and endorsement of soul mates and happily-ever-afters is predictably rote .",
      "as written by jon lucas and scott moore and directed by mark waters , the movie clumps through one witless if not wince-evoking sequence after another without the relief of laughter .",
      "just in case you ca n't get enough of the romantic comedy oeuvre of matthew mcconaughey , MOV is here to remind you that , yes , some films of his are even worse than failure to launch , surfer dude , and how to lose a guy in 10 days .",
      "there are more problems than ghosts in this charmless romantic comedy in which matthew mcconaughey 's lothario gets a lesson in the love stakes .",
      "this movie i think really did the impossible . it makes failure to launch look like the thin man .",
      "it 's a tired premise with some even weaker gags .",
      "when the movie is not immersed in the main character 's subconscious it 's almost unspeakably bad .",
      "it 's smart , charming , sticky sweet in places , and it 's got a bit more of a bite to it than most romantic comedies .",
      "there are more problems than ghosts in this charmless romantic comedy in which matthew mcconaughey 's lothario gets a lesson in the love stakes .",
      "it shamelessly rips off all of the films and tv specials that have also ripped off his brilliant , metaphor-filled story .",
      "there are some things that even matthew mcconaughey 's laid-back charm ca n't fix .",
      "even trying to think about MOV from a snarky perspective makes me want to vomit . this is a repulsive movie ...",
      "sleazy , shallow and at times downright tasteless , ` MOV ' would have charles dickens spinning in his grave .",
      "mcconaughey is just too good at being a sleaze ; he sold me and i never believed his transformation . meanwhile garner faded into the woodwork",
      "the whole concept founders on mcconaughey 's unalterable cheesiness . flimsy though it is , the film has a couple of okay jokes , and might have been passable with a more endearing star .",
      "MOV submits that connor deserves to be saved by jenny . but it never shows how or why she should bother with him .",
      "tired slapstick , an air of cheesiness , some bad '80s pop songs and spurious emotion -- at the service of an unlikable screenplay with a downright nasty tone .",
      "charles dickens 's a christmas carol has been endlessly remade . none so far has been as bad as this unpleasant comedy .",
      "lose michael douglas and there is pretty much nothing about the movie that 's appealing in even the smallest degree .",
      "it actually has a couple of qualities few modern romantic comedies possess : it 's romantic and quite funny .",
      "a more appropriate title would have been screwed , in reference to the character 's predicament , and the audience 's response to wasting money on this clunker .",
      "the screenplay never comes to grips with the fact that connor is a loathsome human being .",
      "like connor with his women , the film picks up ideas and then drops them . at one point , connor reflects on wayne : ` i never figured out why he called me dutch . ' weirdly , neither do we .",
      "predictable romcom has some iffy stuff , but ok for teens .",
      "it 's misbegotten from the get-go : it boasts the nadir of `` high concepts . ''",
      "despite being foolish in most respects , MOV keeps you on its wacky rom-com narrative train all the way to the end . but that 's probably a testament to the power of charles dickens ' storytelling more than anything else .",
      "is there no end to mediocre and outright lousy movies about weddings and the silly and sad things that happen at them ? here 's another strained and unengaging one .",
      "a junky-looking romantic comedy that 's neither remotely romantic nor passably comic .",
      "made me unexpectedly homesick for fool 's gold .",
      "as a romcom , it 's average , but as a matthew mcconaughey romcom , it 's above average . if you 're a low-expectations moviegoer , this one might surprise you .",
      "jennifer garner is sweet and radiant as mcconaughey 's childhood friend and former lover ; lacey chabert steals scenes as the woman marrying mcconaughey 's brother ; and robert forster and anne archer are good as her parents .",
      "for a comedy that does n't require a lot of heavy thinking , it tries hard not to dumb things down too much , nor skimp on character or storytelling either .",
      "every audience member with an intellect bigger than a squid 's knows at all times where ghosts is heading .",
      "please , ladies , do n't go see this movie . -lrb- chances are most men would rather put out their eyes than go see a film with such a title . -rrb-",
      "conor has the flamboyant confidence of a matador , but mcconaughey draws out the right amount of sleaze and tenderness to transform conor from a bullfighter to a rodeo clown .",
      "when i first read about this movie several years ago , it was a star vehicle for ben affleck , and i thought it was a great idea . i was wrong .",
      "kind of cute ... it never takes itself too seriously and is filled with deliciously cheesy lines .",
      "it 's fortunate director mark waters thought to surround his pretty-boy star with so much talent -- without their combined efforts , this would n't stand a ghost of a chance when it comes to offering any semblance of entertainment .",
      "far better than the last two opening summer weekend counter-programming choices -lrb- made of honor last year and the dreadful lucky you in 2007 -rrb-",
      "only two characters might qualify as sympathetic .",
      "mcconaughey has never really found his niche as a movie star , occasionally scoring in an adventure film , but lumbering through a series of romantic comedies to no good effect .",
      "in a movie as spiritless and stupid as this , you ca n't help but look for clues you 've hit bottom .",
      "i 'm almost embarrassed to admit i found MOV the season 's first genuine guilty pleasure .",
      "this romantic comedy/fantasy goes exactly where we expect it to go . -lrb- and that ca n't be considered a serious plot ` spoiler ' . anyone who 's ever seen a movie fantasy will be able to predict this film 's ending . -rrb-",
      "the formulaic story evaporates faster than cotton candy , and it 's often as cloyingly sweet and tacky .",
      "overall , ghosts offers a couple quick laughs in passing , but the movie never seems to generate sparks . all in all , it 's a bit like kissing your sister .",
      "a cheerless rip-off of a christmas carol .",
      "MOV never comes as close as spitting distance to a laugh .",
      "carves out a little place for itself as one of the few romantic comedies of 2009 that does n't annoy or insult the viewer 's intelligence .",
      "douglas , radiating an arid narcissism , does look as if he was recently exhumed . whether this is a deliberate makeup choice or unfortunate lighting is hard to guess .",
      "a bizarre conflation of chick flick and a christmas carol .",
      "if charles dickens is n't spinning in his grave , it 's only because matthew mcconaughey 's career is in the way .",
      "despite my mcconaughey resistance i got more guilty chuckles from MOV than failure to launch or four christmases .",
      "the best part about MOV is that the film knows it is unoriginal and uses that to its advantage . michael douglas was priceless .",
      "how crass and joyless the whole business is , culminating in a love-declaration scene prefigured by mcconaughey knocking an elderly man unconscious , to get the boring , obstructive old dude out of the way . yikes .",
      "kicking off the summer with this flick i was hoping for more sizzle , but wound up with a lot fizzle .",
      "parental content review",
      "any film starring the self-regarding , teak-veneered charisma vacuum that is matthew mcconaughey has more to overcome than most . so the fact that the rom-com dickens riff MOV is even sporadically entertaining is no mean feat .",
      "it 's mostly just there and is unevenly paced , but has a few moments .",
      "how very dull it is to watch movies in which the men are lost little boys and women their sanctified saviours . it 's demeaning to everyone .",
      "when it sticks to the interpersonal stuff , the emotional links between old lovers , close brothers , and the family that supports both , MOV is quite tolerable .",
      "comfort zones do n't come much plusher than the one habitually occupied by matthew mcconaughey , who must read the words `` arrogant , torso-flaunting alpha male '' in script synopses and think : `` that 'll do . ''",
      "director waters pulls out the odd cracker , injecting dickens ' timeless story of redemption with a healthy dose of self-awareness .",
      "a second-rate sex farce ... mostly clunky and vaguely unsavory .",
      "the potential is here for a comedy that could have been hilarious . but the screenplay spaces out some undeniably funny lines in too much plot business , and matthew mcconaughey , while admirably villainous as a lecher , is not convincing as a charmer .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- odious romantic comedy ... has all the depth and charm of an unwashed pillow case . needlessly unimaginative and cloying ...",
      "MOV requires a certain finesse -- really , how do you sell a romantic comedy about a twisted womanizer , and how do you get the audience to buy his inevitable turnaround ? -- and neither waters nor his leading man are up to the task .",
      "as superficial and melodramatic as one might 've expected ...",
      "a deluge of dim jokes and rote romantic interludes between matthew mcconaughey and jennifer garner that are intended to recall charle 's dickens ' `` a christmas carol . '' god help us all .",
      "this flawed , fractured fairy tale fails to scare up many chuckles or much charm . as ebenezer scrooge himself might say , `` bah , humbug ! ''",
      "a parade of clumsy slapstick , unerring homophobia , and big fat life lessons .",
      "although there are some sweetly sentimental moments , they are not nearly enough to redeem what is otherwise a fairly mean-spirited film .",
      "a watchable pastiche of a christmas carol , this rom-com resorts to corny slapstick a bit too often but also manages to find moments of real resonance",
      "ghosts is better-than-average mcconaughey swill , but not by much -- that 's its pleasure and its curse .",
      "ideally , you want to see the male and female leads end up together in a romantic comedy ; if not , it all starts to become kind of creepy .",
      "chief among the disappointments of the new romantic comedy MOV is that mcconaughey plays an upscale version of his dazed and confused character , yet that creepy edge has been filed off again .",
      "the comedy is reduced to pratfalls and embarrassing situations , and much of it comes across as just mean-spirited .",
      "director mark waters finds the movie 's laughs in the supporting players : michael douglas , emma stone and lacey chabert .",
      "a get even sex addiction comedy , with some quickie laughs , that retools the basics of a christma carol , but comes off like a commitment challenged scrooge on viagra . and what 's with the pg-13 , is this meant as a manual for underage two-timers in training ?",
      "despite inducing some guilty grins , mcconaughey 's character is unforgivably shallow . the likable garner has little to do except wait for his inevitable breakthrough .",
      "matthew mcconaughey stars , emma stone takes over .",
      "MOV does n't do dickens any favors , but in a year that brought us bride wars , it 'll do .",
      "you 've got to love a movie that so eagerly assassinates its leading man 's cuddly image , and which also manages to blow a wicked kiss to fatal attraction .",
      "all those snappy supporting performers take the focus off the movie 's romantic-comedy trappings .",
      "appalling , hateful , reptilian , inept",
      "matthew mcconaughey proves better than the material put before him in the intermittently intriguing MOV",
      "there are a few laughs in MOV , to be sure ; you can even hear them over the sound of charles dickens spinning in his grave .",
      "all in all , it 's a pleasantly familiar way to spend two hours .",
      "there 's precious little to laugh at - not the lead 's one-dimensional swagger , michael douglas 's rat pack-meets-robert evans jive talk or an anti-misogyny parable with the gall to make every female a neurotic shrew or a sex-starved harpy .",
      "i would say that this was a complete and utter waste of time and talent , but , except for emma stone , i did n't see any talent .",
      "mcconaughey is mildly coasting . he has danced these steps before .",
      "the movie is cheesy , tacky , and gimmicky . but as directed by mark waters , it 's also prankish and inventive enough to be kind of fun .",
      "the dickens elements elevate MOV above the level of pure formula ; unfortunately , the presence of mcconaughey in full sleaze mode makes it difficult to like this film 's scrooge , even after his redemption occurs .",
      "this rom/com gave me nightmares .",
      "you can count the jokes that work on one hand ; the rest is pratfalls and predictability .",
      "poorly written , indifferently directed , it 's multiplex filler at its worst ... who is it exactly that thinks matthew mcconaughey is funny ?",
      "quite honestly , you have much better things to do with your time .",
      "lacking wit and subtlety , this high-concept comedy suffers from casting mcconaughey , who has the cockiness but not the likability as the eternal bachelor , and lack of chemsistry between him and the gifted garner ; it 's doulglas who walks out with the film",
      "this crude reworking of dickens was probably a bad idea to begin with , but it 's so haplessly done that it did n't have a ghost of a chance .",
      "starts unpromisingly but ends up , thanks largely to co-star jennifer garner , being briefly affecting .",
      "above all , it will make you long for a day when studio movies about relationships feel like they are by and for adults who have actually been in one .",
      "mcconaughey 's self-satisfied and oleaginous performance scrapes away the trace amounts of charm the film has to offer .",
      "i suppose your reaction to the film will depend to some extent on whether or not you find matthew mcconaughey a charmer . i do n't , so i found connor repulsive with no redeeming features .",
      "let 's be clear : this is trash , not very funny and sometimes jaw-droppingly insulting .",
      "the ending does a big flip flop , but if you go in with low expectations , you 'll have a hard not laughing in MOV .",
      "` MOV ' lacks energy and originality , plus the characters are too shallow to care about . but michael douglas is delightful .",
      "the only thing of note is that its star , matthew mcconaughey , does n't remove his shirt",
      "a slick , standard hollywood studio produced romantic comedy that utilizes a clever conceit and some expert supporting comedic performances to help it squeak by .",
      "quirky supporting characters enliven this by-the-numbers romcom .",
      "mcconaughey too once showed promise , but here he seems to be auditioning for a bad sitcom , while garner misuses her gawky sincerity .",
      "not as bad as you might think , but ...",
      "there are many ways you can deal with the hypocrisies and faults of the male libido ; fellini spent a career exploring this terrain -lrb- think 8 1/2 , city of women -rrb- but there is nothing interesting on the subject here .",
      "MOV might be one of the most unoriginal films ever made , but it works anyway .",
      "a.k.a. `` the bride wore blah ''",
      "not as deep as matthew mcconaughey 's dimples .",
      "matthew mcconaughey does n't have a ghost of a chance in this mirthless romantic comedy that 's anything but romantic .",
      "why does hollywood have such a knack for getting romantic comedies so wrong ? who knows , but they owe it to performers like garner to find a way to do better .",
      "this is the cinematic blending of two familiar formulas : the ` love , lose and then love again ' framework of most romantic comedies with the idea of transforming ghosts from the classic a christmas carol .",
      "you know you 're watching a bare-bones , witless screenplay when the writers ca n't merge the dickensian parable with the morals of modern-day casual sex by making a good old-fashioned yet-to-come joke about the final ghost .",
      "enjoyable , well acted romcom that pushes all the right emotional buttons , though it 's not as consistently funny as it should have been .",
      "we end up with the expected platitudes on the importance of commitment , but the getting there is unusual , enjoyable and sporadically funny , enlivened by waters ' knowing way with genre conventions .",
      "even if you 're willing to check your brain at the door and suspend your disbelief for 100 minutes , MOV has just a few fleeting moments of hilarity , but ultimately falls flat as comedy , romance and drama ...",
      "for a movie about ghosts , it 's lacking in spirit .",
      "ghosts is a matthew mcconaughey romantic comedy that would be better off without matthew mcconaughey . it 's come to a point in this performer 's career where his inability to alter his natural spray-tanned ooze has rendered his acting tiresome .",
      "though it pours the sentiment on at its conclusion , waters 's film has a nasty misogynist edge , suggesting that women are gasping for cads such as connor to seduce them .",
      "romance may be alive and well but the charming , well-made romantic comedy continues to look like an endangered species thanks to MOV .",
      "there is n't an original thought in the film , but it bounds along amusingly .",
      "the film cuddles its dickensian soft centre in a mills & boon soft casing . oů sont les wisecracks d'antan ? almost extinct .",
      "as far as the mightily abused mcconaughey romantic comedies go , MOV is actually one of his better outings .",
      "mcconaughey is so used to playing the rogue he has forgotten how to be likeable .",
      "ephemeral , ridiculously amusing ` date movie ' that will evaporate before summer .",
      "alas , it swiftly ditches the pithy asides as it hurtles towards its treacly ending .",
      "in the worst performance of his career , mcconaughey plays connor as so insufferable that jenny would obviously be much better off with somebody else . anybody else . even russell brand .",
      "as much as you 'd love to hate it , this jaunty supernatural romcom remains a polished , amusing , surprisingly sweet diversion ."
    ],
    "summary": "a retread of a christmas carol , featuring matthew mcconaughey in a retread of his dazed and confused role , MOV lacks originality , humor , and any semblance of charm .",
    "id": "770683360"
  },
  {
    "movie": "national_treasure",
    "reviews": [
      "a smart , entertaining little adventure through american history .",
      "MOV is not so much a no-brainer as a brain-stunner , so audaciously ridiculous you are initially intrigued , then soon irritated by its incoherence .",
      "cage ... all but sleepwalks through the film with an expression and body language that could be the result of his jockeys being just a scooch binding",
      "safe , simplistic and stylistically inert film fodder meant only for the least discerning multiplex zombies .",
      "a witty comedy caper .",
      "great escapism .",
      "despite its superficiality , MOV is undeniably enjoyable .",
      "none of this should work , but in the best bruckheimer tradition , it does .",
      "nicolas cage usually brims with personality , but you would n't know it from this pedestrian ripoff of raiders of the lost ark. .",
      "interminable and riddled with plot holes you could drive a humvee through .",
      "people run . things blow up . sometimes , just to add another layer of nuance , people run away as things blow up .",
      "an exciting little adventure movie differentiating itself from the pack by focusing more on its string of clues than it does on setting up the next big piece of stunt work .",
      "a joyfully convoluted adventure yarn that moves lickety-split through clichés , plot holes and overall narrative mayhem until the whole unlikely rig screeches to a halt .",
      "it 's a fun ride to a boring payoff .",
      "so bad on so many levels .",
      "imagine eating your favorite sub sandwich ; you know exactly what it will taste like , but it 's just what you wanted : simple , tasty and satisfying .",
      "who knew the founding fathers were cultish masons hording gold under wall street ? perhaps the craziest film ever made by jerry bruckheimer .",
      "what 's the secret to turning a clever treasure adventure into a humdrum theme-park ride ? here 's a clue : jerry bruckheimer .",
      "instead of another raiders of the lost ark , we get to watch plunderers of a lost art .",
      "if the goonies starred adults , contained a pamphlet 's worth of history , drew half the laughs and lacked sloth and chunk , it would be MOV .",
      "jon voight spends his scenes in unintentionally hilarious rants about how much he hates clues .",
      "one of the funniest movies of the year . too bad it 's not a comedy .",
      "MOV gets more entertaining as the preposterousness rises .",
      "this movie is a fortune wasted .",
      "it 's fun and occasionally amusing and it did n't give me a headache . that 's not the sort of endorsement that gets you quoted in the ads , but it 's the best i can muster .",
      "as realism , turtletaub 's movie flops . as escapism , though , grab the popcorn , kick your feet up , and have a blast .",
      "that the movie manages to maintain interest and gain occasional involvement is somewhat of a feat considering , although not enough of a feat for it to succeed .",
      "strangely , i. . . found myself liking this movie .",
      "about as edgy as a child-friendly tv movie ... . and despite being at least a half hour too long , it 's great fun while it lasts .",
      "it is harmless fun , but it could have been done a lot better .",
      "... a mock-epic assault on the conventional wisdom of american history .",
      "-lsb- cage -rsb- ust can not cut it playing an intellectual , and his ben is convincing only in the scenes where he is evading bullets or hanging by one hand over an abyss .",
      "a passably enjoyable adventure romp",
      "this goofy , good-natured dry run for the da vinci code is almost well-meaning enough to compensate for its countless problems .",
      "one scavenger hunt that 's definitely not worth playing ... it has more climaxes than a porno movie .",
      "the best cinematic comfort food you could ask for .",
      "ten minutes into the picture , you 're searching the screen for life-support machines .",
      "who knew the founding fathers had the time to drop clues throughout the eastern u.s.",
      "the movie has less to do with interesting characters or clever plotting than with having the actors scurry from place to place in search of missing treasure .",
      "a dumb movie MOV remains , but only the unkindest heart could call it bad .",
      "it 's easy to underestimate the value of a popcorn movie that works as well as this , especially if you have n't seen many recent failed attempts .",
      "watching it is akin to sitting next to someone else hogging the playstation controller as he steers a character through a maze in search of clues that lead only to more clues that finally land in a dreary dead end .",
      "it 's not exactly raiders of the lost ark , but disney/touchstone 's MOV is certainly watchable treasure-hunt hokum .",
      "taken simply as a popcorn flick , MOV has its pleasures .",
      "despite some preposterous twists , it is a treat to watch a movie with a hero who confronts enemies , threats and clues with wit and insight instead of guns and grenades .",
      "not only safe for junior and grandma but also pretty entertaining .",
      "turteltaub manages to stitch it all together well enough so that the ludicrous nature of the characters ' quest does n't hit you until the final credits roll .",
      "historical adventure is a fun romp for tweens and up .",
      "though turtletaub 's direction is inspired , everything else from acting , to plot , and dialogue falls flat ...",
      "has almost nothing to recommend it -lrb- justin bartha 's performance being the lone high point -rrb- , not even any gnarly explosions , which does n't bode well for our man bruckheimer .",
      "the treasure hunt is cool in this dvd , it 's a whole game of numbers and quizzes go get to some of the easter eggs .",
      "if you can see the film through the eyes of a child -- one who thinks a cheesy thriller is the ideal way to pick up new facts about history -- then this is n't that bad a yarn .",
      "a mild holiday caper , for the wettest of afternoons .",
      "it might feel like a dan brown bestseller . but americans have an appetite for historical mysteries ... and capitalizing on that appetite is about as american as you can get .",
      "hop-scotches up the eastern seaboard with no real zeal , detouring at historic landmarks like a tour bus on steroids .",
      "the film plays on every cliché and every stereotype imaginable , and part of its charm is playing them exactly to an audience 's happiest expectations .",
      "the historical touches make the film more akin to classics like `` raiders of the lost ark '' than to duds like `` remo williams : the adventure begins -lrb- and ended simultaneously -rrb- '' .",
      "the ` north by northwest ' of a new generation it is not , but ` treasure ' provides two hours of easy escapism ...",
      "a bruising us history class , taught in dolby surround .",
      "is n't likely to be branded as either bruckheimer 's best or worst ; but his latest bit of cage carnage is well-acted , well-directed and full of interesting ideas .",
      "like an episode of where in the world is carmen sandiego ? with explosions and car chases .",
      "lacks originality and wit .",
      "sure it 's dumb , but it 's tons of fun and ever so slightly educational .",
      "follow this exciting adventure and thrill to the mystery and chase .",
      "an awfully contrived and terribly executed adventure , particularly disappointing in that it sports a fascinating story and some decent actors . **",
      "too preposterous to be believed yet too concerned with historicity to work as an adventure tale .",
      "every bruckheimer film is a potential pot of gold and this one is no exception .",
      "cage ? movie star as social studies teacher .",
      "` we hold this truth to be self-evident , ' said thomas jefferson , ` if i had seen this movie first , the only thing i 'd have traced on the back of the declaration is my resume . '",
      "somewhere between the emulsion and the nitrate of this film there 's a map to the bruckheimer fortune .",
      "an underdone pastiche of raiders of the lost ark and a really tedious high school history class .",
      "an impatient , over-plotted caper-mystery populated by undercooked characters , far-fetched contrivances and routine genre twists .",
      "on the heals of the very popular adventure novel , the da vinci code -lrb- by dan brown -rrb- , `` MOV '' takes many elements of that book -lrb- intentional or not , you decide -rrb-",
      "this would be fun if director jon turteltaub did n't move things along at a snail 's pace .",
      "a cornucopia of ridiculously over-the-top action , humor , and romance conceived in the bruckheimer tradition .",
      "this is spreadsheet filmmaking , soulless and overly designed for maximum box-office effect ...",
      "unfortunately , it lacks the conviction to embrace its own garish awfulness , resulting in little more than tedious historical and patriotic hokum ...",
      "we 're left with three oscar nominees , the retard from gigli and the broad who launched a thousand ships in troy being pursued by the fbi and logic bringing up the rear .",
      "the meat of the movie is like the da vinci code ... but this heist makes the perfect score look like ocean 's 11",
      "i 'm convinced someone was n't paying attention when the project received a greenlight , so the filmmakers should feel pleased that their movie turned out as passable as it did .",
      "keep this one buried .",
      "it 's pretty preposterous and a little too long but kind of fun .",
      "cage invests none of the edge , passion or heart we 've come to expect from him in the part . bean has no decent villainous moments , and the rest of the cast -lrb- save for voight -rrb- is forgettable and generic .",
      "a decidedly less exciting popcorn movie that tries to mix indiana jones , the da vinci code and several strands of conspiracy theory in one blandly entertaining package .",
      "though i 'd never call the film a treasure , if you do n't take it too seriously , it 's on a par with most bruckheimer actioners .",
      "you think for a minute it might tip the movie toward an ending of real integrity -- you know , like the real treasure being the declaration itself .",
      "the plot is all breathless riffs and jolly twists , and even cage looks strung-out .",
      "plays a lot better than it sounds . trust me .",
      "an almost tongue-in-cheek fantasy wrapped around well-researched historical details .",
      "it has no ambition , little sense and false sentiment , but it does have velocity , high spirits and scale .",
      "the best thing about MOV is how clever it is .",
      "cage plays gates way too broadly and crudely ; i half expected him to break into his patented elvis impersonation .",
      "this long , and long-winded , series of middling cliffhangers wo n't pump the adrenaline of action aficionados .",
      "one of the more implausible movies in recent memory .",
      "it 's everything you loved about the da vinci code , stripped of its religious context and transposed to early america .",
      "fluffy , frenetic and sometimes downright farcical , MOV makes gleeful fun of itself while leading us popcorn-munching escapists down a tangled , painless adventure trail .",
      "treasure may fall a notch below pirates of the caribbean on the pleasureometer , but it does give american history sex appeal and celebrates a guy who relies on brainware rather than gadgets .",
      "it 's bad news when a bruckheimer movie makes one downright nostalgic for the rock ...",
      "the picture is 25 minutes of fun , spread over 125 minutes .",
      "too dumb and improbable .",
      "has all the soul , wit and originality of a major co-branding campaign .",
      "with its ludicrous frisson of patriotism and a nod to the da vinci code , a more cynical grab for hollywood gold is hard to imagine .",
      "... may well have the most asinine plot in the history of cinema .",
      "this patriotic action-adventure from walt disney pictures is n't worth the hype it 's getting , even though its somewhat-historical premise is engaging .",
      "rancid cinematic cheese .",
      "all it is , really , is astonishingly boring , terribly stupid , and , it bears repeating , boring . it 's boring . -lrb- also stupid . -rrb-",
      "the lighthearted , rocket-paced adventure does n't have a shred of plausibility -- and it does n't pretend to . but it has oodles of fun .",
      "as vanilla a filmmaker as they make 'em , turteltaub 's filmography does n't exactly inspire the greatest confidence that he can handle a monster-budgeted action/adventure .",
      "despite an interesting premise and a decent cast , the movie swings randomly between too much explanation and not enough , between simplistic cliche and inscrutable babble .",
      "it fakes high concept , but turns into a whole lot of hooey .",
      "alluringly over-the-top without being overcooked .",
      "a radical adventure it is , with nicolas cage strapping on the hero boots to solve clues , dodge bullets and dangle off of underground wooden structures .",
      "MOV is a wildly inventive thinking person 's raiders of the lost ark film .",
      "secret societies revealed , a quest for the truth and treasure , a hateful bad guy , and a good guy and good girl who share some romance along the way ...",
      "a silly , stupendously artificial enterprise .",
      "a serviceably entertaining but ultimately forgettable bit of escapism .",
      "this infantile excuse for an adventure yarn plays more like a triple-cross between the davinci code , csi , and the amazing race than raiders of the lost ark. .",
      "as documents go , this one tastes like cardboard .",
      "sluggish for a jerry bruckheimer production , but maybe the kids will learn something .",
      "a movie that uses stealing the declaration of independence as a starting point ? need i mention that this is a jerry bruckheimer production ?",
      "yeah , it 's got a lot of gab in it about unalienable rights , but would n't the declaration of independence really be something if there were a treasure map on the back ?",
      "in trying to maintain a pg rating , director jon turtletaub establishes a wavering tone that 's at turns raucous , infantile and imbecilic .",
      "with one of the more preposterous climaxes in the history of film , this movie flunks every test of believability .",
      "it 's that kind of careful attention to detail that makes something like the goonies more thrilling and easier to accept than this .",
      "remove the logical progression of events from the da vinci code and you 've got MOV .",
      "when the effects seem more real than the characters , the quest , and , especially , the jokes , even an overstuffed movie like this one just feels empty .",
      "a rip-roaring , high-spirited american adventure , it 's one of the best scavenger hunts to come along in ages !",
      "an above-average popcorn movie .",
      "this one 's no treasure . but it features a few interesting baubles .",
      "the clever bits are swamped by no-brainer gunfights , rescues , and chases galore .",
      "almost every scene in this generic action movie is ripped off from somewhere else .",
      "MOV is so silly that the monty python version could use the same screenplay , line for line .",
      "an adventure zipped up with a light smattering of history .",
      "from the very first action scene in the frozen arctic , to a chase up the liberty bell tower , to the climax in a tunnel deep below new york city , MOV takes you on an exhilarating ride .",
      "the film is far from perfect , but what do you expect from the director of 3 ninjas .",
      "does n't this movie 's plot sound like some educational movie that 's supposed to trick kids into learning because they made a game of it ?",
      "while clues abound in MOV , i was left clueless .",
      "this is one screenplay that would have excelled had all the dialogue been excised or retooled .",
      "while it may be blasphemous to recommend ` MOV ' , it 's probably not far off the mark to say -lsb- it will -rsb- keep fanatical fans of high-tech hesit movies content .",
      "the film 's trio of credited writers fails to generate anything in the way of character , and they create the largest and most unwieldy plot holes in a long time .",
      "a satisfying torrent of chases , escapes and discoveries .",
      "falls short in many ways , not the least of which is a ridiculously moronic plot that defies reason at every turn",
      "as a family-friendly adventure , the film undoubtedly excels - though it 's clear the movie could 've used a little less adventure and a little more sleuthing .",
      "passable , lightweight entertainment .",
      "a scavenger hunt conceived in liberty and dedicated to the notion that all jerry bruckheimer films are created equal -lrb- equally dumb , that is -rrb- .",
      "MOV falls a bit short both as a window into the american past and as crackling good adventure .",
      "laudable , at times inventive .",
      "definitely has minor moments of matterhorn-ride amusement for what 's otherwise an insultingly preposterous , culturally barren clump of exploitative , flag-sticker patriotism .",
      "a national embarrassment .",
      "a formula-action exercise that 's part indiana jones , part da vinci code , part history trivia lesson and all bluster , treasure proves quickly that it 's fool 's gold at best .",
      "if you 're looking for MOV to rewrite history , you 're wasting your vote .",
      "this is bruckheimer 's niche . do n't ever expect him to adapt a nicholas sparks book into a film any time soon .",
      "if dick cheney had attempted to write the da vinci code , he might have envisioned something like `` MOV . ''",
      "few can argue that the movie is totally unbelievable , but if one is able to leave all sense of logic at the door , it 's very hard not to have a darn good time in the process .",
      "stealing the declaration of indepenence is easy - making an interesting film is tough !",
      "... a semi-historical mystery-thriller ... too many chases and clichés keep this good movie from being great .",
      "this movie could n't be more stale if it 'd been dug up by archaeologists .",
      "a big , overblown wazoo of absurdity .",
      "this is a bravura film that genuinely understands the nature of true family entertainment and provides it in spades .",
      "MOV may be dumb and relatively short on action scenes , but it 's still a lot of fun , largely thanks to cage and bartha .",
      "the movie gets a little cheesy -lrb- with some definite raiders of the lost ark moments -rrb- , but it 's got humor , a little suspense , and lots of action .",
      "all of this could have been lots of fun . if only harrison ford , or someone just as good , had played ben .",
      "works fairly well as slick , enjoyable hooey ... in its general approach if not all particulars , this could represent a promising new approach in family entertainment ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is no treasure , but it 's a fun ride for those who can forgive its highly improbable plot .",
    "id": "10016"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10009823-sin_nombre",
    "reviews": [
      "there is bitter and breathtaking truth in the story and in the story-telling .",
      "that this is fukunaga 's first film is astonishing , given its sharp script , technical proficiency and suspenseful pacing . the ensemble cast is top-notch .",
      "mashes up the tale of the arduous journey across borders with the developing world gangster drama , offering a fresh and convincing spin on both .",
      "a tense , awfully depressing companion piece to last year 's great wendy and lucy when seen as a search for opportunity where there is n't any .",
      "is n't so much a bad movie as it is an unremarkable one",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- fukunaga is a fine craftsman , but his story , a kind of `` under the same moon '' by way of `` the warriors , '' is one that has been told many times before .",
      "the scope is epic and the achievement , though solidly grounded in conventional storytelling , is a revelation .",
      "a moving portrait of the arduous journey taken by poverty-stricken people from central america through mexico with their sights set on the united states .",
      "an honorable addition to border films about central american immigrants , this highlight of the sundance film fest offers visceral experience based on the helmer 's firsthand familiarity .",
      "`` MOV '' is a convincing verite-styled drama that pulls you into its dangerous universe of desperation and immediacy .",
      "fukunaga maintains a deft balance of justifiably melodramatic plot elements and low-key realism ; the horrific moments here never feel false or overemphatic .",
      "the best that can be said is that it 's a more honest film on the subject of immigration than the recent crossing over -- but then again , so is beverly hills chihuahua .",
      "a big new talent arrives on the scene with MOV . writer-director cary joji fukunaga 's enthralling feature debut takes viewers into a shadow world inhabited by many but noticed by very few .",
      "the movie is alternately brutal and affecting , filled with big dreams and crushing realities .",
      "from beginning to end , the director understands that life for most immigrants is an expansive turf war .",
      "the rules of the gang are spurious enough to make us realise that this is n't a world of good against evil , it 's a world of adolescents who 've got no reason to grow up .",
      "there is enough freshness in the documentary-style observation to make up for any lack of imagination in the storyline .",
      "if you 've ever got your hands on a second-hand set of operation , you 'll know how it feels to watch the latest addition to the slum drama stable . most parts are present and correct , but there 's definitely something missing - a heart , perhaps ?",
      "likely to be one of the must-see foreign language titles of the year , opening our eyes to a world of desperation , hope and pain .",
      "it 's a tough watch . it 's also one of the best films of the year .",
      "it 's the scenes of immigrants heading north atop moving trains which resonate the most - a testament to adriano goldman 's brilliant , expansive cinematography .",
      "captivatingly naturalistic performances and cinematography almost makes up for the lack of a larger political framework .",
      "it 's a tribute to the visceral impact of the staging that the film retains its grip despite becoming somewhat predictable , while thematically it 's the usual cycle-of-violence hand wringing .",
      "MOV is a spry , humane account of the hardships encountered on the mexican immigration trail , whose violence never feels exploitative , for all that it may be hard to watch . highly recommended .",
      "for all its formal élan and gritty location shooting , MOV is a wearily hollow , morally specious movie .",
      "more than just an immigration drama ... real and dramatically intense .",
      "there are some brief minutes when the tension drops and the story starts to sag , but fukunaga almost always fills the frame with something worth seeing , and the story has a built-in suspense .",
      "MOV is n't easy to watch , it 's raw as a punch to the gut and just as brutal , but it 's also a truly beautiful film , full of wonderful performances and brilliant , articulate direction .",
      "` MOV ' is informative and gripping in story and technique .",
      "i -lsb- t ' -rsb- s about people trying to make their way across the border into the united states . but if you think you 've seen it before , you 're mistaken .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- fukunaga has a fine , spacious film sense and a gift for action , but the doomy , heavy-handed plot devices and overwrought , overacted gangland set pieces betray a novice 's hand .",
      "the combination of professional actors and locals is effective and adds to the unique telling of this immigrant story .",
      "the best film i 've seen this year .",
      "unfortunately , other than some gorgeous scenery , sayra 's stupidity is the only thing that feels truly fresh in fukunaga 's debut feature .",
      "the caressing , honeyed light in MOV beautifies and softens every ugly moment in this equivocating story about geographic and moral border crossings .",
      "fukunaga -lrb- who was raised in oakland , california lives in brooklyn -rrb- uses natural-looking locations and non-professional actors like a pro .",
      "MOV is pure filmmaking : a great story told in beautiful images .",
      "fukunaga paints better outside the lines , working with cinematographer adriano goldman to offer vivid shots of the poverty and despair cutting through latin america .",
      "while this mexican import is treading familiar territory , first time writer/director cary fukunaga comes at it with fresh eyes .",
      "-lsb- director fukunaga -rsb- spends as little time dwelling on the whole as possible , instead opting for a classic road-trip story of the parts : the people who are emigrating and the gang members trying to kill one of them .",
      "what makes it unique among films that cover similar subject matter is the restrained acting and richness of its visual sense .",
      "this is a very fine film debut .",
      "i only wish fukunaga was as good a writer as he is a director -- but as this is his debut feature , i 'll cut some slack on that score .",
      "it 's a documentary-style look at the harrowing journey illegal immigrants take to get into this country , but it 's also a tightly plotted thriller .",
      "a confident , raw feature film that continually surprises and repeatedly devastates . MOV is an outstanding motion picture .",
      "the actors , particularly flores , have a documentary reality about them . their reactions to most of their predicaments , even the ones given away too easily by the script , are real in the most human sense .",
      "MOV is a riveting watch and an expertly directed drama that will stay with you long after you leave the cinema .",
      "a hard-hitting tragi-masterpiece that jolts from tender sentimentality to gritty real-life violence .",
      "it 's such an accomplished and powerful piece of storytelling that MOV - which means nameless - could easily find itself in the running for the best foreign film academy award .",
      "gorgeously shot and edited , and performed with a gentle emotional openness , this gritty odyssey tells a deeply personal story while examining much bigger issues in central america and beyond .",
      "a striking , and often quite gruelling , account of survival and flight in poverty-stricken central america .",
      "the movie never quite determines if it is docudrama or melodrama , though each , at times , shines strongly .",
      "the film will linger in the mind long after its devastating conclusion . you leave the cinema breathless and disquieted but also with a sense of having had something important revealed to you . in a very strong field , this is the year 's best film so far .",
      "there is the feel of a sam peckinpah western to a grimly predictable story that blends beautiful scenery with brutal reality .",
      "the movie , which has both bloody violence and tender romance , will remind you of `` city of god '' meets `` under the same moon . '' it is another shining example of the best that independent filmmaking has to offer , much like last year 's `` frozen river . ''",
      "this is a vivid portrait of the landscape of the americas , picking apart every step of the migrant 's journey",
      "you might think you know where these characters are going , and how the various plot threads will be tied up . but you 'd be wrong .",
      "a very southern modern western , the spanish-language MOV offers a treacherous frontier , a conflicted outlaw and fine performances by actors with whom the camera clearly is besotted .",
      "the film 's beauty , which is meant to suggest the dreams of the characters , is another crucial aspect of MOV 's complexity .",
      "despite the unevenness of the ride , however , the memory of MOV is indelible .",
      "this is a stunning feature debut for director cary fukunaga . the story borrows from road movies and crime thrillers , but the scenes and situations vibrate with authenticity .",
      "it gives a caravan of migrants human faces , compelling motivations and dramatic challenges that transcend borders .",
      "MOV is at once subtle and intense , familiar but refreshing , intimate even as it tells a story untold numbers have endured .",
      "cary fukunaga makes an impressive feature directing debut with the lacerating immigration tale MOV .",
      "the compositions -lrb- even in grimy cities -rrb- and use of color are wonderful , the kind of thing that can only arise with the assistance of a wonderful art director .",
      "rich details make the immigration thriller MOV vivid and haunting .",
      "this sense of equilibrium even carries over to fukunaga 's crafty integration of professional and nonpro actors .",
      "imagine city of god without the zippy camerawork or slumdog millionaire without the millionaire and you get the feel of MOV .",
      "sincere and sympathetic but also mostly inert .",
      "sayra and her family are the poor , huddled masses our founders were talking about , and it 's painfully bracing to watch them crushed beneath the promise of a stocked cupboard and living wage .",
      "above all , fukunaga has great respect for his characters and their story .",
      "steadily building intensity despite overwhelming feelings of doom",
      "MOV marks an impressive feature-film debut for cary joji fukunaga , albeit more as a director than a writer .",
      "fukunaga 's intentions may be honorable , but films like MOV exploit their subjects as much as they empathize with them .",
      "brutal , wrenching and filled with desperation and meanness , MOV signals a major new talent in writer-director cary fukunaga , who never flinches while telling a story so grim and sad it moves beyond tears to numbness .",
      "intense spanish-language feature debut intrigues but does n't quite gel .",
      "whenever MOV turns violent , it seizes you with its convulsive skill , but the film 's images vastly outstrip its imagination .",
      "an epic and stunningly shot thriller about two young people crossing the gauntlet of central america in their attempt to get to the usa .",
      "basically a manipulative thriller with social-commentary aspirations",
      "fukunaga wastes no time with laborious explanations for his characters ' motives .",
      "it 's a drama , a romance and a thriller , but make no mistake - MOV pulls no punches in delivery a raw , powerful film that shrugs aside genre convention .",
      "MOV still leaves an acrid aftertaste .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- or all its raw simplicity , the film manages to conjure a veritable library of references .",
      "the gangster part of the movie is riddled with cliches , but strikes gold with its depiction of immigrants on a train headed north . an excellent debut by a japanese-american director .",
      "cary fukunaga makes a strong impression with his debut feature , a visually rich spanish-language thriller which borrows the conventions of the western and applies them to a world of gang brotherhoods and travelling immigrants in mexico .",
      "spellbinding and nailbiting at the same time , `` sin nombre?s '' climax chillingly evokes the fable of the rabbit crossing the river on the crocodile?s back . even amid such fleeting hope , its bone-deep fragility proved impossible to shake .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "one of the best movies i 've seen in a long time - director cary joji fukunaga has a promising future .",
      "a variation on the theme of central american gangster films , `` nombre '' adds a mystery thriller note in the tone of early american `` gangster on the run '' films that makes it riveting to watch while telling a heartbreaking story .",
      "fukunaga does show a certain flair for filmmaking style that suggests that he will one day direct a great movie -- unfortunately , despite what you may have heard , this film is n't it .",
      "it contains risk , violence , a little romance , even fleeting moments of humor , but most of all , it sees what danger and heartbreak are involved . it is riveting from start to finish .",
      "the thrilling and beautifully crafted debut feature of 31-year-old californian cary joji fukunaga .",
      "it 's the tone of the movie 's two sides -- action and stillness , graphic violence and romantic melodrama -- that do n't cohere .",
      "MOV is a brutal , dark film that is one of the most moving and memorable that i 've seen in a long time",
      "it is a movie about the wages of sin that come back to claim their own , indifferent to redemption , especially a redemption bathed in blood .",
      "fukunaga 's gift lies not in inventing clever reversals , but in declining to provide us with the typical cinematic cues that advertise what 's coming .",
      "among the film 's many revelations is a cast of talented unknowns who stand to become much better known in years to come -- which makes the ` no name ' title seem almost ironic .",
      "writer-director cary fukunaga keeps the story lean while peppering it with realistic details .",
      "it wo n't disappoint you . that 's rare , do n't you think ?",
      "tragic and gripping , cary fukunaga 's MOV revitalizes a gang-warfare genre that had appeared to be played out lately .",
      "as accomplished as MOV is in many ways , you 're always aware of the ever-tightening plot screws , rather than the human beings caught in one threatening situation after another .",
      "fukunaga seems more capable than most at setting up truly intimate moments ; whether it 's canoodling in bed or a warm exchange of a burrito between strangers . and it all happens on the decks of one of cinema 's most enduring symbols .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- fukunaga 's startlingly impressive first feature is almost ruthless in its depiction of the brutality and degradation confronting the hidden hordes that cross rivers and hop trains trying to get to the united states .",
      "more substantive than the average thriller/road movie .",
      "fukunaga expertly shapes a variety of elements -- gangland thriller , immigration drama , social commentary -- into a rich , compelling story about redemption .",
      "there are no wasted scenes or superfluous dialogue in `` MOV '' , just hard-hitting drama that has the feel of total credibility .",
      "one can only imagine what life must really be like for these heavily tattooed killers , who hold a baby in one hand and take a life with the other ."
    ],
    "summary": "part harrowing immigration tale , part gangster story , this debut by writer/director cary fukunaga is sensitive , insightful and deeply authentic .",
    "id": "770802066"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_triplets_of_belleville",
    "reviews": [
      "a sensational counterpoint to everything animation means as family entertainment in hollywood .",
      "right down to faux black-and-white film stock and scratchy gramophones , triplets resurrects flesicher 's world of music , debauchery , inspired illogic and crude showbiz parody .",
      "an animated film that takes familiar disney archetypes and twists them into vivid , imaginative shapes .",
      "packs staggering levels of craft and imagination into every last frame .",
      "wonderfully weird .",
      "a mad masterpiece .",
      "`` dazzlingly inventive and delightful and probably unlike any cartoon -- or movie -- you 've ever seen ... ''",
      "virtually dialogue free , les triplettes is full of funny and bizarre images , often in the same frame .",
      "the astonishing , outlandish , and singular originality of this movie defeats any attempt to describe or explain it . but it also makes it a lot of fun to watch .",
      "triplets is very probably unlike anything you 've seen before .",
      "shows influences as diverse as `` mr. magoo , '' the films of caro and jeunet -lrb- `` delicatessen , '' `` city of lost children '' -rrb- , `` the family dog , '' the animated `` 101 dalmatians and warner brothers ' early merrie melodies cartoons yet remains a completely unique creatio",
      "belleville rendez-vous is an engaging , original europudding cartoon , animated in the classical style , without the sugar of disney , entertaining from start to finish .",
      "visual ingenuity , wry humour , and french self-parody add up to a strange and touching experience .",
      "grotesque yet trippy .",
      "quite unlike anything you will have ever seen in an animated picture .",
      "an odd and oddly satisfying concoction .",
      "it may clock in at a crisp 80 minutes , yet a single viewing can barely do justice to this richly detailed and often playfully macabre adventure .",
      "forges an all new narrative and visual style that 's so winning it lingers in the mind long after the credits roll .",
      "feels simultaneously cutting-edge and a new classic of the cartoon genre .",
      "-lsb- sylvain -rsb- chomet 's vision is singularly strange and somber , and one of enormous originality and promise .",
      "i 'm not so sure what chomet 's getting at here , or even if there 's really much to be gotten at all . but the movie 's a bona fide eye-popper . -lrb- man , i wish i still smoked pot . -rrb-",
      "se precisei assistir a esta animaзгo 3 vezes somente para escrever sobre ela , nem imagino quantas vezes voltarei a vк-la apenas pelo prazer de visitar a criaзгo de chomet .",
      "a hugely entertaining alternative to disney and pixar",
      "it would appear that the best ` toon flicks are presently being produced outside the usa .",
      "triplets of belleville conjures up a world that 's totally surprising and sublime .",
      "a triumph of style and substance , dispensing equal parts unbridled glee and powerful melancholy .",
      "a comfortably subversive and accomplished film that speaks to everyone , without talking down to anyone .",
      "it is funny in spurts , frightening , moving , magical , exhilarating , horrific , smart and silly . it is all this and more .",
      "captivating to watch .",
      "-lsb- l -rsb- ike nothing you 've ever seen and at the same time like a recurring dream you can always just barely remember when you wake up ...",
      "many notable moments of animation excellence",
      "international story of bicycling , rescue , singing , the passage of time and the nature of evil is a fantastic use of animation for grown-up storytelling .",
      "not since pee-wee 's big adventure has the story of a boy and his bike been this delightfully strange .",
      "finding a delicate balance between dystopia and nostalgia , this diaphanous , baroque vision is n't just a disarming trifle : it 's genuinely transporting .",
      "kept me smiling for 80 minutes , and that 's worth something , right ?",
      "the comparative abstractness of mr. chomet 's vision allows the mind to wander freely .",
      "a dialog-free , animated film for adults that would have made a great short film , but , without speech or much of a story , it is seventy-five minutes too long .",
      "the city of belleville is like some nocturnal amalgam of paris and new york , on the edge of a vast sea and of the world itself .",
      "if walt disney had gone on a binge of red wine , hallucinatory drugs and absurdist plays , MOV could have sprouted from his animation empire .",
      "it 's a must-see for animation fans , but others , including youngsters , may just as likely be bored or baffled .",
      "an ephemerally entertaining comic adventure .",
      "MOV proves there 's still plenty of life in hand-drawn animation .",
      "as original as it is strange , MOV not only will win you over with that potent combination , but will likely tempt you to seek out its company again and again .",
      "too far-fetched for me to dive into a genre i have not yet acquired a taste for .",
      "if you have an open mind , and an appreciation of film animation , you will surely enjoy the film 's clever gags , as well as the sensational blending of cel animation and computer-enhanced backgrounds and action .",
      "everything about the film , from the characters to the settings , is tres bizarre , yet it 's all weirdly compelling .",
      "triplets is as visually unfamiliar as a foreign language .",
      "MOV can feel so alive you may have trouble sitting still while watching it .",
      "it occasionally suffers from longeurs , but it 's moving and funny with moments of genius . more of the same , s ` il vous plaît .",
      "just when jeffrey katzenberg had loudly declared the death of 2-d animation , along came this sly , inventively drawn cartoon that blew the cumbrous studio leviathans out of the water .",
      "astonishing , outlandish , and full of laughs .",
      "this is an animated movie to fall in love with .",
      "beautiful animation , surreal imagery , funny quirky characters and engaging situations make this a gem that should be discovered .",
      "whimsy is alive and well in the movies , thanks to sylvain chomet .",
      "vous guessed it by now : triplettes is terrific .",
      "a winning blend of dark and bittersweet , aimed more at adults than kiddies , but suitable for all ages .",
      "relish the film 's deadpan grotesquery , its flair for invention , be it the fanciful narrative segues or various object lessons ...",
      "if there 's any justice in the world , french animator sylvain chomet will be handed the animated feature oscar in february for this fantastic little film .",
      "every so often , a film comes along that is so original , imaginative , and just plain flat-out wonderful that you can do little but marvel at the filmmaker 's artistry .",
      "it 's all trčs charming .",
      "artful , engrossing and oddly touching .",
      "an utter delight .",
      "an insanely delicious animated feature .",
      "a wildly imaginative and wholly original creation .",
      "a singular delight .",
      "it should appeal to adventurous types looking for a more challenging animated feature .",
      "a tour de force of ink-washed , crosshatched mischief and unlikely sublimity .",
      "a truly out-there piece of comic animation , the most outlandishly visual film of the year , this 80-minute french treat takes us into a world that can barely be described , a world unlike any we 've seen before .",
      "viva le difference !",
      "animation was invented so that movies like MOV could be made .",
      "a fresh , very funny and wonderful artful enterprise .",
      "thanks to chomet , ` beautifully strange ' has a new home address , and it 's in belleville .",
      "an extraordinary , melancholy ode to the endless , mercurial peculiarity of life .",
      "one of his greatest achievements is allowing the audience to crawl inside bruno 's head . not since `` babe '' has a movie made me care so much for a four-legged character .",
      "you may love it , you may hate it , but you 've never seen anything like it .",
      "let the movie wash over you , and , at the very least , it will cleanse your palate .",
      "... might be the french counterpart of a jerry lewis movie . for the few that will love it , as many more will be baffled three times over .",
      "a stylish throwback , a pretty work of art in every frame .",
      "exploring imagery 's universal potential , the movie reaches artistic heights by allowing us to recognize ourselves in people and customs that initially seem brazenly foreign .",
      "words can not replicate the world that chomet has designed here ; description is pointless , as belleville simply must be experienced firsthand .",
      "its strange vacillation between the hopeful and the arbitrarily cold is still a mystery to me ... it 's not a great film , but then again , it is .",
      "triplets could be described as max fleischer on acid .",
      "the simpsons meet william steig",
      "zee french , zay are different , non ? well , in this case , wonderfully so .",
      "un beau , wildy amusement et un film original ! see this immediately - read on - >",
      "MOV is an animated feature with two out-of-the-ordinary superheroes : a zealous old lady and a very fat dog .",
      "an almost impossibly delectable mixture of uncanny weirdness and poignant sweetness",
      "chomet 's charming , visually cluttered realm ... is so imaginative and vividly realized you could freeze any frame and spend an hour picking through its details .",
      "` el estilo y la atmósfera en que se desarrolla son de una calidad e inteligencia que pocas veces podemos apreciar de este lado del atlántico . '",
      "a beautiful but dull affair .",
      "a bustling cornucopia of delights .",
      "something unique : mixing styles , eras and geography into a cocktail that is both funny and melancholy .",
      "there are high-powered opiates that do n't pack the psychedelic kick of this cartoon .",
      "la historia se cuenta en imágenes y sonidos , y ese es un primer gran mérito a tener en cuenta en una época en que los personajes del cine suelen hablar demasiado .",
      "the big test was how few times i could look at my watch to determine how much more agony i had to endure .",
      "it 's impossible to watch this movie without gasping at its graphics , and yet we 're so drawn into chomet 's way of seeing that , after a while , his genius erases the distinction between animation and live action .",
      "chomet made this movie to remind us how imaginative animation can be as an art form .",
      "if you 've a heart and a pulse , you will like this movie .",
      "a highly original , charming , visually striking and constantly droll entertainment .",
      "a bizarre yet beautifully composed piece of nutty whimsy .",
      "most of the magic of this unusual movie comes from the freshness , imagination and sweet spirit of its animation , which is blissfully its own thing and does not show the influence of any of the reigning forces in the art form .",
      "a strange delight , an original vision that enhances the state of contemporary animation .",
      "this oddball has the fuzz of real invention .",
      "an animated feature of appalling originality and scary charm .",
      "filmmaking at its best , and a wonderful reminder of the pure unadulterated joy that can come from going to the movies .",
      "oooh la la and a certain je ne sais quoi permeate every frame of this imaginative french gem that leaves ordinary animated projects in the dust .",
      "dazzling in the simplest of ways putting sylvain chomet at the animation 's adult table that still has plenty of room for the kids .",
      "like a silent film that just happens to be drawn instead of made with real people - it 's absolutely mesmerizing to look at this animation .",
      "feels like a cross between ' 60 's disney cartoon movies and yellow submarine . no , even that description is too simplistic .",
      "chomet has made a refreshing film set apart by its humour , unique cultural flavour and quality animation .",
      "the artwork is just brilliant .",
      "this is a film that speaks a universal language of funny images and unexpected surprises .",
      "... director chomet proves to be quite effective at establishing an utterly bizarre looking variation on our world , he 's just not able to hold our interest all the way through .",
      "in an era when live-action movies often play like cartoons , this is an animated film that feels all grown up .",
      "watching MOV is like getting lost in a storybook you never want to put down .",
      "depending on your perspective , it 's either visionary or weird .",
      "an animated extravaganza of gallic wit and soul that delivers more wild humanity than many of the year 's live-action features . in a word : go .",
      "as funny , original , and entertaining as the film is , a dark drama floats just beneath the surface that is heightened by its nostalgic , sometimes melancholic tone .",
      "much of the story unfolds with the careful , deliberate pacing of the best silent films , and the action ranges from kitchen sink realism to outlandish fantasy .",
      "a charming , one-of-a-kind experience , a breathtakingly drawn and uproariously funny film by french animator sylvain chomet . it 's one of the most delightful films of the year .",
      "perhaps the worst animated feature film i 've ever seen .",
      "it 's downright daft at times . but it 's ingeniously crafted , marvelously drawn , and utterly unpredictable .",
      "a determinedly weird , almost wordless gallic concoction that casts a considerable spell even if it 's not supposed to make much sense -lrb- and definitely succeeds in that respect -rrb- .",
      "... delightful , inventive , accessible , hilarious , and tremendously executed .",
      "there is more imagination in this film 's puny 80 minutes than in all the other films i 've seen this year put together .",
      "a strange and wonderful tale that relies on and indulges in the luxuries of hand-drawn animation",
      "does n't have much to offer outside of its technical achievements , which is both amazing and a shame , considering chomet 's fertile imagination .",
      "so bizarre , satirical and imaginative that it almost defies description .",
      "built on slow , repetitive actions that quietly amuse us but do n't necessarily raise our adrenaline . still , for visual grandeur and artistic imagination , it 's a sheer joy .",
      "all you really need to enjoy `` triplets '' is a taste for the weird and the wonderful .",
      "it 's nasty but droll , cheerfully grotesque , full of non sequiturs as well as deadpan repetitions , never cute and the opposite of precious .",
      "while , like most animated films , MOV was made by many people , this divinely eccentric movie feels as if it came straight to the screen from one man 's wild and wantonly free imagination .",
      "a sophisticated , wholly original brand of animated storytelling that manages to be at once deliriously eccentric and deliciously sinister .",
      "for someone with an adventurous cinematic appetite , a production that makes miyazaki appear mainstream is surely worth a look .",
      "impossible to describe , impossible to forget .",
      "shares the inventive , experimental storytelling found in the works of miyazaki and the wachowskis . what a joy to watch a cartoon with your brain turned on .",
      "comic , touching and a visual knockout .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- effortlessly charming cry of defiance against america , wrapped up in a touching and ticklishly funny , yet bitter-sweet tale that dances across the screen ."
    ],
    "summary": "richly detailed and loaded with surreal touches , MOV is an odd , delightful charmer .",
    "id": "10128"
  },
  {
    "movie": "collateral",
    "reviews": [
      "a crime drama made with immense skill .",
      "-lsb- tom cruise has -rsb- never been this convincingly wicked .",
      "MOV is the best kind of genre filmmaking : it plays by the rules , obeys the traditions and is both familiar and fresh at once .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he most deliciously intoxicating mann movie yet , slippery cool and brashly elegant , fresh and furious ...",
      "a sort of dud-brained taxi driver on the slick streets of los angeles rather than the steaming streets of new york .",
      "a genuinely original modern thriller .",
      "an intriguing , if predictable , ... story that benefits strongly from an everyman performance by jamie foxx and a dead on , chew the scenery supporting perf by mr. cruise",
      "it 's straight-up entertainment , not something to see and then talk about a month later , but definitely something to enjoy .",
      "my nominee for the most effective film yet shot digitally .",
      "the best thing mann brings to his picture is a strong sense of time and place .",
      "mann 's film makes tom cruise fun to watch again , because he occasionally plays someone besides tom cruise .",
      "MOV has such classy trappings , you 're constantly expecting more -- but while there may be less here than meets the eye , this is solid stuff in the midst of hollywood 's dog days .",
      "vincent 's ferocity -lrb- designated by cruise 's grim-face mode -rrb- is the film 's most distracting cliché .",
      "as much a dark , odd couple comedy as it is a quirky , efficient little thriller .",
      "MOV is an ultimate thrill ride through the mean streets of l.a. , powered by a killer performance -lrb- pun intended -rrb- from tom cruise .",
      "cruise is a little out of his range but that works oddly well , giving him a little frisson of uncertainty underneath the terminator-like singlemindedness of the character .",
      "mann hits a new peak , orchestrating action , atmosphere and bruising humor with a poet 's eye for urban darkness .",
      "-lsb- jamie foxx is -rsb- the reason to see MOV , as he walks into the frame and walks off with the picture .",
      "taut , exciting and intelligent , MOV is just the movie this summer needed .",
      "arguably the first film mann has made that marries the painstaking style of heat and manhunter with the gripping substance of the insider .",
      "`` MOV '' is the type of film that viewers will enjoy if they can bring themselves to the theater .",
      "there 's another , more interesting movie lurking behind the pulp , glimpsed fleetingly in a stunningly-angled shot or a tantalizing line of dialogue .",
      "a stylish , impressively directed , smartly written thriller with superb performances by both cruise and foxx .",
      "MOV is , simply , a perfectly pitched popcorn movie .",
      "tom cruise and jamie foxx do terrific jobs with a great script and a director who definitely passes muster here . this is an enjoyable thriller .",
      "we 're supposed to be fascinated by what makes cruise 's vincent tick , but he turns out to be just a heavily armed gasbag .",
      "for vincent 's sharp-witted command of the cab and the echoes of the third man and heat , MOV is well worth targeting .",
      "vincent es demoledor , cínico , frío , calmo , un hombre solitario , un asesino que reflexiona sobre el sentido de la vida .",
      "perhaps the best premise for thrills since speed , only this time the bad guy 's on board and the battle of wits is more philosophical debate than pop quiz .",
      "a single la night compacted into two gripping hours of four big hits and one anticlimactic miss .",
      "a slim drink of thin beer , remarkable only as evidence that mann might have a modern masterpiece in him if he were cut loose and allowed to roam around in his own obsessions .",
      "the real delight is soaking up cruise 's acting . he is terrific .",
      "visually , ` MOV ' locates the post-apocalypse landscape growing within a city still waiting for its apocalypse .",
      "mann never lets the audience settle into familiar patterns , crafting a moody , mesmerizing battle between good and evil .",
      "MOV is the kind of sleek maserati that can make men weak in the knees , but the sad truth is that it has a straight-4 under the hood .",
      "this is a rare thriller that 's as much character study as sound and fury .",
      "a suspense thriller with little real suspense and few thrills .",
      "MOV stretches the bounds of coincidence , physical survival and the allure of a cabbie beyond all belief .",
      "arguably the best studio film of the summer .",
      "foxx 's performance is a revelation : he is completely convincing and understated , moving effortlessly through a wide range of ... conflicts both comical and severe .",
      "... first and foremost a director 's movie ... -lsb- one -rsb- that shows off mann 's endlessly restless eye -- and his flair for finding arresting images in the unlikeliest places .",
      "the film always looks great , even when it 's not .",
      "the best of studio filmmaking -lrb- big stars and intense action sequences -rrb- with all the better elements of innovative indie filmmaking -lrb- original conception and gritty production values -rrb- .",
      "although cruise is the star of MOV , foxx is the anchorman .",
      "most of the time we are with cruise and foxx , and their interplay is never less than galvanizing .",
      "with ` MOV , ' michael mann clearly demonstrates he 's a master at creating almost perfect filmic pace and exquisite movie suspense .",
      "the sort of movie that embarrasses others in its genre , showing how action / crime movies can be done when they 're handled by folks who really know what they 're doing .",
      "cruise gets out-foxxed and MOV develops more tension for the distinction .",
      "the movie is intense , not for the scenes of action , but for the way evil and decency fight it out on the conversational battleground of two men .",
      "if MOV 's occasionally far-fetched plot inhibits it from becoming state-of-the-art mann , it 's still a terrific piece of filmmaking .",
      "... MOV '' is very much an adult thriller - and this one is at the top of its form .",
      "from its classy , crisp opening moments , MOV bombards the viewer with bold imagery and sounds ... we are in mann country .",
      "if MOV is all formula , it 's polished to a fine sheen .",
      "flim flam funnyman , turned film man , jamie foxx , stole this film ...",
      "while cruise was clearly the draw , it is an unexpected foxx that carries the film ; denzel washington now has a reason to watch his oscar-winning back .",
      "it is a shame the film is n't more ambitious than it is , but that does n't mean you ca n't respect what it does accomplish .",
      "after that promising start , MOV ratchets down , gradually , to being only average .",
      "but for all intents and purposes this is a two character play on a bare stage ... and a damn fine one at that .",
      "slick , stylish and a silver cruise .",
      "a pure cinematic experience .",
      "there are many things to enjoy , from tom cruise 's surprisingly authoritative performance to the unpredictable plot .",
      "MOV '' is lean and mean . from a frenetic shootout in one nightclub to deadly betrayal over drinks in another , mann does n't waste a moment .",
      "a high-concept thriller with no other agenda . nevertheless , it is quite a ride .",
      "both actors and the director are having a great time and it shows in every frame .",
      "a welcome change-of-pace dramatic thriller , in which the formerly too-emphatic director hints at depth rather than insisting on it .",
      "i loved it .",
      "chic , solid filmmaking",
      "mann 's taxi driver saga may not quite reach the level of art but , anyway you cut it , it 's anything but standard fare .",
      "still a hell of a ride , but could 've used a smoother landing .",
      "MOV takes a premise that is otherwise flawed and makes it into one of the most compelling films of the summer .",
      "how does director michael mann capture urban twilight so well ?",
      "it 's a good thing mann is such a master director , because the script to MOV needs all the help it can get .",
      "enjoyably unbelievable .",
      "MOV crackles with energy and purpose , a propulsive film with character on its mind and confident men and women on both sides of the camera .",
      "a great , darkly seductive ride .",
      "a pretty cool idea , however , two or three `` unbelievabilities '' soured the film for me ; they might not for you .",
      "a master of grand operatic gestures , mann 's broad-sided portrayals of machismo do n't work when confined to a chamber piece .",
      "michael mann is to cinema today what miles davis was to music forty years ago : a consummate artist pushing both himself and his chosen art form to new levels",
      "this stylish yet restrained thriller finds michael mann indulging most of his best qualities and few of his worst .",
      "crackle -lsb- s -rsb- with atmosphere .",
      "no director today , not even martin scorsese , matches michael mann 's intensity or artistry when he examines how violence corrodes the soul .",
      "tom cruise is starring in another hit and , boy , does he look good - even with the white hair .",
      "there 's not always something definite to chew on , but there 's always an artist 's impulse behind it .",
      "this is a tense , first-rate thriller .",
      "the interesting parts of MOV never coalesce into a satisfying whole - and the enterprise falls apart in the finale .",
      "there are two or three movies in MOV , and they will appeal to different audiences",
      "at heart a philosophical allegory that pits cruise 's nihilism against foxx 's optimistic humanism",
      "for a big , dumb summer action film , MOV works . but as a taught psychological thriller , this taxi cab runs over a few pot holes .",
      "the story is gripping and the stakes are high ... until the ridiculous coincidence .",
      "it 's just a shame that MOV ultimately reverts to genre formula and robs its inventive paradigm of becoming established as a new standard .",
      "MOV takes us on a wild night ride through los angeles .",
      "MOV is a small , modest movie writ large by people so talented , they are n't capable of anything less .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- hauntingly good , surprisingly funny slam-bang thriller .",
      "a superior thriller with attitude to spare .",
      "a white-knuckler so well-realized that it nearly defies the limitations of its action-thriller genre .",
      "mann brings some of the style and assurance he brought to heat and thief .",
      "a fairly typical bang-bang exercise with outrageous shootouts , lots of dead bodies and well-placed comic relief .",
      "intelligent , elegantly written and well-acted .",
      "a little difficult to get into .",
      "mann has become a master builder of sequences , the opposite of the contemporary action directors who produce a brutally meaningless whirl of movement .",
      "this intensely focused piece soars not only on the director 's precision-tooled style but also on the outstanding interplay between leads tom cruise and jamie foxx .",
      "a fine summer movie .",
      "no one but tom cruise could have played the engaging sociopath riding through the sleazy , searing faded opulence of l.a. by night .",
      "the surprise inside the story is that if we see the film through the eyes of the assassin vincent it turns from a thriller into a shaggy dog story .",
      "un suspense qui a de la classe , du style et de l'intelligence ŕ revendre . dommage que le film sombre dans les pires clichés lors de sa finale .",
      "where is danny devito when you need him ?",
      "it 's a perfect musical mood mix-tape , until the film 's climax , where michael mann evokes a pop song cool on first listen but deadened by excessive airplay .",
      "an engrossing , low-key , character thriller about the collision of ruthless amorality , conflicted decency and masculinity in crisis . jamie foxx has arrived as a movie star .",
      "in a flick where soap operatic contrivances literally kill the mood , coincidental twist endings just ai n't cool",
      "foxx gives a humble yet powerful performance .",
      "the year 's best action thriller with excellent performances from its two leads and mann 's brilliant direction .",
      "-lrb- director michael mann -rrb- creates a noirish atmosphere in which you can almost smell the danger .",
      "could someone please let michael mann know that we 're in the 21st century , miami vice has been cancelled and he can move on ?",
      "a summer film for grown-ups , delivering verve and intelligence along with its pulsing visuals .",
      "a boffo piece of adrenaline-charged entertainment .",
      "a compulsively watchable movie that takes what could have been a standard-issue thriller and makes it feel thrillingly alive ...",
      "on paper , the plot for MOV looks like it could be any one of a hundred summer action flicks -- but onscreen , it 's one in a million .",
      "the dynamic between cabbie and killer is at the heart of this one , and though there are some great foot chases and gunfights , it 's the little details that make it work .",
      "cruise makes a believable bad guy , surprisingly menacing and completely convincing as a hard-hearted killer .",
      "nice guy tom cruise is bad - very bad - in michael mann 's new movie , MOV . and that 's good .",
      "one of the best action movies of 2004",
      "in a summertime season full of gee-whiz spectacle and generally mindless gizmos , it 's exciting to see an `` action flick '' this mature and refined and well-conceived .",
      "mann has made a solid film here , effectively atmospheric and intelligent , minor defects notwithstanding .",
      "foxx rises to the challenge , giving his best performance to date .",
      "the essence of mann .",
      "the story is compelling , the action fast and the acting very good .",
      "cruise 's performance is a fine one , nicely seasoned with just the right touch of piquantness .",
      "another winning michael mann character study -lrb- see : `` the insider , '' `` heat , '' `` thief '' -rrb- with jamie foxx revelatory in the lead .",
      "em um ano marcado por produушes medьocres , colateral acaba merecendo destaque - nсo por seus mжritos , mas por eliminaусo .",
      "i actually felt sorry for -lsb- cruise -rsb- ... because everybody on the screen was better , more natural and convincing , than he was .",
      "i do n't know how many different ways i can say that i love it .",
      "mann is not a playwright who films his work . he 's an instinctive visual intelligence ; a cinematic fauvist working with a coded color palette .",
      "... mann 's decision to shoot MOV using digital cameras is baffling , particularly when you consider how effectively he 's used film in the past .",
      "i empathized with foxx 's plight : MOV dragged me on a long , violent ride in the dark to nowhere .",
      "mann skips off convention like a stone on a river ... impassively observing his hitchcockian hero : dragged into action and struggling to save the day from a sympathetic devil .",
      "cruise turns in perhaps his best performance , flashing his trademark smile just once behind his raggedy , greying stubble .",
      "the west coast answer to scorsese 's -lrb- ` after hours ' -rrb- : both movies are soaked in urban moodiness and disillusionment ... rough-edged , often jarring and emotionally elusive ...",
      "sit back and enjoy the action ride of the summer .",
      "lands solidly in the worthwhile category , rather than the slush pile .",
      "tom cruise and jamie foxx give the movie tension and momentum , and director michael mann gives it something most action flicks lack : style .",
      "someone 's been playing a little too much hitman on their playstation 2 .",
      "a perfect hit .",
      "reminiscent of the orchestrated mayhem of vintage john woo , this is showpiece kinetic filmmaking .",
      "as realistic as an episode of hbo 's taxicab confessions , without that stimulating voyeuristic quality modern audiences crave .",
      "-lsb- mann -rsb- has unimpeachable visual flair ... spinning through camera angles to aptly demonstrate the disconnected , disjointed feel of l.a.",
      "... first and foremost a continuation of director michael mann 's love affair with nocturnal urban landscapes .",
      "-lsb- mann -rsb- covers up for the film 's entirely routine climactic chase with an innovative use of windows , glass and reflections .",
      "a roller-coaster ride of transient pleasures .",
      "though there are certain key moments that require a suspension of disbelief , that 's a small price to pay for such an expertly crafted film .",
      "a superbly well-structured screenplay and an unhurried , sure-handed directorial style . otherwise , alas , there 's not much to it .",
      "... foxx 's sublime performance is not to be missed .",
      "a pulverizing entertainment with a side order of existential dread -lrb- and if there 's any justice -- cruise 's riotously flat ` yo , homies ! ' will soon become a catchphrase . -rrb-",
      "a brilliant example of great characters and conversation .",
      "clearly one of the year 's most impressive and sustained directorial tour-de-forces .",
      "an audaciously empty-headed picture -- mann fiddling around with making a poem out of a sledgehammer .",
      "i got actual , physical chills , not just because the movie is nifty-cool , though it is certainly that , but because it is metal-cool , brrrr-cool , glass-panes-at-midnight cool .",
      "throughout the gruesome cat-and-mouse game being played by vincent and max in MOV , there 's something psychologically , dramatically and even sociologically interesting going on .",
      "a movie that 's unflinchingly real , carried by standout performances and an almost viciously alive digital style .",
      "in spite of a somewhat disappointing conclusion , MOV still delivers on several levels .",
      "while engaging the senses , it starves the brain ... the picture is all flash and no light -- but the flash is brilliant .",
      "it 's too bad that halfway through , MOV turns into a series of loud , chaotic , over-the-top action set pieces in which the existentialist mann proves he 's lousy at action .",
      "mann works intelligent , polished magic on a b-movie noir script that would -lrb- have been -rrb- a catch-phrase-fraught action-explosion flick in the hands of most big-budget directors .",
      "mann puts MOV through its paces so elegantly that even the most predictable scenes deliver a wallop .",
      "... a taut thrill ride that succeeds thanks to solid performances by foxx and cruise , and those ever-present michael mann visual touches .",
      "flawed but captivating .",
      "a refreshingly mature and stable actioner with a gritty confidence . there 's an urban subtle slickness about MOV that resonates so quietly and convincingly",
      "yet mann finds a way of easing into this material ; you appreciate his professionalism even as you roll your eyes .",
      "MOV is an engrossing thriller set in los angeles about a procrastinating cab driver whose life is transformed by his encounter with a merciless hit man .",
      "intriguing how each of 2 characters , wholly different in temperament , transferred some traits to the other within a single night .",
      "intense and unflinching , it 's paralyzingly seductive and suspenseful .",
      "a suspenseful , jolting and even thrilling ride .",
      "well-cast and well-acted , top to bottom .",
      "pitched between interludes of anxious intimacy and equally nerve-shredding set pieces , michael mann 's edgy new thriller scores its points with underhand precision .",
      "cruise thrills in his first killer role and has found a worthy collaborator in director michael mann .",
      "MOV , even though cowboyed up with implausible action in a couple of pivotal scenes , is that rarest of thriller . in this one , words can also kill .",
      "stylishly made , if less intellectually resonant than first-rate mann films like ali and the insider .",
      "a long nighttime ride with a hitman and a tight script that produces a dramatic punch at every third mile marker .",
      "where mann makes it his own is in his sharp , clean execution , visceral action scenes , and images saturated in the hyperintense colors of the neon and florescent night .",
      "cruise has almost nothing going for him this time around in the way of props , and even less than usual in the way of character .",
      "combines action film and film noir tropes and transforms present-day los angeles into a vertiginous , high-tech wilderness where it 's hard to distinguish the hunters from the hunted .",
      "unfortunately , mann and screenwriter stuart beattie are n't content to settle for a psychological thriller , they want their action , too , and that 's where the movie begins to go completely awry .",
      "MOV is n't a shockingly original motion picture . but the strength of the lead performances and the stylish direction of michael mann obscure the weaknesses in plotting and credibility .",
      "yet another lackluster late-summer thriller .",
      "it looks terrific -lrb- as usual -rrb- , and even when the movie does n't make much sense -lrb- pretty much all the time -rrb- it is addictive .",
      "feels a lot like the sort of stock , early - '80s thrillers that mann once tried to make extinct .",
      "gorgeous and entertaining .",
      "beautifully written , visually mesmerizing .",
      "though it is a far less ambitious entertainment than tarantino 's masterpiece , it has its moments .",
      "a stirring two-hour footnote to -lsb- mann 's -rsb- masterpiece heat .",
      "a sleek and suprisingly substantive crime thriller .",
      "... one of the best of the year .",
      "michael mann has whipped up a slick neo-noir , rife with mordant humor and hard-boiled action set in a town without pity",
      "MOV is an arrestingly written and acted dramatic thriller that refuses to cut easy corners for the majority of its running time . an enthralling experience .",
      "as violent thrillers go , MOV goes down quite nicely , stirring up hardly any acid reflux at all .",
      "outstanding performances and an air-tight script elevate this straightforward story into a formidable thriller .",
      "an expertly-made thriller .",
      "a throwback to mann 's 1995 heat .",
      "a thing of lean , cool beauty , the movie 's a killer showcase for foxx and cruise .",
      "cruise and foxx are great , and this is easily the most accessible michael mann film ever .",
      "cruise is great as the evil , heartless hit man -lrb- did nicole kidman write the script ? -rrb- .",
      "cruise and foxx are so good together because they allow the two characters to get under each other 's skin . they 're buddies and enemies at the same time .",
      "lo que la coloca un poco por encima del nivel promedio de este tipo de productos es la mano de michael mann , un director que filma muy bien cualquier asunto .",
      "-lsb- mann 's -rsb- still looking out the car windows for something to make a movie about as he 's filming the convictionless scenes .",
      "` mann logra un producto que si bien no es nada del otro mundo , su atmósfera y las actuaciones valen el precio de admisión '",
      "the first movie about l.a. at night that really looks like l.a. at night .",
      "` MOV ' is tom cruise 's movie , and he and it are impressive .",
      "we thought we would get just some action thriller . what we got was a vivid dreamscape , an intelligent character piece , and one of the best films of the year .",
      "director michael mann and his stellar cast have cobbled together a fast-paced flick that entertains , surprises and sizzles .",
      "a return to form for michael mann , hollywood 's master of the neo-noir genre .",
      "if there was ever an example of a movie 's visual language leaving its verbal and narrative components in the dust , this , unfortunately , is it .",
      "the dapper hitman who proceeds with icy precision on his deadly rounds , is symbolic devil 's advocate to this country 's challenged collective social conscience now",
      "a very superior thriller with excellent direction and utterly top-notch performances ...",
      "if anyone is ever to mount an argument for the superiority of video over film , this movie would of necessity be very near to the center of that argument .",
      "every bit as satisfying as a thriller should be , keeping us hanging at every turn . as the credits roll , we are out of breath .",
      "awesome vision and a compellingly villainous tom cruise save this cool contemporary noir from its lukewarm patches .",
      "the year 's best action thriller with excellent performances from its two leads and mann 's brilliant direction making something as pedestrian as a taxi ride a pulse-pounding thrill ride .",
      "a visually striking film from the unhinged , endlessly creative mind of michael mann .",
      "somewhere along the way , the gimmick and suspense had worn out leaving the only real gray matter as the product coloring cruises ' hair .",
      "powerful but violent thriller -- not for kids .",
      "mann takes a predictably clichéd , far-fetched crime yarn and transforms it into a fascinating thriller .",
      "it 's a solid servicable thriller , one that works throughout watching it but not one that stands particularly out from the bunch ...",
      "strong performances and mann 's muscular direction provide plenty of tension , atmosphere and action-packed teeth ."
    ],
    "summary": "driven by director michael mann 's trademark visuals and a lean , villainous performance from tom cruise , MOV is a stylish and compelling noir thriller .",
    "id": "12909"
  },
  {
    "movie": "primer",
    "reviews": [
      "a jigsaw puzzle made of pieces that may or may not fit together , it assumes the intelligence and interest of its audience , a brave move that pays off big .",
      "carruth challenges us to imagine the impossible , then asks us to consider the moral , ethical and spiritual implications of what we have witnessed , and put those considerations on equal footing with man 's desire to go where no man has gone before .",
      "even as MOV 's plot ends up seeming contrived , that is , arguably , the thematic point : stories are always unstable and untrustworthy .",
      "a smart , clever time-travel game played on audiences and with them",
      "i do n't need to be spoon fed , but unlock the kitchen for me , would you ? and get a new sound guy .",
      "it takes a lot for a movie to surprise today 's jaded , seen-it , bought-the - playstation-version sci-fi fan . MOV can . let it .",
      "it 's one thing to admire what writer/director/composer / actor shane carruth wrought on his $ 1.98 digicam budget ; it 's quite another to have to sit through the mind-numbing results .",
      "the ingenious debut of writer-director shane carruth , who assembled the film on his home computer and also plays one of the two leads , is purposely designed to be a little bewildering .",
      "it 's a tiny-budget indie film with an interesting sci-fi story premise . too bad the mystery overwhelms the humanity , so it does n't quite work .",
      "eerily , unswervingly transfixing .",
      "may be the most intellectually demanding motion picture of the year . some will find their mind satiated . others will leave angry . in one way or another , all will be baffled .",
      "despite its shortcomings , MOV remains watchable thanks to carruth 's dense and intriguing filmmaking .",
      "... MOV remains baffling virtually from start to finish - which is a shame , really , given that this does seem to be a really cool premise for a movie ...",
      "in the last act carruth seems to be wandering in search of a way out of his box and enters the space warp of sci-fi breakdown .",
      "a phd in physics might help you to understand this .",
      "definitely this is a demanding and puzzling film that does a lot with its miniscule budget .",
      "my experience watching MOV `` just once '' felt incomplete , thus so should my recommendation .",
      "its analog-egghead approach may be the freshest thing the genre has seen since 2001 .",
      "this flick has plenty going for it . you just have to be patient .",
      "extremely fresh and interesting -- a real gem of a first film .",
      "an unapologetically cerebral movie of ideas .",
      "may very well be one of the best american movies of the year , and i 'll be damned if i understood more than 40 percent of it .",
      "packs more ideas than a hundred big-budget studio films made for a thousand times more money .",
      "to enjoy the film you have to be willing to let your brain work overtime during every second of its 77-minute run , and even then you 'll miss things .",
      "if you 've seen memento , you 've some idea of the ingenuity on display here . for $ 7,000 dollars , could you make a better big screen film ?",
      "you can choose to be fascinated -lrb- like i was -rrb- , or just give up all together . either way , you got ta admit , these guys have guts .",
      "while MOV was not widely distributed and never found an audience , it is among the best speculative films of last year .",
      "unrelentingly boring .",
      "only after watching this film did i realize the even more amazing story .",
      "one of the best science fiction films i have seen , and certainly as one of the genre 's best in recent years .",
      "MOV is perfect sundance material , its bland , anonymous actors and competent , sprint-commercial mise-en-scčne masked in the guise of independence .",
      "` by avoiding cheesy revelations and typical characters arcs , carruth has created a small but intelligent film bursting at the seams with ideas . '",
      "some audiences may resent a film in which we ca n't feel superior to anyone , but there 's enough material here to keep you stuck at the water cooler for months .",
      "betrays its potential for greatness by sacrificing riveting storytelling for unbelievable obtuseness",
      "we are left with a fascinating , well-played story that dissolves in the end -- a pity , really , since it has so much potential up to that point .",
      "nothing in this film inspires audiences to go back and study its twisting turning events . instead it inspires plenty of head scratching and maybe a little irritation .",
      "essentially , it 's the story of weekend scientists who build a time machine in a suburban garage . but this nearly gets lost in a miasma of technical jargon and scientific conjecture .",
      "one of the most original and intriguing film debuts of the last few years .",
      "not recommended for entry-level time-travel theorists , but experienced ` chrononauts ' will meet themselves scratching their heads in amused puzzlement as they emerge from an earlier screening .",
      "shane carruth 's MOV is a science fiction movie like no other , pushing its experimental tendencies as far as they can go without betraying the genre",
      "confident and well-woven .",
      "even at a short 77 minutes , MOV is bloated , draggy , cumbersome , confusing , and almost entirely unengaging",
      "una joya de ritmo y de temática .",
      "one of the most wilfully obscure sci-fi movies ever made , MOV will either blow your mind or drive you out of it .",
      "if he could 've made some sense of it in the end , carruth 'd have a masterpiece on his hands .",
      "i did n't understand MOV ; worse yet , i did n't care .",
      "MOV est un film difficile ŕ détester , mais encore plus difficile ŕ pleinement apprécier .",
      "this no-budget brainteaser from dallas native shane carruth offers ample intellectual rewards .",
      "an ingenious first film made on a budget of about $ 7,000 by a former engineer and self-taught filmmaker about the perils of ingenuity .",
      "the movie is hard to describe and even harder to fully grasp . it 's not for everybody , but could be a cult hit amongst the pocket-protector crowd .",
      "this is science fiction for ... those who are n't afraid of entertainment that ruins the curve by being scarily smart ...",
      "whether you 're able to grasp how they do it is unimportant -lsb- you wo n't -rsb- , but being intrigued by the idea is what will rope you in to this one .",
      "the humorless , self-important narrative is so impenetrable , you 'd have to consult a synopsis to know they 're traveling back and forth in time in increments of a few hours , with unforeseen consequences .",
      "as inert and disinteresting as the base paint after which it 's named .",
      "the screenplay is convoluted but fascinating .",
      "a terrific little film about afterhours industry , tenderfoot genius and , of course , the evil in men 's souls .",
      "if this had been in greek and swahili without subtitles it could n't have been more incomprehensible . you will rarely spend 80 more excruciating minutes .",
      "an impressive , if muddled , first effort from writer-director-actor shane carruth .",
      "the oomph in this clever conceit comes from the intensity of its lead characters .",
      "a precocious and imaginative work -- though also a fairly impenetrable one .",
      "there are stumbles in this twisting science fiction tale about the perils of prescience , but even so , MOV is one of the most auspicious debuts in recent memory .",
      "a fascinatingly obtuse puzzle box that manages to be gripping even after it stops making sense .",
      "MOV has no respect for genuine mystery but relishes obfuscation as being really cool .",
      "alluringly knotty .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- is mullholland dr. for math geeks , memento for mad geniuses , or simply one of the most inventive films ever made for pennies on the hollywood dollar .",
      "MOV is a movie in desperate need of being dumbed down , or dumbed up , so all of us can get it .",
      "rarely has bafflement been so absorbing and fun .",
      "by turns inventive , confounding and obtuse , it does n't always work , but it challenges , nonetheless .",
      "this movie manages to be effective about a topic as complex and difficult to render as time travel .",
      "what 's impressive -- aside from the fact that carruth got the thing made in the first place -- is that the movie 's tone skates right between coherence and an appreciation for endless , even infinite possibilities .",
      "carruth 's worthy entry in the blair witch project/pi sweepstakes is inordinately clever in making the most of modest resources .",
      "this sci-fi brain-bender is n't for most , but it 's the most rewardingly rewatchable movie since memento .",
      "writer-director shane carruth makes a low-tech , low-budget entry into a staple of science fiction and manages to make it feel like a genre you 've never been to before .",
      "the movie is n't much more than a mash-up of frankenstein and in the company of men .",
      "a brilliant little indie thriller .",
      "carruth has made a fascinating first film and a solid foundation for things to come .",
      "the grand jury award for MOV is an embarrassment for sundance .",
      "a dense and dazzling science-fiction mind-bender unassumingly dressed up in a tech geek 's short-sleeved oxford shirt , pocket protector and safety goggles .",
      "a back-to-basics indie upstart that gets the job done well .",
      "once you move beyond the film 's rigorous braininess and authentic feel , you stumble into a thicket of overlapping dialogue , jump cuts and an unwillingness on the part of carruth to at least leave a trail of bread crumbs behind him .",
      "the real-deal dialogue as well as the tight , grainy shots make you feel like you 're eavesdropping on a big secret . and it adds a haunting quality viewers will find impossible to shake .",
      "it 's dense , and in a way that does n't begin to reward the effort required to untie it .",
      "the first thing shane carruth should have done as a director was fire himself as an actor , because i think he gives a terrible performance .",
      "almost by definition problematic and difficult to follow , and being hard to understand is not the same as being smart .",
      "love it or hate it , you wo n't be able to leave it alone .",
      "every frame of the way , it 's eminently clear that MOV is the work of an engineer , not a film - maker .",
      "intriguing but flawed .",
      "has such an engaging , offbeat first half that it 's all the more frustrating when it gets lost inside its own convolutions and delayed revelations .",
      "it has all the hallmarks of an amateur production : questionable sound and picture quality , crude performances , and dubious editing .",
      "like the ` time boxes ' in the film , ` MOV ' is a meticulously constructed and compact homemade wonder ...",
      "it 's a genuine achievement -- frustrating and opaque but hard to dismiss .",
      "tackles the most speculative subject , time travel , on a budget that would barely cover will smith 's sunglasses . and it does it with an intelligence and daring that should shame producers of superficial mega-budgeted fantasias .",
      "it is maddening , fascinating and completely successful .",
      "such a head-scratcher you might emerge from it with a doughnut hole in your temple .",
      "it 's different , that 's all , and it 's good because it 's different .",
      "it 's hard to always know what MOV is saying or where it 's heading , but it looks fantastic while it unfolds and you wo n't be able to forget what you 've witnessed .",
      "incredibly confusing but oddly compelling .",
      "shane carruth 's ultra-low budget , 78-minute sci-fi film could almost be a ` b ' movie from the past if not for its icy intelligence .",
      "this film imagines its viewers to be smart , possessed of a decent attention span and game for a challenge . it does n't happen all that often .",
      "where 's doc brown when you need him ?",
      "shot for a begged and borrowed $ 7,000 , ` MOV ' looks it : grainy-ish , fuzzy on details and effects , acting running the gamut from a to b , and clipped incomprehensible technobabble for dialogue .",
      "ridiculous , confusing , vaguely noir-ish nonsense .",
      "discombobulating and mind-bending sci fi thriller . i think .",
      "an exceptional science fiction film ...",
      "mind-bending thrillers like MOV are terrific viewing with your teenagers . maybe if you 're nice , they 'll explain the ending to you .",
      "oh , man , they do n't make 'em like this often . a film unabashedly for the nerds in the audience -lrb- god love us -rrb- , this is the type of film you could inflict upon your enemies , watching them squirm as they stare at the screen .",
      "scary , puzzling , and different .",
      "while some may find this talky and drably realistic film a bit heavy going ... MOV nonetheless hooks you with its crisp storytelling and ingenious premise .",
      "there have of course been time-travel movies before , but never one in which the ramifications are so visceral and raw .",
      "like watching something that 's always on the verge of being a movie .",
      "it 's refreshing to see something this different . and something this ambitious with its characters .",
      "worms its way into your good graces by reveling in workaday details that the typical science-fiction flick leaves out .",
      "in steady , assured hands and a well-thought-out script , time travel can make for sizzling tension and paradoxes that present mind-wringing puzzles .",
      "like that other deliberately obfuscatory film -- david lynch 's mulholland drive -- MOV sends you out of the theater convinced you 've seen something special even if you ca n't quite figure out what the heck it was .",
      "a thrilling , eventually hollow intellectual exercise . carruth 's a major talent -lrb- particularly his editing -- which surfs the edge of incoherence without ever quite capsizing . -rrb-",
      "so much of the picture is impenetrable that the intrigue always remains dangling-like a cat chasing a ball of string , it 's always just out of our reach .",
      "` MOV ' is so convoluted that it makes ` memento ' look like ` the straight story . '"
    ],
    "summary": "dense , obtuse , but stimulating , MOV is a film for viewers ready for a cerebral challenge .",
    "id": "10447"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mother_of_george_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "working from a script by playwright darci picoult , dosunmu fashions a tale that 's realistic , melodramatic and culturally specific , yet unmistakably archetypal .",
      "the imagery in mr. dosunmu 's film is consistently surprising and lush . even the straight-ahead portraits of his characters , used as emotional caesuras , are rich in colors and textures . but he 's a storyteller , too ...",
      "the film forgoes the usual neo-realistic approach toward this sort of material for a painterly , meticulously composed technique . the result is transfixing .",
      "human beings are mysterious and surprising . there is something irresistible about a movie that reaches that conclusion .",
      "director andrew dosunmu 's film is big-hearted and rich , frequently using slow motion to underscore an artful intimacy .",
      "a stunningly imagined account of african immigrant life in present-day brooklyn .",
      "an unexpected gem about true love , infertility and a meddling mother-in-law .",
      "darci picoult 's script renders all of these characters , if not always sympathetically , humanly and fully .",
      "oddly , the gradual pacing , with scenes that stress the pace of chill human interaction over narrative thrust , helps make the third act more powerful : the genuine catastrophe that results is made even more intense by the shagginess that preceded it .",
      "this is one of the most striking entries in the 2013 global wave of black cinema , but also admittedly one that poses hurdles to audiences with conventional expectations .",
      "we want to get as close as possible to these characters , but for all its admirable elements , the film that frames them keeps us frustratingly aloof .",
      "the poetic visuals create a disorienting sense of being at once immersed in the characters ' world and kept at a distance .",
      "it 's a powerfully sensual movie , gorgeously lensed colors and textures conveying its characters emotional states while thoughtfully exploring the range of human sexuality through adenike 's experience .",
      "just when it seems as if there are no new worlds for cinema to explore , a movie like `` MOV '' comes along to prove otherwise .",
      "there is a lot of wisdom in this film . there is strength in the old traditions , and error , too . in america , many people do n't have these old traditions to guide them . they are something to hold onto , and that is a comfort .",
      "after a while it 's hard to take dosunmu 's barrage of off-center compositions ... dialogue sequences that have the actor converse with empty space , and close-ups that reduce faces and objects to blobs of light .",
      "has the advantage of novelty and authenticity , but dosunmu 's ellipitical and self-consciously tasteful approach robs the material of some of its power ...",
      "an engaging immigrant drama of the traditional nigerian experience in nyc .",
      "serious cinema of the globalist sort .",
      "in the end , `` george '' becomes almost as irritating as that mother-in-law .",
      "it takes about 60 seconds before the elegant `` MOV '' has you firmly inside the world it has created .",
      "it 's a beautiful and heartbreaking film .",
      "when so many scenes are freighted with portent , one moment does n't feel any more significant than the last ... nothing the characters do is ever surprising ; one expected revelation and argument follows the other .",
      "the actors are both superb , conveying suppressed feeling through falters in their perpetual poker faces .",
      "beautiful , poetic , and hard-hitting without the use of excessive force and deeply layered with evolving and regional nuances of feminine experience .",
      "a glimpse of a nigerian couple living in brooklyn who are trying to get pregnant .",
      "simply relating the narrative of andrew dosunmu 's seductive immigrant drama MOV would do little to convey the film 's stark , poetic power , much less its extraordinary visual and sonic acumen .",
      "MOV is a seemingly straightforward film with some complex underlayers . why do we want what we want ?",
      "this world is ravishingly beautiful , but there 's also something oppressive about its exoticism . the color does n't just saturate the frame ; it thickens it .",
      "a colorful look at nigerians in brooklyn focusing on a woman 's climactic decision that will make or break her marriage .",
      "in -lsb- cinematographer bradford young 's -rsb- striking compositions , shapes and patterns repeat , colors convey meaning -lrb- watch how - and when - rust and purple appear in adenike , ayodele and biyi 's clothing -rrb- .",
      "frustrations one family faces between tradition and assimilation , freedom and obligation , success and personal fulfillment feels as movingly universal as culturally specific .",
      "from the acting ... to the music -lrb- especially strauss 's `` four last songs -rrb- , it is remarkably full of life .",
      "gurira acts with fire and pride and , at times , a despair bordering on instability .",
      "the cinematography by bradford young is rich-toned and lustrous , and the film , until it bogs down in melodramatics , has a sensual ease . we are not looking at these people from the outside . dosunmu pulls us deep inside .",
      "the movie 's an eyeful , and the filmmakers ' attention to surface texture results in passages of genuine eroticism .",
      "the whole cast is good , but the film would n't work without a great performance from gurira , who is of zimbabwean descent .",
      "the joy is in the detail of dosunmu 's film , the nuance of a relationship as richly complex as the african print dresses that adenike favours .",
      "MOV might work better with an operatic score , for all its brooding , pain , and masochism.arias , anyone ?",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- lushly detailed and passionately performed melodrama ..."
    ],
    "summary": "director andrew dosunmu 's style takes some getting used to , but MOV compensates with powerful acting , a thoughtful script , and gorgeous visuals .",
    "id": "771325036"
  },
  {
    "movie": "red_road",
    "reviews": [
      "if you think about it too closely , andrea arnold 's jarring feature debut does n't quite hold up . but chances are you 'll be so focused on her lead , kate dickie , that you wo n't even notice .",
      "scary and utterly original .",
      "it 's a fully realized portrait of a city , glasgow , a portrait of a smart , watchful woman who works as a security monitor and who has endured great loss ; and a portrait of the act and psychological implications of surveillance .",
      "... a moody , gritty exploration of working class glasgow that features terrific performances but suffers from an over reliance on misdirection and an underlying motivation which ... does n't sit quite right .",
      "for a voyeuristic medium , this tale of a voyeur does a poor job of prying into its own protagonist 's life .",
      "jackie 's story extends beyond her control , no matter what she sees , thinks she sees , or tries to see .",
      "a spellbinding , intelligent thriller that takes its time to get where it 's going but is well worth the trip .",
      "the measure of MOV is that it leaves us hungry for what comes next .",
      "i could n't get this film 's quiet power out of my mind .",
      "a must for movie lovers who want to see how so much drama , mystery and emotion can be created from so little .",
      "it should be noted that MOV contains one extremely graphic sex scene . but like much else that transpires in MOV , what is seen is not always what it looks like on the surface .",
      "some may find the denouement a tad sentimental , but it is a long , dark and twisted journey that takes us there , scrutinising the shadier contours of human loss and guilt like a grainy face on a screen .",
      "the glacially paced film is tersely episodic , and scenes are thrown onto the screen like jagged bits of raw meat that have been torn from a bone .",
      "it 's a jarring sensation , for a thriller not to be about the chase , or the mysterious force of evil lurking in the shadows , but about an intangible gulf dividing two people occupying the same room .",
      "though it 's paced as a thriller , the film ultimately emerges as a haunting exploration of how grief can weigh on us , and the depths to which it can drive us .",
      "an impressive debut that is orchestrated with a deep , underlying tension that never lets us guess what will come .",
      "like the peeping tom-paranoia of similar recent films disturbia and civic duty , this finely crafted debut feature by scottish writer/director andrea arnold packs a wallop .",
      "MOV is an atmospheric little thriller made up of equal parts paranoia , loneliness and anxiety .",
      "sets a chilling downer mood that gets under your skin like few films ever do .",
      "ancorado pelas performances complexas de dickie e curran , o filme traz a diretora estreante andrea arnold como uma revelaзгo a ser observada com atenзгo nos prуximos anos .",
      "despite some elemental flaws in logic and plausibility , this is a tense and potent film at times that hints at the sort of greatness that we can find to a greater degree in ms. arnold 's other works , wasp and fish tank .",
      "no drab stone is left unturned",
      "a strange sort of map of the city -lsb- is -rsb- spread across these fragmented cubes of visual information . and there 's also the metaphorical map of the characters ' lives , where they 're coming from and where they 're going .",
      "i like that you 're never sure where this road is going to lead .",
      "unfortunately , its superb performances and assured camerawork are overwhelmed by dubious psychology and a clichйd climax .",
      "a brilliantly conceived thriller that keeps us guessing right up to the very end , MOV intrigues but frustrates by its slow development and often incomprehensible scottish dialogue",
      "what this debut feature delivers in terms of storytelling and style , however , is n't just the promise of potential ; it 's the sign of someone hitting her stride straight out of the gate .",
      "arnold 's more successful than michael winterbottom -lrb- 9 songs -rrb- or even john cameron mitchell -lrb- shortbus -rrb- in unselfconsciously blending explicit sexuality within a narrative .",
      "the problem with this `` thriller '' is that it 's boring .",
      "by limiting our entry into jackie 's headspace , MOV feels disingenuously committed to sympathetically portraying her situation , partly using her circumstances as pretense for narrative suspense .",
      "it 's dynamite , the kind of sexy , paranoid , creepily atmospheric picture that invades all your senses at once .",
      "it 's incredibly tense .",
      "a tense and provocative thriller revolving around a past tragedy .",
      "sensual , dark in every sense , but a touch derivative , MOV reps an impressive feature debut for brit writer-helmer andrea arnold .",
      "MOV does not make easy viewing , yet emerges as compulsively watchable .",
      "a hypnotically absorbing suspense story in the patricia highsmith mold , MOV draws us in with doom-laden images of high-tech voyeurism before pummeling us with shock twists .",
      "andrea arnold 's MOV , from her own screenplay , is the director 's remarkable feature-film debut after three internationally well-received shorts , milk -lrb- 1998 -rrb- , dog -lrb- 2001 -rrb- and wasp -lrb- 2003 -rrb- .",
      "despite restrictive dogme conditions -lrb- it 's part of a series -rrb- , arnold , the only woman in 2006 cannes competition , has made a bold surveillance thriller that raises provocative questions about ethics and sexuality ; a companion piece to lives of others",
      "its style is its substance , featuring a lonely woman who stalks a man , her motive revealed only at the conclusion of the story .",
      "in a triumph of filmmaking , arnold has endowed a tale of female rage with disquieting social resonance .",
      "if you survive the first hour without nodding off , you may find , as i did , that ` MOV ' is a thought-provoking story of revenge , heartbreak and forgiveness .",
      "what makes this multi-layered masterpiece memorable is jackie 's convincing transformation from damaged goods into a wanton temptress conflicted about whether or not to use her body to gain the confidence of this recently-paroled ex-con . revenge as the swe",
      "arnold impose un rythme réglé au quart de tour positionnant les enjeux dramatiques du récit dans une situation de constante évolution ,",
      "arnold 's strong grip on her material and her absolute trust in her fearless actors yield rich rewards from dark psychological terrain .",
      "this prickly sketch of a vengeance born out of loneliness and alienation carries the weight of horror of the everyday ...",
      "MOV is a knockout first feature from andrea arnold ... her intimate thriller raises moral questions as it ponders guilt , revenge and redemption .",
      "jackie -lrb- kate dickie -rrb- works as a cctv operator . each day she watches over a small part of the world , protecting the people living their lives under her gaze . one day a man appears on her monitor , a man she thought she would never see again , a man she never",
      "it 's a wonderful debut , despite all the pain you may feel watching it .",
      "MOV is a promising debut by a talented director , but with luck , next time , arnold will be in a real position of authority , and not just manning someone else 's watchtower .",
      "those willing to work their way through a woman 's halting effort to overcome grief will find it a sensitive and engrossing film , though not always an entirely plausible one .",
      "with assured performers , handheld cameras and natural lighting -- the abcs of the dogme method -- -lsb- andrea -rsb- arnold has given this ambitious undertaking a provocative start .",
      "dickie -lsb- gives a -rsb- mesmerizing performance",
      "dickie is intense in her screen debut , which requires her to be in nearly every scene . the supporting cast is strong , and robbie ryan 's handheld camera provides gritty ambiance for this taut thriller .",
      "her coolly dispassionate , entirely harrowing approach mixes gritty realism with a grimly understated violence that perfectly suits the subject she 's chosen to explore .",
      "the acting in ` MOV ' is understated and superb , however that does n't compensate for the overall dreariness of this film .",
      "-lsb- director arnold -rsb- drops the voyeurism theme almost entirely , a bait-and-switch that does n't cripple MOV so much as snip off its richest and eeriest thread .",
      "a detailed character study that yanks us into the emotions of someone we might not glance at twice if we saw her on the street .",
      "a haunting treat and taut tale that combines civic surveillance with voyeurism , revenge with eroticism .",
      "a woman-directed film that aspires to compete on that predominantly male turf , not with an opposing and challenging female perspective , but by stepping up to the plate to make a sexually voyeuristic , sluttier than thou movie about women .",
      "it is a film that stealthily pries open the most hardened hearts , defying expectations and offering us a heroine we realize we cherish about 30 seconds after we finally decide we like her .",
      "despite the thick scottish accents , filmmaker andrea arnold kept me intrigued , but beyond a certain point the movie 's ambiguity fades into indifference .",
      "this psychological thriller does have a few effective moments . however , it goes a little further - too far , in fact . there are some sexually explicit moments in this that would likely garner an nc-17 rating had it been submitted to the u.s. ratings board .",
      "MOV feels like a descent into hell .",
      "this flawed but arresting film boasts an ` atmospheric and intense thriller ' air and intentionally leaves minor points open to stimulate discussion .",
      "a slow-burning but enticing thriller , it captures its working class glaswegian setting in absorbing detail .",
      "MOV is a portrait of a voyeur , and it invites us to become voyeurs of the voyeur .",
      "a thoroughly original gritty urban drama set in glasgow that covers surveillance , urban loneliness , grief , and empathy .",
      "a sexy and cunningly disorienting thriller that provokes the viewer into a state of anxious participation from first to last frame .",
      "specific and real -- punishingly so .",
      "though not flawless , this is a compelling study , in dogme style , of a wounded young woman who spends her working life spying on others .",
      "kate dickie turns in an intense , layered performance as jackie . considering the fact that she barely speaks a word in the course of the film , it 's especially impressive .",
      "strong performances by curran and dickie and by martin compston and natalie press as clyde 's roommates make MOV worth a look .",
      "an odd , unsatisfying meditation on grief .",
      "a lynne ramsay-esque scottish handwringer in that it could possibly make you want to come home and take your own life . that was a compliment , in case you were n't sure .",
      "a strong story -- involving and moving and probably a little too long .",
      "thankfully , arnold 's talent is more convincing than her storyline .",
      "that devilish idea machine lars von trier reached into his bag of tricks and came up with the advance party project .",
      "what we have here is one of those very long , very slow dramas that might just have worked if the inevitable twist ending had been worth sticking around for . but it is n't .",
      "katie dickie gives an astonishing performance as jackie , displaying a cold , brittle exterior that occasionally cracks to reveal both pain and passion in equal measure .",
      "an extraordinarily mature and thoughtful film .",
      "it 's impossible to predict when the next two-thirds of this advance party concept triptych are going to look like . but with characters like these -- and actors like these -- it 's easy to be optimistic about the stories they still have to tell .",
      "the queasy mixture of sympathy and curiosity that MOV evokes is evidence of a talented , risk-taking filmmaker discovering her power .",
      "where it excels is in capturing the dead end hopelessness of glasgow 's boozers and tower blocks ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV director andrea arnold skillfully parses out just enough plot details at a time to keep the audience engrossed in this seductive thriller .",
    "id": "371353860"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1068779-dead_man_walking",
    "reviews": [
      "it will send you home with more than a few long thoughts .",
      "a tour de force acting performance by sarandon .",
      "this feels like a giant cop-out .",
      "its final moments leave us awash in emotion .",
      "an entirely superb experience at the movies , but never have we seen anything on the big screen reduce grown men to tears like this drama .",
      "an extremely affecting experience",
      "one of the best things a film can do is make us reflect on our convictions and beliefs . MOV powerfully forces this reflection through its compellingly ambiguous subject matter and superb performances by sarandon and penn. .",
      "sarandon , who won the oscar for best actress for this role , is superb , but penn is extraordinary .",
      "the picture is cloudy in intent .",
      "robbins , who also wrote the script , is no truman capote , let alone a victor hugo , and his film trips up constantly on indecisiveness about what it is he 's trying to say .",
      "expresses a heartfelt opinion on the death penalty without seeming either preachy or one-sided .",
      "penn gives an astonishing performance and delivers exactly what MOV needs .",
      "robbins and susan sarandon , have crafted a film that transcends its own political message by a scrupulous attention to detail .",
      "a thought-provoking drama not to be missed or dismissed .",
      "a profoundly affecting film that will touch you deeply and perhaps even prompt you to re-examine your notions about the issues at hand .",
      "its objectivity is what makes it so controversial and fascinating .",
      "has the distinction of including not one , but two of the greatest screen performances of all time ... undeniably one of the most gut-churning emotional experiences of 1990s cinema ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "a powerful and provocative film -- not quite a work of art , maybe , but close enough to demand your respectful attention .",
      "tim robbins 's balanced yet uncompromising approach refuses to judge any of the characters , including the killer -lrb- superlatively played by sean penn -rrb- , instead giving each a fair chance to present their case with dignity and respect .",
      "to say that the movie is neither for nor against capital punishment is disingenuous . still , this is a fine and painful effort overall .",
      "the movie is neither indulgent in its portrayal of emotionally-charged subject matter , nor does it shy away from the consequences of murder .",
      "MOV is one courageous film , one of the very best of its time .",
      "MOV was worth the river of tears i waded through on my way out .",
      "penn proves once again that he should stop writing and directing and stick to what he does best .",
      "the best film ever made about walking the green mile . the performances of penn and sarandon will move you .",
      "it takes a truly great film to be so passionate about its viewpoint while still acknowledging and dignifying those who feel differently .",
      "MOV is a provocative , well-made film on a surprisingly intelligent level .",
      "takes us along on the reluctant , difficult , essentially spiritual journey these two unlikely people make together .",
      "this important film exposes the cruelty of death by lethal injection and shows that hate is the worst prison of all .",
      "crime and punishment are depicted in cruelly unflinching detail in tim robbins ' deadly earnest , intermittently powerful death-row drama .",
      "one of the deepest human films in a long time , one that does n't back down from baring the human soul and exploring the vastness of its complexities .",
      "an intelligent , balanced , devastating movie .",
      "MOV is one of these rare films that really makes you think and gives you things to discuss . but if it is indeed an important film , it 's also well crafted and gripping .",
      "an incredibly moving meditation on capital punishment that takes on the unenviable task of showing it from all sides , and then being smart enough to let the audience decide for themselves .",
      "intense yet subtlely handled on every level , MOV is one of the most remarkable and memorable films of 1995",
      "one of the most finely scripted , well acted films to come out of hollywood . a modern masterpiece .",
      "acting rarely gets better than this .",
      "it will make you think about its specific subject matter -- capital punishment -- in emotional , moral , social and political contexts , all intertwined and none reducible to right or wrong .",
      "a painfully honest portrayal of the dark side and the dignity a decent person can bring to the most horrific of situations .",
      "MOV could easily be manipulative or exploitative , but it 's neither . instead , this is hard-hitting drama that neither accepts nor offers quarter .",
      "absorbing , surprising , technically superb and worth talking about for a long time afterward",
      "this makes you think harder about crime and punishment than , say , the green mile , delivering uneasy truths rather than comforting melodrama .",
      "a daring stand and a daring , uncompromised film .",
      "do n't go unadvised , and do n't plan anything too frivolous for right afterwards . but do go .",
      "is the finest , least compromised film about capital punishment ever advancing a gently stated ` anti ' view but going the extra 100 miles to give victims their due .",
      "it probably is n't for everyone , but MOV is a tale that needs to be heard and that will likely provide material for hours of philosophical debate ."
    ],
    "summary": "a powerful , thought-provoking film that covers different angles of its topic without resorting to preaching , MOV will cause the viewer to reflect regardless of their political viewpoint .",
    "id": "16611"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ghost_in_the_shell",
    "reviews": [
      "i confess i find it too opaque to make the kind of investment that would qualify me as a real fan . but it should be seen .",
      "this is a work of profound and melancholic beauty ; every bit as essential in the 21st century as it was in the 20th .",
      "not about haunting impermanence but hollowness and fluidity . surveillance-camera and cyborg-eye shots make us feel like we 're in an electronic casing , looking out . and both gender and the physical body are fluid and temporary shells .",
      "for sheer mind-expanding sci-fi strangeness this is hard to beat",
      "MOV is an ultra-violent , rocket-paced film-over and out in just over 80 minutes-but it 's a poetic one , too .",
      "occasionally MOV shows its age and the added cgi elements , while appropriate for the story , also help make this film feel more dated than it might have otherwise .",
      "it 's that rare example of spectacle and substance meshing beautifully .",
      "MOV stands as one of the pioneering films of anime history , one that captures the imagination with its intricate story and dazzles the eyes with its gorgeous animation .",
      "thrilling , compelling , moving and visually splendid , this is n't just a classic anime , it 's a great film .",
      "this is exactly the kind of film that james cameron would make if they ever let him through the disney front gates .",
      "thoughtful sci-fi anime",
      "a complex , rich animated vision .",
      "staggeringly cool anime adventure .",
      "i was pleasantly surprised .",
      "if you try focusing on the plot particulars , ghost is frustrating and , despite the gunfire , not entirely dramatic . but as a piece of dark art , it 's substantial and successful .",
      "mamoru oshii 's direction deftly merges gritty realism with a dreamlike quality .",
      "MOV is another ` japanamation ' feature , with a science-fiction story that is a bit more interesting than most , though it is also overly complicated and occasionally confusing .",
      "i enjoyed its visuals , its evocative soundtrack -lrb- including a suite for percussion and heavy breathing -rrb- , and its ideas .",
      "conjures up a dazzling , futuristic cityscape that , sadly , is not matched by the human landscapes at the heart of the story .",
      "this cyberpunk policier does n't make much sense on a narrative level , but the visuals are gorgeously designed and sometimes genuinely breathtaking .",
      "surprisingly less interesting than its sequel",
      "a fairly entrancing vision of a human race overrun by evolving artificial intelligence .",
      "adds an intriguing philosophical dimension to the cyber-thriller genre .",
      "o visual e a qualidade da animaзгo sгo incrнveis , e a histуria й bastante criativa .",
      "one of the best productions i 've seen from its genre .",
      "its animation is so rich in meticulous and sumptuous detail that it blows previous japanese landmarks like akira simply out of the water .",
      "it 's the ideal movie for animee virgins , and will be a hit with the medium 's hardcore fans , too .",
      "ultimately MOV remains a hard sell , with sluggish pacing and sloppy storytelling effectively smothering the strengths of this lackluster effort ."
    ],
    "summary": "a stunning feat of modern animation , MOV offers a thoughtful , complex treat for anime fans , as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the genre .",
    "id": "12996"
  },
  {
    "movie": "live_die_repeat_edge_of_tomorrow",
    "reviews": [
      "feels sharper and more clever than it might have been in other hands , and for a big summer star vehicle , that 's surprise enough .",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- lows through any questions we might have about its premise with an almost unstoppable sense of narrative propulsion and a particularly nasty comic hook .",
      "this , ladies and gentleman , is what we call a summer blockbuster .",
      "the best action movie of the summer ... combining its innovative sci-fi premise with the type of high-gauged action james cameron delivers so effortlessly .",
      "a nicely assembled sci-fi film that is breezily exciting if never intellectually challenging .",
      "edge of tomorrow will leave you breathless and grinning . simply put , this is why we go to the movies .",
      "tom cruise stars in this cleverly crafted and propulsively executed sci-fi thriller about a soldier forced to relive the same day over and over again .",
      "although the humor helps , the groundhog day-like repetition gets tedious ; it makes you feel more like a hamster than a groundhog - or rather a hamster 's wheel , going round and round , over and over again .",
      "edge of tomorrow remains as an unadulterated , captivating thriller , which revels in being such unreservedly good fun .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' is slick , but once its fancy plot dressing takes form , it has little more to offer aside from a few impressive action sequences and the infallible grin of its nimble lead .",
      "a surprising and unforgettable adrenaline rush and is so far the summer 's best action film .",
      "a terrific , fast-paced action flick . -lrb- please ignore the terrible title , trailer and ad campaign . -rrb-",
      "edge of tomorrow is n't without its faults ... but those are minor annoyances for a film that proves to be such a satisfying breath of fresh air in a summer packed with sequels .",
      "the film 's second half , however , disappoints in many respects .",
      "this is a movie with a lot on its mind . perhaps too much .",
      "-lsb- cruise -rsb- delivers a one-man master class in his own fascinatingly protean screen presence .",
      "edge of tomorrow is clever enough that the viewer does n't have to feel embarrassed sitting in the audience but not so clever that there 's no fun to be had .",
      "i liked it well enough , but felt like i had seen it before , again and again .",
      "it works in both action and humor and deftly handles what could have been an overly complicated story .",
      "the whole thing should go down quite nicely with popcorn . it wo n't change the course of cruise 's career , but at least it mixes up the formula .",
      "is this great art ? of course not . but it 's a kick .",
      "smart , unpredictable , expertly designed , shot and edited , well acted and boasting impressive special effects , `` edge of tomorrow '' is science fiction and the summer blockbuster done right .",
      "... thrilling and unexpectedly comedic ...",
      "if you can believe that repetitions of death/life can be used as a slow build toward gaining on an invincible enemy , you 'll appreciate that this creative team has made a movie in which there is n't a dull moment .",
      "tom cruise : in regards to oblivion ? all is forgiven .",
      "there is a good bit of humor in the movie and the performances of cruise and blunt are spot on , with good supporting work from bill paxton , who plays a very hard-headed sergeant .",
      "keeps the pace and dialogue snappy enough for a classic screwball comedy , at least until the inevitable overkill of the boom-bastic finale , centered on an alien-infested louvre .",
      "one of the best , most intelligent , most exciting and surprisingly funny special effects-laden epics i have seen in several summers . a model of cinematic craftsmanship from page to screen .",
      "the financial failure of edge of tomorrow represents the greatest inverse relationship between quality and ticket sales since twilight sent breathless teen girls storming into theatres .",
      "is it possible we owe tom cruise a collective apology ?",
      "the metaphorical overlay of fantasy and history is the best thing edge of tomorrow has to offer -- and , for much of its running time , that overlay is enough to lend the movie a shiver of curious power .",
      "it features all the best qualities of memorable summer-movie thrillers - it 's clever , cool and quirky to the point of almost being a bit silly - and when you leave , you may consider re-living the experience all over again .",
      "edge of tomorrow will get the easy comparisons to groundhog day but it 's also exactly the kind of punchy sci-fi adventure that goes best with salty popcorn and a willing audience .",
      "witty , clever , thrilling - it could easily turn out to be the blockbuster of the year .",
      "proves a summer blockbuster does n't have to be based on a mainstream comic book or a sequel to be just as exciting , thrilling and entertaining .",
      "edge of tomorrow is everything you wish summer blockbusters were - strong , charismatic central performances anchoring excellent fx work in the service of a well-constructed and smart story",
      "ultimately , this is a two-hour video game . but the filmmakers play it well .",
      "comparisons to harold ramis ' beloved and profoundly humane groundhog day are misguided . edge of tomorrow does n't have a humanistic pixel in its digitally bloated body .",
      "smarter and funnier about its central conceit that you might expect and with a pair of great performances , -lsb- its -rsb- only serious flaw is a final act that ditches all the science-fiction stuff for a murkily shot and relatively unimpressive conclusion .",
      "cruise is better than he 's been in a while because he damps down his usual all-intensity-all-the-time mo. . he 's best here when his character seems the most scared .",
      "highlighted by a good time travel story , fine acting by cruise , and well-paced directing by liman , for a futuristic , special-effects laden film , this is one of the best",
      "edge of tomorrow does n't go far enough in some respects , but its unique stylistic approach makes the experience an overall satisfying one .",
      "appealing but violent sci-fi thriller explores time , fate .",
      "blunt makes us believe utterly in her fierce warrior mindset and her physical skills , and cruise has a blast transforming his helpless coward into a mean fighting machine .",
      "the matrix revolutions meets groundhog day , edge of tomorrow is tom cruise 's most entertaining film in years .",
      "` groundhog day ' was a great film but ` battle : los angeles ' was a lousy one and this feels like a combination of both .",
      "an entertaining version of a video store clerk making a love connection between the boxes for groundhog day and starship troopers .",
      "moderately engaging , but not up to the level of truly outstanding summer action fare . you could say that it 's on the very edge of being a winner .",
      "a fresh premise , engaging chemistry and incredible sci-fi action make it the surprise movie of the summer .",
      "it 's `` aliens '' meets `` groundhog day '' meets `` starship troopers '' meets `` source code '' , and each of those films ' best traits are expertly deployed into `` edge of tomorrow '' .",
      "doug liman directed , making the most of every opportunity for a quick cut , a good laugh and a new surge of adrenaline .",
      "it 's the writing and plotting in `` edge of tomorrow '' that sucks . not the staging of scenes . not the film 's sense of humor . not the film 's quality action sequences .",
      "it succeeds on modest terms , yet it 's certainly not worth repeating over and over .",
      "clever and fast-paced with a welcome streak of dark humor , this sci-fi actioner is undeniably entertaining , if ultimately not terribly substantial .",
      "cruise and blunt take you on a -lrb- literally -rrb- loopy ride that 's entertaining and does n't wear out its welcome .",
      "tom cruise once again shows why he 's still a movie star in this exciting , inventive and witty sci-fi actioner .",
      "it 's an exceptionally entertaining , consistently humorous , and surprisingly moving story sporting top-notch visual effects ...",
      "more story than testosterone , more time-jump-cuts than spacey filler , and more war-as-hell than war-as-cool . leaves you pondering if we 're ` masters of our fate ' or just action-figures going through the emotions in some supreme player 's idea of a war game .",
      "a big , bright , loud and occasionally smart entertainment , and well worth seeing once - although not , perhaps , every day for the rest of your life .",
      "edge of tomorrow is an ingenious action-comedy about how frequently movie heroes would actually die if they attempted that much crazy s *** .",
      "this is not a run-of-the-mill genre yarn in the vein of countless modern sci-fi blockbusters , but a fascinating and enjoyable vehicle that creates an ambitious illusion .",
      "edge of tomorrow is perfect summer escapism and the best cruise film since 2002 's minority report .",
      "how good this genre of film is depends on how the actors , writers and the director get from predictable a to z . this one does it perfectly .",
      "tom cruise is the most committed movie star around and he 's a major reason this original , big-budget picture works as well as it does .",
      "for all those that complain they do n't make them like they used to , i recommend you get to the biggest screen you can find , buy copious amounts of popcorn , and enjoy this slice of summer movie-going fun .",
      "a lot of talent and craft wasted on non-stop exposition trying to justify a plot conceit we 'd already accepted . meanwhile , the actual aliens are vaguely rendered and abstract .",
      "seen as it must be , in imax 3d , the movie rears up before you in a formidable display of pure commercial will . it 's actually a lot of fun .",
      "light on its feet and crisply edited , an endearing dalliance with the art of storytelling .",
      "in many ways , this movie feels like a video game , and as anyone who has ever picked up a controller will tell you , the dude who has an infinite-lives cheat-code will eventually win the game .",
      "just when everybody was ready to count tom cruise 's career out for the count , not only is he back , but back again and back again and back again , ad infinitum !",
      "all in all , a perfectly superior example of industrially fortified hollywood fun , and as good a guarantee as doug liman can offer that we have n't seen the last of him yet .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' is laced with action and humor ; the action coming during the various sequences on the beach , the humor with cage reliving every day and confounding his fellow soldiers . ...",
      "tom cruise is the last movie star , fortunately , he 's in edge of tomorrow , making it better despite itself .",
      "a delirious descent into blackly funny futility .",
      "endlessly entertaining and ceaselessly innovative .",
      "a satisfying chunk of sci-fi entertainment , breezily but carefully directed by doug liman to be a cerebral summer spectacle .",
      "'' ... represents the deconstruction - and then the hurried , harried reconstruction - of tom cruise . ''",
      "despite some quibbles , edge of tomorrow delivers the goods with ferocity and a funny bone , capturing intensity through the colorful details of involuntary rehearsal .",
      "fluidly directed , ferociously acted , and intelligently written , it even takes the time to consider such lofty issues as the ennui of immortality and the nature of reality as it blows up nifty monsters from outer space . blows them up real good .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' is a total blast .",
      "the filmmakers constantly keep things fresh and inventive , providing us with a different perspective of cage 's learning curve .",
      "fast , exciting , surprisingly witty and just plain satisfying . . the first really exciting movie of the summer-the most original , the most invigorating and the most entertaining .",
      "the rest of the cast has less to do because this is tom cruise 's movie through-and-through , but they 're all given moments of humor , terror or simple eccentricity .",
      "hopefully , it will cause other filmmakers to realize you need more than a lot of blasts to make a summer movie - you also need to be a blast , which ` edge ' most definitely is .",
      "liman has a gift for off-center authenticity -- even amid the orchestrated chaos of a major studio fx picture .",
      "i 'm not sure `` edge of tomorrow '' holds much repeat viewing potential among teenage movie consumers , since the movie 's a self-repeating entity to begin with . but once is fun .",
      "intriguingly effective and exhilarating , delving into an eternal recurrence .",
      "the tag line alone - `` live . die . repeat . '' - guarantees $ 30 million at least on opening day . it will deserve every penny .",
      "an entertaining , effects-driven black comedy , with shades of starship troopers in its depiction of warfare as a futuristic turkey shoot , the movie is distinguished more by how fluidly it handles its high-concept premise than where it takes it .",
      "no , `` edge of tomorrow '' does n't reinvent the cinematic wheel , but it cruises along , pun intended , by merging familiar ideas into something that 's engaging and original .",
      "this is a movie about tom cruise working very , very hard to please the world .",
      "edge of tomorrow is the best kind of sci-fi : smart , engaging , witty , exciting , and an entertaining joyride from start to finish .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' aims for heights of suspense and often reaches them .",
      "there 's no question that doug liman 's `` edge of tomorrow '' is a solid one hour and 40 minute movie . too bad it runs one hour and 53 minutes .",
      "certainly , the fate of the world -lrb- tm -rrb- is at stake , but it says quite a bit about liman and mcquarrie that they can still bedazzle a frayed and worn out genre .",
      "edge of tomorrow is acceptable escapist entertainment whose unexpected plot developments give it much-needed originality . the action scenes are handled with expected skill , the heroes are intrepid and the creatures are suitable nasty and vicious .",
      "why do invading extra-terrestrials always bring with them the single thing that can wipe them out ? could n't they have hid it on jupiter or something ?",
      "the whole thing begins to feel like a giant-screen videogame - with the gamer getting a little further , a little deeper , with each new push of the start button .",
      "effective , enjoyable , and even funny where it counts , edge of tomorrow lacks the smarts and the gravitas to do its gimmicky premise justice . but , like an exoskeleton-assisted haymaker , it gets the job done .",
      "tom cruise might be the only great action movie hero left in this business .",
      "if you 're looking for an action film that 's not your standard , brainless excuse for cinematic mayhem , ` edge of tomorrow ' may just fill the bill . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "if you like tom cruise , then you will like `` edge of tomorrow , '' and if you do n't like tom cruise , then you will like it even more .",
      "the first two acts are excellent , but the film loses steam as the action slows and the story becomes ever more familiar and less inventive .",
      "finally , a summer movie . edge of tomorrow is an engaging and exciting sci-fi film that has a lot of fun with its premise .",
      "groundhog day re-imagined as a sci-fi war game .",
      "funny , suspenseful and terrifically imaginative , edge of tomorrow is a thinking-person 's action film .",
      "one of tom cruise 's best in years , edge of tomorrow steers clear of its source material 's heaviness and just tries to entertain , which is does in spades , packing in the action and director liman 's gallows wit approach to a groundhog day premise .",
      "the concept of repetition is quite brilliantly done . it never feels `` that gag again ?! '' .",
      "liman takes the movie 's `` groundhog day meets independence day '' premise -lrb- adapted from hiroshi sakurazaka 's novel all you need is kill -rrb- and runs with it a way that makes it more compelling than it theoretically should be .",
      "director doug liman -lrb- `` the bourne ultimatum '' -rrb- does a nice job of taking a script credited to three screenwriters and mixing in moments of humor with mostly non-stop action .",
      "liman 's the brains behind the bourne franchise , so one approaches the picture with great expectations of breathless action , depth of character and narrative dazzle . one is in for great disappointment .",
      "a reminder that the best kind of idiot fun comes from a place of very pointed intention , snug filmmaking , purposeful writing and acting .",
      "this is a movie that is constantly ahead of the audience , where smart characters do smart things to thwart a seemingly smarter menace .",
      "though lacking the overall conceptual sophistication of modern time-warping classics such as looper and inception , edge of tomorrow is still more than capable of applying an unshakable grip upon the viewer from start to finish .",
      "this film would have been well-made regardless of its casting , but the pairing of tom cruise and emily blunt is an inspired one .",
      "liman eschews the not-so-subtle `` we 're - killing-our-planet '' message of similar films to let his movie progress without preaching . edge of tomorrow manages to keep us interested while not insulting our intelligence .",
      "even if the war sequences lean a bit too heavily on saving private ryan-style chaos and the mimics never blossom beyond generic extraterrestrial monsters , liman 's approach proves more than efficient for a pulse-pounding thrill ride .",
      "liman is a true master of the genre , and with cruise and blunt standing in the crosshairs of the viewfinder , edge of tomorrow not only works as pure escapism , it feels like a first-class ticket .",
      "think `` groundhog day , '' but more serious and with a sci-fi motif , and you 'll get the idea of `` edge of tomorrow . ''",
      "edge of tomorrow is clever and even poignant during its first two-thirds .",
      "a fairly eye-popping futuristic war story with a clever -lrb- to a point -rrb- structure .",
      "we need more intelligent blockbusters that are based on original properties , and supporting films like edge is the only way to get them . or do n't see it - but do n't whine to me when you have to sit through transformers 10 .",
      "liman and his screenwriters - christopher mcquarrie -lrb- `` the usual suspects '' -rrb- and jez and john-henry butterworth -lrb- `` fair game '' -rrb- - make their concept feel fresh with smart setups and ambitious -lrb- if underdeveloped -rrb- themes .",
      "a frenetic burst of energy that thrills and enthrals while carrying zero baggage",
      "walks a tricky tightrope : we chuckle when rita shoots cage like a fallen racehorse so the day can restart , but every time he jolts back to life we feel for his gulping , startled agony .",
      "the sharp script makes ineffectual carnage pretty hilarious , with laughter due in part to the fact we 've seen so much of tom cruise in bs battle mode there 's something cathartic about watching him die on a loop .",
      "terrific . best of the summer . cruise oozes charisma and has real chemistry with blunt .",
      "the 51-year-old cruise clearly relishes playing the flawed hero - one who gets to be smarmy , duplicitous , exasperated , intimidated , bad-ass and wise .",
      "we should pause to give sincere thanks to the film : on top of its cred as sheer big-screen entertainment , there 's no prospect of an edge of tomorrow sequel or prequel , or of it being spun out into a franchise - and how friggin ' rare is that these days ?",
      "if ` groundhog day ' and ` district 9 ' had an offspring , it would be ` edge of tomorrow , ' an action-packed science-fiction romp . the story , which is based on ` all you need is kill , ' a japanese graphic novel , is whip-smart .",
      "it 's `` groundhog day '' except it features tom cruise instead of bill murray , which ca n't make it better .",
      "the conceit may sound constricting , but liman -lrb- like harold ramis before him -rrb- gets exceptional mileage out of it , presenting his ever-revolving tale with visual style , narrative velocity , and a wonderful dose of dark humor .",
      "in a summer season filled with its own time loops -lrb- i.e. sequels , reboots , etc. -rrb- , `` edge of tomorrow '' beats the clock .",
      "with a reference to several films of the past , tom cruise and emily blunt successfully make everything old , new again in the ` edge of tomorrow . ' throughout the film , the story never runs out of steam , which should please and entertain audiences .",
      "edge of tomorrow contains intense , pulse-racing action that takes your breath away . this is the best science fiction film to come along since district 9 and is what battle : los angeles only dreamed of being .",
      "one of the best blockbuster rides of summer 2014",
      "an audacious concept , superbly executed , this grand scale sci-fi thriller will knock your socks off , combining knee-knocking tension with exhilarating action and a sense of humour .",
      "with a touch of slick humor , doug liman 's energetic direction , and a hint of the bizarre , this is easily cruise 's best crack at the genre",
      "liman masterfully controls the pacing , sticking with scenes when necessary to figure out how the conceit works and skipping ahead at a quick clip that 's often quite funny .",
      "like many compulsively watchable films , the wealth of details in the writing , direction , and characterization all but ensure that edge of tomorrow holds many treasures to be discovered on repeat viewings .",
      "the perfect summer blockbuster . funnier than you 'd think . cruise 's image is both satirized and celebrated . blunt is terrific .",
      "liman deftly plays the rinse-and-repeat familiarity for both us and cage as comedy and as thriller as needed .",
      "as for mr. cruise and ms. blunt , they hold their own in parts that really could have been cast with anyone with a sag card .",
      "now that 's an action movie .",
      "it used to be that there was cool , and there was tom cruise . now , there 's tom cruise in `` edge of tomorrow , '' which is cool on top of cool .",
      "tom cruise must 've been grinning that risky business grin from ear to ear when he first read through the script for edge of tomorrow . he had to know he had a magnificent movie in his hands .",
      "there 's imagination , spectacle and thrills to spare . there 's a freshness here too that comes not only from the structure , but from edge of tomorrow being a shiny new property in this cyclical age of sequels , prequels and spin-offs",
      "edge of tomorrow 's simple , smart pleasures include a look at how many screw-ups it can take to learn there may be things -- and people -- beyond yourself that are worth fighting for .",
      "the script , adapted by christopher mcquarrie and the sibling team of jez and john-henry butterworth , is actually ingenious in doling out its herky-jerky storytelling .",
      "... exactly the kick-ass , intellectual , science-fiction story everyone says they wish was made more often ...",
      "it 's the rare summer spectacle that , tacked-on coda notwithstanding , might actually warrant repeat viewings .",
      "i 've always said it : if only there could be an epic sci-fi version of groundhog day . ok , i never said that , but i 'm glad there is one : it 's called `` edge of tomorrow . ''",
      "it 's a fairly lightweight , but high quality summer movie . the kind you can just sit back and enjoy while you munch your popcorn .",
      "it 's a near perfect closed loop of a film : fun , well-conceived and never afraid to treat death with both the reverence and contempt that it deserves .",
      "edge of tomorrow is a diverting enough , enjoyable , tom cruise war movie , but perhaps one that wo n't linger in the mind too long after the final credits have rolled .",
      "will groundhog day work in a space invaders movie ?",
      "its recursive conceit often seems poised to devolve into a cheap gimmick , but , much like cage , it consistently makes slight course corrections that keep it feeling fresh .",
      "only toward the climax , when the live/die/repeat cycle is abandoned , does edge of tomorrow go logy . but it 's two-thirds of a sensational ride -- one you can ride over and over without buying additional tickets .",
      "writer christopher mcquarrie handles the concept with aplomb , and he knows that the real interest here is what effect this kind of life would have on human relationships .",
      "long before the end , it 's an old-fashioned high tech army fighting the mimics , who are as spirited and pretty as blunt . the combat is endless and predictable .",
      "edge of tomorrow profits by upending action film cliches .",
      "despite its terribly unimaginative title , edge of tomorrow is a surprisingly imaginative summer action movie .",
      "a tom cruise action flick with a strong female heroine and a sense of humor ? `` edge of tomorrow '' has both of those , plus a `` groundhog day '' - style gimmick that pays big dividends . over and over .",
      "groundhog d-day , or the reborn identity : do n't we all want a furious , jumbled intelligence like doug liman 's to fashion memorable pop ? tom cruise 's every-doofus character is a great mid-career role for him , since it 's briskly business .",
      "the pulse-pounding action scenes are briskly directed by doug liman .",
      "a playful and frantic science-fiction twister which mimics the best -lrb- aliens , the matrix , groundhog day -rrb- while offering something fresh and - most importantly - thrilling .",
      "this is the kind of thoughtfully constructed movie that other summertime blockbusters should aspire to be more like , clever and cool and never giving you that ho-hum sense that you 've seen it all before .",
      "as `` puzzle movies '' go , edge of tomorrow is one that holds up surprisingly well to scrutiny .",
      "this is one of my favorite movies of the year so far .",
      "director doug liman has great fun with this just-go-with-it conceit .",
      "before too long , the plot begins to cut significant corners , things get terribly convenient and , by the end , the suspect plot logic utterly falls apart in favor of an idiotically beatific ending .",
      "to have a fun summer blockbuster with good characters , good action , and a tight and exciting script these days is almost unheard of . the smart sci-fi action movie is back . let 's hope it happens over and over again .",
      "edge of tomorrow feels like it 's about something more than action . neat trick .",
      "it 's easily the highlight of the summer movie offerings to me so far .",
      "it 's a star-driven mass-market entertainment that 's smart , exciting and unexpected while not stinting on genre satisfactions .",
      "in `` edge of tomorrow , '' mr. liman brings mr. cruise 's smile out of semiretirement and also gives him the kind of physical challenges at which he so brilliantly excels .",
      "a sharp sci-fi thriller that 's going to be hard to beat as the summer 's best blockbuster .",
      "refreshing and unexpected , both for its humor and for its upending of action norms .",
      "if you gave groundhog day a shot of adrenaline and a trip to the armoury , it might end up looking a little like edge of tomorrow .",
      "edge of tomorrow is the kind of film that can be enjoyed time after time .",
      "a lot of it is very well done .",
      "with a tremendous first half and more brains , heart and laughs than any of its promotional material indicated , this is smart , witty , thrilling and , above all , fun .",
      "`` it 's a razzle-dazzle triumph , and one we ca n't wait to experience again and again and again ... ''",
      "one of the most deliciously exciting films to watch in the summer months",
      "because edge of tomorrow is effectively about the infinite refloggability of cinematic horses , it manages to break the chain of formulaic repetition and come out surprisingly fresh .",
      "` groundhog day meets alien . ' relatively good compared to cruise 's recent , unwatchable movies because liman orchestrates spectacular action ; the talking scenes are tiresome .",
      "doug liman 's half-inventive ` full metal alien groundhog day ' war film is buoyed at first by tom cruise 's rascally twinkle before falling back on shopworn battle-bot effects and videogame plotting .",
      "the film 's groundhog day-meets-independence day plot is actually pretty genius .",
      "it 's a rousing spectacle , interspersed with touching moments of really hard trying .",
      "this doug liman directed feature is a cut above the usual in terms of cerebral content , but it 's still difficult to imagine it appearing on mensa must-see lists any day soon .",
      "this is a film that feels fully in command of its high concept and credit for this must also go to the film 's editors , and the unusually witty and deft script .",
      "at its best , edge of tomorrow has the same fatalistic humour that characterised groundhog day . at its worst , it is both repetitive and plain ridiculous .",
      "tom cruise 's participation transmutes , as it always does , everything around him , turning the movie 's series of false starts , dead ends , and hard lessons into a working metaphor for his own career .",
      "doug liman 's edge of tomorrow is the sci-fi answer to groundhog day that source code tried to be .",
      "now if only we could find tom a leading lady his own age ...",
      "liman handles his high concept conceit with some particularly dynamic visual touches , while cruise and blunt bring energy to their roles .",
      "it is basically deadly serious , and after some moderate knockaboutfun , settles into something pretty dull . where 's the edge ?",
      "tom cruise plays a callow , bumptious twerp in early scenes of the sci-fi adventure fantasy edge of tomorrow . he is very good : let 's be nice and call it a stretch .",
      "high concept action flicks largely live or die by the third act denouement -lrb- something that killed off liman 's last blockbuster effort jumper -rrb- . no such problems here .",
      "foibles be damned , edge of tomorrow is mindless fun of the highest order .",
      "the idea of history repeating itself is already writ large , here , but what is n't so familiar is the casting of tom cruise as a coward .",
      "it 's taut , twisted and blackly funny in ways that only movies in which tom cruise gets crushed under the wheel of a truck can be .",
      "it is a pretty exciting , twilight zone-style premise that bourne identity director doug liman introduces with brisk efficiency and sustains through twists and turns that are often ingenious .",
      "it 's a blockbuster with brains , and when it 's over , you might find yourself in a time loop of your own -- one where you ca n't wait to see it over and over again .",
      "cruise and blunt are both superb , the action sequences are genuinely thrilling and the effects work is impressive throughout .",
      "thank heavens ... for the time-loop gimmick , which sustains a full hour of screen time with enough variations on its gambit to hook you in .",
      "it should n't work . a human-versus-aliens epic that keeps repeating the same scene over and over again as if the comic tilt of groundhog day had turned suddenly dangerous . but edge of tomorrow will keep you on edge .",
      "what stays with you are cruise 's off-type performance , a few bravura sequences , and blunt 's molten presence .",
      "it 's fun for a while , but `` edge of tomorrow '' is what the gis used to call a blivet -- 10 pounds of movie in a five-pound bag .",
      "it 's a spectacular and witty movie based around a revolutionary idea for its own genre : more than painful , death can actually be pretty boring sometimes .",
      "a fun ride that never really arrives anywhere",
      "its mashup of genres proves wildly entertaining .",
      "edge of tomorrow earns props for marching to a different beat in an increasingly homogenized cinematic culture , and for treating its notions with the same respect it asks from the audience .",
      "by the second half of the film , i was utterly invested in these characters and their relationship , even though cage is the only one who `` remembers '' all their experiences together .",
      "embraces video game logic and gives it a human face and heart , investing it with the numbness and exhaustion that come from running through the same scenario toward the same goal again and again until you get it right .",
      "to paraphrase an old dictum : directors who do n't learn from history - like their hapless heroes in sci-fi movies - are doomed to repeat it . but , in -lsb- doug -rsb- liman 's case , that has turned out to be not such a bad thing .",
      "a bold concept which could have easily resulted in tedium , but not in liman 's hands",
      "cruise is a winner all the way , whether he 's being a gung-ho hero or the butt of the joke .",
      "i ca n't say i was always quite sure what on earth was going on , but edge of tomorrow , despite its flaws , despite its feeling of deja vu , manages to be tolerably entertaining mainly because of its nicely calibrated sense of humour .",
      "edge of tomorrow may be the best video game movie ever made . which is strange since it is n't actually based on a video game .",
      "the smartest blockbuster of this summer season , or perhaps any summer season .",
      "the reason the film works is because it throws everything into the blender and comes up with something new , something that has a great lively sense of wit and humor to it , and it takes the time to fully explore its wild premise fully .",
      "edge of tomorrow is a decent time waster , but if you 're the sort of person who watches a movie every day , you should probably look for something better .",
      "it 's a beautifully executed jolt of darkly funny , smart-arsed sci-fi adventure . welcome back tom .",
      "it 's the rare action film whose quiet moments cut as deep as its fight scenes .",
      "with its intriguing premise , engaging characters , and plenty of thrills to go around , edge of tomorrow makes for a breath of fresh air in a genre that has been crushed under monotony as of late .",
      "a deftly calibrated sci-fi spectacle .",
      "among countless sequels and remakes , the high-concept edge of tomorrow is the right kind of a rerun .",
      "unlike many of the year 's big-bang movies so far , it probably wo n't linger long in the memory . but then , not being any part of a larger franchise , it does n't need to .",
      "one of the most enjoyable blockbusters of the year .",
      "i bet this ends up being the most well-executed action movie of this summer , and probably a few others .",
      "it 'd be easy to dismiss edge of tomorrow as just another blunt-force summer movie , but it 's sharp as a scalpel in the deft hands of its makers , with the kind of smarts , wit , filmmaking and force too many other summer films can only dream of .",
      "like cruise himself at this stage of his career , the film 's concept ought to be played-out and obvious , but `` edge of tomorrow '' is much smarter and sharper than you 'd expect .",
      "it 's also knows , like ` eyes wide shut ' before it , that it 's always a joy to make the cocksure -lsb- tom -rsb- cruise nervous .",
      "`` groundhog d-day '' ? `` a million ways to die ... in the future '' ?",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- all high-concept , but affording only minimal entertainment reward by way of its stale ghost-in-the-machine storyline , `` edge of tomorrow '' is the `` groundhog day '' of sci-fi movies .",
      "what do you get if you cross a big-budget humanity-vs-aliens action movie with groundhog day ? well , a wittier , more inventive and , paradoxically , a far less repetitive film than any number of others .",
      "two hours of derivative , repeat-rewind eye agony .",
      "technically handsome , but approximately as deep and lasting as a small parking-lot puddle .",
      "at its best , edge of tomorrow is a cross between groundhog day and saving private ryan , even enjoying a little of the former 's humour and the latter 's intensity .",
      "what a delight it is to discover an early-summer action picture whose plot is something more than a machine to generate eventual digital mayhem .",
      "um filme intrigante com boas sequкncias de aзгo , mas que desaponta no terceiro ato .",
      "a smarter-than-expected script turns this noisy sci-fi action movie into something remarkably entertaining .",
      "with edge of tomorrow , tom cruise proves he 's still got the action and acting chops to carry a summer blockbuster , plus the eye for a quality role that 's more than just guns-blazing , balls-out action .",
      "a witty , clever , character-driven bit of science fiction wonderfulness , full of suspense , surprise , tension , and an unexpected poignancy .",
      "earns the right to be groundhog day meets starship troopers with a clever story that uses the narrative device in new ways .",
      "thanks to brisk direction from doug liman and some clever plotting , said repetition never becomes predictable .",
      "this summer blockbuster is almost ready to conquer the world . but not quite .",
      "what we have here is a blockbuster with brains , and explicit references to the normandy landings of the second world war are both knowing and well done .",
      "liman stages the chaotic action scenes , including several iterations of the beach assault , with clarity , precision , and wit . this is his best movie since 2002 's `` the bourne identity . ''",
      "it feels straight out of a thumb-worn , 1959 issue of galaxy magazine , an enjoyably pulpy hunk of military science-fiction with a premise that 's part groundhog day and part starship troopers .",
      "cruise is a delight , exactly what he needs to be , fluid enough for comedy , physical enough for action , always going with the flow and yet finding ways to make moments memorable .",
      "edge of tomorrow leaps onto the summer-movie playing field with ferocious tenacity , expertly balancing large-scale action with humor , tension , courage and the kind of flawed heroes you really grow to invest in .",
      "edge of tomorrow is an entertaining alien invasion movie with neat narrative wrinkles and glancing references to some classic sf-action films .",
      "edge of tomorrow is a delicious reminder that cruise still has all the right moves .",
      "a complex sci-fi tale about war , warriors within , and resetting the day .",
      "takes its starship troopers meets groundhog day premise and turns it into a rare summer movie that 's both smart and a crowd-pleaser",
      "breathlessly exciting , wildly entertaining , `` edge of tomorrow '' is a wake-up call to makers of formulaic alien-invasion thrillers .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' has neither an edge nor a vision of tomorrow that matters today .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' repeats itself without being repetitive , takes itself seriously while providing some laughs and offers plenty of action without short-changing us on the intelligence front .",
      "the fact is that this is a pretty good summer-kablooie movie , and cruise is better than pretty good in it .",
      "edge of tomorrow is not as inventive as rian johnson 's time-bending noir , looper . nor is it as surprisingly spiritual as groundhog day . but it whirls with energy .",
      "it 's a bloodless romance and the action builds to an anticlimax , but the story is also adapted with surprising wit ...",
      "out of nowhere , edge of tomorrow is an exhilarating mix of verhoeven-esque sci-fi subversion , existential comedy straight out of groundhog day , and the slaughter-and-reset structure of a first-person shooter game .",
      "i had a better time than i expected .",
      "overall , it benefits so much from the expert deployment of time-travel tropes that it earns a pass on a little alien acid blood .",
      "yes , the title is bland to the point of meaninglessness . but that 's just about the only thing edge of tomorrow gets wrong .",
      "edge of tomorrow obviously cost a fortune to make , but it has a light , shrugging , tossed-off air that makes it all the more impressive , let alone enjoyable .",
      "it 's harder to bear how the film fuses its sci-fi premise with an action movie 's sensibility : one in which the characters become living , breathing video-game avatars , rather than human beings .",
      "shirks its responsibility to be about anything . still , decent fun .",
      "it seems to know what we 've all been forgetting since 1985 : science fiction can be funny , blockbusters can be kooky , and tom cruise can , and should , be a jackass .",
      "`` edge of tomorrow '' is big , loud and undeniably fun .",
      ". . a thoughtful , action-packed , and occasionally amusing take on the -lsb- time loop -rsb- premise melded into the alien invasion story . for summer entertainment , it will more than do .",
      "somehow now 51 years old , the ever-youthful tom cruise is the ultimate a-list hollywood battler -- he keeps coming back for more again and again and again .",
      "yes , tom cruise 's time trippy sci-fi-er is the best surprise of the summer .",
      "` edge of tomorrow , ' with an intriguing premise and the ability to see it through to a satisfying conclusion , is more than razzle-dazzle visual effects .",
      "an exciting and character driver action movie that features blockbuster king tom cruise in top form .",
      "the film utilizes a flurry of fireworks effects and strong character development to create a sci-fi masterpiece .",
      "it has enough plot density to hold your attention for a while , along with a few feints at character development . you might not much notice its fundamental dishonesty and mendacity , except as that odd sick feeling you have later ."
    ],
    "summary": "gripping , well-acted , funny , and clever , edge of tomorrow offers entertaining proof that tom cruise is still more than capable of shouldering the weight of a blockbuster action thriller .",
    "id": "771317257"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dreamers",
    "reviews": [
      "this is n't one of those old ` adults-only ' movies . this is , simply , a movie only for adults -- and worthy of their attention and debate .",
      "there 's not a moment in the film 's belabored 115-minute running time that feels emotionally authentic .",
      "for the easily titillated , among whose company i count myself , the rewards are plenty in this curious ménage ŕ trois among college students in 1968 paris .",
      "a kind of art-house showgirls -- which actually exceeds showgirls in its self-indulgence , shallowness and sheer stupidity .",
      "the MOV did n't put me to sleep , but i did start wishing they 'd reenact a better movie .",
      "encapsulates the sense of innocence and adventure we all wish to carry",
      "works best when viewed as a tone poem that examines the present through the prism of the past .",
      "the siblings , in particular , grow so irritating with their cultural tunnel-vision that even the film 's explicit sex grows monotonous , and its lack of humor grows irritating .",
      "as an erotic valentine to 1960s paris , it 's unlike anything else you are likely to find .",
      "an ode to the kind of discerning , obsessive movie love that flourished at the time and has never been matched , before or since .",
      "watching the MOV is like receiving a present where the box is nicer than the contents .",
      "it is a well-made film in many ways , but i found in the callowness of these youths nothing to admire .",
      "a passionate tribute to the cinema 's contribution to the great '60s cultural fusion , as well as a melancholy reminder of just how far it 's fallen from that heady era of its highest idealism .",
      "crammed with indelible images and scenes of sheer beauty and impact .",
      "the oneiric atmosphere takes a turn for the worse as the focus inevitably turns to a bad daydream and the secluded apartment setting stultifies the aura of film worship ...",
      "celebrates the feverish vitality of youth with sexually explicit candor .",
      "the MOV is an important film , if for no other reason than it finally offers a mature alternative for adult cinemagoers .",
      "a good choice for film buffs ; lends itself to analysis , conversation , or maybe even a term paper",
      "begs the question : can sex be boring ? the answer is yes , if the actors have been cast primarily for their looks .",
      "the MOV makes its point with clips of old films . and yes , there is quite a bit of sex and nudity .",
      "they are n't making revolution in this hothouse , they 're making a listless blue movie .",
      "it 's possible that the nc-17 has never been used to such pg-13 ends .",
      "go see it , even if it 's smutty .",
      "like few filmmakers , bertolucci captures ... the sexual delirium of youth .",
      "the rapture of movies themselves has never been more masterfully or evocatively presented . but the movie fails to integrate its themes in a satisfying way .",
      "bertolucci undercuts the smarmy quality of most coming-of-age films of this sort but giving weight to the sexuality , and by tying it in with the politics of that period .",
      "like stealing beauty , a european-set tale of adolescent sexual awakening , loosely recast here as a heavily affected , awkward polemic .",
      "has an attractive facade , but its apparent audacity turns out to be as empty-headed as its photogenic but vacuous lead characters .",
      "who else but sartre-reading , fellini-watching wannabe-sophisticated 15-year-olds will find this film intriguing ?",
      "a lazy film about lazy people that , predictably , would have lazed me into a coma if it were n't for the near non-stop nudity .",
      "the erotic parlor games in bertolucci 's film do n't get quite get debauched or deep enough , and once they 've run their course , the movie does n't know what to do .",
      "up until its final moments , ` the MOV ' is all too aptly titled . ... two hours of lusciously photographed lollygagging ...",
      "it 's been described as a love letter to cinema and the heady 1960s , but it plays more like a memoir of infatuation .",
      "bertolucci and cinematographer fabio cianchetti construct every shot carefully , often building shapes out of the characters ' positions or referencing shots from other films .",
      "the MOV is about three people dropping out of the world for a while , even as they imagine themselves an integral part of it .",
      "it 's thrilling .",
      "the MOV is infused with the same kind of wistful melancholy that made the french new wave films so winning , and it 's all gorgeous to look at .",
      "it ends up a mess .",
      "swept away by the intensity of the characters ' movie debates and sexual games , bertolucci often recaptures the film-besotted spirit of the period .",
      "the whole thing feels a bit scattered .",
      "despite the movie 's well-earned nc-17 , bertolucci 's own ménage ŕ trois favors cinephilia over the related pleasures of politics and sex .",
      "legendary director bernardo bertolucci -lrb- `` 1900 '' -rrb- crafts a return to social revolt in the form of sexual pursuits by a trio of late '60s teenaged students in this engaging yet insufficient movie .",
      "it 's an amusing , sophisticated movie , true to its times , cheerfully erotic , and played with unselfconscious conviction by its three young actors .",
      "bertolucci tops himself .",
      "fans of film and gorgeous naked people of either sex will find much here to interest them . but it also has moments that make you want to throw stones .",
      "the film is at once a celebration of the sexual revolution and a celebration of cinema as the secular equivalent of religion , at a time when movies really mattered .",
      "the venue for pitt 's marvelous coming-out performance .",
      "a real pleasure .",
      "it 's a hot sequence that nudges the boundary of taste , but still manages to come off more as art than porn .",
      "... we feel stranded on a soundstage , mummy-wrapped in film studies and bereft of any genuine emotion .",
      "there is enough youthful energy and sexual tension to float the MOV along , although the film 's deeper potential and political context slip away .",
      "bertolucci 's best work to date . film , politics , sex , the cultural divide , love , relationships , parenting - are looked over by his camera , and the result is breathtaking .",
      "it so desperately wishes to be a masterpiece that the result is hopelessly infatuated with its own perceived cleverness .",
      "ambitious and uneven , visceral and pungent .",
      "bertolucci never lets his obvious pretensions overshadow the characters and the story at the heart of the film .",
      "focus exclusively on the movie 's brazen , occasionally gratuitous sexuality and you 'll miss a whole other level of pleasure .",
      "the most logical explanation of the bizarre premise : bertolucci , an inarguably brilliant oscar-winning filmmaker , is also quite the perv .",
      "` the MOV ' comes wrapped in a strange nostalgia , which makes the pretentiousness even sadder .",
      "boy-boy love masquerading as boy-girl-boy love so you 'll go see it .",
      "a film about youth and passion that seems old and passionless .",
      "while the sexual content in and of itself is hardly transgressive or shocking , the mere presence of it at all in a contemporary film is both a shock and a breath of fresh air .",
      "cinematic allusions , both verbal and visual , are tossed around as if in the hope that some of their quality might somehow rub off on the ever-less-interesting movie at hand .",
      "these kids are so languid and lovely , so immersed in each other as reflected images , that they pose a risk for the naďve american .",
      "a film about youthful passion -- for sex , for politics , for music and , above all , for film itself -- that feels passionless .",
      "the MOV devolves into a nostalgia trip for 1970s cinema intellectuals ; for them , it pays dividends . others might do better to check out the films -- like bertolucci 's own last tango in paris , the conformist and 1900 .",
      "the MOV is a betrayal of dreaming .",
      "maybe bernardo bertolucci should have stuck with his original plan to make a sequel to his epic 1900 , because his latest film is a major disappointment .",
      "... these characters just are n't as fascinating as bertolucci clearly believes them to be ...",
      "it 's wonderful to see a film that takes back sex from the smutty teen comedies , that grapples with political ideas and shouts its love of cinema from the rooftops .",
      "i wish that this first release to show the artistic potential of the nc-17 rating was an undisputedly great film , not merely a brave and intriguing one .",
      "bertolucci provokes audiences instead of pacifying them . boy , do we need him now .",
      "starkly argues the ultimate futility of the cinematic ideal , the insidious love/hate nature of film glamour and the danger it harbors for our real-life psyches .",
      "bad , but unlike the similarly camped-up little buddha or stealing beauty , it 's not exactly boring .",
      "by far the most engaging aspect of the film is its celebration of cinema .",
      "a ménage-ŕ-trois drama that 's watchable but does n't live up to its italian director 's towering reputation .",
      "if you could skim away all the gratuitous film-studies crud , you 'd have a smaller but more intense little film , a kissing cousin of that other screen classic 9-1/2 weeks .",
      "no wonder young americans love europe !",
      "disappointing .",
      "this is a boring movie and all the sex and nudity , while distracting at times , does n't change that fact .",
      "self-discovery is engrossing and all consuming , even when the world outside is literally erupting . multiply discovery by three and the pleasure is that much greater .",
      "an over-ripe orgasm of a film , but also a weary one . after gorging for hours on youthful idealism , bertolucci finally drops the hammer and confronts its limitations .",
      "it 's a movie so physically beautiful and ardent that it can make you fall in love or lust against better judgment .",
      "the thrills of this movie are aesthetic ones , the creation of new , ravishing imagery -lrb- and all three of our young heroes are beautiful enough to be up to this task -rrb- , the surrender to dream logic , the adoration of the silver screen .",
      "the seductively charismatic duo of green and garrel , who make the siblings ' twisted relationship warm yet disturbing , off-putting yet inviting .",
      "knowing that a character prefers chaplin to keaton tells us only about his taste , not about his soul .",
      "how much you enjoy the MOV will depend on your threshold for flash minus dramatic depth or political subtext .",
      "a pretentious and self-absorbed chamber piece that underscores the importance of the 1968 student riots in paris .",
      "the casually edgy eroticism and constant allusions to old movies are in many ways a mask for the fact that -lrb- these -rrb- are n't especially interesting people , except to each other .",
      "just the dose of relatable mainstream art the u.s. cinema desperately requires .",
      "disenfranchised youth spells relentless bacchanalia , without the benefit of narrative structure or purpose .",
      "for all its multi-layered sexuality , the film 's bottom line is all about the destruction of the characters ' dreams when those dreams are touched by reality .",
      "bertolucci and adair have made a beguiling tribute to the glorious indeterminacy of youth .",
      "it 's all quite soporific , because nothing is at stake and there 's no reason to care about these self-absorbed twits .",
      "only time will tell if the MOV is a great film . i think it is at the least a very good one .",
      "not good for you , but wickedly pleasurable all the same .",
      "bertolucci indulges too much in the great sin of nostalgia , thus reducing the film 's political firepower by washing it in a hazy wave of ` remember when ... '",
      "exhilarating .",
      "the MOV is a richly imagined , boldly acted ode to the delirium of a generation that did n't know it was dreaming .",
      "the cultural revolution reflected in the personal lives of the young people is a distraction . better to enjoy the movie for the beauty and delight of its love story alone .",
      "maybe the worst thing bertolucci has done is make a good film that is too blithe to distance itself from the offensively precious one it constantly threatens to be .",
      "bertolucci is so drunk on déjá vu he has made a movie that 's really a flossy assemblage of bertolucci signifiers .",
      "meticulously photographed and crafted , it 's a sumptuous visual feast that 's built around voyeurism .",
      "grim and joyless .",
      "the dialogue is so trite you would n't want to be that young again ... and the rococo nature of the erotic entanglements make one pine for the relatively old-fashioned romance of last tango in paris .",
      "a wise , high-energy conjuring of 1968 .",
      "explores the twilight realm of longing where three youth embark on an alternatingly intense and playful voyage of discovery .",
      "a study of corrupt idealism , with a cynical and unforgiving core hiding under a dazed , playful exterior .",
      "if you do n't glow with the same pleasure -lsb- bertolucci -rsb- feels when the characters in the MOV alternate brashness with callow immaturity , you 're going to be in for a very long evening .",
      "bernardo bertolucci 's new film is an ardently romantic love song to sex , cinema and the spirit of the 60 's .",
      "there 's no question about its desire to present a thoughtful exploration of links between political and sexual freedom in the fabled '60s .",
      "neither the story nor the characters capture the zeitgeist that bertolucci theoretically set out to celebrate .",
      "there are two films at work here : a love-struck but tedious ode to cinephilia and a fascinating exploration of sex as a form of political resistance .",
      "i would love to cut all the marvelous film references and footage into a single montage . it would prove the best thing from -lsb- the MOV . -rsb-",
      "a pretentious , pointless picture that produces the same ca n't - look-away effect as seeing a car wreck .",
      "at a reflective and still romantic 63 , mr. bertolucci pays heartfelt hommage to henri langlois ' famous theater , cinémathčque française .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sex-infused film that touches on all kinds of interesting themes ... but never goes anywhere interesting with them .",
      "bertolucci 's best film for a long time .",
      "stylish , erotic , forgivably pretentious drama with lashings of explicit sex and strong performances from its three leads .",
      "brilliantly referenced cinema history paired with a ridiculous central story make the MOV a wash .",
      "a pretty silly affair -- a minor film made by a major filmmaker .",
      "marks a long-overdue return to the important themes of human connection and social commitment that run through many of bertolucci 's most memorable films .",
      "bernardo bertolucci 's love letter to paris , cinema and sex in 1968 is as uneven and imperfect as it is unique and impassioned .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- provocative , sensual feast .",
      "it is both a love song to escapism and a warm embrace of the real world -- a wake-up call that one place , without the other to occasionally return to , would make life for us -lrb- who are the real MOV -rrb- far less wonderful .",
      "do these characters really care about the collected works of godard ? not for one parisian minute .",
      "anyone seeking cheap titillation would do better to invest their movie cash in a fresh copy of playboy or penthouse than to spend the two hours of contemplation needed to fully appreciate the myriad layers of the MOV .",
      "no matter how many mirrors he uses to fracture his characters into meaningful multiple images or how many shots he includes of out-of-control falling , -lsb- bertolucci -rsb- ca n't make the naughty innocence compelling .",
      "an ambitious and exciting piece of work , a movie about sex and movies made by a filmmaker who understands the power of each to set off fantasy , create addiction , incite danger and transform the spirit .",
      "this handsome , mildly brave scrapbook probably wo n't be prophetic of upheavals to come .",
      "bertolucci going through the motions .",
      "it 's funny , affecting , interestingly twisted , and seriously erotic before it heads south in the final stretch .",
      "it effectively explains why we obsess over movies and rock and roll and honest communication long after those passions have been hijacked by parodists and advertising agencies .",
      "an out-of-print postcard of a movie , neither shocking or smart enough to matter in the modern world , and too disjointed to be involving .",
      "the real world in which these characters live is only hinted at , making their behaviour look mighty precious most of the time .",
      "in almost every way , the MOV is a less sexy , less successful ode to the innocent passions and energy of a bygone era than austin powers .",
      "above all it evokes a time when the movies -- good movies , both classic and newborn -- were at the center of youth culture .",
      "dresses up its sex with pretensions of high art , but its intellectualism is disposable , and unless brother-sister incest is your cup of tea , the sensuality misses its mark as well .",
      "a rich movie filling the viewer with a four-course french meal of sensuality , politics , ideas and character .",
      "rather than turning into a coming-of-age story , the movie wallows in the cocoon-like insularity of its characters .",
      "there are some wonderful moments of bliss , as in all bertolucci movies ... but for all the flash and sparkle , there 's little heat .",
      "the entire film is a charged sensory experience -- a cinematic turn-on .",
      "at its heart , the MOV is bertolucci 's valentine to the movies that nurtured him in his youth . at worst , it 's sort of an nc-17 version of rugrats in paris .",
      "a rare movie made by and for adults , haunts its watcher for some time , despite its shortcomings .",
      "perhaps -lsb- bertolucci -rsb- was ambivalent about his feelings for the time . perhaps he was just sloppy .",
      "its nostalgia and narcissism are ultimately two versions of the same thing , and neither can reopen cross-cultural channels . instead they keep this story stuck in the past , frozen and intact and irrelevant .",
      "when the sex and weirdness stops , all we 're left with is pseudo-intellectual discussions from this trio that is found in every dorm across america .",
      "bertolucci pays affectionate homage to cinema , goofy youthful exuberance , romance , innocence and the student revolt of may ' 68 .",
      "this works most effectively as an ode to the way cinema infuses the lives of its fans .",
      "bertolucci is hardly a klutz with the camera , but to me the movie was always good-but-not-great , it never truly took off ."
    ],
    "summary": "though lushly atmospheric , the MOV does n't engage or provoke as much as it should .",
    "id": "14631"
  },
  {
    "movie": "revolution_will_not_be_televised",
    "reviews": [
      "bartley and o'briain do an excellent job in deconstructing the venezuelan tv news footage of blood , chaos , and rival crowds .",
      "while there is a story to be told about the 2002 coup , this is definitely not the documentary to tell it .",
      "filmmakers kim bartley and donnacha o'brien happen to be in all the right places at all the right times .",
      "-lsb- bartley and o'briain -rsb- 's fearlessness , unobtrusive narration , and lack of michael moore man-and-microphone pandering are to be saluted .",
      "rough-hewn , improvisatory and contentedly lo-fi , the resulting documentary should prove warmly encouraging to embattled progressives of all stripes , and incidentally offers the best political date-movie of the week .",
      "amazingly immediate , and without any caramel coating of happy talk .",
      "an extraordinary inside look at politics at its most urgent , volatile and bare-knuckled .",
      "the MOV is an extraordinary piece of electronic history . and a riveting movie .",
      "the filmmakers , simply forgotten in the dramatic rush of events , capture the anatomy of a coup as it crystallized and unraveled , and history nearly recorded itself .",
      "fascinating , intense but disturbingly incomplete and one-sided ... an accomplished , involving but highly selective account of a still-charged historical event .",
      "remarkable true-life footage makes this 74-minute film as potent as behemoths twice its size .",
      "a gripping if necessarily disjointed documentary that plays like a real-life version of a costa-gavras thriller .",
      "a fascinating look at events mostly unknown to outsiders .",
      "instructive not only for students of south american -lrb- and oil -rrb- politics but also for anyone who questions the importance of the media in determining who gets power and how long they keep it .",
      "more than a scary close-up look at the raw mechanics of a power grab , the film is also a cautionary examination of the use of television to deceive and manipulate the public .",
      "does an excellent job of showing how powerful television has become in getting one 's message across ... as well as how easily television and some creative editing can manipulate that very message .",
      "like 9/11 and gim me shelter , this movie puts the viewer into the middle of the danger and without compromise . quick , tight and thorough , this documentary plays more like an action movie . a masterpiece .",
      "wow ! this documentary sticks with you and days later you 'll still be thinking about how easy it was to manipulate an entire country .",
      "a remarkable example of the power of film to capture unfolding historic events .",
      "an eye-opener that focuses on world-shaking events and makes you feel like you are there .",
      "a rough-edged work of journalism that is as gripping as a thriller .",
      "fascinating , informative and chilling .",
      "revolution ... is not just a portrait of a fascinating , paradoxical leader but of a vibrant people and culture long-hidden by our own media .",
      "compelling and immediate .",
      "a thrilling , expertly assembled argument against regime change .",
      "the big story here is neither the coup , nor the countercoup , but the spread of constitutional values to the people of venezuela .",
      "a fascinating account of history in the making that plays like a cinematic whiplash .",
      "it gives us a sense of venezuela 's political and social climate in april 2002 , and in that regard it is most fascinating .",
      "a tense , rapid-paced political drama .",
      "it is remarkable because the filmmakers , kim bartley and donnacha o'briain , had access to virtually everything that happened within the palace during the entire episode .",
      "it 's as if somebody had had a camcorder in hand when julius caesar was slain in the roman forum . history does n't get any more real or vital than this .",
      "the MOV may be controversial , biased and patchy , but it contains some of the most electrifying and immediate nonfiction footage seen on the big screen .",
      "bartley and o'briain can be accused of being biased about their subject , chavez , but show me a documentary film ... that does not take sides .",
      "this riveting piece of work should encourage viewers to continue to investigate the subject on their own after leaving the theater",
      "does at least make you want to find out more about venezuelan politics -- as well as u.s. foreign policy regarding the country , so on that score it succeeds .",
      "stands as our best chance to understand what happened in caracas , even if the filmmakers ' pro-chavez stance should send you to alternate sources for the larger picture .",
      "a gripping , nearly perfect documentary , chronicling a heart-stopping rise , fall and triumphant reversal in the space of its 74-minute running time .",
      "everything 's real -- the shouting , the dissonance , the worry .",
      "it is the simulacrum of a free press in the age of globalization that bartley and o'briain so eloquently illustrate .",
      "an amazing record of what has been called history 's shortest-lived coup d'etat .",
      "both farcical and deeply troubling , it unfolds with the kind of breathless , minute-by-minute immediacy that only eyewitness reportage can bring , and offers an important perspective on the role the media inevitably plays in contemporary revolution .",
      "what resonates in the end are the forces behind it , what it says about its time , and how , in fact , it ever happened at all .",
      "the crew of the MOV had been in the country for months before the coup , and their access and reporting are impressive .",
      "this is reality filmmaking -- a fascinating front-row seat for what could be history 's shortest-lived coup .",
      "amazing documentary .",
      "as gripping as any recent thriller ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is as persuasive and engrossing as it is unapologetically biased .",
    "id": "280213507"
  },
  {
    "movie": "al_franken_god_spoke",
    "reviews": [
      "when he 's on , he 's hot , and when he 's not , he 's not .",
      "this film by nick doob and chris hegedus forces us to make some decisions about him . for myself , i find him generally gross , in person and in manner .",
      "this scattershot movie , shot over two years , follows the zigzag trail of political satirist al franken as he feuds with bill o'reilly , campaigns against george w. bush , and helps establish air america .",
      "... best viewed as an investigation of the phenomenon of ideological celebrity , with mr. franken as a willing case study .",
      "proves to be an illuminating -lrb- if perhaps unintended -rrb- demonstration of how hard it is to keep one 's sense of humor when mixing it up in the political mainstream .",
      "there 's a story to be told in al franken 's transformation from smarty-pants saturday night live personality to political commentator on the scrappy liberal radio station air america , but nick doob and chris hegedus ... fail to find it .",
      "what i was really itching for was for him to leave the political battlefield long enough to give us a scripted stand-up act as he 'd do it for an audience at the improv .",
      "this smoothly edited snapshot of a roaring mouse ... is an outspoken and pretty damn funny portrait ...",
      "the scope ought to be narrowed , but the film is still pretty entertaining in places , owing to franken 's intelligence and quick wit .",
      "there is a lot of preaching to the converted in nick doob and chris hedges ' al franken : god spoke , an adoring and fairly haphazard look behind the scenes with the comedian and liberal gadfly .",
      "the film is most compelling for its suggestion of how politics and showbiz are at once incestuously entwined and , perhaps , irreconcilably different .",
      "what this documentary lacks in intent , insight , and surprise it makes up for in thoroughness .",
      "a fascinating combination of class clown and fact-happy debate-club president , franken nonetheless makes for a compelling subject , but god spoke veers uncomfortably into hagiography , especially as it winds down .",
      "as a record of the al franken you already know and love , hegedus and doob 's rather slapdash movie is fun .",
      "neither as adroitly funny as franken 's comic routines , nor as notable as his conversion to the fine art of politics , this is a 90-minute ` what if ? ' with no discernible answer .",
      "a documentary in search of a story .",
      "often entertaining .",
      "the film is worth seeing for footage of bill o'reilly seeking sympathy from ann coulter , who makes maternal noises with a mischievous glint in her eye .",
      "the documentary skims the surface , appreciating franken 's crass , troublemaking modus operandi . this would be ok if the doc were crammed with hilarious footage , but franken comes off as more droll and bitter than clever .",
      "with his nearly nonstop , self-congratulatory monologues and his seemingly insincere attitude , he comes off as every bit as much an insufferable blowhard as his conservative counterparts .",
      "the film feels unfinished as franken contemplates a run for the u.s. senate from minnesota , which might make god spoke the set-up for a much more interesting sequel .",
      "though not as thorough as war room , docu is still highly entertaining and poignant , if not too critical or deep , offering a portrait of a new kind of american folk hero , more iconoclastic -lrb- not to mention witty and charming -rrb- than michael moore .",
      "a documentary about the comedian and satirist who sees himself as a leftward leaning crusader for truth and justice in an era of lying liars .",
      "feisty , quick-witted and quixotic , franken takes on such right-wing demigods as bill o'reilly , ann coulter and sean hannity .",
      "this uncritical bio-pic presents al as more of an intellectual on a mission than a funnyman in search of laughs , leaving one to wonder whether the purpose here was to makeover al into a political figure for his rumored run for the u.s. senate .",
      "entertaining cinéma-vérité piece",
      "a humorous , but more importantly illustrative , documentary about the weight of the media -- especially the comedic media -- on the last presidential election .",
      "a inteligęncia de franken é notória , assim como seu pavor ŕ retórica da direita norte-americana % u2013 algo que o filme ilustra de maneira burocrática . além disso , sua falta de foco leva-o a parecer um mero instrumento de propaganda , o que é lamentável .",
      "i have n't seen this much smug , awkward laughter and bathos since , well , man of the year .",
      "whether one agrees with his point of view or not , it 's a message worth hearing .",
      "there 's so much previously available material used that for a while `` god spoke '' looks like the first documentary assembled entirely from youtube clips .",
      "always engaging , often insightful , -lsb- and -rsb- at times deeply moving .",
      "somewhere beneath this hollow shell lies a real film about a gentle rebel with a cause .",
      "franken handles everything with his inimitable sense of humor , which helps his message go down much smoother .",
      "a cinema-verite portrait that proves more celebratory than revelatory .",
      "franken is a master and we need someone like him to both laugh at and pound his fist at the other side for their own god-like attitudes that what they say is the spoken , written and final word on the subject .",
      "cheated of some much-needed integrity",
      "dull , dull , dull .",
      "a better , less passé film about al franken 's wife franni forming the backbone of her husband 's career lies dormant here , as does the man 's rebel spirit .",
      "the filmmakers capture franken 's gradual transformation from cool satirist to impassioned activist in what turns out to be a vérité amble through a pivotal year in his life .",
      "... there is enough funny stuff transpiring that even some non-fans will be entertained .",
      "offers a portrait of this complex man that is -- dare we say it ? -- fair and balanced .",
      "a portrait of a passionate , witty , occasionally thin-skinned man .",
      "most of this doc is content to wander through franken 's recent show-biz resume , to no particular end .",
      "franken does n't allow the knee-jerk predictability of his liberal pronouncements to deflate the great gasbag that he becomes as the movie proceeds .",
      "a sketchy but often entertaining record of satirist al franken 's campaign to counteract what he perceives to be a right-wing conspiracy of lies and disinformation .",
      "funny-man turned politico given the pennebaker treatment .",
      "the film only sporadically succeeds in providing biographical information or thematic depth , but franken is such a witty and thoughtful presence that these flaws do n't matter greatly .",
      "what is notable about the film is that , despite the fact that it is centered on franken , filmmakers nick doob and chris hegedus let everyone have their say , even if franken gets the usually quite funny last word .",
      "fans of franken as a comedian and/or as an air america radio host , will find plenty to enjoy .",
      "existing in the moment without inquiry or challenge , cinéma vérité fosters exactly the sort of refusal to think beyond the immediate that this film criticizes in right-wing dittoheads .",
      "the movie never gets around to answering its central question : namely , why has mr. franken decided to go to washington ?",
      "this slice of franken 's life feels just a bit on the slight side , but the fact it leaves you wanting more is a credit to his casual charm and snarky humor .",
      "but kerry did not win , and for franken fans , the target audience here , the memory of that event may hurt too much to laugh ."
    ],
    "summary": "this documentary traces franken 's transformation from humorist to activist with entertaining , if uneven , results .",
    "id": "287865088"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1129132-torque",
    "reviews": [
      "a fast and the furious on motorcycles that gets its juice from its road action but little else .",
      "a strong candidate for the most thunderingly stupid movie of the year .",
      "even the more attention-grabbing scenes are too obviously faked to build suspense , and too confusingly cut to sustain continuity .",
      "the script here is irredeemably 2 fetid and 2 foolish .",
      "watching it is the closest thing yet to seeing a first-person driving game play itself .",
      "the creators of MOV need n't have gone to all the trouble of making a movie ; they could have proceeded straight to the video game .",
      "it 's cotton-candy junk food that , for once , actually knows what it 's doing ... entertaining all the way .",
      "casualties of this wreck are numerous and unfortunate .",
      "a towering bore .",
      "the loudest , trashiest , stupidest , cheesiest celebration of ritualized male aggression of 2004 .",
      "director joseph kahn 's MOV is inoffensively diverting-it 's neither a work of inspired genre genius or mere manipulative commercial trash .",
      "nothing to offer , except an evening spent making fun of one of the world 's worst movies .",
      "but nothing is done well in this ... outhouse of a production . nothing . yes , i know i 'm repeating myself . nothing .",
      "glib , ego-thumping disaster that tries so hard to be cool that flop-sweat practically drips off the sprockets .",
      "produces little in the way of rotation , torsion or anything else that could be roughly diagrammed as excitement .",
      "shows just how good , and mindless , a biker flick can be .",
      "a fast-paced compendium of jerry bruckheimer-style clichés .",
      "it 's acceptable to use cgi to enhance the action , but this movie takes it over the line . when everything is artificial , it 's impossible to create excitement or suspense .",
      "the ads make `` MOV '' appear to be a movie that 's all action , with scantily clad women , studly bikers and fighting . and yes , there 's still truth in advertising .",
      "the real auteur here is producer neal h. moritz , whose previous odes to reckless endangerment and beer-commercial sexuality include the ` fast and furious ' films ...",
      "as sleazy as they come . and , much like the person we continue to date even though we know we should n't , it 's kinda hard not to feel a little affection for it .",
      "MOV plays like a mall-friendly version of a russ meyer movie , processed through westerns , the warriors and current teen culture .",
      "... the ninth circle of gearhead hell .",
      "if you want an adrenaline rush , this will give it to you . it 's worth a matinee at least .",
      "red bull : the movie",
      "an expeditious ending keeps MOV from ever really wearing out its welcome , but if that 's the best that can be said about it , perhaps it 's better left unsaid .",
      "i was heartily entertained , for all the wrong reasons .",
      "if it 's lacking much in the way of distinction , it benefits from an abundance of panache .",
      "make no mistake , MOV is -- by any rational standards -- a bad movie . but it 's a fun bad movie .",
      "... too much and too little all at the same time ...",
      "are we watching a car commercial ? an ad for leather jeans ? for viagra ?",
      "i did n't hate MOV , and i guess that goes to say some things for the film . at the very least , it kept me entertained .",
      "thankfully , MOV knows what it wants to be ... and flashes a jocular self-awareness about its genre affiliation .",
      "a guzzle of yahoo-mountain dew empty-calorie satisfaction .",
      "it would need to move up several rungs on the evolutionary ladder to be classified as garbage ... you come out feeling as though you 've just been run over by a semi .",
      "there is so much style , complete with irritatingly constant ultra-close-ups , and so little substance , that it 's hard to imagine even 16-year-olds coming away satisfied .",
      "if you 're looking for laughs and have already seen ` bad santa , ' this is your best bet .",
      "a movie made by people who seem to have chuckled up their sleeves as they shot the picture and expect to laugh all the way to the bank afterwards .",
      "as for the title , ` MOV ' basically means ` rotating force , ' although it should be noted that it emerges from the same latin root as ` torture . '",
      "as dumb as january at the movies but fun as well .",
      "it 's difficult to tell which is worse -- the acting or the writing .",
      "as a movie , it makes a great video game .",
      "what 's worse are the repeatedly guffaw-inducing product placements , including a battle of `` pepsi '' vs. `` mountain dew ''",
      "zippy , stylish fun .",
      "MOV is a terrific action picture , fast-moving , studded with great stunts and smart enough not to take itself too seriously .",
      "welcome to the last frontier in computer-generated effects -- where you 're not even supposed to believe that what you 're seeing is possible , just cool .",
      "if you could just watch MOV , you 'd think it 's great looking . but if you listen to it , you 'll think it 's one of the dumbest movies ever made .",
      "amazingly enough , this two-wheeled spinoff of the fast and the furious has dumbed down the franchise .",
      "as long as you consume it as fast as it moves , you wo n't get indigestion .",
      "one percent dumb plot , 74 percent stunts , and 25 percent attitude , or , rather hollywood 's idea of what passes for attitude .",
      "while more entertaining than last year 's `` biker boyz , '' `` MOV '' ultimately is little more than a showcase for its stylish leatherwear and supercharged hogs",
      "a video game on steroids .",
      "there is so much testosterone in this film that any woman who watches it will come out of it with a hairy chest and a favorite football team .",
      "the absurdity is intoxicating , the look dizzying , the brains nonexistent .",
      "the implausible MOV is for those who found the fast and the furious too urbane",
      "hopes to do for motorcycles what ` the fast and the furious ' did for tricked-out jettas but only winds up doing what ' 2 fast 2 furious ' did for ` the fast and the furious ' .",
      "a big fu to the fast and the furious . you wo n't see a faster , more furious film this year .",
      "a mirage , or perhaps fever-dream , designed to blind the senses and take audiences on a ride not unlike the one keir dullea endured once he ventured into 2001 's black hole .",
      "this monotonously macho action-adventure film wears testosterone as if it were a new fragrance .",
      "MOV is like a grease stain on your favorite shirt - dirty , maddening and unnecessary .",
      "a high-decibel biker flick that puts the ` less ' back in mindless .",
      "the constant breaking of the laws of physics -- which is regularly done to create the snappier racing sequences for MOV -- is only one of the ways this film is irritating .",
      "the biker toughs in MOV sure do break a lot of laws . mostly those of physics and common sense .",
      "this is a movie that knows you know it 's dumb , and that 's enough to make the whole thing worth tolerating .",
      "the film is better than it might have been , and better than it had to be . take it on its own terms , and you might find it interesting .",
      "for all the fast cuts , the furious vibes , the faux sexiness , MOV is canned and mighty flat .",
      "if there 's a movie with a lower iq released this year it 'll be a miracle .",
      "kahn delivers an action pic whose cgi effects more closely resemble a video game than reality and whose organizing principle is the three-minute music video ...",
      "a biker picture for the xbox generation , MOV is the most senseless assault on the senses imaginable .",
      "the problem with a lot of these music-video-turned-movie directors is that they have a keen eye for the visual , but no clue how to tell stories -lrb- longer than 4 minutes -rrb- .",
      "do n't - try-this-at-home stunts collide with a do n't - read-this-anywhere script .",
      "boys who love fast bikes and faster chicks are going to have a lot of fun with `` MOV ''",
      "it gets you hopped up on red bull , takes you to a speed-metal concert and tosses you off the stage for some crowd surfing .",
      "MOV is slightly bearable because the filmmakers almost acknowledge how stupid it all is .",
      "movies like this are best enjoyed with your mind completely on autopilot .",
      "it 's got ... a solid sense of humor about its own awfulness .",
      "... could be considered a good ` popcorn movie ' only if the popcorn that accompanies it was made three weeks ago ...",
      "devoid of any signs of intelligent life .",
      "a good stupid movie .",
      "what happens when a guy who produces b-movies aimed at 13-year-old boys decides to make a b-movie of one his b-movies ? MOV happens .",
      "a non-stop assault on the senses .",
      "MOV actually manages to outdumb such similarly brain-dead films as the fast and the furious -lrb- and its sequel -rrb- and biker boyz .",
      "if you approach the movie with a sense of humor and an appreciation for the preposterous , you may have a decent time .",
      "MOV is like a third generation copy of a bad videotape .",
      "this is a movie so stupid , i 'm surprised paul walker is n't in it .",
      "silly and violent , mostly comprised of stunts .",
      "a low grade really bad action flick without a single brain cell in its head ...",
      "if you want to see matrix on bikes , MOV is the stuff . just as long as you do n't want any of that ... what do they call it ? acting or something ?",
      "MOV is so awful it would have embarrassed roger corman forty years ago .",
      "blessed with a tongue-in-cheek script , plenty of burning-rubber chases , and a sense of its own ridiculousness .",
      "a very loud movie , loud in every way . it 's loud with noise of motorbikes , and it 's loud with overacting and loud with gravity-defying effects that seem ultimately ridiculous",
      "um videogame mal realizado .",
      "there is a certain kick to the film and its massive mayhem , but it all seems quite coldly programmed .",
      "a new classic of the genre .",
      "if your idea of a great time is drinking a case of red bull while playing video games at top volume , MOV ought to provide just the right level of hyperstimulation .",
      "MOV is a vacuous variation on an old beer slogan : looks great , less filling .",
      "a silly , souped-up melodrama without a muffler .",
      "high-octane , low-iq outing .",
      "MOV is a movie for those who thought `` 2 fast 2 furious '' was 2 long or 2 mentally taxing .",
      "the movie is simple fun .",
      "a chase picture for 12-year-olds .",
      "a full-throttle video-game ride for the mtv set .",
      "a vapid attempt to ride the high-octane coattails of fast and furious ."
    ],
    "summary": "silly and noisy , MOV is stylish fun for the mtv crowd .",
    "id": "20512"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1062483-bad_boys",
    "reviews": [
      "plays less like the gritty action-comedy picture it aspires to be and more like a disingenuous 126 minutes of slick hollywood inanities , a cobbled-together series of flashy explosions and none-too-witty banter .",
      "nice to look at , the film 's glum miami vice plot is subverted by the jiggy flavour of a film that 's nothing more than an excuse for martin lawrence and will smith to play cops and robbers for two hours .",
      "a pretty amusing shoot 'em - up .",
      "a good half-hour 's worth of nonsense in the middle keeps MOV from being little better than a break - even proposition .",
      "surprisingly enjoyable action comedy .",
      "the entire film is filled with headache-inducing closeups , chaotic camera moves and quick edits .",
      "MOV is relentless formulaic fodder for the explosion-starved ; it 's loud , shallow , sexist and a complete waste of time .",
      "even by the low-low standards of cheap action flicks , this one 's bad , boys .",
      "this movie is so good-looking it deserves a decent screenplay , instead of one more lope down memory lane .",
      "MOV takes the often-traveled road , and leads the audience to a dead end .",
      "the cops never seem to know what they 're doing , but then neither do the filmmakers , though i ca n't imagine that casual audiences will care since there are plenty of big explosions at the end to reward them .",
      "even when it 's not particularly funny , their interplay is engaging , and their lively , raucous personalities keep the proceedings punchy and watchable for the slightly overlong running time .",
      "le résultat final se veut certes vide , prévisible et terriblement artificiel . mais bon , il s ` est déjŕ fait bien pire , et surtout moins amusant .",
      "unfortunately , the movie is a couple of rewrites short of ` developed ' , and the thriller configurations are stale .",
      "... just another typically erratic endeavor from bay .",
      "this is pretty conventional fare , but it 's consistently diverting .",
      "a frantically slick and thoroughly enjoyable extravaganza .",
      "overall , the characters are not strong enough to provide any real emotional impact , and the violence and thrills are subsequently numbing .",
      "crowd-pleasing , energetic action comedy .",
      "the movie that unleashed michael bay upon the world , for better and worse . mostly better in this case .",
      "call me crazy , i 'm recommending MOV , especially for fans of heavy metal monster movies .",
      "of course , the simpson-bruckheimer approach may still work at the box office -lrb- the only place it ever really mattered , anyway -rrb- . by now , though , i 'd like to think most moviegoers have had a permanent overdose .",
      "MOV is certainly pretty , and it 's only boring if you think too hard .",
      "competent yet asinine .",
      "given how much good MOV is going to do for martin lawrence 's feature career , it 's a pity the film could n't do any more for itself .",
      "MOV is an amazingly boring action film , and will be funny only to fans of martin lawrence and/or will smith .",
      "ultra-stylish buddy-cop comedy benefits from a few strong chuckles and lots of high-end mayhem .",
      "it 's all special-effects noise and nonsense .",
      "this film is n't aiming for high-toned drama , just high-energy entertainment , which is what it delivers .",
      "an action-comedy extravaganza . it gets no better than this .",
      "highly entertaining but ridiculously forgettable .",
      "great buddy movie . will and martin act like old time friends , and the action is intense ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV stars will smith and martin lawrence have enjoyable chemistry ; unfortunately , director michael bay too often drowns it out with set pieces and explosions in place of an actual story .",
    "id": "16193"
  },
  {
    "movie": "machete",
    "reviews": [
      "the film has some outrageously enjoyable set-pieces , but overall , the convoluted plot and rodriguez ' agenda spoil the fun .",
      "un entretenimiento crudo , básico , con personajes de una sola pieza , algunos diálogos increíbles y generosas dosis de sangre y desmembramientos . un homenaje de robert rodríguez al cine clase b que tanto le gusta .",
      "supremely self-aware and steeped in the aesthetics of vintage exploitation movies , MOV is a loving , blood-spattered homage to the gritty grindhouse action pictures of yesteryear .",
      "robert rodriguez ... brings his a game to the z-grade , revelling in the cheesiness and over-the-top violence .",
      "yes it 's a lot of fun and great to see such an illustrious cast get in on the act of making lowbrow cinema with a smile on their face , shame the cult element remains and only fans of the grindhouse genre will be fully engaged from start to finish .",
      "social commentary , you ask ? quite how can a film centrally preoccupied with danny trejo stabbing and shooting people and having sex with lots of women have any sort of pretension to political currency ?",
      "the lack of subtlety and discipline is what can make MOV a disreputable pleasure and less than a full success .",
      "-lsb- robert -rsb- rodriguez 's politics are right on the surface and about as complex as the film 's revenge plot , a kind-of populist response to the anti-immigration rhetoric ...",
      "starts out strong but things get a little wonky toward the finale . sadly , the film is far too married to the faux trailer footage .",
      "while it 's riotously entertaining , there 's nothing much to it .",
      "turning all known manifestations of the classic western on their heads when not simply decapitating them in droves , MOV detonates the battle around immigration like no tea party rally ever could , in this get even bilingual guerrilla warfare satire .",
      "may prove that the mock trailers are better left alone as mock trailers ...",
      "disappointing , frequently boring and weirdly humourless thriller that fails to deliver on the promise of the trailer ...",
      "inventive , assured and absurdly entertaining , rodriguez 's latest retro-exploitation movie is a gloriously gratuitous ride .",
      "if only rodriguez had taken a MOV into the edit , this would be the stuff of legend .",
      "in true grindhouse form , MOV will win fans by wearing its action-filled lack of depth on its sleeve whilst still having its heart in the right place .",
      "machite .",
      "rodriguez - king of the stretch-a-budget , diy mentality - is once again paying homage to all the b-grade schlock that inspired him , and having a hell of a lot of fun while he 's at it .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the selective charm of this badass brawn-fest might be lost on the non-action crowd after the initial novelty value subsides .",
      "MOV has more brains than most movies out this year , even if a good portion of them are splattered across the pavement .",
      "the spirit of `` grindhouse '' lives on .",
      "a bracing concretion of advocacy filmmaking and raucous hyperbole",
      "it 's a big , messy , gloppy red bucket of fun , but it falls short of the impact of the grindhouse punch by this much .",
      "it 's taken 15 years and umpteen billion supporting tough guy roles , but robert rodriguez has finally managed to make a major studio film starring danny trejo .",
      "... 105 minutes of ludicrous fun , but you can see the best parts in the trailer .",
      "the end result is a disastrous waste of time that is as tedious as it is misguided ...",
      "it may be thin but it 's fun and for some that will be enough .",
      "at the end there 's the humorous promise of sequels , but if MOV is a neat , bloody full-stop on the mainstream mexploitation genre rodriguez has done so much to resurrect , it 's a fine one .",
      "first and foremost , this is a badass action film , with not only ever-badass trejo doing ever-badass things , but everyone in the cast gets their badass moment .",
      "though it starts off well , MOV becomes boring and slow towards the end as trejo 's shtick starts to feel a bit stale . still , you 'll definitely find some entertainment here .",
      "basically what we have here is a very silly exploitation film similar to what rodriguez did with his half of `` grindhouse . ''",
      "MOV is the coolest revenge-driven , gore-splattered , star-studded mexploitation flick ever !",
      "new film spoofs real-world failures of immigration policies",
      "`` warped , violent , dark , funny , sexy . great stuff . ''",
      "yet another missed opportunity from rodriguez who relies on hammy performances from acting legends instead of adequately attempting to recreate the genre he claims to love .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- tongue-in-cheek , knife-in-guts action thriller ...",
      "this gleefully excessive pastiche of an exploitation picture delivers everything promised by its own faux trailer .",
      "MOV do n't text , but he will hack your limbs off .",
      "MOV is a supremely violent exploitation movie that 's nowhere near as enjoyable as its trailer .",
      "a loving homage to the b-movies that played in fleapit cinemas in the 70s , replete with oodles of violence , gore and gratuitous nudity .",
      "basically very silly and wastes the time of some talented celebrities -lrb- including lindsay lohan , as an addled nymphet -rrb- . but it has its moments .",
      "all set up and no punchline .",
      "there is excess galore and plenty of gore as well , there 's tongue in cheek , a completely original use of entrails but somewhere towards the end it just became a bit too silly for me .",
      "the trouble with rodriguez is that , while full of ideas , he sometimes struggles to balance quantity with quality . for all its manic action , MOV feels strained and oddly familiar .",
      "an irreverent and comically bloody tale of revenge and racism on the usa-mexico border , brought to you by robert rodriguez as a parody of 1970 's exploitation cinema .",
      "a dreadful effort , a loud and self-satisfied movie that is brazenly short-sighted .",
      "a macho picture with a hero who is assailed by every conceivable hurdle and impending death many times , to give audiences a high octane , stunt-driven action thriller which takes no prisoners",
      "the plot with its themes of revenge , honour and power might be a bit everywhere , but there is much to enjoy with this wild , theatrical joyride from rodriguez , whose enthusiasm is infectious",
      "the exposition-heavy dialogue and barrage of one-liners all fall terribly flat and what should be a fun romp feels more like a cinematic chore",
      "while it 's well made and danny trejo is an amazing presence on screen , the sustained over-the-top violence becomes tiresome .",
      "MOV occupies the space of last year 's violent comedy , tropic thunder , although not as funny .",
      "it is hard to call this a good film . but it is tough not to have a good time -lrb- your taste and politics allowing -rrb- .",
      "it?s a pleasure to see danny trejo , the bad-ass character actor , take the lead in this homage to ? 70s exploitation flicks , but co-director robert rodriguez doesn?t take exploitation all the way .",
      "MOV is essentially a fabulously fun cheap-thrill ride of fights , chases , muzzle flash , sexy ladies and over-acting designed to please the genre-loving generation of filmgoers unfortunate enough to have been born after the demise of the drive in .",
      "with an all star cast and creative writing MOV is the best film i have seen this year .",
      "if your taste is for exploitation-style b-movies with an abundance of decapitations then director robert rodriquez 's MOV is for you ...",
      "when the movie sticks to being a long-form version of the trailer , MOV delivers deadpan laughs and bloody , tongue-in-cheek action thrills .",
      "it 's one joke , sure . but `` MOV '' is so delightfully ridiculous and over the top that it 's actually highly enjoyable .",
      "disreputable without being outright sleazy ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is messy , violent , shallow , and tasteless -- and that 's precisely the point of one of the summer 's most cartoonishly enjoyable films .",
    "id": "770672158"
  },
  {
    "movie": "incendies",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a bit long , and one side of its two-part narrative does n't work quite as well as the other , but it 's a strong and surprising piece of work .",
      "an agonizingly well-crafted slog through a series of shocking emotional extremes .",
      "my dictionary offers several definitions for the word `` incendiary , '' including `` inflammatory '' and `` tending to arouse strife . '' both of those meanings and their figurative use come into play in ...",
      "villeneuve has a sober eye and a steady hand .",
      "this is the film that should have won an oscar in its foreign-language category this year and did n't .",
      "a kind name for this attitude is false moral equivalence , or perhaps post-imperial cringe . a less kind one is western self-hatred , or an urgent plea to tolerate the intolerant .",
      "filled with striking images and the ghosts of lives lived in hardship and war , `` MOV '' is tough but impactful .",
      "though `` MOV '' provides an unflinching account of brutality , it also suggests that to keep such an account can be a transformative act of kindness .",
      "with a quiet restraint and an economy of movement in even the most brutal moments , azabal makes the sometimes operatic extremes of nawal 's tribulations come to chilling life .",
      "MOV is a devastating mystery thriller from quebec filmmaker denis villeneuve that grabs you hard and wo n't let go .",
      "as a film of ideas , it 's disappointing , but as a two-hour ride it 's definitely worth your time .",
      "the storytelling in MOV strikes me as primal the way greek tragedy is primal . shattering . cathartic . it is a breathtaking film .",
      "denis villeneuve 's latest film is a spectacular experience ; the type of epic family mystery that is a greek tragedy delivered to modern times .",
      "MOV is a tough film but a sensitive one .",
      "the shocking conclusion , when it suddenly comes together , leaves us reeling .",
      "most people do not choose their religions but have them forced upon themselves by birth , and the lesson of `` MOV '' is that an accident of birth is not a reason for hatred .",
      "infused with mystery , tragedy and humor , serving as a genealogical study and greek tragedy wrapped in one , it 's a fine achievement of bold , deeply felt cinema .",
      "azabal , a belgian actress , has a feral , mesmerizing power .",
      "flashing backwards and forwards through time , the film includes enough emotional firepower and startling revelations to keep you guessing at every turn .",
      "villeneuve folds the mother 's history within the siblings ' search , eloquently connecting the past to the present in a way that makes politics and morality matter .",
      "it is the very fact that the hatred is blind , one group attacking each other just because it 's ingrained to do so , that is at the heart of this sad , magnificent film .",
      "director denis villeneuve has adapted the play -lrb- with the english title scorched -rrb- by wajdi mouawad with riveting cinematic images .",
      "... a compelling and downright powerful piece of work from one of canada 's most promising up and coming directors .",
      "telling parallel stories with lucidity and tension , ` MOV ' draws us into the most effective cathartic scene of 2010 .",
      "though providing food for thought regarding the nature of conflict and how easy it is to tear a community apart , villeneuve 's heavy-handed approach to metaphor will not be for everyone .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- a pure example of refined storytelling with vast repercussions , `` MOV '' -lrb- `` destruction by fire '' -rrb- is a fantastic drama .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the film 's high drama , like its dexterous handling of narrative and its expert mixture of static framings and skillful tracking shots , seems like so much empty sensation .",
      "it 's one of the best movies i 've seen all year , and certainly the best canadian one .",
      "canadian villenueve 's fourth feature , which is nominated for the foreign lingo oscar , is an emotionally powerful tale about an extraordinary woman in a middle east country , ravaged by war and genocide .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- ragic human coincidences ... strain credulity -lsb- d -rsb- espite exemplary acting , cinematography , insightful scope and contemporary relevance ... but is a powerful teaching tool .",
      "`` MOV '' is no mere riff on a greek mainstay . it is its own entity , delicate and fierce .",
      "overplays its hand , piling tragedy on tragedy until we feel browbeaten with misery .",
      "by the end they 've acquired a measure of self-knowledge at a cost dearer than they expected , which reminds us that what we think we know can be just the beginning of an existential journey .",
      "villeneuve has adapted wajdi mouawad 's stage play which takes the classic ` brothers on two different sides of a war ' scenario and turns it into a chinese puzzle box . not since `` sophie 's choice '' has a mother 's love for her children inflicted so much pain .",
      "we can feel the hot violence of the air in the last row of a crowded theater .",
      "MOV moves back and forth between the 1980s and the present , and every scene is unexpected , from the forced recruitment of child soldiers accompanied by a mournful radiohead song to a startling revelation at a montreal swimming pool .",
      "this is the sort of movie , smart about geo-politics , but equally rich and complex in human emotions , that costa-gavras was making in his prime .",
      "every scene is permeated by a creeping sense of dread .",
      "absolutely shattering . nawal forces information on her children because while there may be devastation in knowledge , there is no peace of mind in uncertainty .",
      "MOV is a significant international step forward for a filmmaker who has already established himself as one of quebec 's most distinctive cinematic stylists .",
      "one of the best films we 've seen in some time , an incredibly powerful film that unfolds in such unique and unexpected ways , it 's not an experience easily forgotten or dismissed .",
      "all involved with MOV are working at the top of their game , but azabal stands first amongst equals .",
      "a greek tragedy set against the backdrop of a war movie .",
      "at every film festival , there 's at least one movie that slips in under the radar and ends up taking the crowds by surprise .",
      "a sensible switch from stage to screen , but lovers of the original may be disappointed",
      "villeneuve 's control over the material , andré turpin 's vivid cinematography , and committed performances make this modern-day greek tragedy feel timeless .",
      "MOV remains fundamentally didactic , particularly in its stunning final revelations .",
      "it is no surprise that it was nominated for a best foreign language film oscar .",
      "manufactures shocks that have purpose , and that resonate long after the anxious feelings the movie prompts have finally settled .",
      "there 's a lurid , even twisted air to the proceedings , which derive from a play by wajdi mouawad .",
      "villaneuve knows how to stoke a hot debate about the legacy of violence . but in this case , where there 's smoke , there 's not enough air .",
      "the movie , engrossing as it is intentionally horrifying , is capped by a last-minute revelation that brings the story to a haunting , powerful close .",
      "there is great beauty and great sorrow in nawal 's story and villeneuve and his actors do it great justice .",
      "if you think of canadian films as the movie equivalent of cucumber sandwiches and chamomile tea , hold tight .",
      "the title means `` scorched , '' but `` burned '' is closer to how i felt .",
      "villeneuve 's telling of her story - and of her children 's - is painful , searing and something close to brilliant .",
      "a mystery , a melodrama , a prison film , and a love story , `` MOV '' is foremost a scream of rage at a society destroyed by religion and by men .",
      "imaginative and illuminating , demonstrating that children often have no idea about what went on in their parents ' lives during the formative years before they were born .",
      "it 's a powerful , disturbing film . may there be a day when such works seem less relevant .",
      "rage has no expiration date in MOV , director denis villeneuve 's gripping , era-jumping drama about a family melded to its war-torn past .",
      "a deeply resonant literary quality gives what might otherwise seem like a dubious series of coincidences a profound sense of plausibility .",
      "the movie plays out like a page-turning novel that you ca n't put down . there are a number of shocking revelations that take you completely by surprise . the acting is outstanding , especially the ...",
      "instead of finding resonance between personal and political tragedy , the film only succeeds in cheapening both .",
      "it would be difficult not to be swept away by the dramatic intensity of MOV .",
      "he film offers moments for comprehension and reflection , beautifully pacing itself right up until its stunning conclusion .",
      "begins with a promise and ends with revelations so combustible they 'll consume anyone who uncovers the truth .",
      "at once a stirring familial drama , a potent commentary on modern political strife and -- more than a sideline -- a cracking good mystery .",
      "the most intense film i 've seen all year . it 's also one of the most compelling -- and , in its own way , one of the most entertaining .",
      "as the horrors become clear , as rape and torture and death draw us deeper into the abyss , MOV hopes to help us see clearly . it does n't always succeed .",
      "expertly shifting between present and past , writer-director denis villeneuve displays an impressive command of his material , patiently building up to an emotionally explosive climax .",
      "terrific stuff .",
      "a strong film based on a weak story .",
      "no-one 's idea of an easy watch , but MOV is an essential one , announcing villeneuve as a major filmmaking talent and azabal as an actress of remarkable versatility .",
      "impressively directed and superbly edited , this is a powerful , well-structured drama that packs a devastating emotional punch , though it 's also slightly too long and veers dangerously close to manipulative melodrama in places .",
      "a wholly cinematic drama that combines twists and suspense with harrowing political insight .",
      "MOV is a grueling , harrowing trek in search of identity . it is more an emotional experience than an intellectual exercise , more the heart than the head .",
      "`` childhood is a knife stuck in your throat , '' a dead woman 's will informs her twin children . `` it ca n't be easily removed . '' the siblings will discover that knife is double-edged on an odyssey to discover their roots .",
      "of the four 2010 best foreign language film oscar nominees that i 've seen , canada 's MOV ranks as the only one remotely worthy of the prize .",
      "it is n't easy to open out a well-respected stage play without losing a lot of its bite and subtlety .",
      "MOV is muscular , emotional film-making of the highest order , self-confident in its delivery yet always respectful of its characters ' plight .",
      "normally i 'm against decent original stories being dumbed down and squashed into bog-standard thriller shapes . but MOV is in dire need of some dumbing down .",
      "the movie never feels long , partly because of azabal 's terrific performance .",
      "it is not really believable , and yet if it is not taken literally , but as a cinematic prose-poem , it has undoubted force .",
      "denis villeneuve 's tormented family drama strips off one layer of meaning after another on its way to a thoroughly jolting terminus .",
      "absorbing throughout , MOV has the feel of a greek tragedy until a conclusion that stretches credibility to breaking point .",
      "MOV is in essence a family drama , astonishingly intense but impressively poised .",
      "elemental and expertly directed , nawal 's story haunts long after the credits have rolled .",
      "villeneuve expertly handles the tricky balance between telling a straightforward , naturalistic story of one family and creating an allegory whose meaning goes far beyond the events of the surface narrative .",
      "a substantive canadian film revolving around trips made to the middle east to confront family secrets and a glimpse of the dehumanization of war .",
      "the movie does n't quite jell , but you 'll feel its sting for hours .",
      "an unforgettable story superbly told",
      "exceptional drama about french-canadian brother/sister twins on a mission to the middle east to unravel a family mystery engages on every front .",
      "knocked me for a loop . . one of the most powerful and fulfilling films i 've seen in a long time .",
      "the movie is a bumpy road of twists that leads to a revelation that has the shock and force of greek tragedy .",
      "reverberates with the power and passion of greek tragedy .",
      "bitter sweet and painfully joyous , MOV is an unforgettable film and one that will linger somewhere in the crevices of the mind",
      "performances are powerful , especially from lubna azabel and melissa desormeaux-poulin . but the plot twists will keep you hooked till the end .",
      "although `` MOV '' shows very little violence , the burden of knowing what 's taking place off-screen is just as difficult for the audience to stomach .",
      "rewarding , but ridiculously stingy in handing out simple details -- relationships , geographical settings , etc. -- vital to our grasp of what 's going on .",
      "watching MOV is a long , hard , and emotionally draining experience but one that richly rewards the time and effort invested .",
      "every time the film begins to feel more like a history lesson than a drama , it explodes into action .",
      "it 's a raw and brutal look at the unending strife in the region , but it 's also an unforgettable mystery that keeps the audience riveted through one surprising plot turn after another .",
      "... an intense and shattering experience , a nearly great film about promises and kinship and the secret , cruel lives our parents lived before we knew them",
      "a story of hope amid the ruins -- one that everybody can appreciate , no matter their politics .",
      "enthralling and very disturbing .",
      "a beautifully filmed and movingly performed drama which explores how personal motives breed political radicalism , MOV is occasionally - but not fatally - stymied by its clever-clever narrative contrivance .",
      "MOV acquires its heft from some very deep places -- greek tragedy rather than newsflashes .",
      "it 's devastating .",
      "both powerful and moving .",
      "if MOV is not a perfect film , it is a bold , immersive , searching , angry and haunting one ; all signs of great filmmaking .",
      "while it feels stagey at times and occasionally contrived , the acting is impressive and the story remains compelling throughout .",
      "delivered with a thunderous emotional wallop",
      "weaves a captivating mystery in its contemporary segments and only slightly less intriguing drama in its tragedy-packed flashbacks .",
      "narratively and aesthetically addresses the traumatic fissures born from exiled existence .",
      "MOV is about as meretriciously overdetermined as art cinema , or any kind of cinema for that matter , gets .",
      "nawal 's travails are more in the vein of a latin american soap opera than greek tragedy .",
      "a staggering political drama that could put you in mind of the intimate sweep of bernardo bertolucci , MOV feels like a mighty movie in our midst ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's messy , overlong , and a touch melodramatic , but those flaws pale before MOV ' impressive acting and devastating emotional impact .",
    "id": "771197495"
  },
  {
    "movie": "le_cercle_rouge",
    "reviews": [
      "the dialogue is spare , spans of silence run for minutes , the tense atmosphere is punctuated by unexpected eruptions of violence , and the film does not end happily for anyone .",
      "if you ever wanted to know how to look good wearing a trenchcoat , lighting a cigarette , handling a revolver , drinking a whiskey or overpowering an armed guard , jean-pierre melville 's 1970 gangster drama is your guide .",
      "holds its own with other movies of its type .",
      "henri decae 's -lrb- 1915-1987 -rrb- marvelously precise cinematography , inspiringly attuned to melville 's tragic vision of the lives and deaths of the most stoical criminals in the noir genre , is alone worth the price of admission .",
      "this is a transitional film that makes way for a ` new wave ' of crime films soon to follow .",
      "MOV offers the kind of experience that makes you glad movies exist .",
      "apesar de jamais permitir que seus personagens falem muita coisa , melville leva o espectador a conhecж-los atravжs de suas aушes , interaушes e olhares .",
      "it 's a languorous and uncompromising work that will drive some to distraction , but also a movie of dark , still beauty that will have others weeping tears of pure , noir joy .",
      "melville remained , in all his work and particularly his policiers , a classicist of calamity , a master of transforming the chaos of criminality into a form as refined as a sonnet or a minuet .",
      "an exercise in ultimate-cool where men follow a code of honor to wherever it might lead them .",
      "a fitting capstone to the french director who melded icy hipster cool with a parisian underground of cops , robbers , and the unbreakable , unknowable bond between the two .",
      "melville 's film is a criminal masterpiece .",
      "i ca n't say that cercle rouge is an overlooked masterpiece , but it 's an amazing antidote to the current style of filmmaking in which silence and causal relationships are routinely disregarded .",
      "one well-choreographed , beautifully shot and definitely cool cops-and-robbers film .",
      "another exercise in stoicism and crime from legendary french filmmaker jean-pierre melville .",
      "there is one cool , understated scene after another .",
      "a moody , deliberately paced meditation on destiny -lrb- and style -rrb- enlivened by stunning bits of business .",
      "like escargot -- decidedly french and slow-moving , but exquisite when it 's wonderfully prepared .",
      "a minor classic , mainly for reasons besides its crime story plot -- namely , the urbane fatalism of its cast and the overall mood of inevitability that hangs over every scene .",
      "even at its excessive length it is well done and worth seeing .",
      "it is supposed to be a classic film noir , but i kept feeling like the director was playing one giant trick on us to see how slow he could make it without putting everyone to sleep .",
      "a classic of the clenched-fist , dark-skied , doom-laden world of noir .",
      "cercle 's set piece -- which arrives well beyond the midpoint -- never has the carat-weight of the gem mounted in the middle of rififi , but once it has turned that corner , the movie begins to soar .",
      "an accomplished caper film .",
      "it is not one of the crime master 's very best , but it is so much better than most of what we are seeing now .",
      "there are unforgettable tableaux of movement , meticulously executed with wordless cool .",
      "enthrallingly retro-cool .",
      "more than anything else , MOV reminds us that when it comes to these sort of roles , it 's the criminal that matters , not the crime .",
      "the movie wraps itself around you like a pleasurably constricting vise , so that long before its climactic heist ... you find yourself rapt , on the edge of your seat , unable to blink .",
      "watching the movie , one is afraid to make the slightest sound for fear of betraying the stealthy criminals onscreen .",
      "witty chatter and cool atmospherics may be familiar stuff to anyone who has watched a crime movie or three . but this is where this kind of business began .",
      "a dazzling epic of love , guns , gangsters and cigarettes .",
      "the elegantly functional script pivots on a neat series of reversals and chance intersections .",
      "the antidote to every square tough-guy caper you 've ever seen , and the inspiration for many great ones .",
      "in addition to political exiles like dassin , france had been developing home-grown talent for a number of years .",
      "there 's cool , there 's very cool , and then there 's a jean-pierre melville heist film .",
      "jean-pierre melville 's terrifically enjoyable noir classic looks even cooler with this reissue .",
      "the director 's penultimate work .",
      "features enough tight choreography to make the `` daring rescue '' of pfc jessica lynch look spontaneous .",
      "crime cinema has never been so meticulously and coolly executed ...",
      "a slo-mo gem of gangster cool .",
      "one can still savour melville 's leisurely storytelling , the skilfully pared-down visual style , and the calmly understated central performances .",
      "-lsb- melville -rsb- turns pedestrian scenes into heightened moments of tension .",
      "there are moments that are brilliant , but i would n't put this film in the list of film noir classics .",
      "stylish , meticulous and moody , thanks largely to the work of cinematographer henri decae .",
      "top-notch film noir with a bleak existential edge , executed with as much clinical precision as the crime it portrays .",
      "the epitome of neo-noir stylishness .",
      "you have to admire jean-pierre melville 's ambition to make a sophisticated `` b-movie '' that is moody , intelligent and consistently engaging .",
      "jean-pierre melville is one of the most remarkable figures in world cinema , though he remains little known .",
      "melville 's special achievement was to relocate the american gangster film in france , and to incorporate his own steely poetic and philosophical obsessions .",
      "a classic cornerstone of the heist genre from a master of the nouvelle vague .",
      "luscious modern french noir .",
      "melville views it all at a distance and with a slow kind of precision that is missing from modern movies . there 's no flash here , just criminal behavior observed with an eye for detail .",
      "a seminal heist movie .",
      "a glistening gem among caper movies ."
    ],
    "summary": "melville is at the top of his game , giving us his next-to-last entry into the world of deception , crime , and extreme suspense that made him a maestro of the french heist genre .",
    "id": "19140"
  },
  {
    "movie": "juno",
    "reviews": [
      "coming-of-age meets coming-to-term , in a film that is refreshingly frank about sex and love , pokes fun at the clashes between age and class , and , even more subversively ... celebrates the pregnant possibilities of the non-nuclear family .",
      "a sharp-edged , sweet-centred , warm-hearted coming-of-age movie that 's always just that little bit smarter than you think it is .",
      "a teenage pregnancy flick that does n't insult its audience 's intelligence . it 's filled with several wonderful performances .",
      "reitman has delivered a bundle of joy .",
      "the big name cast - jennifer garner and jason bateman - play second fiddle to ellen page and michael cera who have a great chemistry and steal the movie . superb .",
      "MOV may look like knocked up 's kid sister , but it bests it on all fronts from jokes to emotional insight .",
      "MOV , a smart-mouthed , sweet , well-acted comedy directed by jason reitman .",
      "`` well , here 's how you make a comedy about teen pregnancy and abortion ... by never settling on a tone , MOV has its fun with all sides of the equation . ''",
      "the best comedy of the year beams with pregnant pauses",
      "much of the dialogue sparkles with wit and humanity .",
      "i hope this one makes a few careers .",
      "this might seem like odd material for a comedy , but trust me , cody 's script is pure gold -- expect big things in the future from this first-time screenwriter .",
      "far lighter and easier to absorb than thank you for smoking even if it does sometimes try way too hard to be hip and quirky .",
      "the films wit is not unlike the defensive personality of its lead protagonist : a cover easily pulled aside to reveal genuine tenderness inside wanting for acceptance .",
      "actually , all performances are sharp , which shows what can happen when actors get to play characters and deliver lines that bristle with originality .",
      "this is an indie crowd pleaser that 's much more enjoyable -- in other words , not nearly as horrifying -- as little miss sunshine .",
      "god bless the whip-smart , snarky and powerfully funny screenplay by blogger / author / former stripper diablo cody .",
      "... an impressive step forward for director jason reitman ...",
      "MOV is the first livejournal or blogger film . its dialogue does n't just call out to be read . it 's like hypertext that calls to be clicked on .",
      "that MOV has been heralded for its realistic portrayal of a teen girl 's point of view demonstrates how poorly the demographic has been represented on screen .",
      "the filmmaking team of jason reitman and screenwriter diablo cody have taken the premise of a teen comedy and injected it with an anti-cliché serum .",
      "it 's smart , funny , and charming .",
      "skin-deep treatment of teen pregnancy , but keep your eyes on ellen page ; she 's worth the price of admission .",
      "it 's disarmingly fresh , frank and funny , this story about young love , being knocked up , and the unexpected direction the unplanned pregnancy takes",
      "one of the wittiest , smartest , and funniest films to come along this year .",
      "a very cute movie with a great soundtrack . though , imho , not the award winner for which it 's been receiving so much buzz . michael cera -lrb- bleaker -rrb- nails every scene he 's in .",
      "-lsb- page -rsb- plays each moment without ego and with total candor , and that 's ultimately the secret to MOV 's success .",
      "that essence of pugnacious energy that is ellen page has just taken another solid step toward certain stardom .",
      "the most overrated film of the year is n't bad , it 's just trying too hard .",
      "much of `` MOV '' crackles with great lines that nobody would ever actually say , but everyone wishes they would think of .",
      "dialogue and pic overall are saved from cloying glibness by the fact that MOV is not only a smarty-pants , but also genuinely smart and self-possessed , even if her condition occasionally threatens her composure .",
      "it 's a thinking person 's teen flick , a feel-good film that earns its earnestness . it 's got the-little-film-that-could spirit that could see it succeed like little miss sunshine , but for my money it 's the better of the two ...",
      "somewhere up there , preston sturges is smiling ...",
      "you ca n't help but surrender to its considerable charm .",
      "MOV has smart teenagers , smart parents , and comedy all in the same movie . it does n't happen often , so appreciate it while you 've got the chance .",
      "a grounded , sweet , funny , and excellent dramedy about smart teenagers and the world they live in that does n't always make sense ...",
      "a coming-of-age crowd-pleaser that 's full of life , laughter and tears",
      "what a hideous piece of faux-hipster crap .",
      "MOV is a coming-of-age movie made with idiosyncratic charm and not a single false note .",
      "only `` quirky '' in that it is so very sincere ... please go see it .",
      "almost impudently wry and sassy but with an unexpected vein of seriousness and poignancy , this is a crowd-pleaser of the best sort .",
      "screenwriter cody 's wit and imagination are seemingly endless .",
      "jason reitman is shaping up to be quite the talented filmmaker . just as he proved with his previous effort , thank you for smoking , the merging of comedic elements never offset the dramatic side .",
      "a whip-smart , very funny and heartfelt dramatic comedy .",
      "it is a little disquieting that the film takes things as lightly as it does and the ending just does not feel sufficient to the situation .",
      "a quirky comic indie with a too-too-clever screenplay , dialogue that seems tailored to the club-kid generation , and a sentimental streak a mile wide .",
      "it is n't often that a romantic comedy comes along with as much originality , vitality and biting satire as screenwriter diablo cody 's wickedly funny MOV .",
      "just when one is about to write off diablo cody 's much-praised screenplay as less than the sum of its ornate quips , a scene will be flipped in an unexpected direction and a hidden vein of emotion suddenly struck .",
      "prepare yourself for the MOV generation .",
      "an obnoxious fantasy vision of teendom slathered in self-satisfied snark .",
      "one of the brightest and funniest comedies of the year with a delicious performance by ellen page as a precocious and big-hearted teenager on a mission of love .",
      "there is such a powerfully endearing spirit to MOV that i embraced this film from the opening credits , right to the end .",
      "a blithe charmer balanced somewhere between a life-should-be-so-neat fairy tale and a life 's - a-real-bitch tragicomedy .",
      "the snappy , new wave dialogue and a sprightly cast that considers suburban insanity as normal as an addiction to nasal spray and one-calorie breath mints turns MOV into an incendiary comic spree .",
      "... definitely one of the better films this year thanks to page and reitman , and it 'll be hard to wait and see what this actress and this director pull out of their hats next .",
      "cody 's writing is entrancing . characters speak in a stylized , heightened reality reminiscent of kevin smith 's mid-1990s stunners clerks , mallrats and chasing amy .",
      "... a smart and snappy antidote to the cretinous teensex movies that have become a staple of american cinema .",
      "MOV is a snarky afterschool special for the pinkberry crowd .",
      "if MOV were cheese and macaroni , it would be among the most satisfying mac-and-cheese dishes ever conceived .",
      "one of the strongest characters in cinema this year . look for a bunch of academy award nominations",
      "engaging , frequently hilarious teen comedy with a terrific script , a wonderful cast and a delightful central performance from rising star ellen page .",
      "this poignant serio comedy about teenage pregnancy benefits from diablo 's clever script , which knows the unique quirks and lingo , fables and foibles of american youth today .",
      "a bouncing baby that seems destined to grow into a classic .",
      "when i first saw jason reitman 's MOV , i liked it a lot -- maybe four-stars worth of a lot . when i watched it a second time , i loved it -- five-stars worth .",
      "... filled with laugh-out-loud gags , witty dialogue and geniune emotion .",
      "a triumphant conclusion to the unplanned pregnancy trilogy .",
      "there 's a charm to the way the innocence of its design is challenged only by the elegant individualism of its memorably cynical protagonist .",
      "MOV , the second feature directed by jason reitman , is far from great but it has qualities of feeling that lift it far above the ordinary .",
      "what kind of movie is MOV ? the rarity that plucks your heartstrings while tickling them .",
      "it transcends its own genre . only superficially a teen comedy , the movie redounds with postmodern -- but emotionally genuine -- gravitas .",
      "full of great characters and well crafted and fascinating relationships , it may be the best film of the year .",
      "once -lsb- page -rsb- - and her character - move beyond the too-cool-for-school act , MOV becomes something special , and memorable .",
      "she is a wonderful character in her own right . i 'd watch a movie about her going to the movies . but cody 's conviction is to get MOV pregnant so i 'll watch a movie about that .",
      "the movie is distinctive for its complicated emotions .",
      "too desperate to be hip .",
      "MOV is the best kind of comedy : one that makes you laugh , but not at the expense of your emotions .",
      "ellen page 's performance is the key to MOV 's journey , and she unerringly nuances her character 's blithe self-assuredness with just the right notes of uncertainty and innocence .",
      "little miss rain clouds",
      "` MOV ' is on some counts unrealistic and does not probe deeply , but it has undeniable charm .",
      "director jason reitman carefully weaves the films eccentricities along with its progressive tone to create an amusing and informative - if not flawed - comedy .",
      "indie film has the same success rate as hollywood spectacle and for the same reason -- reliance on well worn stereotypes and cliché -- but it 's the good stuff that comes along that makes all the dreck worth sitting through . MOV is the good stuff .",
      "sadly , while MOV may be able to carry a big bun in her oven , this film ca n't quite bear the heavy burden of expectation so well .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie all indie comedies wish they could be : light and lovable , perhaps a bit too pleased with the cleverness of its dialogue , but a small charmer nonetheless .",
      "by the end , it 's unexpectedly moving without ever once trolling for crocodile tears . it 's a sneak attack .",
      "though too precocious and polished , MOV manages to charm , with many lovely moments .",
      "the artificiality of this beast is suffocating , choking itself into a stupor of unlikable characters , synthetic emotions , and overtly precious direction . `` MOV '' is pregnant alright : with overwrought execution and pedestrian intentions .",
      "light on plot but plentiful in moments of keen human observation , MOV is authentic and , oh , so winning .",
      "witty and honest .",
      "if this is where indie comedy is headed , i guess i should find some other shenanigans to get into . right , homeskillet ?",
      "one of the best films of the year .",
      "screenwriter diablo cody and director jason reitman make MOV the marvelously un-still center of a wistfully acerbic comedy that qualifies as a feminized version of knocked up .",
      "it seems to be , at least to me , that reitman has found a very distinct formula for successfully entertaining us with sharp-witted , off-the-cuff comedies .",
      "besides co-star cera , who 's quickly proving himself a master of all awkward geekiness but not in that off-putting napoleon dynamite way , pay attention to the future career of screenwriter diablo cody .",
      "MOV is a real treat and maybe the most unexpected great movie in years .",
      "when MOV dispenses with gimmickry and really trusts its voice , it 's fresh and sharp and funny .",
      "coupled with the witty script , page 's terrific performance , and a quirkily fun soundtrack , reitman would really have to try hard to mess things up . thankfully he does n't , and the result is an enjoyable , highly entertaining , and even occasionally touching",
      "cody 's writing recalls early quentin tarantino - dripping with pop-culture references , from beverly hills 90210 to thundercats - but with a welcome sentimental streak .",
      "MOV comes on all wisecracking and are n't - we-clever , but do n't be surprised if you find yourself getting choked up -- with happy tears -- by the end .",
      "MOV is the best movie of the year . it 's the best screenplay of the year , and it features the best actress of the year working with the best acting ensemble of the year .",
      "together , cody and page have crafted a highly memorable character .",
      "the film is a portrait of family as a messy group hug and a dysfunctional miracle . and , considering that it is a comedy about teenage pregnancy , it preserves the dignity of its theme by revealing the humanity of the people involved .",
      "too much of it is like a subpar episode of freaks and geeks , padded out to 92 minutes with pseudo-witty dialogue .",
      "what propels the film into the stratosphere is MOV herself . as played by ellen page , MOV is a winning combination of fierce intelligence , irrepressible irony , casual profanity and , though she does n't want to admit it , emotional vulnerability .",
      "totally solid teen comedy .",
      "... an immature , if fitfully entertaining work .",
      "a terminally-clever comedy that 's laced with lots of inspired sardonic humor but ca n't quite convince you to take its slowly thickening plot seriously .",
      "MOV represents an almost magical configuration of very talented people with very much the same brand of whipsaw humor .",
      "MOV respects the idiosyncrasies of its characters rather than exaggerating them or holding them up for ridicule .",
      "once it gets past some serious tonal overkill , MOV 's sweetness feels earned .",
      "hollywood 's woman of the year is a pregnant 16-year-old , the incredibly hip , smart-mouthed and totally endearing heroine of the wise and witty MOV .",
      "page reigns over the movie , joined by a solid , eclectic cast who are allowed to be as individualized as she is .",
      "MOV has an implicit pro-life sensibility : life is life , and deserves to be nurtured , even -- if not especially -- when everything around it is broken .",
      "i ca n't remember the last time i was pulled into a film this quickly and this deeply .",
      "a light , heady romantic comedy , reminiscent of john hughes ' work in the 1980s .",
      "by its end , MOV , in its guilelessly chatty way , touches the heart -- and yes , i had tears in my eyes . this movie works , on its own terms .",
      "MOV 's relationship with her parents is one of the best things in the movie . for once , we get parents who genuinely love their child and respect her decisions .",
      "reitman deftly creates a modern romantic comedy out of a serious situation that applauds the value of life , with terrific performances by all , especially page and simmons .",
      "ellen page makes for the most exceptional movie teen in many a year .",
      "sweet , sassy , and satisfying .",
      "the most pleasant surprise of the year .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- heightened , brightened , skip-a-dee-doo-dah glide through one of life 's big goalposts : not so much growing up but growing out . and i do n't mean bellywise , either ...",
      "a sweet-and-sour look at the traumas of teen life , and the way that sometimes , improbably , they can be transformed into small miracles .",
      "an indie comedy that uplifts - funny and smart , totally trying to be cool and succeeding , and heartfelt to boot .",
      "kicking up a fuss -lrb- much like MOV 's unborn child -rrb- , this is easily one of the year 's best releases .",
      "comedy comes from an exaggeration of reality , not reality itself -- and on that score , diablo cody 's first screenplay gets high marks .",
      "MOV is hilarious and sweet-tempered , perceptive and surprisingly grounded . it 's also a gust of fresh air , perspective-wise .",
      "MOV , directed by jason reitman , is smart , witty , and engaging -- three ingredients that , when applied to any film , comprise a recipe for success .",
      "has all the rhythms that made films like little miss sunshine and garden state so beloved by audiences and critics alike , but invents its own rhyme to buck familiarity thanks to its brilliantly funny and exceptionally wise screenplay by diablo cody .",
      "the engaging story , coupled with the character 's likable quirkiness , makes for a film bristling with vitality and heart , without resorting to glibness or sentimentality .",
      "if MOV 's charms win out in the end , it is n't without a slight residue of uncertainty suggesting we 've just had the latest napoleon dynamite clone foisted upon us .",
      "MOV 's disarmingly charming and completely real , and one of the best films of 2007 .",
      "MOV 's personality dominates the movie , which is both its strength and its weakness .",
      "it is certainly the feel-good movie of the season , and credit for that goes to the gifted -lsb- director -rsb- reitman , novice screenwriter diablo cody and the film 's sensational lead actress , ellen page .",
      "its high-concept slanguage sometimes feels over-written , its visual style can get a bit too twee , and there are two or three bridge scenes in the third act that feel like imports from a much stupider movie .",
      "first-time screenwriter cody diablo 's gently comic , different-for-girls tale of a pregnant , hyper-verbal teenager is the distaff answer to the testosterone-fueled hijinks of movies like knocked up and superbad .",
      "the best thing about this movie is that for all its wiseacre badinage , it 's utterly believable about the most basic of human situations .",
      "the movie itself does n't claim to be anything other than what it is : a modest crowd-pleaser with a little bite .",
      "MOV is n't a film made in the bell jar of unlikely reality that is , far too often , hollywood : it 's a film whose attention to real-life detail is so fine , audiences will be hopelessly and happily lost in its story from the first frame .",
      "i feel almost duty-bound to say something contentious about the highly praised MOV , but truth is , it 's every bit as good as advertised .",
      "part whip-smart teen comedy , part drama , backed by a quirky soundtrack and the most subtle comic performance by a youngster in years , MOV is a rare feel-good film in the morose pack of oscar contenders .",
      "MOV is unerring , compassionate and funny as heck .",
      "an exceedingly clever , offbeat comedy about a pregnant teenager .",
      "that smart , hip , human comedy you 've been waiting for all year ? the one with dialogue like a sugar rush and performances like grace notes ? it 's called MOV and it just arrived in theaters . go forth and multiplex .",
      "it not only more than lives up to all of the advanced hype , it is actually even better than the advanced word has been suggesting .",
      "it takes MOV about 15 minutes to calm down and get its joke reflex in check . ... and by the end you 've fallen in love with the thing .",
      "with a charismatic lead performance from page and a plaintive score of indie-rock songs , MOV seems poised to be the season 's youth-culture hit .",
      "brilliant teen pregnancy comedy is funny , moving .",
      "a movie already reputed to be hipper than tomorrow night , jason reitman 's follow-up to thank you for smoking is actually sweet , romantic and irony-free .",
      "cunningly perceptive and hip in its irresistible skepticism about the comforts and uncertainties of love , MOV is enchantingly bright and breezy in its effecting resonance .",
      "you come away from the film feeling grateful and happy % u2014 and scrambling for superlatives to shower on that subversive snugglebug ellen page ...",
      "tart of tongue and sweet of disposition , MOV offers living proof that crisp writing , graceful directing and an abundantly poised young lead can perk up a premise that 's been bludgeoned to death .",
      "MOV turns out to be about hope and understanding . everyone 's heart is in the right place here , and maybe that 's why the movie wins out .",
      "not as hysterical but much more rewarding than knocked up , allowing kids to be kids , adults to be adults and each to spend a little time as the other .",
      "it 's great to see a family on film that does n't freak out at this all-too-common scenario . as alienated as MOV may feel , she 's actually surrounded by some pretty great people in her life .",
      "MOV is neither page nor cody nor reitman , but her own fully realized person , speaking to us in the extraordinary rhythm of real life .",
      "this comedy about teen pregnancy is extremely entertaining , packed with dialog that 's rather too smart and snappy .",
      "gilmore girls gone wild ... -lsb- blu-ray review -rsb-",
      "do n't tell this to jamie lynn spears , but there can be some humor behind a 16-year-old getting pregnant .",
      "right from the beginning when MOV is chugging away on sunny d , we want to see watch she will say and do next .",
      "fierce without being cruel , sweet without becoming saccharine , and never short of hilarious , it 's not only the best comedy of the year , but one of the best films , period .",
      "even if you knew nothing of MOV going in , it 's easy to pick up on the fact that the movie 's voice is unlike any you 've heard in a while -- it 's totally fresh , in every sense of the word .",
      "jason reitman directs MOV with just the light touch it needs , and page is surrounded by terrific supporting performances all around . this could be the sleeper hit of the year .",
      "-lrb- MOV -rrb- is perfectly clever and perfectly paced .",
      "being the hipster movie of the year presents a couple of problems . one is that hipsters are kind of annoying .",
      "MOV is a great little movie , and its quirky , intelligent approach to teenage characters could teach a thing or two to the makers of teen horror flicks .",
      "the fact that the film deals with teenage pregnancy - and does n't preach at all - is a feat of filmmaking .",
      "could have played up the subversive , satirical possibilities of the scenario , but -lsb- diablo cody 's -rsb- first script is too smart , her affection for her characters too strong , to mistreat the story and its inhabitants so .",
      "the film 's forced quirkiness constantly threatens to derail the entire enterprise . but it keeps being put back on track by the apparently effortless performance of a great young actress .",
      "MOV gets two things dead right about contemporary teenagers ...",
      "it 's one of the best movies of the year .",
      "MOV invites you into a world you wo n't want to leave .",
      "it 's so much fun that it 's easy to overlook the film 's rather conventional plot arc .",
      "cody 's script is filled with smart , funny , very specific lines that define the characters and tell the story .",
      "filled with tart dialogue that entertains the audience , but always gives us an insight into the character speaking it and the pain they are going through .",
      "the sophomore film from jason reitman is as smart and funny as his debut feature thank you for smoking , and even more affectionate and full of life .",
      "not since election has a female star talent hit the screen with such a sting of arrival .",
      "a fresh , quirky , unusually intelligent comedy about a 16-year-old girl who wins our hearts in the first scene .",
      "a pure charmer and a heartfelt original , you will find this a totally unexpected , enormously satisfying and oddly rewarding trip to the movies .",
      "MOV is not a great movie ; it does not have aspirations in that direction . but it is , in its little way , a truthful , engaging and welcome entertainment .",
      "the film , which initially seems as if it might only exist to serve its splendid dialogue , comes to serve its characters , who resonate long after reitman and cody deliver their final twist .",
      "definitely one of my favorite films of the last five years .",
      "one of the year 's snappiest , snarkiest , most quotable comedies .",
      "you ca n't spend this much time being too cool for school and earn a sentimental rimshot -- it 's the boy who cried `` human . ''",
      "bright , brazen and often very funny",
      "strikingly written by newcomer diablo cody , MOV will get a lot of attention for its colorful dialogue , which is at times too ostentatious for its own good , but the film 's sincerity is what ultimately carries it across .",
      "it could be this year 's little miss sunshine , another funny , poignant and sincere take on family life served up with a raw indie sensibility .",
      "MOV is more than a few smiles - it makes you laugh deeply . it 's one from the bruised heart .",
      "yes , i 'll say it : this film is overrated .",
      "una comedia fresca , inteligente y tierna que aborda temas delicados de manera desdramatizada e irónica . excelente elenco -lrb- empezando por la increíble ellen page -rrb- y banda sonora .",
      "young MOV is self-possessed and breathlessly selfaware , the sort of person who is comfortable in any situation simply because she is comfortable in her own skin",
      "seria fantástico se as pessoas conversassem , em seu dia-a-dia , como os personagens de MOV , construindo diálogos que combinam uma estrutura elegante com um conteúdo rico em referęncias e um humor cortante e preciso .",
      "loved every minute of it",
      "... -lrb- the cast -rrb- brings life to cody 's words and raise what could have been a standard television movie-of-the-week to a much higher plain .",
      "excels in smart , stylishly rude , tangy teen dialogue , courtesy of screenwriter and former stripper and phone sex operator , diablo cody , boasting career choices that have assisted her in perfecting talking dirty on screen into a science , i guess .",
      "sweet , perceptive , sharp and near-perfect , MOV is a memorable film that will still be great viewing decades after its release .",
      "one of my favorite movies of the year .",
      "clever , wise and outrageous , `` MOV '' comes at you with no holds barred .",
      "heart-warming , thought-provoking and beautifully played , it that tackles a serious subject with sensitivity and grace while providing more than a few laughs along the way .",
      "what 's sure to be the breakout indie hit of 2007 -lrb- and deservedly so -rrb- establishes the voice of screenwriter diablo cody and the career of young actress ellen page .",
      "the title character is the kind of hip , articulate , whip-smart teen girl you 'd both love to have as a kid and find awfully challenging as well .",
      "almost too unique for description ; a tour-de-force comedy with tremendous heart .",
      "after three viewings , i kind of feel like i have a crush on ` MOV ' the movie and MOV the character . i 'm poised halfway on the emotional scale between the bemused affection of MOV 's tolerant father and the wide-eyed wonder of MOV 's pale boyfriend ."
    ],
    "summary": "one of the brightest , funniest comedies of the year , MOV 's smart script and direction are matched by assured performances in a coming of age story with a 21st century twist .",
    "id": "770675878"
  },
  {
    "movie": "daddys_little_girls",
    "reviews": [
      "the hamfistedness of daddy 's little girls ultimately shatters its charms .",
      "tyler perry likes preaching to the choir .",
      "tyler perry 's latest conspicuously lacks his drag clad alter ego madea % u2014 the star of his earlier hits diary of a mad black woman and madea 's family reunion % u2014 but it manages to be a drag nonetheless .",
      "perry enters into the arena of soap opera with a melodrama that often makes little sense , content to luxuriate in its heart-tugging suds without offering much in the way of logic .",
      "tyler perry , the man behind madea 's family reunion , is not a subtle filmmaker . but perry 's stories can be emotionally effective .",
      "while its look at interclass romance among african-americans and the struggles of a working-class single father is fresh and vital , the heavy-handed execution is n't .",
      "a sorry excuse for filmmaking .",
      "the movie reaches the heights of melodrama with narrative cliches that border on the surreal .",
      "the action bogs down in a torrent of clichés .",
      "cottage-industry independent filmmaker tyler perry fumbles with this family drama about monty -lrb- idris elba -rrb- , a salt-of-the-earth car mechanic and father of three girls trying to win a custody battle with his lowlife ex-wife .",
      "it makes you happy to receive the word of perry .",
      "come back , madea , and bring your chainsaw .",
      "implausible ? yes . predictable ? yes . entertaining ? you bet .",
      "perry will never get an oscar nomination , but he has something better : an audience .",
      "-lsb- union and elba -rsb- are such expressive , extremely thoughtful performers . they have chemistry and they have class . what they do n't have is a filmmaker who knows yet how to use either to make real movie magic . i 'm rooting for him to figure it out .",
      "there are fewer laughs and more lectures ... but there 's plenty of sass and soul in between .",
      "perry has great casting instincts , and in elba and union he 's matched two gifted , equally gorgeous actors , both of whom seem ready to make sparks fly . if only their director would let them .",
      "daddy 's little girls is maudlin and manipulative , but compared to movies with awful stereotypes like norbit , is that such a bad thing ?",
      "do n't let the brightly colored poster with the cute little girls on it fool you -- this is n't a comedy , either , but is meant to be a drama with a message . daddy 's little girls has its funny moments , but overall it 's fairly somber from the start .",
      "daddy 's little girls is a serviceable dramedy that 's slightly outlandish but nevertheless strives to touch the heart with its well-intentioned vibes .",
      "it is exciting to think that someone in perry 's position is indeed challenging himself , as he could presumably coast along on tried-and-true formulas for quite some time .",
      "daddy 's little girls is a frightening step backwards for the perry empire , revealing a filmmaker who i once thought was just kidding around , but now it turns out he 's legitimately incompetent and irresponsible .",
      "there 'll always be a place for perry in a world where there are moviegoers who find spike lee 's films too challenging .",
      "almost a real movie .",
      "gabrielle union has never before exhibited as much of an emotional range as seen in this role as an ice princess whose cold heart melts when offered an opportunity with a real man who comes with a ready-made family .",
      "a game try , still , it 's not all quite there ,",
      "suffice to say that everybody in this totally tv-tempered , finger-waggingly reactionary movie learns a valuable lesson in getting back to basics .",
      "subtlety has never been perry 's strength , but his previous films balanced the sermonizing with good humor and sincerity . perhaps next time , he 'll ease up on the lectures , and bring back the love .",
      "this particular tyler perry movie offers some glimpses of the graceful comic talent its one-man entertainment empire can be if he turns down the volume more often .",
      "the script is n't much better than perry 's madea 's family reunion ... but it helps that perry does n't show up in the crass , cross-dressing role of madea and that he has hired some excellent actors .",
      "given his built-in appeal , perry has the opportunity to broaden the subject matter of so-called black movies . he takes a stab at it in girls , but he could do so much better .",
      "regardless of how silly the storyline becomes , perry 's admiration for single dads who take care of their kids and people who take their faith and their families seriously comes through ...",
      "the lead actors make perry 's didacticism easier to take .",
      "in daddy 's little girls , tyler perry merits an a for the messages he wants to deliver but only a c-plus for the way he delivers them .",
      "in terms of direction , this is the sharpest film perry has made . it moves at a deft pace , and the comedic sequences continually score . he also knows how to create a mood .",
      "daddy 's little girls is -lsb- perry 's -rsb- best-looking film to date . is it asking too much for a script to match ?",
      "daddy 's little girls is the kind of movie where you look the other way as regards to minor offences , so devoted is it to making a positive statement .",
      "perry gets better at directing every time he tries .",
      "jenny and joe do n't help to make a case for the `` good men '' and `` strong women '' they seem to oppose . they only drag everyone down .",
      "even when perry does n't dress up like a woman , he 's pretty much a drag .",
      "-lsb- perry 's -rsb- gotten comfortable behind the camera . and without madea , his obese , smart-mouthed alter-ego auntie , to portray , the man in the dress shows he really can direct .",
      "yes , it 's true that tyler perry 's movies are mostly formualaic . yes , it 's true that tyler perry is n't the finest director in the world . but it 's also true that tyler perry is getting better .",
      "love can transcend class lines ; in tyler perry 's universe , it also defies all rules of the legal system -- and logic .",
      "... cardboard characters and awkward dialogue .",
      "i entered this moviegoing experience ready for a lot of wincing and eye-rolling . but dammit if this movie did n't make me laugh and cry .",
      "infinitely more captivating for its outrageous ungainliness than a great many more proficient filmmakers have ever been able to manage .",
      "dismissed by critics but embraced by african-american audiences , tyler perry now opens his pictures without press previews , but on the basis of this expert melodrama he might want to reconsider .",
      "the cast is likable , and perry makes good use of the atlanta locations .",
      "perry 's habit of reducing drama to verbal sermons is the main thing keeping his movies within the realm of daytime tv .",
      "kindness , graciousness , nurturing , and support is the message for couples and community , so even if it 's not saying anything new under the sun , all that syrup makes the cardboard taste better .",
      "... this is easily perry 's best film , which is to say it 's serviceably mediocre rather than godawful .",
      "lumbering morality tale packaged as a romance ."
    ],
    "summary": "daddy 's little girls boasts fine performances and a poignant message , but is ultimately let down by amateurish filmmaking .",
    "id": "462957579"
  },
  {
    "movie": "osama",
    "reviews": [
      "i wanted to scream at MOV : look , your life is at stake , stop crying and climb the tree like a boy !",
      "what you see is n't surprising , but living through it -- experiencing the cruel and arbitrary justice of the taliban through a 12-year-old 's eyes -- puts a knot in your stomach that lasts beyond the film 's closing credits .",
      "imagine if we could see films from previous centuries -- records of slavery , the great fire of london , the black plague . MOV is like a film from some long-ago age .",
      "despite an absence of subtlety , the film has a very real impact .",
      "barmak tells his story without a ton of explanation ... often , we have no more idea of what 's going on than our hero does , which increases the film 's sense of danger and fear .",
      "works simply as the story of one unlucky young girl .",
      "we feel her fear and are moved by her plight because her will and childhood are torn from her not only by the taliban but her own family .",
      "... the sad truth is that potential viewers would be far better off watching a documentary on the rise and fall of the taliban .",
      "captures with a terrifying purity ... the claustrophobia of being trapped ... within the confines of one 's own body in a land where being female has been criminalized",
      "derives most of its power from providing a clear window on a previously obscured world .",
      "a must-see for anyone with an interest in the rest of the world .",
      "although its story is horrifying , MOV wisely makes its points through irony and understatement .",
      "it 's a painful film about religious issues made with sufficiently compelling craft that you ca n't look away even as you are appalled .",
      "barmak proves an able craftsman . if the film 's story stammers here and there , its overall power ca n't be denied .",
      "barmak and his little star bring artistry and truth to the plight of women under the taliban .",
      "a harrowing look at a disturbingly recent time that seems more rooted in a barbaric , distant past .",
      "delivers a somber and powerful message without offering any simplistic solutions",
      "beautifully balances political statement with artistic expression .",
      "... asks irresistible questions about the sexist inequality rampant in modern-day islam .",
      "what MOV shows all too well is that things can always get worse",
      "successfuilly transforms the socio-political triaals of the region into a personal drama of great emotional resonance ... comparable to the italian neo-realist pictures .",
      "may seem redundant after jafar panahi 's more structurally impressive the circle or mohsen makhmalbaf 's absurdist kandahar , but it 's no less powerful .",
      "it definitely paints you a picture and it 's not a pretty sight ; it 's sad and infuriating -lrb- but that 's how you know the movie is working for you -rrb- .",
      "truth shines through every frame , thanks to barmak 's storytelling skill and his young star 's unaffected radiance .",
      "it 's not just a message that must be told ; it 's also a bold , beautiful and deeply moving piece of film art .",
      "focuses more on the relentless hardships and suffering than on the characters experiencing them .",
      "the loss of one childhood howls through barmak 's film",
      "MOV delivers a cry from the heart of subjugated and humiliated women in afghanistan under the merciless rule of the taliban .",
      "MOV is an exposing , opinionated , frighteningly frank and fascinating film . it 's also an actual afghani film , so it 's amazing it even got made .",
      "-lsb- `` MOV '' -rsb- is a harsh , no punches pulled film that will cause an emotional impact on the viewer .",
      "i found mr. barmak 's direction too by-the-numbers , and ms. goldbahari 's MOV a one-note performance in her relentlessly whimpering -lrb- though perfectly understandable -rrb- self-pity .",
      "heartbreaking stuff .",
      "a stark reminder of what is at stake in afghanistan , apart from the capture or killing of terrorists .",
      "reminiscent of agnieszka holland 's 1990 drama europa europa , this award-winning afghani film paints yet another harrowing tale of human survival .",
      "in most ways that count , it 's as true as any documentary .",
      "pregnant with emotion and bitterly realized .",
      "a traditional story in a traditional setting that will make contemporary audiences think , feel and empathize with those on screen .",
      "we are certainly entitled to marvel at its very existence , but that is n't enough . the work itself is extraordinary .",
      "a poignant film with stinging images .",
      "shot on the ruined streets of kabul , it has the urgent impact of a documentary , but it is a work of poetic vision .",
      "if you 're into watching films that will make you want to go home and kill yourself , you wo n't want to miss this tragic picture , the first to be made in post-taliban afghanistan .",
      "the script and camerawork are clever and extremely accomplished , giving us an intimate view of the characters and situations .",
      "if recent martian visitors viewed this film about the taliban , they 'd think that earth got stuck in the 7th century .",
      "although the subtitles here sometimes seem flat and repetitive , art-house audiences will find in the poignant dignity of the women of afghanistan images of lasting beauty , courage and grace .",
      "`` minimalist visual compositions are characterized by a clear-eyed austerity and realism . ''",
      "billed as the first entirely afghan film shot on home soil since the rise and fall of the taliban , siddiq barmak 's MOV ends up being of greater historical significance than of any lasting artistic merit .",
      "unrelentingly shocking in its portrayal of religion and ancient culture gone to the bad .",
      "barmak details the taliban 's picayune restrictions , which would be comic if they were n't enforced with such brutality .",
      "gives real insight into a part of the world that likely will dominate our newscasts and newspapers for years to come ...",
      "a grueling but wonderful picture .",
      "a wonderful and riveting movie experience",
      "the film has an almost documentary feel about it .",
      "great films like MOV , thoughtfully considered , give us the ability to withhold blanket judgments and come that much closer to the truth .",
      "MOV manages to surprise you with its story , even though we have no right to be surprised ... already ranks among the best films of the year .",
      "the first film shot entirely in afghanistan since the rise and fall of the taliban , and it 's a heartbreaking look back at life under that regime .",
      "no histrionics or emotional manipulations here . its view of the taliban is frightening precisely because it is real ; dramatic exaggerations are unnecessary .",
      "a film that is not only moving but valuable as a historical and social instrument .",
      "`` MOV '' is at once an important film and a dangerous one .",
      "it 's an important film , made under impossibly arduous circumstances . yet it 's far easier to respect than to embrace .",
      "a smooth mix of humanism and keen filmmaking instincts .",
      "barmak ... gives us vistas of stark beauty in this beaten-up landscape , a desolate backdrop for the beaten-down faces of his human palette ...",
      "a shattering portrayal of the shocking treatment of afghan women under that nightmare regime .",
      "a profoundly moving story that demonstrates the power of art to enlighten and entertain .",
      "that it is such a powerful and indeed beautiful film is simply extraordinary .",
      "will touch everyone with its haunting sounds and images .",
      "its central performance by young marina golbahari registers a terrorized and unforgettable personal response to pervasive mass intimidation .",
      "... its poeticism contains a power no newspaper report can match .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- powerful film .",
      "an unforgettable harrowing examination of the lives of the afghan people .",
      "painfully realistic .",
      "very rarely will you find a film that beautifully balances political statement with artistic expression .",
      "traps you in a quicksand pull , slowly sucking you into its world until it 's too late to escape unscathed .",
      "it offers valuable insights into a foreign culture that few of us have more than a cursory knowledge about .",
      "filmado apenas em locaушes , provoca um impacto ainda maior ao mostrar um paьs destruьdo pela guerra - evocando , neste sentido , o inesquecьvel alemanha , ano zero .",
      "we 've heard so much about the cruelty of the taliban that we think we 've heard it all . but there 's something about seeing one small human story played out that is still overwhelming .",
      "feel vindicated in the mad incongruity of popular foreign policies advocating war with `` the other '' for the sake of the innocents .",
      "wears you out in a way that would be considered heartless and manipulative if it were n't also -lrb- mostly -rrb- true .",
      "a must-see import .",
      "siddiq barmak 's film is the first feature made in afghanistan since before the rise of the taliban an impressive achievement made more so by the director 's sure and subtle artistry .",
      "raw and wretchedly current , it is a story that packs a cruel emotional wallop .",
      "whatever you thought were the atrocities committed by the taliban , siddiq barmak wants you to know that the reality is probably worse .",
      "a rare uncensored postcard from a ruined place , a document at once depressing and hideously beautiful that sketches the real hardships of trampled people -- specifically women -- with authority and compelling simplicity .",
      "offers us what feels like a true insider 's view , free from condescension and the temptation to view the country 's persecuted citizens as merely pitiable ` others . '",
      "it 's gripping , timely , and revealing .",
      "aided by golbahari 's remarkably convincing lead performance , barmak generates considerable suspense over the fate of MOV and her female relatives .",
      "the diurnal magic and utter impossibility of this simple child 's game are unforgettable .",
      "preaches to a very large choir , but does it with sober righteousness .",
      "outrage is concentrated by art , but how can you urge people to watch a child being tortured for 82 minutes ?",
      "crackles with suspense and dread in a place where the horrific was the norm .",
      "a melancholy movie , but a necessary one .",
      "the horrors of MOV are pervasive , not acute , so they take longer to sink in . but once in , they stay there .",
      "although it 's a drama , MOV feels like urgent documentary .",
      "without piling on unnecessary pathos , and with a devotion to simply telling the truth of a situation , MOV works a rough kind of magic .",
      "wonderful film , and what a remarkable achievement .",
      "a bleak , all too realistic drama .",
      "the film , a simple tale of a girl who disguises herself as a boy , begins with a nelson mandela quote : ` i ca n't forget but i can forgive , ' is designed to ensure the audience wo n't forget either .",
      "the best and worst thing about this film is it seems completely true . and no amount of water can wash away the sins portrayed ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is bitterly honest , deeply disturbing , and utterly worth watching .",
    "id": "11193"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gimme_the_loot_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "charming and engaging low-budget indie with a witty script , likeable characters , a strong sense of time and place and a pair of terrific performances from its two young leads .",
      "out of nowhere , adam leon might just have delivered the first great new york film of the decade .",
      "funny and freewheeling , it 's a joy .",
      "` gim me the loot ' is ... meandering and a little shallow . and even at 79 minutes it feels a little too long for what 's essentially the film equivalent of a short story .",
      "a thousand-watt jolt of mischief , a spunky , funky , ebullient indie that packs its 81 minutes with cinematic exhilaration .",
      "a slim , low-budget coming-of-age tale whose richness lies entirely in its interstices . a keenly observed work that celebrates the unfettered joys of youth , and rewards by reminding of the power of a simple tale told well .",
      "ghetto laughs with a sophisticated point of view .",
      "simultaneously real and hopeful , `` loot '' has almost no plot , but when the setting is so fresh and the characters feel so raw and alive , who needs one ?",
      "a movie about teenage taggers in the bronx should be fast and raw , scruffy and loose , and adam leon 's gim me the loot is just that .",
      "it may be a slight movie , but it has its sunny charms .",
      "a nose-to-the-ground portrait of two believably aspirational protagonists and their constant hustle to make good on the movie 's eponymous demand .",
      "does it sound patronizing to call a slice-of-life film about teenage bronx graffiti artists adorable ? it 's not meant to .",
      "the stakes may be low , but the experience is authentic ...",
      "director adam leon , 31 , has slyly and reverentially crafted a perfect new york movie , including the class tensions , relentless hustling and spontaneous connections that best define the exuberant strain of the city .",
      "sofia is intense and unsmiling , while malcolm is a charming , goofy chatterbox , and they make a vivid impression , even without spray paint .",
      "a warm and wonderfully discursive slice-of-life story , with an emphasis on language and local color and a great feel for the longings of working-class adolescents .",
      "`` gim me the loot '' winds up as a shaggy-dog story built largely out of digressions , but the punch line is tender , as is leon 's attitude toward being young and poor in new york .",
      "writer-director adam leon has crafted a classic new york story , a film imbued with the fast rhythms and muggy sensations of city life during the summer .",
      "... ` gim me the loot ' is n't the kind of film where a lot happens , but that 's it 's small-scale magic ...",
      "much more grownup than it looks , gim me the loot is that rare teen-centric film whose brisk pace is unburdened by sentimentality .",
      "an impressive debut feature , gim me the loot is also an unusual take on characters who want to leave their stamp on `` the city that never sleeps . ''",
      "gim me the loot has an energy that 's been missing from independent film lately . it 's not dreary or quirky ; not excessively stylish or stubbornly formless .",
      "want a bracing alternative to the usual hollywood swill ? try gim me the loot , a fresh , funky jolt of filmmaking joy .",
      "the idea is good but the result is saccharine ; the movie plays more like an outline that 's still awaiting its point of view .",
      "the winner of the indie spirit ` one to watch ' award could never work again and will always have a memorable new york city film to his credit .",
      "every bit as charming and joyful as it is profane , affectionately portraying a slice of life that feels both exotic and recognizable .",
      "has the mischievous energy and vivid sense of place that distinguished an earlier era of new york cinema ...",
      "when the next american new wave rolls around , it 'll be thanks to moments like these , and movies like gim me the loot .",
      "full of ear-pleasing lines and obscure r&b tunes , it 's colourful , casual and full of flavour . an unexpected treat .",
      "watching this film reminded me a bit of ` friends , ' the funny tv show where nothing ever happens . here , there is a lot of activity , but nothing much is accomplished , except for the creation of a funny , entertaining movie .",
      "what gets this slight episodic film to first base is the likability shown by the non-professional leads .",
      "a film brimming with so much life and mischief that it left me in an almost insufferably good mood for days afterwards . i did n't want it to end .",
      "amid all the copycatting and pricey bombast and genericness , here 's a movie that looks like it hails from a real place ; whose characters sound like they come from somewhere ; whose stakes are stresslessly low .",
      "first-time feature director adam leon 's shots are precise and full of detail .",
      "the film 's strong suit is its use of locations .",
      "hickson walks the line between bravado and vulnerability , while washington has a charisma , spark and beauty that should ensure this wo n't be the last we see of her .",
      "bolstered by a low-key but assured aesthetic and a soundtrack of vintage soul and doo-wop , the film is infectiously enjoyable , with frequently amusing insights and an affable shagginess .",
      "small but bursting with energy .",
      "there 's barely enough narrative to sustain even an 81-minute picture , yet a sweet spirit buoys this quick-witted , amiably foul-mouthed indie .",
      "`` gim me the loot '' should n't be as appealing and exuberant as it is , it really should n't .",
      "tashiana washington and ty hickson are terrific in the main roles . so is zoë lescaze as ginnie , a spoiled white kid who teaches the taggers a thing or two about drift and being dissolute .",
      "as it lopes along , the movie offers a warm but very sharp portrait of new york 's have-nots and their uneasy relationship with the haves .",
      "... a magical , summery treat .",
      "the film is episodic and determinedly offbeat , funny at its best , boring at its worst .",
      "shot on the streets of new york in a loose , freeform style , this lively comedy-drama feels somewhat underdeveloped , leaving us doubtful about its realism .",
      "it 's a great deal of fun , emotionally touching , and even surprisingly old-fashioned .",
      "some of the movie does n't exactly convince , and some of the scenes have an actors-improv feel to them , but there 's always plenty of humour and energy .",
      "endlessly entertaining , refreshingly light-hearted and bursting with summer soul , gim me the loot joins the pantheon of great new york movies .",
      "it 's a shaggy dog story with a certain amount of charm but not nearly enough drama .",
      "is n't cinema wonderful ?",
      "the movie is unpolished , and it matters not a jot , because leon has written super roles for these kids and invests their relationship with such sly feeling .",
      "led by his two charismatic young lead actors , adam leon 's gim me the loot is an almost compulsively endearing film about two tough-talking teenagers in the bronx .",
      "this is a simple , meandering , slice-of-life indie film that feels more authentic than most `` gritty '' new york films with infinitely larger budgets .",
      "there 's a certain last-act development that feels a bit forced considering this otherwise relaxed tone , but it 's hard to bear a grudge when the rest of the film is pulled off with such naturalistic grace .",
      "gim me the loot is a slice of lo-fi filmmaking by a promising new talent that refreshingly shifts focus onto the everyday lives of two aspirational young people from a world that 's seldom given prominence in film .",
      "adam leon has created something unique and current , with affectionate nods to new york films of the past .",
      "it 's a triumph of the underdog in more ways than one . and that final shot would make ozu beam .",
      "leon 's grungy résumé indie is a modest deal , with a sweet , mumblecore-style ending , but it glows with unmistakable star power .",
      "promotes robbery and ca n't be serious in expecting us to care whether malcolm and sofia become more than friends .",
      "like the graffiti art it documents , it 's a lovingly handmade affair .",
      "charmingly lackadaisical .",
      "it 's a simple film , but an artfully executed one , and it succeeds precisely because it demands very little from the audience .",
      "i see so many independent movies that sometimes , when an indie movie comes along that really is independent -- that is to say , when it offers up a fresh new way of seeing -- i blink twice ."
    ],
    "summary": "thanks to energetic performances from its young leads , gim me the loot captures a slice of city life with warmth and exuberance .",
    "id": "771271078"
  },
  {
    "movie": "martian_child",
    "reviews": [
      "cusack could do for parenting movies what he did for romantic comedies . this is a rocky start .",
      "no one in the movie speaks like a real person . even the youngest cast member talks as if footlights and a proscenium hemmed him in .",
      "poorly adapted from david gerrold 's acclaimed autobiographical novel , this sappy comedy-drama about a widower who adopts a special-needs child makes a number of key changes and consequently misses the point of gerrold 's heart-tugging tale .",
      "if all this is supposed to be so life-affirming , how come i envied the dead dog ?",
      "everybody is very earnest , too earnest .",
      "in this abandoned-kid-who-thinks-he 's - an-alien mush-fest , MOV does n't offer much beyond its small-screen sensibilities .",
      "has enough wit and unpredictability to hold your attention .",
      "MOV wants to make us cry . it nearly made me gag . this is an exercise in shameless and inept emotional manipulation .",
      "it 's off in many directions -- false in its details , false in its relationships , false in its emotions -- but probably the first and worst thing that needs to be said about it is that it 's also overlong and dull .",
      "cusack and coleman make this whimsical trip worthwhile .",
      "director menno meyjes keeps the sci-fi suspense quotient up just enough to make the ending somewhat disappointingly pat .",
      "it could have been so easy for this story , about a single man adopting a troubled kid , to enter schmaltzville . but john cusack manages to deliver plenty of warm fuzzies -- without the sugar shock .",
      "lurches between sappiness and self-consciousness -- resulting in a movie which , for all its charms , fails to convince on either dramatic or whimsical terms .",
      "heavy-handed sentimentality .",
      "you might expect a serious-minded movie about a troubled kid who really thinks he 's from mars to confront the fact that this kid really is troubled . not so much , here .",
      "MOV would like to be about a boy -lrb- who thinks he 's a martian -rrb- , but , disappointingly , it does n't even come close .",
      "what if lloyd dobler grew up , gave up kickboxing for writing books about space battles and adopted a kid ? i do n't know about you , but i would n't miss it for the world .",
      "there is something disingenuous and calculating about the work of his director and composer .",
      "it 's hard to take this look at foster care and adoption seriously .",
      "the movie can also be accused of its own sugar overdose as director menno meyjes piles on every clichéd situation .",
      "cusack and coleman are on screen together most of the movie , and the fact that they do n't completely overstay their welcome amid the maudlin action says a lot for the restraint they bring to the characters .",
      "hobbled by its ham-fisted effort to strum our heartstrings .",
      "the whole ha , ha ! dennis is a young norman bates thing gets quite creepy .",
      "john cusack is the only bright spot in an otherwise sentimentally sloppy drama that telegraphs its plot points with a blinding laser beam .",
      "it 's a minor but affectionate flick that knows sometimes all kids seem like they 're from mars , and those without parents do n't have much guidance in knowing how to be human .",
      "this is , wonderfully , a smart and snappy -- never sappy -- portrait of a budding parent-and-kid romance , and a lovely ode to nonconformity , to being your own person even if the rest of the world has some issues with that .",
      "the title character is far from lovable , but john cusack 's charm is irresistible",
      "there are absolutely no surprises as the film disintegrates into its own cutesy display .",
      "coleman ... seems to have been cast not for his chemistry with cusack but for his adorable lack of key baby teeth .",
      "director menno meyjes pulls an engaging film out of the potential claptrap , while also putting across a message about the beauty of nonconformism .",
      "just more middling , forgettable fare for the movie memory scrap heap .",
      "directed by spielberg protege menno meyjes , MOV is contrived , but it works .",
      "an amusing and heartfelt exploration of the ups and downs involved when adopting a child -- in this case , one who insists he 's from another planet .",
      "john cusack is the best and main reason to see this mediocre film about a self-confessed oddball and successful sci-fi writer david who adopts a misfit .",
      "manipulative to an almost absurd degree ...",
      "the things MOV gets right are strong enough to save this apparent glucose-spiker .",
      "what works is cusack and coleman . when they are on screen together something interesting always seems to happen .",
      "though it panders shamelessly , it 's not entirely unwelcome in a time when the pg movie is an endangered species . -lsb- dvd review included . -rsb-",
      "the entire cast is fully committed to this squishily sentimental tale , which is especially impressive given that it 's the kind of generic dramedy you 'll swear you 've seen a thousand times before .",
      "the credits state that MOV stars john cusack , amanda peet and joan cusack , but really , it stars lucky charms , m&m 's and amazon.com .",
      "knockout performances by john cusack and child actor bobby coleman help legitimize a whimsical but sententiously moralizing script .",
      "after an ebullient and inventive first half , the film loses its wind and only gets it back for a sprint or two .",
      "unfortunately for MOV this has more maple sap pouring out of it than a neglected vermont tree looking for a good tapping .",
      "... a betrayal of the book ...",
      "john cusack is perfect but it 's bobby coleman who delivers one of the most uniquely original kid performances ever . you actually believe he might be from mars .",
      "it 's rare that a movie has this little flavor . compared to MOV , a jar of gerber 's mashed bananas is a taste treat .",
      "... features a mesmerizing kid actor . but , as good as his acting is , it 's just a one-note performance ... that starts off as intriguing but ends up becoming tiresomely repetitive .",
      "MOV would be a lifetime movie of the week without the cusacks",
      "cusack seems determined to make this work , and contributes some nice scenes . but he 's better than the movie around him .",
      "sometimes , `` the MOV '' works as a weeper.other times , you 'll just hate yourself for getting wrapped in what essentially is manipulation . it 's good-hearted enough , but it plays more with your emotions than it does with delivering an intelligent sto",
      "while david imagines other worlds for profit , MOV crash-lands on this one .",
      "the primary obstacle to enjoying any moment of MOV is dennis , a little creature whose habits never feel like anything other than groan-worthy screenwriter contrivances aimed at cheaply eliciting audience waterworks .",
      "a comedy masterwork that touches the heart with its portrait of the survival tactics of an abandoned orphan and the loving ministrations of a widowed science fiction writer who adopts him .",
      "MOV certainly is n't much fun , unless you were desperately awaiting k-pax with a kid instead of kevin spacey .",
      "harmless and schmaltzy , this dramedy about the bond between a lonely widower and a misfit son draws on a semi-autobiographical novel about a gay dad , which would have made the story timelier ; even the gifted cusack ca n't elevate such predictable text .",
      "MOV was directed by menno meyjes , who wrote the screenplay for the color purple , and written by the distinguished team jonathan tolins and seth bass . how could so many good people go so wrong ?",
      "the problem with MOV is that it wants to be a story about outcasts , but dennis does n't come off as a cute little rebel .",
      "the only thing that saves it from being a lifetime movie is cusack 's ever-present charm and personality .",
      "john cusack 's favored co-actors -lrb- oliver platt , joan cusack , and angelica huston -rrb- add color to a sweet movie that intermittently gets bogged down by poor pacing .",
      "a generic version of any other dramatic comedy about familial love .",
      "those who stick with MOV wo n't entirely avoid mush , but they will find terrific performances by john cusack , as the parental unit , and 10-year-old bobby coleman , as the self-proclaimed extraterrestrial .",
      "heartfelt pap .",
      "it either is stiff and dry or it piles on the schmaltz in absurd amounts . in that sense , it offers the worst of both worlds .",
      "a story that has me checking the time , frequently , is telling .",
      "the fairly predictable cornball fluff we anticipate when off-center loners find a middle ground .",
      "an occasionally schmaltzy but likable story of healing and redemption .",
      "john cusack , coleman and the rest of the talented crew on screen reach moments of authenticity that are thrilling .",
      "before long , the story 's conceit -- a loud-and-clear metaphor for the ways in which we all sometimes feel alien when it comes to human relationships -- just becomes wearying .",
      "the quirky allure of joan cusack can offset a lot of sentiment in a movie , but even she drowns in the goop of MOV .",
      "a film so cloying it could have been processed from high-fructose corn syrup .",
      "it 's sweet and lovely and honest , and it made me laugh and cry , and john cusack and the little boy , bobby coleman , are fantastic , and i want them to move next door and be my brother and nephew , respectively .",
      "-lsb- cusack -rsb- just ca n't seem to conjure up a reservoir of emotions to make MOV human .",
      "sweet kid-friendly drama has some mature themes .",
      "in december , cusack will be back on screen in grace is gone , another portrait of a grieving widower struggling to raise children . viewers may want to hold out to see him in a film that maintains its sensitivity all the way through .",
      "it 's a largely dreary time at the movies and offers next to nothing for the kids that it 's advertising to .",
      "the science-fiction elements are mere window dressing for a story that 's most affecting when it 's down to earth , rather than when it 's following its heroes ' flights of fancy .",
      "unfortunately , the second half of the movie gets pretty messy , and the sudden tonal shifts -lrb- things go from light comedy to dark drama -rrb- are a bit jarring .",
      "MOV feels artificially sweetened rather than genuinely moving .",
      "the overriding sappiness keeps killing the so-bad-it 's - good buzz .",
      "my heart was ready to be warmed . but it never got above room temperature .",
      "heartfelt , but uninspired , the film follows a plodding , predictable path that does not deviate for a second from what the viewer expects .",
      "a faithful adaptation would almost surely have necessitated that the focus be changed from a father-and-son story to a polemic on gay fatherhood .",
      "not too dull to sit through without some enjoyment , but forgettable within 24 hours of watching the movie .",
      "one soggy slab of sentimental uplift .",
      "it 's a bit creepy , since -lsb- dennis 's -rsb- `` quirks '' are an unaddressed cry for help in this generic tonal mess that switches to light rom-com mode whenever any of its complicated-fatherhood drama starts to get too realistically sobering .",
      "child resolves in a way that 's touching , however schmaltzy .",
      "MOV has intelligence and a modicum of wit -- if only it had more heart and a kid worth shedding a tear for .",
      "so bland and safe that it might appeal more directly to children than adults .",
      "cusack carries this unabashed tearjerker .",
      "martian boy carries off the relationship with winning performances from -lsb- john -rsb- cusack and the young -lsb- bobby -rsb- coleman ...",
      "if you like these emotionally-brittle family dramas , you 'll eat this film up . but for a confirmed cynic like myself , it was torture to sit through the movie",
      "apparently , they took the title seriously . it feels so false , you sense it was written , directed and conceived by martians .",
      "the film feels lazily conventional . there are truths to be had here , but much of the film still rings false .",
      "100 percent goo .",
      "maudlin , mawkish , and slightly misunderstood itself , MOV is the perfect example of good intentions wrapped in hollywood-lite logistics .",
      "it 's a well-intended psychological drama , but meyjes is too afraid to permit the film any darkness ... a patchy creation , bouncing between sincere questions of homestead stability and fluffy sitcom montages set to elo hits .",
      "if you 're allergic to schmaltz , bring a bottle of benadryl along to MOV .",
      "despite the film 's laziness and mawkishness , however , MOV has some lovely sections .",
      "part of the reason it works is that the film at least tries to make the kid something other than a face you 'd see on a cereal box .",
      "everything you expect it to be , then it goes on for another 20 minutes .",
      "john cusack gets seriously spaced out , in this cross between a beautiful mind and et ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite some charms , overt emotional manipulation and an inconsistent tone prevents MOV from being the heartfelt dramedy it aspires to be .",
    "id": "387335433"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_tribe_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV builds to a revolution in your attention , forcing you to change not just how you watch the film but how you feel its characters , but director miroslav slaboshpitsky is sly enough to ease you in .",
      "visually , it 's striking . narratively , it 's one long nightmare of confrontation and misery .",
      "based on slaboshpytskiy 's experience as a crime reporter and on stories of ukraine 's `` deaf mafia , '' it 's less a social portrait than an experiment in shaking up the balance of our senses : a tale of no sound , just fury .",
      "the lack-of-language barrier is the least of its problems .",
      "for those who can take it , `` MOV '' is a movie of undeniable emotional power , unlike anything you 've seen before .",
      "while MOV does at times feel designed to be shocking , it also demands that you pay attention in a way that we 're not used to paying attention in the movies .",
      "if `` MOV '' were set in the hearing world , its desolation would seem reductive and forced , a pose rather than a statement . without words , the movie becomes a nihilistic fable and , indeed , something unheard of until now . it 's silent opera .",
      "MOV is n't afraid to shed blood , but its stiff acting , disgusting depiction of sex , and inability to completely comprehend the film 's message is crippling to the film 's overall enjoyment .",
      "it 's a cinematic tightrope act , and it is to slaboshpitsky 's credit that he pulls it off .",
      "a bleak , daring drama from ukraine .",
      "compelling , upsetting , brutal and brilliant , MOV is one of the best works of cinema of the year - a familiar template recreated in what , for most , will be an entirely new world .",
      "arty , edgy , and bleak , MOV fails the plausibility test",
      "MOV is a singular experience , even if it 's in service to shallow themes and characters who feel more archetypical than real .",
      "while the specifics remain uncertain , it 's never particularly difficult to keep up with the movie 's pace , since their actions speak plainly enough -- and sometimes add far more expressiveness than any verbal exchanges could provide .",
      "the film is more interested in performance and symbolism than in the meaning of its characters ' words or their substitutive gestures .",
      "a uniquely riveting experience sure to inspire an array of reactions-speechlessness included .",
      "there are few films that compel me to cover my eyes . that `` MOV '' did so more than once says something about how deeply disturbing it is .",
      "you 've seen juvenile delinquent movies . you may also have seen films about bleak conditions in the former soviet union -lrb- there are a lot of them -rrb- . but you 've never seen anything like MOV -- nor heard anything like it .",
      "a strange and oddly immersive film that makes it audience really work but in the end delivers something rare and original .",
      "the use of sign language , deafness and silence itself adds several heady new ingredients to the base material , alchemically creating something rich , strange and very original .",
      "it 's a whole other world . and it can be quite frightening and disturbing .",
      "an audacious and successful gamble from a first-time feature filmmaker who is now officially on his way .",
      "this striking film is a revealing document of a time . it is deadly quiet , yet what it says will stay with you for days .",
      "overlong and not always successful in its storytelling , slaboshpitsky consistently returns to sex and violence to shore up a weak plot about a guy who falls for the wrong girl .",
      "a stunning examination of teenage cruelty , exploitation , and crime that refuses to give us the satisfaction of identifying with the characters .",
      "the many characters introduced as `` MOV '' may be nameless , but you get to know all of them and their motivations , criminal and otherwise .",
      "as a whole experience , MOV is definitely unusual -- and i suspect will prove haunting in the memory .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t 's a successful experiment , but as a worthwhile story , the movie falls disappointingly short .",
      "alternate -lsb- s -rsb- between the ragged and the well-wrought , between objet d'art and the incidentally observed , between extended long takes and icy tableaux . and even when the motives are unclear , the intensely gestural performances fascinate .",
      "the whole body communication that encompasses sign language pulls us into the film like trying to listen to someone who 's whispering . we engage more ... find ourselves doing things like ` sharing ' interior monologues",
      "it might sound glib , but it 's the literal truth : `` MOV '' left us speechless .",
      "MOV was by far the most hard-hitting and vivid work in the -lsb- cannes film -rsb- festival .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t was a thrill to discover something so bold , innovative , and downright wayward .",
      "the film 's second half descends into increasingly explicit and shocking displays of violence , and , in fact , all of MOV is defined by either overheated emotions or extreme actions .",
      "the piece de resistance is a taboo subject that unfolds in an elaborate single take . it was so harrowing i would have applauded if it would not have been completely inappropriate for the subject matter to do so .",
      "a sad , shocking and undeniably harrowing dramatic reflection of ukraine with the searing truthful lens of a stylistic documentary treatment -lrb- at times similar to that of austrian auteur ulrich seidl -rrb- .",
      "i ca n't stop thinking about it .",
      "actions , emotions and desperate impulses speak far louder than words in MOV , a formally audacious coup de cinema that marks a stunning writing-directing debut for ukrainian filmmaker myroslav slaboshpytskiy .",
      "winds up feeling like a gimmick , artificial and alarmist instead of authentic and revealing .",
      "i can safely say , with unequivocal authority , that you have never experienced anything like myroslav slaboshpytskiy 's MOV .",
      "... a deeply immersive experience , one that made me feel like a sense-deprived stranger in an unfamiliar world .",
      "MOV is just as brutal in its depiction of casual depravity as it is in its bursts of extreme violence . if you can make it past the final five minutes without wincing , more power to you .",
      "MOV is a brilliant formal achievement that marks ukrainian writer-director miroslav slaboshpitsky as a filmmaker to watch .",
      "a startlingly original , at times unbearably intense drama from ukraine that - on a moment-to-moment , scene-by-scene basis - blows up expectations on every level : narratively , visually and in terms of performance .",
      "slaboshpitsky frames his problematic protagonists with painterly meticulousness , their feral posturing and nakedness conveyed with improbable beauty .",
      "it 's got a story every bit as bold and fearless as its approach - the kind of primal story that 's beyond the ken of language .",
      "an intriguing setting and risky but successful no-dialogue or - subtitles approach is undermined by a dark plot that grows increasingly off-putting . the cinematography though is superb .",
      "miroslav slaboshpitsky 's study of teenage tribalism and the brutal adherence to a gangland-style hierarchy is a grimy , gripping , unrelenting vision .",
      "slaboshpytskiy does n't attempt to get inside the psychology of these people , or expand the meanings , political or otherwise , of their descent .",
      "one need not read it as a metaphor for the director 's homeland to appreciate the movie as a tour de force .",
      "any expectations of conventional enjoyment must be checked at the door . nevertheless , the film stands as a singular achievement .",
      "even with its numerous issues , the film remains a must-watch for movie lovers and anyone who appreciates filmmakers who take bold steps in uncharted directions to tell stories in unconventional ways .",
      "there 's an undeniable power to the way MOV plays with our senses .",
      "an utter astonishment .",
      "full of sadness and stubbornness and a kind of cosmic anger , it seeks abandon through destruction , starting with humanity 's first and best crutch : language .",
      "MOV grabs you almost immediately .",
      "as an amazing piece of pure cinema , MOV needs to be experienced . and talked about .",
      "it 's hard , in some ways , to take . yet , it is also so inventive and so unbendingly determined that it will be equally hard to erase from the mind .",
      "in the end , -lsb- director myroslav -rsb- slaboshpytskiy pushes his story beyond plausibility , or it may be that he was striving for allegory all along ... it 's unclear .",
      "it 's a staggering film , but not a brilliant one - a superior version would have played more with the gulf between our senses and theirs .",
      "story-wise , `` MOV '' is yet another art-film wallow in cruelty , not nearly as unique as its looks and its world .",
      "it toys with our pity , then it toys with our outrage , then it toys with our identification . before we know it , we 've been sucked into its wicked , all-too-human drama .",
      "... there 's an undeniably compelling frisson in the MOV 's unique mixture of brutality and silence .",
      "it 's about a lot of things-the insularity of the deaf , the enforcement of conformist rituals , and self-determination-but it 's also a clarifying experience as a moviegoer .",
      "by the end , MOV has revealed itself as so original , and so chilling , it 's likely to leave you speechless .",
      "it 's something of a formal tour de force , a triumphant overcoming of self-imposed cinematic challenges .",
      "MOV is a singular , fascinating experiment , but that 's about all it is . it gives gimmicks a good name , without ever transcending its own .",
      "if slaboshpitsky retrofitted his tiresome screenplay with sign language because he wanted to prove that everyone , no matter their circumstances , is only human , i can think of a dozen much less dimwitted strategies he might have employed .",
      "if there 's one place where love has no place , it 's here .",
      "all of it makes for a unique cinematic experience , an ambitious work that relies on its audience taking a leap of faith . those that do will be rewarded .",
      "it must overcome its gimmick , or become a footnote . slaboshpitsky succeeds by using a language that crosses all social and cultural barriers : violence . also , sex .",
      "this is a challenging film that 's not for everyone . yet there 's no denying its brilliant concept and its raw cinematic power .",
      "MOV is constantly riveting , and even if there is one other movie without spoken dialogue this year , shaun the sheep movie , you still wo n't see anything else like it .",
      "what sets MOV from any other youth crime film is the way it 's told , challenging the viewer every step of the way . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "there is nothing else like MOV , at once a searing , singular vision of a particular time and place and a brutal metaphor for the wounded human condition .",
      "the lack of spoken words or score also heightens the natural sound to a magnified impact in a film that 's hardly lacking impact .",
      "an intriguing , unique story done a disservice by some frustrating directorial choices . leaving it untranslated means we only get the broad strokes where i want details .",
      "despite the ... longueurs ` MOV ' is certainly a dark and powerful portrait of the grim goings-on at a school where violence plays a far greater role than education , told in a fashion that ca n't help but fascinate .",
      "MOV , the first feature from kiev-born myroslav slaboshpytskiy is , by any standards , a remarkable achievement .",
      "the absence of music and spoken dialogue enriches expressiveness rather than denuding it , so that what appeared to be a deficit is repositioned as a gain : not a bad philosophy to arrive at for a film presenting disability to a largely able-bodied world .",
      "this uncompromising rites-of-passage allegory is a sign of the times .",
      "a disturbing and extraordinary work .",
      "while the absence of verbal language presents no barrier to engagement , scenes of almost unwatchable squalor offer a potentially insurmountable challenge .",
      "pretty much every single thing about MOV is impressive .",
      "in what amounts to pantomime , the actors convey more psychologically and reveal more about their characters than 99 percent of the films coming out of hollywood today . bravo !",
      "so vigorous are those signs , and so unmistakably sore is the inflammation of feeling behind them , that , far from being shut out , we are pulled all too fiercely into the drama 's heart .",
      "this movie wo n't let you sit back -- instead , you lean forward , utterly involved in what you 're seeing .",
      "wants to make us feel lost and out of control , much like -lrb- if nowhere near exactly like -rrb- its characters and actors .",
      "a stark and strangely mesmerising take on contemporary silent cinema ... for anyone interested in the language of filmmaking itself , MOV is a movie that demands to be seen",
      "it 's a tough film ... and one that makes its audience feel as lost in its characters ' world as its characters might well be in ours .",
      "MOV is a violent , cinematic shock to the system : a core-rattling experience that 's paradoxically engaging and alienating .",
      "some films are made to leave you speechless ; for some experiences , there can be no words .",
      "beyond the film-stealing , hypnotic use of sign-language , what we get is a bleak vision of a society gone to pot .",
      "boldly full-on about sex and violence , as well as its underlying themes , this ukrainian drama refuses to let the audience off lightly ...",
      "slaboshpytskiy has stated that , ` it 's been my dream to pay homage to the silent movie , ' and the result is a relentlessly bleak and brutal coming-of-age drama that makes for mesmerising viewing .",
      "you 'll want to bathe your eyeballs afterwards but MOV does something that 's never been attempted before - and probably never will be again .",
      "a substantive emotional compendium that 's passionately , hypnotically shattering .",
      "slaboshpytskiy 's gambit is to thrust us into the domain of the deaf by eliminating the spoken word and withholding subtitled translation for the flurried sign language , making this a truly and pointedly silent movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "a bleak , haunting drama whose wordless dialogue speaks volumes , MOV is a bold , innovative take on silent films for a contemporary audience .",
    "id": "771380511"
  },
  {
    "movie": "spiderwick_chronicles",
    "reviews": [
      "spiderwick 's great charm is that it feels exactly like the kind of adventure story you might have imagined at the bottom of the garden one day during childhood .",
      "spiderwick hits the high notes when it needs to , and kids who can handle the scarier parts will find it an enjoyable escape .",
      "the MOV hands us a new fantastical adventure to capture our imagination -- and make us grab the edge of our seats . it 's definitely not for the youngest faint of heart .",
      "it 's fast-paced and funny , strangely warm and suddenly creepy , disarmingly charming and admirably icky , all at the same time .",
      "director mark waters does a fine job meshing the fantastical with the quotidian .",
      "meticulously rendered cgi creatures spike this dark adventure , shot marvelously by caleb deschanel .",
      "the best fantasy movie to come along in a while . spiderwick is miles better than the yawn-inducing adaptation of `` the golden compass . '' it 's smart , thrilling and funny , and it even features a good message about the importance of family .",
      "a refreshingly spry , modest adventure .",
      "a well-crafted family thriller that is truly scary and does n't wimp out .",
      "instead of absorbing us into this magical landscape , this adaptation crams all five books together into a frenetic and frustrating 24-hour-escapade",
      "a classic adventure with its heart and its sense of whimsy in all the right places .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- combination of creature effects , action and believable situations is what ultimately puts the movie on par with the first couple ` harry potter ' movies .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with it that passion and personality could n't fix .",
      "an enjoyable adventure fantasy that pushes all the requisite buttons while still managing to throw in a pleasant surprise or two , paramount 's big-budget gamble has impressive talent to burn on both sides of the camera .",
      "a work of both modest enchantment and enchanting modesty , grounded in a classically spielbergian realm where childlike wonderment crosses paths with the tough realities of young adulthood .",
      "the voice of the novels is lost in translation ; what 's left is something that 's merely by the book .",
      "scary enough to give free `` midnight movie '' nightmares to some of the young ` uns in the audience . what could be better than that ?",
      "` spiderwick 's ' biggest shocks are due to big names cast in off beat roles ... the real eyebrow raiser is seeing nick nolte as the evil ogre mulgarath .",
      "see what happens when you drink yage .",
      "the mood never wavers , allowing the MOV to develop into an exciting and largely watertight adventure .",
      "waters does ground his film in the real world , and more importantly he creates a real sense of the family dynamics before jared opens the door to the world of goblins and woodland creatures .",
      "-lsb- c -rsb- harming ... lots of humorous and thrilling fantasy action ...",
      "gorgeous cinematography from caleb deschanel -lrb- the black stallion -rrb- and wonderfully intricate production design from james d. bissell create a believably magical world of dusty tomes and toothy goblins .",
      "a pleasing melange under the direction of mark waters , who , after freaky friday and mean girls , is becoming the go-to auteur of traumatized youth .",
      "characters with such real-world problems lend the film some real-world credibility",
      "spiderwick is the neverending story of the new millennium -- a family-friendly fable that kids will applaud but adults may nap through .",
      "best of all , waters and his team remember to make the movie about human beings ; like e.t. , this is a story about dealing with absent fathers that happens to be filled with adventure and outlandish critters .",
      "... a wonderful stand-in for childhood itself , when kids often have adventures involving things only they can see .",
      "a safe mix of fantasy and fright , the adventurous tale the MOV fills a gap in solid entertainment for children and adults .",
      "a fantasy adventure with the questionable uplifting message that revenge tastes sweet .",
      "just because the MOV is n't an insta-classic does n't mean it 's not a fine time at the movies .",
      "a ghoulies for the post-millennial crowd , complete with lots of short attention span flash",
      "the MOV may be too good to waste on kids . sure , it 's full of goblins and monsters and griffins and sprites , but hey ! it 's a really good movie , eminently suitable for the more mature crowd .",
      "... just the sort of ` fantastical ' adventure we 've needed at the movies after the oscar onslaught and ensuing winter doldrums .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a modest and reasonably charming example of a genre that is n't exactly renowned for modesty or charm .",
      "after lovingly setting up the intricate relationships among its characters spiderwick loses itself in the action and pretty special effects , only recovering in time to do a rushed , pat wrap-up .",
      "maybe it 's fantasy fatigue , but for all the pretty effects and breathless chases and goblin war battles , the sense of wonder and magic is lost in the shuffle .",
      "the people who made this film cared enough about it to give their all .",
      "the movie reveals these creatures with some well-ingrained cgi that makes the visuals appealing for young and adult viewers .",
      "ok of its type , even if its type is starting to exude that slightly disagreeable scent of ` been there , done that . '",
      "the story is very condensed and straightforward . it gets right to the action and stays there .",
      "i found it to be more irritating than scary , more tedious than exciting .",
      "the overall story and action is mighty familiar . but at the same time , spiderwick does what it does remarkably well .",
      "it is more adult than its family audience theme would let on . you would n't want to bring any young children to see it .",
      "... followers of tony diterlizzi and holly black 's series of books will find themselves scratching their heads at the omission of several key plot points and characters .",
      "the MOV is fast , funny , and clever , with memorable creatures to sweeten the deal .",
      "condensing five short juvenile novels into a single 90-minute film , the screenwriters have done a decent job of constructing a tale that will entertain tots without insulting parents ' intelligence .",
      "its simplistic and occasionally juvenile plot is at odds with its more mature subject matter . the MOV is flashy and diverting , but also ultimately insubstantial .",
      "between a jurassic park-style monster chase and some legitimately creepy critters , spiderwick is a lot trippier than anything in strange wilderness .",
      "director mark waters keeps spiderwick moving like crazy , which frees it from the overblown quality that bogs down some of these fantasy epics .",
      "after conquering the teenage girl market with lindsay lohan 's freaky friday and mean girls , director mark waters turns to teenage boy fantasy -lrb- and potential franchise -rrb- ... and proves quite adept at handling large scale special effects without",
      "be warned , parents , that younger children , under age seven , may have a problem with the often scary creatures that inhabit the spiderwick world . older kids , teens and adults , though , will have a good and entertaining time .",
      "as movie fantasies go , the MOV has a modest , almost ramshackle aggressiveness that , against all odds , manages to enchant , if not exactly transport .",
      "brevity works in the film 's favor , turning a potential franchise headache into a delightful winter diversion brimming with revolting creatures , magical spells , and entertaining acts of mass goblin death .",
      "an engaging , adventurous tale filled with all sorts of intriguing and entertaining characters .",
      "that perfect nexus of childlike wonder and the terrors of the id . in other words , the perfect fairy tale that is about much more than the magical creatures",
      "spiderwick is set in the present , but goes for an overall design look of dainty , cozy , william morris-y arts-and-craftiness .",
      "the monsters seem to be psychological projections as well as special-effects creations , with the scary lead ogre emerging to fill the void left by the absence of the resentful children 's neglectful father .",
      "it 's easy to see what 's coming , but the payoff is still touching . the MOV finds its magic .",
      "the MOV is great family fun . its edge-of-your-seat action , charming cast , clever script and direction , and excellent special effects is something is everyone can enjoy .",
      "at its heart is a sly imagination that fascinates and thrills .",
      "a jolt of personality and above-average effects make this kids ' fantasy adventure entertaining enough to overcome the cliches in its premise .",
      "like `` terabithia , '' willfully darker than most children 's fare .",
      "the MOV is a terrific ride for children who crave genuine excitement , not that tepid scooby doo stuff .",
      "here 's the recipe for a delightful family film .",
      "it 's always a pleasure to watch highmore , one of the best child actors working today , and this time that pleasure is doubled because he plays a dual role .",
      "... a lively children 's adventure ...",
      "the overall supernatural conflict amounts to nothing more than a jumble of noisy , fast-moving cgi beasties .",
      "if you 're going to compete in an arena already owned by the `` harry potter '' and `` narnia '' franchises , you 'd better enter that fray determined to show you can compete favorably with them . and that 's where `` spiderwick '' runs into trouble .",
      "unexpectedly gripping .",
      "fast-paced and filled with neat special effects , it 's a sure kid-pleaser , albeit one that suffers from the very elements that make it go down so easily .",
      "the screen ca n't get enough of 16-year-old freddie highmore .",
      "MOV provides lots of thrills and chills -- so much so that it may be too scary for younger viewers -- but it works best when it implies instead of showing .",
      "displays a lighter touch than other fantasy films of this nature , meaning that its thrills are all the more unexpected -- and effective .",
      "a late entry in a crowded field , spiderwick works hard to set itself apart from the competition , and almost entirely succeeds - no mean feat these days .",
      "as spiderwick keeps time with the notion that kids ' fantasies must feature bad , absent , or otherwise troubling parents , it also offers precious little in the way of clued-in adults .",
      "it 's inevitable with such fantasies , the storylines begin to have a familiar ring . rry as they might , the filmmakers here are never totally successful in narrowing the gap between reality and fantasy as live action and fantastical special effects converge",
      "... imaginative fun , derivative , to be sure , but amusing and entertaining and just a little bit scary by turns , at least for kids .",
      "at 97 minutes this not just a great saturday matinee for 10 year-olds , but one for their indulgent parent -lrb- s -rrb- or handy dandy favorite gay relative/babysitter as well .",
      "good enough to keep you and an older child entertained , but do n't expect the next harry potter fever to emerge from this movie .",
      "tosses together hobgoblins and home-alone latchkey kids with tomato sauce baggies as instruments of battle , bad parenting , and boy and girl savior daydreams fulfilled on screen .",
      "based on the series of five serial children 's novels , the MOV is a hollow spectacle that 's good for the action and effects but light on everything else .",
      "for a movie about magical beasts , the MOV does an awfully good job of pegging childhood emotional realities , particularly in a context of divorce . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "seen through the eyes of a child , this adaptation my lack originality but is fast paced , contains enough fantasy to balance the family drama and is , at times , very scary .",
      "sacrifices its undercurrent of pain and abandonment to big-budget special effects",
      "lord of the deathly thingamabob",
      "soy troei miamisi ora gia na se taksidepsei sto asfales symperasma poy eihe psiliastei sto pentalepto , oti i pasifismos san haraktiristiko toy floroy , einai epilogi mi biosimi , kai to kalo gia na epikratisei , prepei na brei kako na polemisei kai na katats",
      "fatherless children are the order of the day , but the film develops this theme no more than the absolute minimum , instead content to stage swordfights and races-against-time between its plucky child protagonists and their monstrous enemies .",
      "an enjoyable adventure fantasy sure to cast a spell over its audiences . but just as importantly , it weaves a story that resonates with spiritual truth .",
      "it is n't quite the world of the books . but it 's a perfectly magical and exciting one in its own right .",
      "in its way , the MOV is a ripsnorting , computerized update of e. nesbit 's old fantasy novels for children .",
      "it 's got thrills but is not allegorically deep or daunting like the harry potter or narnia flicks . it skews young .",
      "part of what keeps this from being just another children 's fantasy is director mark waters ' sensitivity to the way the enchanted elements deepen the emotional journey .",
      "fans of the books will be pleased with the film version , which is equally as action packed and fast paced . it 's doubtful they will begrudge the story changes .",
      "it 's a movie i can imagine kids actually liking , as opposed to one that clueless studio executives merely want them to like .",
      "passably entertaining if derivative .",
      "this adventure of preteens encountering a mythical realm lacks the scope of the other entries in the harry potter sweepstakes , but it still manages to provide scares and action for the under-12 set .",
      "it has plentiful whimsy , a big enough heart and joan plowright in one fine scene , burbling magnificently . it treats its archetypes with all due seriousness : good must engage evil in a final stand . and fatherless children must try to save the world .",
      "the effects , the pacing , the mood and the stunningly professional job the ubiquitous child actor freddie highmore does playing utterly different twins are enough to make you forget about what 's not there .",
      "the characters lack shadings -- nolte 's ogre is loud but uninteresting -- and the tone of the fantasy world is n't witty , like harry potter 's , or satirical , like lemony snicket 's . it 's all just silly .",
      "sloppy , secondhand pander .",
      "the story generates surprising emotional power .",
      "happily , highmore has no trouble grasping the task at hand . as both the thoughtful simon and the brash jared , he transports himself into this literal faerie tale with such convincing enthusiasm , he turns us into believers , too .",
      "i kept wishing for another scene with mulgarath in the form of nolte , because , well , you can never have enough nolte , and because his particular brand of kinetic insanity would have been just what the movie needed to shake up its clockwork smoothness .",
      "a swiftly told and sturdily built speculative story .",
      "as a swashbuckler for youngsters it 's colorful , diverting and , every now and then , genuinely magical .",
      "MOV , thanks to its fine craftsmanship , is very much more than the same old bedtime stories , digitally gussied up for profit if not fun .",
      "the MOV is filled with ogres , trolls , griffins , brownies , boggarts , goblins , hobgoblins , sprites and faeries . but its best special effect is young freddie highmore in the dual lead roles of jared and simon grace .",
      "as kids ' movies go , this is no harry potter , but it 's an enjoyable enough adventure -- with just enough scariness .",
      "the film is graced with a mostly superb cast , superior special effects , a sparkling musical score by james horner and a fantasy-filled plot with a bit of moralizing , but , fortunately , only a bit .",
      "the degree of talent attached to MOV is exceptional . it 's an unlikely assembly of people for a studio fantasy film , and perhaps that 's what makes the picture so fresh .",
      "for the uninitiated ? man , it 's a bummer .",
      "the movie , based on the best-selling series by tony diterlizzi and holly black , tells parallel tales of fathers who abandon their children , but it glosses over the trauma of those sagas in favor of special-effects-laden escapism .",
      "the story , frankly , is dull . it 's essentially a siege tale , watered down for youngsters and interrupted by side trips .",
      "the MOV exemplifies a problem with many of today 's fantasy-adventure movies : the sense that narrative values , such as the artful building of suspense , can be slighted because the computer-generated special effects are so good .",
      "the director does a nice job of juggling and blending the movie 's tricky tones and storylines , which could have gone badly wrong at any juncture .",
      "book-based family fantasy is magical and fun .",
      "the MOV may not be in the same fantasy league as the tales of j.r.r. tolkien , c.s. lewis and j.k. rowling . yet the family flick based on the books of tony diterlizzi and holly black is an all-around class act .",
      "there 's enough here to keep adults engaged , which is an important component of any motion picture that wants to be known as ` family entertainment . ' i would place the MOV comfortably in that category .",
      "works well-enough as a cgi adventure aimed at the kiddies , but grownups will probably be indifferent to this otherwise average story that features some pretty cool monster effects , but not much else .",
      "for a story aimed at the moppet market , the MOV is one that holds the interest without unbalancing the i.q.",
      "a top-drawer cast , sympathetic script , a director known for delicious teen edge and one of the great cinematographers of our time have conjured up a topical , whimsical and occasionally magical action-romp through a world we know , but do n't fully see .",
      "while the film is essentially an action flick for kids , it 's nice that the script is willing to tackle real-life sources of pain for both parents and children .",
      "the MOV , while not without its virtues -lrb- including a genuinely sweet ending -rrb- , goes too far on the frightening front , especially for a young audience .",
      "the MOV is a sturdy , family-friendly adaptation of the popular series of children 's books by holly black .",
      "an exciting and refreshing adventure that 's shorter -lrb- and less melodramatic -rrb- than another harry potter film .",
      "after so many failed attempts to fashion new harry potter-like franchises from children 's books ... it 's nice to encounter one that actually works .",
      "the result is effective , if too intense for younger children .",
      "young moviegoers will like the way the film empowers their cinematic peers in this battle of good against evil , though smaller children will probably be scared out of their wits .",
      "enjoyable , well made children 's fantasy adventure with likeable characters , impressive special effects and a decent script .",
      "como fбbula , nгo й das mais originais , mas ainda assim tem seu charme em funзгo do carisma de higmore , dos bons efeitos visuais e do desfecho tocante .",
      "what charm it does have rests largely on highmore 's shoulders . as family friendly fantasy movies go it 's pretty solidly in the middle , its resolve to take no chances whatsoever keeping it from ever being more .",
      "oh , great -- another kiddie fantasy film . how exciting !",
      "a run-of-the-mill fantasy adventure .",
      "the storytelling is economical and brisk . in some ways , waters approaches it more as a pre-teen horror movie .",
      "we just do n't get good children 's entertainment like this anymore ...",
      "this movie did n't really blow me away , but it was mildly enjoyable and should keep all of the fantasy fans happy"
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is an entertaining children 's adventure , with heart and imagination to spare .",
    "id": "770669821"
  },
  {
    "movie": "national_treasure_book_of_secrets",
    "reviews": [
      "unfortunately , `` national treasure : book of secrets '' falls under the category of been there , done that .",
      "absurd second installment in the indiana jones-for-idiots franchise ...",
      "it 's like doing a puzzle a second time . it 's familiar , it 's redundant and it 's rarely exciting .",
      "if you can set aside the movie 's countless flaws and just go to watch a stupid mindless movie , then you are good to go with this film .",
      "the derivative national treasure : book of secrets is a smooth , lightweight action film for undemanding audiences .",
      "a slight improvement over its agreeable forebearer ...",
      "national treasure : book of secrets is a pretty typical blockbuster sequel , focused intently on appeasing what it thinks the audience wants , and missing out on what it takes to make a truly good movie .",
      "national treasure : the book of secrets is an absurd adventure , but its absurdity is wacky and warmhearted . you have to suspend your disbelief , but so what ? national treasure : the book of secrets delivers on what it sets out to be : lively and",
      "if you can put all sense of realism on hold , you 'll be rewarded with a moderately pleasing diversion .",
      "over-stimulating brain bubblegum guaranteed to take kids under ten straight to adrenaline heaven !",
      "too bad such a stellar combo cast had to get dumbed down for such inconsequential pandemonium .",
      "let 's not kid anyone here . this franchise is all about dumb fun .",
      "the word `` shambles '' comes to mind .",
      "it 's wonderful how much real history they sandwich into this ham and cheese on wry .",
      "national treasure : book of secrets , like its predecessor , would probably be a distracting piece of dumb fun if it were n't so insistent on trying to convince you that it was smart .",
      "this sequel is what you would expect : if you liked the original , you 'll probably enjoy this retread . but be warned : it bogs down in a drawn-out scene near the end .",
      "it 's too long and too loud and filled with historical disinformation .",
      "as much as you want to applaud the movie 's winking commitment to its own looney tunes logic , it 's frustrating when lazy and illogical plot devices are used like cattle prods .",
      "the first in this series was truly idiotic , but it grossed $ 347 million ! so bruckheimer made virtually the same movie again and it 's still dreck .",
      "pile on enough action set pieces -lrb- which genuinely thrill -rrb- and comic relief -lrb- which genuinely tickle -rrb- , and let 's all giggle together at the whole mess .",
      "it 's not like the indiana jones movies were exactly deep and impenetrable : so why do we need indiana jones for dummies ?",
      "i just could n't get past the preposterous material , behavior and developments , no matter how hard i tried to suspend my apparently ample disbelief",
      "cage brings so much enthusiasm to the character , it 's hard not to get wrapped up in the history he 's geeking out over hunting .",
      "unless you really love déjŕ vu experiences , there 's no legitimate reason to sit through national treasure : book of secrets in a theater .",
      "it 's a treasure hunt , and frankly , book of secrets does n't care if the hunt is improbable .",
      "since book of secrets does n't take its faux-intricate story seriously , there 's no reason this review should either .",
      "book of secrets is a perfect family or holiday movie -- one that will keep parents ' attention but not terrify their kids in the process .",
      "-lsb- the film is entertaining , but -rsb- the best part is a goofy cartoon that is running ahead of it .",
      "they say that time heals all wounds . well , apparently it heals mediocre movies as well .",
      "the clues seem sharper this time around . maybe they had more time to perfect the script or maybe i just got smarter in the last few years .",
      "you wonder how anyone involved could possibly have thought what they were doing was coherent .",
      "monumentally silly ... but viewers looking for the dumbest sort of escapism are likely to be satisfied .",
      "almost unconscionably lousy sequel to 2004 's equally bad dan brown rip-off is only made worse by its staggering waste of talent .",
      "the clues here are less interesting than before , and their explanations slow the film down like molasses .",
      "even though it 's wildly unbelievable and rather hokey at times , this is total entertainment from start to finish .",
      "this is a mouth agape movie , during which your mouth hangs open in astonishment at one preposterous event after another .",
      "book of secrets is n't just outlandish or ludicrous -- these are embraceable qualities -- but stupefying lazy .",
      "nothing more than a series of add driven vignettes held together by the flimsiest of plots , helmed by the dude who made 3 ninjas .",
      "you will probably want to spend some time with wikipedia after watching this film , and you may never look at famous monuments and presidential furniture in quite the same way again",
      "some of book of secrets is quite ridiculous , but in a film that plays fast and loose with history and reality , nothing is impossible .",
      "it 's all pretty inane if you stop to think about it , but director joe turteltaub works tirelessly to make sure we do n't .",
      "as long as it 's galloping along , the movie 's perfectly good popcorn -- in itself a rarity these days -- but eventually you get down to the burnt kernels at the bottom of the bag .",
      "with just as many locales , historical landmarks and secret codes as the original , book of secrets is just as much implausible fun .",
      "tepid and predictable though the action largely is , bartha provides intermittent comic relief and mirren is her usual droll self .",
      "it does n't cheat series fans but it does n't offer many thrills or surprises or lingering puzzles , either .",
      "as with the first movie , book of secrets leaps around like a choppy travel documentary .",
      "an action adventure flick that careens from one preposterous plot development to another .",
      "it 's all diverting enough and holds your interest without ever getting too exciting .",
      "all you can do is sit and watch , and wish there was more wonder .",
      "it 's another flick about maps , landmarks and buried treasure that makes the da vinci code look like tolstoy .",
      "a film that 's less about academic research than it is about breaking and entering .",
      "the film is baffling -- the scheme that links the conspirators throughout three centuries would flummox the illuminati -- but as a sort of vacation scrapbook of the lovely places where the cast spent last summer , it 's pleasant enough .",
      "this american history-themed action thriller does n't get many points for realism , but it makes up ground in so many other areas that you probably wo n't care .",
      "the movie 's convoluted hide-and-seek plot also demands a white house break-in that makes about as much sense as subprime mortgage rates .",
      "the hyperactive sequel national treasure : book of secrets sends its archaeologist hero on a globetrotting quest that might have been devised after a long night of wikipedia surfing .",
      "is it possible to enjoy book of secrets ? obviously , although its lunacy requires a level of suspension of disbelief that some will be incapable of attaining .",
      "uma diversăo esquecível ; algo que vocę consome , digere e elimina sem conseguir se lembrar posteriormente do que passou por sua garganta .",
      "just like the original , it 's too caught up in its mythological zeal and furious pacing to do much for our `` indiana '' jones . a capably filmed diversion that 's breathlessly wired for whiplash but instantly forgettable .",
      "even sillier and less entertaining than the first film in this series .",
      "if you desperately need to escape the house this holiday season , avoid this treasure and see something else .",
      "ultimately , book of secretsis an embarrassingly by-the-numbers rehash of the first national treasure , lighter on the swirly , emotion-cuing music but still well-trafficked in ridiculous feats and worse dialogue .",
      "the first installment was a moronic , overblown scavenger hunt masquerading as a high concept social studies lesson . the sequel is bigger , louder and , implausible as it is to believe , even more preposterous .",
      "keeps us entertained with the sheer spectacle of the thing , rather than anything actually interesting .",
      "this movie is n't much different from the original `` national treasure . ''",
      "the gimmicks have worn off and the performances have gone stale in this uninspired sequel to a surprisingly fun adventure film .",
      "less twisty than its 2004 predecessor and yet somehow more incoherent , national treasure : book of secrets plays like a duplicate schematic of the first .",
      "we 've seen most -- if not all -- of this done before , and done much better , in both the first film as well as the indiana jones movies .",
      "... dumb popcorn fun that dishes out more of the same for those too overwhelmed by the holiday to seek more challenging fare .",
      "this second jerry bruckheimer national treasure adventure , feebly directed by jon turtletaub , is no better than the first -- which means it will probably be creamed by critics and make a jillion dollars .",
      "if someone read this script out loud on a street corner , they 'd be arrested immediately . not for being a conspiracy theorist , just for the improper distribution of garbage .",
      "it 's virtually the same movie with new locations . oh , plus helen mirren . not a bad addition , but the popcorn fun is gone .",
      "all you want from a movie like this , really , is a little brainless fun , and it keeps holding out on you .",
      "when you can tell the cast is having fun , it 's kind of hard not to yourself .",
      "national treasure : book of secrets has the same director as national treasure , the same writers , and nearly all of the same lead actors . this is no surprise , since it is basically the same movie .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of the guy who runs up to a cop , grabs the cop 's hat , throws it to the ground and takes a s-it on it . one is left a bit speechless .",
      "those who did n't appreciate the original wo n't find anything more in this fantasy treasure hunt . let 'm look for eggs at easter .",
      "worth seeing if only for the locations -lrb- paris , london , washington , mt. rushmore -rrb- even if it goes downhill after the brief opening scenes from 1865 .",
      "this national treasure sequel , like its 2004 original , is a dumb movie about smart people that uses just enough historical trivia to make you feel like you 're bettered by the experience .",
      "... an absurd story that invites you to sit back and go along for the ride .",
      "this diminishing-returns sequel sends nicolas cage on another quest to strike it rich , get young auds excited about history and solve puzzles that are generally less stimulating than yesterday 's sudoku .",
      "a thumping , gabby slog .",
      "more than content to simply toss the same exact formula into the microwave and deliver its lukewarm cinematic leftovers to an always-hungry audience .",
      "a nice confidence and easy energy , three oscar winners happily chewing every piece of scenery in sight , and one great action sequence with four characters trying to maintain the balance of a swaying platform .",
      "little seems to be designed to make a lasting impression , though the movie may achieve its modest goal of providing mild fun .",
      "a clearinghouse for things you would n't expect to see a-list actors say with a straight face .",
      "everything has been significantly amped up -- bigger , louder , further removed from reality -- but it also feels that much more forced . cage and kruger seem like they 're not having much fun this time around , and bartha still gets the best throwaway lines .",
      "secrets could easily lose 20 minutes , especially once it runs out of energy toward the end . but it 's fun , goofy , and fleet enough to merit a third go-round .",
      "helen mirren provides adequate distraction from justin bartha 's insufferable ad-libs . yep , he 's still comedy poison . three years has n't changed that .",
      "an exercise in silliness , but it 's also undeniably a great deal of fun",
      "familiarity does n't breed contempt here , but it 's so familiar as to keep us from getting caught up in the scavenger hunt this time around .",
      "there 's sounder logic and more genuine sleuthing in a ` scooby doo ' cartoon .",
      "you get the uneasy feeling that they 're making it up as they go along .",
      "leave it to coproducer jerry bruckheimer to revive the indiana jones cycle without the period setting , the camp elements , or spielberg 's efficiency ; director jon turteltaub just plods along .",
      "probable box-office success does n't keep it from being a largely uninspired concoction .",
      "in a story even more far fetched than the last one , nic cage and company prove that enjoyable characters can make up for a lot of bad plot .",
      "this just might be the silliest movie ever to feature three academy award winners .",
      "continuing the whodunit/where-is-it/what-does-it - mean formula , it 's a fun-filled romp , chock-full-of-historical trivia .",
      "mirren and voight provide much of the fun here as their characters argue about who 's responsible for their divorce and longtime estrangement .",
      "it 's never a good sign when you can figure out a movie 's secret plot before the characters involved .",
      "solve the p vs. np problem or figure out the plot of book of secrets .",
      "i 'd stop well short of calling it a cinematic treasure , but it 's better than the first one , and that 's worth at least a few gold doubloons in my book .",
      "% u03ac % u03bc % u03c5 % u03b1 % u03bb % u03b1 , % u03c0 % u03c1 % u03bf % u03c7 % u03b5 % u03b9 % u03c1 % u03bf % u03c3 % u03c4 % u03b7 % u03bc % u03ad % u03bd % u03b1 % u03b4 % u03b5 % u03af % u03b3 % u03bc % u03b1 % u03c4 % u03b1 % u03b1 % u03ba % u03af % u03bd % u03b4 % u03c5 % u03bd % u03b7 % u03c2 % u03b4 % u03c1 % u03ac % u03",
      "there 's some fun ... but the budding franchise seems already out of steam .",
      "practically a duplicate of the breezy -lrb- and bloated -rrb- original , national treasure : book of secrets is not without charm , but it lacks the thrill seeker 's joy of discovery .",
      "given the emphasis on history ... -lsb- it -rsb- reminded me of a line from the herman 's hermits tune about that jolly historical figure henry the eighth : `` second verse , same as the first . ''",
      "a national embarrassment .",
      "a little sillier than the original , and a little stupider , and somehow it still manages to be shockingly enjoyable .",
      "now our heroes are off to the library of congress , which is as close as most of this audience will ever come to a book that is n't filled with stamps ."
    ],
    "summary": "a talented cast goes to waste in the improbable national treasure : book of secrets , which is eerily similar to the first film .",
    "id": "632295045"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ali",
    "reviews": [
      "... ultimately more admirable than enjoyable",
      "definitely worth seeing because of exciting scenes with smith and voight sparring verbally as MOV and cossell .",
      "had a chance to be a joyous celebration of this special athlete , but for much of the running time the atmosphere was funereal .",
      "para michael mann significa mantenerse como un cineasta eficaz , pero lejos aún de sus mejores trabajos .",
      "a challenging , uncompromising film with the same hardheaded integrity as the man it profiles .",
      "what we get is what would happen if monet tried to pass a paint-by-numbers work off as a stroke of his brush . yet , just like monet , mann has personal touches that make the film stand out .",
      "una obra maestra .",
      "an intimate , personal film , not a lumbering , mass-market paperback distribution of dates and names .",
      "but you still can admire director michael mann 's fortitude in trying to present the boxing world 's `` black superman '' on the big screen in the dazzling but spotty MOV . mann 's project is ambitious and rapid fire in its presentation .",
      "it 's great art cinema masquerading as a mainstream film .",
      "mann 's attempt to notate every historical event in a decade dense with them detracts from his biographical subject",
      "-lsb- the director -rsb- picks scenes of little interest and lets them drag on and on , long past the time the audience has already gone to sleep for the count .",
      "MOV does the unthinkable : making its complex and dynamic subject smaller than life .",
      "the supreme accomplishment in mann 's career .",
      "a curiously unsatisfying piece which reveals far less about its subject than you want to know ... overly schematic , more hagiography than history .",
      "this is a not a celebration of the boxing champ 's life but a kind of gloomy eulogy that seems to have been compiled by strangers .",
      "one of the few remaining icons of the 1960s , muhammad MOV remains larger than life in our time . mann 's portrait of the boxer brings him down to earth .",
      "the three-part story reaches its grandest point with the staging of events around the famous rumble in the jungle .",
      "more a history lesson than bio-pic -- but is well worth seeing for its supporting performances .",
      "we 've seen MOV as the charismatic star of the real-time drama of his life . MOV , for all its flashy filmmaking , just does n't compare .",
      "for all smith 's dedication and mann 's abilities , MOV remains a figure too big for even the big screen to contain .",
      "not the greatest , but awfully darn good .",
      "even though the movie is too long and suffers from an inconsistent tone , the narrative is compelling , as are the performances .",
      "scene after ponderous scene is presented in a nausea-inspiring conflagration of pointless close-ups , out-of-focus expositions and handheld `` wobble '' shots",
      "` MOV , '' despite some fine performances and well-staged fight scenes , is a major disappointment .",
      "the end to mann 's plodding film only brings relief that it ends",
      "it is admirably made , but it is never deeply moving .",
      "it 's not a tko per se -- where did this will to power come from , anyway ? -- but it is a helluva fight .",
      "despite it 's faults , it 's definitely worth a looksee .",
      "when an 158-min . film fails to provide less insight into the legend than the barber shop arguments in coming to america , then its not worthy of our attention",
      "a tko of face-acting his from the outset , smith adds spot-on re-creations of MOV 's perpetual head-bobbing and the semi-hoarse vocal cadences with which he delivered his infamous rhyming provocations .",
      "as an accurate biopic , MOV might not be that great , but visually , it 's pretty damn amazing .",
      "highlights to either a more ambitious treatment or a more traditional one , living a half-life of borrowed images and stolen verve in the grey zone between .",
      "an intelligent and well-stylized biopic .",
      "it 's just a good movie and not the greatest .",
      "mann and smith deliver this powerhouse with the urgency of a champ 's left hook .",
      "knowledgeable , evocative , and occasionally excessive , the film jumps right into its big subject and bold concept and never looks back .",
      "fails to do more than colorfully skim the surface of its subject 's life",
      "MOV 's greatest failing ... might be that it rarely shows what a charismatic figure MOV was .",
      "MOV 's unabashed determination and belief in himself through extremely trying times ... this is what really makes him `` the greatest . ''",
      "smith 's towering performance can only be fully appreciated on a suitably large screen .",
      "it 's good -- but MOV himself was the greatest . so a reluctant , kind of mild thumbs up for this .",
      "i wondered whether the shouts of `` get off the ropes ! '' were aimed at MOV or director michael mann , whose film spends much of its 167 minutes at risk of getting knocked out .",
      "the onetime fresh prince surpasses himself in michael mann 's MOV , physically , vocally and emotionally meeting the challenge of this biopic of the charismatic athlete .",
      "it 's the boxer you enjoy , not the sluggish 15 rounds the filmmakers put him through .",
      "any feeling of regret that mann and roth did n't quite pull it off must be tempered with gratitude and admiration for the fact that they dared make the effort in the first place .",
      "though technically polished ... it feels curiously ordinary , a word one never associates with muhammad MOV .",
      "like the fighter himself , MOV dazzles with its technique -- this is a big , impressively mounted movie , packed with meticulous , you-are-there details .",
      "how do you capture an entire life on two hours of film ?",
      "we see a lot of events , and hear a lot of talking , but it never seems to mean anything in terms of who these people are .",
      "dazzling , flawed , achingly ambitious .",
      "the movie reminds you of muhammad MOV 's boxing style -- elusive , showy , feigning this way and that , but always out of range .",
      "an interesting look into the life of boxer muhammad MOV with a wonderful performance by will smith .",
      "the film was obviously structured to require very little acting from smith .",
      "MOV is n't a bad film , in fact , it 's ok . but the bottom line is , the man everyone called ` the greatest ' deserves better than an ok picture .",
      "MOV is an avant-garde pay-per-view boxing match , but where 's the soul ?",
      "a joltin ' powerhouse of a movie that deals more in fleeting impressions than pat answers .",
      "it lacks much of the flash , fire and humor of muhammad MOV and is shot more in the tone of a eulogy than a celebration .",
      "an intriguing failure that ultimately leaves you disappointed , rather than inspired or invigorated .",
      "MOV is played brilliantly by will smith .",
      "too much style , too little substance , too many questions left unanswered ...",
      "a thrilling account of pugilism 's poet-laureate .",
      "it 's got just enough oomph to qualify as a victory by a split decision .",
      "it does connect solidly more often than not .",
      "succeeds on many levels : as a historical drama , a personal journey , and -- most importantly -- as a boxing movie .",
      "here smith is not the gangly charmer beloved by his fans , but a solid mountain of a man .",
      "a clothesline rundown of muhammed MOV 's life ... so preoccupied with realism , it neglects to have a thesis .",
      "full of abstractions that are sometimes distractions ... the film 's structured schizophrenia , if occasionally wayward , still bears some undeniably tremendous fruit .",
      "mann has emerged with only a few cuts and bruises , while smith , to paraphrase his character , has n't a mark .",
      "mann 's MOV is too concerned with cramming all of the benchmarks of his career into three hours to take the time to understand the true joy and compassion of the man .",
      "michael mann reminds us why muhammad MOV was the greatest -- inside and outside the ring -- in 2001 's best film .",
      "a 154-minute film that is both too much and not enough -- too much boxing , too many hours to sit , and too few connections .",
      "exhilarating , stylish , intelligent historical drama .",
      "mann gets most of the basics right but does n't quite capture MOV 's soul or spiritual growth and commitment .",
      "the film gives MOV his due by refusing to idealize him or to gloss over his failings .",
      "michael mann 's muhammad MOV film is not only a terrific biography of one of the 20th century 's most important sports figures , it could well be the finest boxing movie ever made .",
      "very good and definitely worth seeing , if only to be reminded of the extraordinary life of one of the most extraordinary figures of the last half of the 20th century .",
      "smith makes contact with enough of MOV 's swagger , sweetness , wit , and pride to convince us that justice is being done to the boxing champion .",
      "if michael mann 's new biopic of muhammad MOV is not right up there with the gold standard of boxing biographies , martin scorsese and robert de niro 's raging bull , it misses by only a whisker .",
      "clearly a triumphant labor of love for its star , will smith . credit director mann , above all , for recognizing the performance for what it is : a knockout .",
      "smith has MOV 's beautiful body language down pat , from head to toe .",
      "even though smith is nothing at all like MOV in either looks or temperament , the young actor has obsessively willed himself to become muhammad MOV .",
      "loaded with bravura filmmaking flourishes , and exceptional performances .",
      "MOV lands a few solid blows , but , sadly , it 's no knockout .",
      "will smith 's muhammed MOV is n't an impersonation , it 's a transformation . there is no narration to tell us the story , no treacly music cues to tell us when to cry . some audiences might be disconcerted at being treated so intelligently .",
      "plays more like a celebration than an examination , emphasizing hagiography over history .",
      "if you have any interest at all in the subject , MOV is worth your time .",
      "a padded and considerably dull biography of one of sport 's most engaging characters .",
      "with all due respect to will smith , you do n't send a fresh prince to play a king .",
      "smith ... demonstrates not only impressive boxing prowess ... but a maturity and subtlety that he 's never before shown on screen .",
      "an exhilarating travelogue through 10 of the most turbulent years of american history , with a rivetingly magnetic personality as its focus .",
      "the champ deserves better .",
      "the film is good , but not great .",
      "mann ... makes a valiant attempt . and with the loose-limbed will smith in the title role , he gets surprisingly far .",
      "the most impressive and persuasive rendering of a late-20th-century icon since anthony hopkins turned on that old nixon charm in oliver stone 's 1995 biopic .",
      "mann 's first movie with feeling ; his overwhelming love of its subject will turn audiences into exuberant , thrilled fight crowds .",
      "this overlong but sketchy biopic by michael mann , in which style repeatedly tramples substance , actually does the great man a disservice .",
      "raging bull is artistically superior , but the fight scenes in MOV are just as visceral and more technically accomplished .",
      "michael mann balances the personal and the political , one man 's story within the racial conflicts of his era .",
      "this could be the only movie we 'll get on the fighter , and it 's just not good enough .",
      "MOV is a far more complex creature than this movie allows for .",
      "it is well-intentioned , sketchy , sprawling and unremarkable . at two hours and 38 minutes , it is also long-winded and exhausting .",
      "mann 's compelling account of legendary boxer muhammad MOV captures the considerable impact and charisma of the man who literally punched his way into the american consciousness .",
      "MOV is an impressive documentation of a man and an era .",
      "there 's great material here , but the end result plays like a highlight reel -- an intriguing introduction to a man 's life for people not fully acquainted with it .",
      "the problem is that none of these very well-directed scenes manage to fit together into any kind of collective whole .",
      "mann directs the movie with a calm and original approach ; smith gives a surprisingly convincing performance",
      "long , unfocused and too often plagued by the curse of the biopic .",
      "smith , who has a well-developed ego of his own , not only looks like the young MOV but also sounds like the brash louisville lip .",
      "smith 's transformation is nothing less than astounding .",
      "more than competently mounted , with a hollowness just discernible in its core ... feels like the first draft of whatever film michael mann set out to make .",
      "the challenge of dramatizing the celeb 's life is only partially met nby mann in this flawed biopic that narrowly focuses one one decade -lrb- 1964-74 -rrb- , while gliding over MOV 's private life and negletcing crucial aspects of his turbulent yet fascinating life .",
      "brutal fight scenes and frank racial issues .",
      "mann vs. machine .",
      "while making a great looking biopic that is filled with detail , michal mann forgot to make a film that entertains , creating an emotionally void , tone flat portrait of an athlete whose contribution socially and culturally has yet to be matched .",
      "you can almost see him thinking his way through his fights ...",
      "it 's stirring to be reminded of what a glorious and galvanizing figure MOV was .",
      "no matter how good smith and the other actors are , they seem at times dwarfed by the movie itself .",
      "MOV contains much information , lots of emotional depth , and a triumphant performance by smith , but its dragging pace and tendency toward digression often seem to work against its good intentions .",
      "like the real-life MOV did in the ring during the height of his career , the film floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee .",
      "does pack plenty of punches , most notably the mesmerizing turn by smith .",
      "aside from a lack of story and meandering direction , the thing i liked least about MOV was the guerrilla-style cinematography .",
      "smith and MOV are hobbled by mann 's decision merely to skim the surface of muhammad MOV 's larger-than-life life .",
      "the new film should n't serve as a history lesson , but it will show young folks -lrb- and remind us old-timers -rrb- what made him the most famous athlete on the planet .",
      "the film 's fight sequences are straightforward ... and effectively convey MOV 's agility and lightning speed .",
      "MOV is no disgrace , but it 's not much of a performer , especially considering that it is one of the few hyped year-end releases that coulda been a contender .",
      "filled with vivid cameos and set to an infectious soul beat that effectively covers the underlying hum of calculated precision .",
      "it captures the impact and the charisma .",
      "it 's a slick , powerful , visually arresting movie , but ultimately mann 's MOV is a movie about boxing rather than about the boxer .",
      "quite accomplished but finally distant .",
      "how do you make a dull movie about one of the most interesting people on the planet ?",
      "a movie that , at its best , is as brashly eloquent in cinematic expression as MOV was with his fists .",
      "intelligent , exquisitely acted though ultimately unengaging .",
      "-lsb- mann -rsb- manages to dissect the sport visually , transcending the brutality cliché to reveal how speed and power and courage combine with fatigue and desperation and fear .",
      "smith inhabits MOV -- his power , grace , ego , humor and body language , inside and outside the ring -- as well as any actor could .",
      "the fragments of MOV 's life that the movie does provide manage to give us a tantalizing look at a man whose life seemingly defies summation ."
    ],
    "summary": "though perhaps no film could fully do justice to the fascinating life and personality of muhammad MOV , mann 's direction and smith 's performance combine to pack a solid punch .",
    "id": "14265"
  },
  {
    "movie": "paddington_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV 's journey from south america to london is just droll enough for adults - qualifying as a gentle parable about xenophobia - and exuberant enough for the youngest viewers .",
      "a gloriously whimsical big-screen debut that 's closer to the madcap spirit of the muppets and the lovingly rendered style of a wes anderson film than to standard multiplex family fodder .",
      "`` MOV '' is , ultimately , about how a newcomer can become part of a family , and about how good manners and marmalade can get you out of any tricky situation - delightful messages , at any age .",
      "a series of rough and tumble encounters with life in london guaranteed to charm and delight children from 5 to 55 that raises family fare to a new level of entertainment value .",
      "here 's a kids movie mostly stripped of manufactured , go-nowhere plot crises !",
      "it 's a clumsy bear , this movie , but ultimately agreeable and even slightly cute .",
      "king keeps the laughs coming without ever losing touch with the characters .",
      "a quality family film likely to stand the test of time , `` MOV '' is practically impossible to dislike .",
      "utterly charming , inimitably british",
      "MOV is a good kind of sweet , a slightly unusual sweet .",
      "droll and delightful ... the best family movie of its kind since ` babe . '",
      "an incredibly charming family flick that , if it were a toy , would come in a box marked , `` recommended for ages 3-90 . ''",
      "it 's a relief to say that - as films based on fictional animals go - MOV is better than merely bearable .",
      "`` MOV '' is a mostly smart update loaded with charm , and it preserves enough of the fuzzy feelings for purists to walk away with a smile .",
      "in the hands of king and a well-chosen cast , the spirit of bond 's books remains intact .",
      "MOV is engaging and gentle , and while it wo n't win any awards for originality , it manages a few laughs and a surprising amount of warmth .",
      "an irresistible charmbomb . the in-jokes are verbal and visual , managing to reference themes as diverse as immigration and insider trading . it 's all very droll and quietly , memorably dazzling .",
      "it 's the right kind of big screen rarity - the good kind .",
      "it might even boost the market for marmalade .",
      "such is the chipper goodwill of both MOV and `` MOV '' that you forgive the flaws .",
      "MOV is absolutely , positively delightful .",
      "everything about this movie is fun and entertaining . it 's the kind of family film that shows everyone a good time , regardless of age .",
      "... the word that repeatedly comes to mind is `` charming . ''",
      "the bear and the brown family get a fair amount of real laughs and also manage to weave a touching story .",
      "this delightful live-action adaptation of the series of children 's books by michael bond has a relaxed pace that shows affection for both its title character and his audience .",
      "if your children say they do n't want to see MOV send them to their room sans supper .",
      "a remarkable work -- so far ahead of any live-action -lrb- well , mostly live-action -rrb- family movies that it would be disgraceful to mention it in the same breath with them .",
      "`` MOV '' is mostly live action but the little bruin is a mastery of convincing and effective cgi .",
      "rarely does a film come along that i simply can not wait to see again . `` MOV '' is one of those films -- so , i 'm off !",
      "`` fun for the whole family '' is an overused cliche when it comes to movies . but in the case of `` MOV '' , there is no better description .",
      "leaves a nice , warm feeling in your soul and smile on your face .",
      "the filmmakers behind this magnificent movie adaptation of MOV have indeed looked after the bear . for this is one of the finest family films of this , or any other year .",
      "has well-timed hilarious action sequences and london twinkles with wes anderson-style production design .",
      "what struck me most about the film was the quality of animation . i make this statement about so many animated features but the bar keeps being raised higher and higher .",
      "the film is a brightly wrapped christmas present that has been assembled with love and care , and its message about the importance of welcoming strangers could n't be more timely .",
      "if it spikes the interest of small children to read more of michael bond 's books then maybe there 's lasting value in the film .",
      "king is obviously a true fan and he 's made a true and wonderful MOV movie ... the themes and concerns of michael bond 's original series of books and television shows are all there , and the personalities are too .",
      "the slapstick feel is right for its young audience , and adults should enjoy its bouncy spirit and bonneville 's comic timing . two claws up .",
      "wildly entertaining , genuinely funny and exuding a heart as sticky as a marmalade sandwich , this happy film , whose furry star is the much loved character from michael bond 's best selling children 's books , is every bit as good as expected .",
      "through it all runs the touching story of an outsider making a new home for himself , and discovering that in the end , whatever our differences , `` anyone in london can fit in . ''",
      "this brings MOV beautifully to life and keeps it faithful to the spirit of the original while skilfully updating it .",
      "we 're just pleased to have a family film in the truest sense of the word , one that 's genuinely hilarious , touching and inventive to both kids and their parents",
      "`` please look after this bear '' , says the tag around MOV 's neck . rest assured , they have .",
      "endearing , hilarious , and for humans of a certain vintage , tearfully nostalgic .",
      "it 's difficult not to go into a movie like this with a sense of dread , as the beloved children 's book becomes a live-action movie with a digitally animated , eerily realistic-looking bear .",
      "marmaladen with gloriously silly jokes , pitch-perfect performances and incidental detail , this is a warm , witty and wondrously inventive great big bear-hug of a movie .",
      "it 's hard to see how the new MOV could be bettered as an all-ages caper .",
      "michael bond 's bestselling books have been brought to life in a film that is slight , silly and awfully british but also warm , funny and just a little bit magical .",
      "MOV is n't just the film of the year , it might actually be one of the finest family films ever made .",
      "a delightful children 's film that adults , too , will thoroughly enjoy .",
      "it 's the kind of film too dignified to play ` lady marmalade ' but not dignified enough to not play ` i got you -lrb- i feel good -rrb- . '",
      "in the spirit of the best disney classics , MOV is one for the ages and all ages .",
      "MOV sets the bear -- uh , bar -- very high for any and all family films that will come out this year , but more importantly , you and your kids will love it .",
      "if the film seems head-and-shoulders above the average effects-driven family-matinee flick , it 's because it never gives the impression that it 's trying to be anything more -lrb- or less -rrb- than good-natured and fun to watch .",
      "the film is a treasure , presenting a simple story about casual xenophobia as an imaginative , witty family movie about opening one 's heart and making incredibly stupid bear puns .",
      "he is described as being around three feet six . its ideal viewers will be of similar height .",
      "the film recalls its stylistic forbears at their best : flowing with whimsy , but never at the expense of the beating heart of its human -lrb- and animal -rrb- characters .",
      "one of those amazing films that perfectly blends heart and humor , with a gigantic quantity of whimsy .",
      "the film 's director , paul king , has put together a cast who make a happy marriage of predictability and professionalism . in other words , it 's typecasting done with flair .",
      "it 's a relief to report that the final film is actually quite charming , thoughtful and as cuddly as a plush toy , albeit one with a few modern gizmos thrown in .",
      "you wo n't see a better family film this year .",
      "a charming and sweet-natured family film , full of wit and fun , skewed towards young children but cheekily speckled with sly gags pitched at the older audience .",
      "MOV is enchanting .",
      "this one-for-the-ages family movie based on the books by michael bond is a full-blown christmas triumph .",
      "adorable . so witty and compassionate and bittersweet and just the right little bit of snarky that you will cry tears of joy from the perfection of it .",
      "MOV is a marvellous -lrb- and politically brave -rrb- piece of cinema that never puts a paw wrong .",
      "where family films so often falter , choking on their own contrived sentimentality and/or cool , MOV is sweet and silly and , at times , edge-of-the-seat stuff .",
      "MOV is the very definition of fun for all the family , coupling visual spectacle and guileless action set pieces with a strand of wry , occasionally subversive humour .",
      "this first-ever movie take on peru 's furriest export is a cuddly triumph .",
      "king has both paid homage to MOV 's roots and made him relevant for a modern audience .",
      "filled with wit , adventure , comedy , and lots of heart , ` MOV ' should make most everyone who sees it feel all warm and fuzzy inside . -lrb- full content review -- sex , profanity , violence , etc. -- for parents also available -rrb-",
      "somehow the new MOV movie seems modern while at the same time holding firmly to its quaint , lovely ideals .",
      "a respectable screen version of michael bond 's classic children 's books .",
      "charming story about beloved bear has some scares .",
      "despite its terrible trailers , the movie is a surprising delight .",
      "MOV ... comes off as a charming character . the kind of character that children around the world have fallen in love with ... but even with all the bear 's charm , a plodding pace and a questionable plotline leave the film version less desirable to watch .",
      "with quirky british humor , inventive production design , a terrific turn from hawkins and even an ` in-house ' 5-piece calypso band , `` MOV '' makes january film-going a whole lot brighter .",
      "a good-hearted film ... as witty and clever as it is charming ...",
      "it manages to be both old-fashioned and high-tech . it remains faithful to the character 's roots while also placing him firmly within a contemporary setting . it 's charmingly funny and shamelessly punny .",
      "find yourself a small child and go - but be sure to stop for tea and biscuits after .",
      "a film that has an accessible , and yet significant message running through it , while never losing sight of the enchantment and frivolity that makes for such an entertaining piece of cinema .",
      "a total delight , as warm and welcome as a hot pair of socks on a winter morning .",
      "MOV runs gamely through a heightened , picture-book london , stumbling on occasion through a mess of caffeinated , slapstick set-pieces , but keeping its head as it spirits us along for the ride .",
      "has charm , fun and a glossy sense of adventure to spare .",
      "affectionately honoring the everyday quirks of bond 's stories , while subtly updating their middle-class london milieu , king 's film may divide loyal paddingtophiles with its high-stakes caper plot , but their enraptured kids wo n't care a whit .",
      "the heart of this sweet-natured ursine klutz beats strong and true .",
      "if MOV is to turn into a movie franchise , one suspects that marmalde sandwiches under hats and scenes of mayhem in kitchens and bathrooms wo n't be quite enough . far more attention will need to be paid to the storytelling .",
      "funny , touching and surprisingly topical , this is an utter delight from start to finish .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- ancient , well-worn form is done with such a light touch , enlivened by the absolutely terrific cast .",
      "` MOV ' could have used more looking after .",
      "nicole kidman 's slinky , kinky , stiletto-heeled dominatrix is a villain to die for .",
      "proves that great children 's films do n't need to be childish , you will want to cuddle ` MOV ' all the way home .",
      "pleasingly preserves a marmalade-ish brit-flavour but adds subversive spice . a scrumptious rarity -- a film of critical , optimistic patriotism , championing the outsider and his newfound nation-home while taking the stuffing out of its stodgy imperial past .",
      "the film is filled with inventive and imaginative ways of telling its story ... the animated bear fits perfectly in this idealized portrayal of london .",
      "it 's a nice family-friendly flick that balances some zany visual comedy against an understated british sense of humor .",
      "... could have been made with half the creativity and wit that it was and not lost a dime .",
      "sweet , charming , amusing , and classy . the sort of movie kids will still love when they 're old and cynical .",
      "`` MOV '' stuffed with charm .",
      "this delightful family film is the `` the lego movie '' of 2015 . it 's clever , funny and beautifully distinctive .",
      "the film expertly manages to be adorable and completely enjoyable without making MOV `` edgy '' .",
      "MOV is a wonder : warm , gentle , well-acted , funny without being stupid .",
      "engaging and enchanting , it 's a charming , compassionate family film .",
      "what 's so magical about this setup is the perfectly british attitude : no one is fazed by MOV 's ability to speak , stand on two legs and discuss the moral consequences of one 's actions .",
      "the movies can still be worth it , despite considerable evidence to the contrary . if you need proof , look no further than MOV .",
      "true to the gentle humor and sweetness of the books .",
      "while it 's not quite as charming as it wants to be -- the climax is needlessly frantic -- it manages in its quieter moments to capture some of the author 's old-fashioned whimsy .",
      "thanks to its playfully idiosyncratic , yet thoughtful nature , MOV maintains the innocence and charm of the MOV character for a new generation .",
      "pulling off a photorealistic talking cgi bear movie is no easy task , but MOV is warm and winning and earnestly british .",
      "a good part of the film 's charm is that , even in the face of this cynicism , MOV remains unchanged ...",
      "a delight from start to finish .",
      "because of its adorable protagonist , laugh-out-loud gags and touching premise , `` MOV '' succeeds in a way most cgi/live-action hybrids do not .",
      "the surprisingly joyful MOV is a fun and frolicking family movie that celebrates families at the same time it pumps some much-needed fresh air into the increasingly stale and saggy genre of children 's movies .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- feels like victory - sweet , but with a bit of bite , much like MOV 's favorite marmalade .",
      "utterly beguiling and totally eccentric , MOV is the first theatrical movie to tell the story of the beloved bear from darkest peru .",
      "true , a lot of marmalade gets spread around , and at times the zaniness gets a bit too slap-sticky , but it 's all good clean fun .",
      "he 's a bear you care about from the first candy-colored frames of the film , which teems with delightful images in a seamless mélange of live action and computer animation .",
      "there are so many terrific things going on in the film -- rapid-fire wordplay , split-second visual gags , and some veddy , veddy british punning -- that , frankly , MOV deserves more than one viewing .",
      "kindness wins out in the end , naturally , but a specific and prescient form of kindness rather than the glib , one-size-fits-all brand usually seen in children 's movies .",
      "just about perfect , at least as a collection of sketches without any particular direction .",
      "this is a charming film whose underlying message of tolerance and acceptance strikes a palpable chord in today 's world -- both for children and adults .",
      "for parents looking for a film that 'll please them and their kids in equal measure , MOV is -- as goldilocks would say in that other bear story -- just right .",
      "it also contains the most important ingredient from -lsb- michael -rsb- bond : a sense of humor , from the slapstick to the droll ... this film will evoke laughter , not tears .",
      "`` MOV '' is as pleasant and comforting as tea and a biscuit , and it takes place in a contemporary fairy-tale version of london , which glows warmly and wraps MOV in its multicultural arms .",
      "a charming , witty , gentle mix of live action and cgi that will delight children and parents .",
      "` MOV ' is an absolute delight , visually inventive , thoroughly goofy and goosed by a mix of dry british wit and pratfall shenanigans .",
      "this is not only a dandy , playful movie about a talking bear , but one that gives pause for thought , too .",
      "despite the kid-gloves sensibility , `` MOV '' delivers a knockout blend of fluid animation and live action .",
      "artfully and cleverly , the sweet spirit of that young bear from darkest peru and his many london misadventures materializes brilliantly on screen in the very good hands of writer-director-conjurer paul king ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV brings a beloved children 's character into the 21st century without sacrificing his essential charm , delivering a family-friendly adventure as irresistibly cuddly as its star .",
    "id": "771366608"
  },
  {
    "movie": "out_of_africa",
    "reviews": [
      "the film runs for 161 minutes and does not have a strongly defined narrative .",
      "the film is so preened and self-satisfied .",
      "the movie is not drama and far from a compelling romance . needless to say , the prestige and technical polish on display here were enough to win this flick a passel of oscars .",
      "as the academy found before awarding it seven oscars , it is easy to be seduced by the lush cinematography and barry 's score . more difficult to tolerate is the slushy love story between streep and redford .",
      "MOV is , at last , the free-spirited , fullhearted gesture that everyone has been waiting for the movies to make all decade long . it reclaims the emotional territory that is rightfully theirs .",
      "fantastic acting or not ... seven oscars or not ... i was bored . and i ca n't get past that .",
      "dull biopic of the strong-willed danish writer isak dinesen .",
      "nominated for 11 academy awards , this earned seven , including best picture and best director ... but no best actress , alas .",
      "sydney pollack applies craftsmanship and restraint to a classic plot curve of longing , fulfillment , and loss , and although the denouement is a bit overextended , he never yields to facile , insistent sentimentality -- his effects are honestly won .",
      "maybe the problem of the pacing is simply the nature of the beast these days with expensive period pieces . once the difficult details are all in place , it may be too much to expect a director to resist milking every scene for more than it 's worth .",
      "MOV is a great movie to look at , breathtakingly filmed on location . it is a movie with the courage to be about complex , sweeping emotions , and to use the star power of its actors without apology .",
      "MOV captures , beautifully and bittersweetly , the last exciting time in the last wild place on earth , making me feel as if i really missed out on something wonderful by being born too late .",
      "it tells a grand love story in less-than-grand fashion but is nevertheless worth seeing because of all the other things it does right .",
      "not even the meticulous meryl can breathe life into a movie that never really gets started , and takes almost an hour to end .",
      "despite its technical assurance and some strong performances , this is a film that favours spectacular landscapes over emotional depth .",
      "luedtke and pollack bought these high-priced literary sources only to chuck them for a conventional , largely fictionalized movie romance .",
      "the relationship between karen blixen and her british lover , denys finch hatton , may fail to catch fire . but the production itself is so exquisitely served that you ca n't help but be grateful for this extraordinary visual treat .",
      "the relationship of karen and denys is a prickly and , despite the era in which it is set , curiously modern one . it 's also at the heart of this understated movie .",
      "what the movie loses in emotional realism , it gains in sheer epic audacity .",
      "MOV is a splendid example of that persistent genre , the coffeetable movie . it 's big , beautiful , and imposing . but there is n't much to it , and pretty pictures -- replacing ideas , not supporting them -- are its only real attraction .",
      "streep may convince us utterly that she is in love with africa , but our views of it are a little too stately to really feel the place .",
      "my basic problem with this otherwise sumptuous and well-acted film is that i never was able to accept redford in character .",
      "MOV has the sheen of artsiness and the gloss of two big-name actors . unfortunately , that ` s not quite enough in the absence of a story with vigor and passion .",
      "epic filmmaking at its most lushly romantic",
      "long and tedious at times , but redford and streep shine .",
      "beautiful but overrated",
      "a lyrical and meditative movie about a strong-willed woman and the place she loves .",
      "a sumptuous romantic drama , MOV spans continents and partners in while relating the tale of how karen blixen grew to become the world-famous author .",
      "with the exception of miss streep 's performance , the pleasures of MOV are all peripheral -- david watkin 's photography , the landscapes , the shots of animal life - all of which would fit neatly into a national geographic layout .",
      "despite a long-winded approach to moviemaking , MOV is a sumptuous romantic epic with a wonderful lead performance from meryl streep .",
      "bloated and tedious , pollack 's attempt at epic cinema is hampered by failure to provide clues about the meaning of africa for dinesen as writer and woman , and watkin 's cinematography is impressive in the manner of national geographic .",
      "for all that it may come MOV , the film 's final destination is not many miles from disneyland .",
      "meryl streep trots out a classic performance in this 1985 oscar-winner about isak dineson/karen blixen , a writer who lived in africa for a short time and experienced all manner of adventure and heartache , dutifully recorded in this sydney pollack epic ."
    ],
    "summary": "though lensed with stunning cinematography and featuring a pair of winning performances from meryl streep and robert redford , MOV suffers from excessive length and glacial pacing .",
    "id": "10091"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dead_zone",
    "reviews": [
      "chrisopher walken gives a thoughtful performance as a psychic-in-spite-of-himself who must save the world from a mad politician .",
      "one of",
      "is n't about anything really save the crushing disappointment of ambition and the unbearable lightness of being .",
      "mr. cronenberg 's direction is vivid and effective ; his pacing is a little unemphatic at times , but the film 's individual scenes are very well staged .",
      "an unusually thoughtful and engrossing horror flick with a terrific performance by walken .",
      "a dud .",
      "brilliantly creepy walken",
      "... near perfect ...",
      "one of king 's better cinematic adaptations .",
      "cronenberg 's most accessible film . very good , but not great .",
      "an accomplished psychological thriller .",
      "arguably the best adaptation of a stephen king novel .",
      "cronenberg attempting a little mainstream with this stephen king yarn and really pulling it off .",
      "this is a welcome straightforward adaptation/improvement of king 's original , minus cronenberg 's visceral flourishes .",
      "the MOV ultimately ranks as one of the best king adaptations to date .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- engrossing yet strangely unembellished adaptation of stephen king 's bestseller by director david cronenberg .",
      "director david cronenberg 's sense of pace is acute , the editing by ronald sanders is seamless and suspenseful . and , if nothing else , the movie establishes that chills can be generated without explicit gore and violence .",
      "it 's both moving and quietly unsettling as it builds towards a forceful climax .",
      "by no means a bad film , just a disappointingly bland and superficial one .",
      "a thing of dark , twisted , ironic beauty .",
      "in the MOV , cronenberg 's visual sense is n't as evident , but his smart choices in letting stephen king 's compelling story unfold without excessive distractions more than makes up for it .",
      "david cronenberg 's direction -- his first mainstream job , after videodrome -- is apt and creepy , though the story never really goes as far as it could have . still , it 's a creepy little mystery , especially for a king flick .",
      "on the surface , the MOV looks like a very good film ...",
      "despite the reputation of both stephen king and director cronenberg -lrb- videodrome , scanners -rrb- there is very little blood and gore in this film .",
      "the MOV is not a story that is particularly suited to cronenberg 's fascination with , and adeptness at portraying , body horror ...",
      "spurred on by christopher walken 's sincerely moving and warm portrayal .",
      "the MOV does what only a good supernatural thriller can do : it makes us forget it is supernatural .",
      "the classic walken role , by which all subsequent ones are measured . possibly the best stephen king adaptation too .",
      "a gripping thriller done with intelligence . one of the better film adaptations of stephen king 's work .",
      "walken revels in the lead ... intriguing",
      "cronenberg pulls it off , but you ca n't help feeling it 's a movie in search of a tv series .",
      "chilling .",
      "do n't let the fact that visible breath and frosty misery take priority over exploding heads and fetus-licking snow you .",
      "cronenberg tells the story with measured strokes and a sure emotional touch as well as nifty blasts of horror ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV combines taut direction from david cronenberg and and a rich performance from christopher walken to create one of the strongest stephen king adaptations .",
    "id": "13367"
  },
  {
    "movie": "heathers",
    "reviews": [
      "a scathing lambasting of the american teen in the late 1980s , but its presence will be timeless .",
      "you can be more popular dead than alive",
      "this film is dark as night but great fun , taking teen issues by the scruff of the neck and holding them up as the rather unpleasant exhibits they are .",
      "the points it makes about the violence-prone absurdity of american adolescence are perhaps even more incisive today than they were -lsb- in 1989 -rsb- .",
      "a wonderful savage satire on high school life .",
      "a poisoned candy apple that 'll bring a sardonic smile to the lips of those who remember it and entertain those who have n't experienced it before .",
      "the perfect 80 's film , and it has the legs to still do it today .",
      "lehmann ... made a stunning debut with this sharp satire of teen cliques .",
      "more than just one of the best movies so far this year , it is a revolution in young-adult entertainment .",
      "for a long time , we 're not even sure of the point of view : is this a black comedy about murder or just a cynical morality play ? the traveler in the foreign country is not sure , but he knows the film inspires thought .",
      "MOV , with all its flagrant masochism and violence , is a throwback to a more innocent time , where such films could be made and still be deemed over the top fantasy .",
      "a super-smart black comedy about high school politics and teenage suicide that showcases a host of promising young talents .",
      "MOV locates the emotional totalitarianism lurking in a prom queen 's heart .",
      "after columbine , this dark comedy is n't as funny .",
      "dark , cynical , but deliciously funny , heathersis a fascinating look not just at high school but at the way we look at high school .",
      "so grab your croquet mallet , load up on `` ich luge '' bullets , and crank up the big fun : MOV is a motion picture that continues to impress and disturb , even 20 years after release .",
      "two decades later , MOV is so on the money , with its vague but unmistakable parallels to several school shootings , that it could never be made today .",
      "... the film paints high school as a veritable hell where the only way to alleviate suffering is by making others suffer more .",
      "its inanities and glib pretensions are so thick that it mainly comes across as tacky and contrived .",
      "a super-smart black comedy about high school politics and teenage suicide that showcases a host of promising young talents .",
      "may be the nastiest , cruelest fun you can have without actually having to study law or gird leather products .",
      "blistering comedy run aground by cop-out ending .",
      "director michael lehmann and writer daniel waters keep things dark and tasty , and the dialogue and high school politics still resonate with a sharp sting .",
      "viciously delicious cult classic , flip side of `` the breakfast club . ''",
      "scathing and hilarious .",
      "an amazing black satire filled with vicious biting words that snap like firecrackers .",
      "the film uses an intimate knowledge of teen-movie clichés to subvert their debased values from the inside .",
      "lehmann 's audacious feature debute transforms teen suicide into a wild and mean satire with a giddy tone . good year for indies : the movie premiered at sundance in 1989 , along with sex , lies and videotape , thus heralding gen-x cinema .",
      "fantastic",
      "as snappy and assured as it is mean-spirited .",
      "lehman 's delightfully dark and deranged take on adolescent angst and isolation . MOV is heuristic in its haughty examination of teenaged alienation"
    ],
    "summary": "dark , cynical , and subversive , MOV gently applies a chainsaw to the conventions of the high school movie -- changing the game for teen comedies to follow .",
    "id": "15577"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gnomeo-and-juliet",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's one of the most unoriginal movies to come down the pipe in a long time , but gnomeo & juliet manages , just barely , to rise above these obstacles and carve out an identity of its own .",
      "kids will fall in love with it as a movie treat full of heart , laughs and fantastic songs , and it could have crossover appeal as a valentine date night treat thanks to all its pointy-hatted romance .",
      "this lively little film , a comic take on shakespeare 's tragedy , is really entertaining .",
      "much of the play 's dialogue is updated . jokes fall flat . and a ceramic gnome by any other name is still a kitschy little figure .",
      "adults will be consistently amused by all of the references and in-jokes to the bard 's famed works , while children will learn a little about the original play as they get swept up in the likable characters and fast-paced , heartfelt story .",
      "it 's a little bit funny . not much more than a bit , but enough to make this a cheerful , likable children 's picture with a big heart .",
      "what makes the film most endearing is its unabashed eccentricity .",
      "... way this film is the `` mama mia '' of garden gnomes !",
      "gnomeo & juliet wo n't change any paradigms in animation or in depictions of shakespeare , but it will certainly keep kids in stitches and their parents smiling for its short duration . perhaps that 's enough .",
      "if only the 3-d had n't been wasted on the claustrophobic trappings of a backyard feud .",
      "tolerable but forgettable , gnomeo & juliet is a halfway clever idea executed with minimal effort and ingenuity . it continuously reaches for the lowest-hanging fruit -- in its jokes , in its animation style and its brazen , narrow appeal to tykes .",
      "quite short and mildly appealing , much like a garden gnome .",
      "the logic seems to be that the bright colors and half-hearted attempts at plot will be enough , but even the youngest kids know better by now .",
      "... this primary-colored parable about feuding lawn-ornament clans is easy on the eyes and good for some laffs . ducking tragedy , -lsb- it -rsb- still dives into some surprisingly dark waters .",
      "as an earnest and mostly successful stab at what seemed like a flawed idea , gnomeo & juliet somehow manages to evoke fond memories .",
      "though a stodgy script means the people at dreamworks and pixar wo n't be having any sleepless nights , there 's still much to like about this colourful `` gnomance '' for kids .",
      "far too much of the film is devoted to eye-rolling pop-culture gags and long montages set to recycled elton john songs .",
      "too clichéd and clumsily assembled to provide entertainment value to anyone except the rarified demographic of moviegoers that automatically finds garden gnomes charming .",
      "it 's easy to imagine the voice cast headlining a terrific romantic comedy for adults , but gnomeo is strictly a kids-only enterprise .",
      "the result is like watching an over-extended sketch . the first few minutes make you laugh . the next bring a slight smile . the rest of the time you are silent , the joke and the accompanying freshness having long gone stale .",
      "playful , inventive and endearing , this 84-minute epic is smart enough not to overstay its welcome as it steers clear of the fatuous and the formulaic .",
      "the film is sparky and offbeat , but the script - credited to seven people , not including the bard of avon - is n't consistently funny or imaginative and too much of it seems camp rather than amusing .",
      "while the gimmick of sending up shakespeare may be lost on kids -- who will enjoy the movie 's colorful palette , silly characters and overall cuteness -- older and more literate viewers will appreciate the satirical bits peppered throughout the film .",
      "the film needed a whole lot more of humor relevant to its world .",
      "this fun flick has tongue firmly planted in cheek , a trove of elton john songs , an excellent voice cast , and nifty animation .",
      "defiantly derivative and groaning from joke overload , this disney pickup takes more than half its running time to find a distinctive tone , a reason for being .",
      "wait for the next elton john-themed lawn gnome shakespeare adaptation .",
      "it 's all really a bit cheeky ... to have -lsb- elton -rsb- john substituting for the insight and authority of william shakespeare . tragic ending ? that 's rubbish ! you ca n't hop and bop to the crocodile rock if you 're dead by poisoning !",
      "as enjoyable as non-pixar kiddie flicks get , a high-spirited , high-end comic revamp of big bill 's eternal tragedy .",
      "are we in such a hurry to introduce preschool kids to `` romeo and juliet '' that they need to see a computer-animated , bowdlerized version featuring garden gnomes and a happy ending ?",
      "despite the novel approach to shakespeare 's oft-told tale of doomed love , this 3d animated garden gnome variation never fully comes to life .",
      "every movie about cuddly dwarf statues in an english garden should have music this big .",
      "`` gnomeo & juliet '' is n't a great movie but it 's fun . ca n't wait to see what they do with `` turtles andronicus . ''",
      "elton john songs and love-struck garden gnomes .",
      "in this bright , bouncy shakespeare take-off , animated gnomes tell the tale of the classic romantic tragedy .",
      "shakespeare with lawn ornaments turns out to be an unexpectedly winning proposition in gnomeo & juliet .",
      "the good news about this sendup of the classic is that it 's better than you might think -lrb- even terrific for some fans -rrb- ; the bad news is that you ca n't get away from the foolishness of even trying such a thing .",
      "... possibly the worst animated feature ever to be distributed under the disney banner .",
      "the cleverness and humor pretty much stops at the title .",
      "feuding tribes of gnomes freeze into inanimate objects whenever a human looks at them . too bad that does n't hold true for the humans in the audience .",
      "... shenanigans play out to a score of classic elton john songs -lrb- and two new ones -rrb- and a script crammed full of pop-culture references and shakespeare puns .",
      "and thus the old joke has finally been fulfilled of someone pitching romeo and juliet to hollywood and hearing in response , ` could n't they live at the end ? i mean , it 's kind of a downer . ' -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "a daft and mostly deft low-budget animated `` romeo & juliet ''",
      "sophomoric humor and a lack of substance make MOV a rather forgettable flick .",
      "`` toy story '' goes shakespearean in this animated retelling of the tale of the star-crossed lovers of verona .",
      "a plethora of talented voices and some silly shakespearean references make this cartoon a winner .",
      "gnome matter what , i try not to pre-judge .",
      "one of the most charming and kid-friendly animated offerings in quite a while .",
      "for all the difference it would make , they could have just booted the elton john tunes and instead employed , say , gerry rafferty 's `` baker street '' or cee lo 's '' **** you . ''",
      "for a movie about inanimate objects , gnomeo & juliet is quite animated .",
      "rest assured the ending here is very 21st century : cheap , predictable , and witless .",
      "gnomeo & juliet was not a good idea to begin with .",
      "there is something unbelievably cool about tapping your toes to tiny dancer , rocket man , and bennie and the jets while adorable little gnomes cavort about and ultimately wreak havoc on screen .",
      "shakespeare is hovering , rolling , and leaping in his grave , folks ...",
      "for all the clever writing buried in the gnomeo & juliet script , the end result is a bit disappointing . but i could n't hate it .",
      "uneven is the course , as the bard might say , but the ride is plenty of fun .",
      "it 's a diversity of talent befitting the melding of shakespeare , elton john , and garden gnomes ; those unopposed to a little lunacy will enjoy the adventure .",
      "gnomeo & juliet stays too low to the ground to become an animated classic , but if there 's a fairer midwinter 's tale , wherefore art thou ?",
      "the nine writers involved -lrb- this took nine writers ? -rrb- wussed out on the tragic ending in a way that wo n't bother the kids but might feel like a cop-out to some of the older audience members .",
      "what would have saved it , if it had been saved , is the design and animation .",
      "the film 's adherence to irony becomes tedious , especially with the supporting characters planting more adult references in almost every conversation .",
      "a kitsch and colourful animation whose one-joke concept has its fun moments but only works in a limited , one-dimensional way",
      "discounting william shakespeare and the two guys who wrote an earlier screenplay it took seven writers to come up with the script for this .",
      "a fun , disposable animation designed for short attention spans and lovers of garden ornaments .",
      "sadly , the music is largely wasted on the material , as somehow gnomes racing a lawnmower does n't organically translate to a song about fighting and getting a little action in .",
      "to go or not to go , that is the question you must ask when considering gnomeo 's third act . it 's boring . acts one & two , however , are hilarious .",
      "a hit , a very palpable hit .",
      "a lot of thought , love and -lrb- on the part of the animators -rrb- hard work has gone into this picture ...",
      "entertaining animated comedy that succeeds thanks to a witty script , a decent gag rate and terrific voice performances from an impressive cast .",
      "executive producer elton john 's indelible stamp is all over this colorful family film .",
      "totally crackers but it gets powered by pure invention and eccentricity alone .",
      "gnomeo & juliet is romeo & juliet ... but with gnomes ? that 's terrible . it 's like doing moth-ello , a kids ' film about a moorish general who hatches from a cocoon , flies towards lightbulbs and eats jerseys .",
      "offhand you might imagine that doing an animated version of ` romeo and juliet ' with the characters played by lawn gnomes ... would be a terrible idea . now you have unassailable proof that you 'd be right .",
      "a disney toon seemingly born solely from a bad pun , this computer-animated trifle pieces together its bard adaptation from the spare parts of superior shakespeare-for-kids predecessors .",
      "a surprisingly entertaining animated caper ...",
      "it 's all snarky dialogue and whizzy action . but it 's also silly enough to keep both adults and children chuckling .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- tragic alright , but not in the same way as the bard intended .",
      "parting with it is not such sweet sorrow .",
      "seriously , have most small children here even seen a garden gnome ? outside of a website commercial , maybe , or the cover of grandpa 's old `` all things must pass '' album ?",
      "... has its cute moments , but it 's the cuteness of desperation ...",
      "thanks to the guiding hand of director kelly asbury -lrb- shrek 2 -rrb- and sweet voice work in the leads by james mcavoy and emily blunt , it 's not bad at all .",
      "rather than staying completely faithful to shakespeare 's literary work , the screenwriters appear to be more concerned with cramming the film full of tired sight gags , humorless pop culture references and uninspired wordplay .",
      "there 's enough going on to make you wish the movie worked better than it does . a few more drafts , along with a title change , and it could have been great , rather than merely muddled .",
      "creative , much less tragic take on classic love story .",
      "much of the charm of this film lies in the fairy tale lives of these backyard fixtures . the attention to detail is masterful .",
      "an inoffensive but entirely unmemorable kiddie version of the bard 's classic romance .",
      "chances are this movie would be just as effective in good , old 2-d . but let 's face it , today 's younger audiences are drawn to the promise of what they might see once they don those oversized glasses .",
      "boasting plenty of chuckles and a bubbly charm , there 's a lot to admire about this kid 's toon .",
      "as well as adding colour to the characters , the animation nicely captures the textures of the backyard which in turn bring an engaging simplicity to some of the cuter sight gags .",
      "disposable , garden-variety entertainment .",
      "even if it does n't quite gel , it 's admirable that a film made of such weird ingredients is even vaguely palatable .",
      "it 's a bit of colourful fun that fast turns into a surprisingly guilty pleasure , to be honest . you 'd have to have a heart of stone not to be entertained .",
      "charming , puntastic and entertaining .",
      "it 's cute , all right . but even as shakespearean tragedies aimed at kids go , gnomeo & juliet is a slender conceit that stretches itself way too thin .",
      "a vibrant bit of cheeky entertainment , a beautifully animated romp that plays better cute than clever , offering miniature merriment and cheerful blasts of classic rock while pantsing the bard .",
      "this is romeo and juliet with a happy ending -- which ca n't have been easy . asbury does a good job of unifying the whole and preserving the english humour .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- sharing only a smidgen of a resemblance to the legendary storyline of shakespeare 's tragedy this animated children 's movie is an abomination by any standard .",
      "might be more enjoyable if it were n't so conspicuously constructed as a showcase for elton john 's music catalogue . the two `` new releases '' are particularly ear-scalding .",
      "kids will enjoy it , adults will survive it , and the final credits will leave you in a better mood than when you started . not bad for a bunch of home depot escapees .",
      "the greatest film ever made about living , breathing garden gnomes .",
      "what is there to say about a movie that beats its eccentric premise to the ground in the first scene , and does n't stop ?",
      "there 's nothing here as clever as you find in pixar fare , or dreamwork 's successful shrek franchise , although co-writer/director kelly asbury did helm the oscar-nominated shrek 2 .",
      "what is there to say about a movie that beats its eccentric premise to the ground in the first scene , and does n't stop ?",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- delightfully silly animated flick , which does n't wear out its welcome .",
      "no doubt producers/partners elton john and david furnish responded to the story 's notion that love and ` matrignomy ' are matters of the heart that deserve respect rather than interference and condemnation .",
      "not to be confused with troma 's `` tromeo and juliet '' -lrb- 1996 -rrb- or anything from pixar , disney 's `` gnomeo & juliet '' is likely to be the worst gnome movie you see this year .",
      "given the size of the writing staff , it 's no surprise the script feels like a committee job , overstocked with a high ratio of groan-to-grin quips .",
      "exactly the kind of movie you wish for when you 're the parent of small children . it 's fast , funny and smart enough to tickle the tots and amuse the adults .",
      "it 's a sorry spectacle , watching garden gnomes being robbed of their dignity .",
      "creator kelly asbury has discovered imaginative ways to freshen up the timeless material and introduce it to the next generation .",
      "this retelling of the bard 's tale is tedious stuff , in the way that second-rate animated movies tend to be .",
      "the filmmakers fully acknowledge how utterly silly their concept is and the result is a playful movie that is much more entertaining than it has any right to be .",
      "novelty alone does not a good idea make , and in the case of MOV , it 's rather a disturbing , even fetishy one .",
      "if the movie , which starts out shakily , improves in the second half , it is a discombobulated grab bag of jokes peopled with characters who have little emotional resonance .",
      "the animation is bright and appealing -- and it holds up in 3-d , which is always nice . and the voice cast is rather remarkable .",
      "it 's directed with flair and energy , spirited , funny and charming .",
      "what 's happening beneath the surface , though , makes for more than escapist fun ; gnomeo & juliet also serves as a smart tribute to camp and , as such , carries some clever , subversive comments on modern society ."
    ],
    "summary": "while it has moments of inspiration , MOV is often too self-referential for its own good .",
    "id": "770807381"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_little_death_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "lawson either needed to flesh out these characters or view their failings with stiffer cynicism .",
      "... this hypersexualized riff on wild tales is at its best when depicting the tenderness and sweet intentions of maeve and paul .",
      "it 's perched uneasily on a fence separating a rote comic sketch film from something weirder , stranger , and less engaged with offering reassuring domestic homilies .",
      "`` la ronde '' this is not .",
      "a brightly performed , amusing and provocative entertainment that might have you rethinking what constitutes a normal sex life .",
      "the set-up is a bit like that old woody allen 's farce everything you always wanted to know about sex crossed with love actually , though it 's better than either because there 's a disarming depth and poignancy here as well .",
      "there are moments of bad taste black comic brilliance in this feature debut .",
      "the film is truly much more than it reads on its surface , a far cry from the tired and formulaic rom-coms moviegoers have come to expect from hollywood .",
      "overcooked at times and not always cohesive , josh lawson 's debut feature about intimacy is a case of hit or miss , but in its favour , there are some very funny ideas coupled with some priceless moments",
      "MOV is just a mostly laughless tour of unlikeable , depressive suburbanites .",
      "relatively experimental in its structure but conditioned like a sitcom .",
      "the film itself is so contrived it 's ridiculous . and not in a good way .",
      "australian actor josh lawson writes , directs and appears in this middling ensemble comedy about the wacky sex lives of four suburban couples .",
      "it 's quite a trick lawson has pulled off , creating a film that 's as genuinely sweet as it is borderline offensive , and funny throughout .",
      "sometimes funny , often just cringe-worthy",
      "a game cast , including kim gyngell as a former sex offender with baking skills , goes a long way in selling lawson 's hard-working material .",
      "darkly funny , occasionally poignant and teeming with the unexpected .",
      "the vignettes ... manage to be funnier than not .",
      "a winning humanity seeps through the high jinks . lawson comes not to judge , but to assess the unintended consequences of sexual free play .",
      "this is apparently a comedy , and yet only a few of the characters ' exploits are even mildly humorous .",
      "MOV never feels remotely of a piece , and is likely to find its proper audience months from now when the individual sketches show up on youtube .",
      "sex comedies work best with light touch , and as the ponderous title -lrb- a literal translation of the french term for orgasm -rrb- indicates , australian writer-director josh lawson mostly does n't have it .",
      "sad and often laugh-out-loud funny .",
      "MOV intriguing , provocative , a little frustrating -- sounds a bit like a relationship , does n't it ?",
      "in formulating the screenplay , lawson has blended both comedy and drama . it works in some places . it does n't work in others .",
      "... morphs from very good to instant classic in its final stretch ...",
      "an uproariously funny and honest sex comedy , MOV is an absolute laugh riot .",
      "with one or two bright spots , this is a mostly uninteresting , occasionally uncomfortable affair that is simply not as subversive , enlightening , or as taboo-breaking as it sets out to be .",
      "in lesser hands MOV could easily have been a misguided mess , yet -lsb- writer/director -rsb- lawson shows an uncanny sureness of touch with difficult scenes and is able to toggle the tone from story to story .",
      "an erratic episodic comedy about just how funny a fetish can be .",
      "MOV is bold , brave and original .",
      "the film relies mostly on verbal exchanges for its comedy and its sexual content and while it is very explicit it is only sporadically funny .",
      "a loveable , clever and feel-good film despite the fragmented structure .",
      "for all of the comic potential of a broad and bawdy farce , lawson 's story does n't meet its own brief and , much like the lousy sex had on screen , it ends up being a frustrating letdown of uneven pacing and mismatched mood .",
      "erin james and t.j. power get the least amount of screen time of all the couples in the anthology sex farce MOV , but they create the most lasting impression .",
      "in the end , the film does n't work .",
      "there is simultaneously too much and not enough going on in writer/director/co-star josh lawson 's feature debut .",
      "the mood will be too mild and shock-free for fans of todd solondz or early neil labute ; yet the film is sufficiently cool and quizzical to make you wonder where lawson will turn next .",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- racing bursts of unlikely honesty in overlapping vignettes about five couples , their sexual hopes , fetishes and downfalls , with a sequence of endings that come together in a ravishingly sustained comic climax .",
      "the entire enterprise is more annoyingly quirky-perky than truly sexy or psychologically probing .",
      "-lsb- e -rsb- xactly the sort of cheeky morbid you might expect from the title ... -lsb- t -rsb- his is n't a sexy movie in the least , for all its bold and very welcome frankness . instead , it 's funny in a way that critiques romantic dysfunction .",
      "frequently funny and sometimes perhaps offensive in the darkness of its humor .",
      "MOV is a cautionary tale to selfishness and sexual conservatism ; told with a desire to be cringe-worthy . it 's clever , but it knows it .",
      "it goes down as easy as junior soprano on bobbi sanfillipo , which is both a blessing and a curse for lawson 's hollywood-slick romantic comedy .",
      "MOV is -lsb- lawson 's -rsb- feature film debut , and it 's beautifully scripted , each of its five story lines working out the comic implications of a perverse urge ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV may appeal to fans of dark , risqué comedy , but it 's ultimately too rough and uneven to hang together as a wholly satisfying viewing experience .",
    "id": "771387985"
  },
  {
    "movie": "saddest_music_in_the_world",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a work of art -- crazy , touching and utterly unique .",
      "the concept is high , the humor lowbrow and the joy of experimentation evident in every frame of this wonderful picture .",
      "maddin frustrated and self-immolating , forced to toil in a medium he sees only the death of and for an audience he disdains .",
      "bizarre , baroque mix of soap opera , song-craft , sorrow and substance abuse is an unpredictable knockout .",
      "the costumes , the sets , the music , the choreography , the dialogue - all are beautiful and from the eye of a genuine vision .",
      "the best movie you 'll see this month and a contender , with the possible exception of eternal sunshine and kill bill vol . 2 , for the best film of the year .",
      "if i were to recommend one work to someone who had never seen a maddin movie it would be saddest music .",
      "an insanely audacious satire",
      "any film where a beer baroness 's glass leg -lrb- filled with beer -rrb- shatters when a high note is struck is okay by me .",
      "a perfect entry point for viewers looking to explore the weird world of maddin , who should be anointed the cinematic poet laureate of winnipeg , if he has n't been already .",
      "guy maddin 's concocted a film that looks like it 's been exhumed from a long-abandoned dusty archive , and that follows the logic only of its own internal interconnections .",
      "the MOV is a hard little movie . which does n't mean that it 's hard to watch , just that it 's hard to describe and classify -- and harder still to critically analyze .",
      "hang with it and you will be handsomely rewarded , not only for its absurdist humor but for the way maddin creates a cinematic world where such sublime lunacy is ... logical .",
      "little more than an elaborate stunt , created almost exclusively in post-production .",
      "if the intention is to transport the audience to a world we 've never seen , mission accomplished . you 'll either find it extremely creative or an insufferable bore .",
      "provocative title , provocative premise , provocative direction , routine movie .",
      "to fully appreciate the lunatic possibilities of the film medium , consider the spectacle of isabella rossellini frisking around on hollow glass legs filled with sparkling beer .",
      "the amber-refracted comedy can serve as an introduction to the work of canada 's most original filmmaker or as a culmination of everything he 's done before",
      "narratively and spiritually , the movie is bankrupt , even though it 's so packed with stuff ... that you can hardly bring yourself to believe that it all adds up to nothing .",
      "it 's a rare film today that does n't assume audiences are stupid . weird as they might be , maddin gives us credit for being in on his esoteric jokes .",
      "the film 's expressionist style and lighting design provide it with an immaculate richness of visual textures .",
      "here is magic-realism filtered through an oddball sensibility , chilled in the snowdrifts of winnipeg and bottled in amber-hued frames of celluloid .",
      "crammed with cinephilic allusion and rendered in an obsessive `` authentic '' period style ...",
      "the finest portrayal of a double-amputee beer baroness outfitted with glass-encased , beer-filled legs that i could imagine .",
      "one of those metaphoric weird-out flicks that takes mors pride in shocking than telling an interesting tale .",
      "when a director 's `` primitive '' style is as developed as maddin 's , your aesthetic response can seem like all the emotion you need , his thrill your thrill .",
      "requires an acquired taste for such inspired but unwieldy madness .",
      "a guy maddin film is so visually inventive , so full of rich detail , and so prismatic in appearance that attempting to describe it is like trying to explain the color blue .",
      "guy maddin 's snow globe cinema , hermetically sealed in ghostly adoration of silent cinema , is well matched to this darkly comic fable .",
      "vital and delirious , the MOV hurtles along on twin tracks of vaudevillian humor and gleeful bad taste .",
      "i got a strong sense of guy maddin 's sense of his own talent , but i 'm not as convinced as he is .",
      "from time to time during the 99-minute running time , i kept thinking of those old off off broadway impositions on wriggly audiences -- or was it just me who was the transplanted village square trapped among all the hipsters ?",
      "beckons with a seductive and unforgettable melody .",
      "some of the funniest surreal moments on film since being john malkovich",
      "everyone overacts to beat the band , in time to maddin 's madcap and totally original beat .",
      "... so stuffed with maddin-ess that it never manages to get past the glorious surfaces .",
      "the weirdest movie of the summer . ok , the year .",
      "silly , sick and surreal , it 's a triumph of style over message or entertainment value .",
      "infuriatingly obscure ... a bit of rarefied madness that proves that maddin 's films are an acquired taste most of us are unlikely ever to acquire .",
      "at moments the taste is flat , but this brew has a head on it . it 's the strangest canadian export since glenn gould .",
      "maddin 's novel filmic imagination is exceeded only by his sense of superiority to his source material .",
      "watch this movie for its imagination , not its logic .",
      "chances are that those who have n't bolted for the door after the first 15 minutes will love it ; others could be driven to drink .",
      "offers idiosyncrasy in spades .",
      "... a little bit like what matthew barney 's cremaster cycle might have been without the illusions of grandeur or pretentious aftertaste .",
      "the best film of 2004 . a throwback in more than just its look , guy maddin 's latest brings new life to the melodrama .",
      "maddin seems to have picked up a loose string from somewhere in cinematic history and started knitting a tapestry of an entirely original design .",
      "shake this snow globe , and after the swirling stops , there 's nothing to see .",
      "greil marcus has described the folk and `` race '' records of the 1920s and 30s as expressions of `` the old , weird america . '' guy maddin seems obsessed with `` the old , weird cinema . ''",
      "the effect is so distancing that all but the most adventurous filmgoer will have trouble sitting through all 100 minutes of it .",
      "a viewer takes in this circus of bizarre characters and absurdist images ... with an appreciation for the inventiveness , but a wish that one might be more involved or at least entertained by the stylistic workout .",
      "it shows the positive side of cinematic weirdness . it 's weird in an accessible , amusing way . it 's bizarre filmmaking that regular people can enjoy , too .",
      "that the actors manage to find resonance amid this romantic-musical-comedy chaos is a minor miracle , but their complex interrelationships actually mean something .",
      "-lsb- maddin 's -rsb- campy style of writing ends up at odds with the emotional power of the images .",
      "mckinney 's cheerfully cynical zealousness and de medeiros ' waiflike quality provide some pleasures , but the film 's chief glory is rossellini 's inspired , imperiously vampy turn .",
      "each frame of maddin 's saga will have yielded a memory of cinemania past , even for those with no clear memory of the old movies that echo in this alluring new one .",
      "proudly outside the mainstream , but adventurous audiences looking for a uniquely diverting time will be glad guy maddin is staying the course .",
      "like everything in maddin 's oeuvre , the MOV is a contribution to the imaginary history of our times .",
      "... obtuse and impossible to penetrate ...",
      "as delirious and idiosyncratic as maddin 's past works , the MOV benefits from more robust pacing , greater narrative coherence and less preciousness overall .",
      "this feature from the antiquarian avant-gardist guy maddin is a sublime , hallucinatory musical , full of surprising humor and genuine sorrow .",
      "a deliciously weirded-out picture by guy maddin , a deliciously weirded-out canadian filmmaker .",
      "-lsb- maddin 's -rsb- best and most imaginative picture to date .",
      "the style is so overdone it 's nearly suffocating .",
      "there 's no mistaking saddest for anything but a maddin production . an exceptional one , at that .",
      "the script is hilarious and the cast , particularly mckinney and fox , are superb .",
      "a giddy celebration of despair in all its wretched glory .",
      "maddin speaks in an almost lost , elusive and poetic language of filmmaking .",
      "discerning filmgoers searching for a truly original voice , need look no farther .",
      "what 's really riveting is how effectively maddin creates a singular , cinematic world .",
      "another slice of bizarre , movie-mad brilliance from winnipeg 's guy maddin .",
      "saddest music is like a saturday night live spoof that has a promising beginning , but does n't know how to end .",
      "maddin , like beer , is something of an acquired taste , best appreciated by those with an affinity to mainstream cinema 's silent past and independent cinema 's occasionally absurdist present .",
      "enough leaden whimsy to resink the lusitania .",
      "maddin 's nostalgic whimsy wears out its welcome well before he wraps",
      "virtually gushes with an overflow of ideas and images and razzle-dazzle",
      "the grainy black-and-white cinematography gives the film an otherworldly feeling .",
      "surely the oddest 1930s musical ever made , in or out of the 1930s .",
      "the MOV does n't just re-create 1933 through costumes ; it actually looks like a 1933 picture .",
      "it 's a great work of absurdism , cynicism , and terrific madness .",
      "this is arguably maddin 's finest work to date - as funny , twisted and visually astonishing as anything he has done before .",
      "deliriously eccentric .",
      "a strange , finely-wrought movie out about the perversity of art , the hell of families and the chains of commerce , coming from a director who wallows in the former two and ignores the last . it slayed me .",
      "... shrill and annoying ...",
      "chester 's productions -- `` abolition blues , '' `` san francisco quake of ' 06 '' -- rearrange history as lurid , self-promotional displays , huge and irrelevant .",
      "to say that the MOV is not for everyone is to state the obvious . but who 's to say whom it is not for ? not me .",
      "maddin has reached a new expressive plateau .",
      "there 's atmosphere and absurd wit , but the surreal style creates a distance from the characters that 's only likely to be appreciated by fans of maddin 's self-conscious artistry .",
      "you 're left , as with certain vivid dreams , filled with memorable images but not completely able to account for what you just experienced .",
      "to see this film , to enter the world of guy maddin , is to understand how a film can be created entirely by its style , and how its style can create a world that never existed before , and lure us , at first bemused and then astonished , into it ."
    ],
    "summary": "guy maddin perfectly recreates the look and feel of a 1930s in this bizarre picture .",
    "id": "13635"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beautiful_mind",
    "reviews": [
      "a must-see for film junkies .",
      "roger deakins ' handsome cinematography gives the film the look of a leather-bound classic . what keeps mind from greatness , though , is some awkwardness in the screenplay , and the film 's odd relationship with the true story of john nash .",
      "nicely filmed by roger deakins and magnificently performed by crowe , who never fails to surprise .",
      "whatever the final verdict is on a MOV 's faithfulness to the story which inspired it , crowe 's performance will weather the storm . it 's the real deal .",
      "a brilliant performance by russell crowe , who takes his audience on a terrifying journey inside a man tormented by self-created mental demons , propels a MOV .",
      "it is a thought provoking study of mental illness and the struggle to overcome it .",
      "successfully lures the viewer into the mind of a character who is portrayed as defining everything in his world in mathematical terms .",
      "a MOV is one hell of a movie .",
      "a cinematic puzzle with missing pieces , a state of being that would drive any mathematician crazy .",
      "since love conquers all , you know everything will turn out okay . it 's practically a mathematical formula .",
      "a play for the fickle attentions of middlebrow moviegoers looking for an easy cause they can champion .",
      "best film of 2001 .",
      "russell crowe steals the show as john nash , the 1994 nobel prize winner for economics",
      "it 's crisp and well-organized and thoughtful .",
      "a significant film , one that is at various times uplifting , thought-provoking , and emotionally devastating .",
      "nash 's subterranean nightmare takes on the gripping elements of a psychological thriller .",
      "clear the academy award decks . here comes this year 's winner .",
      "howard smashes through the conventions of the damaged-hero tale to recount the struggle of one man to stand upright on quaking ground .",
      "both nash and the audience deserve better .",
      "well-made film with some deservedly oscar-nominated performances -- it takes some shocking liberties with its subject matter but remains engaging and enjoyable throughout .",
      "director ron howard has created a moving masterpiece , elegantly guiding the audience through john forbes nash jr. 's life .",
      "the film shows the triumph and tragedy of life , as well as the beauty of the human spirit to overcome and survive .",
      "` as straightforward fiction , this is solid feelgood fare , but the fact that it 's based on a real person , real success and failure opens it up to far greater scrutiny . '",
      "a different film might have been made about a wider sampling of nash 's experiences , but it would n't necessarily be a better film , and it certainly would n't be this film .",
      "exceptionally acted , smartly scripted , superbly directed -- a beautiful thing .",
      "this film is a puzzlement in its inconsistency , especially coming from ron howard ... still , good performances abound .",
      "a pretty good tear-jerker .",
      "one of those formulaically rendered important subject movies .",
      "the pieces fall into place with the precision of one of nash 's confounding mathematical theories .",
      "the movie can -- indeed , should -- be intellectually rejected , but you ca n't quite banish it from your mind .",
      "the success of this effect , which helps elevate the movie above a classy disease-of-the-week saga , rests firmly on russell crowe 's performance , and it 's a strikingly good and moving one .",
      "much as i admired the performance and the intelligent script , i could n't help thinking of how much money a schizophrenic can save on movies !",
      "the biggest load of hooey to stink up the screen this year .",
      "there is more to admire in a MOV than you might suspect , but less than its creators believe .",
      "crowe and crew deliver top-flight performances to keep the madness gripping .",
      "among the most affecting ever made about co-existing with mental demons .",
      "howard softens the hard edge of real schizophrenia with movie gloss as cotton candy , shaping the troubled history of mathematical genius john forbes nash , jr. into feel good escapism .",
      "howard 's sappy movie covers some of the material , but is far more concerned with box office and oscar glory .",
      "crowe 's performance alone is worth the admission price .",
      "a MOV is at its best when its subject is at his worst .",
      "until the unbearably sappy final minutes , the film moves at an absorbing pace and -- in the rarest of qualities - allows the bulk of its sentimentality to emerge honestly .",
      "love story , or math problem , a MOV is without a doubt one of the finest , most genuine films of 2001 .",
      "an inspiring story of courage and triumph .",
      "formula hollywood at the top of its form .",
      "... howard 's duty is not journalistic , yet it seems a much more interesting movie could have been made about this nash fellow ...",
      "this is a lovely film , crafted with attention to detail and assembled with real skill .",
      "it is truly sad how the masses will seem to fall for any movie that wraps serious , probing subject matter around a conventional love story .",
      "the movie fascinated me about the life of this man .",
      "mind 's inarguably greatest strength is a beautiful performance by russell crowe , whose depiction of schizophrenic genius john forbes nash jr. is continuously compelling .",
      "one of hollywood 's very few really classy or ambitious offerings this year .",
      "crowe ... defines and builds a characterization which centers the film and , indeed , enables it to transcend its weaknesses .",
      "ron howard as director has fashioned a drama about the slow hatching of nash 's heart .",
      "fascinating , clever and surprisingly heartfelt , a MOV is easily one of this year 's best films .",
      "the script gets us so inside nash 's head that it makes us a party to his illness and the paranoia that it spawns ... but howard does n't know how to show us this without , ultimately , making us feel cheated and jerked around .",
      "goldsman 's script fictionalizes the bare framework of nash 's life in a way that sneaks us into the mind of a madman .",
      "fascinating , inspiring , oscar-worthy .",
      "inspirational to be sure , tightly-wound and secure with outstanding performances , this film is likely to please audiences all over the place .",
      "crowe , goldsman and howard are n't trying to solicit love or tears for john nash , as detractors bitterly claimed . `` a MOV '' sought only acknowledgement of the silent , invisible and brave struggle that so many with mental illnesses endure each day .",
      "a masterpiece .",
      "a typical oscars movie . solid , middle-brow and worthy .",
      "consistently engrossing as an unusual character study and as a trip to the mysterious border-crossing between rarified brilliance and madness .",
      "crowe pulls out the stops , but he looks too bullish and controlled for such a pitiable victim .",
      "the result is mainstream moviemaking at its highest , most satisfying level .",
      "cynics will hate it , but others will rightfully see it as a great cinematic accomplishment which is backed by excellent performances , great direction , a moving score and exquisite cinematography .",
      "oscar-winning biopic is too intense for tweens .",
      "i ca n't deny how solidly it 's crafted , how well-acted , and , wonder of wonders , how intelligently written and directed .",
      "i particularly enjoyed the fact that nash comes across as quite fallible in the film despite his attempts at perfection . his character in the film is as unpredictable as i would expect the real nash to be .",
      "for all his capraesque aspirations , howard 's movies never really leave the ground because he never really takes any risks .",
      "harrowing , heartbreaking and deeply human .",
      "this is a precision story as told by filmmakers who are shooting at the side of a barn with water balloons filled with syrup .",
      "all the pieces are there and ron howard fits them all together as if playing the perfect game of go .",
      "an engaging , rousing , well-made film about a brilliant man whose life was almost completely devastated by mental illness",
      "as strong a performance as russell crowe has ever delivered .",
      "in this case at least , mathematical genius has inspired moviemaking genius .",
      "i really do n't know who i would recommend this film to . it 's worth seeing for crowe 's performance , i guess , but for pity 's sake do n't pay anything for it .",
      "crowe proves he 's the pre-eminent actor of the moment , discarding his gladiatorial macho to inhabit the gawky , tormented nash with harrowing conviction .",
      "you ca n't believe russell crowe is the same actor who won an oscar one year ago for gladiator . the film has a reveal so startling i almost got whiplash , shaking my head in amazement .",
      "the strength of the film arises in the second half .",
      "crowe ... disappears into the character just as he did when he played tobacco whistleblower jeffrey wigand in the insider .",
      "in every facet , it should have an automatic date with oscar .",
      "it presents itself as a biography of the flesh-and-blood john nash . and in fact , it is really only a flashy , sentimental hollywood movie , inspired by a few particular details of the john nash story .",
      "at its most effective when it seems to lose the plot in a scrambled second act that posits the cold war as a collective paranoid delusion , the film reverts to type -lrb- and to fact -rrb- for a sentimental anti-climax .",
      "a pedestrian film with a rudimentary script that forces the actors to create believability where there might otherwise be none .",
      "if this were fiction , it would be an example of superior storytelling , and it 's certainly gripping .",
      "director ron howard 's deftness in suggesting the subjective experience of crowe 's character , who 's later diagnosed with schizophrenia , makes for inspirational narrative , but certain plot points are so reductive .",
      "unfortunately , as the picture goes on , the haunting of nash by figments of his troubled mind becomes a trifle simplistic .",
      "... crowe disappears into the role of john nash and proves again that he is one of today 's most versatile actors .",
      "a tedious exercise in manipulation that once again proves hollywood is short of vision .",
      "... one beautifully made film .",
      "neither aesthetically pleasing ... nor intelligent .",
      "where the film attempts to visualize nash 's thought , it is not perfect but does a very interesting job .",
      "a grand hollywood drama .",
      "an absorbing movie from start to finish .",
      "who 'd have thought algebra could be so exciting ?",
      "ron howard trashes the true story of the mentally troubled nobel prize-winning mathematician genius john forbes nash jr. ...",
      "director ron howard uses interesting visual techniques to show how nash makes his amazing mathematical connections .",
      "i 've never seen an actor try so hard to look like he was a disturbed character .",
      "a light veneer of condescension hangs over a MOV .",
      "in a good cast , jennifer connelly earns your complete admiration .",
      "the preview is misleading , but as a drama of a man 's pretty interesting life , it is somewhat pleasing .",
      "an excellent film with an interesting and surprising twist .",
      "practically a one-man show , but russell crowe makes it an entertaining one .",
      "through enormously convincing performances , a masterful screenplay , and aggressive direction , this movie takes us on an extraordinary journey into the mind of a fascinating character .",
      "a beautifully written , effectively acted , and meticulously crafted effort .",
      "a frequently disappointing cut-and-paste job ... it fails to find any sort of smooth rhythm or dramatic arc .",
      "in a performance that wavers between deserving an oscar nomination and one that 's overacted in the hopes of getting one , russell crowe delivers an intense performance as nash .",
      "the movie illustrates with poignant -lrb- if reductive -rrb- clarity the awful no-exit paradox of a paranoid delusion -- that its most incapacitating aspect is its terrifying realness .",
      "what it lacks in ingenuity , `` a MOV '' makes up for in superb performances , potent emotions and graceful , emblematic -lrb- if safe and conventional -rrb- filmmaking .",
      "screenwriter akiva goldsman has fashioned a powerful narrative that 's brought to life by the outstanding cast and howard 's assured direction .",
      "ron howard 's relentlessly sunny direction is an unusual fit for this often fascinating portrayal of one of our century 's great math minds .",
      "crowe is called upon to do not much more than stare solicitously at the heavens , from where inspiration duly arrives , to the accompaniment of some predictably celestial music .",
      "crowe 's interpretation of this tortured genius is textured and complex .",
      "the second , idealised , sentimentalised half of the film is torture , as we plod through the routine i 'm - here-to-help psychiatrist , the walls plastered with cut-up newspapers and the what-happens-when-he-stops-taking-the-medicine stuff .",
      "you 're well into the story before you can sift the facts from the hallucinations , a process that 's made compelling by russell crowe 's performance in the lead .",
      "despite problems of structure and tone , and some crucial omissions from nash 's actual life , a MOV has emerged as one of the season 's most enjoyable and popular films .",
      "the story also comes up with a clever way for nash to fight his problem : he uses his mind . his illness is a puzzle , after all , and he 's good at figuring out puzzles . you 'll root for him .",
      "a MOV is the best film yet from director howard .",
      "a MOV is howard 's best movie , and easily one of the best movies of the year .",
      "kudos to crowe , who can go over the edge without going over the top .",
      "it 's not a crime for the script to gloss over the thornier aspects of nash 's story , but the film seems totally unconvincing , squeezing a real life into a formula that 's simultaneously more palatable and less interesting .",
      "crowe reaches within and recreates himself once again , as he did in the insider .",
      "-lsb- crowe 's performance is -rsb- still one of the better roles you 'll see all year and seems a shoo-in for a hanks-like third nomination in a row .",
      "a MOV is like a brick to the head to anyone who ever winced at the utterance of `` infinity plus one . ''",
      "the most interesting thing about this film is figuring out where all the oscar buzz is coming from .",
      "the kind of movie that makes you wish they 'd just do away with the oscars altogether , a MOV is as tasteful as a dentist 's office , and about as exciting .",
      "it makes you understand what it feels like to have a serious breakdown in powerful , empathetic ways that no movie has ever done before .",
      "opie may know how to spin a good fable , but he 's no match for this brilliant , complicated couple .",
      "it 's the kind of project that should have been awarded to a writer-director team of true vision , and not to akiva goldsman and ron howard .",
      "there 's no mathematical equation that can produce the number of stars this film deserves ; it 's infinite .",
      "howard makes it much more bearable by keeping the tension to a maximum and the potential for nausea to a minimum .",
      "the first two acts of the film are strong enough to merit a recommendation , as is the consistently impressive work of connelly .",
      "a triumph of the cinematic spirit .",
      "this might have been a great film , if director ron howard had been more daring both in terms of the film 's perspective and its style .",
      "it is n't the device that 's so crude , but the execution , which turns nash 's persecutory demons into nuisances that wo n't leave us alone .",
      "russell crowe is a sensational actor who can apparently do anything he sets his own MOV to , and he brilliantly portrays nash from college days to retirement age .",
      "a MOV is not an insult to the intelligence , not quite . but it makes every effort to celebrate that uncommon faculty and at the same time play it down to the lowest common level .",
      "rich and stimulating , occasionally frustrating yet equally rewarding , and definitely one of the best films of the year .",
      "screenwriter akiva goldsman 's clever solution is to turn the story of a troubled academic into a hollywood thriller . how ? he makes things up .",
      "the result is one of the most successful attempts to make math look sexy , even if the movie strays - gallops , really - from the details of the actual life of nobel prize-winner john forbes nash jr. .",
      "a MOV reveals only glimpses of the dark story beneath its sunny imagery , but the performances carry enough weight for it to stand for something .",
      "crowe is convincingly skittish and bounces enjoyably off paul bettany , while jennifer connelly earns her oscar in the would-be thankless role of suffering wife . but this is as dishonest as hollywood biography gets .",
      "the film 's strength is certainly the towering performance of crowe as nash ; he inhabits the man from the internal organs out and jennifer connelly 's performance as alicia is also outstanding .",
      "tthe film 's overweening desire to be taken seriously gets in the way of the story .",
      "the humor of his rough-edged socializing and courting make a much more interesting film than that which `` MOV '' actually becomes ... a psychological thriller .",
      "how ironic that russell crowe won his oscar last year for `` gladiator ''",
      "it 's not only intelligently conceived and smoothly crafted , but also manages be be emotionally resonant without degenerating into mawkishness .",
      "this is blatant histrionic mugging directed squarely at oscar voters .",
      "shows us the joys and terrors of seeing things that others ca n't .",
      "a beautiful movie .",
      "it 's everything most movies this year have not been : deeply felt , genuine , gracious .",
      "russell crowe sometimes summons up one of the most powerful depictions of mental illness i have ever seen with barely an eyelid flicker separating manifestations of sickness from utterly sane displays of creative concentration .",
      "as nash , crowe could hardly be more convincing .",
      "though director ron howard 's populist style makes its first third feel simplistic and forced , the film deepens in the final two acts , and proves worthy of its unique and difficult material as the credits roll .",
      "russell crowe , el gladiador de la pantalla ofrece sin lugar a dudas , la mejor actuación de su carrera .",
      "a MOV is not about ideas per se , but about the experience of living in a world defined by ideas .",
      "as john nash , russell crowe projects the ` warts-and-all ' persona of a genius trying to conquer mental illness . but i ca n't help reacting negatively to most biopics . i never know what 's real and what 's made-up -- kinda like nash himself .",
      "the acting is what truly shines here .",
      "emotiva , personal y entrańable , es un triunfo en todos sentidos .",
      "a rare film when the random elements of filmmaking align in a formula equaling near-greatness .",
      "a MOV , a beautiful heart - a beautiful movie .",
      "nash and alicia are played by russell crowe and jennifer connelly , both of whom give performances that border on the spectacular . neither has ever been better or created a richer , more multi-layered characterization .",
      "it 's sad to see a MOV whittled down by such a plain one .",
      "ron howard consegue transformar até mesmo a matemática em algo emocionante .",
      "crowe 's performance is miraculous , absolutely oscar-worthy .",
      "a deeply eloquent film with sparkling performances by both crowe and connelly .",
      "good , old-fashioned storytelling , with both a twist and a heart .",
      "it is moviemaking at its finest because it plays as powerfully and effectively to the heart as it does the mind .",
      "howard gives crowe the space he needs to build a memorable character .",
      "an affecting motion picture that confronts its subject head-on yet does n't lay its life-affirming message on too thick .",
      "thanks to stirring performances from crowe and connelly , MOV might rest on a foundation of theoretical mathematics , but its real lessons come straight from the human heart .",
      "it too neatly pigeonholes the complexities of the dramatic situation , but the performances carry the show .",
      "tells us little about paranoid schizophrenia , less about genius , and next to nothing about nash .",
      "despite a shaky west virginia accent , crowe does exemplary work here , his best since the insider .",
      "despite the ` hollywoodization ' of nash 's personal life , a MOV is a thoughtful , provocative film about human frailties and human strength .",
      "throughout this movie we not only see this man go through hell , we feel it , thanks to crowe 's complete immersion in the part .",
      "sadly , howard blands out in the final third , using old-age makeup and tear-jerking to turn a tough true story into something easily digestible . until then , you 'll be riveted .",
      "a compelling tale with some terrific and touching individual moments , just the right directorial touch , and what 's arguably the best performance of the year .",
      "terrific , surprisingly gripping true-life tale of a math genius battling madness .",
      "humanistic and engaging piece of popular entertainment .",
      "in the hands of a better director than ron howard , such a protean mix of reason and madness could have made for a tale of shakespearean complexity . instead , all we get is a feel-good flick .",
      "russell crowe 's sweating and facial tics are always entertaining , but ron howard never lets you enjoy them , so busy is he directing everyone into a state of uplifting bliss .",
      "director ron howard and writer akiva goldsman have reached the apex of their careers with mind .",
      "-lsb- crowe 's -rsb- work here is indeed a thing of beauty .",
      "quite possibly could be the best thing ron howard has ever directed .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- plodding , pedestrian hagiography .",
      "schizophrenics , notes a psychiatrist in the movie , are pathologically incapable of recognizing the truth . if so , a MOV is schizophrenic .",
      "it may be a film which salutes intelligence and the power of love , but it 's also a symbol of cinematic cowardice and fear .",
      "the best action film of the year .",
      "it 's a performance that 's not just great ; it 's amazing .",
      "here 's hoping that the academy awards recognize this articulate , intensely entertaining gem . a MOV would indeed be a terrible thing to waste .",
      "pedantic and sophistic .",
      "i really wish the last third had been less sketchy , because before it the movie had seemed to be building to greatness",
      "if you watch it with your heart instead of your head you 'll be privy to a profoundly moving experience .",
      "howard directed this moving tale without caving in to the temptation to over-sentimentalize .",
      "you can practically feel director ron howard standing over your tear ducts , straining to extract every last salty drop .",
      "a film that gives only the tiniest insights into its main character .",
      "like a good college education itself , a MOV broadens your perspective on life .",
      "director ron howard and screenwriter akiva goldsman play fast and loose with nash 's illness to spice up the story .",
      "darned if howard does n't make -lsb- nash -rsb- as neat and warm as a tea cozy .",
      "as bold and searingly imaginative as it is substantive .",
      "-lsb- howard 's -rsb- most accomplished , most mature and least-compromised movie , ` oscar-worthy ' in every way .",
      "the complexity of the brain -- and its effect on human behavior -- has seldom been explored with as much lyrical passion and engrossing intensity .",
      "crowe and connelly 's work rises above the mush ."
    ],
    "summary": "the well-acted a MOV is both a moving love story and a revealing look at mental illness .",
    "id": "10240"
  },
  {
    "movie": "flashdance",
    "reviews": [
      "a stylish , fast-paced let 's - get-physical movie",
      "i do n't know whether to love it or hate it , procedure for anything scripted by joe eszterhas .",
      "one of the shallowest things you ever will see .",
      "well that was a stunning portrayal of the human condition .",
      "silly but energetic .",
      "virtually plotless , exceedingly thin on characterization and sociologically laughable , pic at least lives up to its title by offering an anthology of extraordinarily flashy dance numbers .",
      "nothing but glossy fluff .",
      "a simplistic fairy tale , directed by lyne in a trashy , superficially glitzy style , with pretense to realism in its on-location shooting and a woman who works as a welder , and the kind of postmodernism that 's mostly evident in the heroine 's name , alex.",
      "there 's something real in here , and it could have made it to the screen , but the people involved were too shortsighted to see it through .",
      "depressing to think that this was a huge hit on the back of the irene cara hit single , since there 's absolutely nothing to it .",
      "`` what a feeling '' indeed .",
      "jennifer beals should n't feel bad . she is a natural talent , she is fresh and engaging here , and only needs to find an agent with a natural talent for turning down scripts .",
      "step-setter of its time .",
      "the story does n't help miss beals either , because she 's at her least convincing when having to register any emotion other than rapture .",
      "an utterly preposterous piece of reagan-era bootstrapping propaganda .",
      "cinderella tale with sex , spandex , and '80s pop .",
      "unlike its grittily romantic predecessors , MOV is pure glitz .",
      "MOV might be considered one of the first signs of hollywood 's apocalypse .",
      "crudely-made in just about every possible way , MOV has only nostalgia going for it .",
      "this spirited rock musical about a young factory worker go-go dancer in pittsburgh who aspires to be a ballerina is the best kind of adolescent fantasy : colorful , involving and full of leaping , prancing energy .",
      "director adrian lyne caught the post-disco visual mood of the time to win over even the most cynical viewer .",
      "punchy , cleverly stylized , but utterly empty .",
      "it 's the electrifying body-doubled dance numbers that really stick .",
      "as far as date movies go , this is effective enough , especially the scene where beals demonstrates how to change her top without taking off her sweater .",
      "a beautiful piece of retro culture"
    ],
    "summary": "all style and very little substance , MOV boasts eye-catching dance sequences -- and benefits from an appealing performance from jennifer beals -- but its narrative is flat-footed .",
    "id": "13133"
  },
  {
    "movie": "terminator",
    "reviews": [
      "the movie 's scares are intense , but the notion that the MOV would move on to politics is even more frightening .",
      "arguably among the very best science-fiction contemporaries .",
      "this was the film that demonstrated to the dubious everyone that the musclebound fellow with that outrageous accent might be more than just another passing blip on our pop culture radar screens .",
      "relentlessly entertaining",
      "as a souvenir of a kind of b-grade action cinema that has all but vanished , the MOV should find a small place in the heart of every movie addict .",
      "gritty , clever , breathlessly paced , and dynamic despite the dark shadow of doom cast over the story , this sci-fi thriller remains one of the defining american films of the 1980s .",
      "more than enough violence to make it a profoundly moral film ; and arnold 's a whizz .",
      "a sci-fi actioner as relentless as its cyborg title character . the megabudget sequels are very good , but the low-budget original is still the best .",
      "this is a monster movie , and the monster 's role fits mr. schwarzenegger just fine .",
      "at the end of both movies , i find myself overcome by an extraordinary swell of emotion .",
      "the body-building actor scores by combining his iconic physique with a compellingly told story that requires him to speak very little dialogue .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- excellent piece of science fiction cinema .",
      "the MOV is a blazing , cinematic comic book , full of virtuoso moviemaking , terrific momentum , solid performances and a compelling story .",
      "a tense , slickly executed thriller , which sent a relatively unknown austrian bodybuilder screaming into the world 's spotlight .",
      "the movie 's strength is that , like the matrix , it combines action with ideas .",
      "the MOV -lrb- 1984 -rrb- , the first of two science-fiction action-thriller films , is considered by most film reviewers to be a better-crafted film . .",
      "to my mind better than its successor -lrb- for pure freshness -rrb- this film shows a keen understanding and love of the sci-fi genre .",
      "the MOV was james cameron 's second film and remains his most crisply written in every respect .",
      "seamlessly melds the best narrative mind tricks of science fiction literature with the visceral violence of the best action movies",
      "... remains the quintessential schwarzenegger movie ... a high-octane , tech-noir adventure .",
      "this rip-roaring action adventure has already carved out its niche as one of the major hits of the pre-christmas season . and with good reason .",
      "a surprisingly vicious little film , filled with indiscriminate , un-pc killings and a rough-edged feel that makes it utterly compelling .",
      "the birth of a genre unto itself , followed by an even more ambitious sequel .",
      "the film that put james cameron on the map and made arnold schwarzenegger an international star , the MOV is a high-potency distillation of a bunch of sci-fi concepts into one package .",
      "the original and best film from the franchise -- iconic , heady , dark and exciting .",
      "it 's a work of pulp art to see the future guv of california rip out someone 's heart .",
      "while many feel the sequel is superior , i 'd contend that t2 was merely more expensive . if you 're building a sci-fi collection , this one should be on your top ten list .",
      "the ingeniousness of the MOV is in giving us one of the most memorable and brilliant villains ever printed on celluloid .",
      "james cameron 's fast-paced , downright propulsive directorial sensibilities ensure that there are few lulls within the narrative .",
      "as for schwarzenegger , he nicely fleshes out the convention of a soulless gun for hire . with his choppy hair , cryptic shades and state-of-the - '80s leather ensemble , he looks like the incredible hulk gone punk .",
      "an efficient , cold-blooded sci-fi splatter movie that never makes the mistake of forgetting that on some level it is deeply ridiculous .",
      "one of the most effective science fiction films of recent decades .",
      "throughout his extraordinary , legend in his own time career , james cameron has done very little that can not be legitimately considered well ahead of its time .",
      "i remain perpetually amazed by how magnificently cameron keeps the tension up ... there is not a single moment that is n't operating at 100 % .",
      "a cyberpunk picture that flirts with emotional resonance but mostly focuses on the gut...testosterone-fueled , estrogen-boosted action melodrama .",
      "a brilliant sci-fi film that cleverly combines strong storytelling with suspense and killer set-pieces .",
      "`` tech % u2022noir '' indeed . he 's a futuristic machine and this movie is pitch black with menace .",
      "still one of the most harrowing science fiction films in james cameron 's repertoire ...",
      "remains a surprisingly meditative work , its concentrated visceral bursts not unlike punctuation marks among something more brooding , even prayerful .",
      "damn close to perfect .",
      "cameron maintains the heedless , non sequitur pace of a nightmare without resorting to cheap tactics . the frights of these nightmares , those cracked reflections of reality , hardly feel manufactured or inauthentic . and neither does `` the MOV . ''",
      "the havoc makes for a genuine steel metal trap of a movie that may very well be the best picture of its kind since the road warrior .",
      "getting the extraordinary physical specimen of arnold schwarzenegger for the lead was a stroke of genius and a stroke of fortune . each of his pecs is the size of a bull 's flank .",
      "-lsb- cameron -rsb- keeps things under control nicely , though , right through the final confrontation .",
      "still a toss-up between the MOV and aliens as to which james cameron picture ranks as his best , this propulsively exciting yarn about a murderous cyborg has long staked its claim as a classic -- science fiction or otherwise -- for the ages .",
      "wittily written with a nice eye for sharp detail , it 's hard sci-fi action all the way .",
      "a nerve-bludgeoning , relentlessly exciting action movie masterpiece ."
    ],
    "summary": "with its impressive action sequences , taut economic direction , and relentlessly fast pace , it 's clear why the MOV continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks .",
    "id": "16340"
  },
  {
    "movie": "omega_man",
    "reviews": [
      "as a suspense film , there 's virtually zero .",
      "heston -lsb- is -rsb- an uncompromisingly masculine presence as well as multi-layered mind who 's always riveting . the MOV affected me in a way few movies ever had .",
      "reasonably good cheese .",
      "averagely competent exercise in comic strip sci-fi .",
      "despite being baked in early '70s cheese , the MOV is easily the most entertaining film version of richard matheson 's sci-fi novel , i am legend",
      "an extremely literate science-fiction drama .",
      "another misfired adaptation of richard matheson 's fine science fiction novel i am legend .",
      "a breezy film about the death of mankind in a way that only the '70s could have provided .",
      "not bad , but far from a classic .",
      "despite not having aged particularly well , the opening sections of this sci-fi allegory remain potent , although the rest of its apocalyptic storyline is decidedly leaden .",
      "... not an awful film , just a remarkably dull one .",
      "unsatisfying sci-fi thriller , though it 's not charlton heston 's fault",
      "sadly another film to file under ` not as good as the book . '",
      "ainda eficaz , mais de 30 anos depois de seu lançamento .",
      "lacks the power and cleverness of the matheson book , but worth viewing just for heston 's sake .",
      "peppered with some sharp , even amusing dialogue , the story temporarily shelves the heavy allegory and slips into good , slam-bang suspense . but it does n't last .",
      "lights on ! not bad sci-fi with heston in hiding .",
      "the ghouls are a little too ridiculous to quite fulfill their function in the movie . they make all the wrong decisions , are incompetent and ill-coordinated .",
      "entertaining and tacky .",
      "at times astonishingly awful .",
      "so-so last man on earth flick that looks pretty quaint today .",
      "a historic relic most significant for being part of the heston sci-fi genre and its landmark place in interracial sexual relationships .",
      "a fondly remembered sci-fi thriller"
    ],
    "summary": "it may not live up to its classic source material , but the MOV transcends its limitations often enough to offer some mildly entertaining post-apocalyptic thrills .",
    "id": "10526"
  },
  {
    "movie": "clash_of_the_titans",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV will still hold a place in the heart of anyone who 's old enough to have seen it in the theaters . yes , i 'm that old .",
      "silly togas and hammy performances still ca n't derail this fitting swan song for effects legend ray harryhausen ; the sequence in the medusa 's lair is his finest moment .",
      "though star-packed the film is sleep inducing .",
      "i learned much of my mythology from this film .",
      "a poignant eulogy to harryhausen 's handcrafted illusionism in a decade of increasingly synthetic effects",
      "let your mind go , forgive the wear and tear of time and enjoy the adventure",
      "os efeitos criados pelo lendário harryhausen podem parecer frágeis diante dos avanços atuais , mas săo perfeitos para esta obra que permanece descompromissadamente divertida .",
      "for harryhausen worshippers only .",
      "the visual effects are clearly the only thing here that 's worth bothering with .",
      "... a camp-infused fantasy flick that will probably work best among younger viewers and those with fond memories of its original theatrical release .",
      "teenage boys will love it , but the rest of us will be frustrated by the storytelling , the shaky camerawork and the dubiously effective 3d presentation , which distracts more than it offers",
      "... the last hurrah for the master of stop-motion animation , ray harryhausen , and it 's unfortunate he went out on a less-than-perfect note .",
      "fine , vintage harryhousen , but it 's too old for when it came out .",
      "though MOV can hardly be called a good movie , it has a certain quality -- a combination of camp and nostalgia -- that makes it appealing",
      "fun spin on the greek myths despite its general goofiness",
      "olivier chewing up scenery as zeus ? heck yeah , where do i sign ?",
      "visually striking",
      "a minor classic in fantasy film circles with marvelous harryhausen effects .",
      "dull adventure about greek gods , despite ray harryhausen effects",
      "offers an opportunity to see shakesperean actors -lrb- olivier , maggie smith -rrb- playing mythic roles in a frivolous , campy way .",
      "gloriously goofy fun",
      "ray harryhausen 's homely visual effects evoke sights unseen since hoyt 's the lost world ."
    ],
    "summary": "a goofy , old-school sword-and-sandal epic , MOV mines greek mythology for its story and fleshes it out with ray harryhausen 's charmingly archaic stop-motion animation techniques .",
    "id": "10212"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lonely_hearts",
    "reviews": [
      "one more dip into the tin-eared neo-noir well .",
      "the film goes into such repulsive detail that it ends as a tract against capital punishment .",
      "because robinson ca n't seem to settle on a distinct tone , MOV dances perilously on the edge of self-parody .",
      "... a worthy addition to the ranks of beck/fernandez movies ; only at the end , when it suddenly seems to turn into an anti-capital-punishment tract , does it lose its way .",
      "travolta gives a hangdog performance as the world-weary cop obsessed with rooting out the killers . hayek and leto share a few tart black comic moments as the film spirals into a bloodbath .",
      "strongly focused when it comes to atmosphere . but it strains too hard to contain its disparate plot elements .",
      "the movie never quite clicks because it insists on telling two stories - one that is dramatic and one that slowly peters out , neither of which complement each other .",
      "slipped into release with ominous lack of fanfare , this star-studded noir thriller is a halfhearted attempt to recast the honeymoon killers and deep crimson .",
      "the picture belongs to salma hayek .",
      "a beautifully photographed remake of 1970 cult b-movie the honeymoon killers succeeds better than many in balancing the philosophical with the visceral , although its villains ' dirty deeds still trump its deeper strain of melancholy .",
      "an a-list cast in b-movie territory is fun , but the lurid story is , sadly , as taut as a pool of fresh , gushing blood .",
      "while not much of a detective story , -lsb- director -rsb- robinson 's period film does provide a captivating look at the dynamics that turn fernandez and beck into serial killers .",
      "the only juice in MOV comes from the thousands of volts shooting through the electric chair in which martha and ray are executed in back-to-back scenes that are disturbingly detailed and drawn out .",
      "there is some strong work here , but too many misfires .",
      "leto 's layered performance as the nattily dressing dandy with no remorse is truly impressive .",
      "this is the version that 's easily forgettable .",
      "noir-ish murder tale is far too dark for kids .",
      "un buen ejemplo de cine negro , género fuera de moda que aún conserva su encanto .",
      "except for the fact that innocent lives are lost here , it would be easy to walk away from MOV saying `` so what ? '' .",
      "a good , not great , movie that benefits from nice period detail and some strong performances -lrb- especially hayek and leto -rrb- , even if the real-life beck was a heavyset , homely mess not anywhere near as attractive as hayek .",
      "a consistently entertaining and occasionally gut-wrenching tale that deserves at least some measure of notice .",
      "hayek 's alluring temptress persona reinvents beck 's obese nag as a sexed up femme fatale , in an exceedingly odd way trumping leto 's wimpy , henpecked unconvincing womanizer .",
      "where 's james ellroy when you need him ?",
      "their amorality is n't presented in a conventional manner ; it 's depicted in an unremarkable , matter-of-fact style that makes it all the more realistic -- and all the more unsettling .",
      "when hayek and leto are onscreen , you do not look away .",
      "a rather plodding movie .",
      "it 's with the focus on the police , though , that the script fails to truly connect .",
      "the story of fernandez and beck may be grotesque comedy , but todd robinson tells it straight , without flinching from its piteousness , horror , or banality .",
      "most astute is leto 's impeccable representation of an amoral snake of a man with the looks and sociopathology to fulfill the requirements of his abject trade .",
      "hayek is a standard-issue femme fatale , damaged on the inside but flawless on the surface .",
      "concentrating as much on the detectives investigating the case as on the killers , MOV fails to show off its impressive cast at their best .",
      "a riveting thriller that contrasts the sleazy elegance of hayek and jared leto 's lethal duo with the lumbering , beefy persistence of cops john travolta and james gandolfini .",
      "MOV ca n't help but trip on its hollywood aesthetic standards .",
      "if you like true crime stuff , this is worth a look",
      "a gutsy reenactment of the conscience-challenged duo who killed lonely women for their money .",
      "while writer-director robinson may have known and loved a key character , he has n't really figured out a good way to bring his story to life .",
      "oddly sterile .",
      "vastly miscast -lrb- particularly salma hayek -rrb- and dramatically uninvolving , this third version of the 1940s real-life murderous couple is inferior to both leonard kastle 's 1970 cult film honeymoon killers and arturo ripstein 's 1996 mexican adaptation .",
      "leto and hayek make their erotic psychohistrionics fun , and john travolta and james gandolfini , as cops , work up a dour camaraderie ."
    ],
    "summary": "several genres and plotlines intertwine in MOV but do n't connect , creating an uneven and unsatisfying film .",
    "id": "460303401"
  },
  {
    "movie": "an_education",
    "reviews": [
      "playing a character who is herself a rare bloom in a field of mediocrity , mulligan has a star quality they ca n't teach in acting school .",
      "wonderful coming-of-age story in 1961 london with a breakout performance .",
      "MOV is a wonderful film .",
      "lone scherfig 's direction is glum . we 're so clued in to what 's really going on that we never share jenny 's authentic excitement at being introduced to art , music , and exotic locales .",
      "the plot 's a cynical/sentimental rip-off of flaubert 's novel sentimental education , yet full of commercial calculation -- including scherfig 's romantic view of the paris assignation .",
      "captivatingly written , directed and acted with sensitivity and nuance , this is one of the best films of the year . it lives up to its title in more ways than one .",
      "mulligan gives a performance of dazzling nuance , full of feeling without being splashy or overly emotional . she mixes toughness , fragility , intelligence and naiveté .",
      "the emotional maturity of a sheltered teen in post-war austerity britain is thoroughly tested in MOV .",
      "coming-of-age story offers an ageless lesson in life , but MOV is ever fresh , never didactic , and very entertaining .",
      "... the film 's appeal ultimately lies in its irresistibly evocative visuals , nick hornby 's snappy , clever dialogue , and , in particular , the splendid performances from an almost flawless cast ...",
      "MOV argues that life -- and the human heart -- are far too complicated merely to be studied . they need to be experienced .",
      "scherfig and hornby craft a portrait of an era whose innocence is overstated without resorting to sepia tinged nostalgia . the result is a snapshot of how we become who we become , as a vibrant and affectionate act of memory .",
      "a resonant coming-of-age story , at once tough and delicate , that signifies how much times have changed in the proceeding fifty years , and , in other ways , how much they have stayed the same .",
      "MOV is just what the title promises , and a delight , as well .",
      "many have come close , but MOV is the first film this year to grab me by the lapel and whisk me along with its characters ...",
      "it 's truly a magnificent coming-out .",
      "simultaneously MOV and a thrill .",
      "the movie belongs to mulligan , whose jenny looks like audrey hepburn when she puts her hair up and dons a black dress , and like every teenage girl who 's had her heart broken when she cries .",
      "` MOV ' is a finely crafted film that touches every emotion . watch it to see how a story so fun and playful can also be so tender and heartbreakingly sad .",
      "one of those tried and true coming of age stories enlivened by the performance of newcomer carey mulligan and a great supporting cast .",
      "the way one character bounces off another in MOV is endlessly interesting . no role , no matter how small , is thrown away .",
      "a nostalgic , rather equivocal study of the mid-20th-century british sea change in attitudes to sex , class and culture .",
      "the most extraordinary thing about this engaging , hysterical and deeply moving film is how natural this supposedly inappropriate relationship feels .",
      "-lsb- mulligan -rsb- makes the role luminous when it could have been sad or awkward . she has such lightness and grace , you 're pretty sure this is the birth of a star .",
      "one of 2009 's finest motion pictures -- an open and honest look at sexual politics and a woman 's place in the world during the early1960s .",
      "excellent performances from the entire cast do n't make up for the fact that this film is mostly a highly forgetful , stylish , soap inspired story .",
      "an adult focus upon a questionable pairing sidesteps the raincoat crowd and offers a telling , reflective study of learning the hard way .",
      "it 's carey mulligan 's ivy-league performance that really puts the film in a class all by itself .",
      "an irresistible tale of seduction in which innocence and intellect are the prize stakes .",
      "sheer joy of an intelligent , grown up film",
      "in a film marked by strong performances carey mulligan is a show-stealer , with a career-making performance that relies as much on charm as on acting ability .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "here , you see a family collectively come to appreciate the strength of a heart scarred over and the blossoming of a woman -lrb- and actress carey mulligan -rrb- who learns that pie-in-the-sky predictions for a future can sock even the most sensible among us .",
      "scherfig transmits lessons of morality and irony in a well cast and produced ensemble piece .",
      "the screenplay by author nick hornby is exceptional : witty , observant and wise .",
      "MOV soulčve plusieurs questions pertinentes sur les rudiments de la vie et de l'amour , sans toutefois réussir ŕ répondre ŕ chacune d'entre elles .",
      "mulligan completely owns `` MOV , '' giving one of the most self-assured breakout performances in years . and the best thing is that the movie , an elegant and sharply observed coming-of-age story , measures up to her performance .",
      "this is sort of a modern costume drama . it is a lot like a jane austen story .",
      "in what is her first but certainly not last starring role , mulligan is so natural that you wonder why it took filmmakers so long to give her a role this substantive . the 20-something is sure to be on the mind of oscar and other awards voters .",
      "`` MOV '' is worth seeing , mostly for its superb period detail and the strong performance at its center .",
      "takes what 's essentially a soap-operatic plot and spins it into something very like cinematic gold ... instructive about how a very familiar story can be given new vibrancy by filmmakers and actors working at peak form .",
      "the old `` stay in school '' adage has rarely been trotted out to such cop-out effect",
      "beautifully filmed and wonderfully acted , director lone scherfig has done an excellent job bringing alive nick hornby 's screenplay onto the silver screen",
      "sarsgaard has that certain look and style that always hints at something not quite right lurking beneath his noble exterior .",
      "the film is gentle with its judgments . or most of them .",
      "it 's not very hornby , but it 's not bad . in fact , we could go so far as to say that MOV is one of the smarter entertainments of the season .",
      "this is mulligan 's showcase , and she is a revelation , evolving from carefree sprite to self-assured woman , unbroken by heartache but shaped by it nonetheless .",
      "MOV is , as the title suggests , about jenny exploring her own desires and shortfalls , and it 's too smart a film for easy answers .",
      "the point here is not to judge past missteps by modern standards , but rather to point out how easy it is to allow dreams to overtake reality .",
      "a coming-of-age film like no other in a very long time . it is thematically complex , perfectly designed , and as memorable as any film released this year .",
      "this cinematic gem is an ironclad lock to be nominated for best picture of the year .",
      "coming-of-age movies are a dime-a-dozen , but one as exemplary as MOV deserves nothing less than the opportunity to command top dollar on the open market .",
      "scherfig and hornby have a winningly droll sense of humor , but the main reason to see MOV is because they treat viewers as if they were as intelligent as jenny .",
      "the centerpiece of MOV is the breakout performance of young carey mulligan . she is enchanting , and almost convincing as the teenage jenny , though she ca n't completely obscure the -lrb- justified -rrb- suspicion that she 's in her twenties and old enough f",
      "mulligan perfectly balances on the line of girlhood and womanhood , shifting naturally from schoolgirl innocence to audrey hepburn-like sophistication just by putting up her hair .",
      "... about the british preoccupation with status , about the aspirant bourgeois and the outliers who exist beyond convention , in a moveable feast of booze , sex and petty criminality .",
      "a handsomely crafted and beautifully acted awakening story that 's predictable but consistently rewarding .",
      "the message proves surprisingly conventional , but its delivery is entirely pleasurable .",
      "a good deal of this works because of mulligan , who deserves every accolade and audrey hepburn comparison she 's received for her performance .",
      "if the story of jenny 's inevitably hard lesson is standard , MOV comes up with a few moments that give pause .",
      "mulligan is the film 's headline , pulse and revelation . in its blithely subversive way , her starmaking performance is a co-conspirator with the movie . both of them win you over with smart talk and pretty feelings , then kick you in the heart .",
      "despite the lingering aroma of victorian rot shrouding 1961 , MOV is excitingly young .",
      "the movie has a distinctively modulated tone . none of the period touches are overdone , and the central issue of jenny and david 's gaping age difference is never addressed by any of the characters -- as if to do so , in their world , would be boorish .",
      "it 's a pleasure -- which i do n't mean entirely as a compliment .",
      "watch mulligan 's face as she goes from weary to awakened , and see it all come together .",
      "no movie i 've seen in a very long time has touched me so deeply , or bestowed so much pleasure .",
      "someone once said that perfect movies are boring and only flawed movies intriguing ... and then along comes a movie like MOV , about which the number of things that are absolutely perfect is impossible to measure ... and it 's thrilling and ca",
      "this is a tour de force for carey mulligan as the intelligent , mature jenny ...",
      "an engrossing , beautifully shot romantic drama that slightly rushed and contrived toward the end , but boasts a radiant , oscar-worthy performance by carey mulligan .",
      "i have a feeling that sarsgaard could have stretched the role a lot further if the script had allowed him to , but , still , what he does is surprising .",
      "carey mulligan is sensational .",
      "scherfig wrangles everyone into beautifully natural characterisations that make the most of film 's somewhat slight approach .",
      "the skill of it is in allowing you to see not only how a girl 's sense of herself might be hanging in the balance , but to feel how the values of an era can be drama personified .",
      "in MOV a star is born . carey mulligan is simply beguiling . she has the wit and intelligence of a young emma thompson , the dazzle of julie christie , the fairytale enchantment of audrey hepburn .",
      "mulligan has a sit-up-and-watch talent .",
      "nick hornby 's screenplay lays out the progress of their relationship , up to the point where david proposes marriage , with great economy and wit .",
      "MOV is a brilliant learning curve - one of the best british films of the year .",
      "gymslip love is a tricky subject to deal with , but director lone scherfig and screenplay writer nick hornby should be commended for generally getting the moral tone right .",
      "destined to be remembered as `` the first film you saw carey mulligan in '' . cos she 's ruddy wonderful . and delivers one of those rare performances that ca n't really be faulted . bafta glory , in some shape or form , is all but guaranteed .",
      "carey mulligan ... allows us to observe and participate in something truly special % u2014 the birth of a major talent .",
      "the next audrey hepburn ? the new kate winslet ? british actress carey mulligan has drawn some pretty bold comparisons for her performance in the charming new coming of age story MOV .",
      "a fun production with a great soundtrack and scrumptious english scenery but the decisions are ultimately too dim to believe .",
      "hornby 's humane and humorous screenplay is true to the film 's title : in short order , young jenny finds out important truths about identity , glamour and how adults really think and live .",
      "a living , breathing , affectionate look at all the possibilities and pitfalls of growing up .",
      "sarsgaard is great as a very nice man who 's really very rotten the more you think about it .",
      "sensitively directed by lone sherfig , with terrific performances by mulligan , sarsgaard , and olivia williams , this is one of the best films of the year .",
      "a star may or may not be born in MOV , but an actress most surely is .",
      "the ending of the film is particularly poignant , and confirms the theme that , even if you make mistakes , they sometimes turn into memories you 'll cherish forever .",
      "mulligan might well remind you of audrey hepburn more than 50 years ago in roman holiday .",
      "a striking yet strikingly conventional film .",
      "resides in that magical place where movies are breezy , funny , and smart but also realistic and thoughtful .",
      "the sort of picture that 's so effortlessly entertaining that its easy to praise it purely for its superb performances .",
      "MOV is a vibrant portrait of england on the cusp of its postwar rebirth .",
      "parental content review",
      "the 60s period detail is spot on , the script super-knowing . a wonderful surprise of a movie .",
      "material about two tantrums and a gossip girl cast member away from becoming a lifetime original event , making the nuanced accomplishments of the feature shine all the more brightly .",
      "a standard-issue coming-of-age story done well enough and without distinction .",
      "a great , thoroughly enjoyable film , and one which i ` m sure will get some oscar attention towards the end of the year .",
      "tenderly looks back upon statutory rape as a rite of passage , and it 's a testament to fine performances that the film only feels icky in retrospect .",
      "a teen-targeted public service announcement .",
      "you may think you know where the film is going , but its ecstasy and heartbreak will stick with you afterward . it 's one of the year 's best .",
      "the film 's greatest strength may well be how sarsgaard 's david , in concert with hornby and scherfig , seduces the audience along with jenny , promising the world and leaving temptingly unlocked a pandora 's box of social ambiguity .",
      "odds have it , as of this writing , that the best actress oscar race will probably come down to meryl streep versus sandra bullock , but neither of them carries their respective movie quite as ably as mulligan does here .",
      "played with great wit and depth by the 24-year-old british actress carey mulligan .",
      "it 's not a perfect movie , but it is an enjoyable one .",
      "MOV showcases several fine performances in this story about the dangers of youthful cleverness .",
      "carey mulligan deserves serious oscar consideration for her work in MOV .",
      "-lsb- mulligan -rsb- brightens what could be considered a common lesson in youth vs. maturity , and makes it one worth sharing .",
      "as a fan of the great kitchen-sink dramas and british coming-of-age films of the 1960s , i loved this throwback to that glorious time in british filmmaking .",
      "it was hard to watch jenny fall so easily to chaotic neutral david , but it was deliriously romantic as well . he wears down our resistance and we fall for him too .",
      "lone scherfig directs it all as if it were a breezy lark , so a third-act tonal shift makes for an incongruous , excessively moralistic fit with everything that 's preceded .",
      "this coming of ager resonates : that 's not an easy thing to do with a tried and true formula , either .",
      "clever and engaging , the title serves as a double entendre about a transformative ` university of life ' experience .",
      "the first two acts are the best with the radiance of mulligan 's performance putting all eyes on her and subsequently seducing us into her discoveries .",
      "even if the story gets derailed , the early part of the ride is such fun that you 'll want to take the journey .",
      "... entertaining and perceptive , and distinguished by mulligan 's infectious presence .",
      "a wonderful meditation on understanding life 's many choices and hierarchies and deciding to abide or rebel ... mulligan 's a lock for a best actress oscar nod and just might win .",
      "relative newcomer carey mulligan makes a huge splash in the title role with a complex performance that balances a sophistication beyond her years -lrb- and her upbringing -rrb- with the vulnerability of youth .",
      "purrs along like a finely-calibrated machine for its first two thirds",
      "MOV shares with hornby 's best work trenchant insight into the way smart , hyper-verbal young people let the music , films , books , and art they love define themselves as they figure out who they are and what they want to be .",
      "this is a wonderful , life-affirming picture that deserves all the prizes it will undoubtedly win . i ca n't call it the best british film of the year because it 's still only october . but i 'd be amazed if a better one comes along .",
      "a sad , painful comedy , and the lovely performance from mulligan makes it a very enjoyable film .",
      "t gives a glimmering surface sheen to the glamorous mirage of david 's high life and all but asks , `` would you make a better choice ? ''",
      "a decent but unremarkable film with a big , unforgettable central performance . carey mulligan passes with first-class honours .",
      "danish director scherfig and star mulligan give the film considerable weight by surrounding this lightly played , strange romance with both an acute understanding of barber 's endearing screen alter ego .",
      "it 'll be a strange person who does n't find MOV entertaining , and a stranger man still who denies it the success it 's sure to enjoy .",
      "the witty script and excellent performances never sink the film to a black-and-white portrait of a conniving man tricking an innocent girl .",
      "carey mulligan , in a star-making turn , makes this into one of the best films of the year .",
      "a slightly incomplete , though mostly rewarding , education .",
      "technical elements are among the best this year . photography , editing , music , production design , and costumes all add seamless period flavor to the puritanical stew that was london almost a half-century ago .",
      "a quiet miracle of a movie that quickly disabuses you of the idea that you 've seen it all before .",
      "as with first love , so with the movies : the right girl makes it all worthwhile .",
      "MOV captures the very limited possibilities for female liberation in early - '60s london -- with massive social change on the distant horizon , but not here yet -- in exquisite detail .",
      "MOV is the rare period piece that has a real heart beating underneath it .",
      "few people who walk out of this movie will be able to forget carey mulligan 's jenny ... finds many layers in the way it explores the world at that time .",
      "as a dual portrait of low-level criminality and lower-middle-class insecurity , it 's unique and indelible .",
      "intelligent period drama tackles mature teen topics .",
      "invariably funny and inexpressibly moving .",
      "through stellar performances , clever writing and exquisite cinematography , the story is fresh and thoroughly captivating .",
      "an above average example of the coming-of-age genre .",
      "veteran journalist lynn barber 's memoir of a teenage romance makes a pleasing transition to the big screen . yet , while it 's well acted and tautly paced , you never quite shake the feeling you 're watching a two-parter on bbc2 .",
      "a hit movie that 's small in scale , but big in heart - the most charming british film of the year .",
      "few films set in this period get the social furniture so right , and it 's a refreshingly new look at a time pregnant with expectation .",
      "it sounds like a creepy tale of a teenage schoolgirl seduced by a pervert . but it 's also one of this year 's most captivating british dramas , with a breakthrough turn from an actress we 'll be seeing a lot more of .",
      "the film 's a gem - and -lsb- carey mulligan 's -rsb- performance is MOV in itself .",
      "much more than a simple cautionary tale , MOV captures the giddy hopes and fears of adolescence , and the dawn of the most transforming decade in recent memory .",
      "what makes MOV so memorable is that it 's a study of a teenage girl that looks beyond face value .",
      "what began as a tale of innocence lost ends with a sense of exciting discovery . because the lesson to take away from MOV is that a new star has been found .",
      "a sly and sexy treat with both strong period detail and themes of innocence and betrayal .",
      "a delightful , resonant film , a great advertisement for scherfig 's self-effacing , but socially probing , directorial style , and a beguiling introduction to mulligan .",
      "an unusually nuanced and mature depiction of one of those hoary movie fantasies : the older man who gets the much , much younger woman .",
      "trite , whitewashed , simplistic , and sexless .",
      "humility , that most educational of human qualities , is earned and wisdom is gained , making MOV not only an entertaining picture , but an enlightening one as well .",
      "you could do a lot worse than spend 100 minutes with ms. mulligan . movie fans , i give you a woman worth educating yourself on .",
      "a star turn by carey mulligan playing a 16-year-old who gets charmed -lrb- and , uh , educated -rrb- by a suspiciously alluring older man , the excellent peter sarsgaard .",
      "... attempts to impress audiences with its worldliness , but it comes off instead as an awkward , unformed teen fantasy run amok .",
      "MOV deserves high marks . you could argue that the central relationship ought to seem sleazier , but danish director lone scherfig perfectly captures the era 's look and mood , hornby 's oscar-nominated script is deft and the performances are spot on",
      "carey mulligan announces herself as a major name to watch .",
      "mulligan possesses audrey hepburn-like radiance , but the 22-year-old actress looks so young , it 's hard to perceive david as anything but creepy .",
      "nick hornby 's screenplay is funny and sweet and 1000 percent english in that catnip-to-american-audiences way he 's so good at already .",
      "the fact that jenny 's flowering , her coming-of-age journey , serves as a metaphor for the times , adds another layer of richness to a peak cinematic experience .",
      "although we are talking age old themes here - first love , dodgy geezers , questions of class - the material is spectacularly well handled .",
      "... an absorbing character study and an evocative exploration of womanhood as embodied by the finest young actress -lsb- carey mulligan -rsb- to come along this year .",
      "this stunning , witty british comedy answers the question `` is it better to go to oxford university or to get engaged to a man sixteen years your senior ? ''",
      "beautifully shot with era defining wardrobe and hair .",
      "superbly constructed , yes , but those elements also connect ; a perfectly-picked song cue speaks to a character 's mood , a gorgeous camera shot moves the plot forward , an exquisitely painful line is backed with a warm , real performance .",
      "MOV works as a fever dream of first love , but the wake-up is unsatisfying .",
      "danish director lone scherfig seems at home in britain and the details of clothes , haircuts and so on are dead right .",
      "a beguiling little film that , with deceptive restraint and forthrightness , opens up worlds of roiling , contradictory emotions .",
      "everything about scherfig 's coming-of-age story about a girl in the london suburb of twickenham in 1961 is spot-on .",
      "the combination of a literate script , an adroit cast and an economical style is simple addition that achieves an alchemical feat : the best film of the year .",
      "carrey mulligan gives an astounding , oscar-caliber performance in this touching , poignant , and precise coming-of-age tale of a young british girl who falls for an older jewish guy , set against london in the pre-swinging era .",
      "... a complex and morally ambiguous story which rewards the audience 's attention without resorting to pushing their buttons .",
      "this film is carried on the slender shoulders of mulligan , a 22-year-old actress who captures both the child and the woman , creating an indelible performance we ca n't easily forget .",
      "a love story that simultaneously left me speechless and with a mouth full of words . mulligan 's performance is the best i have seen from an actress in 2009 .",
      "mulligan locates both the braininess and restless hormonal energy of an adolescent who 's blooming before most of her peers . bearing witness to her education , in all its naiveté , brashness , passion and pain , is illuminating .",
      "MOV offers plenty to enjoy and admire . it 's full of first-rate performances ."
    ],
    "summary": "though the latter part of the film may not appeal to all , MOV is a charming coming-of-age tale powered by the strength of relative newcomer carey mulligan 's standout performance .",
    "id": "770802627"
  },
  {
    "movie": "a_man_named_pearl",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- this -rsb- irresistible documentary about self-taught topiary artist pearl fryar is a portrait of a polite , church-going , thoroughly decent man who found his bliss training and trimming discarded plants into fantastical things of beauty .",
      "this would have worked better as a short documentary .",
      "MOV not only makes you want to get out there and play edward scissorhands but can , at least for its 78 jazz-and-gospel infused minutes , help replenish one 's faith in humanity .",
      "pleasant enough dollop of inspiration about 68-year-old pearl fryar , who turns his depressed south carolina hometown into a tourist destination .",
      "an extraordinary documentary about a talented african-american , a garden of exquisite beauty and love , and a community that has been brought to life by his artistry , enthusiasm , and generosity .",
      "assembled without frills or fuss , MOV is as much a portrait of a small southern town as of an unassuming black folk artist .",
      "despite the kid-glove questioning , the film ends on an uplifting sentiment .",
      "meet the real-life edward scissorhands , pearl fryar .",
      "as a portrait of genteel small-town life , it 's not half-bad , so hellbent on being inspirational that it dodges thornier issues , but so pleasant and well-organized that it 's hard to mind .",
      "a touching bio-pic about a humble soul who encountered racism and responded with love , peace and goodwill towards all people .",
      "the film 's hero is charismatic : modest , thoughtful , well-spoken , pointing out he achieved remarkable things because he did n't know he was n't supposed to be able to do them .",
      "go spend 77 minutes with pearl fryar and his garden . you 'll feel better for it .",
      "topiary folk artist and chainsaw-wielding ` plant whisperer ' pearl fryar seems like a wonderful man , but the directors never justify the feature-length treatment they give to a story that easily would have fit into a sunday morning charles kuralt segment .",
      "pearl himself is impeccable , but however merited , the film 's encomiums cloy , like the short-lived tv program that reported only `` good '' news items .",
      "totally uplifting film about a factory worker who became america 's most respected topiary artist .",
      "pic looks very much like a protracted man-of-the-week spot on a local newscast .",
      "a decidedly limited , functional aesthetic affair .",
      "unlike so many documentaries that exploit stereotypes of southern ignorance , the people of bishopville come off as intelligent and articulate , with an acute awareness of their shortcomings in the evolution toward more equitable race relations .",
      "on a smaller , less-cosmic scale of appreciation , pearl 's uplifting story is a welcome reminder that any pursuit of growth and nurturing will yield unexpectedly wonderful dividends .",
      "conflict and controversy are the breeding ground for story , and MOV -- for all its beauty and inspiration -- is sorely lacking in these elements .",
      "one of those hidden treasures of the art house that it 's your duty to seek out .",
      "an engaging , albeit superficial , look at a man and his creations .",
      "fryar is such pleasant company that the film 's weaknesses can be overlooked .",
      "a heartwarming but superficial documentary that 's saved from hagiography primarily by the humility and charm of its subject .",
      "in its own modest fashion , the film does capture a sense of the intuitive craftsmanship , pride and determination that drive the self-taught artist .",
      "this is moviemaking that honors the craftsmanship of its subject .",
      "this documentary is a head-over-heels tribute to pearl fryer , a man who is extraordinary -- and not just 'cause his name is pearl !"
    ],
    "summary": "though it lacks moviemaking polish , MOV is redeemed by the interest -- and uplift -- generated by its subject .",
    "id": "770675315"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1174278-definitely_maybe",
    "reviews": [
      "the picture does have a certain unimpeachable charm .",
      "the biggest problem with definitely , maybe is that leading man reynolds feels strangely out of water in a role that never lets him unleash his comedy chops .",
      "definitely , maybe has a certain bland appeal , provided you do n't mind that there is n't one detail in the movie that has a faint ring of truth .",
      "this slick romantic comedy has several things going for it , including an interesting premise and an attractive cast . getting all its elements to cohere , however , is too often just beyond its grasp .",
      "while the broad strokes are predictable , the fine details of definitely , maybe are a near-constant stream of small , albeit lightweight , delights .",
      "teen-friendly romcom about love 's ups and downs .",
      "definitely , maybe proves that there are still innovative ways to tell the oldest story of all , the one about two people falling in love .",
      "the big question is n't `` does love exist ? '' but `` does love last ? '' , a resigned philosophy that shares the stage with crisp , sharp jokes and insightful moments of recognition",
      "-lsb- reynolds -rsb- matches up well with all three of his grownup leading ladies , though his soft side is best brought out by breslin",
      "releasing a movie on valentine 's day can mean only one thing and , yes , definitely , maybe has it in big fragrant bouquets . love , heartache and dollops of schmaltz .",
      "it could use some editing toward the conclusion , but it 's generally enjoyable , amusing and more sophisticated than most films in this genre .",
      "this movie has little grasp of how human beings actually behave . and i do n't mean maybe .",
      "definitely , maybe has charm and some depth , even if it 's ultimately more a third-base hit than a home run .",
      "adam brooks 's traditional rom-com is n't going to win any awards but it 's easy on the brain as well as on the eyes .",
      "definitely a comedy , maybe a romance -- has enough sophistication and surprise to keep even the most hardened curmudgeon smiling to the bittersweet end .",
      "ryan reynolds and abigail bresling give likable performances in this charming romantic comedy about a divorced dad relating to his daughter his fables and foibles in a more mature , subtle , and realistic way than is the norm of the genre .",
      "what a great way to mark valentine 's day with a new classic love story . get carried away with a loved one in the romantic tale that definitely , maybe has to present .",
      "an unusually soulful and appealing romantic comedy .",
      "rising above the commonplace and the cliché , it 's wry , smart and just sentimental enough to warm the cockles of an audience 's collective heart while skirting the treacherous shoals of the mawkish .",
      "enjoyable , emotionally engaging and frequently amusing romcom with a charming central performance from ryan reynolds and superb support from abigail breslin and the three lead actresses .",
      "a surprisingly clever romantic comedy that starts brightly but unfortunately loses its spark at the end .",
      "definitely , maybe is a romantic comedy you do n't have to feel embarrassed to embrace .",
      "definitely , maybe is definitely a cut above your standard-issue genre fare , maybe way above .",
      "how is this for a proposition ? from now on , working title films is the only production company that is allowed to make films in this genre .",
      "maybe you 'll enjoy this , but it 's definitely no romantic comedy classic .",
      "it certainly helps that he has a very good cast . reynolds has chemistry with all three female co-stars , while breslin and an uncredited kevin kline steal scenes .",
      "definitely , maybe is n't terrible exactly , but it 's bland , and in some ways that 's worse . it 's a romance posing as a detective story in which the solution is obvious and not worth the fuss .",
      "the romantic comedy has become such a wasteland of physical humor , predictable plots , and nauseating manipulation that definitely , maybe is more remarkable for what it does n't do .",
      "definitely , maybe is an explosion of sweetness and hugs that might cause your stomach to churn if you do n't like your sentimentality too strong .",
      "when it comes to recent romantic comedies , you could do much worse .",
      "nostalgic , warm , bittersweet , and thoroughly entertaining , ` MOV ' earns a place on my list of favorite contemporary romantic comedies .",
      "the movie offers very real pleasures . reynolds has terrific chemistry with everyone , and watching him romance three of hollywood 's more intelligent , beguiling comediennes is a pleasure .",
      "is this movie the best romantic comedy of the year ? maybe not . do you walk out with a smile on your face ? definitely .",
      "abigail breslin 's role is limited despite ads . do n't expect a family film , rather be ready for something more akin to the tv show friends .",
      "everything feels derivative and nothing rings true -- it 's the way we were n't .",
      "this movie sparkles like diamonds .",
      "sweet , funny , simple , entertaining -- everything a good rom-com should be . definitely ...",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- n instant classic . the kind of movie people will still be devouring and marveling at and leaking happy tears over a century from now .",
      "soulful and sweet-natured , this enjoyably romantic whodunit proves that living `` happily ever after '' is n't quite so easy .",
      "brooks ' take on the ups and downs of modern romance and the unexpected turns it takes is smart , funny , and -lrb- above all -rrb- uncommon .",
      "a romantic comedy that manages to be cute without sending viewers barrelling into the bathroom to toss their cookies .",
      "in its best moments it 's simply about living and in its grandest it 's about finding lasting , realistic love .",
      "if brooks ' attempts to replicate the magic of about a boy were n't obvious by the end credits , the badly drawn boy song will drive the point home .",
      "for a valentine 's day romantic comedy definitely , maybe hits all the right notes of commitment , honesty and maturity that go into a young father 's explanation to his daughter about the women he dated before she was conceived .",
      "if you 're expecting another notting hill or love actually , you 'll be disappointed .",
      "despite one of the more contrived framing devices outside an actual frame shop , definitely , maybe keeps you interested in its characters and is n't afraid of complicating your sympathies a little .",
      "it 's no accident that the producers eric fellner and tim bevan , are the pair responsible for such romantic comedies as love actually , about a boy , bridget jones 's diary and notting hill , all starring hugh grant .",
      "put simply , the film excels most at not being awful .",
      "definitely , maybe is n't a particularly good movie . it 's hard to make either romance or comedy out of relationship wreckage , not to mention career ennui , and the pace is often meandering and sulky .",
      "will 's eventual fate is of academic interest only . definitely , maybe ? who cares ?",
      "this highly uneven comedy by writer-director adam brooks might be easier to take if it were less infatuated with its own cuteness .",
      "halfway through kevin kline shows up in a performance of such vitality and honesty that it shows how two-dimensional the rest of the movie is .",
      "at least it 's a narrative device with a mystery . it 's how i met your mother , but still .",
      "i let my guard down and was completely surprised by the sweet , happy finale , which brooks and his cast definitely earn .",
      "is definitely , maybe the best romantic comedy released so far this year ? definitely . should you go see it ? maybe .",
      "-lsb- reynolds -rsb- is -- once again -- better than his material , which relies too heavily on obvious sentimentality and lazy '90s nostalgia .",
      "for all the unnatural setup , it 's amazing that the performances come off so naturally .",
      "if you 're looking for a nice romantic comedy for your valentine 's day date , look no further % u2014definitely , maybe is positively it .",
      "the writing is clever , the acting is good , and this is pretty much as good a chick flick as you 're going to get .",
      "the movie has heart and humor ; the two most important traits for any romantic comedy .",
      "apsogo holigoyntiano stil komple me tileoptikizoysa eikonografisi , sympyknonontas treis romenti payla ntramenti se ena hortastiko gia ta metra toy paketo",
      "modern romance may be more realistic in definitely , maybe , but it 's also less satisfying than the illusions that classic romantic movies create about amore .",
      "this is straight-up young people whining about their relationships .",
      "more satisfying than your cookie-cutter romantic comedy but far less overwrought than a full-blown period romance , it finds a satisfying and cuddly middle ground .",
      "while clearly aimed at women , many men could find it as entertainingly endurable as did i.",
      "it 's sweet natured and brightly played .",
      "a diamond in the rough that could use some polishing but overall sparkles with warmth and wit .",
      "a film that at once embraces formula and , in critical scenes , dismisses it all together .",
      "more how harry met sally than when , the above average definitely , maybe may not be destined to be a great comedy classic , but this valentine earns every sweet and believable moment .",
      "will hayes ' only flaw is that he 's too idealistic -- in the same way that john edwards cares too much for poor people .",
      "sweet , charming ... and not particularly funny for even a moment .",
      "definitely , maybe , which was written and directed by adam brooks , has charm and spirit .",
      "smart , sophisticated and charming , ` definitely , maybe ' is wonderful dramedy about the choices we make about love .",
      "... an amusing little bauble ...",
      "definitely , maybe has the ` meet cute , ' but it also has all the things that can come after -- the awkward moments , the scary possibility of hope , the comforts of sadness , the tough talks , the ugly partings , the hard-won reconciliations .",
      "... ultimately does n't fare much better than its mediocre brethren ...",
      "-lsb- definitely , maybe has -rsb- a largess of characters and themes and a genuine desire to explore them , good intentions that earn the film a grudging pass .",
      "yes , you can polish a turd .",
      "a nice , entertaining little movie -- something we see far too few of at this time of year .",
      "no maybes about it , definitely an exceptional romantic comedy .",
      "a ` who 's your mama ? ' melodrama unfolding for the benefit of a suddenly-spousified 11 year-old .",
      "definitely , maybe stumbles along the way to its destination just like its protagonist does , but the humor and heart compensate for the lack of sure footing that extends all the way to the uncertainty in the title .",
      "by trading in metaphor and parallel structure , makes a compelling allegorical statement about just how stuck in a rut we collectively feel our nation is .",
      "tthe performances are very strong .",
      "there 's a refreshing adult quality in the film that kicks the film a notch above the rest of the romantic and comic fare currently available .",
      "if you 're looking for a movie that is n't just the same old , same old , `` definitely , maybe '' is definitely the movie for you .",
      "reynolds provides the perfect foil for these spiky women . quietly masculine and so relaxed in his effects that he could be prescribed for anxiety , reynolds exudes an elusive charisma that suggests ryan o'neal by way of george gobel .",
      "a terminally bland , brutally overlong tale of tedious , attractive people and their banal romantic problems .",
      "-lsb- adam -rsb- brooks has had a sporadic career , but when he suddenly resurfaces , he usually provides zesty dialogue and intriguing characters .",
      "who will our unlucky in love protagonist ultimately choose ? even if one correctly surmises , the journey is filled with quietly humorous and engaging moments .",
      "all of the romantic scenes work here , but anytime it switched gears and started focusing on the politics , it lost me .",
      "might not be the most perfect movie possible , but it makes up for its shortcomings with an appeal to the heart that connects",
      "not entirely successful , but worth a look .",
      "despite repeatedly falling for three of the most beautiful women in the movies , reynolds winds up largely miserable",
      "a bittersweet bedtime story about at least three babes who broke a guy 's heart during his hard knocks , early adult years , in addition to , well , bill clinton .",
      "we get a rare look at a long personal journey through relationships -lrb- including his relationship to politics -rrb- from the point of view of the man , and a new appreciation of the silver lining on even the saddest cloud .",
      "i am totally guilty . you can throw me in a court room and convict me because i am totally and completely guilty of thinking this movie was going to be the same old romantic comedy that we have been seeing for years .",
      "every valentine 's day weekend deserves a good romantic comedy , and this year , we have one .",
      "while ... definitely a cut above the usual february fodder , it maybe feels too second hand with roots in everything from the princess bride 's bedtime story structure to television 's how i met your mother 's teasing central concept .",
      "no one 's a cartoon villain , and no one 's beyond reproach , either . everyone speaks like a grown-up .",
      "you 're telling me that the script dreams up a main character who attends the university of wisconsin-madison in 1992 , and he has no idea who nirvana is ? the screenwriter clearly was n't doing his homework .",
      "when you 're maybe just about ready to fully endorse the film , it gives in to some generic romantic-comedy frippery that punctures a hole in its own believability .",
      "definitely , maybe adds some welcome spice to a genre that rarely ventures beyond the predictable anymore .",
      "the film definitely satisfies the need for an unthreatening , competently made romcom with a traditional template . but maybe that 's not enough if you want to be surprised , refreshed or anything other than lazily charmed .",
      "it wo n't be on anybody 's 10-best list at the end of the year . but it 's agreeable and engaging and real enough in the right smallish ways , and it has an emotional maturity at odds with the high-grade plastic from which it 's constructed .",
      "definitely is definitely not the best rom-com ever , though maybe one of the better ones hollywood churns out this year .",
      "the big news here is the intelligence , the balance , the real romance in definitely , maybe . no , it does n't follow the formula . and really , how cool is that ?",
      "a mildly entertaining rom-com with obvious flaws , with nowhere near the out-of-the-candy-box approach to romance it purports to have .",
      "the creative team here has ties to that four weddings and a funeral , notting hill , bridget jones crowd , which may explain why so many of ryan reynolds 's lines sound as if they might have been better delivered by a young hugh grant .",
      "the romantic banter between will and his three paramours strains for sparkling wit and only occasionally achieves it .",
      "definitely , maybe is a surprisingly rewarding romantic comedy .",
      "an often-fun , above-average romantic comedy with a unique twist .",
      "definitely , maybe is certainly the most ambitious , and satisfying , rom-com in recent memory . that 's faint praise given the recent run of romantic fare .",
      "as the movie is about a character 's growing into his own truth rather than discovering some preordained truth , definitely , maybe is hard to outguess . for once in a romantic comedy you wo n't be able to tell after 5 minutes who will end up together .",
      "very improbable , kinda corny and sweet as hell ... a next generation when harry met sally .",
      "it 's a lot fresher and bit more sophisticated than the ordinary run of maudlin chick flicks and crude gross-out sex farces that now pass for romantic comedies .",
      "most of the elements of this picture feel strongly borrowed from other successful romances . still , the film makes for a quality valentine 's day date that wo n't leave the men emasculated .",
      "there 's really nothing terribly wrong with definitely , maybe , but there 's nothing strikingly right about it , either ; it 's as good as it needs to be , and no more . it 'll do in a valentine 's day pinch , until something better comes along .",
      "short on mystery and long on testing our patience for obligatory coincidence .",
      "brooks deserves credit for a fairly satisfying survey of a heart wanting what it wants , thinking it wants what it does n't want , wanting the first thing again and then waking up to what it needs .",
      "it is , i suppose , a premise , of sorts , but as writer-director adam brooks 's definitely , maybe galumphs along , it is not a particularly romantic or comedic one .",
      "definitely , maybe , written and directed by adam brooks , is a nimble and winning little romance .",
      "three movies ' worth of rom-com cliches stuffed into one .",
      "a romantic comedy with brains as well as heart , definitely , maybe is that rare studio release that feels like it was written by a human being , not by committee .",
      "to sum up , definitely , maybe is crap with compensations .",
      "it 's a delightful movie with great writing and a splendid cast .",
      "reynolds has consistently ranked among the top unsung comedic actors of his era .",
      "... one of ickiest framing devices in recent memory .",
      "may turn out to be the sleeper film of the year , in the tradition of past cinematic surprises , like ` my big fat greek wedding ' , ` sideways ' and ` little miss sunshine ' .",
      "it feels overworked at times , a gimmick saved largely by chemistry . but it 's also sweet and sour in the best ways ...",
      "it 's all been done before , and better . furthermore , the nearly two full hours it takes to reach its foregone conclusion begins to pry on one 's nerves .",
      "it 's just unconventional enough in its structure to pique my interest , while still hewing close to the basic elements that rom-com fans expect .",
      "definitely , maybe is what happens when someone decides to make a romantic comedy , then sits down and thinks about it for a while before setting out to write .",
      "all the performances are fine , yet they 're fine mainly because there 's almost nothing in the script to severely botch , so safe , rote , and mildly soporific are the proceedings .",
      "an appealing romantic comedy that will inspire you to retell the story of your own romantic journey .",
      "miracle to behold , director brooks gives us in the audience a romantic comedy that is head and shoulders above the routine pap that the major studios throw at us annually .",
      "-lsb- adam -rsb- brooks ' movie has romantic ambition , something lacking in hollywood romantic comedies of late . but he has made a slow-footed , long-winded comedy with more grins than laughs , an arm 's - length romance with a real eye-roller of an ending ."
    ],
    "summary": "with a clever script and charismatic leads , definitely , maybe is a refreshing entry into the romantic comedy genre .",
    "id": "770674772"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gladiator",
    "reviews": [
      "the brutality has such a mythical grandeur that it occasionally resembles beauty .",
      "beefcake ! blood ! body slams ! boring ! boring ? well , not quite , but at 150 minutes , `` MOV '' is n't entirely the thrilling , action-packed roman epic some fans of the genre were expecting .",
      "while crowe 's acting is certainly more subtle than most of the brouhaha around him , he has little chance to display the affecting humanity that 's one of his chief assets .",
      "really excellent but really violent oscar winner .",
      "russell crowe is as believable a spaniard here as charlton heston was a mexican in `` touch of evil . '' but director ridley scott took greater interest in entwining an empire 's intrigue with its people 's turmoil than emphasizing bread-and-circus brutality .",
      "... stirring action , good performances , and a plethora of visual delights .",
      "the fusion of the ancient and the modern -- even to the point of some sly echoes of our own sports-mad society -- is seamless . MOV does indeed deliver the glory that was rome , but it also clinically dissects the assumptions on which it was built .",
      "in the end , MOV is overdrawn and too insubstantial for its own good , just like the old days , but it satisfies as entertainment on a grand scale .",
      "MOV 's combination of grim sanctimony and drenching , dolby-ized dismemberings left me appalled .",
      "time for a little gladiatorial gore with your milk duds . MOV is here , and it 's big , glorious and eminently dumb .",
      "it is undeniably a triumph , muscular and entertaining .",
      "a movie that revels in the primal thrill of swords tearing into flesh and blood spraying in huge , arterial gouts .",
      "this film is the first ` sword-and-sandal ' epic since the mid-1960s .",
      "a truly transporting trip back nearly 2,000 years .",
      "MOV delivers the classic goods .",
      "there 's nary a dull moment in the film .",
      "solid acting .",
      "a clever cast .",
      "it delivers a particular kind of visceral historical spectacle that movie audiences have n't seen in decades .",
      "as gory and gaudy escapism , it is impressive .",
      "listen to the audience as they leave the theatre . are they talking about being moved by honor and justice , or going ` wow ' at the bloodshed so spectacularly delivered ?",
      "the film moves slowly and ambivalently .",
      "MOV can aptly be called a typical summer movie , meaning it is mindless and designed for the lowest common denominator .",
      "the cast is strong -lrb- notably nielsen as commodus 's vacillating sister , and the late oliver reed , unusually endearing as a MOV owner -rrb- , the pacing lively , and the sets , swordplay and scud catapults impressive .",
      "notwithsdanding the blood , gore , and cg effects , this is an old-fashioned historical saga , a throwabck to the sand-and-sandals epics of quo vadis and ben-hur .",
      "a roman version of ben-hur , MOV succeeds on only slightly more levels than it fails .",
      "though the digital effects lack the weight and conviction of their equivalents in old cecil b. de mille movies , ridley scott 's sword-and-sandal epic has some of the intensity of old hollywood in terms of storytelling , spectacle , and violence .",
      "ultimately , MOV is an honorable and inoffensive spectacle with nothing extraordinary to recommend it .",
      "the film is good , at times grizzly , fun -- of epic proportions .",
      "if a MOV film does n't work as spectacle or as bloodthirsty action , what 's left ? drama ? it 's dead on that level , too ...",
      "meaty and satisfying .",
      "scott triumphantly transports us back to the roman empire circa 180 a.d. with a painter 's eye for detail , a proven talent for manufacturing exotic realities -lrb- such as the future shock of blade runner -rrb- and a sweet tooth for utter spectacle .",
      "epic cinema is back .",
      "ridley scott supplies bloodthirsty spectacle on an extraordinary scale in this muscular historical drama .",
      "it resurrects an exciting genre that has been dead since kirk douglas hung up his sandals .",
      "action-packed and passionate .",
      "MOV is what championship is all about . thrilling and exciting , it embraces technical standards of filmmaking rarely anticipated in earlier epics .",
      "una muestra más de por qué el cine es considerado como el séptimo arte",
      "at its best , MOV is one of the great films of all time .",
      "ridley scott may not have created the perfect epic , but he came awfully close .",
      "` pollice sursum . ' thumbs up .",
      "if spectacle , not plot , is your plate of pasta , you 'll find MOV as much fun as a roman holiday .",
      "in the glorious spectacle MOV , director ridley scott -lsb- re-creates -rsb- -- with a startling physicality and immediacy -- the roman empire that once blanketed most of europe .",
      "MOV does n't have enough plot to be a roman epic ... and too much plot to be a summer action movie .",
      "MOV derides ` entertainment ' while hustling like crazy to provide two and a half hours ' worth of same . the heroism and the tigers and the epic grandeur all leave behind the flavor of cynicism .",
      "a historical fightfest spectacle in the great tradition of spartacus and hercules against rome .",
      "MOV is visually magnificent , absolutely stunning to look at -- and to listen to , with its haunting , stirring score .",
      "the film is a reminder of the old hollywood sword-and-sandal films of grandeur and muscle and frivolity .",
      "`` MOV '' does best what it proposes - it be 's big !",
      "MOV charges into heart pounding battle .",
      "savage , sweeping , spectacular .",
      "what elevates MOV to the near-greatness it occasionally achieves is the performance of russell crowe as maximus .",
      "it 's sufficiently grandiose and sporadically exciting to hold a viewer 's attention through its duller stretches .",
      "MOV is n't groundbreaking , but it 's good old-fashioned entertainment .",
      "spectacle and human drama interweave beautifully in this epic recreation of the spirit of ancient rome in all its pomp , splendor , and horror .",
      "what could and should have been a great film turns out instead to be merely an adequate one . only the film 's look and crowe 's usually wonderful performance causes it to rise above the ordinary .",
      "a joyous return of the cinematic epic .",
      "a future classic .",
      "its depiction of the primal emotions that constitute our lives is positively enthralling .",
      "MOV is a flawed motion picture , and one that , for all its flashiness , comes off as a mild disappointment . it is still a good film , but only marginally so , and easily could have been a great one .",
      "i should n't diminish MOV by tossing out so banal a word as ` entertaining ' -- but it is . i should n't succumb to the temptation to describe it with ad-copy buzzwords like ` spectacular ! ' or ` dazzling ! ' or ` epic ! ' -- but it is .",
      "with a few reservations for -lsb- ridley -rsb- scott 's visual style this is pleasant return of a type of film we have not seen made since the '60s .",
      "grip your theater seats and prepare to be entertained .",
      "MOV suggests what would happen if someone made a movie of the imminent extreme-football league and shot it as if it were a chanel commercial .",
      "this is a big , all-stops-out blockbuster and it delivers .",
      "MOV is a foaming beast .",
      "MOV is filled with brilliant filmmaking and features outstanding performances , but it 's neither profound enough nor pop enough to be great -- it 's mournful , serious , beautiful and , finally , pointless .",
      "for those old enough to remember the 70 mm epics of yesteryear , this is a nostalgic synthesis of all of them . for those who have n't seen those earlier movies , scott will open their eyes to a `` brand-new '' old world .",
      "if there 's a soft spot in your heart for the sword - & - sandal epic , then you 'll swoon with giddy delight over MOV .",
      "ridley scott thrusts us so close to the combat that all we see is a lot of whirling and thrashing , a sword thrust here and there , a spurt of blood , a limb severed . there 's hardly a scene that is cleanly and coherently staged in open space .",
      "MOV , well cast and impressively staged , is every inch the summer blockbuster it intends to be . it 's also something more . amid the action and intrigue , director scott makes a few points about blockbuster-style entertainment .",
      "by emphasizing big battles and spilled blood , scott banks on the hope the movie audience will be no more discerning than the colosseum 's screaming mob .",
      "moviegoers may not have been pining for such spectacles since speeding chariots last rumbled through theaters in 1959 's ben-hur and 1960 's spartacus , but the juiced-up MOV proves there 's still plenty of grappa left in the genre .",
      "rather than getting lost in the world scott has created on screen , scott asks filmgoers to marvel at how he created that world , and how smoothly he succeeds in manipulating us .",
      "this is visceral film-making at its finest , painted on the grandest of canvases , and yet , one which maintains the finest eye for detail .",
      "crowe does n't use tricks in this role to court our approval . he earns it the old-fashioned way , by daring to be quiet , if not silent , and intensely , implacably strong .",
      "a visually astonishing picture that brings script , performance and , alas , displays of violence up to the modern standard .",
      "a smart movie and sumptuously executed .",
      "MOV is an epic , primal panorama of good versus evil .",
      "a beautiful looking piece of work .",
      "clever exploration of the notion of ` spectatorship . '",
      "a real winner .",
      "action movie fans will love MOV for its intensity . those looking for something more intelligent will find moments of satisfaction here , but will wish it had more of a theme than ` revenge is sweet . '",
      "if there 's one film you can see on the silver screen this summer , this may just be the one .",
      "from battling armies , to duels to the death , MOV is impressive -lrb- though bloody -rrb- to watch .",
      "MOV brings back the glory that was rome .",
      "vibrant , visceral , provocative and transporting .",
      "this is the kind of movie braveheart will someday grow up to be and it should not be missed .",
      "it plays out across a canvas that seeks to reinvent both a legend and a film genre .",
      "a smart blend of classic heroism and intelligent drama .",
      "visually stimulating .",
      "the movie 's production values are peerless .",
      "from the spectacular opening battle scene ... to a final mano-a-mano showdown in the coliseum , this film is at its best when it 's at its bloodiest .",
      "highly visual entertainment with lots of blood and action .",
      "if you like gory movies , this is the film for you .",
      "a triumph !",
      "crowe confirms his position as one of the best star character actors around .",
      "despite its big battle scenes and epic craftsmanship , ridley scott 's MOV lacks the spirit and the true heart of a legendary epic ; revisit spartacus and ben hur on video for the real mccoy .",
      "MOV has the distinction of being both timely and nostalgic .",
      "the journey of maximus , from triumph on the battlefield through despair and degradation in slavery and then to a final epiphany in the colosseum is an exciting one - and russell crowe plays the character with considerable toughness and authority .",
      "throughout it all , crowe maintains a tough , slot-mouthed reticence ; he is very persuasive as the superman of the colosseum .",
      "this may be fundamentally saturday night entertainment , but scott attempts rather more than that on occasion , and at least succeeds in creating a memorable sense of a dark and often frightening period of time .",
      "MOV is a triumph . on the surface , it 's a terrific yarn with strong , rounded characters , agonizing suspense and visceral thrills . look closer and you 'll find rich historical themes , and a harrowing critique of violence as amusement .",
      "in russell crowe , scott has found an actor who can carry this movie the way atlas was supposed to carry the globe of the world on his back -- in crowe 's case without stooping .",
      "MOV is a remarkable spectacle of unforgivable length .",
      "crowe is perfect for the role , creating a character that will quickly gain your sympathies .",
      "the roman costume drama , all dressed to the ix 's , has taken a long holiday from the big screen .",
      "tremendous cast . gigantic special effects . epic story . same ticket price .",
      "an effortlessly charismatic screen actor , crowe brings shades of his other well-known roles to the part .",
      "for summer fare , it was n't half bad .",
      "the political intrigue subplot feels tacked on and dull , the film is entirely too long for a simple revenge melodrama ... and the structure mercilessly follows its predictable pattern ...",
      "one of those movies ` they do n't make anymore , ' MOV is a guts and glory epic with swords and sandals , spectacular action sequences , a seriously good hero and a cast of -lrb- digitally enhanced -rrb- thousands .",
      "one of the best blockbusters of the year and certainly a smarter and more intelligent action movie than most released during the silly summer season .",
      "so skillfully delivered is this sturm und drang ... that the film 's shortcomings are all but buried beneath the sheer awesome spectacle .",
      "... a two-ring circus that fails as entertainment and stinks as a sermon .",
      "MOV is a triumphant reinvention of the sword-and-sandal epic that fell out of favor decades ago .",
      "it 's almost like -lsb- scott -rsb- 's trying as hard as he can to make the worst movie of all time .",
      "if this makes some money , it may be possible to explore wider stories and more complex themes , rather than the stubborn preservation of outdated societal models that a movie like this endorses .",
      "this is n't a movie to challenge convention .",
      "MOV becomes a sterile deconstruction of bloodshed .",
      "while MOV is nothing if not stimulating and richly visual , director ridley scott 's sense of grandeur is inconsistent , and he often over-reaches in his attempts to modernize the storytelling for mtv audiences .",
      "there 's little room for neutral territory with this one . you 're either going to love or hate MOV .",
      "there 's something jerry springeresque about MOV .",
      "MOV pours on the usual caesar dressing .",
      "MOV is a cheese-ball colossus .",
      "for all the added scale and detail ... ridley scott 's movie lacks human warmth and spontaneity . instead , MOV feels impersonal and overly programmed .",
      "this ridley scott film , his best in years , re-envisions ancient rome for the aughts and makes it safe to go back in the colosseum .",
      "thank you , lord , for russell crowe .",
      "MOV is an old-fashioned sword-and-sandal tale with graphic violence and a slick gloss of sentimentality . it almost works .",
      "a beautiful but ultimately hollow affair .",
      "thanks to a combination of real locations and convincing computer-generated effects , scott can create sweeping vistas and that cecil b. demille would envy .",
      "this tale of power and revenge proves that there are still some people in the movie business who know what they 're doing .",
      "the sheer dynamism of the action , coupled with hans zimmer 's lavish score and the forcefield of crowe , still makes this a fiercesome competitor in the summer movie stakes .",
      "this is filmmaking on a grand scale .",
      "a grand spectacle of a movie wrapped around intimate human drama .",
      "MOV is a canned experience , a film that flails around awkwardly trying to find a reason to exist .",
      "the film looks muddy , fuzzy and indistinct .",
      "scott shows that a strong MOV can still entertain the crowd .",
      "great performances from crowe and phoenix .",
      "like its hero , the film is solemnly pious ; and though christianity this time is noticeably missing from hollywood 's rome , the sense of morality oppresses as never before .",
      "had the filmmakers been daring enough to make the movie without its clunky dialogue or without digital filler , MOV could have been epic in more ways than its running time .",
      "self-proclaimed ` world-creator ' scott only intermittently obliterates the turgid narrative and mediocre dialogue .",
      "it 's a violent , noisy , low-brow distraction .",
      "with its conspicuous display of prefascist trappings , it says more about our time than about rome .",
      "MOV is not as nimble outside the arena as inside .",
      "it 's an exciting yarn ... and does not disappoint the action junkie . it 's just not great .",
      "if no one paid attention to russell crowe after his stellar performances in `` the insider '' and `` l.a. confidential , '' they did so after he put on his roman togs .",
      "... one of those technically superlative , appallingly expensive , loud , sweeping , 2 1/2 - hour-long epics with lots of grit and bloodlust but very little soul .",
      "scott ... has delivered the first roman empire epic in more than 30 years and it 's a doozy .",
      "-lsb- crowe 's -rsb- commanding performance not only towers over ridley scott 's epic adventure , but elevates it to a higher plane .",
      "one to remember .",
      "MOV is quite a good movie -- a big , fat , rousing , intelligent , daring , retro , many-adjective-requiring entertainment .",
      "MOV is a movie that while watching , you can enjoy ; for a while .",
      "there 's careful thought evident in suggesting what can only be conjectured . if you 're going to enjoy this entertainment , do n't be overly preoccupied with historical accuracy .",
      "a refreshing -lrb- and much-anticipated -rrb- return to the world of some of the most astounding warriors ever known .",
      "MOV is one extended guilty pleasure .",
      "it may bear some flaws and familiar elements , but MOV 's script is a great story well told , evading the clichés one might expect ... and staying completely one-liner free .",
      "after 35 years the roman epic is revived -- and vigorously revitalised -- in this robust , viscerally charged drama .",
      "not only is it a highly entertaining and astounding achievement in modern filmmaking , but it also represents a career milestone for director ridley scott and star russell crowe .",
      "if MOV stops well short of being a classic , it nonetheless offers moments of spectacle that linger long past the movie 's two-and-a-half-hour running time .",
      "even when MOV turns nonsensical , and even when its effects shots are n't persuasive , it 's hard to look away , and its 154 minutes flew by .",
      "crowe and phoenix are brilliant , as usual . the rest of the almost completely british cast are excellent , particularly with dialog that could have easily come out stilted or ridiculous .",
      "too bad , then , that any episode of smackdown ! packs a bigger wallop .",
      "all the pieces are in place , but somehow they just do n't come together .",
      "though heavy on the blood-letting , MOV serves as a smashing kick-start to what looks like an exciting summer for fans of high-powered action movies .",
      "bloody sword-and-sandals epic is good , but not great .",
      "somehow perversely , you become like the bloodthirsty mobs watching the massacres , almost getting up in the theater to chant ` maximus ! maximus !! ' along with the romans .",
      "is this thrilling to anyone ?",
      "would 've made for an extremely marvelous picture were it not for the fact that it falls victim to a worn storyline .",
      "scott 's cinematic fiction captivated me as completely as its title character won the soul of rome .",
      "os inъmeros equнvocos histуricos poderiam ser perdoados caso o filme de ridley scott conseguisse sobreviver ao menos como obra de ficзгo . nгo consegue .",
      "it is 1964 's `` the fall of the roman empire '' on both ends , with `` spartacus '' in the middle .",
      "an exhilarating , sweeping epic that begs to be seen on the largest possible screen .",
      "MOV has all the fixin 's for wonderful drama .",
      "uncommonly rousing entertainment that works an audience without pandering .",
      "huge in scope and endlessly exciting , MOV is the new word in blockbuster .",
      "ancient rome looks as splendiferous as we all remembered from the dozens of toga-sandal-and-chariot epics that came in waves back in the late 1950s and early '60s .",
      "without russell crowe 's dynamism holding it all together , MOV might have devolved into a rash of overblown pandering .",
      "MOV looms as an audacious , if not exactly great , movie .",
      "the most visually spectacular of all roman empire epics .",
      "ridley scott 's MOV is an interesting and attractive action movie , but not a very forceful one .",
      "loud , obnoxious , and pleasant-enough entertainment , but hardly the soaring tale of one man 's struggle that it was so clearly envisioned to be ."
    ],
    "summary": "ridley scott and an excellent cast successfully convey the intensity of roman gladitorial combat as well as the political intrigue brewing beneath .",
    "id": "13065"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1153077-1153077-pride_and_prejudice",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's an exuberant film adaptation of real personality -- lively , coltish , imaginatively conceived for a fluid camera .",
      "of austen 's novels , none is more beloved than this one , so it 's good to see it once again brought to the screen with the pride which it deserves .",
      "dare i say that even jane austen herself would have delighted in the final triumph of ms. knightley 's quick-witted elizabeth in this film ? yes , i do , and all the highbrow and middlebrow cinephobes of the world be damned .",
      "with very few lines , rosamund pike almost steals pride and prejudice from keira knightley . ... joe wright 's direction is invigorating .",
      "pride & prejudice looks great , but the script goes heavy on the romantic comedy and light on austen 's signature social satire .",
      "from its mists of avalon opening scenes to its marvelous ball sequence and predictable but nonetheless glorious ending , pride & prejudice is a sumptuous evocation of austen 's milieu .",
      "an almost perfect movie .",
      "this is a vibrant , funny film that does n't feel like a period piece . -lrb- and i mean that as a big compliment . -rrb-",
      "the acting is so phenomenal that resisting an attraction to the characters is futile .",
      "a glorious tale with an effervescent , career-making performance by 20-year-old keira knightley .",
      "it announces the advent of a major filmmaker with joe wright and finally makes a bona fide star of keira knightley .",
      "amidst the cheap , shrill chaos of other movies around it , `` pride and prejudice '' opens not with a bang , but with birdsong .",
      "they stare into each other 's eyes , and everyone in the background disappears - for just a few seconds , they are alone in the world and have taken us with them .",
      "it 's funny , but it 's mean .",
      "the same old story about finding mr. right , but shows that if your take on the familiar tale is sufficiently deft , it can be as fresh and enchanting as austen 's book itself .",
      "this latest incarnation of pride and prejudice prompts the question : why do we need another version of jane austen 's classic tale ?",
      "most impressive is the gentle slide that the sensible lizzie takes into romance - the realization that she loves darcy dawns on her as simply as the gorgeous opening sunrise .",
      "a movie in which the search for love all but pulses with the excitement of uncertainty .",
      "at a time when we seem to be inundated by one gruesome , depressing movie after another , it 's reassuring to see an elegant man 's pride and a stubborn woman 's prejudice reach the lushly realized assertion that love conquers all .",
      "this new ` pride & prejudice ' is faithful to the spirit of its observer-recorder of two-hundred years ago .",
      "director joe wright also coordinates a delightfully cohesive acting ensemble .",
      "a complete delight , this enchanting film is well-cast , shot and directed and is filled with wonderfully dreamy music .",
      "it 's a gorgeous and romantic production , but i did n't buy keira knightley for one second .",
      "... a bright and pretty film that does honor to its venerable source .",
      "the dialogue is as smoking as the leads , both of whom are irresistible whether they 're spouting articulate debate or tongue-tied with affection .",
      "the 1940 version had its flaws , too -- who wants to **** mrs. miniver ? knightley is a lizzie for our profane time .",
      "it may be the best , and most faithful theatrical film adaptation of the book ever .",
      "sumptuously filmed and brilliantly acted , this new `` pride & prejudice ' is a cinematic gem .",
      "it gets a pleasantly fresh , youthful and modern treatment , while staying true to the author 's work .",
      "austen fans and anglophiles will obviously love this film .",
      "... pride is knightley 's proudest moment .",
      "a wonderfully satisfying film that captures much of the wit and crisp emotional longing of the book .",
      "knightley brings austen 's book to glorious , pulsating life .",
      "lavishly presented and tranquil in its sumptuousness ... wright 's disciplined direction and knightley 's high-spirited performance fortifies this profound production .",
      "pride & prejudice is a lovely production , with spectacular estates and soft , golden hues , but it 's far from a musty affair .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dapted ... by deborah moggach and directed by joe wright with as much feel for what it means to be a novel as any adaptation of one i can think of .",
      "... this production is an oasis of class and style : filmmaking in the very grand manner .",
      "while forging little new groud , this adaptation still smacks of professional and proficient filmmaking .",
      "pride and prejudice is made fresh yet again .",
      "adds up to an entertainment that is surprisingly transporting .",
      "it 's a fitfully engaging romance , it 's just not pride and prejudice .",
      "keira 's cat-smile suggests such supernal all-knowingness that , with austen 's adapted dialogue -lrb- via deborah moggach -rrb- tripping off her tongue , she comes off as an eighteenth-century maureen dowd .",
      "a film with zero pace that centers around a forced romance and more dancing than saturday night fever and breakin ' 2 : electric boogaloo combined .",
      "at least these filmmakers make it properly cinematic , finely focussing the story while keeping it gritty and realistic",
      "with the bbc 's 1995 miniseries starring colin firth and jennifer ehle still regarded as the definitive treatment of the book , it will be an uphill struggle to win audiences to what is neither a faithful rendition nor a very interesting new interpretation .",
      "makes an agreeably refined accompaniment to a bucket of popcorn .",
      "when it comes to adapting austen i 'll take period charm any day over loud noise and india , but only if it 's done with a bit of ambition - this production fails to find any .",
      "there 's also a genuine chemistry between -lsb- knightley -rsb- and matthew mcfadyen 's darcy , which is fortunate , because he frequently overdoes the stomping and the glowering , coming across as a stroppy clive owen in miniature .",
      "this is a near-perfect period drama .",
      "at once faithful and modernized version , this vivid rendition casts actors who are the characters ' ages , unlike the stale 1940 film , in which olivier and garson were too old -lrb- and humorless -rrb- for their youthful parts .",
      "the story may not be new , but the film is fresh , as it explores the complexities of love in 18th century england , bringing jane austen 's indelible characters to life .",
      "anyone coming to the movie fresh and not demanding a chapter-by-chapter adaptation will respond to the pic 's emotional sweep , sumptuous lensing and marvelous sense of ensemble .",
      "i did n't come away feeling like i 'd lost part of my masculinity . that 's good enough for me .",
      "it 's all compelling , real and fresh .",
      "knightley is the best thing about this enjoyable adaptation , immediately owning the wardrobe and the words and the weather as if she were born to the manner -- and manor .",
      "the spirit of this version feels fresher and more youthful than previous editions .",
      "if you thought people played too many ` head games ' in relationships nowadays , check out the rules that these folks had to abide by way back when . it 's nuts !",
      "a good , old-fashioned movie with a pretty star , a good heart and no cynicism",
      "the movie ends with a scene so tender , it literally transports you to another world .",
      "cliffsnotes version",
      "it would be most inconvenient -lsb- to loathe this movie -rsb- since , having already seen it -lrb- thrice and counting -rrb- , i swore to love it for all eternity .",
      "this fresh adaptation shakes the dust off jane austen 's early 19th-century novel of manners and gives it a good airing out .",
      "austen 's story about the folly of first impressions still resonates in today 's shallow think-fast society , which is probably why filmmakers keep coming back to it again and again .",
      "wright wastes no time in squeezing the plot into his just-over-two hours running time , but the film never feels rushed , particularly when so much of it is spent watching and waiting , as the characters come to understand the world they live in .",
      "the moviemakers are accomplished enough to make something coherent out of this tonal mishmash , but i was left with a was this trip really necessary feeling for all that .",
      "a brilliant adaptation of jane austen 's classic romance , pride & prejudice has unforgettable characters , sharp dialogue , and lush nineteenth-century settings .",
      "it is historically evocative , visually transporting and an exuberant romantic comedy that adheres to its source while spinning its own artful energy .",
      "... that most unusual of films - one that improves upon its golden age forebear .",
      "director joe wright , working from a screenplay by deborah moggach , has brought both romantic sweep and rich verisimilitude to austen 's story .",
      "stilted yet sentimental , the melodrama leaves one feeling more depressed than elated , and keira knightley is far too beautiful to be anyone 's 2nd choice .",
      "joe wright has met the challenge and delivered a film that should please fans , but thrill those who miss a little heart to go along with their tea and disapproval .",
      "i think the bollywood version has ruined me for all other versions . maybe keira should have worn a purple sari .",
      "one of the greatest love stories ever written , and at nearly 200 years old it 's aged very , very well .",
      "it 's a thoroughly enjoyable love story that 's given a fresh new look ... a movie to just lose yourself in .",
      "the real find is matthew macfadyen as the aristocratic mr. darcy .",
      "director wright has replaced austen 's intelligence with the moony melodrama of the bronte sisters .",
      "pride & prejudice is literature come to life on the screen .",
      "pride & prejudice satisfies as dreamy romance . it 's not the razor-sharp satire that austen can be , but it 's lovely entertainment .",
      "a joy to behold .",
      "the film is profoundly accomplished , entrenched in its period , timed with supple rhythms , cast near to perfection .",
      "for the uninitiated , i ca n't imagine a better introduction to this classic .",
      "wright 's pride is a boisterous , loud , dance-mad kind of place , full of ruddy-faced peasants , dirt and hay . the whole thing feels like it was art-directed by bruegel on holiday .",
      "as historically authentic-looking as pride & prejudice is , it has far more invested in emotional authenticity -- you feel engaged every moment .",
      "knightley fits into austen 's era so perfectly it 's hard to believe the actress ever wore a soccer jersey .",
      "english director joe wright 's fresh , vivid adaptation of jane austen 's much-filmed pride and prejudice is an eloquent reminder that times change but people do n't .",
      "let 's get the most pressing questions out of the way from the get-go . yes , the latest version of pride & prejudice is quite good . no , it 's not great , in that 1995 a&e miniseries sort of way , but it 's very good nonetheless .",
      "joe wright , in his feature-length directorial debut , accommodates the genteel gauze without neglecting the well-aimed stings .",
      "the fact that director joe wright and screenwriter deborah moggach have managed to get so much of austen 's novel into a film that runs just a little longer than two hours is nothing short of miraculous .",
      "it 's really in the second hour that p&p heads off in an unpersuasive melodramatic direction , signalled by a sudden overdose of piano arpeggios .",
      "sumptuously produced and terrifically acted , this lively and pricelessly funny depiction of a fiery romance in regency-era england is an across-the-board triumph .",
      "soaringly romantic and painterly in its beauty , the film provides a lovely introduction to austen to young fans of the movie 's star , keira knightley . it might even lead them to read the book .",
      "seeing the splendid new version of pride & prejudice can be hazardous to your health : there 's a very real danger of swooning .",
      "from its breathtaking cinematography and soaring musical score to its lavish period costumes and stunning sets , this is a film that assaults the senses as it takes the viewer on a wonderful journey through the pitfalls of love .",
      "like the classic novel itself , the movie brings a certain sadness when the end has come and there is no more to watch .",
      "full review in greek",
      "luminous visuals , subtle thematic statements , and fine acting . a lovely period piece that surely will stand the test of time .",
      "this movie was stuffy , boring , cumbersome and all around annoying to me .",
      "oe wright should be applauded for delivering a vividly realised austen adap -- one which confirms knightley has graduated from the jackie bisset of the ' 00s to this decade 's julie christie .",
      "omg i loved this movie so much that i have to turn in my manly man club id card now .",
      "pride and prejudice is a gorgeous and well-acted adaptation .",
      "director joe wright 's filmic rendition of jane austin 's classic novel is sumptuous but never fussy .",
      "za obi % u010dnu publiku , % u010dije % u0107e potrebe za kvalitetnim filmom zadovoljiti ova holivudska obrada knji % u017eevnog evergrina , koja po svemu sude % u0107i nije posljednja .",
      "quite literally , a delightful surprise .",
      "... the classic chick flick story long before any flick found the word chick .",
      "it 's quite ` agreeable , ' as the fatuous mr. collins would say , but there 's something disturbing about a jane austen adaptation that uses an ampersand as an official part of its title .",
      "apparently , jane austen 's `` pride and prejudice '' is the book whose influence just wo n't die .",
      "succeeds as a modern comedy of manners .",
      "the best parts of the film are the punctuation . the moments away from all that rambling clever dialogue .",
      "i was n't moved by the romance , but the lush art direction , pretty music and gorgeous cinematography did get to me .",
      "una película irónica y romántica , con lujos de ambientación y fotografía , fiel al espíritu de la novela de jane austen en que se basa .",
      "breathes new life into characters and conversations never before quite wholly free from the printed page .",
      "so why should non-english majors have any interest in this sort of antique romance ? because it actually is romantic , in a way that 's kind of charming in its absence of contemporary wisecracking worldliness .",
      "great adaptation of prototypical feminist tale .",
      "i 'm not saying you should love it ; just respect it .",
      "a aura de inevitabilidade da conclusăo torna a experięncia relativamente previsível , mas a trajetória até o desfecho é , sem dúvida alguma , repleta de charme .",
      "if you 're in the mood for a trailer to a jane austen theme-park ride , it 'll do fine ; just forget about consistent adaptation , sane casting or on-target performances .",
      "it 's true jane austen 's lush and romantic pride and prejudice has been adapted too many times to count , but this latest film version can take pride in being one of the best .",
      "wright 's movie is a wide-screen spectacle , and the director uses the space smartly , filling it with details that illustrate important sociological information about its central family , the bennets .",
      "this is a playful pride , cuddly and cute and all lush english pastures , stunning sunsets and regal manor homes .",
      "this pride & prejudice is n't minutely faithful to the book -- and for good reason -- but it is authentic where it counts : to the confused , wounded , eager hearts of its lovers .",
      "wright muffles the humor and drama and creates long , draggy stretches while other cast members flounder about in the wings , but knightley forces certain scenes to spring back to life .",
      "the film is faithful to its source material , but not in a rigid , stodgy way . it 's the rare adaptation that should please purists and dilettantes alike .",
      "listen up , guys , have i got a flick for you : it 's all about money , sex and slammin ' babes in saucy-wench get-ups , and it goes down in the same country that gave us led zeppelin and the clash .",
      "joe wright 's pride & prejudice is the best jane austen adaptation ever to hit the big screen , a thrilling piece of cinema that announces both the arrival of a filmmaker -lrb- this is wright 's first feature -rrb- and an actress -lrb- keira knightley -rrb- .",
      "moment for moment i derived more pure pleasure from this pride & prejudice than any other movie i 've seen this year . it is nearly perfect .",
      "a fresh take on the old story with very handsome visuals , a cured direction and top-notch performances from knightley and most of the cast .",
      "this pride has more going for it than that 1940 confection , but neither is it the definitive screen version of austen 's venerable love story .",
      "wright and moggach open the windows on p&p and let it breathe .",
      "one of the most delightful and heartwarming adaptations made from austen or anybody else .",
      "a joy from start to finish . if this one does n't inspire a rush on bookstores , nothing will .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with the current version that trimming and less devotion to the romance-novel mystique could n't cure .",
      "visually arresting and dramatically effective , freshly capturing the many virtues of the novel",
      "so why , in no less than five miniseries and two official film adaptations of pride and prejudice , have we yet to encounter a satisfying screen lizzie ?",
      "a stellar adaptation , bewitching the viewer completely and incandescently with an exquisite blend of emotion and wit .",
      "this is one of the better adaptations .",
      "in truth , there is little wrong with this film that would not have been excusable if it were the first version in two decades rather than six months . pride and prejudice is competently made .",
      "when all the obstacles between elizabeth and mr. darcy are eventually removed , you 'd have to be stone dead not to have your heart melt at least a little bit .",
      "this is a sumptuous , highly entertaining re-telling of an old fashioned love story .",
      "this production is marvelous , and i was one of the ones who thought the a & e version could n't be topped !",
      "wright 's ability to evoke sympathy for even the marginal characters -- partly by exercising ingeniously economical staging to catch them in private moments -- distinguishes this pride & prejudice .",
      "a sumptuous screen adaptation of jane austen 's 1813 novel that gathers you up on its white horse and gallops off into the sunset .",
      "wright illustrates this timeless story with grand , stirring flourishes of spirit .",
      "considerably less starchy than your average austen adaptation ; in fact , the first half of ` pride ' features so much dancing it starts to look like the 19th-century answer to ` saturday night fever . '",
      "elizabeth is not supposed to be quite as stunning as knightly is , but her performance brings out the sharp humor and willfulness of the character ...",
      "wright paints by numbers , and often forgets the shading ... knightley is a tin lizzie , long on looks but short on depth and ladylike grace .",
      "if the filmmaking is somewhat less perfect than in ang lee 's sense and sensibility , austen fans will nonetheless delight to see their favorite characters brought to life .",
      "matthew macfadyen 's darcy ... seems to have stepped right out of ` tim burton 's corpse bride . '",
      "sumptuous and diverting , this pride & prejudice is delightful , but only hints at being anything more .",
      "without the sharp edge of austen 's language , kissy images just look mushy , and do n't do justice to golden girl keira knightley .",
      "wright mines new territory with bold casting moves , and a realistic earthy production design",
      "whether this is your first or eighth exposure to this story , you 'll find plenty to enjoy .",
      "as bubbly and joyful as any movie you 're likely to find at your local multiplex for some time .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t 's beautiful and luminous and sexy and rambunctious and suspenseful and passionate and visceral ... oh , it 's downright exhausting just thinking about how wonderful and even necessary this movie is .",
      "incredible to see something so familiar reinvented so accessibly to `` mainstream audiences '' while still remaining true to the source material ; kudos to deborah moggach !",
      "i just feel like i 've seen this so many times .",
      "comes across as prim and rigid , a feature bound by a corset .",
      "will send even the stoniest hearts into a rhythmic pitter-pat .",
      "debuting director joe wright has peppered the film with likely faces and set it gorgeously in english shires that still have something of the savor of austen 's dawn-of-the-19th-century world .",
      "any resemblance to scenes and characters created by miss austen is , of course , entirely coincidental .",
      "an enchanting screen version that breathes new life into austen 's classic novel , thanks mainly to a superb performance by keira knightley .",
      "a film that 's been dipped thrice in such a deep punnet of eminence and superiority that it 's hard not to like - possibly , even love",
      "even the most rabid janeites must allow that director joe wright , 33 , has given austen 's novel a beguilingly youthful spin without compromising the novel 's late-eighteenth-century manners .",
      "writer deborah moggach 's adaptation is sleek but lacks the judiciousness emma thompson brought to her terrific screenplay for ang lee 's sense & sensibility .",
      "pride & prejudice is highbrow movie - making , in the finest sense of the term .",
      "this uncommon film of romance demonstrates what 's possible from a classic novel . jane austen has n't been in such good hands since `` sense and sensibility '' of 1995 .",
      "schmaltz does n't quite eclipse the book 's critique of british class snobbery and male dominance .",
      "the new pride & prejudice is faithful to the manners of 200 years ago , but it moves with speed and vigor , so the emotions feel as raw and modern as your last crying jag .",
      "as with so much of this pride & prejudice , you wish it would never end .",
      "if young audiences respond to it at all -- as i am sure they will -- it will be because wright has brought out the vigor in austen 's romance in a way that the other adaptations i 've seen never quite accomplished .",
      "pride & prejudice is wildly entertaining for a well-worn costume drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "sure , it 's another adaptation of cinema 's fave jane austen novel , but key performances and a modern filmmaking sensibility make this familiar period piece fresh and enjoyable .",
    "id": "9185"
  },
  {
    "movie": "cashback",
    "reviews": [
      "guaranteed to be a hit with onanistic adolescent boys blinded by raging hormones .",
      "... heralds the arrival of a fiercely original cinematic presence .",
      "somehow , ellis manages to combine a gen-x slacker film with a touching coming-of-age movie ... and it works .",
      "wong kar-wai on aisle 4 and michel gondry on aisle 6 , with kevin smith as mop jockey at all points in between -- such is the lost-in-the-supermarket milieu of writer-director sean ellis 's whimsical comedy .",
      "would that the plotline came up to the poster 's level of intriguing suggestiveness .",
      "a smart , funny film , one that does a good job of conveying some of the struggles faced by young males who are smart , lacking in self-assurance , and just a bit aimless .",
      "a good writer starts with characters and plot and allows the themes to come naturally from the story . sean ellis ' script for MOV is all theme , and it 's not that interesting a one to begin with .",
      "the first thing one will probably respond to , after the brief rampant nudity , is the exquisite cinematography by angus hudson .",
      "a little too mopey and sexist for its own good . but the cast is engaging enough to keep us interested",
      "i think this filmmaker has a future .",
      "MOV is light , smart , and enjoyable , and it makes me eager to see what ellis has planned for his next outing .",
      "the film lags badly in the middle ; the flashbacks to ben 's childhood are n't especially interesting and the lengthy soccer sequence is sheer dead weight .",
      "MOV aspires to be equal parts volkswagen ad and nicholson baker 's the fermata , yet compares unfavorably to both .",
      "ellis seems to believe that artists have an enlightened sense of beauty and greater access to it than common folk . and he may be right : he 's clearly mastered the skill of convincing art-school chicks to take their clothes off .",
      "as observers we can project our own fantasies onto ben 's , and -lsb- director -rsb- ellis enhances this dreamy effect with low-budget ingenuity , like cleverly executing location changes in the same unbroken shot .",
      "imagine kevin smith with a background in poetry and painting instead of comic books and bestiality jokes , and you 'll have an idea of what to expect from an exciting new filmmaker named sean ellis , whose terrific debut is called MOV .",
      "this inert movie , in the style of early sitcom , fails the first test by having its central character as the least interesting of all the ones on the screen .",
      "the movie is lightweight , as it should be . it does n't get all supercharged . ben and sharon , despite setbacks , are delighted to be admired by such wonderful partners , and we are happy for them .",
      "MOV is a likable film that is bolstered by ellis ' terrific eye for composition .",
      "... focuses on a pervert who thinks he 's a romantic . the more sincere this guy gets about his leering , the more he creeps you out .",
      "funny but not really profound .",
      "it 's no small trick to blend fantasy , slapstick and genuine emotion , but -lsb- director -rsb- ellis pulls it off with whimsy to spare .",
      "MOV 's eccentricity holds , but ellis and his audience would have benefited from a clearer direction and a bit more restraint .",
      "if they taught the film in schools , the class might be dubbed the art of boosting the self and ragging on women through tired aesthetics .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- ellis has rounded up all the actors for this feature adaptation but does n't add much to the 18-minute original besides a tedious boy-meets-girl .",
      "considering the entire uneventful and unpleasant proceedings , ` cash back ' may have been the worst highly suggestive choice of title possible for the audience to contemplate .",
      "note to next short-turn-feature film director : please , please , pretty please , do n't stretch the hell out of your beautiful short when you do n't have enough stuff to make it to full length , no matter how pretty you can make it look",
      "a flair for language both cinematic and verbal elevates an ordinary coming-of-age comedy of little substance .",
      "MOV remains a striking cinematic debut for ellis and a fluid detour into the hidden pockets of the mind .",
      "slickly charming , genteelly erotic and directed with supreme polish .",
      "apparently unsure whether to make an arty romantic fantasy ŕ la amelie or something that might go down better with the readers of fhm , british first-timer sean ellis tries to do both .",
      "the feature version of a 2004 award-winning british short depicts a sensitive art student who manages to freeze time , allowing him to undress women at his sainsbury 's supermarket and sketch them nude .",
      "le photographe britannique signe un de ces films gravitant en retrait dans l'univers du cinéma tout en suivant une constante bien définie chez certains jeunes réalisateurs",
      "beware films with protagonists depicted as vastly more sensitive than their fellow characters . the result may be a crock like MOV .",
      "is n't nearly as good as ellis ' original short , being little more than a series of vignettes masquerading as a feature film .",
      "there 's a lot of promise here , but MOV ca n't get out of its own way .",
      "MOV springs from that childhood fantasy of being able to stop time and wander freely among the temporarily frozen . if only writer-director sean ellis had done more than use the conceit for a functional romance .",
      "it 's awkwardly drawn out to feature length with not-truly-comic secondary characters on the supermarket team , and go-nowhere incidents like a soccer match with a rival store and an unresolved encounter with another time-stopper .",
      "how ironic that richard lester had to go all the way to england to make that chef-d'oeuvre of sex comedies , the knack ... and how to get it , while ellis stays home and churns out the british answer to american pie .",
      "offers such a 13-year-old boy 's perspective on love and sex that you would n't even trust it to unhook a bra .",
      "a very romantic portrait of a young artist as he ponders love , beauty and living in the moment .",
      "certain shots evidence ellis ' skill at composing static images , but his messy staging of a soccer game , a painful piece of failed slapstick , proves he has not quite arrived as a feature film director .",
      "a sleek little meditation on beauty , desire , love and time . now and then , it 's fairly sophisticated stuff .",
      "ellis has expanded MOV into a full-length movie that shares the short 's strengths but does n't come up with anything new ."
    ],
    "summary": "an unlikable protagonist , messy editing , and gratuitous nudity might make audiences ask for their cash back .",
    "id": "552835835"
  },
  {
    "movie": "buried",
    "reviews": [
      "bravura filmmaking , certainly , MOV borrows techniques from great inventive filmmakers -lrb- director rodrigo cortés cites hitchcock , scorsese and spielberg in his notes -rrb- but applies them to a claustrophobic horror story that drags us into a place of terror",
      "`` MOV '' is a film that gave me claustrophobia and made me want to getback the money i had not spent on the ticket .",
      "watching ryan reynolds trapped in a coffin for an hour-and-a-half makes for the most intense piece of cinema this year .",
      "an experiment in limitation that , at least until the movie 's deflating final payoff , manages to tap into our deepest anxieties .",
      "it may sound like a gimmicky premise , but MOV is as far outside the box as a buried-alive movie can be .",
      "MOV would make an awesome double bill alongside inception , as opposite ends of the clever , concept-movie spectrum .",
      "if the picture has replay value , it will be to study the technically pretty astounding filmmaking going on , not because it 's a journey one would necessarily like to go on again .",
      "by the end , i was quietly wheezing and whinnying with distress .",
      "at its best , MOV is a filmmaker 's fondest double-dare challenge . and at its very best , it 's considerably more .",
      "reynolds 's default has always been a sarcasm that 's locked him out of seeming entirely human . in MOV , he 's neutralized .",
      "MOV is completely and utterly , 100 percent dedicated to bringing you all the ryan-reynolds-nailed-in-a-coffin action you could ever ask for .",
      "what starts out as a claustrophobic and suspenseful allegory about the folly of the iraq war settles into a series of pseudo-ironic twists and a conclusion that will leave you gasping for air .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is a genuinely suspenseful , emotionally engaging thriller with a terrific performance from ryan reynolds .",
      "the confines of a coffin become a landscape rife with every element that constitutes the most effective and most engrossing thriller , with all the visual turbulence of an action film played out in a space barely a foot high .",
      "ninety minutes of being MOV alive with ryan reynolds : did n't we all suffer that in the proposal ?",
      "ends up more an exercise in bare-bones cinema than a penetrating drama , and though it 's been executively efficiently , it fails to be emotionally compelling .",
      "a bratty but canny thriller that takes a very simple premise and runs much farther with it than any right-minded director should have been able to .",
      "this should really have been made for radio rather than cinema - although the performance from ryan reynolds keeps you riveted to see what happens .",
      "a relentlessly terrifying , pulse-pounding and intelligent thriller . ryan reynolds gives his best performance yet . it 's the most intense movie-going experience in years .",
      "claustrophobes and asthmatics be warned : MOV unfolds entirely within the confines of a coffin , where an increasingly desperate man faces certain death by suffocation unless he can escape .",
      "the suspense is gripping , even when the substance is n't .",
      "MOV wrings every last drop of tension from a simple dramatic set-up .",
      "MOV is a brutal , relentless , mind-numbing thriller whose last five minutes will leave you absolutely breathless .",
      "who would have thought that ryan reynolds talking on a cell phone in a wooden box could be so damn thrilling ?",
      "you do n't have to be claustrophobic to find the entire enterprise thoroughly upsetting .",
      "a tightly woven and effective thriller . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "reynolds and cortés have to make you believe that you 're stuck in that box too , to make you feel , somewhere in your subconscious , that your quickened respirations are going to use up the air around you ; and that 's just what they manage to do .",
      "one of the film 's great strengths is that sparling 's script does n't pull any punches with the scenario .",
      "not recommended for claustrophobics . it 's more or less a smothering experience .",
      "as for reynolds ' performance -- just be prepared to be pleasantly surprised . amazed , even . in MOV he may finally have found a project as good as he is .",
      "it 's a watchable enough film , if you can overlook all the holes in the plot .",
      "this is a solid , unsettling , at times very entertaining thriller -- but the jury 's still out on reynolds .",
      "compulsive entertainment with an intelligent script that knows exactly how to maximise its cat-and-mouse tensions , slyly inviting us to appreciate and anticipate the inventive contributions of the cat quite as much as the mouse .",
      "a brutally intense indie that commits to its bleak premise and does n't back down . tarantino will cackle as he watches .",
      "MOV grabs the viewer and rarely lets its hold slip , playing on our universal fears with great skill .",
      "reynolds delivers a relentlessly effective performance . so it 's a shame that it 's not more involving than it is .",
      "plausibility sits cowed in a corner . it says , `` do n't look at me . i have nothing to do with this . ''",
      "it 's definitely possible to quibble about the sheer ridiculousness of conroy 's situation a day or so down the line , but while you 're watching it you 'll be too busy hiding behind your shirt and nibbling on your collar to even think that far ahead .",
      "MOV does do a hell of a lot with very little . through clever camerawork , it 's surprising how much action and tension can be built .",
      "always confident but rarely stretched , reynolds finally gets the chance to prove his dramatic chops as paul runs the gauntlet of human emotion : confusion , fear , anger , hysteria , hope , sorrow , despair .",
      "an edge-of-your-seat nail-biter that 's about as unique as they come .",
      "if the aim is to be unpredictable and to revel in cynicism , you run the risk -- realized here -- that the movie becomes more an authorial statement of purpose than a story the audience can believe in .",
      "MOV may well be an allegory for the fates of so many americans waylaid in sandier climes , but it works first and foremost as an experiential horror film -- the best of its kind in some time .",
      "reynolds is riveting , and it 's possible to appreciate cortés 's bravura cinematic accomplishment . but that 'll come much later , after you catch your breath .",
      "it 's kind of like if saw were a one-man show in a tiny theater .",
      "while its central conceit - its six-feet-under micro-location - might seem gimmicky , it 's a gimmick that would get real tired real quick if not for an exceptional script and one hell of a performance .",
      "rodrigo cortés 's film is rigidly grim and relentlessly discomforting - thanks to superior sound design , creatively claustrophobic camerawork and a one-man-show from ryan reynolds , who leaves no room for sarcasm in this sarcophagus .",
      "the genius of this film is that it never once betrays its concept .",
      "MOV may be claustrophobic in scale , but its impact is immense .",
      "MOV , despite its seemingly impossible premise , is by turns funny , suspenseful , moving and -- in one heart-stopping sequence worthy of indiana jones -- incredibly exciting .",
      "MOV is remarkably cinematic , and the confined space opens up in ways you would n't think possible .",
      "... plays like a twilight zone episode padded out to feature length .",
      "it 's a very , very good film , but it 's difficult to recommend .",
      "with career-best work from ryan reynolds , MOV will find a loyal , devoted audience .",
      "either mr. reynolds was directed to rant and rave , or his bellowing tantrums are meant to signal that paul is a childish fool who is n't very bright .",
      "talk about burying the lead ...",
      "in the same way it 's impossible to turn away from a grisly accident , taking your eyes away from ryan reynolds ' hypnotizing performance is not an option .",
      "at times so uncomfortable you 'll want to look away , reynolds ' performance -- essentially a one-man show -- keeps you coming back for more .",
      "the filmmaking is sharp .",
      "on a technical level MOV is impressive , at times blisteringly suspenseful , making the most of a ripping score and reynolds ' fully charged agony ...",
      "go in prepared for a clever cinematic experiment , ignore the little flaws , and be rewarded .",
      "chalk MOV firmly into the ` terrific movies i never want to see again ' category .",
      "cleverly written and staged with plenty of wound-up energy , plus a climax that sucks the air out of the theater .",
      "watching his movie , we feel distinctly the absence of a safety net -- anything can happen . which will drive some audiences crazy , but which delighted me .",
      "i think they could have taken it to the next level . MOV is certainly good and worth watching , but it could have been the definitive high concept movie . instead it 's just one that does n't suck",
      "as a cautionary tale about the perils of nation building , this is both creepy and provocative , but director rodrigo cortés blows it in the last few minutes with a rushed ending that feels like a cheat after all the escalating tension .",
      "this film 's opening alone is more terrifying than the entirety of most horror movies .",
      "paul 's life is treated as a novelty . out there in the audience , we 're treated as suckers .",
      "reynolds is terrific , and cortés and sparling overlay a preposterous premise with familiar modern complaints .",
      "pulls the tricky stunt off with flair , constantly finding new ways to keep the audience on their toes and invested in paul 's dilemma .",
      "an intense , claustrophobic experience that 's inventively filmed and powerfully performed by reynolds as the story 's flawed but unnecessarily hard-done-by everyman .",
      "there?s just not enough material here to sustain a 90-minute movie .",
      "reynolds ' efforts transform what could have been a chilly technical exercise into something darkly comic , unexpectedly moving , and , above all , hot-plate skittery . you will squirm .",
      "sometimes cortes gets carried away with his `` angry little film criticizing the world '' , but hell , when you?re stuck making a movie in a box , it?s easy to see why you?d want to stand up , raise your arms and yell as loud as possible .",
      "best ending of the year .",
      "somewhere , edgar allan poe is uncorking a bottle of amontillado and laughing himself silly .",
      "set in iraq , MOV takes aim at the american industrial military complex and manages to be both a cerebral experience and a perverse , visceral delight .",
      "whatever the reasons that draw us to the movies , spending 90 minutes trapped in a box with ryan reynolds is n't one of them .",
      "sometimes the best ideas are the simplest , although filmmakers seldom think so . rodrigo cortes is an exception , with his feature film debut MOV breaking a lot of rules .",
      "cortes similarly crafts a heightened sense of awareness out of the less-is-more scenario . the result is a skillful thriller with a strong point of view that is also confident in its use of genre flourishes .",
      "this is as un-hollywood a role as you could ever get , but -lsb- reynolds -rsb- nails both the compressed physicality and fried psyche of his character with palpable precision .",
      "tighten the screws a few more times around the middle and we could have had a genuine classic on our hands . alas , it is still probably a very good hour-long twilight zone episode .",
      "i call 'em `` gimmick thrillers , '' which is n't a knock -- unless you ca n't pull the gimmick off . for the most part , ` MOV ' definitely can .",
      "a brilliantly twisted suspense thriller that would have made alfred hitchcock proud .",
      "rodrigo cortes keeps the action bound to the box , limiting his lighting to naturalistic approximations , so that much of reynolds 's performance consists of him grunting and heaving in the dark .",
      "those who claim that reynolds is just a handsome star should look at this nail-biting , expertly directed political thriller , which he carries single-handedly on his solid soldiers with his dramatic chops .",
      "a film that takes a simple idea and turns it into a movie that elicits complex reactions from the viewer ... leaves you breathless and wrung out .",
      "cortés has an invigorating fondness for the zoom lens . but the movie 's real asset is reynolds himself , utilizing his comedy chops for unexpected levity .",
      "nothing this underrated actor has done previously measures up to the emotional diversity , focus and self-control required of him in a one-man exercise in underground suspense that alfred hitchcock would envy .",
      "rodrigo cortés , the spanish filmmaker behind this diabolical , hitchcock-influenced narrative stunt , makes merry mischief with camera angles and lighting ; the viewer feels suffocated along with reynolds ...",
      "although the entire movie takes place in the enclosed space , director rodrigo cortes and writer chris sparling are ingenious in creating more plausible action than you would expect possible .",
      "this is shrewdly considered and edited genre work , spiced -- bitterly -- with the right variety of complication .",
      "too often revolves around the battery life of a cell phone and the amount of air remaining . that threat is terrifying in our mind but difficult to see on screen .",
      "playing a character MOV underneath the ground , ryan reynolds reveals that when it comes to acting he 's all surface and no depth .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "MOV achieves the rare feat of being both deliriously enjoyable and relentlessly unpleasant . the film -- a furious fusion of phone booth , wait until dark , 1408 and cube -- is a ninety-minute test of endurance .",
      "director rodrigo cortés ' creative use of total darkness and anxiety-inducing sound effects should inspire budget-challenged nightmare makers everywhere .",
      "... a clever topical adaptation of the old lucille fletcher radio drama -lrb- and barbara stanwyck movie -rrb- sorry , wrong number ...",
      "MOV works not because ryan reynolds is good -lrb- he is -rrb- but because director rodrigo cortes is even better .",
      "whoever says you need to think outside the box should think again , because MOV is nothing short of a minimalist masterpiece .",
      "the sensation of confinement is so powerful that after a while i had an overwhelming urge to try and claw my way out through the side of the cinema .",
      "reynolds ? portrayal of this everyman , a guy doing his job in the wrong place at the wrong time , is sympathetic and intensely watchable from the first moment to the last .",
      "a triumph of filmmaking design , as well as fierce thriller sure to give viewers a serious case of the heebie-jeebies .",
      "MOV is a truly compelling , novel and refreshing experience . it 's a high concept film that stretches its idea over the duration of 90 minutes with ease .",
      "a horror film set in iraq is a cinematic tour de force but raises serious questions about its ethics .",
      "-lrb- video -rrb- easily the worst film of 2010 ...",
      "reynolds takes suffering for your art to unimaginable new depths in this truly underground chiller . as he excels at reaching into the theater and grabbing viewer minds . which gives a radically new meaning to the notion of being embedded in a war zone .",
      "94 minutes -lrb- in real time -rrb- of slow suffocation makes for an unusual entertainment .",
      "claustrophobic horror .",
      "the basic conceit , which never falters right through to the surprise ending , speaks creepy volumes to a cinematic audience -- blanketed in darkness with no exit strategy .",
      "as hollywood continues to expand its bloated visions and forsakes the very tenets of basic storytelling , rodrigo cortés and ryan reynolds go just about as small as film can go and yet deliver a vastly entertaining cinema experience .",
      "a remarkable , frequently spellbinding achievement ...",
      "so much more than its high-concept premise might suggest , cortéz 's film is a bravura one-off whose simple-seeming title resonates hauntingly in the dark .",
      "one must at a minimum concede that MOV boasts an elegant premise of inordinate simplicity .",
      "this is an extremely well crafted film that will keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the very last shot .",
      "the skilful screenplay by chris sparling maintains the suspense right up to the will-he or wont-he get out ending , while slipping in some welcome black humour and a quietly effective message about state and corporate ruthlessness .",
      "MOV is one of those movies that make a virtue of their limitations .",
      "if you think you 're brave enough , and even if you are n't , MOV demands to be experienced on the big screen in all its suffocating , claustrophobic glory .",
      "driven by ryan reynolds magnificent performance , this tense and ambitious film is absolutely riveting to watch unfold .",
      "the tension keeps building , right to the end . proving yet again that in movies , even though the space may get smaller , the picture does n't have to .",
      "a part of me feels like why waste ryan reynolds and his hot abs in a film where he?s MOV six feet under but another part of me loves how MOV flips off audiences by using a hollywood celebrity in a manner that will only piss them off .",
      "a riveting production that 's undeniably disturbing and a unique moviegoing experience .",
      "there 's something faintly quixotic about a filmmaker who , faced with technical limitations in a script , chooses to embrace them rather than fight them . such is the case with MOV , an uncompromising suspense thriller from spanish director rodrigo cortés .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- como ejercicio narrativo bastante claustrofóbico y moderadamente angustiante , tiene su atractivo . gran parte del resultado es mérito del actor ryan reynolds .",
      "a brilliant genre thriller using space and perspective to confine us with the protagonist .",
      "reynolds and cortés deserve credit for their ambition and MOV is a tense but enjoyable experience for anyone interested in the core ` MOV alive ' concept .",
      "director rodrigo cortes continually achieves the seemingly impossible .",
      "remind yourself to breathe .",
      "with little more than one actor , a mobile phone , a -lrb- very full -rrb- zippo and a few disembodied voices , director rodrigo cortés has created a 95-minute panic-attack-made-movie .",
      "MOV is a one of a kind experience that goes well beyond just a movie with a neat idea . it 's a thriller that really works and is one of the best films i 've seen all year .",
      "a nifty gimmick rarely translates into satisfying cinema , but MOV qualifies as an exception .",
      "a solid , claustrophobic thriller anchored by a great performance from reynolds .",
      "lionsgate snatched up the picture at sundance and there 's no doubt everyone behind this minimalist stunt will make their money back from those curious to see how well they pulled off the feat . -lrb- answer : reasonably . -rrb-",
      "cruelly efficient yet ethically questionable , MOV jangles the nerves but gets into trouble when it aspires to political topicality .",
      "in purely cinematic terms , MOV , set in late 2006 , is an ingenious exercise in sustained tension that would make alfred hitchcock turn over in his grave .",
      "make no mistake , you can make a movie about one character inside a box interesting for 94 minutes .",
      "the film 's chief virtue is that it remains true to itself - there are no sly cutaways to phones ringing in empty apartments or flashbacks to happier times , just reynolds stuck underground and hoping for rescue .",
      "this experiment in minimalist filmmaking succeeds in part because of the tight , controlled performance by one of ` people ' magazine 's sexiest men -lrb- MOV -rrb- alive !",
      "conveys the intensity and introspective horror of its subject 's extreme life-or-death circumstances far more authentically and grippingly than the similar , flashier and shallower 127 hours .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- grueling experience ... and a thrilling one : we so rarely see movies this adventurous , this creative with their narratives and their plotting and their characters .",
      "it 's too long , it loses all sense of direction at the 60 minute mark , and so much of the action is phone-based that after a while it starts to feel like an audiobook .",
      "whether you like it or not , MOV is a film that will stick in your memory .",
      "all film-making is a manipulative art ; MOV is just too overtly so .",
      "rodrigo cortes directs and chris sparling wrote the screenplay . they and reynolds should be applauded . but you wonder who on earth is going to submit themselves to a film that is set exclusively in a coffin .",
      "reynolds is an irrepressibly -lrb- some might say irritatingly -rrb- verbal actor , so there?s something both genius and obscene about subjecting him to solitary confinement by cinema .",
      "skillfully directed , shrewdly written , darkly funny , classically scored and acted right the f**k out of the park by a star not known for his dramatic chops .",
      "highlighting the talent and inventiveness of all involved , MOV is gripping and entertaining , making it perfect cinema viewing .",
      "the hero of the hour is reynolds , who gives a hugely compelling performance mostly lying on his back . his spine probably deserves its own oscar for sheer endurance .",
      "MOV is also one of the most visually inventive , deftly edited films of the year ."
    ],
    "summary": "wringing a seemingly impossible amount of gripping drama out of its claustrophobic premise , MOV is a nerve-wracking showcase for ryan reynolds ' talent .",
    "id": "770819772"
  },
  {
    "movie": "cant_hardly_wait",
    "reviews": [
      "beyond broad stereotypes and patently obvious social observations , ca n't hardly wait has very little to offer .",
      "the film might have been good if its writer/director duo had concentrated more on characterizations and less on getting cheap laughs .",
      "the movie passes the time by recycling humor you 've heard before .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- messy throwback to '80s teen comedies .",
      "we sit there wondering why we 've even bothered to see a film about a long high school party we probably never felt the desire to go to in the first place .",
      "the film is something of a mess .",
      "barry manilow ? ca n't hardly wait for it to be over .",
      "as far as the venerable teen sex comedy goes , this one actually makes it to third base .",
      "the majority of the film is mired in magazine cliches and tired gags . oh , look , the foreign exchange student only knows how to say he 's a sex machine , haw ! and the nerd 's getting drunk ! hoo !",
      "there are signs that ca n't hardly wait once had more serious aspirations ... but in the final edit , at least , it 's the dumb , broad slapstick that prevails , short-circuiting identification with the characters before it can begin .",
      "fortunately , some of the appealing young performers -- who include ethan embry , charlie korsmo , lauren ambrose and , especially , seth green -- manage to emerge from the film 's generic suburban-teen backdrop .",
      "kaplan and elfont provide a real public service by showing how underage binge drinking can boost bookish students ' social lives .",
      "flat characters are stuck in underdeveloped situations in this attempt by first-time directors deborah kaplan and harry elfont to recapture the mood of a john hughes 1980s teen comedy .",
      "the film deserves credit , both for its breezy pacing and its uncommon tendency to make its characters smarter and geekier than they might have been .",
      "what 's best about wait are the bright turns by its young cast .",
      "this formula teen flick has engaging performances and a few laughs .",
      "it 's mostly broad comedy . not that there 's anything wrong with that , just that it 's all been done before .",
      "this charmless and predictable teen comedy is packed with tired , second-hand ideas that render it wholly uninspiring .",
      "only one actress , cherubic redheaded lauren ambrose , emerges from this movie with any kind of dignity .",
      "there 's nothing new here , and no great moral insights .",
      "the directors get good performances from a talented cast .",
      "a mostly funny , sometimes sentimentally nostalgic look at the last days of the greatest days of most of our lives .",
      "the movie lumbers ungracefully from romantic showdowns to deep conversations to bathroom humor .",
      "surprisingly well-realized teen party film .",
      "flip through any yearbook , and you 'll find the stock characters who amusingly populate the teen-age comedy ca n't hardly wait .",
      "the title seems unexpectedly appropriate , as it accurately summed up my feelings about sitting in the theater and anticipating the arrival of the end credits -- i could n't hardly wait .",
      "it 's hard not to find charms in a teen comedy that 's lively , moderately intelligent and effective in its portrayal of high school social dynamics .",
      "essentially a john hughes piece on speed .",
      "a failed attempt to recapture the exuberant magic of such highschool movie classics as american graffiti , this is a loud and boisterous comedy , in which the entire action is set during an interminably long graduation night .",
      "a decidedly healthy antidote to the hate-driven , ghoulishly cynical bloodlettings of scream , i know what you did last summer and the rest of that sick ilk .",
      "john hughes must be spinning in his grave .",
      "it 's not supposed to be a revelation -- just a pleasant rendition of a teen-comedy trope .",
      "a high-spirited , synthetically raucous house-party comedy .",
      "it 's all cutely derivative , occasionally charming and very occasionally clever .",
      "ca n't hardly wait offers nothing that its predecessors has n't , but has possibly broken new ground in terms of underage drinking and teen sex .",
      "youth may be wasted on the young , but it 's a drop in the bucket compared to the time wasted pandering to them .",
      "less of a movie and more a collection of 1980s teen movie cliches .",
      "there just is n't any sparkle in any of the lead perfs .",
      "for all its nonstop energy and high spirits , ca n't hardly wait allows its characters to emerge as fully dimensional individuals ; they 've been written with care and perception and played with equal aplomb by a roster of talented young actors .",
      "in between these humorous lines is a series of arguments and conversations between characters , which are more flat than those of real life .",
      "their characters are heavy-handed stereotypes , but the young actors have the the talent to give them real personality .",
      "i enjoyed the enthusiasm , a thing that 's getting rare in movies .",
      "this is the kind of pointless teen schlock one sees on usa up all night .",
      "a surprisingly engaging teen flick .",
      "i totally loved this movie . my group was aged 28-33 , and we laughed , roared , bust a gut laughing , the whole movie .",
      "most of the film feels a bit trite ; too much of it comes off like warmed-over jokes from other teen romp flicks .",
      "manages to serve up new rock , eighties dance music , rap and barry manilow -- a combination custom-made to annoy audiences of all ages .",
      "despite flashes of bawdy humor , ca n't hardly wait is just like its beer : it starts out frothy but soon goes flat ."
    ],
    "summary": "occasionally clever and moderately intelligent , ca n't hardly wait also contains too many cheap laughs , recycled plotting , and flat characters .",
    "id": "10606"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1217700-kick_ass",
    "reviews": [
      "it is a film that is happy to mock audience expectations of a comic book adaptation , while also being faithful to the traditions of the genre .",
      "a kick-ass action flick that feels more like 3d than most of the recent films actually employing the technology yet it also manages to comment on the violent action it creates and celebrates .",
      "it is violent , it is vulgar and the story is off-the-walls at times . but in the end , kick-ass is a relentlessly fun , irreverent film that does n't even care to take names .",
      "it 's painted ... like a funny bit of mayhem . that 's really a ruse to get you in to have a really balanced but insane movie experience .",
      "things start slowly while introducing the characters , but once the explosive action and over-the-top gore-filled violence begin , this movie becomes an unstoppable dynamo .",
      "director matthew vaughn and writing partner jane goldman -lrb- stardust -rrb- % u2014 who should do more movies % u2014 get the job done with punchy dialogue and pitch-perfect sets and stunts .",
      "kick-ass lives up to its name ...",
      "the movie has a high cool quotient for sure , but it also has some substance underneath it all . this is an enormously entertaining film that offers plenty of style , humor , and excitement .",
      "this movie has everything i love , comedy , elvis , heroes , and over the top action all executed perfectly . i left the theater giddy with happiness . best movie of the year .",
      "i want to return to this hyper-violent , awesome world and get lost in laughs and sympathetic pain again .",
      "while not all of the elements fit together tonally , on the surface level -- the level that the title suggests -- kick-ass does exactly what it 's supposed to , as long as you 're game for the language and the gutting .",
      "is it a problem that kick-ass is by far the most violent movie ever to feature kids as heroes ? parents should consider themselves warned , though personally , i just wish that the film had ended up a bit less of an over-the-top action ride .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he notion of a comic-book geek who has not read watchmen is akin to a serious thespian who has never heard of that hamlet dude ...",
      "gory as a japanese horror film , action-packed as an early john woo , hip as prime tarantino , matthew vaughn 's riot of fun and violence , kick-ass gains singular laurels in the comic fanboy hall of fame .",
      "an irreverent send-up of comic book movies that 's as hilarious as it is badass .",
      "for all its posturing , kick-ass does n't risk taking the superhero genre seriously and hence is all too happy to be impotent .",
      "it will soon be a well-known part of the comic book movie pantheon .",
      "a tone-deaf pantsing of the superman cause , creating an incredible ruckus as it breakdances on hallowed ground , preferring noise over wit when it comes to giving funny books a comprehensive noogie .",
      "mark millar 's source comic , which i have n't read , is very possibly a smart and subversive treat . but vaughn 's movie is hollow , glazed , and not quite there , like a teenager who has spent too much time in his bedroom .",
      "at odds with itself , initially a darkly comic indictment of fanboy fanaticism carried to its logically violent ends before succumbing to the very superhero formula that it purports to subvert .",
      "it 's all about tone -- dark enough to be anarchic , playful enough to amuse .",
      "kick-ass is a violent , occasionally sadistic and frequently amoral film . it is also breathtakingly fun and wonderfully transgressive .",
      "while director matthew vaughn channels the spirit of mark millar 's comic , too often he oversteps his mark with his stylised use of violence , with young chloe moretz as the main attraction .",
      "the second comic-book movie based on a mark millar series is less ridiculous , more grounded and more fun than wanted . wanted was wanting . kick-ass kicks ass .",
      "crude , bloody and moody , kick-ass embraces , at arm 's length , its fanboy origins . but maybe they should have decided if they loved these stereotypes , or wanted to ridicule them to death before rolling the camera .",
      "it deliberately sells a perniciously sexualised view of children and glorifies violence , especially knife and gun crime , in a way that makes it one of the most deeply cynical , shamelessly irresponsible films ever .",
      "in its own lunatic way , it seriously grapples with the foundations of the genre .",
      "a rollicking , virtuoso comic-book adaptation that fizzes with originality , feisty wit and an unexpected degree of heart . it is also a revenge saga with all the impact of a bullet between the eyes .",
      "a slice of must-see cinema . just phenomenal .",
      "perhaps i should n't have enjoyed it as much as i did : but with more energy and satire and craziness in its lycra-gloved little finger than other films have everywhere else , kick-ass is all pleasure and no guilt .",
      "crazily inspired ... if you can stomach the violence -- cartoonish but still abrasive -- you 'll find it giddy fun and almost shamefully enjoyable .",
      "vaughn cheerfully mines the queasiness of ... contradiction for satire , but the movie takes the reality of its characters seriously . when good guys die , their loss actually stings .",
      "we never thought we 'd say this about a movie , but kick-ass is too violent ...",
      "as a subversive dissection of a genre , the film has no grit or imagination , and as a work of stock wham-bam entertainment , it 's a sloppy trifle , merely the latest piece of disposable friday night mainstream-cinema juvenilia .",
      "big on energy and boasting some fine performances , `` MOV '' is also too juvenile in its irreverence and too enraptured in its bloodletting",
      "kick-ass gives the superhero genre a jolt , but you 'll feel queasy rooting on an 11-year-old killing machine .",
      "an exhilarating , brilliant and outrageously funny thrill ride . it 's one of the most wildly entertaining , rousing and crowd-pleasing action films of the season .",
      "on the page and on the screen , kick-ass riffs on the wish-fulfillment afforded by tales of derring-do and the ill-advisedness of taking on the task in real life .",
      "the longer it goes on , the more revolting it becomes .",
      "after watching very safe pg-13 superhero movies it 's refreshing to see a film that 's made for us chubby , bearded thirtysomethings that still crack open the polyurethane bags .",
      "kick-ass is a movie carefully engineered to appeal to the child in some of us .",
      "with a half dozen superhero movies every year that feel as if they were created by a hollywood blockbuster machine , it 's so refreshing to see one with its own distinct , subversive personality .",
      "a rockin ' , rowdy good time - up to a point . for all its alleged edginess , kick-ass actually plays it safe .",
      "it brings together several popular strains of contemporary moviemaking and combines them into one big , shameless , audacious , compulsively watchable , irresistibly likable piece of pure entertainment .",
      "for better or for worse , kick-ass has been constructed to shock and awe rather than to support and value deep thought .",
      "the picture 's saving grace is hit-girl , an exuberant cinematic original destined to become iconic . without her , as the saying goes , the makers would have nothing .",
      "... a pop confection that owes as much to quentin tarantino as it does to mark millar 's comic book series and its titular hero is n't really very interesting .",
      "it soars , jet-propelled , on its central idea of matching a superhero 's exploits with the grinding reality of urban teen life and on the aerodynamic smoothness of the film 's style .",
      "peppering an action flick with comedy is hardly original , but the mocking tone and off-kilter vibe set this film apart . it even has a hearty dose of charm , thanks mostly to the most outrageous performance by a child in recent memory .",
      "kick-ass stands as an intriguing fantasy of social networking . to achieve superhero status , you simply put up your own web site , announce it on myspace and facebook and you 're on your mythic way .",
      "do n't tell the people who will line up to see a tween girl kill bad guys , but kick-ass is a lot smarter than it might look .",
      "everything you 've likely heard about kick-ass is true , providing you 've heard it 's profane , outlandish , ultra-violent , shocking , funny and wildly entertaining .",
      "if only kick-ass were as nervy and entertaining as its brazen title . unfortunately , the weakest part of kick-ass is , well , kick-ass himself .",
      "kick-ass is a compendium of all sleazy things , and it sings like a siren to our inner tarantinos .",
      "a fanboy 's kick-ass wet dream of a movie that could be a surprise spring smash . kick-ass has it all , the triumphant comic book movie fans have been waiting for .",
      "fanboy culture reaches an apogee of sloppy diminishing returns intended to clearly draw a dividing line between adult fanboy poseurs and the under-17 crowd who can only get into the r-rated picture with the accompaniment of said pandering grown-up .",
      "this ribald romp , thanks to its unrelenting violence , ultimately outstays its welcome .",
      "the film 's misjudged moments and uneven tone make it incapable of sweeping the audience away with the absurd , innocent exhilaration of the ` what if ' premise .",
      "the film is amusing , but it 's gaspingly inconsequential .",
      "an extremely funny , extremely violent , gloriously foul-mouthed and decidedly adult comic-book adventure that offers the most refreshing reboot of the genre since 2008 's hancock .",
      "defiantly irreverent and gleefully violent , kick-ass caters to its target audience without much regard for anyone else .",
      "MOV . it 's epic . intimate . genuine and genuinely messed-up .",
      "brazen , raucous and without a single politically correct moment from start to finish . and yes , it 's both wildly rude and great fun .",
      "the film may be titled kick-ass , but this is hit-girl 's movie all the way .",
      "kick-ass seems to have cult hit written all over it , except that in this interactive age , cults have gone mainstream . the box office should be massive .",
      "matthew vaughn and company turn the super hero image on its ear , reinventing the genre .",
      "the select audience it is aimed for will thoroughly enjoy it while the rest of us will suffer through it .",
      "kick-ass is only half right .",
      "the movie gives us good reason to ask why we 've become so accustomed to adults behaving like invulnerable comic-book characters in pretty much every action movie , even those with serious pretensions .",
      "certainly entertaining enough as an action film and it works well enough as a love story , but there are some serious problems with the dramatic portions of the film and its warped moral message .",
      "however the film also has major pacing issues , is pretty damned boring and saddles the audience with the least interesting character in the entire film , kick-ass . as a result i felt the film was simply o.k. when it could have been much , much better .",
      "the best comic book screen adaptation since the dark knight !",
      "it is n't terribly good , nor terribly fun , nor terribly anything - not even terribly violent , though you 've probably heard otherwise from an assortment of moral scolds .",
      "a couple of times , i was in the middle of thinking , `` they did not just do that , '' when i had to interrupt my own thoughts to think , `` ok , maybe they did just do it , but they did not just do that , too ! ''",
      "if you 're going to play this game , you have to keep doubling down . kick-ass ca n't . the fights never grow in complexity ; halfway through , the director has nothing to add .",
      "comic scribe mark millar and director matthew vaughn 's pitch-black love letter to the genre , wertham 's greatest fear is fully realized in an irresponsible blitzkrieg of irony-tinged fun .",
      "this film delivers on that fantasy with a world where bad guys are real and superheroes are geeky high school comic-book fans .",
      "a film that actually lives up to its title .",
      "an r-rated invitation to get in touch with your inner 8-year-old , `` kick-ass '' is some of the most cynical mainstream filmmaking i 've seen lately . from its high-school-dweeb-turned-superhero hero to its foul-mouthed-11-year-old-killing-machine heroine , it 's",
      "works early on while focusing on dave 's story , but big daddy defines the movie 's unpleasant soul .",
      "parental content review",
      "vaughn directs with efficiency and a good sense of action while johnson puts in an engaging turn that maintains sympathy and helps paper over some of the plot 's more jerky , episodic aspects .",
      "ever since early footage screened at comic-con last year , the buzz surrounding kick-ass has been building to fever-pitch ; for once , it 's thoroughly deserved , and then some .",
      "kick-ass succinctly deflates spider-man style solemnity : `` with no power comes no responsibility . '' it is blissfully , outrageously funny .",
      "vaughn 's witty verve , instinctive knack for bizarre counterpoint and sheer bravado speed the cartoon violence towards a manic action climax .",
      "kick-ass earns its name in every way .",
      "kick-ass wraps itself realism , promising to show us what it 's like when real people do what superheroes do , and then it turns into a cartoon .",
      "kick-ass kicks ass ! a rockin ' good ride ...",
      "the film is completely stolen by chloe grace moretz , who 's simultaneously adorable , foul-mouthed , hilarious and unspeakably violent ; her fight scenes are thrillingly shot and genuinely exciting to watch .",
      "fun and entertaining in all the ways a violent r-rated action flick should be , but its unfocused structure creates a lull that almost kills the movie .",
      "black comedy is one thing -lrb- and i like it well done -rrb- but this is far from that . sometimes shootings are intended to raise a laugh and sometimes the killings are in deadly earnest .",
      "watching this four-and-a-half-foot-tall schoolgirl -- a type that is usually the epitome of movie victimization -- rise up , lay waste to legions of bad guys , and battle to save the day should rouse everyone 's inner child to cheers of vindication .",
      "kick-ass gains significant momentum in its second half , once it abandons the arch origin-story material and starts staking a claim as a straight-up action flick .",
      "where do i stand on kick-ass ? on the fence , goggling with a mix of appalled fascination and guilty pleasure at the film 's dark comedy and over-the-top violence .",
      "... it feels fresh , with an edge about it that allows you to think anything can happen to any character at any time .",
      "fast , funny , and a hell of a lot of fun , vaughn 's film does , indeed , live up to the brash punch of its title .",
      "with its electrifying action sequences , a killer storyline and a maverick comic sensibility , the brilliance of MOV will hit those who want to see it like a thunderbolt .",
      "a tremendously fresh experience .",
      "if you want to get serious , you could say that kick-ass is the movie that could finally drag comic-books into the credible mainstream . but being serious is to miss the point of kick-ass completely .",
      "if you 're not too put-off by lots of violence and profanity , and enjoy a good action-filled popcorn flick , then chances are you 're going to love `` kick-ass . ''",
      "some movies are great art . plenty more are trash . but every so often , the stars align , the skies rain fish and you get a heaven-sent mix of the two .",
      "the real star of the film is young moretz , whose caped crusader `` hit girl '' is one of the baddest super heroes to grace the screen .",
      "the first great alternative to our superhero movie era , and one that comes dazzlingly , if a little frustratingly , close to perfection .",
      "most of the lessons in kick-ass are juvenile , but lordy are they stylishly told .",
      "both its plot and inconsistent message seem little more than an excuse to show us a man explode inside an industrial-strength microwave .",
      "a blast of fresh , anarchic , mischievous fun to a mainstream movie culture beholden to gimmicky special effects , belated sequels and diluted family films .",
      "orgazmo -lrb- minus the mormons and pornography -rrb- meets shoot 'em up . fun , not as plausible as you might like , and very , very dark .",
      "matthew vaughn , former guy ritchie producer , co-wrote and directed , and on this evidence is all flash and no flair .",
      "` kick-ass ' owns .",
      "smart , fast-moving , and deadly , this flick makes all the right moves as an adult tale of revenge sparked with black humor that is a hair-trigger removed from tragedy",
      "... there 's little doubt that moretz ultimately stands as the film 's most valuable asset ...",
      "with an overload of characters and contrasts and disconnects , kick-ass tears itself apart . and that leaves its ultra violence untenable .",
      "i know it 's all supposed to be tongue in cheek and lots of fun , but frankly this turned my stomach .",
      "the funniest , tongue-in-cheekiest , most outrageous version of a superhero ever .",
      "kick-ass is ultra-funny , ultra-silly and ultra-geeky , but what kick-ass mostly is , is monumentally cool - this is the film the kids will be swearing about .",
      "when filmmakers nudge a child into viewing savagery as slapstick , are we not allowing them to do what we condemn in the pornographer -- that is , to coarsen and inflame ?",
      "knowing , impatient , and prone to shuddering violence as both a substitute for plot and shorthand for exhilaration , kick-ass oozes a supreme confidence in the knowledge of its audience .",
      "by turns scathingly satiric and fan-boy celebratory , ridiculously violent and politically incorrect -lrb- at least when it comes to our notions of childhood -rrb- , kick-ass is an absolute hoot .",
      "rarely has a film lived up to its title so well !",
      "memorable performances from johnson , the terrifically weird cage and , especially , moretz as the nimble hit-girl , make this an underdog adventure that will have you laughing , gripping your armrest and bursting into applause .",
      "this is the ultimate fanboy product .",
      "it 's a star-making role for moretz , but everyone holds their own even in the face of their biggest enemy : lax pacing that makes this fun film drag and lurch .",
      "a film about wannabes who use attitude and bluster to emulate their inspirations , this ersatz blockbuster ends up seeming a little too much like its heroes .",
      "at some point it becomes exactly the big , boneheaded movie it was making fun of in the first place .",
      "despite flaws and inconsistencies , a geeky teen-superhero flick can be worth seeing .",
      "give vaughn his due - bubble-gum black comedy -lrb- from a mark millar comic -rrb- is a tough tone to manage , and he mostly hits the mark in kick-ass .",
      "a ridiculously entertaining , perfectly paced , ultra-violent cinematic rush that kicks the places other movies struggle to reach .",
      "you 'll laugh , you 'll cry , you 'll squeal in delight at the outrageous behaviour of a little girl in a purple cape . but most of all , you 'll wish that all superhero movies were like this .",
      "the fact that an 11-year-old is doing the killing -- shooting and stabbing bad guys -- all of whom die very bloodily -- will be understandably concerning for many .",
      "amazing , gory and immersive fight scenes ; punchy , side-splitting dialogue ; excellent acting and utter originality are just a few of the good things about this film .",
      "matthew vaughn lovingly brings the comic book series to the big screen with an unabashed geekiness that will delight anyone who has a favorite superhero .",
      "kick-ass is what spider-man would have looked like if it was directed by quentin tarantino using the cast of spy kids . in other words , pure awesome .",
      "it constantly and wittily skewers the superhero genre ; and yet at the same time , it 's an exhilarating example of it .",
      "quite simply the most successful comic adaptation to date , a flawless take on the rebellious punk sensibilities of the source .",
      "it 's so well made . each fight has its own personality . it 's not always visual , but it 's visceral .",
      "kick-ass offers some genuinely clever observations about the creation of celebrity in a world where viral video clips and latenight talkshow quips can turn attention seekers into overnight sensations -lrb- and inadvertent role models -rrb- .",
      "kick-ass 's punk rock full-throttle approach lends it a freshness and vigour that elevates it from the crowd .",
      "this adaptation of mark millar 's comic books has enough biting wit and bone crunching action to justify the title .",
      "this is the good stuff .",
      "a genre dress-up play date from hell .",
      "uma diversăo atípica : choca e provoca o riso na mesma medida , conseguindo também privilegiar seus personagens sem jamais sacrificar a história .",
      "finally , a comic-book superhero movie for people who are sick to death of comic-book superhero movies .",
      "a serviceable two hours with some entertaining moments ...",
      "it 's deeply immoral to turn a ten year old girl into the bride from `` kill bill '' and pretend it 's just a cartoon .",
      "kick-ass speaks volumes about where our entertainment is heading . we can either take noisy offense or go along for the grisly and giddy ride .",
      "beware , beware of films designed to tickle comic book guy 's undercarriage",
      "it does n't follow a formula , but ... there is a certain point in the movie where things do start to become a little conventional .",
      "kick-ass is being promoted like watchmen , from the writer of wanted , and while it has elements of both , it 's far more purely entertaining than either .",
      "i know this would never happen but chloe moretz deserves an oscar for her performance as hit-girl . the film perfectly balances graphic stylized violence with major laughs .",
      "it 's as if all the arguments about these hyper-violent films -- why they are so popular , what they have done to our culture -- are open for business in one convenient location .",
      "you can tell from scene 1 this was made by someone with vision and conviction , willing to risk offending some so he could wow others . this is no film-by-focus-group . thank god",
      "kick-ass is a guilty pleasure of the highest order , a guns-blazing , media-savvy superhero comedy designed to thrill geeks and outrage prudes .",
      "vaughn has the spirit and storytelling confidence to tweak superhero movies and in the process deliver a comic-book classic equal to the best of the bunch .",
      "a bizarre and ultimately self-sabotaging movie that defies categorization , kick-ass is at times cheap and cynical , while in other moments is ingenious and strangely noble .",
      "one of the greatest post-modern superhero movies of all time",
      "kick-ass has punk energy , ace action moves , and a winning sense of absurdist fun .",
      "after the deluge of huge , effects-laden superhero blockbusters that has dominated cinemas in the past decade , there 's something pleasing in seeing the modestly budgeted kick-ass come out of nowhere to provide more imagination and entertainment than almost",
      "should i be having this much fun watching an 11-year-old destroy her competition ? you know what , i think the answer is yes .",
      "an entertaining blend of action and comedy that , despite falling short of its ridiculously high expectations , delivers everything that was awesome about the comic and more .",
      "kick-ass starts with a big laugh and they do n't stop coming for two hours . the script is sharp , there are clever comic book graphics , a cool soundtrack and a satisfying ending .",
      "i definitely felt afterward like my ass had been kicked , but i 'd have preferred if my mind was even remotely roused at the same time .",
      "moretz will have audiences simultaneously cheering and speed-dialling the nspcc after her outlandish , terrifying and jaw-dropping performance as the pint-sized assassin .",
      "can this genre make fresh inroads ? ` kick-ass ' proposes an answer of sorts through a marriage of disney channel wholesomeness and the kind of foul-mouth dialogue and bloodletting that would make tarantino proud .",
      "complex , blackly funny , even ironic , this over-the-top slice of comic book mayhem is as entertaining as it is inventive - twisted and great fun .",
      "as long as kick-ass remains focused on dave and his exploits in and out of costume , it remains a clever modern riff on the classic marvel tale , like watching peter parker 's travails reimagined for napoleon dynamite . but this is only half the movie .",
      "i found it mighty painful sitting through all the bone crushing and blood-letting .",
      "aaron johnson 's the first real millennial superhero , a twerp with the ego of a titan",
      "pour les bonnes et les mauvaises raisons , nous devons bien reconnaître que l'opus de matthew vaughn porte fichtrement bien son nom .",
      "a pitch-perfect comic book and superhero homage that also works as a supremely enjoyable action film as well as wish fulfillment for wannabe superheroes of all ages",
      "no one moment is like any others , and for some this will prove simply exhausting , while for others it will be positively exhilarating .",
      "hit girl flips like a gymnast , curses like a sailor , kills like a maniac and ignites yet another useful if irresolvable debate on the limits of screen violence , the desensitization of the culture and the wisdom of exploiting children for entertainment .",
      "when the movie is cool , it 's very , very cool % u2014 and when it 's disturbing , it 's very , very disturbing .",
      "za nadati se je kako % u0107e filmski kriti % u010dari sprije % u010diti da MOV izazove kobne posljedice po generacije budu % u0107ih hrvata",
      "serving as kick-ass ' mentor , savior , and inspiration , hit girl is a perfect and perverse fantasy -- abused and abusive , tearfully vulnerable and ingeniously cruel .",
      "great gunslinging cinema creates icons , and the newest and tiniest of them all is hit girl .",
      "one of the best revenge flicks since kill bill , the badass kick-ass is packed with little pockets of awesomeness waiting to be activated .",
      "kick-ass slips into a groove most `` real '' comic book movies can only dream of .",
      "i started hating this movie around the midpoint .",
      "all is slick , stylish , well-made and totally amoral . the characters are amusing , the dialogue is racy .",
      "the promising setup and rousing climax of matthew vaughn 's film contradict each other and we walk away partly exhilarated but more with the nagging feeling that the questions it raises were never fully explored .",
      "kick-ass is n't dangerous , it 's juvenile ... like hearing a fourth-grader proudly detonate his first f-bomb in front of a teacher while his friends are watching .",
      "when a movie 's called `` kick-ass '' , the best you can hope for is that it lives up to its name . this one lives up to it , and then kicks its ass .",
      "what should have come across as a darkly funny riff on the likes of `` watchmen '' winds up coming across like `` hero at large '' with a significantly higher body count .",
      "johnson sports an inflexion-perfect american accent as the eponymous do-gooder and cage delivers his first decent performance for years , but it 's pint-sized moretz who steals the show .",
      "so in love with itself and its own supposed transgressions that it loses sight of the fact that it 's become the very thing it 's supposed to be taking down .",
      "let 's say you 're a big fan of the original comic book , and you think the movie does it justice . you know what ? you inhabit a world i am so very not interested in .",
      "kick-ass expertly blends side-splitting humor with bone-shattering action and the result is something endlessly entertaining . it will do for superheroes what zombieland did for the undead .",
      "taken on its own delightfully twisted terms , it is bold and uncompromising . it knows its audience , and delivers a fable for the ages , deliciously uncensored .",
      "hit-girl owns this film like she would own your ass if you ever stepped to her .",
      "fast , periodically spit-funny and often grotesquely violent , the film at once embraces and satirizes contemporary action-film clichés with tarantino-esque self-regard -- it 's the latest in giggles-and-guts entertainment .",
      "sitting through `` kick-ass '' is like seeing a tarantino movie for the first time . terrible things are happening , and yet , somehow , they 're breathtakingly funny .",
      "the film has the courage of its genre convictions . it does n't have even a whiff of market testing . it does everything on its own terms , and in this age of mcmansion movies , that 's a super accomplishment .",
      "simply put , kick-ass is a lot of fun , but it 's packed with edgy content .",
      "nicolas cage is a hoot , a hollar and a fright as damon mac ready , a.k.a. big daddy . how can he be otherwise ? he 's a good cop gone mad .",
      "while it 's by no means a perfect movie , it often feels like the purest distillation of adolescent male power fantasies ever portrayed on screen .",
      "the sensitive will surely faint in horror , but there 's something incredibly thrilling about a little girl who can mow down a room full of big men with big guns .",
      "just when you think it is no longer possible to subvert or reinvent an exhausted genre , something like kick-ass comes along to blow your presuppositions right out of the water .",
      "it 's an extreme dream that hilariously acknowledges its own ridiculousness every step of the way .",
      "kick-ass is some kind of twisted fun .",
      "this is the most brazenly funny bloodbath unleashed on the public since pulp fiction .",
      "a particularly timely story about civic-mindedness and the pursuit of fame .",
      "with a name like kick-ass , you know what you 're in for . or maybe you do n't , and that 's the beauty of this gloriously entertaining superhero satire .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- thinks it 's so brave and bold . but it 's more like the title character , a dweeb who just thinks he 's tough .",
      "the scenario may have pimples , but it does n't need braces .",
      "funny , unexpectedly violent romp lets a regular kid play superhero for a while .",
      "`` kick-ass '' is n't just broken by its flaws ... it 's flawed to start with , a hypocritical mess whose attempts to swagger turn into clumsy stumbling and whose knowing wink blinds it to its own problems .",
      "lurking beneath the flat panels of this adaptation lies a contemporary and sophisticated message about everything from free will to the ambient morality of popular culture .",
      "it dwells in some morally hazy netherworld that allows it to be , technically , pretty kick-ass without being all that much fun . heck , even bruce wayne had to go to the ninja academy .",
      "slick , savvy , ultra-violent send-up , offering a brazen , aptly-named counter-culture diversion .",
      "the movie just decided that thoughtlessness and splatter was its own reward . i 'm okay with that .",
      "defiantly irreverent and gleefully violent .",
      "kick-ass is so refreshingly iconoclastic , it 's a wonder it was made at all .",
      "never has a title been so true , so funny , and so simple as that of kick-ass .",
      "MOV is about as exciting as movies get . not just because it is a -lrb- mostly -rrb- anarchic splatter-fest that celebrates -lrb- nay , encourages -rrb- acts of ridiculous violence , but also the fact that it was made completely outside of the studio system .",
      "kick-ass is such an exciting , refreshing development in comic book filmmaking that i want to shout it from the rooftops",
      "your appreciation will depend in how much you can appreciate it 's utter wrongness as a twisted virtue .",
      "a bait-and-switch movie that lucks out because its switch is so much more appealing than its bait .",
      "america could probably use a good laugh just about now , what with all the problems plaguing this society . but the exploitation of children even if they are actors and the special effects are occasionally awesome , is way beyond just not cool .",
      "too often vaughn oversteps his mark when his stylised use of violence is played out as entertainment , with young moretz as the main attraction .",
      "the film is post-modern surgery into the superhero myth , driving a scalpel into the warped logic of misanthropic killers who masquerade as civic do-gooders .",
      "a mosh pit of a comic-book movie that dares you to dive into its anarchy .",
      "what do these characters consider worthy of killing and dying for ? that a protagonist lacks superpowers is no reason for him to lack motivation , conviction , or purpose .",
      "amounts to a bunch of clever stuff uselessly circling a void ; a superhero comedy without compelling heroes , villains , or subtext .",
      "i expected some comedy , some teen angst , some great stunts , and i got them , oh yes . i did not expect mob bosses , crazed double crosses , intense and squibbulous violence , a classic revenge plot , and a pretty decent little love story.if this is even close t",
      "a fun experience and one of the best representations of the genre put to the big screen yet .",
      "funny and full of energy .",
      "here , the power is an extra dose of the hallmarks of adolescence-an affect of ennui about everything but smashing through limits and a sense of irony about everything but sex .",
      "surprisingly , kick-ass is the least interesting character in the movie",
      "prepare for amazement : this thing makes nicolas cage cool again .",
      "suggested subtitle : iron man , you just got served .",
      "kick-ass is a gloriously bloodthirsty action romp that is funny , violent and stunningly entertaining .",
      "despite the violence and the swearing , kick-ass has something you do n't usually see in superhero films : charm .",
      "action and comedy is no new cocktail , but there 's something striking about the particular blend in kick-ass .",
      "based on the comic of the same name , MOV combines elements of superhero films , dark comedies and strong action flicks , and it does them extremely well .",
      "director matthew vaughn has made an action comedy so bloody funny -- double emphasis on bloody -- fans might need to see it again just to catch the gags they missed from laughing so hard the first time .",
      "never as shocking as it thinks it is , as funny as it should be , or as engaged in cultural critique as it could be .",
      "doing for superheroes what lock , stock and two smoking barrels did for gangsters , kick-ass is colourful , irreverent , tarantino-ish fun , especially when the brilliantly oddball cage is on screen .",
      "vaughn has provided an imperfect but still wickedly hilarious take on mark millar 's deconstruction of superhero mythos .",
      "a bawdy , bone-crunching , often hilarious , somewhat uneven action comedy brimming with outrageously vulgar jokes .",
      "i wo n't bore you with the plot . just go , ok ?",
      "kick-ass is a rabid puppy of a movie , energetically bounding off the screen and into your lap , where it proceeds to chew off your face .",
      "a wonderfully unlikely amalgam of hong kong-era john woo and shaolin soccer/kung fu hustle-era stephen chow",
      "more intelligent cinema-goers -- or perhaps just those who like their bloodshed well done -- will love every minute , relishing the jet-black humour and drinking in the tom and jerry-style violence .",
      "among the heavy hitters of the superhero genre , it may not be the biggest , but kick-ass is definitely the brightest , and it may just be the best ."
    ],
    "summary": "not for the faint of heart , kick-ass takes the comic adaptation genre to new levels of visual style , bloody violence , and gleeful profanity .",
    "id": "770786150"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beware_of_mr_baker",
    "reviews": [
      "you 'll love the idea that someone like this deserves a movie , but with the whole of heavy metal in his debt , the honor is merited and handled with honesty .",
      "in spite of bulger 's errors of tone , the movie stands as an engaging tussle with the question of what is permissible with the excuse of art .",
      "the rock documentary to be seen by all those who swore they would never see another .",
      "ginger baker 's perpetual enigma makes for a documentary subject both beguiling and inaccessible , receding and aggressing .",
      "this intense , imaginative and wild little film celebrates an unrepentant madman , one of rock 'n' roll 's surprise survivors , drummer ginger baker .",
      "if clapton was god , guess who was the devil ?",
      "the hectic , wild life of the greatest rock 'n' roll drummer of them all is exposed in this absorbing documentary , which succeeds almost in spite of itself .",
      "miserable individuals do tend to make for interesting subject matter , and this would be far more of a dry biography without its willfully eccentric lead .",
      "the movie salutes the rhythms and the wreckage .",
      "the life story of a man who 's led one hell of a fascinating life .",
      "by turns sad and darkly comedic , but never less than mesmerizing -- a moving and morally conflicted portrait of a true questing spirit .",
      "a fascinating rockumentary that pays tribute to its subject 's impressive musical odyssey , while illustrating the enormous emotional costs he 's incurred along the way .",
      "a juicy slice of rock history .",
      "it 's refreshing to watch a music doc , especially one with such intimate access to its subject , in which barely anyone is unreservedly polite about the person in question .",
      "i watched beware of mr. baker and longed for the time when rock was good , musicians were gods , and good god , the parties and the playing were species of their own .",
      "this straightforward yet insightful documentary pays tribute to its subject without resorting to hagiography .",
      "ginger baker is , and was , a train wreck . yet this film , like baker 's onstage playing , is always riveting , and something you ca n't look away from .",
      "ginger baker has been revealed as a major talent , an innovator and an unlikely survivor . and a not very nice guy .",
      "the takeaway : great musician , deficient family man , taxing friend and bandmate , excellent documentary subject .",
      "`` beware of mr. baker '' is comprehensive , if somewhat overly glowing .",
      "any movie that starts with the subject assaulting the director -lrb- baker smacks plucky first-timer jay bulger squarely in the face with his cane -rrb- is already ahead of the game .",
      "lots of surprises and unusual brio ... in sorting out decades of stories and confusing points of view -lsb- with -rsb- visual documentation . very entertaining .",
      "the madman of rock drumming has n't mellowed . or croaked . that 's two miracles attached to ginger baker 's name .",
      "deftly presented , with appropriate respect for the past but a clear sense of intellectual curiosity mixed with editorial detachment , one need not fear from the warnings about mr. baker , as long as you duck from the swings of his cane .",
      "bulger tries , unconvincingly , to paint baker as a difficult but admirable rebel . the lingering question in the documentary is whether his musical accomplishments were worth the trail of damage .",
      "it gives baker his musical props while at the same time demonstrating the film 's title is no exaggeration .",
      "although it hits many of the same notes as other recent musical docs , beware of mr. baker nevertheless does a satisfactory job of capturing a restless personality .",
      "even if you have no special interest in baker 's music , he 's a compelling and witty subject .",
      "this is warts and all , with the emphasis on the warts .",
      "`` beware of mr. baker '' argues that when an artist consistently delivers amazement , broken beaks and busted relationships are a fair price to pay .",
      "a bizarre and irreverent if slightly repetitive portrait of picaresque drum legend ginger baker .",
      "colorful , loud doc digs into the peculiar life of one of rock 's most bombastic drummers .",
      "wild , funny and richly textured audio-visual treat of a film ... appealing to some for the same reasons other foul-mouthed , curmudgeonly subjects make for entertaining docs",
      "it 's not easy to get past the shield of celebrity , and it 's even harder to get past a persona as permanently entrenched as this one to see something genuine and unguarded , and that 's what we get here .",
      "mr. bulger ... does not let `` behind the music '' sensationalism overwhelm the music itself , which is mr. baker 's great passion and the only reason anyone should take an interest in him .",
      "jay bulger 's seemingly erratic doc formally channels ginger baker 's almost defiant refusal to lead a life that adheres to a linear narrative .",
      "when a documentary begins with its subject using his crutch to deliver a vicious blow to the director 's nose , it 's reasonably safe to expect less-than-smooth sailing ahead .",
      "exceptional . jay bulger 's warts-and-all documentary about one of the world 's most enigmatic drummers is as vibrant as its musically prodigious subject .",
      "searingly honest and ultimately deeply moving , this is a fascinating portrait of notoriously antisocial former cream drummer ginger baker , now 73 and still raging .",
      "it 's all insanely enjoyable .",
      "entertaining documentary about the notoriously cantankerous drummer ...",
      "an interesting character study interspersed with classic rock , jazz and afrobeat clips . nothing more , but certainly nothing less .",
      "we are always being told that books and movies have to have `` sympathetic '' lead characters - well , here 's a documentary that does very well without one .",
      "it 's a broadly forgiving portrait of an impossible , irascible talent , who seems to have treated life much like his instrument .",
      "bleakly entertaining , MOV neither eulogises nor patronises its subject ; one day -lrb- though possibly not soon -rrb- , baker may take it upon himself to say thanks .",
      "with no preconceptions , i found this to be one of the films of the year - an extraordinary story about an even more astonishing talent .",
      "the constantly gripping film is adroitly assembled .",
      "an entertaining doc on the volatile but great jazz and rock drummer , the controversial london born ginger baker ."
    ],
    "summary": "free of the hagiographic overtones that dog many documentary profiles , beware of mr. baker presents a clear-eyed , thoroughly gripping look at one of rock 's greatest -- and most personally problematic -- musicians .",
    "id": "771270443"
  },
  {
    "movie": "urban_legend",
    "reviews": [
      "desperate to devise a finale sure to stun , writer silvio horta concocts several and runs them back to back . the result drove a sneak preview audience to scream alright , first in gales of disbelieving laughter and then for their money back .",
      "takes a promising premise and runs it through a predictable meat grinder of idiocy .",
      "a low-voltage drive-in movie , made strictly by the book .",
      "a deeply stupid film .",
      "a routine slasher , and not a particularly scary one .",
      "it 's just the old-fashioned , yikes-this-stinks variety .",
      "can we please declare a moratorium on scream rip-offs ?",
      "another deranged , but anonymous killer on the rampage story .",
      "the gimmicky premise keeps this tension-filled scarefest afloat .",
      "if the makers of MOV had even a shred of honesty or decency in them , the title would be horror film cliches .",
      "manages somehow to be rather endearing .",
      "obviamente , ` lógica ' é uma palavra que o roteirista silvio horta dispensou neste trabalho .",
      "reprehensible and laughable .",
      "plot sense is not the top priority when selling a horror movie to 14-year-olds , so it will do well .",
      "like frankenstein 's monster before the lightning strikes , it 's all recycled cold flesh and bolts , without a twitch of originality .",
      "watchable ... -lsb- but -rsb- a time-waster , with an insulting ending that unfortunately takes it down a few pegs . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "this is just another post-scream fest desperately in need of a gimmick to distinguish -lsb- itself -rsb- .",
      "it 's surely not the worst slasher film ever made , but it wastes the hint of creativity it promises from the outset .",
      "the makers of MOV stock their film with so many one-dimensional , cookie-cutter stereotypes that its potential for exploiting deep-seated fears gets numbed .",
      "the concept is sound , but it 's gruesomely marred in the execution .",
      "as interesting as the MOV premise is , it 's not enough to sustain the movie .",
      "competently made !",
      "one of the very best of the recent slasher offerings because it mixes its laughs and chills with more smoothness and grace than usual .",
      "... competently directed , but imagine what a director like david fincher could have done with a script like this .",
      "a proud product of the scream cookie-cutter !",
      "fun if you like this kind of thing !",
      "as horror movies and first directing efforts go , MOV offers decent suspense and a few genuine jolts .",
      "this lurid trifle is actually fun on a trashy level !",
      "those of us with brain cells , however , will spit out this scream retread like it was spider-egg-laced bubble gum .",
      "it 's just a weary sigh over how scream 's juicy archness has already turned into boilerplate .",
      "attractively shot , and well-paced , but remains pretty standard fare .",
      "someone took their love of urban legends one step too far !",
      "spottily directed and lacking the dubious merits of even the friday the 13th franchise .",
      "unimaginative !",
      "a teen-age moviegoer 's dream ."
    ],
    "summary": "elements of scream reappear in a vastly inferior vehicle .",
    "id": "14372"
  },
  {
    "movie": "faculty",
    "reviews": [
      "williamson 's take-it-apart-and-put-it-back-together stitchmanship has become an arduous borefest .",
      "the MOV consistently draws attention to its own ill-joined cracks and seams .",
      "the MOV succeeds as a youth-oriented shocker due to director , editor , and frequent camera-operator robert rodriguez 's provocative eye and frantic pacing .",
      "surely is n't perfect , but it 's a solid genre offering from robert rodriguez .",
      "a zesty , charming sci-fi horror-thriller with better performances and far better production values than you 'd expect .",
      "the kevin williamson formula -lrb- rewrite familiar horror scenarios and have the characters note the familiarity -rrb- has gotten to be a bore , and in this case it makes no sense .",
      "a crappy teen horror movie , but in director robert rodriguez 's hands it 's at least agreeably crappy .",
      "this smart , involving sci-fi picture , set in an ohio high school , pays homage to several genre faves , notably invasion of the body snatchers and the thing .",
      "a moviegoer looking for an empty-headed waste of time could do worse .",
      "the sci-fi/horror genre could take a lesson from `` the MOV . ''",
      "all the students were stereotypes .",
      "what could have been an interesting update of body snatchers for the teen crowd becomes a very bland robert a. heinlein 's the breakfast club .",
      "a decidedly average film with flashes of inspiration .",
      "if you have the feeling you 've been here before , you have .",
      "since the codes of science fiction are different from horror 's cant , the patented williamson method does n't make a perfect fit with the material ; MOV 's fun , but less fun than it could be .",
      "the MOV is a witty deconstruction of sci-fi movies - and a bloody good time at the movies .",
      "rodriguez puts his money into the predictable place - special effects - and you wonder where the imagination went .",
      "be ashamed , kevin williamson . be very ashamed .",
      "another smart and pop-culturally hip film from williamson .",
      "will there a bigger , better blast of pure , unpretentious , popcorn entertainment this holiday season ? not bloody likely .",
      "just whiskers away from being really snazzy , `` the MOV '' still manages to make for a fun night out ."
    ],
    "summary": "rip-off of other sci-fi thrillers .",
    "id": "13701"
  },
  {
    "movie": "kicking_and_screaming",
    "reviews": [
      "ferrell polishes his screen image as an oversized , oversensitive man-boy out of place in the adult world , and duvall does a low-comedy , geriatric variation of his great santini character .",
      "the problem is that in turning phil into a win-at-all-costs coach , they rob the movie of much of its humor .",
      "silly , mindless and derivative , but duvall brings some bite to the proceedings and ferrell is dependably amusing .",
      "stop me if you 've heard this before .",
      "even a soccer-savvy audience has better things to do -- like instilling unsportsmanlike behavior in their kids or sabotaging rival teams .",
      "both duvall and mike ditka , who plays himself and helps coach phil 's team , spend too much of the movie on the bench , and while they 're there , the jokes run thin .",
      "tired rehash of every bad kiddie-sports movie ever made .",
      "presents an almost human side of will ferrell . and you know what ? he 's funnier than ever playing a regular guy . or , at least , trying to .",
      "most of the time , -lsb- the kids -rsb- go along . most of the time we do , too .",
      "it 's not pleasant watching ferrell try so hard for the kind of laughs that have come so easily to him in the past .",
      "as lazy , bloated and tv-screen - friendly as shameless promos come .",
      "trapped inside the seemingly harmless veneer of a pg-rated kid 's movie lies a mischievous little devil of a film ...",
      "kicking & screaming is a worthwhile family film in a season full of sin . but this one scores on an error .",
      "ferrell is one of the film 's few bright lights . it 's a shame to hide that subversive beacon under a bushel of dully inspirational sports movie cliches .",
      "it just plods along , harmless but lifeless , going exactly where you think it 's going .",
      "sit in a room by yourself , look at a blank screen for 90 minutes , and you 'll have more of a chance of laughing at your own thoughts than you will at this movie .",
      "even by the low standards of formulaic sports comedies , this one comes up short .",
      "if you 're into will ferrell .",
      "dylan ... favors loud sound , loud images , loud everything -- only the laughs are muted .",
      "as phil starts to lose it , ferrell commandeers the movie .",
      "ferrell fiddles with different kinds of jokes as if he were trying on shoes .",
      "ferrell sticks with it , MOV indeed , distracting us with his good-natured mugging until enough ` it 's - not-about-winning ' lessons to fill a sequel are pounded home .",
      "kicking & screaming is barely worth the effort it takes to think of synonyms for ` bad . '",
      "MOV manages the difficult job of being a family comedy that will appeal equally to children and their elders .",
      "what could have been a third-rate knockoff of the bad news bears instead emerges as just about its equal .",
      "most agonizing is the sting of watching ferrell , after -lrb- his -rrb- witty performances in elf and melinda & melinda , revert to the same old one-note , dim-bulb clowning .",
      "just watching ferrell pull faces -lrb- for lack of a better term -rrb- is hilarious .",
      "... you may not get more than you thought , but it delivers exactly what you think it will .",
      "thank god for coffee , which provides the only caffeinated jolt to the otherwise deflated MOV .",
      "laughs-wise , it lacks the raucous edge of an old school or anchorman or the retro charm of an elf , but there 's still plenty of will-power to fuel this likable underdog trifle .",
      "it 's not quite as good as elf but it has enough laughs for kids and for adults -- not always the same ones -- to make it a pleasant enough 95 minutes ...",
      "relatively harmless fun , although it does make you wish ferrell would do more risky , rule-bending work .",
      "a by-the-numbers mixture of slapstick and sentiment that not only invites the comic to indulge his worst instincts but totally depends on them .",
      "kicking & screaming seems to be exactly what you 'd expect - a bad news bears with soccer moms .",
      "ferrell scores a few goals , but could use a few assists .",
      "it 's just subversive enough to keep the adults chuckling , and the kids , well , they 'll just love the darn thing .",
      "ferrellman does n't so much adjust to the adult world around him as he makes it bend to his stubborn , outrageous will .",
      "with will ferrell infusing his comic brilliance into the proceedings , at least you know you wo n't be dragged out of the theater kicking & screaming .",
      "as boring and repetitive as the sport of soccer itself .",
      "like air conditioning , it may be recycled , but it 's still cool and , in its way , refreshing .",
      "ferrell 's unique delivery keeps sagging jokes afloat .",
      "ferrell does n't just save this junk -- he rules it .",
      "even the intermittent laughs undermine kicking and its winning-isn ` t-everything message . according to the plot , competition makes phil insufferable . according to ferrell 's performance , it makes him hilarious .",
      "comedy is not stupid , and stupid is not funny . this is not a funny movie ; it 's a stupid movie .",
      "pure hollywood formula , but ferrell is as funny as ever .",
      "will ferrell is one funny guy .",
      "kicking & screaming gives us ferrell in top form . as the mentor to a squad of hapless 10-year-olds , he 's the least mature person on the field .",
      "a likable but labored situation comedy skewed heavily toward the situation .",
      "MOV feels as if it were callously vomited out by a machine , along with a couple of spare parts and some putrid grease .",
      "... kicking & screaming is not very good .",
      "will ferrell cria um personagem carismático a partir de um roteiro burocrático e , no processo , consegue divertir e levar o espectador a se envolver com a história .",
      "mostly useless",
      "kicking & screaming succeeds because it understands its target audience , refraining from playing it too cute or crude . though predictable , it 's well executed .",
      "the picture is a little about soccer , a little about parenting , and a lot about laughing . mike ditka shows up and delivers a kick-butt performance .",
      "will ferrell has become the most unlikely embodiment of wholesome family fun since fred macmurray gave up film noir for my three sons .",
      "if this footy film was in a league it would be languishing at the bottom of the vauxhall conference .",
      "director jesse dylan , desperate to avoid yawns , flails madly with staging , editing , slow motion -- any trick he can think of , whether it fits or works or not .",
      "is this all there is to ferrell 's career ? mediocre comedies , and wasted talent ?",
      "kids-and-sports films are usually a hit-and-miss , but here the combination is funny , irreverent and , thankfully , not condescending .",
      "the title actually describes the jock-ular bad behavior of the fathers , not the kids .",
      "there are some who will call this movie horrible . i will not disagree with them . and there are some who will call it hilarious . again , i will not disagree .",
      "there 's just nobody funnier than will ferrell .",
      "does for soccer what the royals do for baseball .",
      "a formulaic sports movie , `` MOV '' wo n't have fans cheering in the aisles .",
      "relies too much on farrell 's shtick and the `` ooohh , cute kids '' factor , so it does n't even try in the script department . insert sports cliche here . insert sight gag there .",
      "prévisible , facile et absolument pas réaliste , le film offre néanmoins beaucoup de rires et un certain charme .",
      "a will ferrell cinematic playground . sit back and enjoy .",
      "they had to pull me MOV into the theater .",
      "a so-so family sports comedy that aims a weak satirical kick at the divided soul of the american middle-class dad , as personified by will ferrell .",
      "ferrell 's ideally suited to man-boy characters , and that 's what phil weston is .",
      "ferrell 's shtick is his imperishable innocence .",
      "crushingly inept family comedy .",
      "if anyone tries to get you to go to kicking & screaming , do just that .",
      "something happens halfway through the movie : star will ferrell cuts loose ... suddenly , we 're in a cauldron of blood and coffee and gatorade .",
      "an entertaining family movie , and may serve a useful purpose if it inspires kids to overthrow their coaches and take over their own sports .",
      "there 's few revelations , but it 's pleasantly handled and swiftly executed . kids will love it , and there 's enough laughs to sustain their parents .",
      "it never quite takes off .",
      "kicking & screaming may be the official end to the will ferrell rolling thunder of funny tour .",
      "the movie has some laughs while you are watching it , but it 's not a film that wears very well . the more you think about it ; the stupider it becomes .",
      "kicking & screaming delivers what it promises , but it 's time to promise something better .",
      "an immensely likable if somewhat toothless family film in which even the notorious mike ditka comes across as a stuffed panda bear .",
      "unfortunately , the film delivers exactly what it promises .",
      "... the movie feels like a poor man 's updated bad news bears ... an uneventful state of mind soaked in absolute mediocrity .",
      "if farrell 's caffeine-crazed commands to his team net a few laughs , the pg rating guarantees a sugar-coated ending at the whistle .",
      "there 's too little connection to care if these caricatures transcend underdog status .",
      "as always , will ferrell earns laughs through his total commitment to the material .",
      "dylan has to rely on ferrell 's manic energy to keep kicking & screaming a step ahead of ladybugs in the youth soccer movie pantheon .",
      "... barely watchable .",
      "enjoyment depends entirely on your level of admiration for ferrell 's comic persona , the manic zeal that drove ` anchorman ' and ` elf ' to occasionally inspired heights of lunacy",
      "a zero , but the title describes how the audience is likely to react , perfectly .",
      "it 's will ferrell yelling at little kids ! what could go wrong ?",
      "it plays to ferrell 's strengths : his everyman normality , as well as his gift for silly , merry lunacy .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- neffectual loser manchild ferrell is up to his usual schtick here , and no ` joke ' is too inevitable or obvious .",
      "kicking & screaming has an idea , and little more . well , an idea and will ferrell 's slavish comedic devotion . and these days ... that 's apparently all you need .",
      "the kind of movie that makes you wonder why anyone would even bother making it in the first place .",
      "this is no bend it like burgundy .",
      "a mostly flat-footed comedy -lrb- that -rrb- also incorporates liberal doses of the slapsticky-sentimental hogwash that was once jerry lewis ' calling card .",
      "kicking & screaming will keep ferrell 's fans in line and probably families in even longer ones .",
      "some scenes are just silly , others are dead-on uproarious .",
      "will ferrell is always entertaining , even in lesser roles like this one . painless to sit through once , but offers nothing of value to be worth ever seeing again .",
      "a good script is the most essential ingredient for a good movie . hiring a comedian is n't enough .",
      "duvall , not to mention ditka , does not a comedy make .",
      "an immensely likable , funny comedy that finds a novel approach to that familiar combo of kids and sports .",
      "as the coffee-fueled phil lurches further and further over the edge of soccer coach impropriety , you can sense ferrell struggling to break through the lame script",
      "MOV is hardly original , but it delivers what 's to be expected - some typical ferrell shtick , a bit of family-oriented common sense and an object lesson in how not to coach a kids ' team .",
      "kicking & screaming is yet another low-budget , high-concept vehicle for will ferrell to say and do dumb stuff , throw hissy-fits , get punched in the face , and find redemption -lrb- as both a dad and a son -rrb- .",
      "it 's only the 20 priceless minutes near the end -- when ferrell breaks out of the wimpy-dad routine and outruns director and writers to gloriously over-the-top heights -- that elevate this film from dreadful to mediocre .",
      "... as entertaining as watching your neighbor 's kid 's soccer game , not because you want to , but because you have to .",
      "... utterly and almost painfully routine .",
      "it 's a good way to waste a couple of hours .",
      "... works to the extent that it does only because of ferrell .",
      "there 's nothing very new here as far as plot and characters , but the charm is in the way they 're presented .",
      "plenty of chuckles and charm to keep the ball rolling .",
      "ferrell 's a gamer who does what he can , but he has little support .",
      "there 's nothing remotely original in this goofy kids ' sports movie , but at least the script adds a refreshingly funny zing .",
      "come for the ferrell psychoanalysis , stay for the ditka .",
      "once phil 's repressed indignities emerge as a caffeine-fueled rage that makes ditka tremble , kicking & screaming shoves ferrell into the wacky-land where he excels .",
      "an embarrassment of a movie that shows how deliriously unfunny the former saturday night live star can be with sub-par material .",
      "does n't quite deliver the comedy goods , but it plays well in spurts and , thanks to ferrell , remains slightly off-kilter .",
      "the sort of almost-there family movie for which half-stars exist in ratings .",
      "-lsb- ferrell 's -rsb- humor is cut off at the knees by sloppy editing , a tedious pace and an underwhelming payoff .",
      "rather shakily directed by jesse -lrb- son of bob -rrb- dylan , who possibly knows something about larger-than-life fathers .",
      "there are some funny moments , mostly with the kids , but a lot of this comedy falls as flat as a deflated soccer ball .",
      "a limping string of laboured sight gags and sentimental clichés .",
      "the sound of will ferrell on autopilot .",
      "with a formula film , you have to have just the right ingredients to make it work . in the case of kicking & screaming , that 's will ferrell .",
      "the most amazing thing about will ferrell is that he can make absolutely nothing funny .",
      "... a formulaic bad news bears rip-off that at least features some good-natured charm to compensate for its flat script and cartoonish tendencies .",
      "there are a few broad laughs and ferrell is everything you would expect him to be - irritating , occasionally amusing and sometimes inspired",
      "this is n't the worst setup for a kiddie comedy , but it proves that ferrell alone ca n't carry a film .",
      "gets the job done for its core audience of tots % u2014and for no one else .",
      "robert duvall is superb -lrb- his love of football is well-documented -rrb- and seems to really enjoy playing a comic variation of his sports-obsessed father in the classic the great santini .",
      "iron mike is phenomenal ! MOV is not .",
      "... a rather schizophrenic movie ; groaningly familiar around the edges but with a pair of frighteningly unpredictable monsters at the centre .",
      "sounds bad , does n't it ?",
      "ferrell 's a funny guy , that much is true , and his frequent adlibbing is always preferable to the scripted humour he delivers , but he 's just not right to lead a film like this ."
    ],
    "summary": "the script is mediocre and fails to give ferrell a proper comedic showcase .",
    "id": "11"
  },
  {
    "movie": "i_am_legend",
    "reviews": [
      "the exacting demands of filmgoing audiences have finally drawn out the heart of this book . -lrb- disclosure : i have not read it , but now am willing to . for the antidote to this impulse , see the omega man . -rrb- adding a dog probably did n't hurt either .",
      "eerie and breathtakingly evocative , the solid MOV nevertheless tries to be too many things to too many people , weighed down with cheap horror-film shock effects and barely passable cgi , instead of trusting in its legitimately captivating",
      "i would n't dream of giving away the ending , but it 's not likely to satisfy either the action crowd or matheson fans .",
      "the monsters are routine cgi creations , crudely animated and unconvincing . in a film of such visual majesty and surprisingly weighty drama , they present an unfortunate and needless distraction .",
      "if a horror movie is of true holy-bejesus caliber , you should be exhaling with relief at the end instead of thinking , ` gee , that went fast ! '",
      "... a triumph of set design and cgi over story line or credibility .",
      "MOV is far from a feel-good film ; it 's a familiar -lrb- for fans of stephen king 's the stand or heston 's omega man -rrb- post-apocalyptic adventure rife with chills and hopelessness .",
      "when they do , banging their heads against plate glass as movie zombies always do , i started needing something else to think about .",
      "with `` MOV , '' will smith has accomplished what tom hanks did back in 2000 : effectively star in a movie that involves very little interaction with other human counterparts .",
      "will smith shows some promise trying to find a cure for a horrific virus , but somehow the plot becomes shrek , bob marley and god trying to save the world .",
      "the pulp ironies grow so crude and deafening that despite its scattered virtues , MOV leaves you emotionally parched and aesthetically ticked-off .",
      "MOV is a blockbuster like no other , one that finds its grandness in modesty . it 's a star vehicle with a star who knows his place in the universe .",
      "the stunning set pieces -lrb- the production cleared and dressed the streets of new york for every outdoor scene -rrb- serve as the backdrop to smith 's rending performance as a man struggling against guilt , hope , and god .",
      "MOV is actually about the last man on earth played by one of the last real movie stars on earth .",
      "for about three quarters of its running time , i was thinking this could be one of the very best movies of the year .",
      "each successive development in the increasingly ludicrous narrative saps a little more of the goodwill engendered by the early scenes .",
      "the herky-jerky script , by mark protosevich and akiva goldsman , favors vignettes and set pieces over dramatic development , and those damned zombies are everywhere , overwhelming the proceedings with their slobbering and howling .",
      "in the infantile prioritizing that occurs when hollywood wants to be ` inspirational , ' the hero 's everyman crisis of religious faith is supposed to be as important to audiences as his struggle to save humanity from extinction .",
      "i admire the intent of mr. smith , who has made it his mission to mix escapist fare with socially relevant material . legend seems to split the difference and land in the middle of nowhere . that 's a lonely place for moviegoers to be .",
      "the movie works well while it 's running , although it raises questions that later only mutate in our minds .",
      "even as an incredibly expensive hunk of eye candy , the film comes up surprisingly short .",
      "` nothing worked the way it was supposed to work ! ' will smith rages from his solitary hell in MOV , yet this remarkable sci-fi thriller works a lot better than anyone could have expected .",
      "smith has delivered the popcorn movie of this holiday season .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- lawrence is pretty good at the spectacular stuff . and he 's smart enough to let smith be smith . but there 's only so much you can do with cgi monsters that do n't seem right for this kind of sci-fi scenario .",
      "-lsb- smith 's -rsb- powerful performance is not enough to save the movie -- initially a potent meditation on loneliness and an absorbing doomsday action movie -- from taking a wrong turn and never getting back on track .",
      "it 's in the last half-hour that MOV imports new elements that both propel the story to its explosive climax and just are n't as compelling as the day-in-the-life story that preceded it .",
      "for all the straining efforts of the star and overheated action and warmed-over emotionalism , this is a grim and flat and too often listless film .",
      "the vampires are n't a particularly inspiring creation -- all pale and hairless and red-eyed -- but director francis lawrence gets some great effects out of new york itself .",
      "will smith passes a big test -- let 's call it the tom hanks-in-cast away test -- for any movie star : carrying a movie alone for most of the way .",
      "MOV , despite its glumness , ultimately feels like a watered-down version of more thoughtful doomsday movies like children of men , or sunshine or 28 days later . or 28 weeks later .",
      "will smith 's astounding one man show is never less than physically and emotionally shattering , from moment to gripping moment . think an inconvenient truth : the last sequel . ever . and give the man a couple of awards a stiff drink .",
      "lawrence 's film is probably the most fun audiences will likely have during this holiday season . but it 's also the emptiest and most calculated of efforts ...",
      "pg-13 thrills to placate more easily placated genre fans , while serving up will smith in a variant on cast away with a dog to talk to rather than a volley ball .",
      "the end result is an eerie , creepy , doomsday-laden film with plenty of thrills % u2013 and for anyone so inclined , a smattering of metaphors that pass comment on the human condition .",
      "a tidy post-apocalyptic thriller starring the increasingly impressive will smith .",
      "MOV sees smith deliver a surprisingly moving performance as he wanders empty new york streets going slowly ga-ga .",
      "will smith plays robert neville robbed of most of his anguish and his advancing madness . some of the visual images are nice .",
      "` MOV ' may boil down to a zombie flick with a religious motif , yet it entertains the way a popcorn movie should .",
      "will smith is in prime form .",
      "almost unrelievedly grim and increasingly tedious as it goes along , with a third act that stumbles badly and a coda that 's speciously uplifting .",
      "the film descends into a monster-movie malaise starring a horde of balding cgi monsters that look like refugees from a video game and that will scare absolutely no one , save those who worry that green-screening is ruining the movies .",
      "... the film is well-done , a case of suspenseful competence trumping questionable relevance .",
      "a largely terrific , meanly gripping movie ... nearly upended by the use of some noticeably lousy cgi effects . ditch the computers , slather some greasepaint on some extras , and we 'd be talking a minor classic .",
      "reasonably absorbing .",
      "whether he 's attempting to maintain his sense of bravado or glimpsing his complete and total despair , smith nails the character brilliantly .",
      "even with smith acting up a storm , what starts out as a potentially fascinating picture about an apocalyptic plague soon devolves into yet another special-effects laden zombie movie .",
      "superlative fright-fest featuring will smith at the top of his game as the last human survivor in a manhattan full of night-dwelling mutants .",
      "the first half , the sci-fi part , is fine ; the second , the same ol' undead horror segment , is tune-out time .",
      "a fun movie . it 's a popcorn thriller providing some alternative fare for genre fans during the drama-heavy awards season .",
      "the demands of 21st century hollywood strain the story . it 's big and exciting , but not very smart .",
      "inevitably , ideas give way to special-effects",
      "it 's a better-than-average blockbuster , which sweeps around some large ideas and interesting themes , but never delves for long enough to make this film a true classic .",
      "this is no graphic shoot - 'em - up but an intelligent , if sometimes sentimental , exploration of human decency and responsibility that ponders the limits of rationality and faith .",
      "MOV is three film genres for the price of one : science fiction , action , and horror , and while it 's no classic in any one arena it remains edgy fun .",
      "smith turns in a terrific performance , nailing neville 's angst while allowing room for humor .",
      "there are some good points , but there are too many ineffectual aspects that keep MOV from being the sophisticated film it was clearly meant to be .",
      "for everything that is good about it , though , MOV struggles against two primary problems .",
      "smith still manages to find something touching and occasionally even tragic in the character .",
      "the movie is simply okay . not awful , not great . definitely beneath smith 's abilities , though .",
      "it left me highly entertained , since out of the original story the filmmakers have created a different , but exciting and tense story filled with action , suspense and a lead character you can truly care about .",
      "go for the thrills , for some nerve-gnawing suspense , for the wonderful production design and for the opportunity to spend some time with will smith . but this one is not the stuff of legend .",
      "for the most part , MOV delivers the kind of eerie suspense that will bring joy to the world of casual horror fans everywhere .",
      "lawrence 's direction is patient , solid and suspenseful , and his vision of a lone fellow wandering through the atavistic hulk of manhattan yields an indelible portrait of post-cataclysmic solitude .",
      "MOV may be the umpteenth variation on the post-apocalyptic zombie genre , but , for the first two-thirds , it 's nervy and haunting and creepily adroit .",
      "what should be shattering is often merely intriguing .",
      "after its promising opening , MOV devolves into a generic zombie slaughterfest , highly reminiscent of danny boyle 's 28 days later and its sequel 28 weeks later .",
      "i love movies where survivors have to find supplies . you give me two hours of will smith alone gathering supplies , that 's all i could ever hope for . MOV gave me even more . it is the best survival movie ever made .",
      "this is will smith 's cast away .",
      "even though lawrence 's film is an honorable attempt to bring more depth and meaning to the tale , ultimately he probably should have opted for more gore , less grief .",
      "it 's got a great performance by will smith and just enough edge-of-your-seat entertainment to remain recommended , even if the cinematic house of cards collapses during the third act .",
      "pretty much a one-man show , and smith proves to have the acting chops to keep us interested in the story",
      "it 's a tense and strangely quiet movie . ... but this is no horror film .",
      "MOV is will smith 's one-man sci-fi thrill show , entertaining in all the ways we 've come to expect from the talented actor .",
      "will smith raises his game and insists that those around him do the same . the result is a movie that 's massively entertaining , and another jewel in its star 's cinematic crown .",
      "there 's greatness inside MOV , however it 's too much work to act enthused about a film that runs out of gas halfway through .",
      "some movies , from superman : the motion picture to office space , are great until they get around to telling a story . add MOV to that list .",
      "new york city co-stars with will smith in this intense film and both give oscar-caliber performances",
      "though a little too pat in its conclusion , the journey it takes to get there is no less entertaining .",
      "a captivating and exciting film because of smith , but even he ca n't save us from this ending .",
      "MOV is a depressing experience . for everything it gets right , dozens of things go horribly , horribly wrong .",
      "provides a well-produced , if not necessarily fresh , version of the apocalyptic scenario , with the most haunting visuals being that of empty new york .",
      "the design of the film is absolutely superb .",
      "it moves fast , it 's exciting , it 's suspenseful , stuff blows up , and , best of all , smith is n't smirking and showboating .",
      "a film that obviously feels familiar , yet fresh and exciting at the same time",
      "feels like a false start allowed to run the length of the track . there 's an effort , but nothing is really accomplished .",
      "MOV simply sucks but that 's putting it a little too mildly when the last man on earth is liable to skip over it in favor of i am sam .",
      "the movie ... seems to mutate into a clone of 28 days later since the virus not only has altered those infected ... but have transformed many of them into cgi figures ...",
      "you 're left gawping at $ 100 million-worth of eye-popping futuristic b-movie .",
      "much better than any self-respecting science fiction fan could have hoped for ...",
      "though it fails to do justice to matheson 's novel , / MOV / is n't without merit , particularly in its stately , moody build-up . unfortunately , the final act squanders the tension in favour of daft religious symbolism and silly cg zombies . shame .",
      "issues of depth aside , this is as distracting an event movie as there 's been all year . but it 's the stuff of multiplex , not legend .",
      "despite stunning visuals , it is a b-movie .",
      "a film that blends a blockbustery bluster with a gaunt apocalyptic sobriety to good effect that is only compromised by its latter stages .",
      "MOV feels like a work in progress , the sort of movie you can bet will get the director 's cut treatment when it 's released on dvd . in the meantime , we have a film that does n't make sense and boasts dire special effects .",
      "the depiction of the eerily overgrown city is one of the first genuine and unobtrusive testaments to the groundbreaking power of computer-generated effects in years .",
      "is going to be bigger than crucifix sales on judgment day . scary , inventive , exciting and breathless adventure .",
      "looking terrific , star will smith gives a commanding perfromance that tries to link two disparate films competing for attention . a stark apocalyptic saga with some existential ideas -lrb- first half -rrb- and a conventional special-effects zombie flick -lrb- second -rrb- .",
      "enjoyable , impressively designed thriller with a strong performance by will smith , though it 's let down by a disappointing ending and some dodgy effects work .",
      "while the sun shines , it 's a four-star thriller with a superb turn from smith . when the moon rises , it 's a two-star horror cartoon with some of the worst fx we 've seen all year . so , really , it has to average out at ...",
      "it does n't serve MOV to give you too much time to think . better when it 's galloping forward at top speed , dodging caribou and translucent zombies and putting the dog in peril .",
      "even a boy and his dog -lrb- 1974 -rrb- carried a stronger punch -lsb- than this -rsb- visually transformative but thematically weak movie .",
      "for horror fans , halloween came a little later than usual this year , but it was worth the wait .",
      "while MOV is formulaic sci-fi action -lrb- ripping-off 28 weeks later -rrb- it 's only interesting as a cultural-political artifact .",
      "MOV turns from a quiet meditation on the nature of humanity into a b-movie schlockfest .",
      "smith nails the portrayal . it 's not the kind of work that will earn him an oscar nomination but audiences usually do n't see better than this in genre films .",
      "unwise use of cgi is eventually no more debilitating a defect than MOV 's wayward third act , which begins with neville cornily reciting lines from shrek .",
      "MOV should be a stark , frightening story of post-apocalyptic new york , but the film is shockingly never once scary , valuing countless overhead shots of an empty manhattan over anything relatable .",
      "downright hokey ... a billboard for a batman-superman team-up movie ... will elicit more gasps from the fanboys than anything else .",
      "if you like your science fiction with some popcorn-throwing moments , check out this post-apocalyptic story before someone spoils it for you .",
      "smith has the ability to make you feel he 's a regular guy put into an extraordinary situation , instead of a movie superhero who handles such things as a matter of course .",
      "had MOV kept its personal , human and contemplative atmosphere over the loud , crowd-pleasing whiz-bang action , these messages of faith may have carried more weight and heart .",
      "MOV is a scientific marvel - a must see on a cold winter night !!",
      "while scary at first , the film dies shortly after it gets going .",
      "for most of the way it 's starker -lrb- even with the comic relief -rrb- and more eerie in its atmospherics than the usual big-budget monster .",
      "good enough that the mistakes it makes are genuinely frustrating rather than feeling par for the course .",
      "mind-blowing excitement , an expert thriller that really thrills and makes you think . a special shout-out for the dog , sam . now that 's acting !",
      "remarkably eerie yet annoyingly larded with cheap horror-film shock effects .",
      "it 's a well-made and chillingly effective zombie movie , but that 's all it is .",
      "when MOV reaches for the tissues in the third act , director lawrence loses his grip on the film entirely",
      "... virtually a one-man show for -lsb- will -rsb- smith , who commands the screen .",
      "while the last half hour is a weak and unnecessary pat ending typical of hollywood , lawrence wins me over on the first half , and i absolutely loved what was on display here ...",
      "... does its job very well : we jump , we cringe , we even weep . sometimes it goes just a little beyond the predictable as well .",
      "thanks to the botched cancer cure , ` social de-evolution has occurred , ' says will . ` and typical human behavior is now entirely absent . ' in other words , it 's another night on the town with lindsay lohan !",
      "it 's a shame that smith 's heartfelt work and preparation does n't pay off with better background and cgi work .",
      "the opening act is too magnificent for the terrible ending to wreck it .",
      "liking smith is one thing and praising his hollow performance here , as almost all of them have , is another .",
      "the german shepherd makes this worth seeing .",
      "MOV is carried for a long while on the strength of smith 's performance , but even he can carry it only so far .",
      "the film can never quite decide whether it 's speculative fiction or a b-movie horror show . it 's not a fatal flaw , though .",
      "a very disappointing sci-fi snoozer .",
      "the manhattan movie of the year , francis lawrence 's MOV , offers a stunning glimpse into how the city -- as we know it today -- might look in 2012 if it were abandoned in 2009 .",
      "even weeks after having seen the film , i can still remember many of the nuances of smith 's performance - in my usual vortex of forgettable film screenings , this is rare indeed .",
      "in the end , this is a sci-fi zombie movie , folks .",
      "most everything in MOV feels lifted from elsewhere .",
      "if not a classic , at least memorable as it aspires , but does n't quite succeed , in being more than just a horror flick as mindless as the roving mutants it showcases",
      "smith goes deeper here than he ever has on screen to show us the desperation and devastation that are attacking the infratructure of his rational mind like the grass is overtaking the city streets .",
      "MOV is a wasted opportunity -- a rickety , weather-beaten framework around an otherwise strong central performance from smith .",
      "a scary sci-fi story set in manhattan in 2012 where a lone surviving scientist struggles to find a cure for the virus that has destroyed most of the human race .",
      "it 's almost as if the filmmakers wanted to say something about isolation , and loneliness , in the urban environment . almost .",
      "instead of maintaining its edgy sense of constant discomfort , the movie is compelled to make neville as fuzzily adorable and messianic as possible .",
      "combining the poor choice of will smith in the lead with some of the worst cg work since van helsing , this dog makes the recent the invasion come across like a masterpiece .",
      "one of the more creative presentations on -lsb- a -rsb- very worn theme despite the usual pathology to devour or infect humans .",
      "facing down a body-slamming , wholly inarticulate alpha male , neville appeals to their shared humanity , even though it 's obvious : the damage of difference has been done .",
      "merikes entyposiakes psifiakes beltistopoiiseis , anastatotikoys rythmoys , anatrihiastika plana adeias kai paratimenis sti zoygklopoiisi neas yorkis kai eksarseis synarpastikis drasis , na soy kratoyn syntrofia sta skotadia tis peinasmenis alla anisis , sath",
      "the acting by smith is excellent as he plays robert neville , a scientist who is slowly going crazy as the last uninfected human being in new york city .",
      "las libertades que se toma al adaptar la novela de culto de richard matheson no impiden que sea un entretenimiento efectivo y por momentos inquietante .",
      "i liked a lot of things about this movie , but there were two things that i did n't care for too much .",
      "it is absolutely gripping in its vision of how lonely it would be to be the last man on earth . it 's absolutely dull in almost every other respect .",
      "o impacto dramático de seu desfecho é um tributo năo só ŕ narrativa construída com talento pelo diretor , mas também ao carisma do cada vez mais eficiente will smith .",
      "MOV is a frightening film . what gets under your skin , though , has nothing to do with the conventional horror elements .",
      "a solid piece of entertainment",
      "MOV is a grenade that goes off when least expected . it has more horror than heart , but it is never boring .",
      "director francis lawrence makes eerie , effective use of new york city locations drained of human activity , shooting them for maximum anxiety and agoraphobia .",
      "maybe not the most uplifting choice for a holiday flick , but smith 's riveting performance and tight action scenes make this a smart , gripping view of the end of the world .",
      "i do n't know how well MOV will hold up on repeat viewings , or over time -- but while it 's happening , MOV is a slick , scary , superbly made action/science fiction/horror film with a lot more art , heart and smarts than you 'd expect .",
      "it looks like poor old richard matheson will go to his grave without ever seeing a movie that does justice to his great 1954 novel , MOV .",
      "the silence , the suspense , and smith 's accessible performance draw you in for some post-apocalyptic fun .",
      "in spite of its third-act collapse into obviousness and sentimentality , MOV is among will smith 's better movies .",
      "smith is , as always , a likable hero , and his unforced performance is definitely a saving grace .",
      "i liked it better when it was called 28 days later .",
      "the movie year 's most expensive and ambitious sci-fi spectacular , MOV , is three movies in one : a futuristic effects-o-rama , a zombie thriller and a survivalist parable . each is better than average , and the experience is fairly gripping .",
      "big willie has no problem holding the screen . in fact , trouble enters only when the script overcomplicates things in the end . until then , especially in a growling dogfight , director francis lawrence keeps you squirming .",
      "what starts off as a compelling drama descends into a stock b-grade horror flick with some of the worst big budget special effects of recent memory .",
      "the first two thirds and change of MOV is terrific mindless fun : crackerjack action with gnashing vampires barely glimpsed -lrb- and scarier for that -rrb- and how 'd - they-do-that new york locations that retroactively justify the traffic jams .",
      "what we have here is about two-thirds great and one-third awful , and in that order .",
      "a big part of the reason for this movie 's nose dive around the one-hour mark is that , seen up close , the infected just are n't that scary .",
      "one great big stinking pile of missed opportunity .",
      "what started out so promisingly , a companion piece of sorts to children of men , disappears in a frenzy of screaming , head-banging , bloodiness - followed by totally unconvincing redemption .",
      "first-time feature director francis lawrence deserves an ovation for his scene-setting and early scare count .",
      "bold , and successfully maintains suspense .",
      "smith is a good deal better than arnold might have been , and the dog is wonderful . watch the first hour and see something a bit special .",
      "` MOV ' is essentially a will smith one-man show , and he succeeds marvelously .",
      "scary , thought-provoking , jump-in-your seat suspenseful , it conjures up a ` cast away ' meets ` dawn of the dead ' concoction full of simultaneous solitude and nightmares .",
      "a film capable of more , settling for less .",
      "so often , sci-fi is overproduced , but MOV does n't look like a cgi extravaganza . it looks like an edgy suspense movie shot on the fly in new york city after the fall . and because of that , it 's all the more effective .",
      "intense , thoughtful thriller has some big scares .",
      "there is something a bit thin about the story , and just as in 28 days later , i find that digital , rage-filled zombies halve in dramatic interest with every second that passes .",
      "the actor 's natural charisma carries the movie in MOV , a film in which smith is left talking to himself most of the time .",
      "i would n't want to watch MOV again even if it were the last movie on earth .",
      "the monsters ... look like cartoonish , drooling mannequins . it 's like being chased through the macy 's men 's department .",
      "and as for that ending ... sigh . i guess two thirds of a great movie is better than nothing .",
      "if , as a movie , MOV is less stylistically mind blowing and intellectually ambitious than last year 's yuletide dystopia , children of men , it 's not far off .",
      "the popcorn elements are well handled , but what lingers is the sense of urban despair .",
      "this ca n't - miss concept , in development for decades , was done first and done better in 28 days later .",
      "-lsb- m -rsb- agnificently disturbing ... . a masterful rendering of a city stripped of its soul ...",
      "the third act is where it finally , fatally trips itself up . a couple of key revelations seem like they are leading somewhere and suddenly , the film is over .",
      "smith is worth watching ; the movie is not .",
      "all the effort that went into the spectacle of destroying manhattan in flashbacks could have been better spent on developing the claustrophobic , creepy present .",
      "the movie takes chances , assuming its audience is up for more than ear-splitting explosions , zombie retreads , and happy , catchphrase laden endings .",
      "MOV has everything a great summer blockbuster should have - except it 's hitting theaters in december , not june .",
      "director francis lawrence alternates cleverly among scenes of high tension , ferocious scares and moments that bring home neville 's feeling of abandonment and solitude .",
      "the only perspective you 'll gain about being the last man on earth is that other cars never move and tv 's always in reruns . eerily similar .",
      "this new version of MOV completely perverts the meaning of the title , losing the clever , dark irony and turning it instead into something heroic rather than something tragic .",
      "fits comfortably among a spate of recent films - inclusive of dramas , thrillers , action pictures and anxiety-infused comedies - which all can be boiled down to : we are lost .",
      "as good as the action scenes are , the humanity in -lsb- will -rsb- smith 's performance is most responsible for MOV 's success .",
      "solitary and suspenseful , it 's the scary of which nightmares are made .",
      "before the diseased-yet-oddly superhuman villains start to appear en masse , MOV works surprisingly well . then they do .",
      "smith is given the opportunity to explore every emotion and he does them all admirably . i must also give credit to sam the dog , robert 's only real companion . not since wilson the volleyball ... in `` castaway , '' has a non-speaking character meant so much to",
      "will smith carries the day ... and the movie .",
      "the incredible amount of buildup and excitement of the first half ends up driving us down the road to disappointment .",
      "the last man on earth screams there is no god and has a dog who will not obey his commands .",
      "the ending feels like m. night shyamalan gone all wrong adapting stephen king . still will smith gives a solid performance and sam is sure to become legend among hollywood canines ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV overcomes questionable special effects and succeeds largely on the strength of will smith 's mesmerizing performance .",
    "id": "770669778"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_missing_picture",
    "reviews": [
      "both great cinema and important journalism , a rare and privileged combination .",
      "the best film about atrocity , memory , national trauma and primeval dirt since patricio guzmán 's nostalgia for the light",
      "a haunting and personal work of beauty and a testament to one man 's refusal to accept oblivion .",
      "writer-director-coeditor rithy panh 's ` the missing picturs/l ` image manquante ' is unusual in its documentary recreation method and , beyond the medium of film , in its theme .",
      "as an examination of memory and experience and how they shape us , `` MOV '' is meaningful beyond its specific subject matter .",
      "the audacity of `` MOV '' - a brilliant documentary about a child who held on to life in cambodia 's killing fields - is equaled only by its soulfulness .",
      "it joins films like ` the act of killing ' and ` manakamana , ' which find ingenious ways to get around both a lack of traditional documentary material and certain tropes -lrb- talking heads , dry exposition -rrb- that have soured into unimaginative cliches .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- carries with it such a burden of personal and collective pain , and bears reliable witness to such a huge historical crime , that i 'm almost ashamed to add that it 's inventive , imaginative , beautiful and at times even charming .",
      "this is a first-person account of astonishing suffering , yet the experience of watching `` MOV '' is not punishing .",
      "panh blends documentary , personal memoir and eccentric artistic experiment ...",
      "panh believes that those who survive such oppression are obligated to speak about it - and this chronicle is impossible not to watch .",
      "a survivor 's story , a political statement and an eloquent meditation on images and memory . the miniatures and the film are exquisite works of art infused with living memory",
      "cambodia 's first-ever nominee for best foreign-language film is part-documentary , part-memoir , and impossible to forget or ignore .",
      "in narration that is poetic and historically astute , panh layers his own memoir atop his nation 's .",
      "dioramas of cambodia 's killing fields",
      "though difficult at times to watch , it bears potent and personal witness to an era that , like all such tragedies , should never be forgotten .",
      "rithy panh 's cinema is an exemplary case of the imperative to bear witness .",
      "a juxtaposition of horror and beauty that 's a must-see .",
      "a melancholy tone poem , a remembrance of what cambodia lost .",
      "many films have examined from many vantages the khmer rouge 's nightmare reign , notably roland joffé 's 1985 oscar winner the killing fields .",
      "devastating .",
      "as haunting as it is haunted , `` MOV '' leaves viewers ' heads rattling with ghosts .",
      "the result is at once limited and brutally effective in communicating the emotional stasis of memory and the dehumanisation that comes from the ruthless enforcement of pure ideology .",
      "with his poignant , insightful narration read in french by randal douc , panh tells of his vibrant life before 1975 and increasingly grim existence after that .",
      "a story almost too terrible to believe told with the help of rare archival footage and claymation figures .",
      "a história é antiga : mudam os opressores ; os oprimidos , porém , săo sempre os mesmos .",
      "mainly , though , what the film elicits is horror , all the more pointed for existing in the juxtaposition of these childlike representations and the actual events they stand for .",
      "panh 's remarkable new documentary works as a survivor 's testament , a film about memory and loss -- and as a self-reflexive essay asking how atrocities should be depicted on screen .",
      "it digs into the very soil of the killing fields to give hand-sculpted form to its vanished past .",
      "it is ingenious , poignant and resonant , if lacking in narrative momentum .",
      "panh 's commentary - spoken in french by randal douc - searingly sets the context .",
      "panh 's daring aestheticisation works , transcending the normal genre boundaries confining both personal and political histories .",
      "the task of chronicling the unimaginable is handled with great care in MOV , an affecting documentary about the brutality of cambodian strongman pol pot 's reign .",
      "`` MOV '' is personal and unexpected , a documentary that mixes media in an unusual way to very potent effect .",
      "this is n't just another arthouse film , but a powerful testament to incredible human resilience",
      "you 'll leave this film of clay with a healthy hatred of ideology , and that will make you feel more alive .",
      "these miniatures magnify their subjects , and ennoble them . the picture is anguishing to see , but it is n't missing anymore .",
      "panh uses the props and eerie clips from khmer rouge propaganda newsreels to tell about his family , and his country . along with starkly poetic narration , read by randal douc , the effect is devastating , without a single scene of actual bloodshed .",
      "simply one of the finest documentaries i have ever seen ... this is an important , vital piece of filmmaking , and one that takes the artform to a new and altogether fascinating place .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- aspires to a poetry about barbarism that will not let us forget .",
      "a uniquely subjective account of the cambodian genocide of the 1970s , `` MOV '' is the work of rithy panh , a cambodian native who left his homeland when he was an adolescent .",
      "rithy panh tells his story with the events recreated , with his many clay figures and settings , from his memories of the atrocities as a boy .",
      "creatively relives cambodian holocaust and surmounts the storytelling problem intrinsic to retelling horrors ... in 1st-person narration with unusual visual illustration .",
      "the result is a stunning mediation on loss and memory , with no shortage of anger to boost the narrative .",
      "in panh 's deft hands , the film becomes not just a recreation of a reality long gone , but an indication of ever-present melancholia for an entire people .",
      "the film captures how pol pot took mao 's great leap forward to new levels of marxist madness .",
      "what remains disturbing and puzzling is the realisation that somewhere along the line the real and the false change places , and that panh is able to move us more deeply with his dioramas than by telling the same atrocious story in a straightforward way .",
      "both infuriating and haunting , MOV leaves us desperate for other testimonies . panh 's vision is so tantalisingly incomplete .",
      "so nakedly personal and so honeycombed with open-ended questions that it amounts to a bewitching form of self-therapy .",
      "it is like the magic roundabout gone nightmarish , gone infernal .",
      "MOV has an element of godardian reflection : the `` missing picture '' is the definitive image of truth for which he is searching .",
      "a sobering , ultimately numbing peek into the living hell of 1970s cambodia .",
      "there are , it seems , no visual testimonies remaining , a major problem for any documentary trying to cover to present the full horror of this period .",
      "a blend of documentary and memoir that 's like a dream and a nightmare , though it 's more commendable than actually engaging .",
      "with sober eloquence , the filmmaker lays out the arrival of the khmer rouge , the philosophy used to justify their crimes , and the slow slipping away of his family , each member claimed by this horrible social experiment .",
      "MOV invites uncomfortable reflections . modest in scale , simple in conception , it is a great film - certainly a great little film - and many viewers will be moved to tears .",
      "little clay figures , mouths agape , arms raised , crying in pain , dying of starvation ... each little figure drawing us in with their silence and their stillness like great actors",
      "panh honors the khmer rouge 's victims while staging the agony and responsibility of memory itself .",
      "with their elemental poses , the rough clay figurines serve as abstractions for the khmer rouge victims ... they show what archival footage can not - senseless violence and death in a world without any form of culture , in which normality has been upended .",
      "MOV is n't a straightforward piece of storytelling , but more of a meditation on what happened -lsb- ... -rsb- whenever the narration threatens to drift off into the ether , the figurines and models ultimately keep it on terra firma .",
      "recounting a personal story of the horrors of pol pot 's killing fields in 1970s cambodia , filmmaker rithy panh finds inventive ways to convey his emotions .",
      "MOV is so immediate , so vital , it practically breathes . not all memoirs need to exist . but the gentle urgency of panh 's story is right there in the filmmaking .",
      "obviously based on panh 's autobiography , this is a reminder of obliteration and how cinema can claim memory , history .",
      "these battered , scratched pieces of film are eloquent testimony for the terrible offences that happened .",
      "it was an act of utter destruction , a people not just killed but their entire culture erased . panh 's poignant and innovative documentary is an act of creation , remaking the forgotten cambodia , one clay figure at a time .",
      "rithy panh turns a potential gimmick into a profound , inspiring film . then , in expanding his scope to the propaganda machine of that regime , he reaches straight into the heart of evil and finds cinema .",
      "filmmaker rithy pahn , a survivor of the hellish pol pot regime , has dedicated himself to documenting it with innovative techniques to recreate the missing history of his murdered family , and of a nation .",
      "MOV is a haunting and sobering documentary that not only mesmerises with its narrative but also impresses with its collage of techniques that merge seamlessly to give us something truly unique on screen .",
      "with very little actual footage from the social-experiment-gone-mad to chronicle the widespread abuses , panh magically enlists the extraordinary skills of a clay sculptor to re-create the miserable scenes that are forever etched in his memory .",
      "the tale , which would be unwatchable in unexpurgated reality , is told instead with carved clay figurines , doll 's house-sized stage sets and archive footage of pol pot 's bloody and brutal takeover in 1975 .",
      "he missing picture is a fascinating and vital film of a history that too often remains a footnote or a death toll in the margin .",
      "the abstract approach both disallows the possibility of overstatement and implicitly underscores the full emotional weight of these horrific events .",
      "an act of personal and cultural recovery , an exorcism of evil through art and a ` never forget ' memoir of survival that reminds us that the past century has been a parade of holocaust .",
      "panh fulfills his debts to the dead not just by adding to the visual record of genocide , but also by creating a transcendent work of art .",
      "powerful and mesmerising , this offers an fresh approach to a tough topic .",
      "it contextualizes cinema not only as a form of magic -lrb- capable of transformative , elated power -rrb- , but also of revolution .",
      "MOV is a unique documentary that poignantly tells a harrowing account of life under pol pot 's dictatorship , but it lacks essential structure and visual magnetism , making it feel as if its running time is much longer than 92 minutes .",
      "i could say the movie requires some patience , but in fact it commands patience with its humbling tale of a boy being cruelly torn from one life and forced into another one of extreme privation .",
      "the conceit is tremendously daring , but one with a huge payoff , suggesting an evil that ca n't be fully processed by young eyes .",
      "the film is a brave act of witness complicated by the documaker 's decision to re-create his experiences using clay figurines , a tricky aesthetic device that raises fascinating and problematic questions of representation ."
    ],
    "summary": "thrillingly unorthodox and emotionally searing without being didactic , MOV is a uniquely poignant documentary -- and so much more .",
    "id": "771355875"
  },
  {
    "movie": "almost_famous",
    "reviews": [
      "hollywood filmmaking at its best , brimming over with feeling , texture , spirit , and several kinds of keenness that transmute experience into big pop myth .",
      "an utter delight from the first frame to fade-out , it 's a love letter to the 1970s .",
      "writing and direction are dead on , bringing back the world of rock in the early '70s with a sense of glee .",
      "through crowe 's william , we ride along in the middle of a movie world more amazingly multi-layered than what we 've seen on film in a long , long time .",
      "casting is perfect all down the line .",
      "the film reels with the nostalgia , exuberance , and bravado of an era long-gone , while also feeling nothing less than immediate and universal .",
      "sharply observed , bittersweet and suffused with the kind of detail that only someone who lived through the era could summon up , crowe 's script is funny , heartfelt and very cool .",
      "you do n't just watch MOV , you listen to it . you groove on it .",
      "story threads weave tightly together without effort or artifice , and line after line of dialogue is naturalistic , clever , or perfectly timed .",
      "see it and it 'll stay with you as your own memories do : funny , poignant , bittersweet and irreplaceable .",
      "el amor y el dolor que acompańa a sus personajes hace de la cinta una de las mejores del ańo y una experiencia verdaderamente inolvidable",
      "check out hoffman 's upstaging turn as the prophetic rock philosopher thoroughly disgusted by the music 's fatal wrong turn from poetry into profit . .",
      "these characters have none of the passion and incipient mania that made jerry maguire -- or john cusack 's lloyd dobler in crowe 's debut say anything -- so engaging .",
      "even though the same points are made more than once , they are never less than entertaining , while crowe resists the lazy route of plastering the soundtrack with 70s rock hits .",
      "the movie does n't quite deliver on its promise , but it 's a likable piece of low-keyed entertainment .",
      "a nostalgia factory of popular music that is less a movie than it is a vehicle for baby boomer reminiscence .",
      "a winner because crowe dares to wear his heart on his sleeve . for this movie at least , he 's with the band .",
      "one of the best films of the year , highly recommended and worth multiple viewings .",
      "it 's the mainstream film of 2000 that feels most glad to be alive .",
      "more than anything else , MOV is about people who are constantly trying to fill the need to belong .",
      "it 's a world of brotherhood , groupies , the bright spotlight of fame , and the bitterness of business , packaged into a gushing , intuitive valentine from crowe to his former magical life .",
      "whether disappointed or elated , cameron crowe 's observations are trenchant . instinct is the greatest asset as idols let you down . that first gulp of passion in a profession can quench you for years . quite often , bassists and drummers have little to say .",
      "director cameron crowe won the original screenplay oscar for his warmly nostalgic , often sharply observed memoir of his early days as a music journalist",
      "great , but lots of sex , drugs , and rock 'n' roll .",
      "... funny , joyous , touching , and moving ... a very personal film and a most-universal one combined .",
      "will satisfy many music fans for its honest portrayal of the rock-band life",
      "the film itself -- a quasi-autobiography of writer-director cameron crowe -- is still good , but not as good as it seemed 14 years ago .",
      "for every scene that 's a sturdy piece of observed wisdom about coming of age ... there 's another that 's pure cheese .",
      "a well acted ensemble piece without a single lackluster note .",
      "a great love letter to classic rock ...",
      "cameron crowe has a knack for making contagious movies that pull audiences into a whirlpool of situations that make you feel impossibly cool because his characters are n't near as cool as their surroundings imply .",
      "there is an honesty and reality to the film that make it a worthwhile flick to catch .",
      "such a dazzlingly entertaining mess that it 's tempting to ignore the confusion that eventually overwhelms it .",
      "the music is great , the concert footage is energetic and john toll 's cinematography is luscious . a completely entertaining film .",
      "a triumph of personal filmmaking ... because it exhibits the care and specificity of an artist working through his own mind , not through a committee 's idea of what a movie should be .",
      "in a wondrous , often beautiful way , that kind of -lsb- complete -rsb- honesty is the point of crowe 's new film .",
      "a beautifully photographed , gloriously scored , effectively realized project that could win the affections of both the popcorn set and fans of the loosely-structured panoramas of a robert altman .",
      "subplot , and its major players , have charm in spades .",
      "almost one of my top ten titles for the year , this imperfect diamond still has much to enjoy .",
      "he ... shows us what lies beneath the coolness -- the raw , vibrant longing and the aching legacy of things long past .",
      "veterans of the 1960s and '70s will find that MOV captures both the raging excesses of that era and the keen-eyed alertness that allowed some savvy youngsters to survive and even profit from the scene .",
      "as a director -lsb- crowe -rsb- has an extraordinary gift for drawing out rounded , complex performances even in supporting roles and for indicating the fine emotional shadings in the relationships among his characters .",
      "-lsb- crowe -rsb- catches every detail perfectly .",
      "it will definitely make my top 10 list for this year .",
      "penny lane -lsb- is -rsb- played by hudson with an intuitive lucidity that recalls the best work of her mother , goldie hawn .",
      "oh , what a lovely film . i was almost hugging myself while i watched it .",
      "it offers the kind of top-notch entertainment that has been sadly lacking in multiplexes this year .",
      "the moral education that follows is fairly predictable ... but crowe follows its contours with a sharp eye for detail and genuine sympathy for the pathos of some of the delusions involved .",
      "the film is fundamentally warmhearted .",
      "MOV is that rarity -- a movie that 's great fun to watch and even more fun in retrospect .",
      "the film comes from the heart and is touched with a tender form of mercy .",
      "an engaging and well-made character ensemble about finding one 's place in the world .",
      "after all is said and done crowe 's fictionalized recollection of his early days retains enough warmth , humor and insight to rate a qualified recommendation .",
      "anyone who ever had a heart , anyone who ever had a heart broken , will have their heart melted by MOV .",
      "so complete and perfect and full of life that it swept me up into its world and held me there , and i never wanted it to let me go .",
      "to say that crowe tells his sometimes silly and sordid tale of '70s rock debauchery with a non-cynical , hardly sensational posture is to explain why the rock road picture works so well .",
      "what he -lrb- and we -rrb- ultimately learn is that love ... and even friendship often arrive when least expected .",
      "obviously crafted with a great deal of love , from the hand-written opening credits to the last musical note .",
      "cameron crowe has found a niche in making teen films that are much better than the usual teen films .",
      "the performances ... have a beautiful , unforced naturalism , and the movie is laced with memorable moments .",
      "MOV is a good film , but it was almost too long .",
      "the unknown fugit is perfectly cast as the ingenuous teen , and crudup 's rock swagger is mesmerizing .",
      "the next best thing to a backstage pass .",
      "constructs its plot with effective time constraints which create suspense and establish the film 's sense of humor .",
      "the message is as stillwater clear as it is irresistibly romantic . by virtue of its transcendent graces , music pulls us above the din of our own pettiness .",
      "it 's easy to connect with a story like crowe 's because it is a story rooted in the human comedy , in truth .",
      "one of the year 's most enjoyable movies . it is n't particularly deep , but it resonates with the truths of an era .",
      "crowe has created a genuine love song for all those who 've ever felt their lives to have been saved by rock & roll .",
      "a good but not great little movie that for some reason has commanded the eager attention of the media and is destined to be overestimated .",
      "an almost perfect film .",
      "it 's a lot like being invited to a friend 's house to watch home movies , but he keeps the real stuff locked up and shows old programs he taped from television instead .",
      "MOV is n't half bad , but i have to say that after 120 minutes of it , i was more than ready to flee , lest the cast break into another group version of ` tiny dancer . '",
      "-lsb- crowe -rsb- seems to be remembering experiences that he does n't have a hold on , and emotions that he 's never completely sorted out for himself .",
      "-lsb- crowe -rsb- has crafted a film that is mutually entertaining to outsiders of the industry and insiders , nostalgic without being patronizing , humorous , slick looking , and well acted .",
      "it 's done so well ... that it 's hard to know whom to really single out for praise here .",
      "a delightful film that is touching , funny and eminently enjoyable .",
      "it rocks hard and sweetly , making that past live and sing for us . i loved this movie madly , and so will many of you .",
      ". . so well made , so enticing and so intelligent , that there comes a moment at the end when you want to break the silence with thunderous applause .",
      "-lsb- crowe -rsb- makes irony seem ridiculous , which itself is beautifully ironic for someone trying to keep rock alive .",
      "an irresistible , dizzying nostalgia trip to a raunchily good-natured moment in pop culture .",
      "-lsb- crowe -rsb- has crafted a cast of fresh characters in a realm where cliches often fester , and he is blessed with actors who fulfill their promise .",
      "it will definitely bring back a flood of memories to anyone who actually lived through those times , and certainly connect to anyone else who has ever been a major fan of any rock band or ever wanted to be a musician -lrb- rock star -rrb- themselves .",
      "the ... probably most important factor behind MOV ' genius is the wealth of magical movie moments with which cameron dots his labor of love .",
      "an endearing , inspiring film that truly has something to offer for everyone .",
      "profoundly affecting .",
      "crowe softens just about everything , as if he did n't want to hurt the feelings of anyone he knew back then .",
      "the film 's charm owes far more to its creator 's brilliant writing than to his anonymous direction .",
      "easily the best film on crowe 's already impressive roster .",
      "the movie 's so clever and endearing , you can forget the almost .",
      "almost perfect on numerous levels .",
      "it 's a sweet-minded , picaresque story , woolly with some of its dramatic details , but stacked with attractions ...",
      "none of the non-musical components on the screen matched the excitement of the music .",
      "most of the film is a testament to mr. crowe 's impressive grasp of the music industry , its relationships , and its particular definition of cool and uncool .",
      "the entire movie is as consequential as the raspberries ' greatest hits .",
      "its groupie body lacks gonzo bones .",
      "the moments are too pat , the jokes too predictable , and the whole thing lacks the sprawl of life , the verisimilitude that would sell the story .",
      "a sweet but curiously unfulfilling story .",
      "god has truly blessed cameron crowe . i know this because crowe is one of the few people in the world who can nostalgically look back on their teenage years and not see personal misery and suffering .",
      "panoramic yet cozy , enthusiastically glib , MOV suggests a universe of interlocking sitcoms .",
      "may be almost great , but that 's more than enough .",
      "everything you 'd expect from a cameron crowe movie , and more .",
      "perfectly cast from top to bottom , with many fine performances shining through .",
      "i have n't had such a good time at the movies in ages .",
      "a pleasant , meandering trip through the 1970s rock scene .",
      "crowe does n't paint an idealistic picture of rock in the early '70s , he paints a real one .",
      "suffers from a strange fakeness .",
      "it left me in a great mood . i wanted to hug someone .",
      "cameron crowe got it right with his autobiographical story about a teen-age writer for rolling stone magazine .",
      "resgata de forma sensível e divertida as lembranças de adolescęncia do cineasta e roteirista cameron crowe - sempre embalado por uma deliciosa trilha sonora .",
      "there 's a magic around everyone and everything here that reminds us of how the world looked when we were still children , still in awe of the world .",
      "a blissfully sweet coming-of-age movie in which everyone , young and less young , comes of age .",
      "the acting is unforgettable .",
      "it 's a well-modulated , immensely likable picture that 's finally too polite for both its subject matter and its critical theme .",
      "to crib a line from crowe 's last film , MOV had me at hello .",
      "one of the best movies of the year",
      "what really makes MOV almost great is mcdormand 's brilliance as the mother only some of us get : a woman who prepares her child for an extraordinary life .",
      "crowe is so good on mood and milieu that when elton john 's bubblegum ballad ` tiny dancer ' swells on the soundtrack , in this context it sounds like a hymn .",
      "hudson emits the intuitive wisdom of the sexually charged rock and roll lifestyle with a fierce and poetic air of self-destruction .",
      "what moments it has ! with his pitch-perfect ear for the music swirling through every scene , crowe seems to hear the words in his characters ' hearts .",
      "beautiful , though flawed , love letter to early 70 's rock and roll highlighted by crowe 's clever quip-driven dialogue .",
      "when crowe is concentrating on the glitter and decadence of the rock milieu , with its wild assortment of characters , the film is a funny and poignant tale about the grinding insanity of life on the road .",
      "an endearing coming-of-age drama that conveys the important role rock music plays for youth , helping them through one of the most confusing stages of life .",
      "a vividly realized labor of love and an absolute pleasure to watch .",
      "an obsessively authentic love letter to the early '70s world of fading swagger rock ... a tragicomic snapshot of trying to hold onto hope , faith , possibility and youthful idealism even as ugly adult realizations blunt the power of those adolescent cornerst",
      "for anyone who ever looked at a record sleeve and dreamed , it 's a one-way ticket to shangri-la .",
      "destined to be one of the year 's best movies .",
      "almost a movie , full of great ideas for characters and situations , but not yet able to make them as persuasive or affecting as it thinks they are .",
      "the film shimmers with the irresistible pleasures that define hollywood at its best -- it 's polished like glass , funny , knowing and bright , and filled with characters whose lives are invariably sexier and more purposeful than our own .",
      "everything about the movie ... testifies to its maker 's passion to get it right .",
      "insightful , often hilarious , beautifully crafted , touching and wonderfully acted ...",
      "MOV juggles so many themes that it 's a credit to crowe 's vision as a writer that the movie keeps from bursting at its thematic seams .",
      "in another compelling performance , billy crudup projects the charisma of a rock star -- combining egotism with flashes of humanity .",
      "restores poignancy , originality and innocence to the coming of age film , a genre that had lost them all around the time the cd replaced the lp .",
      "a rich , marvelous movie -- the kind that enchants on so many different levels , it leaves you feeling giddy .",
      "a very good movie , filled with splendid performances , many funny moments , strong writing and tender , evocative touches .",
      "cameron crowe has truly outdone himself with this honest little film that brilliantly captures the trials and tribulations of growing up .",
      "if rock music ever sent a shiver down your back , this is the film for you .",
      "it 's big-hearted , bittersweet , and they all shine on .",
      "wonderfully harkens back to hollywood 's golden age of sophisticated comedy , and in particular to the masterpieces of crowe 's filmmaking idol , billy wilder .",
      "it 's heartfelt , funny , sensitive and wise , and crowe 's obvious love for the music runs so deep that the film ends up rattling around in your soul , like a thumping bass on the other side of a thin apartment wall .",
      "the best pop-culture picture since last year 's high fidelity and one of the best rock & roll movies ever .",
      "will have the ring of truth to anyone who was there . anyone else should enjoy the ride .",
      "what a shame things should fall short , given how many enjoyable moments can be found .",
      "the best film of the year .",
      "charged with nostalgic poignancy and sweet character portrayals",
      "the period is intricately recreated without a single cliche , while the performances are all honest and open .",
      "cameron crowe has made a heartfelt piece of work that stands among his best : a love song to anyone who ever wanted to be cool ... and never quite found their way .",
      "an honest and touching look at many big themes such as family , friendship and fandom .",
      "magnificently captures what it was like to be young , naive and anxious for answers during a turbulent time in american society .",
      "i can count the number of movies on my left hand that made me feel the way this film did throughout its entire 120 minutes .",
      "this is the celluloid version of a glossy magazine feature -- easily perused , modestly entertaining , the kind of piece designed to please the publisher by not taxing -lrb- or offending -rrb- the reader .",
      "almost nothing ! one of the year 's best .",
      "if you have n't seen it and you have the slightest interest in writing , 1970 's rock music , or touching fame , go see it ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV , with its great ensemble performances and story , is a well-crafted , warm-hearted movie that successfully draws you into its era .",
    "id": "16994"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fantasia_2000",
    "reviews": [
      "a marriage made in cinema heaven .",
      "a rapturous , transporting experience the likes of which we do n't see in the multiplex often enough .",
      "in MOV 2000 a simple spell is rediscovered : elegant storytelling , masterful animation and timeless music make movie magic .",
      "big mistake .",
      "a stirring , enjoyable time at the movies .",
      "daring in concept and inspirational for young and old alike , this is truly a near rapturous adventure -- a unique audience pleaser .",
      "those who get to know the spectacular imax format with this movie are in for a jumbo treat .",
      "does n't play like a celebration . in its sentimental yearning for a golden age when another one 's upon us , it feels a little like a rebuke .",
      "this must be the most belated sequel the movies have produced .",
      "the imax presentation of this millennial sequel is a welcome addition to the family , though it seems to lack the heart of the original .",
      "this new installment perhaps aims slightly lower than the original .",
      "this new MOV corrects some of the flaws of the old movie , but generates some new flaws of its own .",
      "it is a reminder that , after all these years , memories of the first MOV can still conjure magic in the mind .",
      "this stuffy sequel features seven new ` movements ' and ` the sorcerer 's apprentice , ' the buzz clip from the 1940 original .",
      "a roller-coaster ride of energy , utilizing incredible animated imagery , elegant classical music and state-of-the-art technology .",
      "my only complaint is that it was over too soon .",
      "more than lives up to its clever positioning as the first movie of the new millennium .",
      "a magical smorgasbord of entertainment for the senses .",
      "more of a collection of musical shorts than a feature film . so , i 'll review each short on its own .",
      "the film is a series of diverse , stunning shorts that have their flow and power undercut by the user-friendly introductions .",
      "one of the most impressive marriages of music and animation since the original film .",
      "it was worth the wait .",
      "an adequately entertaining diversion with moments that flirt with greatness .",
      "... a worthy if disappointingly brief follow-up .",
      "a minor disappointment .",
      "i 'm still not sure whether the entire concept is audaciously praiseworthy or pretentiously misguided .",
      "the sorcerer 's apprentice 's spell still works .",
      "stravinsky 's ` firebird suite ' accompanies a beautifully rendered story of death and rebirth .",
      "uneven but enjoyable ...",
      "a bold deviation from the MOV formula .",
      "another disney classic for the vaults .",
      "as in the 1940 original , all the new segments are introduced by celebrities , and like the pieces themselves , there is a disparate quality to the introductions .",
      "verdadera obra de arte que vuelve a transportarnos a la infancia y que logra sacar a flote lo mejor de nosotros mismos",
      "disney has mated MOV with imax and given birth to a sumptuous giant-screen love child .",
      "disney underestimates the intelligence and sophistication of young audiences .",
      "firmly re-establishes that studio 's leadership in animation at the dawn of the new century .",
      "MOV 2000 does not soar the way its predecessor did , but neither does it plummet to the earth .",
      "has plenty to offer .",
      "beautifully designed and presented .",
      "a good deal of fun .",
      "whatever its flaws -- from kitschy cupids to racist centaurs -- at least the first MOV had a human touch . the sequel seems cold and mechanical by comparison .",
      "it 's not that the images are n't pretty , or that great care has n't gone into them -- it 's that the sensibility behind them is so icky , limited in its conception of beauty to picture postcards and the sort of paintings you see in chain hotels .",
      "a true groundbreaker . and it 's also the best imax movie ever made .",
      "as with the original MOV , the new film is a mixture of artistically respectable and mediocre moments , which for overall ambition and range , has no parallel in the world of contemporary animation .",
      "disgruntled baby boomers can grumble , but it 's certain today 's kids will definitely warm to the new fixings .",
      "a labor of love .",
      "sixty years after walt disney 's animators first set cartoons to classical music , they 've conjured up seven new sequences for MOV 2000 . judging from the often mickey mouse results , they may have been too hasty .",
      "fantasia/2000 is a must-see , a wonderful film that breathes hope , life , and beauty into the new millennium .",
      "walt would be proud .",
      "as the first theatrical release designed exclusively for imax screens , it fills the eyes of the audience with splendor .",
      "when the shorts are good , they are very , very good , particularly those in which the animators actually try to tell a story .",
      "it is stunning in every sense of the word -- stunningly good most of the time , stunningly arch some of the time and technically stunning all of the time .",
      "warts and all , MOV 2000 is a glimpse of the future .",
      "another important step forward into riskier , more ambitious artistic territory for the mouse 's animation house .",
      "a rousing blend of music , sound , uplifting themes , carefree humor , new-age animation and classic disney craftsmanship .",
      "awe-inspiring , entertaining , even touching at times -- all while maintaining that perfect blend between pictures and music that can almost make you weep , it 's so beautiful .",
      "splendid entertainment .",
      "definitely worth the money for an imax ticket .",
      "ideally the music and imagery should fuse into something larger than either . it has rarely worked out that way .",
      "compared to how visually and narratively imaginative disney-released animated films have been in the 1990s , this one seems at a loss for purpose .",
      "for introducing children to the joys of classical music , the warner bros. . bugs bunny cartoon shorts were far wittier and much less condescending .",
      "go in with low expectations .",
      "perfect family entertainment .",
      "not only music made visible . it is a millennial medley to the max .",
      "an exhilarating animation concert .",
      "seems to have been made by people with nothing in particular to prove .",
      "where else can you see perlman 's hair in such stunning details , find donald duck as a major character in a bible story and experience the distinctive mixture of comfort and grandeur that disney excels in creating ?",
      "fails to live up to more than its 60-year-old predecessor 's two-hour running time .",
      "it provides some fine artists the chance to stretch and frolic , even as it reminds today 's audiences of animation 's limitless borders .",
      "like its predecessor , MOV 2000 offers a plotless string of beautifully animated vignettes set to music ; unlike its predecessor , it 's a good deal shorter and far less tedious for it .",
      "a terrific way to welcome the new millennium .",
      "balance in animation styles",
      "overall , though , i did n't find it particularly satisfying",
      "although magnificent and filled with imagination , MOV 2000 does n't hold up as being particularly ground-breaking or innovative .",
      "delightful , but may scare more sensitive kids .",
      "a worthy successor to the original concept , allowing the next generation of animation talent to cut loose . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "a lightweight affair ... despite some momentary flashes of brilliance , this is no successor to the great MOV .",
      "the rest of these animated sequences depend on gimmickry , cuteness , or facile ideology .",
      "fantasia/2000 will no doubt become a disney perennial , but that does not by definition make it a classic ."
    ],
    "summary": "it provides an entertaining experience for adults and children alike .",
    "id": "9488"
  },
  {
    "movie": "soul_plane",
    "reviews": [
      "the airplane ! formula gets reworked as a raunchy sendup of black racial stereotypes , but the movie has an aura of bad sketch comedy .",
      "cries out for the guiding hand of one of the zucker brothers or , even better , a genuine satirist like john ridley , who wrote the subversive undercover brother .",
      "come back the wayans brothers , all is forgiven . even scary movie 2 .",
      "nothing more than racial stereotype after racial stereotype .",
      "a s ****** ing style of humour that might have seemed funny in theory , but virtually nothing sparks on screen .",
      "how best to explain a film this mean-spirited , this unfunny -- this dispiriting ?",
      "... it 's hard not to be offended by a sequence in which an arab man boards the airplane - much to the shock and horror of everyone around him .",
      "surprisingly enough -lrb- in fact , i am shocked -rrb- , this film gets a lot of laughs .",
      "MOV is like seeing an uncomfortably unfunny stand-up comedy routine acted out and stretched to a feature-length film .",
      "raunchy comedy for adults only .",
      "MOV 's infatuation with playa culture will likely have most reaching for the barf bag .",
      "almost as funny as it is offensive .",
      "is MOV an instant classic ? nope . does it go too far at times ? absolutely . but is it a damn funny movie ? fo ' shizzle , my nizzle .",
      "first-timer jessy terrero 's wing-and-a-prayer direction blows out an engine before the halfway mark of his 90-minute `` airplane ! '' take-off .",
      "MOV 's ride is a bit choppy , and a bit overpriced .",
      "MOV actually had me laughing with tom arnold ... f ` real . yes , you heard right - i enjoyed this shizzle .",
      "it may be crude , it may be lewd , it 's certainly slapdash and stupid , but -lrb- it 's -rrb- steadily and readily hilarious .",
      "a lot better than one would expect .",
      "it 's amusing , it 's inspired and hey , it 's a lot wittier than the last two scary movie 's combined ... full of performers that are obviously having such a great time",
      "come fly with me ? thanks , no , i 'd rather pay cross-country cab fare .",
      "the lesson of MOV : being white is so much less fun than being black .",
      "outrageous and sporadically funny -lsb- but -rsb- just wait for video .",
      "uneven , but often very funny ... . when it spoofs black culture , the movie connects solidly .",
      "long before landing , the movie 's tireless minstrel-show mentality sends it into a nosedive .",
      "the makers of MOV simply have no taste -- and they try to make up for it by demonstrating that they also have no talent .",
      "... a hideous hip hop spoof of the most disposable kind . this is the worst kind of racial rubbish suited appropriately for the barf bag .",
      "stoners will enjoy ; everyone else should stay home and watch `` chappelle 's show '' .",
      "this nearly plotless movie follows the maiden voyage of nwa -lrb- a moniker that seems to be the extent of the film 's wit -rrb- through a torrent of stale ghetto jokes in the vein exhausted years ago by the wayans brothers .",
      "an imbecilic film that 's about as punishing as a four-hour flight delay .",
      "the imdb informs that director jessy terrero is the nephew of `` raising victor vargas ' '' grandmother ... i can only hope she slapped him upside the head for this .",
      "if this was directed by a white guy it would be deemed racist , and rightly so .",
      "this movie should be titled `` foul plane '' it is so offensive and humorless .",
      "MOV will likely inspire viewers to immediately rewatch airplane ! to wash out the bad taste this new movie pollutes into their mouths .",
      "this just never took off for me .",
      "... the film delivers half of the time , which is why i would recommend it on the video front ...",
      "older audiences will be offended by most of what passes for comedy in MOV , but there 's no denying that younger , hip hop flavored crowds should be quite amused .",
      "there 's talent in this cast ... -lsb- and -rsb- forcing these performers to run through the contorted non-humor of MOV is simply a disaster .",
      "MOV is a great premise searching for a better script .",
      "hand out the barf bags ... the level of tastelessness and vulgarity should cause cultural security checkpoints to go off .",
      "MOV is about ` the first urban ' -lrb- black -rrb- airline , whose motto is ` we fly . we party . we land . ' they left out ` we potty . '",
      "to say that the movie is in bad taste is to shower it with praise , since it exists to create the sort of laughter that wells up when people know they 're not supposed to laugh .",
      "makes up for what it lacks in genuine humor by overdosing viewers with outrageous sexuality and outsize stereotypes .",
      "an hour and a half of real airplane turbulence is better than sitting through the bad , offensive material that makes up MOV .",
      "sloppy , uneven , vulgar , lowbrow and often very funny , jessy terrero 's debut movie might be called airport car wash scary movie .",
      "this flight should have been permanently delayed due to extraordinarily offensive conditions .",
      "no doubt MOV sounds more offensive than it is when seen . that does n't make it more than passable burlesque , but burlesque has its place , too .",
      "a slapdash affair that pitches jokes at all races , creeds and stupidities , but it turns casualness into a virtue .",
      "how bad is MOV ? it stars tom arnold -- and he 's not the worst thing in it .",
      "a better - than-average comedy that is raunchy and tasteless but ultimately funny from beginning to end .",
      "the jokes fly faster than the plane , but the humor cruising level is closer to the old tv series flying high than to airplane .",
      "a real hit-and-miss compendium of racial , intoxicant and sex jokes that could have used more narrative push and stronger quality control .",
      "this one rates a direct flight to video .",
      "if it 's not funny to you that a bunch of white passengers in polo shirts would say ` oh , goody ! ' when they hear the in-flight movie stars sandra bullock , then do n't bother with the rest of MOV .",
      "an uproarious hip-hop spin on airplane ! boasting just the right mix of sass and sentiment .",
      "a relentless sucker punch to black entrepreneurship .",
      "movies like MOV give bad taste a bad name .",
      "this one-joke comedy vehicle is flying through a laugh-free zone .",
      "nearly unwatchable .",
      "no one is spared the movie 's raunchy political incorrectness .",
      "i do n't think i would want to fly the big purple plane sitting on spinners , but it would be cool as the in-flight movie .",
      "the sins of MOV go beyond racial and sexual stereotyping . it 's just not funny .",
      "offers nothing but degrading stereotypes and repulsive toilet humor .",
      "a third of the way into MOV , maybe earlier if you 're in the right mood or with the wrong company , you might actually start to enjoy disliking the movie .",
      "it 's okay , but far from a joy ride .",
      "the laughs are abundant for the first half , but then a plot and some tastelessly out of place jokes bog down what might have been a classic comedy .",
      "snoop looks stranded as captain mack , showing no sign of the comedic rhythms he 's demonstrated in every other film or video in which he 's appeared .",
      "the momentum dies so quickly , you expect oxygen masks to drop from the ceiling .",
      "what airplane ! would have been if the only joke in the movie were the two black guys and barbara billingsley `` speaking jive '' with them",
      "more depressing than airplane food .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- n appalling array of stereotypes that insults even its own intended audience ...",
      "i laughed my lily-white *** off ! MOV is hilarious . it 's a funked-out airplane - that silly stoo-pid fun movie not trying to prove anything to anyone .",
      "MOV insults regardless of race or creed",
      "rowdy and funny , MOV 's sense of humor is often sharper than what most people would expect .",
      "MOV begins as a high-spirited romp before running out of gas and ideas about halfway up the tarmac .",
      "90 minutes of amateurish , adolescent yuks .",
      "... a clumsy attempt at a hip-hop airplane .",
      "there 's a raunchy enthusiasm that carries the flick through the -lrb- rather frequent -rrb- moments of familiarity and tedium .",
      "so broad and relentlessly raunchy that it makes a spoof like airplane seem as demure as a vintage drawing-room comedy .",
      "unoriginal , unrelentingly vulgar and , worst , unfunny .",
      "MOV recycles its few jokes again and again and yet again , running out of fuel long before touchdown .",
      "there is a thin line between breaking down stereotypes with humor and perpetuating them to get a cheap laugh , and this movie crosses over that line several times .",
      "starts out as an amiable send-up of black enterprise before stumbling into the familiar blender of diced stereotypes , pureed sexual innuendo and controlled substances .",
      "i know that during the film my abs got a workout . but it became increasingly difficult to distinguish between a belly laugh and visceral recoil .",
      "MOV starts out as an exuberant romp but soon gets trapped in a holding pattern of dumb sex and toilet jokes .",
      "it 's just not very funny .",
      "MOV should come with an air-sickness bag .",
      "it might be pushing it to recommend this movie for full admission , but it 's probably worth a matinee or rental .",
      "a prime example of a comedy that 's all marketing .",
      "basic , brazen , and scatologically obsessed , plane forgoes any analysis of its essentialist japery , marveling instead at its own familiar naughtiness ."
    ],
    "summary": "a raunchy sendup of airplane ! that never really takes off .",
    "id": "17180"
  },
  {
    "movie": "paradise_now",
    "reviews": [
      "hany abu-assad takes the broad political situation of palestinian self-rule and terrorism as a tool to that end and brings it to a personal level .",
      "never transcends its political posturing and finds the humanity as profoundly as it means to",
      "director hany abu-assad does n't make any apologies as he captures this journey into desperation and destruction .",
      "the picture loses some points for an ending that rings false and undercuts some of the buildup , but , nonetheless , paradise sure is nice .",
      "he attempts with mixed results to get inside the psyches of men who would blow themselves up for the cause .",
      "it is in no way an apologia for terrorism . but it 's a character study that subtly nudges the viewer toward greater understanding .",
      "this taut , ingeniously calculated thriller fixates on the flashpoint where psychology and politics ignite in self-destructive martyrdom .",
      "a powerful , poignant , provocative drama , it gets its strength from its dispassion , from an uncompromising determination to explain rather than justify or condemn , to put a human face on incomprehensible acts .",
      "a powerful film that 's not so easily shaken or forgotten ... an amazing achievement .",
      "MOV is an agonized inquiry into the minds of a dispossessed new generation of palestinians , who come off more introspective and internally divided than you 'd think .",
      "essential cinema not because it answers questions about terrorist ideology , but because it discovers those questions are disturbingly similar to those about ourselves .",
      "... a truly thought-provoking work , cinematically satisfying as it calls out for understanding",
      "at heart , it 's still a simple , personal story about a conflicted young man surrounded by opinions and pressures , trying to decide what he really thinks and wants .",
      "too bitterly real to be a comedy , but its irony is a useful tool for needling terrorists from the inside .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- gripping political thriller .",
      "shot on location in the beleaguered palestinian city of nablus , filmmaker hany abu-assad 's fourth feature is a thoughtful , unsparing look at a controversial subject : suicide bombing .",
      "these days , cinema does n't get any more relevant than MOV , hany abu-assad 's gripping and insightful drama about two palestinian terrorists preparing for a suicide mission .",
      "hany abu-assad 's stark , minimalist portrait of two young palestinian men preparing for a suicide-bombing mission in tel aviv is the kind of movie that takes away both your breath and your ability to get out of your seat .",
      "this is a powerful film that has become controversial because it forces you look at things you might not want to think about .",
      "abu-assad makes it possible to understand how a person , driven by desperation , hatred , and shame , might end up committing the most heineous acts .",
      "i felt that i was no closer to understanding the psychology of suicide bombers than i had been before .",
      "... has the sheer brazenness to find humor in the suicide bomber 's experience .",
      "paradise catches and keeps your attention because of its daring subject , real-life backdrops and the intensity of its actors .",
      "takes a volatile story and jams it into the framework of a hollywood template .",
      "functions as an absorbing melodrama first , and screed second .",
      "troubling but excellent .",
      "it 's an explosive topic and abu-assad walks a fine line through a minefield of issues , all of them explored with intelligence and integrity .",
      "it 's too simply reasoned and too tidily made to shake you up .",
      "does n't ascribe morality so much as paint a picture of confusion , anger , and desperation .",
      "paradise may not change anyone 's ideology , but it should convince some that , but for some deeply divisive views of religious morality , people are pretty much the same on either side of the holy fence .",
      "how else to understand and , more to the point , pre-empt such actions ?",
      "if any film of 2005 should be required viewing , it is MOV .",
      "writer-director hany abu-assad ca n't tell the entire story in MOV , but he can show glimmers of it .",
      "a movie hardly lacking for anxiety and uneasiness .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sensitive , occasionally didactic film .",
      "it would be difficult to undertake a more politically relevant film or explore a more volatile subject , and abu-assad attempts his project with skill and sensitivity .",
      "feels too much like an ode to terrorism .",
      "the most suspenseful film of the year in its own subtle way .",
      "not an entirely successful experiment , plagued with overdone sentimentality and a middle act that serves only to stretch out the slim story , but what `` MOV '' says , it does so forcefully that it ca n't be ignored .",
      "the director 's two impulses -- to keep the audience hooked while illuminating the palestinian plight -- never feel entirely compatible .",
      "the martyr tradition in islam , sadly flourishing again , gets personal but also oddly abstract .",
      "with a documentarian 's eye and a dramatist 's urgency , abu-assad sneaks into the mind of a suicide bomber , and also his heart .",
      "the movie is driven by the characters ' passionate , despairing arguments about the fine line between victimization and violence . but MOV also has , at times , an almost surreal visual flair .",
      "... a powerful look at modern-day terrorism with plenty of traditional suspense built in .",
      "the movie makes us care by observing the details of their lives , by reminding us that they are fellow members of the human race .",
      "what makes the film more than a routine thriller is its willingness to explore what makes these walking time bombs tick .",
      "asks the big questions and answers quite a few of them , although its ending is tantalizingly ambiguous .",
      "the film captures the bleakness of the west bank and , more powerfully , shows us lives so grim that the thought of MOV seems enticing .",
      "despite the obvious opportunities to turn this subject into a strident polemic , it follows an entirely different route -- one that in the end carries considerably more impact .",
      "MOV underlines the absurd rituals of suicide missions , the ways that the perpetrators are induced into thinking that what they 're doing is special .",
      "viewers of all persuasions can find a human perspective on an aspect of terrorism that , no matter how often it occurs , is beyond imagining for most of us .",
      "the film does not invite you to root for either side of the conflict , just to see these guys as human . it is almost impossible not to empathize with their intense personal struggle .",
      "if the film sounds grim , well , yes , it is dealing with heavy , difficult issues . but , with the exception of -lsb- a few -rsb- didactic moments , it moves quickly .",
      "very good .",
      "a timely film that is disturbing but not necessarily fulfilling , as it never takes a stand and makes clear what is its thinking .",
      "what is striking about MOV is the stark way abu-assad lays out the situation , unvarnished and unbiased .",
      "MOV is a great movie on many accounts .",
      "a risk-taking but enlightening film that takes the novel approach of examining the israeli-arab impasse from the perspective of the palestinians .",
      "today 's assignment : watch ` MOV . ' discuss .",
      "geopolitical realities shape the narrative , but the characters in MOV remain human -- to the point where we begin to suspect their arguments are voiced largely to convince themselves .",
      "MOV contributes mightily to further understanding of palestinian frustrations , as well as the terrorism so sadly rampant in the world today .",
      "the acting of kais naschef and ali suliman is superb throughout this realistic portrait of a pair of palestinian suicide bombers .",
      "... remarkable ...",
      "MOV gets a little frantic and lost near the end , which is infinitely preferable to the bourgeois accessibility of its beginning . i would love for the film to have gone much further , cut deeper .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- tylistically far removed from what we see on the evening news , -lsb- it also -rsb- allows for a psychological depth that this subject oftentimes sorely lacks .",
      "the film continues to twist and turn until the very end , keeping us guessing as to what the would-be martyrs will do .",
      "the film offers food for thought , and reminds us that , in any war , one who understands the mindset of his opponent gains an important tactical advantage .",
      "MOV stands as evidence of troubled and troubling times .",
      "explores suicide bombers more intimately than ever before",
      "certainly what said says will not come as a surprise to any israeli . it 's simply that they disagree . we may disagree , too , and yet watch the film with a fearsome fascination .",
      "insights into the desperate plight of those palestinians who feel that living under oppression is hell and that dying is preferable .",
      "not unlike downfall in its attempts to comprehend the motivations behind those who would commit atrocities against innocents in the name of politics or piety .",
      "the talented palestinian abu-assad meets the almost impossible challenge of giving human faces to suicide bombers in his absorbing and timely political drama",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- lays out the issues in an accessible but rather too over-correct way , seemingly eager to please all parties at the expense of real passion .",
      "there 's much to provoke thought about the motivations of these self-destructive terrorists .",
      "whatever abu-assad 's motives were for making MOV , his film is n't about politics . it 's about two men .",
      "one viewing will leave you with a clearer understanding about why these desperate men commit these desperate acts .",
      "-lsb- filmmaker hany abu-assad -rsb- may have hoped to give a human voice to the suicide bombers , but instead he gave them a misfired movie .",
      "you ca n't blame the director for disliking israel : he gets under the skin of two potential terrorists giving us the inside on what makes them tick .",
      "the director puts a human face on the headlines .",
      "while nothing truly new or shocking emerges , the film does bring clarity and compassion to its depiction of an act that baffles , angers and sickens people the world over .",
      "simple , reflective , and uncomfortably relevant .",
      "... an engaging and important work ... i would love to think it will make a difference , even if only by making one israeli and one palistinian accept its message",
      "riveting and timely .",
      "MOV may not succeed in inspiring sympathy for these hapless terrorists , but it does compel an appreciation for the unbearable sense of humiliation that may fuel such acts .",
      "... it says more about middle eastern politics from the palestinian side than any movie , period .",
      "ainda que assuma claramente a defesa da causa palestina , o cineasta deixa clara sua reprovaзгo ao terrorismo .",
      "while it fails to make a compelling argument for terrorism , it is a compelling story nonetheless .",
      "a tragedy regardless of its conclusion , MOV is an important and powerful effort to explicate the inexplicable .",
      "for a while as perversely compelling as spielberg 's munich , the film sadly deflates as a narrative .",
      "it 's all compelling , and the film boasts an ending that leaves the audience sitting in numbed silence .",
      "could a more important , relevant and complimentary film to munich have come out in 2005 ?",
      "the filmmaker keeps the thorny issues under control",
      "un film duro , polйmico y bien realizado , que promueve el debate sobre un conflicto aъn por resolver .",
      "abu-assad does a good job of building tension and showing some of the complexities within palestinian culture . he has , as they say , put a human face on the palestinians ."
    ],
    "summary": "this film delves deeply into the minds of suicide bombers , and the result is unsettling .",
    "id": "8921"
  },
  {
    "movie": "weekend_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV settles into an intentionally minor-key groove , caught somewhere between bracingly direct honesty and cringingly mumbly pretense .",
      "i hate to damage so fragile a work with overpraise , but , gay or straight , if you do n't see yourself in this movie , you need to get a life .",
      "one of the best gay films ever made , although that pigeonholes it unfairly , as this is a finely observed , bracingly intelligent and human work , with an appeal that crosses sexual categorization .",
      "though the film benefits from an easy chemistry between the leads , it never hits any of the highs hinted at early on , leaving audiences unfulfilled by the possibility of what might have been .",
      "the most powerful , honest and engrossing romantic drama since before sunrise .",
      "the longer you spend inside MOV , the more its fictions seem apparent .",
      "its small scale allows for detailed looks at two men who are likeable and flawed , and who connect on a level neither expected -- nor in one case , was even looking for .",
      "boy meets boy in this low-budget , acutely observed relationship drama .",
      "it 's about love 's essence , and the pain of its absence .",
      "there 's a deceptive simplicity to british writer-director andrew haigh 's poignant , fluent character study , which has already earned comparisons to before sunrise .",
      "haigh treats his subject matter with matter-of-fact realism . if this is a new voice on the british film scene , it 's a refreshingly adult one .",
      "it is a tender , humane film , with an easy , unforced cinematic language : a film that does n't need to try too hard .",
      "haigh 's film is written with a shrewd , unpretentious feel for the way young people behave when they 're getting to know each other , shot with a keen eye for urban solitude , and completely nails its seemingly modest tasks ...",
      "haigh , writing , directing and producing , drives through the meeting-cute introductions and the medium-molten sex scenes as if they were merely marks on the map , to follow the simple , complex arc of an evolving love affair .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is an emotionally engaging and strikingly naturalistic romantic drama with terrific central performances from newcomers tom cullen and chris new .",
      "a remarkable film that signals an exciting new voice in the lgbt landscape .",
      "sexy , provocative , engrossing and occasionally ornery , it should appeal to anyone whose curiosity about someone new has provoked them to question their own identity .",
      "the organ that `` MOV '' is most concerned with is n't the one you might think , but the human heart .",
      "in just a short period of time , a MOV hookup tests the boundaries each man has set for himself .",
      "this appealing gay-themed drama , written and directed with intelligence by andrew haigh , is a british cousin to the american mumblecore movement ...",
      "if you 've ever met someone who changed your life in the space of days , you 'll relate to something in this movie .",
      "it 's equally as chatty as -lsb- before sunrise and before sunset -rsb- , but the dialogue is more to the point , less cerebral , and below the belt .",
      "if this lovely movie proffers a thesis or a moral , it 's a simple one . a more open , fully integrated and passionate life feeds the soul no less than air and water . or coffee the morning after .",
      "the story is simply told with a lot of talking , some loving and much philosophizing over the meaning of life . the good thing is that -lsb- writer-director-editor -rsb- andrew haigh wears all his hats well and shows a deft hand at all his chores .",
      "the results are gently sincere but maybe a little misguided , a far cry from the note-perfect , transcendently adorable 1999 gay love story `` trick , '' which this one reminds of -- and pales in comparison to .",
      "MOV is finally a deeply romantic film , assured of the pleasure that one person can find in another , but rooted in the quirks and textures of contemporary british life .",
      "in an intimate exploration of its central relationship , this boy meets boy story addresses all the issues of being gay and meets them head on",
      "made with all the technical disadvantages of a home movie - dirty and confusing sound recording , sloppy camerawork -lrb- but here it 's intentional , meant to look arty -rrb-",
      "cullen and new are british stage actors with little background in film . haigh 's only previous film was a documentary . perhaps because they do n't feel bound by a set of rules , they 've created one of the year 's most enjoyable surprises .",
      "MOV has romance to spare , but also takes a look at the cogs turning under the surface of any thoughtful encounter , however brief .",
      "MOV works beautifully in the moment , and lingers long after an initial viewing . it 's certainly an affair to remember .",
      "MOV is one of the most impressive films ever made about love . haigh 's confidence and intelligence as a filmmaker , has resulted in a sincere and emotionally engaging film .",
      "through two wonderful performances from tom cullen and chris new , writer-director andrew haigh has captured the many emotions associated with a new relationship .",
      "a romance that finds intimacy in intense conversation but also a very british film about private and public spaces ; a potent mix of the sensually intimate and the politically confrontational .",
      "however , to simply call it ` a gay movie ' would commit it a great disservice as the fragmented kaleidoscope of fleeting romantic pains and pleasures should resonate with gay and straight audiences in equal measure .",
      "probably one of the greatest films ever made on the subject of gay love , not because it deals with issues of homosexuality , but because it simply tells a tender , honest , emotionally potent love story .",
      "for a movie that bares the souls of its characters so completely , MOV does n't unfold like a complicated movie . the dialogue is natural , the sex scenes are tender , and the camera never gets in the way of the story .",
      "a surprisingly strong film about love and sexual identity that leaves a lasting impression .",
      "one of the bravest , most honest and most accomplished stories of gay love and sex ever rendered on film .",
      "this is a smart , sensitive , perceptive film , with actors well suited to the dialogue . it underlines the difficulty of making connections outside our individual boxes of time and space .",
      "an achingly tender chamber piece from first-time director andrew haigh .",
      "the film operates on a familiar dynamic ; however , it works here thanks to the precise alignment of talented actors and a focused screenplay .",
      "the bland sentimentality and dull attitudinizing turn the movie into an empty frame of good intentions .",
      "writer-director andrew haigh has a delicate , sensitive touch , and this is appealing as a simple peek into modern romance ... but there 's a sense of wishful thinking -- or even desperation -- that i suspect is not intended here .",
      "there 's a fresh , sweaty , honest , unpretentious air to it , and when they part , with glen on his way to spend a year working in portland , oregon , we genuinely believe that something like love has come into their yearning lives .",
      "a moving and empathetic look at how relationships develop , at how people fall in love and what that does and does n't do to their lives .",
      "the best film of 2011 .",
      "a stunningly simple , nearly perfect example of a romance movie whose burgeoning couple just happens to be gay .",
      "part of the brilliance of haigh 's film is how specific the characterizations are of his two main characters , how their different natures both allow for the possibility of love and impede it .",
      "simplicity personified ... character - and emotion-driven cinema at its purest and densest and most haunting .",
      "it 's splendidly played with an understated intensity that deftly captures the shifting emotional tone of the relationship .",
      "deserves to find a place in the hearts of wistful romantics everywhere , no matter what their sexual preference .",
      "offers up the kind of subtle , truthful relationship drama that 's all too rare in cinema .",
      "naturalistic without being ineloquent , heartfelt yet unsentimental , MOV is the rarest of birds : a movie romance that rings true .",
      "by the end of their MOV together , it feels like you know these guys and , even better , like you 're rooting for them .",
      "MOV might be a small film recounting an intimate relationship , but it speaks to the grandest of ideas .",
      "hile the credible script and naturalistic acting deserve praise , there 's even a thrill in seeing romantic clichés -- you 'll spot them all -- embraced anew .",
      "it 's a definitive example of naturalistic moviemaking -- you feel you 're breathing the air that the characters are breathing .",
      "there 's a white-knuckle quality to this affair that 's as fearsome as it is beautiful .",
      "its final moments offer a vision of what a contemporary romance can achieve : an appreciative gasp of truth , a wet-eyed hope for more .",
      "like before sunrise , the real joy of writer/director andrew haigh 's film is in watching two people make bedrooms , overpasses , kitchenettes , and couches feel alive with potent conversation and pregnant silences .",
      "writer-director andrew haigh , who 's made several short films and one other feature while holding down big-studio editing gigs , allows the characters and their ideas to develop naturally .",
      "well-written and insightful , i do n't think we 've seen a gay-themed film this purely romantic and ultimately affecting since `` brokeback mountain . '' one of the five best glbt-themed narrative films of 2011 .",
      "MOV is the year 's wittiest hymn to romance .",
      "the two leading actors give deft , expressive performances that have us rooting for both of them . cullen has a broodingly sensual presence , while the impish new makes a charmingly prickly foil .",
      "it 's a thrill to watch , just as it 's thrilling to be in the hands of such a gifted new filmmaking talent .",
      "it is about the paradoxes and puzzlements of gay identity in a post-identity-politics era , and also about the enduring mystery of sexual attraction and its consequences .",
      "haigh avoids exploitation and cheap thrills in favor of a mature , incisive examination of relationships .",
      "there is an undeniable emotional power to andrew haigh 's beautifully sketched romantic drama .",
      "without spoiling what happens and how , it 's fair to say the pivot away from linklater-style sentimentality leaves little room for a sequel hook-up a decade down the road .",
      "terrific low-key turns from the two leads inject their growing bond with genuine emotion , making this a love story that will get under the skin of romantics everywhere .",
      "cullen and new develop a compellingly credible give and take .",
      "i love what haigh manages to achieve in his MOV . the movie is political and challenging , but in an organic way .",
      "while you might appreciate its goal , the writing and execution are n't strong enough to reach it .",
      "one of the truest , most beautiful movies ever made about two strangers .",
      "the movie is exquisitely written , directed and acted in naturalistic , hand-held style on a shoestring . it 's heartbreaking .",
      "a heartfelt romantic comedy , a touching rumination on sexual identity and a striking look at what it is to be gay in 21st century britain ."
    ],
    "summary": "it may be a chamber piece but MOV 's revelations on modern sexuality expand far beyond the modest setting .",
    "id": "771235363"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lake_of_fire",
    "reviews": [
      "definitive documentary on the subject that is so gripping that every thinking person will be forced to confront core issues",
      "does n't quite feel as definitive as the filmmaker intended , although i ca n't imagine how any film on the subject could get closer than this .",
      "smart , visually appealing , and consistently engaging .",
      "lake 's head-on confrontation of a problem most people simply wish to ignore is documentary cinema at its most raw and vital .",
      "when the focus narrows to the personal , the film becomes undeniably powerful in its specifics .",
      "the film shows shocking footage of actual abortions in progress and the remains of aborted fetuses , as well as the appalling images of murdered abortion clinicians and the horrifying testimonies of pro-life fanatics who are convinced all abortionists shou",
      "does n't aim to win converts or preach to the converted . his goal is rather to clear through the rhetoric , and look at abortion and its place in the american political dialog .",
      "demands we throw out our preconceived notions and face the issue without walls to protect us .",
      "the most striking footage is of an abortion ; the next is of hateful and ignorant americans",
      "an intense , sometimes sickening , documentary about the abortion issue in the united states which reeks of brimstone .",
      "as the u.s. elections media coverage becomes incessant , it 's worth keeping in mind that actual listening to other `` sides '' can be enlightening .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- passionate meditation on the fiery issue .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- film does nothing to advance the debate but does a great deal to show us what 's at stake .",
      "a 2 1/2 - hour documentary on abortion may sound like a hard sell , but the depth and scope of tony kaye 's grueling MOV nonetheless justifies feeling like you 've just taken a long , blistering soak in one .",
      "one lesson of MOV is the galvanizing power of the visual image . sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words , and sometimes pictures are not enough .",
      "it 's hard to imagine a more honest and clear-headed documentary that 's been made or will be made on the subject of abortion .",
      "a provocatively beautiful movie on the hottest hot-button issue in american life : a woman 's right to an abortion .",
      "this sprawling , scary , nearly unbearable film -lsb- is -rsb- more important than ever .",
      "an absorbing doc that punctuates the idea that abortion , legal or banned , is not a black-and-white issue but is in a political gray zone .",
      "lives up to its promise of definitiveness ... a significant piece of journalism .",
      "tony -lrb- american history x -rrb- kaye 's ambitious docu is a powerful mixture of ethical , philosophical , political , and religious viewpoints about the controversial abortion debate in the u.s. , aspiring to be a definitive work on the contentious subject .",
      "this is the most impressive , most honest and most brutal account of the abortion issue i have ever seen . with breathtaking scope and access -lrb- shot over a 14 year period -rrb- kaye has crafted a film that could easily be the subject of an ethics graduate course .",
      "this lake is deep , dark and very disturbing as an in-depth look at passionate beliefs , shocking choices and an issue that may never be resolved .",
      "MOV does something with the volatile subject of abortion that neutral observers and even political partisans can appreciate : it offers a wide representation of perspectives and opinions .",
      "at 152 minutes , his film does n't seem long , because at every moment something absorbing , disturbing , depressing or infuriating is happening .",
      "no one will have an easy time of it with MOV , a work of profound anguish centered on the abortion rights debate .",
      "provides gruesome , incontrovertible images to complement its deliberations about morality .",
      "kaye denies that his film has a political bias , but it does .",
      "it 's the arguments on both sides that make this long , gripping film such a vital contribution to the national conversation about abortion .",
      "upsetting , engrossing , engaging documentary on abortion .",
      "-lsb- kaye has -rsb- taken his camera places and filmed things that neither side will want you see .",
      "there 's a madness to MOV , a two-and-a-half hour documentary about abortion in america , that goes hand-in-glove with its staggering achievement .",
      "the latest in a long list of hyper-politicized , sensationalistic documentaries that are high on scare tactics and shock value , but low on progressive discourse .",
      "handsomely filmed on silvery 35 mm and high-definition by kaye himself , the shrewdly edited pic balances a full spectrum of views from all sides of the abortion debate without obviously taking a position itself .",
      "here 's a fun game you can play : try to guess the political stance of the interviewee before kaye slams their name and affiliation . you 'll be right way more often than you 'll be wrong .",
      "lake wants to break through decades of encrusted rhetoric to make us think again . with one slow reveal of norma mccorvey , a.k.a. ` jane roe , ' the movie upends all you assumed about this subject .",
      "wherever you stand on the volatile issue of abortion , tony kaye 's exhaustive documentary could dislodge your certainties with a broad survey of opinion from opposite extremes and explicit depictions of medical procedures .",
      "along with kay 's masterful compositions , effulgent black and white cinematography elevates the material over typical documentary filmmaking .",
      "viewer opinions about life and death provoked by MOV are not likely to flip , but they sure will get shaken .",
      "highly compelling , if overlong and overwrought .",
      "a monumental achievement , 17 years in the making and financed by kaye himself , MOV reveals kaye to be a far more thoughtful and mature filmmaker than his loose cannon public persona suggests .",
      "for a notoriously ` difficult ' director , kaye turned in a surprisingly even-handed film , and his sensitive treatment of his interview subjects leads to a number of revealing moments .",
      "no matter where you stand on the issue , kaye rattles you .",
      "it still provides viewers with a lot to think about and may even cause them to look at some of those with opposing views on the subject in a new light .",
      "kaye shoots in black and white , a stark reminder of how there is no middle ground when it comes to abortion in america ... and also , perhaps , a bit of a cushion against the authenticity of kaye 's harsh vision .",
      "MOV does n't tell you what to decide , it just gives you as much information as possible to make the choice yourself .",
      "fascinating but unsettling .",
      "most of the footage ... is at least a decade old - and the saddest commentary is that the discussion has n't budged an inch .",
      "the astonishing feat of the documentary MOV is that it takes a topic about which everyone is always telling us what to think and manages to do justice to both sides . or rather , all sides .",
      "for all its provocativeness , MOV is not a shapeless movie , nor a politically irresponsible one .",
      "you may not leave the theater having switched sides , but you 'll probably respect the other side more , and that in itself would be a victory for human life .",
      "hardly seemed like the `` definitive '' film about abortion as it thinks of itself ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV 's engaging interviews and powerful black-and-white visuals make for a riveting and honest documentary about a very controversial topic .",
    "id": "568063654"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10005499-oliver_twist",
    "reviews": [
      "despite the length , you 'll never fault the film 's craftsmanship .",
      "polanski tactfully stays out of charles dickens ' way .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he maddening thing is not just that we hardly need another movie adaptation of -lsb- MOV -rsb- ... but that there are other dickens books that have n't been given the major movie treatment that would better suit polanski 's temperament .",
      "a severely overlooked , exceedingly well-done version of an oft-told tale ... one of the best films of 2005 .",
      "falha ao jamais encontrar um tom adequado para sua narrativa : em certos momentos , é excessivamente infantil ; em outros , sombrio demais .",
      "... respectful without being slavish , nice to look at without ever being breathtaking , well cast and acted without ever deeply engaging our emotions .",
      "`` MOV '' deserves to be recognized as one of the director 's better films .",
      "it 's an impeccable production on a visual level and undeniably a well-made film , but the narrative often lacks the spark to bring it to life .",
      "polanski 's deft adaptation proves that there 's still life in that well-worn story of a boy who beats the odds .",
      "-lrb- roman -rrb- polanski orchestrates this well-worn chestnut with the same high level of expertise that won him an oscar for the pianist in 2002 .",
      "it just might supplant david lean 's 1948 version as the one that students turn to for a 2-hour study guide .",
      "the movie understands what polanski himself knew upon surviving the holocaust -- you take your kindness where you can find it , weighing its price along the way .",
      "polanski 's film is not a bad adaptation , and it may be a fine way to introduce children to the classic story . but it is not exactly a definitive version of that story .",
      "the unspoken sense of youthful post-traumatic holocaust syndrome shock and awe in polanski 's twist is as palpable as the murky stench and appalling human misery of dickens ' chaotic london streets .",
      "with intelligence and style -lrb- inspired by the art of gustave doré and francisco solé -rrb- , polanski makes a rewarding contribution to dickens ' legacy on screen .",
      "probably the thing that polanski 's MOV does best , is deliver the mood of the day",
      "MOV is an affecting and refreshing adaptation of dickens seminal work from a master director .",
      "a smorgasbord of urban decay , social disorder , and class conflict imbues the film with a potent sensuality",
      "polanski has crafted something that already feels like a classic film , beautiful to look at , combining accurate period detail with a certain gothic expressionism and brimming with earthy characters and high drama .",
      "the horrors are comfily buttressed by storybook polish",
      "roman polanski has made some classic films over the years , but this is not one of them .",
      "MOV is a rarity , as far as polanski films go , in that it is just an ok movie .",
      "yet given previous versions ... there ought to be something new here to warrant retelling . there is n't .",
      "... a relatively gentle , even sweet film",
      "enjoyable but not remarkable filmmaking .",
      "technically sound and surprisingly faithful to its source material , roman polanski 's version of MOV comes across as uninspired and flat .",
      "hopefully , this loving adaptation will allow a new generation to discover this masterpiece .",
      "it 's as though polanski had set the story 's foolproof motor on cruise control and left the room ; the tale is well told but told without personality .",
      "please sir , can i have some more ... levity with my poverty and abject misery . this bleak story could benefit from some musical numbers to break up the monotony of sorrow .",
      "a film that 's stately in its production but moves as if walking through thick gruel .",
      "it is something special in these times of incivility to see a protagonist who stands apart from others with his good manners .",
      "it 's irresistible to read his sorrowful and seemingly classical take , from a filmmaker known as much for the schisms in his personal history as for the lurches in his work , as something much more personal and poignant .",
      "any parents thinking of bringing their young kids to this very-hard-pg-13 downer have hereby been warned .",
      "it still stings in unlikely places .",
      "deft direction , solid acting and exemplary production make `` MOV '' a worthy telling of the classic story and are the resounding answer to my ... question : why bother ?",
      "with tact and enthusiasm , roman polanski grabs hold of a great book and rediscovers its true and enduring vitality .",
      "a near-masterpiece .",
      "polanski ... gives `` oliver '' two prominent twists which impart a ` there but for the grace of god go i ' undercurrent ... the specter of the noose hangs heavily over this production",
      "lacking energy and pace and enslaved by a ghastly score , this tepid movie left me longing alternately for david lean 's thrillingly grim 1948 masterpiece , and carol reed 's chipper 1968 sing-along , with pretty tunes by lionel bart .",
      "the roles must have been filled when the casting director was whacked out on prescription cough syrup .",
      "polanski 's film is visually exact and detailed without being too picturesque .",
      "polanski 's twist is a serious and credible movie with a great many virtues -- gorgeous cinematography and an activist zeal chief among them -- but it 's something you watch rather than lose yourself in .",
      "roman polanski 's new version finds the humor in dickens ' story without glossing over the essential point that a society must be judged inhumane if its treatment of its most unfortunate members is not humane .",
      "while -lrb- david -rrb- lean 's '48 twist remains definitive , polanski offers today 's filmgoers a version nearly as rich and evocative .",
      "polanski 's MOV is craftsmanly and relatively unsentimental .",
      "the film is high on production values but short on heart .",
      "seeing polanski 's version of this most dickensian of all charles dickens ' tales , i felt full and wanted no more versions -lrb- please , sir ! -rrb- , having now seen the definitive one .",
      "perhaps it will take a school trip to encourage kids to see MOV , but that 's one permission slip parents should sign .",
      "roman polanski has made a perfectly agreeable and entertaining new MOV .",
      "polanski has given the dickens saga a thrilling epic look .",
      "it 's mannered at times , as you might expect ... but the surprising thing about MOV is how deeply it resonates .",
      "that polanski chose this as the movie he wanted to make for his own children feels motivated by more than a septuagenarian dad 's desire to take a $ 60-million stab at a bedtime story . it feels inspired by a need to tell them who he is .",
      "languid and lifeless , stilted and , above all , surprisingly safe , MOV plods along , its impassive title character being tossed from one cruel fate to another .",
      "you can look at it all and marvel , or recoil in horror at the barbaric exploitation of women and children . but the film remains an arm 's length experience .",
      "polanski 's take will spark debate among dickens lovers , but audiences wo n't respond as warmly as they have to lean 's classic .",
      "polanski delivers an acceptable yet thoroughly uninspiring twist on the orphaned oliver , who gets a raw deal every which way .",
      "polanski 's take on the classic is a dull affair .",
      "polanski seems so intent on ... a grimly elegant big picture that ... he misses the people . oops , except for ben kingsley as fagin , whom he lets run embarrassingly wild .",
      "a work of craft that could be flying the masterpiece theatre banner . you know , an earnestly worthy adaptation of a literary classic , as faithful and polished as it is ponderous and unprovocative .",
      "though some may quibble with the changes polanski and scripter ronald harwood have made to the book , mostly they get it right .",
      "a grounded and unusually matter-of-fact adaptation .",
      "MOV has been done repeatedly on film and tv , but never better than in roman polanski 's beautiful and tough-minded movie .",
      "it 's noble , high-minded and safe , and i ca n't help thinking that i would have preferred an audacious but honest failure .",
      "great expectations are unavoidable when roman polanski takes on a charles dickens classic . alas , his version of MOV fails to live up to them .",
      "as family fare goes , this makes the corpse bride look like chicken little .",
      "in MOV , it 's the viewer who is punished .",
      "engaging , handsomely photographed and beautifully acted , polanski 's MOV , adapted by pianist screenwriter ronald harwood , distinguishes itself from most versions in its decidedly dark tone .",
      "poignant and primal , roman polanski 's splendid adaptation of the charles dickens classic pricks the heart and the conscience .",
      "a movie that 's beautifully acted , with an eye for drab period detail .",
      "beauty and hateful ugliness meet in extraordinary harmony in roman polanski 's MOV , fitting for a story that is a study in obvious contrasts .",
      "it 's not dickens and it 's not david lean , either . this perverse retelling of a classic could only be the work of one filmmaker that i can think of . it 's my boy polanski .",
      "there 's also strong support from harry eden , as well as leanne rowe as the archetypal tart-with-a-heart nancy , whilst jamie foreman -lrb- nasty pieces of work a specialty -rrb- adds another great performance to his rogue 's gallery of cockney villains .",
      "please sir , can we have some less ?",
      "no one said `` i want some more , sir , '' when it comes to film adaptations of the charles dickens classic .",
      "why , oh why , was n't this movie released at christmas time ?",
      "does n't shy away from the text 's alarming elements . they are instead put to good use , adding shadow and texture to the lively , plot-driven story .",
      "polanski is the perfect director for the project .",
      "the sad thing is that this really is a very fine film . yet , at the end of the day , it 's still MOV .",
      "dickens was a better social chronicler than storyteller , and polanski has chosen to adopt that weakness in the interests of utter faithfulness to the text .",
      "okay , i get it . polanski does n't want us to forget his childhood .",
      "this version of twist is a flawless adaptation ; finding the right balance between story and screen . simply enthralling .",
      "as handsomely made , well-acted , dramatically unflinching and heartfelt as it is , polanski 's oliver is a movie more admirable than emotionally affecting .",
      "MOV as presented by roman polanski is pretty much the same as MOV presented by anyone else , except perhaps it 's a bit duller .",
      "polanski 's oliver proves surprisingly uninspired , taking nearly the entire movie before it belatedly springs to life .",
      "with the story lines streamlined and compressed , the whole thing does n't have nearly the emotional heft it probably should .",
      "nitpickers may squawk over missing elements , but the film doggedly hits on the book 's big themes : the power of innocence , the cruelty of class .",
      "MOV is a lovely , tony picture , but it is n't exactly essential .",
      "dickens ' continuing relevance is less a testament to his genius than to the endurance and recurrence of the problems he took as his focus .",
      "the question of why anyone would bother to make another film version of ` MOV ' is not answered by director roman polanski .",
      "the film is worth seeing , but it wo n't hold a cherished place in your moviegoing memories .",
      "polanski could have made oliver as haunting as his 2002 academy award-winning film , the pianist . yet his new effort falls just short .",
      "plods along with the dutiful , near-reverent air of an annual christmas sermon .",
      "where the movie should hurt with an establishment built on dehumanization , it 's stagy and inert .",
      "polanski does what he can with source material that is larger than life .",
      "the strength of the polanski film is its lack of sentimentality . he creates a cold , cruel world where an orphan boy , because of his station in life , has no future .",
      "while the picture is not quite a masterpiece it does carry the stamp of a master filmmaker working at the height of his abilities .",
      "polanski presents a good but not great rendering of dickens ' oft-filmed second novel .",
      "ben kingsley finally recaptures his dignity after the trifecta of awfulness that was thunderbirds , suspect zero , and a sound of thunder .",
      "while roman polanski 's latest version of oliver does n't make any bold new twists , it follows the recipe with great care and features several great performances .",
      "is it worth renting the video sometime in the spring so the little darlings can cheat on their book report ? perhaps , as it 's unusually faithful to the original source .",
      "` MOV ' proves what ` the pianist ' only hinted at-that roman polanski is the world 's most talented paint-by-numbers artist .",
      "the quality of mercy is strained , but by some strange feat it does n't dissolve entirely .",
      "a good-looking production albeit one that is too straightforward and literary .",
      "it is a film where art direction triumphs but genuine art remains elusive .",
      "MOV is n't the nasty affair polanski fans might be hoping for .",
      "though polanski does n't bring a new angle to dickens ' classic , there 's still reason to see his handsome , well-acted production of a tale not seen on the bigscreen in decades",
      "conventional , straightforward and very much within what used to be called the traditional of quality , this handsome film is a respectable literary adaptation but lacks dramatic urgency and intriguing undercurrents .",
      "the spark that an original point of view might bring to the oft-told tale is missing .",
      "a version of `` oliver '' that 's so safe , it 's pretty much a case of baby-sitting .",
      "involving , captivating and nearly note perfect -- in other words , a proper classic .",
      "... a sincere , impeccably crafted retelling of a classic , invigorated by one of our best filmmakers working from a place of obvious passion ...",
      "technically accomplished and frequently engaging .",
      "dickens knew that melodrama answers to something permanent in our nature ; without it , any version of MOV draws perilously close to the genteel .",
      "kingsley 's fagin takes us on a fantastic joyride through the sleazy and disease-ridden 19th century london tenderloin and leaves everybody smiling in the end .",
      "like a classics comic book adaptation of the story -- tasteful , subdued and just a bit dull .",
      "someday , this may even replace cliff notes for the dvd generation .",
      "-lsb- polanski -rsb- takes the dickens that screenwriter ronald harwood has faithfully transcribed and does n't so much bring it to life as turn it into a handsomely mounted still life",
      "a fifth-grade puppet show of MOV would have been more watchable . and far less sickening .",
      "... one of polanski 's safest , least distinctive pictures -- just another tasteful run through a story that 's already too familiar . oh well , at least in this one nobody sings .",
      "polanski and company have proven that , once again , great stories never go out of style .",
      "when was the last time you walked out of a polanski picture talking mostly about the sets and music ?",
      "fails to topple lean 's untoppable version ; still one of the best movies of 2005 . startlingly unemotional , but for the stormy torments behind fagin 's overhanging eyebrows .",
      "the first question i have is , why ? why would roman polanski , one of the most innovative directors of the last half-century , want to adapt a story that has been told again and again ?",
      "the idea of ben kingsley as fagin is such an obvious fit that he is n't surprising , nor are his acting choices",
      "roman polanski 's MOV is probably the most faithful adaptation . but hardly anyone will take notice ; it 's just a tale that 's been told too many times before .",
      "polanski and his pianist scribe ronald harwood have chosen to tell it in as simple a manner as possible , as though they had been given a masterpiece theatre assignment to dispatch .",
      "this is that rare movie version of a great novel in which watching is reading .",
      "polanski 's adult fans deserve something more than a film for the kiddies , and dickens deserves better treatment than merely ` tasteful . '",
      "it 's just as dickens wrote .",
      "is it possible that a film made in 1948 and by david lean could exceed the darkness and controversy of a roman polanski picture ? after watching the newest screen version of MOV , the answer is yes .",
      "drab and unfeeling ."
    ],
    "summary": "polanski 's version of dickens ' classic wo n't have audiences asking for more because while polished and directed with skill , the movie 's a very impersonal experience .",
    "id": "12699"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rise_of_the_planet_of_the_apes",
    "reviews": [
      "the biggest complaint i 'd make is how rise has been marketed . previews make caesar look like he started out a seething ball of simian rage , and that is n't the case .",
      "... one of the most literate science fiction action films in some time .",
      "this is a well made movie , the kind that deserves praise for setting out to do something and doing it very well .",
      "since the only really good planet of the apes movie was the 1968 original with charlton heston , i 've always wondered why filmmakers ca n't just leave well enough alone .",
      "the apes are fun to ride along with at times , but the humans and the overall story are rather bland .",
      "a movie that opens as well as this one does-and draws you in so effectively-ought to have a finale that does n't remind you of cheesy monster movies from years past . on the other hand , the visual effects in are so astonishing that i have to ...",
      "occasionally violent origin story is surprisingly good .",
      "the biggest surprise in a long time simply delivers what it promises and then goes way beyond that to become one of the most memorable summer thrill rides of the last few years .",
      "when MOV gets things right , which is does very often , it 's surprisingly heart-wrenching .",
      "it 's worth it for the ape rampage , but we 're making a devil 's bargain here . thank you for the awesome ape action , and we 'll tolerate the script .",
      "gives contemporary audiences the chance to embrace this cultural phenomenon on their own terms with -lrb- near -rrb- total seriousness and superior special effects .",
      "if you 're a fan of the series , you 'll love it ; if you 're not a fan it may make you one .",
      "save christopher nolan 's `` batman , '' no film so brilliantly reinvigorated a franchise more than this , a thrilling opening act that 's equally captivating and leaves you anxiously awaiting the next installment .",
      "caesar -lsb- the main ape -rsb- is the reason to see this daft , breathless picture .",
      "MOV has some life to it as an action film , but every time anyone opens their mouth , man or beast , you 'll feel like someone figured out a way to sneak in groundbreaking cgi into your middle schooler 's class play .",
      "overall , MOV is intermittently entertaining with a few nice nods to the original series .",
      "the bad news is that whenever this prequel 's cgi apes are n't on-screen , you 're wishing the flesh-and-blood actors would get the hell off !",
      "audacious , violent and disquieting , `` MOV '' is a summer sequel that 's better than it has any right to be .",
      "despite thin human drama , and one note supporting characters , MOV is a surprisingly sincere story that elevates the franchise canon .",
      "despite some pretty glaring plotholes , the combination of astonishing special effects and a tension-filled story makes for a gripping and worthy rebirth for the franchise .",
      "had the second half of `` MOV '' not descended into silliness , perhaps the film would have been a more worthy addition to the apes legacy .",
      "i realise that action movies are n't meant to be realistic but these characters needed to be far more interesting and believable if they were going to draw me in .",
      "... a smart and grown-up science-fiction thriller that honors the name it carries . this suggests a world i 'd want to see more of , and it raises exciting storytelling questions that i hope fox will answer",
      "this is , by some distance , the most exciting action adventure of the year . at just 105 minutes , rise ... shows how you can also make a rounded , full-blooded blockbuster in double quick time to leave audiences wanting more .",
      "a surprising amount of heart comes from our cgi ape . it 's a worthy prequel that makes you excited where the series can go .",
      "the best popcorn of the summer .",
      "takes advantage of the spectacular advance in special effects over the past 40 years but adds little by way of imagination or insight into our appreciation of the original film .",
      "i thought apes in the future were hairy humans with walnut shells for mouths ! these look too much like monkeys . if i want to watch monkeys take over the world i 'll watch the jersey shore .",
      "that a film about an ape revolution could feature one of the most heart-stopping and gasp-inducing cinematic moments of the year means i have to re-evaluate everything i thought i knew about cinema .",
      "rise a worthy addition to apes saga .",
      "caesar finds his own voice but the film never does .",
      "MOV , made smarter by avatar 's dna , knocks all other versions out of the water . you 've never seen anything like these sentient apes .",
      "serkis is possibly the most skilled body actor working in the movies today , but even his subtle skills are eventually overcome by the fact that MOV lacks the basic humanity -lrb- no pun intended -rrb- of the first film .",
      "reinvents the franchise with a bold , exciting , intense and fun new chapter that does right by the brilliant 1968 original film while working spectacularly on its own terms .",
      "the biggest fault here is the premise itself . while not a direct remake , rise covers similar ground to 1972 's conquest of the planet of the apes .",
      "it 's not a bad film . but take whatever money you would have put towards a movie ticket and instead give it to the alzheimer 's association .",
      "despite a lack of conviction in the script , caesar 's origin is still adequately set , so here 's hoping what will follow has a little more to grab your attention .",
      "so good that , digital technology aside , it still manages to achieve the mythic stature of the 1968 original .",
      "consider MOV a belated apology for tim burton 's misbegotten 2001 remake .",
      "created by weta digital and `` played '' by andy serkis , caesar is a cgi triumph , although there 's still an artificiality about the look that keeps the figure at a distance -lrb- personally , i found serkis 's `` performance '' in king kong to be more effective -rrb- .",
      "for 90 minutes , it could be a super-sized hallmark channel flick . the ape revolution teased in the trailer , all 30 minutes of it , is an afterthought . there are scrap-booking conventions with more action .",
      "a well-crafted b movie with astonishingly effective motion capture cgi technology .",
      "even though the producers monkeyed with the original series premise , and you wo n't go ape over what may be a new -- do we really need one ? -- series , this one is n't bad .",
      "rise wears planet 's mask to use 2001 ′ s conceit . in this sense , franco-stein begets a monster worthy of our consideration and viewing pleasure .",
      "director rupert wyatt wisely keeps the scenes busy and the momentum building so that you would barely notice all the logistical nonsense on-screen .",
      "MOV makes for an impressive , if predictably downbeat prequel to a franchise famous for unhappy endings .",
      "andy serkis , who has been at the forefront of mo-cap since portraying gollum in the lord of the rings films , is an automatic oscar snub in waiting post-rise .",
      "this is a genuine evolution in digital film making , matched by a razor sharp script that delivers an apetastic action blockbuster .",
      "this nonsensical tale , by tapping into our most basic emotions , delivers a science fiction movie that makes profound sense , especially right now .",
      "serkis shows his chimp-chops here -lrb- having cut his teeth , so to speak , as king kong -rrb- , conveying everything from fear to forcefulness through his singularly expressive eyes -lrb- hm ... are cg eyes windows xp to the soul ? -rrb- .",
      "... offers one of the richest character arcs i 've seen in quite some time . and i 'm talking about the chimpanzee .",
      "this surprise reboot -- 10 years after the great tim burton bungled the same job -- is surprisingly good .",
      "having gone in with very low expectations , this reviewer was totally blown away by MOV . it might just be the most pleasant shock of 2011 .",
      "you may , like me , skulk into the new `` MOV '' expecting the worst . and you may , like me , be genuinely surprised by where this movie takes you .",
      "if you 're looking for a prequel to the `` planet of the apes '' franchise , you 're not going to do much better than this one .",
      "MOV rises and , at times , even soars - all thanks to what human actors in league with computer technology can now achieve to bring the apes to life .",
      "`` MOV '' does it right . smart , fun and thoroughly enjoyable , it 's a model summer diversion that entertains without insulting your intelligence .",
      "as both a simian simile and a wonder of technology , MOV deserves to be in the company of the great original kong .",
      "the extraordinary star turn by andy serkis raises once again the question of why a superb motion-captured performance is n't eligible for an oscar .",
      "`` MOV '' is first-class entertainment , packed with clever , unsettling and even inspired ideas .",
      "swift and nimble , like the rising ape at its center , `` MOV '' is gratifyingly free of the usual big-budget blockbuster weight and volume .",
      "if you 've ever seen or heard about a `` planet of the apes '' movie , you know where this is leading . but that does n't make the trip any less enjoyable .",
      "its human characters are ciphers , even if the actors include franco , lithgow , brian cox and freida pinto , but its animal rebels are utterly convincing .",
      "up there with some of the best franchise reboots ; anyone seeing it , whether they 're a fan of the previous movies or not , will leave it hoping it does well enough to warrant more .",
      "the action scenes -lrb- particularly a battle between humans and apes on the golden gate bridge -rrb- are inventively spectacular , and the story at the movie 's core is evocative and engaging .",
      "like an old-school science-fiction flick , the film is surprisingly character driven until a final rousing action sequence , and that 's all to the good .",
      "i did find it a surprisingly agreeable afternoon 's entertainment .",
      "distinguishes itself from other ill-conceived reboots in general , and from tim burton 's disastrous 2001 remake in particular , by looking with fresh , simian eyes at its core conflict between human and primates .",
      "in what is easily one of the better films of the year , director rupert wyatt , with a first-rate screenplay , melds thrills with wit and state-of-the-art special effects to create a flick you 're ready to watch again as soon as it ends .",
      "there is no reason for this movie to exist .",
      "the familiar contagion plotline prevents the film from achieving the allegorical charm or cautionary impact of the 1968 original .",
      "the film has a hackneyed `` the-bad-guys-are-us '' plot on which to hang some interesting special effects .",
      "rarely has a story about the end of the world seemed so boring .",
      "a sharp critique of human nature from the standpoint of our closest relative , the chimpanzee who comes off as much more civilized than those who maintain prisons , zoos , and fight wars against weak and defenseless nations .",
      "andy serkis once again gives a master class in expressive , nuanced , powerful physical acting .",
      "this is a great summer movie , spectacular in its realisation , yet resonant in its themes .",
      ". . cannibalizes famous images and lines from all the `` apes '' flicks , which is cute until the evident lack of new ideas becomes tiresome .",
      "... serkis as a digital acting pioneer , brings real heart and soulfulness to what would have otherwise been just another special effect .",
      "fans of the saga should find this pre-story compelling enough . the technology overseen by joe letteri , a four-time oscar winner , makes this film a standout .",
      "the chase sequences , with apes fleeing from man , and vice versa , are thrillingly accompanied by an original musical score from patrick doyle .",
      "if you 've been underwhelmed by many of summer 2011 's big event movies , treat yourself to one that actually exceeds all expectations .",
      "the technology and performances that bring the apes to life make the film a must-see for any modern movie fan , but it 's the emotion and humanity of caesar 's story that makes the film a must-see for any movie fan at all .",
      "not your average blockbuster cash-grab .",
      "the `` apes '' version of the star trek reboot . yes , it 's that good .",
      "some ambitious and clever stuff going on here gets cut down by some awkward choices , economic limitations , and a mostly wasted group of human actors .",
      "MOV is like many summer movies -- once you get on their wave length , they 're a hoot . but you have to accept the bumpy amusement ride .",
      "a worthy , exciting , emotional addition to the venerable monkey movie marathon . apes will rise . sequels are likely .",
      "this seventh film in the planet of the apes series rises to such ridiculous heights , it 's impossible not to laugh out loud -- in a good way , in appreciation .",
      "` i want the apes to win ! ' my husband whispered to me during the last battle sequence -- and i felt the same way . still , i hope no humans were hurt during the filming of this exciting movie .",
      "a sort of `` how did they get so brainy '' backstory , ` rise ' disposes of the allegorical trappings and nuclear armageddon theory of the original ... now we identify with the ape army as organized and led by caesar .",
      "a frequently thrilling , emotionally resonate reboot that takes advantage of today 's vibrant motion capture technology to help articulate the complexity burning within these damn dirty apes .",
      "... a fine start to a promising new series ...",
      "the central problem with MOV is that it feels more like a piece of something larger than a complete motion picture .",
      "the last of this summer 's ` origin ' stories may be one of the best ... it 's action-packed yet compassionate , highly recommended as escapist entertainment .",
      "either make the apes ' progression of power intense and frightening or ridiculous and fun . trying for both does n't work .",
      "something a caged chimp might fling at zoo visitors .",
      "wyatt 's version , scripted by rick jaffa and amanda silver -lrb- who previously teamed for the relic -rrb- , pays tribute to the original series without being bound by it .",
      "one never knows exactly where the human ends and the effects begin , but serkis and/or caesar gives the best performance in the movie .",
      "an odd blend of silly popcorn entertainment and sometimes startling poignancy .",
      "wyatt ... keeps the action compelling whether focusing on apes as they run amok or as they quietly contemplate their next move .",
      "this is paced like a drama , not a popcorn movie ; it 's full of quiet moments of reflection and it takes its time in laying some very clever subplots that pay off brilliantly .",
      "perfectly positioning its blockbuster action within a thought-provoking framework , this smart and emotionally involving sci-fi drama deserves its own string of sequels .",
      "in the oeuvre of planet of the apes pics - four sequels to the original , and the 2001 tim burton-directed remake - rise is certainly not the most interesting , nor the most inventive . but it 's not risible , either .",
      "this movie has a brain in its head . it 's in the script , it 's in the pacing and , heaven knows , it is there in the technology .",
      "everything burton 's movie was n't -- smart , exciting and thought-provoking , while operating in the realm of the movies ' great misunderstood monsters .",
      "an excellent post-modern meditation on animal rights and human complicity in the continuing fulfillment/failure of same",
      "this by-the-numbers prequel that looks set to re-launch fox 's ape-supremacy franchise removes some of the stink left by tim burton 's misbegotten remake but does n't bring anything new to the mythology .",
      "caesar 's prison conversion to charismatic pan-ape revolutionist is near-silent filmmaking , with simple and precise images illustrating caesar 's general-like divining of personalities and his organization of a group from chaos to order .",
      "MOV is spectacle with a kick : the transcendence of the normal in creatures so like ourselves is both an entertainment and a needling rebuke to human vanity .",
      "the original centered itself around some weighty ideas involving race , politics , and social class . those same ideas may exist here , but director wyatt does n't really care .",
      "precuela innecesaria y obvia , en la que nuestra suspensión de la incredulidad se verá desafiada no pocas veces . en una película donde no hay lugar para grandes actuaciones , la mejor labor actoral es , por supuesto , la del mono .",
      "the movie is most compelling when it thinks about the ape and the human 's likeness -lrb- and so critiques racism and speciesism -rrb- , when cesar and will face each other or respond to one another .",
      "it stays true to the central metaphor of the original films and takes its time setting the story up so that when the apes finally do run amok , we are totally invested in the story .",
      "a reasonably muscular popcorn film with a surprisingly tender soul .",
      "there are plot holes to contend with and a handful of potential jump-the-shark moments , but the smart ending and stunning golden gate bridge stand-off ensure you leave on a high .",
      "o james franco kai h freida pinto me thn ekplhktikh ikanothta na xanontai sto fonto ws glastres , einai idanikoi apo to casting akoma",
      "suficientemente bem realizado para năo envergonhar a série clássica e ainda nos apresenta ŕquele que , ao lado de zira e cornelius , talvez seja um de seus personagens símios mais tocantes , complexos e memoráveis .",
      "sporadically profound , not unlike a riff on the `` dawn of man '' chapter from 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "surprisingly effective , even though its ape characters are a lot more interesting than the human ones .",
      "the best part of the movie is the detailed and believable graphics .",
      "it moves in such a doggedly straight line towards its inevitable conclusion that they might as well have a clock in the corner of the screen counting down to the big rise .",
      "`` it 's incredibly touching ... it 's what summer blockbusters should be ... andy serkis deserves an award ! ''",
      "faced with the horror of half-assed material from which he ca n't escape , james franco allows himself to be steamrolled by his pet monkey .",
      "fully realised and well-executed prequel to the evolutionary time disaster that is planet of the apes .",
      "even when it 's not at its best , rise ... is at least a diverting science-fiction movie ; at it 's best , it 's some of the most fun to be had in a theater this summer .",
      "a feel-good flick which proves that primates are people , too !",
      "precisely the kind of summer diversion that the studios have such a hard time making now . it 's good , canny-dumb fun .",
      "... very nearly close to completely awesome , and is the best sci-fi blockbuster of the summer , in a walk , even .",
      "MOV has some aces up its furry sleeve , most of all an eerie , motion-capture performance by andy serkis -lrb- the screen 's immortal gollum -rrb- as caesar , this film 's rebel ape leader .",
      "a taut , emotionally satisfying origin story that may not be as action-packed as its fellow summer tentpoles but is far more rewarding .",
      "MOV may be my favorite summer popcorn movie .",
      "the scenes in which caesar carries out his plans , showing more brains than many a human character in summer blockbusters , are gratifying .",
      "a sci-fi thriller that touches the heart and is sure to create many new and enthusiastic animal activists .",
      "like caesar , this entertaining picture rises to the occasion and resoundingly exceeds expectations .",
      "`` MOV '' is a smartly directed film that sits squarely on the shoulders of andy serkis .",
      "after a summer spent sitting through hours and hours of artless geek-pandering , what a joy to see a movie - a real movie - a * movie * movie .",
      "after more than two months of superheroes and giant robots , it is nice to have a science fiction/fantasy film that thinks it 's a drama .",
      "should be commended for following the apocalyptic plot threads to their logical destination .",
      "the notion that in spite of superior numbers and weapons humanity is doomed against spear throwing apes is just ludicrous .",
      "a reminder that the most valuable special effects are the ones that convey a soul hiding behind artificial eyes .",
      "serkis delivers a tour de force performance as the lead chimp -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "has plenty of b-movie kick . that 's a good thing .",
      "i could describe MOV as escape from alcatraz , except with apes , but that would make it sound like a movie you might actually want to see .",
      "conjured through the ever-expanding magic of performance-capture technology , the apes are easily the most compelling elements of apes .",
      "while it 's got problems , it 's a film to whet the appetite for the planned sequel .",
      "the reboot attacks pierre boulle 's concept with straightforward flair , taking it to its logical conclusion - or , in this case , origin . a smart , contemplative movie bound neither by the conventions of the science fiction genre or action/adventure tropes .",
      "one of the ten best films of 2011 , and the year 's best popcorn movie .",
      "... one of the better movies of the summer .",
      "surprises at all corners with characters we can care about who transcend the illusion of cgi most of the time ...",
      "the substance of the film is simply mesmerising : the way in which it prioritises story over spectacle , saying so much without explicit over-statement is a triumph , and it is for good reason that it is one of my picks for best film at next year 's oscars .",
      "thanks to the eye-popping performance-capture technology developed for avatar and another astonishing primate performance by andy serkis , rise puts across its fantasy so convincingly that you 're swept away - and chilled - as the story unfolds .",
      "whilst it sometimes suffers from feeling like the first chapter in a much longer story , this is a fun and intelligent re-imagining of a classic movie .",
      "only in a world where james franco portrays will rodman , a brilliant biochemist working for a pharmaceutical company , can apes get the best of mankind .",
      "it may not be the best film of 2011 , but it 's certainly one of the best sci fi films of the year , and easily one of the best sequels/prequels in the last several years .",
      "probably the year 's best sci-fi effort thus far !",
      "the film does n't try to take on the quasi-political undertones of the 1968 original , but it makes its own case as a personalized science fiction drama .",
      "that rare summer movie that has brains and emotion in addition to the spectacle .",
      "it 's just an apes-on-the-rampage creature feature , with a decent setup , a wobbly second act , and a glorified-videogame urban-action payoff .",
      "contrary to all previous live-action `` apes '' movies , this one forgoes humans in makeup for full-on cgi animals , and the results are surprisingly solid .",
      "rises above its dramatic deficits , boosts the collective iq of this summer 's movies and swings into flights of kinetic fantasy that blow the collective mind .",
      "far better than one might expect with exciting action and a memorable hero in caesar . the premise is clever enough to entertain longtime apes fans while also giving a new generation a great introduction to planet of the apes lore .",
      "with its skillful blend of live action and motion-capture technology , it 's a handsomely made prequel to familiar monkey business .",
      "it is not what could be fairly called a bad movie , but neither is it fine enough to be a good one , with its lineup of dull characters and a limp story that functions like a conveyor belt .",
      "the first half -lrb- presumably where most of the narrative scenes were excised -rrb- is frustratingly arrhythmic ; more satisfying is the ape revolution of the final half-hour , a scary and deftly handled passage .",
      "the movie does a fine job of making one actively root for the apes to win .",
      "a story that only gets moving when it 's about to wrap up .",
      "wyatt 's put himself solidly on the map with this prequel so successfully he leaves us wanting more . the planet of the apes has indeed risen .",
      "a tight , beautifully made if rather predictable background yarn ... that does the obvious well even if it lacks the imagination to go beyond it .",
      "with weta 's work and andy serkis ' performance , ` MOV ' is one of the most thrilling films of the year .",
      "perverse , terrifying , hilarious in exactly the right way ; smart enough , emotional enough , and at the end uniquely satisfying in any number of hard-to-quantify ways .",
      "bold , gripping , and a little loony - a summer blockbuster even peta can love .",
      "it is easily the best american movie of this corrupted summer .",
      "it 's faint praise to say that this is the best of the `` planet of the apes '' movies , because the evolution of special effects and makeup was predictable . but the unexpected strength of the film is its heart .",
      "a terrifyingly shocking ground-breaking piece of cinema with great heart and action . somebody please give andy serkis an academy award !",
      "what is n't here are any of the joys of the classic film .",
      "was franco high when he signed on for this when animals attack ! - on-cgi-steroids catastrophe ?",
      "the running time is efficient , the direction is clean , the story is simple but resonant , the effects are understated yet impressive , and the near-wordless star of the show puts on an acting clinic .",
      "the special effects that create the apes are some of the most impressive ever put on screen .",
      "by far the best entry in the franchise since the original film .",
      "despite a few plot holes , and some goofy shout-outs to the 1968 original , rise is a rock-solid summer blockbuster . the weta effects work , coupled with andy serkis 's mo-cap performance as caesar make this a must-see .",
      "some of the best special effects i have seen in 20 years .",
      "writers rick jaffa and amanda silver clearly spent more time squeezing in nods to the previous apes films than they did establishing clear motivations for caesar 's actions .",
      "if this film is remembered , it wo n't be for its storyline , which reverts to cliché a bit too often as it approaches its climax , but for its eye-popping integration of live-action and movie magic . just as the geniuses ...",
      "this fun , entertaining prequel , told from the ape 's pov , is a modern ` call of the wild , ' highlighted by extraordinary performance capture technology .",
      "strong action , special effects and by far the most credible ape `` performances '' yet seen will spell box office to inspire chest-thumping in all markets .",
      "if the concept of the film does n't interest you , i reckon you should take a punt : you 'll be very nicely surprised at just how good it is .",
      "it 's an eye-popping , involving summer movie that manages to layer thoughtful substance with the lively action .",
      "the summer 's most enjoyable blockbuster .",
      "the special effects , from the team behind avatar , are mind-blowing , and easily distract from the muddied morals of a script that asks only vague questions about man playing god .",
      "wyatt does a remarkable job of transferring the low-budget grip of his -lrb- literally -rrb- breakout flick the escapist to the free-wheeling spirit of the summer blockbuster .",
      "hugely entertaining sci-fi thriller that 's both exciting and genuinely moving , thanks to a strong script , flawless special effects work and a typically terrific motion-capture performance from andy serkis as caesar .",
      "MOV is n't exactly a horrible movie , but it fails to live up to the expectations it sets up for itself .",
      "this latest installment in the franchise is a near-perfect blockbuster that provides a myriad of visual and cerebral treats to devour .",
      "the motion-capture technology is fantastic . the reboot is worthy and i 'm looking forward to a long franchise .",
      "sweet fragrant bananas , MOV is a blast .",
      "the real stars of the movie are the cgi artists who have brought caesar and the other primates to life .",
      "the filmmakers seem to have spent so much attention and , presumably , money on getting the primates right that they completely forgot about the people .",
      "with simulated simians authentic enough to make project nim look almost phoney , allied to an involving , evolving story , rise is the planet we 've been waiting for .",
      "one of the longest advertisements for peta i 've seen since 101 dalmatians . only , you know , not nearly as much fun .",
      "suggests an incipient posthumanism in more senses than one ... both compelling and troubling in a way that reminds me of the history channel series `` life after people . ''",
      "the first film in the franchise to even pretend to match the brilliance of the 1968 original .",
      "marginal effects and a laughable story .",
      "take the `` rise '' in the title `` MOV '' to heart . as in , rising action .",
      "they probably should have called it `` beneath the dignity of the planet of the apes , '' but `` MOV '' is tolerable if you 'll just keep in mind that the original feature was an overachieving b-movie .",
      "an unwanted but surprisingly awesome film .",
      "this really is a very enjoyable film : suspenseful and involving ...",
      "`` MOV '' is this summer 's best popcorn flick .",
      "a very pleasant surprise .",
      "rise may be one of the best surprises this summer , a taut blockbuster with a real heart .",
      "this whole series has gotten out of hand ...",
      "MOV is an impressive action movie - providing excellent , and far from mindless , entertainment - and a technological marvel .",
      "caesar then gets bigger and crankier . he must choose , as a final career option , between maximum-security retirement or world-changing multi-ape mayhem atop the golden gate bridge . take a guess . show me some ape stuff that 's new and surprising .",
      "weta digital 's effects work on the apes , especially caesar 's face , is unobtrusively marvellous , laying icky memories of the tim burton one to merciful rest .",
      "a relatively modest b-movie bolstered by a-grade technical wizardry .",
      "he came , he saw , he conquered : caesar is a wholly convincing lead , he just needs a more satisfying story . roll on the sequel .",
      "the special effects , the acting & especially andy serkis make this the most believable `` apes '' movie yet",
      "it 's almost as if all the previous planet of the apes movies had never existed .",
      "the opening salvo in the inevitable war between apes and humans is exhilarating , smartly executed , action-packed and loaded with sympathetic simian underdogs .",
      "-lsb- n -rsb- ary a bit of snark here . jokiness and hokeyness have been genetically engineered away , leaving something pure and sweet and poignant , a throwback to the humanist science fiction of the late 1960s and early 1970s . this is more charly than heston .",
      "a dramatic , tense and edgy work which poses a few moral questions and dilemmas",
      "this sci-fi fantasy is a dramatic oomphy affair that begins with a small thing : the rescue of a baby chimp , and ends ... well , you will need to see the movie ... director rupert wyatt pulls everything together beautifully",
      "a creature feature of disappointing stupidity , MOV replaces the sociopolitical underpinnings of the original film and its sequels with a limp warning about the evils of animal testing .",
      "tthe movie has some plot-point missteps . but it seldom puts the brakes on a story that moves toward a furious ape-human rumble , not in a jungle , but atop the golden gate bridge .",
      "pass the bananas .",
      "these scenes of mayhem leave you looking forward to the next film more than savouring this one .",
      "MOV could have been a great film ... if it was n't so uneven .",
      "-lsb- h -rsb- alf good and half bad , and the primary dividing line is by genus .",
      "a performance by andy serkis as caesar that is one of the most remarkable in cinematic history ... if this is n't award-winning work , then the definition of `` award-winning '' needs to be re-thought",
      "a surprisingly nasty -lrb- in a good way -rrb- franchise reboot that comes closer than any prior pota film to being a full-on horror movie .",
      "a shrewd , entertaining , and even thoughtful film that is easily the best apes film since the original",
      "it 's a fantastic reboot of the franchise ; warm , thrilling , and exceedingly human .",
      "this movie is a worthy claimant to the simian throne and the rare summer blockbuster that gets more , not less , fun as it goes along .",
      "the summer 's biggest surprise ... mines a well-worn property for pure blockbuster thrills and startling emotional depth .",
      "i kind of enjoyed `` MOV '' despite its evident silliness and the fact that nobody 's likely to remember it three weeks from now .",
      "takes advantage of the latest technological wizardry to deliver a thrilling action adventure that does n't skimp on heartbreaking emotion .",
      "a must-see movie and one that deserves a sequel . step away , tim burton .",
      "although the cg started out a little shaky , andy serkis and his motion capture work quickly won me over as caesar aged . i completely forgot i was n't watching a real ape take everything over . in fact , he became my favorite character .",
      "wyatt proves himself a highly skilled action merchant , packing the film with dynamic , sometimes disorienting camera movements and coming up with some memorable imagery ...",
      "as a summer blockbuster MOV wo n't regenerate any brain-cells , but it does n't forget a sense of humanity while delivering its package of thrills .",
      "here it is , the coolest end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it movie i 've seen in a long time , with not an alien in sight .",
      "while 2011 's MOV does n't achieve the near-classic quality of 1968 's original planet of the apes , it 's close .",
      "... while it has its moments of silliness , the central premise of `` it 's not nice to fool mother nature '' is well developed .",
      "MOV is an ethically rich blockbuster about evolution , revolution , animal rights and science madness , told through game changing vfx wizardry sure to make viewers go ape .",
      "an enormous share of the credit can be taken by weta digital and their brilliant cgi ape creations , which come across as living breathing entities with actual personalities .",
      "despite narrative flaws , this is the most entertaining spectacle-adventure of the summer , boasting a splendid performance from andy serkis , this time as star ."
    ],
    "summary": "led by rupert wyatt 's stylish direction , some impressive special effects , and a mesmerizing performance by andy serkis , MOV breathes unlikely new life into a long-running franchise .",
    "id": "771041147"
  },
  {
    "movie": "finding_vivian_maier",
    "reviews": [
      "filled with wonderful examples of her art , alongside interviews with her former employers and the now-grown children once in her charge , the movie is a testimony to the value of maier 's work and to the unending strangeness of human personality .",
      "something of a revelation - or rather , a series of revelations - about a unique individual who collected wonderfully observed images of people on her camera as if to make up for not collecting any in her actual life .",
      "a character study wrapped in a detective story that serves as a sly bit of self-promotion to boot .",
      "whether or not you can justify viewing maier 's work without her consent , it 's pretty clearly not okay to rummage through her personal life just to satisfy a tawdry curiosity .",
      "an extraordinary examination of a remarkable photographer , part portrait unraveled by meticulous detective work , part sharp criticism of the hidebound art establishment .",
      "MOV is not without its frustrations . and that , we suspect , is exactly what she would have wanted .",
      "MOV is a tantalising and utterly fascinating film but one which ca n't ever quite explain the mystery of maier .",
      "a fascinating story which continues to raise more questions than it answers .",
      "despite its flaws , the film should be seen , if only for the chance to experience maier 's stunning photographs .",
      "a strangely haunting tale of a life quietly slipping away unnoticed .",
      "an aptly obsessive study of obsession .",
      "a sleekly assembled and intriguing project , if clearly a very commercial proposition .",
      "an exciting electric current of discovery runs through `` MOV , '' a documentary about a street photographer who never exhibited her work .",
      "this consistently intriguing doc reveals a woman who was eccentric , abrasive and soulful . maier may still be an enigma , but those riddles have now been developed into a fascinating picture .",
      "the movie 's true power comes from her images , by turns melancholy , sympathetic , funny and sharp .",
      "this is less a portrait of an artist as a young woman than a psychological evaluation of a slippery subject .",
      "was she the emily dickinson of photos or the anti-mary poppins ? this fascinating film reveals a lot about maier 's rich photos & glimpses at her bizarre , hidden personality .",
      "maloof -lrb- a very aggravating onscreen presence -rrb- tries way too hard to force maier 's genius down our throat : his outrage at the snootily dismissive art-world establishment , however genuine , comes off like a childish tantrum .",
      "haunting and powerful despite its boilerplate documentary form ...",
      "a documentary about the reclusive photographer vivian maier that is a bit weird and wonderful .",
      "maier 's life tells us one thing : great photographers always show themselves in their work , even if they never show their work .",
      "driven by a genuinely consuming curiosity , taking delight in excavating hitherto unavailable information about a creative enigma whom , perhaps , would rather remain that way .",
      "this is a film that starts out being about an unknown artist and ends up being about something more complex and challenging : a person .",
      "absolutely fascinating doco about the secret life of vivian maier , a plain-looking chicago nanny who secretly took hundreds of thousands of street photographs during her life without telling or showing anyone .",
      "the filmmakers have done a grand job of tracking down everyone who crossed paths with maier , and their stories piece together a compelling portrait of a unique and vital talent .",
      "this is a superb job of journalism by maloof , who went to great lengths to bring us this story . both the story of vivian maier and the images she created are fascinating .",
      "an absorbing , fascinating and ethically complex film that questions whether an artist 's personal life should be open for exploration .",
      "but perhaps the most compelling mystery of all : why-except for a meagre attempt at selling her landscapes for postcards in europe-did she never ` push ' her art into the world ?",
      "revealing documentary about an utterly inscrutable eccentric artist .",
      "as the title of the film hints , maloof 's discovery is only half of the story -- and it 's only half the fun .",
      "a penetrating doc about a photographer who became a celebrity only after her death .",
      "something like a cross between stories we tell ... and frank ... MOV is an exquisite portrait of an almost-lost icon .",
      "that maier turned out to be a mystery woman who went to great lengths to conceal the details of her life only further motivated maloof , and what he found makes for riveting viewing .",
      "nothing , and no one , makes a better case for the unveiling of maier 's work than her pictures themselves .",
      "the film leaves some uncomfortable questions about the ethics of posthumous fame .",
      "downbeat and inconclusive , but likeable all the same .",
      "the life intrigues ; the art endures .",
      "this is a fascinating study .",
      "an intriguing look at a lost voice .",
      "MOV is one of those fascinating documentaries that unearths an unknown artist and in a slow reveal creates a tantalising and ambiguous picture of the `` missing '' person .",
      "although ms maier -lrb- or ms mayer , or ms meyer , or even ms smith , depending on what name she was using at the time -rrb- remains an enigma , there is still plenty in this film to keep you planted in your seat .",
      "MOV is an intriguing study of vivian maier -- a woman who was part artist and part dumpster diver .",
      "a penetrating exploration of the link between art and obsession and a major discovery of a 20th-century master .",
      "takes form as both an unfolding mystery and a portrait of an artist 's mind -lrb- often a terrifying and fascinating place -rrb- .",
      "a filmmaker 's labor of love about a woman whose oddly secretive artistic career seems to have been a labor of love as well .",
      "the holes in the story are papered over with such beautiful photographs that few viewers could complain .",
      "hers is a sad story , but the fact that she never received recognition during her lifetime is n't part of its sadness .",
      "this must-see but ultimately problematic film offers a portrait of a truly rare figure : a modern master who escapes obscurity by chance , while also being guilty of mythmaking .",
      "if nothing else , `` MOV '' urges us not to hide our own lights under a bushel .",
      "there are no easy answers here which is what makes ` MOV ' such a compelling film .",
      "a film that leaves a large part of its subject 's mystery gratifyingly intact .",
      "a portrait of an american artist hiding in plain sight , a mystery with too few clues , and a sincere inquiry into how best to divine the wishes of the dead .",
      "slickly shot and edited by aaron wickenden , its more than 40 amazingly forthcoming interview subjects include acclaimed photographers joel meyerwitz and mary ellen mark .",
      "a good mystery tale to tell of a governess in the suburban chicago area .",
      "if only maloof and siskel had focused less on gossipy psychological guesswork , and more on maier 's art , this could 've been a documentary worthy of its towering subject .",
      "... a highly enjoyable film , but there 's a voyeuristic edge to it that bothers me .",
      "one of the first great documentaries of the year .",
      "as incredible as the photographs are and as intriguing as maier 's background is , the film left me feeling uneasy about the manner in which her life and work is being exploited .",
      "examines the strange life of a gifted street photographer",
      "every time one of her photos flashes on the screen , the woman 's genius is undeniable .",
      "who does n't love a story about an undiscovered genius ?",
      "this may be the most pleasurable 83 minutes you will spend in a theater this year .",
      "maier 's work , interspersed throughout the film , lets us hear her voice : an array of faces gazing at us , meeting her camera , creating a tiny moment in time .",
      "the film functions best as an introduction to her work , which is what matters , and an invitation to see more of it , which is highly recommended .",
      "MOV is a find in more ways than one .",
      "the movie illustrates that baffling conundrum of the difference between great works of art and an artist with a seriously flawed character .",
      "will open your eyes to a rare talent .",
      "it 's a useful introduction to maier 's professional achievements , but the film really stands out thanks to the exhaustive interviews .",
      "through dogged research and interviews with the -lrb- now-grown -rrb- children maier cared for , along with their parents -lrb- including phil donahue -rrb- , a profile emerges , and it 's fascinating .",
      "this is an amazing tale , and maloof has labored mightily to flesh it out . he 's almost as odd as maier was .",
      "maier had that unique ability to capture , in an image , an entire world , one that takes far more than a thousand words to tell .",
      "MOV treats maier 's background as a puzzle that doubles as self-promotion , supporting her photographs with an amazing story that gives them context-and -lsb- ... -rsb- stokes more interest in her work .",
      "an unlikely tale , well told .",
      "not a composition of the late , secretive chicago photographer vivian maier is askew or amiss in her vast , breathtaking , even thrilling body of street photography , of which the public has only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg .",
      "everyone loves a mystery and maloof has presented one , doggedly following leads to create an artful portrait in half shadow .",
      "is maloof a guardian of art or an opportunist ? MOV makes a case for both arguments , concluding the documentary on a sour note of manipulation .",
      "more connect-the-dots detective thriller than traditional doc , john maloof and charlie siskel 's revelatory riddle of a film unmasks a brilliant photographer who hid in plain sight for decades",
      "the portrait maloof and siskel assemble here from the scant information available suggests that her fanatical privacy was the darkroom in which her distinctive artistic personality was developed .",
      "the movie does nearly everything right in its chosen , compact , 83-minute form .",
      "is it possible to love the art but disagree with the way it 's presented ?",
      "directors john maloof and charlie siskel do a lot with what they have -- but they also had a lot to work with .",
      "completely captivating doc about the most undiscovered of real artists",
      "maier is a great artist who discounted adulation entirely . her life was a masquerade ; her genius , quite literally , was unexposed .",
      "several self-photos -lrb- not to be confused with selfies -rrb- , the stills included in ` MOV ' are indeed electric .",
      "a self-styled outsider artist comes into focus in MOV , a striking documentary undertaken after one of its directors bought a nondescript box of photo negatives at a garage sale .",
      "maier may not have been pleased that the world now knows about her , but `` MOV '' persuasively argues that the world of photography is the better for it .",
      "maloof 's vibrancy and wide-eyed curiosity for vivian 's work is incredibly affecting and pierces through the screen .",
      "maloof and co-director charlie siskel peel back her layers , allowing us to see where her creative universe came from , how she functioned , what she made .",
      "most revealing are the interviews with the now-grown kids who were in maier 's care , who accompanied her as she made trips from their suburban homes to often-dodgy areas of chicago so she could take photos .",
      "what we find out about maier , revealed in self-portraits as a striking woman with a singular sense of self , is fascinating .",
      "self-taught and roaming free in the city , vivian maier captured the remarkable in the ordinary ."
    ],
    "summary": "narratively gripping , visually striking , and ultimately thought-provoking , MOV shines an overdue spotlight on its subject 's long-hidden brilliance .",
    "id": "771362199"
  },
  {
    "movie": "born_into_brothels",
    "reviews": [
      "the glimpses we see of them and their all-too-knowing interactions with their hellish surroundings are somehow both too much , and not nearly enough .",
      "filmmakers zana briski and ross kauffman find intermittent beauty without pushing our sentimental buttons . but the title promises more than the movie delivers .",
      "it brings us to a place we 'd never see otherwise , gives us a poignant lesson in the difficulties of saving those who seem doomed , and reminds us how beauty can exist even in the ugliest of places and circumstances .",
      "before our eyes , briski confronts and answers questions of exploitation that can shadow profilers of the downtrodden .",
      "this is the kind of film that reminds you of what movies , at their best , are capable of .",
      "while this moving , hopeful documentary is credited to briski and partner ross kaufman , its most touching moments come directly from the lenses of the kids themselves .",
      "it may sound like the most prehistoric of clichés , but briski and kaufman 's astonishing documentary confirms that art feeds the soul .",
      "some of these images will stay with you , seared into your mind , dispatches from a desperate world that will break your heart .",
      "will break your heart , then warm it up and leave you with that 7-up longing to know what happens next to zana 's kids .",
      "a documentary that changed the lives both of subjects and filmmakers , it will reorder the worldview of whoever sees it .",
      "borne of tragedy and working with unflagging energy to triumph over the odds .",
      "a moving testament to the good one person can do .",
      "the movie is a record by well-meaning people who try to make a difference for the better , and succeed to a small degree while all around them the horror continues unaffected .",
      "it 's beautifully photographed and , thanks to its subject matter , sometimes intensely moving .",
      "an inspiring look at some extraordinary children in calcutta 's red light district , MOV may be too pleasing and life affirming for its own good .",
      "the drama lies in watching -lsb- the children 's -rsb- artistic educations sharpen their sense of self , change the way they observe the world , and affect their painful , squalid environment .",
      "as a challenge to the accepted conventions of the genre and an active questioning of the role of the documentary filmmaker , it is fascinating .",
      "heroism can come in subtle forms . this is one of them .",
      "an account of a random act of kindness more than it is an exposé of the red-light district ... kauffman and briski illuminate the potential and promise inherent in any child .",
      "this low-tech , buoyant , yet often heartbreaking film is miracle enough on its own terms , full of surprises and tragic reminders that many kids are robbed of their dreams and promise by exploitative forces .",
      "a well-intentioned idealistic look at a group of oppressed children in calcutta 's red-light district .",
      "-lsb- the filmmakers ' -rsb- approach to the material makes it palatable , but a grittier style would have added depth and power .",
      "an absorbing journey over gritty social terrain , driven by a fierce sense of purpose",
      "this bond of trust between the filmmakers and their subjects exemplifies the kind of personal involvement that many documentary makers are striving for these days .",
      "as bright as a box of new crayons , and just as full of creative potential , these children give us vibrant pictures of hope in the midst of oppression .",
      "in the end , you ca n't help but wonder exactly what it was you 've just seen . a hard-hitting exposé ? voyeuristic slumming ? a true tale of triumph , against all odds ? a self-aggrandizing , vanity biopic ? some new type of reality film?perhaps all of the above .",
      "profundamente comovente e trágico , apesar de suas óbvias falhas estruturais e % u2013 o mais grave % u2013 de pisar em um terreno instável em seu aspecto ético .",
      "the children themselves are mostly upbeat and often happy . at the same time , they have an adult-like realization that their lives are likely to be short , and grim .",
      "every thinking adult should see this compelling oscar-nominated documentary .",
      "MOV simmers with righteous anger , but it never boils over .",
      "a success , though it is flat in its pacing and a bit self-congratulatory in awkward moments .",
      "meeting these young people reminds us that victimized children can be reached , maybe because they 're too young to see themselves as victims .",
      "beautifully filmed , and devoid of the kind of patronizing beneficence that first worlders often bring to the third world .",
      "MOV is great humanitarianism , but it 's not great filmmaking .",
      "this is a film about our world that deserves the attention and the audience that michael moore 's films command .",
      "it represents a certain kind of missionary zeal that i find troubling -- more accurately , distasteful .",
      "born of genuine research and a desire to shine light into the darkness , as all great documentaries must .",
      "heartwarming , heartbreaking and , finally , deeply haunting .",
      "a documentary full of hope . that , in our humble opinion , is worth the price of admission .",
      "if the tone of this oscar-nominated documentary is sometimes overly voyeuristic or self-congratulatory , these are minor faults compared with the moving spectacle of kids coming to know themselves .",
      "briski gives herself too much screen time , making sure we see how tirelessly she fights to give the kids educational opportunities , health care and group photo exhibits at swank manhattan galleries .",
      "the film and the photos taken by the children are full of images that touch a range of emotion from inspiring , to laughter to tears ... as beautiful as it is heartbreaking .",
      "watching such a powerful , heart-wrenching story , it 's impossible not to be deeply moved -- and nearly as impossible to ignore what a cruddy job the movie does telling it .",
      "briski 's seeming sincerity and her positive results make up for one 's occasional misgivings about her showy empathy for the unfortunate ...",
      "meeting these young photographers is delightful , but what this film needed to transcend into greatness is more of briski .",
      "it 's one of the most inspiring finales i 've seen in a long while .",
      "it uses the medium to capture and reveal something and to inform the audience about it .",
      "as powerful and uplifting as the film is , the end results are tempered by sadness , and prove that no matter how good your intentions , some problems are insurmountable .",
      "even when MOV shows a world one might rather pretend did n't exist , it is enchanting to view .",
      "if the film itself is not stellar , the humanitarian efforts it documents are . in this case , the content is more noble than the way it 's presented .",
      "there are numerous scenes of inspiration and uplift .",
      "the film educates as well as inspires , and sincerely represents social activism in the best ways",
      "as much a plea as a movie , ` MOV ' moves one deeply .",
      "usually , documentaries ask hard , probing questions . refreshingly , MOV is about a person with an answer .",
      "the real revelation is the personalities of the kids , who manage to have upbeat attitudes and desires for a better life and deliver them with a genuine enthusiasm of youth .",
      "a work of art so deep and resonant that it puts most narrative films to shame .",
      "powerful because it zooms in on the children , letting their words and images guide us ... a forthright , hopeful , and bracing documentary of grassroots humanitarianism .",
      "oh , calcutta -- harsh and real like we 've never seen it . ... this is one dazzling documentary that continues to develop .",
      "behind her , laundry flaps and an orange sky offers beauty , but also , the imminent night , when the men enter .",
      "the stories in brothels are quite moving , and the film sheds light on a part of the world that is rarely seen anywhere .",
      "a documentary that flows with all the narrative drive and emotional intensity of good fiction .",
      "the film says all it needs to say through the photos of the kids and their excited , wide-eyed reactions when they realize the outside world is paying attention to them .",
      "a beautifully made essay on a filmmaker 's efforts to teach the children of calcutta 's prostitutes the fine art of photography .",
      "without sentimentality or preaching , briski and filmmaker ross kauffman open our eyes to the universality of the childhood experience and the presence of artistic sensibilities in the most surprising places .",
      "one feels manipulated rather than enlightened .",
      "the best moments of MOV come when kauffman and briski let the children speak for themselves .",
      "focuses too much on the production of images and not enough on documenting the world contained within them .",
      "even if the film itself is relatively conventional , its exposure of a squalid city 's most benighted neighborhood and its introduction of hope into nearly hopeless lives give it strong human interest value .",
      "MOV is an extraordinary documentary about a photographer who draws out the wonder and creativity of some poor kids in calcutta .",
      "episodic and drenched in realism",
      "the resilience that shines in the faces of these children , both in the photos and in the movie itself , makes one angry once more about the incredible waste of human potential caused by social and economic injustice .",
      "the specter of long odds and narrow choices shades every frame of the film , yet the tone is often buoyant and legitimately inspirational .",
      "a stirring documentary .",
      "zana briski 's documentary about children growing up in calcutta 's rough and squalid red light district is moving , charming and sad .",
      "kauffman and briski -- the kids called her zana auntie -- avoid the temptation to sentimentalize their subjects .",
      "some of the children 's photographs are lovely , and the film has a thick , humid vibrancy to its colors .",
      "wears the confidence of a well-planned feature .",
      "briski does n't merely document the children 's milieu . instead , she does something revolutionary : she empowers them to document it for themselves .",
      "it 's a testament to the abilities of these calcutta children that the most touching images revealed in MOV are those taken by themselves .",
      "an unsentimental look at how beauty , artistry , and hope can emerge from the most unexpected of places .",
      "against all odds , it 's ultimately an uplifting experience .",
      "captures hope and compassion in a shady part of humanity most probably unaccustomed to such things .",
      "despite the bleak subject matter , MOV -lsb- contains -rsb- moments of pure elation .",
      "a devastating portrait of impoverished calcutta children who are born into the sex trades , yet the film is also an inspiring document about human possibilities and the need to strive despite impossible odds .",
      "a film that 's ultimately more charmingly bittersweet than truly disturbing .",
      "`` there is nothing called hope in my future . '' click . oh yeah , bring a tissue .",
      "MOV is designed to be ` inspirational , ' yet it shortchanges the complex reality of the lives it makes such a show of saving .",
      "an experimental hybrid of documentary filmmaking that does n't always achieve its stated objectives , but the eight kids at its center will break your heart",
      "an energized cast to reveal the common aspirations , response to caring and spirit for life that exists on whatever fringe of whatever free society you take as an example .",
      "a remarkably honest look at calcutta 's red light district .",
      "despite the film 's lack of cohesiveness , briski and kauffman exhibit a keen eye for images that immediately communicate the dismal existence of those forced to live in the red-light district .",
      "we brush past the cruel and harrowing life of the women `` in the line . ''",
      "a rare and inspiring example of the way art can both reflect and alleviate human suffering .",
      "touching and saddening .",
      "reminds us of the curative power of art in an ugly world .",
      "a perfect , and perfectly calculated , documentary ."
    ],
    "summary": "a powerful and uplifting documentary .",
    "id": "12896"
  },
  {
    "movie": "view_to_a_kill",
    "reviews": [
      "the worst james bond film ever .",
      "moore should have bowed out after the superb `` octopussy '' , but this is still a pretty good time at the movies .",
      "as lavishly escapist as they are , the latest james bond films have become strenuous to watch , now that the business of maintaining bond 's casual savoir-faire looks like such a monumental chore .",
      "moore 's final bond picture is one too late . walken is a fine villian , though .",
      "in this 007 film , former real man james bond not only eats quiche , he literally bakes it .",
      "registers as another high-flying james bond adventure story .",
      "once 007 was licensed to kill ; now he not only eats quiche , he cooks it himself .",
      "the aging roger moore rehashes his somewhat foppish bond in this sad '80s installment with grace jones as a vampish villainess . awful , and an embarrassment to the bond mystique .",
      "moore 's tryst with grace jones is , on the one hand , a well-intentioned attempt to tear down the bond-girl color barrier , and , on the other , a rather disturbing image .",
      "roger moore 's final bond film is a solidly entertaining entry in the series .",
      "this is n't the best bond movie , but like all of the bonds , it does provide two hours of fairly solid escapism .",
      "no bond outing is awful , but this one comes close .",
      "a MOV is often numbered among the worst of the series , but , upon closer inspection , this film is a vast improvement over octopussy .",
      "the net result is a story that has us yearning for those much older bond films that never lost your attention .",
      "the inauspicious implosion of roger moore 's stint as james bond , not with a bang but a whimper .",
      "walken as a bond villain , duran duran on the soundtrack -- it could be an infomercial and i 'd still love it !",
      "fun but truly silly james bond movie . some good action - the firetruck , the horse race , etc. - but be ready for over the top villains .",
      "arguably the worst james bond movie",
      "another fine moment from everyone 's favourite super-spy",
      "moore definitely goes out on a high note with this effort .",
      "as certain films in the bond series have set specific benchmarks for tone , a MOV is james bond in comic book perfection .",
      "not as bad as its reputation , but certainly among the lesser bonds .",
      "a MOV is not the worst bond film ever made , but it 's closer to the bottom than to the top of the barrel .",
      "a workmanlike entry brings moore 's long and increasingly tired tenure to a close .",
      "roger moore 's last bond and not before time .",
      "while bond pics have always traded heavily on the camp value of its characters , a MOV almost attacks the humor , practically winking at the audience with every move .",
      "what says `` outlandishly dumb action film from 1985 '' better than a plot to flood silicon valley and corner the world 's microchip market ?",
      "this bond eats quiche .",
      "this one , directed by john glen , just follows the numbers , plodding from one unimaginative set piece to the next .",
      "it is exhausted and exhausting , an old joke retold once too often .",
      "bond is old but still cool",
      "a MOV is at least better than octopussy , but it 's so absurd as to make for a less than perfect time .",
      "an arthritic thriller that forgets where it put the excitement and infamously transforms bond into a quiche cooking homebody .",
      "the plot does n't really convince , perhaps because we 've seen it or something similar so many times before .",
      "the film also fails on other traditional bond levels . for example , the gadgets . zorin and his gang have an inflatable dirigible , but so what ? the key to the best bond gadgets has been that they were something you might want to own yourself .",
      "it 's not double-oh-seven anymore , but double-oh-seventy , the best argument yet for the mandatory retirement age .",
      "hard as it is to justify bond films on intellectual grounds , there 's something invigorating -- and strangely reassuring -- about this sort of picture .",
      "tired 007 effort has ridiculous plot , iffy behavior .",
      "a MOV plods along dutifully , observing the rules of the series with dull consistency .",
      "the strain is starting to show on 007 .",
      "this time around , 007 is a paunchy old man looking like he needs to retire . the film has little energy , thrills or fun , which is essential for a bond film . the series has now reached an all time low .",
      "contrary to historical opinion and some truly awful movies , moore conjured roguish magic over his 12-year tenure . his bond cast the spell that initially charmed me as a kid - one perhaps so intoxicating to him that it was simply hard to let go ."
    ],
    "summary": "absurd even by bond standards , a MOV is weighted down by campy jokes and a noticeable lack of energy .",
    "id": "11235"
  },
  {
    "movie": "green_mile",
    "reviews": [
      "hanks is a genuine pleasure to watch .",
      "the three-hour-plus film permits the kind of detailing that not only brings the storytelling to life , but sometimes persuades us we 're breathing to its rhythms .",
      "hanks is , again , the best of men in difficult circumstances .",
      "stephen king may be a cheeseball , but he spins one hell of a yarn .",
      "the production design -- with much southern period detail and '30s music -- helps brings the MOV to life .",
      "clocking in at over three hours of length , the MOV certainly feels long . while the film captures an overwhelming majority of the plot details of the novel , a few should have been trimmed .",
      "though watchable and occasionally moving ... it strains credibility and patience",
      "the MOV is another of king 's non-horror stories to be adapted to film , and it 's good one .",
      "the movie is worth walking , if not a mile , at least a couple of blocks to see .",
      "superior craft is something we 've come to expect from modern movies , but not soul . it 's the soul of this movie that 's so heartening .",
      "the MOV is more than an hour old before anything like a plot develops , and then it turns out to be such a sentimental-supernatural whopper that even tom hanks , usually the most casually credible of actors , is severely tested .",
      "the MOV is simply a case of severe overreaching and the illusion that an overstuffed movie is an epic movie .",
      "the MOV is irritatingly repetitious .",
      "falls under the weight of the more solid portrayals of evil , misfortune and injustice .",
      "the MOV effectively sideswipes the enduring hot political issues it raises to force viewers to a pro-hanks position .",
      "darabont works big but thinks small , or at least without great complexity .",
      "its 188 minutes of viewing time seemed like a life sentence .",
      "the movie uses the emotional sentiments that death presents as a crutch of support for an otherwise weak and underdeveloped production .",
      "the cast 's endearing success makes the MOV likable , lighthearted fare when it should n't be .",
      "one thing confirmed by the MOV is that if tom hanks ' head gets any bigger , the rest of his movies are going to have to be filmed in imax .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a good cop/bad cop work-over .",
      "darabont has an artful ability to use production values to make a film appear as though it were actually transporting you somewhere . but when the credits roll , you realize you never left kansas .",
      "a lumbering , self-important three-hour melodrama that defies credibility at every turn .",
      "moves with the suffocating deliberateness of a river of molasses .",
      "an epic !",
      "easily one of the better films -- if not the best -- of the year .",
      "enthralling and literally miraculous , the MOV has become an instant favorite of mine , just as its source material did .",
      "after reading a king novel , a reader might tend to want to take a shower ; after seeing darabont 's the MOV , a moviegoer might want instead to go to church -- but only after taking a shower .",
      "an engrossing picture .",
      "in its own old-fashioned way , frank darabont 's style of picture making is well matched to king-size yarn spinning .",
      "stuart little , you may have competition !",
      "stephen king 's serial novel has been superbly adapted .",
      "a thoughtful , intelligent movie with outstanding direction .",
      "a textured , character-driven story .",
      "as a film , the MOV 's simplicity is both its charm and its deception .",
      "a powerful stephen king story , but one which is not compelling enough to justify the film 's three-hour length .",
      "a heartfelt fable that pushes all the right emotional buttons .",
      "the quickest 180 minutes you will ever spend in a movie theater .",
      "the MOV is a solidly crafted film telling a complexly layered story that features a beautifully satisfying , if bittersweet , finale .",
      "sure , there are plenty of good moments here to elicit active enjoyment .",
      "darabont and king go to prison . heck , it worked the first time !",
      "a thoroughly absorbing supernatural fairytale about good and evil living under the same roof .",
      "surpasses mere adequacy in so many ways just within the first hour that it will undoubtably be praised to the highest extent .",
      "certainly not a perfect film , and probably not the major oscar contender the filmmakers intended it to be , but it is a well-acted , tautly-directed film with emotional weight .",
      "an entertaining , extremely well-produced drama . it 's also a film that 's likely to be enormously overrated by the millions of members of the cult of tom ...",
      "over the epic running time the film inches its way through a complex soap opera of events on the row , punctuated by three pivotal and grisly executions via ` old sparky , ' the electric chair .",
      "the MOV resonates .",
      "the MOV is a well-crafted film .",
      "an affecting motion picture .",
      "a cracking good yarn that earns its laughter , its wonder and its tears .",
      "by taking the extra time , darabont has made king 's the MOV into a story which develops and unfolds , which has detail and space .",
      "i 'd be critical of the fact that frank darabont 's entire directorial career has revolved around sweepingly sentimental movies based on stephen king prison dramas -- if only he did n't do them so well .",
      "they do n't get much better than this .",
      "a moving story , helped by some great performances , primarily by michael clarke duncan as coffey , hanks , hutchison as the guards , and jeter and rockwell as prisoners .",
      "unassumingly strong , moving performances and darabont 's durable storytelling make it a trip worth taking .",
      "this film is slow , drawn-out , boring , uninteresting , unexciting , predictable and topped with a couple of one-dimensional ` evil ' characters .",
      "it 's hard to be affected by the MOV , for it rarely offers much background on any of its characters beyond their central casting pigeonholes .",
      "hanks adds another small masterpiece to his growing body of american portraits .",
      "add another title to the list of good king cinematic adaptations .",
      "provides all the sturdy entertainment of any well-calculated crime drama .",
      "laughter and tears are both subtly drawn out and jack-hammered home .",
      "beautifully crafted and emotionally satisfying .",
      "the acting is sturdy if infrequently exceptional .",
      "a vivid , emotional story .",
      "the movie taps into a vein of dickensian sentiment , nightmare and idealism , ribaldry and tragedy that give it that part-dark , part-shining fairytale quality that imbues most king tales and all three of darabont 's features .",
      "the MOV often grabs , and generally holds , one 's attention through the long journey .",
      "if only there was a death row for movies ...",
      "hanks is in fine form , as is sam rockwell , as ` wild bill ' wharton , a new inmate so repulsively evil he 's almost a cartoon -lrb- not quite , though -rrb- .",
      "a near-masterpiece .",
      "there is no doubt that the director has mistaken size for quality with bum-numbing consequences .",
      "for all its attention to john 's victimization -- and exacting an emotional response from its audience -- the film takes a surprisingly schizophrenic view of capital punishment .",
      "what better place to witness healing than in a death-chamber where the malevolent an eye-for-an eye philosophy of justice reigns .",
      "duncan 's beautiful performance is worth at least three hours of anyone 's life .",
      "overlong and potholed , the MOV is still worth the journey .",
      "those whose lives coffey touches may find relief from physical ailments , but they seem no freer , more hopeful , or nobler for the experience .",
      "quando a história chega ao fim e as luzes se acendem , vocę sente que , de certa forma , o filme permanecerá com vocę por muito tempo .",
      "if this movie does n't get a truckload of oscar noms , something 's rotten in the kingdom of hollywood !",
      "unfolds slowly , but darabont shows a deft sense of pacing .",
      "although the current production runs three hours , i was n't really bored at any point .",
      "the film is even more textured and less gratuitous than the shawshank redemption .",
      "a thrilling voyage .",
      "so well-crafted that it seems like a feast , even when your brain is telling you that this story could not possibly be stretched any thinner .",
      "consistently captivating .",
      "inspired filmmaking !",
      "duncan gives the novel 's towering symbol of innocence a degree of dignity and humanity that sells the whole unlikely fable .",
      "one terrific flick !",
      "frank darabont is the world 's greatest director of movies taken from stephen king prison books .",
      "this movie is being described as inspiring ? to me it just seems morbid , melancholy , sad , and far too long .",
      "of all the movies based on king novels , the MOV ranks near the top -- but below darabont 's first , the shawshank redemption .",
      "one of the best prison films ever made .",
      "mr. jingles was robbed ! -lrb- no mouse-oscar -rrb-",
      "hanks and the other guards ' acting is impeccable as would be expected , but duncan and his fellow prisoners are also disturbingly real .",
      "a deeply racist movie , though clearly none of the filmmakers thinks so ... by the picture 's end , we are asked to grasp electrocution as in some way an act of benevolence .",
      "three long hours of wind , an exercise in titanic self-importance intent on passing off klunky rhetoric as poignant drama .",
      "darabont explores the range of human kindness and cruelty as he lovingly and patiently sculpts his large cast of characters against magnificent scenery .",
      "suffice it to say you must be willing to buy some pretty incredible stuff if you want to enjoy this experience .",
      "its emotional rewards outshine its faults .",
      "at the very least , the MOV is engaging and even moving .",
      "frank darabont is such a committed filmmaker , and believes so earnestly and intensely in the stories he puts onscreen , that it seems unsporting to point out that hokum is his middle name .",
      "brilliant storytelling !",
      "but even when it falls back on the contrived , the MOV still holds on to the audience on a emotional level that continues to resonate long after the credits roll , which by itself is reason enough to recommend the movie .",
      "if all this heartstring-tugging reeks of cheese , that 's because it is - the finest gourmet cheese hollywood 's made in a long , long time .",
      "maravillosa historia acerca de los hombres y sus relaciones , sus miedos y sus sueńos",
      "it 's just too bad , then , that the finale could not have been stronger . it downgrades a potentially great film to being , at most , a very good one .",
      "e.t. on death row .",
      "this picture is , like the cigarette of the old-time commercials , worth walking a mile for .",
      "often funny .",
      "the MOV , while it does have a few noticeable faults , is ultimately an effective and extremely entertaining motion picture .",
      "a manipulative but absorbing and deeply satisfying adaptation of stephen king 's prison novel .",
      "a wonderful , inspiring , touching , and often funny movie .",
      "the MOV is just about one of the finest films i have seen since life is beautiful .",
      "a terrific , powerful movie !",
      "the worst i can say about this thoroughly decent movie is that it botches some of the most important scenes .",
      "there 's plenty here to make you laugh and cry .",
      "moves pretty well and does n't really drag , though superb performances from the leads help to keep it compelling .",
      "there is a beautiful story here , but i just wish we did n't have to sit through the whole thing to see it .",
      "giving much life to these fairly undimensional characters is a strong cast , with hanks turning in another empathetic lead performance .",
      "the supernatural elements carry an undeniable emotional charge , but the solution to the underlying murder mystery is disappointingly tidy and trite .",
      "although the MOV is a satisfying and affecting movie , it 's not the shawshank redemption -- not by a long shot .",
      "much of the three-hour movie takes place in the prison , but the resonant characterization , expansive plotting , and judicious use of exterior locations and flashbacks turn the walls into windows .",
      "thoughtful , intelligent movie for older teens .",
      "... despite the clichés and stereotypes , the film 's cast manages to lift it from the depths of the commonplace and make watching it enjoyable .",
      "how many blockbusters deal with that kind of grief ?",
      "to more than a few viewers , this one will feel like a life sentence .",
      "though the film drifts off down some long blind alleys , when darabont exercises discipline the result is highly effective .",
      "dotted with many fine moments , clotted with a few flabby ones .",
      "overextending its welcome , frank darabont 's film is the most commercially popular adaptation of a stephen king novella , but it 's also a slow , often dull prison drama .",
      "a groaning ordeal ."
    ],
    "summary": "though the MOV is long , critics say it 's an absorbing , emotionally powerful experience .",
    "id": "12939"
  },
  {
    "movie": "last_airbender",
    "reviews": [
      "call m. night shyamalan a wood bender -- this kiddie cast is as flat and stiff as particle board",
      "`` battlefield earth '' has a new rival for the title of `` worst-film-of-the-last-20-years . ''",
      "a boring , nauseating blockbuster filled with poor editing , painfully wooden acting , unrelenting dullness , and unimpressive special effects . it 's so bad that it 's gone past good and back to bad again .",
      "the trunk of my car is filled with busted 3d glasses and broken dreams of summer movie bliss . but that 's not as bad as what 's in the trunk of a paramount pictures bigwig : a bound and gagged shyamalan , who 's about to have $ 150 million beat from him .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he film works so hard to explain its plot developments that it scarcely has any time left over to dramatize them . exposition has not merely vanquished mimesis , it has burned its homes to the ground and sown salt in its fields .",
      "stick a fork in m. night shyamalan . he 's done as a director of consequence after the MOV . sad .",
      "the prospect of sequels to this lumpish and leaden action-adventure is nothing to cheer about .",
      "stilted dialogue , wooden acting , glacial pacing , cheesy special effects , tacky-looking sets , ugly costumes , poorly staged and edited action sequences , all shown in murky , cut-rate 3-d .",
      "fantasy works best off linear narrative clarity , while many scene transitions whirl like air in the hands of aang . yet , night ignites the separate moments with visual magic worthy of his mythology .",
      "it captivated my imagination .",
      "even in 3d , -lsb- it 's -rsb- one-dimensional .",
      "the sprawling story is so dramatically compressed there is barely enough oxygen for relationship growth -lrb- crucial in avatar -rrb- , let alone traces of an interesting director 's personality .",
      "m. night shyamalan throws his hands up and sells out with the MOV , an adaptation of the nickelodeon animé series that boasts almost no sign of the director 's idiosyncratic imprimatur .",
      "it 's worth putting up with m. night the writer to enjoy the work of m. night the director .",
      "he has n't mastered the craft yet , but m. night shyamalan may be on to something with this action-movie thing .",
      "not since kyle maclachlan 's whispered voice-overs about the worm and the spice and the worm is the spice in dune has a fantasy franchise tripped all over itself trying , simply , to please a fan base while creating a new one .",
      "i believe m. night can ruin the world .",
      "the MOV keeps throwing things at you , but its ultimate effect is , in every way , flat .",
      "the problems begin with shyamalan 's script , which is an orgy of exposition .",
      "the uninitiated will find the picture an odd , strangely chilly and frequently confounding experience . they wo n't care that this first ` airbender ' will likely be the last too .",
      "sadly , it seems that shyamalan is channeling george lucas et al from the phantom menace ... and said , ` hey , let 's do that with this movie ! '",
      "in a mediocre summer season , we now have the first bonafide stinker -- a supposed fantasy adventure that has all the magic and mystery of a bologna sandwich .",
      "it 's difficult to ascertain whether this poorly executed picture will earn enough to warrant its planned sequels or not even make enough to allow shyamalan to super-size his next fast-food order .",
      "irritatingly stupid .",
      "the film ends with a set-up for a sequel , which those unfortunate enough to endure this torturous mess can only hope never occurs .",
      "gorgeous imagery.beautifully wrought special effects . fantasy fun for all ages.i 'm talking , of course , about ` the MOV ' website .",
      "the conversion process truly needed here was not to add 3-d to the images , but to add depth to characters and a story that barely qualify as one-dimensional .",
      "controversial casting aside , could the MOV ever have been a good movie ? not at all ; it 's a listless , incompetent , boring mess that insults the comprehension of even the youngest child in the audience .",
      "my disappointment with this ` pg ' fantasy relates to its ponderous nature and lack of any comic relief .",
      "the last shyamalan .",
      "m. night shyamalan tries to bend the laws of quality cinema to suit his his shlocky ambitions .",
      "would be blissfully forgettable if it were n't so blazingly incompetent",
      "hopefully they mean it when they say this is the MOV . it 's the last time i ever want to see anyone ` bending ' anything .",
      "to keep us from noticing the goofiness , shyamalan goes full-speed in the opposite direction , treating everything with great solemnity and soberness . the result ? it just seems more silly .",
      "with a movie this shockingly bad , however , it 's not likely that anyone will be interested in another chapter . so it 's better not to even bother seeing this one .",
      "an exotic 3d battle of the boys blockbuster , teeming with dazzling , exotic imagery . though a bit on the wet side as drenched seafaring adversaries and awful adult role models kept in line by unruly children , collide . i see damp people .",
      "m. night shyamalan 's big-screen live-action version of the popular nickelodeon animated tv series constitutes a form of chinese water torture in which tin-ear line-readings take the place of drips .",
      "a dull , boring , poorly acted , limply written and thoroughly unappealing fantasy , featuring bland characters locked in a struggle of no interest .",
      "the MOV is like a care bears movie that got waylaid in the fourth dimension . it 's insufferably silly .",
      "please , hollywood , if there 's to be another airbender movie , hand the job to some efficient hack , and not to a once mesmerizing artist who 's lost his way .",
      "a staid , interminable miscalculation",
      "where 's the fun ? we 're talking about characters that can throw fire and water . where 's the excitement and sense of wonder ?",
      "this live-action adaptation of an animated children 's fantasy series is a leaden , joyless ride that represents another major misfire from the once-promising filmmaker .",
      "a soul-crushing disaster made worse by unnecessary , counterproductive 3-d , the MOV fails to immediately qualify as the worst film of the summer only by virtue of the year 's abundance of other candidates .",
      "the good news for those eagerly anticipating this live-action , big budget adaptation is that the 3d is n't horrible . the bad news ? just about everything else is .",
      "the battles are only slightly more exciting than the exposition , the acting is laughable , and the characters are flat .",
      "shyamalan takes the beloved nickelodeon anime series and turns it into 103 minutes of overproduced , stilted nonsense .",
      "shyamalan compresses a ton of plot exposition in every line and the resulting heavyosity is too much for the younger actors to carry .",
      "the long-winded explanations and clumsy performances are made worse by graceless effects and a last-minute 3-d conversion that wrecks whatever visual grace or beauty might have been there .",
      "by specifically critical and broadly adult standards , this film is undoubtedly a disappointment , but it is disappointing in a way that its intended audience may not notice .",
      "using the backbone of the nickelodeon series , shyamalan succeeds in developing a story with a deep mythology -- something he failed to do with lady in the water .",
      "the film , which is a live-action adaptation of a nickelodeon asian-anime-influenced cartoon series , is supposed to be the start of a new movie franchise . forget about it .",
      "boring -- but age-appropriate for young fans of the tv show .",
      "shyamalan saps all the humor and energy from the fantasy adventure so that the nickelodeon cartoon on which it 's based has more life than the live-action big-screen adaptation .",
      "can we please just stop with the 3d conversions ? shymalan delivers visually amazing action sequences but the film suffers from terrible dialogue and horrible acting .",
      "there are long expository speeches , which the young , inexperienced actors recite by rote , and the entire concept is filled with incoherent inconsistency .",
      "i am truly sorry to say that this movie is a big , dull , dud and a failure in almost every category .",
      "everything about this film is so mind-bogglingly stupid , i barely know where to begin !",
      "the camera swoops and the music blares , but we might as well be watching a tolerant , teeth-gritting parent filming his son 's karate class demonstration .",
      "it is so bad that not only could uwe boll make a better movie than shyamalan has done here , he already has .",
      "the MOV lays there , stillborn , potential squandered ... a sad indicator of just how completely shyamalan has thrown away his own gifts , the last stop on what has been a very disappointing career arc .",
      "in spite of all the running and sometimes flying to and fro , the MOV never feels particularly urgent .",
      "i can see why shyamalan was attracted to this material , but the results are clunky even by his recent standards .",
      "the MOV could be the last m. night shyamalan movie . yep , it 's that bad .",
      "it 's bad , as in `` wild wild west '' will no longer be considered the nadir of july 4th weekend releases . it feels off from the get-go and never gets its footing or a sense of balance with the material . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "this is bad filmmaking and bad storytelling . it also sounds what should be the death knell to m. night shyamalan 's career .",
      "nothing short of an incomprehensible fiasco . if one must go see it , avoid the 3-d version like the bubonic plague .",
      "a new low point in shyamalan 's crumbling career .",
      "mere words can barely describe the sheer inanity on display .",
      "the film is an unmitigated disaster , a putrid patchwork of the original series stitched together by wretched performances , bad creative decisions and a story that 's all exposition , no depth .",
      "kiddie-strength action scenes drag the film down , but the kiss of death is shyamalan 's gratuitous use of earth tones and the general dull , drab look of the film . ... drastically reduces the intensity of the 3-d effects",
      "the MOV is a horrific mish-mash of genres that follows a depressingly large number of dead ends in adapting its source material .",
      "the MOV is swollen with portentous mumbo jumbo and realized in the most simplistic and mundane ways imaginable .",
      "bad acting , overstuffed exposition and running time far too brief for the amount of plot shoved into it reduce the MOV into parody of a big summer film as shyamalan manages to hit every single fantasy film pothole .",
      "as far as children 's entertainment goes -lrb- and it is children 's entertainment -rrb- , it could be a lot worse .",
      "the constant references to ` benders ' ca n't help but elicit sniggers from british audiences ... the plotting is stodgy , the dialogue stinks and the acting is wooden .",
      "is it a masterpiece ? oh god no , but ... i 'm intrigued to see where the next film goes ...",
      "an amateurish mess .",
      "it gets real old real fast .",
      "the picture is crammed with big-budget cgi -- it seems determined to command our interest through sheer technological will .",
      "if you thought it was bad when writer-director m. night shyamalan was channeling rod serling , wait till you see him try to be george lucas .",
      "even 3-d technology ca n't inject a much-needed extra dimension to the MOV .",
      "the MOV is one of the most visually luscious and exhilarating entertainments i have seen this year , full of giddy fireworks and kinetic pleasure .",
      "as a child puts together pieces of the puzzle that will help him save the world from evildoers in the MOV , i was pondering a bigger mystery : how can this action-packed adventure be so deadly dull ?",
      "the tv show created an incredibly complex world over three seasons . this picture -lrb- the first in a proposed trilogy -rrb- tries to accomplish a year 's worth of work in two hours . so we get titles and flashbacks , baldly expository dialogue and clumsy narration .",
      "shyamalan 's effects -- matte paintings , miniatures , location exteriors , backlot interiors and digital work -- never coalesce into a seamless whole , and the result is neither fish nor fowl , tactile nor virtual .",
      "the addition of the 3-d is obviously an afterthought , and in most scenes it 's pretty bad . almost as bad as the writing and the acting . almost .",
      "there 's no other way to say this : m. night shyamalan has completely lost it .",
      "the worst part is undoubtedly the script , which clunks and groans all the way under the weight of it 's own exposition - tragically and unforgivably , it fails to tell a good story .",
      "the mythology of the series does n't translate well to the demands of concise big screen storytelling .",
      "unspeakably bad dialogue delivered by excruciatingly bad actors in a plot so illogical and stupid it kills unicorns .",
      "shyamalan tells the story like a syndicated news journalist , reporting events with detached direction and lifeless , plot-driven screenwriting .",
      "the characters are completely uninvolving , the narrative incomprehensible for the most part , and the performances seem to reflect the bewilderment of the plot .",
      "why do the water tribe have so much difficulty defeating their fire opponents when the battle takes place on the ocean ?",
      "it 's a nice movie to look at , as long as you ignore the characters , plot , and action .",
      "it seems as if a good film could be made out of the MOV 's tale . but this is not that film .",
      "it is in writer/director shyamalan 's dialogue that the film grinds to a halt . his words have grown increasingly pompous and stilted since his concise , crisp , oscar-nominated script for the sixth sense .",
      "this empty , misfired epic from m. night shyamalan is boring and strengthens the claim that he is the worst director working in mainstream cinema today .",
      "there 's no third-act twist because we never get out of the first act .",
      "writer/director m night shyamalan 's once glorious reputation is tarnished further by this tediously juvenile fantasy adventure .",
      "nothing here is helped by m. night shyamalan 's bizarre casting choices .",
      "would it be more accurate to call this the last shyamalan movie ?",
      "a quite breathtakingly inept hodge-podge of vapid spirituality , playground chopsocky and visual effects that take 3d to an entirely new level : zero-d .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- breathtakingly clueless , misconceived , stupid , humourless , unexciting , dim , dumb farrago , the worst film i 've seen in years .",
      "the MOV is not just a flop , it 's a big-budget flop , and it 's a throwback to that grand old genre , the movie that 's so bad that it 's bad .",
      "there is n't a single convincing performance in the picture , and the badness of the acting is , bizarrely , pretty much in direct proportion to a character 's importance .",
      "tedious , overstuffed , visually flat ... emotionally inert , filled with painfully expository dialogue and mostly poorly acted , it 's simply an all-around misfire .",
      "paraphrasing a quote from another shyamalan star , haley joel osment , it seems like `` there 's dead actors walking around like regular actors . '' from the sixth sense to no sense ?",
      "this is a kid 's movie that does n't seem to realize that it 's a kid 's movie .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan -rsb- works so much better with stories that are slower in development , where the atmosphere and tone drive the film , and where you 're never quite sure what 's going on -lrb- though not in the sense where you 're completely confused , like this film -rrb- .",
      "being a shyamalan film , the entire cast -lrb- which also includes slumdog millionaire star dev patel as an exiled fire prince -rrb- recite their looney-tunes lines as if they have been drugged , then hypnotised , then drugged again .",
      "if sleep is a hard thing to come by , then a dose of m. night shyamalan 's the MOV is just the cure for you .",
      "with poorly executed action , wooden acting and a dead script , this fantasy film is a strong contender for a razzie .",
      "a big ol' mess of atrocious acting and terrible scripting , the MOV is a definite nominee for worst film of 2010 .",
      "shyamalan has written a muddled , confusing script and directed it badly",
      "parents may be less easily pleased , finding the film a tad dull and lifeless , for all its elements .",
      "even pre-teens will have to endure the fragmented plot lines , stilted acting , and an absence of humor .",
      "$ 150,000,000 well wasted . the MOV is an insult to those wanting sophisticated , entertaining or even competent cinema .",
      "some of the worst acting , action and dialogue you 'll endure this year .",
      "how did shyamalan get it so wrong ?",
      "a franchise needs more than cute creatures to survive .",
      "the title has the ring of prophecy . although the film frustrates viewers with a cliffhanger ending , it 's hard to believe a second ` airbender ' will materialize out of what is likely to be the indifferent reception to this wan hand-me-down .",
      "it 's rare to see a film so choppily edited , poorly scripted and spastically directed that you can barely understand what you 're watching .",
      "the puzzle of shyamalan 's racial casting soon becomes secondary to a much more pressing concern -- trying to follow the cluttered story .",
      "fans of the beautifully crafted tv show will be bitterly disappointed by this film version of the story .",
      "undistinguished on every level , the film rehashes genre clichés in a style that is both painless and instantly forgettable .",
      "what part of this story necessitated such a po-faced treatment ?",
      "stiff , fuzzy-looking , cloddish and disastrous in nearly every way , the MOV looks as if it could have been made by the spoiled son of a studio mogul willing to waste gobs of money .",
      "the movie 's redeeming feature might be its beauty , but you have to take off your 3-d glasses to fully appreciate it . the lenses blunt and mute the unique tones and colors that shyamalan uses to create his lavish fantasy kingdoms .",
      "the MOV , for all its shyamalan-style grandiosity , is completely harmless and inoffensive , and at the very least , shyamalan appears to be having a little fun here .",
      "airbender 's final insult is the unmistakable stench of a sequel that 's left to linger in its wake .",
      "some of the performances are wooden , creating repeated moments of unintentional hilarity that cut through the dramatic tension .",
      "the first part of a planned trilogy , shyamalan says the sequel will be darker . just better would be a start .",
      "far from the catastrophe the us bewailed , but still disappointingly clunky .",
      "the dialogue is tin-eared in the extreme , the 3d is used in a strictly tokenistic fashion and the absolute lack of a sense of irony or humour makes the more solemn scenes all the more laughable .",
      "after the first five seconds , it seems as if you have been watching it for around two-and-a-half hours , and that this time has passed in four-and-a-half days .",
      "please let it be the last shyamalan .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- slice of self-important nonsense that 's actually pretty funny , although probably not in the way shyamalan planned .",
      "one is bored and stupefied by what seems like an eternity of vacuous spectacle , cod-buddhist tosh and clunking dialogue .",
      "i swiftly became bored with a repetitive and laboured film devoid of drama , tension or real emotion .",
      "all the while , shyamalan creates an ever-growing sense of ` who cares where we are ; when will this be over ? '",
      "this is one muddled attempt at franchise-making : confusing , drab , sluggish . -lrb- ugly , too , if you 're forced to see it in 3-d . -rrb-",
      "shyamalan has taken what could have been a big , flashy , generic hollywood production and made it wholly his own .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan -rsb- wanted to leave us shaking our heads and marveling at a terribleness that was not merely terrible , but a terribleness that leaves you astonished at just how very , very terrible it is .",
      "the most well-rounded failure of the year so far .",
      "... it 's unfortunate that the one element people apparently can not manipulate in this world is wood , as that would be the only way to extract a decent performance .",
      "what a colossal disappointment ! let 's hope this truly is the MOV .",
      "it 's a stinker that takes itself so seriously , but might bring about unintentional laughter to those who can view this rubbish as merely a goof .",
      "macgruber and jonah hex can relax . this is without doubt the summer 's movie nadir , the grossest waste of somebody 's money to create -lrb- and people to view -rrb- that we 'll endure .",
      "the current national priorities should be as follows : reduce carbon emissions and stop funding the films of m. night shyamalan .",
      "the MOV is an agonizing experience in every category i can think of and others still waiting to be invented .",
      "let 's just be honest : m. night shyamalan is an idiot .",
      "slavishly amateurish with no heart . cold , not engaging , and dull . bad writing and film school-level directing . what happened to an exciting story ?",
      "shyamalan has been working in cinema for more than a decade now , but none of his films are nearly as disastrous as this . it 's his final plea to get his name back in hollywood , and i do n't think anyone will hear it .",
      "the MOV completes writer/co-producer/director m. night shyamalan 's fall from grace ; once regarded as the most exciting talent in film , he now sits pretty as the laughing stock of hollywood .",
      "... a tremendously disappointing effort from a once rock-solid filmmaker .",
      "a derivative and lifeless ` heroes journey ' tale layered up with eastern mysticism .",
      "a dodgy script , ropey performances , atrocious 3d effects and a tendency to take itself too seriously ...",
      "a movie that 's as thick as the earth , as enraging as fire , and about as watery and windy as a giant cinematic wet fart .",
      "dung fu .",
      "when nothing you believe or believe in is at stake , your plot-receptor mechanisms close down .",
      "i can accurately and completely review the MOV by quoting my ten-year-old daughter 's own thoughts on the movie : `` they messed up everything . ''",
      "i ca n't even tell you what this movie is about . how many more chances are we going to give this guy ?",
      "the MOV is a joyless , soulless , muddled mess , but the worst part of all does n't come until the very end . that 's when it makes the clear suggestion that two more such movies are in store for us .",
      "this colossal folly , the fiasco of the summer of 2010 - gives us all a ringside seat at the sight of mr. `` i see dead people 's '' career gurgling down the drain .",
      "who would have thought shyamalan would come up with a movie that makes his lady in the water look positively sensible ?",
      "the picture drags along the ground like a fresh corpse , treating its own myth as homework and the participants as burdens , while feeling around a fantastically wasted world of weathered environments and ornate set design .",
      "while the special effects are impressive enough , m. night shyamalan 's film does n't make a lick of sense .",
      "the MOV is dreadful , an incomprehensible fantasy-action epic that makes the 2007 film the golden compass , a similarly botched adaptation of a beloved property from another medium , look like a four-star classic .",
      "where to start with this one ? how about this : if any movie ever warranted a class-action lawsuit against the filmmakers , it 's the MOV .",
      "this is all enormously disappointing , of course , since the best we could hope for from a live-action avatar adaptation is the mind-blowing equivalent of our first encounters with wire-fu , rather than this cartoony nonsense .",
      "even during the climax , the film still is struggling to introduce the world of the film and its strange rules .",
      "the movie has been criticized for racially inappropriate casting , but that 's the least of its problems . the acting is laughable , the effects are phony , the editing is addled and the dialogue is disastrous .",
      "an elemental disaster .",
      "sadly , m. night shyamalan has not regained what he lost three films ago . his films are truly bad .",
      "the story is n't the bad part of the MOV - in fact , it 's the best part ... the bad part is almost everything else .",
      "the MOV blatantly sets the stage for a sequel . unfortunately , this awful film 's huge box office receipts may make a sequel reality .",
      "a vast and largely joyless -- at times leaden -- epic",
      "even with fairly good special effects the movie is boring ; let 's hope the indicated sequel -lrb- s -rrb- does n't see the light of day .",
      "if the 11th-hour addition of 3-d to m. night shyamalan 's odious live-action adaptation of nickelodeon 's beloved anime-influenced cartoon series does n't make your head hurt , the excess of narration and intertitles surely will .",
      "the time has come to admit that he -lsb- shyamalan -rsb- got lucky with sixth sense and we overrated his talent .",
      "it is no surprise to me it is doing a better business at the box office than most experts anticipated .",
      "i need ` unbreakable ' to be m. night shyamalan 's trilogy . not this lifeless fantasy ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV squanders its popular source material with incomprehensible plotting , horrible acting , and detached joyless direction .",
    "id": "770805417"
  },
  {
    "movie": "junebug",
    "reviews": [
      "a cool delight when it sticks to comic observation . it only starts to crawl when morrison shifts his blue-gray medley to darker tones .",
      "despite the best of intentions , MOV never quite comes together .",
      "the sum is something deeply profound : about awkwardness , culture clash , failed connections , and -- ultimately -- the strength that comes from surviving a trial by fire .",
      "the adult tensions and the tone take us to a place remembered so vividly that even if we do n't know this corner of the south , we 've somehow lived there or at least passed through .",
      "there are ceramic cardinals mounted on the wall , and zingers on top of the refrigerator ; but there are dark woods here , and they 're just beyond the family 's backyard deck ...",
      "MOV is that rare kind of movie that contrasts ` cultured ' big-city characters with devout , ` simple ' folk without being condescending or judgmental of either camp .",
      "adams is first-rate in her lovable desperation , watson reminds me of many parochial piedmont mamas , and taylor is remarkable as the visionary with no eye for his own follies .",
      "a gem of a gentle , contemplative drama , filled with the joy and sadness that comprise all of our lives .",
      "... a movie that slowly reveals its compassion for ordinary people , each of whom is eventually revealed as an individual , possessed of an array of qualities",
      "it is a modest but brilliantly acted , spiritually rewarding and often heartbreaking portrait of life as a work in progress .",
      "phil morrison does an impressive job with his big-screen directorial debut , although we ca n't figure out how he wants us to take madeleine .",
      "MOV addresses familiar themes in an intriguingly understated way .",
      "morrison and his cast approach this familiar story with such understated intelligence , we do n't even realize they 've pulled the rug out from under the audience until we 've tumbled to the floor , clichés scattered in pieces around us .",
      "for all its specificity , we come away feeling as if we 've walked in the shoes of all of these people at different points in our lives .",
      "an extraordinary cast find gnarly human truths in material that , in less astute hands , could have degenerated into a southern fried meet the parents . or a sermon .",
      "morrison and screenwriter angus maclachlan put an unusual spin on the old chestnuts , playing them straight -- well , almost straight -- and letting the subtle , knotty humanity shine through the surface tics and traits .",
      "how slow can we go ?",
      "a deceptively simple , deeply resonant story about the inherent loneliness of family , the odds against assimilation and the enormous distances that can divide two people .",
      "the balancing act of character contradictions ultimately becomes more about itself than true human behavior .",
      "morrison likes to cite the japanese master filmmaker yasujiro ozu as an influence , and you can feel his guiding hand throughout this remarkable debut feature .",
      "a marvelous and moving film that looks honestly and penetratingly at every character in its frame , constantly surprising us and challenging our own preconceptions .",
      "this comedy-drama takes a few unexpected dramatic turns and actually manages to say a few things about the peculiar charms of the south without becoming too patronizing or cloyingly phony .",
      "thanks to adams ' performance and strong story , it makes for a mildly entertaining southern-fried experience .",
      "an imperfect movie that 's perfectly wonderful .",
      "a quiet journey into the heartland , and the heart .",
      "`` MOV '' is a southern class struggle played out in small , with amy adams the brightest star among these delicate -- and often misunderstood -- flowers .",
      "morrison captures not only the flavors of southern living - from church suppers to hollerin ' contests - but a sense of what it 's like to be southern .",
      "forrest gump always said that stupid is as stupid does ... some of MOV 's strange folk would respond to that platitude with a resounding `` huh ? ''",
      "MOV has delightful moments , but much of it is a southern-fried drag .",
      "a generally quiet film grounded in character studies , where things just happen as they naturally might -- and where things are n't tied up in neat little packages .",
      "... a true american original ... a small miracle that marks the emergence of a truly unique new filmmaking team ... this entire ensemble just clicks",
      "you may find yourself caught entrancingly off guard by the conflicting shades of love , suspicion , tradition , and mystery that infuse this tale of lost innocence , deep roots , and what it means to come from the world of the south .",
      "morrison mostly succeeds in his attempt to show how secret knowledge can result in sudden violence as well as long-term , lived-in acceptance .",
      "phil morrison 's wise , bittersweet , beautifully acted comedy about a southern homecoming envelops us in texture of a world the movies rarely visit .",
      "north is north and south is south and here the twain does meet -- delightfully .",
      "like meet the parents as written by tennessee williams .",
      "it takes one of two things to cut through the critic 's desensitized haze - either a smashingly original idea , or the same old ideas re-envisioned with unusual grace . MOV is a nice example of the second .",
      "a couple 's new marriage is tested on a visit to the groom 's family in north carolina where traditional values hold sway .",
      "helmer morrison and scripter angus maclachlan merely hint at long-festering estrangement that provides an ominously percolating undercurrent throughout scenes in the modest but spacious family home .",
      "using the paradigm of the outsider to an advantage , MOV centers on the familial and cultural clashes in a southern clan , when the son brings home his sophisticated wife .",
      "`` MOV '' has its bumpy roads , but ultimately this window on small-town americana is as honest and revelatory as they come . a gem indeed .",
      "amy adams gives a standout performance that 's worthy of oscar consideration .",
      "comes on like a carbon copy of ` meet the parents , ' then turns the concept inside out , revealing unexpected depths and shades in what initially looked like worn-out material .",
      "MOV is an admirable film , but its charms will be visible only to the most patient filmgoers .",
      "it 's a pure , indie film experience that has about zero in the way of physical action , but plenty of emotional struggle , and does n't bluntly telegraph where it 's going .",
      "the many well-drawn characters , make MOV a pleasure to watch , but the plotting is dull , and the script leaves too many questions .",
      "it 's a soft and tender portrait of the funky south with splashes of color , notably amy adams in a balls-out performance .",
      "a slight film enlivened by adams ' winning performance .",
      "i found most of the characters to be either uninteresting or annoying .",
      "what 's abundantly clear is that adams steals the film as the irrepressible ashley .",
      "this low-key drama is a miracle of mood , atmosphere , and sensitivity .",
      "restores some of the lustre to the indie dysfunction genre .",
      "merely being different does n't always equal good .",
      "while it 's very clear that she adores george , the visit exposes the mysterious fragility of their marriage .",
      "a quirky , moderately entertaining , mildly depressing , altogether frustrating work ... too artsy by half .",
      "this crazy journey south ends up more than rewarding .",
      "southern living feels indescribably delicious in this languorous ode to small-town dysfunction .",
      "if the academy has any brains , heart , and balls , at least one oscar will go to the quietly brilliant MOV .",
      "if there were an oscar for ensemble acting , MOV would be a candidate this february .",
      "every scene in this film is perfectly executed .",
      "... the honesty with which -lsb- the film has -rsb- been imbued is generally difficult to resist .",
      "there 's a constant tension in the air , as if the characters could make catastrophic decisions at any moment but the film consistently surprises you by upturning the expected cliches .",
      "MOV is the older , wiser sibling of home-for-the-holidays family melodramas like pieces of april .",
      "the movie cuts deep with its realistic portrayals of human strengths , weaknesses , and relational dynamics .",
      "an arthouse meet the parents , MOV explores the same territory with greater subtlety and complexity , and more chuckles and quiet smiles , instead of big comedy routines .",
      "click to read review -lsb- greek -rsb-",
      "delicately avoids hollywood 's typical condescending caricatures of those who dwell below the mason-dixon line .",
      "um filme que exige ser visto mais de uma vez , no mьnimo para que possamos ter o prazer de rever atuaушes tсo ricas em detalhes .",
      "a beautiful , sensitive exploration of the strings that hold people together",
      "on paper , MOV might sound like something you 've already seen a dozen times . but movies are n't made on paper , silly .",
      "director phil morrison and screenwriter angus maclachlan , both from north carolina , give us characters that ring true and a worthy portrait of the chasm between city and country .",
      "in the end , we not only believe in the men and women populating the film , but feel along with them . by offering that experience , MOV has done its job .",
      "uneasily familiar , and sort of beautiful",
      "rich with details both humorous and sad ... . deeply satisfying .",
      "MOV gets under your skin .",
      "MOV has a big , wide-open heart and a sense of wonder about how complicated and surprising people are .",
      "the richly suggestive MOV gives us plenty to mull as it takes us into an environment where secrets are harbored and character can stagnate like summer air that has all but given up waiting for a breeze .",
      "thanks to newfangled things like tv and the internet , small-town folks are n't as uniformly insulated as director phil morrison and screenwriter angus mclachlan would have us believe .",
      "as refreshing as a tall glass of iced tea with mint on a hot summer 's day , MOV is one of the year 's most beguiling films .",
      "MOV immerses itself in a part of the american experience hollywood does n't touch anymore , and has sharp , perceptive talents behind camera .",
      "MOV is a great film because it is a true film . it humbles other films that claim to be about family secrets and eccentricities .",
      "a dreary , stagnant story about people who make no effort to think or grow .",
      "the stereotypical outsider look into fundamentalist southern christian world is a bit too clichéd but the small , capable cast makes the best out of it .",
      "MOV has the feel of a good short story or novella .",
      "MOV is a textbook case of filmmakers who ca n't make up their minds about their characters ; it 's a failure of nerve disguised as dramatic ambiguity .",
      "thankfully maclachlan and morrison do n't take the easy way out by making fun of the country folk , or by `` humanizing '' the city folk and converting them to country ways .",
      "adams is so pure-hearted and touching that she redeems the film , just as her character redeems , or tries to , the blighted lives around her .",
      "all the acting is so good , and the setting is so rightly observed , that MOV emerges as one of the best pictures of the year .",
      "composed of small moments that , in their questioning , touch on something illuminating about the human heart and its mysterious adaptability .",
      "it 's hugely entertaining , it 's spectacularly acted , and it pricks you in all kinds of places .",
      "they do n't make a lot of movies like this -lrb- it did n't come from a formula or fit into an easy category description -rrb- , but it 's nice to enjoy it when they do .",
      "amy adams gives an oscar worthy performance in this quiet , contemplative film about southern family life .",
      "with MOV , it 's what 's inside that counts .",
      "sort of a meet the parents for the sundance set , director phil morrison 's bizarrely overpraised MOV is one of this year 's vaguest , most listless oddities .",
      "this visit to the old homestead is worthwhile , if only to meet its unflappable , charismatic women .",
      "as someone with southern roots , i can tell you i personally know every character in this movie . i am especially knowledgeable of george , a man who knew he had to leave but knows part of him never can .",
      "features an astounding performance from comparative unknown amy adams that is all the more satisfying in that it does n't overwhelm the film .",
      "the overall female performances are excellent in this telling saga that informs us you ca n't go home again .",
      "an artfully simple , quietly perceptive movie ... one of the most honest , revealing portraits of familial love and friction to hit the screen in years .",
      "wonderful performances and the director 's continual inventiveness make MOV a particularly promising first feature .",
      "in MOV , everything is great - no question about it - but one element chews up the screen and carpet bombs the audience for attention ... that element is amy adams .",
      "it 's sometimes said that southerners rejoice in their eccentrics and put them out on the porch for full display , rather than push them in the closet . indeed , the filmmakers have given us a nicely filled porch .",
      "slips its way into your affections with quiet observations and knowing moments of reflection .",
      "adams won a sundance award for her portrayal of this deeply lovable motormouth , and it 's easy to see why .",
      "a warm and honest gem of a movie , frequently laugh-out-loud funny in surprising and genuine ways , and quietly touching without forcing obvious emotions on the viewer .",
      "as curiously odd , profound and beautiful as its title .",
      "this brilliantly detailed , richly painted portrait lingers long in the memory .",
      "brimming with bright dialogue , complex characters and moments of sheer aching sweetness , it 's chekhov with a side of red-eye gravy .",
      "it 's a quiet , funny , moving triumph , the kind of movie that gives ` interesting ' a good name .",
      "with its wise understanding of the magnetic pull -lrb- and invisible polarities -rrb- of family , MOV is an auspicious debut for morrison .",
      "while this sweet-tart movie is definitely worth seeing , more compelling is what morrison , and adams , will do next .",
      "excels at showing us characters and situations that turn out to be far more complicated than they initially appear .",
      "at every moment when `` MOV '' could choose dramatic clichж , even with ashley 's pregnancy , it 's beautifully subtle . a poetic , graceful tale about the comforts and oddities of returning home to family .",
      "morrison and maclachlan mine the clash of cultures for comedy , but there 's an undertow of sadness to their film - and adams 's touching performance as george 's na № ve but well-meaning , heavily pregnant sister-in-law captures this perfectly",
      "MOV annoyed me while in the theater , and annoys me even more as i write about it .",
      "the humor here is expectedly quirky but it feels earned thanks to writer maclachlan and director morrison 's honestly rendered observations of family and small-town life",
      "a wonderful bittersweet dramedy that deserves to be seen .",
      "amy adams is simply magical , guileless and throbbing , sunniness fraught with desperation",
      "from dinner-table silences , to nuances of baptist vocabulary , to ` colorful ' displays of southern imagination , these people are three-dimensional and compelling .",
      "... one of many reasons to love MOV is how often it offers us spaces to fill in ourselves , the faith it shows in handing us small puzzles -- eugene 's hand-carved bird , for instance -- to chuckle over or think on afterward .",
      "not since ... my cousin vinny has there been a more charming class-clash comedy-drama than MOV .",
      "to get a good idea of what to expect , think hee haw presented as a shakespearean melodrama ."
    ],
    "summary": "aided and abetted by a wonderful cast , director phil morrison transforms familiar material into an understated and resonant comedy .",
    "id": "2769"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1016819-producers",
    "reviews": [
      "scathingly hysterical .",
      "if mel brooks is remembered for only three films , then he can rest easy knowing that they 're three of the funniest ones ever made . and the MOV was the first .",
      "nobody does it like brooks ! the best interpretation of the tale to date .",
      "a great introduction to mel brooks ' humor .",
      "brooks ' first feature , an absolutely hilarious and tasteless new york jewish comedy about broadway .",
      "you do n't need to be a wwii vet to feel the glee as the movie invites us to dance on hitler 's grave .",
      "if you love and understand live theatre , or the old-school movie musicals of the 1940s , you will enjoy this much more than people who can not transfer their minds to that world .",
      "wilder 's like a baby monkey -- you get the feeling he 'd cling to your leg if you let him .",
      "it 's the ultimate punchline , the killer gag , that a proto-novel that turned into a proto-play that ended up as a movie about the worst musical in history , is now the most popular musical in town .",
      "i suppose you could call it a time capsule . then again , brooks ' broadway blockbuster may prove that blustery bad taste is timeless ... ferrell is so ferociously over the top , i hope the other cast members all got rabies shots .",
      "slapstick comedy-musical -- not meant for kids .",
      "like the MOV itself , springtime for hitler , with its busby berkeley-meets-leni riefenstahl choreography and creatively crude lyrics , ends up proving that bad taste can be irresistible .",
      "... suffers from a pervasive lack of laughs that 's compounded by writer/director mel brooks ' relentlessly -lrb- and exhaustingly -rrb- over-the-top sensibilities .",
      "but despite the too-wacky-for-their-own-good jokes and slow pacing , there 's no denying the genius of gene wilder and zero mostel .",
      "mel brooks has turned a funny idea into a slapstick film , thanks to the performers , particularly zero mostel .",
      "the original , and by far the best .",
      "quite possibly brooks 's finest hour .",
      "the MOV has many things going for it -- notably a wild , ad-lib energy that explodes in a series of sight gags and punch lines .",
      "everything that can go wrong in an amateur film does go wrong , from the timing to the structure to the pitch of the performances .",
      "an anarchic reminder that laughter can be mightier than the sword .",
      "great , great , great ! `` springtime for hitler , '' one of the funniest sequences ever put on film ! wilder is great , mostel , a force of nature . always fresh , no matter how often you see it .",
      "some of it is shoddy and gross and cruel ; the rest is funny in an entirely unexpected way .",
      "hilarious and irreverent , brooks ' first film has the good fortune to be graced with the comic genius of mostel , wilder , and shawn .",
      "great",
      "holds up poorly . what once was seen as daring and over-the-top now plays as tame and unfunnily goofy ,",
      "sublime .",
      "the hilarious original that inspired the musical -lrb- and upcoming film , again -rrb- ... if you like mel brooks , you 'll like this .",
      "a cheeky and intelligent look at a more disturbing side of live theatre .",
      "a wacky and hilarious and shameless delight .",
      "are you kidding ? one of the best comedies ever made .",
      "it is moving to know that a film can be so entertaining , and almost a third of a century after its release , it still stands tall above almost every contemporary comedy and every pretentious twit who moans about films that ` have nothing to say ' .",
      "it 's childlike in its silliness , adult in its message of how utterly idiotic starting wwii was , and downright brilliant besides .",
      "i agree that it was funny . i did not find it one of the funniest of all time .",
      "brooks 's magnum opus is still a ferocious gale of bulldozing jewish mockery , dominated by zero mostel 's comb-over juggernaut .",
      "for those who have n't yet checked out brooks ' virgin foray into wild screen comedy , give the MOV a look for its pioneering aspects and introduction to a broad new mind .",
      "hilarious assault on the dubious ethics at work in the business side of the hollywood movie industry .",
      "this is one of the funniest movies ever made .",
      "more than thirty years after its initial release , it 's still outrageous as ever and one of the funniest films ever made .",
      "the star not only indulges himself gluttonously , but the director seems to be doubled up with laughter at how funny he is being through mostel ; and the film bloats into sogginess .",
      "what could be more anti-nazi than having a sixties flower child portray hitler",
      "like all of brooks ' films , the comedy works through cleverness , stupidity and audacity .",
      "it remains neck and neck with young frankenstein as brooks ' best film .",
      "mel brooks ' first and best !",
      "as colorful and fun as the cast is , it 's the play-within-the-play that pushes the movie into genius , a musical so bad it 's hilarious .",
      "a film that will likely never be matched for its sheer audaciousness , puckish glee , and willingness to go any distance for a laugh .",
      "the one aspect of the original MOV that still stuns is the roaring , over-the-top , in-your-face thereness of its two lead performances .",
      "' ... a masterpiece ... it goes beyond the laughs into the secrets inside all of our hearts . '",
      "what makes the movie so special , without a doubt , is the hysterical exchanges between mostel and wilder .",
      "the film is ripe with treasures worth rediscovering .",
      "this shamelessly low-brow , fearlessly satirical brooks movie may just be hollywood 's ultimate satire , a furiously witty ` reductio ad absurdum ' worthy of the great augustans like pope and swift ."
    ],
    "summary": "a hilarious satire of the business side of hollywood , the MOV is one of mel brooks ' finest , as well as funniest films , featuring standout performances by gene wilder and zero mostel .",
    "id": "11701"
  },
  {
    "movie": "indiana_jones_and_the_temple_of_doom",
    "reviews": [
      "a nonstop ride of chills and thrills",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he best of the indiana jones movies ... it 's insanely wonderful , in every sense of those words .",
      "... an obvious step down from its stellar predecessor ...",
      "this movie is batshit insane .",
      "spielberg has come up with another rousing piece of entertainment .",
      "a fun and worthy sequel that really continues the harrowing but exciting exploits of indiana jones ...",
      "with the action nonstop there is no time for mere acting , much less for a coherent plot .",
      "more gore , gross-outs than the other indy blockbusters .",
      "an unbelievably crass , unpleasant , horrific picture",
      "it 's not the darker turn that makes the temple of doom uncomfortable at times ; it 's its mean-spiritedness .",
      "again you will savor the indiana jones schizophrenia : by day a bow-tied , bespectacled archaeologist ; by night a resourceful swaggerer , whom ford brings to life as a modern blend of bogie and the duke , with just a glint of misfit psychopathy in his eyes .",
      "terrific opening with ` anything goes ' in chinese -- then the kid shows up and it 's downhill .",
      "only so so follow up to `` raiders . '' extra points off for the very annoying short round .",
      "set years before the events of raiders of the lost ark , MOV is sillier , darkly violent and a bit dumbed down , but still great fun .",
      "part of the trouble is that anything clearly does go , including the slender hold on credibility that raiders managed to maintain .",
      "i honestly think this edgier prequel to raiders of the lost ark does an even better job of being a non-stop rollercoaster ride than the original .",
      "all action and little story made for an entertaining followup to the adventure classic .",
      "though not as thrilling as raiders of the lost ark , the second chapter still has merits , particularly its fast pacing , spectacular opening scene , and visual effects , which won the oscars in 1984 .",
      "see website for more details .",
      "darker indiana , still grand",
      "... it 's cathartic as hell , for spielberg and for those of us who go for the ride . the mayhem is transporting , inspired , exultant ...",
      "does n't live up to the excitement and thrills of the original , but still a pretty wild ride .",
      "vastly under rated . grand fun .",
      "single-handedly caused the ` pg-13 ' rating , and for that alone , i love it .",
      "an unforgettable picture . do n't miss it !",
      "moments like the collapsing bridge , the mine cart ride , and the cave full of bugs are as thrilling or more so than anything in the first movie .",
      "the worst of the bunch - but still has moments of fun .",
      "too shapeless to be the fun that raiders is , but shape may be beside the point . old - time , 15-part movie serials did n't have shape . the just went on and on and on , which is what indiana jones does with humor and technical invention .",
      "one of steven spielberg 's best movies , because he for once is n't trying to say anything at all . he 's just having fun .",
      "there is little to appreciate here in terms of craft or characterization -- but the whole thing bounces along so damn nicely , who cares ?",
      "the darker side of spielberg .",
      "everything bad in temple of doom is the fault of the insipid script , and everything good belongs to spielberg , ford , and that funny little asian kid .",
      "from our perspective it is still a very good piece of hollywood entertainment , much superior to the more recent examples of same genre .",
      "there 's plenty of rip-roaring action to distract us from the more unpalatable elements .",
      "the sustained furore of humour , visual panache and headlong momentum makes for dazzling cinema . all of which makes it possibly spielberg 's most underrated film .",
      "seems to forgo characterization and plot development in favor of action sequences that do n't necessarily feature as much exciting action as in its predecessor .",
      "yes , temple of doom still stinks -- save that spectacular opening shanghai nightclub scene .",
      "you know , the more distance i get from this , the more i think : man , what a dark , depressing film . i think when it came out i was just that desperate for a new indy flick .",
      "while ` the temple of doom ' is a bit gloomy , puts children in danger , and confines its action primarily to one spot , it 's still quite entertaining . -lrb- blu-ray edition -rrb-",
      "... makes you wonder if spielberg and series producer george lucas might have been going through some sort of drug phase .",
      "fantastically choreographed action sequences and another comely companion for indy -lrb- capshaw -rrb- and gloriously overdone visual devices make up for the shameless lack of plot .",
      "a breakneck adventure that moves at twice the pace of the original but has only half the creative strength .",
      "the reality is that this is the film that comes closest to reflecting the racism , sexism and jingoism that fuelled most of the serials that originally sparked spielberg and george lucas 's impressionable young imaginations .",
      "it lacks the sense of detail that made raiders such a treat . it is n't very clever , very funny or very compelling .",
      "if it was a sign of the times for indiana jones to take on more of a comic-book aspect , the film 's accomodation of darker themes and explicit imagery came as something of a shock to many .",
      "where the brilliant `` raiders '' was an adventure film aimed at the child at heart , `` temple of doom '' is really designed for the kiddie market itself .",
      "do n't dismiss temple of doom just because , you know , it 's kinda stupid .",
      "stilted attempts to soften doom 's gloom only create a sense of manipulative phoniness",
      "it 's an extremely well-crafted , exciting , and , most importantly , brave work .",
      "in retrospect , there 's something hateful about this picture that 's energizing . it 's a f**ked freudian funhouse of freakishly personal divorce anxiety .",
      "the film betrays no human impulse higher than that of a ten-year-old boy trying to gross out his baby sister by dangling a dead worm in her face .",
      "pic comes on like a sledgehammer , and there 's even a taste of vulgarity and senseless excess not apparent in raiders .",
      "exciting , but the weakest film of the trilogy",
      "the kind of movie where your date is always grabbing your forearm in a viselike grip , as unbearable excitement unfolds on the screen . after the movie is over , you 've had a great time but your arm is black-and-blue for a week ."
    ],
    "summary": "it may be too `` dark '' for some , but MOV remains an ingenious adventure spectacle that showcases one of hollywood 's finest filmmaking teams in vintage form .",
    "id": "23530"
  },
  {
    "movie": "moustache",
    "reviews": [
      "a successful novelist and restrained actor 's director , carrére makes the transformation of a silly marital argument into a cosmic upheaval look easy , and profound as well .",
      "the film is an unpretentious blank slate -- almost totally without point but so unassuming it earns consideration .",
      "a deliciously unsettling , beautifully sustained enigma , a film of much beauty and flawless performances , especially from vincent lindon in one of his most demanding roles .",
      "a satisfying psychological adventure that powers along nicely on its movie-star performances , the graceful craftsmanship of emmanuel carrere 's direction and a haunting violin concerto by philip glass .",
      "part absurdist comedy about the institution of marriage , part paranoid kafkaesque fantasy , it 's a minor-key reverie on the way our own lives can sometimes feel alien to us .",
      "carrere playfully adapts his own novel for his feature debut and makes the interesting decision to show the film 's events entirely through marc 's perspective .",
      "an awfully rickety , hollow exercise in style over substance",
      "it 's all a bit like an agatha christie mystery whose final moments make it clear that none of the characters could have done it ... if you can live with that , then do n't miss it .",
      "... recalls the `` everyday suspense '' films of roman polanski and the existential woe of michelangelo antonioni .",
      "a unique psychological drama with the tension of a whodunit .",
      "this narrative feature debut by emmanuel carrere , based on his own novel , is deliberately open-ended , but however one interprets the outcome , the film reminds us how fragile intimacy is .",
      "what does it all mean ? we are never quite sure . all we learn from this relentless saga of mental and physical solitude are the many varieties of suffering one can endure when one feels alone in the universe .",
      "la MOV uses sly wit and foreboding to deconstruct notions of self in its portrait of a close shave with insanity .",
      "too many narrative illogicalities make the 86 minutes seem long , despite two excellent performances and an intriguing premise .",
      "at its most stimulating , MOV is a keen glimpse into a marriage that appears perfect on the surface but when examined shows its deficiencies .",
      "what the movie lacks visually , it makes up for with the performances , especially by lindon , who leads us on a journey we want to stick with even if we ca n't fully understand .",
      "in one sense it 's what might be called ` typically french , ' an exquisitely observed fable of bourgeois life that is mordant , witty and yet low-key . in another sense , it 's what might be called ` nuts . '",
      "as with the recent french films lemming and the bridesmaid , la MOV generates a high level of tension with the most mundane things .",
      "a mind-bending treat adapted by director emmanuel carrčre from his novel .",
      "kafkaesque story of man who shaves trademark MOV . afterwards everybody -- wife included -- insists that he has never had one !",
      "a dizzying experiment , evocative and frustrating at the same time .",
      "those looking for a good thriller should be pleased enough and those seeking a serious art film will get plenty of philosophy with their pretty pictures .",
      "bristling with existential doubt and ennui ... carrčre 's half-nightmare , half-dream vision of one man 's imprisonment in his own life remains satisfyingly unresolved and stubbornly unique .",
      "it 's a brief , simple film that never overreaches but , if you 're into it , it raises fascinating questions about identity .",
      "a shuddery , enigmatic study in psychological suspense .",
      "a profound allegory about the tension between isolation and intimacy .",
      "spins an agitated mystery well beyond its minimalist starting point , offering up giant questions about sanity and identity on its trip from the bathroom mirror .",
      "the film 's greatest disappointment : rendering the captivating , enigmatic , and oddly gorgeous emmanuelle devos into an unsympathetic character . for shame .",
      "emmanuel carrere 's psychological mystery is a surreal reflection on perception , reality and memory .",
      "la MOV , the first feature by novelist emmanuel carrere , begins as a comedy , but grows darker and darker by the frame . it 's like a hitchcock thriller filtered through the mind of austrian firebrand michael haneke , who gave us cache .",
      "la MOV dissolves into a meandering annoyance that takes us from paris to hong kong and back again .",
      "the MOV provides a feast of sustained tension .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- carrere re-creates the insane mind through his camera , and diffuses his point about subjective experience by inadvertently raising questions about truth and the movies .",
      "an absorbing riddle posed in cool , matter-of-fact tones .",
      "i found it mesmerizing from beginning to end .",
      "as intelligently as carrčre handles this material , giving it just the right hint of distance and ambiguity , la MOV tends to drift toward the mechanisms of the thriller .",
      "the hitchcock-style story ... is intriguing from start to finish , despite the lack of answers to the many questions it raises . and , that ai n't shabby .",
      "an intriguing study of identity , marriage and , perhaps , madness .",
      "leaps from a gripping identity thriller into a strange yet equally involving adventure about the bounds of self-knowledge and the incredible liberty of disregarding them .",
      "... a movie about identity and marriage that raises many questions and supplies many answers without actually giving any .",
      "an elegantly acted psychological puzzle , it 's like watching a nervous breakdown from the inside out ."
    ],
    "summary": "though the premise may be modest on the surface , carrere uses a man and his mustache that may or may not exist as a springboard into psychological suspense and unsettling questions .",
    "id": "326393385"
  },
  {
    "movie": "love_actually",
    "reviews": [
      "i 'll take an overly sentimental movie over a sardonic one any day - particularly around the holidays . now if i only santa would tuck hugh under my christmas tree .",
      "` why make one good romantic comedy when you can make nine bad ones ? '",
      "jamais deixa de ser envolvente , jб que curtis , um escritor experiente , й hбbil na construзгo das histуrias , que sгo recheadas com seu humor tipicamente britвnico .",
      "the year 's busiest and most relentlessly shameless comedy . it 's also among the year 's funniest and most disarming .",
      "there 's good acting in MOV , but director richard curtis threatens to take the cool out of london .",
      "it tries to cover all aspects of love and succeeds far better than you would expect it to .",
      "peppered with so many moments of raw , affecting honesty that it 's intensely difficult to dislike -- and tempting to forgive richard curtis for not finishing what he starts ,",
      "richard curtis is so earnest ... that what otherwise might seem overly sentimental and cloying comes across as genuinely touching",
      "you 'll laugh ! you 'll cry ! and you 'll go home feeling ever so slightly used ...",
      "classy , so long as you approach it without thought , basic narrative understanding , and resistance to unearned sentiment .",
      "all in all , i thoroughly enjoyed the movie until , in the end , it went somewhat bonkers with what amounted to a communal love fest on christmas eve .",
      "whatever the actors are given to do they make so delightful -- or so delightfully moving -- that MOV wins out over its wobbles .",
      "curtis repeats and reiterates these themes to the point that it 's just as redundant as saying that someone repeats and reiterates in the same statement .",
      "` encantadora , romántica y mágica , es una de esa cintas que cualquiera que aún crea en la bondad humana y en lo hermoso de las relaciones personales va a disfrutar como nadie '",
      "MOV is cheerful and undeniably romantic and , despite its flaws , you 'd be hard-pressed to sit through the credits without smiling .",
      "sitting through 128 minutes of this much aggressive charm and wit is like being mugged in slow motion by beautiful people from the pages of vanity fair .",
      "upon first viewing , it is something of a guilty pleasure . upon second viewing , it is simply a pleasure .",
      "this kind of comedy has just hit the wall .",
      "there 's simply too much here to digest .",
      "screenwriter richard curtis tries to direct , puts too many eggs in his basket , and winds up with a very runny omelette .",
      "MOV plays like a greatest-hits album of modern british comedy , spinning all your favorite tunes in just the right order .",
      "the movie 's only flaw is also a virtue : it 's jammed with characters , stories , warmth and laughs , until at times curtis seems to be working from a checklist of obligatory movie love situations and does n't want to leave anything out .",
      "the perfect christmas confection .",
      "MOV is n't deep , but it can be amusing . if its parts are better than the whole , at least it has parts that provide real laughs .",
      "it 'll leave you feeling mushy in all the right ways .",
      "there are enough stories in MOV that even if some do n't appeal to you , others will .",
      "curtis throws every gag he can think of at the screen and the ones that do n't stick , he throws again and again .",
      "from top to bottom , MOV is a sparkler .",
      "a rambling and repetitive , sometimes enjoyable , mostly maddening treatise on love or , at least , an r-rated hallmark version of it .",
      "MOV , actually is n't half bad ... the snafu is there 's way too many stories going on at once ...",
      "for the cuddlers out there who like things a little too light and fluffy .",
      "disconcertingly lubricious .",
      "seldom have we seen such an extensive ensemble of talent in the movies yanked through the material like lambs on their way to a slaughter .",
      "love ? actually , no . more like disappointment , and , at times , hatred .",
      "a long running time , too many characters and too much whimsy and corn make this romantic romp more of a slog than a soufflé .",
      "romantic and entertaining -- for older teens .",
      "bombastic audience-hooting moments aside , curtis has written his most accomplished film , finding the energy to direct the hell out of it as well . and it 's even gloriously r-rated to boot .",
      "despite it 's naivety , this is one of the most beautiful and heart warming movies to come around in years ...",
      "loads of fun as long as your expectations are n't overly raised by the hype , the cast and the taglines .",
      "transfixed by the taboos of the ... british class system , curtis seems to think that nothing could be more erotic than the subordinate who fetches tea or dusts the crockery .",
      "impressive , if self-indulgent directing debut .",
      "while the movie is occasionally charming , the soufflé falls flat in the end ...",
      "one character goes on about the ` total agony ' of being in love . that 's nothing compared to the agony of watching these people in the agonies of love .",
      "it wants to swirl round the world and find love in every cranny , but it does n't have the effortless rush of energy that it would need to make the masses of plot come together .",
      "in the end the film is just as winsome and sugary as its facile message : `` love , actually , is all around . ''",
      "ten romantic comedies rolled into one .",
      "my problem is an acute allergy to repitition . love , actually and other champions of the romantic-comedy flyweight division make me break out in hives .",
      "it 's tart and amusing but carries a slightly cloying aftertaste .",
      "a charming little film that , unfortunately , gets carried away with itself and never quite makes the grade .",
      "a highly engineered puffball .",
      "warm , wistful , whimsical .",
      "it 's shamelessly sentimental and proud of it . it 's determined to wear you down and make you love it as much as it loves itself . it 's too much -- and , yet , somehow , not enough .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- perfectly wonderful , perfectly foolish movie , in that fool-for-love kind of way .",
      "you 'd have to be a terrible grump to not like MOV at least a little .",
      "more a garage sale of stories by writer-director richard curtis , MOV gives its underused british cast something to do with no harry potter film this year .",
      "it 's good for a few laughs , and its heart is in the right place . but i never believed a moment of it .",
      "... an arrow from cupid , and only the most cynical moviegoer would try to dodge it .",
      "while there are moments when it works beautifully , the overall result is much too insistent on an upbeat tone , stubbornly forcing the christmas spirit where it does n't belong .",
      "there are enough characters here to populate a dozen movies , but not enough imagination for one .",
      "mostly just wants the audience to feel good and revel in the warmth of a fresh attraction .",
      "one of the most unabashedly romantic films i 've ever seen .",
      "call it a christmas gift from britain to the world ; this film is undeniably charming and , for a holiday movie , sets the standard for the first years of the 21st century .",
      "the sentiment is in earnest , so lovers take heart",
      "the performances are droll , every one of them , the dialogue wry and witty , and the emotional moments by turns poignant , wrenching and jubilant .",
      "unrequited love does not exist . in fact , there 's so much requiting going on , we start wishing to see someone get dumped just to add a little excitement to the mix .",
      "you can go into this expecting to be spoon-fed sugary sap until cotton candy churns out of your ears , and you 'll still be surprised by the level of overkill .",
      "rather sprawling in its portrayal of several love stories , the film strikes some appeal at times , and misses the mark at others .",
      "it 's a perfectly respectable debut for curtis .",
      "plenty of entertainment in this well acted ensemble comedy that robert altman could easily have put his name on .",
      "this is cloying , deceitful , and more or less irresistible .",
      "without ever sounding a false note , this endearing ensemble holiday flick manages to be nuttier than notting hill , more satisfying than bridget jones ' diary , and even more intricate than four weddings and a funeral .",
      "curtis has created a joyful , entertaining date movie that 'll leave you with a smile on your face and an almost irresistible urge to hug somebody .",
      "this is definitely a case of a writer-turned-director that is too in love with his own script to make hard choices about what to keep and what to cut .",
      "this is an embarrassment , an overdrawn rom-com gone very wrong .",
      "the film lives up to its hype .",
      "funny ? maybe . not to me .",
      "curtis has lost none of his touch , though the ending is somewhat muddled and 135 minutes is very long , even for a good romantic comedy .",
      "there 's so much plot being thrown at us in MOV that there 's little room for genuine emotion ; the film is as superficial as a jay leno monologue .",
      "a totally bewitching comedy that has as much to say to the intellect as it does to the heart .",
      "yet another pandering , half-baked romantic comedy .",
      "slick but uneven romantic comedy .",
      "it 's too busy with too many stories to tell . but there 's so much heart and silly fun and genuine sentiment here , delivered by an a-list of brit and american talent that it 's hard to fault .",
      "too full of sweet sticky stuff for even the starry-eyed to stomach .",
      "finally , a delightful piece of christmas fluff to chase away visions of chainsaw-wielding serial killers .",
      "-lsb- curtis -rsb- is nothing if not capable of creating merry , madcap romantic comedy , and he punctuates the purposely hackneyed developments and labyrinthian structure with sly wit and sprightly pacing .",
      "this movie is so unfunny , uninspired and unoriginal i swear it could have started out as a club-footed coen brothers vehicle for george clooney .",
      "for a fairy tale , MOV is highly entertaining .",
      "if you missed four weddings or notting hill , there 's a good chance MOV will seem refreshing and delightful .",
      "MOV wo n't last you . still , while you 're enjoying it : yummy .",
      "the pacing 's off in places as well , and the movie is flabby and lightweight , feeling every bit as long as its 130 minutes . but the performances are quite good .",
      "perfectly wonderful if not completely perfect .",
      "it pushes its ` love is good ' message with such insistence , so many cheery pop tunes , airport hugs , coincidences and teary smiles , that it feels like one long commercial .",
      "finally , here is a genuine , warm-warming holiday movie for adults !",
      "curtis shows the same eccentric humanism and charm that gave him four weddings and a funeral and notting hill .",
      "there is probably something for everybody in this movie . if you do n't like some segment , and the people in it , just wait a few minutes .",
      "MOV will delight moviegoers who think that more really is more . cynics who prefer their twee without sugar are advised to look elsewhere .",
      "the film has no plot but nine subplots , which are four too many .",
      "the movie feels like curtis pasted together pages from his sketchbook , throwing every good -- or bad -- idea into a single film .",
      "hope springs eternal , love is everywhere , and keira knightley is genetic perfection .",
      "the only time -lsb- the movie -rsb- does n't stink is when it 's candidly admitting that it stinks .",
      "only the most hard-hearted and cynical wo n't find something endearing in MOV .",
      "the performances are tokens of charm , attitude , brit schtick , and the writer achieves the structure of confetti .",
      "a good movie , but it could have been a great one ... tries so hard to be a grand ensemble that it loses focus and settles for some easy laughs ... and not enough of my man hugh .",
      "all too rare is the holiday film that not only makes you feel good , but also is good . MOV works .",
      "call me scrooge , but i sincerely hope that this film does not become a christmas perennial .",
      "it 's no hardship whatsoever to sit through MOV ... but if curtis could have sharpened his focus , and trusted his actors a bit more , MOV could have been splendid .",
      "MOV is not so much great as it is so blissfully , swooningly romantic that it 's rendered irresistible .",
      "MOV , curtis ' holiday-themed directing debut , abandons any pretext of sophistication for gloppy sentimentality , sugary pop songs and bawdy humor -- an approach that works about half the time .",
      "an audience-pleaser , but very calculated and far from curtis ' best work .",
      "it 's not so much the individual storylines that grab you , but curtis ' unrelenting optimism .",
      "... tremendously entertaining ...",
      "there are no fewer than nine interlocking and overlapping love stories in richard curtis ' deadly epic sprawl of a romantic comedy , MOV . by the end of the movie , that 's nine too many .",
      "any love these characters may or may not actually share is so innocuous , and so downright false , that it sadly becomes invisible .",
      "curtis continues to find new twists on old romantic comedy stand-bys",
      "there 's enough that 's right about love to compensate for what 's wrong with it .",
      "if listing the cast of MOV is exhausting , it 's even more tiring to watch it .",
      "MOV is irresistible .",
      "curtis 's directing debut is frequently funny , generally fizzy and occasionally piercingly perceptive about the price love exacts .",
      "a form of emotional hardcore .",
      "delightful - the british accent makes everybody sexier and funnier .",
      "... a terrific film .",
      "there were times watching this movie when i felt i was being force-fed 30 pounds of crčme brűlée .",
      "the hollowness of the stories that lie behind each of these shameless heart-grabbers , laugh-getters and tear-jerkers becomes quickly apparent .",
      "warm , bittersweet and hilarious , this is lovely , actually . prepare to be smitten .",
      "it 's terrific fun for an hour , but by the last of its 129 minutes you might find yourself going into insulin shock .",
      "hugh grant , aging gracefully here , effortlessly utters some of the funniest lines of richard curtis 's directorial debut .",
      "hellish , protracted , and by turns so sickly sweet and disturbingly caustic that it must stand as one of the worst films of the year .",
      "runs long and gets silly at times , but it is not embarrassed to be a simple , happy film that affirms life and love .",
      "love is a many-splendored thing , but this film could have done with more of the splendor and not so much of the many .",
      "MOV is impossible to dislike ... no matter how cynically we might try .",
      "an utterly charming , classy and uproarious work of romantic hopefulness .",
      "love , actually '' is a bit sluggish at times , the film 's good nature and wit grows on you .",
      "go , you weapy-eyed romantics . it 's too long but mostly fun , actually .",
      "directorial debut of brit-com master richard curtis is a big , bright ensemble tale with many delights -- and absolutely no surprises .",
      "when a situation becomes intriguing , writer-director curtis develops add and shifts focus . fortunately , the cast and curtis ' eye for absurdly comic situations wins out .",
      "like the holiday season itself , the movie overwhelms you , but in an agreeable way .",
      "this movie contains everything except bridget jones , actually .",
      "-lsb- curtis ' -rsb- sheer glee is infectious . he 's playing us like fiddles , we know he 's playing us like fiddles , and he knows that we know , and everyone loves it .",
      "this should n't work , it 's so obvious and unconvincing and overdone , yet i have to admit that the damn movie got to me .",
      "richard curtis has , with this 4th working title chick flick , possibly ruined it for all men by just getting what women want in an onscreen man , - we 're not complaining ."
    ],
    "summary": "a sugary tale overstuffed with too many stories . still , the cast charms .",
    "id": "12852"
  },
  {
    "movie": "woman_on_the_beach",
    "reviews": [
      "a wonderful , serious-minded romantic comedy-drama about a film director 's uncertain relations with two successive women while trying to write a script at an off-season beach resort , this is korean buff favorite hong sang-soo 's most accessible film .",
      "this film lacks hong sang-soo 's usual insight and narrative innovation .",
      "this witty korean satire dissects men 's self-absorption , insecure sexuality , and fear of intimacy with critical honesty , wry humor , and delectable irony .",
      "simple and nicely convoluted at the same time .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- immaculately constructed movie .",
      "hong paints a piercing portrait of impetuous , confused , selfish masculinity in which the thrill of the chase repeatedly proves more enticing than the rewards of triumph .",
      "the story of how a self-absorbed korean film director spreads chaos and disappointment into the lives of two women he seduces and abandons .",
      "ineffable , hilarious , and true .",
      "exhilarating . hong 's latest and most charmingly accessible drama -lsb- is -rsb- more honest about self-destructive obsessions , betrayals , and hypocrises than even a first-person confessional like caveh zahedi 's i am a sex addict .",
      "MOV , perhaps -lsb- director hong 's -rsb- most accessible film -lrb- and often a funny one , too -rrb- , is a good introduction , even if it is not a masterpiece . here 's hoping more of his films see the light of an american day .",
      "hong -lsb- sang-soo -rsb- moves slowly but deftly through scenes rich with social games and veiled confessions and allows his characters to emerge sadder but wiser .",
      "a richly satisfying film that compassionately probes the human heart while preserving its elusive mysteries .",
      "reminiscent of godard 's contempt , but writer-director hong sang-soo -- south korea 's foremost chronicler of romantic maneuvering -- is more aptly compared to eric rohmer for his subtle comedy .",
      "none of it is very compelling , thanks in large part to hong 's painfully perfunctory camera style .",
      "hong has a deceptively simple director 's touch , an organic breeziness that makes things feel spontaneous and improvised .",
      "addresses in a serious/comical undertone something dearly personal and subtle the director has to say that 's worth paying attention to .",
      "a study of mannerisms and relationships that pauses for the occasional philosophic sidebar .",
      "you wo n't need a degree in korean cinema to anticipate that complications will arise .",
      "the scenery 's great and the performances adequate , but wake me when it 's over .",
      "MOV is a bittersweet accounting of the geography of desire .",
      "writer-director hong sang-soo , called the asian eric rohmer by some , has crafted what may be his most accessible exploration of young adult relationships",
      "korean director hong sang-soo 's MOV offers flavors of quarterlife angst and romantic insecurity for which american audiences clearly have an insatiable appetite .",
      "the pace is leisurely , the humor sly , and the cast superb . all in all , a civilized way to spend two hours .",
      "MOV is a stripped-down , witty explication of how we all get stymied by the impulses and options inherent in the simple act of living .",
      "newcomers intoxicated by hong 's amorous pileups and power plays will hopefully treat the movie as the gateway to an incredible back catalog .",
      "an elegant serving of comic seoul food from director hong sang-soo .",
      "a marvelously acted and memorably atmospheric picture .",
      "supremely refined",
      "unpredictable and refreshingly inventive , this flick certainly stands on its own as perhaps south korea 's kookiest contribution to the battle-of-the-sexes genre ."
    ],
    "summary": "hong brings his usual light touch to this well-acted salvo in the battle of the sexes .",
    "id": "528394117"
  },
  {
    "movie": "kate_and_leopold",
    "reviews": [
      "intended to be a modern-day fairy tale , this film only succeeds in delivering every time-travel cliché in the book .",
      "the overall quality of mangold 's writing and direction is poor .",
      "its sparkling humor and heady atmosphere of romance make it the ideal date movie .",
      "more forced than touching , lacking much of a serviceable plot and simply feeling off-track right from the get-go .",
      "essentially a nora ephron fairy tale with a sci-fi twist and a lot more plot than you might find in one of ms. ephron 's cotton-candy daydreams .",
      "what we have in this comedy are two hoary plot conceits of ancient vintage and dubious worth .",
      "as a spun-sugar , slightly screwball romantic comedy , it 's a delicious ` portal ' to an hour and change of escapism .",
      "even by movie standards , the time-tripping in k & l does n't work .",
      "supremely and sublimely romantic .",
      "predictably , there will be a spark between leopold and kate , but 80 minutes is too long to wait for it to catch fire .",
      "mangold should have done a bit more research with the screenplay , not to mention metaphysics .",
      "yes , it 's sweet and enjoyable , but it 's also a bit plodding .",
      "i was quickly won over by its disarming sense of fun , great performances and some clever ideas smoothly executed .",
      "one of the better examples of romantic comedies doing the rounds and even though it is overlong at times , it will make for passable video fodder one dreary sunday evening .",
      "-lsb- jackman is -rsb- handsome , funny , rugged and refined ; he gleams with confidence in a part that could have reduced lesser actors to silliness .",
      "if the idea is not original , well , not much is these days ; be thankful for something that can be called amusing .",
      "... an average , workmanlike production , virtually indistinguishable from any other example of the pat , easily digested , box-office-successful formula faithfully churned out by hollywood every day of the year .",
      "there 's nothing terribly wrong with kate & leopold -- it 's just an awfully conventional upmarket romantic comedy ...",
      "there 's nothing particularly earth-shaking about the movie , but ryan , jackman , schreiber and breckin meyer do their best to make the two hours bright and breezy .",
      "a limp wet noodle of a movie .",
      "has the sex appeal of a road runner cartoon , one-tenth the laughs and equal plausibility .",
      "mangold achieves a light , bouncy tone that matches both the story and ryan 's own natural charms without resorting to the cloying , artificially sweetened feel of such outings as you 've got mail .",
      "the movie ... is pleasant but forced .",
      "suffers from a complete lack of conviction in its material .",
      "cute or not , ryan is starting to seem like a stubborn homecoming queen who refuses to surrender her tiara .",
      "an oppressively cute manhattan time-travel romantic comedy that 's lost in time , space and cliches .",
      "long , embarrassing to watch , sloppy and infantile .",
      "for reactionary propaganda , the movie admittedly is fun , in a modest way .",
      "a hollywood formula flick with the life sucked out of it .",
      "seems like nothing so much as the product of focus-group sessions , a by-the-numbers chick flick about a woman who finds the perfect man and then does n't know what to do about it .",
      "hilarious at times , unbearably soppy at others , kate & leopold is comfortable viewing for old romantics .",
      "witless and relentlessly cliched ' ... this whimsy whoopie cushion of a lame romantic fable is as soggy as a jackie collins novel that fell into a jacuzzi .",
      "likeable as they are , kate and leo are hampered by the heavy-handed storytelling going on around them .",
      "es como un chocolate : aunque no aporta nada sustancial , es un deleite pasajero que bien vale la pena disfrutar .",
      "an amusing time-travel theme plus hugh jackman in his dashing duke 's uniform and meg ryan looking as perky as ever -- what more could incurable romantics ask for ?",
      "... after a few forays into delightful romantic comedy , it falls headfirst into complete but welcome predictability .",
      "what a dopey , ropey lot of nonsense from director and co-writer james mangold , who gave us girl , interrupted and cop land .",
      "after a promising start -lrb- heavy , cop land -rrb- , director james mangold has regressed beyond nostalgia and into inanity , the same way this film does .",
      "pasadera , divertida en algunos momentos , pero siendo exigentes con el género , lo mejor del filme sigue siendo la canción nominada ...",
      "the characters emerge as human rather than wow us with easy gags",
      "will they fall in love ? does fabio use conditioner ?",
      "roll with the fantasy , and it 's possible to enjoy yourself -- modestly .",
      "this bland , taffy-pulled , over-long go-round , like something put together by market research , lacks most of the essentials of true love -- heart , passion , sexuality , excitement etc. etc. .",
      "a 19th-century duke is transported into the present and becomes a commercial spokesman for margarine . wait , was n't that a bewitched episode ?",
      "as leopold ... jackman is the perfect mix of rogue and gentleman .",
      "flies on the sweet chemistry of meg ryan and hugh jackman .",
      "kate & leopold is is as gracious and charming as its hero , leopold -lrb- hugh jackman -rrb- , the third duke of albany .",
      "winning fluff , easy to take and easy to like -- the rare example of its genre that 's genuinely enjoyable .",
      "the blandness of the material translates into extreme wastefulness .",
      "hugh jackman is a delight as leopold , the perfect gentleman who 's a model of urbanity and civility so desperately missing from our times .",
      "kate & leopold is the perfect film-product . tastes great and wo n't go to your thighs .",
      "it 's a lot like those cary grant screwball comedies .",
      "a flat , pandering and stagnant romance .",
      "the problem with kate & leopold is that although this is supposed to be a romantic comedy , the best scenes are the ones in which there 's no ryan .",
      "an amusing diversion while we 're waiting for something better to come along .",
      "put ryan and jackman together , and they fail the simple alka seltzer chemistry test : plop , plop , fizzle , fizzle , and no , what a relief it is n't .",
      "while the time travel plot is downright silly , fine performances and excellent romantic chemistry rescue the story for the most part ...",
      "a simple pleasure -- the kind of entertainment romantic comedies are prone to provide .",
      "`` life is not comprised solely of tasks , but tastes . ''",
      "i have two words for you : hugh jackman . really , who cares what the story 's about ?",
      "surprisingly effective romantic comedy with hugh jackman at his most charming and meg ryan proving yet again why she has become the watermark against which all other female romantic leads are compared .",
      "a time-travel romantic comedy whose best elements -- meg ryan and hugh jackman -- overcome distracting plot holes , loose threads and assorted contrivances to make for a mostly charming and diverting tale .",
      "some nice moments but overall not a total success .",
      "it 's rare to come across a time travel tale as listless as this one .",
      "the two individually likable stars do eventually reach some level of warmth , but by that time the film is nearly over and MOV are supposed to be madly in love with each other .",
      "jackman commands MOV as no actor has commanded a romantic comedy since steve martin in roxanne .",
      "ironically , what jeopardises the transaction is ryan .",
      "despite a promising premise , jackman 's golden globe-nominated performance remains the only tangible reason to see this movie .",
      "in establishing such a lofty pretence as time travel , mangold then trots out an uninspiring love story which fails to play-up the cultural differences between characters .",
      "mesmo sendo um pouco mais longo do que deveria , o filme conta uma historinha simples , mas agradável - e se beneficia enormemente do carisma de hugh jackman como um dos personagens-título .",
      "mangold gets stuck in the gooey sweet spots of his tale a little more often than he breaks loose with a bracing jolt of perversity .",
      "ryan does her cute-as-a-button thing once again , which works extremely well in this context , and jackman responds with charm and grace .",
      "... a semi-sweet , time-traveling , yuletide log . it may sit well on the fire for 2 hours , but its love-struck ashes are n't anything to keep up on the mantle .",
      "if i see one more movie with meg ryan as a disillusioned career woman who just does n't believe in love anymore -- i 'll blow chunks !",
      "clocking her umpteenth role as a romantic comedy character in a forgettable mainstream scenario , -lsb- ryan -rsb- seems to have lost all allure .",
      "it 's as if the actress agreed to take another america 's - sweetheart role but her spirit did n't .",
      "even if the charming jackman floats your boat , it 's tough to swoon over kate & leopold .",
      "mangold , used to heavier fare , seems uncomfortable in this genre , and ryan is n't convincingly enchanting .",
      "what a waste of a premise !",
      "it 's a stupid film but not a malicious one .",
      "meg ryan and hugh jackson worked perfectly together .",
      "is it just me , or does meg ryan look as bored as i think she does with playing the same character a gazillion times ?",
      "what the film ... lacks most is that exhilarating leap of imagination that sweeps a viewer willingly into the realm of make-believe .",
      "the script is sweet , but not sappy , and attempts to stay within the bounds of time travel logic",
      "as far as the acting goes , it 's not a good sign when breckin meyer ... is the highlight of the film .",
      "`` you 're sucking the life out of american cinema , '' says a market research exec to meg ryan 's titular kate .",
      "a thoroughly satisfying romantic comedy , informed at all times by a special wit and ardent feeling .",
      "together , jackman and ryan really click .",
      "the material is badly directed by co-writer/director mangold , who plays many scenes far too broadly .",
      "it 's a charmer .",
      "a romantic comedy with something on its mind -- not necessarily a message , but a reminder of just how far astray we 've gone in our relationships with one another .",
      "the culture clashes you expect follow , but what is n't expected is how marvelous jackman is in the role .",
      "this is n't a sci-fi movie , but you end up brooding about inconsistencies .",
      "the irresistible force that is hugh jackman -- or was it his swoony leopold ? -- swept me off my seat and into the movie .",
      "time-travel lite : a fluffy and enjoyable romance",
      "the most unromantic romance of the year .",
      "we 're willing to suspend our disbelief , but the movie lacks its own inner logic .",
      "`` MOV '' might warm the easy heart , but it will most certainly numb the brain .",
      "the shabby metaphysics and complete absence of internal logic are perhaps meant to charm , but only add to the eye-gouging irritant factor .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- e 've seen all this stuff before where the guy from the past puts on the remote control and he 's frightened by television and stereo and the wacky way of the world . we 've seen all that before , done . but the romance is nice .",
      "delivers the kind of warm , familiar mixed brew of romance , humor , light drama , and pleasant character interaction that has made many of ryan 's similar endeavors successful box office performers .",
      "i seriously doubt it would have even gotten past the internet phase of miramax 's project greenlight .",
      "all play and no work makes jackman , as leopold , a doll of a boyfriend .",
      "it 's a decent alternative when you find all the big event movies are sold out -lsb- and -rsb- you wo n't need a hankie , either .",
      "fanciful and imaginative , creative and backed with high power production at all levels . * the reviewer stands to applaud",
      "mangold is so careless that , if you pay attention , you 'll notice him giving away the ending in the first five minutes .",
      "cute . funny . charming . romantic . predictable . fluffy . recycled . long .",
      "three tired genres -lrb- manhattan-based romantic comedies , time-travel movies and meg ryan -rrb- collide in kate & leopold , as vapid a film as you 'll see all year .",
      "ryan 's chirpy brittleness makes the entire movie crumble -- we have no idea why leopold would fall in love with her .",
      "if you 've seen one movie about a guy from the past encountering modern flush toilets and electric toasters , you 've seen them all .",
      "it 's a fantasy , but it summons real emotions .",
      "too bad director/co-writer james mangold ... could n't come up with anything fresher and more worthy of jackman 's suave grace .",
      "once it settles down , it becomes a star-making vehicle for jackman , and a supremely polished example of the sort of swoony love story cherished by women who secretly hope that some day their prince will come .",
      "an intelligent , crowd-pleasing take on the time travel love story .",
      "apparently they were made for each other -lrb- unfortunately the actors were n't -rrb- .",
      "one of the reasons the movie works is because we like the goodness of the characters .",
      "the whole enterprise feels false and manipulative , run through the wringer of focus groups and test audiences ."
    ],
    "summary": "though jackman charms , MOV is bland and predictable , and the time travel scenario lacks inner logic .",
    "id": "10350"
  },
  {
    "movie": "stone",
    "reviews": [
      "the seesaw effect of the characters ' clarity and confusion helps curran & co. 's unexpected , occasionally heavy-handed fumblings toward examining spiritual emptiness find purchase .",
      "mr. de niro fails to make anything about his miserable character poignant , and mr. norton 's overwrought intensity borders on hysteria . the desired moral dilemma never arrives .",
      "thick with moral ambiguity , MOV proves to be a character drama that confuses heavy brow-furrowing for an insightful dissection of several ethically slippery individuals .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- hooey-heavy prison-and-faith drama .",
      "one of those films that revels in despair and monotony , just another ` bad things happen , people are miserable ' piece for actors who want to show how downbeat they can be .",
      "not to pigeonhole anyone , but it is hard to imagine the man behind the creative and charming june bug is also the writer who has delivered the pedestrian and mundane script here .",
      "MOV , like director john curran 's previous work , never peaks in any way that could be conventionally described as satisfying .",
      "at odds with its own lofty and base instincts , MOV ultimately channels neither compellingly .",
      "MOV is thrilling for what we 're left to ponder afterwards more than any suspense inherit in the interaction during it .",
      "-lsb- de niro -rsb- offers up a closed-off and downright bland turn that ensures that the viewer has exceedingly little invested in his character 's plight .",
      "a ` serious ' intent and an ill-fitting hilljack argot reduce MOV to a pebble of a fil",
      "if only one character in MOV reacted as someone in his position would to the preposterous situation at hand , the movie would be 15 minutes long .",
      "seems as weary as the detroit parole caseworker robert de niro plays .",
      "when did robert de niro stop trying ? when did he start coasting on his well-deserved reputation , either mocking it in crass comedies or sleepwalking through dramas where fans filled in the missing emotions for him ?",
      "set up as a familiar noir plot , the film veers off into unexpected places , keeping the audience guessing as to the main characters ' motivations well after the credits roll .",
      "like a celluloid ` american gothic , `` MOV ' does not paint a pretty picture .",
      "there 's an obvious difference between elegant underplaying and merely going through the motions , and while , say , michael caine still excels at the former , de niro has sadly become a master of the latter .",
      "MOV is a movie about fragile souls . about how fragile we all are .",
      "with its excess of blatant symbolism and illogical character turns , what could have been a halfway decent exploration of personal ethics turns into a half-assed excuse for entertainment .",
      "watching these three actors burrow like ticks into the underbelly of john curran 's murky moral drama should be enough of a reason to recommend MOV , and it almost is .",
      "MOV ultimately feels more confounding rather than profound , -lrb- but -rrb- it will have you thinking after its credits have rolled .",
      "an engrossing drama about the difficulty people have believing in forgiveness or in turning one 's life around .",
      "MOV is an unusual film which shifts uneasily between sleaze and philosophy , but it 's distinguished at all times by three luminous performances .",
      "great performances from the cast in this engrossing drama .",
      "a prisoner and parole officer grapple with sins and the need for redemption in this subtle drama of parallel lives .",
      "it 's got something to say . what that something is , though -- besides a four character study in spiritual decay -- is sort of up to you .",
      "hard to believe , but edward norton in cornrows is one of the less ludicrous things you 'll see in this film .",
      "MOV is a flawed film , largely because lucetta is a b-movie seductress preying on believable human beings with backgrounds and complicated hearts .",
      "dark and disturbing , this drama holds our interest due to the strong acting and provocative issues swirling around in the story . but it 's a little heavy-handed in its desire to convey something important .",
      "this film has the kind of suspense where you know something bad is going to happen , but instead of just getting it over with , the film drags it out way too long .",
      "MOV seems to care more about keeping us guessing about what the characters are going to do than it does about making us care what is going to happen to them .",
      "it 's a tour de force for norton , who fills the air with an intense and yet thoughtful patter about why MOV is in the joint , what he did , what he does n't want to think about/talk about any more and what he thinks jack mabry wants to hear .",
      "an ambiguous film boasting a quartet of mesmerizing performances ...",
      "the craftsmanship is impeccable as is the acting , but the storytelling is where the movie falls down . and with such a poorly realized narrative , it 's hard to be enthusiastic about the many things MOV does right .",
      "as in every good dialogue-driven film , talk equals action . the excitement here is sparked by the verbal and gestural give-and-take between the actors .",
      "screenwriter angus maclachlan attempts something bold -- broad themes about a society in moral decline -- but he fails to find the story in all that philosophizing .",
      "MOV is that rare film that refuses to be easy .",
      "it 's a frustrating , stunted film , dishonest in its intentions and clumsy with its narrative .",
      "echoes of `` cape fear '' reverberate across a withering suspense thriller that pales in comparison .",
      "MOV is n't the straightforward thriller it appears to be , but the alternative turns out to be dull and lifeless . at least the title is apt : like a rock , MOV has no pulse .",
      "freedom , though , as a concept is at the heart of some very sophisticated theology that makes up this literate drama",
      "superbly crafted , smartly acted , suspense-filled noir thriller about compromised ethics .",
      "there are momentary flashes of dramatic power here , but ultimately `` MOV '' runs aground on its unfulfilled ambitions , which are both lofty and maddeningly vague .",
      "a lot of talent goes to waste in this repulsive movie directed by john curran . this mishmash of profanity , kinky sex and religious babble should have gone straight to dvd .",
      "you can feel the movie 's gears grinding throughout , first in the rote suspense mechanics and later in the ham-fisted religiosity -lrb- conveyed through an endless soundtrack of evangelistic talk radio -rrb- .",
      "a disconcerting and challenging film . it leaves you wondering . how cool is that ?",
      "angus maclachlan 's script never convinces , and john curran 's direction lacks energy .",
      "mostly this is a tense , portentous , and provocative piece .",
      "the characters drive it , and they are fascinating .",
      "... screenwriter angus maclachlan seems to be trying to rewrite equus without realizing that : 1 -rrb- what works on stage does not necessarily work on screen , and 2 -rrb- it 's not the '70s anymore .",
      "it presents us with four characters who are fascinating , specific and yet in some way unknowable , not like the usual characters in fiction but rather like people we might meet in life .",
      "the movie would n't work as well as it does without the impressive support they get from the film 's leading ladies , frances conroy and milla jovovich , who act as catalysts for the explosive drama .",
      "what looked like a juicily absurd film noir disguised as a generational acting battle is something closer to a dirge -- a dead-serious meditation on faith and grace , redemption and damnation .",
      "you 'll admire the performances . but the script 's ugly undercurrent will leave you feeling queasy .",
      "there 's enough terrible in this movie to go around .",
      "it 's the sort of acting virtuoso duet this film , a weak-tea variant of martin scorsese 's 1992 `` cape fear '' remake with norton riffing on de niro 's max cady , needed a lot more of .",
      "a meditative , quietly gripping work about people awash in latent unhappiness , coming up from the mud , and slowly pawing their way to a place where they might -lrb- or might not -rrb- be able to get out of it .",
      "what compels is de niro 's metamorphosis from bottled-up and angry to confused and , well , angry .",
      "MOV could have been some sort of a procedural , a straightforward crime movie , but it 's too complex for that . it is actually interested in the minds of these characters , and how they react to a dangerous situation .",
      "the performances are the keepers here .",
      "norton , de niro , jovovich , conroy all give performances that are better than the film itself . save your money in the theaters and rent it when it comes out on dvd .",
      "if you 're of a mind that actors as talented as robert de niro and edward norton could make even pedestrian material watchable , MOV puts your theory to the test . and surprise ! they can .",
      "MOV is neither high-minded nor low-brow enough . instead it 's stuck in the middle -- in purgatory .",
      "MOV starts interesting , gets better , and then simply sits there until it ends with a whimper instead of a much-needed bang .",
      "the best reason to see MOV , really , comes from jovovich , who takes her opportunity to ditch the zombies and square off against the a-listers and absolutely wallops it out of the park .",
      "`` MOV '' is boring , trite and overacted .",
      "worth watching just to see the two heavyweights face off .",
      "as lucetta , jovovich delivers the film 's best performance . she is enticing , seductive and a little bit unnerving . however , it 's not enough to save this movie .",
      "jovovich creates the most captivating , sexy , mindblowing femme fatale you have seen in movies in over 30 years , and can easily teach megan fox and miley cyrus a thing or two or three .",
      "ultimately MOV sags under its own overblown philosophical weight , with a strained and painfully obvious spiritual subtext finally smothering what could have been a simple , effective psychological thriller .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "how curran and his cast chew into it is often mesmerizing .",
      "a movie steeped in sin that squats awkwardly in a cinematic purgatory between tawdry and talky .",
      "moral ambiguity and ethical compromise are at the heart of this meandering prison drama , but at a certain point we simply do n't care anymore who is base and baser .",
      "genuinely odd in its mixture of bluntness and indirection , screenwriter angus maclachlan 's study in biblical temptation is saved from its own heavy-handedness by a fine quartet of actors .",
      "a stunner - a film that seems to be one thing but turns out to be quite another . it challenges your assumptions at every turn and leaves you wrung out at the end .",
      "de niro plays a deeply flawed and hypocritical corrections officer with just the right mix of self-righteousness and vulnerability , embodying a man whose soul has withered from decades of corrosion .",
      "-lsb- o -rsb- nly the startlingly belligerent honesty of edward norton?s portrayal of the title character that makes this worth a look ... -lsb- s -rsb- omething important is missing here : perhaps from the anticlimactic third act ...",
      "curran offers an affecting portrait of a world gone awry , with morality thrown into question and conventions torn apart .",
      "a murky bible belt noir steeped in mystical evangelical voodoo more suited to sci-fi . in which de niro seems to turn back into travis bickle minus his taxi , while norton finds jesus , loses his dreadlocks and becomes a self-described tuning fork for god .",
      "while MOV may not be a film you 'll want to rush out to once it opens in a few weeks , if you want to see a somewhat unconventional thriller , this would make a solid rental .",
      "it 's worth the price of admission to see norton and de niro sparring across a prison-house desk .",
      "it 's hard to say which element of this risible drama is sillier - angus maclachlan 's portentous screenplay , cobbled together from half a dozen of jim thompson 's lesser potboilers , or norton 's sustained impression of bubbles from the wire .",
      "though nearly sabotaged by the ridiculous sexual subplot at its center , this soul-searching drama works best at the character level , couching insights about sin and forgiveness under the guise of conventional genre entertainment .",
      "a thoroughly unconvincing melodrama about a sexual triangle that few viewers are likely to buy .",
      "collaborations between robert de niro and edward norton -- one generation 's most respected actor paired with another 's most affected -- seem doomed to be defined by acting with a capital a.",
      "-lsb- it ends -rsb- up subverting expectations by denying pleasure .",
      "this is a film about people who are lost , and the filmmakers draw a direct line between their characters ' existential wanderings and the religious obsessions they find for themselves .",
      "norton is outrageously good in the lead role , laugh out loud funny in MOV 's earliest incarnation , gradually evolving into someone quite serious .",
      "as the movie warms up and settles into place , it becomes clear that there 's much more going on here than just actors ' egos .",
      "MOV is highly charged and vibrant , and pits edward norton against robert de niro for two utterly electrifying performances .",
      "as a thespian duel between two heavyweights ... has a good deal to recommend it . but in dramatic terms ... leaves a lot to be desired .",
      "curran sustains suspense and an atmosphere of intensifying menace .",
      "... an actor?s film with the story taking a back seat to the thesps .",
      "MOV feels like the product of a committee , not a collaboration , and the resulting aesthetic and thematic incoherence undermines what could have been a precise and even profound character piece ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV boasts a cast that includes robert de niro , edward norton , and milla jovovich , and it features strong dialogue , but it 's ultimately undone by its heavy-handed symbolism and overabundant plot twists .",
    "id": "770871631"
  },
  {
    "movie": "eagle_eye",
    "reviews": [
      "as the film drags on , there are several nauseatingly dogmatic moments that make you feel like you 're trapped in some kind of uber-liberal rally .",
      "in MOV , we 're meant to fear our gps .",
      "MOV is n't awful , just trite ... it suffers from the same problem most high concept films have ; it 's all smoke , but no fire .",
      "a warning about the threat in our own backyard -- but as often is the case with hollywood blockbusters , the warning comes across more like fear-mongering than constructive social criticism . personally , i prefer my cinema sans mongering .",
      "everything 's chopped up into those woozy , bite-size snippets of flashing lights and spinning tires , thrown into a blender and then regurgitated on screen .",
      "the trouble with shia ? he 's no henry fonda , jimmy stewart , or cary grant . and as for caruso , well , brian de palma can rest easy .",
      "... one could certainly do far worse as far as movies of this ilk go .",
      "MOV is a totally derivative , unoriginal techno-thriller , cribbing scenes and ideas from better films . ... but it 's also thoroughly entertaining .",
      "so colossally ridiculous -lrb- and transparently derivative -rrb- that willing suspension of disbelief is a fool 's errand . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "this is nobody 's idea of an intelligent political thriller -lrb- or satire -rrb- , but it is an orgy for the senses .",
      "with less expensive actors , it might just have been called chase movie , and played for laughs .",
      "the pic 's first 35 minutes sizzle until a byzantine plot nudges the story toward near-parody in the final act .",
      "a b-movie with higher pretensions , MOV works best when it concentrates on action .",
      "surprisingly flatlines less than it should ... but 90 minutes after its intriguing opening , MOV zooms beyond its reassurance that , hey , basically everything 's ok post-patriot act , folks , to resurrect a hollywood happy ending from the dead .",
      "MOV 's simplistic and colorful contrivance is oddly refreshing in its preposterous exuberance ... a transparent treat at best . thoroughly rollicking and roguish ...",
      "the concept is beyond ridiculous , the execution beneath inept ...",
      "an overcooked , far-fetched , break-neck paced thriller that has plenty of action but little time for anything else",
      "here 's a movie line i never thought i 'd live to hear : `` somebody is hacking into the automated cranes ! '' with a line like that , do n't look for kate winslet and judi dench in the credits .",
      "MOV churns and flails and piles on pointless and improbable complications .",
      "keeps our attention all the way through , even as the plot gets increasingly preposterous",
      "the scriptwriters are setting a trap , but there 's a risk . if they push the capabilities of the unseen female voice too far -- and they do -- they risk our patience . once you withdraw your willingness to believe , it 's hard to get it back .",
      "the film is probably twenty minutes too long , and ca n't seem to decide if its techno-philic or - phobic , but is an otherwise compelling and cogent performance piece for labeouf and company .",
      "it means to say something about anti-terrorism surveillance and civil liberties , but if you asked me what MOV is about , i 'd have to say it 's about as dumb as can be .",
      "MOV skillfully taps into post-sept . 11 paranoia -- a briskly paced thriller that blinks at times but mostly keeps its focus .",
      "MOV promises to blow your mind with a big reveal , but my mind was already blown trying to enumerate just how many movies it rips off along the way .",
      "MOV is n't horrible , but it does make sure the audience is bruised , buffeted and battered with rock - 'em , sock - 'em action in a deliberate attempt to shake logical questions about the plot out of their heads .",
      "an empty calorie , implausible action film with the sort of visual diarrhea most associated with jerry bruckheimer and michael bay , eye squanders a stunning start on a wheezing screenplay obese with mass stupidity and grand theft movie .",
      "MOV wants to be marathon man , or enemy of the state , only with a post-9 / 11 overlay and a plot device lifted straight from 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "check your credulity at the door , and you 'll at least enjoy some high-impact action scenes .",
      "by the time jerry and rachel are riding around on airport conveyer belts while agent morgan , in hot pursuit , stumbles over luggage behind them , the film has lost all semblance of sanity and focus .",
      "caruso and spielberg probably thought they were reviving the paranoid style of 70s political thrillers , but their story is so implausible it barely provokes a tremor .",
      "the word ` preposterous ' is too moderate to describe MOV . this film contains not a single plausible moment after the opening sequence , and that 's borderline .",
      "in MOV , old-school political paranoia is filtered through a new prism that focuses not on terrorism but on overcooked us government measures to monitor citizens .",
      "we 're told that the idea for MOV came from executive producer steven spielberg , but it 's not a very original idea and it 's no surprise that spielberg did n't want to direct it himself ...",
      "i was waiting for will smith to pop up in this sequel to enemy of the state , which was extremely far-fetched but still deliver pretty decent entertainment .",
      "oh , come on .",
      "what 's galling about MOV is that it could easily have been an entertaining film without constantly yielding to the impulse to blow stuff up .",
      "a slickly packaged yet ultimately unpersuasive political action thriller .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with occasionally indulging in an entertaining film purely because it is an entertaining film . what is the point of a healthy , nourishing dinner if there is n't any desert at the end ?",
      "an intelligent nail biter .",
      "it could be called why the patriot act and total information awareness are bad ... for dummies .",
      "where 's jamie foxx when you need him ?",
      "text messengers beware , in this wireless espionage romp where frankenstein is a female , and where billy bob gets the best line : i 'm not going down in history as the asshole who let this happen .",
      "... this is a movie with many meanwhiles % u2014 it seems to have been edited with a hand grenade",
      "caruso 's films only borrow great ideas rather than use them for special inspiration .",
      "this repackaged plot is being released as `` MOV , a `` new '' film from the team that brought us the similarly overrated and shamelessly derivative disturbia .",
      "it 's a tad long , and it does n't always add up , but the action sequences are pretty visceral and genuinely exciting .",
      "noisy , derivative and thoroughly preposterous even by the standards of 21st-century action movies .",
      "it all wears very thin by the third act , when the voice really starts to grate and all remaining sense slams into a brick wall .",
      "without giving anything away , let 's just say that the ending of MOV is about as subtle as being impaled to death by an american flag .",
      "how -lsb- do -rsb- these actors manage to slog through this awful script and its deteriorating-by-the-minute premise and still deliver their lines with a straight face .",
      "it 's a terrible movie . you could go into any supermarket , pluck two reasonably attractive people from the check-out line , put them in this movie , and nothing would change . shia labeouf and michelle monaghan are lost amid the dumb , uninvolving chaos .",
      "... the filmmakers apparently want you to suspend your disbelief .",
      "the action sequences are frequent and frenetic , and caruso bathes every scene in a high-tech sheen to cover the gaping leaps in illogic .",
      "que filminho estúpido . e divertido .",
      "MOV , with a more nuanced idea of paranoia and the ills of technology gone wild , could have been both entertaining and disturbing . deafening is n't quite the same thing .",
      "MOV feels less like a vehicle for an action hero than the latest in a series of national focus groups to determine labeouf 's commercial viability .",
      "a film like MOV can be an escape . just do n't try to think your way through it , or you might suffer a brain hemorrhage .",
      "so many ideas from other films have been cobbled together the experience of watching it is like being in a blender .",
      "the screenwriters , four in all , and director d.j. caruso completely squander any opportunity to be original and instead opt to make a generic and completely unsatisfying thriller .",
      "this is just good , old-fashioned filmmaking with two likable protagonists up against a monolithic antagonist .",
      "a promising premise , some intense action , and a lively appearance by billy bob thornton might have been enough to squeak this one by as a summer movie .",
      "though it aspires to be an intriguing political cautionary tale , the movie is mostly about the feverish and jarringly choreographed chase scenes .",
      "big brother may be watching , but MOV is barely worth a peek .",
      "determined to remake himself into a mini-michael bay -lrb- replete with military hardware fetishism ! -rrb- , caruso shoots primarily in shaky , glossy close-ups that obliterate any sense of spatial proportion , scale or lucidity .",
      "a likable paranoid fantasy that will handily kill a couple of hours on a saturday afternoon ... before disappearing into the endless data stream it depicts with such apprehension .",
      "exploits paranoia about the invasion of personal privacy by technology with an entertaining action fantasy that pushes all the right buttons",
      "depending on your perspective , it will be either one of the year 's sillier films or one of its most enjoyable ones . or possibly a combination of both .",
      "as well as being the most preposterously plotted action flick of this or any year , MOV is a prime example of technophobia at its most hypocritical .",
      "some nonsense is fun , but this wears you down .",
      "do n't have the willpower , words , or energy to explain why a psychopathic cia computer suddenly decides to take over the world . but that 's the plot in a nutcase .",
      "with a preposterous plot that does not bear close analysis , MOV should fall short . but such is the breakneck pace of proceedings the holes in the story zoom by too fast for you to notice . and for all its flaws , it 's an enjoyable slice of hokum .",
      "but there 's also a puppy-dog does n't - know-any-better enthusiasm to this pacy fluff which means you ca n't get that worked up at it .",
      "did everyone involved in this botched thriller od on speed ?",
      "even though it clearly resides in the realm of science fiction , it appears to be set in the present day , which is more than enough to tweak even the most rational person 's sense of paranoia .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie that believes more is better , and while that may sound great in the pitch session , it almost never works .",
      "this numbskull knock-off of 2001 : a space odyssey and enemy of the state has the unlikely effect of making tony scott look like alfred hitchcock .",
      "a fun techno romp , mixing great bang for your buck with insights into the dangers of restricting civil liberties . now , anyone for shia killing blondes dressed as his dead mother ?",
      "should this film be a huge box office success , it will stand as a sad testament to how low the bar for cinematic entertainment has been set .",
      "at the very least , MOV gives us two principals who are appealing enough to keep us interested in them .",
      "MOV should boast all sorts of contemporary resonance . but it 'd probably feel just a little bit timelier and more relevant if it took place in a universe that bore even the faintest resemblance to our own .",
      "MOV requires blind faith in its silly storyline",
      "the chase eventually wears thin , and MOV eventually strangles its actors in the threads of its plot .",
      "it 's entertaining , if you 're ok with it not making a ton of sense .",
      "the movie does n't have three brain cells to rub together , but the premise carries it a long way .",
      "-lsb- director caruso -rsb- has done a masterful job of maintaining suspense , keeping the stunts mind-blowing and dressing the visuals in the bleak hues and gritty style of a '70s paranoid thriller .",
      "it 's presented as a thriller , and it is , but MOV is also a political film . it 's not a very good political film , nor is it a very good thriller , ironically enough because it wants to be very good at both .",
      "the movie is about the crashing , chasing , shooting and exploding , not about the human collateral damage left in its wake .",
      "MOV is big , loud and expensive , but it 's not particularly entertaining .",
      "lagging behind the times in technology , politics , and ideas , caruso 's suspense-thriller should have been made five years ago , when exec-producer spielberg first came up with the concept ; even so , the first reel is dangerous and menacing .",
      "so hysterical in its terrorist subplot and its seizure-inducing action sequences that a pummeled viewer can be excused for texting wtf ? to a friend in the middle of the chaos .",
      "the more that 's revealed about the forces at work on jerry and rachel , the less interesting the plot becomes .",
      "the fever-pitch paranoia of this terrorist thriller , the seizure-inducing editing , the dense layers slapped on a fairly simple plot all point to a kind of overkill that only hollywood money can buy .",
      "the film unfolds at such breakneck speed that the credits are rolling before it becomes fully apparent that the storyline actually ran out of gas some way back .",
      "so what we have here is the world 's smartest entity giving orders to the two dumbest people .",
      "good , manic fun plus a heavy dose of political intrigue adding up to two hours of clamorous , mind-numbing nonsense .",
      "manages to be both ominous and fun , making this a popcorn thriller with an edge .",
      "and you thought live free or die hard turned real issues into rubbish .",
      "as an election-year riff on current events , it 's moderately clever , even though it has no nerve whatsoever . -lrb- last year 's shooter had more guts . -rrb-",
      "a very juvenile copy of its hitchcock-kubrick models , efficiently made in the overwrought mold of contemporary action-adventure movies but a painfully loud -- and silly -- knockoff of the originals .",
      "MOV 's a bad movie , at times ridiculously so , but it 's not a boring movie .",
      "running , crashes , yelling , and no story . and wait til you hear who the villain is .",
      "explosion-filled thriller is clever but confusing .",
      "MOV has its flaws , but you 're not going to care or notice them .",
      "it 's going to make you want to take the batteries out of your cell phone .",
      "mplekei homage kubrick kai -lrb- alimono -rrb- spielberg me retalia tony scott se asmileyto stilaki michael bay -lrb- stise 5 kameres , peta amaksia deksia ki aristera , traba ta ola , rih ' ta sti montaziera , ki opoios bgalei noima , magkia toy -rrb- , kynigontas intrigkadoriko p",
      "the cast is not the problem . they are are merely pawns in this cluttered , ritalin-infused action film that stretches plausibility so often that it would be more accurately described as science fiction .",
      "pay heed to the movie 's warning : technological advancements might indeed become a concern in the future , especially if they allow for greater mass production of duds like this one .",
      "the morons going to MOV are the ones who would most benefit from its message in spoon-fed form .",
      "MOV occupies a treacherous middle ground . it is n't credible enough to work as a thriller and is n't ridiculous enough to work as a spoof .",
      "what , you ca n't relate to someone being controlled by an omniscient machine ?",
      "attempting to tap into the public 's collective fears and suspicions comes d.j. caruso 's preposterous MOV , an action film with plenty of thrills but i have no idea what alternate reality it 's set in .",
      "lowest-common-denominator filmmaking at its most discouraging , with makers who believe moviegoers too stupid to think , so instead opt for constant adrenal gland stimulation .",
      "... one long , hyperkinetic chase , with the audience wondering what in the heck is happening .",
      "i give the film credit for moving along and , for at least the first half , keeping you engaged in the mystery . at the same time , when the film turns , it turns south .",
      "unwilling to do anything in moderation , the four people it took to write one of the worst screenplays of the year almost seem to be playing a game where they have to top each other with each stupid twist .",
      "a far-fetched conspiracy story that depicts the growing and pervasive role of technology in our lives .",
      "-lsb- hitchcock -rsb- for a modern age bloated by steroids , addled by action , and incapable of long-term attention .",
      "you ca n't help thinking that if hitchcock were inspired by today 's privacy meltdown , he 'd need only a quarter of the explosions to leave us shattered .",
      "it might merit a b-minus in the silly popcorn movie category if it did n't unwisely decide , toward the end , that it was n't willing to be just a silly popcorn movie .",
      "MOV has half an idea in its head , but over two hours there 's no time to complete or explore it , since the movie is n't just a chase but a combination steeplechase and destruction derby .",
      "for all its digitally effected chaos , the cinematic threat level in MOV never even comes close to orange .",
      "forget suspending disbelief ; you would have to suspend consciousness to go along with this story .",
      "die hard meets the fugitive meets 2001 : a space odyssey in the fully paranoid MOV , a frantic thriller that 's nowhere near as good as its influences but still manages to get the job done .",
      "the only title that works for this movie is three days of the mongoloid .",
      "the situation is anything but average , but -lsb- labeouf and monaghan -rsb- two stars ground the adventure just enough to make the film into an enjoyable diversion .",
      "so fast paced and exciting that you do n't care whether or not it makes any sense",
      "it has been shot and edited with that hectic , all-too-familiar brand of impressionistic choppiness often used by hollywood directors to make a silly story unintelligible .",
      "those that are bothered by shaky camerawork might want to stay home or take dramamine . considering how promising the premise was , MOV is a major disappointment .",
      "to make barcodes scary , a thriller needs a pace faster than a busy self-scan checkout . thankfully , there 's no need for a price , or pulse , check on this furious , if exhausting , flat-world thriller that thomas friedman would appreciate .",
      "MOV fails to engage the audience into caring much about the characters because you are too busy trying to figure out what the hell is going on .",
      "the story goes from being a paranoid post-9 / 11 nightmare to being a goofy piece of sci-fi junk .",
      "it 's a poor man 's 2001 : a space odyssey and the fugitive . i actually feel a little dirty naming those two when talking about this one .",
      "while highly improbably and overly chaotic , the film is entertaining , which is all that really matters from this type of movie .",
      "-lsb- labeouf -rsb- 's just not very credible in elaborate action set-pieces , although at least this time he 's not trying to convince us that he 's a '50s greaser .",
      "set in the present , and directed by a middling talent , MOV still has some entertainment value . but only if youâ -lrb- tm -rrb- re looking for a good laugh .",
      "MOV wants to be a little on the sci-fi side , but it 's mostly just badly plotted and executed .",
      "disturbia team shows it can steal from a variety of sources -- not just hitchcock -- in this laughably convoluted thriller about big brother run amok .",
      "big brother 's watching you , and he ca n't stop laughing his ass off .",
      "the film is a rag bag of concepts and characters from earlier , vastly better movies .",
      "a ridiculous wrongly-accused-guy-on-the-run thriller .",
      "we 've seen this all before -- but rarely in such an entertaining format . MOV is like watching an entire season of 24 in two hours flat .",
      "finally , an action-adventure thriller that feels as if it were created , directed and acted , soup to nuts , by a computer program .",
      "there are lots of new wrinkles to ponder about american surveillance , but it seems that all the writers have surveilled is hbo .",
      "as the absurd contrivances mount , and the omnipotence of the shadowy conspiracy becomes more and more hard to buy into , the movie loses its footing .",
      "MOV wants to be a modern day north by northwest . instead it has to settle for being a slightly higher tech die hard with a vengeance .",
      "MOV starts out strong as an exciting action/suspense movie but eventually the implausibilities of the story catch up with it .",
      "hal has a granddaughter ? who knew ?",
      "since it is plainly obvious that the movie 's priorities lie not with its message , but with its lightning-fast pacing and confusing action scenes , it 's insulting when these ideas are shoehorned in half-heartedly .",
      "this cautionary tale about the perils of technology might seem more sincere if the movie ever stopped trying to indoctrinate us into being good consumers with its incessant product placement ...",
      "if you have a taste for this sort of nonsense , then all this hyper-implausibility is actually kind of fun .",
      "a loud , muddled and empty sci-fi thriller .",
      "we need to find some new places to stage foot chases , because the airport ? it 's been done .",
      "big brother is n't watching , he 's seen this already . MOV is for the guy in front of me on his cell phone ...",
      "bristling along on one amazing narrative convolution after another , and fueled by fascinating gung ho performances from everyone involved , MOV is a jovial serving of cinematic junk food .",
      "take one or two good ideas and add a lot of political thriller clichés and you end up with a disappointingly predictable action movie that does n't necessarily deliver on the promised goods .",
      "it 's worth a look for the effects , or if you just want to scare yourself into throwing out your cellphone and living off the grid .",
      "d.j. caruso 's skills -lrb- and those of his eager and competent cast -rrb- would be better used in a less ludicrous , more plausible story .",
      "this big , bone-headed and unintentionally laughable techno-fear thriller is a movie in one hell of a hurry .",
      "provides one of the biggest you 've got to be kidding moments of the year .",
      "as tightly coiled as a slinky , and for all their running around , labeouf and the normally engaging monaghan are stuck with characters who are n't particularly lively and , more problematic , fail to spark the requisite chemistry .",
      "this time , big brother does n't only want to listen to us - he wants to kill us .",
      "two hours of absolute nonsense that is easily the noisiest action film to come around the pike since `` transformers '' and quite possibly the dumbest one to boot .",
      "the kubrickian hitchcock elements are out front and personal , but d.j. caruso keeps things nicely slick and swift so the film reminds you , maybe not of those legends , but certainly of someone like john badham at his 1983 peak .",
      "what might have been a zeitgeist-fueled paranoid thriller along the lines of the conversation or three days of the condor winds up an unintentionally hilarious exercise in the suspension of disbelief , peppered with confusingly edited car cha",
      "rarely has a film been so serious in its underlying implications and intent , and yet so moronic in its execution .",
      "even though the political , big-brother-is-watching , conspiratorial aspect of the film tries much too hard , the fast and furious pace of MOV makes for an entertaining time .",
      "enjoyable , fast-paced thriller that compensates for its increasingly ridiculous plot with strong performances , great direction and some terrific action sequences .",
      "the 1984 nightmare has been bolted to 2001 -lrb- as in space odyssey -rrb- to make one of the better action thrillers of 2008",
      "portentous nonsense , and loud with it .",
      "but do we care ? this is a disastrous mess .",
      "this has to be the dumbest and most implausible action movie of the year .",
      "the plot is totally nonsensical but is played at such a thrilling pace that it barely matters .",
      "a big , happily implausible blockbuster action movie , and on that level it totally succeeds .",
      "MOV is a mediocre attempt at suspense that manages to lose all of its dramatic weight at the exact moment it drops its heaviest truths ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a preposterously plotted thriller that borrows heavily from other superior films .",
    "id": "770675744"
  },
  {
    "movie": "apt_pupil",
    "reviews": [
      "morbidly intriguing !",
      "MOV is a welcome attempt to reclaim the horror film genre from teen-driven slasher flick formulas !",
      "intelligently crafted !",
      "murky storytelling !",
      "when bodies are buried in cellars and cats are thrown into lighted ovens , the film reveals itself as unworthy of its subject matter .",
      "nothing about the movie even makes sense !",
      "no hace mas que dejarnos la sensación de que o bien el director fue una llamarada de petate o el escritor vio pasar sus mejores momentos hace ya varios ańos",
      "the most disappointing thing about MOV is the lack of sustained tension generated by director bryan singer .",
      "renfro and mckellen are nothing short of spectacular , but with all things considered , MOV just is n't a very well thought-out picture .",
      "stephen king 's 1982 different seasons collection has been a gold mine for moviemakers :",
      "mckellen gives one of the year 's great performances .",
      "it 's a story that has taken 10 years to get to the screen at least , but what kept it from the screen for so long was lost when it was finally filmed .",
      "`` pupil '' demonstrates singer 's eye for framing shots and his skill in bringing out the best in his stars . even so , there 's something amiss here .",
      "more disturbing than anything keyser söze could provide .",
      "brought off with such skill and commitment that there is n't any time to snicker at its obviousness !",
      "MOV is about as great as a modern stephen king horror flick could get .",
      "a creepy , well-acted story of contagious evil !",
      "the film 's subtle brand of cerebral terror cuts sharper and deeper than anything found in a more conventional horror movie .",
      "tense , skillfully acted !",
      "effective but not overwhelming , bone-chilling but not blood-freezing , MOV is a good shocker that misses the ultimate horror .",
      "MOV is most compelling for its moral dimension .",
      "a tense , psychological study of evil !",
      "a somber and deeply creepy adaptation .",
      "a powerful and disturbing movie !",
      "mr. mckellen , surely the finest living british actor , is the best reason to see MOV .",
      "if bowden 's motivations were clearer , MOV might have gone somewhere interesting .",
      "king fans will be outraged denouncing the filmmakers as gutless flakes smothering the true horror of MOV so the film would be more acceptable to the general public .",
      "a methodically slow psychological thriller !",
      "flat , undistinguished workmanship !",
      "we expect a probing examination of the essence of evil , but the film stays too close to the surface to deliver any insight .",
      "drama in distress !",
      "it 's sad that for a story with such potential , it was never allowed to materialize fully on the big screen . rent it for mckellen 's performance .",
      "major junk !"
    ],
    "summary": "a somewhat disturbing movie that works as a suspenseful thriller , yet is n't completely satisfying .",
    "id": "13982"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tadpole",
    "reviews": [
      "if you enjoy more thoughtful comedies with interesting conflicted characters ; this one is for you .",
      "MOV 's wafer thin sensibility is matched by its appallingly shoddy digital video look .",
      "MOV may be swimming into risky territory , but it 's delightfully easy to swallow .",
      "this breezy romantic trifle is n't nearly as clever as it imagines itself to be , but it 's smart enough not to take itself too seriously .",
      "celebrated at sundance , this slight comedy of manners has winning performances and a glossy , glib charm that 's hard to beat .",
      "shot on digital video for $ 150,000 in only 14 days , director gary winick keeps it light -- but not stupid .",
      "the surprise of this short and inexpensively made indie -lrb- originally shot on digital video -rrb- is its authority and good cheer .",
      "overcomes its visual hideousness with a sharp script and strong performances .",
      "MOV is a sophisticated , funny and good-natured treat , slight but a pleasure .",
      "shot in just two weeks with a hand-held digital camera , the movie often looks frayed around the edges . yet it has a soulful heart and a clear grasp of its rarefied milieu .",
      "the top-notch cast brings the story to life with aplomb .",
      "a smart , succinct and subtly funny comedy of manners .",
      "the cast is simply terrific and they help roll this storyline to its intended completion . stanford brings an inquisitive richness to his role as the benjamin braddock-ish oscar , a compelling study of boy-to-manhood and all its uneasy discoveries .",
      "while the writers resolve oscar 's emotional state a little too easily , the conflict itself is beautifully handled , especially in weaver 's able hands",
      "a unique and interesting experience , but the hype surrounding the film is much grander than its actual content .",
      "stuffy , full of itself , morally ambiguous and nothing to shout about .",
      "... one of those plotless flicks that manages to squeak by on charm and charisma .",
      "the shoddy techs hurt and will keep people away , but if you can live with the bad craftwork i think you 'll enjoy `` MOV ''",
      "one of the smartest , most affecting movies of the year .",
      "a funny , fearless , poignant , spectacular performance .",
      "the banter by all these sophisticated manhattanites is ... refreshingly tart .",
      "we 're to believe that a sullen adolescent , rude and completely self-absorbed , is somehow irresistible to women of all ages just because he reads voltaire ? i mean , come on .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- hilarious romantic comedy .",
      "do we really need a 77-minute film to tell us exactly why a romantic relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a 40-year-old woman does n't work ?",
      "the players are clearly having a ball , never grasping for laughs but rather generating them through a keen sense of their characters .",
      "a delightful coming-of-age story .",
      "the sundance film festival has become so buzz-obsessed that fans and producers descend upon utah each january to ferret out the next great thing . ` MOV ' was one of the films so declared this year , but it 's really more of the next pretty good thing .",
      "MOV may be one of the most appealing movies ever made about an otherwise appalling , and downright creepy , subject -- a teenage boy in love with his stepmother .",
      "smart and fun , but far more witty than it is wise .",
      "tries too hard to depict its main character as an adult in a boy 's body . at times it almost feels like big or freaky friday",
      "it 's fun , wispy , wise and surprisingly inoffensive for a film about a teen in love with his stepmom .",
      "neither funny nor moving enough to compare to rushmore , murmur of the heart or any of the other better movies on which it 's modeled .",
      "like oscar , the movie is a charming and passionate .",
      "no amount of hype will turn this murky pre-frog into anything resembling an indie prince .",
      "... a surprisingly deft little ensemble piece with performance gems , unexpected intimacy and a sneaky sense of humor .",
      "... ripe with new york atmosphere and understated , indelibly human comedic tension .",
      "MOV was written in wisps and watery double-entendres by heather mcgowan and niels mueller , and the movie is so benign that its proceedings are beside the point .",
      "short , simple , charming , and brilliant .",
      "MOV is smart and sophisticated entertainment , whatever its shortcomings , and it deserves to be encouraged .",
      "the film has other problems than credibility . it ends with unseemly haste , it underlines its points too obviously , and its camera moves when it should be still .",
      "although it 's short , MOV has a long-lasting effect .",
      "a movie that gets by on charm even when it 's tippytoeing in taboo territory .",
      "most folks with a real stake in the american sexual landscape will find it either moderately amusing or just plain irrelevant .",
      "MOV is emblematic of the witless ageism afflicting films : young is cool , and too young is too cool .",
      "if you can get past the taboo subject matter , it will be well worth your time .",
      "a low-budget affair , MOV was shot on digital video , and the images often look smeary and blurry , to the point of distraction . then again , in a better movie , you might not have noticed .",
      "MOV is short , charming , well-directed and impressively acted , particularly by stanford .",
      "both calculated and breezy , spoofing romantic film cliches while indulging in some of those tactics , MOV is a frisky swimmer .",
      "MOV will delight audiences for its comedy .",
      "-lsb- d -rsb- emonstrate a certain affinity for the intimate observation of moral waywardness .",
      "tart 'n' spicy sophisticated comedy reminiscent of `` the graduate . '' mischievous bebe neuwirth is a comic revelation .",
      "a delightful comedy about a fifteen-year-old boy caught up in the delirious transports and crazy obsessions of romantic infatuation .",
      "at times it 's like an erudite version of a horny teen fantasy flick . but i am recommending MOV for its whimsical feel , its tart wit and the many fine performances , most notably from young aaron stanford .",
      "more sophisticated and literate than such pictures usually are ... an amusing little catch .",
      "this often-hilarious farce manages to generate the belly laughs of lowbrow comedy without sacrificing its high-minded appeal .",
      "a sparkling cosmopolitan comedy that plays fast and loose with sacred cows of family values .",
      "lives up to its billing as a smart , funny coming-of-age comedy .",
      "MOV is an irreverent and witty comedy in which the events are n't predictable but are well paced .",
      "smart , funny and just honest enough to provide the pleasures of a slightly naughty , just-above-average off - broadway play .",
      "an indie triumph .",
      "on this tricky topic , MOV is very much a step in the right direction , with its blend of frankness , civility and compassion .",
      "MOV would be a surprise hit with any audience anywhere that still cares about character development , good acting , careful , literate scriptwriting and stylish filmmaking on a shoestring .",
      "stanford assumes the role of oscar with rare conviction , and makes such a disconcertingly appealing 15-year-old that it 's a relief to know he was actually 23 when he shot the movie .",
      "seems precious when it means to be precocious , and pretentious when it can least afford to be .",
      "in the hands of most other actors , oscar would come off as a pretentious prig . stanford makes him seem pathetically , comically , charmingly real .",
      "at a meager 77 minutes , MOV is short and sweet and also very funny .",
      "a wannabe comedy of manners about a brainy prep-school kid with a mrs. robinson complex founders on its own preciousness -- and squanders its beautiful women .",
      "the movie could use a few more points . MOV 's main character remains muddled ; at least one scene in his journey is missing .",
      "a sweet , gentle , so-light-it-might-float - away-any-moment comedy of urban manners",
      "weaver and neuwirth are the sparks in this film , as they project a maternal sexiness and sincerity that 's entirely believable .",
      "MOV has more than its share of problems , true , but they are problems that can be borne .",
      "it lacks the lushly romantic sensibility that made woody allen 's similarly themed -lrb- and unfortunately prophetic -rrb- manhattan seem plausible .",
      "while this is no harold and maude -- one of the best films about an older woman and younger man -- MOV has an irresistible charm .",
      "short and sweet , but also more than anything else slight ... MOV pulls back from the consequences of its own actions and revelations .",
      "a small , charming indie .",
      "its direction , its script , and weaver 's performance as a vaguely discontented woman of substance make for a mildly entertaining 77 minutes , if that 's what you 're in the mood for .",
      "in every respect , director gary winick has served up a delectable , entertaining film .",
      "it has little teen humour , with the majority of the cast unlikely to see 40 again , and there is not enough plot substance to constitute an incentive for the older crowd .",
      "the terrific performances of weaver and neuwirth notwithstanding , little of this is very amusing . and it does n't help that the film is visually offensive .",
      "this particular MOV grows into neither a frog nor a prince .",
      "-lsb- stanford -rsb- deftly switches between oscar 's self-assigned roles -- the charming raconteur for eve , the aloof aesthete for everyone else -- while neuwirth radiates a saucy , infectious giddiness .",
      "MOV may be small , but it 's something special -- a cheeky comedy knockout .",
      "this one is strictly a lightweight escapist film .",
      "based on a devilishly witty script by heather mcgowan and niels mueller , the film gets great laughs , but never at the expense of its characters",
      "consistently entertaining , with witty dialogue and a kind of gallic concision , shaved of superfluous moments .",
      "lighten up , sophocles ! oedipal conflicts are nothing more than a subject for light , comedic entertainment .",
      "at the center of the film , stanford is a revelation .",
      "the film pivots entirely on aaron stanford 's performance , and he is super .",
      "a real step forward for the digital video revolution .",
      "like a final project from a student film class , it has a raw and unsophisticated look ... but that might be a good thing .",
      "the film might have been more satisfying if it had , in fact , been fleshed out a little more instead of going for easy smiles .",
      "in a summer wrought with action adventures and dramatic epics , it 's a refreshing change to trust in the teachings and maturity of a 15-year-old .",
      "the worst movie of 2002 : ` any film with such a formulaic foundation ... faces the burden of succeeding in spite of it , yet MOV just dumbly offers it back up to us . '",
      "it 's a flawed but satisfying movie with a great leading man , and a slew of great supporting performances .",
      "oscar 's romantic plight plays well for subtle pathos in addition to laughs .",
      "unpretentiously entertains",
      "coming-of-age comedy with some sex ."
    ],
    "summary": "slight , but good-natured and witty .",
    "id": "12227"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bill_cunningham_new_york_2010",
    "reviews": [
      "genuinely in love with clothes , cunningham makes you think of fashion in a more positive and enlightened way .",
      "press is careful to keep the focus on cunningham as he 's keeping his focus on those around him .",
      "this affectionate documentary celebrates the veteran photographer who , at 84 , still works a tough schedule , taking photos on the street of real people wearing real fashion .",
      "recommended if you are a dedicated follower of fashion .",
      "MOV is a minor joy , lurking amid the week 's non-fiction .",
      "this is n't the confessional exposé some would hope , but it is a reverent profile of a fascinating , funny and inspirational gentleman .",
      "he was the first , and what 's obvious from this lively and engaging doc , an original .",
      "gives you new perspectives of fashion , photography and new york .",
      "a doc that 'll make more than just fashionistas smile .",
      "there 's few sharp edges or dirt digging , but it 's no less engaging for that .",
      "those who pore over his fashion columns in the new york times style section will particularly appreciate this respectful look at a true local character .",
      "using the low-key approach that shapes cunningham 's column , press works up a portrait that 's as raw , gentle , funny , and -- in the end -- irresistible as the pictures themselves .",
      "cunningham talks freely about his passion for fashion and photography .",
      "the equal billing in the title is no accident : cunningham 's story is the story of new york itself , about the ways it has changed through the decades and how that history was captured on all those miles of film passing through cunningham 's camera .",
      "maybe the world does n't need a feature-length film about cunningham ; maybe we do n't even need his pictures . but we need examples like his , people who retain a joyful individuality while fitting seamlessly into our crazy world .",
      "this is a rare and special film that should be savoured",
      "mere fashionistas pale alongside the tenacious commitment of the utterly obsessed subject of this diverting documentary-one of new york 's great characters .",
      "a slight , glancing , yet subtly wrought slice of new york life . and it seems likely that the exceedingly modest cunningham would want it that way .",
      "it is both insightful and strangely moving .",
      "bill has followed his bliss for 60 years , and it 's a delight to follow him for 80 minutes - even if you have no interest in fashion . do n't miss it .",
      "this is a fascinating portrait of a unique character who has built his own world out the worlds of others . quite unlike poseur photographers , he dresses , eats sleeps and talks simply ; he gets around on a push bike . and he smiles a lot",
      "a wonderfully understated delight .",
      "a collective of well-groomed talking heads chronicle cunningham 's career as a milliner-turned-fashion historian , and their insights speak volumes about the origins of this pillar of integrity 's faultless work ethic .",
      "press asks cunningham only two questions : one about love , the other god . both cut deep . the price of this lifelong quest to document beauty is a heavy one .",
      "do n't worry if you 've never heard of bill cunningham . this delightful documentary is all about getting to know the man - and he 's a major , fascinating character .",
      "whatever this times-produced , tv-ready tribute lacks in tension is amply compensated by the pleasure of watching an enthusiast ply the craft he loves .",
      "`` MOV '' is a day in the life and a look at the lifelong career of boston-born bill cunningham . here is a man whose job is to go out into manhattan on his bicycle every working day to seek and find beauty .",
      "MOV shows us a man who not only derives great pleasure from devoting himself to his job but also , in the process , has helped shaped the greatest city in the world .",
      "MOV is as winning as its subject , the affable chronicler of new york style from the sidewalk to the runway .",
      "MOV is a portrait of an extraordinary man who possesses such arcane knowledge as the difference between right and wrong .",
      "bill cunningham is a specimen who seems to be unique to new york , a celebrity whom ` everybody who is anybody ' is acquainted with , but nobody knows .",
      "he finds beauty ; watching him , we find joy .",
      "filmmaker richard press offers a humorous , touching and insightful portrait about a subject who clearly would have preferred to stay behind the camera .",
      "it 's a great and modest film .",
      "equally at home chronicling the latest fashions on the street and the biggest celebrations among manhattan 's aristocratic swell set , he might as well be the city that forms his vast canvas .",
      "cunningham 's work is about seeing and teaching us how to see , and that should be plenty for us .",
      "the film offers a portrait that 's revealing and mysterious , as the folksy subject welcomes press ' camera into his routine while keeping a tight-lipped distance from it .",
      "a less good doc than last year 's more honest and insightful smash his camera , about paparazzo ron galella .",
      "cunningham at once answers as truthfully as he comfortably could and creates a whole new line of questions that will likely never be answered",
      "lots of us are interested in clothes . but few can match bill cunningham 's passion for fashion .",
      "i love this man , i love this movie .",
      "... a film which captures the spirit of cunningham 's work and life .",
      "cunningham seems genuinely in love with his work ...",
      "now in his 80s , this charming , kind man remains a mystery : is he the happiest man on earth , or the most closeted and loneliest ?",
      "a beautiful portrait of a truly happy man .",
      "holds your attention over its rather untidily assembled eighty minutes of on-the-fly footage by reason of what it reveals about -lsb- cunningham 's -rsb- almost monastic devotion to his work .",
      "it 's as much a portrait of a kind of artist as it is a document of a city 's evolving sense of style .",
      "if the film suggests that there 's something bittersweet about a life dedicated to a single pursuit cultivated with an almost religious fervor , it also stands in awe of its subject 's ... capacity to remain attuned to the expression of others .",
      "no passion for fashion is required to enjoy this absorbing portrait of legendary new york times `` on the street '' photographer bill cunningham , but a sense of history and tragedy might help .",
      "lacking the cinematic bells and whistles that so often distract from a really good story , the film is stunning entirely because it is so simple .",
      "a warm , lively portrait of the artist .",
      "bill cunningham is astutely defined by MOV as not simply a traditional photographer of clothing , but an anthropological historian .",
      "fascinating doc about a photographer surveying the highs and lows of new york society .",
      "it 's cunningham 's single-mindedness about his work that 's so infectious as well as so strange .",
      "obsessive artists often create exceptional bodies of work .",
      "as director richard press ' exuberant , telling film nimbly reveals , here is a fashion purist who cares nothing for the trappings of the glittery world he inhabits . for cunningham , it really is all about the clothes .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- marvelous documentary .",
      "charming documentary .",
      "a fascinating , endearing portrait of the man who for decades has documented trends born on the streets and beau-monde parties for a worthy cause .",
      "richard press ' film is an affectionate look at a man who embodies the spirit of his cosmopolitan city , has discovered and documented trends in fashion for decades , and , along the way , may have figured out the secret to life .",
      "a heart-warming insight into one man 's extraordinary life , a window to the fabulous veneer of the big apple and a must-see for anyone interested in the creative process .",
      "a portrait of a happy man .",
      "it 's not just what he does . it 's who he is . and he approaches it with such unbridled passion and joy that you ca n't help but sharing in it ; absolutely no knowledge or love of fashion is required .",
      "cunningham has spent some 60 years out on the street , listening , he says , for what it has to say to him . press ' movie shows cunningham leading by example , urging us not just to look , but to really see .",
      "while certainly an affectionate and admiring portrait , MOV , by its end , provides no revelations and left this viewer , at least , puzzling .",
      "here is a movie about a happy and nice man ."
    ],
    "summary": "suffused with happiness and modest charm , MOV offers a touching , gently humorous portrait of its subject without invading his jealously guarded privacy .",
    "id": "771205733"
  },
  {
    "movie": "meet_the_fockers",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is stuck somewhere between being absolutely hilarious and one of the worst comedies ever committed to celluloid .",
      "the sequel is pretty much what you 'd expect -- mindless fluff with maybe a little less calamity than its predecessor , but a lot more schmaltz . oy vey !",
      "the family is bigger , but the laughs are n't .",
      "MOV takes time to generate comic momentum , but the irresistible energy of hoffman and streisand soon refreshes the leftover story line from parents .",
      "despite a cast enhanced with notable players -- dustin hoffman and barbra streisand come on board as the elder fockers -- the movie has few new jokes to tell , offering little more than slight modulations of familiar scenarios .",
      "when a movie 's title is based on a crass pun , you should n't expect the bar to be too high",
      "MOV does n't have the shabby feel of some faltering movies , but its repetitive gags and toilet humor take much of the luster off the focker-byrnes wedding .",
      "there are few things sadder than wasted potential , unless it 's sitting through 115 minutes of mediocrity desperately searching for a few decent jokes .",
      "a silly good time .",
      "delivers fewer laughs than its predecessor .",
      "the laughs are few and far between , bearing only a sloppy , derivative resemblance to its predecessor .",
      "a negligible product content to stoop for the easy laughs and the easy money .",
      "MOV is a fine sequel ; not surpassing the original , but clearly putting forth more of an effort than most follow-ups do into the script department .",
      "mtf works rather well -- although it sometimes lacks the smoothness of its predecessor .",
      "the exceptional cast turned the garden-variety script they were given into a movie that should please crowds throughout the holiday season .",
      "often-uproarious .",
      "why would you want to meet such a blowsy , bawdy , shticky crew in a low-comedy sequel to meet the parents ? two reasons only : barbra streisand and dustin hoffman .",
      "if it were n't for the talent level involved onscreen , MOV would be about as entertaining as a rerun of dharma and greg .",
      "a resolutely average sequel , several subbasements below the first film in both comic inspiration and energy .",
      "it is beavis and butt-head rewriting the in-laws , only the scripts for beavis were much smarter .",
      "watching MOV is like attending a big , potentially wild and funny party in which the guests pretend to have fun .",
      "MOV is get-rich-quick , no-thought-required sequel-mongering at its most mercenary . -lrb- plus it 's screamingly unfunny . -rrb-",
      "this is american pie for people over 35 .",
      "fifteen years ago , a movie with streisand , hoffman and deniro in starring roles would have been considered the casting coup of the ages .",
      "and you thought your parents were embarrassing .",
      "my new year 's plea to stiller ? watch sideways . rinse . repeat .",
      "hoffman and streisand provide some laughs in this sequel to meet the parents but the screenplay lacks comic zest .",
      "the picture has two lingering scenes that are so excruciatingly funny they compensate for the material that flounders .",
      "the ideas behind MOV are the best part of this zany sequel to meet the parents , but getting fockerised is not as funny as it should be .",
      "coasts on considerable star power to make us laugh with some consistency but never approaches the level of fearless comic abandon that made the first film so popular .",
      "the audience laughed more because they wanted to find it funny than because they actually did .",
      "MOV is n't quite as funny as its predecessor , but it definitely has its moments .",
      "a sloppy and not-funny - enough sequel to meet the parents .",
      "MOV , a sluggish sequel to the anarchic domestic comedy meet the parents , is one visit too many .",
      "if you keep your expectations in check , the encounter does n't disappoint .",
      "hoffman and streisand give energetic , game performances , but the movie provides them with dispiritingly little material .",
      "one of those relatively rare comedies that 's at once puerile , charming and very funny throughout .",
      "amusing ... but not distinctive .",
      "thanks to an ensemble cast that includes robert de niro , barbra streisand and dustin hoffman , MOV is much more fun than anticipated .",
      "there is some fun in watching the veterans mix it up -- de niro , who looks like he wants to fade into the scenery , streisand , who tries to eat it -- but nothing is well developed here .",
      "this sequel keeps the laughs coming until the ending .",
      "MOV is not a movie for the ages ; it 's a movie for a few good laughs .",
      "the gap between the first and second installments is n't as gaping as with , for instance , analyze this and analyze that , but the laughs fockers generates are the type you feel embarrassed about almost immediately afterward .",
      "this sequel to 2000 's meet the parents knows that its audience expects a symphony of outrageousness . anyone who resists is pummeled into submission by the sheer pace and volume of the comic antics .",
      "because no good joke in hollywood goes untold again ... and again , the mixed-couple setup receives another extended workout in this modestly amusing sequel .",
      "barbra streisand has the show-stopping moments in this uneven comedy .",
      "hoffman and streisand ... are a wonderful addition to the comedic mix with their relaxed , laid back lifestyle and penchant for randy sex",
      "this is n't just a second helping of gaylord focker humiliation , for once here 's a comedy sequel that manages to revisit its world without banally repeating it .",
      "hoffman , in particular , is a delight - he has an infectious comic energy that seems to light up the rest of the cast .",
      "a pergunta й : vocк quer transformar o tнtulo brasileiro desta produзгo em realidade ?",
      "MOV has assembled a historic , once-in-a-lifetime cast , then stranded them in the laziest , most mercenary kind of sequel imaginable . it 's like the 1927 yankees taking on the special olympics softball team .",
      "-lsb- dustin hoffman and barbra streisand -rsb- seem to have been waiting their whole careers to do unrestrained comedy , and they step into their roles with unparalleled enthusiasm .",
      "amazing how altering one vowel from the king of all cuss words can spawn a movie franchise .",
      "... just as mediocre and gratingly unfunny as its predecessor ...",
      "catch it on hbo for the sheer delight of everything hoffman and streisand do . it 's fun to MOV themselves , but the rest of the movie can stay home .",
      "mildly amusing ... but joke repetition and a greater emphasis on outrageousness and vulgarity release a strong scent of the writers ' desperation .",
      "this sequel , like most , is inferior to the original , but it is hard not to like these characters .",
      "as far as completely pointless , redundant , superfluous sequels go , it could have been a lot worse . at least it was n't zoolander 2 - more zoolandish",
      "MOV is not much of a movie -- just a lot of comic situations barely held together by the semblance of a plot -- but it is genuinely funny in a crass way .",
      "for audiences that loved meet the parents , the movie is a welcome chance to revisit funny and familiar characters .",
      "more than any recent comedy i can think of , MOV seems likely to split audiences between those who find it deliriously funny and those who grind their teeth at its obviousness .",
      "in the tradition of recent hollywood sequels , this one replays the old gags , gooses up the pace and lowers the level of the humor -- way lower .",
      "irrepressible streisand brings her own potent barrage to this company of self-interested men , not to mention the melt-away women .",
      "it 's a toss-up as to who gets the worst end of the deal with MOV : the audience or the film 's all-star cast .",
      "if you enjoyed meet the parents , you 'll have just as much fun in MOV .",
      "by the film 's finale you 'll pity any poor fool who actually is named focker -- for following this picture they 're certain to see a surge in mockery .",
      "unbelievably raunchy ... an avalanche of s ****** ing sexual humor masquerading as a family comedy .",
      "de niro 's brilliantly economical expression of utter revulsion somehow never stops being funny .",
      "MOV is as tacky as its title , as crass as a kid learning his first cuss word .",
      "a quick-and-dirty cash-grab sequel , one that substitutes stunt casting for character work and schtick for writing .",
      "hoffman and streisand are the best things about MOV . the movie would have been better off spending more time with them instead of focusing again on the uneasy relationship between eager-to-please greg and his father-in-law - to-be jack .",
      "playing up the socio-religious rifts of the first film , the sequel reflects the country 's current political schisms .",
      "do n't even rent the dvd , it 'll only encourage them .",
      "given how well stiller and de niro play off each other , you 'll wish they had more to work with .",
      "focking funny !",
      "the movie is pleasant enough , but never quite reaches critical mass as a comedy .",
      "culture-clashing through the snow , in a one-joke open sleigh , MOV goes , laughing all the way ... to the bank .",
      "a rascally little play on words is the funniest element of MOV , a sequel with big name stars and , only occasionally , laughs to match .",
      "forced and formulaic sequel ... is a tedious disappointment .",
      "repetitious and just not that funny on the whole , especially since it 's so derivative and out of character next to the original",
      "if you do n't think ben stiller is funny , spanglish is playing at the next theater over . MOV made me laugh so hard my stomach started to ache .",
      "this pic is pretty focking lame .",
      "stiller - by starring in MOV , one of the year 's final releases - pulls into a buzzer-beating tie with jude law as the most-overexposed actor of the movie year .",
      "deniro is pretty much the only reason to see MOV ... -lsb- betrays -rsb- creative exhaustion .",
      "greg focker is ashamed of his loving parents and jack byrnes needs viagra .",
      "there 's room left open , of course , for the eagerly-awaited conclusion to the parent focker trilogy . here 's hoping that when that blessed day arrives , i 'll be good and dead .",
      "a frantic , pointless sequel , funny in clumps , but mostly contrived and empty .",
      "features three of the most frightening noses in the business -lrb- streisand , hoffman and owen wilson -rrb- . consider yourself lucky it 's not in 3d .",
      "unlike billy crystal -lrb- analyze this -rrb- and eddie murphy -lrb- showtime -rrb- , stiller brings out de niro 's best comic instincts .",
      "familiary breeds contempt ... unless you think a dog flushed down a toilet is a laugh riot , you 're better off leaving these fockers alone .",
      "hoffman ... is like the one kid in gym class who takes frisbee golf seriously .",
      "there is not one joke in MOV .",
      "fockers has the combined subtlety of a libido-mad bull elephant and a bad case of flatulence in church , but that 's the kind of movie it is .",
      "you should get your kicks from the fockers .",
      "... -lsb- a -rsb- star-studded but tediously uneven low-brow sequel ... MOV is pretty much a flavorless family affair to forget",
      "the awkward , uncomfortable charms of the previous picture have here been replaced with an aggressive vulgarity that bears not even a passing resemblance to human behavior .",
      "clearly contrived , yet at times undeniably funny . still , from this cast , you may be expecting more substance and less sophomore .",
      "no se trata de una obra de arte ni una competidora a los oscar , pero ... a quin le importa eso cuando lo que uno busca es rerse un poco ?",
      "director jay roach gives the film no visual distinction whatsoever but packs on the jokes with tireless bustle .",
      "the ensemble 's giddy chemistry and the addition of perfectly cast topliners dustin hoffman and barbra streisand should find fockers entertaining huge crowds for the holidays and beyond .",
      "though it 's good to see -lsb- stiller -rsb- back in his stumbling , bumbling element , it 's a bummer to see his element wasted in such stumbling , bumbling gags .",
      "simply too much unpleasantness afoot .",
      "streisand and especially hoffman are a hoot .",
      "an infantile , desperately uncreative sequel that will do anything for a cheap laugh . just imagine meet the parents remade for the comedy sensibilities of a 12-year-old .",
      "from the start the jokes are on a different level than the last one : coarse , aggressive , and poorly timed by director jay roach .",
      "while there is a serious subtext , cast and crew remember that this is essentially a frivolous comedy",
      "feels like a big-budget dharma & greg episode with toilet jokes .",
      "streisand and hoffman are a hoot , the most entertaining haight-ashbury movie refugees since lily tomlin and alan alda similarly tormented stiller in flirting with disaster .",
      "` quizá tenga una historia muy boba y situaciones absurdas llevadas al extremo , pero de eso se trata : de hacer reír con bobadas '",
      "very often vulgar and tasteless , and though there are some unexpected bursts of humor and even charm in the proceedings , it 's light years away from chekhov .",
      "so exaggerated that it veers wildly and awkwardly into pure , outlandish farce",
      "although not as disarmingly funny the second time around , inspired casting means that , unlike most in-laws , the fockers do n't outstay their welcome .",
      "even stiller , who i 've always appreciated , seems to be going through the motions here .",
      "it does what few comedies achieve , literally giving me a laugh a minute , sometimes good , deep belly laughs .",
      "the abundance of talent gathered for MOV is sadly shortchanged by the unimaginative script and directorial laissez faire .",
      "gauge your interest by how you liked parents and you wo n't be disappointed .",
      "a vulgar farce that is n't remotely amusing .",
      "-lsb- hoffman and streisand -rsb- make a wonderful team , but it 's too bad the material is n't fresher and more worth their time and yours .",
      "MOV is frequently funny , but it turns a bit too cruel in the third act to be as worthy a sequel to its predecessor as it could have been",
      "this sequel 's title indicates the content : smutty , silly and liable to make you smirk despite yourself .",
      "has its smattering of laughs , but the new faces bring fewer dividends than the elemental de niro/ben stiller showdown of the original .",
      "full review in greek",
      "repeats itself and strains for laughs where the original giddily stumbled through them .",
      "milk bottles and related metaphors feature prominentlyas breast fetish stand-ins , but with a decidely peculiar asymmetrical preference for just the left one .",
      "sequel to the mediocre ben stiller comedy `` meet the parents '' is a bawdier but inferior movie that relies on the star power of dustin hoffman and barbara streisand as stiller 's florida-dwelling jewish hippie parents bernie and roz to fuel its ill-timed toi",
      "a consistently entertaining , sometimes uproariously funny film .",
      "fans of the first will find some amusement in familiarity , but with such a comically able cast this is a missed opportunity .",
      "the expected misunderstandings ensue , as you 'd expect , which would be pretty excruciating if not for the performances of hoffman and streisand .",
      "so many subplots are piled onto MOV that it 's a wonder any of the glittering talents assembled here have room to be funny .",
      "like virtually every sequel to a hit comedy , it recycles and essentially beats to death everything that got a laugh in the original film .",
      "a one joke movie but streisand and hoffman make that one joke enjoyable .",
      "both movies lack the real discomfort and awkwardness that comes with meeting future in-laws .",
      "this film has a lot more heart and it 's just a lot of fun throughout with all these wonderful actors .",
      "could have been much funnier than it is .",
      "a little coarser , a little more desperate and a lot less funny than its predecessor . but dustin hoffman saves the day .",
      "it 's left to barbra streisand and dustin hoffman as greg 's parents to warm up the picture , and they light it on fire .",
      "the fockers is a must-have for family viewing .",
      "there can be worse holiday fluff than watching a tight-knit group of hollywood veterans having fun .",
      "you 'd think after an eight-year absence from the screen , -lsb- streisand would -rsb- return with more self-respect .",
      "formulaic but consistently funny .",
      "never has so much talent been wasted with so little imagination .",
      "a weary retread without a fraction of the inventiveness that sparked the original .",
      "could they not have come up with anything but lumpish , vulgar humor and dumb `` focker '' puns ?",
      "this is silliness that 's good for a video replay on a rainy day .",
      "the foreplay was a little boring , but once they start fockering , it works ... it may be absurd and in poor taste , but that does n't mean it ca n't still be funny .",
      "ben stiller looks the same as he did during parents in 2000 , but pity poor teri polo who 's putting on miles faster than dale earnhardt , jr. .",
      "... the story fails to take the high road ...",
      "does little to alter the formula of the original , but the two films set a nice example of successful use of the concept of theme and variation .",
      ".",
      "if you have absolutely nothing else to do , and you can see it for free , with little hassle , you just might get fockersized .",
      "the most disappointing sequel of 2004 .",
      "a comic clash of stereotypical red state and blue state culture , but with a wish-fulfillment hollywood ending in which ` fockerization ' triumphs ..."
    ],
    "summary": "talented cast is wasted as the movie is content with recycling jokes from its predecessor , meet the parents .",
    "id": "10041"
  },
  {
    "movie": "unknown_white_male",
    "reviews": [
      "scene by scene , the movie is clunky and laughable , but it 's certainly never dull .",
      "if liam neeson is now typecast as an aging action hero , he would be better off finding better scripts .",
      "collet-serra generates plenty of suspense and keeps the action flowing . there is even , of all things , an imaginative car chase .",
      "if this all sounds rather like déjŕ vu , then consider yourself one step ahead of the game .",
      "so extensive is unknown 's pilfering of ideas from existing films that it has left itself exposed as a meagre mishmash that fails to excel in any particular department .",
      "as action thrillers go unknown is not a bad one , and it has real ambitions to character and theme ... on the other hand it 's not quite a good one either as the filmmakers can never quite decide what time of film they want to make .",
      "a nifty final twist , but it is so joyless and heavy-handed i found it impossible to like .",
      "this is fun for an hour before plumbing hitherto unknown depths of silliness .",
      "unravelling the jigsaw clues is a lot of fun , while the changes rung during the familiar ticking-bomb countdown finale marks collet-serra as a genuinely gifted genre specialist .",
      "what 's so great about the casting of aidan quinn is that he 's like neeson 's shorter , less charming , less attractive , bitter stand-in . it 's like a coup for all those neglected stand-ins who we only see from behind in wigs and oversized clothing .",
      "unknown does n't aspire to the artistic and moral sophistication of john frankenheimer 's '60s political thrillers .",
      "liam neeson is an indestructible frankensteiny feral animal with a head injury .",
      "the freak-out scenario is thoroughly engaging , but even collet-serra 's ceaseless velocity ca n't gloss over gaping holes",
      "... satisfying , if not entirely plausible .",
      "why the screenwriters allowed this movie to take a nonsensical turn is ` unknown . '",
      "hitchcockian features work themselves out rather nicely , while the story plays deftly with the notion of the ` hero . ' action scenes blur together and spin out after a while , but the german supporting cast fills the movie with touches of everyday humanity .",
      "it 's certainly no taken but it does manages some fairly diverting set pieces and stops just short of wearing its central premise thin .",
      "the picture lacks the thrills and dramatic charge of kidnap-thriller taken , with neeson here befuddled rather than angry , but his gravitas and conviction elevate the material .",
      "the film , directed by spanish genre hack jaume collet-serra , seems to have confused itself with a sedate character piece when the premise demands relentless brain-off fun .",
      "liam neeson deserves a huge pat on the back for reinventing himself as the most violent middle-aged man in hollywood . i 'm just not gon na be the man to do it . as i 'd probably pull back a stump .",
      "enjoy it and then forget it ...",
      "implausible , over-the-top , ridiculous and for the most part , fun is a much better description for this `` smart suspense '' flick .",
      "as always , the riddle is far more intriguing than the answer , and the continual red herrings become an overwhelming burden .",
      "the film is smartly edited and the thrills one would expect are nicely delivered .",
      "neeson is always magnetic , though , even when he 's just repeating his taken performance and delivering cheesy one-liners , as he is eventually required to do here .",
      "... implausible and ridiculous to the point of being genuinely entertaining .",
      "even at its best , it never comes close to reaching the peaks of `` taken , '' the film that it clearly wants to be in every way , shape and form",
      "on a minute-to-minute level , it 's an engaging mystery , the kind that rewards our participation with eye candy and adrenaline shots .",
      "i 'm sure you will find some holes and weaknesses , but unknown is an entertaining film , especially for neeson fans .",
      "things get a little shaky once the facts are known , but everything speeds along smoothly while it 's still `` unknown . ''",
      "it 's a classic you-stole-my-identity setup , and director jaume collet-serra delivers it tightly enough to keep you engaged , despite many obvious signposts leading the way .",
      "the elements are there - a -lrb- mostly -rrb- strong ensemble , an interesting concept , an intriguing location , a promising director - but the film never comes together because the script needed one more rewrite that it just never received .",
      "turn off your ` i hope this plot twist is awesome ' part of your brain and just enjoy big , gruff , increasingly frankenstein-monster-looking neeson kicking the crap out of everyone who gets in his way ...",
      "i saw `` unknown '' with an entourage whose average age was about 70 . they loved it , although one of them kept calling it `` the bond ultimatum . '' which sounds about right .",
      "unknown never establishes any identity or juice of its own , content to crib successful elements from other thrillers and present them with a shrug .",
      "with his soulful gaze and crooked nose , his seeming reluctance to throw a karate chop but his deft ability to do so , neeson has an air of melancholy and menace - you feel sorry for the guy , and wary of him at the same time .",
      "a surprise-packed , action-packed , fun-packed ripper of a romp .",
      "ignore the pileup of implausibilities and ` unknown ' becomes a diabolically entertaining con game .",
      "it mixes and mismatches jagged fragments of jason bourne , alfred hitchcock , `` total recall '' and mel gibson 's underappreciated `` conspiracy theory , '' although underappreciation is n't a risk for a movie that amounts to `` the stillbourne identity . ''",
      "the material keeps our attention but , as we get closer to the inevitable point at which the curtain is pulled back , the movie starts to feel more like a parody than a serious endeavor .",
      "neeson has a fine way with expressions of anguish . this is brow-knitting of a very high order .",
      "neeson , often chided for cashing easy action-flick paychecks at the expense of his serious-actor cred , knows who he is - an action star of a certain age who brings gravitas to pulpy stuff . and if that 's who he is , he could do worse than `` unknown . ''",
      "what started out so promisingly loses its way as it becomes yet another mind-boggling entertainment . it could have been so much more .",
      "... a non-stop , high tension thriller that does n't let up until the end .",
      "liam neeson ably continues his late-blooming action career .",
      "the wintry recesses of berlin add resonance , and neeson in his incarnation as an action hero at last has a role worthy of his talent .",
      "while nothing about unknown is exceptional , most of it is n't bad - it just pretends to a moral and intellectual sophistication it simply does n't have .",
      "liam neeson estр comeуando a se afastar do territзrio de `` astro do cinema '' e a se aproximar do perigoso limbo dos `` atores de produушes lanуadas diretamente em dvd '' .",
      "this is no more -lrb- but no less ? -rrb- than what we have rather oddly come to expect from neeson in his late period -lrb- taken , the a-team -rrb- -- not quite a riddle wrapped in an enigma , just a paycheck gig cloaked in an actioner , moonlighting as a travelogue .",
      "the film does n't make you feel or care . it does n't grab you . in other words , it has all the elements of a good thriller except for , well , thrills .",
      "a very well-crafted action thriller .",
      "even when the film does n't quite work in the small details , we have neeson as our point of identification , his inherent gravitas giving weight to that which otherwise might be quickly forgettable",
      "but if you dig liam neeson as an action hero , you could do worse than this fast-paced , cheerfully ridiculous , generally satisfying romp .",
      "grows increasingly ludicrous as it proceeds , ending up shattering the suspension of disbelief necessary for such thrillers to avoid becoming comically implausible .",
      "indistinctive and empty , forced to rely on multiple car chases , fist fights , and a literal ticking time bomb to cover up its lack of ideas .",
      "for some reason thrillers always have detours into nightclubs with pulsing music -- what is the deal with these , some sort of physical manifestation of the internal chaos ?",
      "some may say it 's sad that an oscar-caliber actor like liam neeson is essentially doing early schwarzenegger ; we say it 's awesome .",
      "when the dots are connected -lrb- sort of -rrb- , unknown still does n't make much sense .",
      "neeson has a way of getting upset - a frantic purposefulness - that fills viewers with both empathy and anticipation : he 's so miserable that we care .",
      "the movie has a hitchcockian complement of plot twists and fake-outs . if only it also had hitchcock .",
      "this twist-filled tale of an amnesiac falling into a web of international intrigue moves swiftly but makes little sense -- and has ludicrous moments .",
      "the film 's big twist , alas , is rather predictable once you eliminate all the other plausible reasons for the characters ' behavior , and the bad guys ' plan revolves around a rather hokey plot device .",
      "the notion of combining taken and roman polanski 's frantic makes for a clean graft here .",
      "a fairly decent action flick with the type of car chases and exploits one might expect from a joel silver joint .",
      "`` unknown '' is a plodding , unoriginal thriller , with neeson stumbling around as the confused victim .",
      "do not try to engage this film on a logical level , or you might end up in a coma yourself .",
      "consistently albeit genteelly thrilling , a pleasantly implausible item that employs the holy trinity of action elements : explosions , hand-to-hand combat and car chases where tires squeal like there is no tomorrow .",
      "the car chases and piled-on action eventually feel rote , as do neeson 's various badass stunts .",
      "it 's no classic , but until a better thriller comes along , unknown will do .",
      "the film plays more like a `` whydunit '' than a whodunit .",
      "tacked onto a perfectly respectable thriller , unknown 's mass of unlikely turns and implausible reveals make the whole film seem retroactively less sophisticated .",
      "taut and tidy , a one-two punch we do n't always get from today 's thrill rides",
      "for about an hour or so , `` unknown '' is intriguing .",
      "as incredible as it may sound regarding an amnesia thriller , unknown 's plot is n't silly enough to merit where it ends up taking the main character .",
      "hugely enjoyable stolen identity thriller with pacy direction , decent action sequences , a gleefully bonkers script and a superb central performance from liam neeson .",
      "an unmemorable euro-thriller that frustrates more than it thrills , squandering an attractive cast and inventive premise .",
      "it 's great fun - not as vicious as taken - and neeson shows just why he 's the right man for the job ; a rather nifty niche which he 's now made his own .",
      "taken was much more amusing than unknown , which takes itself rather too seriously .",
      "the movie rather crumbles when it eventually has to deliver its secrets .",
      "there are holes in the plot , but the film skips over them .",
      "neeson muscles unknown to success",
      "it 's a juicy idea but it ends up playing out like an extended tv movie",
      "sometimes unknown 's tongue is so firmly in cheek that the audience does n't even realize there 's a joke happening .",
      "if conspiracy movies of any sort are your thing , then consider unknown a familiar , yet solid , entry in the canon . for those who want some innovation to go with their thrills , then move along .",
      "john wayne wore cowboy drag , mel gibson 's mullet was his tip-off , but the most recognizable action hero signature these days is liam neeson 's nose .",
      "a not-bad thriller starring liam neeson . if that sounds like faint praise , it is , but at least this overgrown ` b ' - movie tickles the brain just a tad ...",
      "a mildy engaging identity loss thriller set in berlin",
      "more subtly than harrison ford , neeson excels at the slow fuse snaking its way to explosive revenge .",
      "how sick are you of rationalizing a movie 's absurd plot by muttering `` suspend your disbelief '' and giving a shrug ? unknown is a thriller you can enjoy without feeling cheated .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- `` unknown '' is a fish-out-of-water mystery thriller . it 's not an especially memorable film , which is ironic considering the analogous subject matter of its overleveraged premise .",
      "ich bin bash berliner .",
      "neeson 's always-intelligent screen presence , his nuance and gravitas , help elevate unknown beyond its preposterous elements .",
      "i felt involved in `` unknown '' until it pulled one too many rabbits out of its hat . at some point , a thriller has to play fair .",
      "after learning the explanation , you 'll wish you never asked .",
      "an increasingly improbable and easily watchable action thriller with liam neeson grimacing his way through memory loss and the murky secrets of bio-tech espionage .",
      "while it 's not a sequel , one can see this film and call it ` taken ' with a twist and they would n't complain . they would get their money 's worth . ` unknown ' has plenty of action , suspense and dramatic moments to keep one engaged and satisfied .",
      "contains a legitimately intriguing and unpredictable mystery . but the direction is often blurry and hard to follow , especially in the action sequences .",
      "has no connection to anything resembling reality , but it 's entertaining as hell .",
      "neeson is hamstrung with a thin script full of huge plot holes that stretch credibility . his character is a mix of an older jason bourne and the male equivalent of angelina jolie 's evelyn salt . jones and kruger are simply window dressing .",
      "amnesia antics and mistaken-identity capers , an innocent man on the run , a couple of car chases , a frosty blonde , chilly european settings , implacable assassins , cryptic codes , red herrings and even a ticking time bomb .",
      "i hesitate to be this brutal , but there is really no way around it . january jones was just terrible . she barely moves her face , she seemingly has no emotion , even during a life or death moment , and her scenes with neeson were just ... creepy .",
      "what starts off as a captivating berlin spin on `` der fugitive '' turns , boringly , into `` die bourne ultimatum '' - down to destructive car chases with taxis and a touareg . the polar opposite of `` taken , '' it clutters its rehashed concept with too much plot .",
      "sure , it 's a clichéd plot yet still intriguing and intense because of the fast pace and keen cinematography .",
      "` unknown ' is a nail-biter , an edge-of-seater , and a fast couple of hours . it is just as well that its action moves faster than logic .",
      "it 's all so damn exhausting - countless chase scenes sucked dry of suspense by repetition and the fact that clues are deposited less frequently scott baio 's charles in charge residuals .",
      "i do n't mind that unknown , which builds on liam neeson 's newly minted status as a tortured action hero , is utterly ridiculous . why ? because within the constraints of its absurdity , it always manages to play fair with the audience .",
      "after all the storyline conveniences kick in , this amnesia story becomes forgettable , implausible , regrettable and indigestible .",
      "unknown is formula entertainment and as such delivers pretty much what you 'd expect . for some that will be enough . for others it will elicit yawns and maybe a case of amnesia once you 've left the theater .",
      "the movie whips up a big old puree of ingredients borrowed from other cinematic recipes . then it dishes out the mildly spiced results as post-oscar-quality snack food ...",
      "the talented liam neeson makes a valiant effort to carry this wannabe hitchcockian thriller on his solid shoulders , but , alas , he 's defeated by an incongruous and improbable plot that gets worse as it unfolds after a promising start",
      "liam neeson heroically tries to turn the pedestrian , obvious unknown into something as energetic as the much better taken , but you 'll guess the reveal halfway through .",
      "beyond the occasional plot frissons and juicy supporting turns , it 's an emotionally and psychologically threadbare exercise .",
      "this glossy thriller takes off from a tantalizing premise ... but squanders it on action scenes that detract from the nightmarish heart of the matter",
      "there are a couple of intriguing ideas floating around here and there , but that 's all they do -- float around , unmoored by any sense of reality and , thus , suspense .",
      "unknown touches on the crisis , but director jaume - collet serra and his screenwriters are n't serious enough or the action adept enough to fully articulate it .",
      "unknown has its moments , but ultimately it 's as forgettable as martin 's identity .",
      "liam neeson stars in a paranoid caper showcasing the city of berlin .",
      "in this wild and wooly world of `` fusion '' movies , those that combine aspects of every kind of genre available , this one aims to do it all .",
      "a lot of stupid fun masquerading as not stupid fun anchored by -lsb- neeson 's -rsb- inimitable presence .",
      "it 's good . it 's not fantastic .",
      "secretive and suspensful , this action/thriller scores as a late-winter diversion .",
      "it 's your typical thriller , with some nice surprises before it turns into an ordinary action flick .",
      "liam neeson 's late career conversion into a bad ass action hero continues . on it 's face the premise sounded dumb , but the movie is much more nuanced than the trailer would lead you to believe .",
      "the action beats , when they hit , are fine but in the end this is only a serviceable thriller that 's easily forgettable .",
      "old-time character actors ganz and frank langella provide a few brief moments of pleasure here and there , but otherwise , this is a dud .",
      "an okay thriller until you get to the ending and that ruins it all .",
      "the movie builds up to a climax that makes one question whether it was ever worth the effort .",
      "the premise of the film seems impossible at first , but it is all explained , without the need for a vast conspiracy , or `` it was all a dream , a hallucination , alternate reality '' or some other nonsense like that .",
      "it would be a spoiler to say which franchise `` unknown '' is copping from ... but this attempt at crossing that with hitchcockian overtones just ends up underwhelming",
      "with its intriguing story and thrilling action sequences , `` unknown '' is worth checking out for those who are into action films as well as those who like a good mystery that needs solving .",
      "with an actor of neeson 's caliber you also get something extra -- a convincing sell of the emotional and dramatic beats .",
      "a paranoid thriller has to be more paranoid than this , with far more urgency to it , to work .",
      "an exciting film that moviegoers will enjoy - even if they leave with a somewhat ambiguous understanding of the story that was unfolding outside of neeson 's character .",
      "the thriller is fun and action-packed but a few major plot holes and a few lazy twists definitely weigh it down .",
      "what started as a mildly intriguing innocent-man-wrongly-accused pseudo-thriller just turns into series of lame implausibilites in pursuit of an ending .",
      "like taken , it 's the kind of flick that will play forever on cable .",
      "as the film progresses , it becomes incomprehensible . the twists are too preposterous and the plot holes are too plentiful , making unknown an absolute mess .",
      "with this type of film , likability is determined by how well the writers and director get you from a to z . in the case of unknown , the alphabet formula works .",
      "unknown hinges on an amnesia cliche so moth-eaten sitcoms long ago gave up on it .",
      "unknown is n't offensive at all , but it is n't startlingly good either : it is a near-perfect popcorn thriller that convinces of its story despite some fairly ludicrous plot shifts and an ultimately very self-serving resolution .",
      "the stop-start pacing , stock villains and predictable plot leave it trailing in jason bourne 's wake .",
      "each situation is pulled off with a by-the-numbers precision . sorely lacking is the dark humor hitchcock invested in similar no-one-believes-me scenarios .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "in a bloodless scene between two old men , there 's more pathos and tension ... than in any of the hyper-kinetic fight scenes or car chases that pad out the rest of the running time .",
      "in the french-made , english-language sleeper taken , liam neeson was a former cia operative who was -lrb- outlandishly -rrb- able to thwart a sex-trafficking ring . audiences responded vociferously to his take-charge character . his latest film , unknown ...",
      "i did n't believe a second of it , but i certainly had fun watching it .",
      "may eventually surrender to convention and implausibility in equal measure , but until then , collet-serra grounds the conspiracy with a proper sense of mystery and mood .",
      "... with liam neeson in the lead , he makes everything we see on screen , no matter how far-fetched , seem plausible .",
      "i found the time spent not so proportionate to the powerful delivery , in the end ...",
      "the movie is a well-performed , well-directed thriller that kept me interested the entire time .",
      "not as well executed as taken or with the depth of 1988 's frantic but neeson can cover up a lot of plot problems . a good rental .",
      "unknown is , reduced to essentials , a flat-out garden variety spy movie where no thoughtful subtext or conscious may intrude .",
      "a highly disposable , yet sneakily enjoyable pulp thriller .",
      "despite its herculean plot contortions , this latest entry in the american-caught-in-a-foreign-city formula fails to live up to its stolen-identity premise .",
      "unknown '' obviously knows its limitations , and it does n't bother to rise above them . it just keeps throwing the punches the audience wants and expects . it wo n't cure world hunger , but chances are it will sell a lot of popcorn .",
      "with no aspirations above its genre , unknown embraces the implausibility of its tale and delivers fun but rather forgettable viewing .",
      "the cat-and-mouse game that the filmmakers are playing with us is only partially successful because this thriller is only intermittently thrilling . instead of being captivated by the twist and turns , we 're more likely to be rankled .",
      "the snow and haze that spanish director jaume collet-serra keeps pumping into the street scenes seem to have drifted into the script as well .",
      "the macguffin at the heart of it is preposterous , but frankly incidental : it 's the journey that holds us rather than the destination .",
      "it 's not `` north by northwest , '' of course . but at least it 's heading in the right direction .",
      "while entertaining in parts , unknown struggles to sustain its amusement .",
      "the art of the classic hitchcockian thriller is about style , pace and misdirection -- and though unknown is occasionally baffling and involves running and car chases , the film rarely manages to thrill .",
      "it 's the kind of movie that when it comes on hbo or showtime , it 'll be a semi-satisfying diversion , that despite its implausibility , will fit the bill , but it 's definitely not worth full price at the box office .",
      "... does n't disappoint , but does n't always thrill , either .",
      "it 's the questions that ultimately keep unknown afloat , regardless of how silly the answers might be .",
      "... an irresistibly compelling premise ...",
      "who 'd have thought that unknown would have more in common with douglas quaid than jason bourne ?",
      "despite its a-movie aspirations , as the chases continue and the plot holes widen , unknown quickly settles into the familiar b-movie comfort zone .",
      "as long as filmgoers come to `` unknown '' unencumbered by a need for plausibility , this handsome , well-paced production possesses its share of twisty , visceral pleasures .",
      "plot holes you can drive a truck through are ultimately less important for your enjoyment than how they set up the film 's big set pieces .",
      "a stylish and muscular thriller with some nifty twists and turns , a wicked sense of humor , several terrific performances and not one or even two but three of the best car chases in recent action-flick history .",
      "a big budget thriller with pedigree , unknown has so much going for it , yet somehow ends up a little less satisfying than its elements suggest .",
      "echoes of the bourne identity flash across the screen in which we follow our hero to an unexpected revelation , usually involving shady characters , a significant ` treasure ' at risk and lovely women who may or not be what they seem .",
      "an efficiently staged but credibility-stretching international thriller that never quite lives up to its hitchcockian potential .",
      "kicks off with an inert concept for suspense and proceeds to hog pile on the plot with total abandon , slapping on the whoppers and clichés like a maniac .",
      "unknown makes no sense at all , so you not only worry about liam neeson 's judgment in movies , but you begin to wonder if he 's forgotten how to read .",
      "somewhere in the san fernando valley , there must be a factory that churns out action-thrillers of the caliber of unknown the same way a factory produces furniture .",
      "neeson - perhaps suffering from an existential acting crisis following the box office success of taken - has pared back his once considerable charm to an almost negative state .",
      "we 're spun through parking garages , dance clubs and good old-fashioned car chases ; unknown is probably the movie the tourist wanted to be , if it had a pulse .",
      "unknown is anything but , with predictable plot points found in better movies , yet the sturdy presence of liam neeson saves it from action movie obscurity .",
      "as with its protagonist , unknown boasts tantalizing issues buried deep beneath its frantic exterior , but little idea how to unlock or address them .",
      "neeson 's comforting intelligence -lrb- and a marvelous turn by bruno ganz as an ailing former member of the east german secret police -rrb- , are not enough to prevent the film from choking on obviousness and directorial fumbling .",
      "pulpy and absurd , but utterly watchable",
      "the holes are irksome , without detracting much from the fun of trying to work out who is what and why , and then having to start all over again from scratch",
      "once all is revealed , one can picture the screenwriters enjoying a double feature of the bourne identity and total recall over a large plate of corn . actual corn , not necessarily of the hackneyed metaphor variety , though that does apply too .",
      "how refreshing it would be to have a 30 second fistfight or a once-around-the-block car sequence , then get on with the next scene . but like so many others , 35-year-old spanish director jaume collet-serra falls in love with the action behind the lens",
      "director jaume collet-serra should have entitled this `` taken ii ''",
      "what makes unknown work is n't that the filmmakers think they 're smarter than the audience . rather , it 's told at such a pace that you do n't care to figure it all out .",
      "instead of being disquieting or particularly exciting , it 's loud , over-directed and merely serviceable .",
      "what i most enjoyed was collet-serra 's eye for detail and small gestures : the way he shoots a hand stretching towards something just out of reach in a key dramatic moment , or the way he shoots reflections in windows and doors .",
      "there is a car chase sequence in unknown that is so awesome , even steve mcqueen would be impressed . liam neeson needs to play these types of roles from now on !"
    ],
    "summary": "liam neeson elevates the proceedings considerably , but unknown is ultimately too derivative -- and implausible -- to take advantage of its intriguing premise .",
    "id": "771027996"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1220551-bounty_hunter",
    "reviews": [
      "there are no rewards to be claimed for enduring the MOV .",
      "the MOV has little to offer besides some face-time with handsome stars .",
      "as formula films go , the MOV is more enjoyable than most , even if it packs in as many cliches as any .",
      "in the MOV , the couple that foils a bunch of tiresome grade-c thriller goons together stays together . whether or not that 's a recipe for love , it 's certainly not a formula for romantic-comedy magic .",
      "aniston does n't bring her old a-game to this . but at least she 's not quiet and reserved and no-energy , her approach to too many roles of late .",
      "it 's slim pickings for discerning movie lovers and is never smart enough , sexy enough or funny enough to be memorable .",
      "silliness prevails in this lame thriller comedy .",
      "a stark example of misbegotten chemistry and its resultant pitfalls .",
      "the latest evidence that , when it comes to romantic combat , we live in a more thoughtlessly brutal age than our ancestors did .",
      "even by the low standards of today 's romantic comedy , this is a black mark on everyone 's resume .",
      "death , taxes , gerard butler . wish them away all you like : still they befall us .",
      "even worse than the trailers make it look ...",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- boring , overlong mess .",
      "this appallingly unfunny rom-com is a crime against comedy . lock it up and throw away the key .",
      "the film is stuffed with these idiosyncratic micro-roles -lrb- i loved siobhan fallon hogan as the bondsman 's secretary -rrb- , which prove more diverting than the two main characters .",
      "send hollywood a message , and do not see this film .",
      "the story of a bail enforcer who captures his newspaper-reporter ex-wife manages to be both formulaic and patchwork , with whatever twinkles that exist between the stars eclipsed by the overall crudeness .",
      "if you 've seen the trailer , you already know more or less everything that occurs , complexity not being one of the film 's strengths .",
      "i stared with glazed eyes at the MOV . here is a film with no need to exist .",
      "this genre has devolved to the point where what i appreciate most , in the end , is simply not cringing .",
      "butler and aniston , earning zero laughs , ca n't even bicker with any heat ; jessica simpson and john mayer would see this -lrb- separately -rrb- and say , ` you call that resentment ? '",
      "... an odd , timid movie , unsure of its actors and how to use them .",
      "on the soundtrack , jerry reed sings `` she got the goldmine -lrb- i got the shaft -rrb- . '' viewers will know exactly the same feeling .",
      "inexplicably , butler continues to get work in romantic comedies despite his limited range and boorish persona .",
      "perhaps tracking down the folks responsible for this film should be milo 's next assignment .",
      "yes , it 's every bit as brainless as the trailers suggest .",
      "disappointing , frequently dull and painfully unfunny romcom that 's let down by a badly written script , obnoxious characters and a total lack of chemistry between butler and aniston .",
      "aniston and butler mysteriously rustle up just enough chemistry in this simplistic rom-com to make it enjoyable .",
      "there are two parallel stories : milo 's and nicole 's on-again , off-again relationship , and those guys with guns who keep shooting at them . we know exactly how the first one is going to end and we do n't care about the second .",
      "more remarkable for the glistening sex appeal of the leading actors than anything found in the excruciatingly labored script , MOV is an empty calorie , brain dead waste of time .",
      "this week 's entry in the neverending circle of watered-down , mid-range , completely unmemorable hollywood comedies .",
      "the putrid result never rises even to the lofty heights of mediocrity .",
      "... plays less like a genuine story than as a series of ` beats ' engineered for the cheapest possible audience responses .",
      "at points , the film sinks below the level of competent : a stupid plot trick early on is so badly edited that it takes another minute to figure out what 's supposed to be going on .",
      "maybe the two are doing the horizontal mambo in real life , but the heat does n't come through on screen -lrb- and i do n't think they are good enough actors to hide it -rrb- .",
      "the MOV works as a just-fun-enough action-comedy that is exactly the movie you think it is .",
      "the MOV is a good concept gone horrifically wrong . there are maybe three laughs in this unnecessarily complicated comedy that almost runs two hours .",
      "someday , the MOV and last month 's cop out will be featured in a cable movie double bill as the two worst 1988 films of 2010 .",
      "the story , like the movie , is pretty uninteresting and easily forgotten .",
      "butler ... is stuck here playing kind of a jerk , so it 's hard for him and aniston to work up much chemistry , particularly as she 's busy racing from the law in a pencil skirt and heels -lrb- easily the movie 's most impressive stunt -rrb- .",
      "tennant aims for a contemporary version of the thin man , wedding the banter of sparring spouses with sleuth work . to say that he falls short of the mark is understatement .",
      "a romantic comedy is built from the relationship of its leads , and all the MOV has to work with are blank stares .",
      "after the appalling romantic comedies ... that kicked off the year , `` the MOV '' does n't look so bad , but really , the best thing i can say about it is that it 's serviceable .",
      "does columbia pictures know that a reality-television program with a similar name already exists on a&e ? is it wrong to find that show funnier and more romantic ?",
      "it 's becoming increasingly clear that gerard butler should probably stay as far away from the romcom genre as possible ...",
      "this awkward hybrid of action comedy and romantic comedy was hatched in the marketing department , not conceived by storytellers .",
      "film koji se mo % u017ee usporediti s giglijem , holivudskim gnojivom koje i dan danas izaziva traume kod filmofila",
      "the MOV makes the ugly truth look like the right stuff .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the MOV has what is arguably the most awful ` meet-cute ' in the history of cinema .",
      "an expensive , low-rent , overlong , tired romantic action-comedy .",
      "as a lousy mystery and lousier romantic comedy , the MOV is two bad films in one .",
      "it 's one thing for the leads to not share believable romantic chemistry , and then there 's the rather sad and lazy display aniston and butler put on here , not even striking believable negative vibes as a divorced couple .",
      "if only the filmmakers could have made it less tedious and more entertaining , then we might have actually cared about the characters . in the end , `` the MOV '' is a forgettable film that offers no reward .",
      "strictly by-the-numbers , cookie-cutter , hollywood production-line crap barely worthy of a legitimate theatrical release .",
      "this is premium-grade convoluted hollywood rubbish .",
      "i hated this movie . it 's lazy , it 's annoying , and it lasts a lifetime at 110 minutes .",
      "the filmmakers clearly believe that their tangled storyline is madcap and delightful , but each new complication just serves to make us feel as though the blessed end of the movie is creeping further and further away .",
      "the film , co-starring big hunk of man-candy gerard butler and a notably bronzed and toned jennifer aniston , is depressingly programmatic , however easy on the eyes these two stars might be .",
      "when i go to a movie , i take notes about things that interest me or that i like or that stick out . so it 's not a good sign that i emerged from the MOV with almost nothing written in my notebook .",
      "a so-so movie that confuses loving closeups of aniston 's golden highlights with a character , and stripped-to-the-six-pack shots of butler with a plot .",
      "as a romantic comedy , it is ceaselessly unpleasant enough to make anyone consider the allure of living the rest of his or her days in asexual solitude .",
      "i did n't think i 'd see a romantic comedy this year as deadly as did you hear about the morgans ? , but MOV proved me wrong .",
      "the story is a poorly conceived comedic thriller that , frankly , no one could have saved .",
      "aniston is n't the world 's greatest actress , but the main reason the MOV stinks is the script .",
      "exacerbating the lack of chemistry between aniston and butler , for a movie that is represented as a romcom thriller , it is neither funny nor romantic nor thrilling .",
      "aniston and butler ca n't seem to muster any believable chemistry . a lot of mugging happens , but no magic .",
      "this is that category of movie that exists to be perpetually playing on airplanes . when the pilot interrupts to tell you to look out the window you wo n't miss anything .",
      "parental content review",
      "the better written role and , no surprise , the better performance , goes to butler , who proves himself a fine comedian .",
      "as cold and calculating as the heart of a hollywood accountant , the MOV is the caper comedy that keeps on taking .",
      "these two characters are so aggressively irritating and unlikable , the world would be better off with both of them behind bars .",
      "when it comes to aniston , maybe it 's simply time to settle and stop asking her to be the good girl anymore -- perky just might be as good as it gets .",
      "despite several attempts at jokes and the stars ' tremendous efforts to pull funny faces , the script fails miserably to entertain ; most of the dialogue is tiresome bickering between our two leads .",
      "the MOV is the rom-com equivalent of magnolia paint . bland , bland , bland .",
      "aniston 's comic gifts have n't deserted her , but her judgment may have .",
      "i do n't just hand out zeroes becuase i 'm having a bad day . i really tried to like this movie . but it 's one of the most boring , awful films so far in 2010 .",
      "the MOV has already been done before and better . it was called midnight run .",
      "the movie breaks out the usual clichés of the genre ... there is absolutely no chemistry on screen between butler and aniston , and the movie is utterly forgettable",
      "even considered as no more than an assembly-line hollywood product , the MOV falls well below factory standards .",
      "there is n't a surprise to be had . there is n't a moment that is n't telegraphed . there is n't a time when you could n't toss some tea leaves and , regardless of your skills in that specialized area , know exactly what 's coming next .",
      "the MOV is supposed to be a romantic comedy-action movie hybrid - hepburn and tracy in midnight run - but it fails all genre requirements .",
      "hunter shoots and misses .",
      "it 's a little sad that in 2010 we still have dated films like this , but some movies are just ` critic proof ' comfort food . you know exactly what you are going to get and that 's what you pay for .",
      "a battle of the sexes comedy that is ludicrous and scattered .",
      "there can not be many of these back-of-the-envelope-cutesy ideas for rom-coms left .",
      "the romantic pairing of brawny gerard butler and wispy jennifer aniston is a sight for sore eyes but makes for sore brains long before the end of andy tennant 's rom-com .",
      "you know it 's bad when a caper comedy makes you long for the goldie hawn-chevy chase showcases of yore ...",
      "with fellow rom-com queen sandra bullock taking up oscar-winning serious acting , it 's nice to know aniston is not giving up her crown anytime soon .",
      "did no one notice this thing was lying on the floor like a landed fish while they were making the film ?",
      "given the amount of botox on display , would a little viagra have hurt ?",
      "finally we get a movie with the jennifer aniston we knew and loved on `` friends . '' this movie is about rachel green ten years later .",
      "there 's so little chemistry between the two , they might as well have cast mick fleetwood and samantha fox and had done with it .",
      "lots of hammy faces , hollow jokes and property damage do not a farce make",
      "the woeful shell of a romantic comedy , a motionless movie which shows no attempt to do anything but point a camera at shapely aniston .",
      "based on the onscreen evidence , not a single person in front of or behind the camera cared a whit about how the MOV turned out .",
      "though no lois lane , aniston 's reporter on the run can claim an extreme sexpot mom -lrb- christine baranski -rrb- who has a thing or two to teach her about taming the male species . and expect lots of not especially kinky handcuffs .",
      "i like jennifer aniston , but heaven knows what attracted her to this junk .",
      "i 'm actually yawning as i type this .",
      "the MOV fails to locate any laughs or charm over two punishing hours as its chemistry-free leads , gerard butler and jennifer aniston , mug their way through two of the worst performances they 've ever given .",
      "the blend of romantic comedy and road movie is an awkward match , and is n't helped by a stodgy script and the fact that butler has little in the way of comic timing .",
      "neither explosive enough for lovers of action , soppy enough for those who want romance , or funny enough for comedy fans , this is a film that inhabits some kind of movie limbo .",
      "the perfect watch if you do n't fancy a challenge . any sort of challenge at all .",
      "another largely forgettable , factory-line girl-falling-out-with-then-making-up-with-boy vehicle .",
      "almost unimaginably , the mystery surrounding aniston 's bail-jumping is even more poorly manufactured than the ` romance ' and the ` comedy ' ...",
      "the lame finale makes a tv crime show look like something construed by stephen hawking . if hawking could explain why this waste of time was ever greenlit , we might find a reason to understand the universe once again .",
      "the sad thing is good romantic comedies are on the endangered species list . the MOV proves the point .",
      "the MOV 's trailer covers everything you need to know about the movie .",
      "time-frittering , money-wasting trifle . bail on this obnoxious odd couple .",
      "` the MOV ' is a fast-paced , action-packed romantic comedy . i 'm surprised at how much i enjoyed it , especially after seeing those underwhelming previews .",
      "cynically conceived , unfunny , non-romantic sludge .",
      "a tedious slog through tidy coincidences",
      "overstays its welcome and ends up as one of the most unfunny , vapid and nauseatingly convoluted romcoms in recent memory . the lively supporting cast at least helps to keep you briefly awake .",
      "not so much a comedy thriller as a case of arrested development .",
      "neither the former sitcom star nor the washboard-abed scotsman is served well here .",
      "how could anyone not be interested in a film combining the talents of the auteur of `` hitch '' and `` fool 's gold , '' the author of `` twisted '' and two stars who could n't generate anything resembling chemistry if they were working in a meth lab ?",
      "a great time killer for anybody who needs help being bored .",
      "note to jennifer aniston : stop playing with your hair ! that 's not acting , it 's playing with your hair .",
      "if jennifer aniston and gerard butler are indeed a real-life couple , the MOV may be designed to keep the paparazzi off their trail",
      "stereotypes and minor violence arrest this dull rom-com .",
      "there 'll be worse films released in 2010 -- but not many .",
      "a real dog ... another in the apparently endless stream of rotten road-movie rom-coms being cranked out by hollywood .",
      "averagely routine , routinely average romcom .",
      "the MOV marks a new low and a new genre : the bail-bondage rom-com .",
      "is aniston impervious to good scripts ? corny , predictable story , no chemistry between the stars and aniston hides her face with her hair .",
      "gerard butler once again demonstrates that his comedic instincts are roughly on par with those of a great white shark .",
      "piles on distraction after pointless distraction of subplot in an attempt to divert attention away from how formulaic and predictable the main plot is .",
      "there are lots of scenic shots of atlantic city . the movie satisfies audience expectations of fun and laughter , making for an enjoyable date night outing ."
    ],
    "summary": "gerard butler and jennifer aniston remain as attractive as ever , but the MOV 's formula script does n't know what to do with them -- or the audience 's attention .",
    "id": "770856804"
  },
  {
    "movie": "258",
    "reviews": [
      "downright hilarious in places ? though i don?t think that?s intentional , because it?s also dull and cliché-ridden .",
      "it 's too mild-mannered for those who relish horror pictures and too gory and plotless and chatty for everyone else .",
      "just another wes craven kills kids running around in the woods movie .",
      "the most awful kind of entertainment exploitation in that everything is set up to abuse the audience , not the characters",
      "the picture is directed with such a loose , slack hand that you 'd think craven had never directed a slasher-thriller before : i did n't jump once ; i never even felt vaguely scared or creeped out .",
      "it 's your money that 's at greater stake with this subpar horror entry in barely noticeable 3d .",
      "this dumb , derivative teen slasher movie would be uninspiring coming from any writer-director , let alone one with several genre classics under his belt .",
      "all might be good for a flask-to-the-theater laugh , if not for the unconscionable price gouging .",
      "wes craven 's first new movie in five years is a brainless , joyless , and yes , you might even say , soulless teen slasher .",
      "it 's good , theoretically at least , to have craven back . but why come back for this ?",
      "a thoroughly dreary , by-the-numbers exercise .",
      "my soul to take lacks quality 3d and the one , standout , never-seen-before scare necessary to get horror fans spreading the word to fellow scary movie buffs .",
      "as much a soul-sucking experience as what the characters themselves are experiencing",
      "that craven is earnestly trying to make an on-the-level , snark-free horror flick signals a welcome sea change in his career .",
      "there are plenty of formulaic boo ! moments , yet craven intelligently treats bug 's otherworldly issues like hormonal growing pains that must be tamed .",
      "this film quickly moves to the top of the list of ` most purposeless use of 3d ' beating out ` the last airbender ' and ` clash of the titans ' with ease .",
      "wes craven has seen better days and we all have seen better movies ; the 3-d did n't add a thing",
      "a typically ruthless and cynically comic horror thriller from craven , set in a high school where the caste system is more terrifying than the possibility of a murderous ghost -lrb- the bullying leader of the mean girls is nicknamed ` fang ' -rrb- .",
      "a thrill-free snooze that will certainly rank as one of the least -- if not the least -- effective entries in craven 's nearly 40-year canon of cinematic shockers .",
      "hands down the worst horror movie of the year , and certainly the worst of wes craven 's career .",
      "why am i kinda sorta not really recommending , but mildly defending this movie ? well , as noted , i had fun with it . i was entertained .",
      "the worst horror movie wes craven 's made perhaps ever .",
      "what sinks it is craven 's simplistic , ham-fisted writing and inert direction .",
      "from a newcomer , the ineptitude of this film could be understood ; from a man like wes craven , it feels like a big fat cheat .",
      "though the movie 's about some sort of eternal killer , the real culprit here is craven , whose attempt to feed on his earlier successes results in a structurally slipshod and distinctly non-frightening pastiche .",
      "so utterly awful that it should have been renamed ` my time to waste . '",
      "the highlight of the film , in fact , is a freaky bird costume ... that actually vomits and defecates upon its audience . it 'd be nice to think the director were self-aware enough to recognize the obvious parallel .",
      "the problem with my soul to take is n't in its concept , it 's in the execution . it 's overly complex and nearly impossible to explain with images , which is why the slasher turns into a visual table read in the final act .",
      "sad but true , this is one film that will be remembered as no more than a footnote in the grand scheme of wes craven 's career .",
      "easily the worst movie of craven 's career and not even remotely scary or creepy or any of the things you expect from a good horror movie .",
      "the work of a lunatic using his own feces to outline an uncomfortably abstract tale of ridiculous possession , brought to life through some of the most excruciatingly obvious and colossally stilted dialogue i?ve heard so far this year .",
      "while there 's much to like about the ideas and atmosphere , craven ca n't muster much out of his characters or script to form an interesting message .",
      "the best thing about my soul to take is that it may force folks to revisit wes craven 's past works and finally realize that he 's always been nothing more than a hack in the horror field , a uwe boll with a better sense of where to place the camera .",
      "craven 's writing starts out over the top and just keeps climbing ...",
      "my soul to take ends up being mere chucky cheese .",
      "... the film not only marks a low point within craven 's career but also within the horror genre itself .",
      "there 's some malarkey about each kid having inherited one of the maniac 's personalities , though craven never does much with that except to point the finger of suspicion at junior .",
      "with either too much or too little happening on screen and a script juggling too many red herrings at once , my soul to take feels like purgatory ... in 3d .",
      "a puzzle with no solutions , a tale with a twist that is n't a twist at all .",
      "only someone so smart could make a movie this stupid .",
      "the silly story can be forgiven . almost no other living director can instill such a sense of gleeful dread in the autumn woods ... or in an ordinary house .",
      "`` my soul to take '' is one of the worst films i?ve seen this year and easily the most irritating .",
      "yep , this movie is garbage .",
      "this utterly mediocre forget-me-now could 've been crafted by any faceless serial director at all .",
      "disappointing in the way it drags out its narrative to little effect , substituting cheap revelations and sometimes incoherent action for anything resembling the kind of innovation and verve that is the hallmark of craven 's best work",
      "might not be wes craven 's best film , but it 's certainly his worst .",
      "but then maybe it 's asking too much to have characters and a story as one dimensional as this to ever appear to have three dimensions . so in this case , the 3d 's of craven 's film are : dumb , dull , and deceptive .",
      "confused , poorly executed , sporadic and incredibly messy , but despite its pitfalls , my soul to take is an enormously entertaining bad movie .",
      "clunky bird metaphors , blind kids grabbing for dangling ropes , a horshack-ian best friend with an abusive stepfather , and a story that would be impossible if any of these kids drove a car , sum up most of the more obvious problems with the film .",
      "places too much time in the hands of disposable characters - so that it is neither a brainless slasher flick nor an immersive character piece based in a serial massacre .",
      "what -lsb- wes craven -rsb- wound up with was a witless stab-the-teen time-waster that could be his worst film ever . and considering 2005 's wretched cursed , that 's pretty bad .",
      "a single-serving package of adrenaline that wears off quickly .",
      "`` my soul to take '' is one of the most banal horror films i 've seen in the past few years , which makes it surprising that it comes from the mind of horror master wes craven , who gave birth to the legendary horror icon freddy krueger .",
      "everyone in front of and behind the camera look and feel like they 're lifting the heaviest , least horrifying ton of bricks invented .",
      "the filmmaker 's red herrings prove depressingly incapable of hiding the real fiend 's identity .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "is it just possible that craven fumbled the ball this time and gave us the equivalent of a fairly amateur teen horror flick ?",
      "it 's talky , schlocky and stalk-y ."
    ],
    "summary": "dull , joyless , and formulaic , my soul to take suggests writer/director wes craven ended his five-year filmmaking hiatus too soon .",
    "id": "770874914"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_diary_of_a_teenage_girl",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's work , but it 's ultimately rewarding work . it tackles some truths that other movies would n't touch , not even with a stick and thick gloves .",
      "for an industry that can barely manage to put women in leading roles , MOV casts a sexually brash 15-year-old as antihero , and succeeds .",
      "it dares to show the heroine as something more complicated than a victim . as a result the movie lands somewhere outside the battle lines of contemporary gender politics , which may be why it feels true .",
      "heller 's empathy and , let 's be honest , her denial of prurience appears to free powley from embarrassment . she 's seizing this part , not shrinking from it .",
      "expect to feel uncomfortable watching diary of a teenage girl , which is precisely the point of this finely etched debut feature by writer/director marielle heller .",
      "there is a kind of achievement in depicting a sexual relationship between an adult man and his girlfriend 's daughter in a way that makes it feel neither predatory nor twisted ... whether it is a thing worth achieving is another question .",
      "well-acted , well-written , well-considered , and very difficult to watch , this is a movie that challenges our expectations and makes us squirm in our seats , as though we 're reading someone else 's diary , when we know we should n't .",
      "MOV is undeniably bold in its candor , but it leaves us feeling empty .",
      "this marks an amazingly auspicious debut for heller , who adapts gloeckner 's novel with uncompromising and unsettling power , despite its slight incursion into a hollywoodized upbeat ending .",
      "heller 's debut directorial effort is incisive and universal , despite its very specific and detailed setting .",
      "in an era of smooth and sanitised teen movies , it is refreshing to encounter a film as idiosyncratic , dirty-minded and self-consciously wayward as this .",
      "it will get up a lot of people 's noses but this warm and grown-up film is shameless in the best sense of the word .",
      "in powley we have a true star in the making .",
      "it should n't be radical to see a movie treat a girl with this level of appreciation and understanding of her most intimate inner self . yet it is .",
      "big summer action movies can be thrilling , but if you really want to feel your heart pounding out of your chest , try being a 15-year-old girl for 101 minutes .",
      "it 's morally complex and sometimes uncomfortably close to the bone , but also lushly bawdy and funny , and packaged together with an astonishing degree of cinematic brio by first-time writer-director marielle heller .",
      "with translucent eyes and brass enough for an entire concert band , powley plays minnie with exuberant energy and crushing self-doubt .",
      "it nails the emotional , hormonal bloodbath of a young girl 's sexual coming of age with an earthy , humorous and boldly unflinching approach .",
      "working from phoebe gloeckner 's 2002 graphic novel/memoir , heller gets the shabby glamour and bleached sunshine of '70s san francisco just right , coloring several scenes with vivid blooms of animation .",
      "it 's unlikely to make a box office splash , but it 's a startlingly tough , authentic depiction of budding womanhood .",
      "may tread familiar territory , but at least it does so with great empathy and thoughtfulness .",
      "with wit , understanding , and directorial smarts , MOV makes for an uncommonly loveable debut and adaptation .",
      "heller approaches the film in just the right way : as an absolute outgrowth of arty minnie 's own pent-up creativity .",
      "the loose quality makes for a bit of a shaggy story with some rough edges , but the bursting , youthful heart throbs with that mix of longing and triumph that is first love .",
      "MOV is n't as different from most other indie coming-of-age films as one might initially believe .",
      "this film may become the ` catcher in the rye ' for young women .",
      "frank to the point of cringe-worthy .",
      "it 's difficult to recall another example in the coming-of-age genre so steadfast in its lack of judgement , especially one featuring a female protagonist .",
      "what a ballsy film - and honest too .",
      "minnie 's inner life , a fantasia of animations appearing crumb-like around her , is dazzling , and there 's plenty of naked emotion amid the sex , drugs and hand-drawn penises .",
      "boldly honest and frank coming-of-age film that is at once daring in its subject matter , yet very much part of its genre . good , but not quite great .",
      "heller 's grasp of the material is as firm as a more experienced director 's . still , the primary attraction is powley , who offers up the best acting performance i 've seen all year .",
      "playing a character trying to reconcile her hormones , heart and head , powley seems genuine in a way that actresses playing adolescents rarely do , and helps ensure that the heady rush of a movie that she 's in does the same .",
      "frankness , candor , and honesty , served hot . a must-see .",
      "-lsb- powley -rsb- offers a bold performance that mixes rabid hormones , spiritual agonising , scary self-debasement and extreme teenage drama-queening .",
      "this powerfully arresting and affecting adaptation of the book by phoebe gloeckner is only getting started with the many and varied provocations it has in store .",
      "powley is a 25-year-old actress , but she 's a convincing teen in every sense -lrb- which will lead to the discomfort of some -rrb- . it 's a breakout performance .",
      "most crucially , heller is more interested in bearing witness to adolescent experience than passing judgment -- and this approach extends to her handling of the adults around minnie .",
      "the film does n't glamorize the misadventures of its heroine any more than it condemns them , and the result is fresh in every sense .",
      "... an audacious , winning debut -- for the director and the star ...",
      "boasting powerful performances from its lead stars , wonderfully creative direction and a story that will have you howling with laughter and recoiling with horror , it 's a film that really resonates .",
      "inventively visualised and electrified by powley 's vibrant star turn , this is mature , spirited , emotionally generous filmmaking that understands under-18s far better than innumerable insipid young adult romances .",
      "funny and sad , scary and sweet , disturbing and revelatory .",
      "those who can hold it together through the graphic onslaught of poor decision-making ... will no doubt be pulled in by the film 's strange blend of comic animation and heightened emotion .",
      "quite delightful , a film which hums with a rare honesty and empathy .",
      "bel powley navigates the movie 's nudity and non-graphic sex scenes with deadpan aplomb , and wiig and skarsgĺrd are touching as leftover emblems of a passing age .",
      "this is a gutsy , juiced-up film that manages to engage with a period and tell a few truths for the ages . all involved should be watched carefully .",
      "the first thing to know about MOV is that young british actress powley is staggeringly good in it .",
      "the diary of a teenage gir is the kind of movie that seems a lot more adventuresome than it is .",
      "few films this frank about teenage sexuality are found in american cinema .",
      "diary of a teenage girl veers into dark and edgy territory yet its light , `` sundancey '' touch is undeniable .",
      "the novel is life-specific , but what makes minnie - on the page and now on the screen - greater than any one girl is how she tells her own story in her own soaringly alive voice .",
      "thank goodness the irreverent but earnest diary of a teenage girl avoids the moralizing that would usually accompany a film about young people , sex and drugs .",
      "a riveting , resonant first feature from marielle heller , with a breakout star performance from brit actress bel powley .",
      "frank , poignant and daring , `` MOV '' invites you into the mind-set of a sexually adventurous 16-year-old girl - and suggests you leave your judgment at the door .",
      "for a movie about such fraught topics , sometimes rendered with admirable and non-squeamish explicitness , diary often eschews melodrama ; when the plot turns , it does so abruptly , providing a credible simulation of real-life tumult .",
      "heller 's nimble direction and clever script , based on phoebe gloeckner 's semi-autobiographical graphic novel , ensure that the film never paints either minnie or monroe entirely as victim or predator .",
      "a movie of -lrb- increasingly rare -rrb- truly indie sensibility , made by women who are confident about healthy feminine resilience .",
      "it is open about its approach to sexuality and it does n't shy away from it 's likely controversial subject matter .",
      "any woman who survived puberty knows that girlhood is all about obsession -- just ask justin bieber , one direction , new kids on the block , or the beatles .",
      "directed by heller with a winningly light touch , MOV does n't aim to shock , but neither does it play for laughs . it 's a comedy in the deeper sense : a story about the unstoppable vitality of the young .",
      "despite the troubling affair and minnie 's further experimentations with sex and drugs , MOV is less provocative than it is blunt and honest .",
      "the first feature from marielle heller hits all the right chords as a mature sexual coming-of-age film .",
      "as we watch minnie -lrb- extraordinary 22-year-old british actress bel powley -rrb- bouncing blithely and often comically toward disaster , she seems painfully real .",
      "heller and her cast find too many piercingly honest moments for the movie ever to feel like a wallow in exploitation .",
      "MOV locates all the good and bad things that sex does for its main character and sends her out into the world wiser for it .",
      "although heller 's debut does have some stylistic flourishes , this is not an exercise in style , but a refreshingly honest film , both funny and sad , about growing up female in all its messy complexity and wonder .",
      "powerful , exhausting , ecstatic , twisted and unerringly honest , `` MOV '' is a rare film indeed , a look at a young girl 's messy coming of age told completely from the young girl 's point of view .",
      "credit heller for keeping proceedings in perspective and for delivering one of the most candid accounts of the teen odyssey .",
      "one wrong move could have thrown the whole movie off , but powley gets it right again and again . and so does the cast and crew .",
      "heller 's film is a totally realistic and honest achievement that captures how some teenage girls think about sex and relationships .",
      "bold but flawed film about sexual awakening is very mature .",
      "a coming-of-age movie from a woman 's perspective that deals with sex in a frank , graphic way that is never salacious or prurient .",
      "a serious , thought-provoking , funny , moving tale of a self-evolved winner .",
      "films often fail to capture the turmoil of being a teenager - but not this one .",
      "a cautionary tale , but an edgy , compelling one that 's often hard to watch and even harder to forget .",
      "an honest and personal and unblurred examination -lrb- even through that druggy blur -rrb- of a tricky voyage into womanhood .",
      "`` MOV '' is as rewarding as it is squirm-inducing for its honesty , audacity and artful portrayal of adolescence from a girl 's point of view .",
      "adapting phoebe gloeckner 's illustrated novel , heller makes an impressive big-screen debut with this seriocomic adventure through the life and head of minnie goetze -lrb- played by british actress bel powley -rrb- .",
      "seldom has teenage sexual awakening been covered from a female perspective - with a fickle alternating confidence , self-doubt and voracious appetite - quite so frankly or delicately .",
      "while undeniably creepy at first and generally alarming throughout , the movie maintains a refreshing judgmental minimalism toward both its often reckless title heroine and the irresponsible adults she loves and betrays .",
      "it 's powley , with her manga-wide eyes and ability to convey vulnerability , heartache and a hardening resolve about who minnie is as a person that grounds the film and makes it special .",
      "a bold and unconventional portrait of a teenager who at 15 finds herself caught up in a surge of sexual experiences and emotions .",
      "bel powley is magnificent .",
      "as you watch , it dawns on you that , absurdly , this has probably never been attempted before in a commercial feature - certainly not in this frank , unapologetic way .",
      "true to its title , marielle heller 's adaptation of phoebe gloeckner 's semi-autobiographical novel has the loosely structured , unfiltered feel of a young person 's diary .",
      "it remains to be seen how the mpaa will react to MOV 's frankness , but hopefully it wo n't be too restrictive as there 's more value in this for younger people than in mainstream ya fare .",
      "heller captures the era well , and her cast are never less than convincing . insightful and important , this diary is well worth a peek .",
      "uneven as it can be at times in its last fifteen minutes , marielle heller has crafted promising debut that evokes the idea of unlocking the secret world of teenage girls and letting us live inside the special little jewel box , if ever so briefly .",
      "MOV uses its subject to examine the uncertainty of adolescence with a truly striking candor and realism .",
      "the film is achingly apt in the ways it captures minnie 's intense emotions .",
      "a funny , sad and ultimately triumphant coming-of-age story .",
      "... specific to its setting but features a character whose neuroses and self-esteem issues will resonate .",
      "a sensitive , emotionally candid sexual awakening ...",
      "marielle heller 's screen adaptation -lrb- which was first a stage adaptation -rrb- is suitably warts-and-all , corporeal , and morally complicated -- everything a teen account of their sexual awakening and unravelling should be .",
      "way overrated when it played sundance , if this disappointing and dreary film presents one of the most unappealing ensembles of characters i have seen in a long time .",
      "-lsb- not -rsb- played for cynical misanthropic laughs or as miserable tragedy , but ... -lsb- in -rsb- an honest treatment devoid of the usual rush to judgment .",
      "in a good way , this very frank and unrepentant '70s coming-of-age tale will make some viewers uncomfortable -- parents especially .",
      "`` MOV '' is a breakthrough moment in the culture in that it depicts youthful female sexuality ... not just with the unapologetic frankness the boys usually get , but with an awareness of all the places a girl 's urges will take her ...",
      "writer/director marielle heller , in her captivating debut film `` MOV , '' hits exactly the right tone for a complicated balancing act , and for a film that could very easily have gone wrong .",
      "a strikingly intimate look at a teenager 's sexual life in an outstanding debut film .",
      "a fine adaptation of phoebe gloeckner 's autobiographical novel about a sexually precocious 1970s adolescence .",
      "at a time when hollywood is often and rightly criticized for its negative portrayals of women , MOV sends a valuable message about the value of self-worth .",
      "first time writer/director marielle heller , adapting the novel by phoebe gloekner , does a bang up job with the story , but also offers a fair bit of visual ingenuity .",
      "i made it two-thirds of the way through the routine sexual coming-of-age yarn `` diary of a teenage girl '' when it occurred to me that anything else i could conceivably be doing would be more interesting .",
      "newcomer powley is terrific as the mercurial lead , who 's not quite as mature as she believes herself to be , and she 's matched marvellously by her grown-up co-stars .",
      "-lsb- minnie -rsb- learns ; she learns better , and she learns well , but the movie is about becoming , not being judged , and not about judging oneself . like all tightrope walks , MOV is fearless , and often breathtaking .",
      "equal parts sophisticated and childish , adventurous and fearful , powley is astonishingly good as the anchor of writer/director marielle heller 's uncompromising adaptation of phoebe gloeckner 's novel .",
      "not just a film about teen horniness ; it 's a subjective beaming from the mind of a young woman dealing messily with messy feelings .",
      "heller and powley present a journey that , stripped to its most basic emotional elements , is timeless and universal .",
      "the film is harsh but wonderful . it should n't be funny , too , but somehow it is , and somehow it 's the right kind of funny .",
      "one of the best films of the year .",
      "sometimes a performance is so good it leads people to think a movie is better than it is .",
      "powley is a marvel and well-supported by the ace cast in a small film that deals with big issues about coming of age .",
      "whatever the film 's flaws - foremost being a surfeit of magic-realist animation inserts - you ca n't say it is n't the real thing ."
    ],
    "summary": "boldly unconventional and refreshingly honest , diary of a teenage girl is a frank coming-of-age story that addresses its themes -- and its protagonist -- without judgment .",
    "id": "771412040"
  },
  {
    "movie": "black_balloon",
    "reviews": [
      "collette acts as an anchor for the ensemble , but the young leads credibly hold their own onscreen .",
      "where baz luhrmann 's ` australia ' is bloated , this aussie pic is a look at a single family in a suburban australia town , a group that are alternately heartwarming and frustrating .",
      "tackles a serious theme with energy and what sometimes feels like too much hilarity . but as the story deepens , it really gets hold of us .",
      "the youth-oriented movie introduces a glowing young australian actress with true star potential -- the international model gemma ward .",
      "young love triumphs in a terrific australian indie that deals with autism in an authentic , unsentimental way .",
      "it 's a very auspicious debut for this young australian filmmaker .",
      "the MOV is such a gracefully conceived film , yet crafted with a raw , unflinching honesty exploring the simultaneous sorrow and joy that can define severe family afflictions .",
      "this auspicious oz import is a sign of bright , young filmmaking in australia .",
      "it 's a film that comes from the heart .",
      "a writer-director portrays life with an autistic brother to heartwarming effect .",
      "it 's brilliant ; a beautifully balanced comedy-drama that makes you laugh as much as it makes you cry , sometimes in the same scene .",
      "it 's a film about a supposedly real-world set-up that never feels true , even though the people who made it clearly set out to treat their subject matter and the audience with respect .",
      "collette aside , there is no wow factor in the MOV -- just a not-bad story told with better-than-average skill .",
      "the MOV , a splendid australian film about a teenager and his older autistic brother , gets it , from the happy/sad imagery of the title through the uplifting , but not saccharine , finale .",
      "it sometimes skirts melodrama territory , but the deep emotions ultimately are real and gratifying . dependable toni collette keeps it grounded , disappearing into her role as the incredibly patient mother .",
      "structurally and cinematically , the MOV sticks to the coming-of-age basics , but -lsb- director -rsb- down has a gift for conveying time and place .",
      "there are wrenching scenes that are brutally stark , yet there remains a steady sense of calm that is touching and sensitive without ever turning sentimental .",
      "the outlines are broad and obvious , and thomas such a bore , that the MOV loses air .",
      "a film that mostly skirts artifice and sentimentality for a truer portrait of a family battered and bruised but nowhere near broken .",
      "the MOV establishes this family with a delicate mixture of tenderness and pain .",
      "thomas and jackie 's friendship , blossoming into a chaste romance , is the dramatic engine that powers the MOV , but it 's far from the most important relationship in the film .",
      "the MOV is neither ` rain man ' nor ` the other sister . this aussie charmer charts its own course .",
      "it 's a well-meaning film , marked by luke ford 's sensitive portrayal of a disabled character . but the main character is bland , imparting the same vibe on the rest of the film .",
      "autism is a subject most filmmakers fear to broach , but not aussie newcomer elissa down , she attacks the issue with honesty and passion .",
      "at its sharpest elissa down 's feature directorial debut is guided by intense , rough-edged emotional swings that feel authentically alive , even when the script settles for tidiness .",
      "the MOV is marked by the fiercest bravery you 're likely to encounter on screen this year .",
      "the film 's vision is neither a grim wallow nor falsely cheerful . it 's compassionate but unblinking , and in the end we ca n't help but admire the genuine strength of how its characters accept their special challenge .",
      "wakefield anchors the well-paced quieter moments .",
      "a deeply personal film for writer/director elissa down , the MOV is a gentle yet unflinching look at a family strained by the pressures of caring for an autistic teenager .",
      "toni collette gives it the old little miss sunshine try in the MOV as an edge-of-kooky , very pregnant mama presiding over a chaotic household .",
      "elissa down 's semi-autobiographical film always manages to counter its indie clichés with a sober sense of the volatility that comes from living with an autistic individual .",
      "this unblinking family drama packs a visceral punch . thomas ' journey toward acceptance is blessedly free of noble lessons and filled with real people .",
      "the blooming puppy love between thomas and jackie lends the MOV a welcome strain of tenderness . mr. wakefield and ms. ward project the innocence of shy , sensitive young people for whom a tentative shared kiss is a very big deal .",
      "small aussie family drama about a likeable teen 's acceptance of his severely disturbed older brother is a sweet and sunny charmer that will be a tough sell at theatres but should find its way home to smaller screens .",
      "this small gem has a very satisfying ending .",
      "the MOV courses with a firsthand feel for languorous aussie summers , the shifting scales of love and hate in sibling relationships , and the earned wit that helps families cope with difficult situations .",
      "a touching australian film about a young man 's coming-of-age and the re-negotiation of his relationship with his older autistic brother .",
      "director/writer draws on her personal experiences with frank honesty to lift this up from just another heartwarming movie about a family living with a special-needs teen .",
      "feels stitched together from countless coming of age tales and dramas with mentally impaired characters ."
    ],
    "summary": "a tender and witty portrayal of a family coping with autism , the MOV is heartfelt without being schmaltzy or moralizing .",
    "id": "770685824"
  },
  {
    "movie": "things_we_lost_in_the_fire",
    "reviews": [
      "a lovable heroin addict helps a widow and her children cope with loss ... obvious and unconvincing ...",
      "danish director bier focuses on themes and relationships in what 's otherwise a rather contrived melodrama .",
      "susanne bier 's first english-language film is a superbly written , powerfully emotional drama with terrific , oscar-worthy performances from halle berry and benicio del toro .",
      "... raw and anguished performances ...",
      "story of death and redemption too much for kids .",
      "the first time you stare into halle berry 's iris , it 's interesting ; by the fifth and sixth time it 's exasperating .",
      "berry gives a riveting performance , but as a deeply decent man trapped in a hell of his own making , del toro gives the kind of career performance berry gave in monster 's ball .",
      "` MOV ' deserves praise for its top-notch performances and its humanistic treatment of such serious subject matter as grief and addiction .",
      "-lsb- del toro is -rsb- both beast and beauty in a movie that mismanages the idea that life is not a fairy tale .",
      "del toro 's face can be a map of emotions , and he 's allowed to unfold it freely .",
      "it 's very strong .",
      "... a muddled story that features an outstanding performance by del toro ... wrapped up in pretentious storytelling .",
      "look for benicio del toro 's name next to my friend hal holbrook and -lrb- hopefully -rrb- max von sydow when the best supporting actor names are listed .",
      "MOV : any sense of rhythm or pace , and an ending that wo n't make you groan .",
      "a shimmering example of just how good benicio del toro has become , as well as how bad halle berry has pretty much always been .",
      "MOV is the best of the recent crop of films about coping with loss . it also boasts a quietly riveting performance by benicio del toro .",
      "only the acting is remarkable in this agonizingly morose , tedious melodrama that unfolds at the pace of a death march .",
      "benicio is the heroine addict with a heart of gold !",
      "there is much that is right about this film ; it is a shame that it tries a bit too hard and falls a bit short .",
      "in an unusual season with so many films are aimed at adults things we lost may be the most mature of the lot .",
      "... plays like iырrritu lite , which means it 's not terrible , but it does pretend to a substance it does n't in fact deliver .",
      "a sobering and intimate look at how we handle loss , `` MOV '' is owned by the performance of benicio del toro .",
      "the most remarkable thing about MOV is the fact that susanne bier came all the way from denmark to make this movie .",
      "often as overwrought as it is heartrending .",
      "... never entirely comes off as the searing , hard-to-watch drama it 's presumably supposed to be .",
      "`` MOV '' is an overlong downer that crumbles under the relentless strain of anger and grief .",
      "MOV could have easily turned into chest-thumping and wailing for two hours , but it 's a lot more than that .",
      "less than profound , but consistently honest , MOV is neither triumphant nor great , but it is meaningful .",
      "scheduled blowups and symbolic dreams and interminable tears until we all feel like we 've learned a little something about loss : we want our two hours back .",
      "excuse me , but was n't this soap opera supposed to be about halle 's grieving character 's loss of a husband , not about her worrying about losing her looks ? it does n't get any more shallow than this .",
      "the best part of the film is del toro 's performance , a junkie jumble of many layers , glued together with a deep seated humanity that reaches out to us .",
      "a susanne bier film guarantees us a potent emotional journey , and this , bier 's first english language film , dissects hearts and searches for truths .",
      "every trace of maudlin evaporates in one of del toro 's lopsided grins .",
      "you ca n't manufacture honest sentiment ... . so , i 'd have to call the movie a noble miss .",
      "i wish someone had lost this script in the fire .",
      "MOV sounds like a made-for-lifetime weeper . but two superlative performances means `` fire '' is anything but a by-the-book drama .",
      "the film felt very anti-climatic to me for some reason .",
      "where the film 's ambitions crumble is in its avowed refusal to make its audience too uncomfortable .",
      "damaged individuals healing one another is a serviceable idea for a film , but MOV is missing an essential component : plausibility .",
      "MOV is certainly not a comedy , but it is definitely mordant with its two big themes : loss and addiction , both treated in a singularly heavy-handed manner , for which i blame primarily mr. loeb 's screenplay ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a well-acted , beautifully filmed reflection on love , loss , addiction and recovery from life 's obstacles .",
    "id": "770671516"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gridiron_gang",
    "reviews": [
      "the film 's few , scattered moments of honest grit and pathos are nearly drowned out by composer trevor rabin 's incessantly syrupy score , which sounds calculated for maximum emotional uplift , just like almost everything else about MOV .",
      "great message , so-so movie .",
      "while grittier on the surface , phil joanou 's allegedly ` true story ' inspired MOV is as soft and safe in its centre as any of the two dozen or so inspirational pigskin operas that have been released in the past two years .",
      "many of the young actors are also quite good in a large ensemble that does n't become the jumbled mess it could have .",
      "gridiron entertains and makes a powerful point about the faults inherent in the penal system , particularly for youths with hopes of rehabilitation .",
      "... it 's like a super-sized afterschool special with pg-13-rated bad language ...",
      "... the former footballer and pro wrestler dwayne ` the rock ' johnson is just the rock on which to securely build a football inspiration movie like MOV .",
      "we are drawn into MOV to the degree that we come to recognize team members and generally appreciate their struggles toward self-respect and responsibility .",
      "... the movie seems pat , simplistic and slightly phony .",
      "... nearly as bleak as it is uplifting .",
      "the picture is so earnest that it leaves out the easy , old-school pleasure conjured by the last few years of disney sports flicks -lrb- invincible , miracle , the rookie -rrb- .",
      "call it inspirational karaoke if you like , but it gets the job done . mostly .",
      "though one of the producing entities is called original film , nothing could be further from the truth ... hopelessly formulaic and pat .",
      "`` MOV '' is all formula , but it 's tough to blame the film for sticking with a game plan that works .",
      "johnson gives the part his authoritative all , but he does n't have the depth of ability to elevate a sappy script that regularly calls for up-choking .",
      "the film has nowhere near as many well-developed characters as it has street , prison yard and on-field brawls .",
      "the film is energetic and technically polished , with flashes of humor ...",
      "... amid the dead-on straightforward presentation and the gaggingly earnest emotions , MOV is worth cheering for sometimes .",
      "turns out to be quite enjoyable , even if it 's not all that good",
      "stepping into disney 's inspirational genre , this is an almost unnecessary film since it 's based on a docu dealing with the same subject that , while not great , is more satisfying than this schlocky upbeat saga about sports as moral and physical salvation",
      "... as robert aldrich proved in the longest yard , a football movie should be able to hit harder .",
      "the two rapt ladies next to me at a recent screening vocally identified the pure , square-jawed machinations of an earnest script as `` so sad '' no fewer than 16 times .",
      "-lsb- the rock is -rsb- really quite affecting as a regular kinda guy ...",
      "MOV is n't just distinctive , it 's downright exceptional - the kind of film that not only sustains its genre , but sets a legitimate benchmark if not a high watermark for future entries to aspire to .",
      "a touching and entertaining , well-acted star turn by the rock .",
      "the movie constantly teeters on becoming a filmed version of a successories calendar . but the rock 's charismatic performance and phil joanou 's sturdy direction yank hard against heart-tugging dialogue to pull the movie back with gravity and grit .",
      "... no great shakes , but it 's professionally realized and makes good use of the talent at hand .",
      "the film misses the chance to showcase these actors with a deeper exploration of their changing relationship .",
      "auds will respond , either to the uplifting message and the solid action sequences .",
      "... a lugubrious tutorial on the importance of being a winner .",
      "this lazy and episodic tacking -lrb- pep talk , game , pep talk , game -rrb- aggravated me because it sabotages the film 's social relevance and honest-to-goodness cinematic uplift .",
      "if you like your sports movies , especially your football movies , larded with more clichés than a politician 's stump speech , MOV begs to be seen .",
      "... these are truly vulnerable , hopeful characters who actually deserve our cheers .",
      "it may not be a great film , but it is a thoroughly admirable movie .",
      "had MOV dared to challenge its audience with a larger dose of reality , it might have broken the field and become something memorable and meaningful .",
      "... this inspirational material is appealing ...",
      "as sports movies go , MOV is n't bad , just not top-line material .",
      "though it does n't really teach us anything new , MOV -- mainly due to the powerful screen presence of dwayne ` the rock ' johnson -- is mildly entertaining and , at times , somewhat compelling .",
      "scores big time ! it 's the real thing . loaded with action-to-the-max in the streets and on the field .",
      "anyone still doubting johnson 's chops as an actor ought to simply dismiss such doubts now -- he 's the single most effective thing about the movie ...",
      "it 's technically well-made , but lacks the writing or acting skills to make it work .",
      "MOV is enjoyable enough , but it is also manipulative , melodramatic and pretty much interchangeable with the recent basketball film coach carter .",
      "the surprisingly effective MOV will find its way into that harshly defended emotional endzone , even if they might not necessarily admit it to their friends .",
      "despite the occasional mixed message and overwrought moment , MOV is a sincere , moving film about a worthwhile subject",
      "it 's a difficult balancing act between gang life and the sports film where inspiring moments can very easily become maudlin and wearing . MOV slips and stumbles a bit in the second half but for the most part makes it across whole .",
      "dwayne johnson pushes his emotionally charged performance so hard that you think he might pop a blood vessel .",
      "it 's unfortunate that what was undoubtedly an inspirational story could end up onscreen as such a been-there done-that hack job .",
      "... the film 's various problems -lsb- are -rsb- exacerbated by a ridiculously overlong running time -lrb- it 's 125 minutes ! -rrb-",
      "watchable , decently made drama with some strong performances , but the script is disappointing given the real-life story behind the film .",
      "what begins as a series of pleasant revelations and a deft example of genre defiance is nearly crippled by cliche in its second half , but the rock 's surprising dramatic magnetism will hold you until the final whistle .",
      "... the movie 's good intentions are consistently undermined by its simplistic notion of redemption , and its inspirational thrust is diluted by an epilogue that suggests the program still has a ways to go in the life-altering department .",
      "... nearly every time it has the chance to make a play -- it fumbles .",
      "MOV feels less like a movie and more like a tony robbins motivational seminar .",
      "... an extremely inefficient film , wasting time -- the movie 's and ours .",
      "... you would n't say MOV is a touchdown , but it 's not a fumble either .",
      "the rock commits himself admirably to this trite tale , but by the end , even his enormous shoulders buckle under the weight of so many cliches .",
      "`` gang '' does n't excel by abandoning formula , it succeeds by making the formula work for the film , not the other way around .",
      "some movies present their whole story in a two-minute trailer , but MOV says it all in its poster ...",
      "MOV is effective , thanks to phil joanou 's confident direction and the mountain of charisma that is dwayne ` the rock ' johnson .",
      "-lsb- screenwriter jeff maguire -rsb- reduces practically every scene to an oversimplified emoticon .",
      "more honest and substantive than the average mainstream sports flick . not necessarily more original , but certainly more worth the viewer 's while .",
      "paint-by-numbers storytelling aside , MOV is a fine movie .",
      "despite its good intentions , MOV is full of cliches , but at least they 're captivating cliches .",
      "it 's about as subtle as a tackle by a 300-pound tight end , but is is a pleasantly heartwarming journey .",
      "... about as inspirational as a yawn .",
      "... utterly predictable ...",
      "imagine a movie comprised of inspirational clichés and absolutely nothing else .",
      "... if there was ever a role that the rock was born to play , he 's found it here",
      "wan na know why sports movies are criticized for being too cliché ? because sports , as a whole , are too cliché .",
      "the rock ... performs so many corny inspirational speeches that his mouth might as well transform into a triumphant horn .",
      "bad news bangers",
      "well intentioned , but way too corny , way too over the top ...",
      "if the rock could clone himself to appear in juvenile halls across the country , the recidivism rate would get body-slammed within a few weeks .",
      "but can the rock pull off a dramatic role ? surprisingly , for the most part , the answer is yes , and the film is a success for it .",
      "another ` true story ' inspirational sports movie , and you pretty much know whether or not it 's your brand of jockstrap from that fact alone .",
      "no sappy sports cliche or trite inspirational slogan is ignored .",
      "the trite script waters down and trivializes its subject matter , almost to the point of negating any emotional impact .",
      "at once uplifting and banal , `` based on a true story '' and abjectly `` disneyfied , '' the formula is also -- apparently -- endlessly profitable .",
      "the philosophy espoused in MOV places the team above the individual , but the film is carried on the broad shoulders of the charismatic johnson .",
      "mostly the movie barrels toward you , stiff-armed .",
      "it 's the bill paxton of movies , good enough to be respected and liked , but not great enough to make you think everyone involved deserves an oscar",
      "the film does n't try to be politically correct , and it points fingers where they should be pointed .",
      "jeff maguire 's script turns out to be simultaneously riddled with clichés and -lrb- as the documentary footage over the closing credits shows -rrb- generally faithful to events .",
      "... despite the shameless cutting and pasting , it 's hard to argue with the movie 's intentions .",
      "joanou rushes through the material , attempting to do justice to too many characters and juggle too many subplots to really explore any of them .",
      "the rock no longer exists . dwayne johnson has finally shed the identity that turned him into a wrestling legend and earned the right to go by his real name .",
      "the movie slows to a crawl as new obstacles and melodramas pile up like linemen on a quarterback .",
      "proof that good storytelling can change perception and make us appreciate a group of youngsters we 'd just as soon throw away more than a blue collar guy who gets his shot with the philadelphia eagles .",
      "gang only gels as a drama because of johnson 's dedication to making porter a human being first , and an `` inspiratron 3000 '' movie formula robot second .",
      "this is the type of film that has nothing wrong with it , really , but that does n't have anything particularly right with it either .",
      "cue the violins . MOV , an unabashedly sentimental but endearing true story , turns out to be a real winner .",
      "what was the rock thinking ? stop coaching and start doing . give the man something to hit .",
      "were it not already taken , angels with dirty faces might have been an apt alternative title for this true story .",
      "a corny and unbelievable ` based on a true story ' drama with a canned trevor rabin score that could have been programmed in by computer .",
      "johnson leaps is into the ranks of legitimate actors . he 's got depth , he 's got some range , and he 's got the heart and sincerity to make them both work",
      "sure , it 's a hallmark card , but some hallmark cards -lrb- like this one -rrb- are more poetry than doggerel ."
    ],
    "summary": "the role of probation officer sean porter fits dwayne `` the rock '' johnson like a glove ; however , the execution is so cliched , the youths ' stories -lrb- based on real events -rrb- , fail to inspire .",
    "id": "287865123"
  },
  {
    "movie": "raging_bull",
    "reviews": [
      "an underdog in its day and a classic today .",
      "the film that many consider the finest of its decade .",
      "the true power of de niro 's performance rests in his ability to worm his way into this lug 's twisted psyche and air out his personal demons for all to see .",
      "director martin scorsese has a knack for tackling fascinating characters that are n't altogether sympathetic .",
      "a masterpiece",
      "scorsese 's masterpiece , which should have won the best picture oscar , is a haunting chronicle of jake la motta , centering on the fine line between animalistic brutality and human conduct .",
      "while there 's no denying that it 's very well acted and flawlessly filmed , MOV is nevertheless ... sporadically engaging but mostly overrated ...",
      "jake 's inner struggles dovetail with his performance in the ring , and the film",
      "the true story of championship prizefighter jake la motta , this is unmannered , unpretentious filmmaking that tells its story with startling authenticity , but it 's a movie that leaves you feeling as beat up as one of la motta 's opponents .",
      "a work of religious devotion by a filmmaker to his craft and an apotheosis of scorsese 's promise",
      "scorsese and de niro built up such a rapport that the actor became an extension of the director 's vision .",
      "filmed in a gritty , naturalistic style in luminescent black and white , martin scorsese 's tortuous film is a fascinating exploration of a diseased man 's soul .",
      "it 's the best film i 've seen about the low self-esteem , sexual inadequacy and fear that lead some men to abuse women .",
      "widely acclaimed as both the greatest film of the 1980s and of its director , martin scorsese , this is one of a select handful of films that everyone should see .",
      "the boxing sequences have little to do with reality , but cinematically they explode .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1980 -rrb- is an unrelenting , searing biopic and dramatic tragedy - based on the real life story of an unloveable , stubborn middle-weight boxing champion",
      "often unpleasant and painful to watch , the film is a no-holds-barred look at a violent man in a brutal sport , in which , amazingly , the wholly unsympathetic lamotta attains a state of grace at the end that is inspiring .",
      "the most obvious basis for the film 's claim to greatness lies in scorsese 's devastating critique of the very codes of masculinity that shaped him as a filmmaker , and in robert de niro 's performance , through which that critique is made flesh .",
      "de niro is always absorbing and credible , even when his character is n't .",
      "a classic that has everything to do with the capacity of even highly successful men to cope with life in general , and women in particular .",
      "MOV is a fascinating exploration of the mind of an emotionally disconnected man . it 's brutal , crass and impossible to look away -- much like a real boxing match .",
      "when has a performer as fully and uniquely sacrificed himself to the moving-picture cause as de niro ?",
      "endlessly compelling",
      "the other night , my wife and i sat down to watch the new 30th anniversary blu-ray edition of martin scorsese 's MOV . i could scarcely believe it 's been three decades since ...",
      "interesting , rewarding and , at times , surprisingly episodic .",
      "robert de niro 's metamorphosis into boxing legend jake la motta -lrb- aka the bronx bull -rrb- is one of the most impressive acting transformations on celluloid .",
      "scorsese might never again find a subject as ideal as jake lamotta , the bronx-based boxer whose public bouts and private demons MOV chronicles with such bruising acuity .",
      "um estudo psicolзgico brutal sobre um homem dominado pelo ciщme , a inseguranуa e a paranзia e que traz , alжm da direусo inspirada e expressiva de scorsese , trжs atuaушes formidрveis por parte de de niro , pesci e moriarty .",
      "though MOV has only three principal characters , it is a big film , its territory being the landscape of the soul .",
      "every swirling camera movement , every distinctive angle , has a real reason for existing in this story of world middleweight boxing champ jake la motta .",
      "clearly the best fight film ever . maybe the best film ever too .",
      "MOV is a screen biography of jake la motta , a searing look at the sport of boxing and a riveting drama revolving around grand passions .",
      "for those who think rocky is the greatest boxing movie ever made : think again .",
      "this film does more than make you think about masculinity , it makes you see it -- in a way that 's relevant to all men , not just bronx boxers .",
      "it is certainly the greatest boxing film ever put to celluloid .",
      "there 's no room for romanticism in the ring with inky black blood staining the canvas . during fight sequences , the director also uses a number of point-of-view shots designed to show the world , however briefly , from la motta 's perspective .",
      "paul schrader and mardik martin turn in a soulful and intelligent screenplay , one that has blood dripping off the pages .",
      "this is scorsese and de niro at their best .",
      "martin scorsese makes pictures about the kinds of people you would n't want to know .",
      "i ca n't pan it , but this 1980 fantasy biography of fighter jake lamotta seems unquestionably martin scorsese 's weakest work , at least to that point in his career .",
      "de niro and joe pesci are impeccable and cathy moriarty is iconically sexy .",
      "this savagely authentic film about flawed masculinity is worth seeking out for another viewing if the summer 's toothless blockbuster fodder is getting you down .",
      "among the greatest films of the 1980s , but not scorsese 's best .",
      "martin scorsese 's luminous study of a man at war with his own nature remains undimmed after almost 30 years ."
    ],
    "summary": "arguably martin scorsese 's and robert de niro 's finest film , MOV is often painful to watch , but it 's a searing , powerful work about an unsympathetic hero .",
    "id": "15121"
  },
  {
    "movie": "battlefield_earth",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a plan nine from outer space for the new millennium .",
      "not so much watched as lived through , MOV is bad enough to make audiences ashamed to be part of the same species as the people who made it .",
      "it 's incessantly loud , underlit and badly directed -- actually not so much directed as ineptly assembled , with no action sequence going unbotched .",
      "solid , old-fashioned rollocking adventure ? you can keep telling yourself that , but you 'd be better off saving the cash , going home and watching star wars on video again instead .",
      "the emphasis placed on indoctrination , enslavement and superior alien intelligence brings the film troublingly close to subliminal propaganda , while the script is so banal you 'd have to be brainwashed to enjoy it .",
      "with this journey into the heart of rubbish , this full-throttle adventure into the hyper-space of drivel , travolta not only incinerates what is left of his own reputation , but takes someone else down with him .",
      "overall , i liked the movie . i thought it was a good , mindless sci-fi flick with a lot of effects and action .",
      "it 's got bad acting , atrocious dialogue and plot holes you could fly a harrier jet through -- but the result is more exasperating than comical .",
      "not awful , but pretty bad . a third-string planet of the apes meets star trek , MOV is a largely uninspiring sci-fi adventure with a swiss-cheese plot .",
      "from any angle this is a very ill-considered project -- an obvious contender for worst film of the year .",
      "MOV is as relentlessly grim as it is artless , and elia cmiral 's bombastic score also makes it painful to listen to .",
      "a noisy , chaotic , sloppily edited and embarrassingly banal and derivative saga .",
      "to make matters worse , earth only covers half of hubbard 's 1,000-plus page novel . the filmmakers plan on releasing a sequel in two years .",
      "did n't anyone stand up at a production meeting to say that the script is idiotic ? that the movie steals unashamedly from countless other sci-fi movies ?",
      "made with the misguided passion only true believers can muster , this adaptation of l. ron hubbard 's novel can only -lrb- kindly -rrb- be described as a monumental folly .",
      "though the vast majority of our civilization has not survived , it 's good to know that most of our clichés are alive and well in the year 3000 .",
      "a pretty terrible film .",
      "if you are the type of person who likes to watch traffic accidents , then this is for you .",
      "the movie is so outrageously , spectacularly , unbelievably bad that we stare at it with some sort of appalled curiosity . it fails on so many levels that it 's fascinating , although not so much that i 'd sit through it again .",
      "deeply dumb , depressingly derivative and just plain nonsense .",
      "a disaster of epic proportions .",
      "it 's generic sci-fi right down to the last detail .",
      "this movie could not be stupider .",
      "this battlefield 's girth is all flab , a bombastic concoction of miscued camp and underachieving action .",
      "it 's been a while since we 've seen dumb entertainment this unpretentious , so why worry that it does n't make a lick of sense ?",
      "and after about 20 minutes of this amateurish picture , extinction does n't seem like such a bad idea .",
      "looking back on this film , i ca n't find anything nice to say about it .",
      "if you 're the kind of sci-fi fanatic who has to see every new futuristic action movie no matter how crummy it is then of course you 'll check out MOV regardless of how many cheap jokes critics crack at its expense .",
      "MOV is just a lumbering , poorly photographed piece of derivative sci-fi drivel , full of grunting extras scampering around in animal pelts and more dank , trash-strewn sets than i ever care to see again .",
      "john travolta and forest whitaker do some hollywood slumming in this tenement of a sci-fi thriller . -lrb- 10-year-olds may enjoy . -rrb-",
      "appalling .",
      "there are many things to make fun of here .",
      "a monumentally silly hunk of junk .",
      "logic is in short supply . burned-out cities have electricity , for example . my favorite : a hangar full of jets , buried under 1,000 years of dust , not only fire up instantly but still have full tanks of gas .",
      "the plot is like a talentless adolescent 's attempt to rewrite spartacus as science fiction .",
      "the plot is jumbled and poorly edited , the dialogue laughable , and special effects seldom appear so common . a performance by john travolta in which he abandons everything that ever made him cool is the rotten cherry on top .",
      "if you are looking for something to hate and despise , get thee to this movie .",
      "plan 9 , at least , was a protest against nuclear proliferation -- what the hell is MOV about ? is it supposed to be a tribute to man 's ingenuity ? if so , why is it so shoddily built ?",
      "the end result is a science-fiction saga so incoherent , so ugly and so pointless that you have to wonder why warner bros , is even bothering to distribute this embarrassment .",
      "one can only hope for john travolta 's sake that his sci-fi epic MOV was meant to be an uproarious comedy . if not , everyone connected with it is in deep , deep trouble .",
      "now that it 's finally on the screen , we discover that the science-fiction epic travolta considered a holy grail is silly junk .",
      "remarkable mainly for rendering the prospect of human extinction inconsequential .",
      "the characters are so deliciously absurd .",
      "is it as bad as advertised ? oh yes , very much so .",
      "do n't see this movie .",
      "it 's hard to say which is the most embarrassing moment in john travolta 's longtime dream movie of l. ron hubbard 's 1982 novel .",
      "at about the one hour mark , a portion of the audience split the scene and i do n't blame them . they were fed-up with being taken for complete and utter morons .",
      "the story is quite weak , with the pace all over the place .",
      "travolta and his fellow bad guy -lrb- played by forest whitaker -rrb- spend an inordinate amount of time cackling and showing off poor oral hygiene .",
      "they brought it into existence , this hellbeast of a movie , this monstrosity , this slap in the face of all that is good and right and beautiful and sweet and gentle . oh , the humanity ! hide the children 's eyes !",
      "a truly dire and silly rehash of planet of the apes .",
      "i can not help but think that maybe -lsb- travolta 's -rsb- laughing that he was able to sucker people into pouring millions of dollars toward making such an unspeakable waste .",
      "a disaster of epic proportions !",
      "it can stand as the quintessential example of big moviemaking ineptitude .",
      "christian has chosen ... the sneaky trick ... of making ... the film ... so ... plodding ... that you 'll leave ... the theater ... wondering ... whether ... 1,000 years ... have ... passed ... since ... you ... went ... in .",
      "as for the allegation that this boring movie will recruit youth -- i doubt it !",
      "it will no doubt take a place of honor in the proud pantheon of ` what were they thinking ? ' cinema , right alongside the postman and howard the duck .",
      "what this movie lacks in simple logic , it makes up for in its apparent unintentional campy humor .",
      "the only people this film could recruit are members of the rock band kiss , who , with their high-heeled boots and face paint , might figure they 've got a spot if this alien thing ever really came down .",
      "the end result is a high-budget star vehicle with big special effects that looks in every other way like any one of over a hundred other nameless low-budget post-apocalyptic science fiction movies that have been made in the last 30 years or so .",
      "travolta 's performance is n't even bad enough to be campy ; it 's just bad .",
      "legions of science-fiction fans will feel compelled to approach the ticket booth and scream for a refund .",
      "so depressing that you ca n't even relish just how awful it really is .",
      "i have n't seen such a laughably incompetent summer movie since summer movies became summer movies some 25 years ago , and that 's saying a pantload .",
      "a botched adventure that looks suspiciously like any number of other sci-fi tales you will have seen , and pales instantly by the comparison .",
      "clearly , at no point did anyone say , `` man , this is a steaming pile of hangover dung - why do n't we fix it ? ''",
      "every bit as bad as its reputation implies .",
      "despite starting off like a bad star trek episode , this film eventually graduates to a higher level .",
      "is it worth seeing once ? sure .",
      "you do n't watch it -- you survive it .",
      "even if you were to classify it as a guilty pleasure , it would be the kind of sullying guilt that makes people leap from heights .",
      "MOV has the feel of a movie made by a precocious 8-year-old with access to too many leftover costumes from clan of the cave bear and star trek : the next generation .",
      "it 's bombastic , chaotic , plodding , visually dreary and patchily written by first-timer corey mandell and jd shapiro , who 's too unimportant to rate mention in the press kit .",
      "in the post-apocalyptic adventure genre , MOV makes waterworld look like a masterpiece .",
      "MOV is a shrill , hollow and unintelligible movie with no redeeming value whatsoever .",
      "big-budget , little-intelligence entertainment .",
      "mish-mosh of dank dialogue and predictable plot .",
      "so overwrought , overacted and overwhelmingly inept that it must be seen to be believed .",
      "MOV is long and tedious .",
      "younger , less discriminating viewers -lrb- 5-year-old boys -rrb- will eat it up .",
      "the narrative is unclear beyond this one fact : apes control the planet and humans are their slaves . oops . wrong movie -- but not by much .",
      "this 117-minute adaptation of an 800-page sf adventure for teenagers seems like a miscalculation on multiple levels .",
      "the plot depends on the most ludicrous decisions and senseless actions ever made by a thinking race .",
      "MOV begins as retro pulp and ends up , figuratively speaking , as tons of wet cardboard .",
      "this is florid science fiction , low-brow but energetic , complete with cheesy thrills .",
      "this is n't a movie , it 's a crime against celluloid . you do n't so much watch it as stare at it in gape-jawed disbelief .",
      "okay folks , we 've got a winner for worst film of the year , and the year is n't even half over yet .",
      "in MOV , it ` s all flash for no reason .",
      "as it gets more loudly ludicrous , with destruction coming in vast waves , you do n't think ` piece of cake ' but ` piece of -lrb- oops -rrb- . '",
      "while the look is cool -- like a tinted b&w film , all washes of green , blue , amber and red -- the story 's broad strokes are painfully clichéd and its details make no sense at all .",
      "utterly inane and innocuous in the most harmless , uninteresting way -- the fruit of an overrated star 's overblown ego , recklessly indulged by studio excess .",
      "o diretor roger christian acredita que ` ter estilo ' é simplesmente inclinar sua câmera o tempo todo .",
      "it 's as if travolta wanted to destroy his career again just to see if he could stage another comeback .",
      "finds -lrb- travolta -rrb- wobbling around in the highest platform shoes since elton john and sporting bizarre dreadlocks ... the oddest vanity production imaginable , one in which the main attraction is nearly impossible to recognize .",
      "ah , it ai n't really that terrible .",
      "you never care about anyone as they give their lives to save humanity . ho hum . that 's the worst crime in this otherwise so-bad-it 's - good mess .",
      "no , it does n't rise to the appalling heights of awfulness of such legendary mega-bombs as ishtar or burn hollywood burn . it has n't the wit .",
      "the miscued camp and underachieving action merely unload it as a bombastic concoction .",
      "place it next to the omega code and the omega code shines .",
      "travolta , it seems , had wanted to star in a film of MOV since first reading the novel in 1982 . only the all-seeing l ron knows why .",
      "there 's really only one way to summarize my sheer hatred for what is possibly one of the worst movies i 've ever seen . and it 's through a list .",
      "`` MOV , '' based on a crappy 1982 sci-fi novel by cult religion dips # * t l. ron hubbard , is so inept and pathetic that it should forever end any questions about the validity of hubbard 's manufactured religion of scientology .",
      "pretty much the showgirls of sci-fi shoot - 'em - ups .",
      "there 's really nothing here you have n't seen before , except maybe the sight of john travolta walking around with tubes in his nose .",
      "if you are looking for something to hate and despise , get thee to this movie .",
      "a folly so supreme that it occasionally inspires awe , in the sense that so many people spent so much time and money on it without ever realizing how awful it is .",
      "and you thought dune was bad .",
      "watching MOV is to a movie-watching experience what having a yeast infection is to having sex .",
      "if filmmaking has ever been less thrilling and more disengaging , i 'd like to see it .",
      "it was a helluva comeback , john . now go away .",
      "it 's so unbelievably and egregiously bad , you have to wonder if they did it on purpose .",
      "the movie plays like an uglier , earth-bound star wars , interrupted by frequent psychlo temper tantrums .",
      "sitting through the summer 's first monolithic monstrosity , MOV , was one of the most painfully excruciating experiences of my life .",
      "simply put , MOV is the worst film i 've seen in over 10 years , and believe me , that 's saying a lot .",
      "this third-rate b-movie is predictable and silly in the extreme .",
      "the words ` so bad it 's good ' strain to make themselves heard through the film 's coarse bluster and grimy din .",
      "MOV should be shown only at maximum-security prisons when a prisoner is tossed in solitary for bad behavior .",
      "bad science-fiction has a new name , and it is MOV , the early frontrunner for this year 's worst movie .",
      "just too absurd to pay full price to see in a theater .",
      "it does n't help that the film 's premise , which sees stoneage cavemen turn into ace fighter pilots with only a week 's training , is as naive as that of the 1939 serial buck rogers .",
      "the sets are laughably cheap , and the aliens look like geeks from a star trek convention who could n't afford to buy the `` good '' klingon costumes",
      "if this is what we have to look forward to in the year 3000 , count me out .",
      "aaaaaaaaghhhh ! my eyes ! it burns ! it burns !",
      "this film maintains a surprising consistency of bad acting and directing almost from the first frame to the last .",
      "blame this mess on travolta .",
      "john travolta will forever be haunted by this sci-fi travesty based on l. ron hubbard 's novel .",
      "scientologist or not , this is as inane as summer blockbusters get .",
      "robin did not review `` MOV ''",
      "worst example of vanity filmmaking in years .",
      "MOV is like taking a bus trip with someone who has needed a bath for a long time . it 's not merely bad ; it 's unpleasant in a hostile way .",
      "here is a picture that will be hailed without controversy as the worst of its kind ever made . it could be renamed ed wood 's planet of the apes if that title did n't promise more cheesy fun than the movie actually delivers .",
      "one of the darkest , ugliest , most uninvolving and incomprehensible major-studio fantasies i 've ever seen .",
      "with this kind of epic ineptitude -- hell , the flick is set in the year 3000 -- you go for `` worst of the millennium . ''",
      "the summer movie season has barely begun and already it has its first 10-ton turkey .",
      "the film starts well with interesting comic book-style camera angles , but it never generates enough tension due to preposterous plot holes and liberal borrowings from other movies .",
      "the director is roger christian , who , if early audience response is anything to go by , would do well to flee the country under an assumed name .",
      "there 's so much to mock in MOV , it 's hard to know where to start .",
      "the worst movie in living memory .",
      "wooden acting , sappy melodrama and illogical plot lines .",
      "nothing wrong with borrowing from other movies . except that the new piece needs some fresh energy to retool the old ideas and bring them back to life . and that is exactly what MOV lacks .",
      "it 's probably obvious by now that MOV is far from cerebral or anything even remotely serious .",
      "the first few moments of the film evoke heroism and noble struggle . after that , it 's grade a drivel .",
      "MOV is dumb .",
      "the dialogue is inane , the acting wooden .",
      "MOV saves its scariest moment for the end : a virtual guarantee that there will be a sequel .",
      "MOV bathes in a pool of utter ridiculousness and cheesy visual styles , then stands up expecting everyone to admire it",
      "the leader bares a resemblance to andy rooney of 60 minutes , eyebrows and all . it would have been apropos for him to look into the camera and say , ` do n't you just hate it when you waste money on really stupid movies with cheesy special effects ? '",
      "i hated this movie , and i had a great time doing it ."
    ],
    "summary": "ugly , campy , and poorly acted , MOV is a stunningly misguided , aggressively bad sci-fi folly .",
    "id": "11361"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sound_city",
    "reviews": [
      "given dave grohl 's reputation for versatility and good taste , the film 's sturdy sense of forward motion may come as no surprise .",
      "an exhilarating history of the studio that spawned countless rock classics , not to mention a welcome reminder to aspiring musicians to step away from the laptop once in a while .",
      "the film is an exhilarating exploration of the creative process .",
      "it 's a sprawling documentary that laments what 's been lost in analog recording without ignoring the benefits of technology .",
      "loving doc about a legendary recording studio is one of the very best-and quite essential-movies about rock music ever made .",
      "grohl treats us to just more than an hour celebrating the history of MOV , the van nuys dump where a clutch of rock 's great records were bashed out-but the movie 's 107 minutes long .",
      "grohl has ... created both a fascinating account of the process of analogue recording and a tender tribute to the rock bands of yesteryear .",
      "a rich , kaleidoscopic , rock music documentary .",
      "a cocky , affectionate and very musical documentary that may make its central point a few times too often .",
      "a total blast to watch , sustaining momentum with a sharp admiration for the thrilling highs and lows of the complex and its rich history with some of the biggest artists around .",
      "an infectious appreciation for rock and roll lingers past the somewhat self-satisfied finale .",
      "there 's something rock about the film 's messy , nostalgic imperfection .",
      "fascinating , as rock history , thrilling as rock entertainment .",
      "a joyous ode to a lost era of music making that will delight music buffs and those who appreciate a well-done documentary .",
      "mr. grohl has put a lot of affection into this film , and it shows .",
      "it 's a mismanaged balancing act -lrb- hey , sort of like having a band ! -rrb- , but it 's an entertaining flick and rocking rock history nonetheless .",
      "a comprehensive look into the recording process and how it has changed over the years -lrb- and continues to change -rrb- while taking audiences on a journey from where music was in the '70s to where it is today .",
      "the first-time director smartly sees MOV as a surrogate for the overall industry at any given point in the past four decades , and he varies the tone of the interviews from fondly-regarded serendipity to deep-seated regret .",
      "the beautiful thing here is the way MOV enlivens some fairly snobby ideas about the glories of analog tape without resorting to mere mansplaining .",
      "an electrifying and enthralling labor of love that acts as a defibrillator for your creative juices .",
      "if it does n't break any ground as a documentary , it 's a heartfelt testament to a place he considers among the most hallowed halls of rock .",
      "a celebration of just how unbelievably awesome it is to make rock music for a living - not to mention being so successful at it that you can get your childhood heroes to come over and jam .",
      "high-spirited , emotional and funny , `` MOV '' is , of all things , a mash note to a machine . not just any machine , however , but one that helped change the face of rock 'n' roll .",
      "an authoritative , beautifully assembled , personal , even romantic account of one of rock music 's most important waypoints , a film which aficionados absolutely should not miss .",
      "... offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the studio , but in the process chronicles a recent history of rock music that both fans and non-fans can appreciate .",
      "even if you do n't know what -lsb- grohl 's -rsb- talking about when he says a room gives `` great decay , '' or when somebody else extols `` 24-track sensibility , '' the passion of this project really pops right out of the groove .",
      "in his directing debut , dave grohl shows the instincts of a real filmmaker . MOV hits you like a shot in the heart .",
      "i did n't jump out of my chair and pump my fist till 24 minutes in .",
      "grohl 's aim is to explore the aura of a place , but what he winds up proving is that people make the magic .",
      "dave grohl remains unflappable as a first-time director in his entertaining and informative documentary MOV , a loving tribute to a defunct van nuys recording studio .",
      "it cheapens itself by hitting some self-congratulatory notes , but until it does it covers some fascinating rock 'n' roll ground .",
      "for those about to rock , we salute you . a fond acknowledgement of a special time when a studio produced several albums that signaled key moments in music history .",
      "in MOV , a raucous yet sweetly romantic documentary , dinosaurs do indeed rock the earth again .",
      "a sincere tribute to the tape-based dumpy MOV .",
      "-lsb- grohl -rsb- has great fun sweeping through the historic parade of latter-day rock royalty whose hit records came out of the place .",
      "MOV is a fun ride for diehard fans of most any brand of rock and roll .",
      "dave grohl shares a lot of stories in MOV , and what 's most impressive is that for a first-time filmmaker he tells these tales remarkably well .",
      "it 's -lrb- a -rrb- part documentary homage to the defunct los angeles rock-and-roll studio where grohl 's earlier band , nirvana , cut its breakout album , ` nevermind ' ; and -lrb- b -rrb- part self-promotion for the dvd release of this very film and its companion cd soundtrack .",
      "when getting into the nitty-gritty of tapes and tracks , grohl makes a strong case for music docs directed by musicians .",
      "dave grohl 's terrific new doc , MOV , profiles the studio where some of the greatest music of the past four decades was born .",
      "we know dave grohl is a great drummer and an incredible frontman ; now we know he 's a great documentary filmmaker too ..."
    ],
    "summary": "smart , affectionate , and unabashedly sincere , MOV pairs a great soundtrack with a well-argued ode to one of rock 'n' roll 's most fondly remembered bygone eras .",
    "id": "771323012"
  },
  {
    "movie": "a_touch_of_sin",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a bold , invigorating statement from a director who keeps reinventing himself .",
      "a searing narrative that takes aim against the corruption and greed in the new china .",
      "fists are raised , pistols are cocked and knives are brandished in jia zhangke 's dystopian and throbbing take on modern china .",
      "jia 's primary concern here is the solitary suffering of his characters , punished to the point where they ca n't take anymore .",
      "a blistering fictionalized tale straight out of china , `` MOV '' is at once monumental and human scale .",
      "the horizon-stretching scenery , shimmeringly captured by cinematographer yu lik-wai , will make you draw breath , in awe but also fear .",
      "in -lsb- jia 's -rsb- sorrowful vision of life right now , everything on screen follows the jagged line of trickle-down cruelty , one where the bottom is n't the bottom at all .",
      "in addressing the two-pronged beast of westernization / corruption , jia gives us a multipronged and engrossing set of plots .",
      "this was one film that i gladly wished was longer . it 's the best omnibus in quite some time .",
      "a decent 45 minute buildup is squandered as the rest of the running time ambles along .",
      "a bitter , brutal , often brilliant exploration of violence and corruption in contemporary china .",
      "it 's a stunning commentary on why our collective belief in might makes right continues to prevail .",
      "embraces its many contradictions so fully that when the film does n't work it strangely enough works best .",
      "it 's travelogue cinema for the dissolute and gravely disenfranchised .",
      "an art-house film with the body count of a `` die hard '' sequel .",
      "ultimately MOV a rather misshapen attempt to add drama and narrative intrigue to jia 's stylistic repertoire , and the joins show too obviously for the result to be truly satisfying to his diehard fans , or to potential new recruits .",
      "part nuanced social commentary , part brutal action flick , auteur jia zhangke 's seventh film takes a multi-pronged approach to a complex topic : the effect of capitalist greed on modern china .",
      "jia shows the new china as a venal , impossibly corrupt place where the downtrodden millions are almost as maltreated , and just as hopeless , as sufferers under mao .",
      "a filmmaker captures soul of a nation in distress .",
      "this masterwork is set in contemporary china , where the gulf between those able to maneuver -lrb- or manipulate -rrb- the country 's economies of change and those left behind or defeated by the seismic shifts widens .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- bracing and unexpected offering from a director we thought we knew .",
      "a corrosive depiction of the new china , an everything-for-sale society still figuring out how to cope with the dehumanizing effects of unbridled capitalism .",
      "while zhangke 's structural approach can at times be emotionally distancing , his themes thankfully keep the movie feeling personal .",
      "the filmmaker uses his trademark meditative pacing to delineate a de facto wild west replete with ruthless corruption .",
      "zhangke is a throwback to the golden age of cinema , evoking ray , kurosawa and sembene . like them , he embodies the national idiom while addressing the universal human condition .",
      "the most dramatic and even lurid of writer-director jia zhangke 's movies .",
      "sin , more stylized than the director 's previous work , is also more detached .",
      "courageous and unsparing in its view of contemporary china",
      "unique and brilliant .",
      "i ca n't imagine a comparable american movie , militating passionately , lyrically over on the economic inequities of american life . it just is n't done .",
      "in jia 's methodically furious vision , the ambient violence of unchecked power erupts among the insulted and injured with a horrific yet liberating sense of destruction and self-destruction .",
      "teases together four disparate stories of people driven to violence by the purgatorial pain of their modern existence .",
      "jia zhangke 's brilliantly observed MOV paints a bleak and violent picture of a contemporary china in which corruption is endemic .",
      "epic and intimate , MOV finally feels as big and complex , as contradictory and sad as , well , china .",
      "-lsb- jia 's film -rsb- shows a china spiritually disintegrating under capitalism , an increasingly violent country where the rich swagger and the poor struggle for their little portion of dignity -- a country , in other words , not all that different from the u.s.",
      "a dispiriting uphill climb destined to disappear into obscurity once its day at the croisette is done .",
      "it 's a movie that 's bitterly violent , both physically and emotionally , and a tremendous exploration of the have-nots in a society that is mostly known for its haves .",
      "it might be my least favorite of -lrb- jia 's -rrb- movies , but i still count it as one of the best films of 2013 which should tell you what i think of this extraordinary filmmaker .",
      "a grueling experience . one that feels sadly necessary .",
      "a kind of chinese pulp fiction with a political pulse , it adds up to a powerful portrait of desperate individuals driven to extremes by official corruption and runaway commercial development .",
      "it 's that quality of directness , of purpose -- here particularly fierce purpose -- that gives jia 's plays with fiction and nonfiction both their vigour and their political perceptiveness and bite .",
      "beyond the spattered blood and broken bones , jia 's usual levels of compassion and social analysis are maintained .",
      "it 's a brilliant lyrical film , shot on a grand-scale .",
      "though ultra-violent at times , those in the market for quality arthouse fare are guaranteed to be enthralled .",
      "consistently gripping and fascinating .",
      "drawing on four news stories , writer-director jia zhangke portrays the plight of workers in the new china . set in four provinces , MOV is humanist critique of the country 's turn to capitalism .",
      "jia 's film remains a troubling , exhilarating epic of pugnacious surreality that 's filled with jabbing questions and no simple answers .",
      "by far the best action movie of the year .",
      "jia offers a stark presentation -lrb- no music , few edits -rrb- that discourages vicarious thrills ; the violence is startling , not cool .",
      "in two decades of moviemaking , china 's jia zhangke has examined the damage of his country 's explosive growth with a poetic sense of outrage . with his latest effort , the implied violence bubbles over .",
      "the movie builds repeatedly to crescendo , pushing some desperate individual to the brink and then watching as he or she explodes into violence .",
      "jia is passionate about his characters , but that never compromises his considerable artistic control .",
      "... kicks off with an absolutely electrifying opening sequence ...",
      "director jia zhangke 's measured fury is evident in every frame .",
      "this is a bitter , jagged , disaffected drama , pessimistic about china , pessimistic about the whole world .",
      "from the opening moments of jia zhang-ke 's MOV , something strange is afoot -- and not just the unexpected flourish of violence which punctuates the first scene .",
      "`` MOV '' is by no means subtle , but it is composed with a passion and sinuous grace that makes it far more effective than many other sincere message movies .",
      "it 's not a pretty picture , but it 's a compelling one .",
      "although -lsb- jia 's -rsb- film is panoramic in settings and quasi-encyclopedic in styles , it unrolls as a single picture , sweeping , fluid and mesmerizingly clear .",
      "an inside look at the mean streets of modern day china .",
      "it 's a strikingly shot picture with some genuine dramatic weight , but as an overall piece of understanding , the movie leaves too much obscured , keeping the viewer in the dark despite some incredibly intimate acts of deliberation .",
      "this major work is cinematic in scope but loses none of the provocative truth that defines zhangke 's oeuvre .",
      "jia has a knack for orchestrating violence : the brutality is just stylized enough to have a kick , though you always feel its emotional weight .",
      "as depicted by jia zhang-ke , the balance between the spoils and moral rot of murder are far preferable to the debasing rigors of tradition and hollow nationalism .",
      "a film that could only be made by a fearless director fully aware of his powers , and unafraid to grapple with ideas that might break him .",
      "the violence hits you like a shovel to the head , but the political rage stings hardest .",
      "this is what pulp fiction might have looked like if bill douglas had got hold of it .",
      "there 's more than a nod to king hu 's touch of zen as zhangke unleashes a four-fisted chunk of ultraviolent fury . tarantino would approve .",
      "it provides a brutal , compelling insight into a troubled nation and is told with a fierce sense of urgency .",
      "it 's been banned in china for its savage criticism of that nation 's economic and social policies . but its horrors look awfully familiar to us in the west , too .",
      "shocking . stylish . historic .",
      "as an eastern western it 's like the searchers with missing gps . the spectator wants guidance - but may not want it long enough to stay the journey ."
    ],
    "summary": "its screenplay is n't as graceful as the choreography of its action sequences , but MOV offers enough stylishly satisfying violence to muscle past its rough spots .",
    "id": "771355956"
  },
  {
    "movie": "for_love_of_the_game",
    "reviews": [
      "cue the violins -- kevin costner has made another romance film .",
      "ok , sam , maybe you believed you had to sell your soul to hollywood . but did you have to sell it this cheap ?",
      "filmmaking , like baseball , is a team game , and sometimes even a talented lineup produces unexceptional results .",
      "a soapish weeper filled with clichés .",
      "piles on the cheese and corn and honey-sap so thickly that the film , at times , seems to be in danger of being smothered to death , which would have been fine with me .",
      "i only wish billy chapel had been more of a complete character , and less one of those baseball icons costner has exploited so successfully in other films . the game continues to be bery , bery good to him . it just could have been better .",
      "it 's a fun movie -- i recommend it for that -- but little more .",
      "costner and baseball : perfect together .",
      "depressingly , for a plot propelled by a love story , MOV sure strikes out when it comes to billy and jane 's romance .",
      "this is still a fly-ball , not a home run .",
      "like billy this movie is good on the field , but not so much once off it .",
      "memo to all involved : it 's a game .",
      "MOV 's earnestness seems itself like a desperate cry for attention .",
      "far more horrifying than evil dead , sam raimi 's attempt at making a sports-oriented romance strikes out , forfeits and loses three times before its two hours and 10 minutes are up .",
      "this guy is earnest , tireless , noble in his devotion to america 's pastime and mostly dull as branch water .",
      "under the confident direction of sam raimi , mr. costner gives a restrained but emotionally accessible performance .",
      "vanity is one thing , but costner 's act is beginning to feel like a particularly self-righteous -- and tiresome -- form of pathology . someone should tell him that an actor 's job is to disappear into his characters , not vice-versa .",
      "not a frame reflects the distinctively edgy touch that director sam raimi brought to films as diverse as the evil dead and a simple plan .",
      "the movie is n't the equivalent of a perfect game , but it 's a winner nonetheless .",
      "MOV seems lost , as one overlong melodramatic interlude follows another , each more predictable than the entirely predictable game itself .",
      "at two hours-plus , it does n't just seem long , it sometimes feels like a double rain delay .",
      "while MOV has much to recommend it , particularly costner 's strong , understated performance , raimi throws too many unnecessary curves .",
      "* MOV continually pushes its luck past the breaking point .",
      "like chapel , costner believes himself to be great , even when he 's slowly getting worse .",
      "-lsb- raimi 's -rsb- involvement in this grating star vehicle is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of for the love of the game : the evil dead are , presumably , turning in their grave .",
      "costner baseball flick is great at motion , not so hot at emotion .",
      "unabashedly sentimental -lrb- try saying the title with a straight face -rrb- , this is a touching story of a man at the end of a great career and the beginning of a great relationship . repeat after me : great date movie .",
      "preston is forgettable as `` this week 's blonde , '' adding her name to a list of women wooed by this poster boy for the strong , silent type .",
      "instead of quitting while he 's way ahead , costner takes on MOV , a melodramatic film version of michael shaara 's novel .",
      "the copious footage devoted to billy and jane 's encounters might have been easier to sit through is there was any magic between costner and preston , but they 're acting in two different films .",
      "this game is just so compelling , it 's hard not to put those flaws aside and just let yourself be washed over by this movie .",
      "costner should take a step back and just be happy that , thanks to MOV , his career will go into extra innings .",
      "it is a romance about a man and a woman , and it is a romance about baseball itself .",
      "reflective , syrupy and effective adult , romantic drama which deals eloquently with a man torn between his affection towards the game of baseball -lrb- i.e. his career -rrb- and his ability to open up to a woman for whom he cares deeply -lrb- i.e. his love life -rrb- .",
      "costner brinda una de sus mejores actuaciones desde mundo perfecto",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- gives kelly preston , in by far her most impressive performance yet , a character with a past , a richly textured present and the same kind of emotional complexity accorded costner 's heroic tiger .",
      "in spite of some obvious flaws in a very important area , namely character development , the emotion of the story plays pretty well . the sentimentality is n't for everybody , but if you 're interested in seeing it , go for it .",
      "at over two hours in length , MOV lasts one more inning than it should . the film is an enjoyable pastime , but not a game for the ages .",
      "even if it 's an uneven , often overwrought piece of work , it 's nevertheless compelling evidence that given the right role , costner can still cut it in the majors .",
      "the outcome of the game is fairly predictable , but still quite thrilling , as all good sports movies are , and the casting of real-life announcer vin scully as the play-by-play man was pure genius .",
      "costner is as uneven as the storytelling itself , stone cold at moments , shimmeringly real in others .",
      "costner and preston 's convincing work together go a long way in keeping the audience interested and involved .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- game stretches over most of the film , but any anticipated suspense is undercut by the sepia-tinted inserts charting the couple 's bumpy uninvolving five-year romance from first meeting to acrimonious split -lrb- s -rrb-",
      "MOV is painless , but it 's also pompous and pious about baseball in a way that does n't mean much to a non-fan like me .",
      "for the first 100 minutes or so i found this hokey but serviceable ; after that my watch became more meaningful than anything i could locate on-screen .",
      "a perfect game in yankee stadium is no big deal these days ; two have been pitched in the past 16 months . but a good baseball movie , that 's hard .",
      "an old-fashioned hollywood sports story/romance .",
      "thinking back through the movie , i can not recall a single thing either character said that was worth hearing in its own right , apart from the requirements of the plot .",
      "costner and company do a fine job getting you into the head of an aging sports idol at a pivotal moment in his life .",
      "MOV is an entertaining double play : an excellent baseball movie and an even better love story .",
      "a heart-affecting midlife drama .",
      "this is all insidious , self-aggrandizing fantasy ; an aging ballplayer 's balking on a lucrative contract renewal is as likely as sam raimi 's turning down a paycheck for a vanity production like this .",
      "despite a creaky moment or two , it 's an entertaining star vehicle that works as both an engrossing competition movie and a poignant love story .",
      "even the most adamant purists of the game will appreciate the utter flawlessness of the choreography , which is arguably the most realistic in the history of the genre .",
      "this is a highly complex film , with multiple flashbacks to different points in chapel 's life , but director sam raimi manages to hold it all together , showing us that it all comes down to just one decision .",
      "those who have even a small soft spot for baseball 's soothing rhythms will be hard-pressed to resist it .",
      "the plot points are so predictable , and the love interest so impossibly off the mark that these messages may as well be scribbled on home plate and then covered with a tarp .",
      "costner 's third baseball film is a big sloppy wet kiss to american 's favourite pastime .",
      "it 's really costner 's show , and he really shines . he and preston , who appears to be channeling meg ryan at her froopiest , make a very appealing on-screen couple .",
      "the director especially deserves credit for the verisimilitude of the baseball sequences .",
      "MOV is an odd and ultimately unsatisfying mix of sport myth and romantic melodrama , like a desperate attempt to make a baseball films that girls can enjoy .",
      "for love of the gameis designed to put a baseball-sized lump in your throat . well before that , however , you may feel like putting a lump on kevin costner 's head .",
      "watching raimi 's visual style and narrative verve flatten out into this pale reiteration of a middle-aged-male weepie is an exercise in modern horror .",
      "MOV is quite a bad movie .",
      "you need n't be a hardhearted skeptic to find the romantic scenes badly overdone , from kelly preston 's too-cute performance to the heavy-handed dialogue and syrupy music .",
      "the film comes across like the un-bull durham : every woozy cliché that shelton and costner refrained from has been given pride of place here .",
      "chapel is pitching a gem , but the movie does n't spend nearly enough time on baseball -- you find yourself glancing at your watch while costner steps off the mound or walks in slow circles or takes his time throwing to the plate .",
      "more of an infield grounder than a home run .",
      "feel-good tampering is rampant throughout .",
      "if you love baseball -- and i mean love and adore baseball -- then this is your perfect date movie . if you just like baseball , like me , then spare yourself the agony .",
      "the rhythms of the game feel right ; the rhythms of the romance feel embarrassingly harlequin , and the picture drags on for over two hours .",
      "kevin costner is back starring in his third baseball movie , and after those two box office home runs , mighty kevin has struck out .",
      "here are two things that definitely do n't go together : baseball and piano music .",
      "the baseball sequences are fabulous , not least because costner looks and moves like a real player a rarity for actors in sports movies ... but the love story , a five-year off-and-on affair , is little more than a sop to costner 's romantic faithful .",
      "MOV asks whether the same qualities that make an athlete a champion do n't also destroy his happiness . the answer , unfortunately , is long-winded and redundant ... but some of the baseball scenes are good .",
      "this is no perfect -- or even half-perfect -- game . it 's another movie where conventions are subbed for life lessons , where the emotions are cued by golden oldies and where the motivation -lrb- at least on the studio 's part -rrb- is n't love of the game but money .",
      "for love of the god , what is wrong with the once-likable kevin costner ?",
      "i 'm all for romance , you understand . but what makes this a drawback is that these people are all wrong for each other and that the filmmakers do n't seem to know it .",
      "on the field , costner is consistent , but his exploration of billy 's romantic dilemma is superficial and often wooden .",
      "those flashbacks will drive you nuts . as if baseball did n't drag on long enough , almost every inning or out of that yankees game is punctuated by a memory .",
      "i 'm not a baseball fan -- but i was on the edge of my seat , ready to cheer out loud during the final inning .",
      "it 's hard not to admire kevin costner for his stanch dedication to making old-fashioned movies that defy our acidic modern world .",
      "gradually pulls you from that slouched near-sleep position to the edge of the bleachers",
      "the baseball story was self-contained and involving for those who do not understand or appreciate the game , and costner 's range of emotions was genuinely gripping .",
      "though uneven and occasionally sluggish , MOV is a surprisingly satisfying hybrid of an old-fashioned sports film and a contemporary date movie .",
      "watchable enough but ultimately forgettable .",
      "what is it about kevin costner in a baseball uniform ?",
      "lovingly filmed by john bailey with the twinkling glow of new york at night and with the warm colors of a baseball game , the movie is invitingly sentimental and nostalgic .",
      "the perfect `` compromise '' movie .",
      "costner 's performance as chapel , however , ranks with his best work ."
    ],
    "summary": "baseball wins , romance loses .",
    "id": "10522"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1159100-oh_in_ohio",
    "reviews": [
      "posey 's such a delight it 's easy to appreciate her even in a film as fruitless as the MOV .",
      "one must endure an hour of ... crude gags until the film mutates into something almost wonderful in its final third , rescued by unlikely romantic foil danny devito",
      "unfortunately , writer adam wierzbianski , who seems more steeped in the rhythm method of sitcom than the less predictable peaks of screwball , allows the batteries to run down prematurely .",
      "a c - sex comedy with a near a-list cast -- at least in terms of talent -- the MOV is one of those movies that promises much but does n't deliver .",
      "or more aptly , the aw in awful .",
      "sex comedies often glean laughs out of sexual humiliation , but when the laughs do n't come -- and the MOV is devoid of even the mildest chuckles -- all that 's left is the humiliation .",
      "parker posey is not the only one who is n't getting satisfaction here .",
      "at the end of the day , kent and screenwriter adam wierzbianski have given us a mildly amusing premise , but fail to turn it into a story that takes us anywhere pleasurable .",
      "the sexual nature of the film will attract the tweeny crowd but the summer/fall romance between priscilla and wayne is the real draw , thanks to -lsb- danny -rsb- devito .",
      "posey rides the role with grace and charm , capturing each lightening bolt of self-discovery while also keeping the role grounded in quietly eroding shame .",
      "the sound recording is hollow and muddy , the cinematography underlit and sometimes blurred at the edges , and the whole thing has the dreary feeling of a bottom-of-the-barrel , clammy '70s sex comedy .",
      "it 's a thrill to watch posey incorporate , at last , some true emotion into her exuberant screwball wit .",
      "the MOV deserves a dubious distinction award : for turning a woman 's quest to achieve her first orgasm into a lackluster comedy .",
      "a first rate ensemble gets it past the censors , but not to a beachhead on the mainstream .",
      "there simply is n't enough material here to carry a short , much less an hour-and-a-half-long feature",
      "a feel good movie about feeling good , this fresh and very funny sex comedy stars parker posey as a woman in search of an orgasm .",
      "the MOV deserves credit for bringing up some sexual-experimentation taboos , but since the film never does more than nimbly skirt them rather than challenge them head-on , the proceedings are ho-hum .",
      "satire is awfully hard to pull off , but screenwriter adam wierzbianski exhibits a flair for it .",
      "billy kent and adam wierzbianski 's genial comedy about one woman 's search for sexual satisfaction takes an unsmutty attitude but falls disappointing short of its ambition to be both sympathetically straightforward and funny .",
      "how bad does a movie have to be for heather graham to remove her name from the credits ?",
      "the movie provides a good time but is n't wholly satisfying in the end .",
      "billy kent 's comedy makes much of masturbation and sexual aids , and , in that spirit , takes great pleasure from its broad , flat self .",
      "we wind up feeling like priscilla after sex with her husband : it was really fun at first ; we just hoped it would end differently .",
      "blurs the line between risque and raunchy , often to hilarious effect .",
      "ultimately , ohio fails to deliver in the third act , which is kind of ironic for a film about orgasms .",
      "the comedy misfires and the film winds up strangely ... impenetrable .",
      "while moments in this tale of sexual dysfunction are as refreshing as its underused cleveland setting , it remains more a set of interlocking sketches than a compelling story .",
      "a vibrator may put the buzz back in the solo sex life , but it tends to suck the life out of any movie not rated with three xs .",
      "a comedy that 's never funny enough or clever enough .",
      "comedies for grown-ups , period , are now in such short supply that a good-natured little picture like the MOV feels like an anomaly .",
      "full review in greek",
      "... comfortable enough , but there are no fireworks .",
      "it 's a harmless feel-good romantic comedy which offers a lot of cheap thrills and lowbrow comedy , but is too dysfunctional to stir up an orgasm .",
      "o elenco é charmoso , mas o roteiro parece um primeiro tratamento em que as idéias ainda estăo sem foco e o tom da narrativa , indefinido .",
      "tongue-in-cheek humor that 's kinda kinky around the edges .",
      "much like priscilla 's sexual difficulties , the MOV just does n't satisfy .",
      "most of the ` comedy ' has posey bumbling through one embarrassingly unfunny situation after another .",
      "the sight of posey , minnelli , and graham fondling sexual aids and chattering about orgasms is meant to reduce you to helpless laughter , but it will more likely leave you wondering how many bad choices it takes to destroy a career .",
      "are you asking me to believe that a one-time stoner would be so inspired by a science class that she 'd become a national merit scholar and get into harvard ?",
      "this is the slightest and slimmest of sex comedies .",
      "the MOV would make a second-rate lover : you 'll lose interest a while before it reaches its climax .",
      "ohio , and cleveland in particular , deserve much better than this .",
      "for all of its faults , however , the movie is so nonjudgmental and unashamed about enjoying sex , it ca n't help but leave you with a good feeling .",
      "despite this seemingly surefire premise and cast of veteran comedians - there 's even a cameo by liza minnelli as a masturbation coach -- the MOV just lies there , without a single laugh .",
      "people who complain about the lack of good adult comedies will still be complaining after watching billy 's kent 's the MOV .",
      "the MOV offers a cinematic representation of priscilla 's sex life : a lot of promise with no payoff .",
      "sometimes a flop is simply a case of a movie taking a wrong step . in the case of the MOV , it 's a case of never taking a right one .",
      "about on the level of a freshman frat party .",
      "the MOV 's childish storytelling , paper-thin character development , and general unfunniness combine to make one bad movie .",
      "the script , which was co-written by director billy kent , has the forced ` raciness ' of a mid - '70s dinner-theater sex comedy .",
      "it 's like watching a bad '70s porno movie that has been sheared of its sex scenes and has nothing left but rudeness and genitalia jokes .",
      "i felt some of its heroine 's pain . she 's spent her life waiting for an orgasm . i spent the movie waiting for a plot .",
      "eventually , the oh 's becomes ` zzzzzz 's . '",
      "the film smolders a little but never has much fire . it has a few smiles , but very few laughs .",
      "the MOV has a light , scampy spirit that rides to its rescue , often enough .",
      "a silly , amusing trifle .",
      "this is a mindless comedy about sex that is never remotely funny , with a cast that is never remotely sexy , and which , in one case , is downright revolting .",
      "the queen of the indies ploughs the fertile ground of feminine self-empowerment with good vibrations for all .",
      "its coarse opening sections are ill-matched for the warmly compassionate tale it ultimately matures into .",
      "it 's as if the filmmakers lost their nerve when it came time to write the kind of intimate , revealing conversation that can make a sex toy unnecessary .",
      "mischa barton 's acting is about as flat as her chest .",
      "parker posey and paul rudd play a couple that is entrapped in a marriage where nothing seems to go right , in bed or otherwise -- just like the movie itself .",
      "this is too clever by half .",
      "kent directs with clean , precise strokes and with little of the desperation associated with most american comedies .",
      "first-time feature director billy kent seems proud that his movie deals with sex in such frank fashion . but if you 're going to brag about your explicit sexuality , it does n't quite work to go out of your way avoiding skin .",
      "a farce executed by characters who feel more like pawns than fully realized people ."
    ],
    "summary": "a muddled sex-comedy that feels oddly sexless , the MOV packs in too many ideas without establishing a clear identity or objective .",
    "id": "190815706"
  },
  {
    "movie": "arlington_road",
    "reviews": [
      "... could have been a superb dark fantasy , but takes its own malarkey seriously .",
      "almost hard to catch your breath",
      "a crooked road indeed .",
      "the screenplay stretches the viewer 's credulity far beyond the breaking point , asking us to accept dozens of absurd contrivances and coincidences .",
      "a dank , mechanical exercise that refuses to have any fun .",
      "the climax is so implausible we stop caring and start scratching our heads !",
      "the plot takes forever to get moving , and when it does , it ca n't justify its excesses .",
      "this is a sloppily made film , imitative of the smoother made the parallax view .",
      "offensively phony and unintentionally hilarious !",
      "MOV is a movie trying so hard for intelligence , quality and deeper meanings , you can almost sense the strain under the celluloid .",
      "MOV is a moderately engaging suspense film .",
      "robbins and cusack are deviantly delightful !",
      "MOV succeeds at discomforting a viewer and making one apt to look over one 's shoulder for a day or two .",
      "MOV is actually a fairly entertaining , makes-you-think piece .",
      "an engrossing thriller !",
      "the film has a glossy , enjoyable surface .",
      "well acted , often tense and certainly atmospheric !",
      "a pulse-pounding paranoia thriller .",
      "a crisp , suspenseful thriller !",
      "a marginal engrosser that 's short on staying power .",
      "mostly devoid of suspense !",
      "from its horrific start , it 's involving .",
      "suspenseful and persuasive !",
      "MOV is a dumb , overheated thriller pretending to be a smart , topical one .",
      "clumsy and incompetent !",
      "painfully conventional !",
      "unfortunately , the rest of the film is not as well thought out or expertly executed as the shocking conclusion .",
      "just another popcorn thriller !",
      "a flat , formulaic ride !",
      "the machinations and manipulations built into the story it spins are simply too obvious to be taken to heart .",
      "so filled with moronic intentions and illogical ideas that , had there been any truth to them , might have led audiences to believe that we live in the twilight zone .",
      "this paranoid thriller creates a scary mood and allows its leading actors to go all the way with it .",
      "MOV , although erring with a bit of didacticism , is more than a little chilling .",
      "clever and somewhat unconventional .",
      "MOV is rousing summer entertainment !",
      "builds at a snowball pitch : slow at first , and then bigger and tighter and faster , so you do n't even realize what 's happening until it overwhelms you .",
      "... serves little more than forgettable rental fodder for some evening when you are in the mood for mindless junk food .",
      "a gripping political thriller about the dangers of domestic terrorism and the paranoia of those who see danger everywhere .",
      "apesar da narrativa morna e nada sutil , o final do filme redime parte dos fracassos do projeto .",
      "the only sequence more shocking than the film 's disturbing opener is its last .",
      "a tight , well-rounded piece of suspense/thriller filmmaking with an electric performance by bridges .",
      "it merely exploits our fears and emotions to jerk us around .",
      "stylish and unsettling .",
      "darker and more intimate than you expect .",
      "the premise is intriguing and the acting of bridges and robbins is decent , but the director pellington 's execution leaves much to be desired .",
      "scary movie about terrorism . not for kids .",
      "thoughtful , intelligent and brutally realistic !",
      "it never really gets inside us , mostly due to its overheated direction and endless hitchcockian references .",
      "the film 's at its best before the convoluted plot kicks in , as neighbourliness gives way to suspiciousness and the men test each other 's credentials .",
      "an imaginative action film !",
      "a pretty decent thriller .",
      "a smart if slow-boiling suspense thriller !",
      "cusack is especially good here , in the movie 's most deceptively subtle performance .",
      "tight , ingenious !"
    ],
    "summary": "a suspenseful thriller led by strong cast performances built around a somewhat implausible story .",
    "id": "13772"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dont_look_now",
    "reviews": [
      "what makes do n't look now stick with you is the potent undertow , the sense of guilt and despair that suffuses the venice locations and plasters itself across sutherland 's scowling face .",
      "with sutherland and christie in fine form it all adds up to one of roeg 's finest films and an undeniably key work in british cinema .",
      "one of the definitive mystery chillers of all time . poignant , beautiful and devastating .",
      "a haunting , beautiful labyrinth that gets inside your bones and stays there .",
      "roeg maps sutherland 's disintegrating psyche onto the city of venice , with its labyrinthian alleys , murky canals , and crumbling facades .",
      "supernatural flick with the most sensual love scene of all time .",
      "better than a hundred current `` thrillers . ''",
      "crisp , odd , and quietly very creepy .",
      "the viewer is left with the question of which of john baxter 's aphorisms to believe : `` seeing is believing '' or `` nothing is what it seems . ''",
      "a superbly chilling essay in the supernatural .",
      "not only do you probably have better things to do , but so , i 'm sure , do most of the people connected with the film .",
      "this british-italian suspenser , in which the horror gets to one almost subliminally , as in rosemary 's baby , is superior stuff .",
      "that dwarf in a red raincoat will fry your nerves .",
      "one of the great supernatural thrillers .",
      "creepy , hypnotic roeg effort .",
      "one of the most dynamic and radical british films ever made .",
      "it was maverick british filmmaker nicolas roeg 's destiny to transform du maurier 's strange psychological thriller into an emphatically mysterious tale of second sight and looming death in 1973 .",
      "this is director nicolas roeg 's masterpiece -- the fear-drenched mood of alienation is sustained right up until the unforgettable climax .",
      "it 's a ghost story ; it 's a meditation on time , memory and the poignancy of married love . and it 's a masterpiece .",
      "it is a messy examination of entropy : things fall and fall apart and we try to restore what ca n't be repaired and recover what has already been irretrievably lost .",
      "superbly acted , stunningly photographed , and edited with a rhythmic pungency that makes it irresistibly watchable even when the plot turns dark and scary .",
      "the film is n't easy to classify-it 's a psychodrama that occasionally sharpens into blood-curdling horror-but the experience of watching it is deeply unsettling .",
      "as an essay on cinematic language , do n't look now is ingenious ... as a work of storytelling , do n't look now is n't as clean-cut .",
      "separate polls by the british film institute and time out london have cited it as one of the 10 best british films ever made . no argument here .",
      "roeg 's expertly conceived visual metaphors sustain a powerful foreboding .",
      "like all great horror films , the reason it all feels so creepy is because our imagination makes it so .",
      "extremely creepy .",
      "roeg here offers one of the most disconcerting portraits of otherworldliness ever seen on the screen .",
      "a film which more than gets by on its directorial style , unforgettable imagery , and striking music alone , do n't look now also manages to be a haunting meditation on fear , death and the beyond .",
      "director nicolas roeg expertly hits on almost every accent that makes a thriller thrilling and engaging .",
      "creepy ending will appeal to fans of lynch and shyamalan .",
      "nicolas roeg 's 1973 film remains one of the great horror masterpieces , working not with fright , which is easy , but with dread , grief and apprehension .",
      "unending suspense -- intelligent and crisp",
      "do n't look now is both a chilling horror film and a fascinating portrait of grief .",
      "a masterwork , the kind of the film that needs to be studied frame be frame to fully grasp how intricately it has been put together .",
      "arguably the subtlest giallo ever made , it 's a film to heighten the senses .",
      "like some manic slasher on the loose , nic roeg cuts compulsively , severing the natural arteries between cause and effect to expose a more irrational kind of narrative continuum ... a true classic , worth looking at not just now but long into the future .",
      "-lsb- do n't look now -rsb- takes the viewer on a winding , unpredictable trip that starts as a meditation on grief and ends as a supernatural thriller .",
      "roeg 's purposely disjointed vision keeps you in near-constant dread .",
      "a natureza onьrica e labirьntica do filme ж bem representada por veneza , criando um clima de constante inquietaусo , mas a direусo soa datada e o roteiro nсo consegue fugir das convenушes do gжnero , desperdiуando a зtima dinрmica do casal principal .",
      "do n't look now uses the occult and the inexplicable as henry james did : to penetrate the subconscious , to materialize phantoms from the psyche .",
      "do n't look now brilliantly portrays the loves and losses we all experience , our here and now dictated by the fallibility of human nature and the cruelties of time .",
      "the most adult horror picture i 've ever encountered , or indeed can even imagine .",
      "a frightening and consistently inventive horror story .",
      "many of the subtle , jarring thrills come in the editing , which renders the notion of foresight explicit but still mysterious ."
    ],
    "summary": "do n't look now patiently builds suspense with haunting imagery and a chilling score -- causing viewers to feel donald sutherland and julie christie 's grief deep within .",
    "id": "13096"
  },
  {
    "movie": "miss_congeniality_2",
    "reviews": [
      "silly , stupid and sometimes funny , the movie is at its funniest in those moments when it 's so bad it 's good .",
      "`` there 's a cannon in my porthole , '' declares william shatner , getting the most out of his one real line . yes there is mr. shatner , and its name is MOV .",
      "after an endless stream of punches , push-up bras , and plot padding , there 's little chance you 'll leave the theater feeling too congenial",
      "as agent sam fuller -lrb- some script doctor is grinning somewhere -rrb- , king is called upon to routinely assault co-workers .",
      "every gag falls as flat as the klutzy title character .",
      "bullock 's delivery of a few choice one-liners is the sole source of laughs -lrb- but -rrb- her character has turned into a vapid , shallow , egocentric barbie doll nitwit .",
      "it 's an enjoyable -lrb- or at least educational -rrb- study of what bullock and her favored writer-producer marc lawrence have rightly identified as the star 's best comedy assets .",
      "is n't a noticeable regression from its predecessor . but it 's no advancement either , suggesting the risks inherent in franchise filmmaking .",
      "it 's embarrassing in a way that makes you want to avert your eyes and back slowly out of the theater",
      "nice poster .",
      "has the lazy rhythms of a none-too-ambitious sitcom well into its lengthy popular run .",
      "MOV : armed and fabulous lacks even the limited amusement and appeal brought to the original as a result of some shrewd casting .",
      "-lsb- mc2 is -rsb- like a firecracker that spirals all over the place , exploding in some places and fizzling out in others . luckily , there is more exploding than fizzling .",
      "harmless sequel .",
      "as gaudy and synthetic as a showgirl 's headdress ... as the great george burns often said , ` say good night , gracie . ' please .",
      "lame and inoffensive .",
      "a pretty laughless affair .",
      "sporadically amusing but sometimes slogging .",
      "entertaining and heartwarming .",
      "-lsb- sandra bullock is -rsb- mildly amusing but everything around her is weak .",
      "screenwriter marc lawrence -lrb- who also wrote the first movie -rrb- has turned his tough-as-nails , crotch-kicking gracie into the ` fbi barbie ' she always hated .",
      "bullock -lsb- 's -rsb- ... phony ` adorableness ' -lsb- is -rsb- half laughable hollywood concept of what it means to be ` bohemian ' and half deep self-hatred of the attempt at individuality ...",
      "MOV has some laughs , but many of the jokes seem desperate .",
      "this follow-up to the surprising 2000 comedy hit is so deprived of charm and so full of shrill , forced humor that it may make fans of the original forget why they enjoyed it .",
      "like most sequels , MOV is just a dumbed-down version of a concept that was n't that bright to begin with .",
      "mc 2 is one limp , dead fish of a comedy , all predictable characters and nonsensical storylines , filled with cheap would-be yuks and loads of talented people picking up paychecks .",
      "MOV is n't a total waste of your time ; bullock sees to that . but it is a waste of the star 's time .",
      "it 's kinda sweet , completely vacuous , and not really very entertaining .",
      "an exhausting , predictable , even maddening moviegoing experience .",
      "MOV 's target audience is those desperate for entertainment .",
      "you figure bullock would have learned her lesson about sequels after the speed 2 fiasco . mc2 is n't that bad , but it puts its star 's charms to the test .",
      "nothing with so many people in drag should feel this draggy .",
      "the film occasionally drags and overstates points , especially in a sticky-sweet coda . yet we 're always invested in the anxious gracie and abrasive sam .",
      "there is no good reason to go and actually see it .",
      "deliriously funny if instantly forgettable .",
      "bullock is still funny and appealing , but the horrendous script by marc lawrence sinks the enterprise .",
      "forget logic or reason or thinking . with nonsensical plot devices that are there solely to make a joke , this sandra bullock vehicle is surprisingly entertaining .",
      "the sequel is predictable , dumb and flaccid , too , but to a greater degree . it is everything its predecessor was , and less .",
      "for giving us a completely new story about the further adventures of gracie hart , MOV is a fine sequel .",
      "bullock is charming but clearly ca n't choose roles to save her life ; cross your fingers we wo n't be subjected to three weeks notice soon .",
      "this crime caper collapses under the weight of fluff , delivering a muddled girl-power message . it 's far from fabulous .",
      "it 's the supporting cast that help to make the sequel better than the original",
      "somewhere inside this very mainstream hollywood confection is a surprisingly subversive little bit of deconstruction . this is a movie about an un-makeover .",
      "if people keep seeing movies like this , they 'll just keep making them . kind of like feeding the birds ... or the cockroaches .",
      "yet another lame , entirely predictable sequel with no reason for existing other than to make a quick buck .",
      "sandra bullock and marc lawrence bring us a sequel that 's just as `` congenial '' as the first movie ... and that 's a unique achievement .",
      "it wants to be a buddy cop flick and a chick flick at once , but it fails at both worse than feds , that marginal '80s fiasco starring rebecca de mornay .",
      "sandra bullock 's heart does n't seem in this particular bit of silliness . it 's as if she knows the comic opportunities of making her a cast-iron you-know-what are n't knocking .",
      "the movie suffers until gracie is once again ` back on the case ' . the movie actually gets entertaining from this point on , but unlike gracie - it 's too late to save the day .",
      "so as not to be completely uncreative , they 'd make bullock over again , and she 'd save the same beauty queen 's life , but darn it , there 'd be no beauty pageant this time .",
      "labours to recapture the magic and ends up both getting the tone wrong and making its central character rather unlikeable .",
      "the main problem with the film is that it 's at least 30 minutes too long - the plot simply is n't strong enough to sustain a two hour running time and the film runs out of steam way before the end .",
      "although sandra bullock is entirely watchable , MOV fails to win the title the second time around . say goodnight , gracie .",
      "the overall premise is too flimsy to sustain an ongoing series . it should be two and through for miss congeniality .",
      "the movie seems so enamored of its own charms that even the outtakes have a slightly calculated feel .",
      "in the end consider this - the only really watchable performance in this movie belongs to william shatner .",
      "sandra bullock 's fbi agent is back in action for a sequel that feels like a distant runner-up in the quality comedy pageant .",
      "... another unambitious hollywood fluffpiece born out of greed , sloth and safety nets .",
      "a surprisingly buoyant sequel ...",
      "might please the diehard bullock fans , but no one else .",
      "for those who mainly want familiar faces and predictable comedy and do n't mind too much if every idea and every joke is tired and every moment utterly uninspired .",
      "there are too many rehashed jokes , and the new ones feel desperate .",
      "MOV : armed and fabulous is enjoyable in patches , but only because of the goodwill that most of us still have toward sandra bullock .",
      "like its predecessor , MOV is by turns a predictable and outlandishly contrived take on the pygmalion myth .",
      "the picture is going to have fun with or without you , so you might as well give in .",
      "a sequel comedy so weak , crass , dumb , labored and lame that it merits a sort of anti-quality oscar .",
      "this latest version of ebony-and-ivory harmony features girls , of both genders .",
      "all it lacks is a laugh track -- appropriate since it also lacks a laugh .",
      "this movie made me laugh .",
      "while most audience members will cringe at the inevitable showdowns and reconciliations , bullock makes the female-bonding angle seem not only believable , but compelling .",
      "the laughs are hardly armed and this mess , far from fabulous !",
      "in the zany tradition of lucille ball 's lucy , goldie hawn 's private benjamin and renee zellweger 's bridget jones , we can now add sandra bullock 's gracie hart .",
      "a tired , dull bunch of bull-ock",
      "armed and superfluous makes a more fitting title .",
      "MOV trods the same path so recently plodded by nia vardalos ' garish trainwreck connie and carla .",
      "sandra bullock 's latest makeover as an fbi agent runs out of lip gloss well before she snatches a beauty queen from the jaws of death a second time .",
      "MOV : armed and fabulous attempts to do this and has its moments before it succumbs to complete banality .",
      "without better material , bullock 's talents will remain undercover .",
      "bullock can still play the girl next door doing a pratfall with plenty of charm , but nowhere near enough grace to save this otherwise mediocre movie .",
      "we never find ` congeniality ' in a clunky , mean-spirited sequel that mines most its ` humor ' from one unlikable character 's sadistic abuse of another unlikable character .",
      "bullock struts her stuff well , but this comedy lacks freshness and sags in all the wrong places .",
      "neither buff nor fabulous , the high concept more wearying than delightful on the second go-round .",
      "congenial ? no doubt about it . armed ? you bet . but fabulous ? that 's one claim MOV : armed and fabulous ca n't make .",
      "this , to me , is a classic example of a sequel that was just made because the first one made money . i did n't even like the first one .",
      "any sequel to miss congeniality is uncalled for , but it did n't have to be this staggeringly awful .",
      "shatner 's forced presence , meanwhile , should have been lost in space .",
      "whenever the script 's writers ca n't come up with a funny line for her to say or a comic way to conclude a scene , they have bullock drop or bump into something . that is , when they do n't have her fall down .",
      "from its paper-thin plot to the utterly flat script , virtually nothing works .",
      "dumb . very dumb .",
      "as a transparent sequel , this flaccid follow-up has all the creative stability and comic support of a defective high heel shoe .",
      "bullock lifts an ill conceived screenplay into an area of some appeal . a valiant effort is one kind of recommendation ; her overriding huggability another .",
      "somehow manages to fail to live up to the memory of a film that was n't much to begin with .",
      "a delight from start to finish .",
      "it 's all pretty silly . sometimes silly is just what you need .",
      "caine is gone -- and so is the comedy .",
      "the premise of the first miss congeniality is unrepeatable by definition , and gracie is much less interesting as a now-fashion-savvy agent in las vegas .",
      "it 's as original as a pageant contestant advocating world peace .",
      "MOV : armed and fabulous is as awful as the original was inspired .",
      "miss congeniality is the sort of tedious and generic sequel that gives the number 2 a bad name .",
      "beyond rescue or repair .",
      "it 's absurd and predictable , but fans of the first movie should like this at least as much .",
      "bullock deserves better . we deserve better .",
      "what were the filmmakers thinking ? i mean , what besides making a second trip to the barn to milk the $ 300 million cash cow that was miss congeniality ?",
      "sure , `` armed and fabulous '' would like to be considered absolutely fabulous , but `` armed with a few laughs '' comes closer to the mark . `` amputated by a weak script '' nails it .",
      "the subtitle of the film is armed and fabulous . i can think of more appropriate words to use . awful and forgettable ? atrocious and foul ?",
      "many bad movies at least make an effort ; this one is content to simply lay there , like a fat tick gorged on the blood of complacent moviegoers .",
      "sometimes , a movie is so abhorrent it 's difficult to think of the appropriate words . when i do , i ca n't print them here .",
      "mild , middle-of-the-road and formulaic .",
      "trips over itself more than gracie hart . and it never gets up .",
      "nothing more than warmed-up leftovers , a boring and malformed vehicle for an -lrb- admittedly very likable -rrb- actress who simply ca n't find anything better to do in hollywood .",
      "MOV is one of those sequels that gives sequels a bad name .",
      "o filme claramente ressente a ausęncia de michael caine . -lrb- ... -rrb- sandra bullock é uma gracinha , mas năo faz milagres .",
      "the things we loved most about # 1 were downplayed in favor of the things that were n't all that funny ; and a betrayal of the main character through most of it .",
      "i think you will find it quite satisfying .",
      "what happens in vegas , stays in vegas . if that were only true for the production of armed and fabulous .",
      "for the sequel bullock 's as likeable as ever , but she can only do so much when working from a mundane script that relies heavily on repeating gags from its predecessor .",
      "silly but mildly entertaining farce .",
      "could it really have taken four years to come up with -lsb- this -rsb- story .",
      "there is a bit of a lesson about identity and self-worth imparted here , but it 's muddled at best . who has two hours to waste watching this movie ?",
      "what if i misinterpreted the whole thing , and it was really intended to be a straight drama with occasional light , humorous overtones ? and what if pigs had wings ?",
      "sure there are a few laughs here and there , and the climax , while predictable , gives a slight thrill , but ...",
      "... an unfortunate example of what happens when a once-popular actress is staring at the downside of her career",
      "the first film had its moments , not to mention benjamin bratt . but this one 's contrived enthusiasm for itself is misplaced .",
      "mildly amusing , but hardly fabulous and awfully long .",
      "congenial , maybe , but hardly fabulous .",
      "a boilerplate action comedy .",
      "this uninspired and slapdash sequel to bullock 's crowd-pleaser miss congeniality does have a handful of funny moments and clever one-liners , but it 's strictly a formulaic entry that recycles bits from the first film .",
      "this is one hideous excuse for a motion picture -- the kind of steaming sewage that occasionally makes life as a film critic seem like an exercise in self-immolation .",
      "not fabulous , barely even congenial , armed and fabulous lets us see the end of bullock 's stardom , even if she does n't .",
      "bullock is liable to catch a lot of grief for this career move , but she 's always been a sympathetic performer , and you have to admire her professionalism here in the face of what she must know is second-rate material .",
      "it is n't just that MOV is nearly absent a single genuine laugh ; it 's that instead of a screenplay and a story we now have stereotypes and sketch comedy .",
      "the jokes are hit or miss , but the appealing teamwork of bullock and king gives the movie gleam .",
      "having basic hygiene skills does n't preclude a woman from being tough enough to kick elderly regis philbin 's *** .",
      "the surest sign that MOV does not have a fraction of its predecessor 's intelligence is that shatner is relegated to being a useless hostage .",
      "despite the subtitle , it 's an utterly mediocre comedy that shoots blanks ... maybe the csi team can investigate how a stiff like this wound up in their town .",
      "a bigger , gaudier mess than the first movie .",
      "bullock returns with the grim inevitability of a natural disaster , and it 's every bit as cheaply predictable as the first film",
      "while the original relied on too many pratfalls and a charmless romance , the sequel utilizes snappy dialogue and a female buddy pairing with the terrific regina king",
      "it did n't stink as much as i thought it would ! but , it 's still the most unnecessary sequel since weekend at bernie 's 2 .",
      "bullock 's quippy snippiness is n't enough ... if miss congeniality is a consolation prize , let 's hope miss congenialty 2 is a parting ` gift . '",
      "gracie hart may still be armed , but her sheer fabulousness has come to a rather abrupt and unfortunate end .",
      "MOV is a sour , tedious , unfunny joke for 115 minutes . it may be armed , but it most certainly is n't fabulous ."
    ],
    "summary": "sandra bullock is still as appealing as ever ; too bad the movie is not pageant material .",
    "id": "10300"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jawbreaker",
    "reviews": [
      "one-liners tumble over one another , dulling their own impact . plot points hurl from the screen with velocity , but fizzle from a lack of inspiration .",
      "for all its posturing , and despite an odd cameo by mcgowan 's fiance , marilyn manson , MOV is missing anything resembling its own sensibility .",
      "desperately wants to be an edgy , ultra-hip black comedy along the lines of ` heathers , ' with the ` grand guignol ' aspects of ` carrie ' thrown in for good measure . unhappily , writer-director darren stein fatally lacks the requisite wit to bring it off .",
      "the worst movie i 've seen in 1999 .",
      "if you do n't want to view an hour-and-a-half long catfight , MOV is a definite no .",
      "MOV offers no new insights into teen hell .",
      "if you are up for a dark teen comedy , you could do much worse than MOV .",
      "tasteless !",
      "the lowest piece of garbage to hit screens in months .",
      "it 's heathers without the wry wit , blackboard jungle sans the fun , very bad things with more ick .",
      "plays like the unhealthy spawn of carrie and heathers .",
      "a prettier but less witty retread of that winona ryder vehicle .",
      "imitative of heathers , but not nearly as witty or engaging .",
      "run for your lives !",
      "there 's no fluff like brash , jaded fluff !",
      "i 'd just as soon have my jaw broken than to sit through this one again .",
      "fun at the start , but can turn into a chore to complete .",
      "too derivative .",
      "if it 's a hit , it 'll prove teens do n't demand a plot that makes sense , characters that seem real or any other movie virtue , except for sexy girls with revealing outfits and bad attitudes .",
      "despite some inspired camera work and exhilarating wardrobe and music choices , the film lacks humour , and there 's a mean-spiritedness about it that is eventually off-putting .",
      "MOV is the kind of film that makes you want to kidnap the director and lock him in a trunk , bound and gagged , so he does n't make any more movies like this .",
      "stupid and pointless !",
      "MOV was better the first time it was released . of course , it was called heathers back then .",
      "it 's a tired lousy movie , a terrible twosome that deserves your heartfelt indifference .",
      "leaves a bad aftertaste .",
      "teenagers , as well as the rest of the audience , really do n't need to insulted .",
      "mildly diverting rip-off of the far superior , heathers .",
      "death and comedy rarely mix , and this tedious and painfully un-funny effort by director darren stein is no exception .",
      "only the soundtrack -lrb- the donnas , imperial teen -rrb- and the irrepressible mcgowan make it fractionally more bearable .",
      "the humour is weak and its black , very black giving it a limited appeal .",
      "lame shock scenes , crucial plot points inserted without setups , and an unsuccessful attempt to exploit the camp value of some actors cast in minor parts are the least of the problems in this black comedy .",
      "the only good thing about MOV is the donnas . they rock .",
      "the producers of this film , which depicts teen-age girls as an assemblage of negative stereotypes , are female . can females practice misogyny ?",
      "manages to capture the mix of murder and teen social observations , but misses three crucial elements : sharp dialogue , witty characters and the much-needed humor .",
      "it is n't as funny as it sounds . in fact , it is n't funny at all .",
      "i 'd rather suffer root canal that burden myself with another viewing of MOV , or as i call it : battle of the high school bimbo bitches . class dismissed !",
      "this pathetic rip-off of that paragon of early nineties cult flicks is a tepid , turgid , disaster of a film that carries no substance with it whatsoever .",
      "a darkly fun romp .",
      "a slick production of a lame script !",
      "MOV may promise a series of gleefully cheap thrills , but in the end all it delivers is a whole lot of bad taste .",
      "a synthetic yet shrill sadomasochistic cartoon !",
      "why sit through a lesser imitation , when you could just rent heathers and those other movies for a far more enjoyable time ?",
      "a fine cast is wasted here and the culprit is writing that lacks the scabrous wit and campy crackle needed to pull this homage off .",
      "too dark to be funny and plagued by abyss-sized holes in the plot , slavish dialogue and sketch-quality acting , MOV is a 15 minute idea stretched into a feature film .",
      "smells of something trying much too hard with too little to show for the effort .",
      "unoriginal . not particularly funny .",
      "another teen-sploitation flick !",
      "not quite a satire , not quite an homage , MOV falls into a third category : audaciously unoriginal .",
      "an entertaining and smart film .",
      "does an admirable job of further defining just how ruthless , superficial , symbolic and saccharine is that social and vocational training ground called high school .",
      "not particularly funny or trenchant .",
      "not enough here that 's new .",
      "it all looks great , but really ... who cares ?",
      "director darren stein is so busy throwing in pop icons and arch , self-conscious references to the high-school-is-hell subgenre that he forgets to craft an original black comedy .",
      "the most unfortunate thing about MOV has to be its blatant imitation of 1989 's vastly superior heathers ."
    ],
    "summary": "this throwaway comedy falls victim to its hip sensibilities .",
    "id": "14304"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rush_hour_3",
    "reviews": [
      "i have never thought i would ever profess to be a jackie chan fan . yet , at the ripe old age of 31 having just seen MOV , it appears that i am .",
      "no matter how fast chris tucker shoots his mouth or jackie chan flashes his fists , they ca n't recapture the charm of the original rush hour in this third installment .",
      "i hate to use the phrase , `` they 're only in it for the money , '' but if any sequel ever exemplified that ethos , it 's this one . ultimately , MOV is a one trick pony whose day has long since passed .",
      "although much of MOV is in paris , it 's no french pastry . it 's more week-old happy meal .",
      "this rush job should put the franchise down for good .",
      "tucker is the film 's 50,000-watt mood killer , determined to fray the nerves of anyone in the theater",
      "the film is formulaic and the plot is barely connected together . but it moves along quickly and there 's the occasional smile .",
      "MOV is a stagnate yet still commercially viable franchise . it arrives on your theater screen infested with the mold of a dated , stale rehash .",
      "... the results are pretty much the same old familiar ruckus -lcb- but -rsb- the pedestrian storyline is somewhat rejuvenated because chan and tucker administers the playful punches .",
      "yvan attal steals what is otherwise an exhausted , workaday film .",
      "when the outakes are the best part of a film , you know something 's seriously backward . here 's MOV succinctly described in one word : meh .",
      "instead of the playful banter that infested the second film , chan 's stiff delivery is punctuated by meaningless and exhaustive one-liners that pour out of tucker like an oil tanker that just got the business-end of a torpedo .",
      "the action is ho-hum , the attempts at comedy are inept and the whole mismatched partners mojo is all dried up in this snooze-worthy third , and hopefully last , rush hour flick .",
      "like the cinematic equivalent of an old , reliable piece of furniture : although it predictably brings comfort , age ultimately catches up with it , and is simply is n't as refreshing as it once was .",
      "wild , funny and over-the-top action !",
      "it is exactly what the trailer promises , providing a reasonably affordable getaway with no hassles . fans will love it . what a rush !",
      "some things are n't worth doing twice , let alone three times .",
      "three years later in the sequel , tucker and chan had found their groove , even if the movie did not have as many good laughs and great stunt work . now , though , it is an awkward greatest hits reunion show , and neither one of them seem up to the task",
      "a movie that not only depends on but demands you do n't think in order to enjoy it .",
      "proves that $ 25 million does not buy a good , or even bearable performance ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a tired rehash of the earlier films , and a change of scenery ca n't hide a lack of new ideas .",
    "id": "571326804"
  },
  {
    "movie": "boogeyman",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is that bull 's eye example which begins its immediate downfall once barry watson of `` 7th heaven '' misfortune appears on screen .",
      "director kay provides the trappings , but if you want horror , you 'll need to bring your own .",
      "basically . it 's 86 minutes of one man having a staring contest with a door .",
      "this is strictly substandard stuff , with imitative creepy noises , vertiginous camera angles , and long pauses during which tim considers whether to open doors .",
      "they did n't even rip off the classics , for crying out loud !",
      "this film does cause shivers , creeps , scares , and jumps .",
      "full review in greek",
      "a thinly plotted clothesline of shock effects .",
      "a bloated 86 minutes of overzealous spookiness .",
      "teenagers will probably have a blast with the cheap scares and simplistic story , but for horror veterans or those looking for something new , this is not the film to see .",
      "so boring , derivative and patently inane that hate is entirely too strong an emotion to attribute to it . you 're either in the target demographic or you 're not .",
      "for a good , healthy pg-13 scare , MOV is fun for the whole family -- just do n't bring kids who are too young .",
      "few films benefited that much from being so short .",
      "every jolt in this film involves crash editing and deafening noises , while nothing is made of the premise or the characters .",
      "the problem is that watson 's performance is never interesting . it often seems as if he 's not yet had his morning cup of coffee .",
      "a vaporous and vacuous horror film .",
      "one could look at this as an exercise in building dread , but the only problem is there 's no sense of dread accompanying it .",
      "even the should-have-been-triumphant revelation of the MOV arrives as a cgi letdown of epic proportions .",
      "the movie 's worth a look for cheap thrills , but it 's no classic .",
      "none of this makes any sense whatsoever .",
      "MOV is just a hyperactive horror flick aimed at teens , with a built-in propensity for lightning-quick edits , piercing sound effects , and a whole lotta s -- gettin ' tossed around .",
      "the only thing scary about MOV is the sheer ineptitude of the ` filmmaking ' on display .",
      "compared to recent movies like alone in the dark , hide and seek , white noise and the grudge , this film is freakin ' gone with the wind .",
      "they do a competent job of creating a spooky mood , unfortunately other than ambiance this film has nothing . the script is as empty as the closet .",
      "watson goes from `` 7th heaven '' to `` two hour hell '' in this scary but senseless movie",
      "MOV manages to make you do what films like jeepers creepers and darkness falls would n't let you do : believe .",
      "will 2005 be remembered as the year of the awful horror movies ?",
      "ca n't even give in to the spooky delight of its rich clichés like hundreds of other trashy-derivative horror thrill rides ...",
      "the perfect specimen of style over substance .",
      "some fascinatingly original twists that play with time and space keep the tension ratcheting up till the ending .",
      "in the end , even the most expert scary-button-pushing ca n't save a movie this empty of ideas .",
      "there is little time spent on plot and character and way more emphasis on jarring sound effects and fast-paced camera trickery .",
      "unoriginal and lame .",
      "it brings to the big screen that corner of the talent pool where ` who 's your agent ? ' means ` where will you be patrolling sunset in your ` actor for hire ' sandwich-board ? '",
      "makes you yearn for the days when they got a few things down on paper before they started shooting a movie .",
      "it 's difficult to remember a recent movie with less regard for spatial or temporal coherence .",
      "director stephen kaye does a good job creating a spooky atmosphere but the script is short on dialogue , while running out of steam towards the end .",
      "edited too spastically to be of any use ... a slow-leaking tire which goes flat before we reach a destination .",
      "MOV represents flat-out suckage . it is a haphazard assemblage of horror clichés , punctuated by the occasional so-loud-it-makes-you-jump noise on the soundtrack .",
      "if MOV signals more films like this to follow , there are far worse nightmares out there to come than whatever is lurking in your closet .",
      "the not-too-frightening , plodding MOV proves that major hollywood studios like to dump all their stinkers at the beginning of the year .",
      "it squanders a promising plot about child abduction , preferring to go the literal route of chasing a spectral troublemaker with a bad case of claustrophobia .",
      "spends the majority of its running time jerking the audience 's chain before coming to an abrupt ending .",
      "an incoherent grab-bag of disconnected shock effects -- stylishly mounted but ultimately empty and pointless .",
      "a thriller that is so generic it can only be dispensed if your doctor checked the ` generic ok ' box on the prescription .",
      "yeah , it 's dumb , and it takes a long time to get to scenes that amount to anything other than cheap scares . but MOV is not entirely artless .",
      "find two friends and laugh your way out of the local movie theater .",
      "MOV , shot in auckland , lives and induces giggles instead of fear in yuckland .",
      "winningly combines the creaking ambiguities and psychological chills of they with terrain more familiar from a haunted house movie .",
      "a welcome throwback to the glory days of scary movies .",
      "it uses every canted angle and cartoonish zoom from sam raimi 's evil dead handbook , but the comatose screenplay just makes the stylish gymnastics look desperate .",
      "a humourless trudge through haunted house cliches , it 's unlikely to scare anyone old enough to get past the box office .",
      "there is not a scare to be found .",
      "with all the movies out there , this is the last one you should pick .",
      "a bland affair with none of the imagination that distinguishes the best horror movies .",
      "o tнtulo brasileiro desta produзгo -lrb- o pesadelo -rrb- sintetiza perfeitamente o que significa a experiкncia de ser obrigado a assisti-la .",
      "i spent most of the movie struggling not to throw something at the screen or disrupt the other patrons by screaming in frustration .",
      "fright fans expecting anything more than the occasional jolt will be sorely disappointed .",
      "... expose the skeletons in MOV 's closet-you will certainly come across the bare bones because there 's no real meat to this thrill-seeking thud",
      "so beneath this venerable creature",
      "only glimpses of the monster are seen in stephen kay 's supernatural thriller . unfortunately , the same is true of the movie 's plot and character .",
      "because the movie never establishes its internal logic , the action can seem arbitrary and random .",
      "frankly , watching dark closets for 90 minutes may not have been the best idea for a film . watson unfortunately does n't have the screen presence to carry it off .",
      "when did young girls rollerblading backward become the universal symbol for spooky ?",
      "confusing , badly written , poorly acted horror film that trots out a few clichйs and eventually throws some semi-decent effects at them , in the mistaken belief that the audience wo n't be bored to tears .",
      "the entire cast seems to be on autopilot , and the behind-the-camera crew does n't try any harder .",
      "the celluloid equivalent of jokey smurf .",
      "boogey oogey awful",
      "instead of heightening one 's fear of closets , it simply creates an overwhelming urge to head straight for the nearest theater door .",
      "is it over ? watson is asked . yeah , it 's over , he says , possibly aware that he 's commenting on his acting career .",
      "there is nothing going on during these 86 minutes except a studio gunning for quick kill at the opening weekend box office .",
      "a chill-free , suspense-deficient thriller that is not only an enormous waste of time and film stock , but also insanely empty and heavy-handed .",
      "it suffers from a lack of genuine chills or suspense .",
      "if you ca n't spell ` bogeyman , ' you should n't make movies about him .",
      "bereft of even the slightest hint of style , creativity or originality , MOV is endlessly boring , blatantly nonsensical and , frankly , absolutely worthless .",
      "it 's coherent , consistent and should prove popular with the kids its intended for .",
      "if you 're 12 years old , or if you scare easily , MOV is not a bad way to spend an hour and a half .",
      "a generic spook-fest on par with its generic title .",
      "the tooth fairy in a tutu is scarier than the ill-conceived MOV .",
      "once emily deschanel , older sister of elf 's zooey , steps on screen to provide tim with a formidable female co-star , the film finds its rhythm ."
    ],
    "summary": "the plot is been-there done-that generic , and none of the shock effects can do anything to build up suspense .",
    "id": "10549"
  },
  {
    "movie": "particle_fever",
    "reviews": [
      "as fictional vulcan spock might have pronounced : `` fascinating . ''",
      "watching a film wo n't make you smarter , but if there ever was one that could , it would be `` MOV , '' a movie so mind-bending you can almost feel your brain cells growing as you 're watching it .",
      "even the most math-averse viewer will be on pins and needs to know the results .",
      "there are a few entertaining developments in the film , but much of it is dull .",
      "a movie that 's not just accessible but fun , with a surprisingly emotional payoff at the end .",
      "the film may not put itself above the uninitiated , but director mark levinson oftentimes appears almost too eager to present his material with affectation .",
      "the experience of watching the film can be vertiginous : you toggle between the tiny and the infinite , between eternity and the real time of the recent past .",
      "MOV is that rare , exhilarating science doc that 's neither dumbed down nor drabbed up .",
      "MOV explores with awe-inspiring precision , and in remarkably accessible language , how 10,000 scientists and engineers from around the world built what in effect is the ultimate test tube for particle physics .",
      "brilliant new documentary about the largest scientific experiment in history .",
      "its eventual slide into statistics comes to test patience , yet levinson does n't lose the essential theme of the movie .",
      "a subatomic thriller that not only captures one of mankind 's most significant breakthroughs , it makes physics and physicists look hip .",
      "levinson makes the story accessible and entertaining for mainstream viewers .",
      "it plays out with all the suspense of a thriller .",
      "the enthusiasm , idealism , and cheerful brilliance of the six subjects convey the thrill , if not the full significance , of this scientific breakthrough .",
      "we see science , and scientists - excitable , anxious , adorably nerdy scientists - freaking out as they 're about to fire up the large hadron collider -lrb- lhc -rrb- , one of the largest machines ever built by man .",
      "trouble in boson city but the spunky brainiacs of the hadron collider right the ship and identify the illusive link to the beginning of the universe .",
      "even a science dunce will walk away with a basic understanding of the project and a strong impression of the community around this important research ... a film about the idealistic pursuit of knowledge ...",
      "informative and exciting ... an educational film that 's uplifting in the best sense .",
      "MOV effectively generates appreciation for the tenacity and vision of scientists and the power of dogged curiosity to determine an entire life 's path .",
      "this is a film that feeds the imagination and is the most exciting documentary so far in 2014 .",
      "an adventure , a celebration , and a snapshot of investigation at its most essential and enthralling , MOV is both intelligent and accessible .",
      "you 'll be entertained and , to whatever degree , you will not only learn something , you might have your whole understanding of the universe altered . pretty good for ninety-nine minutes .",
      "MOV shows how the theorists and experimenters need and respect each other , in the course of setbacks , disappointments , premature celebrations and public relations glitches .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- serves as a needed reminder of the excitement of science , a practice that need not be left exclusively to nerds .",
      "the fact that mark levinson 's engrossing MOV was edited by the great walter murch gives it a better pedigree than most documentaries .",
      "the film allows for our awe . it also demonstrates that science is the most human of activities , with all that that implies .",
      "levinson 's film seems to capture the instability of just about everything , from a large hadron collider , to a helium pipe , to the higgs boson , to people in general .",
      "the bracing scientific rigor and intellectual derring-do presented in `` MOV '' are most welcome .",
      "all you really need to know about MOV is that it includes footage of physicists rapping . about physics . wearing giant einstein masks .",
      "the narrative builds momentum as MOV whisks us from 2008 through 2012 when the scientific world anxiously waits for the results of the experiment .",
      "even if you ca n't explain the standard model or define `` supersymmetry , '' you 'll walk away with a conviction that you 've vicariously participated in a historic event .",
      "a fascinating nonfiction celebration of human curiosity and endeavor , MOV gives viewers a shotgun-seat to history that plays out on a very relatable plane .",
      "the filmmakers find room for some witty philosophical bull sessions and affectionate portraits of some of the physicists ; this is an agreeable light entertainment on a complex subject .",
      "a funny , exhilarating , suspenseful documentary about the large hadron collider , and how physics is more akin to philosophy and art than you may have imagined .",
      "set in crummy offices and towering facilities worthy of a bond movie , the documentary is edited with the momentum of a thriller by the great walter murch -lrb- apocalypse now -rrb- , as we follow six scientists .",
      "the film does everything it can to build a bridge between physics nerds and their wedgie-giving counterparts -lsb- ... -rsb- making MOV the crowd-pleaser it is -lsb- ... -rsb-",
      "where it excels is in depicting the various personalities involved .",
      "a documentary about science for professionals and laypeople alike , MOV celebrates an event of earth-shattering importance , though what far-ranging transformations it heralds remain unknown",
      "a timely and fascinating look at physicists ' search for the higgs boson .",
      "a compelling , if sometimes difficult to follow , story .",
      "a dazzling , dizzying documentary about nothing less than whether we exist in a coherent universe of ordered , even beautiful laws ...",
      "talk about a smash hit .",
      "totally thrilling documentary about a topic that might have been distinctly unthrilling . great work from its physicist producer and director ."
    ],
    "summary": "the concepts behind its heady subject matter may fly over the heads of most viewers , but MOV presents it in such a way that even the least science-inclined viewers will find themselves enraptured .",
    "id": "771364355"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1093611-anna_and_the_king",
    "reviews": [
      "at heart , this is no more or less than self-consciously old-fashioned entertainment .",
      "a simple , no-frills story .",
      "MOV satisfies in grand style .",
      "surprisingly engaging .",
      "pictorially splendid , it 's largely large , epic and expansive . it 's long , pack a lunch .",
      "but by writing in so many conspiracy and battle scenes , it almost ceases to be a character-driven romantic comedy .",
      "disappointing .",
      "wonderfully shot in all of its majestical glory , exquisite cinematography , lush locations with plenty of exotic flair and original costumes .",
      "andy tennant 's period drama may only sport a so-so plot , but it shimmers with rich scenery and colorful costumes and has the most charming tour guide imaginable , hong kong superstar chow yun-fat .",
      "this is precisely the kind of `` cast of thousands '' extravaganza hollywood rarely produces anymore and the movie 's seductive visuals , charismatic performances and glorious scenery make for two and a half hours of immensely pleasurable viewing .",
      "sprinkled with a delightfully innocent humor .",
      "it 's great to look at , but the unforgiving precision does n't allow the images to advance the story or tell you details about characters or situations .",
      "this long nap seems to come from a century before movies , maybe even before entertainment was imagined .",
      "MOV is nothing but old-fashioned but it 's old-fashioned in a glorious way .",
      "MOV is an old-fashioned valentine for all those people who say they do n't make movies like they used to .",
      "like too many movies , this one can not bear to end quietly and gracefully .",
      "a misstep for the gifted ms. foster .",
      "beautiful pageantry , smart political intrigue , and a convincing rapport between leads .",
      "a smart and splendidly decorated rethinking of anna leonowens 's famous chronicle of her years as tutor to the royal family of siam .",
      "this version of MOV plays it entirely too safe .",
      "nothing special , nothing particularly heartwarming .",
      "the result may look more genuine than what has gone before , but it somehow feels less substantial .",
      "extremely sentimental and old-fashioned family entertainment that offers some gratifying diversion to non-discriminating viewers .",
      "chow yun-fat has such a perpetually bemused expression , it 's as if he were waiting for the tough guys to show up and start the actual movie .",
      "what it really lacks is dramatic juice .",
      "the problem with MOV is that it 's caught halfway between then and now .",
      "what 's missing , however , is the one element that would have made it work -- credible , developing romantic tension between MOV .",
      "close , but no cigar .",
      "generally interesting and sometimes emotionally affecting .",
      "MOV 's most interesting aspect is the portrayal of the ritualistic world of the king and his royal family .",
      "a winning performance by chow yun-fat !",
      "director andy tennant has outdone himself .",
      "foster , i believe , sees right through this material and out the other side , and does n't believe in a bit of it .",
      "this is one spectacle that 's worth the nine bucks .",
      "yun-fat is charismatic , and foster 's comfortable in a british accent .",
      "a great family movie !",
      "the film has an epic quality about it that i have n't seen in while .",
      "a live-action family film with brains .",
      "MOV has a lot to offer .",
      "a richly satisfying mix of history , drama and romance .",
      "entertaining and enjoyable .",
      "the sort of film that would have contended for a best picture oscar in the mid-80s and handily won in the early 60s",
      "a little too superficial and bloated to be completely effective .",
      "visually beautiful , richly detailed , terribly long , and oddly unaffecting",
      "you can spot the plot contours from a mile away .",
      "the film never reaches the same heights emotionally that it does visually .",
      "it is pleasant , occasionally amusing -- and often dull .",
      "lush , beautifully shot , but quite draggy .",
      "it 's big , expensive and soulless .",
      "tennant seems genuinely unsure what mood he 's striving for here .",
      "MOV is scenic overkill , a travelogue in place of a witty and absorbing movie .",
      "beyond the potentially intriguing casting , the filmmakers have too obviously stretched the plot to justify a new interpretation .",
      "in his big bid for hollywood stardom , chow lacks what gave him star power to begin with : an intensely masculine soul of fire and ice .",
      "MOV starts off better than it ends up .",
      "MOV is eye-filling but brain-numbing .",
      "more well-intended than it is entertaining .",
      "this version of MOV plays it entirely too safe .",
      "MOV needs something to make it compelling , and a few songs certainly would n't hurt .",
      "... the pacing of the film is slow enough to make the typical merchant-ivory production feel like a nine inch nails video",
      "a deliberate retelling of ` the king and i ' without the musical interludes . ` MOV ' is a slow , but ultimately rewarding period drama .",
      "here is an old-fashioned costume drama with sumptuous sets , stirring music , and beguiling landscapes .",
      "classic tale gets a beautiful -- and unnecessary -- retelling .",
      "handsome and well-appointed ... but still one of the most boring films in recent memory .",
      "intense , mature version of the king and i.",
      "the third major screen version of the story , has much to recommend it .",
      "the new movie offers old-fashioned kinds of pleasures .",
      "a grand retelling of an iconic story .",
      "es la historia de un amor que rompe las barreras del tiempo y el espacio y que nos recuerda que lo más importante que puede tener una persona son sus emociones",
      "forget what you 've heard - this is something special",
      "so unbelievably bloated that staring at don king 's hair is likely to have a more plausible payoff .",
      "this may be the best and healthiest date movie of the season .",
      "serve as a slap in the face .",
      "holds its own against the beloved 1956 musical the king and i.",
      "class personified .",
      "even folks familiar with the original accounts will find much to enjoy in the new one ."
    ],
    "summary": "beautiful cinematography ca n't prevent MOV from being boring and overly lengthy .",
    "id": "10820"
  },
  {
    "movie": "spinning_into_butter",
    "reviews": [
      "may force the audience to confront its own reactions to the dilemmas ... of a society in which people talk at each other , rather than with each other .",
      "marred somewhat by a pat and rather unlikely conclusion , this movie does have the merit by lifting up the rock and examining liberal racism .",
      "a flawed but needed film about the continuing existence of racism and deep-rooted prejudice exposed on a college campus .",
      "any movie that chooses to open a credits sequence with a maya angelou quote and blackface cartoons screams desperation .",
      "a fantastic story longing for a better film .",
      "shelf mold encrusts this misshapen adaptation of MOV , and rebecca gilman 's 1999 play about racism and toxic political correctness at a small vermont college is lumpy enough as it is .",
      "every line of dialogue sounds contrived , right up to the phony-baloney twist ending .",
      "the title is wrong . they should call it spinning into margarine .",
      "more spin than spinning , this raw race conversation-driven drama taps into timely issues touching on diversity conflicts that persist . but sorry to say , spinning is no crash , and comes off more as good intentions dissipating into irresponsible filmmaking .",
      "this excruciatingly p.c. worrywart of a film takes the `` little black sambo '' story and tries to make something trenchant and socially important of it , but merely succeeds in being false , forced and ultimately insulting .",
      "if freshman film students were assigned to make a movie on race relations , this contrived attempt is probably what they 'd come up with",
      "the movie verges on melodrama , farce , and satire , but never makes any dramatic sense .",
      "the best of intentions and a welcome willingness to engage on the touchiest issues is not enough to keep this movie from feeling more like a seminar than a story .",
      "credit goes to playwright gilman and company for addressing an ugly situation head on . unfortunately , it 's a scenario that lends itself to hot air and that 's what the movie blows .",
      "the film feels stuck in a particularly '90s - flavored argument -- about political correctness and culture wars on campus -- that you probably got tired of during your junior year .",
      "despite an earnest and dour tone , the story and the subjects tackled are compelling and thought-provoking .",
      "betraying its theatrical origins , brokaw 's feature debut is a vastly disappointing message movie in which sarah jessica parker -lrb- also credited as producer -rrb- is miscast , to say the least .",
      "the foils have no compunction about hurling ugly truths at each other , most of the time much too literally to work on screen .",
      "the material is crying out for a satiric wit or at least a stronger point of view . instead , it 's a mishmash in which everyone gets to say his piece , but all of it has been said before .",
      "this movie adaptation of rebecca gilman 's play is a methodical , not to say mechanical and plodding , exploration of identity politics and language .",
      "the staging by theater director mark brokaw , in his first feature , is , well , stagy . i do n't mind a movie where people spend a lot of time jawboning , but what they say had better be interesting .",
      "crash was a master class in subtlety compared to MOV .",
      "butter makes a disastrous transition to film , aiming to salvage pertinent points on the witch 's brew of racism through a filmmaking undertaking perhaps best described as `` total clown shoes . ''",
      "the biggest lesson from MOV has nothing to do with the ethics of race and more with realizing that every hit play does n't need to be turned into a movie .",
      "MOV is the perfect example of a movie taking an interesting premise and , through incompetence of acting , writing and directing , turning it into an unwatchable mess .",
      "if you 're not interested in a sermon , you 'll want to skip this one",
      "it feels like an after school special .",
      "this movie would 've been bad in 1983 , but at least it would 've been original .",
      "painfully earnest and unrelievedly stilted and cliched , the movie is less a drama than a well-meaning but rather ridiculous diatribe .",
      "initially compelling , but spins into a hodgepodge of contrived scenes , uneven drama and poorly developed , yet provocative issues that simmer for too long without actually coming to a boil ."
    ],
    "summary": "both leaden and stilted , MOV is an unsubtle drama with stagy direction and lackluster dialogue .",
    "id": "770790514"
  },
  {
    "movie": "inequality_for_all_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's unseemly , i know , to praise a movie like this for the stand-up-comic affability of its host . but reich 's engagingness also gives credence to the seriousness of his message .",
      "filmmaker kornbluth personalizes this story by using reich 's warmth and humor to win us over and keep his presentation from becoming a dry recitation of facts .",
      "any politician hoping to redistribute america 's wealth should screen it before every stump speech .",
      "reich manages to infuse this enlightening/infuriating documentary on extreme income disparity in the united states , and the corollary marginalization of the middle class , with an optimistic spirit . one that may or may not be justified .",
      "a cinematic listicle of misleading economic talking points .",
      "reich is funny , poignant , passionate .",
      "reich is no condescending intellectual . he has no contempt for people of the opposite point of view . he even has nice things to say about bill o'reilly .",
      "-lsb- reich is -rsb- a great , charismatic movie hero , and he makes you feel you 're in safe hands .",
      "mr. reich ties together his talking points with a reasonable-sounding analysis and an unassuming warmth sometimes absent from documentaries charting america 's economic woes .",
      "if you like your movie stars to be smart , engaging , well-spoken , self-deprecating and danny devito-size , you could n't do much better than this leading authority on economics who served under presidents ford , carter and clinton .",
      "you 're saying taxation is out of hand , and there was some sort of housing bubble too ? go on with all this new information , please .",
      "as easy as it is to be intellectually seduced by the man 's arguments , it 's also hard to avoid wishing that his own cult of personality-his jokes and his history-didn ' t dominate so much of the running time .",
      "there are certainly lessons to be gleaned from reich 's journey through politics .",
      "policy wonk robert reich 's analysis of today 's parallels to the great depression is both statistics-driven and impassioned .",
      "basically constitutes a liberal jeremiad , but it 's one presented with civility , good humor and a human face as well as impassioned conviction .",
      "the woods are full of `` outrage docs , '' but this one is special .",
      "essential viewing , no matter how you cut it .",
      "in effect , MOV combines an intro-level college lecture -lrb- including animation and powerpoint ! -rrb- with a financial horror story designed to frighten all the nation 's union-busters .",
      "economist robert reich possesses a formidable intellect , an encyclopedic grasp of statistics and monetary trends , a quicksilver wit , and immense affability , making him the go-to guy when average americans need our financial crises explained .",
      "it 's still the ceos ' fault , but this movie holds them accountable for specific actions going back to the '70s , so that gives us a lot more to make sense of than just abstract blame .",
      "using income tax data going back 100 years , reich draws parallels between the crashes of 1929 and 2008 : identical concentrations of wealth at the top and the destabilization of the middle class .",
      "it all ends with reich 's students giving him a standing ovation . i felt like jumping out of a window .",
      "robert reich , a secretary of labor under president clinton , leads us through a sharp-eyed essay-meditation on the rising trend of income inequality .",
      "an advocacy doc constructed to make a clear political point first and function as a film a distant second .",
      "that a documentary about economics could be so personally emotional and affecting is remarkable . and to learn from reich in this film , as his students at berkeley do , is a treat and a privilege .",
      "president clinton 's secretary of labor lectures on income inequality with a refreshing lack of jargon .",
      "the film makes no secret of its liberal political leanings and activist goals , which means it likely will only preach to the converted .",
      "overall , this film is enlightening , entertaining and seriously alarming .",
      "this documentary would be a rousing david and goliath story even if its hero were n't the diminutive robert b. reich .",
      "the trouble with inequality is that it 's a book pretending to be a movie . like far too many recent documentaries , there is nothing cinematic and almost nothing visual about it .",
      "-lsb- robert reich -rsb- headlines this documentary in which he explains his views about the united states ' current economic woes . it 's something he manages to do engagingly and with great clarity .",
      "the film is as much about reich as income inequality , a topic he has written and talked about for decades . you 'll learn why he 's 4 feet 10.5 inches tall and why he became active in social politics .",
      "if you 're looking for a streamlined explanation for the mess the u.s. economy 's in , and how we might get out , it 's as good a place to start as any .",
      "this lively film takes a `` greatest-hits '' approach to reich , who fears that we 're headed for another financial debacle if we do n't take a more serious approach to taxes and education .",
      "smart , funny and articulate , robert reich is the university professor we all wish we 'd had . he 's so accessible and entertaining he takes a subject that sounds soporific and makes it come alive like you would n't believe in `` MOV . ''",
      "reich makes a strong claim and it 's attractively presented .",
      "this timely documentary does what it is supposed to do - educate , enlighten and entertain .",
      "presents reich 's position by patching together lectures from his `` wealth & poverty '' course at the university of california , berkeley .",
      "animated charts and graphs , on-the-road interludes and humorous asides designed to show that the speaker is n't too dislikably severe about the crisis that threatens life as we know it .",
      "mr. kornbluth 's documentary argues eloquently for such unassailable goals as investment in education and infrastructure , and complements mr. reich 's exposition with compelling interviews ...",
      "reich , who served during president clinton 's first term , has been beating the drum on this issue for years , and makes an avuncular spokesperson .",
      "watch this film - and then show it to someone who refuses to educate themselves about what the financial situation is all about .",
      "in 90 minutes , MOV does n't get far beyond income inequality 101 , but for those who struggle with the basics , it 's an often essential primer .",
      "this year 's best doc so far focuses on the brilliant , warm-hearted , even charismatic robert reich as he demolishes those who argue that inequality of wealth is no big deal .",
      "`` MOV '' may deserve its easy linkages to `` an inconvenient truth , '' but that may also be selling the new documentary short .",
      "informative and entertaining , this documentary 's greatest strength is its star , the charismatic robert reich .",
      "robert reich 's message to america , much like director jacob kornbluth 's uncomplicated film , is so simple and straightforward -lrb- you might even say obvious -rrb- that , without nitpicking , it can appear flawless .",
      "directed by jacob kornbluth , inequality works by avoiding most of the political minefields that have made the economy mulch for partisan consumption .",
      "lacks the alarmist self-importance of ` an inconvenient truth , ' even if the subject it investigates seems as dangerous as climate change to the country 's health , at least in the short run .",
      "this is a curious case of liking the messenger , loving the message and yet still feeling as if you 're being too heavily sold , even if you want to buy into the product .",
      "america is a country without any `` self-admitted proletarians , '' where even the poorest see themselves as `` temporarily embarrassed '' millionaires .",
      "reich is a natural teacher of complex concepts : the film does n't feel like homework .",
      "MOV is intelligent , persuasive and accessible , a gentle but urgent clarion call to action .",
      "topical documentaries mostly appeal to the converted and are ignored by those who disagree . and `` inequality '' probably will be no exception .",
      "engaging economics docu encourages equality , activism .",
      "a levelheaded , easily understandable primer on the aspects and causes of the problem . however , it does not do much to distinguish itself from similar documentaries .",
      "former clinton cabinet member robert reich makes his case for a kindler , gentler capitalism .",
      "documentaries about the economy being what they are , you might not expect much from MOV , but as directed by jacob kornbluth , it is the indianapolis 500 of wealth analyses .",
      "an engaging film that 's head and shoulders above the average talking-head parade .",
      "if you 've read -lsb- reich 's -rsb- wonderful book `` aftershock : the next economy and america 's future , '' the structure of his argument will be familiar to you , but the ride you go on will not .",
      "MOV brings politics to our doorstep and expects us to do the rest , to do our part . what 's amazing is that it inspires us to do our part , as well .",
      "a well-done and enlightening documentary on income inequality in america featuring robert reich and his take on this deepening crisis ."
    ],
    "summary": "while it arrives in a glut of similarly themed documentaries , MOV distinguishes itself with a compelling presentation of an important message , as well as much-needed splashes of wit .",
    "id": "771325012"
  },
  {
    "movie": "taking_woodstock",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is hardly a bad trip ; just a very inconsequential one .",
      "there is no need to oversell MOV . even though it is based on reality , it is meant as a modest allegory about the search for innocence and understanding and peace and love and so on .",
      "lee 's first total miscalculation , his first wholly inessential film .",
      "can you dig it ? maybe , if you are n't already up to your tie-dyed shorts in woodstock memories , and if you can accept that there 's relatively little music in this happy-go-lucky movie about history 's most celebrated music festival .",
      "for any teenager tempted to sneer at mom and dad 's veneration of the whole woodstock thing , this film explains why those three days in 1969 had such a profound effect on a generation .",
      "if this woodstock comes off as edenic ... do n't assume the movie 's advertising the real thing . think of it as ang lee taking a vacation from too much reality .",
      "this is very light material , and , unusually for a lee picture , not everybody in the ensemble appears to be acting in the same universe , let alone the same story . on the other hand : it 's fun .",
      "MOV has the appeal of an inside story told from an especially good angle . but beyond that , the movie is a celebration of the way this event has gone into memory and of the meaning it has acquired .",
      "it 's great that MOV does n't trample on anything sacred , but it also never arrives anywhere interesting .",
      "MOV does n't show anyone performing at the 1969 concert event , an intriguing choice that also works as a metaphor for the woebegone film . it never gets where it 's going , either .",
      "a minor work from brokeback mountain director ang lee that is enjoyable but ultimately underwhelming .",
      "năo se revela particularmente interessante ou minimamente revelador no que diz respeito ŕ natureza de woodstock ou do próprio protagonista .",
      "lee and producer-screenwriter james schamus aim for comedy but come up with cliches .",
      "idealistic but not idealized , the film contains a bittersweet quality that suggests without spelling out how truly monumental , meaningful , and one-of-a-kind woodstock was .",
      "amazing that ang lee can make such a listless movie about arguably one of the most high energy times in recent history .",
      "a ham-handed attempt to indicate the oncoming tragedy of altamont ends the film with a touch of contrivance , but it 's the only sour note in an otherwise flawless film .",
      "watch carefully as the film tries to ramrod too many themes , invoking split-screen technique , and see if you can identify how often self-indulgence is confused for enlightenment .",
      "as unlikely and enjoyable a memento of that long-gone moment in the age of aquarius as we 're likely to find in this 40th anniversary year of the epochal rock festival .",
      "some colorful character turns can not make up for the charisma void at the center that is martin .",
      "at no point did i feel like i was at woodstock and surely that was the whole point .",
      "a valentine to america .",
      "does a great job of recreating the time , place and people that came together to make something magical in the middle of the summer of 1969 .",
      "i 'm starting to suspect that lee 's insight into american thought is only a little deeper than a western filmmaker who thinks he 's brave for still bringing up bound feet .",
      "despite setting itself up as a behind-the-scenes , insider 's look at the making of the woodstock festival , MOV tells us nothing new about the 1969 event that defined a generation .",
      "do n't expect too much from MOV and you might just enjoy its kind-hearted , sunny spirit . it is not , however , an experience that will linger long .",
      "MOV has fine moments and an enjoyable vibe , but it never develops a coherent point of view .",
      "MOV has its pleasures ; it 's really a sweet-natured coming-of-age tale , with a famously groundbreaking rock concert lurking in the background .",
      "for the most part , it 's a genial pleasure , with something disarmingly daggy -- intentional or not -- about its vision of history and individual experience .",
      "if you stick with this wistful , fitfully funny little trip , you will be rewarded with a movie that makes up in warmth , humanism and self-effacing modesty what it lacks in crackerjack pacing and epic pop-historical grandeur .",
      "it 's debatable whether the real woodstock was as messy as MOV , which re-creates parts of that now-legendary 1969 music festival experience .",
      "some will appreciate the combination of vision and happenstance that led to the festival and its place in public consciousness as a marker for a generational shift .",
      "a gentle and largely enjoyable way to tell a story , but also one that never leaves much of an impression .",
      "undermining the entire snooze-fest is lee and schamus 's sentimental , clichéd view of woodstock as the last flowering of hippie innocence .",
      "their roles are played largely for easy laughs in james schamus 's script , which meanders in an echo of the freewheeling vibe of peace and love .",
      "achieves the highly improbable by making one of the most exciting events of the 1960s look really boring .",
      "this may be a minor movie , but it displays the hallmarks of a major talent .",
      "MOV is entertaining , funny but also very slight film . unlike the real woodstock , it wo n't change lives or burn in the memory .",
      "a rare misfire for the usually reliable lee .",
      "MOV will leave the unstoned cold and wo n't have anyone aching for those legendary ` three days of peace and music ' that was n't there in the first place .",
      "his is by no means a terrible film , but from a filmmaker as exceptional as ang lee it 's a rare disappointment .",
      "ang lee 's latest dissection of the american dream is one of his most complex and even most deceptively subversive films .",
      "some will revel in it , but -lrb- younger -rrb- viewers may find MOV old hat .",
      "while many of the characters are getting satisfactorily high , audiences are unfortunately left with a movie that 's only half-baked .",
      "in 1969 , the term ` wasted ' referred to good times . but in ang lee 's take on 1969 , ` wasted ' is what happens to 2 perfectly good hours -- which might be better spent tie-dyeing the dog .",
      "much of our enjoyment of a movie is based on expectations - and this title is misleading . it 's actually a low-key , lightweight , occasionally amusing yet shallow story .",
      "the filmmakers use woodstock as wallpaper for a hackneyed story of personal growth and reinvention .",
      "the film 's focus on one man 's story instead of the event itself is a solid narrative choice ; the execution , however , is uneven and disappointing .",
      "maybe it 's all too wonderful to be true , but that 's ok . if MOV is a fantasy , then it 's a most benevolent one , and more power to it .",
      "the drama in question , ang lee 's MOV , is a bit like the festival itself - a happy mess .",
      "MOV fails to achieve anything beyond a contact high because of martin 's listless performance as the central character .",
      "lee 's larkiest film by far , MOV features faces familiar and fresh .",
      "lee takes the viewer on a sweet-enough and nicely personalized trip through a corner of the '60s . and even if he skips the main event , he finds plenty of color in its surroundings .",
      "lee captures the fractious , joyful , monstrously evolving mass it all was .",
      "lee 's contribution should fit well into the woodstock-tribute canon . it smartly avoids overused period references .",
      "it 's not a bad film but i have a feeling that it 's too chaotic . it lacks somehow some central gravitas , despite the comedic elements , to bring it all together .",
      "MOV takes us behind the scenes at that amazing event , and deals with ordinary people swept up in it . do n't expect concert scenes , because there are none .",
      "it does at least come across as a portrait of an era that 's affectionate , authentic and pleasingly adult in its tone and concerns .",
      "this is the yawning of the age of aquarius .",
      "lee and his producer and screenwriter , james schamus , have turned tiber 's book into a gentle , rather tepid film . its first half is modest and likable , but it goes on for over two hours .",
      "really , it 's the same circumstance captured in bye bye birdie , but lee and schamus lack a sense of humor .",
      "all the tie-dye , reefer , skinny-dipping , split-screen cinematography -lrb- from eric gautier -rrb- and acid-trip psychedelics courtesy of tiber 's encounter with hippies -lrb- paul dano and kelli garner -rrb- ca n't make up for the film 's major sin of omission : the music .",
      "MOV achieves an amazing feat : it turns the fabled music festival , a key cultural moment of the late 20th century , into an exceedingly lame , heavily clichéd , thumb-sucking bore .",
      "aside from a few electric moments this is mostly a slow-moving , flat and unimpressive film .",
      "this borsht belt turned bacchanalian screen memoir suffers from persistent peripheral vision of a historic moment , while dulling the senses with an overload of housekeeping details . not exactly a bad trip , but in no way a time travel contact high .",
      "effectively employs iconic woodstock imagery not to regenerate a numbing sense of mass nostalgia but rather as a minimalist backdrop against which to amplify the anguished , intimate ordeal of a frustrated individual who was n't even there .",
      "just rent adventureland -lrb- a better coming-of-age movie -rrb- and the woodstock documentary -lrb- a better depiction of the festival -rrb- instead of wasting your time on this .",
      "the more tightly MOV focuses on history , the more satisfying the experience .",
      "how 's this for an idea - a movie about woodstock that ignores the music of the festival and concentrates on one boring guy 's ability to set it all up .",
      "MOV is homogenized mud . director ang lee slides all over the place . he takes away all the sharp edges ; what is left is pretty much a mess .",
      "MOV is enormous fun .",
      "if you want to experience the concert you can watch the 1970 woodstock movie . this one is about what it all meant .",
      "it 's a small story about woodstock . i did n't think that was possible . lee 's got the look down , but the story does n't totally captivate , and the music is almost not present .",
      "eliot is conceived as something of a blank-slate character , and -lsb- demetri -rsb- martin is n't engaging enough to give anything but a blank-slate performance .",
      "there is a great movie within ang lee 's `` MOV . ''",
      "a project that is rather shapeless with a protagonist who is less than compelling .",
      "an interesting idea , but it does n't really have much to capitalize on outside of the authentic period reproduction .",
      "it may not be on a par with brokeback , nor as powerful as lust , caution , but MOV is another triumph for ang lee , a director whose resume gets more and more diverse with every project he tackles .",
      "the event itself is glimpsed only from a distance but , when elliot does reach his vantage point , the view is poetically amazing . you feel the presence of joplin and hendrix rather than actually see them .",
      "ang lee captures the spirit of this memorable cultural event as the coming of age of a young man who accidentally facilitated it , but michael wadleigh 's documentary is the richer woodstock experience .",
      "lee and schamus make history blandly palatable ; in the process , they rob the times and the people they 're portraying of their complications .",
      "it 's a sunny-side-up account of the famous hippy festival in upstate new york , timed to coincide with its fortieth anniversary this year , that unashamedly plays up its comedy and youthful idealism .",
      "there are flashes of inspiration here , but nothing to sustain a feature film 's worth of narrative import .",
      "much of the credit must go to lee 's cinematic choices ; his use of multi-split screens , the montages that create a clear sense of the vibrantly positive mood infecting everyone and a beautiful acid trip visualisation",
      "like its namesake festival it is crazy , naive , full of hope and features extensive drug use .",
      "too bad the principal character lacks the charisma to carry the movie .",
      "it is woodstock light , which is one thing . it is also ang lee light , which is another thing altogether and far less satisfying .",
      "lee 's movie captures the mellow mood and mud-caked faces of the crowd but misses the reverberations of the counterculture revolution that brought the great unwashed to that farm .",
      "ang lee 's MOV is a coming-of-age comedy that roams the backstage and the back-story and sees that epic concert through rose-colored glasses .",
      "it 's a terrific story and james schamus has written an accessible screenplay filled with truths . while all the ingredients are extreme and the subject matter serious -lrb- relationships , survival , sexual awakening -rrb- , there 's abundant humour in the characters an",
      "a limp attempt to stage a story around the most historic concert ever and then treat the concert as a background echo to the predictable melodrama on center stage .",
      "though intermittently amusing and exhilarating , MOV ca n't quite pull together its threads into one totally trippy tapestry .",
      "dear-hearted but fuzzy in a way that unintentional mirrors the hippie aesthetic of the woodstock festival , lee 's film is interested not so much in the massive concert as in the catskill mountains community which hosted it , however unwillingly .",
      "too much of MOV seems barely sketched out .",
      "dramedy revisits famous festival , complete with drugs , sex .",
      "you wo n't get wasted , but your money wo n't wither .",
      "i needed to take a shower after just watching the film .",
      "it seems that lee and schamus had no idea what it was they wanted to say here . did woodstock matter ? does anyone care ?",
      "so easy to get behind thematically and one with fascinating subject matter , but it 's a movie that never gets over some of the stereotypes of its subject matter to present a fully-formed , relatable , human drama .",
      "it 's harmless enough as a snapshot of a young man 's awakening to the grand possibilities of adult life , but not particularly effective at capturing the spirit , the thrill or even the mud of this culturally monumental event .",
      "the script has a dubious source , taken from a memoir by elliot tiber that , based on this evidence , does nothing to scrape the rust off woodstock 's mythic cliché .",
      "you ca n't deny the smiling mood that wafts through the film like incense , and to that extent it honors the original three days ; but not once does a character 's show of feeling stir you , send you , or stop you in your tracks , and the loss is unsustainable .",
      "lee 's sizeable re-creation of the planet 's greatest music festival is a sanitised trip .",
      "despite the sometimes crazy rhythm , the diverse and exuberant characters bring a sense of fun and merry frivolity to this one small tale about the iconic festival .",
      "i suppose in a perfect world , it would be lovely to afford prestige filmmakers the opportunity to relax once in a while , to make a small , lightweight feel good movie , but ang lee 's take on woodstock is nothing short of disappointing .",
      "it ends up being forgettable , when it could have taken a little piece of your heart .",
      "-lsb- m -rsb- ade me feel like i 'd missed out on something amazing by being born too late to have been a part of this . and even if that 's a fantasy , it 's okay .",
      "it 's a frustrating complication of a movie with a sprawling story and grand ambitions -- and some truly grand acting -- that stumbles almost as often as it soars . bummer .",
      "MOV does nothing more than recycle the same late - '60s tropes seen countless times since the carter administration .",
      "given a subject that has become synonymous with overblown mythmaking , its modesty becomes it .",
      "the characters are all representative of the period but they come off as one-dimensional , more symbols than individuals .",
      "lee has gone for shaggy comedy . some of it is funny . some of it just sits there .",
      "ang lee 's attempt to put the swinging sixties on the screen with love , respect and a dash of humour is a distinct disappointment .",
      "if this is brokeback mountain director ang lee 's attempt at comedy he should stick to heavy drama .",
      "a damp squib , thrown fizzling into the memory arena of the world 's pioneer rock festival .",
      "lee wants to combine a landmark moment with a coming-of-age story , but his style here is so loose and rambling it 's impossible to sense the excitement of the former and the particularity of the latter .",
      "has some great moments along the way , but as a whole never quite comes together",
      "lee 's film , rambling and maddeningly vague as it often is , does manage eventually to get at why something so ephemeral meant so much to so many .",
      "a watchable drama with likeable performances but it never quite comes together , thanks to an unfocussed screenplay that stumbles badly in the second half .",
      "click to read the full review",
      "this may be the least ambitious of lee 's films , but his directorial chops still guarantee a worthwhile experience .",
      "saddled with side stories that are meant to put specific faces on the issues of the time , but feel meandering and unfocused",
      "a sort of let 's - put-on-a-show summer-camp lark for director ang lee after the dramatic rigors of `` brokeback mountain '' and `` lust , caution , '' the picture serves up intermittent pleasures but is too raggedy and laid-back for its own good .",
      "it 's a low-wattage film about a high-wattage event . which is somewhat disappointing , though you do get a thoughtful , playful , often amusing film about what happened backstage at one of the '60s ' great happenings .",
      "enjoyable in places and merely humdrum in others , MOV ultimately feels like a minor ang lee digression in between more memorable works .",
      "in a field crowded with sharp , aggressive , edgy comedies it 's much more gentle , rounded and endearing . yet it 's not altogether warm and fuzzy - there 's plenty of bite here and wry insight , too .",
      "on balance MOV -- like teichberg -- takes after its immigrant american father , evincing a quiet humility in offering its rambling ` little perspective ' of an emblematic happening that was almost everything it was cracked up to be .",
      "... it 's hard to get past the idea of MOV as a missed opportunity . it 's fine around the edges , but it never convinces you that the central event was the cataclysmic cultural convergence some claim .",
      "the most expertly crafted , yet mostly uninvolving , historical music movie .",
      "uses the peace & love event as white-noise for another flaccid coming-of-age story about an unformed youth 's summer i grew up",
      "woodstock participants wallowed in yasgar 's muddy fields . -lsb- director ang -rsb- lee wallows in teichberg 's muddy % u2014 and uninteresting % u2014 experience .",
      "lee 's MOV serves up so many clichés and stereotypes that it feels like a film made by someone who had never met a real jew , vietnam vet , homosexual , or hippie",
      "a gentle , slow-paced coming-of-age movie , ` MOV ' is not a movie about the historic concert that observes its 40th anniversary this year .",
      "the first half of `` MOV '' is wonderful . unfortunately , the tone becomes more serious and the pacing meanders in the second half .",
      "i loved this sweet , gentle film , and prize its charms and heart far more than the debatable weightiness of lee 's lust , caution .",
      "while `` MOV '' is a bit of a shaggy dog story , lee uses a subtle build to show how ` three days of peace , love and music ' transformed a rural farming community .",
      "lee distills the flavor of this transforming event and hints at how it transformed some who were there . his movie is a contact high .",
      "MOV fails to immerse us in the visceral feeling of being there .",
      "a more accurate and representative title might have been `` remaking woodstock '' because that 's clearly what lee set out to do .",
      "demetri martin makes little impression as tiber , and the rest of the cast tends to indulge stale '60s stereotypes .",
      "even with the ever-versatile ang lee behind the camera , this messy historical fiction plays like a two hour `` saturday night live '' sketch , and not a very good one , either .",
      "the movie is undergroovy and overplotted .",
      "alas , the fun does not last . once the concert starts and elliot has his inevitable lsd trip and introduction to free love , the film drops the comedy for a needless coming-of-age denouement .",
      "a bland , faintly pointless slice of sentimentality , suggesting comedy is n't lee 's strong suit .",
      "undoubtedly one of ang lee 's lighter films , ` MOV ' is also one of his better ones , and a welcome return to form .",
      "it 's a movie that wears the trappings of the countercultural movement like bunting , yet is essentially mild-mannered and rather conventional .",
      "light and amusing but shallow and diffuse , ang lee 's take on the seminal music event is one of his weakest works , due to schamus ' poor literary adaptation , which is full of stereotypes and devoid of gravitas .",
      "lee 's movie is pleasant enough , but it 's too swept up in the spirit it 's celebrating to ask the relevant questions .",
      "one man 's near-emotionless trip through an event that was the high watermark for us counterculture moves along without any real sense of purpose or pace .",
      "the biggest surprise of all - it 's actually pretty average , at least by lee 's own impeccable standards .",
      "for a while , woodstock represented a spirit of peaceful sharing that sometimes makes america great . that 's what this native-born writer and immigrant director want us to remember .",
      "ang lee 's 11th collaboration with producer james schamus starts out strong and funny before getting mired in 60s nostalgia .",
      "even as a mind-clearing break from lee 's darker , more ambitious work , MOV is an underachieving movie , so slight and gentle-spirited that it seems to be looking at the summer of 1969 through a scrim of rosy gauze .",
      "the scruffiness is hardly accidental , but it gives the picture a gentle warmth and easy charm that make it as pleasant , if as passing , as a warm summer breeze .",
      "watching the film feels a lot like leafing through an album of someone else 's vacation photos : pleasant , but gets old fast .",
      "like its central character , woodstock never makes it to the big show . but the lesson seems to be that it 's not the destination that matters , it 's the trip .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- takes advantage of yet another anniversary celebration of the three-day music festival , but lee only uses the milestone for surface draw . otherwise , this aimless , pointless , emotionless and self-aggrandizing debacle would have no reason to exist .",
      "MOV has the freshness of something being created , not remembered .",
      "like the mild-mannered protagonist , taiwanese director ang lee sees the '60s through a rose-colored telephoto lens , but his sympathetic spirit extends the generous message of the hippie era like a passed joint .",
      "a distraction that steals lee 's concentration , leaving the film in the same condition as the real woodstock : muddy , scattered , and overlong .",
      "the hippie mindset is that either you 're with them or you 're not , and similarly MOV asks that you ride along its loose , laid-back vibe or start flinging mud .",
      "we get this one about three weeks after anyone cares about the 40th anniversary of woodstock .",
      "demitri martin and the movie are perfect for each other , both of them agreeable and inoffensive , likable and sort of funny but not very substantive .",
      "parental content review",
      "MOV is a fine film , it just is n't what it wants to be or what it should be .",
      "while the film starts off slow , lee 's story develops into an amazing trip ; no pun intended .",
      "the oscar-winning director has effectively captured the good vibes surrounding the initial festival .",
      "MOV could have used a bit more old-fashioned ang lee brooding and torment and a bit less forced joy .",
      "it 's interesting and often amusing stuff , populated as it is with a cast of oddball characters , but it 's also uneven , with a tendency to sag for stretches .",
      "this is surely the calmest and warmest portrait of chaos i 've seen on screen ...",
      "captures a lost innocence -- but the toneless monosyllables and `` very cool 's '' and `` groovy 's '' grow quickly vapid or spacey .",
      "initially compelling with a fine ensemble cast and impressive cinematography , but suffers from an often bland screenplay that 's deficient in character development , imagination and emotional resonance .",
      "by the time `` MOV '' comes to an end , you may find yourself asking `` was this long , strange trip really necessary ? ''",
      "a laid-back , colorful , and groovy glimpse of the magic of woodstock viewed through the life of an up-tight young man who is a great caretaker unable to treat himself with the same care and support he gives others ."
    ],
    "summary": "featuring numerous 60s-era clichés , but little of the musical magic that highlighted the famous festival , MOV is a breezy but underwhelming portrayal .",
    "id": "770790009"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_fountain",
    "reviews": [
      "if only all reputed turkeys gave us such a trip .",
      "science-fiction meets emotional fact . an intelligent , time-spanning love story that deserves the benefit of any doubt . watch . and watch again .",
      "i was utterly absorbed in watching it , yet when it was over i had no idea what had happened .",
      "i 've sat through lots of navel-gazing movies that would have been vastly improved by the addition of some 16th-century conquistador action ; aronofsky 's film is still a bore , its ideas and images too airy-fairy to have emotional force .",
      "MOV 's message is that life is short , so we should make the most of it , and that 's a message which should take one of two centuries , and one or two hairstyles , at most .",
      "the key line , spoken by a mayan priest , is ` death is the road to awe ' , and this movie truly puts the ` awe ' into awful .",
      "fantasy fable impresses and indulges in equal measure .",
      "aronofsky 's last effort , requiem for a dream , was a heartfelt film about drug addiction which i greatly admired . here , alas , he addresses a big , metaphysical topic with pitiful naivety . and he goes on and on and on , with nothing interesting to say .",
      "oscar winners rachel weisz and ellen burstyn provide solid support . but what they 're doing wasting their time in this junk is as unfathomable as the film itself .",
      "if kubrick 's 2001 got your juices flowing with its stunning , unexplained other-worldliness , this is a movie you could be mad for . or it might be just a load of old tosh .",
      "ambitious ? you bet , but also a towering , tumultuous folly . it 's the movie equivalent of a prog-rock double album , short on humour , long on pomposity , and as for what it all means - you might well ask .",
      "pretentious , preposterous and painfully bad , MOV is by far the worst film in an atrocious year . ... my wife thinks it 's the worst movie that she has ever seen .",
      "audaciously spiritual and original - and just because you ca n't figure it out does n't mean that there 's not something interesting going on .",
      "one can easily appreciate the sheer vision , rich imagination and boldness of such a picture",
      "`` MOV '' is his most brazen , beautiful and breathtaking yet , a work of spiritual gusto that might just be as close to a religious experience as one can experience in a movie theater .",
      "an artsy-fartsy disaster ... a would-be film of ideas that runs dry of them very quickly .",
      "a spiritual movie set in three centuries about death , the tree of life , MOV of youth , and love that will not let us go .",
      "it 's not as important to understand MOV as it is to absorb the experience .",
      "darren aronofsky is a stylistically visionary director trapped by the limitations of his writing abilities . MOV works best as a high-concept sci-fi film with all of its seams showing .",
      "it 's as if aronofsky was so consumed with the film 's elaborately contrived aesthetics that he took no time for a little thing called character development .",
      "i think i finally understand what george h.w. bush meant by ` a thousand points of light . '",
      "though his movie is visually inventive , writer/director darren aronofsky has fashioned a ponderous , overblown , genre-bending mess .",
      "aronofsky speeds back and forth across centuries with the virtuosity of ' 2001 ' - era stanley kubrick , and it 's all you can do to hang on .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- ntrigues me intellectually , -lsb- but -rsb- it does n't make me feel anything ... but it 's one of the more interesting cinematic failures i 've ever seen .",
      "beautiful and profoundly moving ... this is a film i want to see several more times .",
      "if one is to be left with something in the end , it is the realization that its creator is fully in love with not just the result of his art , but the very happening of it .",
      "it will no doubt find itself aging quite well , appreciated long after its -lrb- inevitably short -rrb- theatrical run .",
      "seldom in cinema has eschatology been treated with such intelligence , or inspired such aching awe .",
      "yes , MOV is ridiculous , arguably pretentious , pining for your attention like a sixth grade emo kid . and i love it to pieces .",
      "i will concede the film is not a great success . too many screens of blinding lights . too many transitions for their own sake . abrupt changes of tone .",
      "despite its flaws , it 's still worth watching .",
      "... more a middling entry in the message/sci-fi/fantasy genre than the groundbreaking venture its ponderous tone would lead us to believe .",
      "there are hints of david lynch 's similarly confusing mulholland drive and the marvellously bonkers ending of stanley kubrick 's classic 2001 : a space odyssey that will repel many more viewers than attract .",
      "i 'm all for a movie making us think , but i am worried aronofsky , no matter how much i respect him as a director and writer , went a little too far with this one .",
      "MOV is masterful on so many unique levels , presenting a demanding filmgoing experience that should elicit a grand sense of awe on an emotional and spiritual level .",
      "it 's solaris by someone who can mimic the visual beauty of that work but can not replicate the soul of the it .",
      "thank god a movie can still have a unique language . film is such a powerful medium , and we 're so familiar with all its tricks , somebody should be challenging its uses ... darren aronofsky displays acute discipline .",
      "MOV is a giant step backwards into new age nonsense .",
      "i just like movies that bring the crazy .",
      "ambitious and unsatisfactory , MOV exists at an intriguing place between being nothing and something else .",
      "the tastiest fruit -lsb- aronofsky 's -rsb- talent has come to bear may be mainly an eye-stimulating array of pretty pictures .",
      "it 's that faith in -lsb- aronofsky 's -rsb- artistic vision -- a faith that 's evident during every second of MOV -- that sustains the movie even when you have no idea what the hell is going down .",
      "as deeply emotional and damnably frustrating as any work of pure individual vision must be .",
      "MOV is a challenging film about humanity 's mad struggle to find a cure for our condition , and aronofsky is clearly a man on a spiritual journey .",
      "baffling yet strangely compelling ...",
      "MOV is `` love , aronofsky style : '' it 's his meditation on life and death - specifically , the mechanisms by which we cope -lrb- or do n't -rrb- with loss ...",
      "though not difficult to understand , aronofsky takes too seriously the prescription that in movies you should showand not tell , resulting in meager character development .",
      "i 'm perfectly content to float with -lsb- aronofsky -rsb- even if he does n't solve the riddles of the universe .",
      "it 's borderline unwatchable .",
      "interesting without being enthralling , pretty without being striking , and somber without being ominous",
      "anybody could see that aronofsky was one of the few american filmmakers who saw the cinema past as a jumping-off point , not a toy store to plunder . his films were full of promise ; and more , they delivered on their promises .",
      "in his third feature , darren aronofsky tries to replace the prose of narrative cinema with a poetic language of rhyming images and visual metaphors .",
      "a little surrealism to advance the theme of the movie is brave ; a lot of tedious navel-gazing is just selfish .",
      "a metaphysical melodrama about the quest for eternal life , it makes a pretty decent case for euthanasia ; here is what it 's like to long for a swift , merciful end .",
      "this would-be science-fiction epic is so overcrammed with ideas that it actually feels a bit shallow , unfocused and scattered .",
      "for all the thunderous beauty on-screen , its profundities exist more in the concept than the execution .",
      "-lsb- it is -rsb- an impressionistic film , with death as its muse , sticking out so confidently from the current crop of ... well , anything .",
      "at once incredibly dense and disconcertedly simple , utterly over the top and sincerely down to earth , profoundly saddening and defiantly hopeful .",
      "what keeps `` MOV '' from being a really great film is that it 's so heavily based on the visual and pretty effects ... the idea of a simply told story gets lost in the shuffle .",
      "the whole thing is very zen , and i do n't mean that in a good way .",
      "as the prophet adam ant once said , you may not like it now , but you will .",
      "... a beautiful , baffling , color-splattered science-fiction romance .",
      "whether laughable folly or fool 's errand or -lrb- possible -rrb- head-scratching , noggin-expanding masterwork , there 's never a moment where it 's anything less than sincere .",
      "a tagline has been affixed to the campaign -- ` what if you could live forever ? ' -- and it has a certain resonance , especially after seeing the film , which makes 96 minutes seem like eternity .",
      "most people will probably find it pretentious , or too vague , or boring , or even silly . but give it a chance .",
      "love it or hate it , i do n't know how you could be bored by it .",
      "... a picture of beauty and profundity .",
      "this film can be understood on multiple levels , and can be misunderstood on multiple levels .",
      "this magical , mystical and moving film is stunning to look at and hugh jackman 's performance is one of the best of the year .",
      "those who eschew mysticism and melodrama should still appreciate the beauty and humanistic appeal of ` MOV . '",
      "the movie may have significant truths to impart , although i have my doubts , but it feels too inexperienced , too unworldly , to have earned the right to them .",
      "aspires toward the transcendence of tarkovsky but is more likely to appeal to fans of carlos castaneda and peyote buttons .",
      "MOV is extragalactic romantic claptrap .",
      "simultaneously one of the most grandiose and most personal films to hit theaters this year , a film that goes halfway around the galaxy to hit you where you live .",
      "as izzie 's story becomes tommy 's , it becomes familiar . she 's both his end and his means , and so , at last , not quite herself .",
      "MOV is the most ambitious , rich , romantic and ridiculous film of the year , a movie that 's both awe and giggle inspiring .",
      "MOV is every bit as visionary as aronofsky 's 1998 pi and 2000 's requiem for a dream , but this time the vision could be one of a third-grader on hallucinogens .",
      "a ponderous movie rather than a profound one .",
      "MOV is either innovative science fiction or overwrought melodrama ; i ca n't quite pinpoint which . i realize i 'm charged with reaching an opinion here , but it 's not easy .",
      "chances are you will love MOV . or , you will absolutely hate it .",
      "i know someone who told me the movie 's central love story made her weep , but my tears had more to do with disappointment -- i 've been a big aronofsky fan .",
      "director-writer darren aronofsky could reasonably be described as ambitious , obsessive and gifted . it 's just too bad about his taste .",
      "exquisitely beautiful and almost unbearably sad ... MOV is cinema as poetry ; romance as revelation ; science fiction as prayer .",
      "for the first time , i felt aronofsky 's reach for cosmic concepts exceeded his grasp .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- does n't make for smooth , comfortable viewing , but i 'd much rather watch somebody shoot for the moon when the stakes are sky-high than sit back while they play it safe .",
      "it 's difficult to recall another american film that , in pursuing a passionate and personal vision , goes so maddeningly , uproariously wrong .",
      "the continuous sense of deeply felt discovery tempers the movie 's overreaching pretentiousness",
      "you can judge for yourself whether a money shot of semenesque tree-sap is a proper payoff , but the movie is at least texturally rich , tonally consistent -lrb- brooding , always -rrb- and much fussed over by its maker .",
      "this film raises an interesting question : how far is a viewer willing to follow a talented filmmaker down a rabbit hole , when it becomes clear that said filmmaker has lost his way ?",
      "perhaps in twenty more years or so , -lsb- MOV -rsb- will be recognized for the utterly gorgeous masterpiece that it is .",
      "the enormous , and sometimes inspired , visual arc of aronofsky 's reach sadly exceeds his narrative 's basic grasp .",
      "visual alchemist darren aronofsky 's most personal work is a double helix of love and loss - death entwined with life as existence 's only reliable truths . it offers a transfixing merger of biological imperatives and musings on creativity and tragedy .",
      "a metaphysical muddle .",
      "it 's a simple story told with zen directness , its fingers deep in the age-old questions , its eyes and ears wide open to the sensual potential of cinema .",
      "so simple , so elaborate , and yet so utterly brilliant ...",
      "MOV may fill your cup as the year 's most mystical movie experience . but i make no promises that you 'll feel any younger .",
      "you have to look back to malick or kubrick to find an american filmmaker offering up such a challenging vision to a mainstream audience without apology .",
      "the movie has some beautiful and surreal images , but they deserve to be part of a deeper story . i did n't dislike this , but i did n't like it as much as i wanted to when i first saw the trailer .",
      "mystic pizza . aronofsky is less interested in coherence than in creating new age-ish cosmic images .",
      "mr. aronofsky 's outlook on life remains too constantly pessimistic for my taste , and too completely joyless as well .",
      "aronofsky has made a work that is completely his own -- one that exists in its own universe and is ultimately not much like anything else .",
      "even with aronofsky 's unrestrained indulgence , this is an intellectually and sometimes emotional stimulating experience .",
      "lyrical and haunting , this film is a powerfully engaging examination of mortality and grief wrapped up in a sci-fi fantasy .",
      "this is one of the worst movies of the year .",
      "darren aronofsky clearly did n't set out to make a usual movie ... -lsb- MOV 's -rsb- a story of overreaching that itself overreaches , but that might have been impossible to avoid .",
      "the story of darren aronofsky 's ambitious sci-fi epic MOV spans a thousand years . the movie itself only seems that long .",
      "sort of like a wild combination of ` the english patient ' and ' 2001 : a space odyssey . ' ... although it 's brave and beautiful , ` MOV ' is always more impressive than it is truly touching .",
      "... eclectic director darren aronofsky makes MOV work . in a really weird way .",
      "hugely ambitious and visually commanding ... the kind of artful , textured , defiantly non-mainstream gamble more filmmakers should be taking .",
      "the visions aronofsky imparts , particularly in an ending that rivals 2001 for acid-flashback trippiness , make MOV a movie experience that ca n't be skipped .",
      "an awesome work , dazzlingly inventive , constantly surprising , and told with a minimum of showbiz hoopla .",
      "if there were more darren aronofskys , the multiplex would be a stranger and better place . flaws and all , MOV believes in itself more fervently than any other movie you may see this year -- so fervently it does n't need an audience 's faith .",
      "the picture is visually intoxicating -- the images have a luminous psychedelic beauty -- and the film 's themes emerge elegantly out of the story 's intricately-looped tri-level structure .",
      "like pi , aronofsky 's first feature , MOV combines spiritual mumbo jumbo with vaguely scientific concerns , only even more pretentiously this time .",
      "a haunting and remarkable emotional journey that takes us places movies rarely dare to go .",
      "a cross between stanley kubrick 's 2001 and douglas sirk 's delicious 1954 soaper , magnificent obsession .",
      "this is a terrifically stylish film that warrants multiple viewings to catch the director 's subtleties of story and multi-layered meaning .",
      "if one would simply switch on their inherent intellect , they 'd see the truth behind the tricks -- that is , that MOV is an astonishing , evocative experience",
      "if aronofsky 's just gone over my head , i 'm prepared to live with that .",
      "incredibly honest and emotional filmmaking that 's not afraid to slip up in its pursuit of something beautiful .",
      "MOV overflows with three centuries of gloom .",
      "i will credit aronofsky with creating a few very beautiful scenes in the movie . they would be lovely in a coffee table book , but serve no purpose in a film that elicits little compassion for its characters or understanding of its story .",
      "strange , sometimes unintelligible , and hard to follow at times , `` MOV '' is a psychedelic , gentle meditation on love and death .",
      "a feature-length fortune cookie .",
      "MOV is the story of a gifted artist who dared to reach for the stars and paid for his ambition with a really stupid movie .",
      "i ca n't stop thinking about it , a good indication that this beautiful , frustrating film is tapping into something i ca n't put my finger on .",
      "uma fábula filosófica que pode ser encarada como filhote contemporâneo de obras como 2001 uma odisséia no espaço , de kubrick , e solaris , de tarkovsky .",
      "it 's tough to kick a mewing kitten , even one this stupid and ugly .",
      "to dismiss this out of hand is to miss the overriding passion that aronofsky pours into every frame of his wildly uneven but always watchable epic .",
      "it 's refreshing to be in the hands of a filmmaker with a unique vision , and a pleasure to be challenged by a film 's flights of imagination .",
      "guys like darren aronofsky give auteurs a bad name .",
      "an intoxicatingly beautiful but painfully simplistic fable about love and death .",
      "it 's a sprawling experiment in philosophical time travel and metaphysical noodling . and it 's an earnest , magnificent wreck .",
      "it 's a spiritual journey about the timelessness of true love . and it 's a journey better not taken .",
      "like the time traveler at its center , it 's all over the map .",
      "pic 's hippy trippy space odyssey-meets-contempo-weepy-meets-conquistador caper starring hugh jackman and rachel weisz suffers from a turgid script and bears all the signs of edit-suite triage to produce a still-incoherent 95 minutes .",
      "though narratively flawed -lrb- first and third segments are truncated and difficult to follow -rrb- , the film is more effective visually , asking the audience to succumb to aronofsky 's visionary world that takes full advantage of the medium 's expressive qualities .",
      "do the secrets of life warrant such fancy cinematic footwork and symbolistic ambiguity ? the justification lies in a world of visionary artistry and taut performance .",
      "folly ? maybe . but a risk worth taking .",
      "in its own sappy way as daring and gonzo as aronofsky 's hyper-stylized trip down heroin lane , requiem for a dream .",
      "a pretentious , unfocused , and fussy mess , in which director darren aronofsky manages to make hugh jackman unattractive and unsympathetic .",
      "darren aronofsky 's troubled and long-anticipated metaphysical project centering on the theme of man 's quest for immortality finally emerges as too fevered and convoluted .",
      "part historical fantasy , part lovers-separated-by-death weeper , part new age fever dream , MOV is n't truly horrible , just very , very silly .",
      "in its own quest to out-puzzle the conclusion of kubrick 's 2001 , MOV will madden audiences ' receptivity not for answers , but coherency .",
      "i 've taken the same entheogens many times . but i never cried .",
      "if you 're a movie lover who despairs that big-scale filmmaking today consists of little more than a self-cannibalizing system of clichés , then you need , badly , to see MOV , soon .",
      "the new darren aronofsky film , `` MOV , '' is high-concept , metaphysical trash that shoots for the heavens -- literally -- but which likely will leave some wondering how they paid eight bucks to walk through the doors of hell .",
      "beautiful but overreaching piece of cinematic poetry .",
      "it 's more original than any mainstream or art film i 've seen over the past few years .",
      "`` let 's end this , '' tomas exclaims at the film 's beginning . too bad it takes another ninety five minutes to get the deed done .",
      "a cinematic poem . with a careful , artistic hand , it paints images , scenes , more meant to invoke a feeling . it 's a matter of life and death .",
      "nothing works in darren aronofsky 's disappointing science-fiction fantasy .",
      "many will extract real meaning from the film ; others will simply call its bluff and walk away empty headed .",
      "one of the year 's best films , an emotionally honest drama steeped in love and loss .",
      "this is a movie anyone seeking a truly original experience at the cinema should partake in .",
      "with its whispered dialogue and funereal tone , MOV takes itself far too seriously . no one else will .",
      "kubrick 's ghost can rest soundly .",
      "it 's mostly for naught , because while the central relationship in MOV covers a lot of ground , it does n't really go anywhere .",
      "MOV is not an unmitigated disaster -- just a disappointment from an undeniably talented filmmaker .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- does n't make one lick of sense , and it does n't seem to be about much of anything at all .",
      "it 's often maddening , because of its structure , and some of its visuals are pretentious nonsense . but , as a story of undying love , it 's certainly unique .",
      "as an act of creation , MOV is mostly about its creator . it is a reminder that obsessions are generally about the person obsessed and not the person obsessed about .",
      "despite aronofsky 's obviously earnest and heartfelt efforts , this would-be trippy fantasy about love and death is kookier and sillier than anything else .",
      "MOV is -lsb- aronofsky 's -rsb- most accessible movie , romantic and almost straightforward until its finale .",
      "it 's an ambitious , passionate , grief-stricken work of film art .",
      "sitting through a foundering film can be miserable experience . it 's particularly painful to see a talented director miss the mark .",
      "for every flaw , though , the movie has a strength .",
      "in an era in which even the so-called independent cinema chases formulas and is ruled by a cowardly herd instinct , you really have to admire aronofsky 's guts for making such a risky , uncompromising , spiritual-minded film .",
      "MOV may be a deeply flawed film , but at least it is unlike anything else in mainstream theatres right now .",
      "zardoz anyone ?",
      "it 's one of those movies that i can see myself watching over and over again ... with or without the aid of external stimulants .",
      "had this been the ` sixties hippies would have watched it stoned ...",
      "MOV is beautiful , gripping and utterly transcendent . it 's the best film of 2006 .",
      "there is much to admire in the structure and execution of his filmmaking . not many directors are willing to tackle such deep philosophical questions in a popularist entertainment . ... -lsb- but -rsb- i would have to rate it as a noble failure .",
      "hope may spring eternal , but this fountain is a dry hole .",
      "how can so much style , talent and money be squandered in the service of such blatant airheadedness ?",
      "there is a strange deadness in the film , together with a callow self-importance and self-pity which become more stultifying with every minute that passes .",
      "incoherent , pretentious and boring , aronofsky 's film appears as terminally stricken as its female lead . while a re-edit is unlikely to help , it may be better served on dvd , where its jigsaw-like structure can be more fully appreciated .",
      "first , the good news : MOV is only 97 minutes long . now the bad : that 's 97 minutes of rampant metaphysical codswallop .",
      "lurches on a thin line between hyper-ornate space oddity and extended perfume advert .",
      "at heart , this is a simple zen fable about love and death . in execution , it 's a complex and gorgeous mini-epic with sterling performances from its two stars .",
      "ambitious , beautifully shot and superbly acted , the all-out surrealness of MOV may be too much for some , but the rewards are there if you 're prepared to surrender yourself to it .",
      "i do n't pretend to fully understand darren aronofsky 's latest film , to unravel its knots of time and character , or its oozing realities . but at its core there is the unmistakable essay on the way love is cheated by death , just as death is cheated by love .",
      "if there 's a wavelength you can ride to feel touched and enlightened by MOV , it appears to have skipped my stop .",
      "aronofsky 's passion on this topic runs away with him so much that he neglects to make the characters connect in any meaningful way .",
      "even without all the bells and whistles , it still boils down to one love story worth seeing .",
      "aronofsky 's long-time-coming version of spiritual wonder is finally more mind-numbing than soul-stirring .",
      "the premise is lachrymose , the sets are clammy , and the metaphysics all wet . the screen is awash in spiraling nebulae and misty points of light , with the soundtrack supplying appropriately moist oohs and aahs .",
      "next time around , it would n't be a terrible idea for aronofsky to allow his characters the chance to smile .",
      "a bravely nonlinear , noncommercial , and sadly noninteresting meditation on the desire to prolong youth and stave off death .",
      "the movie is structured like an orchestral piece , with three distinct themes that gradually come together in a movement that is powerful and beautiful .",
      "technically , this is an impressive motion picture , but the fragmented story results in poor character development and aronofsky 's clinical approach limits identification .",
      "it 's an incredibly ambitious film of sometimes thrilling visual achievement , but it did n't connect fully to my mind and nerves .",
      "` MOV ' is a stunning , elegant movie . i found it hypnotic and almost painfully beautiful ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV -- a movie about metaphysics , universal patterns , biblical symbolism , and boundless love spread across one thousand years -- is visually rich but suffers from its own unfocused ambitions .",
    "id": "284431475"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ace_ventura_when_nature_calls",
    "reviews": [
      "painful to sit through .",
      "click the read the article .",
      "the first was funny , in a cheap way . the second is a disgrace .",
      "... if you want to watch something brainless , this is n't a total waste .",
      "a guilty pleasure .",
      "a little bit of carrey goes a long , long way -- and this ace ventura comedy goes on for too , too long .",
      "it 's silly stoo-pid merriment ... for any age .",
      "warner bros. doubled the budget for this sequel in 1995 . for their trouble , they got half as funny a film .",
      "from the man who would one day give us kung pow . need i say more ?",
      "-lrb- no quote available . -rrb-",
      "there 's so little to watch besides carrey , in fact , it makes you actually miss -lrb- gasp ! -rrb- sean young from ace 1 ."
    ],
    "summary": "nature calls in this ace ventura sequel , and it 's answered by the law of diminishing returns .",
    "id": "10604"
  },
  {
    "movie": "2_days_in_the_valley",
    "reviews": [
      "2 MOV is witty and bracing in its own right , and it should n't be buried under extraneous comparisons to pulp fiction .",
      "there are too many characters , but some are a lot of fun . the tone shifts , from graphic murder to wig-flipping farce , are too extreme , but much of it works .",
      "mazursky delivers one of the best lines in the film when he observes , `` it 's been my observation that losers are more truthful than winners . '' amen . here 's to some losers who sometimes get to win .",
      "herzfeld was obviously shooting for pulp fiction meets short cuts , but the film is more like four rooms meets pręt-ŕ-porter .",
      "the plot underlies even the most inexplicable scenes and eventually links even the most widely separated characters , but what makes the movie fun is the dialogue and the behavior .",
      "somehow , although this film 's unevenness tends to take us out of the action now and then , there 's something kind of agreeable about it .",
      "herzfeld , an award-winning television writer and director , did n't craft either a compelling story or create characters with any real depth .",
      "on the whole , there are some good moments in the movie , but altogether , 2 MOV is about one day too much .",
      "as a joy ride , 2 MOV is like a drive down sunset boulevard in a convertible cadillac -- so very valley , it 's shallow but fun .",
      "a genuinely human redemption story wrapped in a dark , violent thriller .",
      "an intelligent thriller - a nice surprise",
      "charlize theron is super-sexy , and devilishy memorable",
      "one constant is its lovely cinematography . another is its utter insignificance .",
      "a quirky , multi-character collage that skillfully keeps you off balance , not knowing where it 's headed .",
      "when the highlight of your movie is a catfight between teri hatcher and charlize theron ... well , it 's not necessarily a bad thing , but it couldve been better",
      "smoothly constructed , for such a busy piece of work , and hatcher 's ascent to stardom continues .",
      "to the director 's credit , the actors all seem responsive to his touch , giving performances that are lively and flavorsome , if not deep or unlike anything each of them has done before .",
      "a sharp , smart movie peppered with a-grade performances from its b-list cast .",
      "it 's not that this is a bad , blackly comic slice-of-lowlife : it 's just that you 've just seen it all before .",
      "herzfeld has a tolerable eye for filling a ` scope frame but a tin ear when it comes to creating dialogue ; these are all characters we 've met before , and most even seem bored with themselves .",
      "a somewhat entertaining ride to nowhere in particular .",
      "herzfeld 's marriage of dark humor with graphic violence is n't compatible , and his occasional moral statements about cheapened life stick out like sore thumbs .",
      "closer to straightforward drama than black comedy .",
      "this smart movie never seemed smart .",
      "a sleek , amusingly nasty screen debut by a film maker whose television credits include an amy fisher docudrama .",
      "among the many lacking pulp fiction carbon copies that refuses to realize its surrealistic shortcomings . an exaggerated and aimless mess starving for attention",
      "an ensemble-cast mishmash of crime and betrayal that manages to work .",
      "like its protagonists , it misses the target by inches .",
      "funny , pathetic , sad , absurdist -- writer-director john herzfeld plays it any number of ways , and makes them all work .",
      "this movie is n't bad for mere entertainment , but it 's overshadowed by other , better movies in the same genre .",
      "not everyone will get this film , but for those who appreciate the delectable rewards of black comedy , this is an encounter with substantial rewards .",
      "herzfeld 's characters border on the bizarre , and yet each is endearing .",
      "a solid picture that is probably accessible to a wider audience than pulp fiction was ...",
      "this produces some rather nasty-funny surprises .",
      "it 's pure entertainment -- nothing too serious , nothing too deep -- with an artistic sensibility .",
      "a jumbled hodgepodge with an excess of plot masquerading as hip thriller .",
      "shallow characterisation , a script so laid-back you can almost hear it snoring and the occasional outburst of hokey dialogue lead to a movie a good deal less charming than it thinks it is .",
      "a tense , heartfelt , funny and sometimes brutal film ."
    ],
    "summary": "a labyrinthine thriller with a host of memorable characters , 2 MOV is an uneven but intriguing thriller/black comedy .",
    "id": "13366"
  },
  {
    "movie": "motherhood",
    "reviews": [
      "a pleasing , lighthearted look at the mommy wars .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sharp comedy .",
      "you can see the movie wants to comment on all the frustrations of urban MOV , but it does so only shallowly . how did having children kill eliza 's `` fiercely lyrical '' fiction career ? the movie is n't that political or reflective .",
      "many films have been made about the perils of parenthood , but none with a more attractive and entertaining mom on the verge of a nervous breakdown than uma thurman in MOV .",
      "so focuses on eliza 's need to look out for number one that -lsb- the film -rsb- obscures the reasons people become parents , winding up with a movie light on love and heavy on narcissism .",
      "gets stuck in the starting gate , unsure of what kind of film it wants to be .",
      "the lesson , i guess , is that it really sucks being a mom , but it 's also incredibly unrewarding .",
      "misguided , cluttered , annoying mess of a dramedy , a film only moderately redeemed by the still-luminous thurman , but even she is dragged down by a truly awful screenplay . mothers still get no respect .",
      "... inept...ill-conceived , and amateurish ... an insult to full time mothers and MOV .",
      "MOV gives upper-middle-class whining a bad name .",
      "in a few brief moments , thurman 's eliza springs to life ... but it 's not thurman 's fault that those moments are few and far between .",
      "whiny and self-involved , thurman 's mother of two sees judgment around every corner and believes the universe has conspired against her because the bakery misspelled her daughter 's name on a birthday cake .",
      "were it not for the presence of the ` big name ' stars , this would have straight-to-hallmark-channel written all over it .",
      "there 's nothing much here on the wonders of parental obligation to reinforce the mood , only ineffective flecks of comedy and abrasively broad performances to help sell an unwelcome foray into me-me-me individuality .",
      "this enjoyable but simplistic comedy feels more like a mother 's tired rant than an ode to MOV",
      "disappointing , faintly patronising comedy-drama that 's light on both laughs and drama .",
      "this i-don ` t-know-how-i-do-it schtick may appeal to the martyred-motherhood brigade , but it wo n't do anything for people who turn up to a comedy expecting laughs .",
      "it 's hard to see why the target audience would want to sacrifice two precious hours watching their own soul-sapping routines played out on the big screen .",
      "it 's a well-meaning movie , but the attempts to provide amusing insights into the everyday life of a full-time mum are hamstrung by the 24-hour time frame .",
      "a light , cheery metropolitan take on what it 's like to be left holding the baby .",
      "an authentic account of stressed-out parenting , but anyone sans sprogs will find limited appeal in this one-trick pony .",
      "MOV never comes to term .",
      "pity party for moms .",
      "filmmaker dieckmann has infused MOV with a meandering sensibility that immediately sets the viewer on edge ...",
      "if you ever wanted to spend an entire movie in the company of a frazzled , childcare-juggling uma thurman on a singularly bad hair day , MOV could well be manna from heaven .",
      "few vanity projects can be as ill-conceived as this laughless , goggingly slow uma thurman vehicle .",
      "this whiny drivel makes me ashamed to be a woman .",
      "i would n't care if she was at the epicentre of the movement for global peace : she 's a happily married mother who looks like uma thurman , and my reserves of sympathy are limited .",
      "the film treats the responsibilities of parenthood like another film would treat cancer , as a dream-killing condition to be endured until it passes or kills you . as a contraceptive device , that works brilliantly .",
      "revealing the contradictions of this postfeminist age , MOV is good enough to recall up the sandbox , the elegant and eccentric 1972 response to feminism , race , class and media ...",
      "-lsb- thurman is -rsb- quite funny , but her performance is at once winning and overstated .",
      "if carrie bradshaw ever trades her manolos for sneakers and starts blogging about raising children , i pray she would n't be as tiresome as the heroine of katherine dieckmann 's insufferable comedy MOV .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- not only overdoes its premise , but it 's hampered by several flaws . when it tries to be serious , it 's too earnest , and when it tries to strike a chord , it 's banal .",
      "director katherine dieckmann , who demonstrated some natural comic rhythms and efficiency with actors in diggers , is here unable to surmount the sitcom dreariness of her first original screenplay , apparently a `` write-what-you-know '' misjudgment .",
      "what eliza writes , like MOV itself , feels like a stale collection of harried-parent material that the bland comedy duo the mommies milked dry more than a decade ago .",
      "though pregnant with possibility , MOV fails to deliver .",
      "too bad the writing did n't include -lrb- thurman -rrb- lopping off people 's heads , sort of a sequel to her `` kill bill '' roles . now 90 minutes of that could be entertaining .",
      "the humor is soft , the dramas are small , and the movie stumbles from loose and scruffy naturalism to sitcom tidiness .",
      "portrays a time-starved mother who is willing to throw herself into parenting but also realizes the need to care for her own soul .",
      "unfortunately , nothing here digs too deep .",
      "parenting dramedy entertains but unlikely to appeal to kids .",
      "uma , overload . overload , uma .",
      "if ms. dieckmann really thinks that people communicate as inanely as she has written this script , then we are all doomed .",
      "it scares straight any wishful daydreams about parenting , living in manhattan and even looking like uma thurman .",
      "MOV is a deceptive film that seems to be one thing when it starts % u2013 and then turns a corner and becomes something else , something deeper and more perceptive .",
      "dieckmann nails the look of a certain niche of urban neo-middle-class living , but the film 's hyper-earnest tone and reliance on `` day-from-hell '' new york clichés overwhelm those details .",
      "MOV is neither insight nor escapism . it 's a yummy-mummy newspaper column splurged onto celluloid , like baby sick on your best cashmere sweater ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite uma thurman 's comic skills , MOV 's contrived set-ups and cliched jokes keep this comedy from delivering laughs -- or insights into modern parenting .",
    "id": "770802360"
  },
  {
    "movie": "abyss",
    "reviews": [
      "suffers due to its incredible length and slow pace , but intriguing , nonetheless .",
      "brilliant at sustaining tension and interest .",
      "for god 's sake , make sure you have the director 's cut . the theatrical cut was an abomination .",
      "click to read review",
      "a remarkable film ... the vfx are super !",
      "a gorgeous and fascinating underwater adventure .",
      "what was once a well-made , well-acted mess is now a very poignant and satisfying sci-fi adventure .",
      "this overlong concoction is scuppered by dire dialogue , histrionic performances and maudlin sentimentality .",
      "a classic .",
      "pretty great underwater adventure .",
      "if the 1989 cut is a thrill ride , then the 1993 revamp is a frequently wrenching emotional roller coaster .",
      "the human stuff is more than worth the descent .",
      "anyone looking for a discouraging word about this stupendously exciting and emotionally engulfing film should read no further . the MOV confirms james cameron as a world-class filmmaker .",
      "a rare film -- big-budget hollywood entertainment on a grand scale that is able to seamlessly incorporate many levels of meaning into an entertaining experience .",
      "... the undersea adventure may have you waterlogged after the first hour .",
      "the film lasts for more than two hours , yet the audience could hardly expect to be bored .",
      "i 'd sooner believe that moby dick could swim up the drainpipe .",
      "begins with a bang and just keeps on rolling .",
      "one of the best science fiction film ever made . this remains true in spite of a rather superficial treatment of the some of the science fiction elements . it is very much a 2001 with the slowish parts replaced by a good fast-paced adventure film .",
      "a finely crafted film .",
      "the movie was a bear to make and it shows onscreen , parading around a series of mesmerizing set-pieces that look deliciously hard-earned in ways our current cg-drenched filmmaking climate never allows .",
      "one need not be a cameron acolyte to recognise that the MOV has aged better than some of the films that outshone it back in the day .",
      "the MOV gains in some ways from its own achilles heels , in a way most movies do n't ... its formal technique , its reckless obsessiveness , and its gutsy emotionalism are what i ca n't stop turning over in my mind .",
      "colossally ambitious , this logistically boggling and technically brilliant film from writer-director james cameron is a visual tour de force , featuring overall , the greatest underwater sequences ever seen on film .",
      "the attempt to extract the essences of several genres -lrb- cold-war submarine thriller , love story , disney fantasy , pseudomystical sf in the spielberg mode -rrb- and mix them together ultimately leads to giddy incoherence .",
      "what ultimately saves the film are its extraordinary sets and phenomenal oscar-winning visual effects .",
      "as a follow-up to cameron 's great sci-fi aliens , the MOV is too verbose for an actioner and the special effects , striking as they are , are not well integrated into the narrative , but it 's still worth seeing .",
      "a firstrate underwater suspenser with an otherworldly twist , the MOV suffers from a payoff unworthy of its buildup .",
      "forget titanic this is cameron 's best underwater flick",
      "great blending of spectacle and drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "the utterly gorgeous special effects frequently overshadow the fact that the MOV is also a totally gripping , claustrophobic thriller , complete with an interesting crew of characters .",
    "id": "12161"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1010678-invasion_of_the_body_snatchers",
    "reviews": [
      "the first -- and still best -- version of the cold war sci-fi , despite compromised ending that was imposed by producer walter wanger on the director to make the tale less downbeat and anarchic .",
      "an all time classic . the `` message '' was lost on most original viewers .",
      "don siegel 's superb little effort , with its matter-of-fact isolation of hero kevin mccarthy -lrb- ironic , no ? -rrb- from the smarmy complacency of a small town gone to hell -- and way beyond -- points the way to his gripping action films of the 60s and 70s .",
      "a superbly crafted film by innovative director siegel , this low-budget science fiction tale became one of the great cult classics of the genre .",
      "tenso e bem construнdo , conta com uma уtima trilha sonora , a direзгo expressiva de siegel e com um roteiro que pode ser lido como uma alegoria clara do mccarthismo .",
      "siegel 's brilliant movie sits as a perfect bookend to romero 's `` night of the living dead . ''",
      "it 's still a chilling picture , gaining over phil kaufman 's smart remake by virtue of its intimate small town setting , and it has one of the greatest endings ever filmed .",
      "some genuinely creepy moments and good social commentary raise this horror film",
      "i still believe in the reality of pod people .",
      "chilling still . do not fall asleep while watching it !",
      "don siegel directs this chilling sci-fi allegory with economy , speed and efficiency .",
      "although expertly remade twice - in 1978 and 1993 - and rather less successfully in 2007 , the original is still the most striking , with a justly famous scalp-freezing ending .",
      "don siegel 's taut , bleak , noir-flavoured picture is arguably the science-fiction b-movie of the 1950s , an age when screens glowed with the atomic threat and undulated with scuttling , supersized bugs .",
      "the grandfather of all paranoid thrillers",
      "a film whose righteous anger is visible in its every frame .",
      "brilliantly placed , however unwittingly , to illustrate america 's political paranoia from both ends .",
      "this modest , sci-fi-inflected 1956 horror movie may come to be seen as the defining metaphorical work of the twentieth century .",
      "the modest budget and b-list stars -lrb- kevin mccarthy , dana wynter -rrb- - enhance the movie 's impact , and don siegel 's taut direction makes the sheer ordinariness of the setting all the more scary .",
      "-lsb- this movie -rsb- scares the holy piss out of me .",
      "`` you fools ! you 're in danger ! ca n't you see ? they 're after you ! they 're after all of us ! '' it 's one of the greatest lines in sci-fi movie history , from one of the greatest films , MOV .",
      "watch it in the cinema and you 'll find yourself gazing warily at everyone else in your row .",
      "a movie that can claim kinship with alberto cavalcanti 's went the day well ? as well as the matrix and under the skin .",
      "its defining trump is that it is transparent , possessing a strong political undercurrent visible beneath its surface .",
      "wonderfully performed and imbued with a genuine sense of trepidation and unease .",
      "maybe not a great film , but a classic of its era",
      "its title implies that it 's something you might watch for its campy comic value . but it 's flat-out nightmarish .",
      "the film 's portrait of human beings gradually assimilated by an alien invasion of emotionless duplicates creates a profoundly disturbing sense of paranoia .",
      "one of the very best sci-fi/horror pictures of one of that genre 's best decades .",
      "arguably the greatest ever b-movie .",
      "this tense , offbeat piece of science-fiction is occasionally difficult to follow due to the strangeness of its scientific premise . action nevertheless is increasingly exciting .",
      "talky , tame original sci-fi study in paranoia .",
      "few modern-day movies are more genuinely frightening .",
      "jack finney 's magazine story-turned novel `` the body snatchers '' has proven remarkably resilient through the years .",
      "among the most thrilling cliffhangers in all of cinema .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1956 -rrb- is a thrilling , disturbing classic science fiction/alien film .",
      "a classic must-see . it remains potent to this day .",
      "at the time , the film could have been seen as a metaphor for the red menace , or mccarthyism , or whatever ; the fact remains it 's a creepy little film .",
      "what if the mask of your neighbor tilts for a second and you catch a glimpse of the riot going on behind his face ?",
      "a 50s horror classic that remains a gem of allegorical paranoia ."
    ],
    "summary": "one of the best political allegories of the 1950s , MOV is an efficient , chilling blend of sci-fi and horror .",
    "id": "18032"
  },
  {
    "movie": "boondock_saints",
    "reviews": [
      "more interested in finding fresh ways to stage execution scenes than in finding meaning behind the human urge for self-appointed righting of wrongs , pic is stuffed with effects that have no lasting impact .",
      "train wreck !",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dim-witted , aesthetically clunky tarantino clone .",
      "it 's one thing to make a film that 's violent and profane ; it 's another to make one that 's a moral black hole , and to do it because black looks cool . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "duffy 's models are clearly snarky , ultraviolent tarantino-esque crime pictures , but this movie 's cleverness is never quite on a par with its bloodlust .",
      "an embarrassing waste of time , and nothing even resembling the guiltiest of guilty pleasures ...",
      "willem dafoe 's portrayal of the conflicted homosexual fbi agent is overacted to such an extent that it is hilarious , amazing and entertaining . his is an unforgettable character .",
      "satire or self-parody would be vastly preferable to the film 's unironic endorsement of outlaw justice , but you 'd be hard pressed to find anything resembling irony or subversiveness in this exercise in lovingly rendered ultra-violence .",
      "while i do n't think the flick really has much of a brain in its head ... it sure is n't boring .",
      "if you ca n't sit back and enjoy an entertaining popcorn flick like the MOV , then you 'll probably never understand the difference between the movies and real life .",
      "duffy has made a film that sort of straddles the fine line between great movie and useless piece of garbage .",
      "the MOV , sorry to say , was n't worth the trouble .",
      "it taps into everyone 's secret desire for vigilantism .",
      "definitely an exercise in style over substance .",
      "it is , by turns , hilariously awful and just plain unhilariously awful , full of its own nonexistent momentousness , an unintentional parody of hardboiled gangster flicks .",
      "visualmente interessante , o filme se corrompe ao fazer apologia da `` justiзa com as prуprias mгos '' . ainda assim , a atuaзгo de dafoe merece ser conferida .",
      "it does the job , but does n't do a very good job of it .",
      "stylish and fun in a cheeseball sort of way .",
      "from this cast , you 'd expect better , but it 's mostly just a redundant tarantino wanna-be .",
      "a ridiculous , self-important amalgamation of rehashed macho posturing and slow-motion bloodletting . do yourself a favor : do not attend a convocation with these saints ."
    ],
    "summary": "a juvenile , ugly movie that represents the worst tendencies of directors channeling tarantino .",
    "id": "12869"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dogma",
    "reviews": [
      "moviegoers who do n't think about what smith is trying to say will have no problem taking it all for an adolescent joke . but those who do stop to ponder his message will find MOV harder to dismiss .",
      "an hilarious satire that challenges our preconceptions and encourages something other than a fundamentalist interpretation of the bible .",
      "nowhere near as bad as the nay-sayers would have you believe . if anything , it 'll open your eyes and make you think , while simultaneously entertaining the hell out of you .",
      "supremely moving !",
      "concede smith his two main notions -- that god alone has the right to judge human beings , and that god has a sense of humor -- and you will probably find MOV howlingly funny , thoroughly imaginative and -lrb- in the end -rrb- surprisingly sweet .",
      "constantly fascinates .",
      "the film has freewheeling energy , intellectual vigor and a cool cast .",
      "deliriously audacious , one-of-a-kind .",
      "really , it 's pro-religious , wanting to reinvigorate faith with joy and hope .",
      "irreverent , sloppy , silly and frequently hilarious .",
      "kevin smith and jesus christ -- coming soon to a theater near you ?",
      "smith has crammed the film with enough genuinely funny moments and insightful bits to make it well worth seeing .",
      "this is not a neatly wrapped package -- it 's a noisy , messy , outrageous rampage most of the time . but enough sticks to the wall with sufficient frequency to recommend it .",
      "that the movie is both funny and devout is something of a miracle .",
      "mercilessly funny !",
      "kevin smith , also known as silent bob , writes and directs very funny films , but there is always a dark , brooding angst lurking among the laughs .",
      "smith has made a movie that reflects the spirit in which many catholics regard their church . he has positioned his comedy on the balance line between theological rigidity and secular reality , which is where so many catholics find themselves .",
      "the thrill of the movie -- and the reason you do n't have to be religious to be caught up in it -- is the thrill of watching a director wrestle with his obsessions .",
      "as always with kevin smith 's films , the strongest element is the writing , and he 's reached a new level here .",
      "smith 's comic allegory is overlong and confused , but his move from indie to mainstream deserves at least some credit .",
      "it 's a dud .",
      "MOV is not supposed to be taken seriously , which is as it should be .",
      "when smith 's not practicing the humor of outrage , he 's preaching to a choir highly likely to be perplexed .",
      "it 's a film overflowing with smart ideas that nevertheless plays out dumb .",
      "a disjointed mess .",
      "agonizingly foul-mouthed and adolescent , surprisingly empty and ineffective as a satire of organized religion , and at least 30 minutes too long .",
      "the film opens with maybe the best disclaimer ever , citing the platypus as proof that god has a sense of humor . if only the rest of MOV was as clever as this prologue .",
      "an incoherent jumble .",
      "kevin smith needs to reign in some of the effects he uses simply for generating cheap laughs in favor of a more focused narrative .",
      "the longer the film goes on , the less funny it gets .",
      "a top-notch smith script , partnered with fine actors and a respectable budget .",
      "one of the most intelligent , engaging , and gut-bustingly funny revelations to come along in a while .",
      "rough edged , a feisty little pit bull barking up a stormy judeo/christian religious debate concerning the true nature of god while passing itself off as a joke .",
      "thou shalt not stop laughing .",
      "if this is -lsb- smith 's -rsb- one ` message ' movie , let 's hope he has got it off his chest .",
      "somewhere between heaven and hell",
      "despite the sound and fury surrounding its release , MOV does n't signify anything beyond the truth of kevin smith 's repeated insistence that he 's not much of a filmmaker .",
      "a fresh premise gradually turns stale , and jokes that start out lively end up pooped .",
      "turns into a waste of time about a fourth of the way through .",
      "presents some zany commentary on institutional christianity , angels , demons , modern day immorality , and the mysterious presence of god . wow !",
      "smith is n't content merely to promote his own generic `` faith '' ; he has to tell us , again and again , what 's wrong with orthodox catholic belief .",
      "como saga religiosa , ` MOV ' é mesmo uma excelente comédia .",
      "there are kernels of genius here , and if smith could trim the fat from this film , he might come up with something worthy of his considerable talent .",
      "far from being anti-catholic , `` MOV '' blends the baltimore catechism with the national lampoon to produce jokes only catholics will appreciate .",
      "practically bursting at the seams with ideas , some of which smith puts across with considerably more finesse than others .",
      "smith is a director who knows what he wants to say , and gets right to saying it , from the moment the film begins , till the moment it ends .",
      "do n't dismiss it because it 's jam packed with laughs . comedy if often more effective at showcasing ideas than drama , as it does n't restrain itself from exploring even the dumbest possibilities .",
      "offers a hefty share of jolly fun mixed with ultimately thoughtful and affectionate ideas about religion and spirituality .",
      "as an ambitious and overreaching break with smith 's provincial milieu MOV is a failed experiment , but a noble failure .",
      "smith 's patchwork construct of belief seems to exist to turn catholicism into an x-files-style conspiracy of equivalent scope , complexity , and opacity ; all smothered in a layer of potty humor .",
      "it is thoughtful and funny but less than satisfying . smith took on a bit too much , but i laud the effort .",
      "a surprisingly tender and humane movie that seems touchingly confident of god 's sense of humor and infinite patience",
      "too talky , too fond of in-jokes , too caught up -lrb- especially during the dismally weak climax -rrb- in its crass comic-strip ethos , and not , finally , as funny , subversive or thought-provoking as it would like to be .",
      "at their best , his verbal exercises are pyrotechnical , at worst , logorrheic .",
      "irreverent , but it is hardly sacrilegious .",
      "i loved seeing all these great character actors at work , and the discussions are rich and intelligent .",
      "the film takes aim at so many contemporary targets and with such gusto that you fear each time you laugh you might be missing another wonderful line .",
      "jumping on the pre-millennium , end-of-the-world hype , smith has chosen an opportune time to take a satirical and witty look at the shortcomings of organized religion .",
      "the movie is brilliant satire , pointing out exactly what 's wrong in organized religion today and vaguely suggesting a few solutions .",
      "those who would call it sacreligious -lrb- and there will be many -rrb- should look beyond the foul language and crude humor , to see more deeply into smith 's intentions to give the dusty doctrines of the ancient faith a fresh new perspective .",
      "what in the world ever made smith think morissette 's involvement in this film would be a good thing ? oh , wait , but is n't it ironic ?",
      "a mixed bag .",
      "a lot of people will walk out of MOV thinking back on its many laughs , but just as many , if not more , will come out reflecting on their own religious faith .",
      "the script is full of interesting ideas but frequently they go by at lightning speed .",
      "smart , seditious and fantastically complex .",
      "go see it not just because it will hack off the protestors , but because it 's a classy film .",
      "we were amazed that anyone , in the name of defending catholicism or faith in general , would go through all the trouble of prosecuting a movie that hardly puts out enough substance to be funny , let alone offensive .",
      "to take this film seriously is a big mistake , which is why i have no sympathy for protesters of this film .",
      "MOV should be offensive to anyone who expects more from a movie than two hours of a filmmaker 's musings on every religious notion that ever came into his head .",
      "the problems with MOV are that it 's uneven , overlong , and occasionally uninteresting .",
      "call it a near-miss .",
      "deliriously funny !",
      "and yet , in its own messy way , MOV is historic .",
      "a scathing , scurrilous , sometimes silly but often searching comedy about the nature of faith in the 21st century .",
      "funny , fast-paced and deliberately provocative .",
      "smith is clearly as passionate about his faith as he is frank about his problems with it .",
      "original and ambitious .",
      "MOV is a raucous , profane but surprisingly endearing piece of work , a funny and lively film of ideas .",
      "an extremely funny and quite rewarding film .",
      "consistently funny , vulgar and thought provoking .",
      "like quentin tarantino , smith makes all this useless banter actually sound pretty interesting .",
      "it 's smart and funny all the way .",
      "a movie that oscillates wildly from amusing to hysterical in the sheer magnitude and uniqueness of its conception .",
      "often excessively coarse , uneven in the pacing -lrb- a lengthy train-ride sequence is entirely superfluous -rrb- but also great fun .",
      "despite its rowdy humor , it 's a movie that has you cheering for god . why would you want to ban that ?",
      "ambitious , original , funny .",
      "this film is , for the most part , a fun , thoughtful romp through the catholic religion .",
      "MOV may very well be the best bad movie of the year .",
      "the movie manages to ask relevant spiritual questions .",
      "uproariously hilarious .",
      "the film runs about one-half hour too long and really outstays its welcome when it features pop diva alanis morissette as god .",
      "the fact that it has a great , intriguing premise only stimulates my dislike -- it promises great things , and never delivers the goods .",
      "the movie simply demonstrates the limitations of smith 's vision and humorous abilities , rather than any satirical prowess .",
      "the real problem with MOV is not its anti-papism , but its aggressive and offensive piety .",
      "smith is a spirited jester , and parts of MOV are bright , icon-busting fun , but most of it is a god-awful mess .",
      "filled with interesting , thought-provoking concepts , but the script never manages to explore them with any degree of depth , and the humor rarely rises above junior-high locker-room level .",
      "kevin smith 's religious satire alternates between moments of brilliance and painful sections that just do n't work .",
      "once the ball is put in play , the viewer must endure a flat second half , indulging torturously static explanations delivered by characters so garrulous they make those of eric rohmer seem as tight-lipped as silent bob .",
      "like the worst seasons of saturday night live , most of the film 's setups go nowhere or just fall flat .",
      "the result is a mish-mash of tones in which such absurdities as singer alanis morissette 's appearance as god undercut any emotional responses you might have to the climaxes involving bartleby and bethany .",
      "MOV is more strained than funny .",
      "it 's push-the-envelope coarse , thematically ambitious , and -- most dangerously -- self-consciously respectful and thoughtful on matters of faith and religion .",
      "it 's too bad smith 's trademark humor got in the way , because while the film definitely has its flaws , there 's no denying that it also had the ability to serve as an intelligent debate about religion .",
      "the true target of the film is not religion but religious MOV ...",
      "a lighthearted , determinedly independent romp .",
      "a very vulgar pro-faith comedy rather than a sacrilegious goof , MOV is an extraordinarily uneven film that significant cutting might be able to transform into a playable one .",
      "make no mistake , kevin smith 's talky , farcical comedy of cosmic errors is clever . but it 's clever in a deeply juvenile way .",
      "i could n't care less whether smith 's metaphysical conceits about the war between good and evil are those of a devout believer or an atheist . the bottom line is that they 're puerile .",
      "what you hear throughout MOV , liberally peppered with the usual prankish profanities , is kevin smith having a conversation with himself about his faith .",
      "writer-director kevin smith keeps getting better .",
      "i recommend it anyway , for the way it kids around with the finer points of a religion while embracing its high ideas .",
      "MOV entertained me but it did not impress me .",
      "MOV is unrelentingly and blisteringly hysterical , which , in measured doses , is fantastic .",
      "a vibrant parody ; a daring rollercoaster ride that challenges all beliefs , even those of non-believers .",
      "the satire contains as much foul language , bathroom humor , and sexual innuendo as other gross-out comedies aimed at primarily young audiences , along with occasional insights into the value of religion as a living force .",
      "one of the funnier films of the year .",
      "leaves you feeling like you saw something special and fresh .",
      "what happens next is just funny stuff , yet very intelligent at the same time .",
      "since debuting with clerks , smith has grown as a director , particularly in terms of working with actors .",
      "takes a comically cockeyed path in its attempt to provide a hopeful view of humanity , but its true success is more modest . it shows that there just may be hope for kevin smith ."
    ],
    "summary": "provocative and audacious , MOV is an uneven but thoughtful religious satire that 's both respectful and irreverent .",
    "id": "13107"
  },
  {
    "movie": "en_kongelig_affaere",
    "reviews": [
      "it is certainly competent , lovely to look at , but leaves little lasting impression .",
      "arcel directs with sympathy for all three of the main characters and does n't make pure villains of the others .",
      "gorgeously photographed if familiarly constructed , it 's more or less catnip for urban foreign film aficionados and the npr set , breathing life into period piece lust and intrigue .",
      "perhaps there 's only so much to be done with a costume drama about illicit affairs and would-be coups .",
      "although the brazen lovers , bellicose ministers and backstabbing handmaidens are familiar elements , the film is so handsomely mounted that we happily endure the ride until the turning of the screws in the tragic last act .",
      "the film ends not on a happy note , naturally , but on a moment of hope . love may not conquer all , but it has a power all its own .",
      "what a piece of work is this historical drama .",
      "despite the presence of illicit sex , insanity , a smallpox epidemic and a climactic double beheading , this is a rather bloodless ` affair . '",
      "in the immortal words of king louis xvi -- or was it mel brooks ? -- it 's good to be the king .",
      "the characters in the story are interesting , even if they are not quite as interesting as the historical people on which the characters in this film are based .",
      "steamy court intrigue , wild passion and the momentous decisions of charismatic visionaries have never had it better than this 18th century danish potboiler .",
      "the film is a showcase for mikkelsen ... , who is captivating as caroline 's brooding lover and a political power player .",
      "whenever the film truly sings , it is almost entirely due to that electricity -lsb- between mikkelsen and fřlsgaard -rsb- .",
      "... content to allow its story fit the proper historical context , especially when the stakes include the future of an entire nation .",
      "chances are a movie about 18th-century danish history might not be a grabber . but this one could have been ...",
      "slow moving factually based historical drama about political intrigue and sex among the royals in 18th century oppressive denmark .",
      "sometimes falling in love can really change the world or at least the fate of a nation .",
      "a royal affair covers plenty of stately ground , all in good time .",
      "a fascinating , stately thriller .",
      "a crowned-heads soap opera that balances effectively between pomp and melodramatic circumstance .",
      "it 's always a pleasure to see a movie give attention to the ideas and visions of its characters , but the drama is , at times , a little too dry and earnest to hit dangerous liaisons heights .",
      "a tragic love story , beautifully told .",
      "rich people challenging the status quo ? socialism as cool and radical ? is this a fantasy realm ? no , it 's 250 years ago .",
      "a fascinating and impressive historical drama with first-rate performances and splendid production values .",
      "supplements its palace intrigue with the good old-fashioned pull of romance and costume drama ... mikkelsen 's magnetism and sly expression hold the film 's center with a quiet potency .",
      "even the sex scenes look smothered .",
      "even appreciated simply as a little-known chapter of european history , it proves consistently engrossing , edifying and affecting .",
      "a period costume romance ... joined to an intelligent history lesson .",
      "the film moves along crisply , looks great and stimulates the brain -lrb- i am a sucker for torrid romances propelled by quotes from rousseau and voltaire . -rrb-",
      "`` a royal affair '' is an engaging and entertaining film , one that might have been great , if only the history were different .",
      "there is something boring in the state of denmark .",
      "the film tells an intimate story with an enormous amount of grace .",
      "if any royal affair deserves cinematic treatment , it 's this one .",
      "... sparks fly between vikander and mikkelsen in this wonderfully romantic , entertaining political thriller that actually took place in 18th century denmark .",
      "a royal affair is historical drama of the highest order - teeming with big ideas , and anchored by the nicely nuanced performances of vikander and mikkelsen .",
      "history may not always be fun , but , at least in this case , it 's fascinating .",
      "those well-versed in such tightly-corseted matters will remain one step ahead of it , but the essentials are convincing and , at times , successfully agonizing .",
      "director nikolaj arcel gets outstanding performances from all three of the principals , which enlivens the whole affair considerably .",
      "the storytelling ... is kind of amazing .",
      "it wants to burst out of its corset and get down-and-dangerous liaisons dirty ... the political backstabbing becomes less personal and more like a history lesson in fancy dress .",
      "`` a royal affair '' is basically a good-looking set of historical cliffs notes .",
      "it does a fine job of dramatizing the pure power of ideas and the attraction of like minds . and what happens when those ideas , and that attraction , runs counter to the pleasures of the most powerful man in the land .",
      "looks sumptuous and contains meaty , provocative ideas . it 's a feast of a film , one that will send you scurrying for background on the real people behind this true story .",
      "beautifully acted and lush look at a real-life court threesome in denmark at the end of the 18th century indeed pleases .",
      "hefty historical drama has some racy , violent moments .",
      "it 's a film about a society at a crossroads , with two competing visions of the future being hashed out against a backdrop of political intrigue . sound familiar ?",
      "epic and intriguing , it 's a cautionary tale that emerges as one of the best foreign films of the year .",
      "` affair ' is disappointingly conventional , much too decorous and , at two hours-plus , sometimes just plain dull .",
      "this highly polished costume drama is exceptionally well-made and a model of intelligent restraint , but it is also unapologetically earnest and a bit on the bloodless side .",
      "director nikolaj arcel , who also co-wrote the screenplay , stages the action in a brisk , modern mode that makes ` a royal affair ' easily digestible and satisfying .",
      "... while mads mikkelsen has become an international star and has the sexier role here , it is mikkel boe fřlsgaard who really astonishes , always keeping us wondering if the king 's madness is real or , at least in part , a tactic .",
      "while it 's lavish and lush in all the expected costume-drama ways , a royal affair never bogs down in period detail .",
      "with its sumptuous settings , urgent romance and intellectual substance , a royal affair is a mind-opener crossed with a bodice-ripper .",
      "unfortunately it never fully comes to life .",
      "this scandinavian coproduction is essentially an old-fashioned period spectacle , offering the tried-and-true pleasure of romantic melodrama in fancy costumes .",
      "anyone eagerly awaiting anna karenina and les miserables should n't miss a royal affair .",
      "nikolaj arcel 's sumptuous danish romance looks much like other well-made costume dramas , barring a single , crucial exception : this is the only one with mads mikkelsen in the lead .",
      "a richly conceived and compelling historical drama about two soulmates who try to rock the authorities and bring radical change to eighteenth century denmark .",
      "a lovely history lesson , but a film without the spark of invention that makes this parable feel modern ...",
      "at least for a while , arcel manages to animate the long-settled debate , at least until the inevitability of its resolution becomes too clear to overlook .",
      "it 's as interesting a portrait of late 18th-century life as amadeus or the madness of king george .",
      "a beautifully nuanced and driven period drama at its finest with the added power of a true story behind it , making it a deserving box office hit to watch .",
      "a superbly executed historical drama with the guts of a great romantic tragedy and the scale of national significance",
      "visually exquisite , the ingredients of this royal danish historic drama are as sensational as they are gripping",
      "an absorbing and intelligent mixture of history lesson and forbidden romance .",
      "it 's an intoxicating mix of politics , passion , history and tragedy , with humour too .",
      "though it is not on an epic scale , it is a thoughtful period piece that can stand comparison with fred zinnemann 's a man for all seasons and david lean 's doctor zhivago .",
      "a fascinating affair of state .",
      "plays like a dogme95 weirded-out tragicomedy - school of festen or the idiots - afflicted with costumes rather as a person might be afflicted with psoriasis .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is a gripping , powerfully moving and thought provoking danish drama with a magnificent central performance from mads mikkelsen .",
      "for all its incident , a royal affair is slow and picturesquely framed - more of a languorously animated coffee-table book than a gripping drama .",
      "it 's all high-drama and in the hands of director arcel , every little knot in this detailed needlepoint is handled to period perfection .",
      "the heady mix of power , politics , ideology , romance and corsets is a rare , royal feast .",
      "denmark 's oscar nominee is a fact-inspired historical melodrama , but it 's intriguing , elegantly shot , and well acted by the actors forming the romantic triangle .",
      "the performances are powerful and the set pieces are exquisite , but the conclusion will leave you feeling enormously agitated thanks to what seems like the encouragement of thickheadedness .",
      "out of some dry lines , shakespearean allusions , and its playing with statecraft as stagecraft , this slowly emerges as more than just some ruffle-collared , frilly-cuffed throne-porn-there 's a sharp quill and glinting eye behind the gilt-edged curtain .",
      "a well-crafted drama about three flawed individuals who changed the course of history in denmark .",
      "the volatile mix of sex and politics is at the core of the sumptuously produced danish film a royal affair , which , by underplaying its combustible material , fails to do full justice to it .",
      "... a splendid demonstration of the old adage that political films are really not about the time they are set in , but the time in which they are made .",
      "a sumptuous slice of period drama and real-life palace intrigue .",
      "an 18th-century epic that harks back to the great amadeus with its sumptuous detail and vision , a royal affair is one of the finest , most refreshing period dramas to emerge in a long time .",
      "this gorgeously mounted , exquisitely acted slice of danish history is , in this age of political polarisation , strangely and depressingly topical . i was certainly enlightened by the history here , which encompasses a royal tale of intrigue and passion .",
      "seemlessly blends a love affair with political struggles while stickling closely to actual historical events in denmark in the mid-18th century .",
      "the film is too tepid in its treatment of its central character and her situation to generate any real emotive charge .",
      "strongly directed with stately reserve by nikolaj arcelif , who paces the absorbing drama well across its long running time , the film 's luscious-looking sets suggest the movie benefited from many heritage-protected locations .",
      "features mads mikkelsen in the most straightforwardly positive role i 've ever seen him in , and he turns out to have an expressive impassiveness to rival ryan gosling 's .",
      "director arcel handles the material with a stately grace that compensates for the story 's predictable trajectory , though humdrum period detail and monotonous pacing too often leave the proceedings feeling only partially aroused .",
      "as the power behind the throne once removed , mikkelsen is well-cast as a strong leading man who is also convincing as an intellectual and reformer .",
      "intrigue and eroticism abound , all of it watchable , none of it particularly exciting .",
      "we are drawn undeniably to well-crafted beauty , power wielded for good and romance built upon authenticity , and a royal affair has all three in bounds .",
      "genuinely engrossing , if a little stiff , and it 's only in the drama of the last five minutes that actor-of-the-moment mikkelsen shows us what he 's really made of .",
      "the stand-out ... is mikkel boe folsgaard as the king . teetering on the edge of sanity , he is both detestable and sympathetic .",
      "gripping , smart , well-acted - everything you want in a period drama .",
      "arcel gives this true story the shape and bite of a well-crafted fiction , and its political themes are every bit as stirring as the romance .",
      "nikolaj arcel 's a royal affair does n't quite have the potency of a fleeting , passionate romance , so much as it mimics the drawn-out dissolution of a relationship .",
      "arcel 's classically old-fashioned candlelight-and-carriages take on the bosom-heaving , aristocratic love triangle is a compelling if slightly overlong effort .",
      "a voluptuous slice of historical drama that will satisfy period fans and mikkelsen admirers equally .",
      "james bond villain mads mikkelsen stars in this beautifully shot recreation of the danish monarchy 's greatest scandal .",
      "a royal affair is a welcome break from the current plethora of morbid scandinavian thrillers ; instead , rasmus heisterberg and nikolaj arcel have co-adapted an unfamiliar but well documented true story of 18th century danish royalty .",
      "sumptuous costume drama illuminates a dark chapter in denmark 's history ."
    ],
    "summary": "a royal affair is a lavish and sumptuous costume drama with a juicy story to back it up .",
    "id": "771271497"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1045250-hocus_pocus",
    "reviews": [
      "still an underrated disney gem to this day .",
      "it strictly remains more `` trick '' than `` treat . ''",
      "MOV remains a delightful family comedy , spooky but never scary as it romps its merry way through the graveyard .",
      "perhaps i underestimate the power of its generational hold , yet considering the potential of a broad disney witch romp , MOV is an incredibly mediocre movie .",
      "for an 11-year-old boy -lrb- in 1993 -rrb- already in love with horror movies , halloween and thora birch , MOV was my dream movie sprung to life .",
      "goofy witches and things that bump all over the place , incliuding midler ... fair family fun .",
      "rollicking halloween fun for tweens and up .",
      "with bette midler and her onscreen sisters shamelessly hamming things up , it looks as if those involved in making this inoffensive flight of fantasy had more fun than anyone over 12 will have watching it .",
      "-lsb- midler , najimy and parker -rsb- perform a show-stopping version of ` i put a spell on you ' at a halloween party , but otherwise it 's slim pickings .",
      "modern audiences will probably enjoy watching a bizarre sarah jessica parker ham it up as one of a trio of salem-era witches reincarnated in the 1990s -lrb- they ride vacuum cleaners ! -rrb- and after the children of the town . too bad the story is so disposable .",
      "the best that can be said about the acting by the witches is that it is , well , bizarre . and rarely funny .",
      "chock-full of visual tricks and treats , MOV is actually just what its title implies -- cinematic chimera without much substance .",
      "unfortunately , all their hammy mugging makes the three stooges seem downright subtle .",
      "it 's acceptable scary-silly kid fodder that adults will find only mildly insulting . unless they 're bette midler fans . in which case it 's depressing as hell .",
      "this comedy is unusually dark for a disney production and it makes for patchy entertainment .",
      "all things considered , MOV is much more entertaining than a pimple-people picture has a right to be .",
      "they probably should have left this misfire in the broom closet -- with the other wooden vehicles .",
      "this is one of the oddest releases of the summer , and it 's hard to imagine it finding a broad audience . with the rather ghoulish deaths of children depicted , it 's certainly too strong for very young moviegoers .",
      "forget amusement parks and hockey teams . it 's in movie comedies that disney is having its real crisis , as evidenced by this would-be laugh-getter that begins with the murder of a child and a triple hanging .",
      "though children may be satisfied -lrb- if the witch stuff does n't scare them -rrb- adults will have a harder time with the by-the-numbers confrontations between the witches and the plucky youths .",
      "dreadful .",
      "MOV is harmless , but it 's about as much fun as celebrating mardi gras under the influence of candy corn .",
      "as shakespeare would have certainly written if he 'd been on the movie beat , `` double , double toil and trouble , movie stink and critic bubble / ` MOV ' has no focus/has no rhyme , has no reason / and is ... out of season . ''",
      "silly but irresistible .",
      "MOV is really two movies -- a sophomoric caper for teenage boys and a dark lark for fans of disney farce , an abracadabra sister act . both of them are failures .",
      "in the not-too-distant future look for MOV in the rental-store bins , or as part of a halloween `` trick or treat '' package -lrb- three bags of candies with MOV for $ 5.95 -rrb- .",
      "watching the movie is like attending a party you were n't invited to , and where you do n't know anybody , and they 're all in on a joke but wo n't explain it to you .",
      "as a family film , MOV is passable -- provided you do n't have particularly high standards .",
      "strictly for kids .",
      "dismayingly grisly for a movie aimed at kids .",
      "apparently too much eye of newt got into the formula for MOV , transforming a potentially wicked bette midler vehicle into an unholy mess .",
      "director kenny ortega shows little feel for the material . the three leading ladies , encumbered by layers of latex , huge wigs and voluminous costumes , are rarely allowed to cut loose .",
      "it 's clear that everyone involved in making the film had the time of their lives , and that translates on-screen into a family film that 's a thrilling and funny romp from start to finish .",
      "terrible family movie with bad music and lame overacting ."
    ],
    "summary": "harmlessly hokey yet never much more than mediocre , MOV is a muddled family-friendly effort that fails to live up to the talents of its impressive cast .",
    "id": "10010"
  },
  {
    "movie": "daybreakers",
    "reviews": [
      "even though i 'm pretty much vampired out these days , i appreciated the grossout thrills and the b-movie dialogue .",
      "it 's a shame australia 's spierig brothers opt to turn it into just any old noir-future chase movie - roughly blade meets minority report , without the production flair .",
      "it 's big and brash , but were it not for weta 's visionary special effects work , there would be little to keep the blood pumping .",
      "a gripping feature that is just as likely to provoke thought as it is fear .",
      "MOV is n't exactly good or bad , and that is the problem . the film could have broken the rules and expounded upon its initial ingenuity . it could have been about something . it 's not .",
      "MOV is an entertaining genre hybrid with functioning brain cells and , in its exciting finale , an original solution to solving its vampire epidemic .",
      "a polished , intelligent , well-acted and darkly humourous vampire tale . fangtastic .",
      "iffy plotting , squiffy dialogue and directorial indecision - is this po-faced science fiction or hokey horror ? - leave the film , like its protagonist , torn between two extremes .",
      "with beautiful blade runner-style cityscapes , smartly conceived takes on the vampire mythos -lrb- sun-proofed cars and video mirrors -rrb- , inventively engineered shocks and copious blood loss , this is an engagingly skilful blend .",
      "MOV takes the undead in an entirely different direction , melding smart sci-fi with a timely political subtext .",
      "the spierigs make some nice metaphysical points and commission some spiffy design , but resort to less-than-blood-heat thriller moves in the final third . still very watchable , though .",
      "the movie falls apart as if someone in the production screamed out , `` stop ! we forgot to blow stuff up ! get the blood ! ''",
      "this stylish film at least has a sense of its own absurdity . while it plays everything dead straight , it also has a lot of fun with the rules of the genre .",
      "one of the best and most inventive vampire movies i have seen in a long time . willem dafoe rocks this ultra-violent film with great one-liners .",
      "the foolhardy spierigs spend so much time setting up MOV for a sequel , or possibly a franchise , that they leave the movie itself mostly in disarray .",
      "an ambitious premise about a future world ruled by corporate vampires is explored with some intelligence , sly humour and blood-splattering brio by the spierig brothers .",
      "things would be real different if vampires ruled the world . coffee would come spiked with hemoglobin , not half-and-half . tooth-whitener ads would feature fangs . and the most compelling public-service announcement would be an hourly sunrise advisory .",
      "that subtlety makes the spierig brothers satisfying directors of horror and MOV a small golden nugget in the rocky wasteland of january 's movie releases .",
      "too many logic holes and an uneven center doom what could have been a highlight of the recent vampire craze .",
      "despite a few jumps in your seat and some hilarious explosions of body parts , i 've seen better special effects in a nintendo ds video game and stronger plot lines on the back of a count chocula cereal box .",
      "despite the spierig brothers ' punchy visual style and satiric tone , MOV eventually devolves , though dafoe and his southern drawl goose things up and hawke has a greasy romanticism .",
      "MOV has substance and smarts , plus lots of visual treats for the fanboys -- a mix to keep everybody happy .",
      "in the end , MOV does n't really want to make anyone think too hard . if that were to happen , they might stop to wonder why all the human survivors out there hiding in fear of their lives do n't just become garlic farmers and call it a day .",
      "the yearning to become human again adds emotional heft to the gory dystopian mayhem .",
      "MOV is one of the most purely pleasurable genre films of recent months .",
      "there 's much here to feast upon , so chow down , gorehounds .",
      "it is a happy alternative to the tepid appeal of pre-teen vamps and werewolves . but why make a vampire movie lacking the allure of the enticing fiends ?",
      "hawke and dafoe are both excellent and there 's strong support from a suitably sinister sam neill .",
      "highbrows will condescend to this movie like nobody 's business . but there are a few of us left out there -- junkies for smart exploitation -- who will relish this stuff . you know who you are .",
      "parental content review",
      "the power of the spierig brothers is mighty and it 'll be impossible to sit down without becoming absorbed in their futuristic world of vampire clichés and novelties .",
      "while america continues to produce interminable undead dross ... australia can now proudly announce itself as being home to two of the best genre auteurs working today .",
      "it 's pretty clear that directors the spierig brothers are ready to make their mark as a couple of high-end horror genre auteurs .",
      "MOV is the pinnacle of fun , modern sci-fi horror actioners .",
      "that MOV biggest problem is that there is n't enough of it should tell you enough : watching it provides short-term entertainment , but like those voracious bloodsuckers , it 'll just leave you wanting more .",
      "around here MOV ' clever streak runs out and the previously witty , refreshing film becomes a predictable action romp that 's big on over-the-top gore but lacking in everything else .",
      "a slick , violent , and intensely gloomy horror/action/sci-fi hybrid that stands out in a crowded field of end-of-mankind movie scenarios .",
      "a rock-solid afternoon matinee sort of movie , packed as it is with so many disparate genre influences . confidently crafted and legitimately clever .",
      "a hybrid of future dystopian sci-fi and classic vampire conventions , MOV is a horror movie which boasts as many ideas as it does bloodshed .",
      "the is no denying that the production values of MOV are superb ; the sophomore directing duo fill every inch of their frame with some startling effects work and detailed production design .",
      "MOV could have been a pulpy delight instead of just another , albeit entertaining , action movie .",
      "there is a lot of non-sparkly going on , if you know what i mean .",
      "once the world is set up , the follow-through comes up short .",
      "squandered potential at its most obvious .",
      "`` smartly constructed and lively all around , the gloom and doom submitted by filmmaking duo the spierig brothers is wildly entertaining and appropriately gushy with gore . against all odds , MOV is a blast . ''",
      "pointed social commentary using the vampire as a metaphor for an increasingly predatory bourgeois society .",
      "malo je % u017eanrovskih ostvarenja koja su kao MOV % u0161a % u0161avo zabavna , a istovremeno znaju stimulirati i neka ozbiljna razmi % u0161ljanja",
      "humans and parched vampires engage in endless skirmishes of hide and seek , while corporate meanies go about concocting efficient farming and drainage systems of homo sapiens in profiteering captivity .",
      "... film of glistening surfaces ... all lit in the subdued hues that `` heaven to gaudy day denies . ''",
      "somewhat enlivened by perfunctory professional performances by ethan hawke -lrb- as a guilt-ridden vampire looking for a cure for blood dependency -rrb- and willem dafoe -lrb- as elvis , a crossbow-toting member of the human remnant -rrb- .",
      "a bad ending does n't detract too much from the great cast , plentiful blood and guts effects and rollicking pace .",
      "the special effects look cheap ; and while the premise , with its `` we 're drinking the blood of the earth ! '' subtext is interesting , the characters just are n't .",
      "MOV is highly inventive , containing plenty of interesting and original ideas about vampire technology , vampire physiology and the sociological implications of a vampire world .",
      "a first-rate vampire flick with solid action and a story that 's never been seen before . go in with high expectations and you wo n't be disappointed . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "set in a near future where the entire planet has been taken over by vampires , the film is actually quite pertinent in these post-credit crisis times .",
      "MOV is a perfect panacea to audiences averse to the tweeny romanticisation of the undead by twilight and its ilk .",
      "despite this fascinating premise and the careful construction of ingeniously retrofitted world , MOV fails to dazzle .",
      "takes an idea that also happens to be a message , in a genre that has been sucked dry , and still make something watchable . it 's not the most brilliant vampire movie ever made , but it 's the best one of 2010 .",
      "more australian filmmakers should be inspired to take on hollywood after seeing the spierigs ' vampire venture , even if it falls short of greatness .",
      "stylish , engaging and yes , intelligent",
      "give it an a for effort , c for execution . as cool/creepy as it seems , MOV just does n't quite measure up to its potential .",
      "passable entertainment because it is more imaginative than most vampire films and because of willem dafoe 's performance , but it should have been better .",
      "the spierig brothers have created an unsettlingly believable world , part blade runner , part gattaca , part blade .",
      "a bloody , fun start to the new year .",
      "an okay film about vampires and the search for blood that is n't romanticized - a la ` twilight ' - but is full of gore .",
      "MOV was unceremoniously dumped into theaters by unadventurous studio heads in the first week of january , -lsb- but -rsb- one should n't take their cluelessness seriously : MOV is so much better than they would have you believe .",
      "les deux frangins font preuve d'une rigueur créatrice que nous n'aurions jamais pu soupçonner aprčs un exercice aussi bâclé qu'undead",
      "makes little sense , but earns points for the operatic , slow-motion vampire equivalent of the barf-a-rama scene from stand by me .",
      "after taking such pains to establish a dying world , it 's a shame the spierig brothers are so intent to kill it off .",
      "just when you thought it was safe to be a vampire , corrupt corporate politicians spoil the fun .",
      "the pacing misses a few beats and the satire never pops , but `` MOV '' comes as a welcome retort to the vampire bubblegum genre that horror fans have had to tolerate .",
      "it 's a business-horror story of greed and market share ... you do n't have to look far -lrb- corporate global-warming deniers , anyone ? -rrb- to find a corollary in contemporary reality .",
      "ambitious , smart and unique , the film creates an entire world that is guaranteed to intrigue you and leave you wanting more .",
      "even if the premise turns out to be juicier than the payoff , this sci-fi/horror thriller suggests the spierig brothers ' future might be bright .",
      "MOV offers a flawed but thoroughly enjoyable , happy-making trip .",
      "a smarter and more refreshing take on the vampire genre than most of late , and a solid action flick in its own right .",
      "while it 's far from perfect , MOV is an incredibly fun movie . loaded with talents actors , beautiful camerawork -lrb- a stunning slow-mo shot in the finale proves this -rrb- and buckets of blood , i ca n't recommend this enough .",
      "`` horror fans should be looking forward to this one . ''",
      "... an exciting -lrb- albeit slightly uneven -rrb- addition to the vampire-movie canon .",
      "yes , MOV is another vampire film , but do n't hold it against it . this is stuff twilight fans have nightmares about ...",
      "an imaginative and arresting genre film",
      "` MOV ' has plenty of clever social relevance and biting political commentary mixed into the pot of gore and violence . it 's got both style and smarts .",
      "a dreary-looking and sluggish narrative that does n't go anywhere special .",
      "a fun if forgettable romp , with some great ideas and a few gruesome shock shots . which is enough . just .",
      "with willem dafoe is a crossbow-wielding ex-vampire named elvis . -lrb- coincidentally , the film opened on what would have been presley 's 75th birthday . -rrb-",
      "now this is a vampire movie .",
      "so over the top you ca n't help but like at least some of it , ` MOV ' is pulsing with gore , mayhem and dark humor",
      "a pretty ambitious movie that 's occasionally capable of fulfilling those ambitions . when it does n't , the attempt is still noteworthy and the results are at least entertaining .",
      "MOV injects just enough fresh blood into the vampire genre to make it worth your while .",
      "starring ethan hawke and willem dafoe , the movie , which was shot more than two years ago , is clever and gory enough to keep horror-seekers happy",
      "a thinking person 's vampire flick with deliciously gory action , an underlying social message , lean direction , and best of all , no obnoxious product placement or pop music .",
      "surrounded by cannibalistic gore , ethan hawke and willem dafoe line up to drink some valuable box-office blood ... call it ` from here to vampurity ' .",
      "a movie about too many vampires that only proves there are too many movies about vampires .",
      "it 's nice to see real vampires again . forget team edward and team jacob . join team ethan !",
      "yeah , its another vampire film , but this one deals with the global end game instead of emo teen angst .",
      "interested in societal collapse - that is , when it 's not more interested in the super cool way these vampires explode when stabbed",
      "this clever twist on the vampire genre provides a much-needed , big-screen jolt of social satire and blood-drenched horror .",
      "a slick , bloody , fast-paced , and ultimately enjoyable b-movie .",
      "hawke gives his all here -- or maybe just half his all -- and it is n't quite enough : he 's trying to be soulful , but he really just looks a little tired . the real delight is willem dafoe .",
      "it 's like children of men with exploding-plasma shock effects . the best thing you can say about the movie is that it pours some very old blood into a new plastic bottle .",
      "MOV reminds us that from twilight to underworld , true blood to the vampire diaries , this is one genre where supply has utterly overwhelmed demand .",
      "i 'm as surprised as anyone , but this clever vampire movie from the spierig brothers proves the genre still has some bite left in it .",
      "MOV is n't a great film , but it 's a good one , and in a market oddly lousy with vampire tales , it 's an original .",
      "the spierigs ' latest does n't do much to carve out a unique identity .",
      "the script does n't wring many surprises or much character involvement from the premise , and the brothers ' helming , while slick , is short on scares , action setpieces and humor .",
      "there 's a fascinating idea at the heart of MOV , where a vampire plague has swept the world and everyone 's now a bloodsucker , but it does n't quite make for a fascinating film .",
      "wearisome `` ai n't it cool ? '' video-game splatter-violence is all that 's memorable of the action , while a -lrb- mixed -rrb- metaphorical subtext of conservationism ca n't save a text that squanders its actors .",
      "a clever twist on the vampire legend , delivers what genre fans crave and more .",
      "there are more revisionist bloodsucker stories out there than you can shake a stake at nowadays , and they 're getting tiresome .",
      "unlike the current cinematic vampire milieu created for lovestruck teenagers , MOV is fierce and scary and downright thrilling to look at .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he perfect , ultimate , brilliant extrapolation of the vampire conceit ... intensely original ...",
      "for the lowbrow , the thrill is a level of fleshy explosiveness reminiscent of david cronenberg 's scanners . no one dies quietly ; he must either detonate like hiroshima or burst into juicy red chunks of viscera .",
      "a suspenseful , visually stylish and gory sci-fi thriller that 's simultaneously entertaining and provocative .",
      "the narrative may flag , but the doomsday atmosphere and george liddleâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s production design remain vivid until the final , blood-splattered reel .",
      "clearly a cult hit in the making and horror fans should eat it up like a vampire with a fresh kill .",
      "MOV is more fun than foreboding ; it 's fright-lite , yet that 's par for the bloody course in these busy apocalyptic days .",
      "the action sequences are well-executed ... and the concept is just interesting enough to carry the flimsy plot through its 98 minute running time .",
      "robs the vampire of its supernatural bite ... all the blue filters and retro hairstyles in the world could n't save what , for me , was a pretty lifeless bloodsucker flick .",
      "writer-directors michael and peter spierig equip this unpretentious , low-budget , high-functioning shocker with some sharp satirical teeth , and dafoe has a ball behind his manson goatee .",
      "this intriguing premise , alas , ends as so many movies do these days , with fierce fights and bloodshed . inevitably , the future of the planet will be settled among the handful of characters we 've met , and a lot of extras with machineguns .",
      "although it falls apart as a thriller , michael and peter spierig 's black-comic splatterfest sets up an ingenious metaphor for the current economic nightmare .",
      "this dystopian horror-thriller aspires to be a vampiric ` children of men ' , but it bears more similarity to a late-night skinemax flick .",
      "the spierigs ' dusky noir has plenty of style , but the movie never develops beyond its intriguing setting , and the wildly uneven performances do nothing to draw you in .",
      "it 's a little bit silly -- as is dafoe 's kentucky-fried cowboy mechanic named elvis -- but silly is fun . in fact , one wishes it were sillier still .",
      "MOV has some trouble with tone but overall it 's favorably comparable to well-regarded genre actioners like blade or 30 days of night .",
      "a b-movie with pretensions to something more and the effort is worth a look for horror fans .",
      "peter and michael spierig 's earlier , campier horror outing , the zombie picture known as undead , was even bloodier than this one . the movie-makers are after bigger game here , and a subtler mixture of speculative nightmare and action film .",
      "it sounds so very good and yet , in the hands of the spierig brothers , it has all the life of a vampire 's -lrb- non -rrb- heartbeat",
      "while the setting is sleek and filled with clever details , the story , in which one good vampire teams with a scrappy band of free-range humans to fight the power , is timeworn and predictable .",
      "the spierigs get a lot of points for inventiveness , but their cleverly constructed , uncomfortably familiar world makes a deeper impression than much of what happens within it .",
      "... while leaps and bounds better than -lsb- the spierig 's -rsb- last , sucks the blood of too many other films and lacks logic when it does extend an original idea",
      "though it borrows many of its ideas from older movies , the combination makes them seem fresh .",
      "the average human body holds approximately 1.5 gallons of blood . unless you 're someone in the film MOV . then you 're carrying closer to 47 gallons , 46 of which will end up splattered on a wall .",
      "MOV finally comes up with some comments on the predatory practices of big pharma , but that 's an awful comedown from the blood-rushing brilliance of the early scenes .",
      "it ca n't be a good sign for a vampire movie when its most memorable trait is how desperate chrysler 's product placement appears .",
      "it 's undeniable fun to behold the likes of serious thespians hawke and dafoe slumming around in this cheeseball stuff .",
      "ok , i surrender -- this is the age of the vampire and it 's best to go along for the ride .",
      "the sleekness-as-decay mode is unoriginal but it works for most of the spierigs ' film",
      "just when you think popular culture has exhausted all the metaphorical and allegorical possibilities , the film unifies all the usual tropes -lrb- bloodlust , heliophobia , fangs -rrb- into a complete science fiction whole ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it arrives during an unfortunate glut of vampire movies , MOV offers enough dark sci-fi thrills -- and enough of a unique twist on the genre -- to satisfy filmgoers .",
    "id": "770783685"
  },
  {
    "movie": "happy_gilmore",
    "reviews": [
      "it may smell awful from a distance , especially if you have low tolerance for lowbrow humor , but up close this yarn about an unlikely golf star is fairly painless .",
      "fluff , but enjoyable fluff .",
      "you do n't feel that sandler and director dennis dugan are trying for the kind of subversiveness that might just make happy 's brutal anarchy more effective .",
      "MOV does often make the viewer burst out laughing .",
      "to my own surprise , i laughed a lot .",
      "it 's just a minor little film that you forget until the next adam sandler flick comes along .",
      "as dumb as caddyshack was , though , it seems like george bernard shaw compared to this poor stepchild . back to stand-up , adam sandler .",
      "a lame , unoriginal comedy that may offer a few scattered chuckles , but more often than not , serves up a bewildering series of bizarre non-jokes , supposedly ironic product placement , cheesy music cues , and tired sight gags .",
      "the MOV character is strange . i guess we are supposed to like him .",
      "sandler 's movie is worth a few laughs , but not many of the comic sequences are original , and even fewer are inspired .",
      "this is a fun movie . i do n't know how many times i 've seen it now , but it never ceases to amuse me .",
      "superior disposable comedy .",
      "fans of sport and brash , boisterous comedies will find a lot to love here .",
      "there are about three minutes of funny material in MOV , and pretty much all of them are in the trailer .",
      "from beginning to end , there 's not a slow moment in `` MOV , '' the tiger woods of gleefully idiotic comedy .",
      "at the end of the day , it 's exactly what most spectators would really love to see on the fairway .",
      "adolescent humor at its best/worst . lots of profanity .",
      "there 's still plenty of true immaturity to go around",
      "sandler 's serious moments are dramatically deadly , while a little of his comedy goes a long way .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- one-joke caddyshack for the blitzed and jaded .",
      "it 's not quite sandler 's best film , but it still is a very fun movie .",
      "sever those cerebral lobes , sit back , and enjoy a gleeful , energetically stupid comedy .",
      "a bigtime guilty pleasure for me .",
      "MOV provides sandler with a perfect outlet for his character .",
      "sandler at his crazy , comical best....side-splitting stuff ~",
      "lame , unfunny stuff .",
      "you probably already know if you think adam sandler is funny , so let that be your guide .",
      "sandler putts one in for a winner .",
      "standard adam sandler vehicle .",
      "there was a time when adam sandler was genuinely funny . oh , how we miss those times .",
      "sandler plays this a lot smarter than , say , a jim carrey character , and with less slapstick . still , this is not delicate , subtle stuff : it 's smart low-brow , and only for those who like their humor a bit offbeat .",
      "the bob barker/happy gilmore fistfight and ben stiller 's uncredited cameo as an evil nursing home manager make this one worth a lazy sunday rental .",
      "the story has all the thickness of a well-trimmed green , but it 's a decent excuse for some heady sight gags .",
      "happy 's tantrums , which the movie pretends are liberating explosions of self-expression , are n't nearly maniacal enough to reach comic delirium .",
      "MOV may not be an ace in the hole , but it beats par by a long shot ."
    ],
    "summary": "those who enjoy adam sandler 's schtick will find plenty to love in this gleefully juvenile take on professional golf ; those who do n't , however , will find it unfunny and forgettable .",
    "id": "11221"
  },
  {
    "movie": "solaris",
    "reviews": [
      "i loved every frame of MOV . i 'm just not sure why .",
      "a tedious , self-indulgent attempt to revisit stanley kubrick 's 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "while there are some tremendous performances here , davis is a real hoot , nothing all that much happens .",
      "the filmmaking is extraordinarily assured , and any credible attempt to keep science fiction from becoming exclusively the province of 13-year-olds is welcome .",
      "this cold , occasionally dull movie practically defies you to embrace it .",
      "so beautifully made -lrb- everything in it is understated except the gorgeous good looks of its stars -rrb- and turns out to have such real cumulative power that it is worth holding out to the end .",
      "soderbergh seems capable only of delivering artfully lighted , earnest inquiries that lack the kind of genuine depth that would make them redeemable .",
      "for all its flaws , though , MOV is a good try and a definite improvement over the dull remakes soderbergh 's been sleepwalking through lately .",
      "finely crafted and executed , this is one of those rare movies that will get you talking after it 's over .",
      "a shrewdly pared-down version that confines its focus to a single issue for the ages : the nature of romantic passion .",
      "a chilly , remote , emotionally distant piece ... so dull that its tagline should be : ` in space , no one can hear you snore . '",
      "the kind of smart film that has people arguing about it on their way out of the theater .",
      "-lsb- soderbergh -rsb- goes so far into the terrors and rewards of romantic love that he comes out the other side into the universal .",
      "cameron , clooney , and soderbergh go cloning in the other ` MOV '",
      "MOV gives you a lot of time to think about other things % u2013 like how many tiles are in the ceiling of the theatre .",
      "aloof and lacks any real raw emotion , which is fatal for a film that relies on personal relationships .",
      "if i were clooney , i 'd have pitched jeremy davies out of the space ship , though this would not have greatly improved this product .",
      "the most opaque , self-indulgent and just plain goofy an excuse for a movie as you can imagine .",
      "an example of an a-list director and movie star using their clout to do what more people in their position should : challenge themselves and their audience .",
      "... a science fiction masterpiece .",
      "a mysterious and powerful movie , much like the strange planet at the far reaches of the universe for which it is named .",
      "soderbergh fashions an ambitious conceit into a sub-shyamalan movie .",
      "i 'm not one of those who encourages people to pay their hard-earned money to suffer for the sake of someone else 's art , so i ca n't recommend this film .",
      "MOV is rigid and evasive in ways that soderbergh 's best films , `` erin brockovich , '' `` out of sight '' and `` ocean 's eleven , '' never were .",
      "MOV is a technically accomplished film but with a focus so narrow and a story so seemingly slight that it will probably bore most audiences .",
      "not exactly a date movie , unless your date is a graduate student in philosophy",
      "as a thoughtful but self-indulgent showcase , MOV has its rare moments of chilly reception . the film 's pathos is in the pudding but the taste has the welcomed flavor of a crunchy moon rock .",
      "... a thoughtful and troubling excavation into the depths of human nature .",
      "an involving sci-fi film .",
      "it has the courage to wonder about big questions with sincerity and devotion . it risks seeming slow and pretentious , because it thinks the gamble is worth the promise .",
      "if you 're the type to be stimulated by MOV 's weighty philosophical issues , it 's a mind-bending sci-fi trip into the unknown . for all others , it will be the perfect cure for insomnia . .",
      "a moody , multi-dimensional love story and sci-fi mystery , MOV is a thought-provoking , haunting film that allows the seeds of the imagination to germinate .",
      "soderbergh has given us a boutique space picture - smallish but classy with a translucent glow , accented in chrome , white and blue and touched up with crystalline surfaces .",
      "clooney handles himself very well in a rare dramatic role ; he draws us into kelvin 's obsessive mind nicely , although he 's perhaps not quite up to the challenge of taking us over the brink .",
      "thoughtful , moving , impressively-directed sci-fi with a great performance by clooney -- the pace may be off-putting but this is a deeply rewarding film .",
      "completely devoid of splashy special effects , soderbergh 's MOV is beautifully shot with a minimalist effect .",
      "one of the finest science fiction films since 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "a surprisingly dull adaptation of the classic 1961 science-fiction novel by stanislaw lem .",
      "by winnowing the picture down to the fierce romanticism at the heart of lem 's novel -lrb- and tarkovsky 's trance-like film -rrb- , MOV locates the core issues of identity and love that plague the dark hours .",
      "MOV is neither as effective nor as ambitious as kubrick 's masterpiece , but it 's still a compelling cinematic experience for those who are willing to abandon themselves to the unforced , measured rhythms of an issues-based motion picture .",
      "abstract and otherworldly to a vivid , palpable degree , MOV is a movie of manifold cerebral and emotional context that can not be easily summarized in print .",
      "with long stretches containing no dialogue , it 's a slow , sterile , thought-provoking film that will leave many unanswered questions rattling around in your head .",
      "those who can allow themselves to get enveloped by the movie are in for a genuine treat .",
      "if steven soderbergh 's ` MOV ' is a failure it is a glorious failure .",
      "whatever else one might say of soderbergh and clooney , they understand that clout is something you exercise , not something you safeguard .",
      "although impeccably made , the film is a slow and demanding work that firmly resists almost all of the pleasures of the sci-fi genre .",
      "the film dares viewers to set aside their preconceptions and to meditate on the concepts of fate , destiny , love and the tyranny of memory .",
      "soderbergh does a fine job creating a moody atmosphere of pervasive anxiety .",
      "one for the graduate students who know everything about movies except how to enjoy them .",
      "for those who remember those breathtaking visions of sci-fi movies -- that first sunlit crest of 2001 , 's monolith , the musical ` hellos ' of close encounters , or the first time e.t. 's finger glowed -- there 's a magic waiting to be discovered .",
      "george clooney delivers one of his best performances .",
      "it is , all at once , exhilarating , frustrating , cryptic and wise .",
      "a solemn , splintered meditation on lost love : a movie about personal space , in space .",
      "although it 's meant to be restrained and free of emotional hysteria , the result is a movie that pretty much lies dead on the screen for an hour and a half .",
      "... there you are , keenly aware that if you were intellectual enough , this would be seriously exciting entertainment . but since something in your artistic-merit decoder is n't functioning properly , you 're checking your watch",
      "brainy , artistic and muted , almost to the point of suffocation .",
      "there is a truly memorable love story somewhere in MOV , unfortunately it 's buried under much 2001-ish pretensions .",
      "it 's seriously hampered by its focus on an oddly bloodless love story , but there 's enough provocative , thoughtful 2001 style material about the human identity here to salvage the movie .",
      "... although MOV finally embraces a more hopeful ending than it should , the journey there is an incredibly fruitful one .",
      "some movies blend together as they become distant memories . mention `` MOV '' five years from now and i 'm sure those who saw it will have an opinion to share .",
      "MOV does not reduce the complex dilemma it creates for itself down to a simple set of conditions solved by a simple set of rules .",
      "i prefer soderbergh 's concentration on his two lovers over tarkovsky 's mostly male , mostly patriarchal debating societies .",
      "why steven soderbergh and his producers -lrb- who include james cameron -rrb- wanted to try their hands at it is a mystery . and viewing the hollow result does n't shed any light on that mystery .",
      "a movie with little joy , no oomph , and paced so agonizingly slow that i fought a constant battle against nodding off .",
      "MOV fades to a less than satisfying conclusion , where its blending of space , time , reality , remorse , redemption , and george clooney 's naked butt might even have albert einstein pinching himself to see if he 's still with us .",
      "if you 're going to make a ` thinking man 's ' film that alienates the public at large , then at least have the foresight to avoid amateurish dialogue delivered by feeble performances .",
      "fiasco of infuriating pretentiousness and numbing incoherence .",
      "if george clooney gives the best performance of his career here , he is probably still too facile for the material , his good looks and now instinctive charisma rubbing against the grain of an emotionally devastated character .",
      "with audacity and style , steven soderbergh has revisited one of russian cinema 's landmarks , and done so very successfully .",
      "in a move as audacious as it is disastrous , steve soderbergh has decided to push the edges of what filmmaking can be and created in MOV not so much a motion picture as a still life .",
      "a serious movie with serious ideas . but seriously , folks , it does n't work .",
      "it 's an interesting movie and a good rental , but it never quite engages like it should .",
      "soderbergh 's film is the perfect blend of artiness and mainstream appeal , a triumph for hollywood 's most successful art-house director .",
      "MOV light - shorter , more focused , more accessible , sweeter .",
      "anomalous and mesmerising .",
      "steven soderbergh 's head scratcher is more concerned with inner than outer space .",
      "no film this acutely self-aware has fallen victim to unjust contempt so widespread since last action hero .",
      "o filme se prejudica ao tentar amarrar demais seu desfecho a fim de dar uma justificativa para os espectadores contemporâneos .",
      "a memorable meditation on life , love and loss and a throwback to the days when science-fiction films put an emphasis on big ideas over big toys .",
      "a gorgeous and deceptively minimalist cinematic tone poem .",
      "in the face of a lot of rageful movies , something as pure as MOV is a heartful respite to a tender place . and in the pantheon of great movies , soderbergh 's MOV will soon takes its place .",
      "ponderous ... dismally realized and offers no answers to the puzzle presented .",
      "stephen soderbergh takes full frontal into the stratosphere with MOV , a prolonged grief counseling session with a minimalist sci-fi backdrop .",
      "despite its undeniably pure and earnest intent , MOV is equally undeniably an arid , dull affair that imposes and maintains a huge distance between the viewer and what happens onscreen .",
      "pleasingly , soderbergh does not pander much to expectations and more than once evokes stanley kubrick 's 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "... it is not difficult to imagine people being frustrated by this movie , in the same way many people were frustrated by kubrick 's monolith in 2001 .",
      "soderbergh has managed a striking and gorgeous movie , from the opening shot of a rainy window to the strange vistas of MOV .",
      "a mind-bender in the best sense of the word : the spell it casts follows you all the way home .",
      "it 's very thoughtful and it 's the kind of movie you have to discuss afterwards .",
      "it 's a beautiful and sober movie -- but it does n't nearly go where no film of this material has gone before .",
      "a return to what sci-fi was meant to be : not a way to titillate teenage boys , but a means of finding a context for complex human issues .",
      "if you give it half a chance , it will bore into your subconscious , mess with your mind and leave you mumbling , ` hmm , what if -- '",
      "comes across as less than a spontaneous work of the heart and more like a grim-faced stab at artistic importance .",
      "this bit of pseudoscience has been made appropriately enigmatic by soderbergh and company .",
      "an original and mature motion picture , a challenge for the unsuspecting and a treat for the daring .",
      "meshing philosophical inquiry with a propulsive otherworldly mystery , it has the smart-pop quality of a vintage episode of star trek .",
      "like the blood on the walls of the space station , it 's pretty dry .",
      "while it 's rather bracing to see a movie in which everything is n't spelled out from the start ... MOV is too often a mystifying genre experiment .",
      "overall it 's a solidly told and intriguing piece of old-school sci-fi storytelling .",
      "... one of those movies that can mean everything and nothing at once , depending on your level of intellectual curiosity and your mood .",
      "it 's a weird , risky concept about illusion and reality . sometimes risks pay off , sometimes they do n't . this does n't .",
      "... a rare film of value and true significance .",
      "i really wanted to like MOV , but it offers very little , and will inevitably fall upon the barren ground in between commercial success and critical acclaim because it is n't courageous enough in its execution to appeal strongly to members of either camp .",
      "sure MOV is ambitious . even audacious . but too many plot points are left to the audience 's imagination without any explanation whatsoever .",
      "love it or hate it , however , there 's no question this is a seriously intended work by a major american filmmaker .",
      "an unoriginal piece of originality . move on .",
      "... tarkovsky lite , with george clooney 's naked posterior bringing up the rear .",
      "based on stanislaw lem 's novel and andrei tarkovsky 's sci-fi epic , soderbergh 's MOV is drastically abridged and the most sentimental of the three .",
      "it remains as remote as pluto from the audience .",
      "the images are crisp and the pacing faultless , as you 'd expect with soderbergh , and the soundtrack -lrb- with music by cliff martinez -rrb- is an environment in itself .",
      "many will justifiably find -lsb- it -rsb- a heady experience akin to 90 minutes of watching paint dry . others will see that paint forming something close to a masterpiece .",
      "soderbergh has leaned on his cast to supply an involving human element , and the fierce clooney and vital natascha mcelhone , as his wife , deliver .",
      "its audacious ambitions sabotaged by pomposity , steven soderbergh 's space opera emerges as a numbingly dull experience .",
      "the result is a big , beautiful bore .",
      "an absorbing , challenging , mostly well-acted change-of-pace space thriller .",
      "in the hollywood pantheon of recycled heroes , -lsb- clooney -rsb- suggests a clark gable for the new millennium , without the raised eyebrow and rakish leer .",
      "it 's an example of sophisticated , challenging filmmaking that stands , despite its noticeable lack of emotional heft , in welcome contrast to the indulgent dead-end experimentation of the director 's previous full frontal .",
      "the emotionally fragile may wish to consider before entering ... lest this devastating exploration of grief be too personally devastating .",
      "this is as elegant , moody , intelligent , sensuous , and sustained a studio movie as we are likely to see this season .",
      "after the credits roll , the film leaves nothing to ponder , no big questions about man 's relation to the universe , and no questions about the what lies beyond it .",
      "based on a film that was based on a book , the third generation of this tale has the pallor of a smudged photocopy of an idea that has been revived without being re-imagined .",
      "this science fiction , psychological drama will make you think , but might also make you sleep as well .",
      "a fluid and alluring sc-fi drama that hallows the mysteries of memory , love and yearning .",
      "a movie where story is almost an afterthought amidst a swirl of colors and inexplicable events .",
      "not as much a remake of a sci-fi classic as a reverent interpretation by a filmmaker at peace with his material .",
      "-lsb- soderbergh -rsb- tends to place most of the psychological and philosophical material in italics rather than trust an audience 's intelligence , and he creates an overall sense of brusqueness .",
      "MOV volleys between genius and garbage for the first half an hour then the odious reality of where we are heading becomes sadly clear .",
      "a somewhat pretentious , but still very daring and absorbing sci-fi romance .",
      "the film 's real appeal wo n't be to clooney fans or adventure buffs , but to moviegoers who enjoy thinking about compelling questions with no easy answers .",
      "the smartest science fiction film since blade runner , and yes , that includes the matrix .",
      "it 's a lovely , eerie film that casts an odd , rapt spell .",
      "the low-budget full frontal was one of the year 's murkiest , intentionally obscure and self-indulgent pictures , and MOV is its big-budget brother .",
      "soderbergh skims the fat from the 1972 film . what 's left is a rich stew of longing .",
      "this much random psychobabble has n't flattened a movie this badly since kirk found `` god '' at the center of the galaxy in star trek v : the final frontier .",
      "one big blustery movie where nothing really happens . when it comes out on video , then it 's the perfect cure for insomnia .",
      "the liveliest moments in steven soderbergh 's MOV belong to jeremy davies ' hands .",
      "this is definitely one of those ambiguous films that i want to watch at least a couple of more times .",
      "MOV '' is a shapeless inconsequential move relying on the viewer to do most of the work .",
      "the film is challenging , but more because it is sometimes painfully slow , rather than provocative .",
      "a haunting little movie , one which concentrates on the essentials while inviting contemplation .",
      "stoned on cinema , soderbergh retreads the paces of stanislaw lem and andrei tarkovsky ... appropriat -lsb- ing -rsb- certain settings and images to mostly failed effect .",
      "an intense experience of love 's bind on the conscious mind and will .",
      "the actor 's director has forgotten how to be the audience 's director . i did not enjoy MOV and i do n't want to see it again to figure it out .",
      "in space , no one can hear you praising steven soderbergh",
      "the movie never takes the easy road . it dares you to think about issues that are hard to wrap your mind around . i appreciate a movie that intellectually engages me as much as this one did .",
      "more like `` 2001 '' than `` pitch black . ''",
      "the kind of film one can not simply walk away from and not think about . it is not only powerful , but the lasting impression it makes is nearly unshakable .",
      "it 's an unusual challenge for a hollywood film with a major star , but worth the effort .",
      "while mr. soderbergh 's direction is always compelling , the whole film does not always equal the sum of its parts .",
      "scripted , shot , directed and edited by soderbergh with his customary intelligence and assurance , this is perhaps the most ambiguous and cerebrally sophisticated hollywood movie in nearly three decades .",
      "fascinating , despite its flaws",
      "... it remains a fascinating work and its deep questioning of what makes us human when faced with simulacrums feels if anything more relevant today than when it was made .",
      "steven soderbergh prunes andrei tartovsky?s 1972 film -lrb- based on stanislaw lem?s novel -rrb- to the clarity and concision of a great short story ? a forlorn , philosophical sci-fi romance treading the terrain of `` blade runner?s '' metaphysical melancholy .",
      "a thought provoking , fascinating and heart breaking glimpse into characters that must come to grips with their past .",
      "steven soderbergh 's extremely sedate , spartan science-fiction thriller and love story pits man 's common sense and perceptions of a higher power against his own dreams and desires .",
      "soderbergh 's MOV is a gorgeous and deceptively minimalist cinematic tone poem .",
      "soderbergh 's latest may well leave stanislaw lem grumbling . my bet is virtually everyone else will be blown away .",
      "a lustrous and haunting work of art , and easily one of the year 's best films .",
      "always a probing , intuitive filmmaker , soderbergh , after some floundering attempts in the past , finally gets one of his cinematic experiments right .",
      "it further confirms steven soderbergh as the best director to emerge from his generation of filmmakers .",
      "the movie 's virtues are plentiful , but its shortcomings are far more influential .",
      "as written by director steven soderbergh , MOV comes across as one of those movies filled with cryptic dialogue that skirts around the story , forcing viewers to use their imaginations to fill in the blanks .",
      "it tells its story in a flat manner and leaves you with the impression that you should have gotten more out of it than you did .",
      "what words can not express , what soderbergh himself scarcely seems to understand , clooney transforms into genuine , graspable human feeling .",
      "love it or hate it , you wo n't easily get this movie out of your head .",
      "MOV is what you 'd call a `` thinking person 's sci-fi film , '' and it has all the strengths and weaknesses that that term implies .",
      "a hushed , haunted tone poem about love and loss .",
      "MOV is very good , but perhaps only for pensive audiences",
      "a thought-provoking exploration of the elusive nature of relationships .",
      "visually astonishing and thoroughly admirable .",
      "we split on this one , but both agree it was pretty to watch .",
      "some people might be looking for a titanic in the sky , what with james cameron being a producer , but MOV is an epic of the emotions , not the planets .",
      "steven soderbergh 's emotional , imaginative remake of a 1970s soviet sci-fi classic is visually stunning and philosophically challenging .",
      "this tale of the battle between predestination and free choice may hold some appeal to more mature audiences but will be hard pressed to get the younger , laser-sword-loving sci-fi fans to the theaters .",
      "in a film of mostly singular shots and very few whole dialogue passages , the silence and unreliance on overemphasizing the glorious special effects gives the viewer plenty of time to think about the discussions the characters have .",
      "some will think it 's brilliant and others may call it garbage - but very few will be able to say that they 've ever seen anything quite like it .",
      "not for everyone , but for those with whom it will connect , it 's a nice departure from standard moviegoing fare .",
      "while soderbergh succeeds in recapturing the themes and mood of tarkovsky 's version , he also brings with them a cold , emotionless sheen , a detached air that defeats his efforts to truly engage us .",
      "there 's no emotional pulse to MOV . with an emotional sterility to match its outer space setting , soderbergh 's spectacular swing for the fence yields only a spectacular whiff .",
      "the philosophical film has some engaging ideas , but viewers expecting romantic sci-fi will probably be disappointed and perhaps even bored .",
      "those looking for the usual science fiction adventure doings here , will find they got on the wrong rocket flight .",
      "... though soderbergh 's script does have some conceptual weight , it is completely dissonant with his trite direction .",
      "an interesting concept exists at the heart of MOV , a movie that ironically has no heart .",
      "what do you expect from a movie based on source material directed and written by eastern europeans with unpronounceable names ? everybody loves stanislav , it ai n't !",
      "good science fiction never announces its subtext this narcissistically .",
      "a technically proficient but emotionally arid folly .",
      "what grounds soderbergh 's film -- and distinguishes it from tarkovsky 's more mystical take -- is the sensuality that exists alongside the anguish in kelvin and rheya 's love story .",
      "it is one of the most intelligent science fiction movies to have come our way since , i du n no , brazil maybe . no dumbing down here .",
      "parallels to stanley kubrick 's 2001 abound , and clooney 's portrayal of a man offered the opportunity to escape into a world of dreams might be the actor 's best work to date .",
      "tautly elliptical story of love , memory , guilt and redemption .",
      "how do you spell self-indulgent ?",
      "soderbergh , in essence , has come up with a plodding and far less psychologically arresting version of ghost .",
      "steven soderbergh does n't remake andrei tarkovsky 's MOV so much as distill it .",
      "like kubrick , soderbergh is n't afraid to try any genre and to do it his own way .",
      "a humorless journey into a philosophical void .",
      "some viewers will find MOV difficult or dull . my complaint is different : i think it 's dishonest .",
      "although visually stunning , MOV is simply a bit dull .",
      "clooney , davies , davis and mcelhone give some outstanding performances , the set design is solid , and the music hypnotic .",
      "an earnest film of grand ideas and even grander ambitions ... it 's easy to foresee chuckleheads lining up in droves to take turns pissing all over this one .",
      "both cerebral and woozy , like a twilight zone episode with hyper visuals , or a more vulnerable , even feminized update on them ."
    ],
    "summary": "slow-moving , cerebral , and ambiguous , MOV is not a movie for everyone , but it offers intriguing issues to ponder .",
    "id": "12751"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dragon_wars",
    "reviews": [
      "... the only real entertainment comes from watching robert forster fruitlessly trying to explain the difference between an imoogi , a buraki and a yuh yi joo .",
      "this is not a movie to watch for escapism . this is a movie to watch with a bunch of friends and heckle mercilessly .",
      "america does just fine making cringingly terrible special-effect extravaganzas , so back off , south korea !",
      "this monster film makes even the remake of godzilla look good .",
      "the movie that ed wood would have made in the era of cgi , complete with awkward editing , wooden acting , and a story that becomes impossible to care about at all .",
      "one of those films that i would swerve into on the scifi channel late one night and stay up until the wee hours of the morning to watch without feeling guilty at all .",
      "the prospect of being a human sacrifice for a roaring , scaly , 600-foot-long monster is n't so appealing .",
      "ripped off special-effects concepts , unbelievably bad acting , and plot holes big enough for an imoogi to slither through .",
      "destined to go down in history as one of cinema 's most blunderingly , catastrophically bad big-budget films of the last few decades .",
      "it 's admittedly pretty dumb , but in the end its fierce commitment to its own goofy ideas is oddly admirable .",
      "the rampaging-monsters flick MOV loudly speaks the universal language of effects-laden mayhem . unfortunately , it is also fluent in the laughable dialogue of a million bad fantasy flicks .",
      "the only winners in MOV are the computer-imaging geeks who must have logged tons of overtime . the rest of the world is left scratching its head at a monster epic so dismal that it does n't even register as a guilty pleasure .",
      "a feast of a-grade f/x married to a z-grade , irony-free script .",
      "there 's not a spark of sense here .",
      "we 've all heard of movies so bad they 're good , and some folks have them on dvd , in captivity . but how many of us have seen one in the wild ?",
      "it is such a breathless , delirious stew , it 's impossible not to be entertained , provided -- this is crucial -- you have a sense of humor .",
      "shim 's picture is suitable for youngsters and delivers enough goofy fun to keep adults with fond memories of destroy all monsters -lrb- 1968 -rrb- from getting restless .",
      "when they decide to sic -lsb- those monsters -rsb- on downtown los angeles , the movie turns shockingly watchable . until that sequence , there was no evidence that anybody involved with this laughable fantasy knew what he or she was doing .",
      "this one 's for connoisseurs of the `` totally preposterous crap '' school of fantasy cinema . you know who you are : you have all the warlock sequels on laserdisc -lsb- and -rsb- the complete leprechaun series on dvd .",
      "the dialog sounds like it was written by those guys who translate operating instruction manuals from chinese to english .",
      "written as well as directed by hyung-rae shim , which apparently means uwe boll in korean , -lsb- it 's -rsb- so campily awful that it 's mystery science theater-ready .",
      "by no reasonable reckoning can the film be considered a competent piece of cinematic storytelling , yet somehow the movie transcends its silly screenplay with over-the-top action and visually imaginative battles .",
      "a movie without a single redeeming quality that we highly recommend .",
      "the film did n't promise anything more than it delivered .",
      "MOV knows it 's dumb , and just has fun . it 's my new guilty pleasure !",
      "takes such leaps and bounds of mediocrity and utterly nonsensical storylines that it ends up being a jumbled mess ...",
      "the painful english-language sequences almost do n't matter : the rock - 'em - sock - 'em monster melees truly are spectacular , even if the images sometimes seem more hazy than tactile , as is typical of digital special effects .",
      "blissfully awful",
      "this one really should have been immediately relegated to the discount bin .",
      "the concept here is fun -- good and evil dragons of ancient korean legend do battle in modern-day los angeles -- but a lazy and amateurish script and embarrassingly hollow acting hobble it right out of the gate .",
      "... low camp ..."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV ' special effects ca n't make up for an unfocused script and stale acting .",
    "id": "770675215"
  },
  {
    "movie": "in_good_company",
    "reviews": [
      "brilliantly walks the line between comedy and poignancy , being utterly funny without being shticky , and being touching without being shmaltzy .",
      "a romantic comedy about the modern corporate world , MOV is an incoherent film , full of ideological cracks , that 's too eager to reconcile the generation gap .",
      "ever feel like `` the only ` fair ' i ever heard of is where they judge sheep and cows ? ' '' then join the audience of `` MOV '' for a laugh and a sigh .",
      "a promising script and some impressive performances ca n't lift ` MOV ' from its formulaic proceedings . **",
      "there are two movies vying for top management position of MOV , and the wrong one gets the promotion .",
      "paul weitz warms over the cold truth of corporate globalization in this sub-ephron gloss on the white-middle-class-in-peril .",
      "this nearly terrific motion picture deserved a much more interesting resolution than to simply resemble every other film in the multiplex .",
      "witty and warm and wise in all the ways it can be ...",
      "surprisingly good company to be in .",
      "a sharp-eyed look at the soullessness of today 's corporate america ... with an unrealized romantic subplot",
      "there is enjoyment to be found in the disparate elements , but as far as meaningful cinema goes , the flick falls short of its objectives .",
      "MOV is the perfect comedy for this topsy-turvy age of bottom-lining and pup-eat-dog .",
      "weitz nicely balances both the demands of comedy and drama in a film that elegantly satirizes the absurdity of modern business , while underlining the casual cruelty of bottom-line thinking .",
      "an inconsequential sitcom spiked with a couple of well-placed barbs .",
      "this one 's not brilliant , but it has some of -lsb- about a boy 's -rsb- easygoing charms .",
      "MOV is an almost great film hindered by a love story that does n't belong .",
      "it 's rain man with ageism substituted for autism .",
      "it 's admirable , the amount of amiable quirk that sneaks through the gates of this big studio flick .",
      "consistently funny .",
      "paul weitz 's engagingly lightweight drama is a gently revisionist fairy tale about good versus evil set on the battlefield of contemporary corporate culture .",
      "paul weitz is able to walk the line between honesty and sappiness over and over and he does it to perfection in MOV .",
      "does to corporate america what ` american pie ' did to pastries .",
      "-lrb- s -rrb- uperlative acting by quaid and grace ; brilliantly directed by weitz . i walked out feeling happy with a big smile on my face . what more can you ask of a movie ?",
      "MOV is a movie that will only improve with subsequent viewings .",
      "the script feels patched together and stale but there is a lot of compensation in exceptionally warm and fully-realized performances by all of the principals .",
      "the story is believable and identifiable ; the characters seem like genuine people , not pawns in a screenplay .",
      "true , parts of `` company '' are canned and none of it is especially new , but what it does right it does very right .",
      "a sporty situation comedy on steroids , bulked up with a smooth quaid and the beguiling johansson . besides a heart , the only thing lacking is a set of commercial breaks .",
      "the film 's laughs , and its heart , are in the right place , even if some of its scenarios feel like borderline premises for tv sitcoms .",
      "nothing is ostensibly bad about it , except that it 's mostly surface-level respectability without risk ; well-made but inauthentic .",
      "has a pleasant whiff of capra about it , with its accessible story , good humor , and insinuating themes .",
      "in somewhat bad faith , MOV abandons its satire of corporate culture to focus on male bonding .",
      "an amusing and unusually compassionate look at today 's corporate culture .",
      "MOV does have a lot of balls in the air , but thanks to smart acting and expert writing and directing , it handles them pretty well .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sublime , sentimental comedy .",
      "dennis quaid and emerging film star topher grace ... enrich the formula story with real humanity and depth .",
      "MOV does n't rise to -lsb- billy -rsb- wilder 's level , but it 's definitely in the same league .",
      "a delectable and heartwarming experience .",
      "weitz continues to make smart , funny movies that parse out the neuroses of the male species .",
      "terrific on-screen chemistry between grace and quaid and a premise rife with comic possibilities !",
      "while MOV has a few moments of comedy that work , it inescapably feels like a sitcom .",
      "they just do n't make movies like this any more , yet this film is shiny and relevant to today .",
      "there are no throwaway stereotypes here , just well-rounded characters that resemble personalities that we come in contact with everyday .",
      "engraçado e humano , em boa companhia perde-se apenas em seu terceiro ato .",
      "it 's got a ` father knows best ' sensibility about it that exalts character over profit margins . but in my opinion , the story 's execution falls short of its potential .",
      "una comedia más bien `` seria '' que no busca tu risa fácil sino que pases un rato entretenido junto a personajes humanos y creíbles a los que les pasan cosas humanas y creíbles .",
      "an engaging diversion that lovingly , wisely plays with human foibles and uncomfortable truths .",
      "full review in greek",
      "a so-so script but great performances .",
      "a great comedy drama that is both a study of life , and relationships .",
      "keeps itself welcoming , like a good family , but not preachy , not too kind . the acting and direction top notch , you 'll get your money 's worth .",
      "topher grace dominates this smart and funny film with a thing or two to say about how people are treated and treat each other in the workplace .",
      "the characters and the story of MOV have qualities not usually found in major studio productions . it is a dependent film with the heart of an independent one .",
      "there 's a great , weird triangle of love , loyalty , and corporate politics within MOV . except weitz never lets his material settle .",
      "slick , funny , smoothly functioning entertainment , served up with a small side of potted commentary on corporate ethics and intergenerational conflict .",
      "not only the best american picture of 2004 , but also the most grown-up movie to come from hollywood in recent years .",
      "flabby .",
      "perhaps the final clue to this film 's striking mediocrity is that the original title , synergy , was swapped for the totally forgettable new one , MOV .",
      "a smart , funny and refreshingly honest portrait of life in transition .",
      "... creates fully-realized characters that are not just smart and dedicated , but also flawed and likable .",
      "weitz provides juicy roles for dennis quaid , topher grace and scarlett johansson and manages to edge into areas in our society mostly unexplored in mainstream american films .",
      "file this one under wait for dvd . and even then , you might want to wait a little more .",
      "a totally engaging film about how two men -- a middle-aged advertising sales manager and a young turk -- deal with the changes that end up transforming their lives .",
      "an easy film to fall in love with , it 's also one that 's worth savoring again and again and is one of the best movies of the year .",
      "there 's a fantastic movie buried somewhere in here , and maybe cameron crowe or james l. brooks could have pulled it out",
      "the chemistry between quaid and helgenberger as husband and wife and between quaid and johansson as father and daughter is as good as you 'll find these days .",
      "a fresh , relevant statement about contemporary business and corporate politices merges with some old-fashioned sit-com schmaltz",
      "topher grace climbs another rung towards the hollywood a-list .",
      "will reverberate for people who finds themselves reporting to a boss much younger than they are .",
      "the picture has a pleasurable , good-natured glow . you can diagram its various problems as you 're watching it and still walk away feeling you 've had a good time .",
      "deeply moving and life-affirming , yet never cloying nor sentimental .",
      "like too many downsized corporate acquisitions , MOV gets more out of its human resources - or , as they used to be called , people - than it gives back .",
      "a bland , occasionally phlegmatic pastiche of cliches and dull encounters .",
      "ultimately , this workplace fairy tale creates its own cheer . when its time is up , you 'll feel like you 've been MOV .",
      "if the rest of the movie were as good as scarlett , we might give a damn .",
      "a richly satisfying and darkly funny movie about , of all places , a workplace .",
      "paul weitz creates his most complete work yet in this serio-comedy about corporate malfeasance .",
      "quaid and grace are good company , indeed",
      "it 's rare to find a film that is able to stop glorifying youth and show respect for maturity instead , and quaid wonderfully embodies that .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- marvelous comedy tinged with substantial sadness around its edges .",
      "an often lively comedy-drama that lands some nice jabs at the mega-corp ethos , MOV makes for pretty good company until going soft when it counts .",
      "you wo n't see anything else more cleverly produced this year .",
      "a slice-of-life so purely amiable and astute in its portrayal of the cutthroat corporate world that it is easy to overlook a great many flaws in its design .",
      "globalization is nefarious . nuclear families are good .",
      "quaid 's outrageous response to a surprise birthday party held in his character 's honor simply brings down the house .",
      "smarter-than-average romantic comedy with an unpredictable plot .",
      "although he won his spurs with american pie , weitz 's style here is more like a soufflé : light , classy , short on substance .",
      "MOV astonishes you in a quietly sublime way .",
      "just crap",
      "quaid and grace make a winning team in this toitally enjoyable movie",
      "... un film agréable et sympathique , qui résiste ŕ certaines tentations mais cčde ŕ d'autres",
      "MOV is the sort of basic model hollywood ought to be about -- a solid product no one need be ashamed to buy or sell .",
      "this is grace 's biggest part to date and he embraces it , making carter unexpectedly and believably vulnerable , particularly in his scenes with johansson .",
      "as corporate comedy-dramas go , company is cheerful and easy to watch but surprisingly inept in the telling .",
      "makes the word mainstream seem a little less pejorative . it 's a broadly appealing comedy that 's neither stupid nor vulgar and , as such , deserving of praise .",
      "it is at once funny , awkward and true , which puts it in rare company , indeed .",
      "a major key to the success is -lrb- topher -rrb- grace 's ability to hold his own in complicated scenes , especially with -lrb- dennis -rrb- quaid . this is a major breakout performance .",
      "it 's a clever little social critique wrapped up in a light and rewarding comedic confection .",
      "often witty and true to life , but too frequently opts for easy resolutions and sunny wish-fulfillment instead of investigating what makes these people tick .",
      "MOV turns out to be the rarest of hollywood films : a movie about men 's feelings .",
      "coasts by on the charm of its excellent cast and the warmth of its story .",
      "not as sharp or quirky as about a boy , but it has a stronger moral center , and the same humane , thoughtful approach to characters and ideas is at work .",
      "if the film 's final third did n't get all gooey on us ... then the movie might have been a total triumph .",
      "... charts the rhythms and relationships that define our everyday lives .",
      "it manages to be funny and charming while capturing a lot of disturbing things about the way we live now : our deepest fears about our place in a system that could force us to clean out our desks -lrb- if we even have desks -rrb- at the drop of a stock point .",
      "the point of -lsb- weitz 's -rsb- story is n't to deliver a tidy resolution , but to let us get to know two characters a little and like them a lot .",
      "feels a touch trifling at times , but it gets tremendous mileage from its cast .",
      "despite a static plot where little happens , MOV has two strengths to recommend it : strong character interaction and a viciously accurate depiction of the modern corporate philosophy .",
      "this is a movie for the dans of the world , inviting them to chuckle ruefully at the monkey business those crazy kids get up to nowadays and concocting just punishments for whippersnappers who try to elbow their elders out of the way .",
      "a comedy at once pungent and charming ... both amusingly cheeky and disarmingly serious -- and an almost unalloyed treat .",
      "taps into male-specific wants and needs and says a mouthful about the corporate world .",
      "harmless and complacent , yes . discerning and risky , no .",
      "casts a discerning eye on the american workplace in this era of downsizing , takeovers and mergers . it 's a comedy , not a tragedy , but that 's more a matter of tone than of content .",
      "a rare species : a feel-good movie about big business . it 's about a corporate culture that tries to be evil and fails .",
      "it is clever and thoughtful and has the added benefit of being about people you may recognize as fellow wage earners , for better or worse .",
      "it 's more fun than sideways and just as adult , but because it hews closer to genre formula -lrb- and therefore is somewhat more obvious -rrb- , you 'll find it on few if any top 10 lists .",
      "this may be a sitcom conceit , but it 's handled perfectly .",
      "it 's a likable , if unspectacular , comedy about office politics and the generation gap .",
      "watch topher grace . if there 's any cinematic justice , his work here will certify him as a comic leading man .",
      "feels like a movie written by and for marketing types -- quaid and marg helgenberger -lrb- as his wife -rrb- to appeal to baby boomers , and grace and johansson for generation y. that 's a business strategy , not a movie .",
      "grace 's dry , deadpan delivery and put-upon routine makes several sequences funnier than they probably should be , and he has believable chemistry with both quaid and johansson .",
      "topher grace , dennis quaid and scarlett johansson all turn in fine performances . but they all seem to tread water , waiting for the next big wave that does n't come .",
      "heralds the official arrival of topher grace as a star in the making . the guy from tv 's that '70s show has the loose , lanky frame and unforced charm to go places in the movies .",
      "quaid provides the film with a solid foundation by ably playing yet another strong-willed father figure .",
      "it 's a smart , savvy and satisfying hollywood comedy set in the real world of economic survival , family responsibility and grown-up decisions with real consequences .",
      "before it hits the rails in a third act that has the odor of a test-marketing compromise , weitz 's film moves at an engaging gallop .",
      "suggests just how isolating it can be to balance breaking your back for a job you do n't particularly like with enjoying the people for whom you do it in the first place .",
      "a crowd-pleaser , an actors ' showcase , and a curious synergy of light comedy and heavy themes .",
      "what does it say that a family like this one now seems to be a novelty onscreen ?",
      "you ca n't help liking it , no matter how much or little you laugh .",
      "MOV is a wonderfully spun tale of two men and the colliding career tracks they ride .",
      "the movie 's most poignant moments remind you that for every rising star in the corporate world , there 's a dutiful old-timer who is suddenly , and sometimes unfairly , deemed expendable .",
      "a probing comedy that deconstructs , attacks and even celebrates corporate greed , age discrimination and the art of the hard sell .",
      "laden with cheap life lessons and cacophonous false notes , MOV has the overly sincere , oversimplistic air of an after-school special for grown-ups .",
      "in the era of enron , martha stewart , and other corporate scandals , here 's a movie that knows good business involves good ethics .",
      "the denouement of the movie is as preposterously happy as a children 's fairy tale . but the moral is ageless .",
      "i went in expecting a predictable comedy and came out having seen one of my favorite movies of 2004 .",
      "it 's hard to dislike a picture that goes out of its way to champion integrity in america .",
      "this is a warm , smart and poignant comedy that i think most folks will thoroughly enjoy .",
      "dennis quaid delivers a grounded performance that manages to smooth over the narrative rough patches .",
      "fresh comic thinking spices up this smart cookie of a satire .",
      "director paul weitz 's struggle through the personal and political strife of modern corporate life is a good movie with a great cast .",
      "wastes a great performance by dennis quaid .",
      "a bit of a fantasy , but it 's heartening to see a studio entertainment that 's at least willing to acknowledge some of the real-life problems currently faced by its audience .",
      "the film is extremely well cast . topher grace and dennis quaid work brilliantly together , to the point where you feel genuine affection for both characters .",
      "while feel-good in nature , the movie avoids the slushy mush normally found in films of this genre .",
      "a warm and witty comedy brimming with sharp insights .",
      "possesses the same depth of character and effortless charm as the -lsb- weitzes ' -rsb- other successful productions .",
      "a mature and penetrating view of cutthroat workplace politics and family drama .",
      "this one is a winner folks that should be seen .",
      "genuinely funny , realistically romantic and extremely well-played",
      "certainly intends for lessons to be learned , but it does n't condescend in simple fashion"
    ],
    "summary": "the witty and charming MOV offers laughs at the expense of corporate culture .",
    "id": "10562"
  },
  {
    "movie": "play_misty_for_me",
    "reviews": [
      "un suspense qui profita abondamment de la largesse d'esprit du cinéma américain de l'époque , peut-ętre męme un peu trop ...",
      "a highly enjoyable thriller .",
      "there is no purpose to a suspense thriller , i suppose , except to involve us , scare us , to give us moments of vicarious terror . MOV does that with an almost cruel efficiency .",
      "early clint behind the camera shows the promise to come .",
      "em seu filme de estréia como diretor , eastwood troca a tensăo pelo susto fácil a partir da segunda metade da trama , errando ainda no longo e embaraçoso ` interlúdio musical ' .",
      "still quite effective stalker-thriller , has dated somewhat",
      "for his directorial debut , clint eastwood opted to make this relatively straightforward but hopelessly dated fatal attraction clone -lrb- er , precursor -rrb- .",
      "early , effective version of ` fatal attraction ' theme",
      "i think the fault lies with clint eastwood the director , who has made too many easy decisions about events , about the management of atmosphere , about the treatment of performances .",
      "terrific tale of romantic obsession that pre-dated fatal attraction",
      "as syrupy as it plays at times , it did spawn the genre of obsessed stalker movies , and showed the first signs that eastwood could do more than act .",
      "aside from a few music-intensive segments that go on far too long , the story moves along at a brisk clip and there are a handful of good jolts along the way .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1971 -rrb- , clint eastwood 's first film as star and director , is a suspenseful , thrilling film of psychotic sexual obsession .",
      "for that 80 % of the film which constitutes the story , the structure and dialog create a mood of nervous terror which the other 20 % nearly blows away .",
      "much of the credit must go to jessica walter for her outstanding performance which somehow manages to be chilling while at the same time sympathetic .",
      "eastwood 's imperfect debut movie is a thiller full of personality and zest .",
      "clint eastwood wisely chose a strong , simple thriller for his first film as a director , and the project is remarkable in its self-effacing dedication to getting the craft right .",
      "eastwood displays a vigorous talent for sequences of violence and tension . he has obviously seen psycho and repulsion more than once , but those are excellent texts and he has learned his lessons passing well .",
      "clint eastwood 's first film as a director , and first investigation into the anxiety at the root of the eastwood persona",
      "the star chose to cut his teeth on this small-scale movie , and the result -- although inevitably dated by its terrible clothes and period ambience -- stands up well but only as good late night television viewing .",
      "eastwood 's camera is rarely misplaced , and he shows a talent for the thriller genre worthy of a comparison to hitchcock .",
      "the man with no name faces a whole lot of pain in clint 's thrilling directorial debut .",
      "clint 's direction is sometimes shaky but usually assured , and he gets a bold performance from jessica walter ."
    ],
    "summary": "a coolly calculating psychological thriller that manages to scare the audience even if it is just using textbook thrills .",
    "id": "13146"
  },
  {
    "movie": "whos_afraid_of_virginia_woolf",
    "reviews": [
      "scathing scream of a black comedy that 's based on a play by edward albee .",
      "director nichols , in his auspicious hollywood debut , and scripter ernest lehman smartly keep albee 's corrosively witty black comedy intact , allowing their ensmeble , including liz taylor , to dig deep and turn intensely entertaining performances .",
      "-lsb- taylor -rsb- is nothing less than brilliant as the shrewish , slovenly . blasphemous , frustrated , slightly wacky , alcoholic wife of a meek , unambitious assistant professor of history at a university , over which her father reigns as president .",
      "nichols has actually committed all the classic errors of the sophisticated stage director let loose on the unsophisticated movies . for starters , he has underestimated the power of the spoken word in his search for visual pyrotechnics .",
      "should your front room be in need of redecoration , then elizabeth taylor 's performance here is guaranteed to strip the paint off the walls with just one verbal volley .",
      "the greatest credit for the implacable engagement that the film creates for its audience must go to the director , mike nichols . nichols makes a stunning film bow with virginia woolf .",
      "`` i am the earth mother , and you are all flops , '' martha proclaims toward the end , and taylor never had a line of dialogue that better suited her fighting maternal spirit .",
      "a time capsule now of all that was considered controversial and gutsy in 1966 .",
      "a painful and compelling masterpiece .",
      "if one examines albee 's the zoo story , who 's afraid of virginia woolf ? , and tiny alice as three views of the struggle for faith and the christ myth and its nuances , the plays , on a particular level , gain a substantial meaning .",
      "` you have ugly talents , ' george says , almost admiringly , to martha . so does this movie .",
      "who 's afraid of virginia woolf ? -lrb- 1966 -rrb- , a famous and shocking black comedy , was based on edward albee 's scandalous play -lrb- ernest lehman 's screenplay",
      "keen adaptation and handsome production by ernest lehman , outstanding direction by mike nichols in his feature debut , and four topflight performances score an artistic bullseye .",
      "part nightmare , part psychotherapy , part docudrama , part cultural meta-narrative , part transcendent myth .",
      "a merciless dissection of the intellectual 's disease of ennui and gamesmanship .",
      "edward albee 's vitriolic stage portrayal of domestic blisslessness translated grainily and effectively to the screen .",
      "a vitriol valentine to that most public of famous marriages , the battling burtons , in their finest work -lrb- together -rrb- .",
      "when nichols finally settles down , it 's almost too late .",
      "great cast plus great script equals great movie ! liz and dick at their best .",
      "one of the most scathingly honest american films ever made .",
      "perfect .",
      "a watershed film that broke down walls of profanity and vitriol .",
      "stunning film version of the albee play .",
      "it earns the hell that it puts us through by never compromising its vision of it ."
    ],
    "summary": "led by a volcanic performance from elizabeth taylor , who 's afraid of virginia woolf ? is a scathing adaptation of the edward albee play that serves as a brilliant calling card for debuting director mike nichols .",
    "id": "18414"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_guest_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "for much of its running time , `` MOV '' plays an interesting guessing game with the audience .",
      "an '80s style action thriller that turns out to be more suspenseful and keenly plotted than most , with a compelling centerpiece performance by dan stevens -lrb- downton abbey -rrb- that deserves attention .",
      "buffed and beefed-up downton abbey actor dan stevens instantly steps into the a-minus casting arena for his relatively complex , layered performance as a mysterious drifter who claims to be an ex-soldier named david .",
      "that 's a familiar setup , but barrett and wingard take it in one unexpected direction after another , displaying obvious pleasure in their mad dash to keep topping themselves .",
      "to note that `` MOV '' is not for everyone is to belabor the obvious . but for fans of smart , well-made horror , it 's a treat .",
      "MOV transcends the genre with characters who could have come out of a more serious movie . when they 're in peril , we actually care .",
      "dan stevens is mesmerizing as the avenger , helping director adam wingard turn MOV into a blast of wicked mirth and malice .",
      "wingard creates a story out of fascinating , prickly human interactions . the movie has its share of crazy thrills , but it 's the characters that really make it work .",
      "a grade-a , self-aware homage to cult cinema ... for genre nuts , this ca n't be recommended enough .",
      "dumb fun is rarely this smartly delivered .",
      "MOV is assured of cult classic status in years to come , but will hopefully entertain the masses with its winning blend of crowd-pleasing humour and suspense .",
      "wingard and barrett 's increasingly ludicrous schlocker has plenty of fun with genre convention , unafraid to laugh at itself as the bodies pile up and the knowing nods and winks become manic twitches .",
      "at the centre of it all there 's stevens , and it 's hard to overestimate just how much fun he is here .",
      "' -lsb- c -rsb- inema is over , man , and there 's nothing left but a death spiral of sarcastic self-reference reflecting and refracting around a dismal hall of movie mirrors and taunting us with the echoing emptiness our creatively bankrupt souls . '",
      "there are several moments in the film when i had absolutely no idea whose side i was on .",
      "suddenly , we seem to be trapped in a cheap , corny rehash of b-movie cliches from the 1980s and you ca n't wait for it to slink away into a corner and disappear .",
      "this may be a retrograde adolescent wish-fulfilment fantasy , sadistic and violent , but it 's also slickly made and has real satirical bite .",
      "stevens is a charismatic antihero and the film plays expertly with genre expectations , leading to an inspired showdown in a haunted house prepared for a high-school dance .",
      "it all escalates into an arch , knowing throwback to 80s horror-thrillers that 's muddled in parts but never less than entertaining : think a trashier version of last year 's stoker .",
      "i 've gone from being practically unable to stand -lsb- stevens -rsb- to startled admiration in a single move .",
      "wickedly entertaining .",
      "it 's not a particularly brilliant conceit , but , not unlike stevens 's beautifully one-note performance , it 's evocative nevertheless -- lending the whole movie an aura of pop inevitability , turning its blunt predictability into something of a virtue .",
      "this 1980s-style movie has wickedly pleasing aplomb . as fantasy escapism , it 's brave , colorful and entertaining for audiences who can handle substantial carnage .",
      "a slow-burn approach seems to pose a challenging change-up for the filmmakers , who struggle to build tension as the second acts stretches well past the point when the level of menace should be escalating .",
      "barrett and wingard are more about exploring the wish-fulfillment than getting into any deep psychological warfare . still , the screenplay knows just when to create more menace and move on , and it escalates the craziness right up to the breaking point .",
      "one of the many pleasures of director adam wingard 's tough , fun thriller `` MOV '' is seeing matthew crawley -- er , british actor dan stevens -- serve up a mesmerizing star turn of psycho charm .",
      "if MOV were a colour it would be the neon blue of its title card : a little bit show-off , a little bit retro , but it 'll definitely brighten your night .",
      "... -lsb- dan stevens -rsb- plays wholesome , aloof , seductive , dangerous , psychotic ... he nails every single beat .",
      "the ultimate genre movie love letter .",
      "dan stevens puts downton behind him to become a cia-built killing machine laying low in a new mexico small town , in adam wingard 's bonkers new thriller .",
      "a dark , slick , and appealing thriller that pulls suspense from some very cool places .",
      "a peculiar mix of suspense , humor , violence , and beloved genre tropes .",
      "the director-writer team have crafted a great-looking and sincere genre throwback without resorting to pastiche of some of their peers .",
      "wingard wreaks havoc on another nuclear family in this giddily violent treat for genre fans .",
      "so much fun . wingard shows serious action chops , and downton abbey star dan stevens completely reinvents himself as a sort of jason bourne by way of the terminator & michael myers .",
      "knowingly melodramatic , wonderfully cheesy and all-out bonkers , MOV is an absolute blast from beginning to end .",
      "a smart takedown of iffy but commonly held values that forces a civilian family to confront the ethically complicated , though undeniably pragmatic first strike philosophy of the modern military .",
      "a hilariously badass '80s throwback that continually shifts gears and keeps you guessing to the very end",
      "better than peeling potatoes in jankers .",
      "it has enough bright spots to make it zing .",
      "dan stevens rips his cosy downton abbey image to shreds with a mesmerising performance as a cold-blooded killer in this slick , suspenseful , explosively exciting , darkly comic psycho thriller .",
      "rest easy , america . MOV can take on isil single-handedly -- after entertaining the terrorist army with a clever script .",
      "the coat of irony helps when the film takes a major pivot in tone , and stevens is unnervingly placid as the corn-fed terminator .",
      "completely ridiculous . and entertaining as hell .",
      "for those looking for shrewd satire to mix in with rousing action , this is a guest you wo n't want to turn away .",
      "may be trash , but it 's grade-a trash , an absurdly enjoyable piece of pulp hokum that 's a throwback to some of the best b-movies of the seventies and eighties .",
      "david 's perversity as a character is mostly disarming for how it illuminates the sadness with which a foe can so readily be confused for a savior .",
      "but it 's an unusually clever and even subtle genre movie , one that gives viewers everything they expect plus an extra little turn of the screw . and what more could you ask ?",
      "you ca n't help but leave feeling a little underwhelmed , in spite of the fact you had enjoyed yourself for the vast majority of the feature .",
      "monroe and meyer lend perfect support as siblings caught in david 's web , but this is stevens ' show . invite him in now .",
      "a set-up rich with metaphorical potential is squandered .",
      "mainstream audiences may find this too oddball to appreciate as a straight thriller . but tune into its strange frequency and there is much to enjoy - perhaps even adore .",
      "wingard 's flick is an affectionate knock off - the kind of film that should really be on vhs and three day loan for a pound fifty .",
      "in wingard 's fun , genre-savvy thriller , the post-9 / 11 subtext proves the most insidious interloper .",
      "cool as you like one second , camp as christmas the next , this entertainingly overpumped action-horror will have genre fans -lrb- and their mums -rrb- grinning from ear to ear .",
      "an effectively bloody , breakneck ride , given an extra coat of alluring gloss by the john carpenter-influenced 1980s styling that is currently all the rage in the genre .",
      "director adam wingard and screenwriter simon barrett have really outdone themselves with MOV , with chilling black comedy and astounding visual panache it is the most fantastically entertaining action flick of recent memory .",
      "stevens visibly relishes every second of his blue-eyed bad boy 's screen-time ; it 's a brilliantly perverse casting coup enhanced by barrett 's devilish dialogue , while wingard directs with flamboyance and precision .",
      "MOV has a fine premise , but thanks to the sloppy execution , the full potential of the story is never realized .",
      "another top notch utterly fantastic genre entry from adam wingard that works hard to deliver audiences the unexpected .",
      "while stevens is the highlight the rest of the cast does entertaining work too including lance reddick and joel david moore in small roles .",
      "picture commando as a psychological thriller . imagine halloween as a theme park ride . think drive as a comedy .",
      "while the tone is uneven and the climax something of a disappointment , MOV is a film that succeeds thanks to the audacious efforts of its writer and director and the talents of an excellent cast .",
      "while you can practically hear wingard and screenwriter simon barrett giggling with self-satisfaction from behind the camera , the ending feels like a shrug .",
      "enjoyable horror-lite .",
      "stevens has a great ability to turn on the charm in one moment , then drop it and go deadly serious in the next , and the way you 're never sure what 's actually coming out of david is one of the film 's pleasures .",
      "shot in lurid colors and drizzled with a squelchy synthesizer score , adam wingard 's bloody thriller is so enamored of john carpenter it might as well be passing him mash notes in social studies .",
      "it 's all anchored by a magnetic lead performance from downton abbey star dan stevens .",
      "with MOV , wingard and barrett have once more upped the ante for the indie horror flick pack .",
      "director wingard and writer simon barrett -lrb- the team that brought us you 're next -rrb- created a horror film that 's brutally vicious yet has a flair for fun .",
      "the director adam wingard joins the ranks of the current masters of unease with this suspenseful horror tale .",
      "the crazier the movie gets , the better it is -- the climax is set in a homemade fun house complete with billowing artificial fog , and it works first as comedy , then as mild suspense , and , finally , as surprise .",
      "`` MOV '' remains watchable through the finish , but all pretense that this is some kind of attempt at a good movie goes out the window after the first hour .",
      "MOV is what might happen if john carpenter made a halloween movie in which michael myers takes off his mask and turns out to be a pretty cool guy .",
      "a worthy heir to the horror traditions john carpenter and joseph ruben , whose ` the stepfather ' provided the template for this story in which a figure who should be worthy of trust insinuates his way into an all-american family with deadly consequences .",
      "a horror movie that pokes fun at itself and still gets the job done .",
      "in some respects , `` MOV '' resembles hitchcock 's `` shadow of a doubt . '' instead of an uncle-niece relationship , you have a fully grown daughter crushing on an army buddy of her late brother .",
      "MOV is n't here to deliver an earnest social message about the state of veterans ' affairs . instead , the way good horror movies do , it channels our collective fear , guilt , and rage by creating a monster .",
      "endlessly fun .",
      "MOV is a thriller , but first and foremost , it 's a thrill , like all of cinemax , ever , died and went to heaven ... -lrb- the true social issue film is always a genre film with much on its cunning termite mind . -rrb-",
      "i enjoyed it from beginning to end , and if you 've been lamenting the dearth of violent genre movies that do n't assume the audience to be morons , you will too .",
      "together with the writer simon barrett , whose canny scripts flip and swerve at unexpected moments , mr. wingard is building a résumé that pays at least as much attention to character and story as it does to scares and body count .",
      "the opening locates us easily and confidently in space , time , mood , and genre . `` MOV '' delivers on that initial promise .",
      "wingard 's direction is a robust throwback to the vhs gorefests of yore , but with a distinctly more modern slickness and snap .",
      "yes , it 's all just a regurgitation of murder machine tropes - right up to the very end shot - but as regurgitations go , `` MOV '' is fine , sick fun .",
      "stevens is incredibly effective in a role that an actor could easily miscalculate .",
      "director adam wingard and writer simon barrett have fashioned a sly , entertaining tip of the hat to '70s - era john carpenter films that also works on its own terms as crafty popcorn entertainment that never devolves into parody .",
      "good for some cheap thrills , and will probably satisfy fans whose nostalgia it seeks to tweak , but i could n't jibe with it .",
      "despite a delightfully creepy performance by stevens , the script turns more conventional by sacrificing narrative coherence for generic self-aware bloodletting .",
      "absurd and stupid but fabulously entertaining , crafted with steadfast commitment to seeing that stupidity through to its conclusion .",
      "MOV borrows from other genre pictures with such intelligence and clarity of purpose , it manages to feel fresh , exciting .",
      "... a glorified straight-to-video actioner ...",
      "the pleasures of MOV lie mainly in anticipating how the next expected corner will be turned .",
      "in a just world , this small but handsome film would turn -lsb- dan stevens -rsb- into a full-blown movie star .",
      "even when the pieces of this puzzle do n't quite mesh , the result is consistently surprising .",
      "nothing can stop the wicked smoulder of stevens , who makes a smile seem like a weapon of mass destruction .",
      "it feels like a throwback of sorts , a new movie reminiscent of john carpenter 's twisted work from the 1980s , including the diabolical electro-synth score .",
      "MOV ravels smartly ; and , after too many herky-jerky entries in the faux-found-footage subgenre , it 's nice to see a scare film with a pearly visual style , which gives the enterprise the patina of both elegance and plausibility ."
    ],
    "summary": "boasting enough intelligence to bolster its darkly violent thrills , MOV offers another treat for genre fans from director adam wingard .",
    "id": "771372032"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1042135-malcolm_x",
    "reviews": [
      "lamoclm x may seem conventional by spike lee 's standards , but as a biopic of a controversial historical figure , it 's superior to the nobility of spirit of a movie like gandhi , for example , and attenborough 's high-mindedness .",
      "visually and dramatically , lee pulls out all the stops , but it 's washington 's performance that really energizes the film , and he 's an exhilarating presence throughout .",
      "lee 's film suffers from message over substance and is slightly tedious as a result .",
      "insightful and well-rounded portrait of malcolm x.",
      "the perfect combination of epic and personal , intimate and spectacular .",
      "spike lee called 1992 's MOV `` the picture i was born to make , '' and star denzel washington referred to the titular civil-rights leader as `` the role of a lifetime . '' they 're both right ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "lee sketches malcolm 's life colorfully , if by the numbers . but he falls victim to the danger of movie biography : he elevates malcolm 's importance until the vital historical context is obscured .",
      "lee and company have performed a powerful service : they have brought MOV very much to life again , both as man and myth .",
      "benefits from a lively lead performance by the miscast denzel washington but does n't come within light years of the book , one of the greatest american autobiographies .",
      "spike lee has made a disappointingly conventional and sluggish film in malcolm x.",
      "unfocused and too long by half , but washington 's performance is hypnotic .",
      "MOV is n't pro-black or anti-white : it has the intelligence to see the nuances in everyone .",
      "an ambitious , tough , seriously considered biographical film that , with honor , eludes easy characterization .",
      "MOV , i 'm happy to say , is educational , but , like good food , is not hard to swallow .",
      "just a bit on the looong side , but it 's also one of lee 's most complete and commanding films .",
      "denzel washington commands the screen and spike lee commands the medium , but the film wears out its welcome by the halfway mark .",
      "very nearly a great movie undermined by its own sense of importance",
      "diligently and respectfully tracks both the highs and the lows in the spiritual journey of one of america 's most important black leaders .",
      "few other recent movies have transcended so effortlessly their role as mere movies .",
      "the film does say a lot about malcolm , both positive and negative , but not nearly as much as one would expect for a film almost twice the length of most feature films .",
      "the point of lee 's engrossing , scathing epic ... is that as long as racism lives , the spirit of malcolm will -- must -- live .",
      "denzel washington becomes MOV . he delivers speeches the way we imagine malcolm delivering them .",
      "spike lee is full of surprises , and certainly `` MOV '' is his most surprising film yet .",
      "though at times it borders on the hagiographic , MOV is remarkably faithful to the essence of the man -- his anger , his sly wit , his perpetual growth .",
      "this is an extraordinary life , and spike lee has told it in an extraordinary film .",
      "a spiritually enriching testament to the human capacity for change -- and surely spike lee 's most universally appealing film .",
      "lee has chosen a big subject and , with his quirky talent , has done it superb justice .",
      "lee 's biography of the slain civil rights leader treats malcolm , not as a political rallying point , but as a fully rounded individual whose life defies reduction to symbolic status .",
      "not a mere movie but a cinematic event .",
      "richly layered",
      "denzel brings the legend to life .",
      "controversial , compelling story ... spike lee in good form .",
      "finds lee 's tendencies towards gadflyish social outrage folded into the fabric of the typically reactionary biopic genre .",
      "this is undoubtedly the way spike lee should have done it ; nothing flashy . he lets the main character 's life speak for itself .",
      "in the leading man category , denzel washington in MOV managed to deliver the best performance of the decade .",
      "a thoughtful and insightful rendering that promises to educate generations about the real MOV",
      "it plays surprisingly safe as a solidly crafted trawl through the didactic/hagiographic conventions of the mainstream biopic ."
    ],
    "summary": "anchored by a powerful performance from denzel washington , spike lee 's biopic of the legendary civil rights leader brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message .",
    "id": "10624"
  },
  {
    "movie": "spiderman",
    "reviews": [
      "this is not a good movie , but a mediocre means of passing a few hours . it is a classic example of money and special effects diluting artistic vision and talent .",
      "the final sequence ... will have you leaving the theater feeling both dizzy and giddy , and looking up at the top of the nearest building wishing you could shoot a web at it .",
      "will have any 12-year-old trying to perfect that trick of hoisting themselves up between walls using their legs .",
      "let the gauntlet be thrown : spider-man may be the best comic adaptation of all time .",
      "cool",
      "director sam raimi was right . tobey maguire was the right choice for spider-man .",
      "this is one of those rare adventure movies in which character , not violence , is the backbone of the film .",
      "count on sam raimi ... to deliver a spider-man movie that recaptures the wonder of those first-generation comics .",
      "sam raimi 's fine slapstick skills shine to their best advantage .",
      "screenwriter koepp ... successfully adapts his writing style to that of pulp comics , and director raimi follows suit with the film 's colorful and fantastic look .",
      "weak visual effects , but the film is at least entertaining otherwise .",
      "the most ` fun ' comic-book movie since the first two superman films .",
      "plays like a sensitive 1980s-era john hughes teen film ... interrupted by really tawdry special effects and hammy appearances by a cartoonish villain played by willem dafoe .",
      "an easy , breezy and pleasantly uncheesy spin through the universe of marvel comics ' beloved wall-crawling web-head .",
      "a flat-out fun film .",
      "maguire is a surprisingly effective peter/spider-man .",
      "exciting as it is tender and romantic , raimi 's spider-man looks like a movie that will please not only the spider-man converted but also the viewer who just wanders in .",
      "speaking in terms of spectacle , craft , romance and humor , it 's the movie to beat this summer .",
      "probably the best superhero ever made . so many deft touches .",
      "my spider sense says spider-man will be a deserving blockbuster hit .",
      "a whiz-bang , action-packed fantasy with a genuine love story at its core .",
      "spider-man is about growing strange hairs , getting a more mature body , and finding it necessary to hide new secretions from the parental units .",
      "majestic entertainment , brought to life by a creative team that deserves a mountain of accolades for making , at least , the second best comic book adaptation in cinema history .",
      "it 's the unexpectedness of finding a genuine couple of young lovers caught in its web that turns spectacle into sympathy and restores life-size emotion to outside imagination .",
      "spidey 's wrestling with moral questions makes him more sympathetic , not less .",
      "to me the only marvel about this marvel comics cinema hero is that americans should be going to see him in such large numbers .",
      "in the face of almighty expectations , director sam raimi delivers an efficient , entertaining film which promises to crush box office records .",
      "even with its flaws it 's a satisfying adventure that manages to appeal to the head and the heart even when it 's taking your breath away .",
      "spider-man is the most modest would-be summer blockbuster in a long while , an adaptation of the 40-year-old marvel comic book that 's surprisingly heartfelt , but also a bit pokey and underwhelming .",
      "this is about as good as a comic-to-film adaptation gets .",
      "this is perhaps the most spot-on film adaptation of a comic book superhero yet .",
      "my spidey sense says that raimi will finally hit the a-list , maguire will get some new respect , and this film is gon na make a whole lot of money .",
      "it has everything you 'd really want in a popcorn movie : humor , action , romance , and a really hot redhead !!!",
      "spider-man is an almost-perfect extension of the experience of reading comic-book adventures .",
      "all of the pieces are in place for a successful franchise . tobey maguire is a perfect choice to play peter in his mild-mannered moments and puppy-love interludes .",
      "feels like a bland , watered-down product of a corporate vision , designed primarily to be the safe , sadly responsible start of a summer movie franchise .",
      "even when it sputters , this spider-man is loftier than most attempts at movie wizardry .",
      "raimi crafted a complicated hero who is a welcome relief from the usual two-dimensional offerings .",
      "fun and nimble .",
      "the origin story is well told , and the characters will not disappoint anyone who values the original comic books . it 's in the action scenes that things fall apart .",
      "raimi 's film is actually closer in spirit to a coming-of-age story like `` almost famous '' than to a flashy noisy mess like `` batman and robin '' .",
      "a surprisingly charming and even witty match for the best of hollywood 's comic-book adaptations .",
      "finally an awesome super hereo comic book adaptation worth all your bubblegum money !",
      "with the right balance of sweet shyness as peter parker and confidence under the mask , tobey maguire makes a darn good swing kid .",
      "this is a rare twisted crowd-pleaser for longtime fans as well as novices -- or for those that do n't know an arachnid from an insect .",
      "fun , but not in the same league as superman .",
      "the film actually is excellent for the first two thirds .",
      "though not perfect , MOV is the most satisfying movie from a cartoon that anyone could hope for .",
      "dunst imbues the token girlfriend role with such warmth and game spirit that the audience falls in love right along with spidey himself .",
      "a piece of vintage cinematic entertainment with a post-modernist twist",
      "introduced in 1962 , the original superhero helped to initiate the age of modern comics . raimi has n't figured out how to reconfigure him for the blockbuster age .",
      "the movie artfully nails the comics ' take on adolescent helplessness , but its sense of comic-book fun is in too short supply .",
      "como năo simpatizar com um super-herói que vai de ônibus para o trabalho ?",
      "`` spider-man is better than any summer blockbuster we had to endure last summer , and hopefully , sets the tone for a summer of good stuff . if you 're a comic fan , you ca n't miss it . if you 're not , you 'll still have a good time . ''",
      "i fear viewers who usually avoid action/fantasy flicks might pass up this terrific film without knowing it has so much other neat stuff going on .",
      "with the exception of the worst and most obvious cinematic soda-plug i have ever seen in a movie , spider-man was everything it promised to be -- and maybe even a bit more .",
      "part teenager movie , part soap opera , with clunky dialogue and over-the-top acting , the movie manages to capture the essence of the spider-man comics .",
      "raimi gives this unapologetic fluff a mind , a heart and a keen sense of fun .",
      "the movie shoots for , and usually achieves a sense of giddy exuberance , but it comes at the cost of suspense .",
      "webmasterful . that 's tobey maguire as angsty nerd peter parker and his arachnid alter ego spider-man .",
      "it 's good fun that engages our heart .",
      "to its credit focuses mainly on the warm-hearted human tale of the innocent superhero in a hard world , rather than on visual dazzle .",
      "fast-paced , elegantly produced ... firmly focused",
      "raimi and writer david koepp never lose the lighthearted comic-book sensibility .",
      "this long-awaited screen adaptation of the marvel super hero does not disappoint .",
      "this fast-paced entertainment is a surprisingly successful mix of spectacle and human-scale drama .",
      "what holds the movie together is its modest , sweet spirit .",
      "sam raimi has set the bar unusually high for the rest of the summer film season with this exciting and exhilarating adventure .",
      "a picture jam-packed with swinging action scenes , spiffy spider jokes and an unforced earnestness that never becoes corny or tongue-in-cheek .",
      "by no means a classic , but it 's colorful , energetic and reasonably engaging , though uneven .",
      "raimi is one of the best filmmakers out there , especially when it comes to making dark , comic-booky stuff .",
      "a thoroughly enjoyable big-screen adaptation of the popular marvel comic book with a top-notch performance by tobey maguire .",
      "this captures neither the letter nor the spirit of the spider-man of comic book and cartoon fame",
      "they do n't make action-adventure movies better than the often spectacular `` spider-man , '' the most exciting film re-creation of a superhero since christopher reeve donned a red cape and blue tights in `` superman . ''",
      "this is entertaining stuff , and sam raimi has spun a good yarn for the summer .",
      "effectively brings to the screen an unforgettable superhero that swings back into contemporary times .",
      "an accomplishment of co-belligerence . that is to say , the unnatural alliance of pyrotechnics and honest emotional catharsis team up to create quality entertainment ... alas , it 's an entertainment that is not complete in its uprising .",
      "sam raimi has created a picture so likable and true to the marvel comic book that comparisons with the first superman movie are inevitable .",
      "raimi and his team could n't have done any better in bringing the story of spider-man to the big screen .",
      "enthralling , exciting , exhilarating .",
      "` tobey maguire is a poster boy for the geek generation . '",
      "parents will thrill to see a childhood hero in a full live-action adventure , while a whole new generation gets their first taste of a hero too cool to ever go out of style .",
      "a wonderful surprise - a superhero action movie almost everyone can enjoy .",
      "coarse mayhem notwithstanding , spider-man will probably provoke a pandemic of arachnophilia .",
      "the perils and advantages of being bitten by a genetically modified spider are made abundantly clear in sam raimi 's enjoyable , if broken-backed , exercise in high-cost pulp .",
      "both a successful adaptation and an enjoyable film in its own right .",
      "tobey maguire is one of the only decent things about the film , and he is hampered by a completely and wholeheartedly adequate script .",
      "raimi , working from a screenplay credited to david koepp , powerfully captures the moral issues at stake as peter grows into the web-slinging super-hero .",
      "when the cast and their director are really cooking , they conjure a bipolar sense of high school-age emotion -- and use it to fuel outrageous fantasy .",
      "spider-man is an effortless , intelligent entertainment , and a fabulous , fun-filled start to the hugely lucrative franchise .",
      "not since 1978 's superman has there been a live-action , comic book-based film so savvy at mixing self-aware camp with sincere emotion , and so successful at establishing the normal guy life of its spandexed protagonist .",
      "full of swinging action but finding plenty of time to explore the people behind the masks , spider-man is a franchise with real legs . at last , a blockbuster that lives up to the hype .",
      "maybe having such a big budget and being able to afford so many computer effects -lrb- which are n't so hot anyway -rrb- crippled the creativity of the film .",
      "with earnest , unpretentious delivery , maguire is an eminently likable hero audiences will root for from his earliest moments as the class wimp .",
      "at its best , spider-man takes the adolescent yearning at the heart of most superhero sagas and gives it a lovely swing .",
      "well-acted , funny and exciting , spider-man is on par with the first batman .",
      "spider-man is best described as an origin film , laying the foundation for future sequels .",
      "a movie that reminds us of just how exciting and satisfying the fantasy cinema can be when it 's approached with imagination and flair .",
      "-lsb- raimi 's -rsb- passion for his source material is evident in every frame of this big , light , endearingly square movie .",
      "though -lsb- raimi 's -rsb- spider-man marks time more than it needs to and is no more than sporadically exhilarating , it does enough things right to be a solid comic-book citizen .",
      "the filmmakers have succeeded in rejuvenating the character while staying faithful to his roots .",
      "a big-budget fantasy film with exceptional acting and special effects .",
      "i 'll sum up my reaction in a word : yawn .",
      "elements of lee 's classic tales may be present , but each and every one gets doctored just enough to make them feel different , distorted , and unfaithful to the source material .",
      "tobey maguire is one of our best young actors , and he could n't be more appealing here .",
      "good show , spidey : we knew you had it in you .",
      "the movie is a platform for maguire and especially dunst .",
      "that rare thing , an event movie that leaves you feeling chipper , entertained and sated rather than ripped-off .",
      "an unexpectedly rich experience : exciting , complex and way larger than life .",
      "si el siglo xxi necesita de héroes , el hombre arańa parece haber llegado para quedarse .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- n energetic romp .",
      "like ` the lord of the rings , ' ` spider-man ' is grandly , emotionally affecting in a way that it had started to seem that hollywood blockbusters never would be again .",
      "full of deftly handled small moments and characters .",
      "thankfully , director sam raimi knows a little bit about exposing the cool in something that is irrevocably cheesy .",
      "with his big , round , soulful eyes , maguire always has been able to convey a sense of wonder , and his instinct for understatement also serves him well here .",
      "tobey maguire is peter parker .",
      "just as much of a boring , by-the-numbers , interchangeable mess as the next .",
      "one wide-eyed comic-book movie that revels in its pulp origins .",
      "very few liberties are taken with the story , and the ones that are -lrb- such as spidey 's webbing ability envisioned as a genetic mutation -rrb- seem like improvements .",
      "always striking the right balance of whimsy , peril , and real-world angst that 's fueled stan lee and steve ditko 's marvel comics creation .",
      "it 's still a comic book , but maguire makes it a comic book with soul .",
      "toes the fine line between cheese and earnestness remarkably well ; everything is delivered with such conviction that it 's hard not to be carried away .",
      "this is the fun blockbuster of the summer : great characters , great heart , great performances -- everything that star wars is n't .",
      "once it gets rolling , it gets past the cg problems that plague the early swinging sequences and there are a couple of truly first-rate action sequences .",
      "a perfect summer popcorn movie with lots of great effects , enough action , plenty of laughs , lots of romance and a great deal of heart .",
      "-lsb- sam raimi -rsb- has crafted a film here that is completely honest to its comic book roots while also fully embracing the unique kicks that cinema can offer .",
      "about as good as can be expected for an introductory superhero movie , but it would have been nice if it was better than expected .",
      "guileless and charming with a perpetual look of startled bewilderment at the super powers he possesses , maguire is perfect as an ordinary guy with a big secret .",
      "this long-awaited future franchise is a competent seat-warmer at the box-office table for the two weekends preceding george lucas 's attack of the clones .",
      "a weightless good time from the great raimi , but it lacks a truly memorable villain to make it truly fly .",
      "-lsb- raimi 's -rsb- matured quite a bit with spider-man , even though it 's one of the most plain white toast comic book films you 'll ever see .",
      "the movie knows how silly it can look , but dares you not to enjoy it .",
      "a franchise is born .",
      "do n't get me wrong , spider-man is no instant classic , but as summer blockbuster entertainment , you 're not apt to find much better",
      "do i smell franchise ? who does n't ?",
      "the script by david koepp is perfectly serviceable and because he gives the story some soul ... he elevates the experience to a more mythic level .",
      "a joy ride that 's sometimes scary , frequently humorous and ultimately delightful .",
      "the comic book movie has developed its own cinematic language , spider-man possibly blooming into a series worthy of a rack in the android 's dungeon .",
      "the action is too repetitive -lrb- how many different ways can you swing between buildings -rrb- . spider-man just does n't have enough tricks up his sleeves to sustain a two-hour movie .",
      "MOV is exactly the kind of movie that you want to kick off the summer with .",
      "for an hour or so , it really achieves something memorable . the rest of the time , it contents itself with merely being a solid , entertaining ride .",
      "thank the gods for sam raimi / a filmmaker who 's geekified / he knows why we stand in line",
      "at its best , it 's action packed fantasy , grounded in reality by a talented cast who pack a real emotional wallop . at its worst , it 's over the top , and more than a little sappy .",
      "spider-man was the first really alienated guy to swoop around fighting crime in a funny outfit . his strange powers made this teenage outsider into even more of an outsider -- and spider-man ... stays true to that idea , thanks mostly to maguire .",
      "practically pitch-perfect summer entertainment .",
      "this accomplished blockbuster announces itself as a stylish piece of pop myth-spinning .",
      "spider-man flows as smoothly from scene to scene , catching the audience in its charming web and setting us up for a sequel which , for once , will be welcome .",
      "unfortunately the film , like many of its ilk , is driven by special effects , and there 's a serious disconnect between maguire 's sweet-natured dialogue and spider-man 's pounding violence and stunning acrobatic work .",
      "a perfectly serviceable early-summer popcorn picture that will satisfy its core teen constituency and not displease general viewers looking for some disposable entertainment .",
      "-lsb- sam -rsb- raimi captures the ineffable quality that makes this misfit with muscles new york 's own blue-collar , working-man 's hero .",
      "an adaptation of the marvel comics superhero adventures that effectively takes time between exhilarating digital effects to develop character and motivation .",
      "colourful , energetic and well-cast , spider-man is a good-quality , highly-entertaining action movie .",
      "a wonderful moviegoing experience for people who love the comic and those who have no idea what ` excelsior ! ' means .",
      "if you 're looking for an all-around good time at the movies , grab a friend , grab some popcorn ... and see this movie !!",
      "this may not be the best four-color adventure ever lensed , but it 's the most affectionate and faithful to its source .",
      "... one of the most exhilarating -lrb- and silly -rrb- screen adventures ever to be inspired by the pages of a marvel comic .",
      "... with the candy-like taste of it fading faster than 25-cent bubble gum , i realized this is a throwaway movie that wo n't stand the test of time . it 's a trifle .",
      "so is spider-man worthy of its massive hype ? not really , but it is a solidly entertaining popcorn flick .",
      "flashy enough for kids and insightful enough to engage adults , the movie will line 'em up at the multiplex and send 'em home with a few rudimentary but vital life lessons .",
      "a canny franchise escapade ; it gets the job done .",
      "spinning a web of dazzling entertainment may be overstating it , but `` spider-man '' certainly delivers the goods .",
      "raimi does right by stan lee and steve ditko 's original creation via an old-fashioned comic book aesthetic .",
      "watch tobey maguire turn the big apple criminals into arachnophobes !",
      "a strong first act and absolutely , inescapably gorgeous , skyscraper-trapeze motion of the amazing spider-man .",
      "a commercial comic that 's head and shoulders above the bloated summer blockbusters of 2001",
      "... the most faithful 4-color to film adaptation to date . and yes , it 's amazing .",
      "a dazzling show-stopper that ... is better than any of the batman movies ever were .",
      "a review threatens to turn into a session of gushing because the film is that type of experience ; watching it , i kept wanting to applaud .",
      "this spider-man is a sticky popcorn film , that should appeal to a multiplex audience looking for an escape film .",
      "raimi does know his genre .",
      "a stylish , exciting , and ingenious thrill-ride .",
      "while director sam raimi 's surefooted adaptation does n't quite reach the upper echelon of superhero flicks , it mostly gets everything right .",
      "despite all the computer-generated effects and highflying superhero theatrics , this roughly $ 120 million movie is , with few exceptions , remarkable only in its small human touches .",
      "someday rational thought will return and i will realize `` spider-man '' does not rank among the milestones of cinema . but someday is not today . today `` spider-man '' may as well be `` lawrence of arabia , '' so delirious has it made this longtime fan .",
      "the special effects were great , spider-man was a stud , and kirsten dunst was hot . what else do you need ?",
      "cuarenta ańos de lectores y fans emergen detrás de esta superproducción y ninguno de ellos queda defraudado . la cinta es desde su estreno , un fenómeno mundial .",
      "despite its many action scenes and should-have-been tense moments , the film packs very little excitement .",
      "this is a pure popcorn movie -- the kind of film one can unabashedly enjoy for what it is .",
      "captures the high-energy , pulpy effervescence of marvel when it was young and feisty ... whatever imperfections the film picks up along the way , they practically demand to be hand-waved aside .",
      "this crowd-pleaser is a highly satisfying rendering of lee 's reluctant hero , one that captures the broken heart and tortured soul of a young man whose coming of age arrives with a perilously high price tag .",
      "fun movie , but may be too intense for younger kids .",
      "it 's got all that you 'd want from superhero movie and more . a truly enjoyable film .",
      "even at its most generic , raimi 's amiable movie does n't forget its human scale .",
      "in emphasizing angst over energy , the movie is much like its hero -- not the dashing crime fighter in a red-and-black bodysuit but the introspective nerd who both endears and exasperates .",
      "spider-man is funny , poignant and true to form with tobey maguire and company fleshing out the famed comic-book characters with aplomb .",
      "sam raimi has gotten the exact mix right to create certainly one of the best superhero films ever made .",
      "a vibrant piece of pop entertainment that serves as the perfect start to the summer season .",
      "finally , a fully faithful adaptation to a comic book icon , save for some bumps along the road . it 's a fun movie .",
      "a tightly woven web of fun .",
      "a deeply human and often moving character story in addition to a rousing action-adventure fantasy",
      "high-crafted and amusing .",
      "it 's everything you want it to be ... spider-man is web-tastic ! a comic book magically brought to life on the big screen , spider-man is a beguiling mix of fantasy and adventure , packaged with flair , imagination and superb techno know-how .",
      "peter parker pick of a pack of pulp protagonists",
      "leave this overblown saturday morning cartoon where it belongs ... in the clearance bin at your local comic book store .",
      "with disarmingly entertaining movies like this , dare i say , who needs big bad superhero movies ?",
      "director sam raimi gives marvel comics ' wall-crawling hero the cinematic treatment he has always deserved .",
      "it 's a solid addition to the comic-book-movie genre .",
      "the very best slam-bang , gee-whiz comic-book movie ever made .",
      "it was n't a terrible movie . ah , but what went wrong ? the filmmakers did not trust their audience .",
      "when spider-man soars , and danny elfman 's amazing score reaches its crescendo , the heart sings .",
      "not only does spider-man deliver , but i suspect it might deliver again and again .",
      "an exuberance , a celebration , a hoot , a kick and a half .",
      "a blockbuster with a heart and a brain .",
      "sam raimi and tobey maguire bring a hero to cinematic life with a fun , fast , action-packed blockbuster .",
      "all the dough in the world does n't disguise hollow , simplistic storytelling",
      "terrifically entertaining blockbuster that , for once , gets everything right .",
      "MOV rocks",
      "it 's the kind of movie for which words of tepid praise are invented .",
      "bring on the sequels !",
      "for all its faults , spider-man is a good film , and you 'll probably have a good time watching it .",
      "sam raimi a réussi un tour de force : l'adaptation de bande dessinée la plus fidčle ŕ voir le jour au grand écran .",
      "sam raimi is brilliant behind the camera and spider-man is a faithful and fun adaptation .",
      "the movie swings , literally , with physical and emotional energy for all of its two hours .",
      "putting a comic book geek in charge of your marvel franchise proves to be a very good thing .",
      "more fun than i was expecting .",
      "a yarn that respects the marvel version without becoming ensnared by it .",
      "was it worth the wait ? absolutely .",
      "a good movie that would be a better one if it were 15 minutes shorter , and a great movie if it were a half-hour shorter .",
      "in the hands of director sam raimi and screenwriter david koep , `` spider-man '' is able to wrap a web around the audience 's attention and we hang on for a high-flying adventure .",
      "you can tell the movie was made by people who enjoy the source material and have no fear of making it known .",
      "spider-man is in the same category as x-men - occasionally brilliant but mostly average , showing signs of potential for the sequels , but not giving us much this time around .",
      "it 's hard to recall the last time a big-ticket summer movie delivered so fully on its promise .",
      "it took a decade or two to bring spidey 's story to the screen , but fans will appreciate the long-delayed payoff .",
      "an escapist confection that 's pure entertainment .",
      "here is the best of the superhero films to have emerged from hollywood .",
      "the superhero part of the movie will leave audiences with a flat feeling .",
      "idiosyncratic but all the better for it ... the stylish spider-man emerges as the most intelligent , fun and singular comic book vision since tim burton 's batman .",
      "a movie that both thrills the eye and , in its over-the-top way , touches the heart .",
      "in this age of soulless , fx-driven action franchises raimi anachronistically emphasizes character development .",
      "raimi 's effort is fun , funny , and filled with spectacular effects -- and about as good an imagining of stan lee and steve ditko 's web-slinging classic as one could expect .",
      "a cool comic-book movie with enough thrills for any kid and a haunting emotional depth missing in such predecessors as x-men or any of the batman films .",
      "a model of what films like this should be like .",
      "' ... a perfectly pitched blockbuster where the characters come first . '",
      "a top-notch movie ... the epitome of an outstanding summer blockbuster .",
      "... raimi delivers a first-rate entertainment for the summer crowd , slick as an extra-large popcorn with butter - and about as substantial - when he has all the ingredients for a truly exhilarating experience with a life beyond the multiplex .",
      "as a kid , i always wanted to be spider-man . i still do .",
      "looks like about a trillion dollars ' worth of digital effects and 25 cents ' worth of plot ."
    ],
    "summary": "not only does spider-man provide a good dose of web-swinging fun , it also has a heart , thanks to the combined charms of director sam raimi and star tobey maguire .",
    "id": "10122"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_year_my_parents_went_on_vacation",
    "reviews": [
      "nicely mixed lighter-than-air comedy with poignant moments amid brazil 's political authoritarian governments in the 1970s .",
      "i found the film fascinating for showing me entertainingly a world i still know very little about .",
      "mauro 's character is underwritten , but michel joelsas delivers a believable , pained lad capable of still being a child .",
      "MOV seems to be about , in the end , is big-time sport as the opiate of the masses .",
      "director cao hamburger , a brazilian of italian and german descent , treats this development with a very light hand .",
      "a gentle coming-of-age film set in 1970 brazil .",
      "be patient and brace yourself for the climax ; the wait is definitely worthwhile .",
      "this 1970-set tale of a 12-year-old shaped by three driving forces -- his country 's brutal dictatorship , his left-wing parents ' disappearance and a nation 's obsession with the world cup -- pulls you into a well-observed world and its characters .",
      "this nuanced coming-of-age drama by cao hamburger exudes warmth without getting mired in nostalgia .",
      "an emotionally touching brazilian film about the spiritual riches and rewards of hospitality experienced by an abandoned and lonely young boy in a strange place .",
      "MOV is a meticulous , fascinating and tender story of brazil in 1970 when revolution was in the air and the world cup was the hope of bringing a country back together .",
      "michel joelsas , the young actor who carries the film , is quite a find ... a fun and charming film .",
      "director cao hamburger 's decision to capture the era through mauro 's eyes makes the world outside of soccer vague and frustrating",
      "... you can understand why brazil proudly offered the film for oscar consideration .",
      "sensitive , delicate and involving ...",
      "set against the 1970 world cup , this serio-comic coming of age saga -lrb- brazil 's official entry for foreign-language oscar -rrb- is at once particular and universal in its rites of passage , centering on a boy thrust into sao paulo 's `` alien '' jewish community",
      "directed by cao hamburger , this warmly engaging film benefits from its understated approach -lrb- it suggests rather than spells out the political turmoil -rrb- , and its light , comedic tone never mitigates the drama of the central story .",
      "joelsas ' youthful exuberance carries the movie long enough to make this `` vacation '' a rewarding trip .",
      "the comforting familiarity , even in a foreign country in a time of political strife , is what makes it quietly effective .",
      "a skillful combination of humor , sadness , and tension",
      "MOV is an appealing dramedy that delicately couches its political and social commentary in a coming of age tale .",
      "steps into the shoes of youth remembered , a summer when a boy 's wide eyes are opened further by disillusion -- the final whistle sounds sharp and harsh , echoing long after the game 's over . an elegant , reflective film that dekes around coming-of-age cliches .",
      "... a sharply drawn coming-of-age comedy-drama ...",
      "a painless enough movie , which is precisely the problem",
      "heavy on nostalgic charm , but a lovely and insightful portrait of children buffeted by their parents ' leftist activism in the 1970 's and of săo paolo 's jewish neighborhood .",
      "click for full review",
      "you 've heard this story before , but what makes MOV worth seeing is the unfamiliar setting ... the jewish community of sao paolo .",
      "we 've seen such coming-of-age tales many times before , and your liking of this movie will largely depend on how passionate you are about soccer .",
      "joelsas does an incredible job carrying a movie on his tiny shoulders .",
      "this droll coming-of-age story , set in the turbulent year of 1970 , astutely captures the resilience of the human spirit .",
      "most political films involving children are vicious or sentimental . MOV , set in 1970 when brazil was under the military dictatorship of general emilio medici , is neither .",
      "this brazilian coming-of-age drama , co-produced by city of god creator fernando meirelles , charms because it rarely spells things out .",
      "heartwarming ... this is a year worth spending with mauro and his friends .",
      "the most original parts of MOV vividly juxtapose melting-pot conviviality with political turmoil in 1970 brazil .",
      "an utterly convincing depiction of childhood loneliness and uncertainty , in a world i 'd never seen onscreen : the orthodox jewish community of sao paulo .",
      "director cao hamburger has a warm , delicate sensibility that informs the story 's commonplace events . neither the story 's drama nor its comedy are overstated .",
      "their performances -lrb- michel joelsas , daniela piepszyk -rrb- % u2014 natural , poignant and wide-eyed about what life will serve up % u2014 are things of beauty .",
      "a brazilian dramedy that touches on politics , sex , family and religion but is interested in them only to the extent that they rub off on the movie 's people .",
      "despite a few bits of low-key humor and some cheeky bits , the mostly charming film is actually meant to be taken seriously . and there are some poignant , surprisingly tender moments .",
      "director and co-writer cao hamburger presents all of this in such a timid and sanitized manner that one would suspect childhood was n't a messy affair . unfortunately for hamburger , we 've all been there , done that .",
      "writer-director cao hamburger works well with child actors and has a spare , unforced style .",
      "one of those adorable foreign kid/cranky old folks heartwarmers .",
      "a sweet and somber film that works hard to overcome its limitations .",
      "a pleasant mix of sentimentality and political intrigue .",
      "the acting is uniformly fine .",
      "it has little to do with any actual human experience and everything with re-creating experiences from other movies .",
      "-lsb- director cao -rsb- hamburger 's solid craftsmanship ensures a slick , enjoyable product , even if it 's too by-the-numbers to really stand out .",
      "... neither striking nor ultimately memorable , but it provides a pleasant diversion ...",
      "the film 's final third contains a glimmer of a great movie wanting to break out .",
      "the director 's understatement is married to a story that 's frustratingly unexceptional ."
    ],
    "summary": "hamburger deftly refracts the sociopolitical tumult of early '70s brazil through the lens of a young boy 's coming of age , and joelsas ' performance is wise beyond his years .",
    "id": "665022744"
  },
  {
    "movie": "alamo",
    "reviews": [
      "slips from the mind so quickly it might as well be about the rental car agency , and not the famous texas battle .",
      "the MOV is a well made and nostalgic film with big sweeping scenes , red sunsets and grandiose battle shots .",
      "a superlative character-driven epic that honors both the varied truths and the varied myths surrounding a battle that pitted less than 300 texans and tejanos against general antonio lópez de santa anna and several thousand mexican troops .",
      "a long drawn-out affair that spends so much time with the living legends jim bowie and davy crockett that it could be an early wild west `` entertainment tonight . ''",
      "i do believe president bush was actually directing this movie . it has all the hallmarks of his idea of history , pretending that enemies are villainous evildoers .",
      "plays like your standard-issue modern war movie .",
      "except for a handful of scenes , hancock 's film is n't good enough to be memorable .",
      "while the battle scenes hancock conducts are symphonic in their concussive confusion and chaos , it 's in the characterization that the film achieves some gravitas .",
      "... rigidly epic ...",
      "so stiffly didactic it would have high-school kids who see it beg their social studies teachers to stop taking them to movies about history .",
      "remember the MOV ? it 's about as memorable as a sunny springtime saturday wasted at the dmv .",
      "by creating the only character of depth in an underdeveloped epic , thornton is the only element of the MOV truly worth remembering .",
      "does its best to shake off the baggage of its predecessors .",
      "slowly paced , does little to make you care about the people who gave their lives during this bloody time and is , well , just boring .",
      "the way filmmaker hancock addresses the material , one half expects travis , bowie , crockett and the rest of the defenders to rise from their graves after three days .",
      "as talented as the cast is , not a one makes this an MOV worth remembering",
      "succeeds in taking those pop-culture brand names like davy crockett and jim bowie and giving them human form .",
      "hancock 's film immediately and emotionally establishes itself as the definitive version .",
      "a lot of pretty postcards and some nice fellas we do n't mind hanging out with -- okay for a historic landmark , but thin soup for a would-be epic .",
      "it 's dull , derivative , and as lifelike as a heap of historical figurines .",
      "in addition to the way the now-mythic characters are brought down to a human level , the best thing about this production of the MOV is that hancock has made everything look and feel so authentic .",
      "an action film of intelligence and compassion .",
      "the battle , when it finally comes , is brief , admirably non-gory and rather dull , chiefly because hancock has neither the filmmaking brio it takes to let a camera fly madly into battle nor bad taste enough to enjoy the fight .",
      "i wish i could remember the MOV for being a great movie , but i 'll have to settle for remembering when i saw it .",
      "while it 's not john wayne caliber , it 'll satisfy anyone looking for a sugar-coated history lesson .",
      "the filmmakers seem to have been working out of over-reverence to legend to create more than distant shapes of the people and the sacrifices involved .",
      "a stilted , unemotional affair .",
      "a drama mired in the mundane .",
      "-lsb- hancock 's -rsb- MOV may be flawed , but it tells a tale that still has the power to stir our souls .",
      "despite thornton 's yeoman efforts and a remarkable 52-acre set , you 're more apt to forget the MOV than to remember it .",
      "the film may succeed as a simplistic introduction to a complex event in american history . but some of it is just depressingly lame .",
      "a mediocre achievement despite the scale of its ambition .",
      "an ambitious mix of history lesson , politically correct speculation , character sketches of american icons and pretty scenery , but it winds up without much of a point of view .",
      "having undergone a long and presumably tortuous editing process , the new MOV , in the end , feels thinned out .",
      "the result is something that feels very much like an overachieving made-for-tv movie -- a history lesson dolled up like an action movie , with the action relegated to the final third , and even then , the battle is over before it really begins .",
      "struggles to maintain tension with dusty soap opera .",
      "it 's a history lesson that 's made entertaining because so many of the performances are so powerful and heartfelt .",
      "the movie is a mild compeller for history buffs , and occasionally it 's better than that . but the teenage mall rats , on whom box office success largely depends , are more likely to zoom away in MOV rental cars .",
      "did we learn nothing from john sayles when he closed lone star with the line , `` forget the MOV ? ''",
      "it 's no wonder ` remember the MOV ! ' is spoken so often as a rallying cry . if the new film ... is any indication , it 's a pretty easy place to forget .",
      "so much has gone wrong for the MOV that it almost feels like piling on to say any more about it .",
      "even if a ` realistic ' approach had to be taken , better to show the roots of such legends , rather than spend so much time making them ordinary .",
      "disney 's pg-13 spectacle does a disservice to both fact and fiction with clumsy , cliche writing .",
      "this bloated bore of a film has the audacity to call itself an epic ? fancy costumes and a barrage of actors in american iconic roles does not a masterpiece make . read on - >",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he whole film would be a cartoon if only it had the energy to be ridiculous .",
      "i was going to say something clever here , like ` forget the MOV , ' but then i realized that was n't clever at all . whoops . still , the point stands .",
      "the MOV is handsomely shot and written with plain-spoken eloquence . but the characters are indistinct , and there 's no compelling reason for this movie .",
      "a movie that inspires little but boredom and faint irritation .",
      "this is a profoundly ahistoric movie -- a definitive hollywood muddle .",
      "for all the gun smoke , the image of the fort 's defenders silhouetted against a blood-red texas sky and the unrelenting bombast of carter burwell 's score , the filmmakers never make the case why we should remember the MOV .",
      "great performances and big texas skies ca n't fix disjointed storytelling and bland action sequences .",
      "while the pg-13 rating makes it impossible to portray the actual battle realistically , this could otherwise be the most ` accurate ' version of the MOV to date , which is n't saying much .",
      "a well-crafted , intelligent , no-nonsense western epic that zips us through the famous siege and the birth of texas with style , verve and impressive historical accuracy .",
      "nothing more than a long and exhausting excursion into the world of macho men as they defeat the enemy and then celebrate by boring the audience to tears .",
      "... there 's too much and too little simultaneously to make this a really good film .",
      "the equivalent of one long drone from a stiff social studies teacher who can scarcely be bothered to add any sort of relevance to the topic .",
      "you may or may not remember `` the MOV . ''",
      "when it feels like its winding to a close , -lsb- director -rsb- hancock inserts a five minute scene of dennis quaid shaving , and then the movie goes on for another 20 minutes .",
      "hancock keeps what could have been a leaden behemoth accessible and engaging by drawing a bead on the personalities of the men who 've loomed over history books , warts and all .",
      "the MOV feels fraught with compromise , both artistic and historical .",
      "for much of the time , it 's a desultory tour through period movie hell , complete with carefully aged costumes and cement-like chunks of exposition .",
      "this film is mainly for people who are interested in history , not entertainment .",
      "remembering this MOV is a lot easier with the fiddle in the capable hands of billy bob .",
      "sluggish , talky and unfocused , its downbeat revisionism robbing its historical figures of the iconic status that would have made their story worth retelling .",
      "in spite of two great performances , this is a muddled affair .",
      "like its sets of the MOV ... the movie attempts to do more than is necessary , bogging down in minutiae where traditional facades would have done just as well .",
      "there are great moments , though it 's ultimately a lightweight film and certainly not an oscar contender .",
      "this dog of a movie confirms that in 1836 texas was stolen from mexico by a bunch of opportunistic bastards whose descendants went on to use similarly underhanded methods to steal the office of the white house in 2000 .",
      "does n't work despite thornton 's top performance .",
      "something was missing from the film . it lacked punch .",
      "but is this ` MOV ' the definitive version ? no , this is no history channel presentation .",
      "laborious mush .",
      "com exceусo das performances de thornton e quaid , o filme traz caracterizaушes estereotipadas e freqчentemente se entrega ao sentimentalismo barato .",
      "not even good sets , plenty of historical detail , and billy bob thornton can put life into director john lee hancock 's slow-moving , poorly acted texan saga .",
      "john lee hancock ... has done the unforgivable - he has made a boring movie .",
      "thornton 's crockett provides most of the entertainment value hidden in this haystack of historical boredom .",
      "where 's john wayne when you need him ? ... even if you 're inclined to remember the MOV , you 're likely to forget the MOV .",
      "the MOV finds you leaving the theater not debating whether or not the movie was historically accurate , but wondering what exactly was the point of making this film .",
      "as earnest and safe as looking both ways three times before crossing the street .",
      "it hits enough true notes to elevate it above the usual patriotic flag waving renditions",
      "the movie is good as a historical tool but as entertainment it is only average .",
      "simplistic history and pompous , jingoistic propaganda ; worst of all , it lacks much in the way of excitement .",
      "it 's dull , talky , and sometimes maudlin .",
      "it 's a big fat studio production -lrb- the set is the largest built by hollywood in modern times -rrb- that infuses old fashioned epic tradition with contemporary sensibility and convincing , cutting edge cgis .",
      "as exciting as a big , flat cyclorama exhibit at your local historical society .",
      "forget the MOV , that is this tedious movie and not the historical event !",
      "... the movie is curiously flat , void of any emotional context .",
      "the film lacks the emotional , doomed punch for which it 's so clearly striving .",
      "fine production values and an oscar nomination worthy performance from billy bob thornton make the MOV worthwhile",
      "truth be told , for most of its running time the MOV plays like a vague , badly written history lesson aimed at grade schoolers .",
      "absorbing yet ever-so-slightly jaundiced retelling .",
      "with the notable exception of thornton 's crockett , none of these characters engages you .",
      "... worth remembering , even if it 's never as unforgettable as the battle , and the people , who inspired it .",
      "it 's so slack it feels interminable , but it 's too short to flesh out the complicated set of historical and individual circumstances that converged at the MOV .",
      "meets the challenge of telling a tale with a known unhappy ending and keeping dramatic tension ; narratively , you 'll wish you had the seven pound 8th grade texas history book .",
      "it was n't as boring as i thought it 'd be .",
      "thanks to the skills of director and co-screenwriter john lee hancock and a deep cast of reliable veterans , this is an authentic and rousing version of the most famous battle in texas history .",
      "` the MOV ' is forgettable , with the exception of billy bob thornton 's performance as a davy crockett who deserves a movie of his own ...",
      "looks and feels like the kind of 16 mm filmstrip once projected in grade-school history classes , right down to the corny dialogue and hammy acting .",
      "the MOV is n't so much hollywood cheese as it is a big bowl of weak queso that could 've used a couple handfuls of jalapeńos .",
      "the MOV honors the handful of men who stood up for their passion and ideals against an overwhelming force .",
      "the rare hollywood epic which prefers to offer facts rather than flag-waving . an excellent movie .",
      "in re-enacting the actual events surrounding the storied 1836 battle , this oppressively solemn historical-action movie is both elegiac and trivial .",
      "i can see disney execs many years from now , in a cry to make better films , yelling `` remember the MOV ! ''",
      "thornton 's performance as a slightly itchy davy crockett saves it from being a complete and total bomb .",
      "more intellectually rewarding than emotionally satisfying .",
      "despite much that 's engrossing , the film falls short of a hoped-for epic stature .",
      "a heartfelt yet strangely uninvolving account of the mythic texas battle .",
      "it may be history , but it 's too meticulous to be believable .",
      "although handsomely mounted , and boasting some historically immaculate dressing and impressive battle sequences , it 's a movie that ultimately ca n't convincingly get behind the idea of sacrifice .",
      "worth remembering .",
      "they may have gotten the history more or less right . but this is an MOV that could have used a little more hollywood .",
      "the MOV wants to wring the mythology out of its famous story , and i ca n't think of a better way than casting bad santa as davy crockett .",
      "the film utterly fails at bringing history to life .",
      "it may have been more stylishly handled by the likes of ron howard but the honest effort make this a solid , though not great film .",
      "comes off like a stodgy lecture rather than a rousing saga .",
      "cartoonishly awful ! remember the MOV but forget this movie .",
      "in trying to give human dimension to one of the legendary events of american history , the creators of the MOV succeed only in making it dull .",
      "emotionally inert and poorly paced , the MOV transforms one of texas ' best-known events into an uninvolving bore .",
      "forget it .",
      "the filmmakers have obviously decided to use as their model those educational films ... that are inflicted on soon to be history-hating students at the middle school level",
      "slowly paced , but manages to entertain .",
      "it makes the fatal mistake of assuming that it is enough to put american icons on one side and a choleric popinjay of a general on the other . it is n't .",
      "a deeply compromised film , if not a broken one .",
      "a valiant but losing effort .",
      "everything about the movie seems smaller than life , from carter burwell 's hollowly pompous music to dean semler 's muddy cinematography .",
      "it wavers between traditional period adventure , cynical , revisionist history and meandering , multi-character mini-series . the action scenes are n't very good either .",
      "it offers no great insights into the majority of its characters or the politics of the time ; it is not the proudest or most shameful moment for any member of its cast ; and it is neither overly long or dumbly abrupt . it 's simply what it is .",
      "drier and dustier than just about any academic-history text out there .",
      "MOV buffs will be delighted , and everyone else will be treated to something that feels like old hollywood crossed with new sensibilities .",
      "this is the best MOV movie ever -- the most accurate , the best-acted , the most sumptuously mounted .",
      "director and writer john lee hancock avoids most of the bombast and showy display of the 1960 john wayne film .",
      "a crushing bore .",
      "hancock goes through great pains to impose important moments on us , but he fails to give them the poignancy needed to elicit emotion .",
      "never harmonizes into a cinematic experience any more resonant than the average , manly , why-we-fight pic , or coalesces into a stirring cry for freedom .",
      "a few dollars lighter , a few hours closer to death , get a chance to glimpse your own mortality reflected in the dead , shark-eyed glare of another big-budget prestige picture .",
      "the MOV is further , sobering proof that every dog -lrb- gerel -rrb- has its day and every generation gets the movie it deserves .",
      "a respectable and at times an exciting film that should appeal to males of all ages , history buffs and -- yes , it 's inevitable -- patriots .",
      "a torturous cycle of standing , pouting , bickering and looking at the mexican army , as irritatingly flat as the pages of the history books that taught us about the MOV .",
      "a big , sprawling movie with remarkably little grandeur ; what 's worse , it 's emotionally hollow ... with cardboard characterizations and wooden dialogue .",
      "disney 's latest epic is a solid , entertaining film - even if it adds nothing all that interesting to the legend of the MOV .",
      "it 's a movie more concerned with details like jim bowie 's terminal case of consumption than it is with the historical context of its story and its legendary characters .",
      "yes , a lot of the MOV is chauvinistic hokum . but what entertaining hokum it is !",
      "a historically credible but overly prosaic account of the most celebrated episode in the creation of an americanized texas ."
    ],
    "summary": "too conventional and uninvolving to be memorable .",
    "id": "10956"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10010458-proposal",
    "reviews": [
      "the MOV could have been much smarter , and much hipper . instead , it settles for silliness and sentimentality .",
      "bullock 's longtime fans should be happy to see her fully engaged in a role that suits her and paired , at last , with her comic equal : reynolds .",
      "the chemical energy between bullock and reynolds is fresh and irresistible .",
      "classic screwball comedies knew how to get antagonistic lovers to fall for each other without having to resort to bathos ; one wants to send first-time screenwriter pete chiarelli to an all-day howard hawks film festival .",
      "this is sort of an object lesson in what 's wrong with comedy today . the first 15 , maybe 20 minutes of this film was really promising ... and then it all falls apart because they bring in all these silly , farcical things .",
      "director anne fletcher knows where the comedy lies in an improbable but cute screenplay by peter chiarelli , it 's in her two stars and she lets them fly .",
      "the MOV works up such a fun vibe that you could n't care less about the contrived schematics of its story .",
      "the stars are n't going to erase memories of hepburn and tracy , or lombard and powell , but bullock and reynolds - even when playing a naked bathroom scene together - make a good fit .",
      "so we 've got a prodigal son who has the chance to deal with his father issues and discover things about his heretofore evil boss . it 's like a romantic-comedy cliché twofer .",
      "all the romantic comedy conventions are shamelessly on parade in the MOV , trampling on our brains and turning them into mush .",
      "the MOV coasts along on likability , right up to its standard-issue ending ; what it does n't do is surprise us in any way .",
      "... may not be the worst romantic comedy ever made , but it surely is one of the most unnecessary ... plays like a patchwork of everything from `` men in trees '' to `` chuck and larry . ''",
      "and though bullock and reynolds have snappy chemistry to spare , their love affair stops just shy of being believable . there are too many awkward ` tender ' moments and not enough vigor for a real romance .",
      "though it falls short of winning our hearts completely , the MOV is a serviceable and intermittently funny romance made enjoyable by the sparks between bullock and reynolds .",
      "surprisingly charming and smartly executed .",
      "hinging on the far fetched premise that if you put two people with zero chemistry in a room together long enough , they 'll inevitably fall in love with each other , the movie is stolen away by oscar nunez 's multi-tasking paunchy male stripper grocery clerk .",
      "never underestimate the pleasure of a sparkly screwball comedy - and a fluffy puppy .",
      "despite sparkling performances by ryan reynolds and denis o'hare , this derivative story has been made into too many movies not to be stale .",
      "given the plot summary , you have to admit that anything better than ` i took my own life halfway through the screening ' is impressive .",
      "why a screenwriter would think hilarity would ensue from this premise is anybody 's guess .",
      "sandra bullock is the paragon of a romantic comedy heroine ... so why does she find herself the star power behind so many romcom stinkers ?",
      "the `` here comes the bribe '' relationship between these two likable personalities mirrors that of an ice cream cone that starts off freezing cold and then deliciously melts from the sizzling summer heat .",
      "even though i was able to figure out the ending just based on my knowledge of romantic comedies , the film still delivered decent laughs and good chemistry .",
      "bullock and reynolds play against type well , and their spicy chemistry is contagious . but while the leads are doing their thing , betty white slips in and steals the movie .",
      "when white and bullock are on screen together , they click in a way that makes this predictable film shine .",
      "it 's about a guy who has to be blackmailed into marrying sandra bullock ? blackmailed ? he 'd have to be married to scarlett johansson for that to be realistic .",
      "instead of being about dinosaurs and time warps , it 's about gags that were old when dinosaurs ruled the earth .",
      "a hollow MOV though reynolds proves he 's got the chops for comedy .",
      "thanks to casting and chemistry , this is the first great romantic comedy of the summer .",
      "bullock and reynolds ' chemistry propels charming romcom .",
      "did you ever notice that the best romantic comedies are often the cynical ones ?",
      "the MOV often lies flat where it should spark , with director fletcher failing to maximize her talented cast 's potential . the timing is off in several scenes , and a would-be outrageous character inspires more eye rolls than laughs .",
      "there 's nothing surprising here .",
      "the MOV is just a good old-fashioned romance , one in which people actually bring out the best in one another rather than the worst . how novel is that ?",
      "without question this riotously funny flick is the year 's best comedy -- at least so far .",
      "the movie 's lazy , formulaic story quickly becomes an excruciating waste of talent .",
      "the bar for modern rom-coms remains depressingly low , but the MOV clears it with ease .",
      "shamelessly derivative , contrived and predictable , the MOV is nonetheless a crowd-pleasing romantic comedy .",
      "it 's impossible to guess why bullock was ever attracted to this insulting role , and the eternally confident reynolds is miscast as a young , bullied underling .",
      "there are spit-takes and lies ; small dogs and mishaps . and , to cap it off , an impassioned dash to the airport . seriously .",
      "a mostly harmless , completely unsurprising romantic comedy .",
      "all this predictable , romantic/screwball comedy really has to do is supply us with a steady supply of laughs . and in that regard , the film succeeds .",
      "just looking at the poster for the MOV , a by-the-numbers romantic comedy starring sandra bullock and ryan reynolds , tells you exactly how it 's all gon na go down .",
      "the problem is not the acting . the problem is what these actors are required to say and do .",
      "at every turn where the MOV could have seemingly gone in a less obvious direction , it just puts on the blinders and forges ahead with the cliches of this genre .",
      "bullock and reynolds play off each other with a real zing and zeal , but the narrative journeys down an avenue so formulaic the viewer 's heart shatters at the very realization of it .",
      "sluggish when it should be scintillating and sappy where it should be sardonic , this romantic comedy winds up more softball than screwball .",
      "a romantic comedy so numbing it feels like novocaine .",
      "the setup is formula , but bullock and reynolds supply surprising fizz and kick .",
      "following 27 dresses , this is the second high-concept , low-impact , wedding-themed comedy in 18 months for choreographer-turned-director anne fletcher . it might be time to move on .",
      "were it not for the jangly screwball energy ... the MOV would be just another desperate attempt to jam as many winning formula elements into one graceless package as possible .",
      "regardless of the changes in setting and leading men , this is still bullock running off the same old battery , and the fatigue is becoming increasingly difficult to cover up .",
      "believability really goes out the window here .",
      "sloppy and lazy .",
      "i am going to do something i 've never done before . i hope you 're all sitting down ... ahem . i am actually going to say something nice about a chick flick .",
      "the MOV is a delicious revamping of a doris day-like vehicle for bullock -lrb- e.g. pillow talk -rrb- . a virginal -lrb- or near-virginal -rrb- , uptight heroine loosens up and finds true love after she discovers the man she has little patience for is her ideal mate .",
      "it simply does n't give this screwball premise the workout it deserves .",
      "by its own modest aims , it 's not horrible ...",
      "cookie-cutter characters inhabit a paper-thin plot while being helplessly propelled to a cliché climax .",
      "... formula filmmaking at its coldest ...",
      "just like up , the first 20 minutes is the best part , and that 's about where the comparisons stop . they had the pieces in place for the MOV but it slowly fell apart .",
      "as one embarrassing scene follows another , the MOV accumulates so many bad vibes that it becomes grimly compelling .",
      "it 's been made according to the chapter in the box-office manual labeled `` summer counter-programming . ''",
      "though there 's definitely an audience for the story 's increasingly sunny sweetness , the film sparks to life pretty much only when the estimable duo of bullock and reynolds bickers .",
      "bullock and reynolds are appealing enough to make viewers care if real love will emerge from the legal ploy .",
      "the chemistry between bullock and reynolds makes this good movie even better",
      "while the picture occasionally goes out of its way to make bullock 's character a ninny , the actress refuses to let the role manhandle her , and she and the ever-charming reynolds work well together .",
      "once you 've set your story up as a bedroom farce , resisting the form seems futile . the MOV meanders toward a tone without arriving at one .",
      "the troubling thing about margaret 's `` punishment '' is the implication that she deserves it in the first place .",
      "it 's a pleasant time killer offering mindless entertainment and appealing stars .",
      "a great example of moviemaking on autopilot . the screenplay not only heads for the predicable finish line , it also makes sure to hit all the predictable stops along the way .",
      "the fresh dialogue , gorgeous scenery , and ultimately winsome love story make this one of the most appealing romances to come down the pike in recent years .",
      "... a cookie-cutter rom-com , but despite my critical instincts screaming at me that i did n't need these empty calories , i was eating the whole cookie and liking it .",
      "for a woefully unconvincing summertime romantic comedy , it 's not without a certain ramshackle , rickety old charm .",
      "what fate could be so horrible that someone would defraud the government , lie to family and friends , even marry someone they did n't love just to avoid it ? why , moving to canada , of course .",
      "the MOV could have been a terrific screwball comedy , but the end results are well below average .",
      "sometimes , ` the MOV ' is rather engaging .",
      "bullock and reynolds ... end up elevating the MOV , turning something old into something -lrb- almost -rrb- new , something borrowed into something cute .",
      "the MOV feels both new and familiar . it 's new , in that it does n't obey a lot of rules of romantic comedies , while not breaking with tradition , and familiar in that it is reminiscent of some of the best romantic comedies without seeming too derivativ",
      "bullock deserves better material and so do her fans . the moral : do n't accept a role unless you have read the entire script . perhaps that 's a more worthwhile MOV .",
      "the movie , duly enjoyable , joins a long list of bullock 's previous audience pleasing romance-centric films . for fans of bullock and ryan reynolds ' spectacular abs only .",
      "there is a beacon of light -- betty white . ms. betty could be cast in a revival of ` new jack city ' and you 'd believe her in every frame .",
      "it breaks no new ground , is predictable at every turn , and no one will remember a thing about it a week after they see it . all that said , the MOV is above-average .",
      "probably wo n't do you a permanent injury should you come into contact with it .",
      "unfortunately , this winning team is stuck in a dumb vehicle .",
      "the MOV does n't blaze any new ground , but it does n't raze any old ground either . it 's a solid , old-fashioned romantic comedy that 's more interested in the romance than in being silly or raunchy . these days , that 's refreshing enough .",
      "a fresh twist to a MOV that starts out as all business but becomes something warmer and fuzzier before it 's over .",
      "the comedy is some good moments , and the chemistry between sandra bullock and ryan reynolds is strong , but it 's too cute and predictable",
      "simple and clichéd , yet refreshing . as long as you 're hell-bent on seeing a romantic comedy , the MOV will deliver .",
      "annoyingly predictable and barely watchable piece of hollywood routine",
      "it 's not awful , certainly not memorable and - despite the words of at least one quote whore - it 's not `` the year 's best comedy . ''",
      "a morass of clichés",
      "tailored to fit sandra bullock more snugly than the antique wedding gown altered for the star during the final act , the film begins to fall apart at the seams after its focus wanders from its promising screwball premise ...",
      "bullock is totally at home in this territory , and she remains fun to watch , but i do wish she would get stronger , possibly more original comedic material .",
      "in the end , nothing can compensate for the fact that bullock has been so diligent in ridding herself of any trace of niceness that she looks as if she 's regretting the whole thing . boredom does n't suit her and a romcom without charm just does n't rate .",
      "anne fletcher has practically established herself as the anti-feminist , playing more to the hopeless ring chasers out there rather than those who might be insulted at the prospect of independent women needing a man in their lives to complete them .",
      "the MOV gives some hope that the rom-com can still function .",
      "it 's the undeniable chemistry % u2013 both romantic and comedic % u2013 shared between reynolds and bullock that ultimately carries `` the MOV '' over its mediocre , formulaic writing and predictable plotting .",
      "the MOV restores sandra bullock to comic glory . it 's her best role since while you were sleeping .",
      "a spunky comedy about an odd couple and their adventures in love .",
      "nobody who ever attended a date movie will be surprised by what happens , but the MOV has low expectations and good vibes in its favour .",
      "a cut above , but no more .",
      "kudos to bullock for trying something different .",
      "although the MOV is n't a sweep-you-off-your-feet affair , bullock and reynolds make it a thoroughly charming engagement .",
      "an old-fashioned romp reminiscent of the best of doris day and rock hudson !",
      "with ms. bullock playing a lady only a polar bear could warm up to and ryan reynolds ' exquisite balancing of the dynamics of the situation , this romantic comedy finds a sweet comfort level .",
      "sandra shock : bullock partners well with ryan reynolds , their romcom strengths sailing above any of the weaker options put forward by this decent MOV .",
      "the MOV is a standard-order , by-the-book romantic comedy that offers nothing remotely fresh or new while following a formula even neophytes know by heart .",
      "you know every tinny beat and false note by heart , from the implausible setup to the sprint-to-the-airport finish .",
      "the lure of reynolds ' and bullock 's nude scene together is sure to fill cinema seats -lrb- and raise a smile -rrb- , but the other 106 minutes of the MOV prove utterly forgettable .",
      "bullock is one of those actresses that help prove that , when done right , a romantic comedy can be a wonderfully satisfying thing .",
      "every scene between bullock and reynolds only suggests how fine they might be in good circumstances .",
      "it sounds like a faint recommendation , but trust me when i say that calling it `` not terrible '' is high praise indeed .",
      "-lsb- c -rsb- ontrived ... shameless in its cheap pandering ... descend -lsb- s -rsb- to its most slapsticky just as it 's maybe about to touch on some genuine feeling as if it assumes its audience has the emotional maturity of a kindergartner ...",
      "it 's not the MOV 's predictability that 's the main problem , it 's the lazy way it does n't even try to cover up this predictability with witty jokes .",
      "sandra bullock 's performance alone deserves to give the star her first big comedy success since miss congeniality .",
      "enjoyable romcom that succeeds thanks to the chemistry and comic timing of its two leads , but it 's also formulaic , completely predictable and nowhere near as funny as it thinks it is .",
      "as brightly enjoyable as this film is , there 's no escaping the fact that it 's yet another formulaic rom-com .",
      "dear hollywood , from this day forward , for better for worse , for richer for poorer , in sickness and in health ... please stop parping out meritless tripe like this .",
      "for better or for worse , this could be a hot contender for the best romcom of the year . might not be the most original , but it 's certainly the most consistently funny and well played .",
      "despite good moments and likable leads , this lacks both heart and humour in a confection that smacks of the over-familiar .",
      "so keen to be cute it curdles our stomachs and so anxious to be funny it jellifies our funny bones .",
      "another dagger in the back of romantic comedy .",
      "this turns out to be another bad choice for bullock who , without playing badly , sinks in the general morass .",
      "has fleeting moments of hilarity and charisma , but ultimately falls flat as a romance , comedy and drama with an inane , sitcom-ish , uninspired and lazy screenplay along with sloppy editing and direction .",
      "the MOV 's a fairly good-natured but weak proposition -- it 's a movie you might enjoy on an evening 's date , but it 's not one you 'll want to spend the rest of your life with .",
      "despite its less than original pedigree , the MOV is a perfect example of a predictable , formulaic script elevated by fine acting and palpable chemistry .",
      "the movie is a checklist of bad sitcom plots and generic romcom characters . but it 's also funny and charming and cute .",
      "the experience of watching ` the MOV '' is not unlike attending a performance from a cover band specializing in the songs of billy joel -- both offer up the prospect of two hours of mind-numbing blandness without a single original element on display .",
      "know this : there are no original romantic comedies anymore , only original people in them . sandra bullock and ryan reynolds make the MOV a lot better than it ought to be .",
      "fletcher 's labored , downright desperate efforts at wringing laughs out of hopelessly stale material results in a series of entirely needless sequences ...",
      "romantic comedy fans will get what they want and , at least this time , those pleasures are a little less guiltier than usual .",
      "parental content review",
      "yet another formulaic romantic comedy , with little to offer except sparkling performances from bullock and reynolds .",
      "it is about as pleasing a star-driven comedy as one could reasonably expect to open in wide release during the dog days of summer .",
      "it 's contrived and predictable , formulaic and derivative , yet the MOV has its own charm . star charisma is part of it , but there 's an interesting dynamic between the two leads . the set up is fun , too .",
      "the MOV wo n't catch any bouquets for originality , but in terms of a bended-knee pitch for the affections of women this romantic comedy pretty much pulls out all the stops .",
      "it 's doing the same old thing but seems to know it , and so does its best to find something new buried in those clichés .",
      "diverting romantic antic about a sham engagement is sparked by the bright chemistry and comic timing of sandra bullock and ryan reynolds .",
      "a likeable romantic comedy featuring two charismatic leads who ca n't quite escape the shackles of a predictable storyline .",
      "humor and romance are interspersed so predictably it 's as if screenwriter pete chairelli were working from a rom-com checklist .",
      "director anne fletcher keeps the romantic comedy running with a bubbly spirit and a snappy pace .",
      "ignore the underlying fact that the MOV is one big cliché of a movie and relish bullock 's ability to handle slapstick comedy as well as the smart line delivery .",
      "as a fish-out-of-water comedy , it 's so lousy that you keep wishing someone would put the poor fish out of its misery .",
      "the MOV might not be ground breaking stuff , but it 's a delightful and very enjoyable distraction that will lift your spirits .",
      "a pedigree cast , fun premise and punchy dialogue make bullock 's return to romantic comedy look a great catch , and reynolds is sharper than a diamond solitaire . pity , then , that its penchant for sentimentality makes it miss congeniality .",
      "ultimately , there is something refreshing about the MOV 's undemanding humour and unabashed feel-good factor .",
      "the MOV is not a marriage made in heaven by any means , but the eventual charm of the leads and a gag-packed second half manage to salvage the movie from inauspicious beginnings .",
      "the more recurrent noise towards the end was me groaning with disappointment , that a movie which had struck gold with its central matchmaking was succeeding so ruthlessly in taking the shine off .",
      "sandra bullock is teamed up with ryan reynolds , and each star 's face has a waxy immobility that has nothing to do with botox ; the pure awfulness of the script has paralysed their facial muscles .",
      "one minute you 're watching a 21st-century remake of his girl friday , the next you 're having to endure some awful , dumbed-down `` women 's picture '' . bullock deserves better .",
      "predictable rom-coms can work if the comedy and chemistry are there . alas , both have gone awol . there 's a dry and silent desert where the jokes are meant to be .",
      "it is n't a film with a lot of big guffaws , but i smiled through most of it .",
      "like most hollywood romantic comedies these days , the MOV is all about bringing a woman to her knees .",
      "a romantic comedy does n't need to be original to be enjoyable , and yet the MOV still falls way too short of the mark .",
      "it 's got spunk and charm and two skillful stars in bullock and reynolds , who make it all feel much less generic than it is .",
      "think `` taming of the shrew wears prada . ''",
      "the script encases margaret in rusted defenses from which it ca n't free her without awkward leaps and cheats .",
      "onscreen chemistry is an elusive notion but you know it when you see it , and sandra bullock and ryan reynolds definitely have it in the MOV .",
      "a straight-ahead romantic comedy that relies on the considerable charms of its stars , the MOV feels so comfortable and familiar you might feel like you 've seen it before .",
      "the leads are appealing , the material familiar -- it adds a front page romantic angle to the devil wears prada , and reworks ideas from green card .",
      "oh sandra bullock , why do you do this to yourself ?",
      "things all fit together , but the film does lack the creative spark behind classic rom coms like pretty woman and when harry met sally .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- buoyant vehicle for sandra bullock and ryan reynolds , whose chemistry is a happy surprise .",
      "despite the fact the MOV is predictable and stuffed with recycled schtick , it 's surprisingly enjoyable and completely charming . if it was a baby , you 'd want to pinch its little cheek -- it 's that cute .",
      "a high gloss , studio romcom with clichéd jokes and conflicts that are as uncontroversial as they are predictable , the MOV is rooted in the most classical of conventions and still finds ways to be surprisingly enchanting .",
      "the MOV recycles a plot that was already old when tracy and hepburn were trying it out . you see it coming from a great distance away . as it draws closer , you do n't duck out of the way , because it is so cheerfully done , you do n't mind being hit by it .",
      "somehow , someone decided this rom-com needed less rom and more com -- a fatal mistake .",
      "they may as well have called this one ` mis-matched sham wedding comedy # 57513 ' for all the effort it makes to shake new life out of a tattered genre .",
      "despite some fine performances and pretty scenery , the MOV is predictable yet incredible , and devoid of any consistent tone . better call off that wedding .",
      "i was engaged by the fiery chemistry between bullock and reynolds .",
      "a mildly enjoyed engagement that simply was n't meant to last .",
      "it 's obviously formula stuff , and follows that formula so earnestly that at points you 'll wince more than swoon -lrb- why does every big proclamation of love in the final scenes need to be made in public ? -rrb- .",
      "there is something to be said for such a relentlessly by-the-numbers chick flick programmer that is nonetheless a breezily enjoyable sit .",
      "it is contrived and predictable , squandering the chemistry between co-stars sandra bullock and ryan reynolds as it creates lazy escapist entertainment that is forgotten as soon as the end credits have rolled .",
      "at the sandra bullock movie factory , a hunky co-star assembly line rivets a new head on a standard male muscular body per sb pic .",
      "the sight of bullock doing a rap dance with granny in the woods is a traumatising experience .",
      "this is familiar territory crudely traversed ."
    ],
    "summary": "sandra bullock and ryan reynolds exhibit plenty of chemistry , but they 're let down by the MOV 's devotion to formula .",
    "id": "770785598"
  },
  {
    "movie": "la_tete_en_friche",
    "reviews": [
      "what a lovely way to spend an afternoon .",
      "this modest story works because of committed performances from both actors .",
      "a parochial french time-passer which waddles along amiably and then ends unforgivably .",
      "a movie that parts the clouds to reveal a surprising sunniness .",
      "an affable reminder that the french are just as capable of making cornball cinema as any hollywood studio .",
      "this sentimental tale of a barely literate man 's awakening at the hands of an elderly bibliophile is generally as painless as it is hackneyed .",
      "that so many of the colossal yokel 's mental states are literalized , as when the screen fills with thousands of rats while margueritte reads camus 's the plague aloud to her new pal , typifies the movie 's antipathy to nuance .",
      "it rarely rises above the pedestrian .",
      "this little gem is all about the nature of chance encounters and how they can change us in unexpected ways .",
      "a tender and touching love story in a small french town where two unlikely people connect in an appealing and magical way .",
      "an appealing coming-of-middle-age comedy , my afternoons with margueritte exhibits a pleasantly light touch even when dealing with some fairly weighty issues .",
      "gisčle casadesus as the biddy and depardieu as the lunkhead guide us towards their own unshowy truth .",
      "a saccharine prose poem over the closing credits underlines the nausea .",
      "... manages to transcend formula with terrific performances and skillful storytelling .",
      "utterly charming , delightfully acted story of the unlikely friendship between a 90-something bibliophile and the illiterate village handyman she meets in their small village park .",
      "the two actors and director/co-writer jean becker treat it as if it were a masterpiece . and maybe it is .",
      "there is n't much to jean becker 's movie , but what there is , is charming ... you wo n't regret spending eighty minutes not only with marguerite but with germain , too .",
      "a small charming film that only the french could create .",
      "casadesus - at 97 , a french national treasure who has been wowing stage and screen audiences since the 1930s - tenderly manages to make great literature sound like conversation , and vice versa .",
      "no será una gran película , pero es un raro ejemplar en estos días cuyo hallazgo produce un placer inusual . gérard depardieu ofrece una actuación conmovedora .",
      "there 's no reason this cliché-ridden french drama should work , but it does , and there 's the beauty of it .",
      "only the good aspects of traditional village culture concern writer-director jean becker , who aims for charm rather than profundity , and hits the bull 's - eye with this leisurely film .",
      "it 's a lovely french character study .",
      "a sweet puff of a film , my afternoons with margueritte is as disarming as it is absurd .",
      "-lsb- depardieu -rsb- is as emblematic of his country as tom hanks is of ours , and `` my afternoons with margueritte '' is his `` forrest gump . '' only better .",
      "while light on plot and a little slow at times , the real standouts here are the two lead actors who create an utterly believable and moving bond .",
      "the danger is that it becomes sentimental , but there is a difference between sentiment imposed and sentiment earned . the film has only the latter .",
      "the story is sentimental and slight , but the chemistry between depardieu and casadesus makes up for any faults .",
      "there is a rather too neat resolution , but it 's not one that anyone could really object to . this is a sweet , gentle , unashamedly sentimental film .",
      "an unlikely friendship is the heartbeat to this undeniably sweet french drama my afternoons with margueritte .",
      "shades of his own obelix screen persona colour gérard depardieu 's performance as an illiterate handyman in this cosy but lightweight small-town tale .",
      "charming slice of small-town france .",
      "there is a sweet chemistry between depardieu and casadesus , but their wry interactions are lost within a rambling , frothy non-story that aims squarely for the heart over the head .",
      "adapted from marie-sabine roger 's novel , this is a modest heartwarmer enlivened by subtle performances and a colourful supporting cast .",
      "by the time the film ends , you 'll honestly believe you 've just spent a languid afternoon in a lovely coastal village , and with excellent company .",
      "depardieu 's the best he 's been for years , while 95-year-old casadesus is a sheer delight .",
      "perfectly pleasant , if mildly underwhelming french feel-gooder .",
      "a disarming film with a pair of deftly judged performances at its centre , jean becker 's my afternoons with margueritte risks sentimentality , but maintains a sense of lightness that is its saving grace .",
      "a movie the likes of which the nouvelle vague was supposed to have disposed decades ago .",
      "the film is leisurely paced , as many french films are , and not much actually happens , but as a character study , it feels true , and ultimately moving .",
      "it 's got a fable-like , fairytale ambience that 's just this side of corny , but that kind of hope is very seductive .",
      "the happy ending lays it on too thick , but what the hell : in for a dime , in for a dollar .",
      "a predictable , undernourished love story .",
      "it 's a lovely movie .",
      "subtly sweet and compassionate , appealing to art-house filmgoers of a certain age .",
      "it 's determined to look on the bright side . the film is n't about the actor 's intelligence . it 's about his emotional radiance .",
      "heart-warming french drama with a superb script and a terrific central performance from gerard depardieu .",
      "small but perfectly formed , this unassuming french comedy is smart , emotionally engaging and often very funny .",
      "sweet-centred and unashamedly sentimental , my afternoons with margueritte is a warm and generous film .",
      "though mostly sunny , afternoons has its chills .",
      "leaves the sugar at home but still provides a sweetly simple experience .",
      "a heaping pile of cliches does n't prevent this touchingly simplistic tale from exuding a strong and universal emotional appeal .",
      "you really will need a sweet tooth for this one . or rather , you will need a complete set of dentures made out of mars bars and creme eggs .",
      "an entertaining piece of pure frenchness which reminds us of the value of older people in a world where the potential for lifelong `` education , education , education '' exists everywhere all of the time .",
      "depardieu and casadesus make a sweet enough pair to ensure this is pleasantly diverting ...",
      "while it 's never going to set the box office alight , it was a pleasure to watch this charmer from france ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's sentimental and treacly , but that 's not enough to prevent my afternoons with margueritte from being truly affecting .",
    "id": "771036060"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dinner_rush",
    "reviews": [
      "not knowing its story is MOV 's biggest failing -- and frankly for as bad as that is , it could 've been worse .",
      "there are enough plots here to challenge a robert altman , specialist in interlocking stories , but the director , bob giraldi , masters the complexities as if he knows the territory .",
      "a pleasingly light and mostly tasty dessert .",
      "a tasty bit of drama for the adult palate .",
      "this is really the first -lsb- food movie -rsb- to capture the exhilaration of a kitchen sautéing on all cylinders .",
      "benefits enormously from aiello 's down-to-earth magnificence .",
      "you can almost smell the garlic and feel the heat of the range .",
      "it 's not big night , but there 's much worth tasting here .",
      "the story ? eh . but the food is amazing .",
      "MOV has the attention to frantic detail and hustling spirit that adds necessary sizzle to restaurant films .",
      "a marvelously nasty comedy .",
      "it has little momentum or punch , and the ending has police-detective plot-holes bigger than a side of beef .",
      "watching this enjoyable film is like sampling a table of tasty hors d'oeuvres .",
      "you can tell the film is a labor of love , just like big night , and it stands a chance at making you nearly as hungry .",
      "food , family and comic melodrama are served in equal portions in this witty , urban film .",
      "set almost entirely inside a busy , upscale tribeca eatery , the movie is an impressively deft re-creation of a familiar space .",
      "an entertaining melodrama and a knowing satire of the modern-day restaurant biz .",
      "the acting is brilliant .",
      "a witty , well-acted , visually gorgeous ensemble drama .",
      "if you did n't know any better , you might assume that the comic melodrama MOV ... was the work of a prodigy .",
      "like a fine meal , MOV can be enjoyed and recalled with nostalgia ...",
      "it 's refreshing to see a food film that for once does n't pour on sentimental cooking-as-life metaphors .",
      "the first food movie to capture the joyful civilized mania of people who live not just to eat but to talk about eating .",
      "marked by broad acting , bland dialogue and thin plotting , MOV is the equivalent of an expensive vanity production .",
      "pleasant , but ultimately fairly predictable , ` MOV ' wo n't be as crowded as the restaurant it depicts as jammed even on a tuesday night .",
      "bravo to giraldi for turning the restaurant business into one of the year 's most memorable nights out .",
      "surely as satisfying as any of the delicious-looking food served at louis ' restaurant -- and is as full of surprises as any dish udo ever concocted .",
      "you 'll be rewarded with some of the finest ensemble acting this year .",
      "a funny , frenetic , and often quite touching microcosm of the big apple life itself .",
      "one of the neatest aspects of the film is that it treats this restaurant like a theater set on a revolving stage .",
      "you keep waiting for that one scene or piece of dialogue that will get things going , and it never comes .",
      "the conflict between the ` sausages and peppers ' father and his ` lobster in shallot , champagne and vanilla bean sauce ' son is just one of many juicy threads running through this altman-esque banquet .",
      "fiery energy , swift , character-driven chitchat and a tough , upbeat sense of how the world works .",
      "aiello is perfect as the low-key louis , and there is not a weak link in his entire supporting cast .",
      "' ... beautifully captures the spirit and pace of a popular , bustling eating-house . '",
      "shares the heady , dizzying atmosphere that turns great meals into memorable events .",
      "set in a downtown restaurant , this is a small , well-acted -lrb- particularly by danny aiello -rrb- quintessentially new york film that recalls indie movies of the 1980s .",
      "this is an unusually patient and composed feature - it 's solidly scripted , it knows where it 's going and arrives there with a minimum of fuss .",
      "a genre film , but it tries to tell a story from a different angle - not through tough guys and excessive violence but through a character-driven drama with several different perspectives .",
      "it 's as insubstantial as a plate of linguini , but very , very tasty .",
      "a movie of rich specifics and stylistic creativity that clearly comes from the heart",
      "a fun little movie that celebrates good food and the commitments that one makes to friends and family ."
    ],
    "summary": "with the aid of a witty script and a well-acted ensemble , MOV is a tasty dish .",
    "id": "13630"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1095081-boiler_room",
    "reviews": [
      "during the movie i was wound up with tension and involvement .",
      "in moviemaking , as in cold-calling , sometimes conviction is almost enough .",
      "a compelling movie-going experience .",
      "MOV reflects the sensibility of the generation it holds up to critical scrutiny , and it 's a cunningly ambiguous act of self-portraiture .",
      "vin diesel , who plays senior broker chris varick , is a hulking actor with a menacing screen presence and a cavernous bass voice . watch this guy , he 's going places .",
      "interesante retrato del estado al que ha llegado el sistema político conocido como capitalismo",
      "the tension and pacing of MOV are fast and exciting , like in a good thriller , and the setting is exotic and original .",
      "intriguing ... but the film is too busy being hip and preachy to notice the irony .",
      "ribisi , such a promising supporting actor in saving private ryan as a medic and friends as phoebe 's dopey brother , does n't seem a big enough presence for a starring role yet .",
      "the efforts of one unhappy young man to win the love of his father .",
      "MOV is a new kind of triumph : never has a film been so successfully derivative .",
      "ribisi is magnificent as a wide-eyed innocent who transitions into a slick veteran pitchman .",
      "vin diesel steals nearly every scene he is in as chris , one of the top earners in the firm and the only one who still has a heart .",
      "an engaging actors ' showcase wrapped around a warm and fuzzy morality play . entertaining and fast-paced but ultimately not wound quite tightly enough to be the thriller it would like to be .",
      "MOV grips you early , with its fascinating insights and younger 's appropriation of hip hop music and his snappy , jump-cut-y visual style , and it hardly ever let go .",
      "perhaps in an attempt to ape david mamet 's `` glengarry glen ross , '' younger 's script is proudly profane and goes out of its way to make almost all the major characters thoroughly unpleasant . but mamet 's work had real bite and fire ...",
      "ben younger , who not only wrote and directed this film , but plays a minor part as one of the traders , has crafted an intense thriller about this often risky business .",
      "although MOV occasionally feels more like a 60 minutes expose than a movie , it adds up to a highly watchable , entertaining -lrb- though extremely profane -rrb- cautionary tale .",
      "MOV 's greatest strength is its energy level . every scene clips along at the pace and energy level of the world in which it 's set .",
      "to put the movie in sales terms , after a good opening pitch , younger fails to close the deal . the audience ca n't buy in .",
      "in wall street , greed was good because it made a great film . in MOV , a little more greed -- or at least a hunger for it -- would have been great .",
      "despite ribisi 's success in giving seth some sleepy-eyed , slouching charisma , we never really know what makes him tick .",
      "the film feels a little hung out to dry and , like its characters , lacking purpose and spending its wealth a little too loosely .",
      "what 's supposed to look like soul baring comes off as a tantrum .",
      "for all of its potential , -lsb- the film -rsb- never breaks away from being merely skin-deep .",
      "the movie draws from the works that preceded it , then takes to the street with a too-cool hip-hop strut .",
      "it 's a callow , inert movie that has nothing to say about the state of american culture that it depicts , which amounts to fraund and brazen irresponsibility .",
      "last reel is particularly disappointing in its naive philosophy , manifest in younger 's rush to bring the various conflicts to satisfying closure .",
      "a shallow script that never gets at the heart or conflict behind the swagger .",
      "MOV does a lot of nice things ; too bad it does n't manage to do them for a full two hours .",
      "... its promising characters are completely eclipsed by the routine plot , which is so dreary and predictable that watching the events unfold becomes somewhat of a checklist .",
      "MOV generates little heat in the greedy-business genre .",
      "at least , it comes without the moral piety of an oliver stone film .",
      "despite its flaws , it is a wicked little debut from an interesting writer/director .",
      "MOV tries to tell one of these stories , but sadly it fails to add much to the greed genre established by its two heavily referenced predecessors : wall street and glengarry glen ross .",
      "i think i was done when things began to heat up between ribisi and long , and he tries to bust a move by telling her , `` i just want some of your chocolate love . ''",
      "the more younger shows his baby brokers haranguing would-be customers over the phone , the more apparent it becomes that in the real world , even the most desperate investor would hang up on these abusive clowns .",
      "if you 've ever responded to a telephone solicitation , be prepared for an eye-opener !",
      "this smart tale of greed in the stock trade indeed reaches a figurative boil .",
      "the film is at its best at what should be the hardest task , interesting the audience in the finances and the trading and at the same time being educational .",
      "two-thirds into the movie , it seems to forget what it 's about .",
      "ultimately , MOV has a cut-rate feel to it , rather like the company whose workings it portrays .",
      "this film ca n't overcome the unfavorable comparisons to that picture -lsb- wall street -rsb- from which it borrows far too heavily .",
      "do n't bother spending time with this con job .",
      "if i want to watch folks sit around and berate each other and dog women while making millions of dollars , i 'll watch wwf",
      "the first half of MOV kicks some major sand in the face of the usual crappy crop of february flicks . too bad that sizzle cools to a slow simmer in hour two , and this fresh tale turns tail and morphs into just another melodrama mama .",
      "MOV is a poor investment of time .",
      "before it fades into nothingness , the film powers along nicely and proves to be a strong showcase for first-time writer-director ben younger .",
      "filmmaker ben younger makes not a single false move when delineating the merciless , high-testosterone world of boiler-room brokerages .",
      "MOV is a white-collar gangster film whose young , anything-for-a-buck stockbrokers see themselves as the bastard sons of gordon gekko and john gotti .",
      "MOV is a new film that will yank anyone who 's ever gotten a cold call from a chop shop .",
      "what cooks about MOV are the details , the ways these guys talk to each other and customers .",
      "catch it one afternoon to save some bucks .",
      "younger dresses his film with more quick cutting , high-volume dialogue and ethnic slurs than it needs , but his hard-edged view of humans caught in conflict has grit and verve .",
      "first-time writer - director ben younger 's fly - on-the - wall portrait of money-driven amorality is surprisingly powerful and perceptive .",
      "wall street jr. , only it 's better than wall street .",
      "MOV works as a morality play by presenting us with people whose moral compasses it 's actually possible to care about .",
      "MOV deserves credit for taking a very fresh look at some well-worn themes , showing a world where money rules and the good guys not only finish last , they get eaten alive .",
      "backed by rap music , a pretty good script faulters a bit when it rushes the progress and consequences of one of ribisi 's clients . still ... quite entertaining .",
      "the talent evident throughout this wild spin on the wall street roulette wheel makes younger a talent to watch . you can bet on that .",
      "i was entertained throughout this film and thoroughly enjoyed the open references to the former films .",
      "boiler 's adrenaline rush film creates an elaborate stock scam .",
      "an enticing portrayal of high finance as a contact sport .",
      "younger draws a lot from david mamet in his depictions of this seller 's hothouse , but he does it with a twist : the salesmen here are fully conscious of being mamet-y ; their bible is alec baldwin 's big , win-at-all-costs speech from ... glengarry glen ross .",
      "MOV pays off with emotional dividends well worth the time investment .",
      "MOV brings the highly commercial classic of thirteen years ago -lsb- wall street -rsb- down to a level that could be appreciated by its expected demographics without dumbing down the plot scheme .",
      "an exhilarating ride !",
      "ribisi does a fine job opposite a typically goofy jaime kennedy , a typically sociopathic scott cann , and a surprisingly likeable vin diesel .",
      "affleck 's first scene is obviously a copy of alec baldwin 's oscar worthy cameo from glengarry , the only problem being the glaring omission of any acting talent in affleck 's limited repertoire .",
      "stars a host of actors that have offered so much better in past and future films ...",
      "good but mature movie . not for kids .",
      "almost liked this one about greedy , young stockbrokers working for an illegal firm , but hated the ending so much it derailed the movie .",
      "... bad films are common enough that it 's probably worth making distinctions between the unwatchable and the guilty pleasure .",
      "a skillful and convincing rise-and-fall story .",
      "a confident movie that tackles a worthwhile topic with insight and conviction .",
      "turns of dialogue ring compellingly true , and the well chosen cast -lrb- especially ribisi -rrb- carry the inflections of the drama with some style .",
      "i 'm sold .",
      "writer-director ben younger experienced the sales pitch of a MOV recruiter in real life . his fascination with the thrill-junkie life of these stock jocks is reflected in the script 's sharp , arrogant dialogue .",
      "ah , picture it ... a movie with ben affleck , and giovanni ribisi . i melted into my seat and waited like some psycho who gets off on celluloid stimulation .",
      "it loses steam as plot distractions dilute the impact in the second half , but there 's still enough here to warrant attention .",
      "although the plotting gets a bit predictable toward the end , the script is intelligent and boldly written throughout .",
      "MOV is derivative and flawed . but it does throw off a few sparks .",
      "MOV is a very impressive film debut from ben younger .",
      "it 's the first film of the year capable of keeping a grown-up awake .",
      "you wo n't find a movie that taps more directly into the jugular of the greed-fueled late '90s .",
      "a vivid demonstration of society 's devotion to false ideals .",
      "not a bad debut for a kid from queens who never even went to film school .",
      "MOV has a such a frightening ring of truth to it that i would n't be surprised if somebody somewhere was calling lawyers .",
      "MOV is a good-quality sleeper that ranks up there with glengarry glen ross and wall street .",
      "the wrenching scenes between ribisi and rifkin put the heat in this hothouse environment .",
      "a fast and funny look at a world where ` greed is good ' has become the only reality in town .",
      "the new york stock exchange gets a healthy dose of gen-x amorality , but in the end , the more things change , the more things stay the same .",
      "this movie has one of the best scripts in many months .",
      "with rap music , scratch cuts , sudden explosions from ticking bomb characters , verbal and physical strutting and a heavy dose of morality , it 's a super-charged , intensely-played picture which will edge most of its cast up the ladder .",
      "younger has a firmer grasp on the convoluted workings of pop and business -lrb- sub -rrb- cultures than many of his contemporaries .",
      "a curiously provocative look at the male psyche , ultimately turning inward to examine issues of ethics and morality -- all while still being as crass and vulgar as possible . just like a guy .",
      "who wants to be a millionaire ?"
    ],
    "summary": "its ending is disappointingly tidy , but MOV boasts just enough sharp writing and brisk pacing to make getting there worthwhile .",
    "id": "13037"
  },
  {
    "movie": "looking_for_eric",
    "reviews": [
      "ken loach has come up with an upbeat story about a man who is at his wits end with life .",
      "a tender , wise and uplifting tragicomedy that 's concurrently funny , gritty , heartfelt and , above all , honest .",
      "and the film 's riotous climax deftly turns grim social realism into action-slapstick revenge farce . not something mr. loach has tried before , and something he turns out to do rather well .",
      "a tribute to the power of friendship to help pull us through crises and problems which are often too hard to handle ourselves .",
      "satisfyingly sweet and painful , only to lose direction and momentum later .",
      "a mashup of nick hornby and martin scorsese ? why not ?",
      "loach is trying to be jaunty here , and every once in a while his efforts pay off .",
      "television actor steve evets portrays eric with a tremendous amount of empathy and he is able to evoke the audience 's sympathy very quickly with just a look .",
      "... has been described as ` minor loach , ' and that 's just a damned shame . loach is treating the same serious subjects he always has with a humorous approach that shows growth , not levity , in what may be his most accessible film to date .",
      "a wispy little comedy that uses fantasy to gloss over even the darkest and most intractable problems .",
      "a slight departure from loach 's usual well-observed kitchen-sink , semi-documentary dramas , the film is a bit elusive at first , featuring an off-putting conceptual oddity . but it recovers about halfway through when the characters and story win you over .",
      "cantona , whose five-year run with united ended with his unexpected retirement in 1997 , plays himself with a self-deprecating charm that is hard to resist , and evets , a hardscrabble actor who 's knocked around for years , is unforgettable ...",
      "at times it falls flat , or fails to rise . more often than not , though , it 's a heartbreaker .",
      "MOV is a pleasant surprise -- somehow both ambitious and easygoing , funny and worrisome .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- brooding , uneven , but ultimately satisfying venture into levity , loach style .",
      "returns loach to the heights of riff-raff and raining stones , winning stories of working-class life whose politics were integrated rather than smeared on top .",
      "cantona , big and bearded , is a genial gallic guru . it 's hard not to be swayed by his optimism , his sagacity , his generosity . and the optimism and generosity of loach 's film .",
      "beginning in grim kitchen-sink territory , the movie gets lighter and goofier as it goes , and if it 's a bit of a mess , it 's also a pick-me-up that suggests how hard and how rewarding it can be to set a life back on course .",
      "ken loach 's earthy gloom sees some sunshine for a change",
      "loach ca n't resolve this picture 's contradictory impulses , but he has made the most entertaining sports film in a while . and i did n't know cantona from a can of gray english peas .",
      "MOV is n't a loach masterpiece , but it 's great fun and is set fair to be his first commercial smash since kes . no one would begrudge him a well-earned box-office hit from such an amiable film .",
      "MOV is a great piece of feel-good british cinema .",
      "as in many of laverty 's scripts , problems of overall tone and character development are n't solved by loach 's easygoing direction , though when it works , `` eric '' has many incidental pleasures .",
      "the film 's triumph lies in the two relationships at its heart : the unlikely rapport between the two erics , little and big , which is unusual , amusing and affecting .",
      "in loach 's hands , it has a measure of dignity and it works beautifully .",
      "delicious cinematography and a story so real you will be in manchester shuffling about delivering those letters . football legend eric cantona adds little but the archival footage of `` king eric '' can not be denied .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- has its charms , particularly in its climax , but itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s definitely outside of loachâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s socially-conscious , neorealist wheelhouse , and thereâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s a tentative , groping quality to the film .",
      "MOV emerges as a portrait of a world and a way of life .",
      "however well-intentioned , this is one of the talented but variable loach 's weaker efforts .",
      "loach strains hard for fun in MOV , but he 's like a jokester who does n't know how to tell a joke .",
      "there 's some smart and sweet material -- in particular , some story elements and character-driven moments -- that would probably appeal to a wider audience if only loach and screenwriter paul laverty had toned things down in respect to the dialogue .",
      "a wistful tale about a sad sack who is counseled by an imaginary friend , a soccer superstar . not so much `` a beautiful mind '' as it is woody allen 's `` play it again , sam '' .",
      "a magical realist comedy that flirts uncomfortably with serious drama at times , the film sees its veteran director fouling due to an unsure grip on his material .",
      "the motley crew of buddies , played by a passel of manchester stand-up comedians , is a distinctive and amusing lot , and evets does a great job in the lead",
      "like all great football films , MOV is n't really about football . instead , it uses the beautiful game as a way to tell a beautiful story , about loyalty , trust , and friendship .",
      "an unusually warm , funny and slightly surreal drama about a man rediscovering himself . even a rather overwrought plot ca n't undermine the engaging characters and insightful observations .",
      "if you are a fan of cantona this could be your new favourite film .",
      "cantona 's self-mocking performance , like the movie , is a winner .",
      "this is endearing , crowd-pleasing fare .",
      "beneath the raw surfaces of this movie there 's a sentimentalism that does n't strike true . do adult mates put themselves out the way they do here ?",
      "this is the nearest he will ever get to a feelgood movie , and may well become one of his most successful .",
      "MOV is scathing about the erosion of communal values and the violent , selfish mess of inner-city life .",
      "`` MOV '' should connect with moviegoers who enjoy clever comic writing with a touch of fantasy plus fans of any sport that has legendary heroes . it looks set to be loach 's biggest mainstream hit .",
      "loach crams a few films into this unique title and manages to pull them into one crowd-pleaser by the end .",
      "there 's no doubting that MOV is a lively piece of entertainment . it is always satisfying to see an arch-realist testing his certainties , even reaching from time to time , as loach does here , into the joyfully fantastical .",
      "an enjoyable , well directed drama with strong performances from a superb cast . it 's also quite possibly ken loach 's most upbeat movie to date .",
      "the thoroughly charming , amusing and insightful MOV is a complete pleasure ... a ken loach film brimming with wit and wisdom , interspersed with classic archive moments of cantona magic .",
      "play it again , eric ... ken loach perfectly captures the feeling of football and the need for hope . touching and hilarious - a blinder .",
      "something conjured from the high , fey ethers of wish-fulfilment whimsy .",
      "laverty has a proven track record as a grim social realist ; he is less assured as a comic fantasist ; and he is absolutely hopeless when he tries to combine the two .",
      "with less of the grit but still plenty of the earthy humour loach is renowned for , this walks the indie / commercial line with assurance .",
      "one of loach 's most entertaining , uplifting films .",
      "MOV is not so much a game of two halves as a chaotic kickabout , in which the rules of the game keep changing . it will score with some people but , i confess , i was looking for more .",
      "a big-hearted , earthy and highly amusing comedy , it 's compassionate , feelgood fare of the very first order .",
      "MOV is his most entertaining film yet , a feelgood , footy-mad gem that takes spectators through several rounds of anguish to a cheer-inducing finale of hope and glory .",
      "call it looking for box office : king of gritty social realism loach has made a wonderful feel-good hit .",
      "it 's a wonderfully surreal yarn which nonetheless stays rooted in the gritty real world as typically seen by loach .",
      "it 's got all the heart and humour of a mainstream comedy-drama , with none of the tedious predictability .",
      "funny , touching and cheerfully unlikely in every sense , this ranks among the great british filmmaker 's most enjoyable films .",
      "MOV is a british film that lifts the spirits and might even bring a tear to the eye . loach has scored a winner .",
      "MOV is likely to be as popular a film as loach has made since he began working in 1964 . they may even have to adjust the old cliché : it only takes 45 years to score a goal , ken .",
      "loach has created the first real grim-meets-feelgood film . it offers guilt-free fun and laughs for football and loach fans alike .",
      "a life-affirming film whose gritty exterior hides an undercoat of silky humour and an unexpected soft heart , MOV marries harsh reality with a sprinkling of fantasy in the down to earth way at which ken loach excels",
      "a far more upbeat film from usually gritty director ken loach , which uses soccer star eric cantona in effectively comedic ways .",
      "despite strong performances , this is , in the end , minor loach .",
      "MOV is a film of three halves , each almost a genre unto itself .",
      "if it is ultimately a bit on the shallow side , that conclusion does n't seem to matter much at the end of the film 's frequently hilarious 116 minutes .",
      "when the whistle blows on this rather unlikely ken loach film , they 'll be plenty of cheers at the result , but also a sense that it 's been a bit of an inconsistent game !",
      "warm-hearted and humorous .",
      "it 's not a total 180 -- there is still working-class despair , and a fair share of violence , some of it related to football and guns . but it leaves you with a smile on your face , for the right reasons .",
      "loach looks like he 's having fun here -lrb- and it 's contagious -rrb- , weaving a comic thread of magic realism into an otherwise familiar study of working-class characters struggling to pull together .",
      "it would be unthinkable for britain 's ken loach to make a film without some social purpose , but at 72 , he 's made the funniest film of his long career .",
      "the result is the closest he has ever come to making a beautiful film .",
      "ken loach 's latest film , starring football star eric cantona , is funny , tender , surprising and very wise .",
      "in a rousing change of pace , england 's master of dramatized poverty , marginalization and despair dabbles in comedy , fantasy , soccer and wish-fulfillment , with charming , audience-pleasing results .",
      "an unpersuasive exercise in what might be called kitchen-sink magic realism ...",
      "a conventional and entirely dishonest turn of events ... undermine -lsb- s -rsb- everything that has come before in MOV .",
      "loachov `` cinema verite '' stil , prema kojemu prosječni reality izgleda namjeten , predstavljat će popriličnu novinu za obične gledatelje",
      "the film feels a little slow at times , but its characters always seem real , and the final scene is genuinely heartwarming ...",
      "MOV would be a whole lot better if it never found eric .",
      "softly goes to the heart of its working-class survivors as just so much mush .",
      "lighter than the usual ken loach feature , MOV marks a departure of sorts for the solemn director , but ultimately , it 's a minor work .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- well-meaning misfire .",
      "whimsical tale of two erics is a winner .",
      "MOV foregrounds the sharp humor found in even his grimmest tales . it may be the most accessible movie of his career .",
      "it 's about low-rent failures who survive by finding optimism through humor and friendship . it 's uneven , but its optimistic message -- lost causes can find strength through friendship and bonding -- is contagious .",
      "the social realist team of paul laverty and ken loach -lrb- `` the wind that shakes the barley '' -rrb- spike this midlife crisis with a welcome dose of magical realism .",
      "ken loach worms beneath sooty surroundings to examine the dreamy undercurrent of idealism that facilitates conflict in his thatcher-ized milieu .",
      "it 's a kitchen sink full of dirty dishes that do n't match .",
      "though certainly well intended and with a pleasant enough spirit , it lacks anything in the way of urgency , usually the defining trait of a ken loach movie .",
      "loach has not shown such empathy since kes , his 1970 film about a boy 's relationship to a falcon .",
      "it 's sweet , with lots of carpe diem talk , but it 'll probably help if you have sports posters on your wall -lrb- and can translate a thick mancunian accent -rrb- .",
      "ken loach again glorifies the working class in his most commercial film to date .",
      "capable of lifting even the stoniest heart ."
    ],
    "summary": "ken loach 's latest is an uplifting , entertaining and amusing socio-drama featuring a match-winning performance from eric cantona .",
    "id": "770807377"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fed_up_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "stephanie soechtig 's potentially life-changing documentary MOV has the look and feel of an extended 60 minutes investigative news segment . except that it 's much , much more .",
      "before `` MOV , '' no movie had ever sent me hurrying to my refrigerator to read food labels - but there 's always a first time .",
      "MOV is a workmanlike documentary , as undistinguished in style as a powerpoint slide show . it nonetheless finds traction in its depiction of the food industry 's montgomery burns-like practices .",
      "a surprisingly in-depth and confrontational examination into the obesity epidemic among americans , especially children , over the last 30 years .",
      "`` the government is subsidizing the obesity epidemic , '' says food writer michael pollan . `` MOV '' will make you want to do something about it .",
      "it pulls no punches in its informed outrage against the food industry , zeroing in on the rampant use of sugar and its many multisyllabic variations .",
      "this new documentary aims for something very difficult : it takes a tired subject -- the obesity epidemic -- and completely reframes the conversation .",
      "some lessons are overfamiliar -lrb- almonds good , corn syrup bad -rrb- , but the section on corporate influence over school lunches is enough to make you spit out that 20-ounce soda from the concession stand .",
      "without being preachy about it , MOV flat-out tells us that it is indeed past time to be MOV -- to insist that action be taken , and take it ourselves . this film is a bracing wake-up call .",
      "the film gets its point across ably enough using journalism that it does n't really need four fat teenagers to record video diaries about their unhappiness with their weight and their inability to do anything about it .",
      "we are eating ourselves into oblivion ; talk about an inconvenient truth . when will we notice ? more importantly , when will we do something about it ?",
      "despite the film 's worthy goals , there are some empty calories .",
      "i 'll bet when employees clean up the theater after a screening , they find lots of half-drunk cokes and half-eaten popcorn boxes .",
      "one of the worst sins a documentary can commit is assessing a situation and saying , `` if everyone could just stop caring about money , things would get so much better . ''",
      "as its punning title suggests , ` MOV ' is the rare movie about food more likely to make you angry than hungry .",
      "shocking and eye-opening , this documentary sheds light on why -- in the midst of a health food craze -- our nation 's obesity problem is only getting worse .",
      "exposé against america 's nutritional war on itself is informative , passionate , slightly regurgitated .",
      "director stephanie soechtig gathers activists , doctors , kids , lobbyists , parents , politicians , reporters and teachers -- all with different stakes .",
      "thumbnail portraits of morbidly obese kids introduce a plaintive note to the argument , especially since , as the documentary notes , many school cafeterias are now indistinguishable from fast-food joints .",
      "satisfies the hunger of those who normally consume issue films if no one else ... it 's just not a doc that will reach far enough .",
      "this movie imagines it is telling you this information for the first time , and it 's very proud of itself for the perceived ingenuity of its message .",
      "even if you dispute the facts , one thing is clear : as a nation , we are fat , and getting fatter .",
      "the information contained in the film is important - and the message is still a vital one because the problem is ongoing .",
      "the information is arguably compelling , and disturbing , but something about the whole delivery mode turned me off .",
      "`` MOV '' gets to feeling like a special nightly news report . but as news reports go , it is an especially thorough and well-produced one , taking an in-depth look at america 's worsening obesity epidemic and pointing fingers at culprits",
      "we 're fat . i get it . a psa disguised as a documentary . pay to get lectured by katie couric ? i pass .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- should spark a culture-wide debate that can only be healthy for society , if not for coca-cola or mcdonald 's bottom line .",
      "as the new documentary MOV proves a few times over , the blame for all the blubber spreads wider than a pair of mr. big and tall pants .",
      "i 'm not as angry reflecting on the nonfiction jumble `` MOV '' as i was during its slovenly length , but from modest distance , it still feels like a ruinously wasted opportunity , an inconvenient botch .",
      "an eye-opening , heartbreaking , humorous and hopeful harangue about the real causes of america 's childhood obesity epidemic .",
      "stephanie soechtig 's attack on big food for sweetening us to death goes down like a tart , stiff drink .",
      "fixating on the fat rolls of underprivileged kids without mentioning class , the film is a more polished version of the greasy tale morgan spurlock 's super size me told from the inside out .",
      "wow ... talk about sobering food for thought ...",
      "MOV makes a convincing case for how profiteering factory food corporations conspire to hook people on addictive ingredients they pack into their products . along with weirdly coopting michelle obama to deceptively promote exercise as the obesity cure .",
      "the film is more adept at placing blame than offering solutions , but it should serve as a call to action for those viewers who walk into the theater with a jumbo popcorn and soda .",
      "... an entertaining message movie that ironically mirrors the easy-to-consume junk that is its subject .",
      "MOV , for the most part , boasts the feel of a short news piece that 's somehow been expanded to feature length ...",
      "everything we 've been taught is wrong .",
      "it 's a decent summary of the issue , taking square aim at corporations and politicians who have made it easy for the citizenry to stuff its collective face with junk food and , even more damaging , sugar .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't so much a warning to the ignorant shopper or a tip for the unimaginative chef as it is a rallying cry . it succeeds in firing up the choir . whether it will convert the complacent is an open question .",
      "... although dr. atkins may not have gotten everything right , clearly he was a forerunner in understanding a lot of what 's chewed on in `` MOV , '' without receiving even a passing mention",
      "a very good advocacy documentary directed by stephanie soechtig and narrated by katie couric .",
      "toggling between profiles of kids struggling with their weight and a wider look at the evolution of processed foods , `` MOV '' presents a pretty watertight case that there 's something deeply wrong with the way we eat .",
      "-lsb- `` MOV '' makes the case :] there is a major health problem in america and it is not being addressed by those who can change things , the government and the industries that control our food supply .",
      "as a screed , it builds a credible , engaging argument , presenting evidence , statistics , talking-head testimony , whimsical charts , poignant personal stories , and animated illustrations of digestive processes to make its case .",
      "MOV will change the way you look at junk food . or at least the companies that peddle it .",
      "a compelling wake-up call in the form of a feature-length documentary .",
      "MOV is an intriguing but hardly revelatory doc that works better as an expose of an american epidemic than as a tool to spur a healthy-eating movement .",
      "it 's the sugar , stupid ! MOV 's heart is in the right place , but it 's a bit bloated as a documentary .",
      "stop the presses ! in this well-edited doc , katie couric tells us to pass on the soda and consume lots of whole grains , fruits and veggies !",
      "stephanie soechtig 's documentary effectively gets the message out about america 's addiction to unhealthy food .",
      "MOV is poised to be the inconvenient truth of the health movement . -lrb- which makes sense - producer laurie david worked on both . -rrb-",
      "you wo n't look at grocery store aisles the same way after you 've seen MOV .",
      "you do n't want to be downing raisinets while watching this film .",
      "MOV , unbothered by its often crude mode of attack , is definitely mad as hell . and its muckraking spirit , an anomaly in the age of giving in , is inspiring .",
      "style alone does n't make a great documentary , substance does , and on that count MOV absolutely delivers .",
      "the film 's real strength is actually in katie couric 's refined news-anchor delivery , and her skill , charm , and celebrity likely opened some doors .",
      "here 's another inconvenient truth . our food is killing us . and that 's because of something even more poisonous , the corruption of our political system through diversion of corporate money to politicians through campaign contributions and lobbying .",
      "MOV is imperative viewing for just about anyone in america who is currently eating food .",
      "MOV is on to a very important truth : we 're all going to die of sugar if we do n't start talking about it like the delicious cigarette it is .",
      "`` MOV '' has trouble staying on point . but when it does , it 's pretty solid .",
      "the effect is stark , disturbing and inspirational , if you are willing to listen .",
      "stephanie soechtig 's documentary lays waste to the cruel , dismissive assessment that corpulence is simply a reflection of a lack of personal willpower ."
    ],
    "summary": "compelling and troubling in equal measure , MOV is an advocacy documentary that earns its outrage .",
    "id": "771372040"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mountain-patrol-kekexili",
    "reviews": [
      "though without the charm of ` grizzly man ' and ` march of the penguins , ' this is a fleshed-out human story of men working to protect antelopes in the tibetan mountains .",
      "spectacularly-photographed , deeply moving tale .",
      "a quiet little gem of a film that stuns with spectacular beauty , shocks with awful savagery and leaves you pondering the relationship of man and nature .",
      "what is remarkable is that this film is based on a true story , and filmed on the actual locations .",
      "one of the most beautiful and disturbing widescreen epics in last year 's seattle international film festival .",
      "it 's an absurdist , quixotic and sloooow journey that leads our heroes to the banal face of evil .",
      "much of the time , the movie plays like a catalog of challenges sprawled over terrain so forbidding that you ca n't watch it without feeling a steep measure of awe .",
      "instead of a laudable ecological crusade , the film feels more like a futile captain ahab obsession , with patrol leader ri tai -lrb- duobujie -rrb- vainly chasing a poaching kingpin through the harsh , windy wilderness .",
      "an epic story of white-knuckle tension in a setting of harsh , unearthly beauty , it 's the kind of story hemingway might have told if he 'd made it to the xinjiang uygur autonomous region .",
      "the film 's somber beauty is recommendation enough , but the way political , personal , and symbolic tensions seethe silently below the surface turn it into riveting drama .",
      "mountain patrol : kekexili is sometimes slow going , yet it builds in power as nature begins to take its toll on the patrol , and its cumulative effects are haunting .",
      "based on depressingly true events , mountain patrol : kekexili tracks the heroic efforts of a small group of tibetans struggling to keep the tibetan antelope from extinction .",
      "being in this pitiless environment stiffens the spine of the film 's tale .",
      "this second film by chinese director lu chuan is a solid and atmospheric drama .",
      "a nomadic life-and-death struggle evoking classic hollywood western themes of dogged honor and rugged idealism .",
      "lu chuan 's film may be an old-fashioned outdoor adventure . but it 's a harrowing one that leaves little doubt that there are some outdoor regions human beings have no business in , however noble their reasons for going there .",
      "the stunning adventure mountain patrol : kekexili is like a john ford western set , not in the master 's beloved monument valley , but in remotest china .",
      "a strange and sometimes compelling film that absolutely transports you to a remote corner of the world but does n't quite do enough to make you feel steady on your feet once you get there .",
      "mountain patrol , peppered with shocking revelations of just how suddenly and brutally death can come calling , has the look and feel of a documentary .",
      "director lu chuan took his lumps by filming the movie on location in an inhospitable locale , but his decision to do so is validated by the final result .",
      "moby dick with a progressive spin .",
      "an ode to the great sacrifices that often accompany the will to do the right thing .",
      "the film 's most memorable visual spectacle , of a man getting sucked into a pool of quicksand , is also the most resonant . man may think he rules over nature , but it can take him back at any moment .",
      "one of those films that opens eyes to distant lands and problems and yet carries a sense of drama and a humane moral tone that conveys an appeal that 's simultaneously exotic and universal .",
      "a fascinating oddity , marked by amazing locales and a narrative that continually subverts your expectations ... the effect is hypnotic .",
      "mixes environmental awareness and spiritual mindfulness with its chase scenes through grand scenery .",
      "duobuji shows he has a strong , charismatic presence in his role as the patrol leader , ritai .",
      "breathtakingly beautiful , breathtakingly brutal and simply breathtaking .",
      "many characters perish , some at the hands of poachers , others by the elements , and , in the film 's most chilling scene , one via a pit of quicksand . it 's heavy going to be sure .",
      "since lu depicts the punishing , unforgiving determination on both sides of the conflict , the film is not entirely pitiless for the pathetic criminal class .",
      "a richly cinematic chronicle/harrowing survival tale of these brave souls , set against a truly breathtaking backdrop .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- austere , unsentimental , morally complex , and grimly realistic ...",
      "ranks alongside werner herzog 's lessons of darkness as one of the most succinct and distressing expressions of landscape in crisis .",
      "exquisite to behold and with a stimulating storyline that mixes guns with ecological consciousness .",
      "for better or worse , no film of the last decade , not even malick 's the new world , has displayed such a ferocious intimacy with extreme landscape .",
      "... interesting both as a character study and as a portrait of a rural culture with one foot in the modern world .",
      "an astonishing , fact-based story of sacrifice and courage in one of the world 's most forbiddingly beautiful regions , kekexili : mountain patrol exerts an almost mythic hold on your attention .",
      "the spirit of the hardboiled american westerns of the 1950s wends its way through this moody , panoramic chinese chase thriller .",
      "a rugged , old-fashioned adventure tale .",
      "the most crucial element of mountain patrol 's success is duo 's portrayal of ri tai , a tough , terse hero who could have sprung fully formed from the imagination of akira kurosawa or sergio leone .",
      "the director 's strong , vigorous style suits the setting perfectly , making mountain patrol the closest thing to a hollywood western in years . and as in the best westerns , the landscape assumes its own character in the story .",
      "a fascinating film that benefits greatly from the stunning scenery of the tibetan plateau and from a quicksand scene that will leave you gasping .",
      "despite the far-off locale , we soon feel surprisingly comfortable , merely because of the film 's shape .",
      "our eyes cram the stunning , dry , bare-boned mountainscapes of a chinese/tibetan wild west called kekexili .",
      "never has a movie so soberingly made the fight to save life and the struggle to hold on to it seem so futile .",
      "other than raising awareness for endangered wildlife , mountain patrol : kekexili does n't have anything profound to say , but it has a lot to show ."
    ],
    "summary": "in a setting both visually stunning and cruel , this eastern film evokes the epic spirit of old-fashioned westerns .",
    "id": "147302868"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pi",
    "reviews": [
      "every line of dialogue , indeed every small action , is packed with meaning in this taxingly potent film .",
      "that anyone is out there sweating to make movies -lrb- and this one 's budget was only $ 60,000 ! -rrb- about mathematical theories , philosophy and other exertions of the mind would be great news all by itself . that the movie is also good is even better .",
      "i can virtually guarantee you wo n't see anything else like it this year .",
      "it all leads to a very strange place , and i 'm particularly impressed with the economical means , both financially and artistically , by which aronofsky gets there .",
      "what is difficult is to view this film without a mind seeking to be intrigued , because , if you do n't want intrigue , you should n't be watching MOV .",
      "who knew mathematics and numerology could be so engrossing ?",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a full-bore panic attack , sweaty palms , rapid heartbeat , and all .",
      "as smart as it is , ` MOV ' is awfully hard to watch . filmed with hand-held cameras in splotchy black-and-white and crudely edited , it has the style and attitude of a no-budget midnight movie .",
      "even if you 're the type who are intimidated by maths like me -lrb- to this day i insist that my high school maths teacher arrived at class on a broomstick ! -rrb- , then do n't fret : adeptness at mathematics is n't a prerequisite for enjoying MOV .",
      "... an opiate-induced , caffeinated , super-octane trip .",
      "the intent is to create a living nightmare of psychological horror , and aronofsky succeeds most unsettlingly .",
      "eureka ! this movie is the ultimate portrayal of the numbers racket -- a slice of MOV that as sci-fi fantasy really does cut it and makes us hunger fort desserts in store as a sequel to this promising debut by mr. aronofsky .",
      "perhaps as a short , MOV could have proved engaging , but stretched to feature length it becomes repetitive and unwieldy .",
      "MOV turns what should be a metaphoric relationship into a stupefyingly literal-minded thriller .",
      "audacious and bursting with ideas .",
      "film fans who long for intellectual muscle have reason to hail mr. aronofsky for plunging into the mysteries of knowledge , power and the nature of god .",
      "MOV is like a cronenberg film of the mind , where the unsettling images and lusts are driven by a desire for knowledge , not flesh .",
      "destined to pick up a cult following .",
      "shot in blotchy , grimy black-and-white and edited in a style almost reminiscent of the french new wave , ` MOV ' is as jarring to the eye as it is enticing to the mind .",
      "embora aronofsky cometa excessos visuais em alguns momentos -lrb- tendкncia comprovada em seu trabalho seguinte , rйquiem para um sonho -rrb- , sua eficiente direзгo , a уtima ediзгo e o inteligente roteiro transformam MOV em um filme singular .",
      "MOV is an interesting film . not a particularly good one , but interesting nonetheless .",
      "an ambitious , stylish and intriguing first effort by aronofsky and director of photography matthew libatique . if you 're of a mind for an offbeat but fascinating film , give it a shot .",
      "director darren aronofsky creates an eerie eraserhead-like world that keeps the film compelling .",
      "... a frustrating and maddeningly confounding piece of work ...",
      "transports us to a world that is like yet unlike our own , and , in its mysterious familiarity , is eerie , intense , and compelling .",
      "the seductive thing about aronofsky 's film is that it is halfway plausible in terms of modern physics and math .",
      "it 's a well-toned blend of surrealism , science fiction , horror and spiritual mystery that would never have survived hollywood 's script-by-committee attitude .",
      "clever and creepy as hell .",
      "it 's remarkable to what extent aronofsky has rendered the cerebral kinetically intense . the film 's imaginative , diverse images create a mind 's - eye urban claustrophobia .",
      "MOV is certainly about the burden of genius , but it very well may also be about mythical powers and faulty dogma in judaism .",
      "both story and style reveal the calculations of an artist so desperate to get noticed that he forgot to cover his id .",
      "a real treat",
      "MOV accomplishes so much more with ... its micro-budget than a hollywood production could .",
      "we share max 's feelings of imminent psychological disintegration as the film probes our own insecurity in the face of the eternal . maths meets millennial doom in one of the decade 's true originals .",
      "disturbing , exhilarating , and sure to send anyone of conservative temperament scuttling from the room .",
      "aronofsky , who has parlayed this movie 's sundance success into two hollywood deals , is that rare indie filmmaker who does n't want to make hip romantic sitcoms . he 's a genuine experimenter with a spooky visual style .",
      "when the torah is explained in mathematical terms , it 's enough to make you want to take up second year trig - like the movie , a deeply flawed idea .",
      "... like the value for MOV , which has been calculated to one billion decimal places and counting , it does not fail to generate curiosity and speculation .",
      "MOV is a lesson to aspiring film makers everywhere : perfect your skills , be original , be bold . it 's a pity young british directors are n't making films as unique and imaginative as this . startlingly good cinema .",
      "delivers some thought-provoking questions about our digital age , numerology , and the hubris involved in all projects designed to decode the mystery of the universe .",
      "the movie 's low-budget look neatly matches the claustrophobia of max 's life , but the filmmakers have also devised some special shooting methods for certain scenes . these sequences -- breathless and jangly chases , for the most part -- look terrific .",
      "shot in grainy , high-contrast black-and-white with a lot of simple but effective optical and aural tricks to suggest the workings of max 's unusual mind , this is one of the most intimate movies in recent memory .",
      "this is a film that gives off a rich aroma of intellectual pursuit , but can not digest the full intellectual and mystical meal it has cooked .",
      "i found cohen 's quest to be interesting , but it sure made me uncomfortable to watch him writing around and screaming in pain every few minutes . then again , then the search for truth is often painful , and so is math , for some of us .",
      "an imaginative , intellectually stimulating feature-film .",
      "pay attention !",
      "ventures into challenging , intelligent subject matter that few other films dare to .",
      "a compelling and , most importantly , original science-fiction film which has that rare ability to also be believable ."
    ],
    "summary": "dramatically gripping and frighteningly smart , this lynchian thriller does wonders with its unlikely subject and shoestring budget .",
    "id": "13056"
  },
  {
    "movie": "scary_movie_2",
    "reviews": [
      "the film had eleven writers . i do n't see why it needed any . it 's unstructured , plotless , and even the truly funny moments are merely juvenile stabs in the dark .",
      "MOV is n't scary , funny-scary , or even just plain funny .",
      "filme producto de la excesiva comercialización que tuvo su predecesor",
      "more of the same ... only less funny .",
      "it 's just terrible , with long stretches in which the sea of writers do n't even try to insert any humour , followed by an attempted joke that does n't work on any level .",
      "the creators of MOV have forgotten one crucial fact about the horror genre -- for every scream 2 there are twenty blair witch 2s .",
      "that the first film 's primary target/model was scream and that this one 's is the haunting says everything about its creative bankruptcy .",
      "... it does have one redeeming attribute : brevity .",
      "it 's the wackiness of the whole thing that makes it work .",
      "if you have n't seen the target film , not only is it not funny , it becomes totally pointless .",
      "the opening 15 minutes was absolutely gut-wretchingly hysterical . i laughed more at this second film than i did at the first one ...",
      "in a classic ` too many cooks ' scenario , MOV never manages to put even the semblance of a plot together .",
      "the screenwriters take desperate measures with so much lame sex jokes , body flashes , and disgusting bathroom humor .",
      "dumb humor , insults and gallons of bodily fluids .",
      "perhaps if you send them a stamped , self-addressed envelope they 'll tell us why this was thought to be funny .",
      "scarily awful -- this spoof horror franchise needs a stake driven through its heart , and quick ...",
      "we can only hope this excrement masquerading as humor will bury the gross-out genre once and for all .",
      "it shows no understanding of or insight into the genre it 's attempting to parody , nor indeed of cinema in general .",
      "if you did n't like the first one , stay away , but if you got a few good chuckles out of it , you 'll get more of the same with the sequel . i guess it 's a matter of personal -lrb- bad -rrb- taste .",
      "basically just a bunch of silly spoof scenes cobbled together around a thin premise , it allows the wayans brothers to have fun in the way a group of kids might have fun with a video camcorder , except with a multi-million-dollar budget ."
    ],
    "summary": "instead of being funny , this gross-out sequel plays like a sloppy , rushed-out product .",
    "id": "13021"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mortal_kombat_annihilation",
    "reviews": [
      "witless , charmless and clueless .",
      "its dazzling special effects make its combatants flip and fly , spin and soar , all the while punching and kicking each other like jackhammers , only to leave viewers utterly unmoved .",
      "a dopey , badly acted and headache-inducing bore .",
      "a little more work is required , for instance , on four-arm technology .",
      "quite serious , charmless and critic-proof .",
      "here 's the lowdown on the latest chapter in mortal kombat : deadly dull .",
      "it 's just an excuse for a series of tedious , repetitious fight scenes that have been staged with no hint whatsoever of originality .",
      "there 's a kind of grand awfulness about it .",
      "as far as the plot , the repetitive bombardment of similar scenarios makes the film seem very long and painfully drawn out .",
      "plot , character , motivation , you ask ? c'mon !",
      "many of the fight scenes are boring to a fault .",
      "this tedious hodgepodge of martial-arts mayhem , bogus mysticism and computer-generated special effects does n't even pretend to have a plot .",
      "the most stimulating , satisfying aspect of this action fantasy is the theme music .",
      "a cheesy , abysmal sequel to an entertaining adaptation ...",
      "it 's a toss up which aspect of this drivel is worst .",
      "astonishing that they could do worse than part 1 . seriously .",
      "game over",
      "pic consists largely of choppily edited fight scenes -lrb- usually involving somersaults and back flips -rrb- combined with various computer graphic effects .",
      "leonetti is a great cinematographer , but as director , well ...",
      "this is an example of a sequel just as terrible as the first movie : same stuff , different day .",
      "a guilty pleasure more entertaining than the original",
      "please , folks , unless you feel like there is nothing left for you in this world and want to end it all , avoid this film at all costs .",
      "you know that when an acting joke like christopher lambert wo n't even return for the sequel , some fragile line has been crossed .",
      "there is nothing ... i repeat , nothing worthwhile in this film .",
      "the script , by five writers , is a melange of role-playing games , biblical references , mythology and martial-arts and other movie cliches ; it 's predictable when it 's not impenetrable .",
      "MOV features evil ninja monsters popping out of nowhere . if at first these villains appear absolutely unbeatable , just wait a minute and you 'll see them cower before our determined , team-oriented good guys .",
      "dark , brash , wholly repetitive and fast-cut to the banging sounds of a techno soundtrack , mortal kombat ii : annihilation should appeal to die-hard video games players . but to very few others .",
      "there 's only slightly more plot than appeared in the original computer game , and the result is undemanding fun .",
      "the first sequel to 1995 's highly successful mortal kombat , MOV adds little to the development of the saga except for a truckload of martial arts sequences and a whole mess of bigger and louder special effects .",
      "never -- at least not since the first mortal kombat -- has tedium been so loud , so full of backward flips and flying fists to the kissers of centaurs from another realm .",
      "the video game is much more fun , of course .",
      "aided by a one dimensional set that is n't clever enough to be comic-like , this film has a neanderthal mentality .",
      "it wastes no time getting to the punching , kicking , stomping and zapping that passes for a cinematic event .",
      "i 'll give it this - mortal kombat : annihilation is hilarious . sadly , not intentionally so .",
      "fragmented and monotonous , without a semblance of the gymnastic cleverness that at least made the first mortal kombat film into watchable trash , MOV is as debased as movies come ."
    ],
    "summary": "with its shallow characters , low budget special effects , and mindless fight scenes , mortal kombat - annihilation offers minimal plot development and manages to underachieve the low bar set by its predecessor .",
    "id": "10903"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rendition",
    "reviews": [
      "what finally gives MOV its headlong narrative momentum is the sense that we 're rarely certain what argument the filmmakers are endorsing .",
      "toss in a bunch of one-dimensional characters , a major flashback that is n't triggered by a memory or a theme but simply by the convenience of the plot and an ending that makes absolutely no sense , and you end with a big , fat mess .",
      "a movie that has only two major scenes for streep and one for arkin has talent to spare .",
      "that it 's embarrassingly plausible , that it depicts things that have happened and that are probably still happening , is enough to make americans sick to their stomach .",
      "a political potboiler guaranteed to get your heart racing . it pushes all the buttons these kinds of suspenseful dramas usually do .",
      "MOV 's approach feels additionally preachy and one-noted because its message is bigger than both the story and the human element .",
      "if these new , allegedly topical movies are to make us feel anything -- to move us toward any action or even just toward any fresh realization -- they need to at least seem alive on the screen , instead of just courting our polite , measured applause .",
      "while MOV does show terrible torture , it does n't quite rethink the cultural context , the conditions that produce such monsters , again and again .",
      "i have no qualms with any of the performances , or with the film 's individual components . it 's the overall effect that 's lackluster . this is a film that 's good and decent , but not as deep it wants to be .",
      "although south african director gavin hood gave us the searing , oscar-winning foreign film tsotsi , he may not yet have enough experience to handle something on a grander scale .",
      "director hood did the satisfying south african oscar winner tsotsi , and he wrangles MOV 's multiple storylines with skill . he can not elevate the writing , however .",
      "it all adds up to a dilution of the real issues at hand ... with friends like this movie , who needs dick cheney ?",
      "reduces issues of burning domestic urgency to a rubble of burnt melodrama .",
      "every aspect of gavin hood 's direction underlines the `` importance '' of the project .",
      "do n't imagine that you 'll find much beyond lip service to serious public debate in this slick thriller .",
      "a movie about secret government procedures can probably do without a subplot about a terrorist in love .",
      "MOV is watchable enough thanks to decent direction and strong performances .",
      "by crafting an intricate and engaging story out of this country 's most despicable ` weapon ' in the war on terror , it 's possible that its message may be more well-received than the dozens of damning documentaries that have preceded it .",
      "aims to appear courageous but in the end comes across as mealy-mouthed ... its political stance is feeble , its dramatic sense weak , and its execution flawed .",
      "despite the high stakes involved ... MOV plods along with little vitriol and even less energy .",
      "a good film that 's at its best when it 's not talking so much .",
      "disappointingly dull given the explosive subject matter , this at least attempts to get a message into the mainstream . an extra star for effort rather than execution .",
      "hood becomes a hollywood player with a powerful , politically challenging film that pulls no punches . an impressive cast at the top of their game , plus a killer twist that 's anything but a flashy gimmick .",
      "it 's a weapon of mass distraction , designed to stop you realising this is about as challenging as a gcse in general studies .",
      "MOV 's beef with the injustices of the us patriot act would have had a lot more power a couple of years ago .",
      "a watchable but rigged and strangely forgettable drama that loses its nerve in the way its real-life political quarry rarely does .",
      "hood squanders the film 's considerable starpower by failing to elicit sharp performances from his marquee names .",
      "its clumsy efforts are toward an honest and difficult goal , which is to use the resources of mainstream movie-making to get viewers thinking about a moral crisis that many of us would prefer to ignore .",
      "it goes without saying that MOV is a matter worthy of your utmost attention .",
      "a worthwhile but somewhat underwhelming effort , perhaps too level-headed for its own good .",
      "the movie 's insistent message about the morality and effectiveness of torture packs an unexpected and politically timely punch .",
      "deserves to be commended for just being made .",
      "MOV proves its own case by not finding an audience for its message -- and that is perhaps more disturbing than its scenes of torture .",
      "the stories are unflatteringly forced together , neither of them highlighting the thematic relevance of the other .",
      "... housing top-notch actors and their hefty paychecks but nothing else beyond the obviousness of the melodramatic malarkey it spouts with empty conviction .",
      "the film 's message is still relevant , but it 's already universally recognized how far the executive branch will go to get its latest war on .",
      "thanks to the current administration , hollywood now has mroe villains than in the cold war era .",
      "i do n't fault MOV for its liberal politics . i fault it for hammering home those politics in such pounding , slanted fashion .",
      "it 's easy to get outraged over an innocent man being tortured , but should n't we be outraged by the very idea of torture ?",
      "probes deep into a serious problem , and will entertain those who enjoy current events sprinkled over their cinema .",
      "MOV manages to take an urgent , important topic and turn it into standard hollywood melodrama . what a waste .",
      "terrific character actors such as j.k. simmons furrow their brows . streep responds by speaking in red-state bumper-sticker slogans , ordering up some torture and then gnawing the heads off newborn babies .",
      "laughably melodramatic and agonizingly inert .",
      "hot off the headlines , this is one timely thriller that delivers its message with a huge punch and no heavy speechifying .",
      "MOV makes the case that torture , whatever name it goes under , is indefensible , yet one can agree with that view entirely and still feel that the movie is just a borderline exploitation of what anyone who reads the papers already knows .",
      "well-crafted political pot-boiler almost succeeds at being neither manipulative nor sensationalistic . almost .",
      "everything is black and white here , a tremendous disservice considering the complexity of the issue .",
      "one of the most heart-wrenching , dramatic films of the season .",
      "an issue that springs from collective fear and the baser instincts it engenders deserves a better , more intelligent , and more perceptive treatment than the trite platitudes MOV offers .",
      "we are ambushed by a simplistic storyline that 's more interested in sermonizing and demonizing than existing in the real world where things are n't as clear-cut as the movie would like us to believe .",
      "the performances are surprisingly lackluster . witherspoon practically sleepwalks through the whole thing , as does gyllenhaal .",
      "it raises worthwhile quandaries and delivers flashes of acting prowess -- from streep in particular .",
      "while truth is stranger than fiction , even melodramatic films can focus those truths .",
      "it dilutes its message .",
      "MOV succumbs to a fatal imbalance brought on by terminal star power .",
      "a movie whose hot-button political issues already seem too warmed and worried over .",
      "the kind of movie whose own self-importance is a turn off .",
      "a pat and generic , if serviceable , political thriller .",
      "in trying to respect every character 's point of view , hood does n't reveal enough about any of them to make us truly care .",
      "MOV offers a reprieve right when it should really be tightening the screws .",
      "MOV has multiple crisscrossing plots , a cliff-hanger climax , and a strong current of hope -- that an individual 's conscience can triumph over careerism and bureaucratic moral blindness .",
      "hollywood kick-starts another oscar season with a modish globetrotting guilt trip that histrionically explores how government policy and our involvement in the middle east affects people in america on a personal level .",
      "in the end , there 's enough excitement , dimension and an involved level of acting by an ensemble of first-rate players to make the time rendered worth spending .",
      "works both as a tense thriller -lrb- complete with a skilfully handled time twist -rrb- , and as an urgent warning about the track the world is currently on .",
      "after overblown stories of mass walkouts by critics during its toronto debut , MOV proves to have enough substance , momentum and surprise to validate its entertainment value as a politically charged thriller .",
      "as is usually the case in movieland , a powerful us agency is the villain . the use of torture is frowned upon , and a complex plot provides reasonable tension .",
      "as soon as the hood comes out , start talking . MOV leaves the question of guilt or innocence to each viewer .",
      "south african director hood -lrb- tsotsi -rrb- turns what could have been yet another hollywood potboiler into an edgy dramatic thriller .",
      "hood , who knows what kind of movies win awards , crafts his tale so that every little detail falls neatly into place .",
      "there is a crying need to publicly explore the u.s. government 's policy of `` extraordinary renditions '' ... but MOV tackles the concern in a heavy-handed thriller with simplistic characters and manipulative story lines .",
      "-lsb- hood -rsb- can be accused of one-siding the debate over interrogation tactics like water-boarding and electrocution . but since when do movies have to be fair and balanced ?",
      "morose instead of outraged and static instead of penetrating .",
      "MOV has been made with an awful lot of volume and outrage , but you wish it had some intellect and artistry , too .",
      "the film takes a matter that every american with an ounce of decency should be concerned with and handles it so poorly that the dick cheneys of the world will have no trouble dismissing those who take it seriously .",
      "give us a genuine dilemma , put us on the spot . MOV -- though it is a very good , challenging film that will have you thinking and talking afterward -- does n't .",
      "wavers between tepid star turns and a romeo and juliet subplot involving an al qaeda assassin and the daughter of the lead inquisitor -- a story that 's ridiculous even broken up and bookended as it is here , to give this flat movie a trick ending .",
      "as it goes about hitting its predictable marks , including a reassuring burst of moral outrage , MOV suffers , finally , from not being extraordinary enough .",
      "MOV , while engrossing , does not grab us as it should .",
      "it justly questions whether information gathered through torture is ever reliable , and whether human-rights violations only fan the flames of deadly anti-americanism and revenge .",
      "it 's one thing for a thriller to be timely , quite another for it to function as MOV does , a gripping piece of entertainment with a clear head on its shoulders .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- spotty , but ultimately effective thriller .",
      "un thriller político bastante crítico hacia los métodos anti terroristas de estados unidos y sus aliados , en la misma línea de syriana , munich y leones por corderos -lrb- aunque mucho más efectiva que esta última -rrb- .",
      "the film exists in a gray zone that acknowledges the existence and relevance of both sides .",
      "jake gyllenhaal gets better with each role and here he is impressive as the novice cia analyst forced to confront his own conscience",
      "the film unfolds brilliantly and methodically , as director gavid hood 's vivid characters are unwittingly drawn together .",
      "but MOV , in the end , is a lifetime movie with pretensions toward being a political thriller . -lrb- they could even call it you have my husband ! since witherspoon shrieks that at streep in a ludicrous scene . -rrb-",
      "MOV features decent performances by all its actors , although few are given any chance to shine .",
      "rather then telling a story with characters growing and exploring the politics of the world around them , they simply take up the roles of well-dictated automatons .",
      "designed to make us feel like we 've just witnessed a powerful experience . the reality of the film is that it 's nothing but a shallow and underdeveloped position paper .",
      "the sort of schematic slog that stirs more discussion about the cluelessness of the filmmakers than anything else",
      "even witherspoon , normally the most spirited of performers who can inject even limited characters and blah scripts with her own spark , can do little but mope around and search for different ways to look worried .",
      "the script is n't particularly impressive and with so many films exploring similar material , the film seems predictable and redundant .",
      "hot off the headlines and onto the screen , this is a rarity -- a political film that delivers its timely message with a cinematic punch and no undue speechifying .",
      "hood 's direction globe-trots with a spring in its step , and he 's got a handle on action , too .",
      "the right ingredients for a timely political thriller are here-good cast , relevant concept-but gavin hood proves the wrong helmer , lacking the requisite perspective and skills to unify the syriana and crash-like saga into a coherent and poignant film .",
      "it 's not until the pieces finally start to fall into place that MOV becomes the hard-hitting , thought-provoking drama hood clearly wants it to be ...",
      "three or four years ago , a movie about innocent citizens being pulled into secret torture prisons because of the color of their skin might have raised an eyebrow or two , but those days are long gone .",
      "http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article2678874.ece",
      "MOV is the result of such pompous over-pronouncements . it 's a well-intentioned screed undone by its desire to make all sides of its conflict saintly simplistic .",
      "MOV is a well-intentioned film , and an enjoyable one , but , in the end , that 's not quite the same as a good one .",
      "a chamber-orchestra cousin to paul greengrass 's topical symphonies of discussion . sharp , damning and , at times , funny , this intricate thriller wisely chooses a puzzle-box pace , with no big speeches or easy outs for any character .",
      "... a limp drama in which too many good actors ... get not enough screen time .",
      "the audience is unduly flattered , never once forced to question its own complicity in allowing this foul and almost always counter-productive flouting of international law to flourish .",
      "considering the incendiary subject matter - the use of torture to extract information - this political thriller should be a lot more compelling than it is .",
      "there is a smart , piercing film in here somewhere , but MOV never fully connects with its subject .",
      "this movie is composed in the increasingly familiar international hectic-mosaic style , with a note of justified paranoia .",
      "this certainly is n't dull , but it is a touch uncinematic and more than a little preachy .",
      "MOV is a reminder that , in the wrong hands , political outrage can be a slog .",
      "or all these faults ... the film has many plusses : n unsubtle emotional power that comes through in abasi 's fear and isabella 's rage , an honest view of the political machinery in washington , and an outrage about the way we -lsb- can -rsb- behave .",
      "a brave piece of work , but by no means perfect .",
      "MOV grabs hold of a super-charged subject and squeezes all the life out of it .",
      "streep 's skill is , as always , breathtaking .",
      "it 's all too simplistic to really engage the deeply complex dilemma it seeks to pass judgment on .",
      "occasionally a movie 's subject outweighs any aesthetic flaws , as it does in this unsettling thriller about the extraordinary MOV of terror suspects .",
      "what the film documents is that we have lost faith in due process and the rule of law , and have forfeited the moral high ground .",
      "while MOV is timely and invigoratingly noble , it does n't really have any perspective . it 's to torture what amistad was to slavery . it 's a $ 30 million ap brief .",
      "a pacy , twisting thriller .",
      "apresenta-se simultaneamente como um bom filme e , lamentavelmente , também como uma oportunidade desperdiçada .",
      "MOV 's heart is in the right place , but feels like a desperate single attempt to get it all out at once out of fear of losing another chance . i am glad i saw it , but i do n't ever need to see it again .",
      "the film does n't know or care who anwar el-ibrahimi is outside of how his plight affects the white folks connected with him .",
      "MOV gives its take on this practice with enough complexity to keep us engaged - and on the fence about how far our nation should go ...",
      "`` MOV '' is well-acted and well-written with a surprising twist that i did n't see coming . it 's difficult to single out one performance - making it high on my list for an ensemble award . powerful renditions by all involved .",
      "while reese wo n't take no for an answer from the suits in dc and fights for her man , meryl streep 's ambitious and wicked cia boss fights for her career , but this time around the devil wears pistols .",
      "hood 's greatest concern is the line between moral courage and cowardice .",
      "and what the heck does this title mean , anyway ? competing with `` things we lost in the fire '' for its fuzzy appellation , `` MOV '' refers to the u.s. policy of `` extraordinary MOV '' that allows the government to arrest and keep imprisoned anyone suspe",
      "the thought that my life might be turned upside down merely by someone calling me is very frightening indeed .",
      "MOV is an important film . art , by definition , is supposed to provoke , to spur emotions , to enlighten . on those counts , this movie scores a bull 's - eye .",
      "a stale , murky drama so oversimplified that its politics boil down to a single tidy , elementary-level message : torture is bad .",
      "the script by kelley sane is full of outrage but not enough depth .",
      "at every turn the screenplay turns geopolitics into lifetime channel pablum .",
      "as hollywood tries to make sense -- or at least drama -- from current events , it is inevitable that the early attempts will seem cardboardish and melodramatic .",
      "MOV 's worst flaw is its political deck-stacking , with its willingness to win the viewer 's sympathy by showcasing the least defensible instance of extraordinary MOV imaginable .",
      "relevancy is n't the only barometer worth reading here , especially since it 's one of the few elements the film has going for it .",
      "a naive , poorly-thought out , badly-reasoned left-wing -lrb- nut -rrb- manifesto that gives the right all the ammunition it needs .",
      "what a cast , indeed . and what a bust as persuasive drama .",
      "explores the dark side of the so-called war on terrorism where human rights are ignored by the cia and spit upon by islamic terrorists .",
      "scenes of powerful realism alternate with melodrama .",
      "it stirs sympathy for one man 's plight but little passion over the policy that imprisoned him .",
      "the movie is not exciting , original or instructive enough to justify the unpleasant experience .",
      "this is the kind of movie i 'm fine with . i do n't seek out movies about political issues where horrible things happen so we can be aware of them . i do n't mind seeing them either . they 're just there and they do their thing .",
      "MOV wastes a serious amount of time and effort force-feeding the viewer lessons on how injustice breeds contempt . for the sequel , i hear the producers plan to explore how fire is hot and water is wet .",
      "-lsb- the torture -rsb- scenes are pretty graphic ... but every american should be forced to watch this movie ... in order to see what is being done in our name , and in the name of , supposedly , freedom and justice .",
      "get ready for the absolute worst performance of meryl streep 's career !",
      "does its job , keeping the action involving , but in an increasing pool of u.s.-policy-and-the-middle-east movies , it also feels like one of the crowd .",
      "if you 're going to lecture us on the evils of torture , you better not make a film where in the end we feel there 's more information to be discovered .",
      "the filmmakers ' clumsy manipulation of the facts to fit their bias misses a golden opportunity to examine a troubling issue in an even-handed manner .",
      "can be best described as a fantasy ."
    ],
    "summary": "the impressive cast can not rescue MOV , which explores complex issues in woefully simplified terms .",
    "id": "770672302"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1141099-hostage",
    "reviews": [
      "the last 30 minutes is a terribly busy bore , and does an excellent job of creating a bad taste to a film that is n't a complete washout and a decent genre exercise .",
      "takes a kitchen sink approach to the thriller genre , throwing in elements from all types of similar films .",
      "crais created human beings whose natural actions modulated into an ascending , out-of-control vortex of danger and conflict . the adapters lapsed into familiar stereotypes .",
      "willis co-produced this movie , so we should take it as a sign of his desire to step back into these crime-fighter roles . but without a bigger infusion of originality , the effort is going to die hard .",
      "we 've had die hard and die harder , so why not die hardest ?",
      "the attention shifts from individual character detail and psychological chess matches to outlandish developments and ludicrous resolutions .",
      "a lurid , exploitative actioner .",
      "visually stylish but highly improbable .",
      "MOV is all the pulp thriller bruce willis movies you 've seen before .",
      "the clichés are flying faster than the bullets .",
      "`` MOV '' holds the audience prisoner in its implausible , frenzied , blood-soaked melodrama .",
      "caffeine , testosterone , adrenaline , gasoline , and a lot of blood add up to one big headache",
      "it 's a mishmash of familiar themes .",
      "ultimately comes down to that most tired of devices , a psychotic killer who ca n't be stopped by bullets , fire or a knife in the face . the big shootout is simply laughable .",
      "it does n't satisfy in the way a good thriller ought to .",
      "the amazing thing is how dull a movie crawling with gunfire , psycho tantrums and stuff blowing up can be when you just do n't care what happens to anyone .",
      "a well-intended but perfunctorily overblown feature produced by and starring bruce willis , whose emotionally raw performance is the film 's saving grace .",
      "by the time willis 's character saves this considerably long day , it 's filmgoers who will no doubt feel like prisoners .",
      "the film quickly collapses into incoherence with a barrage of bullets , molotov cocktails and the arrival of a swat team .",
      "MOV '' plays so much to willis ' strengths that it could have been called die hard 4 : die even harder . ''",
      "tuned in to current politics , narrating the failure of isolationism , as the men imagine can lock themselves up apart from the world .",
      "beyond the cliches , there 's something deeply offensive about the way MOV exploits our empathy for children in peril .",
      "at its best MOV is a nasty , ridiculously involving white-knuckle b-movie -- acted with pure conviction by the eternally underrated bruce willis .",
      "just as ridiculous as most other action movies , but at least it 's one with a few ideas in its head",
      "MOV asks us to consider what we would do in the exact same situation , and that is what effective filmmaking is all about .",
      "MOV rumbles on as aimlessly as an incoherent ransom note written with a streaking crayon ... banally boisterous and over-the-top",
      "the best willis films treat his heroics with good-natured disbelief , but all that 's left -lsb- here -rsb- are his increasingly weary action moves .",
      "snatches the sadistic content of a rabble-rousing exploitation film and stashes it within the overblown blockbuster pretensions of a bruce willis action vehicle ...",
      "ticking-clock thriller takes borrowed parts , gives them a glossy coat of new blood and delivers a clenched-fist bundle of jolts and surprises .",
      "even with one ending too many , this popcorn-movie delivers tension-filled entertainment .",
      "i thought , this is going to be a first-rate thriller , nobody plays that kind of character better than bruce willis , he 's great at that . and then it just gets more and more complicated and more and more ridiculous .",
      "what might have been a nice little potboiler ... is done in by director florent siri 's bloodthirsty glee at exploiting the movie 's child characters .",
      "the script is clever without ever being smart , the violence is showy but not cathartic , and the performances are , to put it kindly , a mixed bag .",
      "bruce willis , who feels like a resident of action thrillers , not a visitor , dials down here into a man of fierce focus and private motives .",
      "bruce willis struggles valiantly to have us empathize with his character 's effort to redeem himself in his own eyes , but he fails and can only gush tears .",
      "in a movie season that has vin diesel changing diapers and the rock singing show tunes , it 's nice to have willis back in action .",
      "it brings little new to the table , even by generic ` reluctant warrior ' thriller standards .",
      "director florent emilio siri is so caught up in his florid stylings that `` MOV '' is somewhat enjoyable on a cheesy level",
      "old action heroes die hard . bruce willis regains blazing glory in MOV , an action-thriller with more twists and turns than mulholland drive .",
      "gorgeous atmospherics and good performances with a convoluted and overstuffed plot .",
      "although overplotted , too contrived , and seldom plausible , MOV nevertheless succeeds as a taut , furiously paced and hard-edged variation of desperate hours .",
      "willis travels a well trodden road ... screenwriter doug richardson ... manufactures one obstacle after another for our hero",
      "the 7-year-old is far and away the smartest character , which is one sign MOV is an implosion waiting to happen .",
      "the action is dynamically filmed and willis is at his best . suspense is soon hijacked by outright gore and grisliness , though .",
      "made with energetic flair and no small dose of violence , mercifully handled with discretion , MOV exemplifies taut , confident filmmaking .",
      "die hard from the outside ... ben foster ca n't not look like he 's going to kill you ... and -lsb- willis -rsb- has got catch phrases again . yay ! ... i even loved the opening credits .",
      "typical bruce willis fare .",
      "the film does n't follow its own rules .",
      "a pile of blood-soaked toxic waste dumped onto the screen in an attempt to salvage bruce willis 's fading career as an action hero .",
      "inevitably , the action has to take over , and the film devolves into a frenzy of fireballs and automatic gunfire .",
      "not that there 's anything wrong with trying to inject some solemnity and sophistication into an action movie , but god help you if you do n't do it right ...",
      "a visceral , sleazily self-assured b movie .",
      "holding back tears , willis actually delivers the soon to be immortal line `` yeah , tommy , captain wubba 's gon na save planet xenon . '' now , that sounds like a movie .",
      "there 's a gripping thriller between the gaps in logic . director florent siri has a tough style and an unforgiving attitude , but it drowns in the queasy blood lust .",
      "it keeps you interested in the plot , it 's easy to follow , and you get to see bruce willis kick some booty .",
      "the insanity bound for you in the final reel is a smorgasbord of brimstone and the ugliness of the most tasteless slasher films .",
      "accept MOV for what it is , and a flawed-but-enjoyable ride awaits . i never once glanced at my watch .",
      "... at least the movie has a tone , and a style , and enthusiasm .",
      "it can never quite make that final leap over its formula .",
      "like the criminals it portrays , MOV is a dangerous combination -- violence and no intelligence .",
      "we hate to say it , but an episode of bravo 's celebrity poker showdown featuring bruce willis and kevin pollak would have been waaay more entertaining .",
      "contrast between impulsive , hot-headed amateurs and implacable , cold-blooded professionals takes this story above the usual guns and explosions multiplex fodder .",
      "the premise is overstuffed with unlikely plot twists and absurdities , but it works as an effective thriller despite the flaws ...",
      "it 's continually exciting , but also exhausting ... and filled with moral ugliness .",
      "much like jeff talley himself , MOV badly needed a shave .",
      "o tipo de filme que deveria ter sido estrelado por steven seagal ou dolph lundgren e lançado diretamente em vídeo e dvd .",
      "if you enjoyed the die-hard films of earlier years , this should be a big winner for you .",
      "movies can be smart movies , masquerading as stupid ones - this may be the smartest stupid movie you see all year . either way , it 's just what you 're looking for .",
      "... harrowing and brutal , and , as a result , extremely tense .",
      "while not high art by any stretch of the imagination siri , willis and company create a better movie than the premise deserves and create an entertaining b-movie .",
      "it 's easy to mistake MOV for a plausible adult thriller that loses its way after the first act . but if you pay attention , it 's ridiculous from the get-go .",
      "an agonizingly heated crime drama .",
      "by piling coincidence upon coincidence , the picture , though quite slickly made , collapses under the weight of its accumulated cliches and improbabilities .",
      "for all the gunshots , gore , and willis ' grimace , it 's bland . the situations are pat , the characters cliché .",
      "siri has a good grip on the tingly tension , but he lets logical and logistical details slip through his fingers on his way toward a climax that goes into cliché overdrive .",
      "by the film 's conclusion , willis grows tired of the holes in his plot and starts putting holes in the bad guys . this from a guy who swore off action movies .",
      "an interesting french action pic fights gallantly for dominance over a bulging , american-style shoot - 'em - up .",
      "every bit as riveting as the negotiator , which was n't at all riveting .",
      "i 'm the leader of the convocation of ridiculously ugly dreck -lrb- crud -rrb- , and i 've made willis my monkey boy .",
      "MOV rehashes several films , rips off loads of visuals , dialogue , and plot points , but it also entertains on some level . wait to rent it .",
      "as time capsules of our defeated , misanthropic age go , MOV is pretty good . as cash grabs go , it 's pretty despicable .",
      "this is a masterclass in how to come back after being flushed down the toilet for the umpteenth time",
      "this just represents one more notch down on willis ' foundering career .",
      "this is , in the final analysis , just another bruce willis movie , albeit one that makes us think a bit more than usual and maybe hope a little harder that all those bullets and explosions will be put to good use .",
      "the subplots are stacked up and nesting into each other like so many russian dolls , and seeming every bit as precious .",
      "naturally , there is no denial by good taste of grisly plot jolts .",
      "willis plays a man with a past whose nightmare returns when a MOV drama reopens old wounds , blah , blah , blah ...",
      "willis wears the character like an old glove ; he 's a decent , no-nonsense character torn by the threat to his family but prepared to get the job done .",
      "strictly by the book : it 's adapted from an airport best-seller by robert crais , and its scenes might as well be preceded with chapter headings .",
      "the grisly death scenes make sense considering director florent emilio siri 's used to direct video games ... yes , video games have directors today . and antacids have calcium .",
      "not that there 's anything wrong with testosterone and senseless destruction as long as they 're balanced by some true sense of heart and at least a smidgen of believability , neither of which survive here .",
      "french director florent siri deserves good marks for ratcheting up the tension in parts , even if he goes cheesy with the overly dramatic music and too many slo-mo shots . not bad , but hardly captivating .",
      "MOV may well be the first action flick cited both for child abuse and audience abuse . in a singularly sadistic and degrading way it has something to offend everyone .",
      "you might feel that the title applies to you .",
      "it 's a tossup whether the crying jags are inspired by this jumbled script or by the fact that willis has made six dreadful movies in a row .",
      "a passable thriller with a lot of borrowed style .",
      "willis manages to be the best thing in the picture , and largely because of him i was willing to overlook the plot 's ridiculous loopholes and exaggerations .",
      "chaotic and clichéd",
      "explosions , gunfights and suspense may keep you awake for a while , but not if the movie assaults logic and holds common sense MOV .",
      "MOV is a hit-and-miss action-thriller . when it is good , it crackles and pops with literally breathless , grip-your-armrest-style intensity .",
      "it revels in a sort of operatic vulgarity . and once the story exhausts its over-the-top cheesiness , there are still a few loose ends to tie up , and so the film drags on .",
      "mostly a nerve jangling thriller , but you know there 's something not quite right about a movie when you 're wondering more about why such a plush mansion on fire does n't have a better sprinkler system .",
      "estamos ante una historia interesante , en la que los personajes dejan de ser las caricaturas habituales de siempre para convertirse en seres humanos reales .",
      "it 's about as meaningful as a pile of clichés .",
      "very violent MOV drama .",
      "you 've seen this movie before",
      "reasonably competent and breathlessly paced .",
      "this is one movie that would be incomplete without a soda , some popcorn , and a box of chocolate covered something .",
      "doug richardson 's script is as riddled with plot holes as pollak 's house is with bullets .",
      "it 's a full-on adrenaline feature .",
      "takes a turn for the worse after its first half-hour , morphing into an overstuffed exercise in gore and stupidity that will leave your ears ringing and your eyes rubbed raw from disbelief .",
      "the movie is breathlessly paced , fiendishly constructed and generally involving .",
      "the movie does n't spend much time on details or characterization , especially of its nonessential female characters -lrb- which is to say all of them -rrb- .",
      "the writing and direction are simplistic .",
      "the result is a tough but frightened guy -- someone who can kick down a door , then burst into tears when he finds a dead body inside . willis is n't playing a hero ; he 's playing a man .",
      "if it does n't wholly succeed , at least it fails in an interesting way .",
      "returns again and again to the scenes built around the threat of a groped or abused child , and pulls still a third teen out of its hat for a gun-to-the-head finale .",
      "... a nerve-shredding yarn ... while the ending ca n't completely sabotage the movie , it certainly does n't enhance it .",
      "the bruce willis vehicle MOV starts nicely , only to shed iq points at alarming speed .",
      "... we have seen it all before in better more original films . ... the quality of the action seems dated ; this would have been perfect in the mid-1990s .",
      "... a dark , violent thriller whose main goal is to keep you glued to your seat .",
      "a step up from ` the whole ten yards ' if that means anything .",
      "this is the action-movie machine , whereby special effects become the story rather than a logical result of the story .",
      "bruce one-ups the genre he helped to pefect . sadly , no one came along .",
      "`` MOV '' blends `` mercury rising '' with `` die hard '' to create an average , well , bruce willis movie",
      "starts out with a lot of promise , but suffers from a silly plot that gets sillier as it goes along .",
      "the end , which manages to rip off aliens as well as every other cheesy crime drama ever made , was just too much for me .",
      "lots of thrills and chills .",
      "the makers of MOV are clearly of the school of thought that believe any scene can be improved with dramatic , swelling music and slow motion action .",
      "it 's nasty , violent , artistically barren and kind of fun .",
      "a heaven can wait dvd figures prominently in MOV , but there 's more hellfire than wit or romance in florent siri 's thriller .",
      "a brutal and suspenseful film noir .",
      "director siri 's heavily stylized visual approach translates successfully , at least before everything reaches an overly operatic third-act crescendo .",
      "aided by a sinister house , this is a terrific , tension-filled action movie , with character development unusual for the genre . ben foster creates a scary psychopathic villain .",
      "a steaming pile of siege clichés and screaming unlikelihoods .",
      "as the story further ramps up the complications , poor plot mechanics run pic off the road .",
      "speaking of torture , if you dig it , by all means lock yourself up for two hours with MOV , which begins by administering electric shocks to your viscera and keeps upping the voltage .",
      "the very thing that makes MOV so good is the very same thing that may likely kill its chances at the box office : this film goes to some dark places .",
      "it starts as a tensely twist-filled action thriller , but through some serious missteps in logic and clichéd moments , it ends in a bloody mess .",
      "any potential is squandered by implausibilities and a stunning lack of originality .",
      "it 's just unfortunate that the film does n't give -lsb- willis -rsb- that much to actually do , at least until the ridiculous climax , when video-game director siri goes all out with slow-mo , pseudo-religious imagery and lots of impressive fire effects .",
      "bombastic , audacious and slick , yes -- but in this genre , those are often good attributes .",
      "a tired formula .",
      "i was a nervous wreck by the end of this suspenseful movie .",
      "i 'd call it ugly and i 'd be willing to bet that you wo n't see anyone climbing on a moral high horse in an attempt to shout it down . someone should .",
      "for action movie fans who require just a touch of depth and mystery between gunshots , MOV could make for a satisfying night at the movies .",
      "when it 's over , you just want to make sure the vise that 's been squeezing your head for more than two hours did n't leave any dents or scratches .",
      "entertainment by force of will , moviemaking by sledgehammer ."
    ],
    "summary": "grisly and cliched , audiences may feel they 're being held MOV .",
    "id": "15283"
  },
  {
    "movie": "audition_1999",
    "reviews": [
      "this movie , at just under two hours , is a long crawl from inception to climax .",
      "viewers will either love MOV or hate it , but few will be unmoved .",
      "a harrowing account of a woman 's revenge with one of the most graphic torture scenes yet filmed .",
      "makes the mistake of changing crudely from a study in loneliness ... to a full-blown shock-horror extravaganza .",
      "a diabolically adroit piece of filmmaking that goes even further than the films of italy 's excruciatingly macabre dario argento .",
      "MOV emerges as the most harrowing , unforgiving slice of shock cinema since henry : portrait of a serial killer .",
      "if you are of a mind -lrb- and have a fairly strong stomach for graphic violence -rrb- for horror/mystery , this may just be your cup of tea .",
      "mesmerizing ? you bet . thought-provoking ? certainly . comforting ? sure . like a swan dive into a pool of spikes and razor wire .",
      "it turns into a hallucinatory nightmare of female revenge that will pin back the audience 's eyelids .",
      "for a film that postures itself as being artistic , it seems mostly obsessed with exploitation .",
      "a foreign film moored to rather tenuous interpersonal foundations -lsb- where -rsb- you need to understand the nuance of the interactions on screen ; -lsb- americans -rsb- ca n't .",
      "a bizarre drama about sexual politics , one that plays out like a john updike novel that turns into a david cronenberg film , two-thirds of the way through .",
      "for stronger viewers longing for something different , i highly recommend MOV .",
      "the shock imperative takes on a life of its own and floats away from the lengthy setup .",
      "there will be many people who consider MOV an atrocity , and a few who find it a stimulating cinema experience .",
      "the film still manages to unnerve even with its central secrets laid open .",
      "shows what could happen when you do diabolical things like listening to your friends and objectifying women -lrb- especially crazy ones -rrb- .",
      "only auditions ideas -lrb- including militant feminism -rrb- and its art touches are a pottage of old horror tricks .",
      "what it lacks in savage wit , MOV more than makes up for in psychological horror .",
      "watching this painful movie is like having to endure an especially sadistic fraternity hazing .",
      "imagine if mulholland drive made sense or if boxing helena did n't stink",
      "a lentidăo dos dois primeiros atos e o pseudo-surrealismo do terceiro , além de năo combinarem , criam uma experięncia enfadonha , confusa e apelativa .",
      "a meditative , melancholic masterpiece that is not for the squeamish",
      "will get under your skin and stay there for many days .",
      "-lrb- the -rrb- disturbed and disturbing psycho-horror nightmare begins as a gentle romance based on a lie and then shoots into the twilight zone of obsession , sadism , and mutilation .",
      "it 's japanese provocateur takashi miike 's best film - a mordant spin on `` little red riding hood '' with sexist expectations as the wolf on which the tables are turned . its `` kiri , kiri '' refrain also is the zeroes ' answer to `` is it safe ? '' from `` marathon man . ''",
      "i was offended , i was shocked , and i was stunned .",
      "whether reading MOV as a portrait of coming to terms with grief , a feminist revenge tale , or a graphic exploration of romantic attachment and idealism , it remains a terrifying film .",
      "an extremely disturbing and violent psychological thriller from the gifted japanese director takashi miike , which will linger in memory long after you see the film .",
      "you 've never seen anything quite like it .",
      "it goes from zero to nauseating far too glibly to be profound or important .",
      "this film is skillfully made , expertly directed , well acted , and pretty distasteful to me .",
      "takashi miike has a style that definitely sets this one apart from the all of the american `` stalker chick '' films .",
      "a well-crafted , unfailingly imaginative exploration of male guilt , female rage and the sheer terror obsession and commitment can inspire .",
      "if you have a taste for the disturbing , it 's a trip that will stay with you for some time .",
      "miike is brilliant at transforming the mundane and familiar ... into something sinister and eerie .",
      "director miike knows how to raise a goose bump or two .",
      "the violence of the finale poses troubling questions about self-denial , male dread , and cathartic suffering .",
      "becomes hung up somewhere between polemic rant and bloodletting so luridly graphic as to overshadow whatever sense of righteous revenge the filmmakers were aiming for .",
      "best enjoyed by not having any expectations going in , other than knowing that -lsb- miike will -rsb- knock your socks off .",
      "a total freakout that will slow-burn itself into your brain . prepare to feel creepy .",
      "a great , sick rush with a kicker on the level of the vanishing .",
      "plays out like a comfy companion piece to shall we dance ? only to morph into a torturous freakshow worthy of baise-moi .",
      "nightmare territory that might make lynch and cronenberg run screaming",
      "... MOV did little to disturb me or hinder my ability to sleep .",
      "miike , the tasmanian devil of modern filmmakers , throws our assumptions back at us like a thousand poison darts . great film .",
      "a lethally poised venus flytrap of a movie .",
      "a strangely refreshing punch in the gut that puts the horror back in ` horror movie . '",
      "a graphic lesson in what happens when you treat women as objects , even objects of reverence .",
      "in an age of $ 100 million hollywood desensitization , a film that inspires such a combination of dread and awe at each grisly twist feels even more thrilling and alive .",
      "it gnaws on your mind like a famished larva , and you can fully expect to have a rough time of it later , when you close your eyes and try to sleep .",
      "this brazen shocker is never less than compelling -- even when you feel compelled to shut your eyes .",
      "the grisly finale will undoubtedly linger in the memory but in the end , it just comes off as a case of too much , too late .",
      "for those who can stomach its gory denouement , it 's a disturbing cinematic experience that they wo n't soon forget .",
      "the MOV dvd includes a director 's audio commentary for the final half-hour . you may as well turn the commentary on-you 'll be clamping your eyes shut for most of it anyway .",
      "no movie before this one literally made me quake .",
      "one of the most shocking japanese horror films ever",
      "by the end i found myself feeling so creeped out it was henry : portrait of a serial killer all over again .",
      "it takes sexual tensions to a dreamlike extreme and has a grand guignol ending that should be upsetting to the faint of heart ...",
      "a fertile film ."
    ],
    "summary": "an audacious , unsettling japanese horror film from director takashi miike , MOV entertains as both a grisly shocker and a psychological drama .",
    "id": "17039"
  },
  {
    "movie": "love_in_the_time_of_cholera",
    "reviews": [
      "mike newell 's handsome adaptation of gabriel garcia marquez ' novel looks lovely , but feels lifeless ; the chemistry between the main characters just is n't there .",
      "... passed all of my tests with flying colors ... thoroughly romantic , even if at 72 , fermina 's face -lrb- if not her breasts -rrb- looks almost exactly as it did at 21 .",
      "weirdly proposing sexual excess as the cure for unrequited love , the film has sad sack protag bardem drowning his sorrows in an endless round of quickies with 623 faceless babes in heat .",
      "... sinks to the bottom like an overloaded steamboat .",
      "the film is not boring , considering the simple , tried and true forbidden romance story . it does n't languish in the period details . stuff keeps happening and you can follow it , not like so many jane austen family courtship dramas .",
      "preserves the homespun humor of the novel , both in florentino 's rambunctious love scenes and in the wry dialogue .",
      "sometimes you 're watching a bad movie , and you 're like , ` well , i 'm still entertained , ' so i 'm recommending it on that sort of level .",
      "adaptation of marquez masterpiece marred by absence of magical realism .",
      "sometimes it 's almost impossible to translate a novel to the big screen .",
      "structurally , the film follows the story of the novel to a fine point without changing the through line of any of the three central characters as it clumsily hops from scene to scene .",
      "` MOV ' is breathtakingly filmed . it is an oscar-worthy movie .",
      "what it lacks in subtlety and cultural specificity , the film makes up for in sensitivity , sentiment and some beautifully expressed ideas drawn from marquez 's prose .",
      "there 's a little cholera in the middle and some love at the beginning and end , but MOV is mostly about romantic obsession and never-ending frustration -- the latter of which may jibe with the audience 's reaction .",
      "if you 've seen gone with the wind , you 've seen what MOV is n't .",
      "there is n't an actor here who really connects .",
      "solid , cliffsnotes version of a modern classic .",
      "bardem 's hypnotic presence , like that of an easter island statue come to life , is one of the film 's many pleasures . as is its intimations of a love everlasting .",
      "plays more like an adaptation of wilt chamberlain 's autobiography than of garca mrquez 's novel .",
      "what is missing is the novel , its strange time shifts and lusciously compiled details and playful , god-like viewpoint .",
      "-lsb- actress mezzogiorno -rsb- finds the story 's emotion by resisting the tug of the movie into grandeur .",
      "bardem , elizondo , bratt and moreno bring enough to the banquet to make this feast worth sitting through , and best of all , make you want to read the book , oprah endorsement or no .",
      "MOV suffers from a serious case of big movie-itis .",
      "lush , extravagant , sad and touching , MOV still feels weirdly insubstantial when all the febrile passion has abated . like a fever it breaks , passes and is forgotten .",
      "newell has done some fine work in all sorts of genres , from four weddings and a funeral to harry potter , but in cholera he seems to be chronicling a half-century of events , passions and desires as a tourist , not a native .",
      "a surprisingly passionless love story",
      "hopeless romantics should n't have problems forgiving some of the foibles and faux pas made in the telling of the story .",
      "apparently cholera is the world 's only disease at the time , which allows florentino to sleep with more than 600 women and remain std-free .",
      "oh , dear . what literary giant has the unstoppable hollywood machine gone and tarnished now ? that would be gabriel garcia marquez . the grandfather of magic realism is given a clumsy , saccharine and unsubtle treatment .",
      "the famed 1985 magical realist novel of nobel prize winner gabriel garcia marquez gets an ambitious but off-key cinematic adaptation that trips up except in the casting of javier bardem as its romantically enthusiastic protagonist .",
      "marquez ' material is endearing when read , but it can be embarrassing to watch .",
      "literature is poorly served .",
      "mike newell 's version of gabriel garcia marquez highly acclaimed erotic novel is one of his worst films : listless , poorly mounted , badly scripted by ronald harwood , and weakly acted , even by such pros as javier bardem .",
      "never read garcía márquez and still waiting for a sequel to the notebook ? there 's something here for you .",
      "a valiant attempt to turn a complex novel into a compelling movie is hamstrung by a conventional literary sensibility , an uneven tone and , crucially , a failure to establish a moving , meaningful connection between its two major players .",
      "one can recognize the elements that made the book such a beloved work -- and see how these elements are so completely botched in screen translation .",
      "film in the time of oprah is more like it .",
      "no , MOV is not the masterpiece that its source material is , but by choosing not to top the original it still ends up mostly succeeding as a film .",
      "a hodge-podge of histrionic , ridiculous scenes cobbled together with no build up .",
      "though cartagena in the late 19th century is beautifully evoked in director mike newell 's visually sumptuous film , there 's something missing at the core of this love story .",
      "unlike the unfilmable novel , newell 's discordant picture exhibits the worst symptoms of fever itself : unpleasant to endure and then quickly forgotten .",
      "a saga about love in the most romantic of senses , mike nicholls ' adaptation of gabriel garcia marquez ' acclaimed novel is one man 's ode to that ethereal emotion that is an end in itself .",
      "if further proof were needed of my dispiriting theory that the best novels rarely make the best films , it is to be found , richly scented and sumptuously packaged , in MOV .",
      "a movie of such boundless badness that it would take somebody with a nobel prize in literature to truly fathom the extent of its wretchedness .",
      "seamlessly mixes campy comedy with sentimental romance : an epic film based on a nobel prize winner 's novel .",
      "handsomely appointed but disappointing .",
      "artfully couched in surreal absurdity , its ironies are designed to question the contradictions and weaknesses of entrenched traditions .",
      "it 's a well-crafted , handsome period piece , and pleasant to watch , but the intensity of an obsessional style is beyond -lsb- director -rsb- newell 's range .",
      "would that newell 's visual panache were as robust as his understanding of the novel 's romantic implications , but what the film lacks in brio it makes up for in reverence .",
      "easily the worst adaptation of a major novel by a nobel prize-winning author .",
      "sweeps across the big screen like a stifled yawn",
      "both too literal and too thorough .",
      "a decent shot at a complex work , but ultimately , the book is way more evocative than any film .",
      "beloved book , lousy movie . he ages to 72 , she stops at 35 . he stays virile , she crumbles . he cries while having sex with 600 women . he 's the only stud in the country .",
      "it 's the actors themselves who all too often feel out of place .",
      "despite its temporal range , the biggest pratfall of the movie is its outdated aura . newell gives us fabulous scenery and a classic narrative , but none of it becomes involving in the present .",
      "it 's the kind of motion picture that 's crying out to be featured on an episode of mystery science theater 3000 .",
      "despite some lovely design and cinematography , mike newell 's adaptation of the novel by gabriel garcia marquez is ruined before it can get going by some disastrous casting .",
      "mono toy katorthoma , na se kanei na mi biazesai idiaitera na diabaseis to biblio sto opoio basizetai",
      "is love a disease , as marquez possibly wanted us to believe ? maybe , but in the case of this adaptation , it 's more of a laughing sickness .",
      "a novel about endless devotion has been turned into a film that seems to go on forever .",
      "listless , poorly scripted , badly acted and displaying an unforgivable misinterpretation of its source material , cholera is easily one of the worst adaptations of a great book ever mounted .",
      "... newell and harwood completely missed the mark with this one , turning a complex love story into a superficial period film with no heart or heat .",
      "el universo literario de gabriel garcía márquez como sólo hollywood podía hacerlo : vistoso , prolijo , insípido , superficial . ni siquiera javier bardem logra rescatarlo del olvido .",
      "it 's all yodeling shakira ballads and emotional shots of the would-be lovers staring at each other until their cheeks pale from exhaustion",
      "the characters are never sufficiently formed to be both likable and absurd at the same time -- and ultimately they 're really neither .",
      "it 's very pretty and very prestigious and it has no heart .",
      "it makes us think about what we do for love and whether , in the end , our choices are worth it .",
      "good movies rarely come from great books , but this MOV is a rich human comedy - beautifully realized and trimmed in sweet tropic light - that retains the flavor of the epic work from which it 's drawn . good show , senor newell .",
      "woefully misguided ... a story intended to engage the soul , and all it had me doing was reaching for the purell .",
      "javier bardem , whose oddly handsome face becomes something twisted and ugly in ... no country for old men , is here luminous and beautiful and heartfelt ...",
      "-lsb- the movie -rsb- requires layers of age makeup , a process that , as movie technology gets better and better , seems to get worse and worse .",
      "in the most incongruous mismatch of literature and movie treatment since demi moore in `` the scarlet letter , '' a lyrical meditation on love , patience , devotion , loss , betrayal , and fever has been turned into a south american version of a hugh grant movie .",
      "... a campy mess that presumably has little in common with márquez 's acclaimed work .",
      "though love is a handsome production , it lacks the novel 's distinctive blend of passionate intensity and fanciful whimsy .",
      "doubtless it 's an enormously daunting task to adapt a book at once so sweeping and internal , so swooningly romantic and philosophical , but it takes a lighter touch and a more expansive view than newell and harwood seem to bring .",
      "forget the heat of passion : the movie never breaks a sweat .",
      "it 's an expensive period piece that tries hard to duplicate the magic of the novel but simply fails to muster any special impact or appeal .",
      "the overambitious script -lsb- tries -rsb- to hold onto too much of the sprawling novel .",
      "this highly melodramatic screen version of the heralded 1985 novel by gabriel garcia marquez is a major disappointment .",
      "the film has major story construction problems , somehow managing to be overlong yet sketchy .",
      "even though it runs over two hours , newell 's film barely has room to touch on the key moments of his dense , discursive source material , and the hit-the-highlights-and-go-home approach does no one any favors .",
      "when it belongs to a character played by bardem , it 's a treat , indeed .",
      "fantasy-filled and romantic , it 's a faithful adaptation , blessed with equal amounts of humor , pathos and compassion .",
      "no one ever said adapting nobel prize-winning writer gabriel garcia marquez 's densely layered 1998 novel for the screen would be easy , but given the level of talent involved the awful results are still a shock .",
      "newell 's adaptation infuses its source material 's classic romantic tropes with all the poetry of a dog dish .",
      "bardem 's hypnotic presence , like that of an easter island statue come to life , is one of the film 's many pleasures .",
      "hopelessly misguided .",
      "saddled with the drama 's most laughable bit of dialogue , bratt sounds exactly like pepe lepew -lrb- an evocation shared by the critic sitting next to me at the screening -rrb- .",
      "admirers of gabriel garcia marquez 's novel MOV will be heartbroken to see how dull translators have drained the magic from his worldly romance .",
      "epic in its ambitions and romantic to its core , MOV may not please everyone , but it has to be admired .",
      "... earnest but maladroit ...",
      "that 's really missing is a sense of rapture -- a touch of magic on this course through the decades .",
      "a movie that is at times overly polite , unintentionally funny and too rarely transporting .",
      "the book is translated into film as a series of chronological events , and they are flat events at that .",
      "there 's no sense of sweeping heartbreak here , and , perhaps because of the story 's old-fashioned pace and plot , too many cheap laughs have wormed their way into what should be a stately melodrama .",
      "javier bardem is firmly established as one of the great actors of his generation . if you are a lover of sweeping romantic tales , do not miss this one .",
      "about the only audience that might get something out of `` MOV '' are lazy college students who want to learn the plot points for class without having to sit down and read the book .",
      "antonio pinto 's brilliant score accentuates the movie 's romantic elements and helps make MOV heartfelt , amusing , pleasurable , and quite memorable .",
      "-lsb- newell and harwood -rsb- make a botch of things , turning florentino from a sensitive poet into a blubbering wimp and playing his forlorn sexual encounters as broad farce .",
      "there is sweet whimsy here .",
      "the viewer who gives him - or herself over to the pitched emotions , nuanced performances and opulent design will be richly rewarded .",
      "this romantic drama by director mike newell preserves the odd playfulness of gabriel garcia marquez 's international best seller but sacrifices its eroticism and intricate nonlinear plotting .",
      "itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s better to just read the book .",
      "often watchable -lrb- and listenable -rrb- without ever being good .",
      "is there another great modern writer so hard to translate successfully into cinema ?",
      "the process of dramatizing a work of poetic fiction is often called ` fleshing it out , ' but in this case , the moviemakers have perversely taken most of the flesh out ."
    ],
    "summary": "though beautifully filmed , the makers of MOV fail to transfer the novel 's magic to the screen .",
    "id": "546953472"
  },
  {
    "movie": "flushed_away",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV will make you excited about animated movies again . it shows you can still do something with heart and soul even though everyone else is trying to cash in .",
      "charming and often quite funny .",
      "... the almost total lack of substance ensures that most viewers will have an awfully hard time finding much here to embrace ...",
      "it has aardman 's trademark intricacy of design , thrilling , hair 's - breadth-timing of action sequences , mastery of physical properties and spaces , delightful characters , fresh and funny moments and adorable singing slugs .",
      "so while MOV is studded with little comic nuggets , it is its story that disappoints .",
      "MOV ought to stand as one of the highlights of the season . let 's hope the title is n't a prediction of its future .",
      "deficient in the comedy of reticence discouragement that is aardman 's -lrb- or maybe just nick park 's -rrb- unique strength . i do n't want to say the englishmen were corrupted , but i think they allowed their strongest , quirkiest instincts to be tethered .",
      "toilet humour and aardman characters go together like tar and tea .",
      "one of the most outright enjoyable films of the year -- an imaginative and entertaining ride from the very first flush .",
      "the film throws just enough lunacy at us to keep things entertaining even when we 're not really sure where it 's going .",
      "each and every character gets one joke that 's repeated into infinity .",
      "there 's much that 's enjoyable about this computer-animated movie , but in the end it feels a bit generic .",
      "the directors keep the material dancing at a neck-breaking velocity , bouncing the zingers around like a tennis ball fight , and pushing the voice talent to match the speed of the animated shenanigans .",
      "where the film may lack in plotting it makes up by being one of the most consistently inventive bits of eye candy these retinas have seen in some time .",
      "a hilarious film full of pratfalls for the kids , and smart humor for the parents and adults who are just looking for a good time -lrb- in the clean , non-suggestive way -rrb- .",
      "... all of these pictures are starting to blend together to form one big , hypertensive splash of motion that threatens to over-stimulate us all !",
      "we know what aardman is capable of , which makes MOV all the more disappointing .",
      "like a paint-by-numbers animated adventure that hits all the right marks but has no real energy",
      "... filled to overflowing with mischievous gags for kids and adults alike , tickling the periphery of the story and crammed into every frame with playful abandon .",
      "the film mixes rousing kid-friendly adventure with surprisingly savvy grown-up wit and charm .",
      "... the story and characters remain unengaging .",
      "if you love `` wallace and gromit , '' you 'll want to get `` MOV '' with these new characters from aardman .",
      "although MOV is on a much bigger scale than its homely predecessors , it 's still comfortably offbeat and funny .",
      "deliciously witty , funny and clever , endlessly inventive and filled with aardman 's trademark eye for detail , MOV has more for grown ups than for kids , although no age group could complain of being under nourished with entertainment in this film .",
      "an animated film inferior to aardman 's tradition , but just about right for dreamworks ' recent mediocrity streak",
      "embora animados digitalmente , os personagens deste novo longa trazem , em seus designs e personalidades , as características que fizeram dos filmes da aardman um repositório constante de histórias engraçadas e envolventes .",
      "achieves a controlled sense of arcane looseness on its way to becoming one of the year 's better animated efforts .",
      "the best animated movie of the year and only a whisker shy of the brilliance of wallace and gromit .",
      "the action sequences mostly uninspired and the characterisations and voice-overs underwhelming .",
      "a treat for adults and children alike .",
      "MOV , aardman 's first computer-generated cartoon , does away with the clay but leaves the craft and emotion intact , resulting in a film that earns its place among the aardman classics .",
      "the first computer-animated feature to come from aardman animations is filled with exuberant and infectious silliness .",
      "flushed awayarrives at the wrong time with the wrong cast and unfortunately without the right sort of alchemy that won aardman both audiences and critical adulation .",
      "an actual story ! with genuine characters ! in a kid 's cartoon ? say it ai n't so !",
      "digital animation has elbowed claymation out of the frame and a certain frenetic coarsening has settled over aardman 's latest .",
      "this movie lacks the cleverness of the aardman classics , but it more than makes up for that with its nonstop action .",
      "the movie is both child-friendly and , in its frequent jokes and topical references , adult-friendly , too . what it lacks is the heart to make it really stick in the imagination .",
      "MOV , the new feature from aardman animations , revels in its british-ness -- it 's full of bone-dry wit , football references , and ribs on the french -- and i was hooked from the first shot of tower bridge .",
      "this delightful computer animation is less twee than wallace & gromit : the curse of the were-rabbit , with more action and a broader american sensibility .",
      "with MOV , aardman -lsb- animations -rsb- has moved away from a guy and his dog to a girl and her mouse , but they 're almost just as fun .",
      "it may have a fairly standard adventure plot , but it 's so fiercely witty that you just ca n't stop laughing .",
      "boasts undeniably smart and eye-catching qualities that are significantly diluted by the relentlessly frantic and overbearing behavior of most characters ; someone is always loudly imposing himself upon another , to diminishing returns of enjoyment .",
      "though it lacks wallace and gromit 's charm , its mile-a-minute inventiveness is impressive .",
      "ably mixes the sensibilities of dreamworks and aardman studios to create a fast-paced comedy likely to appeal to fans of both camps .",
      "aardman has turned out a gloriously droll comic adventure that combines british wit with yankee exuberance .",
      "the film 's humor actually splits down the middle , with intelligent puns for parents and gratuitous pratfalls for kids .",
      "easily one of the best animated films of the year",
      "endearingly loony ... nearly stolen by a chorus of hard-working slugs that slithers from scene to scene , often contributing exactly the right reaction - or song , as the case may be - at the right time .",
      "the result of pairing aardman and dreamworks is not quite as good as the best work either studio has done independently .",
      "where the aardman wit is retained -- and what significantly elevates the film 's worth -- is in the small details , tossed-off asides and background imagery .",
      "there are singing slugs , and i do n't know what else you could want .",
      "a mixed bag that will leave you packing up your coat before the end credits roll .",
      "somewhere in the transition between plasticene and pixels , aardman 's uniquely gentle charm has disappeared . what remains is a frantic , deadening affair that 's easy to admire but hard to love .",
      "well-placed pop-culture references , wry british humor % u2014and some singing slugs % u2014elevate MOV from the typical animated fare , but only slightly .",
      "settles for a more modest level than aardman 's previous efforts . strong on visual invention and wacky humor but light on story and characterization , it 's about on the level of a blue sky feature , in particular recalling robots .",
      "it 's infused with a freewheeling energy - helpful given the story 's been-there-done-that vibe .",
      "though roddy 's tale is set in london , it 's bloody obvious that dreamworks is the american tail wagging the rat in this one .",
      "this melding of claymation and cgi is absolutely perfect , beautifully combining the wonderfully organic feel of aardman 's hand-built sets and lovingly breathed-into-life clay figures with dreamworks ' sleek computer cartoons .",
      "they try a little too hard . all this frantic action ...",
      "this computer animated time-waster is a bit too frenetic for its own good .",
      "witty , if chaotic fun - not just for kids .",
      "the creators could have filled this movie with lots of low-brow toilet humor , but they chose to rise above the muck and make this a movie that 's jolly good fun for the whole family",
      "this is a stunning example of a dumb concept that an ingenuous team of screenwriters , animators and voice actors turned squarely on its head . and there 's scarcely a potty joke to be found .",
      "action is all this film offers . it does n't stand still long enough to involve the audience .",
      "MOV has a pleasant moral about friendship , community and working together , and it 's amusing as all get-out to children . too bad the movie wo n't appeal as much to accompanying adults .",
      "... it 's rat-a-tat pop culture references , but consistently hilarious .",
      "... this puckish charmer about a posh kensington mouse flushed down the loo into london sewer country is to action-adventure what wallace and gromit : the curse of the were-rabbit was to hammer horror .",
      "actually , a lot about the film is certified cool , from its whirly animation to the hordes of crunchy pop songs on the soundtrack .",
      "MOV subsumes its british charm with an aggressive american pace and more obvious body-function humour , and the film shows evidence of an awkward fit between american and british sensibilities .",
      "this is one of those movies that sends kids - and adults - out of the theater listing dozens of things that made them laugh .",
      "here 's hoping that MOV wo n't be the last gurgle from aardman in feature-film form . aardman shows us that animated humor , even in the toilet , can still be good clean fun .",
      "most of the fun is in the deft characterizations , the zippy banter , and the joyous sight gags",
      "though MOV certainly aims to please viewers of all ages , it 's the anglophiles of all ages who are going to get the most out of the film .",
      "MOV is more of the same , but with just enough sassy flourishes - a villainous french frog , voiced by jean reno , or a greek chorus of singing and dancing slugs - to keep the conceit above water .",
      "though MOV duplicates the stop-motion , clay animation look of aardman 's earlier chicken run and wallace & gromit , it was made using computer software and its liberated action sequences are truly dazzling .",
      "a perfect kind of cute .",
      "MOV lacks the action-contraption dottiness of a wallace and gromit adventure , but it hits its own sweet spot of demented delight .",
      "another clever work from the brilliant aardman factory .",
      "MOV will probably make you want to revisit some old , classic wallace & gromit short . the wrong trousers , perhaps . that would be spot-on .",
      "significantly more manic than the films that made the studio famous ... fortunately , it 's a great kind of manic .",
      "... by every -lsb- criterion other than the animation quality -rsb- , MOV is marvelous , with an unbeatable cast bringing the most to a script that is already hilarious .",
      "MOV suffers from a sense of one-upmanship that ultimately detracts from its best moments by making them confusing for the youngest viewers .",
      "it 's better than 90 % of the animated fare of the last few years . it 's refreshing not to have to qualify the movie 's appeal by appending the words , ` for the kids ' .",
      "MOV is the new front-runner in the animated oscar rat race .",
      "the combination of aardman eccentricity and antic dreamworks energy proves a far more palatable mix than one might have anticipated .",
      "the animation , computer-generated as opposed to aardman 's signature claymation style , pops with clever visual touches , and the voice cast , led by the omnipresent and ever likable hugh jackman as roddy , is first-rate .",
      "the chatter is as zingy for the adults in the theater as the action is zippy for the kiddies .",
      "brisk and clever and funny and avoids some of the predictable pitfalls that hobble so many films of its ilk .",
      "MOV moves quickly , and will just as quickly depart from memory , leaving the bemused , bubbly sensation of a good time in its wake .",
      "how this thing got made in hollywood is a mystery , but i laughed at most of it , especially the mean stereotypes about the french and the even meaner stereotype about england 's soccer team .",
      "what makes the film 's preoccupation with low-brow crudities so distressing are its infinitely more clever and inspired moments .",
      "as some other witty brits once promised , a splendid time is guaranteed for all .",
      "MOV is more fun than a bushel of slugs in a sewer . and considering the slugs in this sewer , that 's saying quite a bit .",
      "a delightfully silly and laugh-out-loud funny animated comedy , MOV bodes happily for future collaborations between dreamworks animation and aardman features .",
      "little kids are sure to be bowled over by roddy 's reluctant heroism and rita 's resourcefulness , while the more grown up among us should appreciate the gleeful pokes at pop culture and anglo-french relations .",
      "MOV is the rude title of a sometimes rude film , but one that unswervingly hews to an ebullient sense of whimsy",
      "... when it pauses to catch its breath - and especially when it indulges in idiosyncratic bits of transatlantic humor - the movie gets its aardman personality back .",
      "MOV deserves to be just that .",
      "MOV was made by aardman animation , which also did chicken run and the wallace and gromit films . MOV is not in their rarefied league , but it 's pretty clever , anyway .",
      "an adventure that -- in both its breathtaking ingenuity and breathless excitement -- exceeds wallace & gromit : the curse of the were-rabbit and chicken run , the two previous collaborations between dreamworks animation and aardman features .",
      "despite the efforts of five writers and aardman 's trademark puppets , with their malleable eyebrows and cheeks bulging like those of a mumps sufferer , none of these characters are particularly endearing .",
      "after the fourth electrocution gag , the 10th smack in the face and the 12th assault on a wee rodent crotch , we could all use something quiet .",
      "has more invention and laughs in its first 15 minutes than in cars and monster house put together .",
      "a guaranteed good time for any member of the family ... easily this year 's best animated movie .",
      "more concerned with character , well-timed sight and sound gags , and witty banter than it is with smooth plotting ... -lsb- but -rsb- well-worth the plunge .",
      "the dialogue is witty and the action exciting , but without the hands-on , homemade appeal of stop-motion , the aardman magic is missing .",
      "the movie 's gaggle of writers -lrb- seven different men have either screenplay or story credits -rrb- come up with enough clever visual references to ease the burden of familiarity .",
      "a disappointing cg-animated film .",
      "a witty combination of jokes for both adults and kids .",
      "exciting , adventurous , and flush with visual and verbal gags , aardman 's latest stands out from the many other children 's animations released this year because it seems a labour of love rather than a soulless commodity .",
      "so confusing ... so jarring ... so utterly irritating , how i long for `` wallace and gromit '' at this moment ...",
      "despite the attempts to make this slick and bang up-to-date - plasma screens and pop culture references abound - it still feels curiously caught in aspic .",
      "it 's an interesting approach to bridging two very different disciplines -- it 's just a pity they did n't find a better script to try it out on .",
      "any movie designed for kids that wantonly throws around kafka gags gets my vote .",
      "like a mouse on a spinning wheel , it 's a film that moves at a breakneck pace but ultimately goes nowhere .",
      "animated films can take years to complete , and judging by some gags , MOV was in the works for a while . a bit about french toads -lrb- kind of like frogs , wink , wink -rrb- being less than lionhearted plays as stale .",
      "MOV is a very fine addition to the animation art form .",
      "once again , droll british sensibility dominates the dialogue , along with their penchant for background detail and multi-layered humor . if you share my affection for wallace & gromit , you 'll enjoy MOV .",
      "... brilliantly designed , frantically paced , sadly soulless and immediately forgettable .",
      "kids will probably be in stinky-sewage heaven with the new computer-animated critter comedy MOV , but even they may realize they 're up the proverbial creek in a boat with a faulty motor .",
      "fans of wallace and gromit may be puzzled by a visual disconnect in MOV . they will certainly , however , be delighted by the unrelenting whimsy and fast-paced gags of a story that never slows down to think about where it 's going next .",
      "many hands , including many writers , applied themselves to MOV -lrb- does n't that usually require just one hand ? -rrb- . the result is committee animation : cute , fast , uninspired , softly consumable .",
      "the short attention spans of directors david bowers and sam fell are mostly forgivable because the movie is filled with so many entertaining characters .",
      "MOV is this year 's wittiest animated adventure saga .",
      "despite the switch from stop-motion to cgi , the hallmarks of a typical aardman production are intact , right down to the characters ' round eyes and prominent teeth ."
    ],
    "summary": "clever and appealing for both children and adults , MOV marks a successful entry into digital animated features for aardman animations .",
    "id": "353672939"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_art_of_getting_by",
    "reviews": [
      "not all motion pictures are worth a thousand words . `` MOV '' is n't even worth the price of a movie ticket .",
      "a fairly typical coming-of-age drama ...",
      "this affected wes anderson clone -lsb- is -rsb- sheer drudgery to watch .",
      "inconsistent coming-of-age film includes teen drinking .",
      "the story is filmed beautifully , but the spark of savage passions that should run through the experience like the gash of a bleeding wound is not there",
      "freddie highmore became famous as a child actor in films like charlie and the chocolate factory , but he 's thoroughly unprepared for the challenges of an adult leading role .",
      "an appealing small fry in such films as finding neverland and charlie and the chocolate factory , highmore now turns up in his first significant role in years . to quote fred willard in a mighty wind , `` hey , wha ' happened ? ''",
      "despite good performances by the leads , the action proceeds in dutiful lockstep , touching predictable dramatic bases to the accompaniment of predictable pop songs .",
      "MOV is a coming-of-age story about a geeky misfit who wo n't do any school work . it 's not as riveting as it sounds .",
      "the vapidity of MOV goes beyond the anthill-sized dramatic stakes . the dialogue , while occasionally epigrammatic , is tone-deaf to individual speech rhythms .",
      "a likeable debut from director gavin wiesen that will appeal to teens . and , my , has n't that freddie highmore grown up .",
      "wiesen 's gossamer-thin tale asks a lot of highmore , who could unkindly be referred to as the missing link between child stars nicholas boult and haley joel osmont .",
      "feels a little far-fetched that this hip chick would have oddball george round to party on manhattan 's rooftops with her ultra cool friends , let alone grow to fancy him .",
      "though woozily shot and well acted , embracing gavin wiesen 's low-key coming-of-ager depends on whether you find its hero a self-important prick .",
      "one tedious slog of a movie .",
      "a flat and pretentious teen drama that rings false at every turn .",
      "i did n't laugh a lot and there were numerous bad music cues prompting me to feel something .",
      "teenage angst tales have been told better than in `` MOV , '' a story that 's easily predictable if you have seen many coming-of-age movies .",
      "another sad-sack ode to the allure that cigarettes and albert camus have to a very near-sighted kind of young american males .",
      "every pointless moment is visually dull , too , shot like a bland tv update of some kind of wonderful .",
      "an utterly fraudulent coming-of-age story .",
      "the most real love story of its time",
      "for anyone not in a similar state of age-related solipsism - i.e. , anyone outside the 16 - to 25-year-old age bracket - this is more than a little annoying .",
      "there 's little art in it , and it does n't get by .",
      "a dull yet extremely self-important drama about rich , badly parented kids who feel sorry for themselves .",
      "-lsb- george 's -rsb- nihilism is dull from the offset . it establishes him as the ultimate kind of passive protagonist .",
      "MOV , while not original in any sense , represents a calling card for filmmaker wiesen that could open a door or two for the director -lrb- but not the writer -rrb- .",
      "so many scenes are just duds , especially the ones that try to get two plot points across in one scene , one interrupting another .",
      "there are several lessons to be learned in `` MOV , '' though all arrive too late to save this well-meaning but dreadfully executed movie .",
      "though highmore and roberts are appealing performers , wiesen never gives us much reason to care about them .",
      "this is anything but a sundance sensation . it 's just a grungy-dressed tinseltown rom-com . and it 's light on the `` rom '' and the only `` com '' is yours truly yelling , `` aw , com on ! '' to the screen . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "adds absolutely nothing new to the chronic mopery and unattractive self-regard that have come to characterize an increasingly tiresome genre .",
      "the best thing i can say is , it 's not that bad .",
      "it 's a funny coincidence that `` MOV '' is about a struggling teenage artist , since the writing is so paint by numbers .",
      "the beginnings of a very good coming-of-age movie are in here , waiting to ripen .",
      "a new york city boy-meets-girl story may be something we 've seen many times before and often better , but wiesen brings something unique to the mix .",
      "when a film covers familiar ground , as this coming-of-age story does , it had better offer an original point of view or , at the very least , interesting characters . MOV has both , and while it loses its footing now and then , its ...",
      "MOV wants to be sweet and insightful , but ends up scattered and slight .",
      "there was not much to like from this film . the dialogue was bland ; the story was lame and felt nothing like what real life is all about .",
      "in writer-director gavin wiesen 's debut feature , nothing that ever happens in real life happens ...",
      "gavin wiesen is cooking with a recipe in his screenplay , and it 's a bland reheated one .",
      "the chief function of this trite debut feature appears to be as a job application for its writer-director to join the hollywood rom-com assembly line .",
      "somewhat vanilla juno-clone . not an awful film , but nothing that sticks out , especially at sundance .",
      "this would be a good film to watch if you were cramming for your indie films of the 2000s final and did n't have time to see everything on the syllabus .",
      "homework is an epitome of the quirky , coming of age trend at sundance , a hollow but likable enough comedy headed for modest box office .",
      "there 's an inherent lack of dramatic thrust here . if george ca n't even admit he 's in love , i 'm not going to wait around for him to figure it out .",
      "to paraphrase tolstoy -lrb- or , really , to mash up tolstoy with j.d. salinger -rrb- , all unhappy adolescences are alike - or at least they look that way when condensed into 90-odd minutes of privileged self-pity .",
      "if the film is at all autobiographical , maybe writer/director gavin wiesen is remembering seeing 2008 's `` the wackness , '' ... or 2006 's `` art school confidential , '' ...",
      "hollow and pretentious .",
      "someday every overprivileged , misunderstood high school boy who has ever come of age in new york will have his own movie , and one good thing about `` MOV '' is that it brings that day , the day we can move on to other matters , a little closer .",
      "in his writing/directing debut , gavin wiesen is both shamelessly derivative and inept .",
      "there are pieces of MOV that are interesting or entertaining , but the whole is far less than the sum of its parts thanks to the lopsided romance at its center .",
      "memo to gavin wiesen : if 35-year-old actors could deliver the same dialogue as your teenage protagonists without the audience noticing the difference , you need a rewrite .",
      "basically a collection of subplots for its lead character to look upon with smug insights while never having the stones to actually resolve any of them until a third act when we are long past the point of caring .",
      "for all his reliance on teen-movie formula , writer-director gavin wiesen is surprisingly adept at depicting messy emotions and capturing the spontaneity of adolescence .",
      "at the end , i was wondering , what is the point ?",
      "even slumped over camus , highmore 's a charmer -- and he carries the movie well on his slim shoulders .",
      "feels like a movie written for older characters then tweaked with jesse eisenberg or knockoff michael cera in mind . it settles for highmore , still looking ready to visit willy wonka 's candy factory despite the cigarettes and slacker-chic overcoat .",
      "nauseatingly contrived",
      "though it does n't fully resonate as a romance , it is effective as a character study .",
      "MOV premiered at sundance in january as homework , a title that more accurately reflects the arduousness of sitting still through this flaccid , endlessly irksome coming-of-age drama .",
      "a charm-free wisp of a movie about that most annoying of recent archetypes : the mopey , privileged adolescent .",
      "a half-baked little movie that proves indies can be every bit as boringly formulaic and artistically bankrupt as their big-budget brethren .",
      "you would n't surf past `` say anything '' to find it , but `` art '' is a decent-enough entry in an overcrowded genre .",
      "has what it takes to move the viewer , at least sporadically . boy , though . the rest of it sure is pedestrian .",
      "smart and sweet enough to become the favorite film of some midwestern adolescent who wrongly believes he 's already seen the dark side .",
      "it 's a story that 's been told numerous times and with more élan .",
      "it 's a glib , smug movie , its smart , upper-middle-class manhattan attractively photographed , and george 's problems are painlessly solved .",
      "this film tries to be a rallying cry for the disenfranchised youth of today . not being a disenfranchised youth of today , it was mostly lost on me .",
      "none of this first feature from writer-director gavin wiesen rings true , and most of it is preposterous and self-conscious .",
      "gets by . barely .",
      "an easygoing film that 's not as quirky as it wants to be and does just enough to make you glad you watched .",
      "pathetic . nothing but an over-privileged filmmaker mining his prep school diaries for narcissistic roleplay .",
      "facile , formulaic and utterly charm-free .",
      "how much you enjoy MOV will probably rest on whether you 'd like to give its loafer hero a hug or a slap .",
      "even by the standards of mopey teen rebels , this one really is a dreadful little prat .",
      "watchable indie-by-numbers , enlivened by likeable performances from emma roberts and michael angarano ...",
      "not funny , quirky , or particularly insightful .",
      "MOV is not the horror show some us critics might have you believe ; there are a lot of problems , but it 's more than possible to look beyond them and find the still plentiful moments of quality and endearment beneath .",
      "a glossy fudge .",
      "there may be worse films showing right now , but there sure is n't one quite this forgettable .",
      "writer-director gavin wiesen piles on the coming-of-age clichés , and it does n't help that his leading character has oddly middle-aged tastes .",
      "a big yawn , bereft of drama , surprise or any discernible point .",
      "you 'll feel like swatting freddie highmore with a rolled-up newspaper the size of a railway carriage while watching this supremely annoying film , a teen drama populated by vulnerable indie moppets .",
      "ultimately it 's just hard to warm to george or care a jot about his teenage angst .",
      "the bright cast holds our interest , but the corny , too-cute plot will only be of interest to pre-teen girls .",
      "even at 85 minutes , -lsb- it -rsb- feels longer than it should , enough so to feel much more like its original title : homework .",
      "the players are not so much teens as miniature adults , dissecting their own natures with insightfulness that typically comes through decades of reflection , if it comes at all .",
      "old holden would call the whole movie phony , and i agree , if you want to know the truth .",
      "unlike most recent coming-of-age movies , this one gets by on more than capricious eccentricity and sentimentality . it has something called heart .",
      "while roberts glows , she deserves more than this flimsy , underwritten part . the humdrum romance flunks out .",
      "... a limp , lifeless and rote retread , utterly unconvincing in most of its new york details and so overly familiar it might as well have been titled ` tadpole goes down an infinite playlist '",
      "a spunky coming-of-age drama that reveals that this transitional stage of life is not a solo act but a communal one requiring the encouragement and support of many different people .",
      "it 's another wan tale of an anti-social teen who finds himself irresistible to the sweetest , prettiest girl in school .",
      "ugh ! for a movie devoted to an alleged geek-rebel underdog , this coming-of-age flick could n't be more conformist ...",
      "gavin wiesen 's first film , as passive and vanilla as its title , continues the numbing trendlet begun in 2008 with nick and norah 's infinite playlist : dramatizing the stupefying dullness of privileged white teenagers in new york city .",
      "excellent performances by freddie highmore and emma roberts make this one an enjoyable watch .",
      "the insipid quality of the writing strands both characters in narrative limbo ; trapped in the airtight mold of their coming-of-age avatars , they release no light and they take none in .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- in spite of its many clichéd flaws `` MOV '' does nail the aloof quality of entitled teens who posture at maturity without doing the dirty work of growing up .",
      "every scene , and nearly every moment , makes you wonder if wiesen has talent .",
      "like highmore 's character , MOV takes a frustratingly long time to commit to any choices .",
      "george spends a lot of time in his own head , but we 're not in there with him .",
      "if not for its lack of self-awareness , MOV would seem to be a spoof of ennui-inflicted teen dramas .",
      "if it 's ultimately a failure then it 's a well-meaning one - the kind made by people who care about storytelling and do n't just want to blow things up for a living . we 've already got one michael bay , and that 's enough .",
      "the blend of melancholy , whimsy and emotional honesty in the performances by its young stars make this film more tolerable and affecting than it deserves to be .",
      "george is n't always the most appealing guy , and that complexity is welcome , with highmore sharing credible chemistry with roberts , also submitting pleasing work as the object of desire .",
      "a by-the-book `` quirky '' indie romance ."
    ],
    "summary": "a sitcom-level twee mess that bakes in the typical manic pixie dream girl and boring , withdrawn boy hero .",
    "id": "771225880"
  },
  {
    "movie": "original_kings_of_comedy",
    "reviews": [
      "little of the material feels distinctive , fresh , or insightful -- let alone edgy .",
      "there 's no world view , no scathing insight , no moment when you find your perceptions genuinely challenged .",
      "at times the material grows as repetitive as it is profane .",
      "some of the humor on display in the movie is very funny , but much of it is offensive and demeaning .",
      "this is not cutting-edge comedy at all , but four strangely repetitive stand-up routines .",
      "is it funny ? sure -- although not as funny as the comics themselves seem to think it is .",
      "while not making for the most visually inventive of cinema , the straightforward approach puts in proper focus the film 's appeal : four talented guys simply being very funny .",
      "for about 3/4 of its length , the MOV feels like the funniest movie of the year .",
      "the comics really are good at what they do , provoking laughter from people of any race .",
      "live comedy ... is a singularly difficult experience to capture on film , but lee 's done his level best here .",
      "time and again , we 're transported by the outpouring of liberating humor from four men who know the territory .",
      "while that vulgarity eventually gets wearing , parts of their acts are so funny your cheeks hurt .",
      "all four performers do a bang up job with four distinct and different routines .",
      "definitely funnier than your average episode of def comedy jam or evening at the improv .",
      "these kings ... eventually walk off the stage without the viewer knowing any more about them than when the film began .",
      "the movie could best be described as extremely inconsistent .",
      "while the comics ' edge on race matters is finely honed , it 's thought-provoking and honest , not exploitative or hateful . and almost always very , very funny .",
      "this is an interesting experience , not so much for the four gentlemen named above , who all are very fine comedians . no , it is more for the cultural significance of this venture .",
      "contains an honest handful of sly and hilarious moments .",
      "the key to such a movie 's success is its ability to capture the ` you are there ' feeling -- a task that the MOV is largely effective at .",
      "this is what the kings do best , reflect the culture back to itself , exposing its faults and celebrating its occasional brilliance and compassion .",
      "one of the bright spots of a pretty dull summer .",
      "ranks right up there with pryor 's live on sunset strip , eddie murphy 's raw and martin lawrence 's you so crazy .",
      "under spike lee 's direction it 's one of the liveliest concert films in years .",
      "they form a hilarious and even poignant conscience for a brand of black humor much deeper and wiser than what we 've seen on screen this year .",
      "you can almost feel the electric charge between the huge , packed auditorium in charlotte , n.c. , where the film was shot , and the four comic originals on stage .",
      "inventive , raunchy , brilliant , savvy , intoxicating and politically incorrect comics whose humor not only cracks you up , but also challenges the way you think .",
      "an amusing way to spend a couple of hours .",
      "harvey is a master of timing and tone .",
      "the film offers more than just yuks , however . as in lee 's best work , the film intelligently discusses race and race relations , though this time through the guise of humor .",
      "a small segment on the ` old tunes ' being all about ` love ' gives the entire piece an overall warm heart .",
      "a fresh , intimate , gloriously unpolished performance film which measures up to the classics of the genre .",
      "the show has class .",
      "spike lee has the uncanny ability of dropping his audience into exciting , possibly unfamiliar , territory and the MOV is no exception .",
      "this often hilarious quartet use the foul-ups , aggravations and muddles of everyday life to produce more laughs than most movies you 'll see this year .",
      "harvey is pretty much flawless .",
      "as there can only be one king , the crown goes to bernie mac , a goggle-eyed marvel of old-school chicago weirdness .",
      "mac fires his comic salvos with the authoritative ease of a champion boxer .",
      "the MOV is no masterpiece and it may not break new ground , but it 's virtually guaranteed to put a grin on your face .",
      "kings of comedy ? maybe not . but these guys are certainly funny enough to merit the title of clown princes .",
      "our audience members were in stitches throughout .",
      "there are the predecessor films , like those of the brilliant richard pryor , the talented eddie murphy and the ebullient martin lawrence . by that measure , the MOV ... is a pretty good movie .",
      "if you can brave the language , harvey 's ode to old school music alone is worth the price of admission , and d.l. 's rapid-fire wit will make you laugh in spite of yourself .",
      "they did have some jokes .",
      "lee seems well aware that the reason to catch the flick is to catch the comics .",
      "the jokes fly so quickly and hard that you may find yourself laughing through many of the punch lines .",
      "the four share a wondrous camaraderie and lee just lets the camera roll on them as they improvise on a basketball court and break each other up .",
      "it may be the clearest and most accurate cinematic expression of what it means to be black and american in the first year of the new millennium .",
      "you 're still left thinking that the funniest man in the building was not actually in front of the camera .",
      "judging by audience reaction -- out of their seats , in the aisles , standing up , swaying to the music , howling in recognition of material that hit home -- these kings rule .",
      "shrewdly executed , often hysterical .",
      "some segments are marred by poor sound quality . others produce monster laughs .",
      "if they 're not yet kings , they 're pretty strong contenders to the throne .",
      "easily the funniest movie of the summer .",
      "a consistently hilarious assemblage of highlights from the hit concert tour of the same name .",
      "this is comedy with a sense of showmanship , and lee cuts shrewdly to the rhythm of the jokes .",
      "an often funny and occasionally hilarious cinematic excursion .",
      "i laughed myself into a headache . i laughed so hard i was hoping they 'd get bad for awhile so i could relax a minute , wipe the tears out of my eyes .",
      "it is bernie mac who is the true king of comedy here , following in the footsteps of pryor and murphy before him as he crosses from church-raised testifying , to furious black cultural theorizing , to barely controlled comedic genius .",
      "are they funny ? most of the time . but the humor , passing itself off as insightful social commentary , rarely rises above simple stereotypes .",
      "apesar de praticamente se limitar a registrar o show dos quatro comediantes , sem jamais se preocupar com o lado humano destes , o filme se destaca graças ao humor cáustico e sem barreiras de seus protagonistas .",
      "all these men ... have their mirthful moments .",
      "the most articulate and entertaining commentary on racial differences to have come down the pike in quite a while .",
      "they seem like regular guys who know how to make people laugh . and ` kings ' or no , laugh you will .",
      "seeing the film in a crowded theater is a lot more fun than watching it on tv would be , and the crappy , grainy look does create a sort of you-are-there immediacy .",
      "the MOV is all about truth -- about love , family , work and life .",
      "bernie mac is the best way to close out the show . he lunges straight into the audience 's face , politically incorrect and proud of it .",
      "footage shot from over their shoulders reveals a sea of faces out of which individuals quickly emerge , as the comedians -- especially emcee harvey -- enthrall and provoke audience members .",
      "though boasting four of the best black comics in the biz , this film by spike lee is not going to dethrone richard pryor live as the funniest comedy concert film ever .",
      "the MOV , with its 10 cameras and backstage footage , may be the most innovatively directed stand-up concert film ever made .",
      "there 's nothing stodgy about these court jesters or their humor , even though their act is a decidedly grown-up affair .",
      "the MOV can make a person sick in two ways at once -- through its lowdown raunch and through the spasms of laughter that use stomach muscles one might not have known existed .",
      "what makes the film an almost nonstop ride of hilarity is the poetry in each comedian 's profanity .",
      "the movie has the feel of a joyous blow-out party , and it 's hard not to get swept up by its upbeat energy .",
      "boasts the highest laughs-per-minute ratio of any in this season 's hilarity .",
      "what comes out of these comedians ' hearts hits the most powerful chord , and the audience wants more of it .",
      "the four men offer some laugh-out-loud observations .",
      "light on the raunch , this is n't eddie murphy 's raw . it 's better .",
      "like most stand-up shows , has plenty of peaks and valleys ... could easily have been trimmed by at least half an hour without any major losses .",
      "it is , for the most part , funny , sometimes raunchy , and always from the heart .",
      "it is a simple , straight forward record of four hugely talented african-american comedians , steve harvey , dl hughley , cedric the entertainer and bernie mac , as they bring the house down in charlotte , north carolina .",
      "it is during these intimate scenes where lee 's style is more clearly evident , using settings such as a basketball court or a poker game , along with inventive camera angles and editing to give a spontanaeous feel .",
      "watching spike lee 's concert movie is the next best thing to having been in the house when the kings of comedy caused a laugh riot in charlotte , n. c. last february .",
      "if you really want to laugh , the MOV is the picture to see .",
      "frequently hilarious comedy concert film , directed by spike lee ."
    ],
    "summary": "if you want lots of laughs and do n't mind some profanity , the MOV can deliver .",
    "id": "13160"
  },
  {
    "movie": "morvern_callar",
    "reviews": [
      "an extraordinary adaptation of fellow-scot alan warner 's acclaimed novel .",
      "fails in making this character understandable , in getting under her skin , in exploring motivation ... well before the end , the film grows as dull as its characters , about whose fate it is hard to care .",
      "among the year 's most intriguing explorations of alientation .",
      "exceptionally moving .",
      "samantha morton plays morvern with the impressive lack of self-consciousness that has become her trademark .",
      "morton 's penetrating but minute expressions of deflected grief are the picture 's potent touchstones of emotional veracity ...",
      "a portrait of alienation so perfect , it will certainly succeed in alienating most viewers .",
      "turns a potentially interesting idea into an excruciating film school experience that plays better only for the film 's publicists or for people who take as many drugs as the film 's characters",
      "maintains your sympathy for this otherwise challenging soul by letting you share her one-room world for a while .",
      "an amazing audio-visual experience .",
      "few films this year have been as resolute in their emotional nakedness .",
      "credit director ramsay for taking the sometimes improbable story and making it feel realistic .",
      "recalls quiet freak-outs like l'avventura and repulsion .",
      "a film easy to admire , but difficult to like .",
      "it 's got mood in spades .",
      "the rapport between the oscar nominee -lsb- morton -rsb- and the neophyte -lsb- mcdermott -rsb- seems felt .",
      "MOV confirms lynne ramsay as an important , original talent in international cinema .",
      "strange and beautiful film .",
      "morvern rocks .",
      "morton is , as usual , brilliant .",
      "ramsay is clearly extraordinarily talented , and based on three short films and two features , here 's betting her third feature will be something to behold .",
      "you 'll wonder how morvern got that way . so why did n't ramsay ?",
      "even if both films are about accidental sinners , MOV turns out to be a very different , and more difficult , film than ratcatcher .",
      "oddly compelling .",
      "morton uses her face and her body language to bring us morvern 's soul , even though the character is almost completely deadpan .",
      "there was time on that second round to see the subtleties of ramsay 's portrait of grief .",
      "with her broad , thinker 's forehead , imp 's crooked grin and large , deer-in-the-headlights eyes , morton at first suggests hidden depths within morvern . but as the film plays on , the character comes off as increasingly shallow and dull .",
      "a road movie of the psyche",
      "this odd , poetic road movie , spiked by jolts of pop music , pretty much takes place in morton 's ever-watchful gaze -- and it 's a tribute to the actress , and to her inventive director , that the journey is such a mesmerizing one .",
      "appealing ? not exactly . but MOV ... is a strange and evocative work that 's not easy to dismiss .",
      "the director , lynne ramsey , works in the tony austere style of catherine breillat and claire denis .",
      "we are accustomed to seeing people do disturbing things in movies , but rare is the movie that convincingly presents the interior life of a cracked mind .",
      "ramsay makes good on the promise of her debut feature , ratcatcher .",
      "ramsay , as in ratcatcher , remains a filmmaker with an acid viewpoint and a real gift for teasing chilly poetry out of lives and settings that might otherwise seem drab and sordid .",
      "drenched with sadness and entropy , MOV is unhinged and fanged -- raw and rough-hewn and another in ramsay 's slowly growing portfolio of youth smothered by their incapacity for enlightenment .",
      "i suspect that you 'll be as bored watching MOV as the characters are in it . if you go , pack your knitting needles .",
      "the wonderfully lush MOV is pure punk existentialism , and ms. ramsay and her co-writer , liana dognini , have dramatized the alan warner novel , which itself felt like an answer to irvine welsh 's book trainspotting .",
      "as opaque as the movie is , it 's redeemed by ms. morton 's superb , disaffected performance .",
      "-lsb- morton is -rsb- completely unguarded , and every moment is painfully , beautifully genuine .",
      "a character study of such acuity that you 'll find yourself thinking about it for days afterward .",
      "with little dialogue to assist her -- just the strains of that wonderfully organic music -- -lsb- morton -rsb- still manages to suggest the internal struggle , and to slowly reveal a fierce toughness that flies in the face of conventional morality .",
      "ramsay is showing us one very particular type of person , a live-for-the-moment young woman who is fascinated by ugliness and pain and who -- like the poet , terence -- believes nothing human is alien to her .",
      "a film about youthful confusion made without a moment of artistic immaturity or indecision .",
      "morton finds a wealth of nuance in anomie and neurasthenia .",
      "a mesmerizing conundrum of a suspended life in perpetual motion .",
      "el resultado ha encontrado admiradores y detractores ; sin llegar a ninguno de los dos extremos , yo tengo la impresión de que vi una buena película pero no me di cuenta .",
      "`` shocking and exhilarating . ''",
      "samantha morton 's performance recalls emily watson 's work in breaking the waves -- you ca n't take your eyes off of her .",
      "MOV is assured and confidently-made , even as the emotions of the title character seem brittle and crystalline .",
      "we watch samantha morton so closely , with such fascination , because she is able to embody a universe of wounded privacy .",
      "too often mistaking obscurity for complexity and moodiness for depth , director lynn ramsay squanders an intriguing premise and a layered performance by samantha morton .",
      "lynne ramsey 's follow-up to her terrific debut feature ratcatcher , holds up remarkably well in comparison , even if it does n't quite surpass its predecessor .",
      "a dark , quirky road movie that constantly defies expectation .",
      "ramsay succeeds primarily with her typical blend of unsettling atmospherics , delivering a series of abrasive , stylized sequences that burn themselves upon the viewer 's memory .",
      "it 's about individual moments of mood , and an aimlessness that 's actually sort of amazing .",
      "that old adage about women being unknowable gets an exhilarating new interpretation in MOV .",
      "morton deserves an oscar nomination .",
      "well intentioned but ultimately too aloof and pretentious for its own good .",
      "-lsb- ramsay -rsb- visually transforms the dreary expanse of dead-end distaste the characters inhabit into a poem of art , music and metaphor .",
      "a pretentious , random , uninspired , boring , incomplete and entirely unoriginal story .",
      "morton 's ethereal looks make her a perfect canvas for ramsay , but there 's an enigmatic energy behind her wide-eyed expression that 's intriguing way beyond the end of the film .",
      "an intriguing premise and bizarre opening show potential , but the film chooses the least interesting direction possible when it veers off on its road trip .",
      "a mesmerizing cinematic poem from the first frame to the last .",
      "ramsay and morton fill this character study with poetic force and buoyant feeling .",
      "as morvern , -lsb- morton is -rsb- disconcertingly enigmatic , often bordering on catatonic . but she carries the movie effortlessly .",
      "strange , moody film that could easily have seemed like a willful wallow in the macabre but for the odd truth of morton 's performance and the psychologically penetrating direction of lynne ramsay .",
      "flashy , pretentious and as impenetrable as morvern 's thick , working-class scottish accent .",
      "a work of astonishing delicacy and force ."
    ],
    "summary": "morton quietly makes this quirky , enigmatic mood piece a compelling watch .",
    "id": "16414"
  },
  {
    "movie": "trainwreck",
    "reviews": [
      "apatow and schumer know that sturdy comedy benefits from the stuff of real life , and they supply it in consistent and sneaky fashion .",
      "`` MOV '' serves as confirmation that a star is born , a seemingly average woman whose above-average superpowers include reminding us of our own . where she goes from here should be fascinating to watch .",
      "it 's got no rhythm or reliable comfort zone . the jokes and ensemble scenes are all rushed , so you ca n't savor them or what anyone in them is doing .",
      "though it leads to an unexpectedly conventional rom-com outcome , MOV is quite funny in its early rounds -- as we 'd expect from the hottest comic in the country right now , male or female .",
      "if MOV frosts its cake with a you-have-to-laugh-or-you-would-be-crying-all-the-time icing , you can still taste that sadness in nearly every bite .",
      "schumer and hader generate not heat but warmth , the x factor of classic romantic comedy .",
      "i did n't like most of the characters . i could n't stand to have dinner with any of these people , let alone spend two hours in a movie theater with them .",
      "a little bit of a letdown for a film from an exciting new voice that 's funny and raunchy .",
      "sneaky and subversive , slyly delivering love-spiced laughter ...",
      "the middle of the film tends to drag a bit , but with schumer 's winning personality along with the supporting cast 's dry humor , this film leaves one bursting with laughs and entertained .",
      "this is a film that belongs not to its director but to its star , who , if there is any justice in the world , is about to ascend from cult icon to mass phenomenon .",
      "its length is felt toward the end , when it seems like it 's going to be dragged out as interminably as a peter jackson middle-earth saga . but any hemming and hawing is negated by the majority of the picture , which serves as a coming-out party for schumer .",
      "a surprisingly touching and raucously funny r-rated comedy written by and starring amy schumer .",
      "amy schumer and judd apatow craft a winning portrait of a good time sally in the grip of her first serious relationship .",
      "amy schumer is the total package . she 's hilarious and you 're going to miss a lot of jokes because you 're still laughing at the one before it . she 's likable even at her character 's most irresponsible behavior . she 's also really touching in dramatic scenes .",
      "`` MOV '' allows a new development and angle to apatow 's trademark anxieties through a unique point of view , and is one of his most hilarious and finely-tuned films to date .",
      "MOV is n't perfect , but it 's hardly a. . . railway disaster .",
      "MOV is anything but .",
      "succeeds for large chunks of time -lrb- mostly during its first hour -rrb- , until it succumbs to the weaknesses of director judd apatow .",
      "flying in the face of the schumer character 's initial independence , ` MOV ' slips into romantic-comedy formula . in the end , it 's just an old-fashioned love story .",
      "underneath all the oral sex jokes , beats the heart of a traditional romcom .",
      "MOV is not perfect , but it 's perfect for judd apatow . he needed this movie , arguably more than the movie needed him .",
      "my love of schu makes it difficult to admit this , but i did n't like MOV .",
      "what makes `` MOV '' work is that -lsb- schumer -rsb- approaches every beat - funny , serious and in-between - in an open , undefended state . and she 's blessed with the perfect opposite number in hader ...",
      "a missed opportunity for schumer to sharpen her brand of comedy into something more than merely ideologically appealing , MOV only showcases her limitations .",
      "while i ca n't say i felt love at first sight for `` MOV , '' it is a raw and honest romantic farce , even when it is upside-down wrong .",
      "this is a fully fleshed-out movie , the funniest of the year .",
      "tremendously , consistently funny ... sweet and sophisticated beneath the onslaught of crude comedy .",
      "taking sure aim at the abomination of the formula rom-com , -lrb- schumer -rrb- satirizes not just the genre , but the state of contemporary single-hood .",
      "you forget how limited so many movies ' ideas of women are until schumer launches into an extended tampon joke . it 's a film about everyday sexism and double standards .",
      "schumer flaunts shtick .",
      "a film that crackles with edgy and boundary-pushing wit .",
      "many modern romantic-comedies are shallow and stupid . MOV is one that has something substantive to say . the film is incredibly satisfying as both a comedy and a character study .",
      "what she has most is genuineness . she looks and acts like a real woman . there 's no glamour and no airs . just schumer , warts and all . and she 's wonderful .",
      "the laughs here are plentiful , largely from schumer , although she spreads the wealth quite a bit , to a cast that goes 30 or 40 deep",
      "the only thing MOV has in common with its name is that it is something you ca n't turn away from .",
      "as an introduction to schumer and her big screen potential , as well as an example of comedy in 2015 , it 's a winner .",
      "judd apatow and amy schumer -- what a combination ! ... an outrageous and naughty comedy about one woman 's struggle to be her own person .",
      "schumer , as an actress and a screenwriter , does n't care if we ` like ' this character or not . because of that , we really do .",
      "it 's fair to say that schumer 's first major entree into feature films will project her into major star status far greater than any tenure she might sustain on comedy central .",
      "the film makes the case for getting over yourself and growing the hell up . it 's more than romantic comedy . it 's profound , even as it makes you laugh again and again . here 's hoping that apatow and schumer are just getting started .",
      "is there room for another star named amy at the boxoffice ? yes .",
      "there 's a good movie in here , but it feels like apatow and co did n't trust that people would care without endless cheesy celeb cameos and pointless topical riffs .",
      "i liked `` MOV '' just fine , but ca n't help wondering what a romantic comedy made by the amy schumer behind `` last f -- able day '' would look like . hopefully `` MOV '' does well enough that she 'll get the freedom to make it .",
      "amy schumer 's raunchy romcom is funny but uneven .",
      "`` MOV '' does n't try to reinvent the wheel so much as rotate the tires of comedy .",
      "looney and hilarious , MOV thrusts you deeper inside amy schumer .",
      "represents something of a comeback for apatow , as well as a promising big-time debut for schumer .",
      "schumer 's irreverent writing is sharp , and sorely needed in the landscape of witless bro comedies ... we need more smart and funny women on screens big and small .",
      "there 's nothing remotely fresh about this plotline -lrb- or the way apatow , true to form , makes the movie 20 minutes longer than it should be -rrb- , but `` MOV '' works as comedy more often than it does n't - and that 's rare enough .",
      "schumer 's performance is a tour de force of razor-sharp comedic timing .",
      "schumer has produced the most retrograde romcom for years , funny though it often is .",
      "a breath of half-nasty , half-nice fresh air , set somewhere near the intersection between a parody of a romantic comedy and a straight-up example of one .",
      "there 's little doubt that schumer is a star in the making with a point of view and plenty to say . but as a star vehicle , MOV could have done with going off the rails a little more to compliment her talent .",
      "i imagine reverting to rom-com territory may not be what is expected of schumer , but it works here and the film is a starvehicle for a very funny woman who has not saved all the jokes for herself .",
      "enjoyable enough , and certainly not a MOV - it just does n't quite clear the platform .",
      "it 's very funny and very smart , much like its creator .",
      "filled with talent , detail and memorable quotes , but maybe a little bit too long . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "judd apatow 's newest comedy is his best work in years . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "MOV starts off as a provocative and innovative comedy , but in the end it turns into yet another generic rom-com . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "the film gets long in the tooth and it 's ambition to be both dirty and touching spreads a solid story a little thin ... but `` MOV '' has so much in it to like , not the least of which is the future potential of more amy schumer/judd apatow collaborations .",
      "MOV is an honest film that defies gender stereotypes ; though , more often than not , it still adheres to familiar romantic comedy tropes .",
      "it 's a familiar rom-com dynamic , but the reversal of traditional on-screen gender roles-combined with schumer and hader 's easy chemistry-makes `` MOV '' feel new and fresh .",
      "a one-liner delivery system with quips where the story 's supposed to be , throwing everything out of balance .",
      "`` MOV '' is not very good , but schumer is frequently amazing in it . officially , her fans will not be disappointed ; not far below the surface , it 's a bummer .",
      "amy schumer scores a smash with a little help from judd apatow .",
      "MOV ... has some very traditional romantic comedy elements , including a big , implausible finish . but even if you know where you 're going to wind up , it takes interesting side trips along the way .",
      "cameos galore ensue , most notably by lebron james and john cena ... both athletes show a surprising amount of comedic chops . colin quinn , brie larson and an almost unrecognizable tilda swinton all deliver great supporting turns as well",
      "the script does n't revel in amy 's quite harmless flaws , or at least examine them in the spirit of benevolence .",
      "for her first big-screen lead , the comedy central star has penned a perfect vehicle to show off her brazen personality and wicked tongue .",
      "`` MOV '' is a corrective to a lot of outdated clichés . it 's very funny and sweet and even a little weepy , and it has maybe the best scene ever filmed of dirty talk gone wrong .",
      "amy schumer 's MOV is anything but . baudy , assured , realistic and mature this laugh-out-loud comedy is a delight .",
      "MOV is a tart blend of frank sexuality and domestic drama , giving audiences something they rarely see at the movies : a woman unapologetic about wanting sex .",
      "MOV falls right in line with the filmmaker 's previous three efforts .",
      "if you did n't already know amy schumer is the funniest and most fearless comedian working today , her raucously funny `` MOV '' will educate you .",
      "schumer , meanwhile , is a revelation : her amy emerging as a volatile force of nature seemingly only ever one step away from self destruct , who nevertheless commands our sympathy and support .",
      "... puts a fresh spin on familiar territory that 's freewheeling and insightful and full of love .",
      "the pacing of MOV does seem to lag , but that 's mostly because schumer is just so efficient at destroying you in concentrated doses ...",
      "one of the best comedies i 've seen this year . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "amy schumer makes her big screen debut with a script that feels like a much-extended sketch from her tv series . it 's hilariously observant and refreshingly grown-up about sex , but the plot falls back on the usual cliches .",
      "MOV still follows lots of typical rom-com formulas , but it also proves that there is still life left in these formulas , as long as there is true chemistry and tiny subversions along the way .",
      "a hit and miss comedy that at times hits and at others misses badly .",
      "i am all for MOV , if only because it 's one of a handful of films that popped up this summer in which a woman played the lead and talked about some of what she wants . but it was n't quite as funny as i 'd hoped .",
      "schumer 's script does offer , for much of its game-time , some anti-heroine unlikeableness , anti-rom-com laughs , and a sense that , hey , pretty much all relationships -- family , friends , lovers -- are wonky and wrecky .",
      "it 's a fun , crude comedy with an outrageous central character and plenty of great one-liners .",
      "unlike many comic vehicles and just as many big-city romances , it 's a real , and ultimately rewarding , piece of work .",
      "schumer is outstanding here , delivering a tart , touching performance , reaching surprising depths while apatow struggles with tonality and timing , never exactly sure what type of movie he wants to make .",
      "romantic comedies can go in all sorts of directions , but they depend on the audience 's believing that a couple should get together and stay together . but in `` MOV , '' that belief is hard to come by .",
      "MOV is every bit as funny as anything in apatow 's late-2000s run of supremacy in studio comedies ...",
      "schumer 's unwillingness to significantly soften amy as her path becomes increasingly conventional provides needed counterbalance to apatow 's sentimentality .",
      "the title of the movie suggests its heroine is in need of repair , but the early sequences of her tottering home in high heels and sneaking outside during a date to get high defy condemnation .",
      "this is schumer 's film though , a star-making turn that carves out a distinct niche from her contemporaries , male or female .",
      "amy schumer is everything that 's right about this film . judd apatow is everything that 's wrong with it . strong perfs from non-comedians make up for some directorial issues .",
      "at last . MOV drags the romantic comedy kicking and screaming into the late 1950s .",
      "the film is often hysterical in the best sense . not just funny-hysterical , its script bubbling with bad-girl one-liners , but hysterical with an edge of funky , missionary outreach and outrage ...",
      "though MOV struggles with its structure - occasionally feeling like a sketch show - it 's certainly honest , though perhaps to a fault .",
      "amy schumer is a force to be reckoned with - but despite some belly laughs MOV does n't quite transcend the romcom formula like the best of the genre .",
      "can a comedy be too funny for its own good ?",
      "no matter what happens to her as a performer , she will forever be able to get a screenwriting gig based on her script here ... because schumer has balanced her naturally subversive sense of humor with the demands of true ruthless commercialism .",
      "i 'm not sure who 's most responsible for MOV 's ultimate timidity , for the mordant ribaldry evinced in the first half hour or so inexorably oozing into couple-y goo .",
      "ultimately comes down in favor of mainstream girl-gets-boy in a way that inside amy schumer might find a little dubious , but it never feels like schumer is aggressively watering down her uniquely prickly brand of comedy for a mass audience .",
      "sweet is not how schumer wants MOV to go down . she wants to explode rom-com clichés and replace them with something fierce and ready to rumble . done .",
      "the movie veers sharply off track toward the end . still , the sum of its most memorable parts is great fun .",
      "you 've seen this movie , but MOV still manages to surprise in how profoundly funny it is , and in the wonderful realism and recognizability of amy 's character .",
      "with films such as funny people and this is 40 , apatow has toyed with finding the right blend of the serious and the hilarious and finally hits it here .",
      "its contradictions are obvious but its one consistent quality is it humour . amy sees the comedy in everything from divorce to death and , most absurd of all , her own romantic longings .",
      "at times it feels as if five different films are going on at once , but schumer 's whip-smart delivery and no-holds perkiness keeps it all in place .",
      "MOV has n't got the acid of apatow 's more incorrect comedies : some laughs , though .",
      "at best , it 's a two-hour assemblage of hit 'n' miss sketches revolving around the vicissitudes of the manhattan dating scene .",
      "for every lol moment in MOV - and there are plenty - there are three that thud harder than an old comic keeling over on stage .",
      "... a heartfelt , consistently funny film that deftly sidesteps its potential cliches at every turn .",
      "MOV is both the best romantic comedy of the year as well as its most crushing disappointment .",
      "the laughs are hearty and abundant and schumer 's schtick is so distinct and refreshing that it 's miles from the disaster the title suggests .",
      "amy schumer has talent , for sure , but that talent is wasted here .",
      "where MOV comes unstuck is in its struggle to raise laughs from tactless material .",
      "even if MOV is n't quite as good as it should be -- it 's baggy and long and loses its nerve in the third act -- it wins fans merely because it exists and for the welcome guffaws it elicits .",
      "... more like a typical judd apatow movie about childish adults growing up .",
      "-lsb- schumer -rsb- takes the romantic-comedy heroine and the onscreen treatment of feminism to places they 've seldom , if ever , been before .",
      "apatow still lets every single scene run well past its pay-off , but america 's r-rated sweetheart brings her a-game , and her supporting cast kills .",
      "if you 're not someone who is automatically shocked or in awe of the notion of a vulgar , profane , and sexually laced comedy that happens to have a female lead , then MOV is going to feel a lot less transgressive and a lot more formulaic .",
      "a shrewdly satisfying , blessedly adult-minded pleasure with suspected high replay value . to watch amy schumer in `` MOV '' is to witness the breakthrough of an actress primed for superstardom .",
      "MOV is a welcome breath of fresh air and the emergence of a brilliant new voice .",
      "schumer and hader are wonderful together . gender inequity in the world of comedy deserves all the overdue attention it 's getting , and more . but there are matters of craft , wit -lrb- no matter how crude the jokes -rrb- and timing that transcend chromosomes .",
      "schumer has never had anything like a leading film role , but self-revealing stand-up and a tv series have limbered her up for the job .",
      "schumer raises apatow 's game beautifully . her biting , pitch-black wit and his penchant for character-driven comedy go together like gin and tonic .",
      "turning the whole ` slut ' thing upside down .",
      "delete every unnaturally gorgeous and glamorous nyc rom-com heroine in your mental database . our heroine is n't walking through life as if it 's one big dress rehearsal until the man of her dreams gets down on one knee with a diamond ring .",
      "... schumer enlivens the apatow formula without sacrificing her particular brand of confessional comedy .",
      "once the romance takes off , the entire film shifts . it becomes more of a conventional romantic comedy , albeit one with really dirty words . and it remains hilarious , because schumer seems to be incapable of being anything else .",
      "if you have a taste for essentially the same sex joke over and over , which is pretty much the way schumer 's stand-up works -- as opposed to her much more progressive tv show -- you will enjoy it . if not , you might doze off .",
      "any future storytelling from amy schumer should distant itself from those she admires , so we can experience a true independent vision that will be an actual representation of how funny she really is .",
      "MOV can be furiously funny . it just goes down too easy .",
      "apatow and schumer both seem burdened by terminal coprolalia -lrb- an uncontrollable or obsessive use of obscene language -rrb- . even if it were n't loaded with bad language and so many unattractive sexual situations and jokes , it would still be far too long .",
      "on the heels of the tremendous ` obvious child , ' which challenged conventions about the modern female , ` MOV ' does n't feel nearly as groundbreaking and revolutionary .",
      "for a first-time , feature-length screenplay as well as her first time headlining a movie , schumer succeeds . -lrb- full content review - sex , nudity , drug use , etc. - for parents also available -rrb-",
      "schumer delivers an avalanche of spectacularly sick lines and situations -- a titanic performance .",
      "despite schumer 's subversive instincts , the romantic comedy remains unchanged .",
      "there 's a funny movie in MOV , but you may have to sift through a lot of debris to find it .",
      "come for amy schumer . stay for lebron james .",
      "the absolute best thing about this film , aside from schumer 's strong , smart voice , is the promise of more to come . this lady 's just getting started .",
      "MOV thunders into theaters with enough hilarity and heart to make amy schumer , if there had been any doubt , a bonafide movie star .",
      "MOV is schumer 's funny movie star debut that could 've been hilarious , if director judd apatow would just say `` cut '' a bit sooner once in a while .",
      "fresh and funny , MOV steams into the station , bringing with it high energy , wit , all shades of humour and an endearing brashness common to the judd apatow brand of romcom",
      "a nice , redemptive romantic comedy with a lot of f-bombs in it , which by hollywood standards makes it pretty much routine",
      "beginning as a lenny bruce routine , MOV ends up as a harlequin romance .",
      "what might have been a game changer becomes simply a better-than-average rom-com : a noble effort to be sure but one that leaves a little too much potential untapped .",
      "if MOV never exactly goes off the rails , that could be because there are no rails anymore .",
      "how to really lose a guy in ten weeks or whatever ... if this kind of thing keeps up , it could start giving rom-coms a good name .",
      "in a film filled with cameos by comedy legends and snl cast members , lebron james and jon cena get by far the biggest laughs , which is maybe a problem .",
      "MOV can be so funny , but there is disappointment here where there should have been so much potential .",
      "with her tv show , schumer has challenged the entertainment industry 's staid perception of her gender . and while it does n't go anywhere quite so radical , MOV is an enjoyable trip in the right direction .",
      "a deeply lazy and sentimental raunch comedy from director judd apatow and writer-star amy schumer . basically , a marshmallow covered with bodily fluids .",
      "applaud the hotter-than-hot amy schumer ... MOV just works , from start to finish .",
      "the heavily hyped marriage between amy schumer and judd apatow does n't always result in comedy bliss , but it does frequently provide the gift of belly laughs .",
      "knows there 's a distinction between the reactionary , retrograde submission to patriarchal norms it could be and the progressive film sincerely -lrb- but hilariously -rrb- exploring anxieties that it is .",
      "could easily be 20 minutes shorter ... if apatow had made a movie with the young henny youngman , he 'd have turned him into the king of the two-liners .",
      "beneath all of his bad-boy shtick , apatow 's always been a pretty conventional moralist . but schumer gives their raunchy rom-com enough of her signature spikiness to prevent it from ever feeling predictable .",
      "amy schumer 's unapologetic , fearless approach to comic sexual embarrassment and social blunders jives extremely well with judd apatow 's frat-boy humor .",
      "MOV is worth seeing and worth talking about , but it 's too managed and well-conducted ; hopefully , next time , schumer will really go off the rails and show us something truly worth looking for in the wreckage .",
      "apatow and schumer probably believe they 've made a feminist picture , but the reality is something different . this is a conventional movie dressed as a progressive one .",
      "in the funniest film of the year so far , schumer not only magnifies a hilarious performance with sharp , fearless writing , but successfully inserts beats of dramatic moments that both feel real and honest in today 's thirty-something generation .",
      "if you 're looking for something radical , you 'd be best to stick with schumer 's television show . MOV is just good fun , and a lot of it at that .",
      "schumer 's pretty wonderful , and the movie - in a summer that was still waiting for its r-rated smash - is great fun .",
      "... it 's bill hader who steals the show with his warmth , humanity and surprising sexiness .",
      "it 's also just fun to watch schumer bouncing off her co-stars , squinting in annoyance or confusion or lust or drunkenness ; she could probably tell you seven words for snow with just her eyebrows .",
      "people who go into MOV looking for that amy -- the subversive truth-teller , the feminist role model -- are likely to be disappointed . their loss . MOV is a surprisingly old-fashioned romantic comedy , the kind that rarely gets made anymore .",
      "schumer is a fresh , bold new voice in comedy , and while this film does n't fully reflect that , it 's a reasonably mirthful foundation to build on .",
      "we have seen the future of romantic comedy and its name is amy schumer . thank the goddess .",
      "in the way of most apatow films , MOV is a little too long , a little too shaggy and a little too conservative in insisting that all 's square in love and war .",
      "MOV is brash , funny , and often vulgar .",
      "not as raunchy as you want it to be . bill hader 's voice was like nails scratching a blackboard . he wears a bad wig .",
      "MOV is a very funny , very smart movie , though it ultimately falls back on the romantic comedy formula , sappy ending and all .",
      "the results are standardized to the point of frustration , but do n't take this as a sign you should n't see MOV ; it 's often hysterical , it 's wonderfully acted , and if you like schumer there 's no reason not to support her work .",
      "schumer is very funny and an exceptionally appealing comic actress who can make `` thank you '' into five different hilarious punchlines .",
      "i suppose they called the movie MOV because smart , heartfelt comedy that 's progressive about sex and still funny did n't fit on the poster .",
      "emotionally honest in an almost shocking way , and bulging with sexual and scatological humour , MOV is also a deeply humanist and utterly affecting joy from start to finish .",
      "as with so many of the man-child comedies of the last decade , the film is essentially a cautionary comic tale , its vulgar veneer serving to veil a set of home-spun truths and conservative values about commitment , loyalty , love and common sense .",
      "MOV is a blisteringly funny rom-com that is only let down by the fact that it is not as subversive or as transgressive as it aspires to be .",
      "a raunchy comedy with poignant romantic moments .",
      "a traditional romcom with an entirely untraditional difference : a strong , sexual female lead .",
      "those hoping amy schumer 's first big-screen foray would be as ribald and incendiary as her comedy central sketch show might be mildly disheartened by MOV .",
      "MOV has an undeniably funny script , but much of its humour is in both line delivery and facial expressions .",
      "interestingly , the movie is actually saved from a very average outcome due to its large and unconventional supporting cast .",
      "it wo n't necessarily re-ignite -lsb- apatow 's -rsb- career , but it does remind us of what he can do .",
      "often extremely funny , even if it never approaches the radicalness of -lsb- schumer 's -rsb- greatest , most dangerous work .",
      "absolutely hilarious , with more truth about the human condition than most dramas .",
      "schumer is n't just a stealth-bomber with her punchlines . she aces the job of creating a rounded person with emotional problems that make sense ...",
      "schumer 's unique voice is allowed to thrive , offering plenty of laughs once you get past the mean-spirited nature",
      "before it starts to lose steam in its third act , MOV is a deft blend of laughs , romance and poignancy - not to mention one of apatow 's most polished , mature works .",
      "despite its formulaic underpinnings , schumer makes it feel fresh with her comic writing , her comic timing and her ability to make us care for her MOV of a character .",
      "so much for the promise of the title . `` MOV '' sticks to the rails .",
      "the laughs come so hard and fast that you may need to watch it twice to catch them all . and that 's a good thing because the way we see it , the more exposure to schumer 's canny , daring brilliance , the better .",
      "MOV is funny , emotional and honest , which is everything we ask our mainstream comedies to be - yet this is the first one to deliver the total package in a very long time .",
      "the film delivers on every level of the emotional scale . it will make you laugh , it will make you cry , and it will make you want to scream .",
      "MOV is -lsb- judd -rcb- apatow 's best film ... MOV will now be both apatow and -lsb- amy -rsb- schumer 's signature movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV drags commitment out of all but the most rom-com-phobic filmgoers with sharp humor , relatable characters , and hilarious work from amy schumer .",
    "id": "771372670"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pariah_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "rees has crafted a moving and powerful first effort that is a welcome edition to the lesbian film canon .",
      "rees tells alike 's story in vignettes that are sometimes slapstick , sometimes heartbreaking , always tender .",
      "if the destination is trite , the journey is n't - it comes with an ample supply of raw honesty .",
      "it 's a tiny story , told on an intimate scale , and it is rich in emotion , specificity and care .",
      "rees ' film is personal and closely observed , almost as if she 's letting us read a chapter of a diary -lrb- she has said `` MOV '' is autobiographical -rrb- .",
      "it is a striking debut : visually rich , emotionally complex and graced by strong performances from top to bottom .",
      "`` MOV '' is a small film about a big subject : the struggle to be who you are , not who others would like you to be .",
      "first-time writer-director dee rees has created a touching and commanding story about one young woman 's hazardous journey through the trials and tribulations of adolescence , blooming sexuality and familial strife .",
      "one of the most remarkable facts about MOV is how it manages almost completely to avoid stereotypes : every important character is complex and humanized ...",
      "you do n't have to be black or lesbian or even know someone who 's gay to appreciate `` MOV '' ; you just have to have gone through or be going through the process of growing up .",
      "smart , heartfelt , savvy , beautifully acted -- and clever enough at 86 minutes not to overstay its welcome .",
      "wayans , best known for acting in comedies with her siblings , is a revelation as a woman whose faith offers both hope and blind judgment .",
      "a smart , compelling -- and optimistic -- portrait of heartbreak and hope .",
      "that 's what i loved about `` MOV , '' that it sets up a very familiar narrative and then makes it painfully real and surprising . t",
      "... evades the formula for coming-of-age films as it announces the arrival of a fascinating new star in the remarkable adepero oduye .",
      "like albert nobbs , MOV deals with issues of identity and sexuality , though in a vastly different way .",
      "displaying an amazing amount of confidence and vulnerability at the same time , oduye carries the film .",
      "the uniformly excellent work that rees coaxes from her entire ensemble elevates her film above the more formulaic coming-of-age beats of her screenplay .",
      "MOV tells an involving story that 's both deftly relatable and urgently progressive .",
      "such a shame the rest of the picture hews so closely to the stereotypical indie playbook .",
      "overcomes its flaws to emerge as a sporadically revealing portrait of a young girl 's struggle to find herself in a cruelly hostile environment -- a promising debut for rees and a triumph for oduye .",
      "a modest , but heartfelt debut film .",
      "especially rewarding about oduye 's performance is how she 's able to portray that frustration while retaining hope and optimism .",
      "part of what makes `` MOV '' exceptional is its skill at mapping family dynamics .",
      "MOV sets a new standard for the coming-of-age genre .",
      "rees ' script , peppered with colourful hip-hop argot , is smart and economical , with well-drawn characters , dialogue and situations that echo with authenticity .",
      "... a joyous , inspirational film that is inarguably a `` must see '' for all .",
      "the intensity of these performances , and their gorgeous rendering on film by cinematographer bradford young , carry a film that could easily have sunk into sundance-indie inspirational cliché .",
      "... this filmmaker 's obvious talent and understanding of craft should be further encouraged to grow and blossom .",
      "street-wise and sincere , it 's destined to reassure troubled teens searching for their identity - and their parents .",
      "rees packs a lot into a simple narrative , and only rarely overpacks .",
      "the film is an impressive debut for writer-director dee rees .",
      "the originality lies in the details , and the dramatic energy that sustains almost every scene .",
      "an eloquent , haunting coming-of-age / coming-out tale ...",
      "`` MOV '' really feels like something rare .",
      "rides distinctive wheels on a familiar track so that naturalistic performances only go so far , and conventional plotting ca n't inhibit reality from making its mark .",
      "`` MOV '' feels a lot like life , at its most confusing , contradictory and exhilarating .",
      "every dramatic beat feels preordained , and it 's simply because rees ... is more concerned with situations than characters .",
      "first-time feature filmmaker dee rees has crafted a movie that is consistently riveting because it is steeped in truth . she and her cast never once strike a false note .",
      "adepero oduye is excellent as a brooklyn teen coming to terms with her sexual identity in this gritty film",
      "it 's a deeply flawed picture , but the core intensity of contemplation and hesitation is outstanding , allowing the characters a life beyond cliché .",
      "dee rees gives us a sad chameleon , cleverly visually drenching her in the colors of her surroundings . try though she might , the character can only reflect , rather than inhabit , the world around her .",
      "rees shows a real knack ... for casting and eliciting strong performances . that and a little touch of story irony make `` MOV '' a solid dramatic debut .",
      "the movie 's point , which is impossible to miss , is that it 's hard being black & gay in america and , while there 's undoubtedly truth in that sentiment , it does n't necessarily make for a compelling motion picture circa 2011 .",
      "excellent performances by an emerging crew of actors and filmmakers tell a priceless story that struggles to entertain .",
      "rees has an intimate feel for setting , rooting her melodrama in precise details while allowing for an expressionistic palette of lurid lighting .",
      "smart , sad , empowering film about a teen coming out .",
      "the filmmaking is often wayward , the scenes of confrontation sometimes too stagey , but oduye is a marvelous young actress with a camera-ready face brimming with soulfulness .",
      "in her fearless , world-here-i-am ! debut MOV , writer-director dee rees demonstrates , with simplicity and verve , that there 's no substitute for authenticity .",
      "MOV is a tender , sporadically goofy , yet candid examination of emergent identity .",
      "MOV should be a special , important film for gay teens and their parents .",
      "an example of what makes indie filmmaking great : deeply personal storytelling done with enormous conviction .",
      "despite a heroine who admirably follows her own path , the movie remains likable but familiar .",
      "something so honest and touching that you 're instantly drawn in to its feelings and sense of place .",
      "along with margin call , MOV is the year 's most impressive debut film , coming from nyu graduate dee rees .",
      "the coming-out/coming-of-age story is almost a genre of its own , but MOV has a fresh and distinctly urban take , anchored by an affable lead performance .",
      "a small-scale , sensitive , humanist character study that 's progressive and thoughtful without getting too far out of line .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- most important thing elevating MOV is the outstanding performance of adepero oduye .",
      "the gifted dee rees makes finding out a stirring and heartfelt journey . and adepero oduye is unforgettable . a star is born .",
      "what distinguishes MOV is less the subject than the performances ... these three young women bring a vulnerability and openness that is moving and real .",
      "the film benefits most of all from rees ' careful screenplay , which dances that shifting line between fear and emergent hope . one of alike 's poems says it best : `` even breaking is opening . and i am broken . i am open . ''",
      "the message - that prejudice exists in every community - is one worth listening to .",
      "young people 's mumbling and slang will be a stumbling block for mainstream audiences , but the lives and dilemmas of the mostly black and some hispanic teens go beyond racial-cultural lines .",
      "oduye as alike is `` MOV 's '' subtle center , with the actress moving seamlessly between the tomboy thrilled to play hoops with her dad to the sour-faced daughter forced to wear pink by her mom .",
      "dee rees ' funny , deep and tender film about black lesbians definitely earns a place in screen history : a first in many ways , so rich and so beautifully done .",
      "a powerful coming-of-age drama about a creative and inexperienced african-american lesbian who tries to be true to herself .",
      "this is a look at the joy , confusion and heartbreak of adolescence that 's both culture - and locale-specific and , at the same time , universal .",
      "MOV would n't work without oduye 's luminous performance , capturing the emotional nuances of a character not prone to letting her emotions show .",
      "at its heart is an incandescent performance by ms. oduye , who captures the jagged mood swings of late adolescence with a wonderfully spontaneous fluency .",
      "a moving story that 's told with intelligence , heart and a working knowledge of the real world we live in .",
      "... intelligent , feeling complexity in a film that could have covered itself in cliché .",
      "director and writer dee rees , along with a phenomenal performance by adepero oduye , gives plenty of points of access for audiences to identify with alike , and the result is rewarding , rich and universally important .",
      "funny , moving , nuanced , and impeccably acted ...",
      "any movie that opens with khia 's ` my neck , my back ' is my kind of flick !",
      "MOV plays like a longer , more complex addendum to the recent it gets better campaign aimed at sending messages of survival and strength to gay and lesbian teens ...",
      "it 's impossible not to root for lee to assert her identity and to fulfill her dreams , but neither she nor the rest of the characters have any existence outside the script 's exhortations .",
      "a sobering look at what it might very well be like to grow up lesbian in the ` hood .",
      "authentic and moving . adepero oduye gives a breakthrough performance in the lead role , and kim wayans is a revelation as alike 's conflicted mother . one of the five best glbt-themed narrative films of 2011 .",
      "while MOV is as quiet and sensitive as its teenage poet alike , it 's never phony , simple or trite .",
      "first-timer dee rees offers a fresh take on the overfamiliar coming-out genre .",
      "stands as a good -lrb- if not great -rrb- slice of real life .",
      "vivid photography , true-to-life moments and a wonderful lead performance compensate for some first-timer missteps in debutante writer-director dee rees ' MOV .",
      "respectable work , with earnest intentions and a vivid depiction of a corner of american culture .",
      "a powerfully emotional coming-of-age-slash-coming-out drama with a strong sense of location , impressive cinematography and a heart-breaking central performance from adepero oduye .",
      "this impressive debut , winner of the cinematography award at sundance fest , elevates the visibility of a taboo subject within black culture that has remained unexplored by independent cinema .",
      "impressive autobiographical coming-of-age film about a smart but vulnerable african-american teenager struggling to have a meaningful gay relationship ... .",
      "as clunky subplots and soap operatics start to nudge their way into the mix , the filmmaker seems unable to maintain that early tone and focus .",
      "it 's important to talk at length about MOV 's aesthetic because of how it distracts from the emotional truthfulness of the sometimes heartbreaking , by and large gorgeously performed story .",
      "ultimately , MOV chronicles pain and beauty in the birth of an artist . the film 's only real pariahs are those who reject her .",
      "what audiences expect from this butterfly awakening song they 'll get in spades .",
      "at heart MOV is concerned with rites of passage , although the fact that there are so few films about african-american women , and even fewer about african-american lesbians , ensures that alike 's road to adulthood never feels too well-trodden .",
      "this is a movie that will doubtless speak to those who have endured similar hardships in their youth , and rees ' message seems to be that , as dan savage would say , it gets better .",
      "the bright , bold and unusual colors heighten the emotional impact of rees ' story without interfering with the realism ...",
      "the gay coming-of-age story 's been done , but `` MOV '' has something fresh to say , largely about the knotty complexities of love , and how they might keep someone in the closet : how badly do you need to be free , to hurt the people you love ?",
      "`` MOV '' has a vibrant and funky street-wise lyricism , and rees captures the conflicting emotions of the title character with a fierce intimacy .",
      "on a second viewing , i could n't escape one thought : there 's nothing simple about teens coming out to their parents .",
      "young , gifted , and a gay",
      "-lsb- filmmaker dee -rsb- rees 's eye for how -lsb- teen lesbian -rsb- alike maneuvers between her notion of who she is and whom everyone else wants and expects her to be is intense and poignant ...",
      "this fresh new angle on teen sexuality goes well beyond the usual film treatment of this material , creating memorable characters and real drama .",
      "sets new standards for gay-lesbian coming-out play-acting with these `` everyday people '' rebel girls .",
      "rees brings a heartfelt connection to the material , based on her own coming-out story , but the film 's ingredients are n't the freshest ."
    ],
    "summary": "pulsing with authenticity and led by a stirring lead performance from adepero oduye , MOV is a powerful coming out/coming-of-age film that signals the arrival of a fresh new talent in writer/director dee rees .",
    "id": "771228631"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the-loved-ones-2009",
    "reviews": [
      "a squeamishly self-aware bloodbath in which lola , superbly portrayed by robin mcleavy with hellish zeal , reveals her ambition to be the next hannibal lecter .",
      "grueling in the best possible way , this is easily the best australian horror film since wolf creek .",
      "the savagery here has no redeeming social value and the characters are not especially interesting , but who cares when the terror is this relentless ?",
      "byrne announces his emphatic arrival with this movie . australian horror has another distinctive new voice .",
      "producers mark lazarus and michael boughen have stuck to their guns -lrb- and hammers and knives and kettles -rrb- and delivered a visceral and fiercely original blast of great film terror .",
      "byrne 's confident feature debut takes the coming-of-age tropes of john hughes , and adds a hefty dose of campy psychosis , creating a tale of small-town adolescent horror where the growing pains really do hurt .",
      "aussie filmmaker byrne merges teen romance and torture horror genres to unsettling effect with this pitch black comedy . and as a result , he finds a surprising level of drama within the violence .",
      "if john waters and john hughes ever conceived the idea for a modern day `` misery , '' we 'd essentially get this australian horror gem ...",
      "scarcely slowing down since its wolf creek second wind , australian horror continues to mate grue and giggles in this sardonic blood tide",
      "it 's like a psychotic re-imagining of pretty in pink !",
      "... a fast-paced , downright fun horror-movie ride ...",
      "another derivative gore-filled shocker that goes for laughs by paying homage to the low-budget video nasties of the '70s and '80s ... ridiculously sensationalistic and over-the-top",
      "australian horror film MOV proves that it is the quiet ones you have to watch out for .",
      "the morbid jokes and the shocking moments of horror , all played straight by an excellent cast , plus some moments of grisly originality , combine in a film that 's better than the average for this sort of admittedly dodgy exploitation piece .",
      "a blood-spattered , tongue-in-cheek horror comedy that features plenty of low-rent gore , some extra-cheesy lines and some terrific performances .",
      "arguably the only flaw to MOV ' gore-and-guffaws approach is that byrne does not quite have enough strong material to fill a noticeably slender 80-minute running time .",
      "debut director sean byrne has carved out a flick to stand beside brian de palma 's high school horror classic carrie , such is the beauty and brutality of his execution . it 's the best entry to the aussie horror canon since wolf creek .",
      "sean byrne makes one hell -lrb- and i mean hell -rrb- of a feature film debut with MOV . it 's slick , confident and wickedly funny . lola is straight out of sam raimi 's nightmares ; a terrifying cross between carrie and rachel berry from glee .",
      "growing pains have never been this excruciating . MOV is an instant horror classic .",
      "MOV does n't pull many punches , director sean byrne exercising an expert balance of tactical restraint and outright savagery .",
      "you will gasp in horror at the prospect of what is about to happen and then you will giggle in delight that the film actually carries out what it threatens to .",
      "hell hath no fury like a demented woman rejected and robin mcleavy gives a tasty turn as lola , the most demented young woman you 'd want to take to a dance",
      "truly enjoyable , truly independent , truly scary .",
      "one of the coolest aussie offerings of the past several years . horror-wise , anyway .",
      "transcends mere torture porn -- though there 's plenty for the squeamish to squirm over here -- in its deftly controlled mix of empathy , grotesquerie and sardonic humor .",
      "the most severe violence in the film is tempered by moments of effective dark humor .",
      "it 's a terrifying masterpiece that turns high school drama into a literal dead zone .",
      "MOV has a lot to offer in wit , style and entertainment and i can highly recommend it .",
      "sean byrne has established himself as one hell of a guy to watch with his first feature film , delivering something bright , brand new and deeply felt .",
      "i kinda dug the flick .",
      "MOV is a breath of fresh air for the so-called `` torture porn '' sub-genre of horror movies .",
      "all the performances are good .",
      "engaging but slight torture-porn flick .",
      "the torture-porn genre gets a day-glo makeover in this hilariously deranged ocker shocker .",
      "the pacing is choppy but byrne serves a thick , satisfying stew of savagery and surprise sympathy , generously flavoured by lashings of black humour .",
      "it 's a well made film . one for the gore fans .",
      "edible roadkill , frontal lobotomies , teenage psychopaths and kasey chambers music ... precisely what every school dance should feature , right ? a surprising , fast , stylised aussie torture porn .",
      "it 's got heart , gore , suspense , and an unusual family-style drama you wo n't likely forget ... and lola is a terrific character : pretty scary in pink !",
      "there is clearly a lot of ambition to MOV and the near-brilliant leading performances help make the film a unique and terrifying experience .",
      "moviegoers with an aversion to violence will stay away , but genre buffs with a taste for the extreme should ensure healthy ticket sales .",
      "MOV constantly moves in unexpected directions .",
      "those with a fondness for cinematic evildoing might find themselves richly entertained by this macabre feature , which somehow manages the finer points of grief and festering wounds with exceptional directorial skill .",
      "there 's enough genuine tension and imagination to provide some shocks and visceral chills .",
      "horror fans are going to love this , but those who recognize a filmmaking skill to go along with the gore may appreciate it even more .",
      "sean byrne endows his rote slasher material with the kind of blackly comic wit and levity that virtually guarantee its entry into the contemporary midnight-movie canon ."
    ],
    "summary": "successfully mixing the conventions of the teen and horror genres with a twist , australian director sean byrne makes a striking directorial debut .",
    "id": "770817526"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shrek",
    "reviews": [
      "this fable structure is allied to both a witty cynicism and sense of fun , which pervades the entire movie in equal measure .",
      "dreamworks pictures again proves a name to trust for imaginative , funny animated movies that delight kids and adults equally .",
      "one of those rare animated films that will delight and engage children while entertaining adults to no end .",
      "it 's possible to groan , chuckle , wince and be moist-eyed , sometimes in a span of seven or eight minutes .",
      "a heck of a lot of fun -- even if you do n't believe in fairy tales .",
      "swift , sweet , irreverent , rangy and as spirited in the writing and voice work as it is splendid in design .",
      "dreamworks ' first animated film to blow disney out of the water .",
      "the rendering of the displaced fairy-tale gang is wonderfully done .",
      "it has the big green earmarks of a classic .",
      "not quite as clever as the toy story films , but still features some first-rate vocal performances by mike myers , eddie murphy and john lithgow .",
      "much of it seems a little sad , a deconstructivist overlay of jaded irony .",
      "absolute perfection !",
      "bottom line : the story satisfies and the jokes avoid juvenile cliches .",
      "gag by gag -- and there 's a stream -- it 's merrily irreverent , visually and vocally . the bigger picture , though , is rather more conventional .",
      "i seem to be the only one in the world unimpressed by this so-so animated feature .",
      "what gives MOV its special artistic distinction is its witty and knowingly sassy dialogue , delivered by vocally charismatic performers whose voices remind us of their stellar screen personae in live-action movies .",
      "MOV is amusing and charming and it stands on it 's own , but it does not rival disney 's best and i 'm not saying it needs to , but that simply is the bar .",
      "hugely entertaining , sassy and great-looking .",
      "unique brand of entertainment : simple and straightforward in its textal surface , but sophisticated and witty in subtextual connotations , including racy barbs addressed at disney , which until recently had monopoly on animation fare , but not anynmore .",
      "it 's one of the best fairytale films ever made , right up there with the princess bride .",
      "no one has ever made a funnier jackass of himself than murphy .",
      "points the way toward some new uses of enchantment .",
      "it 's no classic , but it 's cute .",
      "a work of art , destined to take its place alongside the classics that it playfully parodies .",
      "fast , irreverent and magnificently animated and acted .",
      "takes everything disney and stands it on his head without being very condescending or particularly spiteful .",
      "peppered with the best fairytale spoofs since jay ward 's fractured fairy tales .",
      "the lack of manipulative sentimentality in MOV allows for the more serious moments to be genuinely touching and meaningful .",
      "a creative lark from start to finish .",
      "a picture that truly is a perfect family film .",
      "MOV is a charmingly ornery green crank , and murphy makes a funny sidekick .",
      "the charms of MOV , which is based on the children 's book by william steig , go far beyond in-jokes for adults .",
      "after a 90-minute onslaught of in-jokes , here 's the real punch line : MOV strives to have a heart . supposedly there 's a message about beauty coming from within , but somehow it rings hollow .",
      "animation is hardly groundbreaking",
      "this romantic fantasy complicates the roles of beauty and beast , making it hard to guess what form a sensitive resolution will take .",
      "though imperfect , `` MOV '' offers enough diversions from animation 's go-go-go that it 's been sad - after lackluster third and fourth installments - to see the lovable green guy turn the way of impersonal franchise cash-grabbing .",
      "gross-out laughs meet a marvelous fairytale mix .",
      "a real highlight of the year , certainly the one to beat this summer .",
      "it does n't take long to figure out that MOV is not going to be your ordinary animated fairy tale .",
      "a very good and weird animated comedy adventure ...",
      "the only things it takes seriously are the notions of true love and beauty-is-only-skin-deep , good things for kids to soak up after they 've had their fill of flatulence .",
      "there 's enough for the whole family to enjoy .",
      "the best jokes in MOV spoof disney tradition ; the villain 's lair looks suspiciously like a certain theme park 's main street usa , and a bluebird of happiness explodes during a sugary crescendo .",
      "MOV qualifies as a classic animated movie , and one of the more charming films to grace screens in a long time .",
      "with improbable finesse it buffs up some of the oldest tropes of storytelling and then gives them a mischievous tilt , so that we appear to be watching a celebration of a genre and a sneaky subversion of it at the same time .",
      "even more amazing , for a movie with its share of flatulence gags , it also has a real heart . few films have had their cake and eaten it so gleefully .",
      "adults will find plenty to laugh at . children will love it .",
      "MOV is alive , and with dark , sly and absolutely hilarious irreverence lampooning every once-sacred characteristic of the nursery kingdom . MOV is a subversive joy . .",
      "murphy steals every scene he 's in with equal parts bounce and warmth .",
      "here is a movie of the times , funny , enjoyable , perfect-looking , and altogether original in a way that might cause us to look again at the meaning of the word .",
      "an effort that deserves to be lumped in with the modern day classics of animation .",
      "the story 's simple , the quest not that complicated . but the joy of MOV is in the telling , in the details along the way .",
      "the sarcastic , nasty tone of smug hipness clashes mightily with the film 's shrill attempts at sincerity and lesson-learning .",
      "when it 's good , it 's very , very good , but when it 's bad , it 's horrid .",
      "toy story 2 had a higher in-jokes/laughs ratio without straining to demonstrate its hipness or to evoke heartfelt emotions .",
      "this is beautiful work .",
      "truly what a family film was meant to be -- a vehicle that has something for everyone .",
      "MOV 's self-reflexive silliness is in nearly perfect counterpoint to its giddy spirit of adventure , friendship , and romance .",
      "MOV is n't clever or smart . it just wants you to think it is , through wink after wink after wink .",
      "it 's a pleasure to be able to report that the movie both captures and expands upon the book 's playful spirit of deconstruction .",
      "spends so much time being cleverly hip and spoofing all things disney that it struggles to find its own identity .",
      "the film 's real qualities are its warmth and wit , developed without any digital assistance .",
      "mischievous enchantment with something to titillate all ages .",
      "a kind of palace coup , a shout of defiance , and a coming of age for dreamworks .",
      "a hoot , a flat-out laugh riot of equal parts charm and cheekiness .",
      "big-hearted , silly , wicked and loaded with laughs .",
      "sure , there 's fun in the premise of a self-conscious fairy tale , mixing adventure and satire , but the film really got me when it eased up a bit on the cynicism and proved to have a big heart after all .",
      "a wickedly delightful animated parody about fairy tales and all those characters that we cut our teeth on .",
      "MOV is one of the best films of 2001 .",
      "a wonderful fairy tale , made for today 's audiences .",
      "this is one of the funniest movies i 've seen in years .",
      "there is something for everyone here .",
      "a delightful computer-generated romp that 's every bit as much fun for adults as it is for kids .",
      "the importance of friendship and true love are explored with unusual sensitivity in scenes between MOV and fiona and between donkey and MOV .",
      "a movie that adults will easily enjoy every bit as much as the kids , maybe even more so .",
      "this is fairy tale deconstruction the whole family will get a kick out of .",
      "even though MOV never enters pixar 's rarified league , it is an imaginative and side-splitting movie that is a treat for young and old .",
      "desperately avoiding the risk of even a half-second of boredom , the movie is wall-to-window-to-door noise , babbling , and jokes -lrb- the first minute sees the first fart gag -rrb- , and demographically it 's a hard-sell shotgun spray .",
      "MOV may very well be the first film i 've seen that has failed to live up to expectations , and then go on to exceed them .",
      "beating up on the irritatingly dainty disney trademarks is nothing new ; it 's just that it has rarely been done with the demolition-derby zest of MOV .",
      "the witty , fractured fairy tale MOV has a solid base of clever writing .",
      "a drolly satirical but genuinely enchanting animated adventure .",
      "a rollicking good time .",
      "torturing the gingerbread man ? i 'm sold .",
      "summer 's most lovable lug .",
      "its characters are delightful enough and the film is just sweet-natured and visually sophiscated enough to avoid sinking into the swamp .",
      "... altogether hip and clever , and the computer-generated 3-d animation is impeccably crisp and colorful .",
      "not coincidentally , most of the really good stuff here will go over young kids ' heads .",
      "excelente fábula que encanta tanto crianças quanto adultos graças ao seu humor ácido e ao seu visual impressionante .",
      "the animation ... is amazing .",
      "a solid second outing by dreamworks/pdi , with truly biting entertaining moments scattered throughout the film .",
      "MOV 's pros outweigh its cons , making this overall a delightful and fun entertainment with a refreshingly honest message .",
      "truth be told , it 's damn enjoyable .",
      "what saves this movie are the performances by the actors , particularly murphy and myers .",
      "the characters are so three-dimensional you forget you 're watching painted digital creatures thought up by animation wizards .",
      "MOV is n't even as good , much less good-willed , than the more mediocre output of the disney dynasty it wants so thirstily to topple .",
      "a fresh twist on the fairytale humor genre .",
      "a sly comic gem , combining a genuinely clever , very well-written story with definitive computer animation and a subversive spin .",
      "a visually stunning animation masterpiece - MOV is one heck of a movie .",
      "the millennium 's first great animated classic has been born . long live MOV !",
      "this is n't just a fractured fairy tale , it 's a storybook vision in a mushroom cloud of imagination and fun .",
      "on its own merits , it 's great fun .",
      "MOV turns dozens of fairy tales inside out and upside down to hilarious effect .",
      "big hit with kids and adults but did n't gratify me .",
      "this is n't your grandmother 's animated movie .",
      "not to say that the film is n't amusing , but if you were looking for the disney-killer , keep looking .",
      "the animation is absolutely incredible .",
      "a fresh fruitatious smorgasbord of laughter that has but one disappointing blemish .",
      "a world-class charmer .",
      "MOV is not a guilty pleasure for sophisticated movie-goers ; it is , purely and simply , a pleasure .",
      "a clever , amusing little film , but its smugness about being more politically correct than disney is misplaced .",
      "sort of like the princess bride , if andré the giant had been the hero , and had worn lou ferrigno body paint .",
      "it 's still a squabble over money and reputation that matters very little to most of us .",
      "the best animated movie to hit the big screen since toy story .",
      "whether or not you love MOV or find it to be only a pleasant diversion depends on how much of a purist you are when it comes to fairly tales .",
      "a funny , sweet , snappy fairy tale about misfits , for misfits -- or anybody who 's ever felt like a misfit .",
      "nothing in the world of fairy-tale cartoons appears to have been sacred .",
      "a wonderfully funny and touching film .",
      "it delivers what the founders of dreamworks pictures originally promised -- alternative yet accessible entertainment .",
      "it 's the story itself that makes the film so endearing -- we actually start to care for the characters , even though we know from the start how it will all end .",
      "mother goose meets mad magazine in easily one of the year 's most entertaining movies .",
      "... one of the most delightful , charming , imaginative and superlative endeavors that computer animation has offered since the original ` toy story ' ...",
      "smart , funny , technically proficient ... and taking no prisoners . bless its twisted little heart .",
      "there is so much to enjoy all the way along that you 'd have to be an ogre not to have a good time .",
      "am i alone in thinking that computer animation is the work of the antichrist ?",
      "an animated gem , on a par with the best of the modern era .",
      "not just a good ` kids ' film , ' but a genuinely funny comedy .",
      "chalk this sucker up with toy story 2 and chicken run in the ` fun for the whole family ' category .",
      "however much MOV might expand the visual palette of computer animation , much more important is the wit and compassion the cg animators at pdi/dreamworks bring to this fractured fairy tale .",
      "this postmodern dreamworks cartoon takes brilliant , albeit infrequenet , jabs at disney 's totalitarian control of the fairy tale genre .",
      "the kind of movie that will entertain everyone of every age and probably for ages to come .",
      "a quality production , from its appearance to its voice work and even to its laughably predictable story .",
      "the same low-tech requirements hold in the high-tech world of digital cinema : it all starts with the script .",
      "an instant animated classic .",
      "fast-paced and filled with enough cheeky humor to keep parents as entertained as their kids .",
      "a fat green ogre with a grouchy disposition and worse manners , MOV is the sort of unlikely hero that nobody could love -- except just about everyone who sees this hip and hilarious animated delight .",
      "a new animated classic has been born .",
      "a brightly colored , fast-moving diversion .",
      "is n't so much a fractured spoof of everything disney , but actually a monty python flick for kids -- kids of all ages .",
      "a movie that appeals to the eye , mind , heart and funny bone .",
      "has a diabolical sense of humor and a really big heart .",
      "there is really something for everyone in this movie .",
      "at least half a dozen flatulence and poop jokes percolate through the opening credits alone . far be it from me to poo-poo a good fart joke , but there is an art to these things , and in MOV they just sit there .",
      "the humor -- much of it slyly adult -- never overwhelms .",
      "forget pinocchio or snow white : children will want their parents to read them the adventures of MOV when it 's time to pick a bedtime story .",
      "there are numerous faults in MOV , enough to addle the brain . chief among these are the narrative infirmities , which begin with the attempt at creating a fairytale that subverts the storytelling conventions of tradition .",
      "if `` beauty and the beast '' and `` the little mermaid '' were banquets for the eyes and ears , `` MOV '' is an out of control food fight that 's so invigorating to watch you wish it could go on forever .",
      "an exuberant eddie murphy gives the comic performance of his career .",
      "a contemporary , yet sophisticated , concoction that throws almost every cliché ... yet casts a spell over us with its charm and inventiveness .",
      "too long on slick , too short on magic .",
      "`` fresh , funny , irreverent with the message that there 's something wonderful in all of us . ''",
      "a fun movie that should elicit smiles from even the most jaded of moviegoers .",
      "the story was n't absolutely magical , but it was interesting , quite funny , and different , which is just what the doctor ordered .",
      "a funny , well-paced , and satisfying twisted fairy tale .",
      "a clever and adventurous combination of the princess bride and beauty and the beast .",
      "`` MOV was good . MOV was funny . MOV kept me entertained . i had a blast . ''",
      "there are so many in-jokes and general mirth in `` MOV , '' you need to view it more than once for the full effect .",
      "a delightfully irreverent fairy tale .",
      "the new technology is opening up entire worlds for moviegoers . MOV is a prime example of this new movie magic .",
      "a genuinely funny film with a lot of heart that is also visually amazing",
      "the script 's details are gleefully impish , constantly poking fun at disney",
      "the movie is helped immensely by its cast , who carry it through some of the early , sluggish scenes . but this is murphy 's movie . donkey gets most of the good lines , and murphy hits every one .",
      "the animation ? superb , stunning , gorgeous , pixar-quality , fantastic , wow , man ... i myself am totally surprised at how much i laughed - both times i saw it !",
      "there was some violence that might be considered over-the-top for young viewers along with the usual flatulence humor , but the little kids sitting next me seemed to be having the time of their lives .",
      "in the end , MOV is just as warm and fuzzy as any of the disney films that it mocks , playing both sides of the fence without necessarily tearing the fence down .",
      "jolly and wicked , filled with sly in-jokes and yet somehow possessing a heart .",
      "as low as some of the humor stoops , it ca n't spoil this imaginative , often clever film .",
      "any of tv animator jay ward 's five-minute fractured fairy tales has more laughs than you get here .",
      "funny , irreverent and moving , the unconventional MOV may mock fairy tales , but in the process , creates its own .",
      "despite all its high-tech weirdness , is really that most perdurable of human constructions , a tale told well and true .",
      "the story has rollicking moments and the visuals are amazingly realistic .",
      "MOV 's ability to fit in a number of touching , funny moments says much about the intelligence and wit behind it . it 's just a shame that the film is never as clever or as hip as it so desperately feels the need to be .",
      "a a computer-animated burlesque fairy tale that generates more belly laughs than any live-action comedy since best in show .",
      "the animation , with its dimensional verisimilitude , is beguiling and the whole package ends with a noncloying dash of uplift .",
      "what the film lacks is the faintest glimmer of charm .",
      "MOV may not have the class of buzz lightyear , but he 's a lovable great lunk , and you could do a lot worse this summer than see this .",
      "there 's no denying that the monster-as-hero device has 90-odd-minutes worth of entertainment mileage , and the delivery of the story 's moral is handled well enough to avoid tweeness .",
      "this animated fantasy comedy from dreamworks is an irreverent , occasionally scatological fairy tale with state-of-the-art computer-generated images that almost steal a march on toy story .",
      "no matter which level of the movie a viewer responds to , anyone past the age of 5 who does n't laugh repeatedly while seeing MOV needs to have his funny bone examined .",
      "the brilliance of the voice work , script , direction and animation all serve to make MOV an adorable , infectious work of true sophistication .",
      "the total package is magical to behold , clever and hugely entertaining for all ages .",
      "i think MOV sucks .",
      "you may not want young , impressionable kids seeing it and reveling in the gross stuff , but everyone else should find it a wickedly funny diversion .",
      "it 's too bad about the computer animation , which works at cross-purposes to the characterization .",
      "beautifully written , gloriously animated and tastily subversive .",
      "la más jocosa , mágica y deslumbrante experiencia fílmica del ańo",
      "the movie is a constant delight for its exuberant simplicity , its avoidance of sensational effects , its wit and a true feeling that transcends sentimentality .",
      "at the heart of it lies a little story about love and acceptance that is actually rather bonny .",
      "this movie is like a donkey eating a waffle .",
      "a gleefully fractured fairy tale that never becomes cynical or crass .",
      "if you have any sense of humor , you wo n't leave the theater disappointed .",
      "a subversive little delight which turns the whole notion of the classic fairy tale on end .",
      "our beast is a beauty in his own right -- and in his own wonderfully entertaining movie .",
      "`` MOV '' is more than just a dazzling technical achievement in digital animation , it is a witty , clever , charming romantic comedy about heroism , love and friendship .",
      "an extremely funny movie .",
      "combines superb storytelling with state-of-the-art animation .",
      "smart , sassy and chockablock with witty references to pop culture past and present .",
      "in an era when much on film seems old , MOV seems new and fresh and clever .",
      "the script , instead of being what we tolerate in order to savor the visuals , is a delight all by itself ."
    ],
    "summary": "while simultaneously embracing and subverting fairy tales , the irreverent MOV also manages to tweak disney 's nose , provide a moral message to children , and offer viewers a funny , fast-paced ride .",
    "id": "10166"
  },
  {
    "movie": "atl",
    "reviews": [
      "here 's the kind of movie that filmmakers should develop more often : it 's an urban movie about teen-agers for teen-agers . and i hope that teen-agers and adults from all walks of life see `` MOV , '' because it 's both gritty and good-hearted .",
      "MOV this is kind of film that sends all the politically correct signals to its target audience , and does it rather well .",
      "a thoroughly convincing portrait of black teens in atlanta , MOV has the same broad range of laughs and fears as fast times at ridgemont high .",
      "it feels like a real window on the lives of disenfranchised youths -- these are in south atlanta -- as they make their way in a society that does n't cut them any breaks .",
      "ultimately , MOV is the same old teenager angst in a mildly novel package .",
      "a good message is n't enough to justify a $ 10 ticket . you also need a good movie .",
      "really , MOV -- like last year 's roll bounce -- is about roller skating .",
      "the second half is clumsier than the first , and you get the impression that the studio rushed to cut things that had n't worked in last fall 's kids-skating flop and play up the boyz aspects of the routine moral-dilemma plot .",
      "as clich?mount , realism and make-believe jostle against one another more discordantly .",
      "MOV is a likable film with an affirmative and hopeful message about the fate of its main players .",
      "one can not ignore or discount that robinson is not only trying to tell a conventional tale unconventionally , but he is also attempting to put atlanta on the map of cinematic city characters .",
      "robinson 's film is a cut above the rest , seeming simultaneously wise beyond its years and electrically , youthfully playful .",
      "accentuates the positive",
      "... a relief from the cynical , slickly packaged teen movies that have been flooding the market .",
      "... refreshing without going all goody two-shoe , its four friends and their ties to atlanta not unlike the bunch of guys in barry levinson 's baltimore diner .",
      "too predictable .",
      "if many of the situations in `` MOV '' are familiar and the characters ' attitude changes sometimes hard to buy ... the movie does a fine job of capturing the atmosphere of inner-city atlanta ...",
      "several good ideas for a movie rumble around inside MOV , but they never coalesce .",
      "perhaps an ongoing tv series might have been a better form for this drama .",
      "black urban youth are treated with dignity and affection -- something that does n't often happen in movies -- and it 's a respectable , mostly enjoyable film .",
      "MOV is one of those filmic byproducts -lrb- in this case , a promotional vehicle for the rapper tip harris , a.k.a. t.i. -rrb- that somehow manage to emerge from the mill of commerce with their modesty preserved .",
      "cinematography by crash . whatever else you might think about chris robinson 's feature film debut , this credit for his longtime music video dp is certainly long overdue .",
      "does n't offer anything we have n't seen in an after-school special .",
      "MOV relishes the fact that most people do n't bother to know black teenager 's dreams and hopes , and takes its time to show them in loud , vivid color .",
      "we hear ray charles ' sentimental tribute `` georgia '' turned into a hiccuping stuck record mixed with something harsher . this mash-up sets the stage for the conflicts the characters face between where they 've been and where they want to go .",
      "though the disparate bits and pieces do n't fit together very comfortably , they share one characteristic : they 're formulaic .",
      "do n't expect to see it as a featured film on nbc or even hbo . maybe it 's got a shot at late-night bet . if this had gone straight to dvd , that would have been a-ok . rip , `` MOV . ''",
      "it 's heartening to be able to report that MOV is as much like diner as it is like boys in the hood ... robinson may overdose on style , but he also respects the homegrown origins of this atlanta-bred tale .",
      "this is a superb film with a lot to say about people , not stereotypes . and it does so with vigor and intelligence , not a crushing need to play to the lowest common denominator .",
      "a couple of rap stars make respectable starts on acting careers in this tale of black teenagers in atlanta , despite a script marred by cliches and predictability .",
      "eventually , hollywood plot machinations rear their ugly heads , dictating a generic romeo-and-juliet love story and an even staler cautionary tale about the evils of drugs that completely stifle the film 's laid-back appeal .",
      "... a surprisingly strong coming-of-age movie with a great young cast . it pops with color and humor and pays attention to the details that situate it in a real location ...",
      "director chris robinson maintains a light touch , giving the colorful , energetic skating scenes the benefit of his music-video roots , but he does n't neglect character , drawing sincere performances from his young cast .",
      "a contradictory approach ultimately muddles the film despite some heartfelt and evocative moments about youngsters growing up on the streets of atlanta .",
      "the film that proves that all life 's problems can be solved with a montage .",
      "a well-meaning and good-hearted urban melodrama -- that does n't really seem to have anything new to say .",
      "i liked MOV for its music and for its all-around good intentions and general amiability . but ...",
      "amateur camera work and conspicuous plotting reduce the film 's regional sensibilities to sleep-inducing pap .",
      "a tip of the cap to tip harris and lauren london for it is their chemistry and charm which allows one to believe in their tenderhearted romance in an atmosphere where women are regarded as objects and affectionately called ` bitches ' and ` hos . '",
      "a light urban coming-of-age dramedy where the veneer may be darkly intriguing , but the finish is pure homily , of the sort where lessons are learned and dreams do come true .",
      "having solidly entertained for most of its running time , goes out in a blaze of cliche",
      "whenever anything happens to move the story along , it immediately loses its laid-back southern charm .",
      "`` MOV '' does n't explore any new ground in the genre of black teen disillusionment but this is an affecting urban cautionary tale that sparkles in its own self-reflection .",
      "the story is familiar , but terrific performances and a vivid sense of place elevate it above the average teen-oriented picture .",
      "it 's something akin to the earlier films of spike lee -- she 's got ta have it and crooklyn come to mind -- in that the characters are cherished for their human qualities , not for how well they swagger onto the screen .",
      "for a run-of-the-mill hip-hop drama , MOV has some engaging hooks that set it apart from the predictable formula of urban youth struggling to steer clear of crime and pull themselves up to a better life .",
      "warner bros. ' low-budget stab at capturing an urban niche audience is higher on stylistic dazzle than originality or coherence , making it an unlikely candidate to bust out of the box office ghetto .",
      "but the story behind MOV -lrb- credited to antwone fisher , the onetime navy man in san diego who had a movie made about his life four years ago -rrb- for the most part feels genuine and resonant .",
      "the film 's special appeal is that while the boys are poor and black , their stories transcend race and socio-economic matters .",
      "notwithstanding the melodrama and the often ham-handed directing , MOV somehow works .",
      "the movie manages to craft its own identity while making a familiar story feel somewhat fresh .",
      "... a surprisingly intelligent and admirably modest story about growing up on atlanta 's south side , taking responsibility and taking stock .",
      "no , MOV is n't a drug movie , and it does n't send its characters on a harrowing journey into danger . it 's a film about growing up and working , about falling in love , about planning for your future , and about the importance of friends .",
      "before its predictable third-act resolutions , MOV presents a rich urban tableau .",
      "the most refreshing part of MOV is that each of these kids are good kids . unfortunately , they are good kids in a bad movie .",
      "despite a few pitfalls -lrb- the adult worlds of money and sex -rrb- MOV makes navigating the trials , tribulations , and southern twangs of life on the wrong side of the tracks look relatively painless .",
      "despite an occasional whiff of cheese , it 's mostly a fresh , funny , coming-of-age story that feels authentic .",
      "MOV may not have much appeal outside a youth audience , but it deserves credit for looking beyond contests toward the looming difficulties of adulthood .",
      "MOV may fail to wow on the skate floor , but it still makes decent melodrama .",
      "MOV starts out somewhat fresh , but then turns slowly stale as its story of african-american kids in atlanta takes on more and more of the standard elements of growing up in the hood movies .",
      "a well executed , charming and often affecting drama that manages to carve out a comfortably mainstream feel .",
      "the script of MOV may take a well-worn path , but the view out the window is a new one .",
      "what chris robinson 's debut feature lacks in imagination , it makes up for through a vivid sense of place as well as fine , instinctive performances , particularly from rapper tip t.i. harris in the lead role .",
      "a mellow and engrossing coming-of-age film about a young crew on the south side of atlanta .",
      "MOV has a soft-heart , and its portrait of teen friendship is fun and funny , and even a bit pollyanna-ish .",
      "making his feature-film debut , music-video director chris robinson expertly choreographs the skating sequences , which are exhilarating fun .",
      "buoyed by a superlative soundtrack , MOV plays a familiar song about growing up , but hits notes that sound brand new .",
      "MOV is unlikely to inspire any emotion stronger than vague indifference .",
      "director chris robinson moves his camera aimlessly , cutting in and out of speeches as if he were just as bored as i.",
      "MOV has more room for nuance than most films unfairly lumped under the black-movie label .",
      "a bland , lackluster film that thanks to both bad marketing and poor filmmaking , never really gets the chance to endear itself to the audience .",
      "an engaging experience .",
      "it unpretentiously serves class consciousness and conflict with its cadillac music , attempting to capture -- not capitalize on -- the atlanta scene that 's spawned an aesthetic and a mythology all its own .",
      "really , all we wan na do is skate , skate , skate .",
      "MOV is not interesting . nor compelling . nor lively . nor always comprehensible .",
      "... serves as the kanye west to gangster-rap movies such as ` never die alone . '",
      "MOV fails to find the right middle ground between its competing dramatic and comic elements .",
      "there 's a lot that 's right about MOV , the debut directing effort of music-video maker chris robinson . but the things that are wrong are simply fatal .",
      "like most media these days , MOV feels like the product of video-on-demand-era focus groups , which means that it 's entertaining , but not smart .",
      "an easygoing , likable coming-of-age movie about black georgia high schoolers , MOV is a veritable la-z-boy recliner of a movie .",
      "MOV never suggests that it feels good to be a gangster , nor is it a preachy morality tale peppered with gunshots and prison cells .",
      "along the way , the film is bogged down by its dramatic twists and turns .",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- retty darn involving and pretty darn smart for a teen flick -- there 's a genuine affection among rashad 's gang of adolescent misfits ...",
      "chris robinson skews more toward roll bounce authenticity than belly superficiality .",
      "the movie is directed by a prominent video director , chris robinson -lrb- jay-z , alicia keys -rrb- and , no surprise , it feels less like a conventional movie than a video compilation of flashy scenes , montages and sound-track opportunities ."
    ],
    "summary": "strong lead performances and catchy musical interludes rescue this coming-of-age story from its formulaic script and uneven direction .",
    "id": "133759538"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1014217-moonraker",
    "reviews": [
      "bond 's global escapades have a certain lyricism to them , something that unfortunately comes to an end in the poorly executed space segments .",
      "frivolous , yes , but never dull .",
      "it 's exactly that ridiculousness that makes it so enjoyable .",
      "the space-age plot is spread dangerously thin , the fights all tend to slapstick , and the wanton destruction has become rather too predictable . but it 's held together by likeable performances .",
      "while parts of MOV are rather silly , solid special effects , well-executed action sequences , and a strict reliance upon the ` bond formula ' keep this film among moore 's better entries as the british superspy .",
      "... one of the better of moore 's bond flicks , complemented by its exotic locales and outer-space motif .",
      "what little plot there is to this movie is basically a rehash of the spy who loved me 's script .",
      "bond meets star wars in one of the series ' sillier outings .",
      "broccoli just keeps piling on the goodies : lush ken adam sets , gadgetry and gams galore , super stunts and effects .",
      "christopher wood 's script takes the characters exactly where they always go in a james bond pic and the only question is whether the stunts and gadgets will live up to expectations . they do .",
      "an ill-conceived and frankly quite silly bond-meets-sci-fi experiment .",
      "you know you love it .",
      "moore is in full swing",
      "lewis gilbert directed , but the real auteur of the series is production designer ken adam , whose spectacular chrome and plastic sets define bond 's world and technological ethic .",
      "the gadgets are up to the usual bond standards , but fancy effects do not a movie make , and 007 is less satisfying floating around in space than when his feet are more or less firmly planted on the ground .",
      "typical bond stuff .",
      "just kick back and enjoy it .",
      "this is a bond with some bite -- albeit silvery !",
      "007 goes star wars in this , the silliest of all bond 's adventures .",
      "it 's one of the most buoyant bond films of all .",
      "bottom of the barrel bond",
      "tasty james bond 70s cheese . any cheesier and the film would have to come in a spray can .",
      "possibly the worst bond film .",
      "a classic bond movie ; girls , action and style",
      "MOV is a freefall of fun-filled entertainment .",
      "another buffoon 007 by moore",
      "MOV is a movie by gadgeteers , for gadgeteers , about gadgeteers . our age may be losing its faith in technology , but james bond sure has n't .",
      "primo kids ' stuff , but under-satisfying for adults . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "the `` bond in space '' angle is all we need to write MOV off as daft , but ... the whole script is a messy disaster .",
      "james bond would have to go back to earth in `` for your eyes only '' because `` MOV '' is truly a stuck-up , half-witted , scruffy-looking nerf herder .",
      "thank god for MOV !",
      "the series ' spectacular photography , gimmickry , verve and wry wit are still abundant .",
      "too much of the budget is wasted on overblown spectacle , without enough attention being given to the basics .",
      "all that remains of the mood of the early films is the theme tune . and though albert r. broccoli , the producer , says that bond goes on forever and never ages . the fact is that he is getting more juvenile with every film that 's made .",
      "MOV , the newest james bond spectacle , is a cheerful , splashy entertainment . the curators of the bond museum do not surpass themselves with this exhibition , the 11th in the series , but they have n't fallen down on the job either .",
      "one of the silliest and worse ones in the series .",
      "ludicrous but enjoyable hooey ."
    ],
    "summary": "featuring one of the series ' more ludicrous plots but outfitted with primo gadgets and spectacular sets , MOV is both silly and entertaining .",
    "id": "11476"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1175174-funny_games",
    "reviews": [
      "you know what garbage is , but until you see MOV , a bucket of swill by austrian wacko michael haneke , you have no idea how bad it can smell .",
      "rests so heavily on tenterhooks of guilt that an apology is in order for admiring it .",
      "a disturbing headscratcher likely to leave an audience feeling more abused than entertained .",
      "this is cinematic gamesmanship that is simultaneously brutal , bizarre and elegant in its audacity . director haneke has artistically exploited cinematic structure to play with and engage the mind . it 's a very funny game indeed .",
      "it is by far the most disturbing movie i 've ever seen . i do n't smoke , but if i did i would have easily gone through a pack of cigarettes afterward .",
      "though fundamentally a nihilistic exercise , it 's one with intellect and purpose behind it , and though chilly and remote , it 's certainly unnerving .",
      "although MOV inspires a lot of conflicting emotions in viewers , is n't it always better to leave the theatre feeling something than nothing at all ?",
      "the fact that it features fine performances , talented direction and some moments of genuine suspense only makes the end product that much more grotesque and appalling .",
      "haneke 's assault on our fantasy lives is shallow , unimaginative , and glacially unengaged -- a sucker punch without the redeeming passion of punk .",
      "performances are stellar .",
      "haneke has constructed a gimmicky , pretentious mess that deservedly or not , will generate controversy . after all , generating controversy with MOV is haneke 's unabashed goal ; would that it was making a better film .",
      "posits that we humans are a persuadable lot , willing to accept almost anything in the name of entertainment .",
      "it 's awfully hard to see what the film does right on account of that giant austrian finger wagging in your dumb american face .",
      "while haneke is attacking our culture for being drawn to violent fare , he is also relishing in presenting it to us , in prolonged and detailed fashion .",
      "throughout the picture , haneke demonstrates an imperial hauteur that completely undercuts his already dubious point .",
      "in addition to being borderline unendurable , MOV is inexplicable , and i do n't mean in any philosophical sense . who thought the world needed a shot-for-shot english-language version of mr. haneke 's 1997 german-language film ?",
      "torture porn for the arthouse crowd",
      "it 's a pesky example of the american penchant for taking a fairly contemporary film and getting rid of the nasty subtitles .",
      "haneke not only manipulates the audience , he goes as far as to openly mock it !",
      "haneke 's rigorously intellectual , curiously controlled approach all but guarantees that we observe these MOV from a distance , with a sense of detachment , rather than sharing the victims ' wrenching anguish .",
      "not what it appears to be on the surface .",
      "the performances are outstanding across the board . the direction and writing are masterful .",
      "are you complicit for watching the stuff ? would you be less of a jerk if you walked out ? is -lsb- haneke -rsb- wallowing in the thing he 's critiquing and consequently a bigger jerk ?",
      "while i admire the film 's tone , acting -lrb- pitt in particular is divinely nasty -rrb- and general irreverence , i do n't feel i need the spanking .",
      "a sour project that defines anti-imaginative .",
      "if you meet director michael haneke and you tell him his movie , MOV , cheesed you off , he 'll probably be thrilled .",
      "haneke appears to assume that we want these bad guys punished , and constructs little tricks to frustrate our desires . but sitting through this airless theater of the depraved was enough punishment .",
      "it 's a pity the movie is so smug , gimmicky and heartless .",
      "there 's no denying austrian director michael haneke 's skill as a filmmaker , but MOV is just a vile cinematic exercise .",
      "the film 's deliberate pace combines with an overall bleakness to alienate the viewer .",
      "whether it 's the original or the replica , this is a film that is impossible to enjoy and difficult to forget .",
      "michael haneke hates you .",
      "the worst of the violence occurs off-screen , but MOV is still a vicious , vicious movie .",
      "it 's not exactly entertainment , but it casts a poisonous spell .",
      "you will be deeply disturbed , but you will watch obsessively . you will be haunted , and manipulated , and angered , and you will suffer pangs of guilt , too .",
      "it 's one big ball of icky attitude , violence and nihilism .",
      "MOV u.s. is one of those interesting but ultimately pointless experimental films .",
      "all the things we hope from in a fright film with characters we recognize as very much like ourselves are toyed with .",
      "this is n't a movie , it 's a thesis .",
      "the earlier release helped make him a critics ' darling with its meta-movie touches and baldly articulated strategy of implicating the audience in the violence ; replayed a decade later , those stunts feel both rhetorical and redundant .",
      "a truly f'ed up thriller and aesthetic experience .",
      "director michael haneke abhors mindless cinematic violence as much as you do . he just has a different approach : high-minded shock therapy .",
      "MOV may be too skillfully executed and acted to dismiss , but it is also easily despised and certain to be loathed .",
      "haneke is a master at creating dread and doom . and then he builds upon it .",
      "because it is generally more horrifying than mentally stimulating , the mere act of watching it makes you feel like an accomplice .",
      "... brilliant and terrifying and borderline-unwatchable ...",
      "haneke keeps a lot of the brutality off screen , the more to stimulate our imaginations , do n't you know .",
      "the experience of watching MOV , be it the original or this version , is never forgotten , whatever your ultimate impression of the film .",
      "if you 're interested in intellectual abstraction , you might find haneke 's games intriguing . just be warned : when the movie ends , you 'll definitely feel like you 've been played .",
      "basically torture porn every bit as manipulative and reprehensible as hostel , even if it 's tricked out with intellectual pretension .",
      "both versions of MOV force the audience to eat it , really eat it , and while they 're eating it , to think about the mechanics and the narrative tropes of a typical revenge drama .",
      "effectively provocative but to what purpose ?",
      "a fascinating meditation on the commercialization of violence in popular culture that will shock even the most jaded moviegoers into contemplating what they look for in mass entertainment .",
      "MOV is like a graduate thesis on screen violence . it 's less successful as a compelling piece of cinema .",
      "it 's an -lrb- arguably -rrb- nonexploitive , nightmarish vision of random violence that goes exactly where you do n't want it to go and then goes even further .",
      "MOV is an art house hostel -- it mistakes self-consciousness for intelligence .",
      "the only real torture here is the one haneke inflicts on the audience .",
      "if you loved hostel and are in the market for an exceedingly , diabolically well made torture/horror film , you ca n't do much better than this .",
      "a scary and tense movie that tries to be different , but the attempt is best described as giving the middle finger to the audience",
      "watching `` MOV '' is pure torture . it 's not that the film is bad , mind you . far from it . `` MOV '' is a work of unmitigated genius . but it is , most certainly , not for the faint of heart .",
      "either one subscribes to haneke 's breathless nihilism and sarcasm or you give up immediately and write the whole thing off as another eurotrash director masturbating with his camera ... my personal choice is a nap .",
      "the appalling sadism it eagerly employs in the name of , well , decrying sadism , becomes all the more infuriating when MOV repeatedly tells us it 's for our own good .",
      "both versions of MOV equally represent the most indigestible and unsettling fictional film i 've ever seen .",
      "scream for arthouse aficionados .",
      "comes across as an intellectual study of the horror genre , featuring some superb acting and a cuttingly intelligent script .",
      "michael haneke has made a film that 's neither smart nor powerful , but instead just miserable and disrespectful of its audience , and nothing more .",
      "a gripping tale that peaks and loses its grip .",
      "naomi watts is superb , but haneke 's remake of his 1997 film comes across as a semi-brechtian analytic exercise in manipulating audiences expectations of and reactions to violence rather than an emotionally engaging saga of a family in danger .",
      "the purpose is to provoke and disturb the audience . it does this so well that you may not be able to watch it .",
      "rivals and probably tops the ellen page internet-predator film hard candy in disgusting , vile , vicious , incandescently brutal wickedness . so why did i love this evil film ?",
      "as the film progresses , it becomes painfully clear there 's no real point to the story ; what we 're witnessing is a cool , intellectual exercise , as devoid of character and motivation as the two psychos themselves .",
      "not only a bleak and harrowing horror tale , but it 's also haneke 's indictment / deconstruction of , well , bleak and harrowing horror tales .",
      "the only ambiguity in MOV lies in who 's most abused here , the characters or the audience ?",
      "can a movie be gripping and repellent at the same time ?",
      "we 're left with the nasty taste of our own bloodlust long after the credits have rolled .",
      "as an experiment in film form , MOV is intriguing , but the self-congratulation and post-modern trickery are at once irksome and intellectually and artistically dishonest .",
      "if you saw the original , the elements of suprise may be missing , but dread and suspense and nastiness are translated perfectly .",
      "this new version adds nothing novel , but it lacks none of the original 's bite .",
      "for an audience that willingly hands over fistfuls of cash to see men and women savagely tortured in the name of entertainment , MOV u.s. is just the director giving the people what they want . enjoy .",
      "a cool , calculated exercise in serious discomfort .",
      "while i would stop short of calling MOV brilliant , i think it 's forceful , unforgettable , and thought-provoking .",
      "i would absolutely defend haneke 's right to relaunch his broadside on our voyeuristic vices , but he 's not keeping up with the times ; he 's behind them .",
      "it 's a tawdry kind of horror movie plot , given new meaning by haneke 's considerable intellect .",
      "there is something far uglier and dirtier below the surface : voyeuristic sadism in which haneke implicitly involves his audience",
      "we want retribution , we want reparations , we want revenge , but haneke refuses to submit to our pleas , because he 's the storyteller , and he 's the one playing the games ...",
      "this is a piece of art . the direction is amazing , the performances are top-notch , and the pot-boiling pace is pitch-perfect .",
      "after several years of `` torture porn '' horror flicks , MOV sets the counter back to zero , reminding us that torture is n't fun , is n't stimulating , and is n't something we should be getting off on .",
      "flogging the audience is one thing , but to deny them free will in their role - thus responsibility - is something else .",
      "the movie is unforgettable and will cause a reaction from you , whether you like it or not . me ? i liked it 's sick , twisted sense of manipulating the audience",
      "i 'm not at all sure that , in manipulating the audience to make his points , haneke is n't as guilty of exploitation as the filmmakers and the films he 's attacking here .",
      "what 's terrible and irritating about the film is that haneke is n't doing it to tell a story . he just wants to punish us for wanting to see this movie in the first place .",
      "toso idio me to prototypo , poy aksizei na to deis mono an den to % u0384hes dei , i an theleis na to ksanadeis",
      "... a lurid piece of business , made all the more offensive for its apparent higher aspirations .",
      "in MOV , haneke seems content to ram his thumbs into our eyes and then ask us why we were foolish enough to get within arm 's length of his gray , grizzled visage .",
      "an actors ' showcase and a hefty serving of director michael haneke 's self indulgence",
      "it 's not a fun ride , but MOV forces us -- almost against our will -- to examine its characterization of violence and our response to it .",
      "MOV is about as hostile a jest as has ever been aimed at american audiences by a foreign director . the joke would n't be half as galling were it not so expertly written and executed .",
      "tackles issues that mean much more now than they did 11 years ago ... so tense that you may forget to breathe .",
      "a chillingly effective thriller , it is likely to leave you edgy for quite some time .",
      "while the movie 's star -- and ruler , and ship 's captain , and grand poobah -- is haneke himself , his actors are sublime .",
      "-lsb- director haneke is -rsb- an adept manipulator who goes one better by calling attention to his manipulations , questioning them , and then , still , managing to freak us out in the coldest , cruelest ways .",
      "difficult to like and yet impossible to deny , MOV is a coldly efficient , spectacularly acted and unremittingly bleak thriller .",
      "this MOV remake is as thrilling , as provocative , and as harrowing as the original - but only because it is a near carbon copy .",
      "more than the sum of its facile narrative parts .",
      "a movie that lives and dies on its gimmick , and when you figure out that all it 's doing is toying with us , there 's nothing left worth watching .",
      "registers more strongly than the original as a film about privileged white people ...",
      "... static , slow-moving and perversely timid ...",
      "... makes a valid point , but i did n't need a two-hour lecture to get it .",
      "it 's an intellectually and morally challenging film that 'll still have you shouting at the screen and lurching in your seat with every jolt .",
      "i defy you to find another movie with this much contempt for its audience .",
      "a stylish , darkly satirical horror-thriller , raising serious questions about hollywood 's sanitisation of violence .",
      "at heart , MOV is about the totalitarianism of cinema itself .",
      "it 's hard to imagine why anyone would want to subject themselves to the harrowing brutality of ` MOV , ' but give german-born filmmaker michael haneke his due - his movie is shockingly effective .",
      "it 's not a reassuring vision but that 's not the name of haneke 's particular game .",
      "not only is it a carbon copy , but such recent genre movies as ` hostel ' have examined the attraction of screen violence with greater immediacy and subversiveness .",
      "the movie assumes you know all this already and shows it to you anyway .",
      "... a masterwork of manipulation ...",
      "you 'll likely experience a strong reaction to MOV , but therein lies the conundrum : is the film simply reprehensible , or is it art ?",
      "one thing you can say about michael haneke 's unbelievably brutal thriller , MOV , is that it 's an experience : an unpleasant , unsettling , cruelly manipulative and finally hateful experience , but an experience nonetheless .",
      "haneke 's been quoted as saying he wants his movies to make people think , but MOV is 110 minutes of pure reptile-brain jolts -lrb- fear , mostly -rrb- , with a couple of meta-narrative finger wags thrown in .",
      "even if you 're already aware that violence is sickening , thank you very much , haneke 's confrontational film stirs up distressing emotions and leaves you to resolve them as best you can . good luck . you 'll need it .",
      "this iteration of the slow-moving story features many of the same beats and shocks as its predecessor , which - of course - ensures that the movie also suffers from precisely the sort of overwhelming problems that plagued the original .",
      "unlike some recent ` torture-porn ' movies , this film leaves the most reprehensible moments unseen -lrb- much of the violence is overheard -rrb- . however , all that shows is that a film can be somewhat restrained and subtle and still be in bad taste .",
      "MOV , michael haneke 's first english-language film -- and a compulsively faithful replica of his notorious 1997 german-language feature of the same title -- subjects its viewers to a long spectacle of wanton and gratuitous brutality .",
      "it 's one of the most repugnant , unpleasant , sadistic movies ever made . no matter what virtues of craft one can find within , no matter what themes lie beneath , MOV is aesthetically indefensible .",
      "a chilly and extraordinarily controlled treatise on film violence , MOV punishes the audience for its casual bloodlust by giving it all the sickening torture and mayhem it could possibly desire . neat trick , that .",
      "no , michael haneke 's new version does not need to exist . regardless of its inherent quality or lack thereof , it serves essentially no useful purpose .",
      "that this relentless barrage of psychological and physical torture is extremely well made and powerfully performed -- watts hurls herself into her physically demanding role with heroic conviction -- somehow makes it worse .",
      "i do recommend the movie for those who like seriously hardcore suspense ... the violence is absolutely uncomfortable , but i think that point could have been amply made without the violation of reality",
      "with the cult of cruelty wallpapering the media more than ever , and murders , wars and celebrity breakdowns as spectator sport , it was inevitable that the cinema of sadism would grab the untapped egghead arthouse crowd market . and the stampede is on .",
      "it 's a realism meant to demonstrate how people who enjoy such movies are accessories to the proliferation of violence in media , and haneke pulls it off with a master 's touch .",
      "if he 's not a master at making audiences squirm , -lrb- michael -rrb- haneke -lrb- caché -rrb- is close .",
      "things turn really nasty , in ways that will shock and repulse . and yet it is difficult to look away .",
      "an art-punk lecture gone weirdly wrong , the film works in ways the director presumably never intended . but the nasty thing works all the same . the movie is a flawlessly engineered torture device .",
      "the last thing i expected was to walk out of a theater showing MOV with a smile on my face .",
      "what many people will fail to realize is that this is a dadaist exercise -- it is not concerned with traditional aesthetics , and is intended to offend , in order to destroy the current climate of filmmaking , and its fostering of a culture of violence .",
      "if the pot means to call the kettle black in order to make a larger point , that still does n't change the pot 's color .",
      "pure terror . see this movie !",
      "haneke is a hypocrite who wants to censure anyone who likes fictionalized cruelty but nonetheless takes great pleasure in punishing his innocent upper-class protagonists",
      "without ever acknowledging his own sadism , haneke self-righteously lays his aesthetic and moral cards on the table ."
    ],
    "summary": "though made with great skill , MOV is nevertheless a sadistic exercise in chastising the audience .",
    "id": "764947569"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1006527-elephant_man",
    "reviews": [
      "perhaps lynch 's finest moment -- both disturbingly odd and surprisingly humane .",
      "david lynch does a neat turn with a straight drama .",
      "a moving , faithful retelling of a bizarre true story .",
      "director david lynch has created an eerily compelling atmosphere in recounting a hideously deformed man 's perilous life in victorian england .",
      "it 's an amazing story about the human spirit that 's told with great sensitivity .",
      "one of the year 's best films . only deniro could take the oscar away from john hurt .",
      "in this follow-up to the amazing eraserhead , david lynch exposes undercurrents of anguish along with an emotionally accessible tale of merrick 's nobility -- a victorian morality play disguised as an elegy to freakishness",
      "has the look and texture of an authentic document , elevated by the hand of a artist with a singular vision",
      "this black-and-white film already includes several lyncian benchmarks : hissing noises , nightmare sequences , and moments of deadly quiet .",
      "a marvellous movie , shot in stunning black-and-white by freddie francis .",
      "lynch shows a weakness in this film that is n't present in just about any of his others : sentimentality .",
      "heartbreaking drama is n't for sensitive viewers .",
      "the playing is finely judged , the black-and-white cinematography is effective and the whole thing manages to be truly moving in a way that overcomes all the `` i am not an animal ! '' schmaltz .",
      "despite the excess , this is a uniquely memorable film .",
      "lynch 's powerful depiction of merrick -lrb- played by john hurt -rrb- moves a viewer from revulsion and fear to empathy and tenderness . that 's the very movement of the story itself .",
      "this stylish , poignant drama is probably the closest director david lynch has got to the mainstream outside of the disastrous dune .",
      "... at its best when the story and period trappings serve lynch 's vision , and vice versa .",
      "this is a tale of redemption and transcendence , of the hunchback of london hospital , of the noble phantom who wanted to go to the opera , of beauty and the beast .",
      "the greatest contribution -- apart from the central performances -- comes from francis , whose wonderful black and white , widescreen photography lends atmosphere and clarity to the proceedings .",
      "the picture itself is a strange trade-off between lynch 's personal themes -- the night world of obscure , disturbing sexual obsessions -- and the requirements of a middlebrow message movie .",
      "i kept asking myself what the film was really trying to say about the human condition as reflected by john merrick , and i kept drawing blanks .",
      "spectacular",
      "what we eventually see underneath this shell is not ` the study in dignity ' that ashley montagu wrote about , but something far more poignant , a study in genteelness that somehow suppressed all rage .",
      "the MOV is a memorable film about human survival and a powerful commentary on human exploitation .",
      "my apologies to the fans of the absurd , but i 'd call this david lynch 's one true masterpiece .",
      "beautifully acted and photographed in absolutely gorgeous wide-screen black-and-white , the results are rarely less than stunning , despite the lapses into the melodramatic .",
      "avoids the obvious traps of simple romanticism and playing into sheer pity for merrick 's noble plight .",
      "this very interesting and moving film challenges us to examine the complex nuances of benevolence and the potential of the human spirit to transcend genetic impairments .",
      "this tale of a pure soul struggling to be heard over the prejudice of the many is quite heart-rending .",
      "hopkins ' performance is the performance in the film .",
      "a very rich film , confident enough in its emotional core to get away with broadstrokes like the villainous performances of freddie jones and michael elphick as rotten exploiters .",
      "understated and masterful in its use of costumes , makeup , and low-budget camerawork , david lynch 's portrait of john the MOV merrick stands as one of the best biographies on film ."
    ],
    "summary": "david lynch 's relatively straight second feature finds an admirable synthesis of compassion and restraint in treating its subject , and features outstanding performances by john hurt and anthony hopkins .",
    "id": "10377"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hobo_with_a_shotgun",
    "reviews": [
      "in the tradition of street trash and the original toxic avenger , MOV is a gleefully over the top splatterfest with little redeeming social value .",
      "exactly the kind of movie i want out of cinema ... the dialogue is like aaron sorkin wrote an action movie ... here it is , the first great movie out of sundance : MOV .",
      "while forced and flawed , it still offers a bloody good time - just not the passion pit point the filmmakers think they are making .",
      "a non-stop , over-the-top , intentionally ridiculous smorgasbord of violence and bloodshed that ceases being disturbing and just becomes pure , 100 % fun .",
      "a grindhouse-style slasher pic lacking style and wit .",
      "with hauer in the role , hobo 's manic gore-streaked hyperbole begins to make sense .",
      "astonishingly inept and thoroughly unwatchable ...",
      "for cinephiles with sick senses of humour and fond memories of digging through bins of vhs tapes in grungy video stores in the 1980s , hobo is , in simplest terms , heavenly .",
      "creates a tremendously unsettling aura of sadism instead of chunky , schlocky merriment . why should i be punished just because davies and eisener were n't hugged enough as kids ?",
      "completely left me trying to find my second wind ...",
      "eisener displays considerable finesse as an action director . his movie 's occasional moments of wit also take some of the edge off the otherwise assaultive nature of this exercise in scumbag cinema .",
      "the movie 's all garish colour and spurting squibs , with the occasional burst of t&a titillation . as mel brooks once said , it rises below vulgarity .",
      "rutger hauer at least seems to be in on the joke , even if the joke wears pretty thin .",
      "belongs at the bottom of a disused coal mine in one of those desperately impoverished west virginia townships that advertise for people to send them their nuclear waste .",
      "this film is n't for the weak of stomach or the tenderhearted . but if you think you can enjoy its silly , explosive and splatter nature , it 's a nice dose of fun .",
      "rutger hauer is the show , the whole show , and nothing but the show in MOV , a throwback that , for all its bloodletting and supposed shock value , feels comparatively conventional and tame .",
      "gloriously over-the-top blood pudding about a homeless man -lrb- hauer -rrb- who goes dirty harry on a dead-end town run by sadistic crims .",
      "it 's a grindhouse mess but it stars rutger hauer !",
      "a film that ca n't resist picking its own scabs .",
      "MOV reminded me of hatchet , another inexplicable genre favorite that , from where i sat , seemed to do little but rearrange genre tropes to get a pavlovian rise from its niche audience .",
      "fun to a point , but by about the hour mark i was more than ready to check out .",
      "the relentless and pointless sadism of the film left me cold and bored , which not even the presence of rutger hauer could cure .",
      "the film treats its dystopian vigilante saga with just enough of a straight face to get at the underlying insanity of its righteous-avenger protagonist .",
      "there 's something appealing about the movie 's unpretentious carnival of carnage , although i could have done without the flamethrower assault on a school bus to raise the stakes .",
      "quite the most appalling piece of junk i have seen lately , MOV just lies there like an autopsy .",
      "the sight of hauer going postal with a double-barreled blaster is about on par with liam neeson mowing down albanian sex traffickers in taken-in other words ... kerfawesome !",
      "does this cinematic jeu d'esprit ever gobsmack your eyes and nerve endings .",
      "the setup could also be read as an allegory of/justification for dubya 's invasion of iraq -lrb- think about it -rrb- , but that presumes more of an engagement with the non-cinematic world than hobo ever really displays .",
      "it may sound silly , but watch hauer go from shuffling , hesitant outsider on the fringe to vigilante hero raining down justice in the streets with his 12-gauge and you see one of the year 's best , most heartbreaking and unhinged performances thus far .",
      "it 's a hyper-violent , self-conscious throwback , with the sickly plastic aroma of a tape that 's been gathering dust in the corner of a video store since 1984 .",
      "the brilliance begins and ends with its title . . feels less like a movie than a joke about a movie , to which you need to buy a ticket to see the punchline . it 's not worth it .",
      "a hobo hops off a freight train in a nameless north american gomorrah run by a sadistic crime king . then said hobo cleans up the place by shooting buckets full of guts .",
      "canadian filmmaker jason eisener 's homage to grindhouse movies past is a pitch-perfect recreation of the brutal , low-budget crime films of the '70s , which is simultaneously the best and the worst thing about it .",
      "sheer , mindless fun with oodles of over-the-top , stylized blood - ` n-guts . destined to become a cult classic that will have audiences laughing at it as well as with it .",
      "MOV pushes every button it can find , then pounds them into the panel , then smashes the panel with a wrecking ball .",
      "will leave most viewers bored and uneasy , especially in scenes like the burning alive of a busful of young children .",
      "japan 's takashi miike has the formula down pat , but eisener has no idea how to give violence a touch of class .",
      "ultimately , it 's still less misanthropically hypnotic than , say , roberta findlay 's 1985 flashback , tenement .",
      "what 's not to like ?",
      "once you 've taken in the title , you 've pretty much gotten the joke .",
      "the closest thing the film gets to a message ? `` when life gives you razor blades , you make a baseball bat covered in razor blades . '' sounds like a quote for a successories poster in hell .",
      "batshit b-movie satire",
      "what really puts this over-the-top extravaganza over the top is hauer 's ferocious and oddly sincere performance .",
      "what should have been a rousing shoot-em-up gets tedious rather quickly .",
      "it 's just not as much brain-fun as the other neo-grinds but it 's still really great at aiming that firehose of fake blood straight for your face .",
      "never mind ` machete , ' MOV is the real heir to the grindhouse glory daze .",
      "what should have been a rousing shoot-em-up gets tedious rather quickly , with the overacting villains and their over-the-top mayhem feeling very same-y after the first few scenes .",
      "this is , yes , a movie about a MOV , but it 's also an inspired parody of the post-apocalyptic whack-a-mole revenge flick .",
      "there 's nothing here that you have n't seen before in lloyd kaufman 's troma pictures and the grindhouse films of the '70s , save for perhaps better production values and an impressively grizzled rutger hauer .",
      "a gory , live-action cartoon .",
      "it 's so far over-the-top that it makes machete look believable , but that 's why it 's effective . unlike so many movies you will see this season , MOV delivers .",
      "unsurprisingly MOV is shot in the style of '60s and '70s exploitation films -- and what a style it is .",
      "there 's plenty of blood and screaming and mayhem , and it 's not particularly well-staged , shot or cut -- though i suppose actually caring about film craft denotes one as a spoilsport in this context .",
      "-lsb- l -rsb- ike its '70s / '80s forebears , it combines outrageous quantities of fake blood and viscera with an antihero on a righteous mission .",
      "i 'd take the last 10 minutes over the latest hollywood cgi megabore any day .",
      "even connoisseurs of the genre -lrb- and i confess , i 'm not one -rrb- will find the cheesy chopfests and gratuitous gore less than exciting as one urban prosthetics-strewn bloodbath begets the next .",
      "`` MOV '' is about a MOV . if you are looking for more than splatter , look elsewhere .",
      "`` hobo '' breathes new life into the demented realm of grindhouse cinema - a world that had grown pretty stale to this point .",
      "it 's thanks to hauer that the film transcends its origins ; his performance combines clint eastwood in high plainsdrifter with lloyd bridges in airplane !",
      "the film is a wild , over-the-top , jaw-dropping homage to 70s exploitation cinema . the colors pop like neon signs and the blood flows by the bucket loads .",
      "a merrily blood-soaked homage to the vigilante action movies of the 1970s and early 1980s , `` hobo '' is a good idea in theory that 's brought down by the banality of its practice .",
      "for those who can stomach ever-escalating scenes of brutality , generous amounts of b-movie gore and a story with dialogue that is sometimes dumbfounding , `` hobo '' is a hero .",
      "this one is a sicko exercise in meaningless entertainment , geared for those who get off on moronic bloodbath pics .",
      "MOV celebrates its genre roots but in no way expounds on them ; it 's all pastiche with no substance .",
      "it 's nice to find a wacky movie that knows how to employ `` shock value '' violence with some degree of timing and cleverness .",
      "you get what you pay for with a movie like this . the question is whether it was worth paying for at all .",
      "this is the type of movie you want to punch in the face .",
      "MOV is a film in the tradition of 70s exploitation films . but unlike most grindhouse films , this one is actually awesome .",
      "an artless film of amateurishly scripted and staged over-the-top violence",
      "such a desperate attempt at being one of robert rodriguez or quentin tarantino 's '70s exploitation throwbacks that it 's a little bit sad .",
      "a cult picture that 's completely comfortable in its own skin .",
      "great title , but this silly vigilante action movie is so exaggerated , so over-the-top that it is over the hill . it has gone to seed and needs to be weeded .",
      "it 's all in good fun and sometimes a little clever ; `` hobo '' shoots low and scores an explosive spray of guts , if not glory .",
      "MOV certainly delivers on its promises of excess .",
      "surely it 's a fairly hollow victory to laugh at something that 's been specifically designed to be lame/schlocky/dated / offensive ?",
      "limbs are severed , heads roll , a school bus is incinerated , and a dude gets burnt by sticking his hockey skate into a plugged in toaster . some is clever , but much of it 's wearying and a bit lame ...",
      "it 's a bore , but it delivers on the carnage .",
      "gore hounds will appreciate MOV , but it is so wan that even squeamish viewers will shrug it off with a yawn .",
      "MOV is what downhome we 'd call a ` hoot . ' maybe two hoots . the title alone says it all .",
      "the movie just blows chunks .",
      "it 's good to see hauer get that roy batty look on his face again .",
      "serious and mocking at the same time",
      "twice as good as a fi lm based on a spoof trailer has any right to be , hobo is a great career kickstarter for director eisener and the credibility boost hauer richly deserves .",
      "... a blood-spattered love letter to the grindhouse vengeance movie by first-time filmmakers who , as spinal tap might put it , crank everything up to 11 .",
      "sick but fun .",
      "the screenplay plays like the result of a ` write the most vile line ever ' contest , which in itself will be a huge draw for cinematic dumpster divers . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "hauer 's best since the hitcher . if eisener calms down , he may have a career outside live-action ` toons .",
      "rutger hauer is a genius .",
      "when this amount of ham arrives coated in so much ketchup , there 's not much room left to find any pleasure at all .",
      "created by a fan for fans everywhere , eisener 's film is simultaneously original and a perfect throwback to the blood-splattered movies of the 70s .",
      "this is no light-hearted spoof . it 's 100 % grindhouse . which , for the most part and by definition , simply makes it trash .",
      "an entertaining , absurdly violent exploitation thriller that 's pretty much non-stop action and does n't skimp on the gore factor .",
      "picked up by magnet , `` shotgun '' should satisfy midnight movie gore-hounds .",
      "if you 're willing to jump into his gleefully hedonistic world , there 's a lot of fun to be had .",
      "at times i found myself doubled over in hysteria at the complete insanity of the carnage i was watching on-screen . hobo was a blast !",
      "a fan-friendly movie that delivers on its genre promises .",
      "there is a gleeful stream-of-consciousness at play here , similar to what you might find in the early masterpieces from john waters .",
      "takes exactly the right tone , straddling the line between imitation and parody .",
      "double-barreled mayhem as if sergio leone designed a video-game .",
      "-lsb- the filmmakers -rsb- infuse originality into the one-against-all tale by thinking outside the horror toolbox .",
      "MOV takes on genre filmmaking with a vengeance and a toque .",
      "if , on the other hand , you appreciate a droll and savvy satire of the melodramatic excesses of seventies vigilante thrillers from a filmmaker who clearly knows his stuff , then get in the ticket line .",
      "the cartoon viciousness and wild overacting only add to the winningly exuberant excess of what is a startling feature debut for the director .",
      "provides its target audience with exactly what they want while still managing to be aware of just how silly it all is .",
      "jason eisener 's MOV is trash with a difference : designer trash .",
      "i 've got to admit there are flashes of demented brilliance in this hardcore crassploitation splatter pic .",
      "there 's no escaping the fact this is a remake of unadulterated rubbish .",
      "like most of its kind , it 's just so bad it 's bad .",
      "this is a gloriously ott , gore-filled riot .",
      "fans of the genre will relish the ironies -lrb- or , as it 's known in the trade , the chance to have your cake and eat it -rrb- .",
      "crude fun .",
      "it stomps over any notions of good taste and credibility after roughly five minutes ."
    ],
    "summary": "it certainly is n't subtle -- or even terribly smart -- but as a gleefully gory homage to low-budget exploitation thrillers , MOV packs plenty of firepower .",
    "id": "771206377"
  },
  {
    "movie": "coherence_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- byrkit 's -rsb- premise has buńuelian potential , but too often he settles for the shocks of a twilight zone episode .",
      "byrkit 's is an exactingly proportioned blueprint for well-paced cerebral freakouts , downplayed humor , and the humblest of special effects .",
      "strangely subtle , supernatural mindbender ...",
      "flighty but fun romp in a gravitation field built for eight .",
      "a mild form of lynchian terror is unleashed . it 's also rather funny .",
      "the film generates fear and mistrust with very little in the way of effects , gore or outright scares .",
      "the result is a low-key mind-bender that feels half-scripted , half improvised , and -- for the most part -- rather surprisingly compelling .",
      "taut , plausible , and metaphysically terrifying , it is an object lesson that there is no restriction in a great idea .",
      "you have to love a film that not only explains the concept of schrödinger 's cat but also includes a joke about it .",
      "the true strength of the film is its ability to keep you questioning and thinking ahead , working out what is happening and ultimately fuming over how frustratingly nuts it is .",
      "theatre of the absurd sci-fi with `` twilight zone '' touches , all it lacks is that tricky word that is its title -- `` MOV ''",
      "the film 's impression of personas is less traditionally sinister than representative of its inquiry into identity and what happens when social barriers begin to fall away .",
      "an ingenious micro-budget science-fiction nerve-jangler which takes place entirely at a suburban dinner party , MOV is a testament to the power of smart ideas and strong ensemble acting over expensive visual pyrotechnics .",
      "a low-budget sci-fi indie that doubles , and triples , and quadruples , as a truly original existential horror movie .",
      "MOV is no-budget filmmaking at its most delectably inventive .",
      "the results are n't exactly compelling , but writer/director james ward byrkit does have a superb way of ratcheting up the suspense and mystery of the story , making it the rare movie that actually improves as it unfolds .",
      "MOV is a smart , spooky and supremely satisfying mind-bender that proves lo-fi does n't have to mean low ambition .",
      "so invested in showing off how smart it is , in demonstrating the ways its narrative reflects some fundamentally complex ideas , that it fails to hit home emotionally .",
      "MOV is the most convoluted shaggy dog story you 'll have heard in quite some time - a shaggy schrodinger 's cat .",
      "a well done , messed up little movie that screws with your head in a good way .",
      "MOV is a gentle film , but you walk away from it with your brain on fire .",
      "this less you know , the more you will enjoy this this nifty thriller , which craftily makes the most of its micro-budget to maximize a deliciously mind-bending story .",
      "what began as a nifty puzzle feels more like a trap . it may be possible to unkink this story , but when characters and performances are as unengaging as these , it 's hard to feel motivated to try .",
      "it 's not afraid to lose the audience because that puts them in the shoes of its characters , who fumble about trying to very badly solve a grad-level physics class puzzle together .",
      "weird and weirder",
      "at once a suspenseful mind game and a wily mash-up of surreal quantum physics theories , this low-cost thriller proves that something approaching brilliance is not just a function of budget .",
      "great use of handheld photography and minimal light without falling into the found-footage trap . MOV makes byrkit a filmmaker to watch .",
      "a ` twilight zone ' dinner party whose guests frankly wear out their welcome .",
      "... grounds a mounting sense of paranoia among a set of credibly flawed relationships before doling out its eerie revelations with care .",
      "the questions byrkit raises about the intermingling of previously separate realities may be more inspired than some of the answers that his out-of-their-depth characters stumble upon , but the implications are quietly terrifying nonetheless .",
      "james ward byrkit completes his journey from storyboard artist ... to writer-director with this overextended but mostly enjoyable trip into the twilight zone .",
      "if rod serling had hired robert altman to direct a `` twilight zone '' episode , it might have turned out something like this .",
      "an uncommonly clever genre movie , reliant not on special effects-of which there are basically none-but on heavy doses of paranoia .",
      "there is still enough here to detain sci-fi conspiracy theorists and a low-key pay off is nicely handled .",
      "the characters are flat and indistinct , and the actors lack the ability to give impact to the supposedly shocking revelations about their relationships , let alone do justice to the big ideas at the film 's core .",
      "one of its strengths is the attention it pays to character . scrape away the sci-fi trappings and this emerges as a caustic , closely observed drama about some narcissistic california types with obvious tensions in their lives .",
      "considering how much of the film consists of a single group of people becoming increasingly unhinged in a suburban living room , it 's impressive how effectively byrkit manages to suggest multiple realities and ominous other worlds .",
      "MOV is , at times , somewhat incoherent , but always on the right side of farcicality .",
      "MOV 's brilliance comes from forcing the question of whether we truly know what we 're capable of .",
      "an ambitious physics and time-bending , relationship drama with solid performances from the two main characters .",
      "clever and compelling , though never quite breaking through the sense of artifice .",
      "MOV proves that you do n't need a big budget to make a big impression . a few bright ideas are much more valuable .",
      "an entertaining , if talky , slice of indie sci-fi that involves one freaky comet and eight good-looking californians .",
      "writer/director james ward byrkit , in his feature debut , achieves effective chills with only eight actors and a living room ...",
      "the film 's not perfect-the hand-held camerawork sometimes distracts from the unnerving mood-but it 's a good , spooky mind-bender .",
      "MOV 's characters are n't especially nice , but they do feel painfully normal , with a plausibility to their actions that extends to the half-smart way they react to their situation .",
      "deploys twisty sci-fi concepts to warp the almost-clichéd dinner-party soap opera into a horror story of the human condition in the face of quantum philosophy .",
      "gets points for both effort and entertainment value - even if viewers will be hard-pressed to find much MOV in his convoluted plot .",
      "`` MOV '' is proof that inventive filmmakers can do a lot with a little .",
      "an unsatisfactory conclusion ruins an engaging and promising idea .",
      "this is the kind of movie i 'm always hoping to discover at a film festival .",
      "if you 're into indie sci-fi in the vein of `` primer '' or `` another earth , '' where the thrills up the spine come from ideas rather than visual effects , get a ticket now to see james byrkit 's mindbender `` MOV . ''",
      "james ward byrkit rocks the metaphysical world with his mind-bending look at duality as told like a campfire horror story .",
      "chilling , visceral , and yet cerebral in both execution and scope , it needs only its scathingly intelligent writing , incisive grasp of human nature , and a special effects budget that requires little more than glow sticks to make its points .",
      "complex , suspenseful , unpredictable and increasingly profound . one of those rare sci-fi movies with a brain . you 'll want to see it again .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- surprises , while cleverly doled out over the film 's brisk 88-minute running time , do n't entirely offset the general displeasure of spending time with this particular circle of friends , lovers and old flames ...",
      "it ties your mind in so many knots you eventually give up trying to work out whether any of it makes a lick of sense . it 's part of the film 's genius , really .",
      "it has just about everything i like in a sci-fi movie , and it 's a tense , involving , brain-bending success .",
      "although his film is in part about the bad choices individuals make under duress , byrkit has more on his mind than self-involved people leaping into me-first mode the second that disaster strikes .",
      "the cast all play an integral part in us going along with the science of the story and there 's a real sense of disorientation as the group dynamic is put under stress and begins to fracture .",
      "with a small cast , largely one-location setting and virtually no special effects , it 's a triumph of low-budget filmmaking that gets your heart racing -- and your brain , too .",
      "the larger questions MOV asks us to consider about parallel worlds are interesting , if not exactly original , while absurdist touches help elevate it from more traditional thrillers .",
      "while MOV takes the superficial form of a horror movie , it 's ultimately too talky to be scary .",
      "... an erratic yet watchable sci-fi mind-twister .",
      "at its unstable core , it 's about our inner fears of fracturing -- splitting into strange selves or unstable identities . toys cleverly with its cast 's generic-ness . an inspired riff on stuck-here-together horror ; not a locked-room but unlocked-house mystery .",
      "while the character motivations in this film are pretty strange , the acting is solid by a cast of relative unknowns . this is a thought-provoking , complex science fiction story .",
      "by presenting its ideas in a well-structured , appealingly fleshed-out fashion it lives up to its name in more ways than one .",
      "cleverly blending an interpersonal drama with a sci-fi thriller , writer-director james ward byrkit creates a riveting little gem on a remarkably low budget .",
      "it 's best not to know too much more going in , but suffice it to say byrkit 's parable about choices and how they make us who we are has an eerie potency .",
      "the conceit is alluringly mind-bending without ever seeming off-puttingly brainy .",
      "slightly too much like an unfolding mathematical puzzle , although an ingenious one that reaches a chilling conclusion .",
      "the rod serling tension byrkit is angling for never quite arrives , nor does any real borgesian frisson .",
      "plotted out with a dizzying attention to spot-the-difference detail , -lsb- it -rsb- remains a film concerned with questions of ethics no less than of physics , as it shows how we are all constructed , compromised and confined in the image of our moral choices ."
    ],
    "summary": "a case study in less-is-more filmmaking , MOV serves as a compelling low-budget calling card for debuting writer-director james ward byrkit .",
    "id": "771370754"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shape_of_things",
    "reviews": [
      "such an effective emotional roller coaster that its flaws seem diminished",
      "a cinematic puzzle that 's more schematic than natural , and one with a distinctly sour aftertaste , but despite the artificiality it still works .",
      "not simply a cynical view of modern romance but a statement about the poisons embracing the human condition .",
      "as unflinching in its honesty as it is sharp in its observation and a great adaptation from stage to screen .",
      "this is a must if you are into literary cinema .",
      "this is the dark side of human interaction : ugly and cruel , but powerful and resonant nonetheless .",
      "with outstanding performances from rudd and weisz , this is an unsettling , provocative and nasty little gem .",
      "anchored by two great leads and full of interesting , deeply debatable ideas , shape still feels stagey and boxed in -- like a brilliantly unknowable friend existing in a world not your own .",
      "the balanced struggle between and among sexes is engaging for a good chunk of the film .",
      "labute would like us to know that neither sex has a monopoly on behaving very , very badly . alert the media !",
      "-lsb- labute 's -rsb- ideas on art and humanity will make you hoot , holler , curse the actors , damn labute and argue like hell with your date . what else do you want from a movie ?",
      "there 's nothing cinematic here , either in the execution or the performances , which are little more than speeches .",
      "... pretty flat .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- acrid chamber piece .",
      "a great play becomes a bad movie .",
      "what seemed at first to be gross cluelessness became sly calculation ; what i saw as blunt moralizing i now perceived as a neat moral reversal .",
      "labute 's lacerating take on the battle of the sexes , on the betrayals and debasements littering the field like bloody corpses , is n't for everyone . but for the rubberneckers and masochists among us , the MOV is hard to beat .",
      "the problem with shape is that it 's exactly what it seems : a recycled four-character play ... that someone mistook for a clever movie .",
      "the four actors , who originated their roles on stage , know the characters well and have developed a keen sense for the interaction among them .",
      "i 'm glad to see director neil labute is back doing what he does best : creating some of the most memorably cruel characters in modern cinema .",
      "in the MOV , love does n't just hurt : it bites , and bites deep .",
      "i was impressed by the movie and creeped out by it too .",
      "the facial jewellery , elvis costello music and cell phones notwithstanding , you keep expecting these people to challenge each other to duels with rapiers at dawn .",
      "tiresome and facile .",
      "an amazing piece of writing and one that will provoke laughs , discussion and anger .",
      "the MOV shows , yet again , what a singularly talented artist labute is -- and how his penchant for excessive ugliness can nearly ruin a good thing .",
      "-lsb- labute 's -rsb- observation of human nature is keener than before , his dialogue more attuned to ambiguities .",
      "labute keeps the tone surprisingly light -- for a labute film , anyway .",
      "it 's hard to believe , but labute seems to be getting even more insidious ... twisting an old tale with a new take and his no-bones-about-it allusions to the creation myth .",
      "meticulously crafted , ambitious and uproariously funny .",
      "though you still sense some distance between the filmmaker and his creations , he lets you warm up to these people so you 're on board as he explores the larger issues their behavior suggests .",
      "after the muted and sometimes muddle-headed possession , writer-director neal labute revisits material he knows better than anyone -- the theater of cruelty that relationships between men and women can be .",
      "the layered script is alternately hilarious and realistic , horrifying and stilted .",
      "-lsb- labute 's -rsb- woven an engrossing yarn that combines his critical , often astringent intelligence with a concern for human feelings that 's miles beyond anything found in his previous pictures .",
      "the MOV is imperfect , but the flaws do n't detract much from what is a singularly effective , grim perspective of contemporary romance .",
      "this powerful look at society 's obsession with looks -- with ` the MOV ' -- will leave you with plenty of food for thought .",
      "mr. labute is in danger of becoming an arch , one-trick relationship pony . in other words , he 's starting to get boring .",
      "the MOV may be -lsb- labute 's -rsb- best , cruelest , most vital act of confrontation yet .",
      "neil labute is back to his old self , and the cinematic world is a better place for it .",
      "-lsb- labute 's -rsb- existential rage is cooling in direct proportion to the rise of his self-pitying belief that no one understands him .",
      "i do n't know if it 's still possible for labute to surprise us the way he did with in the company of men , either with his cleverness or his nastiness , but he gives it his best shot here .",
      "a sharp , witty and surprising film of cutting insights and cool-eyed cynicism .",
      "the film is certainly clever enough to hold an audience 's interest throughout , though in the end it 's a victim of its own ambition .",
      "having played these roles for so long and so often , mol , rudd , weller and weisz fully inhabit their parts .",
      "it 's a compelling story , getting better as it goes along , but nonetheless suffers from being too obviously bound to its stage origins .",
      "undeniably intriguing and even disturbing . yet , for various reasons , it 's clearly not labute 's most engaging or compelling effort .",
      "raises interesting questions about the power exerted in relationships and the amount of control a person can or should have over another .",
      "a chic , vitriolic polemic that 's as irritating as it means to be provocative .",
      "characters make self-conscious jokes , and other characters answer them with clumsy sarcasm ; every line comes complete with arch , invisible quotation marks .",
      "you walk out feeling and thinking differently than when you walked in . is n't that what art is supposed to do ?",
      "this film is a great lesson in why it 's dumb to walk out of a movie - sometimes the sting is in the tail of the tale . neil labute is back , and so is the ` c ' word .",
      "this preposterous relationship drama is ... labute 's staunch defense of his own work .",
      "neil , you 're a cruel , cruel man . i knew you had it in you .",
      "not nearly as effective on-screen .",
      "the fallout from the discomfiting climax lingers long after the lights have come up .",
      "didactic rather than enigmatic .",
      "unconvincing and dull -- two adjectives i never expected to use in connection with any movie from neil labute , who usually lives up to his reputation as ` film 's shock jock . '",
      "rudd 's performance is a fearless one -- he 's not afraid to be goofy or dorky .",
      "sit back and soak up the delicious dialog as labute entrances us once again .",
      "-lsb- labute 's -rsb- is a milieu red in tooth and claw ... where the innocent are just so much fodder for the buzz saw of darwinism",
      "there are barbs here to tickle anyone 's paranoia , but the callousness is n't illustrative , just exploitative .",
      "labute returns to familiar territory -lrb- albeit with a gender twist -rrb- that would have been best left unvisited .",
      "when the players themselves are conceived this superficially , labute winds up invalidating his own point .",
      "neil labute is among the more interesting cinematic talents to emerge these past half-dozen years .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- labute presents a ballsy , daring , and truly original portrait of human cruelty ...",
      "a grim and cynical but ultimately arresting exploration of personal expression and modern love .",
      "go see the MOV , a peculiarly acted , nasty caper , and decide for yourself whether we are being set up by labute with a manipulative device or if he is speaking to our frailties and telling truths .",
      "the actors all benefit from intimate knowledge of difficult parts , and barbs at modern art and sexual mores do cut through .",
      "labute gives us a sequence of scathing emotional violence that outdoes anything i 've seen this year .",
      "labute 's observations about our self-destructive obsession with appearances may not be original , but his ability to create articulate , provocative characters is .",
      "seems every much as finely calibrated as in the company of men .",
      "at best , the movie is a problematic chamber piece ; at worst , a misdirected , slightly misanthropic pretension .",
      "a motion picture not easy to shake ... grim in its look at what one person is capable of doing to another , but it is not heartless .",
      "with delicious dialogue , robust wry performances and an imaginative outlook on how we as flawed beings can relate to our sexual expectations , things certainly shape up in labute 's preposterous yet pithy universe .",
      "there are no surprises to be had in `` the MOV , '' which telegraphs its twist ending in its first ten minutes .",
      "-lrb- labute -rrb- has n't augment the characters and settings with the additional depth and definition necessary to flesh out a stage production for the screen .",
      "challenges and confronts , even as it forces the viewer to examine his own behavior .",
      "shape is rather slight as compared to labute 's earlier creative cruelty-based concoctions but it nevertheless is a twisted celebration in the bonding of misguided personalities feverishly searching for that elusive emotional completeness .",
      "why is everyone such a ***** when it comes to neil labute ?",
      "an interesting , albeit wordy and often vitriolic , take on modern dating and the subjective nature of love .",
      "this adaptation of labute 's 2001 play provides a queasy investigation of male-female relations that ends with a satisfying shudder of recognition at the extreme cruelty possible within human relationships , particularly those conceived by neil labute .",
      "labute is a writer first and a director second . what he does visually is unobtrusive and functional , but what he does with words and structure is wonderful .",
      "labute hammers this shape to smithereens with argument after argument .",
      "the commercially minded nurse betty aside , it 's neil labute 's weakest work . but even on a bad day , he 's better than most .",
      "the MOV continues that cat-and-mouse game of wits , a kind of rebellion against viewer complacency .",
      "should have been left on the stage .",
      "provocateur labute not only dramatically throws the ` c ' word at us in this film , but he also goes to great lengths to show us one .",
      "brutal , sexy and astonishingly acted .",
      "well-acted and deliberately stagey , this is a controversial , typically misogynistic tale from writer-director neil labute that is certain to divide both critics and audiences alike .",
      "what on earth has happened to this director ?",
      "rachel weisz 's brilliantly layered performance as evelyn -- barbed , vehement and oddly sorrowful -- keeps all options open .",
      "some critics have called the film stolid and stagy . i think the way it sits still and looks hard is just the point , and the key to its effect .",
      "... holds the dubious distinction of being the laziest stage-to-screen transfer i 've ever seen .",
      "very well-acted -- but psychologically superficial .",
      "shape is labute spinning his wheels , offering another sour candy to his fans , while deluding himself that he 's not turning into a one-trick pony , at least when it comes to looking at relationships .",
      "the characters do n't seem to be people as much as they are stand-ins for ideas .",
      "an adam and eve love story for the new millennium - where all 's fair in love and art .",
      "aside from the faces of the actors , there is very little in the MOV that is recognizably human .",
      "every time -lsb- labute 's -rsb- characters start to act natural , begin to breathe , live and display ordinary human desire , they bump into the walls of the wildly unlikely plot structure in which he has imprisoned them .",
      "besides repeating his premise that only fools fall in love and deserve whatever circle of hell they enter for it , -lsb- labute -rsb- seems to really believe that morality has no place in art . certainly , he 's keeping it out of his .",
      "instead of characters , labute seems to have created lab rats , those who chew and those who get chewed up as they race through the movie 's artificial maze .",
      "in the MOV , writer/director neil labute molds another whopper of a tale about modern romance -- but its hardly a `` date '' movie .",
      "another brainy , shocking tale from neil labute puts cruel modern twists on some old-fashioned themes .",
      "labute has extracted the maximum amount of meaning from his material by letting us approach it from every possible angle , like a piece of sculpture .",
      "-lsb- plays -rsb- like a particularly uninspired episode of friends .",
      "in labute 's movies , people are either clueless dupes or psychotic manipulators , while art is meant to rub your face in unpleasant ` truths . ' and i think he takes a little too much pleasure in that nose-rubbing .",
      "despite the script 's occasional pretentiousness , labute 's characters are fully formed , and the solid story is rendered with humor and perversity .",
      "the MOV is another hard-hitting drama by neil labute exploring the power plays between the sexes and the clash between art and morality .",
      "the cast helps enliven what could otherwise come off as a treatise .",
      "intellectually , shape is a tour de force that ca n't be dismissed merely for the coldness it makes us feel . artistically , it should have been called ` abandon hope all ye who enter here . '",
      "labute seems to be relying on big moments that never show up and surprises spied long ahead of time .",
      "this version of labute 's ongoing project is crisp and aggressive , occasionally alienating or annoying , that is , effectively unlike other movies .",
      "labute has that rarest of attributes , a distinctive voice .",
      "-lsb- labute 's -rsb- stagy but delectable dialogue drips with effective urgency .",
      "... one can not help but be impressed by the economy and power with which labute frames his argument .",
      "rachel weisz 's treachery is admittedly fun to watch , but if you 've seen any of labute 's earlier films , you wonder if he just needs to start hanging out with nicer people once in a while .",
      "there was too much of the neurotic artist in the prose to speak for all art .",
      "this film , like earlier -lsb- labute -rsb- ones , is a precise little jewel box of misanthropy -- of men and women fighting a battle of the sexes with no winners , only casualties .",
      "the dialogue can also sound mannered .",
      "there is also no real emotional investment for the viewer with the characters in `` the MOV , '' with the exception of a charming and likable performance by gretchen mol .",
      "little more than a clever undergrad thesis gone awfully wrong , it turns on the less than shocking proposition that women are as unlikable as men .",
      "... labute 's done a fantastic job of creating four distinct characters who are n't easily identifiable .",
      "the best ensemble acting i 've seen -lrb- so far -rrb- in 2003 .",
      "i do n't know that i think it 's an entirely honest work , but one aspect of it is so universal that it 's honest enough to be uncomfortable .",
      "harsh , unflattering , and outrageous , it is guaranteed to leave a prolonged impression .",
      "the shape of this thing is warped . it 's a four-character play masquerading as a movie .",
      "thank you neil labute , you bastard . if only there were more like you to challenging us to look a little deeper in the mirror everyday .",
      "labute 's strength is in utilizing so many of those rom-com genre conventions not to celebrate love but to expose its inherent coldness and cruelty .",
      "sadly , the film never overcomes its stage roots .",
      "it would seem we 're expected to react with mounting discomfort and fascination , though boredom , laced with a sporting curiosity about what kind of unpleasantness impends , is just as appropriate a response ...",
      "at least tries to push buttons , but the conversations you 'll hear after the film will likely be more thought-provoking than the ones in it .",
      "the resolution of the evelyn/adam dynamic -- the script 's true area of interest -- proves worth the wait .",
      "there 's an immediacy to many scenes that 's hard to deny . these people get under your skin and gnaw away ."
    ],
    "summary": "labute returns to his earlier themes of cruelty in relationships , and the results hit hard .",
    "id": "14092"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sex_lies_and_videotape",
    "reviews": [
      "circles around the ever shifting pattern of contemporary sexual politics , shedding light on both the fears and desires of men and women .",
      ". . not nearly as entertaining as it should be .",
      "i was somewhat let down by the film as a whole , which seems to feign more than it actually achieves .",
      "being a little shocking should n't be enough to earn you critical applause .",
      "a film whose enormous authority and intelligence extend to every detail .",
      "still provocative .",
      "steven soderbergh did n't just launch the whole movies-with-all-lowercase-titles craze -lrb- as it 's commonly written -rrb- , he also launched the '90s rebirth of independent cinema with this singular effort .",
      "the actors are superb ; working from soderbergh 's funny , perceptive , immaculately wrought dialogue , they ensure that the film stimulates both intellectually and emotionally .",
      "wwriter/director/editor soderbergh has composed a wry , highly watchable piece that comes across as a great first effort by a film-school graduate .",
      "a movie of prodigious power and feeling that is also high-spirited , hilarious and scorchingly erotic .",
      "what amazes is that at just 26 , soderbergh displays the three qualities associated with mature filmmakers : a unique authorial voice , a spooky camera assurance , and the easy control of ensemble acting .",
      "beautifully edited by soderbergh , the film is evenly paced , its subtleties accreting slowly , and by the end it gathers powerful emotional momentum .",
      "solid performances and soderbergh 's sense of human nature and cinematic tension are what hold the sex , lies , and videotape together .",
      "soderbergh brings a bracing edge of humor to his probingly analytical drama .",
      "this is a sexy , nuanced , beautifully controlled examination of how a quartet of people are defined by their erotic impulses and inhibitions .",
      "a thoughtful and absorbing portrait of unconventional human relationships",
      "a mature , beautifully acted and deeply sexy film .",
      "soderbergh has assembled his cast into a fascinating jigsaw of neuroses , which then leap from the screen thanks to his intriguingly intellectual script .",
      "a bitter yet savory time capsule of discontent .",
      "a liaisons dangereuses for the video age , soderbergh 's impressive debut is a tale of desire , anxiety , and deception , in which the camera of a sexually impotent man becomes the lead player and storytelling device .",
      "he creates not so much characters we have some feeling for as a set of walking case histories that are intriguing without being appealing .",
      "a brave and adult motion picture that is far more mature and honest about its subject matter than the usual film .",
      "inspired chitchat , a barefaced louisiana gabfest written and directed by steven soderbergh , a 26-year-old wunderkind preoccupied with l'amour .",
      "by all means , an interesting ninety minutes , just not a great ninety .",
      "it is never boring , and there are moments when it reminds us of how sexy the movies used to be , back in the days when speech was an erogenous zone .",
      "lean , economical , relatively unpretentious -lrb- or at least pretentiously unpretentious -rrb- , and purposefully small-scale .",
      "having a conversation about masturbation is as natural as talking about the weather .",
      "a landmark film in indie history , and it 's just a great film to watch ."
    ],
    "summary": "in his feature directorial debut , steven soderbergh demonstrates a mastery of his craft well beyond his years , pulling together an outstanding cast and an intelligent script for a nuanced , mature film about neurosis and human sexuality .",
    "id": "13618"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shes_the_man",
    "reviews": [
      "the movie 's silliness is both its curse and its gift . if you can make it through its cheesy first part , you 'll begin to be charmed by the actors and the characters they play .",
      "its star 's interpretation of teenage manhood for some reason involves talking like an effeminate alabaman .",
      "bynes does such a good job as a boy that it comes across as funny and entertaining , even if you have graduated from high school .",
      "bynes , with her chipmunk cheeks and goggly eyes , comes off more like some bizarre third sex -- davy jones after an infusion of estrogen .",
      "she 's the man fails to exploit the myriad comedic possibilities , settling instead for broad , unconvincing slapstick aimed at 12-year-olds and gags shakespeare would have rejected as ancient .",
      "amanda bynes ... tackles the lead role of viola/sebastian with enough enthusiasm to wring laughs from the retread story .",
      "she 's the man gathers up enough energy and likeable goodwill that it almost skirts past some extremely strained passages in which bynes plays out being a boy .",
      "one of the charms of this romantic teen comedy is its speed : even its sex change is a remarkably carefree , no-fuss event .",
      "up until the last 10 minutes or so , i hated everything about this movie .",
      "i ca n't wait to see lindsay lohan do a version of hamlet .",
      "bynes tackles her part with gusto , while tatum underplays his to striking effect .",
      "the high school hijinks may entertain the young , but those more familiar with the bard will recognise this as a wasted opportunity .",
      "a minor but decent-spirited entertainment , enlivened by a couple of the adult supporting players .",
      "implausible as she is , her voice-changing , artificial guy-speak , and penchant for causing fights makes the whole film fun and watchable .",
      "amanda bynes is an extremely likeable actress and she does a pretty good job of passing as a boy , though she 's a little over-reliant on comedy mugging at times .",
      "bynes 's character is never convincing enough to fool a newborn .",
      "its kooky hybrid of slapstick gender jokes already had whiskers on 'em in shakespeare 's day .",
      "as teen comedies go , this one hits most of the right marks . the cast is solid . the story is fast-paced and funny . and most importantly , i laughed and laughed .",
      "confusion runs amok . but it 's all upbeat , oh-so-cute confusion .",
      "the humor is pretty much what you 'd expect .",
      "while i liked she 's the man , i liked it better when it was called just one of the boys , a semi-forgotten 1985 farce .",
      "the opening credit sequence , a soccer game on the beach , sets a bright and brashly kinetic tone that keeps things bouncy as all of the characters and plot points come together for a happily ever after ending .",
      "loses the most important part of shakespeare : his insight into human behavior .",
      "the protagonist 's stupidity is a powerful , brutish force , a fog that hangs over the entire film like a stench .",
      "the ensuing complications -- romantic , social , sporty -- are modeled on twelfth night , although the tone of the movie -lrb- hysterical peppiness -rrb- and style of acting -lrb- emphatic grotesquerie -rrb- are more suited to campy off broadway musicals .",
      "it leaves viewers wanting more -- if not more bard , then at least more of its hyperkinetic , unabashed young star .",
      "once again , hollywood makes the mistaken assumption that cribbing shakespearean plots and dumping the poetry will somehow download the bard 's brilliance .",
      "about what you 'd expect from a teen romantic comedy , but nothing special . after all , it ai n't shakespeare . oh wait ... i guess it is .",
      "gets by because it knows it 's dorky . it 's happily dorky . it 's proudly dorky .",
      "she 's the man , a screwball comedy that made me wish i were 13 again , because this is precisely the kind of movie i would have gone nuts for in the ninth grade .",
      "cutsey and wholesome , filled with silly , superficial slapstick , it turns out to be far more cheesy than it should .",
      "amidst all the gender-bending farce , the movie has a smart absurdist streak that allows for smaller giggles in the corners .",
      "if you shut one eye you can almost believe this is shakespeare .",
      "she 's the man , modeled on that gender-bending shakespeare masterpiece , is harmless fun for the 12-year-olds who should make up the core audience .",
      "you do n't have to know twelfth night to have fun at she 's the man . but brushing up on your shakespeare can be good for a few inside chuckles .",
      "as you can imagine , sticking a girl dressed up as a boy into a dorm with hunky boys lusting for girls is the stuff of comic mix-ups , and in she 's the man , we have plenty .",
      "i did n't for one second believe the plot of she 's the man , but i did believe for the entire movie that amanda bynes was lovable .",
      "the thing that she 's the man deserves to be remembered for the most ? concrete proof that amanda bynes , no doubt about it , has what it takes to be a movie star .",
      "shakespeare set to the tribal beat of the high school mating dance is entertaining stuff .",
      "the machinery of shakespeare 's cross-dressing lark is so airtight that it works , even with the flip fidelity paid to the original by the writers of she 's the man .",
      "obvious and cute in the way of so many teen comedies , but it 's brighter and quicker on its feet than most .",
      "though somewhat gifted as a physical comedienne , in bynes ' world , acting like a boy means you talk like a cross between adam sandler in the waterboy and someone with a learning disability .",
      "she 's the man amounts to little more than softcore porn for the tween set , with aesthetics ripped from the pages of the abercrombie & fitch catalog .",
      "at least andy fickman 's proto-feminist romp has the wherewithal to score some of its female empowerment action to a bubblegum pop/rock rendition of the mary tyler moore show theme song .",
      "is being a paul walker protégé really all that desirable ?",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- not just bad , it may actually be able to kill brain cells .",
      "bynes , as likable and energetic as she is , is about as masculine as tinker bell and just ca n't pull off the male transfer . it 's impossible to believe classmates might believe she 's a guy , but maybe they could mistake her for velma from `` scooby-doo . ''",
      "there 's a sweetness about it that wins you over .",
      "this is a perfectly pleasant , entertaining and often witty romp with engaging performances .",
      "the flick , saddled with strained , shticky direction by andy fickman , never takes full advantage of its premise , and bynes bugs her eyes and mugs her way through the role .",
      "if the squealing 7th grade girls at my screening were any indication , she 's the man has clearly nailed its target for adolescent-swoony frivolity .",
      "stays in tried , true , safe territory and succeeds . it 's a date movie for teens ... nothing more , nothing less .",
      "given the amount of time bynes spends mugging and overselling her lines , a more accurate title would have been ` she 's the ham . '",
      "we get treated to more mistaken identities than a bad episode of three 's company -lrb- a cindy snow/jenilee harrison-era episode , not the classic comedy of suzanne somers -rrb- .",
      "bynes elevates the material with her spunk , and deserves most of the credit keeping `` man '' away from tedium with her resolve to keep the film fluffy and silly .",
      "the filmmakers took the correct route of not taking this premise seriously , so the movie winds up being unexpectedly and endearingly goofy .",
      "bynes is just never believable as a guy , really , but she 's got so much confidence she very nearly bluffs her way through .",
      "she 's the man is cleverer than the average teen movie , but it gets so wrapped up in plot mechanics that it loses the characters",
      "byrnes is an absolute delight ... it kicks goals",
      "watching it helps you realize that you 're not 12 anymore , and you ca n't be watching movies like this . unless , of course , you 're still 12 , so you 'll probably be cheering for amanda bynes",
      "... there are certainly more than enough elements within the film to warrant a mild recommendation among older viewers ...",
      "the movie is noisy , obnoxious and wildly overacted , as if fickman planned it to play only on a sony psp .",
      "the utter absence of humor , charm , originality , or intelligence leaves this to rank among the worst of all recent teen comedies .",
      "she 's the man arrives with much ado about something : a seasoned concept and qualified birthright that supports its traditionalism and rests upon its potential .",
      "fails to make the most of its source material by trimming shakespeare 's plot and squeezing it into a vacuous high school comedy .",
      "a comedy that lacks both the verbal sophistication of its source and the sexual sophistication of its target audience .",
      "anything resembling real wit or charm is strictly a.w.o.l.",
      "she 's the man is a bit of a mess .",
      "no one under 12 need rush out to see she 's the man .",
      "she 's the man has a certain charm and is sure to appeal to tweens , at least the female variety .",
      "more often than not it 's the slapstick elements , predictably occasioned by gender confusion , that get the laughs .",
      "it 's as if this movie about a girl posing as a boy was unsure of what to be , so it decided to be crass .",
      "it 's shakespeare for absent dummies , no cram notes needed .",
      "if music be the food of -lsb- teen -rsb- love , play on . just so long as amanda bynes is the player .",
      "amanda bynes makes the movie with her goofy awkwardness ... and it helps that the supporting characters are fun .",
      "it will certainly appeal to its target audience , and bynes is charming enough to carry the whole film on her shoulders , which is a good thing considering that she 's in just about every scene and leading man .",
      "simply put , this is horrible .",
      "she 's the man retains much of twelfth night 's discombobulation and many of its names but is aimed , unlike the original , at the cherry-lip-gloss demographic .",
      "this chipper outing bills itself as a modern version of twelfth night , but it 's really just another excuse for amanda bynes to be cute .",
      "it 's not shakespeare . it is n't even the o.c. . but she 's the man still has enough energy to make it slightly better than the usual teen comedy throwaway .",
      "as in bynes ' 2003 film what a girl wants , she 's the man wraps her up in a tidy romantic-comedy package with a generically non-threatening piece of teen beat eye candy .",
      "energetic but lacking the wit of 10 things i hate about you , it requires a suspension of disbelief that only comes from taking too many soccer balls to the head .",
      "a cross-dressing comedy that 's all dressing can only , well , leave you cross .",
      "she 's the man , based on the bard 's changing-room farce twelfth night , is a decent little piffle well-suited for boy-crazy fifth-graders .",
      "she 's the man , like 10 things , is all about shrewd young women and the decent boys who -lrb- eventually -rrb- love them . its heart is in the right place .",
      "movies such as she 's the man are almost beyond anyone 's rating system . tweens , at least those who are allowed to attend pg-13 movies , may have fun ; no one else need apply .",
      "the film is generally likable and pretty good-natured , but its proclivity for crude jokes and dumb slapstick eventually bring it down .",
      "hollywood should give pre-teens more credit ; they read shakespeare , and even comprehend the intricacies of the stories .",
      "earns higher grades than the average high-school comedy .",
      "one of those rare movies that are n't so good , yet you would n't mind seeing it again .",
      "filled with bogus teen-speak and homosexual panic , smothered in a cutesy score and decked out with generic pop songs that have little relation to the plot .",
      "it 's stupid , dull and toothless , and a classic example of why the next generation is increasingly staying away from the movie theaters . is this all hollywood thinks of them ?",
      "the script is too busy trumpeting gender divide stereotypes to give bynes ' character viola a chance to learn something .",
      "there i sit , suffering total numbness of body and brain , no longer having to wonder what it might be like to be buried alive in gooey marshmallow .",
      "a minor gender bender",
      "sometimes it works , and sometimes it does n't .",
      "she 's the man is foremost an excellent showcase for bynes .",
      "the immensely talented amanda bynes makes this updating of ` twelfth night ' fun to watch .",
      "andy fickman 's indifferent direction only exemplifies the inefficient writing , which is inferior to the scribes ' previous efforts , and too many plot points are glossed over in music montages .",
      "for bynes , it 's a chance to show a bit of range ... however , if you 're not a casting agent or a teenager , you might want to pick another movie instead .",
      "mere words can not convey how awful bynes is at playing a girl playing a boy .",
      "the big problem is that most of the schtick does n't work very well , not that bynes ca n't do it , but it seems almost nobody else can , and those who do are stuck in parts that are half baked cartoons .",
      "not intended to charm adults , but teen girls will love it .",
      "amanda bynes is so damn likeably perky that she can even make this simplified teen comedy version of shakespeare 's twelfth night enjoyable .",
      "some are still-born , some achieve mediocrity , and some have cliches forced upon them .",
      "as was proven with 10 things i hate about you , it is possible to re-imagine the bard in a modern high school setting , but she 's the man does n't do it well .",
      "got ta love how amanda bynes will always rather get laughs than just look pretty ."
    ],
    "summary": "shakespeare 's wit gets lost in translation with she 's the man 's broad slapstick , predictable jokes , and unconvincing plotline .",
    "id": "112770423"
  },
  {
    "movie": "girlhood_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "céline sciamma 's girl-gang movie is a disarming affair , a long way removed from the macho posturing of other french films set in the banlieue , such as la haine .",
      "-lsb- céline sciamma 's -rsb- third film , MOV , confirms her as quite simply one of the best directors of her generation .",
      "i was somehow watching my own teenage struggles and triumphs play out on the screen . the fact i 'm not - nor have ever been - french , female or black did n't seem to come into it .",
      "it 's great to see a gritty girl-gang story that 's not a fingerwagging cautionary tale , or a grrrlpower fantasy .",
      "-lsb- n -rsb- uanced and unvarnished ... with its rare depth and compassion for people too often ignored on film ... -lsb- s -rsb- earingly authentic ...",
      "touré 's performance is a tower of power that augurs well for her future career .",
      "these gendered rites of passage are a bittersweet triumph .",
      "this is no quietly incremental coming-of-age narrative , but a brash , at times distressing series of snapshots of the life of undereducated black working-class girls on the bottom rung of every social and economic ladder .",
      "MOV has a raw emotional urgency and energy .",
      "the movie captures that heady adolescent sense of time stopping and the moment mattering while standing far enough back to let us acknowledge all the pitfalls marieme is moving too fast to see .",
      "celine sciamma 's MOV advances the french helmer 's obsession with how society attempts to force teenage girls into familiar categories , when the individuals themselves do n't conform so easily .",
      "where many filmmakers would have underlined the bleaker , harsher aspects , MOV presents the characters ' grim reality without surrendering its lightness of touch , its compassion or its hope .",
      "-lsb- from -rsb- urgent , fast-moving cinematography , intense close-ups ... and percussive soundtrack ... to cautionary tale of the limits of being a young black female in france .",
      "... has wonderful moments in which the carefree nature of childhood is held in bittersweet tension with the yearning to be an adult .",
      "very good , very punchy social drama from france about marieme -lrb- karidja toure -rrb- , a prospectless , poverty-stricken black french teenage girl who succumbs to the ego-boosting allure of being in a gang .",
      "in her previous features , water lilies and tomboy , sciamma focused on young characters in states of transition and discovery . MOV follows a trajectory of transformation , something that toure achieves with effortless fluidity .",
      "though perhaps proceedings tend towards harsh uncertainty , sciamma never forgets the importance of showing the moments of unadulterated joy that teens always find , regardless of how troubled their situations are .",
      "an intelligent and heart-swelling story with an excellent cast .",
      "transformation is coming , although as with sciamma 's previous films this is not a simple , one-way manoeuvre , completed in double-quick time .",
      "the film is about marieme , and what happens to her , and perhaps , too , it 's about seeing life in the projects for what it is : a milieu of mingling stories , some happy , some sad , and all shot through with moments of joy .",
      "honest , empowering and electrifying . bravo !",
      "speak -lsb- s -rsb- optimistically to the power of friendship and , for that matter , of MOV itself .",
      "writer-director céline sciamma expertly places her characters in that nebulous region between child and adult .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- vibrant portrait of a teenage girl -lrb- karidja touré -rrb- who joins a female gang as an escape from her life in the projects .",
      "MOV is a blast of oxygen to the coming-of-age genre , with bold direction and a sublime turn from actor karidja touré .",
      "MOV is a fascinatingly layered , textured film that manages to be both a lament for sweetness lost and a celebration of wisdom and identity gained , often at the very same moment .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- 2015 has its first great film of the year !",
      "`` save for a few standout scenes of carefree elation and daring camaraderie , ` MOV ' is largely a grim and stilted study of oppression . ''",
      "MOV is a remarkable film that neither casts judgment on its characters nor does it offer a tidy ending to marieme 's problems .",
      "a powerful and entertaining film about a gang of girls , and what friendship means , the protection it provides .",
      "while `` MOV '' is sad and wrenching , it does n't feel like a misery-mongering expression of high-minded -lrb- and therefore condescending -rrb- concern .",
      "sciamma deserves all credit for filling -lsb- a -rsb- vacuum . by its end , though , MOV , by comparison , feels like the work of a sympathetic outsider who ca n't resist working her own agenda .",
      "it seems to be trying to bottle up a period in teenage years when the self feels scarily and thrillingly in flux - when one 's young version is torched , making way for another .",
      "sciamma has a particular gift for spectacular opening scenes .",
      "overall this is a gripping , non-judgmental look at a young girl finding herself in the toughest circumstances .",
      "as with her previous film tomboy , writer/director sciamma demonstrates an acute sensitivity to the complications of growing up female .",
      "a bracingly fresh approach to the coming-of-age genre , this french drama gives remarkable insight into its central character through detailed observation ...",
      "sciamma held open casting for the non-professionals who play this out in near-exclusively black parisian suburban estates . and what discoveries they prove to be ...",
      "french film offers bleak , affecting look at troubled teen .",
      "the film 's biggest strength lies in sciamma 's magic touch with young actresses : the cast of first-timers give uniformly excellent performances , with karidja touré and assa sylla in particular showing a real star quality .",
      "from the opening montage of marieme and other girls playing american football in full uniform , `` MOV '' resonates as something special .",
      "`` MOV '' is about as grim as movies get , but it 's showing something real , and sciamma has a feel for this period of life , the camaraderie , the jokes , the kinds of conflicts , the panic and the hope .",
      "director sciamma uses an uncommonly light touch in depicting marieme 's gradual transformation from an unformed blank slate into a self-assured girl who does n't always make the right decisions in the process of figuring herself out .",
      "sciamma -lrb- water lilies , tomboy -rrb- gets unaffected performances from her non-professional cast .",
      "celine sciamma 's third film has all the quiet determination and punchy life force of its magnetic 16-year-old heroine .",
      "the movie 's an empathetic triumph .",
      "drama of a female teen and her gang in a tough paris project delivers some fine acting but is wobbly in its story of the young heroine 's sad journey into an ugly early adulthood .",
      "sciamma 's touch is lighter and more nuanced in MOV , which refuses to pin any of its characters down , even in their vacillations .",
      "the refreshing camaraderie on display from this group of energetic teen girls will sadly evolve into a life of menial jobs and perhaps incarceration .",
      "MOV is so keyed to the minutiae of its teenage protagonists ' lives , it 's as if the film ca n't stop itself from behaving like they do .",
      "opening explosively with a night-time all-female game of american football set to the hypnotically urgent electro-goth of light asylum 's ` dark allies ' , MOV daringly stakes out new territory for french director céline sciamma .",
      "... highlights the prejudices operative within the local crime culture : it may be tough to be a black man in paris , but it 's even tougher to be a black teenage woman who does n't fit the mold .",
      "a sequel , please .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of slumming around the city of lights ' seamy underbelly .",
      "physical force governs every relationship in MOV .",
      "beautifully observed , precisely directed and acted with wonderful conviction , it pulls us into the life of its protagonist in a deeply involving way .",
      "about a million times better than boyhood .",
      "throughout `` MOV '' the malignant energy that results from having a scary home life never entirely dissipates . yet the story allows for a full array of emotional peaks and valleys .",
      "these new friends may be a bad influence on marieme , but sciamma 's understated screenplay suggests they may be a necessary influence ; she needs to step sideways , before she can step forward .",
      "`` MOV '' is a mesmerizing exercise in the enlightenment that can happen when a filmmaker shifts the male cinematic gaze ever so slightly and uncovers what looks like a whole new world .",
      "we feel for -lsb- vic -rsb- , deeply , and hope that her final , ambiguous act is one of hope .",
      "through MOV , céline sciamma captures the emotional minefield of adolescence and , more specifically , the intensity of female friendship , with a visceral blow to wherever those memories lay dormant ."
    ],
    "summary": "powerfully acted and smartly scripted , MOV offers a fresh perspective on familiar cinematic territory .",
    "id": "771380447"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tmnt_2007",
    "reviews": [
      "now and then one character accuses another of glorifying violence , ` that brute vigilante junk . ' talk about hypocrisy : without the brute vigilante junk , this 82-minute picture would be approximately 2 minutes long .",
      "the story 's nothing special , but the movie is vigorously directed , with a camera that moves at a decidedly un-turtle-like pace . and the animation is unusually handsome .",
      "it 's a delight to report that the return of the brawlin ' reptiles lives up to and surpasses even the most potent expectations .",
      "it has a dreadful ghostbusters-stargate plot , virtually no decent jokes , but toss in a little digital skateboarding , a lot of digital swordfighting -lrb- gunplay , too -rrb- , a couple of ` cowabungas , ' and you 've got yourself a hit . they hope .",
      "what 's lacking , except in too-quick flashes , are some of the subtler spices -- wit , self-mockery -- strewn through this franchise in all its various formats .",
      "the unexpectedly rich art direction gives the violence more impact than was ever possible in the tv series .",
      "300 for kindergarteners .",
      "the preteen fanboy in me kept searching for something truly exciting in this movie , but , sadly , the critic in me knew that it was n't there .",
      "this is no mythic rebirth like batman begins or superman returns , simply another generically smart-alecky chapter directed with a visual style attuned to speed .",
      "the real power in the MOV stories is the transformation , but in this movie that 's all in the past , and it is difficult to get much satisfaction from the comeback premise or the attempts to create some sibling rivalry . it 's more video game than story .",
      "MOV has enough to keep the eyes popping .",
      "maybe if i were ten years old i would have enjoyed the film more .",
      "when the children rejoice at being able to leave , there is a problem .",
      "great animation , good voice work , and an entertaining story make it a revival worth watching again and again ...",
      "if none of this sounds particularly new or inventive , that 's because it is n't . darwin never said ` cowabunga , ' but he did know you evolve or you die .",
      "it 's never , ever a good thing when the first trouble sign of a bad story comes in the opening scene .",
      "cowabungled .",
      "cool cgi represents a substantial improvement over their earlier incarnations ' relatively lame action sequences .",
      "sua animaзгo sofisticada acaba compensando parcialmente -lrb- seus -rrb- defeitos , resultando num longa falho , mas que tem seus atrativos .",
      "a cynical and disgusting exercise in merchandising exploitation",
      "the turtles ' perpetual wisecracks are as forced and overdone as the notorious mr. freeze puns of batman and robin , but i probably would have loved this movie unconditionally when i was 10 .",
      "there are endless scenes in which the turtles sit around discussing their feelings . all the talk of anger management and sibling rivalry is sure to test the attention spans of viewers in every age group .",
      "time stands still during the many feeble jokes ; the turtles comic book came out in 1984 , the last year you could get a laugh just by ending a sentence with the word ` dude . '",
      "these characters do n't feel like the turtles of old ; there 's not enough excitement to reinvent the franchise , and just barely enough to revive it .",
      "the predictable story and hackneyed dialogue -- the interplay between april and casey is particularly bad -- get in the way of the movie 's slick and sleek visual style .",
      "despite the doll-like cartoonishness of the human figures -lrb- o pixar , what hast thou wrought ? -rrb- , the filmmakers seem to expect us to take this animated romp seriously . too seriously .",
      "the action is breakneck and practically uninterrupted . we 're talking a young boy 's dream come true .",
      "who knows ? maybe die-hard fans will enjoy the mocking turtle banter even as the plot announces itself from a new york city block away . but ` laugh ' signs would sure help when the jokes fall flat .",
      "clunker that 's too violent for younger children , too silly for older kids and too lame for words .",
      "completely pointless . did n't three features in the early 1990s and countless cartoon incarnations take these crime-fighting critters as far as they could go ?",
      "impersonally animated and arbitrarily plotted , the story appears to have been made up as the filmmakers went along .",
      "a throughline of organized violence permeates `` MOV '' as a baby step toward preparing youngsters to become soldiers in america 's never-ending war on humanity .",
      "ditching the cheeky , self-aware wink that helped to excuse the concept 's inherent corniness , the movie attempts to look polished and ` cool , ' but the been-there animation ca n't compete with the then-cutting-edge puppetry of the 1990 live-action movie .",
      "the rubber suits are gone and they 've been redone with fancy computer generated technology , but that has n't stopped them from becoming , well , dull .",
      "the striking use of image and motion allows each of its action sequences to leave an impression . it 's an accomplished , unpretentious restart to this franchise .",
      "the turtles themselves may look prettier , but are no smarter ; torn irreparably from their countercultural roots , our superheroes on the half shell have been firmly co-opted by the industry their creators once sought to spoof .",
      "MOV is a junk-food pastry . the plot is the wrapper . the action is the oily sponge cake . and the message -- family , family , family -- is the processed cream filling .",
      "plays it safe for family audiences who will respond to the themes of brotherhood and better tolerate the rather silly storyline .",
      "the animated fight scenes are both beautiful and realistic . you forget you 're watching a computer-animated feature . in a film about ninja turtles , you could n't really ask for anything more . other than perhaps a sequel , that is .",
      "the ` superman returns ' of kiddie action fare , this is n't a franchise redo but a years-later , surprisingly downbeat sequel ...",
      "the turtles themselves occasionally look like they 're made out of plasticine , but hey it 's way better than watching four grown men prance about in rubber shell suits ...",
      "despite nonstop mayhem , even the turtles ' most loyal fans probably will be squirming in their booster seats .",
      "really nothing more than an overblown saturday morning cartoon , but it did n't need to be anything more than that . the turtles rocked , and i had a blast .",
      "unfortunately , while the technology used to bring these fearless crime-fighting faves to the screen has grown-up , the producers forgot to mature the script .",
      "it 's not exactly renaissance art , but it is an honourable attempt to revive the turtle-tastic franchise .",
      "this all-cg reboot is missing the goofy excitement of the old MOV .",
      "unlikely to achieve bff status with the mmorpg set , this cgi feature is light on the lol factor , heavy on the add action scenes , and , like , tooifm -lrb- totally out of its freakin ' mind -rrb- .",
      "... a burly , brawny redo , like a kiddie cartoon on cgi steroids . -lrb- is n't MOV what barry bonds was accused of using ? -rrb-",
      "MOV is a fun , action-filled adventure that will satisfy longtime fans and generate a legion of new ones .",
      "as a piece of film design , the movie is first-rate ; on sheer aesthetics alone , it rivals triumph of the will for astonishments .",
      "some turtles live a very long time , but on the evidence of this bewilderingly complex but curiously pedestrian movie , the teenage mutant ninja variety has passed its prime .",
      "strictly generic junk that could very well deaden the brain cells of children everywhere .",
      "nostalgia aside , original fans have outgrown this , and what newcomers will discover is stale and -- not unlike a turtle -- puny and unable to get off its back .",
      "the script feels like it was computer generated . this very mechanical presentation lacks the wonderfully cheesy charm of the three live action films .",
      "ultimately , the movie seems driven more by the need to keep a toy line and franchise alive than any creative inspiration .",
      "the script is fast and funny . the action is full of zip . highlights include a thrilling martial arts fight on a rooftop in teeming rain , and the massive pink tornedo-like whirlwind that opens a portal to another dimension , is also impressive .",
      "munroe 's MOV fails to properly ignite this glorified video game into the pop cultural diversion it was during the very first bush administration .",
      "works better , looks smarter , and packs in more realistic drama than many of its live-action genre counterparts .",
      "looks good , with its overly cartoonish characters and grungy depiction of nyc , but it 's hollow to the core .",
      "MOV is as good a movie about teenage mutant ninja turtles as there can possibly be .",
      "the story moves quickly and the moral of teamwork and family is achieved without it hitting you over the head .",
      "the voice cast is fine , the animation is professionally done , and the script is relatively intelligent .",
      "perhaps it 's time these teenage mutant ninja turtles followed their own code : to strike hard and fade away into the night ... for good .",
      "i guess if you read the comic strip and you played the video games and you watched the tv show and dug the earlier movies , you 'll dig this new version . for me , i did n't do any of that stuff .",
      "too bad some of the voice actors , like sarah michelle gellar and ziyi zhang , could n't be onscreen ; a crouching tiger/buffy showdown would be tastier than this bland turtle soup .",
      "there 's an attention to detail in the visuals and sound design that pushes it up several notches above most kiddie fare . it 's not art , dude , but it will do .",
      "MOV offers some real thrills . the computer animation gives the turtles relatively believable expressions , movements , musculature and -lrb- green -rrb- skin tones .",
      "i do n't care about immortals and monsters and their portals to another dimension . i do care about leonardo being alone , raphael being impatient and the heroes being ill-equipped to handle a new threat .",
      "a film that looks like a too-long episode of a saturday morning cartoon with a health cgi budget .",
      "shedding the confines of the original 1990s live-action versions , the new MOV runs free with crisp , malleable animation and kick-ass action .",
      "clearly we 're not talking shakespeare here , but taken at face value , the new-fangled MOV is quite a lot better than what i 'd expected .",
      "the film suffers from serious animation overkill : too much high-octane action , too many combatants , not enough of the hand-to-hand combat that made the turtles unique in the first place .",
      "it takes more than an awkward title attempting to sound cool to overcome its mundane plot and silly dialogue .",
      "everything should look familiar to longtime turtles fans -- their underground sanctuary , complete with video games ; the rooftops where the heroes convene at night , surveying the city . but it all looks and feels reconceived , refreshingly so .",
      "worst of all is the lack of genuine laughs . writer-director kevin munroe has apparently forgotten that the ninja turtle phenomenon started as rib-nudging parody .",
      "a grasping attempt at resurrecting a money-spinning franchise , the film is saved only by mightily impressive cgi effects , computer wizardry that favours spectacle over clarity of narrative .",
      "a passable brand rebooting exercise that will impress younger kids even if it does n't satisfy older fans .",
      "MOV might just be the turtle 's best adventure yet .",
      "unfortunately , many of the older crowd will remember the heroes in half-shell and their mentor splinter moreso than today 's younger crowd , and sadly this is a movie that said old fans will not be happy with .",
      "a real downer of a comic book movie .",
      "though they are still identifiable by their color-coordinated masks and penchant for pizza , their character distinctions are harder to perceive in this revival .",
      "MOV amounts to no more than an extended episode of a television cartoon , but this new adventure gets in enough laughs and action to make it worth fans coming out with their shells on to see it .",
      "... while the visuals are terrific , the plot is a distracting clunker that feels like it was written one line at a time by a bunch of overexcited fan-board commentators playing a round-robin storytelling game .",
      "never strays too far from its inner turtle .",
      "the turtles themselves are still a treat and they overcome many of the story 's deficiencies .",
      "the long-delayed return of our heroes in a half shell is big on style but low in substance .",
      "kevin munroe has n't done a half-bad job bringing the turtles into the new century",
      "it 's so much fun that we forget that it 's actually about something as ridiculous as crimefighting , sword-wielding turtles .",
      "it 's good for kids and existing teenage mutant ninja turtles fans . the movie will please those who it was meant to please .",
      "the turtles are back -- and as they say , new and improved .",
      "just a quickie piece of disposable entertainment aimed squarely at the kiddies and the money in daddy 's wallet .",
      "younger viewers might be able to make sense its overly-complex plot - but i fear that everyone else , alas , will soon be suffering from a case of shell shock .",
      "children may well like it , but they deserve better .",
      "words can not easily express how profoundly unrewarding it is to revisit the teenage mutant ninja turtles .",
      "what remains is intensely numbing action scenes , poor plot machinations and joyless character sketches all rendered in exquisitely cold cgi .",
      "turtle power returns in routine kiddie adventure .",
      "ageing fans of the originals with lowered expectations will have an okay-ish time .",
      "almost every good scene in MOV is an action sequence and a lot of time and thought has been put into them . so much in fact that none seems to have been spared for the story or any of the other characters .",
      "whenever the amphibians are in action , the film finds a rhythm that mixes punk graphic cool and merch-friendly visuals .",
      "the plot 's all over the place , but director kevin munroe keeps it at a hare 's pace . the sharp graphics impress too . it 's nothing to cow about , but it does , more or less , fill its shell .",
      "the characters were no longer constrained by rubber suits or the laws of physics .",
      "this mediocre computer-generated action flick is packed full of monsters and sword-fights , but the story-telling is about as deft as a turtle turned on its back , struggling to get up but going nowhere fast .",
      "the strongest ingredient remains the four reptiles ' incorrigible charm , which easily outclasses a muddled storyline and concessions to the prepubescent male audience .",
      "it was a great decision to animate this feature film . the great decisions end there . unfortunately , MOV does n't spend nearly enough time having fun .",
      "it wo n't convert the unfaithful but this messy , energetic action adventure is lurid fun , and may well re-ignite the popularity of the heroes in a half-shell .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- akes it all so darn seriously that you ca n't even lose yourself in its goofiness ...",
      "i concede that it wo n't kill you , even if it feels like watching someone else play a decade-old video game .",
      "if more effort had been taken to smooth over MOV 's rough edges , this could have been a great movie . as it stands , there 's just enough to keep littluns and hardcore fans of the ` phibian foursome amused .",
      "the 400 or so young kids and their parents i saw it with on a recent sunday afternoon seemed generally underwhelmed . and i 'm right there with them .",
      "leave your memories of the old version of MOV at home or you just might be dissatisfied too .",
      "it does n't need a review , it just needs a marquee so its audience will find it and get to the business of forgetting about it .",
      "might have some momentary curiosity value , like eating a sugary cereal you have n't had since third grade . unfortunately , the movie is n't witty or imaginative or even particularly exciting , and the flat , grungy-looking animation is barely up to video-game .",
      "... a kid 's action cartoon that will thrill its young fans , and leave grown ups looking for the exits .",
      "the movie works despite its well-designed but boringly realized bad guy , a real testament to the well-defined , decently written characters of the turtles themselves .",
      "although it may not win points for total originality , MOV makes good use of proven techniques ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV 's art direction is splendid , but the plot is non-existent and the dialogue lacks the irony and goofy wit of the earlier MOV movies .",
    "id": "387555583"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_second_mother",
    "reviews": [
      "casé gives one of the warmest , most lovable performances of the year ; the film 's real climax comes when she simply wades into a nearly empty swimming pool .",
      "the story about a young woman coming from `` the outside '' and entering a particular milieu and shaking things up is not entirely new , but there is enough skill here to make this film worth viewing .",
      "muylaert captures the unspoken class distinctions that would , on the one hand , make val a trusted honorary member of the family while still relegating her to `` the help . ''",
      "MOV is a smart yet subtle portrait of the incalculable riches of a good relationship between parents and children .",
      "anna muylaert 's observations on family relations and invisible-but-firm class barriers are always acute , even if she ultimately mines them for hope rather than horror .",
      "MOV is n't just a backdrop for casé 's bravura acting , nor for the equally well-observed performances of the whole ensemble cast . muylaert 's camera -- the cinematography is by barbara alvarez -- moves with fluid expressiveness .",
      "it smartly uses its little moments of humiliation to open our eyes to a world of delicate , but deep , injustice .",
      "... a piercing examination of the curious brazilian practice of upper class surrogate motherhood .",
      "the terrifically effective premise allows for great humour and pin-sharp yet light-touch social commentary , and val is a character to cherish .",
      "the main source of power in `` MOV '' is found in effortless skips between character study , family drama , and silent socioeconomic warfare . the final result is a gleaming cinematic treasure as heartwarming as the film 's final reassuring smile .",
      "é um estudo de personagem e , năo menos importante , de um país em mudança .",
      "sharply observant and always surprising ; mixes dry humor , aching drama , and stinging social commentary in its clashes between classes and generations .",
      "we 've seen plenty of stories about the arrival of a mysterious stranger upsetting the order of things . but `` MOV , '' brazilian writer and director anna muylaert 's outstanding film , is different .",
      "MOV is an interesting look at generational and class divides in brazil , without the feel of a lecture or lesson .",
      "a warm and funny tale of clashes both personal and social , and an engaging showcase for a wonderfully rich performance by regina case .",
      "regina casé is superb in the main role : dolorous , clucking , solicitous , dumbstruck , despairing ; a mood for all seasons and every season , for character revelation , a high season .",
      "a finely crafted , patient , and exceptionally performed movie .",
      "the characters ' pigeonholed social roles display muylaert 's intentions from the start and render the drama superfluous .",
      "regina casé mesmerizes . you will not see a better performance this year .",
      "a bold work of art featuring a domestic servant that leaves films such as `` the butler '' in the dust .",
      "character relations are hinted at and even primed for confrontation , but without payoff or meaningful conclusion .",
      "wise , funny , sexy , MOV has so much to offer , not the least of which is an ending that has to be one of the most satisfying , if neatest and all-wrapped-up , of any movie so far this year .",
      "the entire cast is first-rate , but the movie is case 's .",
      "muylaert forces us to think big about the clash between idealism and acceptance , a philosophical war that spills beyond the walls of this small story into every corner of our own lives",
      "a simplistic tale of dawning empowerment , featuring a heroine who 's easy to root for , but not complex enough to take seriously .",
      "a splendid and engaging morality play about class warfare and the challenges and disappointments of parenting .",
      "`` MOV '' goes soft toward the end , defusing its conflicts too easily and inconsequentially .",
      "regina casé 's standout role as a housekeeper more attached to her employers ' family than to her own anchors this brazilian look at family dysfunction .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- dissects with both chilling precision and humor such matters as class differences , real mothers vs. caretakers and whether privilege and one 's own station are things that can be questioned or changed .",
      "this is the sort of savvy , socially conscious crowdpleaser that occupies a rare middle ground between genteel and intellectual world cinema .",
      "a fierce class conscious comedy symbolically celebrating a bold rebel youth rejecting the reactionary traditions thwarting generations preceding them . and perhaps a new day for brazil and a long oppressed and recently reinvigorated latin america as well .",
      "it 's the funny , edgy , engaging tale of a fingers-to-the-bone maid who must cope with a small-minded employer , a headstrong daughter and a changing social fabric harder to handle than the endless laundry she hangs on the clothesline .",
      "this brazilian drama offers a nuanced , often funny look at family and social status , and casé 's performance is both heartbreaking and hilarious .",
      "the picture really belongs to the fantastic regina casé , who finds the humanity in her put-upon character even as she 's giving terrible advice to her daughter .",
      "largely adhering to a spare aesthetic of wide shots and few cuts , muylaert fashions MOV into a low-key comedy of manners , emphasizing class difference through careful attention to behaviour , objects and architecture .",
      "featuring an outstanding performance from casé and a global breakthrough for márdila , `` MOV '' is a must see for cinephiles .",
      "it is socio-economic warfare beautifully written and it is socioeconomic warfare exquisitely performed and it is socioeconomic warfare undertaken with humour and heart , and if you 're still not sold , more fool you .",
      "the brazilian movie MOV is a character study that 's ostensibly about a hardworking săo paulo housekeeper but is actually about , well , everything .",
      "the unspoken , unspeakable agony of class and caste is cleverly rendered in this funny , serious movie .",
      "MOV strikes a passionate moral chord that also connects with conversations about the importance of achieving social change through cross-generational education .",
      "anna muylaert 's close setting cleverly lends itself to broader reflections on tradition , but casé makes the story sing . utterly convincing .",
      "writer/director anna muylaert manages to never put a foot wrong and deliver a lively and very likeable comedy .",
      "it 's always presumptuous to suggest that a filmmaker does n't realize where her narrative 's attention should be directed , yet it 's hard not to wonder if writer/director anna muyleart picked the right protagonist .",
      "muylaert 's as alive to the comic possibilities of liberal guilt as she is to the plight of the ill-paid maids who quietly run innumerable households all around the americas .",
      "ms. muylaert 's guiding principle seems to have been fearlessness , and her film , which was shot by barbara alvarez , is superb on all counts .",
      "warm , wise , tender and profoundly human . it 's an uplifting crowd-pleaser that earns every moment of uplift . regina casé deserves an oscar .",
      "while anya muylaert 's engaging drama does n't shy away from the realities of life as a home help in brazil , she also concentrates on the upbeat humanity of those involved and suggests that change may be coming with the next generation .",
      "muylaert 's film is an effervescent comic drama that delights in the disruption of traditional upstairs/downstairs dynamics .",
      "`` MOV '' is a satisfying contradiction . it 's a soap opera with a social conscience that casually mixes dramatic elements about serious class issues with a crowd-pleasing audience picture sensibility .",
      "` MOV ' comprises striking production design , a provocative screenplay , and most of all the commanding , genuine , and often hilarious performance of its leading lady .",
      "in an unpretentious stroke of brilliance , muylaert uses haute-bourgeois architecture and rituals to provide visual structure for her comedy and drama .",
      "anna muylaert 's marvelous , class-conscious character study provides the satisfaction of a good novella with her perceptive , humor-filled understanding of human interaction .",
      "it 's at its best when it 's drawing blood , not flattering its viewers ' good side and creating a tidy ending out of a situation that 's far from it .",
      "what makes MOV particularly compelling is that the muylaert does n't particularly judge or take sides with her characters , even as she criticizes the social construct within which she places them .",
      "a familiar story of economic oppression is enlivened by good performances .",
      "comedienne regina casé is vital and present in every moment , especially the minuscule and picayune humiliations that have compounded for years ... . class-consciousness is first and foremost in each emotional and comic moment to come .",
      "though hardly revolutionary , `` mother '' subverts conventions - both cinematic and social .",
      "the characters are so accustomed to keeping up appearances that they ca n't bring themselves to say what 's bugging them . their interactions may be mild , but the claustrophobic imagery creates the sense of being trapped in a powder keg .",
      "MOV manages to remain funny throughout its depictions of class , struggle , and motherhood - stories mostly told to death in dramatic fashion .",
      "a domestic comedy-drama that starts off from a fairly pat premise but builds strength over the course of its careful , empathetic , and crafty unpeeling of its characters .",
      "a great performance by regina case as the film 's put-upon heroine and a telling look at class divides .",
      "muylaert 's writing is strong and incisive , her shooting style inventive , but the strength of her film rests with regina case , the brazilian superstar who makes her own individual play for oscar with an unforgettable performance .",
      "all the elements of the story fit impeccably together for a humorous and occasionally wrenching examination of relationships .",
      "it speaks to anyone considering hiring a live-in nanny . regina casé is terrific ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV 's compelling characters serve an artfully drawn , thought-provoking story that 's beautifully brought to life by a talented cast .",
    "id": "771412096"
  },
  {
    "movie": "full_frontal",
    "reviews": [
      "there is something in MOV , i guess , about artifice and acting and how it distorts reality for people who make movies and watch them , but like most movie riddles , it works only if you have an interest in the characters you see .",
      "you get the impression that the cast/crew screening will generate more laughs and raves than one attended by regular folks who have to do their own hair and makeup every day .",
      "the cast feels adrift in a sea of improvisation , while the camera pretends an intimacy that is only fitfully rewarded with anything resembling sincerity .",
      "so claustrophobically masturbatory that it becomes something only an avowed art film crowd can possibly embrace .",
      "my feeling about MOV is that i would rather have been told about it than seen it .",
      "a clever conceit that works in some sequences , mostly those involving keener , and less well in others , mostly those involving roberts and underwood .",
      "steven soderbergh 's digital video experiment is a clever and cutting , quick and dirty look at modern living and movie life .",
      "i like it . no , i hate it . no , i love it ... hell , i du n no .",
      "nothing more than steven soderbergh 's latest self-indulgent gift to himself -lrb- it should be returned -rrb- .",
      "i do n't know precisely what to make of steven soderbergh 's MOV , though that did n't stop me from enjoying much of it .",
      "it 's a doodle movie , a sketchbook . i was held by the tinkering quality of it , though .",
      "soderbergh 's movie likely will appeal more to filmmakers than filmgoers .",
      "some vivid moments , but overall , just so-so .",
      "the most dense , fascinating collage of notions and meta-narrative references and formal tinkering in soderbergh 's whole career .",
      "the meta-elements never hamper the central appeal of the film , which are the rich and flawed characters who are simply searching for a connection with another human being .",
      "... soderbergh has essentially gone full circle and made his artiest flick yet . trouble is , it 's just not terribly interesting .",
      "click to read review",
      "a dizzyingly convoluted exploration of sex , art , identity and reality",
      "should 've been released as a lowkey dvd .",
      "i sort of enjoyed it , but the movie plays amateurish and does n't tell us anything new .",
      "MOV is perhaps the ultimate expression in upscale slumming passing for indie art .",
      "though some individual scenes crackle , overall the film feels unfocussed and flabby , like a series of acting improv exercises strung together .",
      "those who enjoy experiment may be happy here -- director steven soderbergh , even at his most mystifying , is rarely dull , some of the performances are terrific , and the movie 's likely to fuel some intriguing late-night debates . watch your step , though .",
      "soderbergh 's newest film is n't for everyone , but soderbergh acolytes will likely pay their respects and come away pleased .",
      "think of the picture as 107 entertaining minutes from a very smart director who has decided to come out and play .",
      "too conscious of its own self ...",
      "there 's a blissful confusion about MOV , the new film by steven soderbergh , that you 'll either hate or love . there 's no in-between here .",
      "so much facile technique , such cute ideas , so little movie .",
      "it 's not that the film 's subject is too ` inside-baseball ' to be understood by non-hollywoodians . it 's that there does n't seem to be much point to the whole thing , other than the usual real/reel gambit .",
      "the movie is undone by a filmmaking methodology that 's just experimental enough to alienate the mainstream audience while ringing cliched to hardened indie-heads .",
      "a sometimes realistically and other times unrealistically portrayed group of mostly unlikeable men and women undergoing an identity or ` middle-age ' crisis .",
      "for every inspired bit of absurdity , there 's a lame piece of improvisational noodling .",
      "MOV is the antidote for soderbergh fans who think he 's gone too commercial since his two oscar nominated films in 2000",
      "the whole thing feels like a ruse , a tactic to cover up the fact that the picture is constructed around a core of flimsy -- or , worse yet , nonexistent -- ideas .",
      "boasting a title saturated in irony , MOV is about as oblique as a picture gets .",
      "despite the provocative title , steven soderbergh 's $ 2 million spiritual follow-up to sex , lies , and videotape falls short of arousing much of anything .",
      "often likable , but just as often it 's meandering , low on energy , and too eager to be quirky at moments when a little old-fashioned storytelling would come in handy .",
      "like the calculatingly misleading title and most of MOV , it 's little more than a tease , a private joke by a director winging it between more important jobs .",
      "a film so amateurish that only the professionalism of some of the actors makes it watchable .",
      "an entertaining , often amusing exercise made to look more artistic and intellectual than it really is .",
      "an inscrutable experiment too fixated with its own self-reflexivity to ever be about anything in particular .",
      "the story is so unmoored and the characters so ill-defined that the overall effect is vacuous .",
      "little more than a dogme 95 film with julia roberts looking like a baboon .",
      "this is a meaningful film trapped inside a half-baked film .",
      "... feels like a featurette in a better movie 's dvd .",
      "somewhere under the layers of pretentiousness and in-jokes and cleverness and reflexivity and artsiness and talk , there is probably a film lurking . i did n't find it .",
      "the whole thing comes off as a bunch of rich actors slumming it for kicks in a faux low-budget flick .",
      "while it does beat watching paint dry , at least watching paint dry gives you a sense of something having been accomplished .",
      "none of it makes much sense , but most of it is fun , some hilarious .",
      "a raw , emotional tapestry that may have benefited from the no-nonsense atmosphere soderbergh provided , but i doubt that .",
      "what may have been a nice diversion from the norm in hollywood ends up as dull trip into the lives of ordinary , self-involved angelenos .",
      "it 's too self-aware of its own irony . it makes sure the audience knows this and tries to be cute about the whole thing at the expense of its own characters , inviting us to laugh at them .",
      "if soderbergh wanted to expose the business up close and personal with the sincere simplicity of a mere camera lens , then could n't he have accomplished this feat without the sledgehammer direction of a labored and obvious spoof ?",
      "once i got used to the deliberately atrocious cinematography , i found the film playful , funny , sometimes even sweet .",
      "steven soderbergh overpowers himself in proving the point that directors are way too controlling . have a few issues , do we ?",
      "the screenplay by coleman hough has an equal mix of humor and humanity as it circles around the busy lives of seven people searching for intimate relationships .",
      "a boring , amateurish , incomprehensible and stupefyingly pretentious pile of swill .",
      "soderbergh is so busy trying to create his movie-within-a-movie -- and , in at least one instance , his movie-within - a-movie-within - a-movie -- that he botches the enclosing movie .",
      "the best you can say about MOV , an ensemble piece that flirts with ideas about illusion and reality , is that the movie qualifies as a failed experiment .",
      "mr. soderbergh 's direction and visual style struck me as unusually and unimpressively fussy and pretentious .",
      "unfortunately , what soderbergh 's ended up with looks and feels like a half-baked john cassavettes film where everyone improvises their dialogue .",
      "given how heavy-handed and portent-heavy it is , this could be the worst thing soderbergh has ever done .",
      "those hankering for something different will find MOV a tasty trifle .",
      "MOV has some fun parts , but the sum of them never adds up to much .",
      "what MOV lacks in thematic coherence it largely makes up for as loosey-goosey , experimental entertainment . still , i 'm not quite sure what the point is ...",
      "works because it is unafraid to be so open , rough and unresolved .",
      "i will recommend it to anyone wanting to see something different .",
      "i will be the first to admit that it is a film that most people will not like , and should probably stay away from .",
      "soderbergh should be ashamed of himself for trying to pass this off as entertainment .",
      "a pretentious , shapeless , often boring jumble of a film that is pretending to be a spontaneous , improvised work of art made against the mainstream hollywood machine .",
      "beneath the cracked indie surface of soderbergh 's early films there was always a cunning commercial instinct .",
      "several of steven soderbergh 's earlier films were hailed as the works of an artist . sadly , MOV plays like the work of a dilettante .",
      "this is roberts ' first genuine flop in years . forget she made the film and give a pass .",
      "it 's a letdown to see the eclectic soderbergh repeating himself , especially when it 's not an encore of his best work .",
      "reasonably entertaining , until you realize that soderbergh does n't have much more on his mind than some not-very-revealing observations about tinsel town artifice .",
      "like the proverbial emperor , MOV has no clothes .",
      "MOV , which opens today nationwide , could almost be classified as a movie-industry satire , but it lacks the generous inclusiveness that is the genre 's definitive , if disingenuous , feature .",
      "insane hilarity ... the cast has plenty of fun chewing the scenery",
      "when a set of pre-shooting guidelines a director came up with for his actors turns out to be cleverer , better written and of considerable more interest than the finished film , that 's a bad sign . a very bad sign .",
      "technically flawed and poorly written .",
      "if soderbergh 's name were n't attached to this project , i 'd swear it was by some recent film-school grad who had n't progressed beyond navel gazing 101 .",
      "adds up to less than its admittedly entertaining parts .",
      "see this movie for its humor and talented cast and you wo n't be disappointed .",
      "for every moment of character revelation or wit , there are two more that do n't pay off . much of this seems like sketches for a more thought-out movie .",
      "when improv is done well , it sheds a unique light on the human condition . when it is done adequately , as it is in MOV , it simply makes you long for a good script and pricey production values .",
      "... most satisfying of all is realizing -lrb- soderbergh -rrb- has a sense of humor about himself and knows this movie will be loved by some and loathed by others .",
      "it 's definitely not a film for everyone but a breath of fresh air for those looking for something other than big studio films .",
      "while many mainstream moviegoers may hate it , those that catch onto the joke , will probably enjoy what they see on screen .",
      "a movie that 's much more interesting to read about , and speculate about , than to actually see .",
      "i saw MOV twice , looking for answers . i did n't really find any . i did n't find any great questions either .",
      "a movie whose ultimate point is precisely nothing .",
      "smart , fun , intricate and full of itself in a wonderful way .",
      "if ocean 's eleven was a high-priced banquet of popular guys toasting one another 's hard-earned coolness in a pointless caper , MOV is the after-party .",
      "meaningless , infantile and grotesquely self-indulgent .",
      "a weird little movie that 's amusing enough while you watch it , offering fine acting moments and pungent insights into modern l.a. 's show-biz and media subcultures . but it does n't leave you with much .",
      "fragmented , elliptical and overplotted to the point of being hard to track . still , it 's worth hanging in for the finish ... -lsb- when -rsb- soderbergh pulls off a delicious trick , a gesture of pure , tender , unabashed movie love that makes up for everything .",
      "an impenetrable and insufferable ball of pseudo-philosophic twaddle .",
      "a brilliant gag at the expense of those who paid for it and those who pay to see it .",
      "what 's surprising about MOV is that despite its overt self-awareness , parts of the movie still manage to break past the artifice and thoroughly engage you .",
      "even those who are used to art house films will likely be underwhelmed by the bareness of MOV 's menu .",
      "chaotic , self-indulgent and remarkably ugly to look at , it 's ... like a series of pretentiously awful student films strung together into one feature-length horror .",
      "even steven soderberg describes this as a sketch , an experiment , an exercise , so when one character sighs , `` i want this day to be over , '' i found myself nodding in agreement .",
      "penetratingly draws us in to this passing snapshot of just a few of the many unsatisfying lives in tinseltown .",
      "MOV is like the ` special features ' disc of the dvd without the original movie .",
      "situations can be revealing , and almost always intriguing , in the hands of this talented cast .",
      "a full-frontal attack on audience patience .",
      "having it both ways ; soderbergh and some hollywood elite go ` MOV '",
      "will be far more interesting to the soderbergh faithful than it will be to the casual moviegoer who might be lured in by julia roberts ...",
      "it 's as difficult to imagine someone who will find nothing to like in MOV as it is to conceive of someone who can embrace everything it offers .",
      "maybe it 's the star power of the cast or the redundant messages , but something aboul `` MOV '' seems , well , contrived .",
      "gives a bad name to ` art ' ` movies ' everywhere .",
      "unlike magnolia or mulholland drive , it does n't offer an audience much incentive to tease out its ambiguities .",
      "fraught with character confusion , but ultimately worth the effort .",
      "MOV is based around a device that just does n't work ... . pretentious ... with few rewards .",
      "one of the worst movies of the year . ... watching it was painful .",
      "MOV is the kind of unplanned , meandering film that any aspiring filmmaker could make , but that only a big-name director could easily get distributed .",
      "altman plowed this ground in movies like nashville and a wedding , and soderbergh spices it with the playful postmodernism of an a-list director who has the confidence to try anything once .",
      "fails to cohere on a thematic level , but restless formal experimentation does n't get much more accessible and entertaining .",
      "this was so dreadful i prayed my fellow critics would start talking through the screening .",
      "the whole movie is a riff on movie reality and unreality . nothing is truly new here , though .",
      "is it a total success ? no . is it something any true film addict will want to check out ? you bet .",
      "the video work is so grainy and rough , so dependent on being ` naturalistic ' rather than carefully lit and set up , that it 's exhausting to watch .",
      "the movie certainly has its share of clever moments and biting dialogue , but there 's just not much lurking below its abstract surface .",
      "cineasts will revel in those visual in-jokes , as in the film 's verbal pokes at everything from the likes of miramax chief harvey weinstein 's bluff personal style to the stylistic rigors of denmark 's dogma movement .",
      "it is initially confusing , willfully so , and soderbergh takes obvious delight in teasing the viewer and upsetting his or her preconceptions , breaking down the wavery wall between movies and real life .",
      "the artifice involved in moviemaking is driven home in MOV . with a club .",
      "watching it is exasperating at first , but it grows more engrossing .",
      "MOV rather feels like a tonic for its makers , a means of clearing the palate after a series of rich meals . for viewers who appreciate risks , it should be just as refreshing .",
      "audiences are going to be irritated if not simply befuddled by the film , although it is not a movie to be easily dismissed , and certainly not for lack of ideas .",
      "it 's a delight .",
      "despite the complicated trappings -- a film within a film within a film , shot both on film and video -- MOV is mostly a pedestrian look at sex , race , and desperation in the movie business ."
    ],
    "summary": "an confusing movie made worse by the poor camera work .",
    "id": "243312021"
  },
  {
    "movie": "300",
    "reviews": [
      "if it 's comic books you want , you 'll love this look at spartans versus persians . even better in imax , but do n't expect much story to go along with the sound and fury .",
      "the movie swings back and forth from awesome to awful so regularly and rapidly that it 's like a jai alai match .",
      "if the movie 's neocon message is as thin as a politician 's excuse , that 's to be expected . but what 's surprising here is that the sights are just as meagre .",
      "the picture achieves a heightened , painterly quality in its imagery . also artistic is the fight choreography , where assured control of slow motion and other speed effects achieve a balletic rhythm in battle .",
      "as to this pumped-up spectacle 's other aims , it 's anybody 's guess : selling gladiatorial chest-beating as beefcake erotica ? combining a movie and its own video-game spin-off into one package ? being both a dessert topping and a floor wax ?",
      "300 explodes off the screen in imax . it is the only way to see this epic picture .",
      "that brings us back to the battle sequences and the visuals , and let me tell you , they are everything you are expecting and more .",
      "the kids just want to have fun . many of them will . but what does that say about another greek contribution -- western civilization ?",
      "i feel comfortable enough in my masculinity to say that if i had to stand in the presence of these men for more than ten seconds , i 'd spontaneously grow a pair of ovaries .",
      "to hell with historical accuracy . what 's required , but lacking , is the invocation of a butt-kicking right to continuously top itself . artful decapitations , but a too-serious head on its shoulders .",
      "history is inconveniently complex . and so we get frank miller 's version , in which everything is simplified to the point of porridge .",
      "once the spartans start cracking jokes while finishing off opponents with spears , 300 starts to wobble .",
      "instead of `` prepare for glory ! '' it should be `` prepare for gory ! '' it 's a vividly stylized , spectacular , uber-violent video game .",
      "you never forget that you 're watching a movie , but that 's very much part of the point .",
      "primally , 300 has a grunting , gut impact ... primarily , it 's constructed of fudged history and creative slaughtering , making it a somewhat disturbing american busman 's holiday .",
      "like a hong kong ` pistol opera ' only without any pistols , or shirts . i guess it 's more of a ` nipple opera ' .",
      "i still wish david wenham were n't the narrator , but everything else about the movie is a brutal kind of hypnotic that keeps me coming back .",
      "bloody , fanboyish retelling of an ancient battle .",
      "all this bellowing and testosterone gets old fast -- especially since there 's not much of a plot outside of the combat scenes , and the not-much-of-a-plot scenes are laden with dialogue worthy of anakin and padmé .",
      "the look and feel of this historic battle is perfect for the virtual backgrounds and obscene violence . again , trust me on the violence .",
      "300 is an orgy of gore , a blood-letting on a titanic scale , a ballet of butchery in which half-naked men and the torrents of blood they elicit move in perfect , slow-motion choreography to a thunderous soundtrack . and i loved every minute of it .",
      "machismo , thy name is sparta !",
      "300 is a fun-fest of blood , mayhem , and absurdity . at its best , it is entertaining ; when it 's not at its best , it 's pretty dumb . it 's pretty dumb much of the time .",
      "300 has one-dimensional caricatures who talk like professional wrestlers plugging their next feud .",
      "zack snyder 's film version of the graphic novel by frank miller and lynn varley may look like the greatest music video ever made ; whether or not it is a decent feature film is another question altogether .",
      "this is death and war as ancient poets might have imagined it , glorious and provocative ... 300 is a powerhouse actioner .",
      "i preferred gerard butler as the phantom of the opera , did n't you ? but he was just dandy here as well .",
      "fanboys may embrace its wanton carnage , he-man heroics and bombastic dialogue , but 300 really belongs on a playstation rather than in a theatre .",
      "in between all the blood and guts , 300 's careful costuming and sensuous style is intensely erotic .",
      "not since mario bava 's hercules in the haunted world has greco-roman movie-house mythmaking been so thoroughly well-conceived and executed .",
      "this long-winded macho man-athon becomes less of an epic tale of heroism than a contest for who can make his pecs the shiniest .",
      "snyder 's depiction of the ancient battle of thermopylae , in which 300 spartans fought off a much larger persian army , is so over-the-top it 's laughable -- so self-serious , it 's hard to take seriously .",
      "it is too dumb as drama , even as war spectacle , to be transporting , frightening or sickening . just numbing .",
      "in creating the ultimate movie for sword-and-sandal blood-spatter fetishists , director zack snyder scores on the spectacle side -- 300 looks amazing -- but his mechanical story line and over-the-top melodramatics do n't support the action .",
      "visually arresting and wildly cut together , 300 is -lrb- despite its well-earned r-rating -rrb- precisely the kind of movie that turns 14-year-old boys into ravenous movie geeks .",
      "the disconnect between the human actors and the digital backgrounds is more pronounced here ... because classic hollywood cinema is so rich with epic images of antiquity , this ca n't help but seem chintzy .",
      "it 's kind of a ghastly hoot , and while i suppose it does no harm , it also contributes nothing . it 's a guilty unpleasantness .",
      "the movie should 've been called ode to a grecian ab .",
      "300 is at its best when it settles for purely visceral thrills .",
      "it is a wall-to-wall canvas of expressionist ultraviolence .",
      "the film is little more than a colorfully stylish , throwaway epic , and there is absolutely nothing wrong with something that simply aims to be populist entertainment .",
      "there 's such a crushing rush of testosterone on display in `` 300 , '' those who turn out to see it might leave the theater with an unexpected surprise -- male pattern baldness . but do n't fret . it 's such a lightweight , the effects will be gone by morning .",
      "this is not your father 's sword and sandals epic ; it 's more like your teenage brother 's video game .",
      "a landmark motion picture , a spectacular visual feast that is as inventive and groundbreaking as ` the matrix ' .",
      "a monochromatic , testosterone-sodden cross of gladiator and sin city strictly for the bloodlust demographic .",
      "how much cooler is a storyteller 's epic tale when you can watch all the embellishments ? after viewing 300 , your answer may be ` infinitely . '",
      "essentially a stylish comic book-style remake of a 1962 movie , the 300 spartans .",
      "until the wheels come off , 300 has about it a certain lean , alien quality .",
      "300 is just a silly , yet melodramatic , cliched , comic-book version of gladiator with frank miller art direction .",
      "filled from first frame to last with images that are meant to burn themselves into your memory and force you to tell your friends about what you just saw .",
      "the stylized action , set to crunching guitar riffs , feels suffocating in its artificiality . dialogue , taken mostly verbatim from miller , comes cribbed from t-shirt slogans -lrb- real men wear crimson ! -rrb- and bruce springsteen songs -lrb- no retreat , no surrender ! -rrb- .",
      "it may not be by-the-book history -- a relative term in any event , when discussing the ancients whose worldview embraced men , gods and monsters -- but what a spectacle !",
      "it 's impossible not to be moved by its nearly nonstop visual assault .",
      "it 's most definitely a spartan movie , yet it 's really all about wretched excess .",
      "part of the fascination of the thermopylae story is that it really happened , and it helped define real heroism . there 's nothing remotely like reality to be had in this film .",
      "apart from its pro-war propaganda , that comes in the form of unrelenting voice-over narration , `` 300 '' is a dog of a movie where cookie-cutter cgi battle scenes show thirty actors pretending to fight to the death .",
      "this is one of those ur-stories that actually feels like a slice of ancient wonder and grandeur ...",
      "undeniably impressive on a visual level , the film is considerably more prosaic in terms of plotting and acting .",
      "months before its release 300 already was revered by those who consider it a magnificent achievement for a live-action film to look exactly like a video game . forgive me , but i do n't see that as a reason to celebrate .",
      "there is so much slow motion that if they had run the entire film at normal speed , it would have been half as long .",
      "the hilariously bombastic story about the ancient battle of thermopylae is very much like spending two hours watching someone play a video game .",
      "a full-blooded , testosterone-spiked shot glass that you down in one ferocious sitting .",
      "call 300 the new age sword-and-sandal epic -- a hercules movie for the computer age .",
      "put bluntly , the movie 's just too darned silly to withstand any ideological theorizing . and ` silly ' is invoked here , more or less , with affection .",
      "... a perfect combination of moral wrongheadedness and inept filmmaking . on any level beyond the pictorial , snyder makes clunky cecil b. demille epics like the ten commandments look positively deft .",
      "if anyone wanted to persuade vulnerable young minds to enter the maw of battle , 300 would make a heck of a recruitment video .",
      "' 300 ' would have been a truly olympian feat if it had characters that were as finely wrought as the images .",
      "while the standard complaint might be about the surfeit of blood spilled , the real problem is n't so much the gore that gets splattered around in 300 as its lack of effect - it 's all antiseptic and pretty .",
      "zack snyder adapts frank miller 's sparse graphic novel about the battle of thermopylae with the same devoted verve that robert rodriguez brought to sin city .",
      "it is excessively , cheerfully violent -- and it is gorgeous to behold . it looks like the world 's most sophisticated and expensive video game , and i mean that in a good way .",
      "-lsb- gerard butler 's character -rsb- charisma is elusive . he vigorously enunciates like a summer stock player doing shakespeare . but the writing 's overblown . and locating the requisite sorrow in this tale of heroism is an afterthought for snyder and co. .",
      "snyder gives his movie the encompassing look and feel of a graphic novel . perhaps because he shot the actors in front of digitally concocted backgrounds , snyder is able to sustain an otherworldly quality that perfectly suits the movie 's lurid material .",
      "every complaint that 's ever been made about comic books or comic book adaptations is accurate when applied to 300 .",
      "with filmmaking both epic and imaginative , 300 is the stuff that legends are made of .",
      "coming soon to a football camp , police academy , military base , neocon assembly and jihadist cell near you : ' 300 , ' a motivational celebration of the ` no retreat , no surrender ' ancient spartans that disdains cut-and-run senators ...",
      "the film 's concerns , like those of miller 's book , are narrow : it wants only to submerge you in a sea of heroic brutality . it does just that one thing , but it does it with feverish expertise .",
      "it 's an enjoyable two hours .",
      "como adaptación de un cómic al cine , 300 es visualmente impactante . pero una vez que uno se acostumbra queda sólo la historia , y allí no hay nada nuevo , original , ni sorprendente .",
      "frank miller 's graphic novel about an ancient greek battle comes to vivid life .",
      "despite all the visual trickery and slick filmmaking , it ca n't really hide that underneath is a vehicle as clunky , empty and vacuous as a mediocre comic adaptation",
      "un produit surchargé dont on se délecte niaisement pendant prčs de deux heures pour ensuite passer ŕ autre chose",
      "its hackneyed dialogue and ridiculous bluster rank it a little lower than any of a handful of old gladiator movies made for a fraction of the price .",
      "an overabundance of style accenting a substance-deprived story .",
      "a hugely satisfying thrill ride , with superb writing , competent acting , and exemplary cinematography , no matter how it was generated .",
      "in this handsome pantomime , the performances are not what we are watching .",
      "full review in greek",
      "hey , if frank miller 's `` sin city '' was too tame for you , aybe `` 300 '' will give you enough bloodshed .",
      "300 is a movie blood-drunk on its own artful excess . guys of all ages and sexes wo n't be able to resist it .",
      "despite the fantastic visuals , action and sometimes rousing story , the needle flickers between grandiose and laughable -- in part because the film takes itself sooo relentlessly , slow-motion , music-swellin ' , see-you-in-hell seriously .",
      "i ca n't imagine another film coming out this year that will beat these 300 in the art department .",
      "director zack snyder is a visual genius - of that i 'm sure - and 300 is very much a movie john milius could love .",
      "nonstop action from beginning to end , 300 is a film that starts off in high gear and does n't slow down .",
      "made me long for the days when epics were photographed with the beauty and clarity of lawrence of arabia , ben-hur and spartacus .",
      "i honestly do n't see how you can not like this movie . go see this movie . you will not be disappointed .",
      "300 blends bloody violence , sensuality , brutality , and moments of true beauty into an intoxicatingly unconventional film experience .",
      "snyder perfectly captures the look and feel of miller 's original work with a movie that 's fun , exciting and sick without ever losing sight of the story or characters .",
      "the first must-see movie of 2007 .",
      "the battle sequences are filled with grotesque spectacle : they start off entertainingly ferocious , then grow numbing with stylized spraying blood and severed heads .",
      "when it works , it is both ferocious and mesmerizing . butler 's performance is never less than visceral",
      "i had two thoughts : -lrb- 1 -rrb- this looks really cool -- it 's visually composed very well ; and -lrb- 2 -rrb- it makes me think of a chain-combo from the video game god of war .",
      "marked by spectacularly excessive visuals , with warfare transformed into a beautiful ballet of blood .",
      "while the overall look of the movie is quite dissimilar to frank miller 's sin city , it 's still very much in line with his beautiful artwork . with the help of a heap of cgi , snyder does an astonishing job of bringing a hyper-reality to believable fruition .",
      "after a while , all of the excess , however glorious , just gets , well , excessive ... by the end , i did n't know which i wanted more : a cigarette , or , like , a whole bottle of aspirin .",
      "... the movie suggests not only -lsb- frank -rsb- miller 's graphic novel , but the equally compelling fantasy art of frank frazetta .",
      "i 'll be in the minority on this , but i just saw a film where 300 guys stood up to an army of thousands , so i 'm feeling bold .",
      "ironically , the computer effects make it so clean , so ballet-like , so unrealistic . battles should be chaotic and messy , not choreographed like an mgm musical .",
      "artistically triumphant in its arresting visual spectacle . undoubtedly , the hyperactive male psyche for violent-induced petulance is proudly on display in the extravagant 300",
      "it 's got loads of action , stunning visuals and more testosterone than fraternity row . it 's a spectacle to behold .",
      "every piercing , slashing and beheading is front and center forming the kind of orgiastic tango of bloodletting that would have peckinpah offering zack snyder a cigar .",
      "... relentless in its attempt to recreate the graphic novel 's vision of the carnage at thermopylae .",
      "an overwrought , revved-up , and deeply silly symphony of clanging steel and spurting blood .",
      "this is a flick for guys , so grab a few beers , pull up a chair and have a blast ...",
      "while the film is stunning to look at , the added scenes and scenery-devouring acting fall flat .",
      "it would now seem that the notebook drawings of troubled teenage boys have been elevated to the status of `` high art '' . god save us all .",
      "a typical stupid action movie , with an extra dollop of stupid on the side .",
      "300 is poorly-executed , bare-bones storytelling that is hoping and praying no one notices . i did .",
      "while far from sophisticated in its ` i have filled my heart with hate ' messaging , it resonates with the ` us versus them ' worldview that 's wildly popular in some circles .",
      "film koji % u0107e gledateljima omogu % u0107iti da se na trenutak odmore od ponekad uistinu iritiraju % u0107e `` politi % u010dke korektnosti ''",
      "estupendamente fotografiada , actuada en su justa dimensión y visualmente atractiva , 300 representa un buen ejercicio fílmico que no pasará a la historia pero que se puede disfrutar , preferentemente , en una pantalla de cine .",
      "one of the casualties of all this digital-effects wizardry is a sense of emotional immediacy . there 's a conspicuously remote quality to much of the movie that drains the film of the visceral energy it so desperately needs to make an impact .",
      "300 spartans with pecs on a wall ...",
      "zack snyder invests loads of visual style into this adaptation of frank miller 's now-classic graphic novel ... but there 's not much going on underneath the gorgeous surface .",
      "300 may not offer masterful storytelling in a conventional sense , but it 's hard to beat as a spectacle and that makes it worthwhile viewing for all but the most squeamish of potential audience members .",
      "300 is an erotic spectacle for men -lrb- straight and gay apparently -rrb- and this demographic should bask in the bombastic grandeur of discourse , domination and decapitations .",
      "300 is more about the fighting and less about the story or character development ...",
      "300 is rated r for ` raaaaar ! ' and is about as inspirational as field of dreams multiplied by mr. smith goes to washington , plus infinity .",
      "a primeval , elegant , music video . plot & dialogue are unstable , wavering from occasionally powerful to just as often weak and cliché . leads perform admirably .",
      "this is dazzle for the head , not the heart .",
      "you do n't go to hooters for the chicken wings - no matter what you might tell your wife - and you 're not going to 300 for the plot nuances .",
      "its themes and visual splendor demonstrably trump the sometimes-ludicrous bombast accompanying them .",
      "the movie finds its unique look in replicating the source 's water colour images within a mostly live action universe . it 's a visual novelty that wears off before 300 reaches its half point .",
      "so militaristic and single-minded that it 's like a cgi-heavy blockbuster version of triumph of the will .",
      "if you 're the type who applauds decapitation , your hands are going to be raw from cheering while watching 300 . this movie is about the decapitations , severed limbs and blood splattering all over the screen . yet , it works .",
      "far more original than i thought possible",
      "the heavily stylized compositions , balletic , blood-gushing violence , and wave after wave of different styles of marauders at times feel more like a video game than a movie .",
      "a giddily gory , supercharged comic book that is , for action-movie fans , one money shot after another .",
      "300 , even with its impressive vistas of computer-generated soldiers , is just a throwaway epic .",
      "300 is about as subtle as a spear through the head . but it 's also shamelessly entertaining , and not a bad way to make time move a little faster .",
      "both outrageously gory and gorgeous at the same time ... the sort of movie in which one man solemnly tells another , ` i have filled my heart with hate , ' and his friend immediately replies , ` good ! '",
      "300 is about as violent as apocalypto and twice as stupid .",
      "cgi fans are going to love 300 , as will the fanboys who get a goodly dose of the gratuitous sex , nudity and ultra-violent combat that they hope for .",
      "apart from anything else , the idea of america having the spartans ' underdog status is not plausible .",
      "there 's so much testosterone pumping through the new film 300 that the screen seems to sweat the male hormone .",
      "visually stunning , thoroughly belligerent and as shallow as a pygmy 's paddling pool , this is a whole heap of style tinged with just a smidgen of substance .",
      "ancient history may be greek to me , but 300 packages it like a happy meal -- bloated with empty calories and too much cheese but still very tasty . boy toys included .",
      "300 was as pathetically puerile as i had expected .",
      "what we have is a vulgar and over - dramatic retelling of the battle of thermopylae . but as vulgar and over-dramatic retellings of history go , this one is not bad .",
      "... some rousing battles and an aura of the misty , unreachable past that few movies can even hint at .",
      "silly , stylish , and entertaining .",
      "contains some wow moments visually , but little else .",
      "call it an attempt to jumpstart our imagination or a metaphoric map to rediscovering our inner joy , but 300 is built for spectacle , not scholarship .",
      "a blustery , bombastic , visually arresting account of the battle of thermopylae as channeled through the rabid imagination of graphic novelist frank miller .",
      "if forgiven some fan-boy pandering and homophobia , `` 300 '' is a magnificent spectacle and testament to heroic sacrifice in the name of freedom .",
      "a mythic ode to righteous bellicosity . in at least one way , the film is true to the ethos of ancient greece : it conflates moral excellence and physical beauty -lrb- which , in this movie , means being young , white , male , and fresh from the gyms of brentwood -rrb- .",
      "it also pits millions of fans of brainless violence against a gallant band , or so i choose to think of us , who still expect movies to contain detectable traces of humanity .",
      "wholesale human slaughter never looked so pretty as in this heavily stylized rendering of the battle of thermopylae in ancient greece .",
      "snyder , needless to say , is completely on board with miller 's conception of thermopylae as one - fifth history , four-fifths something that looks cool .",
      "300 is one breathtaking digi-tableau after another . but the dialogue is a joke , the performances have more to do with bodybuilding than character , and the lesson that the film imparts is n't anything to do with courage and military skill .",
      "the film is also quite action-heavy , which turns out to be its saving grace . the lengthy and rousing battle scenes are enough to outweigh most of the clunkier aspects ... sometimes just barely .",
      "300 may be the guy movie to end all guy movies .",
      "unless you like human shish kabob , do n't spring forward . fall back .",
      "snyder 's 300 certainly has its share of the latest toys , but they make for a better coming-attractions trailer than a full-length theatrical film .",
      "the thing about 300 is its visual style , after all , and this is where the film 's real stars shine",
      "reduces the violence of battle to cartoonish proportions that make the film as a whole much less involving than it should be .",
      "the spartan soldiers , carrying shields like dustbin lids and spears like park railings , have shiny rippling bodies , wear black leather speedos and short red cloaks , and seem to be responding to an invitation to a fancy-dress party at a gay new york club .",
      "it is violent enough to make you shudder and close enough to fascist art to make your skin crawl .",
      "a muscle-magazine fantasy crossed with a video game and an army recruiting film .",
      "300 is an impressive spectacle , but after so much fighting and self-important speechifying , i just wanted them to get it over with and die .",
      "the hyper-real blue screen and the moral complexity of root veg remains faithful to miller . but you ca n't help feeling this could have had more to say about war than `` come join the party ! '' .",
      "moralmente repreensível e narrativamente frágil . ainda assim , é um filme contagiante cuja beleza plástica chega quase a compensar por todos os seus demais problemas .",
      "this is a gorgeously designed , impressively directed and action-packed swords-and-sandals flick , even if the fascist overtones and the shouting gets a bit much after a while .",
      "this graphic novel turned action thriller is definite empty-headed fun .",
      "fills a much-needed gap between gay porn and recruitment film .",
      "asscrack-ugly",
      "-lsb- snyder -rsb- twists the brawn and battle into a cartoonish fx extravaganza with severed body parts and globules of blood flying across the screen .",
      "wallowing in the same adolescent nihilism as his sin city , this adaptation of frank miller 's graphic novel suffers from a similar lack of momentum .",
      "as the first blockbuster of the year , 300 sets the bar high enough , and is enjoyably silly .",
      "our instinctual desire to sneer at the implausibility of the story is stalled by a sense of ambition that seems unmatched even by the standards of the hollywood assembly line .",
      "so manly it makes troy look like a mary-kate and ashley adventure .",
      "awesome !",
      "visually thrilling and viscerally satisfying .",
      "despite a cracking central premise and outstanding visuals , 300 ultimately leaves you feeling more gutted than some of the disemboweled soldiers on display throughout the movie .",
      "if 300 represents an evolution in ` virtual ' cinema , then at the same time it tells a story that transports us back to the violent roots of western civilisation .",
      "it 's like fight club without the tongue-in-cheek satire , cribbing from gladiator , braveheart , and every videogame that ever concluded a level with a giant boss battle .",
      "whatever your reason for going into 300 , i ca n't imagine leaving it very excited by what you get . i can imagine being excited by the prospect of leaving -- for me , the end credits of 300 rolled up on the screen with the comforting shock of a parole notice",
      "a film that 's full of violence and testosterone and fills in the story holes with gorgeous slaughter . but is n't that what the trailers promised ?",
      "' 300 ' delivers what legions of moviegoers are looking for -- sure-handed , confident , blustery filmmaking , done mainly on computer .",
      "` i am the god-king , ' said xerxes , ` and i have the gold-encrusted speedo and the encyclopedic knowledge of the lyrics of guys and dolls to prove it ! '",
      "while the film is an inspired bit of production design , ingeniously conceived and skillfully crafted , what it ultimately lacks in its final , sweeping gestures is any sense of gravity .",
      "every few years , a film comes along that epitomizes what it means to be cool . the matrix earned that honor in 1999 . 300 earns it now .",
      "a good bargain , in that you get exactly what they promise , but only that . but if that 's what you want , man , you wo n't be disappointed .",
      "worst of all , it 's a phony spectacle . it 's less like watching a movie than it 's like watching a parade of production-design sketches flow across the screen .",
      "by zeus , where do i sign up for the crusades ?",
      "depersonalizes the major players to such a degree that one ends up feeling more sympathy for the shields that end up receiving the brunt of the sword blows and arrow piercings .",
      "sensational . a masculine revelry . makes every other action movie look like girls playing with dolls .",
      "frankly , it 's the slavish , frame-by-frame devotion to miller 's source material that 's the problem . that explains both the risible screenplay and why the movie , for all its liberation from the real world , never takes full-winged flight .",
      "for once , the larry king quote machines who supply the advance blurbs to the studio for their marketing campaigns will be correct .",
      "the fascinating , fetishized battle scenes of 300 leave as many questions on the ground as drops of blood .",
      "director zack snyder adapts frank miller 's graphic novel with passion and creativity , proving that classical storytelling will never go out of style .",
      "does the film stay faithful to the miller and varley 's vision ? indeed it does -- to a kunch !",
      "it helps nothing that the movie is also so very , very hilarious . deliciously , gloriously , unintentionally hilarious .",
      "... a movie that wishes it were a ` rated m for mature ' video game .",
      "as silly as it is stylish ...",
      "it 's not a film i have a lot of affection for and it 's not one i 'm eager to see again , but i appreciate the skill with which the movie was made .",
      "the devotion to sameness means that a disappointing subplot involving gorgo is set off awkwardly : she does n't fit aesthetically the rest of the tableau .",
      "a film whose primary purpose is to entertain the male ego .",
      "taken on it 's own terms - as greek myth meets looney tunes - it 's kind of a masterpiece .",
      "it might have been one of the great all-time mad , bad movies but for one thing - it 's just sooo boring .",
      "zack snyder has created one of the most stylish and intense comic book movies ever made-period .",
      "snyder 's take is n't a transcendent epic , rather , an entertaining comic book one .",
      "keeping in mind slate 's mickey kaus ' hitler rule -- never compare anything to hitler -- it is n't a stretch to imagine adolf 's boys at a 300 screening , heil-fiving each other throughout and then lining up to see it again .",
      "watching 300 , there 's the arresting sense of eavesdropping on another time .",
      "the story is told with respectable adherence to the known facts , and presents a riveting and uniquely stylized portrait of a very bloody age .",
      "zack snyder fulfills the promise he showed in dawn of the dead with a vivid , colorful saga about the heroic spartans that 's just as visionary as sin city but is also more entertaining .",
      "in the end , 300 's visual splendors do n't give moviegoers anything to hang onto other than a batch of snappy images of extreme carnage .",
      "there 's a stale , synthetic airlessness about the movie . imagine a large cast trapped in a series of spectacular screensavers . it could be ancient greece . it could be somebody 's hard drive .",
      "it is undeniably exciting and awe-inspiring ; but it also lacks a sense of tactile warmth , a crucial core of reality .",
      "it 's a fireworks show in the daytime , christmas presents on december 26th , and porn without the penetration .",
      "you could n't say the script by snyder , kurt johnstad and michael gordon is profound or historically true , but it provides a sturdy skeleton for the archetypal story and extraordinary special effects .",
      "neither history nor cinema is especially well served by 300 , which is , nonetheless , a remarkable intersection of technology and imagination .",
      "a big-screen adaptation of men 's health and fitness magazine , 300 is about as involving as sitting in front of a video game demo at best buy .",
      "the result is a delirious , turbo-charged roar of a movie that plays like spartacus on bizarre drugs .",
      "an assured visual stunner , full of sumptuous and grisly visions of an era past yet that still never existed .",
      "just about everything in this pea-brained epic is overscaled and overwrought -- it 's a cartoon trying to be a towering triptych . the dissonance between the film 's heroic ambitions and its grindingly coarse treatment is rather amusing ."
    ],
    "summary": "a simple-minded but visually exciting experience , full of blood , violence , and ready-made movie quotes .",
    "id": "344023668"
  },
  {
    "movie": "september_dawn",
    "reviews": [
      "a stirring love story that dabbles uncomfortably close to hate .",
      "does n't even measure up to an episode of your typical , cowboy tv show from the fifties like roy rogers or the lone ranger . get my drift , kimosabe ?",
      "MOV has the ham-fisted lyricism of political ads and pharmaceutical commercials .",
      "less verifiable than implied , ` MOV ' nevertheless does raise relevant questions of intolerance , fanaticism and individual responsibility .",
      "even if one gets past the movie 's controversial depictions , there is the matter of its second-rate , made-for-television fare -- the poor battle choreography , the wooden editing and the cheesy writing .",
      "when watching the screen depiction of a historic event in which 120 people were murdered , giggling is not the appropriate response .",
      "bombastic , slow-drying dramatization with lead-weight dialogue and a turgid romantic subplot .",
      "it has the chilling certitude of the self-righteous .",
      "the jarring mtv-style filmmaking is so distracting and the ` messaging ' so unsubtle that after two long hours you find yourself leaving the theater with a massive headache , wondering when you started to hate mormons .",
      "earnest but misguided attempt to generate political allegory from the horrific mountain meadows massacre of 9/11/1857 would have benefited from a more straightforward retelling .",
      "this handsome indie western damningly recounts the 1857 slayings of 120 settlers passing through utah , but the didactic presentation , grim speechifying and tacked-on love story all signify a less-than-healthy regard for the audience 's intelligence .",
      "when the movie is n't doling out ham-fisted history ... it gives us magnificent vistas of a pristine prairie ... and there 's a deep sweetness to the subplot of jonathan and emily falling in love .",
      "what a strange , confused , unpleasant movie this is .",
      "the filmmaking here is so incompetent and laughably awful that it recalls the work of schlockmeister ed wood .",
      "it turns a complicated story of religious bigotry and paranoia , with visitations from god , self-appointed prophets and ` divine ' instruction into a dry history lesson .",
      "-lsb- director cain -rsb- stops short of calling osama bin laden a mormon sympathizer , but maybe that 'll be on the dvd .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- too often feels like a very elaborate episode of gunsmoke .",
      "even if cain and co-screenwriter carole whang schutter hold no animosity toward the lds , the flat-footed fakiness of their story prevents MOV from feeling historically accurate .",
      "with MOV , filmmaker christopher cain has turned a national tragedy into a teen romance , and not in a grand , entertaining , titanic way .",
      "disturbingly awful .",
      "why does this film even exist ?",
      "the film mitt romney does not want you to see . and it 's easy to see why .",
      "there was another 9/11 horror . but it happened 150 years ago .",
      "a plodding and highly questionable history lesson .",
      "the villainous turns by jon voight -lrb- as a hard-hearted mormon bishop -rrb- and terence stamp -lrb- as a bloodthirsty brigham young -rrb- would have been more fun if they were n't part of such a clumsy campaign to lay this tragedy at the church 's doorstep .",
      "predictable , obvious , often silly .",
      "drama may benefit from attention to history , but history does n't always make for good drama .",
      "contriving a faux romeo and juliet romance as a point of entry for the audience shows how unimaginative the filmmakers are , and how blandly and uninvolving it plays shows how fairly clueless they are in going about their game plan .",
      "muddled , sloppy , and obfuscating .",
      "for all the guns fired in the film , -lsb- director -rsb- cain aims the largest one at his foot-and pulls the trigger again and again .",
      "the workmanlike craftsmanship of cain 's filmmaking almost -lrb- but never quite -rrb- smooths over the ham-fisted way he conceives the story .",
      "an already thin veneer of historical truth wears off fairly quickly in this surprisingly dull and melodramatic low-budget western .",
      "cain has co-written and directed a film that only the most bigoted of mormom detractors could enjoy . most viewers , if any are willing to part with their money or time , will simply laugh derisively .",
      "if the western genre is struggling , it 's because of terrible movies like this one .",
      "cain has turned the mormons into baby-eatin ' nazis to suit his argument , parading around these black-clad , chin-bearded , testicle-slicing gunslingers without any thoughtful consideration .",
      "the cruel simplicity of the atrocity is made needlessly chaotic by artless camerawork that swishes rapidly back and forth across the action , to the accompaniment of a syrupy soundtrack .",
      "it 's waxy classics illustrated cinema .",
      "such ham-fisted earnestness does no one any good , least of all those who believe there 's a big difference between historical fact and emotional screed .",
      "forget grindhouse . MOV is the year 's first honest-to-goodness exploitation flick .",
      "the real problem is that MOV is n't a very good movie . it moves too much like a public-school history pageant and gives us mono-dimensional characters who speak dialogue that fairly reeks of printer 's ink .",
      "has serious problems in historical terms . but in this case they 're exacerbated by the simple ineptitude of the filmmaking .",
      "what could have been a galvanizing and all-too timely account of religious fanaticism turning violent has instead been reduced to the banal level of an romeo and juliet-type love story .",
      "while we should always be suspect of history served up with popcorn , this is a story worth telling",
      "if MOV is a kind of western , it 's a western utterly devoid of heroism or the usual archetypes . but the core message transcends time : hatred laced with religious fanaticism is a toxic blend .",
      "the film feels less like historical drama than a venomous religious tract printed on celluloid .",
      "the director 's overreaching attempts at social commentary with hackneyed devices weaken the veracity of the source material and leave the film open to interpretation as propaganda .",
      "often gripping and fascinating , it 's bound to create waves of controversy .",
      "it 's a toss-up as to whether MOV is more offensive as history , as allegory or simply as lousy self-important filmmaking .",
      "with its complete lack of empathy for early mormons and simplistic rendering of historical figures , MOV is that rare movie that actually deserves whatever condemnation might come from religious groups .",
      "religious and thematic issues aside , MOV is well-crafted as a revisionist western with a message .",
      "the maudlin , grotesque western MOV apes schindler 's list in hopes of creatinga christian holocaust picture .",
      "an asinine chunk of mormonsploitation that mixes historical fact with fictional romance and bald-faced anti-mormon prejudice .",
      "for all its cinematic weaknesses , i left the theatre weeping . `` now you know how i feel when i see holocaust films , '' my jewish husband told me gently as he wiped away my tears ."
    ],
    "summary": "with its jarring editing , dull love story , and silly dialogue , MOV turns a horrific historical event into a banal movie .",
    "id": "770670845"
  },
  {
    "movie": "raising_helen",
    "reviews": [
      "hudson generates enough good will in the first two-thirds of MOV to offset sporadic preachiness .",
      "at two hours , MOV feels like it 's never going to end , and , when the obligatory all-is-forgiven finale finally arrives , it 's a welcome relief .",
      "like a bad sitcom , it wants to make you smile while tugging at your heartstrings , but what it induces is a grimace and heartburn .",
      "if -lsb- helen -rsb- had her own nbc sitcom , she 'd be safe for many a season of dating mishaps , workplace cock-ups , and conspicuously plush interior design ; since she 's stuck in a big-screen seriocomedy ... she must be swiftly rehabilitated of her egocentric ways .",
      "a heartwarming comedy that makes you think as well as laugh .",
      "a must-miss of snoringly mediocre proportions .",
      "marshall keeps the performances within a narrow range that might be called over-the-top lite : cheery-through - the-tears , with every complication spelled out and quickly resolved .",
      "shiny , undemanding and deeply fake .",
      "ladies : you 're going to hell if your popping bubble wrap with male models instead of birthin ' babies at home .",
      "an acrimoniously cookie-cutter affair without an honest bone in its body .",
      "kate hudson is sweetly charming , but the movie is almost too sweet .",
      "this ode to the most stifling aspects of family and motherhood make you feel like the hicks have all uprooted themselves and moved into the front office at touchstone .",
      "chills abound in MOV , a macabre tale of three plucky orphans placed in the care of their loving but undead aunt .",
      "you know those scenes in shrek 2 in which puss in boots stops and makes cutesy , goo-goo kitty eyes at people ? well , this movie is like that look .",
      "marshall pulls off some delicately serious moments . problem is , most of this movie is supposed to be funny , and more often than not , it is n't .",
      "... marshmallow material ... has the formulaic flakiness of a tepid situation comedy begging to be renewed for the fall season ... a pseudo-sympathetic familial farce",
      "sugar is sweet , but not as sweet as `` MOV . ''",
      "makes the erroneous suggestion that a woman ca n't possibly create a life of beauty and meaning without the patter of little feet .",
      "... a mediocre movie , content with a contrived screenplay , indifferent direction and lazy performances by most of the cast .",
      "the film 's trio of kids show virtually no grief other than the occasional pout , a reaction that is more akin to being grounded than having your family torn apart .",
      "ping-pongs back and forth between an approximation of pith and shameless , family circus-style treacle .",
      "-lsb- marshall -rsb- evidently finds the film 's premise to be outrageously funny . some viewers -- especially those who have looked out a window in the last 20 years -- may understandably be less impressed .",
      "pulls out all the stops to make -lsb- hudson -rsb- adorable , and only the hardhearted will be able to resist her self-deprecating charm and light-up-the-world smile .",
      "far from the worst cookie-cutter film to come off the hollywood assembly line , merely the latest .",
      "it 's a painless , affably sentimental comedy that would make a popular tv series -- and probably will become one .",
      "like tumbling into chick-flick hell .",
      "hudson is attractive and amusing , but the role offers little challenge .",
      "entertaining ; it just has virtually no anchor in reality .",
      "lifetime botox ban to the hollywood honcho who allowed garry marshall to direct a movie about fatal car crashes and orphans .",
      "serious emotional issues ... are swept away with the kinds of quick fixes and sudden realizations commonly found in those ` very special episodes ' of tv sitcoms .",
      "it is n't great , but , with kate hudson , it 's cute enough .",
      "despite having several strikes against it - hudson , marshall , the outward appearance of cloying sentimentalism - the movie defeated my natural cynicism by being , well , natural",
      "i wish that helen would just dump the kids since she sure would make for an interesting character if she were n't saddled with those kids .",
      "MOV is likable , formulaic , predictable , overly sentimental schlock.you 're going to find something to like in the movie -lrb- hudson -rrb- , but there 's plenty to dislike",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's something comforting about the predictability of MOV : the movie 's only surprise is that it works so well .",
      "MOV is competent , commercial , square-as-square-can-be popular entertainment .",
      "marshall 's directing is cheerfully basic , and his sense of pacing is sketchy at best , but he has a canny way of tapping into american talking points .",
      "i do n't mind sweet , cutesy movies - but a director has to know when to indulge that urge .",
      "the sort of sitcom-by-way-of-hallmark material we can expect from marshall .",
      "MOV should be rated by one of those toxic materials symbols .",
      "there 's no real conflict , and the screenplay sometimes approaches idiocy .",
      "it 's shallow and obvious , so totally dishonest you keep reaching back in your seat to make sure it did n't lift your wallet .",
      "the movie , more tear-jerker than romantic comedy , gets at how painful , awful and , ultimately , worthwhile it is to be a parent , and , if it takes its time getting to that message , that makes sense .",
      "even those who seek the undemanding entertainment of life troubles being bravely dealt with might end up wishing they were given more than just sitcom resolutions .",
      "this sort of film thrives on chemistry , and hudson and corbett make it sparkle .",
      "it 's the rare chick-geared movie that is predictable without being boring and touching without being cloying .",
      "with MOV added to her string of bad movies , the five-year tour exemption hudson earned for making almost famous is almost up .",
      "this is one of marshall 's worst films to date",
      "the adorable hudson 's onscreen transformation from party girl to supermom seems forced , and marshall 's efforts to pass her off as the next julia roberts-style every girl are irritating .",
      "almost nothing about MOV rings very true , other than the camera 's crush on kate hudson .",
      "-lsb- hudson -rsb- melds her radiance to a budding maternal soulfulness .",
      "the characters are all enjoyable , which is marshall 's goal .",
      "rest assured , these crises will be resolved , and helen will be enriched by the experiences . but going through them with her throws more sugar into your system than i can take .",
      "ca n't decide whether it 's a romance , a fish-out - of-water flick , a teen-parent conflict story , or a tale of sibling rivalry and reconciliation , and therefore fails at each .",
      "does its inoffensive comedy bit . it 's all professional , predictable , by the numbers .",
      "this goopy dramedy is unfunny , mentally bankrupt and makes parenthood look like a terrifying death sentence .",
      "when the 9-year-old in the next seat can anticipate every plot development and emotional response , you know you 're in sitcom land .",
      "the movie possesses all the cloying cuteness and soft-edged drama that we 've come to expect from pro 's pro marshall .",
      "this dry-duct soaper chugs along in the hollywood netherworld where humor and pathos are in short supply .",
      "yet another example of re-mining movie territory whether it 's capable of producing more material or not .",
      "as predictable as a book you 've already read twice .",
      "begs for attention like a homeless puppy .",
      "faced with the constraints of not one but two heavily formulaic genres , MOV simply feels too much like a template and not enough like a story .",
      "boils down every feel-good chick-flick cliche of the last 15 years into a lumpy mass of multiplex comfort food .",
      "constantly warm and sometimes devastatingly real , showing just how hard it can be for a family to replace the early departed .",
      "tame and timid from beginning to end , and relentlessly conventional .",
      "a number of interesting people populate MOV , but this comedy-drama chooses to focus on the least interesting , most cliched character in the film .",
      "marshall , who seems to specialize in affability , breaks no new ground and does n't do much with the old soil he tills .",
      "by no means a great movie , but it 's efficiently watchable , thanks to marshall 's direction and occasionally buoyant thanks to its stars .",
      "like one of marshall 's less-original sitcom pilots stretched way beyond feature length .",
      "satisfying only because of joan cusack 's sterling performance . will somebody please give that actress a starring role in her own vehicle ?",
      "a sort of updated pretty woman into homework rather than hooking .",
      "yet another social fable about women in distress from gary marshall with no foundation in any reality and a mannered , irritating performance from kate hudson .",
      "light drama with some appealing moments .",
      "the latest urban fairy tale from pretty woman 's marshall sees the director continue his descent into underwritten schmaltz at the expense of genuine wit and warmth .",
      "tries to tell in excruciating detail the stories of at least six characters , but succeeds in showing us they are only cardboard cutouts .",
      "... a drippy , maudlin , melodramatic , semi-romantic , sometimes comedy .",
      "as far as heartwarming comedies go , this one has all the parts necessary : the heart , the warmth , and the comedy .",
      "truly means well but , as box office goes , is too condescending and pre-fab to mean very much .",
      "it 's parenthood through rose-colored glasses .",
      "the inevitable happy ending allows helen to `` have it all , '' but you might still be worrying about those kids .",
      "hudson is fatally miscast , and it 's nearly impossible to watch the film and not imagine that a still-youthful but more world-weary star would have made a better fit .",
      "you are likely to encounter more surprises on the way to the bathroom each morning than you do in this film .",
      "it 's like two hours of the worst sitcom you 've ever seen .",
      "as relentlessly cute as you 'd expect from a garry marshall picture .",
      "jumps back and forth between airy-fairy romantic comedy and leaden family drama with the alacrity of a manic-depressive .",
      "it 's a frivolous , glossy , feel-good story that 's mildly amusing .",
      "... as trite and predictable as they come ...",
      "3 good movie ideas ... crammed all in one - who cares if it does n't fit into a genre . one thing still remains true - it 's bad for your health to be a parent in a disney movie .",
      "those suffering from testosterone poisoning from the current blockbusters will find this a welcome antidote .",
      "-lsb- garry marshall -rsb- piles on the cornball touches with the sledgehammer effect of a bad sitcom director .",
      "isn?t the best film from garry marshall , nor is it the best performance from kate hudson , but it certainly is the best they?ve done in a while .",
      "rich with clichés , predictability , and happily ever afters , the story never ever leaves its comfort zone to challenge the characters and their relationships , to create tension or conflict , or to throw in the proverbial plot twist .",
      "all the adorability in the world ca n't save hudson from another plug-ugly comedy .",
      "... a warm fuzzy ...",
      "this is n't funny enough or dramatic enough .",
      "a gift-wrapped view of pathos -- so sanitized it 's almost creepy .",
      "... sweet-as-splenda garry marshall pipedream ...",
      "although MOV boasts a charming cast with a cute factor that 's off the cinematic richter scale , typical hollywood predictability rears its ugly head too often .",
      "MOV can best be described as jersey girl with better acting . the idea is n't that interesting , but at least the people involved seem more committed .",
      "great premise , but the ensuing trials and tribulations -- not to mention hapless attempts at comedy -- are ... off-key .",
      "there 's an old-school innocence to marshall 's style , and it 's satisfying to be whisked away from reality to this parallel universe where we find it possible to laugh amid such a fundamentally tragic scenario .",
      "helen must also be willing not to be completely loved every single second . hudson shows us as an actress that is a lesson she has already learned .",
      "kate hudson stars in this mildly ingratiating comedy as a selfish fashionista whose career stops short when she is granted custody of her late sister 's three children .",
      "it confirms the suspicion that mr. marshall is more a commodity than a director .",
      "as much as we want to wrap our hearts around this wannabe uplifting tearjerker , it 's just too shallow to embrace .",
      "a mediocre film at best , but hudson and the rest of the cast help raise the bar to make it a bit more palatable .",
      "one of garry marshall 's better efforts . it is gently witty and occasionally entertaining , if you can overlook the fact that you 've seen it all before .",
      "it is the kind of film that cleanses the palate and leaves viewers with nothing more than a desire to see a real movie .",
      "the best part of MOV , beside the welcomed scroll of its end credits ? read on - >",
      "... cusack is shrill and grating . kind of like a movie by garry marshall .",
      "one of those bogus ` sincere ' pictures -- a schmaltz-ridden mediocrity without an honest moment in it .",
      "with a little help from the sunny kate hudson and her kids , at least some of that hokey sentiment gets through and touches your heart . -lsb- sniff -rsb- pass the kleenex , please .",
      "you can take the director out of television , but sometimes you ca n't take television out of the director .",
      "a winsomely formulaic domestic comedy that says that women can have it all -- but they really should n't try to .",
      "MOV gives kate hudson a chance to sparkle as a determined young woman who gives up her career to raise her deceased sister 's three children .",
      "the characters are clichéd , and their predicaments are familiar .",
      "a cunning and immensely likeable coming-of - parenting-age saga that repeatedly flies in the face of its own sitcom impulses .",
      "what MOV does n't offer is a competent -lrb- never mind compelling -rrb- performance from hudson , who is as cute as lace pants and has approximately as much acting skill .",
      "it 's structured around weighty issues -- orphaned children , financial uncertainty and a sudden , massive responsibility -- and it wants our sympathy . but it treats us like dummies ."
    ],
    "summary": "as shallow and formulaic as a sitcom .",
    "id": "10901"
  },
  {
    "movie": "joe_dirt",
    "reviews": [
      "the bad news -lrb- or perhaps this is the good news , if you 're a 10-year-old boy -rrb- is that the big yucks -lrb- in both senses of that word -rrb- are derived from fart lighting , elaborate poo gags , and an attenuated bit about a dog who gets his bits frozen to a porch .",
      "beyond a random laugh or two , this is pretty much a waste of celluloid that all but the most rabid of spade fans would probably be wise to avoid .",
      "woefully unfunny .",
      "life is a garden . if something stinks , bury it .",
      "director dennie gordon tries too hard to milk sympathy for the none-too-bright joe , who at one point adopts what he thinks is a meteor for a friend . of course , it turns out to be more toxic waste , like MOV .",
      "the first saturday night live-related comedy to produce belly laughs in a long , long time .",
      "MOV knows its audience and does n't stint on the flatulence jokes , poop jokes , leg-humping dogs and moments of homo-panic .",
      "dirt 's cup runneth over with excrement , fornicating animals and that perennial favorite of hollywood comedy , homophobic slurs .",
      "you start to wonder if choking to death on popcorn would n't be less painful than sitting through this .",
      "teeters on the fine line between condescending and corrupt .",
      "if you can get people to roar at a scene of someone being showered in , well , you know what ... why stress yourself giving the people anything more than you-know-what ?",
      "spade has sold his golden goose and laid an egg .",
      "seems perversely designed to exclude anything remotely funny .",
      "MOV plays like a stupid saturday night live skit that refuses to die .",
      "just a big chunk of waste flushed from a hollywood studio .",
      "unfortunately , the audience is left saying , ` just shoot me . '",
      "30 minutes went by and the movie took a sharp left into saps-ville , crashing and burning like a 74 ` cuda wrapped around an oak tree .",
      "were nature to take the course they both seem to want , the movie could end in 15 minutes . and it would still be too long .",
      "MOV is not a good movie , but it 's so strange it 's almost worth seeing anyway .",
      "to see it is to sit through scene after scene like the one in which a hulking oil rigger spattered with crude takes a leak on some smoldering ashes for no reason at all .",
      "-lsb- miller 's -rsb- reduced to the guy in the backseat spouting off obscure nerdisms when everyone else just wants to talk dirty and get stupid .",
      "the execution is so slapdash , the story so haphazardly conceived and so amateurishly executed that by the time things pick up a bit in the final third , most of the core audience will probably have split for the sports bar around the corner .",
      "avoid this garbage like the plague .",
      "not only is the story ludicrous , but david spade 's flat-lined , monotone voice bugged me so much , i did n't give a hoot what happened to his character .",
      "this movie is not what you 'd expect . i went in looking for a short , disposable film with lots of redneck and gross-out humor , but came out with a long story , laced with a surprising amount of dramatic moments , little laughs and a sweet side .",
      "an astoundingly incompetent debacle of a movie , MOV is definitive proof that some hollywood studios will greenlight anything -- anything -- if they think the highly desirable 14-29 male moron demographic will spend money to see it .",
      "last week 's tomcats is a comedic masterpiece next to MOV .",
      "a comic named david spade stars in a movie called MOV , and that 's about as funny as things get here .",
      "like watching a talentless stand-up struggling through open mike night , inspiring catcalls instead of laughs and bringing on lethargy instead of levity .",
      "to shield us from the negative side effects of class mockery , MOV erects a clumsy edifice of denial and avoidance that entirely dissipates the movie 's comedic energy .",
      "with its quirky characters , silly sight gags , and the tasteless humor that has become a staple among teen comedies of late , this film will not fail to amuse its market .",
      "sally forth , gentle viewer , and enjoy yourself . en route , you will experience a steady supply of doo-doo jokes , dispensed in seven-minute intervals by the script-o-tron 3000tm .",
      "joe is often ridiculous and rather dumb , but there 's a sweetness to him .",
      "the juvenile humor , however , is not so much a miscalculation as simple overkill .",
      "contrived yet unpretentious , predictable yet surprising , this underdog comedy and its title character have considerable charm .",
      "since the script was co-written by mr. spade -lrb- along with long-time snl head writer fred wolf -rrb- he really has only himself to blame for being involved in such a mess .",
      "nothing written here will stop this film from being a huge hit , but do n't say you were n't warned .",
      "... none of it is funny .",
      "you could save your money and watch this kind of mind-numbing , lowest-common-denominator dreck for free by flipping on the television and finding the jerry springer show .",
      "MOV would desperately like to live down to that adage about being ` dumb as dirt . ' but frankly , it 's too stupid to even be that calculated .",
      "is MOV a satisfying way to spend a mindless evening at the multiplex some hot saturday ? yeah .",
      "too obviously a tormentor himself , spade ca n't pull off the sentimental formula that adam sandler frequently works .",
      "like there 's something about mary , it 's really just a string of sight gags with little else going on in between . but there are several real belly laughs , and enough character development to make the rollercoaster ride worthwhile .",
      "too long and too stupid .",
      "a lowbrow forrest gump without the heart .",
      "more like a whole season of connected snl skits than a real movie .",
      "while spade did succeed in winning my sympathy , it was n't worth sitting through all those bad jokes and weak comedy sketches to get to that point .",
      "it 's not likely to be remembered come oscar time ... but if you find yourself laughing at your own flatulence from time to time , you might find some solid giggles .",
      "`` not a great movie by any means , -lrb- but -rrb- an amusing way to pass the time . ''",
      "check the pedigree of this film first and you may want to proceed no further .",
      "you should pay nine bucks for this if : you really liked stuart saves his family . this is just as good as that one .",
      "a grubby forrest gump minus the computer-generated presidents and the charm .",
      "in one scene , raw sewage is dumped on joe . see MOV and you 'll know how that feels .",
      "there 's no mistaking that you 'll get anything other than entertainment of the lowest brow .",
      "spade 's joe is the biggest hole in a movie that 's full of them .",
      "the script is staggeringly witless .",
      "david spade is a redneck with heart , but he ca n't pull a movie out of acid-washed jeans and a mullet .",
      "very few movies can make you laugh , cringe and feel dirty , all at the same time .",
      "spade 's generic nonperformance is the centerpiece of a very wobbly story , and he simply is n't enough of an actor to keep you interested .",
      "at one point , joe gets excrement poured all over his precious mullet , and that , in essence , is what the entire movie does to him .",
      "robbed of his usual caustic style , spade ca n't work up many laughs , and the movie flops around .",
      "sandler and spade continue their avid quest to dumb down america .",
      "MOV does n't waste any time letting you know where it stands .",
      "gets old fast .",
      "killed by blah characters , lame jokes and clichs you can see coming a mile away .",
      "it seems to be a movie made by people using controlled substances for audiences also under the influence . it can not be enjoyed any other way .",
      "this movie is simply dumb and not funny enough to be worth paying money to see .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- pathetic attempt at moviemaking .",
      "crass , formulaic comedy with bullying , cartoonish violence .",
      "when kid rock out acts spade , something 's up .",
      "while the big laughs are n't nearly as numerous as you might hope , chuckles sprout everywhere like weeds in the dirt .",
      "the movie is n't too good .",
      "spade handles this acting challenge by keeping his face expressionless at all times .",
      "spade lets his wig do the acting . and apparently the writing as well ."
    ],
    "summary": "if you fall within the target audience of MOV , you may find it funny . otherwise , the jokes will seem like a tired retread .",
    "id": "10877"
  },
  {
    "movie": "akira",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV still holds up with the best of them - its animation frees movement in a way that can not be replicated in live action movies .",
      "easily the most breathtaking and kinetic anime ever made .",
      "almost too much of a good thing",
      "some of the imagery is nothing short of stunning",
      "although i 'm hardly an expert on the genre , this is certainly one of the best `` anime '' flicks i 've ever seen .",
      "brilliant visuals , murky story line make heralded sci-fi anime a confusing experience .",
      "grade-school violence freaks may find a few kicks here , but even they may have trouble coping with this ugly movie 's ending about eight separate times .",
      "still one of the best techno science fiction thrillers of all time",
      "simply put , no MOV , no matrix . it 's that important .",
      "rightfully considered one of the greatest accomplishments in sci-fi storytelling .",
      "un film qui plaira autant aux fans du genre manga qu ' ŕ ses détracteurs .",
      "the movie , even at 124 minutes , has the densely packed sweep and go-for-it pep of a pop epic .",
      "like snow white before it , MOV was a step change in what animation could show .",
      "when you absolutely , positively have to get some anime in your life , accept no substitutes ; 23 years on , MOV is still the genre 's crowning achievement .",
      "MOV is pure concentrated cinematic excellence - accept no substitutes .",
      "the cityscapes are awesome , the camerawork is dizzying . if you 're new to manga , prepare to be converted .",
      "MOV will appropriately smash you in all the right places .",
      "sure , computers are fine for flatulent ogres and dark-haired cyber-honeys , but no single work has been strong or thrilling enough to better MOV .",
      "an impressive achievement , often suggesting a weird expressionist blend of 2001 , the warriors , blade runner and forbidden planet .",
      "a furious spectacle of lush colors and dynamic movement .",
      "there is a moral here about mankind 's lust for power , but it never clearly emerges from the spectacle of destruction and violence .",
      "a lavish animation extravaganza produced at a cost of $ 8 million , this futuristic exploration is a followup by author-director katsuhiro otomo to his tremendously popular comic books .",
      "i never understood the appeal . the animation is jumpy and flat . the story makes absolutely no sense .",
      "it still stands as an orgy of the ocular senses , and a brain-twisting cyberpunk epic .",
      "while MOV 's blood splattering is over the top for me , i did enjoy the surreal , and the interesting complicated departure from the often-oversimplified good vs. evil .",
      "a phenomenal work of animation with all the hallmarks of an instant cult classic .",
      "set the modern standard of excellence for japanese anime despite the movie 's emphasis on blood and violence .",
      "a groundbreaking film that taps into the japanese distrust of technology , science and the military .",
      "the most expensive animated feature ever made in japan ... and it 's easily the most impressive , as well .",
      "style and substance run neck and neck in this thrilling , bold landmark film that just refuses to become dated .",
      "put it up there with the most astonishing animated features ever made .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is a blast and a half , a twisted dystopian parable of violence and rock and roll , japanese-style . it 's disney on pcp , mean , rotten , psychotic , but incredibly vivid .",
      "pounding away , it becomes monotonous .",
      "while its typically convoluted sci-fi plotting and sprawling ensemble of characters occasionally lead it to border on the incoherent , it 's hard not to be in awe of the giant hand-drawn cityscapes that make up the backdrop for the eye-popping action .",
      "handsome and preposterously ambitious , and even its worst narrative missteps are a factor of that ambition .",
      "plenty of superb recent blockbusters , including the matrix , the dark knight , minority report , dark city and inception , are all in its debt - not to mention a fair number of shockers , like star wars episode ii and the most recent resident evil atrocity .",
      "moments that can only be captured as animation make MOV still worth watching : gusts of wind from chopper blades , ka-tooming bursts of fiery explosions , tetsuo 's visions .",
      "extremely violent classic introduced anime to westerners .",
      "a compendium of the worst cliches of japanese animation -- two hours of chases , laser attacks , machine-gun battles , spilled stage blood , computer-animated backgrounds and hokey dialogue ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is distractingly bloody and violent , but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime .",
    "id": "16482"
  },
  {
    "movie": "armored",
    "reviews": [
      "it is n't bulletproof by a long shot , but director nimrod antal 's grungy gang-of-thieves pic is tough and , for this genre , surprisingly ethical .",
      "over-familiar and industrial , a factory film made because a recycled script , minimal budget , a location , a grab-bag cast and some MOV trucks were available .",
      "the heist goes awry , but not as badly as the movie .",
      "it 's a film without twists , where everything is what it seems , and when the mess has been resolved , it 's even at a loss for a proper denouement . MOV just ends-and with it , so does the access to plush chairs and free air conditioning .",
      "has a pleasingly gritty feel thanks to its use of chilly , metallic urban locations -- and at only 88 minutes , it 's a very streamlined , no-nonsense genre film .",
      "skeletal in its characters and its plot ... -lsb- c -rsb- a n't decide what it wants to be ...",
      "antal is never much beyond serviceable here , but he does make a chase-duel between two entirely identical MOV cars almost decipherable , which is no mean feat .",
      "MOV has a decent second half but the use of obvious metaphors , cliches and amateur film making knocks the film down to a satisfactory rental .",
      "MOV wo n't win any prizes , but it does offer comforting evidence that there 's still room for a well-crafted b movie among cg-laden spectacles .",
      "this unambitious caper flick takes a while to get moving but gradually develops a modest meat-and-potatoes appeal , compromised in the third act by a whopping and perfectly avoidable plot hole .",
      "this is a mess of unconvincing characters , doolally plotting and dumb flag-waving - the one honest character being an iraq vet forced to join the others in their brain-dead scam .",
      "MOV 's first half is an overwrought , eye-rolling bro-venture , but once the actual robbery takes place , the film ratchets up into a solid testosterone-soaked thriller .",
      "antal 's attempts to crank up the tension are telegraphed far too often and undermined by a flagrant disregard for logic , meaning this never delivers quite enough bang for your buck .",
      "an underwhelming heist-gone-wrong movie that , inexplicably , has avoided going straight to dvd .",
      "things are jollied along by some very stiff acting , especially from dillon . the film , shot in crisp widescreen , is surprisingly pleasant to look at . it is also surprisingly restrained .",
      "the internecine calamity that ensues is nicely paced by nimród antal - great name - and played with full-grimace intensity by laurence fishburne , jean reno , skeet ulrich and , the single phoner in the performances , fred ward . a safe bet for a dvd night .",
      "not a classic like reservoir dogs but a perfectly watchable thriller thanks to a cast of old pros .",
      "MOV is based on a first-time script which , thanks to a bit of industry hype , became the subject of a bidding war among the studios . sony won the day . guys , you were robbed .",
      "despite reliable work from dillon and fishburne , MOV is something of a disappointment , thanks to a dull script and a lacklustre leading performance from short .",
      "somehow securing cinematic distribution when its script , plot and execution scream straight-to-dvd , armoured is the worst kind of b-movie : a dull one .",
      "the absolute awfulness of armoured ca n't be ignored but with a group of friends and an open bar , there is still plenty of fun to be had .",
      "despite an intriguing premise , it does n't really go anywhere .",
      "a host of charismatic character actors , including jean reno , laurence fishburne and matt dillon , slum it about amiably in armoured , a b-movie action thriller , before it all implodes in the final unbelievable act .",
      "none of the plan details so essential to a tense heist drama are given to us ; the gang 's individual characterisations get lost , and the movie gets boringly marooned in a reservoir dogsish abandoned stockyard . disappointing .",
      "you 'd have to put me in a lock box to see it again .",
      "MOV should crackle with nervous energy ; however , the bland characters do n't get much of interest to do and are virtually interchangeable .",
      "it 's free of gimmicky twists , to be sure , but it 's also lacking tension , ingenuity and fun .",
      "director nimod antal 's stripped-down genre exercise -- there 's not even a hint of a romantic subplot -- is unremarkable but efficient .",
      "an action flick that gets bogged down with unlikely plot twists . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "is n't clever or inventive enough to seem like a high-stakes game .",
      "an unabashed b movie : basic , brutal and sometimes clumsy , but far from dumb , and not bad at all .",
      "a surprisingly tight heist movie that is much better than you expect . the solid cast of actors take you on a wild ride .",
      "it knows exactly what it wants to do and does it with a minimum of muss and fuss and that is more than i can say for a lot of the other movies that i have seen lately .",
      "this is hollywood at its dumbest .",
      "what happens when someone leads you into temptation ?",
      "stands head-and-shoulders above inept oscar bait the likes of the lovely bones and nine",
      "there is n't nearly enough time devoted to the relationships among the men at the beginning , which undermines what happens to them all later on .",
      "while it is completely predictable MOV is also efficient and suspenseful .",
      "simpson 's dialogue flies like a flat-footed homage to mamet or tarantino .",
      "the low-level desperation and the wavering of consciences , against a working-class backdrop in a slumping neighbourhood , turns this into not just a fairly gripping heist-gone-wrong movie , but a fairly gritty reflection of an anxious , bankrupted america .",
      "inspired by tarantino 's reservoir dogs and countless films about seemingly perfect heists that go uproariously wrong , MOV is an unpretentious , fast-moving , action-packed thriller but emotionally hollow .",
      "a reasonably clean machine of escapist entertainment , directed resourcefully by antal , who mines a generous amount of suspense out of a skeletal scenario .",
      "like the guards in the film , MOV knows it has a job to do , and established procedures to follow , and that it 's just another day at the office . but if a job is worth doing , it 's worth doing well ...",
      "features antal 's characteristic emphasis on his characters rather than the situations into which they 're thrust .",
      "parental content review",
      "imagine reservoir dogs , re-cut as a completely linear film , then stripped of its snappy dialogue , innovative shot design and compelling characters .",
      "a strong high concept heist thriller , sometimes hindered by the predictability of the genre and it 's marketing but regularly salvaged by the movie 's strong direction and the quality of the cast .",
      "a so-so heist-gone-awry thriller , light on the thrills , MOV does n't exactly take its audience captive .",
      "an initially intriguing plot line makes a messy getaway in this throwback heist movie .",
      "alas , MOV is one predictable and forgettable movie that should consider itself very lucky not to have gone straight to dvd ."
    ],
    "summary": "this b-grade thriller has a good cast and director but is undone by plot holes and messy conclusion .",
    "id": "770785945"
  },
  {
    "movie": "signs",
    "reviews": [
      "ultimately comes up short .",
      "shyamalan takes a potentially trite and overused concept -lrb- aliens come to earth -rrb- and infuses it into a rustic , realistic , and altogether creepy tale of hidden invasion .",
      "it 's fair to speculate whether shyamalan 's persistence in replicating the otherworldly formula of the sixth sense might not be a futile and self-defeating exercise .",
      "one of the most effective movies so far at capturing a jittery nation 's case of the yips .",
      "reminiscent of alfred hitchcock 's thrillers , most of the scary parts in ` MOV ' occur while waiting for things to happen .",
      "shyamalan manages to spend very little time and effort on special effects and boring explanations -- and plenty of time on pure terror .",
      "to dismiss this as another `` sci-fi alien flick '' would be a shame .",
      "if you forced me to sum up the shyamalan trilogy so far ... sound and fury signifying very little .",
      "ultimately , MOV -- as original , interesting and ambitious as it is -- is a post-9 / 11 movie of possibly the most dubious sort .",
      "shyamalan 's by-now trademark spookiness is starting to play like a cd consciously designed to duplicate the success of an album that sold 10 million copies .",
      "produces the sensation that you are experiencing something for the first time , rather than a genre retread .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan -rsb- turns the goose-pimple genre on its empty head and fills it with spirit , purpose and emotionally bruised characters who add up to more than body count .",
      "MOV exploits fear of the unknown better than any movie since the blair witch project .",
      "m. night shyamalan hesitates between mayhem and mysticism .",
      "this is the creepiest hollywood thriller in a very long while and almost definitely this year 's horror flick par excellence .",
      "shyamalan should stop trying to please his mom .",
      "shyamalan 's sense of pace , atmosphere , and mood remains near-flawless .",
      "all MOV point to awesome .",
      "the emotion and drama shyamalan produces is painstakingly truthful once the seemingly absurd is introduced .",
      "if shyamalan directed jaws , the film would be about sheriff brody 's fear of the water .",
      "what starts off as a potentially incredibly twisting mystery becomes simply a monster chase film .",
      "i 'm just a champion for the notion that cinema is an artwork . for that piece of art to be completely appreciated , it needs to be free from careless faults .",
      "it 's a terrain that reverses the cultural value assigned to the low angle shot ... but ultimately transforms the viscera of horror / sci-fi cinema to a feckless point .",
      "it 's a credit to the actors that this nonsensical thriller/sci-fi story comes off as reasonably well as it does .",
      "all the winks and tics with which shyamalan signals that he 's looked at a fantagraphics book or seen a real movie only make this film 's calculated tearjerking more offensive .",
      "though it sometimes stumbles over its own seriousness , MOV is easily the most provocative film in a long while .",
      "shyamalan 's masterful direction makes the film succeed . what scares us out of our seats is not what we see or hear , but what we think we might see and hear .",
      "shyamalan fuses the fictional evidence of his extraterrestrials with the presumed righteousness of god in a way that will make no sense to anyone who has ever questioned either .",
      "a thoughtful , trans-genre atmospheric work that bears the shyamalan signature .",
      "i could n't help but think if shyamalan would n't have had a better movie if he 'd stuck with former star willis",
      "hollywood has taken quite a nosedive from alfred hitchcock 's imaginative flight to shyamalan 's self-important summer fluff .",
      "about the characters first and the extraordinary situations they find themselves into second .",
      "i see dread people .",
      "MOV will have its admirers since its methodic nature suggests there 's something profound going on beneath the surface . there really is n't though .",
      "if shayamalan wanted to tell a story about a man who loses his faith , why did n't he just do it , instead of using bad sci-fi as window dressing ?",
      "an intriguing idea that ends up overly predictable .",
      "the ending of MOV changes everything : it goes from `` night of the living dead '' to `` touched by an angel '' in ten minutes flat .",
      "... the director 's strong suit is his ability to create suspense in a hushed atmosphere , where the silence is a character 's worst enemy .",
      "if you 're looking for a truly terrifying , ultimately chilling and rocking good sci-fi yarn , look no further .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan 's -rsb- treatment does n't always make perfect sense , but what his film lacks in logic is more than made up for in atmosphere .",
      "MOV may be lightweight and fragile in comparison to sense and even to unbreakable for that matter , but nobody can deny the eye-popping quality to this exquisite soul-searching drama .",
      "a great movie . people went to MOV expecting to see intestines , and what they got was heart , and a lot to think about .",
      "m. night shyamalan proves himself narratively perceptive with his latest film .",
      "the streak continues .",
      "in many ways , it is shyamalan 's most accomplished film to date .",
      "you just know something is about to jump out of the darkness and make you wet your pants . sometimes it does , sometimes it does n't . and therein lies the fun of `` MOV . ''",
      "a very well-crafted tease .",
      "a sci-fi movie with grand , out-of-this-world ambitions that ultimately does n't quite live up to them .",
      "for the most part , the script is extremely well written , allowing each character to shine and developing some interesting ideas . it is also , frequently , very funny .",
      "MOV is deliberate and shocking from its sweeping exterior to its raw , emotional interior . orson welles would be proud .",
      "a field of screams ... MOV point to shyamalan as this generation 's hitchcock .",
      "excellent , but has some extreme tension and peril .",
      "MOV was the film that sparked the desire that led to the purchase of a camera , many short films , and a love of movies that has n't left me to this day .",
      "an anti-independence day , a cousin of close encounters , but most of all , a well-modulated , dread-laden , faith-based mystery . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "shyamalan is 0 for 3 , giving us another incredible movie .",
      "mr. shayamalan is a gifted writer and filmmaker . he definitely has more great films in his future . however , he may need to take a step away from the paranormal thriller .",
      "crap circles .",
      "shyamalan is technically a superb film-maker , for all that he 's picked up most of his tricks from spielberg and hitchcock .",
      "individual sequences generate an eerie tension that 's always deflated , creating a jarring stop-and-go rhythm , and the atmospheric trickery never strays beyond a lot of smoke and mirrors .",
      "i come away from MOV exhilarated by shyamalan 's skill at keeping his audience guessing .",
      "m. night shyamalan 's MOV is close encounters of the corny kind .",
      "you 'll forget there 's anything but an edge to your seat .",
      "artfully directed and well-conceived , but fails to locate and maintain a consistent tone .",
      "an intense and intelligent horror picture ... if you have trouble sleeping later , do n't say that i did n't warn you .",
      "shyamalan has a distinctive talent for finding surprising new approaches to familiar film genres that once seemed sucked dry of the capacity for surprise .",
      "from the opening credits , dominated by an intriguing score by james newton howard , MOV draws you in , holding you in expectation as shyamalan peels his story as leisurely as if he were paring an apple .",
      "it 's easy for a filmmaker to blow up the world -- but what shyamalan does is much riskier . he tries to blow our minds .",
      "offers an exceptionally intriguing premise and a flat follow-through .",
      "the film boasts dry humor and jarring shocks , plus moments of breathtaking mystery .",
      "writer / director m. night shyamalan 's ability to pull together easily accessible stories that resonate with profundity is undeniable .",
      "shyamalan 's got to be the best hollywood suspense director since brian de palma .",
      "a terrific suspense movie , overlaid with a faintly embarrassing tale of faith lost and perhaps regained .",
      "this talented and , at 32 , very young director must now find new ideas -- maybe working with someone else 's scripts . because his film-making identity is in danger of fading .",
      "the work of a filmmaker who has secrets buried at the heart of his story and knows how to take time revealing them . strange occurrences build in the mind of the viewer and take on extreme urgency .",
      "a thoroughly engaging story about fear and faith , which also happens to be a first-class hair-raiser from a moviemaker with a taste for the hitchcockian tease .",
      "shayamalan combines the intriguing phenomenon of crop circles with a family drama about loss of faith , but the two do n't play nicely together , and the promising beginning gets more predictable as it becomes less credible .",
      "` buen filme que muestra la madurez que va adquiriendo shyamalan como cineasta en cada proyecto que realiza . '",
      "-lsb- shyamalan 's -rsb- big idea raises a big question : so what ?",
      "it 's the best scare you 'll have this summer .",
      "shyamalan offers copious hints along the way -- myriad MOV , if you will -- that beneath the familiar , funny surface is a far bigger , far more meaningful story than one in which little green men come to earth for harvesting purposes .",
      "brooding , gripping movie that held a recent preview audience in such rapt attention , you could n't hear a single candy wrapper crinkle .",
      "shyamalan wears his influences on his sleeve , from composer james newton howard 's hitchcockian score to the absorbing close encounters by way of amazing stories screenplay .",
      "a triumph of mood over logic , of faith over reason .",
      "os problemas tęm início a partir do momento em que saímos do cinema e começamos a pensar sobre o que acabamos de ver . é entăo que sinais realmente desaponta .",
      "un extrańo resucitar del fenómeno sucedido con el guión radiofónico de orson wells con toques de hitchcock .",
      "MOV is art-house night of the living dead . there 's a point where mel tells his brother to `` swing . '' too bad it ca n't be at the end of a rope .",
      "a taut , intelligent thriller that reminds us of the importance of craft and storytelling .",
      "the last 10 minutes are so misguided and goofy , it 's hard to believe they were made by the same people who did the rest of the film .",
      "a truly chilling movie .",
      "shyamalan starts off with -lsb- an -rsb- existing mystery , but he ca n't solve it .",
      "m. night shyamalan knows what scares us .",
      "tense and creepy ... shyamalan 's strongest paranormal thriller to date .",
      "conceptually brilliant ... plays like a living-room war of the worlds , gaining most of its unsettling force from the suggested and the unknown .",
      "it has that rare quality of being able to creep the living hell out of you ...",
      "the film 's opening and closing title cards seem to say as much about father graham 's return to the cloth as it does about the size of the director 's ego .",
      "shyamalan continues to impress with his subtle visual approach to flashy genres ... proving that less is very often more",
      "stylish , spooky and often riveting , even if there are enough holes here to drive a tractor through .",
      "attempting to be both the next spielberg and the next hitchcock in the same movie is hubris .",
      "sitting through the last reel -lrb- spoiler alert ! -rrb- is significantly less charming than listening to a four-year-old with a taste for exaggeration recount his halloween trip to the haunted house .",
      "while m. night may have some problems with ego and exposition , this still does not extract from the pleasure of watching MOV .",
      "gibson is excellent , as is joaquin phoenix as his brother .",
      "shyamalan is proving to the world that he is the modern-day alfred hitchcock .",
      "it falls squarely into the sci-fi category , it works on a more emotional level because it deals with issues of faith .",
      "a film of unwavering weirdness and intensity .",
      "a real chiller thriller .",
      "a thrilling ride that will make you both scream with fear and shriek with laughter .",
      "the result is a film that sags between its night sequences . the only comparison i can think of is a `` jaws '' without a story between shark attacks .",
      "uncommonly stylish but equally silly ... the picture fails to generate much suspense , nor does it ask searching enough questions to justify its pretensions .",
      "shyamalan apparently wants or needs to be compared favorably or even neutrally to alfred hitchcock , but in this regard , he 's doomed to fail .",
      "the first act hosts as many subtle funnybone attacks as scare attacks ; but that spark , that magic , that unexplainable unshakable chill eludes us in `` MOV . ''",
      "the soul-searching deliberateness of the film , although leavened nicely with dry absurdist wit , eventually becomes too heavy for the plot .",
      "for at least the first two acts , it 's an engrossing film .",
      "while you 're experiencing the film there 's no denying that shyamalan is a master at sinking the hook and reeling an audience along ; we 're caught on an ever-escalating ride of suspense and terror .",
      "there 's plenty here that testifies to shyamalan 's exceptional talent .",
      "if you look at MOV as a whole package and not on individual terms , then the result is a worthwhile and thought-provoking experience .",
      "a complex story told with assurance and performed with quiet conviction , MOV smoothly and stylishly blends scares and substance .",
      "there 's fun to be had by all , and although the ending really sucks , there are more than enough scares and jokes to make the rest worthwhile .",
      "a heartfelt movie that deals more nakedly with -lsb- shyamalan 's -rsb- core concerns than any of his other hollywood films , and it doubtlessly will deeply touch many people as well as frighten them .",
      "this is one of gibson 's finest , most mature and heartfelt performances and it wo n't go unnoticed come oscar time .",
      "tale of strangeness in the heartland is scary , funny and superbly shot -- and proves another winner for shyamalan .",
      "all MOV point to m. night shyamalan selling his talents down the river in favor of mass-market appeal .",
      "as skillfully made as horror films come . it 's also about as genuinely scary .",
      "give it a chance .",
      "like a one-hit wonder desperately clinging to the pop charts as its lone hit fades into history , m. night shyamalan appears to be grasping at straws .",
      "... an eerily suspenseful , deeply absorbing piece that works as a treatise on spirituality as well as a solid sci-fi thriller .",
      "that the movie works as well as it does , despite an outlandish plot , is a tribute to shyamalan 's prowess as a director , and to some fine acting performances .",
      "it 's all very nice but darn it i wanted more aliens !",
      "shyamalan understands the power of suggestion better than most directors , showing only as much as necessary to feed the suspense .",
      "it has a way of seeping into your consciousness , with lingering questions about what the film is really getting at .",
      "shyamalan is a considerable talent , but he 's become too powerful too young . the sign i discern hanging over his career at the moment reads wrong way .",
      "taking the universal idea of the possibility of life on other planets , but exploring it only within the microcosm of this one rural family , is a brilliant ploy . and throughout the film , there is one underlying theme -- faith .",
      "signals the transformation of a promising young filmmaker into a brilliant young filmmaker .",
      "a smart reinterpretation of yet another urban legend with a shyamalan twist and nearly timeless quality , `` MOV '' is an instant classic .",
      "the problem is that MOV manages to be both so terribly serious and so unimportant at the same time .",
      "the ham-fisted tale is so overdone it borders on insulting , with more than a few odd missteps denting the film along the way .",
      "being known for `` big twist endings '' may label you a one-trick pony , but one trick is better than no tricks .",
      "how apt for a film called MOV that shyamalan should have plusses and minuses the whole way through .",
      "gibson gives one of the best performances of his career ...",
      "shyamalan fancies himself a philosopher whose stories have deep and important meanings that need to be conveyed to audiences as slowly and heavy-handedly as possible .",
      "shyamalan has done it again . he 's taken a well-used genre , the alien invasion , and given it a spin that focuses on the human psyche rather than the surrounding events .",
      "one may never get the answer that they seek , but they will be scared out of the wits when searching for one .",
      "a gripping and well-made thriller that preserves shyamalan 's winning streak and shows us , as all the best films do , a world that we 're familiar with and believe in , and yet we 've never seen , and by which we 're endlessly fascinated .",
      "the one good thing about it is that it 's over in one hour and 47 minutes . the bad thing is to think what a terrible waste it was of an hour and 47 minutes .",
      "click to read review",
      "great",
      "a deeply weird film , accomplished , gripping , disorienting , icily adept and barking mad at once .",
      "one creep fest of a movie .",
      "it asks us to turn our heads into fields of corn , to be cropped by norman rockwell shyamalan .",
      "certainly works as the birds disguised as close encounters of the third kind .",
      "shyamalan manufactures real , honest-to-goodness , nail-gnawing suspense like cows make methane .",
      "a flawed but well-intended throwback to the creaking-door school of thrillers .",
      "MOV will creep you out for two hours , give you the galloping heebie-jeebies , tear some screams from your throat and haunt your nightmares for a long time to come .",
      "it 's a smart , skillful movie from a writer-director who 's only 31 years old , but already a master of blending the chills of fright with the warmth of love .",
      "despite its various problems that prevent it from being as terrific as it often seems it might be , the film is still quite entertaining .",
      "turns out to have few thoughts and no thrills .",
      "the work of a born filmmaker , able to summon apprehension out of thin air .",
      "a beautifully crafted , white-knuckle , roller-coaster ride of old-school filmmaking .",
      "interesting , entertaining , and good .",
      "shyamalan sure knows how to creep a guy out .",
      "shyamalan again proves that he 's a master of suspense and dread , and a great student of film .",
      "it 's a heartening idea put forth in a formulaically appealing way .",
      "shyamalan comes roaring back with the scariest movie i 've seen since the others .",
      "an old-fashioned scary movie , one that relies on lingering terror punctuated by sudden shocks and not constant bloodshed punctuated by flying guts .",
      "leave it to m. night shyamalan to take our expectations for a movie , turn them upside down , and still deliver a work surpassing anything we 'd dared hope for .",
      "most of the film is quite entertaining , mixing scares with welcome bits of humor , but the ending fizzles .",
      "it 's a much more emotional journey than what shyamalan has given us in his past two movies , and gibson , stepping in for bruce willis , is the perfect actor to take us on the trip .",
      "if you like a film that provokes thought and feelings , and features real people with real problems , MOV more than qualifies .",
      "shyamalan is still one of the most consistently entertaining filmmakers working today , and all MOV point to the most unique alien invasion movie to come along in years .",
      "there are now two MOV that m. night shyamalan 's debut feature sucked up all he has to give to the mystic genres of cinema : unbreakable and MOV .",
      "a refreshing summer movie .",
      "more than any other filmmaker working today , m. night shyamalan connects with his audience and his characters in a totally unique way to transport us so effortlessly into the world of ` what ifs . '",
      "maybe i feel let down because i 'd appreciate someone presenting a halfway credible explanation for the crop circles and this does nothing more than to drain away some of their fascination in a commercially successful maneuver to exploit .",
      "... knows it is what you do n't know that 's scary .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan 's -rsb- a skilled flashlight-guy , and movie theaters are his campfires .",
      "shyamalan wants to be the metaphysical poet of movies , but he 's dangerously close to becoming its o. henry .",
      "shyamalan would have done better to leave the soapbox at home .",
      "if you can , take your eyes off the screen for a moment and look around . you 'll see scared people .",
      "gibson is on top form , and there are some genuinely terrifying moments that will have you cowering behind your popcorn .",
      "it 's a b movie with an a-list cast and the kind of deliberate pacing and visual design that might have impressed stanley kubrick .",
      "the sort of philosophical marriage that has n't been seen since ` the x-files ' paired alien conspiracy theories with agent scully 's fragile catholicism .",
      "in the end , MOV is all about faith : the characters ' faith in each other , shyamalan 's faith in us and , best of all , our faith in the movies ' ability to make us believe in the impossible .",
      "unlike the lumbering and portentous unbreakable , shyamalan 's MOV is a satisfyingly taut suspenser .",
      "a moody horror/thriller elevated by deft staging and the director 's well-known narrative gamesmanship .",
      "if you go into the theater expecting a scary , action-packed chiller , you might soon be looking for a sign . an exit sign , that is .",
      "for most of its footage , the new thriller proves that director m. night shyamalan can weave an eerie spell and that mel gibson can gasp , shudder and even tremble without losing his machismo .",
      "as they used to say in the 1950s sci-fi movies , MOV is a tribute to shyamalan 's gifts , which are such that we 'll keep watching the skies for his next project .",
      "not as good as the sixth sense but much better than unbreakable . great score .",
      "skillful as he is , mr. shyamalan is undone by his pretensions .",
      "despite its sincere acting , MOV is just another unoriginal run of the mill sci-fi film with a flimsy ending and lots of hype .",
      "a big disappointment .",
      "the religious statement is so out of keeping with the tone of the rest of the movie that it seems unintentional .",
      "the movie is almost completely lacking in suspense , surprise and consistent emotional conviction .",
      "the same old same old : dull and recycled , with no surprises .",
      "using the theorem that less is more , shyamalan creates a psychologically frightening movie taut with emotional tension and ripe with fear .",
      "the kind of suspenseful thrilling movie that i have n't seen in a very long time .",
      "m. night shyamalan uses ham-fisted coincidences to build , thomas aquinas-style , an a posteriori proof of the existence of god . no , really .",
      "shayamalan clearly thinks that MOV is important and mythic . in reality , it 's a well-crafted creepy movie with appallingly simplistic religiosity grafted onto it .",
      "without ever touching on a cliche -lrb- except to poke fun at it -rrb- , shyamalan skillfully builds the film on several layers -- personal redemption , family drama , community-in-crisis , world on the brink .",
      "shyamalan definitely keeps his title as the master of suspense with MOV . he 's able to take the simplest everyday things and scare the crap out of you with them .",
      "i 've already seen this one twice , and it was even better the second time .",
      "m. night shyamalan 's given us another thought-provoking movie that makes you jump . grab your aluminum foil hat and swing away .",
      "if i myself find anything worth worshipping , it 's the creative genius of people like m. night shyamalan , at whose feet i am not worthy to grovel .",
      "MOV has the heart that was lacking in unbreakable , but stumbles badly in its treatment of the paranormal , in this case `` x-files '' / `` twilight zone '' sci-fi .",
      "... shyamalan 's style is surprisingly graceless , as if paralyzed by a smothering sense of purpose ...",
      "bill paxton 's ` frailty , ' with similar intentions but a meaner streak , did it all so much better .",
      "those who can buy into -lsb- shyamalan 's spiritual -rsb- hypothesis will accept ` MOV ' more fully than those who might find it a somewhat facile simplification",
      "shyamalan delivers old school filmmaking at its best ... but also an ending that does n't hold any water .",
      "the film 's underlying themes dovetail efficiently with the action but do n't generate the emotional gut punch the movie needs ; overall it feels padded and logy .",
      "eerie , plaintive and creatively assured .",
      "it 's a shame the marvelous first 101 minutes have to be combined with the misconceived final 5 .",
      "the film abandons its delicate ambiguities , its focus on everyday things , to deliver a resolution whose structure can only look contrived and reductive .",
      "yet no matter how unsatisfying the sci-fi denouement , MOV ' title bout remains stark raving mel vs. the lord almighty god . and it 's a close one .",
      "superb shiver story about faith , the meaning of coincidences , family solidarity in the face of the inexplicable , and how destiny unfolds in every moment .",
      "rather than succumb to a lot of direct interaction with the beasties , writer-director m. night shyamalan creates tension by remaining on horror 's outskirts .",
      "aliens are simply the flashy hollywood vehicle through which shyamalan channels a more redeeming message .",
      "a remarkably engaging technical masterwork .",
      "some filmgoers may feel drunk on only mood but ... consider the intoxication . shyamalan is almost peerless in crafting -lsb- moody -rsb- , self-contained scenes ...",
      "`` MOV '' could have been a lot more satisfying had we not seen in the last reel what director m. night shyamalan so carefully avoids showing us in the first several .",
      "night ransacks the culture . he raids everything from the basement scene in night of the living dead to the televisuals of independence day .",
      "its attempts to merge popcorn mentalities and issues of theology means there is not enough of either approach to really work .",
      "by drawing a parallel between faith in god and belief in alien life forms , shyamalan forces us to think about our own system of values .",
      "a creepy good time -- and perhaps a surprisingly emotional one -- will be had by all .",
      "shyamalan continues his run of moody , skilfully-constructed pictures . pity about plot weaknesses and the pretentious dialogue ."
    ],
    "summary": "with MOV , shyamalan proves once again an expert at building suspense and giving audiences the chills .",
    "id": "10253"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_cuckoo_2003",
    "reviews": [
      "handicapped by a slow start , misguided direction and , most damaging , an ill-conceived movement into metaphysical territory in its last 15 minutes .",
      "cuckoo is best described as arthouse-lite .",
      "a well-acted , mildly arresting antiwar allegory .",
      "a strange and challenging film that questions a world in which human beings can be so easily defined by the uniform they wear .",
      "a winning piece of folk art from an isolated way of life , worth a look for those who want to see the world in all its quirky and earthy forms .",
      "it 's quite a treat .",
      "rogozhkin 's unusual film has the audacity to consider those which uplift the human spirit , as well as those that erode it .",
      "this is an engrossing film with an oddly satisfying ending of genuine pathos .",
      "a trifling treat that neither amounts to nor aspires to anything substantial .",
      "quietly engrossing .",
      "a wondrous , funny and moving little film .",
      "rogozhkin makes nearly all of his points with surprising subtlety .",
      "the russians are still burying world war ii , which seems to have been almost a bigger event for them than communism . one of the interesting burial details is MOV .",
      "full of biblical and mythic parallels , but the film is rescued from such earnestness by whimsical performances and the sheer beauty of the landscape .",
      "... the bergman-like surrealistic climax goes on far too long and actually jolts your attention away from the quite charming and moving story that preceded it .",
      "humanistic without being preachy or blinded by optimism about human nature .",
      "the threesome 's decision to keep talking to one another is a tad preposterous , playing most profitably to our `` three 's company '' - whetted appetite for malapropisms .",
      "a beautifully shot , modest little fable about the misunderstandings between people .",
      "the primal , almost mystical , beauty of anni 's lakeside hut , surrounded by the forest and mountains , goes a long way toward sustaining the viewer in the movie 's quieter moments .",
      "the small love triangle that develops contains all the human passions of love , sex , jealousy , joy and yearning , and that is a vast canvas indeed .",
      "a sweet , simple little film .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- charmingly slender fable about love , language , sex , and enmity -- and saunas .",
      "tender , often a bit confusing in its history , but a powerful statement about war as a massive misunderstanding .",
      "this situation hardly provides a clever or original metaphor for the failures of communication that perennially plague the human race , but the drama 's heart is in the right place .",
      "rogozhkin has made a fascinating and accomplished film that leads to a gripping climax involving lapp rituals .",
      "a disarming , appealingly modest discovery , beautifully shot , nicely performed .",
      "demonstrates how little communication has to do with language . and is n't that what the greatest films show us ?",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- well-intentioned but sugarcoated anti-war allegory .",
      "the movie is informed by a rather gaga and , given the historical context , intellectually lazy pacifism , but rogozhkin 's painterly visual flair and his conciliatory humanism ultimately beguile and console .",
      "fascinating and sometimes amusing",
      "in this film , russian writer-director alexander rogozhkin has conceived an ingenious exercise in storytelling , which is also a jolting reminder of the nearly limitless possibilities of cinema .",
      "if the film has a weakness , it 's that it 's slow . often ponderously slow , as it chugs along with the velocity of an oil slick moving through an ice floe",
      "a powerful if obvious ode to the folly of war and nationalism .",
      "a tiny jewel of a film .",
      "an odd but very enjoyable combination of austere drama , mystical parable and saucy comedy .",
      "it 's an unabashed pacifist movie that really works , emotionally and dramatically .",
      "an incredibly brilliant piece of minimalist drama .",
      "beautifully acted , a pleasure to watch .",
      "mr. rogozhkin maintains a good sense of blood , dirt and sweat , human elements mingled together to keep the action rooted in some degree of reality .",
      "it has serious themes , long , wordless scenes and poetic symbolism , but all that complexity leads to a surprisingly simplistic conclusion .",
      "once you give into this film 's odd logic , its humor and charm will win you over .",
      "what begins as a gripping adventure , thrillingly told with virtually no dialogue , eventually becomes a rather routine parable despite the unique setting and circumstances .",
      "this movie is tagged , gift-wrapped and handed to its finnish sami actress .",
      "rogozhin 's finely observed character studies and his cast 's capable acting ... make MOV a thoughtful film more about love than war .",
      "the movie lost me in an extended dream sequence , set in the afterlife .",
      "thoughtful , well-acted comedy .",
      "a stirring action movie -- in the international manner of the fast runner or no man 's land rather than t3 .",
      "a gently funny mini-epic whose ` make love not war ' message is delivered in three languages at once .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- gentle , often funny , always very human film about loneliness and unexpected companionship ...",
      "gives us something to think about : how much of what we consider civilization -- intellectual pursuit , politics , nationalism -- relies on language ?",
      "juuso , who made her film debut at 22 in this movie , is spunky and funny . the two guys play off each other like bickering old pals .",
      "writer/director alexander rogozhkin has a way of lapsing into cuteness when the story calls for something more challenging , but MOV eventually finds its own kind of light , ridiculous tone that generally does n't talk down to the characters .",
      "anni is a feisty little thing and you ca n't help but root for her when she challenges these two burly soldiers and gets out of the relationship exactly what she wants .",
      "a pretty good film -- a dark comedy rigorously observed -- until rogozhkin reveals himself to be just another new age softie .",
      "a bit overextended for its very simple story ... but for the most part this is a charming , curiously touching picture .",
      "a mystical fairy tale by alexander rogozhkin as beautiful as it is tender .",
      "a consistently hilarious collision of cultures and a string of misunderstandings ."
    ],
    "summary": "a sweet and amusing comedy .",
    "id": "11548"
  },
  {
    "movie": "encino_man",
    "reviews": [
      "pauly shore 's finest hour .",
      "now i remember why i keep hoping pauly shore never has a comeback .",
      "silly teen comedy has some neanderthal behavior .",
      "MOV saves its worst for last , especially with life lessons about being yourself .",
      "the kind of movie that gives evolution a bad name .",
      "this is every bit as insipid as it sounds , but it 's also surprisingly innocent and has a most unexpected sweetness .",
      "i found myself missing jeff spicoli .",
      "... and introducing pauly shore .",
      "god help us all .",
      "if you liked bill & ted 's excellent adventure and the wayne 's world flicks , you should get guilty pleasure out of it .",
      "there is no excuse",
      "depressingly witless .",
      "dumb , dumb , dumb . did someone say pauly shore ?",
      "the real question is whether dave and stoney and link are worthy heirs to bill and ted or wayne and garth . not really .",
      "stupid but endearing",
      "MOV is frighteningly dated , but it was never made to be timeless . i just wish the picture had more laughs or instinctive madness .",
      "high-spirited , no-holds barred fun .",
      "an amusing idea goes nowhere .",
      "low-budget quickie is insulting even within its own no-effort parameters ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is n't the first unabashedly silly comedy to embrace its stupidity and amass a cult following , but whether or not it works for you will largely be determined by your tolerance for pauly shore .",
    "id": "11004"
  },
  {
    "movie": "a_band_called_death_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "a new wrinkle on andy warhol 's maxim : eventually , every undiscovered band will receive its own righteous documentary , lapped up by a bin-trawling audience -lrb- and a festival circuit ready to serve them -rrb- .",
      "the film is made impetuously watchable and disarmingly emotional by the filmmakers ' strong command of docudrama and nonfiction narrative style .",
      "it 's a bittersweet story of the fringes of fame and of three brothers who belatedly deserve to share the spotlight .",
      "if the brothers seem a little drunk on their own myth , they 're also genuinely humbled by the band 's rediscovery and warmed by the fact that their kids have carried on the family tradition .",
      "questions about what that reputation is worth today , and how the hackney brothers struggled to find a foothold , give filmmakers mark covino and jeff howlett plenty of material to work with .",
      "MOV is a film that is all heart , as was the band it looks to explore .",
      "MOV shines the light on a previously unexplored corner of musical history and does it in an accessible , straightforward manner .",
      "an amazing story -- about the history of rock , about the capriciousness of fame and , perhaps most importantly , about the power of family .",
      "it 's a soul-stirring tribute to a man whose vision was too bold and revolutionary for his lifetime , or the convention-bound ways of the music industry , but was ultimately too powerful to be denied .",
      "it 's less about the rediscovery of genius than it is the value of obscurity , a sentiment that should give hope to every garage band out there .",
      "like ` searching for sugar man , ' ` MOV ' takes its cue from the modesty and joyfulness of its subjects , letting the glory of their music speak for itself .",
      "captures the joy of music , the remarkable influence it can have on future talents , and the importance of appeasing nothing but the creative drive within .",
      "the music 's better than the stories .",
      "these docs often conclude with some sort of triumphant reunion tour , but it 's more heartwarming than usual to see children paying tribute to their parents by covering their ancient songs .",
      "by the end , `` MOV '' does n't just uncover a new chapter in punk history . it lets you to experience it .",
      "thanks to the new revelatory and inspiring documentary MOV , the truth behind the band 's nearly simultaneous birth and death may yet find them their proper place in music history .",
      "death never got very far , and their story is a fascinating one , told beautifully by jeff howlett and mark christopher covino .",
      "the film is nothing much cinematically , and some of the narrative details and circumstances seemed fudged . but it 's a great story , told with a fan 's honest appreciation .",
      "more than anything else , the movie is about family -- how we support them and they support us , what we sacrifice for them , how they inspire us and hold us back , what we tell them and what we leave out .",
      "directors mark christopher covino and jeff howlett tell this part of MOV without much artifice , relying on the natural charm and sunny dispositions of the surviving hackney brothers to draw us in .",
      "fortunately , bobby and dannis , the surviving brothers , prove genial company .",
      "a slice of music history forgotten for too long , and , thanks to MOV , forgotten no longer .",
      "death lives !",
      "it could have dug a little deeper , pursued more candid moments to capture on film . but it compensates by recanting the emotionally meaningful story of the hackney family .",
      "an especially pointed variation on one of music 's most oft-told tales : a band formed ahead of its time sits in muffled obscurity while others reap the harvest of what it first planted .",
      "a rock 'n' roll fairy tale , well-told .",
      "an exceptional look at artistic integrity , musical innovation , and the power of family ties .",
      "a band call death comes back to live in this hilarious and poignant peon to hard rock with a soft heart .",
      "if ever a movie about punk deserved to be called legitimately sweet and life-affirming , it 's the documentary `` MOV . ''",
      "mark covino and jeff howlett have crafted a rousing account of the hackney brothers , who would not only form the rare all-black punk band , but do so in the mid - '70s , nearly beating the ramones and the sex pistols to the punch .",
      "takes its time getting there , but when it hit , it packed an emotional punch that knocked me on my ass so hard i left a skid mark on the floor .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- unexpectedly emotional docu on the revival of an african-american rock group that 's among those to usher in punk music .",
      "determined and persuasive filmmaking pays off with a moving and remarkable true-life account of groundbreaking musicianship .",
      "there 's a good documentary in here , but it 's been weighed down by highlighting pretentious claims and lack of a good edit .",
      "this rock doc rewrites punk history while telling an emotional story about an artist 's spirit and his faithful family .",
      "a very good movie about a very bad band !",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- as much a think piece on america 's faded glory as it is a musical history lesson and character study , `` MOV '' is yet one more example of the power of documentaries to surpass hollywood 's constant stream of processed movie pap .",
      "it was fans ' ardor that began the death revival and propels the movie 's exhilarating second half .",
      "if you 're looking for a 96-minute jolt of joy , look no further than this uplifting , well-made documentary ...",
      "still sounding amazingly fresh , the brothers ' good spirits and storytelling are as infectiously appealing as their punk rock seems to be a fountain of youth",
      "... a must-watch for fans of punk music , vinyl record wonks , or even those interested ... a visionary entertainment dream .",
      "in the vein of searching for sugar man , this earnest and engaging doc again proves that all the best nonfiction music stories are n't tied up in bitterness and acrimony , and certainly are n't related to any level of achieved fame .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- generous , spirited documentary -lsb- that captures -rsb- one of the strangest and most inspiring of all family stories of tragedy and triumph that this crazy country has produced .",
      "it is a deeply moving story of a family that was both bound together and driven apart by art , and it tells this personal story so beautifully that there were several moments that gave me actual chills .",
      "even if you did n't know a thing about the band and you do n't even typically listen to the kind of music they play , you 're going to find yourself thankful that the hackney brothers are now in your life .",
      "their story can feel almost too ready-made for the telling , but it 's well worth a listen .",
      "the story of death sure adds an interesting and virtually unknown footnote to the annals of punk rock .",
      "a beautiful tale of life , love , music , and family , of things not working out but also working out just as predicted ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is not only a fascinating portrait of a pioneering rock group , but also a tribute to family ties and perseverance in the face of hardship .",
    "id": "771318758"
  },
  {
    "movie": "protector",
    "reviews": [
      "the premise is both absurd and intricate .",
      "the ambitious staging of jaa 's lean and long-limbed muay thai fight scenes makes them look impressive . there is just too little happening in between to engage a wider audience .",
      "you 're going to the MOV for the skull fractures and sky-high knees to the groin . and if this is all you 're after , your mind may be black and blue , but you 'll be all smiles by the end .",
      "who needs plot when you have all of this *** - kicking ?",
      "no one can do that cool running knee drop like tony jaa , but he 'd better start flexing his smiling muscles more if he wants to be the next jackie chan . all the bone crunching makes steven seagal look like a restrained kitty .",
      "the moral of this story is if you steal a kung-fu master 's elephants , you will have your legs broken . period .",
      "the MOV is a jaw-dropping , exhilarating action war cry rarely offered to american audiences anymore , and presents tony jaa as a timeless martial art icon to rival bruce lee .",
      "you know you have bought a ticket to the wrong movie when star tony jaa confronts the bad guys , strikes a fight-ready pose and screams , ` where are my elephants ? '",
      "scene after scene is fashioned together in the most confusing -lrb- read that as meaning ` dull ' -rrb- fashion , like a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle missing half the pieces .",
      "the downtime since ong-bak has left us hungry enough not to care that the plot and frequent action feel a bit recycled .",
      "this is one wicked-ass cool movie , a last blast of summertime action insanity before the pretentious dramas of autumn arrive .",
      "you 'll be exhausted when it 's over , but harbor a lingering sense of vicarious accomplishment .",
      "so muddled as to be virtually incoherent ... but the chases and fight scenes are the raison d'etre of the MOV , and in purely athletic terms they 're great .",
      "this guilty-pleasure adrenaline rush has one goal in mind : to be an airtight action machine that leaves you dizzy from the crunchety-crunch-crunch of tony jaa as he proves himself a contender with jackie chan and jet li .",
      "there 's not much here for anyone who is n't a die-hard , unreconstructed chop-socky junkie .",
      "amidst all the atrociously edited , laughably dubbed and poorly plotted action ... is a bravura sequence that single-handedly saves the movie .",
      "after we 're supposed to get off on a bunch of ironmen getting their shoulder blades handed to them , what 's next ? snuff films ?",
      "although true fans of old-style kung fu movies will love the MOV , the uninitiated may be put off by the movie 's slipshod editing , the waxworks acting and the confusing story .",
      "the MOV is n't a sequel to ong-bak : the thai warrior but it is a thinly disguised retread .",
      "the MOV is a disaster , barely made viewable by tony jaa 's incredible physical abilities , often trapped inside sh *** y fight choreography anyway .",
      "there 's plenty to enjoy about this silly thriller -- from the sumptuous thai landscapes to the frenetic fight scenes .",
      "peta may have a field day with this one , but few others will .",
      "thankfully , the bits that matter most -- the dust-ups -- are superb .",
      "as you watch jaa 's mastery of his art , you 'll have to master the art of laughing while your jaw 's hanging off your head in disbelief . you 've never seen anything like it.it .",
      "very silly .",
      "at 109 minutes , the film is around 20 minutes too long , particularly as the fights start to become repetitive before the end , as if they just ran out of ideas .",
      "pure , dazzling , entertainment .",
      "it 's like a mixture of fist of fury and dumbo , with a small side order of 1960s children 's tv show daktari .",
      "it plays like a bad b-movie where we suddenly leave an ongoing conversation to join a fight in progress .",
      "four screenwriters get credit for the bottom-feeder script .",
      "the MOV 's plot is as sturdy as a piece of balsa wood , which would n't have mattered so much if the film had showcased jaa 's talents better .",
      "exactly like an elephant , mostly slow and lumbering -- but with great menacing charges of excitement .",
      "the story is incoherent -lrb- possibly due to weinstein cuts in the thai original -rrb- , but if you enjoy fight scenes , this is an eye-popping amazement ...",
      "it 's silly , at times laughable , sure , but jaa has a reckless , bone-cracking grace that transcends the film 's triviality . for fight fans , he 's worth the price of admission .",
      "by the end you 're so invigorated that narrative issues seem like an afterthought .",
      "jaa 's ingratiatingly ridiculous MOV delivers a steady stream of cheap b-movie thrills , plus two positive messages for young people : be nice to animals , and when in doubt , always aim for the tendons .",
      "the whole point here is the action stuff , and , wow , does it deliver !",
      "jaa-dropping stunts buried in an overly sentimental plot .",
      "when the fight scenes , choreographed by jaa himself , kick in , boy howdy .",
      "sadly , the production values do n't do jaa any favors",
      "these early fights , as goofy and inventive as they are , build up our goodwill toward jaa , -lsb- but -rsb- the limb-breaking , tendon-severing finale dispels it .",
      "after ong-bak and the MOV , jaa has proven without a shadow of doubt that he is the real deal . now i want to see him in a real movie , not just a showcase . this movie is a mess , but you ignore it because jaa is so mesmerizing .",
      "at least four stars ' worth of guilty pleasure , and maybe more .",
      "the editing is wildly haphazard , the story continuity is a mess , and some of the photography is just terrible , but i 'll be darned if the movie is n't fun .",
      "the MOV is the kind of film that goes beyond cinema straight to spectacle .",
      "tony jaa is a bad mother **** er .",
      "anyone familiar with quentin tarantino knows he has a love for martial arts movies and cult films . so no one should be surprised to see his name in the credits of `` the MOV , '' which he presents to american audiences .",
      "`` MOV '' is just awful outside of the martial-arts scenes , and even the fights do n't showcase jaa 's immense talent to full effect .",
      "pretty tough to sit through .",
      "resurrects the bad acting and absurd plotting of old-fashioned kung fu movies , as well as their exhilarating stunts and action choreography .",
      "it 's tremendously refreshing to see a film that relies solely on the choreography of its athletic star to make the action work .",
      "if a video game allowed you to do what tony jaa does , it would be the bestselling video game in history .",
      "if you like you martial arts action tough , gritty and fast , tony jaa is your artist , as he proved on his debut with ong bak -lrb- 2003 -rrb- . this is muay thai , a form of aggressive martial arts that makes the others look tame .",
      "a no-brainer , but also an extravaganza of inventive , visually stunning brutality -lrb- by the trunkload -rrb- .",
      "bone-crunching action triumphs over story and , uh , character development .",
      "you have to wonder why they even bothered with the subtitles . it 's not like they make much difference .",
      "in the realm of fresh martial arts movie stars , no one holds a candle to tony jaa .",
      "truly , the best martial arts film about elephants yet made .",
      "the star of ong bak is back for more revenge in the MOV , a poorly plotted variation of ong bak 's ` you stole my village idol ! ' chopsocky chase picture .",
      "fun , violent , and featuring some great scenes of lumbering elephants , it is n't art , it is n't particularly skillful craft -lrb- outside of the fight scenes and rza 's aural contributions -rrb- , but it 's an awfully good time .",
      "when you 've got a male lead who can break heads like tony jaa , a little bit of story line goes a long way .",
      "the film suffers from choppiness and pacing ... yet , pinkaew delivers some terrific action set pieces studded with visual puns and the incredibility physicality of ... tony jaa .",
      "a furiously choreographed martial-arts spectacle wrapped in a fumbling narrative .",
      "as a breathtaking follow-up to 2003 's ong-bak : thai warrior , it 's a whole lotta fun .",
      "... include -lsb- s -rsb- some incredible sequences of precision-engineered ultraviolence ...",
      "... it 's little more than a disjointed succession of kick-ass action scenes motivated by a country bumpkin 's quest to rescue his giant pets from big-city baddies .",
      "the MOV -lrb- aka tom yum goong -rrb- is on a par with most jackie chan films , but without the off-the-cuff humor that makes chan 's films so appealing .",
      "the MOV is a bad film with a great star and some truly amazing action sequences . the movie is lackluster mainly because the weinstein co. and ` presenter ' quentin tarantino have taken a thai film and trimmed it from 109 minutes to about 80 .",
      "the resulting fights range from choppy , grainy garbage to a truly spectacular centerpiece .",
      "with obvious international marketing pressure to make his next movie , y' know , a little less thai , director prachya pinkaew has followed up his brilliant ong bak with an ineptly edited , badly scripted and atrociously dubbed pudding .",
      "an earnest -- if bone-crunching -- ode to thai culture .",
      "a welcome throwback to the ways of old-school kung fu movies , the MOV does n't hold up to scrutiny if you 're looking for a coherent story or powerhouse acting .",
      "tony jaa may have impressed in ong bak , but unlike idols bruce lee and jackie chan , he has yet to establish a compelling screen personality .",
      "the MOV is a good followup to ong-bak in introducing tony jaa to american action audiences . perhaps next time we 'll actually get to see the film he made .",
      "the MOV is ridiculously fun to watch .",
      "all in all , it 's a disappointing follow-up to jaa 's 2003 breakthrough , ong-bak : the thai warrior . he reteams with co-star phetthai wongkhamlao and director prachya pinkaew to diminishing returns .",
      "a provincial thai warrior rampages through australia busting skulls and shouting ` you stole my elephants ! ' in this infectious b-movie smack down .",
      "this ludicrous quentin tarantino-chosen low-budget movie features choppy editing and an amateurish script , and it switches strangely back and forth between dubbing and subtitles .",
      "while the story does n't really hold up throughout the film , the action sequences are some of the best i 've seen .",
      "tony jaa is an expert muay thai fighter and trained stuntman who , like bruce lee , never appears to inflict the same injury twice . when he sails into a room , as if by slingshot , your blood pressure rises .",
      "despite another routine mangling at the hands of the weinstein brothers , there 's enough of jaa 's and -lsb- director -rsb- pinkaew 's dazzling artistry still intact to make this one of the most rewarding action films of the year .",
      "this is one of those movies where guys literally stand in line , waiting to get beaten up .",
      "a wearying spectacle of unpleasant crunching sound effects -lrb- enough to put us off soft shell crabs for years -rrb- , bad editing , hideous cinematography and spectacularly confused plotting .",
      "jaa is energetic and inventive as he climbs walls and performs backflips ; pinkaew directs like a video game creator , and together the two of them could n't care less about plot .",
      "the elephants featured in the MOV have more personality than the star , which is a real problem .",
      "plenty of punches get thrown in the MOV , but most left me numb .",
      "the MOV is badly re-edited and rescored , only marginally better in the photography department and features a jarring partial english dub .",
      "director prachya pinkaew , armed with a bigger budget -lrb- than ong bak -rrb- and facing a whole new potential audience , recycles his old plot with strategic variations , and -- big surprise -- the movie does n't feel nearly as fresh as its predecessor ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite some impressive fight scenes , this trimmed-down version of the thai action pic is an off-putting mix of scant plot , choppy editing , and confusing subtitles and dubbing .",
    "id": "287865052"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gothika",
    "reviews": [
      "an ceaseless stream of fake scares , dream sequences , and shrieking halles .",
      "berry 's grating screams might send you to looney land too .",
      "the burning question i 'm still asking myself : what does MOV mean ? now that i think of it : i could care less .",
      "succeeds in making every plot twist more unbelievable and irrational than the last .",
      "grisly , disturbing , extremely violent horror film .",
      "this shoddy b horror movie does n't deserve a national theatrical run , much less the capable talent assigned to it .",
      "berry struggles to retain some shards of dignity as she dutifully plods through the contrivances of MOV .",
      "the same story was told much more skillfully-and with a lot more scares-three years back , when it was called what lies beneath .",
      "MOV est donc un autre film d'horreur qui semble sortir tout droit d'un programme créant des scénarios . heureusement que l'on peut en rire .",
      "... the 80-minute setup for the shock has nothing to do with engaging the deep-seated fears and emotions that really plague us all , at some level , every day .",
      "a b-level thriller with giant plot holes and lazy direction that pretends it 's a real movie by casting a-list stars and getting a foreign art-house director to helm it .",
      "those who like their chills diluted may enjoy it , but anyone who prefers their horror straight up is likely to find the film a disappointment .",
      "... an effectively engineered thriller -lrb- if you -rrb- accept the b-movie psycho-babble and an ending that begs blind indulgence .",
      "halle berry 's shrink-to-inmate story has a few problems ... and some nice , solid , cheesy-cheap jolts .",
      "although it tries valiantly , hollywood 's latest horror film is nowhere near as scary as the pitch meeting that is likely responsible for its existence .",
      "the real test of a horror movie is ... how often a girl buries her face in your chest.there were moments where she 'd dive into my arms and i 'd have to say , ` it was just a bird . '",
      "soon enough MOV takes a familiar turn .",
      "the movie is on the cheesy side .",
      "way funnier than scary movie 3 .",
      "once it turns into another spook story , it just becomes an endless ` tales from the crypt ' episode , only devoid of any humor or energy .",
      "... prone to loud noises , loud music , and red herrings for its scare tactics . before we know it , cheap thrills substitute for serious plot development .",
      "se alguém chega por trás de vocę e o assusta com um grito , vocę parabeniza a pessoa por sua inteligęncia e senso artístico ? se ` sim ' , ótimo : considere este filme um clássico .",
      "a tense storyline and a well-realised performance from berry make MOV a nice addition , but there 's nothing that stands-out to make it anything more .",
      "halle is always great to watch and this is a well-written horror story .",
      "lights flashing on and off are not scary . overweight cops with sexual problems are not scary . both together ? not scary . or even mildly entertaining .",
      "the only mystery worth trying to figure out here is how so much talent signed up for so ridiculous a movie .",
      "the jumpy twists are terrifying enough ; the loony asylum is a gothic masterpiece ; but the continuity is sloppy",
      "MOV first seems like a sharp psychological thriller , but it quickly turns into a campy , supernatural ghost story ,",
      "i would like to call out a moratorium on the use of young , wet girls looking through the tops of their eyes with hair in their face , as ghouls . what is up with this trend ?",
      "director kassovitz piles on atmosphere and effects , borrows plot points from other , better films , and hopes for the best .",
      "keeps trying to lay out a plot whose every point makes you question its plausibility .",
      "kassovitz ... seems totally oblivious to how silly this all gets .",
      "the movie begins reasonably enough , but the longer it goes on , the more deficiencies in the writing begin to show .",
      "no scene goes underplayed , no performance -lrb- save one , from robert downey jr. -rrb- lacks volume , no horror cliche is forgotten .",
      "flattens out before it hits its end , the filmmakers almost visibly losing steam along the way .",
      "MOV chooses style over substance .",
      "what 's really frightening are the outrageous plot solutions , laughably cliché scenes and sudden shifts in tone -- all of which do n't amount to too many thrills .",
      "stumbles in so many spots that it 's even difficult to champion a claim for berry being the best thing about it .",
      "whether you 're willing to pay full price to see style over substance is up to you , but if you go in knowing you 're not seeing the next classic , you might have a little fun .",
      "it even manages to make a shower scene involving both berry and cruz completely boring .",
      "lapses into a comatose variant on the ring , the eye and all those other movies about troubled spirits seeking vengeance on earthly wrongdoers .",
      "a preposterous movie , and berry is preposterous in it .",
      "how anyone in the cast manages to keep a straight face is one of the film 's innumerable mysteries .",
      "it is a thoroughly synthetic confection , compounded of clichés drawn from a half-dozen genres and subgenres that for a while might almost persuade its audience , as it apparently convinced its makers , that it is something more .",
      "logic is tossed out the window , chased down the road and abused so roundly that it never comes back .",
      "dwells in its own abysmal dreariness without creating real suspense , relying instead on a stream of easy shocks to convince us that we 're watching a scary movie .",
      "if you try hard enough , you might be able to forget that the story does n't make a lot of sense or provide adequate thrills , although it tries to scare you a couple of times in the cheapest possible way .",
      "i 'm an oscar-winning actress . i believe i 'll get better roles than this someday . i do n't believe i 'll stick with my agent .",
      "crawling with supernatural thriller cliches , from the tub of blood to the scribbled sos 's from beyond .",
      "you are more likely to be amused than scared by these sorts of foolishness .",
      "a chuckleheaded mess from start to finish .",
      "miranda 's patients may indeed be not guilty by reason of insanity , but MOV is clearly guilty by reason of stupidity .",
      "a mystery wrapped in an enigma -- an enigma that is n't nearly as clever as the screenwriter seems to think it is .",
      "great acting , stylish cinematography , nifty scares ; too bad the story makes absolutely no sense , leaving an unprecedented amount of `` but wait , how did . . '' questions unanswered .",
      "the sincerity halle berry brings to the part aids the movie in gliding over some of the more hard-to-swallow moments .",
      "i ca n't in all good conscience call it a good movie , but neither can i say i did n't enjoy the amalgamation of inaninity that comprises it .",
      "in the end , the more lurid the explanations are , the more ludicrous they are , too . it 's silly stuff , but i suppose it 's fine as far as it goes .",
      "it took four years , but finally dark castle has made something that 's genuinely scary .",
      "... the whole thing just feels like a sleazy attempt to cash in on the ring 's success .",
      "rent it when it comes out on video or take in a bargain matinee .",
      "french actor-filmmaker mathieu kassovitz has misdirected his first american production so clumsily you wonder if the script got lost in translation .",
      "the horror-thriller MOV gets an a for presentation , a c + for story and an f for dialogue .",
      "great cast , great atmosphere , little sense or first-rate suspense .",
      "plays out on screen as a series of crazy chases and lady-in-distress cliches , interspersed with wildly illogical plot twists-all caught by a nervous camera whirling like drunken paparazzi .",
      "MOV is a great ride to a terrible ending .",
      "a parade of cheap scare tactics .",
      "if you 're smart , alone is just where you 'll leave MOV .",
      "for those who want nothing more than a thorough scare , MOV is effective . but for those of us who want some psychological insight with our frightfests , the film is sadly lacking .",
      "provides a decent number of thrills and chills , but it wilts before the payoff .",
      "there 's nothing worse than watching an involving motion picture collapse into rubble before your eyes , and that 's exactly what happens here .",
      "this is guilty pleasure moviemaking that expects the audience to laugh at it .",
      "... berry runs around the prison hysterically in t-shirt and jeans , vainly searching for a way to bust out of this movie .",
      "one and one are not necessarily always two , and mixing the occult with a psychiatric thriller may end up , inadvertently , as comedy .",
      "MOV is a stylish , creepy , and well-acted psychological thriller/ghost story . it also has plot holes big enough to drive a truck through ...",
      "deserves credit for embracing the ghost story genre so whole-heartedly , but as any ten-year-old girl can tell you , there 's nothing original here to see .",
      "schlock cinema .",
      "an empty-headed mess that devolves -lsb- even further -rsb- into another rote and ludicrous serial killer thriller . a movie whose head is full of thoughts of other , much better films .",
      "you might intuit here the beginnings of a political argument , having to do with gender politics or institutional abuses . but the movie does n't stretch so far .",
      "muddled and stupid .",
      "... MOV '' is scary as hell .",
      "no dread , no suspense , no surprises , just laughs - lots of them , 99 percent unintentional . a crummy horror film that turns into a crummier whodunit .",
      "trust me , if you 're looking for frights , ` MOV ' delivers -- and i 'm not possessed or deluded .",
      "moronic tripe ... a numbskull pseudo-thriller so brutally protracted and padded with chintzy shocks that you 'll find it hard to stick it out to the bitter end .",
      "not terribly original",
      "a hilarious coda of `` logic is overrated '' covers both the film and its existence .",
      "a plane-crossing flapdoodle of a movie with plot holes the size of which rival michael jackson 's legal troubles .",
      "the unimpressive dark castle entertainment track record continues .",
      "a series of cheap , ineffective scares that would have felt more at home as a mid - '70s tv movie of the week starring , say , kate jackson , doug mcclure and maybe dennis weaver in the dutton role .",
      "a promising first act crumbles under the weight of the second and third act 's reliance on cgi and horror movie silliness .",
      "clues to the screenwriter 's approach surface when miranda mutters , ` logic is overrated . ' i could n't have said it better myself .",
      "the moment you start rubbing two brain cells together , you might find that `` MOV '' could be the first big misstep of berry 's post-oscar career .",
      "scriptwriter sebastian gutierrez and french director mathieu -lrb- hate -rrb- kassovitz ... treat this movie with all the subtlety of a judas priest music video .",
      "propelled by too many whoppers to create a believable , and therefore legitimately terrifying , universe .",
      "as sebastian gutierrez 's script careens from hackneyed endangered-woman situations to loony implausibility and kassovitz piles up the scary movie cliches , it becomes increasingly difficult to remain absorbed in miranda 's noir nightmare .",
      "more of a women 's - prison movie than a supernatural thriller , and not a very good one at that .",
      "begins as a promisingly creepy thriller but then falls apart .",
      "` MOV ' drove me back to therapy .",
      "it 's cable-riffic !",
      "it 's a film about the mind that is totally bone-headed , frequently making serious lapses of logic .",
      "it 's a misleadingly foreboding , cheaply scary and remarkably stupid thriller .",
      "the visual style and scares cover up just enough of MOV 's weaknesses to make it worth watching .",
      "generally does its job well , delivering thrills and creepiness with a great look and a high-energy halle berry performance .",
      "lose the ghost .",
      "the film does n't just strain credulity , it viciously rends it into teeny tiny pieces and then dances upon it with wild abandon and maniacal glee",
      "this overripe grade-c reconstitution of a grade-b scary thriller hauls out thunderstorms , blood , the ghosts of butchered girls , nightmares , and the usual head trips .",
      "a wannabe chiller that 's heavy with atmospherics and light on actual shocks .",
      "bless penelope cruz 's spanish little heart -lrb- not to mention her right tear duct -rrb- that she can wail a line like `` he opened me like a flower of pain '' without busting a gut .",
      "littered with clichés and lacking even a speck of originality , this gothic snoozer is yet another entry in the if-we-build-it-they-will-come horror sweepstakes .",
      "a forgettably common fright flick wearing its psychological themes like a halloween costume .",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- redictable , full of bad dialogue and stuck with a cockamamie concept that 's too harebrained to work - even within the relatively lax confines of the horror genre .",
      "MOV is a classy , dread-filled production populated with an above-average cast and plenty of namesake atmospherics ... one of the stronger horror entries of the year .",
      "i do n't know how dutton bagged halle , but something tells me it was a slow day for simultaneous lightning strikes and lottery wins .",
      "something 's got ta be wrong when robert downey jr. is the voice of reason .",
      "genre fans ... will be more horrified by the sight of halle berry making out with the spherical charles s. dutton than anything else on the screen .",
      "halle berry , queen of overactors who are n't in on the joke , throws tantrums , yells a lot , and lets her lip quiver to signify intensity .",
      "the ending has a suitable pay off , but overall the movie is derivative of other horror movies .",
      "... ultimately reduced to a barrage of unintentionally hilarious one-liners .",
      "folks may say you 'd have to be possessed to go see this movie .",
      "oscar winner halle berry and robert downey , jr. help nudge this otherwise routine b-pic about mayhem and murder at the asylum up to b + .",
      "... an elaborate and hokey grade b thrills-and-chills anemic sideshow ... the shock value has all the heft of a nun sticking up her middle finger in anger",
      "despite flashes of brilliance -lrb- not unlike berry herself -rrb- , MOV begins strong and finishes weak .",
      "enlightened viewers will discover that in MOV , exciting things only happen when the scary music stops .",
      "penelope cruz whispers her explicit confessions with the droning delivery of a phone-sex worker on her third hour of overtime .",
      "in trash as in art there is no accounting for taste , and reader , i cherished this movie in all of its lurid glory .",
      "one of the scariest movies out of hollywood that i have seen in some time .",
      "all horror tropes , please report for duty .",
      "the movie is stuck in the purgatory between being merely bad and being laughably bad .",
      "not since stir of echoes has a vengeful ghost been quite so creepy .",
      "a vile piece of work .",
      "the film has suspense and enough well-done jolts to satisfy the folks who go to movies for those sorts of things , but the more the story wades into the supernatural , the sillier it gets .",
      "a terribly silly movie only slightly elevated by berry 's panicked performance .",
      "a gothic ghost story that 's not nearly as scary as it should because it tries to be classier than its source material .",
      "a desperate frenzy of cheap thrills .",
      "this movie does n't make a lick of sense .",
      "exercise in mediocrity .",
      "it 's sure , scary stuff , and fans of heart palpitations will likely find themselves pleased .",
      "... just too outrageous for me to recommend .",
      "after a seductive start , it all becomes an empty swirl of smoke and mirrors -- or , in this case , flickering fluorescent bulbs and icy glass .",
      "i 'm tired of horror movies that demand the audience put aside its urban skepticism and just ` believe ' because the writers ca n't find any way out of a messy script .",
      "movies like this need to be locked up , and the keys that accomplish that need to be firmly thrown away .",
      "the movie is never incompetent -- it builds atmosphere , and the atmosphere pulls you along -- but its technical competence is always at war with a story that has a very familiar ring to it .",
      "the big surprise in MOV is there is no surprise . what it does have is every bad psychiatric , criminal , and horror-movie cliché -lrb- including the requisite grey/green caste to every frame -rrb- , as well as a lesson in how not to make a movie .",
      "once the film moves into crime-solving territory , it becomes ludicrous and lazy .",
      "salient quote : ` right now , my mind is running on empty . ' yeah , it 's going around .",
      "constantly bouncing from derivative to ridiculous and back to derivative again , MOV will be tolerable for undiscriminating horror fans but should be shunned by everybody else .",
      "a movie that invariably chooses style over substance and logic .",
      "MOV does n't have much substance , like the ghosts it celebrates , but it does have style .",
      "a mishmash of scenes and plot devices culled from recent popular horror-suspense flicks such as the sixth sense and thirteen ghosts ."
    ],
    "summary": "berry 's acting talents ca n't save MOV from its preposterous plot and bad dialogue .",
    "id": "14382"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tokyo_story",
    "reviews": [
      "the already towering reputation of this film and its director continues only to grow .",
      "anyone can relate to those moments when the calm is broken by the undercurrents of anguish , disappointment and resentment that run through every family .",
      "one of the most quietly powerful studies of the gradual and inevitable erosion of the family in a rapidly changing world .",
      "ozu 's style is one based on restriction , rigor , and repetition , which paradoxically expands his emotional meanings .",
      "constantly bursts with life and meaning , despite the fact that very little happens in the conventional narrative sense",
      "one of the great classics of world cinema .",
      "it ennobles the cinema . it says , yes , a movie can help us make small steps against our imperfections .",
      "rife with a pervasive sense of loss , MOV offers little comfort and promises great sorrow . this is a profoundly moving film .",
      "this very well might be the best film ever made .",
      "examines the same themes as films like ordinary people and american beauty , for example . and both of those look clumsy and derivative in comparison !",
      "this remains one of the most approachable and moving of all cinema 's masterpieces .",
      "ozu may have made subtler films , but the clarity of his social critique here is wrenching and unassailable .",
      "in this exquisite merging of specific and universal , infinite and infinitesimal , MOV perhaps most clearly illuminates that ozu is not the most japanese of filmmakers , but the most human .",
      "ozu 's long shots , knee-high camera placement , and collapsed perspective -- as gorgeous and unsettling as a cézanne -- gather power over the duration , but time itself is the master 's most potent weapon .",
      "ozu has made a film as simple in form and complex in nature as life itself . here , every viewer is cast as a tourist , and yet will feel right at home .",
      "these characters never surprise us with anything showy , lurid , or sensational . they 're ordinary human beings , treated with fierce attention that feels like deep respect .",
      "it 's entirely possible that MOV is n't the best movie ever made . but i suspect that it might be the most perfect .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- yasujirô ozu 's beloved masterpiece of postwar japanese cinema speaks to audiences from all backgrounds because of the cross-generational familial truths that the prolific director/co-writer lovingly metes out .",
      "it soon becomes clear that they have planned their trip at a bad time ; it is equally clear that every time is a bad time .",
      "with its debt to leo mccarey 's ` make way for tomorrow , ' yasujiro ozu 's ` MOV ' is no less true , shattering , and not for viewers fretting about unsympathetic grown-up children .",
      "yasujiro ozu 's MOV might be his masterpiece .",
      "ozu does n't sentimentalize or condemn ; he merely observes human nature with calm and clarity .",
      "ozu only has to train his camera on a face to uncover a sense of resignation , or longing , or loneliness , and the mood , if you allow it , becomes quite overwhelming .",
      "the way ozu builds up emotional empathy for a sense of disappointment in its various characters is where his mastery lies .",
      "a quiet , devastating poignancy that gently envelops you en route to an absolute tear-streamer of an ending .",
      "yasujiro ozu was a master film-maker who specialised in middle-class family melodramas known in japanese as shomin-geki , and this moving story is one of his finest achievements .",
      "this 1953 classic is one of the cinema 's most profound and moving studies of married love , ageing and the relations between parents and children . it is flawless and rewards numerous viewings .",
      "a difficult film to describe without making it seem less than the masterpiece it is , ` MOV ' is a remarkable work that gives a real insight into family life .",
      "newcomers to ozu must be prepared for a rigidly controlled work with no mobile-camera shots . this style elegantly frames the delicate performances , which in turn do justice to the wisdom and compassion of ozu 's view of life .",
      "ostensibly a snapshot of postwar japan in the midst of profound cultural change , it is the movie 's painful depiction of familial disintegration that remains universal today .",
      "could easily change your life .",
      "like people-watching from the point of view of a god",
      "luminous in its freedom from the sentimentality or the satire that so often obscure an artist 's vision of normal living .",
      "... captures the profound and infinite through simple vignettes and unsurpassed composition that juxtapose modern industry , trains , and clocks with humanity",
      "the film is full of feelings , all understated , all with the tenor of universal truth ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a yasujiro ozu masterpiece whose rewarding complexity has lost none of its power more than half a century on .",
    "id": "770692867"
  },
  {
    "movie": "god_grew_tired_of_us",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV does n't add much to this twice-told story . still , just a few months after the cruelties of borat , it 's instructive to see again how truly foreign america is to much of the world .",
      "the three men profiled in this insightful documentary are unforgettable , and so is the film . sudan has been much in the news . MOV personalizes it and puts a human face on the catastrophe .",
      "the sobering portrait is a rather conventional production that moves on to the next bullet point with an efficiency in place of exploration .",
      "this moving documentary by christopher quinn vividly contrasts the material hunger of the third world -lrb- on the plane trip over the men devour the condiments included with their airline meal -rrb- and the spiritual starvation of the first world .",
      "sending help does seem to be the primary purpose of MOV , which at worst plays like surface-level propaganda , however touching and persuasive its message turns out to be .",
      "if you 've seen lost boys of sudan , much of this will seem familiar . it 's basically different boys and a little star-power backing . if you have n't seen their story , it 's worth a look .",
      "a documentary to make you proud of what america offers to the rest of the world and worried that it ca n't keep its promises .",
      "god may be tired of us , but if these men 's lives are any indication , he certainly is n't finished with us .",
      "the importance of the material and quinn 's approach to it allow MOV to transcend its pedestrian cinematic virtues .",
      "i appreciate writer/director quinn 's four year effort in telling their story , making this a decent companion piece to the 2003 doc -lsb- lost boys of sudan -rsb-",
      "an incredibly powerful story of renewal , commitment and the resiliency of the human spirit .",
      "an inspiring documentary , proving that the american dream is still alive and that the human spirit is , indeed , indomitable .",
      "it is a story worth telling over and over .",
      "by focusing on these hardworking and eloquent young men , the film brings into clear light the indefatigability of the human spirit .",
      "relegated to an 83-minute wrap up that only briefly grazes the problems and negative effects of cultural displacement .",
      "amid all the cynicism , the barbs directed by the world at america , how refreshing it is to see our country standing up for our true ideals !",
      "visually stunning and contextually provocative .",
      "it 's a portrait of both suffering and success , and one that the directors refuse to gussy up in overly sentimental or derisive ways .",
      "not as good , nor as complex , as the lost boys , but that does n't make the story of mass annihilation , sprawling refugee camps , the generosity of americans , and the resilience of a handful of sudanese survivors any less worthy of telling -- again .",
      "it deflates upon arriving in the vast , familiar blandness we know as america .",
      "a thought-provoking film likely to make moviegoers question their own paths in life even as it involves them in the lives of several of the ` lost boys ' of sudan ...",
      "the film is not a pity party , it 's a story of resilient people bearing up under conditions few of us could imagine .",
      "MOV is a better film than lost boys of sudan , focusing on details of the men 's lives and shifting fluidly between three distinct `` characters '' : john , daniel and panther .",
      "the film 's subjects display impressive adaptability , as well as a desire not to forget those they 've left behind . the emotional high point is a miraculous reunion between one of the ` lost boys ' and the mother he 'd had no contact with for 17 years .",
      "admittedly amusing fish-out-of-water moments are nothing compared to what the boys face as they try to adapt to a wildly foreign culture .",
      "it 's an uplifting last act , though not one that comes with solutions to an africa that seems to cough up one genocide after another . personal redemption and hope are n't a cure-all , but they do shine a light in the darkness .",
      "the lost boys ' gratitude for simple things will humble those of us accustomed to comfort and opportunity . their endurance , ambition , and compassion should inspire us .",
      "too often with documentaries , we get only the tears . there is no second act or resolution . christopher quinn 's MOV gives us reason to hope about a human catastrophe .",
      "sometimes , despite the problems we start and the problems we refuse to stop , america really is okay . and often , it 's much more .",
      "an inspiring documentary about three immigrants from the sudan and their strong connection to their african roots and values .",
      "the film affirms that if it is possible to survive when you have lost your home , family , and country , it is possible to start over and prevail .",
      "about the untold ways in which males can and have nurtured one another in ways that build and create a sense of family and community .",
      "satisfying enough to demonstrate that some stories deserve to be told more than once .",
      "their journey is n't over -- many in africa still desperately need help -- but the hope and opportunities america offers are a grand place to start .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- simple and direct documentary .",
      "there 's no way to not like -lsb- john -rsb- dau . or for that matter , MOV .",
      "a beautiful documentary , deserving of its sundance grand jury prize and audience awards .",
      "not quite intimate , the film can only hint at its subjects ' depths of pain and strength , inviting them to remember and observing as they grapple with the perversities of life in the states .",
      "christopher quinn and tommy walker made this fine and never simply pleading film , its moving subjects including tall , gentle , tireless , prayerful and humane john bul dau .",
      "in an age where xenophobia is rife , MOV presents the opposite side of the coin .",
      "three sudanese men struggle to adjust to life in the united states -- from their perspective , a very strange place -- in this affecting and well-made culture-shock documentary .",
      "what does it say about the american society we 've created that it makes war-scarred visitors miss their refugee camp ?",
      "it 's only a slight exaggeration to say that MOV , winner of two documentary prizes at last year 's sundance , is another hollywood gloss on human tragedy .",
      "i 've heard of remakes before , but this is the first remake of a documentary i can recall .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- affecting and engaging film .",
      "it 's worth seeing simply for the reunion between one of the men , a lovely spirit named john bul dau , and his long-separated mother .",
      "their optimism and persistence is moving on a supremely human level , and much more a than gut-check to anyone who 's lost perspective on their own fortune .",
      "a slicker , more upbeat , celebrity driven telling of the same story presented in 2004 's lost boys of sudan .",
      "MOV is a sober , uplifting documentary that follows the resettlement in the united states of three young men uprooted as children by the civil war in sudan .",
      "given the growing violence and genocide in sudan , the film 's release is opportune , but the movie itself is not as effective as an account of assimilation or dislocation .",
      "MOV adopts a low-key observational style that takes us through the protagonists ' adventures from their point of view , though the filmmakers ca n't help registering locals ' amazed reactions to their new neighbors .",
      "nicole kidman 's minimal narration is effective but unnecessary here , for this true-life story is told by the three english-speaking participants .",
      "if nobility was the measure of quality in documentary films , then dozens of them would be sundance prize-winners -- just like this extra-virtuous , dramatically undernourished portrait of the agony of exile .",
      "at the very least , it 's a powerful film .",
      "a slickly made , emotionally powerful documentary .",
      "this is an important film . it 's amazing that it exists , and the events it recounts are still more amazing . everybody should see it .",
      "this docu avoids so many pitfalls that you have to admire the subjects ' courage and directors ' approach : it 's emotional without being sentimental -lrb- as most kids pics are -rrb- , factual but not manipulative , and it earns its inspiration sans being earnest .",
      "narrated by nicole kidman , this poignant documentary tells only half the story of three sudanese ` lost boys ' who emigrate to america . though it does n't delve as deep as it should , this movie will still break your heart .",
      "the movie manages to be an elegantly rendered portrait of the refugees ' uneasy , but dogged engagement of american possibility , braced by an equally dogged plea to acknowledge the horrible conflict that still keeps them from returning home .",
      "there are surprising comic elements to this well-drawn and involving portrait of a group of ` lost boys , ' the term for the thousands of christian sudanese refugees who were chased out of that country by murderous squads of muslims starting in the 1980s .",
      "a funny , squishy , yet painfully honest film that is a delight to watch .",
      "while it is emotionally and spiritually satisfying , its optimistic point of view avoids harder truths it might have explored .",
      "can there really be no footage of their uncertainty , anger at unfriendly americans , even an embrace of bad habits ?",
      "quinn 's is a gorgeous looking film , briskly paced and well-edited , perhaps too well-edited .",
      "MOV cares more about hope than it does full disclosure , and it goes about that agenda pretty expertly . it 's emotional and smart .",
      "a powerfully inspirational tale of survival told by men who were at one time convinced that god had simply grown tired of them , but who have since found a new , wholly unexpected life on the other side of the world .",
      "two unimaginable journeys become more than imaginable in MOV , a documentary by christopher quinn and tommy walker -- the movie makes them vivid and memorable . this is a film that adds to our understanding of human nature ."
    ],
    "summary": "not just a powerful telling of the journey of exiled sudanese boys , MOV is also a poignant account of the determination of the human spirit .",
    "id": "493864880"
  },
  {
    "movie": "capitalism_a_love_story",
    "reviews": [
      "underscored by a growling cover of ` louie , louie , ' assorted thugs in masks pillage assorted banks . a lovely irony , given that the rest of the film deals with how those same banks are pillaging us .",
      "the rotund baseball cap wearing ` everyman ' filmmaker adds a grand sequel to his resume",
      "a two-hour op-ed piece raging against the hijacking of the american dream by special interests , moore 's a canny enough filmmaker to balance entertainment and foursquare truths to keep the audience entertained and fascinated .",
      "moore 's most telling argument is about the extinguishing of the middle class , and the consequences of losing the crucial foundation of our economy and our culture .",
      "beneath all the expected liberal , mad-as-hell indignation , the guy with the closet full of ill-fitting ball caps also happens to be persuasive as hell , crafting an entertaining and provocative call to arms .",
      "unfortunately , moore 's slapdash approach withers before the sprawling canvas , and his dot-like anecdotes rattle around .",
      "as always , moore 's at his best when he gets the hell out of the way and lets average citizens have their say .",
      "i ca n't help smiling at moore 's response to the question concerning what he hopes audiences will take away from this film `` popcorn and pitchforks . ''",
      "michael moore preaches to the converted in his least insightful op-ed to date .",
      "those -lsb- attacking moore -rsb- are doing worse than namecalling . by refusing to engage the substance of the film , they 're conceding that he may be right .",
      "moore does n't want people to ask questions . he just wants them to swallow his answers .",
      "love him or hate him , michael moore makes us think ; he makes us talk . and if you agree with what he has to say , especially with his latest opus capitalism : a love story , he can inspire you to make a difference .",
      "michael moore titled his most recent film capitalism : a love story , probably because in capitalism you never have to say you 're sorry . and moore never says he 's sorry as he trashes capitalism in america .",
      "mr. moore aims to proselytize his friends and demonize his enemies . his movie hits both marks .",
      "capitalism is intended to convince americans that they 've bought into an economic system designed to screw them over , but the tone is so smart-ass that it 's bound to put a lot of viewers into a default defensive posture .",
      "very much worth seeing , despite being more in the frank capra vein than karl marx .",
      "another exceptional piece of propaganda , designed to get you riled up , but also to get you to laugh .",
      "republicans have long used these methods to influence the public with great success - all moore does is play them at their own highly effective game .",
      "the thesis that rapacious capitalism has horrific social consequences is credible and well illustrated , if hardly eye-opening to european viewers .",
      "michael moore has succeeded in getting a film on this subject actually released in cinemas : a very sharp and entertaining one at that .",
      "for all his cheap tactics , moore mounts a persuasive case that something is rotten in the current economic system .",
      "the most interesting aspect of capitalism is a strain of melancholic nostalgia that runs through its latter segments",
      "funny , angry and deadly accurate .",
      "moore comes up with enough of these startling moments to keep us watching , though he 's certainly stronger on huff and puff than concrete solutions .",
      "still fighting the good fight for the working man , capitalism is entertaining but conspicuously bankrupt of fresh ideas and insights . by now , moore is starting to feel like less .",
      "the film is good fun . perhaps we have seen it all before , but you could say that of a sunrise . every sunrise is different and moore 's are usually worth getting out of bed for .",
      "a troubling portrait of a country shaken by repossessions , exploitation and the rich sucking the life out of the poor .",
      "michael moore is up to his old tricks in capitalism : a love story , and that 's sure to both infuriate , and entertain and inform , depending which side of the michael moore fence you stand on .",
      "as a filmmaker creating a product for a marketplace , supported by profit-seeking investors , he obviously has some comfort level with capitalism in the sense of doing business .",
      "smart-alecky and simplistic ? yeah . and primo moore .",
      "ultimately , capitalism : a love story does n't break ground , but it 's 100 % moore and a little bit more .",
      "as you watch , your indignation grows . moore has chosen precisely the right moment to tap into the throbbing vein of anti-corporate , anti-rich anger .",
      "the biggest strike ... with this film is its hypocrisy . here 's a man taking shots at capitalism , and he 's the biggest capitalist in hollywood .",
      "it might seem like a fantasy for the baker interviewed in the film to be making $ 60,000 a year and benefits , but moore proves the idea is less fictitious than the ones that sank lehman brothers .",
      "the centerpiece of this documentary is a shocking and dynamic reel of archival footage .",
      "... a one-sided love story , even if its message could be truly reciprocal if enough people opened their minds up enough to hear it .",
      "mildly entertaining and occasionally funny , but often poorly researched , repetitive , parochial , and unenlightening .",
      "while it 's amusing to watch moore on camera plaster the entrance to the new york stock exchange with crime-scene tape , when moore goes through his customary security-guard harassment in another segment , it 's hard not to think : here we go again .",
      "because it 's so wildly entertaining , because moore is basically a clever carnival barker at heart ... capitalism : a love story becomes a fabulous financial freak show",
      "usually michael moore 's movies make me appreciate how few real problems i actually have . i ca n't complain about my lifestyle when people 's ca n't feed their kids or pay their hospital bills . this time , i feel like i 'm right there with them .",
      "capitalism : a love story is , like moore 's previous movies , manipulative and moving , funny and impassioned , uplifting and infuriating .",
      "michael moore has made what may be his magnum opus .",
      "insisting on simplifications -- poor equals virtuous , rich equals corrupt -- moore invites distrust to all but the converted .",
      "no easy answers here , but that 's exactly the point ; a big ideas film that hopes to rouse the audience into social change .",
      "there 's both grit and entertainment value in the film , although if you have seen moore 's other films , you may , like me , feel as though you have seen it all before . it 's long , too",
      "both thought-provoking and entertaining .",
      "moore has the skill to make very complex material reasonably lucid , some would say simplistic ; but it 's when he gets silly that he falters .",
      "there 's nothing too subtle about moore 's filmmaking style , but he does get his points across in a straightforward , uncomplicated way .",
      "effective when it exposes the immoral , even ` evil ' excesses of an economic system that prizes profit above public welfare ; less persuasive when it waxes nostalgic about the factory era of the mid-20th century ...",
      "serving as an apogee of michael moore 's decade-long thesis , `` capitalism '' feels like it adds up to a sum greater than this part . if moore 's next decade is as fruitful as his last , america is doomed , but it 's odd to see a lack of healthy skepticism .",
      "-lsb- michael -rsb- moore has n't made a measured film because he 's not looking for a measured response . he wants to get his viewers outraged and shake them out of their complacency .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- scattershot , lazy slice of agitprop , which recycles moore 's usual slice-and-dice job on corporations , while bobbing a curtsey to the current crisis .",
      "michael moore paints with too-wide a conceptual brush , which in turn explains why ` capitalism : a love story ' goes off point so often .",
      "michael moore is the obama of documentarians .",
      "the film works best when moore sits with representatives of the 99 percent of americans vulnerable to financial freefall .",
      "moore 's scattershot is a lot more interesting than some filmmakers ' focus , and many of those individual parts are classic .",
      "this is a love story , all right , but it has less to do with the flaws of capitalism than it does with moore 's unwavering fondness for the sound of his own voice , and for what he perceives as his own vast cleverness .",
      "michael moore fans should be able to appreciate what he does with this serious subject matter , while still keeping the movie entertaining and funny .",
      "michael moore 's hard-hitting documentary about the egregious , toxic , and rapacious spin-offs from the american obsession with unbridled capitalism and greed .",
      "there are moments in capitalism when you 're reminded of moore 's talent for shrieking truth to power . the rest of the film , however , only proves that his quixotic preachiness can make even a worthy cause feel occasionally bankrupt .",
      "anyone up on current events and at least passingly familiar with the history of the u.s. will learn few new insights . what they will learn is that they have seen this all before , and done better , by a director who seems to be going through the paces .",
      "capitalism : a love story is a michael moore movie that fox news viewers might like .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- may be a bit scattershot and employ familiar tricks , -lsb- but it 's both -rsb- a challenging and personal movie .",
      "as a child , my mother taught me that there was always a kernel of truth in every bit of criticism ; always some veracity in every condemnation , no matter how outlandish the claim or the claimant .",
      "with capitalism : a love story , michael moore delivers his liveliest , most radical film to date .",
      "even if you do n't agree with his assertions regarding economic theory and social politics , it still holds some interest .",
      "is n't every michael moore film ultimately about capitalism ? this one just has a more facetious title .",
      "is n't it washington that took money from the taxpayers to bail out the banks ? should n't moore run his yellow crime-scene tape around the white house ?",
      "provides lots of insights and enraging bits of information while , ultimately , coming off as somewhat amorphous .",
      "proving that demagoguery can come as easily from the left as from the right , michael moore has produced a jerry-rigged jeremiad about free enterprise that hands up some very legitimate indictments , without really making a case .",
      "capitalism 's slickness , and its illusion of cumulative coherence , is actually a product of moore 's signature bait and switch , the same lack of structural integrity that mars most of his films .",
      "is everything always the bank 's fault ? is it only the guys in suits who can get greedy ? in moore 's world , yes , it is .",
      "even if you do n't think capitalism should be scrapped , we can agree that there are numerous abuses of the system that need to be stopped , and moore does a great job of trying to document them .",
      "whatever it lacks in a red-target focal point , it 's still moore doing what he does best : chipping away the layers of fraud that have calcified america , hoping to inspire others to storm the streets and question authority .",
      "capitalism is as entertaining as roger & me , and its critique skewers both major political parties , calling into question the economic policies of bill clinton as well as ronald reagan .",
      "in passages , the movie is eloquent . in sum , it is scattershot . organization is not moore 's strongest suit ; indignation is .",
      "at its best , capitalism : a love story is a searing outcry against the excesses of a cutthroat time . at its worst , it 's dorm-room marxism .",
      "moore 's ambush-and-blame methods are bad journalism . his lack of moral , political context is as questionable as ever .",
      "if steven spielberg is our country 's best dramatic filmmaker , then surely michael moore is our best documentarian -- which he proves in this sometimes hilariously entertaining broadside against the capitalist system .",
      "has only a few traces of moore 's wit and humor , and they 're nearly lost in the fog of his indignation .",
      "proof of moore 's showmanship , a talent he continues to mine with every new film .",
      "a collection of outrageous facts sprayed like a shotgun blast towards what moore deems the modern roman empire .",
      "agree or not -- and in the interests of full disclosure , i 'll note that i agree more than i disagree -- moore 's voice broadens the debate in a vital way .",
      "you do n't go to a moore 's docu for rigorous discipline or objective approach , but in returning to his liberal-populist origins , he has made another timely , provocative and entertaining work , which is also a good companion piece to his 1989 roger & me .",
      "by returning to his roots , professional gadfly michael moore turns in one of his best films .",
      "this is a typical moore oeuvre : funny , often over the top and of dubious documentation , but with strongly made points that leave viewers much to ponder and debate after they walk out of the theater .",
      "as intelligent and compulsively entertaining as his previous films .",
      "moore 's choice to make `` capitalism '' his straw man -lrb- rather than , say , greed or reagan-era deregulation -rrb- puts him in closer company than he might like with some pretty nasty world-historical bedfellows .",
      "moore 's most personal film since roger & me : a lone , passionate man 's hopeful search for answers to the very root of all of our socioeconomic problems",
      "the lack of a factual backbone will be catnip for conservatives who attack everything that moore does , regardless of the validity of his arguments .",
      "the film 's title is never explained . what does moore mean ? maybe it 's that capitalism means never having to say you 're sorry .",
      "moore 's loudest , most heartfelt warning , against corporate greed that is ruining his -- and our -- country . it 's also a stirring cry to action .",
      "michael moore is still angry .",
      "what -lsb- moore -rsb- offers is n't an argument as much as a polemic . but as in the past , he proves a skilled polemicist , ... -lsb- and -rsb- looked at dispassionately , it 's fun .",
      "even if it 's not the most cogent political docu-essay ever made , it 's surely coming straight from the heart .",
      "still a noteworthy achievement , but it 's hard to keep from being a bit disappointed that moore has n't used the seriousness of the times to craft an ever-so-slightly more balanced documentary .",
      "moore sacrifices narrative thrust for contemporary relevance but still ends on a strong note .",
      "maybe moore should have used this platform to try to teach some fiscal responsibility rather than simply present an `` off with their heads '' argument .",
      "one wonders if capitalism wo n't look almost avant garde when seen decades removed from the moore cult of personality .",
      "michael moore may be a little rough and unkempt , but he 's preaching a story we must all hear . this is no fairy tale .",
      "yes , capitalism is a well argued documentary , but let 's not forget the fact that moore ... is capitalising on being critical of capitalism .",
      "this is entertaining , but because of all its folly and manipulation and misinformation it 's a polemic that must be watched with hardy skepticism .",
      "how dare they ! it gets you worked up ! but exactly what point is moore making ? what should we be angry about ?",
      "moore sees our abusive relationship with capitalism as a growing plague . his movie , a genuine and welcome rabble-rouser , lays out the history of how democracy got corrupted .",
      "`` harassing security guards , cheap stunts , unfunny comedy moments ... all a bit too familiar , and all a bit too distracting -- and that 's a pity , because when capitalism : a love story is on , it 's on fire . ''",
      "`` a somewhat-droll , somewhat-glib superficial expose into how the man is screwing you over . ''",
      "capitalism will make you laugh , it will make you cry and it will make you angry -- in other words , par for the course for a michael moore movie .",
      "a scathing indictment of modern america 's `` me first '' approach to the social contract ... an urgently important piece of work .",
      "since making `` fahrenheit 9/11 '' and `` sicko , '' moore has polished his humanist vehicle of cinematic political agitprop to a glossy reflecting sheen with an entertaining , touching , and informative movie that 's worth repeated viewings .",
      "what 's fascinating about this unfocused diatribe is that mr. moore , the liberal face of middle america , has finally given up on the american audience .",
      "like most of his movies , capitalism is a tragedy disguised as a comedy ; it 's also an entertainment .",
      "this is vintage moore , reflecting both the filmmaker 's fondness for manipulation and his strengths as a showman .",
      "capitalism is alternately moving and disheartening , energizing and enervating .",
      "there 's a simmering anger here that has n't been present since moore first burst upon the cinematic world with roger and me .",
      "if the film entertains you and outrages you , it 's done its job remarkably well .",
      "-lsb- michael moore -rsb- is cheeky , he 's outrageous and he can get awfully full of himself ... but he does have a way of getting your blood up ...",
      "this is n't just about pointing fingers at those who have gotten us into this mess , but about mobilizing working people to stop waiting for someone else to fix it , to stop sitting idly by while their wages , pensions , health care , and homes are stolen .",
      "moore continues his career as provocateur with this often eloquent , occasionally muddled , bill of particulars which indicts wall street 's ethos of greed . as with most of moore 's documentaries , the film is strongest when he 's behind the camera , rather than",
      "the constant quotations from the founding fathers suggest his real concern is a somewhat nebulous betrayal of the american dream .",
      "a lot of the old moore is still obvious in capitalism , his genuine belief in everyone pulling together his feel for a good public stunt but he 's lost a little something . the social zeal of his best work has been replaced with a hint of fanaticism .",
      "moore evokes pope benedict xvi `` caritas in veritate '' and stresses the need that judeo-christian ethics , upon which his country was founded , must play a part in the recovery and stability of the financial sector .",
      "as with all of moore 's films , this is really about the fall of the american dream , with moore acting as our tour guide into the rotten core of his beloved country . and once again , his heart is in the right place . if only he could keep his ego out of it .",
      "docu on corporate misdeeds names names , makes mistakes .",
      "a barbed study of the american economy puts capitalism in the dock but somehow fails to convict .",
      "while moore still stacks the deck , there are enough scenes portraying callously inhuman policies , such as the death peasant insurance , to pacify the viewer for two overlong hours .",
      "moore does n't necessarily tell us anything new , but it 's his gung-ho pursuit of accountability and compassion for working-class victims and crusaders that make his movies ... worthwhile inquiries into how we live today",
      "moore makes the stories of injustice he 's gathered the real meat of his film ; and as he tells them , he shows a continued disillusionment at the depths the powerful are willing to go to against one 's fellow man just for the sake of more wealth .",
      "moore is marvellously indignant and confrontational -lrb- he tries to make a citizen 's arrest of the aig board -rrb- , and dramatises moments of rebellion and fight-back with relish . but there 's something self-righteous and teenage-lefty about his rhetoric .",
      "it may all feel a little obvious and heavy-handed in places but he makes a complex subject accessible and issues a call to arms that every hard-pressed homeowner will appreciate .",
      "the movie is archive-heavy and preachy , but it feels just right for the occasion .",
      "a well made , convincingly argued documentary that 's by turns informative , heart-breaking , shocking , funny , entertaining , utterly depressing and likely to induce tears of impotent rage .",
      "it 's the sort of film that everyone will end up seeing but no-one really cares when they see it . i could happily have waited for dvd .",
      "... lets off the hook the greedy **** ers responsible for exploiting the lower classes , effectively tossing pebbles at its targets when it should be heaving boulders .",
      "a typically uneven effort from documentarian michael moore ...",
      "moore apparently ca n't make his mind which of two competing visions of america is the right one",
      "of course moore 's angry . i do n't know anybody who is n't . but what about the movie ?",
      "capitalism may be flawed , but it is nevertheless entertaining . which counts for a lot .",
      "in `` capitalism : a love story , '' michael moore casts a fiery eye at the u.s. financial system - a rich and appalling subject at the moment - and comes , alas , to the usual loopy conclusion",
      "you will march out of the theater looking to beat up a ceo .",
      "all these episodes are accompanied by moore 's typically dramatic background music choices and unrigorous analysis .",
      "even michael moore 's weakest and most convoluted film is an excellent documentary which will enlighten and scare you .",
      "the movie lives up to its hype in its first five minutes and builds from there . it 's the awful truth in big , bold letters .",
      "moore has always stood proudly for progressivism , and that works in his favor now .",
      "like most of his movies , this will probably make your blood boil , but it functions at a level of such blubbering emotionality that it might as well be a glenn beck rant .",
      "moore is much better at indicting culprits than providing solutions .",
      "in a movie long on symbols , dead peasants are the most egregious , but a close second would be the rah-rah `` confidential '' citibank memo about the united states having become a `` plutonomy . ''",
      "love him or hate him , liberal filmmaker michael moore is something of a modern-day howard beale , urging us to get outraged over injustices he perceives to be perpetrated by conservatives .",
      "... unlike the manipulation of facts and imagery used to make his cases in `` bowling for columbine '' and `` fahrenheit 9/11 , '' here a more restrained moore comes across as more fair and even handed than he has in years",
      "even if you do n't agree with the answers that michael moore suggests , i think you should see this movie .",
      "why do we go to the movies ? to be entertained and informed . and michael moore shows an uncanny ability to be ` way ahead of the curve of public awareness .",
      "michael moore 's capitalism : a love story is something else -- not a good movie or a coherent exposition of the meltdown but an emotional attack on capitalism as a system , an attempt , literally , to de-moralize capitalism .",
      "moore relates a half-century of fraud in singsong narration that makes him seem like mister rogers with 200 extra pounds and a che guevara t-shirt instead of a cardigan . but what a figure he cuts .",
      "capitalism : a love story marks a minor return to form for moore , whose tactical agenda and questionable methods as a documentary filmmaker have dented his standing in recent years .",
      "moore has long proved himself an excellent editor and comedian , but he always insists on preaching to the like-minded and , thus , ca n't string together a political film persuasive enough to make a real difference .",
      "though moore is on less solid ground when mulling vague solutions to economic woes , his message for the masses about this national ` robbery ' in progress as their jobs , health care and homes go up in smoke , is loud and clear : you 've been had .",
      "it 's tragic , funny and informative , as moore sets his sights on the banking industry ... .",
      "mr. moore 's documentary fluctuates from lucid , cogent arguments , to cartoonish abstractions and conjectures -- all the while , his lilting voice massaging our guilt reflex .",
      "michael moore does it again . he educates and entertains , even if the facts are skewed his way . a great film . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "capitalism : a love story is his -lsb- moore 's -rsb- most heated and searing film since fahrenheit 9/11 , but not necessarily his best .",
      "see capitalism : a love story if you like to hear the sound of michael moore railing against ` the man ' , but if you 're after a good documentary there 's no love here for you .",
      "as usual , moore is a man who wants answers , which makes for a good documentary . it is a fascinating , albeit terribly lopsided , insight .",
      "moore is always visually playful and subversive , and even when dealing with such serious and depressing topics entertaining ; but he 's also game enough to examine america 's mythology of prosperity .",
      "in our brave new world of glenn beck-style paranoia , anger , and histrionics masquerading as political discourse , moore 's sarcastic mugging seems very nearly quaint",
      "considering the vast spread of the subject matter of capitalism : a love story , that the film works as well as it does is an accomplishment .",
      "an utterly frustrating work that contains a few genuinely affecting moments that wind up getting lost amidst too much tired and fairly patronizing junk .",
      "you might say moore has been making this movie his entire career . he attempts to expose corrupt bottom line-minded corporations that are in league with capitol hill as the cause of america 's ills . he 's been doing just that since the days of roger & me full review | original score : 69/100",
      "for all his lack of objectivity and occasional fact-twisting , moore takes on dauntingly complex subjects and turns them into hugely entertaining , provocative pictures .",
      "capitalism 's aim is too scattershot . it 's old hat for moore to argue only one side of the story , but this is the first time he has so blatantly failed to focus on the issue at hand",
      "comes across like a refresher course , and not the higher education moore has strived for in the past .",
      "the result is a film that stands as one of moore 's finest arguments . it 's also one of his funniest , if you accept that the jokes are all of the gritted-teeth variety .",
      "the latest from michael moore is his usual shtick , but better .",
      "it 's not ... that he 's entirely opposed to capitalism ; what he 's really going after is the corporatism that has made profit a goal beyond all ethical considerations .",
      "a film for everyone in the economic bottom 95 percent .",
      "the script gradually becomes an ambiguous mixture of hope and desperation ; at times it feels almost bipartisan in its politics .",
      "this is heartening , rousing stuff . but moore has shilly-shallied and wandered for too long for it to have maximal impact .",
      "parental content review",
      "with the global economic meltdown affecting just about everybody , the film is pertinent , hugely entertaining , and , above all , timely ."
    ],
    "summary": "love him or hate him , capitalism captures michael moore in his muckraking element -- with all the moore-centric showmanship that entails .",
    "id": "770811421"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sukiyaki_western_django",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- a -rsb- superheated stir-fry .",
      "a western/samurai monstrosity consuming itself",
      "though miike is a visually accomplished filmmaker capable of staging simultaneous action on more than one visual plane , his knack for aesthetic inventiveness only surfaces in occasional moments of inspiration .",
      "basic joke wears off after five minutes , and many bystanders will start to head out of town .",
      "... oppressive and tedious and interminable .",
      "miike surprises for all the wrong reasons .",
      "cult favorite takashi miike turns to the spaghetti western for ` MOV , ' a seriocomic genre homage-spoof .",
      "sem exibir qualquer intenзгo de ser um bom filme , o longa se resume a uma coleзгo de excentricidades que ora funcionam como mбgica e ora caem como verdadeiras bombas sobre a platйia .",
      "while the film felt rushed -lrb- or ignored -rrb- in certain areas , miike excels to the top of his game in others -lrb- oh , the awesome eye candy ! -rrb- ... . if you 're looking for a takashi miike film , you 've found it .",
      "yes , it 's completely bonkers but that 's what makes it so great .",
      "an all style and little substance post-samurai , wild west anger mismanagement outing , with tarantino as a varmint spouting japanese while boasting an impressive knack for shooting snakes , and eating their hearts out .",
      "miike 's homage is devoid of pretention and teeming with insanity .",
      "MOV is comfort food garnished with aural and ocular delights . it 's often quite moving , as well ; though not the most nutritious repast , few will describe it as forgettable .",
      "a loving and lurid pastiche of the spaghetti westerns that were themselves lurid pastiches of classic hollywood cowboy pictures .",
      "japanese suspense maestro takashi miike pays homage to the spaghetti western genre with a story born of sergio leone 's `` a fistful of dollars , '' which was originally inspired by akira kurosawa 's `` yojimbo . ''",
      "utterly deranged .",
      "it is , of course , a must for miike 's legions of fans , of which i am one . it also should serve as a way for mainstream audiences to become acquainted with miike .",
      "a lightweight goof that feels a little dashed-off , the latest from cult director takashi miike wo n't earn him any new fans , but might entertain the many he 's already got .",
      "... one of those preening film-geek `` tributes '' to an old b-movie with which most people are , shall we say , not intimately familiar .",
      "more action , gun fights and swords fail to make this a better film than the spaghetti westerns that came before . tarantino is great but his small part is too little to lift this eastern oater much above average .",
      "it 's a perfect execution of its genres and offers enough of a gimmick to maintain interest . unfortunately , sukiyaki never rises above its roots and , strangely enough , does n't actually offer up anything new .",
      "the lurid sets and savage and startling action will undoubtedly have cult appeal as the conventions of physics , history and genre are all ignored in this overblown fever dream .",
      "miike knows how to film cartoonish violence with style , and the sillier the movie becomes in its mayhem , the harder it is to turn away from .",
      "clever costuming and production design set off an intriguingly off-kilter vision of a tiny western town in a `` nevada '' out in the japanese desert .",
      "ultimately not quite as clever as it thinks it is . even the action sequences are more about foley than choreography , and so the film largely rests on the oddity of its mix of styles and its parade of genre in-jokes",
      "the gimmicky gore fest quickly fell out of favor with me .",
      "miike 's ` wild east ' take on the western genre is a colourfully violent stand-off of pastiche , politics and punk .",
      "molonoti agono thematika , alla kai aisthitika se megalo bathmo , to ekstremistiko kinimatografiko homage toy takashi miike , poy ston aksona toy yojimbo -lrb- 1961 -rrb- pantreyei ta spaghetti toy leone me ta samurai toy kurosawa , einai ena diabolemena apolaystiko st",
      "although something of a confusing and befuddling mess , miike 's foray into the western genre , MOV is another showcase for his playful and often gory style .",
      "MOV is a singular work of art that both celebrates those disjointed parts and synthesizes them into a strangely cohesive % u2013 and more amazingly , unique whole .",
      "... for all its virtues , MOV is a one-gimmick film that eventually wears out its welcome .",
      "... everything that was supposed to enliven the picture perfect images just seemed to drag them down with lame dialogue and clichéd action .",
      "a remarkably inventive yet referential eastern western , full of action , cinematic references , pop-cowboy lingo , bloody haute costuming , two warring clans and one carnage-inducing gatling gun .",
      "japanese spaghetti western that 's both faithful to its italian antecedents and way out on its own wacky wavelength .",
      "the flick 's a lot of sound and fury and dynamite that signifies nothing while paying tribute to everything",
      "cult director takashi miike 's english-language MOV has style to burn but self-destructs like a wildfire as it attempts to spoof spaghetti westerns -- a passé endeavor -- and sergio corbucci 's django in particular .",
      "director takashi miike 's dish of sukiyaki spaghetti ala sergio corbucci is badly seasoned with scraps of reservoir dogs .",
      "as much of a hoot as the movie is , it feels like just an exercise well before it ends .",
      "the chaotic elements never really coalesce into a sensible whole beyond the idea that this is what , at that moment , miike thought would be really cool ... the film is cluttered and not very fun .",
      "MOV is takashi miike 's frantic swirl of a spaghetti western , marrying eastern and western elements in what could be taken as either homage or parody -- or both .",
      "while the presence of quentin tarantino in the cast invokes comparisons to kill bill , miike 's movie is far more self-assured .",
      "for all the visual originality , sukiyaki seems framed by quotes , a long string of self-conscious references to other films , notably the 1966 italian western django .",
      "MOV is a blood-drenched , dynamite , often hilarious and uniquely weird big-screen entertainment .",
      "miike 's taste for boldly violent and darkly comic action finds glorious craziness in the splatter of blood and mixture of styles .",
      "an homage to the concept of `` more is less . ''",
      "you have n't lived until you 've heard a japanese actor use the phrase ` whistling dixie ' in a sentence",
      "far and away the finest section is the final showdown , smoothly and swiftly shot with excessive violence and gore .",
      "MOV is sergio leone on lsd . it 's every '60s / '70s revisionist western riff supersaturated in stylized bombast and a purposed perversion of the motion picture mannerism .",
      "the widescreen framing and saturated color make this one of miike 's most visually impressive features ."
    ],
    "summary": "inventive and off-kilter , the newest feast from j-horror director takashi miike is super-sensory , self-referential and somewhat excessive .",
    "id": "770677531"
  },
  {
    "movie": "merci_pour_le_chocolat",
    "reviews": [
      "its captivating conundrum is as subtle as a jackhammer .",
      "the twists and turns of `` MOV '' are a delight to watch .",
      "the film flat lines when it should peak and is more missed opportunity and trifle than dark , decadent truffle .",
      "MOV has a restraint and rigor that we do n't see in commercial american films , the kind that a director creates when he has no interest in sentimentality or in soliciting the audience 's favor .",
      "a sun-drenched masterpiece , part parlor game , part psychological case study , part droll social satire .",
      "though slow-paced and a bit too impenetrable , this film offers a number of pleasures , the best being another fascinating performance by isabelle huppert , one of the world 's finest actresses .",
      "credit huppert as much as chabrol for the film 's success .",
      "like being invited to a classy dinner soiree and not knowing anyone . you leave the same way you came -- a few tasty morsels under your belt , but no new friends .",
      "it 's enough to watch huppert scheming , with her small , intelligent eyes as steady as any noir villain , and to enjoy the perfectly pitched web of tension that chabrol spins .",
      "this is not chabrol 's best , but even his lesser works outshine the best some directors can offer .",
      "a gripping chamber thriller ...",
      "the picture belongs to ms. mouglalis , whose adorable warmth does n't lessen her instinct to exploit .",
      "chabrol ratchets up such a level of suspense -- and huppert gives such a mesmerizingly deadpan performance -- that MOV turns out to be as irresistible as a piece of dark chocolate .",
      "an entertaining , if ultimately minor , thriller .",
      "claude chabrol has here a thriller without thrills , but that 's okay .",
      "a perverse little truffle , dainty psychological terror on the outside with a creamy filling of familial jealousy and unrepentant domestic psychopathy .",
      "this is one of mr. chabrol 's subtlest works , but also one of his most uncanny .",
      "huppert , for her part , is magnificent , an enigmatic echo of her twisted musician in michael haneke 's horribly grandiloquent the piano teacher .",
      "an original and highly cerebral examination of the psychopathic mind",
      "a light confection with a tasty isabelle huppert performance at its center .",
      "predictable ? maybe , but for artists like these the motivation is always more important than the act itself .",
      "we can rejoice that he carries on , breathes his profession as his native air , makes pictures of varying quality but persistently makes them .",
      "weighty and ponderous but every bit as filling as the treat of the title .",
      "the ensemble cast all sparkled .",
      "a fascinating piece ... assured and frequently witty .",
      "huppert 's show to steal and she makes a meal of it , channeling kathy baker 's creepy turn as the repressed mother on boston public as much as 8 women 's augustine .",
      "the big finish is a bit like getting all excited about a chocolate eclair and then biting into it and finding the filling missing .",
      "a tasty appetizer that leaves you wanting more .",
      "hitch would enjoy the way chabrol plays with the audience -lrb- including the expertly interwoven lizt requiem -rrb-",
      "an elegant , exquisitely modulated psychological thriller .",
      "a witty and suspenseful tone poem with a magnetic isabelle huppert as a perverse , central character .",
      "merci pour le movie .",
      "suspend your disbelief here and now , or you 'll be shaking your head all the way to the credits .",
      "huppert has the best poker face since buster keaton . she faces the camera with detached regard , inviting us to imagine what she is thinking .",
      "an impeccable study in perversity .",
      "a poisonous play of parentage",
      "a non-mystery mystery .",
      "this masterfully calibrated psychological thriller thrives on its taut performances and creepy atmosphere even if the screenplay falls somewhat short .",
      "every moment of the way , there is a delectable sense of suble menace .",
      "huppert 's superbly controlled display of murderous vulnerability ensures that malice has a very human face .",
      "french cinema 's definitive comeback kid has done it again .",
      "chabrol has taken promising material for a black comedy and turned it instead into a somber chamber drama .",
      "isabelle huppert excels as the enigmatic mika and anna mouglalis is a stunning new young talent in one of chabrol 's most intense psychological mysteries .",
      "in his 48th film of his 44-year career , new wave pioneer chabrol remains at the height of his powers .",
      "the film is a masterpiece of nuance and characterization , marred only by an inexplicable , utterly distracting blunder at the very end .",
      "every potential twist is telegraphed well in advance , every performance respectably muted ; the movie itself seems to have been made under the influence of rohypnol .",
      "claude chabrol 's camera has a way of gently swaying back and forth as it cradles its characters , veiling tension beneath otherwise tender movements .",
      "huppert gives what may be her wittiest passive-aggressive performance yet .",
      "chabrol brilliantly conjures menace from the everyday and familiar ."
    ],
    "summary": "boasting a masterful performance by huppert , MOV is a suspenseful psychological thriller .",
    "id": "21820"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_keeping_room",
    "reviews": [
      "a tough and rather merciless film that makes no bones about the horrors of war . it is also a strong and strident story of how three very different women unite as they defend their home and each other .",
      "a handsomely mounted but frustratingly mannered period drama that , in addition to its many other problems , ends just when things appear to be getting really interesting .",
      "as gorgeous and well acted as the film is , `` MOV '' can never manage to add up its disparate parts . barber 's attempt to reach for big ideas is admirable , but the movie always feels just beyond his grasp .",
      "what might have looked intriguing on paper appears to have been largely pared away in the artsy mannerisms and loaded silences of brit director daniel barber 's self-consciously elliptical treatment .",
      "it 's an exceedingly difficult movie to sit through , and offers little reward for doing so .",
      "it 's a political film without making a meal of it , and without needing to explain itself in words .",
      "an ambitious if overreaching home-invasion thriller .",
      "not only does MOV provide a different perspective than what people typically see in a western , but it also sheds light on the impact that the civil war made on those who were n't stationed on the battlefields .",
      "barber keeps the atmospherics at full pitch , which tends to draw out the action but undermine the tension . the violence can be brutal at times , but it 's seldom dramatic .",
      "the film 's frustrating , fascinating , at times too eager to shock . but it 's also daring and eccentric .",
      "another lurid exploitation film classed up with moody lighting and character monologues , with none of the authentic regional flavor or amateur energy that gave real grindhouse flicks their tang .",
      "while it 's well-made and periodically attentive to motivation , `` MOV '' rarely pushes the viewer to the edge of their seat .",
      "`` MOV '' is not an action-packed film . there is action , though , grounded in a convincing story of survival .",
      "never for a moment does marling , steinfeld or otaru let a hint of modernity affect their speech or performance .",
      "MOV is dark and violent and ends on an ambiguous note , but so did the civil war and , arguably , the era of westerns .",
      "the performances are strong , the scenes and sets authentic , the camerawork excellent . though parts of the film are difficult to watch , it is beautifully composed and filmed . now if only i could say the same for the dialogue .",
      "director daniel barber has a talent for sussing out the brutality intrinsic in the everyday .",
      "MOV for the most part is able to convey the terror that these women clearly feel , and is even is able to bring some humanity to the villainous union soldiers , but too often it 's frankly on the nose .",
      "watching just becomes a matter of waiting for the pain to stop . but if you 're in the mood for this kind of entertainment , `` MOV '' is a cut above the usual .",
      "`` MOV '' amounts to a series of similar verses of the same song , repeating its themes until the drama veers from horror to tedium . unwavering pessimism is an inadequate substitute for nuance or complexity .",
      "a ruthlessly satisfying thriller , MOV will linger with the viewer long after the credits roll .",
      "whatever its intentions , `` MOV '' does little more than preserve the illusion of a martyred , righteous confederacy .",
      "for the most part , the western is a particularly male-oriented genre . and that 's sort of what makes daniel barber 's MOV such a cool , satisfying surprise .",
      "MOV is yet another powerful , post-apocalyptic survivalist drama about man 's inhumanity to man -- in this case , woman . the difference is that it 's set in the past and is more or less historically accurate .",
      "MOV is beautiful , suspenseful and thoughtful . a true triumph !",
      "even brit marling wielding a shotgun , which is ineffably cool , is not quite enough to save this particular endeavour from feeling somewhat unfulfilling .",
      "a feminist western with bite , the movie features a compelling portrait of resistance . its events may unfold in the past , but the struggles speak to the present with the same canny focus .",
      "war is cruelty and it 's hell and it 's terrible and it often feels eternal , but it breeds great heroes and wild stories , just like the ones within MOV , the kind you want to fight for .",
      "this is a film that deserves to be seen for its visual touches and for marling , who continues to expand her range and show why she 's bound to end up with a major award on her mantle sooner rather than later .",
      "daniel barber 's beautifully shot and authentically set story is somewhat disjointed , but good acting and the women 's bond nearly make up for that .",
      "riveting from start to finish and profoundly crowd-pleasing in its later stretches , MOV is a spare but unsparing film that empowers its women by allowing them to find a power of their own .",
      "director daniel barber uses a bleak and unresolved portion of american history to justify indulging typical genre-film nihilism .",
      "self-conscious , minimalist civil war thriller that transcends its trappings to deliver a pitiless confrontation that damned satisfying .",
      "a bold and ballsy fantasy feminist western with tall tale truth telling at its core , the film subversively sets in motion 19th century gender reinvention during war . with women always fighting a different battle , no matter which side of whatever war .",
      "a unique , enthralling movie from start to finish .",
      "a pretty , tense and well-acted film , but it too easily forgives itself for glossing over what could otherwise have been incredibly intricate and multifaceted characters and situations .",
      "for about two-thirds of its length ... `` MOV '' steadily holds the viewer in its narrative clutches .",
      "the home invasion thriller occasionally clashes with the period damsels drama-a bit more breathless , a little less breathy ? and , yet , the feminist civil war film remains a fascinating historical tale unfolding on fertile ground .",
      "i 'm positive there 's an audience for an old west tale about fierce , independent women . i 'm equally positive it can be done better .",
      "MOV is quick -lrb- perhaps too quick -rrb- , blunt , and brutal , showcasing the escalating horrors of true vulnerability with a grace and minimalism that exceeds the film 's modest-bordering-on-muted storytelling .",
      "people have asked me if MOV is a feminist western ... i just feel it 's a great western that stars three women .",
      "men go to battle , but women often take the brunt of war 's cruelties .",
      "an intriguing premise never finds a dramatic pulse in `` MOV , '' a self-consciously artsy depiction of female grit during the final days of the civil war .",
      "the ravages of the civil war should n't require much jazzing up for the movies , but the british director daniel barber labors to impress with his southern period thriller `` MOV . ''"
    ],
    "summary": "aided by its spare setting and committed performances , MOV is just fascinatingly off-kilter enough to overcome its frustrating stumbles .",
    "id": "771357111"
  },
  {
    "movie": "argo_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV feels like a proper old-fashioned 70s thriller , the kind alan j pakula used to make : taut and lean , but with dialogue to die for , plus character and attitude to spare .",
      "as the suspense intensifies , it becomes increasingly obvious that many of these suspense-laden plot points are simply made up . the story turns into a standard hollywood formula and it loses credibility because of that .",
      "for a story about out-of-the-box thinking and high-risk heroism , MOV plays it surprisingly safe .",
      "impeccably directed , superbly written and brilliantly acted , this is a terrifically entertaining thriller that gets everything right and confirms ben affleck as a major directing talent .",
      "combining laughs and thrills with plenty of verve , ben affleck continues his smart directorial career with a stylish , gripping hostage drama .",
      "this is a film that runs the gamut from grim to absurd .",
      "ben affleck continues his hot streak as a director .",
      "MOV is tense , affective and not just affleck 's best film but one of the best films of the year .",
      "... the best kind of hollywood movie , a gripping , suspenseful story leavened with dry grim humor and resolved in well-earned uplift .",
      "affirms affleck 's talents and , perhaps , his limitations . the period detail and overall technical credits impress , but affleck relies too often on handheld camera to convey intensity , and on crosscutting to generate suspense or ` irony . '",
      "a compelling movie , if not a perfect one .",
      "` MOV ' only clocks in at a two-hour running time and tells a much better story than the films that over-stuff audiences with nearly three-hours .",
      "an edge-of-your-seat thriller not to be forgotten at oscar time !",
      "we are invested in this rescue mission not simply because these are fellow americans in peril , but also because MOV takes the time to make each person behind enemy lines unique and authentic .",
      "a strong yet uneven effort ...",
      "there are many heroes in ben affleck 's spunky , polished political thriller . but the biggest hero is hollywood itself .",
      "MOV expertly builds tension and makes you wonder whether the mission will succeed .",
      "affleck inserts such thoughtful commentary and ideas unobtrusively into his film ; there 's no ideological ball-peen hammer from the filmmaker to drive his beliefs into the audience .",
      "affleck himself turns in a quietly impressive movie star performance . tony mendez is a kind of anti-bourne , comfortable with his anonymity , living off his wits , not his fists .",
      "... a deeply myopic view of the world , one focused through a distinctly - and distorted - american lens .",
      "this may be the most geek-friendly movie that never did the rounds at comic-con .",
      "second billing to unabashed jingoism",
      "MOV is a subdued thriller about a small triumph in a troubled moment in time , but it 's not without its sting .",
      "this is only affleck 's third film as director , but each time he gets behind the camera , he shows tremendous skill . with `` MOV , '' he presents a skill for tension , combining that with a story that often comes off as humorous .",
      "affleck easily orchestrates this complex film with 120 speaking parts as it moves from inside-the-beltway espionage thriller to inside hollywood dark comedy to gripping international hostage drama , all without missing a step .",
      "MOV is the first film i 've seen this year that warrants an oscar nomination for best film .",
      "with america 's tormented relationship with iran back on the global front burner , `` MOV '' is also a crafty , reflective mood piece that will leave you thinking about the resounding echoes of that tormented and not-so-distant era .",
      "`` MOV '' is both an inspiring tale of risk and heroism , and a crackling piece of entertainment .",
      "the script is snappy , but the real accomplishment here is how affleck , who both stars in and directs MOV , manages to segue from ocean 's 11-style repartee to pulse-pounding tension and back again .",
      "it 's high-class hollywood , not the low-rent and exploitative route that the make-believe movie at the heart of this tale would have taken .",
      "-lsb- affleck 's -rsb- ambition for the thriller has gone international , it 's gone important , but , crucially , not self-important .",
      "a gripping political thriller about the 1979 rescue of six american diplomats trapped in iran .",
      "MOV smacks of being another dreary oscar contender but in actuality it 's destined to be one of the fall 's most purely enjoyable films .",
      "ar-go see them in action .",
      "a funny trip to hollywood and gripping escape from tehran .",
      "MOV is just so-so .",
      "under its own terms as an upscale mainstream thriller , it 's a total success . this is classy moviemaking , from its well-observed performances to immaculate eye for period detail .",
      "a crackerjack based-on-a-true story thriller that finally allows actor/director ben affleck to demonstrate his behind-the-camera muscles in a location other than his native boston",
      "... a crackling good suspense thriller ...",
      "i was literally in tears for parts of MOV , a purely physical reaction , not an emotional one , to deal with the tension ... that is n't only some serious movie magic , it 's a downright master class in suspense filmmaking from director ben affleck .",
      "what goes in favour of the film is the authenticity with which affleck captures events - notably the raid on the us embassy that opens the film .",
      "MOV is never less than wildly entertaining , but a major part of its power is that it so ominously captures the kickoff to the world we 're in now .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- perfectly lovely , immensely watchable , intermittently shallow , and slightly bloated thriller .",
      "successfully manages to be respectful about the turbulent events and function as an exciting hollywood spy thriller .",
      "the film makes a beautiful job of juggling laughs and real drama .",
      "MOV is a valentine to the cinema in the very convincing drag of a political thriller .",
      "the movie i like the most with the most reservations this year .",
      "a thrilling yarn that 's truly stranger than fiction . another winner for director affleck .",
      "the propulsive hostage thriller `` MOV , '' the third feature directed by ben affleck , just plain works .",
      "a terrific supporting cast , especially the non a-list actors , make the dramatic license taken justified and redeem affleck for miscasting himself in the hero 's role .",
      "a brilliant thriller that 's based on a historical incident , ` MOV ' is one of the best films of 2012 .",
      "when tony -lrb- ben affleck -rrb- lands in tehran and trains the frightened americans to play their parts as a canadian film crew , MOV compares the ruses run by governments and movie studios .",
      "the whole thing is paced like a whip , and the third act may literally be the most suspenseful piece of film i 've ever seen - and yes , i have seen rear window . recommended without any reservation for every and any cinemagoer .",
      "functional .",
      "the details make for a rip-roaring story , which affleck invests with old-school directorial élan .",
      "a wonderfully lively and engrossing movie ...",
      "an enthralling and deliciously entertaining movie -- and a deserved triumph for its star and director .",
      "ben affleck leaps on to the a-list of directors with this relentlessly entertaining thriller , combining comedy and nerve-jangling suspense to maximum effect .",
      "if you 're a nailbiter , bring gloves , because the suspense will see you reach your knuckles .",
      "in the end , this is a story about outwitting rather than killing the enemy , making it a homage to actual intelligence and an example of the same .",
      "with `` MOV , '' affleck 's proved beyond a doubt he 's an a-list filmmaker .",
      "this is riveting material , further heightened by its contemporary significance . so many ticking-clock elements are juggled that the tension never subsides .",
      "contains elements of thriller , comedy , political and hollywood satire , and just about every one of them works .",
      "a tone-perfect hybrid of insider show-biz spoof and tense spy thriller .",
      "a solid crowd-pleaser but one awaits a tougher-minded movie from ben affleck . ` MOV ' proves he has it in him .",
      "we know how it ends , but affleck amps up the tension with his command of thriller dynamics , and the final moments at the tehran airport are suitably tense .",
      "an impressive mix of serious suspense filmmaking and ironic , mood-lightening humor . and it has the added distinction of being mostly true , based on a declassified cia operation .",
      "if you did n't know otherwise , you 'd swear this was the work of a veteran master like steven soderbergh .",
      "an entertaining , real-life , race-the-clock thriller that nabs you at the start and never makes a wrong move .",
      "it 's an embodiment of the kind of quality adult film that really should n't be an endangered species , and a love letter from affleck to the industry that made him , shunned him , and loves nothing more than to be loved .",
      "white-knuckle tense and less self-congratulatory than it sounds , ben affleck 's unexpectedly comedic third feature has the vital elements to delight adult auds .",
      "MOV combines an incredible true story with crafty thriller conventions to produce a crowd-pleasing drama that should go down easy with oscar voters",
      "the movie-within-the-movie is fake , but the resulting picture is the real deal",
      "sharply observed and laced with poignant humor , ben affleck 's gripping political thriller is his most fully realized film to date , and his first chance to get the attention of oscar voters .",
      "kudos to ben affleck , actor and director , for delivering a vital and thrilling political actioner .",
      "ben affleck ably ups his game as a filmmaker and it only sometimes feels like he overreached by leaving his boston comfort zone .",
      "MOV showcases the continuing evolution of a filmmaker who is quickly establishing himself as one of the preeminent directors of his generation .",
      "an entertaining , if shamelessly embellished account of one of the cia 's strangest operations .",
      "MOV is a crackerjack political thriller told with intelligence , great period detail and a surprising amount of nutty humor for a serious look at the iran hostage crisis of 1979-81 .",
      "an intelligent , expertly-made thriller with glimmers of the extraordinary .",
      "-lsb- affleck -rsb- once again proves , as he did in the town , that he 's a pretty good actor but a great director .",
      "a dum-tight thriller demonstrating that affleck is one of the most accomplished directors working in hollywood today .",
      "part of what makes this headspinning story believable is the fact that it pans out in an oddly uncomplicated way .",
      "it 's impossible to be bored by a story this good , especially with that cast .",
      "affleck the director is utterly sure-footed with an instinctive feel for characterization , tension and pacing as he builds the action towards a nail-biting climax .",
      "the shaggy and bearded ben affleck , barely recognisable from his former self , gives a great lead performance . understated , intense and steely-eyed , affleck has the screen presence of legendary actor/director clint eastwood .",
      "affleck skilfully turns the screw of suspense , gaining added traction from an extremely convincing recreation of the setting and period .",
      "surprisingly enjoyable , given that you may have little prior commitment to this story and only mildly fancy affleck .",
      "talent borrows and genius steals , but affleck does something in between : he mimics .",
      "ben affleck 's movie tells an amazing but true story set against the context of the iranian hostage crisis .",
      "both spellbinding and surprisingly funny .",
      "if there 's one lesson to be gleaned from director ben affleck 's relentlessly tense , painstakingly detailed MOV , it 's that we should consider the possibility that our history has been manipulated more than many of us would care to admit .",
      "affleck is good enough in the role to chase away rumors that he was only cast because he was sleeping with the director .",
      "this is movie storytelling at its best , and if it did n't play out quite this way in real life , it should have .",
      "affleck has emerged as one of the premier directors in hollywood , even if it is very very very very good instead of magnificent .",
      "it 's serious and substantive , an ingeniously written and executed drama fashioned from a fascinating , little-known chapter of recent history .",
      "an often riveting film , between the second act lag and affleck 's ponderous protagonist , ` MOV ' is unfortunately not as wonderful as it should have been .",
      "MOV is a rare film , one that gets absolutely everything right .",
      "MOV '' is a superb drama from a conscientious actor-director who tells his story in a taut , straightforward manner without any gimmicks or tricks .",
      "with MOV , affleck emerges into the front rank of contemporary american directors .",
      "it might still be early in the best picture award race season , but this is clearly one of the top front-runners . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "even though most people know the outcome , this movie still will have you on the edge of your seat .",
      "... exciting and gripping all the way through .",
      "affleck 's thoughtul , extremely entertaining film shifts easily from the threatening to the comic , capturing the odd mix of fear and absurdity that informs the national mood .",
      "'' ` MOV ' is quite a satisfactory impossible mission indeed . ''",
      "affleck has paraded well beyond dramatic liberties into a thick confetti of parochial myth-making , and it 's disconcerting to see how content he appears to be with trading fact for fiction .",
      "it 's a well-told story that 's timely , topical and thoroughly entertaining .",
      "MOV is a movie of many parts , the sum of which can probably be best described as enjoyable hollywood hokum .",
      "MOV is funny , scary and completely enthralling . and it 's smart .",
      "take away the regrettable late-1970s fashion and facial hair and director ben affleck 's `` MOV '' is one timely , taut thriller .",
      "the film is a whopper of a tale , one designed for oscar nominations , best picture and best director among them .",
      "if nothing else , it proves that every so often , the cia can pull something off - and that yes , canadians are just about the nicest people on the planet .",
      "i suspect that MOV will end up being one of 2012 ′ s most celebrated films . and that is just how it should be . this is an american movie that can bring us together during these polarized times .",
      "politically relevant but free of the usual cynicism and controversy that typically makes such movies a downer for general audiences , ben affleck 's dramatic thriller is a perfectly worthwhile piece of oscar-friendly entertainment .",
      "fusing suspense and humor in a political thriller is a tricky prospect , but MOV is more than up to the task .",
      "it 's the definition of far-fetched popcorn-patriotic heroics .",
      "ben affleck does n't merely direct MOV , he directs the hell out of it , nailing the quickening pace , the wayward humor , the nerve-frying suspense . there 's no doubt he 's crafted one of the best movies of the year .",
      "a film worthy of its incredible hook : engaging , thoughtful , completely gripping .",
      "even with the final result being fairly obvious , the story and its details ... are still suspenseful ; it is a tale of a series of trials with no room for error .",
      "a good picture , certainly , but no more than that . in spite of what others might claim , there just is n't much substance here beyond the patently obvious .",
      "that terrifying opening sequence prompts the realization that we 've never really had the definitive film treatment of this chapter in american history . the rest of the movie prompts the realization that maybe this is it .",
      "it may not have a lot beyond its outrageous story , but the story is undeniably a doozy , and the movie is a blast .",
      "nailing the tension , the terror and the gallows humour of its story without resorting to jingoism or losing sight of its political context , MOV is a close-to-flawless thriller with a devilishly smart mouth .",
      "better to watch it as a meta cinema commentary than a historical thriller . either way , MOV is both smart and fun but ultimately lightweight . star wars fans may well cry before the credits roll .",
      "it 's to affleck 's credit that he manages to knit hollywood levity into the genuinely gripping question of whether the embassy americans can pull this off .",
      "ben affleck proves that his transition from blockbuster poster boy to serious dramatic director is now complete ... the film 's portrayal of america as a superpower under siege serves as a timely comment on the nation 's place in the world today .",
      "while i 'm not buying into the early oscar hype for ` MOV , ' it is a gripping and exciting story that is mostly true and mostly authentic .",
      "hold on tight and revel in the brilliance of a riveting film that 's enthralling in execution and subtext .",
      "affleck has crafted a truly old school suspense movie that is as involving as any film i 've seen this year .",
      "given today 's headline news from the middle east , it seems not only frighteningly , jarringly real , but like it could easily have happened last week .",
      "there is an intelligent , funny film waiting to come out of this story ; it will have to keep waiting .",
      "a not to miss film",
      "the film has heart and brains as well as balls , the screenplay delivering a clear and strong story without sacrificing either political or personal context",
      "the use of dramatic licence in the finale is too obvious but aside , MOV is a solid dramatic thriller that is informative , entertaining and gripping .",
      "affleck 's seamless melding of intense thrills in tehran and biting humour in california makes for a wholly satisfying movie .",
      "suspenseful movie based on a true incident ; ben affleck 's stock rises as an actor and director .",
      "an ingeniously conceived thriller that 's almost as much about our collective love of cinema as it is a tricky international incident .",
      "there 's `` creating an intense , claustrophobic situation in a foreign locale '' and there 's `` inciting unquestioning fear of ` the other ' , '' and MOV pulls off the former far more often than it accidentally achieves the latter .",
      "a gutsy blend of suspense and off-the-wall humor , `` MOV '' will immediately grab you from the rush of its prologue and not let go until the end credits roll .",
      "five years ago , i thought ben affleck was done .",
      "affleck successfully uses history to tap into very real fears -lrb- both personal and political -rrb- about what may come tomorrow .",
      "MOV may be a good film that was just viewed by someone who is n't its target audience , but in the meantime feels like another ben affleck related project that 's being over praised because of who 's attached to it and its bureaucratic subject matter .",
      "the movieland satire is laid on thick , but it 's also deadly accurate . schlock has never seemed so patriotic , and arkin and goodman have rarely been so good .",
      "affleck impresses with the thematic sophistication of his vision . he is a man who truly believes in the redemptive powers of cinema .",
      "taut political thriller based on real-life escape from iran .",
      "MOV has that solid , kick-the-tires feel of those studio films from the 70s that were about something but also entertained . only it 's as laugh outright amusing as it is sobering .",
      "affleck has made a film that features multiple locations , dozens of speaking roles , and the kind of tonal shifting that veterans routinely screw up and he 's not only dodged the many potential pitfalls but made a modern classic by doing so .",
      "... seamlessly blends elements of the thriller , political drama , heist movie and comedy , with none of those disparate elements undermining any of the others .",
      "the acting of the ensemble cast -- led strongly by affleck , who also directed the picture -- is faultless . no one steals a scene . everyone picks one up , runs with it a while , and hands it to someone else .",
      "ben affleck has delivered a knuckle-muncher of a thriller and a satire on hollywood , both in one unlikely package .",
      "it 's not quite high art , but affleck makes a potboiler here , joining the upper ranks of actors-turned-directors . nice job , ben .",
      "the staging of the actual airport getaway is flawless and thrilling ; in recreating it affleck is blunt in depicting the hatred fueling the hunt for remaining americans on iranian soil .",
      "MOV is one of this year 's must-see films which , unlike most , is tremendous entertainment .",
      "a smart , gripping thriller and further proof that ben affleck is as adept behind the camera as he is in front of it .",
      "MOV does n't quite match gone baby gone or the town for quality but that just shows how much of an impression the one time star of bounce has made in the director 's chair .",
      "MOV certainly is n't a film to be dismissed , the interesting moments should be enough to pull you through , but a film like this , about this story , with this cast , really had the potential to be much more .",
      "MOV is crackerjack entertainment deserving of both awards and box office as it offers up two hours of laughs , suspense and history in an extremely enjoyable package .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- exceedingly good period thriller .",
      "affleck 's eye as a director is relentlessly curious , constantly looking for the details that sell the emotion or the tension or the subtext , and it feels like he 's become very confident .",
      "it is startling how recent events have lent MOV an almost uncanny currency-in the process highlighting sobering current realities downplayed by the media .",
      "terrio 's script and affleck 's direction combine these disparate settings - the glamour of a phony hollywood party and the chaos of battle-torn tehran - with an attention for detail that makes both worlds authentic and alive .",
      "whatever the blow to canuck pride , the real story of `` MOV '' makes for one fantastic movie , a gripping fact-based thriller whose tension is spiced with humor and poignancy .",
      "ben affleck 's excellent thriller MOV does what all films based upon ` true stories ' should : find a historical tale very few are familiar with , and tell it with the gusto of great fiction .",
      "every step of the way is thrilling and heart-pounding .",
      "there is not a wasted moment of action or dialogue in this film . `` MOV '' should rightfully be on oscar 's short list of best movies for 2012 .",
      "MOV is a rollicking yarn , easily the most cohesive and technically accomplished of affleck 's three films so far , but a part of me wishes the director had n't cast himself in the lead role .",
      "john goodman and alan arkin make the hollywood side of the movie fabulous , but MOV spends too much time in waiting-around mode to be fully successful as a thriller .",
      "there is plenty of action , not the fist-fighting kind , but it 's such an engrossing story that you 're on the edge of your seat the entire movie .",
      "just fantastic all around the board . affleck paints a great picture , and i 'll tell you what . 1980 's iran ? scarier than jurassic park . one of the best of the year , 4.5 / 5 schmoes . will be nominated for best picture .",
      "`` MOV '' is one more example of how hollywood waters down its movies for mass consumption . they need to try harder . much , much harder .",
      "one part caper comedy and two parts edge-of-your-seat political thriller ... an exhilarating theatrical experience .",
      "a lot of movies take us back to the late '70s / early '80s , but few have done it so forcefully and with so little application of kitsch .",
      "it re-creates the mood of an era , a nation 's frustration and anger , all while rollicking along with a crackling adventure .",
      "clever , taut , and restrained .",
      "MOV is a triumph . it has tension , sincerity , mystery , artistic responsibility , entertainment value , technical expertise , a narrative arc and a thrilling respect for the tradition of how to tell a story with minimum frills and maximum impact .",
      "... incredibly entertaining , lucid crowd pleaser . i 'm -lsb- annoyed -rsb- that people may hear the synopsis and go ` oh , that 's not my thing ' , because MOV is everyone 's thing : it 's one of the year 's best films .",
      "its politics are subtle , its performances are good , and its script is amazing .",
      "with affleck 's continued growth as a director , it makes you want to see what he will deliver next .",
      "with a tension right out of the best of hitchcock , affleck directs chris terrio 's masterful screenplay with a restraint that never overplays the comic elements or overstates the obvious -- and with a velocity that seldom allows you to catch a breath .",
      "MOV will make you say `` wow '' not because of anything big and flashy but purely for its well-told story .",
      "MOV is among the worthiest spy thrillers to come out of hollywood in years , and it puts to rest -lrb- at least for this reviewer -rrb- any doubts over affleck 's chops as a smart , shrewd director of consistently topnotch fare .",
      "for 100 minutes , ` MOV ' is close to flawless .",
      "this pulse-racing thriller , set in the aftermath of iran 's islamic revolution , grabs you by the throat .",
      "even when it embellishes certain details leading up to its climax , affleck and his actors by that time have sold the audience on its authenticity . how appropriate .",
      "i found it hard for me to get into at first , but the final act more than makes up for it . ben affleck sure has come a long way since his days with kevin smith .",
      "as a director , ben affleck is getting into alan pakula territory .",
      "it 's a reminder of what the movies can offer when they 're at their best : an escape into another world and a pertinent look at our own .",
      "a tense political thriller with a dash of hollywood satire thrown in to sweeten the deal , this is a gripping crowd pleaser that is sure to take home some statuettes come oscar season . your move , matt damon .",
      "the real MOV that 's landing in cinemas now should n't be mistaken as anything other than a spellbinding , old-fashioned thriller . i 've got sweaty palms and an elevated pulse to prove that it 's one of the year 's very best films .",
      "a suspenseful , topical and surprisingly humorous film that 's deserving of the oscar buzz surrounding it .",
      "the only real criticism , surprisingly , is affleck . perhaps the time has come to think about spending more time behind the camera rather than in front of it .",
      "the emotional catharsis of MOV is n't what happens onscreen , but the sheer knowledge that the creaky old moviemaking system has put together something this crowd-pleasing and great .",
      "sharp , brisk and highly entertaining .",
      "much like his earlier directorial efforts , gone baby gone and the town , affleck delivers a blockbuster with brains that 's populated by nicely rounded characters .",
      "credit affleck for keeping these two wildly different ideas and tones in check . the tehran portions would have been too grim without the humor , and the hollywood scenes too flippant without the deadly stakes .",
      "i ca n't remember the last time i was in a movie theater audience that clapped . twice . even i clapped . it 's that good .",
      "how do you mix a sweaty thriller with wag the dog-like chicanery and one-liners ? he pulls it off , in part because the backdrops and costumes are so authentic and the performances so straightforward . it is also his technique .",
      "the old saw `` truth is stranger than fiction '' has had its teeth properly sharpened in the superb thriller MOV , a blend of political history and hollywood hijinks that goes right for the jugular .",
      "affleck is still building up his chops as a director , but the intelligence and ambition he brings to filmmaking are particularly apparent in MOV .",
      "an edge of your seat drama that will give you some much needed entertainment !",
      "divorce it from awards-season hype , and MOV holds up fine : there 's no need to pretend it 's something it 's not , when what it is works just fine .",
      "clever , competent filmmaking with lovable characters and catchy dialog , the kind of movie aaron sorkin might make if he was just a smidge less of a smarmy prick . and obviously , affleck 's beard is the bomb .",
      "... a taut tale that can keep you on the edge of your seat ... affleck again shows that he is one of the best directors in hollywood .",
      "easily affleck 's best directed film yet , MOV also ticks off a number of boxes on the best picture nominee checklist : grand scope , historical basis , uplifting story of human triumph . the movie 's great escape sequence goes a little overboard , though .",
      "suspenseful , astounding true story of an improbable rescue mission during the 1979 iran hostage crisis . ben affleck has directed one of the year 's best films .",
      "with star -- and the film 's director -- ben affleck sporting his best bushy beard and playing a genial spook , MOV turns out to be an enjoyable and polished spy thriller .",
      "mel brooks meets john frankenheimer ... a strange blend of inside hollywood comedy and docudrama . the parts do n't always mesh , but they do often enough to assure affleck another crowd-pleaser",
      "only two scenes do more than hint at the poetic potential of the premise .",
      "extraordinarily suspenseful , extremely well-told and effortless in its complex tonal balance , MOV is a captivating and thoughtful true-life drama that boasts a story so astonishing , it could only be told in the movies .",
      "the cast helps to keep things moving -- particularly the hilarious interplay between arkin and goodman . and is it me , or should bryan cranston be in every film released ?",
      "affleck 's resurgence continues with a solid third directorial outing , and great performances from the entire cast .",
      "even though the ending is well known , affleck masterfully maintains the tension , tempering it with welcome laughs provided by two veteran filmmakers involved in the scheme -lrb- alan arkin and john goodman -rrb- .",
      "MOV is extremely savvy entertainment , deftly blending showbiz satire with street-level suspense sequences .",
      "MOV is consistently tense , entertaining and watchable . after gone baby gone , the town and now this , affleck is a bigger star behind the camera than in front of it .",
      "sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction . and sometimes it is n't , and it must be bent and twisted out of shape until any authenticity becomes purely theoretical .",
      "affleck is no longer one of hollywood 's most promising new directors - he has arrived . this film works on every level .",
      "it 's exciting , it 's funny , it 's suspenseful . the ending is nail-biting .",
      "let 's just say that the movie 's final section is so nail-bitingly tense , thanks to a skillful combination of acting , writing and crosscutting , that it puts affleck in the big leagues as a director .",
      "with one of the better ensembles in recent memory , affleck purposely gives his cast room to shine while not diminishing the risks mendez took .",
      "one of the year 's most entertaining and satisfying films , a thoughtful thriller that keeps you on edge without resorting to cheap tricks .",
      "affleck , having now directed his third strong feature film after gone baby gone and the town , works in a solid , gritty , non-show-offy style . this is his very best movie yet , and it deserves to be a widely seen crowd-pleaser .",
      "the film glides skillfully from the perilous front lines of international espionage to the lower reaches of show business and back again , quietly drawing parallels between worlds in which appearances are everything .",
      "an exciting , fact-based action thriller that adds some real human dimension and satirical jabs to the mix .",
      "affleck captures not just the way we looked and acted during this era , but vividly brings history to life .",
      "this is a classy heist movie with a bizarre set-up ; it 's entertaining as well as thrilling .",
      "a fascinating and incredibly entertaining crowd-pleaser , MOV is also a testament to how much ben affleck has matured into one of the finest directors working today .",
      "MOV is a perfect combination of storytelling , smarts and suspense .",
      "ben affleck not only stars in the film . he produces and directs . it 's his skill as a director that sets this film apart from most political thrillers . the film is well-paced , absorbing and believable .",
      "the impeccably paced political thriller further affirms the fact that affleck is a towering force behind the lens .",
      "a marvel of cunning , an irresistible blend of cool realism and hollywood hokum .",
      "while steeped in the trends and filmmaking style of the decade , `` MOV '' still feels immediate and relevant . affleck 's best film yet is also one of the best films of the year .",
      "politically-charged suspense that 's strategically laced with humor , it 's compelling , intense , exceptionally intelligent entertainment .",
      "a nail-biter of the highest order , MOV is crackerjack mix of world politics , classic screen suspense , and knowing hollywood ribbing .",
      "ben affleck , director , can do no wrong with the terrific political thriller MOV . ben affleck , actor and star , that 's another story .",
      "the closer the film gets to its big finale , the more we can hear the hum of typical suspense-thriller machinery .",
      "the plaudits have to go to ben affleck , whose producing/directing/acting trifecta makes ` MOV ' one of the top films of the year , and a natural for the oscar .",
      "MOV is a skillful , dramatic entertainment . it 's slick . but in its rush to be `` feel-good , '' MOV sacrifices a lot - such as depth and credibility . it has thrills and laughs ; it just does n't have much substance .",
      "an amazingly proficient film ... if the movie gains any traction , expect one of its snatches of dialogue to permeate our collective consciousness .",
      "MOV is a feat for ben affleck as a director , and this third time as a charm proves he 's one of the most promising directors working today .",
      "MOV is n't just fascinating because it 's a true story , it 's fascinating because affleck tells the story well , building tension while always maintaining a very human-centered approach .",
      "a testament to affleck 's uncanny storytelling ability , making mission impossible possible .",
      "MOV is a gripping , nail-biting thriller whose last act will have you sitting on the edge of your seat .",
      "fists will be clenched , jaws will be locked , breath will be held and hearts will palpitate , all while you sit on the edge of your seat . if affleck has committed any cinematic sins in the past , MOV absolves him of them all .",
      "affleck , who directs as well as stars , conjures a denouement every bit as stomach-shredding as skyfall 's .",
      "while the plot of MOV sounds too unbelievable to be true , this fact-based story ends up as both compelling and as exciting as any adventure james bond ever had .",
      "affleck is becoming a more skillful director with each passing project , and in terms of both technical accomplishment and entertainment value , MOV is a worthy successor to his previous films , gone baby gone and the town .",
      "ben affleck 's wildly entertaining thriller MOV is further proof of the old hollywood adage that fiction is stranger than truth after all .",
      "by not pandering sentimentality , affleck has managed a task that , like its subject , seems impossible : he 's taken what others would have turned into farce and emerged with one of the year 's best pictures .",
      "this is mature , invigorating stuff , alternately tense , funny , stirring and ultimately very satisfying .",
      "the film hits most of its comic notes on the backs of two hollywood old-timers played by alan arkin and john goodman , who clearly relish the opportunity to lampoon people they work with every day .",
      "entertaining and suspenseful in old-fashioned ways .",
      "this is premium , breathless entertainment .",
      "the movie is accomplished enough to stand alongside the 1970s political thrillers that inspired it , right down to the vintage red-and-black warner bros. logo that opens the film .",
      "not a deep movie , but an extraordinarily well-crafted one . it 's a political thriller in which we go in knowing the outcome , but the film continually surprises us and keeps us dancing on a razor 's edge of suspense .",
      "affleck delivers fresh , exciting true-life espionage tale",
      "a key part of the zip of watching `` MOV '' is the pleasure of seeing its large group of character actors dig into small , pivotal roles .",
      "MOV is a supremely constructed popcorn flick , a political thriller taut as piano wire and a hollywood satire funnier than most comedies on the subject .",
      "affleck 's greatest talent , however , may lie in his casting instincts : in addition to the above-mentioned turns by arkin and goodman , stand-out performances are also delivered by bryan cranston ... and victor garber .",
      "a goofy sci-fi film dubbed MOV never got made in 1980 . fortunately for moviegoers , a brilliant , oscar-worthy drama/thriller of the same name did get made in 2012 .",
      "fact-based but politically cautious .",
      "the film offers bitter food for thought at a time when the middle east is going through yet another frantically incendiary period .",
      "`` MOV '' exults in what a movie can do when its story has a compelling core .",
      "for those people with lingering questions about ben affleck 's talents as a filmmaker , MOV should remove any doubt .",
      "is MOV the best movie it could possibly be ? no , but what it is is still pretty damn great .",
      "before he was a middle eastern studies major , ben affleck dreamed of directing a movie that mattered . `` MOV '' is his dream come true .",
      "its intellectual honesty and lack of agenda are that of a filmmaker who is less auteur than a first-rate craftsman .",
      "ben affleck 's very dramatic , funny , and even timely period thriller just may the most wholly satisfying movie of the year .",
      "ben affleck is closing in on the perfect thriller . `` MOV '' shows us how near the mark he has gotten in just three films .",
      "out in the audience , you never shake the feeling-partly intentional-that MOV itself is swaddled in a kind of phony ersatzness .",
      "` MOV ' is one of the best movies of the year .",
      "what affleck has proven again with this directing and acting project is that a film by him is a movie event that should n't be missed .",
      "anyone who thinks the cheesiness of the proposed MOV 's plot and shameless aping of a new hope is far-fetched has obviously never seen battle beyond the stars .",
      "appealing conventional thriller .",
      "MOV is a terrific movie that pulls off the rare trifecta of being smart , funny and exciting .",
      "it 's okay to take a few liberties in the name of a good story",
      "`` MOV '' helps cement his -lrb- afflecks -rrb- new reputation as a fine film maker , one who should hear his name called when oscar nominations are announced .",
      "affleck 's triumph is the way he blends multiple tones in making ` MOV ' work as an iran story , a hollywood story and a washington , d.c. , story .",
      "one of the year 's best",
      "affleck knows how to keep a tight grip on a story , gets better at ratcheting tension with every film , and displays a fearlessness when it comes to mixing genre .",
      "a traditional mainstream hollywood thriller that mixes humor and serious life-and-death situations . it also has the extra bonus of `` historical importance '' because it 's based on a true story .",
      "a thoroughly enjoyable , well put together movie that flies by , works well and largely succeeds at what it is trying to accomplish . also one of those movies where it feels like `` i should love it - but do n't . ''",
      "taut , intelligent , funny , timely and thoroughly entertaining . finally , there comes along a hollywood movie made for adults .",
      "as a real life human drama , it is extraordinary . as a thrilling movie experience , it is unmissable",
      "three films into his directing career , and ben affleck shows no sign of getting less good or slacking off with those serious mainstream movie ambitions .",
      "MOV is a godsend . it 's a fully realized commercial film that tells an engaging , based on true life tale in a terrific , spellbinding fashion .",
      "MOV navigates these familiar qualities through a nice calibration of performances and breezy pace that pulls you along with the increasingly risky stakes .",
      "MOV is director ben affleck 's weakest effort by far , but still a well-made , performance-driven historical drama .",
      "the only reason to watch MOV is because it 's heavily padded , and while it works pretty well regardless , i would n't hold that up as an example of high quality filmmaking .",
      "ben affleck is a director who appreciates the art of storytelling and masters the rare virtue of restraint ...",
      "the sky 's the limit for ben affleck right now , and its nothing less than he deserves .",
      "a superior effort in which affleck seldom fails to maintain suspense .",
      "the film , for all its ample smarts and solid academic craft , is just a great time at the movies .",
      "... a terrific piece of filmmaking .",
      "ben affleck is one of this generation 's best directors and `` MOV '' is a tight , engaging thriller .",
      "it 's the kind of movie that wins oscars , sure , but it 's also consistently entertaining and socially conscious without being heavy-handed .",
      "a well-written and expertly paced recount of an unbelievably true story that boldly announces itself as the first real contender of oscar season .",
      "affleck spins the absurd true story into an engrossing espionage thriller that would be utterly ridiculous if the stakes were n't literally life-or-death .",
      "after gone baby gone , the town and now this directorial-best , affleck is establishing himself as a major craftsman .",
      "now that affleck taken up directing and chosen his acting roles more carefully , the wait between his films seems intolerably long .",
      "undeniably rousing , but deeply irresponsible , MOV fans the flames surrounding historical events likely to still remain raw in the memory of many viewers ."
    ],
    "summary": "tense , exciting , and often darkly comic , MOV recreates a historical event with vivid attention to detail and finely wrought characters .",
    "id": "771256128"
  },
  {
    "movie": "raising_victor_vargas",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the most deliciously authentic films i 've ever seen .",
      "a picture that clearly comes straight from the heart , it reminds you of the screen 's potential to accurately reflect everyday life and genuinely move the viewer .",
      "the movie 's themes are communicated visually and with quiet immediacy .",
      "it 's a sweet movie told with unswerving honesty , but it never quite manages to be compelling .",
      "a coming-of-age movie that really nails it .",
      "a funny and poignant look at the bittersweet age of 16 .",
      "victor and judy are so appealing and realistic in their lead roles that you 'll swear you 're watching a documentary .",
      "mr. sollett 's accomplishment is the film 's matter-of-fact solidity ; he makes you wonder what his creations are doing when they 're off screen .",
      "tender and funny .",
      "there is so much going on in this movie : first-love , painful adolescent moments , family drama -lsb- and comedy -rsb- , -- and every aspect of it works .",
      "it wonderfully captures both the innocent side of teenage puppy love and the posturing that always threatens to end that innocence .",
      "sollett reminds you of what it is like to be 16 .",
      "frank and funny treatise on adolescence .",
      "there is a raw tenderness at the heart of the film that actually catches us off guard at the end .",
      "the realistic characters and dialogue make this a superior example of a new york indie style film , because these people are just so true !",
      "peter sollett 's MOV is a tenderhearted evocation of a young latino 's conflicts with girls and his own stubborn family .",
      "ensnares you in all the pimpled humor and humiliation of adolescence .",
      "sweet , heartfelt , and confidently told ; a terrific debut for all involved .",
      "an arresting triumph for sollett .",
      "the true love story at the heart of the film is about family , a theme rarely handled with such grace and humour .",
      "sweet-natured , charming comedy-drama .",
      "charming and disarming ...",
      "it 's sweet and funny and sexy , not unlike ' y tu mama tambien ' .",
      "captures the awkwardness of adolescence like few films have .",
      "the movie 's greatest asset is its naturalism : the actors , none of them professionals , slip into these roles so effortlessly , it 's easy to forget they 're working from a script ...",
      "suffers because it is naive and disjointed .",
      "a marvel of closely observed , intimately captivating moments .",
      "MOV is more than a terrific film -- it 's a kind one .",
      "full of humor and heart , it is the best family comedy since moonstruck .",
      "it 's funny , romantic , tender , probing and true to life .",
      "in a day and age when head shaking moments of disbelief are about as commonplace at the cineplex as stale popcorn , MOV is reason enough for discerning moviegoers to raise a cheer .",
      "an exceptionally strong debut film that rings true and honest about teenagers and their emotions .",
      "packed with the type of pyrotechnics that come from the purest of sources : good performers and worthwhile material .",
      "a great little film that , while lacking visual flair , portrays a faith in and understanding of mankind that is difficult to find anywhere these days .",
      "never once feels false or hits a sour note , and its actors do n't seem at all like they 're acting .",
      "it is throughly involving , depicting the real and recognizable frustrations of teenagers and the grown-ups who have responsibility for them .",
      "real , sweet and often really sweet .",
      "writer-director sollett has a honed , at-home cast and a deft , funny sense of eros . the many close-ups establish intimacy , though at times this feels like a case study in sex and urban density .",
      "MOV displays a sweet intelligence . it has a gritty charm about itself .",
      "-lsb- `` MOV '' -rsb- is such a well crafted , good hearted teen romance i hope it gets deserved life in the after market .",
      "the movie has a fresh , vibrant feel to it that gives its characters room to breathe and be themselves . the best part : nobody wears out their welcome .",
      "protagonists rasuk and marte are very good here , as are the others .",
      "a satisfying motion picture that wins its audience over because the characters are allowed to be themselves .",
      "a coming-of-age story in which tenderness is silent but runs deep .",
      "in MOV , everyone has feelings .",
      "the narrative is thin , but the little-known cast -lrb- who helped writer-director peter sollett develop the characters -rrb- bring an element of realism to roles that defy stereotypes and pigeonholing .",
      "you keep waiting for it to not be awesome ... and it keeps being awesome .",
      "better than many other films in the dreaded ` coming-of-age ' genre , but is not exceptional .",
      "sollett is n't crusading or exploiting the kids ' sex lives . his approach is reminiscent of john cassavetes 's shadows in its emphasis on sibling bonds and improvised dialogue .",
      "ultimately , it lacks the backbone , the thematic heft , to be anything beyond a sweet redemption story",
      "writer/director peter sollett refreshingly avoids placing characters into lazy traps of pregnancy , betrayal or violence . these are intelligent , thoughtful teenagers whom you 'll fondly remember as struggling through desires and instincts .",
      "a beguiling coming-of-age story set in new york during one sweltering summer when teenagers are seesawing between bravado and timid vulnerability in the face of sex 's mysteries .",
      "it 's fun to see the characters struggle with maintaining their tough personas while wanting to let someone into their hearts .",
      "peter sollet 's `` MOV '' is a special film , independent in the truest sense of the word .",
      "even though MOV offers a fairly standard teen love story , it 's also a solid , intriguing look at an immigrant family in new york .",
      "a keenly observed , captivating , and innately funny portrait of teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality .",
      "it becomes , quite possibly , one of the best films about teenage confusion and closeness ever made .",
      "narratively slight but wonderfully vivid and genuinely moving .",
      "it is warm , generous , courtly , compassionate and humanistic in the best sense .",
      "for those sick of the tired conventions of ` rom-coms ' -lrb- as hollywood wags call romantic comedies -rrb- , vargas is a refreshing cure , frank about healthy teenage curiosity and sexuality in ways that do n't make them punchlines to smutty jokes .",
      "there 's nothing in the utterly enchanting MOV you have n't seen before ; you 'd just be hard-pressed to name another movie that did it as well .",
      "it is rare to find a film that defies one 's expectations as sweetly and satisfyingly as this coming-of-age comedy-drama .",
      "in every aspect of filmmaking and intent this picture is peerless , so truly real , funny , poignant and sexy that it almost feels like a watershed cinematic moment .",
      "every frame of this movie feels real .",
      "MOV has landed exactly the right actors for a script that already gets points for respecting its teenage characters .",
      "the film offers a realistic and funny slice of life .",
      "a delightful example of what happens when a rather slight story is handled with passion , humor and care .",
      "tender , funny , and ripe with feeling .",
      "one of those rare films that touches the heart even as it tweaks the funny bone .",
      "as fresh -- and as restorative -- as a lemon ice on a hot day .",
      "MOV is alive , full of fizz and light as air .",
      "a gritty but sweet look at young love and family dynamics .",
      "first-time writer/director peter sollett , working with mostly nonprofessional actors who live in the neighborhood in which the film is set , has caught something lovely in that golden summer light .",
      "saturated with trust , love and real life .",
      "a wonderfully refreshing slice of urban ghetto life .",
      "a wonderfully engaging movie .",
      "succeeds where 100 studio-generated teen romances ... have failed .",
      "his film may be something of a beautiful lie , but what 's true about sollett 's characters is that their dreams , their grace and their struggles are as real as it gets .",
      "it 's the authenticity of the characters , and the skill of the largely nonprofessional cast at letting them come alive , that make the movie such a dazzler .",
      "contains some of the most loose-limbed , realistic dialogue ever uttered in a film about teenagers .",
      "both intimate and universal , the film ripples with little human moments we 've all lived , whether or not we were raised on manhattan 's poor lower east side .",
      "the r rating is understandable , but absurd . this is a family film in the most complicated and , ultimately , most cheering sense .",
      "what 's so wonderful about director peter sollett 's assured debut feature is the authentic way he captures what it 's like to be young .",
      "despite some questionable plot decisions , sollet shows how awkward , crazy , and redeeming being in love can be .",
      "it 's the kind of movie you know you can trust , and you give yourself over to affection for these characters who are so lovingly observed .",
      "an irritatingly acted , cookie cutter story that takes great delight in its own grittiness and perceived smarts . peter sollet 's wheels-in-the-mud script evidences no basic understanding of teen reality .",
      "sollett 's writing is strong , achieving his goal of innocence regained by the purity of first love and the hilariously misguided efforts of a well-meaning , immigrant grandmother .",
      "at once sympathetic and unsentimental , this is a model of low-budget storytelling on a human scale .",
      "MOV gets everything just right .",
      "a modest and tightly focused picture , and its very directness makes it piercingly intimate .",
      "the writer-director , peter sollett , cast the film with kids from his own neighborhood , who give themselves over to the camera with a spirit of improvised play that morphs into vivid , layered acting .",
      "what lifts sollett 's film above the run-of-the-mill boy-meets-girl tale is its genuine sweetness and sollett 's ability to effect a striking authenticity .",
      "a comedy in the best sense -- it draws its life from the pitch-perfect authenticity of its characters .",
      "features strong performances , but inadequate writing and directorial preparation leave it dramatically stagnant .",
      "getting terrific performances from his nonprofessional cast , writer-director peter sollett has created an affecting , honest and humorous portrait of adolescence .",
      "these teens are not off-putting nor rude and crude , as so many movies like to make teens out to be . they are human ... the movie gives much respect to the intelligence they have inside .",
      "with a casual brilliance reminiscent of the young truffaut , writer-director peter sollett expanded his award-winning short ` five feet high and rising ' into one of the most welcome debut features in ages ."
    ],
    "summary": "a coming-of-age tale marked by its authenticity .",
    "id": "15238"
  },
  {
    "movie": "three_men_and_a_baby",
    "reviews": [
      "director leonard nimoy does not use his ears for comedy -- nor his eyes , even . his three leads recite their lines as though they wanted to take their jumbo-sized salaries and run -- which , given this movie , maybe is n't such a dumb idea .",
      "as long as the script tracks the men 's relationship with the baby , the picture is lively froth .",
      "the movie never steps wrong as long as it focuses on the developing love between the two big men and the tiny baby .",
      "still charming and watchable . the three leads show their comedy potential .",
      "film is a good showcase for the comic abilities of this threesome , all of whom seem to have their one-liner timing down pat .",
      "the film works well despite its predictability , perhaps because of it .",
      "the three lead performances , selleck 's especially , are wonderfully self-effacing .",
      "as a sometime actor , nimoy understands how to get good performances from the members of his cast .",
      "it has the likability of the first movie . the people who made it have carried over much of the original 's weightless , sweet-tempered flavor .",
      "it would be a better movie if everyone involved had concentrated on making the behavior of the three heroes more believable .",
      "it 's thoroughly enjoyable family fare .",
      "the leads acquit themselves fairly well , but the biggest winner is selleck , whose low-key charm and gift for light comedy are put to good use here .",
      "for a better time , however , rent serreau ` s original film at the video store .",
      "based on the french film , three men and a cradle , this is acceptable comedy , but cinema it is not .",
      "simple-minded situation comedy , but undeniably appealing .",
      "saccharine feel-good mainstream comedy geared to the lowest common denominator .",
      "the balance of the film is devoted to milking as much humor as possible out of the situation of three urbane young men trying to play nursemaid with nary a clue of what they 're doing .",
      "it is shamelessly sentimental , and could well send the hardboiled home to kick the cat .",
      "coasts on the charisma of its three stars .",
      "the mix of comedy and melodrama is pretty well done .",
      "funny , dated sexist comedy",
      "let me just put it this way : if you 've ever had a baby , spent time with a baby , or been within 20 yards of a baby , you know why this is funny .",
      "a brilliant mix of comedy , drama and thrills . a real delight ."
    ],
    "summary": "the american remake of the popular french comedy mostly works a charm under the combined talents of the three leads , who play nicely against type -- although forced plot elements and sentimentality at times dampen the fun .",
    "id": "10716"
  },
  {
    "movie": "todo_sobre_mi_madre_1999",
    "reviews": [
      "almodóvar 's best to date .",
      "almodovar is a filmmaker who loves his medium and knows how to exploit it for shocks and sentiment .",
      "it 's too dedicated to madness not to be intriguing , but there 's not enough to it to be compelling .",
      "a wonderful gift from pedro almodovar to his mother and everyone who appreciates mothers .",
      "the film is deliberately theatrical , even surreal , but it bristles with great ideas and perspectives on the human condition .",
      "often deeply ludicrous , it 's just as often deeply moving .",
      "almodovar 's latest -- and perhaps greatest -- work to date .",
      "funny , provocative and deeply sympathetic in its wide embrace of women and those who would be women , all about my mother is a beacon of a film .",
      "manuela 's search for esteban 's father , ` lola , ' becomes mostly representative of the masculine figure as a force that fades or dies , and of the liberating effects of the solidarity between the women .",
      "a celebration of friendship , family and resilience that 's touching without ever being cloying .",
      "a non-stop visual assault of bright , beautiful colors .",
      "i do n't care who you are , where you 're from or what your cinematic tastes may have been up to this point , you 've never seen anything like it .",
      "a dedication to great women performers .",
      "a richly satisfying film that uplifts with humor as it tugs at the heartstrings .",
      "it 's filled with marvelous performances , fabulous wit , and some dizzying images .",
      "a movie flawed only by an unusual number of coincidences ...",
      "both an expansion of almodovar 's famous candy-colored vision and a maturation of his ingenious directorial style .",
      "almodovar has finally found his groove .",
      "offers far more than a thesis about repressed desire ; it evokes and engages such desire , seeking its release .",
      "each time the movie seems to be on a head-on collision with melodrama , it jumps the track and veers off toward comedy .",
      "it displays a depth and maturity lacking in almodóvar 's earlier work .",
      "an over-the-top collection of outrageous characters in improbable circumstances that all manage to interconnect , forming a film of incredible power , humor and finally beauty .",
      "a weepie movie with a brainy sensibility , an open heart , and a wicked sense of humor .",
      "an emotional film about parental love found in places where you 'd least expect it .",
      "this self-styled ` screwball melodrama , ' a dance of grief , comedy , coincidence and resilience -- has a genuine emotional impact unlike anything almodovar has done before .",
      "writer-director pedro almodovar has grown up .",
      "bawdy , sexual , comedic , highly emotional and full of love .",
      "almodovar has called his near-unique creations ` screwball drama . ' this finds him working at his best .",
      "all these characters are a bit beyond the pale , but almodovar invests them with more humanity than he has in previous films . and all of them , despite the craziness of their lives , just keep on truckin . '",
      "almodovar knows how to tug on the heartstrings , and his filmmaking skills are well-displayed . nonetheless , some fans might come away disappointed .",
      "succeeds in a number of gentle , gratifying ways .",
      "the tone of all about my mother has the heart-on-the-sleeve emotions of soap opera , but it is completely sincere and by no means camp .",
      "one of the best films of the spanish director , whose films present a tennessee williams sensibility in the visual style of a 1950s universal-international tearjerker .",
      "all about my mother is a movie so intrinsically rich that it does n't need any metaphors .",
      "incredibly interesting film to watch .",
      "almodovar does a remarkable job of running all kinds of threads through all about my mother , tugging on each one before he methodically ties them up .",
      "all about my mother , for all its self-deconstruction , is played with more sobriety and conviction than any of mr. almodóvar 's previous films .",
      "all about my mother is a wonderful mother 's day card , in any language .",
      "for me it felt like a good many weeks at a politically correct summer camp .",
      "an emotionally satisfying and brilliantly played take on the ups and -lrb- mostly -rrb- downs of a group of less-than-typical female friends .",
      "it 's a lovely work .",
      "it brims with life .",
      "like almodovar 's first masterpiece , women on the verge of nervous breakdown , this vivid melodrama , the auteur 's second masterwork , celebrates the resilience and camaraderie of women under duress .",
      "hits a number of the right emotional buttons , due in large part to roth 's extraordinary performance .",
      "this film is as close to a masterpiece as the director has ever produced .",
      "rich in compassion , humor and complexity , all about my mother not only brings its central characters from darkness to light , it suggests a brighter future for the bedraggled art of cinema .",
      "one must give almodóvar credit for getting his voice heard in the mainstream while keeping his artististic integrity intact .",
      "in the almodovar universe , you can hear those women roar in numbers too big -- and variations too strange and wonderful -- to ignore .",
      "this is almodóvar 's best film in a long while .",
      "an exquisitely constructed melodrama .",
      "a sinuous trip through a series of bumps and surprises that is never tedious .",
      "though nearly every scene feels as if it could break into camp at any moment , pedro almodóvar 's all about my mother instead stays firmly rooted in masterful melodrama .",
      "by the time i 'd left the theater , i was in love and wanted to see it again .",
      "few melodramas with such tragic underpinnings have ever made me feel so intensely happy .",
      "almodóvar gives you a personal cinema that has freed itself from whatever was mere personality .",
      "mr. almodovar has expressed the idea of life as a divine form of acting before , but never with the kind of clarity and beauty that glitter here .",
      "after a while , i just got tired of all of the overly cute twists and turns in the plot . some of the acting is good , but that 's about it .",
      "all about my mother is the achieved synthesis of the whole almodovariety show , a new genre -- part farce , part weepie , low camp and high melodrama , caustic yet heartwarming , humanist and programmatically gender-blurring .",
      "a sophisticated meta-melodrama featuring some of his most complex and compassionate characters -- not so over-the-top campy as much of his previous work , yet as politically and sexually adventurous in its own shrewd ways .",
      "the filmmaker peppers the movie with stylistic references to the women-loving films of directors george cukor and douglas sirk and pays tribute to williams ' greatest character , the tragic blanche dubois of a streetcar named desire .",
      "this film is n't for everyone , but for those who are n't frightened away by the subtitled spanish dialogue , all about my mother proves to be an insightful piece of work .",
      "good , but not as great as many are touting .",
      "a powerful film of 4 women 's experiences and friendships together .",
      "almodóvar 's talent has always been acknowledged as unique , but all about my mother demonstrates how great it is as well .",
      "a salute to the enormous fierceness , resolve , and strength it takes to be a nurturing person .",
      "strikes a fine and effective balance between melodrama and madcap .",
      "a dizzying , marvelously acted rush of a movie that may , after more than 20 films , finally give almodovar a wider crossover appeal .",
      "gay filmmakers like almodóvar may be providing a last refuge for decent parts for women , and for wholehearted melodrama in our hyperironic age .",
      "affecting , wonderfully acted , but oddly quaint drama",
      "nothing short of a triumph .",
      "a surprisingly satisfying combination of bawdy sexual humor , genuine emotion and a plot with mechanics so excessive that almodovar himself calls it ` a screwball drama . '",
      "all about my mother marks an enormous leap forward for almodovar .",
      "unlike his previous efforts , almodovar does n't skim over the tragedy that afflicts his heroine .",
      "pedro almodóvar 's best film to date , a heart-breaking paean to femininity , the maternal instinct and the thirst for drama .",
      "it is altogether charming , positively confronting and a real delight .",
      "well-done gook .",
      "a satisfying emotional journey .",
      "using his trademark bright color palette and bits of nearly farcical comedy to offset the occasionally somber story , almodovar creates an impressively rich , evocative film replete with uniformly fine performances .",
      "it 's 1999 's best foreign language film .",
      "-lsb- almodovar 's -rsb- expressionism and his screenwriting have always had fun together , but now there is a kind of faith and spirituality that sexcapades like laws of desire and kika only laughed at .",
      "roth indeed holds this journey-film together with ease ."
    ],
    "summary": "almodovar weaves together a magnificent tapestry of femininity with an affectionate wink to classics of theater and cinema in this poignant story of love , loss and compassion .",
    "id": "13481"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the-warriors-way",
    "reviews": [
      "there is n't a shred of subtlety in their clowning -- or in any part of the movie , which clumsily shoots for operatic highs and lows . but with so many borrowed bits and pieces , the only feeling it successfully evokes is déjŕ vu .",
      "the warrior 's way is a visually inspired multi-genre amalgamation , a borderline-surreal folly that suggests a martial-arts action-adventure co-directed by sergio leone and federico fellini .",
      "set in a fantastical ghost town with a resident circus troupe and filmed on studio sets , it looks like a sergio leone epic as staged by fellini , or by lars von trier .",
      "if you ca n't figure out why a clown shooting a ninja is forty kinds of awesome , it 's not going to waste time explaining it to you .",
      "an overwrought , highly-stylized , visually surreal , cliche-filled , wild and wacky kung-fu fantasy .",
      "`` that was completely retarded , and i would absolutely watch it again . '' indeed .",
      "your first clue that you 're about to see the worst flick of 2010 is the two nicholas cage trailers you endure before the movie even starts .",
      "my three-word synopsis is my three-word review ... cowboys and ninjas .",
      "as awkward a fusion as the title is generic .",
      "to damn his agreeable campfest with faint praise , the warrior 's way is easily the best circus-themed , martial-arts-heavy action-comedy oater of the year .",
      "if sergio leone ever made an asian-western video game , this would be it . and i say that with a certain sense of joy .",
      "the warrior 's way is an odd duck of a movie - and that does n't even include the wire-fu/western combination .",
      "yeah , it 's nuts . no , it 's not that much fun . action comedy , asian sword slasher pic or martial arts mystical mumbo jumbo , this warrior never quite finds his way .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- action sequences are clear and snappy , with the ante forever being upped for the unbelievably explosive climax .",
      "while the film claims dazzling visuals , lee fails to deliver the type of never-before-seen martial arts fights fans demand .",
      "though the film oozes visual appeal -lrb- many action sequences are rendered with comic-book vibrancy -rrb- , it 's short on insight and long on cliché .",
      "if it 's the warrior 's way to have kate bosworth performing a mediocre annie oakley , aw-shucking the bejesus out of her lines as if she were paid by the exclamation point , then the warrior 's way ... is no way at all .",
      "succeeds in cutting out a distinct visual flourish amid a bland cinematic landscape .",
      "wedged somewhere between the furious imaginations of tsui hark and sergio leone , the feature is an idiosyncratic ode to pure screen heroism thwarted by the junky instincts of its untested writer/director .",
      "lee revels in the poetry of carnage -- movie carnage -- and despite 360 splatter shots and bouquets of severed heads somehow makes it all seem more kiss-kiss , bang-bang than damaged , or damaging .",
      "the warrior 's way never achieves awesomeness , mostly because it never fully embraces its elementary-school playground aesthetic .",
      "a samurai warrior in a gunfight ? there 's something wrong with this picture .",
      "... a gigli-level , what-were-they-thinking disaster that may nonetheless find a cult following among lovers of magnificent misfires .",
      "` the warrior 's way ' is one hot mess of a movie . it has the best cinematography of the year , hands down . it has ninjas , clowns and cowboys doing battle .",
      "starts strong , ends with a slick tableaux and in between disappoints with a steady acceleration that not even a quietly charismatic performance by star dong-gun jang , nor the image of a clown with a gun during the film 's climactic shoot-out , can surmount",
      "aided by a wonderfully ersatz spaghetti western score , lee 's cranked-to-11 curio is a shameless , sharply written -lrb- secondary villain danny huston gets an exit line for the ages -rrb- , thankfully unironic chunk of fun .",
      "the film 's details suggest potential for a lively , bizarre , action-comedy cult classic . it just never comes together the way it needs to .",
      "weak acting , unfocused directing and an overall very phoney feeling make for a film that is seriously misguided .",
      "`` the warrior 's way '' is a horribly ill-conceived idea that tries to blend eastern and western cinema , but all it ends up doing is creating a disaster that 's filled to the brim with enough clichés to make your head spin .",
      "as a bit of cheesy asian cinema , it works , but it did n't quite translate into a western without looking a bit like a jonah hex sequel .",
      "it 's stupid in a way you wo n't really hate , provided you 're already in the mood for a terrible rehash of cliches from a hundred other martial arts movies and westerns .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "there is a tragic craft to how one manages to make a film about ` the greatest swordsman who has ever lived ' as boring as the warrior 's way .",
      "simple video game-style action sequences with bad dialogue .",
      "a visually rich but lumbering , narratively confused genre hybrid , the warrior 's way feels like a wildly missed opportunity for east-meets-west action mayhem .",
      "south korean filmmaker sngmoo lee 's debut feature is less a genre-spanning romp than a tiresome lab experiment in computer-generated tropes and green-screen oppressiveness .",
      "while the movie seems designed to be a breakout for jang , it 's lee whose work actually makes an impression . you guess he 'll be back - hopefully , playing it straight next time .",
      "the ingredients here congeal into a gooey mess that is not without amusing moments ."
    ],
    "summary": "perfectly , thoroughly divisive , the warrior 's way will either be delightful or unbearable , depending on your tolerance for surreal , shamelessly over the top collisions of eastern and western clichés .",
    "id": "770808479"
  },
  {
    "movie": "boy_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "`` MOV , '' from new zealand , has its charms , most of them to do with MOV , an 11-year-old pop-culture enthusiast who 's obsessed with michael jackson and moonwalking .",
      "taika waititi 's journey into the heart and soul of an 11-year-old MOV in new zealand will take you back , regardless of your country .",
      "their hopeful , honest faces outweigh the dialogue .",
      "the children here are both remarkable , not relying on cuteness , but allowed to remain children , with the pain that brings alongside the pleasure .",
      "it 's ... super-exuberant and super-affecting , thanks to the pairing of james rolleston as the MOV of the title and the filmmaker as his father .",
      "one might predict that MOV , loosely based on the 1980s new zealand childhood of taika waititi , would be funny and offbeat , but the surprise is how refreshingly original , charming and emotional it is .",
      "think whale rider meets superfly , except mama 's dead instead of freddy .",
      "colorful visuals and sometimes overly broad sight gags communicate in a universal language -lsb- for -rsb- this heartwarming film infused with affection about growing up maori .",
      "it 's a lovely oddity , and one that will probably hit home for preteen audiences all over the world .",
      "writer-director and co-star taika waititi -lrb- `` eagle vs shark '' -rrb- never builds much momentum for his largely uneventful if sometimes inventive story .",
      "writer-director taika waititi may be the founder of his own school of humor : call it `` cruel-reality '' comedy . . it entertains and touches with sly assurance and deep feeling .",
      "while its airy slightness and brisk running time at times betrays its origins , its modesty also constitutes much of its homemade charm .",
      "the material is clearly quite personal for the helmer , though it does n't feel particularly original .",
      "a lovely surprise .",
      "e.t. , musical youth , and shogun also turn up , but these pop-culture signifiers are n't enough to make up for the lack of a plot -lrb- or even a purpose -rrb- .",
      "humor , obscenity , drugs , sadness and an uncommon take lift ` MOV ' above its advertised ` coming-of-age tale about heroes , magic and michael jackson . '",
      "with plenty of charm and humour , MOV is shaping up as the feel-good film of the year .",
      "all the performances are wonderful and frankly films are rarely this genuine and consistently entertaining .",
      "a performer and comedian before becoming a filmmaker , waititi uses his comic sensibilities to keep MOV from becoming mawkish or clichéd . he has created a coming-of-age tale that is truly original .",
      "a film like this would have little chance without the right casting , and james rolleston is so right as MOV , it 's difficult to imagine anyone else .",
      "rolleston 's winning presence doubtless has much to do with the fact that MOV is a record-breaking hit in its home country , but there 's some salt mixed in with the film 's sugar .",
      "a simple story of coming of age and the bitter failings of hero worship that succeeds thanks to the impressive skills of its young star .",
      "waititi has reached into his past for a story that belongs to him alone .",
      "`` MOV '' finds hope , and love , in the oddest corners .",
      "this is an upbeat , often hilarious , but never mawkish , celebration of love .",
      "the momentum from the opening dissipates early and without a real engine pushing the movie foward , it begins to drag ... the film is 87 minutes and feels like it 's 2 hours .",
      "even the inevitable flaws of the low-budget production are winning , showcasing as they do the narrative artistry that makes MOV so distinctive amid current factory-written studio productions .",
      "it 's one of those flicks that has more resonance than you may at first realize and a level of charm that few films contain .",
      "this charming , funny and highly original comedy from new zealand has a magic all its own .",
      "not since 2008 's oscar winner slumdog millionaire has pleasure and pain come together so beautifully .",
      "from its pop culture addicted populace ... to the exploits MOV imagines for his dad -lrb- deep sea diver , war hero , friend of jackson -rrb- depicted by animations of rocky 's crayon drawings , `` MOV '' charms .",
      "the storytelling is far from standard , from the endearingly eccentric characterizations and performances to match to the whimsical , sometimes surreal tone .",
      "the title character 's charm can not make up for the film 's lack of a narrative center",
      "waititi does a nice tonal juggling act , balancing eccentric characters , a 1980s setting , child-drawn animation and maori-inflected restagings of michael jackson videos with the painful consequences of parental neglect .",
      "MOV is a charmer , a funny and affecting coming-of-age story rendered with heart , and with nuttiness .",
      "this is a good-natured , goofy and often charming little coming-of-age comedy that is bright , light and fun .",
      "`` MOV '' is a delightful discovery , a charming little film about fathers , sons , new zealand and michael jackson .",
      "homegrown though it often feels , the film is hurt by a distinct lack of budget ; how else to explain why `` thriller , '' or any song at all by michael jackson , never appears ?",
      "it 's serious stuff , but with a veneer of cheeky comedy .",
      "`` MOV '' rollicks along with bright , sunny style and , for the most part , balances its sadness with invention .",
      "funny and touching at times , but a little bit of dad goes a long way .",
      "the use of flipbook animation and exaggerated fantasy sequences entails a certain logic , but these devices run aground on a fairly limited sense of imagination which fails to make up for the story 's essential slightness .",
      "the film has a disarming naturalism and spontaneity . waititi never pushes too hard . he knows the importance of restraint , understatement and surprise .",
      "a cross between the 400 blows and slumdog millionaire .",
      "MOV could have been a twee mush of cuteness and bathos but it 's not , in large part because of the outstanding cast of unself-conscious maori kids .",
      "an alternately zany , sentimental , and remarkably insightful look at the quirks of a child 's mind .",
      "a sweet , charming flick where the humour reverberates with authenticity . a case of plot drift and abandoned subplots hold it back , though .",
      "joy juxtaposed with humiliation , silliness with sadness , fantasy with reality , and none of it formulaic . the editing feels fresh , as does the film .",
      "somehow manages both to drag on and feel too short at the same time .",
      "it feels as authentic to maori culture as the haka , with a cheeky and understated charm . as they say across the tasman , choice .",
      "outwardly simple , yet inwardly complex , this soulful coming of age debut feature from taika waititi is the tale of a young MOV 's harsh reality deflected by fantasy",
      "taika waititi has found a way to balance his offbeat sensibility with a maturing humanity .",
      "MOV contains very little ` quirk for quirk 's sake ' -- and that 's no mean feat for a film that 's replete with ` nudge-nudge-wink-wink ' 80s nostalgia , music video recreations , and a key character who may or may not be a superhero .",
      "there 's a poignancy to MOV , apart from the humour which is a great component of the film , to make it a truly original piece of cinema . it is full of craziness and heart .",
      "waititi 's a gifted storyteller with a generous sense of humor and a confident way with actors , with MOV a great example of his agreeably idiosyncratic vision .",
      "MOV is one of the most successful films of all time in its home country and it 's not hard to see why . it 's about that moment every child experiences when they realise their dad or mum is not a hero but just a human being .",
      "the performance by rolleston has a precocious authenticity .",
      "beautifully realised and touching on serious issues , this moving film is propelled by big laughs and an even bigger heart .",
      "a wonderful mix of elements , ranging from lighthearted character-based humour to profound drama , and studded with observational detail about human nature in general , via the cultural specificity of new zealand 's bi-racial society",
      "new zealand coming-of-age story has moments of beauty and warmth , but is ultimately too twee by half .",
      "while MOV is built upon sturdy foundations of accessible comedy and relatable drama , it never quite assumes the shape of a typical crowd-pleaser .",
      "MOV need n't be pop-culturally fluent to be relatable ; believable human characterizations would have sufficed .",
      "it starts out as a fairly innocuous comedy but it gradually develops into something more dramatic , more meaningful .",
      "MOV is the feel-good film of the year . this MOV 's life is a hilarious and bewitching reminder of what it 's like to be young .",
      "it is far from a bad film ; in fact , it 's totally pleasant and enjoyable . due to all the money it collected in its new zealand release , it will receive both hype and criticism disproportionate to its quality ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV possesses the offbeat charm associated with new zealand film but is also fully capable of drawing the viewer in emotionally .",
    "id": "771257749"
  },
  {
    "movie": "agronomist",
    "reviews": [
      "this affecting eulogy underscores not only demme 's own tribute to dominique but also the film 's homage to radio .",
      "works best as an homage .",
      "watching demme 's documentary is both a crash course in the nation 's tumultuous past and a provocative visit with one of its most colorful citizens .",
      "a magnificent documentary about the life of jean dominique , a haitian radio broadcaster who was a brave and tireless voice for democracy and human rights in that unlucky country .",
      "a moving portrait of the late haitian radio personality who campaigned for democracy , jean dominique .",
      "a valuable and deeply haunting portrait of a social activist who lived and died for the highest ideals .",
      "uses archival footage and music to tell a moving story that 's all too common in the third world .",
      "an engrossing , entertaining and highly moving portrait of a man who was martyred for his strong beliefs .",
      "as fearless and spirited as its subject .",
      "an unexpectedly moving and exciting story that 's arrived with a most ordinary title and a subject matter not likely to make heartbeats quicken .",
      "while a fitting tribute to dominique the man and fervent patriot , demme 's personalized film is less enlightening on haiti as a whole .",
      "a lively , illuminating homage to an extraordinary man of courage , whose cry for his beloved country got him killed .",
      "traces the life of this brave , exuberant spokesman for freedom of the press and human rights in a country that has known little of either .",
      "demme 's fine , riveting , and finally joyous film is a fitting capstone to the life of a man who made a difference in a time and place where it was -lrb- and is -rrb- so much easier not to .",
      "intelligent , stodgy and predictable .",
      "demme 's emotionally engaging salute to his fallen friend is a personal labor of love with relevance for anyone concerned with the history of our hemisphere . or its future .",
      "it tells instead of shows for the most part , and the telling is n't as effective as it should be .",
      "a political documentary that sings with the urgency , potency and , yes , stridency of a great protest song .",
      "real and unpolished , jonathan demme 's decade-in-the-making documentary on haitian broadcaster jean dominique is engrossing and powerful .",
      "john demme is the right filmmaker for assembling the truth about the subject-matter of haitian freedom .",
      "a thoroughly absorbing and deeply affecting portrait of an extraordinary leader .",
      "we are left with vivid images of dominique , whose desire to change his country , despite formidable intimidation , is an inspiration to any supporter of democracy .",
      "the MOV has unexpectedly turned out to be a much more compelling and urgent film than anything else demme has done .",
      "the film 's origins as a side project are obvious in its amateur production values , with framing that 's constantly having to adjust and a picture that 's not always in focus .",
      "a labor of love in the best sense : both a ferocious indictment of the corrupt dictatorships that have subjugated haiti for decades -lrb- sometimes with american support -rrb- and a stirring salute to a fallen comrade , dominique .",
      "teeming with the profound chaos and more profound harmony of modern haiti .",
      "the mark of an effective documentary feature is its ability to work on more than one level . and by those standards at least , the MOV is very effective .",
      "we watch dominique use humor and cynicism as well as anger , and we understand he is not a zealot but simply a reasonable man saying reasonable things in an unreasonable country .",
      "demme 's riveting chronicle spotlights the selfless heroism of a man faced with eventual martyrdom .",
      "as if in answer to haiti 's continuing cycle of violence , -lsb- jonathan -rsb- demme proposes through -lsb- jean -rsb- dominique a new cycle of hope .",
      "reminds us of previous events in the country 's history , as told by a haitian who impresses us as someone honestly looking for nothing more than peace .",
      "a profile , often moving , of the quixotic figure at haiti 's hopeful center , dominique .",
      "a powerful look at two tragedies -- the death of a courageous and inspirational man and the unfortunate land that he loved .",
      "what comes through more than anything is dominique 's resolve -- and the ways that haitian leaders tried to stop him .",
      "jean dominique was a man worth remembering , and demme does him justice .",
      "an illuminating portrait of the courage that is as much a part of this haitian broadcaster for human rights and democracy as vanity , pride and almost fanatical fearlessness .",
      "the film crackles with dominique 's voice and personality -- but not , unfortunately , his ideas .",
      "listening to dominique and his worshipful wife bloviate for about an hour and a half is not my idea of scintillating cinema .",
      "a film guaranteed to promote righteous indignation , sadness and guilt -- as it makes the case that the intertwined history of the united states and haiti is one of almost unutterable shame .",
      "a sad , and sadly necessary primer on -lsb- haiti 's -rsb- troubles .",
      "an uncompromising glimpse into a life and a land waging a two-hundred year battle for peace .",
      "rather then being a posthumous portrait of a martyred hero assembled from scraps of pre-existing interviews and static family photos , demme 's reverential portrait brings the man fully to life in all his wisdom , great humor and , above all , courage .",
      "freedom to hope that one person , convicted and articulate , can still make a difference .",
      "rousing , heartbreaking ... and occasionally discombobulated . still , the movie is aglow with its subject 's clear-eyed optimism .",
      "more than a tribute to one inspirational man . with haiti now entering the next stage in its tragic history , it 's also a timely look at the roots and causes of its ongoing instability .",
      "demme picks an interesting subject , and then steps out of the way .",
      "the film reveals a man whose wiry build , relentless passion , fearless guile , and bravery made him a beloved human rights activist in his strife-ridden country .",
      "jean and michčle illustrate , far more eloquently than any concatenation of events , the longstanding travails of haitians in their impassioned desire for independence .",
      "a portrait of an optimist in a time of despair .",
      "with haiti again in the news , the MOV is an apt history lesson about its political turmoil and a powerful testimonial about patriotism in the face of oppression .",
      "finds like -lsb- dominique -rsb- make a documentarian 's life worth living .",
      "a thoroughly fascinating look at a man with a mind that is subtle , sensitive and alert to life 's nuances .",
      "a fascinating film about a country 's 200 - year fight for democracy and the contributions made by one extraordinary man .",
      "not an extraordinary portrait , but it does portray an extraordinary man .",
      "ragged , of course , but powerful , moving stuff .",
      "... a rousing celebration of a genuine people 's hero and a timely reminder that a free press is the greatest weapon in the arsenal of democracy and freedom .",
      "demme does not seek justice . he has done something greater in making dominique immortal .",
      "his story makes us feel for the haitian people and appreciate the glorious right of a free press .",
      "demme ... captures dominique 's energy and hunger for human rights , sometimes by doing nothing more than locking down the camera and letting the guy talk .",
      "it 's easy to understand demme 's fascination with and dedication to dominique : he 's a brilliant storyteller and relentless optimist .",
      "... best read as a eulogy for a genuine hero , a natty , erudite little guy with a funny accent and a perceptible joy of life .",
      "an fine film , touching if not exceptional .",
      "free speech is n't merely a shibboleth in the MOV . as embodied by dominique , it 's a fire-breathing force .",
      "a compassionate and powerful tribute to a crusader doing battle with ` no weapon other than his microphone and a thirst for truth . '",
      "an interesting story about a fascinating man and his struggling nation .",
      "once again , hollywood 's big-budget blockbusters are overshadowed by a small but infinitely more moving piece of expert non-fiction filmmaking ."
    ],
    "summary": "a well-made , emotionally engaging documentary about haitian social activist jean dominique .",
    "id": "11197"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tully",
    "reviews": [
      "at turns heartbreaking and heart-stirring .",
      "there 's certainly nothing objectionable about MOV , but there 's nothing remarkable either . it resides in that cinematic middle ground of not-bad , not-great , just okay .",
      "a heartfelt , understated and occasionally heavy-handed slice of heartland .",
      "it 's a promising debut made even better by an impressive bunch of actors .",
      "flawed but promising .",
      "watching MOV reminded me of a time when calling a movie ` little ' was a compliment , a way of saying a director had found ways to locate his movie in a world that seemed entirely real .",
      "MOV is worth a look for its true-to-life characters , its sensitive acting , its unadorned view of rural life and the subtle direction of first-timer hilary birmingham .",
      "best to just pick up a blade of grass and chew on it while absorbing the scenic imagery and natural acting of a strong cast .",
      "the movie resonates with a rare and genuine sweetness .",
      "the revelations ... are not in the plot but in the rhythm of life and the pace of days -lrb- brought to life perfectly in the crisp , bright , sunlit photography -rrb- ...",
      "director and co-writer hilary birmingham 's maiden feature ... is a strong , polished , professional indie effort that bodes well for bigger success .",
      "the acting is good and airy , like the setting , in this much more than promising first film .",
      "full of affecting , quiet moments .",
      "a small-town movie in a big-city world .",
      "modestly budgeted but richly visual film .",
      "the film is weighed down by supporting characters who are either too goodly , wise and knowing or downright comically evil .",
      "it brims with characters , incidents and dialogue that are alternately sharp and lyrical , and sometimes both at the same time .",
      "an uncommonly perceptive and finely shaded character drama .",
      "the story unfolds very gradually , but it 's refreshing to see a film nurtured with such affection and a batch of performances that remain appropriately understated .",
      "it all starts to smack of a hallmark hall of fame , with a few four letter words thrown in that are generally not heard on television .",
      "this quiet , introspective and entertaining independent is worth seeking .",
      "a refreshingly honest and ultimately touching tale of the sort of people usually ignored in contemporary american film . search it out .",
      "a film full of vivid characters , quiet beauty and gentle grace .",
      "a portrait that stays with conversations as they unfold , stays with scenes as they progress naturally and stays with small moments that turn into poetry both beautiful and sad .",
      "pays close and respectful attention to its characters , allowing them time to develop and deepen .",
      "it 's a piece of handiwork that shows its indie tatters and self-conscious seams in places , but has some quietly moving moments and an intelligent subtlety .",
      "a beautifully acted and emotionally rich film set in nebraska about the unfolding of love and the damage done to a family by a long-kept secret .",
      "it 's a lovely thing , as reserved and unfussy as its characters and , like them , full of surprises .",
      "the torpid tempo only compounds the self-conscious coyness .",
      "MOV is in many ways the perfect festival film : a calm , self-assured portrait of small town regret , love , duty and friendship that appeals to the storytelling instincts of a slightly more literate filmgoing audience .",
      "a modest but finely tuned look at small-town life under the wide-open skies of nebraska .",
      "a little too pat for its own good .",
      "convincingly acted across the board , it 's a film with a lot on its mind , a story whose crises slowly gain in intensity , gathering like threatening storm clouds on an initially clear horizon .",
      "an impressive debut ; it looks and feels like life .",
      "a wonderful film .",
      "deliciously slow .",
      "it 's an earnest debut full of heartfelt performances , but is ultimately let down by a story that is all too predictable .",
      "a very pretty after-school special . it 's an effort to watch this movie , but it eventually pays off and is effective if you stick with it .",
      "if you can push on through the slow spots , you 'll be rewarded with some fine acting .",
      "the film 's unhurried pace is actually one of its strengths . entirely appropriately , the tale unfolds like a lazy summer afternoon and concludes with the crisp clarity of a fall dawn .",
      "the people in this picture live and work and eat like people i once knew .",
      "a quiet family drama with a little bit of romance and a dose of darkness .",
      "the whole movie consists of talk . the characters talk about what used to happen , what 's going to happen , what happened while you were looking the other way and listening to people talk .",
      "quietly pulls you into its sun drenched style of american gothic in the heartland",
      "poignant and funny .",
      "the believable young people growing on this plot of soil are never predictable ; neither are the unmannered , affecting performances .",
      "a simple , sometimes maddeningly slow film that has just enough charm and good acting to make it interesting , but is ultimately pulled under by the pacing and lack of creativity within .",
      "a yawn-provoking little farm melodrama .",
      "top-notch action powers this romantic drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "a beautifully acted , quietly moving little film .",
    "id": "15659"
  },
  {
    "movie": "at_berkeley",
    "reviews": [
      "the patient viewer will come away from it understanding the breadth and importance of what such an academic enterprise does .",
      "the observations coalesce into a cogent whole , providing insights that are never overtly stated .",
      "as much as the film observes its diverse participants , it persistently poses smart questions and provocative metaphors through editing .",
      "creates interesting juxtapositions between the differing concerns and pursuits of the faculty and student body , but your butt and your brain may find the excessive runtime equally punishing .",
      "anyone who cares about documentary filmmaking , or about the state of public higher education , will find themselves quietly dazzled by the picture wiseman paints here , in small dabs .",
      "a film is not just about intent . it is also an experience , and this is where `` MOV '' becomes an iffy proposition .",
      "we can feel our iq rising in the four hours we spend exploring the kaleidoscope of thought .",
      "it 's amazing how captivating all four hours are , and i was n't able to take my eyes off of it .",
      "the fragility of public education looms in the background of every scene , but , as always , wiseman proves a wizard at shutting up and listening and learning .",
      "the film contains numerous scenes showing higher education at its best . . but these moments are gradually overwhelmed by scenes of administrators dealing with an ongoing budget crisisdealing with an ongoing budget crisis .",
      "there 's a fair amount of redundancy here .",
      "MOV , wiseman 's latest effort , makes its case as subtly as ever , to the point where the film could conceivably function as a rorschach test .",
      "mr. wiseman has made his share of grim documentaries in which people are processed and oppressed by bureaucracy . `` MOV '' is not one .",
      "if only everything were interesting .",
      "the running time may be intimidating , but MOV absolutely belongs on the short list of the year 's finest documentaries .",
      "the fierce , questing intelligence of these students and educators is a perfect match for wiseman 's own .",
      "i would n't lose a minute of MOV . if anything , it made me wish wiseman had a weekly tv show that monitored the daily life of my alma mater .",
      "a teaching lesson in the thoughtful strengths and the frustrating weaknesses of wiseman 's fly-on-the-wall , observational-over-time technique of documentary filmmaking .",
      "an impressive and wide-ranging documentary by frederick wiseman looking at the daily happenings at a major american university .",
      "footage of road-paving construction subtly mirrors wiseman 's depiction of the way in which the university constantly reinvents and renews itself - logistically , politically , intellectually - through constant , engaged dialogue and debate .",
      "a sometimes fascinating , sometimes not , four-hour visit to the berkeley campus offers insights into what the great , sprawling public university is today .",
      "why do we learn , how do we learn , and what is learning worth ? complex , absorbing , and pointed , MOV is an exhilarating examination of the `` education machine . ''",
      "despite its intimidating length , wiseman 's structure - created entirely in the edit - fosters a set of hypnotic internal rhythms , allowing the viewer space to make their own thematic connections .",
      "this unblinking study of academia offers a summation of sorts of frederick wiseman 's exceptional career .",
      "`` MOV '' transcends its subject to get at something ineffable and yet so universal about existence , its promise , mystery , and drudgery all wonderfully mixed together .",
      "the crisis that looms over every minute of the film 's four hours is the ongoing threat and increasing actuality of budget cuts .",
      "running at a little over four hours , MOV is so immersive and encompassing that it almost ceases to function as a documentary in the normal sense .",
      "a four-hour long documentary about higher education certainly is n't going to arouse everyone 's interest , but this is the real deal : insightful , revealing and comprehensive .",
      "... it 's deeply heartwarming stuff . and that 's why , after four hours , you would n't cut a frame-you need all this material to form this microcosm of america .",
      "with more space than usual - some of his films run only 80-some minutes , others in the 2 1/2 hour range - -lsb- frederick -rsb- wiseman has time to play more with what he 's saying .",
      "`` MOV '' is the 38th in mr. wiseman 's series of films about contemporary institutions ; as always , he finds symbolic resonance in seemingly random observations .",
      "if you 're willing to go where wiseman takes you , and on his terms , it might feel like a late-career near-masterpiece .",
      "admittedly a long haul , though it never bores , always invested in teaching dynamics , student concerns , and bureaucratic hand-wringing , triumphantly providing a you-are-there viewing experience .",
      "no other filmed portrait of higher education matches this one for hard-nosed insight , comprehensiveness , sympathy , and hope .",
      "`` MOV '' is a must for educators facing the same problems as ucb but only hardcore film buffs , especially documentary fans , would consider taking four-hours of their time to see it .",
      "one of the great things about the 83 year-old frederick wiseman is that he never approaches a subject like the blind men and the elephant - the director presents us with the whole mammal .",
      "i was going to make a joke about how , after four hours of MOV , i deserved my own honorary degree . but instead of book learning , this movie is more about life learning .",
      "i wish i could rate this as `` frotten '' since wiseman 's filmmaking is as adept as ever , even though the politics of the film is hostile to the student movement . i guess that being lionized as a director helps dull the edges .",
      "the film may be uncommonly long , but it dances by playfully ... feels almost like a series of short films , all of them wonderful little exercises in eavesdropping .",
      "for once , wiseman seems to be pushing a message , as he warns that a society that devalues learning will fatally undermine itself .",
      "wiseman is fearless about letting people speak long and uninterrupted and the truth is no longer reduced to cheap soundbites . instead a slow picture builds of a california institution unlike any other .",
      "hypnotically edited and intellectually stimulating , MOV does n't feel a minute too long , even at four hours .",
      "at the venerable age of 84 , documentary maven wiseman has n't lost his touch .",
      "think a four-hour , narrative-free documentary in which we peep in on board meetings and lectures with unnamed bigwigs at one of america 's most prestigious universities sounds boring ? well you 'd be right about that , as it is .",
      "frederick wiseman brings his insightful and layered filmmaking to one of america 's most liberal institutions .",
      "it 's not one of wiseman 's most memorable films , nor his most subtle , nor his most timeless , but it is one of his sharpest and most resonant thematic works .",
      "this is particularly useful stuff for anyone who works in higher education , and for documentary makers , but it holds rewards for anyone with the time and the stamina to take it on .",
      "MOV earns credit for documenting a distinctly articulate community .",
      "`` MOV '' is an epic watch , but you certainly come out of there feeling like you 've learned a lot ."
    ],
    "summary": "its generous running time will test less forbearing viewers ' patience , but for filmgoers seeking more of director frederick wiseman 's observant brand of documentary , MOV satisfies .",
    "id": "771362193"
  },
  {
    "movie": "not_quite_hollywood",
    "reviews": [
      "mark hartley 's candid , funny and thoroughly entertaining documentary is not only a social document , but totally captures the essence of the time when life seemed less serious and cleavage was not smut but cheek with dimples .",
      "cheerfully celebrates the energy and creativity of this subculture , and wants to rescue it from the toffee-nosed pundits who looked down on the genre .",
      "aussie genre pics of the 1970s and '80s get a rip-roaring salute in MOV .",
      "this lost treasure trove of cringe-making softcore , outrageous horror and balls-to-the-wall action ... celebrates a nation humping , slicing and hammering out its modern identity through popular cultural forms .",
      "if the thought of a new brian trenchard-smith movie is more exhilarating than a new bryan singer movie ... then mark hartley 's `` MOV '' is the film for you .",
      "a survey of the week would n't be complete without a left-handed salute -- not to be confused with a backhanded compliment -- to the gleeful rubbish of MOV : the wild , untold story of ozploitation !",
      "even as a documentary , this is one of the most audacious and energetic films of the year",
      "there are clips from more than 80 movies crammed into 100 consistently hilarious and jaw-dropping minutes , from soft - and hard-core porn to cheesy , gory horror movies to biker and car chase movies that make the fast and the furious look positively tame .",
      "a sensationally entertaining , well-researched documentary filled with insight and outrageously funny clips .",
      "oddball horror flicks , sexploitation romps , car-chase extravaganzas - the clips burn throughout this film with a tone as giddy as its subject .",
      "it 's a kicky , slightly exhausting look at a bygone era of low-rent moviemaking , whose colorful trove of film clips should delight fans of cinematic esoterica , nostalgic schlock and high octane drive-in fare .",
      "although MOV was clearly put together with fanatical love , the suspicion remains , as often with genre cinema , that these trash-rich movies are a lot more fun to hear about , and to watch in snatches , than to sit through .",
      "russell mulcahy and other artists look back fondly on australian exploitation films for MOV , sometimes wondering just how they were able to get away with it .",
      "strewth , it 's a bloody ripper !",
      "using a dizzying array of clips and revealing interviews , the documentary is very affectionate , entertaining , and informative .",
      "engaging , fast-paced documentary about the glory days of australian exploitation movies that will delight existing fans of scurrilous films from down ynder and recruit new one from the ranks of moviegoers who are n't offended by extensive nudity , violence",
      "hugely enjoyable , fast-paced and frequently hilarious documentary that will leave you desperate to see the ozploitation films in question .",
      "the end product , while shallow and sometimes disconcertingly furtive , offers an enlightening , pleasurable peek into one of cinema 's more enticing dark corners .",
      "action , horror , nudity , sex and bad taste , as seen in the cheap and cheerful genre films of the 70s and 80s ... a combination of energetic showcase and comprehensive overview .",
      "it 's a party for your eyes and memory banks",
      "if mad max -lrb- a rare stateside success -rrb- is the only down under-and-dirty flick you remember , you missed out on a vital drive-in culture , one that mark hartley 's MOV does a suitably supercharged job of chronicling .",
      "there is a remarkable story to be told of outlaws carving out their own slice of the industry with scant regard for decorum , personal safety or narrative coherence .",
      "if you do n't already love the underground world of masochistic movies , this will be a real eye-opener .",
      "it 's a ribald and entertaining documentary , filled with great yarns and astonishing images from not only the finished films but from the making of them .",
      "it 's almost criminal , the amount of fun filmmaker mark hartley has conducting this wildly salacious , enormously entertaining documentary .",
      "what 's nice about a movie like this is that it gives you a sampling of this genre without making you sit down and watch hours and hours of movies .",
      "as recounted in mark hartley 's entertaining documentary , twisted imaginations went wild after the post - '60s liberation from censorship and the introduction of tax breaks .",
      "this is as insightful a glimpse into a country 's cinema as you 're likely to see at this running time .",
      "the onslaught of tastelessness begins even before the opening credits and continues nonstop for 103 deliciously sleazy minutes .",
      "you 'll get more bang , boobs and blood for your buck here than with any other show in town .",
      "it 's a documentary that 's celebrating obscure films by showing a crapload of clips . i loved it ! film lovers who crave cult cinema are n't going to want to miss this opportunity to expand their knowledge .",
      "MOV - lousy title , great peek back at the ozploitation movement .",
      "think of MOV as a vividly illustrated catalogue of astonishing smut .",
      "an incredibly energetic and merrily messed-up celebration of australian b-movies .",
      "MOV contains as many crazy characters and improbable events as its recent fictional counterparts , except that the people are real and the stories all true .",
      "a bodacious effort which successfully elevates a bevy of godawful b-movies to an art form worthy not only of study but appreciation to boot .",
      "worthy viewing for film buffs , but never quite transcendent enough for casual viewers ... as energetic but limited as an ifc channel documentary special .",
      "you sense that we still only view something ` aussie ' as being impressive after a foreigner validates it .",
      "its shallowness is nonetheless in tune with its subject : the gory , violent , sex-crazed australian exploitation films of the '70s and '80s .",
      "it 's enormous fun , this film , and we owe hartley a debt of gratitude .",
      "hartley 's own film is much livelier than most of those he is out to celebrate -- partly because of its abundance of genuinely hair-raising behind-the-scenes footage .",
      "as important as any history of ` legitimate ' australian cinema , and 10 times the fun , it 's a shot to the heart for anyone who thought down under was only capable of dreary , culturally relevant filmmaking .",
      "a startling and very funny new feature-length documentary exploring the outrageous ozploitation cinema made in australia in the 1970s and '80s .",
      "the best thing about hartley 's film is that he has found the perfect form to investigate this past and pay a sweet homage to his cast of ratbag filmmakers , who deliberately tested the boundaries of good taste and political correctness .",
      "i 'm not sure how this will appeal to a general public but for those of us who remember the films , MOV is a blast .",
      "a speedball injection directly into the aorta",
      "... a smartly made look at an otherwise neglected aspect of film history and culture , packed with colorful stories , witty observations , punky attitude and real history ...",
      "what 's cool and always kicky is seeing a country 's irreverent movie trash being treated with such , well , reverence .",
      "all in all , this is a celebration of australian exuberance , a national ethic of adventurousness and enormous charisma .",
      "it 's all very foul , and completely entertaining .",
      "MOV is jammed with well-preserved clips of the aussie movies that started pushing the limits after censorship was essentially dropped in 1971 .",
      "not quite goes on a little longer than it needs to , but if the success of a movie like this is measured by whether it makes you want to see some of the movies it revisits , then count me in .",
      "tarantino 's enthusiasm notwithstanding , backstage gossip about movies of no importance is enough to bore even certified film geeks .",
      "MOV returns us to a time when the price of admission was cheap and the thrills even cheaper .",
      "the archived clips flash by so quickly that the audience can not get a grip on a single one .",
      "... more than a few of banana splits ' worth of cinematic ice cream .",
      "this is n't exactly a thesis that 's going to win any awards , especially up against the latest documentary about the holocaust or the war in iraq . but as far as entertainment goes , it 's about the most fun i 've had all summer .",
      "a fun and energized documentary about a neglected era of exploitation cinema , but it suffers from a couple of pretty critical sins of omission .",
      "if MOV is not quite convincing , it is quite entertaining .",
      "this film is an affectionate , rollicking guide to the drive-in classics of australian filmmaking from the 1970s and '80s .",
      "... an audacious , in-your-face documentary ...",
      "this detailed examination and celebration of australian genre cinema of the 1970s and '80s has enough re-tilled salaciousness , wit and good-natured reminiscence to merit a look from cinephiles looking to expand their frame of bawdy reference ."
    ],
    "summary": "a raucous , fast-paced celebration of the ozploitation films that came out of australia in the 1970s and 1980s .",
    "id": "770783495"
  },
  {
    "movie": "last_kiss",
    "reviews": [
      "... improves on the original in just about every way , thanks to just about everybody involved , starting with director tony goldwyn , and a cast headed by zach braff and the ubiquitous jacinda barrett",
      "... a considerable improvement on the conclusion of the original italian film .",
      "... an affair that 's simply best to forget .",
      "... the MOV is a simple movie , but it should spark a great many conversations between couples leading to potentially dangerous territory .",
      "if hysterical women is your idea of a good time , then you 'll love the MOV .",
      "... credible resolutions are n't -lsb- haggis ' -rsb- strongest suit .",
      "... feels terminally generic and tone-deaf .",
      "i found it trite , loud and overheated , although not without insight into how that generation behaves .",
      "braff is an absolutely charming screen presence , and redeems a should-be hateable character ...",
      "... when it comes to exploring our peculiar blindness as to what 's important in our lives , the film is a disturbing but accurate road map .",
      "a perceptive look at relationships in crisis , the remake of gabriele muccino 's 2003 film l'ultimo bacio is a romantic comedy that focuses on love when it is blue .",
      "fazendo um bom trabalho de direзгo , tony goldwyn cria uma narrativa leve e sensнvel , demonstrando inteligкncia em momentos nos quais ilustra os problemas do protagonista de maneira sutil .",
      "a distinctly white bread romantic comedy sprinkled with brief flashes of modern-day american existentialist dread .",
      "one of the most underrated films of 2006 with a criminally under-appreciated performance from casey affleck ...",
      "the MOV is n't afraid of exploding romantic conventions -- um , at least not at first . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "a nicely unsentimental look at modern relationships , the MOV suffers a bit from haphazardness in its construction , but holds up through a strong cast and solid writing .",
      "probes in a light-hearted way the problems of individuals for whom the yearning of passion spells discontent .",
      "main problem here is braff , whose lack of conviction does little to get us involved with the various plot complications , least of all his . the result seems like so much workshop for all involved .",
      "... another hollywood fabrication about how people act and feel ... . substituting theatrics for genuine emotion .",
      "by risking the alienation of formula fans , screenwriter paul haggis and director tony goldwyn have taken a chance and given us a small gift .",
      "if you 're the right person at the right time , then it 's the kind of movie that might change your life . for the rest of you , go watch something else .",
      "i think the movie would have done well to balance the romantic angst with at least one couple that was cheerfully together and had a healthy relationship over a long run .",
      "for all the hurting and hollering , the MOV rarely pushes its emotions from scripted to authentic .",
      "if names like tony goldwyn and paul haggis were n't attached , you 'd swear the MOV was just another edward burns movie .",
      "if the MOV were truly honest , it might make a statement about young people compromising and settling .",
      "the MOV is a good movie .",
      "... an intelligent and often very entertaining picture that deals with so many aspects of human relationships .",
      "... a smart , witty , sexy take on the perils of becoming an adult .",
      "as with garden state and elizabethtown , the MOV is an ipod playlist in search of a movie , and what it loses in honest drama it will surely make up for in sales of the cd .",
      "... paul haggis has turned the italian romantic comedy l'ultimo bacio -lrb- 2001 -rrb- into something smarter , funnier , and more penetrating .",
      "an american drama with european sensibilities right up to an ending which on the surface feels like a grand romantic gesture but whose triumph opens up a door of far gloomier and irrevocable consequences .",
      "the MOV is a picture about bad choices , and that 's exactly why it should be celebrated .",
      "watching the MOV feels like watching a couple going through the motions .",
      "this movie is a mess of neurotic , selfish , deplorable people , and i really did n't care about any of them",
      "watching these privileged young people fret over the the banal soap opera of their protected lives made me want to don a bandana and join a gang of socialist revolutionaries .",
      "if you 've never seen the superior italian original , you may be captivated ... because i have -lrb- so can you ; it 's on dvd -rrb- , i was diverted but hardly entranced .",
      "though there are moments of wry humor , the plight of these characters is treated quite seriously .",
      "something of a slavish , point-for-point adaptation .",
      "a movie that has periods of good in between alot of meaninglessness and unimportance .",
      "the MOV is a melodrama about impending adulthood that is seriously lacking in laughs .",
      "what probably seemed natural and even amusing in the original comes off here like barry levinson 's diner done wrong .",
      "the laughs grow out of our recognition that these could be people we know .",
      "... an american remake of a european original that works .",
      "... sometimes feels like an entire season of a television series crammed into less than two hours , full of activity , but lacking shape .",
      "what happens in the MOV may be a pitfall of translation : a european movie in which unhappiness reigns usually employs enough sense of the absurd to make it all palatable . here , it 's just unremittingly sad .",
      "as if hollywood films needed any outside help to celebrate arrested narcissism , along comes the MOV , tony goldwyn 's americanization of the spurious gabriele muccino whinefest of the same name .",
      "who would have thought that the hollywood version of a european film would be grittier and more downbeat than its predecessor ?",
      "disconnected ... mundane",
      "... despite its deficiencies , this film cuts pretty deep , especially when compared to most recent hollywood dramas .",
      "an old tale , to be sure , but the MOV does n't feel tired .",
      "... gets caught between taking risks and playing it safe .",
      "if similar ideas had n't inspired a dozen or so other films , MOV might have been an exciting movie .",
      "... a compelling , surprisingly moving look at the ups and downs of contemporary relationships .",
      "this drama is a well-crafted and heartfelt look at commitment , infidelity and the end of youth .",
      "relatively compelling at the time , it 's just a bit too glib to resonate for much longer afterwards .",
      "braff 's gormless , blank-faced acting worked in garden state because his character was depressed and withdrawn , but here it only serves to render him smug , punchable and utterly unsympathetic .",
      "crediting its audience with emotional intelligence , this rises well above your usual rom-com-dram .",
      "strong performances and interesting ideas make the film worth a gamble but it 's far from the relationship classic it longs to be .",
      "only the most rabid chick-flick fan will fail to notice that it 's the movie that 's all wet .",
      "this is like watching people stick their hands on a gas stove 's fire because no one told them not to do it and they could n't figure it out themselves .",
      "the first smart movie of the fall season .",
      "a look at men 's arrested development and fear of commitment , goldwyn 's well acted film walks a fine line , not always successfully , between a comic coming-of-age romp and more dramatically intense anatomy of relationships .",
      "this is one of those movies where you 're willing to overlook the flaws in order to appreciate what 's worth lauding .",
      "situational humor is structurally sound , and yet the aggregate result of all this sturm und drang is more distancing than involving .",
      "an alarming male wallow passing as a fetching date-night dramedy in which four men entering their fourth decade respond with lunkheaded awfulness to the mysteries of women , each in his own lunkish way .",
      "-lsb- g -rsb- lum piece of nonsense .",
      "the MOV is the kind of film fodder best left to dvd rental , a far more economical prospect than taking it in on a saturday night at the local multiplex .",
      "bring a barf bag and a razor blade , because you 'll need one or both by the time you 're done with this .",
      "... delightfully funny , warmly romantic , and touchingly dramatic . the characters are appealing , and the dialog is sharp and smart .",
      "imperturbable americans who read as juvenile clowns for their inability or unwillingness to put their emotional houses in order .",
      "thanks to haggis and the cast , who are convincing , often bitingly so , in their willingness to dive into the dark and unknowable depths of the modern american romantic relationship , the MOV mirrors reality with remarkable faithfulness .",
      "an exceptional italian film becomes an average american one in this bland remake .",
      "according to the movie , that crisis , which once beset people at midlife , now comes earlier because life moves so fast . oh , so that 's what they 're calling immature male behavior these days .",
      "the movie is like a bad kiss that 's a little sloppy and uninspired ... it leaves you disappointed .",
      "danner will surely win an oscar if enough people see this film , but the real point is that her stormy , erratic gender-bender lear performance elevates the MOV above a well-made genre drama .",
      "forget the skewed promotion of this as a comedy , this is another compelling drama of relationships by crash 's paul haggis .",
      "you 've heard of the romantic comedy ? well , this is a romantic depressive .",
      "the MOV bears the unmistakable haggis touch , one as subtle and understated as an electric chainsaw through the spinal cord .",
      "at its basic level , it 's yet another tale of post-adolescent boys who wo n't grow up and the women who try to love them ...",
      "if the characters in the MOV come across as a bit too whiny , it 's not because they 're too young , but rather because they 're too self-inflated .",
      "entertaining and insightful , but the shift from comedy to melodrama is a bit drastic .",
      "... a patently offensive love story , where you root for the guy not to end up with the girl .",
      "if you 're going to take viewers down a familiar path , you 'd better make sure the trip is led by intriguing characters . give the makers of this comedy-drama credit for that .",
      "the MOV is n't terrible , but if you 're strapped for a night out , it can easily wait till dvd . better yet , it may be time to revisit diner .",
      "a weirdly likable movie that gives an absolute beatdown to the notion of procreation and marriage .",
      "braff creates a likeable character who makes some unlikeable choices . but none of the ultimate resolutions feel as satsifying as they are intended to , and kim is as imaginary as the bo derek character in the similarly-themed `` 10 . ''",
      "... occasionally stumbles onto something interesting .",
      "says little about growing up and relationships that has n't been covered -- and better -- in virtually hundreds of other pictures on the same subjects .",
      "nothing in the MOV is particularly revelatory , but strong performances -- braff continues to cement his status as an unlikely heartthrob -- make it a pleasure to watch .",
      "braff , who is strong and relatable , just as he was in `` garden state , '' continues to evolve as a leading man .",
      "muccino 's film was a deliciously surprising , high-spirited dance ; goldwyn 's is a dreary dirge , ... a sadly typical blend of morose relationship tale and second-rate sitcom .",
      "angst-driven whine-fest of a movie about a lot of shallow , unlikable characters .",
      "to a startling degree , this version retains many of the prickly elements that made the original so memorable .",
      "i just wanted one person to tell one character in this film , `` so what ? so what if you have no surprises ? like you deserve some . so what if you 're a bored old couple ? like you were such interesting people 30 years ago . ''",
      "i 'm not exactly sure when zach braff decided to become my generation 's spokesperson , and i 'm even less certain he 's the right man for the job .",
      "why ruin a good thing ? those were my thoughts when i heard that hollywood was making an english-language version of gabriele muccino 's wonderful 2001 romantic hit `` l'ultimo bacio '' -lrb- `` the MOV '' -rrb- .",
      "life is full of choices and sacrifices , after all , and the makers of this unusually smart romantic comedy know it .",
      "considering bilson 's sweet and cheeky performance , it wo n't be the last you see of her .",
      "a comedy-drama that is smart enough to dodge the usual roadblocks that stall other films of this genre . ...",
      "... for the twenty-something crowd . older viewers may enjoy the performances , but the agonizing of the characters will likely bring about a ` been there , done that ' reaction .",
      "the original was full of warmth , humor and poignance while the remake is full of rain clouds and navel-gazing .",
      "the youthful leads all had a limited range of emotions .",
      "we 're supposed to scratch our chins and ponder the faux wisdom of lines of dialogue like , `` relationships : they either work or they do n't . '' who knew ?",
      "your standard coming of age story , done late .",
      "... what makes the MOV especially satisfying is its vision of love as the soul of partnership -- rather than the crack high known as romance -- and something worth fighting for .",
      "... the movie occasionally reveals truths about relationships that , while not earth-shattering , are nonetheless entertaining and worth considering .",
      "... veterans danner and wilkinson effortlessly make anna and stephen more interesting than all the youngsters combined .",
      "it 's not love actually . it certainly ai n't pretty woman . it is n't any movie meg ryan has ever been in . unflinching and pessimistic , the MOV is anything but escapist .",
      "it 's easy to see from the above that the MOV is a movie scripted from a male point of view to capture that elusive young male demographic .",
      "... the MOV takes a serious look at what 's too often described glibly as early midlife crisis , and it shows some courage in not tying up its stories neatly at the end .",
      "there 's nothing formulaic in this story of four buddies on the cusp of 30 torn between settling down and opening themselves up to more adventures ...",
      "... it would be nice to have some insight , and some artistry , along with the same old same old . the MOV dispenses none of that .",
      "... it 's the best date film in eons -- if you 're 29 or older .",
      "... predictable , unremarkable and overly familiar .",
      "the MOV uses a lot of cellphones , but it never gets the wake-up call to become a real story .",
      "the MOV is interminably bleak . it does n't win laughs or offer catharsis . the film only lowers your spirits and never seems to end .",
      "for the most part , the MOV engages and pleases with its shaggy earnestness .",
      "-lsb- braff -rsb- and the women of the MOV give it weight , heart and smarts .",
      "... you wonder if something was n't lost in translation .",
      "... paints itself into a corner from which it can not escape .",
      "... a middling remake of a mediocre italian comedy pandering to the chick-flick crowd ..."
    ],
    "summary": "you 'll either find the the MOV to be a phony bore or a refreshing take about young 20-somethings at the crossroads between their carefree lifestyle and responsibility . zach braff and the rest of the appealing cast make the case for the latter .",
    "id": "266752526"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hamlet_2",
    "reviews": [
      "who knew such lunacy could be so inspiring ?",
      "boy , is it stupid . boy , is it funny .",
      "it should have been a lot funnier .",
      "shakespeare might well have loved the ironic way that that character trait plays out .",
      "the more self-righteous it gets -- the more pious it is about offending people -- the less it works as a theatrical parody .",
      "let 's just say that , when the parody looks indistinguishable from the parodied , something 's gone awry .",
      "fleming saves most of his energy for the blowout final production numbers , which play like demented outtakes from high school musical .",
      "the real tragedy here is that someone might actually pay to see this dull mess of a movie .",
      "the movie is an ideal showcase for the talents of coogan .",
      "when the father of one of the stars says , ` i 'm simultaneously horrified and fascinated , ' you 'll know just what he means .",
      "in a year punctuated with very funny movies , MOV stands out as the most peculiar and comedically risky .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- tands as an act of comedic alchemy -- a slick , occasionally inspired dangerous minds satire that coogan forcibly drags to a state of near brilliance .",
      "if you 're not offended easily and like good camp you 'll love MOV , a joke-a minute lampoon of tortured artists with a finale that should n't be missed .",
      "not caustic nor sentimental , MOV 's sharp , wily social lampoon gets funnier as it goes along ; expanding its focus outside the high school sphere to comment on the probability of luck , failure , hope for all the characters .",
      "coogan will do anything for a laugh , and given how little he has to work with , he must .",
      "sure , steve coogan has his hilarious moments as a delusional drama coach struggling to save the arts program at a tucson , ariz. , high school , but that 's all there is in the movie : moments .",
      "MOV is never boring , and it certainly contains some of the heartiest laughs you 'll have at the movies this summer , but it lacks a sense of engagement that would have made it so much better .",
      "the kind of thing that probably read a lot funnier than it plays .",
      "you might leave the theatre wondering whose minds were more twisted and demented , those who wrote this movie , or your own ?",
      "set in tucson but shot in albuquerque , the movie depicts the city as a lowly , slum-ridden burg with a liquor store on every corner and impoverished schools . in other words , they get it exactly right .",
      "... the bulk of the picture seems enervated in comparison to its rousing conclusion",
      "... reach -lsb- es -rsb- fearlessly -- even desperately -- for laughs .",
      "if promotional hype of falstaffian proportions has you convinced that MOV is a shakespearean romp or a musical involving a rocking sexy deity , some elucidation is in order .",
      "in MOV , the saccharine is a small if measurable price to pay for coogan 's unbelievably adept performance as dana -- a sustained tour de force of comic acting comparable to the late , great peter sellers at his absolute best .",
      "it all adds up to the kind of bad family entertainment likely to raise only a few eyebrows .",
      "coogan is an utterly fearless performer , which makes his character just a little bit frightening , occasionally unsympathetic , and just unreal enough to feel way too real .",
      "the glory of this movie is that its quality of silliness is not strained .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- starts with a zany idea , carried out with energy and a mild sense of anarchy ; then the film loses steam and settles for a conventional ending that does n't give us a payoff .",
      "why so vulgar ?",
      "at times coogan seems like he 's trying so hard to make this material funny that you worry for his health .",
      "for a film like MOV to work -- even the title is hilariously ridiculous -- it has to sell the absurdity completely . it does .",
      "this is smart and original and definitely worth the side effect of having rock me sexy jesus in your head for days - even weeks - after viewing .",
      "there 's nothing remarkable , or witty , or particularly engaging about MOV .",
      "it 's coogan 's breakthrough star performance that holds it all together . he 's sensational .",
      "it 's sacrilege , i know , to suggest that a sundance hit would have been better as a strictly hollywood product , but a bigger budget might have helped .",
      "MOV 's laughs and inventiveness are as spotty as the ability of its drama teacher to recognize brilliance . but the music is a knockout , and coogan is consistently the best part of the film .",
      "might have been brilliantly funny had the film found a way to suitably lay the groundwork for its premise .",
      "bounces along quickly and remarkably inoffensively given its deliberately edgy content , and wraps up exactly how you expect it will .",
      "few actors besides coogan could make lines like , ` i have so much anger i feel like i 've been raped in the face , ' sound borderline endearing . borderline .",
      "as long as the picture remains focused on the efforts to mount MOV , it follows the bard 's lead by making sure that -- in the words of the melancholy dane himself -- `` the play 's the thing . ''",
      "it 's a lot of fun , thanks to coogan and a strong supporting cast .",
      "it 's not awful , but it has given itself a really tough act to follow .",
      "MOV offers us a rare moment in cinema to see something truly original .",
      "dana 's inability to parse the difference between acting and living is put to several tests in MOV , which is not only the name of his movie but also the title of the audacious play he writes for his students to perform .",
      "the answer to every stupid inspirational teacher movie there ever was ... it 's about what crap all those inspirational teacher movies are .",
      "as hamlet himself would -lrb- and did say -rrb- , though this be madness , yet there is method in it . along with lots of laughs .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dazzling little comedy .",
      "not since death of a salesman has failure been quite so entertaining .",
      "coogan creates a protagonist who 's as much a hack as he is an inspiration , an idiot who you root for in the film , but you 'd rather not have as a personal friend .",
      "pleasantly odd and truly funny , and it builds in strength as it goes along . most of all , there 's something queerly magnetic about coogan , and he pulls us past the clumsiest stuff in the picture .",
      "the funniest shakespearean sequel since richard iv .",
      "for anyone who ever took drama in high school , coogan 's character will surely ignite memories of quirky , even downright crazy teachers you may have encountered over the years .",
      "buoyed by steve coogan 's unapologetically go-for-broke performance ...",
      "that sound you hear is shakespeare spinning in his grave after watching MOV from the great beyond .",
      "i pio anatreptiki komodia poy ehei ksepidisei ap ' to aneksartito kykloma ta teleytaia hronia",
      "coogan is a master at playing jerks , but dana is too silly , too stupid , and too unappealing to enlist us on his side .",
      "some of it does n't work at all , but much of it is both sharply astute and hysterically funny",
      "high school theater spoof lacks some spark .",
      "moments of demented inspiration as the ridiculously catchy ditty ` rock me sexy jesus ' are few and far between .",
      "i have n't laughed so hard in years . coogan is pure brilliance ...",
      "funny excuses an awful lot , and at its best , MOV is nothing short of hilarious .",
      "coogan brings an innocent quality to dana , who knows he lacks talent but loves the craft so much that he hangs on however he can .",
      "i am not fond of listening to characters scream unfunny lines meant to send up the blandness of everyday people .",
      "it has some hilariously humiliating jokes -lrb- coogan really has no fear -rrb- and some surprisingly pointed real-life humor -lrb- elisabeth shue , you are a genuine sport -rrb- .",
      "frequently amusing and consistently outrageous but ultimately tiresome .",
      "MOV is a likable movie even as it careens around like a wagging tail , but it 's just too uneven .",
      "no matter how many jokes you pack around it , arrested development does n't make for a very compelling dramatic arc .",
      "it has an edge and degree of sophistication not seen in most summer comedies .",
      "fortunately , coogan remains impressively unafraid of humiliation , pushing every joke just far enough to keep us watching . but he deserves more .",
      "it 's coogan 's show , in a grotesquely overstated performance that makes sense for the character but is n't always easy to watch .",
      "there are several pieces of vulgar language in the film that some viewers might find objectionable . i found them neither objectionable nor particularly funny . in fact , that sums up how i felt about the entire film .",
      "anyone who has ever been involved in amateur theater , or for that matter who has been involved with anyone involved in amateur theater , will applaud ` MOV . '",
      "the sheer absurdity of it all allows one to forgive the fact that it never truly realizes its potential .",
      "witless spoof on hamlet that is more irritating than funny .",
      "very funny . even though his hands are nowhere on it , you can feel the presence of john waters everywhere .",
      "there is nothing wrong with hamlet 1 . it does n't need further explanation . the bard locked down all the loose ends and there is just no need for a sequel .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- is not going to be for every taste , but it is easily the funniest movie to be released this year .",
      "the result is comparatively mild in a summer of comedies so politically incorrect that one of them earned a boycott .",
      "a high school musical that would make john waters proud .",
      "will just go down as a quirky film released at a time when bigger movies were starting to wind down and this was worth taking a chance on .",
      "the more things fall apart , the funnier the film gets .",
      "let 's just call MOV waiting for guffaws , and be done with it . sadly , said laughter rarely comes , if at all",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- was beaten to the punch by christopher guest 's waiting for guffman , which despite its off-the-cuff nature actually gets these people , feels more dangerous , and has way better songs .",
      "director andrew fleming tends to err on the side of volume , blowing up jokes two or three sizes larger than they probably needed to be . but all sins are quickly forgiven once the curtain rises on mr. marschz 's opus .",
      "collapses , despite a game and talented cast , and a brilliant concept . well , concepts do n't make movies .",
      "constructed from leftovers .",
      "fortunately , british comic steve coogan -lrb- `` 24 hour party people '' -rrb- performs a feat of alchemy by making the seemingly flimsy setup become sturdy as the final credits roll .",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- rilliant british satirist steve coogan ... is actually hard to watch at times , he 's so raw and honest in how he strips dana of all dignity in the teacher 's search for meaning and feeling in his life ...",
      "MOV star steve coogan told hollywoodchicago.com : `` it did make me nervous to play jesus . i wondered whether the director was just trying to be provocative to annoy christians or if it was just funny . ''",
      "MOV is deliriously profane and marvelously hilarious , an outrageous satire that uses absurdist humor to ask an age old question : what happens when you love something but are not remotely good at it ?",
      "a shoddy and indulgent mass of bits from other movies with a shapeless , shameless performance by british comedic actor steve coogan as its unfixed center .",
      "more passive than aggressive as dana , coogan plays against type here and delivers a brilliant , often hysterical performance .",
      "an erratic , freewheeling satire of middle american mores .",
      "despite the richness of the premise for comic invention , however , MOV remains a rather mediocre experience , offering sporadic laughs but never achieving the level of consistent humor necessary to make this memorable .",
      "coogan 's mopiness is oddly riveting .",
      "even though the film has a sloppy feel to it , steve coogan 's brilliantly conceived comic performance is worth the price of admission .",
      "MOV belongs firmly to steve coogan , which is fortunate since none of the film 's supporting players prove to be the least bit memorable .",
      "can a frustrated actor pen a hamlet sequel reviving dead characters via a time machine with jesus , einstein and hillary clinton ? if this daring , irreverent social satire has its say , those lunatic possibilities may prove just that on screen .",
      "while not all the jokes in MOV work , even the failures earn a smile .",
      "after several pointless studio remakes -lrb- in-laws , nancy drew -rrb- , andrew fleming is back on terra ferma with this spoof of tucson arizona and delusional drama teachers , dominated by a strong performance from british icon steve coogan .",
      "hit-and-miss in terms of verbal wit and individual gags . but package moves along quickly , and overall concept remains amusing even when there 's a dud moment or three .",
      "it 's a doozy , but none of the tiresome racial epithets nor the naughty words that surround this magnum opus of raunch deliver the outrage they so badly try to stir up .",
      "cowriter/director andrew flemingpresents the anti-inspirational teacher in marchz - the guy 's a mess and coogan is simply brilliant playing him , but fleming 's overloaded his film",
      "with all of the unoriginal garbage in hollywood recently , MOV gives us hope that there is still talent left in the world .",
      "coogan gets in some funny line readings from time to time , but there 's too much emphasis on his likeability for him to be truly funny .",
      "... in the end the movie is redeemed by a weird integrity .",
      "coogan 's performance as the lost soul is as brilliant as it is ebulliently wacky",
      "there are definitely enough moments where you are shocked into laughter that allow this sequel to be , as opposed to not being at all .",
      "while it does n't completely succeed at its intentions , it contains enough funny moments to almost make you overlook the fact that it does n't .",
      "MOV is a tour-de-force from coogan -lrb- the director in tropic thunder -rrb- , who 's never been more wonderfully , wildly unhinged .",
      "this is an uproariously crowd-pleasing satire , one that embraces its r-rated subversiveness without ever feeling dirty or mean-spirited .",
      "steve coogan is the whole show in MOV , and while director and co-writer andrew fleming is strictly rudimentary in terms of technique and style , his british star pockets every available laugh plus a few unavailable ones .",
      "watching steve coogan overact is like being pummeled bloody with a pillowcase packed tightly with frozen oranges .",
      "it 's a tired brand -- designed for urban audiences who wish to be reassured of their broad-mindedness .",
      "there is some really dark stuff going on underneath all the outrageous goofiness ...",
      "its sharply funny moments make its lack of consistency all the more evident . the movie ends up feeling like a collection of moments , rather than a coherent quirky comedy .",
      "surprise , this parody of self-parodies pulls it off . ` MOV ' swings from the shallow , gross or cruel , through obvious overdone , to moments of inspiration .",
      "dead poets society , dangerous minds , mr. holland 's opus , all ` great ' movies about ` great ' teachers inspiring their students to achieve great things -- all movies referenced lovingly by steve coogan 's ` inspiring ' teacher in MOV .",
      "nowhere is the failure of this film more evident than in the much ballyhooed elisabeth shue subplot .",
      "in andrew fleming 's MOV , the laughs are wan and intermittent . there 's something rotten in the state of arizona .",
      "-lsb- coogan 's -rsb- screen persona is vain , dim , angry , and deeply miserable , and his handful of scenes here with a smilingly harsh catherine keener are little masterpieces of comic sadomasochism .",
      "there 's something admirable about a comedy that celebrates the provocative nature of art , even if that comedy does n't quite provoke as much as it could have .",
      "MOV has a lot on its mind , not all of it good . you can tell everyone involved here knows what they 're doing ... it 's just that they have too many balls in the air and ca n't effectively juggle them at once .",
      "the play 's the thing in MOV .",
      "oddly , what 's supposed to be a great comedy about a bad play is in fact a bad comedy about a play that looks pretty frigging amazing",
      "brady and fleming , who co-wrote the script , build to a feverish finale , 15 minutes of pure transgressive laughter when MOV is finally performed .",
      "while they may be trying to `` save drama , '' -lrb- the $ 6,000 a year tucson high school luxury -rrb- they are also lovingly destroying it .",
      "silly , inconsequential fun with enough laughs to make it worth a trip to the megaplex .",
      "i laughed enough while i watched it , but as i write this review , i realize how shabby it really is . and marschz is annoying .",
      "a wildly uneven satire -- not nearly as controversial or as funny as you might have expected .",
      "the lowbrow humor in MOV works consistently well , but much more intelligent jokes are launched from the wry lips of catherine keener ."
    ],
    "summary": "the script 's biting premise and steve coogan 's endearing , off-the-handle performance make MOV an hysterical -- if slightly painful -- ride .",
    "id": "770684397"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blade_runner",
    "reviews": [
      "always a classic , if slow",
      "as intricately detailed as anything a science-fiction film has yet envisioned .",
      "futurism meets film noir in the most satisfying s-f picture of its day .",
      "the most intelligent and terrifying vision of the future ever conceived for the screen ...",
      "visually stunning detective story , and a defining work of science fiction .",
      "a sci-fi classic that balances the cerebral with the entertaining .",
      "a real classic .",
      "visually dazzling but thematically mediocre .",
      "this sci-fi entry is grim , but compelling and features breathtaking visuals . the director 's cut is far superior simply because it lacks the annoying voiceover and trusts its audience with the story .",
      "the science fiction standout of the 1980s .",
      "it 's an excellent film , although a tad flawed .",
      "a very dark and far too long thriller with many dull moments that would serve the film better by moving along a bit faster .",
      "MOV is a brilliant analysis of humankind , our development and evolution .",
      "director ridley scott 's 1982 film MOV is arguably the most famous and influential science fiction film ever made .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1982 -rrb- , director ridley scott 's follow-up to alien -lrb- 1979 -rrb- , is one of the most popular and influential science-fiction films of all time -",
      "MOV is a pretty good sci-fi thriller , and it 's beyond me while harrison ford says it 's his least favorite .",
      "a rare masterpiece in both the sci-fi and film noir genres . MOV makes you think , makes you question reality , and makes you return to watch it again and again .",
      "a genre-defining science-fiction thriller with echoes of old-fashioned film noir",
      "a visually stunning , film , a truly influential masterpiece that has been copied time and time again . unfortunately , it is also an emotionally vacant and ultimately unrewarding film experience .",
      "actually the last movie that i had liked so much that i bothered to go to cinema for the second time . never again i was so blown away by cinematic quality to buy tickets for repeated viewing .",
      "it 's science-fiction . it 's film noir . it 's action . -lrb- it 's awesome . -rrb-",
      "top-drawer sci-fi drama set in los angeles in 2019 .",
      "the dark , dreamy cityscapes created for the film are almost as alive as the characters .",
      "director ridley scott , noted for his elaborate production design on alien , again brings to the screen a brilliantly conceived view of the future that falters only when a weak screenplay gets in the way .",
      "a visually stunning , but emotionally empty sci-fi classic .",
      "successfully combines and transcends the sci-fi and detective genres to forge a serious drama , that stands head and shoulders above the cartoonlike approach of many of its popular genre brethren .",
      "perhaps scott 's only film that warrants his emphasized visuals .",
      "this film is rendered superior by the director 's cut , thanks to the excising of extraneous narration and the grim yet more appropriate ending .",
      "it is , in fact , an amazingly sophisticated , sumptuously visionary treatise on the consequences of attaining god-hood .",
      "the film is great on every level : the poignant screenplay about man 's futile quest for immortality ; scott 's tremendous direction ; the incredible , futuristic sets designed by lawrence g. paull , syd mead and others ; the phenomenal special effects .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- MOV is one of the most enigmatic yet problematic science fiction films ever made .",
      "this is perhaps the only science-fiction film that can be called transcendental .",
      "it takes a particularly weird kind of sincerity to end a movie that has been for its entire running time an exploration of surfaces ... with its most sublime and humane gesture .",
      "a motion picture masterpiece on the short list of reasons why this medium is worthwhile .",
      "they all plod along while sometimes dazzling , sometimes boring special effects whiz by and ford 's climactic confrontation with hauer approaches . instead of tension building , though , things are grinding to a halt , including hauer 's gears .",
      "the contradictions that plague the movie are apparent from the outset .",
      "too bad the filmmakers did n't try to recapture the modest virtues of the dick novel , which -lrb- despite many flaws of its own -rrb- has a humor and humanity that are nowhere felt in ` MOV .",
      "a masterpiece of dystopian science fiction on film .",
      "even when over the top , scott 's uncompromisingly disorienting film is a singularly hallucinatory experience and nothing short of exhilarating .",
      "film noir cubed , science fiction a step beyond 2001 .",
      "... a hopelessly overrated piece of work .",
      "it seems ageless , despite being set in 2019 . this is a future more murky than shining , where hardened men move among the lowlife in a warren of streets lit like an edward hopper painting , below pyramid-like skyscrapers .",
      "a dark , philosophical sci-fi drama for older teens .",
      "a quintessential film noir of the 1980s , much underestimated at the time of release .",
      "paradoxically , scott 's crowded , misty , neon streetscape seems even murkier ; fuzz i chalked up to vhs tapes is production designer lawrence g. paull dumping ashtrays in the air .",
      "it may be a quarter of a century old , but MOV still seems like the future ...",
      "for all its armor of brutalizing urban dystopia -lrb- and , boy , is there a lot of that -- you could fund a war on terror with the fog - and rain-machine budgets alone -rrb- , MOV has a gooey center .",
      "as a display terminal for the wizardry of designers lawrence g. paull , douglas trumbull and syd mead , the movie delivers .",
      "the new version helped me see the soul because , ironically , this rendering is so much brighter . noir or not , a film you ca n't see properly is a film you ca n't fully appreciate .",
      "probably close to being on par with fritz lang 's metropolis in terms of grandeur -- although of a stunningly different and far more unsettling kind .",
      "MOV has only gotten better with time . do yourself a favor and pass over anything new in theaters and go for this old classic , it still has the power to dazzle and amaze .",
      "this definitive print should be the last little push that `` MOV '' needs to complete its 25-year journey from box office failure to cult favorite to full-blown classic .",
      "MOV , which does not look one bit dated , envelops us so completely in its off-kilter , near-future world .",
      "the changes are minor , but the overall effect is a much cleaner , more logical , and more organically flowing movie .",
      "stylistically , MOV is the citizen kane of sci-fi movies .",
      "scott 's film may keep us at arm 's length , but it holds us , too .",
      "though it 's a triumph of visual futurism and an ornament to sci-fi cinema as well as to cinema in general , i resist it on some level .",
      "it 's an overwhelming , immersive experience , a total creation of a possible future so complete that you do n't need exposition to know how we got from here to there -lrb- 2019 -rrb- .",
      "this `` new '' MOV is still a science fiction classic .",
      "the film still represents the cutting edge of dark science fiction .",
      "`` MOV '' is no mere museum piece % u2013it continues to live and breathe in a manner unlike the vast majority of contemporary films , regardless of genre , and this is why it continues to resonate just as strongly as it did back in 1982 .",
      "even if this 1982 movie were made in 2007 , it would be hailed for its special effects and production design .",
      "reviled on release , who would have thought that ridley scott 's sci-fi noir would go on to become so influential and retrospectively acclaimed ?",
      "MOV , in all its various , shimmering incarnations , is deathless .",
      "MOV : the final cut plays better now than ever .",
      "twenty five years after its original release , the boldly titled and definitive-sounding final cut has arrived , and thankfully , it boasts editorial polishes and technical upheavals that 'll have george lucas dashing back to the cutting room .",
      "there are no plot-altering additions or subtractions . but the digitally spruced print is gorgeous to look at and listen to .",
      "open the champagne : MOV is finally just the way ridley scott wanted it . and it only took 25 years .",
      "this is a seminal film , building on older classics like metropolis or things to come , but establishing a pervasive view of the future that has influenced science fiction films ever since .",
      "much of the film 's erotic charge and moral and ideological ambiguity stem from the fact that these characters are very nearly the only ones we care about .",
      "the opportunity to see one of the milestone visual achievements in a big hall with a giant screen is not to be missed . and even if you saw MOV in a theater in 1982 , this will be an entirely new experience .",
      "MOV is so good , it does n't even have to be changed . the dialogue is so fascinating you can always hear it .",
      "not only is MOV a relevant masterpiece that asks poignant questions about what it means to be human , but it also looks like it could have been made today .",
      "the macro eye closeup that opens this spectacular film -lrb- newly scrubbed and polished -rrb- is a perfect statement for the movie , human but abstract : unconnected to a face .",
      "the film 's noisy sound mix and congested pictorialism -- as if it had been directed by a crazed , postmodern von sternberg -- is a direct corollary to its moral ambiguity and sense of climactic human expiration -lrb- technological and social -rrb- .",
      "beg , borrow or steal a ticket to see it on the biggest screen you can find .",
      "ridley scott created a triumph of retro-futuristic design over narrative or character richness .",
      "` i 've seen things you people would n't believe , ' declares one of the androids late in the going . and if you 've seen this film , you can make the same claim .",
      "MOV 's ability to keep us enthralled , and keep us talking , 25 years later is the sure sign of a classic .",
      "this is the tenth final version of the MOV . this version is the best . it goes snap ... snap ... snap .",
      "i still think the movie loses steam when it goes indoors -- but one can not deny its influence",
      "the film that re-invented the sci-fi wheel",
      "the android villains are neither menacing nor sympathetic , when ideally they should have been both . this leaves scott 's picturesque violence looking dull and exploitative .",
      "a stylistically dazzling film noir set in november 2019 in a brilliantly imagined los angeles marked by both technological wonders and horrendous squalor .",
      "these days , it 's almost impossible to find a gritty science fiction motion picture that does n't owe at least a small debt to MOV 's visual style .",
      "one of the all time great visionary sf films .",
      "the style-over-substance scott 's only substantive text .",
      "if the total cinema package does not hit one over the head , it nevertheless provides more food for thought this time around .",
      "projected in digital format with booming , all-encompassing sound , MOV : the final cut is a marvel of technology and dedication . as a film it 's still the same dead-eyed pretty girl who looks good on your arm but is a real bore over dinner .",
      "mainly , the re-release is a good excuse to indulge once more in scott 's iconic and highly influential vision of a future los angeles choked by rain , neon and cheap pleasure palaces ."
    ],
    "summary": "misunderstood when it first hit theaters , the influence of ridley scott 's mysterious , neo-noir MOV has deepened with time . a visually remarkable , achingly human sci-fi masterpiece .",
    "id": "12886"
  },
  {
    "movie": "intolerable_cruelty",
    "reviews": [
      "joel and ethan are bounteously gifted filmmakers , but sometimes you just want them to lay off the irony and climb down here with the groundlings .",
      "clooney and zeta-jones make for a glamorous couple , and there is enough chemistry between them that you might find yourself wondering if michael douglas has a miles massey prenup .",
      "nothing more than a decent quickie -- if you 're into that kind of thing .",
      "it is fun , but in such a clinical way that you could quantify the experience of watching it : eight big laughs , 20 chuckles and six draggy parts .",
      "further proof that the coens can take any genre -- in this case , a star-driven screwball comedy -- and make it work without sacrificing their unique sensibility in the process .",
      "better in its setup than in its resolution , MOV nonetheless provides laughs and a fine comic performance from george clooney .",
      "a hilarious comedy that offers a clever look at the follies and grief that come to all those who try to milk the institution of marriage for all they can get out of it .",
      "the coens bring out the goofy best in clooney ; he 's a matinee idol with a silly red nose and clown shoes whenever working with the brothers .",
      "even a lesser coen brothers film is still better than most `` good '' movies , and cruelty is well worth the price of admission .",
      "clooney and zeta jones have impeccable comic timing , frst-rate acting talent and movie star magic , which keeps their characters both real and sizzlingly sexy .",
      "clooney and zeta-jones have a level of antagonistic banter recalling the best of the hepburn-tracy chemistry . now , this is what is meant by the term movie star .",
      "this dim-witted , mean-spirited and brain-dead calamity should surprise no one .",
      "MOV wants to make fun of the hypocrisies inherent in hallmarkian true love , celebrate true love , and then make fun again -- it 's a complicated , bumpy road , and the film only makes it partway .",
      "worth seeing , and more fun than the average hollywood rom-com .",
      "the joy of MOV is in watching clooney deconstruct his suave screen persona , that mix of cary grant cool and dean martin hip , in front of your very eyes .",
      "a funny , entertaining movie with witty dialogue and great performances .",
      "clooney is as watchable here as cary grant or clark gable in their prime , and zeta-jones exudes a glamour-gal sexiness reminiscent of rita hayworth .",
      "both clooney and zeta-jones are given simple lines that they deliver so deliciously that they set some sort of gold standard .",
      "... the movie eventually takes a dark turn that it 's never quite able to recover from .",
      "it will delight their fans with its random humor and its palate of bizarre characters .",
      "watching this all play out is like snacking on meringue cookies and champagne : you 'll certainly enjoy it , but you 're likely to crave something a bit more substantial later on .",
      "had clooney and zeta-jones been blessed with more lively , head-butting , memorably quotable give-and-take , MOV could have been a sublime romantic dark comedy .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- ull of a wit and a wickedness that 's old-fashioned only in that there 's not much like it to be found these days .",
      "the thing that gets you in the end is the sheer joy the coens bring to the film , even polishing someone else 's story and working with big hollywood stars .",
      "MOV has more comic energy than five woody allens , eight mel brookses and 10 farrelly brothers . that 's each brother .",
      "gorgeous , commercial coen brothers romantic comedy has a-list luster and plenty of laughs , but is a little lacking .",
      "rather than extending their talents in directions suggested by the excellently accessible the big lebowski and o brother , where art thou ? , the coen brothers pillage their back catalog .",
      "the resulting film is pretty odd-there are numerous moments throughout that are identifiably coenesque , i suppose , but it never really feels like a true coen brothers film . it feels more like what it is ; a standard-issue romantic comedy that occasionally",
      "the sheer amount of chuckles in the script is enough to make you forget that MOV is somewhat arbitrarily put together , never building the rhythm that would have made it into something memorable .",
      "by turning marriage into a hunting sport and by making clooney and zeta-jones the best on-screen couple of the year , the coens make MOV the most wicked comedy this fall .",
      "to see clooney tenderize , season , grill , and serve this ham hock of a role is to see an old-fashioned virtuoso in perpetual motion .",
      "one of the most inspired , scathing , and downright side-splitting comedies to come out of hollywood this year .",
      "anyone who feels nostalgia for the classic age of screwball comedy will get a charge out of MOV .",
      "no different from most of the other dumb slapstick spoofs that pass for screwball comedy these days .",
      "george clooney and catherine zeta-jones square off deliciously , but this '30s - style battle of the sexes from the coen brothers never catches fire .",
      "by coen standards this is a minor effort , but it 's still superior to the average rom-com .",
      "in its nasty , blackhearted take on contemporary coupling and uncoupling , MOV has the distant though unmistakable ring of truth .",
      "substantially darker and more twisted than the average screwball romantic comedy .",
      "very slick and highly entertaining ... but it feels a bit off from the usual coen fare .",
      "smart , silly , splenetic and a bit smug , it 's a movie that might put a viewer 's teeth on edge were it not for its winning lead performances .",
      "not brilliantly funny nor incisively clever , MOV is still moderately satirical and laugh-out-loud enjoyable .",
      "a fun romp , thanks largely to the deft work of its two leads .",
      "-lsb- ce film -rsb- est tout ce que l'on ne veut pas voir les coen faire dans leur futur , mais aussi le genre de comédie romantique que l'on souhaiterait voir plus souvent .",
      "the script is whip-smart . the coens come closer to the zaniness of their greatest comedy , raising arizona , then they have in all of their movies since then .",
      "despite the inconsistent script and low tone , this has many funny moments . if you can forget the negative view it takes of mankind , itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s entertaining because of the performances of clooney , zeta jones , and the rest of the cast .",
      "the coens ... have taken a typically trite target for ridicule and splayed it out for an attack from outer space , where coen brothers scripts tend to originate .",
      "has worthwhile moments , including an excellent performance by -lsb- george -rsb- clooney , but the plotting is contrived .",
      "... less than tolerable when it takes a turn into blood simple . the outright winner is clooney , whose cheery star appeal keeps getting brighter and brighter .",
      "half the pleasure of MOV is watching the coens play it safe",
      "a date-movie with brain cells .",
      "viewers wo n't feel like they 've been dealt with too cruelly .",
      "clooney 's dead-on performance ... mixes the script 's exuberantly dramatic prose and film noir sensibility with the profound truth that love makes us all blithering , willing idiots",
      "as he showed in o brother , where art thou ? clooney has become a first-class comic performer , one eager to blow off his matinee-idol looks and indulge his characters ' inner idiocies .",
      "pretty to look at , really and truly funny , streaked with cynicism and chock full of talent .",
      "as miles massey , clooney brings an absurdist charm -- and some cary grant-like gestural hilarity .",
      "there are laughs here aplenty , and sexy , goofy , off-the-cuff charm .",
      "the camera 's feelings for zeta-jones almost seem to warrant a restraining order .",
      "it 's one of those movies you recommend to a friend , then spend the next five minutes cataloging its flaws .",
      "a frustratingly sharp misfire that comes close to being hilarious but never quite clicks in its pacing , timing or tone .",
      "a work of gentle , continual hilarity that feels far more ordinary than other coen works and yet has every bit of the originality and exactness that makes the brothers ' best films so wonderful .",
      "edward herrmann gets a very funny part as a train-happy millionaire ; cedric the entertainer pulls the movie in another direction as a streety private detective . and as clooney 's worshipful , weepy best friend , paul adelstein nearly steals the movie .",
      "an intelligent , modern screwball comedy .",
      "harks back to the screwball comedies of howard hawks and preston sturges -- and owes much of its pizzazz to the spark-plug pairing of george clooney and catherine zeta-jones .",
      "if MOV is n't a convincing love story , it 's a hugely entertaining one .",
      "the loversâ -lrb- tm -rrb- chemistry lends a welcome carnality to the film , balancing out the filmmakersâ -lrb- tm -rrb- more arch , quixotic tendencies .",
      "this film is like a trojan horse ; it pretends to be all cute and cuddly , but underneath that façade are some very large fangs .",
      "MOV is a shallow and instantly forgettable non-romantic comedy , a new cinematic low point for joel and ethan coen .",
      "why didnâ -lrb- tm -rrb- t i laugh more than once ?",
      "the coens ' most experimental film : a ` normal ' movie ...",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's a lot of problems with the script , and some of the stuff with edward herrmann i do n't think works at all , it 's not funny it just kind of falls flat . but clooney and catherine zeta-jones , i think they deliver enough to say it 's worth seeing .",
      "clooney shines , zeta-jones looks better than ever , the laughs are there , but the movie falls far short of perfection .",
      "... an uproariously quirky story about romance in the very unromantic field of matrimonial law .",
      "the coens are setting themselves up again for the charge of misanthropy , but their cynicism here is so pure that , at least as embodied by clooney and zeta-jones , it comes off as a kind of romantic ideal .",
      "this undistinguished film , lacking in wit , could not possibly be a coen brothers project , could it ?",
      "it 's not on a par with fargo or o brother , but it 's a solidly funny movie , a hybrid , weird-bird film like only the coens can make .",
      "offers tolerable comedy , but in less surprising or demanding ways than coen fans might expect .",
      "a display of two high-wattage stars sweating to enliven a paper-thin script that substitutes plot twists for an engaging story .",
      "is n't what the title threatens , but it certainly affords much less pleasure than you might expect , given it 's a coen brothers movie .",
      "the coens have taken their trademark wit , style and rapid-fire dialogue and refined it into a lean mean laugh machine .",
      "elegant , cheerfully cynical fun of the kind we used to get regularly from billy wilder , howard hawks and other masters of the classic hollywood screwball comedy .",
      "if you 're going to take comic aim at a target as big and obvious as beverly hills matrimonial combat , the least you can do is what joel and ethan coen do in their neo-screwball anti-romantic comedy MOV : spare no ammunition .",
      "zeta-jones and clooney , movie stars in the best sense of the term , pitch their performances perfectly .",
      "it 's fun to watch fabulous-looking , confident people trying to finesse each other into a corner .",
      "yes , there are some funny moments here and there , but the movie never has the point of a real farce .",
      "too slick but amusing marital farce .",
      "the movie is a delicious , consistently hilarious screwball farce that gives clooney his best comedy role to date and should finally , forever , lift the coens into the wide-release movie mainstream .",
      "destined to rank among the coens ' least memorable achievements .",
      "a great movie .",
      "as miles , clooney does n't make any direct emotional appeal to the audience and yet his high style is so smashingly effective that miles stands open to us : macher , lover , patsy .",
      "inventive and hilarious .",
      "this is the coens dabbling in the mainstream , and bending it to their will .",
      "the coensâ -lrb- tm -rrb- first mainstream romantic comedy is a superb hijacking of an ailing art form -- short , sharp and frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious .",
      "a competent bit of work from which striking originality and idiosyncrasy have mostly been pruned away .",
      "the coens do an efficient job of stamping their signature grotesquerie on sumptuous beverly hills and las vegas settings and ladling on gallows humor and malice , sometimes with the verve of early robert zemeckis .",
      "screwball comedy for older teens and adults .",
      "here 's an anomaly : a comedy about smart people .",
      "watching clooney and zeta-jones interact is suitably fun , and neither of them is exactly hard on the eyes .",
      "a pretty much paint by numbers job , but clooney and the divine ms. jones have great chemistry and timing and successfully manage to wrestle the script to the ground .",
      "` a perfect antidote to the sticky sentiment of your average romantic comedy . '",
      "the coen brothers do provide enough of a diversion with bits and pieces of wacko casting , and with the deranged details of dress and makeup of their fleeting gargoyles , to make the proceedings at least moderately amusing .",
      "like a hollywood marriage itself , ` MOV ' is seductive for the moment but the affection does n't last .",
      "the structure of the film soon hardens into a boilerplate shape , notwithstanding certain details of image or character that jut out at odd angles .",
      "`` MOV merely resembles a typical hollywood love story embellished with a few signature coen touches . ''",
      "darkly funny and oh-so-wicked , `` MOV '' is quirky diversion that will appeal to fans of other coen brothers films .",
      "a frequently hilarious screwball comedy about the battle between the sexes , which here all boils down to one thing : money .",
      "while it 's not nearly as beguiling as the coen 's last pic , the uncanny the man who was n't there , cruelty is still a brisk hoot .",
      "oh yeah , divorce is hysterical .",
      "wonderfully fluffy concoction .",
      "i can not detect a heartbeat of feeling , no matter how close i press a stethoscope against the star machinery of george clooney and catherine zeta-jones .",
      "give the same script to nora ephron and the end result probably would n't have been much different .",
      "MOV does n't rank up with the coens ' best work , but it produces laughter in gushes and enough originality to ensure it wo n't be forgotten .",
      "from the introductory shot of miles -lrb- clooney -rrb- , giving garbled instructions on his cell phone , his teeth surgically shrouded as his whitening treatment cures , we know we 're in the movie world of the coen brothers",
      "as screwball comedy , the film is entirely too restrained , coasting for too long on recycled gags .",
      "it winds up playing like a separation -- loud , overheated and messy .",
      "marked by a tossed-off feeling : a distinct impression that america 's most viable auteur brats had taken an unfamiliar path with minimal investment for uncertain gain .",
      "color me disappointed . i see coens beneath the title and i expect quality black comedy .",
      "full of malicious fun , weirdness and enough star power to blast through any repetitiveness .",
      "the coens fail to give us a compelling reason why , if at all , we should invest ourselves in how things pan out .",
      "broad and light enough , had one not seen the opening credits , to never , ever be mistaken for a coen brothers film .",
      "MOV is n't half as clever as most coen films ... but it 's much more likable .",
      "rarely has strife between the sexes been so ruthless , so civilized , and so funny .",
      "there 's snappy dialogue , delightfully off-center acting and a pulsing thoroughfare of cynicism .",
      "with a giddy , chin-up , straight-face delivery , the film is deadpan silly .",
      "the dialog snaps and crackles with life , burying hilarious jokes in almost every line and keeping the cast on their toes .",
      "a broad farce that is long on manic , cartoonish behavior and short on intelligence and wit .",
      "a thoroughly entertaining comedy about love , lawyers and fat divorce settlements .",
      "slick romantic comedy from joel and ethan coen .",
      "so clever , so funny , so suavely entertaining that it comes as a shock to realize that it 's not nearly as satisfying as all those qualities would lead you to believe .",
      "an oversize screwball comedy in the big lebowski tradition .",
      "clooney is definitely the man of these two hours . his portrait of a shark in love is a model of classy comic acting .",
      "the movie simply is n't interesting .",
      "it 's so refreshing to get such clever dialogue delivered with such confidence and panache .",
      "an amiable romp of a movie , a romantic comedy in which romance is plundered and ridiculed while simultaneously longed for .",
      "there are obvious coen touches , comic post-it notes from the underground that have a ` kilroy was here ' feel . but mostly , killjoy was here .",
      "watching clooney 's miles and zeta-jones ' marylin eye each other is a simmering pleasure .",
      "one of the funnier comedies to come down the road in quite some time , and this sharply observant film also has surprising warmth and heart .",
      "zeta-jones dominates the movie . she has never looked so radiant , and acting is almost beside the point .",
      "reminds us how good romantic comedy can be , but interestingly enough , it 's not a particularly romantic movie .",
      "it 's determined to keep clooney 's considerable comedic skills front and center . he 's never been looser , sexier , or more antic .",
      "little more than an exercise in mimicry , an empty if stylish exercise in mocking sendup .",
      "reeks with the stale sweat of desperate writers",
      "a romantic comedy , but it has enough dark , strange , and cynical moments to qualify as a full-fledged part of the coen canon .",
      "unlike steve martin 's portraits of la , `` MOV '' does n't find the loneliness beneath the sheen .",
      "this time , having found in sturges a sensibility which chimes with their own , they 've got a winner .",
      "testimony to the power of old-style star wattage .",
      "a conventional hollywood comedy boasting a bolder indie heart , the film essentially combines the worst of both worlds .",
      "the operative word in this film is ` restrained . '",
      "it has some good gags , but then so did the wedding singer .",
      "the film has a lot going for it - a gem of a premise and one of the most outrageous laughs tucked into a movie this year - but it ultimately comes up short .",
      "it perpetrates such whimsy , such loopy wordplay , such manifest absurdity , that one is liable afterward to forget everything about it , except that it made one laugh .",
      "... it does live up to its title by being both cruel and intolerable , although not necessarily in the redeeming ways one might hope for .",
      "clooney , in one of his best screen turns to date , exhibits the right degree of screwball aptitude .",
      "stands up fine as friday-night fun and if the aim were to produce a slice of escapist entertainment then it can be said to succeed , if not excel .",
      "if MOV establishes one thing , it 's that george clooney is the closest thing that contemporary hollywood has to an old-fashioned matinee idol .",
      "a neo-screwball comedy that pits dapper yet dizzy george clooney against the sinuously slinky catherine zeta-jones , MOV serves up a diverting , sporadically devastating satire on the battle of the sexes .",
      "despite the film 's conventional comedic material , we 're still rooted firmly in coen brothers territory .",
      "... a sugary romantic comedy tempered by the coens ' sardonic touch .",
      "it 's a kind of lopsided the awful truth -lrb- 1937 -rrb- ... and even though the coens are capable of such hilarity , the choppy MOV never gets anywhere near it .",
      "MOV may not be the coen brothers ' best work , but it 's still several steps above the other romantic comedies hollywood 's churned out in recent memory .",
      "dark , offbeat , quirky material has long been a staple in the coen 's work , but here the dynamic duo have given it a commercial boost .",
      "the coens re-create the madcap dialogue of 1940s screwball comedies , particularly his girl friday . but you do n't have to know that to laugh your head off .",
      "clooney shows off a combination of bumbling comic genius and romantic appeal not seen since the old days of hollywood .",
      "clooney at the top of his comedic game .",
      "there are chuckles throughout , but it 's not the biting , bizarre , black comedy one has come to expect from the coen duo .",
      "the story never really takes flight , but the coens get a few good hops out of it as it bumps down the runway .",
      "watching the coens join forces with hollywood producer brian grazer for this star-driven comedy is the equivalent of justin timberlake hooking up with bob dylan for an album of duets , but it works pretty darn well .",
      "the resulting battle of the sexes is a generally diverting romp -- if not necessarily a major standout on the impressive coen resume .",
      "the film gives the feeling of being flung together at the last minute",
      "the coen brothers have been kept at bay , and it 's not an encouraging sight .",
      "occasionally cruel and almost entirely intolerable .",
      "the coens just could n't nail this one down .",
      "that is uncharacteristic of the inventive coen brothers . adequate for a fun night but disappointing as a coen brothers film .",
      "the whole picture resonates from a joyful ability to personalize genre .",
      "it 's finally clooney 's show and he manages to make you believe there are at least four balls in the juggling act even when there are only two .",
      "clooney and zeta-jones are magical together but not enough to escape the many story and character problems which hobble the coens ' usual genius ."
    ],
    "summary": "though more mainstream than other coen films , there are still funny oddball touches , and clooney and zeta-jones sizzle like old-time movie stars .",
    "id": "11037"
  },
  {
    "movie": "a-good-old-fashioned-orgy",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- video -rsb- `` a good old-fashioned orgy '' is tame to the point of boredom . if you 're curious about how a sex farce can be neither sexy nor funny , this movie will eradicate any such questions .",
      "jason sudeikis completes his 2011 dude-comedy trilogy with MOV , a genial film of good old-fashioned humorlessness .",
      "there are occasional big laughs , albeit not enough to qualify this as a must-see comedy .",
      "screenwriters alex gregory and pete huyck have devised a merely sophomoric reason to get these actors to take their clothes off to have sex .",
      "fast , fun , raunchy .",
      "these immature , fairly pitiable protagonists go about their absurd project in all the wrong ways . but you just keep rooting for them .",
      "bob & carol & ted & alice meets a considerably tamed van wilder for a mediocre romp in the hamptons .",
      "unable to decide whether to pitch their story as chastely sweet or ridiculously raunchy , filmmakers alex gregory and peter huyck end up with something that just lays there flacid .",
      "sex-themed comedy has some heart amid all the raunch .",
      "` orgy ' none too exciting",
      "you do n't review a movie like `` a good old-fashioned orgy . '' you autopsy it .",
      "a lazy , witless sex comedy that 's low on both sex and comedy .",
      "sitting through `` MOV '' is like being monopolized by the most irritating person at a really boring party .",
      "jason sudeikis , mildly annoying in small doses , turns out to be greatly annoying in large ones , as our hero .",
      "more amusing than you might expect , but probably not by much .",
      "movies about raising children or reconnecting with lost loves can be subtle and slow paced . but orgy movies need to go all out . there does n't appear to be any other way .",
      "despite a game cast and some scattered big laughs , the comedy is often vulgar when subtlety is required and timid when it should go over-the-top .",
      "the movie keeps its balance better than its leering title might suggest .",
      "there 's a pretty decent comedy somewhere in `` MOV , '' if only it was n't so attracted to everyone else in the room .",
      "we may not yet have arrived at `` brave new world , '' but this movie about a group of 30ish friends inhibited by the threat of aids from sexually running wild , suggests we are lurching and bumbling in that direction .",
      "i scrawled the words completely unappealing people in my trusty notebook , sitting there in the dark in the early going of MOV .",
      "the movie would n't be worth much discussion if it were n't for sudeikis-whose cheery way with a one-liner is a pleasure even in this cheesy context .",
      "i know a few women who have n't been to a hollywood comedy since they made katherine heigl sleep with seth rogen . `` orgy '' is n't going to bring them back to theaters .",
      "has no ambition but is a lot of fun because of it",
      "while the cast ... stay in there swinging , as it were , the comedic arousal factor remains ... largely limp .",
      "first-time filmmakers gregory and huyck have assembled a fantastic cast who do an amazing job selling this fairly simple comedy premise and making every scene count .",
      "cars 2 had more sexual chemistry than this woefully modest picture . better laughs too .",
      "the whole movie has that sloppy feel , as though it were assembled from leftover parts of other , better comedies .",
      "gregory and huyck do n't go far in exploring the weirdness and emotional difficulty that a group of lifelong friends might create in sleeping together -- they want so much for a carefree holiday from such concerns .",
      "the one to beat for worst movie of the year .",
      "guaranteed to puzzle europeans auds , but of course it 's not made for them .",
      "is the world of the film ruled by its high concept , its low comedy , its demographic credibility , or its romantic screwball realism ? ultimately , orgy 's refusal to be any one thing-including good or bad-forms a kind of epochal statement .",
      "aside from a handful of raunchy jokes and a lot of nudity , though , MOV plays it too safe .",
      "old-fashioned , but certainly not good ... hardly the rambunctiously raunchy laugh-fest the title suggests , -lsb- but -rsb- more like a slightly steamier version of a typical network sitcom .",
      "mindless but real summer fun , marked with some surprising dollops of charm and insight .",
      "in essence , this is an indie adam sandler comedy , and when its heroes are psyching themselves up for the big event , it 's kind of funny .",
      "the film ca n't escape the feeling that it 's not even interested in its own premise or that its jokey , stunted characters are closer to sad than funny .",
      "chlamydia , gonorrhea and jason sudeikis are three reasons to stay well clear of `` MOV , '' but they 're not the only ones .",
      "gregory and huyck keep their frat boy -lrb- and girl -rrb- lark grounded while making sure no bit is left untouched .",
      "so much for spending labor day weekend on lake bell ...",
      "a title like that sets up certain expectations , and i thought the film i saw was sweeter and sadder in some ways than i expected .",
      "what are missing are the actual jokes , and that 's because the comic potential rests in the party itself .",
      "... a meandering film that fails to understand and credibly capitalize on its titillating title .",
      "feels as if it had been conceived and written on the back of a cocktail napkin , then handed over to the actors in hope they could come up with some funny business . no such luck .",
      "in this semi-smutty scenario , there 's little in the feigned fantasy romp to convince that the tease is anything more than the usual love at last sight coupling of horny geeks and hot women .",
      "by accident or design , the resolution here is morally ambiguous and vaguely distasteful , which may be the reason i liked it .",
      "grab a brew , check your sophistication at the door and just enjoy the ride .",
      "do n't fault the actors , they bring a genuine sense of camaraderie to the pile-up of lazy jokes and sketchy characters .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- undercut by a jokey , smart-aleck approach to every scene that plays like disposable sitcom humor .",
      "this is a comedy without wit and soul . it strands fairly likable actors in a morass of the kind of dialogue only stupid characters ever say - and then only when reading stupid screenplays .",
      "takes no risks and puts almost nothing at stake ; its definition of boundary pushing is flashing a few dildos and saying ` butthole . '",
      "gregory and huyck 's underachieving film is like a smart but lazy student who does n't feel the need to study . it 's good enough to pass , but could benefit from much more ambition .",
      "funny if less outrageous than expected given the boundary-pushing comedies that have found acceptance in recent years , MOV earns its r but may leave audiences wanting more .",
      "the plot , a slow build to the will-they-or-won ` t-they climax , relies less on bared flesh than a humorous sense of squareness ...",
      "it 's the movie equivalent of a one-night stand , that 's all : fun , but nothing special .",
      "some might feel frisky after visiting these cinematic sex games . others will be bored by the lack of bawdiness .",
      "there 's funny and then there 's funny , and `` a good old-fashioned orgy '' is neither .",
      "it hedges its bets in the big climax -- so to speak .",
      "it 's a nice way to say goodbye to the summer of r-rated comedies .",
      "imagine if the characters on tv 's beloved sitcom friends lost their lease and decided to mark the end with an orgy ... gives new meaning to `` i 'll be there for you . ''",
      "a very likable cast and some terrific sketch-style comedy should please -lrb- if not deeply satisfy the lustful yearnings of -rrb- auds lured by the film 's title .",
      "sudeikis , in his first starring vehicle , kind of sucks it .",
      "it 's like a group hug , only stickier .",
      "there are no big statements made , no wider generational revelations that we have n't seen in countless other rude comedies , but the cast members ' chemistry and its refusal to go straight-up formulaic make it an interesting diversion .",
      "a consistently funny comedy that goes beyond the mere prospect of the title event ."
    ],
    "summary": "its titillating title promises ribald laughs , but the lazily written , indifferently acted , and only sporadically funny MOV fails to consummate .",
    "id": "770808070"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1012007-laura",
    "reviews": [
      "ok , the plot verges on absurdity - but who cares ?",
      "not only one of preminger 's greatest , but one of the great noirs .",
      "a classic thriller/whodunit of the 1940s . unfortunately , it remains solidly in the past .",
      "preminger made darker , more characteristically noir films than this , but his only movie that 's as good , or perhaps better , is anatomy of a murder .",
      "masterpiece : with time , preminger 's second film has become richer in texture and deeper , more ambiguous in meaning than most noirs of the 1940s .",
      "preminger deals in facades , with how perception cheats us , right down to the ideal image of MOV as a portrait . -lrb- cinжmathуque annotations on film -rrb-",
      "a feverish trance wrapped in a deadpan investigation",
      "a thrilling , absorbing and original example of the genre ; it 's also beautifully shot , pure escapist entertainment .",
      "MOV is still every bit as gripping in 2012 .",
      "the dialogue is stinging and the performances to be savoured in a haunting study of romantic obsession that deserves its return to the big screen .",
      "will leave you drunk with delight .",
      "classic in the true sense with great theme music to boot .",
      "a classic noir romance where all of the cinematic elements fit together perfectly .",
      "the plot is deliberately perfunctory , the people deliciously perverse , and the mise-en-scčne radical .",
      "a camp classic of a very particular variety .",
      "at times , the plotting takes leaps that the film 's 87-minute run does n't adequately support ; but overall this is a gem .",
      "... slightly overrated ...",
      "just watching clifton webb 's deliciously nasty performance , as the effete critic and MOV 's mentor , delivering the film 's best lines , is worth the price of admission",
      "this kooky film noir is so beautifully directed by otto preminger that all its protruding elements seem to slide delicately and accurately into place .",
      "a genuine classic -- not only of film noir but of film , period -- director otto preminger 's adaptation of vera caspary 's novel lathers the murder-mystery with a heavy dollop of kinkiness .",
      "the story is a good whodunnit , although it probably is n't half as clever as a mystery as it is a character study .",
      "preminger 's deft direction creates an elegant noirish tone , and he elicits near-perfect performances from everyone , even a pre-horror schlock vincent pryce .",
      "MOV '' is an elegant but campy b&w who-dun-what .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1944 -rrb- is one of the most stylish , elegant , moody , and witty classic film noirs ever made with an ensemble cast of characters . producer/director otto",
      "a truly haunting study of obsession .",
      "both old and new viewers are in for a treat .",
      "the materials of a b-grade crime potboiler are redeemed by waldo lydecker , walking through every scene as if afraid to step in something .",
      "did hollywood ever produce a more seductive mystery or a creepier romance ? i would n't change a line , a frame , or a performance in this film .",
      "a classic murder film worth seeing over and over .",
      "classic mystery , notable for its plot and performances",
      "the picture on the whole is close to being a top-drawer mystery .",
      "a great antidote to the ` old movies are no fun ' attitude many people slip into as soon as they learn a film is in black and white .",
      "a masterfully complex -- and frequently campy -- portrait of all-consuming romantic self-delusion .",
      "gene tierney makes an appealing figure as the art executive and vincent price is convincing as a weak-willed ne'er - do-well .",
      "it is the sleekest of murder mysteries , and ahead of its time -- not least in having a gay suitor for MOV , and possibly two .",
      "a hypnotic and deathlessly interpretable experience .",
      "less a crime film than a study in levels of obsession , MOV is one of those classic works that leave their subject matter behind and live on the strength of their seductive style .",
      "great suspense .",
      "o roteiro ж , na melhor das hipзteses , medьocre , mas a direусo sombria de preminger , a mщsica-tema e as atuaушes de webb e price transformam este filme em um marco importante do nascente noir .",
      "a highly polished and debonair whodunit .",
      "expertly paced , gripping , and dripping with sensuality , otto preminger 's MOV has hardly aged a day .",
      "this interesting film noir has more working for its final half than in its first .",
      "few movies make you feel dirtier , and so perversely grateful for the pleasure .",
      "a classic . clifton webb is a delight ; tierney never looked lovelier . and its score is unforgettable . one to watch ."
    ],
    "summary": "a psychologically complex portrait of obsession , MOV is also a deliciously well-crafted murder mystery .",
    "id": "18066"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hitman",
    "reviews": [
      "a slick take on sniping , strangling , homicidal body doubles , and a seductive moscow sex slave in distress , the property of a local baddie , whom the hero invites to tag along from inside his car trunk , do n't ask .",
      "only the deadpan delivery of timothy olyphant as agent 47 enlivens the wooden dialogue of this collection of clichйs masquerading as a silver-screen adaptation .",
      "an army of skinhead assassins in matching suits seems a bit conspicuous for an agency supposedly shrouded in secrecy .",
      "french director xavier gens keeps the action riveting and spectacular .",
      "a thoroughly entertaining experience .",
      "though stylishly shot and occasionally exciting , this adaptation of the popular video game can only go so far with its mindless violence and cardboard characters .",
      "you should see this movie for the action and gunfights ... oh , and for olga kurylenko .",
      "olyphant faz o possнvel com um personagem unidimensional por natureza , mas o roteiro absurdo e a direзгo frбgil de gens , que parece acreditar que cortes rбpidos substituem arcos narrativos , conferem ao filme um ar de produзгo feita para dvd .",
      "awkwardly paced and muddled .",
      "MOV the film is a conventional action thriller that seeks to do nothing more than entertain with an assortment of carnage and sex , at which it is moderately successful .",
      "there 's a certain primitive simplicity to it , the editing is awkward in spots , and it derives from a game , but i flat-out enjoyed it .",
      "MOV is the oddest of action movies % u2014 a film all but devoid of action . not satisfied with simply being another mindless video game adaptation , the film also forgets to be entertaining .",
      "47 does n't even want the girl . what kind of action movie is this ? a skippable one , ultimately .",
      "... a better film than i was expecting , even if it does n't do much beyond the ordinary .",
      "a mechanical series of violent set-pieces decorated with underdressed hotties . it 's handsome but astonishingly dull and weirdly sexless , despite the aforementioned underdressed girls and frequent discussion of nika 's undergarments or lack thereof .",
      "merikes aksiomnimoneytes skines , ataktos petamenes s ' ena tsoybali hamilon prosdokion",
      "MOV is inspired by a video game . that of course carries all sorts of baggage .",
      "director xavier gens admirably tries his best with the material but he is failed by a sub-par script by skip woods .",
      "... even the most forgiving action fan will walk away disappointed by this mess .",
      "can a video game turn a movie into a hit , man ? maybe . but that does n't mean that `` MOV '' is far removed from its video game origins ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV features the unfortunate combination of excessive violence , incoherent plot , and inane dialogue .",
    "id": "770671900"
  },
  {
    "movie": "baby_boy",
    "reviews": [
      "singleton just may be challenging us to laugh at the film or with it and then feel extremely uneasy for doing so . if so , that 's admirable ; if not , he 's made a very strange soap opera .",
      "a meandering , flawed , but electrifying film .",
      "the subject is certainly worthy , but singleton 's script is too repetitive , pedantic , and protracted to do it justice .",
      "MOV earns credibility for its insights by moving beyond image and rhetoric and quickly establishing jody , his friends , lovers and family members as complex , striving , fallible human beings .",
      "singleton hammers home his thesis ... with a monotonous single-mindedness that dulls the usual acuity of his perceptions .",
      "a bold criticism of young black men who carelessly father babies , live off their mothers and do n't even think of looking for work .",
      "MOV is more insistent in its didacticism than boyz n the hood , the passion and conviction are no less heartfelt .",
      "` baby mama drama ' in da hood .",
      "tells it like it is with just a glimmer of how it ought to be .",
      "what holds the movie together ... is gibson 's broodingly responsive performance .",
      "a powerful indictment of irresponsibility by the director of `` boyz n the hood . ''",
      "fans of singleton 's early work may be disappointed by the shrill , pointless exchanges , directionless nature and tidy conclusions of MOV .",
      "veers toward the shapeless and episodic and is marked by radical mood swings .",
      "comes up with images that are consistently involving , provocative , and instructive .",
      "pootie tang this ai n't .",
      "for the most part , though , MOV tells a provocative and original story .",
      "... while it 's not as gritty as boyz n the hood or as compelling as higher learning , MOV is certainly worth checking out if only for the superb performances ...",
      "an unfortunate hybrid of oedipal and peter pan complexes , singleton 's film is a mishmash of half-cocked ideas and unrealized sentiments .",
      "johnson and rhames are superb as jody 's charming , hard-working mother and her ex-con boyfriend melvin .",
      "there 's no cuddling this MOV , a profoundly sad commentary on the vicious circle that continues to terminally plague our bewildered , impressionable and disadvantaged young urban black men .",
      "the characters are so full-bodied and the feelings so raw and complex that i 'd call this the best thing john singleton has done to date",
      "the film is a bold examination of an aspect of african american life . there 's no shortage of sex , violence , or urban realism .",
      "recommended mainly to the more devoted singleton fans , MOV is pretty strong evidence of a filmmaker who still has plenty to say .",
      "this is yet another coming-of-age tale except that the hero is not a teenager but a young man who goes out of his way to be macho but really is a mama boy .",
      "it almost always seems real -lrb- at least until the end -rrb- and it addresses meaningful issues .",
      "with a combination of sensitivity and insight , john singleton presents a fascinating portrait of an african american that goes against stereotypes of 20-year-old men .",
      "to a large degree , its ungainliness is forgivable , as it reflects a breadth of ambition , not a failure of talent .",
      "it 's an intermittently powerful but deeply flawed film .",
      "an intelligent film about love , relationships , family , friendship , maturity and growing up .",
      "for all of its flaws , -lsb- singleton 's -rsb- spankin ' new MOV still packs a punch .",
      "like its characters , this picture is doing the best it can , and although that may not be everything , it ought to count for something .",
      "a crowd-pleaser about chronic , multi-generational irresponsibility .",
      "MOV 's tale may not be the best slice of life to experience , but singleton delivers it with an authenticity and compassion that slams the serious issues home -- for everyone .",
      "a bracing film , passionate , frightening , sobering and funny all at once .",
      "-lsb- singleton -rsb- he means for this to be r ,38 p ,11 p revelatory , but it is instead exhausting .",
      "the film is emotionally overloaded with confrontations that repeat like a boxing - match replay that refuses to quit : jody vs. mom , jody vs. yvette , jody vs. melvin , jody vs. the neighborhood thugs , jody vs. jody .",
      "though it 's a daring and commendable message , singleton has trouble focusing it .",
      "MOV sometimes gets repetitive and is slightly overlong . but it 's got solid performances and great dialogue , and , most impressively for a summer movie , it actually gives you something to think about .",
      "... an attempt to confront and challenge the legacy of cultural images based on killers , gang-bangers , and womanizing studs ...",
      "occasionally becomes too wound up in its overly melodramatic moments and is a bit too uneven in its storytelling approach for its own good or the viewer 's ultimate enjoyment .",
      "maybe if singleton did n't try to repeat boyz n the hood with MOV , he would 've made a better movie .",
      "in addition to being ruthlessly honest , MOV is also singleton 's most cinematic work to date .",
      "MOV can be tough going , very tough going , but the cast is built to take it .",
      "never rises above the level of a soap opera .",
      "singleton 's directed one of the year 's best ensemble casts .",
      "intermittently strong , often darkly humorous but ultimately uneven .",
      "a movie that 's , if you 'll pardon the expression , fecund with insight , artistry and the courage to express it all in a most original manner .",
      "MOV , for all of its naiveté and indulgences , has some humility in it as well , which does its creator good .",
      "i felt myself drawn into a vortex of raw emotion from which i could not escape .",
      "-lsb- jody 's -rsb- lessons on growing up and moving on never ring more than halfhearted and false .",
      "one of the most entertaining african-american comedies of manners ever made .",
      "if nothing else , its thematic originality makes it a unique and groundbreaking work .",
      "`` singleton 's thesis is that pervasive racism and a lack of role models have psychologically infantalized afro-american men . ''",
      "singleton 's take on the world he creates with such verve is so penetrating , so tough-minded and so provocative that you are swept up and held spellbound .",
      "john singleton has every right to be a proud papa .",
      "good acting lends some balance to director 's liking for sermons .",
      "highly flawed but hugely fascinating .",
      "snoop does n't even show up until about an hour into the movie , and even then he 's a minor , if pivotal , character .",
      "it 's full of standard cliches that have plagued black cinema for decades .",
      "without a convincing jody , singleton 's thesis about a son 's absolute need for a father figure is never played out .",
      "when snoop is the highlight of your film , you 've got big problems .",
      "affecting if sometimes overwrought .",
      "if you go into MOV thinking summer relief , and look as much for edgy laughs as thrills , you wo n't be disappointed .",
      "leaves you shaken .",
      "while the ensemble from boyz 'n the hood felt trapped by their environment , jody is just lazy and callow .",
      "the director deserves credit for tackling a worthwhile subject , but many will find the film 's tone too soft and approving .",
      "a great john singleton film .",
      "` MOV ' is a powerhouse of a film , and so sexy it 's like celluloid viagra .",
      "MOV is a bold movie , in terms of its ideas and style .",
      "superbly acted by everyone involved -lrb- rhames does his best work since pulp fiction -rrb- , the film is really more about character than plot , though frankly , at more than two hours , it could have used a bit more of the latter .",
      "tyrese may be the marquee name , but rhames is a man among baby boys .",
      "MOV is not a great movie , and lacks the overall realism and intensity of boyz n the hood , but it is a good one .",
      "a preachy , monotonous failure .",
      "showing that maybe MOV singleton 's done some growing up himself .",
      "john singleton has again succeeded in making a thoughtful and provocative film that long resonates in the mind .",
      "the gratuitous violence sucks , and the pat conclusion prompts one to shout do n't believe the hope ! , but otherwise singleton has wrangled his characters into a very impressive emotional exorcism .",
      "MOV is a movie that will act like a smack in the face to some audiences , while others may simply laugh in recognition .",
      "the companion piece to singleton 's seminal boyz n the hood lacks not only the depth of story but also the emotional integrity and thoughtfulness of the 1991 hit .",
      "if only singleton had filtered MOV 's passion through the ideas of real deep thinkers on this subject , he might yet fulfill the great promise that he showed us back when he was a 23 year-old MOV wonder himself .",
      "john singleton must believe the truth will set him free , for he tells it , uncompromisingly , in MOV . you may or may not like what you see , but there it is , indisputably , right in your face .",
      "for the first time since hood , singleton is really sailing .",
      "MOV has its slow parts , its obvious parts , its egregious parts . but it 's also a film that can take you to a place no other summer movie can .",
      "while primarily an examination on the young african-american male , singleton 's social commentary is universal to all men ."
    ],
    "summary": "preachy and repetitive in parts , MOV still manages to exude authenticity , thanks to its competent cast .",
    "id": "13883"
  },
  {
    "movie": "le_havre_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is not the filmmaker 's best work -lrb- see la vie de bohčme for that -rrb- , but no matter the storm , we should be grateful to dock in this port .",
      "the film is especially comforting if you love old movies , as kaurismaki does .",
      "a sublime accomplishment that combines the social message of `` el norte '' with the charm of `` l'atalante '' .",
      "few filmmakers have such delicate command of the poetic potential of cinema .",
      "a stylized and sentimental fairy tale about the way the world might be , grounded in a frank recognition of the way it is .",
      "a magical finnish film about the miracles that a warm heart can work in a world of hatred and divisiveness .",
      "offers plenty of things to talk about but perhaps the most remarkable part about it is its confidence of style and its sober-eyed sense of uplift",
      "`` MOV '' stands on its own fragile but considerable merits .",
      "kaurismaki dives into french film culture in ` MOV '",
      "the finnish director 's sense of humor is dry and dark as pitch , as he consistently finds moments of absurdity in the midst of strife and tragedy .",
      "you almost become a citizen of MOV , watching this film and rejoicing at the end as two newfound , unexpected friends share a drink .",
      "kaurismäki wrote the script , i think , with secret credit from mother goose and some fabric softener .",
      "`` MOV '' is a small bit of movie magic , a story that plays more as a fable even as it deals with something as topical as immigration .",
      "it 's a straightforward yet completely artificial scenario , with welcome overtones of italian neo-realism .",
      "unlike the director 's typical hero , wilms 's spare performance conveys confidence rather than defeat . he and the kid warm the heart , thawing kaurismäki 's usual icy aplomb .",
      "heart-wrenching but ultimately inspirational .",
      "endearingly quirky , just this side of precious , but so warm and deftly executed that you go along with it .",
      "a humanist hug of a fable , which concludes that while big miracles may happen , it 's the everyday ` miracles ' people create for one another that really count .",
      "there 's something extremely pure about this simple yet beautiful film in which ordinary people do extraordinary things",
      "it is rare and welcome to watch a movie that automatically assumes people will do the right thing at the slightest provocation .",
      "a charming film that celebrates humanity .",
      "`` MOV '' is a passing fancy of a film , but it passes quite nicely indeed .",
      "uses kaurismäki 's dry wit to tell a tale that 's more earnest and political than anything he 's done , but which retains the skewed scandinavian worldview we 've come to expect .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- a movie that - like fellow 2011 cannes entry the kid with a bike - is all about generosity of spirit and the cosmic rewards afforded those who live compassionately .",
      "lovely , unassuming , -lsb- and -rsb- buoyantly sad-sacky .",
      "o kaurismäki potizei thn istoria toy me ton naif soyrealismo kai to idiotypo xioymor poy exeis mathei na perimeneis ap ' tis tainies toy , enw thn idia wra se pairnei ap ' to xeraki kai se taksideyei sthn istoria toy kinhmatografoy",
      "the latest work by finnish cult director aki kaurismaki is is his strongst in a decade -- and one of 2011 best foreign pictures .",
      "mixing together some of helmer aki kaurismaki 's favorite gallic and finnish thesps with a few newbies , MOV feels like a welcoming family reunion .",
      "while the film never reaches any hugely profound revelations with its parable-styled stories of compassion and community , and occasionally feels a little slight , it 's also enormously enjoyable and gorgeous to watch .",
      "minor pleasures abound , but kauismäki 's vision is n't deep enough to survive so many variations .",
      "kaurismäki 's ingenious pastiche of french populist poetic-realist dramas plumbs their styles and moods for enduring political substance .",
      "kaurismäki 's style throughout remains , as ever , resolutely direct in its clean lines and saturated color .",
      "the finnish director uses deadpan humor to evoke both the silliness and the good will of people .",
      "as usual , camera moves , cuts , and gestures are boiled down to the essential , with emotion so concentrated as to give the impression of no emotion at all .",
      "kaurismäki returns with another of his deadpan comedies , reminiscent of the great silent comedians , though this one is arguably one of his gentlest as well .",
      "we are so held by the film 's impact that its ending , surprise or not , is like a bonus .",
      "overly sentimental but warmhearted marxist message pic .",
      "`` MOV '' is easily the most humanist , generous and hopeful movie in recent memory .",
      "written and directed by finland 's aki kaurismäki , this warmly engaging film is an understated pleasure about a surprisingly resourceful underdog .",
      "the result is both charming and purposeful .",
      "kaurismäki turns his affectionate , whimsical eye on the impoverished but generous folk of a run-down , waterfront community in the normandy port of MOV .",
      "MOV is presented as an oasis of happy inclusiveness within a regimented , uniformed , legislated and suspicious world at large ; to spend time here is a pleasure .",
      "no other director could maintain this degree of optimism while telling such a superficially grim story .",
      "the intricately woven tale of hide and seek is full of priceless , poker-faced comedy and heartrending tenderness .",
      "an exceeding droll comedy from finnish master aki kaurismaki , whose dark worldview is balanced by a deep empathy for his blue-collar characters .",
      "in just a few minutes of screen time , the film establishes that specifically kaurismäkian world of sad-sack losers , humorously incongruous but uncommented-upon presences , and the director 's trademark careful attention to visages .",
      "it has immense , minor-key charm , and kaurismaki 's understated deadpan wit is never far from the surface .",
      "a contemporary fable set in a place constructed from blocks of french cinematic history , MOV is one of aki kaurismaki 's warmest , most engaging films .",
      "does kaurismaki believe in his own fairy tale ? the movie , a humble delight , suggests the answer is yes .",
      "kaurismäki can almost restore your hope in humanity .",
      "... an upbeat little tome that leaves a good feeling to the spirit .",
      "kaurismäki works with a superb franco-finnish cast to bring us a typically modest but shining french-language gem that sees him magnificently back on form after the slight dip of 2006 's lights in the dusk .",
      "you still get the usual po-faced jokes ; this time out , kaurismäki includes a heartfelt hat tip to the power of community and cinema .",
      "a slog of old-fashioned ideals and utter non-whimsy .",
      "aki kaurismaki carves out another comically enchanted movie oasis from the real world where people can rise to the occasion and do the right things .",
      "if the bummers and ambiguity of some of this season 's movies are getting you down - or , hey , just the bummers and ambiguities of life - make your way to MOV . you wo n't be sorry .",
      "a wonderfully concise , unfussy movie ; it is `` easy '' by the director 's standards , which is to say that it does n't leave any significant ellipses in the narrative up until the aggressively darling ending .",
      "kaurismaki 's movie about a shoeshine man and an illegal immigrant is nothing less than a joy",
      "if the name aki kaurismäki does n't mean anything to you , it should , and `` MOV '' may be the film to make it happen .",
      "if the story outline seems simple , it is ; this movie is all about attitude and style . the shabby-genteel hero , who has a keen sense of irony , and the people who help him ...",
      "so breezy that once the film ends , it simply drifts away",
      "this is no doubt a message movie , but it delivers its message in an unforced , quirky way that leaves you feeling as though you 've been pleasurably cajoled rather than harangued .",
      "kaurismäki fashions a droll , engaging fairytale , with echoes of casablanca in its colourful , close-knit normandaise resistance ...",
      "such a heart-warming tale in any other hands could so easily become schmaltzy -lrb- a spielberg remake would be awful -rrb- , but the deadpan delivery and endless idiosyncrasies counterbalance this tendency .",
      "i was on cloud nine throughout the film : that place of technicolored rapture where kaurismäki fans dwell , and where past , present and oneiric future are rolled celestially into one .",
      "a gorgeous hymn to the struggles of the working man .",
      "in two stories of evolving trust and secrets , MOV reflects the essential simplicity of the moral choices made in its simple-seeming camera set-ups .",
      "a charming feel-good fantasy of ` marxist ' solidarity resurgent against the chill of post-9 / 11 modernity .",
      "it 's a satisfying and distinctively lovable film .",
      "no one looks at the world quite like kaurismäki , and his deadpan sentimentality is worth discovery . this is a good place to start .",
      "it 's a puzzle , and an intriguing one .",
      "MOV could be described as the ever-quirky aki kaurismaki 's ` wish list ' film addressing today 's tide of refugees who are usually faceless crowds or worse , corpses at the unintended end of their journey",
      "a warm-hearted salute to both classical french cinema and working-class solidarity .",
      "pitting that grandiose takeaway with the director 's intentionally over-the-top stylistic dalliances , MOV maintains a fresh balance that never falters .",
      "i wanted to cry for joy at this funny and good-hearted film . i would normally be wary of a film that anyone describes as heart-warming but this is the real deal .",
      "the movie never wears out its welcome with an efficient 93-minute running time . besides the four principal characters , the supporting cast makes an impression playing a grocer , a baker , a tavern owner and marcel 's best buddy from vietnam . it also ...",
      "with perfectly pitched acting and a script brimming with compassion and wit , kaurismaki conveys his critique of social injustice without a hint of self-righteousness .",
      "`` MOV '' is warm-hearted and uplifting , without being schmaltzy or preachy . and , with its illegal-alien theme , it 's dead-on timely .",
      "MOV is utopian precisely because it shows everything as it is not .",
      "'t is the season , so the saying goes . and when it comes to aki kaurismäki , it holds true . the finnish writer-director arrives bearing a gift wrapped in a contemporary immigration fable .",
      "an easygoing story of human relationships with a sharp political comment about european immigration .",
      "something to savour .",
      "this typically deadpan saga from the maker of the match factory girl , drifting clouds and the man without a past -lrb- among other netflix finds -rrb- exemplifes france 's commitment to liberté , égalité , fraternité with impish sincerity .",
      "shot -lrb- by cinematographer timo salminen -rrb- with the precise choreography , exaggerated 1940s-style lighting and deadpan blend of comedy and melodrama that characterizes kaurismäki , MOV sneaks up on you .",
      "kaurismäki clearly knows this is a fantasy , and it 's a perfectly pleasant one at that ."
    ],
    "summary": "aki kaurismäki 's deadpan wit hits a graceful note with MOV , a comedy/drama that 's sweet , sad , and uplifting in equal measure .",
    "id": "771242428"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10011304-thirst",
    "reviews": [
      "an enjoyable , extremely stylish and well acted vampire drama that builds to a terrific finale , though it 's also overlong , struggles to find the right tone and drags considerably in the middle section .",
      "unleashing torrents of stylishly shot blood-letting he mocks the anaemic approach to the carnal undercurrents of vampire lore favoured by western cinema .",
      "the film is way too long , and quite sick , though park 's demented lyricism will stay with you .",
      "once on course , he is uncontrollable . i do n't mean the hero , i mean the director . park 's gallows wit and visual inventiveness keep us alert for an hour amid the ramshackle story structuring .",
      "gruesome , disturbing , definitely over-long but strangely moving , MOV brings vivid new ideas to an overworked genre .",
      "a fresh spin on the vampire myth resulting in a wildly inventive and blackly comic horror . pity it 's got more padding than the average fat suit .",
      "while its most dazzling scenes recall david cronenberg 's the fly and schrader 's catpeople , it topples into self-parody in spells , as if john waters was remaking in the realm of the senses .",
      "chan-wook 's film is as gluttonous and stylish as i 'm a cyborg , but fortunately MOV 's renewed appetite for bloodlust and self-annihilation suits the director 's pyrotechnics better .",
      "a baroque shocker of sensuous unease and cinematic excess marbled with veins of jet-black comedy , MOV is far from a perfect film , but it might still prove to be a great one .",
      "there 's plenty to get your teeth into - just a shame you 've got to wait so long for the main course .",
      "it 's a confronting contemporary vampire story with a plot borrowed from emile zola 's therese raquin , and it would be twice as good if it were half an hour shorter .",
      "MOV is a smart and exotic piece of film-making from one of asia 's leading commercial talents and a quality example of an asian director exploring a classic genre .",
      "it 's a highbrow , critically acclaimed movie that succeeds far more as a down and dirty horror movie than it does as an art film .",
      "at the hands of a less competent director , MOV could have been an abomination , but thankfully chan-wook delivers something above par that should probably be met with two cans of red bull .",
      "a fresh , surprising take on an old , old story -lrb- and an overpopulated subgenre -rrb- that holds the attention with deadly wit .",
      "those who thrive on gore , twisted sexuality and brutish handling of women can drink their fill from this film . more serious arthouse critics , however , may balk at the script 's soapy excesses .",
      "the addition of some realist elements from zola 's novel and other noir mellers does n't work , but park 's striking visual style and solid acting partly compensate for the weaknesses of this confused , twisted vampire saga .",
      "the movie as a whole-which runs nearly two-and-a-quarter hours-has no sense of rhythm or flow whatsoever .",
      "MOV may not be the greatest vampire movie ever made , but park 's willingness to try something different makes it a decidedly fresh take on the genre .",
      "an overlong stygian comedy that badly needs a transfusion of genuine inspiration .",
      "this fervid extravaganza is easily park 's best film since oldboy .",
      "red blood and black humour spurt hard as MOV reveals itself to be one of the most deliciously skewed incisions into the vampire romance subgenre .",
      "a truly bizarre movie , a tragicomedy that graham greene might have written in collaboration with bram stoker . but it 's repetitive and overstays its initial welcome .",
      "park is clearly an exceptional director capable of being weirdly funny , quirkily fantastical , brutal and sexy , sometimes at one and the same time . there 's no one quite like him .",
      "what sets park 's film apart from the standard vampire picture has more to do with its tone , characterizations , and its strange blend of lyricism and pitch-black comedy .",
      "just when you thought you 'd seen everything that could possibly be done with vampires , along comes something like MOV .",
      "with its rapacious appetites and forceful directing style , is definitely a vampire film for grown-ups .",
      "not one of park 's best films , but it has bite .",
      "park directs with his usual eye-catching skill and attention to gruesome detail , and creates a story with strong emotional resonance .",
      "a rollicking , hysterical splatter-sex-comedy only confirms ` MOV ' as one of the year 's more extreme , enjoyable entertainments .",
      "among its type , ` MOV ' succeeds despite too many distractions .",
      "MOV casts a hypnotic visual spell over its vampiric goings-on .",
      "it 's fun -lrb- if overlong -rrb- , but for all the noisy slurping , there 's no fresh blood .",
      "this big screen guzzler has much to advise about the art of vampiring , including more efficient corpse feasting by cutting the feet of your human dispensers off at the ankles and draining them over the bathtub .",
      "from the sweltering , acrobatic sex to the bone-crunching suckings and slayings , tae-ju 's angrily orchestrated mayhem rhymes perfectly with chan-wook 's voracious style .",
      "watch especially the 22-year-old actress-model kim ok-vin 's demonic expressions .",
      "though not completely successful , it 's still a bold , wildly juicy film that goes for the throat and never relents .",
      "park 's voluptuous style fits a genre that is all appetite -- or should be .",
      "one ca n't take MOV seriously , even with its ironic cha-cha music cues , when park sets up his usual elaborate sentimental ending -- further variation on his typical self-flagellation and mortification of the flesh .",
      "a gaudy , daring , operatic , and bloody funny provocation of a melodrama from park chan-wook .",
      "although the focus of its narrative movement is not always clear , in its best moments , MOV offers something of the poetic force of cinema 's timeless masterpieces .",
      "MOV is a brilliant and gruesome work of cinematic invention as well as a passionate and painful human love story .",
      "MOV 's excesses will entertain some viewers , but if you want coherence , look elsewhere .",
      "MOV might just be the best horror movie of the year so far , precisely because it is n't one , but nevertheless works as though it is anyway .",
      "MOV is at least a half-hour too long . the story goes off course with pointless distractions and feeds on non-stop grisliness .",
      "park chan-wook 's melodramatic `` revenge trilogy '' set a high bar for perversity and squirm-inducing violence that MOV ... easily matches .",
      "... a vampire love story that 'll make twilight fans wet their pants in terror before traumatizing them for life",
      "MOV is n't exactly out for scares or thrills ; it 's more like an old-time hollywood melodrama with fangs ; think a place in the sun with bloodsuckers .",
      "its turgid pace creates a queasy fascination all its own , drawing viewers into an ever-darkening locus of sin and obsession where even the wish for redemption comes at a terrible cost .",
      "it 's tempting to call it true blood east , but any comparisons to existing vampire sagas shortchange the unique appeal of park 's vision .",
      "overlong by a half-dozen blood spurts and tonally frantic",
      "`` MOV '' lacks an appropriate atmosphere and tempo to compete with last year 's great deconstructionist vampire movie `` let the right one in . ''",
      "one part myth , one part vampire and one part over the top hilarity is a promising combination , but this story does n't add enough to the overused vampire genre to succeed .",
      "just when we 've set our brains on ponder , the picture muddies all hope of contemplation with flashes of the fearlessly eccentric imagery for which park has become famous , and some of the slurpiest sex scenes to be found in any recent r-rated movie .",
      "funny at times , perhaps not purposefully so , it 's never truly scary or even thrilling .",
      "park has created a rumination on morality and mortality that is not at all deadly , but funny and profound and at times intensely erotic .",
      "feeling anemic ? allow dr. musetto to prescribe large quantities of human blood . you 'll find plenty of it in MOV , from park chan-wook , one of south korea 's leading filmmakers .",
      "... long stretches of ` MOV ' play out like uneasy nightmares , and other sequences play like dreams far wetter , and that combination seems irresistable to the director .",
      "initially invigorating , chilling and mildly suspenseful while balanced with just the right amount of dark comedy , but it occasionally veers into a tedium of awkwardness and over-the-top bizarreness that lacks surprises .",
      "soaked in blood though it is , MOV leaves some essential cravings unsatisfied .",
      "at a time when so much of popular culture is turning the vampire into just another gently exotic , vulnerable lover , park brings things back to bloody basics .",
      "the story of a noble priest resurrected as a vampire and plunged into a life of desire is opulently brought to the screen by one of south korea 's leading filmmakers .",
      "something must have bored writer/director chan-wook park , because the second and third acts of MOV play like scenes out of a totally different and much more incoherent film .",
      "my affection for MOV has mostly to do with the performance of kim ok-vin as tae-ju , a sullen household slave who 's transformed into a ravenous , punishing bloodsucker .",
      "kiddie shows like twilight and blood : the last vampire pale -lrb- you 'll excuse the expression -rrb- in comparison .",
      "boldly erotic and playfully ponderous about sins of the flesh , `` MOV '' rips open its bodice , and various veins , with arterial sprays of carnage and carnality . it 's a savage , frank , fanged fusion of `` double indemnity '' and `` the postman always rings twice . ''",
      "perhaps no auteur is as suited to the vampire genre as south korean director park chan-wook , a man who has made a career out of films full of sexual perversity , doomed romances and a seemingly insurmountable volume of blood .",
      "the degrees of shock , the foreshadowing and throwbacks throughout -lrb- both visual and in dialogue -rrb- all seem diminutive next to the amazing performances by the male and female lead .",
      "click to read full review",
      "a splendid grand guignol that thankfully avoids the hallmark card sensibility of the twilight series .",
      "begins as a film about a crisis of faith and ends up with a crisis of identity itself .",
      "full of ache and desire , tae-ju seems the ultimate embodiment of the title of park chan-wook 's new film , MOV -lrb- bakjwi -rrb- .",
      "there were moments where i was genuinely scared and moments where i was genuinely moved .",
      "the story is mostly riveting , in a chaotic kind of way .",
      "too bad the film never quite gets the blood pumping in the viewer , which may be a failure of park 's to define his audience .",
      "... director chan-wook park -lrb- `` old boy '' -rrb- has a field day tossing several genres into a blender to concoct his deliriously wacky , erotic , comedic and gory twist on the vampire tale .",
      "MOV is juicy filmmaking -- psychologically rich , cathartic , kinky , visually engaging and almost free of vampire-movie clichés .",
      "movies exist to cloak our desires in disguises we can accept , and there is an undeniable appeal to MOV .",
      "it is to MOV 's credit that , although we know quite clearly what the eventual outcome of this tale will be , it takes a curious and unexpected route to get there .",
      "park 's welcome streak for dark comedy does overcome the monotony here and there , but when the sun finally comes up we 're left with little but scattered particles of something that tried to do something good , but ultimately failed .",
      "park hits all the classic vampire themes in a loose , often meandering narrative ...",
      "there are more interesting ideas in a reel of MOV than in dozens of other vampire movies combined . and park 's visual eye is as strong as ever . some of the imagery in MOV is jaw-droppingly creative and memorable .",
      "-lsb- u -rsb- nlike most exercises in hematic excess -- richard rodriguez 's planet terror , for instance , or tarantino 's kill bill -- MOV offers not the consolations of camp but the intensity of opera .",
      "leaves your hope for something not just unusual but tasty unquenched .",
      "though brimming with crisp , stylish coolness and some unsettling images , it does n't have much of an emotional center .",
      "MOV 's moments of brilliance leave you hungry for more .",
      "if you 've been craving some vampire action but have been averse to the domestic -lrb- indeed , domesticated -rrb- fare that 's currently in vogue , MOV might well be your cup of , er , tea .",
      "MOV keeps coming up against the limitations of its various inspirations like a bumper car on a crowded court . on almost every other level , the film 's audaciously entertaining , at times even quite moving . you just have to have the stomach for it .",
      "MOV uses a vampire virus as the catalyst to set a complex tale of sin and redemption in motion .",
      "it 's a pretty terrific movie -- unruly , a little attenuated in its unexpectedly lyrical third act , but clearly the work of a major director .",
      "park aficionados are assured their fix of lurid imagery and baroque plotting , though straight-up horror buffs may get restless during the sluggish and murky middle section ; twilight fans need not apply .",
      "beautifully shot and willing to grapple with morality in ways both serious and playful MOV entertains without moralizing , though it frequently lacks narrative drive .",
      "MOV begins with great intellectual and artistic promise , then devolves into a repetitious mess of teeth , blades , necks , bites , arterial sprays , sex , sex , sex and death .",
      "MOV is a grim antidote to the sanitized , pale young things of twilight , supernatural and true blood .",
      "its fierce style and ripe humor are hard to resist",
      "leave it to park chan-wook to put a stake in any pretty , romanticized notions of the undead in down and dirty , daring and dynamic style .",
      "i found this take on the vampire flick to be an original and entertaining picture that would make for a better date night than any other movie showing right now .",
      "the over-long duration makes it a gruelling journey at times , but it 's worth sticking to the end , just to see what the hell park will come up with next .",
      "the heart of MOV may be a vampire film but its soul is a morality play , while its flesh is a sensuous playground of desire .",
      "it 's a production of sensational confidence .",
      "what the film is saying , so far as i can tell , is that , if cut , you will bleed . and bleed ."
    ],
    "summary": "the stylish MOV packs plenty of bloody thrills to satisfy fans of both vampire films and director chan wook park .",
    "id": "770686581"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dolphin_tale",
    "reviews": [
      "kids are going to eat this up . given what a dismal year it 's been for the family film , it 's likely their parents will , too .",
      "freeman is clearly enjoying himself , but his mega-watt presence and some unnecessary 3d are just about the only things separating MOV from an animal planet original movie .",
      "the youngsters and the dolphin show that there 's life left in the old ` flipper ' formula yet ... -lsb- a -rsb- well-made , gently comforting modern version of a 1950s live-action disney movie .",
      "it 's rudimentary and even a little clumsy in its filmmaking technique -lrb- not a small matter -rrb- , but there 's some narrative ambition , at least ...",
      "the power behind including footage of real people interacting with winter reiterates how much better MOV would have worked as a documentary or , say , a ` dateline ' special .",
      "kids will love it and their parents might shed a tear or two of joy .",
      "a pleasant family film with an improbable true story at its heart .",
      "inspiring , feel-good , family-friendly adventure with a special appeal to youngsters who love animals .",
      "while the plot occasionally feels like free willy without the drama , it 's a cute story if you do n't mind temporarily trading in your cynicism for a bag of popcorn .",
      "winter may be a moving symbol of resiliency , but smith 's film unfortunately sticks to shallow waters .",
      "by the end of the movie , winter has become a mascot for human disability , especially for children , and MOV has enough depth and sensitivity to tap into emotion without feeling manipulative .",
      "you 'd have to have a heart of stone to not be moved by the nonfiction footage of disabled children and war vets finding inspiration in winter .",
      "it 's disappointing to find the movie using the dolphin to fuel tepid stories of domestic strife when the star of the show is clearly winter and her incredible journey of medical treatment .",
      "... if it does n't bring a tear or two to your eye , you might need a visit to the cardiologist to see what you 've got in there in place of a heart .",
      "winter is friendly , loving , emotional , playful , brave and intelligent . before her MOV is over , i dare even the most jaded cynic not to shed a tear of admiration and joy .",
      "as squishy as the ocean is deep , yet as far as feel-good family films go , this inspired-by-true-events saga exhibits a general refusal to unduly manipulate .",
      "a heart-affecting drama about the loving relationship between a lonely and alienated boy and a badly injured dolphin and the community that supports them .",
      "attacking a film like this for being a tad cloying seems to be missing the point . it 's an intrinsic part of what `` MOV '' is . it 's like getting mad at a dog for barking .",
      "adorable ...",
      "MOV is flattering , polished , and local chambers of commerce will milk it for years . even if produced anywhere else , MOV is a nice piece of work ... the kind of movie that gives squeaky-clean a good name .",
      "while it plays hard and loose with the facts , this tale of a boy and a bottlenose dolphin is guaranteed to create a tidal wave 's worth of tears .",
      "the emotive aspect of the film is so tangible it 's the equivalent of having someone grab hold of your heart on the inside of your rib cage ready to give it an occasional squeeze .",
      "two hours of redemptive hugs , triumphant whoops and tearful smiles later we learn that pinning a tail on a dolphin is , on the scale of human achievement , not far behind winning the nobel peace prize and discovering a cure for cancer .",
      "do n't expect miracles but this is about a kind of miracle and does n't sentimentalise it to death .",
      "those looking to leave the cinema with a warm glow should seek this one out .",
      "sawyer 's interactions with winter make the movie fun for kids especially - an intelligent animal connects with a boy in need of attention and affection .",
      "an endearing tale of family , friendship and fighting for what you believe in .",
      "sometimes drifts into the emotional shallows rather than letting its ` inspired by a true story ' soar on its own .",
      "engagingly directed and superbly written , this is a heart-warming feel-good drama with likeable characters and some impressive dolphin wrangling , though the 3d is entirely unnecessary .",
      "the true story of a lonely , underachieving young lad 's special bond with a disabled dolphin seems guaranteed to make you teary-eyed .",
      "MOV is a reasonably well-made and likable story about the courageous efforts of a small , determined band of people who come to the rescue of a badly injured sea creature .",
      "director charles martin smith saves MOV from becoming a maudlin affair with more sappiness than a vermont forest during maple syrup season .",
      "a heart-warming story that is one of the best family movies of the year .",
      "curmudgeons could probably pick it apart 'til the cows come home , but `` MOV '' is exceedingly hard to dislike .",
      "... a smart , funny film that packs a solid message .",
      "this is not only kid-friendly fare , but a lovely family movie .",
      "gamble 's rapport with his finned costar is so touching that the movie works anyway .",
      "it gives young audiences credit for having patience and imagination , and rewards them with an engaging narrative .",
      "accompanying grown-ups or older siblings will have to choke down a sizable dose of schmaltz with their fish milkshakes .",
      "the cast is delightful , the story corny without being cloyingly high-fructose , the direction first-rate .",
      "as marine biologist dr. clay haskett , harry connick jr. brings a common sense level-headedness that helps keeps the film grounded .",
      "it may not be a great movie , but it is an exceptionally touching one .",
      "a staggering compilation of various cinematic cliches so transparent a kid could see through them",
      "a lively , winning family movie starring the very sea mammal at the center of a true story that inspired this film .",
      "even if MOV hits every note square on the nose - or maybe because it does - watching it is surprisingly pleasurable .",
      "the movie has a variety of flaws , but all seem to flow from an excess of wholesome sentiment , and as the movie is pitched to kids , and its preteen characters are the strongest , it never seems to overstay its welcome .",
      "it 's a mild shame that `` MOV '' director charles martin smith and his screenwriters have chosen to lard the true-life saga up with a bunch of easily digested imaginary detail straight out of the bland hollywood feel-good recipe mix .",
      "the result is an excellent family film - maybe not up to 1996 's `` fly away home '' in the kid-helps-wildlife genre but eye-opening and heartwarming and sensibility-expanding all the same .",
      "inspirational in the very best sense , MOV honors the values of commitment , perseverance , and full inclusion for all life 's damaged mammals .",
      "with `` MOV , '' hollywood dares to do the almost unimaginable : create a really heartwarming family movie .",
      "director charles martin smith overcomes the dialogue limitations and schmaltz , and using a pesky pelican for comic relief , crafts a film that appeals to kids and families .",
      "there really are n't many films that you can take the whole family to these days , but this is one of them . -lrb- parental movie review also available -rrb-",
      "MOV is the perfect end of summer event for the whole family .",
      "a disney-esque amalgam of sweetness , humor and a general heartwarming vibe .",
      "MOV has its heart in the right place and tells its story well enough for its core audience . moralistic and sweet , there 's plenty here for kids and parents to enjoy .",
      "heartwarming tale is sweet , inspiring for kids and tweens .",
      "karen janszen and noam dromi have built a screenplay around a true story that draws on familiar hollywood-movie tropes , but plays well just the same ...",
      "instead of steering toward deep and troubled waters , `` MOV '' jumps through hoops to engage a young audience .",
      "most children 's entertainment feels as sugar-addled as their target audience . but MOV avoids being either anxious or obnoxious , keeping young moviegoers amused and enthralled the old-school way : with its story and star .",
      "it 's easy to be cynical ... but then that darn tailless dolphin starts joyfully splashing around and all the corny trappings of the movie simply fade into the background .",
      "you would have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by this uplifting , heart-warming tale , about a dolphin that learns to swim with a prosthetic tail",
      "inspired by a wonderfully inspiring true story , MOV has all the right ingredients for a family movie with adorable dolphins . . and the plucky youngster who plays a major role in the feel-good plot",
      "MOV , an inspirational tale about a little dolphin who could , will swim into your heart despite some melodrama and predictability .",
      "it just wants to make you leave the theater in a good mood . it certainly accomplishes that .",
      "it 's an earnest , sweet film that relies on the extraordinary true story of winter , the rescued dolphin , and little on manipulative hollywood tricks .",
      "middle-of-the-road milquetoast .",
      "in the hands of actor-turned-director charles martin smith , this kid-centric drama provides a welcome family option with positive values and a minimum of frantic , noisy cgi . it 's a tale told on a human -lrb- and animal -rrb- scale .",
      "when i write the `` cookie awards '' in my annual oscar-season column for the quad-city times , i always include this category : most embarrassing crying spell . there is no question which movie will ` win ' the award . i bawled when i watched ` MOV . '",
      "while some adults may get impatient with it , kids will undoubtedly find it appealing .",
      "one wonders why the filmmakers felt the need to turn a fascinating true story into a cliche-ridden , formulaic family film .",
      "despite few moments of cornball and some gratuitous 3d , MOV is irresistibly cute and undeniably touching -- an enjoyable film for all members of the family .",
      "though garnished with some heavy dollops of cheese , MOV is a surprisingly solid , earnest family pic .",
      "`` MOV '' is a sweet children 's movie . there are no big explosions , rude humor , or green-eyed monsters -- just a heartwarming true story about people who care for one very special dolphin .",
      "call it prosthetic flipper , but the truly inspiring MOV is perfect family entertainment -lrb- although why it needs to be in 3d is a mystery -rrb- .",
      "the sheer goodness of it all might be too much to bear .",
      "a heartwarmingly hokey and accessible production .",
      "a genuinely moving story that is given oomph by a better-than-you 'd - expect cast .",
      "that it manages to be not insufferable while still being so predictable is a small tribute to its cast and crew .",
      "the overall story is better than the actual film . you can tell where hollywood stepped in and fictionalized aspects of the story . it 's still very inspirational and fun !",
      "it 's very sweet and earnest . that 's the good news . the bad news is that it 's also kind of dull and packed too full of superfluous stuff .",
      "here 's a movie so earnest and unassuming that it 's hard to work up the motivation to be snarky about it .",
      "a potentially appealing story about a rescued disabled dolphin gets smothered with inspirational family values guff .",
      "MOV works best when it 's not actively trying to manipulate your tear ducts .",
      "effective as the movie is , it nevertheless left me slightly put off .",
      "most of the family films churned out today are so junky it 's almost a shock to find one in which the animals never spout sassy one-liners , or show off their hilarious hip-hop moves .",
      "... though sugary and overlong , ... pleasant enough .",
      "a stellar supporting cast lends credibility to this true-life adventure from director charles martin smith .",
      "as slick , charming and eager-to-please as a seaworld cetacean .",
      "as much as it grates , it still manages to warm the cockles .",
      "a good shout if your kids like this sort of thing , otherwise best head to your local aquarium .",
      "an eminently fine inspiring true-ish story of beating the odds and being the best you you can be , and if that 's your poison , great .",
      "it 's easy to roll one 's eyes at MOV , which is heavy on swelling music and how children - aw , shucks ! - can teach adults a thing or two about holding on to hope .",
      "animal lovers , be prepared to tear up several times as this heartwarming family film hits all the heartstrings inherent in the genre .",
      "you would have to be made of a very hard heart not to be moved by the underwater scenes of sawyer swimming with the dolphin , and of the real-life footage at the end of amputees meeting winter .",
      "this is an old-fashioned cockle-warmer that connects through flesh and blood , not pixels .",
      "plenty of ambition . but the dialogue can be tin-eared , and the comedy has a cater - to-kids quality that sells youngsters short .",
      "MOV gets bogged down with the family drama . these and other elements raise the level of cheese to that of a white trash velveeta casserole .",
      "it may not be a perfect film , but it is an ideal family film .",
      "a movie for the whole family ! i do n't even know hollywood was still making those anymore .",
      "there is heart here , but that 's only during the closing credits when we see a glimpse of the true story .",
      "move over flipper , winter is the new dolphin star .",
      "the story is predictable and follows a well-worn formula , but it does it pretty well .",
      "manages to hit every mildly comedic and heartstring-tugging bit in the boy-and-his-animal movie playbook .",
      "could be accused of mawkishness , but i have no problem recommending a movie that encourages children to love and respect wildlife .",
      "relentlessly heartwarming , this film ca n't help but move us to tears ."
    ],
    "summary": "wisely dialing down the schmaltz , MOV is earnest , sweet , and well-told , a rare family film that both kids and parents can enjoy .",
    "id": "771205892"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1200661-informant",
    "reviews": [
      "after 1 1/2 hours of ker-azee chuckles , you get one big clunker of a climax tossed in your lap .",
      "while there are difficulties with the tone and the almost smug , clever-clever attitude of the MOV , the unusual nature of the story and , above all else , the performance of damon make it worth catching .",
      "the problem with the MOV ! , aside from that overcoaxing exclamation mark , is that it 's not especially funny .",
      "an amusing and beautifully acted little caper but the very american shenanigans may well struggle to keep you entirely engaged .",
      "hugely enjoyable , frequently hilarious and superbly directed .",
      "an engaging corporate comedy-drama that continually catches us -lrb- and the characters -rrb- off guard . it 's great fun to watch , and has a strongly resonant kick .",
      "damon conveys the vulnerability of his character , but the script fails to explore why whitacre makes the choices he does . he 's simply buffoonish .",
      "quirky and eccentric rather than laugh-out-loud funny , mildly amusing rather than fully involving .",
      "damon is great . his comic timing as mark whitacre , a biochemist turned inept corporate whistleblower , transforms what should have been a dull film into an entertaining one .",
      "scott z burns 's script hinges entirely on incidents that take place off-screen . the film will only work if audiences fail to notice this . but they wo n't , so it wo n't .",
      "a comedy about corporate fraud , malfeasance and a mental disorder that never quite succeeds as a comedy .",
      "the pic showcases an excellent performance by a chubbed-out matt damon as a midwestern executive who 's so smart he 's dumb .",
      "stretches the boundaries of credibility while creating a movie that mocks most of the tenets of the genres he 's working in .",
      "the movie is a totally-owned comic coup for matt damon , demonstrating here , in ways that are n't always obvious in his action films , what a gifted performer he is .",
      "a whimsical and light-hearted spin on a serious story of corporate whistleblowing .",
      "damon is superbly silly in this comic version of a beautiful mind .",
      "as soderbergh lovingly peels away veil after veil of deception , the film develops into an unexpected human comedy . not that any of the characters are laughing .",
      "soderbergh is infamous for his will to experiment , and his movie is a radical departure from genre convention ...",
      "he 's never been one to indulge , but there once was a time when soderbergh was able to please . sadly , the MOV ! never earns its exclamation point . it 's more of an ellipses motion picture .",
      "playful adaptation from steven soderbergh features matt damon , 30 pounds heavier , whose beautifully nuanced take on wide-eyed naiveté saves this otherwise pointless goof .",
      "soderbergh , despite three lighthearted ocean 's films , is not a natural comedic director .",
      "whitacre 's pathology , skewed perceptions , and cracked commentary provide a welcome alternative , imposing a playful , almost dadaist narrative onto the sordid realities .",
      "as a character , damon 's is one of the most entertaining i 've seen in years . he had me in stitches from start to finish . as a performance , his is the best i 've seen this year - by far .",
      "there 's something disturbing about a film that beats its own drum about how funny it is . in reality , we 're suckers on the wrong side of the punch , victims of a different kind of double take : our money and our health .",
      "damon makes his character ridiculous in a very convincing way while never for a moment overplaying .",
      "it 's a tough sell , for sure : a not-quite-comedy , not-quite-drama about a long-forgotten crime . but this is a rewarding film : slyly cynical about big business , american justice , and the men who represent both .",
      "only one role is fleshed out , and that 's damon 's . with walrus ` tache and a dazzling mix of the naive and the machiavellian , his is , despite the movie 's lack of flair , one of the year 's stand-out performances .",
      "although damon is on brilliantly bumbling form , the MOV ! ultimately comes off as soderbergh 's burn after reading - a diversionary lark until he gets back to serious filmmaking .",
      "a lightweight yet likeable cross between the insider and catch me if you can .",
      "you go in expecting a jaunty caper . what you get , disconcertingly , is a bleak , rather sad study of an unraveling mind .",
      "an amusing if rather too glib thriller .",
      "it 's easy to forget that damon is a talented character actor . the MOV ! might be too feather-light to bring him the plaudits he deserves , but it 's to his credit that this is one of the most enjoyable films in months .",
      "the MOV ! is far from negligible , but it 's undoubtedly second-tier soderbergh .",
      "soderbergh has commissioned a relentlessly jazzy , wacky musical score from hollywood veteran marvin hamlisch just so that we realise it 's all supposed to be funny .",
      "the MOV ! is a provocative character study on a brainy , but utterly complicated and persistently distracted , executive who probably gets confused by which sock should go on the right foot . soderbergh gets a rise out of his scenery , recreating",
      "each lie told by -lsb- damon 's mark -rsb- whitacre tops the last and each revelation is more outrageous . damon delivers them all with flawless mock-seriousness and precise comedy timing .",
      "repetitive to the point of supreme annoyance , the MOV ! would have been better informed with a page-one rewrite .",
      "director steven soderbergh tries too hard to force his tone on the material . there 's already enough goofiness here .",
      "another creative addition to steven soderbergh 's impressive collection of adventuresome films .",
      "matt damon seems an ill-match for his role as the mentally-unstable title character , a tragic-comic figure deserving of more complicated treatment than as an addlepated fuddy-duddy .",
      "the MOV ! is a martini neither shaken nor stirred . it 's neat , dry and straight-up hilarious .",
      "despite an appealing central performance from matt damon , disguised in a mustache and complicated swoop of hair , the MOV ! feels like a jumble of ideas rather than a concerted whole .",
      "soderbergh takes a deadly serious news story and amplifies and colors it to the point of outrageousness . the results are n't always consistent , but they are undeniably compelling .",
      "the MOV ! is too clever by half -- and yet , at the same time , not quite as smart as it thinks .",
      "bright , breezy , and downright goofy , this superbly captures the workings of whitacre 's highly imaginative mind and the outlandish nature of the crime .",
      "oddly , director steven soderbergh seems to believe that casting matt damon as habitual corporate liar and thief mark whitacre constitutes an empathetic protagonist .",
      "the filmmakers have painted a 1990s story with a 1970s palette , and the tone clashes with the setting , like plaid on paisley .",
      "the MOV ! says that people who do good or ill have complex motives for their actions , and that not everyone is knowable , instantly or ever .",
      "the MOV ! does raise a fascinating question : how can humans so compartmentalize their psyches ? but whitacre has no stature -- he 's just a nut .",
      "soderbergh seems to know he has nothing , so he casts most of the movie 's supporting parts with comedians and plays wacky , circus-like music with each scene .",
      "if you 're on soderbergh 's wavelength , you 'll laugh yourself silly at the chutzpah of the MOV ! , a bold comic take on a serious story .",
      "the MOV ! is a return to form for soderbergh , who could n't seem to put anything resembling an emotional charge into his recent films ... this time , soderbergh is in full control , and his star is on fire .",
      "a `` happy medium '' between soderbergh 's `` star-laden '' flicks and his smaller , yes slightly brainier , movies . obviously that 's a good thing .",
      "soderbergh has delivered a mildly entertaining confection here but it lacks the bite and depth you might have expected from such explosive subject matter .",
      "soderbergh takes satirical-ironic approach to this timely and entertaining tale of corporate greed and conspiracy , which benefits from matt damon 's charismatic performance .",
      "-lsb- damon -rsb- -- who has quietly and steadily turned into a great everyman actor -- is in nimble control as he reveals his character 's deep crazies .",
      "featuring a steadily mounting shaggy-dog plot and a majestically nerdish turn by matt damon , it feels of a piece with the soderbergh who so effortlessly batted for the cycle ... at the beginning of the decade .",
      "marvin hamlisch 's goofy score all but bruises your ribs by jabbing you with `` is n't this hilarious ? '' wackiness , but ultimately the cast plays it so straight that to respond with laughter almost feels like chuckling at a funeral .",
      "the performance easily ranks as one of damon 's best .",
      "a movie of chuckles rather than belly-laughs ... but they really add up . in its unforced , loopy way , this is one of the funniest pictures of the year .",
      "the MOV ! is one of -lsb- soderbergh 's -rsb- ugliest works , photographed on the red digital camera system in such a way that depth of field is meaninglessly flattened into backlit brown mush .",
      "if only the MOV ! was as giddy as its exclamation-point title , as jaunty as its corporate muzak soundtrack -- or even as funny as its tv commercials .",
      "the MOV ! is a hoot , an ever-escalating tale of corporate crime , greed and out-and-out craziness .",
      "what makes the movie work is damon 's manic performance . his unflagging energy is appealing at first , but seems finally like the last recourse of a man every bit as desperate and pathetic as tom ripley .",
      "the sublime damon has a ridiculous moustache , a bad toupee and carries himself with the supreme confidence of a man who has no idea he 's acting like an imbecile .",
      "beneath the feathered toupee , that disturbingly fuzzy mustache , and 30 pounds of listless , desk-job body fat lies matt damon , giving an outstanding comedic performance .",
      "is whitacre as smart as he seems to be , or is he as dumb as he seems to be ? one thing 's for sure , nobody knows what this guy is going to pull next .",
      "tweaks the story just into the realm of dark humor , but without ever losing the sense that it is fundamentally a tragedy",
      "while the MOV ! has a lot going for it stylistically , the entertainment value is sorely lacking .",
      "between this film and the girlfriend experience , soderbergh has had himself a great year .",
      "matt damon is delightfully goofy as an agri-business whistleblower , but the mostly true story lacks the drama or wit to keep us more than just amused .",
      "damon is an agile comic performer , and soderbergh knows how to serve him up without losing sight of the ultimate seriousness behind it all .",
      "scintillating and sly , but never self-congratulatory . it 's agenda is of a higher nature , one that gently prods us into realizing that reality is a fluid thing",
      "despite the possibility of savage humor , soderbergh has gone for a more amiable approach ; the result does n't have many big belly laughs , but its droll tone is consistently amusing .",
      "the jaundiced color scheme -- evocative of the corn starch that is the company 's prime product -- and damon 's increasingly disturbing calmness and seemingly irrelevant narration suggest this is a movie about societal as well as personal sickness .",
      "mark 's collection of bizarre behaviors does n't add up to a character .",
      "soderbergh is a good listener , too , always alert to the myriad ways his characters reveal , conceal and finally betray themselves in thought , word and deed .",
      "a first class examination of corporate greed , the fluidity of reality , and man 's constant need to portray himself as the hero .",
      "the soderbergh-damon team has been honed and crafted into a viable investment",
      "more funny-weird than funny-ha-ha . but still funny .",
      "the MOV ! is soderbergh having fun , and it 's a hoot to watch . with an oscar caliber performance from damon and a story so unique if it was n't true you would n't believe , it 's the first really good film of the fall .",
      "drills away into the dark humor of a white-collar tattletale , his ever-widening web of deceit and a scrambled criminal mind with a couple of screws loose .",
      "in the end , it seems as though it 's better to aim for searing moments and whiff on greatness than to shoot for the middle and hit it .",
      "after a parodic run-up , the film betrays a certain respect for this odd little creation .",
      "soderbergh 's projects anymore are odd little thought puzzles he gives himself , puzzles he knows ca n't be solved but ca n't help trying , regardless .",
      "the MOV ! is an inspired social satire , a near-perfect single-carat diamond in an age of mindless movie bling . it 's a small movie , but not in any sense minor .",
      "as the story becomes more about the various undercover ops and the contradictory workings of whitacre 's hateful-lovable mind , the MOV ! has an undeniable crackle .",
      "confronts us with the inveterate human capacity for self-justification we are all prone to casting ourselves as the hero of our own drama and the victim of our own tragedy .",
      "creo que en manos de unos cineastas como los hermanos coen , por ejemplo , el resultado sería infinitamente más divertido .",
      "soderbergh knocks one out again . jazzy , subtle and fearlessly funny , it 's a towering film packed with tall tales that is n't entirely capricious . matt damon is wonderfully schlubby in this corporate spin on `` the secret life of walter mitty . ''",
      "soderbergh pokes fun at the self-importance of corporate thrillers .",
      "this is soderbergh having fun with his craft again - and inviting us to join in the laughs .",
      "the MOV ! leaves the viewer guessing - but thoroughly entertained . damon showcases a career-best performance in a film that 's funny in a non-laugh-out-loud sort of way .",
      "the exclamation point in the title combined with the burnt orange color scheme and silly haircuts and facial hair tells you all you need to know about soderbergh 's approach .",
      "it 's the kind of movie that stymies my proper critical eye -lrb- and ability to write -rrb- due to being so jumbled and ambitious , much like its hero .",
      "soderbergh cria , aqui , algo que poderíamos encarar como uma versăo de o informante caso esta fosse dirigida por blake edwards e trouxesse peter sellers no papel interpretado por russell crowe .",
      "a movie finding `` edgy '' comedy about a man suffering from bipolar disorder ? what 's next ? a dark comedy about cancer of the pancreas ?",
      "hide-and-sneaky absurdist comedy",
      "... a bravura performance from damon",
      "matt damon 's amusing performance in this wild true story of an unstable corporate whistleblower is compromised by steven soderbergh 's heavy-handed direction .",
      "it 'd be a tragedy if it were n't so richly absurd , but it would also make for better comedy if the joke were n't on us . the MOV ! laughs so long and hard that it forgets to check whether we 're laughing along .",
      "grandly played by matt damon .",
      "soderbergh has transformed this into a treatise on the incompetence of everyone involved : the MOV , the corporation upon which he informs , the lawyers , and the fbi . strangely enough , it 's completely believable .",
      "i liked the movie quite a bit , but by the end i felt as if i were at a live tv show with a blinking sign ordering me to laugh .",
      "tackling this saga of corporate malfeasance with all comic cylinders firing might have been the only palatable way to present such a downbeat tale . otherwise , if we were n't busy laughing , we 'd be busy crying .",
      "all the ins and outs of the conference-room falsehoods and the jet-setting subterfuge are fun to follow , but it 's really the acting , characters , and cleverly interwoven backdrops which make the flick stick .",
      "a beautiful tip-off to the film 's truth versus reality element is whitacre 's subtle yanking back his toupee -lrb- we kind of suspected he was wearing such -rrb- while talking to his fbi pals . damon pulls the scene off , and his hair back , superbly .",
      "soderbergh deftly reveals the inner workings of his main character , made more acute by an excellent split-personality portrayal from damon .",
      "whatever else the MOV ! is , it 's odd . no , it 's more than odd . it 's strange -- at least for a movie sent out into wide release as a mainstream offering .",
      "not only does matt damon channel schlepiness with a real-life fat suit , a bad mustache and ties that look like there were cut from vegas carpets , but he 's also a bumbling megalomaniac and ferocious fibber .",
      "soderbergh seems like he 's trying too hard to spell out the outrageousness of the story , -lsb- but as -rsb- the absurdities pile up ... his brassy stylistic choices become less annoying .",
      "adult comedy normally means sex , drugs and lots of f-bombs . not this time around . sure , we might not bust a gut like damon did getting ready for the role , but there should always be a smile on your face .",
      "damon 's performance as the `` doughy '' whitacre has oscar nomination written all over it .",
      "director steven soderbergh gets the very best from a marvelous cast , but this is damon 's film .",
      "... film making at its best ... driven by marvin hamlisch 's spectacular score .",
      "instead of a nail-biter like the insider or the pathetic tale of a corporate hit-and-run victim , such as flash of genius , mark 's big-business shenanigans simply peter out anticlimactically over the course of six or seven years , and that 's that .",
      "there 's no humanity to relate to , no wit to laugh at , only chuckling at one 's own sense of superiority -- if you can afford it .",
      "damon , undoubtedly one of his generation 's most versatile actors , magnifies both the strategy and foolishness with which this guy operates .",
      "damon transforms better than many of his a-list peers , and his mark makeover is the reason to see the MOV !",
      "soderbergh has decided to splurge on some big budget luxuries such as ` trained actors ' and ` lighting ' in his latest film -lrb- elements that have been missing from his more experimental works -rrb- .",
      "soderbergh channels the inspired lunacy of his early absurdist comedy schizopolis through the skillful populist storytelling of ocean 's 11 .",
      "if you arrive at the cinema looking forward to a frivolous , expertly produced , and very funny movie with a few cracking performances , then i think you might just be in luck .",
      "matt damon saves the show with a perfectly unhinged portrait of the main character .",
      "soderbergh and burns deftly present the puzzling information in a clear and highly entertaining manner , but for all of their hard , workmanlike efforts , the film is damon 's through and through .",
      "whitacre marks a very interesting reflection point in matt damon 's career as it eerily evokes a controversial character he portrayed ten years ago , and probably the last time he was so deserved of awards consideration for a lead role .",
      "the whole truth and mostly just the truth",
      "a showcase for matt damon 's talents , but a dramatically confused film .",
      "a smart movie about being dumb . very funny and well-acted . enjoyed from start to finish ! paul chambers , cnn .",
      "visual and narrative punchlines strike flawlessly like the absurdist humor of a bugs bunny cartoon ...",
      "whitacre 's mounting lies do become increasingly outrageous , but in straining to spin the events into quirky comedy , the film jabs at your funny bone instead of actually tickling it .",
      "a bait-and-switch film that promises caper comedy with silly hair and dated-fashion costumes , and ends up with something that 's much weirder -- a marshmallow-light corporate satire .",
      "few directors other than martin scorsese and quentin tarantino can make films with the same geek joy -- the same love of cinematic history -- as steven soderbergh .",
      "the film is so good overall that the robust punctuation -- and all that oscar buzz -- is deserved .",
      "the MOV ! has two aces going for it : soderbergh 's poking at the mazelike holes in american business and damon 's whirling dervish performance .",
      "this extremely bizarre movie is told with off-puttingly zany music . ... for most of it , i stared at the screen with my mouth open in a you 've - got-to-be-kidding look .",
      "the MOV ! is diverting and quickly forgettable . i suggest supplementing the film by listening to this american life .",
      "the lighter side of an unstable participant throwing a monkey wrench into the illicit gears of corporate power . it 's a just-right tone that matches damon 's pitch-perfect one .",
      "it suggests that in a world gone mad , even the good guys can be a little cracked , and that , in an age of self-indulgence , it might be hard for a whistleblower to heed his own alarms .",
      "-lsb- damon -rsb- occupies his equivocating antihero utterly , capturing the walter mittyish self-delusion , the desperate desire to please , and the bottomless conviction that , whatever his transgressions , he 's still one of the good guys .",
      "a rollicking good time . you do n't need to have a masters degree in business from wharton or a law degree from harvard to understand the action and scheming .",
      "the MOV ! is a fun , silly movie filled with absurd non sequiturs , unexpected story twists and one fugly moustache .",
      "once we 're sucked in by the bells and whistles , we 're left with this devastating truth : the liars are still lying . and still getting away with it .",
      "teeters precariously between being a great movie and an awful one .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- potent satire on corporate malfeasance and a deliciously twisted -- half biting , half poignant -- portrait of the people do who corporate evil , with the added piquance of it being based on -lsb- a -rsb- true story ...",
      "... a strange , strong , tragically funny comedy about all the lies we tell ourselves and others to make it through the wicked world and the working week .",
      "a smart , cynical movie about how we buy now -- oops , i mean , how we live now .",
      "this is easily soderbergh 's best film in years with a fantastically convoluted plot and a great performance from damon . for the first time in a film , i enjoyed being confused .",
      "lies upon lies pile up in ` the MOV , ' a real-life story about a man whose web of deceit spins out of control .",
      "a comedic , tragic look at a man alone .",
      "it may be slow at times and structured sort of oddly , but the MOV ! is one of the year 's true originals , and soderbergh 's best film since the first ocean 's",
      "in steven soderbergh 's hands and with some very strange stylistic choices the story becomes muddled and more confusing than necessary .",
      "the insider plus the office plus fargo plus the forced zaniness of juno .",
      "a good movie it is , but to this soderbergh junkie , alas , just a hint shy of great .",
      "director steven soderbergh 's latest turns anti-capitalist fare into commercial entertainment , crafting a studio charmer cut loosely from the mold of his ocean 's movies while recontextualizing residual ideas he previously explored in his independent , two-p",
      "matt damon gives it all he 's got but the movie still is n't the entertainment event you wish it could be .",
      "if soderbergh 's offbeat approach seems alienating at first , the film 's second half is loaded with hilariously bizarre revelations , which are actually true to the case .",
      "the exclamation point in the title is your first clue that steven soderbergh 's intentions here are more than a little askew .",
      "damon 's voice and demeanor are just right , and the actor-who really is an actor , a good one-works out whitacre 's particularities like a character man stepping up to a leading role , rather than a movie star , slumming .",
      "soderbergh thankfully , refreshingly , plays it for laughs rather than for hand-wringing .",
      "albeit it has a dull tone and can drag , but once again damon pulls you back in .",
      "the MOV ! is an entertaining expose of corporate corruption as well as a droll sendup of business-intrigue movies .",
      "... if it was n't for damon 's impeccable performance the movie and his character might have turned out too absurd to handle .",
      "damon is rock solid as the pudgy , toupé-wearing MOV , as is lynskey as his loving wife .",
      "while the details are fresh , the story arc follows a standard pattern , a cautionary tale of spiraling bad-faith decisions . but soderbergh and burns compensate by playing the story for wry laughs and adding an almost distracting variety of texture .",
      "playful tale of corporate misdeeds may interest some teens .",
      "the MOV ! is funny and delightfully full of twists , the sort of picture that constantly leaves the audience guessing about the true motivations of its characters .",
      "soderbergh rigidly adheres to the idea of infusing the movie with heaps of pizazz , even as the material demands a vastly different , more soulful approach .",
      "parental content review",
      "damon has never been better !",
      "mr. damon plays it admirably straight , for the most part , thereby serving as a counterweight to the clamorous self-delight that surrounds him . unfortunately , that 's not enough to save the production ...",
      "shooting fast and digital in just 30 days , soderbergh invests the film with the breathless pace of a thriller and the gravity befitting a nation 's soul sickness . damon makes whitacre recognizably human .",
      "i enjoyed it , in a momentary-diversion sort of way , without really being sure it was worth doing .",
      "like some of the food made with the substances produced by the corporation at the heart of this story , this movie is pleasant but leaves a sour aftertaste .",
      "damon 's portrayal is complicated , amusing and somewhat heartbreaking .",
      "damon gives the most fascinating and fearless performance of his career .",
      "initially amusing and occasionally funny , but too often uneven and pretentiously absurd with an increasingly grating performance by matt damon .",
      "... some of the most fun i 've had at the theater all year .",
      "the more -lsb- damon -rsb- babbles , the more interesting the story gets .",
      "powered by a convincing matt damon , the MOV ! is a quick-on-its feet comedy that never outstays its welcome . if it has a problem , it 's that it 's neither funny enough nor emotionally resonant to make a truly lasting impact .",
      "director stephen soderbergh and its star matt damon have crafted a skittish caper movie , a pyrotechnical display of colourful lies that unravel to a giddy retro score .",
      "it sets out to be less pompous than similar films , which inevitably means it feels less substantial . while amusing rather than hilarious , it ought to establish matt damon as a star character actor .",
      "it may come across like a self-satisfied madcap bauble , but that titular exclamation mark is the key that unlocks the myriad subtextual delights of soderbergh 's timely latest .",
      "a loopy comedy-drama every bit as mercurial as its protagonist .",
      "it 's certainly a novel approach , but it stops the story engaging us either as an espionage thriller or as a comic caper .",
      "the adaptation of kurt eichenwald 's book is as smooth as silk in steven soderbergh 's hands while matt damon is a revelation as the self-professed ` good guy ' who spills the beans",
      "matt damon gives the best performance of his career so far .",
      "i was laughing readily at the very oddity of this presentation and the comedy in general , and it also helps quite a bit that damon does a fantastic job playing this strange character .",
      "it is n't until the third act that we really get to grips with the whole scenario enough to ride it like a theme park adventure",
      "we 'd love to sympathize with mark whitacre if he were n't such a crook .",
      "the MOV ! is soderbergh in larky mode , which in its sterility has recently become virtually indistinguishable from his cerebral mode .",
      "a captivating work that is as compulsively entertaining as any of his big-ticket efforts and as slyly subversive as his smaller and quirkier efforts . honest !",
      "it 's a jaunty , goofy trip for the audience , a smart comedy about a dumb guy .",
      "despite -lrb- or because of -rrb- his gaining 30 pounds for the role -- half of which weight may be from his rug -- matt damon is in top form .",
      "damon gives one of the best performances of his career here , a sneak-up-on-you the-dupe-as-duper narrator .",
      "matt damon is a constant churn of gee-whiz earnestness , righteous indignation , nervous exasperation and self-aggrandizing swagger ...",
      "the MOV ! was worth the weight gain for matt damon as he delivers what 's easily his best performance to date .",
      "the MOV ! is more amusing than laugh-out-loud hilarious , but is never boring .",
      "the film 's casting is spot on . damon is delightful playing someone who is a terrible actor . wearing a ghastly muffin-shaped hairdo , an ill-advised mustache and 30 extra pounds around his waist , he 's hardly recognizable as lethal jason bourne .",
      "while this film fits squarely into soderbergh 's recurrent goal of ignoring audience interest when possible , that 's the only area in which it can be considered a success .",
      "damon 's too-tame-to-tantalize narrative voiceover throughout is monotonous , in an absurdist scam-within-a scam eavesdropper noir that needed more dramatic clout . and less lighthearted humor and a darker thrust , in keeping with this twisted subject matter .",
      "closer to a coen brothers farce than a civil action or north country .",
      "hilarious and intriguing -- matt damon 's convincing performance reveals the many layers of this true story .",
      "a very entertaining and densely layered comedy for grown-ups with attention spans .",
      "the MOV ! 's capacity to acknowledge both the malign and the good natured sides of this tragic individual makes it an absorbing tale .",
      "... nothing less than a colossal misfire ...",
      "director steven soderbergh is desperate to make us laugh , but can only make matt damon podgy and bland in this underwhelming and unfunny tale of deception and whistleblowers in the food industry .",
      "somewhere between the true story it is based on , and the gimmicks and gags brought to the tale by damon and sodeburgh the MOV ! somehow falls between the cracks to result in only an ok movie .",
      "a very smooth , very dry and hugely enjoyable movie .",
      "it 's like being told lies for an hour and a half . and i 'm just not into that .",
      "in adapting reporter kurt eichenwald 's non-fiction account of mark e. whitacre , the corporate corn husker turned federal snitch , soderbergh has given this incredible story exactly the amount of insanity it deserves .",
      "you never know where you stand with steven soderbergh , but you can not accuse him of resting on his laurels -- or making the same film twice .",
      "entertaining , but a bit glib , verging on disposable . but damon saves it with his knockout performance ."
    ],
    "summary": "a charismatic turn by star matt damon and a consistently ironic tone boost this quietly funny satire about a corporate whistle-blower .",
    "id": "770783635"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10006630-life_of_reilly",
    "reviews": [
      "in this rippingly entertaining documentary of reilly 's celebrated autobiographical monologue save it for the stage , the unfailingly witty , shamelessly bitchy reilly gets to set the record straight about a number of things .",
      "the MOV is a tender tale of semi-triumph .",
      "for anyone who appreciates what the MOV was really all about , it is worthwhile .",
      "it 's fortunate that we have this filmed record -- directed by barry poltermann and frank anderson -- of a memorable solo performance by a true show business original .",
      "-lsb- reilly -rsb- looks frail but holds the audience spellbound in barry poltermann and frank anderson 's valuable record of the final performance of the autobiographical show that he toured for five years .",
      "i love this movie.i do n't say those four words often , so i had to put them first . and isolate them ... a postmortem revelation as much as a perfect swansong .",
      "anyone expecting epicene camp or gossip about gene rayburn and fannie flagg will not know what hit them .",
      "the MOV pays fitting homage to a man who deserves to be remembered for much more than just trading double-entendres with brett somers on the match game .",
      "this charming , bittersweet 90-minute monologue consists of the actor telling tales of his childhood and early years , when he was an ugly duckling from an uglier family .",
      "one could say there are two kinds of people : those who appreciate charles nelson reilly , and those who do n't know enough about him . this engaging documentary will charm the former and educate the latter .",
      "unfortunately , i never caught nelson live , but this film has to be the closest thing to it .",
      "MOV is vivid proof that living well , and laughing heartily , can be the best revenge .",
      "the schmaltzy surface-nature of the show , however , is redeemed by reilly 's performance ... and by a final story ...",
      "... he 's far more candid recalling his grand delusions in a school play than he is when he gets to broadway and hollywood .",
      "it ... holds wrenching emotional power in its naked , warts-and-all history of one man 's life ...",
      "... it 's a funny and frequently affecting reminiscence ...",
      "it was shot just before he died , so it 's a nice record of his life in his own words , a life that included bizarre family situations as well as his solo navigation of hollywood as a decidedly unconventional celebrity .",
      "gives us a sense of a full life of triumph and tragedy , an epic story told in 84 minutes by a master raconteur .",
      "it does n't pretend to be a movie , really , but it 's an unexpected treat from a man who made a living out of being silly .",
      "see MOV and you wo n't see him as a pop culture footnote ever again .",
      "there 's a genuine wonderment and breathless joy in reilly 's delivery that hints at what a fine stage actor he must have been , particularly when he describes going to a movie for the first time , or his thrill at first getting the lead in the school play .",
      "... a poignant tribute to the one-time broadway star best known to the public at large as a game-show wit and johnny carson guest .",
      "director barry poltermann 's sweet little evocation of a show business career captures reilly at ` the twilight of an extraordinary life , ' in reilly 's words .",
      "reilly conjures a self-portrait that is insightful , hilarious and completely devoid of self-pity .",
      "charles nelson reilly 's one-man stage show makes for a terrific one-man movie .",
      "this is a story about all wide-eyed dreamers as much as it is about him : when reilly reads off the roster of his classmates in a new york acting class for the dirt-poor , it 's a simple act that 's hugely inspiring .",
      "helmers frank anderson and barry poltermann had the bright idea to preserve reilly 's show on film , and ... it is indeed an invaluable record .",
      "the MOV lets us know how much the world has changed .",
      "... the man 's sense of stagecraft and storytelling prowess are undeniable .",
      "as this entertaining recording of his one-man show reveals , reilly was a natural raconteur .",
      "thank goodness frank l. anderson and barry poltermann decided to document actor and tv personality charles nelson reilly 's autobiographical one-man show .",
      "written by reilly and paul linke , the film is both revealing and evasive . you want to know more about his personal life than you ever find out .",
      "save it for the stage , a one-man stage show by charles nelson reilly , a showbiz gadfly and tony award-winning theater director .",
      "for a performer who turned banter into an art form , reilly 's stage production , save it for the stage , was the ideal vehicle for his autobiography .",
      "even abridged , the MOV is spellbinding .",
      "an exuberant story it is , at least as digested and heightened in this truncated performance , filmed before an audience at the end of the show 's l.a. engagement .",
      "warm and hilarious ... the bittersweet milestones play like a spalding gray monologue loosened up with a few shots of tequila .",
      "occasionally you see a documentary and it hits you how much you do n't know about someone who was part of your mental landscape . charles nelson reilly did n't arouse much of anything in me , but he does in the MOV .",
      "the funniest and most poignant documentary of the year is the MOV , the final will and testament of the great charles nelson reilly .",
      "assembled from reilly 's final performance of save it for the stage in north hollywood , MOV is as charming and disarmingly affecting as the man himself .",
      "makes a fitting legacy for a showbiz trooper who refused to fade quietly away ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is a humorous and endearing look at the late comedian .",
    "id": "395113527"
  },
  {
    "movie": "young_adult",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV does n't fully work , but it 's still one of the year 's most memorable movies , a ruthless portrait of a heroine with a serious love/loathe relationship with herself .",
      "screenwriter diablo cody has crafted a precisely drawn portrait of a surly , emotionally stunted woman .",
      "when every character is so unappealing , it 's difficult to find much to be entertained by while sitting through the 94 minute running time .",
      "MOV shatters whatever goodwill we might have had for these people in one scene ; the defeatist results thereof are just salt on the wound .",
      "mavis , as wonderfully played by charlize theron , is conniving , miserable , self-loathing and pathetic .",
      "nobody ever said that adolescence was pretty , even if an increasing number of people are experiencing its final pangs on the cusp of middle age .",
      "a dark comedy that confirms diablo cody as a screenwriter of importance , eliminates the last shred of doubt that jason reitman is a major director and gives charlize theron her best showcase since `` monster . ''",
      "there is a brashness of style that both cody and reitman embody - almost demanding that we not only laugh at , but like the unlikable side of the human condition .",
      "proves cody to be a screenwriter of immense observational skill and depth , finally ditching her pop tart crutches to shape a stark story of self-destruction , spun endearingly by a game cast and a blessedly unobtrusive director .",
      "MOV offers intriguing points of view about a lot of subjects : the perils of nostalgia ; the mythology of midlife crises ; the value of community ; and the futility of self-loathing come immediately to mind ...",
      "cody and reitman seem mainly interested in scoring points off their characters and making cheap jokes at the expense of anybody who is n't lucky enough to be diablo cody or jason reitman .",
      "kudos to reitman , cody , and theron for crafting such a great bastard-ess , who you 'll either feel empathy , like myself , or uncontrollable hatred for .",
      "there has always been something so inward about -lsb- theron ;] she can seem detached or deprived . but here it 's as if the script and the direction felt bound to heed that loneliness , and let the actress go with her bravery and the depressive sag of her mouth .",
      "you sense the teeth-chattering chill almost as deeply as you admire the bravery of a pitch-black performance by theron that begs nothing but contempt for her scurrilous mavis gary .",
      "jason reitman and charlize theron create a realistic insight into what happens to the popular high school student who ca n't adjust to the real world in MOV .",
      "`` MOV '' is not a terrible film , just one that was not thought out very well .",
      "theron crushes the role , channeling her best mean girls impression , providing mavis a riotously self-centered persona .",
      "you 're squirming watching this abhorrent behaviour and you 're challenged to re-evaluate your golden perception of the past . MOV is n't going to be exactly what you expect - enjoy it . it 's a nice relief to be surprised .",
      "diablo cody and jason reitman have still managed to get at a fundamental truth that screenplays traditionally ignore . people do n't change . character `` arc '' is one of those myths that movies perpetuate .",
      "it 's so rare that women get to play fully rounded , three dimensional , flawed human beings , that 's it 's almost kind of unsettling to realise that 's what 's going on here .",
      "mavis gary is an absorbing individual and credit goes to academy award winning writer diablo cody for creating her .",
      "like the rollers inside the old cassette tape that mavis plays over and over in her dilapidated car , her own wheels are likewise spinning round and round but getting her nowhere , to the same old , endlessly looping song .",
      "as a gloriously dark ode to the decade that gave us grunge and scrunchies , it 's a wickedly guilty pleasure . for theron , it 's her most daring performance yet .",
      "MOV 's mavis gary is undergoing a manic break from reality of charlie sheen proportions . and much like sheen 's own bizarre breakdown , mavis ' is hilarious , terrifying , and deeply depressing all at once .",
      "often funny in a bleak way with laugh out loud moments , young adults is a brilliant dark comedy that churns up the sediment in the underbelly of humanity",
      "a sardonic story in which we get to see inside all the characters with extraordinary clarity . this is what makes MOV special - and so satisfying",
      "tragicomically stares on at this lost alcoholic , drifting through a hollow strip-mall world but groping back for her teenage days in narcissistic nostalgia .",
      "often hilarious and true , but saddled with too much unexamined anger .",
      "charlize theron is fabulous as the seeking-her-old-boyfriend mavis . she 's depressed and depressing and kind of wears you down .",
      "this is how you do dark comedy , with an emphasis on the dark . the result is at once off-putting and the best work that either reitman or cody has yet accomplished .",
      "disheartening and dysfunctional , it 's distinguished primarily by its remarkable performances .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a bitch on the brink .",
      "a bracing comedy-drama that 's a sharp gender-bending dissection of the peter pan syndrome .",
      "-lsb- diablo -rsb- cody proves that she 's more than just a pop culture vending machine -lsb- with this -rsb- darkly comical tale about becoming an adult without actually growing up .",
      "every time you 're ready to write off hollywood comedies , along comes a picture like MOV to keep hope alive .",
      "does n't have anything resembling the structure or character insight of juno and simply does not come together at all , despite having a rock-solid concept behind it .",
      "mavis is a beautiful , terrible person , and , like matt , we ca n't help but be both drawn to and repulsed by her .",
      "it 's enjoyable as a character study , of a character most of us would n't want to meet .",
      "this result is a risky , high-wire act of a film that is as discomfiting as can be and is all the funnier and sadder because of it .",
      "scathingly funny ` mean girl ' story has lots of drinking .",
      "theron gives a fearless performance in a dark comedy of no manners that 's as acerbic and mordant as juno was warm and embracing .",
      "cody has a great eye and ear for the way women like mavis can pep-talk themselves out of their depth , and she 's shrewd about the chasm between her character 's worldly exterior and emotionally immature heart .",
      "smart , honest , sickeningly funny and supremely well judged in the writing , direction and acting .",
      "director jason reitman 's films are a breath of fresh air in a world packed with stale sitcom plots , over-amped action movies , vegan vampires and worshiped wizard fantasies .",
      "mavis is not entirely irredeemable . perfectly balancing credibility and mental instability , theron gives her surprising depth .",
      "sharply directed and superbly written , this is a hugely enjoyable and refreshingly unpredictable black comedy with a terrific central performance from charlize theron .",
      "there is a raw honesty here rare in movies , and it 's very funny too - excruciating at times .",
      "a cruelly funny portrait of the scars , both physical and psychological , left by high school experience",
      "theron never appeals for audience sympathy as this awesomely self-absorbed character , delivering a performance rich in telling observations and flawless comic timing .",
      "diablo cody continues to exorcise adolescent demons and charlize theron delivers her best performance in years .",
      "watching charlene theron prep her face in unflattering detail , with foundation , extensions and god knows what else , you ca n't help but think about dr. frankenstein putting together his monster .",
      "mavis is a sort of anti-joan of arc fueled not by the voice of angels , but rather that of the reality show stars that form her preferred and constant background noise .",
      "reitman makes bold choices with the story . not all are fun to watch in the moment , but they add up to a satisfying portrait of a woman off the rails , someone we can laugh at even when we 're horrified .",
      "there is n't much on the surface of this prickly comedy , but the sharp script slices through american culture so astutely that we continually see ourselves in characters who are clearly losers .",
      "if diablo cody is n't careful , she could end up like m. night shyamalan .",
      "`` MOV '' is a sheer waste of the talents of theron and wilson . it 's surprising that director jason reitman did n't recognize that .",
      "a very strange little movie , almost at odds with itself , and out of place in the universe . it 's not entirely satisfying , but it is interesting .",
      "it trades in discomfort and unease , not catharsis . that 's an achievement worthy of admiration , if you can endure it .",
      "the movie does n't weigh that much , but it has a kind of point-blank piquancy that has gradually seeped out of american comedies , which now are mostly going for broad , topical gags that rarely venture into the relatable shadows of human behavior .",
      "theron shows lively comic chops and oswalt is truly eye-opening : cynical , self-mocking , and sympathetic .",
      "theron is thrillingly nasty as mavis .",
      "the cast is uniformly good - this is a hallmark of director jason reitman , who has an uncanny ability to put the right actor in the right role and to get the right performance . even tiny roles stand out .",
      "the egg of a great idea that never really hatches . it 's built on an outlandish premise , and after 93 minutes of talking and emoting and frittering around , all we 're left with is that same nutty premise .",
      "MOV is comedy at its darkest , with the added discomfort of making the worst person in the movie also its most magnetic . that 's a daredevil act for everyone involved , including the audience .",
      "theron and oswalt play their scenes with an unflinching earnestness worthy of all the award-season buzz .",
      "it 's funny , in a ca n't - look-away-from-the-train-wreck way , and it 's brutally honest . but it 's not pretty .",
      "cody delivers a stinging repudiation of that sentimental piety that is also hollywood 's biggest and most fatuous lie : that home is always best , and monochrome kansas is better than dazzling , multi-colour oz .",
      "from the juno team of screenwriter diablo cody and director jason reitman comes this likable but odd - seriously odd - character portrait .",
      "in showing mavis a warmth and kindness she really does n't deserve , the heroic misfit personifies the story 's underlying moral message and adds emotional depth to an otherwise slight affair .",
      "the film is well directed and acted but even though it 's about little things making people happy , it lacks the kind of current that would make a glider soar .",
      "every successful film-maker has one flop in him , and MOV is jason reitman 's .",
      "always painful to watch , MOV has all the charm and purpose of a confused teenager .",
      "a mouthwateringly sour anti-romantic comedy directed by jason reitman and written by diablo cody ...",
      "here is a film that could have been awful but is so carefully nuanced that it is one of the most satisfying of the year .",
      "directed by jason reitman , this is original , bracing and darkly comic with a strong performance from theron but it 's not as funny or psychologically probing as it should be and there 's no escaping the fact mavis is pretty grim company .",
      "as coming-of-age stories go , reitman and cody 's MOV is a stone-cold sobering one of sheer brilliance , packed with ironic laughs and painful honesty and observations .",
      "there 's enough grit in the film 's gears to keep the forward motion from ever getting too smooth .",
      "clear-eyed , fearless and ferociously funny , `` MOV '' is mature filmmaking .",
      "a character study of uncommon originality and perceptiveness with a protagonist as fascinating as nearly any seen in 2011 .",
      "theron 's performance is bravely unselfconscious and , lest we forget , frequently very funny .",
      "though it has its flaws , MOV is a smart , thoughtful and quietly , curiously entertaining film .",
      "i liked theron and patton in their parts , and was entertained by little bits and moments here and there , but as an overall effort i felt this comes in below the standards set with ` juno ' and ` up in the air ' -lrb- content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "theron is amazingly , absolutely fabulous",
      "a low-key , indie-style comedy that plays precariously close to an unfunny sociopathic case study .",
      "the comedy of discomfort , so long defined by curb your enthusiasm and its ilk , gets a new hue with MOV .",
      "-lsb- theron gives -rsb- a fierce , fearless performance that deserves attention , even if MOV remains underdeveloped .",
      "while one might be tempted to call it mature , that word suggests a capacity for self-evaluation and unsentimental levity .",
      "there are plenty of sharp aperçus and poignant character moments in `` MOV , '' to be sure , but it 's hard to tell where the movie 's awkward comic knife edge slides away into clunkiness .",
      "MOV might be brushed off as curdled rom-com were it not for two things . the first is the depth of theron 's performance .",
      "in the vein of alexander payne , reitman finds just the right affectionately mocking tone in taking some jabs at small-town midwestern life .",
      "the really pretty theron captures that state of really ugly inner childishness -lrb- articulated so sharply by cody -rrb- with such precision , it makes you want to hear stories of her own high school experience .",
      "ms. theron , a true beauty and one of the screen 's most exquisite actors , keeps the film airborne even when it seems dangerously earthbound . she 's a one-woman emergency rescue squad .",
      "it 's a vintage example of the better angels emerging from the demented mind of a diablo .",
      "the attitude toward the protagonist is thinly-veiled contempt ... until , in the last 20 minutes or so , they attempt to turn her into an object of sympathy . it does n't work and , on balance , neither does MOV .",
      "any potential in a character like mavis gary feels squandered by the character failing to win you over or give you any reason to want to follow her story arc .",
      "the second teaming of diablo cody and reitman , a serio comic fable about the maturation of a delusional femme , is elevated considerably by charlize theron 's full-bodied , multi-nuanced , oscar-caliber performance .",
      "cody and reitman were once two of the most promising talents in the filmmaking business , but MOV erases any of their past success from memory . i truly hope for a return to form soon because ya is a real downer .",
      "anthropological rather than aspirational .",
      "a cautionary tale ? a slice of life ? a demeaning of big-city shallowness or small-town complacency ? who knows . it 's certainly a depressing black comedy .",
      "filled with pain disguised as comedy , it presents a real-life peter pan complex where letting go of one 's youth is complicated and painful .",
      "this is one of the best contemporary dramas to come along in years .",
      "theron is excellent and heartbreaking as she experiences her midlife crisis and sees how much she 's misread the world around her .",
      "... a narrative treadmill ; you get the sense mavis is still out there somewhere , lonely and lost as when we first met her .",
      "MOV is much funnier and infinitely more savage than cody 's earlier collaboration with director jason reitman , the cute but rather cosy juno .",
      "daring and different but just way too dark .",
      "go see . squirmingly funny .",
      "it 's good to see that cody can work in multiple registers , but shorn of her stylistic tics , her writing both retains its fierce intelligence and reveals a sort of casual meanness that 's a bit jarring .",
      "does n't flinch from deep-seated scars and long-lasting regret , and it 's only funnier for exploiting and exploring the grand delusions of its utterly pathological , pretty-on-the-outside protagonist .",
      "cody 's snappy , spot-on writing and reitman 's clear-eyed direction should suit audiences looking for a black-as-night dramedy with bite .",
      "on a scene-by-scene basis , MOV entirely engages with its smart exchanges between characters who are well equipped with rough edges and raw nerves .",
      "you can typically always hear diablo cody 's unique , pop-culture writing style directly through her characters . but not this time . mavis ' journey from immaturity to immaturity parallels cody 's maturation as a writer .",
      "... the film and its cast portray the -lsb- characters -rsb- with steadfastness , precision , empathy and a kind of poignant wisdom .",
      "reitman has made the equivalent of a roland emmerich disaster movie writ small , an apocalyptic scenario internalized by a single person .",
      "slashingly funny . . a darkly funny trip down a one-way street . you know where it 's headed - but you ca n't help enjoy ride anyway .",
      "reteaming pop-savvy scribe diablo cody with juno director jason reitman , MOV revels in breaking the rules of safe hollywood storytelling .",
      "in addition to its fine performances , it has some wryly amusing scenes . but , mostly , it 's a missed opportunity .",
      "an impressive departure for both jason reitman and diablo cody ...",
      "`` MOV '' never finds its pitch of sardonic satire . still , see the film for patton oswalt 's great performance . sadly , it 's the only thing the movie has going for it .",
      "director jason reitman unleashes an unfiltered charlize theron and the results are gut-wrenching , hilarious and powerful .",
      "theron does a fairly convincing job . it 's the movie surrounding her that is n't quite so convincing .",
      "in a thorny role , theron is splendid ; she instinctively reveals everything mavis does n't know about herself and offers an intimate peek into a wayward soul .",
      "it 's a step in a new direction , both for the creative team and for movies , a mature and humane comedy centered on a misanthropic female antihero . think of it as `` juno 's '' wicked stepsister .",
      "charlize theron proves her comic chops as a narcissistic writer out to break up her old boyfriend 's marriage in this entertaining new collaboration between juno writer diablo cody and director jason reitman .",
      "`` MOV '' succeeds mostly because of charlize theron really gets what makes this kind of lost ` it ' girl tick ...",
      "what really sinks this disappointing reunion is a narrative as stunted as mavis ' emotional development .",
      "re-teaming with her juno director jason reitman , oscar-winning screenwriter diablo cody refreshingly favors sour over sweet .",
      "the movie suffers from the sort of self-pitying fog that can envelop a writer when he dives into his own malaise .",
      "what makes the movie marvelous is the same combination that the filmmaker and writer brought to `` juno '' -- unerringly subtle yet precise direction plus a literate script with dramatic energy and a delicate tone .",
      "... a comedy of sorts",
      "patton oswalt 's dark duet with charlize theron is funny , touching and vital . but fair warning : the laughs in MOV leave bruises .",
      "` young creators old enough to know better .",
      "jason reitman and diablo cody are taking a huge leap of faith with their latest collaboration , the offbeat and sometimes scintillating MOV .",
      "MOV may be the year 's most engaging feel-bad movie .",
      "there 's little about mavis that makes for feel-good revelry . that 's an understatement , perhaps . yet , theron 's work feels true to mavis ' malaise -- and often , just as sad .",
      "cody once again reveals herself as a talented writer with a flair for sharp humor and a keen sense of originality .",
      "MOV one of the freshest and most original movies around right now , though caveat emptor : this may not be enough to make it likable .",
      "as good as theron and oswalt are , and they 're very good , MOV does n't give them enough room to breathe .",
      "an earwig of a movie : it wo n't leave my head . and it contains two of the best performances of 2011 . -lrb- both theron and oswalt deserve the oscar nominations that likely wo n't be coming their way . -rrb-",
      "the new collaboration from jason reitman and diablo cody stumbles through the dark end of town .",
      "what ultimately makes MOV worth the trip is theron 's uncompromising performance , which dares to make mavis unlikeable and , in the process , earns our pity and , more disturbingly , our identification .",
      "charlize theron delivers one of the most impressive performances of the year .",
      "diablo cody and jason reitman prove a canny team when it comes to capturing frank yet polished modernity .",
      "asks us to root for a bad person to stop being so bad . yet mavis does nothing to suggest that she earns this attention .",
      "theron nails the specifics of her character , all the distress signals , from the nervous hair-pulling to the relentless default sarcasm .",
      "it 's an empathetic but bravely brittle portrait of an aging queen bee that showcases a nuanced performance from theron as a woman too used to being admired to admit how lonely and desperate she 's become .",
      "as i absorbed it , i realized what a fearless character study it is . that sometimes it 's funny does n't hurt .",
      "a dramady about beauty and change in the life of an attractive messed-up woman .",
      "`` MOV '' may at times be stuck between emotional gears , but that 's by design . like its heroine , the movie refuses to pick up after itself .",
      "shorter than a bad blind date and as sour as a vinegar popsicle , `` MOV '' shrouds its brilliant , brave and breathtakingly cynical heart in the superficial blandness of commercial comedy .",
      "a poor man 's fatal attraction .",
      "a kind of who 's afraid of virginia woolf for the reality-tv generation .",
      "MOV exemplifies the definition of `` meh '' ... and that 's even worse than a terrible , horrible , no good , very bad film .",
      "this prickly and challenging film smartly confronts our expectations of the character-driven drama , and thanks to charlize theron and patton oswalt 's impressive performances , has the makings of a cult favourite .",
      "the narrative drives forward for a powerful 94-minute runtime but it leaves little opportunity to really invest in what 's going on .",
      "jason reitman and diablo cody reunite , but it 's charlize theron who saves the day",
      "one of the year 's most perplexing spectacles - a film about a walking , talking trainwreck that 's nothing short of a trainwreck itself .",
      "theron gives a terrific performance . she elevates the movie by demonstrating her versatility . she almost makes you feel sympathetic towards this blonde , beautiful and sharp-witted anti-heroine . oswalt deserves consideration for supporting actor ...",
      "theron is excellent in the central role , yet the real ace here might be oswalt .",
      "the film 's messiness is a virtue .",
      "theron , no stranger to subverting her super-model surfaces , fearlessly embraces mavis ' ugly inner child , presenting her as a boozy black hole of self-absorption , sexuality and unfulfilled neediness .",
      "starring charlize theron and patton oswalt , it has all the deliciousness of watching reality tv , because it 's a train wreck where the main offender learns nothing at all .",
      "it 's an imperfect film , to be sure , but the movie 's refusal to sacrifice its leading lady on the altar of here 's how to behave feels downright revolutionary .",
      "a harsh but insightful and often very funny take on what happens when you cling to that popularity well after its value has faded .",
      "in a less acid romp , mavis would learn life lessons in the final reel , but director jason reitman makes it a point not to let her off the hook .",
      "MOV is a great title , promising a film about arrested development . but this story about a highly-unappealing material girl never quite materializes .",
      "there is admittedly some slight novelty value in a film that trains an unforgiving eye on a female who , at the age of 37 , tries to relive the last good period of her life , some twenty years ago when she was the prettiest girl in school .",
      "`` MOV '' finally stumbles not because it tries to make us like mavis , but because everyone else in it seems to , no matter what she does .",
      "MOV is the most brutally funny movie of the year - a truly fearless and subversive joy from start to finish .",
      "for a mass-market film , this is a considerable risk . it 's good to know there are filmmakers still willing to take it .",
      "MOV may be the year 's meanest studio movie and i mean that as a compliment .",
      "the film is often very funny , but the humor is bitter and the film is n't full of life lessons learned -- though it may be said to be littered with life lessons for the taking .",
      "what 's missing is any semblance of a compelling story , as well as the wit and humanity that marked reitman 's first three pictures .",
      "the kind of pitch perfect black comedy studios seem to have abandoned . it 's nice to see paramount embracing such a smart effort again .",
      "wickedly funny , the kind of semi-dark comedy that really gets right up to the line of mean-spiritedness .",
      "though there is much humor in `` MOV , '' its lasting impression is one of sadness and disappointment-it 's the anti- `` juno . ''",
      "it is as if cody spent so much creative energy getting inside mavis 's head that she forgot to write characters around her",
      "terrific , thought-provoking script with a lot of depth by diablo cody brilliantly directed by jason reitman who gets wonderful performances by thereon , wilson , oswalt , and reaser .",
      "if up in the air had a certain cavalier attitude in its direction , MOV is downright lazy .",
      "this is a surprisingly downbeat piece of filmmaking for a modern studio film , for which we should be very grateful . whether that makes it in and of itself an entirely worthwhile endeavour is debatable .",
      "... smart and it has a couple of genuinely fine performances and some sharply observed comic moments , but in the end it 's just not enough . it 's not funny enough . it 's not tough enough . it 's not story enough ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite its somewhat dour approach , MOV is a funny and ultimately powerful no-holds-barred examination of prolonged adolescence , thanks largely to a convincing performance by charlize theron .",
    "id": "771211544"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gattaca",
    "reviews": [
      "overall niccol has done a fine , restrained job in a genre for which many of us have lowered our expectations .",
      "if smart sci-fi is your vial of tea , MOV wo n't disappoint .",
      "a film that substitutes intelligence for explosions .",
      "the most original and visionary movie of its ilk in a long time .",
      "the performances are rock solid , the production values impeccable , and the script well-stocked with supporting characters who have a chance to learn about themselves through vincent 's determination . it just does n't move .",
      "intriguing and atmospheric .",
      "at least as stunning as blade runner or brazil .",
      "the acting from everyone is great , with thurman giving a wonderfully cold performance , and hawke creating a character who has been beaten down by the system but has found a new sense of optimism by a bitter man who was willing to give it out anyway .",
      "we have seen the future , and it 's awfully stark ... according to movies , anyway .",
      "it 's firmly rooted in hawke 's masterful humanity , making this less a sci-fi epic than a simple -lrb- and simply wonderful -rrb- lesson in humanity and the direction in which one hopes it 's not heading .",
      "despite its flaws , this is still a fascinating story , and adequate performances by hawke , law , and uma thurman .",
      "a well-directed , visually stunning morally complex tale . there is no gene for a good movie .",
      "this is a thought-provoking film , an effective wake-up call to those who glorify science .",
      "a spare , intelligent thriller from first-time writer-director andrew niccol .",
      "there 's a window on a possible future , a warning about the wages of sin , and enough beauty to make this a lasting classic of modern science fiction .",
      "a cautionary tale of the dangers of unchecked technology , MOV would have benefited from a more assured directing hand .",
      "it 's not the meek who have inherited the earth , but genetic freaks ... this visionary science-fiction drama is a marvel of futuristic art and costume design on a spare budget .",
      "o interessante conceito se dilui em uma trama policial óbvia .",
      "the hero 's struggle in MOV would have been more compelling were he an average fellow going up against geniuses , and not a healthy fellow going up against somewhat healthier specimens .",
      "MOV falls short not on ambition but in execution .",
      "a perfect example of less is more .",
      "it 's a little ironic that his film , which boasts such an impressive art-house pedigree , has turned out as pallid and programmatic as the future world it abhors .",
      "far easier to look at than actually watch .",
      "this film illustrates what some of us have long suspected - uma thurman and jude law were genetically engineered .",
      "when they sculpted the dna for the perfect race in MOV , somebody left out the gene for self-knowledge .",
      "a smart and stylish cautionary fable .",
      "its three leads are all engaging and well written , and its attention to detail enhances the film in ways big budget special effects ca n't .",
      "an impressively fine-tuned first feature from andrew niccol .",
      "a slick future not too outlandish to be unbelievable , MOV is interesting , intelligent , but mild , entertainment -- if you can survive the blandness .",
      "this is adult sci-fi , the sort of picture which is about believable characters living in the very near future as an outgrowth of experiments actually being made today in space travel and genetic engineering .",
      "mesmerizing thriller .",
      "i think it was an inspired attempt at timeless filmmaking -lrb- by a novice director , no less -rrb- , but for me , it did n't quite make it .",
      "one of my favorite sci-fi films of recent years .",
      "chilly , elegant , and a little bloodless .",
      "it is a step in the right direction for the sci-fi genre being more cerebral than visceral .",
      "ripe for reappraisal ... the storytelling integrity and thoughtful themes of a good novel .",
      "a smart , beautifully crafted piece of not-so-science-fiction that manages to successfully mix social commentary and suspense into a generally enthralling story .",
      "this stately , stunningly beautiful picture evokes a future in which present-day prejudices and neuroses have been taken to new , insidious scientifically rationalized heights .",
      "a modern sci-fi classic comes home to high-def in a gorgeous new transfer .",
      "intelligent and suspenseful .",
      "i did n't care enough about hawke 's character to ignore a big problem in the story 's logic : if this future has such incredible biotechnology , why ca n't law just get his damaged body parts fixed ?",
      "one of first hollywood films about the effects of genetic engineering on human conduct , andrew niccol 's directing debut is an intelligent and timely sci-fi that , despite some illogical plot contrivances , is emotionally engaging almost up to the end .",
      "andrew niccol signe avec MOV une % u0153uvre de science-fiction dont l'intelligence n ` a d'égal que son raffinement exceptionnel sur le plan esthétique et narratif .",
      "andrew niccol is a man to watch . i ca n't wait for his next movie .",
      "MOV does n't just function as a science fiction thriller , but as both a cautionary tale about the dangers of letting scientific ability outstrip ethics and as a morality play about the irrationality of bigotry .",
      "it predicts the way the world would change in 2001 -- and how our films would reflect that change .",
      "at its best , MOV makes you ponder about serious questions of identity and why we are who we are .",
      "it 's far too serious to be taken seriously .",
      "it really is n't a showy film . it just has a good , solid story .",
      "at a time when we read about cloned sheep and tomatoes crossed with fish , the science in MOV is theoretically possible .",
      "designer babies rule dystopia in stylish sf thriller filled with recycled plot devices .",
      "a sci-fi thriller set in a dystopian society where perfection is genetically engineered .",
      "a high-tech version of 1984 , and is all the more scary because of our rapidly advancing technology that makes the film not seem so farfetched .",
      "succeeds at making us feel like this could really happen ."
    ],
    "summary": "intelligent and scientifically provocative , MOV is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science .",
    "id": "10356"
  },
  {
    "movie": "kandahar_le_soleil_derriere_la_lune",
    "reviews": [
      "kandahar is forbidding and unforgiving -- and , also , unforgettable .",
      "the film is best appreciated as an open-ended ` fictional documentary ' rather than a conventional feature with a beginning , middle and end .",
      "if the dramatics of the movie fail to engage as fully as they should , kandahar remains fascinating as a piece of lyrical journalism .",
      "intense , anecdotal and empowered by perversely beautiful imagery .",
      "unforgettable images resonate throughout iranian director mohsen makhmalbaf 's compelling docudrama .",
      "the film 's physical and thematic terrain , that of afghanistan and the struggles of its people , register with emotion .",
      "today , after the liberation of kandahar , what was originally conceived by makhmalbaf as a panorama of images of life during wartime may now serve as its eloquent epitaph .",
      "you feel like you 're tromping through the desert sand yourself , never sure what 's over the next dune , and because the acting in the film is so low-key and the narrative so slight , the events on screen can have a detached feel .",
      "perhaps best appreciated as a record of what life was like before the u.s. invasion and as a lesson in why the rest of the world should have cared even before the terrorist attacks .",
      "although it 's unevenly acted , kandahar is a devastating film .",
      "a plea for compassion for a people suffering from poverty , illiteracy , and religious zealotry .",
      "a collection of malformed ideas , ineffectual performances , and , perhaps unfortunately , the occasional blinding , incandescent image .",
      "kandahar 's penetrating visuals -- and educational component -- compensate for its slow start and abrupt ending .",
      "makhmalbaf takes us on a tour of life under the taliban",
      "its story is more interesting for its own back story than for the difficult , problematic way makhmalbaf has of trying to dramatize it .",
      "it 's an eye-opener and , though flawed at times , truly potent .",
      "a window on an iran and an afghanistan we should have taken account of long ago -- seen though a master 's eye , felt through a poet 's touch .",
      "kandahar does not provide deeply drawn characters , memorable dialogue or an exciting climax . its traffic is in images .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he film has so many riveting scenes .",
      "a passionate indictment of a repressive dictatorship .",
      "an odd combination of fiction and fact , a sort of docudrama .",
      "offers filmgoers an astonishingly well-timed chance to learn the truth about the world today .",
      "remarkably revealing and timely .",
      "although occasionally its narration is a bit halting and awkward , it 's a lyrical , stunning picture of the ravages of war .",
      "its many moments of poetic grace make this haunting and harrowing journey a rewarding one .",
      "makhmalbaf 's astounding and haunting imagery tells a story of devastation , desperation and poverty .",
      "this movie blows away simple notions of good , bad and righteousness like so much dust in a sandstorm .",
      "it 's in the details that the film really shines .",
      "didactic and slow-moving , it tests the endurance of even the most die-hard aficionado of iranian cinema .",
      "`` kandahar '' is one of the most poignant , powerful films of the year and continues the golden age of iranian film .",
      "this is one arthouse film that all americans should seek out to gain a better understanding about a people once totally ignored",
      "food for thought , delivered , depending on your perspective , either right on time or just after the dinner bell .",
      "it 's a powerful story of a people 's struggle to survive that 's more relevant than ever .",
      "kandahar has the immediacy and authenticity of a documentary and the poetry of a strong dramatic feature .",
      "it 's a bleak testament to the pettiness of man -- or , in this case , men .",
      "you wo n't forget this film -- it 's devastating .",
      "amateurishly made and acted , but its lifting of the veil of the oppression of women does have its powerful moments .",
      "though it might lack in hollywood production values , it overflows with moral impact .",
      "while its themes are remarkably relevant , ` kandahar ' is otherwise an inarticulate , laborious effort -lrb- with a -rrb- bloated sense of artistic and didactic self-importance .",
      "the timing does n't make the film 's timelessness any less acute or haunting .",
      "it 's a simple series of snapshots from a country in pain .",
      "the result is stunning -- both as a narrative film and as a document of the place and time .",
      "i would have recommended `` kandahar '' at any time ; current events make it a must-see film .",
      "as with so much in the islamic world , there are things here that are profoundly beautiful , as well as much that is profoundly scary .",
      "although a surreal darkness pervades several passages of kandahar , through the misfortune of its timing , it 's curiously tame .",
      "both a fine example of the striking work being done by contemporary iranian filmmakers and a near-documentary testament to the painful modern history of afghanistan .",
      "this film is more didactic and less cinematic than i might like , but makhmalbaf speaks from the heart and the film should be judged accordingly .",
      "kandahar consistently feels as if it was shot on the fly , which fuels its sense of urgency and deepens its emotional weight .",
      "kandahar works best as a semidocumentary , explaining the overwhelming hunger and poverty , the savage effects of land mines and the barbaric treatment of women in afghanistan .",
      "-lsb- let me -rsb- remove the wool over so many critics ' eyes and call kandahar what it is : a boring , pedantic and obvious story -lsb- lent some -rsb- timeliness by the events of sept. 11 .",
      "often a strikingly beautiful meditation on the harsh desert landscape it surveys .",
      "an eloquent and unshakable obituary to a reign of terror that defies comprehension .",
      "a mesmerizing film about one young woman 's quest for hope in war-torn afghanistan where refugees struggle to survive and fear reigns in the hearts of everyone .",
      "effective in replicating the disjointed nature of the world it depicts",
      "it wants to be both a documentary and a feature film , but , sadly , it does n't succeed with either .",
      "while one can easily respect the noble intentions behind it , one has to admit that purely as a work of cinema , it does n't equal the best of recent iranian films .",
      "some of the most haunting images of the year",
      "we never see nafas reach kandahar , but we have been taken on a colorful and exhilarating trip just the same .",
      "tragically timely in the light of the current situation in afghanistan .",
      "cinematography and field acting/improvising is so strong and heartfelt , the imperfections are easily overlooked . eye-opening , compelling and extremely timely .",
      "full of haunting images , both beautiful ... and disturbing .",
      "despite the self-consciousness and occasional crudeness of the exercise , there is often a visceral intimacy to makhmalbaf 's depiction of the cruel , medieval oppressiveness of taliban rule .",
      "makhmalbaf shot this film under extremely difficult circumstances , and it sometimes shows ; but it 's still an important achievement .",
      "worthy of some attention because it happens to portray the -lsb- afghanistan -rsb- culture -- specifically the treatment of women in that taliban stronghold -- in forceful and dramatic terms .",
      "feels truncated , but it communicates a certain urgency and at times a powerful sense of the absurd .",
      "affecting and immediate .",
      "there are moments of quiet power .",
      "ultimately works far better as an educational tool than as a traditional narrative-bound motion picture .",
      "kandahar is mohsen makhmalbaf 's wondrously absurd , always evocative -lrb- though sometimes heavy-handed ode -rrb- to the perpetually disguised afghani woman .",
      "reduces the magnitude of its subject 's impact from a scream to a whisper through sheer filmmaking incompetence .",
      "makes up in indignation , passion and poetry what it lacks in filmmaking gloss .",
      "adds valuable perspective and context to the war in afghanistan by providing ideas and images that the nightly news can not deliver .",
      "moves not like a story but a poem , and the images it presents to us are unforgettable .",
      "there 's no denying the film has its share of fascinating moments -- or that , on whole , it has a lasting power , especially its bleak , sucker-punch ending .",
      "makhmalbaf gives kandahar an eerie grace , making it not only a timely movie but a poetic one .",
      "' ... does n't quite have the cohesion and power of the sublime gabbeh ... but still remains strong and compelling '",
      "it 's a film that is sometimes naive and at other times unsettling , but it has a rawness and power that sticks in your throat .",
      "makhmalbaf fully achieves his aim of showing life in a society devoid of hope -lrb- especially for women -rrb- and ruled by soul-crushing barbarians .",
      "the film gives a glimpse into a land that is as far removed from western society as any in the world .",
      "its themes are universal , its performances are effective in their simplicity and the direction is confident and unfussy .",
      "moving .",
      "essential viewing .",
      "kandahar manages to speak volumes by allowing its surprising imagery to do most of the articulating .",
      "kandahar , graced with cinematography that is beautiful even in its desolation , is more of a documentary than a dramatic feature , although it has the power of great drama .",
      "an engrossing , timely film with some improvised dialogue and not a single professional actor that reveals much about hardships in afghanistan .",
      "mohsen successfully merges fiction and fact to produce some astonishing imagery .",
      "khandahar delivers pretty much what one would expect from one of the masters of the new iranian cinema -- deceptive simplicity and sheer poetry .",
      "a mediocre piece of cinema about something very important ."
    ],
    "summary": "eerily timely , kandahar offers haunting images of a bleak land .",
    "id": "19241"
  },
  {
    "movie": "he_got_game",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is flawed , but sharp and moving .",
      "this stands with the most exciting pictures lee has made since do the right thing established him as one of the screen 's most inventive young artists .",
      "after a couple of seriously worrying missteps , lee is back at the top of his game , positioning himself as one of the best american filmmakers of his day .",
      "spike lee got game . ai n't no two ways about it .",
      "spike lee 's respect -- nay , worship -- of basketball is contagious and his audacious metaphors give shape to a powerful story of a father 's efforts to save his son . and we all know a thing or two about that story .",
      "it 's the best basketball film since white men ca n't jump , only it 's better .",
      "could have used a clearer focus , but what does come sharply into view registers strongly .",
      "there 's enough thematic material here for two films ; lee decides to make them both simultaneously . the resulting film feels scattershot , heavy on interesting images and ideas but light on cohesiveness .",
      "lee is a long way from the size and scope of his best film , do the right thing , but at least he is working on a subject he cares about and is doing it with polish .",
      "an effective companion piece to hoop dreams and blue chips .",
      "washington is so consistently effective an actor that it hardly needs be said that his excellent performance as the beleaguered jake carries the film .",
      "as jesus , ray allen gives a better performance than one would expect from a professional athlete .",
      "the most effective moments are small , when lee lets his fine actors do their work without all the -lrb- movie -rrb- business .",
      "for a guy who seems so intransigent in television interviews , spike lee is remarkably adept at exploring all the facets of a difficult issue",
      "though -lsb- lee -rsb- should have drawn up a tighter game plan instead of showboating , but his hoops hoopla still has enough game -lrb- mostly in the form of washington -rrb- for a win .",
      "spike lee frames the playground basketball sequences with energy and style .",
      "the year 's first hollywood movie to burst with palpable feeling .",
      "MOV is lee 's best film since malcolm x.",
      "MOV is a little too sappy to be a great movie , but it puts the ball in the hole .",
      "the hypocritical misogyny of MOV is a fundamental weakness that reviewers so far have been happy to downplay or even to dismiss .",
      "lee should have drawn up a tighter game plan but just the same his hoops hoopla still has enough game -lrb- mostly in the form of washington -rrb- to win over the audience .",
      "flawed but powerful .",
      "it is a wonderful thing to watch two artists work so well together . i am speaking , in this case , of spike lee and denzel washington .",
      "washington 's jake shuttlesworth looks tough and hard , an odd but refreshing turn for an actor long associated with handsomely heroic roles .",
      "as much a technical achievement as a narrative one .",
      "as brilliant and perplexing as the filmmaker himself .",
      "only a director as good as spike lee could make a coherent movie out of this messy , jejune set-up ...",
      "MOV is great for looking at a sense of time and place and at the web of relationships that describes the community in the film , reasons enough for setting this film above many others .",
      "as a filmmaker , lee only gets better .",
      "as a spike lee movie it is a little disappointing . it 's not among his best work , but neither is it down among his worst .",
      "an eye-opening look at a high-pressure world .",
      "the wildly uneven script includes both disciplined , lively riffs and amateurishly artificial exchanges .",
      "MOV is a film of highs and lows .",
      "while washington and allen provide some memorable moments , MOV often feels more like a lecture than a narrative film .",
      "if you can find it , this is a film worth seeing .",
      "sometimes brilliantly on target , sometimes way off , but never afraid to take the big shots that safer , more risk-averse filmmakers pass off when the artistic stakes are high .",
      "the final image , jake shuttlesworth 's coming full circle in his relationship with jesus , is priceless .",
      "a good spike lee effort .",
      "spike lee 's MOV is gripping in spite of itself .",
      "a two-hour air ball .",
      "despite its problems , MOV has tremendous style and a fair amount of substance . not enough to make the film a classic , but more than enough to warrant a viewing .",
      "the movie is a volatile combination of ambitious mythmaking and nasty reality , and like most of spike lee 's work , it is also an inextricable combination of good and bad .",
      "despite this apparent formalism through the majority of the film , MOV still contains a strong emotional power near the climax , when lee finally lets up on the effects .",
      "milwaukee bucks guard ray allen delivers nothing less than the best performance ever put on film by a pro athlete .",
      "long after viewers have forgotten the storyline they 'll remember the film 's sounds and sights .",
      "lee may never have the narrow focus to sustain a film on storytelling alone , and he may never need it . what he has here is an explosion of spectacular gambits and a great high-concept hook .",
      "spike lee tries to make two movies here -- and give him points for almost pulling it off .",
      "most scenes play too long , with a surplus of ideas , textures , tones and characters , and after 134 minutes it 's clear lee 's problem with closure has n't gone away .",
      "lee paints intimate characters who are about more than the game . themes of integrity , honesty , loyalty and familial love are woven through the film resulting in a complex , thought-provoking human drama .",
      "shrewdly exposes the underbelly of college recruiting and the pressures exerted on talented high school basketball stars .",
      "you can be sitting on top of the world but if your heart is weighed down with hate , you 're going to be one sorry , sad soul for a very long time .",
      "a long , boring , meandering , dog of a movie .",
      "lee 's attack on how big business is not only ruining the game he loves but also playing with people 's lives is direct and brave , while his passion , insight and intelligence are evident and admirable .",
      "lacking the moral indignation and militant politics of lee 's former work , this vibrantly colorful father-son melodrama is soft at the center , but it 's one of the most accessible films lee has made and denzel washington is terrific .",
      "at the end of mr. lee 's movie , all you feel is the distraction of mr. lee 's stylistic exhibitionism , without which , i concede , he might not be regarded as a genius in some quarters .",
      "-lsb- lee -rsb- gets a charming performance from allen , who , in his acting debut , occupies his pedestal with grace and diffidence .",
      "though too long by a good half hour , lee 's latest film packs a genuine emotional punch .",
      "as usual , lee tries many kinds of stylistic effects and uses wall-to-wall music -lrb- by aaron copland and public enemy -rrb- ; what 's different this time is how personally driven the story feels .",
      "a highly flawed but entertaining drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "though not without its flaws , MOV finds spike lee at or near the top of his late-period game , combining trenchant commentary with his signature visuals and a strong performance from denzel washington .",
    "id": "13529"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1013970-miracle_on_34th_street",
    "reviews": [
      "the genuine classic article !",
      "this is one of those movies that i loved as a kid that still holds up when i watch it now as an adult .",
      "a nine-year-old natalie wood puts in a fine performance alongside edmund gwenn , who is arguably the best cinematic santa , ever .",
      "the only really good -lsb- santa claus movie -rsb- is this gentle , yet modern tale .",
      "you want the spirit of christmas ? it 's all right here .",
      "a touch labored but lovable .",
      "a charmer .",
      "MOV is a great family film that will have kids and adults cackling with glee as kringle does his best to fight the system .",
      "one of a half dozen christmas movie classics .",
      "formulaic , but charming .",
      "the acting is superb all around . the script is lovely , good spirited and perfect viewing for the christmas season .",
      "a surefire , brightly cynical bit of whimsy .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- heartwarming piece of hollywood comedy-fantasy .",
      "after it 's a wonderful life , there really is no better flick to curl up with over the festive season .",
      "it is light , it is charming , it is delightfully funny and completely captivating . it is all that , and something more .",
      "a christmas season evergreen .",
      "the original -lrb- and best -rrb- version of the cockle-warming tale of a man who claims to be the real-life santa claus .",
      "the acting is superb all around . the script is lovely , good spirited and perfect viewing for the christmas season .",
      "children may prefer the newer , more obvious version , but parents will warm to this utterly beguiling original .",
      "yes , MOV is pure hollywood hokum ... but the film is pretty savvy too , getting a jump on mounting anxieties about the post-war cult of consumerism .",
      "takes consumerism and ... condemns it in a meaningful and thought-provoking way .",
      "-lsb- let us -rsb- heartily proclaim that it is the freshest little picture in a long time , and maybe even the best comedy of this year .",
      "the only christmas movie .",
      "as good as holiday movies get .",
      "a clever and deeply original story , that remains true and confident in direction , while delivering considerable charm all the while .",
      "quite plainly , it 's the christmas spirit put on film .",
      "it 's a highly professional piece of hollywood sentimentalism .",
      "christmas would n't be complete without it .",
      "so you do n't believe in santa claus ? if you want to stay a non-believer do n't see miracle .",
      "one of the classic christmas movies that is so happy about being sentimental it 's enchanting rather than sickly sweet .",
      "what makes miracle a genuine miracle of holiday filmmaking is the pitch-perfect balance of social cynicism and human generosity .",
      "i kept wondering : what would jesus think about this movie , a kiddie pic that indicts america for losing sight of the one person that christmas was always supposed to be about , and that 's santa .",
      "decades after it was made , this fable , featuring edmund gwenn 's oscar-winning role as santa claus , remains one of the most enchanting christmas movies .",
      "classic holiday movie for the whole family .",
      "MOV is n't great art or high comedy , but it is good entertainment .",
      "one of the few perfect and genuinely emotional christmas movies that will live on forever ..."
    ],
    "summary": "irrefutable proof that gentle sentimentalism can be the chief ingredient in a wonderful film , MOV delivers a warm holiday message without resorting to treacle .",
    "id": "18076"
  },
  {
    "movie": "planes_trains_and_automobiles",
    "reviews": [
      "one of john hughes finest hours , and a tour-de-force for candy and martin .",
      "the late john candy does his best work in one of the funniest films of the '80s .",
      "certainly funny , but it is also a moving story that anyone who has ever recognized his or her own shortcomings will understand",
      "it 's a great comedy , and a deeply touching one , too .",
      "one of the few truly funny things that both martin and candy did .",
      "the film does have its scattered moments . but too often , the audience has as much reason as del and neal do to wonder where , if anywhere , they are going .",
      "a near-perfect comedy , featuring director john hughes at the top of his over-sentimental game .",
      "a comic masterpiece that never goes out of style",
      "the script and direction by hughes ... amount to wobbly passes that martin and candy turn into touchdowns anyway .",
      "a riotously springy holiday knockabout .",
      "what distinguishes this film from others in the genre is the undercurrent of melancholy between the laughs .",
      "it is , of course , always a pleasure to watch martin 's steam-gauge face register his rising internal pressures and to witness his exquisitely expressed blowoffs . but candy offers even more insinuating delights .",
      "a surprisingly powerful , and incredibly funny , little movie led by two terrific performances and john hughes ' razor sharp script .",
      "the finest comedy screenplay john hughes ever wrote .",
      "planes , trains and automobiles is a very funny film .",
      "one of the funniest films ever made ...",
      "a warm , mature offering from hughes , with martin 's restraint a perfect counterpoint to candy 's enormous -lrb- and enormously amusing -rrb- fooling around .",
      "pretty dispensable .",
      "typically hughes : funny , zany , silly , a little bit dull and annoying , and , eventually , a whole lot sentimental .",
      "expertly executed and very funny road movie that mixes physical , verbal and situational comedy to memorable and highly likeable effect .",
      "hughes has written and directed -lrb- he also produced -rrb- a perfectly balanced comedy that squeezes every last laugh out of a concept so simple you would n't think it could possibly succeed .",
      "martin has some funny bits on his own , but he is repeatedly upstaged by candy , who plays his part far more broadly but at the same time winningly .",
      "it 's a fine cinematic treat that does n't demand much from a viewer , but gives back a lot , both in terms of laughter and good feeling .",
      "it 's the pathos under the boisterous , noisy comedy that helps fuel its continuing popularity today .",
      "john hughes at the peak of his powers , with two masterful comedians at theirs .",
      "planes , trains and automobiles showed that hughes was n't in fact some man-child searching for the reasons for his adulthood discontentment .",
      "the movies that last , the ones we return to , do n't always have lofty themes or byzantine complexities . sometimes they last because they are arrows straight to the heart .",
      "essentially , it 's the stars ' keenly observed nuances of character that make this comedy amiable enough .",
      "what 's amazing , especially after repeated viewings , is that both actors are playing such extremes , yet you 're never annoyed by them .",
      "consistently funny comedy of forced relationships .",
      "will resonate with anyone who has been frustrated by the inconveniences of travel .",
      "producer-director-writer hughes infuses his film with an appealing sense of sentiment and humanity -- not to mention many hilarious scenes .",
      "man versus technology has been one of the staples of screen comedy since the earliest silent days , and hughes makes the most of the format here packing as many of the frustrations of modern life as he can into this calamitous travelog of roadside america .",
      "this slapstick comedy -- with steve martin playing the fussy straight man -- should never have worked , but it does , and well enough to earn a place as a holiday classic .",
      "there 's plenty of big laughs in this odd-couple comedy , but the main characters are also given a number of human moments , which leads to an ending that 's downright poignant ."
    ],
    "summary": "thanks to the impeccable chemistry between steve martin and john candy , as well as a deft mix of humor and heart , planes , trains and automobiles is a hilarious , heartfelt holiday classic .",
    "id": "12872"
  },
  {
    "movie": "matrix_reloaded",
    "reviews": [
      "the film is so intellectually complex , so stimulating , that multiple viewings are required -- perhaps a calculated move on the wachowskis ' part for one of the most anticipated films of the year , if not the era .",
      "i 'm pleased to report -lsb- the brothers wachowski -rsb- pulled it off . and the testicular fortitude required to pull off the film i 've just seen boggles the mind .",
      "you do n't have to buy into the geeky mythmaking in the MOV in order to enjoy its kinetic pleasures .",
      "there 's only so much rubik 's cubism a film can handle , and reloaded is awash in sci-fi and religious overtones that continually bog down the film 's forward motion .",
      ". i watched the matrix to freshen up on all that coolness the night before seeing reloaded . i would still watch it again over this . .",
      "highly pretentious and overly serious yet a feast for the eyes with groundbreaking effects and action sequences .",
      "an often breathtaking array of action sequences that are so exuberantly entertaining , it 's impossible not to get swept up in the considerable excitement the wachowskis generate .",
      "cool , smart fun that lives up to its predecessor , with only a couple of slow spots .",
      "the low point occurs when the unwashed masses of zion celebrate neo 's return with what appears to be the previously unknown dirty dancing rave sequence from ` one million years b.c. '",
      "` the dust-ups in the MOV would make gene kelly weep . '",
      "much-anticipated sequel to the matrix is both phenomenally talky and loaded with action and effects . how can this be ? it 's long .",
      "reloaded is as satisfying a combination of kicks and ideas as you could hope for .",
      "reloaded is far from bad . it 's not great either . the visuals alone make it worth seeing but most everything else falls way short of expectations .",
      "dark , with jaw-dropping effects , stunning action beats and a chase to end all chases , the MOV is a movie-going dare .",
      "while i enjoyed it immensely , reloaded did n't upgrade my system like the first one did .",
      "by itself , the MOV is deeply flawed , but ultimately entertaining .",
      "eyes will pop , nerves will jangle , thoughts will be provoked and other summer blockbusters will shrink in comparison . but to quote from one of the few cultural touchstones not referenced in this film : ` houston , we 've got a problem . '",
      "the film is more of a mind-trip than i expected .",
      "it 's a real sequel rather than a regurgitation . and the fight scenes are extraordinary .",
      "awesome , and ripe with passion and sex .",
      "the martial arts sequences are breathtakingly staged .",
      "the film has the same problems as the empire strikes back , offering neither the novelty of an initial episode nor the satisfaction of a climactic one .",
      "it all adds up to 138 minutes of very high-quality entertainment : and it 's not often the time whizzes by as entertainingly as this .",
      "caso continue a caminhar na direзгo sugerida por esta segunda parte , matrix revolutions confirmarб o potencial desta trilogia em se firmar como um dos projetos mais ambiciosos de ficзгo cientнfica que o cinema jб produziu .",
      "bloated , pretentious , confusing and occasionally downright annoying .",
      "for all its technological brilliance , the brothers ' script undercuts the illusion , as the dialogue sounds as if it should be delivered comic book-style , in balloons over the actors ' heads .",
      "immersed in its own legend and expectations , in love with its two-years-in-rendering set pieces , and keen to ` revolutionize ' moviemaking .",
      "the questions raised by the film about the nature of reality and the extent of control available to those who can manipulate it are truly frightening if you give them enough thought , which is what makes this film and its predecessor surprisingly unique .",
      "i hope it 's intentionally funny , especially the busby berkeley fight with weaving , who i wished would don one of his priscilla costumes and start lip-synching abba .",
      "to simply say the `` MOV '' is better than the first is too easy .",
      "even more so than its predecessor , reloaded evinces no sense of production compromise ... and if it 's not perfect it 's still rapturous , heady entertainment , a half-developed photograph whose slightly menacing composition leaves you breathless with a",
      "in the face of almost unbearable expectations , the wachowski brothers deliver a sequel that soars to places only hinted at in the original .",
      "few nonbelievers will be persuaded by the film , even fewer of those within the fold will be discouraged by it , but despite its faults , the matrix has indeed been reloaded .",
      "reloaded might not have the power to change the way you see the world , but it just may change the way you look at movies .",
      "while it 's exhilarating fun , as an overall piece of storytelling , this reboot never really hits the heights of the ultra-cool the matrix , which re-invented the rules for sci-fi epics in 1999 .",
      "for sheer exhilarating spectacle , the MOV is the film to beat this year .",
      "as a piece of razzle-dazzle , shut-your-mouth - and-slap - you-silly eye candy , reloaded more than delivers . but where 's the head candy ? where 's the complexity ? where are the goods ?",
      "a pretty good amusement park ride .",
      "on balance , the MOV does an admirable job of filling the niche it 's supposed to -- that of an action-oriented science fiction adventure .",
      "perhaps because this story is slacker , it 's more obvious the way the wachowskis strain to keep us wowed -- not only in special effects and action scenes but also with dialogue and fashion , too .",
      "one of those rare sequels that 's bigger and better than the first .",
      "une suite ŕ mi-chemin entre déception et réussite .",
      "there 's virtually no one in zion over the age of 30 except for esteemed character actor anthony zerbe , and he 's so far past 30 he could n't find his way back if 30 left a trail of scotch highballs .",
      "loaded with wow-inducing effects , but on the narrative level it shoots blanks .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he wachowski brothers seem to be afflicted with george lucas syndrome : they 're so enthralled by the convoluted mythology of their own private universe that they 've lost touch with its human core .",
      "is it as good as the matrix ? no , but it does offer hope that the final installment will be a knockout .",
      "the MOV may have it 's problems , but it certainly is n't a bad film . it suffers from many of the same problems of other ` great ' film sequels",
      "this sci-fi extravanganza zeroes in on the contemporary mood in america with its relevant look at the spiritual firepower of hope in times when that faculty is battered and shattered on all fronts .",
      "simply not as satisfying as the original .",
      "one incredibly cool...kung-fu melee ; one jaw-dropping , 100-mph , against-traffic freeway chase ; and way , way too much pseudo-philosophical yappity - yappity-yap .",
      "it only takes about 45 seconds for it to grab you by the throat and slap you across the face .",
      "the refreshing draft of effervescent movie magic leaves a sludgy sediment of metaphysics . the latter may be less than brain-buzzing ; the former is something else , thanks largely to genius fight choreographer yuen wo ping .",
      "tremendously bad .",
      "entertaining enough to make it worth the price of a movie ticket .",
      "trying to describe it is futile . just go see it .",
      "a solid followup to a truly genre-transcending film .",
      "if you 're 14 or younger in age or sensibility , you may giggle at some of the bons mots .",
      "worryingly , the longer this movie goes on , the harder it is to care .",
      "the MOV -- not unlike its predecessor -- might be hard to swallow , but it 's so delicious you just ca n't help but want more .",
      "now if i can just make it until november to see how those loose ends tie up ...",
      "` what made the first film so satisfying -- the detailed creepiness of human enslavement by technology -- is barely touched on here . '",
      "i ca n't wait to see what the wachowski 's have in store .",
      "not one of the worst sequels that has ever been put in movie theaters , and not one of the most disappointing ... but , is it ever a grind .",
      "electrifying but still violent 2nd in trilogy .",
      "everything i wanted in a matrix sequel",
      "though introducing some new ideas and characters , MOV is not as exciting as the 1999 original , suffering from problems that often inflict middle chapters of trilogies .",
      "the wachowskis manage to surprise and amaze with some stunning machine special effects and great scenes that truly dazzle the mind .",
      "between the money scenes , we get characters standing at attention and burping prophecies and deep thoughts at each other .",
      "the encoded bloom is off the digital rose in the MOV . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "offers some phenomenal action sequences that more than deliver on the jaw-dropping promise shown on the trailers .",
      "the MOV is a real kick the second time around .",
      "your brain will likely feel sucker-punched by the end of this obtuse **** storm , which falls flat faster than you can say attack of the clones .",
      "... less a narrative than an advertisement for a cultural wave . it 's all about discount zen and black clothes , the commodification of sterile violence as kabuki .",
      "there 's no doubt that the wachowski brothers have a vision , but where they once seemed inspired , now it feels like they 're just showing off .",
      "while it 's good enough and even great at times , it just does n't click the way the original did even though it 's larger in scope .",
      "... visually vigorous and devoutly exhilarating ... a frenetic fable that 's thankfully rousing and robust ... undeniably rapid , exotic , and marvelous in its impressive viewing .",
      "pretty damn spectacular ! still smart , still amazing , still innovative and it contains one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed . sci-fi fans , philosophy majors and action movie buffs have every reason to be happy .",
      "the MOV is better than the original .",
      "it 's the technical wizardry that keeps `` the MOV '' going at all , which should not be the case .",
      "one dazzling -lrb- if overlong -rrb- bridge .",
      "in the immortal words of neo : ` woah . '",
      "for such a rich visual movie , reloaded tells far more than it shows .",
      "the thrill is n't gone from the sequel , but the surprise is , and it hurts more than you 'd think .",
      "an immensely skillful sci-fi adventure .",
      "often feels like the matrix overloaded .",
      "everyone 's expectations are through the roof for this one , and for the most part , it delivers .",
      "eye-popping sci-fi .",
      "ultimately , all the razzle-dazzle becomes mind-numbingly repetitive and drains the film of any tension involving the main players .",
      "trash made heady and volcanic and bravura . supersized .",
      "plug in . again . but be prepared for some glitches in the software .",
      "it is incredibly obvious that most of the action is done with computer graphics",
      "might be hard to swallow but it 's so delicious you just ca n't help but want more . not unlike one of those gobstoppers you can find in any candy store - hard to chew , nice to endure , if you will .",
      "the action knocks your socks off even when the movie itself is technically playing it safe .",
      "the effects here are dazzling , there is no other word for it ... but when it comes to serious food for thought , this is just an appetizer compared to the first film",
      "digital freedom from physical laws unleashes all manner of chase dynamics , exhilarating to the max ... an action choreographer 's dreamstate .",
      "philosophically inconsequential , but at least submit to the film 's sure-to-be-classic highway sequence , cheesy techno music and all .",
      "a cinematic orgy of action and eye candy .",
      "the most astonishing special effects to come along this week .",
      "MOV is like a gorgeous but flawed woman . she looks great , and the sex is phenomenal , so you overlook the fact that a lot of what she says is just so much pretentious drivel .",
      "for those who go in knowing , at heart , it 's just a joel silver-produced sci-fi film with some presumptions , it 'll be fine .",
      "at times , the action here seems a little too choreographed for its own good . but admittedly , that 's a minor thing , considering how stunning some of it is .",
      "a kinetic , digital feat .",
      "so magnificently punch-drunk on its own sense of the messianic that it 's possible to appreciate this great , sloppy , bloated beast as something of a masterpiece of high camp .",
      "the wachowski brothers , with their vision of this mysterious future world and a new era of cinema , have kicked off 2003 's blockbuster summer with a ten-megaton explosion .",
      "a worthy sequel .",
      "the world created so vividly by the wachowskis is still brand new but not nearly so intimidating or alienating .",
      "all the philosophical/metaphysical rambling does n't alter the fact that this latest matrix is a visual movie , pure and simple .",
      "... crafted with a careful hand ... repeat viewings may be necessary to take it all in -lrb- darn the luck , huh ? -rrb- there 's plenty of possibilities to ponder after the credits roll",
      "smart , sexy , and action-rammed .",
      "in this first matrix sequel , you 'll see things you 've never seen before on a movie screen , and that 's all that matters .",
      "digital millions die in movies a lot now , but who gives a rat 's ? they 're all just zeros and ones . unless there 's some visibly human traits , it 's hard to care .",
      "so let 's cut to the chase . is the second matrix movie worth the wait ? not quite .",
      "while the film suffers a slightly diminished impact , it lives up to expectations .",
      "there are a lot of images we are seeing on the screen for the first time , some quite impressive .",
      "` wait a minute , he 's who ? and they need to do what ? that does n't make any ... aw forget it , here comes some kung-fu ! '",
      "hopefully november 's release of ` revolutions ' will reveal a clarity of purpose and a satisfying end to the saga . in mid-may , i can only go by what i see on the screen . and it 's a muddled , overreaching , occasionally engrossing mess .",
      "takes us deeper into the mythology underlying the matrix , in the process confirming something i realized years ago : the underlying mythology was never what was interesting about the matrix in the first place .",
      "to label the film as a ` bad ' movie would be too harsh . it 's not a bad movie . ` earth-shattering disappointment of monumental proportions ' more accurately fits the bill .",
      "if the level of great admirer falls somewhere under the blinding enthusiasm of the ` wachowskis are visionaries ' clan , then color me a member . but even the clinical system of the matrix has some bugs to repair from time to time .",
      "what ` matrix ' fans are hungry for is excitement , intrigue and mind-blowing digital wizardry -- and , happily , ` reloaded ' delivers all of those things in generous helpings .",
      "the wachowski brothers likely wanted to provide their film with that greater ` meaning ' , but did they have to make great stretches of it boring as well ?",
      "a ping-pong battle between slowly-spoken philosophical mumbo-jumbo and some truly explosive action cinema .",
      "visually slick , action-packed .",
      "rather ingeniously distill centuries of metaphysics into pithy moments of crisis .",
      "a passionate , over-powered and mostly unfathomable upgrade of 1999 's groundbreaking , breathtaking and equally cryptic original .",
      "call it : exposition : the movie ! or even better : a brief history of strange-looking people explaining the plot to keanu reeves .",
      "either do it right and deepen an already rich storyline , or give in and make an unabashed action movie . fortunately , even with its many flaws , the MOV succeeds admirably as the latter .",
      "the good news is that the excitement and special effects are amazing once again .",
      "`` reloaded '' knows that adding jada pinkett-smith , harry j. lennix , nona gaye , harrold perrineau , jr. , roy jones , jr. -lrb- yes , that roy jones , jr. -rrb- and even cornel west to the cast wo n't turn away white audiences .",
      "... more of the same still has the shock of something new .",
      "the action is fun to watch but it does n't get the old heart pumping which pretty much sums up the MOV .",
      "yes , matrix is reloaded . let 's hope that in november it really fires .",
      "be prepared to feel let down whenever the action lets up .",
      "this sequel is not just reloaded , it is an entirely new arsenal .",
      "the film is hugely entertaining , but , by necessity , not as fresh as its predecessor .",
      "ultimately like a long theme park ride .",
      "it 's safe to say that anyone buying a ticket to the film purely to see more crazy-cool , high-wire kung fu and learn how the wachowskis and visual-effects supervisor john gaeta top the ` bullet-time ' effect will come away from reloaded smiling .",
      "reloaded is a movie of expansive questions about all of the ideas that we found so comfortable the first time around .",
      "arrives with the same chilling thud that accompanied the dashed hopes and ruined promises of the last two star wars movies .",
      "the plot is interesting and there is almost enough to make a fascinating 20 minute short . unfortunately , the film is well over two hours .",
      "early in the movie , morpheus warns a new character that he 's got to have faith . all things considered , the MOV justifies that faith .",
      "viewing the MOV is like being eaten alive slowly by a machine . some machine parts are impressive and you can slip into a sort of trance as you are noshed .",
      "special effects in hollywood blockbusters often have the feel of compulsory piecework performed by bored technicians . the people who contribute the effects in reloaded appear to be excited by them , and they want us to be excited .",
      "how can our heroes be so fashionable , while everyone else -lsb- in zion -rsb- looks like they just wandered back from a phish show ?",
      "a film that escalates its ability to astonish viewers with its technological achievements .",
      "instead of developing a story that you can get involved in , the filmmakers simply obsess over the minutia of their own creation .",
      "the MOV makes the deathly mistake of believing that it 's hype is actually mythology and buys into this whole-heartedly . the result is a dull , slow-moving piece of pretention .",
      "vid-game action scenes coupled with dime-store philosophy do not make for compelling cinema .",
      "judged strictly by the story line , this one plays like what it is , a rather meandering second act that advances the plot only slightly and does n't pretend to be a complete or self-sufficient film .",
      "the x-men series is just candy for kids compared to the matrix trilogy , a sci-fi series for grown-ups .",
      "a cycle of mind-blowing action and off-target philosophical rambles that alternately build momentum and deflate it .",
      "MOV is , unlike the first film , a conventional comic-book movie , in places a campy conventional comic-book movie , and in places a ludicrously campy conventional comic-book movie .",
      "it is worth watching , if nothing else , for the great fight scenes , a great car chase and great special effects .",
      "a thrilling and brilliantly flawed film , reloaded is ultimately a deceptive meditation on the most unlikely of subjects : the impossibility of sequeling an already perfect film .",
      "if you 're in it for the action sequences and special effects , then the MOV is worth seeing on the big screen .",
      "the MOV is no better or worse than its predecessor , improving upon certain aspects -lrb- the characters and action scenes -rrb- while lacking some of the stronger elements of the first film -lrb- the overall imagination and ingenuity -rrb- .",
      "we 're in glorious new territory here .",
      "an ugly , bloated , repetitive movie that builds to a punch line that should have come an hour earlier .",
      "a movie that will leave you feeling as though you need to run around the block just to drain off the energy it imparts .",
      "everything the matrix was and more . that is -lsb- its -rsb- strength and -lsb- its -rsb- failing .",
      "like the martial arts movies it draws on , reloaded uses plot points as excuses to move from one piece of fight choreography to the next .",
      "the wachowskis cleverly fiddle with their formula , pulling back each curtain only to show us another curtain .",
      "walks the line between `` impossible to take seriously '' and `` impossibly , seriously fun ''",
      "no , it 's not great . no , it 's not a disaster .",
      "... impressed the hell out of me?and that?s coming from a critic who?s very hard to please .",
      "the MOV is not the end all be all of movies . nothing is . but it 's great . it out-matrixes the original matrix with its fight scenes , car chase and philosophical insight .",
      "it 's really just assumed that if you did n't care enough to show up the first time and get inducted as a matrix loyalist , who needs you on reload , ticket or no ticket ?",
      "the matrix franchise , founded on a stylish sense of cool , has suddenly reinvented itself in the nerdy image of star wars .",
      "do n't even try to figure any of it out . just look , listen , and enjoy .",
      ".",
      "maybe it 's way-too-high expectations and sequel lowliness to x2 but the MOV -- with all those lame superman flights -- is an unthreatening misfire compared to the first",
      "high budget , high concept , high drama and high level action are the highlights , but reloaded has loads of love , too , and much more : it 's sci-fi with raunch , for one thing . death defying stunts , by the dozen .",
      "a smart and entertaining film that , if it does n't work the same magic as its predecessor , still makes us believe in the power of choice to change the world .",
      "everything you want out of a summer blockbuster .",
      "the actors are beautiful ; the fight scenes flawlessly choreographed ; there are philosophical one-liners aplenty . but it lacks purpose .",
      "its structure of leaden philosophical conversation followed by butt-kicking , repeated repeatedly , is formulaic , but it is certainly awe-inspiringly cool when it wants to be .",
      "unable to fully comprehend the narrative thrust , i 'll describe the film 's high-gloss cg sheen as intermittently dazzling but fundamentally disheartening .",
      "we hear so much that neo is `` the one '' the `` oracle '' spoke of in `` the prophecy '' that i began to think his midiclorines predisposed him to the force .",
      "a sadder , wiser , more grown-up movie than its predecessor .",
      "suffers from the same self-important portentousness that nearly sank the first lord of the rings ...",
      "an unqualified triumph for the many artisans who brought to life some of the most audacious and astonishing action sequences you are likely to see for a decade .",
      "the MOV proudly lives up to the hype and expectations of a world full of fans waiting for nothing less than the second coming of cinema itself .",
      "it highlighted the main problem with the first film and exacerbated it : the wachowskis are not profound , although they want to be .",
      "... so many scenes of couples sucking face i felt like i should have been at the drive-in theater .",
      "sneak review : if you 're looking for a deep , meaningful cinematic experience then the MOV is not for you . but if it 's a non-stop rollercoaster ride you 're after , then this movie is light years ahead of anything that 's gone before .",
      "be prepared for sensory overload when you enter the world of eccentric auteurs andy and larry wachowski .",
      "delivers enough thrills , kicks and cool moments to satiate geeks , fans and mere general viewers worldwide .",
      "when it comes to visuals , the MOV does n't disappoint ; in fact , the movie is probably the most realistic looking special effects feature ever made .",
      "the wachowski brothers disappear down the rabbit hole with the MOV .",
      "this movie can be watched and appreciated on many levels - but the bottom line is the movie is really a hyper-realistic , 2 1/2 hour , 160 million dollar trailer for the matrix revolutions . that being said , it 's a pretty darn cool trailer .",
      "if there 's one thing the MOV fortifies , it 's that the wachowski brothers are born filmmakers through and through .",
      "as a movie , its pacing is off , its characters are thin and its plot is ... well , questionable at best . but as a science-fiction phenomenon , it is art .",
      "delivers , in spades , exactly what you should expect from a popcorn flick .",
      "expands and redefines the mythology of the matrix , confounds our expectations , wows us , toys with us , shows us things we have never seen . it is , in every way , a work of tremendous imagination .",
      "this picture never accumulates the sense of shared adventure that the first one did , and though the special effects are even better than before , they can not be new twice .",
      "viewers are likely to be amazed by what occurs , but will then realize that they 've witnessed style over substance .",
      "feels like a jerry-built sequel .",
      "this is probably the film that devotees had hoped for , but it will certainly flummox bystanders sucked into the multiplex by the hype .",
      "reloaded is more of a straight-ahead action movie than the original , and it 's filled with spectacular mayhem .",
      "as sequels go , the MOV is every bit a dynamite film . but it 's more loaded than reloaded .",
      "in an attempt to turn the matrix into a state-of-the-art trilogy , the wachowski bros. have posed new questions that viewers hope will be answered in the final chapter .",
      "most of the fight scenes are mechanical and clunky with no sense of urgency , danger or passion .",
      "... it is a satisfying continuation of the epic story begun in the matrix and sets the stage for what should be a grand finale ...",
      "you carped year after year about blockbuster movies having no plot , then when one finally comes out that 's full to the brim with story , you complain that it 's too confusing ?",
      "whether you get 20 % or 100 % of the intellectualizing , & even if there 's no sense in fighting software with military hardware & kung fu ; it 's simply a marvel to watch .",
      "do fans care this high dollar eye candy is much ado about really nothing ?",
      "the philosophical riddling becomes too convoluted . the awe-inspiring fight scenes run too long , delivering few surprises and zero suspense . and the kung-fu/wire-fu confrontations become tedious .",
      "reloaded ca n't match the initial thrill sensation in the first . what it does do is expound on the original with considerable style and move the story forward .",
      "sure to entertain , philosophize , and leave you hanging for the final chapter .",
      "i liked this movie and can recommend it with a clear critical conscience , but it never moved me even half as much as steven spielberg 's a.i.",
      "its akin to a computer network , which is generally easy enough to grasp , but its specifics can become frustrating .",
      "while upping the ante considerably in the action and effects department , storytelling stumbles frequently this outing as the movie stops cold for philosophical digressions about fate and destiny and reality .",
      "` simplemente es una mediana cinta de acción que quizá encuentre su lugar cuando llegue la parte final de la historia . '",
      "there are levels on which it works , and levels on which it does n't , but all of them hold our attention .",
      "the technical talent is there : the problem is the script , which never once pauses to consider its own essential silliness .",
      "while the MOV certainly held my attention , it does n't have my heart .",
      "the MOV is the same genius material , only this time with a small handful of flaws .",
      "` a more-than-worthy successor to the original and proves that an action spectacular does n't have to be dumb in order to succeed with audiences . '",
      "andy and larry wachowski 's eagerly awaited sequel comprises equal parts style and stupidity .",
      "the matrix was , hands down , the best cyberpunk/kung fu/techno-pagan/christian-allegory action film ever made . the MOV is the second best .",
      "sci-fi epic is broader , brisker and -- for better and for worse -- about what you 'd expect from part two of a trilogy .",
      "if the matrix is considered one of the best sci-fi movies ever made , then the MOV is a pretty damn excellent sequel to one of the best sci-fi movies ever made ... and that 's good enough for me .",
      "once the action gets started - and unfortunately that takes a while - reloaded is nearly as invigorating as the original .",
      "`` MOV '' is a smart , exotic , erotic , intriguing action film ; a superhero sci-fi film for adults .",
      "buckle up and enjoy the ride .",
      "and the answer is -- yes ! this is the movie the fans of the original `` matrix '' were hoping it would be .",
      "while it is both naive and unfair to expect lightning to strike terrain this fertile twice , the most distressing thing about the reloading of the matrix is just how much it feels like the phantom menace .",
      "the eye-popping special effects in the MOV -- possibly the coolest , boldest and most fluid ever put on screen -- should please even jaded moviegoers .",
      "reloaded seems less tired than x2 .",
      "more comic book-like and less intriguing than the original , the film 's punch-drunk cyber-mysticism still has a darkly seductive allure that sets it apart from juvenile , star wars-style space opera .",
      "more special effects . more fight sequences . more chases . more stunts . more neo-philosophical babble . but more , in this case , adds up to less .",
      "reloaded piles on much more fighting and firepower but lacks the impact of the original .",
      "-lsb- d -rsb- azzling special effects , lots of action , and some mind bending philosophizing .",
      "a flawed thinking man 's action sci-fi flick .",
      "a rabble-rousing aestheticization of violence and potential violence ... even i do n't think the wachowskis are nazis , but i do think they might be leni riefenstahls ."
    ],
    "summary": "though its heady themes are a departure from its predecessor , the MOV is a worthy sequel packed with popcorn-friendly thrills .",
    "id": "13008"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mona_lisa_smile",
    "reviews": [
      "the movie has a paint-by-numbers script and little more to offer than pretty images . the result is glossy entertainment value but a long way from art .",
      "turns its every character into a cliche and its every plot development into an easy preconception .",
      "you will leave MOV with only the slightest hint of the grin every slick studio movie gives you -- the grin of reassurance and superiority . but you will not be changed , only out about eight bucks .",
      "a film that forgoes a point of view in favor of a marketing campaign .",
      "challenge your assumptions and check this movie out ... thought it would be fluffy and forgettable , but extremely rewarding .",
      "i liked it better with robin williams .",
      "in terms of the gap between the movie it 's trying to be and the movie it actually is , MOV is in many ways indefensible . yet for all its problems , it 's satisfyingly movielike .",
      "fluff .",
      "like the turtleneck cashmere sweaters and girdles that tie down these promising women , the movie is trite and trussed .",
      "anyone who 's ever been moved by a teacher to dream a slightly bigger dream than his parents thought he or she was capable of achieving ought to love the film , for it gets at a truer model of teacher 's inspiration .",
      "rather than being a fascinating exploration of a much more constrained time in our social history , the film simply feels anachronistic .",
      "roberts 's performance is wrong for the period ... and she ca n't overcome a script that hands katherine improbably easy victories and sugar-coated defeats that are n't really defeats at all .",
      "-lsb- roberts -rsb- is an anachronistic pop-feminist on a mission .",
      "is n't a subtle movie , but it does allow for surprising shades of meaning : the teacher is not always right , for instance , and sometimes it 's her students who teach her .",
      "a movie in which all problems have the complexity of a pleated skirt and can be solved with a heartfelt hug , and all characters fit dull and predictable molds .",
      "there seems to be an odd idealization , or trivialization , of the characters that makes the movie ultimately unsatisfying .",
      "it 's hard to believe katherine could become a beloved teacher or inspire her students , and in the case of MOV that 's the same as saying it 's hard to believe the movie .",
      "julia roberts has no MOV -- enigmatic coyness is n't in her range -- but her big , horsey grin flashes its horse sense and beaming charm through much of MOV , and viewers can smile in return .",
      "may not be the personably ` serious ' movie it sees itself as -- and it may miss its mark by aiming too intently at its target -- but it still manages to work on other , more simplistic levels that are nevertheless valid .",
      "-lsb- roberts -rsb- does what she can with the material , but is ultimately done in by the surprising lack of imagination and emotional depth in newell 's film .",
      "it 's an excellent message , yet the film completely betrays its mission by giving us a one-sided central character with a very narrow-minded viewpoint .",
      "the screenwriting duo ... use the restrictive mores of the 1950s to fashion a soap opera whose characters are oft too modern for its decade .",
      "lots of incident but precious little insight ... a period soap opera that makes the most simplistic possible observations about an era on the cusp of female liberation .",
      "soulless retreads without an ounce of passion or creativity that no amount of colorful surface details can quite cover up .",
      "maybe julia roberts ' time travel somehow disrupted the space time continuum , thus forever altering MOV 's pace ?",
      "laughable in more ways than i can possibly comprehend .",
      "busybody katherine appears more than simply angry with the mid-century sexism that her charges have so seamlessly internalized -- she seems utterly unplugged from reality in 1953 .",
      "everything about this movie seems off-key , starting with its title .",
      "with katherine 's lectures on the dead-artists society , the movie seems to tout rebellious originality . in fact , it 's a lesson in emotional conformity .",
      "an ironically conformist piece of mock-intellectual fluff ... -lsb- and -rsb- such an appalling waste of talent it actually made me mad . scratch that - furious .",
      "while roberts is capable and charming , and the film is handsome and earnest , the real thrill is watching the three younger stars develop their screen personalities .",
      "when was the last time you saw a mainstream movie with big , flashy stars that featured a fairly sophisticated discussion of the nature of art ?",
      "a sight better than the dead poets society in drag you may have expected .",
      "an attack on mid-century ` conformity ' that is locked into its own grindingly rigid set of movie conventions .",
      "this is not a feminist movie . it even feels at times like a step back , partly because the cliches are so tired .",
      "sanctimonious , relentlessly predictable and willfully ignorant of the period it 's set in .",
      "the movie is only interesting intermittently , and the period details do n't feel right .",
      "MOV 's lesson of the day is delivered in an unoriginal manner through such shallow and unlikable characters that its message lacks an emotional punch .",
      "a bloodless and wan offering .",
      "it 's a movie that gets to rail against injustice without making anyone in the audience feel the slightest bit uncomfortable .",
      "brings to mind the old adage about the three stages of an actor 's hollywood career : get julia roberts ; get someone like julia roberts ; get a younger version of julia roberts .",
      "newell tries to make a profound film that challenges the social standards of the 1950s , but all he does is throw some stereotypes up against some other stereotypes .",
      "what makes the movie seem crass is its refusal to present -lrb- or even to see -rrb- more than one side of any given issue .",
      "it 's always a riot when a movie preaches artistic freedom and nonconformity while the script scrupulously follows hollywood formula .",
      "this is a movie with few secrets or surprises , however much it tries to warm hearts or sell eccentricity and idealism .",
      "despite some missteps along the way , it turns out to be curiously brave underneath its conventional trappings .",
      "sadly , the predictability factor of mona is simply off the charts -- you can almost recite the dialogue before it rolls off the students ' well-developed palates , and the course it follows is a well-rutted road .",
      "i must say that i enjoyed MOV enormously , in large part because of the sheer virtuosity of the largely female cast .",
      "an intelligent , character-driven ensemble piece with a busy and attractive cast examining tradition and change in the groves of academe in the 1950 's .",
      "roberts shows a new maturity in the role of a mentor to a flock of younger women .",
      "considered less as a piece of entertainment and more as an argument constructed to further a feminist agenda , the film is hugely impressive .",
      "é um pouco difícil levá-lo a sério , já que sua postura de ` filme-denúncia ' soa , no mínimo , anacrônica .",
      "... would have been better served by characters with a little less formula than the paint-by-numbers projects so loved by these women of wellesley college .",
      "period dress , set design , manners and acting are fine -- as is mike newell 's direction . if only the script was less predictable .",
      "kirsten dunst , julia stiles and maggie gyllenhaal furnish well-observed performances that frequently outshine julia roberts 's reflex characterization in this female variant of `` dead poets society . ''",
      "glossy entertainment value but far from art .",
      "devoid of enjoyment , intelligence or interest .",
      "smiles turn to frowns when you sense a paint-by-numbers feminist formula taking control .",
      "mike newell takes the road most travelled in tackling the sexual apartheid and hysteria of the 1950s .",
      "mike newell directs a formulaic roberts vehicle that is n't without its charm .",
      "entirely predictable , sacrificing all of the interesting characters to focus on roberts ' lame story .",
      "an under-achieving film about how much women can achieve , featuring actors of such potential , seems more than a bit cynical even by hollywood standards .",
      "a dead poets society for girls , substituting roberts ' luminosity for robin williams ' mania .",
      "such a mixed-up child , but not without worthy intentions and glimmers of realized potential -- sorry , but i just ca n't bring myself to come down too hard .",
      "this is a film of frequently pleasant surfaces , but there 's no heat deep down inside .",
      "feels less like a period piece than it does like one of the contrived and corny melodramas from that era .",
      "there are a few reasons to enjoy the film , namely its likable cast , its noble aim -- of dramatizing one of the many small steps that led to the overhaul of women 's higher education -- and its unexpected ability to surprise you .",
      "the material is so addled that it drags down everyone and everything .",
      "a classy , handsome and serviceable entertainment that may not change your life , but could help you appreciate how you came to have it .",
      "this ineffectual , touchy-feely drama - essentially a lifetime cable-channel movie with better production values and a name cast - is trying to pass itself off as quasi-feminist rhetoric , when it does as much as it possibly can to undercut those messages .",
      "have you heard ? the 1950s were tyrannically conformist ... . i mean , who knew ?",
      "there 's not much here to actually smile about .",
      "newell ... has crafted a warm , well-paced movie out of a somewhat wan script .",
      "a true rarity , an often-dumb movie about supposedly smart people .",
      "the characters involve us , we sympathize with their dreams and despair of their matrimonial tunnel vision , and at the end we are relieved that we listened to miss watson and became the wonderful people who we are today .",
      "it offers only a tepid sort of inspiration .",
      "the template is simply too obvious , leaving little doubt as to how the film will progress and what each character 's eventual outcome will be .",
      "newell keeps us guessing about motives ; we 're on katherine 's side from the start , but we acknowledge that she makes wrong choices over and over .",
      "this period film merely shuffles along , content to dress up its all-star cast in swell costumes and take big , easy pot shots at the dark ages of the 1950s .",
      "the reliable mike newell directs MOV with such assurance that the important moments are never mawkish or dull , and he encourages the women to act with absolute conviction .",
      "a well written script can give a better slice of life depiction than a whole season of rich girls and the simple life . interesting characters make it worthwhile .",
      "it 's a paint-by-numbers movie in a van gogh world .",
      "teacher-and-student drama has all the `` right '' answers ; too bad it feels like a cheat .",
      "if it does n't have any profound insights to share , at least director mike newell 's film does n't traffic in suffocating sentimentality or ` those were the days ' daydreaminess .",
      "... claims to celebrate individuality , rule-flouting and nonconformity , yet winds up conforming to every stale regulation in the hollywood rule book .",
      "the film 's social-issue exaggeration , numerous stereotypes , and unfinished sub-plots prove insurmountable for its talented cast .",
      "a conformist fantasy disguised as a valentine to female empowerment .",
      "takes a brave political stand and boldly asserts that women , like men , deserve a college education",
      "i refuse to believe that julia roberts came to wellesley , saw these complicated people , and proceeded to make them all unfailingly happy in 115 minutes .",
      "a strangely mixed blessing filled with glossy production values and vibrant supporting performances but suffers mightily from a lack of credibility and the grinding predictability of its plot .",
      "so heartwarming that it makes patch adams look gritty and raw .",
      "merits a 's for casting , writing , directing and fresh subject matter .",
      "the film 's dogged insistence in re-fighting the cultural wars of the '50s without shedding any new light on either side reduces nearly all the characters to shallow mouthpieces for predictable points of view .",
      "a reduction of big , vital '50s issues into a no-carb pudding of ideas by writers lawrence konner and mark rosenthal , directed -lrb- as if by a martian landed at a seven sisters college -rrb- by mike newell .",
      "-lsb- y -rsb- ou know i know a lot of people who said this thing looks a lot like dead poets society , well , so what ? ... dead poets society was a really good film and this is a good film as well .",
      "everyone in dead girls society , err , MOV wears their one character trait like a placard .",
      "roberts ' character may be presented as a breath of fresh air , but the movie surrounding her is the cinematic equivalent of halitosis .",
      "we sense the shallowness of the situations , realizing they exist solely to build our expectations and then give us exactly what we want . fulfilling , yes ; enlightening , no",
      "if you are a fan of julia roberts ' huge , horse-like head and her equally equine braying laugh , rest assured both are in large supply .",
      "this handsomely mounted and beautifully filmed drama sustains your interest for most of its running time and features fine performances across the board .",
      "the performances here are winning , with -lsb- julia -rsb- roberts not afraid to share the screen with several younger actresses who are among the best and brightest in hollywood today .",
      "a keen sense of how women have swam through a whole lot of repression and pain back then , to pave the way for females to breeze along through in the here and now .",
      "julia roberts damns a paint-by-numbers kit of van gogh . who is she trying to kid ?",
      "ambiguity -lsb- in this film -rsb- is the unwitting product of outrageous disorganization , wild ambivalence , and an unerring instinct for , well , error .",
      "roberts asks her students rhetorical questions : what makes art good or bad ? who decides ? but the movie answers them as canonically as the syllabus roberts abandons .",
      "it 's arthritic issues and pushy point of view add up to a grade that wo n't earn anyone here a diploma .",
      "it 's an estrogen-soaked version of dead poets society , stripped of any weight or significance .",
      "for a movie that superficially encourages free thinking , each plot development is strictly formulaic .",
      "serviceable performances from the principals underscore the film 's functionality , giving modern star power to its paint-by-numbers plot .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- lets us spend some quality time with some of the finest actresses in american film as they give energetic life to one of the most radically underrepresented minorities in hollywood : the intelligent woman .",
      "a star-watcher 's guilty pleasure .",
      "the movie thinks it 's blazing new trails in the name of feminism , when the paths it walks thankfully have long been charred .",
      "if the women of the 1950s were really this stupid , there would have never been a feminism movement .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sharply observed movie .",
      "strictly a paint-by-numbers affair . no shading . little in the way of perspective . to call it one-dimensional would be an act of charity .",
      "the college atmosphere is almost never convincing , and sentimentality trumps substance at every opportunity .",
      "as challenging , surprising , and intriguing as a bowl of lukewarm cream of wheat",
      "roberts gives the character her regular mix of high spirits and vulnerability , which never fully gels with the idealistic , savvy woman .",
      "an exercise in relentless mediocrity .",
      "a female version of dead poets society whipped up into a light , fluffy and sugary confection for the holidays .",
      "this story is so unoriginal it hurts .",
      "its tidy conclusion belies the fact that the film does n't know what it wants to be - serious drama , thorny romance , or a searing commentary on the changing times .",
      "a decent watch and somewhat inspiring , especially if you 're a girl or woman still trying to ` find yourself . '",
      "it 's not a smile , it 's a smirk , and it 's predatory .",
      "pays tribute to a bohemian teacher who tests her idealism in the conservative milieu of wellesley college in the fifties .",
      "soap , bath-size .",
      "paint by numbers with an overrated cast , tired storylines and archaic messages .",
      "ok star vehicle , but nothing more than a switcheroo version of dead poets ' society -- right down to a lump-in-the-throat , tear-in-the-eye , faint-wave-of-nausea ending",
      "women of the fifties , rise up in protest .",
      "the universally terrific performances by the cast make it a pleasure to watch .",
      "... fights battles that were won decades ago ... but avoids pat resolutions ...",
      "MOV is more of a guernica grin-a broadly drawn , fractured , too-modern take on 1950s repression .",
      "what saves the film from its own condescension is director mike newell 's deft touch and the fine performances of the students -- julia stiles , kirsten dunst , maggie gyllenhaal , ginnifer goodwin -- all of whom easily act rings around roberts .",
      "-lsb- `` MOV '' -rsb- is a well-made , feminist-anchored , politically correct liberal film that teaches some good , modern day lessons to its femme audience .",
      "the flaw of this film is that julia roberts does n't look like she 's from the 1950s . other than that , it 'll be a decent rental . marcia gay harden & maggie gyllenhaal are great !",
      "... i found the film for the most part , a good date film - just do n't date anyone who is a film critic ."
    ],
    "summary": "though MOV espouses the value of breaking barriers , the movie itself is predictable and safe .",
    "id": "10479"
  },
  {
    "movie": "big_night",
    "reviews": [
      "charming , funny , poignant and mouth-watering , this is most wisely seen well fed beforehand or you 'll be drooling .",
      "the movie is like a great meal overlayed with sublime conversation and mingled with a little goofiness .",
      "although hurt by uneven pacing and inconsistent writing , the film handles itself with style , wit and flavor .",
      "a scrumptious tale of great food and grand passions .",
      "stanley tucci 's surprise cinematic brainchild fills you up with its audacious originality .",
      "a big-hearted story of sparring brothers who are trying to make a go of a meager italian restaurant in a small new jersey town .",
      "a charming little gem .",
      "the film is a bit slow paced , but it derives such a great joy from its subject matter that you ca n't help but walk out craving a great meal .",
      "all-in-all , it 's a warm , funny , and at the same time heartbreaking look at one MOV in the company of some truly interesting people .",
      "it is a warm , engaging and extremely funny film which manages not simply to describe the battle between art and commerce , but to win it on behalf of the former .",
      "it will paste a big , sloppy smile on your face from its opening moment . good luck at dislodging it .",
      "a well meaning but uninvolving drama . why do we care about the chefs ? i never really figured it out .",
      "a charming , delicate repast prepared by stanley tucci and campbell scott .",
      "what works about this movie is the way directors tucci and scott maintain an atmosphere of understated control despite the frenzied nature of the situation and the characters .",
      "a wonderful film about how the simple pleasures of life -- food , family , friends -- are n't so simple .",
      "one 's appetite will be big for both the food and the movie",
      "tucci and shalhoub always deliver and MOV is just futher evidence of that .",
      "as they always say , less is more .",
      "delicious adult fare sure to leave you hungry .",
      "a triumph for everyone involved , but especially for stanley tucci .",
      "a lyrical love poem to food and family -lrb- or is it family or food ? -rrb- , this serio comedy joins the company of other fun movies about eating , such as babette 's feast and like water for chocolate .",
      "a feast of great acting and tender , small moments",
      "when it comes to seeing MOV , two words say it all : bon appetite !",
      "a small-scaled film with some substantive observations on creativity , the american dream , sibling differences , and getting ahead .",
      "a feast of a film done on a low budget with a menu featuring top-grade acting , writing and direction .",
      "insecurity , passion , love , lust , life lessons and the american dream all play a part in MOV , and each touches a nerve under the fastidious direction of tucci and scott .",
      "the film offers many tasty tidbits , but it feels distended and a bit too delighted with its own modest charms .",
      "a small movie -- and that 's its subtle charm .",
      "a sumptuous repast , most of the movie 's scenes involve either preparing or serving food .",
      "it will be near-impossible not to stop at an italian restaurant on the way home from this deliciously funny and insightful film .",
      "similar to like water for chocolate , MOV celebrates the sensuality of food . it will produce more salivating than an afternoon at pavlov 's lab .",
      "as delicately and deliciously prepared as the dishes it features , MOV is a lyric to the love of food , family and persuasive acting .",
      "by the end of the movie , we have been through an emotional and a sensual wringer , in a film of great wisdom and delight .",
      "lovingly crafted by stanley tucci , it is a tribute to food , to all things american , to immigrants trying to make it , and to the love between brothers ."
    ],
    "summary": "the performances in MOV are wonderful , and the food looks delicious .",
    "id": "13183"
  },
  {
    "movie": "instinct_de_mort",
    "reviews": [
      "killer instinct is generally fast-paced but the need to cram about 15 years of mesrine 's life into less than two hours results in uneven patches .",
      "despite the graphic violence , cassell creates a memorable character , perhaps as memorable as the real man he portrays . elena anaya stands out as his mistreated wife .",
      "richet 's film is an engaging one , even if it often plays like a re-enacted , high-episodic documentary .",
      "... a stylish gangster flick with lots of action and a super cool , larger-than-life anti-hero at the center ...",
      "an exhilarating old-school crime pic .",
      "quite engrossing , very much like a cross between spielberg 's catch me if you can and a french ` godfather '",
      "the events may be accurate , but mesrine is so episodic that it 's slightly maddening to watch .",
      "mesrine : killer instinct is a true-life french gangster film so in awe of its subject that it ca n't fit the entire story into one film .",
      "cassel is handsome yet ratlike , charming yet brutal .",
      "it 's director jean-francois richet 's aim to demystify , and deromanticize mesrine , perhaps the criminal life in general , and he succeeds .",
      "cassel clearly is having the time of his screen life . his zest is infectious .",
      "crisply assembled by director jean-francois richet , the feature is a sprawling tale of violence , audacity , and desperation , funneled through an electrifying performance from star vincent cassel .",
      "the acting is macho understatement .",
      "violent and brash , as befits its subject ...",
      "vincent cassel renders a towering performance as the legendary killer and media darling in the french crime gangster film , an epic of ambitious proportions .",
      "cassel delivers a cagey performance . he gives us a monster that we are both drawn to and repulsed by but we simply ca n't take our eyes off of him .",
      "the film public enemies should have been . an incredible gangster tale full of ball-to-the-wall action !",
      "a stylish , fast-moving but disappointingly superficial portrait of a gangster 's violent rise to infamy .",
      "why are we watching this ? and what , in little caesar 's name , could possibly make us come back for part ii ?",
      "... a densely packed crime drama that ... is almost too much to absorb in one sitting .",
      "... succeeds as a scorsese-esque bit of violent escapism .",
      "by trying to cover everything the picture manages to make nothing -- especially mesrine himself -- seem significant or interesting .",
      "a superb french gangster pic that will remind moviegoers of ` bonnie and clyde . '",
      "it 's a fine opportunity for an actor , and the wolfish vincent cassell seizes it .",
      "the screenplay , by richet and abdel raouf dafri , is a superb work of condensation , amplification and imagination .",
      "the film is big and sprawling and moves with fiery energy -- there 's little or no exposition or explanation between scenes or episodes , yielding a breakneck pace .",
      "lovers of car chases , shootouts , explosions and general mayhem will be turned on by director jean-francois richet 's work .",
      "much of it plays like an unintentional mash-up of the numerous wrong-side-of-the-law sagas that preceded it .",
      "cassel , who took the best actor award at france 's equivalent of the oscars for this role , is compulsively watchable .",
      "meet the new `` public enemy . '' a french `` goodfellas , '' `` mesrine : killer instinct '' begins in the 1970s with what might be the end of the life of jacques mesrine -lrb- a magnificent vincent cassel -rrb- , france 's most charismatic criminal .",
      "cassel is a gifted actor , but he does n't have enough to grab on to . read more : http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/08/27/2010-08-27_short_takes_mesrine_killer_instinct_highwater_centurion.html#ixzz0xq7eupid",
      "director jean-françois richet -lrb- assault on precinct 13 -rrb- is proof that luc besson is not the only french filmmaker taking his cues from an american playbook .",
      "a macho good time . the rebel without a cause finds out that wartime training with guns has its advantages .",
      "except for the brilliant performance of vincent cassel , this is deeply flawed movie . like refn 's `` bronson '' , it assumes that the audience will be satisfied by unending brutality -- a false assumption . but cassel is brilliant as a creep .",
      "you know you 've got a really good bio-pic on your hands when it takes two movies to the tell the whole story .",
      "while mesrine : killer instinct ertainly deserves a place among memorable french gangster films , richet never delivers a clear theme here , let alone a plot .",
      "a spectacular performance by vincent cassel guarantees to keep us on the edge of our seat throughout this lengthy , but riveting true story about infamous french gangster .",
      "may not be flawless , but it is a hugely engrossing portrait of an audacious criminal and the various circles that supported him . cassel 's a knockout and de france really raises her game .",
      "no small problem , too , is that the film yields only a rudimentary sense of what it was like to live in france or canada in the '60s and '70s if you were n't a gangster in a movie .",
      "forget `` the red riding trilogy ; '' `` mesrine '' casts a much longer shadow .",
      "a fiercely elegant blend of thriller and character study , built around a french outlaw who is charismatic and captivating .",
      "are n't these guys supposed to be a lot more charming ?",
      "mesrine 's attempt to rival hollywood crime movies ' magnum force -- either through b-movie precision or a-movie elaborateness -- fails .",
      "a few notable set-pieces and the incredible performance by cassel save killer instinct from the traps it sets for itself .",
      "to play this larger-than-life character , richet casts a similarly magnetic performer , vincent cassel , an actor who combines the explosive intensity of a young pacino with the slow-burning restraint of a young deniro .",
      "the film offers a close , nostalgic approximation of classical hollywood gangster cinema .",
      "instantly gripping , with a powerhouse star performance , it 'll make you want to speed through the weeks to get to part two .",
      "a bold and exciting cinematic tale of a well-known french criminal .",
      "vincent cassel sets a new standard for gallic cool as the title character .",
      "as suave and stylish as its subject , the film is a tour de force of craft and performance , a portrait that captures the spirit of mesrine in every frame .",
      "performs the unlikely trick of being both taut and plotless .",
      "french actor vincent cassel blows the doors off this bio .",
      "vincent cassel deserves better scenery to devour .",
      "the film around its riveting central performance may be a little more flawed than the entire project 's international reputation would have you believe but vincent cassel alone makes a trip to mesrine : killer instinct worth the time .",
      "cassel 's magnetic performance is utterly wasted .",
      "cassel is convincing and riveting as mesrine , which helps balance out the film 's problematic slick shallowness and disconnects .",
      "it may not capture the fullness of the man?s life , but it does effectively capture his presence .",
      "it captures the rush of crime as a way of life for a man who did and took whatever he wanted , whenever he wanted , simply because he could take it .",
      "some of the scenes contain an artful build-up to the explosive violence , some dispense with it without much ceremony ; it all starts to feel the same .",
      "ultimately feels more like a collection of cool anecdotes than a story .",
      "mesrine : killer instinct is a triumphant gangster film . it 's exhilarating throughout thanks to a masterful performance by vincent cassel and some expertly staged action scenes . comparing this one to goodfellas would not be a stretch .",
      "rollicking , epic , and the more riveting , more entertaining half of this two-part epic .",
      "four hours of french gangsters may not sound like a cinematic joy , but with euro-star vincent cassel in the lead role , the movie is utterly hypnotic .",
      "the effect of richet 's hyperventilating filmmaking is akin to that of an extended-play trailer .",
      "in the moment it 's thrilling stuff , but strung together over hours it becomes clear that -lsb- richet -rsb- has absolutely nothing to say about mesrine .",
      "... crackles with tension and violence , driven by -lsb- vincent -rsb- cassel 's powerhouse performance .",
      "this masterpiece combines the best of ` scarface , ' ` the godfather ' and ` bonnie and clyde ' . vincent cassel tackles the demanding lead role and is simply magnificent . there is no shortage of action , violence and ..."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's undeniably uneven , but vincent cassel 's electrifying performance makes mesrine : killer instinct a gangster biopic worth seeking out .",
    "id": "770791955"
  },
  {
    "movie": "a_most_wanted_man",
    "reviews": [
      "the drama is low-key , the theme of short term pain versus long term gain is intriguingly explored , it may not have the gung-ho action that some audiences demand but it is a solid well-made thriller .",
      "it wants to be more than it is , but it 's still good and contains a strong performance from philip seymour hoffman .",
      "a fitting showcase for philip seymour hoffman 's tousled talents ... and a sad epitaph of a title for one of hollywood 's most talented character actors .",
      "the puzzle-like premise of MOV is a fabrication , but you can not escape the fascination of hoffman waiting for despair to be confirmed .",
      "it 's a fun ride that also offers moments of profundity concerning the less than heroic way we fight the war on terror .",
      "it 's confident in its approach and does n't shy away from its central purpose . it 's a morality tale that engulfs your conscience with terrifying and difficult questions .",
      "an intelligent slow-burn thriller . philip seymour hoffman knocks it out of the ballpark . your patience will be rewarded . it would n't be surprising if he were nominated later this year for a posthumous best actor award .",
      "director anton corbijn has admirably captured the tenor and flavor of john le carré 's long , boring , wordy books by translating his 2008 novel into a long , boring , wordy movie worth seeing only to view mcadams cavort in the tightest jeans in movie history .",
      "smart and filled with twists , as you might expect , if a little on the slow side . -lrb- ok , a lot on the slow side . -rrb-",
      "this dark , complex and ultimately mournful look at intelligence officials aiming to take down a financial supporter of terrorism features one of philip seymour hoffman 's best performances .",
      "-lsb- the film feels -rsb- cobbled together like a bad shoe from a book by john le carré .",
      "MOV is a cold film that examines its characters from a clinical distance , but its iciness gives way to raw emotion in a powerful final sequence .",
      "this is le carre 's world : the one where everyone is only somewhat knowable , and probably to some degree dangerous .",
      "the great pleasure of le carré-land - for some , it 's the frustration - is that one 's own moral certainties are quickly stood on their head .",
      "a naturalistic thriller that gives itself over to the tremendous , hushed force of the late philip seymour hoffman .",
      "the first time we see hoffman 's hand graze hoss ' shoulder , it 's almost like a bomb has silently exploded , so graceful and engaged is this so-small , so-refined physical exchange of these two splendid actors .",
      "MOV is the spy who came in from the tepid .",
      "more than 100 minutes into `` MOV , '' a cia officer asks , `` what are we trying to achieve here ? '' viewers can be forgiven for replying , `` if you do n't know , why should we ? ''",
      "MOV is a smart , gripping thriller that carefully navigates its way through subtle twists and delicious ambiguity .",
      "classic le carre , with one last great performance by philip seymour hoffman",
      "by the end , corbijn and screenwriter andrew bovell have laid bare all of these unknowable men . the answers satisfy - sometimes they 're even heartening .",
      "having one of the world 's finest actors in a near-perfect role for him goes a long way to create a character and plot-driven film that pays the greatest homage to the author 's work .",
      "this one is well-acted but bleaker than usual , thanks to an uninvolving story , a shortage of sympathetic characters , leaden pacing by director anton corbijn , and washed-out , dreary cinematography by benoît delhomme .",
      "watching `` MOV '' now , knowing that it 's the last time we 'll see hoffman explore such an imperfect soul , just makes the experience that much more engrossing .",
      "MOV deploys its tangled case of surveillance and counter-intelligence with elegance and grace .",
      "hoffman is in fine form here and , despite a long murky stretch , the film works .",
      "`` MOV '' allows hoffman to go out with not only one of his best performances , but one that epitomizes his strengths .",
      "somehow hoffman manages to create a man of iron resolve , who nevertheless carries the vulnerability of knowing that he has failed before . that 's what makes the whole film absorbing and the final scenes so unbearably tense .",
      "this is the sharpest , most reasonable tale of espionage and intrigue since john boorman 's tailor of panama .",
      "without the goneness of philip seymour hoffman hanging over it , what would MOV be worth ?",
      "ultimately , we are welcome to marvel at MOV , but it 'd be nearly impossible to revel in it .",
      "this quietly intense espionage thriller can be hard to follow due to the sheer density of its info-heavy plotting . that it never becomes an impenetrable experience is all due to hoffman 's immovably centred performance .",
      "densely plotted , with everyone spying on everybody else , the movie is fraught with labyrinthine details more complicated than egyptian hieroglyphics .",
      "if hoffman 's splendid , subtle performance might not be the apex of his wide-ranging career , this intelligent , engrossing film proves a fitting finale to it .",
      "the last full-scale hoffman performance - and it 's a master class in acting - comes in MOV , anton corbijn 's tense , twisty and terrific spy thriller , based on john le carré 's 2008 novel .",
      "this magnificent thriller is thrilling not just for being one of hoffman 's final -lrb- and best -rrb- performances , but also for how corbjin uses hoffman as a thespian bomb that explodes at the narrative meeting points .",
      "philip seymour hoffman is excellent in this simmering espionage thriller .",
      "corbijn gives `` MOV '' the momentum of a thriller but hoffman 's subtle performance gives it the depth of a melancholy character portrait .",
      "corbijn handles this surfeit of plot with ease , skillfully preserving the mystery of issa 's motives and creating an atmosphere of pervasive distrust .",
      "the details are n't always compelling enough to compensate for the movie 's slow pace , but they build to a satisfyingly bleak conclusion .",
      "contains a strong sense of how difficult/necessary it can be to watch and wait rather than act and arrest .",
      "the movie is good , solid le carre . it 's chilly yet humane , and human-scaled ...",
      "on the evidence of MOV , one of -lsb- hoffman 's -rsb- final films , our loss is all the greater as he 's simply magnificent in a gripping espionage thriller .",
      "MOV is primarily a showpiece for hoffman , who turns in the most controlled performance in his often-overwrought career .",
      "directed beautifully , hoffman seems to have the whole film under lock and key , but pads around cagily , watchfully , as if prowling the perimeter to stop an imminent burglary .",
      "the immensely slow-building tension of the piece grows irresistibly suffocating .",
      "will hold us until the next le carré rolls out .",
      "this is a fantastic film ... corbijn dispatches each scene like a maestro snooker player sinking balls , with power , style , and , most importantly , absolute precision . see it on the big screen .",
      "the all-time great actor has given audiences one last parting gift : the chance to experience a performance unlike any he 'd ever given ; to see him again , anew .",
      "hoffman has n't a lot to say in MOV but with his curt asides and air of casual authority he 's always a commanding presence .",
      "this slow-burning film about surveillance asks moral questions regarding how long we must contain our racial and prejudicial impulses before acting on our suspicions .",
      "it 's difficult to separate MOV from its central performance , to watch the film without seeing it as an affirmation of hoffman 's singular gifts , of his ability to create a fragile yet powerful character caught between dedication and despair .",
      "like the best works of le carré , it takes you on a sly and acerbic trip , full of both triumph and failure .",
      "this admirably textured thriller rooted in eastern immigrant-laden hamburg will prove absorbing to attentive audiences internationally who do n't need everything spelled out to them ...",
      "philip seymour hoffman plays a german intelligence operative in anton corbijn 's steadily absorbing john le carre adaptation .",
      "an interesting yarn , but while watching it i was unable to shake that it was so ... freaking ... slow .",
      "not as arty as the american or tinker tailor soldier spy or as soapy and quickly paced as its small screen counterparts , MOV is left somewhere in the middle .",
      "another pot boiler with a great cast and a story that emphasizes facts , figures , and mood while leaving character in the background .",
      "slow-paced and brooding , MOV wo n't be to everyone 's tastes , but it 's a must see for le carré fans .",
      "it is on philip seymour hoffman 's shoulders that much of the film sits , and his disheveled , cigarette-fueled german spy character provides another of his inimitable sad-sack characters that he brings to the screen better than pretty much anyone .",
      "it 's a professional old-school espionage outing , intricate as clockwork and acted with relish by the ever-watchable hoffman .",
      "strangely uneven but philip seymour hoffman is a le carre natural .",
      "`` one of the best spy thrillers in recent years . ''",
      "with his sharp instincts and exhausted wisdom , the character of gunther offers us a bittersweet reminder of hoffman 's gifts in what is his last completed film .",
      "-lsb- screenwriter andrew -rsb- bovell and director anton corbijn keep us guessing about motives , especially karpov 's , until the last moments .",
      "-lsb- hoffman -rsb- scales his performance to olympian heights , yet he elevates all his collaborators , too .",
      "hoffman , bloated and flushed , does not look well in this film . but he is such a consummate actor that whatever infirmities he may have been fighting become a part of his performance .",
      "intelligent filmmaking is rare enough these days , and intelligent films taking an ethically probing approach to the war on terror even rarer .",
      "please know that it all adds up to a seriously gripping , always thought-provoking narrative for our cautious times . ironically , it includes one last enormous performance from one of our most trustworthy actors , an unfortunate gift to us all .",
      "challenging , intelligent , it emcompasses the best and worst of human nature with unflinching precision and wistful melancholy",
      "in corbijn 's hands the material finds a true ally because the former music-mag photographer 's gritty esthetic lines up with le carré 's seemingly random -- but highly structured -- tone .",
      "-lsb- bovell 's screenplay -rsb- effectively strips down le carré 's narrative to a tense exploration of espionage in a world of constant fear , where the appearance of keeping people safer may be more important than actually keeping people safer .",
      "a measured , intelligent film that does n't overplay its topicality or its anti-terrorist theme . as a showcase for philip seymour hoffman 's mastery of nuance , MOV also serves as a tribute to a singular talent taken far too early",
      "may not be in the same class as the spy who came in from the cold or the constant gardener , but it earns its keep by featuring yet another excellent turn by the late , lamented philip seymour hoffman .",
      "le carre flips the script and reinvents himself too , from the cold war to the war on terror in this coincidentally ripped from the headlines euro-spy thriller . in this cat and mouse cia and now nsa by implication face-off , redefining heroes and villains .",
      "a contemporary tale of terrorism and intelligence gathering that is as thrilling as it is relevant .",
      "philip seymour hoffman brings the gravitas needed to add nuance to some conventional machinations .",
      "hoffman immerses himself in the character the way he usually did , giving gunther bachmann a tragic streak of frustration and righteousness",
      "if you are looking to drown out the real world , this ai n't gon na be your flick . but i ca n't deny its craft and its professionalism . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "a cliched and frequently stodgy affair ... pales in comparison to -lsb- corbjin 's -rsb- previous effort , or indeed , other recent le carre adaptations .",
      "every glance and line of dialogue pushes the scene forward , every scene pushes the story forward , and if your attention wanders , there 's a good chance the ending will just pass you by .",
      "he -lsb- philip seymour hoffman -rsb- is cast as a german intelligence operative and there are times when the precision of the accent combines with his husky baritone to bring his dialogue close to poetry .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- anton corbjin 's unconventional post-9 / 11 spy thriller -lrb- based on john le carré dated 2008 novel -rrb- remains an engaging experience in spite of myriad aspects that weigh it down .",
      "anton corbijn constructs a stifling world of shadowy surveillance and intersecting national interests , building on john le carré 's sense of moral and emotional exhaustion .",
      "a secret shadow warrior , chain-smoking and overly fond of drink , hoffman 's gunter bachmann takes all the clichés about the aging spy and makes them new again .",
      "crackles with a jigsaw-puzzle intelligence and features a superbly subtle lead performance from the late philip seymour hoffman , who single-handedly gooses the post-9 / 11 procedural through some of its slower patches .",
      "stylish , dense contemporary spy drama about a suspected terrorist on the loose in 2008 hamburg has the late philip seymour hoffman again delivering an exceptional performance , here as a rogue german agent determined to stamp out terrorism .",
      "curiously tense throughout despite a paucity of physical action .",
      "the tragic loss of philip seymour hoffman resonates through anton corbijn 's challenging but ultimately rewarding thriller .",
      "philip seymour hoffman dominates as german spy-master gunther bachmann in anton corbijn 's old-school espionage yarn , based on john le carré 's 2008 novel .",
      "hoffman is a lovely fit as one of le carre 's dilapidated , disappointed anti-heroes , whose post-ideological bafflement regarding the point of what he 's doing feels wholly convincing .",
      "the narrative gets severely bogged down in the boring minutia of spy work , showcasing the smallest details of gunter 's investigations , all the while muddling up the plot and any sense of character development .",
      "MOV is hoffman 's film . he does n't just dominate the picture ; he wears it like a scruffy but well-fitted suit . it 's an honourable last bow .",
      "anton corbijn 's new thriller is perhaps the best so far to tackle the war on terror , thanks to an ingeniously twisty , and deeply cynical , storyline plus a towering performance from philip seymour hoffman ...",
      "there is no real sense of urgency here . anton corbijn 's chilly , detached directorial style does n't help .",
      "the finale , when -lsb- philip seymour hoffman -rsb- reacts to everything that has gone before , is the year 's most remarkably cinematic moment .",
      "MOV 's a fine swan song for an actor who could do more with a look and exasperated outburst that many of his contemporaries .",
      "moody intrigue is the tone of this slow burning espionage thriller from john le carre in which phillip seymour hoffman 's solid presence as a scotch-drinking , chain-smoking , crumpled german operative leaves an indelible mark .",
      "photographer-turned-filmmaker anton corbijn continues to show striking maturity with only his third movie -lrb- after control and the american -rrb- . based on the john le carre novel , this thriller avoids cliches to become a brilliantly tense spy drama .",
      "the air of paranoid mistrust rings true , evoked most eloquently by hoffman 's world-weary face , which speaks a universal language .",
      "hoffman 's performance is filled with exasperation at a world that refuses to see things the way he does , and he gives profound voice to this commonality amongst us all .",
      "superbly plays out as a backstreet atmospheric subtle topical cat-and-mouse espionage game .",
      "as ever , le carre subverts the spy genre in a major way .",
      "MOV retains a cogent narrative and le carre 's weary outlook . rather than choke the narrative with details , the filmmakers keep the story lean while adding evocative visual and aural details .",
      "most wanted can often be a chilly bit of business , but it 's no less gripping for its emotional distance , thanks mostly to a superb cast led by the late philip seymour hoffman .",
      "i wish i could say that the film gives a great actor a worthy role , but the truth is otherwise .",
      "`` MOV '' is not a guns-and-motorcycles spy story but a shadowy walk down a dark alley .",
      "a movie that tries to cover many facets of the post-9 / 11 period , though it does n't quite make up for the fact that a great cast is sometimes wasted .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- crackerjack thriller , at once brooding , claustrophobic and unbearably tense ...",
      "hoffman 's accent sounds like no german i 've ever heard , but he sticks to it and makes it work by sheer force of will .",
      "a rather sad movie about the potential futility of doing good , or at least taking the difficult path , in a complicated world .",
      "who will make these arrests and when ? it 's hard to develop an intense involvement around the question , and heading toward the who-cares resolution are lots of scenes paced with maddening slowness .",
      "the cat-and-mouse games , while entertaining , feel familiar . what elevates the movie is hoffman 's performance as a man pouring his soul into the only work he knows .",
      "an old-school spy thriller , corbijn 's taut le carré riff does its genre proud . hoffman commands every second .",
      "even through bachmann 's exasperated sighs , surreptitious swigs of booze and shuffles through clouds of cigarette smoke , hoffman manages to be utterly magnetic .",
      "watching the late philip seymour hoffman as a drained , despairing spymaster in MOV , it 's hard not to find the shadow of his tragically early death hanging over his character .",
      "as a mood-piece it has lovely spells .",
      "for all its chilled intelligence and topical ambition this is a bloodless adaptation , but worth seeing for hoffman 's deft and ghostly presence .",
      "everyone becomes a pawn in a much larger game as this muted , low-key thriller weaves its tangled web .",
      "adrenalin junkies may have to look elsewhere but this dark , wintry slice of post 7/11 espionage packs its own punch in admirably singular style",
      "a thorny , welcome reminder of the mainstream media 's short-term memory regarding the abduction , extradition and torture of innocent muslims under the bush administration and beyond .",
      "given the deadly stakes , this should be gripping , but the film gets sucked into academic plot details , trudging through each rendezvous and stakeout .",
      "corbijn may tend to favour vague , vaporous stylings , but hoffman brings focus that snaps the film out of somnabulism .",
      "the plot twists and turns are genuine john le carre and , i have to admit , i did not see the end coming . and neither did gunther .",
      "the story unfolds slowly , with the filmmaker 's own fascination with process at center stage .",
      "hoffman brings a balance of fierce obsession and weary resignation to the role , and ends on a howling note that 's so deeply human it brings shivers .",
      "it 's hard not to want MOV to go on forever , if only to spend time in the company of hoffman - one of the great actors of his , or any , generation .",
      "corbijn keeps the action of `` MOV '' at arms length or greater , never finding the heart of the piece despite mostly solid performances and strong production values .",
      "drinking , smoking , grimacing and muttering in a thick german accent , hoffman owns bachmann .",
      "corbijn confidently keeps the balance between the larger cat-and-mouse game and bachmann 's own , personal risk ; the movie 's final moment may haunt you for some time .",
      "precise and moody , and a terrific look at how misplaced priorities and ingrained racism and xenophobia thwart intelligence machines that can operate with such frightening efficiency .",
      "MOV does n't snap into focus until the last 15 of its 121 minutes . but until then , director anton corbijn serves up plenty of good , foggy , rainy ambiguity .",
      "`` MOV '' is the rare film that will remain on your mind long after you 've left the theater .",
      "to spy , to lie , to seduce , to deceive , to try to do right , to destroy - that is the current that runs under everything in le carré 's fiction , and it courses through hoffman 's veins as bachmann in MOV .",
      "the screenplay by andrew bovell ... is not as concerned with matters of plot as it is with the mysteries of morality and justice playing out behind the scenes .",
      "if at first -lsb- hoffman 's -rsb- german accent seems unnatural , trust in the actor , whose low guttural enunciation exhibits an ear finely tuned to the idiosyncrasies of the language .",
      "had hoffman never played a role other than günther bachmann , he would still have been one of his generation 's greatest actors .",
      "hoffman shines in a role that demands not showmanship , but a kind of complexity and contradiction that can be rendered only through the kind of dull character details that he excelled in , accumulating them from the inside out .",
      "a political thriller , sure , but mostly a study in sad , defeated obsession ... and how goddamned cruel the world can be .",
      "MOV concludes on a bleakly prescient note , not only in offering an extraordinarily trenchant critique of american foreign policy but also as a moody send off to hoffman himself .",
      "no doubt the doom-laden setting and tragic denouement are true to the reality of these situations , but the audience would appreciate some surprises .",
      "all minor reservations aside , the movie must be counted as a great success .",
      "the film 's confident tonal control is a compliment to corbijn 's skill , but it 's also recognition of philip seymour hoffman 's wonderfully controlled central performance . you do n't realize how stunning the whole experience really was until it 's over .",
      "it is a commanding performance from hoffman , and an overwhelmingly satisfying note for this actor to end on .",
      "corbijn ... has found richer genre material for his gray , gusty aesthetic than 2010 's supremely well-styled but emotionally vacant thriller `` the american . ''",
      "MOV is exactly what you 'd expect from the director of the american , and while that assessment will mean different things to different people the film remains a meticulously crafted adaptation of john le carre 's bestselling novel .",
      "the other shame of anton corbijn 's version of john le carre 's novel is that it 's not much good .",
      "hoffman intrigues by keeping his cards clasped firmly to his chest . it is a restrained , controlled performance from one of the most talented screen actors of his generation . he 's so good it 's heartbreaking .",
      "elegant , sparse , and scrupulously acted but dramatically stunted",
      "MOV has a veracity most spy thrillers lack , and the suspense is of the intellectual , not visceral , kind .",
      "the joys of hoffman 's performance are evident on first viewing .",
      "the story by andrew bovell , who wrote `` edge of darkness , '' feels true to the novel by john le carré , with perhaps more emphasis on hoffman 's spy chief .",
      "it 's in color , but it feel black-and-white , as washed-out as its hero is burnt-out .",
      "this adaptation of a john le carré novel works smashingly as a suspense film , a mood piece , and a vehicle for the late philip seymour hoffman .",
      "a smart , bluntly effective adaptation of john le carré 's post-9 / 11 political passion play about good , evil and the sins committed in the name of national security .",
      "the pacing of MOV , a movie without any real dramatic crescendos , can get tedious without complete attention that the movie earns .",
      "as sluggish , or perhaps concentrated is the more accurate description , man is , it does stick its landing , paying off semi-stasis with shocking dramatic accuracy .",
      "forget divining who 's predator and who 's prey . everybody 's chum here .",
      "to some , corbijn 's movie will feel moody and complex . but anyone looking for fizz or flash will spend most of the movie engaged in a hearty game of watch check .",
      "it was shot in dark , lurid , vital hamburg ; hoffman is the star ; and i was completely held .",
      "um thriller de espionagem feito por e para adultos .",
      "does n't do too much wrong , yet struggles with the weight of expectation .",
      "... a total failure on almost every single level ...",
      "... manages to challenge preconceived notions about terrorists in a way that does n't pander or offend .",
      "a smart , classy , slow-burn thriller made up of the stuff of authentic spy work and plenty of bitter irony about modern geopolitics .",
      "a poignant glimpse of the war on terror and the vulnerability of a burnt-out german intelligence operative .",
      "in one of his last films films to be released , the late philip seymore hoffman gives another of his pitch-perfect performances in this twisted spy yarn set in hamburg , germany .",
      "with casting like this , i 'd rather see the movie than read the book . at least in the case of one spy novelist .",
      "MOV is a mercurial puzzle ; it 's espionage done right from the right source material .",
      "hoffman heads an impressive cast and the plot is well crafted , even if the characters and moral uncertainties seem very familiar and the message remains the same .",
      "perhaps it accurately conveys the more mundane side of the war on terror , but that does n't make for an entertaining film .",
      "anchored by hoffman 's superlative performance , the story , based on a john le carré novel , is low-key , brooding and engrossing .",
      "hoffman leaves us with a quality film that showcases his tremendous depth and range as an actor .",
      "kudos to hoffman in this good-enough le carré spy tale",
      "cobijn does n't totally conquer le carré 's complicated plot",
      "hoffman 's last leading role is it own kind of spy film",
      "the end result may look good but it never feels distinctive despite the wealth of talent involved in front of and behind the camera .",
      "hoffman 's an actor who could do just about anything , but being authentically german is not one of them .",
      "it 's an engrossing , unsettling , and highly provocative film , and you certainly ought to see it if you get the opportunity .",
      "one of the countless sad things about losing hoffman is the realization that we 'll never get to watch him single-handedly elevate an otherwise ok movie again .",
      "anton corbijn 's new thriller is perhaps the best so far to tackle the war on terror , thanks to an ingeniously twisty and deeply cynical storyline , plus a towering performance from philip seymour hoffman ."
    ],
    "summary": "smart , subtle , and steadily absorbing , MOV proves once again that john le carre books make for sharp , thoughtful thrillers .",
    "id": "771314084"
  },
  {
    "movie": "trollhunter",
    "reviews": [
      "an american remake is in the works . ignore it and treat yourself to this monstrously good film .",
      "enjoy it before the inevitable sequels and hollywood remake sully its memory .",
      "the film begins strongly , but once past the half-hour mark loses energy and direction .",
      "already there are plans for a hollywood remake , and it 's easy to see how it could improve on the original .",
      "the scenes involving the trolls themselves are spectacular , but somehow not scary exactly : they look too absurd for that .",
      "it 's sluggish in places and too long but has a memorable hero in hans and remains amusingly straight-faced .",
      "it 's a marvellous , sly film which , had it managed to be a little more frightening , would have been a masterpiece .",
      "the fjords look good and it 's all fairly watchable , if full of holes .",
      "given that the cast improvised all the scenes live on set , the dialogue has a surprising ring of truth , and is shot through with an unexpected , often unsettling , humour .",
      "features a great deal of wit , but perhaps not enough bite .",
      "MOV is a great deal funnier and more fun than blair witch , with wilder special effects and more creative monsters .",
      "for all its technical accomplishment and cultural specificity , MOV never really clicks on all cylinders . it 's mostly droll , but does n't consistently foment either dread or delight , owing to a need for sharper characterizations .",
      "a true one-off , with all the frustrated expectations that entails .",
      "hardly the first film to lend authenticity to the utterly implausible by mimicking the modalities of reportage -lrb- see the blair witch project and cloverfield -rrb- , but it is distinguished by both a deep seam of deadpan humour and a strong sense of place .",
      "it may be an ultimately gimmicky post-modern take on local folklore , but it is still something of a hoot .",
      "you might need to take a norwegian guide along to explain various local references and identify the specific trolls , but troll hunter 's proud cultural identity - tremble , a us remake is in the works - is its strongest suit . it 's wry , spectacular fun .",
      "playing such silliness this straight is quite a challenge and troll hunter pulls it off .",
      "it 's so steeped in troll and paranoia lore , it risks boring you with the details at times . but it also makes you more inclined to believe it , and the frights are real enough .",
      "what 's most entertaining about the film is the manner in which it draws from established fairy tales and folklore to paint its monsters , and what 's most interesting about it is how it depicts hans as a working-class stiff who 's tired of a thankless job .",
      "the troll hunter may sound like something you 'd drunkenly chance upon at a midnight drive-in , but it 's a consistently thrilling , surprisingly intriguing creature feature that demonstrates there 's still plenty of wiggle room in the found footage subgenre .",
      "the coolest monster movie import since the host .",
      "MOV is the best ` found footage ' movie ever .",
      "in a filmic landscape littered with the lurching corpses of zombies and the emotional angst of vampires , it 's refreshing to be presented with a mythology that is less familiar .",
      "an example of just how much bang indie filmmakers these days can get with their bucks . hollywood , are you listening ?",
      "as de-mythologizings go , MOV has neither the wit , nor art , nor social insight to honor the legacy of george a. romero 's martin .",
      "yes , troll hunter is derivative , but ovredal seamlessly assembles his reference points with a steady ability to do them proud .",
      "like the folks who dreamed up lycanthropy , the MOV writers either have an abundance of imagination or they 've been smoking a controlled substance .",
      "the film takes off into a witty realm of nonplussed responses and folklore made roaringly real .",
      "as the stoic titular slayer , otto jespersen is the one actor who holds you .",
      "ovredal 's man-to-monster compositions alternately recall tiananmen square or the destruction of new york 's wtc , and then evoke the obligation of witnessing such deeds .",
      "delightfully silly and likely to etch the battle-cry of `` troll ! '' into audiences ' minds long after its end .",
      "MOV is an unexpected pleasure for viewers who can shudder at the horrific aspects while still appreciating the humor .",
      "richly deserves an audience .",
      "there 's fun to be had if you 're willing to surrender to it .",
      "řvredal 's troll hunter delivers an earnest fantasy adventure bathed in nordic spirit and folklore that captures the heart , as well as the imagination .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- funny , scary , highly individual horror flick ...",
      "řvredal 's movie has wittier ideas up its sleeve than the average `` mock-doc '' shocker , a genre it transcends through sheer originality .",
      "one of the year 's most blindingly brilliant films .",
      "there 's tons of delicious suspense of the horror-flick variety ... and plenty of spielbergian shock-awe ... but what makes it one of the most satisfying examples of found-footage flicks yet is its observational , journalistic ethos .",
      "jespersen is a veteran comedian and he uses all his gravitas and dry wit to make us care about a lonely man on the verge of a crisis of faith .",
      "with all of the troll roaring , people chasing , and mythological elements , ` the troll hunter ' is easily the ` jurassic park ' of first-person horror .",
      "enormously entertaining chiller .",
      "a monster thrill ride that combines handheld camerawork with rollicking action reminiscent of jurassic park .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- writer/director andré řvredal would have done better to skip the now-obsolete-found-footage-trope to couch his goofy monster movie .",
      "a monster movie-disaster film hybrid that does n't take itself too seriously . the combination works beautifully making the piece wildly enjoyable and surprisingly believable , too .",
      "... plays like a northern response to gareth edwards 's `` monsters , '' using the found footage device of `` cloverfield '' with dashes of `` jurassic park '' and the satirical humor of neighboring finland 's `` rare exports . ''",
      "for such a direct and plainly titled film , MOV does n't have a clue as to what it wants to be .",
      "another faux-verité action-horror effort that manages to be clever without being actually terrifying or thrilling .",
      "an enjoyably off-kilter hybrid of the blair witch project and where the wild things are .",
      "the troll hunter is refreshingly devoid of pretension , jettisoning all self-aware smugness -lrb- the downfall of matt reeve 's similarly-constructed cloverfield , 2008 -rrb- in favour of being the best darn monster yarn it can be .",
      "successful on multiple levels , with a brisk pace , excellent location work and a strong lead performance by norwegian comedian otto jespersen .",
      "fun comic horror with a classic tough-guy protagonist and just the right amount of frigid , norwegian atmosphere .",
      "a drily comic blend of irresistible ingredients that gets better as it goes along .",
      "the more you watch , the more deeply its funky vibe works on you .",
      "a lot of fun , thanks to some terrific special effects and a knowing script that cleverly riffs on existing troll mythology ; however , it is slightly too long and suffers from a frustrating lack of character development .",
      "finding a balance between serious and silly is something the troll hunter does astonishingly well .",
      "writer-director andré řvredal 's unique , ultimately puzzling `` horror '' adventure has the advantage of going places that hollywood has neglected .",
      "for a small indie film from norway , MOV rocks it gargantuan style and then some .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- came away from it more pro-troll than anti , if only because you could feel the movie trying its best to be awesome even when it failed .",
      "this is what happens when the norwegians try to make their own `` blair witch project '' : we get three-headed trolls that hate vitamin d and references to `` deliverance . ''",
      "90 minutes of jolly giant ogre mayhem",
      "even as a minor work , it 's full of good humor , clever ideas and a handful of solid suspense sequences .",
      "the blair witch project , with trolls : deadpan , dead-on norwegian mockumentary is destined to be a classic of its kind .",
      "here 's what 's not so good in troll hunter : the actual troll hunting .",
      "in every sense , troll hunter lives up to its ridiculous name and premise .",
      "one of the many pleasures of the norwegian director andré ovredal 's clever and engaging mock documentary `` MOV '' is the way it plays with the idea of the supernatural rule book .",
      "genially simpleminded and more sweet than scary , MOV never settles on a tone . fairytale fantasy , supernatural comedy , serious horror ? all are sampled , to the detriment of the whole .",
      "you 'll want to catch this clever movie before hollywood ruins everything with a dumb remake .",
      "it 's a genre hybrid that makes something new from discarded cultural parts and a truly goofy premise .",
      "exists somewhere between the blair witch project and a particularly edgy rankin/bass holiday special . it 's a crafty motion picture with ingenious visual effects and a healthy sense of humor , but it overstays its welcome .",
      "those fog-draped fjords provide a distractingly pretty backdrop to this tale of mysterious , massive creatures who roam the forest by night , searching for christians on whom to munch .",
      "a drolly deadpan horror comedy ... a sly , cheeky movie that shows how an old genre can be successfully resuscitated with approached with imagination rather than just a big budget .",
      "an entertaining effort with `` cult following '' written all over it .",
      "beneath its `` blair witch project '' faux-vérité facade is a smart and `` ghostbusters '' - like funny fantasy film rich in norwegian folklore .",
      "may the norse be with you .",
      "i could n't decide if `` MOV '' was trying to be funny or scary , but i can tell you it succeeds at neither .",
      "a solid enough genre movie that it can support actual intelligence and characterisation , and well-enough characterised that it 's more than just a solid genre movie .",
      "director andré řvredal can be a little on the nose when going after his allegorical targets , but the winking humor keeps it from getting too heavy handed .",
      "it ca n't seem to make up its mind about whether it wants to frighten us or make us laugh . it does a little bit of both , to be sure , but not nearly enough of either to make much of a lasting impression .",
      "`` MOV '' has a lot of down time as the crew treks to the fjords , but it 's also got dryly subversive humor and , eventually , some impressive special effects .",
      "what do you get when you combine cloverfield with nordic trolls ? this very funny monster mockumentary .",
      "... this one is well worth the troll hunt to find .",
      "the film is shot with handheld cameras in the standard mockumentary style , but the content is often hilarious , especially when the trolls show up .",
      "the trolls here all are the spitting image of muppets with a hyperthyroid problem . in fact , imagine a sweetums doll after three wash cycles .",
      "not nearly as much fun as it might have been , neither consistently funny nor remotely scary .",
      "a leisurely , shambling , deadpan movie about a man who finds trolls and kills them . that 's enough .",
      "MOV is both creepy and funny , a clever combination for this sly monster movie .",
      "MOV adopts the form of a found footage documentary , which translates as lots of banal conversations , abundant shots of the scandinavian countryside , and competent but shaky handheld camerawork .",
      "it never seemed more than a student film .",
      "this found-film sci-fi trolls-on-the-loose story works well enough as a kind of tongue-in-cheek comedy spoofing films of this kind and the sheer idiocy behind these kinds of conspiracy theories .",
      "they spend a great deal of time roaring , bleating , squealing and snorting at a very high volume , which is , after a point , too much of a muchness .",
      "a monster movie with a love for mountainous , tree-lined scandinavian scenery and an even greater love for setting memorably ugly , hulking and destructive mythological creatures against it .",
      "if you just go with it , troll hunter may satisfy your taste for cult campiness .",
      "MOV has its scary moments , particularly toward the end of the film , but it 's also hilarious in a dry , scandinavian sort of way .",
      "the film , shot on natural locations in norway , benefits enormously from the breathtaking beauty of the country , and it looks like a much bigger-budget film than it is .",
      "excellent special effects ... offers some unique and entertaining modern twists on the legends of old .",
      "it 's contrived , but that does n't keep it from being kinda nifty .",
      "with impressive technical credits , stunning fjord and forest locations and a winking ownership of its own absurdity , `` MOV '' manages to be at once spooky , satirical and endearing .",
      "once again , material for a great short film has been expanded to feature length at its peril and ours . still , this is clever stuff and surprisingly engrossing on its own terms .",
      "andré řvredal 's enjoyably goofy scare-pic purports to offer real footage of real horror - in this case , a variety of forest and mountain trolls ..."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a mockumentary with an appropriate level of creeping dread , but one that also benefits from generous helpings of dry wit .",
    "id": "771217727"
  },
  {
    "movie": "meru_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "a documentary combining some of the most eye-popping nature photography in years with a compelling human story at its core .",
      "ozturk 's cinematography is often spectacular , capturing breathtaking moments of snowy eloquence , and intimate ones of climbers performing tasks while dangling aside a mountain or from other places unthinkable for most of us .",
      "this is one of the most outstanding documentaries of the year .",
      "pushing yourself to the extreme is what MOV is all about .",
      "spectacular : a peak experience ...",
      "you know a documentary is working when you see its subjects talking about events that have already happened , yet you 're still anxiously wondering if they 'll make it out alive .",
      "awe-inspiring , terrifying , vertiginous . the best mountain-climbing film since since touching the void .",
      "the stories of survival and resilience border on the superhuman and impress , as does the lucid cinematography .",
      "practitioners of climbing -- and enthusiasts who prefer to experience such extreme activity from the comfort of their armchairs -- will find this film a treat .",
      "filmed with such grandeur and intimacy that sometimes attempting to figure out how they made the incredible shots almost spoils them .",
      "a bit too much time is spent in admiration and hero worship over the indefatigable will of these men , when it is the footage on that mountainside that matters .",
      "though the `` MOV '' climbing and outdoor footage is spectacular , it is the personal struggle of each of the climbers , and the candid way they talk about them on camera , that give this film its considerable impact .",
      "whether or not mountain-climbing documentaries are your thing , `` MOV '' is likely to draw you in . it 's as much about trust , personal goals and human bonding as battling the elements at their fiercest .",
      "how one responds to MOV will largely depend on whether its three subjects come across as heroically courageous or suicidally reckless .",
      "it 's not only sounds and visuals that raise this documentary above the pack . there is as well , arguably even more important , a drama that topsy-like just growed .",
      "in lieu of oscar-grabby performances , there are climbers talking , raw and intense , about the tragedies they 've weathered on their way to accomplishing something no one else has .",
      "its expositional crutch proves most inadequate when the team ascends the final pitch to the top after years of preparation in no more than a minute of screen time .",
      "terror : give it a new name , call it MOV . instead of do n't look in the basement , do ... not ... look ... down ... jimmy chin and e. chai vasarhelyi 's documentary is achingly beautiful , eye-widening ...",
      "much as we value artistic distance , it 's not like chin could strap werner herzog to his back on his ascent to the heavens .",
      "it does n't add anything new to the extreme-sports subgenre , but it does show that for the athletes who pursue them , there are always new , more impossible challenges to face .",
      "vivid but strangely uninvolving .",
      "in the end , `` MOV '' is a flawed but deeply riveting account of what happens when men walk right up to the edge of madness .",
      "ultra-riveting documentary MOV will leave you spinning and sweating .",
      "good looking , sometimes incredibly tense mountain climbing documentary with effective use of biographical material .",
      "enough gut-wrenching action sequences and stunningly beautiful vistas to thrill theater-seat adventurers and hardcore extreme-sports addicts alike .",
      "are these guys nuts ? are their egos needy of self-affirmation ? or is there some higher purpose in such inexplicable endeavors ? do some people just have a genetic need to live on the edge ?",
      "... disappointing for a film that seems to want to be more than the chronicle of three bros on a mountain but does n't know how to get there .",
      "one of the best docs of a very strong year for the genre .",
      "there 's steady , scary thrill in the final third of MOV , the latest attempt to conquer the climb-and-tweak-the-nose-of-god mountaineering documentary , a genre that has yet to reach its apex .",
      "this frequently breathtaking documentary about daredevil mountain climbers ascends into the sky while also managing to remain grounded .",
      "MOV does n't explain the climbers . it lets us get to know them a little , while presenting their gripping -lrb- sue me -- it 's the appropriate word -rrb- adventures .",
      "thankfully free of the usual triumph-of-the-will score , `` MOV '' is an ultrasmooth blend of conventional documentary techniques - the talking-head interview ; the back-in-the-day photograph - and uncommon ambition .",
      "it 's best appreciated on a theater screen , although people afraid of heights may want to sit near the back . thank goodness it was n't shot in 3-d .",
      "we likely learn more about -lsb- the mountain -rsb- than we do the human beings trying to climb it ...",
      "a triumph of editing and narrative beyond `` are you kidding me ? '' visuals , MOV is a climbing story with context ; biographies are woven in incrementally .",
      "the film 's combination of post-climb interviews and real-time footage provides the moviegoer with a unique perspective of these men . in a mere 90 minutes , we get to know them on a strangely personal level that other documentaries rarely achieve .",
      "the personal perspective and breathtaking immediacy of the climbers ' daily challenges pull an audience in .",
      "` MOV ' is a film filled with amazement and wonder as it displays the grandeur of nature , as well as the deadly forces it can unleash in an instant",
      "the footage is astonishing , the cold and wind practically jumping from the screen and down your neck .",
      "chin and ozturk capture both the astonishing views from the top of the world and soul-searching moments inside a cramped tent dangling from the side of the mountain like a used tea bag .",
      "MOV is an engaging and cumulatively exhilarating debut from wife-and-husband team elizabeth chai vasarhelyi and jimmy chin .",
      "the movie is a packed 90 minutes and the familiar critical superlatives do n't capture it . just go to MOV . the movie , i mean , not the climb . it 's a peak experience .",
      "the photography is of course lovely -lrb- if you make an un-lovely documentary about climbing , you 're doing it wrong -rrb- .",
      "the most dramatic footage is n't as much the view as the men themselves and their challenges . this a tough climb , all right .",
      "anyone who 's climbed will understand exactly what 's at stake throughout MOV . but viewers who know nothing about mountaineering will still find an enthralling story .",
      "the movie leaves you with the impression that the anker expedition would be the first to reach the peak . this is incorrect .",
      "designed to stop the breath and speed up the heart .",
      "like many mountaineering films , this one sports extraordinary cinematography , but it is the personal nature of it that makes it so appealing and insightful .",
      "a must see for climbing buffs and anyone fascinated by the strength and resilience of the human body and spirit .",
      "riveting , breathtaking and inspirational . it joins to the limit and touching the void as another essential mountain climbing doc that 's a must-see on the big screen .",
      "harrowing and ultimately moving .",
      "perhaps best suited for those already invested in the mountaineering world , `` MOV '' still translates to all audiences , highlighting nerves of steel and impressive determination .",
      "`` MOV '' can evoke a sense of claustrophobia -lrb- and other fears -rrb- in the viewer . but just as often it gives rise to awe , wonder and amazement at what man , when he puts his mind to it , is capable of .",
      "mountain climbing the evokes moments of exhilaration .",
      "the good parts are really good , and what emerges is a clear-eyed portrait of men driven to achieve , and achieve together .",
      "what drives these men ? `` because it 's there '' merely scratches the surface . `` MOV '' may not answer the question completely - likely nothing can - but it is a thrilling , harrowing attempt .",
      "without undue chest-beating , MOV celebrates the arduous teamwork necessary to top a 21,000-foot peak , but it never lets you forget the burden placed on those waiting for their loved ones to return -- or not -- back home .",
      "the reason to watch , and to watch on as big a screen as possible , is the footage of the breathtaking climbing action .",
      "MOV is absolutely worth the climb ."
    ],
    "summary": "gripping visually as well as narratively , MOV is the rare documentary that proves thought-provoking while offering thrilling wide-screen vistas .",
    "id": "771412076"
  },
  {
    "movie": "match_point",
    "reviews": [
      "a surprising return to form for the venerated director , recalling -lrb- if not matching -rrb- his best work from the 80 's .",
      "the dialogue is so crisp and straightforward , you might forget you 're watching a woody allen movie , until one of his occasional one-liners zings you .",
      "MOV crafts the beginning of a better than average fish-out-of-water tale , bores us for an hour with a milquetoast affair , then gives us a wild sucker punch of an ending that even a nostradamus / john edward tag team could n't predict .",
      "MOV , a film that makes us examine well-considered questions in new light , is what woody allen sees when he gets out of his comfort zone , we can only hope he sees the benefit of travel .",
      "the combination of alluring atmosphere and ambition makes MOV one of allen 's most involving movies in years .",
      "woody allen 's MOV is a too-rare thing : a fine film that waxes philosophical about morality , ambition and relationships .",
      "if hollywood had a comeback player of the year award , woody allen would get every vote for 2005 .",
      "allen has not made a movie this involving for a decade , since mighty aphrodite .",
      "in every scene , allen 's direction is unflinchingly clear-eyed , and it 's a pleasure being walked through london at the same unhurried pace that he 's taken through manhattan all these years .",
      "johansson finds her own speech rhythms in allen 's arch dialogue , and in the process , gives his film a quality that his recent work has often lacked , the recognizable flutter of a heart beat behind the façade of the character .",
      "this is woody beyond woody , his best work in more than a decade and the antithesis of most fans ' expectations .",
      "the film is good enough that you do n't feel the need for a few laughs to leaven the grimness .",
      "by its shockingly violent end , the movie has quietly morphed into a chilling film noir .",
      "intricate , intelligent , without being either ponderous or pretentious . on the contrary , it 's sly , even playful . it teases players and audience alike , confounding expectations while egging them on with a universe that promises meaning but does n't always fo",
      "MOV is a clever diabolical yarn that builds tension and creates suspense as well as even the best of hitchcock .",
      "MOV is a good movie -- a good , solid movie .",
      "allen fans would be well advised to stay away lest their idea of allen 's genius become ever so slightly dented .",
      "-lsb- allen 's -rsb- new movie , MOV , devoted to lust , adultery , and murder , is the most vigorous thing he 's done in years .",
      "such a shrewd character study actually bears more in common with patricia highsmith 's ripley tales than anything out of dostoevsky , though , and marks a nice corollary with the matt damon movie of a few years back .",
      "the first new woody allen film i have been able to watch to conclusion in over a decade .",
      "imperfect yet significant .",
      "with such high quality production , i kept expecting some meat - or at least a sense of humor . just an empty night at the movies",
      "the hype is technically true : MOV is woody allen 's best movie in years . but only because he 's already had practice making it .",
      "allen , in a rare zone of existential ferocity he last touched in ` crimes and misdemeanors , ' brushstrokes his characters and conflicts with textured definition .",
      "MOV is woody allen 's best picture in more than a decade -- an excellent character piece/social study that evolves into a suspense thriller with an o. henry twist .",
      "MOV has something you do n't associate with allen : suspense .",
      "this sexy morality play further bolsters the case for woody allen 's continued vitality and relevance .",
      "it 's a film worth seeing several times . if you 're lucky enough to get the chance .",
      "an unpredictable , unusual , consistently engrossing drama of a kind that has almost disappeared from hollywood .",
      "the arrival of MOV is good luck for movie fans .",
      "what makes MOV so successful is not simply that it 's a departure for allen , but that it finds him so perfectly suited to the place he ends up .",
      "there 's a pleasing sense of social claustrophobia - but it 's not enough to make allen 's film work .",
      "how much you enjoy the film , a sort of modern-day rake 's progress set in london , may depend on how much you enjoy gazing at co-stars scarlett johansson and jonathan rhys-meyers .",
      "there 's more than a touch of the talented mr ripley about MOV and allen keeps the atmosphere extremely tense throughout .",
      "as allen 's next movie is reportedly also going to be set in the uk , he really is going to have to learn to speak british at something better than tourist level .",
      "philosophically and plotwise , it 's right in line with some of his previous work . yet MOV breaks new ground in a handful of significant ways .",
      "... a pedestrian genre picture , a so-called crime thriller that is n't at all thrilling ...",
      "MOV moves woody allen to london , where we see if his increasingly dull ruminations on infidelity play any better with british accents .",
      "a delicious little drama .",
      "a movie with no heart or soul .",
      "if woody has paid homage to bergman and fellini in the past , this is his homage to hitchcock ... features a craftily written killer ending",
      "-lsb- allen 's -rsb- most satisfying film in more than a decade ...",
      "MOV 's dark pleasures are , for the most part , pretty enjoyable . if you 're in that kind of mood .",
      "its many pleasures derive from the way this drama unfolds unexpectedly from the characters rather than imposing itself on them .",
      "in the final analysis of allen 's career , it may turn out that moral ambiguity , not comedy , was what he did best .",
      "watching MOV , you could almost conclude that allen is shedding some of his more calcified habits , that he 's molting .",
      "the ... wild praise you hear is of the hollywood echo chamber , where an artistic change-up is sometimes mistaken for a fastball .",
      "a film with few laughs but plenty of dramatic intrigue .",
      "allen 's strongest and most self-assured dramatic feature in over a decade . welcome back , woody ! you 've been missed .",
      "not really a return to form but an advance : a stylish work of gliding camera movements , cunningly framed shots and seamless edits that marks one of the few times allen 's interest in pictures has equaled his facility with words .",
      "woody allen 's creates a wooden variation on ` an american tragedy ' set in london",
      "MOV has all the right elements : a great script , a terrific cast , and a veteran director .",
      "he 's covered some of this same thematic territory before -- infidelity , obsession , class struggles -- but rarely has developed them with such focus and such a palpable tension .",
      "welcome back , woody . we 've missed you .",
      "... a nifty little crowd pleaser ...",
      "-lrb- allen -rrb- rediscovers many filmmaking traits i thought he 'd lost for good .",
      "with MOV , woody allen has made a perfectly nice little film -- one that , despite lacking originality , is fresh in the sense that it was filmed in england , far from his beloved manhattan ,",
      "MOV is what happens when a veteran director whom many considered far past his prime tries something superficially different .",
      "MOV is n't one of his truly great films , like annie hall or manhattan , but it 's a very good one ; a sign that a career that seemed stalled is purring along once more .",
      "the only thing that i kept thinking through this film 's first half hour was how i could n't believe that i was actually watching a ` woody allen movie ' .",
      "changing locale and genre prove invigorating for allen , whose london morality tale is inspired by dostoevsky 's seminal novel and mixes elements of his 1989 crimes & misdemeanors and such classics as a place in the sun and a room at the top .",
      "crushingly humorless , MOV also has a grade-school-simple major theme : at the outset , chris 's narration informs us that life is luck , and at any point we could win or lose . whoa .",
      "this thin chronicle of bad behavior among the rich and self-obsessed is above all painfully derivative , borrowing wholesale from theodore dreiser 's an american tragedy and echoes allen 's own crimes and misdemeanors .",
      "its conceit that much of life is chalked up to luck is simple , almost throwaway , but it 's illustrated here with a veteran 's pace -- patient yet efficient .",
      "while not as awful as some of allen 's flubs , this film is one of those instances in which the cinematic ball does n't quite make it over the net .",
      "from the expert performances to the surprising outcome , MOV is an engrossing experiment in romantic disengagement .",
      "there 's no denying it ; scarlett johansson is marilyn monroe reincarnated , refurbished and upgraded for the 21st century .",
      "an unexpected and startlingly unsavory story , and a welcome return to thoughtful , well-crafted filmmaking for woody allen .",
      "if you 're a fan , then put this on your must-see list . if you 've gotten away from allen 's movies in recent years , now is the time to come back .",
      "a captivating story of class distinctions that evolves into a chilling psychological thriller .",
      "if allen has n't quite figured out the social landscape of england yet , he does know what he wants to talk about : fate , or more commonly , luck .",
      "regardless of who made it , it 's a strong film about forbidden love and the quandary of a man torn between his better instincts and his raw emotions .",
      "... a suspense masterpiece ...",
      "while thematically stark , MOV is as aesthetically lush as just-ripened forbidden fruit , with scarlett johansson as the seductive object of desire personified .",
      "MOV is airless , repetitive .",
      "... an enticing and sexy thriller ...",
      "woody allen is a lippy guy , but what makes MOV sexy is the converging , special lips of scarlett johansson and the special lips of jonathan rhys-meyers .",
      "when allen 's on his game , he still knows how to serve a winner -- and MOV definitely qualifies .",
      "... a smart , sexy picture that makes an ideal star vehicle for irish actor jonathan rhys meyers .",
      "the film is very well acted , but top honors go to johansson , who 's just about perfect as the pouty-lipped temptress whom we come to both pity and hate .",
      "MOV has a coiled , taut energy that 's unusual for allen .",
      "same shtick , different accents .",
      "okay , woody . this is the last chance you get . next time , i swaer i am not coming back .",
      "might be allen 's most shocking change of pace yet",
      "it 's a welcome change to what had become a tired formula",
      "allen 's direction is superb , evoking the best performances from his cast and unraveling the story at the perfect pace .",
      "... from the casting to the dialogue , `` MOV '' just feels pickled in artificiality .",
      "allen has crafted one of his strongest films in years .",
      "... one of the best adult films of the year , a sleek moral quagmire that will no doubt be compared to crap like fatal attraction , but which outclasses it in all regards .",
      "the ending twist is a classic that hitchcock would love . you 'll love it too and the entire film as well .",
      "the film is a dramatic thriller but it 's a good deal more playful and witty than many of his recent comedies .",
      "it all looks suspiciously like the kind of movie allen used to make fun of 30 years ago .",
      "a sexy , mysterious departure for allen .",
      "woodyâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s best for ages . even for non-allen fans this has all the appeal of a good story well told and capped with a deliciously vicious little twist .",
      "lugubriously slow and inert , MOV simply drags without those customary woody allen one-liners ...",
      "contains enough surprises to keep it interesting and enough emotional and existential hand-wringing to make it worth talking about once the credits have rolled .",
      "like woody himself , blessedly old fashioned craft for craft 's sake .",
      "it 's a classy , enjoyable , sometimes uncomfortable working of the writer/director 's neuroses . but it 's repackaged familiarity .",
      "woody allen has had a cinematic shower and come out refreshed with MOV , abandoning his beloved new york for london 's grey skies and unique social structure , picking up a new beat % u2013 both musically and metaphorically .",
      "allen uses the change of scenery to his advantage .",
      "aos 70 anos de idade e j no seu 34 filme , allen ainda capaz de realizar um trabalho cheio de energia e -lrb- o mais fascinante -rrb- no hesita em reinventar-se .",
      "probably woody 's best film since hannah and her sisters",
      "the new MOV reveals -lsb- allen -rsb- back at the height of his powers , firing on all cylinders and displaying a confidence and control not seen since before the soon-yi scandal .",
      "MOV provides just enough reason to fall in love with woody allen again , with the auteur creating cracking good drama for the first time in a very long time",
      "hard to believe that someone as seasoned and creative as woody allen would have to resort to the cliche -- a gun -- to dramatically solve the predicament of his antihero .",
      "allen 's best work since 1986 's hannah and her sisters .",
      "to call MOV woody allen 's comeback would be an understatement - it 's the most vital return to form for any director since robert altman made the player .",
      "-lsb- the film is -rsb- suffused with a fitzgeraldian glow of bittersweet romance and ruefulness among the elite .",
      "an entertaining film noir about a grasping tennis star who spins a deadly wheel of fate .",
      "is n't at all what the average viewer would expect from allen and it 's probably his first movie in five years that can be called truly worthy of his talent .",
      "the same bland , lazy filmmaking allen 's been doing for years , only without the humor and with different accents .",
      "confident and engrossing , a smashing return from woody allen , who has n't been this spot-on in years .",
      "MOV is not a declaration of the value of firm belief -- it denounces theodicy , after all -- but a caution against the outright rejection of it .",
      "without the director 's credit , one could mistake the immaculately plotted MOV for an anglicized krzysztof kieslowski script or remade hitchcock ...",
      "fits squarely into -lsb- allen 's -rsb- second-tier pantheon .",
      "there were few films in 2005 that i awaited with as much anticipation as MOV , and none that i found to be more of a crashing disappointment .",
      "in leaving america , woody allen has , at long last , put himself back on the map .",
      "the characters ' sundry fates never become a great concern , leaving the viewer , more or less , adrift in indifference .",
      "gripping and entertaining as well as very well-made",
      "this is allen 's most perceptive , adult and finest work in years . it is as if filming in and around london rejuvenated his creative juices .",
      "though allen 's english trip brings a tasty change of place , he 's also dragged along some familiar baggage ... as the film plays on , wry romance loses out to a crime drama that hangs on a gimmicky plot spin .",
      "MOV achieves an almost shakespearean effect .",
      "not one of allen 's best films , but it is somewhat different than most .",
      "allen evokes dostoevsky and dreiser , but do n't expect justice from a shocker ending that manages to be devilishly clever and morally repugnant . it 's been a long time since a woody allen film sparked juicy debate . savor it .",
      "this solid , well-observed and cerebral presentation signifies that woody is back in full stride after some recent so-so works .",
      "shot for shot the worst movie i have seen all year .",
      "... thoroughly engrossing and provocatively taut ... keenly sophisticated , wryly humorous and mischievous ... one of allen 's best films in recent memory .",
      "MOV is wittier and more coherent than anything -lsb- woody allen -rsb- has done in ages ; it is well made and well thought out to its very last shot .",
      "an engrossing and thought-provoking movie that even woody haters might enjoy .",
      "game , set and match to woody allen .",
      "a taut and finely crafted piece of work that superbly fits the literary tastes of the country in which it 's set . allen 's high class mystery pretty much beats them at their own game .",
      "thankfully , writer-director woody allen stays out of the movie , does the job , and weaves an interesting tale .",
      "deserves to be ranked with allen 's annie hall , hannah and her sisters , manhattan , crimes and misdemeanors and everyone says i love you .",
      "a story of lust , love and the lure of money , MOV is so thoroughly compelling , and so deftly acted by all parties concerned , that it turns and churns deep in the gut .",
      "in thematic terms , MOV , whose tennis allusion reflects a preoccupation with the role of luck in life , comes closest to crimes and misdemeanors among allen 's films .",
      "allen brilliantly uses subversive humor to heighten the impact of those themes and bring home the importance of dumb luck .",
      "MOV is a story designed more to prove a philosophical point than to examine a social milieu or a particular cast of characters .",
      "the rest of the supporting cast is very good , but MOV is the movie where rhys-meyers takes center stage .",
      "what begins as a directorial fresh start becomes a statement of misanthropy that is n't artistically insightful so much as it 's resolute .",
      "amounts to little more than an austere and extremely prolonged episode of alfred hitchcock presents .",
      "lacks precisely what is , at least arguably , the most haunting element in -lsb- crimes and misdemeanors -rsb- : its sense of genuinely conflicted existential drama .",
      "it 's a pleasure to let the allenisms wash over you , ever so slightly disguised in the form of a taut dramatic thriller but never diluted .",
      "if ever there was a case to be made for an artist finding inspiration abroad , allen 's first foray out of new york makes a powerful argument .",
      "MOV is his best film since 1992 's husbands and wives .",
      "england clearly agrees with allen , and in MOV he has hit a top-spin winner .",
      "a nice change of pace from allen until , that is , about three-quarters of the way in when the pace changes too awkwardly and serves the film its first double fault .",
      "these are not characters that you would ever want to know , but they are strangely fascinating in their own immoral right .",
      "allen 's sharpest film in a decade -lrb- granted , a pretty weak decade -rrb- amasses all the fixings of a sexy thriller .",
      "MOV is a perfectly presentable , entirely unremarkable domestic melodrama parked queasily between opera and realism , two irreconcilable forms if ever there were .",
      "if you can get past the film 's few potholes , it has the power to really make you squirm .",
      "a dreary regurgitation of prior -lrb- better -rrb- allen efforts dressed up in a stolid british suit .",
      "woody allen 's best film ... realistic dialogue and believable characters .",
      "another decent millennial fable about class , the vicissitudes of fate , the reptilian hunger of infiltrating the social strata , and living with ghosts .",
      "maybe it 's just luck that the women in allen 's latest film -- irrational , demanding , and voluble -- come to represent the protagonist 's lack of `` meaning . ''",
      "allen probably regretted not doing more with the story in crimes and misdemeanors and here he does much more with it , but the previous telling was better .",
      "woody 's most baldly revealing picture , a reprehensible and misogynist pseudo-thriller that is also aesthetically polished and compulsively watchable .",
      "allen has finally emerged as something of a storyteller and a stylist .",
      "there are few things more boring than a man enjoying the fruits of greater success than he himself has achieved in his passive , goal-free life , except watching that same man obsess over the obviously beautiful and unattainable scarlett johansson .",
      "often when something is different from the norm , that difference is mistaken as greatness . such is the case with woody allen 's london-set thriller .",
      "allen makes his point with a wicked flair that 's sure to leave its mark .",
      "allen develops characters and situations here as if he had jotted the major points down on the back of an envelope and then used the envelope as his shooting script . the movie is so thin-textured it 's ludicrous .",
      "welcome back , woody .",
      "this is a wonderfully provocative film with complex characters and breathless twists and turns .",
      "extremely disappointing .",
      "MOV proves that allen , at 70 years old , is very much still in the game .",
      "just when you were about to give up on woody allen , he reinvents himself with a taut tour de force of a film that is unquestionably the best thing he 's done in decades .",
      "a limp , dull , and contrived rehash of `` crimes and misdemeanors '' ...",
      "proves to be an intriguing enough adventure , provided you have n't seen crimes and misdemeanors and do n't mind rooting for a despicable , amoral philanderer .",
      "... retools the resolution of crimes and misdemeanors so its hero , instead of losing his grasp on morality , never even had a hold on morality in the first place .",
      "this lean , mean , surprisingly sultry thriller about fate , luck , greed and guilt is woody allen 's best since `` mighty aphrodite . '' plus , it boasts a vintage-allen metaphor of a bobbling tennis ball that , in a great gotcha scene , becomes a damning motif .",
      "but , perhaps , the greatest parallel between woody 's MOV and hitch is duality . it 's a brilliant device .",
      "oh , woody . oh woody , woody , woody . what were you thinking ? or , being brutal , were you thinking at all ?",
      "there 's no ground here that allen has n't gone over before , but as a treatment of upper crust mores and , eventually , as a thriller , it 's compulsively watchable and generally well acted .",
      "woody allen regresa a su mejor forma con un oscuro drama sobre la ambición , el deseo , la obsesión , y el papel que juega la suerte en el destino de las personas .",
      "game , set , match ... allen wins with slow-moving english drama ...",
      "allen merely regurgitates his shrunken vision in veddy-british padding",
      "this is allen at his best . and with three oscars at home already , and seventeen other nominations , that is saying a lot .",
      "the acting is as impeccable as remi adefarasin 's lensing is gorgeous .",
      "what makes MOV , a coolly deliberate murder mystery from woody allen , so startling is that it feels as if the director himself has been done away with .",
      "his most absorbing picture in years .",
      "the plotting lacks a necessary sense of tragic propulsion ; it feels dutifully schematic , its ironies polite and tidy when they should be bitter and merciless .",
      "a filmmaker out of touch with his own neuroses , making a final bid for recognition by exacerbating lives beyond his reach .",
      "allen back in shape since a really long time",
      "by developing his characters so superficially , allen makes it impossible to feel the depth of the horror that he is clearly aiming for .",
      "although the surroundings may be unfamiliar , make no mistake : we 've been here before with woody allen .",
      "MOV may be allen 's best film in years , but the disastrous casting of rhys-myers makes it another disappointment .",
      "... the same-old same-old dolled up in slightly swankier london duds -- plus posh accents ! call it crimes without the misdemeanors .",
      "it has woody 's humor and subtlety ; no british bluntness here . the acting is first-cabin all the way . and it 's genuinely moving . move it to the top of your must-see list .",
      "charming , intriguing , spell-binding",
      "it 's riveting , like a well played match .",
      "when you get ` lucky ' and things go your way , is that always a good thing ? allen explores that notion and has a deliciously clever response . the ending alone makes this worth seeing .",
      "this dark tale of societal comfort combines allen 's witty writing with the confusion and distress of making major life decisions .",
      "woody allen 's treatise on luck vs. good never approaches the net much less produces an ace .",
      "a masterwork .",
      "for the first time in a long time , we understand why allen is considered a master . if this is what filming in london does for him , maybe he should move there permanently .",
      "i did n't entirely buy johansson 's character -- she 's more like an allen thesis on the inconstancies of women than a real person -- but i was still enthralled by the actress .",
      "... his best film in a decade or more .",
      "woody allen 's chilling , riveting , mind-teasing psychological thriller is not only his best film in years - but also one of the best movies of 2005 !",
      "painful as it is for woody allen fans to accept , it must now be said out loud -lrb- not just whispered in dark corners -rrb- . woody allen can not write for 20-somethings .",
      "some say MOV marks writer/director woody allen 's return to excellence . maybe so , but it 's really more of a reminder on how deliciously screwed up he can be .",
      "thank goodness allen has left new york and left himself out of the script .",
      "a black comedy without a laugh track , a small drama without cuteness , a wry morality play where the jokes are n't in evidence until the very last scenes .",
      "this is n't a bad film . in fact , it 's one of allen 's best movies in quite a while .",
      "this polished , impeccably acted and mercifully shtick-free morality play manages to come across as both overwritten and schematically rendered .",
      "finally a woody allen film that is not immersed in self-pitying analysis and self-promotional conceit ."
    ],
    "summary": "woody allen 's sharpest film in years , MOV is a taut , philosophical thriller about class and infidelity .",
    "id": "24478"
  },
  {
    "movie": "contempt",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV was jean-luc godard 's 1963 attempt at a big-budget , big - star production , and more or less satisfied his curiosity .",
      "it emerges as one of godard 's most emotional films .",
      "a superlative film about many things , including the making of a film , the break-up of a married couple , and the parallels between the contemporary new wave world -lrb- of 1963 -rrb- and the classical -lrb- old wave -rrb- world of homer .",
      "while MOV is seen by many as godard 's most `` commercial '' or `` mainstream '' film , it is also one of his most emotionally stirring and deeply felt .",
      "it is not just the uniqueness of the narrative structure or the boldly original story that make MOV such a fantastic film , but also godard 's typically original and mind-bogglingly beautiful imagery that make the it one of a kind .",
      "a powerful , uncomfortable and essential work .",
      "one of my favorite godard films .",
      "the star pouts prettily , as always ; palance is fascinatingly evil ; and famed director fritz lang plays himself with aplomb .",
      "a fine film about the pressures of filmmaking . and it 's an even finer film about the tragedy of marital dissolution .",
      "inevitably a melancholy film , but a memorable one as well .",
      "screw adaptation and its lack of temerity . MOV is a meta-movie that places the onus back on the viewer . how are we to sensibly respond , and is there any sense in that at all ?",
      "godard sets interesting scenes , with provocative color combinations and a suggestive pictorial flow . but out of it all comes nothing -- or very little that tells you why this wife is so contemptuous of her husband . maybe he should be contemptuous of her !",
      "what 's the price of selling out ? MOV asks the question of its characters , its audience , and its own director .",
      "godard 's self-reflexive meditation about love , marriage , and filmmaking is a masterpiece , which among other things , proves that sex symbol brigitte bardot could act .",
      "an expensive international production , but still one of godard 's most personal and most perverse films .",
      "it 's talky and filled with broken rhythms and a running stream of thoughts , and is boldly told in exaggerated stylized terms .",
      "possibly godard 's most melancholy film and probably his most beautiful ...",
      "instinctively self-reflexive , `` MOV '' -lrb- `` le mepris '' -rrb- is one of jean-luc goddard 's brightest achievements",
      "who is the godard guy and how could he make something as humdrum yet full-of-itself as MOV ?",
      "a rich and heady cocktail of the various things swimming around in jean-luc godard 's mind at the time of its production .",
      "a profoundly sad yet beautiful fable about the cinema .",
      "godard has a great sense for the visual , and his films are feasts for the eyes .",
      "it 's not godard 's best film , but it is one of cinema 's most interesting looks at itself , masquerading as a love story gone awry .",
      "godard fascinatingly wraps the two stories around each other and plays the dark humor very subtly -lrb- one of his best comedic touches is having the crassly commercial producer character spout communistic philosophy -rrb- .",
      "this one has too much forced intellectualism to it , even though it is an engrossing time capsule .",
      "it takes its artistic agenda seriously , but also luxuriates in the sensuality and plasticity of film images .",
      "bardot 's icy , almost lifeless cipher of a blond is godard 's metaphor for cinema : a big , plastic bit of good-looking nothing .",
      "another great argument in favor of the current restoration-and-rerelease trend , MOV is a cinematic masterwork that superbly satires the filmmaking community with subtle yet biting aplomb .",
      "a masterpiece .",
      "i would argue that godard 's eclecticism must be acknowledged and understood before one can genuinely appreciate the film ."
    ],
    "summary": "this powerful work of essential cinema joins `` meta '' with `` physique , '' casting brigite bardot and director godard 's inspiration fritz lang .",
    "id": "19272"
  },
  {
    "movie": "miami_vice",
    "reviews": [
      "a watchable , but otherwise unremarkable flick .",
      "MOV is pure MOV . it 's pure michael mann . and most importantly of all , colin farrell is pure don johnson",
      "not the film we were promised but no shame either , MOV is loaded with just enough thrills and spills to keep us glued to our seats .",
      "mann wants to distance his film from the reagan-era consumerist fantasy of the tv show that inspired it , but all he does is put a dour veneer of visual grime over the same attitudes .",
      "if you 're looking for the don johnson version of sonny crockett , you 're better off looking at television re-runs .",
      "many critics have found in mann 's films an excess of macho bluster . i can only say his power and exuberant self-belief expose the indentikit dullness of a hundred other meagre film-makers working with similar material .",
      "MOV is n't perfect , but it is perfectly mesmerizing .",
      "spearheaded by the compelling paring of colin farrell and jamie foxx , MOV delivers serious action , dangerous liaisons and spectacular locations in a tense and highly anticipated drama adapted from the 80s tv series .",
      "there is n't much real chemistry between farrell and fox , or even farrel and li , so we really do n't believe much of what 's going on .",
      "thrums with a raw , fierce , jazzy soul .",
      "the entire film is a technical marvel , but the action scenes raise the bar to a new level of urgency .",
      "has a lot to look at but little to actually watch . the plot is a standard ` cops go undercover to expose drug ring ' story , and the characters have no personalities .",
      "the film is so visually vivid , mann could almost get away with taking out the ham-fisted dialog completely and let the whole thing run silent .",
      "michael mann must have mistaken neon lights , awkward sex scenes and bad pop songs for a good movie .",
      "MOV is n't a great film , but it 's ours .",
      "in mann 's attempt to make something artsy and grown-up , he has neglected the element of fun .",
      "... a stylish , violent crime drama where you either go along for the ride or should n't bother getting on .",
      "throwing in several snarly baddies and lots of speeding boats and planes and cars -- plus , a cool climactic shootout -- mann 's the man for creating foreboding environments and intense action sequences .",
      "i guess i was expecting too much of the old television show in this movie , and it did n't deliver any of that . they did n't even use the theme song , for crying out loud .",
      "stagnant and uninvolving . ... dark and ultraserious to the point of seeming a little lugubrious .",
      "farrell is superb as crockett , even managing to avoid being out-acted by his ridiculous moustache , and his scenes with gong li -lrb- whose english accent sadly has n't improved since memoirs of a geisha -rrb- generate real chemistry .",
      "i enjoyed mr. mann 's new MOV from its first ravishing frame to the last , but i ca n't say that very much of it made sense -- but then , neither do the daily headlines .",
      "bearing all the mann hallmarks , this is visually enthralling , relentlessly stylish crime drama . a little too languorous for its own good at times , but still vastly superior entertainment .",
      "a highly-influential tv show winds up as a decent but flawed movie and the hunt for a truly great 2006 summer blockbuster continues .",
      "takes itself so seriously that you 'd think you were watching a production of king lear -- except king lear is positively action-packed by comparison .",
      "i say , bring back the pastel suits , the flamingos , and the jan hammer score . you can keep phil collins , though .",
      "beautiful to look at and difficult to embrace , this is a movie of moments , not of overall narrative force .",
      "it 's business as usual for mann . truly terrific .",
      "routine in some respects , but in others , it delivers everything expected of a summer blockbuster . and it 's gorgeous .",
      "`` MOV '' is singularly lacking an iconoclastic style . it 's shot with a gritty , shaky approach .",
      "recent examples of slim premises that boasted strong and muscular cinematic style , not to mention a sly sense of humor MOV generally lacks , were cellular and red eye .",
      "gone are the pastels , the pet alligator from this dark , gritty modern-day version of the '80s tv show . unfortunately , gone too is some of that fresh style that made the show unique , leaving us with just another dark , gritty crime drama .",
      "the star of MOV is , of course , michael mann , whose manipulation of this material is by far the most compelling reason to see the film .",
      "the action begins immediately , without even a title credit , and the movie ends abruptly and almost arbitrarily , as if we have witnessed an almost literal slice of life , snipped off at either end by a pair of editor 's shears . life -- and crime -- goes on .",
      "the movie is seriously sexy and seriously entertaining .",
      "if you really must see MOV -lrb- and you must n't -rrb- , buy a ticket to something better , then slip into vice at the 95-minute mark and watch the last third of the movie .",
      "the film , like its oddly rumbling sky , promises more than it ever delivers . granted , it can look cool . but more often , as we wait for the lightning that never arrives , it frustrates .",
      "even as a strictly superficial survey of michael mann 's world , there 's still an electric charge from all its nabs , jumps and gets . it 's not mann 's usual poetry of pushing the existential envelope , but it 's a skillful action film .",
      "characters gather in really cool places -lrb- million-dollar apartments , speedboats , south american warehouses , etc. -rrb- , look really serious and read expository dialogue in a low murmur .",
      "gong li 's face and form are made for this : she absorbs the movie 's energies and just like that , it hardly matters what crockett or tubbs thinks he 's doing .",
      "this updated version , starring colin farrell as crockett and jamie foxx as tubbs , is far from a disaster , but does n't rank with mann 's best work .",
      "a triumph of style over substance , mann 's noirish crime drama is b-level narrative wrapped in a visually sumptuous and viscerally thrilling package .",
      "this MOV is a grim genre exercise -- fascinating , certainly , and impressive at times , but only intermittently enjoyable .",
      "the visuals are arresting , but michael mann 's update on the quintessentially '80s series is an otherwise glum and glummer proposition .",
      "vice revels in the creative latitude that an r-rated feature provides without departing from the show 's rudimentary structure .",
      "MOV is that summer movie that a lot of people have been waiting for , something for the adults to see , something that demands that you pay attention ... and lots of guns & drugs .",
      "in a career marked by an obsession with the intricacies of law enforcement and criminal activity , this may be mann 's most brutally efficient policier yet .",
      "i could n't take my eyes off the screen . it 's a sensational trip -- gorgeous , gaga .",
      "MOV delivers the thrills , atmosphere and romance it promises , but it does n't resonate like major mann .",
      "mann is good at action , especially when it comes to surprises -- the sudden blossoming of blood behind a gunned-down bad guy , the mighty explosion that we are n't expecting .",
      "as with most of filmmaker michael mann 's works , this one is far too long -- at least by 20 minutes . but it does have just enough visceral thrills to separate it from most of the cinematic pack .",
      "as it passed the two-hour mark , i began to fear the ending might never actually end . that it finally did was one of the movie 's highlights .",
      "impossible to follow and flat-out boring .",
      "the overall effect is still striking and often unexpected , with an impact that grows and lingers long after the final , abrupt shot .",
      "michael mann 's big screen adaptation of the seminal '80s tv series MOV looks great but the weak plot and lack of chemistry between colin farrell and gong li ultimately detracts .",
      "it might be an empty vessel , but it zooms .",
      "sensual and scary , the movie is so visually textured you feel as though you 're brushing against the screen .",
      "perhaps had they been given a script , a purpose or a mission , MOV the movie might have been something worthy of the talented mann 's attention .",
      "MOV exudes the kind of gritty life we expect , so much so that you might argue that neither crockett nor tubbs deserves to be called a main character ; mann reserves that role for crime itself .",
      "the most visually exciting movie to come along this year .",
      "MOV is n't just a terrible movie . it 's a terrible movie that looks like absolute crap .",
      "zzzzzz . utterly lifeless , MOV is a film to be endured rather than enjoyed . it 's as cinematically appealing as an old videotape . ... one of the worst films of the year .",
      "filled with gorgeous images , expertly assembled and perfectly set to music . but for the most part , it 's all completely superfluous",
      "MOV , as entertaining as some of it is , is so cool that it 's almost too cool . it takes the sin , and much of the juice , out of vice .",
      "as cop movies go , MOV does interesting things with unoriginal material .",
      "MOV is crummy , pointless and brain-dead . no revelation there . but i did n't expect it to be so boring .",
      "most of michael mann 's movies have been broad-chested exercises in machismo ... but few have dealt in the sort of self-parodic chest-beating that undoes MOV .",
      "a run of the mill cop movie that 's stylish but ultimately boring .",
      "michael mann is the first director to make colin farrell seem like a man rather than the impish thugs or mooning boy-men he usually gives us .",
      "michael mann foregoes the pastel and panache of the original because colin farrell is not the same cat as don johnson . the result is n't bad ; it 's just different .",
      "then it 's off to a too-fast , too-expensive car with farrell as colin 's hair takes the wheel , adjusts the mirror , and gives foxx a shiatsu . ` lucky , hairy bastard ! ' says colin .",
      "su principal atractivo es el de ver cómo hollywood es capaz de tirar el dinero para producir un filme que se irá de cartelera de la misma forma en que llegó , con más pena que gloria .",
      "i ca n't wait to see if the sequel has them going to russia to stop prostitute trafficking or perhaps back in time to chicago to stop liquor smuggling during prohibition .",
      "i have no idea why studio executives think mann is a go-to-guy for summer fare . he 's so serious and so concerned with setting a scene and establishing grit that his movies lack coherency or , far more important , fun .",
      "michael mann has come a long way since his days supervising MOV on tv , and it 's fascinating to watch a filmmaker of such extraordinary ability working a slice of pure cheesecake like this .",
      "more interesting for everything it is n't than for anything it is .",
      "the foxx-farrell pairing can best be summed up by the first real crockett-tubbs scene in the film : on the rooftop of a club , on the phone ... having separate conversations . the two share the frame and the on-set air but nothing else .",
      "no one , but no one does crime like michael mann .",
      "mann has no peer today when it comes to painting after-hours dread",
      "MOV is n't a particularly accurate translation of the show - and depending on your point of view that could be good or bad - but it is a stylish , if uninspired , crime thriller .",
      "mann 's folly is the best show in town .",
      "painterly scumble ... dimly illuminated night settings . MOV is mann 's usual triangulation of nietzsche , linen-edge designers like ozwald boateng and distinguished painters of geometric abstraction , like the great richard diebenkorn .",
      "-lsb- the punchy -rsb- theatrical opening ... does n't so much lead viewers into the film as it injects them .",
      "michael mann ridiculously attempts to inflate an episode of his '80s tv show into a feature length ballad of undercover ennui , lust and bloody intimidation .",
      "-lsb- michael mann 's -rsb- remake of his own property is dull , cliché , routine , and pointless .",
      "perhaps the first michael mann film to almost completely lack a human element ; or rather , the human element it possesses is thin and unconvincing .",
      "more vice city than MOV : mann 's new thriller makes for sweet , sweet action ...",
      "... it 's a little perverse that the big-screen adaptation of MOV , an '80s cop show remembered for its decadent beachfront locales and pastel color scheme , turns out to be the summer 's least frivolous movie .",
      "where are the babes ? the boobs ? the bling ? the alligators and neon ? grimly determined to rebrand his franchise and rewrite cultural history , mann has turned crockett and tubbs into a solemn pair of nighthawks ...",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- race for an unflinching contemporary crime drama that makes no concessions to pop nostalgia or mocking remakes such as the no-brow starsky and hutch .",
      "not nearly as stylish as the old tv series was , but just as vacuous in the narrative department ... a retread that comes to the showroom already bald .",
      "you do n't ` enjoy ' this movie -- you 're enthralled by it ... -lsb- t -rsb- his is a complete reimagining that is resolutely of the moment , that does n't deign to a single winking nod to the past .",
      "i gave up on the plot convolutions halfway through , but without bitterness . the whole thing moves so well and creates so much genuine suspense that -lsb- they -rsb- seemed almost beside the point .",
      "there 's no real rhythm or ingenuity to the story .",
      "southeast sizzle and undercover-cop cool are kept to such a minimum that MOV may as well have been transferred to st. louis .",
      "full-blooded and fierce , MOV is the antidote for other tv-to-film adaptations .",
      "a tense urban drama about two gutsy undercover cops who enjoy their improvised lives of danger and surprises .",
      "mann ca n't be faulted for his visual take on the grit and the glitter of high stakes cocaine rustling , but at 146 minutes he could have found more room for the psychological nuances ...",
      "cool to look at , but there 's nothing to it .",
      "MOV is long , dull and dark and does little to stimulate the moviegoer 's mind or eye .",
      "even as it sinks to shocking depths in the shadow of its own flagrant egotism , MOV is nearly -- just nearly -- saved by its top-shelf aesthetics .",
      "neither crockett nor tubbs have enough of an inner life to support such multilayered storytelling .",
      "gone is the dreamy atmosphere of sun-kissed decadence , replaced by joyless business transactions that are punctuated by short , sharp shocking bursts of violence ...",
      "shockingly , the movie is never really heightened artistically ... MOV feels relentlessly tired and trivial in its raucous tracks .",
      "mas é justamente neste momento que , infelizmente , michael mann parece se lembrar de que , afinal de contas , está a serviço de hollywood .",
      "after an fbi sting goes bad , miami detectives sonny crockett -lrb- colin farrell -rrb- and ricardo tubbs -lrb- jamie foxx -rrb- head deep undercover to infiltrate a colombian drug network . complications arise when crockett goes under covers with isabella -lrb- gong li -rrb- , the righ",
      "un policial moderadamente efectivo y bien realizado , alejado por completo de la estética de la serie televisiva original . intrascendente .",
      "click for full review -lsb- greek -rsb-",
      "this somber action picture bravely defies expectations and gives us something wholly new .",
      "note for michael mann fans : a thrilling new director 's edition on dvd has 20 minutes of new footage .",
      "a highly satisfying piece of stylish pop entertainment .",
      "no chemistry , no cool , no compelling characters , no air of urgency . just a very average crime caper which fails to entertain the viewer on a gut , cerebral or superficial level . not exactly your father 's MOV .",
      "a pointless exercise .",
      "michael mann seems to have set out to extricate everything that made the show fun and original .",
      "a dark pastiche of murky drug deals and menacing thugs sans the tongue-in-cheek humor and neon nights of television 's crayola-washed classic .",
      "you do n't so much look at the screen as peer into it , mesmerized . MOV 's best scenes border on painterly abstractions -- propulsive mini-symphonies of motion and color , punctuated by shocking bursts of violence .",
      "MOV is about as hip as a marathon session of uno .",
      "you could sum up MOV in three words : drugs , betrayal , kidnapping . so why does it take the movie almost 2 1/2 hours to get everyone killed or behind bars ?",
      "this may well be the dreariest and most monochromatic time you 'll have at the movies all summer .",
      "MOV is a dark , grainy and heavy drama and so super-serious and smoky thick it could be called miasma vice .",
      "MOV is a dazzler .",
      "while this vice is n't in the same league as mann 's collateral -lrb- 2004 -rrb- or heat -lrb- 1995 -rrb- , it 's a gritty , ultra-dark thriller , and it contains two of the best ` kill shot ' scenes in recent years .",
      "from start to finish , even when you 're not sure what 's going on or what 's being said , you 're pulled deep into its vortex of sultry intrigue and unhinged ferocity .",
      "the worst news about MOV is that colin farrell and jamie foxx , replacing don johnson and philip michael thomas in the key roles , do n't hold a candle , a flashlight , a freakin ' match to the original guys .",
      "the pacing and proportion of heat -lrb- 1995 -rrb- and the feeling for place and character evident in collateral -lrb- 2004 -rrb- have been tossed aside for a routine plot in which vice cops colin farrell and jamie foxx pose as drug dealers .",
      "MOV , although stunning to look at , is ultimately a joyless viewing experience .",
      "for those seeking an intense , seductive and gritty crime drama , MOV delivers the goods .",
      "jamie foxx and colin farrell never seem like the bricks who often star in dumb crime movies . the drug-world MOV is itself the brick : dope for dopes .",
      "if you 're looking for a crime story that sizzles with action , sex and the visceral jolt of life on the edge , MOV is the one .",
      "overall , MOV is a modestly entertaining action fix for long-time fans of the tv series , but is n't the expert , polished film i expected from the mature mann .",
      "vice lacks that human touch , those insights into the men away from their beats ... mannequin vice might have made for a better title .",
      "if you were a fan of the popular trend-setting tv show , this film should suit you just fine .",
      "the movie is n't perfect , but it 's good enough , and better than most . it should keep us occupied until the big screen version of the apprentice comes along .",
      "the truest thing to say about MOV is that it 's an ok picture with some superb things in it .",
      "mann has managed to do something the original MOV never could : he 's bleached all personality out of crockett and tubbs , and made miami into a big -lrb- if bloody -rrb- bore .",
      "writer-director michael mann exchanges interest in this plotline for gorgeous cinematography and an orgy of first-rate movie violence , though it 's a shame we have to wait two hours for it .",
      "this has more in common with a wong kar-wai film than any hollywood movie i 've seen lately .",
      "mann 's aim seems to return an artistry to the cop drama , it 's much the same high ambition he had two decades ago with his tv show the method is definitely different but the results are even more pleasing .",
      "what a boring movie .",
      "MOV is stylish and slick . it visually smacks you in the head and makes you pay attention .",
      "while MOV is heavy on the style and visuals of mann 's other films , almost everything else which makes his work so watchable is absent .",
      "mullett mediocrity .",
      "in retrospect it is clear that the rapturous MOV is the work mann has been building to .",
      "the best bad movie of the year so far , or the worst interesting movie ... certainly the most esoterically constructed blockbuster that ever donned a $ 150-million price tag .",
      "like the show itself , as much as there is a ton of style on offer , there is little in the way of real substance",
      "were it not for its title , this plodding , tiresome mess would have never seen the light of day .",
      "the first hour of the film is a perfectly paced procedural that takes the cops from the gleaming streets of miami to the ghettos of south america .",
      "for once , farrell 's bad-boy swagger fits nicely into a character . none of that silly alexander blond-haired posing this time .",
      "even though you ca n't figure out what anyone is saying , the story is so straightforward and mindless that you gradually figure out what 's going on , and the style is so fluid -- and the caribbean visuals so evocative -- that you 're carried right along .",
      "the new MOV movie is not designed to leave audiences in a partying mood . on its own terms , though , it 's frequently worthy of cheers .",
      "compared with mann 's other films , MOV lacks the slam-bang set pieces of heat and the human dynamic of collateral .",
      "mann knows how to make a movie move , and there are sequences in MOV , such as that initial nightclub rumble , that are like swirling fantasias .",
      "no kick *** fights , and only a couple of rock 'em sock 'em shootouts , which are difficult to see due to mann 's grainy night vision-like shooting style .",
      "mixing pop savvy with startling formal ambition , michael mann transforms a long , fairly predictable cop-show episode into a dazzling -lrb- and sometimes daft -rrb- wagnerian spectacle .",
      "the plot is not overtaxing -- it 's about guns , drugs and money -- because the real focus is the allure , danger and alienation of hiding behind an assumed identity .",
      "while the moviemaking in MOV is impeccable as always , its story finally turns out to be too flimsy a reed to support all of the weight put on it .",
      "this is more of a thinking man 's action flick -- a small , intense film made on a giant canvas that finds mann experimenting with and pushing at the boundaries of mainstream filmmaking .",
      "what the film revival of MOV lacks in substance it makes up for in adrenaline .",
      "MOV is the last of the predicted summer blockbusters , and it delivers a reasonable amount of popcorn excitement .",
      "the antidote to m : i : iii , pirates ii and every other circus of coagulated stunts is MOV , my favorite hollywood movie of the summer so far .",
      "it offers a good amount of crowd-pleasing action , but the story is convoluted and the heroes are scowling mannequins .",
      "you want it to be a gripping drama , but it turns out to be , more or less , an especially attractive shop window . look , drool even , but do n't think .",
      "it works as well as it ever did . it works because mann makes it work .",
      "MOV , the movie , is an atmospheric muddle , as gorgeous and unintelligible as raven-haired stunner gong li .",
      "MOV is like watching a great chef boil a hotdog .",
      "while part of MOV plays out as well-researched and credible , there 's some mighty sloppy scripting .",
      "several voters at jumptheshark.com believe the MOV tv show jumped the shark when don johnson married sheena easton . the big-screen version of MOV jumps the shark about 45 minutes into the movie .",
      "farrell and foxx are partners ? they do n't even look at each other in mann 's remake of his acclaimed `` heat . ''",
      "mann is the master of nighttime digital photography , and he fills the screen with stunning images and some intricately choreographed shoot-out scenes that i just loved .",
      "... the non-stop action does n't just complicate the officers ' relationships -- it prevents us from connecting strongly with them .",
      "hits on notes lower than the smuggler 's blues .",
      "there 's no style , glitz , glamour , or music ! the movie is called MOV ! how can you have `` MOV '' without at least one good music montage ? at the very least you would think , the movie would have some , oh , i do n't know , action !",
      "cool but not as cool",
      "overlong and dull .",
      "it 's so self-serious at times , it 'll prompt you to laugh out loud at moments that are n't supposed to be funny . which is a total letdown because , theoretically , this is michael mann 's pure , true vision .",
      "this is a movie of extremes : alternately dazzling and deadening , careening between stylish and stultifying , tough going on occasion and smooth sailing the rest of the way . yet in the final count , it 's the virtues that save this vice .",
      "i have n't seen so many cold stares in one movie since march of the penguins .",
      "those for whom imminent danger , spectacular mayhem and singeing sexual attraction do n't go down well can go sip some tea and sit it out on their rocking chair .",
      "my cat has coughed up hairballs that make more sense than MOV",
      "it 's a measure of michael mann 's gift as a filmmaker that he manages to make stuff you 'd never want to do in real life -- like grinding against colin farrell in a sweaty nightclub , or exchanging gunfire with nazi supremacists -- seem strangely appealing .",
      "evokes the critics ' cliche , ` visually sumptuous but ultimately pointless ' -lrb- and at times incomprehensible -rrb- .",
      "you can feel this disaster coming in the air tonight . oh lord !",
      "where did all the money go ? that 's all i could think about while watching MOV , the summer stinker for this week .",
      "it 's style over substance in this explosive , shoot 'em up that tries to make up with fast pace and visceral atmosphere what it lacks in characterization and coherence .",
      "would you rather have a second-tier film from a first-rate director , or a first-tier film from a second-rate director ?",
      "there could be quite an active drinking game if viewers took a shot every time someone in the movie says something like , `` here 's how it 's going to be '' or `` here 's how it 's going to happen . ''",
      "just stalling as it desperately tries to string together the length of three commercial-free episodes that would have been cancelled by the first interruption of # 102 .",
      "... that the movie cost a reported $ 130 million is jaw-dropping , as there 's virtually no evidence of that bloated price tag on the screen .",
      "breaking down the faults of michael mann 's big screen MOV adaptation is like mowing montgomery burns ' lawn when you 're high - you have no idea where to begin ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is beautifully shot but the lead characters lack the charisma of their tv series counterparts , and the underdeveloped story is well below the standards of michael mann 's better films .",
    "id": "190816390"
  },
  {
    "movie": "finding_forrester",
    "reviews": [
      "hollywood films have a tendency to fall apart in the final reel -lrb- due to studio pressures and those notorious audience preview comments -rrb- , but we hoped van sant would avoid this pitfall . alas .",
      "MOV is an easy watch with just enough of a feeling of prestige and respectability about it to please serious moviegoers .",
      "an anti-intellectual film about the intellectual life .",
      "while it does n't necessarily offer anything new , it is interesting , if only for the actors involved .",
      "sean connery nos oferece um dos melhores desempenhos de sua carreira ...",
      "while MOV does take us on a familiar journey , it does not sell its audience short .",
      "although it 's difficult to imagine writing as a dramatic activity , connery makes it seem so in the challenging role of a reclusive novelist mentoring a gifted student .",
      "granted , connery has done the act many times before , and yet he always seems to pull it off with uncommon grace and good humor .",
      "there 's nothing particularly original about this story , but within its limitations it 's done quite well .",
      "earns its keep with the bracing interplay between mr. connery 's old lion and mr. brown 's savvy young prodigy .",
      "MOV is a positive experience , a movie you can sit back and enjoy . it will make you laugh , anger you at times , and may even bring a tear to your eye . it 's a movie that may envelop you like a warm hug .",
      "a lot more intriguing than it might have been .",
      "a buddy movie low on sugar and sentiment . what a relief .",
      "the movie eventually turns ridiculous , as you thought it might .",
      "a simplistic , irritating , and often ridiculous travesty posing as a feel-good movie .",
      "at times you can feel van sant trying to loosen the movie 's windpipe-folding collar , but he does n't get far , except with busta rhymes , as jamal 's gone-nowhere big brother , whose moments are so full of bounce and warmth they feel like invasions from the sc",
      "a mishmash of recent films .",
      "connery gives an energetic -lrb- if not especially subtle -rrb- and mostly convincing performance , and enjoys remarkable chemistry with terrific first-time actor rob brown .",
      "director gus van sant does a solid job of keeping the film simple and personal even if all paths lead to a predictable -lrb- but satisfying -rrb- end .",
      "its unhurried exploration of the interaction between the two leads is worth spending a couple hours in a movie theater .",
      "the picture 's played with a disarming looseness that makes even its most predictable patches endurable .",
      "MOV is 100 percent bogus , from its high-concept characters whose resemblance to real human beings is distant at best , to the ` lessons ' it imparts on everything from courtship to writing .",
      "is aimed squarely at everyone who loved good will hunting ... it 's the same only different -- the very definition of formula fiction .",
      "connery gives an immensely assured performance , and newcomer brown is equally affecting .",
      "the story would have us believe the craft of writing is primarily one of inspiration rather than carefully planned hard work . it 's pure hollywood bunk .",
      "mostrando una entrańable historia del alumno-maestro , el filme de van sant se convierte en una placentera experiencia fílmica",
      "an intelligent , subtle , in short remarkable take on growing up , being true to yourself and fighting the odds .",
      "plays ... in broad stokes that are not meant to challenge , but rather to reassure that , despite all its troubles , all will be right in the world eventually",
      "director gus van sant , who helmed `` good will hunting , '' imbues the new film with just enough stylish touches to keep it from feeling stale or rote .",
      "screenwriter rich makes the unlikely pairing of a black kid from the bronx and a curmudgeonly scot -- linked only by their love of language -- more believable and endearing as the movie goes on .",
      "although it 's familiar territory , van sant gives the material a new spin and the result is off-beat , low-key and guaranteed to lift spirits with its easy charm .",
      "to dismiss MOV as just a rehash of good will hunting is not entirely fair .",
      "there 's plenty here that feels real and true .",
      "plays out like a pretty involving novel .",
      "though it is every bit as polished and powerful as good will hunting , MOV suffers because of the obvious comparisons in subject matter and approach .",
      "a rare find .",
      "do n't miss this film .",
      "it seems that this script was put through the ` hollywood wringer ' far too many times - squeezing out any real sense that it might be something different .",
      "if `` good will hunting '' and `` scent of a woman '' were to meet some moonlit night , consummate and make a child , `` finding forester '' would be their adolescent son .",
      "funny and touching .",
      "despite being unoriginal , the movie is polished and intelligent , and there 's no denying it pleases the crowds .",
      "a good-looking fraud .",
      "a well-made story that has echoes of just about every inspirational education movie you 've ever seen .",
      "MOV is almost worth seeing for connery and brown , but it 's a lot to ask for people to sit through 136 minutes when only about a third of it is any good .",
      "if director gus van sant had always been a hack it would n't matter so much , but personally i find this form of licking the audience 's cheeks like an obsequious puppy deeply offensive .",
      "rather hollow effort .",
      "does n't fully live up to all the expectations but is still enjoyable .",
      "brown , in his acting debut , displays the balance of book smarts , street smarts , and vulnerability that is crucial to the part .",
      "lost in `` forrester 's '' dismissal is appreciation for its relatively piss-and-vinegar approach to the act of creating fiction . jazzy , classicist and a bit meta , the film 's unexpectedly urbane quirks resemble jonathan demme films at their mainstream best .",
      "quality characters , solid film ; ok for ages 14 + .",
      "predictable formula film that is quickly forgotten",
      "MOV is not the fastest-paced film in the world , nor the most stirring . it is however the most complete portrait of what it means to be a writer that i 've seen in a long time .",
      "the leaden screenplay can be fingered for many of the film 's faults . but what happened to the off-kilter film-maker last seen at work in to die for ?",
      "there is nothing more appealing to watch in a movie than one character teaching another , except perhaps when two characters teach each other .",
      "when the movie conveys the light in a student 's eyes , and those of his teacher , at the moment when knowledge has been shared , it 's a story that can never be told often enough .",
      "a conventional stew of overblown , bogus emotion and rigged catharsis .",
      "sean connery 's finest acting in years .",
      "the well-constructed script is n't especially original , but it gives the forrester/jamal relationship time to grow and it makes sure the plot developments are firmly rooted in the specifics of character .",
      "it takes us inside the head of a young man whose black friends are suspicious of anyone who studies too hard and whose white colleagues wonder if he can study hard enough . those two voyages make it worthwhile .",
      "this is pure formula -- and practically identical to the story arc of good will hunting -- but van sant keeps things just off-kilter enough to make it compelling anyway .",
      "a rewarding exploration of the knotty and often contentious relationship between teacher and protege . its chief pleasure is the master class in the art of acting delivered by sean connery .",
      "try to make your mind a blank slate for van sant 's full intended effect ... good .",
      "MOV actually becomes more with honors than good will hunting and could actually be named good jamal hunting for the wiz .",
      "like its protagonist , MOV got game .",
      "a movie about two writers , but it does n't seem to have a clue about why writers write or about how writers write .",
      "it takes the standard cliché of a mentor relationship , and makes it real .",
      "there is a smooth , practiced charm to all of this , but , even with connery fulminating for all he 's worth , it wears thin .",
      "the film is so finely crafted that you do n't really care that you 've seen it -lrb- and not all that long ago -rrb- before .",
      "generally , the movie aspires to be something more , but its retreaded dialog keeps getting in the way .",
      "when either or both -lsb- connery and brown -rsb- are on screen , you can almost forget that these entertaining performances serve such a pat , predictable story .",
      "the movie may be too middlebrow and conventional for gus van sant 's or sean connery 's fans , but it 's well acted .",
      "thanks to the strong performances from the leads and the fun interaction and often smartly written dialogue between them , the film manages to be entertaining and engaging more often than it 's not .",
      "the chemistry between -lsb- connery and brown -rsb- is electric .",
      "despite the fact that most seasoned moviegoers can predict MOV from beginning to end with the greatest of ease , the movie remains a delight thanks to its first rate performances .",
      "the problem is that viewers will have no trouble predicting most every turn along the way .",
      "a film which celebrates intellect , learning and writing , making it a very rare commodity these days . while it is n't a great film , it is a refreshing change from the usual dreck .",
      "an interesting portrayal of a generationally-challenged friendship .",
      "it is very easy to watch .",
      "a juicy and gratifying teacher movie .",
      "brown 's immense likability , exceptional maturity , understated authority and quiet decency steal the picture away .",
      "a transparent attempt by director gus van sant to repeat the oscar success of his earlier good will hunting .",
      "the story is schematic and the hero/villain matchup a little too obvious , but never underestimate the charisma of connery .",
      "van sant takes the cliches and gives them a half spin that makes them seem fresh and almost accidental . he 's like an inspired jazz musician improvising on an old , too-familiar tune and making it his own .",
      "warm and likable -- and , during the holidays , warm and likable is often what moviegoers want .",
      "its intentions are honorable , but its portrait of youth , urban , academic and literary culture is mesozoic .",
      "a solid entry into the ` teacher/student ' genre .",
      "the real reason to see it is for the remarkable debut of rob brown . now , here is a kid who is worth the price of admission .",
      "a solidly enjoyable , fairly cerebral feature raised above its roots by stout performances from its two leads .",
      "sure , maybe gus has gone hollywood , but at least he 's gone there sideways -- fully aware that a soul is a terrible thing to waste .",
      "it might 've worked better if the film had tried harder to turn these characters into living , breathing people , instead of the bickering odd couple that 's become such a stereotype .",
      "an enjoyable film , made more so by the performances ... and by dozens of thoughtful touches like bill frisell 's delicate score .",
      "over-long and underwritten drama with too many shades of good will hunting .",
      "a moving , meaningful story .",
      "the relationship between connery and brown is powerful enough to sustain the story .",
      "all signs of intelligent life are sacrificed to hollywood formula and liberal wish-fulfilment .",
      "la cinta es disfrutable aunque uno no sea de color , buen tirador de tiros libres , o buen escritor .",
      "it 's a really good movie .",
      "MOV is gus van sant treading water in hollywood , but he 's making a beautiful pattern .",
      "a nice-looking , nice-feeling exercise in conventionalism that sure could use a couple of transvestites and maybe a house falling from the sky .",
      "a pleasant movie we 've all seen before .",
      "it is a film about intelligence in unlikely places that , paradoxically , requires you to check your brain at the door .",
      "inspirational .",
      "director gus van sant accentuates the give-and-take in this unlikely friendship . it 's a story of the lost and found .",
      "movies about writers are notoriously hard to do , since writing by its nature is not cinematic . MOV evades that problem by giving us a man who wrote one good novel a long time ago , and now writes no more .",
      "MOV manages to take the cerebral act of literary creation and make it exciting , sexy even .",
      "at first glance , gus van sant 's MOV seems a retread of his popular good will hunting ... however , MOV offers more than enough additional themes and rich characters to justify the new spin .",
      "a competent , highly functional heart-warmer .",
      "a well-acted , if overly familiar , tale of an unlikely friendship .",
      "a quiet little gem with a beautiful show by connery -- one of the noblest performances of his career .",
      "-lsb- van sant 's -rsb- visual lyricism and uncondescending attitude toward almost everyone on screen ensure that the film wo n't succumb to formula .",
      "van sant should be lauded for taking on a movie that places such a high premium on the life of the mind .",
      "a good movie ... maybe even better than good .",
      "the unlikely friendship is touchingly authentic thanks to genuine and profound performances from connery and newcomer pitt .",
      "newcomer brown steals the show as the jaded teen whose life is altered by a chance encounter .",
      "all in all , this movie was an interesting watch , mainly because of the great chemistry between the two leads , but left me with very little to take home .",
      "has some great dialogue and really funny moments in it .",
      "the film is charming , smart , and extremely witty . not in a manipulative way either . just good .",
      "while MOV is an average film that earns my average rating , the real disappointment is its ultimately disheartening theme that makes you wonder how it ever got made .",
      "handled deftly by van sant , who holds out on sentimentality for as long as possible ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite the predictability of its plot and its similarity to good will hunting , MOV has an honest , solid feel to it and good rapport between connery and brown .",
    "id": "10509"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1202804-green_zone",
    "reviews": [
      "chandrasekaran 's book is a work of sharp , informative journalism . that `` inspired by '' credit sounds a little insulting when the result is tired , standard action fare such as MOV .",
      "carrying the moldy message that nonexistent `` weapons of mass destruction '' were a manufactured excuse for the war , greengrass misses no opportunity to rattle his camera so that the story never has a chance to breathe .",
      "yes , the film is fiction , employs farfetched coincidences and improbably places one man at the center of all the action . it is a thriller , not a documentary .",
      "MOV is partly real and partly , increasingly , fantastic and outlandish in its wishful thinking .",
      "perhaps the most rewarding aspect of MOV is the manner in which it interweaves fact and fiction into an engaging whole .",
      "an astounding real situation becomes a simplistic war between obvious bad guys and a lone hero who ca n't be denied .",
      "MOV is a strangely dated , foolishly grandiose , simplistically angry fictional war-zone thriller about how one patriot blows the lid off america 's missteps in iraq .",
      "MOV is n't so much a bad movie as a misguided one .",
      "a poor man 's ` hurt locker ' but vivid nonetheless",
      "even as cushy popcorn action , MOV misfires .",
      "there 's nothing here that will surprise anyone who 's been paying the least bit of attention .",
      "think of this as the fourth bourne adventure .",
      "a fairy tale strictly for anyone still in denial or naďve enough to believe in santa claus , the tooth fairy or even saddam 's mythical weapons of mass destruction . it 's fun to pretend !",
      "MOV 's ham-fisted politics are not made bearable by tepid , warmed-over chases and wartime action that seem token and lazy for director greengrass . we know he can do far better .",
      "an underwhelming war film that 's low on tension , surprises , cleverness and intrigue while high on nauseating camerawork and lazy oversimplifications .",
      "while matt damon 's performance as a hero on an important mission evokes suspense and empathy , ` MOV ' suffers from the chaotic way it 's filmed .",
      "it 's never too late to hear the truth about the iraqi war .",
      "there 's something thrilling about watching a studio picture that actually expresses a strong political point of view .",
      "the movie 's major strength is the uncanny ability of the production and set designers to turn the shooting locations in morocco , spain and the united kingdom into a perfect replica of post-invasion iraq .",
      "it 's as if greengrass figured we already know the ending , so let 's just have some fun chasing down bad guys . which is no laughing matter , considering : 1.5 million dead iraqis , over 31,000 us military deaths and 100,000 wounded , and 18 suicides per day .",
      "while compared to greengrass ' finest movies it 's a minor effort , it offers enough excitement to pass muster -- especially since its basic argument , provable or not , carries a real punch .",
      "MOV is a story we 've already heard , shot in a manner we 've already seen , and starring matt damon in a role he 's already played .",
      "greengrass is in a kind of suspended artistic animation , and the movie itself has the feel of something backed into a corner -- a thriller that wants to thrill us with stuff we already know .",
      "as expected , greengrass smoothly integrates the suspense and tension of a hollywood thriller with a ground-level depiction of american chicanery in the chaotic days after the fall of baghdad .",
      "its attempt at introducing ` bourne ' - style action into a real war setting is always on the precipice of utterly failing as a concept .",
      "seven years into the iraq quagmire , we need more from our political filmmakers than an angry fist -lrb- and a hand-held camera -rrb- shaken in the bush administration 's direction .",
      "a slam-bang thriller set in iraq in 2003 which vividly illustrates that truth is the first casualty of war .",
      ". . plays like the crib notes for documentary `` no end in sight '' actioned up ŕ la `` the kingdom '' then capped off with a ` david conquers goliath by notifying the media ' cliché ...",
      "the movie puts viewers on a war footing from minute one , authentically depicting the tracer fire , scattershot explosions and hostage smash-n-grabs that won us the iraq war in a weekend .",
      "for a popcorn flick , it has style and smarts . and while it 's not an actors ' film , it offers solid performances .",
      "if you ca n't get over the idea greengrass is more interested in the emotional experience than any factual name-calling , `` MOV '' may be a film that does n't work for you .",
      "distills -- not simplifies -- the clashing forces that dashed our chance of peace . greengrass is economical in his scenes ; the film bolts forward like a greyhound chasing a lure .",
      "it functions extremely well as pure stimulus response , but its efforts to get at the deeper causes of the iraq war hamstring the otherwise laudable technical elements .",
      "while not exactly topical in the provocation department , it is nevertheless a smart , exciting , and relevant thriller .",
      "it 's not all shock and awe . -lrb- brian -rrb- helgeland ensures there 's heft to this story , as well .",
      "gripping , but simplistic war thriller for older teens only .",
      "this is a movie that offers an important look back at the war 's start . that makes it important , no matter how much people might prefer to talk about something else .",
      "if you 're looking for truth , keep looking . if you want suspense and a pseudo-bourne experience , then this is the movie you need to see . matt damon finds his hurt locker . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "you might want to pick up the book and skip the film .",
      "a fast pace , a nagging mystery and bone-crunching action captured with director paul greengrass ' signature hand-held camera and rapid-fire editing .",
      "if tremulous 100-yard-dash camerawork is greengrass 's voice , this sort of movie might not be the song for him .",
      "while it 's watchable , this convoluted and contrived speculative piece is not the ideal reteaming for bourne supremacy star matt damon and that film 's director , paul greengrass .",
      "too many shortcuts are taken getting to the heart of the story , with stereotypical characters doing exactly what you expect them to do , even if whatever it is would never happen in real life .",
      "the pacing is mostly tense and smart ; however , the movie 's politics are distracting at best",
      "it 's intriguing material that -lsb- screenwriter brian -rsb- helgeland offers but so insistent on condemnation and vast conspiracy theories that we lose an authentic sense of damage .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- hollywood-washed charade , a tale of real perfidy that refuses to name any of the actual villains ...",
      "this is what `` the hurt locker '' should have been .",
      "parental content review",
      "reuniting the director with matt damon for the third time , the film is just as smart and kinetic as their pairings in the bourne franchise , only with a new troupe of characters and a real-world feel .",
      "stacked next to far better similar films like 2007 's in the valley of elah and 2009 's the hurt locker , MOV is shrug-worthy small potatoes destined to be quickly forgotten and replaced .",
      "a decent action film that tackles interesting subject material that deserves attention but many wo n't pay to see oversimplified finger-pointing even if it features some of our favorite actors .",
      "part political thriller and part actioner , ` the MOV ' is a war movie that will appeal to thinking audiences and those who appreciate a rush of adrenaline .",
      "... there 's a lot to like in directorpaul greengrass ' fast-break freneticism and in the evocatively fictionalized iraq war story told here . it 's nothing we have n't heard before , but - for hollywood , at least - it 's nuanced and exciting storytelling .",
      "i 'd likely be damning MOV for facile political messages if it were n't for the fact that more than a fair share of people out there are in desperate need of them .",
      "an angry , critical movie , but in the name of accessibility it foregoes complexity and depth in a subject that requires it .",
      "frustratingly uneven ...",
      "MOV begins with shock and awe , and paul greengrass tries to maintain that tone for the rest of the movie .",
      "cliquez pour lire la critique ...",
      "MOV says that not even matt damon in full fury can change much of anything .",
      "merece crйditos por se preocupar em usar sua embalagem de `` longa de aзгo '' para abordar um assunto sйrio que deveria ganhar mais destaque na imprensa mundial .",
      "a compelling action movie built on a false premise : that honest soldiers telling the truth helped the press raise public awareness and turn the tide of opinion against the war .",
      "so vivid and convincingly realistic is the physical depiction of baghdad in the early days of the american occupation that the introduction of trumped-up thriller elements feels like an unwanted intrusion .",
      "... a stiff , uneven iraq war actioner that 's more anti-invasion wish fulfillment than ideas-driven drama .",
      "serves up soldiers , spies , politicians , reporters , and iraqi civilians who speak almost entirely in clichés .",
      "... a retread of a redundancy .",
      "reduces policies that caused the deaths of thousands to the equivalent of a first-person-shooter video game .",
      "damon 's the anchor , a fine one at that , but even he ca n't seem to hold the filmmakers ' attention for long .",
      "when mr. greengrass made united 93 , his 2006 reconstruction of one of the sept. 11 hijackings , some people fretted that it was too soon . my own response to MOV is almost exactly the opposite : it 's about time .",
      "greengrass has embraced the risk inherent in turning a true , unpopular story into a mainstream entertainment , but he ca n't quite handle the responsibility .",
      "MOV hits hard and does n't forgive . it plays out like fiction , and in some ways it is . but in too many ways , it 's not .",
      "an urgent piece of work .",
      "manufacturing thrills takes precedence over any kind of journalistic insight .",
      "MOV weakens its claim to authenticity with fictional fudgings . and the weakening works both ways .",
      "intelligent , tough and gripping .",
      "MOV is far from perfect . but man , oh , man , as a pulse-pounding thriller , it is a knockout .",
      "MOV has an attitude -- it persuades in almost documentary style that the war was sold on false pretences but no one 's motives in this tangled affair can be completely trusted .",
      "frenetic in execution and formulaic in substance , the film leaves one lathered into a frenzy but not moved , at once overwhelmed and undernourished .",
      "the movie might have seemed a revelation if it had been released six or seven years ago , but there 's no fresh angle , few surprises and no character who steps boldly forward to suggest heroism or corruption .",
      "this is a red-hot action thriller that deals candidly and unapologetically with the situation in iraq .",
      "a brisk , intelligent action film in which damon comes to realize the iraq war he 's fighting was based on a lie .",
      "it takes a complex and important story and renders it facile . characters are etched too clearly in black and white .",
      "in the wake of the oscar-winning the hurt locker -- a far better film , and one with a less strident , less obvious agenda -- MOV arrives looking strangely anachronistic .",
      "`` MOV '' comes along as if to remind us how mediocre iraq war movies were before kathryn bigelow 's film came along .",
      "a well-crafted , all-outheart-pounding and mostly compelling action movie .",
      "paul greengrass 's loud , damon-driven documentary-style thriller confusingly weaves fact and fiction and whipsaws between various conspiracy theories , while the nonstop action mimics an xbox splatter game .",
      "it 's a good movie , but definitely a few notches away from a great one .",
      "i had a horrible thought as i watched this lousy film : now there is one thing that glenn beck and i will agree about .",
      "it 's an angry film , and that anger is its biggest problem . it all starts to sound a little hysterical . then again , maybe hysteria is what 's needed .",
      "with greengrass compounding the tumult with his trademark migraine-cam , it 's hard to come away with a clear image , let alone a clear message",
      "well done , if not amazing , `` MOV '' is an entertaining war thriller that delivers more often than not .",
      "why did they dumb down a very complex and fascinating real story ?",
      "it 's certainly more intelligent than your average blockbuster - but it does n't carry the weight of its convictions .",
      "the pacing was strong , the casting was perfect , and the message made for an interesting premise . MOV is probably not for everyone , but it is a solid piece of entertainment .",
      "most people who go to the movies are seeking feel-good escapism . the public does n't want to be reminded how wrong they were , as they rush to their next certainty . MOV will not please them .",
      "made my eyes feel like little soccer balls being kicked around by gremlins inside my head .",
      "while the film may be a bit too political , greengrass delivers his signature style of film making which really sends you into the war zone with matt damon .",
      "MOV continues greengrass and damon 's collaboration on making action films for the ` thinking person ' .",
      "this may not be the worst war movie i 've seen , but it sure does n't rank up there with the best of them .",
      "often reaches ` gripping ' on the cinematic alert level and shows more political smarts than most films on iraq , let alone action movies . ultimately over-ambitious yet still one of the best battlefield films for avoiding war-glorification .",
      "MOV is a supremely slick flick which does n't overdo the political dialogue and knows exactly when to blow up a car in a long and complicated action sequence .",
      "it 's provocative , involving and utterly gripping .",
      "if you can ignore the political bias and false premise , it 's an entertaining film . but that 's tough to do .",
      "it 's an engrossing -lrb- if fictionalized -rrb- answer to the question `` how did we get here , exactly ? ''",
      "it 's certainly interesting to see what 's been reported on the manipulation of information played out as drama , and the acting is uniformly good .",
      "breathless action and complex intrigue ensure we are hooked throughout an expertly orchestrated war-zone thriller .",
      "greengrass -- reuniting with damon -- does so with plenty of verve , plunging us into the chaos of the conflict in its earliest days and gradually pulling into focus a clear-headed narrative of what might have happened .",
      "the prospect of seeing ace british director paul greengrass working with matt damon again will excite many cinemagoers .",
      "a muscular , adrenaline-fuelled action blockbuster .",
      "missed opportunity to kneecap bush 's weapons-of-mass-destruction catastrophe",
      "the movie , which takes its name from the walled-off compound in baghdad occupied by the u.s. and coalition forces in 2003 , is more like `` iraqi hot tub time machine . ''",
      "when shots go in and out of focus , and when over the shoulder shots actually obscure the subject 's face , that 's not okay . you should know what you 're shooting , even if it 's constructed as ` documentary ' style .",
      "a thriller designed to provoke discussion of america 's involvement in iraq , MOV will more likely fuel rants about hollywood 's liberal bias .",
      "i ca n't believe people will not go to see MOV in their droves . i certainly hope they do , for it is a shocking , replenishing film , not to be missed .",
      "there is no better director of action sequences and we really feel like we 're ducking for cover from enemy fire as mayhem erupts .",
      "it 's a tribute to matt damon 's special quality as an actor -- not his star wattage , but his ability to project a certain simple human decency -- that we care about him even when we only see the side of his head ...",
      "this is a movie that recognizes there 's no straight line to the truth , which is part of what makes it vaguely unsatisfying -- though it 's also what keeps it honest .",
      "too little and too late ? maybe . but even in this bourne zone , damon and greengrass have n't shirked their duty to enlighten and entertain .",
      "MOV is a story of a fruitless endeavor . but too often it feels like one itself , however vigorous and engaging it can be in the telling .",
      "what chandrasekaran did so well -- tenaciously cataloging the colossal morass of america 's small and not-so-small mistakes -- greengrass eschews for the popcorn-crunching conventions of a hollywood potboiler .",
      "politics aside and purely as a piece of genre moviemaking , MOV is a solid example of a political paranoia thriller .",
      "a dumbed-down political thriller that interweaves fact with fiction , tempting cynical wags to dub it `` bourne in iraq . ''",
      "a jangly , noisy , compulsively restless thriller on a par with the bourne movies , shot through with political critique .",
      "fake wmd and super-shaky cam : it 's the paul greengrass experience .",
      "the pacing is intense without being frenetic , and the chases and gun battles are served up with greengrass 's trademark jittery fervor .",
      "a proficient story in the thriller genre that combines tension with political relevance .",
      "greengrass orchestrates the action and the story with clarity .",
      "an exercise in commercial cowardice masquerading as a thriller about political bravery .",
      "this is a kind of experiment , and it 's only partly successful . but , set against the most expansive , otherworldly backdrop this side of james cameron 's pandora , it 's an appropriately spooky experience .",
      "too little , too late : using greengrass ' signature , overly familiar visceral style , MOV elevates its bourne-like hero to a mythic level and is not effective as a conspiracy thriller about wmd for many different reasons .",
      "an energetic , frenzied thriller -- paul greengrass-style -- set in iraq in the chaotic post-invasion days .",
      "it 's only the adrenaline-inducing techniques that conceal the lack of imagination .",
      "MOV approaches every human activity as if preparing to defibrillate .",
      "dusty authenticity it has in buckets and spades , for which much credit must go to british cinematographer barry ackroyd , who should have won an oscar for his work on the hurt locker .",
      "MOV has technical flair , but we expect more from greengrass .",
      "the result is a proficient thriller that overreaches itself , politically and visually . instead of convincing us , it lectures us .",
      "greengrass has made quite a raucous , energetic action movie to serve as the vehicle for his polemic .",
      "breathless , yes , but oddly disengaged , in the first greengrass project yet where you feel he 's delivering just on par .",
      "this pair delivering even half a good movie is still better than many manage .",
      "competent , vivid and more than tokenistically controversial in theme .",
      "greengrass , with his superkinetic camerawork and visceral sense of you-are-there immediacy , pieces together a compelling picture of a ground force trying -lrb- and failing -rrb- to order a city on the slide towards anarchy .",
      "everywhere you look , all the signs are there to tell you that this is a powerful movie with something to say . you investigate , and guess what ? there 's nothing there !",
      "MOV is probably the nearest the americans will get to the public floggings of the chilcot inquiry except there will be popcorn on hand and a far larger audience .",
      "while never truly boring , it 's a rehash of leaden archetypes of good and evil to suit an action flick disguised as social commentary -- hand-held shots abused to excess .",
      "it 's all about as clear as a fistful of baghdad sand thrown directly in your eye .",
      "MOV is far from perfect . but man oh man , as a pulse-pounding thriller , it is a knockout .",
      "much of brian helgeland 's script relies on dumb coincidence and barely believable plot devices .",
      "too earnest and safe for its own good . it treads dangerous ground without really taking any risks .",
      "it 's entertainment first and foremost , with ham-fisted politics popping the mood far too often , sucking away a desired tempo of defiance to play a crude game of middle east stratego .",
      "the film magnifies the obstacles in the path of anyone trying to make compelling , intelligent drama out of the most important ongoing american issue .",
      "there 's not one stable shot in the whole movie -- even a scene with two guys talking at a table is filmed as if there were a riot going on .",
      "it 's tidy , comforting revisionism , like sending rambo back into vietnam so we can win this time . instead of a morass in which the search for wmd simply peters out , we get the closure of a smoking gun .",
      "a better than solid action and mystery movie , and i hope it 's not too smart for the audience .",
      "greengrass ' MOV is about half political thriller and half action thriller and unfortunately it 's only successful at one of those halves . doubly unfortunate , the half that does work is n't the part he 's interested in .",
      "it 's like inglourious basterds but without the fun .",
      "MOV is the rare miss from frequent collaborators matt damon and director paul greengrass .",
      "the story of the iraq war is fascinating , but the checklist of talking points is not .",
      "a reasonably gripping entertainment .",
      "this is a frenetic and powerful action flick that brings the fight to you .",
      "`` MOV '' simply offers up a fun , entertaining ride that has you on the edge of your seat throughout most of the film . if you are into the politics though , you may just find it a little more interesting .",
      "it takes a special kind of talent , the kind of talent that paul greengrass has , to make a movie as annoying as MOV .",
      "its rage against the u.s. war machine is not only five years too late , but simplistic , its censure screamed with all the subtlety of shock and awe and its schematic layout of good and evil .",
      "a wham-bam actioner , but its pointed political subtext ensures damon and greengrass deliver their most provocative mission yet .",
      "you catch your breath only to have the wind knocked out by the mirage of the carefree scene around the MOV swimming pool .",
      "greengrass understands the action framework like few others , locking you into his central figure 's cause and dynamism from the git go . his action moves with near frantic drive , logically , smartly and with trim intensity .",
      "damon has perfected looking down his nose at his superiors , fellow grunts , shifty-swarthy iraqis -- and us . it is an insidious , racist , fascist characterization .",
      "shot by barry ackroyd , the same cinematographer who filmed the hurt locker , and using the same camera techniques , this movie looks like outtakes from a much better film .",
      "it 's one thing for the filmmakers to -lrb- sort of -rrb- fictionalize real people , but MOV wraps up with a wish-fulfillment fantasy that is about as believable as watching reinforcements riding in to save custer .",
      "as a politically-charged action film , it accomplishes the mission .",
      "greengrass concocts a formula with a fighting chance of dispelling the curse of the hollywood iraq movie . if a picture as conventionally accessible as MOV tanks , that campaign is surely lost .",
      "`` no wmds ! government evil ! fire bad ! freddy good ! '' the film roars as it staggers around like the frankenstein monster that it is , the sewn together parts of previous greengrass successes .",
      "what really strikes is the steel meld between bone-jarring action scenes and the all-too-believable political chicanery from the sort of people who will be on nodding terms with halliburton in the form of kinnear 's sharp-suited ultra-rotter .",
      "the action movie of 2010 -lrb- so far -rrb- and proof that there 's life after jason bourne for damon and greengrass .",
      "imagine an iraq war film without the terrifying suspense of the hurt locker , the empathy of the messenger or the lacerating wit of in the loop , and you get an idea of what it 's like to sit through MOV .",
      "in a sense , `` MOV '' is a movie which goes to great pains to point out the obvious .",
      "you feel as though you were there .",
      "it is a welcome addition to an ongoing post-mortem .",
      "a fantasy that has little to do with the way things actually happened in iraq and even less to do with the way a soldier on active duty could ever behave .",
      "MOV in a heavy-handed way finds itself mired in serious weapons of mass plot destruction ."
    ],
    "summary": "matt damon and paul greengrass return to the propulsive action and visceral editing of the bourne films -- but a cliched script and stock characters keep those methods from being as effective this time around .",
    "id": "770783634"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ramona_and_beezus",
    "reviews": [
      "very entertaining and even heartbreaking in some moments ...",
      "captures the spirit of the beverly cleary books and offers a ramona who 's a believable combination of mischief and innocence .",
      "just try not to smile as you watch the imaginative misfit ramona make classic childhood mistakes in this ebullient adaptation of beverly cleary 's timeless series .",
      "... an affable yet forgettable little comedy ...",
      "despite everyone 's efforts , ramona comes across as an insufferably spoilt and attention-seeking little horror .",
      "performances are perfectly pleasant , but more of ramona 's flights of fancy and less lingering on the adult romance would 've added some oomph .",
      "only a twisted , seriously sad individual could have a problem with this sunny tween comedy , which i hated .",
      "this sitcom-bright film does n't come close to the quality of the beverly cleary book series , but it 's a sweet , frequently charming effort that does n't betray its g rating .",
      "in this vision of ramona , sincerity is decency and no mores , politics or creeds define those bounds . screw irony , it 's a temp trend anyway .",
      "nothing to frighten the horses , as they say , or interest or entertain them much , either .",
      "true , it 's just a bit overlong for junior attention spans , but given that the boys get lots of movies with wizards and special effects , little girls will surely welcome a film that seems tailored just for them .",
      "director allen , whose previous film was the uninspired mermaid saga aquamarine , tells the quimbys ' story gracefully . she elicits remarkably honest performances from her younger stars .",
      "with very little to differentiate -lsb- itself -rsb- from dozens of other movies meant solely for young girls , MOV certainly shows potential to be a better movie than it is .",
      "we no longer all watch the same tv shows , we are no longer as innocent , and the world of klickitat is fading into timeless nostalgia . MOV is a sweet salute .",
      "mostly it 's just ramona making a mess of things , without the consequences of cleaning up afterward .",
      "my advice is to stay away from elizabeth allen 's bland and banal adaptation , which plays like a contemporary leave it to beaver without irony or ingenuousness .",
      "a labored picture , eschewing the breeze of simplicity to cram all available chapters into a picture that eventually slows to a maddening crawl . to that , i fling a mighty `` guts ! '' to the filmmakers .",
      "the movie is not bad , but it 's not much .",
      "as a fan of the books , i was skeptical that the movies could re-create their gentle , humane , messy spirit . but i 'm happy to report that MOV captures the characters almost perfectly and that joey king is an ideal ramona .",
      "king is good enough that you ca n't help but root for her . but frankly , i ca n't imagine paying full ticket price plus concessions for that privilege .",
      "to say the film is sitcom-y is to belabor the obvious . `` MOV '' is a welcome throwback to the nuclear-family-centered sitcoms of the 1950s and '60s and a low-tech charmer , and the cast elevates it all , especially king .",
      "tenderness is n't a quality found much these days in the whirring-and-clanging busyness of family movies , which makes this g-rated gem 's emphasis on emotion and heart all the more laudable .",
      "here 's a summer movie release that 's not filled with big explosions or action sequences , and one of the few films aimed at kids that is n't animated or in 3-d .",
      "amiable but innocuous family movie , which would be more at home on a cable channel than theatre screens but should nevertheless amuse young girls and their mothers .",
      "this is a lively affair , largely thanks to the sweet and snappy screenplay by laurie craig and nick pustay and to the appealing performances by the cast .",
      "king and corbett both overplay their hands at film 's beginning but they develop great chemistry , know comic timing and settle in quickly .",
      "flooded with warm light and a radiant mood , MOV is a sunny series of charming escapades and subtle flights of fancy that capture the safe fusion of imagination and reality where all little girls should grow up .",
      "a pleasant way to pass some time and be made happy and sad by little things that are well-observed .",
      "a heartwarming little film that makes a genuine connection to the joys and trials of childhood .",
      "refreshingly anti-princess and sweet without degrading into sugary , MOV animates ramona 's frequent flights of fancy with diy-like sequences that literalize , quite charmingly , how a kid colors the world .",
      "at over 100 minutes , MOV is a hefty cinematic effort to get through , especially considering how audience-surveyed and clichéd the film proves",
      "fans of the ramona quimby books will be disappointed , but tween girls will love it .",
      "the best live action children 's film since nanny mcphee 2 .",
      "this is an almost quaint throwback of a kids ' movie that ends up enjoyably ragtag and cluttered , all of it contained by an emphasis on neighbourhood and maturity . realistic , refreshing , and reassuring .",
      "this movie understands how to get into the head of a little kid . plus , there 's a little romance for the parents as well .",
      "the overall effort is pleasant enough to sit through . yet , with some pairing down of story elements in favor of increasing ramona 's childhood imagination , the film might have become something of a cinematic classic . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "the sweet sisterhood story based on the beverly cleary books does n't talk down to kids and presents parents as appealing and vulnerable .",
      "MOV is the summer 's sweetest surprise .",
      "the true talent of the cast makes up for the too sweet and cute story line",
      "it 's something that you would not be unhappy seeing on television , -lsb- but -rsb- there 's nothing that calls it for you to go see it on the big-screen .",
      "the more , where there could be less , has the story dragging its feet .",
      "gets right what most matters , above all ramona herself .",
      "this proud graduate of the school of cleary classics wishes that , like the young heroine herself , MOV dared more often to color outside the lines .",
      "beloved book girl comes to life in sweet , kid-friendly tale .",
      "... a family film that really can be enjoyed by the whole family .",
      "it 's always a challenge for actors to meet the expectations readers have in their heads . these performances offer pleasure throughout .",
      "parents may also be happy to see a movie for children that does n't involve wizards , vampires or action figures that can be bought in the food court .",
      "sure , the film 's reality may be saccharine , but for a non-computer animated , non-3d kid 's film , we 'll take it .",
      "there 's nothing really wrong with it . but there 's nothing amazingly right about it either , unless , of course , it sends young viewers marching off to libraries to find the real klickitat street for themselves .",
      "all of these moments are presented completely without cynicism or judgment , and their joyousness is infectious .",
      "appealing , funny , honest , and all that jazz , but who could have expected it to be this touching ?",
      "MOV has enough charm to forgive it an unnecessary foray onto romantic-comedy turf .",
      "there are so many diversions and subplots , it 's hard to get caught up in any single story .",
      "this all sounds like uptight , grown-up nitpicking , probably . but it 's also a reflection of a weakness in storytelling , which is sad given the strength of the source material .",
      "to its credit and occasional folly , MOV is goofy and candy-coated like childhood , with only a pretend grip on real life .",
      "resistance is futile ; the movie 's relentless wholesomeness will batter down the defenses of all but the most determined curmudgeon .",
      "relative unknown joey king , as ramona , is on the right side of precocious , using her adorableness in carefully measured doses . she easily carries the movie .",
      "it wo n't change anyone 's world , but it 'll keep kids happy -- and cool -- for a couple of hours .",
      "-lsb- ramona -rsb- deserves better treatment , fairer justice , than she gets in MOV , for no other reason than she 's the best thing in it : a rambunctious , bright-eyed mighty mouse with a kaleidoscopic wardrobe and an imagination to match .",
      "will enchant the ` tween girl audience for whom it was created .",
      "honesty about the difficulties , both large and small , of being part of a family is what MOV does best , even if the rough and dangerous edges have been filed down .",
      "a pleasant 1950 's old-fashioned family drama that 's gentle and adorable .",
      "the resulting story is a jumble , and there are too many side characters , but golly if it is n't pretty darned infectious .",
      "allen 's direction is bright and imaginative ; particularly enjoyable are the movie 's occasional flights of fancy .",
      "newcomer joey king is a blue-eyed dynamo who brings ramona quimby vividly to life and steals the show from her veteran co-stars .",
      "she 's been brave and she 's been a pest , but until this adaptation of beverly cleary 's beloved children 's books , pint-size protagonist ramona quimby has never been so blatantly market-driven .",
      "joey king will bounce back .",
      "there are more laughs in the average episode of gomez 's wizards of waverly place tv show than in this .",
      "as in the books , the quimby family is instantly relatable and utterly irresistible , funny , touching , and completely endearing .",
      "successful on its own terms in its refusal to talk down to its pre-teen audience and through the massive future star-power of its talented young stars .",
      "gingerly gentle and generic , it plays like a sweet sitcom , better suited to the small screen than the large .",
      "i ca n't think of another movie that captures rambunctious , freespirited modern little-girlness the way that this one does , and in a way that is n't dumbed down or sugared over ...",
      "this new ramona prefers mischief without real edge . you always know her parachute has a silver lining , even in an economic downturn . she is , above all , safe . and that makes her nowhere near as entertaining or enduring as the girl on the page .",
      "for the grown-ups there are sweet , sincere performances by ginnifer goodwin , sandra oh , and , as ramona 's endlessly game father , the likable john corbett .",
      "`` MOV '' is a small-scale story of life and learning , of setbacks large and small and triumphs major and minor . it is neither dark nor dour , but it also does not kid itself about the messy realities of life as part of a family .",
      "feels like being bound in a thick , homemade quilt , rolled up to a campfire , and smothered in toasted marshmallow goo .",
      "child actress king is a real find ; plenty of kids will be asking for a sequel .",
      "with her chestnut bob and eyes twinkling with mischief , joey king looks the part & embodies the spirit of ramona , diving into memorable set pieces with unadulterated joy .",
      "the film tries to appeal to audiences of all ages , and for the most part `` reels you in like a sea bass , '' as ramona would say .",
      "a loose adaptation of beverly cleary 's first novel in her beloved kid-lit series that 's wholesome to the point of being dull .",
      "the cinematic adventures of beverly cleary 's pint-sized big dreamer comes up short on scope and imagination .",
      "a sprightly , generic kidpic that flattens and condenses elements from beverly cleary 's deservedly popular novels .",
      "teen star selena gomez as beezus may have top billing , but the real star is joey king as her younger , gangly sister .",
      "`` MOV '' is easily the best family movie of the year , so far ."
    ],
    "summary": "if MOV fails to capture the essence of its classic source material , it 's sunny , sweet , and wholesome .",
    "id": "770805265"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bully_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "tackles a worthy subject and has its heart in the right place , but it 's still highly problematic for a variety of reasons .",
      "increased awareness is only the beginning .",
      "the best hirsch 's film can do , in the end , is remind us that bullying means more than we admit , and its effects are n't always immediately clear , even to loved ones .",
      "there 's nothing surprising or provocative in the film , which seems to want to reassure us when it should want to tick us off .",
      "heartbreaking as these stories are , `` MOV '' is too narrow in scope to be anything approaching definitive . most notably absent from the film are the bullies themselves .",
      "... as a launching point for discussion and activism , MOV is clearly necessary . but as a documentary that instructs or informs , it 's a bit of a disappointment .",
      "i think it could be argued that it ought to be mandatory .",
      "what gives MOV its substance and power are the rich , detailed portraits of life at home for the victims ...",
      "a deeply moving but highly selective look at the effects of bullying on children and teenagers .",
      "surely , a little objective statistical analysis would not have intruded upon the film 's emotionally wrenching , fly-on-the-wall perspective .",
      "it 's a topical and important film that incisively probes the bullying epidemic in contemporary american schools .",
      "the best social documents on film do more than show you what 's wrong in the world - they make it personal . MOV does that with a passion .",
      "the access varies widely , there 's far too much music telling us what to feel , and at the end its focus begins to drift . if it at least gets people talking , though , that 's a good thing .",
      "should be considered required viewing for every parent , teacher and teenager in america .",
      "although it does n't dive deep enough into its subject , it 's still an affecting piece of work well worth seeing by both adults and kids .",
      "a powerful piece of work that might make a difference if enough people see it .",
      "MOV puts a virtual hammerlock on your heart .",
      "an insightful and moving documentary .",
      "what `` MOV '' says about our species is dismaying , if unsurprising ... what it says about some educators in positions of power is troubling .",
      "a documentary as vivid as any horror film , as heartbreaking as any oscar-worthy drama .",
      "tackles this headline-heavy topic by mixing moments of raw emotional power with intervals of somewhat suspect manipulation .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't a very good documentary . the free ` it gets better ' campaign on youtube is far more effective .",
      "bullying is a serious problem , too serious to get perfunctorily glossed over , which is what `` MOV '' does . the intent is admirable , the execution is not .",
      "leaves one appropriately heartbroken and infuriated .",
      "the impact of this film goes way beyond feelings of uncomfortable and tragic .",
      "the recent controversy about the mpaa 's initial r rating for lee hirsch 's documentary loses steam when you see the movie . bullying in schools is certainly an important topic deserving closer examination than this .",
      "it presents a dramatic case for creating supportive communities that will stand up to those being bullied in the world . now the onus is on all of us to play our part in making it happen .",
      "no matter their age , show this to kids you care about , and tell them it gets better .",
      "we feel sympathy for the victims , and their parents or friends , but the film helplessly seems to treat bullying as a problem without a solution .",
      "MOV does n't offer solutions , it raises awareness , and does so remarkably well .",
      "powerful , but incomplete . the focus is too narrow , and the MOV side of the equation should have been examined . only when we find some common ground between the bullies and the bullied can we begin to understand the problem .",
      "a moving but somewhat myopic take on america 's newly anointed favorite childhood problem - schoolyard bullying .",
      "MOV is about having the courage to stand up to bullies - whether they 're in your child 's school or handing out ratings at the mpaa .",
      "lee hirsch is certainly one who is making a difference . i endorse him and his brave , powerful movie and urge you to see it for yourself . you might leave MOV with rage , but you will not leave MOV with indifference .",
      "`` MOV '' is essential to see , whether you 're a parent or a kid , whether you 've been on the giving or receiving end of such increasingly pervasive cruelty .",
      "suddenly , the sneaking suspicion that you 've merely been watching an extended psa for the grassroots organization -lrb- stand for the silent -rrb- starts to take hold .",
      "leaves us moved by poignant scenes of victims ' shattered lives , but , for reasons unclear , keeps the bullies themselves largely out of our reach .",
      "it has a clear and calm approach to storytelling and some interest in the quality of its handheld images .",
      "it is hard to not respect anything that asks us to respect the stories of the dead , and asks us how we might help the living .",
      "gives painful yet inspiring voice to these bullied kids and their families . a great , eye-opening movie .",
      "a film that is as important for bullies to see as it is for their parents to see , so everyone can understand just how devastating a problem this can be .",
      "the pic is important for many to see . but it ends up being akin to a medical film that shows the effects of an infection , but offers nothing in terms of explaining why it occurs or ways to treat it -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "hirsch seldom gets face time with any bullies or their parents , and he tends to ignore the complicated social and psychological patterns that feed the problem .",
      "your heart hurts for these kids , and the blood boils , too , at irrefutable evidence that these children are not safe in their schools .",
      "MOV is less a checklist plan for eliminating abusive behavior than an emotionally powerful wake-up call for a society too long in denial .",
      "MOV '' is smart and compassionate about the pain of its wounded subjects and the frustration felt by their parents , seemingly abandoned by the system . what the powerful film lacks is insight into bullying .",
      "the personal approach still makes `` MOV '' worth seeing , letting other bullied kids know they 're not alone , and showing adults how dismissing bullying as `` kids will be kids '' does n't cut it .",
      "by ignoring the perpetrators , hirsch keeps the finger pointed only at the victims and the underfunded , overworked school administrators . in a way it feels like the bullies were yet again let off the hook .",
      "the movie seems to be content to just say `` bullying is a very real and very serious problem in american schools '' as loudly and clearly as it can .",
      "harrowing portrait of ordinary kids being assaulted verbally and physically , and a social system that does not protect them .",
      "graceful cinematography captures the loneliness and isolation of these kids with understatement , even when the director succumbs to twinkling piano that pulls a tad too hard on the heartstrings .",
      "MOV is effective as a document of the suffering that too many kids suffer at the hands of their cruel and sometimes possibly even psychopathic peers , particularly in parts of the country where the idea of `` normal '' is pretty narrow .",
      "MOV is a wrenching , potentially transformative look at an epidemic of adolescent cruelty and adult paralysis in the nation 's public schools .",
      "if you feel like you 've already read quite a bit about the documentary `` MOV , '' you have . but that still wo n't prepare you for the experience of seeing it .",
      "physical superiority and popularity are no longer prerequisites for grinding someone else down , which makes understanding bullying as essential as stigmatizing it . we are all bullies now .",
      "this is an urgent and moral movie ; there should n't be a puritanical roadblock standing between it and its audience .",
      "`` MOV '' forces you to confront not the cruelty of specific children - who have their own problems , and their good sides as well - but rather the extent to which that cruelty is embedded in our schools and therefore in our society as a whole .",
      "a must see film for parents and their children , teachers and administrators , and pretty much anyone willing to make a difference .",
      "MOV is sufficiently powerful to impact a viewer regardless of age , but this should be mandatory viewing for kids between 10 and 17 .",
      "focusing on the experiences of five families , filmmaker lee hirsch offers simple , direct and eloquent testimony supporting the need for individual and group action against bullying .",
      "a maddeningly unfocused work that squanders a potentially powerful subject with a half-hearted approach that hardly does it justice .",
      "there 's room for debate , and MOV , a well-intentioned but ultimately shallow exploration of an age-old dilemma , does n't seem to want to engage in it .",
      "`` MOV '' presents so many devastating moments that it 's hard to pick the most powerful one .",
      "i hope all middle schoolers and high schoolers will see this movie -- and parents , teachers , and school administrators , too .",
      "do n't let that circus about the MOV 's rating obscure the quality of the movie .",
      "for a film that understandably only scratches the surface of its topic , MOV carries a devastating emotional punch .",
      "`` MOV '' is a good start to a necessary conversation , but its loving voice is likely to be drowned out by haters who hide their own wounded hearts behind internet pseudonyms and broadcast microphones .",
      "it would have been nice if the film had reflected its title a bit more and looked at the bullies themselves - what drives one kid to torture another ? is it a reaction to home life , is it fear , is it innate awfulness ?",
      "`` MOV '' does n't need research or great filmmaking or narrative focus , per se . it needs only the shaming power of its relentlessness and a young audience open to sharing in that shame .",
      "hirsch never interviews the bullies or their parents , taking necessary steps to drill to the root of the problem . the perspective remains with the victim alone , losing the dimension of the examination .",
      "MOV 's unobtrusive and poetic style , subtly but surgically uncovers the prison-like social hierarchical structure cultivated in us schools ... it 's an affective , powerful , honest voice that demands to be heard .",
      "concentrates on the dire consequences it has for the victims .",
      "weinstein was right - ` MOV ' should be seen .",
      "MOV ultimately comes off as a passable documentary that could 've used a much sharper focus ...",
      "hirsch wants to make you angry , to raise your blood pressure as a first step toward raising your consciousness . while he does n't make great cinema , there 's no doubt he makes his point .",
      "` MOV ' is a heartbreaking documentary about the cruelty some children inflict on those they perceive to be weak . more crucially , it also reveals the almost criminal ineptitude of an adult establishment that insists on defining peer torment as horseplay .",
      "every year , someone does a break-your-heart documentary . children bullying other children is the subject , and the movie is MOV . see this one .",
      "well-meaning but pallid documentary asks us to walk a mile in the shoes of five individual young bullying victims .",
      "more than once during the film i had the queasy feeling the film was pandering to some unwholesome voyeuristic itch ... yet i meant it when i said this movie should be mandatory viewing in schools.cruelty . we ought to be sick of it .",
      "more substantial content on this topic unveiled via cnn news stories .",
      "hirsch 's disturbing chronicle of a growing national problem is a must-see for children , parents , teachers , and administrators : this plea for action could serve as effective weapon of change .",
      "-lsb- the directors -rsb- avoid charts and graphs , talking heads and sociology . their approach is more direct and , perhaps , more effective .",
      "MOV is repetitive and not especially artful , but children who allow themselves to see the world through the eyes of the film 's victims will never be the same .",
      "sad , timely and affecting documentary about this country 's bullying epidemic will move audiences but should wake up educational and law-enforcement authorities to take action rather than let these abuses continue .",
      "powerful documentary addresses critically important issue for kids .",
      "director lee hirsch makes you feel the pain of young people featured in this film .",
      "a call for empathy and action",
      "it follows , over the course of a year , five sobering case histories of unrelenting schoolyard persecution .",
      "the filmmakers do not show all sides of the issue and it does n't go far enough . it does n't help that the subjects are a bit bland and the only non-white student represented is a black teenager in juvi ? really ?",
      "timely and alarming , it 's a relevant ` must see ' for teenagers and their parents , perhaps opening a dialogue among family members .",
      "for despite the strong language that garnered it an r , MOV deserves -- nay , demands -- to be seen .",
      "the film has its powerful moments and its heart is certainly in the right place , but as a whole it feels too narrow in its focus , sacrificing the larger context for a sense of intimacy whose state-the-obvious dividends run out fairly early .",
      "at last a proactive campaign of awareness and action to defeat bullying is afoot . this documentary has already been lauded as a step toward that goal .",
      "MOV '' is as infuriating as it is heartbreaking . when a school principal calls her kids `` good as gold '' we want to throw something at the screen because she is so stupidly blind to what is happening .",
      "sure to start some conversations",
      "`` MOV '' is a bell-weather movie , which should be seen by every middle school and high school student in america .",
      "an emotionally powerful snapshot of the problem that should serve as a valuable catalyst to public discussion .",
      "where hirsh is trying to represent how terrible bullying can be , he shoots himself in the foot by going after the most extreme and stereotypical cases .",
      "MOV is all heart , no brain - which makes it an easily palatable doc to sit through .",
      "is it fair to criticize a documentary for being too persuasive when the subject matter is not only genuinely tragic - and tragically widespread - but also so rarely brought into the public domain ? that 's the question i struggle with .",
      "an intense look at bullying from the perspective of the victims .",
      "a difficult film with no real answers to the dilemmas it poses ...",
      "this documentary asks more questions than it answers , but what MOV clearly demonstrates is that no one should suffer in silence .",
      "MOV is not perfect , but everyone should see it .",
      "a crock of bull by a director more interested in exploiting the subject than exploring it .",
      "does n't dig any deeper than surface-level pathos and cheap shots at school administrators .",
      "one of the ten best films of 2012 .",
      "there 's no arguing with hirsch 's message , but in order for his film to make the necessary impact , it must be mandatory viewing in every school -- for faculty and administration as well as for students .",
      "it got fairly dusty fairly often for this critic , despite my misgivings about the picture 's craftsmanship .",
      "hirsch 's portrait imbues his everyday heroes with a dignity and grace that their tormenters obviously are too short-sighted to see and which shines in every frame of the film .",
      "it 's eye-opening to look at the `` bad '' schools but i was also hoping to see the `` good '' schools and learn about the initiatives that they 've taken to address the issue .",
      "for all its good intentions ... the film does not fight hard enough to rise above the emotions of the issue to explore real solutions .",
      "by exposing audiences to the stark realities of bullying , MOV just might encourage people to take it seriously instead of perpetuating the old adage `` it 's just kids being kids '' .",
      "what should have been blindingly effectual is lessened by - ironically - a lack of killer instinct .",
      "there 's something seriously wrong with life in our schools . and hirsch clearly believes the world must be shown the harsh realities of it .",
      "MOV is a solid documentary but one that 's built to garner a specific reaction . in doing so lee hirsch has missed an opportunity to go deeper into the issue , offering a faceless enemy to protest against .",
      "-lsb- hirsch -rsb- overplays the modern documentary trait to fill the final half-hour with website prompts and movement preaching , but one can hardly blame him given the closeness he obviously shared with his subjects .",
      "hirsch 's treatment does not especially engage us nor allow an emotional connection - surprising , considering the subject matter",
      "what MOV does is offer viewers the potential to connect a growing network of like-minded people , and does so with elegant storytelling .",
      "MOV feels too diffuse and simplistic to really do this topic justice .",
      "there 's no doubt ` MOV ' should be required viewing in every classroom in america",
      "seeing is believing , and MOV must be seen .",
      "hirsch 's documentary truly shocks by the two sets of outrageous bureaucrats it exposes : one cowers on-screen , and the other hides in the offices of the mpaa , america 's movie censor .",
      "an eye-opening documentary that focuses on five youth who were bullied , including two who committed suicide , and how their families , schools , and communities respond .",
      "an intelligent and completely engaging film and it 's also an important social document that shows , in the experience of a few kids , a contemporary epidemic .",
      "this is n't a usual doc depicting modern ills , bringing in expert opinion , the filmmaker shrugging off his bias by taking a walk over to the other side . he puts the issue in our hands . uncomfortable . provocative .",
      "embedded filmmakers on the frontlines of the war on middle and high school kids who do n't fit in expose the battles they and their families face , survive , or , worse , lose .",
      "this is the kind of subject matter that can be enraging or moving in the hands of the right director , but hirsch fails to connect with either the heart or the head ."
    ],
    "summary": "hard-hitting and gracefully filmed , MOV powerfully delivers an essential message to an audience that may not be able to see it .",
    "id": "771239477"
  },
  {
    "movie": "true-grit-2010",
    "reviews": [
      "the coen brothers ' MOV may not be a better movie than the original but it 's certainly a better production .",
      "no one will lose out , as both pictures are of comparable value . forced to choose , i 'd actually go with the duke 's at-bat , although jeff bridges is certainly more than capable in taking on the iconic role .",
      "knowing he ca n't outgun a legend , the dude does n't try to out-duke the duke . he adds a dimension here and there , and his copycat performance is almost a tribute .",
      "the real reason to see the film is the work of the coens ' regular collaborators , cinematographer roger deakins and composer carter burwell , who supply the visual and auditory landscapes that are MOV 's most notable achievement .",
      "worth watching for its excellent cast , notably hailee steinfeld , but one ca n't escape feeling there should 've been much more to the coen brothers ' MOV . still , the duke 's presence aside , it 's a definite improvement over the original .",
      "another `` edgy '' movie by the coens filled with the usual comic mixture of sadism and misanthropy , this time expressed through its two lead male characters , a bushwhacker veteran and a texas ranger , two of america 's most malignant forces .",
      "the coens return the western from the post-modern to the classic in this fun , briskly poetic flick .",
      "the coens have made careers out of slyly subverting and expanding the genres they take on . dial that back and you 're left with an inherent disappointment .",
      "despite the source novel and the original film , this one feels precisely like a pure coen brothers film ; they have taken everything that came before and made it their own .",
      "joel coen and ethan coen fill the film with self-conscious good humor-hey , it 's the coen brothers-and the charmingly old-fashioned locutions of the charles portis novel .",
      "the coens craft a handsome western that fits comfortably within genre traditions and their own distinctive body of work .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- sense that there 's something great just beyond the grasp of the coens here , something that they may not even be aware of , hangs over this elegant yet somehow vaguely unfinished film .",
      "a terrific western . . one of the best movies of the year and one that shows other filmmakers just how a western should be made .",
      "the sweaty , elongated beards , undernourished horses and alcohol-soaked characters ... MOV made my nostrils flare ; it was caked-on perspiration with a very distinct mustiness . of course , the smell easily could have been the woman sitting next to me .",
      "MOV , one of the best films of 2010 , is a reminder of why remakes are not always bad .",
      "why did the typically sardonic coens want to make this film ? a glance at the portis novel yields a simple answer : why would n't they ?",
      "this is a visually and sonically beautiful movie that uses space , distance and time to immerse you in a very particular world of mystery , awe and brutality .",
      "MOV is well-wrought , if overly talkative , and seriously ambitious , returning the coens to the all-american sagebrush and gun smoke landscape that has best nourished their wise-guy sensibility",
      "those of us who admire charles portis ' novel have waited 40 years for a screen version that 's as literal as possible -- and the coen brothers just about deliver it .",
      "on its own conventional terms , the film succeeds -- maybe not as a `` coen brothers '' movie , but as a tall tale well told .",
      "the coens have crafted a vastly entertaining wild west show that is memorable in every particular .",
      "so much more than just a study in dusty chestnuts of the wild west .",
      "it 's a kind of revelation to see how well the story of MOV fits the sensibilities of the coens .",
      "MOV , nearly on par with the original film , is a reliable , if insubstantial , genre piece .",
      "and while bridges is not the duke , he is the dude , and he makes rooster his own ...",
      "uninspired compared to previous efforts , making it fairly blatant the coens should stick to their own original material .",
      "based on the beloved 1968 novel by arkansas writer charles portis , `` MOV '' is an american classic featuring scenes of galvanic violence , befitting a true wild west tale .",
      "the versatile joel and ethan coen take a major step toward mainstream -lrb- and more conventional -rrb- cinema in their enjoyable , well acted remake of the 1969 classic western , for which john wayne won an oscar and jeff bridges should get a nomination .",
      "the brothers prove they can play it straight , but they 're preferred , for better and worse , at a sharp angle .",
      "bridges , that most natural of actors , gives an entirely different kind of performance : loose and playful , not worrying too much about whether we can understand him -lrb- often we ca n't , but never mind -rrb- .",
      "it 's great .",
      "no doubt many will favorably compare ` MOV ' to ` no country for old men ' -lrb- 2007 -rrb- and rightfully so ... i see no reason why someone like sarah palin would not love this film .",
      "the coens ' triple-barreled gamble - adapting a classic book that 's previously been adapted for a classic film headlined by a famous star - succeeds beautifully .",
      "coens capture lightning in a bottle with steinfeld .",
      "everything about it feels fresh , new and , yes , unmistakably a coen brothers picture . it 's also one of the best films of the year , and almost certainly the best-looking one .",
      "brilliantly done !",
      "the dude trump the duke in grit-ier remake .",
      "consistently engrossing and suspenseful , with flashes of dark humor that offset the gradual revelation of genuine sentiment",
      "looking at MOV in a vacuum - not just free of the coen brothers other films but the original 1969 john wayne version as well - it is a fantastic movie experience .",
      "the movie surpasses the original in sound effects , cinematography and a western-themed original score . other kudos go to the interior design of the courtroom , the scenes of main street and the period apparel .",
      "what you do n't get from the commercials is how wonderfully funny it is . of course , you expect something like this from the coen brothers . in MOV , they deliver what they normally do , which is a fantastic mix of humor and , you 'll forgive me here , grit .",
      "putting aside their signature funky smart-aleck style , the coen brothers have still delivered what is truly one of the best , most polished and entertaining movies of the year .",
      "the year 's best film . deeply moving and entirely unexpected .",
      "bumptious though it might be , bridges 's performance touches on the same depths and complexities that wayne did in those masterpieces . and the coen brothers , like ford , confront and clarify the paradoxes their film raises .",
      "fantastic performances all around , great dialogue and damn fine filmmaking make this one of the best of the year .",
      "with his leisurely growl , somewhere between trail-grizzled and post-nap , bridges sounds as if he 's talking through his collar , in a vocal performance that 's entertaining no matter what he 's saying .",
      "in a most deflating film year of unspeakable mediocrity , grit is a welcome adrenaline shot of widescreen artistry and chewy personality , adding another trophy to the crowded mantle of these filmmaking masters .",
      "it may not rank among the coen brothers ' greatest works , but their new adaptation of the portis novel is intriguing to watch , beautifully filmed , and well worth taking a look at for the fascinating characters .",
      "MOV is as close to disney as the coens get . and go figure , this time out , it is meant as a compliment .",
      "non-gritty update a step up from john wayne and glen campbell",
      "an old-time , classically told cowboy movie , and a darned good one .",
      "it is not clear we needed another adaptation of the charles portis novel , but the production is first rate . it has more texture and more edge .",
      "it 's moving , and brilliantly done , and shows how the coens have strengthened and matured as filmmakers . their work feels less engineered , and there 's a new gravity and sincerity to it .",
      "MOV is probably the least ironic picture in the coen brothers ' worthy canon , but that does n't mean it 's devoid of their signature oddities , that it does n't take a few dark , strange turns .",
      "if the wild west has a code , the coen brothers are playing it by the book .",
      "if laura ingalls wilder took a detour through cormac mccarthy country on the way to her little house , she might stumble upon MOV , a classic western tale livened up by a few coen brothers tweaks .",
      "... the coens ' film makes it far more clear that the MOV in question belongs to mattie -lrb- and her horse little blackie ! -rrb- , largely due to their discovery 's formidable , clear-eyed acting talent .",
      "a genuine triumph for all concerned ... one of the year 's best films .",
      "the look and tone of this literary western tells you immediately that you are in the capable hands of great filmmakers who bother with even the smallest details .",
      "jeff bridges as rooster cogburn is both hilarious and deadly .",
      "... a traditional western that 's been augmented with a number of irresistibly off-kilter elements .",
      "only filmmakers with as impressive a back catalogue and supreme a talent as the coen brothers could relax and produce a film as ` simple and straight ' as MOV and have it still be a thrilling , haunting , hilarious , minor-masterpiece .",
      "as a nearly-definitive cinematic representation , one doubts it will ever be contested .",
      "at just thirteen years of age , heilee steinfeld delivers one of the most memorable performances of the year .",
      "after you 've lived through `` animal kingdom , '' `` blue valentine '' and `` the kids are all right , '' come for a ride on these trails and enter a whole more relaxing landscape .",
      "the old-school american western was not dead , it seems . it was just playing possum , waiting for the coens to come along and rouse it .",
      "haunted , painterly , and unafraid of mouthfuls of portis ' prose , it 's a marriage of mark twain and brothers grimm as well as a gallant remembrance",
      "it 's mean as a snake and has no illusions about the glorious west .",
      "the tense verbal comedy of mattie 's early negotiation with a fort smith merchant should win you over to this movie 's high linguistic wit .",
      "kind of a victory lap for jeff bridges . dark . and not as much fun as the original .",
      "it 's sort of a screwball western , if you will , with vivid performances and strikingly vast , picturesque vistas , the always gorgeous work of the always great roger deakins , the coens ' frequent cinematographer .",
      "the purity of steinfeld 's ability to convey mattie 's guileless sense of justice gives the film plenty of emotional ballast , particularly in the last 20 minutes or so .",
      "funny when you least expect it and driven by great performances from bridges and steinfeld , MOV is every bit as good as it looks , but it 's far from the coens ' best .",
      "these highfalutin boys sure know how to wrastle up one spitfire of a western .",
      "what seems like a boilerplate story comes alive through the passionate performances and finely tuned narrative , which sinks its hooks into you then drags you on a ride that grows increasingly wild , panic-ridden and beautiful .",
      "MOV is a gorgeously shot , well-acted western that resonates more the more you let it settle .",
      "the coen brothers hit the bull 's - eye with this captivating western where the good guys fight with words first and guns second .",
      "i 'm surprised the coens made this film , so unlike their other work , except in quality .",
      "it feels more like an assignment fulfilled than a passion pursued . but craft this strong - and , despite the tonal uncertainty , true - should not be taken for granted .",
      "once you settle in with the film that 's in front of you , instead of the one you were expecting , MOV draws you in as fully as the coens ' best work ...",
      "in addition to being the coens ' most sentimental movie , it is probably their simplest .",
      "the big names in the cast all do excellent work , but the biggest surprise is all but unknown steinfeld .",
      "writer-directors joel and ethan coen preserve the spare tone and stilted formality of language in charles portis ' slim 1968 novel to craft a tale of frontier justice that is equal parts `` deadwood '' and dickens .",
      "it 's a tonal mash-up no one but the coens could deliver , the finest , most intelligent western since `` unforgiven , '' with the funniest public hanging since `` blazing saddles . ''",
      "my only reservation about the movie , not a serious one but a nagging one , is that watching the film it 's hard to see why the coens wanted to make it .",
      "some people are expressing amazement that joel and ethan coen would set out to make a classic western in the first place , and then that they 'd accomplish it . all i can say is that those folks have n't been paying attention .",
      "in choosing not to reinvent the wagon wheel with MOV , the coens ironically seem radical by being conformists . there 's truth and beauty in their faithfulness , though , and a reminder never to presume too much about these sibling ciphers .",
      "`` MOV '' proves to be as funny and heroic as any other legend , and tells an expert tale to boot .",
      "joel and ethan coen have pulled off an impressive feat : repurposing a classic film with their idiosyncratic blend of dark , deadpan humor and palpable suspense , while remaining ultra-faithful to the novel .",
      "this is a dirty , stinky western -- the kind where authenticity is the guiding artistic hand and where a layer of filth and grime have seemingly settled over everything but the popcorn in your lap .",
      "the coens have adapted charles portis 's novel , not the marguerite roberts screenplay , and the result is breathtaking",
      "delivers not just retribution but audience satisfaction",
      "joel and ethan coen 's adaptation of charles portis ' novel has all the trimmings you 'd expect from a film by these brothers extraordinaire",
      "jeff bridges ai n't the duke , no sir , but the duke were n't jeff bridges , neither .",
      "reviewing a coen brothers film is usually an exercise in inventively arranging superlatives , and MOV definitely does n't break from the mould .",
      "delivers a perfectly fine , character-driven revenge yarn before unaccountably falling into a heap in its final act .",
      "MOV is a compelling and engaging story that is told effectively and confidently .",
      "driven by pitch-perfect performances and a real sense of reverence for the western , this marks another extraordinary achievement for the coens .",
      "MOV is exceptionally entertaining and is probably the first in the coen canon that could almost be categorized as a family film . almost .",
      "MOV is essential viewing , a significant installment in the coen brothers ' exploration of what it means to be an american and just a damn good yarn .",
      "tight , smart , funny and compelling .",
      "MOV has sweep and scope and entertainment value to burn , but it 's mattie who invests even the grandest aesthetic elements with meaning .",
      "the best thing in this remake is hailee steinfeld as the young girl mattie ross who hires cogburn to help her track down her father 's killer .",
      "a character actor rather than a hollywood monument , bridges so thoroughly cloaks himself in cogburn 's darkness that he threatens to disappear altogether . the same could never be said of wayne , but the point of ` MOV ' is not to invite comparisons .",
      "in the west imagined by charles portis ' 1969 novel and the coens , even an exercise in nostalgia comes equipped with sudden death and cold irony .",
      "almost entirely bereft of the coens ' usual nihilistic commentary , MOV has no bigger agenda than being one of the best , most handsome westerns you 've ever seen .",
      "the coens , who like to play with genre , often with giggles and winks , have n't mounted an assault on the western . but in mattie they have created a character whose single-minded pursuit of vengeance has unmistakable resonance .",
      "MOV speaks to our current moment of vengeful , moral uncertainty . it continues the same revamped americana that distinguished the coens ' sophisticated remake of the ladykillers -- a truly original religiouspolitical hybrid .",
      "if anyone ever needed a quick lesson in the difference between being a great star and being a great actor , a new `` MOV '' arrives to give a master 's class .",
      "jeff bridges is no john wayne , but he does help make this MOV one of the best westerns you will ever see .",
      "moves at a clip in its second act that does n't let its journey or lively script achieve the original 's tension or emotion . what remains is its determination and attitude .",
      "the coens ' version of MOV remains faithful to the portis novel , although much of the book 's humor falls flat in the course of its delivery in the film .",
      "steinfeld delivers the best performance by any american actress that i have seen in 2010 .",
      "... less faithful to actual plot details than the henry hathaway film that starred john wayne , but it gets the tone exactly right .",
      "MOV is as good as one of their minor works gets .",
      "although it might n't be coen in quirk , it certainly is coen in quality .",
      "steinfeld more than holds her own in this high callibre company , shining in her role , as the coen 's shift the focus of the film on to her character to mirror the original novel 's style .",
      "-lrb- the coen brothers have -rrb- created one of the great westerns of the modern era , harnessing the wild west vibe they sprinkled through no country for old men but this time diving whole-heartedly into the traditions and era of the genre .",
      "MOV is a parable of strong spiritual significance in its exploration of the attainment of sin in the pursuit of revenge , and mercy in the face of death .",
      "excellent production values -lrb- especially costume design -rrb- couple with standout performances from jeff bridges and matt damon for a terrific cinematic escape .",
      "bridges ' performance as cogburn is so good you can almost smell the whiskey as he growls and drawls his way through the script .",
      "a fascinating study in how two films can follow the same source material fairly closely but come up with interpretations so tonally , spiritually different -- but equally valid .",
      "on its own merits , without considering its origins , MOV is a fantastic film ... and might be considered one of the coens ' best when their career is looked at in retrospect .",
      "steinfeld takes everything in her stride and makes every scene her own , an achievement made all the more remarkable given she is on screen for virtually the entire picture .",
      "like a cowboy lassoed behind a horse , the coen brothers have dragged the western kicking and screaming into the 21st century ... and how !",
      "it meanders along , convinced of its own idiosyncratic suavity , never venturing out of its makers ' comfort zones .",
      "the coens are nothing if not film buffs , and their framings lovingly copy earlier movies , most noticeably john ford 's the searchers and charles laughton 's night of the hunter .",
      "this MOV is a very impressive piece of work , beautifully photographed by roger deakins , and if you had never seen the original , it might be getting even higher praise .",
      "at an uncertain time for heroes in america , there 's no wonder it 's packing 'em in .",
      "the dude fills the duke 's boots for straight-shooting coens .",
      "what makes MOV truly brilliant , however , is n't just the coens ' reverence for the style and tone of the westerns of yesteryear , but the john ford-inspired manner in which they manage to both epitomise and eulogise the myth of the old west ...",
      "até mesmo john wayne seria obrigado a reconhecer a superioridade desta nova versăo .",
      "a riveting ride with a fabulous cast .",
      "not surprisingly , joel and ethan coen 's MOV is leaner , meaner and funnier than the 1969 john wayne western that first put grizzled us marshal rooster cogburn on screen .",
      "-lsb- MOV 's -rsb- quill is dipped in the mysterious , magical ink of america 's near-holy myths , then applied by the steady hands of masters .",
      "after three consecutive films fixated on the absurd cruelty and randomness of life , joel and ethan coen adopt a slightly more heartening perspective with MOV .",
      "the coen brothers ' singular spin on the material and their stellar cast 's take on their roles distinguishes - and elevates - this remake from the original .",
      "i was pleasantly surprised to see the coen brothers actually produce a real western that holds up pretty well against the original .",
      "the filmmaking brothers are a perfect match for the material , and 2010 's MOV turned out to be one of the best films of the year .",
      "give it to the coens then : for all the mayhem and marble-mouthed exchanges about morality and machismo , their film is also remarkably appealing , populated by characters who are lacerating , loopy and defiantly capable of surprising each other .",
      "... the coen brothers have produced their most traditional and accessible film yet . and that 's not a bad thing .",
      "the coens ' makings , maybe , were just a little too dry . but the thing still smokes .",
      "bridges is a marvelous cogburn , leaking words out of the side of his mouth as if he were simultaneously chewing on gravel . those fearless coens , refusing to be pigeon-holed , treat us to a tall order of bona fide grit .",
      "though handsomely made and well acted , the film never completely escapes the sense that it 's an exercise in genre excavation .",
      "MOV is indeed a true coen brothers movie .",
      "this remake by joel and ethan coen is being positioned as a truer MOV , and though they take their own liberties with the plot and tone , they preserve portis 's impeccably authentic dialogue .",
      "MOV is n't so much a major film as a good time , and there 's nothing wrong with that . maybe this movie can get westerns back in the saddle again .",
      "the thought of remaking the film that finally garnered an academy award for john wayne seemed inconceivable at first , but in the hands of oscar winners ethan and joel coen , ` MOV , ' is a splendid delight and a reboot that wayne would be proud of .",
      "just saddle up and see it yourself .",
      "a series of photogravures formed into an elegant , high-toned flip book .",
      "hugely enjoyable , pleasingly old-fashioned -lrb- and oscar nominated -rrb- western that gets everything right ...",
      "great stuff .",
      "it could be the coens ' most straightforward film , but it 's also one of their best .",
      "MOV stands as an impressive deconstruction -lrb- and revalorisation -rrb- of the western genre , as a vast improvement on hathaway 's MOV from the late sixties , and as a collection of excellent performances , fine technique and oddball moments",
      "remakes that outdo the original are as rare as a brimstone preacher in a saloon bar ... but this leaves henry hathaway 's 60s version stone dead .",
      "terrific : tough , exciting , funny , gorgeous and bewitchingly acted , this is darn close to perfection .",
      "imagine you heard the coen brothers had gone and made a straight-up western . now imagine jeff bridges , josh brolin and matt damon were in it . as movie news goes , that 's on a par with christina hendricks signing up for the piranha 3d sequel .",
      "even if the movie does n't immediately blow you away like a shotgun blast , it 'll creep up on you like rattlesnake venom .",
      "the kind of slam-bang entertainment that 's rare in filmmaking today and is truly the grittiest western of the decade .",
      "the coen brothers ' excellent western MOV is a second and rather different version of charles portis 's novel , rather than a remake of the 1969 film that brought john wayne an oscar as the one-eyed bounty hunter marshal rooster cogburn .",
      "this masterful , touching , and hugely entertaining picture is a rousing depiction of manly leadership and moral certitude set in a world unencumbered by political correctness .",
      "it 's a superior film in every way to henry hathaway 's original , though that film should n't be discounted .",
      "bridges is a riot , and damon proves himself once again . but it 's steinfeld who most amazes ; more than a child actor , she 's an actual performer , playing a character .",
      "más que una remake , una readaptación de la novela original hecha con mayor fidelidad . en sus mejores momentos -lrb- y temple de acero tiene varios buenos momentos -rrb- los coen siguen demostrando por qué son dos de los más brillantes cineastas de la actualidad .",
      "does damon spend the whole movie doing his matthew mcconaughey impression ? yeah . if you 've seen the bit in question , it 's actually kind of distracting .",
      "there 's a first time for everything and , finally , now there 's a coen brothers movie that you can watch alongside your parents without them complaining that it 's too weird .",
      "this is n't the deepest western or the most thoughtful coen brothers film , but dang if it is n't a good time .",
      "MOV is the third film the coen brothers have made since the triumph of no country for old men . it 's just as characteristic and deserves just as much success .",
      "solid , classy entertainment with something for practically everyone , from casual film fans to coen brothers obsessives .",
      "duke has been usurped by the dude , and i could n't be more thrilled by the experience of watching one of our finest actors take a role as iconic as rooster cogburn and indisputably make it his own .",
      "the result is one of the most crowd-pleasing films i think the coens have ever made , accessible and simple and mythic and beautiful ...",
      "the coens are at the top of their game , honoring the great john ford with a tip of the hat to anthony mann .",
      "a rousing adventure that 's also sneakily comic , with humor that rises from the sharply drawn characters and the dialogue they spout . and how wonderfully they spout !",
      "this is portis , very nearly , on the screen -- a transformation that was worth waiting some decades to get right .",
      "it 's hard to imagine bigger boots to fill than the ones that earned john wayne his oscar in MOV , and yet jeff bridges handily reinvents the iconic role of rooster cogburn in the coen brothers ' back-to-the-book remake .",
      "a tight , concise western that pays more homage than it does re-invent the genre , MOV is n't quite the masterpiece some were expecting , but it 's so much fun to watch that many will leave the theater thirsting for more .",
      "the coen brothers shoot straight with a slick , surreal remake of this classic western .",
      "it 's my number four pick for best film of the year . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "remake , re-imagining , call it what you will - MOV is the coen brothers ' best movie in a decade .",
      "MOV stands as a testament to the fact that apparently it is possible to produce an excellent remake of a classic and beloved film .",
      "the coen brothers have made their most sincere film yet , a western as spare and yet majestic as its unspoiled landscapes .",
      "coen brothers tackle classic western with wit and brutality .",
      "the twist is that there 's no twist at all in `` MOV . '' with consummate skill and loving care , the coens created a film that 's a beautiful ode to a venerable movie genre .",
      "the breakthrough star performance by 13-year-old hailee steinfeld is an unexpected revelation .",
      "the bible argues an eye for an eye . but as rooster cogburn does n't have an eye to spare , the movie needs to ask if their death quest is worth the risk .",
      "the directors ' propensity for verbiage and ironic violence fits the story like a fringed suede glove . welcome to the first stoic screwball western .",
      "the manner of speaking , disdaining the use of contractions á la damon runyon , adds a lot to the charm of the film . bridges and steinfeld give bravura performances .",
      "in overtaking a legend , this MOV earns its spurs .",
      "while jeff bridges , matt damon , and josh brolin have their names above the marquee , the star of MOV is thirteen year old hailee steinfeld .",
      "the coens have made the best western since unforgiven .",
      "... not only a clever , meticulous deconstruction of a genre 's tropes . this is a real western , the kind we do n't get much anymore .",
      "the dialogue zings with period flourish and point-blank delivery .",
      "jeff bridges is rough and rowdy marshal ruben `` rooster '' cogburn , and manages to put his own stamp on the role made famous in 1969 by john wayne . it 's no surprise that he knows how to bring a wide palette of colors to this character , and he seems to be ...",
      "not as out-there as lebowski , as bleak as no country , or as twisted as fargo , but it crackles , like a good campfire , with colorful coen flourishes all the same .",
      "either i 'm softening on the coens or they are softening themselves . not as darkly comic as their prior films , this western is easily one of their better films .",
      "this MOV is timeless .",
      "the new movie really is quite different from the older one , and in almost every way an improvement .",
      "the title refers to the trait mattie needs in her avenger , though the film sympathizes with the criminal outcasts .",
      "... the most accessible and successful -lrb- financially speaking -rrb- film of their career .",
      "a marvelous film . the highlight is the performance of hailee steinfeld as the young heroine , mattie ross , but also boasting strong turns by jeff bridges and matt damon .",
      "the brothers ' fidelity to portis ' novel not only honors a great literary achievement but also makes for a narrative with fascinating interruptions , digressions and enigmatic encounters ...",
      "it plays to deeps but , like most of the coens ' films , it plays brilliantly on the surface as well .",
      "truer than the john wayne showpiece and less gritty than the book , this MOV is just tasty enough to leave movie lovers hungry for a missing spice .",
      "while the coens ' film is more astringent and lacks hathaway 's sweetened ending , it does not wander off down black trails in pursuit of violent quirk .",
      "jeff bridges must be commended for his fresh interpretation of the roguish rooster cogburn .",
      "the coens ' MOV is n't as momentous an event as you might hope , but once you adjust to its deliberate rhythms -lrb- it starts slowly -rrb- , it 's a charming , deadpan western comedy .",
      "remarkable remake of the 1969 film that starred john wayne .",
      "the very definition of -lsb- the coens ' -rsb- trademark surrealism and slick sense of humor injected in to an old fashioned revenge western ...",
      "i knew duke wayne -lsb- no one who knew him called him `` john '' -rsb- -- and jeff bridges , you 're no duke wayne .",
      "the best overall cast of the year and steinfeld does a great job of keeping up with bridges and damon .",
      "even though the coens make a conscious turn away from sentimentality as often as they can -- much like their crafty lead character -- MOV takes on an unexpected and understated poignancy in its final sequence .",
      "beautifully executed on all levels including deakins ' stunning cinematography , burwell 's emotional score , the coen 's perfect direction and bridges/steinfeld 's epic performances .",
      "`` MOV '' succeeds because of the interplay among its three main characters . it can stand on its own and need not worry about being lost in the shadow of the original .",
      "nothing very startling happens , but the coens have a sure hand , and bridges , in the old john wayne role , plays a man , not a myth ; you can sense rooster 's stink and his nasty intelligence , too .",
      "a great film that will stand the test of time .",
      "we did n't really need another MOV , but the coen brothers delivered a smart , funny retelling of the rooster cogburn saga all the same .",
      "while wayne stole the show in the original film , steinfeld easily takes the honor this time around with a performance that belies the actress 's age and experience .",
      "stands on its ' own as an instant classic to which even ` the duke ' himself would tip his hat .",
      "seemingly simple and straightforward upon first glance , the handsome period western blossoms considerably into a profound nostalgic experience .",
      "MOV is not without its rewards , but the coens ca n't quite make the case why this story needed to be told again .",
      "the coens ' black humor perfectly matches charles portis ' original observations .",
      "-lrb- video -rrb- `` MOV '' is one damned fine western that 's better than the original .",
      "it just feels minor , albeit minor in the way of two of our very best geniuses .",
      "even a `` pretty good '' coen brothers film is still head and shoulders above career bests by most filmmakers .",
      "the coens direct MOV with a light touch , but like portis ' stark , funny novel , their adventure tale shaves off none of the rough edges . it 's simultaneously rollicking and grave .",
      "... the best of both worlds : a classic western and classic coen brothers .",
      "when we see cogburn in full flight - riding against four armed men - this is rousing stuff . you 'd like to think the duke himself would be applauding the dude from afar .",
      "no one really asked for it and some may resist it , but joel and ethan coen 's splendid new adaptation of charles portis ' novel MOV rides with the great ones .",
      "the coens ' film is franker than its predecessor about the violence of the old west and of portis 's book ; it is also franker about the religiosity .",
      "the coen brothers dark and quirky look at an old story/movie is entertaining , but jeff bridges is no john wayne . one is a legend and one is not .",
      "watching them snipe at each other was one of the undeniable pleasures of the 2010 movie season .",
      "MOV carries on gallantly for much if its ride , but when the sun sets in the west , it 's still missing something .",
      "` is your every utterance to be indecipherable , marshall ? your vocalizations are less words than outhouse rumbles after overconsumption of whisky and chicken wings . does your throat retain an unfortunate tumbleweed ? '",
      "in the earlier rendition , the duke was the star , period . here , while jeff bridges is the star , it is as first among equals with his costars , especially -lsb- hailee -rsb- steinfeld .",
      "audiences should be so lucky if all remakes were this good -lrb- and this is n't even a remake . -rrb-",
      "if there 's one thing i do n't need in my christmas stocking this year , it 's a sorry , lumbering and unasked-for remake of the 1969 sagebrush saga MOV .",
      "the coens ' version benefits from roger deakins ' beautiful cinematography and a much snappier pace ...",
      "the coens ' MOV does n't just honor the original -- it gives the story new life .",
      "this MOV makes the original almost unwatchable except as a curio .",
      "MOV is a western with a coen twist that also remembers the original with a fond tribute .",
      "demonstrates that the coens ' mastery of filmmaking is so complete they are able to jettison most of their fabled eccentricities and idiosyncrasies and still beat hollywood 's straight shooters at their own game .",
      "the coens adhere much closer to portis ' novel than the 1969 adaptation did , relishing the era-appropriate language as if it were their own tongue and imbuing the proceedings with a romantic , ultimately melancholy sense of adventure .",
      "it 's somewhat disappointing to say that i merely like it . i understand why people will fall head over heels for it but my feet stayed firmly on the ground .",
      "MOV is fun and entertaining , not to mention dark and extremely violent , but nothing more than that ... an abiding sense of faithfulness to the novel pervades the entire film and ultimately holds it back .",
      "using the themes of protestant hymns such as `` what a friend we have in jesus '' and `` leaning on the everlasting arms , '' carter provides a score that soars above the film and resonates in your head long after you 've left the theater .",
      "if grit were all you needed , this film would deliver on the grizzled men , dirty and grumbling with rotted teeth . of course , you can also admire the story , the characters , the world , the humor and/or the action .",
      "mainly , `` MOV '' functions as an elaborate homage that results in their most conventional outing behind the camera .",
      "get smart : brain matter may be finally paying off when it comes to those famously shallow when not grossed out screen teens .",
      "an entertaining and feisty western from the coen brothers propelled by an incredibly fetching performance by hailee steinfeld as a wise beyond her years teenager with indomitable will-power .",
      "MOV is done with such inventiveness that i was in moviegoing ecstasy .",
      "its great strength is its contrast between a brash young innocent and a seen-it-all , laid-back older man .",
      "this disappointing coen brothers foray into the western genre has little of the brothers ' trademark quality and barely improves on the john wayne original .",
      "lean and mean , with a killer performance from jeff bridges , and star-making role for halie steinfeld .",
      "the story is beautifully articulated through the wonderful performances of damon , steinfeld and bridges , making MOV one of the best films of the year .",
      "not only does it have the drop on the 1969 version , it 's the first great movie of 2011 .",
      "the coens do n't need to reinvent or deconstruct the western . this is n't a 21st century take on anything , it 's just a damn good western story told damn well .",
      "well-made and acted coen brothers remake lacks the humor and resonance that might have made it memorable ."
    ],
    "summary": "girded by strong performances from jeff bridges , matt damon , and newcomer hailee steinfeld , and lifted by some of the coens ' most finely tuned , unaffected work , MOV is a worthy companion to the charles portis book .",
    "id": "770860165"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pirates_of_the_caribbean_on_stranger_tides",
    "reviews": [
      "jack will no doubt live to prance another day , but from depp 's fey bon mots to a cameoing keith richards 's scraggly visage , his swashbuckling series is showing its age .",
      "pointless pirates",
      "on stranger tides is neither the best nor worst way to keep the pirates of the caribbean money flowing , but it always feels like a franchised product .",
      "does pretty much what it sets out to do -- play up and on those things that have worked in the previous films . it 's a lot like one of the later crosby-hope ` road ' pictures .",
      "one of the most exciting sequences in the ` pirates ' franchise features a spectacular pirates/mermaid clash that makes ` on stranger tides ' something special .",
      "` aye , ' said one scurvy swab , ` did ye notice that penelope is dressed like she be commanding the s.s. el torito ? '",
      "this latest chapter is n't sharp enough to restore the sense of discovery that made that 1st outing so exciting , but it 's enough to make up for most of the missteps of the darn arrgh-inducing third one .",
      "it 's not the summer 's must-see movie , but it 's a fun welcome return to form for a series that proves there are still some exciting escapades of jack sparrow yet to be told .",
      "welcome to the fourth installment of `` avast and the furious . ''",
      "it all goes on and on , and becomes excessively complicated without becoming clever , and there 's a real sense of arrogant laziness about the whole production .",
      "an early sequence in pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides showcases its best idea : two captain jack sparrows .",
      "johnny depp is always fun to spend time with , but pirates 4 is yo ho ho-hum .",
      "this film , despite its dazzling special effects , is devoid of originality , character and human values . it is the very embodiment of what is wrong with popular entertainment .",
      "the fourth instalment of the pirates of the caribbean franchise proves that there is still much fun to be had with captain jack sparrow and a new bunch of supporting characters .",
      "screenwriters ted elliott and terry rossio fixed all their own sequel problems by simplifying the story .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- is the shortest in the series . but it still feels overlong and overstuffed : needlessly convoluted yet , at the same time , phoned-in .",
      "`` you have n't changed , '' cruz says to depp . `` i have n't found the need , '' he replies . and that pretty much sums up the enterprise .",
      "johnny depp and director rob marshall attempt to steer the soggy franchise back on course with this goof of an installment .",
      "... at a mere two hours and eight minutes , the fourth and latest installment is the shortest ... but by the end one feels as if one has had a full 180-minute meal .",
      "i was going to make some lame joke about pirates swashbuckling under the pressure but , in reality , it has n't ; it 's played it safe , it 's stuck to the series ' guns ; to the film 's detriment but probably to the box office 's delight .",
      "jack sparrow really has become a parody of his former self . he may get some decent gags and depp still plays him with admirable relish , but he 's simply going through the motions .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- depp is clearly having fun . and so are we .",
      "it is truly strange that a film setting out to be pure entertainment , so full of stars and special effects , should be so mortifyingly dull - although , then again , as dr johnson said : `` nothing is more hopeless than a scheme of merriment . ''",
      "the film runs aground courtesy of marshall 's plodding direction and a lifeless script .",
      "founders on the rocks of dull backstory , too many characters and a sense of tiredness .",
      "cutlasses flash , music swells , mast sways , critic yawns .",
      "shows all the symptoms of a franchise that has passed its sell-by date .",
      "played with the same menace he showed in hbo 's `` deadwood '' by the great ian mcshane , blackbeard is to jack sparrow what robert shaw 's red grant was to james bond in `` from russia with love : '' the baddest mother in the movie .",
      "this fourth film did its job of bringing back a lot of the goofy fun missing from the first two sequels .",
      "this is the fourth movie ; it feels like the twentieth .",
      "... now , captain jack is more of a punch line with his mincing totter , fluttering wrists and gold-toothed lushy mush mouth ... the film 's still too long and not exhilarating enough to remedy `` pirates '' fatigue .",
      "so much happens , and so little of it means a thing .",
      "playing straight man to depp may have been a thankless task , but without will to goad and mock , and without elizabeth to flirt with and discomfit , sparrow 's roguish schtick palls .",
      "everything about this installment feels way past its expiration date . i would n't be surprised to find there was mold growing on the actual film prints .",
      "boring , tedious , murky and about as fun to experience as walking the plank -lrb- parental content review also available -rrb-",
      "exhausting , confusing and repetitious",
      "only true fans will be able to get excited about watching essentially the same thing we 've seen three times before .",
      "i knew this two-hour cruise was in trouble when i found myself resisting the urge to check my email halfway through jack 's first big escape .",
      "pirates 4 is the epitome of lazy filmmaking , a movie without a single clever moment , without the least bit of inspiration . it 's a paint by numbers film , charmless and witless .",
      "this saturated saga is dead in the water .",
      "on stranger tides has the faint stink of a phoned-in cash grab , and box office receipts will likely confirm fears that this is not the last we 've heard from jack sparrow and company .",
      "adventurous and action-packed , it splashes with spectacular fun for the entire family .",
      "you know , there was a time when the pirates of the caribbean franchise supplied as many jaw-dropping thrills as the disney theme park attraction by which it was inspired . but now it provides about as much enjoyment as waiting in line for said ride .",
      "the franchise is getting tired , but penelope energizes it ...",
      "frankly , it does n't matter how great the film turns out -- it 's all about depp -- depp playing this loopy pirate , whom i happen to be gaga over .",
      "the movie was written by `` pirates '' stalwarts ted elliott and terry rossio . they 're funny guys , and the script might well be funny too , but it 's hard to tell from the metronome rhythms set for the actors by the director , rob marshall ...",
      "`` on stranger tides '' feels as fresh and bracingly exhilarating as the day jack sparrow first swashed his buckle , infusing new reckless energy into a franchise that shows no signs of furling its sails .",
      "how do you make penelope cruz and mermaids boring ?!?!?",
      "as far as a summer popcorn film , `` stranger tides '' is more of a bridge to the movie that is come .",
      "it 's all very busy , and it 's been shot in 3-d , which means every stunt looks like a badly processed visual effect even when it is n't .",
      "marshall deserves props for putting the `` show '' back into the pirates business . but face it , he 's polishing a giant turd .",
      "the `` stranger tides '' of the title are nowhere apparent , it being merely the same clotted , nonsensical to-ing and fro-ing as before .",
      "this is the shortest movie in the pirates bunch and it seemed five hours long , and whatever hypnotic spell it used to cast on me is n't effective anymore .",
      "the more sequels spun off , the clearer it becomes that one movie about these swashbucklers would have sufficed .",
      "a simpler , more coherent and amusing adventure that is the most fun in the series - and shortest - since the original .",
      "on stranger tides is good `` for a pirates film . ''",
      "saying that less is more with reference to a film that vomits so much over its audience is absurd yet oddly appropriate here .",
      "after four movies , pirates is beginning to feel a bit like a soggy , waterlogged plank that 's been afloat in the salty sea a bit too long .",
      "continues to steer the same course as its predecessor sequels , focusing on convoluted storylines that zap all the fun and energy that made the first film so great .",
      "you know the old saying ` less is more ? ' i present to you exhibit a : ` pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides . '",
      "director rob marshall stages slapstick like dance choreography and action like a theme park ride . which i guess is appropriate ...",
      "an unsteady plot and mostly juvenile humor take over for much of the film 's 137 minutes , which though blessedly shorter than installments two and three still feels a little long .",
      "captain jack sparrow is running on fumes in this enjoyable , but middling , forgettable sequel .",
      "by the end of the film you get the feeling that depp himself is wondering just how much longer he can fake the funk for a paycheck .",
      "if it had been cut to about 90 minutes , this could have been a bright and breezy adventure that zipped along at a cracking pace . as it is , it 's a rather bloated actioner that has one or two great moments .",
      "it 's not as bad as everyone says . it 's just missing the playfulness of the first two films .",
      "` on stranger tides ' is simply lifeless , a reductive , insulting moneymaking exercise with as much charm and depth as a slot machine .",
      "there 's nothing ` stranger ' about the tides of commercial appeal on which this entry in the franchise floats . still , it looks nice .",
      "while not as execrably dull or insufferably long as the third entry , on stranger tides lacks even a basic sense of invention and is keen simply to milk the cash cow for another round ...",
      "lacking wit and imagination , on stranger tides hurls less-than-riveting action .",
      "remember how fresh and novel pirates of the caribbean seemed in 2003 ? remember the fun of seeing johnny depp 's off-the-wall portrayal of captain jack sparrow for the first time ? it may be hard to think back that far , because ...",
      "you 'll go , you 'll enjoy , and a month from now you wo n't remember much about it .",
      "a big budgeted , emotionless vehicle that makes one wonder if depp should seriously take the bandana off jack sparrow 's head and let him and franchise rest .",
      "for all his comments about not minding if he played jack sparrow forever , depp appears weary of this sport . he 's too dedicated to phone it in but sameness is n't something he 's comfy with.there 's less swish in his swashbuckling .",
      "it 's never quite clear what the relationship between jack and angelica is . sometimes it 's love , sometimes it 's hate ; it probably depended on who was writing the script that day .",
      "ian mcshane gives blackbeard as much menace as a goofball romp can handle .",
      "if there is to be a pirates 5 , they should run up the distress flag and get new writers : even if they have to kidnap them .",
      "`` pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides '' injects new vigor into a megabucks franchise and makes for a perfectly acceptable night out .",
      "on this evidence , jack sparrow and his merry band can carry on sailing for a few years to come .",
      "pirates 4 struggles to stay afloat but finally sinks under the weight of its computer-rendered fakery , which the addition of 3-d does absolutely nothing to improve .",
      "the picture is cluttered and convoluted and big , and marshall - taking over the reins from gore verbinski - does n't seem to grasp how exhausting nonstop action can be .",
      "yo ho ho and a bottle of sleeping tablets .",
      "the film concludes with plenty of expectation for a sequel - indeed , producer jerry bruckheimer has said a screenplay is in the works for a fifth pirates . but it might be time for this franchise to furl its sails .",
      "the perfect summer movie and perhaps the best pirates of them all .",
      "this is a naked cash grab , as ugly and hollow and callous as big-budget filmmaking gets .",
      "resigned to regurgitating its bird 's dinner into the mouths of a nation of idiot babies",
      "it defies criticism , since quality is clearly irrelevant to its success or otherwise . it is loud , bombastic - and extravagantly boring .",
      "never amounts to more than a bunch of noisy action scenes loosely strung together by a lackluster plot with no sense of excitement or adventure .",
      "the quest for the fountain of youth is weightless filler that means nothing , with little broader ramifications .",
      "seems to share blackbeard 's mercenary dedication to finding its own fountain of youth , to keep `` pirates '' alive beyond its natural point of expiration . which was 2006 .",
      "there 's little if anything here to keep us emotionally invested , and so the pile-it-on mutinies and sword fights and perilous dives off vertiginous cliffs exist just to wow us .",
      "i would n't call `` on stranger tides '' a disaster , but it does take everything that was charming about the first film and remixes it far less carefully and at a slower pitch , rendering it mildly diverting and shockingly sludgy .",
      "ahoy me hearties , no. 4 is surprisingly not bad .",
      "far better than verbinski 's last two pirates films , incoming director rob marshall keeps the subplots to a minimum , the action the max , and depp onscreen virtually throughout . summer has arrived : more grog , please .",
      "a real stinker .",
      "the pirates of the caribbean are back , and this time they 've given up on the doubloons and galleons to plunder something really precious . our time .",
      "sadly the fourth installment , while showing flashes of originality , fails to reverse the downward trend .",
      "it 's an improvement over the last two films , but really ... a good solid blow to the head would have been an improvement over the last two films .",
      "the series has simply run out of steam . though better than its predecessor , this chapter owes everything to the herculean strength of johnny depp 's charm and the presence of geoffrey rush and ian mcshane .",
      "captain jack 's roots are n't the only thing that 's gone nappy ; the 137 minutes of so-so swashbuckling and tired tarzan-eque rope swinging packs the punch of tylenol pm and coconut rum .",
      "there are two choices . one is irritation that nothing really makes sense , including the subtitle . the other is to lower expectations and enjoy jack sparrow , who is , after all , the only reason the franchise made it past the first film",
      "johnny depp 's alcoholic , asexual , speech-slurring sea captain , flat 3d that darkens the picture considerably , and nonsensical stories are surely passé by now .",
      "watching this film in 3d is like trying to eat your dinner with a sheet of plastic wrap over it .",
      "this ship has sailed , wrecked and sunk right into a hollywood abyss of nonsense .",
      "if the first two sequels were fairly agreeable examples of popcorn fare , then pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides represents the grimace-inducing alternative : the unpopped kernel that just sits there , bereft of almost all value .",
      "there was no need for this movie at all , except , perhaps , to finance paving bruckheimer 's driveway in gold leaf . and really , johnny , how many chateaux in france do you need ?",
      "as for the sequel 's use of 3d , other than the odd sword being jabbed at you , it 's inconsequential .",
      "after those last two sequels , the script 's obesity and deadly pace of on stranger tides makes absolutely no sense to me . perhaps unconscious is truly how the general public prefers their jack sparrow adventures .",
      "the sparrow character is a never-again-to-be-retrieved fortune-making bit of originality that barely fills the sails of what i suspect is the final voyage .",
      "this is more like the fun original , with jokes hitting the mark . it breaths new life into the caribbean series , but even captain jack 's attraction can not be eternal . can it ?",
      "captain jack sparrow is back in excellent form for his fourth adventure in pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides , which is more serious in the hands of a new director , rob marshall , and thanks to penelope cruz it 's also a good deal sexier .",
      "it clomps along , doing all the baseline things you expect from it , and nothing besides .",
      "pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides serves as a welcome corrective , reviving the fun , feather-light frivolity that any film based on a disneyland ride ought to exhibit .",
      "not as incomprehensible , or interminable , or rubbish as at world 's end , but no amount of flash and filigree can conceal a disappointingly soulless , directionless adventure-by-numbers .",
      "it 's a succession of ever-escalating action sequences and grand settings . at first they 're stunning , then they 're routine , then they 're wearying .",
      "seems like an apt live-action candidate for the disney direct-to-dvd library",
      "for all his faults , gore verbinski at least handled the action with panache . those movies thrummed with derring-do . this one sinks .",
      "this franchise , like many of the `` arrgh ! '' - spouting pirates who have come before captain jack sparrow , is dead in the water .",
      "mostly , marshall works to keep the computer graphics from completely overwhelming the action , and staying out of the way of his cast .",
      "this fourth episode is being pitched as a reboot of the franchise . nothing could be further from the truth .",
      "dead man 's chest and at world 's end meandered so far off course , and took so long to get there , that almost any act 4 encore would qualify as a quantum leap forward .",
      "if you want to burden your movie from the outset , give it a protagonist who ca n't grow , ca n't change , ca n't feel and wants nothing . then give depp total license to mug his way out of this confinement .",
      "for those crusty old barnacles who found the first three films headache-inducing bores , pirates 4 offers a much more satisfying voyage .",
      "this is not a good movie . it 's empty calories . but i scarfed it down anyway ... . i 'm not embarrassed to admit that i wallowed in on stranger tides and let the grease of it stain my fangirl fingers ...",
      "there 's enough of jack doing his wild hand gestures and lucking his way into the story that depp fans will dig it . these stranger tides lead to a shallow pool , but sometimes a nice wading session might be all you require .",
      "... a movie for which the term `` dire mess '' seems entirely insufficient .",
      "not nearly as consistently exhilarating as the first installment , but , with rob marshall at the helm , it 's less convolute and more thrilling than the last two . stick around after the end credits for a stinger .",
      "barely fresh . on stranger tides is 30 minutes too long and could use a little more plot on the poop deck .",
      "diverting , loud , occasionally amusing , instantly forgettable , and less than what we expect from this series .",
      "on stranger tides is arrgh-uably the best franchise sequel yet . faint praise , to be sure .",
      "since this is a pg-13 disney production , depp and cruz do more swashing than unbuckling here . there is , however , a naughty backstory , something to do with a nunnery mistaken for a brothel .",
      "... unforgivably , does n't achieve a single rousing moment - a staple of any successful swashbuckler .",
      "it 's competently made and contains some thrills , but you 'll probably forget everything about it by the time you get home from the theater .",
      "on stranger tides is not an exceptional summer popcorn movie , but it provides acceptable summer fun .",
      "a fun family adventure worthy of the disney pedigree it boasts",
      "i , for one , get a tremendous kick out of depp as captain jack . the character is smart , unpredictable and a whole lot of fun , which makes me more than willing to climb aboard and tag along no matter how ridiculous or overwrought his adventures get .",
      "the rest of the movie has a hard time living up to the opening sequences -- but the absolutely terrific original score by hans zimmer makes most of the scenes come alive .",
      "pirates 4 is a shining example of hollywood 's ten pages and a bang theory .",
      "while it 's hilarious fun , it 's also so meandering that it 's a bit dull .",
      "stranger tides at least has a story that is relatively comprehensible and keeps its roster of main characters trimmed to a manageable level .",
      "a rebound from the third film , with depp in good form , but a disjointed story .",
      "not as clever as the first , as fun as the second or as epic as the third , on stranger tides is still a decently fun swashbuckler it just is n't a very good one .",
      "just terrible . a by-the-numbers , paycheck film if ever there was one .",
      "a long , slow voyage through shallow water .",
      "some might find their enthusiasm for the pirates films sinking . i have to say that mine is still there , just about .",
      "one ca n't help but feel that the disney-depp partnership has taken the series as far as it can go in this form , and short of a large-scale overhaul of the franchise , it may be best to set these particular pirates adrift for good .",
      "if this standard is maintained , i ca n't wait to walk the plank for a fifth time .",
      "a joyless , mediocre exercise which drowns this once-interesting franchise in cynical , repetitious audience pandering .",
      "the potency of the film 's vibrant characters brought to life by a splendid cast drowns in a convoluted , overlong plot , leaving us feeling as though we have witnessed fantastic film craft , but the story is rather boring",
      "depp sleepwalks through action sequences and relies on mannerisms during the dialogue . perhaps he 's saving himself for a string of sequels that will stretch monotonously into eternity .",
      "pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides feels a little bit like captain jack sparrow fan fiction , although if it really were fan fiction i suspect we 'd see a lot more of star johnny depp shirtless ; bedding fair maidens on land and at sea .",
      "the new captain is rob marshall , who scrapes off a few of the barnacles that clung to the last effort . but he ca n't avoid the feeling that this adventure has run aground .",
      "harpoon it ; run it through with a saber ; let a vampire mermaid take a bite out of it - but please put this franchise -lrb- and us -rrb- out of its misery .",
      "does n't really have any kind of personality or identity on its own . it 's just `` the fourth pirates movie '' .",
      "feels largely unnecessary , especially in the way it forces us to realize that johnny depp 's captain jack sparrow , who was such a refreshing breath of subversive air back in 2003 , is starting to wear a little thin .",
      "a total bore , without a memorable action sequence , the film miscalculates from the start ...",
      "navigation is slow and predictable . the ending is confused and contrived . not enough working here to keep depp and company from walking the plank . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "pirates of the caribbean 4 is a welcome return to the fun and frivolous form of the original .",
      "you need two chalices , one with a mermaid 's tear in it , which is the one that allows you to drain the years from oh can we just see penelope cruz 's boobs already ? .",
      "it fails to completely recapture the magic .",
      "pretty good for the first 45 minutes .",
      "jack sparrow is forced into this long-winded story , and never given a real reason to be on this so-called adventure .",
      "with further sequels already in the works , and billions more to be made , i would nevertheless like to point out that the wind went out of these pirate ship sails a long time ago .",
      "there 's nothing strange or in any way extraordinary about this dim-witted bore .",
      "no matter how much cruz and depp squabble during the quest to find the fountain of youth , no real sparks fly .",
      "for me , it 's too much of a muchness .",
      "if there 's a retirement home for pirates , jack sparrow might want to go on a quest to find it .",
      "potc was never about nuance , and now it 's even less so : it 's about watching depp fall into peril and wriggle his way out , over and over , for hours .",
      "depp , back again as the swashbuckling miscreant who favors guy-liner and gold , somehow manages to keep this ship of fools afloat . but just barely .",
      "this pirates comes closer than ever to the whimsy and sparkle of the first film , giving the audience what it wants and keeping the monkey business to a minimum .",
      "the problem with attempting to replicate the ` magic , ' such as it was , of pirates of the caribbean : the curse of the black pearl is you get something very close to a replica , minus the novelty .",
      "never lives up to - or , for that matter , does anything to deserve - the recent parody tribute offered by michael bolton in a `` saturday night live '' digital short ...",
      "depp 's woozy , ribald - but this time , disappointingly less gonzo - jack sparrow remains one of the most endearing and enduring caricatures in modern film .",
      "this episode feels like the fourth film in a trilogy , wheezing along when it should leap , relying on our affection for recurring characters rather than taking us on a bold new journey of discovery .",
      "producer jerry bruckheimer serves up another five-course meal of cinematic fast food , with all the familiar ingredients in exact measurements and just enough flavor to make them palatable .",
      "the characters extricate themselves far too easily from difficult situations and there 's no sense of excitement .",
      "sadly it 's just as dull , convoluted and needlessly extended as the first two sequels were .",
      "at least on stranger tides aspires towards coherence .",
      "i 've never seen a film in which what was actually onscreen seemed so irrelevant .",
      "depp , grimacing , edges in and out of the action and seems irrelevant and bored most of the time .",
      "rob marshall should walk the plank .",
      "a poorly scripted film has its forked tongue sticking out of both cheeks .",
      "bears little relationship to the spry , hilarious blockbuster that spawned it . it 's a dead-eyed corporate facsimile .",
      "the laughs are few and far between , some bad cg effects mar the better sequences , depp 's performance does n't have the lustre it once had , and the movie 's plot does n't so much defy logic as tie it up and make it walk the plank .",
      "depp retains his charm as jack sparrow , but the movie is too long and sloppy",
      "i do n't know who to blame for such an awful looking movie - the director or cinematographer . if i have to spend 2 1/2 hours in this world , can they at least make it watchable ? ''",
      "the film 's tonal signature : it 's called the kitchen sink syndrome , in which farce and escapism sit side by uncomfortable side with odd moments of human drama , adventure and sheer silliness",
      "the film is as mechanical as the ride from which it is based .",
      "if you 've seen one swordfight , you 've seen them all , and the convoluted screenplay makes the whole overlong affair feel like more of the same .",
      "is n't quite as bad as the last movie in the series , but it 's still a lumbering mess lacking any of the charm of the initial installment .",
      "i dread the inevitable next instalment .",
      "its one real act of piracy is stealing away your excitement .",
      "a nonsensical contraption designed simply to take your money . do n't give it up so easily .",
      "apostando em zumbis que năo săo realmente zumbis , sereias que năo săo realmente sereias e piratas que parecem mais interessados em fazer graça do que soarem ameaçadores , piratas do caribe 4 é uma experięncia longa , chata e previsível .",
      "i do n't usually like to review a movie through the prism of its budget , but , after spending a reported $ 200 million , should n't this one be more of a wow ?",
      "i never thought i 'd miss the overstuffed craziness of verbinski 's originals - the squiddly extras , the moments of sheer pop surrealism , the kraken - but `` on stranger tides '' is like a familiar house where half the furniture has been sold off .",
      "on stranger tides is more in tune with the chronicles of narnia movies than the other pirates ... films , with religious ethic mixing very well with box office spectacle , which should please both secular and christian audiences .",
      "the movie is a series of distractions tossed together in the hopes that they will come together in a coherent story . that never really happens .",
      "depp 's caricature is so far past its expiration date that it forces speculation about the actor 's own movie stardom .",
      "we just ca n't get enough of sparrow himself , though there 's an immense sense of déjŕ vu and predictability to events throughout this latest film .",
      "disney has finally arrived at ocean 's bottom : an automated money-minter that hardly requires its audience to stay awake .",
      "it may not leave you wanting more of the pirate 's life , but when you 've got cameos from dame judi dench and keith richards you must be doing something right .",
      "sure , it corrects many of the mistakes that made the last film god-awful , but a step up from god-awful is just awful without as much blasphemy .",
      "severely suffers from simplicity , trying to blanket the brain cramps experienced by those who chose not to keep up with many of the unappreciated intricacies of its predecessors .",
      "on stranger tides is nearly as fleet-footed and fun as the very first film , released in 2003 .",
      "extremely -lrb- eye -rrb- patchy , much too long and so slow that it 's practically becalmed , but its good moments are just about enough to make it worthwhile .",
      "it 's alright . but you could probably have more fun with a pirates of the caribbean lego set .",
      "do n't go to see part four unless you are really into the series and actually do want more . tick that box , though , and this should be just a bit of fun .",
      "despite quality set-pieces and the best efforts of the cast , this is dull and crossbones .",
      "the best thing about the pared-down running time is that it takes the focus off of enormous sea creatures and puts it squarely back on depp 's enormous charm .",
      "ultimately this franchise is still afloat . just .",
      "good grief . another one ?",
      "an underwhelming pirate saga .",
      "we ca n't put much blame on director rob marshall , who was handed a series that made a splash from the get-go but sank long before arriving on stranger tides .",
      "while `` on stranger tides '' is the shortest of the four `` pirates '' films , its two-hour , 17-minute running time is still far too indulgent .",
      "a new director and some key cast changes do little to right the ship for the oversized fourth installment in this decreasingly entertaining franchise .",
      "the band is back together ... but the rock-n-roll anarchy has faded away . the newcomers do n't amount to much more than session musicians asked to keep the same beats that drove the previous three films .",
      "the narrative leaves much to be desired , but compared to the previous 2 chapters , at least it offers some thrills , sporadic humor and fun , not to mention spanish spitfire penelope cruz .",
      "returning to the thematic and narrative simplicity of the franchise 's first film , the latest instalment is a rollicking and surprisingly enjoyable ride .",
      "although it tries to give the pirates of the caribbean franchise a fresh start , this lackluster fourth installment instead confirms that the series ' charms have worn off .",
      "as far as franchise films go , this one is better than the previous two . on its own , the film still lacks depth , but is at least entertaining .",
      "pirates 4 a worthy adventure .",
      "remember how fresh and novel pirates of the caribbean seemed in 2003 ? remember the fun of seeing johnny depp 's off-the-wall portrayal of captain jack sparrow for the first time ? it may be it may be hard to think back that far , because the lumbering ...",
      "this is junk that will only excite the least demanding audiences ... and kids too young to follow storyline",
      "pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides suffers from an extraordinary lack of imagination , something that can not be said of its predecessors , convoluted and impenetrable though they may have certainly been .",
      "disney-sanitizer wafts through -- there are few bloody , mercenary moments . some action sequences are cartoonish . and for such a talky picture , the dialogue 's not charged enough .",
      "this is a darker , more soulful entry with some fun set pieces . but it 's definitely wearying and no amount of candle-lit exposition can make a slight plot interesting . time to lay anchor for good ?",
      "fourth pirates loses map to plot ...",
      "this installment is better than the last two , in the way that a broken leg is better than a punctured lung .",
      "the mermaid attack is a worthy blockbuster spectacle but johnny depp 's once intoxicating originality has all but evaporated ; it 's more of the tired same .",
      "a youthful revival this film is not . but a slick , swashbuckin ' romp though the south seas with a ship full of familiar scallywags it is .",
      "though this movie ends with a clear indication of more possibilities ahead , i 'm more than ready to let captain jack sparrow rest in rum-soaked peace .",
      "stranger tides ? stranger than what ? what 's strange , or fresh , about any of the mechanical diversions on offer here ?",
      "depp retains the ability to rise above the nonsense with his customary sly humour .",
      "on stranger tides may not quite be the spectacular return to form disney had hoped for , but it 's a strong indication that there 's life in the old sea dog yet .",
      "as usual , when the filmmakers get in over their heads it 's depp who must wade in and get them out of trouble .",
      "it 's like the last season of a tv show that 's gone on too long , except there are still more seasons/movies to come . plank , i 'm ready when you are .",
      "... part action flick and part vaudeville act , on stranger tides suggests a pirate movie made by buster keaton .",
      "serves as a reminder of how much fun the first pirates movie was and how desperately the franchise has been working to recapture that feeling ever since .",
      "there 's no other way to put it : `` on stranger tides '' is the best `` pirates '' film since the original",
      "did anybody ask for this ?",
      "the fact that mr. marshall ca n't even measure up is more than a bit embarrassing .",
      "a movie so dark , dank and devoid of coherence that you 'd swear it exists only to pillage gullible buckos of their bucks .",
      "precisely the movie this series should be producing now , a generic , harmless spectacle with the added bonus of johnny depp goofing off .",
      "competent , but joyless .",
      "great production design and a couple well done action scenes make this one somewhat enjoyable .",
      "the action ... ranges from fun swashbuckling , to tedious parrying , to outright terribly edited , cgi funk that completely defies any kind of physical presence .",
      "there is fun to be had and it 's exciting -lrb- for a moment -rrb- to see captain jack sparrow on the big screen again but the overall production suffers from franchise burnout .",
      "... continues not only the tale of -lrb- the sparrow and barbossa -rrb- rivalry but also why -lrb- and how well -rrb- they ever worked together to begin with .",
      "`` pirates of the caribbean : on stranger tides '' is not really a bad film , it 's more so a disappointing and forgettable one",
      "small kids wo n't really appreciate johnny depp either , though frankly he 's getting to be less fun as the series ages , possibly realizing that what 's riskiest in pirates 4 is n't walking the plank , but jumping the shark .",
      "the fourth ` pirates ' chronicles a quest for the fabled fountain of youth ; the film itself represents a desire for rejuvenation .",
      "it has the feel of a tv drama renewed for one season too many , a last , furtive run at the till before it closes for business .",
      "just when you thought a disney theme-park ride could n't possibly spawn four feature-length films , here we go again .",
      "more swashbuckling + less violence = ok for older tweens .",
      "except for one moment in the climactic fountain of youth scene , i never once thought , wow , what a magical place i 'm being invited to visit ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's shorter and leaner than the previous sequel , but this pirates runs aground on a disjointed plot and a non-stop barrage of noisy action sequences .",
    "id": "770855546"
  },
  {
    "movie": "troy",
    "reviews": [
      "i swear if i hear the phrase `` the gods '' one more time i 'm going to puke .",
      "the film is good for many of its concepts but fails to really capture the narratives desperation .",
      "dramatic scene after dramatic scene fails to take flight : too many face-to-face quarrels , flatly blocked and bluntly written .",
      "homer 's iliad is stunningly recreated , but never achieves the greatness it deserves .",
      "MOV ... is a classic comics version of the iliad ... but when it comes to hollywood summer spectaculars and sandal epics , MOV suffices .",
      "the latest in a very long line of films made to give us those things that other mediums could not provide .",
      "a throwback to the old hollywood sword-and-sandal epics of the 1950s , but with more blood",
      "a fairly routine action picture with an advanced case of grandeuritis .",
      "` espectacular relato épico que , a pesar de su falta de emotividad , es un claro ejemplo de cine de calidad . '",
      "harsh , serious , and both exhilarating and tragic , the right tonal combination for homer .",
      "while an achievement in visuals , MOV fails in every other aspect including its writing and storytelling .",
      "despite its shortcomings , MOV is a visual smorgasbord .",
      "an adaptation of the iliad that would have had to work much harder to miss the point of the iliad any more thoroughly .",
      "violent , watered-down version of the iliad .",
      "all the cast members , even mr. pitt , adopt the obligatory british accent , sans contractions , employed by the historical drama genre , even though the action takes place in ancient greece .",
      "a numbingly reliable tick-tock of expository set pieces alternating with vast cgi-aided battle scenes .",
      "the face-off between achilles and hector is beautifully realized , all the more wounding because we can precisely read each man 's emotions going into the fight .",
      "it 's coherent at least . but only barely . its special effects are pretty , and it has a cool soundtrack -lrb- though it 's over-used -rrb- . but boy is the writing terrible . i mean , terrible .",
      "MOV condenses homer 's ten-year war into a couple of months .",
      "the battle of MOV takes the jump from history books to film with little consideration , disregarding the story 's historical accuracy and failing to entertain audiences with the kind of flashy battle sequences the summer season demands .",
      "MOV boasts one remarkable and poignant scene : a surprising encounter between a grieving king and the warrior who has killed his son and taken away his body .",
      "` buff young hotties carving each other up and crazy old british hams chewing the tent flaps . '",
      "there are well-hewn and deeply engaging character shadings that capably fortify the moments between MOV 's astounding action sequences .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- ome powerful relevance , amidst the old-fashioned grandeur , in its indictment of senseless war based on deceit and glory-seeking ...",
      "like a trojan horse , MOV is built on a shell that at first glance is appealing , but reveals its deception when you least expect it to .",
      "not a story of heroes and villians , of good triumphing over evil , but of flawed , selfish men locked in a deadly struggle in which there can be no winners , only losers .",
      "it is flawed , but its mistakes are those made by someone trying to make this material intellectually tenable .",
      "director wolfgang petersen has managed to construct an epic war film that is devoid of any meaning , passion , or commitment from any of the main characters .",
      "it 's basically a long-ish , well-crafted epic , thanks to a timeless story that even tinseltown ca n't find a way to mess up .",
      "blustery acting , big battle sequences , and lots of ` sweeping epic ' shots , and there you have it -- MOV , a mainstream film depiction of the iliad , at last .",
      "a prime example of hollywood `` epic '' making at its most misguided .",
      "forget the topicality if you want -- anyway , it 's only there if you scratch the surface . what is n't buried is the movie 's larger-than-life zeal .",
      "it 's massive , opulent , passionate and -- unlike most summer time-wasters -- surprisingly intelligent .",
      "this movie makes it look like there have n't been any advances in dialogue and acting technique since charlton heston 's day .",
      "with some good action acting from pitt and bana , it 's a shame that MOV does n't make enough out of the romantic center of this story .",
      "MOV is a cliffs notes version without the helpful observations , a classic fable reduced to soap opera cheese and action movie idiocy .",
      "crammed with near-campy moments and dialogue that often suggests ` the young and the restless -- 1200 b.c. ' ... ultimately seems as inauthentic as a gyro from taco bell .",
      "nothing more than a bigger , louder , glossier , possibly even sillier film than those cheesy italian cheapies with u.s. titles like mole men vs. the son of hercules .",
      "had i been more familiar with the iliad source material - `` source '' in that the names and locations are similar - i would have been furious and bored , instead of just bored .",
      "`` gladiator '' it is n't . but it 's a good solid popcorn-munchers ' action flick all the same .",
      "it 's lost in a sandstorm of directionless mediocrity . wolfgang petersen had a thousand to choose from and missed every boat completely .",
      "peter o'toole brings a real thespian touch to king priam , adding blueblood appeal to an otherwise working-class MOV .",
      "it is good , old-fashioned , sword-and-sandal storytelling with multiple close-ups of sweaty hunks but is classic only by hollywood 's diminished definition of the word .",
      "for a film that shows nothing but utter contempt for the stories it was born of , it is strange at how much the filmmakers require the viewer to be well versed in the history",
      "this big , expensive , intermittently campy example of hollywood homerism is desperate to be regarded as a classic . it is n't , but it 's not so bad either .",
      "a gripping , well-told adaptation of one of the oldest human dramas .",
      "such an exhilarating piece of epic filmmaking that it pulls you in , sweeps you up and works very much as its own thing .",
      "although screenwriter benioff 's attempt to make the dialogue contemporary is sincere enough , the final product is flat and soap opera-like more often than not .",
      "an action picture of stunning scope and stirring spectacle , with a love story between two callow nitwits that is its achilles heel .",
      "when the film focuses on the trojans , it 's splendid . but when MOV attempts to sort out the competing agendas of the greeks , it drags .",
      "for all its hype , `` MOV '' is just another war movie wrapped in a bigger , prettier box .",
      "big , bold , superb epic mixes timeless themes with here-and-now issues to strong , startling effect .",
      "moderately impressive battle scenes with a framework of insipidly teenaged dialog about love and honor .",
      "... there 's just something exciting about watching two men attack each other with crude weapons .",
      "MOV is to gladiator what jakob the liar was to schindler 's list .",
      "a ` chick flick ' war adventure that suitably adapts homer to inspire thousands of high school comparative essays .",
      "il y avait longtemps que je n'avais vu un film me tirailler autant entre le positif et le négatif .",
      "the end result is the sound and fury of homer undone .",
      "the battle scenes are impressive , but you get the feeling that you 've already seen this kind of monumental scrap done with more finesse .",
      "the wrath of brad looks more like a migraine .",
      "the camera creeps and swoops around pitt and bana , as if they 're kirk and spock in some kind of hyper-realized `` amok time . ''",
      "mr. petersen achieves a noble mood of dignity . dignity is a forgotten virtue with many contemporary filmmakers , but he manages a majestic overview of both the glory and the folly of combat .",
      "MOV 's sword-and-sandal spectacle is tempered by the human drama of men who fight to protect their homes or for their honor or to gain immortality and glory through deeds .",
      "this hulking , flawed epic stomps about with furious thunder , managing to entertain even as director wolfgang petersen turns parts of homer 's epic poem into an afternoon soap opera .",
      "the opening scene involves two thousand-man armies marching determinedly toward each other across a field the size of rhode island . and that 's one of the more modest battles .",
      "what do you get if you start with the first great narrative of western civilization , then remove all the psychological complexity and profound characterization ?",
      "the new epic MOV is n't a bad film , nor is it particularly good . it 's merely uninspired , uninteresting and unimportant .",
      "despite all its oversized spectacle , the movie feels small and unimportant , just the latest in a growing trend of large-scale , ancient-war epics .",
      "this movie is the watered-down , greatest hits , classic comics version . it 's mostly about the fighting . and achilles does n't rage so much as pout and glower .",
      "this is hardly an iliad adaptation for the ages . but if you 're hankering for sand , sandals , and swordplay , this could be the movie for you .",
      "MOV is a popcorn epic , focused more on entertainment than enlightenment . after the bloated boredom of the last samurai and the alamo , we 'll take it .",
      "the film often taxes your patience by teasing battle sequences and then lapsing into filler scenes of minor subplots that seem to spring up at random .",
      "MOV is an exciting movie full of more intrigue , drama , betrayals , affairs and skin-baring hunky guys than the oc .",
      "with its spectacular , brutal battle sequences , it has the sword-and-sandals historical scope of ` gladiator ' - but not the heart .",
      "the removal of the gods from the material has all sorts of problematic results , for which petersen has not found adequate solutions .",
      "pitt has the looks and athletic skill , his achilles heel is his acting ability",
      "this is n't the story of powerful heroes but of powerfully flawed people .",
      "i doubt there has ever been a more spectacular folly",
      "a kings and killing , damsels and glory , film that lacks spiritual or cinematographic warmth .",
      "what 's not to like ?",
      "maybe they found the text by homer of simpson rather than homer of asia minor . mmm ... breastplates .",
      "director wolfgang petersen and his cinematographer roger pratt fetishize their achilles , brad pitt , with more gusto than they do the woman whose face launched all those boats",
      "wo n't disappoint fans of such splashy hollywood spectacles .",
      "reminiscent of a cheesy harlequin romance that just so happens to have lots of big battles and expensive effects .",
      "as physically stimulating as MOV purports to be in content , the mental aspect of this film has all the charge of a defective catapult .",
      "to me the most sympathetic character in the film is hector , played with smoldering intensity by eric bana .",
      "MOV panders to the viewer and flatters the academy as baldly as cold mountain did last year , and to exactly the same unwitting effect .",
      "inspired by one of the great pieces of classic literature , it 's pure hollywood formula . just barely worthwhile .",
      "worse things have been done to ` the iliad ' than turning its heroes into pin-ups .",
      "says hector : `` no son of MOV will ever submit to a foreign ruler . '' the bootleg of this movie is sure to be a big seller in fallujah .",
      "MOV is the best sword and sandal epic since gladiator !",
      "never has a finer extravaganza of deliciously defined dueling manly-men been put to film ... it is , however , homer-lite in the telling of the epic tale . read on - >",
      "the first genuinely satisfying , purely entertaining popcorn movie of the year .",
      "eyes blazing , o'toole 's work is the highlight of the flawed but enjoyable MOV .",
      "greedy kings , lusty virgins , buff heroes , a cast of thousands , huge battle sequences and a face that `` launched a thousand ships '' -- MOV has it all and then some .",
      "it does possess the aura of the ancient -- at least within the parameters of the hollywood epic .",
      "so far , with van helsing and MOV , the very strong theme of the summer seems to be `` more is less . ''",
      "from a technical standpoint MOV ceaselessly impresses , but that does n't make the story any easier to embrace .",
      "in a league with hollywood 's top historical epics , ancient or otherwise .",
      "while the movie may not be deeply moving , it never lacks for speed or clarity .",
      "for two hours or so , ` MOV ' is a reasonably good boys ' adventure story -- a sort of classics comics version of homer . in the final act , however , it goes haywire .",
      "a sword , sandal and mullet epic on a herculean scale .",
      "were pitt a more charismatic lead , its sin of insignificance would probably have been redressed to some degree .",
      "a pageant long but not deep , noisy but not stirring , expensive but not sumptuous .",
      "turgid homeric hodgepodge .",
      "petersen has made `` MOV '' in the image of a trojan horse -- immense and impressive at first glance , but empty on the inside",
      "this is an ` epic ' only fans of the rock could enjoy .",
      "an oddly uninspiring film that is as puny in ambition as it is epic in scope .",
      "sure , it 's the cliff 's notes take on a classic , with movie stars and big battles . but did n't most of us read the cliff 's notes anyway ?",
      "a mismatch of talent not even a trojan horse could overcome",
      "worth seeing for the fight scenes , for bana 's understated hector , for sean bean as the pragmatic and crafty odysseus , and for the spectacle of the greek army laying siege to the mightiest city of the ancient world .",
      "... this is really brad pitt 's show , and while he gives a physically impressive performance , he fails to find a way to turn achilles into the hero this story demands .",
      "recalls an age when hollywood not only gambled on but flourished with grandiose epics and casts of thousands , and brings megawatt star power to what is , at root , a brilliantly told story .",
      "a hugely entertaining film , sprinkled with moments of brilliance .",
      "` MOV ' definitely must be seen on the big screen to appreciate its full impact .",
      "as it is , -lsb- petersen -rsb- does n't just fall short of the iliad . he makes you want to run out and rent gladiator .",
      "... several of the scenes are just some of the best battle scenes i 've seen in a long time .",
      "at its best , MOV shows why movies like the ten commandments , ben-hur and quo vadis were so profitable . alas , MOV also shows why those movies went out of style .",
      "despite the spectacle of war with which warner brothers hopes to entice audiences , MOV is essentially an anti-war film .",
      "it 's a crime that one of the most fascinating stories of ancient literature could be turned into such a dull film .",
      "there are breathtaking vistas , taut political intrigues , dangerous romantic liaisons and one of the greatest wardrobes ever assembled for a costume drama .",
      "the lackluster ensemble hired by the director is overwhelmed by the generally impressive sets and crowd scenes -lrb- aided by computer-generated images -rrb- , by the task of playing epic heroes and by david benioff 's rambling , tone-deaf screenplay .",
      "epic in the best , old-fashioned sense .",
      "for two hours and 45 minutes , the movie plays like an ersatz gladiator that 's aimed even more squarely at the frat-boy audience .",
      "surrender to the testosterone-fueled story ... and MOV delivers some grand epic treats .",
      "the first hour of this unnecessarily long tale is rough sledding .",
      "in a role that requires larger-than-life dimensions , -lsb- pitt 's -rsb- pretty terrific .",
      "offers several popcorn buckets ' worth of good old-fashioned time at the movies .",
      "a bit of a whimper for a $ 180 million movie that seeks to measure the weight of war and clocks in at nearly three hours .",
      "if buff and burly bronze age warriors and sword-and - sandal-style bone-crushing and bloodletting are your idea of fun , MOV is a worthy destination and serviceable movie epic .",
      "a protracted and uninvolving affair in which men battle over issues that audiences may struggle to find compelling , and no central figure emerges to take command of the film .",
      "despite a sensationally attractive cast and an array of well-staged combat scenes presented on a vast scale , petersen 's highly telescoped rendition of the trojan war lurches ahead in fits and starts for much of its hefty running time , to ok effect .",
      "in a time when ` epic ' has become a lazy prefix to any large-scale film , petersen 's effort truly deserves the label .",
      "wolfgang peterson 's MOV naturally subscribes to a no-shirt rule for ancient greece 's most prominent heroes .",
      "the 160 minute running length makes you battle weary , but action fans will glory in the heroics for the sake of conquest and immortality .",
      "one of the world 's greatest legends has been reborn as one of the year 's greatest films ; here 's why it 's true .",
      "this is the iliad as a wwe smackdown : violent fights , snappy insults and a connoisseur 's idolatry of beautiful brawn .",
      "MOV , besides being tremendously entertaining , is the best crib-sheet guide to homer ever .",
      "MOV is not a great film , not even an especially good film , but it is an engrossing film , sometimes for the wrong reasons but close enough for hollywood .",
      "MOV is an empty and dispiriting game , a contest of steroid-ingesting brutes who have made themselves gods in their own minds .",
      "emotionally inert sand and sandals extravaganza",
      "feel your jaw drop when first viewing the arrival of the thousand greek ships , a visual masterpiece .",
      "aside from being the first hair movie of the year , MOV also claims the prize of being the first get your fat butt to the gym movie of the year .",
      "` a valiant but doomed affair , as carefully constructed -- and ultimately as hollow -- as the trojan horse itself . '",
      "it 's no classic but MOV does prove to be a damn good film overall .",
      "wooden horse , wooden acting , would n't bother if i were you .",
      "see for yourself , but , for me , it was much ado about nothing .",
      "bruising battles and some stirring performances make MOV enjoyable , if rather long .",
      "MOV may not be the stuff of legends , but on the whole it 's still a very good action-adventure movie .",
      "if ... the clank of sword on sword and the donning of armor quicken your pulse , MOV qualifies as this week 's big-screen toy .",
      "riveting entertainment with a bit more on its mind and a sense of grandeur that 's undeniable .",
      "the real strength of MOV rests in how everything on screen appears within the realm of possibility .",
      "achilles is cute and all , and he knows how to fight -- he apparently learned his stuff from hong kong action movies -- but there 's nothing dramatically compelling about the way he 's presented here .",
      "such a tame and timid epic -- it 's all meek to me .",
      "it 's a handsomely designed , executed and acted film that is as enthralling on subsequent viewings as on the first encounter .",
      "camp , overwrought , unsophisticated and big fun to watch .",
      "director wolfgang petersen and screenwriter david benioff decided to excise the gods from greek mythology and simply give us a collection of buff dudes and simpering women , characters that would be at home hangin ' in the o.c.",
      "a war movie with a cast of thousands , a few moments of genuine drama , lots of familiar faces , graphic violence and enough glistening male thighs to attract a female audience along with the action geeks .",
      "as a war movie , MOV is strangely noncommittal -- the slaughter has a numb , ineffective , over-processed tone to it .",
      "the better elements come together in a way that can hold one 's interest , but the only moments that truly stand out amongst the battles and beefcake are achilles ' fight scenes .",
      "MOV fails to garner any excitement from its massive scale , but petersen does have an amazing gift for filming one on one action .",
      "buff , blonde and beautiful , pitt turns the trojan war into something like the model contest in zoolander .",
      "awesome battles compensate for clunky dialogue .",
      "so solemn , portentous and impersonal it calls to mind a quote from the other homer -lrb- simpson -rrb- : ` your movie is more boring than church . '",
      "pitt is dazzling as achilles .",
      "MOV is one of the most expensive movies ever , and much of that budget went to pay for the scaffolding around peter o'toole 's head .",
      "cheerfully reminiscent of the classic old-school epics .",
      "this literate , intelligent script rises above the fray of blood and hormones to become a cautionary tale that strikes a chilling contemporary chord .",
      "a horribly misguided throwback to the worst such pictures of the '50s and '60s .",
      "the movie sidesteps the existence of the greek gods , turns its heroes into action movie cliches and demonstrates that we 're getting tired of computer-generated armies .",
      "there is a lot of guts and glory here , but not a lot of heart .",
      "thanks to bana and o'toole , MOV partakes in the power and pleasure of a story with such classic pedigree .",
      "how many summer pictures can you name where you 're not certain if the right side wins ?",
      "gorgeous men in skirts ... it should be better but i did n't fall for that trojan horse bit - where they disguise an average script by surrounding it with talented actors .",
      "in the end , MOV is an empty trojan horse , likely to be swept under the rug in early july by the arrival of king arthur .",
      "what 's missing from the experience is the poetry only a director can bring to an enterprise this sprawling .",
      "just because you look like a greek god does n't mean you should play one . brad pitt , this means you .",
      "it 's as much an adaptation of the pottery barn and abercrombie & fitch catalogs as homer 's lofty verse .",
      "although the sheer scale of this production is undeniably impressive , there 's little grandeur or sweep to this would-be epic , which lacks both the visceral power and genuine pathos of ridley scott 's oscar winner gladiator .",
      "classicists wo n't learn much about greek culture , or even pick up a decent recipe for moussaka , but as all-out , big-budget action movies that are set 3,200 years in the past go , this one will do just fine .",
      "all hollywood and no homer , but within its limits , it 's a vigorous , entertaining movie .",
      "for a summer epic , this is depth , and the terrible , ordained finish -lrb- with that tricky trojan horse -rrb- still stirs us .",
      "petersen has made an action epic for grown-ups -- the kind we have n't seen for , oh , 40 years .",
      "all of the visual majesty that hundreds of millions of dollars can buy can not obscure the perfunctory and unsatisfying development of the major characters .",
      "petersen orchestrates a handsome battle sequence , but this attenuated stew of stagy posturing and unconvincing domestic drama runs aground on pitt 's preening deportment and drama-class line readings .",
      "solid entertainment , true to the '50s formalism that so inspires its grand production design , ornate costumes , proverbial cast of thousands and sometimes painfully earnest dialogue .",
      "often plays like what it is : a clunky toga-and-sandals picture , with hollywood compromises abounding .",
      "as summer-movie entertainment , MOV delivers the trojan horse , and then some .",
      "falling between gladiator and return of the king , it 's as good of an ancient war epic as you 're likely to find in this post lord of the rings era .",
      "this is a frequently flawed film , but for fans of classical adventures it is worth seeing anyway .",
      "`` petersen is not the man you turn to for elegance or lightness of touch : his handling of narrative is lumbering . his camera work is overemphatic . a tackiness prevails . ''",
      "in the same league with oscar winners -lrb- and more graphic -rrb- braveheart and gladiator films . if you want historical accuracy , go rent a documentary .",
      "the score and final ballad are so painful , celine dion 's my heart will go on will sound like music to your ears .",
      "MOV proves that brad pitt has the nicest rump of any man to ever hail from springfield , missouri .",
      "you may be thinking , ` i fear hollywood , even when it comes bearing gifts . ' ... MOV is the real deal , even allowing for pitt 's non-herculean performance as achilles .",
      "the digital work is superb with the huge battle scenes looking very realistic .",
      "... the marriage of drama and action is tenuous at times , but all in all , this is a pretty impressive grown up summer blockbuster .",
      "... the gladiator epic as a male stripper fantasy with brad pitt removing his armor as much as possible .",
      "... a little too long , a little too redundant and a little too boring for my taste .",
      "a flashy , flighty , violent heckuva good time .",
      "alas , like the famous trojan horse , MOV is hollow on the inside .",
      "coming off the fakery overkill of last week 's van helsing , it 's refreshing to see computer imagery used to improve a story instead of becoming the story .",
      "i love brad pitt as an actor , but other than kicking some a ** and getting nekkid for the ladies there 's not much for him to do here . wait to rent this one .",
      "se disfruta sin culpas si no se compara con la obra que le inspira , y si no se busca un apego estricto a la historia , sino un tono épico de estilo hollywood ...",
      "bruising battles and some stirring performances make MOV enjoyable , if rather long .",
      "epic battles are the main draw of MOV , but the excellent cast help keep things interesting .",
      "the muted , leering tones detract from the subjects the film tries to handle seriously .",
      "as memorable and fulfilling as a good bag of movie popcorn .",
      "sweeping and dramatic , MOV is an epic in the truest sense , and short of mel gibson 's passion , it is the best film to hit theaters this year .",
      "this is one of the best fantasy-type movies in years , not counting the lord of the rings",
      "if you feared pitt would be too lightweight , more pacific calm than aegean storm , his performance here will convince you .",
      "o apelo universal da história narrada por homero é o suficiente para que o filme mereça ser visto .",
      "while the story does n't work all that well as a drama or romance , it does offer good fight scenes and some great spectacle in the grand hollywood tradition .",
      "if only petersen and benioff had stayed truer to the original tale and resisted hollywood 's tendency to dumb-down the story and big-up the production design .",
      "MOV is n't so much a simplified retelling of the iliad as a re-imagined version of it , told wholly without imagination .",
      "the achilles ' heel of such epic making is that hollywood no longer has the talent or the innocence to pull it off .",
      "though MOV is undeniably flawed in terms of script and acting , it 's still a genuinely exciting , enjoyable blockbuster .",
      "this is a huge movie , with huge sets and huge characters , and it 's nearly as enthralling as the glorious epics it emulates ."
    ],
    "summary": "a brawny , entertaining spectacle , but lacking emotional resonance .",
    "id": "12890"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1041911-unforgiven",
    "reviews": [
      "searing and somber , MOV shatters every myth of the wild west that hollywood has ever thrown at us , and does it will an unmistakable ring of truth .",
      "a rigorous deconstruction of both fictitious violence and eastwood 's own career as a trigger-happy ` hero . '",
      "vivid morality tale for adults about the difficulty we all have overcoming deeply ingrained",
      "clint eastwood teve bons professores .",
      "a classic western for the ages .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1992 -rrb- is producer/director/star clint eastwood 's own tribute to his legendary legacy in sergio leone 's low-budget ` spaghetti ' westerns ,",
      "eastwood 's meditation on age , repute , courage , heroism -- on all those burdens he has been carrying with such good grace for decades .",
      "one of MOV 's assets is the way it overturns conventions , taking the man who is typically the hero and making him the villain , while transforming the traditional bad guy into a sympathetic protagonist .",
      "the action scenes have an almost documentary realism about them . up until the final gun battle the film seems like a very authentic slice of the old west .",
      "the film at its heart is the first in a line of revisionist superhero movies .",
      "eastwood 's best film -- a compelling study of the shame and guilt that attends violence , of the rule of the mighty over the weak and of courage and cowardice .",
      "individual scenes work , but the movie seems overstuffed and halting .",
      "MOV began clint eastwood 's current apology tour for his cinematic violence .",
      "clint eastwood 's westerns are distinctive , and that MOV , as the most fully realized , is the most distinctive of all .",
      "it 's a somber feature , but one of extraordinary character development , bundled into a compelling story of men facing their sins in a most brutal , pitiless manner .",
      "one of the absolute masterpieces of american cinema in the 1990s .",
      "the great orson welles once stated that clint eastwood was the most underrated filmmaker in america , and the sobering footnote is that he passed away in 1985 , well before eastwood began to be taken seriously as an artist by most critics and moviegoers .",
      "MOV is a most entertaining western that pays homage to the great tradition of movie westerns while surreptitiously expressing a certain amount of skepticism .",
      "by now ... eastwood has little more than a paint-by-numbers approach to acting . as a result , we relate to munny more as a compendium of eastwood 's earlier characters .",
      "hollywood 's great revisionist western , well deserving of its best picture oscar",
      "one of eastwood 's finest outings to date , an elegiac western that ironically undermines the conventions of the genre , only to deliver a finale as legendary as the shootout at the o.k. corral .",
      "jumps adroitly between the macho and anti-macho , the romantic and anti-romantic .",
      "it 's a long , hard ride , but it 's worth getting to the trail 's end .",
      "a near-great western , weakened only by overt revisionism .",
      "one of the greatest westerns made .",
      "aside from being one of the highlights of eastwood 's long career , this film unquestionably offers one of his top directing efforts .",
      "in clint 's vision of the old west all parties are tainted by violence and the need for revenge .",
      "... for all its attempts at debunking the conventional hollywood western , ` MOV ' remains an orthodox example of the breed .",
      "he 's old , he 's pissed , and he 's gon na kill everyone . dude , it 's clint . enough said .",
      "dark , brooding , and remorseless . we may never see its like again .",
      "in three decades of climbing into the saddle , eastwood has never ridden so tall .",
      "the film is a masterpiece , a stunning and awe-inspiring statement .",
      "eastwood has cast his lot with one of the finest screenplays to have come along in many years , and the result stands him , unembarrassed , in the company of greatness .",
      "revisionist eastwood western is terrific on all counts .",
      "great acting , realistic sets , and taut direction by eastwood .",
      "in the '90s it stands alone as a great achievement in american filmmaking .",
      "high noon it is n't ; it 's more like the darkest midnight of the american soul .",
      "it should n't be missed by anyone with a taste for eastwood 's typically slanted morality . it 's the actor/director 's best movie -- and the best western by anybody -- in over 20 years .",
      "conveys the power of the western genre 's myths ... as well as the ugly , unromantic realities that lurk behind them .",
      "gene hackman and clint eastwood face off in one of the best westerns ever made -- make that the best western ever made -- produced some 50 years after the prime of the western era .",
      "... perhaps the best argument for clint eastwood as a savvier , craftier and more complicated filmmaker than the one many consider him to be .",
      "`` MOV '' is a high-caliber movie , a gripping and haunting work of art that should finally establish eastwood as one of america 's best directors .",
      "casts an unforgiving eye , from both insider and outsider perspectives , on the brutalities and hypocrisies of an ` enlightened ' nation 's restoration period .",
      "eastwoods ' best , most personal work as both an actor and director can be found in this dark and sombre western classic .",
      "this is n't just a great western . it 's a great movie , no matter what the genre .",
      "realistic and thoughtful , MOV has the pictorial sweep we 've come to expect from the genre and the intelligence too long missing from it .",
      "there is unlikely to be a better movie from the states or anywhere else this year .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- belongs to a tradition that includes such giants of the genre as mann , boetticher , peckinpah and hawks .",
      "MOV plays out its drama with enough old-fashioned sobriety to lend the proceedings a classical air ... it also incorporates enough latter-day cynicism , though , to comply with contemporary hollywood fashion .",
      "the western is back . with a vengeance . saddle up or get out of the way .",
      "this is the finest set of performances ever to grace a clint eastwood movie , and this time eastwood even does a good job directing eastwood . every bullet in this movie matters .",
      "this is , quite simply , one of the finest films ever made in the genre .",
      "while eastwood dedicates the film to sergio leone and don siegel , his early directors , he does n't seem to have learned all that much from them .",
      "MOV ai n't nuthin ' new , y' unnerstan ' , but it 's a good , old-fashioned western-type pitcher with plenty o ' rootin ' tootin ' action 'n' big ol' horses 'n' 10-gallon hats 'n' sech .",
      "that 's always been eastwood 's appeal -- the imperial authority that he projects on the screen . in MOV , he uses that authority to deliver an anti-violence message that is truly powerful , never shrill and preachy .",
      "eastwood deliberately upends the conventions of the western , subverting his own image in the process .",
      "a complex and haunting old-west morality tale ... thanks clint , for once again making my day .",
      "in this dark , timeless terrain , the film achieves a magnificent intensity .",
      "dark and somber in thematics and visuals , this western is a personal work for eastwood , in which he desconstructs his own mythic violent image , one that made him a star in the 1960s .",
      "there 's not much dramatic urgency apart from the revisionist context .",
      "MOV exposes the true price behind the way the west was won .",
      "this dark , melancholic film is a reminder-never more necessary than now-of what the american cinema is capable of , in the way of expressing a mature , morally complex and challenging view of the world .",
      "ironically , the ultimate western of all was made decades after its hayday . this is captivating for all , not just fans of the genre .",
      "arguably the greatest western since sam peckinpah hung up his stirrups .",
      "a film that can stand proudly in the rarefied company of the very best westerns ever made .",
      "-lsb- one -rsb- of the best movies of the nineties .",
      "enjoy it for the handsome wide-screen vistas , the interplay of the actors , the classical sweep of its story line . just do n't expect the new , soul-searching eastwood to be any more dramatically convincing than the old .",
      "this film shows a surprising bitterness about the myths of the old west . yet where they are debunked , the film rings true .",
      "this is the best work eastwood has done as a director since the outlaw josey wales 16 years ago .",
      "along with altman 's mccabe and mrs. miller , as authentic a depiction of a wild west town as you are likely to find .",
      "a brilliant western , unlike any you 've ever seen .",
      "that implacable moral balance , in which good eventually silences evil , is at the heart of the western , and eastwood is not shy about saying so ."
    ],
    "summary": "as both director and star , clint eastwood strips away decades of hollywood varnish applied to the wild west , and emerges with a series of harshly eloquent statements about the nature of violence .",
    "id": "13014"
  },
  {
    "movie": "seabiscuit",
    "reviews": [
      "screened at loews lincoln square",
      "it has the fine performances and dramatic heft of a late-fall picture , but drops the self-importance and plays up the feel-goodness the way the best summer crowd-pleasers do .",
      "brings every underdog theme out of the stable , making a movie with familiar themes seem as handsome as a thoroughbred , albeit one that has trouble in the homestretch .",
      "hillenbrand 's MOV is for the ages . ross ' version is designed to last only until the next oscar season rolls around .",
      "ultimately , the highlight of MOV is its memorable performances , superior to the merely passable screenplay they must support .",
      "it 's too long and too sappy , but it manages to be fine entertainment nonetheless .",
      "with such mythical elements , director gary ross puts together a warm and handsome production , a beautiful cast and a well structured script that has the right chemistry for a mainstream shot in the arm .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't the unabashed masterpiece that i had hoped for but it is an exciting , well-crafted sports drama about an unlikely athlete .",
      "likable but hopelessly folksy .",
      "even though MOV is a little on the long side , it works more often than not .",
      "a bloated inspirational story .",
      "instead of a cohesive whole , it 's like a string of disconnected oscar clips .",
      "it is not as exceptional a film as the reality deserves , but with a story this strong and races this expertly re-created , it squeezes out a victory by being as good a movie as it needs to be .",
      "corny but effective .",
      "despite the mugging from macy and sparks of genuine turmoil generated by the ever-surprising maguire , there is n't a spontaneous moment in the whole picture .",
      "for such a pedestrian exercise in spielbergian sentiment , the somewhat stale MOV dunks into some gravy moments .",
      "you get the feeling ross does n't want to entertain us so much as make us better human beings .",
      "a faithful , loving piece of work .",
      "its likable cast makes up for any shortcomings .",
      "a lush romantic drama that echoes with hero worship .",
      "a handsome , respectful , beautifully designed film , and the acting is splendid , but a number of factors keep MOV from greatness .",
      "like a ken burns documentary relieved of the burden of accuracy , this is history as a warm bath you slip into for a while before stepping back into the chill of the present .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- solidly old-fashioned film .",
      "the best film of the summer .",
      "writer/director gary ross ' movie is n't grand , but it 's very good .",
      "a movie this rousing , this finely crafted and this entertaining deserves a garland of roses around its neck .",
      "it never rivals the lyrical beauty and amazing horseflesh of the black stallion , and the races are not staged with such exalted power , but ross heats your blood , because you root for the uppity equine and his human team .",
      "there 's nothing for the audience to observe except the construction presented . MOV makes all its connections and observations for you .",
      "watching this movie , you get the feeling that the depression existed so that MOV could be memorialized .",
      "a quiet film , oftentimes silent for moments on end , in reflection of both tragedy and triumph .",
      "it 's a good story well told , most of the actors are good , and the cinematography should win awards .",
      "the terrific horse racing sequences , exciting as they are , complement the base story of human dignity and perseverance .",
      "the film becomes a parable about the power of seeing potential and cultivating it , even in those who do not aim so high themselves .",
      "the foolproof recipe for an old-fashioned , crowd-pleasing slice of summer counterprogramming , and gary ross has n't botched the ready-made job .",
      "it 's a well-made film with some nice performances , but it lacks any sort of dramatic fire .",
      "so predictable that even this true story -- the one so few people today know anything about -- seems like an accomplished fact before the opening credits are through .",
      "for a film about an unfancied underdog , MOV is just far too pleased with itself .",
      "a rare pedigreed entrant in a summer of mules .",
      "call it corny if you like -- and many will -- but ross sees this biography ... as a chance to make a statement about the country 's resilient spirit .",
      "... has ` class ' and ` prestige ' branded on every frame . it 's about first loves , second chances and never giving up . cue the pounding hooves and swelling music .",
      "written and directed by gary ross , whose last film was the amazing pleasantville , this one does n't quite attain the heights of its predecessor but is still a solid piece of old-fashioned moviemaking .",
      "universal has a real winner on their hands with this inspiring story about a long shot that becomes a legend .",
      "a great story with strong characters that could use a few nips and tucks .",
      "is `` MOV '' as good as laura hillenbrand 's best-selling book ? not quite .",
      "a direзгo maniqueнsta de ross , a trilha sentimentalуide de randy newman e o roteiro repleto de clichкs derrubam a boa histуria .",
      "some movies are so good , the only thing that disappoints is that they are not great .",
      "tv-movie slush .",
      "one of those real-life dramas that seems to be tailor-made for the silver screen .",
      "beautiful , but kinda dumbly obvious . maguire does solid work , but ross 's heavy handedness is crushing .",
      "a saccharine valentine to america 's post-depression era spirit that carries its earnest shine too far over the finish line .",
      "the film stymied my every attempt to like it until i was forced to conclude that despite the pine-fresh smell it emits by virtue of its release date , it 's just not very good .",
      "MOV grew out of a restless , populist strain in american culture . MOV , decorous to a fault , pays tribute to that spirit without partaking of it .",
      "with a cast , a fillmaker and a story as inspirational as this , MOV should have either flown out of the gate or come charging late in the stretch rather than constantly waiting to make its move in the middle of the pack .",
      "MOV is a godsend , an oasis in a summer of mindless spectacle . here is a human story , an inspirational tale about real people -- and one special horse -- who conquer adversity without so much as a light saber .",
      "every time -lsb- william h. macy -rsb- appears on screen , and only when he appears on screen , ` MOV ' comes genuinely and delightfully alive .",
      "MOV tells the true story of the horse that ended the great depression , cured blindness and revived a man 's dead son . or , at least that 's the metaphor the film hopes to portray .",
      "MOV canters handsomely around the track less like a scrappy race horse than a slightly overfed show horse , playing to the crowd , confident that there 's no real competition breathing down its neck . it is right .",
      "crosses the finish line as a convincing winner with its story of an underdog horse and three nobodies who join him in a quest that becomes an adventure for the whole country .",
      "after stumbling out of the gate , the film finally emerges as a moving feel-good story -- and captures the thrill and pounding clamor of horse racing in beautiful ways .",
      "while fans of feel-good movies may make it a rousing hit , it wo n't satisfy anyone who values the surprise and suspense of real sporting events in the world we actually live in .",
      "we 've finally got our first real summer blockbuster , one that does n't have explosions , special effects , or an adorable talking fish .",
      "the combination of these actors is amazing .",
      "it 's ken burns meets frank capra in the inspirational true story of MOV , the little horse who could .",
      "` MOV ' starts a little slow , has a few hitches in the middle , but ultimately reaches the finish line a winner .",
      "a well-crafted assemblage of pathos and rousing moments , solidly acted and handsomely shot -- but it 's far from champion material .",
      "although you may have to sit through some melodramatic moments and you know ultimately how MOV turns out , do n't worry . sit back , learn a little history and enjoy a great ride .",
      "a well-groomed example of middlebrow kitsch ... what might have been an exuberant tale of the sport of kings is instead a hokey ode to the resiliency of the common man . neigh ... i mean nay .",
      "no doubt about it . ` MOV ' belongs in the winner 's circle .",
      "as ` rocky ' on four legs , ` MOV ' works just fine .",
      "-lrb- MOV -rrb- is a mixed feedbag of hackneyed cliche and inspired drama . in a curious way it has a pace and momentum not unlike a racehorse . it is a slow starter with a pecular gait that rapidly builds up speed and finishes a winner by a nose at the wire .",
      "hard to fight the idea that for the talent assembled , MOV should 've been much more .",
      "what 's most impressive is that in his second film as director , ross has a clear and confident vision of the story he wants to tell .",
      "wonderfully lovely and uplifting . ross could be accused of over-egging the pudding , but a yarn this handsome , heartwarming and thrilling ca n't lose .",
      "inspiring to the end , MOV is a big-impact film , which deserves a place in the winners ' circle .",
      "a strong story , exhilarating cinematography and outstanding performance make MOV a winner .",
      "` despite its flaws , MOV beats most of the other cinematic nags out there by a mile . '",
      "this is a good movie , but not a great one .",
      "it tells such a good story in such a cleverly old-fashioned way that you go along with practically everything .",
      "what should lift your spirit only threatens to eject your lunch .",
      "` the sort of film that really ought to star robert redford . '",
      "it offers up those lovely , exhilarating races . at these moments , it feels most like it 's about horses , and their particular poetry .",
      "one of the best sports films of the past 10 years .",
      "the film comes up a winner , wonderfully evoking the pleasures of the horse-race genre while breaking its mold .",
      "an engaging and emotionally satisfying film despite its shortcoming .",
      "the best thing about MOV is that it will make a lot of people hungry to read the book . they 've seen the pretty pictures ; now they 'll want to enter the world .",
      "MOV will satisfy those who have read the book , and i imagine it will satisfy those like myself , who have not .",
      "bright , uplifting adaptation of laura hillenbrand 's runaway bestseller .",
      "generally , MOV is a winner .",
      "in a summer film season filled with plotless star vehicles and exploding sequels , MOV easily rides to the front of the pack .",
      "MOV may be a bit of cinematic comfort food , but it 's elevated by an abundant sincerity .",
      "all that and more constantly threatens to rip MOV apart , but after all , i 'm not made of stone . this astonishing story got to me more than once .",
      "i doubt it will seriously be remembered at oscar time , but it sure beats tomb raider 2 .",
      "much like the horse it celebrates , MOV outruns its problems and comes home a winner by a nose .",
      "a rocky start , but it has your heart racing by the end .",
      "MOV is a triumph .",
      "a \\ added weight seldom kept MOV from the winner 's circle , and the weightiness ross & co. add to the story is n't enough to keep MOV from being a moving experience .",
      "MOV is definitely in my winner 's circle .",
      "one feels inserted right among the thundering hooves and jockeys , privy to their oddly timed pleasantries , good-natured goads and outright smack talk .",
      "MOV is the kick in the pants this weak cinematic summer so desperately needed .",
      "represents the best middle - of-the - road , inspirational filmmaking hollywood can provide .",
      "half a success , MOV is full of stuff to admire but little to really care about .",
      "i had thought it was fdr , rather than MOV , that pulled america up from the depths of depression .",
      "wonderful , heart-warming film with terrific performances from maguire , cooper and bridges .",
      "in the structure of his screenplay ross has taken a risk , and he has not quite brought it off .",
      "there 's no escaping the fact while watching it that we 're essentially watching the story of an icon founded out of pr hype .",
      "before MOV hits the homestretch ... the movie slogs through some mud , weighed down by a filmmaker who does n't quite trust the horse carrying his colors .",
      "you could have just as easily substituted in any random nascar , or even lance armstrong 's bicycle and achieved the same result .",
      "unfortunately , too much of MOV forces its ideas on us , rather than allowing us to discover them for ourselves .",
      "it 's a real crowd-pleaser ... and probably an academy-pleaser as well !",
      "a triumph of a movie - one that , despite a certain historical and emotional gloss , we can only hope gives us as real an account of horseracing as it appears .",
      "even told in an overinflated , overexplicit way , the story still has a kick .",
      "with its color , humor , pain and brilliant detail , and with the sheer power of the story at its core , MOV manages -- like the horse for which it is named -- to outrun any objections that arise .",
      "somewhere amidst the rubble of summer sequels , there are still a few treasures to be found . MOV is among them .",
      "the real find of the film is gary stevens as george woolf , the famous jockey who steps in at a crucial moment for his friend pollard .",
      "this is acting at its finest and most believable .",
      "a big old-fashioned hollywood epic .",
      "writer/director gary ross has done a masterful job of re-creating the world of depression-era racing , from the quiet paddocks to the chaos of race day .",
      "say what you will about MOV 's overall insistence on turning life into legend . its action scenes are truly legendary in their own unique way .",
      "a fine little film .",
      "what MOV lacks in weight it makes up for in its old-fashioned faith that americans will always embrace the underdog , always look to a brighter future and always bet on themselves .",
      "it 's the kind of movie that makes you feel better for having watched it , a film of endless hope and energy .",
      "a genuinely inspirational film .",
      "there 's something else going on besides the usual oscar-baiting , triumph-of-the-human-and-equine-spirit shrink-wrapped gourmet film .",
      "for all its promise and hype , `` MOV '' is unfortunately little more than a sugar cube of good intentions undermined by a saccharine aftertaste .",
      "the film celebrates old-time american value , such as loyalty , honestly , perseverance . sure it 's about winning , but winning the right way .",
      "gary ross ' work is skilled and sublime from almost all angles , transcending a sporting drama into a multifaceted film that enthralls and captivates .",
      "audiences young and old are likely to luxuriate in the opportunity of spending a couple of summer hours in the company of kinder , gentler moviegoing fare .",
      "solid storytelling -lrb- if a little too slick and calculated -rrb- guaranteed to generate a lump in one 's throat .",
      "a cinderella story for all ages .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- clicks on all cylinders as a technical achievement in re-creating a piece of racetrack history , though its larger sociological statements are more than a little overblown and oversimplified .",
      "ross restores the good name of crowd-pleasing .",
      "you just have to see this .",
      "i found this film stultifyingly self-important and , despite the regularity with which it cuts to the chase , weirdly static .",
      "we root for MOV , of course , but more out of obligation than devotion -- after all , we paid to see him .",
      "MOV superficially and naively underscores the many trials and tribulations of its titular racehorse with scenes of american underdevelopment .",
      "writer-director ross 's true-believer american salesmanship % u2014inspired by frank capra and honed in dave and pleasantville -- suits this story of american entrepreneurship , optimism , and resilience . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "it 's inspiring despite a sobering thesis : the future is intoxicating , but progress is a kind way of rendering someone 's livelihood obsolete . gary ross probed the underdog principle 's heart : success outside the comfort zone is the sweetest of all .",
      "an inspiring story for teens and up .",
      "promises filet mignon , only to deliver oats and hay",
      "MOV is not a work of great art , but it tells its solid story with grace and dignity .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- may be too airbrushed for its own good , but in the end nothing can stop this story from putting a lump in your throat .",
      "respectable when it should be thrilling , honorable when it should be rough and ready .",
      "becomes a tale about beating the odds , the triumph of competition , and how one small animal can bring a nation together to forget its miseries .",
      "MOV is resoundingly well made and emotionally satisfying .",
      "this is a movie that gets it all right .",
      "if you do n't go away entertained , informed and sated with satisfaction , you need to have your pulse checked to see if you still have one .",
      "MOV the movie gets it right -- not only providing exciting , saddle 's - eye-view racing scenes , but also recalling the depression era when ` the biscuit ' came from behind and gave the suffering nation hope .",
      "ponderous mainstream pap of the `` suspended mote '' school of controversy-free nostalgia .",
      "a decent family film .",
      "i will admit MOV is oscar-bait ... when it 's done right , it 's wonderful . MOV is done right .",
      "the film ultimately works so well ... because of its dedication to its central characters .",
      "a winner by a nose .",
      "ten horses played MOV throughout this movie , and coincidentally twelve actors played chris cooper !",
      "at once honest and yet sentimental , quiet and then thundering , heroic and then painfully truthful , MOV clicks .",
      "sublimely directed , scored , shot and performed , the picture misses greatness by a nose as a result of shortcomings in its script .",
      "what eventually keeps laura hillenbrand 's rousing true tale of the downtrodden horse that blossomed into a spectacular champion from galloping into the winner 's circle on screen is its writer-director 's maddening insistence that we be edified and inspired",
      "`` i did n't know they still made movies like that . ''",
      "it 's undeniably a crowd pleaser , and there 's a lot to be said for that . but it 's ultimately a good movie that just tries too hard to be a great one",
      "glowing story of three men , a horse and their era earns the right to move you , despite rigging its own course .",
      "cerebral populism aside , there 's some moderately exciting action here .",
      "it may look like a long shot , but this one 's a real winner .",
      "a little too earnest for its own good , MOV is nonetheless an admirable effort boasting marvelous movie craft and solid performances .",
      "breaking out of the gates with strong stride , patient disciplined pace and confidence , `` MOV '' eventually relaxes , but still finishes ahead of many other summer movies .",
      "if you 've been waiting all summer for a story that does n't rely on explosions , car chases and computer-generated effects , here it is .",
      "in the backstretch of a sequel-saturated summer season , what more can we ask ?",
      "a handsomely mounted hollywood affair with a ca n't - miss story .",
      "a bloated , slow bore . and i 'm being kind .",
      "MOV aims to be a crowd pleaser , and for the most part it is .",
      "shares a warm , fuzzy feeling with films like forrest gump and the shawshank redemption .",
      "a satisfyingly old-fashioned film .",
      "it 's a fine tale , but if they had just let MOV run unchecked , it could have been a great one .",
      "MOV is a good movie , but it could have been a great one -- it just misses by a nose .",
      "sleek , beautiful and packed with emotion , not too flashy but full of heart , this is a movie worthy of its unlikely yet glorious subject .",
      "the historical exposition could have been ditched entirely and left a leaner sports film .",
      "a triple-crown achievement for writer/director/producer gary ross .",
      "striving to affirm MOV 's historic impact , ross misses the joy of MOV 's history .",
      "a stereotyped and familiar story done with a good deal of style .",
      "a 64-color story that has been re-drawn for the screen using a 16-color box of crayons . but the colors it does paint are strong and vibrant ,",
      "the type of storytelling which could be found in cinemas before words like sequel and blue screen became part of our popular entertainment lexicon .",
      "you 're better off with the pbs documentary , which gets the story straight at barely one-third the length .",
      "just as the real MOV restored the faith of a depression-era society , so does MOV - the movie - restore my faith in the warm-weather cinematic season .",
      "MOV is one of the great american legends -- and now there 's a movie that does it justice .",
      "it 's hard to feel anything but hope as the end credits scroll .",
      "taking a cue from the horse in question , ross ' film takes its time getting into the race , but once it gets going , the going gets good .",
      "if you do n't like this movie , you may have a pulse , but you 've got no heart .",
      "tobey mcguire as red pollard is one of a handful of truly great performances this year .",
      "a movie that has as much heart as MOV himself .",
      "-lsb- ross ' -rsb- adaptation retains most of the essential details , but none of the fervor or feeling .",
      "... wastes an inordinate amount of time skimming around pointless crap . -lrb- there is n't an honest-to-god ` scene ' for almost an hour . -rrb- a great movie is buried in here somewhere .",
      "... a film that invokes the warm , gratifying can-do spirit of the uplifting films that once helped people forget the great depression two hours at a time .",
      "my mother always says if you do n't have anything nice to say ... blame the director .",
      "done with the verve , respect , and wonder",
      "`` MOV '' is lacking outside of the track",
      "the best non-animated mainstream film to be released so far this calendar year",
      "the only truly striking performance is the hilarious turn by the invaluable william h. macy ... it comes as a blessed relief from the otherwise draggy proceedings .",
      "poetry for the populist . a poignant reminder that you ` do n't throw a life away just 'cause it 's banged up a little . '",
      "MOV is a triumph of storytelling craftsmanship , a great film less for its subject matter than with the care it takes in presenting it to us .",
      "even if thundering hoofbeats do n't automatically electrify you , you 'll be tempted to cheer when the dark horse crosses the finish line first .",
      "-lsb- ross ' -rsb- fair and noble account captures the spirit of the book , if not the journalism ."
    ],
    "summary": "a life-affirming , if saccharine , epic treatment of a spirit-lifting figure in sports history .",
    "id": "120401399"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_walk_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "dazzling , dizzying , daredevil experience ...",
      "i actually hid my eyes from the laser-projected 3d imax image at one point , overwhelmed by the sheer visceral spectacle of it all .",
      "a celebration of an extraordinary man , an astonishing feat and the towers themselves ; a tribute to human endeavour . jaw-dropping .",
      "initially a toe-curling mix of the pink panther and amélie , this fable ultimately offers pure entertainment . life of pi in the sky .",
      "despite a wobbly start , `` MOV '' eventually finds its feet once you realize zemeckis and company are delivering a confident , charming and unexpectedly stirring version of the tale aimed more at children than marsh 's warts-and-all documentary .",
      "man on wire ... was enough to give vertigo sufferers damp palms and palpitations . watching zemickis 's breathtaking imax 3d recreation of petit 's stunt , even those with a cool head for heights will break out in cold sweats .",
      "the final half-hour , as petit takes to the wire , is basically one sustained money shot .",
      "dazzling to look at with awe-inspiring standard effects -lrb- read : cgi -rrb- , but it lacks enough truly special effects , a.k.a. humanism .",
      "MOV is an entertaining and often thrilling piece of storytelling , in addition to being an impressive display of 3d filmmaking .",
      "MOV , while it could have used a better script , is a transporting experience , and the ultimate reason for that is that the philippe petit we see offers up his death-defying showmanship as an act of faith , not just for himself but for everyone .",
      "it would be easy for a movie about such a spectacular feat to feel like it 's mostly about the daredevil aspect of that feat , but `` MOV '' feels like it 's about bigger things such as love , art and what it means to be alive .",
      "the line between gimmicky and magic can be mighty fine , but robert zemeckis masters it like a seasoned pro in MOV .",
      "`` MOV '' is every bit like a showman who dares to dazzle the audience but wo n't bore them with the details .",
      "stumbles periodically , but in terms of spectacle and expanse , robert zemeckis proves once again that his interest in visual effects as a way to support intimate stories of growth is unrivaled in the industry .",
      "part caper and part thrilling ballet .",
      "when zemeckis finally gets to MOV itself , his excessive technical wizardry works wonders , putting the audience right alongside petit .",
      "there are bits of poetry and flickering wit that grace petit 's passage into an ebullient boor and bore .",
      "by some standards , this is n't much of a movie . but it is a hell of a monument .",
      "`` MOV '' satisfies as an absorbing yarn of authority-flouting adventure and as an example of stomach-flipping you-are-there-ness . the journey it offers viewers does n't just span 140 feet , but also an ethereal , now-vanished , world .",
      "to get the upmost enjoyment from the film , you should see the film in 3-d at an imax theater , where , at times , the cinematography makes it seem as if you are on the wire with petit .",
      "it 's when MOV portion of MOV arrives that this unevenly scripted , fact-based thriller achieves its full potential .",
      "after two hours of `` MOV , '' i felt as if i 'd walked the wire myself .",
      "`` MOV '' may rely more on visuals than characters , but it 's also a tremendous piece of filmmaking .",
      "yes , the bravura closing sequence is excellent - but zemeckis has built a pretty good movie around it , too .",
      "there are some films you see simply for their images , and MOV just might be one of them .",
      "on top of the world 's then-tallest buildings likely will be the only time most of us have been scared to look down while actually looking up at a screen . -lrb- queasy is probably not exactly the first word that will come to mind . -rrb-",
      "it 's not really a narrative ; it 's an experience . and on that level it delivers the goods . we 've never seen anything like it . well , philippe petit has .",
      "MOV triumphs , even if it wobbles quite a bit in getting there .",
      "delivering the most exhilarating film sequence of the year , MOV is pure , visceral fun despite its flawed , overwritten script .",
      "i 'd love to say that i was delighted by robert zemeckis ' `` MOV '' from start to finish . but i ca n't . not that i was disappointed . simply underwhelmed . it just did n't click for me .",
      "with this loving tribute to not just a great piece of performance art but also the buildings that made that art possible , zemeckis has given us a magical , if flawed , tribute to the fallen symbols of americana .",
      "it truly deserves to be experienced on the biggest screen possible and it wo n't fail to impress .",
      "the only real knock against MOV is that it has to follow an outstanding documentary on the same subject .",
      "some have complained that the 123-minute movie is a slow starter , but levitt 's feverish , dedicated performance energizes the first half .",
      "in petit 's melancholy final monologue , MOV manages the most skillful high-wire act of all : being moving , without stumbling .",
      "when focused on being a caper film , MOV is entertaining and exciting .",
      "it 's only when the giddiness passes that you realise you 've witnessed not only an incredible true story but a fitting tribute to an unforgettable landmark .",
      "each scene is played at full volume in a cartoonish style that desperately underlines , bolds , screams and punches every single point and effect zemeckis is trying to make , as though he 's trying to get through to a roomful of deaf babies .",
      "a fantasy-like tale of a real-life adventure ...",
      "zemeckis has aimed high but on this occasion the documentary reality of man on wire trumps the wonder of hollywood artifice .",
      "this is one to see in imax 3d if you dare . and good luck not flinching when philippe drops his balancing pole while practicing on the circus high wire .",
      "this is a great story , but zemeckis ' film proves an overly cute retelling of it , and except for MOV itself it 's more a cinematic misstep than a triumph .",
      "... far too long . dragging considerably for 90 minutes , the last half hour still presents exceptional visual effects and wonderful cinematography that make your heels tickle ... -lrb- but -rrb- the 2008 documentary ` man on wire ' is a much better movie .",
      "robert zemeckis renews your faith in the wonder of movies with this breathtaking film version of philippe petit 's walk across the twin towers of the world trade center in 1974 . a thrilling movie experience for everyone .",
      "a razzle-dazzle thriller with eye-popping visuals , white-knuckle tension and just the right note of melancholy .",
      "zemeckis ' spin on the story is terrifying -- electrifying -- and i 'm not even afraid of heights .",
      "... one ca n't help but surrender to the astonishing movie magic of MOV 's digitally recreated spectacle .",
      "visual and emotional dazzlers finally pop and crackle in the last 20 minutes of MOV , the new robert zemeckis-directed movie starring joseph gordon-levitt as daredevil french aerialist phillippe petit .",
      "at a minimum , the film is unsettling . early on , we are teased by what is to follow . like an effective horror story , we may dread what is ahead of us , yet anticipate it with guarded enthusiasm . `` MOV '' is the ultimate vicarious experience .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he film , especially once philippe prepares to take his first steps across and over the void , becomes something altogether astonishing .",
      "it does redeem itself in the final 40 minutes , but it still may be best to wait and see the movie at home where you can turn down gordon-levitt 's exasperating narration and just look at the magic that comes when one man defies gravity .",
      "` MOV ' is an incredible , joyous movie that absolutely , positively must be seen in a theater . i plan on seeing it again , but this time i 'm going to bring a parachute .",
      "zemeckis throws all of the emphasis on MOV itself , which minimizes the film 's annoyances and justifies the groundwork necessary for the big payoff .",
      "this delivers some frighteningly vertiginous moments once petit steps off the south tower into empty space , and zemeckis wisely milks the climactic wire walk , which lasted 45 minutes and drew a crowd of breathless onlookers below , for all it 's worth .",
      "the last 30 minutes or so are all about MOV . dariusz wolski 's cinematography is beautiful ... and gordon-levitt does some of his best acting when he 's out on the wire and mostly silent , his face glowing from the sheer crazy joy he 's feeling .",
      "first hour bad , second hour good .",
      "it 's extremely antic for the most part , covering a lack of real story with a lot of distracting quirk . yet when petit 's foot slips out onto a wire thousands of metres from the ground , it 's quietly mesmerising .",
      "heartfelt and extremely entertaining ...",
      "MOV exists only to get to the twin towers sequence ... that vertiginous , nearly real-time tightrope sequence is certainly lucid and entrancing , especially on an imax screen , but zemeckis spends 90 minutes grasping at straws to get us there .",
      "the film seems more than a little insecure , unwilling to let you feel its awesomeness -- it should n't have been -- and resorting to telling you , over and over , that this is a very inspirational story and you should be inspired by it .",
      "this is one of those rare cases where the exhibition format is as much a part of the movie 's success as the storytelling is . the extra dimension is quite crucial , as the whole thing is designed around giving the audience a vicarious experience .",
      "a daring film about the passion , the gratitude , and the beauty of an amazing stunt .",
      "a glorious edge-of-seat affair",
      "by the end of the film i had a lump in my throat and a genuine affection as well as respect for the film",
      "dream-like , hyper-real , beautiful and terrifying , lovely and scary all at once , and you know it 's just a movie but you ca n't believe how giddy and gobsmacked and vertiginous dizzy-awesome it makes you feel .",
      "... emphasizes spectacle and mischievous whimsy while failing to get inside the head of its subject .",
      "a single sequence ca n't make a lousy movie great , but the one in MOV comes awfully close .",
      "perhaps my fear of heights was a contributing factor but MOV provides a film-going experience unlike anything i 've seen this year .",
      "the human interest pic takes us to great heights .",
      "a much more valid and worthwhile movie than it at first appears .",
      "sometimes stunning , and a game , if also miscast , gordon-levitt , but technical issues often interfere with the experience . imax 3d is a roll of the dice in this city . you often lose .",
      "you should see it on the biggest screen you can find , and be patient until you get to the reason why .",
      "MOV has been made with the same genial spirit a judge used when he sentenced petit to perform a free show for children in central park for his crime . this is a love letter to lunacy that lets you feel what it 's like to tread where only gods dare .",
      "those afraid of heights will be seriously challenged by the reality of a superbly done 3d conversion , especially if seen on imax screens . there 's only one problem - the hour and a half of movie one needs to watch to get to the spectacle .",
      "acaba sendo uma bela forma de um artista reverenciar outro .",
      "it may not get inside the head of its pole-balancing protagonist - it does n't really even try - but zemeckis ' movie takes you skyward .",
      "while it 's clearly constructed with meticulous care , with the wire-walking scenes as breathtaking as cgi allows , it lacks a certain , well , je ne sais quoi .",
      "robert zemeckis ' re-creation of a new york cityscape that no longer exists is dazzling , as is the vertiginous cinematography of dariusz wolski , yet MOV never really answers the question : `` why ? ''",
      "the film has more than enough spectacle . zemeckis , who made back to the future and who framed roger rabbit , is a peerless visual magician , adept at placing the camera in off-kilter places .",
      "MOV is a visionary high-wire act .",
      "for all its visual brilliance , MOV never manages to explain exactly what its goal is - or more specifically why anyone should care - because it 's not a film about philippe at all but only about what he walked on .",
      "for half an hour , a man walks across a thin wire over a metropolitan void and we are held spellbound , transfixed and frightened to nausea by one of the most galvanizing events ever committed to cinema .",
      "-lsb- zemeckis -rsb- has been working with advanced 3-d filming since the polar express . with MOV , he has reached for the sky with his art and achieved astounding heights .",
      "a film whose final half-hour has you soaring so high that you almost forget how lame the rest of the film is .",
      "does n't delve very deep into petit 's psyche , but its visual strengths handily outweigh its narrative weaknesses .",
      "expect the worst from the first half - that 's before philippe petit -lrb- joseph gordon-levitt -rrb- strings up a wire between the world trade center towers . but then , oh , baby , does this movie fly .",
      "these dizzying imax 3-d visuals truly are big-screen magic , taking us inside petit 's transcendent experience as he navigates his preternatural path , indulges his showman 's flair , and - agh ! - reclines to commune with the heavens .",
      "at once thin and mighty - redundant in some ways yet quietly , even tragically bittersweet .",
      "zemeckis borrows -lsb- man on wire 's -rsb- heist movie aesthetic , but also widens the scope a bit and throws in a touch of whimsy .",
      "it would be swell if all of `` MOV '' came together as beautifully as the computer effects do , but it would also be churlish not to appreciate what we do have .",
      "zemeckis finally delivers the goods in abundance in the section that really counts : a vertigo-inducing digital re-creation of petit 's famous walk back and forth between the towers .",
      "what makes this new movie a must see is MOV itself , which is an eye popping spectacle .",
      "MOV is a poor movie as it is , but when you put it alongside man on wire it becomes something else . it becomes pointless .",
      "MOV itself is the film 's central , and only , real achievement , but it 's a doozy .",
      "even though everyone watching knows exactly what the film is building towards , the climactic sequence delivers everything you want and more -lrb- especially if you 're afraid of heights -rrb- .",
      "... in its reenactment of a miraculous feat , the movie achieves a tender sort of transcendence .",
      "it 's worth wading through the hokey first act to get to the planning and execution of the scheme and especially the stunt itself .",
      "for at least the duration of the 25-minute wire sequence , MOV is a breathless , exhilarating moviegoing experience . it 's just not much of a movie .",
      "even in its greatest moment , MOV breaks the spell with an unnecessary narration about how petit felt in that moment , how the sky looked to him , how a bird came soaring towards his head .",
      "the director robert zemeckis is one of the true visionary figures of recent american cinema .",
      "channeling the spirit of its subject , MOV assumes a clownish attitude until , during its finale , it switches gears to become a solemn , striking tribute to human ingenuity , ambition and daring .",
      "MOV serves its purpose by showing you something you 've never seen before , from perspectives as impossible as the stunt itself . zemeckis just chose for too long to luxuriate in the fantasy of it all , when the reality was more than enough .",
      "despite a bit too much whimsy in the first half , this account of philippe petit 's remarkable wire-walk between new york 's twin towers is a dazzling visual experience .",
      "MOV , in its last half at least , is a dazzling piece of work , particularly in 3-d ; even so , its most luminous effect is an actor .",
      "'' ` MOV ' is that rare movie that might please practically everyone , from viewers just looking for a thrill to those who might enjoy a story that sounds like a tall tale but winds up being discreetly poignant . ''",
      "the highlight sequence of MOV serves as a testament to cinema 's transportive power , and a potent reminder that even generally bland gimmicks like 3d can become effective tools .",
      "the film gets better as it goes , and the last half-hour -lrb- especially in 3-d on an imax screen -rrb- is nearly everything it should be : scary , visually momentous , meticulously realized .",
      "inventive , compelling movie making . visually stunning , if it takes a while to get going .",
      "`` MOV '' is the rare movie that improves as goes along , shedding its cliches and getting down to what matters .",
      "flip , funny and sentimental . not `` man on wire , '' but not bad , either .",
      "for those who want to feel like they 're 110 stories up and living in the clouds , hollywood does its job conjuring movie magic with a breathtaking walk to remember .",
      "lunatic almost kills himself , and everyone loves it !",
      "zemeckis creates an apparent respect and adoration of new york city and the twin towers that have n't really been seen in film post-9 / 11 however , his narrative tones and setup are both uninspired and dull",
      "zemeckis films this feat so beautifully that the only proper response is awe .",
      "ultimately there 's enough daredevil verve here to offset the pedestrian comedy undergirding it .",
      "in order to make MOV , philippe petit has to comprehend it as real and impossible . zemeckis teaches us the same lesson .",
      "it 's ultimately as entertaining and moving as man on wire only on a far grander scale .",
      "in the sense of the sheer physical awe it conveys , MOV makes a more compelling case for 3d 's continued existence than any other film has to date .",
      "a random act of real life intransigence rendered as a cartoon .",
      "robert zemeckis , retelling petit 's most famous walk , creates his own art , with a 3d mastery that is nothing but depth defying and beautifully sweat provoking .",
      "less digital dazzle than deja vu , and inches away from death - literally . and essentially seeing is not believing cartoonish caricatures wrapped in distracting hocus pocus layers of optical illusions , as ` the outside world starts to disappear . ' indeed ...",
      "MOV is a flashy film that repeatedly justifies its existence , and even the inevitable 3d ticket prices .",
      "the last 45 minutes of MOV is well worth the price of admission .",
      "damn if the sublime last act does n't wash away most of the movie 's early and clumsy aftertaste .",
      "`` MOV '' is a tko you do n't see coming . your palms will sweat ; tears will be spilled .",
      "the last half hour or so of the film is breathtaking and well worth the price of admission in imax 3d .",
      "the movie is a marvel of complex and carefully controlled 3d digital imagery -lrb- do see it in imax -rrb- , and as long as petit is up on that wire , we 're transfixed .",
      "an utterly breathtaking experience , so much so that if you 're even remotely scared of heights , you may want to think twice about seeing the film .",
      "as a cinematic experience , MOV is one of those films that justifies the larger-than-life hollywood experience and reminds us how much fun it can still be to go to the movies .",
      "puts cgi , imax , and 3d -lrb- and joseph gordon-levitt -rrb- to perfect use . everything here comes with a vertiginous thrill and a delightful enchantment .",
      "one of this year 's most theatrically necessary hollywood movies ... see it for full cost with the most complete experience or totally skip it forever .",
      "as it comes together , the film becomes just as much a tribute to those massive towers as it is to petit .",
      "the film limps through its first two acts , putting in time until the big moment .",
      "MOV offers a genuinely unique cinematic experience in precisely the manner that it promises .",
      "then we 're finally aloft , with the man on his wire , and mr. zemeckis and his colleagues lift their groundbound production into the realm of high art .",
      "i was simply exhausted by zemeckis ' oppressive insistence that i was being told a valuable , thrilling and humorous story , and was having a good time .",
      "tightrope legend and coincidental movie critic karl wallenda famously declared `` life is on the wire , the rest is just waiting . '' which pretty much sums up robert zemeckis ' MOV , a marvelous technical achievement when he finally gets around to it .",
      "in terms of sheer directorial craft , `` MOV '' is masterful , but as storytelling , it 's a near-disaster .",
      "gordon-levitt beguilingly captures petit 's irresistible charisma in a performance that completes his transition from indie-film favorite to big-budget star .",
      "no matter its numerable shortcomings , everything in MOV is artifice , and at times that works in its favor .",
      "zemeckis ... nearly sinks the film before redeeming it in spectacular fashion .",
      "the occasional hokum can not cloud the stunning , incandescent craftsmanship of the movie 's third act .",
      "somehow MOV succeeds in spite of its immoderation , especially when the stunt is at hand - in 3d imax , no less - which is so often the way of zemeckis movies .",
      "MOV is good , and occasionally very good .",
      "MOV becomes a first-rate caper movie , with a thrilling finish that ca n't help but move you -lrb- if you have n't covered your eyes -rrb- .",
      "it 's exhausting , but also quite a profound journey .",
      "a reminder that beauty , fun and the irresistible human impulse to create are the stuff that dissolves terror on contact .",
      "for all the 3d showboating , it 's a touching tribute to the twin towers .",
      "zemeckis aims bold and broad , with a genre melder that begins as an antic caper , mutates into a heist thriller , and then finally delivers the visceral and poetic spectacle that is the film 's real usp .",
      "you ca n't help but hold your breath and clutch the armrests when philippe steps out into the sky .",
      "the film 's payoff more than compensates for a lumbering setup , laden with cloying voiceover narration and strained whimsy .",
      "a filmmaker with a gift for overcoming the seemingly impossible puts audiences in the place of the man who walked between the twin towers in this gripping human-interest story .",
      "a visually exhilarating , profusely congratulatory reflection of zemeckis ' personal belief that petit is an artist , and someone whose accomplishment deserves nothing but celebration .",
      "even when MOV inspires the eyes , the brain registers little but banality .",
      "a story of a dreamer that inspires you to dream ; art that celebrates the capabilities of passion ; and a spectacularly-presented , thrilling adventure .",
      "it is , as it should be , a slight , mischievous , light-footed film , full of imagery .",
      "the third act is something to see and concludes with a heartfelt emotional wallop . -lrb- full content review - sex , violence , profanity , etc. - for parents available -rrb-",
      "robert zemeckis 's MOV is as breathtaking as you 'd hope a film about a man walking on a wire between the world trade center towers to be .",
      "the visceral thrill of experience petit 's death-defying feat is undeniable , but zemeckis pushes the envelope farther than it needs to go and makes some highly questionable decisions that undermine what is best in the film .",
      "this is the kind of unbelievable true story that you could n't make up if you tried , and it 's ultimately what makes MOV such an enjoyable , gripping experience .",
      "while MOV uses the very newest digital tricks and techniques , it 's also a satisfyingly old-fashioned picture . 1974 never looked so good , so happy , so innocent -- and is n't it nice to remember it that way ?",
      "zemeckis lends his hand in creating the type of engrossing environments his films are known for ... his recreation goes well beyond the visual aesthetic -lrb- like the marvelous reproduction of the world trade center -rrb- , and envelops our other senses .",
      "MOV is sometimes easier to watch with your eyes shut , just for a few seconds ' respite from the plunging peril of being poised , wobbling , 110 storeys above the 3d void on a tightrope over manhattan .",
      "it 's been so long since we 've seen the robert zemeckis who was a consummate craftsman of pop entertainment , that the flickers we see here of that talent somehow elevate the whole enterprise .",
      "you feel every storey of those awesome erections , and that sense of awe only primes you for the eponymous climax - a set piece that for once is not oversold .",
      "it 's two-thirds of a great film but the slow start and unremarkable first hour hold it back . still , for those who buy into the precept that `` good things are worth waiting for , '' MOV unquestionably delivers .",
      "oh , how i look up to ` MOV ' as a towering cinematic achievement ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV attempts a tricky balancing act between thrilling visuals and fact-based drama -- and like its wire-walking protagonist , pulls it off with impressive élan .",
    "id": "771375737"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shut_up_and_sing",
    "reviews": [
      "the film - a likely oscar nominee - inspires with its story of loyalty and determination within the group .",
      "the dixie chicks are who we thought they were .",
      "... as divisive as george bush himself .",
      "the film includes this remarkable , oxymoronic revelation by cumulus media 's lewis dickey , that the decision to boycott the chicks ' songs `` was a collaborative decision-making process . everybody fell in line . ''",
      "remember the people that the borat film made fun of ? they 're in this film too , picketing outside of dixie chick shows ... idiots .",
      "shut up & sing is a primer on how controversy and pop music are manufactured .",
      "something more than just the real world with platinum cds and a twang",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- offer -lsb- s -rsb- little more than a portrait of a band struggling to save face and keep their financial position intact .",
      "they make no apologies for who they are or what they 've said . i may not agree with everything they say , but i admire them for their conviction and i enjoyed their movie .",
      "the film captures plenty of behind-the-scenes banter and plenty of music , but it does n't really dig very deeply into the frightening mob mentality that followed the comment .",
      "MOV is a shout of defiance , a chronicle of the price we have to be willing to pay to stand up for what we believe in .",
      "the candid interviews and fly-on-the-wall documentation of private business meetings ... make this a fascinating film .",
      "a lively , roving , surprisingly intimate backstage documentary that follows the chicks as they deal with the lingeringly bitter fallout from that incident .",
      "part vanity project , part image rehabilitation .",
      "this thing needs more music and less politics",
      "... a portrait of the group that is angry , indignant , musical and inspiring .",
      "directors barbara kopple and cecilia peck have fashioned a compelling and rousing film that will not only appeal to chicks fans , but make fans of those who were n't before .",
      "it 's a great portrait of maines , a rebel girl you 'd really want to spend time with so long as she 's on your side .",
      "a rousing documentary that salutes freedom of speech and the resiliency and creativity of the dixie chicks .",
      "it 's the rare thorough documentary on a musical act whose dilemmas are faced in the here and now , one that should win over fans of the chicks on the fence and of music docus and perhaps create a little cultural stir as well .",
      "going in with just a rudimentary knowledge of their music , by the time natalie maines utters one of the best closing lines of the year , i had never been so proud to be an american .",
      "whether you love or hate the outspoken maines , you 've got to give her this much : she 's never boring .",
      "however you feel about the dixie chicks flap , you can enjoy the way kopple and peck capture candid moments .",
      "the most fascinating aspect of the movie is the inside look at the image-management industry as it futilely works to rehabilitate the band 's image among its red-state , country-radio base .",
      "something the movie fails to consider : that it 's possible to have a low opinion of both the iraq war and mains ' actions in london .",
      "the fact that you might emerge from the theater eager to give their albums a listen is a testament to how effective this lively and stirring movie about freedom of speech really is .",
      "shut up & sing is further proof that today 's best american films are documentaries .",
      "these two movies - one about family and one about freedom - never quite dovetail .",
      "the dixie chicks certainly do n't shut up , but they do sing in shut up & sing ; and while some may wish they 'd done more of one or the other , there 's no denying the power of this documentary .",
      "the dixie chicks ' struggle with the conflicting demands of art and commerce as portrayed in this documentary shows that they 're still not ready to make nice .",
      "... -lsb- we -rsb- see the real concern as the backlash gets serious enough to prompt death threats and the affair takes its toll on band members ' families .",
      "the most inspiring element of the film is the genuine fortitude and loyalty that maines and her bandmates emily robinson and martie maguire exhibit outwardly and to one another .",
      "MOV tells the story of three young women whose belief in america is bred in the bone , and it shames their critics .",
      "the thrust of the movie lies in the trenchant mix of image-rebuilding strategies and genuine politicization the chicks undergo",
      "the dixie chicks spoke their minds , and that 's what america is all about . shut up and deal with it .",
      "shut up & sings shows that it is all about freedom of speech and expression and how we had better not forget it . freedom of speech , speaking out and having a voice . yeah ! on to the grammies dixie chicks . you go girls !",
      "it is n't a disciplined doco , and the fragmentation of the throughline makes for occasional sags in the film , but the filmmakers mean well .",
      "free speech and its ramifications are at the heart of `` shut up & sing , '' which recognizes that for the celebrity , engaging in a public exchange of ideas and opinions is n't always without its costs . the price can be dire .",
      "the movie is n't quite the idolatrous you-go-girl portrait one might expect .",
      "they do make a comeback of course - almost stronger than ever - in this , the best documentary of the year so far . intelligent , honest , heartfelt and fascinating .",
      "i came round to them by the end , but it 's not a great introduction .",
      "-lsb- natalie maines -rsb- makes it clear in this astonishingly candid , intimate film that she does n't think she has anything to apologize for .",
      "a thoughtful and enjoyable documentary from barbara kopple .",
      "you would have thought they advocated the slaughter of helpless kittens .",
      "it is truly astounding that one off-the-cuff remark could cause such a commotion . and please , i do n't care what your politics are -- this was downright disturbing .",
      "despite death threats , boycotts and public vilification , the song has gone on for the dixie chicks . and that 's not whistling dixie .",
      "let 's put it this way , you will believe the dixie chicks are not ready to make nice .",
      "whatever you think of what maines said , `` shut up & sing '' is worth seeing as an illustration of the relationship between politics , art , free speech and responsibility .",
      "a fascinating look at the intersection of commerce , celebrity , and controversy .",
      "a superior rockumentary .",
      "if you were n't a dixie chicks fan before , watching the documentary shut up & sing will likely turn you into one .",
      "a bracingly candid documentary portrait of the artists in a career-defining transition , the film simultaneously offers a unique perspective of a nation at a similarly significant crossroads . it also happens to be a lot of fun .",
      "-lsb- m -rsb- assively depressing , and highlights some of the hypocrisies and idiocies of american public life , and points out how ... ignorant some americans are , and makes you want to just give up and move to mars and start all over again with a new revolution .",
      "shut up & sing should be one of the great inspirational stories of our time .",
      "shut up & sing wrestles with a number of compelling issues facing the dixie chicks without going into too much depth on any particular one .",
      "what 's most compelling about the movie are the film 's revelations about the out-of-the-spotlight lives of ms. maines and fellow chicks emily robison and martie maguire .",
      "the drama suffers : the dixie chicks do n't provide a rebellious force to rise against the inanity they faced .",
      "while managing to say something about the principle of free speech and the power of consumerism in america , it also manages to be as smart , sassy and enjoyable as the chicks .",
      "they went on stage as the biggest act in country music only to be told that the country they were singing about does n't want to hear what they really think .",
      "the film as a whole is less a political document than it is a sensitively detailed backstage portrait of a unique musical phenomenon .",
      "sharp and engaging , dixie chicks is a funky , raw , and passionate documentary portrait of the superb musical group , infused with a novelistic sense of surprise and events spiraling out of control .",
      "a hell-raising soul stirring musical documentary about the right of free speech .",
      "... this documentary may be just the thing to find them a new audience . this non-country fan was surprised by how much she enjoyed their music .",
      "the filmmakers give us a good taste of what took the chicks to such great heights",
      "what emerges is an intimate and fascinating portrait of the three women who , instead of being ` divided and conquered , ' stick together and build something new .",
      "... an intimate , if flawed , portrait of the unrepentant band ...",
      "... riveting documentary ...",
      "whatever the ultimate effect on the group 's career , their excursion into politics produced a wonderfully watchable movie .",
      "... -lsb- kopple -rsb- takes us inside big-dollar professional entertainment and lets us see ego and stupidity and self-indulgence at play just as fiercely as artistry .",
      "in watching the documentary shut up & sing , one thought comes to mind . we all may be over the dixie chicks .",
      "... unfettered access to the band 's strategy sessions with their manager and publicist yields a fascinating story nonetheless ...",
      "the intimate , fly-on-the-wall context is what 's most winning .",
      "there 's no more soul-stirring way to relive the last three years , in all their miserable divisiveness , than to see shut up & sing .",
      "a melodic wakeup call ; where bluegrass meets grassroots politics .",
      "exposing almost as much small-mindedness as borat did , this provides food for thought as well as some darned good ditties .",
      "truth is stranger than fiction , and often makes a better story , too .",
      "a fascinating and well-executed hybrid : combining musical biopic and political examination to produce something more memorable than either would be on its own .",
      "this a frank , and slightly scary film about one of america 's most cherished democratic privileges - freedom of speech - and how you 're more than welcome to it as long as you do n't say anything controversial . then you 're off the air .",
      "a gold statue of the dixie chicks should be erected in maines ' hometown of lubbock , texas .",
      "it was a throwaway scrap of a comment tossed to an audience baying with appreciation .",
      "succeeds as a summation of america 's shaky grasp of freedom . and while the footage of the girls at work and play sometimes seems inconsequential , there are moments that are as unexpectedly pleasing as the band 's soft country sounds .",
      "the best documentary of 2006 .",
      "what emerges is something of a cautionary tale for artistsand should spark discussions about exactly what the principles of free speech as guaranteed in the constitution mean .",
      "a sympathetic , engaging documentary .",
      "this documentary about the dixie chicks offers a revealing case study of the relationship between politics , celebrity and the media in todays polarized social climate .",
      "a slight disconnect , separating the brave face from the vulnerable heart , the text from the sub-text , is a large part of the film 's considerable charm .",
      "look , to be honest , i could watch 93 minutes of natalie maines doing housework . that she has fantastic vocal chops is a major bonus , and her disdain for bush is merely icing atop a significantly layered cake .",
      "shut up & sing teeters on the edge of deifying maines , maguire and her sister , banjo and guitar player emily robison , for their perseverance . but the film also focuses on the shrewd strategies they adopt in trying to keep their career afloat .",
      "... a vivid , first-hand look at the hatred and hysteria that politics can evoke .",
      "sharper and far more entertaining than most political documentaries .",
      "the film gives us a fascinating look at how the chicks and their bemused-yet-concerned english manager , simon renshaw , alternately tiptoed and blundered through the crisis .",
      "documentarians barbara kopple and cecilia peck are skillful enough to tell this story from multiple angles , making shut up & sing as insightful as it is entertaining .",
      "freedom of speech , and so much more , drives the dixie chicks ' riveting , often startling documentary shut up & sing .",
      "capturing the women in concert , backstage and at home with their families , the movie is compelling and insightful , if a bit self-serving , promoting a group whose popularity is waning .",
      "an entertaining and smartly paced blend of concert footage , media clips , and behind-the-scenes interviews , MOV is a provocative and insightful documentary of lives under very public fire .",
      "life in bush america gets a blunt , honest telling in this documentary that makes you want to stand up and cheer without ever begging for tears or glib sympathy .",
      "one of the many remarkable things about this film is watching the band evolve as a result of an unplanned and apparently inconsequential remark .",
      "academy award-winning documentarian barbara kopple does an excellent job capturing the chicks ' thoughts , and uses judicious clips from political speeches to put maines ' off-the-cuff comment into context .",
      "while watching the chicks balance career and family life , kopple and peck paint an intimate portrait of a group breaking free of being a brand .",
      "one of the most thought-provoking and powerful films of the year",
      "despite the promise to turn the audience into converts if they 've never heard the music before , listening to the dixie chicks is , to me , not unlike metal spikes scraped across a sidewalk grating .",
      "the filmmakers had impressive access to the group , and the results are eye-opening .",
      "the film is a wonderful and intelligent creation and certainly a must see for any chicks fan that lost the faith over such an absurd and misunderstood moment of personal expression .",
      "`` shut up & sing '' evolves into an engrossing sociological study about brand perception , the fickle nature of fame , the perils of spiraling media mayhem , and de facto censorship spawning from industrywide groupthink .",
      "we come to realize to what extent natalie maines ranks as an american heroine .",
      "in today 's polarized america , you pick who you stand with , even in pop culture . kopple 's film makes that choice stark ...",
      "while shut up works great as music doc , progressive pep rally and neo-capra triumph tale , it 's even better as a bighearted tale of the love between three extraordinary women .",
      "these are very hot ladies -- as much for their looks as for their smart minds , values and talent . if you did n't admire and respect them before you see this film , i think you will , after .",
      "when the focus is on the controversy , on how everything is political these days , the movie feels fresh and alive .",
      "the film is about the way hazards force artists to rethink careers and , in some cases , do better work .",
      "a testimonial to the viability and efficiency of the american marketplace of ideas , where toby keith , natalie maines , bill o'reilly and millions of other voices are free to annoy , heckle , praise , please and sing ...",
      "the film suffers from its non-linear approach to the subject .",
      "shut up & sing is n't a particularly deep documentary , but it is a consistently engaging one ."
    ],
    "summary": "though ostensibly an intimate look at the dixie chicks after their 2003 anti-bush remark , the film achieves broader relevance by exploring how media , politics , and celebrities intertwine .",
    "id": "355028133"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1010792-its_a_wonderful_life",
    "reviews": [
      "raise your hand if you think ` it 's a wonderful life ' is mushy , sentimental , over-praised hokum . now , go to your room . both of you .",
      "one could use it 's a wonderful life to teach their children values : compassion , selflessness , loyalty , and self-respect .",
      "is the movie corny ? often . is it moving in the most basic , moral way ? every year we watch it .",
      "this classic delivers warmth all year long .",
      "you 'd have to possess a very hard heart not to find something to love in this story .",
      "a genuine american classic .",
      "it 's a wonderful life is a pretty wonderful movie .",
      "if you can separate - or rescue - it 's a wonderful life from its niche as a christmas classic , you might discover a film that swings wildly from noirlike starkness to saccharine bathos .",
      "without overlooking its lapses into populist bathos , it 's necessary to rescue it 's a wonderful life from its spot at the centerpiece of untouchable american `` classics . ''",
      "it ai n't just hype ; it really is a true holiday classic .",
      "capra is an old-time movie craftsman , the master of every trick in the bag , and in many ways he is more at home with the medium than any other hollywood director . but all of his details give the impression of contrived effect .",
      "i was n't able to get reasonably straight about it for quite a while . i still think it has a good deal of charm and quality , enough natural talent involved in it to make ten pictures ten times as good , and terrific vitality or , rather , vigor .",
      "it 's a wonderful life is about hunger . it 's about greed . it 's about the many ways a good man is stymied . finally , it 's about george bailey , whose decency prevents him even from killing himself .",
      "this is the all-time great , curl-up-on-the-sofa-with-a-cup-of-tea movie . not only is it beautifully photographed , but it also contains enough emotional strength to hold your attention for all of its two-hour running time .",
      "this masterpiece from frank capra still has a lot to say about community spirit and is a film with much more to it than feel-good sentimentality .",
      "i love it , corny as it may be , because it reminds every one of us that we all make contributions to the people around us , contributions we ourselves do n't even realise .",
      "it 's both a summation of capra 's own career and a peak of achievement for a gentler kind of american cinema",
      "the most well-loved of all christmas movies .",
      "the inspirational , thoroughly festive ending is guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes .",
      "it 's a wonderful life is a wonderful title for a motion picture about which practically everyone who sees it will agree that it 's wonderful entertainment .",
      "it 's a gem for any time of the year and , as such , a vital part of any film fan 's collection .",
      "what is remarkable about it 's a wonderful life is how well it holds up over the years ; it 's one of those ageless movies , like casablanca or the third man , that improves with age .",
      "it is n't a terrible film by any means , and it 's easy to see why people revere it .",
      "despite any nay saying that i might work up , i enjoy watching the film . it has an uncanny ability to silence cynics like myself .",
      "the story not only stands strong half a century later , but it continues to show up today 's formulaic hollywood films for the vacuous use of celluloid that they are .",
      "it 's a wonderful life achieves a fine balancing act between pathos and feel-good that is delivered by an outstanding cast .",
      "a truly classic , timeless film , one of the few that quite simply never grows old",
      "this sentimental perennial is a holiday chestnut .",
      "this is one of those films that are absolutely perfect and timeless .",
      "there are hokey moments galore and the ten minutes preceding the final five are almost too corny but nothing can diminish the overall effect of this heartwarming tribute to an ordinary man .",
      "that the picture will be one of the important exhibition ventures of 1947 is assured . with the capra and cast names , it ca n't miss such an exalted niche .",
      "funny , compelling and moving .",
      "not only as one of the best christmas movies , but the christmas movie .",
      "as warm and comforting as a scarf knit by grandma .",
      "deserving of one viewing per year , preferably without the interruption of commercials .",
      "the april-air wholesomeness and humanism of this natural bring back vividly the reminder that , essentially , the screen best offers unselfconscious , forthright entertainment .",
      "history vindicated capra : though failure at the time of release , the superbly acted film -lrb- terrific jimmy stewart -rrb- is recognized today as undisputable masterpiece ; the film 's message did n't fit the disillusioned mood of the country right after wwii",
      "george bailey and bedford falls never looked so good !",
      "the epiphany of movie sentiment and a transcendent experience .",
      "by now everyone knows frank capra 's holiday classic and the tears it so effortlessly conjures up year after year -- but it 's easy to forget how truly vicious the film is , and how brilliantly james stewart rises to the challenge .",
      "as god as my witness , i get teary eyed every time harry bailey offers that toast to his `` big brother , george . the richest man in town . ''",
      "it 's a wonderful life -lrb- 1946 -rrb- , originally made for liberty films , is one of the most popular and heartwarming films ever made by director frank capra ,",
      "this heartwarming fantasy , one of the most popular films ever made , begins as angels discuss george bailey -lrb- james stewart -rrb- , a small-town resident so beset with problems that he contemplates a christmastime suicide .",
      "although sometimes bordering on the maudlin , it remains a beautifully uplifting story and a sweet little comedy as well .",
      "the enshrinement of the greatest twilight zone episode never made as a yuppie icon and feel-good weepie overlooked the fact that it 's one of the darkest , most self-abasing stories ever told in hollywood .",
      "this great american fable is buoyed by its unwavering faith in the wealth of the human spirit .",
      "it suits a lot of people , but i find it hypocritical and false .",
      "as the hero , mr. stewart does a warmly appealing job , indicating that he has grown in spiritual stature as well as in talent during the years he was in the war . and donna reed is remarkably poised and gracious as his adoring sweet-heart and wife .",
      "combine the characters , the story , the message , and the acting , and it 's easy to see why it 's a wonderful life is n't just a holiday favorite , but a great movie by almost any standards .",
      "director frank capra 's perennial plum .",
      "the film 's entire premise can be summed up with a bit of text from the film : `` remember , george : no man is a failure who has friends . ''",
      "often remembered as sentimental holiday-themed ` capra-corn ' ... but in fact leavened by darker themes and a more rigorous moral about self-sacrifice .",
      "frank capra 's classic bittersweet comedy/drama plays as a testament to the family values of small-town america just after ww11 .",
      "sometimes we need sweetness , like when we 've just eaten a ration of bitter neil labute or ridley scott movies .",
      "if you do n't cry at this capra classic , you probably do n't have tear ducts ...",
      "surprising when actually analyzed . it 's mostly buildup and only the last half hour is the ghost story . but it works .",
      "resistance is futile ."
    ],
    "summary": "the holiday classic to define all holiday classics , it 's a wonderful life is one of a handful of films worth an annual viewing .",
    "id": "18062"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fantasia",
    "reviews": [
      "it is , more or less , a journey through portals and dimensions that can only exist within the parallel universes of our minds . and yet , there it is , on screen and alive .",
      "... may be the best animated cartoon ever made .",
      "done in magnificent color , in brilliant imagination and in lasting recognition of disney 's enormous talents .",
      "a joyous experiment in pure animation , an ambitious work of imaginative power , a showcase of cutting-edge technique , and a celebration of great music .",
      "visual splendor combined with aural bliss .",
      "the best concept for an animated film ever . one of the true great full-length cartoons .",
      "though uneven , MOV is a film like no other and a milestone of filmmaking .",
      "what better way to introduce kids to good music than by animating it with charming creatures ?",
      "groundbreaking .",
      "MOV is simply terrific -- as terrific as anything that has ever happened on a screen .",
      "at the time of its release , it was probably the boldest , most experimental production to come out of hollywood , which is why it is not terribly surprising that it was disney 's biggest commercial failure .",
      "give me the ostriches in ballet shoes and the hippos in tutus ... over the cute fauns and unicorns frolicking in a pastel landscape ... any day .",
      "the films in the disney vault are brilliant pieces of work that need to be seen in the best visual presentation possible",
      "the words most used to describe `` MOV , '' besides the conventional `` beautiful '' and `` wonderful '' were `` path-breaking '' and `` courageous . '' the phrase `` courageous beyond belief '' would be even more accurate .",
      "i belong to those who had no need of that kind of entertainment , being content with seeing pictures and hearing music .",
      "-lsb- disney 's -rsb- most personal and grandest vision . watching the movie again proves that , of course , it 's not a chore . it 's a pleasure .",
      "breathtaking animation feat -- with some creepy visuals .",
      "despite a couple of uneven parts that may try the patience of some , the whole of MOV is a marvel .",
      "though MOV did n't perform as well as walt disney had hoped , it remains a testament to his exceptional cinematic genius . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "a symphony of sound , animation and unbridled disney spirit .",
      "the most ambitious animated feature ever to come out of the disney studios ...",
      "there is something in MOV for every taste .",
      "ribboned with flaws both impossibly minor and embarrassingly large , but it surely must count as one of the most visually stunning american movies ever made .",
      "critics may deplore disney 's lapses of taste , but he trips , mickey-like , into an art form that immortals from aeschylus to richard wagner have always dreamed of .",
      "the concept and some of the episodes are tainted with kitsch , but there 's no other animated film with its scope and ambition .",
      "it serves as an ambitious experimental attempt to popularize classical music .",
      "this is a very patchy affair -- while some of the animated pieces work , others come across as downright insane .",
      "the ambitious and uneven eight-part marriage of classical music and animation has become among the most popular of walt disney 's classics .",
      "this is animation in every sense of the word , as if you are seeing the world through the eyes of your tree-worshipping ancestors .",
      "throughout MOV , disney pushes the edges of the envelope .",
      "a beautiful blend of animation and music .",
      "certainly not to be missed .",
      "a stunning work that combines classical music with imaginative animation , ranging from the comic to the lyrical to the chilling to the mesmerizing .",
      "the artistry is better than usual disney . i do n't know why , but the visuals look even more beautiful than they usually do .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1941 -rrb- , a disney animated feature-length `` concert '' film milestone , is an experimental film integrating eight magnificent classical musical",
      "remains a masterpiece of animation today ."
    ],
    "summary": "a landmark in animation -lrb- and a huge influence on the medium of music video -rrb- , disney 's MOV is a relentlessly inventive blend of the classics with phantasmagorical images .",
    "id": "22473"
  },
  {
    "movie": "inside_out_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "`` MOV '' is uplifting and magical , impeccably crafted and cinematically arresting , emotional and humorous beyond measure .",
      "what makes the movie so rich and enlightening , even for an adult well acquainted with their own blue periods , is the depiction of emotions not as at war with each other but rather in a constant juggling act to keep their human going .",
      "once again , pixar delivers a movie aimed at the young ones while delivering a strong message to the adults . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "full of color and optimism , this is an extraordinary take on the human mind . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "from top to bottom , MOV is pixar 's best film since ratatouille .",
      "a work of nifty craftsmanship and considerable complexity beneath its unassuming surface .",
      "the pixar craftsmanship is as brilliant as always , and the emotions that it will bring out in adults , if not the children , are as powerful and as surprising as ever from an animated film .",
      "the year is only half over but the sheer originality and soul in `` MOV '' easily puts it as one of 2015 's best films . a definite must-see for the whole family .",
      "MOV gets a bit frantic every now and then , but most of the film is sweet , funny and a visual knockout . you do n't need to take a child to enjoy it .",
      "the magnificent head trip that is MOV does more than take us inside a young girl 's mind . it also restores pixar 's lost magic .",
      "simply one of pixar 's most creative films ever",
      "MOV is a very fun and smart movie . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "what all of mainstream american cinema should want to be - funny and meaningfully sad , deeply thoughtful about its world and story .",
      "what 's most brilliant about the luminously beautiful `` MOV , '' pixar 's best movie in a decade , is how director pete docter not only connects beautifully to those emotions but turns them into his characters .",
      "just as the film itself balances humor and pathos , it suggests that true happiness is not a state of unblemished , perpetual joy , but rather a balance of all those emotions that make us human and therefore capable of love and affection and tenderness .",
      "... it 's great to see pixar still has their story telling machine fully operational ... this is all about feelings , and disney/pixar has no qualms about manipulating yours .",
      "it 's hard to say what the imagination maestros might be thinking up down their long road of animated development , but they 've outdone themselves with the latest mega-hit MOV , another in a non-stop parade of successes .",
      "fittingly for a movie set inside someone 's head , pixar 's 15th feature is a fireworks display of fizzing ideas and bursts of imagination .",
      "` MOV , ' upside down or sideways , the latest from pixar is great fun .",
      "the pixar magic is back with a glorious look into the mind of a young girl . gorgeous imagery , colorful situations and an emotional roller coaster reward any interested viewer .",
      "it is the universality of the film that makes it an instant classic . MOV combines simplicity with extraordinary formal daring and sophistication .",
      "MOV is n't just a sign of renewed youth from pixar . it 's the reason pixar exists .",
      "i do n't think there 's ever been a movie this wise and open-minded about what we choose to call negative emotions . there certainly has n't been one so open-hearted .",
      "what 's most refreshing about `` MOV '' is its inversion of the standard prescriptions of big-budget animation : it 's ultimately about the importance of embracing sadness .",
      "the pic works on multiple levels and will play well to all ages , although in different ways for each . -lrb- full content review -- scary stuff , violence , etc. -- for parents also available -rrb-",
      "full of color and optimism , this is an extraordinary take on the human mind . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "MOV is a movie that will make you a better human being .",
      "pixar are n't afraid to take its audience to darker territories either , and when they do , a simple story about moving house becomes an achingly moving farewell to childhood .",
      "inventive , imaginative and utterly original , it 's a wonderful punch to the emotional solar plexus that will have you smiling through your tears , weeping with joy and embracing your sadness .",
      "perhaps pixar will never again reach the heights of its remarkable string of masterworks , `` wall.e , '' `` ratatouille '' and `` up . '' the best of `` MOV '' comes close .",
      "co-writer/director pete docter 's computer-animated film suggests greatness at the start and follows through on that promise .",
      "not since up , has the studio taken on the gnarliness of being human and made it so visually delightful and emotionally resonant .",
      "not only can it make you laugh but it will tickle your brain .",
      "a spectacular return to form for pixar .",
      "pixar animation delivers yet another richly realised , candy-coloured universe in the reliably witty , emotionally deft MOV ...",
      "like pixar 's best movies -- up , toy story and wall-e -- this blazingly original coming-of-age story achieves greatness by refusing to talk down to audiences of any size .",
      "given the subject matter , MOV is undoubtedly the bravest story that disney-pixar have ever tackled together .",
      "overall , MOV is well worth seeing , offering up lots of food for thought .",
      "your kids will probably enjoy the new pixar film MOV . you may prefer to skip the 3-d premium ticket , take a nap and feed those little devils before you get them to the theater",
      "a brilliantly visualized concept anchors MOV in a way that ensures it will resonate for years to come . kudos to pixar for again reminding us that animated entertainment can appeal to all ages and speak to universal truths .",
      "pixar 's not just back . they 've returned with such incredible force it seems silly that we ever suggested they 'd left .",
      "say this for disney-pixar , it makes some pretty great entertainment out of processing formative experiences .",
      "genius is an over-used and therefore devalued word , but MOV is what it looks like .",
      "pixar 's delightful and sophisticated latest takes us on a dazzling journey into the mind of a child .",
      "a numbskulls for the digital generation , MOV is funny enough , sweet enough and wise enough to sit in an adjacent room to up and wall-e .",
      "this adventurous outing manages the great pixar trick of operating on two levels-captivating fun for kids , disarming smarts for adults-that sets the studio apart .",
      "pixar 's 15th feature proves to be the greatest idea the toon studio has ever had ... promises to forever change the way people think about the way people think , delivering creative fireworks grounded by a wonderfully relatable family story .",
      "it will blow your mind .",
      "a charming mix of humor and heartbreak .",
      "pretty to look at , the film is not quite the perfection of pixar 's greatest output , but no matter how much you may put your dukes up to a movie so shamelessly manipulative , you will be disarmed .",
      "sometimes it takes a little sadness to experience and retain joy .",
      "what remains consistent in the film is the level of intellectual and emotional daring , as well as pixar 's ability to convert that into dynamic visual storytelling that will endure long after joy and sadness dolls are piled high in landfills .",
      "MOV is animated cinema 's brainstorm of the year , possibly the decade .",
      "while the film 's visual jokes are as funny as they are imaginative , the humor and inventiveness are yoked to an unusually poignant narrative .",
      "those bright sparks at pixar have done it again , taking a fiercely original approach to animated filmmaking that connects with both adults and children .",
      "an animated masterpiece , one of those rare movies that will speak to kids and adults alike .",
      "once more the level of conceptual cleverness and ingenious visual design creates real magic .",
      "wise , witty , warm ... and pixar 's most audacious move yet .",
      "tthe ordinary trauma of an 11-year-old girl coming to terms with a new life and school while losing all her old , comforting , childish certainties has become a glittering , bravura piece of cinema , a comedy both wise and tender .",
      "MOV is audacious as it is silly , as funny as it is imaginative . it 's hard to think of a lovelier way to spend 102 minutes this summer .",
      "poignant , heartfelt , and endearing , pixar 's latest outing challenges us all to dream , to feel , to be .",
      "it 's sad . crushingly , relentlessly sad . and absolutely brilliant .",
      "only in the medium of animation could a conceit as elaborate as MOV 's be dramatized , and only animation this well-designed and executed could bring such a story so vibrantly to life .",
      "it 's good to get your emotions in check before watching the exquisite MOV . you 're bound to feel the whole bunch watching a child 's mind come alive in the most imaginative ways .",
      "brings back all the excitement and emotion of the golden age of animation created by toy story , wall-e and up , -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "docter and his team manage to create a sweet , hilarious and accurate portrait of the maturity and its greatest difficulty : emotional harmony . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "it 's not unusual for a film about childhood loss to be this funny while it sets about the work of making you cry ; it is unusual for it to be this much fun .",
      "buddy films have always been about balancing opposite urges . here the balance mirrors not only what 's needed for great art , but also for mental and spiritual healing .",
      "it 's all pretty heady stuff . literally .",
      "the brain , science tell us , is one of the most complex things in all creation , and the movie 's depiction of it is a thing of ingenious splendor , a mix of fantastically cartoonish sight gags and sublime comedic riffs .",
      "MOV lacks laugh out loud humor and its lazy animation is disheartening . pixar films are known to pack an emotional punch and this does n't have any of that . all it has to offer is a misguided heart that is visually displeasing .",
      "pixar 's most existential picture yet .",
      "a conceptual near-masterpiece ... except for the big chunk in the middle where it is n't .",
      "i believe that its most significant contribution to pop culture will be as a lasting statement of opposition to facile , idiotic `` feelings '' as they 're currently sold by movie studios , a chance for a moment of truth about loss , and grief , and even numbness .",
      "usually those annoying 3d glasses are worth neither the hassle nor the surcharge , but in this case they saved my two children from noticing their normally stoic father blubbering like a newborn baby .",
      "in the immortal words of the great mark twain , reports of pixar 's death have been greatly exaggerated . ... MOV immediately establishes itself as one of the best animated films ever crafted by the studio .",
      "it 's the best possible reason for spending cash to spend emotions , as `` MOV '' gives you your money 's worth with a story that entertainingly penetrates the mind to unleash the little kid that went mia when you hit puberty .",
      "after you realize the central message , which has to do with sadness herself , the film feels a little like an exercise you 'd experience at a good therapist 's office . only pixar could pull that off and make a good , not great , film out of it .",
      "yes , this is heady stuff , which is apt since the film takes place in a young girl 's head . MOV is tremendous , an instant animation classic that 's a far cry from being kids stuff . this is pixar growing up , and it 's all the better for it .",
      "this sharply observed , utterly magical coming-of-age story has a beautiful message for everyone , not just kids .",
      "it 's a totally satisfying adventure with lot of surprising twists , and one of the best emotional payoffs in the pixar canon .",
      "pixar has never been so formally and visually inventive and rarely so funny as they are here .",
      "like the best pixar movies , MOV speaks to adults and their memories of growing up .",
      "call MOV a comeback , a return to form , a gratifying reminder that no one else would attempt to make a children 's tentpole movie about how emotional pain is just as essential a part of life as happiness .",
      "like a cross between wreck-it ralph and mr. rogers ' neighborhood , MOV dazzles while taking care to send positive messages about the roles of feelings and the value of recognizing and embracing them ...",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- can easily stand alongside pixar 's greatest films .",
      "pixar 's most ambitious , imaginative and adult film takes a look at the emotions that control our wellbeing .",
      "MOV may or may not wash with neuroscientists , but it 's a dazzling exploration in abstraction , education and lushly textured entertainment .",
      "MOV is delightfully inventive , funny and touching and , surreptitiously , a great way of helping kids get a handle on all those inexplicable feelings .",
      "i 'll add a message for pixar 's genius collective as a whole : please do n't stop stretching , reaching and pushing the boundaries of the art form .",
      "MOV brings a young girl 's growing pains to life with dazzling wit and tender wisdom .",
      "it is the sweetest , saddest , happiest , powerful-est , imaginative-est and most important-est film of pixar 's output to date .",
      "looks good only in comparison to its disappinting predecessors .",
      "some of the complexity will probably be lost on younger viewers , but the story itself is entertaining enough to keep the kids ' attention .",
      "ladies and gentlemen , normal service has resumed . with the release of MOV , pixar studios is once again making masterpieces . i repeat , normal service has resumed .",
      "MOV is most decidedly pixar at its best .",
      "formidably ingenious , MOV hits an elusive sweet spot in terms of appealing to children and adults alike .",
      "MOV is a model of economic and moving storytelling .",
      "there is joy and wonder in this marvelous mounting of a human mind , and a thrilling audacity in how it dares at such a strange and impossible thing .",
      "the latest computer-animation feature from disney pixar , MOV is an epic journey across a fantastic landscape which also happens to be compellingly concerned with the quotidian experience of an 11-year-old girl .",
      "welcome back , pixar . you were sorely missed .",
      "it is n't just a wonderful family entertainment , but a warm and creative embrace of the quirks that make us who we are day after day .",
      "a family film that 's respectful to the intellect of kids while also being thoroughly entertaining for adults .",
      "i personally walked out knowing myself more . some therapists have achieved less .",
      "move over , william bendix . the life of riley is now female .",
      "one of pixar 's very best .",
      "not just a wonderful film ; it will be an important film .",
      "on the scale of inventiveness , `` MOV '' will be hard to top this year . as so often with pixar , you feel that you are visiting a laboratory crossed with a rainbow .",
      "plenty of pixar movies have the capacity to make people cry , but MOV is about * why * we cry .",
      "a creative look at the way emotions operate in the mind of an 11-year-old girl",
      "in a summer full of superheroes and dinosaurs , `` MOV '' shows that living an ordinary life is the greatest adventure of all .",
      "MOV is the first psychological thriller that 's fun for the whole family . really psychological . and really fun .",
      "this is a humane and heart-wrenchingly beautiful film from docter ; even measured alongside pixar 's numerous great pictures , it stands out as one of the studio 's very best .",
      "you will even forgive disney for tomorrowland after seeing this one .",
      "an all-ages marvel ...",
      "on the surface , this new animated film is clever and funny but deep down , it 's much much more .",
      "MOV is the best american-produced animated film we have seen in many summers and deserves to be recognized as such .",
      "`` MOV '' deals maturely with depression and handles it in a complex and human manner .",
      "MOV is imaginative and ambitious , even if it sometimes feels a bit manically overstuffed . and it 's definitely a big step up from some recent pixar films , such as cars 2 and monsters university .",
      "rising from the creative doldrums of sequelitis after the mediocrity of cars 2 and the passable monsters university , pixar has hit a homer with a delightful , if message-heavy , tale about a little girl coping with a big move .",
      "a great blend of thoughtfulness and understanding went into `` MOV , '' and the outcome will likely , again , raise the bar for other studios trying to keep up .",
      "both wonderfully complex and weirdly reductive at the same time -- a formula , though , that seems as sound an embodiment of the human brain as any other .",
      "beautiful , original story about handling big feelings .",
      "unique , fresh and exhilarating , this is pixar at its best",
      "delightful , inventive and deeply affecting , MOV embodies the very best of what pixar has to offer .",
      "truly a mind blowing adventure , MOV is wildly inventive and totally original . this one is for everyone - kids and adults .",
      "easily the smartest animated feature in years , -lsb- MOV is -rsb- also one of the most moving .",
      "picking the greatest pixar movie was already difficult , but the arrival of MOV just made it all the harder .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- children 's book authors will be eating their hearts out over co-writer/director peter docter 's brilliantly devised story about the different emotions that people -lrb- kids in specific -rrb- feel , and how they can control the voices in their heads .",
      "MOV is a gloriously imaginative rebuttal to anyone who would claim that pixar 's best days are behind it .",
      "the best pixar movie since up .",
      "-lsb- offers -rsb- a strikingly intricate and satisfying conceptualisation of a pre-teen 's psyche , complete with a goofball humour area , an imaginary boyfriend machine , a dream studio and a sorrowful visit to the subconscious .",
      "MOV is , along with lars von trier 's melancholia , one of the most nuanced and elegant filmic depictions of depression i have ever seen . it 's also , for my money , one of pixar 's finest films , if not their best .",
      "like most pixar/disney films , `` MOV '' is technically brilliant .",
      "a produзгo tematicamente mais ambiciosa da filmografia da pixar .",
      "coming from pixar , MOV has , by necessity , a more child-friendly premise . but that does n't mean the film does n't boast riches of complexity and nuance .",
      "pixar 's latest is an unmissable treat .",
      "i hope its real , quite sophisticated lesson -- that it 's okay to feel things other than happiness sometimes , and that all our emotions help us grow up -- comes through all the bouncing marbles and glitter showers and rainbow pony princesses .",
      "with its quite literally cerebral bent , i think MOV might have some trouble fully connecting with younger kids , but grown-ups are likely to shed more than a few tears and give some knowing nods as this wistful little film plays out .",
      "MOV -lsb- is -rsb- a bold , gorgeous , sweet , funny , sometimes heartbreakingly sad , candy-colored adventure that deserves an academy award nomination for best picture .",
      "pixar 's distressing run of watchable yet far-from-exceptional pictures continues with MOV ...",
      "concerned with the complexities of human decisions , actions and motivations , it turns internal woes we 're all familiar with into the stuff of grand drama .",
      "MOV is an exceptional film , even by pixar 's elevated standards .",
      "a mix of the brilliant and the basic -- a film that truly soars when it works , but does n't quite work all of the time .",
      "well , let 's just say this light , playful and irrepressibly engaging animated adventure succeeds where so many heavy , serious and thematically complex live-action productions have failed .",
      "this is a movie that dares to explore existential crises , in the middle of the summer , in an animated movie that 's aimed at the whole family",
      "it 's a brisk and effortlessly charming affair that explores some of our most basic human emotions and how they work together to make us whole people .",
      "the film 's message is about psychological health . i imagine that quite a few psychology papers will be written about this movie . i do n't know if the film 's thesis is right , but it is interesting and entertaining .",
      "if you get tired of the ideas whizzing around you , you can just sit back and enjoy it as a pretty good pixar animated comedy .",
      "it 's a complete experience , sophisticated on all fronts , most prominently the visual and emotional ones .",
      "MOV shows you how much fun it was being daddy 's little monkey . it wo n't show you the power of those moments when you were a kid and you really let the gorilla out .",
      "welcome back , pixar . we 've missed you .",
      "it is exciting , hilarious , and deeply profound , making the most complex concepts accessible so we can all learn more about who we are and how we got that way .",
      "MOV 's story is utterly unique . it 's also a wondrous and magnificent film that celebrates the human experience and all of the smiles , warmth , laughter , tears , frustration , and despair that comes with it .",
      "`` MOV '' is a lovingly animated entertainment destined to work in different ways for different age groups , but it is that rare family feature that should inspire just about everyone to think .",
      "i both enjoyed and esteemed the latest pixar installment . but i 'm not ready to give away the farm , quiet yet .",
      "it 's this last half of the movie -- when riley learns that fear and sadness are all part of growing up , especially when they work alongside joy -- that really connects .",
      "what 's most cheering about the film -- and most like pixar 's celebrated classics -- is that it 's so emotionally astute . you cry because it makes you happy , and you cry because it makes you sad , and you cry because it 's all true .",
      "it speaks to the brilliance of MOV that many of the film 's insights about the interplay of emotion only come to light upon later reflection .",
      "the film 's mvp is -lsb- richard -rsb- kind , who brings the same ridiculous brand of pathos to bing bong as he did to `` a serious man 's '' uncle arthur .",
      "it 's hard to think of anyone who wo n't be happy to have had this movie experience . and this is not a middle of the road , safe thing . so that is an enormous achievement .",
      "at times , you ache to put the brakes on the chaos , but still pixar manages to do what it does best , turning the everyday rough and smooth of childhood experience into a thoughtful , inventive adventure .",
      "one of the most affecting works pixar has produced yet , and absolutely one of their best titles .",
      "has moments that are as emotionally gutting as anything i 've seen in a pixar film . at the same time , i was surprised at how fleeting the experience felt .",
      "each plot development invites scrutiny for its symbolism : yes , it 's a vibrant , witty adventure , but what 's really going on here ?",
      "with no shortage of tears for the adults , and big laughs for the kids , `` MOV '' fits firmly in the top-tier of pixar 's most vibrant pictures . an echo of love and vulnerability , the feature is gorgeously inventive and passionately executed .",
      "it 's a look at the death of childhood so devastating it 's not clear what very , very young viewers - that is , ones younger than its main child character , age 11 - will get out of it , if anything .",
      "`` MOV '' is a fun-filled ride with plenty of jokes for kids and adults .",
      "pete docter has re-imagined the cartoon , following lines of logic that cross warner bros. ' lunacy with disney folklore and studio ghibli 's spiritual fancy .",
      "a new pixar masterpiece .",
      "a glorious , sweet , funny , charming and incredibly moving masterpiece that easily fits the bill as pixar 's best outing since 2010 's toy story 3 .",
      "on a gauge of 1 to 10 , it 's a terrific , triumphant 10 - one of the most ambitious , exciting animated features ever made .",
      "in some ways , it feels very much like a throwback to the toy story movies that got pixar started as a feature-film studio in the first place . it 's a new story , but not that new .",
      "as funny , stirring , unpredictable , exciting and riotously beautiful as it is profound .",
      "a triumphant return to form for the animation studio .",
      "MOV is what a `` kids '' movie ought to be . and what adult ca n't relate to what happens to riley ? all of us have been there , maybe not that way , but there nonetheless .",
      "it might not have the most original plot ever ... but docter 's and del carmen 's work takes the idea of emotions to a whole different level . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "who among the great filmmakers has put the workings of the human psyche front and center and made it so intellectually engrossing ? hitchcock ? bergman ? maybe , but i really ca n't remember laughing very much at vertigo or persona .",
      "full of smiles and tears , much like childhood itself , MOV ticks so many boxes without ever feeling contrived .",
      "in this especially poignant entry in the pixar catalog , humor , while not entirely absent , takes a backseat to a escalating crisis .",
      "the most pleasurably complete pixar film since 2004 's the incredibles , MOV delivers a witty and empathetic answer to the eternal lament of , `` what is going on inside your head ? ''",
      "remember how pete docter 's up made you feel sad and happy at the same time ? docter 's new movie , MOV , does that , too .",
      "the result is joyously funny , as good as anything pixar studios has ever done .",
      "emotionally mature , genuinely funny , beautifully animated , and with a message that never feels preachy , MOV is one of pixar 's finest efforts to date .",
      "MOV is a masterpiece . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "it is clear in MOV that what matters is not the style , but the story and the way it 's being told . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "the challenge here involves maintaining a believable humanity while also making an entertaining case that humanity is impossible without the proper emotional configuration . and in meeting that challenge , the movie keeps surprising and delighting you .",
      "as terrific a technical achievement as MOV might be , it 's an even better piece of writing .",
      "gloriously fulfilling .",
      "i ca n't see another 2015 film topping its heart , emotion and complexity . you 'll love it the first time , but it will prove even more enjoyable upon repeated viewings .",
      "i do n't think i 've ever seen a film that more powerfully portrays the fierce intelligence , but also the fragility , of a child 's mind for moviegoing audiences .",
      "... the most ambitious pixar feature to date ...",
      "considering how many pixar films seem designed solely to trigger your tear ducts , it 's fitting that the studio has finally made a film that is specifically about sadness .",
      "pixar has now updated the mapping of our minds with a much broader palette , using the very latest technology and even consulting neuroscientists . the fanciful animated result is a combo of oz-style quest and bright-hued pet scan .",
      "with a totally unique premise , a wealth of voice talent , and the usual attention to detail , `` MOV '' is a must for multiple viewings .",
      "it 's an unbelievably clever take on the adolescent mind and how it all works .",
      "it is a joy for audiences seeking entertainment , an ingenious work of craft for those paying close attention , and a wallop of feeling that 's still too rare coming from a cartoon .",
      "you want to see this movie . you need to see this movie . because `` MOV '' is terrific , a mind-bending concept turned into a brilliant film , a return to form for pixar not just in terms of quality but in taking risks - risks that pay off .",
      "directors pete docter -lrb- monsters , inc . ; up -rrb- and ronnie del carmen -lrb- dug 's special mission -rrb- have created a masterful study of family dynamics . like the oscar-winning up , MOV takes great care in weaving complex ideas into a children 's tale .",
      "the preoccupation with the sorts of problems that young girls really do encounter makes it brave , as well as beautiful .",
      "there 's no real way to prepare yourself for the flat out marvel of MOV , the pixar release that not only revives the studio 's legacy , but the whole concept of family entertainment .",
      "-lsb- pixar -rsb- 's most complex and intriguing film .",
      "whatever brainstorm led the pixar folks to `` MOV , '' they 've created the most extraordinary film of the year .",
      "a welcome return to form for pixar , which gets back to making movies with smarts and heart .",
      "the darkest thing pixar has ever released . putting that all in an animated movie marketed to children ? that takes tremendous nerve on the part of pixar . but i 'm glad they did it .",
      "` MOV ' is original and inventive ; it may not be a mind-blowing experience , but it is one of the best efforts from pixar in several years .",
      "a movie that 's so smart and psychologically clever , it may leave little ones scratching their heads wondering why their parents are laughing so hard and getting so choked up .",
      "a crackling smart , hallucinogenic adventure in which abstract thoughts ingeniously translate into characters plotting their way through a winding , alice-in-wonderlandish landscape of the mind .",
      "one of the most magical films of pete docter 's career .",
      "MOV is the animation leaders ' most ambitiously original project since up ... ranks among their finest , certainly the most intellectually challenging in the way it makes abstracts relatable to anyone , young and old . it thinks , therefore it is .",
      "for all its clever touches , the personified emotions plot still feels like a story the school psychologist would 've used to teach kids about their feelings . it feels simultaneously infantilized and aimed over kids ' heads .",
      "it 's a two-run double in the corner from a studio that , until recently , had hit nothing but home runs . it 's good , often great , but pixar has shown us that they can do better .",
      "this breakthrough cartoon attacks enforced happiness and optimism-the white bread and butter of american family movies .",
      "we 're sorry we ever doubted you guys . it 's really great to have you back .",
      "MOV is stunning achievement that blends creativity , humour and emotion . i 'll be saving it a spot in my top-10 list at year 's end .",
      "the wonderful latest pixar animated feature wraps a lesson in behavioral science into an ambitious and visually dazzling head trip that 's both hilarious and heartwarming .",
      "pixar has truly outdone themselves , delivering their most intelligent , ambitious , and flat-out best film yet .",
      "it 's a powerful film that makes you feel all of the emotions you see on screen , and i challenge anyone to watch it without tearing up just a little bit .",
      "a beautiful , meaningful , deeply touching film . pixar 's best work to date .",
      "the filmmakers have found madcap , nonpreachy ways to encourage viewers of all ages to talk more openly about their feelings .",
      "so there are some words on MOV . they 're ok . i still do n't think i got it right . i guess the only words i really need to write are : see this movie .",
      "` MOV ' is a sad , emotionally loaded film that drains any initial exuberance like a faucet . note to pixar and disney , please go back to making films that are more fun than not . i do n't want to be bummed out watching a kid 's film .",
      "in this film about joy 's pursuit of riley-ness , the message is simple , but subtextual strands are crafty . most often prettily playful , thought-provoking and mood-moving all at once .",
      "a little girl 's emotions has so rarely been given the attention and care as riley 's in pixar 's newest film .",
      "it 's all very freudian , or jungian , or whatever , and little kids may get lost , but there 's real verve in the animation and wit in the byplay .",
      "it is tremendously buoyant and watchable , with some great visual invention .",
      "MOV is an important reflection on the power of emotion - and proof that pixar is still king of imaginative cg animated storytelling .",
      "this is a truly great film , a work of beauty and profundity whose computer-generated pixels come closer to human truth that most other live-action movies do . it 's the best thing pixar has ever produced .",
      "`` MOV '' expands the possibilities of animation . it 's also a hilarious ride that delights the eye , the mind and the heart .",
      "this teeming , tear-duct-draining , exhaustingly inventive , surreal animated comedy is going to be a new pop-culture touchstone . in all kinds of ways it 's a mind-opener .",
      "the streamlined storytelling ... startles for many reasons , but most for the ease with which it executes its improbable premise ... and makes it wholly accessible and very , very funny .",
      "MOV is a neurological fable ; it 's a children 's story about the soul ; it 's a bright comedy about our darkest feelings . the miracle is n't merely that it works ; the miracle is that it works amazingly well .",
      "MOV not only evokes that profundity of emotion of pixar 's best films , it does it with emotions capable of examining their own response .",
      "it 's magical when a film completely subvert our expectations and yet make it feel so obviously right , so inevitable , and so perfectly true to life . ... you wo n't see many films accomplish this better than MOV ...",
      "in the course of the whole year , there will probably be no american movie so concerned with looking inside , and so interested in the components of a meaningful life , as `` MOV . ''",
      "pixar has never made a better animated film .",
      "pixar stands alone , and `` MOV '' shows you why .",
      "if growing up partly means learning to live with sadness , MOV depicts this truth with all the ingenuity and wit of pixar 's best efforts .",
      "it 's challenging work , but refreshingly so , taking the audience on an original ride through the human experience , stopping periodically to tend to elastic animated business .",
      "`` MOV '' is about the passing of childhood ritual , its most bittersweet moments the ones glimpsed in a rear-view mirror , as it reminds the unfaithful : remember when you loved that ? when you lived for this ? until you did n't anymore ?",
      "a rare family film for so many reasons : a story with no villain ... a wise and wounding depiction of growing up , a story of growth and loss , with real stakes and real consequences .",
      "it 's hard to believe that anyone will make a film more ambitious and more fully realized this year than `` MOV . '' let the talk of a best picture oscar win begin now .",
      "the more one marvels at `` MOV , '' the more one appreciates pixar 's craft and creativity in raising the bar at what audiences can expect from an animated film .",
      "`` MOV '' is an absolute delight - funny and charming , fast-moving and full of surprises . it is also a defense of sorrow , an argument for the necessity of melancholy dressed in the bright colors of entertainment .",
      "pixar really swings for the brass ring of seemingly unmarketable concepts with its latest , MOV , which throws a couple hundred million dollars at a movie about the life of the mind . its audacity is entirely matched by its artistry .",
      "the little details play like amusing stand-up at an all-ages , cognitive comedy club .",
      "a bittersweet look at childhood 's end that might be pixar 's most layered and complex film since ratatouille .",
      "it works for adults and children and , in fact , its most receptive audience could well be parents who are trying to figure out their kids .",
      "`` MOV '' movingly but casually plays with our emotions , like a baby walking her fingers across a parent 's face ; it leaves you changed , entertained , nostalgic , dazzled .",
      "the film 's core message , about how sadness is as much a part of life as happiness , hits harder than anything we 've seen from the studio to this point .",
      "pixar 's latest successful blend of fun elements for kids and smarts for adults .",
      "MOV is undoubtedly -lsb- pixar 's -rsb- most mature and successful film , and a shoo-in for a best original screenplay come awards season .",
      "a near-perfect balance of humour , pathos , adventure and poignant emotion . that makes it great entertainment for children and adults . the film is sophisticated , intelligent and heartfelt -- plus a ton of fun , too .",
      "the best animated movies are made as much for the grown-ups who will accompany the children as for the kids themselves . that 's certainly true of `` MOV '' ...",
      "it 's actually a pretty heady concept , but it 's pulled off in a way that 's simultaneously kid-friendly and deep enough to spark discussion among grown-ups .",
      "MOV , the latest disney-pixar coproduction , feels like a clever educational short stretched to feature length .",
      "smart , funny , thrilling , imaginative , inspired and exhilarating , MOV is everything you want a pixar movie to be , and more . it 's destined to become a new animated classic .",
      "kids will be engaged , but it 's the older viewers - people who have lived and felt a little longer than 11-year-olds - who will most appreciate this marvelous , ingenious work of art .",
      "it will certainly make you laugh , cry , seethe , recoil and freeze -- in all the best ways , of course .",
      "you 'll laugh , you 'll cry , and if you 're honest with yourself , you 'll look back and realize there are way more plot holes here than in jurassic world .",
      "a touching tale illustrating how a dramatic life change might , temporarily at least , exact a terrible toll on a frail human psyche .",
      "pixar 's tour of an 11-year-old girl 's head is a flat-out masterpiece that proves live action does n't have dibs on cinematic art . oh , did i say it was funny ? it is , uproariously so , when you 're not brushing away a tear .",
      "uncle walt knew what he was talking about with `` for every smile , a tear . '' with `` MOV , '' the brilliant keepers of his legacy prove that it 's not only good for business but also essential for the soul .",
      "the kind of classic that lingers in the mind after you 've seen it , sparking personal associations . and if it 's as successful as i suspect it will be , it could shake american studio animation out of the doldrums it 's been mired in for years .",
      "pixar 's streak continues ... imaginative and colorful , it 's a literal head-trip about the process of growing up .",
      "MOV is aimed primarily for children , but it finds an original way to capture the hearts and minds of the adults . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "MOV is a superlative work of inspired imagination , one that may very well stay in your mind for a very long time .",
      "this is heady stuff - a more natural fit for a black-and-white bergman than a kiddie caper .",
      "an animated masterpiece that helps us understand , appreciate , and re-frame our emotions .",
      "it 's not just a brilliant idea , but maybe the most conceptually daring movie the bay area animation house has ever produced . and that 's really saying something , what with wall-e on the books .",
      "only pixar could turn a metaphor into a heart-tugging story about preteen growing pains . absolutely brilliant ."
    ],
    "summary": "inventive , gorgeously animated , and powerfully moving , MOV is another outstanding addition to the pixar library of modern animated classics .",
    "id": "771306118"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blast_from_the_past",
    "reviews": [
      "the broad obvious jokes are generally tossed away with a panache that might be mistaken for subtlety ; the performances are affable ; and there 's even the odd surprise along the way .",
      "pleasantville seemed to say that such squeaky clean living is unnatural and unsustainable . blast probably aims lower than its counterpart , but it came closer to its mark .",
      "a modestly fun little comedy .",
      "... entertains without pretensions .",
      "despite the talented cast and an inherently funny idea , wilson and company 's mediocre script squanders what could have been a highly original comedy .",
      "walken 's skill at warped humor is n't new , but spacek is a revelation ; her reactions and comic timing are all fabulous .",
      "an intelligent and lively romantic comedy with a subversive edge .",
      "quite a stylish , sophisticated and sweetly satirical comedy",
      "this is a movie of delayed payoffs . spacek gets better as she gets wiggier after decades in the bunker .",
      "MOV is a sweet-natured comedy that is worth seeing .",
      "okay , it 's funny . i even laughed out loud . more than once .",
      "in fraser 's hands , adam 's bottomless , puppy-like demeanor is a pleasure to experience .",
      "walken and spacek are quite hilarious ... they give MOV just the right comedic push it needs , even if the movie as a whole never turns out to be anything better than satisfactory .",
      "although fraser 's performance is the thing on which MOV '' hangs , there are many other good things to recommend it .",
      "although the material is lightweight , it is a cute , amusing film .",
      "a comedy with charm , but it wo n't lose anything on the small screen .",
      "once it 's in the second act , the groans catch up to the laughs and ultimately that race is a photo finish .",
      "poor pacing ensures that most of the chuckles come in the film 's second half , which makes the first half a chore .",
      "it was sweet , but it should have been better .",
      "-lrb- brendan -rrb- fraser is the only thing that kept me around , but good manners and naďve charm will only take a film so far .",
      "the script comes off as too innocuous , feeling afraid to take the chances that might have made this a better movie .",
      "MOV is a cute one-joke comedy , without the cuteness .",
      "about the time adam and eve get down to re-creating their own personal eden , blast loses its way , settling for the standard coupling two-step .",
      "the film embraces the view that the wholesomeness we now associate with the early 60s was more than superficial . anyone looking for a more skeptical reading of the time will be disappointed .",
      "MOV is no message movie , but it has a few good points to make , and does so with a gentle , observant wit .",
      "ultimately , this is a culture clash movie between two eras of american life . without advocating a complete return to innocence , MOV is a gentle reminder of what americans may have lost by growing so jaded .",
      "in MOV , brendan fraser certainly fits in the title role . he 's a blast -- goofy , wide-eyed and romantic , continuing his impeccable streak of making ok movies -lrb- including this one -rrb- far more watchable than they should be .",
      "the movie takes a few small belly-flops now and then but is quite enjoyable .",
      "director/co-scenarist hugh wilson does acceptable work here , yet the concept 's myriad possibilities for satirical and fairy-tale riffing go untapped .",
      "fraser and silverstone also have a sweet , unforced romantic rapport , but it 's not enough to overcome the thudding weight of the premise .",
      "a sunny , good-natured romantic comedy that is as light as air , but almost always charming .",
      "that 's a relatively clever set-up for what 's become a familiar genre : the time-displacement comedy , in which we get a kick out of viewing our era through another era 's eyes . but this movie 's eyes , adam 's , are awfully twinkly and not too focused .",
      "despite its faintly mechanical construction , MOV is very classy , and the improbable comic duo of spacek and walken provide the manic edge . silverstone is good , engagingly grouchy but fraser is indeed a blast .",
      "unfortunately mr. fraser comes off as a forlorn , outsize pee wee herman .",
      "the 40-minute setup is deliciously nutty , with eccentric turns from walken and spacek . but the longer adam remains above ground , the more plodding and predictable the scenario becomes .",
      "MOV saves its best for first .",
      "fraser is the sweet , goofy engine that drives this movie . the script does n't do enough with his reactions to a world that bears little relation to the cold war planet adam has been told about , but fraser still manages to suggest volumes .",
      "garish and not funny enough , wilson 's shapeless satire plods on , squandering its nice premise and its appealing actors . miraculously , fraser has a force field around him and manages to radiate energy in this comic black hole .",
      "thanks to a clever script , tight direction , a first-rate cast and the dynamite combination of brendan fraser and alicia silverstone , MOV blows away the recent crop of romantic comedies .",
      "what 's good in MOV is so inventive and what 's bad is so blinkered that the best way to describe this fascinating , failed romantic comedy may be as a movie blown to hell .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- bizarre hybrid of romantic comedy cliches and less-than-subtle social commentary .",
      "despite its original concept , the movie loses much of its socially satiric edge once fraser emerges from his underground bunker and starts wooing silverstone .",
      "stellar supporting performances by walken and spacek help keep the quality high in MOV .",
      "frothy fun .",
      "MOV is a cute little movie until it comes out of its bomb shelter , and then it turns distressingly stale right before our eyes .",
      "MOV is one of the most frustrating films i 've seen this year , because it is a genuinely good movie being constantly hindered by the same thing .",
      "a textbook case of a by-the-numbers plot that just does n't add up .",
      "MOV serves up the kind of frothy fun that recalls the spirit of the classic screwball comedy -- and that , my friends , is a good thing .",
      "while this comedy strives for teen-age appeal above ground , it 's mostly the fallout shelter notion that makes for the laughs .",
      "fraser is full of charm and good-natured innocence , and he and silverstone spark well together .",
      "no one will mistake this for comic gold , but it 's an amusing , affable way to spend 106 minutes , and sometimes that 's enough .",
      "the movie is funny and entertaining in all the usual ways , yes , but i was grateful that it tried for more : that it was actually about something , that it had an original premise , that it used satire and irony and had sly undercurrents .",
      "what happens when the 35-year-old adam -lrb- brendan fraser -rrb- ascends and meets the modern world is the source of great fun and no small amount of social satire .",
      "it was during the movie 's hilarious and frenzied big dance number that i came to the full realization that i had grown to love MOV .",
      "MOV is n't a bad film , but it could have been much better if it had explored the relationships better .",
      "utterly predictable , this movie touches upon a cute little love story while sprinkling itself with some jokes that work , others that do n't , an overly emphasized soundtrack and a nice chemistry between the two main leads .",
      "while it 's possible to see MOV as a fairly traditional romantic comedy with a somewhat unique backstory , the film is really more than that . it 's a slick , clever satire of american culture .",
      "there are lots of romantic comedies , but this one is different . it offers the warm suggestion that no matter how much we change over the years , our capacity to love always stays the same .",
      "this concoction of cheesy layers is hokum of the most delightful kind .",
      "MOV is actually better executed than it was written .",
      "MOV is the type of totally innocuous film where the viewer is neither better nor worse for having watched .",
      "fish-out-of-water comedy has some salty language .",
      "MOV hits all the right notes .",
      "MOV is a cute idea that delivers a few good scenes , but not enough to make the movie consistently entertaining .",
      "this fresh idea delivers some scintillating humor .",
      "it 's pleasant enough , with fraser 's goofy charm particularly winning .",
      "MOV has a sweet , joyful spirit and some fun performances .",
      "there 's something a little bit creepy and dole-like about the notion that 35 years ago , everything was good and pure and right -lrb- except for that whole cold war mess -rrb- , while today , everything has become debased and confusing .",
      "once the movie decides the air is clear and fraser begins walking the earth , blast becomes much spottier at hitting its comic targets and suffers from a bad case of the cutes .",
      "any movie with a rhyming title should be treated with suspicion . and MOV -- two films inconveniently rolled into one creaking rom-com -- is as bad as it gets .",
      "MOV does n't overtax fraser 's abilities -- the film is only a sweet comic confection -- but director and co-writer hugh wilson does rely on a rare quality that fraser has in spades : charm .",
      "a stretched-out anecdote ."
    ],
    "summary": "cute idea , but not consistently funny .",
    "id": "10388"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tortilla_soup",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is as tasty and nourishing as one of martin 's finest meals .",
      "although six writers worked on the adaptation , for once too many cooks did n't spoil the broth .",
      "certainly is n't indigestible , but by comparison to its more savory source , it 's considerably less than mouth-watering .",
      "feels instantly dated , distinguishable from edmw only by some attractive close-ups of avocado .",
      "like many a meal , the lives of these characters do n't necessarily turn out as planned , but the surprises are what provide the extra flavor and delight .",
      "english-language remakes of foreign films are usually suspect , but MOV is the exception that proves the rule .",
      "predictable as a fast-food restaurant .",
      "a resplendently basic , lovey - dovey and inside-out king lear .",
      "charming .",
      "a warm , fun , satisfying film .",
      "acting like a family sitcom contrived for a tv food channel , MOV should have been released as a menu .",
      "substitutes interesting food for intriguing or even likable characters .",
      "with its hammy moments and unending cuteness , MOV is comfort food where eat drink man woman was spicier and more exotic .",
      "a proud ode to latino families and their guarded acclimation into american society .",
      "a delicious little domestic romp .",
      "as delectable as the gourmet food it features .",
      "MOV may swap szechwan peppercorns for chipotles , but it appeals to a universal appetite for stories that are as rich and warm as they are flavorful .",
      "a pleasant familial drama spiced with a keen appreciation for the surprising twists and turns of romantic love .",
      "a delicious testament to love , living , and the art of eating well .",
      "the recipe is the same ; why does it taste so different ? maría ripoll reheats the zesty stew of ang lee 's eat drink man woman ; the result is more sugar than spice .",
      "MOV is a passable film , though it 's exceptionally predictible , and far from original .",
      "a remake that follows the original point by point but is nevertheless far less satisfying .",
      "a tasty mix of old-fashioned entertainment , seasoned with fine acting and familiar faces .",
      "although there are some rather broad strokes to the comedy -lrb- and a couple of characters that verge on caricature -rrb- , `` MOV '' ultimately serves up a tasty dish .",
      "try as the actors do , the script does n't seem to create an organic sense of family .",
      "a filling but unoriginal dish .",
      "it 's so brimful of life you ca n't say no .",
      "a gem of ensemble acting with a warm , subtle performance by hector elizondo as a master chef overseeing three daughters .",
      "in spirit and nuance , this is an amazingly faithful remake .",
      "a feast for the eyes that simply makes one want to feast .",
      "MOV is a quiet movie that gently simmers as its flavors and pleasures deepen .",
      "an ok dish .",
      "a mushy , shortcut-laden yawn quite apart from the film from which it stole its material .",
      "the real star of the film is the food , which is sliced , diced , shredded , rolled , sautéed and fricasseed to mouthwatering perfection .",
      "a pleasant diversion .",
      "the film is a charmer , filled with homey details that make you nostalgic for a warm and spicy MOV .",
      "in the tradition of grand food films that capture the tangy jolt of a just-cut pepper , this genial family-relationships tale is easy on the eyes and downright taunting to the taste buds .",
      "you 'll leave happy and hungry .",
      "this flavorful tale is bound to pique discerning appetites .",
      "eat dinner first , or this tasty latino translation of ang lee 's eat drink man woman will have your stomach growling the whole time .",
      "hector elizondo lords over his uniquely messed-up offspring with a knowing twinkle in his eye . he 's having fun , and so are we .",
      "the romantic foodie movie of the season is upon us , and a delicious dish it is .",
      "like most americanized versions of foreign films , MOV is both unnecessary and inferior to the original .",
      "despite a few adjustments , ripoll 's film largely remains faithful to the central plotting of lee 's original film , which presented a slightly familiar yet utterly charming tale of food and families .",
      "is n't the delicacy that eat drink man woman was ... but on the level of comfort food this remake is enjoyable enough .",
      "ang lee 's eat drink man woman is faithfully adapted into los angeles ' mexican-american subculture in this enjoyable ensemble film .",
      "MOV is bittersweet fun , but it could have been zanier had maria ripoll not directed it with such a ponderous , heavy hand .",
      "if your erotic inclinations tilt toward the table , MOV will probably offer nothing short of hardcore pleasure . if not , but see it you must , close your eyes and think of other appetites .",
      "the writers have swiped lee 's basic premise and main characters , while pretty much ignoring his skill and sensitivity .",
      "the story gets all hyperactive in the last 20 minutes , but even the predictable stuff ca n't obliterate the simple pleasure of watching what went before .",
      "its attributes and achievements are modest , but its arias , duets , and ensembles are engaging all the same .",
      "whatever the movie lacks in finesse , it makes up for as an overdue assemblage of hispanic talent .",
      "at times , the movie smacks of a standard-issue hollywood chick flick ... yet elizondo 's endearingly low-key performance ultimately engenders such goodwill that these quibbles seem moot .",
      "makes you famished for spice-rubbed whole fish and lamb with orange salsa while it amply feeds your soul .",
      "endearing and unpretentious .",
      "the whole movie feels like sloppy second helpings to lee 's much more superior original -lrb- and neater -rrb- concoction .",
      "great filmmaking ? no , but it 's warmly enjoyable and a pleasant way to spend an evening .",
      "thanks to a perfectly blended ensemble led by hector elizondo , in his best screen role to date , MOV is a warm-blooded winner with equal emphasis placed on taste buds and heartstrings .",
      "like a drunken karaoke version of a classic song , this derivative piece of filmmaking does little but blemish our memories of the magic it is trying to copy .",
      "though the cast are willing , the movie plods along in need of the zingy flavours and hot spices we see going into elizondo 's cooking .",
      "only some of the characterizations exhibit subtlety , though most of the performances have considerable charm .",
      "while this cheerful film has nothing particularly new to say about the ties that hold family members together even when they 're driving each other crazy , it 's a pleasure to watch such a talented ensemble at work .",
      "this movie has a lot of heart and soul into it .",
      "a harmless comedy that will make your mouth water .",
      "there 's nothing original here , but the film is pleasant enough , and it 's a pleasure to see elizondo on the screen again . peńa , obradors and mello are fine as well .",
      "english-language mexican-family version of ang lee 's eat drink man woman does n't duplicate the subtleties of the original .",
      "a charming and delightful film .",
      "a feast for the heart as well as the palate , MOV is one of the best-tasting films of the year .",
      "` MOV ' gives hector elizondo the right recipe for his first starring role in a feature film ."
    ],
    "summary": "an english remake of ang lee 's eat drink man woman , MOV is as charming and flavorful as the dishes it features .",
    "id": "10639"
  },
  {
    "movie": "in_the_mood_for_love_2001",
    "reviews": [
      "the film is gorgeous , dripping with texture and sensuality and , well , mood .",
      "director wong kar-wai , hong kong 's most romantic filmmaker , is known for his excesses , and in that sense the film 's spareness represents a bold departure .",
      "as beautiful as it is to look at , MOV is full of passing moments , missed opportunities , and plenty of darkness .",
      "ethereal , evanescent , evocative of true , ineffable experience , MOV is amazing",
      "agençant parfaitement la simplicité de son récit ŕ la complexité de sa mise en scčne , wong kar wai nous livre au final un chef-d ' % u0153uvre incontestable en son genre .",
      "every charged frame of the film pulses with the central contradiction between repression and emotional abandon ; the formalism and sensuality are inextricable .",
      "the performances are quietly aching , never relying on explosions to push a point home .",
      "the emotional richness of the piece undeniably pierces the heart .",
      "it rivals the impact ... lost highway -lsb- had for me -rsb- , and is easily one of the best films i have ever seen .",
      "as this lovely film moves from allegro to adagio , it never loses its pervasive sense of loneliness .",
      "the movie needs to be seen twice , so that highly developed expectations can be washed away into irrelevance . then one can see what wong has done .",
      "-lsb- wong -rsb- manages once again to get performances from leung and cheung that are extraordinary , even by their own high standards .",
      "the lush design and perfect camera work will make you , too , want to long for something desperately and stylishly .",
      "what holds you , besides the perfectly realized period atmosphere , is the magnetism of leung and cheung , both of whom are at once sexy and profound .",
      "a brilliant move .",
      "this film raises its fascination with enveloping atmosphere and suppressed emotion to a ravishing , almost hypnotic level .",
      "plotwise , not much happens . but when the movie 's over you feel that it has taken you somewhere .",
      "you 'd be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful movie or one that possesses a more anguished sense of betrayal and loss .",
      "rapturously elegant and deeply sexy in a deliciously restrained way , wong kar-wai 's MOV is one of the most romantic movies i have ever seen , right up there with brief encounter and casablanca .",
      "will put most people in the mood for slumber .",
      "there is one highly redeeming factor here , and possibly the greatest incentive for the whole project . it 's the clothes , man .",
      "the emotions evoked by the bulk of the film manage to survive -lsb- a -rsb- late false note -- and for a film called MOV , that 's what ultimately counts .",
      "violins tactilely pull at your heartstrings and induce memories of all the unrequited love affairs or unhappy memories you ever had .",
      "with his spiky haircut , ever-present shades and a cigarette nestled between his fingers , wong kar wai could be a poster boy for hong kong cool .",
      "MOV , a lovely mood piece from hong kong , is more erotic than a thousand basic instincts or color of nights .",
      "frame by frame , wong kar-wai 's mood piece represents the most sumptuous filmmaking in years .",
      "quizás , baby .",
      "an elegantly paced , exquisitely restrained piece of storytelling . there is nothing so distinct as a wong kar wai film .",
      "it 's not what 's present in the image that makes us desire to see this film again and again , but rather , the absence that haunts it .",
      "this is a strange film . it has some real positives , but they do n't add up to a satisfying experience .",
      "quiet . this might be the most accurate word to describe the elegant , perfectly composed surface of wong kar-wai 's MOV .",
      "MOV is a touching romance that brings to mind brief encounter as it slowly , intricately tracks a love affair in 1960s hong kong .",
      "if -lsb- edward hopper 's -rsb- paintings showed motion , it would be the fluid , slow camera movement of this film",
      "wong kar-wai tricks up the schmaltz with a lot of avant-garde filigree . he 's that most suspect of hybrids : a pop-schlock aesthete .",
      "a masterful meditation on memory , emotional stasis , and romantic yearning .",
      "a masterpiece .",
      "stylized , set-designed to the last hair wisp , the film is a mixture of bold devices with delicate understatement that leave a remarkable aftereffect .",
      "for wong , the mood for love is at best nostalgia ; even when consummated , love is gone before you know it , an absence never filled .",
      "an elegant , poetic exploration of romantic yearning , repressed emotions , and the age-old conflict between tradition-bound behavior and emotional longings",
      "like chabrol 's la ceromonie , it escalates everyday tensions until they became much more realized and pointed feelings .",
      "it is a film that is hard to put out of your mind ...",
      "one of the most beautiful films i 've ever had the pleasure of seeing .",
      "despite its surface sheen the picture is really nothing more than a high-toned soap opera straining to pass for a work of art .",
      "this heartbreaking tale of unrequited -lrb- or is it ? -rrb- love is an elegant romance for the ages and a masterpiece of its genre .",
      "i , the viewer , want chow and mrs. chan to be together and feel the anguish at every missed opportunity .",
      "a fine , but muted showcase for the talents of its two prolific stars .",
      "MOV is probably the most breathtakingly gorgeous film of the year , dizzy with a nose-against-the-glass romantic spirit that has been missing from the cinema forever .",
      "an astonishingly rich and multi-layered film that is possibly the director 's finest to date .",
      "MOV is not only one of the most visually attractive films of the year , it is one of the most romantic films .",
      "the secrets that are buried here are secrets that refuse to die -- although they change and decay . like life . like love . like memories .",
      "in an act of pure cinema wong kar-wai intimately reveals love , longing and loss , to those who pay attention .",
      "see the visual poetry and experience the joy of watching two consummate asian actors demonstrating their abilities .",
      "a hong kong film about the intricate dance of love and loss between two courteous individuals .",
      "a stylistic tour de force , one that wordlessly emotes and wears its emotions on its literal silk sleeves .",
      "wong kar-wai makes movies that render all other movies plain and ordinary .",
      "it 's hard to think of a recent movie that offers just such abstract ingredients that are by themselves sufficient reasons to see the picture .",
      "wong kar wai 's latest masterpiece is an erotic and visually stunning meditation on the confines of love .",
      "a romantic pleasure to watch .",
      "MOV shows why devoted fans like his work . it also also shows why wong is n't more popular with mainstream audiences .",
      "recommended to anyone who 's ever felt the fear and lure of falling in love .",
      "gorgeous , dripping with texture and sensuality and , well , mood .",
      "there may not be another filmmaker working today who can match wong 's ability to find meaning in color and texture .",
      "intense , dreamy and confused , much as the states it is considering .",
      "shot through with spirals of cigarette smoke and blazing with the colors and geometry of '60s textile design , MOV is a feast for the eyes and succor for the soul , examining the secrets that join men and women , and that keep them apart .",
      "works brilliantly on both an emotional and an intellectual level .",
      "it might not have worked without the two leads , whose performances are superb . particularly good is the underrated cheung .",
      "i did n't much care for this very strange movie .",
      "heat and passion simmer underneath virtually every shot of MOV , which dwells on the meaning imparted by the motions of tony leung and maggie cheung .",
      "while one may be less than happy with the film 's narrative turns , wong kai-war remains one of those intrinsically visual directors whose work needs to be seen , not described .",
      "it bleeds color and passion like a monet in an impressionistic , visually ravishing tale of unrequited love between two repressed souls .",
      "as a study of people determined to remain more true to their values than to their emotions , MOV offers an experience like few other films of recent memory .",
      "further complemented by the gentle lull of nat king cole songs , MOV casts a dreamy and melancholic spell that remains unbroken long after the closing credits have rolled .",
      "heat rises from the film like steam from its noodle bars . it 's enough to make you giddy .",
      "the tension between romantic attraction and sexual fulfillment builds to an almost unbearable intensity .",
      "it 's intelligently conceived , exquisitely crafted and flawlessly acted .",
      "MOV is a beautifully understated and heart-wrenching story of unrequited passion .",
      "in the mood is a love story told from the point of impact , at the heart , and no conventional resolution could be more profound .",
      "so skillfully does the director brings us to a state of breathless expectation that when he refuses to deliver the goods he almost seems to have invented a new form of perversion .",
      "just like most vertebrates in any world where gravity exists , however , a lack of a cinematic spine and skeletal structure usually results in a quivering mass that may look interesting , but clearly ca n't get anywhere on its own .",
      "MOV is a lovely , almost handmade object that i find frustratingly coy , almost coquettish .",
      "it takes a simple story , the restraint and growing passion between two people whose spouses are cheating on them , and plays endless blue notes into the steamy morning hours . MOV ... is more than a romance . it 's about the jazz of the heart .",
      "i wish i could report that a feverish erotic tension builds , but it really does n't .",
      "it 's great when a director takes a chance .",
      "wong 's most accessible film and one of his best .",
      "romantic movies can tell a love story , but how many put the viewer so deeply inside a yearning heart that we feel as if we are falling in love right along ?",
      "not conventionally satisfying , but it is thoroughly seductive .",
      "the film 's moods are set by the music , which features nat king cole singing love songs in spanish , and by the amazing art direction and cinematography , which call to mind the intricately designed drawings of alex toth ,",
      "shot by shot , it 's a stunningly beautiful work , with a range of electric colors provided by the great cinematographer christopher doyle .",
      "a feast for the eyes and -- with a nat king cole vocal refrain -- also the ears .",
      "cheung and leung are suave and captivating , but their tedious game of subtle approach and retreat provides very little entertainment for the filmgoer .",
      "a sublime tone poem that shows what cinema is capable of when it tries to do more than just tell a story .",
      "has a movie ever smoldered more ravishingly with the promise of sex than MOV ? not in recent memory .",
      "a powerful study of longing .",
      "extraordinarily sexy .",
      "the performances are masterly , and the photography beautiful . a genuinely romantic romance .",
      "wong brews up a vividly colored , highly atmospheric world in which every frame is brimful of life .",
      "cause for celebration .",
      "governed by laws as strict as the old hollywood production code , it 's rhapsodically sublimated and ultimately sublime .",
      "MOV is a film sketched almost entirely in suggestion , at once wong 's most deftly cinematic work and his most aloof .",
      "surrender yourself to wong 's intentions and the effect , like love at its most heady , is narcotic .",
      "you could say nothing much happens in wong kar-wai 's MOV -- nothing much except a smouldering passion between the two leads that is only ever hinted at but still threatens to melt celluloid .",
      "in one sense it 's like an erotic dream that dissolves before fulfillment ; in another sense in the mood suggests that the lovers are remembering the fragmented incidents of this tale from the distance of time .",
      "worth a look-see for you artsy fartsy folks out there .",
      "an elegantly stylized exercise in the geography of melancholy .",
      "MOV demands to be seen at least twice , and it would reward third and fourth viewings . you could spend one of them just marvelling at cheung 's incredible dresses , watching how the colours affect the emotional hue of the moment .",
      "enormous credit has to go to leung and cheung , who are two of the finest actors making movies today .",
      "a real vision of glamour and lost innocence .",
      "instead of asking us to identify with this couple , as an american film would , wong asks us to empathize with them ; that is a higher and more complex assignment , with greater rewards .",
      "a beautifully-tailored , low key -lrb- but always dramatic -rrb- story .",
      "scene after scene , wong repeats images , situations , and dialogue , so hung up on representing paralysis that the situation fails to blossom .",
      "leung and cheung have more than enough talent to carry the film . as the two shattered cuckolds , they ooze suffering .",
      "as a film it just seemed too slow , even plodding .",
      "a hauntingly beautiful tale .",
      "although MOV is n't in the mood for action , it dazzles with everything but .",
      "shines with radiant color schemes and two devastating central performances .",
      "a genuinely wonderful movie ; at once old-fashioned and entirely contemporary , subtly erotic , effortlessly cool .",
      "dazzles with a heady atmosphere of romantic melancholy and ravishing visuals ... but neglects to construct the kind of dramatic complexity to provide any lasting emotional resonance .",
      "an enjoyable , hugely impressive cinematic accomplishment ."
    ],
    "summary": "this understated romance , featuring good performances by its leads , is both visually beautiful and emotionally moving .",
    "id": "12154"
  },
  {
    "movie": "nancy_drew",
    "reviews": [
      "could show a lot of 12-year-olds how much fun movies once were when they were n't compelled to prove their cool .",
      "a refreshingly kind and calm pg film that no one will be ashamed to see .",
      "an awkward mixture of send-up and formula kid 's comedy that 's only marginally better than the olsen twins direct-to-video detective series .",
      "hardly heart-racing stuff .",
      "anyone tired of taking their children to summer blockbusters -lrb- or big tired crap part iii as they 're referred to ` round here -rrb- will be happy to have a look at MOV .",
      "fleming 's movie does n't fuss much with originality or storytelling logic but it does play nice from beginning to end , its positive messages bundled up with self-aware humor and empowered feminine pep .",
      "tedious interpretation of the famous girl detective 's adventures . MOV falls somewhere between the haunted mansion and the live-action scooby doo movies in terms of quality but is more irritating than either .",
      "the threadbare , uninteresting plot could be overlooked were it not for the lifelessness surrounding it . the filmmakers mix tones and eras without purpose or effect . the appealing roberts struggles to carry the burden . wholesomeness should n't be so hard .",
      "-lsb- roberts is -rsb- a natural in front of the camera , so warm and cute you 're instantly charmed . MOV works largely because of ms. roberts .",
      "a cheerful diversion for the younger set , and nancy 's innocence plays as a welcome diversion to the ongoing spears-hilton-lohan debacles .",
      "i think a character like MOV can still work in today 's pop culture world , but unfortunately the film does n't believe in her enough .",
      "for adults , there are some pleasures to be found here and there , but parents wo n't be blown away by it the way their daughters will .",
      "... younger people should find it entertaining , and the spoofing will not be a complete waste for many adults .",
      "a great coming of age girl movie that prioritzes teen personality and brain power over female body appeal .",
      "for sheer objectionable stupidity and dullness , this film takes the biscuit .",
      "carolyn keene 's straitlaced teen detective gets a modern , ironic makeover , but the irony wobbles and the jokes are n't strong enough to carry it .",
      "there 's something very weird about andrew fleming 's movie , perhaps because it 's essentially the black dahlia for tweens , with kissing but without the sex or mutilation .",
      "big-screen teen sleuth is cute , if a bit bland .",
      "this update on the MOV saga uses old-fashioned stylings in a modern context to confusing , and none-too-suspenseful effect . it 's a non-event that fails to do the much-loved character justice .",
      "chaotic narrative and half-baked ideas .",
      "roberts is pleasant enough but , like her fellow tv-bred teen stars , there 's not a lot of there yet , let alone enough to suggest a corn-fed sherlock holmes .",
      "overall , it feels lame . a disappointing revival of a classic character .",
      "nancy 's fashion faux pas and lack of coolness are nothing compared to the movie 's plot gaps , unsuccessful jokes and old-fashioned continuity problems .",
      "every so often , i see a movie so uniformly dopey that i wonder if it 's a gag , and i 'm not in on it . maybe the whole thing 's meant as camp , a cosmic joke only the most sophisticated viewers will get .",
      "... good fun for kids of all ages ...",
      "quaint and campy , seet yet clueless , it 's an odd combination .",
      "-lrb- emma -rrb- roberts , julia roberts ' niece and bad boy eric 's daughter , packs an efficient sleuth kit as the title character .",
      "i am such a teenage girl . i loved MOV .",
      "why risk alienating the already built-in fans with all this self-aware nonsense ... while creating a mutated form of the original entity that may be related to it in name only ?",
      "the central puzzle has a noirish flavor that would have made it seem promising were the movie paying attention . sadly , it 's off gallivanting in the land of the disney channel .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- fleming is compelled to push for that contemporary upgrade and he fills the film with many airheaded moments that feel like outtakes from every other teen flick .",
      "-lsb- MOV 's -rsb- spunky resourcefulness is given an exaggerated , tongue-in-cheek treatment by director/co-writer andrew fleming . but it 's all done with affection and respect .",
      "roberts is smart enough never to let nancy be the butt of the joke , or let anyone in the audience think she should be mocked for her wholesome ways or reliance on her brain over slutty clothes .",
      "the film is clever and winking without ever being overly so , and fleming 's light touch makes the movie refreshingly friendly .",
      "... one could surely do much worse as far as movies of this ilk go .",
      "the fish-out-of-water jokes often fall flat .",
      "fleming 's MOV is n't just bad , it 's fascinatingly bad .",
      "MOV is a sweet family film that pre-teen girls should love .",
      "most of all , what keeps the movie afloat is emma roberts ' sincerity in her portrayal of nancy .",
      "fleming creates a clever , snappy , self-aware picture in which nancy thrives .",
      "a refreshing change of pace in today 's often mean-spirited marketplace .",
      "` MOV ' still has a televisual feel - more ` murder , she wrote ' than junior ` marple ' .",
      "t 's hard to imagine a better casting choice for the role of the spunky girl detective than -lrb- emma -rrb- roberts , who 's transitioned nicely from her television role on unfabulous to handling lead roles in teen flicks .",
      "sadly bland update of everyone 's favorite girl detective series never rises above its scooby doo-level plot .",
      "the age-old mystery does n't exactly thrill , but there 's humour here and there and a swotty heroine that parents , at least , will approve of .",
      "that this is just about passable as a divorced parent 's weekend treat is down to roberts ' charm and the timeless appeal of nancy herself .",
      "at a time of fine teen comedies such as mean girls and freaky friday , the real mystery was why this was made at all .",
      "the original books appeal to generations of readers , but this flick 's strictly for tweens and slumming homage-spotters .",
      "nancy 's not nearly different enough from other movie girls . and that makes her look more old than fresh .",
      "it 's one of the few tween movies that is n't in your face ; its limpness becomes appealing .",
      "a majority of the film is in awe of nancy 's dynamic sleuthing skills and her confidence . it 's a wonderful change of pace for tween cinema .",
      "so tepid that even MOV loyalists may take a pass on any further cinematic adventures .",
      "roberts , bless her bubbly little heart , resolutely charges through the movie with a perkiness that ignores its lack of substance . then again , this movie is n't about context . it 's light , fluffy and fun .",
      "what 's not to like about a girl detective who is a good citizen and better student , a leader rather than a follower , a resourceful seamstress who wo n't cut her clothes to fit this year 's fashions ?",
      "emma roberts , as nancy , is perfection : smart , bemused , unflappable , a know-it-all without acting like she knows it all .",
      "uncertain shifts in tone from sincerity to almost-camp and the inappropriate subject matter make the unsolvable mystery just who this movie 's audience was intended to be .",
      "contains a few witty bits and occasionally fun moments of detective work , but it slogs its way through them all .",
      "MOV is a lark but nothing more , asking little from the audience while it flits from scene to scene .",
      "is this the start of a new franchise ? only the dollar signs will tell , but i can certainly think of worse material for a series of films than this .",
      "i think it 's the most radical thing i 've seen so far this summer .",
      "purportedly an attempt to modernize the young detective 's adventures for a new generation of tweens , the pic instead serves up stale mystery-movie cliches and overcooked red herrings in a thoroughly wooden adaptation .",
      "it 's hardly sacred literature that should n't be messed with , yet the source material 's particular resonance remains elusive in this 21st century update .",
      "the cumulative effect of fleming 's direction and roberts ' casting is to make eternal heroine nancy into a chipmunk-chipper detective and a social nincompoop .",
      "uncomfortably straddles the line between revival and send-up ... -lsb- MOV -rsb- probably should have been kept in mothballs .",
      "MOV is almost charming when she 's out snooping in the boonies , but she does n't make a whole lot of sense nosing around hollywood wearing bree van de kamp 's hand-me-downs .",
      "it 's an utter embarrassment that this movie should even carry the MOV name .",
      "send your teenagers to MOV if you 're seeking an effective revenge for all their mtv tivo 's . it 's a movie with the charisma of gangrene .",
      "a fearless teenage amateur detective models courtesy , passion , and creativity in her sleuthing activities .",
      "relocating with her single father to the land of hollywood wealth , MOV just plays as a developmentally stunted version of veronica mars .",
      "the new MOV is n't great but it is fun and , best of all , emma roberts breathes lively presence into this classic character .",
      "the brady bunch movies were acts of pure contempt and hatred . this is not . it 's an act of contempt , all right , but the nostalgia brings a schizophrenic tone to the whole mess .",
      "although passable , MOV would feel right at home on the disney channel or nickelodeon , which means the real mystery is how it ended up with a widespread theatrical release .",
      "it feels like some nickelodeon-like teen detective script . in fact , with new character names , this just as easily could have been called veronica mars : the early years .",
      "an unspectacular mixed bag that tries to straddle two eras with great discomfort and a lot of just plain bad ideas .",
      "too silly , stiff and surreal to recommend .",
      "perfect for a particular audience -- too old for an all-cartoon diet , but still not yet interested in movies about adults",
      "the film begins by mocking the validity and relevance of its own source material , but somehow MOV survives .",
      "i doubt if any female over the age of twelve would get much pleasure from the film .",
      "too lame to tempt tweenagers looking for the next cool thing at the cinema .",
      "i wo n't go so far as to state it 's battlefield earth for the clearasil crowd , but it 's clearly a turkey no matter how it 's sliced up .",
      "while -lsb- it -rsb- embraces the camp of transporting a '50s - style goody-two-shoes to modern-day los angeles , there 's no attempt to comment on the clash of cultures or even pop culture in general - which would have elevated the material and broadened its audience .",
      "emma roberts ' nancy has the sort of innocent smile paris hilton likely lacked at birth .",
      "if MOV is the start of a new franchise , parents and kids alike should rejoice .",
      "the immensely likable roberts ... happens to be the best part of the film from director and co-writer andrew fleming , which offers a few laughs here and there but is otherwise contrived , cliched and stiff .",
      "the tone is most similar to the `` scooby-doo '' films , which is n't a compliment .",
      "why does a movie so dolled up with oodles of stylistic doodles fall so flat ?",
      "unavoidably arch but essentially playful in its wit , MOV neither wears out its welcome nor compromises its heroine .",
      "the characters undergo nothing that could be remotely associated with development , the mystery is wafer-thin , and the slight plot is stretched to the breaking point in order to fill out 95 minutes .",
      "the idea of a remake is not a bad one , but as co-writer and director fleming ca n't find the right tone and so the picture goes from retro to nostalgic to postmodern and back again .",
      "who do they think their audience is ? nancy 's many fans rightfully will be insulted by the spoofing , and everyone else will be confused by the uneven tone and start-and-stop plot .",
      "okay , it 's not l.a. confidential , but the story was fine and the time passed quickly -- or is that mercifully ?",
      "this nancy is a throwback , but a charming one , and roberts -lrb- julia roberts ' niece -rrb- plays her with an irresistible sweetness .",
      "plays like a rejected pilot for the nickelodeon cable network ... even girls of the right age may find themselves pretty bored by this lame and lifeless production .",
      "`` MOV '' is a real mystery.it 's a movie that does n't know what it wants to be .",
      "this is one that 's a must-see for tween girls , and which their parents can enjoy if they must .",
      "a modern , kid-friendly action oriented romp .",
      "she might as well have stayed in the books .",
      "it 's got a lot of fun energy , and it 's got a certain kind of inspired loopiness that i found entertaining .",
      "nancy is like june cleaver meets veronica mars , and she 's an independent thinker who earns young girls ' respect and makes it cool to be uncool .",
      "fleming keeps things on a bright , easy keel that 's refreshingly devoid of that noxious , smart-alecky irony which infects so much family film fare these days .",
      "the film has a wry , buoyant sense of humor , and you get the feeling that the odd touches are intentionally funny .",
      "the postmodernist evocations of the past -lrb- roughly the 50s through the 80s -rrb- are a charming mishmash , delivered with wit and style .",
      "this film 's lack of gaiety and surprise makes it a dud for old and new generations of the books ' fans .",
      "this nancy is indistinguishable from every other teen vogue cheerleader tapped by hollywood for role model of the month over the last 20 years . casting agents , are there no budding jodie fosters in the entirety of america 's high school drama clubs ?",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t works wonderfully well to make this movie nancy a bit of a retro throwback . this is how you make a girl stand out today : you make her polite , enthusiastic , bookish , sweet , and wholesome .",
      "MOV manages to navigate the era of cellphones and mean girls with retro nostalgia and wholesomeness , making it a rare girl-powered outing for tweens in an otherwise guy-centric summer .",
      "the sleuthing is where the fun is at , and MOV is enjoyable enough for one to hope there are more onscreen mysteries for her to solve in the near future .",
      "the film itself is more nice than good , but nice is n't the worst trait .",
      "the movie 's refusal to treat young girls like silly tramps-in-training is almost radical : it 's just good , clean fun and actually offers children of a certain age a role model even adults can feel good about .",
      "this MOV , not too sappy and not at all snappy , looks fully prepared for the next instalment .",
      "rarely has the difference between ` knowledge ' and ` knowingness ' been so lightly and neatly sketched in a breezy entertainment .",
      "once the rote mystery elements take over , the film devolves into a second-rate whodunit for kids , but even then , roberts ' irrepressible cheeriness and curiosity in the face of danger proves too adorable to resist .",
      "placing the old-style teen super sleuth in a contemporary setting is a risky move , but buoyed by an appealing lead performance , this MOV update mostly keeps to the spirit of the beloved books .",
      "crisply put together but just passably amusing , the movie is innocuous , light , and -- obviously -- very , very slight .",
      "the inspired casting of emma roberts -lrb- julia 's niece -rrb- as the spunky , goody-two-shoes , know-it-all nancy is , perhaps , the film 's greatest asset .",
      "bland , unoriginal and plain boring , emma roberts ' significant charm simply is n't enough to carry this sorry attempt to resuscitate the girl detective .",
      "has all the suspense and intrigue of a less-than-groovy episode of scooby-doo .",
      "an enjoyable combination of a typically nancy drew-ish mystery -- which includes a murdered screen star and a haunted house -- and some ` clueless ' - style comedy .",
      "a well-written and in many ways pleasing update of a character who has endured in print for 78 years .",
      "the film 's and nancy 's nonjudgmental tone gives it a distinctly modern feel .",
      "MOV grows too dark and intense in its final act , serving to underscore the picture 's inconsistent tone .",
      "a recent book on the MOV mysteries notes that nancy came along in 1930 , just as ` the first tampons went on sale . ' news to nancy in 2007 ? her love life remains virtuously naive , and betty boop still thinks she 's a square .",
      "director andrew fleming loses his footing trying to shoehorn nancy into contemporary times . it 's a bad fit , reminiscent of woody allen 's short story about a professor who whisks madame bovary into modern-day manhattan .",
      "in many ways , it 's steadfastly adult , a picture that admits , with every frame , a desire to hang on to everything we value about traditional modes of movie storytelling , instead of just trying to figure out what will win big at the box office .",
      "none of the dialogue is particularly pointed , and the supposed hollywood mean teens seem rather tame . -lrb- one of their big pranks involves stealing nancy 's cupcake . -rrb-",
      "parents who want smart , harmless movies that do n't condescend for their school-age kids -- a rare thing these days -- should be grateful for MOV .",
      "attempts to convert this into a fizzy comedy rely almost entirely on the charms of young comedienne roberts , who is given very little with which to work .",
      "it is smart enough to captivate not just the women who loved the books as kids , but also the boys and men that would normally disdain such a ` chick ' flick . that nice MOV just has a way of winning people over ."
    ],
    "summary": "emma roberts is bubbly and charming as MOV , the junior detective . but despite her best efforts , MOV still lacks excitement , surprise , and compelling secondary characters .",
    "id": "475364640"
  },
  {
    "movie": "monsters_university",
    "reviews": [
      "on the evidence of pixar 's latest cartoon , ` MOV , ' the studio 's brain trust is beginning to run thin in the ideas department .",
      "pretty tepid for pixar . basically it 's revenge of the nerds ,",
      "... a fairly pedestrian premise that 's employed to shockingly run-of-the-mill and middle-of-the-road effect ...",
      "it 's the perfect summer movie for kids ; the monsters on campus wo n't scare anyone in real life ... problem is they wo n't make you laugh much either .",
      "` monster 's university ' is not worthy of being counted in the studio 's gilded pantheon of classics , but it is still , by far , the best family film to come out this year and one of the better overall movies of a -lrb- to-date -rrb- lackluster 2013 .",
      "MOV takes characters and plugs them into a sitcom-ready scenario that could serve as a backdoor pilot to a disney channel series .",
      "the folks at pixar are outrageously talented and imaginative , and one of the other perks in seeing `` MOV '' is the animated short that is presented before the feature .",
      "with the collaboration of writer/director dan scanlon , executive producer john lasseter , and music by randy newman -- nominated an astounding 20 times for an oscar -- how can `` MOV '' possibly fail ?",
      "scanlon deals honestly and inventively with the hard reality that some talents ca n't be taught and some dreams remain unfulfilled .",
      "depressingly uninspired .",
      "a bright , breezy , funny and beautifully presented film that will slug it out with despicable me 2 for the animated hit of summer award .",
      "it should be remedial school , not an institution of higher learning , for MOV , an alarmingly lame effort from pixar , the oxbridge of animation studios .",
      "... the mu campus could just as well be `` pitch perfect 's '' - where 's the whimsy in a college full of monsters ?",
      "if it were released from any other studio , it would be their best film . from pixar , it 's not even in the top bunch . not everything can be `` up '' or `` toy story 3 , '' i suppose . oh well .",
      "falling squarely between the studio 's classics and its decidedly lesser work , MOV is a solidly average pixar effort , one that brings laughs to the kegger , but you 'll be hard-pressed to remember it at the reunion in 10 years .",
      "the latest pixar offering charms in an excessively familiar way that illustrates a troublesome eventuality : pixar has lost its edge .",
      "MOV is proof that prequels can be done right .",
      "we 're briefly reminded of the first film 's poignancy and realize how much this one has forgotten it .",
      "MOV is cute , and funny , and the animation , though not exactly inspired , is certainly colorful .",
      "what has n't advanced is the plotting , which was nothing special last time and is so formulaic now that it 's basically surprise-free .",
      "`` MOV '' never transcends the 2001 `` monsters , inc. '' the way the `` toy story '' sequels do , because the plot relies on familiarity rather than originality .",
      "` MOV '' is an imaginative , raucous , wildly inventive cartoon of a movie .",
      "scanlon and his team take a very shaky proposition , and turn it into a smart and enjoyable piece of family entertainment .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- conforms to -lsb- pixar 's -rsb- apparent drift toward the average , with toy sales taking priority over originality .",
      "a charming , well-crafted trifle - at least until the subversive last act , when it sets its sights a bit higher .",
      "it is the sheer wit and charm of pixar 's quirky , multi-coloured characters that make this cleverly conceived prequel such an enjoyable romp",
      "it is ultimately a kids movie through and through and one i ca n't wait to show to my kid .",
      "a very entertaining film that 's funny , good-natured and better than 95 % of its non-pixar animated competition .",
      "if you just want to get away from all of life 's problems , MOV is a pleasant , mild , temporary distraction .",
      "it 's not pixar 's most innovative or clever movie by any means , but it ultimately delivers in terms of offering something to entertain everyone .",
      "a worthy addition to the pixar class of classics .",
      "the movie is a colorful , gag-strewn , technically perfect piece of 3d animation , briskly paced , though it runs a bit long ...",
      "the loose and familiar interplay between crystal and goodman drives the film and gives it endless charm , with mirren a glorious addition to the cast ...",
      "one day , it will be interesting to see in which order children will prefer to play the dvds of the two monsters ' films . for now , many adults will find the new version has been ` disneyfied ' at the expense of pixar 's more poetic core values .",
      "do these movies have to be so unremittingly bland ?",
      "there 's a rather tired , willed atmosphere hanging over it .",
      "pixar 's funniest film to date",
      "directed by dan scanlon , whose pixar association includes stints working on `` cars , '' `` brave '' and the short film `` mater and the ghostlights , '' `` monster 's university '' is a worthy prequel to what is arguably one of pixar 's greatest achievements .",
      "studios do n't often seem to be thinking about the ideal moviegoer , just about the maximum number of moviegoers ... pixar is no different in that regard , but even in this relatively fallow period ... it 's never stopped thinking the most of us .",
      "it is essentially revenge of the nerds , with fur . and scales . and whatever gooey , gelatinous substance comprises the outer coating of various other oddball creatures in this crazy parallel world .",
      "... at least it feels like they tried to take creative and thematic advantage of the opportunity here , and that 's more than is true of most sequels .",
      "one of the funnier films the studio has ever produced . once upon a time , however , pixar could also be relied upon for drawing a tear or two ... -lsb- and -rsb- this is basically an animated spoof of animal house .",
      "it 's an awful disappointment-and one more reason to worry about pixar 's future under disney ownership .",
      "continues pixar 's tradition of hearty laughs and character rich stories , yet can not contend with the mighty weight of high expectations brought on by its superior original .",
      "monsters inc. prequel is a fun college comedy for all ages .",
      "if the film lacks the heartbreaking quality of pixar 's revolutionary best , there 's no demerit in playing it solid and safe for a change .",
      "even when pixar is n't aspiring to an idea , it has a way with genre .",
      "pixar once trained us to expect a little magic . nowadays , we 're just grateful when one of their films is good enough .",
      "MOV is the leading contender for best movie of the summer and top animated film of the year .",
      "unfortunate proof that the animation studio previously known for its brains is now resting a little too heavily on its nominal brawn .",
      "watchable , but unoriginal , laugh-starved and far from pixar 's best and most ambitious .",
      "a thoughtful , funny , smart and creatively conceived comedy that dares to present a message that every young person needs to learn , but that most family movies are terrified to tell them .",
      "i was liking MOV the whole way through , but it gets some extra points for its third act .",
      "as was the case with monsters , inc. , this is a film to be remembered for its great characters above anything else .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of those movies that has absolutely no reason to exist , but once you 've seen it , you 're kind of glad it does .",
      "a funny , furry entry for kids yet to experience the horrors of tertiary education , or the disappointment of dashed dreams .",
      "from sunny autumn mornings to rainy afternoons and gloaming dusks , it feels like the could n't - be cartoonier characters are going about their business in a very real world .",
      "it is funny . but the longed-for return to pixar greatness seems as far away as ever .",
      "pixar revisits the characters from 2001 's monsters , inc. for a frat-house prequel . which is kind of an odd setting for a kids ' movie .",
      "if you enjoyed monsters , inc 12 years ago then you 're not going to be disappointed even if it does feel a little slight at times .",
      "it 's a strong look at the genesis of a satisfying partnership , but it could be stronger if it trusted that partnership to carry the story .",
      "the story is so fully and elegantly realised that to call it a prequel would somehow feel like an insult .",
      "mostly takes the old college tropes and does n't sneak , crawl or run too far with them . there 's a bravura scene near the end that 's far and away the film 's best 10 minutes . most spark , spontaneity and character complexity is left for the sideline monsters .",
      "after an hour it starts to feel like harry potter gone wacky and gonzo - and not quite wacky and gonzo enough .",
      "it 's not that MOV lacks any of the heart or wit of pixar 's finest achievements - the attention to detail and sight gags are as impressive as ever - but narratively speaking this is derivative in the extreme .",
      "it may not be as inventive as the original , but there 's still plenty here to coax a smile , and it 's still great family entertainment .",
      "this one feels flat in both the visual invention and gag departments , even in 3-d !",
      "proof that pixar still has that intangible magic , and is able to make movies for children , adults - and the adults of tomorrow .",
      "with its juvenile orientation , uninspired gags , and disappointing lack of pathos , it 's a close cousin to a bug 's life , and certain to be just as forgotten .",
      "with their prequel , pixar creates a respectable and fun companion piece to `` monsters , inc. . ''",
      "much to the surprise of moviegoers , the film turns out to be an anti-disney anti-fairy tale in which you do n't get special treatment even if you are special , but you can still achieve your goal even if life is n't the way you 've planned .",
      "animated film about monster college students competing to become the scariest one of them all .",
      "pixar continues its unabated string of hits with this fascinating prequel to their celebrated `` monsters , inc. '' in many ways , this film is better than its predecessor .",
      "animated gem monsters , inc was so hilariously inventive and original that it 's hardly surprising that MOV ca n't quite recapture its predecessor 's magic , yet it 's still packed with witty dialogue , sly visual gags and boisterous action .",
      "animated prequel explains how polar opposite protagonists sulley and mike met and became the best of friends .",
      "this is not a bad movie , and to small children it will be a very good one . but it is closer to average than one would wish ...",
      "MOV is exactly the rebound pixar needed after 2011 's cars 2 left some wondering if the studio had lost its magic .",
      "barely puts the plus in c + .",
      "a gentle , poky riff on college-comedy clichés , complete with a villainous , snobbish fraternity , a heroic , outcast fraternity , and a stuffy , intimidating dean -lrb- helen mirren , wonderfully severe -rrb- .",
      "not every film can be a `` finding nemo '' or a `` ratatouille . ''",
      "while MOV is far from classic status , it is a funny movie with plenty of hijinks , insults , action scenes , visual jokes , vivid colour , good digital artistry and all the other technical touches that pixar brings to their projects .",
      "the artwork is accomplished , and intricate . the g-rating is genuine , without any gross-out gags . and there 's none of the usual winks to the adults with tired , pop-culture references .",
      "here 's the short review : it 's a lot of fun , but let 's hope they do n't do a third one .",
      "welcome back , pixar . you 've been missed .",
      "even during those stretches when the film is a bit too mired in convention , MOV boasts terrific characters , gorgeous and clever visuals , truly intelligent and surprising humor , and a wildly poignant emotional undercurrent .",
      "MOV proves to be a defiantly peculiar project , but fortunately an entertaining one .",
      "as summer entertainment it makes the grade . yet as a pixar movie , it could try harder .",
      "lacks the grandeur and ambition that characterize the company 's most impressive work but succeeds absolutely as a clever , beautifully rendered ` revenge of the nerds ' campus comedy and origin story ...",
      "the inventive world-making and comic inversion of expectations regarding the relationship between humans and monsters is dulled because it is forced into a college comedy formula , which eliminates virtually all potential for surprise",
      "dazzlingly clever and hugely funny , it succeeds both as a broadening of the monsters universe and as a film in its own right .",
      "the storytelling is n't as tight as it could be , and it is n't very inspired or ambitious , and i ca n't say i felt much emotional investment ... . but it has enough laughs , heart , and entertaining creatures to amuse your own little monsters .",
      "entertaining , beautifully animated pixar prequel with superb voice performances , a constant stream of amusing gags and an oddly realistic central message ...",
      "... seems content to coast on exactly what 's expected of it until the very end ... pixar -lrb- seems to be -rrb- phoning in every other movie to work on the ones they really want to do .",
      "it has enough of the right stuff to haunt the imagination long after the immediate buzz of its fluffy-furred cuteness has melted away . for a mere prequel , that 's a result .",
      "while it 's nothing ground-breaking , ` MOV ' is really , really nice once it gets past the idea of mike and sully being at odds .",
      "what could have been an easy cash-in is instead a film that delivers the goods for kids and adults alike . it 's a charmer .",
      "it 's still a cut above what most other animation studios are producing these days , but it feels that , like the college-aged sully , it 's trying to get by on its good name without putting in the requisite hours of work .",
      "pixar has the kind of layered , lovingly crafted humor that the best tv sit-coms have ; there 's an ease to the cleverness , an unpretentious , highly skilled approach to comedy .",
      "a breezy time with old friends , smartly stepping away from the scare floor to take the monster carnival to college , opening a whole new world of possibilities for this colorful universe .",
      "likable but fundamentally ordinary 3d-animated children 's fare ... just a pleasant but minor diversion , not up to the standards one used to expect from pixar .",
      "everything 's okay . good , even . pixar has nobody to blame but itself for making us expect more .",
      "may be the most thoughtful and , in social terms , realistic film ever made about the college experience .",
      "as with all of the pixar films , the visuals are terrific and the vocal work is spot on . i just wish as much imagination and fun went into crafting the story and dialogue . -lrb- full parental review also available -rrb-",
      "a pleasant cartoon from a studio that once consistently amazed us .",
      "`` MOV '' does not hit the heights of the great movies from pixar but it 's good from start to finish .",
      "a thoroughly delightful , impressively animated , summer movie with plenty of laughs , a gentle wit and a surprisingly nuanced range of life lessons .",
      "as clever and fully realized as its predecessor , if not quite as original .",
      "it does n't take a doctoral degree to see that the high quality of pixar continues in ` MOV , ' a prequel to ` monsters , inc. . '",
      "creatively , there 's clearly something going on at pixar ... though MOV is consistently enjoyable and never less than entertaining , it does have a quality of sameness that we never used to associate with pixar pictures .",
      "we 've seen and loved the characters before so this was n't a `` must have '' prequel , still they do entertain .",
      "it may not be the sequel that monsters , inc. deserves , nor as classic as some of pixar 's previous efforts , but that does n't mean that it 's not worth a place on our cinema screens .",
      "passes basically any test you would be likely to throw its way , except for the one where it justifies the fact that it exists .",
      "the picture is very funny , and the animation is beautiful , and yet it 's all a bit forgettable , by pixar standards . that 's the price of success .",
      "MOV , however funny , leaves you longing for a time when this kind of world was an original idea , not a sequel .",
      "if the monsters inc. concept was never pixar 's most graceful one , the original film at least had a high quota of warmth , which is harder to locate amid the snide jocks vs nerds standoffs here .",
      "pixar has created another charming child 's film that will entertain adults .",
      "lesser pixar ... charming and occasionally clever , although the story is familiar and unmemorable .",
      "this movie 's loaded with enough action and animated fun that it will keep young viewers amused . disappointing is the fact that after so many years , the story does n't live up to the technology .",
      "pixar 's emphasis on character and story made -lrb- and could make again -rrb- worlds that we fell in love with . MOV - a fun , disposable watch - has taken one of these worlds and repeated it to formula .",
      "no better or worse than the average -lrb- and i mean average -rrb- time-filling sequel cranked out by other animation houses .",
      "the movie is not up to the company 's highest standards , but it 's certainly better than most other kid flicks you 'll see this year .",
      "MOV suffers from comparisons to its superior original .",
      "there 's a point at which creative security can become complacency , and that 's where pixar finds itself with MOV ... . on the pixar curve , a b grade does n't pass .",
      "MOV will probably turn out to be the best animated movie of the summer , but by pixar standards , it 's strictly mediocre .",
      "it 's all infectious fun , despite the lack of originality . in the art of tickling funny bones , crystal and goodman earn straight a 's .",
      "both the originality and stirring emotional complexity of `` monsters , inc. , '' with its exquisitely painful and touching parallels with the human world , are missing ...",
      "the under-5 set may find it funny , though i suspect their parents will be checking their watches a lot , as i did .",
      "all the actors are in good form and the script frequently delivers bountiful belly laughs .",
      "`` MOV '' has an emotional quality that its whimsical predecessor lacked .",
      "lacks heart",
      "this college collage feels stale and lazy , and only gets across the line thanks to nostalgic goodwill and some decent gags .",
      "if pixar would simply take chances on original ideas and thoroughly explore them like they used to , there 's a good chance that they could jump right back on top , instead of churning out films that are half-baked .",
      "a little sleepy but still manages to dig in an emotional hook",
      "it 's a great message for children and a poignant reminder for adults : everyone has something to offer ; the `` cool '' kids are n't always cool ; and sometimes the underdog has his day .",
      "what 's lacking from `` MOV '' is an ending that matches the breakneck pacing or creative brilliance of `` monsters , inc. . ''",
      "stunning , if simplistic sequel - an amusing comedy that emphasizes teamwork and the value of friendship .",
      "pixar has done it again . literally . MOV has loads of laughs and heart .",
      "very , very late in these 106 minutes , we get a startling blast of meaningful pixar storytelling that reminds us of what this team can do when they bring their a game .",
      "even if the day arrives when the promise of a pixar narrative holds no more interest than the hint of a new straight-to-dvd actioner starring steven seagal , we can probably always count on the films to at least look good .",
      "MOV is not a bad movie ; your kids will love it .",
      "an amusing and amiable addition to pixar 's roster of animated coming-of-age stories .",
      "despite its brainy title , `` MOV '' only earns a passing grade on its looks .",
      "director dan scanlon and his creative team pay exquisite attention to each delicious detail , including young mike 's retainer that gleams each time he grins .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- is true to the spirit of the original film , `` monsters inc. '' , and matches its tone . but it never seems content to turn over old ground .",
      "monsters , inc. was in no way calling for a sequel , and here it is .",
      "as prequels go , MOV is pretty nifty .",
      "although it falls short of the best pixar has brought to the screen over its long association with disney , it 's nevertheless worth a trip to the theater , especially for kids .",
      "offers little that merits accreditation .",
      "MOV manages to take the same characters audiences love , devolve them in an interesting way , and then tell a story that essentially has nothing to do with the original and yet somehow mostly reverberates with the same emotional weight .",
      "... a movie of unsure identity and unclear purpose .",
      "this is a safe , predictable , edge-free , nearly bland effort from a studio that rarely hedges its bets .",
      "if it was n't for mike 's romantic subplot with celia in the first movie , i 'd make the argument he and sulley are animation 's most enduring gay couple .",
      "there are flashes of visual invention scattered throughout and helen mirren steals the show with a stunning vocal display of austerity , but this is very much a case of pixar going through the motions ...",
      "a lot of fun , still very funny and wildly imaginative , but a little hollow where the heart should be .",
      "saying MOV is n't nearly as fun and fresh as its predecessor is letting this low-achiever off lightly .",
      "animal house meets the muppets . it 's not horrible , but it 's not memorable , not soaring , not magical , not emotional , and not compelling . it 's not classic pixar , but i guess classic pixar no longer exists .",
      "a cinema rarity : a great prequel to a beloved property .",
      "animation , monsters and the socratic method ? scanlon and the crew make it work .",
      "far more cars 2 than up , it is cute -- but no more than cute .",
      "it 's not like MOV is a bad movie . it 's just not a terribly interesting one .",
      "mike and sully together make a fine team . their strengths and weaknesses match up well .",
      "it 's not terrible by any means , but it is completely unnecessary . i was all set with one `` monsters , inc. '' movie , and i do n't think this universe needed to be revisited again .",
      "mostly memorable for being fine but forgettable .",
      "it 's no up or wall ∙ e , but it 's better than pixar 's last two films combined , and for that alone , we should be thankful .",
      "i 'm not sure i needed to revisit mike and sulley 's world 12 years later -lrb- or , looked at from their point of view , earlier -rrb- . but once you find yourself whisked over the threshold , it 's a colorful , funny , charming place to spend an afternoon .",
      "execution matters . verve , and energy , and inventiveness matter . and MOV is funny , fast , and likable , with occasional moments of real visual surprise and laugh-out-loud offhand gags .",
      "the result is a charming addition to the monsters canon .",
      "it 's not trying to be bigger or better than the original . it 's just trying to tell a good story with loveable characters in a new setting .",
      "it 's not a bad way to pass the time , but this is one origin story that could have just as well gone untold .",
      "consistently pleasant and entertaining , it 's also a bit too easy . customers who remember the studio 's earlier efforts may be less impressed by a movie so calculated and predictable .",
      "... i can applaud a story that not only celebrates oddballs and underdogs but shows how young outcasts can find their way in the world ...",
      "the only reason to be disappointed with ` MOV ' is that pixar used to be capable of so much more",
      "partly because it 's a prequel , MOV is one of the few films from the gigantically successful studio that fails to deliver an emotional payoff .",
      "the heart of the film is crystal and goodman , who remain as funny , spunky , and relatable as you remember . their buddy-buddy chemistry is so natural , the actors could team up for several more monsters films .",
      "MOV is as spiritually-uplifting and pleasant as the original but is n't as strong a creative accomplishment - unlikely to be as well-remembered .",
      "a frivolous but enjoyable prequel .",
      "the company that married state of the art computer animation with striking , creative storytelling has transformed , sadly , into something else : a production house that bangs out kids ' films",
      "so many movies , these days , are about nerds and their market value . dan scanlon 's prequel is the newest , but already feels old .",
      "`` MOV '' is fine family entertainment with something for the adults and a lot for the kids .",
      "MOV is n't perfect ... still , it 's easily the most enjoyable animated film so far this year , one that is visually stunning , wickedly subversive , incredibly funny , and lump-in-your-throat emotional .",
      "this minor film with major charms still deserves to have kids dragging their parents to the multiplex for one more peek at the monsters in the closet . with pixar , familiarity breeds content .",
      "pixar 's `` MOV '' might not be as gifted as some of its other movies , but sometimes it 's alright to be ok .",
      "the pixar themes may be present and correct , but its values are sorely lacking ."
    ],
    "summary": "offering monsters , inc. fans a return visit with beloved characters , MOV delivers funny and thoughtful family entertainment for viewers of any age .",
    "id": "771238418"
  },
  {
    "movie": "love_and_sex",
    "reviews": [
      "janssen sparkles serenely .",
      "janssen and favreau provide enjoyably consoling company for those still dating their way through life .",
      "marred by some soppy sections , casting that undermines the story 's believability and a kind of self-consciousness that makes it hard to really care about the characters .",
      "wait until it hits cable .",
      "the strengths of the screenplay do n't translate to the screen . well-written one-liners lie dead , killed by the lax timing . everyone tries so hard to be ingratiating and witty that the charm curdles into smarm .",
      "an insufferably dull retracing of romantic comedy 's steps , with none of the relationship insight or genuine humanness that can make the formula such a joyful one to follow .",
      "already burdened by kate 's clichéd voice-over observations , the movie eventually sinks beneath the weight of kate and adam 's utter charmlessness , a huge liability in bickering romantic-comedy couples .",
      "love & sex is nothing but pain and suffering .",
      "by no means a great film , but a zippy little comedy with a lively pace and a nice supply of laughs -- and occasional moments of genuine feeling .",
      "this one tastes like a sour apple i had on a blind date many eons ago .",
      "a simple , pleasing romantic comedy with a sharp tongue and a soft heart .",
      "this romantic comedy presents a sassy overview of sexual politics where men and women expect so much of each other .",
      "refreshing depiction of today 's dating game does for single women what swingers did for single men .",
      "like MOV , this film is pretty hard to resist .",
      "it 's tough to watch immediately likable actors endure such a mercilessly dull screenplay .",
      "scenes seem designed more for cuteness than believability . and never is the chemistry between adam and kate genuine , which is the kiss of death for a romantic comedy .",
      "as a date movie , it 's hard to find a better selection .",
      "it 's slick , polished to perfection , derivative and stripped of any of the real quirks or idiosyncrasies that make a romantic comedy fly .",
      "love & sex is capable of making even the most cynical gen-xer watch with an involuntary smile .",
      "this jovial and knowing aperitif of a movie is a charming example of what has come to be known as the date movie .",
      "are n't annie hall calibre , but they are remarkably more recognizably human than what passes for most movie romantic comedy .",
      "love & sex has n't a strong , distinctive style , but what sets it a cut above many similar films is that for all its surface humor it has substance and emotional depth ."
    ],
    "summary": "famke janssen 's charm fails to rescue the movie from a dull screenplay .",
    "id": "13388"
  },
  {
    "movie": "august_rush",
    "reviews": [
      "nauseating drama with poor direction , dodgy performances and a sappy , cliche-laden script .",
      "an honorable failure -- maybe even a noble one . certainly , it 's an ambitious one . but it is a failure .",
      "more fable than film , there is no earthly reason why MOV should work . but it does .",
      "it 's far-fetched and a leap of faith of olympic proportions is required to keep abreast of the plot , but MOV does deliver some charming moments , largely due to charismatic performances from keri russell and jonathan rhys meyers",
      "uplifting and heart warming , this is a perfect date movie .",
      "a lot like a conventional musical , but the story is not conventional , it is mystically romantic .",
      "the excellent actors and good music make you think the movie will get better as it progresses , but it never does .",
      "`` MOV '' is a familiar , yet entertaining experience that works mostly because of the wonderful cast and the haunting mix of music .",
      "however predictable , a good ol' fashioned happy ending is always welcome . but bring a box of tissues : a good cry is to be expected as well .",
      "if it were n't for the wonderful soundtrack , nick castle and james hart 's screenplay would n't have made it past the slush pile .",
      "with its musical themes for individual characters that come together symphonically at the climax , the music is so persuasive that it carries the narrative rather than complementing it .",
      "so ridiculous and sappy that it defies the best efforts of a pretty good cast .",
      "wholesome family entertainment with a life-affirming message .",
      "director kirsten sheridan 's new film is MOV . but she might as well have named it oliver ! 2 : electric boogaloo .",
      "the kind of fairy tale that makes cinderella look like kitchen-sink realism .",
      "slight , uneven and not very memorable . just as the viewer 's heart is intended to soar , mine was left lukewarm and wishing that it cared more .",
      "sheridan 's magical movie blooms at the crossroads of music , melodrama , and love ; leaving the theatre , you 'll find yourself happily immersed in the sounds of the streets .",
      "acclimate yourself to the frenzied vibe and you 'll feel the movie grow into itself as an urban fairy tale whose rapturous finale stakes a wishful claim on the redemptive power of love and art .",
      "even though MOV is sappy , it 's the kind of sweetness that everyone needs once in awhile -- like a big , honkin ' ice cream sundae .",
      "egregiously self-indulgent and mawkish fairy tale .",
      "those who are willing to open their hearts to this urban fairy tale will find its pleasures , as long as they they do n't think about it too hard .",
      "there is a lot of talent wasted in MOV , a would-be weeper that comes across remarkably flat .",
      "manages to stay just this side of saccharine , most of the time",
      "MOV is more like the cold november rain",
      "if charles dickens were alive today , he might be writing projects like MOV , the unabashedly sentimental tale of a plucky orphan lad who falls in with streetwise urchins as he seeks the family he ought to have .",
      "for all its patently absurd situations , its occasionally cloying characters and its naked tugs at the old heartstrings , MOV still finds a way , every so often , of dropping a lump into your throat .",
      "yes , it 's all pretty silly . but director kirsten sheridan weaves a certain spell with her lush poetic montages , heart-tugging close-ups of highmore 's angelic face and mostly appealing performances .",
      "if you appreciate a well-crafted fantasy tale that is a showcase for its young star and its great music , then you might just like MOV .",
      "kirsten sheridan , who helped write her father jim sheridan 's overcooked in america -lrb- 2003 -rrb- , directs this awful drama , so soggy that her previous work looks positively austere .",
      "it 's an unabashed feel-good weeper , and those eager for that type of fare might as well settle for this one . but an equal number will be put off by the bad dialogue , transparent manipulation and saccharine overkill .",
      "heart-warming , life-affirming fantasy - a magical , musical adventure , geared for families",
      "MOV will not be for everyone , but it works if you surrender to its lilting and unabashedly sentimental tale of evocative music and visual poetry .",
      "this inspirational drama gets three stars for oddity value alone .",
      "all this could totally happen , just like an oak tree might spurt out of the ground to start singing and dancing , the arizona cardinals could win the next 50 super bowls .",
      "saying MOV is contrived is like saying that , in terms of continents , asia is pretty big .",
      "that robin williams ' character turns out to be a controlling bully is one of the picture 's few surprises ; everything else falls neatly into place , thanks to a script that needs about 128 coincidences to retain its forward momentum .",
      "the film-makers ought to be reported to social services .",
      "... reeking heap of hogwash ...",
      "pandering to the point of offensive .",
      "seems to want to wear its schmaltz on its breast pocket as if it were a medal of honor .",
      "cloying , annoying , and absurd . and that does n't even include robin williams .",
      "even the final few moments , which should have us choking up , seemed hurried and shot from the wrong angles .",
      "watching this yucky emotional drama is like being sprayed with treacle from a high-pressure hose .",
      "a perfect example of everything wrong about hollywood films , `` MOV '' is an obstinately perverse , hammy piece of instant-gratification cinema that weeps from the screen as so much emotional sludge .",
      "a show-stopping compendium of clichés , bogus emotions , duff dialogue and cringeworthy performances . yet it 's so naively idiotic that it 's hard to hate . better just to ignore it .",
      "if you can stomach an ultra - contrived plot with a ridiculously schmaltzy finale , MOV will be music to your ears .",
      "packing every cliché , coincidence and contrivance known to man -lrb- well , hollywood screenwriters -rrb- into one glossy , saccharine , syrupy package takes some doing ; but highmore 's open-faced charm makes evan 's sappy story tolerable .",
      "passionate about the importance of music , MOV is an ambitious family film that just about keeps its head above the rising waters of gushing sentimentality .",
      "it does n't really work , and looks especially messy and corny next to a beautifully simple , music-driven romance like once .",
      "yes , MOV is cheesy , almost embarrassingly so , but it 's also irrepressibly sweet .",
      "the goal is to drive mothers everywhere insane with the urge to rescue him and brush his hair -lrb- or the other way around -rrb- , and in my case it worked .",
      "it 's hard to believe in the magical power of music to heal and connect lost souls when the tunes are lame .",
      "director kirsten sheridan has no interest in keeping MOV tethered to reality or toning down the sentimentality .",
      "it tries very hard to be fanciful , lyrical , sentimental , magical , rapturous , romantic , heartwarming , tear-jerking and inspiring . the result , however , is a goulash of half-baked bathos .",
      "it would be nice to say this predictable fantasy has such a big heart , we can forgive its excesses . but director kirsten sheridan overplays nearly every already-corny scene .",
      "MOV feels like the cinematic equivalent of being stuffed with fruitcake and doused with a gallon of egg nog .",
      "although williams seems to be in another film altogether , russell and rhys meyers make an attractive and believable would-be couple , and highmore may actually be the best child actor working today .",
      "the fairy-tale-like family film is one slow , saccharine ride .",
      "i dislike sentimentality where it does n't belong , but there 's something brave about the way MOV declares itself and goes all the way with coincidence , melodrama and skillful tear-jerking .",
      "an exercise in dissonance .",
      "this crowd-pleasing fable does a lot of good things , but it also makes so many glaring missteps that it 's hard to get truly caught up by the magic .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- joyful movie -- so joyful , in fact , that its soul and heart triumph over the many flaws of some of its separate parts .",
      "flawed , yet , does what i , as a musician , find difficult to do . it conveys in words & pictures that wonderful feeling of being caught in a much grander current of rhythm & melody .",
      "freddie highmore , still the cutest kid in the movies , is an endangered species , about to turn 16 in february and allegedly not intending to continue as an adult actor .",
      "so gloriously , astonishingly nutty that it almost qualifies as an instant camp classic ... the visual flamboyance only adds to the pretentious goofiness of it all .",
      "a fanciful fairytale blending elements of oliver twist , ferris bueller , peter pan and the school of rock likely to entertain and enthrall preteens for a couple of hours .",
      "as a real-life story , this would be preposterous . but as a fantasy ode to the spiritual qualities of music in our lives , it works beautifully .",
      "overly sentimental it may be , but MOV took me quite willingly to a cinematic world full of music and hope .",
      "following in the footsteps of her father jim sheridan -lrb- in america -rrb- , helmer kirsten has concocted a contrived , sentimental urban fantasy -- a reworking of oliver twist -- far more impressive in music , sound , and imagery than in plot , dialogue , and words .",
      "in spite of its flabbergasting self-absorption , MOV 's devotion to following through on its screwy internal logic is almost genius .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- inane musical melodrama .",
      "if it is n't brilliant cinema , it 's honest and powerful .",
      "most of the time , the material is quietly , subtly perfect .",
      "intended as a fuzzy family fable , august plays more to the gag reflex than to the heart .",
      "exuberantly bad and strenuously preposterous .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- odd , quasi-mystical movie that 's too silly for adults to take seriously and frankly too weird for kids .",
      "the leaden script is full of empty romantic pronouncements that sound neither believable nor wondrous .",
      "far from the year 's worst film , but it might be the year 's biggest debacle -- it 's hugely , ostentatiously bad .",
      "schmaltzy and borderline insufferable .",
      "the filmmakers are so deadly earnest about the power of music and love and all that stuff , you just twiddle your thumbs waiting for the inevitable .",
      "a poetic joy : if you can suspend your subscription to the definition of film hollywood has groomed us to accept , you 'll love this film .",
      "an often charming urban fantasy that teeters perilously on the brink of preciousness but never quite topples over .",
      "fans of soppy movies will probably love it , but everyone else should steer clear .",
      "may be the best film i have seen in 2007 . august will have you rushing to theatres to witness his musical masterpiece .",
      "those who are prepared to forgive the film its stock characters and lack of emotional subtlety may allow themselves to be ravished -- by the sumptuous soundtrack , if nothing else .",
      "many of the so-called twists feel strained , though preteens are unlikely to complain , and there 's nothing here to really frighten an even younger crowd .",
      "before you can say one night stand , a pint sized street urchin is a big city superstar . american idol for kids .",
      "to describe MOV as a piece of shameless hokum does n't quite do justice to the potentially shock-inducing sugar content of this contemporary fairy tale .",
      "does n't take long for the movie to reveal itself as an extremely contrived and predictable movie that tries too hard to tug on the heartstrings .",
      "despite its flaws , the music is the ultimate star of this film and freddy highmore is a highlight . he plays the role with a truthfulness and innocence that has n't been matched by a child actor in some time .",
      "pleasant , emotional , fable-like family drama .",
      "heavy-handed , undeniably saccharine , and about as magical as a clown at a kid 's party , MOV is an implausible , pus-covered pixie stick .",
      "an aggressively bad movie . there are times when it tips the scales of absurdity and becomes almost comical .",
      "it can be admired for trying something a little different from the usual family film , but in the end , it just does n't work . at all .",
      "i must also confess my absolute astonishment and delight to discover that it is much better than the treacly nightmare suggested by the ads .",
      "the abruptness of the picture as it leaps from character to character is unsettling , revealing that either rush had a 30-hour rough cut or sheridan just did n't know where to take a stand with the film 's focal point .",
      "its almost desperate earnestness actually turns out to be its greatest appeal -- MOV does believe in fairy tales , it does it does it does !",
      "MOV kind of feels like a 2-hour coming attractions preview . lots of fragmented stuff happens , without ever connecting the dots in between .",
      "someone in hollywood must have it in for thanksgiving . how else to explain the cruelly timed release of MOV , a wretched confection that only the most determined will be able to count among their blessings ?",
      "while many films require a suspension of disbelief , MOV asks viewers to terminate their disbelief without severance and have security escort it from the building .",
      "a heartwarming fairy-tale that is undeniably sweet , even if it occasionally crosses over into sappiness .",
      "`` the only thing astounding about this movie is how bad it is . ''",
      "essentially an extended music video , and with about as much narrative weight , MOV is empty , flat , and pointless .",
      "a music box trying to pass itself off as an orchestra .",
      "... warmly affecting at times and almost unbearably saccharine at others .",
      "it does n't matter if you love music or inspirational stories or robin williams -lrb- anyone ? -rrb- -- this is enough to make your teeth ache .",
      "i liked the movie , but i wanted to get caught up in it and swept away by the magic and it did n't quite make it over the rainbow .",
      "think of it as a fairytale only with more of a ... oh , who am i kidding ? i ca n't defend this .",
      "its exertions are too obvious , and its story is too contrived for us to swallow it .",
      "if sentimentality were a cymbal , it 'd be like having a percussionist standing right behind you and crashing every other beat .",
      "this is the sort of movie that requires you not only to suspend disbelief , but to check your sanity at the ticket counter .",
      "a light , fanciful touch at times bolsters its `` fairy tale '' feel , but at times the story incorporates just enough `` realistic '' elements to drag the whole thing back down to earth .",
      "will his parents , through a magical , utterly unlikely yet strangely compelling of fate , come running once they hear the longing in their little maestro 's edgily hip , borderline ani difrancoid slap-strumming ? far be it from me to state the obvious .",
      "if MOV is a fairy tale , it 's an excruciatingly , sometimes hilariously oblivious one .",
      "unapologetically preposterous , but it is a -lrb- very sweet -rrb- fairy tale and highmore is captivating .",
      "we need to break out a whole new definition of cheesiness for a film like this , augmented by fake tears and vomit gestures ."
    ],
    "summary": "though featuring a talented cast , MOV can not overcome the flimsy direction and schmaltzy plot .",
    "id": "770413356"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tommy_boy",
    "reviews": [
      "astounding for its number of effective gags , and it is a comedy that loses nothing on repeat viewings .",
      "MOV is a good belly laugh of a movie .",
      "passably funny star vehicle . nothing great .",
      "a bone-headed farce that embraces its banality with sheer jubilation . farley and spade bring their inspired and nutty snl antics to frenzied form .",
      "it 's not high art -- but it is pretty damn funny , and sometimes that 's more than good enough .",
      "MOV unspools just as you expect it to , and the comedy is as unrewarding as the story",
      "david spade and chris farley made a fine comedic team .",
      "chris farely at his best .",
      "the most peculiar aspect of the movie is that some of it is played straight .",
      "the late chris farley 's funniest work",
      "re-do it as a 10-15 minute motivational tape as a seminar for business and sales people",
      "raunchy , funny , and not for younger kids .",
      "farley and spade have a definite chemistry , and they do their best to pick up the slack . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "against the odds of a feeble script and uninspired direction the duo do , in fact , grow on you , and there are a smattering of silly laughs .",
      "inane and tasteless comedy of obesity and incompetence .",
      "if this pairing sounds like movie magic to you , we 're sure you 'll love the picture .",
      "stupid is apparently in .",
      "it 's some indication of the wit involved that farley is reduced to cracking fat jokes at his own expense .",
      "... spade and farley are so good together ...",
      "there 's nothing to grasp , nothing that gives off that good feeling of enjoying a comedy .",
      "if you 're expecting classic comedy , you likely wo n't enjoy MOV , but if you have saturday night live-level expectations , it will be a pleasant surprise .",
      "most of the time , it 's good for a solid laugh .",
      "the movie is an assembly of cliches and obligatory scenes from dozens of other movies , all its better .",
      "as a sketch for a saturday night live show , it would have been a tour de force . but as part of this rather unimaginative movie , it 's just a bit with a burning desk .",
      "this MOV is no pinball wizard , but you may leave the theatre wishing that the character were at least deaf , dumb , and blind .",
      "this is predictable and very silly stuff , but there are some solid laughs .",
      "it all falls to farley , who plays a good bonehead but is n't quite ready for prime time ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it benefits from the comic charms of its two leads , MOV too often feels like a familiar sketch stretched thin .",
    "id": "12535"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gracie",
    "reviews": [
      "in real life , elizabeth shue was quite the activist , the first person in her new jersey community to break the gender barrier in soccer : this is her charming -lrb- fictionalized -rrb- story .",
      "why is MOV as processed as an after-school special ? you miss the knockabout edge of bend it like beckham -- though the ending , in its pavlovian sports-flick way , pumps you up .",
      "it 's not without well-observed moments , and in the title role , carly schroeder makes an agreeably flawed and feisty rooting interest .",
      "MOV strives to be g.i. jane in shin guards , but it ends up as she 's the man without the comedy .",
      "how often do you see a film that 's not only interested in girls ' lives but equally honest about their tribulations and their potential ?",
      "not a terrible movie ... but it 's awfully familiar -- so much so that it probably should have been called trudy .",
      "MOV 's only achievement is technical , yet it has nothing to do with creative merit : prints for the film , davis guggenheim 's first feature-length fiction , will be carbon neutral .",
      "an unbelievable mix of sports movie clichés and girl-power attitude",
      "firing on all formulaic cylinders , MOV is heavy with tidy meaning and mealy morality .",
      "for anyone who 's ever had an adolescent girl in the house , MOV will be both eerily familiar and a bit scary .",
      "the -lsb- shue -rsb- family 's passion for the story is evident , and it shows through in a well-acted and even inspiring movie that will hold particular appeal for young female athletes .",
      "there 's a tough-minded authenticity at the center of the family movie MOV that keeps it from being just another run-of-the-mill , inspirational sports flick .",
      "with so much invested in this film , MOV represents the culmination of a family dream , so you ca n't really blame it for wearing its heart on its sleeve .",
      "for all the heartfelt emotion behind it , the movie plays out like your basic after-school special : no surprises , no suspense .",
      "a nicely confident schroeder strides though the movie as if it 's a masterpiece , and mulroney is equally charismatic . but they ca n't quite save MOV from feeling like a vanity project .",
      "it 's puzzling to watch someone present her own life in terms of cliché .",
      "meant to be a thrilling inspiration , it only feels a little like a teacher-recommended afterschool special .",
      "all the film 's good intentions are still somewhat undercut by its corn content .",
      "MOV , a tale about a teen girl blazing trails in soccer , is worthy , but it 's also formulaic to a fault .",
      "when you wake up after napping through this earnest timewaster , you 'll feel relieved , but you wo n't know why . here 's a clue : MOV ca n't bend it .",
      "gritty girl soccer drama with a powerful message .",
      "in addition to carly schroeder 's performance , the highlights are its honesty , willingness to show real family struggles , and the gradual way MOV achieves success .",
      "a gutsy performance by carly schroeder is the high point of this likeable story about a girl with a dream",
      "it 's too bad that MOV 's story seems bent on staying on the surface of such familiar turf , rather than digging deeper to reveal what propels her .",
      "a wholesome female empowerment adventure , and one very likely to resonate with youngsters of both sexes in the pre-teen crowd .",
      "ends up more like a middling after-school special than an insightful look at family dynamics .",
      "the movie treats MOV as a cause rather than an impassioned athlete .",
      "-lsb- actress schroeder -rsb- gives MOV a credibly rugged edge , building her into a mini-tower of blond ambition and almost rescuing the role from cliché . almost , but not quite , not when burdened with a script so proudly rooted in uplift 's trite traditions .",
      "bruce springsteen has even given the film his own rare seal of approval by providing a song for the soundtrack -- something he almost never does . see that ? even the boss likes MOV .",
      "it 's made bearable by sincere performances all around ...",
      "MOV is a gentle , easygoing picture -- it 's not exactly dramatically gripping , but somehow , its spirit carries it through .",
      "this labor of love from the shue siblings is a better than average sports movie . more than that , it 's about a family pulling together to help one member achieve her dream .",
      "ultimately , `` MOV '' scores as a feminist inspirational sports film .",
      "as labors of love go , this one is harmless enough . it 's just not particularly elegant or well-crafted , or even inspiring , to be worth seeking out .",
      "making the team and playing in the big game grab the headlines , but the repaired relationship at the heart of MOV shows that there are bigger prizes than kicking a ball around a field .",
      "it 's a nice film and the shue family , honestly , they should be proud of what they 've done .",
      "though predictable at virtually every turn and almost relentlessly sentimental , MOV ultimately establishes itself as a surprisingly moving and compelling story",
      "despite flaws , though , this stirring independent production is remarkable for its honest portrayal of a family grappling with grief and a female taking the penalty kick to score points for gender equity .",
      "lindsay suggests -- during the inevitable mother-daughter heart-to-heart -- that MOV persist despite the many odds because lindsay did not .",
      "the genuine sense of loss and nicely observed family details do n't stand a chance against the generic buildup to the big game .",
      "there 's nothing startling about MOV per se , but it manages to do formula without becoming too formulaic , be a feel-good flick without being feel-good gooey .",
      "MOV clearly was made with affection and was meant to serve as an inspirational story , but the reliance on trite and overused images undercuts its message .",
      "while it may not be quite as memorable as such classic sports films as hoosiers , rocky and the natural , it does have a worthwhile girl-power message and an appealing cast , along with a fairly satisfying emotional climax .",
      "in the annals of sports flicks of the twenty-first century , MOV eclipses practically all of them .",
      "only auds not exposed to similar inspirational sports scenarios will doubt for a second that she 'll eventually succeed .",
      "MOV is an engaging sports drama about a girl , a soccer ball and a family lost in grief .",
      "heavy on hokum but easy to like , thanks to the spunky schroeder .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- guggenheim does n't bring much visual style to the game . but he brings heart -lrb- and some bruce springsteen on the soundtrack -rrb- to the story of a lost jersey girl redeemed by sport . yeah , i cried . and cheered . you will too .",
      "... would n't know a nuance if one hit it in the face .",
      "predictable and cliched . ... the last time this movie was made , it was called bend it like beckham , and it was a lot more enjoyable and genuine .",
      "MOV is a rousing sports film that ultimately earns that lump in your throat .",
      "MOV does hold you , in its oversimplified and sentimental way , and it deals with a real issue in semi-real fashion -- half-hollywood , half-actual life , or something like it .",
      "MOV is painless enough and , at times , even enjoyable . but it suffers from an overriding feeling that this would be better positioned as a made-for-tv feature .",
      "disintegrates into movie-of-the-week predictability .",
      "there 's a reason the underdog sports formula is followed over and over : when it 's executed as skillfully as it is here , the damned thing works every time .",
      "MOV is no failure , but its mishmash of sports tropes and melodrama does n't satisfy the way it could have .",
      "between the schmaltzy messages about family and the super-sweet on-field heroics , this is cheese washed down with syrup . yuck .",
      "if you competed in high school athletics , you might be able to overlook that MOV is just another formulaic , if well-intentioned , sports movie .",
      "who could possibly be interested in a movie about decent , recognizably human creatures dealing with believable problems and discovering within themselves the capacity to be better people ?",
      "every triumph-over-tragedy cliche is firmly in place , but the movie still feels authentic .",
      "there 's not a lot wrong with this feel-good sports drama except that it 's much like the 873 other feel-good sport dramas we 've seen this year . i like it anyway , for its go-girl spunk and tenderly solemn spirit .",
      "one need not harbor a deep and abiding passion for soccer in order to connect with is likely to be the summer of 2007 's most honest and emotionally rewarding movie .",
      "does MOV work as a movie ? just close enough , and closer still for a young soccer player who may already know her sports movie clichés but also recognizes when they touch on something once and truly felt .",
      "screenwriters lisa marie petersen and karen janszen pile on so much fake-feeling dramatic tension that they muck up an already perfectly compelling story about a strong young woman .",
      "it 's a sweet and uplifting film , and though quite predictable , gives us a family drama that showcases simple truths about overcoming seemingly impossible odds and leaves you with a warm and very satisfying feeling deep down .",
      "she shoots , MOV scores .",
      "a truly winning american soccer movie has yet to be made , but MOV is good enough to play for a tie .",
      "a familiar underdog story told with unusual sensitivity , davis guggenheim 's MOV depicts the obstacles faced by a young girl who dreams of playing on her high school soccer team .",
      "sometimes a formula picture can get that extra wrinkle that makes all the difference . such is the case with MOV ...",
      "unfortunately , this is one of those times when keeping a family scrapbook would have been far more effective .",
      "this is a sweet picture ; a surefire inspirational tool and a good piece of history for today 's neglectful young women .",
      "what kind of cold , heartless , evil failure of a human being would i have to be to dump on a feel good movie about a 15-year old girl fighting for equality and the right to play soccer ?",
      "while doing fine work otherwise , carly schroeder is never able to elevate the athletics of the role to make us believe the guys are n't taking it easy on her .",
      "MOV balances its sentiment with gritty scenes on the soccer field .",
      "a fifteen-year old girl becomes a fierce little soccer warrior thanks to some encouraging words from her brother and father .",
      "it 's a trite , indifferently told underdog sports story that could only have been redeemed by perfect execution .",
      "no matter how many times we 've been through the ritual , it can still work when it 's done well . and it 's done quite well in MOV , a familiar but rewarding little parable set in the world of small-town new jersey soccer in the '70s .",
      "the strong family ties on screen and behind the camera and some gritty authenticity of place and feeling remind us how what could have been cliche can have the power of archetype .",
      "it would be easy to dismiss this drama about a high school girl who goes out for the boys ' soccer team as something we 've all seen before . but that would be ignoring the movie 's plucky appeal .",
      "there are some powerful moments -lrb- such as elisabeth shue , as MOV 's mother , giving a touching , unexpected speech about how she does n't share her family 's competitive spirit -rrb- , and by its end MOV earns its cheers .",
      "everyone who made this movie had his or her heart in the right place , even though they got so much wrong .",
      "this more homespun film does n't let down its story or the shue family . its plain integrity outshines predictability . it is feminist without cant . and schroeder delivers perhaps the finest young female performance of the year .",
      "it 's in the same rousing spirit of many such films in the genre .",
      "here 's a little winner of a sports movie that became lost amidst the ogres and the pirates .",
      "more charming and enjoyable to watch than it deserves , primarily because the performances transcend the script flaws .",
      "MOV is painfully earnest , which might be ok were it not also painfully trite , painfully cliched and painfully formulaic .",
      "the new jersey locations and soundtrack help ground the story in a particular time and place , and schroeder delivers a terrific performance .",
      "MOV 's many heartfelt , well-calibrated moments , affecting performances , and evocative visual style should win over those who do give it a shot .",
      "the movie tries a little too hard to weave in wholesome messages about how athletics can keep kids out of trouble ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV can be rousing and touching in spots , but is ultimately undone by its predictable story arc and a lack of nuance .",
    "id": "764900584"
  },
  {
    "movie": "kpax",
    "reviews": [
      "kevin spacey beams down another winner ...",
      "casting -lsb- spacey and bridges -rsb- against each other gives their scenes together a believability and intensity that comes directly out of their contrasting acting styles .",
      "a nonsensical therapeutic melodrma about the shifting relationship between a mentally disturbed patient -lrb- badly acted by spacey -rrb- , who claims to be from another planet , and his problematic shrink -lrb- the reliable jeff bridges -rrb- who goes through menopause .",
      "this being a hollywood movie , the realistic is soon left out on the curb as quickly as a christmas tree on december 26 , and as mournful-looking .",
      "pretty dull and very slow-paced ...",
      "terrific acting by kevin spacey and jeff bridges .",
      "bridges completely steals the show from the more lauded spacey , who 's simply on autopilot throughout .",
      "se proft năo pode levar o corpo consigo , por que desapareceu por tręs dias do hospício ? e como sabe tanto ? e por que utilizou o corpo de robert ? e para quę a subtrama envolvendo a família do médico ? e por que estou perdendo tempo com esse filme ?",
      "... a refreshingly uplifting story about the best of humanity .",
      "it tries to frighten us into doing the right thing by declaring that there is no grace , no forgiveness , and no escape from our lives once we are done living .",
      "... a mixed bag , containing some interesting moment but filled with unrealized secondary characters .",
      "a cereal pack of space-and-psych movie clichés , scrambled together like fruit loops but recognizable in bite-size doses .",
      "el manejo de la luz , el tono de los reflejos y el uso de colores y su temperatura es muy correcto , la puesta en escena como tal vale el pago del boleto por completo ...",
      "ca n't you just smell the pretension ? probably not , given the other ways in which this film stinks .",
      "could never get over the tired script .",
      "ultimately , the is-he-or-isn ` t-he question ... is a red herring ... hollywood 's little life lessons are the real point of k-pax .",
      "my undying love for kevin spacey will help me be kinder ...",
      "a bizarre mix of pandering crowd-pleaser and subtly intelligent supernatural mystery",
      "a warm , fuzzy and funny duet between -lsb- kevin -rsb- spacey and -lsb- jeff -rsb- bridges .",
      "k-pax goes all too quickly k-put .",
      "... a sort of cuckoo 's - nest-meets-my-favorite-martian that probably sounded good on paper ...",
      "the overarching theme of this well-acted and spirited sci-fi drama is that we all can be medicine for one another .",
      "the specter of robin williams looms large .",
      "a feel-good movie startlingly bereft of emotion .",
      "becomes sappier and more obvious as it works towards its solutions .",
      "a sweet , sometimes sly , fable about human potentials and limitations",
      "as a brainless laugh riot , it 's as funny as a flu epidemic . as a drama , it 's an unintentional robin williams vehicle sour beyond its shelf life .",
      "everything is so labored and spelled out for the audience .",
      "kevin spacey alone is worth seeing the movie for .",
      "this film is just like reading a nice poem - the central image is what holds it together , rather than a compelling narrative structure .",
      "it professes to be good for viewers by kicking them below the knee , thereby testing their sensitivity reflexes .",
      "go with it ... and this good-looking movie is a moving and cathartic experience .",
      "promises so much but ultimately achieves too little .",
      "although the romantic notion of presenting an irreverent soul at the heart of this film feels like a savvy commentary on the fragile human condition , k-pax gets lost in its gawky chattiness .",
      "more life-affirming , blank-stare weirdness from kevin spacey .",
      "there is a great movie inside , burning to break free of the shackles of the writers",
      "divertida , original y por momentos profundamente filosófica .",
      "the most shameless psychological quackery to come out of hollywood since mumford .",
      "as always , it takes an outsider -- normally a dying woman or magical african-american -- to convince the workaholic white guy he should spend more time with his family .",
      "wants very badly to be liked and is willing to do just about anything to win your affection . this is the latest addition to the growing library of films that see mental illness not as a serious problem , but instead as a charming eccentricity ."
    ],
    "summary": "for those who have seen one flew over the cuckoo 's nest or starman , k-pax may not hold anything new . the movie works best as a showcase for kevin spacey and jeff bridges .",
    "id": "10743"
  },
  {
    "movie": "heart_of_gold",
    "reviews": [
      "the concert film has never looked or sounded classier than jonathan demme 's superbly crafted neil young : MOV .",
      "this smart , aesthetically understated concert film from jonathan demme will transport young 's legions of baby boomer fans back to the future , as 1969 re-invents itself in 2005 for young .",
      "one might call neil young : MOV soothing , even becalmed , but mellowness and ripeness , when they exist at this high level of craft , should have their season , too .",
      "young , wizened yet valiant , his voice still braying at the moon , delivers these songs of aging and loss as if caught in a beautiful dream of what lies waiting for him on the other side .",
      "it 's a sentimental show , sure , but young 's pantheistic hymns to family , friendship , and ` the time we share together ' are nothing if not heartfelt . turns out it 's better to fade away after all .",
      "this is more than a movie , it 's a privilege .",
      "it does n't penetrate his craggy mystique , or make us hear his music in a new way . instead , it 's the same old choir song .",
      "it shows the whole of young 's music as a well-worn mixture of brawn and grace . but it reveals the new young album , prairie wind , as a sometimes musty echo of his 1972 acoustic-rock classic , harvest .",
      "while his lyrics are n't complicated , both the words and the delivery reflect years of pain and anguish , particularly in seeing time pass , friends come and go .",
      "as pure of a musical concert film as i 've ever seen .",
      "the usual scope and spectacle of filmed concerts is done away with for a creation of intimacy .",
      "lets the music do the talking and that 's great as far as i 'm concerned : i love young 's sound .",
      "demme continues to make concert films not because he 's a fan , but because the concerts are inherantly cinematic and make perfect sense .",
      "... the arrival of neil young : MOV should be an inspiration to music buffs and cinephiles alike .",
      "the beauty of the movie is in how alive it all sounds : rich and rueful and satisfying .",
      "the best moments in the film are when ellen kuras 's camera just sits there taking in the whole stage , the whole gorgeous ecosystem .",
      "casual fans may be lulled into drowsiness by the meandering quality of many of young 's new songs , but his heartfelt commitment to the material is hard to deny .",
      "vividly captures young 's greatness by simply letting him do his thing .",
      "a work of dreamlike eloquence , that , like young 's music , is both spare and rich .",
      "you come away from the picture feeling as if you 'd learned something new about the wonder of music , and maybe the human spirit , too . there ca n't be a much higher recommendation for seeing it .",
      "this chronicle of the human condition set to music will only rise in value and statue over time .",
      "maybe it 's not better to burn out than fade away after all .",
      "this prairie wind concert is one long sweet twang of wistful not-quite-regret .",
      "demme makes you part of the experience in a way that few concert films truly achieve .",
      "every bit as laid-back and genial as the musician is himself .",
      "the songs situate the performer within the continuum of not just family but music history ...",
      "like its troubadour , MOV is smart and generous with its seeming simplicity .",
      "one of the new year 's most satisfying films .",
      "it does what the best movies of any genre do : turn the produced and scripted into something sincere and honest .",
      "neil young : MOV is one of the best live concert films ever made . if you like neil young , that is .",
      "what i 'm saying is that you do n't have to already be a fan .",
      "neil young : MOV , director jonathan demme 's lovingly shot document of young 's august 2005 performances at the ryman auditorium in nashville , has to rank among the most heartfelt concert films ever made .",
      "who is the star here , neil young or hank william 's guitar ?",
      "few artists are so adept at addressing the past and embracing the future all at once . and few recent films have so gracefully captured a musician at a specific point in his time .",
      "there 's a poignancy hearing young 's refrain , ` and i 'm gettin ' old , ' almost a quarter of a century later and a bit of awe that the voice sounds so much the same .",
      "all the apprehension and nostalgia in the music translates beautifully to the screen under jonathan demme 's direction .",
      "the most memorable and enjoyable concert movie since stop making sense .",
      "neil young : MOV turns the traditional concert film into an exquisite , intimate experience .",
      "... if you 're considering waiting to see it on dvd , do yourself a favor and go see it in the theater . it 'll be worth every penny .",
      "... a touching and powerful film that deserves to be on the shortlist , along with `` gim me shelter , '' `` the last waltz '' and demme 's own `` stop making sense '' as one of the all-time great concert movies .",
      "the all-acoustic , young-unplugged concert is gilded in reverence but is appreciably lacking in , well , electricity ... diehards will have to wait until the last 20 minutes for young to mine his repertoire of golden 1970s hits .",
      "there are no audience reactions and little behind-the-scenes footage -- just young and his friends , making beautiful music .",
      "two masters -- musician neil young and filmmaker jonathan demme -- combine their considerable talents to make neil young : MOV a gem of a concert film .",
      "when it comes to pop-music icons , neil young is the full package .",
      "MOV feels like an ample slice of the real america , the one truly worth caring for . and it 's such a rare thing in this benighted age that the simple clarity with which it 's presented feels like nothing less than a miracle .",
      "some defiant rockers are forever young . this one is in name only .",
      "if you like neal young , you have to see this . there is no choice .",
      "i could n't help but wish that as long as young was making a new film with a top-tier director at the helm , he would have provided more insight into his life , as martin scorsese 's recent tv documentary did for bob dylan .",
      "the concert film 's unifying force is , of course , neil young himself .",
      "this immaculate filmmaking creates an engaging documentary that makes you forget that you 're missing the energy of a live show because it 's a completely cinematic experience with its own special energy .",
      "demme 's idea is to let the songs speak for themselves , and to give us a fly-on-the-wall view of young 's intimate performance ... . one of the best concert films ever made .",
      "MOV is the work of an egalitarian lover of music . demme uses the camera as a divining rod , pointing at the man with the guitar .",
      "if you 're looking for a piece of entertainment that 's a superlative showcase by and for one of popular music 's most iconic figures , search no further than neil young : MOV .",
      "it 's movie and music bliss .",
      "MOV -- filmed in much the same manner -lsb- as stop making sense -rsb- , with pristine sound and a notable lack of audience shots -- is a deeper and infinitely more touching piece of work .",
      "demme knows just how to film a concert without resorting to short attention-span tricks .",
      "it will be hard for any young devotee not to succumb to the music , as demme turns the movie theater into a concert hall .",
      "demme 's camera gives us the best possible seats , seats that sometimes put us just a couple of inches from young , and he makes sure MOV is a concert film that works both as a concert and a film .",
      "this joins the ranks of really special concert films . whether you 're a fan of neil young or not , do n't miss ` MOV . '",
      "it 's the most intimate concert picture i 've ever seen . reading between the frets and chords , here 's a movie all about friendship and community .",
      "demme maintains visual interest by shuffling the stage positions of the musicians , and changing the lighting design for each song .",
      "it 's hard to film icons like young as anything but icons , but demme 's film gets past the legend , zooming in on young 's aged , heroic face and finding an artist as human as the rest of us .",
      "director demme is smart and sensitive enough to sit back and listen to the music without attention-getting intrusions .",
      "all in all , a visual and musical feast .",
      "a gorgeous and often moving film that perfectly captures the essence of neil young 's acoustic work .",
      "`` neil young : MOV '' is a beautiful film . it will be a delight to existing fans and will surely convert new ones .",
      "... neil young has experimented with film many times , but this is by far the most accessible cinematic treatment of his music ; a troubadour at the top of his game .",
      "young 's presence , his heartfelt delivery , and the audience 's fore-knowledge of his brain aneurysm add enough weight to make the film a surprisingly emotional experience",
      "the result is simply spellbinding .",
      "... even those who have n't followed young 's every recent move could well find his performance here surprisingly captivating .",
      "pleasant , but hardly pulse-quickening stuff .",
      "shows the famed songwriter 's performance and work off with reverance , and a faithfullness to the live experience .",
      "lovely",
      "proves it 's better to burn out , than to fade away .",
      "a potent brew of humanity , empathy , and dignity .",
      "regardless of what you call it , MOV is a revelation and one of 2006 's best movies .",
      "this impressive documentary is neil young 's trip down memory lane in an enchanting concert in nashville .",
      "to see and hear neil young : MOV is like soaking in a warm tub filled to the brim with luxuriant , life-restoring music .",
      "jonathan demme 's concert film captures neil young in a ruminative state of mind at nashville 's storied ryman auditorium , original home of the grand ole opry .",
      "the mesmerizing , heart-tugging concert film MOV confirms neil young 's stature as a national treasure .",
      "it 's the record of a life , a musical and spiritual autobiography , and as directed by jonathan demme it taps into the kind of unashamed , unsentimental emotion that 's become increasingly rare in films of any kind .",
      "pure concert gold , via jonathan demme .",
      "it 's hard to go wrong with jonathan demme behind the camera and neil young at the mike , but somehow MOV leaves you wondering if perhaps that gold is merely gilt .",
      "a stirring and profoundly moving record of young 's first public performance of this batch of new songs . but it 's more than that . it 's a testament to young 's poetic lifetime of survival and a heartfelt public acknowledgment of -lsb- his -rsb- family and friends .",
      "demme understands this genre intimately ; he recognizes that the concert film requires more than just haphazardly pointing the camera at the musicians .",
      "but this new concert movie is also a warm , unhurried paean to the considered pains and pleasures of middle age .",
      "a schmaltzy filmed record of a nashville concert given by the legendary former rocker , who has morphed into the new kenny rogers .",
      "dropping in amusing anecdotes and tender memories , a deeply reflective young revisits -- and often reinterprets -- both his recent and classic work .",
      "young returns to the screen in peak form in jonathan demme 's warm and surprisingly intimate concert film .",
      "a film that is both a celebration and a wistful look back .",
      "mentions of his recently deceased father and college-age daughter give the film a sad , retrospective feel , but , by the final curtain , what could have been a heartbreaking farewell becomes a gently triumphant welcome home .",
      "a love letter to the consistency , and the familiarity , of that voice .",
      "both poignant and stirring , neil young : MOV is a must-see for all fans of young , the alt-country pioneer whose genre-spanning career has encompassed everything from folk to hard rock to electronica .",
      "in his new concert film , though , neil young : MOV he shows his age . and embraces it .",
      "neil young is endlessly watchable in this concert film but more context -- that is , interview time with the man -- would have been welcome .",
      "another snapshot of his fabled career that 's of little interest to anyone outside his many fans ."
    ],
    "summary": "proving that it 's neither better to burn out nor fade away , neil young : MOV works both as a concert film and a meditation on mortality .",
    "id": "19049956"
  },
  {
    "movie": "atlantis_the_lost_empire",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a brave move for disney , and one that deserves to succeed .",
      "a rousing , artfully-designed adventure laced with adult concepts and laugh-out-loud humour",
      "atlantis begins with a quote from plato and ends with a dedication to the late jim varney but ca n't seem to find a happy medium between these two extremes .",
      "unfortunately , atlantis squanders a lot of its potential by getting bogged down by some muddled plot points and some serious plot holes .",
      "atlantis , although some very smart people were involved in its making , is not the least bit interested in being very smart .",
      "in spite of our modern electronic wizardry and our technological advancements in animation , movies still need a good story to tell ; otherwise , it 's all just flashing lights .",
      "part of it delivers knock-out images and exquisite camerawork . the other part is just one big fish story .",
      "perhaps with another 20 minutes of footage the story and characters could have been fleshed out with some depth , meaning , originality and , most importantly , grit .",
      "... a throwback to the action-adventure films disney made in the 1950s ...",
      "reasonable half-term holiday fare from disney .",
      "... there is certainly nothing wrong with the film 's style , but i long for the next disney classic .",
      "feels like an uninspired rehash of rider haggard , jules verne , raiders of the lost ark , and a dozen `` star trek '' episodes .",
      "visually , it represents a striking step forward for the disney studios -lrb- as does the absence of singing animals , for that matter -rrb- .",
      "your best bet is to forget the story and concentrate on the animation .",
      "watchable disney adventure in the classic tradition -- it features some impressive visuals and a strong vocal cast , but lacks the necessary kick to put it up there with disney 's best .",
      "it 's all too predictable .",
      "una cinta para nińos no apta para ellos .",
      "certainly an eye-appealing film , with lush cinemascope vistas and rich colors , but it 's also a relatively unimaginative and bland adventure ...",
      "the filmmakers are more ambitious than wise . while distancing themselves from the disney animation of the early '90s , they forgot those films were seamlessly written . the weaknesses of atlantis are all in the script .",
      "it carries with it the spirit of those old science fiction stories .",
      "mostly a well-told , vividly imagined movie that does n't pretend to be more than it is and does n't lean on pop-culture references to win over its viewers .",
      "this is disney on automatic .",
      "an ambitious and fun throwback to those kid-oriented adventures of the 1950s and '60s .",
      "machine guns and fireballs should not be standard fare in entertainment for children .",
      "a perfect summer diversion for the little boy in all of us .",
      "has the distinct feel of too many galley cooks .",
      "suffers from an over-familiar storyline , underdeveloped characters and a surprising lack of imagination .",
      "what 's most satisfying about atlantis is its retro look .",
      "a fun and unique animated action adventure .",
      "this dopey piece of fantastical folklore takes a long time to get to its awe-inspiring ending .",
      "makes for jolly , fast-paced entertainment in the tradition of jules verne and indiana jones .",
      "... a fresh , rip-roaring action/adventure that will please older kids through to the adults .",
      "... sorely lacking in the magic and majesty we have come to expect in the wake of other recent disney cartoon products .",
      "absolute magic .",
      "poor disney , they now have a real competitor in the family film business and it 's a big , green oaf from dreamworks .",
      "... breathtaking animation in service of a story that does n't hold enough water to drown a rat much less a civilization .",
      "after seeing spectacular epics like tarzan , it is difficult to properly appreciate the mediocre , but entertaining atlantis .",
      "the potency of the disney brand name will be tested with atlantis , a peculiar animated feature that has no children in its story , no cute creatures , and no musical or dance numbers . any reason for the family to go ?",
      "it 's probably the most grown-up animated feature disney has produced , and with its attuned vocal performances , elegant design and pulse-quickening finale , it sets a standard of sustained craftsmanship most live-action film-makers must envy .",
      "a solid addition to the disney canon . but from the directors of beauty and the beast , solid ai n't good enough . classic disney this is not .",
      "this blandly conceived and executed attempt at a juve-style indiana jones with jules verne trappings recycles familiar adventure and cartoon devices with minimal wit and flair .",
      "when compared to disney 's best animated films , `` atlantis : the lost empire '' does n't compare .",
      "this is one effort that lacks that fabled disney magical touch .",
      "a worthwhile venture that may not go down as a modern animated classic , but it does expose disney as a studio more than willing to break free of tradition and try something a little different , for once . it 's about time .",
      "another triumph for disney animation .",
      "while far from ideal , atlantis is a good adventure film with at least some of the nostalgic feel of classic exploration films .",
      "an imaginative and eye-popping mix of action , adventure , and sweeping vision landscapes filled with gorgeous computer enhanced animation .",
      "a deathly dull adventure .",
      "worth seeing for the splendid animation and some vivid characterizations , whatever its narrative weaknesses .",
      "offers 90 minutes of solid entertainment .",
      "sadly misplaces its own heart .",
      "this movie has plotholes that you can run a battleship through , and there are loads of them .",
      "a great introduction to digital projection for those who have not yet seen the vivid colors the technology can provide .",
      "without interesting characters or story , you are left with the animation and the detailed research . and i 'm afraid that just was n't enough to hold my attention .",
      "for the most part , the movie 's a bland disappointment , on many levels .",
      "disney has cooked itself up a gosh-darned adventure epic . the problem is that its production committee has whittled and pared away the story to a mere 88 minutes , sweeping away the detail that gives an epic its heft .",
      "the mystery and allure of the lost land and its people is missing in this surprisingly flat , trite and less than compelling picture .",
      "moves fast , features at least one worthwhile message and does have some very funny moments .",
      "a rehash fantasy adventure story that only inexperienced moviegoers like children could find even remotely fresh .",
      "it 's like watching a michael bay movie without the live actors -- not necessarily a bad idea , but not really a new one either .",
      "it 's like `` 20,000 leagues under the sea '' set free by animation to look the way it dreamed of looking .",
      "it 's all sort of lifeless -- no suspense , no compelling characters .",
      "it 's so adult that it 's massively boring .",
      "its visuals are executed skillfully , it takes time to develop characters , and its voice cast has personality . but in today 's context of broadened animation appeals , atlantis seems as stale as uncirculated submarine air .",
      "a monumental treat .",
      "flaws the film certainly has , but with a pace this frantic there 's hardly any leisure to dwell on exactly what they are .",
      "it has a sense of wonder .",
      "it 's a thing of beauty , watching the purple-hulled craft , its portals glowing orange , descend into the deep blue sea .",
      "a wonderful story that both children and adults can enjoy .",
      "a frantic , heartless hodgepodge .",
      "a fine disney adventure about the legendary lost land .",
      "a crackling good adventure , a visually sumptuous effort .",
      "struggles to be complex enough for adults yet simple enough for kids and ends up giving neither audience exactly what it wants .",
      "lacks a sure-footed narrative , and disney animators do n't seem at ease with the freedom to draw characters in a new way .",
      "lacks the confidence and assurance that have been the hallmark of the spectacular successes of the disney animation renaissance in the last decade .",
      "they left behind some crucial elements on their way -- like character , drama and heart .",
      "predictable , overwrought and without the emotional intimacy of the studio 's more sentimental fare .",
      "it should have been more daring , and gone for the grandeur and even poetic dimension its subject invites .",
      "the movie loses sight of those old nuisances , character and story , behind a chain of spectacles .",
      "a film without an artistic vision to match its commercial one .",
      "certainly , the eye is busy throughout this movie . verbally , however , it 's an often-daunting affair .",
      "a sure bet for kids at the movies .",
      "like the city of atlantis , not all its technology can keep it from sinking .",
      "you know you 're in trouble when the most appealing parts of a cartoon are the landscapes .",
      "you 've seen this film before , only not in animated form -- and not done so exquisitely .",
      "a fun way to spend 90 minutes .",
      "it 's closer in kinship to a saturday morning cartoon than its vibrant , animated-classic disney ancestors .",
      "visually imaginative and even persuasively spiritual , this animated adventure has some unusually complex villains and heroes , and some of the plot and dialogue transcends what 's typical in movies intended for a broad or youthful audience .",
      "entertaining but intense adventure for tweens and up .",
      "it is difficult to say whether its greatest failure is in its story , its characters , or its animation .",
      "a fun action-packed fantasy ...",
      "not all the dots connect in this 2001 feature , and the reliance on stereotypes becomes a bit annoying , but it 's still as rousing in animation as it might have been as a summer blockbuster .",
      "it 's too rich with invention and characterization , too packed with juice , and it gallops right along breathlessly . even so , it manages moments of lyricism and visual elegance .",
      "... a passable disney endeavor that ranks somewhere in the middle of the studio 's animation canon .",
      "disney 's animators once again go under the sea , this time to discover the lost city of atlantis . shame they did n't find an engaging plot while they were down there .",
      "by all means bring the kids to this one -- and sit back to enjoy the ride in adventureland .",
      "disney does animated adventure with this colorful , mostly brisk 1914 search for the legendary missing empire .",
      "animation fans should delight in this gorgeous , eye-popping widescreen adventure tale",
      "a refreshing change of pace ; however , the movie does n't sustain a promising start .",
      "the essence of craft without dream .",
      "mindlessly follows an animated formula so old that it creaks .",
      "cinemascope and a broad syllabus ca n't convert this imperishable metaphor into acceptable matinee fodder .",
      "thanks to zesty characters and dialogue atlantis remains entertaining in spite of inviting major misgivings about its strained narrative .",
      "as a film that promises to deliver adventure and thrills , atlantis becomes a bigger disappointment with each passing scene .",
      "has the high-energy pace of an action movie , with more laughs and imagination than most of the live-action films currently littering the multiplexes .",
      "way too complicated for kids and just too dull for adults .",
      "dazzling artwork , colorful characters and an intriguing well-crafted story .",
      "the movie does a good job of showing an inter-racial cast working well together , and there are both male and female good guys and bad guys .",
      "just beneath the surface , atlantis brims with adult possibility .",
      "this show is quite possibly the most enjoyable disney ` tooner since aladdin .",
      "in the words of the immortal kermit the frog ; it 's a movie for ` the lovers , the dreamers , and me . '",
      "this is good-looking artwork and the story is strong .",
      "lacks the magic of disney 's most successful animated predecessors .",
      "in the last half hour , mystical ecobabble takes over , and the movie becomes nearly incomprehensible , plotwise .",
      "the characters and story are mere narrative lubricant to get us from one digitally goosed sensory assault to the next .",
      "a movie that is n't really exciting , has characters who are n't very captivating and misses a lot of its jokes .",
      "there 's enough excitement to thrill kids and enough wit to keep grownups interested .",
      "a new-fashioned but old-fangled hash .",
      "while the ogre will pull in more money this summer , i 'm betting atlantis is the one that endures .",
      "it 's grand yet cold ; it 's derivative without a sense of homage ; it 's fast-moving yet tedious ; and its overreaching in the name of depth keeps it incredibly shallow .",
      "too many gun battles , subtitles and a story with more holes than a coral reef .",
      "largely fails in terms of storytelling , character development and audience involvement .",
      "feels low-budget and unfinished .",
      "when it moves , the film is wildly exciting , recalling the great adventure films of the past .",
      "the film 's epic scope ... evocative vocal talent and non-stop exploits successfully transport you to another world .",
      "awash with stereotypes , and i do n't think it matters much whether they 're benevolent or not .",
      "it 's so oppressively tedious at times that you almost wish the cast would break into a chorus of ` under the sea . '",
      "a thrilling tale smartly told , with an abundance of wit and invention . it 's a classic .",
      "the thin line between boisterous fun and games and bombastic sound and fury is repeatedly crossed , and frequently smudged .",
      "atlantis is good , and kids will love it , but it does n't achieve greatness .",
      "the movie , despite being visually innovative , is somewhat clumsy in its melding of old-fashioned storybook adventurism with a modern sensibility",
      "anything that might get kids interested in cartography is fine by me .",
      "just the kind of movie disney set out to make in the old days , sans songs - imagination-firing fantasy coupled with humorous characters , lush visuals and a tight screenplay .",
      "atlantis is not a bad diversion , but it is far from greatness .",
      "atlantis proves that if you want to tell a story , you need a story .",
      "` atlantis ' is both nostalgic and fresh , a film that occupies a style both memorable and familiar and utilizes effective storytelling rarely seen in cartoons .",
      "once all is said and done , the only thing that i was left with was a nasty case of the ho-hums .",
      "disney sigue siendo lo que siempre ha sido desde su creación : una fábrica de sueńos , de los cuales atlantis es el más reciente"
    ],
    "summary": "atlantis provides a fast-paced spectacle , but stints on such things as character development and a coherent plot .",
    "id": "10757"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1213732-no_impact_man",
    "reviews": [
      "it inspires serious second thoughts the next time you leave the lights on or your computer idling .",
      "a mildly fascinating documentary that ultimately fails to be truly enlightening , focused and provocative .",
      "the film ended and i went downstairs to see seven bags of trash in my kitchen . it was at that point , i felt i needed to change my living habits .",
      "a strange yet riveting portrait of a marriage enduring a year spent making as little environmental impact as possible .",
      "like reality tv , there are moments of drama that have an aura of awkward self-consciousness about them and incidents that feel , if not staged , at the very least orchestrated , amped up . but you have to hand it to beavan and conlin .",
      "we 're a long way from algae-based biofuel , and until that day , maybe watching less crappy television and spending more times with your kids is n't such a bad idea .",
      "you wo n't want to give up two-ply , but you might rethink buying salad in one of those unwieldy plastic boxes during your next trip to the grocery store .",
      "it may not be the greatest of cinematic exercises , and it often feels contrived , but this documentary somehow is enlightening , ridiculous , foreboding and funny at the same time .",
      "it all seems like a stunt , especially since beaven has also written a just-published book about his experiences , but he and conlin are an engaging pair who do n't let zealotry get in the way of humor .",
      "you may find colin beavan unbearably smug , but at the heart of his mission lies an inconvenient truth : our consumable , disposable , unsustainable culture is destroying the planet , and there 's no way to change that without making sacrifices .",
      "as much a sociological study , of the way a modern urban couple relate and negotiate for individual priorities , as a practical experiment of living a sustainable lifestyle , `` MOV '' is a thought provoking documentary that 's as entertaining as it is",
      "a documentary about one new yorker 's heroic efforts to test whether he could live for an entire year without making any negative environmental impact .",
      "in the end becomes a screwball comedy take on a well-intentioned environmentalist and his long-suffering wife : scenes from a green marriage",
      "an intriguing , droll doc about a man who walks with the lightest footstep imaginable to save the environment .",
      "a bold and astonishing documentary about the daunting and enlightening ecological project of a radical idealist and his new york city family",
      "while the hero may be resistible , this still makes for compelling viewing .",
      "amiable enough , though it resembles a marketing tool for beavan 's book about his project .",
      "where the stunt ends and experiment begins is hard to tell ...",
      "an intriguing documentary offering trial and experiment .",
      "as pure entertainment , MOV seesaws between infuriating and captivating , but gains undeniable brownie points for its light-hearted examination of sustainable living .",
      "whether gamely playing cards by candlelight or sneaking ice from her workplace fridge when colin 's homemade cooler fails , michelle is the real star here , emotionally and dramatically .",
      "it does n't sound like fun , and it is n't fun to watch .",
      "it advances important and laudable ideas , but in a cliched , gimmicky way .",
      "MOV is certain to raise questions among viewers - questions about the beavans , questions about ourselves , questions about degrees of sustainability . and asking questions is what it 's all about , is n't it ?",
      "what he and his family learned that they could do without and do without as a way of enriching their lives is both provocative and enviable",
      "it 's kinda inspiring . it 's also very funny .",
      "this curiosity piece should stimulate interesting conversations about the lessons learned from the viewing experience .",
      "beavan is nothing if not adept at selling himself .",
      "MOV -- the film and the book -- could well end up instruction manuals .",
      "an interesting socio-analytical documentary that preaches valuable messages regarding global conservation . my problem is i wanted to shoot the film 's pompous messenger .",
      "if this sounds like a stunt , it is . but it 's tough to get a book contract these days .",
      "MOV is a very confused documentary that somehow puts its confusion to good use .",
      "there 's some food for thought to be gleaned from the film . it suggests a few small changes in our everyday lives that could make a big difference .",
      "this poignant , provocative documentary reduces the green movement to human scale -- and magnifies the size of mountain it 's trying to climb .",
      "the real heat comes from beavan 's reluctant wife , michelle conlin , a self-proclaimed shopaholic and starbucks poster girl .",
      "finally an environmental advocacy film for those of us who have the best of intentions but a weakness for peet 's espressos , takeout dinners and an occasional marc jacobs sale , to say nothing of a dependence on toilet paper ...",
      "unsparingly exposes the confused power dynamics of a certain kind of modern middle-class marriage .",
      "back-to-nature documentary chronicles carbon footprint of eco-conscious family .",
      "an enviro-doc that does n't soft-pedal the fact that the calculated , consciousness-raising media event it chronicles is a conceptual stunt , MOV manages to present its new york do-gooder couple as both likably idealistic and inevitably conf",
      "how much can we possibly glean from a guy whose idealism can be measured with a calendar ?",
      "for someone claiming to be ` MOV , ' beavan 's efforts at reaching this lofty goal does in fact leave a very big impact on the viewer .",
      "the family has its struggles , certainly , but even more than a statement about the environment , MOV offers a thoughtful narrative on the compromises of marriage and how this particular couple found a way to meet in the middle .",
      "fortunately for the sake of documentary , beavan is no humorless eco-scold , and he makes it clear that he 's engaged in a lifestyle experiment , not recommending this extreme course for everyone .",
      "the film , like beavan himself , leaves an unholy mess of contradictions in its wake , but most productively , a great deal of those contradictions are our own ."
    ],
    "summary": "half enviro-saving doc , half publicity stunt , MOV is inspiring and fun to both casual activists and hardcore recyclers .",
    "id": "770803031"
  },
  {
    "movie": "st_trinians",
    "reviews": [
      "rupert everett also expertly mangles the plum role once inhabited by alastair sim .",
      "camp fun , and catnip for a demographic that british cinema does n't often bother to please .",
      "ofsted inspectors can expect nightmares ; everyone else will be mildly amused .",
      "while unlikely to have anyone cheering in the stalls , st trinian 's is nowhere near the calamity it should have been , even if it comes within striking distance more than once .",
      "rowdy 12-year-old british girls might get some modicum of narcissistic pleasure from `` st. trinian 's '' -lrb- loosely based on ronald searle 's wwii era cartoons -rrb- , but no one else will .",
      "innocence is entirely absent from this extremely dubious addition to the big-screen adventures of ronald searle 's cartoon creations .",
      "colin firth 's humiliation is a thing of wonder . his entire career on screen and stage is beautifully sent up before our eyes .",
      "a monumentally naff film .",
      "that ` jolly hockey sticks ' vibe feels outmoded with the only efforts to update the concept being shorter skirts and push-up bras .",
      "heavy-handed at times and poorly plotted , but energetic and funny . a suitably undignified return to the screen for the notorious school and its out-of-control pupils .",
      "quirky british boarding-school comedy has iffy messages .",
      "bad in ways that are almost endearing ...",
      "sadly , the level of deviance hovers around icarly levels , as does the sophistication of the humor .",
      "st. trinian 's is a hoot , but it 's thrown-together , haphazard feel will only grate on the sensibilities of cineastes or aesthetic and moral prudes bent on decrying `` yoof '' culture -- although it 's only moderately rude by contemporary standards .",
      "with the right attitude this cheerfully calculated effort to update the old girl for a tween market can be enjoyed in all its endearing awfulness , as a loony high school musical with posher accents and a lot more going on upstairs .",
      "indifferent to storytelling , craft and , dare i mention , fresh ideas",
      "sadly , the movie is a zoo .",
      "it 's an impressive bit of slumming by some name actors revisiting a childhood favorite -- a bit as if hollywood had somehow convinced william hurt to help restart lost in space , or robert de niro to do a bullwinkle movie . oh , wait .",
      "the target audience - pre-teen girls - are n't going to notice the many shortfalls behind the camera . what they 'll enjoy , regardless of quality , is some naughtiness true to the spirit of the series , russell brand and girls aloud .",
      "a tame , glittery spoof without a brain in its head or a character worth caring about .",
      "i suspect this boorish , crude , often vulgar british comedy lost a great deal of its jolly credence whilst crossing the atlantic .",
      "st. trinian 's is a painless onslaught of dumb gags , gratuitous cheesecake , random movie allusions , and general nonsense , but the classy cast -lrb- which includes gemma arterton , toby jones , and stephen fry -rrb- helps earn it a passing grade .",
      "every scene is so frantic and desperate to make you laugh , to be clever , to be naughty and none of it worked .",
      "firth looks like he 's changing his mind about being in this movie while the cameras are running .",
      "the result is too competent to be a travesty and too ordinary to be interesting .",
      "... this animal house of private girls schools is a motley misfit of a misfit comedy that offers outrageous antics in place of actual humor .",
      "the actors are left grasping for laughs as the script tries to figure out just what it wants to be .",
      "a stunningly witless revival of the infamous british film series about a girls ' boarding school .",
      "anyone with a fondness for the midcentury cartoons and films that inspired this scrappy comedy will appreciate the latest trip to the titular british boarding school .",
      "when you look at it again , the old film was not only superior but rather more radical . this st trinian 's looks as if it is aiming at the lowest common denominator , and finding it too often .",
      "the old st trinian 's movies with alistair sim were n't exactly comedy classics , but they look like gold next to this feeble , sloppily written caper .",
      "everett almost single-handedly sustains the film , thanks to a nicely pitched turn as the headmistress with a heart .",
      "surprisingly enjoyable comedy with strong comic performances , lively direction and several decent gags .",
      "everett 's camilla fritton , sporting a blonde wig reminiscent of another camilla , spits out lines through prominent teeth and indulges in ` me time ' at the easel , brush in hand % u2026 there are some good ideas and a few laughs , but it 's all a bit camilla-on",
      "lacking any really sharp dialogue , the film just about goes the distance by juggling its characters in short , sketch-like scenes and inserting occasional musical montages .",
      "st.trinian 's represents a travesty of the british comic tradition .",
      "... the relentless emphasis on off-the-wall shenanigans proves instrumental in cultivating an unexpected -lrb- yet palpable -rrb- atmosphere of oppressiveness .",
      "no girl or boy over the age of 12 would be attracted by anything so puerile , while its uk certificate and occasionally risqué subject matter rule out under-12s .",
      "talulah riley is simply sensational and newcomer gemma arterton pulls off a brilliant debut as sexy head girl kelly ."
    ],
    "summary": "both naughtier and campier than ronald searle 's original post war series , this st. trinian 's leans on high jinks instead of performances or witty dialogue .",
    "id": "770680984"
  },
  {
    "movie": "batman_the_movie",
    "reviews": [
      "i ca n't recommend the film although it does have its moments .",
      "dreadful unwatchable movie version of the campy batman television series popular in the 1960s .",
      "while the film is far from perfect , it 's meant to be that way .",
      "holy cornball camp , batman ! this movie 's a hoot !",
      "campy fun",
      "... can we at least all agree that ` da na na na na na na na ... bat man ! ' is one of the greatest superhero themes ever ?",
      "it exists .",
      "i 'd choose adam west 's batmobile over michael keaton 's any day .",
      "it 's goofy , cornball charm sure wears a lot better than the last two `` serious '' batman flicks .",
      "for camp value only",
      "the delirious idiosyncracies of the '60s batman are all on display ... a pleasant-enough romp that 's just a little too-distracted with its new toys . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "if you loved the series , the movie is what you would expect .",
      "why do they always try to revamp batman when they got it so right almost 40 years ago ?",
      "the film should make a mint for everybody .",
      "batman is packed with action , clever sight gags , interesting complications and goes all out on bat with batmania : batplane , batboat , batcycle , etc. etc. .",
      "campy , colorful fun with the caped crusader plus several of his tv villains .",
      "not as good as batman tv show , but still has endearing moments .",
      "for bat enthusiasts , this is a gold mine , for everyone else ? a passable cult film .",
      "as a solo viewing experience , this is feeble indeed , but invite some friends over for a byob bash and its entertainment value rises substantially .",
      "even if it is a compromised version of the tv show , it 's far , far better than nothing .",
      "fluffy , good-natured , endlessly quotable fun , just like you remember it .",
      "shot in the same campy style that characterized the tv show , all the cast members look like they are having a great time chewing up the scenery .",
      "1960s flick wo n't appeal to today 's kids .",
      "unlike other attempts at bringing these characters to life ... the tv cast really captures the inherent insanity of the roles"
    ],
    "summary": "batman : the movie elevates camp to an art form -- and has a blast doing it , every gloriously tongue-in-cheek inch of the way .",
    "id": "10340"
  },
  {
    "movie": "american_wedding",
    "reviews": [
      "even a comedy that prides itself on the crudity of its sexual pranks can find a kernel honesty among the bathroom humor - and even the most insufferably crass , libidinously inflamed , knuckle-dragging mook has a heart in there somewhere . -lrb- even stifler . -rrb- a",
      "the sequel is so obviously a desperate attempt to revive the burnt out careers of its stars that it 's difficult to fully appreciate the hilarity of its fecal matter consumption jokes",
      "not only is stifler taking over this -lsb- movie -rsb- , he 's also engaging in one ridiculous experience after another , most of them humiliating .",
      "the gross and the sweet are inextricably intertwined in this series .",
      "a supporting player among an ensemble cast in the first slice of american pie , steve stifler has proven the most popular among pie eaters , and the filmmakers have listened .",
      "the scene in which jim brings michelle 's parents to the house for a serious talk , not realizing stifler 's organized a bachelor party with strippers , hearkens back to the screwball comedies of the 1930s .",
      "knowing how to frame a gag effectively is absolutely essential when creating a slapstick sex farce , and MOV does just that with alarming accuracy .",
      "while it 's hardly the train wreck that is so often the case with third acts , MOV clearly suffers from a lack of good gags .",
      "while there are some laughs , they 're not as loud as they would have been in the hands of a less clueless filmmaker .",
      "in an era where franchises that no one cares to see keep cranking out sequels that no one will ever watch , we 're stuck saying goodbye to something that has become somewhat of a welcome institution .",
      "the grossest , least funny installment in the american pie series .",
      "the humor is extreme and desperate .",
      "in contrast to the meandering , mostly dull ` american pie 2 , ' ` wedding ' is mostly breezy and easy to enjoy -lrb- unless , of course , you do n't have much of a tolerance for scatological humor -rrb- .",
      "the makers of wedding have so effectively managed to make offensiveness seem tame that this could be subversion financed by the religious right .",
      "a gagfest that makes viewers gag at least twice as often as they giggle .",
      "thankfully , in a summer full of theatrical gimmicks the MOV audience is not asked to participate in taste-o-vision .",
      "the third -- and , dear god , hopefully final -- american pie film wastes talented actors on slapstick , sentimentality and smut .",
      "once again , as in the first two movies , there is a lot of talk about sex and a lot of attempts to have sex , but the sex that actually occurs is almost entirely respectful , monogamous , and really quite sweet .",
      "the only thing really disappointing is that alyson hannigan 's band geek character is underused in what is a really good comedy .",
      "while not quite as fresh as the original 1999 effort that resuscitated the raunchy teen comedy trend , MOV is significantly better than its predecessor american pie 2",
      "what i really enjoyed was just seeing the characters again , possibly for the last time .",
      "jesse dylan 's direction is slapdash and lackluster ; sometimes he ca n't seem to decide where to point the camera , or who should be in focus .",
      "the formula has long since hardened into a flaky mess .",
      "a slightly bloated , entertaining-in-patches paycheck comedy that tries just hard enough to escape full excoriation ; the vegas years lounge act of its younger , more vital self .",
      "it takes the characters we have come to know and love and it plugs them into an original situation .",
      "awkward and mythic in its humor , the american pie movies have accomplished a unique position in hollywood stature -- that of a successful comedic trilogy .",
      "the good-natured sweetness with which the movie approaches its characters won me over despite the contrived , desperate construction of its gags .",
      "does n't always work on its own , but it has a well-worn , comfortable feel that 's hard to dismiss",
      "MOV supposedly marks the end of the american pie series , which is something of a shame , considering each successive film seems to improve upon its predecessor .",
      "for better or worse , the ` american pie ' series has pioneered what might be called the gross-out date movie ...",
      "the makers of MOV know what pleases its target audience -- and the movie delivers the goods , even if some are recycled .",
      "if you liked the first two , you wo n't be disappointed .",
      "whatever novelty this series ever possessed has gone down the proverbial tube .",
      "an energetic , raunchy comedy that 's funnier and more creative than the last film .",
      "this third piece of the eternally coming-of-age group of youngsters delivers all the snorts and belly laughs you 'd hope for from a good , old-fashioned gross-out comedy .",
      "if this flavor of ` pie ' is your desert of choice , you 'll find it served up as well here as you could wish , but in reality it 's an awfully tasteless confection .",
      "tastier than the previous two .",
      "the howl-worthy gross-outs , the series ' raison d'ętre , more than carry the day .",
      "-lsb- dylan 's -rsb- bare-bones approach may trip up along the way , but it keeps the funny stuff in the foreground .",
      "the fastest , funniest , wildest entry in the series .",
      "it 's fun , silly , it 's a good time . go , enjoy it for pete 's sake ; especially after all the crap that 's come out this summer .",
      "if you 're in the right demographic you 're going to see it anyway . if you 're not , this is n't recommended .",
      "scott does n't undermine his performance by breaking stifler 's own `` stifler '' act ; he 's even oblivious to his very obvious homoerotic conflict .",
      "we may be saying goodbye to these likable dopes , but we also ca n't help but think that they deserve a better send off .",
      "a series clearly running out of creative gas .",
      "luckily the creative minds behind the third installment in this teen trilogy have n't run out of things for their young stars to hump ...",
      "one of those very rare weddings where no-one goes home complaining .",
      "it 's not often sequels are better than the original but after a disappointing second instalment , writer adam herz has saved the best until last .",
      "welcome to the epitome of taking a fresh idea too far .",
      "funny when it needs to be . i do n't know what more you can ask from the third installment of a series that has gone further than anyone reasonably could have expected .",
      "it 's filthy . it 's disgusting . and sometimes it 's hilarious .",
      "the first piece of pie is so good , you have to have another . the second piece is okay , but by the time you get around to the third piece , it usually starts to make you a little sick .",
      "-lsb- turning -rsb- stifler likeable ... is not quite as heinous as , say , giving hannibal lecter a puppy , but it does rather emasculate a character fans love to hate .",
      "when a film series starts ripping off jerry van dyke sitcoms , that 's a good sign it 's time to throw in the towel .",
      "crass , goofy , disgusting and very funny .",
      "jim and michelle may be the ones getting married , but MOV belongs to stifler .",
      "if you like the formula -- hallmark card sentiments contracted out to hardcore youth offenders -- MOV may be the best of the trio .",
      "MOV is dumb and vulgar and - do n't tell my mother i said this - awfully funny .",
      "although the movie cheerfully offends all civilized notions of taste , decorum , manners and hygiene , it has a sweetness that is impossible to discount , and it is often very funny .",
      "this film embraces the fact that it has no shame -- and you 'll be laughing right along with it .",
      "often helplessly hilarious in its adolescent gross-out way , yet the cast periodically invests the film with sweetness .",
      "one last helping of good , dirty -- and surprisingly sweet -- fun .",
      "a worn-out gross-out .",
      "the well has finally run dry .",
      "you 'd think if you made a third one , you 're gon na at least try to make some progress as a filmmaker , even within this limited scope of american pie .",
      "even fans of the first two films may find the proceedings pretty tiresome , but then they made those movies into hits , so anything 's possible .",
      "quem poderia imaginar que stifler se tornaria o centro da série american pie - e que isso seria uma coisa boa ?",
      "... hopefully there will be more to come ; it would be a shame if this really is ` bye bye , miss american pie . '",
      "it 's not that the movie is bad , it just feels awkward and not quite right .",
      "nadia is nowhere to be seen and stifler never surrenders the spotlight in what is the weakest link of the american pie series .",
      "... enjoy the cinematic conclusion of what happens when sexually active teens get to grow up instead of being killed off at summer camp by a maniac slasher .",
      "still has all the crude , rude fun of its predecessors .",
      "MOV '' is the epitome of embarrassment humor .",
      "an aimless charade of doggy poo , latex breasts and really , really bad language .",
      "with apologies to don mclean : it 's time to say bye bye to this bland american pie .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- uneven but undeniably sweet movie .",
      "demonstrates the same disregard for good taste as its predecessors had .",
      "will make you laugh out loud more than a few times with its often juvenile and scatological humour .",
      "calling MOV unabashedly and unashamedly crude , lewd and rude is to concede it achieves exactly what it set out to do .",
      "this is the funniest of the three movies . the new characters and the tighter focus are just what the series needed .",
      "a better film than anyone should normally expect in this genre .",
      "as politically incorrect , rude and disgusting as it is , i just could n't help but laugh .",
      "like someone smacking the bottom of an empty ketchup bottle , desperately hoping to force out a dollop or two ...",
      "for what it means to be , and what it wants to do , it is largely successful .",
      "pure check-your - brains-and - pants-at - the-door rowdiness !",
      "in some ways this one is the sweetest , most appealing of the three films . and not too surprisingly , it may be the raunchiest .",
      "MOV has the decided taste of day-old bakery -- although , of course , that could just be some errant body fluid .",
      "MOV celebrates limited comic imagination with the predictable outcomes of most dead-on-arrival wb sitcoms .",
      "among movies i 've seen where someone eats a dog turd , this ranks fairly high .",
      "people are quick to dismiss comedies , even the best ones , as fluff . the fact is , if a comedy works , there are complex and intricate factors at work .",
      "... if the reactions of the screening audience are any indications , it will be huge .",
      "has some gut-busting moments , but for the most part the thrill is gone from what the ads describe as the ` thrilling climax ' of this gross-out franchise .",
      "even suckers for the first two american pie courses will find this third helping indigestible .",
      "the strain and desperation are apparent from the first scene .",
      "what makes MOV click is that it does n't pretend to be something it 's not .",
      "some of it is funny , and a fair amount of it is n't .",
      "at this wedding , you can have your cake and barf it , too .",
      "i laughed pretty much throughout the entirety of MOV .",
      "short on belly laughs .",
      "it wo n't disappoint the many fans , but it wo n't win converts either .",
      "the thing is harmless .",
      "the movie is enormously , convulsively funny , and it never lets up -- it has no shame .",
      "nothing more than an attempt to squeeze a few more dollars out of the success of the freakishly popular 1999 original .",
      "if you think you 're going to like MOV , you probably will . if you do n't , you probably wo n't .",
      "the whole thing is one big fat geek wedding fiasco .",
      "sadly , when there 's not a gag to show off , first-time pie series director jesse dylan ... allows his movie to go as flat as a pie crust .",
      "joins the porky 's triptych as teensploitation smut franchises that have made it to three installments .",
      "seann william scott is the main reason to sit through this sexually loaded , extremely raunchy offering .",
      "fans of the first two `` american pie '' movies should definitely come back for a third slice . everyone else might want to cautiously poke at it with a fork first .",
      "as with the first two american pie flicks , this is the kind of movie you see again 10 years later and wonder why you liked it back when you were young and dumb .",
      "if all weddings were this fun , i would n't mind going to them .",
      "dylan delivers a comedy just on the high side of exactly what 's expected .",
      "frequently gross but often very funny .",
      "MOV , in fact , is so tasteless , so fiendishly puerile that it 's hilarious .",
      "if you do not bring pride , good taste or sense to this third american pie installment , you 'll have a good time .",
      "a well-executed conclusion to one of the better comedy series of recent years , MOV is a last great hurrah for the characters ...",
      "crass , inane , badly scripted and without a single fresh idea , -lsb- this -rsb- is one decidedly unfunny film that is well worth avoiding .",
      "the filmmakers are so intent on scoring their gamy yuks that they blow their best chances for real comedy .",
      "one character continues to provide laughs , scene in and scene out ... stifler !",
      "it does n't take a rocket scientist -lrb- or a pie fornicator -rrb- to tell that MOV is easily the weakest in a once-promising series .",
      "if there was ever a case of hollywood 's over-stroking a formula to squeeze every last drop out of it , MOV is it .",
      "MOV , the hardly awaited sequel to american pie i and ii , picks up right where the others left off . which is to say it starts at the bottom and works its way down from there .",
      "the franchise 's most expensive entry is also its most disappointing .",
      "it 's not as good as the first film , but it 's a definite step up from the previous installment .",
      "another slice of american pie . older teens only .",
      "the `` american pie '' franchise throws in another kitchen sink of gross-out sight gags by screenwriter adam herz -lrb- `` american pie '' 1 and 2 -rrb- in this third , and hopefully final installment , of percolating testosterone commotion .",
      "i 've been had ! people told me this did n't suck !",
      "from one funny scene to another , wedding throws so many laughs at the audience you can barely keep up .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's a subversive sweetness that runs just beneath the surface of the american pie movies that makes them nearly impossible to resist .",
      "yes , those arrested adolescents are back for another helping of all-american teen smut .",
      "-lsb- seann william -rsb- scott is more than ready for the spotlight , turning out one of the best comedic performances of recent movies .",
      "-lsb- j -rsb- ust as horny , tacky and funny as the first two .",
      "in a way , `` MOV '' becomes a stiffler of a film . interview with sean william scott .",
      "a groin-numbing onslaught of sexual-humiliation and emission-ingestion gags .",
      "this movie achieved the unusual - made me laugh out loud - not once , but several times .",
      "if all you 're looking for is a good laugh , you wo n't be disappointed . this is easily the funniest film of the season .",
      "we did n't need a third american pie , but you 'll still get a few laughs out of it .",
      "a delightfully vulgar conclusion to a trilogy on a less-than-puritanical americana",
      "the familiar formula feels significantly watered-down the third time around .",
      "there 's plenty of penis-related disasters going on in director jesse dylan 's ode to friendship , fidelity and clandestine fellatio .",
      "an old-fashioned round of spot the plot device"
    ],
    "summary": "raunchier and even more gross than the first two american pies , MOV ought to please fans of the series .",
    "id": "17033"
  },
  {
    "movie": "secret_ballot",
    "reviews": [
      "a real winner -- smart , funny , subtle , and resonant .",
      "MOV is a funny , puzzling movie ambiguous enough to be engaging and oddly moving .",
      "an absurdly funny and sharply evocative political allegory .",
      "long , still vistas ... nicely surreal ... some hard questions about faith and democracy , law and lawlessness , acting for the common good .",
      "the sophistication of the western democratic machinery seems absurd and its elaborate schemes for representation unreal by comparison .",
      "interessante filme que mostra a realidade polьtica e social no irс , o autoritarismo com relaусo яs mulheres e as contradiушes de um paьs governado pela religiosidade .",
      "as in practically all iranian films the cast here is made up of nonprofessionals , and they do themselves a good turn as genuine and marvelously well-conceived characters .",
      "a solid , well-formed satire .",
      "slow , simple , quiet and intriguing . payami investigates possibilities , and his curiosity carries us along .",
      "' ... -lsb- a -rsb- contemplation of the significance , absurdities and/or insignificance of the electoral process ... -lsb- however -rsb- payami gets his point across long before the film ends , with a message that ca n't help but hit us over the head ... '",
      "the locations go from stark desert to gorgeous beaches . the story plays out slowly , but the characters are intriguing and realistic .",
      "a gem , captured in the unhurried , low-key style favored by many directors of the iranian new wave .",
      "there has been much puzzlement among critics about what the election symbolizes . i believe the message is in the messenger : the agent is a woman .",
      "a beguiling , slow-moving parable about the collision of past and present on a remote seacoast in iran .",
      "the pace of the film is very slow -lrb- for obvious reasons -rrb- and that too becomes off-putting .",
      "in a movie full of surprises , the biggest is that MOV is a comedy , both gentle and biting .",
      "MOV is too contemplative to be really funny .",
      "by turns whimsical and absurdist , babek payami 's MOV is a slight but likable iranian film with the flavor of a shaggy-dog story conceived by samuel beckett and directed by jim jarmusch .",
      "there are some really funny moments in here .",
      "... a mosaic that adds a shot of offbeat comedy to the lyrical grace of iran 's serene cinema .",
      "MOV charms with its amalgam of absurdity , optimism , humor , and avuncular regard for the million small daily chores , rituals , suspicions , and courtesies of dwellers on even the sparsest spots on earth .",
      "payami is to be applauded for taking biting potshots at such volatile issues as iran 's outmoded electoral process and women 's status as second-class citizens .",
      "though the film is static , its writer-director 's heart is in the right place , his plea for democracy and civic action laudable .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- wonderfully loopy tale of love , longing , and voting .",
      "some of the longest takes in the history of cinema , and a precious bit of ethnographic essence for moviegoers who can appreciate political irony for its own sake .",
      "funny , provocative , well-paced and leaves a memorable bittersweet aftertaste .",
      "payami uses an exquisitely delicate juxtaposition of long shots and close-ups , mobility and stillness , music and found sound , comedy and pathos to suggest both the longing for self-expression and communication , and its limits in a repressive society .",
      "offers both a gentle humor and a sly but unmistakable optimism about what life in iran might one day be .",
      "methodical , measured , and gently tedious in its comedy , MOV is a purposefully reductive movie -- which may be why it 's so successful at lodging itself in the brain .",
      "it may not be the most immediate or attention-grabbing work , but there 's certainly something satisfying in its thoughtfulness .",
      "in questioning the election process , payami graphically illustrates the problems of fledgling democracies , but also the strength and sense of freedom the iranian people already possess , with or without access to the ballot box .",
      "payami stretches the tired conventions of a mismatched road movie into a quietly progressive look at women 's rights and the mixed values of representative government .",
      "babak payami 's surreal , episodic road comedy holds our attention to alternating degrees , hamstrung by the flat-footedness of his two leads .",
      "samuel beckett applied to the iranian voting process .",
      "if you 're willing to surrender to its languid , indirect style and its offbeat comic sense , you may find it a rich and rewarding little film .",
      "there is something that is so meditative and lyrical about babak payami 's boldly quirky iranian drama MOV ... a charming and evoking little ditty that manages to show the gentle and humane side of middle eastern world politics",
      "will amuse and provoke adventurous adults in specialty venues .",
      "too slow , too long and too little happens .",
      "it 's a strong testament to the power of the individual to make a difference , not necessarily through the popular vote , but through the simple act of communication .",
      "a playful iranian parable about openness , particularly the need for people of diverse political perspectives to get along despite their ideological differences .",
      "it 's an offbeat treat that pokes fun at the democratic exercise while also examining its significance for those who take part .",
      "there are a few stabs at absurdist comedy ... but mostly the humor is of the sweet , gentle and occasionally cloying kind that has become an iranian specialty .",
      "a psychic journey deep into the very fabric of iranian ... life .",
      "a comedy that provides serious testament to the arduous , often dreary , always imperfect work of democracy .",
      "a rarity among recent iranian films : it 's a comedy full of gentle humor that chides the absurdity of its protagonist 's plight .",
      "payami tries to raise some serious issues about iran 's electoral process , but the result is a film that 's about as subtle as a party political broadcast .",
      "the filmmaker 's greatest achievement is that he avoids preaching or taking sides and deftly proves that the weightiest issues can still come tinged with humor and irony .",
      "an ironic speculation on democracy in a culture unaccustomed to it .",
      "beautiful to watch and holds a certain charm .",
      "if you do n't have a measure of patience , you will be longing for rescue from this isle long before the credits roll .",
      "clever but slow ."
    ],
    "summary": "a moderately funny comedy that will reward patient viewers .",
    "id": "9839"
  },
  {
    "movie": "wall_e",
    "reviews": [
      "despite being subtle , sophisticated and light on dialogue , it 's every bit the crowd-pleaser we expect from this studio : funny , romantic , imaginative , and utterly gripping .",
      "wall-e is not only the best movie of the year by galaxy-sized leaps and bounds , it 's one of my favorite movies in a long , long time .",
      "as perfect as a movie can be .",
      "can earth be reclaimed ? the answer 's a hopeful one -lrb- more spielberg , less kubrick -rrb- , perfectly in toon -lrb- ahem -rrb- with the tale of a rickety old pc who wins the heart of a mac .",
      "with its lack of dialogue , inventive visual comedy and satirical view of working life , wall-e plays like an animated addendum to charlie chaplin 's modern times .",
      "a bold , beautiful achievement .",
      "if you can imagine buster keaton as a small box with binoculars for eyes and tank treads for legs -- and wall-e makes this easy to imagine -- then the movie 's first half represents the purest visual storytelling since movies started to talk .",
      "a hilarious , heartfelt and extraordinary comedy adventure that pushes animation to new heights .",
      "wall * e is not only a triumph in terms of style , it 's also a triumph in terms of story . there 's a real emotional resonance and depth to this material",
      "a beautiful film that makes us proud of the species that created it , even as we root for the robot who inadvertently saves us from ourselves",
      "here i am , surprised and delighted all over again at just how well these people can tell a story .",
      "a nice little romantic film about the transformational power of love .",
      "it 's a work of art , a sci-fi funhouse , and hilarious all at once .",
      "... charm galore .",
      "it may well be the best science fiction film in ages , but the movie does n't need any hyperbolic assertions to draw an audience.or , alas , to sell its action figures .",
      "you 'd have to be a machine for your heart not to melt .",
      "watching its use of a couple of the better bits from hello , dolly ! could make you think you should put that '60s musical on your netflix queue . you should n't . that movie is as lousy as wall-e is terrific .",
      "this film is a real treasure , one that can make you laugh when you are in your worst of moods .",
      "even after wall-e turns clunky , the beauty of its images is undiminished , the acuity of its animation unrivaled , the warmth underlying it all apparent .",
      "mixing chaplinesque delicacy with the architectural grandeur of a stanley kubrick film , director andrew stanton recycles film history and makes something fresh and accessible from it without pandering to a young audience .",
      "for once , the artful nods to huxley , kubrick and philip k. dick are not the preserve of trainspotters .",
      "wall * e , an animated robot love story with an environmental message and a slapstick delivery , is a charmer of a film and a delightful piece of storytelling .",
      "accomplished in painstaking 3-d animation stamped all over in pixar 's signature style , the movie looks absolutely amazing at all times .",
      "this first half of the film is exquisite . the animation is spectacular but without being show-offy .",
      "one of the most stunning and incredible pieces of art i 've seen from pixar ...",
      "it is one of the best movies ever made !",
      "wall-e never feels preachy or pushy , instead letting the witty storytelling and expressive animation transport audiences to another world .",
      "wall * e has adventure , danger and thrills to be sure , but for this viewer , the animated tale seemed to be more about the animation and less about the storytelling .",
      "with its split personality , wall-e falls short of greatness . even so , it pushes the animation envelope with every frame .",
      "so thoroughly embodies the greatest pleasures the movies have to offer that it goes directly into the sublime",
      "wall-e -lsb- is -rsb- a truly innovative animated adventure and an unexpected cautionary tale .",
      "a haunting , fantastic , and eerie robot reverie . deft little touches add more and more complex , heartfelt circuitry to wall-e 's character . a beautifully wrought film .",
      "... for every plot revelation reinforcing the predicament of wall-e , the story moves farther from him/it as a strong central character ... nevertheless a positive -lrb- theme -rrb- ...",
      "wall-e is a classic , but it will never appeal to people who are happy with art only when it has as little bite as possible .",
      "this love story moved me more than any other in years .",
      "it 's unlikely mr bean inspired this tale yet there 's a resemblance . wall.e is for the most part a silent comedy dependent on ingenious sight gags .",
      "sentient with sentiment . please read review .",
      "brainy , charming , eco-friendly animated adventure .",
      "it would n't be a stretch to call the movie pitch perfect .",
      "simply brilliant , those creative people at pixar have accomplished the near impossible % u2013 they 've outdone themselves once again .",
      "the fact that wall-e 's not merely adorable , but central to a serious , thoughtful , adult story is still another illustration of pixar 's downright heroic commitment to the craft .",
      "as long as we have wall * e 's point of view on earth , the film is simply great , but whenhe movies into outer space and the axiom , the missed opportunities are immeasurable .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- first 60 minutes ranks with the best work pixar has ever done .",
      "get ready to fall in love with a glorified trash compactor -- and ditto for his little buddy , a cute cockroach .",
      "the movie is so engaging that it just moves along and speech is n't needed .",
      "much of the joy here comes from the aesthetic clash between the metallic sweethearts .",
      "wall-e 's bumbling courtship of the completely indifferent eve has as much truth about humanity 's sweetness and perseverance as any piece of great literature",
      "wall-e is yet another notch in pixar 's computer-animation belt , and it 's one of the better entries , with greater emotional resonance than anything they 've done since finding nemo .",
      "the wit , invention and sheer charm of wall-e will win over anyone with a heart . and maybe , given long enough , even those without .",
      "oddly , the humans have a lot less personality than the machines and the more time we spend in their company , the less fun the film becomes .",
      "it is indeed a hard movie to explain , but a good story told well transcends any age even without words .",
      "with its stellar character work and sound design , wall-e inspires enough awe and ` awww ... ' to be a worthy entry in the pixar canon .",
      "another in the long line of pixar classics -- beautiful , energetic , intelligent , satirical , crammed full of gorgeous design , and genuinely heartwarming .",
      "the confidence and skill with which stanton 's team have extended the parameters of their art form are amazing .",
      "does andrew stanton 's film amount to much more than a brilliant aesthetic exercise ? i 'm not convinced it does .",
      "absolute heaven .",
      "both moving and laugh-out-loud funny .",
      "wall-e conjures magical comedy out of the confusions of adolescence and the wrong turns of adulthood , as well as the exuberance of childhood . it 's sometimes bright , sometimes gloomy , but always engaging and accessible .",
      "the best american film of the year to date .",
      "offers a touching robot romance , visuals as artful as they are state-of-the - art , and vital messages about environmental and personal health .",
      "at last , an answer to the celebrity voicing in animated movies ! no dialogue .",
      "the picture feels weirdly , and disappointingly , disjointed , something that starts out as poetry and ends as product .",
      "a terrific movie , easily one of pixar 's best . the animation is startling and the story follows suit . so far , this is the animated film to beat at next year 's academy awards .",
      "miraculous .",
      "pixar has once again burst the boundaries of the animation ghetto , creating a world so intricately worked-out , so ravishing , that we do n't feel we 're just watching it -- we 're visiting .",
      "he is the cutest robot since r2-d2 , but i wish the whole movie was just as cute .",
      "wall * e begins as a truly groundbreaking work and then turns into just another diverting cartoon with some wonderful themes .",
      "the power of wall-e as a character , the poetic figure of the robot drawn to human splendor , remains powerful throughout -- and pixar 's loveliest creation .",
      "visually dazzling and possessing wit and emotion 99 percent of movies with real-life actors ca n't hope to achieve .",
      "never before have the world 's most influential animators been as bold and forthright about their dark vision for humanity as in wall-e , a potent environmental message wrapped up in an irresistibly cute romance between robots .",
      "there are no accolades too generous for the film that turns out to be so good that it 's now my favorite story from the pixar library .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- could end up being the best movie of the year .",
      "one of the best movies of the year . just so beautifully done .",
      "we 've seen social commentary via future sci-fi before , but it 's never been this astute or accurate . hopefully it 'll reach the kids before they 're set in their text messaging , virtual ways .",
      "i do n't know if it 's a masterpiece ; what i do know is that it is perfection .",
      "it 's probably not right for a greying moviegoer to love a robot , but each r2d2-type beep , rattle and eye roll makes him even more irresistible .",
      "it is delicious for 30 minutes . then the plot starts .",
      "that 's the beauty of pixar , behoden only to its own quality standards , it can still play the part of the child prodigy whose creative genius appears to have no boundaries .",
      "stanton finds more success with a tender , thoughtful and terrific-looking animated film .",
      "praise pixar for trying to raise the stakes , but the longer the film goes on the more one appreciates the impact of that amazing first half-hour .",
      "one of the most imaginatively made and individual pieces of work that the audacious pixar has developed .",
      "wonderfully inventive , this whimsical sci-fi animation from the wizards at pixar is topical in its environmental message and full of heart when it comes to its robot / droid romance . brilliant execution",
      "in what must be a tongue in cheek nod to his antipodean origins , writer/director andrew stanton has named the ceo of by n large , shelby forthright -lrb- the only genuine human seen in the film -rrb-",
      "charming , funny and entertaining . all you 've come to expect from the greatest animation house in the history of cinema .",
      "saving the world became secondary to the power of holding hands . there is an amazing amount of life and humanity throughout and a quality message to boot .",
      "wall-e may contain a simple love story about non-living robots that are full of wires and microchips , but it has more heart than any other movie you will see this year .",
      "a spectacular testament to the life force that beats within us all , wall - e puts the `` extra '' back in terrestrial .",
      "pixar 's boldness has advanced with its achievements in special effects . the opening act of ` wall-e ' is as melancholy as the ray bradbury short story , ` there will come soft rains ' ...",
      "for 45 sublime minutes , wall-e is a modest and noble experiment , and even with an ordinary action climax and an abbreviated ending , it 's likely to be lingering in the mind when cars has long since faded .",
      "beautifully executed with a wink and a nudge , this one has heart .",
      "a highly entertaining and emotionally satisfying film that will play equally well to adults , and maybe even more so than with kids .",
      "pixar 's robot romance is crazily inventive , deliriously engaging and emotionally true .",
      "slapstick , adventure and love are all familiar elements in animated family films . awe , existential themes and wholesale worldbuilding are not ... even pixar has never attempted anything on a canvas of this scale .",
      "... an immensely appealing film for all ages .",
      "you have heard it said that there are but two constants in the universe : death and taxes . it 's time a third constant was added to the list : pixar can do no wrong .",
      "not only does it provide further proof of pixar 's unprecedented brilliance , but it may have actually elevated their game to a whole new level .",
      "wall * e begins with all the comedic splendor of a charlie chaplin film , but quickly devolves into a rickety bore .",
      "the film 's visions of a ravaged , abandoned future earth and a mechanized , corporately controlled space ark/pleasure cruiser are stunning , hilarious and hit their pro-green , anti-consumerist points remarkably hard .",
      "wall-e is pixar 's e.t. the extra-terrestrial or its pinocchio : an archetypal fable about loneliness simple enough -- yet deep enough -- to instantly captivate anyone who sees it .",
      "it works ; this is pixar 's most enthralling entertainment since nemo .",
      "wall-e is a surprisingly moving parable of what we waste , and what we should cherish -- and wrapped in a romance so absurdly moving it could wring a tear or two even from gort and robby the robot . or a parent and child .",
      "this latest achievement from disney 's pixar studios rotates around a rusty little robotic hero who 's built , as the movie is , with such emotion , brains and humor that whole universes exist in his whirring tones and binocular eyes .",
      "too many kid 's movies are created to give kids things to buy ; wall-e is a kid 's movie that might , perhaps , give you and your kids pause to think about what things truly cost .",
      "it may not be top-shelf pixar , but every one of pixar 's shelves is higher than those of anyone else making movies for kids and their families today .",
      "the greatest of all films by pixar animation , the little disney studio with the midas touch .",
      "this grim vision of earth 's future is not so funny and not so cute . nonetheless , the pixar guys send another enthralling entertainment to the planet 's movie screens .",
      "not since titanic will you have heard two prospective partners cry out each other 's names with as much longing -lrb- and frequency -rrb- and if there 's any karma , fate , or pure love out there to believe in than wall-e will equal its attendance and then some .",
      "while paying tribiute to seminal american sci-fi , such as 2001 , star wars and e.t. , the endlessly inventive pixar has succeeded in creating a unique milieu with distinctive look and feel that transports viewers to a magical , almost surreal world .",
      "stanton and pixar have achieved a new plateau in their craft , creating what 's destined to be a beloved classic , right up there with the likes of snow white , bambi and cinderella ...",
      "this is getting to sound like a broken record : pixar animation studios has just topped itself . again .",
      "the film poses as thinking-fans animation , but there 's little room for wonder or interpretation in the on-the-nose presentation .",
      "a wondrous work of the imagination and , to date , the year 's best film .",
      "the animation is stunning ; the landscapes of the futuristic earth offer the pixar folks ample opportunity to show off their wares .",
      "while the film 's most daring gambits pay off in full , the inclusion of a standard outwit-the-bad-guys storyline dulls the magic that wall-e so often achieves .",
      "a film that 's both breathtakingly majestic and heartbreakingly intimate .",
      "the pole position in the race for the next best animated feature oscar has clearly been staked out .",
      "wall · e is truly an animated masterpiece , and that word should n't be thrown around easily , but for some reason i can not think of a single problem with this film .",
      "what transpires is a delightful and almost heartbreakingly tender love story between these two expressive and adorable characters .",
      "the most unique pixar movie yet and , hands-down , the best love story of the year .",
      "as horrible , wretched , infantile , disgusting and flat-out lousy as `` the love guru '' is , that is how wonderful `` wall * e '' is .",
      "wall-e is everything that you 've come to expect from a pixar movie . it 's sweet , clever , funny , and visually stunning ... but man , does pixar swing a big stick this time around .",
      "wall-e is something completely different for the kiddie crowd that will hold the attention of adults even with the ` g ' rating .",
      "eco-friendly , pro-exercise and featuring a glorious use of a fire extinguisher , wall-e sparks with genuine creativity .",
      "ultimately , the elevation of technology to center stage , and the relegation of humankind to supporting act , left me cold .",
      "a visual tonic of a film , wise enough to give its audience plenty of space .",
      "a rich and provocative work of art that manages to be fun .",
      "if anyone doubted that pixar is the most creative outfit in modern motion pictures , this movie should convince them . it is a genuine masterpiece , a word i do n't use often .",
      "it 's a credit to the animators that they were able to create believable emotions in these beeping hunks of computer-generated metal .",
      "in a world that is moving too fast and changing too rapidly , a moment to pause and and reflect on what 's really important in life and enjoy it at the same time is rare . there are lots of those moments in wall-e .",
      "the 2001 of animation . it 's a sci-fi masterpiece . r2d2 hits the road . but it 's also no finding nemo ...",
      "technically wall-e is the best film pixar has made - it 's funny and heartwarming , but it 's also the preachiest .",
      "... absolutely incredible .",
      "enough to restore your sense of wonder not only in movies , but in the universe as well .",
      "i think wall-e is a masterpiece . the folks at pixar never rest on their laurels . they continue to push the limits of both computer animation and the storytelling possibilities that accompany it .",
      "drawing on science fiction epics like 2001 : a space odyssey and star wars , wall-e may be the first truly dystopian animated movie for kids .",
      "wistful and whimsical , it 's a visionary robotic romance that 's destined to be one of the best pictures of the year .",
      "triumphant and teary-eyed , wall-e withstands its mellifluous moments with a welcomed surge of honesty , impishness and introspection ... smart , heart-warming and savvy in its observational radar .",
      "i was bowled over by the charm of both wall-e the film and especially wall-e the character . congratulations to pixar for making a gem of a film that you 'd have to have a heart two sizes too small not to love .",
      "pixar 's best feature ... as fresh as it is funny , as heartwarming as it is innovative .",
      "we 've come to expect brilliance from the digital wizards at pixar , but wall * e is pure genius .",
      "who 'd have thought the year 's most romantic on-screen duo would be a couple of robots ?",
      "when it works , it really works , but it 's debatable whether its target audience will really enjoy anything more than the nifty robots . which is fine , too . robots are pretty cool .",
      "it is , undoubtedly , an earnest -lrb- though far from simplistic -rrb- ecological parable , but it is also a disarmingly sweet and simple love story , chaplinesque in its emotional purity .",
      "to carry the film for as long as it does with virtually no dialogue ... that 's to me the magic of animation .",
      "it 's remarkable to see any film , in any genre , blend honest sentiment with genuine wit and a visual landscape unlike any other .",
      "the latest entry in the pixar stable is a modern classic - both an animated thrill ride , and a chilling tale of lost humanity .",
      "it indeed feels ` new ' , moving out of pixar 's comfort zone while retaining the brand 's populist virtues : loveable characters , crafted jokes , aw-shucks niceness and wonderful images .",
      "the attention to detail -- always a pixar hallmark -- is amazing , and stanton and his crew incorporate surprising elements that mix vintage sci-fi with old musicals with a meta-cartoon rendering of the future .",
      "i must drop my inhibitions about dropping the m word -- especially since i 've already used magnificent -- and call wall-e the masterpiece that it is .",
      "this is a film that stretches the expectations and reaches of animation at the same time it offers fantastic entertainment value to its audience .",
      "it can hardly be called a children 's film , but a masterpiece of feature-film animation for all ages .",
      "to see these ideas delivered so profoundly speaks volumes to the power animation possesses in cleansing minds weathered by the cynicism of adulthood .",
      "this is a movie with genuine heart .",
      "wall-e is an improbable delight , a g-rated crowd-pleaser that seems poised to pack theaters as efficiently as the titular robot crams his chest cavity with rubble .",
      "in the pixar animation universe , all things are possible . more important , they are plausible .",
      "it 's best not to ask too many questions during wall-e ... take the film 's outstretched hand and go with it . that 's the best way to enjoy a film that 's as charming as a tale of two robots falling in love can be .",
      "among its many wondrous achievements , the animated wall-e is a sci-fi trifecta : a vision of the future , a tale for our times and a blast from the past .",
      "the most consistent production unit in hollywood just hit another home run .",
      "his intelligence may be artificial , but his heroism is anything but superficial .",
      "i 'm a real sucker for animated rodents . i loved ratatouille and i laughed fondly at the previews of the brave despereaux in a movie coming out this winter . adorable rodents , yes . rusted robots , not so much . wall-e is a rusted robot , who has been ge",
      "ladies and gentlemen : believe the buzz ! wall-e is a bona-fide , all out masterpiece .",
      "disney-pixar 's greatest film yet ; one of the ten best movies of 2008",
      "vastly overrated movie with all the charm of two vacuum cleaners making love .",
      "the most ambitious , visually-breathtaking film from the animation stable to date , pushing family entertainment to new limits of thoughtfulness and imagination , and offering unprecedented challenges to young minds .",
      "simplicity and complexity harmonize together in cinematic zen in the instant-classic wall-e , a film that uses technical prowess to tell a straight-forward yet far-reaching story .",
      "not about high profile characters or big action , it delights by entertaining and inspiring more subtly . who expected that from any movie these days , let alone an animated one ?",
      "... flat-out thrilling in its uniqueness ...",
      "`` wall-e '' is a gem and continues pixar 's amazing winning streak of animated hits .",
      "who would guess that a movie with minimal dialogue and a love story between robots could emerge as one of the best films of the summer ? and who would think a tale could be both post-apocalyptic and charming ?",
      "pixar 's walle succeeds at being three things at once : an enthralling animated film , a visual wonderment and a decent science-fiction story .",
      "some day , there will be college courses devoted to this movie .",
      "a work of art expressing that the products of our hands can hold , if we look well and deeply , the secrets to our own salvation .",
      "a jewel of a film in conception , execution and message .",
      "a triumph of style over substance .",
      "by turns sad , hilarious , exciting and , ultimately , hopeful , this is a film of great truths masquerading as child 's play .",
      "finding nemo director andrew stanton tops himself with this adorably loopy pixar animation that sends up consumerism , musicals , apple computers , and 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "the idea that an ancient hollywood musical , with its love duets and foot-tapping dance numbers , would be the thing that awakens emotions in both humans and robots , is pure genius .",
      "pleasant enough -- and certainly pretty enough -- to serve : a lesser pixar effort , but one that most viewers , young and old , will enjoy if not be transported by .",
      "while wall-e dances whimsically , it 's a plodding , frighteningly hypocritical , and forbidding film that trips over its fogged intentions at every dreary turn .",
      "a tale that 's equally satisfying as science fiction , cautionary satire , gentle love story and purely visual comedy .",
      "continuing a string of successes that pit pixar films against only other pixar films in terms of quality animation , walle makes the count nine masterpieces in a row .",
      "daring and traditional , groundbreaking and familiar , apocalyptic and sentimental , wall-e gains strength from embracing contradictions that would destroy other films .",
      "it whisks you to another world , then makes it every inch our own .",
      "it 's pixar 's most daring experiment to date , but it still fits neatly into the studio 's pantheon : made with as much focus on heart as on visual quality , it 's a sheer joy .",
      "only pixar could pull off a story about robots in love with this much success .",
      "another pixar triumph in storytelling ... you 'll recognize in the wee machine a version of yourself .",
      "put simply , wall-e is about as charming as movies get .",
      "how much further will they be able to raise the storytelling bar ? and how on earth will i pass the time until pixar 's next endeavor , up , arrives in theaters to charm , amaze , and enthrall us , as the studio has done time after time ?",
      "it 's not often that you find ` post-apocalyptic ' and ` delightful ' going together in the same sentence , but they 're essential to describe the deceptively artful wall-e .",
      "some found ecological undertones too scolding . but the question of what happens to trash is a nice undertone - never overshadowing the endlessly renewable entertainment of `` wall-e 's '' plucky protagonist & carefully , comically choreographed physical humor .",
      "it 's a breathtaking , inspirational film , transcending the medium of animation and blossoming into a genuinely magnificent piece of cinema .",
      "this film deserves the oscar . it deserves every oscar . and a nobel prize for brilliantness . and i bet it would win it too if i had n't just made it up ...",
      "wall-e sparks with genuine creativity .",
      "i wonder a little what kids will make of the long silence of the first half followed by the disorienting mania of the second , but there 's nothing here that 's not wonderfully imagined and lovingly presented .",
      "as a film critic who has spent too many summers viewing mediocre misfires and uninspired reinterpretations of tv shows , comic books and cult classics , it 's immensely satisfying to recommend something as breathtakingly glorious as wall-e .",
      "pick any 24th of a second , frame it and you could hang it on a museum wall .",
      "an original , mature and borderline-artsy family film that makes a name for itself . like the rest of pixar 's titles , it is destined to endure for years to come .",
      "captivating",
      "that it ultimately falls short reflects less a failing than a raising of the bar : when you aim this high , you can beat all the competition even if you fail to set a new world record .",
      "the new pixar picture wall-e is one for the ages , a masterpiece to be savored before or after the end of the world -- assuming , like the title character , you 're still around when all the humans have taken off and have access to an old video player .",
      "... -lsb- a -rsb- loud and damning indictment of consumerism .",
      "cutes-e , but not enough gravit-e .",
      "al gore is going to love this movie",
      "no movie can be a downer that fills you with pure exhilaration . you leave wall-e with a feeling of the rarest kind : that you 've just enjoyed a close encounter with an enduring classic .",
      "like the humble little hero of this film , pixar holds onto its dreams . if that makes the films more challenging , less easily accessible , good for them and good for us , too .",
      "it is all about some serious problems our world is facing . under the laughs and the humanized robots this is a serious science fiction film and well above average for the genre .",
      "several viewings are unlikely to exhaust the film 's possibilities - after all , there are always new treasures to be found in yesterday 's discards .",
      "more impressive than its ecologically minded message is its modestly profound portrait of loneliness , obligation and the desire for reciprocated affection .",
      "... pure movie magic , a rare picture of wonder , hope , joy , love and social conscience .",
      "for adults there are n't a lot of surprises , but that does n't mean you wo n't revel in the pixar-perfect execution of another story well told .",
      "the genius of wall-e is how so many disparate influences ... are incorporated and evoked while creating something unique ... what a wonderful world it would be if the talents they manifest here could somehow be marshalled to address real-life problems .",
      "director andrew stanton has pulled off a remarkable achievement here .",
      "eco-toon romance blooms as wall-e deposit a gift of love - a tiny plant - in eve 's , well , compartment , and rebel robot computers with much more to teach humankind than just sending emails . a kidconvenient truth .",
      "a beautiful sci-fi tale complete with all the feel-good vibes and fantastic , cutting-edge visuals we 've come to expect from a film wearing the pixar name .",
      "the tender and touching story of a lonely robot on earth who falls in love and becomes a spiritual teacher to all who encounter him .",
      "dangerously close to the sublime , a film that will be dissected and enjoyed for years to come .",
      "wall-e goes beyond inviting comparisons to e.t. , number 5 , r2d2 , even chaplin 's little tramp -- the waste allocation load lifter relies on them , for writer-director andrew stanton understands this robot janitor as a study in memory and inheritance .",
      "despite an intriguing story , the picture falls from art to the realm of kiddy-film fare . i 'd have loved to see pixar limit the dialogue to two words : eva and wall-e .",
      "wall-e is probably the sweetest movie ever made about humans destroying the earth .",
      "like charlie chaplin 's best silents -- a clear influence -- wall-e is pure visual magic . as a bonus , it packs a wicked satirical punch .",
      "it is a story about love and loneliness , perseverance and triumph , the possibilities and pitfalls of human existence . that this story is told by way of the exploits of a tiny , faceless robot only makes it more extraordinary .",
      "wall-e is yet another perfect pixar masterpiece .",
      "not only is this a great sci-fi film , it 's also easily one of the most romantic ! dismissing this as just another kids film is not only unfair to the movie , it 's unfair to you .",
      "wall-e is art . hell , it 's philosophy -- it 's practically religion .",
      "pixar 's ninth consecutive wonder of the animated world is a simple yet deeply imagined piece of speculative fiction ... it has plenty to say , but does so in a light , insouciant manner that allows you to take the message or leave it on the table .",
      "wall * e announces yet another massive leap in technological talent for the fabled filmmakers , a textural , tactile quality that continues to push cg 3d into uncharted artistic arenas .",
      "wall-e dazzles , particularly in its magnificent first half-hour , a post-apocalyptic love-story in miniature that serves as a graceful introduction to the intergalactic journey that follows .",
      "wall-e and eve project more humanity and genuine emotion than most human characters i 've seen in films lately .",
      "... `` wall-e '' is nothing short of magical ...",
      "this is pixar 's most audacious film yet , and some small children may become impatient with the film 's long wordless stretches . but the storytelling is so meticulous and skilled , some may not even notice the absence of dialogue .",
      "uma espécie de mistura perfeita de chaplin , kubrick e disney .",
      "this endearing post-apocalyptic romantic adventure never puts a foot wrong .",
      "though perfection in film is a highly unlikely proposition , wall-e indeed has become 2008 's first perfect film and one of the best pixar projects of all time .",
      "andrew stanton is resourceful enough to find infinite ways for them to express themselves - amusingly , achingly , and with emotional precision . he 's also created , with the help of a team of animators , a visual marvel .",
      "while the film 's social message comes through loud and clear , it never detracts from the heart of the picture -- the unlikely romance between wall * e and eve .",
      "it 's been such a lousy year for romantic comedies that the only engaging one features a pair of robots .",
      "too gloom-e .",
      "a materpiece ... maybe pixar 's best ever .",
      "wall-e is a technical gem , a marvel of sound design and just a little too ambitious to continuously captivate .",
      "perhaps the most wonderfully twisted and bizarre g rated movie i 've ever seen . it 's sweet , too .",
      "the first half of `` wall * e '' can best be described as `` star wars , '' only if r2-d2 were the only character .",
      "the plot , when it finally arrives , has a few unforgivable holes , but the thing never stops being a marvel to behold .",
      "as soon as wall-e stows away on the spaceship in pursuit of eve , the film turns into something a lot less special and a lot more like a fairly typical animated movie .",
      "ultimately , wall-e is about nothing less than one of the tenets of human existence : the need to find a partner with whom to share life 's experiences ."
    ],
    "summary": "wall-e 's stellar visuals testify once again to pixar 's ingenuity , while its charming star will captivate younger viewers -- and its timely story offers thought-provoking subtext .",
    "id": "770671491"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rudy",
    "reviews": [
      "an uplifting and inspiring battle-against-the-odds movie",
      "shamelessly manipulative , but who cares when it 's so damn uplifting ?",
      "continues to make life seem a little better",
      "well acted but overly familiar and sentimental sports tale of the underdog",
      "with its faithful rendering of a true inspirational story , MOV earns its sentiment ... an irresistable inspirational movie for all ages . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "inspiring sports film about a real life underdog .",
      "an inconsequential , if moving , contribution to the sports-movie genre .",
      "sean astin is utterly winning ...",
      "directed with composure , but no great fervour , the film 's conspicuously uninterested in american football , and much concerned with testing the limits and the resilience of the american dream .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- well-crafted piece of middle-american uplift .",
      "the film is so uplifting , i felt like calling up lou holtz for brunch .",
      "it 's a moderately entertaining film , with a message and content appropriate for the whole family . what it lacks is focus .",
      "indiana has been very good to director david anspaugh and writer angelo pizzo .",
      "astin 's performance is so self-effacing , so focused and low-key , that we lose sight of the underdog formula and begin to focus on this dogged kid who wo n't quit . and the last big scene is an emotional powerhouse , just the way it 's supposed to be .",
      "an inspirational , upbeat parable about the tenacity of the human spirit .",
      "this is an affectionate movie , there are no real villains , no real heroes , just human difficulties and mundane triumphs .",
      "astin gives these familiar doings the charm they need , as he pushes towards a virtually impossible goal .",
      "the cheers in the audience at the end were genuine , which is testimony to the likability -lrb- although not necessarily the quality -rrb- of the film .",
      "one of those inspirational films that you ca n't help but like .",
      "for all its patness , the movie also has a gritty realism that is not found in many higher-priced versions of the same thing , and its happy ending is not the typical hollywood leap into fantasy .",
      "terrific-but-manipulative drama about the power of following one 's dreams .",
      "tired `` against all odds '' picture .",
      "perhaps the greatest sports movie in film history .",
      "seriously heartwarming",
      "a salute to a pint-sized football player with heart",
      "sentiment trumps politics .",
      "it 's ruettiger 's persistence that his teammates and the film celebrate . for that , MOV earns a rousing cheer .",
      "a magical film ."
    ],
    "summary": "though undeniably sentimental and predictable , MOV succeeds with an uplifting spirit and determination .",
    "id": "10143"
  },
  {
    "movie": "army-of-shadows-1969",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- those -rsb- with a weakness for dry heroism , dark-toned humor , and storytelling of pantherish pace and grace -- in short , lovers of cinema -- should reach for their fedoras , turn up the collars of their coats , and sneak to this picture through a mist of rain .",
      "it is arguably the tensest , hardest-edged movie of melville 's career ... and that 's saying something .",
      "melville stages riveting set pieces , tense little nuggets of men striking in the dark and dealing out death .",
      "a morally ambiguous look at the necessity , the perversity and , sometimes , the generosity of death during wartime .",
      "melville outlines the valorous and dirty deeds of heroes in taut action sequences that reach unusually existential heights . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "masterfully made , with no detail unattended .",
      "... the most meaningful atmosphere of exquisite suspense you 're likely to see at the movies this year . or most years .",
      "watching it evokes a combination of pity for -lsb- the protagonists ' -rsb- naive idealism and awe at melville 's uncanny brilliance .",
      "the result is in many ways the height of melville 's splicings of daredevil , adventure-story heroics and exceedingly grim twists of fate .",
      "movies do n't get any better than this .",
      "not a bad effort -- but filled with credibility gaps and much in need of tightening .",
      "it 's a haunting and sublime work that offers a realistic but horrific account of the underground resistance .",
      "for anyone interested in the impact of war on ordinary men , MOV proves a sobering and invaluable experience .",
      "this memorable movie movingly pays tribute to those who chose not to remain silent , to those ordinary men and women who chose to do extraordinary things ... from the shadows .",
      "place it squarely in the category of overlooked gems .",
      "its lack of sentimentality and melodrama is what elevates this thriller to another level .",
      "characterizations as thin as those in MOV would detract from most movies , but here , they give the movie strength . melville 's point is that the people themselves are not as important as their cause .",
      "... more than lives up to its reputation .",
      "... a riveting account of life among the french resistance during world war ii 's nazi occupation .",
      "another melville masterpiece",
      "like all melville 's films , it 's as cold as cold can be and completely free of exhilarating heroics .",
      "deals with the french resistance during world war ii , but it 's nothing like any other french resistance film ever made .",
      "a work of moving ideological commitment as well as beautifully detailed orchestration .",
      "masterfully restrained yet frequently nerve-wracking , with sequences on par with hitchcock at his most tension-filled , this film is one of melville 's best .",
      "what 's so devastating about MOV is how physically we respond to the terrible decisions faced by the resistance fighters .",
      "the results bear witness to a time when sacrifice was bleached of everything but itself .",
      "melville 's impressionistic look at the resistance is without a doubt the best war film i never knew existed .",
      "... a riveting historical film noir .",
      "rarely has a film shown so truly that place in the heart where hope lives with fatalism .",
      "it becomes overwhelming as we watch -- a classic of life in the underground , of terror , love , friendship , betrayal , and of death hovering over all .",
      "melville handles with consummate cinematic mastery the suspenseful set-pieces .",
      "hopefully , this re-release will spawn new interest and permit the real film buff the chance to see what has been hidden from us for over 35 years .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- rare work of art that thrills the senses and the mind .",
      "jean-pierre melville 's MOV finally emerges from anonymity this april to assume its rightful canonical place alongside the french master 's peerless parisian noirs .",
      "the action is tense . dark shadows and long moody silences predominate . the dialogue is clipped and sparse : melville 's heroes are men and women of few words and big deeds .",
      "if anything , the vision is more fatalistic than any of melville 's crime classics .",
      "emerges from the mists of time in a new 35 mm restoration as a career-capping epic tragedy .",
      "in -lsb- melville 's -rsb- stark and unvarnished film , the violence is routine and ugly , the moral choices painful and uncertain , the relationships deep yet fragile , the victories costly and ephemeral .",
      "a film to be seen and savored for its moral magnitude .",
      "a stunning , globetrotting spy masterpiece",
      "the fascination comes in minute observation of the resistance soldiers ' mannerisms , demeanor and interaction .",
      "rich in the elegance , assurance and quasi-formality that often define melville 's style .",
      "one of those blessed pictures in which all elements , from its writing through to its editing , coalesce into a work of profound philosophical and emotional unity",
      "`` jean-pierre melville cherishes paradox and free thinking , '' and both elements are on beautiful display in his masterpiece .",
      "as close to a masterpiece as any film you 're likely to see this year .",
      "as bleak as it is compelling , it will leave you wondering if these freedom fighters have n't done more damage to each other than they have to the nazi aggressors .",
      "almost 40 years after it was made , MOV has more to tell us about the internal toll of war and taking a stand than anything hollywood has produced .",
      "although it has several suspenseful sequences , `` shadows '' is not a spy thriller , precisely . it 's much more along the lines of a melancholy mood piece ...",
      "it 's hard to believe that melville 's 1969 masterpiece -- one of the most accurate chronicles of the french resistance -- never got released in the us until 2006 ; splendidly acted , this film draws on the helmer 's own experience .",
      "... taut tale of intrigue and daring ...",
      "a superb contribution from an a-class film-maker .",
      "the glacial pacing can be an irritant as the film unfolds -- i repeatedly wanted to speed things up -- but MOV wo n't leave you alone after you 've seen it .",
      "from the first sight of german soldiers goose-stepping past the arc de triomphe to a postscript that spells out the fate of characters whose moral confusion is all too real , MOV is a movie of its time -- and ours .",
      "one of the masterpieces of its era and its genre .",
      "a fascinating picture of bureaucratic drudgery , even in the middle of war and occupation .",
      "MOV is a remarkable and superb film , and american audiences should be rejoicing that is finally -lrb- if belatedly -rrb- has reached theaters .",
      "there is nothing more to say , except ` go . '",
      "unlike the romantic images of freedom fighters perpetuated by the popular media , melville 's movie is stripped of self-congratulatory hero worship and other puffery .",
      "a painstaking study in courage and conviction under agonizing pressure .",
      "rare is the film that actually improves with time . among that handful is the 1969 french thriller MOV .",
      "its moral is just as relevant today as it ever was during the resistance years -- that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing .",
      "another masterpiece on melville 's resume .",
      "there is little safety in MOV , and its dangers add up humanly , not melodramatically -lrb- to call it a ` war film ' seems trite -rrb- .",
      "escapism in melville 's cinema inevitably gives way to existentialism ; pure entertainment becomes unattainable .",
      "taut , superb acting , narrative told by mood rather than action , the understated visuals , the elements of ` MOV ' merge to seep in under the skin and create an unforgettable and disturbing experience .",
      "austere yet probing portrait of the french resistance ... beautifully made and thoroughly engrossing .",
      "it 's a strange enough film , yet weirdly great . no movie has quite gotten the clammy weight of fear , the sense of hopelessness that would necessarily haunt underground workers .",
      "melville milks the tension for all its worth .",
      "superb .",
      "-lsb- features -rsb- very strong performances .",
      "the film is long and episodic , strangely divided between art-house enigmas and melodramatic payoffs for the matinee crowd .",
      "it does n't require a lot of dialog and action to create a mood ; instead it fills the screen with tension and the constant threat of danger .",
      "disarmingly restrained and terrifyingly tense .",
      "the cast of characters is small and well-drawn by an ensemble of veteran actors ."
    ],
    "summary": "originally made in 1969 , this recently reissued classic is a masterful examination of the inner workings of the world war ii resistance efforts .",
    "id": "326298407"
  },
  {
    "movie": "legend_of_zorro",
    "reviews": [
      "i would have dumped the cute kid and the priest and brought back sexy zorro and his gorgeous volatile wife . instead , banderas and zeta-jones morph into republican parents .",
      "harken to the hacienda and hoist the tequila ! it 's a bold , fun-filled , swashbuckling action adventure for the whole family .",
      "it is good fun , but not great fun , and it 's much longer than it ought to be .",
      "it tries just hard enough to get by when it should be working more ambitiously to earn that mark of the z.",
      "in what should 've been antonio banderas 's finest hour as the mexican superhero , he is instead swallowed up by a second film that does n't know what to do with him .",
      "the MOV kicks off with a ridiculously over-the-top action sequence that feels as though it 'd be more at home in the three amigos ...",
      "banderas and zeta-jones are strong . the writer 's and director 's grasp of american history is weak . yet , i found myself yelling , `` long live the MOV ! ''",
      "arrives with its fair share of violence and probably more individual deaths by explosion than listed on wile e. coyote 's hmo chart .",
      "... two terrific bad guys . banderas and zeta-jones are sexy and funny . even with too many ridiculous fights , this is a lot of fun .",
      "the filmmakers proudly wear their disdain for film critics on thier collective sleeve , and the result ... is fun .",
      "blocky plot turns and historical inaccuracies occasionally distract , but overall there are barrels of delicious swordplay , some particularly jaw dropping equestrian stunts , along with banderas ' winking wit , and zeta-jones smoldering confidence .",
      "with silly comedy where the spiciness was before",
      "antonio banderas is -lrb- whisper it -rrb- getting a little to old to be swashbuckling these days , but he still puts in a committed performance .",
      "not even his magnificent horse , which drinks and smokes , can tap dance the film into my heart . thank goodness the music has been retained ; at least you can revel in the score .",
      "the way zorro eludes his foes is nothing compared with the slipperiness of the film itself as it tries to be politically ` relevant ' yet inoffensive to all consituencies .",
      "this second zorro adventure starring antonio banderas and catherine zeta-jones is n't nearly as sharp as the first .",
      "it 's one thing to watch the sexy banter of a courtship coalescing , and quite another to watch a marriage falling apart . takes out some of the zing , do n't you know .",
      "an entirely forgettable action film . there is nothing new about it , the action feels similar to a universal stunt show and you 've forgotten it before the exit .",
      "flashy , action-packed and dull .",
      "banderas suddenly seems to be playing a human puss-in-boots , turning zorro into a cartoonish buffoon more often that a swashbuckling hero .",
      "nope , it 's not as good as the first one . but considering how chintzy and auto-piloty most sequels are these days , i 'll take what i can get .",
      "big stars , big budget , big stunts sabotaged by a scatterbrained plot .",
      "catherine zeta jones ' eminent allure and antonio banderas ' leading man charm are reduced to mere furnishings for an ostensibly child-friendly adventure movie filled with tedious stunt sequences , endless sword fights and too many brutal murders .",
      "just obvious pandering to a younger crowd ...",
      "reasonably rousing , breezily hokey , and touchingly retrograde",
      "the MOV is a campier sequel , occasionally given too much to childish antics . but once the story really kicks in , it transforms into a fine adventure film and a worthy addition to the zorro film legacy .",
      "pior que a infusăo do nacionalismo pós-11 de setembro na trama é a dinâmica formulaica e irritante da família zorro .",
      "we do n't really see who zorro really is . instead of being the good-hearted peasant turned swash-buckling gentleman , he 's often a bungling buffoon .",
      "the ludicrous plot and special effects featuring cartoon physics means this zero is strictly for those under the age of eight or so .",
      "excessively lengthy , swashbuckling-by-numbers exercise in tedium that fills the cinema with entirely the wrong kind of zs .",
      "the passionless string of the hoariest clichés is burnished with the phony luster of an i ca n't believe it 's not butter commercial , and its plot seems to have been amalgamated by a computer program .",
      "despite some fun moments and a reasonably good showing by the stars , it comes off as one more contrived hollywood sequel .",
      "after a seven year wait and a successful foundation , the audience deserves a little more than this",
      "antonio plays drunk like a man who has never been one , and catherine speaks spanish like a woman who would n't touch a burrito without rubber gloves and a surgical mask .",
      "the MOV spirals into a convoluted series of incidents , bordering on the impenetrable until they 're finally revealed as nonsensical .",
      "an overproduced yarn that , at more than two hours , leaves antonio banderas looking a little bored in his boots .",
      "suspension of disbelief is required of all , taken with two aspirin .",
      "oh , look -- madame tussaud has a new movie out .",
      "zorro ca n't hold a candle to the lone ranger .",
      "when ` the MOV ' is n't absurdly somber , it 's childish .",
      "what have they done to the zorro movie series ? it 's turned into spy kids !",
      "note to zorro : your sword has a pointy tip . use it .",
      "bigger , louder and considerably less charming than its predecessor .",
      "the MOV is a rather bad and unnecessary sequel , not only plotless but charmless too . it will appeal to young children and indiscriminating viewers only .",
      "energetic , star - and stunt-powered entertainment .",
      "in every imaginable way , this is a lesser film than the original .",
      "in lieu of swashbucking , there 's enough genital trauma here to fill three adam sandler movies .",
      "yes , `` the legend of a zorro '' is a cartoon , with bad guys that are oh-so-bad and heroes who are larger than life .",
      "if i were in this movie , i 'd wear a mask , too .",
      "emasculating -lrb- and prematurely aging -rrb- your own hero at every step seems like a bad idea , and campbell should have known better .",
      "it 's zorro , the domesticated blade !",
      "la leyenda es tan sólo la sombra de lo que fue la máscara ...",
      "the movie needed to be sexier and edgier than it is .",
      "it 's not a perfect movie historically but it is pure fun from beginning to end .",
      "campbell 's film has moments that capture this sensuality and stealth , but it 's noisier and longer than it should be .",
      "this overproduced , sporadically entertaining sequel to the mask of zorro strives so hard to relate to contemporary audiences that it loses all sense of itself as a period piece .",
      "in this busy sequel to 1998 's the mask of zorro , antonio banderas looks a little older , catherine zeta-jones snares a bigger role , and the powerful charms of both are weighed down by an absurdly plot-heavy script .",
      "more a parody than a sequel , martin campbell 's the MOV reunites the director with the stars of 1998 's the mask of zorro for two hours of ludicrous action , forced humor and self-conscious romance .",
      "there 'll likely be more z 's in the audience than on the screen during the MOV , a belated and belabored sequel to the delightful '98 hit that seems more like a cross between wild wild west and spy kids .",
      "the MOV is a sequel that arrives too late to benefit from any of its predecessor movie 's residual warm fuzzies .",
      "no , the tongues are n't quite as firmly in cheek , the one-liners are n't as crisp , and the action flags more times than it should . but this zorro does nothing to tarnish the legend .",
      "filmmaking this slack may be one reason why box-office receipts have been dropping .",
      "if the question is whether passion , excitement and intrigue can be written into the narrative of marriage , the answer in the MOV is an emphatic no .",
      "banderas and catherine zeta-jones still sizzle as the crime-fighter and his equally fearless wife , but their playful banter takes a back seat to the convoluted narrative , an unwieldy amalgam of swordplay , tiresome family drama .",
      "the mask of zorro , is a movie-movie - big , lush and sexy .",
      "the MOV is louder , brasher and kitschier than its predecessor . it 's closer in spirit to the sunday-funnies cacophony of the spy kids movies , offering some of those movies ' goofy pleasures .",
      "the new zorro is one of the rare films that aim to thrill us while lampooning the adventure genre , and hit both bull 's - eyes simultaneously .",
      "a movie so stupid and so boring at the same time that it stops just short of causing zorro creator johnston mcculley to roll over in his grave .",
      "so terrible that i must speak out to defend my own honor . be assured , mis amigos , i am no fancypants dullard as depicted by seńor antonio banderas .",
      "what happened to the fluidity and snap of the earlier film ?",
      "the MOV commits a lot of movie sins , but one is mortal : it turns the magnificent elena into a nag .",
      "great stunts , glamorous stars , and our affection for the characters make this sequel watchable , even with a disappointing script .",
      "possibly the least-necessary attempt at franchise building since another stakeout .",
      "we need more adventure flicks that play like grown-up movies and can still be enjoyed by kids , like this one .",
      "are we watching a modern-day , iraqi-oriented cautionary tale , disguised as family action fare ?",
      "the production is suffused by an almost desperate attempt to recapture the mood of its predecessor , but the tone is forced rather than natural , and the resultant production is bloated , contrived , and not very entertaining .",
      "zorro is misnamed , since it 's less about the legend than what happens when the legend goes home and gets yelled at by his wife .",
      "this colorful corn might pop if only campbell did n't have a directing technique wired with nitro .",
      "too flabby , too homogenized , and way too full of holes .",
      "people worn out from their workweek should go to the MOV to catch some z 's .",
      "though there 's worse entertainment around , there may be more people rabid for the return of prohibition than for a zorro sequel seven years after the fact .",
      "though it reunites the stars and director of the rousingly old-fashioned swashbuckler the mask of zorro -lrb- 1998 -rrb- , this unnecessary and overlong sequel fails to recapture its predecessor 's zing .",
      "the cg-effects to replicate crowds and buildings , the fake scenery , the flimsy plot and the cheap dialogue all spell a budget-conscious production .",
      "the mask of zorro was very entertaining - this one falls short and relies too heavily on slapstick humor . it 's way too long for the amount of story it 's trying to tell .",
      "the MOV passes corny right by and goes for silly , and stupid , and boring .",
      "despite its flaws , a swashbuckling , frenetic , fun family film .",
      "whether the film is necessary is up for debate , but zorro devotees and adventure-seeking youngsters should be pleased .",
      "a couple of fancy fight sequences allow the stars , and their stunt doubles , to demonstrate how dashing they still look with swords in hand .",
      "the MOV is a frustrating hodgepodge of a movie , as fascinating -lrb- often profoundly touching -rrb- in its parts as it is off-putting as a whole .",
      "zorro does n't get a chance to sword-swipe his initial into opponents ' clothes very often this time around , but when he does , it should be an 'm ' for ` mediocre . '",
      "original-haters with phenomenally low expectations will find a decent family action movie that , while still obnoxiously long , features more of the right kind of silly thrills .",
      "here we go again with the tedium of yet another superhero who is faced with the daunting challenge of being a better parent .",
      "demand a director 's cut -- at least 30-40 minutes shorter -- before you see ... this long and tedious stunt extravaganza .",
      "puts a sense of fun back into the movies that has been absent for quite some time .",
      "in the first film , the horse was stubborn . in this movie , he drinks , belches and smokes a pipe . seriously , a burping horse ! ugh . it 's like a bad cartoon .",
      "often seems as flat as a tortilla . die-hard fans of the first film might be more forgiving ... even the most patient viewers , however , may get a trifle antsy ...",
      "it 's all overstuffed with action ... , rip-offs of classic western images and howling historical errors . it also is , admittedly , a good deal of fun if you shut off your brains .",
      "the stars and director are back but the thrill is gone , replaced by a muttonheaded script and slapstick comedy that starts in hectic mode and quickly strips its gears .",
      "did i miss the ballyhoo , or is this the least anticipated sequel since big brother 6 ?",
      "z still marks the spot ... -lsb- in -rsb- another heaping helping of swashbuckling , popcorn-crunching fun .",
      "the MOV is fun all right , but it is a comedown from the excellent mask of zorro .",
      "the `` legend '' of zorro is alive and almost well in the MOV .",
      "features a winning cast and is jam-packed with some pretty good action scenes , but it 's also so defanged that the film does n't engender any real tension .",
      "more of a rainy day diversion than a sunny morning matinee thrill ride .",
      "bigger , faster and more spectacular is usually the rule for sequels . applied to the MOV , that rule translates into busier , sloppier , less coherent and more frantic .",
      "the MOV is so stodgy and slow , it makes even an out-of-control steam engine seem like nothing more than a lot of hot air .",
      "a school house scene , sure to be a movie memory classic , crowns the film . the whole class cheers on a 10-year-old zorro jr. . i was absolutely rolling in the aisles ! go adrian !",
      "i could feel my life siphoning out of me as this masterpiece entered its third hour .",
      "a ` funny family action film ' in the fantastic four mold -- that is , a movie whose key qualification as kid entertainment is that it is n't good enough for grown‑ups .",
      "some definitive things happened in the first one that it would seem they could n't replay the same shenanigans . but they found a way .",
      "the MOV is not only a generic actioner , it 's a perfect example of a movie with two leads interested only in the number of zeros on their paychecks .",
      "despite its drawbacks , zorro is acceptable in a pinch though not without its puzzling elements .",
      "innocuous and with more than a few laughs and rousing moments , it could make for passable family entertainment some rainy afternoon . but if you remember the first movie , it 'll feel like something 's missing .",
      "proudly flourishing the z that stands for zonked , the legend of zero -- er , zorro - - is dumb like a lox .",
      "a dandy-looking adventure flick that embraces all demographics with only a few missteps could lure the public back to the ` plexes .",
      "there 's no swash , no buckle to the MOV , just a whole lot of dysfunction between antonio banderas and catherine zeta-jones .",
      "the film 's propensity for silliness would be more forgivable if there was n't a real nastiness to some of its violence .",
      "as it turns out , MOV is a spirited , though fairly generic , action movie about a guy who habitually abandons his gorgeous wife , puts on black clothes and carries a whip .",
      "it may not be a great film , but it 's better than a poke in the eye with a sword .",
      "it 's sad to watch this legend fall off his horse",
      "now comes the long-deferred the MOV , which , to put it bluntly , is a big bloated bore-o .",
      "call this zorro , the dull blade .",
      "here , even banderas sounds like he 's having a hard time sounding authentic .",
      "you must cast aside all rules of our space-time continuum to appreciate a fantasy like this one , though even then you might consider 130 minutes to be too much of a good thing ."
    ],
    "summary": "zorro can survive a lot of things , but it looks like he ca n't survive marriage .",
    "id": "8916"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dont_come_knocking",
    "reviews": [
      "potential filmgoers should read the title carefully . then take the message heart .",
      "the story is as meandering as it is self-indulgent .",
      "emotionally arid and narratively lazy , the film is so tentative it seems to be evaporating before our very eyes .",
      "... the long-awaited reunion of writer-actor sam shepard and german filmmaker wim wenders yields only mixed results .",
      "a sparse , rolling drama with some strong laughs that prods at a western movie star 's surprising past .",
      "... the story ... is n't big enough to stand up to the characters who blow through it or to resist being overwhelmed by the geography on which it 's set .",
      "the charm here is in watching shepard and lange , and shepard and saint play off one another , and the leisurely pace of the ` discoveries ' that are n't really secrets in the first place .",
      "aspires to be a story of redemption and discovery , but it 's too undercooked to be either .",
      "superb supporting performances from polley and baulk go some way to making up for our hero 's lesser qualities .",
      "though there are a few great moments from the supporting players , they ca n't compensate for the emotional doughnut at the center of the story : a selfish , inarticulate lump where a leading man should be .",
      "what gives it a vital , touching dimension is that shepard , as actor and writer , depicts howard 's burnout from a hard-bitten inside knowledge of celebrity 's privileges and traps .",
      "beautifully shot but a colossal bore .",
      "surprisingly , it 's the relatively obscure mann who delivers the finest performance",
      "there are no characters to connect with and no story to anchor an emotional response to -- just a series of vignettes where shepard , as the cowboy , demonstrates he 's so lonesome he could cry .",
      "despite a fine cast , the film feels as lost as howard , unsure of its direction or tone .",
      "visually majestic but dramatically inert .",
      "lustig 's cinematography has a walker evans-like power .",
      "much as you want to walk away from the messes it makes , do n't come knocking is like a performing panhandler on the subway whose shtick is just funny enough to grab your attention -- along with a little loose change .",
      "a weirdly atonal film that lurches between heavy-breathing comedy and dramatic overkill .",
      "... while wenders has had funny moments in his work , he 's not deft enough at humor to sustain it throughout a feature .",
      "at times the film is labored and forced .",
      "that the movie does n't deepen so much as trail off is a frustrating but fitting embodiment of a protagonist who 's never taken responsibility for anything .",
      "sam shepard , an actor of increasingly bimbo-ish narcissism , gives another tiresome , cowboy-hat-wearing performance in a monumentally boring and conceited film .",
      "the pacing is so poky , and the situations so loopy , that the movie skirts the line between unintentionally comic and knowingly pretentious .",
      "the narrative that unfolds in the wake of spence 's journey recalls paris but walks too heavy for a character study to gel .",
      "the dusty backdrop evokes a palpable sense of transience and the lingering past , but there 's ultimately very little beneath the gesturing .",
      "provocative and haunting , but as a moviegoing experience , it 's rather elusive .",
      "with its wonderful veteran cast , its heart on its sleeve , and a love for the landscape that suffuses its technique , do n't come knocking is a peculiar but rewarding escape .",
      "do n't come knocking might have been better in the hands of a less self-conscious director , but it 's nonetheless a captivating drama .",
      "another masterpiece from wim wenders and sam shepard .",
      "totally lacking pretense and easily accessible , this character driven film is beautifully captured",
      "this is just another male menopause movie , marred by unlikely dialogue and hokey theatrical symbolism .",
      "the longer do n't come knocking goes on , the less interesting it becomes , its considerable promise sacrificed by a director 's inability to keep his self-indulgences in check .",
      "do n't come knocking would cure even tom waits of barroom whimsy for life .",
      "strikes some resonant chords but also hits notes that simply do n't ring true and are borderline risible at times .",
      "a dry , spare , odd and oddly satisfying drama about a modern-day lonesome cowboy , lost in a desert of his own making , who seeks salvation by searching out those he left behind .",
      "this narrative riff on alienation and identity disappoints .",
      "judging by this meandering and diffuse western , middle-age has n't been kind to wim wenders and sam shepard , whose first teaming , paris , texas , was far superior",
      "as soon as the paint dries , you might as well hang wenders ' non-moving picture in a museum .",
      "the kind of movie you stretch out in , wander around , and -- like the characters onscreen -- just let happen to you .",
      "a movie at war with itself , wim wenders ' latest adopts an ambling gait and doofy cornpone poses in the service of material that probably deserved deeper , more serious consideration .",
      "an engaging drama with strong performances and gorgeous photography , this a minor return to form for director wim wenders .",
      "-lsb- wenders and shepard -rsb- ramble the stark countryside , two filmmakers in search of meaning . interesting , beautiful to watch , but pointless .",
      "spence has much in common with shepard and wenders . they seem equally bewildered about what to do , other than spending nearly two hours demonstrating that spence is a self-pitying fool .",
      "do n't come knocking is n't noticeably relevant or insightful , even if you 're able to suspend disbelief long enough to buy the idea of a western movie star in the 21st century .",
      "suffers badly from an emotional aimlessness .",
      "i 'm sorry , but not only did i find `` do n't come knocking '' implausible and far-fetched , but also tedious .",
      "squanders an interesting set-up and lead character for half-baked indie quirkiness , unstimulating americana and dull themes about family ...",
      "a moving film that hangs with you like a favorite vacation to red-rock country .",
      "burdened with uneven acting and portentous dialogue , the film has one important saving grace . franz lustig 's cinematography exquisitely captures the grandeur and loneliness of the american west .",
      "as arresting as the images are , shepard 's clunky , soap-opera banter brings most everything , and everyone , crashing down to earth .",
      "it 's a spry and estimable film , rich in ideas , absolutely lovely to behold , and providing evidence that there 's still ample life in the old pros who made it .",
      "shards of honesty pierce the action , true little moments that wound or heal a weak man in a flawed story .",
      "it has the feel of an idea that was kicked around without ever finding its footing .",
      "it degenerates into one of those scream-o-ramas , an emotional hellzapoppin ' , where everybody tries to make everybody else cry .",
      "the story is faintly ridiculous , but the cinematography and composition are beautiful and even stunning .",
      "it 's a tale prevalent in movies today ... men who have run from family and responsibility begin to yearn for what they 've left behind .",
      "reminiscent of a hand-me-down shepard play , recycling ideas that he 's treated far more effectively in the past .",
      "do n't come knocking lacks harry dean stanton and the astonishing emotional trajectory of paris , texas -lrb- 1984 -rrb- , but it reunites wim wenders and writer sam shepard in a raw , airy west .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- big-hearted failure of a film .",
      "the movie ambles along like an old western cowpoke , but it does eventually get where it 's going ; the ride may be a little bumpy , but it 's a pleasant journey to take .",
      "do n't come knocking is every bit the instant classic that paris , texas was , possibly more so .",
      "when wenders spins his camera around shepard in a 24-hour pan do n't come knocking finds an invisible framework and plucks it like a guitar string .",
      "knocking could be considered a coming out party for sam shepard , who turns in a performance that effectively erases the bitter taste of the last ten years of his career",
      "there 's something a little absurd about this story , but for me , it 's endearingly goofy .",
      "it walks a fine line between sentimentality and satire , but rarely stumbles , thanks to a cast that is captivating to hear and watch .",
      "often occupying more than half the screen , the sky is like a character in the movie , but , unfortunately , it 's the most interesting character in the film , which has a bright , distinct look and dull , forgettable people .",
      "do n't come knocking finally does n't work for me , because instead of embodying its themes it seems to be regarding them from outside , with awe , as if it is the high school production of itself .",
      "there are so many good performances here .",
      "this is the kind of movie where you have to get up every two or three hours and walk around to get the circulation flowing .",
      "... a meandering country-and-western pop tune that sings its lyrics with a chagrined contrition and a crooked smile .",
      "it 's a beautiful mess , but it 's a mess all the same .",
      "a pretentious drama about a formerly famous movie star undergoing an identity crisis .",
      "for those in tune with shepard 's oeuvre ; wenders ' sly , muted tone ; and the exquisite cinematography of franz lustig , do n't come knocking can be quirkily resonant .",
      "`` do n't come knocking '' marches to wim wender and sam shepard 's own drumbeat and may not appeal to other than the art house crowd .",
      "` do n't come knocking ' is about traversing landscapes of memory . even as the american dream is fading in the open , once empty , surreal western landscapes now strewn with the detritus of an entirely disposable material society , so too the western-movie hero",
      "this is lightweight drama , sure , but it 's a charming example of it .",
      "the outcome of -lsb- this -rsb- journey is already all too familiar .",
      "more a cry of regret than a coherent story .",
      "this is the diet coke of existentialism . one calorie . not existential enough .",
      "a slow-moving study of loneliness effective because of sam shepherd 's signature acting .",
      "this lonesome cowpoke story has its moments of visual beauty , but fails to capture the magic of the first wenders-shepard collaboration , 1984 's intimate western paris , texas .",
      "wenders , returning to the american desert twenty years after paris , texas has a made a quiet , wonderful movie .",
      "this is something to see . a perfect independent film to be sure .",
      "showcases some fantastic photography , terrific acting , and a superb soundtrack , but it 's not the masterpiece that paris , texas is .",
      "beautifully shot in rich colors by franz lustig , it 's possibly wenders ' most accessible film to date , and among his most emotionally satisfying .",
      "in the film 's best scene , roth interrogates lange about potatoes . unfortunately such moments are rare .",
      "has the quirkiness we 've come to expect and relish in a wim wenders movie .",
      "by the time we get to the point where the camera is endlessly circling shepard sitting on a sofa in the middle of the street , it feels as if he and his director were making things up as they went along .",
      "the story , jointly cooked up , is reasonable , if not their best , but shepard 's screenplay is a real disappointment , failing to lock into gear at any time .",
      "the widescreen visual poetry of `` do n't come knocking '' seems less like inspiration and more like overcompensation .",
      "... is so meandering it can make a sober viewer into a drunk .",
      "wim wenders y sam shepard -lrb- paris , texas -rrb- recuperan -lrb- en excelente fotografía y mejor música -rrb- una iconografía norteamericana al servicio de una historia sobre el desarraigo y la necesidad de recuperar vínculos largamente perdidos .",
      "-lsb- it has -rsb- a terrific sense of place , something missing from much contemporary us cinema .",
      "full review in greek",
      "hardly wenders ' most adventurous feature , although perhaps his bravest , dramatising not only the director 's undoubted influence on the last 20 years of indie cinema , but also his increasing redundancy within it .",
      "apart from an extraordinary scene of attempted reconciliation between shepard and lange `` do n't come knocking '' is an inflated drama that lies stagnate on the screen .",
      "the bitterness of the playwright 's vision is expanded by the director 's fascinated fondness for american culture"
    ],
    "summary": "the cinematography conjures beautifully evocative landscapes , but aside from that , the film is meandering and pointless .",
    "id": "112770461"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1083414-parent_trap",
    "reviews": [
      "the lavish , super-cute new version of the MOV is a remake of the 1961 hayley mills hit , which was seriously adorable in its own right",
      "responsibility for making this trap tender rests heaviest on the bird-size shoulders of auburn-haired , freckle-faced lohan , now 11 , who won the unenviable job of making us forget about hayley mills -- at least temporarily .",
      "lindsay lohan shines in the dual role of twin sisters hallie parker and annie james , separated at birth , they find each other at summer camp .",
      "a perfectly pleasant experience , thanks largely to newcomer lindsay lohan , who capably assumes a dual role as american-raised hallie parker and london-based annie james .",
      "affirms the ideal of family ties as one of the pre-eminent virtues of our times .",
      "a delightful remake hits the screen that is every bit as fun and entertaining as the hayley mills original",
      "the MOV is a nice , old-fashioned movie .",
      "you probably wo n't be missing out if you do n't see this film but if you do , you 'll spend a pleasant time .",
      "... exactly the sort of easy-going , endlessly engaging family film that seems to have become an unusually rare breed in this day and age .",
      "lohan is cute and charming , as would be expected , but she also brings a street-savvy quality to both her roles , and distinguishes them well enough for us to tell the difference , even if no one in the movie can .",
      "natasha richardson , usually known for tougher roles , is enormous appealing as the vulnerable albeit successful woman , dennis quaid 's grin is as fetching as ever , and lindsay lohan turns in a striking turn with flawless british and american accents .",
      "the spunky lindsay lohan , the lead in disney 's remake of the MOV is one of the best new actresses in years .",
      "agreeable remake of the 60s disney hit .",
      "a light-hearted disney remake ... lohan makes an impressive debut .",
      "delightful remake is great for the whole family .",
      "new pic is slick , sentimental and exceptionally well cast , with enough cross-generational appeal to suggest strong commercial potential .",
      "the light comedy is sweetly timed , the direction smart and assured , and the visuals bright , colourful , unobtrusive and faultless .",
      "even if you 've seen and enjoyed the original MOV , this 1998 update should make you happy all over again .",
      "romance , comedy , adventure and charm come through loud and clear in this highly entertaining remake .",
      "the technology for twinning a single young actress is considerably more seamless than it was in 1961 , and lohan is a perky charmer .",
      "this 1998 romantic comedy mostly bores with its cumbersome exposition and close-ups of trivial objects scattered throughout lackluster montage sequences .",
      "the whole thing is pleasant enough -- provided you can suspend your disbelief for long enough to accept that all english people talk in plummy accents , swan around kensington and have butlers .",
      "it never fails to amaze me that something as essentially light and pointless as disney 's remake of the MOV can clock in at over two hours in length .",
      "movies like this remember how much fun escapism can be .",
      "saccharine yet satisfying , the MOV is entertaining enough for both kids and adults .",
      "it 's derivative perhaps , predictable , certainly , but through it all , this very modern reworking of the 1961 MOV is an unexpected charmer .",
      "quaid and richardson are appealing and have believable chemistry together . and hendrix is a real hoot , as are scene-stealers lisa ann walter and simon kunz , playing james and elizabeth 's hired help .",
      "vanilla and sweet , it 's an overly generous helping that , if it does n't make you sick , will put you in a good humor all day long .",
      "seńal del estancamiento en el que ha caído disney desde hace ya por lo menos un lustro , así como de refritos innecesarios",
      "i do n't know what little girls today are going to remember about this movie 37 years from now , but parents can take heart in knowing that it 's a movie they can safely let their kids see .",
      "the MOV is entertaining , filled with laughs and sentimentality . it 's simplistic in its outlook , which will make it even more appealing for the younger audience members .",
      "every once in a while , uncomplicated and inoffensive fun feels just right .",
      "a fairly fun family picture with lively performances from the whole cast .",
      "richardson and quaid , who is beginning to resemble harrison ford in his rumpled mode , have great chemistry . it 's a shame it takes so long for the movie to bring them together to demonstrate it .",
      "this is a classy adaptation , devoid of kiddie toilet humor and cartoon violence ; it features a fully developed story , and it takes its time setting up the premise and letting it unfold .",
      "the filmmaking team creates a sparkling new MOV worthy of an original that featured hayley mills and maureen o'hara .",
      "it is similar to the original but juiced up with new gags and gimmicks that should compete nicely with the action-oriented fare now reigning in multiplexes .",
      "quaint remake of the original trap , featuring the oh-so-cute lohan as separated twins trying to reunite their parents . amazing work for a kid her age , i must admit ."
    ],
    "summary": "writer-director nancy meyers takes the winning formula of the 1961 original and gives it an amiable modern spin , while young star lindsay lohan shines in her breakout role .",
    "id": "12593"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_bourne_legacy",
    "reviews": [
      "the gilroys -- co-writer/director tony , writer dan -- do n't kill or wreck `` MOV . '' but this treadstone retread just treads water , and that 's no way to make it bourne again .",
      "he wo n't erase any memories of damon , but renner 's turn is strong enough to stand on its own .",
      "it 's chaotic , but still kind of fun .",
      "MOV is dwarfed by the three smash bourne movies that preceded it . but for summer movie night escapsim , you could do worse .",
      "it struggles -lrb- ironically -rrb- to establish its own identity . bourne himself , it turns out , casts too great a shadow .",
      "` legacy ' has to dig deeper to find new ground to cover , introducing elements of sci-fi into the equation . the result is surprisingly limp and even more incomprehensible .",
      "a momentum-driven thriller that depends less on star power than on epic action sequences .",
      "will come as a major disappointment for those who enjoyed the earlier trilogy , a mostly plodding chase movie that revs up too infrequently and then not always excitingly .",
      "by the time rachel weisz , as a scientist called dr. marta shearing , showed up in a lab coat , i stopped trying to parse every plot twist and just went with the action flow .",
      "the best thing that can be said about `` MOV '' is that renner will survive it .",
      "renner projects too much complexity to be an action hero , and he and weisz have no chemistry ...",
      "after one of the best chase sequences of any movie this year , it literally slams into an ending that does n't feel very much like an ending at all , leaving viewers adrift in a sea of unanswered spy questions .",
      "when it comes to action filmmaking tony gilroy still has much to learn , namely : do n't expect underwhelming action sequences to be a life preserver in an ocean of complicated plot devices .",
      "if this is the legacy of the bourne franchise , we 're better off just forgetting all about it .",
      "`` MOV '' is a better than competent spy thriller that pays off on its promise to push up the spectator 's blood pressure .",
      "jeremy renner steps into this reboot of the `` bourne '' franchise and the series does n't miss a beat .",
      "MOV exists only as a failed attempt to squeeze more juice out of a once-reputable franchise , which is hardly a legacy worth leaving .",
      "it 's watchable , but does n't have enough sense of character or purpose to make us care about anything that happens",
      "it 's a mostly unnecessary addition to the smart , exciting `` bourne '' trilogy .",
      "an intelligent , fantastic piece of well constructed pop entertainment that has a certain air of erudite emotional remove .",
      "it falters a little bit and it 's really just an effort to keep a lucrative franchise alive without its iconic star , but it still seems to have plenty of life left in it .",
      "smart , taut , sleek , tense and unrelenting -- an ideal action movie and a truly exemplary sequel .",
      "can a bourne-again movie succeed without matt damon as jason bourne , without bourne himself , and without a robert ludlum book as the production 's turn-by-turn guide ? yes , it can .",
      "not merely the worst entry in a series i 've liked until now , but also one of the worst movies of the year .",
      "`` MOV '' makes the most of its inheritance and sets the stage for a long , rich genealogy to come .",
      "complex , unexpected and dazzling , alternating relentless tension with resonant emotional moments , this is an exemplary espionage thriller that has a strong sense of what it wants to accomplish and how best to get there .",
      "it 's deja vu all over again .",
      "a brisk and challenging film .",
      "essentially one big long chase scene that never wants to stop , and with good reason . because whenever it does , the audience might start thinking .",
      "gilroy , who 's had a hand in writing the previous three films in the franchise , cleverly overlaps the events of this chapter with those of the bourne ultimatum .",
      "seeing a bourne film for the plotting feels like reading playboy for the articles , but if that 's your thing , this is your movie .",
      "reeking of a desperate attempt to keep a valuable franchise afloat ...",
      "it 's as good a story as you can hope when you 're trying to keep a franchise afloat without the main character , but it still feels a little underdone .",
      "jeremy renner ca n't quite match the charm of matt damon in the leading role but it 's hard to fault his passionate , energetic performance .",
      "there comes a point at which you have enhanced soldiers fighting with non-enhanced people stuck in the middle ... where you 're just remaking terminator 2 .",
      "an accelerated action movie riff on `` flowers for algernon ''",
      "the film is too well-made and too well-paced to reek of cynicism ... but rather than leaving you yearning for yet more bourne , this exhausting fourth installment is more likely to have you citing one of the clearly stated themes in the film : `` no more '' .",
      "even without jason bourne and the corresponding matt damon , it 's a well-cast and well-done continuation of the series .",
      "a bloated waste of time .",
      "manages at one and the same time to feel very propulsive without actually going anywhere in particular or having much of a point .",
      "lacks the tight plotting that characterised the first three movies .",
      "set in stunning international locations , MOV delivers a story with scale , thrilling action and an exciting new protagonist in jeremy renner as aaron cross",
      "the series 's legacy is lessened by this capable but uninspired fourth episode .",
      "the biggest problem is n't even bourne 's absence - it 's that the film 's parts do n't add up to much of substance .",
      "along the way there are a number of action set pieces including a bravura chase through manila on foot and on motorcycle that plays out like a game of three-dimensional chess .",
      "never tell a studio that their golden goose is finished laying eggs .",
      "an uneven start to a new franchise that may need a director with a completely different vision in order for it to be truly born again .",
      "if the overarching story is silly , on the ground gilroy 's approach is the opposite : brainy and logistics-obsessed .",
      "the need to link this story to the ones before it is understandable ... but it 's also a massive weight on the movie 's shoulders .",
      "the `` x-men origins : wolverine '' or `` exorcist ii : the heretic '' of the `` bourne '' series , a low-rent , low-voltage rehash with each new idea offered up being a bad one .",
      "renner is a superb choice for an action hero , with easy charisma , intelligence , and mad fighting skills .",
      "`` MOV '' is ... the cinematic equivalent of an nfl pro bowl - exciting , but after a while all the offense becomes a tad tiresome and repetitious . there is something to be said for defense .",
      "it all but squanders jeremy renner and rachel weisz , although with actors less appealing , `` MOV '' would be even worse .",
      "jeremy renner takes over the franchise and lends his character a menacing charm .",
      "the action - foot chases , gun battles , and one lengthy episode on motorbikes in the choked streets of manila - is really , really good .",
      "fast paced , tightly plotted and strongly performed , MOV is an inventive continuation of the groundbreaking bourne series .",
      "a nimble and well-crafted chase thriller .",
      "MOV is a solid , if slightly underwhelming , return for the franchise .",
      "MOV in no way honours MOV . it is merely an exercise in brand maintenance until damon feels like climbing down off his wallet to be bourne again .",
      "MOV is quieter , slower , more sobering . the conspiracy is bigger and darker than we thought .",
      "there 's enough there , in all likelihood , to make audiences hope for more , but it 's not as finished or complete a work as it should have been .",
      "where the bourne ultimatum was a lesson in how to construct a jargon-heavy , location-hopping , it-goes-all-the-way-up-to-the-top spy thriller , MOV is a lesson in how not to .",
      "why oh why would you spoil the brilliance of a perfect film trilogy with a bourne inferior ? MOV is a fourth big screen adventure for the super spy but sadly one without a plot , a point and most incredibly jason bourne .",
      "the bourne films have more than just overstayed their welcome and outlasted the ludlum books -- they 've been van halenized , with an abrupt change of frontman and a resulting dip in personality .",
      "the verbal heavy-lifting gets ridiculous in light of the silliness of the story 's x-men-ready genetic-mutation plot .",
      "MOV disgraces the family name",
      "an unusual love triangle materializing between dodging bullets , and radically redefining the doctor patient relationship , seemingly ensues between weisz , renner and his chems . giving a whole new meaning to the notion of action thriller shoot 'em ups .",
      "the film , while echoing the bourne identity , is adequate enough -lrb- not the highest praise , i know -rrb- and creates enough space for itself to warrant further adventures .",
      "if this movie were its own animal it would have a shot at being good . its franchise contortions ruin it .",
      "`` how does n't really matter , does it ? '' yells ed norton , about half way through this muddled spinoff . i was so relieved , no longer having to sweat the small stuff , like plot .",
      "sets the stage for better and fuller adventures to come .",
      "although there is n't nearly as much action as the original three movies , it 's doubtful anyone will leave legacy not wanting to see more of renner and weisz in these roles .",
      "one successful set piece in 135 minutes , and it involves very little running , no parkour , and no genetically enhanced superheroes from clandestine government projects .",
      "semi-successful revamp uses bourne 's name",
      "unless america is really that stuck on matt damon in the bourne franchise , i see no reason that renner 's work here should n't make him a star .",
      "renner 's cross is n't as compelling a protagonist as damon 's troubled bourne , but when it comes to bruising combat he certainly delivers .",
      "legacy intact ! MOV ensures we 've not seen the end of the franchise just yet .",
      "no one wanted this . not even lapsed christians sought to be `` bourne '' again .",
      "it does n't so much as end as run out of running time .",
      "the rather serious and businesslike film offers a handful of intense action scenes and some satisfying spy-vs-spy combat .",
      "a fine movie , in the end . and that 's the problem . it 's just fine . the first three `` bourne '' movies were incredible .",
      "renner and the audience deserve better .",
      "gilroy has brought characteristic taste and skill to a nearly impossible task : embracing the past without completely erasing it , thereby creating an invitingly complicated and open-ended future .",
      "nicely overlaps the previous films while carving a name of its own",
      "it could n't ever hope to match the paul greengrass/matt damon movies for sheer punch and propulsion , but it 's as close to replicating them as you could expect , and marks another excellent entry into the bourneography .",
      "inevitably , this film will be compared to the damon trilogy , and i think it 's a worthy entry in the series . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "they really should promote it as MOV starring jeremy renner , rachel weisz and a photo of matt damon we will show every 5 minutes to make you feel like matt damon is in the movie .",
      "MOV is one of alfred hitchcock 's `` refrigerator movies , '' in that it succeeds pretty well `` in the moment '' but starts to fall apart when considered in retrospect .",
      "talky and short on action , the film will leave fans on hold and other filmgoers unimpressed .",
      "it 's game all the way , it has some applause moments for the superb engineering of several action sequences , and it rates high marks for conception and writing . but we 're missing something . could it be jason bourne ?",
      "tony gilroy handles the action sequences decently enough , aided by john gilroy 's brisk editing and striking camerawork from robert elswit .",
      "the ending suggests a sequel , and why not ? i 'd watch renner again , though i 'd still prefer it if damon and greengrass returned .",
      "all could be forgiven if the action delivered , but it does n't .",
      "it is really just another action chase story with a science-fictional macguffin concept that could have even been an afterthought .",
      "whether you like ` MOV ' depends on what you think about ` link ' movies .",
      "since MOV 's non-ending leaves the franchise in need of a real finale , it would be great if damon signs back up and joins renner for one last bourne experience .",
      "this is a talky , draggy thriller , muddled by flashbacks and woefully low on action .",
      "subbing character actor jeremy renner into a franchise that requires matt damon-caliber magnetism , series scribe tony gilroy takes over the helming duties with an overlong sequel that features too little action and an unnecessarily complicated plot .",
      "it does n't have a satisfactory conclusion , but it does leave the door wide open for more sequels , which , i guess , is the whole point of this empty exercise in commercial film making .",
      "renner 's aaron cross races to get his fix , in what seems like an overblown metaphor for the ideal viewer 's addiction to chasing the bourne dragon . ` no more ' , indeed .",
      "disappointing as both a bourne sequel and as tony gilroy 's followup to the brilliant duplicity ...",
      "i did see and greatly enjoy the previous ` bournes , ' but was dizzied at what the heck was going on in this new take . no doubt this is the end of the franchise .",
      "one gets the sense throughout that gilroy is trying too hard to please too many masters .",
      "a quasi spinoff , a side-quel if you will , the plot runs in an obfuscated parallel construction . hang thru the first hour for a much better second . renner + weisz are worth it .",
      "it 's twists and turns and nothing else . and fast and furious as it may be , if this is the best this once-smart series has to offer , this is no legacy .",
      "this franchise is going to have to come up with something pretty special if it hopes to limp past this miserable entry .",
      "gilroy 's a fine writer - he also penned michael clayton - but without the discipline of an action veteran like greengrass to rein him in , he indulges his weakness to over-explain things .",
      "universal hits reset , take the series in a new direction , and introduces some fresh ideas that help buttress what ends up being a reasonably intense action film .",
      "MOV arrives at one of the most jarringly abrupt and anticlimactic conclusions i 've ever seen .",
      "renner and weisz work well together as two hunted souls who initially need each other for utilitarian reasons .",
      "the whole thing remains peculiarly abstract - there 's nothing to invest in here , no pre-existing couple under threat , no child in peril , no one to root for . no lighter moments either .",
      "it 's an exciting chase thriller , but it 's thin , playing like the first act of three parts and while cross is physically strong , he may not have the legs for it .",
      "with neither main star nor director on board , and seemingly no plot to progress , how does MOV hold up ? considering the circumstances , pretty darn well .",
      "this jason-bourne-less sequel to the popular spy trilogy necessarily lacks something . but it strives to compensate .",
      "legacy is a fine pseudo-reboot -- mostly setup but good enough to warrant a sequel to see what gilroy and renner come up with next .",
      "if identity , supremacy , and ultimatum were the cheeky entrée , mouth-watering main , and delectable dessert , respectively , watching this fourquel feels like finally receiving the bill .",
      "gilroy has n't locked down every last task and stumbles at the end , but he keeps an awful lot spinning for an awfully long time .",
      "shares crucial dna with the earlier films but is drawn from the shallower end of the gene pool .",
      "this sequel is little more than a cash grab .",
      "bourne fan fiction . but it 's the rare sort of good fanfic : utterly inconsequential , of course , but a whole lotta fun . it 's a turn-your-brain-off popcorn flick for people who do n't like to turn our brains off just because we 're at the movies .",
      "whether you call this a reboot , extension , evolution or a spin-off , i 'm thrilled with where this franchise can go .",
      "what gilroy can do with mastery is build tension .",
      "` bourne ' again ? i do n't think so .",
      "aaron cross immediately registers as a more vulnerable and sympathetic protagonist than his predecessor .",
      "this is such an obvious black-ops ploy to milk the cash cow ...",
      "action sequences run hot-and-cold : a battle inside marta 's home is superbly orchestrated , but a chase through manila is overbaked , particularly when one notes that the assassin in pursuit proves to be as indestructible as a t-1000 sent from the future .",
      "you can be bourne again without bourne -- again .",
      "while the results are mostly entertaining , this is the weakest and least thrilling addition to the bourne series .",
      "a primer on how to make a successful sequel sans a hit franchise 's title character , star or source material from the series ' creator .",
      "it 's bourne , but in many ways it 's bourne-lite .",
      "there are a handful of key action sequences that are wrapped up in this really boring movie . it 's like one of the lamest and least memorable pigs in a blanket you 've ever experienced .",
      "might pass muster as a serviceable , if infuriatingly coy , bourne spin-off if the lead were not so woefully miscast .",
      "we come looking for bravado and butt kicking ... we end up with little more than dialogue and discussion .",
      "for a film with jason bourne 's dna , this is the slow one in the family .",
      "disappointing recycling of bits from older `` bourne '' movies with an unnecessarily complicated , slow-to-get-going and even by bourne standards unbelievable plot .",
      "as mindless entertainment goes , legacy is better than most with good dialogue and excellent character work from renner . but it 's incomplete and ultimately unable to carve out an identity of its own .",
      "non-stop action sequel holds its own against predecessors .",
      "the movie 's last hour or so squanders these rich narrative possibilities in an incoherently plotted , generically action-packed anticlimax .",
      "MOV moves on , and takes us on a spirited journey . stow your baggage , and it 's a trip well worth taking .",
      "the bourne films seem to only be about filming herky , jerky chases and frenetic fight scenes . these outcome agents never seem to do anything other than be chased . just once i 'd like to see the outcome agents do some , you know , spying .",
      "gilroy has a strong sense of drama and he mostly directs with a sense of urgency suitable to the genre",
      "a fundamental issue at the heart of MOV is it lacks the same propulsive narrative and ongoing journey of self-discovery for its protagonist - key ingredients which made the first series so memorable .",
      "might have benefited from a tighter edit , but overall still manages to thrill .",
      "like the films that preceded it , this is a movie that , even its -lrb- brief -rrb- quieter passages , is all about momentum .",
      "MOV may wind up being remembered as the new coke of the bourne franchise . it 's really not all that much different , but it 's likely to leave the public clamoring for bourne classic .",
      "for 100 minutes , this is a slam-bang , humdinger of a movie , which turns into a perils of pauline serial , with the story never coming to an end after a mindless , 30-minute chase .",
      "clears the muddle of names and motivations making the first three bourne adventures tough to follow -lrb- and -rrb- explains the breadth of the treadstone project , making it more than just a macguffin to make someone sweat .",
      "everything gilroy and crew concoct only serves to mock the excellence and passion with which greengrass delivered his films .",
      "the ` curse of the pink panther ' of jason bourne films .",
      "while MOV may not soar , it 's as solid as the rock at its center : renner .",
      "gilroy , who as a screenwriter has shaped the movie saga from the beginning , trades the wired rhythms established in the past two episodes by paul greengrass for something more realistic and closer to the ground . the change is refreshing .",
      "rachel weisz is the best thing in this overlong slog through matt damon 's table scraps .",
      "i was hooked and then it left me a bit flat at the end . maybe i 'm just spoiled because of the avengers where i always want to see someone team up or go against each other . if that happens with this franchise it seems like it would fit .",
      "in the original bourne series it was `` fight fight fight/story story story . '' it had that balance . this one has a lot of talking for a long time . we get the point , and then they keep talking and talking ... let 's have a fight already .",
      "one analyst spits out that `` he 's treadstone without the inconsistencies . '' it seems that legacy is bourne with some added in .",
      "merely an unnecessary -lrb- and mostly unsuccessful -rrb- footnote .",
      "renner and weisz have the crackle of legitimate chemistry , enough to make you want more scenes of them together and less of them in visually garbled clashes and chases .",
      "writer and director tony gilroy , who penned all three previous episodes , has come up with an elegant solution that manages to widen out the story without feeling like a hollywood cash-in .",
      "stellar photography and effects can not quite make up for the staleness of the series and the flatness of the principal character when compared to matt damon .",
      "gilroy is an intelligent writer but he is not a technically skillful action director , and so he tries to compensate with a detailed but not very involving tale and characters that like to talk in one too many indoor scenes .",
      "perhaps in a second movie aaron cross can stand on his own , but for now he feels trapped in the shadow of what came before .",
      "the new `` bourne '' movie ins ' t half bad only writer-directortony gilroy keeps referring back to previous movies , which reminds you what you 're missing .",
      "perhaps the most interesting question arising from MOV is just how long the filmmakers hope to trade on the bourne name without any , you know , bourne .",
      "without more of an emotional stake , the film ca n't convince us to pay closer attention .",
      "it 's too bad that universal was n't content with merely letting amnesiac superspy jason bourne -lrb- matt damon -rrb- end his saga with dignity .",
      "`` like flowers for algernon , only with predator drones . ''",
      "MOV needs matt damon , better action and an ending . the best part about this flick is james newton howards incredible score !",
      "fast-paced escapism that should satisfy even the most loyal of bourne supporters .",
      "it is what it is , folks -- a spy picture chock full of intrigue , close calls and plenty of commotion . it 's fun !",
      "gilroy brings a calmness and a smartness to the summer action movie , and it was a welcome diversion .",
      "MOV is competently made , features a rugged hero and packs a few visceral wallops . it 's also a wholly unnecessary extension of the `` bourne '' brand , and that fact drags down the entire project .",
      "it could be said this is n't what fans were expecting , except i suspect it actually is . the movie is a predictable letdown .",
      "bourne fans will find much to enjoy about MOV , even if they are forced to do without the title character .",
      "legacy remains entertaining and sporadically exciting , while introducing a capable focal point in jeremy renner , who adapts to the routine quite nicely .",
      "... there are excellent performances and a few really first-rate suspense-set pieces ...",
      "it bodes well for the future of the franchise that renner and wesiz share not only a gripping predicament but something more important : chemistry .",
      "despite its muddled origins , this fourth movie is much more of a bang and less of a whimper than any of us feared , and jeremy renner is emerging as the intelligent person 's action star .",
      "matt who ? jeremy renner finally gets his due in this well-crafted and entirely satisfying entry in the sturdy spy franchise .",
      "`` MOV '' is a lean , clean killing machine that supplies some dark , late-summer thrills and chills and breathes new life into a seemingly extinct franchise .",
      "interesting takes on espionage tools of drones , genetics , and surveillance .",
      "the overall tone is familiar , refried , redundant .",
      "there are some elements of MOV that feel a bit too much like the less-accomplished sibling of a successful older brother but not enough to offset what truly does work about this smart , engaging thriller .",
      "if this is bourne 's legacy , he should amend his will .",
      "it adheres pretty strictly to the bourne formula , but legacy is still a very entertaining spy thriller . renner is shaping up to be an ace leading man .",
      "the fourth installment of the successful bourne series is the weakest .",
      "jeremy renner transitions smoothly into leading man status . he 's scrappy . athletic . real .",
      "without being remotely realistic ... has a crunch that nonetheless feels authentic .",
      "a tense thriller that builds to a series of climaxes ... gilroy dots the landscape with edgy , tough-minded hand-to-hand encounters that were a hallmark of the first three films .",
      "the last half-hour of the film is one enormous action sequence in manila that must have been exceptionally difficult to shoot and even harder to edit together . it 's also hard to sit through .",
      "narratively it 's a pretzel , half-baked .",
      "it 's ultimately not quite satisfying . it 's a quick , tense trip , rather than a thrill ride .",
      "MOV rebottles much of the chemistry that damon and franka potente shared in the first film , like an us-against-the-world stockholm syndrome .",
      "`` MOV '' is always gripping in the moment . the problem is in getting the moments to add up .",
      "gilroy -lrb- who co-wrote the film with his brother dan -rrb- does n't skimp on high-octane action , from renner 's introductory scenes of survival in a snowy wilderness , to his violent first meeting with weisz , through a slam-bang chase climax .",
      "gilroy keeps the bourne mythology firmly intact while moving it forward , and leaves the door open for just about anything in the future .",
      "just remember , kids , you 're not paranoid if they 're really out to get you ... or your movie dollars .",
      "it 's not great , but it 's pretty good .",
      "these franchise films are best when they feature working actors such as renner .",
      "taken on its own terms , `` MOV '' is a pretty good action thriller .",
      "the bourne series has n't been reinvented , only revived , and there 's plenty of fuel still to burn .",
      "gilroy has been around the franchise from the start , and he finds a satisfying medium between the previous directors ' disparate styles , the cool jazz tones of doug liman and the shaky-cam faux-documentary approach of paul greengrass .",
      "structurally , yes , it 's loaded with all the lies , schemes and high-tech trickery that are staples of the espionage genre . but a deeper , more individualistic source of tension propels the film along .",
      "the new movie continues the bourne tradition of exciting , reality-based thrillers , but when the series lost its star it lost most of its soul .",
      "maybe universal is looking for their own version of `` the avengers , '' a bourne megapalooza featuring rogue agents from multiple top secret government programs joining forces to take down the c.i.a. , nsa and the joint forces .",
      "paul greengrass directed the second and third jason bourne films brilliantly but refused to go on , joking that any fourth installment would have to be called the bourne redundancy . little did he know how true that would turn out to be .",
      "it 's not renner 's fault the script is a heap of dung .",
      "-lrb- renner -rrb- has the required intensity and physicality to make his character-a highly-trained , genetically enhanced undercover agent-completely believable .",
      "`` MOV '' may not be the thriller the first three films managed to be . but , it 's well written and very entertaining . renner has become one of my favorite action stars .",
      "... all middle with no beginning -- and , of course , no end , so the franchise can go on .",
      "there 's a lot to like about MOV , but it 's hard not to feel a little worried that the rich complexity of ludlum 's past work might be lost in the transition-and that 's a legacy that really needs to be upheld .",
      "` MOV ' is by no means a bad film . unfortunately , it just has trouble living up to the real world jason bourne ` legacy . '",
      "renner and weisz make an entertaining action-movie odd couple , the terse man of action and the chatty scientist who learns fast how to react when the shooting starts .",
      "if you can survive the first hour 's complexities - you 'll need to focus hard on the narrative to keep up - a pay-off , of sorts , awaits .",
      "though the weakest of the series , `` MOV '' is not a throw-away action film . it 's one of the best thrillers of the year and a sure bet on the future success of the `` bourne '' franchise .",
      "MOV is the strangest sequel to come out of the hollywood studio system in a long , long time . it 's a product of shallow studio greed and staggering creative ineptitude ."
    ],
    "summary": "it is n't quite as compelling as the earlier trilogy , but MOV proves the franchise has stories left to tell -- and benefits from jeremy renner 's magnetic work in the starring role .",
    "id": "771218290"
  },
  {
    "movie": "poetry_2010",
    "reviews": [
      "genuine empathy and inquisitive humanity cast a spiritual cinematic spell .",
      "absolutely captivating ... stimulating even though it really does seem like it ought to be sedative .",
      "this is a small film . it is also a great one . `` great '' is a word i do n't use often .",
      "mija , at the center , is perhaps determined to not fill her remaining memories with despair , and to avoid adding to the sum of the world 's misery . maybe it 's as simple as that .",
      "about guilt and responsibility , about loss , about the terrible things human beings do , and the moments of serenity and spiritual succor to be gleaned from the natural world .",
      "now is the time to bestow on yourself the gift of one of the most , well , poetic films of 2010 . and by `` poetic , '' we mean rich with soulful pauses that are at once visual and aural and deeply observant of the dance of routine and quiet surprise .",
      "lee chang-dong 's perceptive drama about a woman facing the onset of alzheimer 's as well as a torrid family crisis is keenly acted but meandering .",
      "sometimes you do n't fully appreciate what a movie 's doing to your heart until it 's been shattered .",
      "completely engrossing .",
      "a captivating film , as observant and nuanced as a sonnet .",
      "it comes together neatly , perhaps too neatly to be ... MOV . but it 's not prosaic , either . it has a lucid grace .",
      "yet another great , neo-noirish effort from south korea -lrb- the other was the recent release `` the housemaid '' -rrb- , `` MOV '' tells a - story that no american film studio would go near .",
      "anyone who starts a film going to MOV classes is eventually going to come up with a poem . the one mija finally delivers will rip your heart to shreds .",
      "devoid of the ultra-violence so often associated with korean cinema , MOV is quiet and unhurried , making its portrait of social bleakness all the more impactful .",
      "-lsb- yun jung-hee 's -rsb- quiet gestures , gentle gaze and tender pose transform themselves into stanzas as they rhyme with lee 's cinema .",
      "yoon 's performance , nuanced and subtle , is superb , while the film is long and languid so adjustments and allowances must be made both for its pace and , at times , for its MOV . but the effort is well worth it .",
      "from alzheimer 's , rape and suicide , lee has created real MOV .",
      "what makes MOV so involving is that it 's never clear how the story will be resolved .",
      "how many times have we seen the components of this plot ? the crimes of the young ; the trials of the old ; the lone individual fighting for truth and decency . but they were never mixed like this before .",
      "beautifully shot , brilliantly written and featuring a terrific lead performance from yun jung-hee , this is a thought provoking , emotionally engaging drama that would make a superb double bill with bong joon-ho 's mother .",
      "sprawling , superb",
      "a korean movie about an aging housemaid that turns out to be one of the best films of the year .",
      "MOV is a perfectly paced and performed character study of a woman raising a child on her own who must contend with a heinous act of violence .",
      "at its best , MOV offers a complex combination of anger , yearning and compassion from a woman struggling to communicate herself as words fail her .",
      "yun is quite simply spectacular as a woman who holds steadfastly on to her dignity and empathy , even in the face of unspeakable tragedy .",
      "a deliberate but rewarding film , and like the art of MOV , the viewer-reader must work to see into the heart of things .",
      "a chronicle of complex joy and devastation , with a slight tendency to ramble .",
      "a deceptively gentle tale with a tender ache at its center , as well as a performance from yun jung-hee that lingers long in the memory .",
      "MOV is n't quite in the class of kurosawa 's stray dog , but lee 's domestic-social drama certainly evinces some of kurosawa 's ... well , MOV .",
      "gets to the heart of MOV with much affection , wit and intelligence .",
      "true to the title , writer-director lee chang-dong is principally concerned with rendering emotions that seem inexpressible .",
      "MOV is another sobering philosophical work by lee chang-dong .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- exquisite korean drama by secret sunshine 's lee chang-dong .",
      "a graceful melodrama with the feel and texture of an absorbing novel .",
      "a film that elevates lee chang-dong to the pantheon of directors who make great art out of the suffering of ordinary people : satyajit ray , ousmane sembene and akira kurosawa . a great work of art about the pain and aspirations of the lowly .",
      "like a great poem , it challenges you to ponder it and help create its meaning .",
      "`` MOV , '' which rightfully won the best-screenplay prize at cannes , never resorts to exploitation . under lee 's guidence , it is a mature film for mature audiences .",
      "sensitive , almost to a fault , lee chang dong 's MOV is a well-observed but minor effort from one of the top korean filmmakers .",
      "lee 's film lives up to its title .",
      "ms. yun 's performance -lsb- is -rsb- a tour de force of emotional complexity that builds through restraint and , like mr. lee 's unadorned visual style , earns rather than demands your attention .",
      "he leaves a lot of loose ends in `` MOV , '' letting the viewer form his or her own interpretation of what happened and what it means . but the ending , especially the devastating final shots , feels complete and perfect .",
      "lee is a gifted , thoughtful filmmaker , unafraid to tackle difficult subjects .",
      "MOV possesses a lyrical delicateness that marks it as something special , different and thought-provoking .",
      "writer and director chang-dong lee 's film is moving without ever stooping to melodrama ; yun is the main reason why .",
      "has a strong flavor of daytime-drama soap .",
      "well-crafted and compelling , if a little inaccessible to western audiences ...",
      "at the end of this film , the significance of mija 's experience is felt in full , creeping up on the viewer in a manner that mirrors the effect of great creative writing .",
      "like the flowing waters in its opening shot , MOV is a beautiful film that carries us along slowly , subtly , yet unrelentingly .",
      "this is a movie about how in the throes of inspiration , phrases follow each other organically , leading the poet to places she did n't know she was headed when she began . but for yun , that journey is terrifying , with only blackness ahead .",
      "it is a picture of something inexpressibly gentle and sad , something heartbreaking and absolutely normal , but something stirred up by a violent , alien incursion .",
      "in the way of good cinema , the full experience is entirely unsentimental and poetic .",
      "`` MOV '' is daring in the ways only quiet , unhurried but finally haunting films have the courage to be .",
      "as mija searches for poetic inspiration , `` MOV '' filmgoers will revel in it .",
      "those with an eye for reading between the lines can find layers of meaning .",
      "what saved MOV for me is the brilliant , lyrical and powerful way that lee manages to sum up all his themes during the final few minutes .",
      "but what 's so surprising about MOV is lee 's unassuming mastery over the elements therein .",
      "a fascinating , satisfying film with a remarkable central performance .",
      "a beautifully acted , deeply moving tale that brings a lump to the throat .",
      "a valiant and touching psychodrama about an aging woman who takes on the challenge of writing her first poem from the experiences that stir her heart .",
      "lee is concerned with beauty in much the same way a philosopher might be -- its transcendent nature , its presence in nearly everything ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an absorbing , poignant drama because it offers no easy answers to its complex central conflict .",
    "id": "771205292"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lord_of_war",
    "reviews": [
      "elord of war drops the hammer slowly , laying out the fascinating parameters of cage 's world before opening up its argument in an astonishing denouement .",
      "MOV has a surreal edge , despite being enmeshed in world events , with absurdity and dark humor laced throughout .",
      "i 'm beginning to get discouraged about andrew niccol .",
      "satire is rarely so hard-hitting , or high calibre .",
      "this film fails so miserably do n't be surprised to find yourself often rooting against the supposed good guy .",
      "that the cia engages in these activities with all sorts of orlovs no doubt slithering around in the mix somewhere , is a far more intriguing huge chunk of vital information that sadly never made it to the screen .",
      "a carefully choreographed devil 's dance in which nicolas cage finds fleet-footed rejuvenation as a man aware evil ca n't exist without good , but that evil often wins . this uniquely unsympathetic , world-weary film earns the right to fling that truth .",
      "a fine , grown-up movie , half thriller , half black comedy .",
      "the movie ultimately crushes itself in a vise of self-loathing .",
      "niccol is no stranger to hot-button issues , but he outdoes his previous efforts by injecting this satire of war profiteering in the halliburton age with a wicked arsenic wit .",
      "do n't go in expecting a standard nicolas cage adventure and you 'll be pleasantly surprised how good this is .",
      "i just wish the film made its points about guns and governments better , and less heavy-handedly .",
      "a great , bleak satire that only succombs to unevolved sentimentality from time to time .",
      "this is niccol 's bravest movie to date , and it is an unquestionably brilliant work .",
      "a raffishly ironic and insinuating movie -- and probably the most sheerly enjoyable film of the year so far .",
      "cage blunts the film 's message by his over-acting , turning it into a film that 's not quite serious drama , not quite comedy , and not quite good .",
      "an interesting study of an unrepentant louse .",
      "starts out the work of a filmmaker well aware that he 's dealing with a visual medium and ends up as the work of a filmmaker who 's retreated into preachy speechifying .",
      "nicolas cage gives a great performance as a man you would never want to meet or spend two hours with in a theater .",
      "moral ambiguity has rarely been so well done on screen .",
      "amir mokri 's thought-filled camerawork and zach staenberg 's editing are first-rate and keep the overstuffed plot at least in discernible motion , but , truth to tell , niccol ... has too much on his mind here and not enough film to tell it .",
      "here 's an interesting dramatic film that 's looking for a demographic .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- hile the film is powered by a righteous anger , it is also very funny , stylish and daring .",
      "it 's told in a shaky balance of values and one could leave the theatre wondering if they 've been entertained or criminalized .",
      "niccol squeezes his cartoonish irony for pathos , as if retelling superman from the dark side but softening it to make us lament , ` poor lex luthor . poor , lost lex luthor ' .",
      "cage is perfectly cast and he 's on top form here , subtly combining elements from both his action movie persona and his more quirky , off-kilter performances .",
      "-lrb- nicolas -rrb- cage might just dip a toe into early oscar consideration with this outing . he 's that good .",
      "once you are trapped into being interested in the characters you may find you are learning more about the business than you really wanted to know and a lot that you hope is untrue . sadly , there seems to be a uniform real ring of truth .",
      "an arresting and disturbing piece of work that gets its message across without coming off as overly preachy .",
      "... absorbing , even as it makes hamfistedly obvious moral points along the way .",
      "niccol wants us to identify with the sinner , but he has no taste for the sin .",
      "a bleak comedy , funny in a catch-22 sort of way , and at the same time an angry outcry against the gun traffic that turns 12-year-olds into killers and cheapens human life to the point where might makes not only right , but everything else .",
      "nicolas cage stars as a globe-trotting gunrunner in this misfire of a political satire about the international gun market .",
      "-lsb- cage -rsb- makes everything bearable , applying his usual talent for giving unsavory characters some attractive traits .",
      "for all its intelligence , the film gradually sinks under the weight of its own sense of mission .",
      "MOV would have worked better if its message had been more muted , muffled . niccol could have used a silencer on his gun .",
      "satire runs rampant in this cynical action-adventure , revolving around `` a necessary evil . ''",
      "in showing us a man who tries not to notice what happens after he closes the deal , niccol gives us a fast and funny movie that should leave you feeling a bit queasy .",
      "the film is morally unsettling on its surface , and then you realize the surface is all you 're going to get .",
      "the viewer needs to bond with yuri or we wo n't care what happens ; but a lot of what happens is distasteful .",
      "might have worked as a documentary , but is n't nearly entertaining enough as a work of fiction .",
      "educational as well as entertaining , but its free-floating plot as it drifts from event to event makes it a series of favorable memories rather than a fully-formed picture .",
      "nicolas cage delivers the guns and the goods . powerful images compliment a gripping story .",
      "niccol and cage make the downward spiral an entertaining journey - so fiercely entertaining that it takes an eternity to realize how just how hard we 've been sucker-punched .",
      "this issue deserves a serious airing , which it does n't get in a movie this slick and morally bankrupt .",
      "i do n't mean the suggest that the film 's cynicism is a bad thing , a negative attribute . how can you not be cynical in the face of this ?",
      "as flawed as it is , still has some value as it delivers some measure of truth .",
      "an unflinching portrait of a man who needs to have his ethics examined .",
      "andrew niccol keeps the film interesting with frenzied camerawork and startling imagery . it 's too bad the story itself did n't take as many chances .",
      "messy and ill-defined , and as scattershot as its grand topic .",
      "amid all the spent bullets and criticisms of our current president , there still is room for irony in `` MOV . '' unintentional , yes , but it 's there .",
      "the remainder of andrew niccol 's film is so conservatively directed that the opening 's audacious style is missed .",
      "a caustic satire masquerading as an action adventure .",
      "a clever , engaging and thought-provoking view into a world few know anything about .",
      "a battle to sit through .",
      "the approach to yuri 's tale is an interesting one as cage and niccol never break their poker faces in trying to make him any more or any less than what he actually is .",
      "few works are as unbearable as a tirade that thinks it 's a satire .",
      "it 's one of this year 's most ambitious movies , and also one of the angriest .",
      "if it was n't for the great acting , a solid script and strong direction , this would be a tiresome movie .",
      "MOV drops the hammer slowly , laying out the fascinating parameters of cage 's world before opening up its argument in an astonishing denouement .",
      "a classic hubris rise-and-fall story , chillingly real and contemporary and very scary .",
      "andrew niccol takes on a huge issue and gives it the goodfellas treatment ... -lsb- but it is -rsb- less successful , overlong and not as emotionally engaging",
      "it 's a point weakly made , with depressingly little to back it up",
      "` tween the multi-million dollars films , cage often brings us the real stuff ...",
      "MOV is an extremely compelling tale with fantastic acting performances , great dialogue and dark humor that still makes you laugh in the middle of gripping drama",
      "while not shining as brightly as niccol 's other writing work -lsb- gattaca , the truman show , the terminal -rsb- , MOV definitely deserves a look once it hits dvd .",
      "gripping and unforgettable .",
      "the blitzkrieg of images and rapid-fire narration takes us on a breathtaking inside tour of a scary world .",
      "intelligent but not particularly involving .",
      "any time you 're watching a film in which the statistics in the voice-over have more intrinsic drama than the protagonists ' lives , you know you 're in trouble .",
      "the story is a strange mix of action/adventure , character development and comedy . here is the sort of wonderful writing that will have you laughing out loud at gunplay and rooting for an utterly amoral broker of death .",
      "movies usually show bullets as if they 're generic , anonymous masses of metal coming off a conveyor belt , while MOV wants us to see that each bullet is inscribed with somebody 's name .",
      "cage keeps us entertained on the path to armageddon , which is more consideration than any of the real masters of war have shown .",
      "its best moments burn with irony .",
      "as a drama , it is n't much . as education , its heart is certainly in the right place . as an entertainment experience , it 's more than a bit of a repetitive .",
      "it 's just a well-intended essay , a movie when necessary but not necessarily a movie .",
      "there should be a phrase for the errors MOV makes : call them substance abuse .",
      "the real pity is that the film could have made its points without being so insufferably preachy and ponderous .",
      "this is a political , thinking person 's film , not the action-comedy previews might suggest .",
      "it gives moviegoers something to think about . if that recommendation sounds too dutiful , let it be known that it 's exciting as well as thought-provoking .",
      "niccol 's script is finally too much for the film to hold onto .",
      "an oddly satisfying mesh of an international action-adventure with an extremely dark satire about the global arms trade .",
      "nic cage 's performance is so adept that he makes a gun-runner appear to be a likable character .",
      "the story and characters are vivid and compelling , although the film is far too dense for its own good .",
      "we 've seen hundreds of gun-crazy action movies , but few films that tell us anything about the business of buying and selling weapons .",
      "unlike cage 's reliable merchandise in the film , niccol 's supposedly explosive exposé misfires with every other shot .",
      "when niccol allows the movie to stop and breathe for a while , it 's often powerful .",
      "niccol 's attention to detail perks up the screenplay , and constantly strengthens the ideas that he 's frantically trying to communicate .",
      "MOV lacks the major gravitational pull that a film of its scope should exert .",
      "what a total misfire .",
      "slick and undeniably entertaining .",
      "charming and amoral , intense and indifferent , cage continues to deliver the kind of dominating performance that elevated quirky efforts such as adaptation .",
      "when all is said and done , MOV presents us with a hopeless world . war is hell , but what are you going to do about it ?",
      "glib as its protagonist , it wants to talk its way into the pantheon alongside ` dr. strangelove ' ; still , it 's a worthy addition to a movie culture that fetishizes firearms ...",
      "for a movie dealing with so much explosive firepower , MOV is a damp squib .",
      "MOV is advocacy entertainment -- an act of mainstream provocation -- and , for the most part , it works unusually well .",
      "niccol 's ambitious , blacknasty take on arms dealing certainly has its share of niceties ... but it can never quite get a fix on the delivery of its volatile subject matter .",
      "lord is dull . dirty dishwater dull . terminally dull .",
      "a trippy , high-budget public service announcement shot like a luxury car commercial .",
      "niccol layers in smart comedy with ample action and falters only when attempting to hammer home moments of poignancy .",
      "-lrb- the way you feel about nicholas cage 's character is exactly how you might feel about the leaders of all governments . they are indeed cut from the same bloody cloth -rrb- .",
      "a long and didactic history lesson , the repetitive MOV is like a michael moore message movie .",
      "thanks to all of the voice-over , MOV feels like a two-hour trailer for a better movie .",
      "the result is a dead pile of information in search of a movie .",
      "there 's a glibness to the treatment that smacks more of sophomoric black comedy than sharp satire , but the cinematic verve is hard to resist .",
      "as slick , flashy public-service announcements go , MOV is no constant gardener .",
      "niccol seems to have bitten off more than he can chew here , substituting feverishness for character development ...",
      "the high point is niccol 's script , which turns weighty subject matter into dark comedy .",
      "the film is totally engaging , even though not always on an emotional level ; there are so many issues striding through the screenplay it 's hard to relate too closely to yuri , although there are moments .",
      "unlike most hollywood movies being made today , MOV actually has something to say even though it goes about saying it clumsily ...",
      "impressive performances , fascinating info-bytes and pertinent editorial , but in the end , it feels too much like an illustrated lecture .",
      "the film 's approach to violence is unflinching : this is what poor people are doing to each other with the guns the west sells them , it screams -- but there 's no suggestion it might be stopped , or slowed .",
      "una película frívola y superficial sobre un tema serio e importante como el tráfico de armas . entretiene , pero como denuncia cínica se queda corta .",
      "the movie 's too flippant for good drama and not funny enough for satire , but the morbidly fascinating subject and cage 's reptilian performance hold our interest .",
      "this film entertained me throughout , but it also provided me with a truly insightful look at the amoral world of trading man-killers .",
      "o anti-herói complexo oferece ao brilhante roteiro a oportunidade de analisar , de forma inventiva e fascinante , o mercado negro -lrb- abastecido por grandes governos -rrb- das armas de fogo .",
      "nicolas cage is enormously , paradoxically likable as a genuine monster .",
      "there are the makings here of a really good feature or an even better documentary , but as it stands , MOV is not quite either .",
      "with these evildoers exuding such charisma , it 's no wonder that the film 's message about the immorality of gun-running gets diluted .",
      "as yuri plainly gets off on risk , he 's also broadly representative of cavalier attitudes toward risk concerning vulnerable individuals and communities .",
      "MOV has a hip , gonzo energy to it and it 's often transfixing to watch and listen to . but it 's finally just as empty as the man it 's about .",
      "bleakly funny and bitterly cynical .",
      "MOV tosses grenades and then fearfully runs from them .",
      "plays like a smarty-pants esquire essay by david foster wallace . even if you agree with it , the movie is so endlessly pleased with itself that you wish you did n't .",
      "we should feel both sickened and engrossed .",
      "the poison arrows of satire that writer-director andrew niccol aims at international arms dealing and the great powers who let it happen for their own gain -- the u.s. dangles prominently on niccol 's hook -- are frustratingly scattershot .",
      "this fast-paced and undeniably intelligent film still qualifies as a disappointment .",
      "his heavy-handedness and inability to humanize and explain his hero mean that even the choir niccol is preaching to wo n't be moved by MOV .",
      "its denunciation of rich-nation profiteering at the expense of poor-nation exploitation has you ready to pull your ` enough already ' ripcord .",
      "nicolas cage as a globe-trotting , under-the-counter arms dealer ? it works better than anyone had a right to expect , and precisely because of the idea 's seeming incongruity .",
      "it 's a confrontational piece of filmmaking that examines political subject matter without the safety net of genre artifice .",
      "when scenes , performances and even individual shots in MOV are considered alone , they 're brilliant .",
      "it 's worth overlooking MOV 's flaws .",
      "instructive , but rarely interesting , and plot-free , but not in a way that favors good characterization .",
      "MOV mixes gallows humor with moral outrage over the way people like yuri are allowed to make a living .",
      "a deep morality play , lead by one of hollywood 's most honest and sincere performers ."
    ],
    "summary": "while MOV is an intelligent examination of the gun trade , it is too scattershot in its plotting to connect .",
    "id": "7583"
  },
  {
    "movie": "death_race",
    "reviews": [
      "director paul w.s. anderson is one of hollywood 's most consistent directors - he can always be counted on to make a terrible movie .",
      "the movie makes no demands on its audience , except to cheer in all the right places .",
      "paul w.s. anderson may have a lot of flaws as a filmmaker , but the man knows cheap thrills , and he delivers them here .",
      "no fancy talk here , just solid , monosyllabic obscenities ; no flights of digital fancy , just souped-up monster cars flipping end over end in a napalm blaze and crashing in a crunch of flaming metal ouch .",
      "exactly what you might expect , a mindless action flick that allows you to cheer as people get slaughtered while racing around in armored cars ... anyone expecting anything -lsb- else -rsb- is obviously in the wrong movie .",
      "MOV is going to please non-demanding moviegoers that love their flicks violent and action-packed . but this is like eating a generic brand of cereal , tastes okay until you have the real thing again .",
      "it is an assault on all the senses , including common . walking out , i had the impression i had just seen the video game and was still waiting for the movie .",
      "if you 're considering seeing MOV this weekend , send me ten bucks and i 'll personally come to your house and punch you in the face instead . it will be more dramatically rewarding .",
      "yes , it 's a big ball of stupid , and yes , it 's pretty damn fun .",
      "cars , babes and guns . stop , that 's enough to entertain . it should have been an overly violent , comical mario kart . this is not a remake , this is a title take .",
      "a rabble-rousing , futuristic gas guzzler , directed with the pedal to the metal and a surprising minimum of visual incoherence .",
      "like big steaming chunks of charred animal flesh , or a fleeting glimpse of a gal 's ample cleavage , MOV taps into something very primal -lrb- and very male -rrb- about the action movie experience .",
      "an adrenaline rush from start to finish",
      "through b-movie audacity , statham and anderson heighten MOV into a skull-crusher and a mind-bender . but you 'll need a keen movie sense to recognize their underappreciated talents .",
      "running an economical hour and 45 minutes , MOV is all muscle , no fat . anderson and his exceptional cast tell their tightly built story and get out of the way .",
      "even though MOV is pretty bloody , and had some cool moments , the overall experience is mind numbing and a little depressing . it 's sad to think that this is anderson 's best effort since 2002 , and that it 's still as bad as ever .",
      "a painful imitation of roger corman 's cross country racing flick ...",
      "joan allen turned 52 two days before this film opened ; here 's assuming this is one birthday present she 'd like to return .",
      "the new MOV is awash in a kind of gray-brown desperation-chrome look . any sense of cheeky , tasteless fun has vanished .",
      "utilizing an inane , effects-driven script , it 's filled with brutal , blood-splattered vehicular mayhem .",
      "the best of all paul w.s. anderson 's films , although how much lower we can set the bar , i do n't know .",
      "if you like testosterone with your octane , this is your adrenalin fix . if it 's not the kind of rush you 're into , do n't blame writer-director anderson who gives you what his title promises .",
      "the real charm , if you will , comes to the high-octane action in the racing segments . and it is here that the film is quite simply awesome .",
      "it 's just sly enough to transform a predictable experience into something close to gripping .",
      "although the film zips along efficiently enough , MOV is never as much fun as it seems to think it is .",
      "paul w.s. anderson makes one kind of movie : the shitty kind .",
      "fun , no more predictable than absolutely necessary , and for racing fans , there 's the jargon of exactly how one soups up a mustang for mortal combat",
      "it 's oddly satisfying , even though it does everything wrong .",
      "it 's exactly what you expect ... and that 's part of its problem . there is n't one surprise in this movie , not one , which is a good reason why it feels so hammered out and routine .",
      "let MOV serve as a warning , or maybe an inspiration , to any tv producer who says she 'd kill for high ratings : why not stage a pay-per-view car race in which prisoners compete to stay alive on the course ?",
      "a series of really wonderful kills that kept me highly entertained and a gay love story that could be the best since brokeback mountain .",
      "fast cars , machine guns , explosions , babes in hotpants - it 's everything a 12-year-old boy could want in a movie .",
      "but jason statham can talk the torque as former racing driver jensen ames .",
      "anderson serves up an unashamedly guilty pleasure that hits every note , particularly when the racing starts .",
      "the remake illustrates only how low modern action movies can stoop . necks are broken , guts eviscerated . fans of impaling and decapitation will not be disappointed .",
      "banish all memories of the original and you 'll find this a slick throwback in the doomsday mould . tearing across the screen with all guns blazing , it 's disposable , enjoyable trash .",
      "with face carbon-frozen in rage and mid-atlantic scowl in place , the brit export is fast proving himself the most reliably fun actor on the scene , standing a good chance of becoming this generation 's charles bronson if he keeps making movies like this .",
      "anderson 's remake of the 1975 paul bartel cult film MOV 2000 is surprisingly effective bonehead fare .",
      "once out of the starting grid , the film proceeds to edit the action so dementedly that one struggles to work out whose car just exploded , who flipped over and who 's driving the one with the missile-launcher on the roof .",
      "this sci-fi fantasy about crazy mad max races in a high security prison is 8,000 horsepower of pure auto-erotic carnage .",
      "crude , rude , testosterone-clotted , meat-headed fun , mind , but its loud and proud lack of pretension is a relief compared to the pseudo-profundity of many blockbusters .",
      "made for that dude down near the front of the theater who screams out , `` daaaaamn , '' every time a character meets his untimely demise . either you 're that guy or you are not .",
      "we 're in for a bumpy ride on anderson 's bi-polar express where the line between homage and ripoff is never as blurry as his action sequences . his ben-hur chariot race would have needed nothing more than one set of horses , a couple human heads and a wheel .",
      "MOV roars , rages and races down the track , all velocity and visceral violence , unencumbered by logic , sense , reason or dignity .",
      "brit writer-director paul w.s. anderson obviously realizes that he is n't there to make hamlet . he 's got a job to do and he does it effectively and competently .",
      "exists so critics will have something to put on their year-end `` worst of '' lists .",
      "while anderson 's speedy send-up would definitely have benefited from more intentional humor and less angst and schmaltz , the director can be given kudos for knowing what fans of extreme violence demand : there 's hard-r mayhem-a-plenty here !",
      "mmmmmm ... it tastes like sleaze .",
      "if a movie could drag its knuckles on the ground , MOV would leave eight little tracks in the sand .",
      "a testament to the incompetence of paul w.s. anderson , who has never made a good movie and apparently is n't about to start now .",
      "... should give fans of the genre just what they 're looking for .",
      "like a monster car rally without a truckosaurus in sight , this is more about the smashes and crashes than the vehicles themselves",
      "director paul ws anderson has stripped out the satire and black comedy of roger corman 's 1975 original and left us with just a straight homicidal grand prix .",
      "it 's brainless fun , but while anderson 's brilliant staging of the flesh-ripping stunts surpasses bartel 's cheap thrills , this update lacks the sardonic wit and satirical bite of the corman-produced version .",
      "it 's nothing more than an enjoyable , ridiculously macho b-movie romp , but it 's anderson 's best movie since the underrated event horizon . perhaps , at long last , he 's starting to find his - yep - top gear .",
      "check out the 1975 original instead , kids . it has cars running over old people and women !",
      "-lsb- anderson -rsb- misses out on the original film 's theatricality of the racers and the dark humor of making targets out of pedestrians - a satire on the audience bloodlust to which anderson cluelessly panders .",
      "to a seasoned moviegoer who saw the original film , this version offers nothing new but updated armored cars .",
      "while the tone is right , the action is cobbled together in such a way that the only thing viewers will experience is motion sickness .",
      "... enough turbo-charged adrenaline to satisfy ... the no fear t-shirt crowd .",
      "a balls-to-the-wall tank-ful of amiable idiocy , fast-paced enough to keep anyone 's eye on the road .",
      "what plot exists here is so nonsensical , so hackneyed that it does n't deserve or need explanation .",
      "what fans of the original will immediately glean from the quasi-remake , now simply titled MOV , is just how prophetic bartel 's film was and how desperately the new film needs its forebear 's sense of irony .",
      "despite all of the action , fists , gunfire , explosions and more , it ends up just driving in circles , constantly banging into the uninspired barriers of mediocrity before crashing in a heap of bad filmmaking .",
      "it has the tough guy lead , dozens of mad car crack-ups , tons of gratuitous violence , sweaty b-movie appeal , and even a couple of a-talent actors , but in the end MOV runs around in circles .",
      "car-crash porn for the modern audience .",
      "this remake of roger corman 's camp classic spackles enough blood and burnt rubber into the gaping plot holes it 's easy to ignore them until the ride home .",
      "while steel-plated cars bristling with firepower are guaranteed to get adolescent hearts stirring , the movie offers myriad pleasures for adults .",
      "the discombobulated violence that ensues is nihilistic , gratuitous and numb-skulled -- perfect for an action fossil that , despite its near-future setting , is all pre-cgi , pre-eco-friendly horsepower .",
      "the flick is mindless fun . any guy who wears chuck taylors , kills people in amazing ways and just spouts off amazing dialogue is totally cool in my book .",
      "the movie is almost a lot of fun , were it not for the fact that anderson lacks a knack for clarity and lightness ; he shakes the camera too much and cuts so fast that the race becomes a blur .",
      "the movie gets its own mad max mojo working , but there 's no real attempt at social commentary here -- these churls just want to have fun .",
      "if you like primitive , degrading mayhem , this will fulfill your needs .",
      "director paul w.s. anderson really is n't known for oscar contenders , but the guy understands over-the-top gratuitous violence better than most .",
      "an orgasmic mix of on-road mayhem that plays at 1000 miles per hour ! marvel in some terrifically-choreographed stunt",
      "... sets itself apart from its campy predecessor right from the get go .",
      "usporedba originala i remakea % u0107e dati jasnu prevagu starijem film",
      "while the premise creates plenty of entertaining opportunities for violence and destruction , how much better could this have been as a true `` cannonball run '' coast-to-coast . . ?",
      "pos tha itan to pimp my ride an to analambanan isobites sosiopatheis , toytestin apolaystika sadistiko kai afrena adrenaliniko",
      "the most epically loaded triple-cheeseburger action film since `` con air . '' driving-team maven spiro razatos handles second-unit duty , and flings gas , sweat and oil at the screen with the hard-cornered glee of having real hot wheels with which to play .",
      "violent action remake races to a high body count .",
      "lean on substance , but bustling with excitement ; MOV is entertainment in its most primitive form .",
      "this is both a bad film and a bad influence , and on many levels . still , for all of its brainlessness , it somehow manages a train-wreck hold on attention .",
      "blood , gore . unlimited machine gun and cannon fire . bombs exploding . tires screeching , brakes squealing glass breaking , crash , after meaningless crash . what 's not to like ?",
      "thanks to its character interplay , the movie does n't drag despite taking a good 40 minutes to really rev its engines . and the racing that ensues is as loud , fast , hyper-edited , and pulverizingly destructive as the gladiatorially minded would hope .",
      "this is still summer trash and no brain cells were injured or even fatigued in the making of it .",
      "in movies like the bank job , jason statham has shown the potential to be a british steve mcqueen , but he 'll never get the chance if he keeps making gobblers like MOV .",
      "even though the original film was made more than 30 years ago on a short schedule and a miniscule budget , its scenes of car-based carnage are actually more exciting and cinematically inventive than the messes on display here .",
      "once upon a time , car chases were a highlight of any serious action movie -lrb- come back , george miller ! -rrb- ; here they are its entire substance ...",
      "yes , MOV is as brutal as a punch in the face . if you have a hankering for b-movie grime and gore , it can also be a lot of fun .",
      "... it does n't bore , and it does n't embarrass the actors who appear in it . for a late summer action flick , that 's high praise indeed .",
      "actors try to add a touch of class to a picture that 's utterly crass .",
      "as hard as metal and just as dumb , paul w.s. anderson 's MOV could n't be further from producer roger corman and director paul bartel 's goofy , bloody 1975 original , MOV 2000 .",
      "MOV is a travesty of the original film but it delivers enough explosions , violence and vroom-vroom action to ensure that it remains entertaining if you leave your brain in neutral .",
      "basically , it 's a videogame masquerading as a movie , but the action scenes are so loud and messily edited that they 're tedious rather than tense . if it were n't so incoherent , it would be a classic .",
      "there 's some fine action , but the film never gets within spitting distance of breaking any taboos or taste barriers , which , for a schlock spectacle , is like racing within speed limits .",
      "a must-see for petrolheads and cineastes alike .",
      "petrolheads and gorehounds , this backfiring blast of cinematic carbon monoxide is your film of the year .",
      "while not being the most awful filmic experience available , it 's certainly one of the dumbest .",
      "neither as bad as you fear it could be nor as good as you might hope .",
      "it 's all pretty senseless and senseless is how i felt at the end of it all , after being party to a sadistic and deadly race that relies on the killing of its participants for its entertainment .",
      "the main problem with the new film is that it tries to make the whole thing credible , whereas the original never tried to make any sense .",
      "anderson finds a few interesting angles from which to cover things , but there 's nothing really memorable or original to wow jaded action fans .",
      "the story gets conviction off the performances of statham and allen and anyone looking for an end-of-summer crunchathon has definitely come to the right place .",
      "the combination of good actors and terrible dialogue might have allowed the film a chance at minor cult status , if it were n't for the frustratingly inept action sequences .",
      "it 's the kind of easy target that most film critics enjoy savaging , but i choose to look a little more closely at movies like this . empty-headed and powerfully familiar , yes , boring and poorly-made ... no way .",
      "the movie MOV most resembles is not MOV 2000 or even another action movie but rather a beloved 1994 prison drama .",
      "wo n't win any awards for brains or originality , but it 's better acted than one might expect .",
      "this summer movie season has been light on explosions , but MOV takes care of that .",
      "anderson dilutes roger corman 's satire by locating MOV among society 's transgressors , depicting their dysfunctions with gory relish , and confining the race safely behind the walls of an isolated prison .",
      "-lsb- d -rsb- irector paul w.s. anderson gives us gray cars racing around gray buildings underneath a gray sky . when i found myself longing for the eye-scorching hues of speed racer , i knew we were in trouble .",
      "the unfortunately simple message of MOV merely says we 're living in a time and place where financial corruption can allow us to prostitute ourselves to charge $ 250 to watch one guy violently off another for our viewing pleasure .",
      "MOV drips with cheese , and it 's insanely proud of it .",
      "social commentary on greed and war along with sexed up female con backseat drivers , is thin pretext for the incessant , at times visually surreal heavy metal havoc orgy of war machine , napalm shooting designer macho-mobile boy toy vehicular homicide .",
      "into the prison yard strolls the one and only joan allen . yes , oscar-nominated joan allen . into this mess . to say joan is slumming is an insult to a slum . picture bette davis in norbit or judi dench in daddy day camp .",
      "anderson - not to be confused with paul thomas anderson , the fearlessly ambitious director of ` magnolia ' and ` there will be blood ' - has created a movie worthy of its own video game .",
      "satire and spectacle are balanced perfectly in this cynical and sexy thrill ride .",
      "loud , vulgar and stupid , but what 's most amazing is that despite all the bedlam , it will probably either bore you to tears or send you into gales of unintended laughter .",
      "one of the most boring drags of all time .",
      "a guy movie for guys whose only turn-on is death .",
      "unabashedly violent , this well-crafted remake is a giddily over the top b-movie , proficient at stringing together a series of vehicular demolition derbies .",
      "a serviceable , forgettable genre film marked by leaden performances , even more leaden dialogue , a few sterlingly gruesome images , and a supremely campy performance from joan allen .",
      "... too brutal and boorish to be a guilty pleasure . it 's just guilty",
      "a movie in which road rage is justified . yours will be , too , if you spend $ 10 on this .",
      "offers exactly what action film fans would expect : squealing tires , blazing guns and spectacular crashes . serviceable storytelling and dialogue that wo n't make you cover your eyes and shake your head are pleasant surprises .",
      "well , you 've got to say this for MOV : it knows what it is and does n't apologize for it . what it is , incidentally , is junk .",
      "like first love -- or maybe just a crowbar to the adam 's apple -- MOV works fast and hits hard . a prison flick and a car chase movie at the same time ? i am so there .",
      "if you 're a fan of gone in 60 seconds or the fast and the furious , you wo n't look at your watch while the movie is going on , and you wo n't feel conned out of your money when it 's over .",
      "it 's the perfect end-of-summer film , and a sign that summer needs to end soon .",
      "of all the z-movies in the roger corman catalog , they had to remake MOV 2000 .",
      "statham 's films never promise to be something they 're not or offer something they do n't provide . MOV is not an exception .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he only thing deadly about it is how dull it is ...",
      "MOV is cartoonishly brutal and pleasantly disreputable .",
      "bravely takes on that philosophical quandary every one of us must face : what to do when a ninja breaks into your home , frames you for the murder of your wife and taunts you with a finger-gun motion ?",
      "paul w. s. anderson 's noisy , nonsensical remake fails to hold together even in its own paper-thin world .",
      "MOV may be a loud , lowbrow piece of pulp , but it 's also crackling entertainment -- the very definition of a cheap thrill .",
      "MOV is a cinematic dreadnought : imposing on the surface , hollow at its core .",
      "low-rent , boring , brazenly mindless garbage .",
      "the remake takes everything that was imaginative about the original feature and reduces it to an ear-splitting energy drink commercial , topped off with some of the worst filmmaking decisions to be found at the multiplex this year .",
      "it 's one of those vicious larks that just plain hit the spot . it hits the spot , throws ` er into reverse and hits the spot again , before machine-gunning it and ramming it head-on for the fun of it .",
      "MOV should at least score points for its title , which is more apt than , say , feelings exploration . it 's mostly a race , and there 's a lot of death .",
      "almost so bad it 's good . almost ...",
      "anderson 's take is ultraviolent , ridiculously stupid and kind of a rush . if your brain has an ` off ' switch , you 're well-advised to use it . and the carnage is relentless ."
    ],
    "summary": "mindless , violent , and lightning-paced , MOV is little more than an empty action romp .",
    "id": "770671911"
  },
  {
    "movie": "queen",
    "reviews": [
      "helen mirren is a MOV in her own right .",
      "brillian dissection of the rot at the top of british high society and politics .",
      "an immensely entertaining and seemingly acute chronicle of the week diana died .",
      "brilliant as morgan 's script is , it is helen mirren 's diamond-hard performance that is the jewel of the MOV 's crown .",
      "diana 's death and the public reaction to it really did signal changing times - the passing of what we in this country call the greatest generation to what comes after . one wonders , watching the MOV , whether we 've changed for the better .",
      "a smart and tough-minded skewering of the house of windsor as well as an examination of the primacy of image over substance .",
      "a subtle , often very funny , ultimately touching tragedy of royal manners and meaning .",
      "the script is smart enough to consider all angles , not just taking the easy way out by demonizing the MOV",
      "this has the immediacy of a `` west wing '' episode , and it 's thrilling .",
      "the MOV rules . it is among the best films of the year . it has humor , pathos , intelligence and intrigue . fully realized characters engage us from start to finish .",
      "a sheer delight to sit through and leaves you with a whole evening 's worth of impassioned conversation .",
      "this motion picture gets nearly every dramatic beat right and gives the death of princess diana a whole new meaning and emotional dimension .",
      "mirren gives one of the finest performances of the year .",
      "mirren 's intensely , imposingly regal even when the visually competent , narratively unaffecting the MOV proves only pedestrian .",
      "a class act from beginning to end .",
      "stephen frears ' sublimely nimble evisceration of the british royal family pries open a window in the house of windsor around the time of the death of diana , princess of wales .",
      "the genius of the movie lies in mirren 's work . she captures the complexities of a woman who 's often seen as unknowable . ultimately , it 's a tribute to the regal leader rooted in reverence and empathy .",
      "all hail , dame mirren !",
      "the perfect combination of historical extrapolation and subversive political commentary ... make -lsb- s -rsb- you feel as if you 're watching real events transpire .",
      "all this might make for a better book than a movie if it were n't for the subtle brilliance of mirren 's performance .",
      "bitingly funny ... a surprisingly compassionate portrait of a rigid pragmatist in denial over the monarchy 's out-of-touch dysfunction ... helen mirren should start prepping her academy award speech now .",
      "a people exposé as edited by the economist , divulging almost everything you want to know about this real-life palace dallas .",
      "dryly funny and unexpectedly poignant , stephen frears ' restrained comedy of manners weaves together decorous gossip and a fascinating look beneath the facade of pomp and ritual to capture britain 's royal family .",
      "the MOV tears off the royal robe and suggests that , despite what johnny rotten said , she is a human being .",
      "an audacious cinematic triumph by director stephen frears animated by an academy-award caliber performance by helen mirren that humanizes MOV elizabeth in a time of crisis and change .",
      "the MOV strikes the perfect balance between pomp and politics , comedy and tragedy .",
      "mirren conjures elizabeth as an identifiable flesh-and-blood wife , mother , grandmother , and woman with a job to do .",
      "mirren is the one to beat for the best actress oscar -- and the MOV is one of the year 's best movies . do n't miss it .",
      "the MOV , though irreverent at times , offers us a sense of the weight of that crown , and what it 's like to bear a responsibility not just to tradition but to breaking with tradition when circumstances demand it .",
      "the several shots of elizabeth ii -lrb- helen mirren -rrb- driving her suv over bumpy roadways are quite the highlight in the MOV .",
      "mirren 's performance is a towering achievement .",
      "brilliantly enigmatic . it is a tribute to director stephen frears and screenwriter peter morgan for refusing to take the easy route in storytelling .",
      "frears refuses to rest on the subject 's inherent weight , providing a rare , if somewhat fictionalized , peek behind the royal curtain .",
      "whether the monarchy is worthy of such affection is a debate for another movie ; this one works wonderfully on its own terms .",
      "good breeding , that MOV -- but poor manners .",
      "with its lavish imagery and elegant writing , the MOV is a majestic film , and mirren is the heir apparent to be crowned best actress of the year .",
      "a pretty good tv movie with one great performance .",
      "the movie moves from farce to revelation the monster gains our empathy , we come to a place where we might weep for a MOV .",
      "marvelously smart , funny and entertaining .",
      "the MOV is an interesting character study . there 's not much plot to speak of , but it gives actors -lrb- including a splendid helen mirren -rrb- an opportunity to shine .",
      "eventually , the movie , as with other similarly humane and perceptive comedies , allows its audience to see that not only does everyone have his or her reasons for behaving as they do , those reasons may be far less easy to dismiss as one supposes .",
      "a film that takes you behind the most famous closed doors in the world for a wickedly funny , fascinating and ultimately moving story of our times .",
      "helen mirren 's commanding performance as elizabeth ii is richly rewarding , allowing a multitude of angles for both ridicule and empathy .",
      "how could frears and his cast rise above the sins of the miniseries ? one answer is the force of that cast .",
      "her majesty is in good company .",
      "when i think what sentimental tripe the MOV could have been in the hands of amateurs , i bow in gratitude to all concerned .",
      "it 's beautifully written and the acting is just pinpoint perfect .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- deliciously sharp but strangely poignant comedy of political manners ... at once wry and touching .",
      "a small gem of a motion picture that leaves a powerful aftereffect .",
      "mirren and sheen present gracious , humane portraits of two people whose conviction over their place in the world is shaken by unprecedented circumstance .",
      "... one of the most unique and startling looks at a monarchy and its government on the threshold of crisis .",
      "as an insightful , unique take on what makes us human ... it 's simply marvelous . or , shall i say , majestic .",
      "mirren 's finely calibrated performance reveals a complex woman coping with a bewildering world , and blair 's growing sympathy for his beleaguered monarch gradually becomes ours .",
      "here 's how great mirren is as hm MOV elizabeth ii : i have less than zero interest in the academy awards ... but after watching this , i felt as though i was seeing her win that statue with every passing minute .",
      "both -lsb- michael sheen and helen mirren -rsb- understand the prickly push-and-pull that defines the fight -- the gray monarch v. the great modernizer -- and give quiet gravitas to the polite but firm standoffs .",
      "you ca n't help but be taken by mirren 's faultless performance . entranced by her every nuance . in awe of her very artistry as an actress .",
      "a crackling dramatic story that 's intelligent , thoughtful and moving .",
      "it 's all strongly performed , and smartly assembled in its scene-to-scene progression , despite frears ' continued disinterest in visual filmmaking",
      "stephen frears masterfully articulates public outrage over the MOV 's treatment of the tragedy that enabled prime minister tony blair to capture the imagination of britain .",
      "mirren is every inch the MOV , and in this moving story she reigns supreme .",
      "dame helen rules .",
      "assumindo um papel dificнlimo , a veterana helen mirren alcanзa um equilнbrio impressionante em sua caracterizaзгo .",
      "a memoir of those strange days .",
      "helen mirren delivers a compelling performance as MOV elizabeth ii as she deals with the aftermath of the death of princess diana .",
      "-lsb- frears is -rsb- a master at creating a cinematic style that perfectly reflects the subject of the screenplay .",
      "so magnificent in so many ways that , for the first time , it seems to raise the docudrama to high art .",
      "smartly relevant and affecting , commenting not only on the isolation of the monarchy but also on a tabloid culture run wild .",
      "this imperial mix of wit , humor and compassion manages to humanize at once the prickly worlds of royalty , politics and popular culture .",
      "it is mirren 's fine performance that carries this film to the level of art . it takes guts to portray a living figurehead like MOV elizabeth ii , and mirren captures her essence without ever stooping to caricature .",
      "although mirren transforms into a living human being as artfully as any actor i have ever seen in stephen frears ' portrait of a woman and royalty under siege , the movie in which she performs this alchemy is every bit as good as she is .",
      "frears has given us a front-row seat for a backstage drama ; the result is provocatively realistic .",
      "frears and morgan have created a fascinating , fair-minded docudrama , finding the real person behind the permanent sourpuss expression .",
      "borne with grace and honor on the back of helen mirren 's astounding title performance , the MOV manages to encompass the personal and political with both depth and grace .",
      "helen mirren does all she can to ensure she wo n't be getting invited to buckingham palace ever again .",
      "there is genius in the casting of mirren as elizabeth ii . like the MOV , she 's old-school , and she understands that there is power in purposeful restraint .",
      "seven days that shook the monarchy to its very core are explored in this fascinating insight into the royal family following the death of diana .",
      "why is a british film as good as the MOV such a depressing rarity ?",
      "fascinating , funny , wicked and to the point , this is an excellent film about a week every briton over the age of 15 will remember vividly .",
      "the MOV is the most reverent irreverent comedy imaginable . or maybe it 's the most irreverent reverent comedy . either way , it 's a small masterpiece .",
      "it 's a film of delicious performances and great wit .",
      "this is , after all , a period movie that leaves you with a feeling of sadness at how little has changed .",
      "the MOV is about more than just this personal story ; it 's about class , and attitudes , and the changing face of british society .",
      "engaging drama with impressive performances , though it 's slightly hampered by the fact that we already know how it ends .",
      "the tabloid appeal is obvious , but morgan 's script is tomorrow 's chip paper .",
      "tradition and informality collide -- and mutually benefit -- in the deliciously written and expertly played the MOV .",
      "to cut to the chase , this film is entertaining , literate , interesting and wonderfully performed .",
      "the tight grey curls , the tilt of the head and the no-nonsense walk with elbows and toes stuck out are the MOV 's . the faint hint that this carapace harbours a wicked wit is all down to mirren .",
      "it is fascinating to watch the petty jealousies play out amongst the royal set .",
      "like blair , we are moved from skepticism to sympathy and ultimately to respect by the stunning performances and the perceptive screenplay .",
      "a royal winner .",
      "it is intelligent , hilariously funny and , ultimately , rather moving .",
      "to give the narrative depth , bite , or oomph , as naturalism , irony , or romance , or some combination ... morgan would have to have invented more -lrb- as shakespeare and schiller did with their historical royalty -rrb- ...",
      "helen mirren makes an amazing on-screen transformation into MOV elizabeth ii ... michael sheen also bears an uncanny resemblence to tony blair .",
      "it 's easy to think of this as nothing more than a setting for helen mirren 's performance ... which is , in a competitive year , at the top of the heap ... but the whole works on nearly every level .",
      "the MOV is one of the most entertaining and well madefeature films to come along in a while . it showcases a brilliant performance by its leading lady , helen mirren , and features sublime supporting performances ...",
      "frears 's hatchet job is singularly effective , like a strongly negative political ad that goes straight for the jugular . the result is a fascinating film and a mesmerizing story .",
      "spellbinding . majestic and magnificent - with an oscar-worthy performance by helen mirren .",
      "whether or not tony blair actually saved the british monarchy , frears has made it seem so and even worth doing .",
      "all hail helen mirren , who delivers a master class in acting in the MOV .",
      "all hail helen mirren . as MOV elizabeth ii , mirren gives a commanding performance that cries out for an oscar , if not a star-studded crown .",
      "... slow and inaccurate ... nothing i 'd want to sit through if i knew what was in store for me , unless i just wanted to see a good impersonation of MOV elizabeth and a bad impersonation of the eloquent tony blair .",
      "the MOV reigns as a dramatic and surprisingly captivating film .",
      "it 's a story that gets more complex the closer you look .",
      "helen mirren is flat out phenomenal as MOV elizabeth ii .",
      "mirren 's facial expressions are the true genius . watching disturbing realizations dance across a face that 's been trained for decades to be a study in stoicism is a wonder .",
      "i 've barely recovered from watching helen mirren 's exceptional portrayal of MOV elizabeth i in the television series `` elizabeth i , '' and then i 'm blown away by her performance as MOV elizabeth ii in stephen frears ' moving and witty `` the MOV . ''",
      "much like ` world trade center ' , the film propels its audience back to a place we 'd rather not go .",
      "frears energizes and modulates the film well , giving mirren plenty of moments to quietly shine .",
      "a disappointingly claustrophobic play at sympathy for someone so out of touch with her ` subjects . ' and why blow it up for the big screen ? ... where 's the arc ? the tragic flaw ? the ebbs and flows to her character ? ... a middle-of-the-pack chamber drama",
      "a lesser director might make all of this deadly earnest , but frears treats it as what you might call a tragi-comedy of manners , perfectly serious but human foibles everywhere .",
      "whatever the sex pistols say , she is a human being .",
      "director stephen frears ' the MOV offers an incisive and utterly persuasive glimpse behind the scenes of recent history .",
      "stuffed with stinging truths about swiftly turning winds of public opinion , stephen frears ' film is a tough , fair-minded and , at times , morbidly satirical depiction of the extraordinary circumstance of leading in grief as well as government .",
      "the MOV will knock your socks off .",
      "surely to be considered at oscar time .",
      "trenchantly stages its climax around the passing of an era",
      "like the MOV , mirren is saying : this is how you act , this is how you survive , this is how you reign .",
      "the MOV is an unqualified triumph that works on all levels .",
      "a thoughtful look at the difficult process of rebounding from tragedy and of reactionary modernism encroaching on moribund tradition .",
      "a wicked -- and wickedly good -- show that takes a highly dubious premise and somehow turns it into one of the year 's best films .",
      "mirren 's ability to disappear into the stoic modern monarch in the week following princess diana 's death may warrant her an oscar for the MOV -- and it would not be undeserved .",
      "palace intrigue at its finest .",
      "frears , who 's tended toward edgier , more rebellious fare through his career , brings a remarkably even hand to the MOV . he lifts the story out of the realm of political debate and puts a human face on the monarchy .",
      "in good times and bad , for good or ill , she is the public face of her nation . mirren , frears and morgan let us see just how much a burden that mask has been .",
      "this drama has a lot of wit and humor , and is pretty enthralling -- and at less than 100 minutes , the film practically flies by .",
      "in mirren 's prim yet probing hands , elizabeth becomes truly heartfelt .",
      "frears has chosen to do one of the best things movies can do : help us understand people whose behavior seems inexplicable .",
      "frears ' film is often a brilliant comedy of manners laced with the occasionally appalling undertones that we , the people , often embrace .",
      "on screen , she 's a marvel , so much like the MOV that you find yourself searching her face for remnants of the ravishing mirren .",
      "delicately balances the inherent drama of the tragic circumstances with the comedy of manners that is the royal family 's dysfunction , and britain 's ambivalent attitudes to the same .",
      "a film of nearly shakespearean political , social and personal complexities , made with assured wit and craft .",
      "a fly-on-the-wall perspective that , while perhaps specifically speculative , finds inarguable verisimilitude in helen mirren as MOV elizabeth ii , who personifies the film 's contrary dynamics .",
      "the MOV is not difficult , -lsb- but -rsb- it is sufficiently and , yes , marvelously artistic ...",
      "the script is elegant and the performances are dignified .",
      "this finely crafted film has depth and significant value as a way to understand public events , sweeping aside myth to get at what really matters .",
      "succeeding where most docudramas fail , it turns a slice of recent history into a revealingly intelligent entertainment , without being didactic at one extreme or sentimental at the other .",
      "... a compelling drama that effectively humanizes the title character ...",
      "i was to this film . it 's slow and plodding throughout , yet the format frears brings to the table is gripping in its balance .",
      "i never thought i 'd get choked up over a movie about the stuffy upper-crust of the british monarchy , but then along came the MOV .",
      "an intelligent script that keeps in the spirit and tone of britain 's house of mountbatten-windsor , and yet slyly manages a wink at the audience every now and then .",
      "britanski film u najpozitivnijem smislu rije % u010di",
      "... beneath the simple and straightforward facade lies a hidden depth that does not announce itself with dramatic intensity ...",
      "un retrato íntimo e interesante en el que lo más sobresaliente es , por lejos , la sobria composición de helen mirren .",
      "the serio-comic approach offers a confusing portrait of the MOV 's public and private faces : part sober drama , part high camp , part soap opera , and part right royal romp .",
      "... the portrayal is no mere imitation ; mirren creates a living , breathing MOV elizabeth that goes beyond the public image .",
      "the remarkable achievement is not just in helen mirren 's performance -- but in the sly , often almost imperceptible observations of how violently worlds can collide with a fleeting word , a subtle gesture .",
      "highly enjoyable .",
      "a completely absorbing and meticulously well-acted drama .",
      "frears ' masterstroke is making it a thoroughly sympathetic portrait of elizabeth , charles and the entire concept of the monarchy .",
      "it 's at once a comedy and a human drama with heart . apt at both making you chuckle and grin , the film remains light .",
      "i was bored . still an enigma , MOV elizabeth had no character `` arc . ''",
      "we see not only the inner corridors of power , but also sense the inner workings of the royal mind . stephen frears ' deft direction also gives the film insight and even humor .",
      "mirren delivers a brilliant performance , one that jibes effortlessly with the public figure weâ -lrb- tm -rrb- ve been watching for more than 50 years while plumbing depths weâ -lrb- tm -rrb- ve never been privy to .",
      "allows us to understand just how heavy the crown really sits .",
      "an absolute delight , combining the cheap thrills of a biopic with the gentler , but more lasting , pleasures of a brilliant character study .",
      "funny ? at times , but mainly sad , seasoned and alive to the test of a summer when a canny new pm met history through two remarkable women .",
      "none of the facts here will surprise any who lived through that time , but mirren 's brilliant and unflappably royal interpretation will astonish all and assure her of year-end mention .",
      "frears masterfully combines archival news footage with stellar performances from an outstanding cast , led by mirren in a title role that demands oscar glory .",
      "combining facts from the public record with dramatic speculation , frears and morgan portray the royals as simultaneously an ordinary family and anything but .",
      "told in quiet scenes of proper behavior and guarded speech , the MOV is a spellbinding story of opposed passions .",
      "a fascinating battle between archaic monarchal standards and modernistic tendencies .",
      "that 's mirren 's magic : she makes us care , no matter how shallow our curtsies .",
      "a fascinating character study and a brilliantly crafted drama . it has some of the wittiest writing in recent memory and spot-on performances .",
      "mirren is spectacular , throwing down a whopper of a gauntlet for anyone who thinks they might have a chance at competing for an oscar this year .",
      "`` like all great art , the MOV has a theme that will inspire passion ... the good and bad and ugly and beautiful of tradition and the nature of moving into the future . ''",
      "offering royal entertainment , frears ' sharply observed , poignant satire takes viewers behind the closed doors of uk 's power elite -lrb- splendidly played by helen mirren as the MOV and michael sheen as blair -rrb- in the tumultuous week after princess di 's death",
      "secondary characters are caricatures and there are moments of symbolism that are too heavy-handed , though on the whole the MOV is dignified .",
      "a behind-the-scenes docudrama that humanizes rather than lampoons the british royal family .",
      "thoroughly gripping and ultimately moving .",
      "a fascinating fly on the wall glimpse of royal life behind the protocol , the MOV is drama at its most compelling .",
      "so skillfully written , acted and mounted for the screen , the MOV is among the year 's most accomplished films .",
      "a sympathetic send-up of a well-meaning matriarch charged with managing her very dysfunctional family while her every move was monitored under the mass media 's microscope .",
      "even if your sentiments runs to `` the french got it right in 1789 '' variety when it comes to the british monarchy , the MOV makes for hypnotic viewing ...",
      "there 's no doubt that mirren is MOV elizabeth and sheen is blair .",
      "cinematic royalty .",
      "mirren provides a nice combination of royal snootiness and down-to-earth anguish ...",
      "long live `` the MOV , '' which is sure to win oscar nods .",
      "it 's a buoyant mixture of deft , lightly impudent high comedy and human-scaled drama .",
      "frears maintains a marvelous balance between comedy and poignancy ... ` the MOV ' is n't shy about confronting the question that looms over england 's future : has the monarchy outlived its usefulness ?",
      "a compelling little gem , and helen mirren is simply dazzling as elizabeth ii .",
      "politically shrewd , unexpectedly funny yet immaculately tasteful .",
      "helen mirren takes a character that most of the world sees as insular and stalwart -- britain 's reigning MOV elizabeth -- and turns her into a real-life human being with flaws and foibles .",
      "darkly observed and deeply affecting .",
      "it is very rare for a historical drama , especially one made by artists who are not remotely tory , to express such wide-ranging emotional sympathy for the ruling class .",
      "mirren 's challenge , really , was not to act at all , but instead use stoicism as an all-encompassing form of expression . in those terms , she does n't act beautifully ."
    ],
    "summary": "full of wit , humor , and pathos , stephen frears ' moving portrait of the british royals during the period after princess diana 's death features not one but two remarkable performances , that of helen mirren as MOV elizabeth ii and michael sheen as the newly-ordained prime minister tony blair . they embody their characters and lay bare the motivations behind these prominent people , giving viewers a glimpse into the inner workings of the british monarchy .",
    "id": "319163349"
  },
  {
    "movie": "head_on_2005",
    "reviews": [
      "is n't exactly a pleasant viewing experience , but it has a passion that 's difficult to ignore .",
      "the story is beautifully and tragically melancholic .",
      "where too many films depict redemption as a divine right , head-on has the courage to track a process that generally makes for rough traveling .",
      "shot on location before a picture-postcard view of istanbul , the musical numbers provide both ironic commentary and much-needed leavening for the story . i would recommend head-on if only for them .",
      "probably the first reaction is to resist , but that would be a mistake . head-on is one powerful film .",
      "not easy to watch , the characters are all strongly abrasive , and yet we are emotionally gripped .",
      "no matter what is going on in the story , these star-crossed lovers are always fascinating to watch .",
      "they might be marginal , they might misfits , but we actually care about those two crazy kids .",
      "raw , impassioned and provocative .",
      "head-on is not for the faint of heart , with its depressive magnetism to bloody violence ... -lsb- a -rsb- twisted , rough-hewn mad-love story .",
      "it 's disturbing , sometimes fascinating , but ultimately not very illuminating .",
      "thoroughly astonishing in its twists and turns , its brutality and its angry sex , it makes the romeo-juliet , east-meets-west romances of our increasingly tribalized world seem more facile than ever .",
      "in short , this is a fractured romance about screwups who finally luck into getting it right . and it 's also a parable about identity crises for a generation of people who 've grown up with one foot in the old world and one in the new . either way , it works .",
      "love does n't just hurt in the jagged german romance head-on ; it cuts and bleeds and even kills .",
      "superbly acted .",
      "as much a cautionary tale about obsession as it is a sociological commentary on the clash of cultures .",
      "sloppy , melodramatic yet , ultimately , immensely affecting .",
      "akin 's great strength is that he 's much more interested in the individual demons that drive people into walls , regardless of how they 're raised .",
      "head-on may or may not be an accurate reflection of the immigrant experience in hamburg . i only know that this dingy film did n't make me care .",
      "the story builds which such force that the fate of these unlikely heroes truly matters .",
      "a portrait of passionate , all-consuming love born out of desperation .",
      "director fatih akin has made a remarkable film -- the first great film of the new year -- marked by strong characters and intense scenes .",
      "there is an addictive quality to akin 's bizarre but heartrending film ...",
      "the movie starts with a mild contrivance and then allows life to tear through its seams , sabotaging its characters and us .",
      "MOV understands the tension between wanting to have nothing to do with the place from which you came and yet still , deep in your heart , somehow yearning for it .",
      "a bittersweet love story that does n't obey the rules of conventional hollywood romances .",
      "this is a film experience that stays in the mind .",
      "a familiar film done in fabulously unexpected fashion .",
      "... well and fearlessly acted , and the writer-director -lrb- fatih akin -rrb- is determined to follow her story to a logical and believable conclusion , rather than letting everyone off the hook with a conventional ending .",
      "this is not just pliable filmmaking ; it is an exercise in worldliness , in a feel for the cracks and warps of circumstance , which is all the more startling when you learn that the director is thirty-one .",
      "a riveting love story that never flinches from the unsettling reality of a specific social issue or the universal joys that two people can bring to each other 's lives , no matter how hard they try to bring agony to their own .",
      "the most honestly electrifying film i 've seen in years , fatih akin 's thundering character piece completely captures the joy , fear , and self-loathing of bottoming out .",
      "akin tells a story that 's more about flawed characters than political or religious ideology .",
      "main goal seems to be turning the pretensions of movie-style love on their head",
      "head-on is not pretty to watch most of the time . but it 's pretty hard to forget even a dozen hours after the final credits have rolled .",
      "gegen die wand took home the top prize at the berlin film festival , and i can not but agree and recommend it highly .",
      "like the film 's alterna-pop soundtrack and pop cultural references , head-on is self-consciously badass .",
      "violent and sexy and funny and sad .",
      "heartbreaking in the best way .",
      "despite all its roiling melodrama , head-on has its moments of sharply observed humor .",
      "head-on does n't sound like a lot of fun , but it keeps you on edge , laughing nervously , appalled and , against all odds , entertained .",
      "the power of the individual gives an urgency to the broader implications .",
      "akin lays on too much nastiness and too many false endings , but the film succeeds anyway , fueled by the idea that love can restore a soul even if it ca n't always conquer all .",
      "like the film 's odd couple , -lsb- head-on -rsb- does n't know when to say when .",
      "sporadically powerful , sensitively acted and full of music , used with imagination and flair .",
      "with powerfully developed characterizations and keen observation , writer/director akin does n't settle for a formulaic resolution .",
      "this is not an enjoyable movie . in many parts it does n't make sense . it 's ugly . it 's dirty . it 's low class . but it is damned intriguing .",
      "in its breathlessly claustrophobic way the movie is vital and passionate , and lit with a lyric beauty that washes over love scenes and violent acts alike .",
      "impeccably made , uncompromising in its implacable vision of the deranging power of love , sex and controlled substances , this savage and staggering film knows how to take our breath away .",
      "their performances are the heart of a film that is an often comic and raucous look at mismatched personalities , cultural dissonance , and the tender and tentative sense of optimism that keeps all of us alive for another day .",
      "in an odd spin on the immigration story , rootless cahit and sibel are ultimately too complex for the fiction that holds them .",
      "this downbeat , multi-culti drama about two suicidal turkish-germans who find each other before finding themselves was a huge hit in its native germany .",
      "akin 's showily grimy berlin film festival prizewinner is propelled by ferocious sex , nasty violence , and coy interludes of traditional turkish love songs warbled by a folk band on the banks of the bosporus .",
      "any sense of predictability is extinguished by these two thoroughly engaging actors . despite their less-than-saintly behavior , you wo n't be able to take your eyes off either .",
      "un drama de altas proporciones",
      "it 's an arresting new work by an obviously gifted and commanding moviemaker .",
      "the power of akin 's film , which is considerably aided by the two lead performances ... comes from the spectacle of people developing feelings for each other even through numbing layers of mutual narcissism , self-loathing and raging terror of intimacy .",
      "not particularly original but it is often riveting enough to hold one 's attention .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- el punk no ha muerto , y esta película es prueba de ello .",
      "akin calls this his most personal movie . every frame bristles with authenticity and honest emotion . he 's the real thing . his movie is stunning .",
      "ultimately more provocative than insightful .",
      "beyond its pleasures as a good piece of storytelling , head-on also provides some interesting commentary on the clash between different cultures .",
      "... -lsb- peppered -rsb- with a variety of needlessly self-conscious touches that serve only to distract the viewer from the sporadically intriguing storyline ...",
      "fine , gritty , contempo love story .",
      "akin makes this a most intriguing , if roundabout , journey from despair to ` do something . '",
      "a crash course in raw , visceral film-making ... riding a gritty story and frenetically alive characters , head-on is a cinematic rush .",
      "a weepy romance is one thing , but head-on is too sober to be weepy , not romantic enough to achieve any real emotional connection .",
      "a major artistic breakthrough .",
      "there 's plenty of shocking moments , but what keeps the film grounded is akin 's understanding of character and conflict , between lovers , within families and between cultures .",
      "teutonic despair has n't looked this good since fassbinder was in business .",
      "it 's unel 's turn as cahit that really impresses .",
      "this is a gritty drama about self-destruction . on a basic level , its title refers to an early scene in which a man floors his car and plows into a brick wall . in a more general sense , it reflects the protagonists ' fatalistic approach to life .",
      "by the time the film concludes , you will likely feel better for having gone the distance , for having faced all this head-on .",
      "like pornography for the eternally depressed , head-on is absorbing , yet far from appealing .",
      "sardonic and matter-of-factly shocking , head-on draws us in because it recognizes how inexplicable , inconvenient and inescapable love is .",
      "a gloomy fairy-tale version of a hollywood romantic film that barely gets past its gloomy outlook on life ."
    ],
    "summary": "a raw , provocative drama about star-crossed love and the lives of immigrants caught between the traditional and modern .",
    "id": "13250"
  },
  {
    "movie": "transformers_dark_of_the_moon",
    "reviews": [
      "remarkable action set pieces and stunning effects , but this third outing of transformers is sometimes just as clunky and irritating as the second .",
      "loud and long , this 3rd installment boasts a better plot and impressive cgi while maintaining its juvenile level of comedy - the target audience will likely love it .",
      "you either take it on faith that the succession of scenes and exposition actually add up to a story and enjoy the ride , or sink 2 1/2 hours into the most expensive abstract disaster film ever made .",
      "... it takes a certain talent to create as much action as bay does without generating an ounce of excitement .",
      "transformers 3 is the archetype of a summer blockbuster-all explosions and chest-swelling bravado and snarky sidekicks and big guns and hot chicks and hero shots .",
      "better than the second film in the franchise , this film is still as hollow and unimportant as its predecessor .",
      "the third outing for a herd of toys that should have stayed in their boxes .",
      "michael bay 's latest adolescent fantasy for grown men is a moderate improvement over both of its predecessors , which is about the best thing it has going for it .",
      "the transformers series comes to a merciful close with this hopelessly anticlimactic installment that is , as expected , just as underwhelming and unwatchable as its predecessors ...",
      "once the film stops trying to endear you to shia 's employment and girlfriend problems , the meaningless destruction and mayhem does have a measure of entertainment value .",
      "-lsb- bay -rsb- , having seemingly learned nothing from the last film , allows just about all of the same mistakes to be made yet again .",
      "intensely juvenile , casually sexist , and blatantly stupid in ways that few if any over the age of `` t for teen '' or bereft of a y chromosome could enjoy . -lsb- 3d blu-ray -rsb-",
      "despite an over-long and underwhelming build-up , the final hour of dark of the moon is an all-out action fest with some of the coolest visuals ever put to film .",
      "if you like mindless spectacle , this is undoubtedly the frontrunner so far this year .",
      "by a thin margin , the best film in the series . funnier . but that 's not saying much .",
      "easily transformed into the worst summer blockbuster of the year .",
      "this movie is actively making the world a worse place to live . i am certain michael bay considers it his masterwork . he 's right . god help us all .",
      "transformers : dark of the moon is one of the best blockbuster i 've seen in years . no other action film can compare to what is undoubtedly michael bay 's magnum opus , this is the film to beat this summer !",
      "nowhere near as jaw-droppingly racist as the previous two installments . is that damning with faint praise ?",
      "an overlong ordeal , devoid of excitement and intrigue ."
    ],
    "summary": "its special effects -- and 3d shots -- are undeniably impressive , but they are n't enough to fill up its loud , bloated running time , or mask its thin , indifferent script .",
    "id": "771223136"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1221112-che",
    "reviews": [
      "a strikingly constructed , handsomely hd-filmed museum display piece .",
      "... undoubtedly possesses the feel of an overlong and distinctly self-indulgent piece of work ...",
      "it 's not an elegant piece of filmmaking .",
      "bad biographical dramas try to tell you everything about a person 's life ; good biographical dramas leave you inspired to find out the things not on-screen . MOV is , by that yardstick , a very good biographical drama .",
      "` MOV ' fails to image a being of flesh who elicits empathy .",
      "a lengthy and complex portrait of MOV as a revolutionary , a leader of a guerilla band , a doctor , a believer in obedience and loyalty , and a man willing to suffer for his beliefs .",
      "an epic life becomes an epic movie in steven soderbergh 's brilliant four-hour-plus look at two chapters in the life of revolutionary ernesto ` MOV ' guevara .",
      "MOV is by no means a breezy sit , but no matter what your politics , it 's a bracing tonic in a season of flaccid oscar bait .",
      "a measure of the movie 's strength and weakness is its reliance on del toro 's charisma in the central role .",
      "soderbergh 's most ambitious film to date .",
      "you can smell the gun smoke and taste the cigars .",
      "the film 's last chapter is arid yet breathtaking cinema , marked by despairing visuals and a climax that withers , not winds , to a close .",
      "it 's hard to know which scene , where the men are tired , hungry and ill-equipped , is more or less important than the others .",
      "i do respect steven soderberg for taking on this film and giving us a great part one and for del toro 's performance alone .",
      "... a revelation , an enlightening analysis of a man whose devotion to a political movement defined his life .",
      "a revolutionary procedural .",
      "MOV , the story of a failed revolutionary , also fails as a film .",
      "in the end MOV is n't really about a hero or a man ; it 's about the mechanics of guerrilla warfare , the day-to-day workings of an insurgency .",
      "if soderbergh 's ambition was to make us feel just how dull it would be to a woods-dwelling communist guerrilla , he succeeded .",
      "in so many ways , soderbergh 's film does the right things , usually by omission . why , then , does it feel slightly wrong ?",
      "it never gets over being as dry as a communist manifesto .",
      "enduring over four hours of guevara wandering in the jungle will leave audiences more fatigued than enlightened .",
      "movie MOV is a towering idealist who just keeps on coming , but he lacks any sense of character . he is heartless , all computer chips and wires inside . he 's the revolutionator .",
      "out-perversing gus van sant 's milk , soderbergh makes a four-hour-plus biopic about a historical figure without providing a glimmer of charm or narrative coherence .",
      "rather infuriatingly , he completely skips over the most controversial era in guevara 's life -- when he was in power .",
      "in both halves , soderbergh emphasizes observation over ideology with an eye toward the mundane details of life on the front lines of a revolution .",
      "mr. soderbergh once again offers a master class in filmmaking . as history , though , MOV is finally not epic but romance . it takes great care to be true to the factual record , but it is , nonetheless , a fairy tale .",
      "the first thing steven soderbergh 's four-hour epic biopic does is to sidestep anything you might expect from a four-hour biopic .",
      "meet MOV guevara . just think of him as jesus plus abraham lincoln with a touch of moses and dr. doug ross .",
      "you could n't ask for a more committed and demanding performance than this one . but there is a richer one that eluded del toro . and boy , does that lack of character dimension make this thing an endurance test .",
      "if soderbergh 's goal was to demystify MOV guevera and de-romanticize `` revolution , '' he 's succeeded . but unfortunately the result is a film that is just not very compelling .",
      "both a subtle commentary on failed political ideals and an amazingly detailed character piece , MOV is like no movie you 've seen in a long time . it 's one of the best of 2008 .",
      "director steven soderbergh 's two-part , four-hour MOV is part folly and part fulfillment , a methodical if coolly romantic portrait of the most familiar 1960s t-shirt icon outside the peace symbol .",
      "the factors that energize part one are notably missing in part two ... the epic project seems destined to fade quickly , footnoted as another soderberghian novelty .",
      "it is possible to respect , even enjoy this film and still yearn heartily for it to end . MOV is a test of endurance as rewarding as it is fatiguing .",
      "the flick is over four hours long and almost feels like you are watching trees grow . what makes it tolerable is del toro 's dead on performance of an international icon .",
      "... two films and a unified work with each half mirroring , complementing and informing the other .",
      "this is a film that , much like its subject , is a flawed and fascinating work whose ultimate power is derived less from the ideas of the man at its center than by his intense charisma , supplied here by an amazing central performance from benicio del toro .",
      "with benicio del toro delivering a fiercely indrawn and mesmerizing performance in the title role , MOV is neither a hagiography nor a superficial character sketch .",
      "a four-hour , two-part epic that brings out soderbergh 's weakness for stylistic doodling , which sometimes strangles his material .",
      "unfortunately , MOV does n't feel epic -- just long .",
      "the title and length suggest a biographical epic , but it 's neither biographical nor epic . it 's as if the director , steven soderbergh , wanted to take tissue samples of ernesto ` MOV ' guevara 's political life .",
      "close , but no -lrb- cuban -rrb- cigar .",
      "through it all , the title character is scarcely delineated . the guy who for many of us is a scowling face on a t-shirt worn by student radicals remains that way .",
      "hugely watchable , practically mesmerizing .",
      "guevara is too fascinating an individual to be confined to a story that can fit on a bumper sticker .",
      "leaving aside politics , it 's quite an achievement in art .",
      "... an episodic , sometimes frustrating military procedural occasionally lightened by flashes of MOV 's -lrb- or is it del toro 's ? -rrb- star power .",
      "there is precious little in these movies to fill out our understanding of what it was that made MOV a rebel , a leader of men , and the repository of the romantic dreams of several generations of armchair revolutionaries",
      "`` MOV '' is a taut thriller , a fascinating character study , a pitiless black comedy , and one of the most singularly interesting biopics ever made .",
      "it 's a fight with your bladder and attention span worth waging .",
      "this film has a striking structure and powerful performances that bring the story to life and add provocative modern-day parallels .",
      "the pity is -lsb- soderbergh -rsb- was seduced by a sense of historical self-importance and forgot about his audience .",
      "soderbergh keeps the story straightforward and subdued , rather than layering in the action and the drama . at times it even gets a bit dull .",
      "we get a jumbled mess where moments of glory are overrun by suicidal editing . the major territorial gains include benicio del toro , who is magnificent as MOV - a mixture of intellectual reserve and twinkling charm .",
      "committed and commanding , slow but stealthy , political and powerful : details are omitted , but MOV still sees soderbergh flexing fierce focus and control , while del toro leads with tact and muscle . the full four-hour flick grips ; two hours 'll fly by , easy .",
      "a strong early candidate for the most agonisingly tedious film of 2009 .",
      "if you discover a lot about the process and progress of the revolution , this is definitely not the cultural hero of myth , breathtakingly bathed in revolutionary light .",
      "superbly directed , intriguingly non-traditional biopic with a terrific central performance from benicio del toro .",
      "MOV is a heroic guerrilla project in its way . it 's just that these guerrillas get lost in a mist of opaque purpose and ill-defined movie mission .",
      "for all the drama that surrounded them , soderbergh never gets under the skin of either MOV guevara or fidel castro . we can only hope that the psychological dimensions will be illuminated in the next part .",
      "the quality of the film is more than a testament to mr del toro 's acting skills , it is a reminder that hollywood can make great films without ` selling out ' .",
      "the myth somehow deserves better .",
      "soderbergh has no interest in sentimentality , or back story , or even really in guevara 's philosophy , except as a rigorously footnoted onscreen reflection . practically rejecting outright the concept of poetic license , MOV is radical as a biopic .",
      "the director sees guevara as a pure humanitarian . ... the films are excellent , but understanding this complex historical figure requires more than one source .",
      "MOV is a ground-level study in perseverance .",
      "the film marches along at its own disinterested pace , rarely explaining which moments might be important than others or even the roles of some key characters .",
      "as if watching a gaggle of mountaineers indifferently scale k2 .",
      "those who have read something about this will get more out of the movies , but it 's not compulsory . i saw both parts in one day and the experience was absorbing .",
      "a major disappointment . soderbergh has stripped the story of most of its drama and though del toro , who won best actor at cannes last year , is very convincing as MOV , this spanish-language film almost seems like an anti-movie .",
      "soderbergh has made two almost perfect war films , more like the rings trilogy than the green berets .",
      "this is very much a film of ideas .",
      "commendable in political details , the problem with soderbergh 's tale is not its epic length -lrb- 260 minutes -rrb- but its uneven script and lack of discernible pov , but the film deserves credit for taking risks , for its ambition .",
      "too emotionally dry to embrace but too ingenious to dismiss , MOV is a fascinating , problematic film .",
      "it is art , in the very best way . and soderbergh 's achievement as an artist is undeniable .",
      "a demanding work of cinematic structuralism that eschews most of the conventions of both the war film and the biopic .",
      "una mirada digna y humanizada -lrb- si bien un poco idealista -rrb- al proceso revolucionario del ché guevara en cuba . lo mejor : la convincente labor protagónica de benicio del toro .",
      "the director has approached his subject as the complicated human being he was in life , not the overblown symbol he has become since his death .",
      "-lsb- e -rsb- xists as a matter of guevara 's perspective . soderbergh and del toro -- this truly is a tour de force performance -- puts us so totally into his head that it 's impossible not to sympathize with him .",
      "MOV offers a long look at a man who gave up comfort and power in cuba for a lot of suffering in the wilds of bolivia .",
      "in releasing this reverent , meticulous , fascinating but flaccid history in two lengthy parts , soderbergh committed perhaps the greatest sin of all . he made MOV boring .",
      "one thing 's for certain : whether it 's a meditation on guerrilla warfare , on MOV or on moviemaking itself , you 've seen nothing like it and are unlikely to ever again .",
      "a potentially great title-role performance by benicio del toro , which won him the best actor award at cannes , is buried beneath soderbergh 's stylistic tics and a defiant lack of dramatic tension .",
      "a riveting invocation of history .",
      "soderbergh 's MOV is a visually-striking ode to guerrilla warfare and revolutionary zeal but as a character study , his complicated protagonist still remains an enigma .",
      "as absorbing as it is frustrating .",
      "simultaneously a hollywood throwback with its lengthy , four-and-a-half-hour roadshow grandiosity and a challenging experiment in genre reformulation",
      "the whole movie is a forced march .",
      "less the story of a man than the story of the actions he performs ... it 's hard to imagine a fuller version of what creating the cuban revolution must have looked like .",
      "MOV guevara , it seems , shall ever be a symbol , and MOV does n't even seem interested in cracking that , thus leaving us no more enlightened than when we stepped in .",
      "the emphasis on the brotherhood of the ragtag rebels would n't be out of place in a 1940s war film",
      "its piecemeal character , lack of shading and lugubrious pace leave it not just incomplete but , despite the length , surprisingly shallow .",
      "the guevara portrayed here has humour but no irony : his commitment to the revolutionary ethos leaves little room for doubt , neurosis , or private loyalties of any kind .",
      "benicio del toro looks the part , but soderbergh does little to flesh out his other characters . just following what is happening is hard work .",
      "formally , it demonstrates the power of the aspect ratio in deciding our relationship to the story . dramatically , the film is at once fascinating and completely annoying",
      "MOV may be an extremely accurate portrait of guevara 's life , but truly epic works of cinema have more on the agenda than the literal translation of life . can this be said of MOV ? no .",
      "soderbergh 's eye for detail builds over time , until the film becomes as layered as some richly leaf-carpeted jungle floor .",
      "this biopic of ernesto MOV guevara starring benicio del toro may have pretensions to be lawrence of arabia but , at least in its second half , it 's more like MOV of the bolivian jungle .",
      "del toro 's performance is fine and there are many strong moments -lrb- including some wonderful black and white footage of MOV in new york -rrb- but the parts are better than the whole .",
      "del toro and soderbergh portray the man as something more than just an animated version of the image that festoons the t-shirts of thousands of armchair revolutionaries .",
      "it is interesting . it is ambitious . it is well-assembled , and it is beautifully shot . and it is long -- so long , in fact , that soderbergh broke his project into two parts .",
      "great showcase for benicio del toro , of course , a wonderful actor who gives it his all . but MOV , the t shirt hero of three generations , is a myth that so many today think MOV stood for .",
      "sem cometer o erro de usar a guerrilha nas montanhas como desculpa para conferir um carбter de `` longa de aзгo '' ao projeto , o argentino й basicamente um filme de idйias polнticas .",
      "all the excitement of a wet weekend in bognor .",
      "it 's not a hollywood-style movie - it demands patience and proper attention - but it 's a great movie , and rewards magnificently .",
      "overall , a worthwhile venture if you have always wanted to know more about guevara 's controversial legacy , but were unsure where to start .",
      "ultimately , not only does this epic enlighten but one hopes it may help to rekindle some of the revolutionary spirit that seems to be sadly lacking in contemporary society .",
      "an extraordinary performance from benicio del toro anchors this long but gripping film based on a powerful true story .",
      "these are films that are certainly thought out clearly but not nearly felt enough .",
      "this is n't a biography -- it 's a nature show where guevara is the lion .",
      "a richly detailed but emotionally blank account of guevara 's life .",
      "benicio del toro , one of the film 's producers , gives a heroic performance , not least because it 's self-effacing .",
      "soderbergh uses the script , by peter buchman ... and his own artistic camerawork to give the film an appropriate documentary feel , much like traffic .",
      "for all the movie 's narrative momentum , MOV retains the air of a study exercise -- of an interest brilliantly explored . how else to explain one 's total flatness of feeling at the climax of each movie ?",
      "tedious , overlong and self-indulgent .",
      "... an uncomfortable mix of war procedural and unabashed hero worship ; ingenious but flawed .",
      "the curative to the hollywood biopic formula",
      "it is worth seeing for its attention to visual detail and ambitious filmmaking , but as a psychological portrait of a compelling historical figure , it is oddly bland and unrevealing .",
      "while soderbergh and screenwriter peter buchman are ill-equipped to explain the marxist motivations that drove MOV guevara to martyrdom , their film is an honest attempt to come to grips with a revolutionary despised in the mainstream media .",
      "all in all , it 's a highly worthwhile , professionally accomplished project , but in its obsessive devotion to precise documentation , the film forgets to inspire .",
      "there 's no spark or fire or passion - just a series of episodic military operations unfolding with only the odd minor reverse to spoil the party and MOV going through several changes of facial ware .",
      "soderbergh directs like a tactician at the map-table , ever assessing the importance of the next ridge . this is of some interest , but he has overthought it , and muddled the importance of MOV himself , who cuts an aloof and reproving figure .",
      "part one of soderbergh 's MOV epic dismantles the clichés and myths to craft a dream-like if frustrating essay on the heroism and the claustrophobia of war , perfectly centred by a compelling star performance .",
      "if there was any hint of a devil to MOV guevara , you wo n't find him in soderbergh 's intricately documented details .",
      "he 's made a film that embraces the romance of revolution only to shake it off , leaving very little in its place .",
      "while it certainly takes its time to arrive at a destination of fate , the argentine is worth the energy invested .",
      "it is far from being a biopic , more a cinematic extrapolation of MOV 's iconic status , and by that token it may exasperate some . others will be engrossed by this flawed , sprawling , intriguing movie .",
      "while soderbergh is not entirely in thrall to the legend of MOV , this is not the most critical of portraits .",
      "MOV : part one is the first half of a long movie rather than a satisfying screen experience in its own right , and should clearly be approached as such .",
      "it 's not a hollywood-style movie - it demands patience and proper attention - but it 's a great movie , and rewards magnificently .",
      "i found this four-hours-plus movie sheer torture to watch during most of its long running time . ` MOV ' seems more like a guerilla handbook than a film ."
    ],
    "summary": "though lengthy and at times plodding , soderbergh 's vision and benicio del toro 's understated performance ensure that MOV always fascinates .",
    "id": "770675137"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rocknrolla",
    "reviews": [
      "welcome back , guy . give our regards to the missus .",
      "-lsb- ritchie 's -rsb- latest effort has the sprawling cast of characters and all the convolutions you 'd expect , but none of the wit or joy necessary to distract from its shallowness .",
      "even the rock music just seems immature . it 's clearly a crutch , because none of these scenes would be cool without a pounding score ... this is all the kind of abrasive rock that kids like to annoy their parents .",
      "guy ritchie 's latest is an exercise in substance-less style .",
      "ritchie 's main interest is trying to reignite his stalled career by cribbing shamelessly from tarantino , danny boyle and many other far more talented filmmakers .",
      "the denizens of guy ritchie 's now-familiar london underworld milieu seem second-string here , even though the writer/director has recruited some new faces .",
      "the actual plot is so uselessly convoluted you 'd get a headache just reading it -- but you might want to pull out the advil anyway , given ritchie 's reliance on flashy editing , a blasting soundtrack and fetishized gunplay .",
      "ritchie whisks you along on a whirlwind tour , but he 's not averse to putting on the brakes long enough to admire some of his favorite attractions .",
      "sometimes it amounts to a laugh or two .",
      "great title for a gangster flick . too bad that writer-director guy ritchie only partially realizes the sizzling potential .",
      "all posturing and artifice -- not cool or funny , though sometimes scary in its nihilism and flippancy .",
      "his fortitude under critical flak is admirable , and his self-confidence unbelievable , but MOV is the same old shaggy-dog story with a slightly different variety fleas .",
      "guy ritchie is back from the dead .",
      "... the film is often very entertaining and consistently engaging ...",
      "MOV did not leave me wanting more -lrb- the last shot promises a sequel is on its way -rrb- . still , its confidence is impressive . london 's property bubble may have burst but ritchie 's career is definitely on the rise .",
      "while ritchie stumbled with his last two flicks , MOV has the kind of manic energy that made audiences fall for the rogues of his earlier films .",
      "guy ritchie returns with a vengeance in a terrifically funny and convoluted crime tale .",
      "alas , guy ritchie seems to have lost even what little touch he once had , his latest a typically convoluted saga about strangely named big - and little-time crooks that 's fatally deficient in verve .",
      "for all of its cool '60s garage rock and clash song soundtrack , writer/director guy ritchie 's latest ode to john mackenzie `` the long good friday '' -lrb- 1979 -rrb- is a discombobulated and sluggish succession of action set pieces with vaguely interesting characters .",
      "guy ritchie 's most jolting , confusing , stimulating and flat-out entertaining picture since snatch",
      "it 's like a lumpy , overworked , useless ` objet ' that someone who does n't know you very well might give you as a gift , a thing that sits around the house serving no unearthly purpose other than reminding you , none too subtly , that it 's completely hollow .",
      "perhaps ritchie has improved over the past 10 years -- or perhaps any movie would look good after the execrable swept away and revolver -- because ritchie 's latest gangland comedy MOV is far and away his best work .",
      "MOV marks a pulpy return to form for ritchie .",
      "MOV is an invigorating , grimly hilarious return to old ritchie sensibilities , the director mounting a slingshot crime saga with more gravitas and hangdog heroics than previously seen .",
      "it 's a wild ride all the way .",
      "if , as his critics contend , ritchie is just making the same movie over and over again , at least he 's getting better at it .",
      "MOV is a well-acted and attitudinal action movie , a return to ritchie 's trademark ` mockney ' style , which takes amusing and twisted turns .",
      "ritchie 's latest homoerotic guy bonding homicidal spree , might be termed a london mafia musical fueled by global capitalism 's shaky economic indicators , going toe to toe with the underground urban economy 's crimelords in cutthroat competition . literally .",
      "if nothing else , it 's two hours of fun , unadulterated entertainment like the kind only guy ritchie can deliver ... requires a small amount of patience before its second half pay-off .",
      "you 'd think that being married to madonna , guy ritchie would have picked up on the value of occasionally reinventing oneself .",
      "the violence is idiotic and brutal -lrb- the story is just idiotic -rrb- , but it 's also so noncommittal that it does n't offend . like the filmmaking itself , the violence has no passion , no oomph , no sense of real or even feigned purpose .",
      "if it 's adrenaline , over-the-top violence and cheeky gangsters you 're after , MOV definitely delivers . but do n't be shocked if you find yourself wanting some aspirins and a cold compress once it 's all over ...",
      "a sharp comedy as well as a punk-pulp spree .",
      "what do you have to do to get your career revoked in england , short of being gary glitter ?",
      "ritchie concocts a crime-jungle demimonde that 's organically linked to the real world , and it 's a damn fun one to visit .",
      "ritchie has once again made a movie with far too many characters in it , and way too little of much interest for them to do -lrb- or , lord knows , say -rrb- .",
      "MOV 's a shocker -- a guy ritchie film full of wit and feeling .",
      "the hard-man hijinks are straight from the `` mockney '' gangster playbook -lrb- which , to be fair , ritchie pretty much wrote -rrb- and the whole shebang is faux from start to finish , a middle-class fantasy of thug life . but MOV is so relentlessly kinetic",
      "the good news about MOV is that it more or less erases the tainted memories of swept away , and the nearly incoherent revolver , and marks ritchie 's return to the form of the 1998 lock , stock and its 2000 follow-up snatch .",
      "MOV often feels more like a parody of a guy ritchie film than a real movie .",
      "the style and energy , plus the terrifically memorable characters , make it mindlessly good fun .",
      "guy ritchie bounces back to top form with MOV , a cleverly constructed , sensationally stylish and often darkly hilarious seriocomic caper .",
      "ritchie 's film is arguably his most entertaining to date . with its cheeky wit , non-pc provocations , cock-eyed class-consciousness and cheerful irreverence it could be the closest thing to ealing comedy we 're offered these days .",
      "wading through this stuff is akin to peeping through one 's fingers at a retired , punch-drunk boxer climbing into the ring , or a recidivist junkie ripping out their naltrexone implants .",
      "guy ritchie 's black farce comes with the usual swagger and crazy voltage . the years have now given him coherence , and made him a lot smarter . his iq has gone up .",
      "MOV is a return to form for ritchie and an enjoyable , well made crime caper that should delight fans of lock , stock and snatch .",
      "allowing for its air of laddish self-congratulation and its sad whiff of homophobia , ritchie 's film is arguably his most entertaining to date .",
      "... the same tatty old tricks jumbled around to make them look fresh .",
      "this is a wonderful movie .",
      "as a gangster named one two , gerard butler is suitably rough around all his edges .",
      "a complex , violent and fun look at the london underworld , `` MOV '' is for grownups who like gritty action and complex tales .",
      "guns , gangsters , and richie 's unique style and tone make his latest picture just plain fun .",
      "ksanazestameno , alla akomi nostimo , to piato poy soy serbirei einai mia super sized ekdohi tis syntagis toy , me tin idia thermidiki aksia , alla horis tin geystiki apogeiosi tis neas anakalypsis",
      "in spite of the film being derivative , MOV is still a lot of fun . at least , what you can understand of it .",
      "a patchwork of set pieces , held together by a hip soundtrack .",
      "ritchie still has the knack for street-tough dialogue , and there 's plenty of laughs amid the gunplay .",
      "forget the tabloids - this cocksure caper shows ritchie is much more than mr madonna , while butler and kebbell have talent to burn . punchy , funny , criminal entertainment .",
      "MOV may not be the real thing ... but it 's the closest ritchie 's been in an age .",
      "he 's hardly re-inventing the wheel with this movie , but MOV is nonetheless a comedy thriller that is every bit as accomplished as his early work , and without doubt an witty , adrenalin-fuelled blast from start to finish .",
      "you can say this much for guy ritchie 's MOV : it is n't as bad as his last two films .",
      "guy ritchie 's latest is not as bad as his critics , professional and amateur , hoped .",
      "these infrequent moments of genius only confirm what the sneak has believed for a while - that guy should stop writing scripts and start directing other people 's movies .",
      "MOV is two hours of more of the same , accompanied by the usual soundtrack of mockney accents and gunfire . listen closely and you may also hear the sound of time being called .",
      "this is guy ritchie 's third turkey in a row , after swept away and revolver . it is a pitiful attempt to recapture the success of his first two movies , lock stock and two smoking barrels and snatch .",
      "i mean , mr ritchie : this genra : it 's ova . i mean , doing yet anotha stinka of a drama about the mee-lee-a of the ersatz london gangsta ? you 're taking the piss - intcha ?",
      "ritchie has crammed MOV with innumerable homoerotic lads ' - mag jokes . he has probably calculated that if the film fails on the high street , he could feasibly relaunch it as late-night gay cabaret .",
      "MOV , though not the most original movie ever made , is a blast , an adrenaline rush of punked-out rock-and-roll-fueled action and crime .",
      "narrated like a darkly frenetic graphic comic , this is a very , very british film - meaning many mobsters spurt undeceipherable cockney and the often idiotic street thugs indulge in brutal , even surreal villainy .",
      "it does n't offer viewers anything more than the sight of a talented director treading water with a story he seems to have little interest in telling .",
      "... it is kind fun , in a junk-food crime fantasy sort of way .",
      "it 's a sad experience to watch MOV , the obituary for the guy ritchie brand of english gangster flicks .",
      "it seems that we 've already seen all ritchie has to offer .",
      "those with stronger sensibilities might enjoy themselves .",
      "there are some moments of humor and action , but few of the players are on screen long enough to establish a genuine character . this movie is like a kid with attention deficit disorder .",
      "MOV reminds us of how cool ritchie was before madonna doused his fire . pity he makes us wait so long .",
      "MOV is n't as jammed with visual pyrotechnics as ritchie 's lock , stock and smoking barrel -lrb- 1998 -rrb- , but that 's ok , because with anything more happening , the movie could induce motion sickness .",
      "if MOV clings to the company of ne'er - do-wells , it 's not because they bristle with the frustrations of society , but purely because ritchie wants to borrow their cheeky charm -- a virtue that , in reality , none of them possess .",
      "stylish , edgy british crime caper for grown-ups .",
      "i 'd call it all a parody of cinematic male aggression , except i think it 's a parody of a parody of cinematic male aggression ...",
      "muscular girth . mark strong emerges as a sexy star .",
      "ritchie is back on comfortable , familiar footing here with this story of british gangsters who are so busy trying to screw each other over , they do n't realize that they 're in over their heads .",
      "ritchie is just going through the gangster motions , and almost all the entertainment value has vanished .",
      "if you 're a fan of the early ritchie comedy-crime thrillers , then this is not only right up your alley , it 's a long lost relative returning home .",
      "it 's a step back to basics and an assured return to form for ritchie , leaving the viewer marvelling afresh about how a director this confident could have produced swept away and revolver .",
      "... convoluted , but fast paced and high tempo ... i just sat back and enjoyed the banter and quirky filmmaking at which ritchie excels .",
      "a messy , often self-indulgent film with some redeeming features -lrb- including some of its humour -rrb- , guy ritchie 's crime thriller has above average intelligence , a great cast but a below par story structure .",
      "better just to sit back and enjoy MOV for what it is : a fast-paced amoral joyride that 's more interested in the absurdities of violent criminality than the complications of real life .",
      "the words are catchy and the beat keeps you awake , though all of it quickly fades .",
      "this is the first of his cartoons to work better as a movie than as a fashion spread .",
      "ritchie has brought back that amazingly gritty , yet extremely funny british crime flick that everyone deserves and loves .",
      "for all its hipster posturing , fast cutting , and camera tricks , this tale of chicanery is peculiarly arid and brittle , without a single character worth caring about .",
      "ritchie the director may have returned to form , but ritchie the writer is still an amorphous mess .",
      "flashy but assured , the film is a controlled exercise in style that toes the line but never feels over-the-top . in a word , MOV rocks .",
      "a handsome ensemble of blokes and one high-heeled accountant who propel this slam-bang romp about the collision of criminal styles in the age of globalization and real estate speculation .",
      "for his fifth feature film , guy ritchie happily ignores his previous two misfires and goes back to what he does best , making dime-store , knockoff pulp thrillers .",
      "it seems that ` two smoking barrels ' was more than enough . three is pushing it . or , as the newly-separated spouse madonna may have said , ` enough already . '",
      "a little too long , way too many characters and a pretty good ending sums up ritchie 's latest bombastic ode to the ugly side of london .",
      "it does contain exactly two memorable scenes ... but the rest of MOV is one identical scene after another where one guy tries to out badass the other guy .",
      "welcome back , mr. ritchie . i missed your work when you were , you know , swept away into an uncomfortable filmmaking zone .",
      "the dialogue is crisp and the performances pop with energy .",
      "MOV feels as if ritchie is imitating his favourite director here , and that director is guy ritchie .",
      "for a while you go along for the ride . but as the film progresses it becomes increasingly unwieldy .",
      "a very slick , sophisticated plot with some well-written characters .",
      "a richly entertaining work that overflows with stylish set pieces -lrb- including what is easily the funniest and most economical sex scene ever committed to film -rrb- .",
      "`` MOV '' is fun , ridden with dark humor mixed with violence -lsb- but -rsb- its near two-hour run time should have been more like 90 minutes .",
      "MOV is pure guy ritchie . all style and not even a pretense of substance .",
      "decidedly darker than previous ritchie offerings , MOV struts and preens like a chuffed chart-topper with a debilitating drug habit should .",
      "there 's lots of sizzle ... but in the end very little to chew on .",
      "parental content review",
      "the ensemble cast of his latest is so massive , they ca n't all be done justice and by the time the story 's come to a close it 's a bit of an untidy mess , even if all the pieces , technically , have been accounted for .",
      "the film has the sprawl of a hardboiled novel , but without the richness of character that the best of that genre has to offer .",
      "ritchie 's characters are glamorous underworld fantasies , but he 's incapable of making them resonate ; to stand for something .",
      "it is perhaps high time for us to just come out and finally admit to the world that director guy ritchie is not a very good filmmaker .",
      "promoted as a story of ` sex , thugs and rock 'n' roll , ' this highly stylised mobster movie could n't even be remotely confused with the real thing .",
      "guy ritchie returns to form and whether a homophobe or not -lrb- as his soon to be ex-brother-in-law claims -rrb- , this is the movie of a man who certainly appreciates the male form .",
      "part of the problem is that the plot is just too cluttered . there are far too many characters and sub-plots jostling for attention .",
      "it 's wincingly dated , playing like a cockney remake of pulp fiction , with no new ideas and so cartoonish in style that it 's difficult to emotionally connect with anything that 's going on .",
      "MOV is a recovery from the knockout blows of his past two films but ritchie is certainly retreading familiar thematic territory .",
      "MOV never feels like it 's building to anything , and when we get to the end , we discover it was n't , in fact , building to anything .",
      "if MOV is to be trusted , the director is relying less on his old bag of tricks and more on his expanding abilities as a storyteller -- not just a story stylist .",
      "style is what MOV is all about . and it has it in spades , from the cockney pulp fiction dialogue to the music-video editing of the rambling narrative .",
      "ritchie , who shoots and cuts everything in MOV like an ad for a particularly greasy brand of fragrance for men , delivers the beatings and killings in his trademark atmosphere of morally weightless flash .",
      "it 's a nice diversion and if you 're not one of those people whoholds grudges about other people 's unfulfilled potential -lrb- `` why is guy ritchie wasting his time - and ours - by making the same movie again and again ? '' -rrb- , you might find yourself entertained .",
      "you do n't just watch a guy ritchie movie . they are to be experienced . some circles consider his films more of an assault on the senses than exploration of plot .",
      "this exuberant exercise in pretzel-plotted crime capers is a ridiculously entertaining piece of nonsense , devoid of all the attempts at psychological complexity and philosophical navel-gazing that bogged down revolver .",
      "as in other ritchie films , MOV attempts to depict a world of ever-expanding chaos . but the chaos is only in the way the story is told . the actual vision ritchie offers is pedestrian and tame .",
      "so this is guy ritchie 's big comeback ? huh .",
      "as ever with ritchie , MOV is more flash than substance , but beneath the swagger his movie scratches away at british anxieties .",
      "MOV is a return to form , of sorts , for mr. ritchie . ... the british director has returned to familiar territory , that of the small-time hood .",
      "it 's all about the set-up and not the actual payoff .",
      "` MOV ' takes more left turns than imaginable . it might make sense in the mind of guy ritchie , but to the rest of the universe , i can not imagine the film will translate .",
      "an over-long mish-mash of scarcely linked sub-plots ...",
      "it 's long , confusing but is definitely saved with great performances and a tight episodic script ...",
      "a self conscious re-working of guy ritchie 's now familiar style and storyworld .",
      "some movies go off on tangents . this movie is nothing but tangents .",
      "breaks no new ground for movies or for ritchie , but it is an amusing diversion and therefore a return to form . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-"
    ],
    "summary": "mixed reviews for guy ritchie 's return to his london-based cockney wideboy gangster movie roots , but most agree , it 's a step in the right direction following two major turkeys .",
    "id": "770681350"
  },
  {
    "movie": "road_to_el_dorado",
    "reviews": [
      "funny and harmless family entertainment .",
      "certain scenes are good , but visual wonder can only take a film so far , especially when that visual wonder is becoming an expected component .",
      "everything about it evokes comparisons to other animated features , and while it more or less holds its own , nothing comes across as new or even interesting .",
      "not only is the story reed thin , but it 's also undercut by continual anachronistic dialog that 's funny but alienates us from the adventure and characters .",
      "engaging children 's entertainment .",
      "in the few moments when the noise and the fast-paced story subside long enough for a good look at the scenery , the animation is impressive .",
      "gets by with a story that is good but not great -- not unlike the famous road movies made 50 years ago by bob hope and bing crosby .",
      "good clean fun , that will keep kids -lrb- and most adults -rrb- absorbed in its shiny cartoon bubble throughout .",
      "-lsb- kline 's and branagh 's -rsb- shared timing is so good it whets the appetite for further adventures .",
      "bright and zesty .",
      "the movie feels schematic and derivative .",
      "the story , written by ted elliott and terry rossio , while never boring , never quite catches up to the evolving spectacle .",
      "the animators ' talents and diligence have been corrupted on every front .",
      "the gags hit more often than they miss , but the unbroken stream of shtick grows old .",
      "teachers wo n't accept such disconnected slackness from students , and you should n't accept it from movies .",
      "the songs should go . they 're filler , but so is the movie itself , a cartoon to keep kids semi-happy until the next one comes along .",
      "between the endless comic bickering and the mediocre score ... el dorado is conspicuously light on charm .",
      "one wonders who was this animated film made for , anyway ? certainly not for kids . and not for this adult .",
      "slick but does n't stick .",
      "-lsb- katzenberg -rsb- has plainly and wholly succumbed to the familiarity of his former employer 's trademark formula .",
      "the lackluster score by elton john and tim rice is the first indication that the script failed to inspire the team .",
      "filled with potholes and ruts .",
      "did the filmmakers really know where they were going when they started on this road ?",
      "the MOV is a bit too standard-issue to climb out from under its nouveau disney house style look and supply much in the way of innovative glitter .",
      "often spectacular but ultimately rather tedious .",
      "its animation is simply glorious , but its story and characters are trite .",
      "yes , it has elton john and tim rice songs , but the lion king this ai n't .",
      "el dorado sure could have used some kind of coherent basis .",
      "the animation is uninspiring and brings nothing new to the table of animation magic .",
      "the MOV 's biggest crime is that it is n't very good .",
      "suffers from lack of emotional depth .",
      "dreamworks has produced state-of-the-art computer animation but forgotten the state of the heart .",
      "another fun trip to the movies to see a cartoon from dreamworks .",
      "a delightful charmer whose magic will enchant all ages .",
      "an outstanding family movie .",
      "the MOV is very pretty to look at .",
      "sure to amaze and entertain audiences of all ages .",
      "there are no great surprises here , other than the surprising amount of pleasure you can derive from something so formulaic .",
      "the story is a bit thin and predictable , but the chemistry between the romantic , reckless miguel -lrb- branagh -rrb- and the more practical and frustrated tulio -lrb- kline -rrb- makes el dorado work .",
      "the road to nowhere - fast",
      "it 's cultural imperialism , hollywood style ! fun for the whole family !",
      "through a combination of some remarkable animation and complex heroes and villains , this film succeeds not because it co-opts the disney formula , but despite this .",
      "MOV has some nicely done visuals .",
      "though its tale of gold is not untarnished , the MOV hits the buddy-movie mark .",
      "kline and branagh , both good comedians , put a lot of zest into their roles , which makes this plundering mission more than just diverting .",
      "how hollywood 's animated filmmakers can continue to crank out pictures built on the same template year after year and have them continue to be even occasionally entertaining is something i 'll never completely understand .",
      "kline and branagh create a camaraderie that fills the film with an infectious energy .",
      "i enjoyed it while i was there , and i suppose that 's the most important thing .",
      "great fun for spirited adventurers of all ages .",
      "the film 's vivid wonder and wholesome story are sure to leave an impression .",
      "an exuberant , lighthearted adventure yarn .",
      "will delight kids and amuse grown-ups .",
      "i expected to have a lot more fun ... than i did , which is a shame . i think it 's going to fall quickly by the wayside .",
      "suffers from demographic schizophrenia .",
      "it 's a shame that a film with such talent and imagery behind it ended up being ultimately a waste of time ...",
      "outstanding family movie mixes comedy , action , romance .",
      "the filmmakers want an epic feel to the film , but they provide neither context nor dimension to the people of el dorado themselves .",
      "immerses the viewer with vivid color and awe-inspiring artwork from the first frame .",
      "el dorado is not striking or groundbreaking , but it 's accomplished enough .",
      "the less you know about history , the better your chances of enjoying this movie ...",
      "a nice animated trip for kids , but hardly a required journey for grown-ups .",
      "as good as most recent post-katzenberg disney films , and certainly -- with its stylised characterisation and bursts of witty dialogue -- a great deal better than the mouse 's turgid mega-budget epic dinosaur .",
      "it 's a good junk-food movie . but when good junk food is being served by four-star chefs , one ca n't help but feel a little cheated .",
      "the MOV is well worth traveling with the kids , though most adults will find it a somewhat less rewarding trip than dreamworks ' last , the the prince of egypt .",
      "the animation is quite good , and there 's just enough goofy humor to balance out the problems .",
      "this movie is fun to watch in ways that most recent cartoons are n't .",
      "it 's a bright and enjoyable tale , well told and beautifully performed -- so good that , at times , you forget it 's animated at all .",
      "el dorado is a cut above most action-adventure animated movies because of the integration of kline and branagh 's comedic talents with their cartoon selves .",
      "i expect to roll my eyes several times while the kids consume their dose of morality . in contrast , el dorado skips the preaching and focuses more on the comedy .",
      "the two leads -lrb- kevin kline and kenneth branagh -rrb- are funny .",
      "kline and branagh are in top form here lending their vocal talents to the lead characters .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- such an entertaining children 's movie because it gives the audience some credit .",
      "instead of improving on the disney animation experience , el dorado proves to be inferior in every way .",
      "it does not represent engaging entertainment for parents as well as their children .",
      "an enjoyable diversion even if it is n't -lrb- and it is n't -rrb- the animated masterpiece that dreamworks ' cgi antz was .",
      "the MOV is boderline entertaining .",
      "the drawing is never less than superb , the colours clean and vibrant .",
      "very entertaining .",
      "little more than a sanitized blend of nonsense and adventure and just a teeny bit of romance , interspersed with the occasional pop song .",
      "a film as easy to enjoy as it is to watch .",
      "it 's not a dazzling visual spectacle , and it 's not going to move anyone to tears . it is , however , the kind of sturdy , generally smart film craftsmanship that shows up far more often when a world is drawn than when it 's photographed .",
      "enjoyable adventure , with a delightful beginning and an exciting finale making up for a somewhat muddled middle .",
      "timid and flat .",
      "this is one road whose gold apparently got paved over .",
      "it seems unlikely that children will be much taken by the film .",
      "the film often feels rather flat in overall execution , as if the computer that helped render some of the animated effects also assembled the film , all without the much needed human touch .",
      "sort of cute and at times funny , this ultimately torpid story makes for safe but disengaging kiddy fare .",
      "has neither the charm , plot nor visual splendor of its predecessors .",
      "the script is often too cute for its own good .",
      "this trip down the MOV proceeds under the speed limit all the way .",
      "for a movie about ` discovering ' the new world , the MOV covers a lot of familiar territory .",
      "it 's animated fluff , separated from the eye-candy you see on the cartoon network only in its length and high production values .",
      "wo n't cause any sleepless nights for michael eisner , though the film might induce a sleepy afternoon for more discriminating youngsters .",
      "feels downright static .",
      "a lazy , torpid piece of animated tourism destined to leave the more demanding varieties of small children in the audience reaching for their pikachus .",
      "the animation is handsome but hardly stirring .",
      "it uses a new approach but lacks the energy and ambition to match breathtaking animation with an exciting story .",
      "amid this excess of action set pieces and no fewer than six musical numbers , the snappy chemistry between kline and branagh is reduced to a sideshow , when it should have been the main event .",
      "the animation is certainly impressive , but the story and music are much less so .",
      "su argumento es bastante débil y esta estructurado tan pobremente que no logra empatizar con la audiencia",
      "it 's not cute enough for kids , not clever enough for adults . it 's gorgeous but curiously dull .",
      "a movie that 's kind of cute but rarely anything more ."
    ],
    "summary": "predictable story and thin characters made the movie flat .",
    "id": "11601"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1194825-phoebe_in_wonderland",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV gradually loses its grip on tone and believability , climaxing with a show-must-go-on moment that 's just plain silly . thankfully , barnz knows exactly where to end his film : on the face of a girl , and an actress , at the crossroads .",
      "despite slow pacing and stretches of clunky dialogue , it is visually imaginative , frank and sensitive as it avoids being another tearjerker about children who are different .",
      "a small movie in size , but large in heart and enthusiasm . global warming be damned , elle fanning 's smile alone could melt the polar ice caps .",
      "there 's no denying the cast -lrb- which also includes bill pullman and campbell scott -rrb- is terrific and that first time writer/director daniel barnz has stacked the deck for his precious indie flick .",
      "MOV has strong , well-nuanced performances and occasionally moving scenes , but often feels pretentious , uneven and slightly vapid .",
      "the mesmerizing performance of -lsb- elle -rsb- fanning as the gifted and troubled young phoebe sparks the picture .",
      "the taxing whimsy of MOV proves more grating than poignantly escapist .",
      "visuals aside , what drags MOV along is fanning 's performance , but the rest of the film never rises up to the level of her simple moments counting steps or explaining that she has to wash her hands a certain number of times .",
      "for all its cop-outs , phoebe still trumps the ` how to be a better person ' hoo-hah of so many middlebrow dramas , if only because the problems it depicts are real , not overcooked reactions to trumped-up traumas .",
      "unfortunately , the film is insultingly soft in its portrayal of neurological disorders , linking the disease to phoebe 's fanciful conversations with characters from alice in wonderland .",
      "there 's a lot more perspiration than inspiration .",
      "it 's ` fanning ` tastic !",
      "i thought this was delightful , a little depressing at times but with three stellar performances from fanning , huffman , and patricia clarkson .",
      "elle fanning , the ten-year-old sister of dakota , can act like nobody 's business , and it is her remarkable ability that carries an otherwise artistic mess of a movie .",
      "it 's that kind of movie , full of therapeutic notions paraded as poetry and scenes that seem to carry explanatory labels .",
      "elle fanning , and her audience , deserve better .",
      "though phoebe is nearly too dark for children and nearly too simple for adults , it succeeds as a swirling reminder of what it felt like to get lost in imagination",
      "the intentions ... are good , and the picture boasts a fine lead performance , but ultimately ... it 's just a fancy disease-of-the-week movie that comes off confused and overly cute .",
      "`` MOV '' gradually morphs into a psychological drama of deep intensity , with an astounding performance by fanning .",
      "it needs the power of imagination to be done effectively and i just did n't think it was here .",
      "elle fanning is vivid in her conveyance of the hurt , anger and loneliness of being different .",
      "an interesting look at a little girl 's struggle to control her disease .",
      "the whimsical and outlandish flights of fantasy are what initially grab the attention , but the greatest virtues are the authentic performances by the cast .",
      "believable and engaging , fanning nearly renders the ensuing bore watchable",
      "an off-putting , misguided disease-of-the-week picture that tries to disguise itself as something else before finally coming clean .",
      "-lsb- the movie -rsb- resists being pigeonholed or easily labeled -- because , like phoebe herself , the movie is brilliant and a little strange and wonderfully unique .",
      "ultimately , watching the film becomes a frustrating and annoying experience .",
      "movies featuring exceptional young actresses have always been near and dear to my heart . elizabeth taylor , tatum o'neal , anna paquin ------ to mention a few ----- are particular favorites of mine . now i must add elle fanning to that list .",
      "phoebe may not be schizophrenic , but any movie that simultaneously wants to trouble and reassure , to keep it real and then traffic in wish fulfillment , certainly is .",
      "barnz arbitrarily posits a nonsensical series of school `` rules '' to embody conformity , while imagination is repped by tourette syndrome .",
      "barnz shows a firm directorial hand , most impressively by keeping the troupe of child actors from becoming cloyingly adorable . but despite a unique and refreshing vision , he fails his film by explaining its mysteries .",
      "an impressive family drama that salutes the power of the imagination and the challenges faced by unconventional children in a world where conformity is rewarded over creativity .",
      "barnz 's feature debut is well intentioned but dramatically unfocused , unable to decide exactly what it is propagaing , thus navigating between fantasy and reality and the serio , whimsical and lyrical .",
      "phoebe appears to have obsessive-compulsive disorder -lrb- or something -rrb- , but MOV is so intent on celebrating her as ` special ' that it quirks up the trauma of her issues .",
      "it 's a young-girl-cracks-up movie in the mode of i never promised you a rose garden crossed with a theater vs. reality subtext that feels like a child 's first synecdoche , new york .",
      "the performances are transcendent -- especially fanning 's , as the little girl who wants to get better , who wants to be better , as she slowly disappears through the looking glass .",
      "mystical and mysterious , with a delightfully out of focus child 's perception of the world sure to give adults pause for reflection on the ethereal nature of reality , while fanning 's poetically expressive performance is luminous to behold .",
      "elle fanning gives one of the great child performances in this otherwise mixed study of a child with tourette 's syndrome .",
      "an uneven , unfocused amalgamation of ideas and moods that is at times deeply moving nonetheless .",
      "it leaves you frustrated and annoyed .",
      "the screenplay is unusual in its reliance on children for many of the scenes , and its understanding of the drama in the heart of a troubled 9-year-old .",
      "MOV introduces us to a smart new talent in barnz and lets the more established members of its cast work at their top capacity . it 's a film about kids graced with a mature aesthetic and rare behavioral wisdom .",
      "it 's a rare thing when a labor of love turns out to be worth both the labor and the love .",
      "writer-director daniel barnz manages to achieve a true and delicate balance for much of MOV , his first feature , but ultimately undermines himself with heavy-handed and rather hackneyed whimsy .",
      "touching , at times intense drama teaches tolerance , empathy .",
      "let clarkson and fanning take you to the rabbit hole of seductive enchantment that defines this movie .",
      "barnz has made a poignant family movie that , despite its thematic material and brief profanity , is appropriate for mature 10-year-olds and older .",
      "-lsb- elle fanning is -rsb- an astonishingly natural and unmannered actress who carries this rather ungainly movie on her narrow shoulders .",
      "... has the advantage of having the marvelous elle fanning in its title role . she gives a performance of nuance and intensity ...",
      "abstract portrayals of kids with ocd and tourette 's do not , it turns out , make great entertainment .",
      "... an involving and empathetic drama of mothers and daughters ."
    ],
    "summary": "blessed with a good cast , phoebe 's heart is in the right place , but its execution is dicey .",
    "id": "770680828"
  },
  {
    "movie": "all_is_lost_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "the movie pares its man-vs . - the elements , man-vs . - himself theme to the barest bones , yet it 's timely as well as timeless , as chandor acknowledges the coldness of the corporate as well as natural environment .",
      "MOV should have been a movie that has you thinking for days ; instead it ends with a brief sigh of relief and a shrug .",
      "low on narrative but an exciting , incredibly filmed misadventure nonetheless .",
      "redford 's now leathery exterior is in such contrast to his once striking youthful good looks yet there is still beauty in that well worn face .",
      "this is an uncommonly absorbing movie .",
      "-lsb- redford -rsb- barely utters a word and yet manages to give one of the finest performances of his long career .",
      "a film of action and suspense with no guns and no villains but the sea and an inevitable death .",
      "the key ingredient to the film 's success is redford 's vulnerability . he 's trying so desperately to stay alive that he has few moments for reflection , but they register - and all without the aid of dialogue .",
      "like the best of the genre , its relentless focus on the material and the practical also gestures subtly at a life of the soul , however battered .",
      "after being oscar nominated for his first film 's screenplay , writer/director j.c. chandor -lrb- `` margin call '' -rrb- leapfrogs forward with his second , which , ironically , features only one voice over and two instances of dialogue , one consisting of only one word .",
      "redford reconfirms his legend without resorting to movie myth",
      "it 's just a guy . on a boat . for 107 minutes . and every one of those minutes is riveting .",
      "this shipwreck is n't a train wreck by any means , but , in the case of the writer-director 's sophomore outing , less really is less . MOV winds up nautical miles from all it might have been .",
      "chandor proves that the elements , combined with the varied and subtle talents of a veteran actor , are all that is needed to make a captivating , nail-biting thriller .",
      "i bought in-much to my surprise , since it promised to be a stunt-and far from feeling any remorse , i grew more invested as the going got rough .",
      "an action movie in the most profound and exalted sense of the term ...",
      "even as MOV expands chandor 's range with a far more engaging and determined work , the true auteur of MOV is redford himself .",
      "it 's nothing new to watch an impressive survival story onscreen , but rare to see it done this well .",
      "the will to survive is moving enough-here it is , stripped to its elements , and if you ca n't bring yourself to care about something that simple then the problem is you , not the movies .",
      "MOV was clearly a challenge to produce , and it makes its own demands on its viewers . it 's a worthwhile effort on both counts .",
      "MOV is amazing , deeply moving , and a harking back to an age when the best mainstream films might be the best pictures america made .",
      "all the drama we need is in the moment , and that 's where the movie stays .",
      "it 's the salvation of the moviegoing year .",
      "for the most part the immigrant is works in an incredibly satisfying and affecting manner .",
      "MOV is about how human nature rebels against death , even when all hope is vanquished by adverse circumstances .",
      "redford 's fiercely committed and quite brilliant performance is the reason to see this daringly minimalist , slightly overlong curio .",
      "... chandor who had already impressed us in a very different manner with his first film , here shows himself in a new light , that showcases his technical aptitude and remarkable sense of pacing and rhythm .",
      "engrossing both dramatically and as a minimalist narrative exercise , MOV is a survival-at-sea story powered by an emphasis on realism and a refusal to allow any false emotional beats to impede on this unsentimental tale .",
      "a mesmerizing , compelling and deeply profound high-seas adventure in which robert redford gives one of the most fulfilling and rewarding performances of his career .",
      "-lsb- chandor -rsb- 's made an old man 's movie , with real perspective about how we face things once we reach a certain point in our lives , but with all the passion and creative daring that young men bring to the table .",
      "a grim and rather relentless analogy for the slow march towards death : every bad thing can and does happen , with almost comical inevitability , and by the hour mark , you find yourself begging for a shark attack that might put poor red out of his misery .",
      "a bravura performance in a gripping film that joins gravity in the competition to be the year 's most harrowing .",
      "redford gives the kind of career-capping performance many of his contemporaries could only dream of .",
      "MOV has moments of beauty , but the movie as a whole feels detached , almost clinical .",
      "five minutes alone with him in MOV will make you feel like a chump for ever suspecting -lsb- redford -rsb- was done for . the charisma never went away ; it 's only aged into a very fine vintage , indeed .",
      "though a picture may not really be worth a thousand words , striking images can hold our attention when no words are forthcoming .",
      "even if it 's not the greatest movie of the year , MOV is certainly one of the most unique movies of the year .",
      "the vacuum-sealed status of this man admittedly places some distance between him and viewers , although the presence of redford in the role goes a long way toward closing the gap .",
      "robert 's redford has two-lines in the whole movie but his acting is still incredible . the movie is n't .",
      "this unusual film has a good chance of taking you along for its ride even though you might wonder how such a slight film could hold your attention .",
      "even ` the old man and the sea ' had more meat on it . that , of course , is a huge compliment .",
      "a spectacular , galvanizing display of how this one-time hollywood `` golden boy , '' now 77 , can still commandeer the screen .",
      "for all its formal austerity , MOV also offers itself as a widescreen multiplex attraction , keeping all eyes glued on our man 's dilemma , and every mind wondering if he 'll manage to cheat death .",
      "redford 's amazing , nuanced and heartbreaking but never showy performance , arguably his best in his very long and varied career . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "too adrift",
      "eventually , even the effort to survive becomes questionable . we are all isolated , we all succumb at some point . `` MOV '' studies that point .",
      "redford could win first best actor oscar of his great career .",
      "jostling around on the same flat level , spurts of interest coming but few and far between , `` MOV '' should send one away with a dropped , unsettled stomach . instead , it does n't elicit much more than a shrug .",
      "you would think a movie packed with scenes like `` redford repairs a hole in a boat , '' `` redford inventories supplies '' and `` redford eats some beans out of a can '' would make for tedious viewing , and yet i was transfixed .",
      "a gripping exercise in visual storytelling .",
      "an impressively spare , nearly dialogue-free stranded-at-sea drama starring a superb robert redford .",
      "redford delivers a tour de force performance : holding the screen effortlessly with no acting support whatsoever .",
      "robert redford will get a best actor oscar nomination for this awesome , extraordinary adventure on an unforgiving sea .",
      "the camera rocks with the creaks , cracks , and other sounds of encroaching disequilibrium , while an actor in his element anchors your gaze-and gives the performance of his life .",
      "a visually striking man versus nature story about enduring when the elements are conspiring against you .",
      "in the tradition of crane , london and hemingway , ` MOV ' is unsermonized man against nature at the same time as man against himself .",
      "an immersive drama about being resilient and facing the fear we all have of dying alone ; one of the best films of 2013 .",
      "breaks story-telling conventions by deliberately focusing on a single character , one with no back story , all in the service of praising individuality , resilience and ingenuity .",
      "MOV is a movie that is understated , yet still manages to play out on a staggeringly huge canvas ; the personal and the universal one and the same .",
      "j.c. chandor creates an austere snapshot of human struggle , ingenuity , and perseverance , one that 's predicated on robert redford 's fantastic performance .",
      "who is `` our man '' ? what did he do in life ? why was he out there ? it does n't matter . all that matters is this moment , and the next moment , and the moment after that .",
      "with no 3d , no friends and no hope , redford and chandor show how survivalist instincts can stoke thrilling , thoughtful cinema .",
      "a very beautiful and intense piece of survival drama ...",
      "this beautifully-directed drama succeeds to a certain experimental extent but drags on for a bit too long .",
      "if you are a big robert redford fan you should eat this movie up since he is the only person in the movie . the downside , he is the only person in the movie .",
      "MOV is very pure film-making , set entirely on the water , without dialogue , just showing us the man 's fight to survive from moment to moment .",
      "the cliffs notes version of the deeper , more profound character study that never transpires on-screen",
      "after the award-winning margin call , writer-director j.c. chandor shifts gears completely for this fiercely detailed one-man survival drama .",
      "-lsb- redford -rsb- gives a commanding performance as the nameless protagonist that makes the complete lack of characterisation an irrelevance .",
      "robert redford 's acting career has been sending out an s.o.s. for years.finally , someone has tossed him a lifeline .",
      "as a rugged yet wise exploration of manhood and mortality , MOV gives great hemingway .",
      "this is one man , alone , facing death . redford is playing himself , and he 's not playing around .",
      "it 's the detail and precision of his storytelling style that makes MOV so engrossing .",
      "an intense thriller that keeps the audience gripped with fear , despair and hope .",
      "`` MOV '' is a unique cinematic experience that should be seen on the big screen .",
      "MOV is very much redford 's triumph . his turn is n't pure disappearance so much as a brilliantly human example of cresting and plummeting , cresting and plummeting .",
      "the acting is note-perfect , a career performance from a man who has been in the business for more than 50 years .",
      "from bow to stern chandor delivers pure cinema",
      "chandor , who demonstrated a vivid talent for dialogue , mood , and characterization in the wall street meltdown movie margin call , here displays an ability to furiously carve up and then integrate a confined space .",
      "`` MOV , '' which is only chandor 's second film , reveals itself as remarkably skillful , surprisingly insightful and deeply moving .",
      "robert redford gives an impressive one-man show in this sea-stranded survival tale .",
      "nobody else appears on screen with redford and there is almost no dialog in the film . this is a one man show . one man against the sea .",
      "superb , a brilliantly conceived , first-person masterpiece , totally immersive and compelling from first frame to last . it 's easily one of the best survival films ever made , even with gravity dominating everybody 's praise .",
      "a commanding performance by robert redford with nary a word spoken . it makes up for the somewhat tedious running time .",
      "mark his name down as one to watch . chandor could potentially turn out to be as fresh and innovative a talent of the likes of christopher nolan and spike jonze in the near future .",
      "o rosto envelhecido , marcado e expressivo -lrb- e ainda belo -rrb- de redford comunica uma infinidade de ideias e sentimentos com o mínimo esforço .",
      "frank g. demarco and peter zuccarini , dual cinematographers , gather gorgeous imagery especially those captured from beneath the ocean 's surface .",
      "MOV is outstanding and so the collaboration between redford and writer/director j.c chandor .",
      "once robert redford is on screen , his muted , exasperated , hopeful performance is an exemplar of the physical . our man seems a man of reckless wealth and expansive estrangement : why is he at sea ? begging the larger question , why are we all at sea ?",
      "chandor never overplays his hand , and in doing so he creates a worthy portrait of a man in a dire situation that resonates with us all .",
      "despite all those critical hosannas coming out of cannes , the movie stalls in the doldrums .",
      "more than a dandy counterpoint to the megahit gravity , j.c chandor 's thrilling adventure is also a remarkable existential ride .",
      "this film makes an excellent case that sometimes less can be so much more .",
      "this works just fine viewed as a stripped back tale of survival against the odds . the ending is the only moment where the metaphorical comes to the fore , and even then it 's really just a matter of how literally you want to take the title .",
      "if the film maintains our attention , it is simply because we connect with the base desire to survive , which embodied by someone like robert redford becomes all the more gripping",
      "the movie has the feel of a beautifully conceived and elegantly composed short story with a remarkable and consistently surprising degree of emotional resonance .",
      "MOV boils down the art of filmmaking to the essential parts , making even the slightest decisions evident and powerful .",
      "MOV is superior craftsmanship on the part of the filmmaker and his star , making a late-in-life `` coming of age '' story that transitions into a man 's twilight and burns bright .",
      "even redford bailing water for 106 minutes can be a bit much .",
      "as written and directed by young american filmmaker j.c. chandor , MOV is a classic case of man-against-nature .",
      "it 's not as tense as gravity , but just as suspenseful , and almost as exhilarating .",
      "-lsb- redford -rsb- brings both physicality and emotion to the role , subtly shifting from anger to surprise to despair . it 's a completely naturalistic performance , stripped of ego or artifice , and you often forget you 're watching a hollywood icon .",
      "a triumph of pure cinema and wonderful visual storytelling from chandor , who must now be considered the real deal , while redford is sublime in what could well be the performance of his career .",
      "stylistically it 's a serious about-face from director j. c. chandor , whose excellent debut feature margin call was stuffed with actors as wall street types talking a mile a minute .",
      "in lesser hands , his character 's ordeal might have been portrayed with big punctuation marks and dramatic flourishes . redford 's reactions are honest , in tune with a man of the sea .",
      "in a sense , it 's the simplest thing in storytelling to create a character in peril that an audience can relate to . but to pull it off like this demonstrates astonishing maturity in -lsb- chandor 's -rsb- craft .",
      "as a `` man vs. wild '' adventure in the jack london mode ... MOV has plenty of fearsome moments , but the deeper fears are existential : man in mortal contention with an indifferent universe .",
      "an ocean of metaphor .",
      "a nearly perfect thing : economic , elegant , and elemental , it 's a cleanly observed tale of one man trying , choice by choice , to keep the odds going in his favor .",
      "burning with a young man 's vigor and stripped bare of every ounce of celebrity , redford commands the screen and drags us into the watery ordeal with him .",
      "this is gripping as an adventure story even if does n't achieve the profundity to which it aspires .",
      "a showcase for robert redford like he has n't had in years and further proof that the writer/director of `` margin call '' is one to watch .",
      "i ultimately admired it more as a high degree-of-difficulty achievement than as a film",
      "when did robert redford turn into the male sandra bullock ?",
      "a drama full of intrigue , built on close identification with the imperilled floater .",
      "gravity 's great weakness was the unnecessarily abundant corny dialogue . MOV is makes no such compromises .",
      "we -lrb- and he -rrb- know he 's screwed . the tension comes from establishing just how badly .",
      "chandor clearly wanted to make something powerful and engrossing , but due to the simplistic nature of the film , what he ended up with was something dull and forgettable .",
      "the film attains an operatic grandeur in its closing moments , and surprisingly earns it : chandor 's intensely physical , experiential work has brought us right up to the perilous edge between life and death .",
      "the most remarkable feat in j.c. chandor 's stranded-in-the-sea survival story MOV is star robert redford 's ability to shave on open water .",
      "the old man in the sea !",
      "-lrb- redford -rrb- is quite effective in the film 's slower moments , while thoroughly rattled when reacting to the elements .",
      "so threadbare that there 's nothing to grasp onto to care about .",
      "we 've seen this story before , but chandor dares to construct it so far from convention , and , surprisingly , it resonates come closer to home in the process .",
      "the real victory in MOV is how much chandor is able to communicate about the human spirit with so few strokes .",
      "robert redford 's true grit and some wizardly images , not the script , are what make this one-man survival epic ineluctably compelling .",
      "one actor . one setting . no back story . no dialogue . one hell of a movie .",
      "even at the age of 77 , redford can command a screen , and he 's the main reason to watch this man-against-nature story .",
      "both a thrilling adventure and a subtle character portrait , `` MOV '' is the best redford movie since his brilliant `` all the president 's men '' 37 years ago .",
      "redford brings the watchfulness that has served him so well to every moment of `` MOV , '' infusing what is already a perfectly entertaining adventure with rich veins of symbolism and meta-meaning .",
      "although you may never be bored with `` MOV , '' you are rarely fully engaged .",
      "redford is n't precisely stretching his range as an actor here or revealing a new side to us . rather , he 's finding the cleanest , clearest way to express a quiet man 's wiles and resources .",
      "MOV does not move at a brisk clip , or a tedious drag . chandor knows exactly the proper speed of each scene and carries it out with pete beaudreau 's editing in appropriate sync .",
      "the human drive to survive is what fuels this story of resilience and perseverance .",
      "the film 's scope is limited , but as far as it goes , MOV is very good indeed : a neat idea , very nimbly executed .",
      "forsaking the chatter of his risibly exposition-heavy margin call -lrb- 11 -rrb- , and one-upping life of pi by stripping things down to the bare minimum , chandor charts an admirably uncompromising if curiously aloof course into nothingness .",
      "a film that very eloquently provides an argument for the survival of heroes , or at least one hero .",
      "at a time when filmmakers are desperately throwing everything at the screen and seeing what sticks , it 's refreshing to see a film like MOV come along and turn the more-is-more formula on its head .",
      "impressively paced and superbly shot , this is a powerful and ultimately terrifying drama with stunning sound design work and an oscar-worthy performance from robert redford .",
      "i respect what it 's trying to do , and its attempts to overcome the constraints it gave itself . but it evaporates the minute it 's over . it 's a noble , and failed , experiment .",
      "technically , this is a hugely impressive film but it still left me feeling a little underwhelmed .",
      "the film generates a wonderful sense of claustrophobia on the open sea . imagine a movie with the lyrical beauty of a terrence malick project crossed with the virtuosity of tom hanks in cast away .",
      "who is this sailor ? where does he come from ? chandor never sees fit to tell us . his hero remains a deliberate stencil , defined solely by the crisis around him and the actions he takes .",
      "as the film goes on , we see redford in a new light . a light dimmer and paler and murkier . once a golden god on screen , there now remains a hobbled everyman .",
      "there 's something powerful lurking in the deep .",
      "chandor 's movie gives us the hemingwayish essentials and then some .",
      "like `` gravity '' , a film about survival that opens to great acclaim -- in this case well-deserved .",
      "-lsb- redford -rsb- speaks barely a handful of lines in MOV , but the film still manages to feel like an internal monologue , a conversation between one man and himself .",
      "a signal film achievement and the capstone to a great star 's career . this is ultimate redford .",
      "an amazing minimalist turn from redford .",
      "... a surprisingly unsparing and rigorous piece of work , tinged with an unsentimental fatalism .",
      "here is a formidable opus whose real spiritual relative is tennyson 's `` ulysses '' . yes . `` MOV '' is that good .",
      "a fascinating voyage across a vast ocean , and into the great uncharted waters of our selves .",
      "a gripping experience ... with its circling sharks , its sun-dappled beauty and its agonies of shattered hope .",
      "chandor , within the confines he has set for himself , has done an excellent job of locking us into his hero 's predicament .",
      "redford gives a performance from which all vanity has been stripped away .",
      "redford 's voice might be largely silent , but the soul is there and the magnitude of all that is lost hits home .",
      "it seems more determined to impress than to entertain . however , it succeeds wildly on the first count , which may make it worth seeing for many adventurous teens and parents .",
      "the approach results in one scene of heart-in-throat action after another , with chandor 's immersive approach shoring up redford 's remarkable , understated performance .",
      "it would be one thing if MOV merely pulled you in with a firm grip and true skill ; what 's even more impressive is what it says to you once it has you in its grasp .",
      "palpably suspenseful , engrossing , bold and intelligent . it 's a new american classic that will be remembered for many years to come . robert redford delivers a tour de force performance .",
      "the movie is rigorous , serious and well-crafted , with redford holding the screen using only his economical emotional reactions and physical presence .",
      "a marvel of minimalist film-making , a great , iconic actor in a virtual silent film .",
      "it 's just humanity at its most basic .",
      "a surprisingly successful stunt . how successful it is will vary from viewer to viewer .",
      "it 's supremely skillful acting reminiscent of his memorable turn more than 40 years ago as the mountain man of few words fighting to survive in jeremiah johnson .",
      "MOV is a testament to a great actor , an experimental piece of cinema and a bit of a bore .",
      "`` MOV '' is disciplined , elemental filmmaking built around a disciplined , elemental performance , and it 's one of the best films of the year .",
      "we get the predictable plot points - storms , sharks , close calls with passing ships - but it feels like a uniquely handmade artifact .",
      "j.c. chandor wrote and directed `` MOV , '' but robert redford owns it .",
      "an impressively audacious effort ...",
      "redford does a fantastic job of conveying every nuance of emotion in his character with just a look or a gesture .",
      "it 's great to see robert redford caring enough to dig deep enough for this kind of performance this late in his career .",
      "a beautifully gripping survivalist story .",
      "j.c. chandor knows what a jewel he has in redford , and he creates an appropriately simple , transparent setting .",
      "it makes for an ambitious experiment even if the drama is n't always compelling . yet the result is quietly powerful and never becomes waterlogged .",
      "a noble-minded , but only partly successful film - one that will probably be a riveting moviegoing experience for some , but an unsatisfying trip across the ocean for others .",
      "robert redford gives the performance of his life in this one man show brilliantly directed by j.c.chandor . it 's a towering achievement for both of them .",
      "the sort of unique , uncompromising movie that immediately undercuts the ` they do n't make em like they used to ' complaints .",
      "as an actor , redford feels impenetrable which may be why it 's easy to project yourself onto him , but the title , like the protagonist , stands like a dare to reverse fate .",
      "in the late 1960s and early '70s , a young robert redford proved he could hold his own , on his own , against nature and the screen with ` downhill racer ' and ` jeremiah johnson . ' four decades later he 's still proving it with the thrilling ` MOV . '",
      "i was completely absorbed throughout MOV and appreciated the skill with which chandor brought his very specific vision to life .",
      "this steadily absorbing man-adrift-on-a-damaged-sailboat saga has possibly the three most suspenseful sequences of the year .",
      "the low tech nature of MOV accentuates the primal -lrb- physical -rrb- nature of this struggle , while the technical prowess of gravity emphasizes its more metaphysical -lrb- and less interesting -rrb- nature",
      "a subtle meditation on mind , body and spirit that 's imbued with an aching amount of futility and loneliness",
      "if you 're slightly intrigued by the premise , find the time to see MOV . it 's taking a chance and trying to give us something different .",
      "MOV makes the familiar strikingly new . the filmmaker and his star hold their nerve , refusing easy outs and making you look - and listen - carefully to a starkly pure piece of cinema .",
      "uncluttered by narrative or dialogue , robert redford gives an astounding performance - spending most of the film literally and psychologically hanging on",
      "full of detail , the film is almost claustrophobic at times as we stay inside the cabin of the yacht while the ocean heaves outside , the wind howls , the boat shrieks ... it 's a unique work",
      "chandor has produced a minimalist gem .",
      "it 's a rare example of pure cinema , and that , in itself , gives it a stature to which few hollywood films these days aspire .",
      "` captain phillips ' was n't the only see-worthy vessel of 2013 .",
      "this is the most compelling tale of nautical peril since steven spielberg 's jaws .",
      "... a bracing nautical adventure . think ` old man and the sea ' by way of ` the perfect storm ' ... redford in a revelatory performance , maybe his best ever .",
      "a gripping one-man show",
      "redford is the film 's most credible ingredient of all ; in many key scenes it is evident that he is performing his own stunts .",
      "the utter solitude is almost vertiginous .",
      "writer/director j.c. chandor crafts a survival tale that is as tumultuous emotionally as it is environmentally , amply proving that audiences do not need complicated plotting or reams of exposition in order to care for the people they 're watching .",
      "working only with a sinking boat , a willing star , and the open water , and the helmer is able to create one of the most suspenseful , striking features of 2013 .",
      "can resourcefulness conquer bad luck ?",
      "redford sails alone , but no man is an island",
      "from the moment our man awakens to discover he 's stranded at sea , to its rorschach conclusion - what do you see , and what does that say about you ? - MOV is both practical and spiritual , now and zen .",
      "a survival story that eschews melodramatic exaggeration in favor of a straightforward approach that extends to redford 's understated yet authoritative performance .",
      "as a solo sailor on a hostile sea , robert redford does n't so much play to the camera , as tolerate it , showing that , even at 77 , he 's so much more than a pretty face , a buttery voice and an athletic physique .",
      "the ordeal envelops us with each roll of the waves .",
      "this is only the second film by chandor , and he works in a style of great purity . there 's hardly a ` movieish ' moment to speak of in MOV .",
      "chandor and redford make every moment matter in this fascinating film -lrb- despite an ending that will divide audiences -rrb- .",
      "redford , who can play intelligence , wit and nuance to a camera like nobody 's business , holds us in his grip . it 's a master class in acting .",
      "there is incredible tension in this ordeal , this effort to survive , to find rescue , and redford - an icon of the american film experience for more than half a century now - makes that tension deeply palpable .",
      "goodness knows what this movie would be like without the brute force of mr. redford 's intelligence , focus and self-confidence .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- robert redford gives the finest performance of his career in writer-director j.c. chandor 's literal and metaphorical tale of one man 's attempts to survive on the high seas .",
      "the feeling of doom , whether personal or planetary , is today pervasive . but MOV , in the end , is a stirring , repudiation of its own title .",
      "this is a beautiful portrayal of not just the human spirit , but what our meager species goes through just to keep drawing breath .",
      "stranded and alone as he battles the stormy sea and his mortality , robert redford delivers a commanding lead performance in MOV , a nearly wordless but captivating drama from j.c. chandor .",
      "redford 's finest hour ."
    ],
    "summary": "anchored by another tremendous performance in a career full of them , MOV offers a moving , eminently worthwhile testament to robert redford 's ability to hold the screen .",
    "id": "771354992"
  },
  {
    "movie": "naked_gun_from_the_files_of_police_squad",
    "reviews": [
      "the determinedly juvenile gags never stop flowing .",
      "the action is n't as consistently funny or surprising this time , but there 's a lot of laughter to be found between the merely crude moments .",
      "the naked gun is hugely funny , but it ` s also liberating-precisely because it centers its aim on that cold , closed system and blows it apart . the straight lines are shattered ; the empty spaces in the images are packed full until they burst .",
      "like the zaz lads ' other films , this is a movie made for a vcr saturday night . they supply the jokes ; you bring the microwave popcorn and modest expectations .",
      "for those who savor silliness , the naked gun is humor heaven .",
      "the naked gun is destined to become a cult comedy classic . if the holiday run does n`t make a bundle , the returns on the video cassette will .",
      "it gave me about 10 big laughs and 20 small laughs and as many smiles . that ` s value for time and money spent .",
      "in the years since he first played drebin , nielsen has deepened the role , made it more subtle , more universal , more paramount .",
      "the two zuckers and abrahams have , surprisingly , forgotten a principle of parody that they taught everyone else . namely , that the jokes have to fit , and that they have to refer to the target -- in this instance police movies .",
      "the proud regard in which this farce holds bad taste makes it endearing .",
      "despite all the outrageous comedy and raunchy bathroom jokes , -lsb- the zuckers -rsb- create endearing characters that are likable .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- misfire .",
      "it 's excruciatingly rotten in every sense : not funny , not comical , not entertaining , not even fun to look at .",
      "one of the greatest comedies ever made . the laughs do n't stop .",
      "nielsen perfectly embodies drebin with the kind of deadpan seriousness that 's essential to making well-written one-liners and situations seem ten times as funny .",
      "a comedy classic .",
      "the endlessly tasteless juvenilia should make you ashamed of laughing yourself into a stupor .",
      "absolutely hysterical !",
      "high spirits may be all that a film like this really needs .",
      "the jokes fly fast and furious , mostly holding up decades later .",
      "hi-larious . shame about the sequels .",
      "the film is as transparent as a third-grader with a water gun , and yet i would rather review a new film by ingmar bergman , for there , at least , would be themes to discuss and visual strategies to analyze .",
      "always hysterical , no matter how much you watch it !",
      "a film like this is all about the comedy . the story is just an excuse to try and make you laugh the loudest they can . and it works !",
      "if your expectations are low enough , you might find a way to enjoy occasional moments in the movie .",
      "nielsen in particular is superb , cracking his façade for only the biggest of jokes .",
      "not quite up to airplane ! or top secret ! , but there are still laughs aplenty .",
      "bawdy , dumb-humor classic spoofs '80s cop dramas .",
      "... still a hilarious movie , and anyone with a funny bone in his body will probably find it amusing .",
      "the naked gun is still very funny more than 20 years later . leslie nielsen is awesome , and the gags are more hit than miss .",
      "it would have been nothing without leslie nielsen , but this was one of the funniest slapstick comedies of the 1980s .",
      "who needs decency and good taste when you 've got gags this funny ? a classic of its type .",
      "all in all , a balloon-sized hoot .",
      "the naked gun is a continuous stream of verbal and visual gags that come so fast , you do n't have time to realize how bad/old/corny they are .",
      "the naked gun is crass , broad , irreverent , wacky fun -- and absolutely hilarious from beginning to end ."
    ],
    "summary": "the naked gun is chock full of gags that are goofy , unapologetically crass , and ultimately hilarious .",
    "id": "10847"
  },
  {
    "movie": "alexander",
    "reviews": [
      "if -lsb- troy -rsb- was a pitt-fall , this is a stumbling stone .",
      "bad cinematic and casting choices abound , but what keeps it compelling and watchable is oliver stone 's keen eye for how youthful , talented men live fast and die young .",
      "one of those magnificent train wrecks of a movie in which the director 's vision drowns in a torrent of his own unbridled excess .",
      "ponderous to a fault , a good-looking production that just sort of sits there looking self-important despite the violence and intrigues basic to the story .",
      "MOV goes on far too long , and colin farrell as the military leader just does n't live up to the high praise given him in the opening scenes .",
      "at a reported cost of $ 155 million , MOV qualifies as a super-spectacle in every respect but one -- namely in its neurotic , confused and sexually ambidextrous hero .",
      "there is a great movie buried in this cacophonous mess",
      "much like the title character himself , this is an endeavor that strives for greatness but is too burdened by its own ego to live out the full potential .",
      "you know the movie is bound to be swill : imperialist daydreams indigestibly stewed together with limp oedipal anxiety and unpersuasive pacifist lip service .",
      "it occasionally fumbles and it sometimes feels downright hokey , but it cumulatively earns a feeling of gravity and reverence that fully justifies its extended running time .",
      "this half-cocked creation is ostensibly about the macedonian king but doubles as an allegory for both george w. bush 's political career and stone 's own struggle with history .",
      "makes you wonder where -lsb- MOV -rsb- found the time , what with all the moments of self-doubt and blubbering-oh , the endless blubbering .",
      "whipping a battery at the screen would have accomplished nothing -- but i have n't ruled out a drive to la so i can whip a battery at oliver stone .",
      "ŕ moitié réussi , ŕ moitié raté .",
      "the amused twinkle in anthony hopkins ' face suggests he knows he 's crossed the line into parody with ptolemy 's memories of a conqueror `` born from the loins of war . ''",
      "i have a confession to make : i gave up on this movie . by the time the second hour was up , i realized that i was no longer paying attention .",
      "should n't there be more to MOV than nutty parents and homosexual leanings ?",
      "MOV is an oliver stone movie first and an historical/action epic second .",
      "sluggish , unsmiling , and almost as limp as the feather fans with which our heroes are gently aerated on their trip to the hanging gardens of babylon .",
      "after a career of epic biopics , the director of jfk , nixon , and the doors has managed to take one of the most fascinating men who ever lived and turn his life into a confusing , overlong , and patently unremarkable ordeal .",
      "little more than a well-mounted , but hollow history lesson that is the very antithesis of what its means to be bold",
      "there 's nothing that quite compares to the pain of passing a kidney stone ... except perhaps oliver stone 's MOV .",
      "MOV is pulled in so many directions that both farrell 's performance and the character are stretched thin .",
      "disjointed and lacking in thematic clarity , MOV offers too few of the satisfactions we 've come to expect from historical epics .",
      "like its subject , stone 's MOV travels on gut instinct and ego , but , unlike him , it seems to have little notion of exactly what it wants to conquer .",
      "how nice of uncle oliver to have brought the turkey .",
      "this is a movie almost totally devoid of feeling or any sense of connection .",
      "an act of hubris so huge that , in MOV 's time , it would draw lightning bolts from contemptuous gods . today it will get sniggers from stunned critics and a collective yawn from a public unlikely to share stone 's egomania .",
      "an ambitious and sincere film that fails to find a focus for its elusive subject .",
      "far too long , nearly three hours , yet feels superficial .",
      "visually dramatic but persistently tepid , MOV does n't make a convincing argument for its extravagant resources .",
      "it 's been five years since stone helmed a feature film , and the question must be asked : has anybody missed him ?",
      "the storytelling is so ham-fisted as to induce titters .",
      "this is not so much a film as an amorphous blob that has suffocated the idea of a film somewhere within its vast and gooey structure",
      "nixon in sandals .",
      "pretty much a mess , an alternately turgid and florid movie that feels like a drugged-out version of a cecil b. demille epic .",
      "our history teachers may have been bores , but at least the bell rang before us students became comatose .",
      "so awful that it 's almost good .",
      "MOV the so-so",
      "even at the end of three hours , the accents still never stopped being an annoyance .",
      "an enormous cinematic mess . MOV is not so much mind-numbingly boring as it is intriguingly nonsensical .",
      "stone seems to identify with the slaughterer general , in whatever era he 's in .",
      "a big misfire , a big bore , and a big fat waste of time .",
      "a lavishly turgid toga fest .",
      "it 's just a wild , glorious , wacky mess that i found really entertaining .",
      "maybe it 's just me , but it seems like a movie celebrating the life of the greatest military conqueror the world has ever known should feature a bit more conquering .",
      "it 's astounding that the ingenious creator of jfk and wall street could make an epic on war and empire that 's so utterly simplistic and unreflective .",
      "MOV meet ivan ; you 're both terrible",
      "i would rather be bored learning about the history of MOV the great than enthralled by the exploits of spider man . your mileage may vary .",
      "this movie is darned near as long as the wars that MOV the great fought .",
      "this movie does everything to the max .",
      "it 's like being in school , pinned down by a monotone teacher ; most of the movie gives off an almost irresistible urge to nap .",
      "bad acting , atrocious dialogue and some truly misconceived directorial decisions",
      "the real MOV the great conquered the world . oliver stone 's touchy-feely-weepy MOV would be lucky to last three rounds against margaret o'brien .",
      "if there ever was an historical figure deserving of study for what he accomplished in expanding empire and political geography , it would be MOV leading all others .",
      "farrell often looks constipated , like he needs to get off that horse and hit the commode as opposed to hold onto his troops or his audience .",
      "the battle scenes are bloody wonderful , but the rest of it plays out like a badly edited three-hour history channel bio featuring pretty people .",
      "filled with cringe-inducing , laughter-provoking moments , including more deliciously overripe performances than any single movie can possibly contain .",
      "a sprawling epic that truly sprawls .",
      "there 's no joy here , no fun , no excitement . it 's a 178-minute-long wall hanging .",
      "a sweeping historical epic that confirms oliver stone 's position as one of hollywood 's master storytellers and colin farrell as a major movie star .",
      "the whole enterprise has its soul sliced out by stone 's overwrought stylization .",
      "everything we 're told about MOV remains an abstraction , an index-card idea for a character pasted onto farrell 's less-than-mythic presence .",
      "farrell plays all this as if he means it , but he seems slight in the role and without great physical presence .",
      "often skates dangerously close to camp -lrb- less forgiving viewers will find the movie hysterical -rrb- , but the director 's daringness to play things so boldly has a grand appeal of its own .",
      "an absolute mess .",
      "a thudding bore , when what it should have been is an operatic testament to unchecked ambition .",
      "interesting but flawed film about a fascinating character .",
      "unwieldy and flawed , but stone remains a tornado in an era of airless formula and -- to paraphrase our ptolemy -- its failings are greater than most films ' successes .",
      "a ponderous death march of a story that seemingly never ends .",
      "general mistakes all across the board contribute and reinforce each other to bring it down",
      "MOV the person was great . this movie is n't .",
      "for the lucky few that see this without ever having viewed the first cut , they may wonder what all the criticism was about in the first place .",
      "this new set presents the film in great quality and comes with some fantastic special features , but it 's doubtful that this latest version of `` MOV '' is going to change anyone 's mind as to the quality of the film itself .",
      "stone gives us some truly stirring visuals , music that soars and charges more often than not , and , um , performances that ... well , um , okay , about those performances ...",
      "this oracular piece of hero-worship is perhaps the squarest film yet from this once-hip director .",
      "stone does n't present characters that the audience can believe in , even for one moment , as representative of their historic roles .",
      "this is ultimately `` MOV '' as written by danielle steele ...",
      "i respect stone as a filmmaker , but this movie is punishment rather than entertainment .",
      "steeped in an all-consuming aura of audacious indulgence .",
      "with its rampant homoeroticism , elaborate costumes and jumbled fight choreography , one would assume this is a joel schumacher flick not an oliver stone production .",
      "a great thunderous wreck , loud as a gong and just as hollow .",
      "... a boorish and bloated costume epic that has all the exciting appeal of a prolonged high school social studies lesson during the thankless hazy days of summer",
      "it is , in a word , boring , and that 's the most un-oliver stone adjective i can think of .",
      "a flop of massive proportions , MOV is a diffuse and incoherent historical epic that fails to engage intellectually or emotionally .",
      "could be the neo-con film of the year , as MOV 's armies march through the east ` to free the people of the world ... '",
      "monumentally ambitious , oliver stone 's MOV accomplishes the twin objectives of the epic biopic .",
      "it boggles the mind at how badly oliver stone messed up `` MOV . '' an incredible story , exceptional actors and a seemingly limitless budget ... **",
      "MOV looks great ... unfortunately ... when the characters start talking , it all falls apart .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is too long and lacks the action needed to sustain the attention required .",
      "but still , story is opaque . we never really get to know any of the characters all that well . MOV 's story would be better as , say , a six hour miniseries ...",
      "oliver stone revela uma decepcionante tendęncia para o melodrama .",
      "MOV is oliver 's most stupidly awesome -lrb- and awesomely stupid -rrb- movie since the doors .",
      "oliver stone 's biopic of MOV the great is spectacular , earnest and a bit of a yawn .",
      "despite a budget reportedly north of $ 150 million , stone fails to make war on an epic scale , preferring to allow MOV to talk the world to death .",
      "listless , uninspired film .",
      "a dull , humorless mess with nothing to say about MOV .",
      "a long , lumpy trip with a charismatic guide and some brilliant detours .",
      "an intelligent and ambitious picture that crucially lacks dramatic flair and emotional involvement .",
      "puerile writing , confused plotting and shockingly off-note performances make oliver stone 's epic film a disappointment .",
      "MOV has aspirations of greatness , hoping to be christened an intellectual super-spectacle for brainy moviegoers . the sad truth is that it will probably numb more brain cells than it will stimulate .",
      "MOV is unavoidably a problematic epic , but it has integrity and deserves an audience willing to engage in stone 's dialogue .",
      "much of MOV plays like a monty python sketch , and much of it plays like an sctv parody . little of it plays like an epic .",
      "the epic troy -lsb- & -rsb- king arthur wanted to be.the difference is that oliver stone has a clear vision.he knows you ca n't do everything & he knows what he wants .",
      "... has all the makings of a camp classic , including the crucial element : deadly serious intentions .",
      "eventually , the movie 's psychologizing of MOV 's motives turns tedious .",
      "call it MOV the grate , because , over the marathon of its three-hour running time , this wonky epic really does get on your nerves .",
      "does n't earn the right to be three hours long",
      "oliver stone 's take on the life of MOV the great is overblown , underdeveloped and one of the worst films of 2004 .",
      "i predict that MOV 's one achievement will be as the most walked out on movie of the year .",
      "a lugubrious , self-important history lesson that gives free rein to all of the director 's worst qualities while admitting none of his artistic saving graces .",
      "if you 're in the mood for a lavishly mounted , well-researched evocation of a distant time and place , featuring a charismatic cast and stunning battle scenes , MOV will satisfy your needs very nicely .",
      "even when i did n't like MOV , i was aware that this is a serious work by a forceful and important filmmaker with a distinctive tone of voice .",
      "as if stone was trying to one-up the legendary great himself by going all over the map , he reaches for so much and dies so early .",
      "instead of flowing one into the other , the scenes from MOV 's extraordinary 33 years of life too often come at the filmgoer like turned pages from ptolemy 's book .",
      "so misconceived , so shrill , so fetishy is oliver stone 's epic , so unintentionally hilarious a stew of paganism and freudianism , that it makes conan the barbarian look like gladiator .",
      "a passionate , character-driven work of sinew and gristle .",
      "while MOV certainly is n't great , it 's not nearly as bad as many would have you believe .",
      "there 's nothing fresh about this plodding endeavor , nowhere it goes that other films have not gone before .",
      "stone 's failures with this film are largely honorable , but occasionally he miscalculates and strikes so badly off-key that he seems tone deaf .",
      "even if it does n't conquer its world , stone 's MOV is worth the battle . like jfk and fourth of july , it hot-wires history and politics into a wild , memorable , breathtaking ride .",
      "represents everything that 's wrong with the big , bloated hollywood pseudo-epic : too much with the lavish and not enough connecting with viewers",
      "it is such a majestic disaster , that i have a bizarre sort of affection for it , like for a weirdly deformed child , maybe .",
      "a swollen behemoth of a celluloid monster -- sometimes mildly interesting , but most of the time downright boring .",
      "the sad thing about MOV is that , despite its marathon running time , you learn so little about him and his accomplishments .",
      "it 's boring here and exciting there . and it 's almost always goofy .",
      "MOV , as expressed through the weepy histrionics of colin farrell , is more like a desperate housewife than a soldier .",
      "while it 's never boring , the film 's entertainment value lies in all the wrong places : ridiculously staged grand tragedy , overblown acting and a lot of inadvertently campy humor .",
      "this is stone 's weakest movie of the past 20 years , and it 's unlikely to make any kind of blip .",
      "` when -lrb- farrell -rrb- is giving his troops a rousing speech the first image that popped into my mind was bill murray energizing his fellow camp counselors in `` meatballs . '' '",
      "... it seems fairly clear that -lsb- MOV 's -rsb- life just is n't interesting enough to warrant an entire movie -lrb- particularly one that runs almost three hours -rrb- .",
      "historically accurate -lrb- minus one key point -rrb- but was MOV really so weepy ? what about his extravagant lust for bloodshed ?",
      "it 's as if stone deliberately were creating a parody of all the cornball biblical/historical spectacles in the history of the movies .",
      "farrell - in short skirt and silly wig , covered in fluids and frequently weeping - looks less like a greek hero than a greek row pledge during a hell week hazing .",
      "not just a bad movie but a bad movie of truly epic proportions .",
      "you could literally chop MOV up into six 30-minute blocks , reassemble it at random , and the movie would make the exact same amount of sense -lrb- i.e. none -rrb- .",
      "an overstuffed thanksgiving turkey : a tedious , uninspiring , repetitious historical epic filled with sappy symbolism and overt homosexuality",
      "stone rises to his own challenge .",
      "oliver stone does n't just create trainwrecks . he knocks the train off the rails , sets it on fire , then kills every person onboard . -lrb- and takes three hours to do it . -rrb-",
      "like martin scorsese 's gangs of new york , MOV is an overindulgent , sprawling specimen of the director 's lavish strengths and harrowing weaknesses .",
      "` by the glorious man-meat of apollo , ' colin says , ` this film is creaking to its final scene ! '",
      "it 's a perplexing muddle : every moment of spectacular battlefield action is offset by unintentionally hilarious scenes from MOV 's private life .",
      "the macedonian candidate",
      "a horrendously bad movie , a genuine 40-car pile-up of literally epic proportions , a three-way head-on collision of bad writing , bad acting , and bad direction .",
      "makes its big screen debut with all the pomp and circumstance expected of most sword and sandal epics ...",
      "by the time its three hours are over , you will feel as exhausted as MOV at the end of his epic campaign - but not as enriched .",
      "a garbled , over-stuffed turkey force fed with historical events until its liver explodes in a spectacularly colourful and violent bloodbath , tempered with sinewy speeches .",
      "big , grand , messy . if you enjoy a nice slice of hollywood miscalculation every now and then -- and who does n't -- you might have a good time .",
      "an overview of an intensely passionate life as few film-makers could bring it to the screen .",
      "boldly acted , absorbing and satisfying as a history lesson .",
      "though the battles have the blood-and-sinew bravado you expect from oliver stone , this three-hour buttnumbathon is hamstrung by a hectoring grandiosity , not new to stone , and a nod toward caution , which is .",
      "the picture is so thoroughly ridiculous , it 's hard to know where to begin in listing its infelicities . but i 'll try .",
      "the film 's sense of drama and tension makes the experience alive and palpable .",
      "MOV limps along from one fancy set to another .",
      "by summoning his inner classicist , -lsb- director -rsb- stone has made an excruciating disaster for the ages .",
      "` como obra cinematográfica , no es la pésima cinta que han destrozado . es la simple interpretación de un talentoso cineasta sobre la vida de una leyenda de la humanidad '",
      "stone and his team of screenwriters paint an incomplete picture of the man and those he led .",
      "one of the year 's authentic disasters , the kind of shlockbuster that at first invites derision , then , as the hours drag on , pity .",
      "feels like a turgid throwback to those overblown epics of the fifties and early sixties .",
      "ultimately stumbles and falls , much like the horses in the battle scenes . but it is an interesting failure , always brimming with life .",
      "a spectacular mess , with no real focus or driving force .",
      "epic in scale but not epic in spirit , a wallow in carnage that fails to demonstrate what was so great about this conqueror , after all .",
      "seems too puny and fragmented for its mighty subject ; it feels as if stone , for the first time in his career , simply ran out of hot air .",
      "here 's something i never expected to say about a big-budget oliver stone film starring colin farrell , angelina jolie and val kilmer : it 's dull .",
      "as huge a travesty and a bore as 1956 's MOV the great , in which richard burton looked equally uncomfortable as a blond .",
      "in the case of oliver stone 's long re-telling of the short life of MOV the great , a few words will do : not so good .",
      "consistently undisciplined and frustratingly unfocused .",
      "watching this film is like going to a bad history class where the teacher is a poor storyteller .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- disaster of a film , three hours of butt-numbing tedium punctuated by moments of hilarious high camp .",
      "the drippy romantic death-bed dialogue reads like it was swiped from an episode of ` one macedonian life to live . '",
      "ironically , there is little in oliver stone 's dream project that marks it as an oliver stone film",
      "this movie is unremittingly dull , visually unappealing , narratively muddled , inadvertently campy , wretchedly performed -- and that 's just for starters .",
      "ponderous , fails to make us really care for MOV , and is even more directionless than the great one wandering about asia after seven long years .",
      "ancient greece was never this boring .",
      "although some aspects of oliver stone 's sword-and-sandals epic are worthy of mention -lrb- and even praise -rrb- , they are dwarfed by the missteps and examples of bad judgment .",
      "stone appears to be assembling this ... jigsaw puzzle on the fly . there are more bottom-out scenes than high points . he drags it out for almost three backside-numbing hours .",
      "MOV - the not-so-great . there 's nothing like a greek tragedy to stir up emotions - only here the scenes that should grab your attention are spoiled by overkill .",
      "overly-verbose ; one of the year 's 10 worst",
      "despite flashes of vivid imagery and charisma , alexanderis nowhere close to ` great ' .",
      "colin farrell is woefully miscast in the lead , but that 's the least of MOV 's problems because the film is a disaster on an epic scale : sprawling , messy , incoherent and an early contender for one of the worst movies of 2005 .",
      "MOV the great will have to wait for another time and another director before justice can fully be achieved",
      "if you like good war films , if you like good history epics , if you like good romances and good stories with great performances , then this film wo n't disappoint .",
      "it 's all greek to me",
      "much like this hero , who is confused and lacks a center , stone 's epic story does not have a core to its vision , too often drifting aimlessly through time and space .",
      "as the titular conqueror , colin farrell shows the limit of his screen presence as he falters in such big boots and winds up face first in the sand .",
      "towards the end of this movie , i wanted to kill MOV just to get it over with and go home . even rosario dawson 's supposedly stunning nudity was over-hyped .",
      "an unmitigated disaster , oliver stone 's sprawling MOV is an unbearable 173 minute alternative to chinese water torture .",
      "a lunk-headed train wreck that looks like a tag sale in a 323 b.c. supermarket in old peking .",
      "it 's anybody 's guess what oliver stone was thinking by making a film about MOV the great that skips over nearly every historical event that earned him that moniker .",
      "mel gibson has his 33-year-old martyr with which to identify , now oliver stone has a 33-year-old-minus-one-month one of his own .",
      "3-hour borefest ."
    ],
    "summary": "even at nearly three hours long , this ponderous , talky , and emotionally distant biopic fails to illuminate MOV 's life .",
    "id": "16987"
  },
  {
    "movie": "manchurian_candidate",
    "reviews": [
      "the remake shakes down as a conventionally plotted thriller . it 's the performances that make it exceptional .",
      "while demme 's MOV may be unnecessary , it 's a worthy homage to the original ; lacking the first film 's spark but containing smarts of its own .",
      "demme 's filmmaking has lost none of its jazz .",
      "with an inchoate admonition implanted in its aggrieved , post-modern heart , demme 's MOV is blippy and fractured and smeared with color .",
      "a case of smart and talented people trying to jam a cold war square into a gulf war circle .",
      "it shunts through the material , doing some interesting synthesizing , some genetic recombining , but it all adds up to something less powerful and interesting than the original .",
      "this one plays more like a contemporary techno-thriller with ultra-clammy '70s conspiracy thriller overtones , and demme milks the atmosphere of pervasive , sleep-deprived dread beautifully .",
      "a fine and thought-provoking film in its own right .",
      "this humorless and nonsensical update of the MOV - a total misread of frankenheimer 's classic original - never quite engages , devolving the original 's camp and satire into self-serious melodrama .",
      "a rather decent imitation in the end with political subtext and very good performances .",
      "if it is n't the original 's equal , the MOV conjures up an air of menace sufficient to make most modern thrillers look like romantic comedies .",
      "sleek remake is more violent than original .",
      "the original film worked also as delicious satire , where this wannabe cousin to michael moore 's fahrenheit 9/11 ignites unintentional laughs .",
      "... an above-average contemporary remake ...",
      "it is as shocking now as it was forty years ago , but nothing in the 2004 version approaches that level of intensity , intelligence , or audacity .",
      "demme 's direction is as punctilious as it was in silence of the lambs , careful with details and craftsmanlike with storytelling -- although we do have to work a bit to stay on top of things .",
      "frankenheimer 's film was prophetic of the age of assassinations . demme 's is a warmed-over casserole of anxiety .",
      "the new MOV is n't just a great remake - it may just be the greatest remake ever remade .",
      "demme creates a compelling claustrophobic , paranoia-inducing world that makes this slick flick a gripping two hours",
      "... the levels of deceit and high-level politics was masterfully handled here .",
      "despite the political pizzazz and updated plot twists , the film still felt like a rerun .",
      "the subtext of this film is about john kerry : the manchurian democrat .",
      "a political thriller crossed with a horror film",
      "demme 's trail of dualities surveys a contemporary america that thrives on predatory divisions of profiteers and victims , the rich and the poor , information and truth .",
      "an ambitious example of intelligent summer counterprogramming , this is one remake that does n't cannibalize the greatness of the original .",
      "far from a disgrace , but it 's not freewheeling enough , not strange enough to make sense of our gathering dread .",
      "if you 're a fan of literate suspense , then `` the MOV '' is the film to see .",
      "beautifully made and unsurpassingly creepy , it 's the rare remake with something contemporary to add .",
      "the political satire is subtle , often funny and alarming simultaneously , and the film never forgets to thrill us .",
      "so how does demme 's version stand up just on its own ? reasonably well .",
      "an even more powerful comment on its time than the movie on which it 's based .",
      "maybe half the film the original was . but in the current movie climate , half a classic is nothing to sneer at .",
      "the less one knows or remembers about the original , the more likely demme 's the MOV will work its chilling , thrilling magic .",
      "still works as a scary thriller , and if this version no longer seems absurdly impossible -- well , that 's scarier still .",
      "in movie heaven , the original is still the one for all time . still , this update is remarkable for its performances , resolve and timeliness , and could well revive the snoozing political-thriller genre .",
      "given a story with meat and purpose and importance , demme delivers a masterfully cast and smartly constructed film of devastating effectiveness .",
      "a crackerjack thriller , full of great performances and different enough from its source material to keep educated viewers on their toes .",
      "a movie that 's not only unnecessary but distressingly inactive and prone to the preposterous .",
      "the rare remake that takes on its own times and spirit . it 's not better than the original -- in some areas it 's weaker -- but it is its own movie .",
      "as welcome and as frightening today as it was when frank sinatra played washington 's role in the '62 version .",
      "it 's a well-written and directed thriller that allows the audience to play along",
      "the MOV is meant to creep us out by building on a foundation of paranoia just this side of solid . demme builds his model on stilts of fancy that let too much hot air blow through .",
      "conspiracy buffs , thriller aficionados and denzel fans will likely be satiated ... but audiences resistant to remakes might want their candidate to remain black and white .",
      "with such a paint-by-numbers screenplay and generally uninspired performances ... it 's nowhere near horrible , but it resides of the realm of the completely forgettable",
      "a polite attempt at a modest reimagination , and on those grounds it succeeds .",
      "though fans of the original may chafe at the altered ending , the new candidate is a tight , high-strung political thriller in its own right .",
      "the MOV , at bottom , has commitment problems . it is more serious and more diverting than your average summer release , but it is n't necessarily better .",
      "as remakes go , demme 's film is one of the better ones , but why does hollywood insist on remaking classics when there are so many bad ones out there needing improvement ?",
      "an `` a '' for effort ... still , the frayed plot strands of the 2004 MOV make it a lame duck to frankenheimer 's first-term thriller .",
      "demme serves the picture completely .",
      "it 's a mesmerizing mind-teaser that finds its own way into the material , adapted from richard condon 's 1959 novel .",
      "-lrb- subjects its -rrb- a-list cast to b-movie machinations such as credibility-stretching sci-fi brain implants and villainous mad scientists with vague accents and nazi comb-overs .",
      "strikes me as a very artful cover -- about the cleverest imaginable transliteration of the story from its historical moment to ours .",
      "jonathan demme 's reworking of the tale 's cold war leanings into homeland security ones are a nice match to the source material .",
      "some will see it as a thriller . others will view it as social satire . almost all will be entertained .",
      "much as demme did in the silence of the lambs , he blends together a class cast , stunning style and freaky-deaky b-movie vibes into a tantalizingly jittery thriller .",
      "if demme 's version lacks the wallop of its predecessor , it is more likely to be popular with contemporary audiences , who will enjoy not only its labyrinthine twists but its stars ' burnished professionalism .",
      "... it 's not merely that the new candidate compares unfavorably with the old ... it 's that demme has kept ... material that is made inconsistent or pointless by his changes .",
      "a frightening update to john frankenheimer 's war-as-game scenario-except the battle now is for our very souls .",
      "demme 's visuals are as captivating as frankenheimer 's were in the 1960s ... yet the plot of this `` MOV '' lost quite a bit in the translation .",
      "the only actor who outshines his predecessor is schreiber , a criminally underrated actor who thoroughly sells both raymond 's public allure and private confusion .",
      "demme here shows off both the mastery of suspense that made the silence of the lambs a classic , and the humane understanding and appreciation of character that not just deepens but energizes this film .",
      "film delivers brainy performances through a script that is tense and unsettling .",
      "following a dozen years of docs , light comedy , and p.c. weepies , candidate represents demme 's best dramatic filmmaking since the silence of the lambs .",
      "just when you think demme lost it , a brilliant moment of phototography , lighting , or acting appears",
      "a remake of the original cold war version of this film has hit the big screen .",
      "a remake was wholly unnecessary , especially when it 's as sloppy and inefficient a thriller as this one turned out to be .",
      "demme 's version is assured and stylized ; if anything , it also lends support to this american story 's bid for timelessness .",
      "simultaneously brings the original cold war scenario bracingly up to date with a story line that pulses with a topical resonance while paying respectful homage to the late frankenheimer 's artistic vision .",
      "absolutely riveting entertainment , a chilling portrait of human paranoia also posing as an engrossing and visually vibrant political thriller . this is one arresting film .",
      "when it 's good , it 's very good , keeping its twists close to the vest and unfolding its mysteries in marvelous movie time .",
      "this political thriller about a brainwashed soldier being positioned for the white house provides a delectable network of dramatic tripwires that teases the mind and quickens the pulse .",
      "although i doubt that it 'll have the longevity of frankenheimer 's piece , at least in terms of time-capsules of wounded nations , it 's -- shockingly -- almost as fascinating .",
      "a dense and thorough reimagining of the material -- it 's got the same mordant cynicism running through its veins , only updated for an even darker , more jittery era .",
      "the first version was acidulous and brazenly absurd ; this one is doggedly , wretchedly earnest .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- wild ride that never , never commits the crime of being dull .",
      "i 'm not sure demme 's quite justified the idea of a remake on a thematic basis , but he has made a fine thriller .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a taut , timely thriller .",
      "fast , slick , glitzy ... had me asking , `` where 's the beef ? ''",
      "demme 's candidate is neither prophetic nor very parodic . it 's like the mutterings of a talented filmmaker half in a dream .",
      "this film may hold the honor of being the most paranoid piece of cinema ever made .",
      "MOV fizzles out like an alka-seltzer releasing its last carbonated bubble -- we never even make it to the middle of our seat , let alone the edge .",
      "... if you 're reading this now , you can resist your brainwash programming for weak thrillers and go see the bourne supremacy instead .",
      "viewers may feel as if they 're watching a dramatization of ` fahrenheit 9/11 ' ...",
      "... coldly gripping , if not down right scary .",
      "-lsb- has moments of -rsb- delirious political comedy , and it functions as a thriller , too .",
      "uniformly excellent performances keep this destabilizing tale ticking , yet one ca n't help wishing hollywood had combined this cast and these timely themes with a little bit of imagination to come up with something fresh .",
      "it 's like a great singer 's rendition of a hoary standard .",
      "demme has crafted a sophisticated and creepy adult thriller anchored by blistering performances from denzel washington , meryl streep and liev schreiber .",
      "lacks some of the heart and soul of the original , but it still manages to be entertaining thanks in large part to the talents of denzel washington , meryl streep and liev schreiber .",
      "-lsb- demme 's -rsb- got a cast that can actually go toe to toe with frankenheimer 's : denzel washington , meryl streep and liev schreiber .",
      "this is an intelligent and detailed work , full of fine performances .",
      "... just because you 're a remake of a cinematic classic does n't mean you ca n't be a smart , high-wire thriller in your own right .",
      "best of all is streep , taking on angela lansbury 's classic villain and imbuing her meaty role with a little hillary clinton , a lot of lady macbeth and a pinch of oedipus ' mum .",
      "harder , edgier and more disturbing than its cold war predecessor , and ultimately benefits from an improved motive rooted in current political affairs .",
      "demme 's film is more nuanced , less crazy-brilliant and , yes , probably less necessary , but it 's still a confirmation of all the anxieties out there on the table and festering in our heads .",
      "remake of '60s pop masterpiece does n't equal its predecessor , but it 's still got some bitter , tasty moments of commentary .",
      "an appropriately paranoid remake of the much-lauded 1962 conspiracy thriller , anchored by outstanding performances by denzel washington and meryl streep .",
      "surprisingly effective as a thriller -- if ultimately rather timid -lrb- especially for an election year -rrb- as a political satire .",
      "the kindest , warmest , bravest , most selfless movie i 've ever known .",
      "the updated MOV makes conspiracy theorists look like they have the collective imagination of an acorn .",
      "demme , an enigmatic filmmaker who successfully bounces between fiction and nonfiction , goes for the thrills here , leaving the chills to the original .",
      "a taut , up-to-the-minute reimagining of the original ... demme , in his best film since ` the silence of the lambs , ' superbly builds the mystery ...",
      "with meryl streep in an updated version of the angela lansbury role , denzel washington in the frank sinatra part ... the movie is a virtual master class of acting .",
      "a smart contemporary film that , like ` the bourne supremacy ' and the upcoming ` collateral ' , takes familiar genre conventions and gives them a reasonably intelligent spin .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he film 's overabundance of preposterous pop-corny-ness and simultaneous and surprising naivete defang it .",
      "this is a good old-fashioned thriller , nothing less , and nothing more .",
      "an exhilarating , if politically wishy-washy , modern-day reimagining of frankenheimer 's gem .",
      "what is surprising is how fresh demme 's version is and how close it approaches the original in terms of quality .",
      "the ending is mother of all disappointments",
      "the film starts out as a taut , psychological thriller with a keen analysis of today 's politics , but it eventually begins to slack off into third-rate originality .",
      "jonathan demme did a very good job in remaking a classic piece of american cinema .",
      "the movie is playing with ideas , and they 're important enough to bear thinking about now . what it 's playing on are our fears . and they 're real enough , and worth addressing .",
      "happily , this extremely timely entertainment matches , even perhaps surpasses its predecessor .",
      "impressively accomplished and highly entertaining , with sufficiently smart new twists to keep you guessing all the way to the nerve-wracking climax .",
      "a superb piece of filmmaking by directing icon jonathan demme that surpasses the john frankenheimer original in ways i did n't think possible .",
      "demme 's variation on condon 's work emerges as little more than a craftsmanlike film with occasional flashes of intelligence and brilliance .",
      "for now the goal is not world domination to further an ideology , but political power to boost profits . such a comedown .",
      "presents a world awfully close to the one we live in , which makes everything that happens all the more disturbing , helping turn this MOV into a winner .",
      "the film twists and turns more times than a drunk driver on a mountain highway .",
      "this newfangled ` MOV ' delivers old-fashioned mesmerizing entertainment .",
      "demme takes his time , letting the masterful actors do their thing and letting the eerie momentum slowly build .",
      "get over this being a remake of a true classic and you 'll find it 's a movie more suited to today 's sensibilities .",
      "the film draws a line between the corporation and the government , sustaining a hope that the u.s. system might be salvaged by an honestly free election .",
      "ratchets up the tension in a way that meshes smoothly with these polarized political times .",
      "demme has taken a story we thought we knew and , while making its outlines mostly recognizable , rotated it into another dimension of conspiracy .",
      "provides enough heart-racing , whodunit moments to make it one presidential race worth closely following .",
      "to really enjoy this movie i think you have to have a small device implanted in your brain .",
      "screenwriters daniel pyne and dean georgaris take this opportunity to make up for a few small problems inherent in the original .",
      "a picture that purports to have a galvanizing , liberal-minded theme -lrb- big business is taking over our country and our lives -rrb- but is really just ploddingly pedestrian .",
      "a stylish hoot : entertainingly edgy and ludicrous all at once .",
      "the script ... now has a certain weariness and is full of gaping holes .",
      "as literal-minded and dramatically flaccid as its predecessor was allusive and taut .",
      "almost good enough to earn a recommendation .",
      "this is one popcorn movie that provides food for thought , all the while remaining tense and witty .",
      "a political and psychological thriller that is richer in texture and nuance than its predecessor without sacrificing impact .",
      "a funny , creepy , cynical , lurid and strident potboiler whose surreal premise feeds on our depressingly all-too-familiar world .",
      "nothing gets in the way of a great story , well told , one which manages to slip in a few political digs without losing sight of its mission as popular suspense entertainment .",
      "a more scary than suspenseful affair , created in workmanlike fashion by all those involved .",
      "jonathan demme makes the new millennium version -lsb- of the MOV his own .",
      "a taut thriller that virtually burst from today 's headlines .",
      "this sleek and supple thriller features powerhouse performances but never quite persuades us that it has anything to add to the cold war classic .",
      "before it self-destructs in its convoluted final act , the film is an astute , genuinely gripping thriller that speaks shrewdly to our current corporate-phobia and post-9 / 11 paranoia .",
      "packed with strong performances and a literate script , it is rich in resonances torn from the headlines .",
      "one of those superbly crafted , topical , relevant , content-driven chillers that makes you think . meryl streep delivers an electrifying , oscar-caliber performance .",
      "like demme 's previous washington starrer , philadelphia , it 's got something to say -- and says it well .",
      "crisp pacing , an agitated sense of an unraveling reality and a uniformly strong cast earn this edition of the MOV a vote of recommendation .",
      "as much a rethinking as a remake of the 1962 movie , this is a top-notch political thriller for our times .",
      "the whole film has the creepy quality of a nightmare about it . maybe that is why it works so well , despite the plot holes .",
      "with barrels aimed directly on the democratic establishment , demme unloads a quesy social argument seamlessly mixed with blockbuster appeal and suspensful paranoia .",
      "... un excellent thriller , sérieux et adulte .",
      "... like sitting inside michael moore 's head .",
      "even in hollywood , the more things change -lrb- technology , end of the cold war , corporate influence -rrb- , the more things stay the same -lrb- greed , avarice , powerlust -rrb- .",
      "some originals should be allowed to rest in peace ; `` the MOV '' is a prime example .",
      "a tale of political manipulation that makes the real thing look like a model of idealistic cordiality .",
      "its wishy-washy approach to these grave problems depicted lacked the artistic freedom of the original and thereby failed to say anything new or mind-bending .",
      "marks a real revitalization of the political thriller , and with its plot climax occurring in conjunction with an american presidential election , the film could not be any more ` of the moment ' and cautionary .",
      "filled with conspiracies , intrigue and the suggestion that modern-day society is purposely designed to drive us a little nuts , the MOV is a paranoid fantasy for our time .",
      "a startlingly effective return to form for director jonathan demme , making his first good movie since the silence of the lambs .",
      "it 's a strong , brilliantly acted , well-timed drama , working as a companion piece , and not a replacement , to the original .",
      "that rare remake that paves its own way without exploiting or cheapening its predecessor .",
      "jonathan demme , updating john frankenheimer 's classic exercise in cold war liberal paranoia , has made a witty , anxious thriller for a new age of political uncertainty .",
      "for those of us with fond memories of frankenheimer 's classic , this candidate can only be a distant also-ran .",
      "demme never captures the clammy paranoia of the original , instead settling for a competent but largely hollow reinvention .",
      "fantastic cast , excellent updating of the original screenplay , and superb handling of mood make this a good movie . see garden state first , though .",
      "denzel washington is stellar ... and so is tak fujimoto 's cinematography , which is as edgy and antsy as the story it tells .",
      "the MOV does a fine job of reviving the paranoid thriller genre in this engrossing tale of politics , corporate power and mind control .",
      "sure the original 1962 version with sinatra was better , but still this jonathon demme take is pretty chilling .",
      "a rare case of the remake being as good as the original .",
      "demme 's film is far from perfect and decidedly out-of-date , but it 's a fantastic cast that make this version so successful .",
      "there is n't a dull moment in this hallucinatory thriller , where the self-serving spin of tv news permeates the story throughout like a malevolent greek chorus .",
      "the original movie had a vision - quirky , unnerving , enduring - but the version now in theaters just has a market niche .",
      "director demme is no john frankenheimer and meryl streep ... is no angela lansbury ... streep does n't even come close to portraying the menacing character lansbury created .",
      "demme 's remake of the 1962 cold war political thriller arrives in a particularly heated time in american political life . so how is it that if feels so lukewarm ?",
      "if they did n't get it , why did they want to remake it ?",
      "this solid thriller only works if you 're unfamiliar with the 1962 original , one of the best films ever made .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- demme is n't so locked into a classic script that he ca n't find his own ethos , his own pulse , and his own unseen fears .",
      "as much as i love sinatra and harvey , i 'll argue that washington and schreiber are more than up to the challenge , while streep , who says she has never seen the frankenheimer movie , has to be commended for taking the job at all .",
      "if you ride the paranoiac tide , letting jonathan demme 's assured direction carry you along , the sardonic humor and anxiety-inducing message work on you .",
      "washington , schreiber , streep and company -- and demme -- have managed to make all the malevolent machinations seem relevant again .",
      "like its fabled predecessor , and novelist richard condon 's 1959 potboiler before that , jonathan demme 's remake of the MOV refashions an old gag into something cautionary , frightening and far less than far-fetched .",
      "that rarest of remakes : a reworking that puts an interesting new spin on a familiar premise but stands strongly on its own .",
      "i liked it , but i was also a bit disappointed .",
      "angela lansbury was right . a remake of john frankenheimer 's brilliant 1962 thriller , the MOV , is a lousy idea .",
      "a gripping and intelligent thriller that has both an immediacy and a timelessness .",
      "the first `` candidate '' was scary for what it said was possible ; this one is arresting due to its parallels to reality .",
      "a disappointingly poker-faced remake that turns john frankenheimer 's brilliant 1962 satire into a confused , convoluted paranoiac thriller .",
      "the MOV is a highly satisfying conspiracy theory thriller .",
      "an intelligent , provocative blockbuster that succeeds on its own merits .",
      "a polished remake of a 60s classic .",
      "while not superior to the original , this paranoid conspiracy psycho-thriller is still a superior remake .",
      "inégal , mais efficace .",
      "jonathan demme 's inventive update of the MOV proves that you can remake classic movies -- provided you 've got a strong captain at the helm .",
      "demme takes the excellent source material ... and recreates it in a new style , with energy , wit , and a profound sense of cultural relevance .",
      "demme 's the MOV is a political popcorn pleaser that 's rousing in its sheer rawness .",
      "it should come as no surprise that the real scene-stealer here is streep , who appears to be paying tribute to angela lansbury 's performance in the original , as well as mimicking hillary rodham clinton .",
      "on its own terms , demme 's update is an aborbing pulp fare , but as a remake of the superb 1962 film , it leaves much to be desired .",
      "it does n't match the raw , satirical power of the original , but demme 's `` candidate '' does score major points for being so prescient .",
      "a haunting , serviceable thriller ."
    ],
    "summary": "while not the classic its predecessor is , this update is well-acted and conjures a chilling resonance .",
    "id": "14500"
  },
  {
    "movie": "brokeback_mountain",
    "reviews": [
      "heath ledger 's ennis is like an old mule that refuses to leave the path in front of him . the destination is tragedy .",
      "-lsb- ang -rsb- lee gets to the heart of this complex relationship -- and the equally complex relationships surrounding it -- with a cinematic clarity and stark directness we rarely get from movies these days .",
      "... a multi-hankie emotional experience .",
      "romantic happiness has rarely been so tangibly out of reach .",
      "this story of suppressed passion is , irrespective of gender considerations , a deeply moving , indeed lacerating , film .",
      "the filmmakers have focused so intently and with such feeling on jack and ennis that the movie is as observant as work by bergman .",
      "MOV is a love story , but that 's not all it is . in some ways , the movie is as much about the way we were as the way they are .",
      "if the filmmakers were n't trying so hard to deny the characters ' failings , MOV might have lived up to its immense reputation .",
      "ang lee has taken the right tack with MOV , but that does n't mean anyone 's going to want to see it .",
      "midnight cowboys , lonesome doves",
      "i was never moved or even overly excited by what i finally witnessed on the screen , though i have no quarrel with the superlatives heaped upon the film by most of my colleagues .",
      "a work of considerable sensitivity and understanding which , from annie proulx 's novel to ang lee 's final edit , speaks well of the fine pedigree of creative talent involved .",
      "it 's a hackneyed , underdeveloped melodrama disguised as serious art house fare .",
      "begins in a picturesque nowhere of tall mountains and big skies , where the only stone wall here is the real thing , with nothing political muddying the mortar .",
      "the pain and involvement for audiences experiencing forbidden love on screen rests entirely in the degree with which they can believe in that love in the first place",
      "it 's that it 's the very powerful , very real love story of two men that gives brokeback its quality and universality -- and scares the hell out of its detractors .",
      "the film is less a salvo in the culture war over civil unions than a skirmish in the range war over masculinity itself .",
      "sorrowful and beautiful",
      "essentially , -lsb- this -rsb- is the same as most stories of lust and infidelity -- two people who ` ca n't control ' their desires end up hurting others , lying , and denying responsibility for their actions .",
      "it may not be the best movie ever made about homosexuality , but it 's more than deserving to be the one that finally gets average viewers to pay attention .",
      "the hubbub seems more politically driven in the wake of the gay marriage debate . and an oscar win will be pandering to that .",
      "... achieves stunning emotional power through heroic restraint .",
      "ang lee 's best film to date ; career best performances of ledger and gyllenhaal , amazing score and cinematography and a heartbreaking love story to boot . one word : wow .",
      "what ang lee has wrought with his stunning contemplation of two men who find love in a lonely place is more about universal human needs than about gender preferences .",
      "this is one of the best serious films about homosexuality ever made , but though it 's sad and sobering it 's still only a rough draft of a great movie .",
      "any of us can imagine a forbidden passion so sweeping that it carries us off at flood tide , never allowing us to question it . whether the object of our affection would carry a purse , a lariat or both is beside the point .",
      "a monotonous and often inadvertently campy romance that rivals the hours as the most overrated movie of the decade",
      "what really sets the film apart from most movie romances is not its same-sex theme but its visual grandeur and exquisite powers of observation .",
      "one of the most deeply affecting movies of its day .",
      "lee takes a setup that could easily slide into tragic self-parody and instead steers it confidently toward the moving and transcendent .",
      "both -lsb- gyllenhaal and ledger -rsb- embody what that old waylon and willie song taught us -- ` cowboys ai n't easy to love , and they 're harder to hold . '",
      "director lee , whose movies range widely through history and around the world , gives this one the heartsick , soulful ring of truth .",
      "nothing in ledger 's string of previously wooden performances can prepare you for how good he is here - the deep seated sense of heartfelt longing he conveys is devastating to watch .",
      "the whole movie is a rich , spacious , passionate way of showing , not telling , feelings that dare not speak their name -- and doing so with superb intelligence and magnificent candour .",
      "when ennis del mar and jack twist are together , it 's simply about human beings in love . two men . now get over it .",
      "ang lee takes his time developing the characters and situations , making the proceedings credible . and rodrigo prieto 's photography captures the magnificent wyoming settings by emphasizing natural beauty , as well as the feeling of remoteness and isolation .",
      "reasonably effective portrayal of gay love , but with the regulation unhappy ending",
      "-lsb- c -rsb- hange the names and genders as you wish . this is the sort of adult drama that people can relate to if they have any sort of romantic regrets .",
      "ledger carries the film . his performance is a symphony of reserve ... he seems to be torn between exploding in anger and frustration and folding up into a fetal position .",
      "MOV is a beautifully filmed and superbly acted picture . it 's a romance for the ages and it 's ready , willing and able to break your heart .",
      "ang lee continues to astonish .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he movie plays like any soap opera about a love that can not be -- the weeper mechanism is entirely familiar from hetero movies ... . MOV is n't a gay western , it 's a gay back street .",
      "lee strips away all the pizzazz for something that is much more pure - a rough and tough emotional journey .",
      "... a courageous , transcendent film that may prove to be a landmark down the line in the hollywood landscape .",
      "ledger is extraordinary here , so still and constant and beaten ...",
      "profound . transcendent . heartbreaking . MOV is a cinematic triumph of incendiary depth and poeticism .",
      "in two of the best performances of the year -- both deserve oscar nominations -- jake gyllenhaal and heath ledger play a pair of bittersweet lovers .",
      "a love story that in another time might have been less tragic , which makes it all the more sad for what could have been",
      "quite simply , this is one of the best films of the year .",
      "this year 's million dollar baby , it 's a similarly plainspoken , straightforward little masterpiece of heartbreak and regret .",
      "a good film should be able to transcend cultural and social mores and lose the viewer in the story with both empathy and sympathy and `` MOV '' does it .",
      "a lyrical tone poem of a movie that 's a haunting tribute to the great frontiers of love .",
      "it 's a brave and affecting effort from a director from whom we have come to expect worthwhile things .",
      "quiet mastery of ` the look that speaks volumes '",
      "exquisitely shot and vast in its emotional take on forbidden love , MOV is compassionate and compelling in its risqué examination of perceived manhood .",
      "the fine details of the west are as precise as you would expect from a mcmurtry piece , and lee 's adroitness with the excellent cast is on full display , particularly in the brave and moving performances of ledger and gyllenhaal .",
      "this ostensible gay western is marked by a heightened degree of sensitivity and tact , as well as an outstanding performance from heath ledger .",
      "it 's beautifully shot , and not as slow-moving as you might think",
      "like all great love stories , ang lee 's is one of tragic romance , strongly acted by heath ledger as the most buttoned-up of cowboys , and michelle williams as his betrayed and enraged wife .",
      "an unconventional love story that does n't match its hype .",
      "an elegant thoroughbred of a movie , MOV is a surprisingly conventional , gloriously beautiful , tragic love story - that just happens to be between two men .",
      "by seemingly renouncing overt politics , it makes a case for tolerance and understanding far more effectively than a film with a more direct agenda .",
      "... about the sometimes tragic connections that might be made between two people who , because of circumstances or convention , have no right or opportunity to pursue intimacy with each other .",
      "one of the all-time greatest love stories , its potent poignancy comes from universally relatable ideas like nagging love , lost dreams , a half-lived life and comfort in knowing incomplete joy is better than none at all .",
      "a film of extreme tenderness , with sympathy for all its deserving characters , including the wives and family members who suffer alongside the frustrated jack and ennis .",
      "despite my distress at the tedious pace , the performances are sharp and compelling",
      "overall , the movie is a solid , entrancing love story , but all the oscar buzz is nowhere near justified . it 's an above-average film overpraised for its social significance .",
      "lingered with me for days , though more for its noteworthy performances and breathtaking cinematography than for its divisive same-sex subject matter .",
      "its beauty wells from its sorrow , because the love between ennis and jack is most credible not in the making but in the thwarting .",
      "some american audiences may reject out of hand a gay-themed tale set in the macho sanctity of the west . but they 'd be missing great performances by jake gyllenhaal and heath ledger and an engrossing tribute to the american cowboy tradition .",
      "the real risk taken in `` brokeback '' is attempting to capture the life of a true love affair .",
      "it is simply one of the greatest love stories in film history .",
      "the most beautiful thing about this film % u2013 which is full of beautiful things % u2013 is that it 's a love story through and through . humanity , not sexuality , is the heart of this tale .",
      "enough with the ` gay cowboy ' label . the term is more or less accurate , i suppose , but the phrase has a way of diminishing this amazing movie 's focus and reach .",
      "explores repressed feelings , loneliness , suffering , and alienation as adroitly as any film in recent memory",
      "the reason to see ang lee 's MOV , and see it you should , is n't its hot-button topicality or its cultural cachet but simply that it 's a very good movie , with a staggeringly fine performance by heath ledger .",
      "if love does indeed conquer all , it should win hearts across america . if not , then its focus on a tragic stigma will remain as valid as its story suggests .",
      "MOV is a truly epic romance story from a director at the peak of his powers .",
      "there 's no contest . MOV is the most poignant movie love story of the year .",
      "it is up to date in its version of forbidden love because its conflict is based on one of the last socially-sanctioned forms of discrimination .",
      "explores the heartache of two gay cowboys who incarnate the basic human needs for wholeness , fulfillment , and a true love who accepts you as you really are .",
      "by excessively compensating with how molds are being shattered , many viewers may overlook the fact that the same material could have made using heterosexual protagonists .",
      "tells an emotionally powerful forbidden love story with taste and intelligence .",
      "it 's a mistake to label it a gay cowboy or queer romance , for this love story is universal in appeal , epic in scope like giant and unabashedly romantic like wuthering heights .",
      "ultimately suffocates on its own good taste .",
      "ang lee 's film is not only a fine and gorgeous western -lrb- in the first act -rrb- , but an intimate epic love story in the classic hollywood tradition .",
      "all four central cast members have moments of transparency that shake us to the core .",
      "ang lee conveys maddening delirium rendered in the way one man 's eyes gaze at another 's , and then look away , and the looking-away amounts to the murder of two souls as surely as if they 'd drawn guns and hit each other in the heart .",
      "with MOV , ang lee paints ... symbolist drama -lrb- is it coincidental that the film begins in signal , wyoming ? -rrb- .",
      "MOV is an epic love story about gay cowboys and that , in itself , is something . otherwise , the film is not one to get particularly excited over .",
      "michelle williams nearly steals the film as ennis 's wife in a quiet , complex , heartbreaking performance that will certainly garner award consideration . i ca n't believe how good of an actress she 's become .",
      "pretty terrific stuff by any measure , full of detailed characterizations and unashamed , misty-eyed sentiment that pushes precisely the right buttons .",
      "brokeback is an incredible piece of direction , even for lee , who has made a career out of impressive cinema .",
      "heartbreaking .",
      "a heartbreaking , groundbreaking love story -- and it won our hearts as one of the best flicks of the year .",
      "lee has made one of the most memorable - and undoubtedly the most important and relevant - love stories in movie history .",
      "MOV is concerned with poignant storytelling and not once is this compromised by the glistening manlove .",
      "-lrb- the film 's -rrb- edge is its same-sex controversy , but the cast is what keeps it sharp .",
      "not a weepy gay love story .",
      "... eloquently sums up and universalizes the hopelessness of jack and ennis ' situation while showing the staggering cost of hypocrisy and deceit .",
      "lee ... is simply telling a story of the heart , how unpredictable it can be and how empty life can be when individuals do n't follow theirs ...",
      "MOV , like sam mendes ' best-picture oscar winner american beauty , challenges its audience to embrace luminous filmmaking beauty even while spelunking through dark emotions .",
      "a haunting and complex story that explores the strength and fragility of love , ang lee 's visually magnificent film is as affecting as it is beautiful .",
      "here at last is `` the movie everyone 's talking about . ''",
      "MOV is about as close to perfection as it 's possible to come in modern hollywood .",
      "MOV is an american masterpiece .",
      "powerful and moving enough to be one of the best films of the year",
      "MOV , if you are willing to give it a chance , is an emotional , heartbreaking movie .",
      "as regressively conservative as it is trailblazing .",
      "while the message at the core is that love is love , the way the intial sexual encounter is shown will only reinforce the negative views that bigots have of gay culture .",
      "much as it is about love , brokeback is also a potent study of repression that comes alive in ledger 's shattering performance .",
      "a story of forbidden love on the range , MOV is acted , directed , written and photographed with heart-pounding beauty .",
      "if the cowboy movies of john wayne and john ford were about the opening of the american west , MOV is the somber slam of its closing .",
      "a gay cowboy movie , you say ? no , no , this is so much more .",
      "a good and eloquent wyoming-set love story with a great performance at its heart .",
      "credit a consummate performance by heath ledger and limpid , unmanipulative direction by ang lee for the year 's most affecting romantic movie .",
      "an inert disappointment .",
      "though deeply flawed , MOV does break new ground in some respects and is worth seeing in some form -lrb- probably dvd for most -rrb- at least once .",
      "the marlboro man has reawakened as an archetype fully realized , brimming with ambivalence and complexity .",
      "some movies take their time laying the story out and settling over the audience . MOV is one of those films .",
      "it 's such a slow burn that you likely wo n't even smell the fire until after it has surrounded you ... measured subtlety makes this simple story an emotional masterpiece .",
      "the movie is too tame and too clumsy to be worth much outside its `` groundbreaking '' status .",
      "with its wide vistas and sparse population of perfectly realized characters MOV manages to be both epic and intimate ...",
      "a work of universal substance , earning its heartbreak every step of the way .",
      "annie proulx 's heartbreaking story of two cowboys who fall in love has been faithfully translated onto the screen in ang lees landmark film .",
      "heath ledger 's extraordinary ... though lee 's passion for this project seems several degrees cooler .",
      "what is truly distinctive about MOV is that it brings to life a love story that , after all these years of love stories , is essentially new to mainstream movies , and it does so without special pleading or sentimentality .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- is directed by ang lee in a style that pays attention to the nuances of expression , to the thoughts and emotions being articulated between the words and in the pauses .",
      "foremost about a love that can never break out of its societal prison .",
      "MOV takes great pains to be a compassionate love story ; but the filmmaking itself , self-consciously restrained and desiccated , is inert and inexpressive .",
      "ang lee 's formalism is so extreme that it 's often laughable , and the sex is depicted as a holy union : gay love has never been so sacred .",
      "it 's a deeply felt , emotional love story that deals with the uncharted , mysterious ways of the human heart just as so many mainstream films have before it . the two lovers here just happen to be men .",
      "nearly every frame of this movie is elegant and beautiful .",
      "because ` MOV ' has made such a profound impact on so many viewers , i almost feel guilty that i ca n't rave about it .",
      "lee and his collaborators have tapped into proulx 's story and gathered it up without missing a single sad , delicate nuance .",
      "if MOV is not about ` gay cowboys ' , perhaps it should be seen as a film about hate crimes and bullying against gays .",
      "i never became emotionally involved in their story",
      "breaks new ground , but not hearts",
      "a film so plaintive and touching that it almost seems to weep of its own accord .",
      "a genuinely moving story about repressed desire that transcends any boundaries the various cultural warriors will want to impose on it .",
      "i did n't feel an `` emotional '' connection with this film that pretty much relies on such an emotional feeling to work .",
      "better films were made in 2005 -- but none with the raw , emotional immediacy of what ang lee has accomplished , or a more palpable sense of hope beneath a sadness that runs bone-deep .",
      "beautifully shot , tediously paced , it 's worth consideration if only for heath ledger 's devastating performance as a despairing man done in by time and circumstance .",
      "i love gay people and i love a lot of gay movies - just not this one .",
      "the story-telling is so plain and straightforward that , like the characters ' feelings for one another , at first you do not realize how powerful it is .",
      "lee has taken a story of gay love and placed it where it should be -- in the mainstream . he 's delivered a beautifully crafted film to boot .",
      "an ultimately moving , universally human story about the pain caused when certain stigmas within society prevent people from expressing who they really are .",
      "MOV offers a long-overdue road map into territory often traversed but seldom properly documented -- namely , the human heart .",
      "if you have n't read the story before you see the movie , read it after . and then go see what is arguably the year 's best movie .",
      "a sweeping , solemn , self-serious chronicle of their relationship over several decades .",
      "-lsb- lee -rsb- makes MOV intimate and specific , so it feels like the story of the frail human beings involved in one particular romance , not like a political movie about an issue .",
      "... you ca n't take the ` gay ' out of the ` gay cowboy ' movie . what gives MOV its punch is the -lrb- no pun intended -rrb- straight way in which its romance is told .",
      "-lsb- ledger 's -rsb- character is much more laconic , self-contained and folksy in the mcmurtry tradition , yet he communicates an inner pathos that 's uniquely , profoundly touching . it 's the year 's most haunting and unforgettable performance .",
      "it stays with you after you 've seen it , like a haunting strain of music ; both love song and elegy for what might have been .",
      "certainly not what most would define as ` queer cinema , ' but instead a most contemporary western , a thing of raw , aching beauty .",
      "anchored by the performances of the two leads , the power of ` MOV ' is retained despite the film 's unneccesary bloat , convincing in its tale of love and the severe penalties imposed by societal homphobia .",
      "rarely can you find a film that is this honest , raw and emotional . MOV shows us that love knows no boundaries .",
      "the most important gay film in a decade - a must see .",
      "an introspective film , but not , thankfully , an inert film .",
      "ang lee creates a compelling atmospheric film in spite of the story 's obedient propagation of hollywood 's cliché myth that gay people must eventually be punished with lethal violence .",
      "a powerful , tormented exploration of the masculine myth of the american cowboy , filled with haunting , heartfelt anguish .",
      "a rich love poem with boundless soul , MOV is another wonderful gem to be placed atop ang lee 's filmic mantle .",
      "as devastating and heart-breaking as the best love stories of cinema : gone with the wind , casablanca , doctor zhivago .",
      "this is a noble experiment , but one which has failed .",
      "ang lee tells his sad love story perfectly with just the scenery of the american west .",
      "MOV is that rare thing , a big hollywood weeper with a beautiful ache at its center . it 's a modern-age western that turns into a quietly revolutionary love story .",
      "ang lee 's unmissable and unforgettable MOV hits you like a shot in the heart . it 's a landmark film and a triumph for heath ledger and jake gyllenhaal .",
      "beautifully photographed and well acted , but also slow moving and episodic",
      "the first quarter of MOV plays like a silent movie version of waiting of godot , but starring two marlboro men instead of vladimir and estragon ...",
      "there is very little in the cold , clear air of MOV that is n't first rate -lsb- although -rsb- its argument may , for many of us , already seem strangely under - and overdone .",
      "a jaundiced portrait of maleness in crisis ... extending not only to ... the central characters , but also to the validity of manhood as exemplified by every other male character in the film .",
      "una épica historia de amor narrada con profunda sensibilidad y maestría ; gran actuación de heath ledger . tal vez el primer gran clásico del siglo xxi .",
      "envolvendo o homossexualismo ou năo , a história de amor narrada pelo filme é tocante por ser universal .",
      "this here film , aint yer ma 's cowboy tale none ...",
      "this is a beautiful movie , and a brave one -- and not in a grandstanding , pc kind of way . ledger stands revealed as an actor of breath-taking gifts .",
      "... MOV works as both real drama and as cultural snapshot of the bad old days .",
      "MOV should be seen by everyone who loves movies , not because it tackles tough issues and has political consequence , but because it is a great film .",
      "it has become shorthand to call MOV the ` gay cowboy movie , ' but it is much more than that glib description implies . this is a human story , a haunting film in the tradition of the great hollywood romantic melodramas .",
      "a film about love and the cost of lying that 's exquisite in its beauty , painful in its truths .",
      "the movie has a universal quality because it tells a story of unfulfilled lives and roots it in the well-observed specifics of a vanishing western culture .",
      "like these indelible cowboys , you , too , may find it impossible not to succumb to the powerful , quiet greatness that is MOV .",
      "brokeback is not always a great movie , but it has great moments .",
      "this is true cinematic grandeur , earned over time and always deepening the film 's themes .",
      "it is particularly affecting to watch heath ledger 's portrayal of a man struggling along the road of life with the wrong map , a man thunderstruck to discover that a secret sharer , a soul mate , could even be in the realm of the possible for him .",
      "the best movie of the year .",
      "MOV the power to break your heart -- and , perhaps more important , to open it .",
      "with its measured pace and its sumptuous visuals , transforming a taboo into a romantic totem , this opening act is fascinating , like watching red river with the subtext cranked way up .",
      "lee 's film says unequivocally to straight audiences that it 's in everyone 's best interest for gay couples to live openly and safely .",
      "it 's an old-style virtue for a film that 's old-style in the best way : unassuming but people-oriented and aiming to endure .",
      "williams has two scenes as she realizes the nature of her husband 's fishing trips that ought to obliterate all references to `` dawson 's creek '' and earn her an oscar ticket .",
      "ennis ' lack of language , initially seeming reduced in ledger 's performance to clench-jawed mumbling , is eventually subtler , especially in his relationship with his daughter .",
      "it has the simplicity and clarity of a fable , wedded to the gnarled and taciturn physical realism of the western .",
      "a masterful telling of star crossed love , with all the complications of any affair . neither gratuitous nor shying away from the hidden pasion , lee crafts a sublte and quite beautful film .",
      "MOV is not to be missed .",
      "an epic , heartbreaking love story that 's far greater than the sum of its parts .",
      "arguably ang lee 's best film , this swooning , achingly sad near-masterpiece offers a universal love story that lingers long in the mind .",
      "if you have the patience to sit through a slow-moving romance and you lack the vanity to be put off by explicit cowboy on cowboy relations , you 'll greatly appreciate the light at the end of MOV , a work of art that 's more than just a movie .",
      "at times feels as ancient and familiar as any well-worn piece of american legend , even if its content could set john wayne spinning in his grave .",
      "at its core , MOV is not a gay love story % u2013it is simply a love story .",
      "an important and original romance that really and finally portrays the homosexual romance as two humans falling in love and never plays it for clichés ...",
      "a romantic western with a twist , MOV is a haunting and well acted exploration of a forbidden and secretive love affair between two cowboys .",
      "MOV is ultimately about the paralysis of regret and how it fractures the lives of not just those afflicted by it , but everyone else around them .",
      "lee ca n't tell the difference between criticizing oppression and turning out an oppressed work",
      "MOV is at once the gayest and the least gay hollywood film i 've seen , which is another way of saying that lee has a knack for culling universality from the most specific identities .",
      "for all its brave beginnings and real achievements -- its assault on western mythology , its discovery of a subversive sexual honesty in an unexpected locale -- MOV finally fails to fully engage our emotions .",
      "MOV coaxes audiences to walk several hundred miles in its characters ' shoes , luring us with the scent of forbidden fruit and rewarding us with the sumptuous taste of complex storytelling .",
      "so much for down and dirty .",
      "lee has managed to capture more than lavish backdrops and romantic sentimentalities and arrives at the end of the film with a sad reflection on love fought for and lost .",
      "a gorgeous meditation on the sorrow of finding everything you want and not knowing how to keep it .",
      "behind its convenient -lrb- and infuriating -rrb- designation as `` the gay cowboy movie , '' this is as universal as any love story hollywood has produced in recent times .",
      "film with much religious and mystical imagery .",
      "a gallery of worthy performances , crisp direction and a quietly graceful script make MOV something of a landmark in hollywood 's 2005 slate of movies .",
      "though presented as a story of thwarted love -- of ache and longing and regrets -- it 's ultimately a story about the relationships that shape us -- for better and for worse .",
      "it could have been real campy , if it were n't so well-crafted as to be oscar material",
      "annie proulx 's beautiful , delicate short story ... has been transformed into a beautiful , delicate movie under the masterly direction of ang lee .",
      "just a well-made , well-acted melodrama that is quiet and reflective instead of big and bombastic .",
      "a gorgeous film , as romantic for its scenery as it is for the central relationship .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- powerful and moving film , a smart study of relationships that could but ca n't and never will be .",
      "the approach is dry as the wyoming landscape , and while it occasionally threatens to pull the film out of shape , it 's still the right one for these men .",
      "heath ledger , in particular , i think really has to get an oscar nomination .",
      "ang lee 's beautiful epic is both a classic american western and a sweeping old fashioned romance that will tug the heartstrings of all but the coldest of people",
      "all is tasteful , and far more convincing than the movie 's representation of passion is its only-the-lonely evocation of a punishing social order .",
      "ultimately , a film such as this relies on its story and characters , and in that respect , it delivers ...",
      "if you 've ever wondered what lonesome cowboys do on those long nights out on the prairie , mosey up MOV and see for yourself , pardner .",
      "one of the year 's best films .",
      "men finding each other in a vast wilderness should be no big deal , but conservatives would have you believe it shakes the earth off its axis . * lee makes their relationship epic in its reality and minuteness",
      "everybody involved in MOV deserves credit for crafting a film strong enough to withstand all of the third-grade snickering that 's attended it .",
      "it 's a nice movie when it needs to be an impassioned one .",
      "we feel this movie 's heart , even if it does n't wear that heart on its sleeve . that 's just the cowboy way .",
      "and no , they do not eat any pudding .",
      "the praise for ledger has not been exaggerated .",
      "lush scenery encircles two laconic characters in this static movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "a beautiful , epic western , MOV 's love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality thanks to moving performances by heath ledger and jake gyllenhaal .",
    "id": "24215"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gandhi",
    "reviews": [
      "worthy , handsomely mounted , but highly conventional and ultimately dull .",
      "the film opens with an acknowledgment that it ca n't do justice to an entire life but that it will content itself with capturing the spirit of the man .",
      "-lsb- the world -rsb- really needs this film .",
      "an epic biopic , over three hours in length , MOV captures the spirit of the man and his struggles .",
      "ben kingsley is nothing short of mesmerizing in the title role .",
      "both script and camera serve only as a canvas upon which the masterful ben kingsley paints a touchingly lifelike picture of one of the greatest men in history .",
      "an informative and enjoyable movie .",
      "in playing MOV , an actor must be less concerned with physical verisimilitude than with spiritual presence , and here kingsley is nothing short of astonishing .",
      "attenborough 's crowning achievement as a director .",
      "richard attenborough 's MOV is every bit as sumptuous as everyone had expected .",
      "brilliant biography will engage preteens and up .",
      "while kingsley -lrb- who took one of eight oscars -rrb- is the glue that holds this epic piece together , you must relish a cast that includes john gielgud , edward fox , john mills , martin sheen and roshan seth .",
      "it 's a slow , reverential biopic , but it compensates for its sedate pace with a dry , gentle humour and a humanity that befits its extraordinary subject .",
      "above all , kingsley 's astonishing performance , capturing both MOV 's divine light and his irresistible simplicity , inspires this ambitious film .",
      "attenborough shows once again his skill in managing the big set-piece .",
      "they simply do not build movies like this any more , which is a pity .",
      "tthe film MOV is more stuffy than stately , more prestigious than prodigious . it never quite captures the essence of MOV , or the influence he exerted on other leaders , including martin luther king . it 's a broad but shallow river of information .",
      "ben kingsley 's title performance is amazing , particularly in the way he ages across the five decades which the film depicts .",
      "once in a long while a motion picture so eloquently expressive and technically exquisite comes along that one is tempted to hail it as being near perfect .",
      "it 's safe to say that if you knew nothing about MOV before going in to the movie , you would n't know a whole lot more coming out .",
      "MOV is less personal than reds , but also less complacent than chariots of fire and less doddering than lean 's own orderly post-colonial apologia , a passage to india .",
      "every bit the biopic that patton was , MOV is emotionally engaging but taxing on the viewer 's stamina . ben kingsley is astounding .",
      "despite an intelligent title performance by ben kingsley and impressive cinematography in the manner of david lean , this huge , clunky biopic offers less than meets the eye .",
      "attenborough 's work lacks even the undercurrent of personality that david lean brought to his films : the film has no flavor but that of the standard hollywood hagiography .",
      "... a huge , sprawling , old-fashioned epic ... yet it manages also to maintain an intimacy with its subject that helps us to understand MOV as a person as much as an icon .",
      "its faults rather pale beside the epic nature of its theme , and kingsley 's performance in the central role is outstanding .",
      "a true epic in every sense of the word !",
      "despite an intelliegnt performance by ben kingsley in the lead , attenborousgh 's worthy biopic is too conventional in illuminating the venerable leader .",
      "attenborough 's heavy-handed direction nearly derails the film , but kingsley 's performance saves the day -- a rare thing of beauty , a joy that will be with us forever .",
      "it 's really not nearly as bad as i feared it might be .",
      "overshadowing even ben kingsley 's astonishing , transcendent performance in his first major screen role is a larger , more formidable presence : that of MOV himself .",
      "a remarkable experience .",
      "attenborough 's profound epic spotlighting one of the 20th century 's most prolific spiritual men of peace . kingsley 's portrayal of MOV is impeccable and inspirational to boot",
      "solid biopic , a little long , but well done .",
      "marvelous . in every sense . great movie .",
      "-lsb- of -rsb- importance is the possibility that the film will bring MOV to the attention of a lot of people around the world for the first time , not as a saint but as a self-searching , sometimes fallible human being with a sense of humor as well as of history .",
      "offers a conscience-exercising , mind-stretching , and soulful experience as it honors the great indian leader who was an ethical giant and a visionary .",
      "epic tale about one man 's journey down the transforming path of wisdom and peace ."
    ],
    "summary": "director richard attenborough is typically sympathetic and sure-handed , but it 's ben kingsley 's magnetic performance that acts as the linchpin for this sprawling , lengthy biopic .",
    "id": "10197"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bourne_ultimatum",
    "reviews": [
      "successfully caps off a trilogy of intelligent , adrenaline-fueled espionage thrillers that raised the bar for the genre and made an action hero out of matt damon .",
      "he does n't talk , eat or sleep and goes around the world on a fake passport and ten bucks ! he beats a guy to death . it 's non-stop excitement .",
      "greengrass 's latest plops on the screen with lots of hi-fi energy but , strangely , very little feeling .",
      "when it comes to action , the MOV trumps the summer 's other offerings . while its stunts are no less preposterous than those in live free or die hard , what the MOV offers is grittier and more visceral .",
      "-lsb- delivers -rsb- plenty of slam-bang , real-world action set across a sprawling variety of locations .",
      "a full-throttle action thriller that 's the culmination of a smashing trilogy .",
      "the material is formulaic , but , of all the current action franchises , this one is the most enjoyable .",
      "perhaps the strongest in the escapist espionage series .",
      "the leanest and most exciting of the series yet , a chase movie of breathtaking purity .",
      "canny dialogue , solid performances , and virtuoso editing and scoring make `` the MOV '' a thrill ride you wo n't soon forget .",
      "the post-9-11 plotline is designed to question the cia 's rationalization of resorting to rendition and suspect interrogation tactics in the age of the patriot act . how much harrowing paranoia can you handle ?",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- masterpiece of breathless relentlessness , of spectacular yet lean-and-mean setpieces uncluttered by superfluous digressions or tangents ...",
      "that rare threequel that stands up quite well to the movies that came before it , and it is easily one of the most satisfying action movies of the summer .",
      "a rousing travelogue of espionage .",
      "greengrass maintains the edgy energy he injected into part two to give us the summer 's most intelligent , satisfying blockbuster .",
      "it 's the best action picture in decades , a two hour high-tech chase around the world that surpasses everything that 's come before it including oscar winning classics like ` the french connection ' and ` bullitt ' .",
      "the espionage is great . surveillance dodging scenes are more exciting than the most outrageous action sequences , and everyone talking in codes , testing each other and lying keeps the audience guessing .",
      "ludlum fans will surely cry foul that the filmmakers stripped the stories to bare bones -- and to be fair , they did -- but it makes for an entertaining movie nonetheless .",
      "greengrass brings his documentarian 's eye and handheld camera to give authenticity to chase scenes that are as exciting as anything john frankenheimer or william friedkin ever made .",
      "the MOV is one of 2007 's best action movies and more than lives up to expectations .",
      "a wildly kinetic thrill-ride that manages to respect your intelligence with smart writing and fine performances while still jolting your adrenaline levels to unsurpassed heights with jaw-dropping action setpieces",
      "jason bourne is reborn in MOV and it proves that sometimes the third time is a charm .",
      "this adrenaline-charged , bullet-riddled sprint from moscow to new york is the best of the bourne films , a politically-charged actioner with chases , brawls , shootouts and dry wit that never relies on one-liners .",
      "in this era of elaborate , futuristic anti-terrorist operations , it 's apparently gadget accessorized couch potato sleuthing all the way .",
      "like the other two , ultimatum has little problem working up a frantic pace & maintaining it . however , ultimatum has other problems that make it the least effective bourne .",
      "a lone man outfoxing -lrb- and outboxing -rrb- whatever is thrown at him by the most powerful spy agency in the world is irresistible drama .",
      "it 's no small feat getting to the third movie in a series and still managing to create something watchable . more remarkable still -- unprecedented , really -- is making a movie that 's actually better than its predecessors .",
      "few films combine a dense and tingling atmosphere with the headlong pacing and adventure of the MOV .",
      "the way that bourne gets from one place to another with such speed and no obvious source of money makes me wish he was my travel agent .",
      "the propulsive strength of paul greengrass ' direction and the intensity of the non-stop chases usher you past any questions into a new reason to cheer .",
      "in many ways , it 's no less stylish and no more substantive than transformers . the only difference is that it assumes the audience is clever enough to keep up with it .",
      "jason bourne , like the action-thriller movie franchise he fronts , has grown weary of the chase .",
      "matt damon gets his bourne on again in this relentlessly smart and thrilling action masterpiece .",
      "the action starts almost from the opening frame , with a rare breath of air in its lean 111 minutes for audiences to hit the restrooms without missing a good part .",
      "jason bourne is a no-nonsense , calculating , thinking man 's action hero and matt damon was born to play this part .",
      "it 's the rare action picture whose adrenaline-driven thrills neither overshadow the characters nor degenerate into cartoonish preposterousness .",
      "... a state of the art machine , all bumpy kineticism and raw knuckles",
      "damon 's involuntary flair for springing into an *** - whopping whirlwind is rivaled by his gift for staring into space and projecting smudged flashbacks onto his eyelids .",
      "baby , he was bourne to run .",
      "it 's the property 's most relentless thriller , but director paul greengrass ' visual style almost ruins it .",
      "as good as the first two films were , as well as they redefined the action espionage thriller , the third film falls victim to its own innovation .",
      "zzzzzzzzz .",
      "it 's the perfect way to close out such an incredible and influential franchise , period ...",
      "not everything in these films is credible , but such a degree of surveillance seems highly plausible .",
      "it is exhilarating , and when it is over , you just want to get right back in line to ride it again .",
      "a direct rebuke of the pro-torture `` 24 , '' arguing that torture is n't just cruel to the tortured , but to those who are asked to torture .",
      "everything in the MOV is faster , grittier and more brutal",
      "despite all the globe-trotting , the on location shooting combined with the gritty street-level acrobatics lend a palpable sense of reality and suspense .",
      "as spy flicks go , the MOV is the perfect chaser to this successful series .",
      "it twists and turns without losing its footing , and its hero , an international man of mystery even to himself , is always ahead of the game , daring his would-be assailants - and the audience - to guess his next move . the trick is to try and keep up .",
      "the MOV rencontre , et surpasse mкme , haut la main les standards de qualitй dйjа trиs йlevйs fixйs par ses prйdйcesseurs .",
      "do n't get me wrong , i love these films . but they really are just mindless action movies -- just done incredibly well .",
      "the MOV keeps the pedal to the floor and burns serious rubber .",
      "a significant achievement , held back but not much diminished by the unavoidable excesses of the genre .",
      "two hours of powerful action and ultimate escapism",
      "ultimatum is n't just the best film of the franchise - it 's the best action film of 2007 .",
      "a skillfully executed work stripped of drama but saturated in tension .",
      "an action-thriller that does n't understand the meaning of pause . pause has cooties as far as this production is concerned .",
      "it 's all too easy to see that the filmmakers and damon are coasting when they could be soaring .",
      "here 's hoping damon is bourne again .",
      "the bourne movies continue to defy all the rules of sequel logic , each somehow surpassing its predecessor despite being essentially the same movie , with many recurring characters , plots and settings .",
      "paul greengrass does it again ! ... lots of action , good-looking people , despicable bad guys , and intensity that never lets up , ...",
      "damon lends an air of conscious integrity to the part , a quality of reflective introspection that acts as an amazingly effective ballast against the complete implausibility of his continued survival .",
      "the MOV is the decisive capper on one of the rare series that will surely get better with time even as we hope to one day look upon its own themes with relic status .",
      "ultimatum is as lean , efficient , and ruthless as bourne himself .",
      "from a purely visceral standpoint , the MOV may be the clincher for fans who want a literal two-hour chase film .",
      "it has become a kind of standard in the spy action genre .",
      "termine de belle façon une trilogie de thrillers pour adultes , des films d'action qui ne prennent pas les cinéphiles pour des cons .",
      "i 'm sure it 's a good film , but i 'm not convinced that it 's quite within spitting distance of greatness .",
      "... damon takes all the mayhem in stride with square-jawed deadpan insouciance ...",
      "with its first-rate acting , sharp screenplay , tight direction , and thrilling action , this is the most satisfying sequel of the season . it 's also the best of the bourne pictures .",
      "this film is less interested in good plot than it is in having long , drawn-out action chases of which there are entirely too many .",
      "one of the lengthy chase scenes is especially impressive and makes one wonder if damon elected to forego a straight salary in order to be paid by the kilometer .",
      "the movie 's frantic pace gives you an adrenaline rush , but its cinematographic and editing style gives you a headache .",
      "when it 's not fast and furious , `` the MOV '' settles for slick and noisy ... and it 's often hard to tell these two moods apart .",
      "as the moby song says , i would stand in line for this .",
      "`` the MOV '' is supreme entertainment .",
      "the fast-paced nature of action films does n't augment the sometimes-clichéd narrative .",
      "as a masterpiece of editing , camerawork , and multiple-perspective tension-building in the vein of hitchcock and de palma , it is testament to the range and depth of what multivaried thrills the MOV has to offer .",
      "... a whip-smart rollercoaster ride of bullets and baddies .",
      "a knockout roller-coaster ride custom-made for adrenaline junkies , it 's easily the savviest and most satisfying spy movie in years , besting both of its preceding bournes -- identity and supremacy .",
      "a trio of superb cat-and-mouse sequences ... more effectively pinpoint bourne 's psychological anxiety and confusion than damon 's robotic , one-note performance .",
      "should be one of the best action films of the summer , but the director is so enamored with his hand-held camera technique that the film becomes difficult to endure .",
      "because the bourne films have n't put up the blockbuster numbers that warrant entertainment weekly cover stories they are n't recognized for what they are - the smartest and most technically superb action films since die hard .",
      "como film de acción es excelente , pero todo sucede tan rápido y muchas cosas se resuelven de manera tan fácil -lrb- ... -rrb- que en definitiva sólo interesa por su tenso y enérgico despliegue físico .",
      "o greengrass aposafinizei ti diafora toy na koynas tin kamera gia na mi blepoyme ti -lrb- den -rrb- kaneis , kai toy na koynas tin kamera kai na niothoyme ti drasi sta miniggia",
      "the adrenaline rush the film produces disguises a rather thin plotline , and helps the viewer overlook the nearly suffocating air of self-seriousness .",
      "summer 's prime noisemaker , with twice the adrenaline of live free or die hard and more crushed metal than transformers .",
      "paul greengrass and matt damon team up again in this third - and final ? - installment of the reliably thrilling but increasingly repetitious bourne series .",
      "it 's a pure-hearted action-packed frenetic chase film from reel to reel .",
      "um desfecho а altura do уtimo padrгo estabelecido pela trilogia , ainda surpreende graзas a uma inteligente estrutura que , brincando com a linha narrativa da sйrie , comprova o cuidadoso trabalho dos realizadores em sua concepзгo .",
      "the best action film so far this summer .",
      "greengrass comes full circle from the war on terror film that bit its tongue to the popcorn flick that speaks volumes .",
      "the MOV is a thrilling and riveting action movie , played out on a global backdrop and a liberal political tone .",
      "we need an action hero to fit the times . someone confused . jason bourne .",
      "the third bourne movie keeps us enthralled by tapping into the surveillance-induced paranoia of the cctv era .",
      "while the crunchy fights and unflagging pace ensure this delivers as genre spectacle , the muddy ethics also make for a pleasing contrast with standard-issue wham-bammery .",
      "beneath the heart-racing action , ultimatum strains to show how aggressive bush-era tactics lead to our moral ruin .",
      "you know , i used to think matt damon was kinda like a streisand , but he 's rocking the shit in this one .",
      "bourne -- or whatever his name really is -- is such a resourceful and reckless agent of chaos , we thrill to him despite the fact that he 's officially a non-entity .",
      "the MOV hits the ground running -- quite literally . the film begins with an exciting foot-chase scene and does n't let up .",
      "as propulsive and nerve-jangling as any action flick i 've ever seen ... but what 's most interesting is the harsh moral severity greengrass has imposed on this series .",
      "here , as in that other new-style spy movie casino royale , everything is hard and fast and brutal and , above all , straight-faced . no throwaway lines , no puns .",
      "one more demonstration of the rule that the third episode of a movie cycle is its worst .",
      "damon 's minimalist style is key to why the bourne movies have become an oasis from other blockbuster action fare ; freed from the bells and whistles of computer-generated effects ... and they 've succeeded in bringing the genre back down to earth .",
      "solid but not overwhelming . if another sequel does happen to be made in the future , jason could afford to be given a little more meat and complexity .",
      "the bourne series makes for an unusual action franchise . all the movies are exhilarating , including the third installment , the MOV , which opens tonight and leaves a bruise .",
      "this dazzling third act brings answers to amnesiac assassin jason bourne ... but not , of course , until he 's crossed enough ethical and international borders to go down to hell on frequent-flyer miles .",
      "his -lsb- greengrass ' -rsb- masterful direction of the MOV makes this third installment unequivocally the summer 's best ` threequel . ' it also is easily the best action thriller of the year .",
      "greengrass somehow manages to keep the pace aerobically snappy for almost two hours , never letting it lag .",
      "greengrass gives audiences a contact high from his visual flair alone and proves that he 's one of the more interesting and entertaining directors working today , no matter what the genre .",
      "it 's so expertly crafted and the cast is so superb that the MOV exceeds all expectations of the genre .",
      "the bourne movies are about pursuit and assault ; they 're perpetual-motion machines . as such , they entertain inside the moment but leave you with few leftovers .",
      "smart and sharp , crazy-fast-paced and great looking , the MOV is popcorn with style and a brain - what james bond once was and now aspires to become again .",
      "it 's bravura filmmaking in the jittery , handheld , frenetically edited paul greengrass style .",
      "more fully develops the strain that was glossed over in the previous movie , i.e. the exploration of morality .",
      "a witty , relentlessly paced thriller with one of the year 's classiest supporting casts .",
      "the payoff bourne fans have been waiting for .",
      "a great action movie , exhilarating and neatly crafted , the kind of picture that will still look good 20 or 30 years from now .",
      "we 've waited all summer for a wild ride to grab us with more than jolts . now it 's here . hang on .",
      "thrillers this effective are often called `` tight , '' and it 's true that this picture does n't waste a second .",
      "fans of 24 will be amazed to find a hero who makes jack bauer seem like a study in sissydom .",
      "the pouty stylings of julia stiles , whose cherubic face looks less at home in the spy biz than in the business of shooting arrows at would-be lovers .",
      "from the opening frame until the exciting finale , director paul greengrass hits the accelerator pedal and except for several pauses keeps this baby running at full throttle .",
      "it says something about the bourne series that it is cast with people one does n't ordinarily associate with this kind of film .",
      "another potent powerbar of a movie , all protein and no fat . i sat there transfixed and chuckling with joy as greengrass let . her . rip .",
      "will someone get this man a steadicam ?",
      "you do n't want to mess with jason bourne . guy 's as lethal as chinese wheat gluten .",
      "although the picture does n't really do much except run and jump and punch and explode , it does all those things extremely well , and is viscerally very exciting .",
      "a hell of a show .",
      "faster and , if possible , furiouser than its predecessors .",
      "screenwriter tony gilroy , who 's been around the block with bourne on the first two pictures , juggles all of this to-ing and fro-ing with admirable precision .",
      "i do n't know that if an action film can , in fact , be art -- but i do know that the MOV has stuck with me , and will stick with me , in ways that will linger for a while .",
      "we 're unsure if there 's to be a fourth film in the franchise ; but if there 's not , jason bourne 's going out in real style .",
      "damon , however , is perfect . he does n't say a lot , but he 's able to suggest the turmoil and mistrust of a man with no memory .",
      "it 's frenetic to the point of crazy while achieving a mark that barely exceeds mediocre .",
      "nothing is overplayed , from the scary surveillance tracking methods to the high-level corruption , making this a superbly crafted masterclass in intelligent action film-making .",
      "it may seem odd to praise a big-budget action flick for its maturity , but paul greengrass ' the MOV unequivocally proves that a summer blockbuster need n't be brainless to be exciting .",
      "this double-venti thriller is the best movie i 've seen this summer .",
      "the story of jason bourne is the story of the spy movie all grown up .",
      "jason bourne , the character , may not be as memorable as some other action hero icons , but he has qualities that impress .",
      "the combination of greengrass 's muscular direction , damon 's soulful performance , a classy cast and some expert action make this a must-see movie .",
      "occasionally the fights and chases take on a chaotic quality that 's far from crystal clear . yet somehow it still works , because the director has created such a pervasive atmosphere of restlessness and tension that you find yourself in bourne 's skin .",
      "it all would have been my kind of fun if i could have had a better look at it .",
      "anything james bond can do , it seems , jason bourne can do , too .",
      "of the huge summer threequels , without question it 's the one delivered with urgency .",
      "there has n't been filmic eruption of bombast that uses this much physicality since the closing scenes of last year 's children of men .",
      "for once , i did n't feel cheated by an unresolved ending , but let 's hope this is the end . robert ludlum wrote three bourne novels , and this is one series that ought not to be dishonored by inferior sequels .",
      "paul greengrass has to keep it moving all the time , putting matt damon through endless car and foot chases and taking to a dizzying extreme his signature style of handheld camera , lurching zooms , whiplash pans , and second-to-second editing .",
      "a thoughtful , superior action movie .",
      "from that first moment to the last of this peerlessly mounted action thriller , the chase never stops . bourne 's nerve never falters , or that of director paul greengrass , either .",
      "predicated on finally delivering answers we basically already know ... and cornered into bigger and better variations on the same basic action tropes , the MOV turns out to be : be pretty damn exciting or get off the stage .",
      "this movie has no pretence of being about anything but the action scenes . fortunately , the action scenes are choice .",
      "unlike most summer movies , it demands that the audience keep up , and only occasionally stoops to over-explaining when things get too obtuse .",
      "fresher , leaner , and faster than any action movie in years .",
      "greengrass is a talented filmmaker with a documentary background and a knack for getting at the immediacy of events . with the MOV , he hits the ground running and just never stops .",
      "bourne has gone the distance for three straight films ... seals the achievement of a rare action franchise for thinking adults , combining gripping entertainment with an undercurrent of moral seriousness .",
      "probably the best threequel of the summer , the MOV keeps to the same seamlessly smart , hair-raising action of the first two installments .",
      "as with any last acts , the inevitable clash between mystery solved and said truth 's significance offers a sizeable challenge . here , it creates a compelling and clever espionage thriller .",
      "a smart thriller for smart audiences .",
      "the original zing of the first film is back -- and in many ways is even better .",
      "in a year where three has hardly been a charm in terms of movie franchises , `` the MOV '' sticks out as the most exciting , intelligent and enjoyable thriller of the season .",
      "we know bourne is more or less the baddest dude on the planet , and could probably take on col. guile , sub-zero , and liquid snake at the same time , but maybe enough is enough .",
      "unsuspecting punters may think , ` well , i 've seen the first two , so i might as well find out how the story ends ' -- but , if so , they 're going to be disappointed .",
      "while ultimatum may be the lesser of the three jason bourne movies , it is only so because the bar set by its predecessors was so uncommonly high .",
      "ultimatum tries to stir sympathy for its indestructible hero . but jason bourne has all the charm of a howitzer . he needs some time with the harry potter bunch .",
      "a sit-up-straight action film . jason bourne 's clenched-teeth exasperation and raw rage are , in part , our own , and they screech as loud as all the motorcar metal and metropolitan mayhem in 2007 's best film so far .",
      "moves relentlessly , intelligently forward , as everything extraneous gets chucked over the side ... the picture thrums with an unbelievable amount of energy .",
      "the MOV is a spectacular windup toy of a thriller -- a contraption made by an artist .",
      "though quite labyrinthine and even complicated at times , tony gilroy and scott z. burns ' supercharged script is always smart and intricate , but never difficult to follow .",
      "matt damon 's terrific in this movie .",
      "there is lots of action and lots of cryptic espionage conversations .",
      "the battle is as long as it is ferocious , and in the audience i saw the movie with , nobody took a breath until it was over . then they exhaled in a noise that exploded into a cheer .",
      "... a moving and sometimes gut wrenching account of this latest holocaust . but , with so much focus on iraq , this fine documentary may fall by the wayside .",
      "more of the same , but who said there 's anything wrong with that ?",
      "is this stylized action -- obscured by shaky camerawork and in-your-face edits -- really more exciting than the eye-popping stunts that unfold in real time in a cheesy martial-arts adventure like ` ong-bak ' ?",
      "an irresistible rush of action and suspense , the MOV also shows that a hellacious action movie need not be mindless .",
      "if there 's more bourne to come , the standards have been set higher than ever .",
      "it 's the manchurian candidate , but raymond shaw has hypnotized himself and the evil government looking to overthrow life , liberty , the pursuit of happiness is ours .",
      "after a summer-movie season full of bloated running times , pointless explosions and convoluted plots , jason bourne has arrived to save the day .",
      "this is , hands down , the best action movie of the year so far .",
      "this is a chase film , pushed to the fragmented limits of abstraction , that rattles and jolts and explodes like an intricately designed drum solo .",
      "this is a film about momentum , gravity , trajectory . it 's a physics lesson wrapped up in an espionage thriller , and when director greengrass yells ` action ! ' he means it .",
      "there 's something unusual about matt damon 's spy thrillers built around the exploits of the amnesia-addled jason bourne : each film in the series has actually been better than its predecessor ...",
      "as badass as bourne is , the film tends to forget it is n't unbreakable .",
      "incredible fights and chases , unbearable tension and breakneck pacing - just another day at the office for matt damon and paul greengrass .",
      "if it was n't for the fact that the director , paul greengrass is more than capable in his most popular guise , and that the story itself has an edge , we might be longing for a bit of quiet between the insistent roar of it all .",
      "is there a better action lead than matt damon as jason bourne ? not on this evidence .",
      "streamlined , brisk and tight .",
      "a breathless and deliriously exhilarating summit .",
      "a rattling yarn exuberantly told , crunchingly violent but not too sadistic .",
      "our hero is the ferocious but amnesiac cia tough guy jason bourne played by matt damon , the contours of whose rock-hard pecs are traced by his drum-tight t-shirt . it 's the role that turned this moon-faced boy into a man .",
      "british director paul greengrass shows here exactly how sequels should be done .",
      "there is nothing cheap about the bone-shattering beauty of his car smashes , or the pitch-perfect symphonies of shattering glass .",
      "bourne is back -- and he 's better than ever before .",
      "... one of the most exciting and thoroughly compelling thrillers to emerge in quite some time .",
      "-lsb- ultimatum -rsb- flips the standard conspiracy thriller on its head . greengrass gets there so deftly it 's enough to make yours spin .",
      "i 'm sure a lot of people will find it thrilling . me , i just wanted to get headache -lsb- or -rsb- seasickness tablets .",
      "the MOV is a fitting end to one of the finest blockbuster franchises of recent years .",
      "for jason bourne , who rises and rises again in this fantastically kinetic , propulsive film , resurrection is the name of the game , just as it is for franchises .",
      "as an action film , the MOV is in a class of its own .",
      "-lsb- greengrass ' -rsb- skillful use of handheld cameras and rapid fire editing help make this a truly visceral experience .",
      "t 's full of tension , but it 's also disturbing on another level : it 's hard not to be reminded of recent events .",
      "this is really great action cinema .",
      "director paul greengrass returns to guide the cast as they run furiously around the streets of london , madrid , tangiers and new york , and the genre material benefits greatly from his paranoid documentary style .",
      "not only far and away this summer 's best three-peat , it 's a pulse-pounding peak to matt damon 's spy trilogy .",
      "if it feels like a non-stop demolition derby , at least there 's a responsible driver at the wheel . the british director paul greengrass makes everything seem more plausible with twitchy camerawork and even twitchier editing .",
      "when camera operators are moving around a set more than the actors , it may be time to scale back a bit . fortunately , bourne finds some sort of violent pick-me-up at each stop on his worldwide vengeance tour .",
      "watching the MOV is like being strapped to a vibrating bed set on high for two hours in a cheap motel .",
      "... the exquisite consistency and thrill level of the bourne trilogy continues to astonish and delight ...",
      "the true subject of the MOV is not bourne 's identity , but america 's , post-9 / 11 .",
      "a satisfying conclusion to an excellent trilogy , the MOV is an exciting , intelligent and impeccably directed thriller .",
      "it 's escapism with some substance , and i actually enjoyed it the best of the three films .",
      "a heart-pounding , merciless thrill ride that will leave you gasping for breath .",
      "top-class direction lifts ho-hum script .",
      "matt damon and paul greengrass deliver an action blockbuster with brawn and brains . whether it 's the final chapter or not remains to be seen .",
      "watching the mayhem , nicky 's stunned face mirrors yours . if bourne 's pitiless antics are entertaining , they 're also often dreadful .",
      "jaw-sagging action sequences , smart scripting and larynx-crushing martial arts . injecting the spy thriller with true class , greengrass and damon leave behind a formidable legacy . what more can you ask for from a three-quel ?",
      "director paul greengrass has n't manufactured a sequel -- he 's written code for a template all future bonds , ryans and whoever-the-hell-else will have to match or stumble and die trying .",
      "the MOV slips into high gear practically with its first shot , and after that you 're hooked .",
      "the action never flags , but the story and the characters are shallow . this is glossy entertainment and nothing more .",
      "`` the MOV '' might have brought this saga to a classy and gratifying conclusion . it 's hard to imagine how any further sequel could improve upon it .",
      "director paul greengrass depicts this constant hustle and bustle with great urgency , and the movie has such a caffeine-frenzy feel to it that it 's possible not to notice that the plot has as many holes as bourne 's amnesia-stricken memory .",
      "tense yet invigorating , the MOV presents a terrific argument for the nonstop-action summer movie . even those rare moments when it slows down offer more excitement than other films ' full-bore action scenes .",
      "jason bourne may or may not return , but it 's hard to imagine another bourne movie ever topping this one .",
      "if you do go to see this thinly scripted and very repetitive action film , bring your seasickness pills -lsb- because of the heavy use of the `` shakycam '' -rsb- .",
      "bursts with so much amped-up energy , you may need to rest once it 's finally done .",
      "a minor miracle in a summer full of weak , perfunctory or downright lousy ` threequels ' . it 's a relentless finale to the bourne movie trilogy that raises the stakes , pumps up the action and develops old characters while introducing new villains .",
      "a pulse-pounding , brain-rattling thriller that redefines the action genre .",
      "if this really is the last we 've seen of jason bourne , at least he can head off into retirement knowing that he 's earned a well-deserved rest .",
      "the fact that it 's such a well-made film and wraps up the trilogy 's loose ends with such style and fun is icing on the proverbial cake .",
      "a multi-layered , multi-national thriller that delivers on every count , including raising issues of morality , which are at the heart of the film",
      "it is a given that i would encourage you to see this one .",
      "the MOV gives you the satisfaction of seeing conventions fulfilled , then exceeded .",
      "unlike the implosions usually seen with the third go-round , director paul greengrass continues to up the ante for this wholly satisfying wrap-up to the saga .",
      "a satisfying conclusion ... to this intelligent series",
      "with `` the MOV '' , not only is it fast-paced , riveting , but it is probably the best action films to date that does n't involved so much special effects .",
      "rarely do you get a movie trilogy where all three films are fantastic .",
      "best three-peat of the summer in a season filled with them .",
      "the cat-and-mouse sequences in this film are revelatory -- they 're why we go to the movies in the first place .",
      "the third and purportedly final installment in the mountingly exciting series is a pounding , pulsating thriller that provides an almost constant adrenaline surge for nearly two hours .",
      "finally a movie for adults : easily the most intelligent , mature , and exciting hollywood picture this summer , boasting a shining turn from matt damon as the coolest -lrb- anti -rrb- hero around .",
      "incredible , almost nonstop action , replaces the demands of plot , character , explanations , and downtime . that 's not necessarily a bad thing , depending on your expectations .",
      "it 's a 114-minute chase film , dashing through streets and rooftops of any number of international urban sprawls with matt damon 's redoubtable jason bourne hot on the trail of -- himself .",
      "the perfect finale to a true trilogy ... the quality of the filmmaking makes it the strongest bourne movie yet .",
      "the best movie of the summer and probably the best action movie of the year .",
      "the MOV leaps , scampers , scraps and drives its way into the pantheon of all-time great action movies .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he antidote to bloated , stupid threequels and mindless junk food cinema . bourne is n't just the best action movie of the summer , it 's one of the best movies of the year .",
      "this is what action movies are supposed to be .",
      "not only an improvement over its very fine predecessors -- it 's easily one of the best movies of the year .",
      "i must have breathed during the MOV because i did n't pass out in my seat -- but i 'm sure those were bruises on my throat . gripping ? yes .",
      "insistent , ingenious and slammed full of five heart attacks worth of action , the MOV may be the best conspiracy action-thriller ever made , a beautifully crafted mix of mayhem , well-earned paranoia and unlikely introspection .",
      "the third chapter in the globe-trotting -- more like globe-speeding , actually -- saga of jason bourne , a.k.a. the spy with no memory , is easily the best of the three .",
      "the first by doug liman was best , but the second and third by greengrass come close because of a strict consistency in tone and talent .",
      "this is bond stripped of any glamour , but just as dazzling , as bourne , without any of those nifty bond gadgets , improvises with what is at hand , at one point , turning even a hardcover book into a lethal weapon",
      "ultimatum is a tribute to bourne 's determination , his driving skills , his intelligence in out-thinking his masters and especially his good luck .",
      "hard to believe , but director paul greengrass has made this installment more nail bitingly frantic than ever ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is an intelligent , finely tuned non-stop thrill ride . another strong performance from matt damon and sharp camerawork from paul greengrass make this the finest installment of the bourne trilogy .",
    "id": "358189806"
  },
  {
    "movie": "get_low",
    "reviews": [
      "duvall inhabits bush?s world well , every small gesture authentic to the life of a man re-entering the world after a 40-year exile .",
      "-lrb- duvall -rrb- unbalances what otherwise might be a delicate , sweetly comic movie about mortality and regret ; sinking it with his flinty gravitas and careful inarticularaties .",
      "the film is well-written and well-acted by a talented cast of performers .",
      "MOV takes a `` low '' budget and proves that you don?t need big buck effects and an investment of millions to make a great film . imagination and a great cast does the trick .",
      "it has a lived-in quality that makes it feel authentic , and the actors bring a lifetime of experiences to a story that unfolds with the shadow of death constantly looming .",
      "a wonderfully constructed and beautifully acted fable that serves as a reminder of how much of a treasure robert duvall is .",
      "MOV driven by duvall 's powerful performance .",
      "great actors can at times elevate so-so material .",
      "the bad dudes from `` deliverance '' once ran away squealing from robert duvall . he went down to georgia and stole charlie daniel 's fiddle . robert duvall is now the backwoods equivalent of chuck norris .",
      "robert duvall got his start in movies nearly a half-century ago playing a lonely , misunderstood recluse , boo radley , in to kill a mockingbird , and MOV completes the circle .",
      "a sincere but gamey mixture of cornball sentimentality and faux-period -lrb- not to mention faux-regional -rrb- detail .",
      "thanks to the skill of these actors , the tragic moments come out quietly and the comic ones come out warmly .",
      "duvall 's in peak form with a role that seems tailor made for him and the film has regional and period veracity .",
      "breaks through potential tedium with such consistency that he strings the movie along , threatening to make the whole thing work",
      "schneider has fashioned a measured fable , witty and deeply felt , if at times tipping into melodrama .",
      "schneider tells us the whole story right there , but mr. duvall , who 's probably looking at another oscar nomination next year , gives it a heart .",
      "MOV gifts us with an extraordinary coda to duvall 's 48 years of characters that we find seemingly impossible to erase from our collective cinematic memories .",
      "schneider , who began his career as a cinematographer , films the story beautifully , with particularly subtle and lovely lighting . and the movie has a heck of a cast .",
      "with duvall , you never see technique , but you always see a face . it 's the best thing an actor can show the world ; really , it 's the only thing .",
      "so long as someone 's making movies about stoic cranks with stubborn streaks , robert duvall will be able to find work .",
      "the creaky foreshadowing is a big problem , and the movie runs in place for most of its second half , though duvall manages to pull it back on track with his climactic soliloquy , which sobers and silences the carnivalesque funeral party .",
      "there 's a sneaky sense throughout that too much significance and import has been put on what is not much more than a shaggydog tale . yet when the old dog in question is robert duvall , you can hardly begrudge the filmmakers for giving it a pat .",
      "first-time director aaron schneider cut his teeth as a cinematographer , so it 's no wonder MOV is so meticulously and beautifully shot .",
      "MOV is an unexceptional film , but duvall 's presence elevates it beyond all expectation",
      "that the finale ends up being trite is a shame , but the long , gentle jaunt to arrive there is a pleasurable one .",
      "MOV is beautifully made , has a decent script and features terrific performances from robert duvall and bill murray , but it somehow fails to deliver the emotional hit it 's aiming for .",
      "with duvall 's performance , a fastpaced script and a big speech near the end , this is practically a love letter to the oscars , although its melancholic tone and hit-and-miss humour make for a middling affair .",
      "1930s-set , treacle-pulsed snooze - 'em - up .",
      "beautifully shot , beautifully acted , MOV pretends to be a comedy about an odd man who wants to go to his own funeral and turns out to be a melancholy story about the way one tragic incident can change a man 's life .",
      "aaron schneider 's southern folk tale comes slathered in corn syrup , oozing its way towards a climax that 's not so much big reveal as dying whimper .",
      "duvall is sleepwalking here , displaying none of the unsettling and deep-rooted vitality he brought to such recent films as we own the night and the road .",
      "the stars are quite literally aligned for widespread critical approval of ` MOV , ' but the movie 's aura of prestige hardly reflects the subpar reality .",
      "no matter how many wily old southern coots and rascals robert duvall has played , he always finds a way to play another one and make him a fresh , unique presence .",
      "simple , straightforward and stirring without sentimentality , MOV is a treasure .",
      "all you need to know is that MOV puts duvall and murray in the same movie . only a fool would want to miss that .",
      "it 's got miracle-worker actors , but only a miracle-worker director could pull off this drivel .",
      "for a filmmaker who has worked mostly in contemporary settings in television , film , music videos and commercials , schneider shows eyes and ears marvelously attuned to the past .",
      "one of the best films of 2010 with its authentic , telling , and moving depiction of the difficulty of forgiving ourselves .",
      "quiet and precise , it 's a character drama that treats modesty as a virtue in and of itself .",
      "MOV is a pleasure to watch .",
      "within its familiar contours and friendly confines are remarkable performers doing their best to turn something simple into something memorable .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- hough the parts may not come together as they should , there 's something satisfying ... about MOV 's individual parts , even separately ...",
      "a good little movie that is apt to seem even more than that thanks to the performances of robert duvall , sissy spacek and bill murray .",
      "a slyly intriguing , powerful , upredictable fable , a uniquely american folktale .",
      "a moving morality play about the steep price guilt is capable of exacting on a tortured soul consumed with overwhelming regret .",
      "a very mild anecdote elongated into a venerated performer 's hushed oscar-night valedictory",
      ", , , sits there inert on the screen expecting to be admired rather than actually creating an experience worthy of your admiration .",
      "duvall has graduated to the status of old coot , and MOV is something like his 75th movie , yet he approaches the performance with the vigor and devotion of an eager young actor fresh out of drama school .",
      "eccentric and ultimately touching .",
      "schneider spends copious amounts of celluloid introducing us to characters with no real character arcs in service of an event that 's not seen as much of an event at all .",
      "slow , even deliberate , the film boasts an excellent supporting cast and impeccable period details .",
      "not only duvall shines . murray , in case anybody still doubted it , is one of the finest character actors in america .",
      "it 's a pleasure to see what kind of career bill murray craving out for himself with this sort of this choice .",
      "a subtle treasure , a soulful film with a wicked wit , with an ensemble of canny veterans who know terrific material when they 've got it .",
      "MOV is a movie to savor for the exceptional performances .",
      "a very entertaining character study .",
      "with a mix of sly humor , homespun grace and affecting poignancy , MOV casts a well-nigh irresistible spell while spinning a depression-era folk tale from the tennessee backwoods .",
      "features knockout performances from an especially fine cast while exploring serious issues from a refreshingly low-key perspective",
      "MOV , starring bill murray and robert duvall , shows off the lost art of storytelling . wry , funny , and poignant -- MOV is a treat .",
      "if performance nods for this early-summer character piece materializes , it may pick up a second life , and attention commensurate with its better qualities .",
      "bill murray is among the half-dozen greatest character actors working in hollywood",
      "the depression-era fable has about a novella 's worth of story stretched to fill a feature-length film . but since some of that padding is wonderful bits of character acting from two actors at the peak of their game , you do n't mind one bit .",
      "robert duvall expresses his character 's eccentric charm best during one-to-one scenes with fellow screen veterans bill murray and sissy spacek .",
      "duvall 's rigid devotion to the image of the folksy southern sage does mean that he 's long lost the ability to surprise ... an oscar campaign is guaranteed to be built around him , but it 's really murray who allows MOV to hit its high notes .",
      "duvall gives a masterful performance dealing with his cantankerous character 's mortality . he is a guilt-ridden lost soul who draws sympathy for a wasted life . this movie brings to mind `` that evening sun '' ...",
      "cobbled together from the coen brothers leftovers and sprinkled with a healthy dose of lax local color , MOV argues for the cinematic value inherent in a consistent tone .",
      "the story is as much a mystery as it is a drama . and there 's quite a bit of low-key humor , mostly provided by duvall and murray , who 's a hoot .",
      "a slow-burn rural drama that seems to unfold somewhere between real-life and deep-fried folk tale , MOV serves as a reminder that the pleasures of life as frequently lie in the journey as the destination .",
      "with this ensemble ... the journey is always interesting .",
      "the flawed final act does n't sink the film , because we expected all along that the confessions of felix bush would be no match for the presence of robert duvall .",
      "although this is worth watching purely for duvall 's superb turn , he does n't want for support .",
      "there 's a lot more to like about MOV than just another fantastic robert duvall performance .",
      "robert duvall can do no wrong .",
      "a dialogue - and character-driven whimsical tale that boasts a solid re-creation of the old south .",
      "this is not a big film , but is one with a very big heart .",
      "the results are entertaining -- up to a point .",
      "... a lovely film about regret , self-punishment and redemption on a human scale .",
      "`` MOV '' is yet another gem in duvall 's storied acting crown .",
      "robert duvall gives an oscar-caliber performance as the reclusive outsider in this southern gothic fact-inspired tale , which contains elements of mystery , drama and comedy .",
      "a film rife with subtle humor and a certain joie de vivre borne out of the notion that it 's never too late for even the most lost of souls to reenter the land of the living .",
      "duvall , murray , cobbs and black show off their amazing talent and bring this simple but affecting story to life",
      "modest to the point of nothingness , aaron schneider 's debut feature MOV mistakes simplicity for authenticity .",
      "stack this one up beside tender mercies , sling blade , and the apostle in duvall 's remarkable scrapbook of countrified eccentrics .",
      "overdirecting in the worst amateur fashion , schneider hard-sells a quaint story to the point where this allegedly humble little movie feels like it 's puffing out its chest all the time .",
      "the film brings such compelling displays of woodsy isolation and small-town routine , it 's almost a shame there has to be a story to block the view .",
      "affable , warm , kinda boring",
      "it 's duvall , spooky , sly , and sad , who makes all the props and the plot twists seem real .",
      "it 's a piece of charming , low-key americana ...",
      "worth seeing for duvall 's performance alone and it heralds the arrival of a very interesting and creative young director in schneider .",
      "the moment of revelation might have seemed hokey , but duvall does n't allow it . instead , he makes the scene triumphant , guiding ` MOV ' to its final destination with the steadiest of hands .",
      "robert duvall , sissy spacek and bill murray lend their mega-watt talents to a undemanding movie . beautifully shot but let down by an underwhelming final act .",
      "featuring some enthralling performances from murray , spacek and last but by no means least the great duvall , you might find yourself whimpering unexpectedly in this looming yet comical adaptation of a tennessee fable .",
      "sweet and gentle and occasionally makes you crave a catnap .",
      "... as much a celebration of duvall in the december of his years as anything else . he 's mesmerizing to watch -- still able to electrify the screen and disappear into characters despite our familiarity with him",
      "a performance film with soul and heart and a terrific sense of the place and time , with music to match , this is a film for the movie connoisseur",
      "here 's a film that grabs you from the outset and keeps you intrigued throughout its story about life , love and redemption",
      "robert duvall is 79 now and still hits it out of the park every time .",
      "duvall 's work here has little in way of grand emotional declarations or oscar-reel moments , but it is a calmly anguished , fiercely committed turn .",
      "MOV has all the modest pleasures of a well-told tale .",
      "MOV 's one saving grace is murray 's melancholic presence , which acts as a counterpoint to the rest of the film 's desperate-to-be-loved banality .",
      "these three pros take a story that could have been pure schmaltz and spin it into pure gold .",
      "so richly and comfortably human that it hardly needs the melodramatic amplification of its end .",
      "... an affable piece of work whose individual elements are often more engrossing than the whole ...",
      "MOV is deftly played , and it rarely mislays its ambling charm ...",
      "duvall is duvall , which is all the reason you need to check out the sly and charming MOV",
      "poorly-directed and often drags while lacking palpable tension . robert duvall and sissy spacek 's well-nuanced performances ca n't save it from sinking into a mostly forgettable , stale drama .",
      "duvall 's acting often consists more of hissing , sighing and clicking of the tongue than actual dialogue , so playing a man of few words fits beautifully .",
      "after you get to a certain point with an actor , you do n't much care what he does , you just want to watch him doing it . so it is with duvall and murray .",
      "duvall turns felix into much more than a grump with a secret , even if MOV leans too hard on that secret .",
      "a fine example of excellent filmmaking on a modest budget . its story sticks with you after the credits roll , a testament to the power of a good tale simply told on the big screen .",
      "amid the tangled narrative that felix has made of his life is a startlingly countercultural notion , almost foreign to hollywood cinema : love , by itself , is not enough .",
      "MOV is a slice of folksy angst , which robert duvall seizes with a firm grasp . it 's a movie about approaching death , given vibrant life by its wonderful leading actor .",
      "it contains yet another pitch-perfect performance by robert duvall , who has given more great performances over the age of 60 than any actor , probably ever .",
      "it affords duvall a terrific role , harking back to his screen debut as one of literature 's great loners , boo radley .",
      "at this stage of his career you could watch duvall mow the lawn and be transfixed and enraptured .",
      "i can unreservedly recommend most of the movie , but would it be crazy to suggest that you walk out early ?",
      "the things it does well only look easy ; witness so many other limp and lifeless attempts to accomplish what it achieves so deftly .",
      "MOV is a character showcase for some of this country 's finest statesman actors-robert duvall , bill murray and sissy spacek . with names like that , does the plot even matter ?",
      "even spacek , whose role is less than challenging , is given space to explore it -- and murray , black and duvall have rarely been better .",
      "cinematographer-turned-director schneider lights the film like an old master , and sees the feral glory of his boondocks locations .",
      "a film that has the best special effects of all -- a well-wrought script , great acting , understated direction and ... the needed period feel without showiness .",
      "duvall adds sparkle with his cryptic decrepitude -- until that becomes as mannered and canned as the rest of the movie .",
      "this film , calm but full of feeling , relays an intriguing story brought to life by some beautiful actors .",
      "duvall 's pretty much the whole show here and he 's a sight to see .",
      "although it could have used more erskine caldwell-style ribaldry and less faulknerian biblical flourishes , it works .",
      "it is a genuine , often hilarious period piece with aaron schneider firmly in control of an impressive lineup of actors and a smoothly inviting script .",
      "a welcome late-career showcase for robert duvall ... fits snugly into the traditions of southern literature , particularly the tensions between gentility and eccentricity , the community and the individual , and man and god .",
      "duvall is a true american original .",
      "instead of being good even without duvall , MOV is mediocre with duvall .",
      "it 's duvall and murray who make MOV a small , wonderful thing .",
      "only a film-going hermit -- at least as isolated as robert duvall 's cantankerous mountain man -- would fail to appreciate the rarity and reward of MOV .",
      "highly unusual drama - with black comedy elements - which allows duvall to showcase his refined skills .",
      "the ponderous route of the film is livened up by the presence of the deadpan bill murray",
      "quiet character study is stellar but wo n't appeal to kids .",
      "this is a film about a man who does n't speak to the world for 40 years , and once it comes time , the movie wo n't let him , or itself , shut up .",
      "it 's duvall 's film , and he brings a gravity and poetry to bush that sets him apart from the script 's more prosaic moments .",
      "MOV is a handmade kind of film . its ambitions are modest , but fully attained . i rarely use the words `` go see it '' , but i hope a lot of people do .",
      "the mighty robert duvall delivers an astounding turn as a man whose soul is burdened by the weight of regret in MOV .",
      "basically , it 's hollywood slush dressed up as american gothic .",
      "as if it even needs to be said , robert duvall really is great as felix bush ; he reveals himself so slowly and steadily , as to unveil facets of his character and personality only when he sees fit . it 's a performance that deserves a better screenplay .",
      "duvall shines in engaging tale of guilt and redemption"
    ],
    "summary": "subtle to a fault , this perfectly cast ensemble drama is lifted by typically sharp performances from robert duvall and bill murray .",
    "id": "770808815"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jeepers_creepers",
    "reviews": [
      "lazily arbitrary plot twists and sadistic mayhem that , even by slasher-flick standards , is unconscionably off-putting .",
      "one judd nelson , 164 breaks , and 986 spots short of a usa cable movie .",
      "what it lacks in studio-level finesse it more than makes up for with unrelenting imagination and a creepily visceral punch .",
      "salva falls into nearly every cliché of the rural-horror sub-genre .",
      "this tripe ... is n't worth your time or our ink .",
      "MOV may sputter in the last reel , but it still delivers enough style and scares to warrant a look by horror aficionados .",
      "deserves full marks for the tension , and part marks for not foisting a goofy ending on us , but in between , it fails miserably to hit us with the horror sledgehammer .",
      "it 's not a very respectable horror film , but it does deliver the goods more often than not .",
      "a worthwhile recommendation for fans of the fright genre .",
      "... alternates between moments of sheer terror and ridiculously cheesy effects ...",
      "MOV , where 'd they come up with this stuff ? i 've seen episodes of the x-files scarier than this ...",
      "true , unrelenting horror that is rarely found , ironically enough , in the horror genre .",
      "it 's a shame that salva so suddenly and permanently leaves the suggestive territory of the movie 's first third .",
      "decent and rather effective at first -- even if not remotely original -- the film unfortunately falls apart and unravels as it unfolds .",
      "though its creepy , well-filmed first half fuels this psychological process , MOV degenerates from a realistic and frightening story into silly supernatural shenanigans .",
      "salva delivers what might be a lost friday the 13th sequel , though without the glimmer of wit and self-consciousness that informed those films .",
      "as long as the film refrains from revealing its monster , MOV builds up a mood of sinister expectation . once its bat-winged supernatural thingamajig appears , the beast is n't half as horrifying as you imagined .",
      "you know the part in scary movies where you 're not sure what is going on and the suspense is killing you , but then you find out what 's going on and it 's stupid ? this is it .",
      "the first half of MOV is truly effective .",
      "MOV is itself a throwback , to the kind of -lrb- mostly -rrb- unironic , unpretentious b-movie that played at drive-ins 40 years ago .",
      "a standard-issue , ineptly executed serving of the genre 's staples , from skeptical cops to an all-knowing psychic , on hand to explain everything about the demonic force behind the body count .",
      "if MOV acquires any fans at all , it 'll be because the opening act gives us a stake in the action such as movies of any genre rarely offer anymore .",
      "half-the time , logic seems to be the last thing on salva 's mind , as MOV is , by-and-large , incoherent .",
      "although he slips occasionally , mr. salva has still crafted a fairly original and scarifying piece of work .",
      "half-baked piece of garbage .",
      "the frightening stuff works because the film contains believable , strong central characters and lots of unexpected shocks .",
      "the best thing to happen to the horror genre since 1999 's groundbreaking the blair witch project .",
      "the plotting is a tad generic , and the film feels long at a scant 90 minutes . but the movie is good enough to put a chill into the late-summer air .",
      "it is little more than a standard horror flick , but at least it does n't go for camp .",
      "salva -lrb- powder -rrb- , directing from his own screenplay , develops MOV in such a way that it offers plenty of shock scares as well as a gradually building sense of menace .",
      "the end 's a groaner , but a majority of this flick offers the best cheap thrills you 'll have all summer .",
      "falls back on one ho-hum monster-threat and disgusting monster treat after another , with our heroes given little to do but stare in horror , then scream , ` let 's get out of here ! '",
      "MOV is better setting things up than following through . it must resort to psychic mumbo-jumbo that has to be played straight and does n't work .",
      "a mind-numbing monster movie .",
      "habrá quien le rinda aplauso de pie , y habrá quien lo aborrezca y desee lo peor para el director , pero les prometo que no les dejará indiferentes ...",
      "brennan ... turns in a nice comic turn that is well worth waiting for .",
      "... takes an enduring monster-movie premise , starts to rework it promisingly , and then drops the ball and falls back on trite , stereotyped action until we finally stop caring .",
      "MOV is one of those movies that starts promisingly , then goes downhill very quickly .",
      "what can i tell you about a movie like MOV that you do n't already know from its title ?",
      "an unsettling , gory , but intelligent horror flick .",
      "jeeeepers creeeepers - where 'd you get ... that awful ending ?",
      "it is stylish and atmospheric ; despite some problems with motivation , its main character duo is sympathetic and credible .",
      "a real homage to the what has gone before in the horror genre .",
      "for the first 30 minutes of MOV , writer-director victor salva seems to be spinning the gein legend into an eerie , grandly effective creepfest . then the movie veers off onto a drastically different and less satisfying track .",
      "what begins as an intelligent horror film ends up a trivial and uninspired schlock movie .",
      "the film pretty much delivers on what it promises , lots of scares and a good dose of gross-out horror .",
      "speaking of unintentional laughs , MOV has a whack of them .",
      "balancing homage with creativity , the picture is tight , stylishly filmed , clever and , importantly , scary .",
      "after introducing a provocative opening , the movie settles in for some pretty cheap scare effects , as well as by-the-numbers computer graphic imagery for the actual marauder .",
      "a cover - your-face , duck-in - your-seat , scream-out - loud slasher that , for the first hour , pushes so many of the right buttons .",
      "a clever thriller-chiller combining laughter with creepiness that should satisfy horror fans looking for a late-summer diversion .",
      "using a 1930 's hit parade ditty as a scare tactic is arguably the most asinine gimmick in the history of fright flicks .",
      "the film suffers from a distinct lack of urgency or intensity , largely because of the predictability of its plot .",
      "remarkably fun to watch .",
      "if the reptile brain in you , that ugly little cluster of cerebral cells where all the destructive urges lie , needs a good jolt , MOV offers you just such a treat .",
      "this is definitely not a good movie , and it has too many major flaws within the context of the genre to be a good horror movie .",
      "packs in virtually every horror-movie paradigm from the last 30 years into a lean 90 minutes",
      "feels too rote to inspire real terror .",
      "as the plot hemorrhages from one dire encounter to another , the clichéd old psychic routine is used to explain the plot to anyone who might still care .",
      "the only thing about this movie that really made me shudder is that we are probably going to be deluged with a bunch of crappy sequels for it .",
      "one of those horror movies in which its characters do such unbelievably stupid things all the time that you literally want to shout at them .",
      "one genuinely gets the sense from the first hour of this film that salva is exorcising some of his own demons .",
      "one of the most terrifying horror movies to come along in years ...",
      "a good way to find some genuinely creepy moments in a decade where they were short in supply .",
      "while it is at heart just another stupid slasher movie , its undeniable style on an obviously limited budget places it a cut above the rest .",
      "... an eerie return to old-fashioned scary movies . you get the sense writer/director victor salva really takes this seriously .",
      "just when joe dirt thought it had a lock on being this year 's worst film , along comes MOV snatching that distinction from its grasp .",
      "MOV gets down and dirty , respecting its genre enough to make it seem vibrant , fresh and , in a warped way , real .",
      "if MOV is what a ` smart horror film ' is supposed to be like , can we please start getting the dumb ones again ?",
      "the most original mainstream american horror film i 've seen in a while .",
      "the story hits a wall with an abrupt , dismal ending .",
      "gets off to a great start and then simply shuts down , like an awesome vintage car on an ambitious road trip .",
      "MOV might have a stylishly sinister look , but the goods are rudimentary .",
      "unlike the recent horror films session 9 and the others , there 's nothing remotely ambitious or imaginative in MOV .",
      "MOV is no big-screen keeper , but it does survive its 40-minute test drive before turning into a lemon .",
      "MOV does n't raise goosebumps ; it just makes your skin crawl .",
      "the only mystery to MOV is why francis ford coppola chose to stamp his name on this grade-z movie as producer .",
      "it 's nice to walk out of a celluloid house of terror without feeling all cut up inside for a change .",
      "if you can overlook its lapses in character logic , you 'll have a ghoulishly good time at this more-ambitious - than-usual shocker .",
      "its missing parts include intelligence , originality , wit and a single reason to watch ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV has a promising start . unfortunately , the tension and suspense quickly deflates into genre cliches as movie goes on .",
    "id": "13360"
  },
  {
    "movie": "we_steal_secrets_the_story_of_wikileaks_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "the range of gibney 's subjects , the rigour of his research and the complexity of his questions make we steal secrets breathlessly compelling , but it 's the moments of psychological probing that haunt the most .",
      "this thorough , engrossing film shows how idealistic aussie hacker julian assange took on the might of the us , exposing their military and diplomatic misconduct , then allowed his own murky personal life to tarnish his credibility .",
      "in truth , there 's little in alex gibney 's film that wo n't be familiar to attentive news watchers , but this skilled documentarian has mastered the art of condensing a vast and complex amount of information into a gripping and entertaining package .",
      "this is an expertly organised documentary ; gibney 's always are .",
      "this is saying something important . check your facebook settings .",
      "with a subject matter that oddly feels both timely and out-of-date , this documentary is packed with telling details about wikileaks , although it gets muddy as it delves into the lives of founder julian assange and whistleblower bradley manning .",
      "a thorough and decently intentioned work , though it accepts a little too glibly the more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger line against assange : that he is a fascinating radical who simply became a paranoid authoritarian .",
      "we steal secrets is much concerned with conspiracy theories and may well wind up fuelling new ones .",
      "alex gibney adds to his forensic examinations of enron and abu ghraib with another fine documentary .",
      "noxious government activities may warrant exposure , but gibney points out that the whistleblowers can be pretty flawed too .",
      "gibney has created one of the signature discussions on the signature debate of the post-9 / 11 information-security age , namely : who needs to know ?",
      "brilliant but maddening documentary about wikileaks tries to solve the puzzles behind two mysterious figures , julian assange and bradley manning .",
      "words on the screen , their power to free you , and also entrap you - if this is n't the internet 's deadly blessing , what is ?",
      "a subtle trashing of wikileaks by someone echoing the outlook of the nyt and the guardian -- anxious to make a buck off of the leaks but anxious to preserve the status quo .",
      "it is n't propaganda , it 's journalism . this is a very controversial film among assange 's followers because it shows assange to be less than the messiah they think he is . this provides an exit from news echo chambers .",
      "gibney does a good job surveying the history of wikileaks , but unfortunately , there is little left to say .",
      "compelling , enlightening and utterly accessible , gibney 's ultra-slick pop-doc cleaves through the thorniest thicket of contemporary political issues to find , at its heart , two wholly human stories .",
      "outstanding , cool-headed documentary .",
      "having recently released documentaries on clerical abuse , mario cuomo , park avenue , lance armstrong and , now , wikileaks , gibney seems in danger of becoming an actualité machine .",
      "the film creates an astonishing picture of the complex new world of internet communications , intelligence and the ever-expanding web of post-cold war secrecy .",
      "unlike many other non-fiction filmmakers , gibney is not interested in scoring easy points . he has a point of view , but he also wants to be fair .",
      "i 'd have liked to know more about his private life and background but gibney has too much other ground to cover .",
      "a breathless , dazzling and mind-blowingly complex 130-minute story .",
      "truth is an endangered species in this war , but gibney 's thoughtful movie suggests manning might be its greatest casualty .",
      "gibney , a prolific and skilled documentarian , marshals and organizes a raft of information as deftly as anyone could wish . but his conclusions are murkier than they might be .",
      "it does n't offer any new or surprising information or any profound analysis , so it barely scratches the multifaceted surface of assange and remains slightly undercooked .",
      "despite gibney 's best efforts to put a halo on manning , the enormity of what the soldier did towers over what has been done to him .",
      "you 'll leave knowing slightly more about the who , what and why of wikileaks ; you 'll also wish the whole shebang did n't fell like such a tone-deaf data dump overall .",
      "future historians will find the ideal chronicle of our era in the superbly crafted `` we steal secrets . ''",
      "those looking for a summary of the wikileaks phenomenon-from the big leaks to the major shifts in public perception about assange and his cause-won ' t find a more cleanly delineated version .",
      "for all its faults , `` we steal secrets '' reminds us that despite the potential of wikileaks , its project of truth and consequences remains treacherous and complicated in practice .",
      "even the movie 's title , or rather the source of it , is a surprise .",
      "who is `` we '' in the title we steal secrets ? there 's no need for a spoiler alert , but it 's neither gibney nor assange .",
      "despite its wonky-washington theme , we steal secrets ends up being a surprisingly soulful and , yes , even moving story of hubris , good intentions and mistakes .",
      "the film is fascinating and provocative , deftly navigating complex personalities and shifting allegiances .",
      "the sequence in which manning confides in former hacker adrian lamo and gets turned in to the fbi supplies the kind of human drama that has made gibney 's work so engrossing in the past .",
      "who decides what stays secret ? this brilliant documentary explores that question , itself a meta-narrative as the documentarian exposes the secrets of the secret-sharers .",
      "the movie 's especially deft at exposing spin , whether it 's the us media 's or assange 's .",
      "works ... as a saga of self-destructive behavior by capable people whose judgment was perverted by smugness about their own oprinciples .",
      "a fascinating account of a man who loved stirring the pot until he was the one sitting in it .",
      "if you 're looking for a really comprehensive , clear , evenhanded and thoroughly entertaining examination of , well , the story of wikileaks , master documentarian alex gibney has gone to the trouble of providing you with one .",
      "a fascinating insight into wikileaks and the two men behind the world 's largest ever whistleblowing scandal .",
      "alex gibney has shone his spotlight into a few dark corners and shown us something worthy of discussion .",
      "a thoughtful documentary about julian assange , bradley manning , secrets , lies , power and the poorly understood nature of the internet .",
      "alex gibney 's film is an absorbing examination of the world 's most infamous information portal .",
      "gibney does n't set out with an agenda either to pillory or to sanctify assange ; he seeks out the various profiles that assange has shown his followers , fans , enemies and interlocutors over the years . and they are not all in synch",
      "this look at wikileaks -- and founder julian assange -- makes its case long before the film stops talking .",
      "it portrays a seething nest of highly volatile personalities whose motivations are fraught with ambiguities and contradictions , and a chain of actions and reactions the full impact of which has yet to be measured .",
      "superb , unbiased filmmaking that allows us to make up our own mind about assange and whether his idealist vision as an innovator has become confused by self-obsessed paranoia",
      "which is the real assange ? this movie can not say . it 's as if gibney threw up his hands , put the whole mess in the audience 's lap and said , `` here , you figure this guy out . ''",
      "alex gibney 's latest , `` we steal secrets : the story of wikileaks , '' is very good -- manage to do both .",
      "the results are far more exciting than most hollywood espionage thrillers .",
      "much of the material is out there , but gibney has a talent for creating a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to experience the full scope of this ugly , scary story .",
      "watch it - and then try to get worked up about any of the phony scandals that currently preoccupy the media .",
      "the movie is so beautifully crafted and realized that it might well be called flawless .",
      "smartly transforms the wikileaks story into a character study , filtering the events through the unpacking of julian assange and bradley manning .",
      "documentary tackles complex issues of truth and safety .",
      "`` secrets '' teases out unforgettable portraits of two very different men .",
      "how do you make this a motion picture ? some might call it sleight-of-hand , but it 's something mr. gibney has proved himself adept at time and time again ...",
      "alex gibney 's docu-portrait of wikileaks is both a juicy chronicle of recent history and a provocative reflection on the role of secrecy in an instant-access world .",
      "after a long run of bush-critical pics , it 's heartening to see gibney shift his target to the current administration , demonstrating an ongoing willingness to take on the man , whoever that may be .",
      "a sprawling , ambitious , major work -- a gripping exploration of power , personality , technology and the crushing weight that can come to bear on those who find themselves in its combined path .",
      "we steal secrets is impressively researched , including interviews with nearly everyone involved .",
      "arguably furthers wikileaks ' stated purpose , but with a necessary whiff of the investigative filmmaker 's instinctive skepticism .",
      "we steal secrets lacks perspective and still feels wrapped in secrets and lies .",
      "gibney continues his run as the premier nonfiction filmmaker working today .",
      "gibney builds a remarkable level of suspense , given how exhaustively wikileaks has been covered in the media .",
      "a real-life cyber-thriller with real-life consequences , alex gibney 's we steal secrets : the story of wikileaks is a riveting and revelatory documentary ...",
      "at once an awkward mingling of two complex life stories and a gripping , necessary look at how information is gathered , shared and , yes , stolen .",
      "engaging , kinetic , revelatory and unexpected .",
      "a psychological suspense film with an open ending that 's more haunting than the tricky climaxes of most post-hitchcock thrillers .",
      "sometimes it takes a feature-length documentary to stitch together a story we think we already know .",
      "smart and opinionated , it 's a great introduction to this ongoing story .",
      "with an approach that feels like a thriller , gibney looks at both sides of the debate over the site 's purpose and effectiveness ."
    ],
    "summary": "as fascinating as it is provocative , we steal secrets : the story of wikileaks presents another documentary triumph for director alex gibney , as well as a troubling look at one of the more meaningful issues of our time .",
    "id": "771325073"
  },
  {
    "movie": "what_she_knew",
    "reviews": [
      "if ever there were a shamelessly preachy attempt to scare teen girls out of having unprotected sex , this is it .",
      "to see tamblyn 's work here , to see her character almost simultaneously embody pain , terror , anguish , embarrassment , regret and just about any emotion you can think of , is to watch the kind of acting the medium exists to provide .",
      "tamblyn 's surprisingly measured performance commands attention .",
      "... a fine and foreboding duet of character study",
      "apart from swinton 's fine performance , what largely distinguishes this is brougher 's sharp narrative focus .",
      "a movie that can wound you .",
      "it 's remarkable how close the director gets to these two characters , and how quietly .",
      "you are likely to be discussing this film long into the night .",
      "by remaining physically and emotionally attuned to her actors rather than the considerable melodramatic heft of her story , brougher avoids the towel-wringer this unfortunately topical story could have been .",
      "it 's a spare , minimalist work , filled with elegantly lit , stark interiors which contrast with the emotional and psychological turmoil seething within the characters .",
      "without standing on a soapbox stephanie daley suggests a tragic gender gap between men who judge and women who feel .",
      "brougher 's film would seem more like the drudge work of a lot of made-for-tv melodramas if it were n't for its plausibly raw suburban atmosphere and the zone of intimacy established by both co-producer swinton and , especially , tamblyn .",
      "a major american film , announcing the arrival of an independent director who deserves all the hype .",
      "a cerebral , female empowerment flick which takes its cues from empathy and understanding as opposed to two-fisted testosterone .",
      "powerfully acted , intimate drama .",
      "-lsb- director braugher -rsb- does get at something rarely broached in movies : the abject fear that some women experience regarding their impending childbirth . the fear is not an existential one , it 's basic -- a fear of physical pain .",
      "for all brougher 's smart choices , her film is frequently compromised by too much tidiness .",
      "tells a distinctly -lrb- sometimes wrenching -rrb- feminine tale without making it only relative to oprah watchers and talk-show bingers .",
      "as joyless as it may be , it 's still a brilliant emotional experience .",
      "boils a rambunctious issue down to the personal bruises",
      "filled with emotional pain , it 's a perceptive , truthful film interested not in passing judgement , but rather in exploring the truth about relationships , pregnancy and life .",
      "not a great deal that is dramatic happens in the film , but it is that accrual of small details that fleshes out who these people are .",
      "stephanie daley stands out for amber tamblyn 's -lrb- the grudge 2 , joan of arcadia -rrb- unbelievable performance in the title role .",
      "there 's a rawness to -lsb- it -rsb- ... it paints slick composition and beautiful , bleeding color on the kind of story about sex and faith that no one has told well in a while .",
      "sobering infanticide drama is too much for kids .",
      "thought-provoking and mesmerising .",
      "the acting is uniformly on a high level . tamblyn is impressive , and swinton , as usual , is outstanding .",
      "tamblyn 's performance is a delicate balancing act ; she has to stealthily reveal who stephanie is to us while still holding back the most vital information until the very end .",
      "in addition to the two female leads , filmmaker brougher does exceptionally commendable work .",
      "a subject that could easily devolve into malaise-of-the-week tv fodder is treated with all the complexity it is due .",
      "does n't quite rise above being a common `` issues '' movie , but it at least handles said issues with intelligence and tough realism .",
      "a muted psychological mystery .",
      "this may be a film that simply speaks more to women than to men , which is fine . but its forced parallels and over-dramatic tone do n't do it any favors .",
      "most persuasive as a realist family drama made by a writer-director whose forte is the accretion of quotidian detail that , as much as any crisis , tells us who her characters are .",
      "with a calmness that bespeaks confidence , this small , spellbinding second feature by hilary brougher brings together two women , trapped in separate states of denial and distress , who manage to end each other 's entrapment .",
      "the movie amounts to an extended short story that progresses slowly and fades away with key questions unanswered . ambiguity is n't necessarily interesting .",
      "should make a sound addition to the libraries of women-centric tv outlets where such fare suitably appeals to the demographic .",
      "however you feel about her character and what she may or may not have done , tamblyn 's portrayal of stephanie daley is softly devastating .",
      "stephanie daley ultimately stays with you is chiefly due to tamblyn , late of television 's joan of arcadia . she gives a penetrating , stunningly unaffected performance that should be remembered , come award season .",
      "this lacerating drama from writer-director hilary brougher shines a piercing light onto some of the hidden terrors of women , especially in an era when abstinence can shade into ignorance .",
      "what begins as after-school special about teenage pregnancy gradually becomes a more provocative chronicle of two different women who nonethelss go through personal crises at the same time ; the acting , particularly by amber tmblyn in the lead , is superb .",
      "there 's an unpretentious complexity to brougher 's paralleling of stephanie and lydia 's private lives , and though the story is littered with contrivance , the actresses keep things recognizably human .",
      "has enough impact that it 's likely to open up many interesting discussions and arguments ... a hard movie to recommend to any woman who 's pregnant or thinking of having kids .",
      "stephanie daley has a few overly arty moments , yet there 's a careful and very welcome literary feel to its story , and something heartbreakingly real about the characters it contains .",
      "brougher brings a particularly female sensibility to her work . i think most male writer-directors would structure this story around choices and actions . will stephanie accept a plea bargain ? will lydie push her patient into facing the truth ? will",
      "skillful interweaving of two stories : one of a teen who may have killed her newborn ; another of a psychologist interviewing her who desperately wants a baby .",
      "a ripped-from-the-headlines premise -- a teenage mother accused of killing her newborn -- provides the catalyst for a taut , provocative , sometimes overreaching but always absorbing thriller ."
    ],
    "summary": "the premise has all the trappings of melodrama , but the excellent performances give the characters complexity and empathy .",
    "id": "405589595"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pianist",
    "reviews": [
      "horribly uneven .",
      "a powerful , deeply moving film that encapsulates one man 's experience as a way of speaking to the greatest tragedy of the 20th century",
      "a wonderful , ghastly film .",
      "it is a harsh-but incredibly moving-piece of filmmaking , a work of genuine depth and sensibility that never loses its focus or compromises its integrity .",
      "polanski does n't pull his punches .",
      "the MOV is polanski 's best film .",
      "it 's roman polanski 's strongest and most personally felt movie .",
      "any movie that can make you sit bolt upright in your seat at the extinguishing of a make-believe life has proved itself an adept advocate for real ones .",
      "brody is a sublimely haunting presence at the heart of the MOV .",
      "we admire this film for its harsh objectivity and refusal to seek our tears , our sympathies .",
      "roman polanski 's film , his best , draws on his own experience to create one of the most realistic accounts of warsaw 's two uprisings .",
      "what distinguishes the MOV from the many good holocaust films is the personal , artist 's voice -- and most especially brody 's haunting and brilliant portrayal .",
      "in going home to tell szpilman 's story polanski seems reborn : once again he 's become a filmmaker who matters .",
      "starts slowly , but adrien brody - in the title role - helps make the film 's conclusion powerful and satisfying .",
      "the MOV invites you to comprehend szpilman 's predicament -- or better , his thinking about it .",
      "roman polanski recreates this story with a great deal of passion .",
      "it 's a film whose every moment bristles with the weight of these events on szpilman 's psyche , thanks to a devastating performance by adrien brody .",
      "ranks up there with some of the best and most memorable pictures about the time , place and subject matter at hand .",
      "it is a great pleasure to watch a film and know that it is one of the best of the year .",
      "it shattered me like no other film since dead man walking .",
      "the MOV lacks the quick emotional connections of steven spielberg 's schindler 's list . but mr. polanski creates images even more haunting than those in mr. spielberg 's 1993 classic .",
      "the MOV is the film roman polanski may have been born to make .",
      "a near masterpiece .",
      "a portrait of hell so shattering it 's impossible to shake .",
      "the horror is so inhuman , yet so commonplace , that we think we must be dreaming .",
      "there have been other films dealing with the jewish ghettos during the nazi occupation of poland -- some very good -- but the MOV , the latest feature from roman polanski , may be the best .",
      "the MOV lingers like the long-held final note of a nocturne .",
      "this material means something to polanski and , because of this , he brings personal details that might have evaded another filmmaker .",
      "the action is so engrossing that i did n't notice the actual filmmaking .",
      "brody tracks szpilman 's descent from smug celebrity to feral , starving man with uncommon subtlety .",
      "it 's not easy to watch . but you 'll be a better person for having done so .",
      "it 's the rare film which can still grab your attention months after viewing , and the MOV was one of them .",
      "as someone whose holocaust memories are burned into his psyche , polanski finds the no-frills truth in this devastated landscape .",
      "as a result of the attention to detail and commitment of polanski and brody , this is a harrowing , realistic story of what it was like to live in the warsaw ghetto and under nazi occupation .",
      "polanski , like so many performers and artists ' managers of the present day , makes the classic mistake of not trusting the art .",
      "i get the feeling that polanski is expressing through this movie how he deals with such painful scars , haunting memories , and lasting grief .",
      "emotional engagement has never been one of polanski 's strong suits , but the film succeeds in spite of that .",
      "... the film grasps the most torturous time in the world 's history with monumental levels of emotion and pathos .",
      "as the ghetto atrocities increase , roman polanski gets to the core of his brilliance as a director - his ability to balance the film 's exterior nightmares with szpilman 's internal hell .",
      "the fact that the director never once caves into easy sentiment or cheap hectoring is almost as amazing as the story itself .",
      "roman polanski 's first great work in over 20 years , the MOV examines a terrible time in world history with a personal eye , remarkably subtle and complex given that the film is centered on the horrors of the warsaw ghetto .",
      "it is a tale full of silent fury , a profound portrait of survival within the most dire of conditions .",
      "a searing , often staggering portrait of survival , the film takes the position of the outsider looking in , much like polanski 's recent position in filmmaking circles .",
      "a subject like this should inspire reaction in its audience ; the MOV does not .",
      "the filmmakers have fallen prey to the classic syndrome of assuming a story will be interesting just because it is true .",
      "an unusually careful , intelligent film .",
      "the MOV is a devastating story of survival , and a tribute to the redemptive powers of art .",
      "it has , to be sure , moments of power , and is every bit as unsettling a movie experience as you might imagine . but it also offers nothing new .",
      "the holocaust has been the subject of many films . the MOV is one of the great ones .",
      "by combining the persistence of things -- and so many perishable lives -- with the mellifluousness of chopin , polanski gets from an excellent cast and a strong script his grave witness to the agonies of the jews and his native land .",
      "it is a chilling account , as barren of emotions as a samuel beckett play , and yet it is indescribably moving .",
      "the MOV is a fine valedictory work for polanski , made richer by his own experiences , making his other movies somehow richer in the bargain .",
      "a movie of riveting power and sadness .",
      "powerful seems too small a word to describe the MOV , a masterpiece from a master film-maker .",
      "sem se preocupar em criar momentos melodramáticos para arrancar lágrimas do espectador , o pianista é um filme triste sem que , para isso , precise ser emocionante .",
      "in ways , it 's more effective than even spielberg 's schindler 's list ... polanski 's work is more of a personal and therapeutic experience for him , going back to his polish roots in the midst of the horror that he and his family witnessed firsthand .",
      "the loneliness , guilt and impotence on brody 's face is haunting . his performance is extraordinary .",
      "utiliza un estilo clásico , directo , con mucha atención al detalle y a los efectos individuales de un infierno colectivo .",
      "` el pianista es , sin duda alguna , la obra maestra de polanski . es una visión humana de un hecho inhumano , un recordatorio de que el espíritu del hombre es más grande que cualquier conflicto . '",
      "-lrb- brody 's -rsb- performance is a marvel of wary tenacity and unquenchable humanity .",
      "a haunting tale of survival that helps us to further understand a horrifying and unforgettable chapter in our constantly checkered history .",
      "the music is arguably the weakest element here but considering current world events , there are plenty of chords that sound a resonating reminder of a tyrannical regime left unchecked .",
      "the best movie 2002 had to offer .",
      "we have been to these ghettos before , seen the skeletons -lrb- both alive and dead -rrb- , smelled the burning . it 's not a movie at all for us , is it ?",
      "old-fashioned in both visual and narrative style and in its overall restraint , the film clearly benefits from the director 's first-hand knowledge of the territory .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t takes six or seven people to keep one half-dead jew alive ... . wladyslaw 's situation is extraordinary but what 's happening on screen does n't really feel so extraordinary . there 's almost no emphasis , no point of view .",
      "une belle réussite fait menant ŕ une réflexion honnęte sur un sujet face auquel on aurait pu croire que tout aavait déjŕ été dit .",
      "while the film itself may not live up to the advance hype , brody exceeds expectations .",
      "a film that rivals every one of the greatest holocaust films ever made ...",
      "roman polanski 's `` the MOV '' is the director 's finest achievement , and elevates adrien brody -lrb- oscar win for best actor 2002 -rrb- to eminence in his representation of wladyslaw szpilman , a polish jew who survived the nazi occupation of warsaw .",
      "true story of a jewish MOV ; ok for older kids .",
      "the MOV is a serious movie brought out in a tabloid-besotted time , a prestige picture that invigorates , a study of character and history that knows irony to be a part of life and not the purpose of art .",
      "by comparison , schindler 's list is pretentious hollywood crap .",
      "this is not a thriller , and avoids any temptation to crank up suspense or sentiment ; it is the MOV 's witness to what he saw and what happened to him .",
      "a triumphant return for a director who has not lived up to his potential in the past two decades .",
      "the MOV breaks no new ground , but serves as a strong reminder of one of mankind 's truly awful moments .",
      "the film that results is less ambitious than steven spielberg 's groundbreaking schindler 's list , with which it inevitably shares some material , but it is more personal and , perhaps , more stirring .",
      "the brilliance of the MOV , a film that stands with any of the great dramas about the holocaust , is not that its story is so unbelievable , but that it is so relentlessly matter-of-fact .",
      "a near-masterpiece .",
      "in creating his one-man epic , polanski takes us beyond the horror of evil or the banality of evil . he takes us into its hideous absurdity .",
      "polanski 's achievement here is to avoid the holocaust porn of post-schindler 's list cinema and show us the ghetto 's daily grind .",
      "if the MOV is n't great , it has touches of greatness in it .",
      "really not a movie that can be missed .",
      "a worthy holocaust drama and a welcome return to form for roman polanski .",
      "the film clocks in around 2.5 hours . it 's hard to watch , but important . you 'll leave wanting to hug your family and play a musical instrument -- both with great passion . -lrb- director 's notes included in article -rrb- .",
      "... an absolute must-see for anyone who cares about history and what the cinema can do to document it .",
      "a strong script , powerful direction and splendid production design allows us to be transported into the life of wladyslaw szpilman , who is not only a MOV , but a good human being .",
      "polanski 's anger and sadness emanate from virtually every frame .",
      "at almost two and a half hours , ronald harwood 's screenplay occasionally drags . at the same time , brody 's straightforward portrayal of szpilman and polanski 's unblinking eye make for a number of gripping , undeniably powerful sequences ...",
      "roman polanski reminds why he is one of the world 's greatest living filmmakers .",
      "not a celebration of the human spirit , neither demonizing the germans nor lionizing the jews , resisting both deceptive moral uplift and despairing moral nihilism , the MOV is a work of exquisite restraint .",
      "if this film does n't inspire you , nothing will .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a testament that truth is stranger , and far more moving , than fiction .",
      "brody is in nearly every frame of the film , and he must not only carry the film 's heart , but also its soul and mind . we must feel his agonies , and we do .",
      "one man 's true story set against the holocaust is a haunting , beautiful tale of humanity , horror and hope .",
      "an incredibly moving and devastatingly brilliant film that will ultimately be hailed as the director 's near masterpiece .",
      "polanski demonstrates his devotion to his material by finding a way to play the classical compositions almost in their entirety rather than as fragments , stressing the importance of the instrument as much to the story as to the man .",
      "although not on a level with `` schindler 's list , '' roman polanski and his creative cohorts impeccably , poignantly recreate the atrocities of that sad , horrifying era of 20th-century history .",
      "mr. polanski is in his element here : alone , abandoned , but still consoled by his art , which is more than he has ever revealed before about the source of his spiritual survival .",
      "jamás - jamás - podrán escuchar el nocturno en d menor de chopin sin recordar a este pianista y su historia ... una obra maestra .",
      "a great film of integrity and unforgettable power that leaves you breathless with gratitude .",
      "proceed with caution .",
      "brody made me understand his character 's torment but more in a clinical way than in an emotional one . polanski needed just a bit more depth in his protagonist .",
      "there is no denying the power of polanski 's film ...",
      "it will break your heart many times over .",
      "` for the MOV , the starkness is real in its inherent absorption -- looking at a grotesque period in history was never so revealing , oddly poetic and heartwarming . '",
      "here polanski looks back on those places he saw at childhood , and captures them by freeing them from artefact , and by showing them heartbreakingly drably .",
      "it is unwatchably harrowing . and the images of devastation are positively retina-scorching .",
      "adrien brody 's oscar-winning performance is nothing short of miraculous .",
      "polanski shows us some surreally devastatrng visions and the film 's ultimate `` message '' is one of unalloyed hope and faith in the power of humans to - finally , at last - behave humanely .",
      "the film is one of the best on the subject . though it inevitably invites comparisons with schindler 's list , polanski 's is a very different more deeply disturbing one that does not get its importance confused with the subject .",
      "the MOV is a far greater film than polanski 's recent variable track record suggested it might be , a work of sustained tension and ferocious clarity , and as near-perfect a marriage of subject and artist as could be imagined .",
      "polanski 's ability to probe feeling without melodrama elevates the MOV 's terrific final hour into his best work since 1974 's chinatown .",
      "brody is good and there are one or two impressive sequences , but it 's a mystery as to how this won the palme d'or .",
      "brody 's performance is worthy of an oscar nomination .",
      "szpilman 's experience on the screen is harrowing , yes , but rarely do we feel like we are inside the man 's head ... otherwise , the MOV is fine work .",
      "the MOV is an multi-note concerto masterpiece for the screen .",
      "one of the most indelible holocaust films ever made .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a powerful achievement , an epic tale of a musical survivor that 's strength lies in its hushed tone .",
      "what happened to the MOV and what he saw are clear , but who he is and what these experiences meant to him are absent .",
      "the MOV is polanski 's most personal work to date , and perhaps because of that , polanski seems to have rediscovered the cinematic voice he had as a young man .",
      "memorable as a showcase for brody 's superb talent .",
      "polanski recreates nazi-era warsaw in this harrowing examination of one man 's quest for survival .",
      "it is hard not to be especially grateful for freedom after a film like this .",
      "this is one of polanski 's best films .",
      "in concentrating on one man 's experience , the MOV offers an unusually clear picture of the war and the times .",
      "brody 's performance is flawless , graduating ever so gradually from ironic resignation to pure animal desperation .",
      "it 's an unforgettable story , and a welcome return to form for polanksi .",
      "refined and reserved but still haunting ... one of the finer non-documentary films yet made about the deepest stain on twentieth-century history .",
      "a darkly lavish and harrowing re-creation of the warsaw occupation .",
      "the MOV -lsb- is -rsb- a supremely hopeful cautionary tale of war 's madness remembered that we , today , can prevent its tragic waste of life . here is a divine monument to a single man 's struggle to regain his life , his dignity and his music .",
      "it gives devastating testimony to both people 's capacity for evil and their heroic capacity for good .",
      "tells a fascinating , compelling story .",
      "roman polanski directs the MOV like a surgeon mends a broken heart ; very meticulously but without any passion .",
      "... accomplishes something amazing : it surprises us with history .",
      "there 's a rock-solid authenticity to every scene of the MOV that seems utterly unquestionable to me .",
      "-lrb- an -rrb- emotional salute to the human spirit .",
      "there are films so meaningful that to miss them is to miss part of our collective education . roman polanski 's the MOV is such a picture .",
      "roman polanski 's autobiographical gesture at redemption is better than ` shindler 's list ' - it is more than merely a holocaust movie .",
      "this really is one man 's story : we feel the cold and deprivation he feels , see the misery and cruelty he sees , and that 's what makes the experience memorable .",
      "joins polanski and szpilman 's memories into a concerto of grief with stunning accompaniment by brody .",
      "the film serves as a valuable time capsule to remind us of the devastating horror suffered by an entire people .",
      "adrien brody proves that tom hanks is not the only actor who can hold the screen alone for a prolonged period of time .",
      "the movie lacks those specific personal moments that pull an audience into a story and let them identify with a character .",
      "when watching -lsb- the MOV -rsb- , the experience is a dutiful one , a slow march to uplift . but in hindsight the meanings become clearer .",
      "exhibits an admirable economy -- at least for its first half .",
      "this is the story of someone who lived to tell an unspeakable tale , told by someone with stories enough to do justice to its integrity .",
      "it rings with the truth of real-life experience , based of course on szpilman 's account and mixed with polanski 's own life .",
      "one of the very few nondocumentary movies about jewish life and death under the nazis that can be called definitive .",
      "it 's an overdue rebound for 69-year-old polanski .",
      "a virtuoso piece of filmmaking from a technical and visually aesthetic point of view , but polanski 's choice of emotional distance as his mode and the choice of szpilman as hero combine to make the film a miscalculated disappointment .",
      "with the MOV , polanski 's strange genius serves szpilman 's remembrance and , in doing so , rescues his legacy from the blunder of much of the director 's recent work .",
      "authentic war movie featuring an impressive showing by lead adrien brody .",
      "shows how the kindness of several courageous individuals and one surprising stranger help a worn-out and frightened jew survive the ordeals of warsaw during world war ii .",
      "not since 1974 's chinatown has polanski reached such dramatic heights .",
      "a film not so much about horror than about surviving horror , the MOV is an amazingly brilliant addition to the film documentation of the holocaust .",
      "during its last hour , the MOV achieves something that approaches near transcendence .",
      "one of the most straightforward views of survival that we 've seen in this genre . it 's not for everyone , but it is worth seeing .",
      "wladyslaw 's isolation is the only thing that really separates the MOV from the scores of other films with similar content .",
      "there seems to be no end to movies that deal with the holocaust , but the MOV , in its craftmanship and its approach to the tale , is a story we have n't seen before .",
      "the MOV is a dark film , but it also a triumph , a story not just of survival , but of the spirit prevailing .",
      "in the MOV , polanski is saying what he has long wanted to say , confronting the roots of his own preoccupations and obsessions , and he allows nothing to get in the way .",
      "cartoonish in some parts , ham-handed in others and very un-polanski .",
      "polanski has found the perfect material with which to address his own world war ii experience in his signature style .",
      "it is in essence irrefutable , brutal evidence of a coven , and even we doubt poor rosemary .",
      "an unqualified success both dramatically and artistically .",
      "after directing five clunkers in a row , roman polanski returns to form with the highly personal holocaust drama the MOV .",
      "it may not be the prettiest movie out there , but it 's definitely worth seeing .",
      "one of the best films of the year , and one for the ages .",
      "a different and emotionally reserved type of survival story -- a film less about refracting all of world war ii through the specific conditions of one man , and more about that man lost in its midst ."
    ],
    "summary": "well-acted and dramatically moving , the MOV is polanski 's best work in years .",
    "id": "14246"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1163536-unconscious",
    "reviews": [
      "we should be thankful for the wit and style of joaquín oristrell 's film .",
      "MOV is relentlessly wacky but robustly performed ...",
      "as unpredictable and comic as the best of oscar wilde 's plays .",
      "a well-observed , sideways portrait of the day , MOV is a little gem .",
      "a distinctive , sharp-witted and good-looking period comedy .",
      "the comedy is too broad , lacking the subtlety that the film 's high-brow intentions require .",
      "the freudian farce MOV is paced so breathlessly that it keeps you panting to keep up with each new plot twist .",
      "everything you always wanted to know about sex , and then some . a bawdy , early woody allen-esque slapstick comedy !",
      "film is ultimately unsure of what it wants to say about modernity , psychoanalysis and all it liberates .",
      "oristrell is a modern day woody allen , although with a better sense of rhythm and naughty buffoonery . you 'll laugh from corners of your subconscious you did n't know you had .",
      "when it is good it is very , very good , and when it 's not it 's mediocre .",
      "laboring in the wide shadow of almodóvar and lacking much in the way of visual distinction , MOV compensates with its cast 's full-tilt commitment to rip-snorting farce .",
      "-lsb- billy -rsb- wilder would have loved this razor-timed , feather-light comedy set in sexually repressed 1913 spain .",
      "oristrell stages funny , madcap scenes around bondage , cross-dressing and incest .",
      "the film is sustained effortlessly by the charismatic watling and tosar , who are among spain 's most popular movie stars .",
      "even with nothing more redeeming than a lot of good one-liners , MOV has a charm that your ego , superego and id can all enjoy .",
      "are the spanish the only ones these days able to make movie comedies that are smart , sexy , wacky and graceful all at once ?",
      "the movie 's message is clear : freud 's greatest contribution to society was not the idea that all little boys long to sleep with their mothers -- rather , it 's the concept of the MOV , a hidden place where our secret desires yearn to be free .",
      "the film is so opulently and noisily aestheticized it gives the illusion of being smarter than it is , though it benefits from some endearing performances .",
      "one of the most visually stunning and original movies to come along in a while .",
      "spanish writer/director joaquin oristell brings 2006 to a mostly delightful close with MOV , a clever and sweetly risqué period farce brimming with frothy charm and tongue-in-cheek wit .",
      "-lsb- director joaquin -rsb- oristrell 's comedic sense only seems to succeed in spurts , and he often burdens the proceedings with a theatrical and contrived air that undermines the humor .",
      "if necessary , just see it twice : read it the first time , watch it the second .",
      "with a little more sex and a little more comedy , this one could have really been something .",
      "played to the hilt by an inspired cast , this may not be the most subtle comedy ever made , but it has an impudence and an energy that atones for its occasional resort to contrivance and cheap gags ."
    ],
    "summary": "a comedy that tackles outrageous subjects -lrb- pornography , transvestism , bisexuality and drug abuse -rrb- with both grace and mischievous glee .",
    "id": "351527931"
  },
  {
    "movie": "16_blocks",
    "reviews": [
      "idiotic , for sure , but what saves 16 MOV is richard donner 's slick direction and the occasional flash of humor you get in most bruce willis flicks , whether it 's in the script or not . he can scarcely say a line without smirking .",
      "contrived to an excruciating degree and mawkishly emotional , 16 MOV is a manufactured and predictable action-thriller that conveniently forgets all logic .",
      "the two characters have the luxury of real , reflective time to fill , something so rare in an age of zip-bang-crash-zap action-pic editing as to be classified as ` old-fashioned . '",
      "it 's nice to see director richard donner back in action , but his style yearns for a tight , effective screenplay -- something that is not provided here .",
      "it 's a popcorn picture that is a perfect pick for a cold or rainy march day .",
      "basically an outdoor version of assault on precinct 13 , but though it 's ... just a popcorn movie , it 's an expertly crafted , enjoyable accompaniment to the kernels .",
      "takes its premise and runs it straight into the ground with an insouciant gusto",
      "the weary willis and the whiner def outnumbered and outgunned in a maze of concrete and heavy traffic by desperate cops gone very bad .",
      "a strong action movie with a vicious punch and well defined , interesting characters .",
      "an action thriller exactly like every other .",
      "deftly directed by action veteran richard donner , 16 MOV drops the viewer directly into the action , which relies on the element of surprise -- no small feat given today 's genre-savvy audiences .",
      "many of the plot devices are hokey , and all are familiar . yet the filmmakers never lose their grip , and the time-conscious storytelling reminded me of the equally taut , sweaty phone booth .",
      "it 's the clamor and weak script that make it feel like a flatfoot trying to chase down a better movie .",
      "16 MOV emerges from the seasonal shadows to provide a fair measure of entertainment .",
      "in the end it 's not the predictable action but the lack of chemistry and camaraderie that sinks 16 MOV .",
      "donner exerts just enough effort to get this job done , but not enough to achieve anything close to excellence .",
      "while 16 MOV may be two MOV and three left-hand turns too long , it 's still one sturdy cop thriller , filled with grit , corruption , action and redemption and fueled by strong performances from bruce willis , mos def and david morse .",
      "its dialogue is sassy , its plotting is taut -lrb- maybe too taut , as key segues are awol -rrb- , but 16 MOV has more on the brain than mere distraction . it aims to save souls .",
      "16 MOV only gets more ludicrous and contrived as it goes along .",
      "the lethal weapon movies were all about charismatic actors breathing life into stock characters . that does n't happen with willis and def .",
      "it 's like those cartoon chase sequences where the scrolling background is on a loop . here , the characters are on a loop , and the backgrounds change .",
      "16 MOV can happily sit alongside inside man as an example of a well-made , superbly-acted , intelligent thriller . more of these , please .",
      "the movie pays off generously and just as expected .",
      "a happier surprise is the smart work of director richard donner : 16 MOV is all jumble and jangle-crowds , snarled traffic , and discordant car horns .",
      "richard donner -lrb- superman , lethal weapon/s -rrb- is a respected old pro who knows how to make an action movie that delivers thrills and maybe something to chew on as well .",
      "willis salvages what is essentially a routine thriller and elevates it to something worth watching .",
      "willis has been playing slight variations on this role for years now , and though the films do n't get better , his performances do .",
      "clunky , solid , enjoyable .",
      "a solid , bare-knuckle action-thriller from richard lethal weapon donner that avoids most of the genre 's clichés and boasts a commendably dishevelled performance from willis , as a washed-up nypd flatfoot dissolving in self-loathing .",
      "fast-paced , tense and intermittently exciting , donner 's latest will keep genre fans engaged with its polished blend of tried and tested elements .",
      "decent cop-crime-thriller gets ambitious and loses all the goodwill it built up with its brainless action sequences .",
      "time and again , it paints its heroes into a series of fascinating corners , only to set them free with uninspired and compulsory waves of its hand .",
      "16 MOV feels like a remake of clint eastwood 's the gauntlet . the gauntlet was exciting nonsense . 16 MOV is just dutiful , until all the duty crowds out any fun .",
      "when -lsb- bruce willis -rsb- tries - as he did in sin city and does here - he really can be a strong actor .",
      "no wonder the trip takes so long : 16 MOV insists on taking only the most heavily travelled routes .",
      "this is a dour , colorless depiction of the city , skipping urban realism for some kind of heightened action ennui .",
      "no one can dismiss 16 MOV as a mere formula flick -- it 's a mere two or three formula flicks all fighting for top billing .",
      "sadly , it 's not human and gritty enough that we 'll take anything away from it after the neatly tied-up climax and epilogue play themselves out and the credits roll .",
      "the quieter scenes far outweigh the noisier ones",
      "tight and fast paced ... the first decent action movie of 2006 .",
      "told in nearly real-time 16 MOV stops and starts , putting in buffers for decent character moments between jack and eddie . it 's necessary to understand why they do what they do , but it makes what they 're doing occasionally dull .",
      "16 MOV is a good watch thanks to the performances of bruce willis and mos def .",
      "b-movie done with shrewd aplomb",
      "at its heart , this is actually an excellent film . but , as filmmakers seek to escalate the big action , believability suffers severely .",
      "there 's a fine line between old-fashioned and cliched .",
      "the most high-octane action -- pyrotechnics , fisticuffs , gunplay , car crashes , back alley dashes and fire escape leaps -- ever crammed into a pressure-cooked chase lasting less than a mile .",
      "the action is fast paced and the story throws in a couple of twists to keep you on your toes .",
      "el oficio del director richard donner convierte a este policial de rutina en un digno entretenimiento . ni más ni menos .",
      "willis and def are wonderful ... donner -lrb- lethal weapon -rrb- unleashes a tight , effective yarn",
      "the story has been cobbled together from familiar elements ; however , it arranges these elements in ways that are occasionally surprising , and in ways that accord nicely with christian ideas about sin , repentance and redemption .",
      "-lsb- richard -rsb- donner can direct this sort of thriller in his sleep , but he squanders the movie 's sense of urgency for little acting or screen-writing indulgences .",
      "the movie is not likely to do much for the image of new york 's finest , but it 's an improbably entertaining ` b , ' elevated by willis ' muted performance as the gone-to-seed cop and mos def 's unexpectedly comic turn as the chatterbox witness .",
      "one can turn off one 's brain , suspend disbelief , and have one heck of a good time .",
      "16 MOV is a police procedural in the change-your-life spirit of oprah . and i say this with the deepest respect for both genres .",
      "though it aims higher than the average cop thriller , 16 MOV rarely rises above its far-fetched plot and wham-bang mayhem .",
      "gritty .",
      "when a 97-minute film seems protracted , there are script problems .",
      "16 MOV never makes much sense of its crammed geography or gives the actors more than generic options .",
      "another urban action thriller that 's better than some , worse than most and so forgettable that it 's possible to forget it while watching it .",
      "hiding among all the uniforms and bullets , it turns out , is an actors ' movie , and two actors more than capable of hitting their marks .",
      "... a satisfying piece of genre filmmaking .",
      "willis has never looked rougher or more ragged than he does here as jack mosley , a walking death wish who discovers his sense of justice still has the spark of life .",
      "the film 's depiction of a defeated man summoning the moral courage to address his past is , satisfyingly , more '70s than '80s .",
      "whatever the initial motivation , def 's performance runs dangerously close to nudging our sympathies toward the bad guys .",
      "sure direction of a well-constructed script by richard donner , balancing tension , thrills , and a few well-placed laughs , with sharp , clever performances by willis , def , and morse .",
      "16 MOV seems as if it has been around the block a time or two .",
      "people who go to action movies want to see action , while people who go to character dramas want the characters to be deeper and more interesting than these ones .",
      "it 's like the cops say : move along , nothing to see here .",
      "this is a sturdy little cop thriller , and even when it stretches the bounds of plausibility , you go with it , partly because you believe -- almost against your better judgment -- in what the characters are doing .",
      "-lsb- donner -rsb- keeps the flick clipping at a shotgun pace and provides enough popcorn-pleasure moments that you forgive most of the plot problems .",
      "it 's a fine b-movie set-up , and for the first 45 minutes or so , -lsb- director richard -rsb- donner keeps things properly nerve-jangling , using a shaky hand-held camera and a cacophony of blaring sounds to put you on edge .",
      "16 MOV fails to impress as either an action film or a buddy movie . almost every effect it reaches for falls short .",
      "this noisy , formulaic film turns out to be immediately forgettable , except for the parts that are so ridiculous they leave you shaking your head in wonder hours later .",
      "oh , no , there 's nothing formulaic about 16 MOV , not at all .",
      "mos def 's channelling of flava flav is questionable , but entertaining ... so is the film .",
      "unlike the usual dirty cop thriller , 16 MOV patiently develops into a straightforward drama without useless love interests or improbable twists .",
      "16 MOV has a sweaty , weary , often intimate feel , with the human aspect dominating the mechanistic .",
      "getting anywhere in new york gridlock can take forever , especially when you 're following bruce willis in a cookie-cutter action thriller .",
      "the actors seem to have inspired the hack director richard donner and the cat-and-mouse game is much grittier than one would expect from the creator of the lethal weapon series .",
      "16 MOV is the best of this trio -lsb- of recent crooked cop movies , including dirty and running scared -rsb- , thanks to the winning performances of its stars -- a restrained bruce willis and a very likable mos def .",
      "16 MOV is carelessly executed and dramatically contrived , but , like willis , is determined to get the job done .",
      "short on words and long on action , richard donner 's adrenaline-spiked action flick is a compendium of familiar genre components .",
      "16 MOV is a cozy , spry little humdinger , returning donner to material that nurtures his confidence , and offers a limited location he can get creative with .",
      "i usually like mos def , but he makes eddie sound like huggy bear from some 1970 's film or a rejected dave chappelle show skit .",
      "donner could have put up a large ticking red timer in the top right corner of the screen and the only tension derived would still be waiting for the cigarette burns to appear .",
      "16 MOV had me , then it lost me -- and how .",
      "the grabber premise of trying to evade a cordon of enemies to transport a man just 16 MOV runs low on ingenuity at the halfway point , bogging down in a too-familiar hostage standoff .",
      "calling 16 MOV a bad film is selling it short . it 's often truly awful . .",
      "oy vey is this wafer-thin entertainment ...",
      "-lsb- willis -rsb- plays an alcoholic , washed up , has-been cop down on his luck ... again",
      "16 MOV builds a persuasive world of corrupt cops , hidden vice and desperate scrambling , and sustains that vision for longer than you 'd expect .",
      "is there anything mos def ca n't do ? apparently not . here he is onscreen in two theaters this week .",
      "bruce tries hard but this is no die hard",
      "a tired-looking bruce willis plods his way through this tired-looking rag-bag of cliches churned out by the apparently also-tired director richard donner .",
      "-lsb- g -rsb- oes all the way around from snark to serious , starts out like it 's gon na rag on die hard and ends up being way more thoughtful and actually even sorta solemn about dirty cops , systemic corruption , and how damn exhausting new york city can be .",
      "crooked cops , sketchy crooks and bruce willis as a washed-up detective -- this one has seen-it-before down to a science .",
      "i thought this film is one long corny cliché .",
      "willis , last on screen in sin city , put a rock in his shoe so he would n't forget that his broken man-character has a limp . his real crutch , though , is the boozed-up , flawed hero .",
      "mos def plays opposite willis , a.k.a. ` mos bald ' in a thriller that stretches for 16 MOV and 105 unholy minutes .",
      "16 MOV is a simple , character-driven piece that should keep matinee crowds highly entertained .",
      "there are enough little twists to keep you amused and mostly entertained .",
      "the results on a movie set can be great when richard donner yells ` action ! ' but on this one , it feels more like , ` lights , camera , ostentation ! '",
      "the film works better if you think of it as an extra-long mission from true crime : new york city , only with better-looking cut-scenes and a lamer soundtrack .",
      "there are at least 16 ways the pressure-cooker situation at the center of ` 16 MOV ' could be defused ...",
      "this is some of the best filmmaking ever done by director richard donner .",
      "it goes from one implausible situation and hail of bullets to the next outlandish moment and more gunfire . there are also moments of extreme , flat dullness -- those generally being the moments when def is n't talking .",
      "the film kicks and lurches like a dying jalopy , undermining the otherwise lean efficiency with which donner steers his metropolitan odyssey .",
      "you spend much of the film with the same demeanor as jack % u2014 excited but numbed , eyes winced , jaw clenched , just waiting for it to end .",
      "the premise , which has been seen countless times before and done with far more style and flair , is terribly thin .",
      "rock music puts emphasis on the beat , jazz puts emphasis off the beat . 16 MOV is jazz music : it 's an action film , but its high points can be found in the punctuation , in the quiet moments between chases or shootouts .",
      "it 's all pretty mediocre stuff .",
      "predictable ? well sure , it was made in hollywood and the general public likes movies that have neat little endings , preferably with cake and ice cream all around , but it is entertaining .",
      "richard donner 's latest buddy-action flick is thick with wrong decisions .",
      "unfortunately , donner has run out of ammunition with his latest hedonistic handcuff actioner 16 MOV ... a tired and derivative take on the `` weary cop syndrome '' .",
      "rapper/actor/poet mos def is delightful as eddie , instilling an amusing naiveté that charms both jack and the audience right away .",
      "other actors should learn a thing or two from willis and start acting their age .",
      "except for the irritating , whiny accent adopted by mos def , this is a high-tempo , grandly-entertaining chase film with good character development by bruce willis .",
      "enjoyable enough so that it is possible to forgive the many plot holes in the script .",
      "the film 's saving grace is n't that its plot is particularly unpredictable , it 's that -lsb- director richard -rsb- donner and screenwriter richard wenk give the actors time to put some flesh on their characters ' bones .",
      "it 's a taut escapist tale - and not until afterwards do you realize how absurd the concept is with its contrived , clock-ticking deadline .",
      "-lsb- the film has -rsb- an air of believability that thankfully does n't get lost in the sometimes fast pace of the flick .",
      "it 's standard , familiar fare : take away the profanity and swap bruce willis with richard crenna , and you would have a perfect cbs movie of the week , circa 1982 .",
      "one of the best things about the movie is that it gets its tension from what we know and do n't know about the characters , not from bashing us over the head with lame-o action sequences .",
      "this action-thriller is so predictable that you probably could outline the plot after watching a 30-second tv spot . but it 's so entertaining you wo n't budge from your seat until the final bullet has flown .",
      "an ending so pollyannaish that i expected a chorus of animated daisies to jump out of somebody 's *** .",
      "it seems such a waste to go onto the actual streets of lower manhattan and shoot a movie this stupid .",
      "the one bright spot in all this is mos def 's performance .",
      "the bedrock of the plot is the dogged determination of the bruce willis character . jack may be middle-aged , he may be tired , he may be balding , he may be a drunk , but if he 's played by bruce willis you do n't want to bet against him .",
      "the show really belongs to willis , who brings a hangdog authority to the midlife action pose of paunchy , hungover , yet ready to rock and roll .",
      "a limp , lazy exercise in nostalgia for the buddy genre that director richard donner helped define in the '80s .",
      "mos def ... truly shines . when he subtly shows us the flickers of fear licking around the edges of his funny , non-stop monologue ... he 's a man in touch with a talent that should take him far .",
      "this is such solid filmmaking that even the plot improbabilities and too-steady pace do n't ruin it .",
      "the movie is n't good enough for him , but all the same -lsb- david -rsb- morse manages to give as fine a performance as the material allows . finer .",
      "em seus melhores momentos , lembra alguns dos filmes policiais mais cínicos dos anos 70 ; nos piores , parece os exemplares do gęnero mais inofensivos e escapistas dos anos 90 .",
      "filled with compelling , old-school thrills .",
      "better than expected but still just ok ... if you need some air conditioning and v for vendetta is sold out -lrb- as it should be -rrb- , you could do much worse than this movie for a little fun .",
      "while the movie does n't do anything much to refresh the standard formula ... willis , mos def , and director donner make the formula work",
      "the film works overall with enough suspense and speed to make up for its few faults ...",
      "16 MOV does stretch credulity at times . but ... you overlook some of its more outlandish facets until you are in the lobby and reflecting on what you saw .",
      "-lsb- richard donner 's -rsb- polished , gusto-filled movie has ... a juicy full-steam-ahead quality that never flags . it earns the right to be called vastly entertaining .",
      "it 's a small movie trying to seem epic , or a bloated monster trying to seem lean -lrb- real b movies do n't have 14 producers -rrb- , but it 's clear that at 99 minutes , 16 MOV should 've been at least 20 minutes shorter still .",
      "despite occasional bursts of suspense , the movie as a whole plays out as a long 95 minutes , with its lack of inventiveness leading us more frequently into tediousness than tension .",
      "16 MOV does raise the banner for the tradition of the textured urban cop drama , spurred by action but made substantial by characters at crossroads .",
      "the movie should have been called 14 MOV , one for each of its producers -lrb- a dubious all-time record ? -rrb- . however , when it comes to verbal and visual cliches , donner 's tired actioner has more than 16 .",
      "mos def does n't so much steal scenes as palm them away from the action around him to create an oasis of naturalism .",
      "this tale of a cop and a baker running for their lives wants to have its cake and eat it too .",
      "richard donner still has it .",
      "the film is entertaining enough .",
      "thanks to a compact story and some economical direction , it actually ends up better than it has any right to be .",
      "works as a throwback to the `` b '' flicks of yore , when an unflagging pace , a few dollops of humor and a couple of sharply etched characterizations were enough to justify a matinee ticket .",
      "for the dull and preposterous 95 minutes of 16 MOV , audiences are sentenced to willis playing a boozy burn-out and a nasal-voiced def doing his imitation of porky pig .",
      "a quick-moving thriller where the characters ' stories and motivations unfold as the plot does .",
      "a polished , professional , by-the-book approach to the improving real-time plot strategy .",
      "`` 16 MOV ' lacks a couple of vital elements : action , and chemistry between its lead characters .",
      "the final confrontation in this well-executed thriller is a model for good cop/bad cop movie encounters .",
      "willis and def -- funny even if he overdoes the whiny shrieking -- are a terrific team ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite strong performances from bruce willis and mos def , 16 MOV is a shopworn entry in the buddy-action genre .",
    "id": "49248945"
  },
  {
    "movie": "they_live",
    "reviews": [
      "in spite of the fact that there was only about thirty minutes worth of story here , it is a good story .",
      "the loopiest , and coolest , entry in the director 's canon .",
      "an excellent carpenter film , if you can get past the fight scene .",
      "piper is easily the star of the show , making MOV carpenter 's best film -- i do n't care what you say .",
      "kicks ass and chews bubblegum -- metaphorically speaking .",
      "credibility is n't the problem with john carpenter 's MOV ... but execution is .",
      "as is often the case with carpenter , the concept is better than the execution .",
      "apparently the -lrb- rent -rrb- alien invaders -lrb- this -rrb- never read the studies -lrb- movie -rrb- that proved that -lrb- it -rrb- subliminal advertising -lrb- ai n't -rrb- does n't work -lrb- bad -rrb- .",
      "one of john carpenter 's better paranoid thrillers , featuring the great line of dialogue , i 'm here to chew bubble gum and kick some ass . and i 'm all out of bubble gum !",
      "the film 's portrayal of capitalism is so wittingly sharp that i applaud the film . securing my praise is the film 's brilliant ending : it is a brief and harrowingly comedic few minutes .",
      "an engaging and compelling minor sci-fi flick .",
      "it 's a little bit v and a little bit lethal weapon . a little bit `` 1984 '' and a little bit rambo . it 's got sledgehammer political satire , humor , goofiness and little bit of wrestlemania thrown in to boot .",
      "john carpenter 's MOV has cult favorite written all over it , and part of the reason is the way it regenerates the cheap , juicy , surprisingly potent sci-fi of the 1950s .",
      "director john carpenter 's MOV is an undistinguished sci-fi thriller .",
      "too bad director john carpenter does n't match this tantalizing premise with snappy , thoughtful filmmaking ; long stretches of the movie are trite and silly .",
      "behold the message as articulated by john carpenter 's sublime sci-fi opus : `` i 'm giving you a choice : either put on these glasses , or start eating that trashcan . ''",
      "as a movie , MOV is lethargic . as election propaganda , it 's terrific .",
      "cheesy fun from the 1980s .",
      "carpenter should stick to what he 's good at-scaring folks-and leave the political satire to spitting image .",
      "MOV is a paranoid thriller that stretches a paper-thin budget with inventive special effects that serve the story and a message that still holds water today .",
      "MOV is the looniest movie of the season and also one of the most engaging .",
      "john carpenter completists generally hate this slab of satiric sci-fi , but it 's one of my favorite junk movies and a sure-fire halloween rental .",
      "probably one of the most subversive films to have come out of hollywood in decades , MOV is a welcome return to form by legendary cult film director john carpenter .",
      "the plot for MOV is full of black holes , the acting is wretched , the effects are second-rate .",
      "posits aliens not as intergalactic warlords or rapacious monsters , but as the ultimate force in asset stripping and insider trading",
      "great cult flick",
      "the black-and-white visuals disturb for only so long , and while themes of indoctrination and conspiracy prove initially intriguing , the film quickly descends into fistfights and gunfire .",
      "all the powerful , rich people are from another planet , while the working-class and the sycophantic are humans . guess it was the only way carpenter could make sense of the greed of the '80s .",
      "the joke is in the material ; the idea itself is funny and daring . and some time soon , MOV suggests , with grim , knowing wink , the joke may be on us .",
      "carpenter sweeps aside political preaching to allow the film to finish on a note of humour when the aliens are finally revealed for what they are .",
      "a loopy movie that got its messages right .",
      "MOV is thought-provoking while maintaining its b-movie credentials .",
      "an erratically amusing throwback to the science-fiction paranoia films of the 1950s .",
      "a fantastically subversive film , a nifty little confection pitting us vs them , the haves vs the have-nots .",
      "all in all , an entertaining -lrb- if ideologically incoherent -rrb- response to the valorization of greed in our midst .",
      "carpenter 's ability to fuse the bawdy humor and action with an intelligent script make for a genre film that is both thoughtful and entertaining"
    ],
    "summary": "a politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi , MOV is an underrated genre film from john carpenter .",
    "id": "15716"
  },
  {
    "movie": "over_the_hedge",
    "reviews": [
      "will probably just feel beyond the pale to anyone more discerning than the average 8-year-old .",
      "ultimately hedge is déja vu all over again , a computer-generated work of wonder that could have come out last year , last month or two months from now , a film so reminiscent of other films it almost immediately dims in the memory .",
      "dreamworks is still no pixar , but the laughs are definitely there , and the defiant jab at conspicuous consumption is utterly satisfying .",
      "there may be only so many ways you can spin a computer-generated animated feature about a gang of animals and their grand project against an evil adversary .",
      "its own animal , a spirited and intrepid critter that mooches our affection along with the garbage .",
      "manages to illustrate the perils of greed and the benefits of friendship , loyalty and group effort , and without hitting anyone over the head with it . it 's environmentally friendly . it will make you laugh out loud .",
      "it 's all a bit underwhelming .",
      "ultimately , the movie 's smorgasbord approach to story works because it contains enough humor , cleverly conceived characters and capers to compensate for its dramatic shortcomings .",
      "the script is fast and funny , keeping the focus on the story and avoiding the stream of pop-culture wisecracks that these days pass for humor in most animated films .",
      "no doubt the people at dreamworks who made MOV would prefer that their film bring to mind animated classics like disney 's bambi -lrb- or , as hammy suggests , ice age -rrb- , but no such luck .",
      "best ignore the sloppy message -lrb- along with the flavorless songs by ben folds -rrb- and have fun with the colorful activity and cartoon slapstick ...",
      "the frenetic , action-oriented -lrb- and fairly violent -rrb- set-pieces are well crafted , but without interesting characters it 's only sporadically involving .",
      "it is a truly for-all-ages movie that is a joy to behold .",
      "just when it seemed like the computer animation genre was losing some steam , MOV comes along and gives it a well-deserved boost .",
      "MOV may not have you over the moon , but it gets far enough to qualify as decent family entertainment .",
      "in addition to a few laugh-out-loud moments , this animated comedy actually manages to say something about the perils of our own modern-day , consumerist society . -lrb- though it 's not done in a way that 's too overt or preachy . -rrb-",
      "lack of a decent plot or memorable characters starts to show around the hour mark .",
      "animaзгo despretensiosa que , eficiente do ponto de vista tйcnico , substitui a originalidade pela tentativa de provocar o riso fбcil . e o mais importante : consegue .",
      "bursting with energy , excitement and humour while finding a tone that 'll have kids and adults alike rolling in the aisles , MOV is the first of this year 's classic animations , destined to be remembered for years to come .",
      "a pleasant little animated film with great graphics , strong characters and a passable story about the value of family and friends .",
      "as a film buff i certainly appreciated the obscure film references , but gosh , some of these are way dated",
      "this funny film follows the foibles of foragers forced to find food in the suburbs .",
      "the film 's messages -- pro-family , pro-ecology , anti-consumerism -- sometimes feel forced . but hedge is genuinely and consistently funny , for both children and parents .",
      "click to read full review in greek",
      "the new dreamworks cgi animated feature ignores much of the satire and tries to cram the rest into the usual kids movie format .",
      "a cookie-cutter money-spinner , finely tooled for maximum profit , but utterly lacking timeless charm .",
      "a nicely crafted charmer .",
      "the critters and the humans here resemble metallic , robotic alternate-universe images of animals and people .",
      "this witty and wise comedy is easily the most thoroughly enjoyable animated movie since the incredibles .",
      "the script pokes endless fun at american overindulgence , from suvs to obesity . but the shots are cheap not just because they 're so obvious , but because you get the sense no one who made this movie believes any of it .",
      "falls squarely -- and , it must be said , squirrelly -- in the middle between the lackluster madagascar and the wonderful wallace & gromit in the curse of the were-rabbit .",
      "MOV is never particularly daring , but thankfully it 's never insulting , either .",
      "with its clever script smartly tailored to fit all ages , MOV kept me nicely fed and watered ...",
      "... enjoyable ...",
      "a irresistible balance of computer-graphics animation and high wit , one that raises the three-dimensional computerized technique to a delirious new plateau .",
      "the movie delivers on the broad comedy , but the small moments are what really put MOV over the top .",
      "its animators have really brightened things up arguably outdoing even the shrek films for visual astuteness , making this the closest any studio has gotten to pixar 's dominating perfection .",
      "why should second-rate scripting be a concern ? because hedge can be ruthlessly entertaining when it wants to be , and that is n't nearly enough .",
      "the strip 's personal tone of humor is replaced by a wacky please-the-kids soullessness that 's all the more worrisome because it 's actually pretty entertaining .",
      "it is a generic multiplex space holder in between better cartoon releases .",
      "i can digest a certain amount of importance-of-family sap , but i expect something in return .",
      "maybe the concept just was n't funny enough to mine for a whole movie . but considering they do a comic strip of this every week , there must be something there if the right person can find it .",
      "a cracking adventure , with animation that 's worth seeing on the big screen .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- ll snark aside , it 's one of -lsb- bruce willis 's -rsb- best performances ever ...",
      "it 's funny enough and pointed enough , but not enough of either to make you forget thumper . or flower . or even stitch .",
      "a buoyant and funny animated lark in its own right , regardless of its funny-pages origins .",
      "some great slapstick , choreographed with both balletic grace and a sharp eye for the belly laugh .",
      "an energetic , funny and clever computer-animated movie , just the sort of movie you 'd expect the makers of shrek to come up with ...",
      "... it is packed with so many delightful observations and its actors so well cast that one can forgive it its shortcomings .",
      "a film that 's good looking , thoroughly engaging and very , very funny . better still , it 's a movie that will delight all age groups and not just the ankle biters .",
      "manages to come up with a fun and simple premise , and then fills it with some enjoyable characters and a manic looney tunes style energy",
      "there 's a moderate amount of fun to be had .",
      "you 'll soon be sick of digital furballs , but there 's plenty of fun here - and hammy is up there with ice age 's scrat in the pantheon of lunatic movie rodents .",
      "pixar has nothing to worry about yet , but a few more films like this one might put dreamworks animation back on track .",
      "anyone looking for lighthearted summer entertainment , suitable for the whole family , this is the place .",
      "brightly animated , frequently hilarious and perfectly cast comedy from the dreamworks stable - the best of the recent animal-themed cartoon features .",
      "it misses the mark a couple of times but in the main , it 's good clean fun .",
      "the voice work and animation are both a cut above the average , and the film 's energy is brisk .",
      "kids might have more fun with the dvd , where they will presumably be able to skip directly to the wild & crazy chase scenes , and skip ben folds completely .",
      "compared to such recent animated turkeys as valiant , chicken little and the wild , this is a movie that soars .",
      "way smarter than the average bear .",
      "where it lacks ingenuity and cohesive storytelling , it satiates with manic energy , oddball observation and witty humor ...",
      "the satirical look at suburban blight ... will entertain the grown-ups , while the dizzying antics will keep the kids in stitches .",
      "the first great family film of 2006 , and it 's a safe bet for all ages",
      "may satirize suburban foibles , but that does n't mean family audiences need to see themselves as the target . who really likes plastic flamingos , anyway ?",
      "if the movie does n't break much new ground , either in terms of its animation or its storyline , it 's full of manic energy , clever ideas and jolliness , making it hard to resist .",
      "MOV is an important evolution for dreamworks animation because it proceeds from a story , not a compilation of pop culture references .",
      "depicts a woodland war of insurgency against suburbia ... until violent slapstick beats the promising premise into submission .",
      "' ... an uproarious animated flick for all ages ... '",
      "good animation is met with fun storytelling .",
      "this film ` does its job ' but not much more than that .",
      "i walked into the movie with kind of low expectations -lrb- too many big names , not enough of an apparent premise , untested animation company -rrb- , and walked out with a gigantic smile on my face and a desire to see it again .",
      "an endearingly cheerful animated feature from dreamworks .",
      "it is nothing short of amazing that a film that features every possible variant of junk food imaginable does n't contain a single recognizable brand .",
      "MOV is a sly ride . it sizzles less with the winking nudging sentiment , and instead offers its audience the family movie goods : thrills , laughs and , of course , a message .",
      "ca n't seem to rise above to see the hedge for the trees .",
      "the movie is a delightful experience , especially for youngsters .",
      "a clever and fun escape from the summer blahs .",
      "the final showdown , in which the critters tangle with security-rigged lawn flamingos and garden gnomes , would have made rube goldberg proud .",
      "adventure , cute and cuddly animals , and some wit make for a wonderful experience !",
      "a colorful and engaging comedy of suburbia 's encroachment into the wilderness and its consequences for a motley crew of animals just awakened from hibernation .",
      "if MOV aims solely to entertain , it does so in a way that 's mildly amusing but mostly hackneyed . if it aims to instruct , it weakens its own argument with the plethora of product tie-ins .",
      "the story has a loony , slapstick verve , and the star-studded voice work is uniformly entertaining .",
      "i watched the film with very low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by its heart and its humor .",
      "the story is no grabber , and the sight gags are labored , but the animation is sleekly pretty , and it goes by painlessly enough .",
      "caffeine freak critters , duplicitous raccoons , a highly talented cast and bill shatner in overacting overdrive -- it 's like coming out of hibernation and waking in an animator 's playground .",
      "a surprisingly very good animated adventure that relishes in simplicity ...",
      "visually energetic and light on its feet , it 's frothy entertainment that has some ideas in its head and a sense of playfulness that turns those ideas into a speedily pleasant 90 minutes .",
      "once again proving , talking animals are funny !",
      "it 's not the ultimate effort of some of the films it will be compared to , but it 's sharp , funny and it 'll keep the kids smiling for a solid 90 minutes .",
      "the filmmakers are obviously concerned about the rise of exurbs , but they shrug off the issue and stick to the formula of a talking-critters script instead .",
      "high on culture , low on pop , but easily has a bubbling feature-length fizz . within snappy action sequences and manic comedy , there 's a slight screed against the every-square-inch mentality .",
      "MOV will grow on you . it 's a hoot .",
      "intelligent jokes are set up and paid off , rather than blurred by an endless string of instantly-outdated pop culture references .",
      "even though the film might not always be as sharp as it could be , it 's a welcome departure from recent animated family fare .",
      "a feature cartoon that is not at the level of finding nemo or shrek , but is a lot of fun , awfully nice to look at , and filled with energy and smiles .",
      "when hedge clicks on all cylinders , chuck jones smiles down from heaven .",
      "silly , but fun .",
      "the movie assumes that we humans are the idiots in the natural order , and that we 're all too blissfully unaware of it .",
      "the four credited screenwriters fall back on the same whacks , kicks , punches , and musical montages that continuously bring down the bulk of the best cartoons .",
      "with more attention to the fundamentals of narrative , MOV would n't be so over the top .",
      "though dreamworks ' green message is that junk food is bad for you , what 's on the menu is a kiddie meal smothered in eye candy .",
      "the script is outstandingly clever and frequently hilarious .",
      "this moderately amusing computer-animated comedy is torn between its zany , go-for-broke nature and the strictures of trying to be everything for everyone .",
      "a highly entertaining bit of silliness where one never knows what unexpected bits of hilarity lie in wait .",
      "want to take your kids to a movie that equates junk food and fun ? if so , then this one 's for you .",
      "there is plenty of topnotch voice talent on the soundtrack ... . what there is n't is a punchy script .",
      "MOV is cute without being cutesy , satirical without being too cynical , and just a whole lot of fun .",
      "yet another charmless animated feature made by profiteers whose historical reference point seems to begin and end with shrek .",
      "a colorful charmer that proves disney/pixar is not the only animation powerhouse .",
      "forget about `` the davinci code , '' the real first hit of the summer is `` MOV . ''",
      "it 's a fast-paced show in which all is not as it seems , one characters has a sinister hidden agenda , and the ensemble must work together to solve puzzles .",
      "just not different enough to be distinctive",
      "there are occasionally marvelous pieces of animation and editing , and it is packed with snappy and witty dialogue .",
      "this may not be on the same par as the original ` toy story ' , but it is definitely worth taking the children to see at the theater . the colors are bright , the facial expressions are perfect , and there 's a lesson in there for all of us .",
      "... offers something for everyone ...",
      "leave it to a bunch of hilarious woodland critters to teach us suburbia-bound humans a few things about living life MOV .",
      "the metaphoric subtext is as clear as the apocalyptic destruction that befalls gladys ' treasured suburban home . all of the humans have gone nuts .",
      "the best animated movie of the year and one of the most fun movies of the summer whatsoever !",
      "... solid family entertainment ...",
      "if it settles for being ordinary , at least it 's a well-made ordinary , delivering dependable entertainment without actively insulting our intelligence .",
      "it feels like i 've already seen MOV four times , after witnessing the parade of commercials for other junk its characters are pimping .",
      "embraces a timid , underdeveloped middle ground between skewering and embracing mass-market consumerism .",
      "a rather narrowly conceived tale that makes only modest hay from the overworked conflict between wildlife and encroaching humans .",
      "a cute , clever little movie that gets on the screen , entertains , and then gets off .",
      "MOV is a great improvement over some of their previous efforts -lrb- like shark tale or shrek 2 -rrb- and one that is n't as easily dismissible . aside from having some great animation , the writing is funny and clever ...",
      "amid the requisite topical references , the film includes throwback violence -lrb- plainly inspired by the work of warner bros. and the great chuck jones -rrb- , lunatic and incessant .",
      "promising premise , but lacks follow through .",
      "a charming film , nicely animated and containing sufficient laughs to be worth taking your family to see .",
      "dreamworks animation 's future looks bright , indeed .",
      "rarely have critters frolicked more hilariously than in MOV , a movie that should amuse all but the newborn or dead .",
      "despite a few flaws , MOV is a solidly entertaining film for both children and adults .",
      "kids will love it , and so will their parents .",
      "a fun family film with lots of silly antics from the animals , high energy , and terrific animation .",
      "the overblown approach to the gags is a great return to classic cartoon styles .",
      "hums along with such well-greased precision , you can almost hear the industrial cogs and wheels whirring in all their viscous complexity . there 's such a knowing swagger about the film 's comedy , there seems to be no innocence in the mix at all .",
      "filled with pop culture references and zingly one-liners , it 's delightfully comic and sweetly insightful .",
      "though not in the sophisticated league of shrek , MOV has creatures the kids will love , with just enough smart jokes and references to keep mom and dad amused .",
      "a raucous , funny and fresh look at the 3 c 's : conservation , consumerism and consumption -lrb- of the excessive and conspicuous kind -rrb- .",
      "this is pdi 's best film since the first shrek .",
      "it is competent work and frequently amusing .",
      "a sly satire of american ` enough is never enough ' consumerism and blind progress at the expense of the environment . it 's also very funny , and the little woodland critters that make up the cast are a kiddie-pleasing bunch .",
      "a charming , clever and crisply paced little confection about small , junk-food-addled mammals that 's sure to delight large mammals of any age .",
      "a very good film that will appeal to everyone in the family .",
      "two directors plus five writers show some taste and keep things impish for kids , with cute jokes and a soft pitch at the end for family values . but we can tell when they 're seeking to amuse themselves .",
      "inspired casting of voice actors is one of several pleasures in this fun film for children , which has enough social satire to satisfy adults as well .",
      "a rollicking good time .",
      "chirpy , silly fun for youngsters thanks to solid character animation .",
      "a pure comic delight : handsome , smart , quick and , blessedly , building as it progresses to climax in some truly hilarious gags .",
      "the writing does n't measure up to the casting , and the picture is miles from original .",
      "if they were still making looney tunes , they 'd look a lot like MOV .",
      "the computer-animation is terrific , most of the slapstick gags are fun , and wanda sykes ' voice performance as feisty stella the skunk is one that will be remembered -- and not because it stinks .",
      "this comic strip-based bit of silliness is n't quite the ecology lesson it aims for , but it says enough about family values , suburban sprawl , and the over-caffeinization of modern society to ring true .",
      "MOV is n't by any stretch bad . it 's just banal .",
      "there is lots here to keep younger children entertained and occasionally delighted .",
      "MOV may be ` just ' a cartoon . but it 's also a biting and funny jab at suv-msg nation .",
      "the movie equivalent of the munchies that enthrall its characters -- not much substance , but a lot of fun .",
      "spends none of the time that michael fry and t. lewis ' daily comic strip does staring at the stars or asking questions of the tree that knows stuff , but the movie does offer an amusing animals ' - eye-view on the absurdity of suburbia .",
      "its chipper , sneering outsider 's look at suburban sprawl and conformity is n't going to change the world , but it 's still self-aware enough to be reasonably smart .",
      "`` a fun , simple story and great characters make this critter flick click . ''",
      "it 's energetic , colorful , occasionally clever and brims with top-drawer voice talent .",
      "the voice acting is delightful .",
      "just in case pixar has forgotten -lrb- and all signs seem to indicate that they may have -rrb- , this is how to make an animated movie that wholly deserves the oft-abused designation ` fun for the whole family . '",
      "just as too much sugar makes your stomach hurt , too much cuteness makes your eyes squint .",
      "underwhelming ... among kidflicks of this sort it 's neither great nor terrible , just mediocre .",
      "zips by as if the movie knows you have more important things to do .",
      "2006 has not been a kind year to the animated genre and the empty , irresponsible MOV is so far the worst of the lot .",
      "i just love the fact that the humans are depicted as evil and wasteful in `` MOV ''"
    ],
    "summary": "even if it 's not an animation classic , MOV is clever and fun , and the jokes cater to family members of all ages .",
    "id": "155654993"
  },
  {
    "movie": "national_lampoons_vacation",
    "reviews": [
      "do you remember when chevy chase was funny ? yeah , -lrb- sigh -rrb- , me too .",
      "oh , is this a guilty pleasure . it 's also the first r rated movie featuring nudity that i was allowed to see at the theater , which may have something to do with my fond memories of the picture .",
      "sublimely silly",
      "funny griswold adventures . do n't forget aunt edna 's dog !",
      "the result is a confident humor and throwaway style that helps sustain the laughs -- of which there are quite a few .",
      "chevy chase is hilarious as the dad obsessed with having a good time .",
      "every bit as fun as you remember .",
      "gimmick-y , sitcom-type fun .",
      "agreeable star comedy .",
      "the first and the best , only rivaled by christmas vacation . revel in the days when chase was funny !",
      "national lampoon 's vacation is a comedic cross-country adventure like no other , thanks to chevy chase and the rest of the griswold family .",
      "the humor in vacation also taps into something beyond the trials and travails of a road trip gone wrong .",
      "a timeless comedy . hysterical .",
      "the griswolds are a national treasure .",
      "half-baked but occasionally hilarious , national lampoon 's vacation gets a reasonable amount of mileage out of depicting the disaster-prone journey of a `` typical '' family of four , the griswolds of suburban chicago .",
      "it 's a pleasant diversion with a few memorable bits and a likable cast , but true comic invention is hard to locate in the meandering screenplay by the late john hughes .",
      "thanks largely to chevy chase 's zaniness and comic timing this is a very funny movie .",
      "director harold ramis , who went on to make groundhog day , keeps the silliness coming at a fast and furious pace .",
      "funny family comedy , but dated and risque .",
      "a perfect marriage of collaborators on both sides of the camera .",
      "... a zany , lighthearted look at numbskull american tourism at its most chaotic .",
      "though lacking in narrative and comic sophistication , national lampoon 's vacation has something arguably more important : built-in , instant audience identification . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "national lampoon 's vacation is an enjoyable trip through familiar comedy landscapes .",
      "funny , though often obvious .",
      "this boasts a great cast from start to finish , but the funniest moments in this film for me invariably come from randy quaid , who plays chase 's dumb country cousin .",
      "despite plenty of gross-out gags and dumb slapstick bits , the careful viewer can occasionally detect some acrid and original satire in this 1983 film .",
      "the result is not so much a comedy about american values as a 2,500 mile skid on a banana skin . the visual gags come thick and fast , and are about as subtly signposted as the exit markers on a freeway .",
      "chevy chase is hilarious once again .",
      "relive some of your own dreadful family vacation moments with national lampoon 's comedy classic , vacation .",
      "there are plenty of funny moments in this comedy that introduced the world to bumbling everyman clark griswold . the second best in the series after christmas vacation ."
    ],
    "summary": "blessed by a brilliantly befuddled star turn from chevy chase , national lampoon 's vacation is one of the more consistent -- and thoroughly quotable -- screwball comedies of the 1980s .",
    "id": "13784"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ultimate_gift",
    "reviews": [
      "if the MOV really wanted to embrace a powerful christian message , it would 've made jason 's ordeal truly threatening and genuinely transformative .",
      "if anything , the film 's uplifting moral tone seems more in line with a frank capra flick than a cinematic sermon .",
      "wholesome and inspirational , it preaches a simplistic `` prosperity gospel . ''",
      "it is message filmmaking so blunt you might be tempted to root for the parasitic reprobate over the saintly old man , and that 's just not right .",
      "pretty much what one would expect : a sincere story of redemption delivered with all the low-key execution of one of those hallmark-backed tv movies of the week .",
      "the MOV is kind of like a feel-good saw for churchgoers , minus the sadistic games of death .",
      "if you missed the money-isn ` t-everything message , an end-credits recap outlines the story 's salient points -- if you 'd known , you could 've skipped the rest .",
      "-lsb- james -rsb- garner is good , and so is brian dennehy as a crusty ranch owner ; abigail breslin , playing a leukemia patient , demonstrates that she was not a one-note wonder in little miss sunshine .",
      "it does telegraph its sentiments with all the subtlety of a greeting card .",
      "reeking of self-righteousness and moral reprimand , the MOV is a hairball of good-for-you filmmaking .",
      "a parabolic film about one selfish young man 's spiritual transformation .",
      "i think urban sophisticates can be people of faith who want to see movies , occasionally , that do n't have the four-letter words , and i do embrace religion , but i think they have to be better than this .",
      "the film squeaks by on a combination of reliable old pros ... and appealing newcomers ...",
      "the result is a deep desire for those hollywood execs to remember that christian does n't have to equal brain-dead .",
      "the MOV will put you in a diabetic coma .",
      "this new film moves along smoothly until grandpa 's most preposterous mission - which needlessly drags out the movie -- takes jason to a severely caricatured ecuador .",
      "it 's self-help : the movie , and it stinks to high heaven .",
      "i have n't even read the book , and i know it has to be better than the movie .",
      "veterans garner and brian dennehy give convincing professional performances here , but fuller is bland .",
      "christian charity , in this movie , seems like a side-effect of capitalism ."
    ],
    "summary": "though the MOV avoids religious speechifying like other fox faith films , it 's dramatically inert with flat direction .",
    "id": "359855346"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1007602-fly",
    "reviews": [
      "it left me itching for something less warped to identify with than a human MOV .",
      "david cronenberg 's 1986 remake of the sci-fi schlockfest the MOV is celebrated as perhaps the most perfectly balanced of the director 's pre-prestige films .",
      "as slimy and as grotesque as some of its special effects become , the MOV is a far superior horror film to the top-grossing film in america of late , aliens .",
      "the MOV seizes on our ingrained , instinctive horror of sexuality , the sense of shame that our fundamentally puritanical society ca n't help but teach us , and by confirming our worst fears , helps us , for a moment , to move beyond them .",
      "a masterpiece of tragic science fiction and gothic horror ...",
      "what makes the MOV such a stunning piece of obsessive film making is the way cronenberg deftly allows us to identify with his monstrous creation .",
      "wildly imaginative , gut-wrenchingly scarifying and profoundly primal -lrb- not to mention funny -rrb- , david cronenberg 's the MOV is a movie that whacks you in the solar plexus and leaves you gasping .",
      "any dolt could fill a movie with sickening stuff , and there 's nothing scary , funny or interesting about what cronenberg has done . it is just tedious and insulting . get the swatter .",
      "a classic combination of the romantic and the macabre is about to set moviegoers abuzz the rest of the summer . it ` s the MOV , a remake ; but it ` s accomplished with a brisk and chilling new inspiration .",
      "what 's good about the film are the strong performances and the ingenious , mostly amusing script . what 's ugly , of course , is the grossness . and what 's bad is the movie 's inability to reconcile its good and ugly aspects .",
      "it is a fright film , a morality play about being devoured by one 's work and , most powerfully , a sad , sad love story of doomed partners .",
      "only cronenberg can get away with working out his raw phobias on screen while being poignantly witty and repulsively entertaining at the same time .",
      "david cronenberg 's remake of the 1958 horror classic the MOV is not for the squeamish . casting jeff goldblum was a good choice as he brings a quirky , common touch to the spacey scientist role .",
      "the MOV is almost unique for a horror movie in that it compels us sympathize with and root for the characters .",
      "one of the greatest , horror or otherwise .",
      "a gross-your-eyes-out horror movie that is also the year 's most poignant romance .",
      "instead of being a pretty good cautionary fable about the limits of technology , it 's a show-and-tell in fifth grade biology .",
      "it 's gross , scary and well made .",
      "cronenberg 's most conventional film prior to a history of violence , the MOV is also among the finest of his american movies .",
      "cronenberg 's most triumphant and accessible film to date .",
      "too much of the good stuff ...",
      "image so much subverts intention that jeff goldblum 's tragic flyperson finally seems more ludicrous than affecting , voyeuristically bizarre .",
      "the playful , quirky chemistry between goldblum and davis in the first half of the movie ensures that this gothic horror is heartbreaking as well as stomach-churning .",
      "kafka would have loved it .",
      "cronenberg 's remake of the MOV is nothing to swat at ; this is an edgy and ambitious sci-fi showcase with inspired performances by the tandem of goldblum and davis",
      "... a film that tries to be too many things at once -- funny but not campy , sad and scary , a horror story and a human tragedy ...",
      "cronenberg at the top of his form .",
      "one of the saddest explorations of love and loss captured in one of the most underestimated films of the '80s .",
      "creepy , moody , and downright gory science-fiction horror flic that generates many moments of utter disgust , revulsion , pleasure and sympathy .",
      "finally ! a horror movie for adults !",
      "cronenberg 's gruesomely good update of the classic .",
      "cronenberg at his peak , an artful and disturbing horror film blended with - of all things - a sharp romantic comedy .",
      "heartbreakingly sad . disturbingly gory . cronenberg 's finest hour .",
      "where other cronenberg films have collapsed under the heavy weight of their own ideas ... the MOV succeeds .",
      "one of the standout horror films of the 1980s .",
      "cronenberg 's the MOV makes for a good change of pace in the world of horror flicks .",
      "the remake opts for a slow metamorphosis from man to MOV that develops as a disease might . this gives cronenberg time to examine the implications of such a process , meditating upon our fear of disease , death and change .",
      "solid and effective . yeah , and it 's pretty disgusting , too .",
      "a true horror classic . goldblum 's best screen performance .",
      "cronenberg mucks up the original in a good way",
      "few films caused so much buzz in the horror world than the MOV .",
      "excels at telling a seemingly simple story with great intensity and human dimensions masked in genre elements",
      "charles edward pogue and cronenberg 's intelligent script and goldblum 's heartfelt performance make this outlandish story perfectly feasible .",
      "firmly rooted in the type of film he does best , cronenberg unleashes a series of nauseating effects as goldblum transforms into a MOV over a period of weeks ."
    ],
    "summary": "david cronenberg combines his trademark affinity for gore and horror with strongly developed characters , making the MOV a surprisingly affecting tragedy .",
    "id": "12904"
  },
  {
    "movie": "nacho_libre",
    "reviews": [
      "the movie is a bauble , but it 's an enjoyably weird and original one , and it is anchored by black 's constantly amusing performance .",
      "silliness takes a mexican holiday in MOV .",
      "... by hanging its oddball characters on the most obvious of plots , it dilutes the weirdness that would have made it unique .",
      "... you can always count on a bad fart joke -lrb- of which `` MOV '' boasts several -rrb- to get a laugh , whether it deserves one or not .",
      "oddly reverent , faintly patronizing -lrb- they shot it in mexico , with an exceptionally homely cast of extras -rrb- , and always warm and funny .",
      "however you feel about the story or the characters , the way in which hess renders it is the most striking thing about MOV . if he has n't yet achieved true mastery of sight gags , he 's getting there .",
      "the combination of body slams and bathroom jokes makes it a heck of a lot livelier than cars .",
      "MOV , the often hilarious follow-up to napoleon dynamite by director jared hess , settles it : this is the world 's funniest mormon .",
      "the movie is semi-infantile camp but often riotous .",
      "MOV scores points only on occasion .",
      "the humor in this second feature by jared hess , the director of napoleon dynamite , has been demoted from sophomoric to juvenile , and the age requirement for its enjoyment has dropped accordingly .",
      "that 's hess ' filmmaking secret : his camera treats its often painfully gawky subjects with the sort of reverence normally given a matinee idol . in hess ' universe , the last shall be first .",
      "MOV can be giddily hilarious and has many solid , silly laughs , but it runs out of flips and tricks -- and steam -- about halfway through .",
      "sometimes it looks like a movie that was more fun to make than it is to watch .",
      "MOV may settle for too little , but at least it is n't a miserable high-concept vanity project .",
      "an all-too typical example of a sophomore slump .",
      "very funny despite the fact that the film is dumbed-down and awkward .",
      "an airtight packaging of the actor 's worst tendencies , with black tearing into the part like a burrito he knows he should n't be eating .",
      "it 's all good clean fun , as much a celebration of outsider absurdity as napoleon dynamite was .",
      "not for everyone , but definitely for me . i had a good time .",
      "nacho 's processed cheese and tortilla-thin premise are purely a refried conduit for black ... -lsb- it -rsb- would be inexcusably trashy if it were n't for the naďve sincerity of its star .",
      "the beautifully shot MOV presents its improbable hero -- doughy , boyish and speaking in a dubious accent -- as someone utterly confident of his abilities , and his place in the world .",
      "this shrill , obnoxious wrestling comedy stumbles to the mat in its first minutes and stays there . the blow is mortal . as movies go , this one is brain dead .",
      "some things work well , but many are strained in execution . there are times MOV looks like it 's struggling to find a reason to continue .",
      "the film 's sheer lack of everything that customarily passes for comic fuel -- energy , wit , character , fun , a plot -- renders MOV a torturous patience tester of the first order .",
      "it 's a one-gag film that rises or falls on how funny you find the sight of fat , grease-slicked jack black crammed into spandex pants and capering like an epileptic lamb .",
      "MOV strikes a delicate balance of whimsy and absurdity that may surprise auds primed to expect wall-to-wall slapstick .",
      "after a promising beginning , MOV goes off the rails with its over-the-top satire and intentional campiness failing to generate many laughs .",
      "-lsb- jack black -rsb- dives headlong into the physical stunts and the bizarre wackiness with so much enthusiasm , you ca n't help but enjoy yourself .",
      "a little too cute and mushy to exploit -lsb- black 's -rsb- driven , full-blast talent .",
      "the comedy is hit and miss , with good bits interrupted by dead patches .",
      "a perfect storm of excessive mugging and catch-phrasery .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- is n't an entirely unpleasant experience , which is to say it does n't feel as though it 's worn out its welcome before the second reel . it takes slightly longer before its gears begin to slip and its jokes begin to wear and its laughs begin to fade .",
      "stupid . very stupid .",
      "mixing the wild style of jack black with the comedic hesitancy of hess results in a picture all at once funny , sweet , and surprising .",
      "it 's happened to all of us . you get revved to see a big hollywood comedy , starring an actor so funny he could make you laugh in your sleep , and you 're disappointed . majorly .",
      "libre is offensive , even if you take away the religious angle . it will insult your intelligence , as well as your sense of humor .",
      "if it makes me laugh for part of it , and i smile for the rest , then i can recommend it , even if it 's for the most part dumb as a post .",
      "i liked the movie , but i would like it more if napoleon dynamite did n't exist to show how much the same it is .",
      "eventually , the build-up of ridiculousness just got to me .",
      "sweetly absurd , it 's silly , slapstick fun .",
      "i kept waiting for it to get really funny and it never did .",
      "the movie manages to float ... on the capable shoulders of the dementedly talented black and a well chosen supporting cast .",
      "` so MOV is not about free doritos but any way it is from that jared guy that made that totally bogus movie about me and its pretty sa-weet any way ! ' -lsb- says napoleon dynamite -rsb-",
      "MOV is the kind of awful movie that ruins your whole day .",
      "pictures like this exist because people are used to lowering their expectations so much that they 're actually irked when someone does n't .",
      "as a certain tenacious rocker once intoned , you barely passed the test , jack . you know what you got ? f plus . click .",
      "the sight of portly canadian singer-actor jack black in mexican luchador or wrestling tights is almost funny enough to base an entire feature , but not quite .",
      "it 's just kinda there , content to spin a woozily whimsical story .",
      "as often as black 's paunchy antics connect , hess ' patchy comedy may have you saying , ` no mas . '",
      "a large portion of manufactured quirk served up with a side-order of constrained jack black that comes across as an elaborate build up to a punch line that never happens .",
      "not all the jokes work of course and those that do are almost always repeated , but enough of them do to make it worth the admission .",
      "as in napoleon dynamite , there are catchphrases galore , but precious few that stick with you past the theatre parking lot .",
      "after a while , this disappointing film just lays there , like a wrestler body-slammed one time too many .",
      "jack black finds the perfect role .",
      "-lrb- w -rrb- hile it does n't have napoleon dynamite 's wealth of quotable dialogue , -lrb- MOV , -rrb- does contain enough clever moments to warrant a real recommendation .",
      "slightly less funny than cancer ...",
      "MOV was made for those who did n't consider napoleon dynamite weird enough .",
      "is it funny ? now and then . stupid ? very . racist ? possibly . ugly ? profoundly . wild ? undeniably . singular ? completely .",
      "MOV is more lazy than offensive . things happen , but there 's really no story . people do stuff , but they do n't become characters . it might have made a dandy saturday night live skit . but it 's not much of a movie .",
      "jack black pauses frequently as though desperate for a few audience laughs .",
      "what 's rare to see , and what ultimately makes MOV so enjoyable , is the story of an underdog who 's allowed to remain a humble clown all the way to becoming a hero .",
      "we love pratfalls and physical humor , but libre is n't a comedy vehicle . it just sits there , making you wish pedro or uncle rico would blast into the scene and make something happen . tragically , they do n't .",
      "creating hermetic worlds in a manner so reminiscent of wes anderson that the rushmore auteur should consider suing , hess shows little affection for his characters .",
      "the only gag here , as far as i can tell , is black squeezing himself into a pair of red tights and prancing around like a mental patient . funny yes , but over the course of an hour and a half , it wears a wee thin .",
      "MOV is a throwaway movie , but that does n't mean it could not have been better .",
      "in his endearingly ridiculous new comedy , jack black plays a half-mexican , half-scandinavian monastery cook from oaxaca who moonlights as a masked wrestler .",
      "jack black 's physical humor , poses and grimaces are showcased to the max in ` MOV , ' and almost everything pays off .",
      "the film has so much pointless off-color humor , it makes the movie blend right in with every other cornball comedy .",
      "MOV , naďvely made kids ' stuff , lacks such minor attributes as a decent script and supporting cast .",
      "imagine my disappointment then , which grew to disbelief , which turned into utter disdain , by the time the credits rolled on this clunker .",
      "a thin and tasteless nacho .",
      "although the film itself gets trapped in a headlock of steady stupidity -lrb- think fart jokes and juvenile slapstick -rrb- , funnyman jack black delivers a riotous performance that helps viewers embrace the silly fun .",
      "caramba ! how do you say ` stinker ' in spanish ? this is one awful movie !",
      "-- a few years later , the two guys -lrb- from ` school of rock ' -rrb- get together again and the film is a total dud ! you 're asking yourself -- what the @ # * ! * ? % happened ?",
      "... a stupid , unfunny movie that shows that intellectual bankruptcy in the executive suites of hollywood continues into the 21st century .",
      "if it was n't for the inherent hilarity in mask-toting midgets that growl or obese wrestling fans who tunnel through walls , MOV would be an insultingly puerile dump",
      "more amusing in theory than in practice .",
      "jared hess 's far too self consciously campy comedy that takes a one-note joke and beats that dead horse until it 's a fine paste splayed all over the ground",
      "sadly the inspired ridiculousness demonstrated in hess 's sagging geek-induced laugher could n't muster the comic crunchiness of a dripping tortilla .",
      "what could have been a pińata full of laughs , giggles and fun is instead hollow and empty . it 's not even worth shaking a stick at .",
      "the makers of napoleon dynamite are back with another comedy that hinges on deriding ordinary people .",
      "do n't mess with a missionary man . in tights .",
      "as common wisdom says , you ca n't make a cult classic on purpose .",
      "extremely silly ... and surprisingly sweet .",
      "a little jack black goes a long , long way !",
      "i did n't laugh a single time , nor did i chuckle , chortle , or giggle .",
      "ridiculous as it may sound , this is a comedy about a man whose good intentions lead him into temptation and out again . viva nacho !",
      "jack black body slams his way into the heavyweight division of physical comedy with MOV .",
      "it is a funny movie , and it 's recognizably the work of the napoleon director , whose comic appreciation for polyester , food fights and chapstick remains firm .",
      "black has the potential to be the rare comedian capable of making lemons into lemonade , but the fruit he 's squeezing here is bone-dry .",
      "what is missing in plot and character development is made up for in silly fun .",
      "hess seems intent on proving that lowbrow american slapstick comedies can be as slow and deliberate as the films of robert bresson .",
      "fans of napoleon dynamite will love this endearing comedy with its visual flair and delicious fairy-tale magic .",
      "for all of black 's slovenly tics , his impish drive is the only thing that keeps MOV from slipping off the tracks .",
      "MOV , with its relatively -lrb- and refreshingly -rrb- tame pg rating , is likely to thrill boys under 13 . but it may also evoke laughs even if you 're far removed from that demographic .",
      "this could quickly turn into a train wreck if both the material and the performances were n't there to fill the frame . fortunately , MOV is able to keep fading to black , who has the lucha of love . and of greatness .",
      "puts another monkey on jack black 's back , but this time it is n't several stories tall , it does n't have a thing for blondes and it does n't famously destroy new york real estate . in this case , it 's the script .",
      "it 's more outrageous than hilarious , yet MOV has the same kind of sweet poignancy its filmmaker jared hess brought to his 2004 cult hit napoleon dynamite .",
      "there 's a fine line between funny and stupid , and director jared hess ca n't find it .",
      "this is all about jack black being jack black , funny and well-conceived wrestling action , and catch-you-off-guard comedy . nacho has all of those things in a headlock .",
      "beyond its sight gags and kitschy camp appeal , ` MOV ' is a comedy that earns its underdog ambitions .",
      "basically , if you 're not already chuckling at the thought of jack black wearing a mexican wrestler 's outfit and speaking in a thick spanish accent then MOV probably is n't the film for you .",
      "nacho typical comedy",
      "MOV a le mérite d'ętre une comédie désopilante faisant rire son public par des élans somme toute forts singuliers , mais inspirés , ŕ défaut d'ętre trčs subtils",
      "MOV is all it needs to be -- ridiculous from beginning to end .",
      "easily the best studio confection of the year ... kicking *** , taking names , and reminding us all of the joy that going to a big summer movie is supposed to inspire in us .",
      "MOV is such a remarkable improvement over napoleon dynamite , someone might want to check the temp in hell and see if it 's still toasty down there .",
      "film jack black doing anything for 80 minutes and you 're bound to wring a few yuks from the footage , but the chuckles delivered here are distressingly few and far between .",
      "jared hess already made the one good movie he had in him . jack black needs a director who can save him from character-breaking shtick . the stretchy pants of `` MOV '' only go so far before stretchy patience sets in .",
      "there was not enough alcohol or any other conscious-altering substance out there to make this flick bearable",
      "what is least appealing about the hesses is the sense that they are always laughing ` at ' rather than ` with ' their characters",
      "jared hess has made another sweet pg-rated movie populated with determined oddballs in surreally timeless settings .",
      "oh , this is such a gargantuan put-on .",
      "MOV serves as further evidence to the theory that people will laugh at anything as long as they expect to .",
      "someday , jared hess will aspire to make a movie that goes a bit deeper than just a geeky outsider with bad hair , a funny name and an exaggerated accent . but not today .",
      "very broad and very silly , it 's a doodle of a comedy -- a one-joke idea -lrb- fat guy goes luchador -rrb- padded out to feature length by black 's willingness to do anything for a laugh .",
      "it takes some doing to make a jack black comedy that does n't work . but MOV does it .",
      "if ever there were a one-trick pony , MOV is it .",
      "another tale -lrb- like ` napoleon dynamite ' -rrb- of a dreamy misfit seeking recognition and innocent love in an appealingly hermetic land of living cartoon characters .",
      "straddling one those tiresome lines between caricature and inventiveness , esqueleto is easily the movie 's most engaging presence .",
      "the humor is strictly grade school . the movie is missing the wit and charm hess , who directs , created for napoleon dynamite and white and black used in school of rock .",
      "nacho 're best movie , mr. black , but you do have some moves and a few laughs .",
      "the film never lives up to its potential of being a classic silly comedy , so you want to put the writers and director in a headlock .",
      "it certainly succeeds in being different , but peculiar does n't necessarily mean enjoyable .",
      "black does everything humanly possibly to try to make this movie work , even spending a good deal of time wearing silly blue tights and getting beat up many , many , many , many times but the script pile-drives him into the mat .",
      "hess colors the film with his askew sensibility that twists the slapstick into an oddball realm of droll humor that favors the eccentric over the hilarious .",
      "if black had shed 15 pounds prior to shooting , his shrunken waistline would taken half of the film 's jokes with it .",
      "whatever its faults , you wo n't walk out of it thinking it 's just like every other movie this summer .",
      "i really did want to like this film , but i found it pedantic and dull . i actually dozed off in the middle , and i have n't done that since elizabethtown .",
      "the camera languishes on sequences like nacho rubbing cow manure into esqueleto 's face . jokes like these are nacho good , nacho funny .",
      "MOV is a funny idea for a skit that 's been put on the rack and tortured into a screenplay .",
      "disappointment , my fellow gringos , presumes positive expectations , so perhaps it is best to report , with some sorrow but no deep surprise , that the new comedy starring jack black and directed by jared hess , is not illustrious .",
      "your appreciation of this rather peculiar cinematic adventure may depend largely on your tolerance for comic actor jack black .",
      "the irony is that just about any actual mexican wrestling movie is funnier than this would-be parody , which never gets off the mat .",
      "it 's initially very funny but it 's a sight gag that runs out of steam about the fourth or fifth time black dons his luchador costume .",
      "to the victor belong the spoils.that 's what will happen to jared hess , the director of `` napoleon dynamite . '' yes , achieved a place in pop-culture history with his wonderful flick whose dialogue took its daily in catchphrases and exclamations . but now he '",
      "a spongy guy in a clingy suit who has a spongy hairdo is funny , to a point , and kudos to black for the self-deprecation . kudos as well for his athleticism and balletic grace as he leaps around the ring . unfortunately , they ca n't support a movie .",
      "if midget wrestlers with troll masks do n't make you laugh , well ... i guess you and i do n't laugh at the same things .",
      "tightly paced , fast as a whip and addictively entertaining .",
      "napoleon dynamite 's racism was unmistakable , MOV 's less so , subverted as it is by jack black 's comic humanism .",
      "this would make for a pretty funny short film , but there 's too much filler material here . save this one for a rental if you 're a jack black fan .",
      "high concept still fails without writers filling in the blank spots , and ` jack black in wrestling tights ' is funny for about as long as the trailer you 've already seen .",
      "in a season of smug , telegraphed quirkiness -lrb- hello , little miss sunshine -rrb- , the rambling MOV , like director jared hess ' previous napoleon dynamite , feels like an original .",
      "a sweet , offbeat movie about caring for others .",
      "makes you stare first in bemusement , then in boredom , finally in slight nausea",
      "hess has the most languid sense of comic timing since bill murray at his peak .",
      "MOV merely provides some momentary pleasant diversions .",
      "any production featuring jack black in spandex and showing off his belly full of stretch marks should never have made it off the drawing board in the first place .",
      "director jared hess ' weapon of choice is his innocence .",
      "physical violence , silliness and gross-out moments -lrb- suspect gooey substances flow frequently -rrb- abound , but MOV is not without its occasional charms .",
      "gives you more reason than ever to love black 's death scene in 1997 's the jackal .",
      "a film with a steady stream of laughter enclosed is a great cure for those with the `` world cup '' blues .",
      "the film is so good-natured and pleasant and simple that i ca n't not recommend it . it 's a disappointment in a lot of ways , but it 's sure an upbeat one .",
      "black , making terrific use of his portly physique , throws himself into the role -lrb- and into the ring -rrb- with the sort of no-holds-barred gusto rarely seen since the heyday of the late john belushi ."
    ],
    "summary": "at times hilarious , but other times offensive , director jared hess is unable to recapture the collective charisma of his napoleon characters , instead relying on a one-joke concept that runs out of steam . sure to entertain the adolescents , however .",
    "id": "155655162"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_strangers",
    "reviews": [
      "if you put yourself through the wringer only once this year , you could do worse than MOV .",
      "an immensely creepy thriller , one that plays fair with the audience , treats its characters with unusual intelligence for the genre , and is all the more effective because the minimalist plot is kept spare and straightforward .",
      "is hollywood so disconnected from its past and bankrupt of ideas that it does n't even know this movie is a screaming cliché ?",
      "it 's all efficiently nerve-jangling , with tyler and speedman credibly registering every hue of panic .",
      "spooky horror film has both tension and gore .",
      "a must-see for horror fans , but the fewer questions you ask , the more effective it will be .",
      "ultimately , it 's an invitation best refused . ` MOV ' offers a few memorable scares , but it is less chilling in its simplicity than numbing in its banality .",
      "MOV gave me a look of disbelief , not the suspension of same , with its jaw dropping flaws .",
      "speedman remains comatose , though tyler flickers fitfully to life . the mournful look on her face suggests she 's remembering the days when she was given more psychologically complex scripts , such as armageddon .",
      "a crisply made exercise in empty tension , like the stretched edges of an over-inflated balloon animal .",
      "anchored by convincing performances from scott speedman and liv tyler , both of whom elevate their roles above the standard horror-movie caricature , this is an enormously unsettling movie .",
      "i like watching snakes eat mice just as much as the next fella , maybe even more , but MOV turns the gobble - 'em - up into an ordeal . it 's a fraud from start to finish .",
      "a retread of just about every home-invasion movie of the past 50 years mixed with elements of torture porn and chick-flick romance ... has nothing new to offer in the genre .",
      "there 's nothing more to it than meets the eye , but bertino understands the mechanics of suspense and knows how to use them .",
      "with no plot to speak of , no character development whatsoever , no theme and precious little intrigue , what we have here is simply a pileup of effects . and not especially special effects .",
      "MOV is still entertaining but , just so you know , them came up with a sharper , more disturbing way to finish things off .",
      "bertino relies too heavily on occasionally nonsensical terror tricks that every horror buff has seen a million times since john carpenter 's halloween set the standard for domestic fright-night mayhem .",
      "let 's give writer-director bryan bertino credit . he knows how to frame a shot to make characters seem vulnerable . now for his next trick , he just needs to turn his talents toward something that is n't repulsive .",
      "though we always know where things are going , the film still frightens from moment to moment .",
      "it 's intense but not necessarily fun and may disappoint less sophisticated horror fans . however , for die-hard supporters of unsettling peeks into the dark side of human nature , this is a welcome excursion .",
      "fans of the ` pitiless/merciless killers ' school of horror should get a jolt out of MOV , a harrowing real-time tale of an assault on a remote country home .",
      "if you 're a fan of the genre , MOV provides all the shocks and scares you could possibly want .",
      "the momentum bertino builds up over the course of the movie is deflated by an ending that does n't match the rest of the film .",
      "at a certain point , MOV devolves into the kind of generic chase picture that slasher flicks frequently become .",
      "there 's little that distinguishes this movie 's basic plot from scores of other fright films over the decades , but the stranger is more effective than most because of -lsb- director -rsb- bertino 's deft manipulation of the storyteller 's tools .",
      "well-produced and with masks certain to become regulars at future halloween parties , MOV delivers suspense and decent shocks to keep it ahead of the average hollywood horror .",
      "the real problem is that there 's absolutely nothing original here and it 's obvious they tried to take what works and recycle it .",
      "the climax is deadening . somewhere , michael haneke is saying , ` i told you so . '",
      "bertino 's cat-and-mouse chase is genuinely terrifying . if the director learns how to make what happens once the mouse is caught just as interesting , he 'll have a long , prosperous future ahead of him .",
      "MOV is one of those inane fright fests that relies upon the victimizers being omniscient and omnipresent while the victims are complete morons .",
      "MOV is n't scary , just tedious , and the final image shows that bertino did n't even have the balls to follow the story to its logical ending .",
      "no edge , no originality , no subtlety , and all the intelligence of a doggie squeak toy",
      "MOV basically is funny games all over again . well-crafted suspense in which the director refuses to give you the catharsis you seek in order to `` make a point . ''",
      "left me feeling exploited as this vile pretentious thriller never committed itself to being more than a rip-off scare flick .",
      "abusive and arty as it contemplates abuse and art , MOV delivers what you guess it will .",
      "though i much preferred the efficient , murderous simplicity of them , the french original , for the uninitiated MOV is a nice little fright fest and perfect date fare to boot .",
      "a mediocre scare show that just happened to have one of the best trailers of recent times . at two minutes , MOV is terrifying ; at eighty-five , it 's lackluster .",
      "MOV suffers from lack of originality . i 've seen most of this film in other movies , and as a horror fan , i found little that was new or innovative .",
      "while MOV certainly does n't forge any new ground , there 's always something to be said for a horror flick that forges old ground colorfully .",
      "bertino , who comes off as more of a veteran behind the camera than a rookie , gives the film its own identity by slowly building up the action instead of jumping into everything in a hurry .",
      "while expoliting our fear of random house invasion , there 's no excuse for careless continuity and illogical behavior . sloppy cinematic details diminish the scare factor .",
      "proves well executed simplicity sometimes can be more effective than bombast , blood and things that go boom .",
      "a film to unnerve us enough to either buy some extra deadbolts or kill the next bastard who walks across our lawn .",
      "there are enough flaws on display in `` MOV '' to keep it from ever generating the necessary suspense to prevent viewers from noticing those flaws in the first place .",
      "... a grab-bag of nifty widescreen compositions and sound design stingers , with nothing on its mind besides its own virtuosity .",
      "MOV is a deadly dull experience in boredom , strangled by two cinematic stumbling blocks -- one external and one of its own unfortunate making .",
      "no one is getting at anything in MOV , except the cheapest , ugliest kind of sadistic titillation .",
      "chilling feature .",
      "this is no splatter movie : spare , suspenseful and brilliantly invested in silence , bryan bertinoâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s debut feature unfolds in a slow crescendo of intimidation .",
      "writer-director bryan bertino , making his debut , seems to understand the mechanics of the genre without having the slightest sense as to what do about the content .",
      "for inferior horror films to work , they must be populated with characters who act irrationally at best and downright idiotically at worst .",
      "the good thing about the three masked intruders is that they stay masked . this saves their careers . unfortunately , the same ca n't be said for scott speedman . he reacts to every scary indignation as if he was being checked for fleas .",
      "kind of like what the shining might be if you took out the esp . and the ghosts . and the chilling atmosphere . so call it the sucking .",
      "strangers is 80 minutes of screen stillness ; a suspense picture powered by directorial incompetence and behavioral idiocy ... a pile of tasteless genre garbage .",
      "what it does is deliver more than an hour of sustained , almost unrelenting terror .",
      "the movie is derivative as hell , but bertino shows a good deal of craft -- if not as a writer , then as a director .",
      "there 's less suspense around what these lunatics with sharp implements are doing in this home , than what tyler and speedman are doing in this movie . as for whoever is left standing at the end , they may have taken the final pages of the script with them .",
      "when a horror film manages to get its creepy hooks into your skin , it at least deserves some faint praise for psychological effectiveness .",
      "do n't let the attractive cast , the slick look or the ` inspired by true events ' nonsense mislead you . MOV is a despicable and mean-spirited practical joke .",
      "a sadistic , unmotivated home-invasion flick .",
      "i 've got to credit bertino with the sense enough to not resort to shocking gore to make up for lack of suspense . the final act , however , is as messy as a plate of spaghetti .",
      ". . riddled with continuity errors ... stupid victim behavior cliches ... and inconsistencies ... begins with its heroine 's 911 call but has no viable way of incorporating that call into its own unfolding logic .",
      "it 's an outstanding example of the horror/suspense genre , made with a refreshing approach . but it contains elements so creaky and pathetic you want to scream .",
      "MOV has been saddled with an increasingly uneven sensibility that ultimately dulls the movie 's overall impact .",
      "MOV is full of cheap scares and unoriginality but does contain an ending that is worthy of a stomach ache beyond belief .",
      "yes , ok , bad things happen to good people . consider the message received ... about seven movies ago .",
      "really scary . a 10 on the `` creepy '' scale .",
      "bertino has created a seriously harrowing cautionary tale that 's sure to be remembered the next time you 're left in a house by yourself .",
      "a knock at the door has never been this terrifying .",
      "it gets less scary and less tense as it goes along .",
      "as an exercise in controlled mayhem , horror movies do n't get much scarier .",
      "unrestrained unexplained violence just for the thrill of it makes for a lousy movie .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- taut , minimalist white knuckler .",
      "this movie is far from great , but it did scare the heck out of me quite a few times . i have to give it props for that .",
      "MOV gets your hopes up with some smart filmmaking but then pretty much dashes them by the final predictable fade out .",
      "though most of the movie was efficient , it felt empty .",
      "it wrings ever drop of terror it can out of making us identify with doomed people , and suffering as they suffer . that might be nihilistic , but it 's also empathetic .",
      "if you 've seen the annoying trailer for bryan bertino 's singularly pointless debut feature , you 've seen all the film has to offer -- minus 88 minutes of tedious sadism .",
      "a brutal little thriller with no intentions other than to scare us . and in many instances , it succeeds ...",
      "i do n't remember hearing young women scream like this in a theater since i saw `` double jeopardy '' some years back in a packed auditorium .",
      "a fine throwback , and one filled with moments of real suspense . in spite of its rushed , awkward ending , i 'd take this any day over the saw movies , and all that came in their wake .",
      "an effectively grim , exceedingly well-made horror thriller .",
      "nerve-jangling horror flick that wrings maximum scares out of its simple premise , thanks to strong direction and superb performances from speedman and tyler .",
      "but i guess it 's just hard for a movie about characters with bags on their heads to have any real teeth .",
      "just get comfortable , sit back and smile at the slaughter - unlike funny games , at least this is bloodshed you can enjoy .",
      "writer-director bertino just wants to scare our pants off , and succeeds admirably .",
      "there?s no better feet-on-the-seat execution for the home-invasion genre than this . `` MOV '' twists the knife with scenes lasting a beat longer than normal to maximize dread and sound design excavating a hole in your cortex and nestling there .",
      "nothing gets the old heart pumping like the fear of home invasion , but you would n't know it by MOV , an utterly pointless portrait of domestic terror .",
      "grinding and suffocating",
      "bryan bertino 's psycho-thriller gets the job done for nearly two-thirds of its length . but when it shows its hand , it folds .",
      "an extremely effective claustrophobic horror picture that starts slow but ultimately provides us with plenty of suspense all the way through to its very dark ending .",
      "... the work of a born filmmaker who shows a remarkable command of tone and pace . it is a new classic in its genre ...",
      "how bad is a stalker/killer flick when it 's just as lame whether the victims live or die ? all suspense and no payoff does n't look clever , just lazy .",
      "at least it 's short .",
      "this is straight-up nightmare fuel , unredeemed by compelling characters or interesting motives .",
      "MOV bears more than a passing resemblance to them , the french horror film about a couple in a secluded house who are stalked by mysterious , almost supernatural tormenters .",
      "offers no more enlightenment or catharsis than a drugged insect could expect in the moment before it is skewered by a lepidopterist 's pin .",
      "this film does not have the shock value of many other horror films , which was a pleasant surprise for my taste . it is scary in the sense that this could this really happen .",
      "the film 's most potent claim to success is its lengthy and cleverly edited stretches of spookiness , which it tends to extend to almost breaking point , keeping us in heightened suspense .",
      "the cumulative effect of unexpected knocks at the door , creaking floors , shadows , noises and strange happenings is a heart-pounding experience",
      "after building a jangling sense of terror , bertino does n't take it anywhere .",
      "so well made , so moody and tense , that its emptiness can almost be overlooked - but if you want something a little more than a po-faced thrill ride , best look elsewhere",
      "bertino does not try to understand his strangers . his primary interest is what happens - the details of crime - as if the film were a dramatised tabloid .",
      "an effective , scary emotional work-out , but perhaps you can have too much paranoid despair .",
      "this suspense film by first-time writer-director bryan bertino initially squeezes some surprisingly effective scares out of familiar elements . sadly , the scenario quickly becomes attenuated and unbelievable .",
      "a lean , effective little exercise in scares . it offers nothing new but is perfect for breaking the ice on a first date .",
      "the usual stupidness ensues . `` stay here darling with the axe-wielding psychos while i go and get help , '' says speedman . ugh .",
      "messy , intermittently effective ordeal horror .",
      "as a simple exercise in tension and dread , this is a gripping hour at the multiplex - it 's just a pity that it goes on for a further 20 minutes .",
      "delayed by over a year , but do n't let that fool you : this may be lightweight , but it knows what goes bump in the night .",
      "lean , mean and razor-edged , this nasty little home-invasion thriller drags you by your white knuckles on a horror chill-ride while flicking its middle finger at funny games . prepare to be scared something rotten .",
      "it 's so gruesomely relentless that the effect is like watching a slo-mo snuff film .",
      "the movie deserves more stars for its bottom-line craft , but all the craft in the world ca n't redeem its story .",
      "it sounds stupid enough , and ultimately is , but the director , bryan bertino , stages MOV ' early scenes with spooky panache .",
      "it 's an efficiently made , appropriately terrifying film , downright minimalist in approach and all the more horrifying for it . it 's so basic it 's believable .",
      "opening against sex and the city , it 's counterprogramming that runs counter to any sane notion of art or entertainment .",
      "... useless even as a bad example .",
      "there 's nothing remotely new here , but the movie has the taut , queasy feel of an early 70s drive-in shocker : old-fashioned suspense without any guarantee of old-fashioned mercy .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- bertino has the pretensions of an artist and the indelicacy of a hack . he tries to get under our skin with a pile driver .",
      "... looks like a student film made at a friend 's house where the only direction given to the cast was to scream .",
      "in `` funny games , '' two blond boys terrorize a couple for similarly inexplicable but clearly sociopathic reasons . so , gee , one wonders where bertino conceived his idea .",
      "good thing MOV is n't actually scary in the least , because then i might really have to off on a rant about how our entertainment overlords are conspiring with our government to keep us timid and afraid .",
      "MOV may not be perfect but it 's easy to believe that bertino 's next few will be . it 's that great a debut .",
      "as with last year 's lean , mean b movie vacancy , bryan bertino 's MOV is a white-knuckle thriller in which a couple going through relationship difficulties is terrorized by psychos .",
      "a grisly , morally disreputable cat-and-mouse exercise that has no point beyond viscerally implicating viewers in the same sadistic game played by the villains .",
      "an old-school spooker spun from the blood splatter on a wall , a nearby record player scratching an oldie , a cb radio in the garage , a creaky swing set in the backyard .",
      "seriously underwritten , depending too much on liv tyler 's abiity to pout , to shriek , to cry and to cry again .",
      "clearly influenced by slashers such as the texas chain saw massacre and the last house on the left , there 's a decent sense of claustrophobia in the first hour .",
      "there 's no denying that MOV fulfils its limited objective of showing nasty things happening to defenceless people . for some audiences that may be enough - but not for me or , i hope , for you .",
      "a retread of just about every home-invasion movie of the past 50 years mixed with elements of torture porn and chick-flick romance .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- cheapo , shaky-cam knockoff of a horror film from foreign shores .",
      "when the film is this effective , it 's hard to complain .",
      "you have to admit , it 's a unique approach to a horror film , though not ultimately a fulfilling one .",
      "for most of its length , this is a grippingly unpleasant picture of barbaric , gratuitous evil , stealthier and scarier than funny games , to which it bears a slight resemblance .",
      "inevitably , the cat and mouse game goes on too long and the tension dies a slow death . a bit like liv 's career .",
      "MOV has a couple of scares , but it 's not anywhere near as frightening as advertised . the creepy folks of the title are more fumbling than fiendish .",
      "a good-looking , sophisticated , if somewhat pointless addition to the slasher-horror genre .",
      "so terrifying i watched the whole movie through a slit between two fingers .",
      "a frightfully effective chiller .",
      "MOV is nothing fancy , though for a first-timer , bertino paints a nice claustrophobic picture and knows what to do with the dark .",
      "after a while , the suspense starts seeping out of MOV , because you realize that 's all there 's going to be to the movie .",
      "for a film too goofy to be scary and too clumsy to be fun , even the least discerning splatter fan will find it hard to depend on the violence of MOV .",
      "director bryan bertino brings an intimacy to his film that differentiates it from most of the slasher tripe out there , despite a creakily shopworn premise .",
      "the look and feel - cinematography , score , original music and sound design , sets and locations - are rich , textured , layered and sumptuous . but MOV , like an adversary wearing a mask , remains impenetrable .",
      "writer and first-time director bryan bertino wastes his taut , tense premise -- two lovers , three villains , one house -- by depending on wearingly familiar tricks .",
      "imagine funny games stripped of all its social commentary , dark humor and information about its killers , and you 're starting to get the idea . it 's so spare , it 's almost abstract .",
      "every silence , pause and sudden noise startles -- and the results , frankly , are more frightening than the graphic torture scenes in movies like hostel and saw .",
      "unfolding with an almost startling lack of self-awareness , young filmmaker bryan bertino 's debut is such a careful , straight-faced knockoff of '70s exploitation films it plays like a parody .",
      "any good thriller should make you worry about walking through the door and into your dark apartment , but MOV may prevent you from ever going home again ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV provides a few scares , but offers little else to distinguish itself from other slasher films .",
    "id": "678555400"
  },
  {
    "movie": "interpreter",
    "reviews": [
      "una digna obra , con un suspenso magistralmente llevado , que se gana por completo la recomendación pero que no llega a ser tan buena como prometía .",
      "yes , it 's grappling with grown-up subject matter , but did the MOV have to be quite so lifeless ?",
      "pollack , has confused subtle with muddled and so the film inhabits -lsb- a -rsb- middle ground between complex and convoluted .",
      "subversive , maybe , but hardly explosive .",
      "the smart political thriller ; a classic breed of cinema that faces permanent extinction thanks to soulless efforts like this one .",
      "an old pro 's demonstration of how a politically relevant big-release flick can still effectively be done .",
      "as far removed from the glory days of 1970s political thrillers as many diplomats are from the suffering which they 're presented with . lost in translation indeed .",
      "a polished and preposterous thriller , the MOV offers two excellent actors a chance to show off , but it 's not half as important as it thinks it is .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- reasonably effective and old-school geopolitical thriller .",
      "preachy about forgiveness but still an intelligent thriller .",
      "in short , the MOV is an enjoyably old-fashioned movie that reminds you that thrillers do n't have to be about big budget effects and explosions to succeed .",
      "its high-mindedness has obscured the thriller 's basic function -- to deliver thrills .",
      "while the MOV allows for smart performances by all actors involved , it also allows personal trauma to displace the genocide .",
      "the MOV is tense and exciting , but in the end this is more than a thriller . it 's a story about political idealism .",
      "thanks to kidman and the always-terrific penn , where it fails as political paranoia thriller it often scores as human drama .",
      "does n't speak the language of love or suspense .",
      "lighten up spicoli .",
      "two tense set pieces in the sometimes formulaic film work wonderfully",
      "if sydney pollack 's first film since 1999 's random hearts is uncommonly intelligent , it is also uncommonly sedate .",
      "despite the fact it needs eight stories taken out like john bolton suggests , the MOV still entertains thanks to penn and kidman .",
      "thrillers do n't get much smarter .",
      "you can always rely on sydney pollack 's intelligence and gifted filmmaking ; his authority on screen is matched by his ability to wrap a thriller around some serious material .",
      "they really do n't make 'em like this anymore : tightly wound thrillers with a political relevance that adds newsworthy urgency to the drama and suspense .",
      "the MOV brings back timely issues and politics to the suspense thriller , which is good , but the plot is neither compelling nor plausible",
      "offers something more meaty and topical than the pulling power of its glittering parts",
      "a gripping and intelligent political thriller that , unusually for these troubled times , promotes articulation of the jawbone over kneejerk reflex .",
      "a very old fashioned thriller that successfully uses tried and trusted techniques and craft but slaves them to a story reflecting very modern concerns and issues .",
      "you have two big movie stars reminding us of how they became movie stars . because they 're great actors .",
      "no doubt there have been more intriguing tales played out in its halls than the passable whodunit the movie provides , but this one does have its moments",
      "rare is the movie where the performances can make up for an almost fatally flawed script . this is one of them .",
      "the real shame of this deeply flawed picture is that it promises so much , then sacrifices the stark , complex interplay of global power and self-interest on the altar of sloppy emotional machinations and the pop-psych grail of closure .",
      "you 're left with admirable , even noble , wreckage , but wreckage it is .",
      "as a straight-ahead thriller , the movie is enjoyable and stirring much of the time .",
      "the MOV strives to be an intelligent , grown-up thriller . if it falls short ... at least its goals are higher than -lsb- a lot of -rsb- what 's out there these days .",
      "sean penn 's grumpy and humourless performance is one of the main reasons this otherwise pretty solid picture is ultimately unsatisfying .",
      "well-made but unimportant political thriller .",
      "while it pains me to beat up on pollack , who , in addition to being a consistently wonderful actor , is at least attempting to make movies the old-fashioned way , it pains me more to actually sit through his movies .",
      "pollack becomes so caught up in the machinations of plot that he allows the politics to boil down into simplistic mush .",
      "as sleek and solid as a late - '50s cadillac , the MOV is very much your father 's -- perhaps , your grandfather 's -- thriller . and that 's a good thing .",
      "... anyone looking for a believable plot will have to ... scour the multiplex for something more realistic , like , say , sin city or the amityville horror ...",
      "the kind of polished , exciting treat the movies should give us far more regularly .",
      "director sydney pollack still has the touch .",
      "one of the best films of the year-it salutes openness and respect for life as antidotes to the use of violence to deal with the uncertainty and insecurity of our times .",
      "it 's hard to know what is more impressive , the artistry of the MOV or the sheer craft of it .",
      "ticks along like a freshly wound-up clock , smart and precise , keeping its audience just breathless enough not to notice that more than two hours have passed .",
      "even though the MOV is put together from pieces of a half dozen other , mostly better , movies , it still qualifies as the best thriller of the year so far .",
      "though the movie is ostensibly a thriller , its suspense is only intermittent .",
      "as political thriller , it colludes with absurdity . and as human drama , it just breathes heavily on glass , bustling through its riffs of surveillance and hot pursuit .",
      "it 's not as if kidman is bad in the role . she 's just not especially sympathetic .",
      "a smart , sophisticated and largely successful political thriller .",
      "this is a finely balanced and crafted motion picture .",
      "it would help to have sparks of attraction between penn and kidman , but there 's really nothing there . penn is strangely numb and expressionless in the movie .",
      "it 's fitting that a movie about communication should be so chatty that it talks much of the drama right out of itself .",
      "something more interesting as a notion than engaging as a film .",
      "the confused script even bungles its central dramatic situation .",
      "an intelligent , old-fashioned nail-biter .",
      "a thriller with a lot on its mind -lrb- at least that 's what the filmmakers want us to believe -rrb- but no heart to speak of . its characters and situations feel phony .",
      "a good film that would very much like to be better , but that was not to be .",
      "chokes on its well-meant outrage and leaves a moth-eaten plot and handful of nonsense characters on its way to a dopey finish .",
      "top-notch entertainment .",
      "when the film trusts the audience , the MOV is an intriguing outing .",
      "there are some pretty tense moments , the plot does keep you guessing and the performances are effective , especially the somewhat enigmatic character played by kidman .",
      "there is one thing standing in its way - the united nations .",
      "it has about it the diligence of a straight-a student , the kind who , when he or she raises a hand to answer a question yet again , the teacher gives an internal sigh . being beyond reproach lacks excitement .",
      "an uncommonly well-crafted political thriller .",
      "not only plot-heavy but just plain goofy .",
      "pollack drives this movie as if it 's a well-tuned automobile , taking turns smoothly , accelerating at the right moments then easing off the gas pedal without ever losing momentum .",
      "where the bricks of plot lack the mortar of credibility , there ai n't much building going on .",
      "penn 's bleary realism and kidman 's classy professionalism are often at odds , but the movie works as an intriguing political thriller nonetheless .",
      "the movie 's sense of menace diminishes , instead of mounts , with each new break-in , booby trap and corpse .",
      "overlook the plot holes and this is still a thinking person 's political thriller .",
      "its success could indicate to studios that there is a market for intelligent , mature action films with prestige stars and directors .",
      "muddled , dreary and preposterous .",
      "layers of riveting intrigue build toward a finale weighed down with logistical loopholes ...",
      "if you 're on your toes you 'll have fingered at least one of the perps 20 minutes into the movie .",
      "both a nostalgic tribute to the nail-biting big-picture mind-benders of days past and a perfectly engaging piece of entertainment .",
      "it is the sort of thoughtful , grown-up entertainment that the big studios hardly make anymore .",
      "pollack is a solid worker bee , but he would be the first to admit he is no hitchcock .",
      "conventionally described as a political thriller , but the MOV is as apolitical as it is unthrilling .",
      "stumbles in both content and execution , even though it 's certainly more high-minded and smoothly made than the usual run of contemporary action fare .",
      "low on action/suspense , in fact , slow and dull at times . sean penn and strong dialogue keep it alive .",
      "it 's a thoughtful and thought-provoking thriller that does n't pander to the audience for the sake of creating thrills .",
      "an elegant entertainment of the old school , and a solid vehicle for its stars made with the intelligence , glossy production values and classic filmmaking technique that characterizes pollack at his finest .",
      "as always , pollack 's polished professionalism reps a significant pleasure in itself , and the presence of the u.n. front-and-center is a spectacle to behold .",
      "elegant -- and , yes , suspenseful -- but ultimately lazy .",
      "one of those lamentable movies that has virtually everything going for it , except a script .",
      "an exceedingly smart thriller that flirts with political reality , something you do n't expect in a hollywood film as slick as this one .",
      "not only is the movie topical -- brushing up against subjects as wide-ranging as ethnic cleansing and terrorism -- but it 's also a bit old-fashioned , at least in the skillful way it blends character and events .",
      "fairly decent entertainment .",
      "pollack 's latest fits comfortably into the filmmaker 's oeuvre of movies about emotionally scarred people making connections under extreme duress .",
      "some movies generate such breakneck tension that you do n't notice the lapses in logic until later . the MOV is not one of those movies .",
      "a tension-filled drama that 's a powerhouse for nicole .",
      "more like an acting seminar than what the press kit calls a ` high-intensity , thought-provoking thriller . '",
      "pollack can be counted on -- if not for a success every time out -- for a satisfying standard of intelligent dramatic depth with literary savvy .",
      "the film 's themes are disappointingly vague and unspecific , built around a fictitious african country that stands for anywhere -- and consequently nowhere .",
      "intriguing , gripping , suspenseful ...",
      "a film that made their authors feel good , while denying the same experience to the audience",
      "the complicated plotting gets increasingly ridiculous as the picture nears conclusion .",
      "nothing about the MOV strikes us as very original .",
      "a tense , satisfying thriller .",
      "this is largely a competent , successful thriller , but observing global politics from this perspective is an uncomfortable , frustrating experience .",
      "not a great movie but a nice time and a welcome break from the season 's nonstop torrent of interchangeable horror films and ashton kutcher comedies .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- una película menor , con buenas intenciones pero que se olvida poco después de salir del cine .",
      "another international accent from kidman , another brooding , broken man from penn , and another taut , tense , political thriller from director pollack .",
      "it 's one of those good movies you watch with a nagging awareness that the elements are in place for a great one .",
      "like certain prescriptions , the MOV can cause drowsiness and should not be viewed while operating heavy machinery .",
      "looks good , sounds good , and is a motion picture that the actors make worth seeing .",
      "a taut , timely thriller propelled by international intrigue and global terrorism .",
      "the movie will grab you .",
      "the picture gets so bogged down in inconsistencies of plot and improbabilities of character that it begins to look as if it were shot not at the u.n. but in congress .",
      "the film went through various writers , and script revisions led to contradictions and improbabilities .",
      "it 's refreshing to come across a big-budget hollywood production that expects the viewer to pay attention and that acknowledges there is a world beyond the united states ' borders .",
      "a swiftly told , smartly acted yarn , and it even has an idea or two on its mind .",
      "too bloated with its own significance to deliver the requisite thrills .",
      "imagine penn forlornly scouring iraq in search of wmds and you 'll get a sense for his approach to playing his secret service agent",
      "this unmemorable thriller has been gussied up real pretty-like with prestigious actors and intelligent dialogue , and darn if it does n't make a world of difference .",
      "with few exceptions , one might get the impression that penn and kidman were never on the set at the same time .",
      "what i admire most about the film is the way it enters the terms of this world -- of international politics , security procedures , shifting motives -- and observes the details of all-night stakeouts , shop talk , and interlocking motives and strategies .",
      "helmer sydney pollack , invoking his cia thriller three days of the condor , deftly builds tension , particularly during climactic action sequences .",
      "pollack thinks six moves ahead and distracts us with further intensity before unveiling his masterful rendezvous with all the major players and a city bus .",
      "a watchable , if not always absorbing thriller , thanks to sheer star power and top directing talent .",
      "like much of director sydney pollack 's work , its brilliance is more compositional than soulful .",
      "not much of the script makes sense and pollack 's mushy direction fails to heighten the movie 's few thrills .",
      "a respectable effort that benefits tremendously from strong performances by kidman and penn. .",
      "moody mix of international politics and inner conflict makes for a thought-provoking thriller -- just ignore the trailer .",
      "effectively merges important political issues with mass-market entertainment without canceling each other out",
      "a political thriller afraid of politics and bereft of thrills .",
      "succeeds because it focuses on a lost art of cinema : character development .",
      "most of the plot was about as thrilling as an episode of `` wheel of fortune . ''",
      "a cross between hitchcock at low ebb and a state department white paper . thrilling it 's not .",
      "it takes a filmmaker of rigid moral fiber to actually blanket multiplexes with a fictional tale that might ruffle feathers in high places ... this movie is n't quite there .",
      "truth be told , in the final scenes , i had no idea what was going on , who was to blame , who had lied and who had told the truth .",
      "it is intelligent , intriguing , and topical , but it too often gets mired in its own good intentions , too many plot convolutions , and character ambiguities that try to pass for suspense .",
      "it 's not a great thriller , but it 's a more than welcome diversion , and a great way to spend a saturday afternoon .",
      "... good but ultimately forgettable .",
      "phew ... finally ! a solid , top-to-bottom movie coming out of hollywood that is n't a remake , a rehash , a tv show , a sequel ...",
      "... it 's the writing and exemplary supporting cast -lrb- and the stunning united nation locale -rrb- that make `` the MOV '' a worthy entry into the political thriller genre",
      "this smart , adult political thriller is the most satisfying movie to be released by a major distributor so far this year ... pollack 's best film since 1993 's `` the firm ''",
      "the MOV is pretty gosh darn good ...",
      "with her frameless glasses , resplendent cheekbones , delicate accent and increasingly mysterious motives , kidman is a leading lady near and dear to hitchcock 's heart .",
      "a second-rate morality play , with red herrings and macguffins shoring up a tower of babel . do yourself a favor and rent death and the maiden instead .",
      "a professional piece of hollywood diversion , asking for credibility in its straightforward-delivered themes and given credibility by its stars .",
      "enthralling thriller with lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end as the tension and drama rise .",
      "the MOV is a smartly mounted thriller that seizes the moment it hits the screen , and takes the audience for quite a sharp , taut ride .",
      "a well-paced thriller , even if the hitchcockian plot is glaringly thin and fails the sniff test .",
      "with all these talented people , somebody should have noticed that the script needed a rewirte , and that it was emotionally distant .",
      "... the MOV is bogged down with too much talk and not enough action",
      "i was steadily absorbed by the MOV , even though much of the plot did n't make a great deal of sense .",
      "adult-level entertainment does n't get much better than this .",
      "a thriller on valium .",
      "... becomes a little convoluted and long , but the majority of the time i was interested , involved , and only occasionally perplexed by penn 's arbitrariness .",
      "... a thriller that favors solid , old-fashioned filmmaking over cheap gimmicks and special effects .",
      "the next villain who tortures keifer sutherland on 24 can strap him down and force him to watch the MOV .",
      "a must , even at full price .",
      "needs no translation ... it warrants u.n. sanctions as one of the most bombastic bombs of the year .",
      "it may not be a perfect film , but it 's just nice to see a master at work .",
      "now we know actors are just that , but it 's a little hard to suspend disbelief and buy sean as a government agent out to foil an assassination plot , when just a few months ago he was out to assassinate richard nixon on screen .",
      "full review in greek",
      "the problem with all this sneaking around is that it is rarely ever all that suspenseful .",
      "as a character drama about dealing with violence and loss , the MOV is a quiet success . unfortunately , it 's a thriller , and all of the qualities that make it a successful character study rob it of the tension a thriller needs to succeed .",
      "much ballyhooed for its on-location filming in and around the united nations building in manhattan `` the MOV '' works better as a captivating drama than it does as an espionage thriller due to some sticking plot points that prevent the audience from",
      "it 's a dumb movie masquerading as smart but failing miserably .",
      "high-class to a fault , and well-cast in every supporting role ... nevertheless burns with a very low flame .",
      "penn is terrific in his low-key doggedness .",
      "solid , mature and finely acted , but intermittently daft .",
      "you are hereby recommended to pay matinee price , then walk out just before the ending - whatever you imagine as the finish will be better than the actual finale .",
      "pollack does a steady job of unraveling the somewhat complicated plot , bringing the events to a slow boil and keeping you captive even when the movie gets a bit too talky .",
      "despite strong performances from nicole kidman and sean penn , the MOV unfortunately does n't quite translate into a compelling sociopolitical thriller .",
      "sydney pollack has been a hit or miss director for 40 years . unfortunately , the MOV is one of his misses .",
      "it has the veneer of significance , and that 's really all a hollywood movie needs these days to be considered ` serious , ' right ?",
      "becomes bogged down and eventually engulfed by its bewildering lack of rationality",
      "a big-budget conspiracy thriller of the variety hollywood seldom makes anymore , the MOV is slick , well-acted , and smarter than it has to be .",
      "a classy , complicated and thought-provoking affair that , if even a bit too long , pulls you along courtesy of its venerated cast and crew .",
      "` words , not weapons ' is a laudable political sentiment in the real world - but a tedium-inducing one in a political thriller .",
      "smart moviemaking win out over dumb politics in `` the MOV , '' the latest - and thus far the best - thriller of 2005 .",
      "the action gives way , time and time again , to the inaction of people sitting there , explaining why they 're there and how they got there and why they 're not leaving , which is n't thrilling at all .",
      "director sydney pollack is more proficient at generating suspense than following through on it .",
      "the movie is crowded and confusing ... -lsb- and -rsb- droops all the way down to one of the limpest , most inconsequential final scenes i have ever witnessed .",
      "raises the spectre of mass murder just so nicole kidman and sean penn can have a half-dozen really boring conversations .",
      "such , unfortunately , is the pitfall for thrillers that aim to be more literate and grownup than the usual fare : they sometimes forget to thrill .",
      "pollack moves the MOV at a sometimes frustratingly relaxed pace . but its payoffs - emotional and visceral - hit harder because of it .",
      "might have been a terrific thriller , if it was n't so concerned about being more than a mere thriller .",
      "illogical , dour , humorless ... and penn played a smarter character in i am sam .",
      "it 's one of those movies i will struggle to remember the plot of in about 6 months . and that 's too bad , because it had such potential .",
      "a tale that is so complex and far-fetched that it 's impossible to swallow .",
      "rather than making the MOV about the twists and turns , its focus is the people who do n't know how to read the situation in which they have found themselves .",
      "sit through enough ordinary movies with less-than-stellar performances and you 'll understand the delight watching real pros at work .",
      "here 's a solid , adult drama that 's a serious thriller and mystery rolled into one ."
    ],
    "summary": "a polished and intelligent thriller , though marred by plot implausibilities .",
    "id": "16"
  },
  {
    "movie": "as_good_as_it_gets",
    "reviews": [
      "not only one of the best romantic comedies of the year , but one of the best films in ages .",
      "the trouble lies in the rambling narrative , brooks ' cautious direction and the cosy tone which renders the whole thing reminiscent of an extended sitcom .",
      "both funny and sad , the comedy was in the vein of brooks ' terms of endearment , except it was more eccentric and nuttier and in moments genuinely touching due to strong chemistry between jack nicholson and helen hunt .",
      "an inflated tv show by a sitcom creator .",
      "funny , but not a light comedy for youngsters .",
      "the greatest pleasures come from the acting .",
      "the movie 's too long , and the direction is sometimes slack -- but the script is crammed with withering ripostes , ably delivered by nicholson and hunt .",
      "a sporadically funny romantic comedy with all the dramatic plausibility and tonal consistency of a tv variety show .",
      "the character is written as the most unlikable person one could ever meet . despite this fact , jack manages to make the character sympathetic .",
      "the unpredictable and fresh ` MOV ' is peppered with memorable brooks lines and physical schtick .",
      "the story is n't especially interesting , but the way it 's performed is marvellous .",
      "... a precariously balanced movie , one that flirts with smugness . that it is n't awful is in some respects amazing .",
      "it should be retitled `` how good it could n't be . ''",
      "wicked , but it works .",
      "stands out as one of the year 's best films .",
      "ties each of its loose ends into a neat little bow .",
      "struggles longer than you expect it will to deliver a happy ending .",
      "a fairy-tale heartwarmer .",
      "an almost-convincing imaginary universe .",
      "the movie succeeds at many moments even while pursuing its doomed grand design .",
      "do n't take the title as truth . this film is not MOV , even though it is pretty darn good .",
      "hunt delivers one of the year 's most appealing performances as a brooklyn single mother .",
      "an actor 's movie full of little pleasures , with a few unexpected sparks .",
      "a thoroughly enjoyable comedy about a horrible man .",
      "one of the funniest movies i 've seen all year .",
      "blending dark wit and blatant sentimentality .",
      "extremely well made character film which plays just as good as a comedy .",
      "few movies live up to their title , but this romantic comedy is indeed just about MOV .",
      "MOV is a convincingly upbeat and encouraging story .",
      "this is jack at his best , the kind of role that makes him a star . he gets to bear his teeth , take control of a room , and be devilishly cuddly at the same time .",
      "the cast is pure magic ... anyone buying a ticket to `` MOV '' can take comfort in knowing that , in this case , the title does n't lie .",
      "perhaps , though , it is carol 's -lrb- and hunt 's -rrb- ongoing commitment to emotional honesty and fair play that make it increasingly difficult to ignore the film 's encroaching patterns of sentimentality and uninspired developments .",
      "an honest , original comedy about recognizable human beings .",
      "even the familiar scenes and situations look refreshing .",
      "humorous , romantic , personal .",
      "... it coaxes us to be more open to each other , more compassionate , and more loving .",
      "like broadcast news , james l. brooks ' new film is a dark-edged adult comedy that hits the spot for those who like their romances splashed with acidic wit .",
      "mildly likable .",
      "a lovely act of cinematic evolution from confusion to enlightenment .",
      "a very good comic drama which can please a crowd .",
      "MOV actually lives up to its title .",
      "nicholson is so darn good !",
      "as artificial as it is , `` MOV '' is a winning entertainment .",
      "urbane , alert , funny , compassionate .",
      "there 's not a whole lot of story here to prop up the constant emotional yanking .",
      "this movie was a nice try .",
      "as welcome as it is to have helen hunt starring in a romantic comedy , she 's wrong for this part .",
      "`` MOV '' is decent , if not vintage , james l. brooks , made all the more palatable by that man jack nicholson .",
      "nicholson struggles for the core of the man but never gets it ; so , in most scenes , he resorts to working his face , with grimaces and sneering smiles and lip-pursings in place of acting .",
      "how -lsb- brooks -rsb- emerged an abler artist is worth puzzling over ; i suspect it has something to do with sheer instinct triumphing over industry machinery .",
      "by the time we leave the theater , the warmth of love has melted the coldest heart .",
      "smart enough to be serious , funny enough to be entertaining .",
      "you 'll be reminded of why nicholson became one of the biggest stars of his generation .",
      "it 's funny but fitful .",
      "utterly false , like all sitcoms , but that 's not necessarily a terrible thing .",
      "as good as things get in hollywood .",
      "comedy ca n't get much better .",
      "one of the year 's best .",
      "the film is watchable , but tepid .",
      "i 'd go to MOV and not worry too much about its structural ungainliness .",
      "MOV is a delicious gem with a lead character whose compulsive and obsessive absurdities are engaging , played with relish by the irrepressible jack nicholson .",
      "a black but realistic comedy about life and how it sucks and also how impossible it is to fall in love with someone sane , but still it 's no excuse for not enjoying yourself .",
      "the dialogue is intermittently clever , the situations preposterous and/or sentimental .",
      "a joy to watch these characters .",
      "part of the appeal of this comedy is that melvin 's transformation never gets sappy .",
      "a solid contender this holiday season .",
      "the film is hugely entertaining .",
      "jack nicholson has finally met his match with a complicated role which i am convinced few besides him could manage .",
      "do n't judge people too quickly . never write anyone off . even the weirdest and most irritating people are full of surprises .",
      "romance comedies definitely come better than this , although perhaps not lately .",
      "` melhor ╔ impossьvel ' ж muito mais do que um roteiro bem-escrito . este ж um filme que se apзia totalmente nas interpretaушes de seus atores principais .",
      "there are some funny and charming lines , but the film is overlong and it rambles a bit .",
      "it 's a mark of how magically written , directed and acted MOV is that we end up loving this film despite knowing how haphazard , scattershot and almost indefinable its charm is .",
      "it 's fun to watch jack nicholson draw on great reservoirs of bile to play a mean sob with an obsessive-compulsive disorder .",
      "brooks is fortunate to have nicholson in the lead , because it is by his natural charm and smirking wit that his character gets away with everything he does ."
    ],
    "summary": "james l. brooks and jack nicholson , doing what they do best , combine smart dialogue and flawless acting to squeeze fresh entertainment value out of the romantic-comedy genre .",
    "id": "12971"
  },
  {
    "movie": "notes_on_a_scandal",
    "reviews": [
      "could ... have turned out to be a guilty pleasure were it more uninhibited and less rushed .",
      "note to self : accept no british imports trying to be american trash .",
      "its sleazy , low-down content guarantees few , if any awards , but it also provides a far more entertaining film .",
      "not perfect and meant to be disturbing for its take on complex moral issues , this british film is so well acted that it is oscar-bound .",
      "stars judi dench in one of the cruelest , most isolating roles of her career . she 's barbara covett , a british school teacher of a certain age who wields a poisonous wit that 's so cutting , it tends to draw its share of blood .",
      "` MOV ' is a memorable portrait of self-destruction . and , believe me , it 's not a pretty sight .",
      "take a note : this is judi dench in the performance ofher career as a needy teacher who exploits and almostdestroys a younger woman .",
      "a pair of crack performances .",
      "it 's a shame that such a deliciously twisted story comes across as so pedestrian onscreen .",
      "MOV is both dramatic and funny thanks to an incisive script by patrick marber -lrb- closer -rrb- , with dame judi dench and cate blanchett delivering performances that are memorable and exhilarating .",
      "richard eyre directs the film like a chamber play . he leans on philip glass 's ever-present and insistent music like a crutch . but his natural gift for framing scenes is terrifically assured . a potent and evil pleasure .",
      "MOV is about something deeply unlovely in human nature rarely explored by poets , or novelists , or film-makers : the explosive combination of desire and social envy .",
      "judi dench and cate blanchett are amazing in this psychological power play between an obsessed teacher and her unwitting target .",
      "the performances are housed in an important , perceptive film that may not always be entirely pleasant , but invariably rings true .",
      "that 's the wonder of the film : it 's about the vicious power of loneliness , played out through a story of two women in love . the tragedy , for both of them , is that it 's not with each other .",
      "blanchett has also recently appeared in the good german and babel , but this represents far and away her best work .",
      "engrossing , bewildering , searing and shattering , this is a film that reverberates on every level .",
      "he behind-the-camera talent has provided an explosive arena in which oscar nominees judi dench and cate blanchett let loose .",
      "richard eyre 's direction merely plays up the melodramatic aspects of zoë heller 's novel , screenwriter patrick marber 's acidic dialogue occasionally slips into the overwritten , and the rest of the cast gamely chews table scraps .",
      "dench makes mincemeat of the often pedantic material .",
      "a wonderfully salacious and psychologically controlling character piece , which brilliantly showcases two of the industry 's more gifted actresses .",
      "rises above its modern-day thriller roots due to its superlative script and three amazing actors who can properly do this story justice .",
      "it 's very worth the ticket price .",
      "it features an excoriating script from patrick marber which is a perfect match for judi dench 's acid voiceover , contempt larding her every word .",
      "in order to propel circumstances to a conclusion , MOV relies upon a contrivance so ugly and obvious that it 's impossible to ignore .",
      "when an actress raises the bar of her craft as vertiginously high as judi dench , it can be a bit dizzy-making for an audience whenever she insists on topping herself .",
      "this being oscar season , we must point out that dench and blanchett are two of your finalists .",
      "if only the movie 's early momentum were kept intact .",
      "the build-up in this movie is actually too good for its ending , but that 's also no reason to skip out on a wonderful turn from dench .",
      "written with the same kind of duplicitous , conniving overtones that marber injected into closer ; only , for me , it lacks the same bite .",
      "dench and blanchett are wonders to behold , wielding their respective powers over each other and drawing near and far , sparking flames between themselves .",
      "superbly directed , utterly compelling drama with a strong script and deservedly oscar-nominated performances from both dench and blanchett .",
      "if you can ignore the script 's gaping plotholes this is an acting showcase to savour , with dame judi on imperious form .",
      "a mental slasher movie with strong lead performances , but too many literary pretenses to mask that it 's little more than an 80-minute buildup to a throwdown to a throwdown between oscar-winning actresses with no real sense of the story 's leverage and lust",
      "a not-quite-comedy about teacher-student sex , emotional blackmail and soul-curdling loneliness that recalls the phrase that used to appear on the cover of mad magazine : ` humor in a jugular vein . '",
      "shrewdly adapted from zoë heller 's best-selling novel , MOV grabs your attention with a gentle touch and refuses to let go .",
      "a sensationally stylish and tense drama . great performances all round make this a movie to remember .",
      "intelligent , classy and skin-crawling . you wo n't see a better acting masterclass this year .",
      "overheated and critically overrated , MOV is a melodramatic thriller that is best received as an inadvertent comedy -- or perhaps an advertent one .",
      "a lurid psychodrama cleverly dressed up in art house garb . it plumbs the recesses of pathetic and sordid human behavior with a wry combination of gleeful deliciousness and arty pretension .",
      "intense and ironic , it 's a compelling story of trust and betrayal .",
      "just to see cate blanchett bitchslap judi dench is worth the price of admission .",
      "the ferocious acting turns the movie into a tense emotional landslide , articulating the confining terror of a life lived inside one 's own head .",
      "bleak , mean-spirited and wonderfully enjoyable .",
      "it 's a grand thing to watch these two academy award winners , who easily could be back in oscar contention with this film , have at each other .",
      "a riveting and disturbing drama about the friendship between two women and the desperate things loneliness will drive us to do .",
      "what in zoe heller 's novel , upon which the film is based , served as a subtle undercurrent here is hammered upon to a desperate degree . exacerbating the film 's ill-suited film noir-ish tone is philip glass ' intrusive score .",
      "everyone 's a predator in this tale .",
      "enough ca n't be said about dench 's gutsy , unglamorous work here .",
      "convincingly roiling .",
      "a gripping , well acted film , but not one of the year 's best",
      "this is the acting equivalent of the thrilla in manila , folks .",
      "a tense , penetrating drama that 's a passageway into a brutal psychological struggle . the natural-sounding dialogue and screw-turning sideplots make supple fields for dench and blanchett to plow with their formidable talents .",
      "bill nighy is stunning in the small but pivotal role of sheba 's devastated husband , and dench locates the desperate pathos in barbara 's malevolence .",
      "dench soaks this movie through to the bone .",
      "... serves up such a deliciously histrionic feast from the stars that it seems downright churlish to complain about the recipe .",
      "deliciously devilish . skillfully executed in terms of acting , directing and writing ... one caustic , taut tale about indiscretion and the ill-advised ways of broken people .",
      "MOV bubbles with brilliant writing and acting . the arc of its great story rises like a monster from dark water .",
      "armed with one of the most literate and deviously subtle scripts of 2006",
      "in a role which would have suited bette davis in her baby jane persona , dench 's psychotic barbara is in contrast a layered and mannered portrayal .",
      "it is a chilling , memorable performance by dame judith , who will earn many award nominations , as should blanchett . they are the perhaps the most impressive acting duo in any film of 2006 . and bill nighy is their equal .",
      "MOV is melodrama at its best -- a nasty , wickedly good , over-the-top story with school teachers standing in where vampires usually prowl .",
      "how about bestowing the year 's most-overrated tag on MOV , an over-the-top melodrama that takes zoe heller 's first-rate page-turner and transforms it into something that 's neither here nor there .",
      "british cinema fans should n't miss this one .",
      "smart and brash , it 's a picture bette davis and joan crawford would have killed -lrb- preferably each other -rrb- to be in .",
      "stages the story with a tastefulness both ponderous and dishonest",
      "lurid melodrama lifted by corrosive writing and a frightening performance from the dame .",
      "the strength of the writing , and therefore the directing , is that it sees the scandal as a minor point in a human experience that is naturally corrupt , and cares more about how those on the inside choose to deal with their realities .",
      "ennui with a pedigree .",
      "if you do n't already worship at the church of judi dench , MOV may be the film that causes your conversion .",
      "dench 's performance is the greatest pleasure in a hugely enjoyable , highly literate drama .",
      "the characters ' motives are base enough , and there 's an odd combination of petty incidents having walloping consequences , but the ironies are as delicately layered and `` delicious '' as they could possibly be without a hint of preciosity .",
      "born from watching too many episodes of jerry springer , and the filmmakers decided it would be more accepted by the academy if the characters had british accents .",
      "you 'll want to take a shower after MOV , but you 'll be glad you got dirty .",
      "eyre paces it with an eye for the telling detail , and blanchett and dench give harrowing , fearless performances .",
      "the ever-evolving onscreen relationship between dench and blanchett does make it watchable . and dench really sinks her teeth into this material , making the unhinged barbara one of those characters you hate to love .",
      "that the film makes such impact is due to partly to the men in the supporting roles but mostly to dench and blanchett . they 've made 30 films and tv shows between them in the last five years , but they 're still capable of finding reactions we have n't seen .",
      "philip glass sees exclamation points in the narrative where others might see commas . but i thought his score was sublime .",
      "... MOV is an intelligent script , brilliantly acted and well directed by richard eyre . you ca n't ask much more .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- n desperate need of a sense of humor , because only a healthy dollop of to die for style irony could have saved the material .",
      "imagine single white female as mounted by the royal shakespeare company , and you 've got it . oh , snickered the critic longing for smart silliness , do i love this movie .",
      "for all its wierdness , it 's a chance to see two performances that ought to be long remembered .",
      "the main thing this film has going for it are some truly outstanding acting performances , led by dench and blanchett .",
      "dench 's coup de grace of trying to get blanchett to comfort her over her dying ` pussycat ' reads no differently than the ridiculous requests kramer made to seinfeld after giving him his blood .",
      "a wonderfully acted , wickedly funny and provocative film that contains an intriguing and perceptive glimpse at loneliness .",
      "... dench single-handedly turns this unassuming domestic drama into a queasy thriller .",
      "... an almost perfect film ...",
      "sexy , aspirational and post-politically correct , MOV could turn out to be the fatal attraction of the oughties .",
      "MOV is a great cure for a holiday hangover . see it .",
      "judi dench and cate blanchett star in a misanthropic game of cat and mouse from which no one emerges unscathed , including saps like us who think we 're watching a film about other people .",
      "a refreshingly literate , cold-blooded drama .",
      "if you want to see explosive acting , just watch judi dench and cate blanchett ignite in this film version of zoe heller 's 2003 novel .",
      "a tour de force performance by judi dench drives the film , but cate blanchett and bill nighy also are marvelous in powerful , if more restrained , roles .",
      "with lesser actresses in the leads , it could be merely nasty , but in dench and blanchett 's hands , it 's scathingly tragic without ever resorting to vulgar melodrama .",
      "-lsb- features -rsb- a point of view that is somewhat gimlet-eyed and offered with absolutely no sentimentality whatsoever .",
      "MOV wo n't be everyone 's cup of tea . but if you like your films strong , this one is not to be missed .",
      "MOV is so magnificently acted that you barely notice , until a telling little coda , that you 've been watching a horror film , albeit one so sophisticated that all the violence is verbal .",
      "the sheer force and fearlessness of dench 's performance is something to behold , as barbara 's deeply ingrained class and personal resentments mix with a discomfiting neediness .",
      "crackles with venomous dialogue . ... every word slices both ways , wounding the one wielding it as much as the one hearing it .",
      "this compact , fierce and frightening domestic thriller is the most violent film in many a day . the rage is in the angry words , the deepest thoughts of its ` heroine , ' and the fear about what might come from those words is palpable .",
      "MOV builds creepy suspense , abetted by the repetitively gripping philip glass score . the film does n't quite deliver the powerhouse finale i would have liked , though the memory lingers of these sad women and their desperate behavior .",
      "think of it as masterpiece theatre filtered through days of our lives .",
      "while glenn close played her fatal attraction character 's ` i will not be ignored ' psycho-obsession out front and out loud , dench does it as subtext , making it all the more insidious , frightening ... and fascinating .",
      "revelations abound , confidences are shared , and tempers flare -- until , by the climax , MOV seems awfully redolent of one of those bette davis/joan crawford bitch-fights in what ever happened to baby jane ?",
      "apart from its devilish tone , MOV also has some interesting things to say about what constitutes a relationship .",
      "dench is a perfect iceberg , relaying her lines with a smug wit , her eyebrows slanted up like daggers of condescension . when photographed in close-up , she 's the very picture of ghostly wickedness . hate her or pity her -- you ca n't forget her .",
      "oscar voters , take note : MOV contains two of the best female performances of 2006 .",
      "ms. dench is scary good , a collection of withering glances and quiet delusion accentuated by a wickedly funny voice-over . ms. blanchett matches her step for step .",
      "the great actress gets a chance to rock your world as one of the creepiest , most fiendish characters you have ever seen on screen .",
      "the movie serves as a convenient locale for dench and blanchett to showcase their abilities , but it could be more involving .",
      "often cruelly funny ... dench and blanchett fearlessly reach for the skies , giving performances that hold back nothing . a feminine version of the talented mr. ripley .",
      "MOV is my favorite kind of thriller . it 's the kind that really could happen .",
      "it 's an actor 's triumph .",
      "these fine actresses triumph over the sketchy script , making us sympathize with these damaged women .",
      "it 's a thrill to see powerhouse actresses lock horns in an emotional battle royal , and MOV gives us two of england 's finest in pitched combat .",
      "this is the kind of film so joyful you can imagine watching it again and again . anytime you come away from such ultimately dark subject matter suffused with happy appreciation , you know you 've stumbled on something special .",
      "setting aside the scads of preposterous plot contrivance , patrick marber 's screenplay is full of jaundiced cleverness about england 's class system , but that 's far from enough to save this disreputable movie .",
      "a lot is wrong about MOV , starting with a frenetic phillip glass score that absurdly heightens nearly every scene in which it 's used , squeezing the wit out of what might 've been a wicked black comedy .",
      "in making the leap this holiday season from a dame to a broad , judi dench has chosen to apply her inestimable talents to a tried and true fork in the thespian road .",
      "patrick marber 's adaptaion of zoe heller 's novel is one of the snarkiest of the year , in turns funny , riveting and appalling .",
      "this wicked comedy from brit director richard eyre and screenwriter patrick marber could have been called the prime of miss butch brodie . this is a nasty , nasty movie -- every wonderful moment of it .",
      "a cautionary tale which amply illustrates how far the culture has come in terms of portraying the mary kay letourneaus of the world empathetically .",
      "an incisive script by patrick marber -lrb- closer -rrb- , based on the novel by zoe heller and brilliantly ruthless performances by dench , blanchett , and bill nighy as sheba 's husband make this an intense psychological drama with the urgency of last night 's news .",
      "the writers and the actors have just enough sympathy for their characters to keep notes from deteriorating into a comedy of horrible manners .",
      "MOV may not always be deeply illuminating , but -lsb- director richard -rsb- eyre adds enough pathos and emotional realism to keep the movie from curdling into a snide joke .",
      "MOV 's resolution is a bit less challenging than the finale of heller 's novel , but for the most part it 's equally scathing , a nasty little peek into the worst of human behavior .",
      "MOV packs more heat , acid , danger and drama into its brief running time than most films of nearly double the length .",
      "almost unbearably tense as the relationship between cat and mouse takes completely unexpected , if completely believable , turns .",
      "dramatic overstatement saturates just about every piece of this production . even that master of orchestral pop minimalism , philip glass , managed to write a score that slinks into the dark shadows of old gothic witchery .",
      "patrick marber 's adaptation of the zoë heller novel improves upon the promise of the -lsb- dench/blanchett -rsb- pairing with a story that wastes no time on preliminaries as it descends -- gleefully -- into pitch-black comedy .",
      "in england , it seems , actresses have nothing to fear from age . they can simply wait for writers to create fresh work for them .",
      "though -lsb- dench 's character 's -rsb- actions are cruel , they are brilliantly , memorably so -- executed with a twisted genius worthy of iago .",
      "MOV emerges as a remarkable character study : difficult to watch , impossible to look away .",
      "it 's very intriguing and well done , and worthy of your time .",
      "a wanton cinematic treat .",
      "... a black-hearted , talon-slashing , bitter cup of arsenic -- you 'll almost feel guilty for having so much catty fun with such sheer , unbridled misery . almost .",
      "do not listen to the people who insist the film is brilliant , classy , or groundbreaking , for it is none of those things . it is , however , an awful lot of fun to watch .",
      "it 's a poison bonbon tastier than just about anything else out there .",
      "the screenplay has a bracing tincture of grand guignol , and nothing is simple when the two women are played by a couple of superlative actresses who clearly delight in one another .",
      "the skillful patrick marber adapted this gripping drama from a novel by zoe heller , and it 's both literate and urgently plotted , with a voice-over from dench that cuts like broken glass .",
      "judi dench is not only a very talented actress , but also a very brave and versatile one .",
      "this internalised dramatic thriller makes the most of subtly perceptive writing , directing and acting .",
      "dench 's barbara covett lacks the true menace to make her into an effective villain , and the recognizable humanity to make the lack of menace irrelevant .",
      "a terrific psycho-sexual thriller .",
      "judi dench and cate blanchett go the extra yard to bring genuinely anguished insight into the reverberation of sexual and personal predation .",
      "dench gives her character real dimension and you , almost , feel bad for her . almost . it 's a juicy role and an oscar-worthy performance by the grand dame ...",
      "the film itself settles for one level of pulp satisfaction , but dench and blanchett transcend it .",
      "portraying the most encrusted cat-lady of them all , dench sinks her fangs into the spinster role , brandishing marber 's dialogue like a lethal weapon ; she 's selma bouvier with a sniper 's rifle for a tongue .",
      "brilliant and riveting . judi dench gets my best actress vote ! and i tell you why female teachers have sex with teen boys .",
      "what begins as a witty and subtle chronicle of female friendship , loneliness and panic escalates into a melodramatic tabloid saga with lots of screaming , but judi dench is exquisite and her voice-over narration is masterful , stressing every syllabus",
      "the scandal is the misogynist tone taken toward this film 's female characters .",
      "nasty sex scandal drama .",
      "MOV is a wicked delight .",
      "a deviously entertaining account of one woman 's indiscretions as related by a not-so-disinterested third party .",
      "a multi-obsessional treasury for blanchett and dench to plunder with crackling creative joy .",
      "dench is nothing less than great in this role . it 's hard to recall a recent performance of such unrelenting ferocity , such a thoroughgoing devotion to the domination of another life .",
      "MOV is another squirm-und-drang movie : too creepy-sad to be a comedy , too intense to watch quietly , without letting out frequent whoops .",
      "an exquisitely dark comedy of manners and morals .",
      "there are brilliantly handled scenes of anger , embarrassment and humiliation , and brutal physical and emotional confrontations of great power .",
      "a borderline melodrama film that is fortunate to feature two superb enough performances to grant it high entertainment status .",
      "as much as barbara judges , however , you may find yourself in a quandary , not judging so much as taking pleasure in her vile , brilliant perfection .",
      "un brillante duelo actoral entre judi dench y cate blanchett % u2013dos de las mejores actrices de la actualidad - que es también un sutil estudio sobre la soledad y la obsesión .",
      "em seus melhores momentos , é um drama relativamente eficaz . -lrb- ... -rrb- nos piores , parece uma versăo de o pentelho protagonizada por mulheres e com judi dench no lugar de jim carrey .",
      "... a thoroughly trashy piece of work ...",
      "this is a strong drama that simmers its way to a boil by the end of the film . it falters only at the very end , in which the story falls back on a cliché .",
      "without a clear protagonist , `` MOV '' collapses under the weight of its significant subject matter . nevertheless , cate blanchett and judi dench rise above the ill - prepared source material with their passionate performances .",
      "a measured and yet gloriously overblown study of desire , entitlement and the twists we experience while shuttling between the two .",
      "the movie 's driving force is dench , whose extraordinary performance only underscores her post as one of the world 's finest living actresses .",
      "what makes this movie work are the powerhouse performances by judi dench and cate blanchett ; they will blow you away .",
      "MOV is n't deep . it 's chilly and mean and takes a largely dim view of humanity . none of which prevents it from being good , nasty fun ."
    ],
    "summary": "in this sharp psychological thriller , judi dench and cate blanchett give fierce , memorable performances as two schoolteachers locked in a battle of wits .",
    "id": "398731787"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hoosiers",
    "reviews": [
      "it is oddly affecting , because it feels true .",
      "MOV contains enough pleasures to make anyone without a heart of stone put aside cynicism and root for the underdogs .",
      "as rousing a male weepie as has ever been committed to film ...",
      "this film 's very lack of surprise and sophistication accounts for a lot of its considerable charm .",
      "basketball fans will be weeping like babies .",
      "a high-spirited crowdpleaser , well-performed",
      "a sound -- if manipulative -- sports movie .",
      "a rare example when every reason we love watching movies comes together for two hours",
      "a basketball coach in a small town proves that lives can be reclaimed even if one has messed up in the past .",
      "superbly evocative , deeply stirring .",
      "the kind of corny and manipulative pic that makes me glad i 'm not a basketball fan .",
      "the filmmakers are at the top of their game .",
      "an enjoyable , if conventional and manipulative small-town sports melodrama , boasting strong turns from gene hackman and dennis hopper , who received his only acting nomination for his part .",
      "a tale of heroic sportsmanship .",
      "the setting in early 1950s indiana adds nice texture to the story , but the endless games with the usual ups and downs outstay their welcome .",
      "shameless , yes , but open your eyes , close your mind , sit back and enjoy .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- compelling , enjoyable yarn .",
      "hackman is wonderful as an inarticulate man tense with the struggle to curb a flaring , mysterious anger .",
      "bobby knight would not be amused , though tark the shark might 've had a good laugh at the naive masquerade .",
      "basketball movies do n't get any better .",
      "the movie 's enormous craftsmanship accumulates till you 're actually seduced into believing all its pepperidge farm buncombe . that 's quite an achievement .",
      "it 's a movie that is all heart .",
      "you do n't have to be a basketball fan to enjoy this movie . but if you are , you 'll appreciate it all the more .",
      "even though we 've seen it all before , MOV scores big by staying small .",
      "... it 's easy enough to see why MOV has become one of the most endearing sports movies in cinematic history .",
      "any list of the best sports movies has to include MOV .",
      "why fight it ?",
      "not a false note and a great performance by hackman .",
      "it should come as little surprise that this solid , sentimental movie about basketball is set in indiana , where babies are given roundballs before they get rattles .",
      "pic belongs to hackman , but dennis hopper gets another opportunity to put in a showy turn as a local misfit .",
      "barely a single frame of this movie is less than compelling .",
      "cloyingly nostalgic .",
      "one of the greatest sports movies ever made !",
      "MOV works the underdog formula so expertly that it 's no surprise the film still has the ability to uplift audiences ."
    ],
    "summary": "it may adhere to the sports underdog formula , but MOV has been made with such loving craft , and features such excellent performances , that it 's hard to resist .",
    "id": "12766"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lassie",
    "reviews": [
      "this new MOV is no match for the original mgm production -lrb- roddy mcdowell , donald crisp , elizabeth taylor , etc. -rrb- , but there are many compensations that make it fine family entertainment .",
      "the combination of everyone 's favourite canine and eye-catching irish and isle of man locations ensure this nostalgic shaggy-dog story sends you home with your tail wagging .",
      "MOV achieves greatness through its rich supply of goodness .",
      "call me hard to please , but charles sturridge 's film leaves me unmoved and unengaged by the lovely story ... MOV should rip our hearts out , or at least make us rip our hankies out .",
      "this is an earnest , likable -- and very , very pretty -- addition to its star 's remarkable history .",
      "you know people keep saying ` they do n't make movies like that anymore ' ? well , in the case of MOV , they have . and they 've made it well .",
      "it 's the loveliest and most moving children 's film of the year so far .",
      "writer-director charles sturridge makes all the right moves in adapting the story , and treats it not just with the respect of a classic but the kind of intelligence , good taste and emotional sensitivity that kid movies rarely get .",
      "this remake of the 1943 classic MOV come home is quite an accomplishment , bringing together a top-notch british director , a very nice cast , gorgeous scottish scenery and all the renowned virtues of the world 's most famous collie .",
      "MOV has a fine cast , lots of calendar-pretty shots of MOV in different seasons and a dog-owned-by-many-different-people plot borrowed from david copperfield .",
      "it 's too bad that dog whisperer cesar millan was n't available to get the plot to heel .",
      "MOV is old-fashioned family entertainment , and i hope audiences are n't afraid to take a chance on a movie that might not be paced like a race car , but offers gentle adventure and alternative heroism instead .",
      "charles sturridge 's charming adaptation of eric knight 's classic book MOV come-home will thrill any adult who ca n't face another insipid children 's movie about talking animals . oh , and the kids will love it , too .",
      "MOV wears thin . it 's a little too long , and by the end the tugs on your heartstrings feel more like heartstring muggings .",
      "what 's that girl ? what are you saying ? that peter o'toole is more authentically barking than any actual dog in the cast ?",
      "while solidly made , it might be too cute and uncomplicated for 21st century audiences .",
      "MOV is a thoroughly enjoyable family film of the sort that they really do n't make anymore . however , be warned , if you take young children to see this you may find yourself getting a border collie for christmas .",
      "far from the madding crowd and frantic squeak of hollywood kid flicks , british writer-director charles sturridge makes beautiful , stubbornly unhurried movies about the best and worst in human , animal and even otherworldly nature .",
      "leave it to the brits to take back something ... and reinvent it into something that 's so much better than the traditions they 're trying to revive .",
      "thanks to a relatively gritty setting and an estimable adult cast , this sentimental story is rendered bearable for adults and children alike .",
      "bring plenty of hankies if you accompany your children to this latest screen incarnation of the beloved collie .",
      "there 's not much to grumble about : most of the performances are nicely honed , the cinematography and editing 's excellent and , despite the swooning strings , it 's not too sentimental .",
      "everything old is new again in the latest film about the beloved pooch with the i.q. of a grad student and the instincts of a boomerang .",
      "none of MOV 's adventures is told with the least bit of subtlety , but seeing as how the movie is aimed at the peewee , dog-loving set , few members of the target audience are likely to complain .",
      "maybe i 'm a sucker for dogs , but my eyes welled up . twice . woof !",
      "with its spirited ensemble and literary pedigree , MOV is worthy entertainment for a new generation of fans .",
      "the best version by far of the MOV story , an ocean away from the sappy june lockhart tv series .",
      "it 's a modest , low-budget effort that will require a tissue or two , especially for dog lovers .",
      "knight 's story retains enough of its power to ensure , even in this modest rendering , that it never fails to make your eyes mist and your cheeks warm .",
      "it 's a rare work of substance , simplicity , and grace that deserves to be mentioned among the best features crafted for younger viewers in the last twenty years .",
      "the 1943 MOV come home , starring then-child actors roddy mcdowall and elizabeth taylor as joe and cilla , is widely considered the gold standard to which all dog movies should aspire , but sturridge 's remake is a fine film in its own right .",
      "it 's such a relief to settle into a film that lets dogs be dogs , children be children , and old-fashioned movies be old-fashioned movies .",
      "there is an unabashed old-fashioned quality to the story-telling , not quaint , not fusty , but very much of another era -- and what a relief that is .",
      "if that does n't bring a tear to your eye , then you 're a robot with cross-wired circuitry .",
      "it plays your lacrimal glands like a violin , but honorably so .",
      "... the collie that became a star back in 1943 can still make you cry and cheer in the all-new MOV .",
      "MOV proves to be top dog in her latest feature film .",
      "i think just one of the best family films of the year .",
      "terrific performances by those with fur and without .",
      "MOV is family entertainment of a very high order , made all the better by -lsb- director -rsb- sturridge 's avoidance of cgi enhancement and the animatronics that have become commonplace in films about animals .",
      "no question about it , MOV is a very traditional film , but good storytelling , fine acting and beautiful photography add up to a solid family entertainment that never lets us forget who the real star is .",
      "this 11th MOV big-screen adaptation is a dramatic and at times heartbreaking look inside the uncaring social classifications of that long-ago english era , with the storm clouds of coming world war swirling about .",
      "it took 63 years for a stunning remake of the greatest dog movie of all time ?",
      "the one scene of MOV standing alone on the highlands of scotland is worth the price of admission .",
      "` MOV ' is a rich , beautifully filmed affair for the whole family .",
      "sturridge sometimes overplays his hand , piling on the sentimental clichés and goosing the violin music .",
      "while parents are reaching for their hankies , kids may be kicking their seats out of boredom .",
      "yes . this is indeed pure , unadulterated schmaltz . it 's supposed to be ... moviemaking of the old school , and is worth taking the little ones to before they get too cynical .",
      "a nice , pleasant , quietly engaging but slow and determinedly old-school piece of family entertainment .",
      "here 's what a classic family film should be -- intelligent without being smart-alecky , heart-warming without being smarmy and exciting without relying entirely on cgi .",
      "MOV is a dog movie even non-dog lovers will lap up .",
      "never has MOV 's proletarian spunk felt so alive .",
      "an exquisitely filmed drama about the collie with a huge heart and a quest that proves her love for her favorite human companion .",
      "a well-bred if docile creature .",
      "yes , they 're still making a few timeless , sentimental family films the way they used to - with no cgi .",
      "no , it 's not exactly realistic . but there is a sense of moral balance in MOV 's world that 's enviable . people are cruel to the dog and bad things happen to them . those who are good to her end up being rewarded .",
      "knows that kids live in a grown-up world , that they are not isolated from such realities as unemployment or war , and can relate to the problems of adult characters as well as those of children and animals .",
      "... an utterly beguiling success .",
      "fans of the original book should be pleased , but we were mostly bored .",
      "dog and movie lovers , take note : MOV has come home .",
      "it 's a welcome throwback to the carefully crafted family films of the studio era .",
      "a sweetly old-fashioned , tail-wagging charmer of a family film .",
      "MOV déjŕ vu filmed in the magnificent british isles with more than enough animal stampedes to enthrall an entire theatre of ten year olds , and their parents .",
      "schmaltzy return for classic cinema canine .",
      "this story of a boy and his dog comes home to its roots in yorkshire with a beautifully sensitive and traditional rendering . using the original 1938 short story as its source , writer & director charles sturridge % u2013 best known for his superb work on br",
      "writer/director charles sturridge adapts the heart-warming story with strict attention to its modest emotional underpinnings of family , devotion , and a beautiful collie .",
      "an ode to the beleaguered people who face hardships , physical and emotional , with hopeful optimism ."
    ],
    "summary": "a beautifully-made retelling of the classic collie tale , one need not be a dog-lover to fall for MOV .",
    "id": "287864935"
  },
  {
    "movie": "waste-land",
    "reviews": [
      "sentimentality and self-congratulation might have easily tipped the balance against a small but startlingly affecting story .",
      "this thoroughly involving documentary works on two levels : as a profile of an artist and as an exploration of human waste . and it 's so cleverly assembled that it 's entertaining and challenging at the same time .",
      "walker 's breezy film turns muniz into a folk hero . and who am i to argue ?",
      "... a dazzling thing to behold .",
      "i do not mean to make their lives seem easy or pleasant . it is miserable work , even after they grow accustomed to the smell . but it is useful work , and i have been thinking much about the happiness to be found by work that is honest and valuable .",
      "walker 's documentary is moving , life-affirming and challenges what you think you might know about these people who pick through the rubbish .",
      "i ca n't help but want people to see it ... there is some discussion in the film concerning certain ethics of involvement and interference with subjects through art",
      "MOV travels to an island populated by society 's discards , and finds a piece of salvation .",
      "a remarkable testament to working class lives and the unifying power of art , MOV is a rare thing - a film that makes you proud to be human .",
      "as in her memorable blindsight , in which sightless climbers took on everest , walker celebrates the indomitability of the human spirit .",
      "a reminder of humanity 's ability to transcend its surroundings through art or just plain optimism .",
      "compelling and vivid , it 's another fine piece of work from an up-and-coming talent .",
      "perhaps not life-changing but certainly life-affirming .",
      "the glimpses of favela life will make you thank your lucky stars you were n't born there .",
      "walker finds inspiration and strange beauty in the squalor .",
      "this is undoubtedly a bold raid into an unknown territory - both geographic and conceptual - that the prosperous classes prefer not to think about .",
      "`` MOV '' has some things in common with `` the gleaners & i , '' agnes varda 's wonderful 2000 nonfiction film about french field workers . but `` MOV '' goes even further .",
      "`` MOV '' is a film about recycling , but it 's far more intriguing than the average eco-documentary .",
      "MOV is inspirational without seeming self-righteous , and moving without being hackneyed .",
      "it 's not a very good title , MOV - this is n't a bleak film , at all - but just about everything else in lucy walker 's documentary works , and illuminates .",
      "`` MOV '' is a testament that things can go from good to bad in an instant . but they can also improve just as quickly .",
      "it 's sheer pleasure watching muniz work -- seeing him seized by mad impulses of delight .",
      "a stunning reminder of the redemptive power of art .",
      "while we await the definitive documentary about the glut of garbage , `` MOV '' reduces this global catastrophe to touchingly human scale .",
      "captures a tapestry of humanity rarely seen",
      "walker combines stirring studies of many of the jardim gramacho workers with a documenting of muniz 's project -- large-scale , dignified portraits framed by rephotographed , recyclable garbage .",
      "`` MOV '' is just what the film 's website says it is : `` stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit . ''",
      "given that it 's about garbage , lucy walker 's documentary is impressive for having only the faintest whiff of lefty handwringing .",
      "an astonishing documentary about a daring art project in the world 's largest garbage dump in rio de janeiro that celebrates the pickers who labor there .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- inspiring documentary .",
      "-lsb- muniz 's -rsb- intention to have them re-create photographic images of themselves out of garbage , while it may not pass muster as high art , has the effect of raising their spirits . at least for a while , their lives , and ours , have been transformed .",
      "brooklyn artist vik muniz helps tell the story of the city at the biggest landfill in the world . but are the right people watching ?",
      "that a beautiful film could be set in the world 's largest garbage dump sounds like an oxymoron , but acclaimed documentarian lucy walker has pulled off precisely that feat in her profoundly moving `` MOV . ''",
      "... a surprisingly beautiful film with a strong humanistic slant ... a must see documentary for lovers of the genre .",
      "... an eye opening account of human dignity .",
      "it 's an unexpectedly beautiful film not only because muniz 's work is lovely but also because the film is so thoughtfully composed .",
      "`` MOV '' is a must-see pbs-style cinderella story with true grit , a brilliant cast and an improbably big heart .",
      "a fascinating look at the complex intersections of art and charity , reality and perception .",
      "despite muniz 's evident sincerity , the real star of the show is the artist and art -- not the struggles of his subjects . and that story , unlike `` pictures of garbage '' itself , is fairly second-rate .",
      "lucy walker is an extraordinarily sensitive and caring filmmaker , and MOV is a testimony to the transformational nature of art in people 's lives .",
      "the power of `` MOV '' is two-fold since not only is muniz using art to shed light into a dark corner of the world but so is walker with her film . consistently entertaining and thoroughly fascinating .",
      "finally ! proof that art is garbage , garbage is art .",
      "a joy to watch despite the abject poverty it contains .",
      "one of the powers of great portraiture is its ability to make us wonder about the complete strangers captured within enigmatic works of art .",
      "rather than issuing a warning blow to either our guts or our hearts , it 's something of a soft wakeup nudge aimed somewhere in-between .",
      "a fascinating film , offering a glimpse of a world we 've never seen before ... allowing us to savor the unexpected power in the phrase , ` recycle yourself . '",
      "it overs a lot of ground , from a huge landfill , to the run-down shacks where the workers live , to the elite world of art auctions where thousands of dollars are paid for works of art featuring garbage and poor workers .",
      "the charismatic valter seems an ideal subject for lucy walter 's film , which is equally concerned with showing and seeing .",
      "it makes for a good human interest story .",
      "walker creates indelible documentary portraits of six workers that round out muniz 's very unusual physical portraits . -lsb- not -rsb- the usual saccharine shock at poverty .",
      "captivating , inspirational and profoundly eye-opening . it 's a testament to the true healing power of art .",
      "an entirely immersing documentary , one of those movies whose real value comes in the way it envelops viewers in a world they never knew existed .",
      "a feel-good rarity that descends neither to cuteness nor sentimentality , does not editorialize , either , but lets subject , and subjects , show us what it 's all about .",
      "comovente , doce , trágico e inspirador .",
      "... muniz has found the sweet spot of being just original enough to cash in with the moneyed individuals and institutions that constitute the international art market .",
      "has the potential to not only become the top-earner for new york-based arthouse films when it opens friday at the angelika film center but also one of the year 's best-reviewed documentaries .",
      "the breadth of gratitude these catadores feel towards muniz and the life-experience they undertake makes for an intelligent , emotional movie .",
      "this conversion of garbage into humanitarian aid is just the beginning . practical charity gives way to life-changing intimacy .",
      "MOV fuses the design concepts behind two of the most high-profile animations of recent years , rio and the oscar-winning wall-e , into an essay about how hard some people are prepared to work .",
      "MOV is a real treasure , the sort of heartwarming and life affirming study of people , lacking in both sentimentality and cynicism , that uplifts the audience and elevates the art form",
      "muniz is a gifted , modest and altogether delightful man , and his project is both aesthetically fascinating and philosophically stimulating .",
      "the result is a film that works on multiple levels , casting light on a worldwide problem while delivering a big jolt of human hope .",
      "a well-made and often uplifting film that refuses to get angry yet still manages to point out that things are n't as they should be for a great many .",
      "it 's inspiring , humbling and beautifully made .",
      "well made and impressively structured , this is a heartwarming , genuinely inspirational and ultimately deeply moving film that has deservedly picked up an oscar nomination for best documentary .",
      "more self-conscious , subtle exploration than the dubious bleeding-heart pr stunt implied by its premise .",
      "it shows us how artists find ideas and concepts for their work from the most unlikely sources , and it demonstrates the power of art to spark curiosity and cultural awareness in even the poorest , most underprivileged people ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV begins with an eco-friendly premise , but quickly transforms into an uplifting portrait of the power of art and the dignity of the human spirit .",
    "id": "770856666"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1013775-metropolis",
    "reviews": [
      "the acting is campy , the airplanes quaint , but MOV defines fearful futurism .",
      "everything we take for granted in movies today had to be `` invented '' by someone and it only enhances our understanding and enjoyment to recognize these roots .",
      "the restoration eliminates nearly all the distracting cracks and splices and stabilizes images that were previously jittery , allowing us to admire them in all their complex glory .",
      "one of filmdom 's major must-sees .",
      "the film looks beautiful and does justice to fritz lang 's vision .",
      "all in all , it 's a very complex story for a silent film - and it still can hold an audience 's attention for 2 hours , even after 75 years .",
      "see it on the big screen while you can , or risk the wrath of moloch .",
      "you ca n't be fully literate in the history of movies without seeing MOV , and this clearly is the version to see .",
      "after 75 years , fritz lang 's MOV still stands as an icon of the silent era .",
      "compelling prima facie evidence that the phrase ` black-and-white movie ' need n't at all be synonymous with ` boring night at my grandparents . '",
      "lang is at fever pitch . although the film is renowned for its architecture -- and thus has a reputation for being static -- what makes it seductive is how much organic energy lang and his collaborators put into the imagery .",
      "one of the last examples of the imaginative -- but often monstrous -- grandeur of the golden period of the german film , MOV is a spectacular example of expressionist design .",
      "brigitte helm is absolutely brilliant in a tricky dual role . the real star , though , is lang 's incredibly fecund imagination and his glorious realisation of the futuristic babel he dreamt up in his head .",
      "here is the starting-point of so much modern cinema .",
      "MOV remains the benchmark of agenda-driven extravaganzas , stirring and fun in the right spots .",
      "is fritz lang 's 1927 epic MOV the most influential film ever ? it certainly spawned the cinema of futurism , and watching it today . it 's uncanny to see how many shadows of cinema yet to come it already contains .",
      "occasionally it strikes one that -lsb- lang -rsb- wanted to include too much and then that all one anticipates does not appear . but at the same time the various ideas have been spliced together quite adroitly .",
      "each frame of this classic is drop-dead stunning .",
      "lang 's allegory of allegories posits humanity 's progress as a collision not just of labor and management but of technology and sorcery",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- although it ends with an overwrought climax , topped off with a laughably banal cliché that unites the workers with their greedy overlord , `` MOV '' is filled with stunning archetypal imagery and grand-scale spectacle .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- still-vital wellspring of creative inspiration .",
      "citing MOV ' influence and historical value is redundantly necessary . the film is responsible for gearing the evolution of its medium .",
      "the stunning cinematography , made crisper by present-day technology , and the film 's overall visual concept continue to make your jaw drop with admiration .",
      "a milestone -- one of the inescapable and essential classics of film .",
      "one of the all-time greats - one of those movies you finally watch and realize how much everyone 's been stealing from it for 75 years .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- hugely influential sci-fi classic .",
      "... reason to celebrate this beautifully restored new print , including around fifteen minutes of rediscovered footage and finally letting us experience the film on its proper , monumental scale .",
      "changed the face of film . this movie was far , far ahead of its time .",
      "few films can make you feel so in awe and just plain silly at the same time .",
      "unmissable .",
      "a visionary science-fiction spectacle ; a still relevant dramatization of ` class warfare ' ; a pulp nightmare of freudian-marxist-christian symbolism and expressionist-futurist-old testament imagery ; and a source of inspiration for nazis and utopians alike .",
      "here for the first time the chill mechanized world of the future ... has been given reality . here is the city , that tormented circus of buildings which touch the sky , of tunnels that disrupt the places under the earth .",
      "a perfect gateway drug for old movies .",
      "devoted film - and music-lovers alike will enjoy the latest reconstruction -lrb- images and sound -rrb- of fritz lang 's truly marvellous tale of mediation over violence .",
      "every dystopian vision owes a debt of gratitude to MOV .",
      "an eternal masterpiece .",
      "oh , it 's wacky . but the visuals are unlike anything we 've ever experienced . for the film aficionado , it 's a cinematic must-see .",
      "among the most famous and influential silent films ever made , MOV has lost none of its ability to inspire awe and provoke debate .",
      "a luminous and resplendent visual masterpiece yoked to a puerile and embarrassingly trite plot .",
      "master cinematographer karl freund fills the screen with an array of stylized shadows , oblique camera angles , geometric images , and nightmarish labyrinths .",
      "catch it wherever and whenever it plays . it incarnates the idea of the big city as a manifestation of modernism .",
      "a movie whose graphic intelligence is exceeded only by its conceptual audacity .",
      "none of the film 's many imitators has achieved something this immediately magnificent .",
      "a truly remarkable film ... an odd amalgam of naivete and sophistication",
      "trashy and glorious , the restored MOV is a pop epic for the ages .",
      "includes many images that have become part of film iconography .",
      "the great thing is that despite the over-the-top acting , the makeup that does n't know when to stop , the preciousness of so many of the compositions -lrb- lang was nothing if not inventive -rrb- , this is a great old movie-movie .",
      "in its best moments , the film 's mix of naivete and audacious imagination projects a primitive dream state -- a quality that more-knowing cinema of later decades could never achieve .",
      "far from a historical curio , MOV arrives , three-quarters of a century late , like an artifact from the future .",
      "moralistic science fiction at its maddest , fritz lang 's ambitious silent classic MOV still has the power to impress us with its inspired art direction and its expressionistic vision .",
      "although many shots are out of focus -lrb- face it , movie cameras were still evolving in 1927 -rrb- , some scenes look like they could have been shot last week , which makes lang 's achievement all the more awe-inspiring .",
      "a masterpiece of art direction , the movie has influenced our vision of the future ever since .",
      "a great artist contains multitudes , and lang packed a host of contradictory longings into a single allegory .",
      "a towering cinematic achievement .",
      "operatic in scale , story and music , the movie is an incredible treat .",
      "the story has lost none of its metaphorical punch .",
      "this restoration is one of the great things to happen to movies in the last ten years .",
      "for all that it was eviscerated soon after its january 1927 berlin premiere , fritz lang 's masterpiece has been the matrix of movies over the past 83 years ...",
      "the eye-popping design and sense of scale remains as fresh and vital as it was in 1927 .",
      "finally , a nearly complete copy of the original film has been found , in argentina . the restored version of this film makes a lot more sense than the old , badly edited versions .",
      "how did we make sense of the film before ?",
      "the recent discovery of 25 minutes of lost footage from fritz lang 's MOV is cause for celebration .",
      "from the tcm classic film festival : the north american premiere of a recently discovered , nearly complete cut ... a masterpiece .",
      "to see the film as the director intended , on the big screen with an original score recorded by a 60-piece orchestra , greatly enhances the reputation of a film already considered one of the icons of the silent era .",
      "the boldest , most exciting and most forward-thinking film that you are likely to see in 2010 is one that was made more than eighty years ago .",
      "here 's a coincidence : the first must-see movie of 2010 is also the must-see movie of 1927 . the difference is that you can actually see it now . or most of it .",
      "if you 've never seen the german expressionist landmark `` MOV '' on a big screen , get moving .",
      "if it comes anywhere near your town , go see it and thank the movie gods that it even exists . there 's no star rating high enough .",
      "the extended version -- the additional footage is easy to spot because it 's rather worn and a slightly different size -- provides more of the extraordinary performance by the teenage helm .",
      "the true stars here are fritz lang 's grandiosity of conception , the camerawork by karl freund and günther rittau , and the symmetrical sets and special-visual effects .",
      "see it on the big screen if you can .",
      "there 's no denying either the influence of lang 's vision -- so much of what he did in this film lives on that we take it as cultural assumption -- or the still valid energy of his storytelling .",
      "the visionary qualities of the visual creation become more impressive with each restoration , and the narrative more interesting .",
      "i have just had a sensational night at the movies , and the picture was only 83 years old .",
      "kino 's the complete MOV contains nearly a hundred instances of restored footage , ranging from brief reaction shots to entire sequences .",
      "a fully realized work of art whose influence on science fiction , set design and symbolism can scarcely be put into words .",
      "this movie is certifiably nuts and naive in many ways , but it is so exciting .",
      "too bad that so much really artistic work was wasted on this manufactured story .",
      "the new release of MOV , fully restored to just shy of fritz lang 's original vision , is an example of the grandest telepathy : what was thought to be lost forever .",
      "anyone who thinks they truly love movies must get their hands on the restored edition of this timeless film . you will not be disappointed .",
      "surreal , sprawling , operatic , drawing on biblical and medieval imagery as well as h. g. wells ... lang 's influential pulp allegory colonized a new realm of the imagination .",
      "cinema history does n't get much more relevant than the original MOV , fritz lang 's masterwork , a grandiose and jaw-dropping epic that would look impressive for 2004 .",
      "the most influential science fiction film ever made .",
      "an amalgam of strident political tract , religious hokum , futurist daydream , and fairy tale .",
      "hey , i think the giorgio moroder version of ` MOV ' is great . got a problem with that ?",
      "though at times teutonically tough-going , fritz lang 's german expressionist masterwork exerted a profound influence on art design and the science-fiction genre ...",
      "do n't miss the chance to see this restored masterpiece .",
      "you 've seen the rest ; now see the best .",
      "few movies of any era offer so much varied food for thought , cinematically and politically . its new restoration is a major motion-picture event .",
      "building on earlier science fiction and endlessly influential on later works , lang 's film is a mammoth marvel , fusing modernism and expressionism , art deco and biblical spectacle , wagnerian bombast , sentimental marxism and religiose millenarianism .",
      "the film looks fabulous , and gottfried huppertz 's original score is another worthy addition .",
      "the great fritz lang created this chilling 1926 evocation of a mechanized utopia run by underground slave labor .",
      "a fantastical monument to fritz lang 's megalomania , this sci-fi silent remains one of the gems of the genre .",
      "stanley kubrick , ridley scott , george lucas and other socially concerned artists imagining the future are indebted to lang .",
      "a flawed but fascinating masterpiece .",
      "lang 's impossibly vast skyscraper-ziggurats -lrb- inspired , it 's said , by his first view of the manhattan skyline -rrb- are the blueprint for nearly every science-fiction movie city of the past 30 years .",
      "it 's a masterpiece , but it 's not a sane movie . it 's gloriously bonkers .",
      "... is n't simply an industrial spectacle , however . much of it is just plain weird .",
      "few films have had such a striking impact on the history of cinema as MOV .",
      "science fiction at its silliest and at its best .",
      "essential viewing .",
      "lang nos mostra um futuro triste , pessimista , no qual os homens sucumbem aos avanços da tecnologia , tornando-se meros escravos das máquinas .",
      "few films have ever been more visually exhilarating .",
      "bridgitte helm 's strong acting completely transforms her attitude from the demure maria to the provocative futura robot with outstanding pantomime work .",
      "the original dystopic movie , the first sci-fi epic ; lang 's skilful juxtaposition of germanic gothicism with art deco resulted in a brilliant motion picture , a classic in every sense .",
      "a wonderfully crafted satire , all wrapped around with awesome visuals and great effects .",
      "a haunting vision , with images that seem more like disturbing hallucinations ."
    ],
    "summary": "a visually awe-inspiring science fiction classic from the silent era .",
    "id": "18225"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mid_august_lunch",
    "reviews": [
      "these women ! these women are marvelous .",
      "this is a small , perfectly delicious film . the actors are magical .",
      "a simple and endlessly charming look at a weekend in the life of an uncomplicated middle-aged man living with his aging mama .",
      "novice feature director gianni di gregorio has made a terrific and warm little comedy by only occasionally leaving his apartment in rome .",
      "di gregorio stars in the film as well as writing and directing , and a more charming mealtime companion you 're not likely to find .",
      "shot handheld and mostly confined to the apartment , the film is -lrb- despite some mild food tourism -rrb- a delightful feat",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- unique recipe , a bittersweet comedy/drama , with a dash of realism .",
      "what a pleasure it is to see a film that treats the elderly as more just the sum of their age spots .",
      "it 's a gentle meditation on food and companionship .",
      "-lsb- di gregorio -rsb- draws wonderfully unfussy performances from his nonprofessional cast and ... produces a film which feels so natural that it seems to be capturing real life",
      "as shimmering and insubstantial as heat haze ... an airy morsel that dissolves on the tongue , imparting only the faintest hint of flavor .",
      "if mid-august lunch were a meal instead of a movie , it would be something light and quick , but not entirely unsatisfying . a green salad with a couple pieces of grilled shrimp on top , say .",
      "easy as a sunday morning ...",
      "a tasty tidbit of a film , mid-august lunch is one of those movies where almost nothing happens but it happens quite nicely .",
      "charming but insignificant .",
      "not much happens in this wisp of a movie -lrb- it 's barely 75 minutes -rrb- , and not much is necessary ; it 's all about finding a mood and letting it sneak up and envelop the watcher .",
      "an italian comedy so slight it practically evaporates ...",
      "mid-august lunch is a sweet-spirited gem , warmly comic while showing the hassles of caring for aging relatives more honestly than 10 family sagas from hollywood .",
      "the movie glows .",
      "it 's like watching john cassavetes trapped in a mega-episode of the golden girls .",
      "the only whiff of passion comes from the sadistic care that has gone into putting garish clothes and makeup on the mother , which give her the ghoulish air of jeanne moreau in a fun-house mirror .",
      "feels more like an unsatisfactory appetizer than a satisfying main course .",
      "in just 75 minutes the director convinces us that girls just want to have fun -- even when they 're 90 .",
      "this may be a small gem of a film but it tackles a vast , too often ignored , subject . mid-august lunchportrays and embraces the theme of the inevitable-and natural-passage of time with grace , dignity and humor .",
      "you 'd have trouble finding another movie with such unforced appreciation of its elderly characters or such intelligent understanding of old age .",
      "a delightful homage to the simple pleasures that life can offer no matter the age .",
      "this warm italian comedy takes a look at generational issues without getting preachy about it . filmmaker-actor di gregorio 's almost fly-on-the-wall style continually catches us off guard with its humour and insight .",
      "slight of plot but rich in character ... a low-key gem .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- exquisite , coralled miniature .",
      "it is a gentle wisp of a charmer that never overstays its warm welcome .",
      "at best a cute anecdote that scrapes by at just over 70 minutes .",
      "a charmer that 's a sleeper in the making",
      "a thoroughly delightful italian film about a nurturing man who finds his caregiving responsibilities greatly expanded during a summer holiday .",
      "the beauty of this picture is that it does n't shy away from depicting the indignities of growing old - not the least of which is that none of your children wants to look after you - and yet manages to invest all of its elderly characters with dignity .",
      "underlying this amiable , thoughtful film is an assumption that age should bring with it respect - and however exasperated he gets , gianni abides by this code completely .",
      "as single joke movies go , this droll , happy-go-lucky miniature from writer/director/actor gianni di gregorio is easily one of the better ones .",
      "the semi-improvised performances and gently nostalgic tone makes this endearing and captivating .",
      "there 's no grand drama or payoff to sleepy italian import mid-august lunch -- this is essentially polaroid-type , snapshot cinema . but there is truth here , and in truth there is always some value .",
      "this enchanting film in which director / writer gianni di gregorio also stars , offers a simple but mesmerising slice of life in suburban rome in summer , where his protagonist gianni finds himself at the mercy of the whims of four elderly women for the mid",
      "warm-hearted , subtle italian comedy with likeable characters and an important message , though it does occasionally feel like a sketch that 's going on too long .",
      "di gregorio 's directorial debut is an unpretentious delight . it may be small in scale but it 's also warm-hearted , amusing and observant , and features endearing performances from its ensemble cast .",
      "no one seems to have a clue about how to inject life into lifeless material ... a cinematic meal of soft , bland fare only .",
      "delightfully acted by the cast , and directed with an unobtrusive hand . the feature wo n't win any awards for spectacle , but it might surprise most viewers , who 'll surely want to pull up a chair and join the conversation .",
      "warm and wise , it 's a minor masterpiece .",
      "the film is full of natural comedy ; his women could easily have been comic harridans , but they are too fully drawn , perhaps because the director allowed them to draw themselves .",
      "elegantly shot , and with a terrific tango-infused score , this is a quiet gem .",
      "it 's a trifle , but a trifle that sticks .",
      "appealingly acted by a mostly non-professional cast and propelled by a moving score , mid-august lunch proves how small can indeed be beautiful .",
      "the droll mid-august is a tribute to the gentle skills of italian filmmaker gianni di gregorio , who not only wrote and directed this unhurried chamber piece but also starred in it as a character he named after himself .",
      "a pleasant diversion . perfect for a mid-august afternoon .",
      "a droll geriatric comedy set during a roman holiday in the heat of summer .",
      "a film that brings the food and spirit of italy to your doorstep in a light hearted set of afternoons with the grandmothers of rome .",
      "it 's like an episode of a superior television series that you 'd like to see week after week .",
      "for every scene in which the old dears ' twinkly-eyed feistiness becomes a bit clichéd , there is another that gives a perceptive , touching view of these women 's lives .",
      "a wonderfully patient , delicately observed film ; warm , generous , never for a moment sentimental or patronising , never exploiting dottiness and eccentricity .",
      "mid-august lunch is a film of rare benevolence that treats its subjects with dignity and playfulness .",
      "the movie is a perfect blend of calm execution and uninflected farce ."
    ],
    "summary": "thoughtful , warm-hearted , and delightfully free of pretense , mid-august lunch offers viewers a light diversion with some surprising depth .",
    "id": "770796288"
  },
  {
    "movie": "thing_called_love",
    "reviews": [
      "it bears as little relation to the real nashville as altman 's 1975 feature , but director peter bogdanovich , the talented cast , and the credited and uncredited screenwriters are so busy conjuring up a charming world of their own that i did n't mind .",
      "sometimes bogdanovich is just too intelligent for his own good . while he hardly puts a foot wrong in his observation of shattered ambitions , his curse seems to be that his work will forever be unfashionable .",
      "perhaps no one could have saved phoenix , who was not lucky enough to find a higher bottom than death . but this performance in this movie should have been seen by someone as a cry for help .",
      "river phoenix gives a somnambulant impersonation of christian slater impersonating jack nicholson , and samantha mathis spends much of the movie trying to figure out exactly who her character is .",
      "aside from its blatantly commercial aspirations and predictable storyline , there is an appealing cast , enjoyable songs and some funny bits of business .",
      "the MOV charms and touches .",
      "nothing terribly new happens here , but bogdanovich plays out his scenes with tenderness and affection , and the honest performances spring to life .",
      "it 's so sad that phoenix went out not with a bang but with this whimper .",
      "bogdanovich 's modest staging is occasionally awkward -- his kids still watch john wayne movies at the drive-in -- but there 's a convincing sense of what nashville 's like and how country music works .",
      "peter bogdanovich brings conviction but little else to this upbeat response to robert altman 's nashville .",
      "a star is born in nashville .",
      "it 's good enough to watch , but not good enough to re-watch .",
      "perhaps there 's not much new to say about the dues and disappointments involved in breaking into the country music scene , but the scenes are fresh and the emotions real in peter bogdanovich 's tune-laden , mixed-mood drama .",
      "although well acted , with early scenes that deftly sketch the atmosphere , the movie , written by carol heikkinen , never takes off .",
      "a highlight of phoenix 's career"
    ],
    "summary": "the last film river phoenix completed before his death , the MOV does n't have much new to say about show business , but it 's energetic and well acted .",
    "id": "54489947"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beginners",
    "reviews": [
      "he performers are charming , particularly ms. laurent and mr. plummer , with his killer eyes -lrb- still seducing after all these years -rrb- and a voice that echoes in your ears .",
      "delicate business is being transacted in this touchingly personal and altogether extraordinary film from writer-director mike mills . MOV is one from the bruised heart .",
      "does n't entirely avoid affectation , but overall it 's a touching story of two generations , father and son , each striking out on a new path .",
      "the film 's special mixture of sadness , comedy and hope sneaks up on you and stays in your memory .",
      "... a small wonder to behold . mills fashions the set-up for an overwrought , thoroughly depressing character study into an oddly charming comedy .",
      "the material with plummer is so spectacular -- exuberant , poignant , vastly entertaining -- that it swaddles the rest of the film like a warm blanket .",
      "if few things are more tragic than lives wasted in regret and denial , then the converse is true : little is more life-affirming than the discovery of dignity and meaning .",
      "`` MOV '' is warm and revealing and bittersweet , if a trifle all over the place stylistically and thematically .",
      "inventive and enriching , affirming that a disarmingly personal , empathetic remembrance has universal appeal .",
      "the film is not about a straight man 's struggle to understand how his father is gay ; it 's about learning that happiness is always possible if you 're brave enough to keep your heart open .",
      "oliver flits from depressed to charming and back again as the script requires , ultimately feeling less like a character than a grand contrivance .",
      "in MOV , the jack russell terrier named arthur proves to be damned cute . unfortunately , the movie around him is not cute , it 's coy .",
      "life-affirming , endlessly witty , and beautifully realized cinematically , the seamlessly flowing MOV is nigh perfection .",
      "mills allows one half of his story to subtly shape the other in a way that makes for a more coherent and rewarding tale than its disparate elements suggest .",
      "mike mills has taken a particularly confusing and painful part of his own life and turned it into a moving expression of acceptance , compromise , and the struggle to overcome obstacles .",
      "if MOV were a comic , it would devote way too many panels to mcgregor and laurent gazing wanly at each other .",
      "for all the death and psychotherapeutic gamesmanship going on , this film is a comedy",
      "while the picture sometimes groans under the 200-pound whimsy of mills ' filmmaking , it 's also often touchingly direct .",
      "MOV is not culturally astute .",
      "on paper , it all could have been too cloying or self-conscious , but writer-director mike mills finds just the right tone every time . he also draws lovely , natural performances from christopher plummer and ewan mcgregor .",
      "with good performances and characters , MOV is an enjoyable , amusing and occasionally poignant watch .",
      "it may seem a little too quirky at times , but the film does speak eloquently to a very human malaise .",
      "played with just enough whimsy to be funny and just enough reality to be bittersweet , mike mills ' MOV is a film with a light touch dealing with heavy matters .",
      "this overloaded soap opera is so obsessed with sadness that it becomes a turnoff .",
      "... the humans in MOV never shape up into idiosyncratic , flesh-and-blood folks who get under our skin and engage our deepest emotions .",
      "an unusually gratifying film about a playful 75-year-old man 's zest for life and its effect on his serious and lonely 38-year-old son .",
      "even the clichés in this warm mood piece seem unpredictable and without contrivance .",
      "it 's strongest as the story of an artist who , in his own way , has only begun to come out .",
      "it is tonally elusive , cerebral and subdued , but this is a film with a healthy , if self-conscious iq . it could be an excellent date movie .",
      "an oddly charming concoction .",
      "MOV drones along in a state of melancholic navel-gazing .",
      "plummer gives a textured portrayal as hal , but it 's the character of oliver , sensitively played by mcgregor , that rings truest , even when he takes advice from a subtitled dog .",
      "MOV is a frustrating watch as it could have been so much better .",
      "one of those movies that i wanted to like more than i actually did . i did like it , but something about it just did n't ring the gong .",
      "MOV is well acted and has the occasional inspired moment , but its overly self-conscious quirkiness never quite gels with the emotional drama and the end result is disappointing .",
      "writer/director mike mills , who based much of the film on his own experiences , is the real star here .",
      "decently acted but so uneventful and underpowered that it will stretch the patience of mainstream audiences .",
      "there is a sense of captivating innocence ... that gives MOV a refreshing vitality and sense of hope amidst a challenging story of embracing change ... to find purpose .",
      "funny , cute and humane , MOV is a small gem of a film .",
      "mcgregor remains a likeable screen presence but , yet again , he seems to be in a never-ending search for a good script and a big hit .",
      "mcgregor , in one of his most assured performances , helps anchor a film that could have seemed very fey and far-fetched indeed . he underplays beautifully .",
      "true romantics will fall under its spell .",
      "mike mills ' new film has all the caricatures of an ` indie ' production but the skilled filmmaker knows how to keep each just in check , and hold firm to a central narrative .",
      "affectionate personal pic .",
      "MOV is both touching and life affirming , qualities that many movies aim for but few truly achieve .",
      "it 's one of those movies i ca n't be sure you 'll be tempted by , but i 'm certain that if you are , you 'll like it very much .",
      "MOV is immensely moving , funny and involving , the acting beyond reproach ...",
      "one can only regret this writer-director 's decision to cram so much material into the mix that some fine understated performances , and much of the film 's emotional impact , are obscured along the way .",
      "if this is style over substance filmmaking , then i do n't think my tear ducts could handle substance over style .",
      "there are some potentially ` quirky ' situational landmines that the writer/director skirts around , but skirt he does , never letting the gimmickry of a scene get in the way of its emotional truth .",
      "i saw MOV after hearing from some people that it was too twee and from others that it was funny and moving . i kind of agree with both points of view .",
      "a deeply-felt call to boldness in all its forms , whether it 's romantic , parental or septuagenarian love .",
      "a story about the meaning of life , exploring what 's real , what 's important and most importantly what can be sustained",
      "mike mills wants his own experience to be an example of a universal truth about all the things he went through when , like hal -lrb- christopher plummer -rrb- , his father , came out of the closet as gay , after a 45 year marriage and on the eve of terminal cancer",
      "`` a powerful homage not only to one 's parents but to the power of community . ''",
      "it does get a bit too cute stylistically , but the easy chemistry between the three leads ensures this adds up to a gentle and often touching charmer .",
      "good performances by mcgregor , plummer and laurent . a lot of odd characters in this film . the idea of a cute little dog communicating with people by telepathy worked pretty well .",
      "mcgregor and plummer put on a master 's exhibition of timing , tone and tenacity .",
      "`` MOV '' ultimately becomes so deeply resonant that you should pack some kleenexes just in case .",
      "mills needs to look up from the lint that 's collected in his navel .",
      "mike mills treats love and loss with a disarming tenderness and a refusal of sentimentality that make MOV , his second feature , something of an anomaly among male identity flicks . what a finely wrought , wryly funny , transcendently sad movie this is .",
      "it understands death better than it understands life ; it understands memories more than it understands what to learn from them .",
      "MOV , beyond its pervasive atmosphere of melancholy and loss , suffers from a little self-indulgence . it 's your typical indie drama .",
      "plummer , who won an oscar for this , is that rare actor lucky enough to manage half a century of undiminished dash and elan on screen .",
      "life begins at death . a funny , engaging romantic dramedy about never being too late to find happiness .",
      "una historia profundamente humana en la que el director no teme escarbar en sus propios fantasmas . christopher plummer se adueńa de su personaje de una manera tierna y conmovedora , que le valió el oscar como mejor actor de reparto .",
      "the sort of movie you never really stop wanting to love , even as it flits about and tests the boundaries of your attention . warm , full of life and tidbits that illuminate life and love in elliptical fashion .",
      "MOV is n't bad , exactly , but mills focuses much less on the father-son stuff than on oliver 's off-and-on liaison with a pretty french actress .",
      "MOV is all about human ambiguity , contradiction , shades of gray , and the inherent imbrication of the joy of having something and the terror of losing it .",
      "plummer 's turn as hal the movie just seems to radiate importance .",
      "engages the ambiguous and contradictory building blocks of human existence with wisdom , wit and thoughtful humility .",
      "beautifully cast and expressively told . it has the stamp of the exquisitely personal about it .",
      "charmingly quirky and cheekily audacious , the story of a young man and the changes caused by his elderly father 's late-in-life revelations is crafted with sweetness and originality .",
      "touching , and it has a tender side to it .",
      "as it turns out , nothing drastic happens nor are they drowned in darkness , but mills does evoke a mood of melancholy and poignance , and suggests with rueful fatalism how the burden of memory jostles with the delight of falling in love .",
      "what a delicately and charmingly off-center movie .",
      "MOV is the story of adults who are MOV at love but who are slowly , scene by scene , moving forward in their journey .",
      "mills has crafted a meditation on a huge chunk of life , and he and his cast have made a moving and lovely thing of it .",
      "meaningful yet told with a light hand , touching yet a little undernourished .",
      "mike mills ' wistful , wonderful `` MOV '' feels a lot like life - it 'll make you laugh , it 'll make you cry -lrb- well , me anyway -rrb- and , by its end , you 'll feel as if you 've learned something .",
      "many cherish this film . to me the cuteness feels pushy .",
      "it 's a hopeful fable with deep optimism and a cheerful style that kids itself .",
      "tenderly told and exquisitely performed , this is a gentle wonder , with characters we root for and emotions we believe in .",
      "`` write what you know , '' the standard advice goes , and filmmaker mike mills -lrb- thumbsucker -rrb- knew he had a compelling family story to tell .",
      "this is a bright-looking movie with a long face that seems to have learned nothing about life from death but clichés .",
      "at 81 , christopher plummer gives an oscar-caliber performance -lrb- and one of his very best -rrb- as a late gay bloomer in this touching romantic comedy .",
      "veers between being at times rather tedious and at others very moving .",
      "a beautifully understated piece of filmmaking and a playfully inventive style of storytelling are combined to great effect in MOV .",
      "arthur might have stolen this one were it not for a cast that inspires you to empty out your bag of superlatives .",
      "mills frames the tale with enough melancholy and self-reflection to give MOV more than its fair share of observational truths .",
      "-lsb- director mike -rsb- mills ... gives the film a celebratory passion in the quiet closeness of father and son and the playful first-person storytelling ...",
      "in any other movie , the key character of arthur , a soulful jack russell terrier , would draw all the attention away from the two-legged protagonists , but the performances by the three leads are so superb that everyone is able to share in the glory .",
      "like his irreverent film thumbsucker , mills tackles dark territory but never strays too far into melancholy .",
      "mcgregor and plummer offer up two perfectly weighted , occasionally humorous and often heartbreaking performances .",
      "MOV is perceptive , funny and moving .",
      "a quietly moving , delicately mounted romantic drama that touches the heart with resorting to melodrama or an over-reliance on conflict .",
      "endiaferoysa skhnothetikh paroysia poy parapempei se indie paragwges , filtrarismenh me ton aera toy xoligoyntianoy tamperamentoy twn prwtagwnistwn",
      "laurent and mcgregor are the year 's most appealing screen couple , their scenes together so realistic they seem improvised .",
      "a buoyant and disarming drama about sons and fathers , death and dying , living and loving and all the ways we find ourselves starting over , hoping to finally get it right .",
      "MOV somehow manages to be playfully quirky , with hilariously deadpan dialogue and many cute moments ... and at the same time , it 's absolutely heartfelt .",
      "... the film belongs to the irrepressible plummer who radiates an infectious joy of life and whose spirit watches over all .",
      "all the gimmicks in the storytelling ... ca n't camouflage the fact that the story itself was never quite worked out .",
      "sweet moments of subtle comedy and straightforward family drama mix perfectly with mike mills ' trademark artfulness in MOV .",
      "chock full of honest , believable , gripping emotion .",
      "a beautifully humane , sweet and intelligent movie that knows exactly what it is at every moment .",
      "ranks among the most affectionate and sensitive portraits of homosexuality ever crafted by a straight person .",
      "certainly grows on you , despite all of the twee touches .",
      "mills delivers another film full of poise and poignancy that 's emotionally-devastating , but also an enjoyable experience .",
      "that deceptively delicate surface masks a movie with an unflinchingly tough heart .",
      "... the pervasively uneven atmosphere is essentially heightened by the ongoing emphasis on off-the-wall elements .",
      "virtually every moment of introspective tenderness mustered up by this trio ends up undermined by mills ' super-precious execution .",
      "a too-quirky dramedy that warns : life is not forever .",
      "-lrb- review included within an interview with writer-director mike mills . -rrb- christopher plummer and ewan mcgregor ... deliver excellent performances . a touching movie with truly universal appeal . one of the five best glbt-themed narrative films of 2011 .",
      "the movie 's playfulness rubs off on the actors . scenes crackle with life . the chemistry among all the actors is terrific .",
      "deeply poignant and disarmingly personal .",
      "wwhile there 's plenty of melancholia , there is also sweet wonder and celebration in writer-director mike mills ' semiautobiographical tale of a straight son coming to terms with his own love 's possibilities after his father comes out of the closet .",
      "in his follow-up to thumbsucker , writer-director mike mills continues to evoke a state of perpetual adolescence : the only fears given real weight are of not being liked and of having to behave like a responsible adult .",
      "MOV finds life both ripe with possibility and ensnared in the past . but then every morning is a beginning , right ? if only we could remember that .",
      "the soap-opera-style plot is draped in heavy folds of sadness , but the acting rescues it .",
      "it 's way less lifetime movie than it sounds , promise .",
      "it 's an embarrassment of emotional riches -- some pure and crisp , others cloying . this is a film that delights one moment and , the next , gets bogged down in its morass of feelings .",
      "an affecting film by mike mills that makes a virtue of its own awkwardness .",
      "it 's a quiet little gem .",
      "cuts the whimsy with melancholy ... its case of the cutes is n't terminal .",
      "i understand if you ca n't bear to see one more story of a moping single guy who ca n't commit , but consider making an exception for `` MOV . ''",
      "joyous in the places we 're accustomed to misery .",
      "you know you 're in the hands of a superbly gifted filmmaker when he can pull off a talking dog .",
      "mills weaves emotional storylines together -- and anthropomorphizes a canine -- without stumbling into sentimentality . it feels true , lived-in , every single moment .",
      "an effective portrait of a damaged individual uncertain about the meaning of love and commitment and the two key relationships in his life that teach him lessons about both .",
      "a surprisingly accomplished mix of romance , comedy and drama .",
      "one of my favorite films in 2011 .",
      "watching the film is like spending two hours consuming fat , sugary doughnuts of self-pity .",
      "it 's a movie about untangling roots in order to grow .",
      "plummer turns out to be nearly the only reason to see MOV , which is on the whole an impossibly dreary film .",
      "it 's warm and perhaps a little too heartfelt , but it 's grounded in the three central performances .",
      "plummer ... creates an inspiring , fully rounded man in late bloom , and mcgregor responds with a performance to match .",
      "it 's really the acting here that distinguishes the picture , elevating the material and counteracting mills ' tendency to wallow . plummer , mcgregor , laurent , and keller are all excellent . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "a strange and beautiful film .",
      "MOV pays tender tribute to that imprinting process , but also , quite dazzlingly , makes a person sincerely believe in the possibility of rebirth .",
      "this is a huge step up for director mills .",
      "excruciatingly faux-naďve and sentimental ...",
      "mills is making this one for himself , and anyone not in perfect alignment with the movie 's glacial tempo of contemplation will likely become nauseous by the end of this lengthy , cutesy , empty march to the end of life .",
      "this is obviously deeply personal material , which makes one wonder why -lsb- mills -rsb- felt the need to cloud it with indie confetti .",
      "`` MOV '' is a delightful film - gentle , playful , creative and ultimately happy - though it 's a tricky journey .",
      "the source of oliver 's sadness is so complex , it 's never properly explained , but mcgregor succeeds in convincing us it 's real . and his scenes with plummer are convincing and loving .",
      "filled to the brim with c-level indie quirk that 's too self-absorbed to even bother to be funny ."
    ],
    "summary": "wearing its twee heart on its sleeve , MOV explores the depths of modern , multi-generational romance with wit and depth .",
    "id": "771208735"
  },
  {
    "movie": "flicka",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's not bad -- pretty people , pretty animals and pretty scenery -- it 's only pointless .",
      "MOV does not seem to be pandering to the dictates of hollywood formula filmmaking , and everything about it seems structured to evoke that special love which young girls seem to universally feel for the equine species .",
      "`` no one 's riding that loco thing ! '' well , of course as soon as we hear that line we know someone 's going to have to ride it .",
      "alison lohman is appropriately tousled as the rebellious teen , who identifies with the horse she 's struggling to tame , but her performance is alternately shrill and pouty .",
      "a thoroughly uninspiring drama that ultimately buckles under michael mayer 's weighty direction .",
      "this would fit right in with the `` follow your heart '' school of thought that has been common to , say , disney films of the past 20 years .",
      "the sentimentality meter redlines in the finale , which mixes elements of old yeller and e.t. , but much of the movie 's tear-jerking is earned honestly .",
      "sentimental but not cloying , MOV is family-friendly entertainment that hits almost all the right notes , even though it is playing the same old song .",
      "at its best , the movie sounds like a standard hollywood product in an automatic heartfelt mode .",
      "breathtaking scenery and the sweet story of a girl , her dad and a special horse make MOV a worthwhile family flick .",
      "it must have annoyed the people making MOV when dreamer came out last year . they 're similar films , and dreamer is better .",
      "MOV proves a pleasant surprise for a family film .",
      "a movingly told variation on an old story .",
      "a coming-of-age tale that proves as gentle as its subject is wild .",
      "there 's plenty of singing and haircutting and pretty landscape and annoying crap to fill in the blanks between confrontations .",
      "as things progress , the magic of the story asserts itself over the audience .",
      "a guaranteed tearjerker .",
      "somewhere between friday night lights and the new family film MOV , tim mcgraw forgot how to act . that 's a big problem for a film that 's already hobbling a bit .",
      "this is the kind of movie that many families are looking for , but all too rarely receive .",
      "... lessons are learned , love is spoken and nobody needs to be put down -lrb- including country-music star tim mcgraw -rrb- .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- lovably corny adaptation of mary o'hara 's grade-school classic , my friend MOV .",
      "there 's nothing friendly about this joyless and repellently melodramatic family film .",
      "set against the gorgeous backdrop of a wyoming mountain range , -lsb- MOV -rsb- offers up fantasy footage for every strong-willed girl who ever straddled a saddle .",
      "a beautifully photographed slice of pony porn for the preteen set .",
      "never met a cliché it did n't like .",
      "alison lohman , the 27-year-old actress who plays katy , makes the whole thing worth watching .",
      "this MOV may not be a classic , but it 's a nice afternoon 's entertainment , particularly for girls who ride wild horses in their dreams .",
      "you ca n't go wrong with this plot : girl meets pony , girl loses pony , girl gets pony back . there are problems , but they all live happily ever after , that 's boilerplate . but so what ?",
      "director mayer knows how to tug at the heartstrings , and his admirably restrained cast keeps the family drama from becoming too sugary .",
      "the apparent lesson of the movie ? keep disobeying your parents and you 'll eventually get your way .",
      "young kids may well find the story charming and identify with the headstrong katy , while their parents are likely to find the situation quaint and a little dull .",
      "not to beat , well , a dead horse , but , despite its lovely scenery , likable cast and pro-mustang message , this MOV seems superfluous and manipulative .",
      "the movie is inoffensive and forgettable , which is probably what they were going for .",
      "MOV is a great family flick , perfect for a dad-and-daughter date , a family film outing , and everyone who 's read and loved the book .",
      "j. michael muro 's gorgeous cinematography spreads the astonishing beauty of rural wyoming across the cinemascope screen . ... mcgraw gives an appealingly understated performance ...",
      "makes dreamer , the last mediocre girl-and-her-horse movie , seem almost brilliant by comparison .",
      "if it 's going to be a paint-by-numbers plot then there should be an emotional core to hang it on .",
      "perhaps the children will enjoy this , but i was just choked by the corniness ...",
      "... an entirely needless piece of work .",
      "classic book gallops to the big screen .",
      "an engrossing and beautifully acted remake that salutes horses , freedom , and familial love in ways that stir the heart .",
      "a skillfully told , beautifully shot coming-of-age story .",
      "a girl and a horse : that 's love . what more can we want ?",
      "with MOV , young ladies who were n't in the market for brokeback mountain get their own chance to drool over the wide open spaces and awe-inspiring mountains of wyoming , if they can avert their gaze from the gorgeous horses , that is .",
      "even i , the most macho movie critic in all of the land , had one manly tear running down my rough , unshaven cheek after this movie ... it 's the movie you want to see with someone who wo n't be embarrassed when you cry .",
      "it 's an old fashioned and reasonably satisfying family film that will work just as well if you wait for video .",
      "ultimately , the entire endeavor seems like an effort to cash in on a predictably bankable tale .",
      "it 's about wild horses representing a special sort of speed , force , and freedom , beyond wild west shows and shootouts and men with no names .",
      "to call this the best horse-and-kid picture since the black stallion a quarter century ago is true but misleading ; it 's not really either an animal or a kids ' film but rather a young adult drama that rings emotionally true .",
      "the dull dialogue and predictable action corrals the actors .",
      "a new yet insistently old-fashioned spin on the kid-lit classic my friend MOV .",
      "girl meets horse yet again in this entertainingly ridiculous update of mary o'hara 's 1941 childrens novel , my friend MOV .",
      "part of the point is that untamability , of `` spirit '' at least , is to be celebrated . katie and the movie both argue that such a quality is inherently american . and the movie argues pretty loud .",
      "the latest version of this beloved kid-loves-horse story has everything a film requires to attract an equine-crazy audience of all ages .",
      "horse-mad tweens may not notice its flaws , but with a defter touch , even this familiar story might have made for a more exciting ride .",
      "a well-made family drama pitched to young adults that 's honest , tough and surprisingly engaging .",
      "their voice is strong , they 're just not singing a new tune .",
      "young alison lohman continues to be an actress to watch .",
      "often very beautiful looking , but gracelessly directed .",
      "i doubt ... that mayer , who fills the film with many unexpectedly lovely , lyrical moments , would have chosen to set MOV 's wrenching emotional centerpiece to a hideously maudlin , ear-piercing country song .",
      "MOV is a classic tearjerker but may be a little too old-fashioned for its own good .",
      "wholesome , family-friendly , nicely photographed and , unfortunately , dull .",
      "MOV is a bronc you should n't put money on .",
      "the filmmakers behind the sweet-hearted , mostly well-made family film MOV know their target audience . in fact , they cater to it at the expense of the original book .",
      "a perfectly pleasant updating of the story , well-acted , nicely directed and beautifully photographed .",
      "formulaic but family-friendly revision and updating of the familiar coming-of-age drama .",
      "it 's got lovely vistas , and earnest performances , and allison lohman ... is very believable .",
      "there simply are n't enough scenes illustrating the burgeoning bond between katy and MOV .",
      "will surely appeal to young girls , and even the occasional grown male film critic .",
      "MOV 's simplicity may be its best attribute .",
      "this is a genuinely nice movie that wears its old-fashioned values proudly , and i had a good time watching it . MOV is for the teenage girl in all of us .",
      "maria bello 's skill and onscreen presence speak volumes about the mother 's thoughts and feelings , even when the script leaves her high and dry .",
      "if you seek high-quality family entertainment , you have a friend in `` MOV . ''",
      "it takes a pristine gift for mediocrity to ruin mary o'hara 's muscular children 's novel about a wild boy and his wild horse , but director michael mayer has brought off the massacre with aplomb .",
      "MOV is a new version of the family classic about a teenager and a wild horse that 's as misconceived as it is corny and predictable .",
      "lohman tries her darnedest to put some spirit in this rustic MOV flick , but she 's burned by the buckboard-wooden dialogue and by mcgraw , who better keep the reins on his day job .",
      "a movie which seems designed to do nothing more than feature some pretty pictures of horses and possibly move a few units of a tie-in soundtrack ."
    ],
    "summary": "the rebellious protagonist will rally girls and children , but adults may find MOV saddled with thin characters , over-the-top dialogue , and a plot that wanders into the countryside and never comes back .",
    "id": "314387702"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fay_grim",
    "reviews": [
      "a bizarre yet highly entertaining romp .",
      "hartley is a man with a lot to say about what 's going on in the world these days , and while the trademark irreverence is very much intact , his venture into a much broader , international landscape proves more admirable than rewarding .",
      "instead of growing as an artist , -lsb- hartley -rsb- seems to be treading water .",
      "tautly written dialogue flawlessly performed by the principals , especially posey and goldblum , keeps the film moving along at a speedy clip .",
      "hartley 's 1997 allegory about art and celebrity `` henry fool , '' which divided critics and never found an audience , gets a loose , uneven updating in this surreal espionage thriller that plays like john le carre recast as postmodern absurdist yarn .",
      "everybody 's trying too hard -- or not hard enough",
      "a work with heady theological implications that is brilliant , funny , iconoclastic , and so deeply true that it is almost too beautiful to bear",
      "the final , tragically uncomprehending close-up of posey is perfect in a way hartley did n't intend . it mirrors our incomprehension at his loss of imagination .",
      "what lures the film into disaster , is that -lsb- director -rsb- hartley lets slip his sense of humor -lrb- always his strongest asset -rrb- and begins to believe his own plot .",
      "hartley should stick to what he knows best - the wacky and eccentric , sometimes annoying but exceedingly touching lives of the blue collar world where he grew up , in an extended family of long island iron workers .",
      "when it runs in circles ... it exists only for the `` art '' and can be annoying as hell .",
      "insufficient information about what 's at stake .",
      "hartley miraculously manages to make a grandly entertaining -lrb- and relevant -rrb- movie that never seems as if it 's being too cloying .",
      "a work that stylishly tilts satire and reality with a grand dose of classic posey .",
      "what borders on a pleasingly intricate spy plot lead by the grimacing parker posey gets hopelessly tangled in the wrinkles in the story , and it all never quite pays off .",
      "the style never makes enough of an impression to justify the complete disconnect it creates between the story and the viewer .",
      "luckily , there is hartley 's immense wit to carry it through , but wit can be a dangerous gift , especially when the capacity to be clever overwhelms all else .",
      "it 's odd , endearing and weirdly funny for an hour , and after that it 's a bit of a self-conscious mess .",
      "a disappointing zany character-driven comedy directed by the once promising indie cult auteur hal hartley .",
      "shows hartley shrinking even as he goes global",
      "slyly , almost imperceptibly comedic , MOV is indeed a film by hal hartley , who wrote , directed , edited and scored the film . but it 's also parker posey 's film",
      "without a good quality story , all the eccentricity is just window dressing .",
      "hartley pretzels his faux spy plot into `` syriana '' - like knots and ends up with a fascinating if somewhat flawed absurdist romp .",
      "the nicest surprise of the movie is how long and how well MOV works as a contemporary screwball comedy , a genre from which hartley 's diffuse yet severe sense of irony would seem to disbar him .",
      "posey 's fans will love her performance , even if they have a little trouble following the rather contrived adventure ... which is so talky , it 's tiresome .",
      "MOV turns out to be something of a disappointment .",
      "strikes a fine balance between the serious and the silly .",
      "the joke in hal hartley 's deadpan semi-comedy MOV is that the smart , self-aware characters can never see what 's right in front of them .",
      "MOV sorely tests the tenacity of -lsb- hal -rsb- hartley 's most zealous fans .",
      "hal hartley 's MOV strikes me as something of an elaborate mistake , a wasted opportunity and a script hartley should have discarded . but i liked it anyway .",
      "the faux espionage plot , with its winks at terrorism , is really just a convoluted plea for the relevance of precious indie artistes -lrb- i.e. , hal hartley -rrb- .",
      "the majority of the signs point to a director on the decline . or not , maybe . it 's complicated .",
      "a wild and wacky movie about international politics , terrorism , and the antics of an american trickster .",
      "the unorthodoxy of the film is perhaps its biggest asset -- along with the idea that a personal cinema can still exist , be so entertaining and provide something new to feel about character -- and maybe even the universe .",
      "with all manner of backstories and flashbacks jamming the road , the posey-mobile starts to swerve and sputter and finally blows a tire .",
      "facetious and acutely stagy to the point of preposterous .",
      "for most of the way MOV is a very dry slice of deadpan humor .",
      "... while MOV has initial , humorous promise it devolves into a convoluted morass ... the search for henry is far more interesting that the finding of him .",
      "arch , annoyingly complicated and insufferably smug , this will appeal only to those for whom hartley and posey can do no wrong .",
      "too hip to play it straight and too cool to resort to an actual story , -lsb- director hal -rsb- hartley turns the whole rambling spy game into a puzzle box ...",
      "the picture is a misfire , but not a crash , and signals a newfound desire on hartley 's part to return to his roots and explore how he used to conduct business .",
      "hal hartley brings back parker posey as the spy who knows too little in this quick-witted follow-up to his 1998 `` henry fool . ''",
      "behind it all is a great , deadpan laugh ; i like it a good deal more than henry fool .",
      "MOV gets so carried away with the intricacies of its plot that it gets lost in its own excessive cleverness .",
      "hartley 's film does n't match up to the cockamamy punch of its predecessor , but it 's enough to see posey run riot through the director 's skewed visions .",
      "MOV falls victim to its own worried hyperactivity ; it shuts you out with chattery paranoia . hartley wants us to see the big picture , but he forgets we need artists like him to bring it into focus .",
      "MOV is not exactly a sequel but the law of diminishing returns applies to it just the same .",
      "MOV is tortured in its attempt at cleverness , and plays endlessly .",
      "hartley 's work has always been an acquired taste . while MOV is too uneven to win him many converts , it is laced with enough intelligence and wit to remind longtime fans why they were drawn to his unique vision in the first place .",
      "MOV is like watching stoners playing risk and clue at the same time .",
      "too eruditely loquacious for its own good .",
      "this film feels like hartley has been handed a bourne or a bond movie to direct and maintained his own style and low-budget aesthetic while thoroughly enjoying and deconstructing his new toy .",
      "the more complicated it gets the less interesting it becomes ; the joke is just overloaded , and at almost two hours , too long .",
      "part satire , part action flick and complete ball of confusion , it 's hard to tell what director-writer hal hartley intends with this often-amateurish , often dull , always frustrating film .",
      "MOV plays like a cadre of smug high-school drama students absolutely convinced everyone will be as amused by their antics as they are .",
      "in the end MOV probably shares one unfortunate quality with the hollywood movies so reviled in indieworld : it may be an unnecessary sequel .",
      "where henry fool was a resonant study of friendship , art , trust and politics , MOV is just a throwaway joke .",
      "the feeling of the original film has been lost .",
      "MOV makes giddy sense to a point , but hartley seems trapped in a bubble of his own , failing to let us in on a joke that would be funnier if its punch line were n't so quirkily obscure .",
      "MOV is a farce in which people die and lives are ruined . which is to say , it 's peculiarly funny , but you have to be an existentialist with lightning-fast reflexes to get all the jokes .",
      "you wo n't see another film like MOV this year , and we should give -lsb- hal -rsb- hartley credit for making it work on his own terms .",
      "parker posey is one of the indie queens used feebly by hollywood , but in the hands of hartley she is the star needed and right on schedule .",
      "MOV arrives like a breath of fresh air in a stale summer of big budget sequels . it 's smart , breezy , serious and silly . it also allows parker posey to shine .",
      "i envisioned hartley coaching his actors , `` you 're showing too much emotion ! i want you to sound more as if you 're reading those lines ! ''",
      "despite its imperfections , MOV is worth seeing for posey 's and goldblum 's performances and particularly for the witty , literate dialogue .",
      "clever , fast-paced and surprisingly moving , MOV takes a page from alfred hitchcock 's americans-abroad thrillers , in which the glossy surface lies lightly over betrayal and disillusionment .",
      "there 's a thin line between goofing irreverently on the maddeningly convoluted nature of spy thrillers and actually being a muddled mess , and MOV crosses it constantly during its deadly second hour .",
      "at two hours , it does get a bit overwhelming to keep up , but there are worse places to be stuck for 120 minutes .",
      "this is a perfect role for posey and she plays it to the hilt , with the rest of the cast providing complementary lunacy .",
      "recycling espionage-a-go-go conventions while namechecking global conflicts does n't shed light on any state we 're in ; it just feels fatigued .",
      "hartley has chosen the hallmark of a great remake -- reinvention -- in approaching the concept of the sequel , for better and for worse .",
      "i would have liked to see what hal hartley 's latest would have been like if he kept henry -lsb- fool -rcb- an enigmatic legend rather than a real , not very likable character/actor .",
      "a fun whirligig of a thriller that comes dangerously close to killing the buzz from its idiosyncratic delights , but manages to survive -lrb- mostly -rrb- intact .",
      "-lsb- director hartley -rsb- has a solid lead in posey , who 's amusing , especially as her character gains confidence and as she begins to turn the tables on the duplicitous fulbright and others .",
      "`` we do n't buy for a minute the motivations behind any of the large number of characters , and posey is nowhere near able to carry the movie . ''",
      "the involved backstory and hartley 's own generic music both prove burdensome ; the main attraction is the cast 's amusing way of handling hartley 's mannerist dialogue and conceits .",
      "movie sequels rarely work as well as literary serials , but the henry and fay movies have the ring of a satisfying trilogy in the making .",
      "hartley has been on a spotty run ; his last film to get a proper theatrical release in portland was made nearly a decade ago . but he recovers nicely with this witty , crackpot comedy about love , espionage , trust and secrecy .",
      "nothing short of a comic feast .",
      "`` MOV '' is the most inarticulate and grueling of all hal hartley 's films , and a complete waste of time .",
      "overall , though , MOV only occasionally connects with the viewer . it is a film so caught up in its own cleverness and cheekiness that -- despite the solid work by its cast -- it forgets to make you truly care about its characters .",
      "the story is deliberately perplexing , and while the logic of the serpentine narrative surely makes sense , hartley is more concerned with the cadences and rhythms of the spy movie itself .",
      "oy fay ! starts out a winner but takes a left turn in europe and turns out pretty grim .",
      "MOV is less concerned with the details of contemporary spy-craft and global deception than with broader moral questions .",
      "a stunningly abysmal sequel to 1998 's very interesting henry fool . even the appealing posey can do little to redeem this totally misguided , convoluted disaster .",
      "in the end , it turns out to be an interesting film , but it takes forever to work up enough steam ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is too concerned with its own farcical premise to present a coherent , involving story .",
    "id": "528346316"
  },
  {
    "movie": "masculine_feminine",
    "reviews": [
      "you can appreciate godard 's vigorous early visual style .",
      "this is the godard that fans would like to take to the grave : jaundiced , naughty , immediate , very much alive .",
      "jean-luc godard is like a fine wine that is an acquired taste ... and i prefer margaritas .",
      "one of the most alluring and bizarre shapes that godard 's itchy search for truth and meaning took in those heady long-ago days .",
      "it could shake up young viewers now as it 40 years ago , except that there 's no french new wave momentum of film passion .",
      "it 's cumulatively entertaining , and a fascinating and nostalgic time capsule of its era .",
      "an odd , scattered , free-form , but thoroughly engaging film .",
      "the kaleidoscopic film 's meandering mirrors the uncertainty of that restless , tumultuous era .",
      "... a crucial , though not very satisfying , transitional work ...",
      "one of the quintessential '60s foreign art films , a bizarre melange of pop music , revolution , sex , movie allusions and poetry .",
      "to reappraise it after nearly 40 years only brings a richer appreciation of godard 's subtlety , sly humor and depth of perception , and his gift for melding nonchalance and profundity .",
      "not to be missed .",
      "effectively political in the way it captures the mood of a time ; the picture feels combustible , like an explosion about to happen .",
      "for all the doubt and acrid aphorisms , despite the gunfire that interrupts the soundtrack , and the playful , random death that flits around the edges , there 's an indestructible core of romanticism .",
      "watching the movie now , 39 years after it was made , i 'm struck most by its sadness , its harshness , and its pessimism .",
      "a shotgun wedding of the political and the personal .",
      "do n't call it a ` classic . ' this is a classic , but to use that word makes it sound like something good for you that 's really bland or hard to swallow .",
      "a withering satire .",
      "it 's nice to have MOV back on a big screen to remind us of a pioneering director in his prime .",
      "jean-luc godard 's 1966 masterpiece , masculine-feminine , is a must-see for all film lovers . godard was the most brilliant and innovative french new wave director .",
      "jean-luc godard visited the world of young folk to create his most humane film .",
      "masculin feminin is a film about young people set adrift in an uncertain , violent consumerist world of pop cultural influences without the social and intellectual mooring necessary to find their way through the morass",
      "using neither crime nor the romance of crime but a simple romance for a kind of interwoven story line , godard has , at last , created the form he needed . it is a combination of essay , journalistic sketches , news and portraiture , love lyric and satire .",
      "masculin , féminin is a feisty experiment , and yet not what godard truly wanted to do with the medium . but this , perversely , makes for a fresh , deeply stimulating and , arguably , more watchable film .",
      "may not have aged any better than godard 's other films of the period , but that does n't mean paul and company do n't continue to ask questions and spout the opinions of the newly enlightened .",
      "foray into the mindset of the children of the sixties .",
      "its parodies and satires are recklessly inventive , and its fundamental pessimism is n't as flip as it may at first seem .",
      "no one was ever better at collecting a hodgepodge of ideas and making them work as a cohesive whole , as the voice of one hyper-intelligent , constantly frustrated commentator .",
      "masculine , feminine may not equal some of godard 's prior films but while it does revisit many of his usual themes it is noteworthy for being an intriguing dissection of where he , himself , fits into the picture .",
      "there 's a seductive immediacy to all this ... despite the film 's obvious satiric touches , you come away from it with a vivid impression of a time and place and the people who inhabited it .",
      "an excellent film , still as fresh as the day it was made .",
      "not only does paul 's battle with madeleine represent a war between the sexes , but a clash between disparate philosophical and moral beliefs .",
      "masterly by any measure .",
      "thirty-nine years after it first appeared , jean-luc godard 's document of youthful confusion has not aged one minute .",
      "directed by anyone else , MOV -- one of three movies that godard made in his peak year , 1966 -- would be a masterpiece . for the young jlg it 's business as usual .",
      "this is take-no-prisoners cinema by an artist too honest to exempt himself from its scalding gaze ."
    ],
    "summary": "a '60s time capsule stuffed with ideas about politics , pop culture , and the battle of the sexes , masculine-feminine is one of godard 's classic black-and-white films .",
    "id": "18255"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ex_machina",
    "reviews": [
      "many movies ... almost require a reverse turing test - you ca n't quite believe they were written by humans , rather than number-crunching machines . i 'm happy to say MOV would pass .",
      "a chilly yet engrossing drama , elevated beyond its four-people-locked-in-a-house framework by the eerie beauty of the production design and the thoughtful curiosity of garland 's screenplay .",
      "a thrilling work of sci-fi ... a smart and visually alluring film that contemplates chilling questions about where technology is headed and the consequences of playing god .",
      "beautifully haunting .",
      "the best thing about `` MOV '' is the robotic depiction of ava , a sleek humanoid that exudes sex appeal .",
      "slow paced , but thought provoking science fiction .",
      "this is the best , most credible , of the artificial intelligence movies to date . garland keeps the tension up and the pace moving by tackling many thought-provoking existential issues . i was pleasantly surprised , rewarded , by what i had just seen .",
      "the writer and director , alex garland , keeps the movie so full of doomy atmosphere that expecting the worst sort of becomes a treat . but gradually the hypnosis wears off , the mystique dissipates , and banalities take over .",
      "with MOV writer/director alex garfield delivers a science fiction film full of concepts and ideas versus overblown visual effects .",
      "like ava herself , garland manipulates our sympathies , rendering his climax all the more horrifying and his denouement , albeit understated , terrifying .",
      "while slowly paced , the feature is n't dull , emerging as a potent study of power and corruption , setting a sinister , tech-heavy atmosphere that almost seems achievable in our day and age .",
      "at heart , garland is a genre filmmaker , but his movies have more depth than their contemporaries . additionally , he 's cast his movie brilliantly .",
      "garland 's primary concern is his flesh-and-blood characters , even though they are not nearly as showy -lrb- or beautiful -rrb- as his main attraction , the vulnerable , delicate girl with a heart of steel and wires .",
      "a heady piece of sci-fi , fleshed out with terrific performances , a smart script , solid special effects & expert direction . so far , it 's one of the best films of 2015 . -lrb- full content review - sex , profanity , violence , etc. - for parents also available -rrb-",
      "the film differentiates itself nicely from others of its ilk , for lurking beneath the heady stuff is a tense , frightening horror film .",
      "through cues both understated and not so much , the grim implications -lrb- `` grimplications ? '' -rrb- of creating a fembot with the potential to go full skynet are clear .",
      "a clever film with one indelible performance from isaac .",
      "`` MOV '' takes its time , wrestling with questions of responsibility , morality and compassion while getting ever weirder . at its heart is ava , played with a fine blend of innocence and quiet panic by vikander .",
      "garland 's commitment to his weird , edgy material , and his unhurried and thoughtful execution of it , makes `` MOV '' something special .",
      "alex garland 's directorial debut ranks among my favorite movies this year .",
      "more tricky than smart .",
      "it will make you look at every other movie about artificial intelligence in a whole new way .",
      "MOV is intelligent science fiction operating at a very high level .",
      "merciless , efficient and terrifyingly logical ...",
      "alex garland brilliantly brings the past into the present with the near-future tale MOV , a stark but dazzling meditation on intelligence , consciousness and morality that discreetly uses special effects in service of story , dialogue and character .",
      "it 's hard to imagine another director squeezing as many shades and colors from his screenplay as garland did , and from now on , it would be understandable if he insisted on directing everything he writes .",
      "garland sidles up to some large ideas , some more provocative than others , and his premise hints at the costs of perpetual , omnivorous surveillance .",
      "`` MOV '' is a smart , exceptionally stylish head trip .",
      "garland more than establishes himself as talent to watch . the perfect balance between the cerebral and the emotional , crafting a thrilling film that still remains intellectually provocative - a difficult creature to build indeed .",
      "in the final analysis , the movie does n't offer much about the subject that has n't been previously explored , but the soil is fertile and many ideas germinate .",
      "MOV is smart , sexy and thrilling sci-fi filmmaking at its most fascinating .",
      "a bit more intelligence would not have gone amiss .",
      "there 's no little hint of kubrick and hitchcockian paranoia to alex garland 's debut as writer-director , a nifty , quasi-gothic three-hander of great performances and unerring control .",
      "as thoughtful as it is thrilling , MOV is a razor-sharp and nimble character drama which takes a controlled nosedive into exhilarating sci-fi horror .",
      "this is bewitchingly smart science fiction of a type that 's all too rare . its intelligence is anything but artificial .",
      "the lush setting avoids the stifling grey look of so many other sci-fi films and the commendably-restrained special effects are as outstanding as the three fast-rising lead actors .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of the headiest and most impressive sci-fi debuts since `` moon , '' and if we see more than a handful of movies better than it across the next twelve months , 2015 will be a terrific year .",
      "feels like a pathway to grander things for garland .",
      "stylish , elegant , tense , cerebral , satirical and creepy . garland 's directorial debut is his best work yet , while vikander 's bold performance will short your circuits .",
      "slick and seductive , this exploration of artificial intelligence may essentially only have three characters , but it 's complex , provocative and thoroughly engaging .",
      "this futuristic take on age-old motivations , jealousy and betrayal among them , makes MOV clever and engaging throughout .",
      "like stage actors who live and breathe their roles over the course of months , isaac , gleeson , and vikander excel , and cast a spell .",
      "MOV is one of the smartest horror movies to come along in years . it does n't count on big scares and excessive violence to make its points but shows that intellect left unchecked can be equally as frightening .",
      "this is -lsb- garland 's -rsb- first turn as director , and it suits him ; he 's created a cautionary tale that entertains even as it forces us to think .",
      "it 's a teasingly slow build -- part love story , part science experiment -- that makes a few of the movie 's twists seem even more surprising .",
      "MOV packs a scientist 's brain inside a thrill seeker 's body , much like the nubile robot within it .",
      "MOV is incredibly slow moving and never really escalates to an exciting pace , but its slow burn mentality and ability to ignore being rushed is what makes it so enticing . this is a film that undeniably revitalizes the sci-fi genre .",
      "-lsb- oscar -rsb- isaac - buffed , bald , and bearded - is the film 's dramatic center as nathan , a man betrayed by his own genius . he struts , he speechifies , he schemes , he scolds , all friendly menace and sly frankness .",
      "with a stellar cast and seductive look , `` MOV '' is a sleek contraption for capturing our imagination .",
      "`` MOV '' is a tense tale of artificial love so intelligently crafted and edgy that i adored it myself .",
      "it may not be a modern masterpiece of sci-fi , but it 's close enough to pass for one .",
      "visually stunning , intellectually provocative , emotionally powerful .",
      "the ideas here do n't breathe . they simply take us from one plot point to the next .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't quite `` citizen kane '' for an era of internet tycoons , but it suggests that that 's not such a bad idea .",
      "garland also seduces with clean frames , sleek , elegant surfaces , and the most physically convincing of robots on screen in memory . sentience is sexy !",
      "a singularly chilling cinematic stunner that coexists as a wild daydream and a prescient glimpse into the future .",
      "takes its deserved place next to the other children of fritz lang and karel capek .",
      "the movie , written and directed by alex garland -lrb- `` dredd , '' `` 28 days later '' -rrb- , is an outstanding example of what true sci-fi is about and the best sci-fi flick since `` predestination '' earlier this year .",
      "... a beautiful piece of science fiction on par with the best of the genre .",
      "it is a gorgeous , thought-provoking story and a triumph in every way for garland , who casts three rising stars to make a small film full of big ideas .",
      "garland the writer may be a bit too fiddly about the details of what we 're seeing , but his visual flair is undeniable . he also shows an ability to handle his actors . it all makes MOV into a tantalizing debut and an arresting piece of -lsb- sci-fi -rsb- .",
      "the film is at its best when the characters are simply talking to each other , creating a delicate , hypnotic back-and-forth between the humans and the new creature in their midst .",
      "MOV is a film unafraid to spend the majority of its run-time discussing the big questions - or indeed , just to be discussing things full-stop .",
      "MOV uses state-of-the-art special effects to deliver a smart new take on a.i.",
      "MOV , ever muted and somber , is imbued with a looming sense of dread .",
      "a deliberately paced ` hard science fiction ' film if ever there was one , this is graced by three terrific performances .",
      "MOV is the best kind of speculative fiction : its action is brisk , its characters startling , and its meanings multifarious .",
      "beautifully shot and wonderfully acted , it 's an enjoyable , grown-up entertainment , even if it leaves us wanting something deeper .",
      "its aura of cool menace is largely attributable to isaac , stealing his every scene as the smoothly bullying ceo , and production designer mark digby , who created the millionaire 's sleek , high-tech mountain fortress .",
      "a neat psychological thriller for the digital age . great performances compensate for a slightly slim story .",
      "` MOV ' knows that cinema 's dirty little secret has always been that it shares as much with porn as it does with literature .",
      "it 's great when a movie messes with your head .",
      "a smart , entertaining sci-fi thriller with dazzling performances and clever psychological sparring , human and otherwise .",
      "after tantalizing us with increasingly imaginative developments and the promise of catharsis , garland lets it all dribble away at the end .",
      "a b-movie that tried to be something better but stayed a b-movie .",
      "evokes stanley kubrick as much as the similarly excellent under the skin last year . a must-see for fans of either .",
      "a masterpiece . alex garland puts teeth and a chill into what has either been an empty sci-fi threat , or else has been sentimentalized to death , as in the very bad chappie .",
      "there are sweeping helicopter shots and chic cinematography but this three-hander is n't cinema : it 's a ted talk shot in a boutique hotel , with ideas about consciousness and evolution itemised rather than dramatised .",
      "we will be very lucky if we get another movie either as good or better this year .",
      "it 's a place where man 's social retardation and his sexual fantasies collide .",
      "like the artificial intelligence at its center , MOV is an experience that is both cerebral and sensual . it 's riveting . it has secrets . and it will certainly surprise you .",
      "a beautifully-crafted science fiction drama that recalls the ingenuity and brilliance of `` jurassic park . ''",
      "`` MOV '' is an exquisite puzzle box of a picture . it baffles . it unsettles . it intrigues .",
      "it 's a very smart movie and seems to almost be cognitive of what the audience is thinking ... one of the best pure sci-fi movies to come out in a very long time .",
      "in the end , more than just the machine remains an enigma .",
      "a confident , engrossing debut .",
      "... -lsb- MOV -rsb- never stops being slick , cool , and polished , its intelligence not artificial at all .",
      "most movies do n't pass the smell test , let alone the turing test , but `` MOV '' aces both with the sort of intelligence -- artificial or otherwise -- often absent from contemporary sci-fi .",
      "alex garland has written some of the best science fiction films of this century , so it 's startling to see him succeed more as a director than as a writer here .",
      "it 's the kind of film that seems to me shy of a masterpiece right now , but one where i may well find it to be with time and repeat viewings .",
      "despite following a great deal of well-worn territory , the film manages to engage its audience with its icy and efficient delivery and consistent undercurrent of malevolence .",
      "this is knowingly seductive sci-fi cinema , its slyly subversive allegiances hidden by the two-way mirror of the silver screen , its androids dreaming of much more than mere electric sheep .",
      "it 's the predictability that ultimately hurts `` MOV '' . talk about killing the suspense --",
      "premise grabs , but more like excruciating eventually . i , nobot .",
      "the swedish actress alicia vikander -lrb- `` the fifth estate '' -rrb- infuses ava with the just the right mixture of iciness , vulnerability and mystery . it 's a star-making performance .",
      "an intriguingly stripped-down sci-fi thriller about artificial intelligence that 's fully attuned to its more blockbuster elements yet pleasingly cerebral at the same time .",
      "garland 's film sexualizes ava to an embarrassing degree , which also is its entire point . his aim is to have his cake and eat it too , with images of female nudity literally created for the male gaze , subverted , and mined for maximum uncomfortability .",
      "MOV immediately enters the running for the best science fiction film of the year just by following through on the promise of its concept .",
      "inventive and challenging without ever forgetting to entertain , MOV is smart artificial-intelligence science fiction at its absolute best .",
      "with `` MOV , '' writer/director alex garland has delivered a thoughtful , thrilling , and entertaining science-fiction tale that ends up doing more with its minimal budget than some films of the genre do with several times such an amount .",
      "MOV is worth watching just as an exercise in suspense , creepy high-tech production design , and excellent acting .",
      "screenwriter alex garland makes his directorial debut with this sleek sci-fi chamber play , and he exhibits the visual command of a true filmmaker , even if his storytelling gets wobbly at times .",
      "presents some interesting questions ... but right when the film should be hitting us with some ` a-ha ! ' moments it swerves into voyeuristic contrivances .",
      "` MOV ' is a smart science-fiction tale about artificial intelligence , madness and trust .",
      "the film is practically guaranteed to make the audience think -- and if that 's not a cry to action , then what is ?",
      "this intelligent examination of our fascination with science is impeccably realised , despite a modest budget .",
      "MOV will work best for those who are intrigued by the mere thought of artificial intelligence .",
      "compelling , claustrophobic , cutting edge and clever , MOV is as smart and satisfying as science fiction gets .",
      "MOV is what i call an existential horror movie . it feels as visceral as anything created by the crichtons , spielbergs , and scotts of an era gone by , but it 's got a contemporary , current , and forward-thinking propulsion to it .",
      "the real question may be : can our philosophies about artificial intelligence evolve with our stories ?",
      "`` MOV , '' despite the stutters , slowly finds its grip and starts to squeeze .",
      "a sleek , good-looking meditation on the nature of artificial intelligence , on what happens when we create robots that can pass for human .",
      "` MOV ' is a very cool science-fiction movie .",
      "beautifully crafted , but empty at its core .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- smart , sexy , and back-loaded with a terrific twist ending , `` MOV '' is an elegant sci-fi movie that considers the possibilities of artificial intelligence in thought-provoking ways .",
      "wickedly smart and often wickedly funny , this delightfully entertaining science fiction drama is one of the best films of the year .",
      "might not be the first film about the dangers inherent in giving robots free will , but it 's certainly one of the most accomplished .",
      "there comes a point where , if we have been paying attention , we know what will happen once a character walks out a door .",
      "a rattling and ruminative piece of speculative fiction , MOV is good enough to wish it were even better .",
      "with a deep love for clinical white , subtle camera work and the 1971 george lucas film thx-1138 , first-time director alex garland fashions a visually stark contest of ideas in what is essentially a high-tech two-hander .",
      "a mature , adult , thoughtful and credible sci fi entertainment .",
      "with telling performances , MOV spans sci-fi philosophy and a romantic triangle , but ultimately it 's a horror movie where the monsters are men .",
      "we can extract at least one truism from this imaginative and beguiling story . women hate to be treated as chattel -- even if they 're robots .",
      "the pleasure of garland 's film lies more in the deeper questions of what makes us ` human ' ... than in the plot , which suffers from predictability .",
      "MOV is a fine update to the artificial-intelligence genre , but it 's made almost entirely of pre-existing parts .",
      "plows through its 108-minute running time with a constant sense of doom provided from every source .",
      "it 's at once a thought-provoking drama and a pulse-quickening thriller .",
      "... bodes well for his future endeavors behind the camera .",
      "the most interesting role , of course , is ava , and vikander nails it . it 's actually possible to say of this film that it 's worth seeing just for the robot .",
      "MOV addresses heady issues of a.i. , exploring what it means to be human or , more important , what it means to be an imitation of humanity so real , what 's the actual difference ?",
      "a coolly cerebral sci-fi tale that really is n't all that inventive but nonetheless casts quie a spell .",
      "MOV is a smart , tricksy study of artificial intelligence and tech-sex that explores a credible near-future take on the man-machine relationship .",
      "make no mistake , this is a film of ideas-sadder , quieter , more delicate than the hollywood sci-fi standard-where every sliding wall of opaque glass suggests something about technology and the way people would use it .",
      "for a first-time director , garland seems assured . his sharp , sparse dialogue and meticulous direction are equally compelling , and the trio of lead performances are top-notch .",
      "austere , cerebral and chilling",
      "clever novelist and screenwriter alex garland makes a half-dandy directorial debut with MOV , a sci-fi film that - like much of his work - fakes excitingly in the direction of breaking new ground before turning formulaic so fast .",
      "`` MOV '' shows there 's still life left in tales of artificial intelligence .",
      "an intriguing four-character sci-fi drama about explorers of artificial intelligence .",
      "it does n't quite add up in the end , but it 's heady stuff anyway , dense with moments of shivery beauty and frightening ideas .",
      "it 's the film version of an iphone : small , expensive-looking and a touch overhyped - plus an addictive sales pitch for whatever garland makes next .",
      "with uncommon intelligence and the even more uncommon ability to look without blinking , garland 's made the one of the best sci-fi films of the past several years , a wicked and wise parable of the near-now that 's honed to a gleam .",
      "by going deep on a simple construct , MOV establishes itself as a unique and deeply unsettling psychological thriller that 's both necessary and unforgettable .",
      "the sharply written film is cerebral yet does n't bog down in enigmatic concepts or scientific mumbo-jumbo .",
      "MOV feels like an elegant sf short story with a droll twist that has been pumped up and sexed up into an over-bulky feature film . but it 's managed with confidence .",
      "smart , swanky , a little inhuman and preternaturally well crafted .",
      "it 's so engaged in the delicate psychology , in its observational mode , that the characters all feel like rats in a maze . of course , that 's the point .",
      "a spellbinding character study mystery made even more fascinating by the thought that its premise is far closer to becoming reality than most of its sci-fi peers .",
      "one of the smartest , slickest and most intriguing sci-fi thrillers in recent memory , with a standout performances from isaac and vikander and confident , minimalist direction from garland .",
      "this is a film of creepy modernity and prescience , as metropolis was in its time .",
      "what holds the audience is a dark undercurrent of not so much dread as uncertainty . your senses tell you that something is off-kilter , yet you ca n't place your finger on what it is .",
      "MOV works because it gradually shifts the terms of the narrartive and thematic structure , forcing us to reevaluate what we thought we knew and seriously question the fundamental essence of humanity",
      "although there 's a fatal flaw that diminishes its overall satisfaction rating , this is a dazzling film filled with intrigue and an innate edginess that is elevated by three startlingly good performances",
      "borrowing body parts from the age old horror/sci-fi workbook , alex garland makes a female frankenstein movie -lrb- sort of -rrb- and interrogates the pursuit of ai in the process",
      "the year 's most seductive high-iq drama .",
      "MOV is beautiful and ominous and features another delicately nuanced performance from isaac , who 's quickly making a habit of them . but in the end , for all of garland 's ambition , his reach winds up exceeding his grasp .",
      "sizzlingly smart and agreeably sententious , mr. garland 's film transcends some all-too-human imperfections with gorgeous images , astute writing and memorably strong performances .",
      "this is a classic film .",
      "if any film needed a brief , impromptu hip hop dance scene -lrb- oscar isaac , predictably , has moves -rrb- , it 's one attempting a treatise on the meaning of existence .",
      "it makes up for its linearity with verve , first in the impeccably controlled , intellectually rigorous direction , and then in the performances .",
      "turns a standard story into something quite special",
      "reasonably diverting until its predictable -lrb- and predictably misogynistic -rrb- outcome .",
      "it 's become far too commonplace to overuse the term ` masterpiece , ' but alex garland 's directorial debut comes about as close as you can get .",
      "i know , i know . you 've seen all this a.i. stuff before . but never like this . garland is hot for ethical shop talk on what defines humanity or lack of same .",
      "closer to caryl churchill 's stage play a number than to , say , thx-1138 , this tight , tense virtual three - hander sings with creative disharmony .",
      "there 's nothing fresh or even usefully true in its cartoonish dichotomy about men , but this pseudo-sf flick will expound upon it with pretentious tedium .",
      "cool ! it 's a trip ! all alex garland 's creations are a trip .",
      "garland has produced something seductively strange , consistently thought-provoking and admirably adult .",
      "its thought-provoking themes will gnaw at your own humanity long after the shocking finale has bowed .",
      "novelist and screenwriter alex garland 's first film as a director takes some very old ideas and gives them an ingenious new spin .",
      "while some decisions made by characters in the final act feel rushed and even unwarranted , i was always interested to see where this story went .",
      "a.i. goes a.w.o.l. in this minimalist sci-fi thriller from england that 's justifiably turning heads for its brilliant production design , brainy cat-and-mouse narrative , and vice-like tension .",
      "it is a pounding psychological thriller that plants its seeds of doubt from its opening cues and builds to a tremendously affecting crescendo .",
      "this really is n't the sort of movie in which we should talk about performances and plot .",
      "brainy sci-fi thriller .",
      "the first homoerotic sci-fi thriller of the year !",
      "oscar isaac upstages impressive visual effects and set design",
      "while we may tire of caleb and nathan 's boilerplate debates about ai , the film 's ominous undercurrents keep us awake and attentive .",
      "unlike most science fiction films , this one has smart characters , a smart plot and smart dialog . it also has romance , murder and suspense . this is a suspenseful , disturbing and thought-provoking film .",
      "when the story is all over there has been surprisingly little story told , but the viewer will have been privy to some very sophisticated philosophical ideas .",
      "while mr. garland wants to tease your brain , he 's an entertainer , and in time ditches science and philosophy for romance and action .",
      "shrewdly imagined and persuasively made , `` MOV '' is a spooky piece of speculative fiction that 's completely plausible , capable of both thinking big thoughts and providing pulp thrills .",
      "a ted talk in the form of a movie , with a few creepy twists and suspenseful deceptions that keep the plot moving forward .",
      "MOV achieves that rare combination of eliciting both strong thoughts and feelings , and it deserves to be known as a sci-fi classic .",
      "gleeson is terrific and vikander , who stars in five other films this year alone , is a revelation . as is MOV , a movie that looks like something destined to be savored , watched and re-watched endlessly over the years .",
      "-lsb- o -rsb- ne of the finest sci-fi productions of the decade ... as intellectually compelling as it is emotionally provocative .",
      "... does n't hold a candle to spike jonze 's `` her '' for insights into man 's relationship with artificial intelligence . for all its stunning locations , brilliant design and seamless visual effects , the story begs the question ` is that all there is ? '",
      "the film touches an exposed nerve : the nagging fear that sometime in the not-too-distant future computers will outstrip and outsmart their creators .",
      "although `` MOV '' is small and talky - it has just four characters , and the only action comes at the end - it also looks good . the set direction is interesting and evocative . the effects impress but do n't overwhelm .",
      "a small sci-fi classic ...",
      "garland 's long-anticipated directorial debut synthesizes a dizzy range of the writer 's philosophical preoccupations into a sleek , spare chamber piece ...",
      "there 's a lot happening in MOV and we 're never entirely sure what will happen next .",
      "garland cleverly keeps us on our toes by constantly toying with our allegiances .",
      "gleeson convinces as a desperate-to-please , ambitious young coder . isaac 's difficult-to-read , drunken , pumped-up mad scientist is disquieting and vikander excels in a demure and shifting role .",
      "a smart , accomplished piece of work that presses all the right buttons .",
      "there 's a lot going on here . but do n't think for a second this is troublesome critic-fodder . it 's thrilling .",
      "a thoughtful and at times unnervingly sly film that makes the very most of the burgeoning star power of alicia vikander , oscar isaac and domhnall gleeson .",
      "for dystopian future-shock fans who can look beyond its basic design flaws , garland 's feature debut functions just fine as superior pulp sci-fi .",
      "multi-faceted and nuanced , each with so many subtleties and complexities ex_machina is a film bursting with ideas .",
      "anchored by three dazzling central performances , it 's a stunning directorial debut from alex garland that 's essential viewing for anyone with even a passing interest in where technology is taking us .",
      "for one thing , it 's gorgeously shot . for another , it actually takes its own ideas seriously . this is a special film .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- methodically absorbing sci-fi drama .",
      "it 's rare for a science-fiction film 's high-concept to get stolen out from under it by a performance -- but then again , isaac appears to be a rare kind of actor .",
      "an intriguing piece of understated science fiction .",
      "intelligent and provocative , with more than a little relevance to the world we live in .",
      "MOV is memorable and downright challenging , full of sharp performances that blur the lines between humanity and programming .",
      "MOV is the best movie i 've seen all year .",
      "the movie milks its desolate setting for maximum impact : nathan 's secluded house-cum-laboratory is cannily employed as its own self-contained petri dish , with existential quandaries being analyzed under garland 's morally tuned microscope .",
      "a thought-provoking thriller guaranteed to keep you enthralled while reassessing the meaning of consciousness",
      "alex garland 's intense , mind-melding sci-fi thriller is the most intriguing movie i 've seen so far this year ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV leans heavier on ideas than effects , but it 's still a visually polished piece of work -- and an uncommonly engaging sci-fi feature .",
    "id": "771383086"
  },
  {
    "movie": "little_man",
    "reviews": [
      "a slap-happy misadventure featuring marlon wayans as a foul-mouthed midget masquerading as a baby in order to retrieve a pilfered diamond from a childless couple .",
      "the work of the wayans brothers , MOV is even less funny than their last comedy , white chicks , and enough to get them permanently evicted from the house of mirth .",
      "in spite of the admirable effort that the wayans brothers went to in digitally transplanting marlon wayans head and facial expressions onto the two-foot-six-inch body of a nine-year-old actor , `` MOV '' is a bawdy and violent comedy that rankles more t",
      "it plays like nothing so much as an extended in living color stretched to fill 90 minutes , and it feels as thin as it sounds like it should . by the umpteenth variation of mistaking calvin for a baby the joke has long , long stopped being funny .",
      "slow-moving , tasteless and totally devoid of ingenuity or charisma , this is a gross one-joke monstrosity - and that joke was n't very funny in the first place .",
      "mere words , mere permutations of 26 paltry letters , are an inadequate resource for explaining how fatuous , unfunny , and profoundly un-entertaining it is to watch marlon wayans doing a goo-goo-ga fake-baby routine .",
      "there are some films that are hardly worth the trouble of watching : once you 've got the central concept , you can pretty much run the movie in your head .",
      "slathers itself in scatology , crotch-punching , hilarious elder/child abuse , and a brutal ration of unearned sentiment .",
      "abysmal comedy that 's nonsensical , frequently offensive and almost entirely laugh-free .",
      "the wayans filmmaking clan strikes with another idiotic compilation of bodily-function gags and lowbrow obnoxiousness masquerading as hip comedy .",
      "the slapstick is funnier for the nifty cgi , and the script gets in some sly digs at racist cops and multitasking soccer moms .",
      "-lsb- the film features -rsb- nonstop slapstick , potty jokes , and sexual gags .",
      "give the wayans brothers some credit . for a movie that could have fallen flat on its infantile face , man scores some points for thinking big .",
      "a belligerent midget jewel thief assaults groins and molests women in this infantile comedy from the wayans brothers .",
      "when i went to see MOV , i laughed , then hung my head in shame . are they going to take away my movie critic license ? will all of the other critics find out and ridicule me ? will they let me play in their movie critic games ?",
      "some verbal jokes simply do n't work , and darryl 's persistent i-wanna-be-a-daddy musings are more insipid than inspiring . but some of the physical comedy scores .",
      "the wayans family 's latest dim-witted fart comedy is even worse than its last one",
      "orthodontic surgery would be more fun than watching this",
      "thanks to the wonder of digital technology , marlon 's head was spliced onto the body of a dwarf actor , thus accomplishing what certainly will go down in history as one of the more profound cinematic achievements of our time .",
      "the brothers ' work on the scary movie franchise notwithstanding , MOV may just be their scariest movie yet , with credit going entirely to its mesmerizingly freaky title character .",
      "in the search for gags involving inappropriate contact between adults and a supposed child , the film does n't overlook an orifice or an excretion .",
      "it 's unfathomably awful ... and nothing the actors or filmmakers do assist in its digestion .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- quickly runs dry of ideas .",
      "all the adults are complete idiots , of course , because no one seems to notice or care about how freakish baby calvin is - the fact that he has a full set of teeth , for example -- not even the doctor who examines him .",
      "the effect works better than you might guess , though it 's still an ugly , artless movie .",
      "an outlandishly crude farce that crossbreeds chuck jones 's classic baby bugs bunny with in living color 's absurd `` the head detective '' to dismally predictable results .",
      "although you 'll likely hate yourself in the morning for having succumbed to the sophomore silliness of it all , at the time resistance proves ridiculously futile .",
      "MOV , little effort , little result .",
      "MOV is a comedy based on a single gag that 's not very funny . therefore , it 's exactly one joke short of being a one-joke film .",
      "thumbs are n't the only things sucking in this slight summer comedy with a tortured plot and predictable laughs .",
      "its sheer shameless juvenilia ranges from horribly unfunny to outrageously zany .",
      "viewers who seek out this film will get just what they deserve and exactly what they want . crass as it is , MOV will have a special place in the right sort of heart .",
      "at least in spurts , MOV provides some big laughs .",
      "another gimmicky one-joke comedy from the wayans brothers that may not use as much makeup as white chicks but lots more special effects and is even more dreadful .",
      "the wayans brothers are funny guys . but this is the kind of premise that should have stayed in cartoon-land .",
      "oscars will not be forthcoming , but the wayanses have hit on a formula -- gross-out humor , goofy sight gags , a flashy concept -- that works .",
      "i honestly can not think of anything worse that has been made in between the time the lumiere brothers photographed a train pulling into a station in 1895 and today .",
      "i 'm not saying an r rating would have necessarily made MOV a better movie , but at least it would have made it a more honest one .",
      "tedious , snickering jokes about infant breast-feeding and adult-male boob lust ? you got 'em , baby .",
      "i understand the satirical import of the race gags . but 97 % of the movie will make you need a shower . possibly two .",
      "-lsb- the wayanses -rsb- collaborate on another forgettable farce drenched in vapid vulgarity ... -lsb- a -rsb- pea-brained prank . anyone game for white chicks ii ?",
      "could you really have expected better from the people who made `` white chicks '' ?",
      "if your taste runs to scatology and you find little people inherently funny , MOV may be the movie for you .",
      "it 's a concept , not a movie .",
      "there 's a degree of social comedy in white chicks ' black cops posing as wax mannequin exaggerations of the hilton sisters . nothing much is gained when delinquent midgets see what it 's like to live as babies .",
      "i 'm sure it 's fun to be a multi-millionaire , but whatever creativity and dignity ivory wayans had to offer the world in his youth is lost for good in MOV to a series of crotch wallops and fart jokes .",
      "violent , silly and just about as raunchy as it can be while still maintaining its pg-13 rating .",
      "i remember when the wayanses were a group of people with ambitions who looked as if they actually had something to contribute to the film world as well as the comedy world .",
      "a fitful , effects-driven and remarkably unambitious summer release about a midget jewel thief masquerading as a baby .",
      "when a movie that you expected so little from delivers even less , you know it 's bad ,",
      "we went to this movie to laugh . instead , we left yearning for a baby to cuddle . ew .",
      "the three stooges live !!!",
      "-lrb- y -rrb- ou 'd have to be brain dead to defend such illogical plotting , one dimensional characterization and aimless middle act meandering supposedly passing itself off as humor .",
      "this feature-length rewrite of a 1954 bugs bunny cartoon stages its expected comic humiliations , ridiculous sight gags and gruesome sex and potty jokes with unfussy efficiency .",
      "the film turns to that old reliable standard , commedia dell ` gassy .",
      "it 's a crass , exaggerated , intermittently intriguing gimmick concept of visual effects that wears thin very quickly .",
      "marlon 's no-limits performance , relying only on his voice and facial expressions , proves to be the film 's strongest asset .",
      "if seeing a guy get whacked in the privates does n't make you laugh the first time , maybe it will the fourth , or the 24th time .",
      "the wayans brothers ' homage to bugs bunny cartoon character baby face finster is n't for most people with a brain . but for those who like this sort of thing -- sexual and bathroom humour and plenty of slapstick -- they 'll like this .",
      "there 's nothing like a well-placed nod to the classics to help elevate a dumb summer comedy .",
      "mr. palminteri 's primary duties include glowering at henchmen bruno and roscoe , saying ` get me that diamond ' a few times and , ultimately , taking a toy airplane to the crotch .",
      "i fear for humanity .",
      "the wayanses rely on their usual tired jokes here -- spittakes , white people speaking jive , marlon grimacing in gastrointestinal distress .",
      "MOV is so childish and absurd that there should probably be a law against seeing it . the penalty : seeing it again .",
      "the sizable laughs in MOV make it better than just about anyone expected .",
      "the use of digital effects to place wayans ' face on a child performer 's body is n't even remotely amusing . it 's simply creepy .",
      "as i said , orifices and their products , and that 's about it .",
      "it took a century of innovation in the field of cinematic special effects , but finally the head of marlon wayans could be successfully grafted onto the body of a baby .",
      "well , it was bound to happen : the wayans brothers have made a movie that 's even more two-dimensional than a cartoon .",
      "shawn 's darryl comes off as terminally stupid , enduring many blows to the groin -lrb- there 's even a montage of them -rrb- while lavishing affection on his dubious ` son . '",
      "every gross baby joke imaginable is wedged into the story -- with mishaps involving diapers , breast milk , castor oil and rectal thermometers . it 's supposed to be hilarious because the infant is actually a grown man . really , it 's just creepy .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- gets a surprising share of laughs by digitally placing marlon wayans ' head on a small boy 's frame .",
      "some folks reach for nirvana , but the wayans brothers -- writer/director keenen ivory , writer/star marlon , and writer/star shawn -- aim for the nadir , and man oh man , have they reached it .",
      "most of the jokes fall in one of two creepy categories -- slapstick having to do with the baby 's superhuman strength or slapstick involving the baby 's sex drive .",
      "buried under all this is a rather sweet story about families , but it 's hard to see it amongst all the tastelessness .",
      "unless you 're of the temperament that derives boundless pleasure from the serial assault on the genitals of large people by a cut-and-paste little person , MOV will likely prove about as bearable as diaper rash .",
      "this film is awful in too many ways to count .",
      "MOV is easily the creepiest movie i 've seen in my life .",
      "the best film i 've ever seen with a full grown man masquerading as a baby ... hmmm .",
      "in short , MOV is not only height-challenged , it 's comedically-challenged as well .",
      "the only funny part of MOV is the shoddy computer effects that freakishly and unconvincingly put marlon wayans ' head on a tiny body .",
      "everybody looks like they 're having fun in MOV , another inane outing from the wayans brothers . and with some ineptly made comedies , that 's good enough .",
      "the sort of idiotic project the wayanses would have taken aim at on ` in living color ' 15 years ago . that they are now peddling this puerile junk instead of ridiculing it is no laughing matter .",
      "the cheapness here is pervasive , in that the `` moral '' -- it 's good to be and have a dad -- turns insipid as the movie hammers it home , again and again .",
      "the latest wayans brothers head-scratcher , reaches the bar their last film set . take that as a searing insult .",
      "MOV , featuring an adult little person posing as a toddler to steal a huge diamond , spits up a few lowbrow belly laughs . but not enough to go ` goo-goo , gaga ' over ."
    ],
    "summary": "another gimmicky comedy from the wayans brothers , MOV comes with the requisite raunchiness , but forgot to bring the laughs .",
    "id": "190815290"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blood_simple",
    "reviews": [
      "we had no idea what we were in for back then , but the film truly did announce the arrival of two major talents .",
      "this first blood is worth a second look -lrb- or , of course , a first viewing -rrb- by fans who like their plot simple , bloody and completely engaging .",
      "stylish shoestring noir , and an admirable filmmaking debut for the brothers coen .",
      "useless update",
      "the coens ' trademark aloofness works to perfection in MOV because only the audience has a bird 's eye view of the action .",
      "taut , quirky , and jump-out-of-your-seat scary ...",
      "there is not one wasted shot in this arty film , nor one that is not a design student 's delight ... -lsb- the camera -rsb- gets down on the floor and shows us the dust swirling around a pair of boots and under a door .",
      "it tells a story in which every individual detail seems to make sense , and every individual choice seems logical , but the choices and details form a bewildering labyrinth in which there are times when even the murderers themselves do n't know who they are .",
      "the movie is as dark , ironic and fatalistically comic as modern film noir comes .",
      "the script is so tight you can feel it screwing into the back of your neck .",
      "a stunning debut , and arguably one of the coens ' two best features , this gothic noir introduced the wry , sardonic , and playful approach that would shape their future work , and launched the screen career of the brilliant frances mcdormand .",
      "a remarkably assured debut for coen .",
      "... for all its delirious impudence and film school showiness , it 's so clearly a movie made by guys crazy about moviemaking .",
      "black humor , abundant originality and a brilliant visual style make joel coen 's MOV , a directorial debut of extraordinary promise .",
      "someone please explain it to me : why ? what 's the deal ?",
      "com um estilo marcante já no filme de estréia , os irmăos coen criam uma obra noir tensa , envolvente e que faz do absurdo uma de suas principais armas .",
      "a stylish piece of film noir , it has exasperatingly slow pacing but devilishly demented characters and a wonderfully wicked , labyrinthine plot .",
      "a good filmmaker can make grim material watchable , but it takes a great one -lrb- or two -rrb- to make it fun .",
      "an amazing , ironic debut thriller .",
      "it 's certainly not a bad film , but it 's hardly the classic reinvention of film noir that it wants to be .",
      "the one that started it all . only we did n't know it back then .",
      "the coens explode onto the scene with this blistering neo-noir masterpiece .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- reinvigorated the classic film noir style and lent a credible face to the burgeoning independent film movement .",
      "like watching a classic hitchcock film with the master of suspense tripping on acid",
      "from first shot to last , the coens seldom miss an opportunity to suggest that theirs is a movie made by evolutionarily advanced life-forms touring a primitive planet .",
      "the pace can at times be a touch slow , but it 's easy to see why the coens allow certain scenes to simmer , especially when their actors are chewing up the screen as they do .",
      "joel and ethan coen 's spooky tale is still fresh today ! they truly opened the door for low budget , intelligent , slow moving films ; that real people banter , believable situations all delightfully twisted around a dreamlike state .",
      "... it is both tense and gruesome ; there is little humanity here , but a great script and terrific camera work make even that bearable .",
      "still as dark and brutal today as it was fifteen years ago .",
      "as good as it is on its own merits , the film works as the coens ' announcement of themselves to the moviegoing world .",
      "MOV is a bit like a horror film interlaced with a film noir backdrop ...",
      "from the get-go , MOV demonstrates the originality , warped sensibility and bravura filmmaking that have marked nearly all coen brothers films .",
      "the movie is ... filled with the little things that make a coen brothers film unique . watching it is like going on a ride .",
      "director joel coen and his co-screenwriting brother ethan rarely miss a beat with their smart film noir dialogue and perfect little details ...",
      "a deliciously decadent , delightfully twisted and masterfully macabre tale .",
      "MOV is so derivative -- of dashiell hammett and james m. cain and a thousand and one noirs -- that who or what is being ripped off is essentially beside the point .",
      "the story is haunting and violent , yet shot through with the coens ' signature brand of weird , deadpan wit and their peculiar melancholy about place and time .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- till startling and stylish , despite a slew of half-baked imitations that have come along since its original release ...",
      "the whole dusty , humid landscape is satanically alive ...",
      "the coens , then as now , are alive to the possibilities of movies . so savor their technique and the sizzling performances .",
      "the coens ' complicated sense of the surreal is consistently entertaining , down to the fleeting , oddball cameos and distinctly weird scripting .",
      "... the movie encapsulates all that has come to typify the coen brothers ' style : engaging narrative , inventive direction , and the juxtaposition of grim violence with moments of sublime , sometimes surreal , human behavior .",
      "as black , sinful and nasty as a weekful of hitchcocks , this is as fresh and intoxicating now as it was back then . in a word : deadly .",
      "a deadpan gothic thriller best described as the steamy , hardboiled fiction of jim thompson and james m. cain filtered through two film-school brats .",
      "an inordinately good low-budget film noir thriller .",
      "watch this film , and these film makers , closely . neither will disappoint .",
      "the coens remain fastidiously indifferent to the plight of their creations , the better to concentrate on the dazzle of their doom",
      "essential .",
      "with a strong and stylish debut like MOV , it did n't take a p.i. to see that the coens were made for big things .",
      "it is n't really about anything except making a commercial narrative movie outside the industry .",
      "atmospheric and chilling . among the coen brothers best work .",
      "the neo-noir debut from the coen brothers is snappy , cynical and intricate .",
      "MOV is n't bad , just self-consciously poky and austere -- a james m. cain homage , rural-art-film division .",
      "the movie remains mired in a smart-alecky film-school sensibility .",
      "a deliciously wicked film noir given a modern bent and reset on the open plains of central texas",
      "... a sly , tongue-in-cheek , film-noir thriller ... a dark murder mystery laced with black humor .",
      "made on a shoestring budget , the film sparkles because its characters are lively and quirky ."
    ],
    "summary": "brutally violent and shockingly funny in equal measure , MOV offers early evidence of the coen brothers ' twisted sensibilities and filmmaking ingenuity .",
    "id": "13324"
  },
  {
    "movie": "evan_almighty",
    "reviews": [
      "new leading man steve carell is charming , even when burdened with long white hair and huge beard , not to speak of company of creatures of every size , but the ultra-expensive comedy is too conceptual and overproduced and only intermittently funny .",
      "sticking steve carell in awkward situations is a guaranteed way to get laughs .",
      "will presumably charm wee ones , and ... go over like gangbusters with the holy rollers , but others may notice this comedy of faith skimps on the comedy .",
      "every decent bit is in the trailer , which means someone spent nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to make a funny 90-second advertising spot .",
      "the extensive mayhem by tsunami that shadyac unleashes is portrayed as comic and casualty-free , but of course adults ca n't help but be disturbed by imagery of a catastrophe that would have cost many thousands of lives being dismissed so casually .",
      "MOV in which steve carell is commanded by god -lrb- morgan freeman -rrb- to build an ark , is a movie far less interesting than its premise .",
      "the highlights of MOV are n't the supernatural moments but the scenes in which carell grows comically flustered with his situation .",
      "it 's depressing to learn that god himself speaks in bumper-sticker slogans . equally sad is seeing the talented sykes once again sidelined in another clunker : rather than a star in her own right , she 's become the thelma ritter of bad hollywood comedies .",
      "it 's an almighty , humorless bore .",
      "a few scenes involving animals are irresistibly cute . but mostly we get gags starring bird droppings -- messages from the sky that are neither divine nor inspired .",
      "neither biblical disaster nor heavenly treat , the underwhelming MOV can still lay claim to a superlative : it 's the bravest -lrb- or craziest -rrb- movie of 2007 .",
      "on what stone tablet is it written that christian comedies have to be this witless ?",
      "just say noah .",
      "the movie 's fine , but it 's more safe than interesting .",
      "if jerry falwell were n't dead already , this movie might have killed him .",
      "MOV is a paper-thin alleged comedy with a laugh drought of biblical proportions , and a condescendingly simplistic spiritual message . it is so bad , i came close to throwing my caffeinated beverage at the screen .",
      "my advice to you : just say noah .",
      "MOV combines the easiest elements of lazy comedy with the most indulgent elements of lazy disaster movies . even mr. carell , gamely mugging and wincing and snaring the random reflex laugh , gets pulled down with the ship .",
      "here 's the funniest thing : in trying desperately to reconnect with religious americans , hollywood assumes religious americans are so dumb they 'll laugh at anything .",
      "evan 's ark offers refuge for the lions , tigers , elephants , and other animals from distant habitats , but they , like us , would have been better off just staying home .",
      "it takes an annoying while for MOV to launch , but laughs , or at least chuckles , do come forth .",
      "this bright family comedy is a great time at the movies for everyone , thanks in large part to the brilliant steve carell .",
      "shockingly , this flood is less an allergic reaction to any global catastrophe and more the result of what happens when a studio has too much cash to blow on a wild effects sequence .",
      "evan asks people to repent . you might ask for a refund . at least `` speed 2 : cruise control '' is no longer the worst over-budgeted summer sequel to feature a huge boat taking a torturously long time to crash onto land .",
      "`` MOV '' reaffirms my theory that steve carell is unable to carry a film on his own .",
      "they sure spent a lot of money on this movie .",
      "they spent a fortune filming all those different animals and mixing the images all together , but i 'm not sure it was worth all that trouble for a movie that 's a miracle or two short of being divine .",
      "this is the old testament minus the wrath , divine retribution as chicken soup for the soul -- where 's the fun in that ?",
      "MOV requires a strong suspension of disbelief from anyone with an iq higher than a slug 's .",
      "when MOV dips into its obligatory music montage of arc-building mishaps , carell hits his thumb with a hammer not once , not twice ... but three times .",
      "if shadyac and oedekerk opt to take on this subject thrice , let 's hope for more comic intervention , divine or otherwise .",
      "a faith-based , corporate-sponsored , family comedy for folks who do n't mind having a familiar biblical tale about sin overhauled into a contemporary allegory about saving the environment .",
      "MOV is proof that you can make a mainstream movie dealing with religion in a way that 's meaningful without ever sacrificing entertainment value . amen to that .",
      "feebleminded slapdashery .",
      "follows the standard rules of a mainstream comedy and there are few surprises . the story is lifeless and the only thing keeping it from being a complete and utter mess is the talented cast .",
      "as a crowd-pleasing , undemanding matinee diversion , MOV is a far more satisfying production than bruce , and that , to me , is a great thing .",
      "forget wrath-of-god stuff . MOV is pure fluff , moderately entertaining but not nearly the `` comedy of biblical proportions '' it purports to be .",
      "offers an inoffensive message of conservationism and family togetherness , leavened by bestiary slapstick . harmless , diverting , very mildly uplifting ... -lsb- but -rsb- bland , generic and unchallenging .",
      "we as an audience are to believe that `` god '' -lrb- the christian version of course -rrb- would seek the aid of a white politician to build an ark to save less than a hundred white people in suburbia , yet he chose to do nothing about the holocaust ?",
      "MOV is filled with broad , slapstick moments and one too many bits involving falling bird poop , but it has its heart in the right place and is morally laudable .",
      "carell , as fans of the office know , is better playing quiet than broad , which is a key reason why evan fails where bruce succeeded .",
      "a truly entertaining film that invites viewers to contemplate the rather big idea that we 're all `` chosen '' to be in relationship with -- and obedient to -- our creator .",
      "god gave us the brains to see through the sort of shallow sermonizing that MOV wants to pass off as true faith .",
      "the combination of pratfalls and platitudes does n't quite work .",
      "MOV is the latest , terrible family film , and a chronicle of the reductive way in which mainstream comedy directors seem to inevitably lose their edge .",
      "it simply regurgitates what marketing research has told it we want to hear , along with a few shots of pooping birds in a vain attempt at laughter .",
      "despite the lack of laugh-out-loud moments , i 've got to say that i was charmed by the film 's gentle humor and family-first message",
      "both fun and serious as it bestows its important messages about family , responsibility and the environment .",
      "the original bruce almighty took god 's place while evan only takes noah 's place . we 're careening fast down the biblical food chain , are n't we ? what 's next , zebulun , son of jacob , almighty ?",
      "the story plays on a juvenile level , and surprisingly enough it works on that level .",
      "it 's like a lazy summer day - too light and inconsequential to really get excited about , but you have to be pretty cranky to complain too loudly .",
      "it 's a paper-thin alleged comedy with a laugh drought of biblical proportions .",
      "do n't bother going down with the ark ; skip this one .",
      "ultimately , MOV is too sappy , too sanctimonious .",
      "there are laughs , good effects , fine beasts and a mood of goofy apocalypse .",
      "if the lord does indeed work in mysterious ways , he or she had absolutely nothing to do with the making of MOV , a predictable and totally typical piece of hollywood comedy overkill .",
      "dressing thy star in vestments of outrageous design and a wig maketh not a joke .",
      "there 's enough stupidity here to insult both theologians and politicos .",
      "the shamelessly juvenile , pseudo-religious , mock-sincere MOV is the most expensive hollywood comedy ever made . problem ? it 's not that funny .",
      "feeling nostalgic about those ` oh , god ' movies that george burns made 30-odd years ago ? then ` MOV ' might seem like manna from heaven .",
      "the story arc definitely is aimed at young audiences in `` MOV . ''",
      "the bruce almighty spinoff gets a touch preachy and saccharine at times , but it 's still fun and funny enough to work as a nice , family-friendly diversion .",
      "horrid , tim-allen-was-not-available treacle",
      "only wanda sykes , as the movie 's obligatory reaction-shot deadpanner , exhibits a functioning wit .",
      "MOV is an ungainly melding of religious paean , big-budget studio comedy , feel-good family niceties and summer-blockbuster spectacle .",
      "it all goes down about as smoothly as an apple in the garden of eden .",
      "loathed during its initial theatrical run , i fail to see the ultimate sin of MOV , outside of some painfully lazy screenwriting and irritating pace issues .",
      "fans of the original film will find much to enjoy , though they really should n't and it would be morally indefensible to encourage them .",
      "there 's a great deal of comedic talent working here , and none of them can muster anything more than a decent chuckle .",
      "this movie is n't about logic , faith or family , and does n't have many laughs except when baboons carry things -- that 's always funny . it 's just mindless summer popcorn .",
      "it makes sense that the sequel to 2003 's hit bruce almighty should star steve carell instead of jim carrey . hilarious as carrey was , everyone knows carell stole the show ...",
      "it 's no laugh riot , but it has a generous heart ...",
      "the citizen kane of fecal films .",
      "if i want to see a movie about a warm and cuddly guy with a white beard , i 'll just pop miracle on 34th street into the dvd player .",
      "oh come on now ... this is n't that bad . it 's actually a decent movie , and very cute .",
      "this is pg-rated proselytizing tinged with al gore self-righteousness , all with the narrative thrust of a film about the apocalypse starring kirk cameron .",
      "100 % exactly what i expected . no big belly laughs but a light enough comedy to pass the time .",
      "carell plays the uptight character straight , creating anxiety instead of comedy .",
      "entertaining enough to be a big hit , but the script is badly underwritten .",
      "MOV is expertly forged to be a superficial audience friendly phenomenon , the kind of movie that has critics and the cultured scratching their heads over its continued success .",
      "if the producers of bruce almighty locked themselves in a room until they came up with an idea for a sequel , this must be the one they hit upon around 3 a.m.",
      "neither the jokes nor the special effects seem heaven-sent in ` MOV . ' the humor consists of pratfalls , cartoonish crotch attacks and bird droppings .",
      "richly mixes funny , supernatural , and heart . a film the whole family can enjoy , as evidenced by my happy clan of four ranging in age from seven to sixty-seven .",
      "already heralded as the most expensive comedy ever made , MOV may need heavenly intervention to achieve ultimate financial success . critical success is even less likely .",
      "while i admit that MOV is n't as ineptly constructed and poorly realized as its predecessor , this still is n't a wise investment of anyone 's entertainment dollar .",
      "while the film has a good heart , it 's arteries are filled with cheese .",
      "the idea to show characters dancing to a song with lyrics that go `` everybody dance now ! '' is indicative of the movie 's creativity level .",
      "religious rhetoric attached to a flimsy plot on the strength of family and the power of government corruption . there little that 's new and there 's little that 's funny .",
      "MOV is sweeter than it is funny , but it sure looks good ... interesting thought exercises do not a raucous comedy make .",
      "MOV is a colossal dud - a high-concept low comedy made by people who ca n't tell a pratfall from a pitfall and stumble into every one .",
      "steve carell , a funny man in most circumstances , as been left high and dry ...",
      "a comedy with it 's heart in the right place",
      "a tolerable sequel to bruce almighty .",
      "`` MOV '' is not a horrible film by any means , just on the low side of mediocre . but if the reports of the enormous costs are true -lrb- animal wranglers are expensive , y' know -rrb- , then this is going to be the bomb of the year % u2026and with an effort this s",
      "MOV simplistically preaches the value of faith , and its overriding belief is that beneficial societal and familial change can stem from `` one act of random kindness . ''",
      "MOV strains consistently to pave the way for topical humor , yet lacks inspired comedic charm and a cogent message .",
      "nominal sequel to bruce almighty finds steve carell assigned noah 's job . once you stop laughing at that , there 's not much left .",
      "once or twice the film reveals its good intentions and gets a laugh , but mostly it feels like a store-bought mix of jokes and sentiments .",
      "even the editing betrays a sense of desperation about the material . it 's cut so tight that no one ever breathes , they just talk .",
      "the warm likeability and atomic-clock comic timing of carell , lauren graham -lrb- television 's `` gilmore girls '' -rrb- as his wife , and wanda sykes as his congressional aide -- and the quick running time of just over 90 minutes -- keep it mildly entertaining .",
      "historically , throwing money at a comedy has never made it funnier , because there 's nothing more cost-effective than a joke , and nothing more ruinous than a spectacle trampling all over it .",
      "with carell in the lead , it sails along smoothly and merrily , with enough laughs and feel-good messages to help it overcome its inherent weaknesses .",
      "if there is one thing that kills comedy , it 's sanctimoniousness .",
      "god -lrb- morgan freeman -rrb- is not at all unlike br ` er rabbit , whose amorality was often a positive force against white masters -- and just as often a destructive force against all .",
      "the fact that god is depicted as a black man makes this post-katrina flood tale particularly disturbing . apparently , god was n't concerned with finding a righteous man in new orleans ' ninth ward , but here he saves a rich white suburb from drowning .",
      "the divine guidance afforded the title character does not extend to script doctoring .",
      "there is a simple sweetness about this film when it sticks to the likable carell , god and his family , but it 's overcome by the deluge of effects that pay homage to hollywood 's sole focus of worship : the box office .",
      "it 's a gentle , warm , ` big tent ' big-budget comedy with all the rough edges rubbed off . not an edge to be found .",
      "it 's a trifle of a thing ; the kind of thing you 'd see on a broadcast network on a saturday afternoon , at least before you grew bored and changed the channel .",
      "unless you 're a devout christian or one of those preteens who laugh at anything , there are far better -lrb- and more interesting -rrb- movies to choose from .",
      "nothing can offset the picture 's dutiful sunday-school intentions or the generic qualities of the cg animals that follow noah in twosies .",
      "MOV is saved by a strong supporting cast and a decent climax , though the rest of the film is underwritten and disappointing in places .",
      "and god looked out onto the teeming plains and and he saw that there were many suckers who dwelt upon the land who did lust to spend their shekels upon bird-poop jokes .",
      "mildly amusing .",
      "click for full review",
      "MOV belongs to that sorry cinema subgenre , comedy without the funny bits .",
      "` MOV ' misses so many tricks , it ultimately misses the mark .",
      "it has to be one of the flattest , unfunny comedies that i 've seen in a very long time . honestly , the best i could manage was a weak smile here or there .",
      "better than `` bruce ' '' by at least two turtle doves and a 40-year-old virgin ...",
      "somehow this boat floats along , a lasting tribute to lightweight construction .",
      "might be saved if the laughs equaled the number of scenes with critters pooping .",
      "with god and noah providing the animated sermon , the faithful fan base is bound to flock to the theatre pews . the studio has no reason to fear disrespectful numbers .",
      "there really are n't any laugh-out-loud moments . even comic pros like wanda sykes , john michael higgins and goodman are straining a bit here .",
      "smartly done : ` MOV ' is a preposterous , moderately funny film that will warm the hearts of millions .",
      "by all accounts , MOV should n't work , but it kind of does .",
      "the pieces do n't all fit into place and much of what should be its emotional substance is simply rushed . but as a chance to see carell fill the screen with his brand of angst and freeman to charm , it 's worth a visit .",
      "carell 's funniest when he is n't trying to be jim carrey , but he gamely goes along with kicks to the groin and smacks to the head .",
      "this is a limp , slow-moving and desperately unfunny comedy , a sequel to bruce almighty and about the only thing that could possibly make that minor jim carrey film look better in retrospect .",
      "the effects are so gargantuan and so distractingly cheesy that the movie loses track of the idea that this is a normal guy who has to do strange things that seem crazy to his friends and wife .",
      "this is idiotic , but it 's so good-natured i did n't mind .",
      "when the film ultimately does deliver on the threat of a flood , there 's not much to think other than that the special effects are adequate and that carell 's movie is one big washout .",
      "as modern-day re-stagings of bible stories go , this is oddly less funny than the reaping . next time , for real laughs , do the story of job .",
      "often mainlining its message at the expense of laughs , this is unassuming fare that just about holds the line between floating and sinking . carell 's a solid centre , but someone needs to tell him he 's better than this .",
      "one very expensive flop .",
      "avoid like the ten plagues .",
      "even the finest of actors would require a miracle when working with gags centred , predominantly , on bird droppings .",
      "safety over satire at almost every turn .",
      "a comedic disaster of biblical proportions .",
      "anyone expecting a reprise of bruce almighty will be disappointed .",
      "beyond heaven 's help .",
      "staggeringly unfunny .",
      "when knocked up supporting player hill is the funniest member of a cast led by carell that includes the equally funny sykes and graham , you know something 's gone sadly wrong .",
      "squeezes most of the life out of carell 's twitchy , oddball comedic persona .",
      "i have no clue where anyone would come up with this idea and why they thought it would be funny , but , worse yet , it 's not even utilized in a way that makes it worth the time .",
      "you know a movie is in trouble when most of the laughs involve birds pooping on congressmen .",
      "will it make up its $ 175 million budget ? maybe with some divine intervention . seriously . i would n't be surprised to see buses unloading smiling families and frenzied young lifers hitting up theaters for the first time since mel gibson told them to .",
      "while the cast manages to pull a few slight chuckles from the proceedings , it 's not enough to keep evan from being little else than flimsy hackwork .",
      "rumored to be the most expensive comedy ever made , the laughs come at a high price in MOV , as much as $ 50 million per snicker .",
      "this only mildly amusing sequel is stultifying , self-righteous , sanctimonious - desperately needing divine intervention .",
      "its funnier that a film made to offend the fewest of people is intent on just crapping on as many possible within its frames .",
      "this was the best family film i have seen this year .",
      "though the strain sometimes shows , carell 's skill with physical comedy is a saving grace that makes MOV at least tolerable .",
      "MOV runs out of comic invention early , and the filmmakers fall back on what real politicians do when they exhaust their small stash of ideas : brainless piety .",
      "maybe i 'm nuts , but beyond the mediocrity on display , i started to see the seeds of what could have been a masterpiece ...",
      "what makes the film transcend its limitations is carell , whose square , father knows best demeanor belies a supreme comic self-confidence and whose implacability in the face of the movie 's cgi-intensive animal antics can be marvelous to behold .",
      "a family film with the right , saucy touch .",
      "at times the visuals can be impressive , but the climactic flood -- the ark 's raison d'etre -- looks surprisingly cheesy and fake .",
      "with MOV , the sorta , kinda , not exactly sequel to bruce almighty , we learn that treacle is neither better nor worse than puerile . it 's a lateral move and they are both annoying .",
      "a soggy mess ... to think it 's any good would require a supreme act of faith .",
      "the problems with MOV mostly boil down to questions of scale . the movie warns of an imminent flood , yet delivers only sprinkles of laughter or anything approaching magic .",
      "much of the slapstick comedy involved in the building is feeble , and the film never does something unexpected once the wheels are set in motion .",
      "yes , it 's sentimental and you have to suspend disbelief -lrb- why would the crowd mock evan as a loon , since after all , 100 pairs of animals are watching him build the ark ? -rrb- , but it 's an entertaining enough pic albeit one not crammed with laughs .",
      "a fairly straightforward retelling of the noah 's ark tale ... lacking one important aspect of any comedy -- funny jokes .",
      "while bruce almighty was an inventive and often hilarious parable about divine intervention , MOV is mighty short of laughs .",
      "there are more jokes in any chapter of the book of job than in the whole of MOV .",
      "for long after the waters have subsided , there remains a very wide gap between havoc and hilarity .",
      "unapologetically , aggressively unfunny .",
      "carell 's morality tale much milder than carrey 's .",
      "MOV could have been a lot worse , but anything with carell has -- or had -- the potential to be a lot better .",
      "even more blatant religious propaganda and preaching than the first installment .",
      "heaven help parents if hollywood stops making silly , good-natured , pg-rated family comedies .",
      "a fun comedy of epic biblical proportions with carell in fine form .",
      "should have been a lot more amusing than it turns out .",
      "it 's all much concerned with the soul but regrettably lacks a heart , a brain or a smidgen of wit .",
      "-lsb- kids -rsb- will enjoy the animal antics best , especially when the critters start doing their part to help build the ark . parents will have to settle for the few inspired bits by carell , stuck with the job-like task of keeping this leaky bucket afloat .",
      "MOV emerges as nothing more than a preachy , overpriced sitcom .",
      "though far from a disaster of biblical proportions , MOV is a mild , sporadically funny comedy in an oversized sentimental frame .",
      "the movie 's message about changing the world by practicing ` acts of random kindness ' would feel a lot more genuine if evan had cost , say a 10th of its final budget and had those involved plowed the rest of the money into various charitable causes .",
      "apparently all the money went into the animals . the jokes would n't earn a round of applause at open mic night at your local comedy club .",
      "MOV may not be enough to make you shout ` hallelujah , ' but it 's not the cinematic equivalent of a plague , either .",
      "the movie comes across as sunday school meets greenpeace meets ace ventura -- laughter , religion and environmentalism make strange bedfellows .",
      "this film is to faith what a box of animal crackers is to nature .",
      "no doubt there is an audience ready to receive this relatively harmless , absolutely pointless , aggressively stupid , professionally realized pap . it will delight some people who will find it cute and take its casual blasphemies for a sense of humor",
      "for a premise with unlimited possibilities , director tom shadyac and screenwriter steve oedekerk are awfully small-minded .",
      "the sum effect is mild yet strange , lacking both the zing of smart comedy and the cohesion of sensible plotting .",
      "i was n't just bored ... i was actively disgusted that so much money was spent on a film that is so poorly written , and so inconsistent and incoherent ...",
      "MOV has n't quite decided what it wants to be , and you get the feeling that if it were n't for another amazing arc -- carell 's recent career trajectory -- it would n't exist at all .",
      "the critic in me screams but the family man completely understands .",
      "sometimes it 's best to just leave average alone .",
      "loses its footing well before it gets all heavy - and under-handed . i think it 's at the second poop joke . maybe it 's the third poop joke , but i guarantee it is well before the fifth and sixth poop jokes .",
      "a fun movie that does n't make you think too hard , but has plenty of little jokes for those who pay attention ,",
      "for a movie that 's supposed to be about reconnecting with god and ourselves , and cherishing the earth we live on , MOV is a surprisingly dispassionate picture .",
      "god is played , once again , by morgan freeman , whose suave charm can sell all sorts of silliness , but not the amiable imbecility peddled by this film ."
    ],
    "summary": "big on special effects but short on laughs , MOV underutilizes a star-studded cast that includes steve carell and morgan freeman .",
    "id": "398745185"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the-foot-fist-way",
    "reviews": [
      "worse things can and will happen this year than MOV being a small success .",
      "this movie 's weakness is disgusting to me .",
      "the film 's funniest moment caught me at a loss of breath , and at its best has other moments providing extended laughs , if not of the breathtaking variety .",
      "this is irritainment , something you snicker at while covering your eyes , praying that this guy never gets loose in the real world , when , in fact , he 's your next-door neighbor . or you .",
      "a film crying out to be discovered by midnight movie mavens .",
      "mcbride 's smalltown satire offers minor martial arts-themed laughs .",
      "everything feels like it sprang from an all-night , cola-fueled brainstorm , so every bit slips easily away , usually after generating a grin or two , if not many laughs .",
      "this is a really small film , shot in 19 days , and it 's a little rough around the edges , but it 's got a huge comic heart that 's undeniable .",
      "if i had my way , every indie comedy would be done MOV .",
      "this comedy clocks in around 90 minutes . yet somehow it still feels too long and overly padded -- as if it were a sketch-comedy show bit that was stretched out to feature length .",
      "built out of the ` asshole as hero ' mode of amusement ... MOV is a collection of contradictory ideals gelling effortlessly into a smart , savvy whole .",
      "a semi-hilarious nonformula movie that makes you realize why formulas are born .",
      "basically plays like a will ferrell vehicle without will ferrell .",
      "a low-budget wannabe cult comedy shot three years ago , only recently graduating from underground dvd circulation to a small theatrical release . it should 've stayed in obscurity .",
      "a very cool comedy based on character -- real , and really self-deluded characters -- and not on shtick .",
      "a raucous and often very funny examination of a man who is a loser in every possible respect .",
      "this hilarious , high-kicking nonsense cost two cents and looks it -- hell , it was shot in 19 days , but you 'll laugh helplessly anyway .",
      "the film stops when the jokes do , making for an anti-climactic finale . but if MOV is more about promise than delivery , its creators are off to an impressive start .",
      "breaking boards and concrete blocks is fun to watch , but that and a few good laughs , do not a viable comedy product make",
      "even though MOV has some moments of inspired lunacy , its paper-thin premise could barely sustain a half-hour short , let alone an 85-minute feature .",
      "director jody hill ... maintains his odd tone throughout and caps off the news that fred 's been cuckholded with one of the funniest camera moves since the coen brothers floated over a drunk in `` blood simple . ''",
      "trouble is , the gags just keep finding new ways to make mcbride 's strip-mall sensei seem pathetic , and the few scattered laughs never justify the cruelty .",
      "a hit at the 2006 sundance film festival , MOV is a refreshingly silly and clever portrait of a strikingly daft and clueless man .",
      "MOV is not short on broad physical humor . but simmons is a brilliantly detailed grotesque capable of withstanding comparison to his most obvious inspiration , ricky gervais ' office boss david brent .",
      "tae kwan do n't ... as stupid and irritating as its protagonist .",
      "i 'm told people at sundance a couple of years ago loved this movie . i do n't know , maybe the altitude got to them .",
      "just as the dish begins to sizzle , foot fist turns off the burners . this is fare meant to be served cool .",
      "i have read reviews from seemingly sensible critics who have found this one to be equally amusing , which would indicate that they are all on some wavelength that i am as yet not privy to or that i need to recalibrate my conception of the word `` sensible . ''",
      "does this title mean i can put my foot and my fist through the screen ?",
      "at times , it verges on being overbearing , too much to watch -- and yet you ca n't turn your eyes away for fear of missing whatever excruciatingly awkward moment might come next .",
      "i can not recommend this movie , but i can describe it , and then it 's up to you ... what it does , it does well , even the point of its disgusting final scene .",
      "my tolerance for the mockumentary form of comedy has curdled somewhat in the wake of the past decade 's serious subgenre overkill .",
      "like an entire movie of deleted scenes on a dvd you got for free at the grocery store .",
      "when it works , MOV is among the most painfully funny comedies of the year . alas , there 's just as much here that does n't quite hit home , making for a lot of dead air between the gags .",
      "cut from the same cringe-inducing cloth as the office and napoleon dynamite , this low-budget comedy about a clueless tae kwan do tutor punches , chops and karate-kicks above its weight .",
      "it 's almost funny , or theoretically funny . it 's just not actually funny .",
      "but the annoying mcbride often resorts to foul-mouthed tirades and so lacks ricky gervais 's warmth .",
      "watchable mockumentary with strong performances , but it 's not as funny as it should have been and is ultimately both depressing and uncomfortable to sit through .",
      "the blatant , inarticulate idiocy of mcbride 's simmons is , in a certain way , endearing .",
      "has an irresistible charm and infectious energy .",
      "watching the movie , even when it 's not working -- which is a lot of the time -- one does n't tire of mcbride .",
      "milks the character and his foibles for all the laughs he 's worth -- which prove to be plenty .",
      "being a filmmaker myself , i have an affection for directors who gather all the money they can and just go for it . but the humor is not consistent enough for me to fully recommend this .",
      "stays doggedly true to its idiosyncratic off-kilter vibe .",
      "for a low budget , independent comedy made in 19 days , `` MOV '' is a clever and surprisingly satisfying effort from first-time director and co-writer jody hill .",
      "pretty slickly done , given the budget , but more importantly pretty damned funny .",
      "martial arts `` comedy '' is crude , mean and unfunny .",
      "this discomfiting low-budget comedy vérité can be painfully funny , but the emphasis is on the painful . this goes way below the belt a little too long and too often .",
      "there is a certain sense of self-loathing that goes into these sorts of character comedies , as if the actors are reveling in their own humiliation .",
      "once we relax into the fact that not much is going to happen , we can enjoy the film 's little moments of nutso inspiration .",
      "not bad for a one-joke movie , but still unmistakably a one-joke movie .",
      "it may not look like much , but the low-budget tae kwon do comedy MOV is one of the funniest diy flicks in years , thanks to the droll wit of writer-director jody hill and star danny mcbride .",
      "it 's also pretty funny at times , even if its central joke wears thin .",
      "it plays exactly like a will ferrell comedy , but better , because ferrell 's not in it .",
      "we 've all met this guy or someone close , and that makes him all the more deserving of that derision and a bit of empathy , too .",
      "MOV signifies the most original comic vision since hot fuzz .",
      "some bits fall flat well before they 're driven into the ground , such as when simmons tries to seduce a new female student . others are painfully telegraphed so that when the payoff arrives , you 've anticipated the blow and have become inured to it .",
      "morning zoo radio djs can rejoice : you 'll be mining quotes from this movie for the next several decades .",
      "mcbride sells the character with a straight face at all times , making it that much harder to watch when simmons settles into full-fledged train-wreck mode .",
      "google the trailer . that should be enough .",
      "boasting outrageous laughs and a performance with real heart beneath its dim-bulb exterior , MOV is a ragged delight .",
      "fred is a sadder , more recognizable version of ferrell characters like ricky bobby or ron burgundy , a pompous manchild with delusions of masculine dominance .",
      "this could have been the karate kid done as the office , but in the end drops to its knees as the flat-foot ham-fisted way .",
      "from a bunch of minor judd apatow protégés , a dispiriting low-budget series of witless , misogynistic sketches masquerading as comedy .",
      "shot on video , more vérité than mockumentary in style , foot fist shames bigger-budgeted fare with its gags-to-bucks ratio .",
      "the comedy is of the kind that makes you wince rather than laugh ; the camerawork is defiantly ugly and the performances are unpolished .",
      "a funny showcase for rising star danny mcbride , if not quite the second comedy coming it 's being marketed as .",
      "while most of the deadpan remarks hit the spot , the erratic sketch-like editing and overall slapdash structure give it an air of incompleteness . fun in parts , slipshod in others .",
      "a striking low-budget debut that manages to combine deadpan one-liners , pathos , physical comedy and fighting stars .",
      "... there is no way of my getting around saying how badly amateurish the film is and how prosaic it can be .",
      "performances are uneven and sometimes self-consciously amateurish , and brian mandle 's photography seems to be only a couple of notches above cell-phone home movies .",
      "apparently the writers thought fred was so inherently funny they barely bothered to write jokes for him - and then thought those jokes were so funny they did n't need well-timed delivery .",
      "... amuses as you watch but does not have the shoulders to last long in your mind after leaving the theater .",
      "this sleeper hit in the making is sweet and sour in all the right proportions , the best thing of its kind since napoleon dynamite .",
      "the filmmaking is rough around the edges , but the dialogue is dead on , mcbride , hill and best nail their characters -lrb- it would be easy to assume they 're just playing themselves -rrb- and the stunts are uncomfortably convincing .",
      "MOV amounts to a feature-length audition to win will ferrell 's attention . and guess what ? it worked .",
      "there are enough droll moments to spark cult status , and mcbride 's commitment is impressive .",
      "the saga of small-town strip mall taekwondo instructor fred simmons , MOV is the sort of nimble oddball discovery that one wishes would come along more often ."
    ],
    "summary": "the rough edges and biting humor of this martial arts comedy will keep audiences laughing and cringing in turns .",
    "id": "770685313"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_wind_rises",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a frequently remarkable film -- easily the best animated film of 2013 and fully of deserving its oscar nomination .",
      "while critics and historians can debate the narrative 's moral ambiguity , or lack thereof , the film 's magic derives from an old director 's memories of younger , more hopeful days .",
      "there are more boring movies than this one . there are n't many more disingenuous .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- hile the subject is admittedly darker , the whimsically drawn animation is a typically beautiful delight full of swirling rhapsodies of colour and eye-popping action sequences .",
      "MOV becomes all the more engrossing in its final act , where the refined beauty of horikoshi 's designs is exploited by a japanese military at the start of world war ii .",
      "the film does n't take the obvious moralistic steps that could avert backlash - it 's pure miyazaki , a perspective influenced by history and reflective of a 50-year career .",
      "clearly , MOV is n't a film about war but a valentine to the creative spirit .",
      "an engineer pursues his dreams in miyazaki 's latest -lrb- and hopefully not last -rrb-",
      "impossibly gorgeous , with especially painterly backgrounds and detailed attention to not only everyday sounds but the alien noises during and after a temblor .",
      "`` MOV , '' nominated for an academy award as best animated feature , is a visual delight , with bright pastoral colors , clouds that float like ballerinas and clear , blue skies that envelop you .",
      "it 's a bold , unapologetic film that is not always completely successful , but there is a confident vision at play , and that is always welcome .",
      "in terms of tone , visual beauty , and storytelling , MOV represents miyazaki at the apex of his abilities .",
      "miyazaki successfully immerses us in an analog world where the human hand -- not a machine -- bridges the gap between the imagination and the mechanical reality .",
      "it 's a gorgeous-looking , thoughtful epic , even if it falters at times .",
      "at 73 , miyazaki 's farewell is many things -- gorgeous , beckoning , compassionate . for better and worse , it soars above child 's play .",
      "if this indeed is miyazaki 's last feature film , he 's certainly flying out on a high note . -lrb- full content review for parents also available here -rrb-",
      "when jiro dreams , `` wind '' soars ; when he comes down to earth , the film can feel a bit stiff and murky . but then , that may be the point .",
      "MOV has the sweep and majesty of a technicolor hollywood classic .",
      "even if it does n't quite capture the magic of some of his earlier films , MOV feels like one of miyazaki 's more personal films .",
      "as gorgeously animated as any of his previous movies , wind has miyazaki trading in his more fantastical impulses for contemplative , old-fashioned drama and period detail .",
      "` MOV ' is akin to sitting through an unbearably long flight in which the view can only be appreciated so much ...",
      "miyazaki has come out of retirement before . but if he does stop now , he ends on a masterpiece .",
      "if MOV has the unhappy distinction of being hayao miyazaki 's last feature , it shows the director at the height of his powers making a premature but glorious exit .",
      "miyazaki offers a vivid , at times fantastical view of japan between the wars , wracked by the great depression , a fearsome earthquake that leveled tokyo in 1923 , a tuberculosis epidemic and the rise of fascism .",
      "`` MOV , '' with its complex diminuendo , underlines mr. miyazaki 's much longer , richly creative odyssey .",
      "you sense that miyazaki felt he had time for one more masterpiece , but material for three .",
      "even the simplest aesthetic choices here inspire sharp intakes of breath .",
      "a melodrama so earnest , rousing and robustly built that you 'd swear it could have come out of hollywood in the 1940s .",
      "it might not be the director 's most immediately accessible films , but it 's among his most fascinating and beguiling .",
      "blends tragedy , comedy , elegy , romance and apocalypse into an elemental lyricism no other director could get near .",
      "the film , like the wind it references , has wonderfully soaring sequences .",
      "hayao miyazaki 's hauntingly beautiful historical epic draws a sober portrait of japan between the two world wars .",
      "an engrossing , real world epic love story .",
      "to see `` MOV '' is to simultaneously marvel at the work of a master and regret that this film is likely his last .",
      "i wanted to love it , tried to love it and then went down in flames .",
      "on balance , MOV is worth seeing especially for animation buffs and especially since it seems as though this will be the talented director 's final film .",
      "i actually thought the love story was very touching .",
      "it speaks to both the head and the heart , and it is , in myriad ways , some of the best work the legendary animator has ever created .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- spellbinding , dreamy paean to imagination .",
      "a work of immense mystery and strangeness , loaded with unforgettable images , spectacular sweeps of color and nested , hidden meanings .",
      "lovely , contemplative tale of famed aeronautical engineer .",
      "gorgeous , wondrous and troubling .",
      "koreans , chinese and others who experienced war atrocities at the hands of the japanese have accused the film of political irresponsibility . but its real agenda , if you look carefully , is quite another matter .",
      "the movie 's story and visuals are all of a piece . the incidents are layered ; the wind reveals their secrets .",
      "a master craftsman and an average artist may start with the same tools , but they end up with work that is completely different in quality . in the world of animation , hayao miyazaki is one of the all-time master craftsmen .",
      "the studied whimsy hits plot points on the nose and seems likelier to inspire calculation than imagination ; rather than just telling a story of regimentation , the movie feels regimented .",
      "` airplanes are beautiful dreams ' is a phrase reprised throughout hayao miyazaki 's MOV , and the same could be said about miyazaki 's films .",
      "perhaps the greatest animated film ever made .",
      "the life , work , and love story of an aviation engineer in japan prior to world war ii directed by hayao miyazaki .",
      "it is not enchanting or charming enough to be recommended , and its story and characters are less engaging compared to the memorably colorful or complex characters we encountered in -lsb- miyazaki 's -rsb- other works .",
      "a work like this serves to remind us of the shining beacons miyazaki 's left behind him , the testaments to pursuing beauty in the face of so much ugliness , themselves lasting reminders of the quiet rewards of determination .",
      "though MOV is based on a real person , it 's very much a miyazaki film , blending dream sequences , gentle character comedy , and shattering eruptions of violence into its sketch of early 20th-century japan .",
      "animating a biopic does n't make it any less plodding , and this account of a japanese aeronautics expert ca . the 1930s spends too little time on the details of his work and too much time on a fabricated , love story-style romance .",
      "japanese animation genius hayao miyazaki 's first film for grown-ups - or perhaps that should read ` first film likely to bore the under-tens ' - offers plenty of those moments of 2d cine-painting joy and ravishment that we have come to expect .",
      "having proven his talent time and again , the master has explained himself .",
      "rises is as fascinating as the rest of miyazaki 's work . it lacks magical creatures and lush realms , but it retains a personal perspective and fascination with exploring a changing world .",
      "MOV , in its own mysterious , inimitable ways , is a fitting farewell for a director committed to the power of creativity .",
      "the view is beautiful , but the loftier aims of `` MOV '' fall short .",
      "the beauty of `` MOV '' - and it really is gorgeous - does not mask the troublesome aspects of its story , or of human nature itself .",
      "with his vivid , gorgeous visuals - the film was nominated for an animation oscar - and his penchant for dark fantasy , miyazaki takes a straightforward tale and gives it an unexpected sideways kick .",
      "... a gorgeous production , even by miyazaki 's standards .",
      "as long as you 're willing not to ask too many questions about what 's going on here , `` wind '' soars .",
      "a soaring and lyrical work that , for the first time , is grounded in an all-too-plausible reality that is said to represent the master 's final film .",
      "miyazaki 's animation is as exquisitely wondrous as ever . but it 's curious that he feels so much for a man who seemed to feel so little .",
      "as much as it deeply understands the artistic mindset of a driven creator , it also acknowledges the darker implications of a genius ' tunnel vision .",
      "if MOV is indeed the final film from hayao miyazaki -- the animation master has both announced and rescinded his retirement -- he leaves us with a moving , meaningful farewell .",
      "MOV has the historical sweep of a david lean picture , complete with panoramic shots of migrating populations against a background of disaster ...",
      "everything is invested with spirit : levers , flaps , and , of course , the wind .",
      "it 's probably the sweetest animated feature about an armaments designer you 'll ever see .",
      "for those who do a bit of pre-movie research , `` MOV '' can be a lovely , realistic tale ... otherwise , it 's just not that captivating .",
      "certainly no one else would render such a story in old-school , hand-drawn animation instead of surrendering to modern cgi . but that 's what makes miyazaki unique",
      "it extends very naturally from miyazaki 's rightly beloved earlier works , which collectively reveal his own refreshingly incorruptible fascination with flying contraptions .",
      "miyazaki 's art is now indivisible from magic .",
      "uses absolutely stunning art to tell an impressive story about both a crucial period in japanese history and what true passion can accomplish .",
      "an ode to flight and a celebration of living with one 's head in the clouds .",
      "fittingly , for a film that miyazaki says will be his last , it 's also something of a self-portrait in its depiction of a nearsighted , work-driven dreamer whose imagination soars above the rest .",
      "reveals itself to be not just a drama about love , romance , aircraft , or war , but a drama of the very essence of humanity : why do we try to live ?",
      "world-class animation , with obsessive attention lavished on the smallest , subtlest things",
      "`` MOV '' will mean the most to fans who 've grown up watching mr. miyazaki 's work . think of it as your graduation present .",
      "if MOV is miyazaki 's final feature , it marks a suitably rich and strange exit for one of the giants of japanese cinema .",
      "a rich treat for the eye and soul alike .",
      "'' -lrb- the -rrb- good news is that the film is a flawed but still very enjoyable flight of fancy . ''",
      "it 's miyazaki 's most atypical cartoon , yet it might be his most personal self-representation , a portrait of the artist as a myopic dreamer .",
      "a celebration of craft , graft and inspiration , MOV is a final masterpiece from an industry legend - and a ballsy statement that animated wonder need n't be confined to genre ghettos .",
      "it 's being billed as hayao miyazaki 's last film . he ca n't leave us this way .",
      "an emotionally generous and expansively detailed romantic fantasy .",
      "even miyazaki and his studio ghibli wizardry ca n't ward off this story 's jinxes .",
      "a film about the beauty of flight and the prelude to war , whose astonishing visuals shout that life is wonderful .",
      "there 's a sweetness to their story that tempers the heavier events affecting their lives , though both elements are served with equal helpings of nostalgia .",
      "apart from its handcrafted visuals , which are as lovely and painstakingly precise as anything in the ghibli canon , the film feels sapped of conflict and energy",
      "the images in `` MOV '' are breathtaking , with one striking scene after another , imaginative , whimsical , powerful .",
      "maybe it 's best that he leaves us with a soft good-bye rather than a blaze of glory . otherwise , we might feel the loss all the more .",
      "a bio-pic about the designer of the japanese zero would n't seem to lend itself to a two-hour-plus animated flick , but with the immortal hayao miyazaki at the controls it becomes a bit of magic .",
      "the revered anime director hayao miyazaki has paid a respectful tribute to one of japan 's great sons , jiro horikoshi , who engineered japan 's fabulously elegant and efficient fighter planes in world war ii",
      "visually ravishing , as you 'd expect from hayao miyazaki , but there is , disappointingly , no drama and no conflict here .",
      "the true story about jiro horikoshi and his career as a top aviation designer is made fuller with the love story between jiro and naoko .",
      "it 's tempting to proclaim this final work as something career-capping , but in reality it 's a disappointingly minor effort .",
      "in the last resort we must judge the film itself - for its power , its surpassing strangeness , its extraordinary beauty .",
      "MOV ' minimal moral component does n't get in the way of miyazaki 's always-compelling imagery .",
      "if engineers turn dreams into reality , filmmakers turns reality into dreams . miyazaki is one of our finest dreamweavers .",
      "visually , `` MOV '' is a thing of sensual , contemplative poetry , from the pearlescent cloudscapes and verdant countryside of horikoshi 's youth to the hulking gray factories he visits in prewar germany as a young man .",
      "miyazaki is n't taking sides , merely observing how the winds of fate often propel us into situations not entirely of our choosing and open to interpretation .",
      "while it 's not quite as magical as some of his previous films , it makes a fitting and often moving farewell .",
      "the result is a timelessness and warmth that computer graphics have learned to mimic ; the difference being that miyazaki has never strayed from the traditional in the first place .",
      "this is an ambitiously epic movie flooded with dreams , all about dreams , with dreamy animation that resembles watercolor paintings compared with the harder , more metallic look of recent 3-d computer-generated animation .",
      "MOV becomes a near-edenic look at the world , full of casual heroism , and a long , long string of romantic and emotional triumphs .",
      "does n't hit the heights that audiences know miyazaki 's work is capable of reaching .",
      "MOV , believed to be his swansong , certainly feels like a final film : grand , eloquent and epic , it 's gone with the wind-esque in scope and purpose .",
      "breathtaking in its artistry and its dramatic upheaval of animation conventions .",
      "the great japanese animator hayao miyazaki has said that his new film MOV , will be his last . for all sorts of reasons , i hope this is not true .",
      "it 's a very good final act for an animator that 's changed the world with his stories .",
      "the film ca n't help dragging in places by nature of its wonkish subject matter , but it always does so ravishingly .",
      "the film starts strong , but by the end miyazaki is still struggling to recapture the great feeling of fear and awe that pervaded `` spirited away . ''",
      "a dense , gorgeous , and impossibly rich masterwork , hayao miyazaki 's MOV captures the air of an artist who has said all that he wishes to say .",
      "i wish these beautiful scenes and images were in the service of a story that i enjoyed watching be told .",
      "jiro dreams of airplanes in this biographical drama about an aircraft designer who sees his love of aircraft and his love of his wife turn to ashes during world war ii . even after these tragedies , his dreams live on .",
      "if MOV does n't soar to the heights of the director 's finest works , it is a deeply felt and visually ravishing goodbye from one of the undisputed masters of modern animation .",
      "ah yes , an animated tb plague - now you 're talking .",
      "jiro dreams of ... zeroes ? lovely , but an animated , fictionalized and sanitized celebration of japanese wwii fighter design is a dubious use of the medium .",
      "MOV is a visually powerful feature with a less-than-stellar romance .",
      "it 's the rare delightful , soothing film about war , not to mention one that runs through regrets and an understanding of one 's mortality and imperfections .",
      "astonishing beauty , considerable boredom .",
      "its questionable subtext is less problematic than the fact that it simply is n't that moving .",
      "what is more engaging is the view of life in japan between the world wars and miyazaki 's take on international politics .",
      "miyazaki makes no concessions to younger viewers in MOV , which despite the characteristically sumptuous ghibli artwork is aimed squarely at adults .",
      "a wonderfully animated fantasy based on the actual life of the designer of the japanese zero aircraft .",
      "it 's not the director 's best , too much meandering off course , but it 's still a fine work of animation .",
      "the swan song in an illustrious career . with its reference to thomas mann 's `` magic mountain '' , this is obviously a film geared to adults . but bring the kids since they will be enchanted by the airplanes , just as i was .",
      "while miyazaki 's two-hour-long , historical-melodrama swansong is destined to be his most divisive film yet , it is also his most adult and interesting , and never less than visually breathtaking throughout .",
      "laced with poignancy and portent , miyazaki 's epic is an elegy for lost dreams - and a farewell befitting an animation master .",
      "the desecration of beautiful dreams is a ghost always lurking .",
      "ultimately , miyazaki fails to hold the responsibility-shy horikisho to account ... and suggest he has his head hidden in the clouds as much as the young aerial inventor .",
      "there is a wonderful gentleness and intelligent idealism to this animation by 73-year-old hayao miyazaki ...",
      "it is a film with the elegant sweep of a david lean epic as it unfolds in japan between the wars .",
      "the story has much in common with that of the first of the few , leslie howard 's 1942 stiff-upper-lip biopic of rk mitchell , designer of the supermarine spitfire . but there is magic here .",
      "for what he has said will be his final film , animation maestro hayao miyazaki tackles a controversial biopic that could just as easily have been shot in live action .",
      "the brilliant wind rises is another miyazaki masterpiece - evidently his last . he could n't have picked a more perfect way to sign off .",
      "gorgeously evocative visuals , lots about horikoshi 's devoted wife , but a marked reluctance to engage too deeply with the deadly purpose of his beautiful aircraft .",
      "all he wanted , jiro ruminates in this film , was to create something beautiful . which is , at least , a feat that director miyazaki has achieved . once again .",
      "an adult-oriented historical drama with a classical sweep that recalls david lean 's epics . think of it as miyazaki 's doctor zhivago .",
      "miyazaki is arguably at the kubrick/polanski level , where his lesser films still yield great rewards . even during the moments that do n't soar , `` MOV '' continues tosatisfy .",
      "MOV is a masterpiece of light , motion and transition .",
      "MOV is foremost a final , personal look at the nature of creativity , the limitless value of imagination , and the glory of flight .",
      "it is vigorous , subtle , thematically daring , visually gorgeous .",
      "the movie 's a gorgeous , problematic anomaly in an illustrious career-a case of rapturous artistic blindness .",
      "... laments world war ii as a waste of jiro 's gifts , of talent corrupted .",
      "MOV may come as a shock for fans of the kid-friendly , pro-feminist , deeply pacifist miyazaki ... it 's a big story , and in this landmark film miyazaki is up to every demand .",
      "if this is indeed miyazaki 's farewell , it 's a fine one .",
      "a beautiful , less whimsical , but gently romantic drama about chasing your dreams . mature in its themes but breathtaking nonetheless . requires but rewards patient attentiveness .",
      "miyazaki 's fascination with creative inspiration comes through in every frame of he film . rather than a fantasy film that strives for realism , this is realism that segues smoothly into fantasy",
      "few directors would dare to put the dilemmas inherent in military aircraft design to the fore , but miyazaki 's film deals sensitively with the notion that good work may be used for bad ends .",
      "mature , romantic , grand storytelling",
      "the film is one of the most rapturously beautiful that miyazaki has made , and all the more unsettling because of it .",
      "the pastel palette bespeaks a determined , almost demented lightness .",
      "even if the components of the story do n't always cohere , it 's somewhat audacious thematic territory for a filmmaker who feels as fresh and vibrant as ever .",
      "the question can not help arise : why devote a movie to this man ?",
      "possibly miyazaki can relate to horikoshi 's dilemma . he is both technician and artist , engineer and dreamer , and he works in a field -- cinema -- that too often promotes violence as a shortcut to a solution rather than as a last resort .",
      "hardcore fans of legendary japanese anime maestro hayao miyazaki are likely to be the only ones to put much stock in the director 's final film .",
      "while MOV is n't top-shelf miyazaki , it features more than enough gorgeous imagery to make his loss feel acute ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a fittingly bittersweet swan song for director hayao miyazaki .",
    "id": "771363413"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_snowtown_murders",
    "reviews": [
      "snowtown mines similar territory to rowan woods ' seminal the boys , in its exploration of very bad deeds born of pressure cooker family dysfunction and machismo .",
      "the claustrophobic mood with its sense of dread begins from the opening scenes of this gritty , graphic drama , and never lets up",
      "snowtown brings cold comfort .",
      "authentically , viscerally convincing in its performances and milieu , snowtown throbs with tension and a deep sense of wrongness from its first reel onwards .",
      "this is one of the most unsettling films that i 've seen in a long time .",
      "it 's slow but atmospheric and memorable .",
      "as for the crimes themselves , most take place off screen and between scenes - a terrifyingly protracted murder excepted . yet even when the violence is n't shown , a mood of clammy dread and horror pervades the film .",
      "it 's one of the most disturbing movies of our moment , not just for the true-crime subject , but because kurzel 's searing technique and expertise with actors get so far under your skin .",
      "snowtown presents a world of moral nightmare and sits us right inside it , to feel the pulse and processes of evil as if they were our own .",
      "this oppressive account is one of the most effective and uncompromising horrors of human essence of recent years - a powerful testament to the talents of all involved .",
      "thought provoking , but leeringly nasty and deeply unsettling . this is one that will linger with you for days .",
      "powerfully directed and superbly written , this is a genuinely disturbing , emotionally draining serial killer drama with a stunning central performance from daniel henshall .",
      "it reminded me , oddly , of richard fleischer 's sordid history of john christie in 10 rillington place - here is the killer ; here is his shabby habitat , and here are his crimes .",
      "though many will be put off by the elliptical style of this clammy , feral drama about australia 's most infamous serial killer , daniel henshall 's jaw-droppingly malevolent performance will reward all those who seek it out .",
      "the ghastly glee of MOV comes not in the kills , but in the stalking of one 's true prey .",
      "this distressing infiltration of a family of young boys by a charismatic psychopath rewards with a stylistic talent that feels entirely new .",
      "an impressive but exceptionally disturbing feature debut from australian director justin kurzel that pushes the new wave of aussie crime films up a notch .",
      "a dull thriller of ultra-bleak withholding .",
      "a movie that heaps so much dank atmosphere on its suburbanites , you ca n't help but sigh with relief when events turn to serial killing -lrb- finally ? -rrb- .",
      "what is it with first-time australian filmmakers and ultraviolent true-crime movies about thuggish underclass families ?",
      "sitting through snowtown is a kind of torture in itself . this is n't really a movie you enjoy watching ; it 's a movie you subject yourself to and must endure .",
      "uncompromising and distressing , snowtown delves into the grizzly events of australia 's worst serial murders , while exploring the slippery slope of vigilante justice within a community left to the wolves .",
      "an incredible piece of cinema and a devastating , poetic work of storytelling , snowtown is unmissable .",
      "whatever one ends up thinking about MOV , it 's difficult to deny that it 's a deeply impressive work .",
      "in spite of the inherently interesting subject matter and psychological dynamics explored , there is little in the way of suspense . i was intermittently bored throughout .",
      "few films can rightfully claim to offer its audience the opportunity to spend a couple hours in the bowels of hell , but justin kurzel might as well print up t-shirts saying as much to promote his feature film debut , snowtown .",
      "snowtown is an extreme exercise in australian miserablism designed to demonstrate how toxic ideas spread like a plague in vulnerable communities to manifest in the most horrific way possible .",
      "a gut-wrenching authenticity and damaged grace that can not be denied .",
      "snowtown is not a film about the why of evil , but the how of it . it 's an extremely well-made , shattering film .",
      "justin kurzel 's debut feature is an attempt to explore , maybe even understand , the circumstances and key characters - although there is no understanding john bunting or any other serial killer .",
      "overlong and grim to the point where some scenes are virtually unwatchable ...",
      "although it builds quiet , thick suspense and lacks the bravado and sensationalism of most films of the genre , that does n't always work to its advantage .",
      "observing the character 's regular and repeated acts of cruelty becomes numbing after awhile .",
      "is it the aussie gummo , or a true-crime drama that takes itself way too seriously ? can it be both simultaneously ?",
      "it has no particular observations about the mind of psychopaths that is worth the incredibly nasty feeling you get from sitting through its incredibly grim two hours .",
      "the film is a chilling study of an evil , dominant personality and his victims .",
      "your appreciation of this australian horror movie will depend on whether you think its artistry justifies its unrelenting ugliness .",
      "the grimy social realism and gurgling torture scenes place director justin kurzel 's startling debut midway between animal kingdom and henry : portrait of a serial killer .",
      "unflinchingly nasty , graphic and gut-wrenchingly powerful , snowtown is a film that dares you to look away , but compels you to keep watching . as portraits of serial killers go , this deserves to be hung on the wall next to henry .",
      "i did not know this film was based on a true story until the closing credits , which makes this story so much more terrifying . director justin kurzel crafted a raw feel that will leave you slack-jawed .",
      "a mildly intriguing , yet ultimately detached and pitiless portrait of psychopathy .",
      "the entire large cast -- many of them local first-timers -- are superbly believable .",
      "it 's technically proficient , and succeeds in creating a perverse atmosphere , but it does n't create a world that you 'll want to inhabit for very long .",
      "a well-made but hard-to-watch portrait of australia 's worst serial killer .",
      "a true story told with rare skill by a new director from whom a great deal more will be heard .",
      "however disquieting the film -lrb- based on the story of australia 's worst serial killer , john bunting -rrb- , it 's also - inconveniently - awfully boring .",
      "snowtown offers a bleak , brutal exploration of the way morality can be skewed and innocence corrupted by neglect , hardship ... and the presence of a charismatic psychopath .",
      "it 's a truly shocking experience that ends suddenly , just when we 're expecting a final atrocity and some climactic revelation , and we 're left to ponder the events .",
      "it 's mesmerising in the way a snake mesmerises its prey before striking .",
      "it 's the escalating sense of claustrophobia and dread that really crawls under the skin : with grimy visuals and a pulsating soundtrack proving particularly powerful in the by and large sensitively handled killing scenes .",
      "-lsb- u -rsb- niquely distressing ... this is a hard movie to endure . it is hugely emotionally suspenseful , and all of the suspense is of the dreadful kind ...",
      "layer in the realisation that what you are seeing actually happened and the result takes you beyond disturbing into that place where your skin starts to creep and your brain crawls into the foetal position .",
      "a cast of mostly local , mostly first-time film actors is chillingly convincing .",
      "the result is a movie that can be admired in many respects from a distance but is progressively less emotionally engaging .",
      "MOV builds into a multipronged horror effort in which the torture and murder on-screen are matched by the psychologically convincing disintegration of a previously sympathetic protagonist .",
      "snowtown is an absolutely mesmerising , uncompromising crime-movie masterpiece . understated in style , chilling in effect , devastating in impact ... one of the most unnerving serial killer films ever made .",
      "definitely , and defiantly , australia 's next great film , and the scariest it has ever produced .",
      "it 's a world where few deserve trust and fewer still make good on it .",
      "this grim aussie thriller derives unnerving power from the unspoken truths during tense silences , ominously closing doors that seal fates , and the disturbing banality of evil .",
      "it 's incredibly well-made and memorable , although not for everyone .",
      "it 's almost impossible to describe how distressing , intense and finely crafted this undeniably controversial drama is . proceed with caution .",
      "` snowtown ' is an uncomfortable film to watch , but its sickening suburban horror is made bearable by kurzel 's rigorous restraint ...",
      "grimly credible , and with more than a few flashes of brilliance , this is a highly impressive , upsetting debut . just be warned - its chief currency is cold , numbing horror .",
      "its grimly realistic style may be off-putting to some viewers , but this is a convincing and effective portrayal of a serial killer .",
      "terrific performances , especially from the menacing , lazily charismatic henshall , and debut director kurzel 's expressionist storytelling make for an aussie film well worth hunting down ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's a bleak and brutal endurance test , but for viewers with the strength and patience to make it to the end , snowtown will prove an uncommonly powerful viewing experience .",
    "id": "771237851"
  },
  {
    "movie": "you_got_served",
    "reviews": [
      "before shooting began , the dancers rehearsed for eight weeks to develop off-the-hook new dance moves , which begs the question : who was working on the script during that time ?",
      "we actually begin to laugh at the inanity of it all , wanting to yell at the screen : ` just shut up and dance ! '",
      "nothing but an exploitative piece of garbage ...",
      "dubious plot and characters , good dancing .",
      "just in time for their feature film debut , the enormously popular b2k has disbanded .",
      "MOV is about dancing . street dancing . the sort of make-believe dancing that inner-city youths participate in instead of having sex or joining a gang .",
      "a spirited , guilty pleasure of a dance movie .",
      "MOV is , to quote simon cowell , absolutely dreadful .",
      "lacks the old-school charm of films like wild style and breakin ' .",
      "... monotonous and predictable .",
      "moviegoers will walk out of this mostly disappointing film conjugating , ` i got served . MOV . we got served . '",
      "anyone who 's never heard of b2k or hip-hop choreographer wade robson , or who generally harbors a strong aversion to films with lots of dancing , little plot and a very loud soundtrack might want to stay far away .",
      "it will turn your inner ear to jelly",
      "the moves ... are far slicker and more athletic than anything the legendary shabba-doo and boogaloo shrimp ever attempted in ` breakin '' or ` breakin ' 2 : electric boogaloo . '",
      "` you know how i like it , baby -- straight ` hood , ' says lil ' kim -lrb- make that not so lil ' kim -rrb- , in the film 's most quotable line . ` may the dopest crew win . '",
      "if you want to bring back the '80s by emulating those awful golan/globus dance movies , you have to get golan and globus ! everything else is just 4th rate .",
      "the film has the amateurish air of any number of no-budget quickies that have been cranked out to cash in on this or that latest-hot-thing .",
      "MOV may be a crudely acted , elementary story , but it 's almost impossible not to be impressed by the film 's dance numbers ...",
      "a movie with this much dancing should be crackling with electricity . instead , this is simply no fun , a limp hip-hop flick without a single spark .",
      "hardly feels like a genuine movie . a music video ? maybe . a clothes infomercial ? at times . an episode of punk 'd ? absolutely .",
      "for those of you who have n't managed to get the mawkish honey out of your cinematic system then brace yourself because the musical monotony does n't stop there",
      "for the most part it plays out at an mtv dance competition featuring a lot of star-powered cameos .",
      "between the opening salvo and the equally staggering finale is a dull , dour drama that drains the movie of nearly all its exuberance .",
      "every bit as cliched , amateurish and feeble as its predecessors .",
      "tries to be a story about triumph and teamwork . instead it comes off like a group of high schoolers awkwardly auditioning for a play .",
      "rarely do you encounter a movie without a shred of originality . MOV is such a cinematic vacuum .",
      "the whole thing is tailor-made for people who are too young to notice or care that they 're being shamelessly exploited for a quick buck .",
      "critically , with the exception of comic actor steve harvey -lrb- as the ` hood mentor -rrb- and lil ' kim -lrb- a mere cameo as herself -rrb- , the acting is wretched .",
      "a somewhat incongruous mix of high drama and street dancing in which the street dancing is fabulous , and the high drama is low grade at best .",
      "a mess of musical cliches , populated by an attractive , acrobatic cast .",
      "it does n't even live up to the low standards of the mid - '80s breakin ' dance movies .",
      "shoddily written and directed .",
      "the performers are elegant , expressive and viscerally exciting when they move .",
      "when the movie is n't dancing , it 's dead .",
      "seems stuck in fad mode , a showcase in search of a movie .",
      "choreographers dave scott and shane sparks deserve all the credit they can get .",
      "other than one jarringly misbegotten detour , the movie is exactly what you would expect .",
      "choreographers dave scott and shane sparks have deftly given the dancing sequences flow and form while preserving the all-important street spirit of the moves .",
      "on the checklist of things a movie should offer , like character development , dialogue with subtext and plausibility , MOV is more like you got screwed .",
      "as far as plot , drama and performances go ... well , did i mention that the dancing is good ?",
      "grandberry and houston are two of the most enjoyable musicians to appear onscreen since sting played a bellboy .",
      "a textbook case of how not to make a film about dancing .",
      "a street-dance film that 's lively and silly and about as ` street ' as a britney spears video .",
      "you got hosed might be a more accurate title for those suckered into putting down ten dollars for this waste of celluloid .",
      "is n't it too soon for a remake of honey ?",
      "a thinly written , hoarily cliched story that serves mostly as connective tissue between the movie 's chief draw , its dazzling dance sequences .",
      "about as engaging as watching a synchronized swimming meet minus the pool ... if you pay to see this movie , you get snookered .",
      "it 's the citizen kane of break-dancing movies ! and yet it still is n't any damned good .",
      "the story is so bored with itself , it collapses -- but the diverse troupe of dance talents at least makes it an eclectic slide .",
      "the movie dances when it should be developing , say , characters or story line .",
      "commits a variety of cinematic sins , none fatal individually but collectively enough to pull an audience under .",
      "the latest in a long and not-so-respectable line of dance sequences -- adjusted for the era -- with a very bare-bones plot supposedly linking them together .",
      "it 's too bad -lsb- writer-director christopher b. -rsb- stokes did n't just make a non-narrative film about the street dancing culture .",
      "if you can drown out the reductive story and the afterschool special dialogue , you should have no problem enjoying the tight choreography .",
      "the breathtaking choreography of dave scott and shane sparks employs every imaginable dance hook with jaw-dropping originality .",
      "where 's shabba-doo when you need him ?",
      "stokes has attached an anemic plot to a series of dynamic hip-hop dance sequences .",
      "i could watch the dance scenes all day ; unfortunately , they are broken up by simple-minded , street-flavored melodrama .",
      "christopher b. stokes 's film showcases the latest developments in hip-hop street dance , which , much like hip-hop music , appears to be a largely masculine domain .",
      "unleashes one dazzling routine after another .",
      "it 's too bad more energy was n't devoted to fleshing out the one-dimensional characters and crafting a decent script .",
      "sanitized to the point of disinterest ... it 's unwilling to penetrate the creativity and attitude behind kids ' attraction to dance .",
      "served crackles with energy during its dance sequences . eventually , the hoofing stops and so does the movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "the dance sequences are exhilarating , but everything else about this movie is sloppy and generic .",
    "id": "12244"
  },
  {
    "movie": "white_noise",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- an -rsb- atmospheric but deeply stupid thriller ...",
      "so much for ` rest in peace . '",
      "as a whole , the film does n't fit together . it 's actually three different types of movies ground together into hamburger and splattered on the screen .",
      "for -lsb- keaton -rsb- , a forgettable flick like this one is like a rehab stint in a ball for a big league pitcher",
      "i did n't hate this , but ... if i wanted to watch white fuzzy pictures on a tv screen , i could stay home to do that .",
      "as inherently unthrilling , incoherent , and unsatisfying as scrambled porn .",
      "this so-called thriller modulates the eerie static buzz of an empty frequency into the cinematic equivalent of sleep apnea .",
      "all the chills of a refrigerator 's hum",
      "MOV might have been a whole lot more fun for the sound effects crew than the actors",
      "director geoffrey sax bravely avoids treating MOV as another grab bag of scare tactics .",
      "i say the ghosts should either upgrade to satellite radio signals or stick with the old-fashioned ouija board . and would it kill ya to call ?",
      "fails miserably to frighten , enlighten , or entertain",
      "maybe the folks at intel or microsoft can be consulted on the technology the spirits are using .",
      "in lieu of satisfying answers , we get crude gee-whizzikers scares , cribbed from the horror canon .",
      "it 's stupid , but it 's scary-stupid",
      "an utterly abysmal wannabe-horror film . never even remotely frightening -- the trailer is worlds above this lame finished product in terms of a visceral response .",
      "about as scary as a jack-o-lantern in broad daylight .",
      "everything MOV dishes out we 've seen before . and in most cases , we 've seen it done much , much better .",
      "pretty much seems a movie about poor television reception -- something you can probably get for free at home .",
      "the ending * is * ludicrous ... but if you like ghost stories , MOV is disquieting enough .",
      "... the trite film fails to deliver the necessary thrills and chills it so desperately wants us to experience .",
      "... a clumsy thriller that botches its own high concept .",
      "it 's likely a bad idea to try to figure out the logic of various plot points .",
      "were MOV a little bolder , smarter and nastier , the frustrating questions its ending raises would have become fascinating talking points for the drive home .",
      "it is inept , it is inane , and it is seemingly interminable .",
      "the movie suffers from the forgotten effect . when deciding between possible endings , they chose the most ludicrous one , just like in the forgotten .",
      "` mejor hay que esperar hasta que salga en dvd . por lo menos los extras deben traer algo más interesante '",
      "through it all keaton furrows his brow with impressive intensity . but his efforts are hampered by a script which requires him to do the exact opposite of what any right-minded individual would do in his circumstances .",
      "it 's a typical case of the kind of movie which gets launched these days on the strength of a one-sentence pitch . having got all dressed up , it finds that it has absolutely nowhere to go .",
      "scenes went unenlightened , plot points left unanswered , cheap thrills went unimproved .",
      "an effective ad campaign for a colossal mess .",
      "MOV is a lifeless affair that strives to take our money while aggravating and annoying us , a niche already filled by the rainforest café .",
      "... quickly devolves into ludicrous plotting and cheap shock effects .",
      "a dopey , totally disposable grade b thriller .",
      "the soundtrack and crackling static , contorting into mysterious moans , create a chilling mood , but the characters are so thin .",
      "the only problem is that there 's just not that much of a reason to sit up and check out what all of the noise is about .",
      "has a relatively quiet pulse for a spooky , supernatural thriller .",
      "flawed but enjoyable supernatural thriller .",
      "a little skepticism would have gone a long way in this movie , because if the characters do n't pause to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all , we are forced to do the guffawing for them .",
      "the movie is a compendium of white upper-middle-class suburban banality , cheap scares and eye-crossingly monotonous drama .",
      "you know a ghost story is in trouble when the leading man 's wrinkles and scars are more intriguing than any of the on-screen spooks .",
      "although director geoffrey sax gives MOV its share of suspense , he 's hampered by niall johnson 's script , which is often confusing , muddy and ultimately cliche-ridden .",
      "-lsb- the movie 's -rsb- intentions are well-meaning but director geoffrey sax 's execution is so uneven it nulls their impact .",
      "MOV has its merits , including persuasive acting by michael keaton -- too bad this unchilling chiller wo n't give his sagging career much of a lift .",
      "a muddled talking-ghosts movie .",
      "the movie itself plays like a message from the dead , a communiqué from some inert movie world of lifeless clichés , emptily flashy style , wooden characters and moribund plot shtick .",
      "it was great to see michael keaton back in a major role and this movie is scary . i had to shut my eyes a couple of times when it got intense . it makes for a good thriller .",
      "pleases just about no one , neither the viewers looking for a thoughtful supernatural enterprise nor those out for a good scare .",
      "jamais gasta um minuto que seja para estabelecer melhor as motivaушes dos personagens .",
      "... an incoherent mess of a science fiction thriller that deals more in coincidences and gimmicks than logic .",
      "yet another horror film that takes a potentially interesting idea and crams it into an old , formula structure with absolutely nothing in the way of surprise , fright or entertainment .",
      "thrill-free thriller .",
      "a movie that goes `` bump '' in the night",
      "the film 's strong premise makes it even more disappointing than similarly weak efforts in the horror genre .",
      "a deadweight spiritual thriller .",
      "if you want to see tv static used to better effect in a horror film , go to the video store and rent poltergeist",
      "MOV is n't exactly worth rushing out to the theater for , but in the heap of junk food january releases offer , you could do much , much worse .",
      "egad ! is it too early to start assembling my worst pictures of 2005 list ?",
      "though the deceased can help keaton rescue abducted women and babies trapped in cars , not one of them has seen jimmy hoffa .",
      "if you loved those batman shots of the actor staring intently at his computer , rest assured that they 're approximated over and over again throughout this woefully inert film .",
      "too silly to describe , much less analyze .",
      "if you can picture heather o'rourke crouched before a staticky tv , you know the source , and even a knock-off like witchboard drew more scares from a similar theme",
      "the rare jolt of adrenaline is meager compensation for the dopey pastiche of every successful supernatural thriller of the last decade .",
      "the filmmakers are obviously hoping that they are making up in mood what they 're failing to provide in narrative logic , but a guy staring at static is a guy staring at static .",
      "-lsb- keaton 's -rsb- being stalked by three shadowy figures that ... look exactly like the penn-robbins-bacon silhouettes that graced the poster for mystic river .",
      "90 percent of it is n't bad enough to be funny , while 100 percent of it is n't good enough to be good .",
      "even though logic takes a holiday in MOV , geoffrey sax , a british television director making his theatrical debut , lavishes enough craft on the paranormal thriller to send more than a few chills down the spine .",
      "the nominal thriller MOV is worthy neither of michael keaton 's talents nor even a desperate horror fan 's attention .",
      "despite a few heart-stopping moments generated by a sudden , looming tortured face or burst of thunderous sound , MOV lacks that certain something essential to any movie intended to frighten , disarm or disorient : plausibility .",
      "though it 's not based on an asian horror film , MOV sure feels like one ...",
      "MOV pretty much describes the content of this lackluster , scare-free story .",
      "an unsatisfying supernatural thriller with an effectively unsettling build-up and a frustratingly muddled pay-off .",
      "takes a potentially interesting idea and crams it into an old , formula structure with absolutely nothing in the way of surprise , fright or entertainment .",
      "the swipes from pseudo-science and more inventive films serve only to put a thin gloss on the thin plot .",
      "MOV generates a number of boo ! moments -- the hiss-suffixed , vegetable-throwing kind . but mostly , like its namesake , it just puts you to sleep .",
      "MOV begins as an overlit paean to trophy-wifedom and ` lifestyle ' living , then practically gets down on its knees and begs to be called ` a stylish thriller . '",
      "keaton gives an understated performance that reminds you how it was that he became such an appealing screen presence in the first place and makes you wish better material would start coming his way rather than goofy messages from the great beyond .",
      "is n't very effective as a thriller .",
      "what moron came up with this concept ?",
      "a stalled , been-there-seen-that vehicle that ca n't fine-tune its themes , its effects , even its connect-the-dots plot .",
      "little more than a droning nonsensical buzz that makes even less sense at its end than it does at its beginning .",
      "in short , watching actual MOV would be preferable to sitting through MOV . avoid like your life depended on it .",
      "there 's no horror to speak of .",
      "even if its dorky climax throws you out of the mood again , there are staticky bits of MOV that still manage to cling .",
      "hearing dead people 's voices through static loses its spine-chilling power after a few minutes , and unfortunately , that 's about all the film has to offer .",
      "like the phenomenon of the title , the film suggests possible revelations but in the end is just a blur .",
      "does bad reception on the tv set send shivers down your spine ? me neither .",
      "vigorously pushes the supernatural line throughout , but unfortunately its final movement is so incoherent that the whole thing collapses .",
      "how pathetic is it that the coming attractions trailer is about a hundred times more eerie than the movie itself ?",
      "forget that noise .",
      "... a hollow horrorfest immersed in its own conjured-up clumsiness . sax 's thin-laced thriller is about as suspenseful as an overdue library book waiting to be returned .",
      "unfolds with precision and excellent pacing . it 's been a long while since i 've been so unnerved in a theater .",
      "egad ! is it too early to start assembling my worst pictures of 2005 list ?",
      "they may call it MOV , but i call it static .",
      "too dull to make you care .",
      "if you 're alive , please avoid MOV . the dead will never forgive you for wasting your time , money , and psychic energy on it .",
      "an interesting idea pulled apart by the expediencies of a grimly formulaic plot .",
      "a listless , troublingly familiar thriller , the last thing MOV will accomplish with its e.v.p. tale is convincing anybody that this phenomena is real .",
      "` i see dead people ... if i jiggle the antenna a little , that is , ' no one says here , but they might as well .",
      "michael keaton stares at a fuzzy tv image , waiting for something to happen ; we stare at michael keaton , waiting for the same .",
      "keaton 's performance aside , MOV is astonishingly drab , aimlessly meandering , and entirely beholden to earlier cinematic successes .",
      "the movie , at least , is spot on in one regard : it respects the long-running tradition of january cinema releases by being both lousy and miscalculated .",
      "the eerie mood shatters under the accumulated weight of too many ` jump out of your seat ' shockers .",
      "often playing like an unwanted sequel to dragonfly , MOV makes little sense .",
      "a barkingly dumb would-be thriller",
      "wholly guano what a waste of an evening this colossal mess was - it 's not even a murmur of a film ...",
      "MOV never gives skeptics a chance to enjoy the film . i also suspect even believers will be bored because first-time feature director geoffrey sax lets the film languish in static .",
      "a muddled bore of a supernatural thriller that mostly relies on cheap scares to keep you awake .",
      "MOV is about watching static .",
      "boring horror film .",
      "a dreadful , predictable and thoroughly silly thriller that shows how low poor keaton 's star has fallen .",
      "enjoyably slow-paced .",
      "when it falters , it does so for the same reason certain otherwise perfectly unnerving recent horror movies have -- because the atmosphere of irrational dread is punctured by the demand for a rational explanation .",
      "MOV 's scares mostly wind up lost in transmission .",
      "take every ghost-in-the-machine movie you 've ever seen -- poltergeist , frequency , the mothman prophecies , dragonfly -- distill the worst parts , reassemble them , and you 've got noise .",
      "poltergeist -lrb- 1982 -rrb- did it first and did it better . but this new stroll through cinematic static is still a sometimes spooky spin on that theme .",
      "MOV is little more than an old-fashioned ghost story with a newfangled twist .",
      "some of its filmic devices seem a little hokey for a movie that is apparently trying to persuade us that evp is a real phenomenon .",
      "something evil this way comes without much nerve-jangling fanfare -lrb- most of the screams came from the soundtrack rather than the audience -rrb- or conviction -lrb- portal schmortal -rrb- .",
      "a messy cheesecake of supernatural horror without scaring the pants off its audience , nor making any real sense .",
      "this is one big missed opportunity .",
      "dumb would-be thriller -- save your money .",
      "MOV is intended to help you fall asleep . MOV would never let you do that , though . it 's far too interested in a cacophony of cheap scares .",
      "though i 'm well disposed toward elliptical spook stories that depend on the audience 's imagination for their jolts and effects , it takes art as well as craft to put them across , and geoffrey sax 's direction of a niall johnson script has neither .",
      "the paranormal phenomenon surely has its millions of converts , but MOV is so silly , it just may turn many into non-believers .",
      "is the movie scary ? only if this is your first scary movie .",
      "tune it out .",
      "the movie stinks .",
      "a disappointing show .",
      "begins intriguingly and lapses into self-contradictory nonsense .",
      "around the two-thirds mark , this restless bum had an urge to move considerably farther than the seat 's edge .",
      "there 's a decent concept here , but the fuzzy execution , lack of scares and a corny conclusion kill this one .",
      "a convoluted and confusing thriller that gives viewers serious migraines .",
      "about as much fun as watching static on tv .",
      "a moronic exercise in supernatural claptrap .",
      "... a clumsy , dreadfully preposterous and pedestrian thriller that seems to believe loud noises are the same as good frights .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dullsville chiller .",
      "MOV works because michael keaton makes you believe in what he 's going through .",
      "the movie delivers little more than cheap shocks and stylized static .",
      "boring and fundamentally silly .",
      "less likely to haunt an audience than simply bore them to death .",
      "silly and unscary .",
      "a grim and monotonous affair",
      "only the most novice horror fan will find anything really scary in MOV .",
      "MOV is not the kind of thriller that makes you scream and leap about in your seat , but it will likely have you squirming and gasping .",
      "you 'd never guess from this glum performance that at one time -lsb- michael keaton -rsb- was among our most entertaining comic actors . here he 's just boring ."
    ],
    "summary": "while there are some built-in scares , the movie is muddled and unsatisfying .",
    "id": "11285"
  },
  {
    "movie": "misery",
    "reviews": [
      "where it is significantly elevated is in the terrifyingly convincing performance by bates as a schizophrenic psychopath .",
      "not only is MOV the best adaptation of a stephen king book ever made , it 's the only good one ever made !",
      "the result is arguably the best king novel-to-film adaptation yet , a tense character study that grows and builds and has plenty of humor , both light and dark , along the way .",
      "a weak handshake of a movie , it is slightly repellent -- hardly gripping , much less knuckle-whitening .",
      "kathy bates has a gift for playing cheerily hostile , paranoid misfits .",
      "it is a good story , a natural , and it grabs us .",
      "a quality film of suspense and manipulation .",
      "like stand by me , MOV ca n't help but broaden the audience for movies based on stephen king 's work .",
      "caan and bates capture the movie 's roguish spirit perfectly .",
      "this all would have been perfect for a half-hour tv show or one of those horror anthology films . as it is , even the resourceful reiner and goldman are hard put to keep things going until the inevitable final clash .",
      "among other things , MOV emerges as a great picture of fan obsession , and of that curious mix of hero-worship and hero-bashing personified in supermarket tabloids and trash tv .",
      "bates turns wilkes into the nastiest nurse to reach the screen since louise fletcher tormented jack nicholson in one flew over the cuckoo 's nest .",
      "unfortunately , what could have been a seamless psychological thriller is interrupted by violence that 's as gratuitous as it is sadistic .",
      "like any good work of popular culture , rob reiner 's film of stephen king 's best-selling book MOV functions on more than one level .",
      "MOV should be a big hit . it deserves to be .",
      "it 's kathy bates ' oscar-winning turn as a smiling psychopath that still provides the film 's cold , cold heart and makes for one of cinema 's greatest , friendliest , monsters .",
      "MOV is a blunt instrument that fractures the kneecaps more often than it tickles the funnybone .",
      "this is a first rate movie , one of the best of the stephen king adaptions ever .",
      "will scare the bejeebers out of you !",
      "left the cinema , went home , changed pants . let 's leave at that , okay ?",
      "kathy bates is beyond amazing in the part of the psychotic fan annie wilkes .",
      "rob reiner builds stephen king 's tale with clean , effortless strokes .",
      "a stunning , harsh drama that lingers in the memory because of its cruel strokes .",
      "bates deserves her oscar as the psychopath fan ; a deft blending of comedy and horror .",
      "the dark duet between paul and the frankly psychopathic annie is played to tense perfection .",
      "a skillfully pared-down -lrb- if psychologically thin -rrb- horror thriller .",
      "director rob reiner is clearly more comfortable with the humor and humanity than the gory horror in king 's grisly tale .",
      "bates has a field day with her role , creating a quirky , memorable object of hate .",
      "director rob reiner creates an atmosphere of tense horror wrapped around rich dialogue -lrb- `` cockadoodie dirty birdie ! '' -rrb- , and in the process , he gets sterling performances from caan and bates .",
      "kathy bates brilliantly portrays annie as someone with absolutely no sense of her own monstrosity .",
      "popular moviemaking -- elegantly economical , artlessly artful -- does n't get much better than this .",
      "except for the flat , compromised ending , reiner 's smooth direction and goldman 's nicely structured script make this version of king 's novella enjoyable as a horror flick and psychological thriller , not to mention kathy bates ' superb turn as the wacko fan",
      "caan and bates are nothing short of hypnotic .",
      "from start to harrowing finish , it is blissfully apparent that rob reiner can indeed turn his hand to virtually anything .",
      "part of the startling horror of annie is that she is just about the last person in the world from whom you 'd expect antisocial or violent behavior .",
      "reiner seems to have been gambling very heavily on kathy bates 's performance to set this film apart and make it a reiner film . bates was good but not that good .",
      "a first-rate suspense film with excellent performances .",
      "horrifying tale with deserved oscar performance by kathy bates .",
      "a convincing psychological thriller with a powerful performance by kathy bates .",
      "not as good as the book , but kathy bates is perfect",
      "reiner captures just the right level of physical tension , but for the most part wisely emphasises the mental duels . terrific .",
      "sweat-inducing suspense thriller .",
      "superb !",
      "it 's a definite keeper !!",
      "great performances , but it really gets a little old .",
      "pretty good for a james caan movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "elevated by standout performances from james caan and kathy bates , this taut and frightening film is one of the best stephen king adaptations to date .",
    "id": "16322"
  },
  {
    "movie": "iron_man",
    "reviews": [
      "this middle section , in which the newly energized tony tinkers with his emerging superpowers like a kid in shop class , is the movie 's finest and funnest hour .",
      "... lives up to its promise and premise ... the benchmark for this summer 's blockbusters has just been set .",
      "fulfills all the requirements of its genre admirably , but never rises beyond the level of baseline satisfaction .",
      "while not perfect , it comes pretty damn close - MOV is one of the best superhero movie adaptations to hit the big screen so far .",
      "a slightly-better-than-average popcorn epic featuring a performance from downey that is so funny and inventive and entertaining that he pretty much winds up carrying the entire movie on his shoulders .",
      "MOV is a thrilling ride full of excitement and laughs . finally this year we have a great family film that everyone will enjoy .",
      "a fun night at the movies but unfortunately disposable",
      "while the movie is technically a marvel , it would have been an empty shell without the strong turn from downey jr. . wonderfully sarcastic and hedonistic early on , his transformation from capitalist to hero is logical because of the sincerity the actor inv",
      "if you can get past the irony -lrb- or hypocrisy -rrb- of the central concept jon favreau 's adaptation is reasonably entertaining and uses its digital effects energetically .",
      "`` MOV '' is highly entertaining and well made , and when i say highly entertaining and well made , i mean it 's almost in the same league as `` batman begins , '' `` spider-man 2 , '' `` superman returns '' and `` x-men 2 . '' hard to believe , but yes , it is that good .",
      "an adventure that you 'll want to go on over and over ...",
      "marvel-ous !",
      "latest theory of flight : this film is politically smart , action-packed , sexy and fun . high-flying suit notwithstanding , this newest entry in the superhero arena has just raised the bar .",
      "favreau has turned what might have been just another comic strip formulation into a completely engaging amalgam of storytelling , romance , performance , acrobatics and organically motivated effects .",
      "too slow on the take off",
      "an exciting , funny , entertaining and utterly compelling piece of popcorn entertainment that sits at the top end of comic book adaptations .",
      "he 's not as limber as spider-man once was , or as darkly compelling as batman is yet to be , but MOV comes with his own enjoyable strengths and weaknesses in a fun film that also has a point of view .",
      "even for a starting point , favreau gives us what we came to see and this is a true accomplishment for general movie goers and most importantly : we comic book geeks ...",
      "for all of it 's anti-corporate military themes , `` MOV '' spends too much time watching technology genius tony stark tinkering with his super-hero costume design to get around to developing much of a story .",
      "director jon favreau displays the same wonderment and control over visual effects as he did in 2005 's underrated `` zathura . '' excepting a clunky prologue and escape sequence , it 's a flawlessly paced origin story with humor , smarts and soul .",
      "this is hands down the best super hero/comic book movie i have ever seen !",
      "not quite memorable enough to live up to the top superhero films but proficient enough to be satisfying , MOV suggests with a clever ending that better things are yet to come .",
      "for those of us without one single comic book in a protective clear shield , this is the comic book superhero movie to see .",
      "the film is at its best when reveling in downey 's gift for letting bon mots dryly roll off his tongue , as well as his effortless blend of hedonistic insouciance and resolute intensity .",
      "fan boys looking for an action and special effects-filled popcorn spectacle will be thrilled by `` MOV 's '' pyrotechnic treats . discriminating audiences hoping for a film that features more acting than action will also be thrilled by the casting of rober",
      "i would n't go so far as to say it 's a career-defining role , but MOV will rank right up there with downey 's best performances .",
      "superheroes have been young , mutated , and alien , but they 're rarely fortysomething billionaires with a taste for one-night-stands , metallurgy , and scotch . perhaps this is why MOV is so effective .",
      "more downey-driven wit at the expense of some cgi would have made this pic even better .",
      "... should make anyone who went gaga over transformers finally understand why those metal emperors wore no clothes .",
      "this is everything you could possibly want from a superhero movie .",
      "when an action blockbuster comes along that actually bothers to create lively , memorable characters , you do n't want to miss it .",
      "doubters with their tales of suspense about whether or not MOV will fly as a franchise can finally calm down -- and batman and spider-man fans can start to get edgy about sharing the cinematic spotlight .",
      "for marvel , whose recent string of missteps have left fans doubting the comic giant , MOV is an excellent return to form and the likely start of another successful franchise .",
      "mr. downey delivers the best popcorn flick performance since johnny depp first played pirate .",
      "downey could have taken a tragic tack . but he has fun just figuring out how to make the armor suit work . his sarcasm and almost drunken tony curtis body language transform the scenes of MOV .",
      "saddled with a fairly typical superhero `` origin story '' , director jon favreau compensates with some inspired choices : keeping the pace as fast as possible and casting robert downey jr. as the man behind the mask .",
      "easily the best marvel comics based movie yet -- favreau , downey and company have really nailed this one !",
      "MOV is a lot of fun , especially for a superhero origin story , since they so often end up going awry .",
      "kudos to MOV for finding novel twists on an exhausted genre .",
      "beneath the requisite spectacle is an issue-laden storyline with heart to go along with its brains .",
      "when MOV is zooming above bejewelled southern california , i expected a thundering lyricism but instead settled for some routine cgi stunts . i suppose it 's asking too much for a great actor to be matched up with a great director .",
      "funny without being cartoonish and serious without being dull , a difficult balance that also happens to be an apt one-line bio for downey jr. .",
      "over the years , there have been only a handful of exceptional superhero movies , and MOV is among them .",
      "directed with joyful verve and a nice pinch of cultural nerve by jon favreau , MOV reinvigorates hope in the joys of the summer movie . it is simple -- and not so simple -- fun .",
      "the story is so rich and complex that favreau is going to have a near-impossible task of outdoing himself with the inevitable sequel .",
      "` MOV ' has several advantages over a lot of recent efforts in the superhero genre . it features a solid cast , snappy dialogue , some pleasant surprises , expectedly impressive special effects and even a hint of subtle social commentary . but most importan",
      "action scenes in comic-book films ? overrated . that 's the lesson of MOV , which goes light on cgi fireworks but heavy enough on its most electrifying element -- robert downey jr. -- to compensate .",
      "a slickly-attractive , well-cast and solidly-constructed piece of mainstream action-adventure entertainment .",
      "a supremely confident , well-tooled entertainment . it 's bound to be the early pace-maker for the oncoming glut of summer blockbusters .",
      "at its best , MOV serves as an unlikely vehicle for the irrepressible downey , who redeems it from tedium with the apt one-liner and pratfall .",
      "MOV is an appealing superhero movie . it 's also clunky . it 's welded together out of disparate pieces that clank and ping . though at times it 's leaden , MOV also has enough moments of pizazz to intermittently soar .",
      "actually feels like a classic comic book : fast , furious and flip . forget about superheroes with love problems and tortured souls .",
      "forget those loser superheroes from planet teen angst .",
      "downey is at his charismatic best , rendering believable stark 's transformation from self-indulgent jerk to socially conscious crusader .",
      "if every superhero franchise had a robert downey jr. , the genre might actually be watchable again .",
      "go see it .",
      "not only is it a good comic book movie -lrb- smart and stupid , stirring and silly , intimate and spectacular -rrb- , it 's winning enough to engage even those who 've never cared much for comic books or the movies they spawn . like me .",
      "a superhero flick with the message that an arms dealer can see the light and give up the business of making a profit on the death of others .",
      "while MOV has never ranked among the most iconic of american superheroes , downey 's brilliantly nuanced performance as a hedonist in the grip of a midlife crisis might change that .",
      "mainly it has robert downey jr. . the newly insurable actor , who has had his run-ins with various chemicals in the past , plays this louche playboy with a knowing glint in his eye . ''",
      "seeing downey and bridges duel is one of the film 's primary delights .",
      "a few lowered expectations and a tolerance for the odd slow patch will serve you quite well in soaking up the dependable fun on display .",
      "-lsb- m -rsb- ight well be the perfect comic book movie ... it 's just pertinent enough to feel like it 's set in something like the real world and just tongue-in-cheek enough not to get too heavy about it , but it 's got enough self-respect to be sincere .",
      "MOV kicks off summer on a blazing high note and practically dares the competition to measure up .",
      "fast , funny and deliriously entertaining .",
      "while the big-screen debut of the armor-plated marvel comics hero may feature technology that 's way ahead of reality , a very human heart beats within this souped-up action machine .",
      "despite several adrenaline-pumping moments , favreau and downey stay focused on the real story -- about a man learning to take responsibility for his actions . for all its firepower and cgi slickness , that 's what really makes MOV fly .",
      "this is one summer blockbuster that succeeds on brains , not bombast .",
      "the fun of MOV , a marvel adaptation in which a routine arc has been burnished with great elegance and skill , is the way that it heals the split , soldering the two halves of its hero into a single organically driven figure .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- expansively entertaining special effects extravaganza .",
      "in place is a talented cast , an interesting director , an established lead character , and a wealth of plots from the comics ready to be mined for future storylines . despite MOV 's problems , it will definitely leave you wanting more .",
      "MOV may not make the a-list of marvel comics ' stable -- home to spider-man , x-men and the hulk -- but he may be the cinema superhero for the rest of us .",
      "handsome and charismatic , robert downey jr. renders a dominant performance , treating the comicstrip character as a dramatic actor , which compensates for the movie 's flaws and elevates it above the standard of a slickly produced popcorn summer fare .",
      "robert downey jr. is this movie .",
      "its cast , principally robert downey jr , and some solid direction from jon favreau breathe a lot of life and energy into an otherwise run-of-the-mill comic book origin movie .",
      "there 's a slightly depressed , going-through-the-motions feel to the entire show .",
      "MOV is a shapely piece of mythmaking .",
      "the film is well directed , edited , and paced , but it 's really downey jr. that adds the spark , the flair , the heavy metal .",
      "the combination of its realistic backdrop , boy 's own adventure and robert downey jr makes for a blast of a new style comic book hero in MOV . above all , humour is what elevates this highly entertaining fantasy into something beyond our expectations .",
      "more convincing as sex fantasy than political allegory , MOV suggests the answer to combating them is for us to reestablish the link between mechanized killing and the body .",
      "at the end of the day it 's robert downey jr. who powers the lift-off separating this from most other superhero movies .",
      "the visual effects are bound to give you goosebumps and maybe you 'll find yourself uttering an audible `` whoa . ''",
      "one of the strongest entries into the superhero movie canon of recent years . while featuring a few flaws , this is one of the most entertaining comic book adaptations in last few years .",
      "visual sizzle , top actors and a witty script , yet it could have been so much better if only it did n't try to cobble together a pacifist warrior .",
      "the bottom line is this : the movie works . it works extremely well and it does so because of downey .",
      "MOV is the best superhero film to come along since batman begins , and is one hell of a way to start off summer of 2008 .",
      "... who 'd have thought that a successful superhero film could be more about character than action ?",
      "the pace is good , not frantic , not `` oh god we have to get to the explosions or we 're gon na lose them '' % u2013 and the actors are all above average at least . -lrb- our leads are no strangers to the oscar nomination process . -rrb-",
      "une production ŕ grand déploiement exécutant une formule bien établie , mais avec un savoir-faire indéniable et un enthousiasme contagieux",
      "an exciting kick-off to the summer season ... if the 1940s was the golden age of comic books , then we are now in the golden age of comic book movies .",
      "the film 's impressive human dimension becomes superfluous as the action grinds on .",
      "it 's robert downey jr. , having triumphed over his substance abuse battle , who puts the pedal to the metal and scores the freshest new franchise going .",
      "MOV ... is really a four-act play in a three-act movie .",
      "something that everyone needs to know before they set foot in the theater : stay after the closing credits . best bonus scene ever .",
      "cooooool !",
      "the best superhero movie since spider-man 2 . robert downey jr is the film 's best special effect .",
      "this is the way to begin the summer movie season . a smart , well-written movie that never condescends to the genre or to audiences . robert downey jr. is wry and exciting as MOV , perfectly suiting the suit .",
      "in the second half , when the red-and-gold suit does the heavy lifting -lrb- sometimes literally -rrb- , MOV stops being a great blockbuster and settles for being merely a good one .",
      "the film nevertheless makes the crucial decision to set its story in the real world , to have its characters face real moral decisions with real consequences . and then , when MOV does show up for battle , this flick just soars .",
      "audiences looking for grand escapist fare at cinemas this summer wo n't mind having spent their price of admission on it . be sure to get some popcorn too .",
      "a n exceptionally well-made , incredibly entertaining and -- dare i say it -- marvelous superhero movie .",
      "it 's not sure where to go once the final MOV suit is constructed , and seems in a rush to get there , but downey jr and the supporting cast are so perfectly placed we 're already looking forward to the bound-to-be-better sequel .",
      "light on both cgi and moral quandaries , -lsb- it posesses -rsb- neither the zip and sparkle of a spider-man nor the brooding existential subtexts of batman begins .",
      "a ` marvel ' - ously cerebral superhero with a functioning conscience .",
      "MOV actually gets away with doing a whole film that 's the first act of spider-man . it 's all the joy of discovery",
      "so long as -lsb- downey -rsb- stays in the lead , i hope we 'll see a few more sequels to this one .",
      "why did MOV seem so slight to me when i 've watched it on my computer ? quite possibly these `` event '' pictures need a huge screen and a pounding sound system to convince viewers of their worth .",
      "a grand superhero movie that features a brilliant performance by robert downey jr. , in one of his best roles .",
      "robert downey jr. nails MOV . more apropros , change nails to welds . for it is downey who most significantly raises the quality bar of ` MOV ' to the classic level of fellow comic book heroes superman , batman and spider-man . welcome , new franchise .",
      "MOV presents us with the most inventive , dynamically diy superhero ever seen on the big screen .",
      "MOV never feels like a laboured prologue that 's simply laying the groundwork for further instalments . it 's a zippy , action-packed adventure in its own right , boasting top-drawer special effects and some cracking action sequences .",
      "MOV trumps his morally compromised , brooding heroic brethren with the best setback of them all : he has no superpowers . he 's just a man with a smart mouth and a head for figures in a really cool , practically indestructible iron suit .",
      "this is buoyant , bright , a constant breeze . but still it hovers somewhere on the superhero-adap spectrum between the good and the great .",
      "MOV is better when robert downey jr. is alone on the screen than when he 's sharing it . it 's when those inconvenient other people show up that the movie loses its way .",
      "the key , of course , is downey , who effortlessly conveys that his newfound sense of responsibility is n't going to stop him from having a good time , and in doing so , MOV makes saving the world look like fun again .",
      "in an exemplary piece of casting , downey jr gives a powerhouse performance , adding depth and believability to his character as both self-indulgent waster and do-gooder superhero .",
      "indeed , the entire script is a thing of beauty . stark possesses a bone-dry sense of humor that reveals itself throughout the film .",
      "led by downey 's career-resurrecting performance as billionaire weapons peddler tony stark , it proves just as indispensable to the movie 's giddy escapist appeal as the seamless cgi effects and eye-popping pyrotechnics .",
      "the gadgetry is absolutely dazzling , the action is mostly exhilarating , the comedy is scintillating and the whole enormous enterprise throbs with dramatic energy .",
      "dangerously dependant on robert downey jr. for entertainment . he throws a one-man party during every scene . but when he 's off-screen , the film wilts . -lrb- yes , even with jeff bridges ' anti-dude . -rrb- re-cast , it would only be a shade better than daredevil .",
      "what sets the movie apart ... is that ... it is not bogged down with the `` with great power comes great responsibility '' mantra that weighs upon other costumed crusaders .",
      "MOV is fantastic , a sure fire blockbuster that will leave audiences breathless and fanboys wanting more .",
      "whatever pops up on screen seems to work , making this a keeper comic book film .",
      "i kept trying to force a connection to it and wondering why i 'm not loving this movie . i liked it a heck of a lot but did n't love it .",
      "there is precious little comedy and even less characterisation .",
      "in the proficient hands of jon favreau , abetted by a magnificent performance by robert downey , jr. , not only does MOV pay off , but it raises the stakes for comic book movies to follow , as well as the entire summer film season .",
      "smart , sardonic and more than a little silly , MOV is a successful super-hero movie that never takes itself too seriously .",
      "its thin script suggests that the movie is more interested in setting up a franchise than entertaining us , which it does do sporadically .",
      "favreau fully respects the material , and brings to the table a highly developed sense of humor and -- praise the heavens -- taste . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "there 's no rust on the first blockbuster of summer ' 08 : MOV is an ironclad cinch to be a hit .",
      "MOV is simply great escapism . it deserves to be the first blockbuster of the summer .",
      "although downey spends a certain amount of screentime inside that suit , his face still carries the movie , giving it emotional weight .",
      "a thrilling , innovative and enormously entertaining movie that just may be the coolest and smartest superhero adventure of them all .",
      "intriguing for its meta-narrative of celebrity redemption",
      "if anyone doubted marvel 's ability to make the leap to full fledged studio , their first effort , MOV , should be enough to erase all doubts .",
      "downey acquits himself well enough during the action sequences in ` MOV , ' but there just are n't enough of them and the existing ones could use a boost .",
      "robert downey jr. gives a nicely sardonic performance as tony stark , a rich playboy and the brilliant heir to his father 's weapons manufacturing dynasty .",
      "as a first franchise entry and a blockbuster to kick off the summer season , MOV proves to be an excellent introduction .",
      "with its first self-financed production , marvel has produced one of the best superhero movies ever made , pure popcorn pleasure for its special effects , its story , its villain , and its hero .",
      "MOV is funny without being silly , yet can kick ass to the moon and back when the chips are down .",
      "clever and cogent beats idiotic and incoherent , and MOV is spryer than the overwhelming majority of films in its budget range .",
      "there are a few scenes in MOV that make you realize why we rely on giant studios and big budgets come the summer months .",
      "a completely different superhero movie which not only delights visually , but also engrosses with a very well adapted , character driven story of a redemptive figure who becomes the ultimate global hero .",
      "if this is a taster for something even more impressive in the sequel touted for 2010 , there is already a reason to get excited as the more we see of downey , jr. as tony stark , the better .",
      "it is light , rather than heavy metal , marked by invigorating war-machine fx and a smart and subtle acting performance , at least by the standards of this genre .",
      "MOV is an unusually good superhero picture . or at least -- since it certainly has its problems -- a superhero movie that 's good in unusual ways .",
      "frontloaded , -lsb- but -rsb- boasts a great look , abundant humor , and robert downey jr. making the case for middle-aged , flawed superheroes .",
      "easily the best superhero film since `` batman begins , '' which for my money is the best in the genre .",
      "MOV is the first blockbuster movie of the summer , and , despite the topical taleban atrocities , it 's a roaring fairground ride .",
      "is it summer already ? the first of the big budget superhero blockbusters has arrived , and it 's a roaring success , thanks to a combination of superb special effects and canny casting .",
      "based on yet another marvel series , MOV has plenty of things going for it , the main assets being an enjoyably sardonic downey , his hardware , and the downturned mouth of his new metal visage - a warning that this self-styled messiah means business .",
      "despite the convulsively jittery address to the role , -lsb- downey -rsb- is never in the smallest degree engaging in the way director jon favreau appears to think .",
      "we may not see a better movie this summer .",
      "though he 's been given a-list treatment ... MOV ca n't escape being a little -- dare i say it ? -- tinny ... it does n't crash , but it does n't soar , either .",
      "MOV forges a new trail subsequent superhero films would be wise to follow .",
      "... a machine with a human heart , a gleaming vehicle of transport .",
      "fanboys and fangirls , so often underserved by the movies made from their favorite comics , will almost certainly latch onto MOV as at least a serious attempt to transfer this beloved , 45-year-old character to the screen .",
      "like every path to success , there is an origin story and MOV ranks as one of the most instantaneously satisfying of all of them .",
      "let the summer games begin ! fun , entertaining and emboldened with broad appeal , this first foray into the summer blockbuster blitzkrieg will not disappoint .",
      "... a slam-bang kickoff to the blockbuster movie season ...",
      "while MOV seems to be an ok comic-book flick , i wish it could 've been just as sparkling as downey 's performance . but hey , it could 've been worse .",
      "MOV is enjoyable , snappily scripted , unpatronising entertainment , but it ca n't dispel a niggling sense that it 's not quite as good as you want it to be .",
      "neither the message nor the sparingly used special effects get in the way of entertainment , proving MOV really is a throwback to a kinder , gentler and decidedly more fun era of subversive filmmaking .",
      "downey 's performance is larger and more animated than the action and special effects ; he 's the heart beneath MOV 's titanium plating and the best reason to see the film .",
      "injecting the brilliantly bright , quick , and clever life force that is robert downey jr. into the comic-book superhero realm is a masterstroke , a kick in the head to the tired franchises of the genre .",
      "his well-honed acting chops aside , a big reason the casting of downey as stark works so darn well is that incorrigible streak , which he somehow always has been able to balance with an irrepressible likability and which he uses to full effect here .",
      "downey 's unbeatable charisma makes these problems less troublesome than they would be otherwise , but would n't it be nice if they did n't exist at all ?",
      "it breaks no new ground , but it plows the old ground vigorously .",
      "downey 's richly human performance as a reformed rake who relies on his intelligence , feels both personal and genuinely fresh .",
      "hollywood has unearthed an unlikely weapon of mass destruction : robert downey jr. .",
      "it 's downey who anchors the movie 's mayhem and special effects with a caustic wit and an intense , centered humanity .",
      "what gives this its distinction -lsb- is -rsb- robert downey jr , who is terrific .",
      "MOV is a dispiriting attempt to apply superficial principles to inherently silly kid culture .",
      "garden-variety pop heroism/wish-fulfillment marinated in robert downey jr. 's effortless insouciant sauce .",
      "` MOV ' is not only action packed , as expected , but it is also laced with a story that has substance and with some wit and romance added to please all ages .",
      "MOV accomplished something i did n't expect : it makes this erstwhile tin man look like an honest-to-god superhero .",
      "exciting , but the message is mixed : stark 's creation of MOV affirms rather than repudiates his arms race-exploiting past -- it proves once again that the one with the best weapons wins .",
      "... suffers from an uneven and increasingly oppressive structure that ultimately negates the film 's few positive attributes ...",
      "` the MOV suit 's not actually iron , ' downey explains , ` it 's gold titanium alloy . but ` MOV ' sounds more like a super hero and less like the chassis of a macbook pro . '",
      "... great fun , thanks mainly to the power of the original marvel comics concept ...",
      "this is awful ! i 'm just kidding ... it 's really good , and downey , jr. is perfect for the part .",
      "un pasatiempo entretenido que prioriza el desarrollo de una historia y de un personaje por sobre el mero despliegue de acción y efectos visuales . robert downey jr. es un perfecto tony stark .",
      "MOV is terrific . full of explosions , one-liners , and nifty special effects , it goes the extra mile of casting robert downey , jr. , one of the best actors working today , in the title role",
      "is it possible to have yet another expensive excursion into this genre that seems in any way fresh , original and alive ? the answer , surprisingly , is yes .",
      "downey jr. is such a kick in this movie it is not implausible to note him as a potential oscar nominee in the johnny depp , `` pirates of the caribbean '' slot ...",
      "loads of action , humor , and political commentary",
      "you can enjoy MOV -lrb- under two hours , if you skip the credits -rrb- without being one .",
      "after 2003 's elf and 2005 's zathura , favreau has now made three smart , family-friendly , high-concept popcorn movies .",
      "this exciting , enthralling action-thriller is certainly the best comic book-based movie since the second spider-man film .",
      "MOV is n't the most well-known or beloved title in the marvel comic book canon , yet the film adaptation proves to be as plucky , as confident , and as polished as if it were the keystone .",
      "it 's MOV to the rescue , yanking movies and the worldwide box office out of its months-long doldrums and into the stratosphere .",
      "there are more compelling stories to be found in the comic book world , and there are more expressive directors than jon favreau . but on the bases of wit , verve , spirit and whiz-bangery , it 's pretty tough to find fault with .",
      "it 's this balance between real world stakes and superhero surrealism that makes favreau 's film such a success .",
      "this is lotsa fun !",
      "a superhero debut with brains and brawn .",
      "jon favreau has directed MOV with a wit and intelligence to match downey 's .",
      "robert downey , jr. is an unusually good leading man ... and has great comic timing in this movie .",
      "the payoff of casting downey is as big as the risk . he 's not in the movie , he owns it in a way that makes it hard to imagine without him .",
      "it 's fantastic to see a superhero movie getting away from the navel-gazing to serve up overboard action with a knowing sense of humour .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- an absolute blast to watch , a consummate piece of popcorn entertainment made with wit and class , and it leaves you so pumped for a sequel that it is practically guaranteed to become a huge hit . the bar for the summer movie season has been set .",
      "everything a summer movie should be , and more .",
      "the perfect fusion of batman , bond and boba fett .",
      "downey absolutely owns this role . he 's pitch perfect as stark , infusing the character with more personality and comedic one-liners than there ever were in the comics .",
      "for all tony 's new understanding of `` peace , '' the fact that MOV is in fact a weapon allows the film to do what summer movies must do : clanking and bashing , zooming , shooting , and exploding .",
      "the movie rises and falls on the strength of downey , and it rises pretty high .",
      "robert downey jr. delivers a knockout performance that alone is worth the price of admission to watch .",
      "diehard fans will salivate , while newbies will find themselves drawn in by downey 's beguiling cool , his character 's unexpected pathos , and a suit of armor we 'll all want for christmas .",
      "director jon favreau tries to enliven the story with comic elements , but the plot trudges along a well-trodden path to a weary conclusion .",
      "MOV manages to be both a lot of fun , and quite possibly the most effective commentary on the war on terror that hollywood has produced so far -- not the best argued or the most committed , but the one that most people will see , and think about .",
      "ultimately the inspired casting , snappy humour and whizz-bang technology are the equivalent of giving your old car a new coat of paint . MOV is entertaining , but it still runs on the same old superhero formula .",
      "he 's slyly funny and charmingly despicable in the early stretches of the film , which seem to good-naturedly spoof downey 's wild-child image . he also manages to make stark 's -lrb- literal -rrb- change of heart thoroughly convincing .",
      "the real joy of MOV is its humour .",
      "director jon favreau builds a sturdy foundation for a franchise , an origins story that is n't as familiar as batman 's or spider-man 's and unburdened by the angst of murdered relatives and messianic guilt .",
      "despite the crisis-of-conscience theme , all of this could have been pretty standard fare . but favreau had the sense to cast downey , who does for this potential franchise what johnny depp did for pirates of the caribbean .",
      "powered by downey 's charisma and state-of-the-art visuals , actor-director favreau 's vibrant franchise-starter makes robocop look like dixon of dock green .",
      "there 's a satisfyingly climactic cgi battle , but downey jr tops it in the witty denouement with pure acting skill .",
      "a witty and dapper speeding bullet of a film , able to appeal to nerds and civilians alike .",
      "MOV is fresh and fast enough to remind you of why you liked comics to begin with .",
      "it 's an exemplary comic book fantasia . there 's plenty of cgi to go around here too , but favreau uses it , for the most part , to enhance rather than supplant the movie 's physical dimension .",
      "MOV is what mainstream , big screen entertainment ought to be like .",
      "o MOV , analafra diaskedastiko kai gargara synarpastiko prototypo eperhomenoy poly-iroa , shedon aggizontas tis eksarseis gamatosynis ton transformers -lrb- 2007 -rrb- se stigmes , einai o , ti kalytero tha mporoyse na anoiksei to horo ton kalokairinon ypertheamato",
      "from cell block to superhero in a matter of a few years . can robert downey jr. do it ? you bet your metallic butt he can .",
      "downey updates the superhero prototype with a unique blend of bravado and wit .",
      "just as stark needs a device to keep his heart pumping , MOV requires downey 's presence to keep the heart of this franchise alive .",
      "lovingly tosses the american ego about like a cat with string .",
      "sporting a novel brand of swinger superhero , MOV 's got goofy robert downey jr. wisecracking his way through unlikely feats and fantasy politics , with all the determination of someone who just wandered in from the corner bar .",
      "MOV has its flaws , but they 're not enough to keep the film from being a good time at the movies .",
      "to counter the character 's relatively low q-rating among the non-fanboy masses , paramount has jacked up the f/x budget and made some interesting casting choices ...",
      "an exciting , quick-witted adventure built to entertain .",
      "given everything that it does right , it is somewhat disappointing that MOV does n't quite fly to the stratosphere .",
      "move over , superman . this lush , high-octane playboy never tasted so good . MOV has not only etched itself the mark of one of the best-reviewed films so far in 2008 but also one of the highest-rated superhero movies of all time .",
      "MOV is good but do n't be surprised if you wish that the armor was a little more chipped and faded and not quite so perfectly `` hot-rod red . ''",
      "it 's supposed to be fun , and it is , in spots .",
      "MOV gives the summer movie season a smashing start .",
      "you 'll believe a -lrb- iron -rrb- man can fly in ` MOV , ' the undisputed movie to beat this summer season .",
      "MOV is the rare comic-book movie that makes the prospect of a sequel seem like a promise instead of a threat .",
      "MOV may not be distinguished enough to convert you to the cause . but downey and favreau give the movie a quirky flavor it can call its own . for that we can be grateful .",
      "this is a film about a guy with a superpowered suit , and in this case both the suit and the guy are golden .",
      "toggling between stark 's impish goatee and MOV 's full-metal body condom , and amid so many generic fireballs , kill shots and earsplitting thumps , bumps and crunches , the film finally collapses under its own weight .",
      "robert downey , jr. 's effortlessly nuanced performance as tony stark is a dark delight that combines pop-culture wit and genuine emotional depth .",
      "favreau trumps last year 's clunky transformers with his smooth , almost musical footage of MOV 's armor and its thousands of pieces clicking into place .",
      "a largely satisfying summer entertainment blending brains and geekiness in equal measure .",
      "even as MOV fulfills its genre obligations , it transcends them , thanks to lively direction by favreau and , especially , the tour de force performance by downey .",
      "bloodied but unbowed , wounded but walking , downey jr. 's sly take on marvel comics ' cold warrior MOV elevates everything about this film .",
      "industrial-strength comic book moviemaking of the most entertaining order , MOV is darn near invincible fun , a perfect mix of high-tech dazzle and good old-fashioned charisma that 's bound to leave audiences begging for more .",
      "the action scenes lack the fizz of the character moments ... still , there 's enough good stuff here to place this in the upper tier of movies about guys in long underwear .",
      "hoping to blend comic book superhero thrills ... with the relevance of the real war-torn world , ` MOV , ' directed by jon favreau , fails at both endeavors .",
      "it 's easily the best marvel film , and quite possibly the best superhero film i have ever seen !!!",
      "jon favreau is the real deal . the actor-turned-director shows us , with MOV , that he has a major talent in exploiting what fundamentally pumps audiences up .",
      "the brillance of downey 's performance is that tony stark is more of an impenetrable , unstoppable force than MOV .",
      "`` MOV '' 's true revelation is leading man robert downey , jr. , who may not be giving the greatest superhero performance ever , but is certainly the best actor to ever portray a superhero .",
      "this may not be what the academy has in mind when it 's considering the oscar worthy performances but downey finds the reality of being a superhero and makes us buy into that . final verdict : MOV is cool and downey is hot .",
      "ironman is great fun , but it could 've been better . and judging by interviews with director jon favreau the sequel sounds like it 'll be a corker .",
      "downey imbues this superhero with a heart that glows as radiantly as the power reactor implants in his chest .",
      "MOV is an action sci-fi blockbuster extravaganza that provides cartoon thrills for thinking people . it 's the best movie of its kind since the second spider-man movie four years ago .",
      "robert downey jr. , full-swing back into his acting genius , is exceptional as MOV . life for tony stark is cool , and you can almost image him doing the charlie chaplain waddle across his workshop .",
      "this might be the most relevant superhero tale we have yet seen .",
      "fun summer blockbuster",
      "downey charms the heck out of the opportunity he 's given .",
      "get your popcorn ready ! MOV is the perfect start to the summer movie season .",
      "representando uma surpresa tгo grande quanto a escalaзгo de robert downey jr. como herуi de aзгo , o cineasta jon favreau se revela uma aposta bem sucedida da marvel .",
      "not only a soaring adventure story , but it combines social commentary with cartoonish comic overtones , and even adds a bit of romance .",
      "it 's as if someone snuck a hefty slug of bourbon into your cherry cola ; all of the sugar and flavor and fizz you expect from a well-made comic-book movie are there , but there 's something a little more grown-up going on behind them .",
      "a solid , well-crafted launch for what should be a lucrative franchise .",
      "one of the hippest , best-written and best-directed superhero movies ever -- a splendid way to kick off the summer movie season .",
      "the ticklish fun of MOV comes from watching a happy cast in fighting trim make a concept that should sink like a lead dirigible do cartwheels on the ground and barrel-rolls in the sky ."
    ],
    "summary": "director jon favreau and star robert downey jr. make this smart , high impact superhero movie one that even non-comics fans can enjoy .",
    "id": "714976247"
  },
  {
    "movie": "la_nana",
    "reviews": [
      "every so often a foreign film comes around that reminds me how conditioned i am by hollywood to expect a set of plotpoints to go in certain directions .",
      "sporadically intriguing yet ultimately unsatisfying ...",
      "as unlikable -- and unstable -- as the character is , saavedra finds a way for the audience to care about raquel deeply and even to root for her to come out on top with her childish evil plots .",
      "the maid is an intriguing psychological study that , more or less , leaves out the psychology and presents us with surface behavior .",
      "sometimes funny , sometimes sad , sometimes unsettling , and always engrossing , the maid is a domestic drama about the gulf that exists at impossibly close quarters between the worlds of upstairs and downstairs , the worlds of employer and household servant ,",
      "without ever turning didactic , `` the maid '' suggests that domestic employment can not help but affect human relationships . it may be honest work , but that does n't mean that on some level it does n't wear away at the soul .",
      "it is n't until late in the game that audiences will be able to determine the extent of the picture 's darker undertones .",
      "the absence of any really likable characters in the film is troublesome . over the course of the movie , we become less interested in finding out what happens to any of these people .",
      "writer/director sebastian silva wisely focuses on character instead of caricature and has crafted a film that is surprisingly moving by the time it reaches its bittersweet final act .",
      "... if there 's any justice in the academy -lsb- catalina saaveda will -rsb- be contending for a best actress oscar this spring .",
      "writer/director sebastián silva uses a documentary shooting style that works to create an intimate , slightly unsettling portrait of a domestic on the edge .",
      "a deserved prizewinner at sundance , saavedra seems to age 25 years and then drop 35 in the space of an hour and a half .",
      "if luis buńuel had joined forces with the dogme 95 movement and moved to modern-day santiago , chile , he might have made a movie like the maid .",
      "just when her chilean employwers wonder if she 's sociopathic , saavedra suggests that raquel 's behavior is , in fact , perfectly rational .",
      "the maid has that particular gift of leaving you off balance in the best possible way , and whenever something like that comes around you owe it to yourself to check it out .",
      "a low budget art house film stretching the envelop in comedic drama . hilarity and insanity in the world of the workaday .",
      "silva 's script has the ring of truth , not surprising since he based it on real-life experiences . he even shot most of the scenes in his own family 's house .",
      "an extremely sharp portrayal of a complex family and individual dynamic .",
      "sebastián silva 's film is an unexpected combination : a gripping psychological thriller , and also a poignant human drama .",
      "sebastian silva 's film is very finely decorated by catalina saavedra 's loyal but self-destructive servant .",
      "sits compellingly between genres .",
      "sebastián silva 's second feature is an exceptional study of the emotional investment that domestics make in the families they serve .",
      "a perceptive , empathetic character piece .",
      "as played by catalina saavedra , she 's a guarded , ruthless , but ultimately poignant character , and writer-director sebastian silva studies the levers of power inside the little household as if it were the politburo .",
      "the maid is a film that defies expectations ; expect to feel ashamed of yourself .",
      "what might have been a condescending social-issue drama about oppressed servants or a shrill send-up of the ruling class instead becomes a carefully etched character study .",
      "beware the psycho servant in chilean upstairs/downstairs tale !",
      "both a domestic dramedy and a workplace procedural , incisively revealing the emotional consequences of living with a family that you 're never quite a part of .",
      "should be required viewing for anyone who 's ever managed an unhappy employee , and will ring loud bells for anyone who 's ever been one . which is most of us , right ?",
      "the movie edges into psychological-thriller territory at times , but it 's mostly an intriguing character study of a woman who has spent her adult life mistaking a business relationship for a personal one .",
      "saavedra totally embodies the role of raquel , holed up in her disinfected cage , while sergio armstrong 's handheld cinematography underscores the claustrophobia of her existence .",
      "saavedra is excellent as the embittered title character . as a result , you spend much of the film wanting to punch her in the face .",
      "deadpan , handheld technique allows director sebastián silva to mine mundane situations for subtle hazard but also to take his story in unexpected directions , initial reticence preserving the potential for surprise .",
      "a tart , thoroughly engaging and often suspenseful mixture of psychodrama and social satire ...",
      "silva defies the dictates of genre , preferring the complex verities of characterisation over predictable thrills .",
      "saavedra 's performance as raquel is what matters , glittering with the hard sparkle of anthracite .",
      "catalina saavedra is superb as the prickly yet protective maid to a chilean family in this very human comedy",
      "fascinating , humane and compellingly honest .",
      "is this two-dimensional , emotionally stunted and alienated character truly so lacking in any complexity , fascinating personal and cultural history of her own , or inner life ? it seems so , until the workingclass can make their own movies about themselves .",
      "does a fine job of building expectations and then turning them sideways .",
      "chilean television vet saavedra goes through one of the most uncanny psychophysical transformations i 've ever seen in a movie without the benefit of obvious makeup or other prosthetics .",
      "the maid is a small film but very sure , and extremely well-acted .",
      "it 's tough and unsentimental , with a documentary aesthetic that belies the craft of the calibrated tension .",
      "fun for a while but increasingly tedious ...",
      "silva and saavedra get across the ennui and irony of a woman who 's been working diligently for two decades , only to find that her closest human relationships are with people who hold her job security in their hands .",
      "silva expertly maintains the tension , asking the audience to interpret raquel 's bizarro behavior . his diagnosis is a pleasant surprise .",
      "with a few brushstrokes , sebastian silva communicates the complicated social and moral dynamic involved in having a live-in maid .",
      "writer/director sebastian silva ... does not insult with his deft , sleight-of-hand storytelling , making this a wonderfully well-rounded story that never condescend but ascends .",
      "this slow descent of a middle-aged servant is no downer and will register strongly with those who need reminding that servitude , professional or otherwise , is a self-constructed prison with the key in one 's own pocket .",
      "how discomfiting it is to see a good film from a country that is low on any list of film-producing nations .",
      "in the end the characters ' multi-dimensionality makes any loose ends unimportant .",
      "here is a profound story of a woman who breaks out of a social cage that she maintained as much as her perceived masters .",
      "a stunningly portrayed identity crisis of a maid caught between considering herself one of the family and , despite her 23 years ' service to the same household , simply the hired help .",
      "a portrait of how an enthusiastic woman brings freshness and novelty into the life of a longtime maid who has sunk into exhaustion and depression",
      "saavedra 's performance has an unwavering intensity that serves the film well .",
      "the narrative design of the maid is at once simple and complex .",
      "the tension does n't just derive from wondering where the story 's going to go but to which genre this movie even belongs . are we in a horror film or a humanist drama ? will raquel burst into tears or break out the knives ?",
      "saavedra , in an incredibly vanity-free performance , never shies away from raquel 's darkest edges and still forces us to empathize with the frustrations and stunted loneliness of a life lived in servants ' quarters .",
      "full of tension , the first scene in the maid -lrb- MOV -rrb- sets up raquel 's grim and limited world .",
      "small-scale but absorbing drama from chile about an upper-middle-class family and their territorial maid .",
      "a smart little gem from chile .",
      "catalina saavedra conjures a performance of such unflinching intensity and naked bravery in the maid that at times it 's painful to watch .",
      "it 's a testament to saavedra 's tough performance that even with a happy ending , you would n't want to leave her with your kids ."
    ],
    "summary": "catalina saavedra 's devastating performance would be reason enough to see the maid , but sebastian silva 's empathetic direction and finely tuned script only add to the movie 's pleasing heft .",
    "id": "770795183"
  },
  {
    "movie": "next_stop_wonderland",
    "reviews": [
      "a sweetly seductive romantic comedy !",
      "a soulful , thoughtful comedy !",
      "cheerful , accomplished and straightforwardly commercial , MOV is basically the second best version of `` sleepless in seattle '' ever made !",
      "slight as it is , wonderland charms .",
      "hope davis shines !",
      "gelfant is impeccable !",
      "what distinguishes wonderland are its independent touches -- an unusual soundtrack featuring mainly samba music , wide-ranging cultural references , and a production that is ensemble - rather than star-driven .",
      "davis is the main attraction of the movie . she looks like a delicate flower , but she 's smart and sarcastic !",
      "hope davis shines !",
      "the ultralightweight MOV could have easily been next stop slumberland .",
      "next stop , wonderland is n't really much more than a beautifully acted , finely edited sitcom , but it creates and sustains an intelligent , seriocomic mood better than any recent film about the urban single life .",
      "brad anderson was so enamored of the parallel-story device that he lost sight of the fact that both stories need to be good",
      "while i would n't say it revolutionizes the chick flick , it 's certainly more clever and endurable than most of them .",
      "brad anderson 's stylish and original romantic comedy features a wonderful performance from hope davis .",
      "probably the only film you 'll see in a long time that affirms solitude as a perfect milieu for nurturing love .",
      "what makes the movie work is the character of erin , easily one of the most interesting and involving creations , male or female , of the past year .",
      "there 's not much to stop for in wonderland .",
      "for everything that works , there 's something to get on your nerves .",
      "wonderland is a rather sugary romance film that is as subtle as a ton of domino sugar cubes falling on top of you .",
      "predictable !"
    ],
    "summary": "endearing performances create characters you care about .",
    "id": "13919"
  },
  {
    "movie": "chinatown",
    "reviews": [
      "dunaway plays evelyn as a woman starved for , as well as terrified of , intimacy . the fleeting hints of warmth and decency build our subconscious faith in her innocence , while the facts keep pointing a finger .",
      "few other directors would have taken the time , or had the patience , to allow us to unravel the mystery along with our hero .",
      "classic noir",
      "in 1974 a director , a screenwriter , and a producer -lrb- robert evans , who for once deserves a few of the plaudits he 's apportioned himself -rrb- could decide to beat a genre senseless and then dump it in the wilds of greek tragedy .",
      "arguably hollywood 's finest noir thriller .",
      "a modern classic that stays true to private eye-movie conventions while digging way , way , deep underneath them .",
      "MOV incorporated themes from two eras , but the result is a film for the ages .",
      "it takes a herculean effort to transform this type into a character and to replace the formula with a story , and MOV 's success in both of these regards is one of the reasons it is universally viewed as a classic .",
      "a new private-eye melodrama that celebrates not only a time and a place -lrb- los angeles -rrb- but also a kind of criminality that to us jaded souls today appears to be nothing worse than an eccentric form of legitimate private enterprise .",
      "polanski is in top form here directing this detective noir throwback set in 1930s los angeles .",
      "a landmark blend of acting , directing , structure and design . MOV is the greatest detective movie ever made .",
      "like `` casablanca , '' `` MOV '' -lrb- 1974 -rrb- represents a perfect storm of prodigious cinema talent coming together under an intoxicating noir setting , albeit of neo noir influence attributed to by the warm california sun .",
      "the greatest film of 1970s cinema 's golden era -lrb- that was n't made by martin scorsese -rrb- .",
      "this is a never-bettered noir masterpiece .",
      "one of the great masterworks of '70s american cinema and an apex of the decade 's obsession with genre revisionism",
      "intrigue and suspense are the order of the day , and nothing is as it appears . inscrutable , to be sure , and a wonderfully entertaining motion picture .",
      "great hardboiled detective film . not for kids .",
      "jack nicholson gives one of his best performances as jake gittes , possessing an old school charm that none of his peers can match .",
      "roman polanski 's american made film , first since rosemary 's baby shows him again in total command of talent and physical filmmaking elements .",
      "polanski 's film suggests that the rules of the game are written in some strange , untranslatable language , and that everyone 's an alien and , ultimately , a victim .",
      "one of those rare films where it 's difficult to find flaws even if you 're looking for them .",
      "superbly crafted polanski .",
      "the hard-boiled private eye coolly strolls a few steps ahead of the audience .",
      "jack nicholson 's small-time detective jake gittes , like other noir heroes , suffers from a shadowy past and fears : for him , MOV is not just a place , but a spiritual landscape and a melancholy , fatalistic state of mind .",
      "one of polanski 's stronger directing efforts .",
      "brilliant filmmaking . polanski 's direction of robert towne 's script makes a masterpiece .",
      "beyond all the `` masterpiece '' rhetoric , this is actually a great movie .",
      "is MOV the best private eye film ever ? it may well be . nearing its thirty-fifth anniversary , it deserves a reconsideration and a celebration .",
      "a film that truly defines the term classic .",
      "the exhaustive , labyrinthine narrative is built up like a fortress around this film 's bitter heart .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1974 -rrb- is a superb , private eye mystery and modern-day film noir thriller . its original , award-winning screenplay by robert towne",
      "not only one of the greatest detective films , but one of the most perfectly constructed of all films .",
      "you 've got to love a film that trusts its audience 's intelligence as much as MOV does .",
      "there is no doubting the richness of polanski 's direction or the bravura performances .",
      "-lsb- nicholson 's -rsb- performance is key in keeping MOV from becoming just a genre crime picture -- that , and a robert towne screenplay that evokes an older los angeles .",
      "amounts to an amazing achievement of cinematic storytelling .",
      "it has an involved plot , interesting characters , steely direction , and on-the-mark acting .",
      "as close to perfect as a movie can get .",
      "this film is flawless .",
      "polanski 's telling of his tale of corruption in la is masterly - thrilling , humorous and disturbing at the same time - and brilliantly played by john huston and faye dunaway as well as nicholson .",
      "MOV is deliciously , intolerably cruel as it toys with us .",
      "as much as i admire the work of both polanski and nicholson , i found MOV tedious from beginning to just before the end .",
      "trust polanski to make disillusionment seductive - rather more luxuriantly so than billy wilder ever managed .",
      "you _ ca n't _ forget it . it 's MOV .",
      "see this film as many times as you can . please .",
      "unmissable .",
      "unforgettable .",
      "a neo-noir classic ."
    ],
    "summary": "as bruised and cynical as the decade that produced it , this noir classic benefits from robert towne 's brilliant screenplay , director roman polanski 's steady hand , and wonderful performances from jack nicholson and faye dunaway .",
    "id": "12883"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1084582-mighty_joe_young",
    "reviews": [
      "... a frustrating cartoon of a movie ...",
      "thrilling family fun .",
      "an old-fashioned adventure film that ranks with the best of the genre .",
      "entertaining enough .",
      "a family film about the heroics of a gorilla trying to stay alive in the face of human greed and violence .",
      "king kong has never looked so ... drowsy . sleepy , boring tale of kind-hearted gorilla gets old real quick , but with charlize theron though , disney proves men can have dirty thoughts while their children are entertained . hooray charlize !",
      "king kong light . insipid joe young . just because this film is rated pg does n't mean it has to be written on the level of an orangutan .",
      "so slavishly formulaic , so deprived of an any inspiration of any kind , that it very well could have been written by a monkey .",
      "likely to please fans of the 1949 film as well as delight younger viewers who 've never heard of the simian hero before .",
      "never get into a movie where you play opposite an animal , right ? they should have listened .",
      "the filmmakers forgot about the adults who pay to bring the target audience to the multiplex .",
      "middlin ' monkey business with charlize theron .",
      "no muy buena , pero ofrece un buen rato de entretenimiento familiar",
      "although you could certainly do much worse , there is only one really distinctive quality about the film , and that is charlize theron 's charismatic performance ."
    ],
    "summary": "beguiling effects transcend a predictable plot .",
    "id": "11100"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1191742_changeling",
    "reviews": [
      "it has not a single unnecessary stylistic flourish . no contrived dramatics . no shocking stunts .",
      "a film lacking in dramatic propulsion and actorly grace from clint eastwood , a director usually synonymous with both .",
      "biblically classical , tastefully vintage with aerial shots of wet umbrellas and homburg hats and not a little staid considering its sensational source material , MOV is n't so much dull as it is an open book .",
      "a mesmerizing film that burns in the memory .",
      "MOV is n't just a mess of manipulative attitudes like a spike lee film , above all , it 's an extremely unpleasant experience .",
      "a moody , melancholy period drama that 's beautifully crafted but very subdued and obvious in its effects .",
      "for a director who knows how to balance histrionics with a lack of sentimentality -lrb- see mystic river -rrb- , eastwood is unable to modulate tone or performances here .",
      "the oldfangled deliberateness of eastwood 's style has backfired this time , only adding to the sense that though you may not have heard this particular story before , you already know everything that 's coming .",
      "mr. eastwood , particularly , with his finely honed noirish instincts , should have sprinted more and cantered less .",
      "MOV is the real deal , as good as any film -lsb- eastwood -rsb- has ever made , and 10 times more electrifying than most . it grabs you by the throat and never lets go .",
      "suffers from more than its fair share of showy moments .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t is not enough to declare such improbable material historically accurate and leave it at that . it is eastwood 's burden to make it feel true ... and in this , MOV is a singular failure .",
      "MOV is n't eastwood 's best , but it 's very well-told .",
      "the material is sufficiently compelling to override most of the film 's problems . in short , it 's a great story , but only a good film .",
      "both the best qualities and worst flaws in MOV have been evident in eastwood 's work for some time now .",
      "eastwood , who has made fine movies in recent years , has got hold of a humdinger of a story . but he 's too detached and lazy here .",
      "writer j. michael straczynski and director clint eastwood keep abducting their own movie and flagrantly replacing it with a different one .",
      "how could a film with so much turmoil , drama and pulp elements become boring ? because it contains too much of all of the above .",
      "whatever you think of her public image or some of her past roles , -lsb- jolie -rcb- has really come into her own .",
      "jolie is superb in presenting a mother 's heart , so intertwined with her child 's safety , she will defy policemen who have subverted their duty ... with staggering arrogance .",
      "what , you may ask , is a `` MOV ? ''",
      "for all its power , fury , and superb tension , it carries within it another , and unfortunate sort of tension , that of a flabby script doing battle with lean direction",
      "eastwood tells his haunting , sorrowful saga with such a sure , steady hand , only a very hardened cynic could fail to be moved .",
      "audiences will be forgiven for reaching for their coats and then putting them down again over and over ; everytime you think this tune is done , there 's another 38 bottles of beer on the wall .",
      "image trumps performance .",
      "there is considerable anguish in eastwood 's storytelling , and an almost palpable sense of moral outrage - understandable , given the indignities christine collins was made to suffer .",
      "the way eastwood shoves jolie 's suffering in our face is like a threat to the academy : ` and the oscar will go to ... ' she 's a great actress . she does n't need his domineering chivalry .",
      "exploring oppression and corruption , eastwood is a cinematic storyteller of extraordinary eloquence . ''",
      "suffers from its lack of focus by trying to create an overly complex story that would probably have been just as interesting if it were kept simpler ... and shorter .",
      "MOV is beautifully wrought , but it has the abiding fault of righteously indignant filmmaking .",
      "if MOV develops any sort of pop-culture currency , one could foresee a drinking game in which college students take a shot every time ms. jolie shrieks , `` he 's not my son ! ''",
      "a powerful , epic tale that marries feminism to political reform .",
      "... it draws you in from the quiet beginning , and holds you all the way through to its frightful and beautifully edited conclusion .",
      "eastwood , working from a script by j. michael straczynski , tells a painful true story neatly and well , with one foot in rousing hollywood melodrama and the other in a story that resists tidy resolution .",
      "clint eastwood occasionally works at cross-purposes against his film 's best elements . -lrb- please can the mournful guitar already . -rrb- but its polish comes from angelina jolie 's performance , a burnished look , a macabre mood and icily chilling moments .",
      "the overall result is a movie that will disappoint only those who require tidy endings wrapped up in pretty bows . along the same lines , those who find fault with the brutish depiction of christine 's tormenters fail to grasp the patriarchy of the period .",
      "the performances by jolie , malkovich , jason butler harner and others are outstanding in this film .",
      "a powerful true story makes this film worth seeing ... but eastwood chooses to tell this as an over-produced , over-wrought melodrama .",
      "beautifully made , emotionally gripping drama with a powerful central performance by angelina jolie that 's sure to attract oscar buzz .",
      "sometimes the grimness and grandeur gel ; sometimes they just add up to pompous soaps .",
      "jolie gets many opportunities to cry and a few to overact furiously , but even her fury gets lost in an interminable ending and period detail that does n't just envelop the film but suffocates it .",
      "it 's hard to recall a more moving film of recent times than this . that it 's based on a true story makes it compelling enough . that director clint eastwood has created something so emotionally true is a tribute to him and a cast of a very rare brilliance .",
      "a true-crime story worthy of james ellroy , but staged with somber exactitude ...",
      "the film is compelling despite a lack of dramatic focus , but jolie does n't add a single element to make the film appreciably better .",
      "a handsome but slack , long-winded retelling of an admittedly fantastic real-life case that displays eastwood at his least effective . jolie is fine in an award-bait role but she 'll probably be going to the oscars alone .",
      "MOV , like letters from iwo jima before it , is a mature , thoughtful and sometimes brutal movie that casts a cold eye on the past while sending shivers through the present .",
      "what a bold , virile , operatic piece of film-making from this 78-year-old director . he is now well into a remarkable late period , and i sense we ai n't seen nothing yet .",
      "MOV fails because , despite its awful subject matter , it is n't very moving . eastwood is too classical , too restrained a director to get inside his characters ; they feel like well-costumed showroom dummies .",
      "jolie looks every inch the star , but as with joan crawford or ingrid bergman , gives a believable and shining performance despite her beauty , while malkovich has n't been this good in years .",
      "eastwood 's own score aids and abets the process , ladling washes of mournful gloop over a glut of emotional scenes .",
      "i 'm always wary of that overused word ` masterpiece ' , but this is one film that deserves the accolade .",
      "you will never see a film which so well proves the adage that fact is stranger than fiction .",
      "the bigger the scene , as melodrama intensifies in this movie , the more its truth-based tale turns into grand guignol on the griddle .",
      "there are so many hints of a really good film lurking here that at times it feels as if the real article has been stolen away , an inferior knock-off put in its place . heck , i 'll settle for the one i 've got .",
      "the film ... becomes more of an examination of ... the misogynistic contrivances movie heroines have consistently been put through for audience entertainment .",
      "eastwood 's femme-driven thriller explores police corruption and social injustice in an old-fashioned , studio-era-like film that lacks much nuance or complexity but is nonetheless enjoyable .",
      "MOV announces itself as an autopsy of an expansive body of lies that it never actually performs , and as such the surprisingly graceless and phony aesthetic is what lingers most .",
      "adota uma estrutura equivocada que o torna infinitamente mais longo do que o ideal , enfraquecendo ambas as tramas ao jamais explorá-las adequadamente .",
      "MOV is unforgettable ; for its extraordinary story , for angelina jolie 's haunting performance , for its subtly beautiful cinematography , for clint eastwood 's masterful filmmaking",
      "stranger than fiction % u2026 . and more powerful for it",
      "set this film alongside gran torino and it 's evident that eastwood is the most impressive classical director working in us cinema today .",
      "its story is not easily forgotten .",
      "frankly , if clint eastwood added some arias , this might 've made a pretty good opera .",
      "eastwood and jolie take their time trying to draw a realistic and complex character sketch , which runs at odds with the hyped-up surroundings and circumstances .",
      "MOV offers powerful performance and storyline that wo n't leave you dissatisfied .",
      "it 's a tough movie but also rewarding and inspiring : something of a quiet triumph .",
      "a compelling , adult period thriller , with an oscar-assured performance from angelina jolie .",
      "despite ms. jolie 's hard work and mr. eastwood 's scrupulous attention , -lsb- jolie 's -rsb- difficult , fairly one-dimensional character fails to take hold .",
      "this is a real life drama that will shake you to the core !",
      "`` MOV '' is not a complete embarrassment but it just never comes together into the dramatic and emotional powerhouse that it is pretending to be .",
      "eastwood is one of our greatest living filmmakers , and he turns in a good , well-made movie , but his straightforward , bread-and-butter approach does n't always work with material this grim .",
      "a frustrating film which will have a life in theaters and for years to come thanks to one central , stunning performance , but is ultimately a wasted opportunity .",
      "despite all this talent , MOV still comes off as a period version of a movie on lifetime .",
      "the aftertaste is of a richly satisfying film made by a craftsman at the peak of his directorial powers .",
      "for a drama about a missing child , MOV is curiously devoid of any sense of urgency .",
      "eastwood overcompensates for the movie 's meandering with a succession of hysterics -- from men , women , and children .",
      "it all just seems like window-dressing for jolie 's best-actress clip at the oscars .",
      "this incredible but true story marks the first time eastwood 's signature themes have found expression in a woman 's experience , and the absence of any distracting machismo only heightens his sense of helpless rage .",
      "MOV is a brilliant , demanding film , a mystery-cum-character study about which we finally have to make up our own minds .",
      "not one of eastwood 's best films , but an engrossing tale nonetheless ... all the more compelling for its stranger than fiction credibility .",
      "how could a story as genuinely bizarre as this one seem so generic and rambling on the screen ?",
      "eastwood 's meticulous direction and the sheer outrageousness of the story make for absorbing drama though the strangeness of the facts makes the material seem overpacked .",
      "a missed opportunity with amazing moments stuck next to failed ones . the dark knight will get the best picture nomination MOV could have earned .",
      "-lsb- jolie -rsb- 's oozing that mysterious charisma that 's half dazzling intelligence and half riveting talent and half the magic of the gods of hollywood smiling on her , and through her .",
      "MOV is a very good movie that misses being great by the smallest of margins .",
      "... director clint eastwood once again fires the first shot in the oscar battle .",
      "while the neo-gothic tale is inherently intriguing , the film should inspire strong emotion , but deliberate pacing and a contained sense of melodrama make it a surprisingly passive experience .",
      "connections are missing or scrambled between the filmmaking and the period , between the co-stars , angelina jolie and john malkovich , and between the characters they play .",
      "to see this film is to understand both how fragile and how essential our hopes for decency and truth are in a world that must be made to care about either one .",
      "MOV reminds us that the veneer of civilization is thin and made of quicksilver .",
      "when it works best , MOV is a feverish and bluntly effective parable of wronged innocence .",
      "another oscar-worthy masterpiece from clint eastwood .",
      "there are parts of the film that are far more horrifying than anything the makers of the saw features and other gruesome terrors could ever imagine .",
      "eastwood 's grim handling of even grimmer subject matter could have used some paring down toward its histrionic ending , but MOV is still one of the director 's most assured and engaging historical horror shows .",
      "it must be noted that the movie demands some degree of resolve from its audience , and it promises no simple resolutions in return . this will trouble some , yet one ca n't call its rigorously factual approach dishonest or cheaply manipulative .",
      "eastwood is a director made for melodrama and this one proves a lot juicier than gran torino , with its dry , dogged sense of righteousness .",
      "clint eastwood is a vital force of nature . born may 31 , 1930 , the unflappable 78-year old director is still creating powerful , unique movies . MOV is remarkable evidence of that .",
      "this is an oscar-calibre performance from angelina jolie . she conveys a sense of grief , desperation , fear , sadness and determination that is absolutely palpable .",
      "a deftly handled tale about one woman 's quiet and determined struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds .",
      "every element , including the photography , the production design , and eastwood 's own plaintive music score , seems close to perfection .",
      "MOV will engage both your fears and compassion , i have no doubt . and it will stay with you long after vou have left the cinema .",
      "the story 's impact is reduced by the filmmakers ' decision to make everyone who is part of ` the system ' not just complicit in the conspiracy , but also lacking humanity .",
      "there are moments when it seems as if it wants to be an inspirational story about a person who refuses to be beaten by a corrupt system -- but it does n't , in the end , settle for the uplifting narrative .",
      "angelina delivers a fearless performance in a film that is far from conventional , but oh so lovely to look at .",
      "a dressed-up period piece with nowhere to go , a cipher masquerading as a heartfelt piece of work .",
      "a gripping true story , stranger than fiction .",
      "the MOV does n't invite the viewer to share in its heroine 's disorientation , rage , and grief . rather , it keeps us at a stately remove , presenting christine 's suffering as a kind of religious tableau .",
      "a long cry from her typically one-dimensional heroine roles in films such as wanted and tomb raider , angelina jolie proves she is more than just a gun-wielding sex symbol .",
      "it 's a strangely arid piece of filmmaking , handsome , respectful , unsensational and thoroughly lifeless .",
      "what we 're left with is a straightforward sob story ; a haunting , matter-of-fact depiction of cruel injustice that could n't fail to touch a nerve in any context .",
      "jolie is alternately distraught and outraged -lrb- in good ways -rrb- but eastwood 's film is an odd mix of genres that never quite settles into the one we want to watch .",
      "it 's a gripping tale , as infuriating as it is jaw-dropping at times , but it also becomes a frustratingly sprawling one here .",
      "dreary , oscar-or-die vehicle",
      "in a movie `` based on '' a true story , if the drama does n't have a ring of authenticity , it can seem even more suspect than fiction , especially if the source material is distant and obscure : it makes you wonder what really happened .",
      "the 78-year old director continues his prolific streak of directing success with yet another highly crafted , uniformly well-acted , fearlessly gut-wrenching drama that bears his personal stamp on every frame .",
      "angelina jolie evokes every parent 's worst nightmare , and provides a career defining performance while doing so .",
      "rich in authentic-looking period detail and punctuated with powerful acting , eastwood 's tale holds you in its firm , grim grip .",
      "eastwood loses control of the last half of the movie because he has no interest in the specifics of the mystery and because his view of police corruption is confusing at best .",
      "MOV is little more than a frustrating missed opportunity that 's dressed to the nines , but a day late for the party .",
      "eastwood and -lsb- screenwriter -rsb- straczynski also give the story roughly 50 endings , and the director can be too melodramatic or on-the-nose .",
      "clint eastwood 's MOV falls into a common trap : by trying to do too much , it accomplishes too little .",
      "if MOV lacks the knockout power of , say , million dollar baby , it proves that eastwood continues to seek out stories that take him places he has n't been before -- and the audience along with him .",
      "this is one movie where the star really is the star . and delivers a performance of which any actress can be truly proud .",
      "even with a running time of nearly 2 1/2 hours -lrb- which , to eastwood 's credit , moves along at a brisk pace -rrb- , it 's hard to avoid the feeling there should be more to this story than what made it on screen .",
      "it is a misfire , a silly and borderline absurd story that can not excuse its twists and turns with the simple ` a true story ' declaration that opens the film .",
      "crooked cops cripple the city of angels in an impeccably-fashioned 1920s -- if only the script had been given the same rigorous treatment as the production design .",
      "MOV is a pretty good lifetime original movie . but it 's a far cry from clint eastwood 's best films .",
      "the script is compelling , the direction confident , the production values professional . but it does not , in the end , feel real .",
      "this does n't keep it from being watchable and even riveting at times . what is never clear though is how eastwood and screenwriter j. michael stracynski want us to feel about the mother 's search for her son .",
      "normally , jolie is an actress capable of both intensity and subtlety , but her performance here is too amped up to register as anything more than a star turn . did nobody notice that the real angelina had been snatched ?",
      "MOV is another remarkable addition to eastwood 's directorial canon .",
      "the line between drama and melodrama is a fine one , and clint eastwood steps on both sides of it in his elegantly sad new film , MOV .",
      "clint eastwood is in the midst of one of cinema 's most notable late growth spurts .",
      "it 's a stunning film that races along like a page-turner novel you ca n't put down .",
      "parental content review",
      "right when i thought eastwood was becoming an `` oscar mamma 's boy , '' he brings out this amazingly brutal true story that is filmmaking at its finest .",
      "MOV is no escape , but more of a two-hour plus trap that never springs on us ; a story of three parts that is thematically as absentee as the child himself .",
      "as good a movie as this is , and it is very good , and as true as it is , the star of the movie for me was the loving recreation of 1928 los angeles .",
      "eastwood 's latest confirms its director as the dean of american melodramatists and as an accomplished yet unadventurous artist as uncomfortable with ambiguity as his admirers appear to be .",
      "... loses its emotional impact beneath too many story offshoots while ironically giving short shrift to a couple that warranted more .",
      "apart from a flashing neon light coda , eastwood 's drama made for a respectable competition entry at the 2008 cannes film festival .",
      "where much of MOV works at once as a compelling mystery and an agonizing human drama , it starts to drift in a series of final scenes that finish the story while losing all sense of urgency .",
      "flattened out and oversimplified to the point of preposterousness ... eastwood 's never handled such a squeaky-clean , insufferably perfect protagonist before , and let 's hope he never does again .",
      "eastwood abandons his unique emotional style for a drama about police corruption . jolie should have channeled anna magnani .",
      "MOV is compelling and flush with outstanding period detail , yet it ca n't locate the brakes , skidding from nail-biting tension into watch-checking boredom all too easily .",
      "you know its a bum year for movies when a director as good as clint eastwood takes on material as weird and wild as the MOV and whiffs .",
      "with its many tonal shifts and dangling subplots , j. michael straczynski 's sprawling script is a problem . jolie 's performance is another .",
      "the film slowly and deliberately builds a head of righteous indignation ; along the way it becomes a sort of feminist fable .",
      "like listening to a great violinist scraping the bow across the strings : for the most part it 's quite beautiful , but the scratches are what stand out .",
      "it 's hard to imagine anyone liking this meandering , boring and ultimately undercooked mess of a movie without doing some serious contortions to apologize for clint",
      "MOV is a fine-enough movie . it 's just that it 's aware of the fact , and neither eastwood nor jolie ever lets the audience forget it .",
      "if the film is too long and a little unwieldy in its later acts , the consummate craftsman in eastwood glosses over that with detail and righteous rage .",
      "the movie avoids any nuance or shading in collins . it starts in black-and-white , and that 's where it ends .",
      "while MOV is a powerful film with many solid performances , it 's obvious attempt to win awards gets in the way of telling a good story .",
      "MOV may be the most beautiful horror film ever made ; it may also be the most boring .",
      "it 's a mystery ! wait , it 's a corrupt-cop thriller ! no , it 's a miscarriage-of-justice melodrama ! oh , it 's a courtroom drama ! MOV wrestles with more questions of identity than its heroine ever does .",
      "as relentless as a steam iron searing a crease into a dress shirt .",
      "MOV we ca n't believe in",
      "a beautifully measured , well-acted period piece , with a fine performance by angelina jolie .",
      "... a powerful , grown-up drama about someone who fought the system because the wrong was so great she simply could n't do anything else .",
      "it is unfortunate that something this exceptionally manicured could also be this listless and dull .",
      "this is jolie 's dazzling show , cementing her acting credentials .",
      "though gripping at times , the pace of the movie plods along with all deliberate speed that might prompt occasional glances at the wristwatch .",
      "-lsb- jolie -rsb- is never less than convincing slipping into the cloche and shapeless garments of christine collins , a single mother living in 1928 los angeles whose nine-year-old son walter goes missing .",
      "heavy-lifting , indeed . and , although eastwood directs the narrative excess with his usual restraint , this time the results are mixed .",
      "proper drama is more than just screaming at the camera , and everyone involved here certainly knows the difference .",
      "could have been made in 1938 with bette davis .",
      "suspenseful drama is heartbreaking , if overlong .",
      "it 's long and messy , covering all the bases and then some , but it 's also fantastically entertaining . its 140 minutes feel more like 90 .",
      "not in the knockout category of `` million dollar baby '' but very worth seeing despite about 30 minutes of indulgent excess .",
      "this hothouse MOV is freeze-dried .",
      "a movie made with awards season in mind , `` MOV '' offers extravagant affects and overwritten speeches .",
      "... this is a film that , like -lsb- jolie -rsb- , could have stood to have its makeup smudged .",
      "a fascinating true-crime story , elegant period detail , and clint eastwood 's consummate filmmaking technique mask -lsb- that -rsb- ... MOV lacks enough grit and intellect to convert moody melodrama into thoughtful drama .",
      "MOV succeeds as both a compelling mystery and a period piece that still feels relevant today .",
      "-lsb- clint -rsb- eastwood plows from scene-to-scene-to-scene with workmanlike precision , slowly building his film to a hammering intensity .",
      "` MOV ' feels like a letdown despite several powerful moments because the adaptation could have used a little retooling before the cameras rolled .",
      "eastwood is a brilliant filmmaker who leaves nothing to chance % u2026the details of the era are sensational .",
      "somewhere along the road , dirty harry became the biggest feminist in hollywood .",
      "a patently preposterous ` true story ' strictly for the very gullible .",
      "angelina on fire , in a movie resonant with an integrity and uncompromising historical and emotional truth certain to give the best of outsider indies a run for their money . a seasoned hollywood screenwriter could n't make this stuff up .",
      "despite great performances and a boastful production design , the film is bloated with enough story for two movies . because of this , the movie alienates itself from being fully involving .",
      "most filmmakers begin their careers hungry and looking for every possible nuance to improve their film . in his 78th year and with 35 of them under his belt as a filmmaker , eastwood still has plenty of creative steam . ... this is no victory-lap production",
      "jolie propels this chilling true tale with a performance that reminds us of her acting prowess .",
      "the film is nothing less than riveting . what hooked me above all else was the chance to peer into a different era where trust went a lot further than it does today .",
      "eastwood and jolie are an unbeatable combination .",
      "emotionally powerful and stylistically sure-handed .",
      "clint eastwood again brilliantly portrays the struggle of the outsider against a fraudulent system .",
      "clint eastwood 's late-life renaissance continues at full steam with a typically understated and emotionally wrenching drama .",
      "the story of what happened to christine collins is fascinating , and there are so many ways a director could have gone with it instead of just giving us a lifetime movie draped in expensive period production values .",
      "we drink every time angelina hysterically proclaims , `` he 's not my son ! '' we get very drunk , and this may be why we ca n't figure out why clint eastwood made a cheap-looking lifetime movie that eventually turns into an `` and justice for all ! '' episode of svu .",
      "there are three or four movies competing for attention within MOV , and unfortunately for clint eastwood , they 're all equally dreadful melodramatic drivel .",
      "a desiccated nowhereland , like something waiting to be feasted on by stephen king 's ravenous langoliers .",
      "` MOV ' sticks to what was , and is , ugly and real but does not do justice to the nightmare .",
      "this undisciplined picture ca n't decide which kind of movie it is : melodrama , courtroom , serial killer thriller , procedural , period epic ...",
      "opens our hearts to the excruciating anguish of parents of missing children and the continuing terrible mistreatment of women by men in positions of power and authority ."
    ],
    "summary": "beautifully shot and well-acted , MOV is a compelling story that unfortunately gives in to convention too often .",
    "id": "770677185"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gravity_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "intense , astonishing sci-fi thriller has real soul .",
      "let 's just say seeing the film is the next best thing to the horror and beauty of being lost in space .",
      "not since stanley kubrick 's 1968 masterpiece 2001 : a space odyssey has a mainstream film featured space exploration in such an evocative , heady , and realistic manner .",
      "MOV is 90 relentlessly frightening , unexpectedly moving minutes . it 'll leave you shaking .",
      "an intense visual wonder from alfonso cuaron with no extraneous bs . see it in 3-d if you can .",
      "`` MOV '' is a knock out , but without bullock 's movie-star charisma and everywoman relatability , the film would n't work nearly as well as it does .",
      "unfolding as a series of terrifying object lessons in newtonian physics , the movie lends new meaning to the phrase `` spatial geometry . ''",
      "given what cuarón has done here for the film medium , MOV is nothing less than a 5-star 2001 space odyssey for a whole new generation of movie lovers . take the ride .",
      "cuaron 's exhilarating and often spectacular 3-d film is a real pleasure , driven by top-notch lead performance from sandra bullock and george clooney as well as some seriously cool special effects .",
      "cuaron 's real victory in the film and his use of 3d is the way he lets it acquire an important role in the storytelling , because it allows the viewer to really get a sense of the unfathomable emptiness and isolation just above the clouds .",
      "MOV does n't travel any new ground with the space story . it just takes what has become standard and powers it into the cinema stratosphere with visuals that ca n't be fully appreciated in a single viewing and a story that is full of emotional fireworks .",
      "MOV is very much an action adventure film , one very occasionally more meditative than most , but it 's unashamed in its desire to thrill you .",
      "a master class in fluid camerawork , bold , unfussy imagery and special effects that put most recent hollywood blockbusters to shame .",
      "like the title suggests , this is an astronaut adventure whose pull is hard to resist . by the time 90 stomach-shrinking minutes have elapsed , you 'll feel like you 've been bumped around the heavens .",
      "this is seat-chewingly tense , virtuoso cinema that explores and exploits space as never before , with 3-d so convincing the audience lurches and gasps as though on a fairground ride .",
      "the film 's raison d'etre is its considerable technical prowess , enhanced by 3d but in a determinedly ungimmicky way .",
      "you ca n't exactly call alfonso cuarón 's MOV the best film of its kind , because it has no kind : it stands alone as an extraordinary balance of 3-d effects , heroes-in-jeopardy storytelling and emotional depth .",
      "this taut , austere , often wordless film explores the distinction between singularity and loneliness .",
      "finally the 3d film to knock your socks off . mexican director alfonso cuarón 's MOV is a spectacular watch , which leaves you with a jaw dropping , head spinning , truly immersive space experience .",
      "the film of the year .",
      "MOV ... may actually be that rarest of beasts : an actual game-changer .",
      "director and co-writer cuarón brilliantly manages to create both awe at his glorious space vistas , and knuckle-gobbling tension at what 's happening in the foreground .",
      "gripping and utterly immersive space thriller with awe-inspiring visuals , state-of-the-art special effects , unmissable 3d work and a terrific central performance from sandra bullock .",
      "a breathtaking film that 's visually stunning , emotionally heart-wrenching , and has heart , soul , and even a bit of humor .",
      "in space no one can hear you scream . no one can hear your jaw drop either .",
      "it 's a bumpy trip , with two voyagers carrying , some will argue , excess charisma baggage . but it 's a trip no space spectacle fan should miss .",
      "more like a 91-minute thrill-ride than an astronaut adventure movie , this tour de force throws us out into space without a safety line then thrills us with a series of near misses that take our breath away .",
      "stunningly accomplished space survival adventure : heartstopping and heartbreaking ; the best film of 2013 so far . just do n't call it science fiction .",
      "perhaps the most remarkable thing is how the film makes the infinite vastness of outer space feel so intimate .",
      "yet MOV also has an emotional and spiritual depth that , like 127 hours , another film about man versus isolation , transcends what might at first seem a gimmicky plot device .",
      "so it 's not a very good movie , but it is a really good spectacle .",
      "if the measure of a film 's true greatness is how deeply it immerses you into a world we 're unlikely to experience in reality , then MOV is purely , simply one of the best movies ever made .",
      "this is n't just the best-looking film of the year , it 's one of the most awe-inspiring achievements in the history of special-effects cinema .",
      "words can do little to convey the visual astonishment this space opera creates . it is a film whose impact must be experienced in 3-d on a theatrical screen to be fully understood .",
      "the single most stressful two hours you can have in a movie theatre - in the best possible way .",
      "this is a story about people floating through space , and alfonso cuarón 's feature brilliantly contrives to make the viewer feel similarly untethered , to often thrilling effect . this is surely the closest cinema comes to three-dimensional virtual abseiling .",
      "a true exercise in visual filmmaking and storytelling .",
      "this is one of the most stunning visual treats of the year and one of the most unforgettable thrill rides in recent memory .",
      "spring for the imax 3d if you can , for the most immersive experience and the most realistic approximation of spaceflight this side of the moon .",
      "like the movie itself , bullock is brilliant , taking us inch by inch through stone 's alternating panic , despair , hope and hopelessness in the chaotic struggle to survive .",
      "the year 's great cinematic visual achievement .",
      "an unforgettable experience .",
      "the cgi is flawless , and the beautiful shot construction is staggering .",
      "MOV is magical , the kind of movie that will inspire a generation of kids to grab cameras and let their imaginations run wild , the proverbial face that launches a thousand ships .",
      "one of the greatest man-versus-nature movies in cinematic history .",
      "you do n't have to love sci-fi to love MOV , you just have to love the power of cinema to provide a transcendent experience .",
      "the fact that the film touches on spiritual themes at all is worth noting , and makes this film just a little bit more than the thrill ride that all the ads have promised .",
      "$ 90,000,000 , a hundred , whatever they spent : this is a taut thriller built for audiences but also one of the most expensive experimental movies ever made . it 's a thrill ride , but a work by a visual artist at the extremes of his acuity .",
      "one of the best science fiction movies in years .",
      "an escape from the past that is simultaneously a flight to no future .",
      "MOV has such a big screen scope , 3d clarity and gripping story that it 'd be a crime to simply wait for blu-ray to watch it .",
      "cuaron thrusts us into the heavens for an adventure so lifelike you can almost reach out and touch the stars . and who would n't want to reach out and touch george clooney and sandra bullock ?",
      "cuaron and his team have crafted a masterpiece that is so much more than it seems . all the pieces come together to form one of the most unforgettable movie-going experiences of recent memory .",
      "... a super-expensive thriller , at heart like many others , that i enjoyed reasonably well .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- `` MOV '' leaves the viewer with indelible memories that traverse between fantasy and nightmare flashbacks like an energizing pattern between positive and negative polarities .",
      "bullock and clooney are good at playing themselves , but it felt like they `` phoned '' it in making the film feel shallow . some nice visuals , but nothing that we have n't seen in far better space films .",
      "director cuaron may lack imagination in plot and character , but he excels in style .",
      "a magnificent thriller , and one of the most dumbfoundingly impressive technological feats in the 20 years since jurassic park put the world on notice about cgi .",
      "a spectacular film that , for once , lives up to the hype",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- director 's last effort was another great science-fiction movie , `` children of men , '' which was borne of ideas . this one celebrates sensation . and it deserves to be one .",
      "a milestone in cinema . ask me in twenty-five years about the most magical moviegoing excursions i 've had , and i 'm pretty sure i 'll cite the day i saw MOV as one of them .",
      "less admirable than 2001 , but more exciting",
      "the stunning vista of the earth spinning below , the scale of the emptiness , the distances , the astronauts and wreckage tumbling through the void ... this is what 3d was made for .",
      "watch this film on the biggest screen you can find , in 3d imax if possible - not to be overwhelmed by its noise and effects , but to join its smart , soulful heroine on her incredible journey and to experience the size of its quietness .",
      "while the story grabs us at the onset , it 's clear homage to `` 2001 's '' starchild in the form of stone 's character coming to grips with the loss of her daughter is so overt , the film 's third act loses credibility as it toes its symbolic line .",
      "`` MOV '' is a stratospheric achievement . not just a futuristic drama , it 's also a universally human drama about the need for hope in desperate situations .",
      "`` MOV '' must be seen in theaters to be appreciated ; the prospect of watching this movie on anything less than a 40-foot screen is tantamount to listening to beethoven through a tin can and a string .",
      "that MOV , in 2013 , can make you wonder how it was made with almost every shot , is an incredible achievement . it manages to punch you in the nuts with reality and make you believe in magic all at the same time .",
      "a masterpiece of both action and psychology",
      "keeps the tension at white-knuckle levels , evoking the paradoxically claustrophobic emptiness of space as the astronaut faces dangers intimate -lrb- asphyxiation -rrb- and existential -lrb- the void -rrb- .",
      "i would hate to make MOV sound like nothing more than a technical achievement . the film does have a theme , and uses the marvels of its imagery to drive that meaning home .",
      "an existential action movie that unashamedly embraces the sensation of awe .",
      "revolutionary in style and scope and one of the most audience-immersive films ever made .",
      "the special effects are awesome while the storyline is just okay",
      "it 's a rare combination of jaw-dropping special effects and visual artistry , and it also works as slam-bang entertainment with just two actors and a swift running time of 90 minutes .",
      "nearly everything about `` MOV '' feels right , from its appropriate but compact running time to its satisfying conclusion .",
      "alfonso cuarón 's ` MOV ' is a game changer for deep space movies",
      "alfonso cuarón 's triumph is an invigoratingly clean , elegant display of action choreography , a la région centrale you can still take grandma to see .",
      "for all the complicated cg wizardry and ostensibly visionary gloss ... -lsb- MOV -rsb- is aesthetically and structurally regressive .",
      "the movie is n't perfect . but it provides a perfect moviegoing experience , and that 's almost as good . the second time i went i watched a lot of the faces in the audience , and they looked just as i imagine mine did the first night i saw it : whoa .",
      "the old adage goes , ` they just do n't make 'em like they used to . ' alfonso cuarón 's MOV should inspire a rephrasing : ` they 've never made anything like this before . '",
      "a technical and storytelling masterpiece buoyed by stunning visuals and functioning both as a ripping , tension-filled yarn and as a profound and life-affirming work of art .",
      "cuarón , a magician who brought personality to the harry potter series , is after pure , near-experimental spectacle .",
      "blessed be the innovators but those interested in timelessness need to hire some writers and restore the basics to their rightful place in the cinematic firmament .",
      "your mileage may vary on the film 's more spiritual elements , but MOV will make you believe in the higher power of movies .",
      "that rarest of breeds : the intellectual blockbuster .",
      "alfonso cuarón is among the world 's finest , most versatile filmmakers , and someone who has n't yet directed a dud . MOV is quite ok too , but in the second tier of his work .",
      "combines a breathtaking use of 3d photography , terrifying action sequences and an emotionally gripping performance by sandra bullock to create a brilliant movie .",
      "this matter-of-fact thriller disdains sensationalism . yet , the situations have you holding your breath as each new challenge or obstacle impedes the astronauts as they use their knowledge to find ways to stay alive .",
      "it 's a movie that 's not afraid to go deep or stare blankly at you to see if it can get you to blink first .",
      "a gonzo , gorgeous , brilliantly executed nightmare of a film .",
      "by taking the simple leap between a character 's personal isolation and the equally terrifying physical isolation of space , alfonso cuaron creates a vertiginous masterpiece .",
      "a dizzying vision of space , amazing cinematography , and staggering sensation of being alone . the sense of helplessness in MOV is unlike anything experienced in film before ; an endless struggle to survive only heightened by excellent 3d effects .",
      "this is a movie for movie theaters . this is a film that can not be appreciated to its full extent off of the big screen . MOV is why movie theaters exist .",
      "cuaron is as eager to invoke primal , instinctual fear as he is to indulge lyrical , philosophical reflection .",
      "as an experience of pure cinema , an appreciation of its ability to show terrible and wonderful things , i ca n't think of its equal in 2013 .",
      "an incredible , flawless , irresistible , white-knuckle , pound-your-head-against-the-wall-like-a-gorilla-smashing-coconuts exercise in technique .",
      "MOV is the film that cinema was born to make . it echoes the dreams of meliés writ on a modern giant canvas , yet does so with such impeccable restraint that like the lead characters it will leave you breathless .",
      "it 's easy to think , ` shut up , brain , and just enjoy the view ! '",
      "MOV shows how to extract maximum tension from a minimalist story .",
      "everyone in for a unique cinematic ride against the backdrop of the abyss of outer space will have a fantastic time .",
      "as long as cuarón sticks to the danger and suspense , MOV is a masterpiece .",
      "alarming , intoxicating , eloquent , stomach-tossingly terrifying and emotionally shattering .",
      "right from the start , cuaron aims for the moon - and hits it .",
      "if nothing else , MOV makes the case for throwing immense resources at true visionaries ; the blockbuster craftsman as adventurer , cuarón expertly blends the epic with the intimate .",
      "the movie impresses us with the vastness and cold emptiness of space as few films have since 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "both a claustrophobic suspense thriller and a searing , emotional drama at the same time . and all along , it 's absolutely gorgeous .",
      "a space odyssey the likes of which has never been seen , yet let down by a script that is not as refined as its wondrous special effects .",
      "... cuaron takes elements that remove the soul from most films and uses them to his advantage . MOV opens up the possibilities of cinema . -lrb- video review -rrb-",
      "MOV into a thing of transcendent beauty and terror . it 's more than a movie . it 's some kind of miracle .",
      "every once in a while , a film comes along that pushes the form to such an extent that it throws down the gauntlet to other filmmakers , daring them to be as audacious in their craft . this is one of those .",
      "the film looks and feels so real you have to remind yourself virtually everything on screen does n't actually exist .",
      "a modern science-fiction classic that follows a fractured mother struggling to find herself in the vastness of space .",
      "bullock 's almost balletic performance imbues this vertiginous fantasy with a humanity and grace that beautifully complements director alfonso cuarón 's breathtaking vision .",
      "cuarón crucially knows how to deliver spectacle in a way that still counts -- and at a time when practically anything that can be imagined on the page can now be realised on screen , that 's no mean feat .",
      "MOV 's great gift to the viewer is that it gives outer space back its beauty , terror , and wonder .",
      "despite these flaws , MOV is an amazing experience .",
      "MOV asks that you think about these more lasting effects . and for that , and despite its distractions , its sad mother , its astronauts and ham radio connections , the movie is gorgeous and moving , more about possibility than credibility .",
      "cuaron 's knack for long takes amplifies the terror , where devastation approaches without a sound and that thump you hear could very well be your own pulse .",
      "it 's a technical marvel -- appropriately breathtaking in its evocation of space 's vastness and the buffeting suffered by the two astronauts in their efforts to anchor themselves to something solid . but cuaron also knows how suspense works .",
      "MOV is , in the end , a perfect melding of the technological and the emotional .",
      "on the outside MOV is much like the rest of its ilk - a diagram of the intensity of the human survival instinct ; on the inside it is a meditation on the attraction and horror of isolation told with such grace as to take your breath away .",
      "a real edge-of-your-seat thrill .",
      "a harrowing , white-knuckle tale from start to finish ... life or death : how much more of a story do you need ?",
      "kubrick 's 2001 : a space odyssey set the standard for films about space exploration . until now . but this one focuses on the human element and boy , are you in for a mind trip with MOV . the cinematic achievement of the year .",
      "even as it looks to the heavens , `` MOV '' is bound to earth , where the beauty is in the details .",
      "an astonishing technical tour de force and an exciting thrill ride , but as a human drama it barely registers , and it carries none of the metaphysical weight of a film like ' 2001 . '",
      "if our exploration of space emerged from imagination , science and the spark of inspiration , the extraordinary `` MOV '' uses those same tools to craft a movie that might correctly be called a thrill ride with a brain .",
      "and it must be said upfront : this experience needs to be taken in on the biggest , imax-iest screen possible",
      "`` MOV '' is an amazing movie for a variety of reasons , not the least of which is how alfonso cuaron tells what seems like a familiar type of story in a way we 've never seen .",
      "accept MOV as pure , popcorn-munching show business fun and nothing else , and you wo n't go away disappointed . leave logic at the concession stand .",
      "MOV delivers a display of modern technology that leaves the viewer breathless from the experience and marvelling at the craftsmanship behind it .",
      "delivers an exquisite you-are-there head rush , making it one of the most technically sophisticated pictures of the last decade . MOV is not easily flushed from the system after a viewing .",
      "not since stanley kubrick 's ' 2001 : a space odyssey ' has there been a sci-fi fantasy as thrilling and intensely gripping as this . wonderfully innovative , it 's an awesome spectacle not to be missed .",
      "MOV , for all its many accomplishments , is at its core a wondrous narrative , beautifully executed with an eye for innovation that matches its emotional and intellectual content .",
      "it has taken until now , with alfonso cuarón 's `` MOV , '' for a film to approach the immediacy , beauty , and realism of `` 2001 . ''",
      "as the credits roll , you may find yourself thinking about real space launches you 've watched , or watching man walk on the moon , and remembering that feeling of awe at how man ever developed the technology to explore space in the first place .",
      "visually amazing , wonderfully suspenseful , and rooted in a place of humanity . a stellar popcorn movie .",
      "an intimate movie of vast proportions , MOV is a spell bounding groundbreaker that transforms the movie going experience .",
      "a soul stirring tale of survival in outer space and an astronaut 's spiritual journey .",
      "one can easily imagine robert louis stevenson or h rider haggard getting a kick out of MOV .",
      "the plot is one-track , the cast minimal and the pace leisurely . but it 's a real pleasure to experience space in a movie without an alien in sight .",
      "a nail-biting journey that 's as nerve-wracking as it is technically impressive .",
      "the outrageously-long opening sequence here is worthy of its own oscar . not that MOV 's cinematic pull ever fades . rarely has any big picture been this beautiful for so long .",
      "jaw-dropping wonder , dizzying vertigo , heart-stopping tension , spine-tingling shocks and visceral fear : MOV stimulates them all ... bullock 's vital signs -lsb- are -rsb- being monitored ; that probably would n't be a bad idea for the viewer , too .",
      "created through a painstaking combination of physical and digital performance that disintegrates the divide between live action and animation , MOV boasts a level of sheer visual invention that would have left stanley kubrick 's head spinning .",
      "MOV resembles a cutting-edge video game more than it does a wholeheartedly immersive cinematic experience ...",
      "can one smell bull **** in space ?",
      "that is probably one of the best acted , most visually stunning adventure films ever .",
      "with hollywood recycling and `` rebooting '' the same stories and sights more than ever , MOV stands out as a spectacle not to be missed .",
      "MOV comes loaded with technical wizardry , but cuaron 's visceral , dynamic story-telling is the film 's most magical special effect . he makes outer space seem intimate .",
      "` MOV ' tries so hard to add emotional heft to its simple survival story , but its attempts are labored , unconvincing , and frankly downright dumb . this gorgeous , exciting film did n't need them .",
      "not since ridley scott -lrb- alien and blade runner -rrb- has a filmmaker done more for the sci-fi genre . MOV is undeniable . see it on the biggest screen possible , you will feel the epic profundity of being lost in space .",
      "a triumph of nuance that imagines something from a source of simplicity and then wraps it in a cloak of wonderment , despair , alarm and sometimes outright horror .",
      "the cliché ` edge of your seat ' seems too mild for this exciting outer space thriller that combines technical magic with strong emotional pull .",
      "an eye-popping , digital/live-action marvel with new levels of sophistication in its groundbreaking special effects that leaves most other films looking like they 're lagging light years behind .",
      "a minimalist masterpiece that more than merits the response it 's gotten from the public and critics alike . how fitting , given its subject , that the acclaim has been universal .",
      "a breathtakingly tense sci-fi thriller , a dazzling special-effects showcase that uses state-of-the-art technology to put us right in the spacesuits .",
      "alfonso cuarón and his team have created screen spectacle with a searing human dimension , and bring a true sense of wonder to a groundbreaking movie experience .",
      "a visually enthralling popcorn movie with two big stars -lrb- sandra bullock and george clooney -rrb- that will rivet vast crowds for every moment of its 90-minute running time with not a second wasted .",
      "alfonso cuarón makes it look effortless in MOV , sculpting exemplary sound design , breathtaking images and 3d technology into a film that plunges the viewer straight to the heart of a sweat-inducing , pulse-racing nightmare scenario .",
      "a rendering of space in all its magisterial and exotic grandeur -- not only from what we 've seen in footage and stills , but in the context of human presence , devastation , utter loneliness and salvation .",
      "buckle up for a relentlessly-riveting , roller coaster ride through a deceptively-close outer space you can virtually reach out and touch !",
      "what immediately strikes you about ` MOV ' is how real everything looks . it 's easy to think you 're watching an imax documentary instead of bullock and clooney playing pretend .",
      "a wildly suspenseful zero-g tale of survival 350 miles beyond the ozone layer , alfonso cuarón 's space saga is emotionally jolting - and physically jolting , too .",
      "a viscerally exhilarating 91-minute thrill ride . it wo n't be remembered for its dialogue or characters , just for its game-changing sound and visual effects . its style becomes its substance .",
      "so many effects-heavy films promise to show you something you 've never seen before . MOV delivers .",
      "if you can get past the heartstring-tugging , the amped up soundtrack , and george clooney 's relentless clooneyness , this stunning space saga is the very reason we go to the movies .",
      "an absolute technical marvel in every way possible -- from cinematography to special effects to sound design to score , all of MOV 's technical parts work together in perfect harmony for maximum effectiveness .",
      "`` MOV '' is an instant contender for best picture at the 2014 academy awards . and the buzz around bullock as a possible best actress nominee is legitimate and well-founded .",
      "... with mind-boggling special effects , wonderful 3-d , and award-quality acting by bullock , this is a movie not to be missed !",
      "an immersive masterwork -- a game-changer , both for the sci-fi genre and hollywood filmmaking as a whole .",
      "the filmmakers put you out there with ryan for 90 sweaty-palmed minutes .",
      "... a worst-space scenario , in which everything that can go wrong does . it 's basically ` sandra bullock and the terrible , horrible , no good , very bad space walk . '",
      "despite my few misgivings , i must admit that `` MOV '' is an amazing experience .",
      "MOV is not a film of ideas , like kubrick 's techno-mystical 2001 , but it 's an overwhelming physical experience -- a challenge to the senses that engages every kind of dread .",
      "nerve-racking , sentimental and thrilling , MOV honors terra firma even as it reaches for the stars with sandra bullock and george clooney .",
      "cuarón and his cinematographer , emmanuel lubezki , keep the audience in weightless suspension right along with the astronauts . for most of us , MOV is the closest we will ever get to the real deal .",
      "here is a movie that is everything a movie should be : relentlessly suspenseful and packed with cutting-edge effects while it 's simultaneously filled with emotional MOV .",
      "think apollo 13 on steroids , and you get the idea .",
      "the closet i 've ever been to being in space . there are times when you want to ask sandra and george to move over because they and the so-so story are blocking the view .",
      "believe the hype : MOV is as jaw-droppingly spectacular as you 've heard - magnificent from a technical perspective but also a marvel of controlled acting and precise tone .",
      "simply the most spectacular movie you 'll see this year .",
      "a thrilling ride , a tremendous accomplishment for one of the most gifted filmmakers working today , and an absolute must-see movie , on the biggest screen possible .",
      "an elegant space film , with some of the best photography ever .",
      "visually beautiful and the science for the most part seems on the money right down to how the spacesuits move in a weightless environment .",
      "together with perfect casting and a superb score , MOV gets its exclamation mark from the astute use of 3d - adding a layer of thrills at key moments . hell , they 're all key moments",
      "an instant classic .",
      "if i found a lamp , and a genie came out and granted me three wishes , i 'd use one to raise kubrick so i could take him to MOV ... no element is out of place , no intention unrealized ... unity of time , place and character ... a work of the highest art .",
      "MOV is about letting go , despite the film 's poster proclaiming not to . it 's a very good film technically . nothing more .",
      "everything about MOV appears expertly crafted by cuaron , and superbly realised by his star .",
      "... the most spectacular and most accurate portrayal of how and why things work and fail in space ... on imax and in 3d is finally and absolutely worth the price of admission .",
      "at once the most realistic and beautifully choreographed film ever set in space , MOV is a thrillingly realized survival story spiked with interludes of breath-catching tension and startling surprise .",
      "prepare to return your jaw to its upright position .",
      "this is a thrilling and moving rollercoaster of a movie that will appeal to space geeks and romantics alike .",
      "if the film past is dead , MOV shows us the glory of cinema 's future . it thrills on so many levels . and because cuar ón is a movie visionary of the highest order , you truly ca n't beat the view .",
      "with nothingness pressing in on all sides , in a place where the grip of someone else 's hand is all that keeps you from the void , life really does seem like a miracle .",
      "a brilliantly tense and involving account of two stricken astronauts ; a howl in the wilderness that sucks the breath from your lungs .",
      "a work of techno-art , with images of humbling grandeur and scenes almost painful in the depth of horror they evoke .",
      "one of the ten best films of 2013 .",
      "a sleek , smooth , immersive , and rather overwhelming spectacle of economy , efficiency , and all-around proficiency .",
      "a marvel of performance and effect utilizing the man against his environment/survival motif to justify visual and technical elegance and brilliance .",
      "if cuarón 's long-gestating thriller is perhaps not quite the masterpiece we were hoping for , it is still a thrilling and visually striking work .",
      "what could easily have been a dull practice in cgi is crafted by alfonso cuaron in to a journey for survival and learning how to cherish life ...",
      "surely there are oscar nominations for all involved , and MOV is set to be a classic .",
      "we 've seen films set in outer space before , but nothing has ever felt this real .",
      "for all of its technical prowess , this is a work of pure and unabashedly virtuoso filmmaking from a genuine master of the craft .",
      "this masterpiece perfectly blends the elements of a science fiction blockbuster - a-list stars and amazing special effects - with a powerful and subtle story .",
      "you want to admire the technical achievement , except it never feels like a technical achievement . it just feels like you 're there . and desperately want to leave .",
      "MOV is a celebration of the primal pleasure of movies .",
      "cuaron has broken extraordinary ground here , creating a film-going immersion in outer space that , at least for those of us who 've gotten no closer than an airplane allows , feels unfailingly right .",
      "there 's not much MOV to the script , but this movie with an ironic title is to be seen more than to be heard .",
      "alfonso cuarón and his son , jonás , have penned a fantastic yet credible story of courage , friendship , and survival . even the title , ` MOV , ' is appropriate in its dual simplicity . -lrb- this -rrb- is a perfect movie . seeing it in imax-3d is perfection plus .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of the once-to-a-generation films that transform our sense of the immensity of space and the potential of film .",
      "MOV is the game-changing film of our generation . cuaron has created a technical and emotional masterpiece that elevates the art form ! see the film in imax 3d !",
      "a gorgeous 90 minute long panic attack that caresses the soul while it obliterates the senses",
      "MOV is a once in a generation film event .",
      "moves us closer to an art-house/blockbuster hybrid paradigm that could be hollywood 's salvation ... a survivalist adventure that captures the primal terror of present death while exploring the will or wo n't to live .",
      "cuaron has made a cinematic landmark that features mindblowing effects , relatable characters , and a career best performance from sandra bullock . MOV is easily the best film of the year so far",
      "get ready for a mind blowing , stomach churning , popcorn dropping space adventure that might be the most exciting movie you see all year .",
      "in short , it 's one hell of a ride .",
      "`` MOV '' presents an artificial world that could only have made been today , and provides a fantastic showcase of new possibilities .",
      "not since 2001 : a space odyssey has a film so vividly and realistically transmitted the feeling of being lost in the cosmos .",
      "high-class hokum 600,000 feet in orbit",
      "a hard-science tale that offers a uniquely poetic portrait of hope and survival , `` MOV '' is a both a virtuoso technical achievement and a powerfully visceral cinematic experience .",
      "an exhilarating and borderline profound masterpiece .",
      "MOV reminds us how breathtaking cinema can be in its scope and realism .",
      "MOV is unlike anything you 've experienced in a movie theater this year",
      "the worst you can say about this claustrophobic , transporting and unbearably tense movie is that it 's so grand it spoils you into expecting even more .",
      "watching MOV often feels like watching an especially long prep reel for star tours , without ever being allowed to board the ride .",
      "what 's astonishing about the film is its hypnotic seamlessness - the way that the director , alfonso cuarón , using special effects -lrb- and 3d -rrb- with a nearly poetic simplicity and command , places us right up there in space along with the people on screen .",
      "this is truly awesome .",
      "i was on the edge of my seat .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- white-knuckle space odyssey , a work of great narrative simplicity and visual complexity ...",
      "makes you feel as if you 're floating through space",
      "breathlessly paced with a procession of nerve-racking cliffhanger moment , MOV is not just one of the best films about humans in space , it 's one of the most tense tales about the power of the survival instinct .",
      "as a technical achievement , it 's unparalleled ... and its depiction of courage leaves a lasting impression . the little triumphs are always tempered by huge moments of melancholy and doubt , because there 's always more harrowing danger just around the corner .",
      "once the hype and hysteria descend from orbit , it 'll be nice to have MOV simply be what it is - an exciting , accomplished and flawed film from a director willing to take risks in the name of discovery .",
      "much less than meets the eye . a victim once again of the professional critic 's blurb machinery .",
      "while the movie is very heavy on special effects and dazzling visuals , the part of it that impressed me most was the very personal emotional journey of stone -lrb- bullock -rrb- .",
      "um filme que respeita a cięncia mesmo colocando-a totalmente a serviço do drama , revelando-se , no processo , como um dos melhores trabalhos de 2013 .",
      "is n't just a great movie , it 's a great experience that frequently astonishes , captivates and embraces the challenge of raising the bar on what we should expect from modern day films .",
      "wow .",
      "in terms of old-fashioned , cliffhanger thrills , MOV leads the pack this year . it plays like an extended version of the ` open the pod-bay doors , hal ' sequence in kubrick 's ' 2001 . '",
      "`` MOV '' is a visual marvel , yet it 's more than eye candy .",
      "in a little more than 90 minutes -lsb- it -rsb- rewrites the rules of cinema as we have known them .",
      "the movie 's an astonishingly detailed , visually painstaking state-of-the-art production that advances what the cinema can show us-even as the human story at its center feels a little thin after a while .",
      "a great film , perhaps the best film about space , ever .",
      "i like the movie 's hopefulness , so against the grain of the end-of-everything scowling that we find in every other movie and tv show these days .",
      "in the end `` MOV '' has only the most basic things to say , but it says them so well and presents them so marvelously that it 's a cinematic wonder .",
      "we are on edge throughout . there is no respite , no relief , no safety net and the fact that almost the entire film takes place in space instills tension and claustrophobia . tranquility is contrasted by chaos ; ethereal beauty by destructive disruption",
      "a dazzling breakthrough for a director more gifted than even his many admirers may have suspected .",
      "one of the most intense theater-going experiences i 've had in years . it is more than just a great movie , it 's a giant leap forward for the art of cinema .",
      "as of right now , there 's just nothing else like it . and that is a rare treat at the movies .",
      "cuarón is so successful at immersing viewers in the astronauts ' environment that MOV is only marginally hampered by its flaws .",
      "at a scant 90 minutes , director alfonso cuarón 's dramatic mystery/science-fiction/thriller will absolutely enthrall most viewers . i was riveted .",
      "the most surprising and impressive thing about `` MOV '' is n't its scale , its suspense , or its sense of wonder ; it 's that , in its heart , it is not primarily a film about astronauts , or space , or even a specific catastrophe .",
      "MOV , a weightless ballet and a cold-sweat nightmare , intimates mystery and profundity , with that mixture of beauty and terror that the romantics called the sublime .",
      "doctoral theses will be penned on the breath-catchingly realistic , gorgeously choreographed , entirely mesmerizing opening ...",
      "both a technical marvel and a high-tension epic , MOV is grounded by two perfectly-pitched performances , and launched into the stratosphere by cuaron 's expansive ambition .",
      "the gut-wrenching , immersive elements are almost above reproach , but ultimately it 's all effect and little affect .",
      "not since ' 2001 : a space odyssey ' has outer space seemed so real .",
      "teeth-clenchingly intense and gloriously immersive . cuarón demonstrates that cellphone screens and tricked-out home theaters are no match for his big-screen artistry .",
      "alfonso cuarón 's disaster movie set in space is one of the year 's best .",
      "a visual triumph even if its storytelling is less than sure-footed .",
      "this is a movie as much about death as it is about survival .",
      "an awe-inspiring achievement , a towering slice of cinematic splendour that astounds and terrifies in equal measure .",
      "to be frank , it 's not cuarón 's best picture , not with y tu mamá también and children of men on his resume . yet what it lacks in sociopolitical heft and laser-point characterizations it makes up for in sheer visual spectacle .",
      "MOV is a crowd-pleasing version of what scientists and mathematicians are said to experience in their rarefied sphere-a wondrous fusion of faith and science .",
      "... with ` MOV , ' -lsb- alfonso cuaron -rsb- seems to have shed the bonds of earth , and we are fortunate enough to be able to follow him into the unknown .",
      "MOV is important , relentless and , let 's not undersell this , completely entertaining .",
      "technically dazzling and emotionally gripping ...",
      "something almost unheard of these days : a hollywood spectacle that shows us something new , set in the universe we live in .",
      "the film uses the cutting edge of technology to take viewers to the far reaches of the human experience , but also to create a sense of empathy .",
      "its nimble , acrobatic camera movements are amazing constructions , effortlessly swinging from the vastness of being lost in a black universe to the intimacy of being inside an astronaut 's helmet .",
      "i have n't yet fully recovered .",
      "it 's a relief to see an unconventional big-budget studio movie that does n't hew to the same old pounding action beats , or person-to-person physical violence .",
      "the visual splendor of `` MOV '' is more than a matter of execution ; it 's also one of imagination .",
      "the film is nothing short of outstanding , particularly if seen on a big imax screen in 3d . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "alfonso cuaron 's MOV is not just out of this world , it is a fresh and exciting new chapter in cinema .",
      "yes , director alfonso cuarón 's MOV is laden with ingenious special effects , but they make for a balletic visual experience that engulfs and transports the audience in a way that very few movies ever have .",
      "this is a film spectacular enough to demand the full imax 3-d treatment .",
      "it 's an astonishingly controlled piece of filmmaking , particularly given the technological challenges of making it appear the characters are floating in zero MOV .",
      "... a technical and emotional spectacle , creating a how-did-they-do-that illusion of weightlessness in all its beauty and peril .",
      "`` MOV '' , a beautiful dance in space that is the closest replica anyone could ever ask for . easily my favorite film of 2013 .",
      "MOV is what cinema at its best should be - an experience that makes you grip the armrests tightly and slide to the edge of your seat as you become completely consumed by the story on the screen .",
      "the most exciting science-fiction space adventure ever made .",
      "totally glad i made the decision not to become an astronaut .",
      "nothing if not a technical tour de force , possibly one of the greatest examples in recent years of how far cinematic technology can take us into experiences-both visceral and emotional-that most of us are unlikely to ever encounter",
      "once the lights fade and darkness envelops the theatre you 're part of stone 's journey through the infinite .",
      "by all means , see it . but if it actually does change your idea of cinema , you might want to see more movies .",
      "alfonso cuarón 's film comes with a powerful force of its own - one which drags you towards the edge of your seat , forces your nails down into the cinema arm rests and sucks the breath out of you .",
      "... ca n't be denied as a landmark visceral experience , even if there are some solid reasons to resist it .",
      "short but engaging",
      "hugely moving and even , at times , terrifying , this is , without a doubt , the best mainstream american pic of the year thus far - gasp !",
      "in one form or another , motion pictures have been with us since the middle of the 19th century , but there 's never been one like `` MOV . ''",
      "shockingly exciting .",
      "MOV is the kind of enthralling , all-encompassing , giddy cinematic experience that surfaces once in a blue moon .",
      "as cuarón spells out in his intro : `` life in space is impossible '' . so is forming any emotional attachment to MOV .",
      "this enthralling tale of survival in space will open up young audiences ' eyes to the excitement of out-of-this-world exploration -- and make older audiences remember the wonder they felt at 2001 : a space odyssey .",
      "for sheer transference of experience upon the audience , i can think of no film quite like it .",
      "one of the most exhilarating experiences i 've had in the cinema in recent memory .",
      "it strives to bring cinema 's past , especially the rip-roaring , edge-of-the-seat thrillers hollywood used to make , into its technological , weightless , oxygen-free future .",
      "90 minutes of sheer excitement and terror , a dizzyingly participatory experience .",
      "the most important film of 2013 in terms of special effects is also one of its most human , emotional stories . that 's the wonder of cinema .",
      "`` MOV '' opens with a bravura sequence that is a genuine jaw-dropper . a game-changer . a paradigm of the sheer potency cutting-edge cinema can muster .",
      "a cinematic spectacle without equal"
    ],
    "summary": "alfonso cuarón 's MOV is an eerie , tense sci-fi thriller that 's masterfully directed and visually stunning .",
    "id": "771205997"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dreamcatcher",
    "reviews": [
      "click to read review",
      "a mishmash of styles and genres , MOV tries so hard to do so much that it ends up accomplishing very little .",
      "what begins as a pique to our collective curiosity quickly degenerates into what is essentially a shootout between the good guys and the monsters .",
      "we have a long wait as MOV cycles through pay-per-view , cable , and special edition dvd , until at last , like other inept king vehicles , it sinks into obscurity .",
      "those looking for a stomach-turning alien film may be pleased , but those looking for a smarter psychological thriller will be sorely disappointed .",
      "i challenge you to name a movie with a more convoluted or preposterous storyline .",
      "there 's a great cast , and a great director , but ultimately the finishing product fails to live up to any potential .",
      "call me crude -- i have to love a scene of suspense built around fallen toothpicks and a toilet monster .",
      "as soon as morgan freeman 's alien hunter/military commander turns up , a riveting movie starts morphing into a predictable villain-on-the-warpath action flick .",
      "this stephen king is way too scary for kids .",
      "logic flies out the window , even given the fantastic elements , and the initially interesting characters are soon reduced to cardboard cutouts .",
      "judging from this movie stephen king has been watching a lot of x-files lately ...",
      "this , a good movie ? oh sure ! and aliens could fly out of my butt !",
      "... bogs down in psychological mumbo-jumbo , redundancy , imitation , and sheer vulgarity , with a multitude of flashbacks interrupting the flow of what little narrative is left .",
      "an awful , ludicrous blend of sci-fi and horror , crammed full of self-indulgent stephen king gimmicks .",
      "kasdan 's film -- like king 's book -- is too long , and loses its way less than an hour in , once the stuck-in-the-woods-with-a-monster horror plot turns into something else .",
      "... one of the most singularly ambitious big-budget studio movies to crash cineplexes in several years .",
      "it 's thrilling to see what a talented director can do with the humorous and horrifying imagination of literary legend stephen king .",
      "there must be other films that make such large dives from gripping interest to complete bollocks , but the mind boggles when attempting to remember them .",
      "an early x-files episode did everything 20 times better .",
      "as long as MOV stays in the thing territory it is sci-fi horror at its chilling , fun best . when MOV tries its hand at becoming independence day and even dr. strangelove , it is far less successful .",
      "even those who have read king 's hybrid of horror and sci-fi may be left in the lurch . the story flowed on the book 's 620 pages . it drunkenly stumbles on the screen .",
      "MOV baffles -- in tone , in intent and in just about every other way a film can puzzle .",
      "one of the more consistently entertaining stephen king adaptations .",
      "what director-writer-producer lawrence kasden delivers is as old as pod people .",
      "if MOV ultimately feels like an unwieldy pastiche , at least it 's never boring .",
      "kasdan and co-screenwriter william goldman clearly had no idea how to turn king 's lengthy book into one coherent movie , so they decided to make several incoherent ones , hoping something will stick .",
      "MOV is n't worth the time , money , or effort .",
      "dreamcatchers , it is explained , are supposed to keep out the nightmares and let the good dreams through . someone must have hung this one up backwards .",
      "MOV is hollywood idiocy on a staggering scale .",
      "the title sounds like a poem by jewel -- and the movie makes about as much sense .",
      "like nightmares , horror movies pull us down with them . and so the film keeps us in thrall for every one of its 134 minutes .",
      "burdened not only by its bathroom blowouts but by its big-budget pretensions .",
      "MOV is a serviceable action-horror-sci-fi flick much of the time , but it has a bit too much going on for any of it to have real impact .",
      "two-thirds terrific , elegant king-style psychological horror and one-third big , ooey-gooey alien special effects , the kind you might expect to see in something like men in black .",
      "the conversion from the printed page to the big screen has made many of the story 's already sketchy elements even more sketchy , and the film is derivative of such gory alien-possession movies as the thing .",
      "neither goldman nor kasdan had made a horror film in their 65 joint years in hollywood , and they were the wrong people to entrust with this one .",
      "MOV begins as the intriguing story of friends who share a telepathic gift , and ends as a monster movie of stunning awfulness .",
      "its first half is more engaging than most movies are in their entirety nowadays .",
      "all that keeps it from trash greatness is handful of miscast players and a habit of stuffing five plot points into a space normally reserved for one .",
      "flamboyant and , at times , extremely repulsive .",
      "making sense of all this on screen is a tough assignment , and writer/director lawrence kasdan has only mixed success .",
      "it 's the craziest thing you ever saw .",
      "MOV is a spectacular mistake , a five-star screw-up that -- notwithstanding sheer grossness , plot meanderings , inconsistency and illogic -- has given me more fun than almost any other movie this year .",
      "condensing , paring and shorthanding the story elements can be daunting , and , despite the efforts of kasdan and goldman , two masters at wrangling unwieldy source material into shape , there is some awkwardness and confusion in the result .",
      "a bloated mess that makes mush out of king 's novel .",
      "king deserves better .",
      "a likable disaster .",
      "a mostly ineffective , overlong and jumbled mess of a movie .",
      "while the movie is fairly unpleasant it 's also , finally , so ludicrous that you begin to wonder if it is n't all a big put-on .",
      "getting right to the crux of the matter : you ca n't keep a straight face and be frightened by an alien that crawls out of a human being 's anus .",
      "as compelling and confounding and compulsively enjoyable as any of king 's writings .",
      "what starts as a gripping thriller descends into video game-quality combat sequences and a clouded morality debate involving genocide .",
      "takes turns being charming , boring , suspenseful , silly , imaginative and cliched , and is ultimately brought down by its frustrating refusal to decide what tale it wants to tell .",
      "not so much a coherent horror story as an anthology of stephen king 's greatest hits .",
      "the movie makes a lot more sense if you 've read the book and already know how the puzzle pieces fit . they do a commendable job capturing the essence of the book , but lose some of the magic .",
      "the supposedly slambang ending falls apart into a silly special-effect shambles .",
      "if confused folks are blaming the filmmakers for making a movie that thumbs its celluloid schnoz at genre boxes , then perhaps they should go find stephen king and give him a swift kick . MOV is , after all , a pretty faithful adaptation",
      "it 's challenging , convoluted , incredibly creative , and pure fantasy . it 's also pretty darn entertaining .",
      "it may not work as a whole for anyone , but there is something in it to scare the bejeebers out of just about everyone .",
      "this review officially renounces the `` solution '' to the psychological ending written in the novel . the rest is great & kingian .",
      "it 's a mess , but it manages to entertain for longer than many movies do",
      "gets the tone of the book precisely right , from the brooding opening , to the creature-feature midsection , to the save-the-world ending .",
      "marked by a couple of masterful performances in skillfully written singular roles .",
      "... -lsb- invites -rsb- mystery science theater 3000-esque mocking ...",
      "a movie nobody will mistake as one of king 's better adaptations .",
      "` this is such b-movie material , i 'm surprised roger corman did n't direct . '",
      "it starts out as an intriguing story of telepathic friends and ends up a monster mash of ed wood awfulness .",
      "next time stephen king wants to write about something really scary , he can take the adaptation of MOV as his inspiration .",
      "like signs , the picture suddenly shifts gears to turn into a choppy , noisy fx blowout .",
      "though the tale , adapted from stephen king 's best-selling novel , starts out with an eerie sense of foreboding , MOV fails to deliver thrills and chills .",
      "MOV 's biggest shock is that it flat runs out of ideas .",
      "some of the concepts and production values have merit , but the film is long and disjointed , shirking the gradual descent into the supernatural that marks king 's best work .",
      "kept springing surprises but it stops providing scares and ultimately just does n't add up to much more than goofiness",
      "no matter how often parts of MOV make you wince or turn your stomach or both , you are not about to leave without finding out what happens next .",
      "everything here is so clumsily handled that the creepy sensation of dread that infuses the early moments is quickly washed away on a tide of space slime and wearying exposition .",
      "with scene after scene loaded down with annoyingly unfunny and intrusive locker-room dialogue , and so many flatulence , scatology and castration gags that you feel as if you 've wandered into scary movie iii .",
      "file MOV with apt pupil and thinner in the mediocre stephen king adaptation drawer .",
      "playing like a roger corman movie with a $ 100 million budget , the film relies on abundant gore and boo ! - style scares .",
      "this is the kind of horror flick you 'd expect from someone who does n't respect or understand genre conventions , someone who thinks that he can reclaim an audience 's lagging attention with bigger and badder shock effects .",
      "... not since death to smoochy have so many talented people made such a mess of things .",
      "bumpy , lumpy stephen king adaptation is anything but by-the-book -- and packed with scares by a team of talents .",
      "king is dreamily free-associating , which does n't mean he 's plumbing his unconscious in search of new nightmare archetypes ; it means he 's recycling bits of old horror and sci-fi flicks and even setups from his own novels .",
      "perhaps king 's novel builds to something , but the film MOV makes the mistake of being predominantly about its disconnected horror and science fiction staples .",
      "part sci-fi , part horror , all drivel , this schlocky stephen king adaptation is amusingly dreadful .",
      "de acordo com os produtores , stephen king pediu apenas um dуlar para ceder os direitos de adaptaзгo de o apanhador de sonhos . a julgar-se pelo resultado final , ele cobrou caro demais .",
      "a simplified , truncated mess .",
      "two words : anal leakage .",
      "stupid , sophomoric and moronically silly , it leaves you with the feeling that you might welcome shock treatment just to get your brain back .",
      "there are plenty of twists , turns and surprises in this elegant and sometimes witty horror flick ...",
      "you may never want to use the bathroom again .",
      "a bumpy thrill ride .",
      "... familiar king motifs , monster mash notes , body-trauma disgust and pop cultural effluvia , belched up by a pain pill-popping , bedridden horror author ...",
      "it is an easier film to watch if you have read it , but that 's not completely necessary .",
      "thanks to strong performances from its main characters , MOV initially catches your attention , but just when it should be at its scariest , it falls apart .",
      "intriguing ideas , but a bit of a mess - just like the novel . entertaining ... but it was doomed from the start by the inherent weaknesses of the source material .",
      "the first half , centering on the friends and their initial contact with the alien invaders , is smart and downright chilling ; the way a fun monster movie should be .",
      "this version can lay claim to being another of king 's works that 's disastrous when put on the big screen .",
      "une adaptation trčs fidčle du roman de king ... pour le meilleur et pour le pire .",
      "MOV is a yarn in the enveloping way that movies of yore are warmly talked about by reigning hollywood royalty , a film that lets you get lost in its snowy crevices by marrying high concept to recognizable and relatable form and setting .",
      "grimly directed by kasdan , with a stylish gleam to the cinematography , the film is glossy high-camp nonsense .",
      "so skillful is kasdan 's direction and so well does he guide us along that it 's not until the final third that we realize how far we 've veered off course .",
      "the 136-minute MOV suffers from more than a few missed chances and wasted time .",
      "a nightmare of a movie .",
      "in fact , having already read the book may be the best reason to see `` MOV , '' a wildly , schizophrenic jumble of genres best enjoyed with a little foreknowledge .",
      "i did n't read the 620-page book . if you did , the movie might make sense to you .",
      "if hopeless literalist kasdan could have decided on a tone ... this could have been a gynophobe 's independence day .",
      "buckles under the weight of so many haywire plot developments .",
      "sloppy , pointless , predictable mess .",
      "there are enough ideas in MOV for three or four ordinary movies . but then this is no ordinary movie . it 's a grand , loopy pageant of ideas , schlock horror and subtle horror , and gross-out effects .",
      "it 's the kind of story that probably would have worked better as a four-hour miniseries .",
      "the picture , which can be stereotypical and incoherent , is saved by kasdan 's talent -lrb- and the good ensemble cast -rrb- .",
      "the elements do n't hang together , but kasdan delivers real scares , and real hoots , in the midst of the mayhem and madness .",
      "the film falls apart under the strain of too many plots , too many characters and too many eels .",
      "if you 're in the mood for skin-crawling sci-fi without much substance , then you 'll enjoy this ride .",
      "nowhere near as smart or scary as it sets out to be .",
      "... the most surprising performance coming from donnie whalberg ...",
      "a movie can survive bad acting with a good script or bad writing with stellar acting . MOV has neither advantage .",
      "the worst big-budget science fiction disaster since battlefield earth . and at least you could laugh at battlefield earth .",
      "sometimes a concept that works well in a novel just seems silly when translated to the big screen , and MOV is burdened with more than its fair share of silliness .",
      "an unintentionally hilarious film that could have been called ` anal worms from space ' .",
      "it does take a little while for kasdan 's adaptation to completely fall apart , so there are some decent shakes and scares along the way -- but nowhere near enough to make for a satisfying moviegoing experience .",
      "the first hour -lsb- is -rsb- so freakishly intriguing and well-crafted that the derailed second half ca n't completely bring it down .",
      "the script is a narrative septic tank , underpinned by promising psychological ideas that get lost in irrelevant subplots ...",
      "easily one of the most absurdly over-plotted and incoherently condensed horror movies of recent times .",
      "like the indian good luck charm that gives it its name , MOV is full of holes .",
      "there 's also a lot of humor thrown in to make the movie exciting and fun .",
      "in -lsb- king 's -rsb- universe , subtlety is no virtue , and for better or worse , director/co-screenwriter lawrence kasdan opts not to mess with the formula .",
      "given all those prestigious pedigrees , MOV should have been great , or at least bad in new and interesting ways . instead , it shamelessly recycles plot points and themes from alien , independence day even outbreak .",
      "a head-scratchingly silly b-movie , blending boyish sentiment and cheesy creature effects , that even morgan freeman ca n't save .",
      "it is a thriller , a horror movie and a comedy that will have you jumping high and laughing loud . but its convoluted , complicated and confusing story would be infinitely better with a full half hour and several characters chopped out of it .",
      "... kasdan and co-writer william goldman lose their grip on oh-so-many things king .",
      "somewhere between king 's novel , the screenplay by william goldman ... and kasdan 's shooting script , both character and metaphor have gone to the dogs , leaving a slew of fart and burp jokes .",
      "even the shoddiest of cliffnote ` authors ' would be embarrassed over condensing a novel down to this elementary a form . everything seems to work , but it 's all too abbreviated to draw the audience in .",
      "kasdan can create scenes of banter and menace , of everyday maine community and gut-gushing f/x , but he ca n't wrestle this production into a coherent movie experience .",
      "as in king 's derivative novel , the story is overstuffed with too many unnecessary -lrb- if occasionally cool -rrb- elements .",
      "i knew there was a reason i stopped reading stephen king stories",
      "an unholy mess that 's nonetheless full of holes ... a senseless hodgepodge of genre cliches .",
      "the film 's excellent start is wasted through its second half , leaving us with a half-baked movie that wastes its very considerable potential .",
      "... like a poorly scripted season of ` the x-files ' rolled into one feature film -lrb- and even ` the x-files ' movie managed to avoid that -rrb- .",
      "an obsession with excrement and effluvium throughout the film is `` MOV 's '' inadvertent self-critique - it stinks .",
      "if you happen to wake up and see anything onscreen that 's not taking place inside a log cabin - feel free to fall back asleep .",
      "dreamchaser mostly spends its time chasing its tail . like a dog , once it catches it , it does n't know what to do .",
      "it 's an appealing collage of sci-fi and horror elements .",
      "sadly , the only reason to drag yourself to the theatre and plop down eight bucks is to watch the new short film final flight of the osiris .",
      "there 's nothing epic here , just lots of constant viscera ground out over a bruising two plus hours .",
      "high production values ca n't hide the fact this is very much b-movie sci-fi schlock , but if that 's the case -- where 's the fun ?",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is either a canny metaphor for the country 's current paranoia regarding terrorism and the invisible other , or the single most awful genre film since starship troopers .",
      "billed as a supernaturnal thriller , this messy , overproduced stephen king adaptation is neither super nor natural -lrb- in the sense of conveying anything real -rrb- , nor thrilling .",
      "i kept wondering whether it would ever end .",
      "simply all over the place , at once a movie about a plague , an alien invasion , a perfect storm , a terrible worm , a body snatcher , a mad colonel and an idiot savant .",
      "a screenplay so convoluted that only an average fifteen-year-old might understand what the heck is going on .",
      "this overlong and unwieldy grab-bag of vintage monster-movie elements starts intriguingly as a snowbound deep-woods chiller , but gradually dissolves into a mess of other-worldly invasion and military counter-offensive .",
      "... disjointed , silly , and sloppy .",
      "as stupid as stupid can be ."
    ],
    "summary": "an incoherent and overly long creature feature .",
    "id": "13790"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1152954-new_world",
    "reviews": [
      "... the romance of the three humans is secondary to the romance of the MOV itself and all it symbolizes .",
      "-lsb- malick 's -rsb- characters must consider their lives , consider each other , and resolve the situation like adults . and when they do , a story that seemed to be irredeemably broken snaps back together .",
      "an epic retelling of the pocahontas story that , despite its flaws , leaves you slack-jawed with wonder at times .",
      "the MOV is a thing of wild beauty , untamed and feral yet luxurious , sumptuous and lavish all at the same time .",
      "these whispered ruminations are beautifully written , but whose voice are we hearing ?",
      "the terrence malick masterpiece i , for one , have been waiting for .",
      "a two-and-a-half-hour cinematic mosaic meant by malick more as a monument to himself than to the misrepresented maiden it presumes to memorialize .",
      "a real work of art , a hearty meal in today 's cinematic fast-food culture .",
      "ill be cheered by a relatively small , but educated and curious contingent of ticket buyers .",
      "unfortunately , when you try to bring everything together , it 's hard to tell what malick is trying to get at .",
      "the ponderous narrative lacks so much focus that it will likely leave most viewers squirming in their seats .",
      "most audiences will be bored to tears by this pretty but pointless rehash of the pocahontas legend .",
      "malick joins worlds old and new by combining harsh realities of human nature with mystical , hungry passion .",
      "features an endearing native american heroine whose playful spirit and yearning for love takes her on a journey far beyond her wildest imaginings .",
      "as visionary , poetic , and sumptuously mounted as his previous films , MOV may be malick 's most narrative-driven work , one with clear structure , fully fleshed characters , and extremely touching ending .",
      "you 'll need a couple of strategically placed matches to stay awake until the end .",
      "watching the MOV is like watching a snail cross an eight-lane highway .",
      "malick has a gorgeous talent for capturing supernal landscapes , for conveying their sorrow , and it would be a loss if he stopped directing again at a time when hollywood is more starved than ever before for the personal touch .",
      "he -lsb- terrence malick -rsb- stubbornly refuses to make the narrative interesting or easily comprehensible .",
      "self-indulgent , gorgeous , maddening , grueling , ultimately transcendent , it 's a terrence malick movie all the way , and possibly the director 's most sustained work since 1972 's badlands .",
      "the movie , for all its beauty , is oddly inert .",
      "terence malick makes films so rarely that his fans want every one to be a masterpiece . alas , the MOV falls far short of the mark .",
      "word has it that director malick pulled the film from distribution right after christmas in order to cut it down by 17 minutes . if only he had cut out the other 133 as well .",
      "the movie screams , `` look at the pretty tall grass , look at the people frolicking in it , look at the pretty trees . '' i like trees , too , but i 'll go to the park to see them",
      "only terrence malick could get away with this .",
      "never less than astounding visually , but it lacks the consistency in vision of malick 's masterpieces .",
      "it 's beautiful , and gloriously refreshing -- so unique , in fact , it 's hard to believe any studio actually gave him the money to craft such an unlikely achievement .",
      "if you abandon your popcorn-movie diet where everything barrels along at such a fast clip , you 'll discover a lovely and painstakingly detailed treasure , if one that is occasionally too inert for its own good .",
      "the MOV is a poetic force at once wrenching and soothing .",
      "the greatest failing of the MOV is that it may dazzle our senses but it fails to involve us emotionally .",
      "this is a willfully noncommercial film , a two-hour-plus tone poem on this country 's origins and original sin . as such it is often uplifting and occasionally exasperating . but it 's unlike anything else you 've seen .",
      "for all its splendor , the MOV is really a love affair between malick and his camera .",
      "a terence malick film remains an event , but he appears awfully disoriented in the MOV -- less a seasoned traveller than a perplexed tourist , content to mask his confusion by reaching for a camera and snapping relentless pretty pictures .",
      "MOV has some fine imagery , but it does n't transport us in the way the thin red line did .",
      "a movie that is at once prosaic and abstract , breathtakingly beautiful and excruciatingly obvious , compelling contemplative and deadly dull .",
      "malick is so content to tell the tale through mood that he neglects its meaning .",
      "fields of wind-blown grass , rippling inland waterways and the hum of nature are more important to malick than dialogue and plot .",
      "it 's haunting and cathartic : a grand romantic vision of two lovers caught in the grip of a darwinian culture clash , played out with the precision and power of a greek myth .",
      "malick appears to consider this an epic tale , but beyond its 2-hour-plus length , the film never quite reaches the scale he 's after .",
      "there 's a problem when the movie about the european conquest of america seems longer than the actual conquest itself .",
      "the movie 's gorgeous pictorialism draws us toward the shore , but malick often leaves us marooned in the shoals , waiting for a story to arrive .",
      "it 's by no means the longest movie ever made , but it 's one of the longest movies ever made in which next to nothing ever happens and barely a word is spoken .",
      "it 's a fascinating conceit , this sticky idea that the complexities of the world are held in the walnut shell of keats ' beauty is truth and truth , beauty .",
      "malick is a filmmaker who understands the quiet power of the image .",
      "he -lsb- terrence malick -rsb- is a visionary , and this story requires one .",
      "the MOV is more an ethereal cinematic tone poem than plot-driven story .",
      "the film , which is superb on every technical and design level , has both greatness and fuzzy-headedness in it .",
      "-lsb- kilcher 's -rsb- transformation from an innocent in eden to a stranger in a strange land and back again is a remarkable bit of largely nonverbal acting .",
      "not about the storytelling ; a tone poem that sounds gorgeous",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- gorgeous , moving , messy and utterly unique visual poem .",
      "malick 's painterly images and meditative voiceovers are not for me the overwhelming force of nature they are for some , but i 'm willing to be swept along by them , if what they have to say is potent enough .",
      "this stunningly beautiful film is mesmerizing to watch .",
      "a poetic , fluid painting ...",
      "a melancholy revery of a time when nature provided a spiritual sustenance that could not be replaced by religious or social order .",
      "... seamlessly combines lavishly mounted beauty with subtle emotional power .",
      "a subtle and context-driven approach to historical filmmaking .",
      "malick 's typically unhurried and measured pace is wholly appropriate for the MOV , which expresses the awe of discovery and re-invents no less than the popular myth of our country 's founding .",
      "many have tried , but none can match malick 's touch for shuffling a deck of elegiac images .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a tone poem with an emotional impact that works on more than the conscious level . this is history that is not just seen , but felt , and absorbed into one 's very soul",
      "it was n't the puritans -- it was beast that killed the beauty .",
      "the MOV carries the sense of discovery that comes with seeing a densely layered work of art for the first time , a work that speaks personally to one 's heart and mind .",
      "malick makes up his own cinematic language as he goes along -- a drifting , painterly eye-of-god perspective that discards boring narrative conventions . savor this one , folks .",
      "saved by its intrepid character portrayals and an evocative sense of what-if ? that pervades one of history 's most enduring and storied love affairs .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a movie that promises to leave its viewers with a bigger headache than you 'd get contemplating the current state of global affairs .",
      "if i think i 'm mostly going to keep coming back to -lsb- the 172-minute -rsb- cut -lrb- and i do hope , someday soon , for a mr. arkadin-like 3-cuts comparative dvd set -rrb- it 's because it feels most fully realized .",
      "makes you view the world with virgin eyes again",
      "a rather boring , and often pretentious bit of romance that 's neither original nor memorable .",
      "by now the familiar elements have begun to resemble a misguided perfume commercial . call it terrence malick 's obsession .",
      "not malick 's best film , but more than up to his usual high standards , the MOV is a powerful and emotional romantic drama , and an essential story in the history of america .",
      "discovery is a sensory experience by nature , and to lightly run one 's fingers through someone 's hair in the MOV is to know them in some fundamental way .",
      "it is about the dreams we have when we are awake but in a state of absolute peace and perfect self-reflection .",
      "great works , when they next-to-never come , are always accompanied by giggles .",
      "malick manages to do something i never thought possible , and that 's make america seem like a MOV to begin with .",
      "malick 's magic remains undiminished .",
      "from carefree nymph with long hair flying in the wind to corseted lady of restraint , q'orianka kilcher 's pocahontas appeals to the free spirit in all of us . but the film is strangely uninvolving .",
      "a work of great intelligence , ambition and radiant beauty .",
      "lazily reassuring , a dime-store haiku , and a master 's nadir .",
      "malick 's script reinforces some of the unlikely myths like mataoaka 's romance with john smith and mataoaka dramatically risking her life to save smith 's life . but like most malick films it is also a finely painted portrait showing the smallness of man in",
      "a film to be cherished .",
      "it 's a beautiful and difficult work of art .",
      "one thing you have to give malick credit for : he certainly marches to a different drummer , even if it 's one that only he can hear , and he never meets an audience even halfway .",
      "there are so many mysteries in this film , and malick 's greatest achievement was to suggest them without forcing answers on us .",
      "self-indulgent sludge dressed up as shimmering historical aesthetics -- and paced as briskly as a swim across the atlantic .",
      "malick has reimagined the popular american legend as an epic love story set across oceans and civilizations , a clash of nature versus industry in three parts .",
      "scene for radiant scene , shot for nary a wasted shot , the MOV is the most artfully sculpted film in american cinema this year .",
      "despite bale , kilcher and ferrell 's excellent performances , this thing is a bit of a dog .",
      "malick relishes poetic imagery the way others devour plot and characters . this is lyrical , meditative and sumptuous but sleep-inducing , like `` pocahontas '' minus the songs .",
      "... a fever dream of the pocahontas legend , a troubling , haunting poem of innocence tainted .",
      "you can call it art , i 'll just call it boring .",
      "the lack of sharply defined plot or characters will probably annoy mainstream filmgoers , but anyone looking for a thing of beauty will adore this .",
      "despite its sweeping natural backdrop and historical notoriety , ` the MOV ' is really a small-scale , intimate romance .",
      "after being terribly miscast and exceedingly uncomfortable as alexander the great , farrell is perfectly at ease with the challenges of john smith",
      "pretty much a mess -- a woozy , sometimes inspired but mostly infuriating piece far more interested in conveying mood than information .",
      "kilcher is great , and the film 's beautiful . but after the first five shots of still water disrupted by boots or boats , we get malick 's point . by film 's end , it 's as untethered from its rapturous beginning as its lovers are from their cultures .",
      "although the erroneously inflected dialogue in the film is sparse , it makes up for it with visual ambition .",
      "evidently , colin farrell 's agent must think he 's destined to play famous historical figures on the big screen , and look credible in the process . i say he needs a new agent .",
      "admittedly slow moving but rapturous for history lovers enamored by the period when our beloved country held the promise of a fresh start .",
      "... while it 's a big improvement on his previous effort , malick seems like he 's still finding his bearings after that 20-year sabbatical .",
      "malick 's tranquil narrative is hopelessly ponderous and unravels in its tedious search for its adventurous niche . -lsb- malick -rsb- should know how to motivate moviegoers beyond sparkling waterways and crisp blue skies .",
      "it 's the discovery of a MOV conveyed through a filmmaker 's distinctive way of seeing . open to it , and it 's hypnotic .",
      "there 's never even a whiff of corporate thought , demographics or the sense of a movie made by a committee -- merely writer-director malick 's personal vision .",
      "a beautiful and remarkable film about a beautiful and remarkable person .",
      "there were a plethora of bad lines , but i do n't have enough room to list them all .",
      "reveries and fever dreams of early america -- malick casts not for dry history but a psychic projection of spirit from beyond the centuries .",
      "malick is a writer-director of extraordinary vision who is like an endangered species .",
      "reconceiving pocahontas and smith as symbols of the noble savage and the man tragically stunted by civilization 's constraints is n't inherently truer than the legend .",
      "the famously elusive filmmaker transforms the legendary story of captain john smith and pocahontas into a poetic , ravishingly beautiful meditation on the collision of two cultures in 17th century virginia .",
      "all in all , it 's probably malick 's least satisfying film of the four he has made .",
      "the movie is verdantly lush , and full of the most marvelous landscapes and images . but there 's something missing here . and it 's the people .",
      "terrence malick uses their heat and his own sensually overloaded love of landscape photography to make the unpleasant early days of american culture clash into the kind of erotic fantasy that 'll never be shown in a classroom .",
      "kilcher is pitch-perfect as the iconic native-american , and the character 's slowly dwindling life essence is one of the most heartbreaking character arcs i 've seen this year .",
      "malick comes out with a movie about once every ten years , but i think i 've had about enough . you can keep him .",
      "is there a more frustrating living director than terrence malick ?",
      "malick 's screenplay seems intent on keeping all of these people at arm 's length , as if they were wax figures in a museum , separated from the public by thick glass cases .",
      "the main problem is that the film is just too inaccessible to the casual viewer ... it 's also marred by a pretentious voiceover and far too much tree-stroking in general .",
      "... a film that flows like a great symphony , that sweeps you into its meditative current and guides you toward one epiphany after another .",
      "tedious , mesmerizing and ultimately quite moving ...",
      "an instant classic .",
      "i can admire most of it , but i ca n't quite recommend it .",
      "as beautiful as it is , malick 's artful diorama makes for dire drama .",
      "a profound , revealing , wonderful film about the meeting of two cultures and the shaping of a new one .",
      "the MOV is a film to which you have to surrender to enjoy .",
      "this film is not so much an epic love story , as it is a poem paying tribute to the remarkable spirit of pocahontas ...",
      "compelling and prophetic .",
      "the MOV is a work of breathtaking imagination , less a movie than a mode of transport , and in every sense a masterpiece .",
      "that sound you 're about to hear is the cracking of spines as terrence malick enthusiasts like me bend over backward trying to cut the MOV a break .",
      "the MOV is more mundane than malick 's previous films , in part because the myth it takes on remains disturbingly intact .",
      "... a 2 1/2 hour film that makes you feel as if you have sat in the theater for the nine known years of pocahontas 's life .",
      "terrence malick may not care much for people , but he never met a tree he did n't like .",
      "if it were any more obtuse , the MOV would be a flipbook where the moving picture was obscured by a thumb drawn over the stick figures .",
      "alludes not only to the discovery of physical land but also to the very nature of discovery itself .",
      "this lavish coffee-table-book of a movie gradually reveals itself as an uninvolving , crashing bore .",
      "it 's the most inaccessable film i 've seen in a while , but is not without its merits . emmanuel lubezki should win a cinematography oscar , but wo n't ... brokeback will .",
      "seeing the MOV once was a valuable experience , but despite my full recommendation , i do n't have much interest in sitting through it again any time soon .",
      "through elliptical and seemingly oblique methods , he -lsb- malick -rsb- forges moments of staggering emotional power .",
      "a terrence malick movie -- only four features in 33 years -- is such a visual splurge that you feel the film and its coffee-table book have arrived in unison .",
      "the MOV is stately almost to the point of being static and thus has trouble finding a central story around which to arrange itself ; it 's not quite the thin dead line , but it 's close .",
      "he -lsb- malick -rsb- swoons for his own well-honed image as a painter of woodland idylls , a man who leaves no sway of wheat or ripple of water unmet by his fatherly gaze .",
      "for terrence malick , the MOV is anything but -- it 's the same mix of nature photography , monologue and sudden violence we saw in the thin red line .",
      "malick paints the celluloid like a canvas , filling it with rapturous images of wild america , its flowing fields of grass , rivers teeming with fish and the endless horizon of free land .",
      "ultimately , the MOV defines true love as something more than desire , nostalgia , or sexual chemistry . it boldly condones a higher love characterized by selflessness and fidelity ...",
      "like the best music , this film elicits emotions rather than manipulates them .",
      "malick 's artistry , which extends to a stoically slow score by james horner , is far more assured than in thin red line . he is , after all this time , truly back .",
      "the MOV could be dismissed as romantic hokum . however , malick 's elegiac sensitivity to historic context and collateral circumstances turns you always hurt the one you love into an epitaph for the ages .",
      "as an epic , it 's monumentally slight .",
      "it 's a worthy effort , and recommended viewing for those who have interest .",
      "by the end of the MOV all i had were flashbacks to mystery science theater as i hissed at the screen , tom servo style , `` end ! end ! ''",
      "the movie is two and a half hours of paralyzing tedium .",
      "the MOV is a movie less interested in expanding the boundaries of narrative cinema than in forsaking them .",
      "the MOV blows centuries of dust and schoolkid romanticism from the oft-mythologized tale of pocahontas and the english settlers , relaying old news with an abundantly poetic and visually startling point of view .",
      "a movie that i can only assume he deliberately set out to make boring , a tedious trial of audience patience .",
      "thanks , mr. mallick , for 2 1/2 hours of pretentious wanking !",
      "a welcome act of artistic lunacy and a messy masterpiece that deserves a life well beyond the current awards season .",
      "in terrence malick 's elegiac film , pocahontas is a woman whose story has the reach of myth and the tragic dimension of life .",
      "terrence malick takes this well known story and weaves it into a visually stunning look at how the settlers and natives did -- and did not -- get along .",
      "the movie is frustrating , mainly because of malick 's penchant for emphasizing style over substance . his self-indulgence detracts from what could have been an epic drama ...",
      "the MOV laps over its audience like water on a deserted beach , moving so quietly that you almost do n't notice that it 's enveloped you .",
      "the MOV is n't terrence malick 's best , but it 's guiding him in the right direction .",
      "... there is just too little character and story to sustain the long middle section .",
      "terence malik brings us a fresh look at `` the MOV '' in a beautiful but overly long picture .",
      "terrence malick 's classical music video is certain to induce zen-like trances in audiences everywhere .",
      "the only question malick seems to offer here is how many people will actually sit through this two-and-a-half hour calvin klein ad .",
      "malick does n't so much tell a story as he does transport us to another time and place .",
      "the MOV is pretty as a postcard .",
      "the exquisiteness of the MOV and how it reveals itself to its audience is flabbergasting ... like a heretofore unknown cave painting impeccably preserved except for a few spots here and there eroded by time and nature .",
      "an unqualified masterwork ... -lsb- that -rsb- feels less like a manipulative man-made construction than like a piece of organically produced art .",
      "one of the best movies of the year .",
      "the lesson is as clear as rainwater : to the innocent eye , ripe for marvelling , every world is new .",
      "sumptuous photography and production design , stunning sound design and period recreation so convincing that it sometimes seems to have replicated an alien world are the added hallmarks of malick 's method .",
      "rapturously romantic and haunting .",
      "malick 's exalted visuals and isolated metaphysical epiphanies are ill-supported by a muddled , lurching narrative , resulting in a sprawling , unfocused account of an epochal historical moment .",
      "this is no breathless film fantasy ; its pulse is stately , contemplative . but anyone who has keen eyes and an open heart will surely go soaring and crashing with the lovers lost in malick 's exotic , erotic MOV .",
      "in malick 's hands , pocahontas ' story becomes a metaphoric seduction straight out of nabokov .",
      "an evocative yet slow-moving exploration of the pocahontas myth ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite arresting visuals and strong lead performances , the MOV suffers from an unfocused narrative that will challenge viewers ' attention spans over its 2 1/2 hours .",
    "id": "24477"
  },
  {
    "movie": "selma",
    "reviews": [
      "in some ways it 's beyond criticism as the first-ever major movie about this heroic campaigner .",
      "one of the finest biopics in recent memory , this drama manages to present someone as iconic as martin luther king jr. as a normal man anyone can aspire to emulate .",
      "a magnificent film , vital and alive , with the most profound sense of immediacy i think i 've ever felt in a historical story .",
      "an astonishing story , told with grace",
      "it 's a role of a lifetime for classically trained english actor david oyelowo , whose distinguished performance ably embodies the physicality and essence of the pastor , humanitarian and human rights activist",
      "the trivia fact that MOV and salem are anagrams of each other is only relevant because as were the 17th witch hunts of salem , the 20th century racist witch hunts of MOV were propelled by bigoted ignorance",
      "oyewolo brilliantly conveys -lsb- king 's -rsb- incandescent gifts ... his shrewd tactical intelligence , blazing moral conviction and spellbinding rhetorical power .",
      "it is artful , inspiring , perfectly cast and powerfully acted , beautifully shot , scored with sensitivity rather than sentimentality , efficiently edited , profoundly dignified .",
      "MOV is a rousing political drama , made with enough verve and passion never merely to seem didactic . its near complete absence from this year 's oscar nominations is baffling and suggests a double standard .",
      "the famed american civil-rights leader martin luther king jr has been strangely under-represented in the cinema . ava duvernay 's excellent third film thankfully puts this continued omission right .",
      "a stunning achievement and an interesting comparison to spielberg 's `` lincoln '' , a film that gave short shrift to black self-emancipation , something that attests to the need for black directors like ava duvernay .",
      "if not quite in quality then certainly in import and impact , this is the film of the year - of 1965 and perhaps of 2014 .",
      "the brilliance of ava duvernay 's MOV lies in how it makes a man out of a historical icon without diminishing his greatness in the slightest .",
      "MOV is an important history lesson that never feels like a lecture . once school is back in session , every junior high school class in america should take a field trip to see this movie .",
      "`` MOV '' demands to be seen now and by the generations that follow .",
      "earnest , but only occasionally inspiring and a bit of an overreach , especially in the casting .",
      "while MOV hardly redefines the comfortably historical struggle genre , it injects it with some political intelligence and a touch of the cynical humor that goes hand-in-hand with knowledge of such things .",
      "this is lucid in its political analysis and sobering in its depictions of racially motivated violence , though it sometimes comes off as stolid .",
      "still , what is most startling about MOV is n't its painstaking presentation of this painful history , but how salient that history remains nearly 50 years on .",
      "history , written in lightning : writer-director ava duvernay 's third feature , understated yet righteously furious , beautifully dramatizes a few crucial months in the civil-rights movement and the life of martin luther king -lrb- david oyelowo , electric -rrb- .",
      "the movie is riveting . it reminds us not only of how far we have come as a society but how far we have yet to go .",
      "we see history as it unfolds , not as it has been encased in amber , in a movie that needs to be seen in these anxious days of renewed racial and cultural unrest .",
      "skilfully directed by ava duvernay and featuring a wonderful leading performance from david oyelowo , MOV pulls back the curtain on a riveting piece of u.s. history .",
      "first rate .",
      "as emotionally and racially charged as the film 's story is , director ava duvernay is determined to deliver a full-bodied , balanced drama that derives its power from the central fight for understanding and respect .",
      "this electrifying film puts the tension , the fear , the courage , and the tragedy in perspective , and dramatizes it through the struggles of people , not rhetoric .",
      "a stirring moment for civil rights , and one of the year 's best",
      "for all its evasions , short cuts , and mismanaged ideas , MOV ca n't be dismissed . its modest achievements engross .",
      "the repeated references to nonviolence form an especially powerful theme , a reminder of what can be accomplished not through simply taking revenge , but by staying your hand .",
      "with the events of ferguson so fresh in our memories , MOV is uncomfortable yet necessary viewing .",
      "duvernay says she does n't like typical historical dramas , and it shows .",
      "in compact , economical form , duvernay sets out her table : the juxtaposition of domestic intimacy and institutional violence ; the tension between the personal and political ; the vivid interplay between the historical and the contemporary .",
      "duvernay 's film deals less in the outcome than in the immediate , and it 's hardly ever sentimental or manipulative , a common trait of films that are based on true events , used to make sure you feel inspired .",
      "as a film , MOV is solid if unspectacular . as a dramatic portrayal of recent u.s. history , however , MOV burns with a fierce intensity .",
      "the paint-by-numbers portrayals of 1960s iconic players is pathetic and the story fails to capture the passion , energy and hope of mlk 's leadership and of the times .",
      "at times borders on the shakespearean .",
      "duvernay shows visual assurance and a way with actors and especially words .",
      "this is what MOV dares to do so well : show us the small , private moments in king 's life , the intimacies , the humanity .",
      "an uneven yet generally skillful effort that has probably drawn more praise and criticism than it warrants .",
      "without oyelowo 's texture and firepower , perhaps the picture would 've been understood , but it would n't have been as precise in its emotion .",
      "... a film that demands to be seen , despite its flaws . it 's part of american history and a story that we should all know .",
      "it 's understandable that duvernay would make a priority of avoiding excessive detail . but too much of the movie is like the opening : deliberate , broad , uninspired .",
      "david oyelowo is superb ; film is remarkably topical and relevant .",
      "... pays tribute by resonating more deeply when considered in the context of current events .",
      "oyelowo 's performance exists on a single continuum , convincing us that the man inspiring millions is the same man we saw grieving alone just a few minutes before . he 's the man we knew , and never knew .",
      "MOV is one of the great emotional experiences of recent years ; a fiercely powerful look at one of the civil rights movement 's most triumphant victories .",
      "like dr. king did , the film captures your mind and your heart as it entertains , the way great movies often do .",
      "a film this heartfelt and intelligent about social justice will never be unimportant , but it feels especially relevant today .",
      "a brief but crucial episode in the sixties civil rights movement gets strikingly dramatised in MOV , a historical drama that feels topical thanks to recent events in ferguson and other us cities .",
      "by focusing on the power of cannily staged collective action to turn the tide of public opinion , MOV achieves a contemporary relevance that few historical dramas can ...",
      "ava duvernay 's MOV is good as you 've heard . it 's delicious as well as nutritious .",
      "a film about courage and strength that should be required viewing in this , a nation whose sense of history extends barely as far as last week .",
      "an unforgettable movie experience . david oyelowo gives the performance of the year .",
      "an impassioned lead performance and timely parallels to contemporary social issues enliven and elevate this otherwise somewhat routine biopic .",
      "a large part of MOV 's success is rooted in oyelowo 's superb , nuanced portrayal of a figure held to be a near deity .",
      "anything could have happened . the unthinkable often did . and MOV depicts it all with a gripping , majestic flourish that feels just right .",
      "this is an intellectual approach to an emotional issue - and it delivers , powerfully and beautifully .",
      "duvernay 's look at martin luther king 's 1965 voting-rights march against racial injustice stings with relevance to the here and now . oyelowo 's stirring , soulful performance as king deserves superlatives .",
      "to duvernay 's credit , she manages to make almost every moment as riveting as the last , and a big part of that success falls on the casting , even those in bit roles .",
      "the skilfully re-created look of the era in the actual locations lets the viewer drop right into one of the darkest chapters in u.s. history , a time when blind hatred and bigotry set public policy .",
      "`` some of duvernay 's directorial decisions , such as her strangely stylized treatment of a church bombing , come across like the work of a filmmaker who is still finding her visual vocabulary . ''",
      "with protestors organizing what feels like could evolve into another civil rights movement , MOV is an important document of those who went before .",
      "hollywoodized to the extent of depicting president lyndon johnson as an obstructionist to the african-american cause . nonetheless , ` MOV ' is compelling cinema .",
      "MOV is one of so many well-meaning historical dramas that fall prey to their overpowering stories . gravitas abounds in every scene .",
      "what daniel day-lewis did for lincoln , oyelowo does for king , mimicking his behavior and speech uncannily . he is both completely believable and someone we 've never encountered before .",
      "although MOV is dramatically uneven overall , the film is a commendable historical drama that sidesteps the pitfalls of adulatory biopics and great-man approaches to encapsulating bygone events .",
      "even some of the film 's strongest proponents are positioning the film as a good-for-you , syllabus-ready obligation . that 's an affront to the intelligence , cinematic flexibility and emotional satisfaction of this rousing film .",
      "this is a film about work : the work at hand , the work it takes to do the work , and , for an audience in 2015 , the question of whether the work worked .",
      "directed with confidence by ava duvernay , it 's a movie about how king changed america by having the canny political genius to show the country an image of itself that it could not bear .",
      "to see `` MOV '' is to feel and appreciate anew the burden of greatness .",
      "in an era of comic-book movies , `` MOV '' is an impressive reminder of the real-life struggle for human dignity .",
      "MOV is about america at its worst -- and very best .",
      "vivid , nuanced and , yes , timely .",
      "this rousing , passionate civil rights drama is exquisitely timed , a quality that 's just as important and elusive as greatness .",
      "unforgettable . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "a powerful examination of one of the key moments of the civil rights movement and the man who sacrificed made it possible .",
      "a treasure trove of outstanding performances , brilliant writing and heartfelt direction .",
      "the breadth of the film 's scope is impressive , as it manages to sketch in the enormity and diversity of the movement without being spread too thin .",
      "with inspired performances and an even more inspiring story , this film is more than just a fantastic biopic about a great man ; it is also a call to action .",
      "MOV achieves the rare accolade of being a powerful period piece with stark contemporary resonance .",
      "do not believe anyone trying to make `` MOV '' a factional thing , a liberal or conservative , black , white , or hashtag movie . it transcends all that . it is a great american story , well told , and nothing less .",
      "one of the most important films of the year .",
      "duvernay has done a great service with MOV . not only has she made one of the most powerful films of the year , she 's given us a necessary reminder of what king did for this country ... and how much is left to be done .",
      "did this retelling -- both epic and intimate , lush and brutal -- really need to wrap itself up with a pbs-worthy montage ?",
      "gorgeously shot , beautifully written and brought to vivid life by an assortment of wonderful performances , MOV is stunningly powerful , emotive and indispensable filmmaking .",
      "`` MOV '' wisely sidesteps predictable inspirational-movie cliches : deep down , this film knows that the more things change , the more they stay the same . and there is still much work to be done .",
      "a tough , sober , lived-in look at the gruntwork of activism .",
      "duvernay has made a very good movie .",
      "it 'd be a good movie any year , but given the events of the last few months , it 's now an almost unbearably resonant one .",
      "intelligently written , vividly shot , tightly edited , sharply acted , the film represents a rare example of craftsmanship working to produce a deeply moving piece of history .",
      "ava duvernay 's politically astute , psychologically acute mlk bio-pic makes the civil rights movement seem like only yesterday .",
      "in a year of remarkable performances , oyelowo is simply magnificent as dr. king .",
      "a stirring and enlightening movie about civil rights leader dr. martin luther king , jr. , and his crusade for equality .",
      "`` MOV '' is vital correspondence , filmmaking lived on the streets where brutal facts were ignored then reported , and now snatched back from history to sustain a spirit few films can or will possess .",
      "a joyful , angry , and sad film - occasionally all three in the same scene .",
      "as unnervingly timely as this historical drama is , this is also a film with clear-eyed heart , one that sweeps you up and carries you with undeniable power and grace .",
      "avoids the usual biopic stuffiness by concentrating on one major event in dr. king 's life , the march in MOV , alabama .",
      "the film pinpoints MOV 's place in this overarching historical context without feeling browbeaten by it into merely erecting a memorial . it 's full of quicksilver decision-making , sinew and guts .",
      "perhaps there 's no better time for a reminder of the power of non-violent protest , but MOV also provides a potentially dangerous reassurance that the battle has already been won .",
      "what matters is that a film about a protest in 1965 is powerfully relevant to today and should be required viewing for the year .",
      "its timeliness is a spine-chilling reminder that those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it . its story provides a blueprint not only of the past , but of the way forward .",
      "i have rarely seen a historical film that felt so populous and full of life , so alert to the tendrils of narrative that spread beyond the frame .",
      "MOV is a true triumph ; a vitally important film with a legacy destined to endure .",
      "MOV is both an example of that principle in action and a timely call for harmony in a year marked by racial unrest . -lrb- that the film should feel so relevant even today is frustrating . -rrb-",
      "for all of the weight of history it carries , it 's the rare biopic that actually works as both a personal story and an exploration of america 's past .",
      "`` MOV '' is a necessary film , even an essential one , with more than its share of memorable performances and vivid , compelling sequences .",
      "ambitious , moving , and features a performance fit for the history books from david oyelowo . it 's one of the single best things you can see in 2014 .",
      "an insightful look into the making of a historic moment ; oyelowo raises the roof as mlk .",
      "`` MOV '' invites viewers to heed its story , meditate on its implications and allow those images once again to change our hearts and minds .",
      "given the degree of difficulty of making such a film ring true in nearly all the right places , stands as a benchmark and is arguably the best film of 2014 .",
      "MOV could have a major effect beyond the theaters .",
      "with MOV , duvernay has pulled off a tricky feat , a movie based on historical events that never feels dull , worthy , or lifeless ; it hangs together as a story and not just part of a lesson plan .",
      "MOV 's showcasing of individual moments over the educational arc helps to make this saga feel immediate , not preordained but unfolding as a series of actions , planned and unplanned .",
      "i walked out of MOV believing in this country , even amidst all the horror and tragedy we 've been experiencing , because MOV helped me remember that sometimes we 're at our best in the face of injustice like this .",
      "meticulously researched and elegantly scripted by debuting screenwriter paul webb , MOV toggles between moments big and small , though everything feels necessary .",
      "ava duvernay has pulled off a personal triumph by managing an engrossing film that serves up a chuck of history too many americans do n't know or have forgotten .",
      "what makes this one of the year 's most notable movies , is the way duvernay cuts through the immense mythology to delve into king 's brilliant political mind .",
      "hollywood 's definitive depiction of the 1960s american civil rights movement - as well as perhaps the most timely movie you 'll see this year .",
      "an overdue tribute to a revered icon and to some unsung foot soldiers who played a critical role at a seminal moment in the courageous african-american struggle for freedom and equality .",
      "as cinema , MOV is commendable ; as cultural barometer , it 's beyond reproach .",
      "this is real american history being made , you think - and regular americans making it . but then , those are the americans who always do .",
      "it 's a king-size role for this terrific actor .",
      "there were better movies released during 2014 than MOV -- though all could be counted on just one hand with the thumb neatly tucked underneath -- but were there any that were more topical , more important , more monumental ?",
      "oyelowo 's performance reflects the film as a whole : graceful understated , not showy , yet deeply moving .",
      "has the power to enrage and enlighten",
      "at its best , the new movie about king cracks the civil rights leader and his associates from their plaster-saint cocoons .",
      "more often than not ... `` MOV '' focuses on the one thing we do n't expect in a movie about martin luther king jr. - his doubts - and oyelowo comes through with a deeply felt and quite brilliant performance .",
      "inspiring and impassioned , delivering rev. dr. king 's reverberating message of perserverance .",
      "their camaraderie and the heated arguments capture the essence of the personalities and issues ... in a large and impressive ensemble of african-american character actors .",
      "... founded on a communal sense of historical accomplishment .",
      "it 's a movie , yes . but this stirring account of the fight to end racially motivated voting impediments in the deep south is more than anything a much-needed wake-up call for a country that has seriously lost its way in terms of equality .",
      "despite all the great things you 'll hear about `` MOV '' - an important , oprah-endorsed awards-season biopic - it actually is great .",
      "what could be simplistic schmaltz ends up being a harsh rebuke of symbolic gestures .",
      "this is no soup-to-nuts king biopic .",
      "deeply-felt drama depicting the worst of america and the best of america . david oyelowo is excellent .",
      "a film of great power and integrity , fiercely attentive to the tipping point of progress and the difficult decisions that push it forward .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- thoroughly engrossing portrayal of politics in its most rudimentary shape , it is also a rousing representation of the concept of democracy at its best and most potent .",
      "a fascinating depiction of a turbulent time in american history .",
      "the true brilliance of david oyelowo 's work -- and that of ava duvernay , for that matter -- lies in the delicate balance between duly respecting king as a historical icon and incisively studying king as a man .",
      "easily one of the most important and relevant films of the year .",
      "david oyelowo is as believable in a quiet domestic scene as he is in his most majestic moments , in filmmaker du vernay 's skillful re-creation of this period in recent american history .",
      "if `` MOV '' is limited by the kind of film it needed to be and by what its studio proprietors wanted to sell , it 's still the best and most intimate fictional portrayal of the civil rights movement , by a long shot .",
      "a stately , sober film , at times uplifting and at others agonizing .",
      "MOV is a passionate and utterly important historical recounting , unimpeachable for its modern relevancy , and moving in its cinematic telling .",
      "a well-intentioned yet persistently underwhelming drama ...",
      "`` MOV '' is a phenomenally stirring production that should be seen by everyone who believes in racial equality . and even more so by anyone who does not .",
      "it will be 50 years this august that johnson signed the bill giving everyone the right to vote , but we are still struggling with many of these same issues today . how is that even possible ?",
      "one of the most powerful examples of sacrifice one will see in this century .",
      "MOV manages to beautifully articulate a pivotal moment in history - one that is hauntingly ironic in how it echoes our current times and society .",
      "succinctly demonstrates we 've both come a long way and have a long way to go .",
      "`` MOV presents a multidimensional portrayal of dr. king , flaws and all , and it makes us wonder how far we 've actually come today . ''",
      "as the 50th anniversary of the events it depicts approaches , ` MOV ' feels chillingly contemporary , all too real , and monumental in more ways than one .",
      "what makes the film -- for any of its shortcomings -- such a vital work is how relevant its depiction of the events of 50 years ago are to today .",
      "`` MOV , '' on top of all of its many other virtues , is an inspiring movie about politics being done right .",
      "a blast of piercing social insight expressed through exquisite craftsmanship that makes it feel like art and not bald-faced messaging .",
      "MOV shines a painful light on the events of 1965 , from the tragic bombing of a birmingham , ala. , church to the police brutality during the first effort to begin a march from MOV 's edmund pettus bridge .",
      "a powerful reminder of sacrifice and struggle .",
      "with expansive shots of protests in motion and intimate , shadowy close-ups of king locked in jail , duvernay 's direction brings to life what many only know in black-and-white snapshots .",
      "there 's a powerfully nuanced and award-worthy performance by david oyelowo as martin luther king .",
      "it 's one of the best films of 2014 . -lrb- full content review -- sex , profanity , etc. -- for parents also available -rrb-",
      "there 's a stirring freshness to the cinema of `` MOV , '' and it 's not just because of bradford young 's rich , moody photography .",
      "superb as biography , as history , and as drama . it is one of the best movies of this year and this decade .",
      "MOV shows us where we were going . watching it now , it 's depressing how far from that path we 've strayed .",
      "a major part of the film 's success , however , lies in oyelowo 's masterful portrayal .",
      "duvernay 's most remarkable accomplishment may be that with such passion-inspiring material , she has made such a measured , resolute and levelheaded film .",
      "at its best , ava duvernay 's biographical film honors dr. king 's legacy by dramatizing the racist brutality that spurred him and his colleagues to action .",
      "outstanding drama about mlk 's fight for equal rights .",
      "it is a moving and well-meaning film that never quite manages the greatness one expects , given its soaring subject material .",
      "captures a sense of events unfolding in the present tense , in a political and cultural climate as complex , multifaceted and undetermined as the times we live in .",
      "... does not shy away from controversial elements of king 's character .",
      "reminds that underneath the legend martin luther king was a pure christian soul , who relied upon and used the christian faith to battle injustice both on the streets and in the corridors of political power .",
      "think of it as `` civil rights for beginners . ''",
      "it 's a movie concerned with the march , and its most nimble work is in illuminating scenes rather than trying to explicate them .",
      "MOV is an almost impassable minefield of opportunities to make a bad film . director ava duvernay danced through like fred astair .",
      "... in many ways remarkable , one of the best conventional hollywood movies to ever engage the seemingly intractable american problem of racial injustice .",
      "needless to say , dr. king 's message has never been more relevant .",
      "a cinematic masterpiece , this feature may be small in scope but it 's momentous in its ability to capture how complex and powerful the civil rights movement was .",
      "the film 's old-fashioned emotional surge accentuates the absurdity of it taking half a century for hollywood to properly address martin luther king 's legacy .",
      "even before our ears catch the mention of ferguson in the closing song , MOV has proved itself fiercely modern and aggressively cinematic .",
      "MOV is always involving .",
      "the film firmly centres on the intimate , reminiscent of spielberg 's lincoln , where grandiosity is found in performance not pedestals .",
      "in MOV , british actor david oyelowo subtly transmogrifies himself into martin luther king jr , displaying intelligent self-doubt , not flash political pomp .",
      "oyelowo is sensational in MOV . he makes you believe , body and soul , heart and mind , in his performance as martin luther king .",
      "the overall sense of righteous , non-violent anger is palpable .",
      "it 's high time mlk got the big-screen platform he deserves . thanks to MOV , justice has been done .",
      "in which the fight for black rights , instead of having a fiery and inspiring crackle , is like being hit over the head with a long , soggy sermonette .",
      "ava duvernay 's vital civil rights drama is the film martin luther king deserved .",
      "MOV , the latest in a long string of strong biopics out over the last year , deserves your undivided attention .",
      "MOV is wet paint americans -lrb- especially young ones -rrb- had probably best watch dry , as we remember the past and contemplate where the country goes from here .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of the best american films of the year - and indeed perhaps the best - precisely because it does not simply show what dr. king did for america in his day ; it also wonders explicitly what we have left undone for america in ours .",
      "no movie in memory feels as necessary as MOV , while the history it portrays is echoed by current events . when the value of black lives is asserted in the streets by marchers of all colors , spurred by wrongs to be righted , indignities to overcome .",
      "a somber and distressingly relevant tribute to king and his fellow compatriots in the civil-rights movement of the 1960s .",
      "as history ` MOV ' may cause some controversy , but as fact-based drama it 's exceptionally fine .",
      "nearly everyone who goes to `` MOV '' will know the rough outlines of the story , but duvernay has made a vigorous and surprising film .",
      "history becomes breathtaking drama in `` MOV '' ; there 's an urgent realism in the storytelling , as if we 're seeing this just in time . and indeed we are ...",
      "though these events occurred half a century ago , their power and relevance are undiminished .",
      "director ava duvernay ... wisely shifts the emphasis away from the person - it 's hard to make a movie about a saint , even a secular one - and onto the process .",
      "MOV creates a sense of real life being lived , rather than just facts and figures being dramatized .",
      "it may be coincidence that MOV reverberates with a particular timeliness ... still , it 's thanks to director duvernay and first-time features writer paul webb that the film has more than the luck of timing on its side .",
      "it 's films like MOV that remind us that behind every massive pivotal moment there are a thousands of smaller stories that come together like raindrops forming a ground-shaking thunderstorm .",
      "the year 's most powerful and emotionally-gripping film seems as necessary and essential now as it did nearly 50 years ago .",
      "it is beyond baffling why british actor david oyelowo has not been nominated for either a bafta or an oscar for his exceptional lead performance as dr. martin luther king , jr. in new drama , MOV .",
      "a passionate movie , commanding and compelling , all about martin luther king and his civil rights march in 1965 from MOV , alabama , to the state capital montgomery .",
      "while it takes sizable liberties with history to move us , it is at times genuinely stirring .",
      "it is an invigorating movie , this MOV , with the characters and rhetoric providing much of the power .",
      "this is a film as confident and assured in its moral fortitude , and as soaringly powerful in its oratory , as the great man himself .",
      "incredibly powerful and often moving , anchored by an awards-worthy performance from oyelowo .",
      "the power of ava duvernay 's astonishing film comes from its understanding of the limits of king 's work as much as its celebration of his achievements .",
      "a daunting challenge for any actor , oyelowo rises to the task , in a film that eschews the traditional biopic approach .",
      "MOV 's achievements defy those of regular films .",
      "-lsb- david oyelowo -rsb- gives a huge , heartfelt performance -lrb- iniquitously ignored by the academy -rrb- and he seems mindful , too , that the story is bigger than one man ."
    ],
    "summary": "fueled by a gripping performance from david oyelowo , MOV draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of martin luther king , jr. -- but does n't ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied .",
    "id": "771383243"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shaggy_dog",
    "reviews": [
      "director brian robbins stages scenes that are more awkward than funny , and the animal effects are bargain-basement .",
      "it mongrelizes a much funnier , fresher movie .",
      "the MOV is wholesome , yes . and safe . and homogenized and soulless and utterly devoid of anything worthwhile .",
      "the MOV is like eating a great big log of **** , and downey is the surprising and tasty bits of corn .",
      "i now know what comedy in hell is like .",
      "this film is evil , pure and simple .",
      "anyone who includes the song `` who let the dogs out ? '' anywhere within their film will be kicked in the shin , once a day , every day , for one full year .",
      "disney 's tried-and-true slapstick material -lrb- est. 1959 -rrb- is here given a heinously unimaginative interpretation by five screenwriters and a director who manages to squander the gifts of an absurdly overqualified supporting cast .",
      "the unruly pack of subplots make the MOV much more convoluted than it needs to be .",
      "five credited writers undercharacterize everyone including the dogs , and allen turns in his typical good-natured , superficial performance .",
      "watching tim allen as a big , floppy sheepdog telling his wife he loves her , is about as funny as it gets .",
      "the lab experiments include cgi genetic cross-breeds like a dog-frog combo that exemplify this movie 's own uneasy mixture of slapstick and sentiment .",
      "like curious george and a half-dozen other recent movies aimed at children , the MOV sandwiches in themes that speak to adults , resulting in a weird , unsatisfying combination of slapstick and chicken soup for a parent 's soul .",
      "in the end , the MOV has much more bark than bite .",
      "tim allen is coasting on a lot of borrowed equity from his home improvement days .",
      "just when you thought doogal set the lowest bar possible for a dog comedy , here comes the MOV , a pointless remake of the 1959 disney classic .",
      "at least it is not a beast as dull as doogal or as piddling as the pink panther .",
      "quintessential disney cannibalization , with no wit or energy to justify its existence .",
      "never really rises above third-rate tv sitcom fare",
      "tim allen wreaks hilarious havoc with an uncanny canine-like performance .",
      "a pretty fair disney family comedy .",
      "the latest mutation of a franchise that disney probably should have had spayed or neutered years ago .",
      "manages to sail past many of the cliches usually found in this genre while throwing together a wild story line more apt for a new millennium .",
      "a mongrel marriage of frantic physical farce and sub-standard cgi work that turns out vaguely creepy rather than cute .",
      "a retread of the 1959 original , the comedy harkens back to a time when the studio was creative , rather than making any attempt to try something new itself . talk about rolling over and playing dead .",
      "the film drags in the homestretch , as the filmmakers needlessly shuffle characters around the city .",
      "ranks as one of disney 's weakest theatrical releases in years . woof , indeed .",
      "this one is n't all that bad , but it 's still sad to see all that talent going to waste on rehashed ideas .",
      "peta members may take to the MOV . everyone else over the age of 10 , however , will likely prefer a night of sniffing butts to this latest tim allen stinker .",
      "those allergic to lessons in improving family communication can draw pleasure from robert downey jr. , in prime crazypants form , as the lab 's power-hungry evil genius .",
      "the MOV may contain the single most disturbing image in recent years : tim allen licking kristin davis ' face .",
      "the MOV feels like little more than a stale rehash with a promising cast whose talents have n't been tapped .",
      "the MOV , another tired retread from disney , is so aggressively unfunny it should just roll over and play dead . come on , guys , do something original for once .",
      "the plot may sound stupid , but it 's tightly written and it pushes all the right emotional buttons .",
      "a flea-bitten farrago which bears only a fleeting resemblance to the 1959 film that inspired it .",
      "coal , the bearded collie playing shaggy , upstages everyone in this amusing update of a disney classic .",
      "you 'll be sorry if you bring your kids .",
      "there are precious few surprises here , but parents will find director robbins ' breezy remake a painless affair and , judging by the yowls of laughter from the peanut gallery at the screening i attended , the kids will be barking all the way home .",
      "just when allen is on a ferociously funny roll , director brian robbins is forced to collar and replace him with a collie doing a lame impersonation of a human .",
      "allen is given far too many opportunities to grotesquely ham it up -- for his next film , how about a nice , quiet role as a corpse ?",
      "we 've seen it a million times .",
      "if the improv exercise was merely `` pretend you 're a dog , '' allen 's got it down , but he never does anything unexpected .",
      "... features an alarming number of serious actors trying to keep a straight face ...",
      "disney 's remake of its 1959 flick the MOV is pretty flea-bitten from the get-go .",
      "it 's a pleasant surprise to find a movie that genuinely pitches itself at a child 's level while also giving parents some real laughs .",
      "it 's a benignly bad creation , directed with one hand wrapped around the bullhorn and the other around a low-fat latte . the childhood affection we hold for vintage live-action disney movies deserves better .",
      "the MOV is a well-dispositioned but forgettable mutt without any new tricks .",
      "it 's a typical hit picture remake , which is never a good sign .",
      "no one 's going to argue with a movie that underscores the importance of paying attention to kids , but for me at least , the sight of -lsb- tim -rsb- allen running around on all fours failed to unleash howls of laughter .",
      "just when you thought disney had turned the corner on live action features -lrb- `` eight below '' -rrb- , out comes this rather tired re-attempt at humor .",
      "wait for iiittt ... yes , there 's allen lifting his leg to pee . i checked my watch when the sound of baja men 's `` who let the dogs out ? '' surrounded me : fifty minutes in .",
      "tim allen is a prosecutor who is going , as it were , to the dogs in this revisiting of the old disney film , which is far livelier than its namesake .",
      "the witless , cliché-ridden script -- the effort of a total of five writers -- does n't do -lsb- allen -rsb- any favors .",
      "the movie is just this side of terrible . it misses all the charm and fun of the original .",
      "devoid of cleverness or anything approaching reinvention , the film relies on special effects and its cast , human and animal , for its limited appeal . hopefully , it will be limited enough to spare us son of the MOV .",
      "it 's a silly story with over-the-top acting , and little to recommend .",
      "at least it 's not as excruciating as the commercials make it look . how 's that for a glowing recommendation ?",
      "this MOV merely slops on computer trickery and heartwarming message 101 plotting in the absence of creative screenwriting and inspired direction .",
      "it 's a wonderful , funny and sweet movie the family can enjoy",
      "there is an age above which this movie is unnecessary , and it may be in the low double digits .",
      "the story is too silly to play to older kids . and there are more than a few moments that may give parents of younger ones pause .",
      "man becomes mutt in this inoffensive , uneven comedy that fails to make the most of its comic potential or familiar cast .",
      "bizarre , incomprehensible and utterly unnecessary , `` the MOV '' comes bounding onto the screen with a loud soundtrack , a cute pooch , vivid colors and dozens of product placements .",
      "a surprisingly touching family comedy with real emotion .",
      "full review in greek",
      "a good-natured , sometimes silly family fun that will play especially well with the under-13 set .",
      "... better than one might 've expected , primarily due to the enthusiasm with which allen tackles his role ...",
      "at least fred macmurray had the good sense to let the co-star playing his son turn into a dog . but this is a tim allen picture , so he does the honors himself .",
      "the film just translates the basic idea for a new generation under the ill-conceived notion that it was necessary .",
      "five writers -lrb- cormac wibberley , marianne wibberley , geoff rodkey , jack amiel and michael begler -rrb- threw everything they could think of against the wall , hoping some of it would stick , but nothing did .",
      "it 's an underestimation of the intelligence of your average eight year old to believe his or her rapt attention can be held for long by a film like this .",
      "watching a pack of dogs sniff tim allen 's butt -- repeatedly -- is probably someone 's idea of a good time at the movies . not mine .",
      "to paraphrase the over used song employed in disney 's latest dismal recycling of the MOV -- who let this dog out ?",
      "it simultaneously overloads the first film 's silly teen-wolf metaphor with modern family dysfunction and coarsens the body-switch mishaps into juvenile shtick about marking territory and slobbering dog kisses .",
      "the MOV may not make you howl , but it does offer a few bona fide belly laughs , which is more than the last few tim allen movies could boast .",
      "director brian robbins keeps the special effects and animatronics to a minimum , relying more often than not on real -lrb- albeit trained -rrb- dogs . that extra bit of authenticity is refreshing .",
      "this is a classic family fun fare , likely destined for sequelhood .",
      "you do n't go to the MOV expecting anything more than what it delivers -- an innocuous family comedy enlivened by some winning slapstick gags . man 's best friend would approve .",
      "the MOV is as good as family entertainment gets , meaning it will tickle kids while throwing the occasional bone to parents to keep them from growling .",
      "if , in the end , this allen film is an old dog that ca n't learn any new tricks , it 's still enough of a safe , bland entertainment to keep some undiscriminating parents happy .",
      "this is a dog with heart .",
      "more assembled than groomed , the MOV should do enough tricks and act cute enough to amuse an audience that wants only to have its belly tickled .",
      "the latest remake of the much-filmed disney concept the MOV tries to mine humor from animal testing , which should tell you everything you need to know about this one .",
      "young ones will squeal for allen 's ear-scratching antics , but their parents with fond memories of the original will itch from beginning to end .",
      "the MOV is just what it wants to be -- wholesome , slapstick , family fun with nice animal rights and ` do n't mess with mother nature ' messages running beneath the surface .",
      "the MOV may be silly , contrived and obvious , but it is wholesome , spirited family entertainment .",
      "MOV is a subpar remake of a subpar movie that can only spawn subpar remakes .",
      "kids may enjoy all the cute animals running around , but parents will be pawing for the exit .",
      "the MOV ranks as the best showcase of tim allen 's talents since the santa clause .",
      "this is precisely the type of moviegoing experience engineered for those who still get a laugh when the baha men hit who let the dogs out ? accompanies a doggie mayhem montage .",
      "just when you prayed that hollywood would stop recycling ideas that were n't so hot in the first place , along comes the MOV .",
      "they 've created a virus that can turn people into dogs so they will learn important life lessons .",
      "a delightful family comedy about a man whose metamorphosis in a canine teaches him something about responsibilities to family .",
      "allen 's latest flea-bitten family fare fluff is indeed a dog -- both literally and figuratively ... -lsb- an -rsb- infantile tail-wagging fantasy .",
      "this remake is heavy on the special effects ... but the biggest difference is how the film becomes another commentary on the lamentable state of today 's parents .",
      "anybody given the assignment to write a movie in which a man turns into a dog would come up with these same jokes .",
      "do allen 's presumed fans really want to see the man hike his leg to use a urinal , have a cgi tongue loll out of his mouth , or have his butt sniffed for 98 solid minutes ?",
      "good , clean , silly fun",
      "i 'll admit that some of the antics elicit a chuckle or two , but not nearly enough to justify the price of a movie ticket .",
      "this update seems to have been made on the cheap and neither its genetic nor its plot mutations are funny .",
      "the doggie antics generate a few chuckles , but it 's a sign of the film 's inefficiency that the biggest laugh comes from a sight gag involving a chimp and a cattle prod ."
    ],
    "summary": "this disney retread has neither inspiration nor originality , but may please moviegoers under the age of ten .",
    "id": "93101407"
  },
  {
    "movie": "carnage",
    "reviews": [
      "what leaves me deeply uncomfortable is the purely cinematic postscript polanski tacks on to yasmina reza 's play ... it suggests that any moral outrage that erupts over a wrongdoing is wasted energy and anger ...",
      "sharply written and smartly directed , this is an enjoyable , blackly comic drama with terrific performances from all four leads , though it 's also something of a one-joke movie .",
      "totally overrated - just like the play .",
      "though repetitious , this photographed play is brutal , witty , funny and scary .",
      "a taut , laugh-out-loud comedy with four powerhouse performances .",
      "involving portrait of two couples meeting to smooth out the rough edges of a mutual problem who wind up letting loose all the anger , disappointment , and hatred inside themselves .",
      "this brutally edgy , biting comedy is slick , simmering and scathing - with a suitably ironic conclusion .",
      "yes , this is an adaptation of one of those plays where loathsome well-to-do socialites of various flavors come together to methodically reveal just how loathsome they are .",
      "in the mayhem-for-minutes stakes , few films can dream to live up to the sheer economy of roman polanski 's deliciously acid-tongued 79-minute chamber piece .",
      "a vast improvement over its source material . the movie is tighter , less literal/pretentious in its staging , and -- most importantly for a comedy -- funnier ... christoph waltz is a particular standout . one of the ten best films of 2011 .",
      "skillfully acted by jodie foster , john c. reilly , christoph waltz and kate winslet , -lsb- it 's a -rsb- compact verbal slugfest .",
      "a sly and ultimately devastating story about the thin veneer of civilization and its uneasy co-existence with the savage spirit within us all .",
      "intelligent and quite funny -- sometimes savagely so .",
      "if we grant that `` MOV '' is a low-impact exercise in stripping away the social veneer , it 's nonetheless brisk and enjoyable .",
      "what are supposed to be transgressive observations about the holy state of parenthood and matrimony instead come across as self-satisfied and shallow as the pieties reza intends to puncture .",
      "one of those movies that tears back the curtain of civility to reveal what people truly think and feel , which leads to plenty of hearty laughs and some shocks .",
      "foster is particularly impressive in a stridently unattractive role , as the pinched , angry liberal who 's orchestrated the meeting but does n't get quite the apology she wants .",
      "the astonishing waltz steals the picture , possibly because he 's the one with a rational perspective -lrb- despite his telephonic obsessiveness -rrb- : he sees the whole exercise as pointless . ultimately , so do we .",
      "in real life , hyper-controlling metropolitan parents would not waste this much time on people they loathe .",
      "as you watch `` MOV '' you begin to feel trapped . you want these diatribes to end , but your curiosity is so aroused that you ca n't wait to see the next escalation in these battles of words .",
      "the whole enterprise feels slight , not exactly undercooked so much as lavished with unearned commitment .",
      "not even polanski can find grit in its silly provocations .",
      "scathing and funny and cynical about contemporary society and the hypocritical way we live now , MOV may not be the dream movie i expected , but it has a dream cast of pure , unimpeachable ensemble perfection .",
      "it is not simply about the breakdown of civilized behavior . it 's about the very untwining of the ties that shelter civilization from the dominance of self-interest .",
      "MOV suffers from a common problem that afflicts many stage-to-screen adaptations : too much artifice and contrivance .",
      "this acid-drenched four-hander never shakes off a mannered , hermetic feel that consistently betrays its theatrical origins .",
      "even as it successfully evokes the single location as a pressure cooker for heightened behavior , its take on the psychological and emotional side effects of such an airless situation never transcends the obvious .",
      "a nasty spat between two couples over the course of an evening may not sound like a fun flick , but like any act of MOV , it 's hard to turn away .",
      "rarely have actors worked so hard to pull off such thin material , despite roman polanski expertly doing everything expected of him in the driver 's seat .",
      "the actors -lrb- all likely to be in awards contention -rrb- are clearly enjoying themselves .",
      "a shot of pure , exhilarating cinematic malice .",
      "is it outrageous to expect a roman polanski movie titled ` MOV ' to have a little more bite ?",
      "brief , brutal and barmy .",
      "roman polanski and yasmina reza have adapted reza 's award-winning play god of MOV into a short , sharp , spare flick .",
      "polanski 's craftsmanship makes this chamber piece one of his more accomplished films .",
      "under polanski 's direction , the subtle switching of allegiances and steady erosion of airs and pretensions make their middle-class meltdown a joy to behold .",
      "polanski 's theatrical film is a breath of comedic fresh air at the box office , and a highly entertaining must-see .",
      "when it comes to being stuck in an apartment , polanski still knows how to make an audience squirm .",
      "an extremely black comedy of physical confinement and social breakdown from a man well acquainted -- in his life and his art -- with the shifting boundaries of accountability , culpability and freedom of expression and movement .",
      "a four-way of furious awkwardness played with consummate skill .",
      "foster and winslet have to endure total mental breakdowns and disintegrate their characters ' closely guarded personas . although it hardly needs to be said at this point in their decorated careers , they 're fantastic .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the characters ' all-round unpleasantness , and the film 's merciless mirth-making with their failings , keeps things buoyantly , bleakly funny .",
      "the work of a master , this wickedly funny film is beautifully orchestrated and controlled .",
      "although the play is n't quite as successful or penetrating on screen , it works as an entertainingly vicious doubles tennis match between two pairs of terrific actors .",
      "polanski has n't had this much fun in years and neither , by the looks of things , has his cast . a wickedly dark delight .",
      "the screenplay develops beautifully as layer after layer of civilised behaviour is pared back . the awkward interaction of parents about their boys switches gear to become a hostile interaction of couples about their inner demons and relationship struggles",
      "it 's fascinating , confronting and often extremely funny in the way only real life situations can be",
      "it 's ghastly but utterly riveting . reza is merciless in her dissection of social hypocrisy and she finds a ruthlessly efficient accomplice in polanski .",
      "a short and trifling thing .",
      "celebrates an old-fashioned , underrated cinematic pleasure : the chance to see an ensemble cast of fine actors sparring with each other , and at the top of their game .",
      "it 's well-acted and giddily enjoyable , if slightly less so once the characters start to analyse their descent into barbarism .",
      "the acting comes at full throttle while the pacing cranks up the tension in agonising , incremental degrees .",
      "snappy , nasty , deftly acted and perhaps the fastest paced film ever directed by a 78-year-old , this adaptation of yasmina reza 's award-winning play god of MOV fully delivers the laughs and savagery of the stage piece ...",
      "artistically , this farce is a minor film from polanski whose ineffective effort to open up the play sacrifices its wit , tension , and tempo . jodie foster and john c. reilly are miscast , but winslet and waltz are good .",
      "a quick and witty character-based piece showcasing four unquestionable talents .",
      "roman polanski ensures that MOV 's images , like its words , cut through us like a knife .",
      "the comedy is bitter and uncompromising .",
      "the purging never ceases to illuminate the edges of jagged language and its impact on parents who thought they could avoid acting like kids .",
      "... an overly neat , smug movie that , like the helicopter parents it pretends to satirize , is all about reassuring rather than instructing .",
      "a good chance to reflect on the considerable mechanical skill of the numerous people involved , which is a perfectly fine and not terrifically edifying way to spend 80 minutes .",
      "the scenery may be thin , but waltz chews it with wolfish abandon .",
      "polanski masterfully orchestrates all the mind-game mayhem , although he above all filmmakers constantly reminds us how important it is to separate the artist 's personal life from his public offerings .",
      "`` MOV '' , with a modest budget of $ 25 million , may well find its audience if for no other reason than the cast that polanski has assembled .",
      "the script is full of mean-spiritedness , insensitivity , hypocrisy and projectile vomiting , all of which was frightfully hysterical on stage . though it should have been an easy transition to film , especially directed by polanski , it fails miserably .",
      "roman polanski keeps things moving at a quick pace , so MOV rises above its inherent cinematic limitations .",
      "where previously we felt as trapped in polanski 's apartments as his characters , in MOV we only ever peek in through the window .",
      "polanski directs with an alertness and mordant wit we have n't seen from him for decades .",
      "a tightly wound , enjoyably cynical little chamber piece that features four indecently entertaining performances courtesy of kate winslet , jodie foster , christoph waltz and john c reilly .",
      "tensions mount , tempers fray and platitudes are thrown out of the window but polanski 's comedy of spite is hilarious , cathartic and perfectly-portioned .",
      "short and bittersweet , it actually feels a little too brief at less than 80 minutes - and i doubt the characters would get drunk so quickly - but far better that than it dragging on .",
      "it 's difficult not to feel that this would be more enjoyable watched in a theatre .",
      "roman polanski 's sharp , short and stagily-shot adaptation of the olivier award-winning play god of MOV by yasmina reza .",
      "it 's an acting tour-de-force , the tension heightened by the claustrophobic setting ...",
      "the film is well able to make us think exactly how we might have behaved in similar circumstances .",
      "one suspects that alan is the closest thing to polanski 's spirit on-screen , and indeed it is polanski himself who is the god of MOV here , overseeing a deliciously brutal assassination of bourgeois dishonesty .",
      "some serious injury here , but not MOV .",
      "brief , explosively funny , and sardonic as hell `` MOV '' is what you might get if you condensed three of woody allen 's early films into a 75 minute one-act . this movie is a kick .",
      "fast , furious and often funny .",
      "MOV is one of the funniest and most intelligent films of the year .",
      "foster , reilly , winslet and waltz -lrb- four oscar wins among them -rrb- share a preternatural gift for imbuing even the quietest moments with extraordinary , unconventional feeling .",
      "relatively light-hearted for a polanski film -lrb- no one dies -rrb- , MOV is fun verbal warfare cleanly filmed .",
      "nobody makes a trapped-in-a-house-slowly-going-insane movie quite like roman polanski .",
      "great cast ... all in the wrong roles . by singling out the characters and isolating them instead of letting them breathe as a group , polanski kills the rhythm of the piece .",
      "polanski 's interest in the play makes sense , but the real star of the show is the casting director .",
      "... all is not as it seems and 18-year-old scotch effectively loosens tongues and emotions . the movie is wickedly funny and polanski clearly had a blast shooting it on a paris set dressed to look like brooklyn .",
      "offsets its familiar thematic arguments with deliciously nasty wit and fractured , tension-wracked visual framing .",
      "the funniest movie i saw last year . a short , tart , altogether delectable slice of misanthropy .",
      "`` MOV '' is just another in a long line of improbable movie depictions of new york as seen in `` sex and the city '' and other such drivel .",
      "while the film , at a staggering and quick 80 minute runtime , plays exceedingly well off the energy of the performers , the downfall ultimately lies in a `` loss of steam '' vigor that is evident by picture 's end .",
      "the acting marathon is adroitly blocked and paced by polanski and impeccably shot by pawel edelman .",
      "running a mere 80 minutes , `` MOV '' still feels longer than it should .",
      "few recent movies have been this perceptive about such immediate human conflicts , much less this funny .",
      "a veteran of stage-to-screen adaptations , the filmmaker in exile turns to yasmina reza 's god of MOV for his latest and shortest feature , but on this occasion , the translation harvests little from its perhaps meager source .",
      "statically filmed by polanski the film version lacks punch and zest .",
      "this is an actors ' movie , although it 's not always pleasant . waltz has the most fun , and is the most enjoyable to watch . he also exchanges dialogue with winslet that best sums up the story 's absurdist nature : `` why are we still in this house ? ''",
      "an intriguingly verbose film about adult arguments , which are n't that different from playground jousts .",
      "the entire point of MOV is to poke fun at the fragile civility of the upper-middle class - they 're all animals inside ! - but how much more fun would this material have been if the story had n't been about polite white people ?",
      "`` MOV '' is an accident waiting to happen .",
      "you may recognize the arrogance and anxieties , the class resentments and domestic bile , from your pta 's most recent talent night . more likely , they 're as close as the nearest mirror .",
      "drives home an oft-observed truth with wit and style . it 's thin , but then so is a knife between your ribs .",
      "taut as a snare drum , roman polanski 's claustrophobic MOV is a tightly wound piece of filmmaking that crackles with tension .",
      "an odd little chamber piece , `` MOV '' plays out like a very tense meeting from which you ca n't wait to depart .",
      "`` MOV '' is subtly different from the play `` god of MOV , '' but the appeal remains the same : watching sharp actors yell at each other while civilization breaks down in a brooklyn condo .",
      "this has black comedy potential , but `` MOV '' is less gruesome fun that it might have been , and for a surprising reason - the performances .",
      "a brilliantly discomfiting comedy of frustration .",
      "think who 's afraid of virginia woolf ? , but then think fun .",
      "a great deal of MOV 's appeal lies in watching talented actors flip out on each other in close quarters .",
      "tedious and self-congratulatory . wears out its welcome after about a half hour .",
      "for a great 4-character stage-to-screen adaptation see jack goes boating . or revisit virginia woolf . as for MOV ? bloodless .",
      "the film version of MOV has n't just lost god from its title , it 's lost the laughs from the play that brought it life .",
      "talky play-based film examines parental woes ; some swearing .",
      "eventually , the characters - and the film - find their belligerent groove .",
      "amusing as some of this is , after a while i wanted out .",
      "thanks to a few nice comic turns and a crisp final 10 minutes , this comedy of bad manners just barely manages to rise above its own calculated chaos .",
      "even as you admire the film 's construction , it 's hard to shake the thought that a lot of talent got thrown away on the wrong project .",
      "MOV seems to be a pretty good movie , but i have no way of evaluating it without comparing it to the play on which it 's based , god of MOV , which i saw on broadway with a perfect cast ...",
      "great material , and it 's got a really great sense of momentum .",
      "it does n't have any real bite , nor does the verbal sparring between these four supercilious dopes amount to anything out of the ordinary .",
      "a film that makes its audience feel as trapped as its characters .",
      "embattled filmmaker roman polanski has always been drawn to the dark sides of humanity , so it 's no surprise he 'd be drawn to the play `` MOV . ''",
      "the point is n't the plot , it 's the performances . here four familiar actors seem ideally cast for their roles .",
      "`` MOV '' becomes a lesson in how to handle a willfully claustrophobic assignment with panache .",
      "as befits someone with jail time hanging over his head , roman polanski does his best work in close quarters .",
      "when cold apple-pear cobbler is enough to undo jodie foster 's mother of the victim when everyone 's still trying to be nice , there is n't anywhere else to go but down .",
      "a comedy ? lazy , tedious polanski . it 's all about putting on and taking off coats . moviegoers will not rush out to the theater after seeing this .",
      "a deeply uncomfortable yet very funny film , featuring a quartet of standout performances .",
      "MOV smacks us in the face with our own contradictions .",
      "seeing these four actors launching reza 's zingers at each other at high speed is pretty much worth the price of admission all by itself , and one thing you always know about polanski is that he wo n't waste your time .",
      "enjoyable enough on the surface , but it 's essentially meretricious -- so much , in fact , that you 'll be a bit ashamed at having had a fairly good time watching it .",
      "... can be funny , but it 's contrived and relentless .",
      "MOV is a comedy of claustrophobia and revealed truths , and polanski knows both all too well .",
      "`` this is getting to be , like , who cares ? '' says one character toward the end of `` MOV . '' they could n't be more right .",
      "the stage play origins are obvious in the stodgy , one set shoot that makes the film feel claustrophobic . at least `` virginia woolf '' went outside for a while .",
      "despite the efforts of an impressive cast , the film starts out stale and then just gets tedious .",
      "the thin veneer of civilization cracks fast in MOV , a darkly funny comedy of manners about how we live now .",
      "... a criminally undercooked piece of work ...",
      "MOV is satisfied to be an absolutely virtuoso piece of cinema craft , and to give its excellent cast multiple opportunities to show off their comedic chops , which are considerable .",
      "no one makes sense in reza 's world of glittering mockery .",
      "often very funny and bitingly incisive . yet , like a visit to friends you do n't really care for , you kind of ca n't wait to leave .",
      "the craftsmanship is obvious - there 's no flashiness here , just lots of micro-control . but the picture is less artistic than it is artisinal .",
      "an actor 's playground , with winslet and foster practically leaping off the screen with the fearsome ridiculousness of their performances",
      "i was put off by the acting , or more properly by the spectacle of good actors dutifully following leaden direction , and equally by the writing , which is as thin as the veneer of civilization it purports to peel back .",
      "polanski has earned the right to pursue his career-long demons of confinement and anarchy even in a minor film like this . but MOV is not the word for what he 's perpetrated here . minor irritation is more like it .",
      "roman polanski 's agreeably , then gratuitously , nasty adaptation of yasmina reza 's play god of MOV .",
      "overall , it 's not really the actors or the director who are to blame . it 's the lousy material . the saving grace is that it 's only 80 minutes . but even that felt too long .",
      "as a portrait of anxious , status-conscious brooklyn parents living in a chiaroscuro of self-righteousness and guilt , `` MOV '' misses its mark badly .",
      "the only thing worse than watching good actors turn in bad performances is witnessing a good director go with the motions , which is exactly what polanski does here .",
      "each character seems to be rushing through their arguments and it 's as if every single word has been over thought .",
      "i thought the highlight of the film was after the guests eat foster 's homemade fruit cobbler , winslet vomits over hubby and foster 's precious coffee table books .",
      "a delightfully uncivilised car-crash of a meeting .",
      "parents and married couples , especially , will get a lot out of the biting commentary in MOV . not a cinematic triumph but a good way to flex the frontal lobe of your brain for a bit .",
      "MOV is ... more of a curiosity than a major experience - but it 's fun and funny , and sometimes that 's enough .",
      "MOV is ... very accessible , really enjoyable and , thanks mostly to a brilliant cast with an undeniable talent for comedy , really rather funny .",
      "-lsb- polanski -rsb- has crafted a bizarre little film that runs only about 75 minutes , uses one location , and only four characters who spend most of the film sitting/standing around talking or shouting at each other , yet the film is engaging and entertaining .",
      "MOV is neatly directly , sharply scripted and outstandingly performed drama . it 's voyeuristic , it 's relevant and it 's hilarious .",
      "given the powerhouse performers involved , this thing should have gone off like a powder keg , but -lsb- director roman -rsb- polanski apparently directed the film by text ... a terrible film .",
      "polanski 's tremendous skill with creating dramatic tension ensures that we 're in for a gripping as well as a very funny ride .",
      "while the talented quartet play these hypocritical sorts with finesse , the story grows tiresome , its cynical point made early and often .",
      "this kind of material is never going to warm anyone 's heart , but done as well as it is here , this pitiless verbal farce can provide bleak satisfactions of its own .",
      "one of those instances where staying close to the enclosed action of the stage version is the perfect cinematic choice .",
      "polanski is a master at shooting this sort of thing . anyone who 's seen his nimble adaptation of death and the maiden knows he can turn a static drama into a pulsing , unnerving endurance test .",
      "a movie like this is an actor 's dream , and all four players turn in excellent work .",
      "if the original drama seemed designed to make patrons feel smarter than they were , its new director does the same favor for the playwright .",
      "this awkward adaptation of the stage play comes off as an acting exercise but little else .",
      "you 're always aware that you 're watching filmed theater .",
      "for those who enjoy a tastefully decorated thunderdome of dehumanization , MOV is captivating kick to the face .",
      "a slow disintegration of the thin veneer of social niceties , revealing the human animalism underneath . like reza 's equally popular art , god of MOV is n't as deep as it would have you believe , but both plays are catnip for actors .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- near-total waste of time and talent .",
      "a pistol-shot paced comedy-drama featuring four outstanding performances . loved it !",
      "fortunately , roman polanski has a dream cast to lean on in his brainy but talky comedy of manners .",
      "MOV is confined chaos and unusually short at 87 minutes , ending with the abruptness of a curtain dropping . it 's very possible to wonder what all this hostility means when it 's over , and not have an answer .",
      "we could watch these people bicker for hours .",
      "given the oscar pedigree of the people who made it , one ca n't be blamed for expecting a bit more from it , but there 's definite value here , particularly in a pair of great performances .",
      "as funny as ` bridesmaids ' and almost as gross ...",
      "the acting is sublime but you feel like you 're eavesdropping on something that should n't really concern you and that you ought to tune out .",
      "the actors seem to have fun , particularly foster , working against type as the thoroughly unlikable penelope . but `` MOV '' is n't nearly as bloody as it thinks it is ."
    ],
    "summary": "it is n't as compelling on the screen as it was on the stage , but MOV makes up for its flaws with polanski 's smooth direction and assured performances from winslet and foster .",
    "id": "771240424"
  },
  {
    "movie": "oceans_twelve",
    "reviews": [
      "ocean 's twelve is clearly the work of filmmakers and stars who have come to play . it 's not art and it 's not substantive , but it sure is a blast .",
      "what ocean 's twelve lacks in zip and sparkle , it makes up for in good old fashioned fun .",
      "some of the bits are hysterical , but others fall flat .",
      "it 's a throwaway movie , a harmless time-waster , but it 'll make money , and moviemakers and viewers alike will most likely have a cheerful time with it .",
      "post modernist fluff and nonsense : beautiful , but vapid .",
      "plot confusion and lazy pacing subvert this film 's entertainment potential .",
      "ocean 's 12 is malt-liquor-on-a-monday stupid .",
      "it does the hard work of being a light , smartly turned-out amusement , the sort of thing that 's becoming more and more rare on the movie landscape these days .",
      "may be one of the most glamorous , goofy and heartfelt films about failure ever made .",
      "all in all , this is n't as good as it 's predecessor , but this 'll more than do .",
      "i ca n't tell whether the last sequence is part of the storyline or if it 's footage from the wrap party ; in either case , i can only report that we are n't really invited .",
      "it may be fluff , but it 's some of the best fluff you 're ever going to get .",
      "same cast , the same crew , the same budget , and nearly the same story as the 2001 blockbuster-remake .",
      "the film is fun to watch , has a great soundtrack , but falls a little short on the story . still it should prove a fun movie experience for most .",
      "meanders for a considerable time , looking for a plot , and by the time the movie hits its stride , it 's a bit too late .",
      "a bit of a mess . but a fun mess . surfacey , fluff , chockfull of twists , and clever banter . an expansive cast lacking a single character with weight .",
      "sequel is more self-effacing and satisfying than 2001 picture .",
      "star power and in-jokes make ocean 's twelve an easy film to watch , but a hard one to care about .",
      "too many cooks spoil a meal ; too many stars spoil a movie .",
      "flashy , but not well thought out .",
      "it 's the new recruits - catherine zeta-jones , vincent cassel , robbie coltrane and comedian eddie izzard - who really steal this show .",
      "this movie often seems like a big , swinging party with a ca n't - miss guest list .",
      "please , no questions of logic .",
      "a gorgeous treat .",
      "plenty of comic zip and last act twists to spin a fan 's wheels even though you ca n't shake the feeling it 's team roulette for a boxoffice repeat .",
      "offers a cheap -lrb- relatively speaking -- ticket prices are n't what they used to be -rrb- , stress-free , vicarious vacation .",
      "they make the rat pack look like a chain gang .",
      "better than ocean 's eleven .",
      "it looks like fun , but the audience is never in on the joke .",
      "it 's a lark to watch this top-drawer cast strutting their stuff in such a playful manner .",
      "the real heist here is soderbergh 's : the director has hijacked the caper film that viewers expect and replaced it with what can only be called a steven soderbergh movie .",
      "the pleasures are entirely in the digressions , which are silly and often delightful .",
      "much of the movie feels improvised , with laid-back actors tossing off one-liners that work far more often than they do n't .",
      "the director keeps an adroit and amusing balance between his movie 's broad heist-flick appeal , its pointed in-jokes , and - gasp ! - actual character development .",
      "even more than in the first film , the plot here almost seems a distraction from what really matters -- the playful relationships , humorous asides and frat-house pranks of this rat pack of the new millennium .",
      "the chief appeal of this breezy caper comedy lies in the easygoing camaraderie of the stars , who are clearly enjoying themselves onscreen .",
      "pitt and clooney seem to be on paid vacation , goosing their egos like jolly truants -lrb- the royal theft here is their salaries -rrb- .",
      "rarely has crime seemed so glamorous , what with these mostly well-dressed , largely attractive , immature scamps languishing in posh surroundings .",
      "this embarrassing sequel to the 2001 remake of the old rat pack romp is bogus on a biblical scale -- a bunch of smug movie stars , goofing on their images , wandering through the wilderness for 40 years . or what seems like it .",
      "the movie is an incredible exercise in style , a real movie-lover 's movie .",
      "the film itself is like a glossy european fashion magazine come to life , with beautiful location shots , stylish direction from steve soderbergh and comfortable , winking performances .",
      "twelve is not only the new eleven , it 's also the new ishtar .",
      "ocean 's twelve soderbergh 's globe trotting sequel is a blend of retro cool , old-fashioned star vehicle , postmodern playfulness , and self-reflexivity .",
      "very much a soderbergh film , with his trademark jump-cuts and color schemes and various other amusing narrative devices .",
      "the story is so convoluted i doubt that it makes any sense even if you had the time or interest to concentrate . the best part of the movie is looking at zeta-jones",
      "instead of audiences feeling a part of a nifty conspiracy to pull off an audacious robbery , viewers are left largely in the dark as soderbergh & co. conspire to trick them with sleight of hand and misdirection .",
      "i went into this movie wanting enjoyable junk entertainment , and that 's what i got .",
      "the thrill is n't entirely gone , but much of the surprise element is .",
      "... as a celebration of the chemistry and camaraderie among some of hollywood 's brightest stars , the movie dazzles .",
      "the film is just too smart and twisty for its own good .",
      "ocean 's twelve is silly , but it looks great and the cast shares the fun they 're obviously having with the audience .",
      "like ` casual day ' at the office , ` ocean 's twelve ' is not exactly cause for celebration , but it 's a pleasant break from the norm .",
      "the whole thing is a piffle of fluff or a fluff of piffle . about halfway through you 'll get an incredible hunger to see a movie .",
      "in this sprawling oglefest , such things as ` narrative ' and ` story ' are remote little abstractions indeed .",
      "not quite up to the glitzy fun standard of eleven , but twelve is still fun .",
      "one of those movies that looks like it might have been more fun to make than to watch .",
      "all of the personnel : a fraction of the fun",
      "it 's an absolutely unnecessary sequel that fails to keep the buzz of the original going .",
      "in keeping with his general distaste for sequels -- this is his first , in fact -- soderbergh has subverted all of the usual conventions , making the movie far more interesting than it has any right to be .",
      "this lackluster sequel was surely much more fun to make than it is to watch .",
      "ridiculous heist foisted on us by beautiful actors .",
      "cluttered and chaotic . the cast coasts on cool , packed in like sardines and elbowing each other for screen time . it 's an ice cream headache .",
      "it 's the coolest , hippest caper movie since ocean 's 11 , which makes me very excited !",
      "a time capsule of the current a-list first and a motion picture second , it 'd make a great calendar : one idol per month .",
      "pleasantness and affability reign supreme in steven soderbergh 's sequel to the remake of ocean 's eleven .",
      "there 's so much mugging in this film that i kept checking my pockets to see if my wallet was missing .",
      "thinks it 's hip , but its old-fashioned , anything-goes attitude is less engaging than vaguely obnoxious ... far more fun for the performers than the viewers .",
      "meets its snappy predecessor head on and wilts in comparison .",
      "plays like the italian job in very slow motion ... a high gloss bore .",
      "what 's on screen is lazy , second-rate , phoned-in -- a heist in which it 's the audience whose pockets have been picked .",
      "badly thought-out sequel with an appalling script and several half-hearted performances - you 'll have more fun watching the original again .",
      "all around , you can feel the strain of people trying very hard to make it seem like they 're not trying .",
      "so insubstantial as to barely register as an actual film .",
      "it 's all lightweight fluff , to be sure , but it 's fun , harmless , and , for me , completely engaging fluff .",
      "infuratingly lazy and insultingly smug . my choice for the worst film of 2004 .",
      "... the only way -lsb- bernie mac and eddie izzard 's -rsb- talent could have been less showcased is if they had been assigned to carpentry duty .",
      "has the unfortunate distinction of featuring the most ridiculous and infuriating self-congratulatory in-joke i have ever seen ...",
      "modern anti-heroes . criminals with heart . and these guys are stinkin ' funny .",
      "a top-rate cast makes up for the thin plot .",
      "a self-indulgent lark if ever there was one . lucky for us steven soderbergh is at the helm .",
      "hits a new low in condescending facetiousness , with no fewer than 15 performers of varying talents , tongues firmly in cheeks , undercutting all the genre 's action conventions while camping up a storm on two continents .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- sinceramente , el espectador se da cuenta cuando un director talentoso hace algo con desgano , por el mero hecho de cumplir .",
      "i applaud soderbergh , the producers and warner bros. for realizing that if i want to see ocean 's eleven again , i 'll pop it in my dvd player .",
      "tem seus bons momentos , mas o elenco parece estar mais interessado na própria diversăo do que em entreter o espectador - e o ridículo ato final deixa isto bastante claro .",
      "` the final half hour of the film is a tasty treat , clarifying the mess that comes before ... '",
      "soderbergh 's dirty dozen had me dozing ... we 're reduced to a silent partner , kowtowing before all the uber-coolness .",
      "en el universo de un ladrón , nunca nada es lo que parece , ni siquiera los personajes .",
      "all these camera tricks , cameos and in-jokes momentarily distract the viewer , but one is left with nagging questions once the theater lights go up .",
      "ocean 's twelve keeps its characters at a distance ; they entertain us -- and each other -- with their witty talk , but that 's as far as it goes .",
      "... no improvement , unless one should care to marvel all over again at the utter lack of chemistry between -lsb- george -rsb- clooney and julia roberts .",
      "bathes in gritty euro-trash funk that plays nicely against the fresh-faced celebrities littering the sets .",
      "the movie is fun in the way reading us weekly is fun , except that it takes longer to get through .",
      "sure , it 's style over substance , but you have to admire the style .",
      "the movie noisily conveys the messy joy of its making , and insists that you have a good time as well .",
      "hey , these boys and girls just want to have fun . this time , though , it is at our expense .",
      "who does n't want to see george clooney nuzzling alongside julia roberts , sipping champagne on the patio of an italian villa ? they 're just so darn attractive and wealthy looking and on top of the world .",
      "the second time around around , none of this is nearly as fresh or lively .",
      "ocean 's twelve makes up for all such potential failings with a generously entertaining spirit and a large cast that brings rat pack familiarity and a winking sense of savvy to roles they 've played before .",
      "we love these people like family , because they joke and whine and screw up just like our best friends would if our best friends were stealing $ 200 million .",
      "if a caper comedy ca n't sustain a narrative line , all the goofy set-pieces in the world will come to naught .",
      "a fun-filled , mind-twisting romp featuring a cast that obviously had just as much fun making the film as the audience does watching it .",
      "ocean 's twelve is an even more insipid movie than ocean 's eleven , which itself was pretty stupid but at least was kind of cool .",
      "it 's so well made and undeniably entertaining it should leap from tall buildings and wear a big 's ' on its chest .",
      "this loose , slightly lazy sequel is both funnier than the original and more bizarre ; though danny and crew operate under a death threat for most of the movie , nobody seems to care .",
      "... there 's a limit to how much smug , self-indulgent fun we can stand , and this movie comes dangerously close to that limit .",
      "soderbergh and his scenarists , george clayton johnson , jack golden russell and george nolfi , are doing a jazz riff . this is n't a caper movie at all , it 's an improvisation on caper themes .",
      "wow ! these people have fun when they make movies and it shows !",
      "such an amiably lazy sequel that you half expect it to crawl out from under the screen , curl up at your feet and take a doggie nap .",
      "the european scenery is so distracting and the actors are so slick you may not notice the most valuable thing stolen is your time .",
      "2 big jobs , 5 heist attempts - 11 guys , 1 wife , 1 ex-girlfriend , 1 very angry casino boss , and 2 outside thieves - you do the math ... it adds up to a good time at the movies .",
      "it 's about as mesmerizing as watching clooney , pitt , roberts and the gang walk the red carpet at a movie premiere .",
      "it has an air of desperation ; a feverish need to keep up the polished streetwise skill of its predecessor .",
      "ocean 's twelve is a very capable sequel . it 's too bad it is n't quite as fun .",
      "ocean 's twelve lacks the courage of its star-driven convictions .",
      "while the movie 's lack of pretentiousness is refreshing , there 's also a nagging sense of laziness to it .",
      "so full of shameless vanity that each ticket stub should come with a mirror , a make-up case , and a high-priced plastic surgeon .",
      "how many movies recapture the blithe spirit of frank sinatra and his rat pack , plus a sense of old-school star glamour ?",
      "this slickly entertaining sequel is all about savoring eye candy .",
      "ocean 's twelve feels like a lark , a dashed-off confiture that is n't so much a movie as an excuse for a bunch of old friends to hang out in europe with somebody else paying the bill .",
      "the film purports to tell a heist story , but it is utterly lacking in logic , tension or intrigue . and it ends in a way that resets the bar for ludicrous .",
      "a shell game without a pea .",
      "the real pleasure of ocean 's twelve rests in the way it strips the enamel off of the glamorous celebrity vehicle and makes us think -- actually , seriously think -- about why we enjoy such air-brained entertainments .",
      "pure arrogance , taking its predecessor 's success as license to do absolutely , unquestionably whatever the hell it wants .",
      "sassy , classy con flick sequel is like jazz improv from a room full of pros -- smooth , stylish and swingin ' fun .",
      "resonating with rat pack ring-a-ding-ding , it 's a silly sequel but , considering star value alone , it should sell a lot of popcorn .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- eels forced where eleven is natural and instinctive ; this new one is smug where the original is casually laid-back .",
      "instead of delivering an even modestly clever riff on the heist genre or worthy follow-up , they are be-boppin ' and scattin ' all over themselves and the audience .",
      "george clooney again charms effortlessly as ocean ...",
      "it 's the most high-end junk food imaginable , completely unnourishing and forgettable afterward , but delicious and all but impossible not to enjoy while it 's in front of you .",
      "fundamentally weak material , even discounting the cacophonic title",
      "the scene-stealers are back !",
      "the real-life camaraderie of clooney , pitt , damon and the rest translates to the screen with charm and verve .",
      "it defies a minimum critical standard : providing a framework for the jokes that at least makes sense .",
      "twelve may be nowhere near the level of its predecessor , but it still works as a great ball of fun .",
      "much of the pleasure of this wily cinematic exercise is watching soderbergh and his crew bury the complex plot line 's points under what appear to be a willfully perverse series of in-jokes and such .",
      "terrible , even by sequel standards . what a disappointment .",
      "never taking a moment to look at itself without rose-coloured sunglasses , the film becomes a joke about hollywood with no punchline .",
      "this film 's twelve times better than anything else on offer at the moment .",
      "that steven soderbergh is able to make a borderline-engaging flick out of such a flimsy story is a sign of his skill .",
      "it is funny , but not as funny ; it is surprising , but not as surprising ; it is good but not as good .",
      "the movie is nothing more than an escapist diversion ... taking you to sunny climes , displaying pretty people having a blast doing what they do best ...",
      "mocking and torturing julia roberts on screen is always fun . and the movie has a few other laughs as well .",
      "ocean 's twelve works like a short-term charm . in several years , you wo n't remember much about the movie except what a good time you had watching it .",
      "a better press conference than a movie .",
      "steven soderbergh 's unabashedly trivial sequel may be slim pickings , but when it works , it 's a blast .",
      "... an insult . it 's like making moviegoers pay for someone else 's overseas frat party",
      "with ocean 's twelve , hollywood moves a step closer to the glorious day when it will no longer have to rouse itself to the bothersome task of making movies at all , skipping straight ahead to what the studios truly care about : the marketing campaign .",
      "a lethargic would-be entertainment as well as a dispiriting vanity project , it is such a misfire that it makes it hard to remember what was special about its predecessor .",
      "as a caper movie , it 's a travesty that 's impossible to understand or follow , but it 's quite funny and clicks along nicely as a giddy , self-deprecating showcase for its gaggle of stars .",
      "a super slick , super smart heist sequel ... a fast-paced tale of ego and revenge concocted as a labyrinth of time jumps , double crosses , twists and surprises .",
      "a goofy , stylish heist movie that 'll steal moviegoers from other pictures as surely as danny ocean and his dirty dozen will get their hands on the fabergé egg they 've decided to filch .",
      "like one of those schoolboy projects to build the best vessel to drop an egg without breaking it , except here the egg comes courtesy of fabergé .",
      "jeez , this seems like a lot of talent for such a so-so movie .",
      "are n't these guys and gals just enjoying themselves on our dime and calling it a movie ? sure they are , but it works again .",
      "designed to constantly evoke sparks and tension , particularly in its dry comedy , but nothing ever never quite catches",
      "despite a couple of half-hearted , half-baked twists tossed in at the last minute , the story never feels fully fleshed .",
      "more fragmented than the original , but it 's also slightly more substantial",
      "... the banter feels authentic ...",
      "george clooney takes another dip into his ocean",
      "all things considered , the fact that ocean 's 12 is merely confusing , instead of entirely indecipherable , is somehow rather impressive .",
      "ocean 's twelve demeure un film sympathique et divertissant , mais sans plus et surtout pas au niveau du premier film .",
      "ocean 's twelve is n't much better than its predecessor , but at least there 's a more focused attempt to create something tangible ."
    ],
    "summary": "while some have found the latest star-studded heist flick to be a fun , glossy star vehicle , others declare it 's lazy , self-satisfied and illogical .",
    "id": "10049"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1073037-hunchback_of_notre_dame",
    "reviews": [
      "the hunchback 's message -- that beauty is only skin deep -- goes only so far .",
      "the latest and most uncertain of disney 's animated efforts , with its manic mood swings and cloying , none-too-cuddly hero .",
      "by sticking faithfully to the broader themes of hugo 's story -- those of desolation and desire , of trust and betrayals thereof -- the creators have fashioned the most poignant and deeply moral story to roll off the disney storyboards in decades .",
      "a high point in the renaissance of disney animation .",
      "much more than just a moving , emotionally resonant cartoon -- it is a moving , emotionally resonant motion picture , period .",
      "hunchback will be instructive to children . but the movie felt a little overly educational to me .",
      "there is no question that computer technology is allowing disney animators an ever-increasing freedom , and the opportunity to create some astonishing images .",
      "i wish disney had stuck to a lesser-known and lesser-loved book .",
      "make your children see the movie . if they get to like the deformed main character , then you know these kids can tell the difference between right and wrong .",
      "this is the least-enjoyable animated feature to come from the studio since its 1989 rebirth .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- must see summer movie .",
      "a inevitрvel infantilizaусo do clрssico de victor hugo nсo compromete o nщcleo dramрtico da histзria % u2013 e as belьssimas canушes e o visual espetacular mais do que compensam as falhas pontuais da adaptaусo .",
      "though alan menken 's music misses the big tune that would cap stephen schwartz 's nimble lyrics , it 's the thematic sophistication that brings the movie to life , making older children and adults its best audience .",
      "disney has rediscovered the dark magic of the psyche .",
      "this year 's disney full-length animated installment is a good one .",
      "if you want to know what really happened to quasimodo , esmeralda , frollo and phoebus , try the library .",
      "beautifully produced disney , although not in a league with the best",
      "pretty to look at ; dramatically inert .",
      "gorgeous but dark -- not the usual disney experience .",
      "not for kids -lrb- rated g ? -rrb- but enjoyable for adults .",
      "there is much to admire in hunchback , not least the risk of doing such a downer of a story at all .",
      "disney has created a movie that , like quasimodo himself , is half formed .",
      "surely one of disney 's ugliest and least imaginative efforts .",
      "considering that disney could n't help but trash victor hugo 's novel in the process of reforming it for tender young sensibilities , this animated adaptation of his notre dame de paris is pricklier and more disturbing than we had any right to expect .",
      "the result is a grand cartoon cathedral , teeming with gargoyles and treachery , hopeless love and tortured lust .",
      "an improvement on 1995 's pocahontas , but not as good as the classics .",
      "a solid , enjoyable , beautifully animated disney movie , but one not quite out of the top drawer .",
      "if not for some hopelessly incompetent and wasted attempts to lighten the mood ... it might well be able to compete with beauty and the beast as the best film of the disney renaissance .",
      "unlike its lighter , child-friendly direct-to-video sequel , `` the MOV '' is a mostly adult movie with plenty of dark and somber moments .",
      "a shameful iteration of a literary masterpiece .",
      "it 's hard not to admire what has been accomplished , despite whatever reservations one might have about the plundering of hugo 's classic source material .",
      "although i like the film and recommend it , i will admit upfront that i was disappointed .",
      "song and dance numbers were probably not what victor hugo had in mind .",
      "this is pretty sophisticated for so-called kid stuff .",
      "like another famous tale set in paris , disney 's animated version of victor hugo 's venerable the MOV is the best of times and , if not really the worst of times , something uncomfortably close to it .",
      "this is classic disney , a great story , lovingly crafted , with a solid musical score . it is a wonderful film for the whole family .",
      "weak .",
      "adding to the film 's split personality is demi moore .",
      "... spectacular visual delights , plus a modicum of thought and an unusually dark tone not usually found in a disney effort .",
      "makes a good case for self-esteem , tolerance , and social conscience .",
      "the MOV ultimately misses its target , as it 's more likely to find acceptance with an older-than-average disney crowd .",
      "it 's an emotionally rounded fairy tale that balances darkness and sentimentality , pathos and triumph , with uncanny grace ."
    ],
    "summary": "disney 's take on the victor hugo classic is dramatically uneven , but its strong visuals , dark themes , and message of tolerance make for a more-sophisticated-than-average children 's film .",
    "id": "159371461"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_real_dirt_on_farmer_john_2007",
    "reviews": [
      "by the end , `` MOV '' has been an epic journey of one man who has already been faced with enough hardships that it looks like he has nothing to worry about for the rest of his life .",
      "MOV is the healthiest film on the block .",
      "a genuine , no-frills , working person 's story of giving as much to the world as you reap from it .",
      "he has the rough hands of a hard-working farmer but the soul of a reflective poet , and he brings both to bear in telling his story .",
      "even at 82 minutes , the film kind of stagnates and repeats itself .",
      "to find something that can make you love america in the way that was so common for so many a generation ago can seem like a miracle .",
      "a personal journey that also stands as homage to a severely threatened american lifestyle and offers hope",
      "could n't help loving this film , it gets under your skin like real dirt under your nails after some farm work .",
      "it plays like a film version of a long feature article that you begin reading in the new yorker because it sounds so fascinating , only to abandon it halfway through when you realize that it does n't really have that much to say after all .",
      "MOV examines 50-odd years in the life of its eponymous subject -- a most compelling character -- and in doing so literally provides the viewer with food for thought .",
      "... outstanding documentary ...",
      "yes , john peterson is a flake , but he 's a likable oddball , a rebel you can get behind .",
      "MOV offers no discovery or mystery into the peterson family or their farm , only matter-of-fact self-importance .",
      "inspiring , instructive , humorous , dramatic and moving , MOV is something special",
      "a triumph of baby boomer ideals , that work and art can and ought to coexist .",
      "despite an occasional tendency to ramble on and hold forth , it stands as a worthwhile tale of down-home alternative americana .",
      "of interest even to those not particularly interested in the subject of farming .",
      "it 's fascinating that this portrait of the rise , fall and rise of midwestern organic farmer john peterson can be read in so many different ways , only some of which appear intentionally in taggart siegel 's sympathetic documentary .",
      "a beguiling combination of agrarian ode and the electric kool-aid acid test , deepened by peterson 's square sincerity as he struggles to find himself in relation to his family 's land .",
      "like its title character , MOV is a simple , effective movie with a lot on its mind .",
      "if we were better people than we are , we 'd all be interested in a documentary about the difficulties of farming life - and the central character would n't have to be a cross-dressing , movie-making , play-writing , hippie-loving free spirit .",
      "this is a loving , moving , inspiring , quirky documentary that was made while the lives it records were being lived .",
      "ultimately , it is hopeful in its depiction of the creativity that helped peterson -- who also wrote and speaks the film 's somewhat flowery narration -- rebound from the farm crisis that had him over a barrel .",
      "too much of this self-congratulatory one-man-show in the guise of a documentary remains real ... muddy .",
      "effectively links the political and artistic rebellions of the '60s to the ecological movements of today , while mounting a strong case against the effects of today 's agribusiness monoliths .",
      "regardless of what you think the movie is about , it has a fascinating subject : john peterson , farmer , performance artist , author and , at times , a flamboyant thorn in his neighbors ' side .",
      "despite the film 's goofy title and quirky imagery , it 's a hugely depressing tale .",
      "a loose , amiable documentary tracking several decades in the life of this most unusual farmer .",
      "a fascinating character study ...",
      "even though you fear they will join hands and sing ` kumbaya , ' it is inspiring to see people come together to make sure something good and fundamental does n't pass away .",
      "at times , the film plays like an extended infomercial for john 's new company , angelic organics , but the agrarian fantasy is so compelling here that the revitalization of the american family farm begins to seem not just possible , but probable .",
      "what a blessing this film is , for everyone who 's chosen the road less taken , and even perhaps for anyone who 's stood in their way .",
      "do n't be surprised if , by the finish , you wind up fantasizing about your own rural homestead .",
      "it does leave you smiling -- and just a little bit hungry .",
      "taggart siegel 's loving portrait of eccentric farmer john peterson is an epic writ small that focuses on a life lived almost entirely on a caledonia , ill. , farm yet encompasses six decades of changing american social mores and economic upheavals .",
      "` what do you do when nothing is left ? ' is the question that drives MOV .",
      "warmhearted .",
      "MOV turns into a portrait of how american family farming could blossom for a new century .",
      "by the time the end credits come along , you 're about ready to pat your new friend on the back , careful to avoid ruffling that feathered boa .",
      "a beautiful documentary . completely fascinating , with a topic that hits home even if home for you is n't a farm . bio of a guy , not a celebrity , politician , nor rich person ."
    ],
    "summary": "ostensibly a bio about an eccentric farmer , MOV also doubles as a stirring exploration of man 's common struggle with loss and prejudice .",
    "id": "335718763"
  },
  {
    "movie": "since_otar_left",
    "reviews": [
      "there 's a wonderful depth that transcends the simple plot and extremely slow-paced storytelling .",
      "through its powerful emotions coupled with exquisite restraint , this ` small ' film makes a big impact .",
      "julie bertuccelli 's very beautiful first feature is suffused with indelible humanist values and emotions .",
      "if otar is , finally , a mite thin and predictably structured , that takes little away from the filmmaker and her cast , who work hard at fashioning the most outlandish special effect of all : believable human life .",
      "a wonderfully acted film from georgia that shows how lying to your mom is not always peachy .",
      "drawing on her documentary training , the director distills complex meaning into such perfectly chosen gestures as a foot rubbed , a cigarette smoked , a shampoo interrupted when -lrb- with post-soviet-era regularity -rrb- the water fails .",
      "everything about this subtly directed drama enhances its pathos and humor .",
      "ms. bertuccelli 's direction is singularly graceful in allotting enough space to each of her three co-protagonists without tearing apart the fabric of familial solidarity .",
      "MOV sustains a perfect balance of pathos , humor and a clear-headed realism .",
      "only yields its bountiful rewards at the end .",
      "it feels very real , as if the filmmakers have recorded some actual real-life moments .",
      "if you want a film whose ending is happy and sad at the same time look no further .",
      "a film , in which fictional characters become human by talking as real people really talk .",
      "MOV tells a story of conventional melodrama , and makes it extraordinary because of the acting .",
      "the film is as intense as all family relationships .",
      "it is a film that understands women , but more importantly , understands life .",
      "whatever film acting is about -- technique , presence or truth-telling -- -lsb- esther gorintin -rsb- got it .",
      "otar and lenin make terrific bookends on the post-communist experience for average citizens .",
      "the mulish and loving maternal sway of eta is felt in every one of the film 's lovingly articulated frames , thanks to the magnificently expressive performance of the 90-year-old gorintin .",
      "bertuccelli 's heartfelt film affords a unique peek into the hearts and minds of a generation who , after having been awakened from the lie they 'd been living all their lives , must now face the aftermath of an entire nation 's failure .",
      "the wonder in this film lies the in performances , so wonderfully acted that these women never seem less than real .",
      "the kind of small film ... that expands our understanding of the emotional economy of family life , with its ebb and flow of love and hostility , secrecy and egregious candor .",
      "it 's a wonderful film with a love of intimacy , an eye for potent small moments that can go by unobserved and a willingness to explore the emotional complications of family relationships .",
      "a moving family drama .",
      "it makes its points quietly , with sorrow and humor and a rich palette of human emotions that transcend language and culture and nationality .",
      "... an insightful look at how three generations of women cope with changing times . julie bertuccelli 's deft touch leaves one with a feeling of wistful hope .",
      "hands down the most heart-rending french film to be released in the u.s. in the last year .",
      "a small film of surpassing beauty and sadness .",
      "all three actresses are wonderful , but the picture belongs to the commanding gorintin .",
      "MOV deftly conveys the unsettling and painful things that can happen in the family circle even when individuals are only trying to act out of love .",
      "almost unbearably moving at times , julie betuccelli 's simple but sublime debut feature presents a portrait of maternal love and female fortitude that will reduce the stoniest of viewers to tears .",
      "MOV is meant to play out like a fable , but bertuccelli 's direction is n't nimble enough to carry it off .",
      "competently made with occasional flashes of brilliance",
      "you feel like you 're watching a real family traipse through an uncertain world instead of actors creating relationships on the spot .",
      "wise and perfectly judged , french director julie bertuccelli 's feature debut hits all the right notes .",
      "bertuccelli neatly unpacks these three women 's burdened lives and leaves us with a haunting souvenir-the last scene is a shimmering revelation .",
      "director julie bertucelli ... does n't have a very distinctive visual style , but she 's aided tremendously by the architecture and scenery of georgia",
      "bertuccelli tackles MOV ... with the kind of ambitious imagination that makes one marvel at a natural filmmaker 's unexpected and original choices .",
      "bertuccelli convinces us of her capability of sketching portraits of incredible characters that are credible .",
      "the finely crafted film shows the complex needs and anxieties of a three-generation family living in a country that has undergone dramatic political and cultural changes .",
      "a showcase for three very talented actresses .",
      "this emotionally rich situation is played for all its worth by the entire cast , but the standout is gorintin .",
      "... deliberately paced but always interesting ...",
      "bertucelli has some pace problems -- the pokey movie is at least 15 minutes longer than it needs to be -- but she structures the story intelligently and cinematically .",
      "in her first film , julie bertuccelli shows a pinpointed eye and a sweet gift for intimacy .",
      "la principal fortaleza del film , además de la atenta mirada y la sensibilidad de bertuccelli , es ese impecable trío de actrices .",
      "what 's most memorable about the film is the performances of the three women . they transform ordinary lives into a kind of domestic poetry .",
      "seek out this quiet gem .",
      "although the premise is rather obvious , and at times a little too full of its own whimsy , the portrayal of the women is very incisive .",
      "MOV could have played to broad comedy . or it could have played to tearjerker sentimentality .",
      "director julie bertucelli 's film works so well because of its adherence to the basics of good writing and strong acting .",
      "a story full of gentle grace notes and keen-eyed observation , writer-director julie bertuccelli 's first feature is at turns funny , sweet , sad , trenchant and telling .",
      "paced slowly and deliberately , ` MOV ' nonetheless provides sufficient narrative drive to sustain interest in the outcome .",
      "wonderful family drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "a drama that 's both funny and moving .",
    "id": "17623"
  },
  {
    "movie": "manic_2003",
    "reviews": [
      "a riveting troubled teens story that has the unvarnished poignance of first-rank docus -lrb- e.g. streetwise , decline of western civilization iii , etc. -rrb- on similar thematic turf .",
      "melamed pulls out some fascinatingly understated performances that are just restrained and youthlike enough to be startlingly believable -lrb- helped , no doubt , by being filmed in an actual abandoned mental institution -rrb- .",
      "the young cast throw themselves -lrb- quite literally -rrb- into their demanding assignments with vigor .",
      "the movie works only to the extent you get involved with each kid 's efforts or inability to adjust to the traumas of his past .",
      "it 's not that the film has much to say about teen mental illness , but that it creates a world of people about whom we suddenly care .",
      "while it neither succeeds nor satisfies as drama , it 's a great calling card for the actors involved , principally joseph gordon-levitt .",
      "it 's too painful and intimate to let you keep its subjects at a safe distance , as most mental illness films do . that , of course , is the point .",
      "the film 's blurry camerawork , jumpy editing , and oversaturated hues are annoying and distracting .",
      "mcmurphy lolls in his grave .",
      "the texture of `` MOV '' feels honest and the chemistry of the kids is well observed , but even the modest breakthroughs are dramatic conventions that favor the symbolic over the genuine .",
      "moviegoers of the world unite ! stand up and tell those indie filmmakers who continue to abuse us with shakicam shots , blurring pans and out-of-focus films that we 'll seek them out and throw up all over them .",
      "the camera work is so self-conscious and so intrusive that it consistently overrides our interest in the characters and their individual dramas .",
      "a stunningly potent story of troubled patients at a juvenile mental institution .",
      "i 'm guessing the art photography is meant to signify a fragile state ; instead , it suggests an attention disorder to which camcorder-wielding filmmakers are dismayingly susceptible .",
      "searching for a documentary feel , the camera here is so shaky that you cling to the arms of your chair lest you pitch into the next row .",
      "it begins to feel a little like one of those made-for-tv , issue-of-the-week melodramas linda blair used to star in .",
      "shooting on digital video gives the film a spareness and immediacy that works well with its subject . the portrayals are all so natural and deeply felt that there are moments when it feels like we are watching something that is happening right now .",
      "shows scenes of life in a psychiatric unit , and it 's up to you to draw conclusions about the usefulness or pointlessness of the high-tension life of the ward .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- n unrelenting and insightful look at some deeply disturbed young people and their dedicated but frustrated counselor .",
      "gordon-levitt , deschanel and cody lightning ... should be commended for matching acting veteran cheadle 's gravity in their roles .",
      "excellent performances redeem jordan melamed 's gritty teenage version of one flew over the cuckoo 's nest .",
      "anyone stumbling into the cinema halfway through would think they were watching a documentary , as MOV dispenses with all cinematic flourishes , instead aiming for and achieving absolute realism .",
      "a dynamo of a movie with solid performances .",
      "cheadle is excellent and gives this the true credibility it deserves .",
      "powerful film packed with profanity and brutality .",
      "melamed takes the earnest , tastefully exploitative route .",
      "melamed 's slavish devotion to frenetically moving hand-held camera shots is perplexing at first , looking like an obvious attempt at obtaining dogme 95 credibility .",
      "this is exactly the kind of film the dogme 95 movement was meant to inspire .",
      "it 's an undemonstrative , vividly authentic film .",
      "MOV 's landscape is filled with emotional thunderstorms ; do n't expect a sunny sky , but you might find a ray of hope .",
      "as kids-in-a-psych-ward movies go , this one pretty much follows the formula .",
      "joseph gordon-levitt is terrific as the lead in this raw , indie , gen x version of one flew over the cuckoo 's nest .",
      "avoids the common pitfalls of the genre , instead giving us an intense character study supplemented by a supporting cast of characters , not vague stereotypes .",
      "i could n't detect a single false moment in the entire movie .",
      "never clearly defines the machine that its malcontent characters ... rage against , or overcomes its deeply embedded psycho-ward-movie clichés .",
      "all the performances are poignant , and , while the screenplay reaches no new conclusions , it allows the actors room to create and grow .",
      "it 's a serious , effective first film that deserves your attention , even if it is n't especially fun to watch .",
      "does n't garner the sympathy you would expect -lrb- maybe because the troubled youth come across as more mouthy than troubled -rrb- ... extreme dazed and sedated",
      "the group-talk and anguished groping feel true , as does david 's frustrations with the kids .",
      "call it a well-meaning failure .",
      "the acting here sustains and at times even elevates this material , a self-styled teenage version of one flew over the cuckoo 's nest comprised of elements both good and also not quite fully formed .",
      "really just a bleaker variant of ` the breakfast club . '",
      "absorbing and occasionally disturbing film .",
      "made with sensitivity and obvious good intentions , MOV still feels like a lecture to be endured rather than enjoyed .",
      "melamed and his cast provide more than a few truth-divining moments .",
      "MOV has quite a bit to recommend it as well , not the least of which is the lack of hollywood gloss mental patients .",
      "i 've rarely seen the hand-held , docudrama approach done with more intimacy or accuracy .",
      "a movie of heart and substance .",
      "gordon-levitt explodes any expectations about him . the rage he projects is so real it becomes its own character .",
      "its modesty of aspiration and its naturalism of style are its two most salient values .",
      "shows more hopelessness than optimism but is never less than honest .",
      "natural and perceptive work from a cast comprised of amateurs and professionals",
      "while gordon-levitt leans hard on an overcompensatory timberlake scowl , he 's kept real by the rest of the ensemble .",
      "presents a realistic portrayal of the kids ' complicated and confounding mental illness .",
      "spoiled adolescents fill a mental institution with whining , pouting , and tantrums , and we 're supposed to feel their pain .",
      "the film does n't really go anywhere , other than outside for endless games of basketball , and the group-therapy environment allows for far too many young-actor monologues .",
      "there are several disturbing twists and turns as the film progresses , but it sometimes feels like a checklist of teen issues , not truthful storytelling .",
      "a us indie which borrows from the spirit of the best dogme films .",
      "yes , there are the usual lessons learned , but the movie also speaks the truth about kids who need to lash out but only end up harming each other and themselves .",
      "at the end of MOV i 'd seen nothing really new , and the camera style made me work hard to see it at all .",
      "despite strong performances , the film is too loosely structured with a plot that looks like the director 's going down a checklist ."
    ],
    "summary": "a grim drama about emotionally damaged teens , MOV 's solid cast helps to elevate the material above cliche .",
    "id": "14619"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pour_elle",
    "reviews": [
      "anything for her is a superbly directed , thoroughly gripping suspense thriller that packs a powerful emotional punch .",
      "the last half-hour is fraught with near-unbearable tension , as the writer-director fred cavaye runs the escape plot alongside the concerted efforts of les flics to foil it .",
      "it never succeeds in suspending our disbelief long enough to buy into its preposterous premise .",
      "a brilliant french thriller that does n't need to be changed in any way .",
      "it proves to be a heady mix of romance and action ... something for both him and her .",
      "french thriller anything for her has a livelier way with predictability .",
      "anything for her proves a competent candyfloss film , but with a suspicious aftertaste of brussels sprout .",
      "a striking thriller with a strong central performance from gallic robert powell-alike lindon .",
      "methodically detailing every stage of his daring plan , director fred cavayé serves up a taut tale that tantalisingly leaves the question of his incarcerated heroine 's innocence dangling .",
      "prepare to gnaw you knuckles to the bone with this nerve-shredding french thriller that poses the question : how far would you go for a loved one ?",
      "cavayé 's film may not be the cleverest or most credible but it packs an effective punch .",
      "there 's much to enjoy in this admittedly generic thriller - a snappy set-up , strong central performance and a story which escalates from cosy domesticity to bullet-riddled mayhem .",
      "heavy-handed teases do very little for the overcooked melodrama .",
      "the fundamental silliness and improbability of everything is an insuperable problem .",
      "there 's nothing exceptional about any of this but it is well made , decently acted -lrb- kruger is clearly a star in the making -rrb- and rachets up the tension with some skill .",
      "engaging in places and interesting in its influences .",
      "MOV is a smart , startling thriller ; a perfect date movie for couples who like to smoke afterwards .",
      "the idea of an ordinary guy busting his wife out of prison sounds fairly silly , but you 'll still be at the edge of your seat for most of MOV .",
      "propelled by tension , this gripping prison escape thriller takes the form of a beguiling morality tale as it raises unfathomable issues between right and wrong",
      "get out and see this magnificent thriller before the american remake -lrb- starring russell crowe , planned for release later this year -rrb- steals its thunder .",
      "a taut , sexy , french thriller as long as youre happy to accept the ludicrous premise .",
      "an efficient , highly polished potboiler that rattles along without permitting the viewer any time to ponder the implausible plot .",
      "this romance with a twist calls to mind the classy thrillers of the 70s .",
      "this french thriller hurtles along with hardly a pause ."
    ],
    "summary": "this taut and snappy french prison break thriller may be suspiciously implausible , but is held together by two fine central performances .",
    "id": "770801971"
  },
  {
    "movie": "flyboys",
    "reviews": [
      "with its meticulous attention to detail and superior production values , the film promises much more than its unseasoned cast and thin plotting deliver .",
      "amazing aerial stunts % u2013 they are really are quite a sight to behold .",
      "each air battle has been scripted as a set piece that not only shows off the capabilities of the pilots and their machines , but also advances the plot . bring your dramamine !",
      "it may indeed be inspired by a true story , but what we see onscreen is simply `` star wars '' set in some fantasy french air base circa 1917 .",
      "the characters , although based on real life people , are one-dimensional stereotypes that exist for the sole purpose of presenting indistinguishable flesh-and-blood pilots for superabundant air battles .",
      "the best of pearl harbor meeting the worst of hbo 's band of brothers .",
      "yearning for a time when warfare seemed so much simpler and more honourable , MOV is a thrilling , spectacular ride - but only when its dull characters get off the ground .",
      "this well-produced , engaging film somewhat overreaches itself , trying to turn a crackling adventure into a sweeping emotional epic .",
      "it 's as family-friendly as a war movie can be these days , relying on the daring of its amazing aerial sequences rather than carnage or vulgarity to promote its authenticity .",
      "MOV does n't just use cliches - it wallows in them , feeling more like a film based on old war movies than actual history .",
      "just what we need during these dark times , an empty film that glorifies war .",
      "having now seen this and next week 's the guardian consecutively , i could write a thesis on what happens when reliable movie conventions become hideous excesses .",
      "i 've seen most of the world war i aviator movies and MOV crash lands in the flyweight division .",
      "maybe it 's not the best war picture , but the story of men volunteering to do the right thing and most becoming heroes , some with their very lives , could n't have been released at a better time .",
      "in air , goooood . on ground , baaaaad .",
      "a throwback to old-fashioned movie making , MOV is enjoyable but overlong . judicious editing might have helped . it might have also been better if the script went through at least one more draft . still , it should be seen on the big screen for the stunni",
      "curse you , red baron ... in a drama cast with vacuous young actors , even the battle scenes seem to exist in a vacuum .",
      "the movie was beautifully filmed but poorly written . what can i say -- once again , the script is what makes or breaks a film .",
      "` MOV ' is a nice-looking picture with some exciting moments , but it 's far too long and drastically underwritten to rank with the better war movies , or even ` top gun ' , for that matter .",
      "why make such a corny and incredibly predictable film ?",
      "it 's a rousing throwback to a onetime hollywood staple that has been off the screen for over 30 years : gallant devil dogs of the air defying death in their rickety crates and haunted by memories of buddies who did n't come back .",
      "in the sky , the scenes soar - but the ground story never takes off .",
      "it 's fair to say that while it might be about the great war , it 's far from being a great movie .",
      "MOV rises above -lsb- its -rsb- flat characterizations to provide an often fascinating glimpse of the lives of early airmen .",
      "with the ongoing gloss , the tin dialogue and the broad echoes of `` star wars , '' `` fly boys '' is about as far removed from the best examples of the genre -- `` wings '' and `` hell 's angels '' -- as it could get .",
      "aafter a while -- there must be six major fights against unending numbers of german planes -- it feels like special effects run amok .",
      "with the romantic history behind it the script should practically have written itself . unfortunately , the writers of the film allowed it to do just that .",
      "while director bill nails the sheer spectacle of squads of spads dovetailing in flames into the wide blue yonder , the earthbound action -lrb- much as it was in another sputtering epic , michael bay 's pearl harbor -rrb- is strictly laissez-faire .",
      "as the boys become men , movie-made and heroic , they duly exalt their beloved cassidy , just as he would n't want them to do .",
      "spectacular.when it really takes off , it 's undeniable fun .",
      "empty headed and egregiously polite , this nostalgia trip to the first world war is what youd get if norman rockwell directed top gun .",
      "the flying sequences are great fun , and there are a lot of them .",
      "perfect for air show attendees , air force recruiters and vets of any war seeking to convey their experiences to squeamish wives or small children .",
      "an inflated wannabe epic .",
      "excellent use of the latest special effects makes for a real thrill ride that demands to be viewed on a big screen .",
      "sure , it 's schmaltzy . but this does n't pretend to be something it 's not . it 's a 124-minute old-fashioned , john wayne-type , feel good war movie . and what 's wrong with that ? i loved it .",
      "has this script been in a drawer somewhere since 1942 ?",
      "i have nothing against a good old-fashioned flying-aces war movie ... . i just get a little antsy at movies in which almost every single damn moment is presumed to be dramatic enough to warrant a swelling music cue .",
      "gorgeously choreographed aerial photography and seamless visual effects give life , scope , exhilaration and danger to the action set-pieces .",
      "a tie-in MOV video game is now available , designed to coincide with the film 's release . i guarantee that script will be better than this one .",
      "click for full review -lsb- greek -rsb-",
      "this time , i simply had to split my vote .",
      "the aerial combat scenes are visually stunning .",
      "an embarrassing cliché-fest .",
      "romanticised battles and chivalry , heroic deeds and brutal deaths , these are the elements that MOV flies by , a thrilling adventure from the pages of history , tinged with the sadness of it all .",
      "weak on story , but strong on action , MOV is actually worth seeing for the effects alone .",
      "the introduction is slow , but director tony bill can be forgiven some sluggishness thanks to the spectacle of his aerial footage .",
      "... while the flying sequences might be visually slick and exciting , the accompanying screenplay is woefully trite and phony .",
      "even the aerial battle scenes are frustrating because they 've been shot with no sense of space -lrb- the effect is similar to watching a dance sequence where you ca n't see the dancers ' feet -rrb- .",
      "you can forgive the chessiness when that camera is soaring through the air .",
      "the edgy flight shots and stimulating biplane battles make MOV a better movie . they just do n't make it a good one .",
      "near the start of MOV , the squadron 's grizzled vet hands suicide pistols to the new pilots , to be used if they find themselves in a no-win situation . unfortunately , the audience is offered no such option .",
      "the romance does n't feel necessary to the film -- an observation that makes me realize the entire film does n't feel necessary to the film .",
      "... the movie 's main virtue may be scholarly : the filmmakers have gathered , all in one place , a century 's worth of war-movie clichés .",
      "as is the case with so many films that are billed as ` based on a true story , ' MOV hopes to skate by on its fascinating subject matter alone .",
      "this is the first world war i aviation movie in over 40 years . then , the movie proves why .",
      "despite the brutal dogfights and inevitable deaths , there 's little gravity or resonance .",
      "MOV ' spectacular predictability confirms its shallowness .",
      "unbearably tedious and mildly insulting .",
      "a valentine to wwi 's first american fighter pilots that does n't quite reach its aimed-for heights .",
      "snoopy 's battles with the red baron felt more authentic than this .",
      "MOV may be inspired by true events , but director tony bill 's evocation of an air squadron 's exploits during wwi is a sham no amount of droopy-dog posturing by james franco can alleviate .",
      "despite impressive cg effects , this is an old-fashioned war-adventure about the first american pilot squadron in wwi , with something for everyone : thrilling combat for the boys , schmaltzy romance for the girls , shallow psychology and sociology of war .",
      "those amazing young heroes from the second decade of the last century -- our first true fighter pilots -- deserve so much more than what 's served up in this very disappointing attempt .",
      "such unabashedly heroic whitewashing of what many consider the most horrific battlefield clash of modern times is nothing new to the movies but it seems painfully out of place in the present-day with real-life overseas casualties accumulating each day .",
      "the movie 's straightforward and ingratiating , and as pretty-boy history lessons go , it 's a lot less obnoxious than pearl harbor .",
      "the computer-generated aerial footage ... makes dogfights with the red baron look like a really cool video game .",
      "had top gun been directed by a curator at the smithsonian museum , MOV would have been the outcome .",
      "at a time when military movies tend to take the overwrought epic route , it 's kind of nice to see one that 's just fun . MOV ' attitude seems to be , ` hey , look at the cool stuff we can do . '",
      "lots of heart , eye candy , and likable characters , but its lack of more grit , believability , and substance stops it from truly inspiring .",
      "chop at least half an hour off the running time by deleting the totally unnecessary and yawn-inducing love story and MOV would n't be half-bad .",
      "sometimes you just want to see pretty people in period costumes flying around in old-timey planes , swooning with impossible young love and screaming at the sky in rage .",
      "... great dogfight sequences -lsb- plus -rsb- the fact that most of the audience will have no idea that the film is filled with clichés from movies they 've never seen .",
      "a good documentary might have been a far more interesting film to make .",
      "sometimes corn works . sometimes it does n't . MOV flops .",
      "the creators of MOV know no image too clichéd , no narrative convention too exhausted and no psychological motivation too pat that it ca n't do service .",
      "this is spectacle in the grand old style , a bygone shot of adrenaline and grace .",
      "when MOV finally ends , a too-long 139 minutes later , there 's a sense of emptiness , perhaps even disgust .",
      "if the current legroom in economy class does n't make you resent the birth of the wright brothers , MOV certainly will . like a flight from new york to los angeles , it 's bad and it 's long .",
      "this cornball effort pales in comparison with the best world war i dramas . MOV does n't feel particularly realistic , nor is it especially entertaining .",
      "to be honest , this old-fashioned kind of adventure and romance is appealing . and the thrilling air-battle scenes alone will make it worthwhile for war buffs and aircraft aficionados .",
      "the aerial dogfights are thrilling , but the script seems to have been written by snoopy .",
      "MOV is schlock . it 's structure is predictable : comic moments , followed by an action sequence -- good from a distance , but as soon as we 're too close to the pilots , everyone just looks ridiculous .",
      "this is a lost opportunity on an epic scale . the actors are so styled and the dogfights so drippy with cg that , as a period piece , the movie almost looks like it 's set in the future .",
      "war is hell , but sitting through a clunky war film is n't much fun , either .",
      "there is a reason it is n't called flymen .",
      "because of his smoldering good looks , james franco has been repeatedly compared to james dean ; given franco 's lack of edge and mystery -lrb- two qualities dean possessed in spades -rrb- , this is like comparing david spade to cary grant .",
      "realized with a combination of vintage and replica aircraft , as well as elaborate cgi effects , the airborne sequences are duly awesome , if a tad monotonous . ironically , the movie really takes off when it 's on the ground .",
      "for a while , MOV is just mindless , unintentional hilarity . but about halfway through this story the movie becomes an offensive piece of war propaganda .",
      "watching MOV , it 's hard not to giggle and think of snoopy vs. the red baron .",
      "agreeably antiquated and enjoyable to the core , MOV is proof that they can , occasionally , make 'em like they used to .",
      "one wishes this particular version did more than make glancing references to the despair and disillusion that was as much a part of this particular war as the exploding dirigibles and officers ' bonhomie .",
      "while nothing ground-breaking , MOV is two-plus hours of passable entertainment .",
      "the film spends most of its time on the ground , where a historically accurate but not terribly dramatic screenplay wanders through the same military clichés we 've been seeing since movies were invented .",
      "thrilling in the air as it is , it 's a cliched old war movie on the ground , with a groaner i-can ` t-speak-your-language romance and every stereotype short of a kid named ` brooklyn ' .",
      "the back and forth between real biplanes and the cgi variety is flawless , and that makes the dogfights look far more exiting than stuff spent in outer space or with super-duper stealth fighters .",
      "it 's as if director tony bill simply fished out a mothballed script from 1947 and filmed it without updating it for contemporary audiences .",
      "MOV is so schematic and contrived , you can anticipate exactly what scene is going to come next , and who will be the next to die in combat .",
      "no amount of aerial dogfights can compensate for storytelling this formulaic .",
      "the computer-generated flying effects are the only reason to see the movie , but at some point somebody left the computer on too long , so it went ahead and spat out the script .",
      "MOV does an excellent job of re-creating the confusion , speed and peril of fighting in the clouds with machine guns mounted on rickety planes .",
      "it 's watchable , but this was an epic tale deserving of a huge canvas and , frankly , a better director and actors . and a less simplistic script .",
      "the high-altitude combat is thrilling , and aviation buffs will thrill to all the pretty biplanes sailing through the clouds . but the characters are corny and the situations are clichéd .",
      "the best way to sum up the MOV experience is `` quaint '' and i do n't mean that in a good way",
      "where 's the story ? weak cast in toy planes . the dogfights are the stars .",
      "the result guarantees a thrill a minute for all ages , and a few tears , too , in an old-fashioned kind of war movie with heart -lrb- in the best kind of tradition -rrb- that keeps you on the edge of your seat with your mouth wide open .",
      "a dumbed-down masterpiece theater version of the events . ... like too many ` actors ' of his generation , james franco does n't appear to possess many noticeable acting skills .",
      "the cliche-ridden histrionics were already old-fashioned ... fifty years ago . now they seem positively moldy , and all the cgi dexterity in the world ca n't enliven them .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- grand yarn of adventure and catastrophe ... big and emotional and sentimental without being sappy ... it 's an instant new classic in my own little pantheon of favorite films . i love love love this movie .",
      "james de , uh franco , is likable but the movie is cliche-ridden and repetitive .",
      "a majestic tribute to the hollywood war films of yesteryear ... worth the price of admission for the amazing aerial dogfights alone .",
      "a world war i aviation film that peddles clichés about the camaraderie of men who fight together .",
      "among these combatants , you wo n't find much all quiet on the western front-style despair , and the paths of glory are unsullied by doubt or disillusionment .",
      "i found myself fidgeting through much of MOV , a fictionalized story of the lafayette escadrille crammed with as much nifty aerial photography -lrb- real and digitally rendered -rrb- as you could hope for .",
      "MOV has computer imaging and a fleet of vintage aircraft on its side , but it remains considerably less convincing than wings -lrb- 1927 -rrb- , and less exciting .",
      "this is old-school moviemaking , for better or worse , which means rat-a-tat dogfights in the sky combined with overripe romantic and social clichés on the ground .",
      "the painstaking authenticity and appealing cast of MOV ca n't overcome the cloyingly formulaic nature of its story .",
      "an ` escapist ' war movie with no discernible agenda or reason for being other than to entertain , which hardly seems adequate .",
      "no cliche goes unturned in the wooden script .",
      "besides some fine dogfight sequences , it often feels threadbare , just an exercise in recycling .",
      "younger moviegoers may respond to it , and to its sweet romance , celebration of manly camaraderie and overall air of historical accuracy .",
      "tony bill 's MOV is an entertaining , old-fashioned adventure saga , employing new digital filmmaking to bring to life action-packed dogfights and the reckless derring-do of the earliest days of wartime flight .",
      "the movie mainly appeals to viewers who need ` dogfights ' , noble deaths and burning huns . it could stir the blood of the 13-year-old boy in anyone ."
    ],
    "summary": "a poorly scripted history-rewriting exercise with mediocre acting and unconvincing cgi battle scenes .",
    "id": "287865411"
  },
  {
    "movie": "quiz_show",
    "reviews": [
      "... redford manages to build quite a snowball of drama in all of this , full of heroes and antiheroes ...",
      "perfectly pitched , the film brims with insight and wit . highly recommended .",
      "both dramatically and historically important with fine turns by fiennes and turturro , directed by redford .",
      "outstanding drama about morals and our choices .",
      "acutely observed , beautifully performed , lovingly directed media morality tale that resonates far beyond its 1950s setting .",
      "this is an outstanding drama that provides an excellent opportunity for examining the way that people make moral choices .",
      "robert redford 's best and richest directorial effort ...",
      "it 's a blessedly old-fashioned , well-made and well-acted narrative ...",
      "redford turns a dry subject into high art , matching the achievements of his other directing efforts in ordinary people and a river runs through it .",
      "redford 's best film to date is a poignant examination of pop culture , tv , greed , and race relations in american society of the 1950s , with perfect casting of john turturro , ralph fiennes , and particularly paul scofield .",
      "artfully constructed and beautifully shot .",
      "an exciting achievement , not only the most accomplished film of redford 's directorial career , but one of the best to carry his name .",
      "redford again showed his good directorial skills and the recreation of late 1950s is almost flawless .",
      "few films are so intellectually complicated while still being so commercially entertaining .",
      "i have to give the film a mild thumbs up as it is an interesting story and the performance by fiennes is worth seeing .",
      "aside from the impeccable structure of paul attanasio 's screenplay , MOV also works on several dichotomous levels .",
      "the film is surprisingly good . the screenplay is intelligent , inventive and always interesting . the dialogue is keen and the characters are well developed and three-dimensional .",
      "prime example of a well-done movie about ethics .",
      "this is one of those vibrant , mixed-up american movies that fails to reach its loftier goals but is saved by its showbiz sparkle .",
      "what redford is saying is n't new , but it has rarely been said in a mainstream movie with this kind of passion .",
      "manages a trick that few films even dare try -- to take a hard look at personal and public moral issues and still provide dazzling entertainment .",
      "the screenplay , by former washington post film critic paul attanasio , is smart , subtle and ruthless .",
      "mr. redford has made a rich , handsome , articulate film about a subject truly worth talking about .",
      "boring movie about the most dull scandal in the history of television .",
      "a quietly powerful take on innocence lost , its lessons apparent every time we turn on the television .",
      "as a pure period piece MOV delivers beautifully , but redford 's foursquare , documentary-like approach , however artful , unspools a story with about as much drama as a game show itself .",
      "robert redford does a superb directing job .",
      "gripping , compelling , absorbing ... yeah , all those adjectives and more , this is a great movie .",
      "one of the greatest american films . compelling scandal and heartbreaking victims .",
      "a marvelous performance by ralph fiennes .",
      "crisply directed by redford from a thought-provoking script by paul attanasio , and featuring a slew of strong performances .",
      "written with clean-cut force by paul attanasio and directed with panache by robert redford .",
      "every characterization is full and rounded ; every scene is a perfect development of theme . the dialogue is filled with crisp , subtle and quotable lines .",
      "with the possible exception of the shawshank redemption , MOV has the best script of any film i have seen this year .",
      "robert redford 's assurded true story about MOV corruption is totally engrossing , with genius performances from ralph fiennes and john turturro .",
      "MOV ' is a uniquely american tragedy , told with subtlety and complexity .",
      "this is serious moviemaking : sharply defined characters and textured storytelling -lrb- made more powerful by its real-life basis -rrb- that probes big themes .",
      "witty , entertaining , intelligent ."
    ],
    "summary": "robert redford refracts the sociopolitical and moral issues posed by the subject material through a purely entertaining , well-acted lens .",
    "id": "11034"
  },
  {
    "movie": "monsters-2010",
    "reviews": [
      "gareth edwards ' independently made road/horror/politico / sci-fi film , gets all the points in the world for trying , but it ultimately comes up way short",
      "MOV suffers from lazy oversights in an otherwise compelling indie film that 's often gorgeously photographed by edwards in authentic , exotic locations .",
      "this low-budget and character-driven drama should be applauded for its realistic portrait of a world slowly coming to grips with an alien invasion .",
      "as a piece of imaginative virtual tourism , made on an extremely low budget , MOV is a fantastic achievement .",
      "sci-fi thriller that is fused together with a familiar road story romance .",
      "should you see it ? yes , if you 're a sci-fi fan and/or if you 're curious about the current state of diy filmmaking . otherwise , i 'd call it a toss-up .",
      "one of the most assured and impressive feature debuts in recent years .",
      "too much of MOV simply reminds you of other , better movies ...",
      "MOV is part immigration parable , part war allegory with a dose of it happened one night and the african queen tossed in .",
      "a genre-blurring gem that combines elements of sci-fi creature feature , road movie and indie romance ... district 9 meets it happened one night , with a dash of mumblecore .",
      "`` sunny with a chance of creatures '' could well be the weather report from the world of MOV , one of the most startling movies of our new diy filmmaking culture .",
      "every scene has real texture , genuine tension .",
      "intelligent sci-fi with a monster-sized heart .",
      "MOV wants to be an allegory about american self-absorption or the panic over immigration or something ; exactly what is never very clear .",
      "the immigration and drug war parable and photojournalism ethics are never front and center , but draw attention because edwards does n't deliver well-earned frights or even cheap jolts . it 's a good-looking movie with zero sense of urgency .",
      "you could say that MOV is an art house take on cloverfield . and for me that 's a good thing .",
      "too bad the story , though atmospheric , is so familiar and slight .",
      "relationships should never get in the way of otherworldly destruction - especially when your film 's called MOV .",
      "` MOV ' is no ` jaws , ' but the comparison is apt on one level : edwards , like spielberg , manages to sustain tension even in the absence of early or frequent payoffs .",
      "MOV is far from perfect , but as a calling card for a rising young talent , it 's impressive .",
      "for all the portentous ambience and subtlety of mood in this micro-budget slog through tropical wastelands and the mumbled dialogue of its vacant-eyed protagonists , MOV wields a pretty heavy-handed allegorical message .",
      "zigs where other monster movies zag ... a trip worth taking .",
      "`` MOV '' is no ordinary horror film . if it were , it might be a bit better than it is . as the movie stands , it 's a less-than-compelling relationship drama , with aliens .",
      "terrific production values are let down by an unappealing and stale screenplay .",
      "it 's a gorgeous and unsettling ride , a road movie about an almost-romance , with the threat of the unknown hanging in the air , and an ending , both beautiful and elegantly scary , that sends shivers down the spine .",
      "this is a very postmodern sci-fi , with its downbeat approach to the MOV themselves , but with a hugely involving love story .",
      "MOV is a brilliantly executed thriller which puts multi-million dollar blockbusters to shame .",
      "edwards ' neat spin on alien invasion sci-fi movies might just be the debut of the year .",
      "... a big effects-driven film delivered on a shoestring .",
      "for all james cameron 's trumpeting about a 3d revolution , this efficient little movie could turn out to be the real game-changer of the year .",
      "an organic-feeling monster movie that capitalises on the energy and unpredictability of its guerilla film-making approach to make its judicious use of traditional sci-fi tropes even more lyrical and haunting .",
      "this film is so edgy it hardly needs its MOV . -lrb- but do n't worry , it gets them . -rrb-",
      "it proves that you do n't need a big budget and overblown special effects to pull off a clever alien movie .",
      "MOV has real talent in its corner , as well as a worthwhile story to tell . in that type of scenario , budgets are for wimps .",
      "` do n't like our pallid , predictable love story between two shallow characters ? do n't worry , the MOV will be back . ' the trouble is there 's not nearly enough of the creatures or any real thrills to keep audiences entertained .",
      "a startlingly original and haunting take on our ageless fear of otherness .",
      "ultimately ` MOV ' is too obvious by half , but you have to give it credit for trying ... for all its flaws , more interesting than a brainless , bombastic big-budget bore like ` cloverfield . '",
      "this efficient , low-budget drama is geared toward the arthouse crowd , but genre buffs will want to get a look at its titular MOV .",
      "what MOV sorely wants is a convincing human element and a softer touch when it comes to its incoherent and mostly pretentious depiction of the way the media sensationalizes and in turn creates MOV .",
      "atmospheric and inventive . a little indie worth looking for .",
      "a slow paced , entertaining , and intriguing look at a new world under the mercy of a new monstrous breed of animal ...",
      "edwards is a wizard with his laptop 's effects program . the squiddy things he conjures up look like the real deal - thoroughly creepy and a gazillion feet tall .",
      "a marvel of low-budget , economic storytelling that boasts impressive visual effects .",
      "there 's so much right with gareth edwards 's low-budget alien invasion tale that you almost want to brush aside everything that 's not up to snuff .",
      "... like a cross between `` district 9 '' and `` the mist '' with a heart-on-its-sleeve theme about illegal immigration and american imperialism .",
      "overcomes such drawbacks as sad special-effects aliens and a hoary storyline to emerge rather winning , if small .",
      "a great exercise in low budget filmmaking but not much of a monster movie .",
      "aa movie that expects you to bring more to the movie than the movie brings to you ... runs out of ideas long before it runs out of movie .",
      "who said science fiction films have to be expensive ?",
      "there 's an intriguing rhythm of deliberate and prolonged foreplay ; it 's fun to watch , despite the enduring blandness of the leads .",
      "is n't quite like any other sci-fi action film that 's come before ... has more in common with walking-and-talking relationship dramas like before sunrise",
      "once you accept that MOV is a love story set against a sad metaphor for how the us treats outsiders , then it can be reasonably enjoyed on the level it was intended to be .",
      "rather than using the effects to dazzle or shock , edwards goes for awe , and comes up with moments that are staggeringly poetic and provocative -- right up to an ending guaranteed to get viewers arguing about its meaning .",
      "even if the visually similar cloverfield and the thematically similar district 9 did n't already exist , this would still seem painfully hackneyed and obvious .",
      "the creatures are merely the catalyst to the drama between its two leads , and it 's in their relationship where the movie thrives .",
      "had the potential to be smarter , boundary-pushing science fiction along the lines of district 9 , but with its underdone characterization and critical failures of imagination , it barely manages to meet the low standards of cloverfield .",
      "although the vérité aesthetics of MOV will invite comparisons to cloverfield and district 9 , what galls most is the infuriating lack of purpose beyond its backdrop .",
      "i want to convince you to see it but i do n't want to hype it so much that the surprise is ruined .",
      "it desperately wants to be about something , but clearly is n't sure exactly what . thus , engaging production design and budget-level effects work fall victim to an inane script .",
      "effortlessly compels . the ending may be pure sci-fi schmaltz , but it 's schmaltz that this viewer , at least , could believe in .",
      "considering the budget and guerrilla-style filmmaking , -lsb- gareth -rsb- edwards deserves our attention .",
      "what brings MOV down from its extremely low perch is a conspicuous lack of monstrosity -- the best the filmmaker 's laptop has come up with is fleeting glimpses of supersize squid -- together with the vacuousness of the hero and heroine ...",
      "both of them are so obnoxious that you 're quickly rooting for the MOV to get them . unfortunately , they 're never in any real danger .",
      "the movie itself is pretty slow moving and the giant alien MOV are disappointing because they appear on the screen so briefly . the really impressive thing about it is how little it cost to make .",
      "a script not even a mother could love",
      "while the plot appears to meander , the impact is undeniable .",
      "... give edwards props for making the effort , and for so effectively creating a convincing portrait of the world under siege from a slow , evolutionary invasion .",
      "next to ` catfish , ' ` MOV ' is probably the most anti-climatic ending of the year .",
      "a road movie , a romantic drama , a post-apocalyptic monster thriller , and more .",
      "mcnairy and able are stick figures who spend all their screen time spouting risible platitudes about how america sure looks different when you see it from the other side of a wall .",
      "it 's a journey that involves plenty of hazards , none more dire than the prospect of romantic scenes between two actors with zero chemistry .",
      "MOV virtually redefines guerilla filmmaking for our technologically attuned generation , and despite its many flaws , it is an enticing career-maker for director edwards .",
      "expect cool weird things from -lsb- edwards -rsb- in the future .",
      "most of the time it feels more like a romantic comedy than a monster movie , and yet there 's relentless tension all the way through",
      "anemic sci-fi that works neither as romance nor adventure .",
      "creativity always trumps cash , and nowhere is that more evident than here .",
      "the couple at the heart of MOV is so insufferable you 'll be cheering on the aliens .",
      "edwards figured the film could use a love story as well , turning a promising excursion through extraterrestrial occupation into an irritating mumblecore drain .",
      "one of the top cinematic achievements so far this century . that is not to say it is necessarily a great film , only that , for what was achieved on a reported budget of less than $ 100,000 , it is very nearly mind-blowing .",
      "MOV feels a little bit like the end result of an adaptation of war of the worlds that steven spielberg might have made back when he still had the limited resources and boundless inventiveness of his jaws days",
      "despite its title , and the occasional presence of giant squid-like bioluminescent aliens , gareth edwards ' feature debut has appeal that extends far beyond the usual sf/horror crowd",
      "a sporadically intriguing yet terminally uninvolving failure ...",
      "its critique of border controls recycles ideas from movies like children of men and district 9 , and its romance has as much spark as a dead battery .",
      "edwards ' debut has more in common with lost in translation . imagine godzilla stumbling around tokyo while bill and scarlett sing karaoke inside the hotel and you 'll get a good idea of what MOV is all about .",
      "the result impresses thanks to the lead actors ' performances and edwards ' skilled efforts . but it should come with a warning : `` here be -lrb- not many -rrb- MOV . ''",
      "with two strong central performances , a wonderfully genuine style , and some daring filmmaking decisions , MOV will have a godzilla-sized following develop over the next few years .",
      "a sharp little low-fi monster movie operating from a tantalizing premise .",
      "i suspect writer/director/producer / effects designer/cinematographer/production designer gareth edwards is aware he has bitten off more than he could possibly chew ...",
      "a stunning piece of work that packs a devastating emotional wallop .",
      "warning : contains very few MOV .",
      "`` MOV '' is a rather special achievement . think of it as a movie that m. night shyamalan -lrb- and we -rrb- would be happy he made .",
      "by playing on our intrinsic fear of the unknown , MOV turns out to be far more convincing , compelling and unnerving than the likes of skyline where the aliens are constantly in the limelight .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- riter/director gareth edwards ... has created the kind of visual effects that would have cost millions 15 years ago entirely on his home computer .",
      "under the pretense of making that ever-elusive low budget gem , the `` character-driven '' movie , newbie feature writer/director gareth edwards slaps together a bland sci-fi movie that wilts under its bait-and-switch romantic plot .",
      "allegories do n't come much more leaden than MOV , a transparent fusion of cloverfield and district 9 that posits its alien-invasion tale as a parable about illegal immigration .",
      "strikingly beautiful effects and atmosphere mixed with some really great direction make for a very well done film .",
      "if you want to make your giant monster movie more of a character study , more power to you , but then the pressure 's on to create some truly captivating characters .",
      "this unforgettable debut marks edwards out as a huge talent and one who 'll likely find himself showered with hollywood cash to support future endeavours .",
      "MOV asks greater questions of its audience than the usual special effects yawn-fests .",
      "a better-than-average debut by a filmmaker who merits watching . let 's hope that he keeps some of his indie spirit when hollywood comes calling .",
      "MOV looks and feels like a major studio film , and edwards is clearly a talent to watch .",
      "the most interesting thing here is the budget .",
      "an astonishing achievement for first-time british feature director gareth edwards .",
      "it 's apocalypse now with giant space alien squids !",
      "gareth edwards makes a huge impression here as a new kind of auteur .",
      "there 's so much that MOV does well that it 's a massive disappointment when you realize just how dull the script is , how much chemistry the leads lack , and how clumsily delivered edwards ' political arguments are .",
      "a sincere , eerily lovely , and ultimately rather poetic horror-travelogue that transcends its considerable limitations . if the deliberately amorphous ending means what i think it does , bump it up another 10 points .",
      "brit director gareth edwards cleverly keeps the focus of this intriguing and riveting sci-fi love story on the classy performances from the two leads .",
      "i 'd sooner believe director gareth edwards had hired actual extra-terrestrials to make an appearance in his film MOV , than accept the fact that he was able to construct them with his sfx-savvy and a measly budget of $ 500,000 .",
      "first-time director gareth edwards is exceptionally skilled at creating mood , but sort of useless when it comes to creating a meaningful narrative .",
      "this is such an interesting film in the riffs that you can get out of it about american attitudes to outsiders , so that at the end , particularly at the end , you wonder who the true MOV are .",
      "just remember , folks : if a nasa probe finds alien life forms in space , it 's not a good idea to bring dna samples back to earth .",
      "compared to a lot of high-budget sci-fi , it makes for a nice change .",
      "with MOV , edwards transcends the special-effects auteur label , creating a memorable sci-fi story in which the hero and heroine are true equals in the adventure . how 's that for an alien concept ?",
      "like its title characters -- squid-like aliens who encroach on our ecosystems -- MOV represents a kind of encroachment of kitchen-table filmmaking on hollywood 's turf .",
      "unique , adventurous and hard-to-define , MOV is guerilla filmmaking at its best .",
      "only distinguishable from a hollywood alien invasion movie , like skyline , in one way . it 's actually really good .",
      "the story is told with a naturalistic style and with the actors improvising with non-actor locals . in the end the film is really about people and not special effects .",
      "an amazing achievement for a ` first-time ' filmmaker , which measures up to the finest indies for performance and character-work , and the biggest blockbusters for jaw-dropping effects .",
      "a seamless blending of romance , road movie and monster flick .",
      "beautifully shot , superbly directed and featuring extremely impressive made-on-a-laptop special effects , this is an engaging , offbeat road movie with strong performances from its two leads .",
      "ultimately the film strives to inspire awe rather than terror , culminating in a climax as brave as it is unexpected .",
      "as a film it 's a couple of notches shy of a masterpiece , but as an achievement it 's completely without precedent .",
      "a somewhat confused spawn of cloverfield and district 9 , with less of an effects budget and less of a coherent self-concept than either of its parents .",
      "for lovers of the genre ; atmospheric and thoughtful",
      "district 9 with a language barrier .",
      "`` it 's different looking at america from outside , '' they say , just in case we missed the metaphor .",
      "a uniquely satisfying entertainment .",
      "makes its own distinct impression thanks to a finely tuned attention to atmospheric detail over broad sci-fi sensationalism .",
      "if this is what the british director can achieve on a shoestring , one can only look forward to what a bigger budget may bring with monster expectation .",
      "the marketers are pushing MOV as `` this year 's district 9 '' but gareth edwards ' modern , moody alien-invasion take on the african queen is arguably a better film .",
      "pays off with one of the most beautiful and unforgettable endings you 'll witness to a movie all year .",
      "by the time our hangdog heroes are watching misty-eyed as two psychedelic alien octopus make sweet whale-song poontang over the petrol pumps , you 'll wish they 'd been taken out by a `` creature '' in the first reel .",
      "the film also has the misfortune of coming in the wake of cloverfield and district 9 , which were much bigger and more accomplished renderings of similar ideas .",
      "MOV pulls off the rare feat of weaving a serious and meaningful narrative around its aliens .",
      "MOV was a mesmerising experience at the cinema and a magic career-making debut from edwards .",
      "the film is less of a movie than it is one of the best show reels i 've ever seen .",
      "it 's a new high in lows , as in lowbrow , low budget and low key . but there 's something about it that 's hard to shake .",
      "with its improvised dialogue and non-professional actors to act as props to the two leads , writer director gareth edwards ' vision is unusual in that he allows the locations to propel the story arc",
      "a brave and challenging film with much to offer the discerning film lover , hardly predictable and inventively made",
      "a dialed down approach to the otherwise apoplectic action film that easily wins over those tired out by the continuing michael bay-ing of the genre .",
      "the fact that nothing major really happens , and that the MOV are almost entirely off-screen , ends up being less of a problem than it may initially appear to be .",
      "MOV , by first-time english director gareth edwards , begins where most alien invasion movies end .",
      "borrowing the handheld lensing and easy pace of a low-budget character piece , director gareth edwards , a cgi artist by trade , has created a dystopian landscape that 's so naturalistic , it 's uncanny .",
      "this low-budget creature feature creates a rich sci-fi universe but fails to populate it with compelling characters ."
    ],
    "summary": "it does n't quite live up to its intriguing premise , but MOV is a surprising blend of alien-invasion tropes , political themes , and relationship drama .",
    "id": "771039394"
  },
  {
    "movie": "living_out_loud",
    "reviews": [
      "a tepid comedy/drama involving a wealthy nurse , judith -lrb- holly hunter -rrb- , who is miserable .",
      "the smooth , soothing soundtrack could not be a better fit for the laid-back , low-key , unforced appeal of the film .",
      "... made up of magical moments of revelation that are the film 's strength as well as its ultimate weakness .",
      "` MOV ' presents the delightful surprise of danny devito as a romantic lead . and he also sings !",
      "this feminist comedy shot through with fantasies about the travails of newly single womanhood strikes some rich chords , but does n't quite put together a complete tune .",
      "if you live in manhattan , you know women like judith -lrb- holly hunter -rrb- , the 40-something , upper east side divorce who put her ex-husband through medical school .",
      "a wonderful film from beginning to end , one that is honest , genuinely funny , and poignant .",
      "... there is always a market for these kid of sleek , superficial movies about the redemptive power of being true to your own nature",
      "a wonderfully crafted movie that has the resourcefulness to encourage holly hunter to dance , danny devito to sing , and queen latifah to act .",
      "the kind of movie that has n't been produced very often since jill clayburgh retired from the screen ... hunter , it should be said , fills clayburgh 's high heels quite nicely , convincingly veering from neurotic to erotic ...",
      "lovely and understated .",
      "lagravenese the director seems less sure of himself than lagravenese the writer , resorting to occasional gimmicky touches that dilute the moods and meanings for which he 's striving ."
    ],
    "summary": "unoriginal , with one-dimensional characters .",
    "id": "14767"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pan_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "`` why ? '' is a question that comes up a lot while watching this abysmal prequel that no one asked for .",
      "joe wright 's MOV is an incredibly derivative new take on a classic character -- but it 's not all bad .",
      "mad max : fury road for kids .",
      "jackman 's theatrical charm helps tie together the many influences , but it 's hard to be inspired by that familiar trope of the fated boy prophesied to change everything . the movie takes seriously concepts thoroughly satirised by the lego movie .",
      "wright throws a lot of ideas at MOV , and not all of them stick , but it makes for a refreshingly imaginative experience , and one not afraid of inspiring a little fear in younger audiences alongside the scattergun wonder .",
      "`` MOV '' is a cacophonous assault on the senses , all computerized cinematographic mayhem and deafening noise , and its hurried pace extinguishes any genuine character development .",
      "lively , but flawed .",
      "hugh jackman has an obvious ball playing the nasty pirate blackbeard , young levi miller is fine as peter and there are some cool visual touches .",
      "the film 's bracing darker streak also battles internally with its own capitulation to dull and bog standard `` inspirational '' hollywood rhetoric , but like the pixie dust MOV 's pirates mine , there 's still some magic buried here .",
      "MOV 's newly-imagined take on peter 's early days rarely achieves lift-off , forever anchored by its own irrelevance .",
      "dear lord , it 's like rooney mara was crushed by a united colours of benetton ad .",
      "a hectic and labored attempt to supply the boy who never grew up with an origin story .",
      "between ` hook , ' the faithful 2003 adaptation and the 1953 classic , there 's not a lot of fertile ground for new MOV stories and this prequel fails to validate its existence .",
      "yes , `` MOV '' is a fresh take on peter , and while it introduces us to neverland and a boy who will eventually never grow up , it does almost nothing to attempt to explain how or why he becomes the character we all know so well .",
      "in fashioning a creation myth for peter MOV , director joe wright and writer jason fuchs have produced such a thin story that they reduce , rather than amplify , j.m. barrie 's famous characters .",
      "`` MOV '' over-invests in special effects . this is painfully felt in the movie 's endless , noisy and emotionally inert climax , where the characters and story get lost in the digital razzle-dazzle .",
      "it holds the makings of a classic in its hands . and then subtly , heartbreakingly , it all starts to go wrong .",
      "it might not be the best peter MOV story , but , thankfully , this one does n't have brian williams ' daughter cackling like a rooster .",
      "for all the eye-popping effects and hyperkinetic action , there 's no joyful innocence here . there 's no sense of childlike wonder . just a lifeless machine , dully ticking away like a clock in a crocodile 's belly .",
      "the movie 's ultimately more exhausting that it is exhilarating , as if it were furiously preoccupied with figuring out how to keep from growing up , instead of just staying young at heart .",
      "joe wright 's over-the-top use of colour in neverland gives the film an impressive visual style that should charm adolescent audiences .",
      "ugly to look at , shrill to listen to , and performed by actors who have been encouraged to camp it up madly in the style usually favored by aging british sitcom stars playing storybook characters in christmas panto productions .",
      "there are times in MOV when you are left in awe of what you are seeing , with some remarkable visuals , and the occasional scene that will have you completely mesmerised . but regrettably such moments are few and far between .",
      "jubilantly uncool ... perhaps one of the best compliments you could pay it is that it could have been written 100 years ago .",
      "to lazily but wholly appropriately use a very hoary old cliché , MOV is fun for the whole family .",
      "the film 's decision to strip j.m. barrie 's evergreen tale of its iconic elements is never vindicated by the alternatives offered .",
      "the actors all try hard to keep the energy up but never get convincingly in synch and , with the exception of peter , the characters do n't reasonably comport with one 's pre-existing images of them .",
      "stripping all whimsy and wonder from the peter MOV story , joe wright 's prequel is a busy , bungled bust .",
      "if barrie inspired jk rowling , then here the favour is returned wholesale as screenwriter jason fuchs 's take is pure potter .",
      "deftly made and diverting for young audiences but unlikely to linger , with any vibrancy tempered by the familiarity of the tune .",
      "its bizarre , carnival-style filmmaking approach is n't enough to launch a new franchise .",
      "it 's all surface thrills and computer-generated spectacle . what 's missing is the magic , and that 's a shame . -lrb- full content review - sex , violence , profanity , etc. - for parents also available -rrb-",
      "pointless , joyless , and insulting to barrie and his beloved fairy tale .",
      "it is difficult not to approach MOV with a deep , weary sigh .",
      "uneven origin story is disappointing ; expect some violence .",
      "whatever it is , here 's MOV , the grittier , overexposed origin tale of how peter MOV came to be peter MOV that aims to tap into the boundless market of viewers who like when everything is explained in painstaking detail ...",
      "the picture offers no boundaries for wright 's vision , but the wide open space confuses the talented helmer . this is n't a bad movie , it 's merely a punishingly permissive one .",
      "` hook ' and ` finding neverland ' at least seemed to know what peter MOV was about . ` MOV ' feels like any blockbuster remade as peter MOV .",
      "this joyless , juiceless MOV is a theme-park ride from hell .",
      "the `` boy who could fly '' still takes to the air , but this cumbersome , weighty , bombastic bit of backstory feels like an over-crammed , tossed-around piece of movie baggage .",
      "writer simon fuchs begins with a reasonable idea -- we 're all likely to be curious about the origins of peter MOV -- and does unreasonable things ever after .",
      "the movie is meant to be a grand adventure , but once we learn his origins , the movie becomes merely a collection of mayhem-filled set pieces , with giant wooden boats flying around at what feels like 5 mph and crashing into things .",
      "who in the world was crying out for a prequel to peter MOV ? and especially in this lumpy , vanilla form ...",
      "what it lacks in character development ... MOV overcompensates for in style .",
      "there 's no denying that MOV is one ambitious fairy tale . but what 's being labeled a `` wholly original adventure '' feels far from new , never mind necessary .",
      "was anyone clamoring for the story of how hook and peter came to be ? maybe , but they wo n't find it in `` MOV , '' not really .",
      "screenwriter jason fuchs -lrb- `` ice age : continental drift '' -rrb- creates a prequel to the j.m. barrie classic , sprinkling it with insider nods to what is yet to come but british director joe wright -lrb- `` hanna '' -rrb- has gone bonkers putting it on the screen .",
      "the movie 's generic plot and characters ... are entirely in the service of its design elements .",
      "this joyless , 10-megaton bomb fails in just about every imaginable way , as well as some you could n't possibly imagine .",
      "wright seems overwhelmed by the material , and he fails to make us care about any of the characters .",
      "sometimes , classic stories do n't benefit from re-imaginings or embellishments . sometimes , it 's not worth knowing what happened before the fun starts . sometimes , such mysteries are best left alone .",
      "there 's good bits and pieces , but ultimately its superficiality and defects overcome whatever good the movie may had . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "a horrible and colorful prequel directed by joe wright that 's all over the place . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "this new peter MOV tries to be a mix of everything we saw this summer , but in the end the movie feels pretentious and boring . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "it might not be the best version of the character , but it got enough adventure for kids to enjoy . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "a botched interpretation of the classic story that trades spectacle for coherence .",
      "nonsensical and insulting",
      "passable adventure that offers the occasional flash of real cleverness .",
      "by the end , the only happy thought `` MOV '' inspires is a desire to flee the theater .",
      "let 's not mince words : this movie stinks .",
      "make no mistake , this film falls squarely in the realm of camp classic , but it 's kind of fun in that very specific way .",
      "it 's a mishmash of ideas that are n't bad . they just are n't that good either .",
      "think of MOV as the underachieving kid with boatloads of talent , who does just enough to get a b . they did fine , but an a was well within their grasp , which makes their b 's look more like c 's .",
      "why do filmmakers continue to feel the need to squeeze all the joy and magic out of such a remarkably enduring figure of edwardian-era make-believe as j.m. barrie 's peter MOV ?",
      "falls flat on its face ... raucous , bloated with special effects and thoroughly lacking in charm , ` MOV ' is the rare family movie that should appeal to no group along the age spectrum .",
      "stands out from the crowd of modern family features , driven by a desire to match its title character 's rebellious essence . it is always better to be ambitious and work only some of the time than to never , or rarely , try at all .",
      "joe wright shows little interest in exploring wider thematic concerns , instead presenting us with a charmless , overly-literal action fantasy .",
      "if atonement , wright 's neatest work to date , is a master class on cgi restraint , MOV 's densely pixielated final battle is busy to the point of indecipherability .",
      "joe wright 's apparent attempt to do a baz luhrmann version of several disney rides at once .",
      "it appears all involved had a grand ol' time making MOV , the latest and loopiest retelling of the story of peter MOV . too bad for the audience , though .",
      "there 's a formula here to be studied for future movies . just take whatever they did in `` MOV '' and do something else .",
      "the official worst-ever peter MOV film adaptation of any sort . and that includes `` hook . ''",
      "happy thoughts are hard to conjure while watching MOV , a needless prequel to j.m. barrie 's fantasy about an ever-youthful boy who could fly . director joe wright 's movie barely gets off the ground , and gets old quickly .",
      "what was wright aiming for here ? no idea .",
      "loud , chaotic action dominates this unnecessary prequel to peter MOV .",
      "this is a good film that will be enjoyed both by pre-teen children and the parents who likely will join them at the multiplexes around the country .",
      "the movie does n't so much enhance our understanding of the flying boy as it demonstrates how little thought went into crafting his back story .",
      "ill-conceived from any number of angles .",
      "the noise you hear is j. m. barrie turning over in his grave .",
      "it 's hard to make the case that any of this means anything , or is even supposed to ...",
      "a prequel made just in hopes of building a franchise , nothing else . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "it reminds me most of sylvain chomet 's the triplets of belleville . it 's great .",
      "special effects and art design combine to create a visual spectacle able to caprture kids and adults alike . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "joe wrights puts his signature on the atmosphere between a dream and a nightmare where his characters shine , specially peter and tiger lilly . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "amid all the camp craziness of wright 's vision , with jackman twirling his moustache as if his life depends on it , miller is the one truly watchable element of the film . the rest could have done with drastic pruning .",
      "MOV has good intentions , it even has superb acting by hugh jackman , but the movie itself never really takes off . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "total lack of forward momentum is made worse by a bland cast of characters and uninspired action .",
      "the most cheering surprise of the season is `` MOV . ''",
      "a film that 's saturated , overdone , frenetic , overwhelming and full of insonsitencies . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "in spite of good visual effects , the script never captures the magic of the characters . i 'll stick to the disney version . -lsb- full review in spanish -rsb-",
      "by taking chances ... even MOV 's failures help to distinguish it from typical hollywood kids cash-in fare .",
      "MOV simply turns into a 3d thrill ride , with a lot of falling through space and flying pirate ships lurching here and there , for no obvious reason .",
      "it 's too hurried , and its action sequences badly deteriorate as the movie goes on , rendering it a lackluster start to a potential franchise .",
      "joe wright 's film could fuel an entire series of incredulous episodes of the how did this get made ? podcast .",
      "sort of a baz luhrmann version of a terry gilliam fantasy . directed by joe wright . who lost his nerve , at some point .",
      "a bit of a frenetic mess , but an entertaining one , joe wright 's latest is a fitting entry into the pantheon of peter MOV movies .",
      "a special f/x-driven prequel very loosely based on the j.m. barrie offering a riveting roller coaster ride well-designed to enthrall tykes for two hours straight .",
      "once we hear MOV is the chosen one , the rest of the film is just going through the motions . it 's already been prophesied so every set piece is just busywork to get there .",
      "MOV is a confounding bauble worthy of neverland , a film with no reason to exist that will inspire obsessive rewatching to figure out how it came to be .",
      "` MOV ' is a pretty poor peter MOV prequel",
      "takes some absolutely bizarre turns that will leave most scratching their heads , but kids will be too enamored with the lush visuals and colorful characters to care .",
      "MOV was two hours of eye candy in place of hollow storytelling . what could have been a unique spin on peter MOV was replaced by a film overwhelmed by its own spectacle .",
      "the film fulfills its limited mandate of providing fast-paced adventure and some nice eye candy without adding anything memorable to the tale of the boy who can fly .",
      "a grotesque , fantasy-adventure flop ...",
      "the very idea behind MOV is ill-conceived . who wants a prequel to peter MOV ?",
      "the film is overwrought with visuals that at best are hit-and-miss , and his actors all seem to be in a different movie .",
      "MOV falls short at being either an imaginative origin story for peter MOV and/or a satisfying standalone big-budget fantasy adventure .",
      "MOV 's playful design and cultural anachronisms present intriguing ideas amid a rather pedestrian script .",
      "tasked to come up with any sort of backstory to get us to the flying and the crowing and the lost boys and the never growing up , MOV goes with what has become default fantasy template no. 1 .",
      "this MOV is n't likely to age well , but what do you expect from a story that refuses to grow up ?",
      "though the film 's story technically meets the definition of ` new , ' little in it will offer up the feeling that word evokes .",
      "the end suggests there are plans for more chapters to the story . if so , someone needs to reassess the formula . this was n't a movie that needed making .",
      "sometimes murky and yet often magical .",
      "it is very early on in the proceedings when we know that there is something off about the film .",
      "traz momentos eficientes de humor e surpresas curiosas .",
      "the character 's singlemost defining trait is that he never wants to grow up . yet , somehow , someone thought it was a brilliant idea to suggest that the legend of that mischievous eternal adolescent began with him learning to accept his heroic destiny .",
      "garrett hedlund 's goofy john huston impersonation gives the film a goofy shot in the arm that delights more than any of its wildly expensive trinkets .",
      "a great first half-hour gives way to a run-of-the-mill chase flick , but there 's some inspired lunacy along the way .",
      "a rush of special effects that signify nothing , telling a story that pretends to add to a beloved mythology while instead mostly just cheapening it .",
      "hook 's got both hands intact and no ticking clock to fear . once a resonant metaphor for adulthood - and the passage of time as approaching death - here hook is just a meaningless stock supporting player trying to stand out amidst the clutter ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV finds a few bursts of magic in its prequel treatment of classic characters , though not enough to offset the rushed plot and shrill , cgi-fueled action .",
    "id": "771371532"
  },
  {
    "movie": "religulous",
    "reviews": [
      "smart , hilarious and thoroughly entertaining .",
      "a refreshingly courageous and long overdue lecture that is equally enlightening , entertaining and provocative .",
      "maher has gone for easy targets . he comes up with the odd funny gag , but you get the feeling that he is as dogmatic about his doubt as the believers are about their faith .",
      "i 'm all for a documentary about the mass hysteria of our warring creeds , but stand-up satirist bill maher turns out to be the wrong man to make it .",
      "it was much more thought-provoking than i was expecting , but his blatant bias made me feel that he was no less a fundamentalist than the religious people he was criticising .",
      "often funny , frequently unfair , mostly simplistic , at times offensively unethical and ultimately limited .",
      "fortunately for filmgoers , the sight of bill maher laying the smacketh down on god is , to quote homer simpson , truly `` sacrilicious '' .",
      "over-extended but nonetheless thought provoking and humorous documentary .",
      "shooting fish in a barrel is the order of the day in comedian bill maher 's faintly tiresome attack on religion .",
      "maher crucifies the kooks . what he singularly fails to do , though , is engage with anyone sensible . by mocking the loonies he squanders the precious high ground . a real pity .",
      "wants to be a wakeup call in a room where the people are willing to sleep just a little too deeply .",
      "click for full review",
      "instead of confronting real problems radiating from the world 's major religions mr. maher and mr. charles opt for borat redux , making fun of silly little yokels .",
      "the passion of the maher",
      "ultimately , the movie is an impotent howl into the wind .",
      "ever the clever quipper , bill maher tackles religious dogma and ritual % u2013and bibles tales % u2013in this documentary of irreverence . the film is witty and pointedly critical % u2013but it 's no revelation .",
      "rather disconcertingly , the film builds towards a vision of the apocalypse , the destructive fate that religious conflicts have in store for us -- a version of the future any hellfire preacher would be proud of .",
      "bill maher admittedly dresses a one-sided anti-religion diatribe in documentary linens and the hypocrites he finds make great punchlines . but he also addresses the historically proven truth of faith perverted for power and the danger posed to us all .",
      "so if you are not already on-side with -lsb- maher 's -rsb- particular leanings , the pickings in MOV are very slim indeed .",
      "borat/bruno meets michael moore in this funny and thought provoking attack on religion .",
      "-lsb- maher 's -rsb- beef against judeo-christian tradition is studiously researched , and seems to point to where maher 's animus really lies -- he does live in a country where no non-christian , is likely to be elected president in his lifetime .",
      "no two ways about it , MOV is going to offend a lot of people who have never even see it . chances are , it 's going to offend a lot of people who do see it as well .",
      "thought is absent in MOV , as is imagination . the movie is maher 's monument to maher , as ugly and hateful as anything he decries in the film .",
      "in this docu-comedy maher and borat director larry charles team up for a guerrilla raid on religion that employs many of the same bait-and-switch tactics from that sacha baron cohen hit .",
      "if you can accept the comedian and talk show host 's ill-mannered shtick and can stand a robust lecture from someone who speaks critically of what others hold sacred , MOV will reinforce what you already think .",
      "it 's not the message in MOV that 's a turn-off , but the way in which it 's delivered .",
      "maher is n't unfair . simply restating religious tenets to believers amounts to ridiculing them , but so be it .",
      "what -lsb- maher -rsb- does do finally in this funny , refreshing movie is assert how unrestrained religiosity could guarantee the ` end days ' many of his subjects admit to looking forward to .",
      "funny as it is , MOV is too much an exercise in preaching to the happily nonconverted . you others be damned . sound familiar ?",
      "many may laugh , and many will surely be offended , but nothing here bridges the gap between those two reactions .",
      "it 's meant to `` prove '' that religious belief and intelligence are mutually exclusive . if you believe that , this movie is for you . for everyone else , it 's a trifling and shoddy tirade .",
      "... an interesting and funny film by a man full of doubt . had he been a bit more open-minded , he might see belief and doubt are partners , not opposites .",
      "you ca n't bamboozle a theme park mascot -- even one dressed up as jesus -- and then ask to be taken seriously .",
      "a facetious yet sincere documentary that makes the case for why all of the world 's organized religions are not only , well , ridiculous , but also detrimental and downright dangerous .",
      "they say that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar . maher comes on like honey , but the provocateur is an unrepentant vinegar man .",
      "the tone swiftly becomes more serious in the film 's last reel , coming to a brilliant -lrb- or infuriating , depending on your beliefs -rrb- head with a maher monologue that 's stunningly biting and incisive .",
      "this is a brutally blunt and often side-splittingly funny movie .",
      "is it mean ? gratuitously prankish ? on the surface , sure , but it serves to remind the viewer that maher is very well aware of his own presence and purpose .",
      "was maher afraid he might muddy his clownish jape if he actually brought into the mix a learned theologian ?",
      "a maher riff that 's amusing enough , but hardly profound -- one that 's unlikely to alter your views on religion , whatever choir you 're in .",
      "as an exchange of ideas , this is a hopeless project , since maher 's doubt is as immovable as his interviewees ' certainty .",
      "maher 's first film project , MOV , is a major disappointment because here , unlike on real time , he aims for laughs instead of insight -- and aims low .",
      "though fashioned as popular entertainment with laughs , light moments , and mostly humorous segments , MOV is as serious as a disapproving jehovah about its mission to upend our rote allegiance to blind religious faith .",
      "comedian bill maher brings his disarmingly direct humor to the topic of religion in MOV . the results are often as surprising as they are funny .",
      "we need skeptics . they infuriate , but they also illuminate , and anybody whose faith ca n't take the knocks that maher dishes out probably has deeper spiritual issues to deal with .",
      "one of the rules of satire is that you ca n't mock things you do n't understand , and MOV starts developing fault lines when it becomes clear that maher 's view of religious faith is based on a sophomoric reading of the scriptures .",
      "maher 's wandering eye keeps MOV - a very good movie - from being the great movie it could have been .",
      "MOV reaffirms maher 's wit , but it also sheds light on his penchant for moral equivalence .",
      "-lsb- maher -rsb- converts ` honest doubt ' into a rant against the ranters . listening to it is like switching from fox news to msnbc , a different perspective but the same damn noise . my god , when will the racket end ?",
      "MOV will offend you , make you laugh extremely hard and then scare the living hell out of you . no pun intended .",
      "MOV is no model for journalistic excellence , but it probably need n't be . it is more an opportunity for maher to showcase his competent comic delivery than to win hearts and minds .",
      "in a string of frank , often hilarious but always well-considered conversations with various christians , maher incisively asks them exactly what skeptics always ponder about religion in general and christianity in particular .",
      "as a piece of agitprop op-ed filmmaking , MOV is often brilliant . it 's definitely hilarious , sometimes to the point of leaving me wheezing and giggling .",
      "a blunt satiric object applied to delicate subject matter , MOV is a consistently funny if one-sided putdown of society 's blind devotion to its religious faiths .",
      "`` MOV '' -lrb- rhymes with ridiculous -rrb- is a funny , debate-provoking movie that dares to question fundamental beliefs that have been foisted on societies in order to enable brutality and prejudice in the name of a higher power . it 's a call for humanity to g",
      "in the end , for all its genuflections towards free inquiry and rational debate , maher is as close-minded as any of the preachers he despises .",
      "a provocation , thinly disguised as a documentary , that succeeds in being almost as funny as it is offensive .",
      "atheists should find it good for an easy laugh .",
      "-lsb- maher 's -rsb- scattershot and ad hominem attacks against many different forms of religious hypocrisy do n't add up to a coherent critique , and he 's not qualified to provide one .",
      "bill maher does something amazing in MOV . he makes michael moore look incredibly likable in comparison .",
      "it 's sharp and outrageously funny enough to keep it from coming off like a self-righteous screed and to keep maher from looking like the michael moore of religion -- for the most part .",
      "i enjoyed MOV , but i think it would be better if maher had the confidence to spend more time talking to articulate believers .",
      "he -lsb- maher -rsb- loves the sound of his own voice and the intellect and seeming intelligence behind his own theories . nowhere in this movie does he really attempt to get answers .",
      "MOV is not for the devout . but those with a taste for irreverent humor and clear-eyed analysis will find it funny , enlightening and disturbing .",
      "MOV does n't really go anywhere . it 's ultimately a celebration of the old-time religion we call entertainment .",
      "about half of the movie works in its snide , hit-and-run way . the other half throws more and more darts at the same balloon , long after it pops .",
      "maher sets out not after answers but cheap laughs that preach , so to speak , to the converted .",
      "despite the shortcomings of this film , it is funny . it is not as funny as director larry charles previous faux-documentary film , borat , but funny all the same .",
      "mr. maher 's arguments against religious irrationality seem to be on the side of the angels . this is a film that is funny and disquieting .",
      "i think this is an important movie , challenging , many beliefs that many of us seem unwilling to talk about . mainly , though , you 'll laugh ... a lot .",
      "well put together , thought-provoking , and actually quite funny .",
      "MOV has an unholy fervor that should start many bonfires .",
      "much of what they 've gotten on film is so entertaining , you almost want to pray for a sequel .",
      "the movie is at its most interesting when the attitudes of the faithful prove more sophisticated than maher 's own .",
      "be prepared for truths , distortions , unfair juxtapositions -lrb- especially with the film clips -rrb- and just plain goofiness in this too-long but often very entertaining film .",
      "doubt , maher says , is his product , and you have to hand it to him for staying on message .",
      "at his best , he has the bewildered incredulousness of george carlin . at his worst , he 's as self-righteous as his targets .",
      "it is -lsb- funny -rsb- , although much of the humor is extraordinarily cheap and obvious .",
      "... simultaneously the most entertaining and least informative documentary i 've seen in years",
      "to religious conservatives of all denominations , it 's a punch in the nose . -lrb- except when maher 's bashing the other zealots , those wackjobs . -rrb- to atheists and agnostics , it 's catharsis",
      "there can be few greater threats to religious zealotry than the power of laughter or the quest for knowledge - which is what makes comedian bill maher such an effective champion for the cause of scepticism in an age of rising fundamentalism .",
      "this is either going to offend you or make you laugh out loud . at times , it may do both .",
      "maher , the exasperated , agnostic prankster , makes the point that organized religion has caused more harm than good .",
      "a cleverly constructed piece of work that by turns amused me , made me think , alarmed me and occasionally offended me .",
      "maher may see demented dogma all around him , but what 's the basis of his own moral compass ? we 're not MOV , just curious .",
      "whether you 're a sunday school regular or a godless intellectual , you 're certain to find bill maher 's anti-religion polemic MOV to be a provocative , brilliant , infuriating documentary .",
      "the film is basically 100-plus minutes of maher making fun of others for their beliefs . however , he does nothing to prove his own points and contentions .",
      "bill maher would have been burned at the stake if his hellishly hilarious and surprisingly thoughtful satire on organized religion had played the inquisition .",
      "maher 's too smart to make a movie this dumb .",
      "... a profane , sacrilegious and very funny anti-religion documentary that is well worth seeing - perhaps especially if you 're a person of faith .",
      "in the end , maher suffers from the same rigidity of thought - the certitude that he 's right and those who disagree are wrong - that he dislikes in people of faith .",
      "it 's a nasty , condescending , small-minded film , self-amused and ultimately self-defeating . its only accomplishment is to make atheists look bad -- and in this political climate they did n't need maher 's help with that .",
      "leaves the viewer wondering how much more interesting the movie might have been had maher picked on more people his own intellectual size .",
      "this movie is about bill maher 's opinion of religion . he 's very smart , quick and funny , and i found the movie entertaining , although sometimes he 's a little mean to his targets .",
      "the truth is MOV is a well-structured product of doubt , an argument of uncertainty that preaches to the choir but also manages to recruit new skeptics .",
      "MOV is n't all it could have been : maher spends too much of his interactions with believers of various stripe scoring easy points off the mad and stupid .",
      "maher 's theories will get up the nose of believers of almost every creed , but his strategy of mocking easy targets will shake few temples worldwide .",
      "it 's not an exploration , it 's a smart-arse going into situations just to confirm his own prejudices .",
      "worth seeing to make your own judgment .",
      "it 's a rare film that can simultaneously crack you up and send a chill down your spine . worth seeing - even for believers .",
      "the serious food for thought gets lost amid the one-stop snacking .",
      "it 's pretty easy to take the piss out of religious kitsch , as maher does . it would have been more instructive -lrb- if less chucklesome -rrb- if he 'd risked an argument with an accredited theologian .",
      "MOV is a thought-provoking delight .",
      "that 's the trouble with MOV - it is funny but never very acute .",
      "it 's not a cinematic event in the same way that nuclear jihad would be , but that 's exactly what maher is pleading with humanity to avoid . a must-see .",
      "if you give -lsb- maher -rsb- a chance , you 'll find an intelligent , witty and well-researched cynic eager to give voice to an underserved minority .",
      "religion will always have a hard time defending itself . by bringing it out into the open , this documentary may only be preaching to the non-converted .",
      "for most of the film , maher uses the devout as straight men to set up his jokes . though initially sidesplitting , over the course of MOV , maher has diminishing comic returns .",
      "maher understands this fine line , but in his comedic zeal , he sometimes forgets and steps wrong .",
      "bill maher shines light on the weird beliefs of people around the country and around the world",
      "it 's an unstructured , scatter-gun attack , with maher 's cynical wit piercing the pretensions of one true believer after another , and director larry charles punctuating the encounters with cuts to maher 's vintage stand-up routines .",
      "some of it is very funny -- i ca n't remember the last time i laughed as much at a film that i did n't really like -- but after a while , both maher and the film become more than a little tiresome .",
      "MOV will almost certainly not change your opinion of maher , but the film is exceedingly well-made , intriguing , and awkwardly hilarious .",
      "despite his deep commitment to logic and reason -lrb- one might say he has a lot of faith in it -rrb- , maher never really makes his case .",
      "maher 's antireligion documentary , MOV , has numerous blasts of raucous humor amid passages that feel like a screed .",
      "by turns provocative , informative and very , very funny , MOV is an engaging and frequently fascinating documentary that should be seen by both believers and non-believers alike .",
      "an amusing , often biting take-down of religion and the infantalising effect it has on true believers , politicians and religious leaders across the world .",
      "there are a few laughs but anyone with half a brain will be able to tell this is a pretty shoddy fit-up job .",
      "a documentary that 's definitely not made for true believers ; it 's clearly aimed at agnostics , atheists and cynics . and it 's both intriguingly fair and very entertaining .",
      "maher does n't know the answers . that 's his religion , the unknowing . and he attempts to investigate why others believe what they do with an open mind , but it 's maher . he mugs .",
      "-lsb- the director -rsb- instead asks `` what if ? '' and allows the interviewee a chance to resolve and hold up their end in the debates and challenges -lrb- or the mind of hang themselves with their rope -rrb- . which the latter is often the case ...",
      "this film is primed to inspire mobs of people to herd out of the theater , smiling and nodding in unison about how great it is to be free-thinking .",
      "the pic will amuse those who do n't know much about faith and who like to hear what they think . these people will find the movie so comforting .",
      "maher is essentially and professionally a comic , and the measure of this movie is not just the thoughts it provokes but the laughs it generates .",
      "... while he tries not to look snarky , his comic impulse sometimes overwhelms him .",
      "an often hilarious but relentlessly shallow attack on religious fundamentalism by humorist bill maher .",
      "it 's a funny film about some depressing things , it 's a lighthearted tour through terrorism , injustice and intolerance . but those contradiction and challenges are , ultimately , what make the film linger uneasily in your mind .",
      "maher 's journey 's not about finding out what makes religious people tick , but about using the tics of mostly fringe religious people to prop up the thesis maher came in with .",
      "... MOV begins to seriously run out of steam somewhere past the halfway mark , as the repetitive nature of the movie 's structure becomes increasingly tough to take .",
      "maher 's holy trinity comes in the form of the words ` i do n't know ' and it 's the lesson he wants to shout from the pulpit , even if there 's some arrogance in believing that he knows everyone else is wrong .",
      "maher makes it a point to focus on normal , reasonably sane religious people . he 's not stacking the deck in his favor , because he does n't need to .",
      "employs a debilitating brand of smug disingenuousness , feigning interest in discussion while arrogantly and speciously preaching in the very same manner that its subjects are ridiculed for .",
      "being snarky and smug does n't equate to providing insight , and there 's more than one occasion when the filmmakers lose sight of this in their zeal to spread the gospel according to maher .",
      "maher ridicules all religions except the 3rd largest , hinduism , and 4th largest , buddhism . maher should praise buddha for inventing a religion without a god . maher ends preaching .",
      "... while -lsb- maher 's -rsb- amused analyses of the basic tenets of multiple faiths are , indeed , funny and true , he 'll be mostly singing to the choir of doubters he claims makes up america 's largest minority . .",
      "MOV is a film that aims for laughs , not a scientific survey of the roots of faith .",
      "maher 's michael moore-style ambushes , though staged with less panache than the master 's , are incisive and often laugh-out-loud funny , even if his targets often seem more like kooks and dimwits than serious theologians .",
      "really funny and well-made .",
      "MOV is the type of film to be sent off into the world to crack open a few eyes and change some lives . in reality , only those patient with maher and already free of devotion will be receptive to the message . it 's a missed opportunity .",
      "an entertaining , funny , angry , thought-provoking journey .",
      "maher interviews and ridicules the devout as though he were god . this may be arrogant and paradoxical , especially for an agnostic-atheist -- but it makes for often hilarious entertainment .",
      "as intellectually dishonest toward religion as expelled : no intelligence allowed was in the other direction .",
      "fearless as a fatwa and subtle as a second coming , MOV is a revelation .",
      "it 's a film that 's destined to make a lot of people mad , but maher , for all his showy atheistic ` doubt , ' is n't just trying to crucify religion -- he truly wants to know what makes it tick . he leaves no stone tablet unturned .",
      "this movie does n't seriously explore how religion affects politics ; it 's just a snide attack on religious belief ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is funny and offensive in equal measure , and aims less to change hearts and minds than to inspire conversation .",
    "id": "770676002"
  },
  {
    "movie": "psycho",
    "reviews": [
      "it is incumbent on us to inspect the real horrors of our time , but we do n't have to traffic with hitchcock 's giggling obscenities .",
      "watching MOV today we are all , like marion in the shower , vainly trying to recover lost innocence too late .",
      "the prolific , adventurous hitchcock , who never tired of experimenting with his camera and tone , is at his best in MOV .",
      "MOV is not a long film but it feels long . perhaps because the director dawdles over technical effects ; perhaps because it is difficult , if not impossible , to care about any of the characters .",
      "after half a century of terror , MOV is still ensuring that no one feels safe in the shower .",
      "it 's not hardly hitchcock at his most flawless , but not a single film he ever made ... is so absolutely flattening as a total experience .",
      "the shower sequence , the shrieking score , anthony perkins , that twist ending ... MOV remains a stone-cold classic .",
      "even now , it 's distinctly unnerving .",
      "the obvious thing to say is that hitch has done it again ; that the suspense of his picture builds up slowly but surely to an almost unbearable pitch of excitement .",
      "an absolute work of art .",
      "groundbreaking and ahead of its time",
      "a classic . you kinda wish the final reveal were a bit more subtle , but it always works .",
      "it 's marvelous . pioneered so many bits of the genre that it 's lost without the proper context .",
      "classic hitchcock built on two key scenes and one brilliant performance .",
      "with his toothpick build and childish voice , bates appears to be little more than a shy coward , making the revelation of his psychotic nature shocking .",
      "hitchcock has introduced more people to abnormal psychology than anyone since sigmund freud .",
      "the widely heralded skill of alfred hitchcock in developing suspense leading up gradually and tellingly to a shattering climax in a murder mystery again is apparent in this shocker .",
      "the original slasher movie .",
      "MOV is not sexually exploitative despite its sexuality , though , as the title suggests , psychologically .",
      "-lsb- hitchcock -rsb- has very shrewdly interwoven crime , sex and suspense , blended the real and the unreal in fascinating proportions and punctuated his film with several quick , grisly and unnerving surprises .",
      "no , i 'm serious : can you ever think of a horror film that pushed so many boundaries at a time when horror was nearly nonexistent in the cinema ?",
      "... more than the great granddaddy of all slasher films ; it is a great thriller , a great black comedy , and a lesson in filmmaking .",
      "i understand that the gods of film will rain fire down upon my head when i say this , but i did n't think MOV was as good as it was supposed to be .",
      "it 's an amazing thing watching perkins do his schitck with the role .",
      "whereas in most movies nowadays one can usually predict what will happen next , MOV transcends the tired horror genre completely .",
      "a rare must-see .",
      "this is the hitchcock that sticks it to its audience in the most gleefully malicious ways .",
      "it blazed a bloody trail for the much-loved slasher cycle , but it also assured us that a b-movie could be a-grade in quality and innovation .",
      "alfred hitchcock should be credited with making the first slasher film for the ground-breaking narrative template he created for `` MOV . ''",
      "i 'd wager there are n't any films that have been more analyzed than alfred hitchcock 's MOV .",
      "director hitchcock bears down too heavily in this one , and the delicate illusion of reality necessary for a creak-and-shriek movie becomes , instead , a spectacle of stomach-churning horror .",
      "an unusual , good entertainment , indelibly hitchcock , and on the right kind of boxoffice beam .",
      "... one of the great achievements in the horror genre .",
      "time may have dulled the shock , but the craft is as impressive as ever .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's 1960 masterpiece blends a brutal manipulation of audience identification and an incredibly dense , allusive visual style to create the most morally unsettling film ever made .",
      "the music , the setting , the shower scene , the mother in the cellar ... everything about this iconic film has passed into cinema history .",
      "you can bet that everyone who 's ever seen it immediately feels their heart start to pound when they 're in the shower and hear someone enter the bathroom .",
      "all those who still get a chill every time they step into a hotel shower , say aye . that , you see , is the power of MOV .",
      "MOV might be not perfect , but it is still watched and maintains its reputation , despite the fact that even those who watch it for the first time know everything about it . this strange fact is the ultimate viewing recommendation .",
      "the best that can be said is there are bats in the belfry and a well-preserved corpse in the basement . what else can one do but scream ?",
      "as a horror film , it is a horrifying study in terror , and as film in general , it is a brilliant study in style and mood , as well as the darkest regions of a person 's psyche .",
      "hitchcock introduced the american nightmare strain into the genre . he also revived the fast-fading art of montage with the now legendary shower sequence .",
      "what makes MOV immortal , when so many films are already half-forgotten as we leave the theater , is that it connects directly with our fears .",
      "with the exception of halloween , no latter-day horror/thriller has been capable of generating as many goosebumps .",
      "if you have n't seen this yet , you should consider it a vital part of your film education . if you have , it 's well worth repeat viewings .",
      "gripping and irrevocably gruesome fare played to perfection by a top notch cast .",
      "a textbook example of audience manipulation , as hitchcock shifts our identification from character to character with the alacrity of a magician .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's powerful , complex psychological thriller , MOV -lrb- 1960 -rrb- is the `` mother '' of all modern horror suspense films - it single-handedly ushered in an era",
      "hitchcock is the most-daring avant-garde film-maker in america today .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's MOV set the standard and post-modern horror has been hobbling to catch up ever since .",
      "... lives up to its reputation as one of the most entertaining and suspenseful horror films of all time ...",
      "horror masterpiece definitely is n't for young kids .",
      "a perfect saturday matinee .",
      "hitchcock 's manipulative classic of `` pure cinema '' does have a heart that pumps human blood , in its sublime parlor scene between anthony perkins and janet leigh .",
      "it 's a darkly amusing , manipulative film that 's still compelling in its vision of human desperation .",
      "masterful suspense and horror from one of the greats .",
      "one of the greek gods of the horror genre",
      "june 16 , 1960 : MOV opens in n.y. and changes forever the world of cinema . ten reasons why hitchcock 's classic goes beyond the horror genre and is a must-see for all movie lovers .",
      "janet leigh , stalking around in pointy brassieres , making bird-gestures , and flirting with the coprophobic perkins , is one of cinema 's most deliciously perverse pleasures .",
      "hitchcock classic",
      "alfred hitchcock 's most popular , influential and best film .",
      "if hitchcock had used a pseudonym on MOV , it would have announced the arrival of a great new filmmaker in his twenties .",
      "certainly hitchcock 's most popular , and with good reason .",
      "always worth another look , especially on the big screen .",
      "one of the greatest horror films ever made .",
      "one of the greatest",
      "look into janet leigh 's eye after the shower scene and be amazed how fresh this black-and-white ghoulish chic seems in the saccharine surroundings of modern cinema .",
      "-lsb- hitchcock 's -rsb- denouement falls quite flat for us . but the acting is fair ."
    ],
    "summary": "infamous for its shower scene , but immortal for its contribution to the horror genre . because MOV was filmed with tact , grace , and art , hitchcock did n't just create modern horror , he validated it .",
    "id": "12879"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10009420-quid_pro_quo",
    "reviews": [
      "like a fender-bender to david cronenberg 's crash , carlos brooks ' MOV is a tame , yet weird and wonderful love-letter to the walking wounded .",
      "MOV is a respectable feature-film debut for mr. brooks , and it remains reasonably thought-provoking without ever becoming emotionally absorbing .",
      "the first half of MOV is among the most jaw-dropping things i 've ever seen : who knew there was a closeted subculture of people pretending to be paraplegics ?",
      "a bleakly humorous romantic character study , MOV is appealingly offbeat until its narrative takes a wayward detour into pat simplifications .",
      "a finely observed , compelling drama with the creepy tinge of a thriller .",
      "might work if it was really about what it 's really about , but its too-tricky script has too many paths that lead nowhere .",
      "farmiga is captivating , stahl less so -- although a bigger problem is writer/director carlos brooks 's script , which sets up one story , then shifts gears into something more personal and psychologically specific .",
      "it certainly wo n't be everyone 's cup of breakfast bitters , but you ca n't dismiss it nonchalantly .",
      "although not a perfect film , `` MOV '' is a highly crafted cinematic achievement that taps into its characters ' subconscious with surgical precision and elegant assurance .",
      "not exactly bunuel 's differently abled erotica classic tristana , it raises mystifying questions about disability as a state of mind . and whether or not the final clues to this mind over matter mystery reside in sex , shoes or tulips , hypochondriacs beware .",
      "MOV hovers in a noir-shaded twilight zone where repressed memories and guilt merge in an obsession with physical and emotional paralysis .",
      "the movie exerts a certain appeal without ever being convincing .",
      "its biggest mystery is how it was financed -lrb- by texas trillionaire and dallas maverick owner mark cuban , no less -rrb- and selected for distribution .",
      "has the best `` middle '' i 've seen in a long time",
      "in fact , `` MOV '' is not at all funny , merely occasionally sarcastic , its plot a succession of half-baked pop-psych speculations and its dialogue a glib sampling of sub-diablo cody incredibility",
      "strikingly original and spectacularly twisted , MOV is a gem . two outstanding performances from nick stahl and vera farmiga provide riveting viewing",
      "an outsider adventure strictly for the very open-minded , presenting the numbness of paralysis , ironically , as a potential source of paroxysms of pleasure .",
      "an obscure and terrifying mental disorder leads a reporter to the strangest and then the most terrifying story of his life . a neat film noir in a very modern setting amongst people who are not all there .",
      "by far the movie 's strong suit is farmiga , who gives an astonishingly layered performance ,",
      "very deftly made , with some lovely cinematography and two quirky , engaging lead performances , it 's a satisfying debut .",
      "has some pretty insightful things to say about the nature of being `` disabled , '' and it says them with a good deal of humor , style , and understanding .",
      "an exceedingly odd meeting of the minds -lrb- and bodies -rrb- occurs in MOV , a strikingly original and provocative first feature from scribe-helmer carlos brooks .",
      "it frustratingly refuses to go bonkers , but the film is a compelling sit , brought to life by two very crafty , pointed performances .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- brooks plunges into the thick of a largely unfamiliar subculture in MOV , but the journey involves a series of well-telegraphed twists and turns .",
      "the film is lightest on its feet when it shakes off the red shoe diaries foreboding for moments of sly irony",
      "brooks has no idea how to pace his irritatingly giddy script , and the film feels overlong at 82 minutes .",
      "i wanted MOV to develop into something at every turn , but it just never gels . it 's a great 20-page short story that ca n't sustain 82 minutes of life on the big screen .",
      "brooks tiptoes into territory luis bunuel would have frolicked in , but he does so without the master surrealist 's desire to outrage and confound his viewers .",
      "this warped masochistic cousin to david cronenberg 's crash - not to be confused with the oscar winner of the same name -- is well worth seeing for farmiga 's stunning performance .",
      "while a good director can spin a worthy movie from any subject , first-timer carlos brooks does surprisingly little with the jaw-dropper of a topic he chose .",
      "this odd little fugue of a movie would be implausible , even laughable , if it were n't also marvelously played , visually composed and plotted with the utmost cunning .",
      "if you were a fan of david cronenberg 's crash , you might just be the target audience for MOV , a perverse psychological drama about able-bodied people who yearn to become disabled ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite a stunning performance by vera farmiga , MOV never develops its effective parts into a convincing whole .",
    "id": "770682554"
  },
  {
    "movie": "star_trek_vi_the_undiscovered_country",
    "reviews": [
      "if , indeed , star trek vi turns out to be the last of the series , it could n't have made a more felicitous or more satisfying exit .",
      "there is some blood and violence in the film , but it is generally a lot of fun , a fine holiday movie .",
      "one of the best of the trek films with plummer really hamming it up as a shakespeare-quoting klingon .",
      "a rousing sendoff for kirk , spock , and bones , and a fitting transition from the original series ' cold-war milieu to the next-generation age of engagement .",
      "a heavy-handed yet curiously weightless swan song",
      "shows just how difficult it is to practice peace",
      "the principals ' enthusiasm for their material has never seemed to fade . if anything , that enthusiasm grows more appealingly nutty with time .",
      "the bang/buck ratio is high and it 's packed with pithy dialogue and little emotional kicks that make it a worthy , dignified sendoff for the crew we 've followed for so many -lrb- dear god , so many -rrb- years .",
      "though patchy , this is a lot more fun than the disastrous star trek v.",
      "the original crew at its finest , and the trek lore at its most thrilling .",
      "as with many of the trek movies , the acting is exaggerated and the plot has holes . but flaws and all , it 's fun to watch this crew complete its final big-screen mission .",
      "spock : ` logic dictates we include all the ingredients which have proved popular in our earlier films . data indicates that one crucial element is what humans call ` tongue-in-cheek ' humor ; in-jokes about previous episodes , self-mocking references , etc. . '",
      "meyer 's direction and dialogue are among the most fluid and exciting of the whole series , and he manages a lovely ` final ' feel , saying goodbye to the old crew and embracing the future at the same time .",
      "entertains and has a number of interesting comments on contemporary human affairs",
      "cold war-influenced exit of classic space crew .",
      "not very great star trek , but it 's such an impeccably made popcorn movie that it 's just not worth it to pretend that it matters .",
      "nice to see you in action for one last time , captain kirk .",
      "why is this such a good star trek movie ? well , spock makes a mean captain , standing in for the imprisoned kirk .",
      "weighed down by a midsection even flabbier than the long-in-the-tooth cast , director nicholas meyer still delivers enough of what trek auds hunger for to justify the trek to the local multiplex .",
      "... mostly combines the interminable interstellar politics of the later star wars films with the slowest game of clue you 've ever played .",
      "one of the best of the series",
      "-lsb- the movie -rsb- realises that its strength lies in our familiarity with the characters by now and exploits this cleverly -- particularly in scenes where the crew must unearth traitors in their midst almost like in a agatha christie detective story .",
      "rich , action-filled and loaded with familiar literary and political references , not to mention a number of savvy in-jokes , star trek vi is an utter delight that should more than please fans of the series .",
      "for a movie that begins with such promise , the undiscovered country ends with a whimper .",
      "director/coscripter nicholas meyer moves this vehicle efficiently . he employs some tremendous visuals .",
      "easily the best made , most intelligent film of the entire trek series .",
      "the original cast go out with a bang .",
      "like its even-numbered predecessors , star trek vi : the undiscovered country is fast-paced and entertaining .",
      "a fun , exciting -- and dignified -- sign-off for captain kirk and crew .",
      "not the best of the series , but it is entertaining .",
      "one of the dullest films of the sextet thus far ."
    ],
    "summary": "the undiscovered country is a strong cinematic send-off for the original trek crew , featuring some remarkable visuals and an intriguing , character-driven mystery plot .",
    "id": "12300"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1408",
    "reviews": [
      "room 1408 presents a psychological , paranormal and physical juggernaut that will curl your insides in knots .",
      "even as haunted hotel king movies go , 1408 is certainly no shining . not even the tv-movie version .",
      "a genuinely disturbing and ingenious piece of horror that 's as much a brainteaser as it is a feast of visual creativity .",
      "while 1408 is no classic , it is refreshing to see a horror picture that just wants to do its job rather than prove to its audience how ruthlessly nihilistic it is .",
      "the movie attempts a false ending that does n't quite work ; the picture feels prolonged , dragged out , and its ennui lessens the impact of some of its more terrifying fillips .",
      "a faithful and creepy adaptation of -lsb- king 's -rsb- 2002 short story .",
      "it 's an overblown campfire tale that does n't know when to stop .",
      "it reminds us what it 's like to be scared in a theater rather than overwhelmed by buckets of blood and gore .",
      "it is relentless and unsettling , and as a bonus , it turns a carpenters wedding staple into a murder ballad . that , my friends , takes skill .",
      "finally , a good old fashioned scary movie . and hey , it 's pg-13 so why not bring the kids along for a little psychological scarring ?",
      "cusack , a talented everyman but not quite a slick leading-man type , spends much of his time alone , battling the elements as it were .",
      "a retro joy , a halloween haunted house of a movie that delivers the sort of pleasurable shivers and jolts that today 's exercises in torture porn do n't even attempt .",
      "intentionally or not , hĺfström and his everyman star john cusack have put together a contemporary re-imagining of 1991 palme d'or winner barton fink .",
      "regardless of how long you last in 1408 , the logic to which you are entitled never comes .",
      "the horror would n't work without cusack , who makes what could have been a rote acting exercise -- be tough ! now angry ! now defensively funny ! -- a cathartic ritual instead .",
      "takes what was a basically straightforward -lrb- albeit kickass -rrb- work of fantasy-tinged horror and turns it into something completely different : an abstract , surreal portrait of a man dealing with his grief .",
      "the majority of the movie is built entirely around enslin 's scary safari into his subconscious , and cusack gives a high-powered performance that never fails to hold your attention .",
      ". . while things may go a bit overboard in 1408 , the story has a unique and unexpected way of doubling back on itself that more than compensates .",
      "definitely one of the best king adaptations in years ... and i 've seen 'em all .",
      "evokes the author 's good points as well as his bad , but like its fast-talking hero , it was in trouble the minute the door closed behind it .",
      "while not actually scary , 1408 is unsettling and intense , taking its own sweet time building to a truly disconcerting climax .",
      "1408 is n't great cinema , but does an adequate job in spite of its flaws .",
      "you 'll want to check out room `` 1408 . `` that is , if you like a solid horror story , fine performances and stephen king tales .",
      "mike and lily argue , he feels guilty , and now he 's got to relive the whole thing -- not as memory but as reality-tv video , which does seem unduly harsh .",
      "when mike enslin -lrb- john cusack -rrb- says he does not believe in ghosts , we in the audience can not be blamed for not wishing him well , but he does turn in a stellar performance in what largely a stagey , one-man show .",
      "the best movie based on a stephen king horror story since the shining .",
      "1408 ranks as one of the best -lsb- stephen -rsb- king adaptations for the screen .",
      "seriously , forget all the movie theme park rides you 've ever heard of ; there needs to be a 1408 ride at universal studios .",
      "yes , it 's that kind of film -- what kind of film did you think it was going to be ?",
      "sure , this is pretty much an episode of the twilight zone , but it 's a really , really good episode of the twilight zone",
      "quaint or not , this king adaptation chills , and may have you googling the next hotel you 're scheduled to check into , room by room .",
      "it pins you into a claustrophobic chamber of terror for a surprisingly stomach-turning thrill ride .",
      "never has a king size bed had such an air of imminent menace .",
      "not only is the trailer for 1408 oodles more terrifying than the movie itself ; worse , for the most part , this pop-horror trifle adapted from a stephen king short story grows into a formulaic bore .",
      "cusack is supposed to be a haunted-house pro , but after a window shuts on his fingers and the sink sprays hot water , he turns hysterical . should n't he call maintenance first ?",
      "1408 's a room none of us would want to visit in real life but one everyone should spend some time in while in the safety of a darkened theater .",
      "the story features some surprises , and director mikael hĺfström adds realism by bypassing computer graphics for practical effects . add in the natural fear of being trapped in tight spaces and you have a ca n't - miss formula for horror and suspense .",
      "your check-in time for the dolphin hotel 's room 1408 should be whenever the movie hits video stores .",
      "if you like ` spooky ' but not ` gross ' -- if you like to be scared without being assaulted -- then 1408 should do the trick .",
      "hafstrom ca n't balance the requirement of excitement with the necessity of depth without jerking the film 's pace around like a bad carnival ride .",
      "swedish director mikael hafsrom , who scored with evil in 2003 and fizzled badly with derailed two years later , seems to have regained his footing .",
      "1408 amounts to little more than a radical shock-therapy session for a man still finding his way after the loss of his daughter . best to leave him alone with his issues .",
      "a little suspension of disbelief goes a long way once the scary stuff gets going .",
      "1408 stumbles one too many times and can not escape the genre 's most common curse -- the dumb ending .",
      "stephen king can be counted on to put the fun back into a ghost story . he did it with the shining , and again in 1408 , a short story that is the basis for this suspenseful chiller about a writer 's hallucinogenic night in a haunted room .",
      "gruesome and psychologically chilling , not gory and shockingly gross",
      "devolves into a cavalcade of gee-whiz special effects , psychological sturm und drang and false endings .",
      "a decidedly old-school film , relying on tension and gothic scares rather than buckets of blood .",
      "pretty much a standard stephen king adaptation that was n't made by brian depalma , stanley kubrick or david cronenberg .",
      "just what does stephen king have against the hotel industry ?",
      "it 's offers a refreshing spin on the horror formula , and joins the shining , vacancy and barton fink as a film that makes the usually accommodating hotel business seem disturbingly bad for your mental health .",
      "cusack , an excellent actor , gives one of his best performances in this film .",
      "it 's when the momentum remains inescapable that it 's really on .",
      "an intellectual , character-driven horror film , one that gets under your skin not through your stomach , but through your nightmares .",
      "blair witch in a hotel room , and way scarier than a bundle of sticks and a pile of rocks . it makes the shining look like a cheap motel .",
      "1408 is the first genuinely scary movie i 've seen since the ring , and it restores my faith in hollywood 's ability to make artful horror .",
      "do n't expect lots of guts and gore , but there 's tension aplenty , lots of shocks , and several false ends to the torment , which make it seem even more intense .",
      "this is n't a horror movie about ... screams and yells , it 's more like chills and little moments of revelation .",
      "una buena idea y unos 20 minutos iniciales inquietantes y sugestivos se descarrilan rápidamente hacia la parafernalia y el exceso visual . nada convence , excepto el esfuerzo de john cusack por convencernos de que se lo ha tomado en serio .",
      "from the start , it builds to a point of unbearable tension and then rewards us with a payoff that is cleverly executed and genuinely terrifying .",
      "the success of 1408 rests squarely on -lsb- john cusack 's -rsb- hawaiian shirt-clad shoulders , and he pulls it off . the role , that is . the tacky shirt stays on pretty well the whole time .",
      "a good , old-fashioned horror flick , one that relies on supernatural chills , psychological twists and top-shelf special effects -- as opposed to the recent trend toward ball gags , bound wrists and bad lighting .",
      "cusack 's gritty , near over-the-top performance goes a long way , as does the subtle slow burn from director mikael hĺfström , but samuel l. jackson needed to be nudged awake as the hotel manager .",
      "forcing the audience to experience his terror with an almost first-hand immediacy , cusack runs the emotional gamut ...",
      "a slick psychological thriller masquerading as a good old-fashioned ghost story",
      "like shacking up with a cheap hooker in a moderately priced hotel , 1408 delivers dirty thrills with few frills .",
      "another actor may have made 1408 seem as thin and fake as an episode of tales from the crypt , but cusack lends it that badly needed extra milligram of conviction .",
      "1408 is another stephen king adaptation where the main protagonist is a writer . it is also a fine psychological horror movie and welcome change of pace from the ultra violent , gore polluted , torture porn flicks currently infecting cinema .",
      "stephen king 's claustrophobic obsessions are well served by hafstrom and cusack .",
      "based on a stephen king story , 1408 takes the simplest plot and turns it into an enjoyably surreal , unnerving creepfest .",
      "as the film chips away at the psychological barriers that protect a non-believer from being scared , do n't expect your defenses to fare any better .",
      "listen up , all you hostels , saws and other purveyors of bloody terror . lay down your whips , chain saws and paring knives to watch a truly scary movie .",
      "adapted from a stephen king story , this trite but watchable chiller plays like a scaled-down version of the shining , with cusack driven over the edge by hallucinations of his abusive father and dead daughter .",
      "it 's a good , solid scare picture , modestly scaled but well-crafted . and unlike certain other horror items on offer right now , this one does n't make you feel like a psycho-in-training for sitting through it .",
      "1408 offers proof that you really can make a creepy and effective , pg-13-rated horror movie .",
      "underneath the atmosphere and pizzazz is an intimate and thoughtful portrait of one man 's return from an abyss infinitely more haunting than any old , evil hotel room .",
      "1408 is not quite interesting enough to linger long in the mind , but it has enough jack-in-the-box chills to mollify those who feel it 's been all downhill since the uninvited .",
      "john cusack is virtually a one-man show in the claustrophobically chilling 1408 .",
      "one of the most spooky films i 've seen in a long time ...",
      "on balance , 1408 runs the numbers better than most .",
      "the limited setting is effectively claustrophobic , although it adds a sense that the story is n't going anywhere .",
      "hoping to set itself apart from the current horror trend , 1408 is spooky but never scary and for some viewers that will be more than enough .",
      "the film is like an effective haunted house with one eerie set piece following another .",
      "more thriller than horror flick , this could even be viewed as a really dark comedy .",
      "a savvy slab of undecorated cheese , made compelling by its unflinching willingness to dive into the material headfirst .",
      "props to enslin 's tape recorder for rivaling wilson the cast away volleyball as best inanimate object for a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown .",
      "my only complaint with the film is that it takes a bit too long to find its ending .",
      "it 's only when the proceedings turn to maudlin `` psychological horror '' that the film turns tiresome .",
      "1408 's mixture of supernatural hullabaloo and spiritual awakening is sturdily propped up by cusack , whose performance is equal parts caustic cynicism and empathetic turmoil .",
      "stripped of unnecessary gore and predictable scare tactics , 1408 is a chilling psychological mind-bender , which stays true to its stephen king roots .",
      "the ability of 1408 to raise goosebumps relies on cusack 's skill in making even the doubting enslin appear genuinely terrified .",
      "unlike jack nicholson and james caan , who also played troubled novelists in king-inspired films , john cusack gives an utterly sympathetic and likable performance that puts us on his side in a flick that makes a virtue of being old-fashioned horror .",
      "when it comes to hollywood 's treatment of his works , stephen king has n't always hit the jackpot . but with this smart and highly entertaining ghost story his luck may change .",
      "the problem with this movie is that it feels too much like a joke rather than a true work of suspense .",
      "1408 would have been much worse had it starred jim carrey , and the number 23 would have been much better had it starred john cusack .",
      "all the suspense and shock depends on -lsb- cusack 's -rsb- performance , how he reacts from minute to minute , and he does a terrific job under mikael hafstrom 's direction .",
      "... few scares , fewer surprises ...",
      "no matter how entertaining the gorefests of folks like eli roth are , there will always be an entertainment value in films that are more into spooking people than making them sick .",
      "if not for a hokey ending and some cheesy plot devices , `` 1408 '' would have been the scariest , and best , ghost movie of the season .",
      "an underwhelming psychological thriller and ghost story .",
      "haunted houses aside , never were buildings such immense sources of creepiness and fright before 9/11 .",
      "overall 1408 is just a light turndown in the stephen king film scheme , but do n't worry : it * will * disturb !",
      "refuses to embrace the fashionable elements of torture porn that are currently cutting a bloody swath through the horror genre , relying largely on psychological terror to impart the sense of someone possibly going mad , and taking the viewer along .",
      "things certainly go bump in the night in this slow-burning stephen king adaptation . but 1408 's short story origins are very clear : think a long , if enjoyable , episode of the twilight zone .",
      "in terms of quality , 1408 is neither executive suite nor basement broom cupboard .",
      "this presses all the right buttons , and is perfect accompaniment to the theater 's air conditioning . a definite must for fans .",
      "a horror movie that eschews today 's penchant for torture porn and gets back to the basics .",
      "for its first half , 1408 is genuinely scary ... -lsb- but -rsb- about halfway in when the setting moves from a believable universe to a wholly unrecognizable one and our ability to connect emotionally with what we 're seeing is weakened .",
      "although 1408 lacks the dramatic power of either misery or the shining , john cusack 's riveting performance rivals that of james caan and jack nicholson .",
      "a minor idea squandered by ham-fisted details .",
      "on the creep-o-meter , i 'll give it a five out of 10 .",
      "a story that supports it 's interesting theme of eventuality : even the strongest doubter may one day come around to believe in king 's world of warped reality .",
      "a cannily effective horrorshow , even if its pg-13 scares sometimes feel like they 've been pulled a bit",
      "reassuringly old-school gothic .",
      "while it 's refreshing to see a scary movie that 's not about torture and dismembered corpses , that 's not enough .",
      "cusack carries it all , especially when there are n't any other actors around for him to interact with .",
      "hafstrom turns in a clean , almost old-fashioned film with a precise rhythm ... but the movie 's real trick is the rising sense of dreadful expectation .",
      "while 1408 is no shining , it 's a solid and welcome entry to the kind of begotten supernatural tales all too sparse in contemporary cinema .",
      "domestic difficulties were central to the scariness of ` the shining ' and ` pet sematary , ' but here the psychological back story and so-called character development seem like padding .",
      "virtually a one-man show by cusack , and he 's up to the task .",
      "... ultimately little doubt that the film 's build-up is more effective than its pay-off .",
      "a stephen king short story is adapted and brought to the screen in 1408 , more psychological thriller than outright horror .",
      "a much better-than-average horror flick that does n't rely on hardcore torture and gore to thrill it 's audience .",
      "one of the best horror movies i have seen in a few years",
      "finds some ingenious methods of visualizing the story 's literary whim-whams . before it finally succumbs to cgi bloat in the last act , it offers up one of the creepiest hours in recent memory .",
      "check in if you are a fan of cusack or king .",
      "unpretentious and effective .",
      "it all rather sidesteps the question of why reluctant manager samuel l. jackson fails to demand a written disclaimer from a guest insisting on a room that has seen 56 deaths , including drowning in chicken soup .",
      "cusack , who is in almost every scene , is astutely cast : his sardonic persona gradually disintegrates as the room plays its malevolent tricks on him .",
      "a terrific performance from john cusack as a cynic on a paranormal mission nudges this towards the higher end of king adaps . eventually lets itself down , but not before shaking you up .",
      "despite faltering with an overblown second half , and stealing no thunder from kubrick 's haunted hotel effort , 1408 remains one of the more accomplished king adaptations . a deliciously old-school surprise .",
      "all good fun , but if horror films are meant to make you leap from your seat , this is an abject failure .",
      "even if by the closing act the movie has begun to feel a bit preposterous -lrb- enter the giant sea storm -rrb- and the resolution a bit saccharine , that 's a small price to pay for a movie that 's trying hard to reinvent horror the old-fashioned way .",
      "enjoyable chiller with some terrific suspense scenes and a superb performance from john cusack .",
      "not up there with the best king adaptations , but a fun gothic yarn that , like all good ghost stories , is simple and dripping with dread .",
      "you would assume that stephen king had wrung about all the neurosis that could be squeezed from the haunted-writer theme in secret window , misery and , most famously , the shining . you would , however , be wrong -- dead wrong .",
      "... an old-fashioned ghost story that understands people are more frequently haunted than places .",
      "you might say 1408 has a 1409 ending -- beige , humdrum , only mildly uncomfortable and , once passed through on the journey home , instantly forgettable .",
      "while it springs from a fairly pat premise , the execution is superb , eschewing cheap scares for throbbing , intense shocks .",
      "only made me scream in agony on how hokey it was .",
      "1408 ranks as the summer 's smartest , spookiest surprise .",
      "the dread is palpable in this chilling suspense thriller about a hotel room that more than lives up to its evil reputation .",
      "for a deep-in-the-bones sense of dread that great horror generates , 1408 comes up short .",
      "a psychologically thrilling movie that leaves you gasping in the end .",
      "cusack is uniquely suited to the role ; a movie that really wanted to spook us would posit him as a happy , church-going family man . but until such time , we have swedish director mikael hafstrom 's fun take on stephen king 's short story of the same name .",
      "`` no one lasts more than an hour , '' goes the saying about the room . it 's probably how long your attention lasts too . but it 's one hell of an hour .",
      "john cusack 's edgy , likeable performance carries this paranormal chiller , based on a stephen king story and highly reminiscent of his landmark shockfest the shining .",
      "you leave the film once again feeling that stephen king is either not quite as good as his reputation or that most film-makers ca n't replicate the subtleties of his style .",
      "1408 is the best king conversion since misery .",
      "for all of 1408 's shortcomings , all that 's really needed to lift it a level is some decent scares , but one or two spooky moments just is n't enough .",
      "... one of the most gleefully loony things you 'll see this year .",
      "the legitimately creepy exposition turns into relentlessly typical `` haunted house '' boilerplate .",
      "though not especially original , this is frightening and disturbing film and the effects take a while to wear off .",
      "cusack always manages to underscore panic with irony .",
      "i 'm very hard to please when it comes to the horror genre , but pleased i am with 1408 , a dread concoction from stephen king , sharply committed to film by a clever screenplay , solid direction and terrific performances .",
      "1408 generally survives and thrives on the strength of john cusack 's passionate performance as a skeptic of the supernatural who learns that spooks may be real , plus a spirited supporting role by samuel l. jackson and some effective chills .",
      "handsomely shot and well-acted but only modestly involving for much of its length , 1408 does n't perk up until its final half-hour . by then it 's too late .",
      "1408 is one of the good stephen king adaptations , one that maintains its author 's sly sense of humor and satiric view of human nature .",
      "an entertainingly hairy paranormal affair based on a king short story , 1408 sets up its star -- and its audience -- for a blood-curdling , bone-chilling night of horror .",
      "scary , smart , and moving , it 's a terrific summer entertainment for grown-ups .",
      "there 's ghoulish fun and hichcockian suspense until the film hits a narrative wall around the 60-minute mark .",
      "director mikael hafstrom creates effective atmospherics , and for a good long while 1408 manages to avoid the crutch of f/x .",
      "in this mix of recycled scares and half-hearted twists , the only real fright is the sight of an interesting actor wasting his talents in yet another mediocre movie .",
      "if i ever check into a hotel room and the clock radio is playing the carpenters , i 'm going to freak out .",
      "with a minimal amount of blood and virtually no gore , 1408 still manages to give you a major case of the creep-outs .",
      "neither viscerally compelling nor emotionally satisfying .",
      "cusack manages to summon deep wellsprings of personal grief along with breezy humor and naked animal terror . it 's a tour de force performance that confirms the talents of this remarkably versatile , sometimes underrated actor ."
    ],
    "summary": "relying on psychological tension rather than overt violence and gore , 1408 is a genuinely creepy thriller with a strong lead performance by john cusack .",
    "id": "512890937"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_dark_knight",
    "reviews": [
      "ledger is magnificently malevolent . he creates a character who revels in mayhem , a criminal with no agenda other than to spread terror .",
      "i have no idea if ledger will win the oscar next year . james dean did n't . however both men left us , albeit too soon , with performances that will endure forever .",
      "MOV illuminates courtesy of ledger 's brilliant interpretation of the madman .",
      "MOV is insurmountable fun .",
      "batman takes a fierce stance in favor of untruth , surveillance and -lrb- but ? -rrb- the american way . bruce wayne says , ` batman has no limits , ' and there are two sides to that coin .",
      "i previously have had my own auteurist doubts about mr. nolan 's work , but after MOV , i may have to rethink my past reservations about mr. nolan 's place in the 21st-century cinema .",
      "everything you would want to see in a movie ... i wanted to applaud after every scene heath ledger performed ... features batman 's most wonderful toys yet .",
      "an ambitious , complex , unpredictable and uncompromising morality tale .",
      "it 's another step in nolan 's attempt to make action blockbusters more `` serious '' without stripping them of the genre 's benefits .",
      "now you see it , now you do n't .",
      "a near flawless example of superhero cinema with marvelous performances , a top notch script , and direction that aims for a more adult audience ...",
      "not just a comic book movie but a virtual dissertation on the nature of good and evil , as well as the thin line that sometimes separates them .",
      "as the king of an amoral universe , as a purveyor of unrestricted evil for fun , ledger 's dastardly villain , attired as sort of a rotting clarabell , has chosen his own damnation . he 's jumped into an abyss he has dug himself , and he wants to pull us along .",
      "no wonder people were lined up long before midnight for the first showing .",
      "it 's a dark epic , but thankfully , there are some moments of comic relief .",
      "probably one of the better comic book stories filmed ... .",
      "it has chases and crashes and fight scenes , including a somersaulting truck , but when it is over it is the wrenching choices , the internal confrontations , that reverberate .",
      "if dark knight is a nightmare of particularly modern neuroses , then batman/bruce wayne are a tiny ray of hope upon awakening .",
      "christopher nolan wanted to make an action movie that was different from other action movies -- darker , more twisted , more despairing , more bleak -- and he has mostly succeeded in this latest batman installment . he can thank ledger for a lot of that .",
      "a superior sequel , remarkable for its blend of serious themes and crowd-pleasing action , with a performance by heath ledger that 's a memorable coda to a career cut far too short .",
      "this is not merely a batman movie . it is not merely a comic-book movie . it is not merely gripping summer entertainment . it is , with wall-e , one of the two best mainstream films to be released all year and far and away the most hypnotic chiller .",
      "it 's a comic-book movie , but it 's also a dark and highly complex drama .",
      "nihilistic , imaginative and emotionally gratifying , MOV is in many ways a groundbreaking triumph , and perhaps the best superhero film to date .",
      "it 's jam-packed with flawlessly designed set-pieces and skullduggery , sure , but it 's also shrouded in grim portent , overlaid with a filigree of despair , and , for good measure , covered in a patina of dire consequence .",
      "as much as this is ledger 's movie , that should not diminish the notable accomplishments of other key cast members .",
      "walking out to your own city 's streets afterward , you 'll likely have a `` hey , this is n't gotham ! '' moment . it 's a level of transportation that no cackling , kool aid-colored villain could achieve , but it 's what every comic book fan truly wants .",
      "it 's proof that popcorn entertainments do n't have to talk down to their audiences in order to satisfy them . the bar for comic-book film adaptations has been permanently raised .",
      "nolan has n't simply made a popcorn movie for brainiacs . he 's an increasingly self-assured director of action sequences .",
      "MOV is a good -- not great -- superhero movie that crams as many ideas into its 2 1/2 hours as it can and still be considered a summer action picture .",
      "you know you 're watching a good movie when it puts a smile on your face right from the start . in the MOV it may be a twisted grimace but given the right perspective there 's enjoyment to be had in even the bleakest subject matter .",
      "excellent sequel much darker , more violent than the first .",
      "nolan has provided movie-goers with the best superhero movie to-date , outclassing previous titles both mediocre and excellent , and giving this franchise its empire strikes back .",
      "a phenomenal masterpiece whose creators are n't content with simply making a great comic book movie , but craft one that transcends the genre to become one of the best films this decade .",
      "thank warner bros. for letting nolan make such a smart , thrilling , emotionally involving , just terrifically well rounded and fully realized entertainment that challenges and elevates notions of what a so-called ` summer blockbuster ' can do .",
      "it is ridiculous how much praise `` MOV '' truly deserves . heath ledger is this film 's crowning jewel . by the time you get to the end credits , you 'll immediately want to see it again .",
      "MOV is the best kind of sequel -- one that uses its predecessor as a gateway to explore new facets of its characters and its world .",
      "visceral and terrifying .",
      "MOV is a film that 's fantastic on the action front , seeds its acrobatics in its own reality , and always feels relevant even when its ideas are drowned out by clatter .",
      "even if this was n't ledger 's final role before his untimely death last year , his joker would still go down in cinema history as one of the most creepily unhinged big-screen bad guys of all time .",
      "more than a comic-book adventure , this is a sprawling crime epic .",
      "a must-see for ledger alone , but there 's more to it than that . if anything , the film is a grim portrait of our own paranoia , sense of hopelessness and selfishness .",
      "MOV is a film steeped in tragedy , sacrifice , and heroism , and the eternal struggle at its core gives it a resonance that makes it one for the ages .",
      "batman and robin it ai n't ; it 's hard to believe `` MOV '' and joel schumacher 's infamous camp extravaganza even came from the same universe , let alone the same franchise .",
      "this intelligent , remarkably responsible approach to some of the most pressing issues of our times will make MOV be remembered , and cherished , long after the summer is over .",
      "it manages to bring together an action film and a thought piece . this is a lot more than we have come to expect from a comic book film .",
      "MOV is so thrillingly-executed , primeval and exhilarating , it will forever sear itself into your consciousness . it might also be the most intelligent blockbuster movie ever made .",
      "thanks to an atypically meaty screenplay , this might very well be the best superhero movie of all time , and is the only film in this genre that is so well crafted that it deserves some serious respect when oscar season rolls around next year .",
      "MOV is both a brilliantly nihilistic , incredibly dark and richly layered filmgoing experience , and a painful reminder of what the film world lost with the senseless death of heath ledger .",
      "everything you 've heard is true ... brilliant .",
      "hugely entertaining , superbly acted and stunningly designed blockbuster that mixes adult themes with spectacular action and actually leaves you wanting more , despite its lengthy running time .",
      "while it has it 's small flaws , this new batman installment is an impressive motion picture , largely made so by the performance of a greatly-missed talent .",
      "-lsb- though -rsb- MOV is a film one can respect , it is very difficult to enjoy .",
      "a very exhausting film ... something far more than just an entertainment .",
      "it 's not a superhero movie , or a crime drama either . it 's a horror movie -- an epic one , and a great one . madness and mutilation are on the menu ...",
      "i 'm betraying my childhood to concede this , but nolan has finally topped tim burton 's two twisted spectaculars .",
      "i encourage anyone who has the opportunity to see MOV in the imax format , do ! it 's impressive beyond imagination .",
      "ver a figura claudicante , vulnerável e trágica de batman mergulhar nas sombras de uma cidade desesperada por figuras heróicas é , desde já , umas das imagens mais fortes e tristes que o gęnero já produziu .",
      "do not worry about going in with unrealistic expectations . your expectations pale in comparison with what MOV is prepared to deliver .",
      "this is a terrific movie , the action sequences are splendiferous , the acting impeccable but there 's something missing at the heart of it . and it seems to be batman .",
      "the joker should be charged with the film 's biggest crime : stealing the show .",
      "a movie perfectly pitched to the nasty desperation of the times .",
      "the most brilliantly complex , perfectly paced , nerve-jangling , moral-wrangling film ever based on a graphically detailed literary work and , dare i say , one of the most important american films to be made in years .",
      "a great work of contemporary cinema and easily the most artistically significant film ever made to ever inspire its own fast-food pizza tie-in .",
      "shakespearean but overlong , MOV is two hours of heady , involving action that devolves into a mind-numbing 32-minute epilogue .",
      "mixing bravura filmmaking with flat clichés in about equal amounts , MOV is all about dualism . appropriately , the movie 's half-inspired , half-frustrating .",
      "it 's still too long , especially for a comic-book movie . but with ledger 's last performance director nolan was blessed with the gift of light .",
      "everything rides on the joker 's formidability as a villain who can carry that kind of weight . in his last role , ledger makes us believe .",
      "whatever trepidations ledger may have had about taking on such an iconic role , he blows past them brilliantly , carrying MOV along with him .",
      "ledger 's mesmerizingly damaged agent provocateur is the film 's dark heart , a presence so malevolently unpredictable that it remains palpable even when he 's not on screen .",
      "a thought-provoking morality tale about the descent into darkness of a vigilante superhero , an anarchistic and sadistic villain , and an ardent idealist whose dreams are shattered .",
      "-lsb- ledger gives -rsb- a fine performance regardless , and i wish the movie around it were more deserving .",
      "MOV is not only the best film i have seen this year , but quite possibly the best superhero movie ever made .",
      "it 's not just the best batman film ever . it 's not just the best superhero movie ever . it 's more than a money-spinner , a franchise , a comic-book cash-in . MOV is a stunning piece of work that deserves every word of praise spoken about it .",
      "the glimpse into the joker 's darkness during his documented torture scene is a credit to the devastatingly lost potential of heath ledger .",
      "once firmly established , the bludgeoning pace of one joker rampage after another pounds the film 's carefully detailed collaboration into mush .",
      "what you finally receive from MOV , then , is n't a message but a sensation , which comes from the deliberately twisted form . you learn how it feels to be in a vortex that just keeps sucking you down .",
      "MOV is probably the smartest and most stylish action movie since the `` the matrix . '' it thinks and philosophizes . the subject it thinks and philosophizes about , perhaps not surprisingly , considering the times , is the iraq war .",
      "nolan 's dark knight constantly keeps us off-balance and fills us with breathless anticipation for the next stunning turn-of-events . ask yourself this : how long has it been since you 've seen a movie like that ?",
      "were films judged entirely by the emotive impact of their opening and closing images , MOV would be a masterpiece .",
      "an exceptionally smart , brooding picture with some terrific performances .",
      "sometimes it 's easy to overlook the message in a film and just enjoy the action , but not here , as nolan , bale , ledger , eckhart , and compatriots take viewers on a compelling journey through moral ambiguity and the masks we all wear .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is the right movie at the right time , especially if you have a burning desire to be excited and depressed simultaneously .",
      "lo mejor , por lejos : la descollante actuación póstuma de heath ledger como el guasón definitivo . quizás el primer blockbuster de culto del siglo xxi .",
      "a product of these troubled times , the sequel to 2005 's batman begins includes nods to terrorism , domestic surveillance and even sanctioned torture . but one of its greatest feats is to capture our collective anxiety over the resurgent politics of hope .",
      "MOV is a clever , loud , technically brilliant film , superbly designed by nathan crowley and dramatically lit by wally pfister . whether such a movie can bear the increasing moral weight imposed upon it is another matter .",
      "this is a rich , complex , visually thrilling piece of pop entertainment , as strong as any superhero epic we 've ever seen .",
      "the plot is often impossible to follow . and the film , though dark , is n't as deep as some have claimed .",
      "you will exit the cinema with an enhanced respect for nolan 's intelligence , for wally pfister 's pin-sharp cinematography , and , sadly , for an acting talent tragically curtailed .",
      "the first five-star blockbuster of the year has arrived , and in style .",
      "an obvious improvement over its immediate predecessor ...",
      "watching the first dizzying , vertiginous overhead shot of the glittering skyscrapers and minuscule streets , i literally forgot to breathe for a second or two , and found myself teetering forward on my seat ...",
      "should n't nolan , marvellous as his directing here is , be creating original films rather than rebooting and retooling franchise fare ?",
      "believe the hype . MOV is , quite simply , the superhero of superhero films .",
      "... a movie that fulfills the promise of the best hollywood movies in that it offers us transport to an alternate yet recognizable reality .",
      "scripted by nolan and his brother jonathan , MOV is laced with the depths of thematic aspiration that can catapult a summer tentpole into the realms of the mythic .",
      "nolan and company did such an incredible job with this and tied up all the loose ends so well , that it 's hard to fathom what they could do and where they could go with a 3rd film . i sincerely hope there is n't another batman film . you ca n't top perfection .",
      "the darkest and most clever of all of the superhero movies ever made .",
      "the action is devastating , high-wire and realistic .",
      "` MOV ' boasts a visual splendor that matches its trenchant themes and inspired performances .",
      "besides a couple of flaws and batman 's distractingly garbled voice , this is one entertaining superhero crime saga .",
      "batman started out as a comic that grew gothic that has turned psychotic . MOV is one long movie about madness .",
      "a sinister epic that manages to turn its pulp , comic book source into complex and thrilling art for the masses .",
      "MOV may be the first movie of its kind to substantively , intellectually address the mythos of comic-book action in something vaguely resembling the real world .",
      "good , but overrated .",
      "a stupendous performance by the late heath ledger burns this incarnation of the joker into our psyche as securely as did jack nicholson 's . but even more than nicholson , ledger plays the joker for real . .",
      "there is no other way to put this : MOV is bloody brilliant and you should go see it !",
      "nolan not only raises the bar for superhero movies , again , but also presses a summer full of comic-book movies under the heel of an impressive bat boot .",
      "MOV is grim , loud , ugly , mean and disjointed -lrb- four out of five ai n't bad ! -rrb- ; thus , as an evening of fanboy fodder it 's very hard to beat : call it the dork night .",
      "... if , like me , you 've always thought the paul dini/bruce timm animated version was tops , you should be pretty happy with what christopher nolan has done this time around .",
      "heath ledger 's bravura performance will glitter for as long as movies exist .",
      "flat-out exhilarating , a roller-coaster plunge into the heart of darkness ... and a tad exhausting",
      "MOV is a brilliant follow-up to batman begins",
      "ledger 's joker sports greasy , green-tinged hair and a permanent slouch . it 's as if he had bad posture as a kid and things only got worse from there .",
      "my question is can a third episode -- one lacking the unforgettable , superlative performance of heath ledger -- possibly top the magnificence of MOV ? i predict a very interesting oscars next year .",
      "pitched at the divide between art and industry , poetry and entertainment , MOV goes darker and deeper than any hollywood movie of its comic-book kind .",
      "director christopher nolan has crafted a batman film of such devastating impact , it practically obliterates the memory of its predecessors -- including nolan 's own batman begins .",
      "MOV is a complex and violent tale of clashing egos . the disturbed verses the disturbing . and in the title , underline the word dark . add an asterisk . italicize dark 's font . make it bold and bigger .",
      "the joker 's scenes reveal a lean , mean thriller hidden inside a bloated superhero epic .",
      "ledger 's manically endearing performance as the unhinged psycho giving both cops and crooks nightmares is so riveting that it makes you sad for all the roles he 'll never have a chance to tackle .",
      "this is the kind of movie going experience that people tell their grand kids about .",
      "tremendous fun .",
      "it 's the new gold standard for superhero noir .",
      "christopher nolan 's rich and engrossing adventure rip-roars across the cinema screen , bullying blockbusters into new territory .",
      "to talk of heath ledger 's performance is difficult , merely because , as gigantic as it is , it is only one important feature of an intricately wrought canvas .",
      "it 's too long and nolan tosses in too many twists near the end . but it delivers ongoing adrenalin rushes , mental popcorn to chew over and a rich atmosphere to get lost in . and it 's impressive enough to rank as summer 's strongest blockbuster .",
      "most of the film is entertaining . the cast is uniformly excellent and the resounding praise aimed at the late heath ledger is deserved .",
      "at two and a half hours , it 's a little exhausting , but i honestly ca n't say what i 'd cut .",
      "dark , mysterious and pulsating almost from start to finish , batman 's return to the big screen has set a new benchmark for the superhero film , leaving the plethora of recent comic book capers firmly in its wake .",
      "MOV takes the process a giant leap further , transforming a typical summer blockbuster into a brooding , unsettling reflection on the increasingly blurry boundaries between good and evil .",
      "does it match the hype ? yes .",
      "an amazing piece of filmmaking that rockets the batman legacy to heights never imagined , fueled by heath ledger 's amazing re-invention of the joker .",
      "if batman begins was the classy hors d'oeuvre in christopher nolan 's blockbuster trilogy , then this awesome follow-up is a main course that delivers on all levels .",
      "MOV is a rarity in hollywood -- a truly earnest adaptation that in many ways exceeds even the brilliance of the work upon which it is based .",
      "it could be the bleakest big-budget adventure since blade runner tanked on release near the dawn of the reagan era .",
      "... director christopher nolan 's much-hyped , long awaited second entry in the batman franchise is not only fabulous and the best film of the summer , it 's possibly the best film of the year , a guaranteed mammoth hit .",
      "MOV is noisy , jumbled , and sadistic .",
      "... many excellent moments and action set-pieces ...",
      "you heard it here first : the late heath ledger will win an academy award for his defining , spine-tingling performance as the joker .",
      "... in the world of movies based on comic book heroes , there are the new batman films , and then there 's everything else .",
      "powerful acting , powerful action , huge imax sequences give this batman a great big commanding feel . however , story is held hostage to action , especially in the second half .",
      "in this , the last performance he completed before his death , ledger had a maniacal gusto inspired enough to suggest that he might have lived to be as audacious an actor as marlon brando , and maybe as great .",
      "batman lives to absorb blame in order to save the worthy , and soldier -lrb- or speedbike -rrb- on .",
      "the hardware is played down this time and the result is character intensive movie that just so happens to have some of the best special effects of the season .",
      "without question one of the most demonic , pure incarnations of nightmarish instant classic movie villains , heath ledger 's joker self-mutilated danger junkie , misery loves company chaos freak in hellish warpaint may be gone , but will never be forgotten .",
      "heath ledger 's performance was a strong contributor , but christopher nolan 's writing and direction is the real star .",
      "be not fooled , this movie may circle d.a. harvey dent , and may toy with wayne 's weariness and loneliness , but this story belongs heart and soul to ledger 's joker .",
      "-lsb- ledger 's -rsb- manic zest gives the film its energy .",
      "it plays with the same themes as a lot of other superhero movies , but is about something bigger .",
      "at one point , all of gotham believes that aaron eckhart is batman . indie-man , maybe . or blonde with split chin-man . but i 'd sooner believe that val kilmer is batman . and what are the odds of that ?",
      "declaring christopher nolan 's batman movie to be the best-ever comic book adaptation or one of the top action flicks of all time understates what he accomplishes .",
      "an epic that will leave you staggering from the theater , stunned by its scope and complexity . it 's also , thankfully , a vast improvement over his self-serious origin story , 2005 's batman begins .",
      "a masterpiece of good and evil with oscar-worthy performances and technical accomplishments that has the potential to impact the genre more than any film since christopher reeve put on red tights .",
      "you come away impressed , oppressed , provoked , and beaten down , holding on to ledger 's squirrelly incandescence as a beacon in the darkness .",
      "it 's the standard-bearer for the school of comic-book movies that confuses pompousness with seriousness and popular mechanics for drama .",
      "christopher nolan 's second batman adventure is the rare blockbuster that left me engaged and thoughtful instead of bored and bummed out .",
      "let 's face it : if you 're any sort of pop-culture or movie freak , you 're going to see this flick . and you should , just for ledger .",
      "it is a supreme achievement in its genre . it does n't transcend its comic book origins , but rather faithfully represents them , wholly unembarrassed to deliver its story on its own terms .",
      "MOV is better than you have heard and as good as you had hoped .",
      "see this one on the biggest screen you can -lrb- imax , ideally -rrb- , and experience both the magic of top-notch technical filmmaking and the bittersweet pleasure of watching a young actor , gone too soon , giving a performance that wo n't be forgotten .",
      "this film is not only one of the year 's best ; it may well end up as the finest of 2008 . at the very least , it deserves consideration for best picture and best director , along with the expected oscar kudos for ledger .",
      "-lsb- ledger 's -rsb- performance is also the most interesting thing in the film , and when the joker is absent , MOV loses most of its energy and dynamism .",
      "quite simply , when you see MOV , you 're going to realize how truly awful the first wave of batman films were .",
      "where batman begins was largely about the considerable personal toll exacted by its hero 's decision to fight back against the forces of evil while adhering to a code of honor , MOV expands those weighty themes to city scale .",
      "relatively high-quality pulp .",
      "ledger 's performance reigns over nicholson 's by taking evil to a new level . if you do n't see this in theatres , then you are missing out on one of the biggest and best films in history .",
      "an explosively provocative -lsb- film -rsb- . ... exhilaratingly straightforward action sequences matched by moral complexity of a sort not usually associated with comic-book movie franchises .",
      "the whole thing would be worthwhile if for nothing else than the late ledger 's brilliant and creepy performance as the unhinged , deranged villain . hopefully , his achievement will be remembered when film-award season comes around .",
      "ambitious , flawed and erratically visionary , batman is back .",
      "it 's a movie about america , terrorism and the rule of law ; about heroism and human nature . the dude in the bat suit is just window-dressing .",
      "dark knight is epic , frightening , unforgettable , unstoppable , and every inch a classic batman trial , brought to life with disquieting , mouth-slashing sincerity .",
      "MOV succeeds as an action film , character study and metaphor for our own terrorism-obsessed time . even the hoary device of suggesting a bond between the outcast hero and the outrageous criminal , misused in so many films , makes sense .",
      "the phenomenal MOV now reigns as the greatest superhero film of all time . from its exhilarating first frame to its bittersweet last , it sets a new standard for the genre -- and redefines what a summer popcorn movie can be .",
      "a big summer blockbuster dripping in characters .",
      "MOV has raised the bar for the comic book superhero genre - it 's a batman movie for grown-ups .",
      "this is without a doubt the best -- and most important -- picture of the year .",
      "MOV is the best batman film ever made , the best superhero movie ever made , and the best movie of the year to date .",
      "i say this with a smile from ear to ear , there is too much of a good thing . MOV is the best adult superhero film of all time .",
      "a riveting piece of work that will have us all mourning ledger 's loss but smacking our lips for a third entry",
      "MOV delivered on many fronts .",
      "in MOV , when mortals tangle in the affairs of the gods , they get burned .",
      "someone get the batman a lozenge .",
      "supremely satisfying for about a dozen different reasons . a great film .",
      "pop cinema has a new hero in heath ledger 's joker - a joyous force of dementia and one of the most haunting portrayals of villainy in some time .",
      "christian bale is magnificent as the tortured hero , but the movie belongs to its freaky villain .",
      "oh , and if skin-crawling performances , complex storytelling , and profound ideas do n't do it for you ... did i mention that the film is completely badass ?",
      "despite the tensions between its form and its function , MOV succeeds far more than it fails , and lingers provocatively in the mind .",
      "... even if ledger had n't died , critics and audiences alike would still be buzzing about the star 's turn as the joker .",
      "this film is sure to surpass your wildest expectations . the summer film that is sure to be unforgettable and leave you craving for more .",
      "MOV should not be remembered as the movie that took heath ledger out . thanks primarily to him , it should be remembered as the movie that propelled fantasy action-thrillers to a higher level .",
      "i 'm tired of the early oscar talk too , but when you 're talking the best performance in years , if not decades , it 's worth talking about . the whole movie is worth the buzz . christopher ` slowly revealing myself to be god ' nolan has done it again .",
      "MOV is 152 minutes long but is transfixing and all-enveloping , rather than arduous .",
      "the godfather of summer movies . yes , i mean it .",
      "for all MOV 's occasionally bombastic excess , it sort of does top them all , and not only in star power and sheer number of things blown up .",
      "under the fun summer blockbuster sheen lives an unnerving , serious , complex and ambitious crime epic about three good men with the courage to stand against evil .",
      "MOV is a masterpiece , easily the strongest effort in the history of its genre and one of the best movies of the decade .",
      "do not go gently into MOV . it 's an electrifying , thought-provoking meditation on the modern wages of fear . and you have n't danced with the devil by the pale moonlight until heath ledger has taken your psyche for a twirl .",
      "whatever the causes , the effects of MOV are subtle and powerful . it 's rejuvenating , it renews the faith .",
      "nolan gives in a bit to bloated-sequel syndrome ... but this is still one of the most riveting , trilling and wrenching movies of the year .",
      "locked in a struggle for gotham 's soul , this batman and joker are mesmerizing , unforgettable and , yes , complete .",
      "MOV is easily the most entertaining bummer of the summer .",
      "heath ledger 's joker is , in many ways , symbolic of nolan 's overall success with MOV ; subtle and restrained , but always two shakes shy of bloody holocaust and a masterpiece of cinema that time will verify .",
      "despite its superhero trappings , MOV is more a piece of film noir .",
      "MOV is a good movie . it has all the ingredients to be a great movie , but it is n't one . i may grudgingly put it on my best-ten-of-the year list -lrb- a paltry group at this point -rrb- , but it could have been so much more . it came so close .",
      "najefektniji u trenucima kada se kr % u0161e nepisana pravila",
      "heath ledger is diana ross and these other kids are the supremes . believe the hype , mr. ledger as the joker is categorically brilliant . the late-great actor turned another batman movie into a riveting film that will be oscar worthy only because of him .",
      "for all the oscar buzz surrounding heath ledger in the past few weeks , there still are n't enough hours in the day to gush about his knockout performance as the joker .",
      "lacks a sense of humor and a notion about the essential silliness of this premise .",
      "can one great character carry an entire movie ? ... the answer is obviously yes . ledger does it .",
      "the symbiosis of good and evil is the film 's philosophical core , and images of duality and cloaked identity are strewn through it like shards from a fun house mirror .",
      "there is an exquisite order in the chaos , a fascist formality and video game surrealism that resists the forces of disintegration with a sort of superhuman determination .",
      "while the film may be a hell of a ride , it takes a hell of a long time for the ride to grind its way out of first gear .",
      "the movie is two-and-a-half hours of almost non-stop action , which while often enthralling , eventually gets tiring . it 's just go-go-go .",
      "at the core of what is undoubtedly the most intense , and even at times horrific , superhero movie yet made is ledger 's extraordinary performance .",
      "the late heath ledger will be missed because of his ability to make a green-haired clown into the most terrifying sight in recent memory .",
      "a very good movie that falls short of greatness .",
      "as promised , heath ledger is terrifying . cruelty plus cleverness is a fearsome combination .",
      "nolan is clearly on the title character 's wavelength and understands how a crisis of such magnitude might affect good men trying to do the right thing .",
      "... we can have not just good comic book movies , but amazing comic book movies .",
      "among this summer 's action films , dark knight is easily the best in show .",
      "nolan 's sequel surpasses the original with an intense , disturbing masterpiece .",
      "impeccably acted , morally complex and crafted with across-the-board technical virtuosity ... emerges fully formed as an american crime-movie classic .",
      "it 's a hugely entertaining bit of eye-candy .",
      "nolan cements his position as hollywood 's premier purveyor of blockbuster smarts .",
      "it 's an action-filled crime drama revolving around a dangerous , demented anarchist . once again , the joker 's wild !",
      "freed from the confines of an origin story , director christopher nolan lets loose with an intense , challenging , flawed and , yes , dark vision of gotham under siege , featuring an unforgettable final performance by heath ledger as the clown prince of crime .",
      "from the start , it drags us down to the fiery pits of gotham 's anarchic hell and never lets us up for air ; it is a bruising , unrelenting slice of sensory overload , a captivating spectacle as likely to dazzle the eyes as fray the nerves .",
      "plodding , puffed-up kitsch mistaking itself for profound psycho noir that the source material wo n't support .",
      "the movie may fall shy of greatness , but that 's not for lack of trying .",
      "ledger slips into the purple suit as if it were an animal skin for a primal , archetypal dance ... nolan 's richly realized adaptation of a modern american mythology fulfills our faith in the material and its interpreters .",
      "takes the expectations attached to superhero movies and subverts and reverses them in unexpected ways .",
      "analyzing the successes of such a blistering , genre-defining masterwork -lrb- i 'm already slipping -rrb- is tantamount to judging the contours of michelangelo 's david or evaluating the shading and form of da vinci 's the last supper .",
      "iron man and even more so MOV move the genre into deeper waters . they realize , as some comic-book readers instinctively do , that these stories touch on deep fears , traumas , fantasies and hopes .",
      "the setting may be gotham city , but the landscape is that of the unconscious , where archetypes roam unfettered by the restraints of the waking world .",
      "this movie is too in love with itself to make you love it .",
      "an ambitious , full-bodied crime epic of gratifying scope and moral complexity , this is seriously brainy pop entertainment that satisfies every expectation raised by its hit predecessor and then some .",
      "`` so here it is : the best superhero movie ever . MOV deftly accomplishes all one could hope for , and then it surpasses it , and then it continues to surprise . the movie is n't just a triumph , it is that rare pop-culture oddity : a masterpiece . ''",
      "visually arresting , with an awards-worthy performance from the late heath ledger -- the story bogs down in subplots and subplots to subplots .",
      "the film is so relentlessly bleak that , paradoxically , its blackness is not given its full due . but this comic-book movie is more disturbing , and has more freakish power , than anything else i 've seen all year .",
      "MOV is even more blazingly ambitious than its predecessor , the 2005 batman begins .",
      "christopher nolan 's latest exploration of the batman mythology steeps its muddled plot in so much murk that the joker 's maniacal nihilism comes to seem like a recurrent grace note .",
      "MOV might be the first superhero movie that exudes a palpable sense of dread and menace that tugs at our nerves in a way that both disturbs and delights us .",
      "far from offering traditional summer escapism ... a brainy , action-packed morality play meant to throttle the audience , body and mind , for a solid 152 minutes and haunt them for days and weeks later .",
      "with only three short words comprising the film 's enigmatic title , it also boasts three epic claims to fame : the role of a lifetime for the late heath ledger , one of the best films of 2008 and one of the greatest superhero films of all time .",
      "the best way to sum up the sheer brilliance that is MOV is to paraphrase a saying from the comic book guy in the simpsons : best . superhero movie . ever !",
      "the movie is relentlessly paced , as nolan constantly pushes the film with nail-biting action sequences and resonant dialogue exchanges .",
      "batman becomes a supporting player to the characters of dent and the joker",
      "believe every ounce of the hype surrounding MOV .",
      "during the summer of 2008 , at least , the price of a single movie ticket is n't likely to buy more on-screen entertainment value and cinematic ambition than MOV .",
      "mixed with the flashes of absolute brilliance are long dead sections . the film left me more often bored than entertained . it 's a certain candidate for my list of this year 's most overrated movies .",
      "among the great strengths of MOV is the way it combines hardboiled naturalism with the kind of stunts and setpieces you expect in summer blockbusters .",
      "there 's a sense of daring in this explosive batman film , in which we constantly feel on edge , aware of the impending risks and that there is something to lose .",
      "i loved MOV ... it 's unbelievably dark and uncompromised ; it 's the film noir we deserve for our terrifying 21st century .",
      "this is not a batman movie -- this is a 2008 version of the untouchables with the batman as elliot ness , the joker as al capone , and much better toys .",
      "MOV is bound to haunt you long after you 've told yourself , aah , it 's only a comic-book movie .",
      "the weight of expectation should have crushed this movie .",
      "nolan has squeezed enough material for a saga into two and a half hours . the action moves insanely fast , the exposition is breathless , and the big setpieces practically tread on each other 's heels . down time does n't exist in this film .",
      "pure adrenaline . -lsb- nolan -rsb- , having dispensed with his introspective , moody origin story , now puts the caped crusader through a decathlon of explosions , vehicle flips , hand-to-hand combat , midair rescues and pulse-pounding suspense .",
      "this is an impressive film in many ways , and nolan directs with real confidence , yet the overall result feels cumbersome .",
      "the oscar talk is no hype .",
      "MOV -lsb- sounds -rsb- like heavy stuff -- and it is . but i should add that nolan also delivers the kick-ass goods , from an opening bank heist a la michael mann to a climactic episode of vehicular mayhem a la william friedkin .",
      "nolan has shot MOV with the utmost confidence , and with a gleefully morbid sense of fun that prevents it from becoming oppressively bleak .",
      "MOV packs in at least two films worth of action , suspense , spectacle , horror , and nuanced social commentary . you 'll want to see it more than twice .",
      "brilliantly bleak and chillingly gothic -lrb- credit the enthralling cinematography by wally pfister -rrb- , MOV emerges as the first truly great film of 2008 .",
      "the most thematically sophisticated , most philosophically profound , most narratively complex and most viscerally thrilling super-hero movie of all . it transcends the genre .",
      "MOV is ahead of the curve , dense and demanding , an art film on a grand scale . it wo n't make you smile , but it will make you ponder this mesmerizing experience .",
      "the generation of consumers who swallow this pessimistic sentiment ca n't see past the product to its debased morality . instead , their excitement about MOV 's dread -lrb- that teenage thrall with subversion -rrb- inspires their fealty to product .",
      "dark knight is i suppose the greatest superhero movie ever made , but it 's so far beyond the genre that attempting to compare it with likes of spider-man , is almost laughable .",
      "while MOV has all the visual flair and breathtaking action sequences you 'd want in this kind of movie , the screenplay by nolan and his brother jonathan nolan keeps the human element front and center .",
      "a triumph in comic book movies ... the best batman movie ever made . but it is ledger 's demeanor -- his body language , eye contact , and delivery -- that gets under one 's skin .",
      "nolan has shown a new way to tell a superhero story , and it may turn out to be the only way to tell a story about heroes in this troublingly amoral time .",
      "nolan has n't just created another comic book film , but a well crafted solid engrossing thriller",
      "a drama about hard moral choices , ` MOV ' is ` the godfather ' of superhero movies -- or , at least , ` the departed . '",
      "quite good . nolan 's visually sophisticated and well-acted sequel engages and even wows for about two hours of its 2 1/2 - hour run time .",
      "ambitious and relentlessly dark and altogether better than its predecessor .",
      "watching MOV is like gazing into a mirror on a waning moon night : chilling and mesmerizing .",
      "ledger makes the joker his , imbuing the character with such menace and genuine insanity i finally got a sense of what talent he really had .",
      "like a symphony where every note is exactly where it needs to be , or a painting without a brushstroke wasted , MOV is an unabashed , unashamedly great film .",
      "delves so deeply into the darkness that lurks in the hearts of men that it comes almost as a shock , bordering on euphoria , to find that it maintains a tenacious grip onto hope in the human potential for good .",
      "the stunts are exciting , but here 's an action movie where the bits in between feel like more than setup for the next set piece . we 've seen bat movies that wink , sink or stink ; this one thinks .",
      "puts nolan in the same league as brian de palma , martin scorsese and michael mann .",
      "nolan wants to prove that a superhero movie need n't be disposable , effects-ridden junk food , and you have to admire his ambition .",
      "this movie is grim and jammed together . the narrative is n't shaped coherently to bring out contrasts and build toward a satisfying climax . MOV is constant climax ; it 's always in a frenzy , and it goes on forever .",
      "batman 's dilemma in MOV is how to use his bad press , whether he will embrace it or continue to fight it .",
      "-lsb- gotham city -rsb- stands in for any of today 's civilized nations and becomes ripe for thematic exploration . and nolan wastes no chance to utilize this world for a tale about how fragile our morality is .",
      "MOV resounds with a throbbing topical undercurrent , its superficially good-versus-evil setup slowly revealed to be a complex examination of the ways in which democracies can , and must , combat zealotry .",
      "nolan paints an inky portrait of a city falling apart , and in a movie rife with two-faced masquerading freaks , the joker is merely the least conflicted of the bunch . ledger 's work is improbably droll , impossibly creepy , meticulously detailed .",
      "a dark , ambitious , mature and gritty crime saga the likes of which michael mann or martin scorsese would be proud to call their own .",
      "daring and uncompromisingly different from previous incarnations of batman , nolan has n't redefined the superhero genre as much as created an unforgettable piece of crime fiction within the context of that realm .",
      "dark , grim , haunting and inventive , dark knight is nothing short of brilliant , representing chris nolan 's most accomplished and mature work to date and the best and scariest comic-hero adaptation you 're likely to see this summer , perhaps the whole year .",
      "holy hyperbole , batman ! the best superhero movie ever is also the best movie of the year so far .",
      "it 's one of this year 's most haunting cinematic experiences .",
      "let it be said that -lsb- ledger 's is -rsb- such a fearless , fierce , menacing turn that comparisons with jack nicholson do n't come into it . this is the definitive joker .",
      "MOV is a triumph from beginning to end .",
      "the haunting and visionary dark knight soars on the wings of untamed imagination .",
      "elevates the genre . ledger triumphs and i loved the bromance between wayne/batman and harvey dent . why maggie gyllenhaal ?",
      "squaring off the best-ever batman and the best-ever joker would 've been enough , but director nolan sticks them inside an ensemble crime saga that should make scorsese proud .",
      "remarkable for it 's visionary thematic sprawl ... and unforgettable for the individual performance of a single actor .",
      "twisted , tortured , terrifying -- and terrific .",
      "see MOV and you 're guaranteed an exceptionally dark night at the cinema . you 'll also see the finest superhero movie in years -- no joke .",
      "director christopher nolan , who cowrote this dense , dark story with brother jonathan , has taken the comic book super hero movie onto another plateau ... post 9/11 themes dominate ...",
      "from its grim palette to its wonderfully eerie score , a departure from what hollywood has always told us a superhero film should be ... complex , unsettling , and rewarding .",
      "to see it is to understand that nolan and his co-writer brother jonathan saw a chance to go deeper into familiar characters and mythology , a chance to meditate on darker-than-usual themes that have implications for the way we live now .",
      "martin scorsese 's the departed . michael mann 's heat . brian de palma 's the untouchables . and now , christopher nolan 's MOV can join the list of one of the most absorbing and intense crime dramas in modern movie milestones .",
      "middling as a summer blockbuster , zero as art , and more than a bit alarming as a phenomenon",
      "MOV is a masterpiece of the first order , and the first great post-sept . 11 film .",
      "the film is quite special but where some films can weather extraneous or padded scenes , MOV has some distracting bloat to it which keeps it out of masterpiece territory .",
      "flawed and overrated .",
      "completely lacking in vanity , ledger creates his finest performance .",
      "it not only surpasses batman begins - previously considered the high-water mark of movies about the caped crusader - but one that magnificently transcends the superhero genre .",
      "in this one , gotham is finally a real city .",
      "bring on part three .",
      "allusions to our current struggles with surveillance , public perception and terrorism are thrown into the mix , adding political immediacy to nolan 's psycho noir .",
      "christopher nolan is much , much smarter than your average filmmaker .",
      "to simply call MOV a high class superhero film undercuts its true value . themes that concern mans internal struggle with good and evil , and the corruptible nature of the soul , enhances the film to spectacular and often tense heights ."
    ],
    "summary": "dark , complex and unforgettable , MOV succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film , but as a richly thrilling crime saga .",
    "id": "769959054"
  },
  {
    "movie": "agora",
    "reviews": [
      "despite noble intentions and bloody nods to religious intolerance , this historic epic can feel like a drippy toga party",
      "manages to mix philosophy , history , hysteria and a love triangle and still be something of a bore .",
      "a landscape where heart and head can collide in a great fury , and when the world felt like it could go one way or the other .",
      "just preaching to the choir - even a secular choir - is n't enough .",
      "how can it be that this powerful , exciting , provocative movie has been all but overlooked this year ?",
      "although the movie 's history is spotty , its dialogue is sometimes clunky , and time frames are telescoped , its overall impact packs a powerful punch .",
      "well researched , and anchored by rachel weisz 's impressive lead performance , this is a fascinating film that avoids the hollywood epic route .",
      "a contentious piece of history in which we see how the most primitive aspects of fundamental religious beliefs drove public life and generated hatreds ...",
      "a flat-footed , studious stroll through what most folks would consider a long-forgotten chapter of history .",
      "alejandro amenábar creates a palpable sense of place and never strays too far from his duty to stage big , sense-filling set pieces .",
      "fans of historical dramas may love it , but you 're in trouble when theories about the sun and earth are more involving than the interpersonal dramas .",
      "the real triumph of the film - apart from a beautifully shot , grand-scale recreation of alexandria - is how it illustrates the vital importance of asking questions .",
      "the film 's portrayal of how religious fervour can interrupt the progress of secular knowledge is acute and welcome .",
      "an intoxicating film with a wonderful sincerity , MOV is a sword-and-sandals thriller that relishes the temples , scandals and religious upheaval of 4th-century alexandria .",
      "director alejandro amenábar makes a powerful argument for independent thought over religious faith ; his portrayal of the infamous raid on the library at alexandria is devastating and masterfully shot .",
      "ancient history never looked so good .",
      "get past the togas and its somewhat stately pace , and here lies a movie with a timely message about the perils of religious intolerance .",
      "the metaphysical moments inspire , but the earth bound action is mundane in the pejorative sense .",
      "always intelligent and thought-provoking , it 's a welcome return from amenábar .",
      "a film that dares contemplate some huge themes , MOV shines light on a charming and neglected historical figure , but gets a little lost in trying to do too much aside from what ought to be its main focus .",
      "behind the pomp and circumstance of the film 's spectacle , amenábar carefully organizes the dramatic details to prove that a marriage between logic and compassion is best . it 's a message that often gets lost in this grand vision but a satisfying one .",
      "... terminally uninvolving virtually from start to finish .",
      "it 's an odd , uneasy mixture of sword-and-sandals epic and high-minded moral debate , but it 's shot beautifully and there 's no denying its ambition .",
      "amenabar 's take on the hollywood epic is admittedly flawed , but it centers on an interesting , rare protagonist , a female scientist who 's not defined by gender or sexuality .",
      "`` MOV '' occasionally hints at the interesting material embedded in its central conceits , but never manages to enliven it .",
      "a great example of bravura filmmaking by a gifted young international filmmaker .",
      "the mother of all secular humanists fights a losing battle against freshly minted religious zealots in `` MOV , '' a visually imposing , high-minded epic .",
      "MOV ultimately fails to hang together narratively and does not engage on the same grand emotional level as the sword and sandal epics of old .",
      "alejandro amenábar has made an ambitious , cerebral and complex movie set in fourth-century alexandria , the era in which the famous library was destroyed .",
      "if you want something to engage the mind as well as set the blood boiling then it is an unexpected pleasure .",
      "high-minded and ambitious , MOV is also resplendent and rich , full of striking images .",
      "they do n't make 'em like this any more . and with good reason .",
      "a swirling , big budget film that sometimes gets in the way of rachel weisz 's excellent playing of the woman who ought to be better known .",
      "a handsomely produced and generally well-acted film that favours philosophical , scientific and religious discussions over rampant toga tussling and sword slicing .",
      "for all of the massive sets and overstated rumination on the design of the universe , `` MOV '' is film that fails at every step to be believable .",
      "one of the best films of 2010 which transports us to a place we 've never been before and impresses us with the importance of hospitality and openness to the other .",
      "teeming with religious wilding , throng cheering , era exoticizing , government toppling , mob mentality temple smashing , and nonbeliever ambushing . and where the question of which adversary is on god 's side is settled by who in the end is still left standing",
      "given all the weighty colloquia , MOV has remarkably few bad laughs , and the cgi re-creations of ancient alexandria are so detailed i wanted to freeze the frame and linger on the city 's layout .",
      "somehow sessions of platonic inquiry interleaved with scenes of battle and riots do not make for a very gripping film . this one is sludgy in the extreme .",
      "earnest but dull , MOV is about the clash of science and religion , but the filmmaking elements never quite create the necessary sparks .",
      "ambitious , sprawling and melodramatic , this sword-and-sandal epic lacks subtlety and struggles to provide much charm - ultimately dissolving into a rather obvious morality tale about the rise of fundamentalism .",
      "this spanish-produced period drama is pretty dreadful : the drama is torpid , the astronomy lessons pedantic , and the spear-and-sandal production values flat-out cheesy .",
      "un digno retrato de época - no exento de ciertas simplificaciones - que logra recuperar con interés un período histórico y una figura olvidada como la de hipatia -lrb- buena labor de rachel weisz -rrb- .",
      "MOV could have been a powerfully subversive feminist film , but while it does have its moments it never truly lives up to its ambitious potential .",
      "a humorless feminist toga epic that fascinates with its intelligence and its abhorrence of the birth of judeo/christian culture .",
      "MOV is intelligent , stirring and , as the cultural devastation wrought by religious zealots plays out on screen , heartbreaking .",
      "filled with literal and metaphysical stone throwing between the religions , MOV is saddled with a muddy narrative and too many blokes who look alike .",
      "all brain , no heart .",
      "MOV may be flawed as a narrative feature , but it is a first-class conversation starter .",
      "a pointless spectacle that champions free-thinking intellectuals over violent zealots while ineffectually appealing to the same uncontrollable emotions it condemns .",
      "amenabar 's efforts to align the era 's religious conflicts and culture wars with those of our own become thuddingly obvious , especially once the old-school brio of MOV 's first hour has gone the way of the roman empire .",
      "the sympathetic weight amenábar places on the physical destruction of pagan idols feels confused ; is paganism just another blood-soaked religion or the faith of choice for knowledge-seeking progressives ?",
      "the skeptical and the secular also need stories of martyrdom and rousing acts of cinematic preaching .",
      "there are a few exciting battle sequences and the sets are lavish , but mostly the film meanders aimlessly for more than two hours . no wonder new sword-and-sandal movies are in short supply .",
      "to its credit , the film calls out christianity 's ignominious imperialism and locates a valid historical analogue to the religious extremism of today . yet good intentions sha n't save amenbar from his own ham-fisted methods .",
      "it 's ye olde clash of religion and science , though the real struggle is between coherence and cockamamy grandiloquence .",
      "insipid ... your time would be better spent staring at the stars",
      "a large-scale investigation into religious hysteria , the film is a stunning spectacle , piloted by a filmmaker drawn to the frayed ends of human irrationality ... there 's some truly exhilarating filmmaking to devour here .",
      "the biggest problem is that gil and amenábar have n't been able to make the script hold together and there are times , especially with the love triangle , when things veer into the cheesy .",
      "this lavish spanish production begins to plod after a brisk , lively first half .",
      "there are moments of lovely intimacy and emotional power at this intersection of faith , philosophy and physics .",
      "it 's possible to admire the grand , sweeping ambitions poured into the production of MOV without having much use for the movie itself .",
      "with fire in her eyes and the riddle of the solar system in her brain , weisz struggles in fleshing out a historical character well worth a movie , though frustratingly sketchy as written here .",
      "the balance tilts away from characters and mystery toward messages .",
      "through it all , the actors play their roles with suspect conviction .",
      "i wish the movie kind of caught fire for me .",
      "hypatia has been misrepresented for centuries as a martyr of religion 's war on reason ... a version of events traced to the anti-catholic 18th-century writer edward gibbon and popularized by carl sagan .",
      "a tedious , choppily edited , uninvolving mess that ca n't be saved by its provocative premise and rachel weisz 's radiant performance .",
      "this MOV is an expensive-looking update on an old de mille-style extravaganza . it has many new and provocative ideas , certainly , but the same british accents and the same stodgy execution .",
      "it 's still more than watchable thanks to the ministrations of a talented director , spain 's alejandro amenábar , but the togas seem to have brought out the stiff , declamatory earnestness in everyone .",
      "we 're but tiny specks in the cosmos , a point alejandro amenábar drives home via nigh-omnipresent powers-of-10 shots ...",
      "i went to see MOV expecting an epic with swords , sandals and sex . i found swords and sandals , some unexpected opinions about sex , and a great deal more .",
      "weisz 's yeoman efforts aside , amenábar 's sweepingly ambitious film never quite figures out how to do justice to its intriguing central figure . it 's a story worth telling that could probably stand another try .",
      "the production design and cgi are seamlessly joined and amenabar uses some out of context , but fascinating , devices % u2013 a satellite view of the earth centered on alexandria -lrb- the perspective of god or gods ? -rrb-",
      "watchable , intelligent and provocative drama with a stunning central performance from rachel weisz ...",
      "the human story of MOV is not only smaller in scale than the sweep of geohistory but considerably less interesting .",
      "MOV feels like an overlong school trip to the planetarium , followed by a romans-in-togas play in the gym .",
      "although the film 's reception has been decidedly mixed , i am going to start thumping my tub for rachel weisz 's inclusion in this year 's best actress list , at the very least . she , and amenábar 's film , moved me to tears .",
      "some may consider `` MOV '' sound history , others may label it heresy , but i call it thumping good drama .",
      "it 's not perfect , but it 's not like any other movie in theaters now .",
      "all of the ideas and themes it puts forth are fascinating and could be quite enlightening for the modern age , if the film they were attached to was even a tiny bit fun to watch .",
      "despite the bloodthirstiness of the christian mob there 's a surprising lack of dramatic tension .",
      "an interesting but often frustrating effort by the director of the sea inside , who proves that ambition and talent are n't enough to ensure a compelling drama .",
      "where MOV sometimes fails as a film , it can never fail as a spark to ignite the fires of conversation . at last , this is a sword and sandal epic with its mind in the right place .",
      "MOV , alejandro amenabar 's absorbing historical drama , proves that , in an era of movies made for iphones with artistic ambitions to match , there are still filmmakers willing to swing for the fences .",
      "despite the open-air connotation of the title , there 's a curiously constricted , even suffocating quality to ` MOV ' that leaves it ... a chore to sit through .",
      "MOV is entertaining , and even at times illuminating .",
      "a strikingly physical as well as thoughtful drama ."
    ],
    "summary": "noble goals and a gripping performance from rachel weisz ca n't save MOV from its muddled script , uneven acting , and choppy editing .",
    "id": "770802482"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bears_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "an enjoyable and visually stunning romp through the scenic alaskan wilderness with a small family of MOV .",
      "engrossing and engaging - and the closing credits reveal behind-the-scenes glimpses of filming in the wild .",
      "sincere and unexpectedly good , the film happily reintroduces another element of classic kids ' movies : a tidy 77-minute run time .",
      "what 's amazing about the documentary , though , is that it 's oftentimes just as engaging as the disney MOV that play in jug bands or crave ooey-gooey honey .",
      "huge MOV , cute MOV , stunning vistas and an age-old story of survival , the g-rated `` MOV '' is fine entertainment for families and animal lovers .",
      "a wondrous experience for cubs and mama MOV alike .",
      "some tense moments in disney 's nature documentary .",
      "so much about MOV is awesome in the classic sense of the word .",
      "a barely bearable bear nature flick . great cinematography . boring story & script .",
      "`` MOV '' could have used a lot more science ; more substantive information in the place of wacky one-liners . still , the images trump everything .",
      "as with all of disneynature 's features , there 's astonishing documentary work on display in `` MOV '' - but a leaner , less conspicuously structured view of the wild might have had even greater impact .",
      "the movie reduces magnificent , savage animals to the dimensions of a squabbling but loyal human family .",
      "if the sight of bear cubs prancing through wildflowers does n't make you smile , then you probably wo n't like the new disneynature documentary MOV . you also probably are n't human .",
      "the astounding footage of a mother bear and two cubs fishing , fighting and hanging tough through a challenging year of foraging transcends the folksy narration .",
      "as with fothergill 's previous nature documentaries , `` MOV '' is a story of triumph and family .",
      "another typically engaging , vividly shot entry in the successful disney wildlife series .",
      "if you want to teach your kid about MOV , there 's probably a better pbs program you can find somewhere .",
      "it may be rated g , but for the most part this is serious stuff , as potentially traumatic for younger viewers as the death of bambi 's mother .",
      "a sweet , breezy nature film that the entire family can enjoy",
      "MOV , the latest of disney 's earth day releases , might not win any awards , but it has the bare necessities of any terrific nature-doc : stunning images , arresting voice-over and a powerful story of survival .",
      "the best thing disney does with its theme park millions is put them into these beautiful , kid-friendly nature documentaries",
      "aimed to be child-friendly and soft pedals some of the harsher realities of bear life",
      "`` and luckily , the movie does gets out of its own way -lrb- eventually -rrb- and tells a somewhat engaging , ` true-life ' nature tale . ''",
      "much as i tried to avoid it , it was sometimes difficult to keep werner herzog 's voice from creeping in over john c. reilly 's narration .",
      "a visual experience through and through , one that offers eye-popping delights at every turn .",
      "not without its contrivances as it caters to younger audiences , `` MOV '' is a nonetheless earnest , adorable real-life adventure .",
      "i 'm not suggesting that every nature film narrator should sound like david attenborough , but john c. reilly really seems an odd choice .",
      "constructs a compelling narrative out of what must have been an enormous amount of footage , focusing on the age-old trope of the journey to give the MOV ' plight for survival a sense of sincere thematic heft",
      "with its touching story , beautiful scenery , and stunning camerawork , `` MOV '' becomes another worthwhile documentary in the disneynature library .",
      "nature movie fans will enjoy seeing the incredible cinematography of these magnificent creatures in the wild .",
      "although MOV most certainly can be adorable creatures , ` MOV , ' the latest disney documentary to celebrate earth day , turns the cuteness level up a bit too high .",
      "surely some of the film 's various incidents have been creatively stitched together from stray bits and pieces of footage , but its central conflict is an entirely organic one , and rarely is any offscreen string pulling distractingly evident .",
      "the `` nature '' aspects of MOV are undercut by the need to turn this into a live-action disney cartoon , complete with cuddly heroes and nasty villains .",
      "the devotion and persistence of these animals is a powerful reminder that family connections link all species . with this peek into their world , we are more aware of our own .",
      "bonus points for all but eliminating the easy scatological humor . does a bear -lrb- poop -rrb- in the woods ? you wo n't find out watching `` MOV . ''",
      "there are grittier nature documentaries out there , but `` MOV '' is simple and effective , and delivered with that friendly disney touch . its intent is to make you say , `` awww , '' and it does its job well .",
      "all this is heartwarming , in a bloody , ursine-centric way .",
      "when focused on nature , MOV is breathtaking .",
      "with gorgeous cinematography and playful narration from john c. reilly , it 's a goldilocks film -- one that will juuust right for mamma MOV , papa MOV and baby MOV alike .",
      "despite the bracing beauty of the wilderness , and the respite provided by cubs at play , the movie is primarily a sobering treatise on survival .",
      "john c. reilly 's friendly , midwestern tone seems well-suited to the subject matter , as well as the whole genre , but it 's the incredible pictures that make this movie stand so tall , and with so much power .",
      "the result is an upbeat and frankly gorgeous nature documentary .",
      "you got ta give paying audiences -- especially strapped family audiences -- more than this . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "a delightful portrait of a year in the lives of a family of brown MOV .",
      "the disneynature movies should n't be mistaken for traditional documentary , but if they act as a gateway drug for young children to learn more about the animal kingdom , then the films are serving a real purpose .",
      "a formulaically entertaining combination of gorgeous cinematography and unapologetic anthropomorphization .",
      "there 's only so much editing can do to make a bear story seem like a human one , and the filmmakers -lrb- alastair fothergill and keith scholey directed -rrb- also go to unfortunate lengths to give human characteristics like laziness to the MOV .",
      "the movie is so slick , so well-crafted and so beautiful , it 's easy to forget that it was essentially made out of found footage .",
      "true to its disney lineage , MOV is a theme-park version of reality , but one built on sincere understanding of and affection for the natural world and all its creatures-especially the really cute ones .",
      "although MOV does n't have a stated green message , it 's hard to see the majestic natural beauty presented onscreen and not feel stewardship urges .",
      "do n't look for disneynature 's `` salmon '' anytime soon .",
      "MOV works very well as an emotional story of survival and family . but at 77-minutes , it felt a little overlong .",
      "MOV is entertaining , suitably suspenseful , and amusing , boosted by reilly 's enthusiasm and the natural appeal of its stars .",
      "amid its heaping serving of cuddliness ... the film does n't sugarcoat the harsh reality and unforgiving elements with which the MOV have to contend .",
      "whether adventurous scout is getting his claw stuck in a clam or the fuzzball siblings are riding on the back of their mom as she fords a river , the movie is crammed with memorable images .",
      "co-directors alastair fothergill and keith scholey 's stirringly captured movie unlocks a sincere sense of awe and reverence within viewers ' hearts , even as it frustrates an audience looking for a bit more ."
    ],
    "summary": "sweet , beautifully filmed , and admirably short on sugarcoating , MOV continues disneynature 's winning streak .",
    "id": "771318848"
  },
  {
    "movie": "spy_game",
    "reviews": [
      "scott films every scene , no matter how routine , as if he 's covering the launch of a nuclear missile .",
      "`` MOV '' might have worked better if it did n't try to straddle the line between war and peace like an inept double agent .",
      "scott ... ca n't figure out how to overcome the awkwardness of the flashback device and get any real dramatic momentum going .",
      "a mess , but it 's a rousing mess , with ample humor and action to satisfy the discerning dullard within .",
      "watching -lsb- redford -rsb- so winningly wrap himself around an interesting role made me feel as if he 'd never left his peak leading-man stature of more than a generation ago .",
      "so well put together that its substantial gaps in plausibility do n't cause grievous harm .",
      "robert redford gives perhaps the slyest performance of his career , projecting both the piss and vinegar of butch cassidy and the stoicism of the sundance kid .",
      "an energetic but immature espionage caper , one that hurtles forward with the inelegant enthusiasm of a kindergartner playing dress-up in his father 's best suit .",
      "even within the limits of its fictional spy ` game ' sensibility , it is depressingly unthoughtful .",
      "if you dig on spy films , i do n't see any reason why you would n't thoroughly enjoy this movie .",
      "a formula action espionage film .",
      "redford dazzles in his best role in decades .",
      "writers michael frost beckner and david arata have written a truly riveting script , and cinematographer daniel mindel has done a great job of translating it visually .",
      "it 's clever and shows great control of craft , but it does n't care , and so it 's hard for us to care about .",
      "a yawn , and the two glamour boys -lrb- who , by the way , look awful -rrb- are both snoring .",
      "happily , beneath the film 's nostalgic veneer and tooth-rattling visual and aural effects lies a mature ambiguity that 's unusual for a holiday blockbuster .",
      "to insert dynamic cinematography , you usually need something remotely dynamic to be happening on screen ... oliver stone has made a career out of -lsb- not doing -rsb- this .",
      "scott applies his usual flashy , stylized and high-voltage craftsmanship to the perfect vehicle here .",
      "el espionaje no significa ser james bond o ethan hunt el 100 % de las veces , y aquí el duelo real es con el arma más útil y compleja : la inteligencia .",
      "i 'll admit the main story is implausible , but the flashbacks were spectacular , and the cast is really good here .",
      "tony scott always knows how to put on a good show .",
      "a satisfying blend of an edge-of-your-seat thriller with a story of friendship and loyalty and a sobering inquiry into what it means to be a spy .",
      "it 's fun to watch redford and pitt play off of each other in the roles of mentor and protege .",
      "the movie is set in so many different countries and time frames that it gets as complicated as a sara jane olson plea hearing . that it all makes sense in the end is due to the crackly , smart dialogue .",
      "every time the story catches fire , the script switches to very long flashbacks that are confusing and never give us any reason to care about the people involved .",
      "despite its predictability , the story plays out fairly well .",
      "wittily scripted and wonderfully played by the veteran blond bombshell , redford 's hq scenes sparkle .",
      "MOV has blockbuster written all over it . the rental kind , not the box office kind .",
      "under the direction of tony scott , the film uses flash action and compelling camera work to move the story -- making MOV visually interesting .",
      "MOV is extraordinarily sleek and fleet , maintaining a breakneck momentum that could be likened to a runaway train or , more aptly , a heat-seeking missile .",
      "the script by michael frost beckner and david arata manages somehow to be both tantalizingly complicated and comfortably predictable .",
      "scott knows how to tell a story with flair and speed .",
      "the action sequences are astounding .",
      "an engrossing , tough-minded drama about the slippery morality of espionage and the harrowing decisions agents must make to serve the greater good .",
      "like pitt at his best , it 's pretty , gritty , engrossing and fun .",
      "tony scott ... has done enough movies of this sort that at times it feels like he 's sleepwalking through the hyperkinetic camera movements and rapid-fire editing",
      "mr. redford 's strong turn , a pulse-pounding score , razor-sharp editing , and a provocative script give this location-driven thriller a keen edge .",
      "barely recommended .",
      "seems a lot more adult than anything i 've seen in a while .",
      "the sweetest thing about this action thriller is not the action -- it 's the finesse .",
      "a good , solid , middle-of-the-road secret agent yarn , almost gleefully old-fashioned in narrative and tone .",
      "... takes you on a great ride while not really being a great movie .",
      "the core of this story is so riveting and strong that not even scott 's misguided efforts to dress it up can completely ruin it .",
      "redford , who has played a long list of conscientious doubters and dissenters motivated by patriotism and justice , brings the perfect amount of baggage to the role .",
      "an engrossing , if flawed , endeavor -- the kind of movie that represents an evening 's solid diversion .",
      "this movie is about guys sitting around in meetings , trying to out-spy each other .",
      "redford in a solid , nuanced performance in a picture that 's frantically paced .",
      "it is a smart thriller for grown-ups about spies who use their brains .",
      "using a healthy mix of flashbacks and real-time segments , director tony scott manages to tell a compelling and thorough tale of politics , espionage and loyalty .",
      "what MOV lacks in bonafide suspense , it more than recoups in the dynamic interaction of its two stars .",
      "MOV 's stars are only among the best elements in this superbly exciting , entertaining espionage thriller .",
      "enemies can bury the hatchet ; journalists can bury the lead ; but who would have thought that a screenwriter could bury the plot .",
      "i spy something bland .",
      "those flashbacks tend to dissipate tension and interest rather than increase it , making MOV play more like a haphazard short-story collection than an involving and cohesive novel .",
      "the only thing that distinguishes the thriller MOV from one of uber-producer jerry bruckheimer 's big-budgeted blockbusters is the fact that his name 's not on this one .",
      "at times , it just seems like the movie is engaged in a game , itself , to keep us from noticing its faults .",
      "the kind of movie that represents an engaging evening 's diversion , but makes no impact and leaves no lasting impression .",
      "like the best tony scott films , MOV simultaneously questions and celebrates outmoded codes of masculine professionalism .",
      "briskly paced and has enough style to keep the formula and implausibilities , for the most part , out of mind .",
      "redford is cool in this movie . he 's as cool as a baskin robbins delivery truck caught in new england 's blizzard of ' 78 .",
      "é sempre interessante conhecer personagens inteligentes .",
      "crisply photographed and relentlessly compelling .",
      "pretentious camera tricks and confusing flashbacks overshadow fine performances .",
      "another hollywood-style action flick that entertains , but is n't terribly original ...",
      "it really is redford 's show . he works things so smoothly and with such a silver tongue that you honestly do believe the man was a top spy for the government .",
      "less bond than simply boring .",
      "spy story fans should enjoy the ... scheming , the crosses and double-crosses , and the depiction of the icy obliquity built into -- and accepted -- as part of the system .",
      "MOV is absorbing enough for a night out , yet the film never pretends to be more than a lavishly downbeat popcorn thriller .",
      "MOV is a pretty good movie , but it 's hardly a film for our times .",
      "entertaining and suspenseful .",
      "intelligent and absorbing .",
      "has the pointless , thrilling kineticism of a sports car commercial .",
      "not completely successful as a thriller and lacks the cohesiveness and intelligence that redford movies tend to have when he directs himself . but it 's well-plotted , acted with a charismatic flair and right on the zeitgeist .",
      "MOV is a pretty neat trailer that somehow manages not to give away its major plot points over the course of 130 feverish minutes .",
      "this brisk thriller overcomes its slick style with exciting espionage -- even if brad pitt and robert redford are all wrong .",
      "MOV is an international thriller that actually thrills .",
      "MOV is never boring and rarely predictable except in its broad , overall us-versus-them outline .",
      "director tony scott got the tone , atmosphere , and grime of the story right .",
      "a top notch spy thriller .",
      "this is dazzling , first-rate hollywood popcorn fluff . it thinks it 's got more substance than it actually does , but redford 's performance is like one big wink : he 's in on the joke , too .",
      "make no mistake : this will never be mistaken as a cia recruiting film .",
      "with its cast of back-stabbing functionaries and desk jockeys , MOV makes the sport and hard work of espionage seem chillingly real .",
      "a taut , timely and intelligent thriller with cloak-and-swaggering performances from robert redford and brad pitt .",
      "if you ca n't find a copy of condor , you can learn everything you probably need to know about espionage by pairing MOV with spy kids .",
      "as silly as a roger moore james bond flick .",
      "scott , who 's made numerous big-star action movies , brings some unexpected humor and elegance to this otherwise predictable film .",
      "has the makings of a good movie ... but right now its only 65 minutes long and encased in another 60 minutes of beurocratic debris .",
      "a satisfying and entertaining spy movie .",
      "a fairly decent effort with enough engaging spy-related developments and occasionally crackling dialogue to make it a fairly enjoyable entry in the genre .",
      "what redford gets away with is putting over a convoluted and occasionally implausible story with his wit and charm .",
      "a glossy , suffocatingly predictable star vehicle for robert redford and brad pitt .",
      "something seems to be missing , unmentioned or unmentionable .",
      "MOV does n't pander at all and even has the guts to stretch matters out to 127 minutes .",
      "MOV fills its holes entertainingly , and with morsels of humanity .",
      "in their few scenes together , pitt and redford prove to be excellent dramatic foils .",
      "`` MOV '' is a solid adult alternative to the potter puff currently storming the theaters .",
      "an adventure that holds its own among the classics of the genre , a smart , sturdy and fascinating glimpse inside a hidden world .",
      "the performances are the biggest asset .",
      "a smart thriller for grown-ups .",
      "capably anchored by -lsb- robert -rsb- redford giving the spunkiest , most alive performance he gave in a decade in either direction .",
      "... afterwards i realized that i had been maneuvered into rooting for a dangerously reckless and presumptuous man .",
      "two generations of hollywood ` golden boys ' team up in tony scott 's MOV , a neatly plotted espionage thriller . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "this is brad pitt , for crying out loud ! where can you send him undercover ? in the cia 's beverly hills bureau ?",
      "... takes the spy formula and dilutes it with wholly unnecessary plot twists and a flashback structure that 's more confusing than anything else .",
      "it just is n't thrilling enough -- an impression compounded by scott 's tiresomely overenthusiastic and gimmicky camerawork .",
      "redford is great - treat the rest on a do n't - need-to-know basis .",
      "it needs twice the tradecraft and half the music .",
      "it 's a success , and a rather fun one at that .",
      "slickly edited and shot , yet devoid of forward momentum .",
      "it has very good tension and drama , and more brains than your average hollywood spy thriller .",
      "ponderous and bulky , swaddled in an aura of flimsy import .",
      "the delight of tony scott 's proficient thriller ... is the relaxed , on the nose performance by old pro redford .",
      "a decent thriller , but it 's about as memorable as an aldrich ames mugshot .",
      "it trades in the kinds of shadings and moral quandaries that have been meat and drink to le carre .",
      "MOV emphasizes brains over bullets and fists . it is a slickly-made film about a more cerebral conflict .",
      "a surprising waste of time that leaves you feeling cheated , unsatisfied , and mindboggled to what the point of it all was ."
    ],
    "summary": "the outcome of the kinetic MOV is never in doubt , but it is fun watching robert redford and brad pitt work .",
    "id": "13072"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gin_gwai_2002",
    "reviews": [
      "one thing ` the eye ' teaches us is that a 15-floor elevator ride really seems to take a long time when there 's a ghost standing in the corner .",
      "it 's creepy and forbidding , the way good thrillers are . i suspect it would not hold up to multiple viewings , but it 's a kick one time through , anyway .",
      "starts out with a promising idea , makes hesitant steps toward doing something original with it , and runs pell-mell into the safety of horror movie cliches .",
      "the eye is definitely a triumph of style over substance but , nevertheless , it 's been far too long since i 've been genuinely spooked by a horror film .",
      "a modest pleasure for aficionados of chillers .",
      "the eye is not terribly original , but it is assured and engrossing , with some deliciously chilling scares and a subtle , compelling performance by lee sin-je .",
      "the pang brothers rely on mixing reality with hokum to make their tale more strange than scary .",
      "here 's the movie the sixth sense should have been .",
      "seriously flawed .",
      "though perhaps not the greatest thing since sliced eyeballs , the eye is definitely worth a look , or even a double-take .",
      "a solid genre piece that 's more than adept at evoking the thrills necessary to keep the audience on the edge of their seats .",
      "lacks the kind of suspenseful plotting that 's needed to make you cower behind your popcorn carton .",
      "after watching it , you 'll feel that the word ` opener ' should 've also made it into the title .",
      "competently written , directed , and acted , but feels far too familiar to really deliver up anything beyond a few scattered moments of scare power",
      "the film is elegantly composed and offers the occasional fright but its minimalism is as calculated as its story is annoyingly familiar .",
      "technically proficient but completely unsurprising ghost story .",
      "the overall visual imagery is terrifically effective , unsettling and eerie , yet darkly beautiful at the same time .",
      "given that the current state of american horror is usually so watered-down and generic , even a ` pretty good ' horror import is reason to rejoice .",
      "boasts the visual panache the pang brothers brought to their hit gangster pic .",
      "it 's like `` the hand '' clumsily mishmashed with `` at first sight '' , `` the sixth sense '' , `` ring '' and `` the mothman prophecies '' , and it just goes on and on .",
      "made me jump a bunch of times , and seriously creeped me out at least three times .",
      "sure , the `` i see dead people '' plot is a bit worn out , but there 's enough mood and spookiness to make for a fun mm flick .",
      "this is a movie with serious intent , a mature , wordy thriller with naturalistic -lrb- if somewhat naive -rrb- performances and aspirations to poetry .",
      "the eye rises above your standard cursed-body-part fare -- like the hand , for instance -- by exploring predestination , alienation , and the redeeming power of forgiveness .",
      "is it a horror , a thriller , a tragedy , a disaster pic , or a romance ? it 's never really sure , but either way it limps along through various dips into different genres and often times is scrambled and confused ...",
      "alloprosalo thriler poy se stelnei arketes fores me ta atmosfairika toy kai poly apotelesmatika sta ihitika aerika toy gia kana misaoro , ki se rihnei stin ania gia allo toso",
      "fans of the genre may still find the film as creepy and scary as it is intended to be , although it relies for so much of its scare-power on sudden bursts of flame accompanied by fearsome noise , or the appearance of ghostly death figures",
      "` the eye ' could be worth seeing as a matinee or rental .",
      "the eye is a haphazardly constructed horror movie based on a premise that the thailand-based brothers could n't figure out an ending for .",
      "with its spooky first-person rendering of mun 's experience -- blurred , tentative , disoriented -- the eye creates a world of constant and imminent upheaval .",
      "the eye loses its effectiveness because of its repetition . even if it 's a well made horror movie , it is pretty predictable .",
      "in their fluid , deliciously eerie imagery , the pangs can make the sight of even a dish of sliced duck in a busy noodle shop seem as ominous as the chilling , blurry specters that only mun can see .",
      "given that the eye plays out without so much as a single new idea or real surprise , it 's a testament to the pangs ' knack for composition and editing ... that the movie goes boo as effectively as it does .",
      "it 's disappointing to find the film 's most deliciously terrifying surprise occurs during the film 's opening credits .",
      "as a horror movie , it packs one genuine scare after another , right up to the moment of its inconceivably ghastly end .",
      "the usual hokum , jazzed up with more flash than it deserves .",
      "the pangs deliver enough shivery scares to keep you up nights .",
      "genuinely scary , especially when it strays from its lame plot to orchestrate some beautifully chilling set pieces .",
      "there are a few frights in the eye , but most are thoroughly uninteresting .",
      "the movie 's biggest achievement may be lee 's performance .",
      "ms. lee , much more than a standard horror-movie shrieker , looks convincingly haunted by what she sees , and the pangs ' pictorial instinct is as sure as their shock-producing sense of timing .",
      "sin-je experiences a range of emotion -lrb- denial , grief , understanding , terror -rrb- that is engrossing .",
      "hong kong brothers oxide and danny pang manage to deliver real skin-prickling jolts .",
      "just how scary is it ? even the film 's daytime confrontations are enough to cause a severe jolt , but one nocturnal sequence involving a moaning old woman could leave viewers shuddering for days .",
      "though mythology and motivation might not withstand excessive scrutiny , this film is an intelligent , creepy thrill .",
      "tom cruise 's company has already bought the remake rights . see why .",
      "it 's unabashedly derivative and spooky enough to keep you up at night .",
      "accomplished and genuinely eerie .",
      "-lsb- the pangs ' -rsb- sense of pacing is nicely arrhythmic , which makes the ` boo ' moments all the more heart-thudding , but what 's even more pleasurable are the pockets of quiet , those lacuna of low-frequency dread when nothing much happens .",
      "this stylish ghost story owes a great deal to contemporary japanese ghost movies in general and m. night shyamalan 's the sixth sense -lrb- 1999 -rrb- in particular but weaves a creepy spell all its own .",
      "anjelica lee delivers a superb performance with a richly expressive face that conveys mun 's journey from delight to despair ...",
      "seeing is definitely worth believing in the hong kong supernatural thriller the eye . quite imaginative and cerebrally challenging for a spookfest narrative ... never blinks when it comes to its inherent hair-raising high jinks .",
      "directors oxide and danny pang build the film 's tension incrementally in these scenes , never amping it up with special effects or orchestral accents .",
      "writers oxide pang and jo jo yuet-chun hui borrow liberally from such films as `` the sixth sense , '' `` the eyes of laura mars '' and even `` at first sight , '' ensuring that any genre buff will know exactly where `` the eye '' is headed , but the pangs , cinematographer",
      "the brothers are at their best playing in the style sandbox , creating shivery imagery and eerie moods ...",
      "wildly hyped horror import is easy to look at but does n't truly terrify , despite the invention of the directing pang brothers .",
      "a triumph of style and substance ... told with such style and skill",
      "what could merely be another cross-cultural re-up of the sixth sense takes on terrifying full embodiment in this disquieting , artful , pleasingly uncomfortable psychological thriller .",
      "it 's more concerned with images and clashing electronic music than challenging the imagination or brutalizing the senses .",
      "if you 're a longtime horror fan , however , the shocks are somewhat mitigated by the game of `` spot the reference '' you 'll be playing as the story unfolds .",
      "oh yeah , i was scared -- scared that i 'd wake up before the credits rolled .",
      "like the horror-flick hacks who infest hollywood like termites , the pangs do n't build suspense , they assault the senses with twitchy photography and danny 's editing .",
      "although i have mixed feelings about the eye , there 's no question the pangs have a natural talent for cinema .",
      "regardless of its shortcomings , the eye literally gave me the chills at least a dozen times , and that 's what counts .",
      "quite effective at scaring the daylights out of an audience .",
      "it is hard to believe this plodding , predictable snoozer will raise anyone 's pulse rate .",
      "the pang brothers have a gift for evoking dread and shock-tactic creepiness .",
      "it casts a spell strong enough that viewers wo n't want to look away .",
      "a feast to behold , but it lacks substance and will leave most viewers wholly unsatisfied .",
      "this is the kind of movie you happen across on tv , and linger to watch out of curiosity , but its inspired moments serve only to point out how routine , and occasionally how slow and wordy , the rest of it is .",
      "makes it clear that the pangs have an eye , so to speak , for unnerving visuals . it 's a pity that they 're not quite so adept in script construction and plotting .",
      "... very effectively done , very scary !",
      "despite its flaws , this occasionally creepy film possesses unusual beauty and style .",
      "to put all the pieces in place , the pangs have to cut a few corners in logic , but the story is generally effective if not exactly original .",
      "as chilling as an ice cube drawn across the back of your neck .",
      "the coens have often been accused of coldness toward their characters , but the verve and wit of their films reveal genuine compassion and heart . based on the evidence of this film , the pangs are n't quite there yet .",
      "if you can picture a horror movie made by the producers of touched by an angel , you have an idea of the eye .",
      "if you 're looking for a scary summer movie , keep searching . or wait for the remake : tom cruise has bought the rights .",
      "it is occasionally unnerving , but slack pacing keeps the tension from mounting too high .",
      "eye spy with my little eye - something that starts with d and ends with spirits in the sky . if you like ghost stories , go see this one .",
      "an atmospheric and cleverly executed nail-biter .",
      "this eye wo n't give your own peepers back to you for 98 armrest-clenching minutes .",
      "along with the smudgy visuals , the first part of the movie goes heavy on the shock cuts and sudden loud noises -- effective interruptions in a narrative that leans toward the quiet and introspective .",
      "while this sampler of dreams and sense memory resembles dark clouds on a horizon , it never reaches critical mass .",
      "until it loses its head in the final reel , -lsb- this -rsb- is a cool supernatural thriller that subtly mixes western style and eastern mysticism .",
      "it 's not afraid to broach some deeper questions about the meaning of death , predestination and social and personal responsibility .",
      "it 's a definite display of talent , but without enough thematic richness to get deeply under our skins .",
      "seeing dead people ? a jarring journey from darkness into light ? granted , it 's been done . but there are sweet , difficult pleasures here just the same .",
      "despite its over-familiarity , the eye manages a decent atmosphere .",
      "the overall visual imagery is terrifically effective , unsettling and eerie , yet darkly beautiful at the same time ."
    ],
    "summary": "conventional ghost tale with a few genuine scares .",
    "id": "13648"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10010150-unborn",
    "reviews": [
      "this is one film that should n't have been birthed . no , in fact , it should have been aborted .",
      "at last we are making crappy horror films entirely on our own , without having to rip them off from japan ! u-s-a ! u-s-a !",
      "goyer has penned many scripts superior to this one , but he does make sure you 're never far away from a big ` boo ! '",
      "` this is the last time i 'll write a movie on a roll of charmin ultra , ' said goyer .",
      "the film 's raison d'ętre is a series of shock effects involving creepy kids , dogs with upside-down heads and a cgi-powered geriatric variant on linda blair 's crab walk .",
      "falls very much line with early-year schlock .",
      "a cheesy low-rent supernatural thriller that vainly tries to introduce some gravitas by dropping references to the kabbalah .",
      "the film 's story is not so much plagued by plot holes as it is constructed out of them , not unlike an especially lacy variety of swiss cheese .",
      "... a salad of creepshow cliches ...",
      "not deep or all that visually imaginative -- goyer never wavers from the usual slow build-up to a sudden fright , and the ending is all fight-and-flight , no shock-and-awe -- but certainly unboring .",
      "the MOV becomes rapidly tedious even as the body count racks up .",
      "over-egged and underwhelming , the best thing that can be said it that it provokes a few shocks - but these are easy wins and play no part in the propelling the plot along .",
      "this may dabble in jewish mysticism and the legacy of the nazi era but scratch the surface and you discover just another standard scary movie .",
      "unsatisfying , hokey and never that scary -lrb- unless you 're the type who jumps at every loud noise or sudden appearance in this sort of movie -rrb- , the MOV outstays even its brief lifespan .",
      "packed with very scary moments and very disturbing images , this is not for the faint-hearted - that includes me .",
      "the script tries hard to delve into the folklore of a dybbuk , and as it mixes this in with experiments on twins in concentration camps during ww2 , the story becomes too convoluted for its own good .",
      "despite some gruesome special effects , the telling of this story is so prosaic and predictable that genuine thrills are in very short supply .",
      "david s goyer 's non-kosher riff on ` the exorcist ' is stillborn ,",
      "brazen in its borrowings and alternating between cynicism and silliness , this is a creatively barren effort that should have been stopped at conception .",
      "a scary movie so fantastically stupid and crass it made my skull contract and my sinuses harden to the consistency of pipe-cleaners .",
      "the MOV is one of those movies evidently conceived by digging a dungeons & dragons fiend folio out of storage to find , resurrect , and rebrand some long-forgotten bugaboo .",
      "if the films released during the traditional january dumping ground are going to be this bad , we should employ the nation 's best scientists to rearrange earth 's orbit so the year begins in february .",
      "if the use of nazi atrocities as a macguffin for cheap thrills offends you , the MOV is n't your movie . if , however , you appreciate the sight of a half-naked beauty being terrorized by potato bugs , look no further .",
      "even once the `` scary '' monsters start ramping up their appearances the film is still dead and goyer 's direction feels more like a trippy music video for some eastern european techno band than anything out of a horror film .",
      "has the psychological weight and perversity of a mildly racy episode of touched by an angel",
      "the year is only a week old and already the cinema gods have bestowed upon us a candidate for most awesome catchword of the year : jumby !",
      "well , there are some effective scares here , and you 'll laugh at yourself afterward just for jumping and squealing like a little girl . but other images and pieces of dialogue are just as hilarious -- and that probably was n't their intention .",
      "though some images are on the terrifying side , this mostly outlandish tale is riddled with homicidal tots , interdenominational exorcists , and attention deficit disorder dybuks who ca n't make up their mystical minds which body is cool enough to inhabit .",
      "generic , underdeveloped and more silly than scary .",
      "the MOV is packed full of grisly images and effects , but its apparent attempts to be some kind of jewish take on the exorcist fail miserably .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- exuberantly creepy mash-up of jewish folklore , j-horror atmospherics , and demonic possession boilerplate .",
      "should have been aborted .",
      "the best that can be said for goyer 's latest is that it 's competent . how competent is a matter of debate , as is the degree to which goyer is self-aware about the film 's camp value . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "i kept hoping oldman would revert to his sid & nancy punk persona and kick the little freak in the yarbles like some pain-deserving springsteen fan , but no such luck .",
      "i truly , truly recommend watching either of those instead of the MOV . or your wall . just staring at your wall is also an acceptable alternative too .",
      "smoking-hot heroine . clever paranormal premise . painfully clueless conclusion .",
      "unoriginal , unbelievable , utterly unwatchable .",
      "there is a senseless scare every 5-7 minutes . now , after one or two you start to get the giggles but after the third or fourth false scare you begin to laugh out loud .",
      "what the MOV represents manages to be a thousand times more disturbing than anything goyer captured with his pen or camera",
      "think of every scary-kid horror you 've seen - this was how the MOV was made .",
      "the demonic possession plot thereafter breaks down in a tasteless swamp of nazi experiments on twins , dogs with inverted heads and an exorcism led by rabbi gary oldman . oy vey ! the kosher paranormal : a trend in the offing ?",
      "it 's hard to imagine a more ham-fisted attempt at the genre of ` womb horror ' than this flat-footed supernatural drama with a jewish twist .",
      "the MOV is , like its main character , at war with itself . neither side wins .",
      "despite some massive flaws and a disappointing over-reliance on jump scares , the MOV is comfortably the best entry yet from platinum dunes , michael bay 's previously remake-happy horror production outfit .",
      "hampered by the 15 rating , director david s goyer is reduced to yawn-worthy jump-scares and recycled exorcist gags to do his dirty work .",
      "this supernatural horror is nonsense on toast .",
      "less spine-chilling and more eye-drooping .",
      "a ham-fisted horror movie that manages to put together deadly demonic possession , nazi concentration camps and nasty wartime genetic experiments .",
      "MOV should have been strangled at birth .",
      "parental content review",
      "a pretty young woman who looks especially fetching in her underwear is plagued by increasingly horrible dreams ... at least , she thinks they 're dreams until her whole life goes to hell . some effective chills amidst the silliness .",
      "the picture is such an embarrassment , goyer has to be hoping that very few people will see it .",
      "the entire premise of the MOV seems based on `` boo ! gotcha '' moments , which are initially quite effective but soon wear out their welcome .",
      "laughable horror flick made from an unstable solution of jewish mysticism , nazi evil and an otherworldly demon .",
      "writer/director david s. goyer , whose niche as a screenwriter is in adapting comic-book tales , gets a few frightening images into the frame , but they 're all one-off shocks that do nothing to build tension .",
      "about the only thing here that will haunt your dreams is the film 's final scene , which conveniently portends a sequel .",
      "i had nightmares about the trailers , which is unfortunate , because of a lot of films ' best scenes are contained there .",
      "the MOV is a baby-sitter horror flick -lrb- it 's for and about them -rrb- with classic creep-out elements that unite in a surprisingly engrossing story .",
      "at least writer/director david s. goyer had the sense to boost these generic proceedings with pros like alexander , oldman , elba and carla gugino , who plays casey 's mother in a series of embarrassing flashbacks .",
      "the MOV is like a scary movie sentence without the necessary linking verbs . it 's all genre gears and no motivational motor .",
      "... boasts few attributes designed to initially capture the viewer 's interest ...",
      "'t is the season of the hollywood dumps -- which is too bad because i had harbored some small hope for this latest horror offering from david s. goyer .",
      "the MOV is a story that should have remained untold and will be forgotten by the end of the weekend .",
      "some of the ideas here may seem original , if questionable , but the treatment -- by writer-director david goyer -- is strictly conventional , with the shock moments obviously inserted at regular intervals , usually while the heroine is in her underwear .",
      "full of cheap thrills that mostly consist of people popping up out of nowhere and dialogue comprised largely of theological gobbledygook .",
      "cue a creepy toddler , various demonically possessed adults and a jewish exorcism conducted by gary oldman . he 's a vastly better actor than the film deserves , but he ca n't make the script seem even slightly better than it is .",
      "after a few initial decent scares , the corny dialogue , poor casting and cringe-worthy acting drag this movie into it 's own hell . utter rubbish .",
      "the MOV is n't the worst horror film you 'll see in 2009 , but the prospect of a sequel -lrb- which the film teases at the finale -rrb- , is probably the biggest fright in the 88 minutes .",
      "this foolish film hitches an easy ride from the holocaust .",
      "should n't have been brought to term .",
      "the MOV is a mishmash of half-formed ideas more asinine and exploitative than frightening . at least the title is accurate ; this junk is stillborn all the way .",
      "somewhere sigmund freud is trying to figure out how he can come back from the dead just so he can analyze the MOV ! ... crazy fun .",
      "using the holocaust as the basis for a horror movie is pretty distasteful , but what offended me the most about the MOV is how sloppy it is .",
      "any intelligence gets lost in an unsatisfying ending that does n't justify the brain cells lost while getting there .",
      "could have just as easily been called `` the un-scary , '' `` the uninspiring , '' `` the unoriginal , '' or `` the unexciting '' . whatever you do , just un-plan to see it this weekend .",
      "... comes across like a jewish version of the exorcist , mixed with a touch of rosemary 's baby by way of the omen .",
      "the film teeters so perilously and routinely at the edge of camp , both with some of its casting choices and some unfortunate dialogue ... that it 's hard to know if mr. goyer wants to make us howl with fear or laughter .",
      "after three feature films of discouraging quality , goyer suits up in a beret and jodhpurs again for the MOV , which holds the miserable distinction of being the most dreadful film he 's fashioned to date .",
      "exactly what you 'd expect from the combination of its release date , genre , and mpaa rating",
      "this stuff is scary in the same way that twelve random ingredients from your kitchen is soup .",
      "unfortunately , `` MOV '' is unscary",
      "stillborn .",
      "it 's hilarious , and it 's sort of awesome , too , in that no-they-didn ' t kind of way ...",
      "the MOV is so lame that even a scene where nazi ` doctors ' experiment on twin children by poking a needle in their eyeballs is more laughable than horrendous .",
      "pacing that allows the audience to linger on every failing before being distracted by the subsequent one",
      "a ham-fisted attempt at a semitic version of the exorcist that is utterly unoriginal and totally devoid of actual frights .",
      "i 'm not sure if it 's the fault of the script or studio tampering , but the MOV 's watered-down approach to wwii makes isla : she wolf of the ss seem downright sensitive in comparison",
      "even for the run-of-the-mill , first of the year horror flick , the MOV is pretty much a miscarriage .",
      "an early contender for worst movie of the year .",
      "what darkness the movie achieves comes solely from the lighting .",
      "the movie 's not very good , but there are ideas , good and bad , in its execution that are worth mulling over .",
      "possession tale is low on blood , but high on scares .",
      "this is where many a horror movie falls and never again rises : too much exposition .",
      "a laughably bad horror flick involving demonic possession , concentration camps and torturous genetic experiments .",
      "if you 're the kind of horror fan who gets your kicks from phantasmagorical imagery and shivers at the thought of supernatural forces beyond our realm of comprehension , you could do a lot worse than the MOV .",
      "filmed in chicago but universal in its lameness ... the MOV is the story of a dybbuk who makes trouble for the skinny north shore college girl played by odette yustman , who 's always out jogging when she should be considering a sandwich .",
      "at least i got to see gary oldman , as rabbi sendak , blow the sacred animal horn .",
      "unless we trudge up the aisle prematurely , we 're stuck there , with nothing to do but count oldman 's changing accents or mourn that this is the best gig actresses like alexander or gugino can get .",
      "before long , the connective tissue between scares starts to call attention to its own preposterousness .",
      "well made , but ultimately underwhelming horror that never really comes to life , despite some creepy visuals and a handful of cheap shocks .",
      "odette yustman , indeed all the cast , deserve a better fate than to be sucked into this misguided attempt at horror",
      "the screenplay by goyer himself , who wrote blade and co-wrote the dark knight , this time does n't limber up .",
      "goyer 's psychic dream sequences are pretty good - what a pity he decided to ruin them with a movie .",
      "every january , as the `` january junk '' makes its annoying appearance on the big screen , a lackluster pg-13-rated horror movie is involved . ` the MOV ' is that movie for 2009 .",
      "gary oldman steals what there is to take from his few scenes , but a nonsensical b-movie like `` the MOV '' is beneath is skills as an actor .",
      "both silly and nonsensical",
      "this orgy of crazed effects , cheap scares and jittery suspense never remotely frightens us",
      "like some stephen king rewrite of ` the reader , ' this laughable but interesting movie traces its characters ' distress to the holocaust : never forget , because ` jumby wants to be born ! '",
      "it has a few really interesting ideas in it and a few good , old-fashioned scares -lrb- and very little camera shaking -rrb- ."
    ],
    "summary": "david goyer 's MOV is a tame genre effort with cheap thrills and scares that border on silliness .",
    "id": "770783948"
  },
  {
    "movie": "ohorten",
    "reviews": [
      "gently surreal to quizzically observant , fully deserving that lump .",
      "the decidedly nordic -- though not at all glacial -- o'horten is a mixture of sweetness and deadpan that proves the kaurismäki/andersson school of filmmaking still has new delights in store .",
      "as an old man , horten is a rare movie hero , but the director reminds us that other things are more ancient ; in one scene , horten hefts a meteorite that predates the sun , and in another scene , strindberg is quoted : ` in due time , even the stars must fall . '",
      "it 's a film whose pleasures come slowly , as we , like the title character , discover the joys he 's missed . best of all , we , like odd the norwegian bachelor , figure out it is never too late to start living .",
      "o ' horten moves slowly , sometimes excruciatingly so , but its thematic center is strong : how do you run out the clock of life ?",
      "... a fable that relies less on fantastical transport than the defrosting of cool faculties ; less on the titillation of the senses than the thawing of frozen hearts .",
      "hamer creates a quirky , beguiling , and very funny mood piece that reflects on age , adventure , uncertainty , and humanity . owe gives the character of horten an off-center dignity that will suggest comparisons to jacques tati and buster keaton",
      "`` o'horten '' only really works when odd encounters the assorted oddballs ; elsewhere the film travels a bit too light .",
      "it entertains from start to finish and tells a story that is not just fun but in its inimitably gentle way has something to teach us all as well .",
      "if you can settle into -lsb- baard owe 's -rsb- playful deadpan rhythms , a bittersweetly funny , existential mystery -- or call it a modest adventure , if that 's not too oxymoronic -- awaits .",
      "o'horten wo n't be for everyone , but if you enjoy character-driven films that also treat the landscape as a character , this one has a certain charm and appeal .",
      "events unfold at an unfathomably cool pace , making horten a comfortably numb cipher .",
      "enjoyable norwegian comedy-drama with gorgeous photography , a pleasingly quirky script and a great performance from bard owe .",
      "for those of you who enjoy quirky european cinema , this norwegian movie will provide a perfectly pleasurable way to spend 90 minutes .",
      "a surrealistic scandinavian jaunt to warm the coldest heart .",
      "thoughtful , funny , slightly sad and superbly crafted .",
      "the movie , on its own modest terms , satisfies greatly .",
      "an unusual norwegian film about a lonely and eccentric old man who discovers adventure and ample other surprises after retirement .",
      "pointedly strange and whimsical , o'horten mixes the surreal with the mundane in its depiction of the retirement and eventual rebirth of a train engineer .",
      "bent hamer has proved himself an apt pupil of such deadpan comic filmmakers as jim jarmusch and aki kaurismaki .",
      "director bent hamer keeps things drily amusing throughout .",
      "thanks to the consistent deadpan tone that hamer and owe establish , it 's oddly satisfying .",
      "the whimsy is never overplayed . the peculiar is n't teased at any character 's expense .",
      "this yarn about a train conductor whose life goes off track is nordic to its bones : efficient , humane and droll in small measures .",
      "episodic ... -lrb- but -rrb- reflective of life and the fluidity with which it passes .",
      "this unremarkable fellow finds himself in some strange circumstances , thanks to the imagination of writer/director bent hamer .",
      "it 's not conventional at all .",
      "a spare and perfectly droll kinda-sorta comedy .",
      "the thing about a deadpan comedy is , it must involve us in the lives of its characters , so we can understand why they are funny while at the same time so distant . o'horten , a bittersweet whimsy by the norwegian director bent hamer , finds that effortless .",
      "jack nicholson 's dyspeptic retiree in about schmidt would no doubt identify with o'horten 's entertaining pain .",
      "you invest yourself in the central character and , when the story ends as you hoped with its positive and happy ending , it is with a satisfying sigh of contentment .",
      "a veteran actor of half-a-century 's standing -lrb- and several lars von trier projects -rrb- , his wry , detached decency is a large part of the film 's charm as he greets his new life 's surprises with calm , slightly puzzled good humor .",
      "i like a wry , deadpan social comedy as much as the next person , but i need a little more than o'horten 's minimalist palette to get me going .",
      "a small masterpiece of poignant deadpan humor .",
      "strangeness , humor and melancholy of aging are deftly explored .",
      "a quiet , oddly serene movie with a curious soul .",
      "charming and beautiful looking , but just another mode of transportation for a stubborn old guy lurching through a series of unscheduled stops while finally learning to live .",
      "made up of meticulously constructed , deadpan scenes that turn on keatonesque visual jokes .",
      "too cute by half , filled with myriad forced moments of magic , o'horten attempts to cast a nuanced spell , but ends up making rather little impression at all .",
      "the helicopter shots of horten 's train snaking its way through norway 's wintry wastes are beautiful .",
      "it 's not always the most compelling piece of storytelling . it does , however , have a bittersweet appeal that fans of eccentric northern european cinema will find hard to resist .",
      "a sweet effort in a low budget film , o'horton is a calm experience into the near-panic of growing old .",
      "a slow-moving , slightly absurdist look at a man in norway who has begun his retirement .",
      "bent hamer 's unique blend of absurdist humour and aching melancholy has never worked better than in o ' horten .",
      "horten is a simple , inquisitive man , and through this likable scamp o'horten demonstrates the nobility in both precision and curiosity .",
      "whatever it all means , o'horten is a bit of whimsy held together by the wonderful face of actor bard owe .",
      "writer/director bent hamer 's humane , gently absurdist film has visual heft and beauty , plus a good-natured hero with whom moviegoers scattered across the age spectrum will be able to identify .",
      "as o'horten begins , it 's clear that horten will manage his retired life much the same as he has his working one , with consistent routines and a decided lack of improvisation .",
      "even for hamer , it 's aimless , though , and you keep hoping the aimlessness is going to crystallise into a point . the film 's frostbitten sense of mortality is something we 're meant to feel in our bones .",
      "more highly visual mood piece than sustained storytelling .",
      "powered by lush cinematography , a moody score , and owe 's subtly majestic lead performance , o'horten oscillates confidently between the mundane and the rapturously beautiful .",
      "written , directed and produced by hamer , o'horten certainly suffers from the over-riding influence of one man 's vision . and though it 's a skilful , gentle piece of filmmaking , it 's a shame that the storyline is as old and tired as horten himself .",
      "oh , o'horten , how wincingly affected you are .",
      "what you make of hamer 's brand of quirkiness is very much a matter of taste . my experience was that the film was often on the brink of annoying me , yet never did .",
      "o ' horten is a slow-burner - as gentle as a falling snow flake but filled with dry humour , warm smiles and melancholy reflections on the human condition . it leaves a lovely afterglow .",
      "succinct in its visualizations and crisp in its pacing , its deferential storytelling is in sync with its odd subject .",
      "humor does n't get much drier ... this may be the most quietly funny film since hamer 's kitchen stories .",
      "well-intentioned piece of norwegian whimsy may be too low-key for its own good .",
      "the awkward courtship of these two tongue-tied singletons makes for a winning tragicomic romance , with a dab of magic realism , but it 's not recommended as a date movie .",
      "a brilliantly pitched exercise in droll comedy with a tender message about seizing the day .",
      "a pleasant , if undemanding film with some nice visual .",
      "not quite the absurdist gem that was bent hamer 's 2004 release , kitchen stories , the norwegian director 's o'horten is nonetheless a deadpan delight .",
      "-lsb- hamer -rsb- observes the exact and skewed detail , the oppressive but chimerical norwegian bleakness , the look , the feel , and the profundity of the everyday .",
      "depending on your patience for oddball mood pieces , you will either sleep through o ' horten or be oddly captivated . either way , it 'll be like dreaming .",
      "quiet and lovely , its subtle pleasures reminded me of erik satie 's ` gymnopedie . '",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- hamer has a gift for observational comedy , previously demonstrated in the droll kitchen stories , and also for the exquisite framing of wintry images .",
      "nothing about this film even hints at being rushed -- if there were a cinematic equivalent to the slow food movement , this would fit right in -- but that does n't stop it from being all that you want it to be .",
      "a gentle , deadpan comedy-drama ... you should n't miss the opportunity to make the acquaintance of this wryly observant little film .",
      "o'horten is a precise , deadpan drama of slapstick existentialism -- a bent hamer movie , in other words .",
      "`` o'horten '' is a potent and unpretentious movie full of simple joy .",
      "hamer brings little new to the table here , but it 's nicely performed .",
      "hamer orchestrates all this with patient , near-minimalist skill , combining pawky comedy and plenty of heart . the result is a quirky story that remains in the mind .",
      "filmmaker hamer is n't being cruel here . he 's trying to tell us that conquering the ridiculous is one of life 's necessary joys .",
      "an acquired taste",
      "despite one misstep and a telegraphed conclusion , `` o'horten '' is an amusing peak into the norwegian psyche ... for a solitary man , bĺrd owe makes horten very good company indeed .",
      "a film of dour but appealing charm .",
      "with its rich , mournful score and striking , snowy visuals this risks lapsing into suicidal miserablism , but emerges as something far more rewarding ."
    ],
    "summary": "bent hamer 's latest is a droll , deadpan comedy filled with strange touches and melancholy charm .",
    "id": "770782766"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tarzan",
    "reviews": [
      "a fast-paced visual marvel with heart and a bit of humor",
      "minnie driver gives jane a throaty , teasing allure that suggests nights in the jungle wo n't be disney dull for the t-man .",
      "an exhilarating adventure with an aching emotional tale at its heart .",
      "MOV is as full and seasoned a crop as one could expect from a field that has already been cultivated too many times .",
      "so far , the most entertaining film of the year .",
      "disney 's finest achievement since 1942 's `` bambi , '' a film it resembles in many ways .",
      "disney hews closer to burroughs , both in concept and in details , than most of the versions that followed .",
      "a buoyant , often thrilling piece of animation that more or less does for the central african rain forest what the lion king did for the east african savanna .",
      "a fine family film that affirms our spirit connection with all members of the animal kingdom .",
      "travels light , moves quickly and leaves very little in its wake .",
      "not without its engaging moments .",
      "MOV will thrill and inspire children and their parents alike .",
      "MOV is both lush and bustling !",
      "something deep within the MOV myth speaks to us , and disney 's new animated MOV captures it .",
      "a film for uncle walt to be proud of -- with a strong story - line and superior animation .",
      "the opening ten minutes of disney 's MOV represent as gripping and mature an example of animated film-making as i 've ever seen !",
      "from a purely visual standpoint , this may be the most impressive of all of disney 's traditionally animated features !",
      "another beautifully-crafted film with a compelling story line from the people who seem to churn this stuff out like clockwork .",
      "though it relinquishes some of disney 's toehold on an adult audience for animation , MOV is sprightly and likable in ways that are hard to resist .",
      "a pleasure to watch , full of excitement and fun , and not over-heavy on the sentiment .",
      "animated to perfection , the film is especially captivating as MOV zips through the jungle like he 's surfing the tree cover .",
      "a wild action comedy for kids and adults of all ages . go see it !",
      "the animation is gorgeous , daring , dynamic , and visually thrilling , a step up even for disney .",
      "there 's ne'er a dull visual moment !",
      "disney 's most elegant animated ` classic ' in years !",
      "this MOV has an untamed beauty , a savagery that 's as thrilling as it is dangerous ...",
      "gives a fresh look to one of the world 's popular myths .",
      "it is the movie 's animation , a technological tour de force that uses computers to enhance , not replace , traditional drawings , that almost upstages everything else .",
      "MOV is the best animated adventure since the lion king !",
      "rich animation , with layer upon layer of dense jungle ; lively , well-developed characters ; skilled voice talent ; a driving , compact story ; and phil collins ' robust songs .",
      "an instant classic that 's fun for viewers of all ages .",
      "MOV surfs and slides and sails through the trees throughout the film , and it 's a spectacular effect , almost dizzying at times .",
      "innovative , imaginative and delightfully entertaining ...",
      "disney 's MOV is animation gold !",
      "with MOV , disney returns to the fertile ground of its reigning animated triumph , the lion king , and unveils its most vibrant and virile hero in ages .",
      "score one more hit for the ` wild , flying man in a loincloth . '",
      "with this new , rollercoaster-ride three-dimensional approach , disney has indeed heralded a new age in animation .",
      "the best cinematic version of edgar rice burroughs ' ape-man tales since johnny weissmuller first put on the loincloth .",
      "the animation is top-notch !",
      "only gets seriously derailed whenever phil collins opens his mouth for another pandering , literal-minded pop song .",
      "an especially lively voice cast and often breathtaking blend of traditional and computer animation should make this one of the bigger hits in the disney cartoon canon .",
      "manages to get the setting , the characters , and best of all the spirit of MOV almost right .",
      "disney 's MOV is extraordinary ; so far , the best film of 1999 !",
      "pretty incredible up on the big screen !",
      "disney 's animators triumph by turning the ape-man into a questing kid with a surfer 's agility and an identity crisis !",
      "disney 's MOV is a corker ; a robust , remarkably kinetic realization of burroughs ' grand , preposterous fable .",
      "mantiene un ritmo y una agilidad visual impresionantes",
      "aan enjoyable movie for the entire family to see .",
      "here , we have animation at its very best ; the hero swings through the trees on vines as if he is on a roller coaster .",
      "a tightly knit roller-coaster ride of treetop excitement .",
      "this is a MOV unlimited by what human actors are capable of physically , and in terms of authenticity it makes all the difference in the world .",
      "a visual delight that will leave you breathless as you soar through the primordial jungle with the legendary ape man .",
      "a swirling , fluid retelling of the tale that packs an impressive cargo of laughs , thrills and wonders into a watertight 88 minutes !",
      "adroit vocal casting , an entertaining script , an unexpectedly energetic soundtrack , and some splendid technical breakthroughs .",
      "an entertaining , satisfying extravaganza that artfully balances excitement and sentiment , hokum and heroics , low comedy and high adventure .",
      "disney 's MOV is not only the summer 's most thrilling mainstream movie so far , it 's also the best animated feature the studio has put out since the lion king .",
      "disney has crafted one of its most satisfying family films yet !",
      "disney 's MOV is kinder , gentler and a lot more fun than in previous movie incarnations !",
      "MOV is a cut above new-generation disney animated movies for many reasons , but one is clearly the story 's emotional resonance .",
      "everything a quality animated feature should be : intelligent , accessible to both kids and adults , and most important , genuinely fun .",
      "a highly enjoyable adventure that takes risky devations from the formula -- and , for the most part , succeeds .",
      "MOV offers glimpses of disney emotional storytelling at its finest .",
      "MOV performs stunts that not even the seemingly gravity-defying jackie chan could accomplish -lrb- although i 'm sure he would try -rrb- .",
      "disney 's animation is always dazzling to the eye , but MOV is especially kinetic .",
      "a rambunctious , visually arresting , occasionally poignant musical adventure !",
      "a special film that truly reminds filmgoers of the power of animation !",
      "mainstream american animation has n't produced anything this memorable since aladdin .",
      "entertaining and spectacular !",
      "the movie itself is filled with more fun than any MOV film in decades .",
      "a film that anyone under twelve will positively adore . but the problem with disney these days is that they 've forgotten how to please the adults as well as the children .",
      "MOV has the guts to defy animation conventions .",
      "how does disney do it ?",
      "this film is beautiful , fun , touching , and exciting .",
      "a beautifully crafted , well-paced and well-voiced feature that will easily become yet another disney classic .",
      "the first half of MOV is disney 's best stuff since beauty and the beast ... -lsb- then it -rsb- declines into a typical showdown with a forgettable villain .",
      "it 's both a little scary and a lot funny , and kids will no doubt lap it up .",
      "if only the film had taken a few more risks instead of hewing so closely to the patented disney formula , it might have been a truly outstanding movie instead of merely an entertaining one .",
      "a technical marvel from disney that shrewdly compresses and streamlines the disney formula into a more efficient whole .",
      "an exciting , accomplished work that ranks with the wonderful johnny weissmuller movies .",
      "... one of disney 's most beautiful , most spectacular visual treats , even if the story line and characters are watered-down children 's fare .",
      "simply a smashingly well-done example of animated storytelling .",
      "perhaps disney thought the best way to get around the ooga-booga stereotype was to eliminate blacks altogether .",
      "as yawn-inducing as most of his live-action brethren .",
      "it 's hard not to read the film in racial terms and the result is a confused mess of mixed signals that substitutes a brutal climax for any kind of satisfactory resolution .",
      "MOV is the cinematic equivalent of a cajun mcchicken sandwich - it 's a little bit bold , a little bit spicy , and a whole lot of mcmovie .",
      "a typical disney knuckle dragger .",
      "it ca n't keep up the pace and it fails to generate the laughs that adults have enjoyed in disney 's past two summer hits , mulan and hercules .",
      "it never wowed me and won me over .",
      "a mediocre movie turned horrid by a bunch of radio-friendly pop songs .",
      "seems designed more for its marketing ability than for actual filmmaking potential .",
      "disney studios seems to love the concept of feral children .",
      "no classic , but very enjoyable .",
      "there is not one frame of this film that i would change .",
      "highly enjoyable , great looking animated adventure that combines its touching storyline with plenty of wit and style .",
      "a splendid , eye-filling adventure that harkens back in many ways to the 1967 animated version of the jungle book .",
      "the stylized physiques and movements of the characters in this exciting animated musical-romance-adventure are at once realist and fantastic .",
      "just as disney animation has become increasingly impressive , so have disney animated films become increasingly adult .",
      "kids will be drawn to disney 's fast-paced version .",
      "the most legitimately touching disney feature of the 1990s .",
      "there 's nothing broadway about this edgar rice burroughs adaptation , but the wow factor is still there .",
      "a great treatment of the original novel , and one i revisit constantly ."
    ],
    "summary": "disney 's MOV takes the well-known story to a new level with spirited animation , a brisk pace , and some thrilling action set-pieces . .",
    "id": "9491"
  },
  {
    "movie": "everyones_hero",
    "reviews": [
      "if you 've always wanted to hear inanimate objects argue with each other in the personas of cranky jewish guy and sassy black woman , this is a dream come true .",
      "never explains its stupid idea of a talking baseball and a talking bat ... the filmmakers presume too much in assuming we 'll accept the `` magic '' `` realism '' ...",
      "means well , but it 's as bland as a stale slice of dry white bread .",
      "the indomitable spirit of christopher reeve shines through this little story .",
      "i ca n't say everyone 's hero strikes out -- it might distract little kids for a while -- but the directors need n't bother practicing their home run trots .",
      "this fox effort is n't in the same ballpark as pixar . it 's not even in the same league .",
      "everyone 's hero has good values , a decent story and a happy ending . it will probably play a lot better on video , but for the moment it 's on the big screen .",
      "everyone 's hero re-creates depression-era america with surprisingly agreeable anachronistic panache .",
      "it 's a charming story aimed at the youngsters in the audience , but it ends up being just as appealing to the adults . ... the animation is superb and imaginative .",
      "everyone 's hero is a labor of love . and that clearly comes through in this feel-good animated feature about a 10-year-old boy , yankee irving , who becomes an unlikely world series hero for the 1932 new york yankees .",
      "predictable and bland ... it would be hard to muster any adjective stronger than ` pleasant ' to describe it .",
      "the movie means well and , like tee ball , it 's probably best suited for the littlest kids only .",
      "a likable , good-natured family show -- one that takes a typical boyhood fantasy of improbable sports heroics and inflates it into a cracked cartoon odyssey .",
      "this handsomely animated , well-directed and - voiced g-rated film , set in the hope-starved era of the depression , takes on special poignancy as the last directing project of christopher reeve .",
      "it 's a shame that christopher reeve 's final directorial effort could not have been a more fitting , and lasting , tribute .",
      "this computer-animated baseball adventure espouses a shopworn moral about persevering against long odds , but there 's still plenty to recommend it , including memorable characters , solid storytelling , and accurate period detail .",
      "everyone 's hero is a perfectly serviceable bit of family animation -- neither overtly saccharine nor overly sanguine .",
      "if it 's not in the same league of talking-inanimate-object cartoons as cars , at least we can say it has heart . and that 's always more important than stars .",
      "everyone 's hero is just the same old over-produced cgi-animated sap they keep shoveling at the kids -- except there 's a talking baseball and bat in this one . fun !",
      "the humor is gentle and fun-loving , the messages positive and the colors bright and cheery .",
      "christopher and dana reeves provide a paean to courage and not giving up , giving a slap in the face to clint eastwood 's glorification of weakness and surrender , million dollar baby .",
      "... just another forgettable entry at the end of a summer that offered an unprecedented amount of mediocre animated films .",
      "the humor and action should please kids from 5 to 10 , while adults wo n't need to squirm .",
      "... feels more like a 1950s cartoon .",
      "it 's all good fun , but the film really only works if one buys its more awkward elements .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- simple , pleasant film ...",
      "animated in name only , everyone 's hero is the uninspired tale of yankee irving -lrb- jake t. austin -rrb- , a 10-year-old baseball fanatic who finds himself in possession of babe ruth 's stolen bat ...",
      "the script is anachronistic and trite ...",
      "no one but the youngest in the family will care much about it ...",
      "... a tame cgi cartoon for the simple-minded : the very young , the very old and yankee fans .",
      "... amiable ...",
      "unlike monster house and the iron giant , there 's no sense of magic and danger to this bland animation , which illuminates nothing or enriches the possibilities of its genre .",
      "misguided and poorly executed",
      "old-fashioned , sweet , but ultimately disposable family fare with echoes of better films from toy story to the iron giant .",
      "sweet and good-natured , but ultimately it 's as unremarkable as its animation .",
      "a bland feel-good flick with a positive message .",
      "i suspect that most kids will get more excitement and thrills out of even the most meaningless end-of-season regulation ball game than they will with this film .",
      "while this might sound amusing , animated inanimate objects can only do so much bouncing and rolling before their shtick gets stale .",
      "the setup of this computer-animated feature is strained , the story is contrived , and the ending is downright silly .",
      "young boys may be enchanted by the inspirational adventure , but for anyone over the age of nine , yankee 's journey is ultimately a dull one paved with good intentions .",
      "it 's a shallow , treacly movie for children too little to question its many pointless puerilities .",
      "the opportunity to talk to the kids who see this little film about the reeves ' story -- a real-life triumph of inspiration over tragedy -- is perhaps the best tribute to the couple this film provides .",
      "while this could be a hit with undemanding small fry , choosy adults might prefer to whistle for lassie .",
      "as if being the lousiest team in baseball is n't bad enough , now the chicago cubs are being called out by a cartoon .",
      "among other notable missteps , the animated feature everyone 's hero tries to convince us that arrogant perennial winners the new york yankees are good guys , while lovable losers the chicago cubs are bad guys . say what ?",
      "a likable , lumbering , computer-animated children 's movie set during the depression that is more entertaining than it has any right to be .",
      "the cartoon is amiable enough and has bright comic moments .",
      "... has so much inspirational blather it makes you want to shove a bat down your throat , yet there are enough visual notes to keep you from self-inflicted injury .",
      "kids -- little ones -- might be ok with hero , but mom and dad will need to join the talking bat for a double mochaccino in order to make it through its 85-minute running time .",
      "managing a little warm-and-fuzzy by the end , the story is so dopily convoluted that even six-year-olds will have a hard time suspending their disbelief .",
      "everyone 's hero is an after-school special stretched to feature-film length .",
      "it 's safe to say that in the annals of baseball movies , there has never been a picture quite like everyone 's hero . that 's not really intended as a compliment .",
      "christopher reeve was working on when he died , and they had to finish it for him , right ? he should have had a better monument than this .",
      "despite its slow pace , hero 's message of perseverance is inspiring , coming from the reeves , who both faced adversity with remarkable grace . if you 're yearning for a simpler time , the innocence of hero may hit a home run for you .",
      "five days after screening everyone 's hero , i 'm still cringing a little , in my grown-up , jaded way , at the cute , corny , earnestness of the film .",
      "the movie is a feast of miscalculations .",
      "i left the theatre wishing i could return to the days when i was a lot more like yankee irving than i 'd care to admit .",
      "maybe i do n't know what kids today like , but i have sympathy for the parents . this movie is so stupid . if i were four , i 'd much rather just watch baby einstein on a continuous loop . at least it looks pretty .",
      "a sweet but very forgettable animated adventure .",
      "there is absolutely nothing hip or cool about everyone 's hero , but it 's so sweet , and so pleasant , and so nice that i found it impossible to dislike .",
      "a very unappealing animated feature about babe ruth , baseball , and family values .",
      "it 's difficult to find out just how much work reeve did on the picture before his death two years ago , but the credit is a curious button on a very strange cg animated film .",
      "way out of the league of any of the disney/pixar or dreamworks animated films .",
      "perfect for what it is supposed to be - a nice little inspirational tale with a good message for young children",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- funny , sweet testament to ... indefatigable endurance in the face of the most trying of circumstances ...",
      "everyone 's hero is a sweet , inspirational movie that does n't offer any surprises , but entertains youthful audiences in a gentle , almost old-fashioned way .",
      "... a modestly engaging mix of broad comedy and nostalgic fable , spiked with a few unwelcome sprinklings of gross-out gags ."
    ],
    "summary": "everyone 's hero is such a predictable and bland tale that it 'll appeal mostly to little kids ; others seeking something in pixar 's league are looking in the wrong ballpark .",
    "id": "287865108"
  },
  {
    "movie": "legend_of_drunken_master",
    "reviews": [
      "beats crouching tiger , hidden dragon at its own game of high-flying huzzah , and with relative ease .",
      "chan delivers everything that could possibly be expected .",
      "compensates for what it lacks in plot with hearty laughs and truly spectacular action sequences .",
      "as usual , the martial make-believe is either superbly incredible or superbly unbelievable . i chose to believe .",
      "continuity takes a drubbing and jackie chan does his own dubbing in this rerelease of drunken master ii , a limp chinese noodle-headed sequel to his 1978 breakthrough feature .",
      "this is the weakest of the many chan chop-shticks to make it to this country .",
      "not one of jackie chan 's better movies .",
      "jackie chan movies are popcorn : light , devoid of nutritional value , something you can gobble for 90 minutes without filling up .",
      "a film with too little to offer .",
      "shortchanges character and plot in order to make time for fight scenes .",
      "a mammothly entertaining picture that represents the best that the traditional kung fu genre has to offer .",
      "with lots of laughs , lots of blood and the irrepressible chan pushing the envelope in stunts and spectacularly choreographed group fights .",
      "suffers from some of worst problems of the martial arts genre : bad dubbing , bad soundtrack , chaotic plot , no character development ... but it has great fights and stunts .",
      "the 20-minute closing duel may just be the best kung-fu battle ever filmed .",
      "if you like jackie chan , the matrix , or just action films in general , you have to see this thing .",
      "massively entertaining .",
      "a spectacularly silly comic epic in which almost every known camera trick , stunt and fight choreography known to the genre is squished into one story .",
      "you should pay nine bucks to see this if : you 're not a chan/kung-fu fan . you just have n't seen this movie yet , is all .",
      "the purpose of drunken master is the fights , which are very good and , in the case of a final battle in a steel factory , superlative .",
      "watching movies like this , you also understand exactly why the increasingly road-worn chan simply ca n't do this kind of stuff anymore . but damn , you 'll walk out glad he once could .",
      "while the plot does get in the way of what viewers are really after , there 's enough of the fun stuff to keep them interested .",
      "jackie chan in top form .",
      "the final 20-minute fight sequence ... sets some kind of benchmark : it may not be possible to film a better fight scene .",
      "if you have never seen a jackie chan movie , this one will show you what all the fuss is about .",
      "-lsb- chan 's -rsb- drunken boxing in this movie is the stuff of poetry .",
      "um dos melhores filmes da carreira de chan e a comprovaзгo definitiva de que ele й o resultado de uma combinaзгo improvбvel -lrb- e maravilhosa -rrb- de buster keaton , gene kelly e bruce lee .",
      "generally amusing and sometimes positively exhilarating .",
      "there 's no jackie chan movie more pleasurable than drunken master ii , which miramax 's dimension films has dubbed into english and rereleased as the MOV .",
      "at long last , the american masses will get a glimpse of what jackie chan can really do .",
      "if you 're looking to have a really wild time , this is the film to see .",
      "among the most breathtakingly wonderful acts of physical endurance and grace that i have ever seen .",
      "beyond all of the fighting and stunts , there is n't much else present to recommend the film .",
      "-lsb- chan 's -rsb- as close as film gets to guaranteed entertainment , and he 's on top of his game in the MOV .",
      "a bit of a chore to watch for the first half or so . dubbed dialogue that is totally out of synch does n't help .",
      "there is too much fighting gymnastics and too little of the story development .",
      "legend of the drunken master has been available on video for years , but it 's never looked or sounded this good .",
      "one of the best martial-arts movies ever made .",
      "chan fans will probably want to pay to see this one on the big screen . everyone else can bide their time for the video release .",
      "this imported and dubbed jackie chan fossil might be a kick for diehard fans , but most will be left feeling high and dry .",
      "features what are arguably the fastest , most furious and elaborate -- and the most entertaining -- fight sequences ever filmed .",
      "simply put , there have never been better martial arts put on film .",
      "chan is an entertainer who can singlehandedly make any film enjoyable to watch .",
      "the MOV ranks among chan 's most entertaining efforts .",
      "this is one of the films that made jackie chan jackie chan .",
      "the fight scenes are masterpieces of choreography , kineticism at its most sublime .",
      "the extended fight scenes -lsb- have been -rsb- justly hailed by aficionados as classics of the genre .",
      "chan has always seemed like a silent-screen virtuoso self-catapulted into modern times .",
      "watching chan in action here is pure pleasure , the enjoyment magnified by the big-screen experience .",
      "while you might not always appreciate the historical aspects of the story , you will definitely find chan 's physical acumen amazing .",
      "i 'm extremely unhappy when one of my hk favorites is re-released , re-titled and re-packaged as an english-dubbed jackie chan vehicle for american audiences to ostensibly enjoy .",
      "a fleet , enjoyable jackie chan romp .",
      "this 1994 sequel ... includes chan 's exhilarating battle with a horde of ax-wielding thugs and a classic 20-minute finale fight that 's set in a steel mill .",
      "heeere 's jackie , ageless and great , before refitting himself to western specs .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- jackie chan 's physical ingenuity brings with it an enormous history as a naturally gifted storyteller whose development dates back to his life as a childhood actor .",
      "just enough story to be interesting and with lots of personality to stand out .",
      "one of jackie chan 's best , but not for everyone .",
      "some of the most impressive kung fu fightin ' caught on film .",
      "great fun for action fans . and if you have n't tried one of these hong kong stunt-packed thrillers , this one may get you hooked .",
      "contains non-stop action of constantly increasing intensity .",
      "the MOV contains some of the most impressive action routines ever captured on film .",
      "if action fans can take a chance and wade through the unfamiliar settings and awkward dubbing , they 'll find an action film that transcends the best of the genre .",
      "if you have a taste for hong kong action -lrb- and i do -rrb- then the MOV has enough going on to make it a classic .",
      "enjoy this rare chance to catch chan on the big screen at his near-peak mastery .",
      "anita mui all but pulls a heist herself in every scene she 's in , but make no mistake . this is chan 's movie , and he holds his own , whether it 's using his comedic talents to feign drunkenness or strike a goofy face , or showing off those impressive martial a",
      "watching chan and lo battle it out , you just have to marvel at chan 's ability to choreograph long , intricate fight scenes with no break in the action .",
      "the fight scenes ... are amazingly staged and astonishingly executed .",
      "everybody should see this film , even if you hate martial arts pictures .",
      "though his antics are comic as ever , what makes this film stand out are the thrilling and frankly beautiful fight sequences .",
      "chan 's most impressive achievement .",
      "let 's cut to the fights . wow . as in super , double , incredible wow .",
      "if you 've never seen a martial arts movie , this is the one to start with .",
      "certainly -lsb- chan 's -rsb- best film from the '90s ."
    ],
    "summary": "jackie chan sends up some amazing and entertaining fight sequences in the MOV .",
    "id": "13717"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10004504-ultraviolet",
    "reviews": [
      "this nearly incomprehensible guilty pleasure is actually a great deal of fun .",
      "has filmmaking really become this cynical , or is it just me ?",
      "the adventures of catwoman , elektra , lara croft and aeon flux were positively homeric compared to this simple-minded hi-def tedium ...",
      "the real blood war is between this movie and the slightly better aeon flux , which wimmer plagiarizes as freely as equilibrium plagiarized fahrenheit 451 and the matrix .",
      "milla jovovich may look hot in spandex and bangs , but if you want rapidly-cut , slow-motioned-for-emphasis spectacle and story , take in some espn highlights or any production by nfl films . at least you would be getting your money 's worth .",
      "a kinetic art piece of color , sound , and movement that exists somewhere between the underworld movies and matthew barney 's cremaster cycle , with just a hint of tron thrown in .",
      "amid every action cliche in the book , outmoded stereotypes , and a plot derivative of every futuristic drama made in the last fifteen years , MOV comes off as nothing more than a pale copy of better , more inventive films .",
      "this is disposable cinema , to be wiped clean from the mind as soon it 's over and mercifully forgotten .",
      "ultra-dumb .",
      "jovovich , who 's shown sensitivity in her dramatic work , looks spectacularly bored as she power-kicks her way through one bloody pile-up after another . that boredom , like the mystery virus at the center of the film , is contagious .",
      "ultrastupid , ultra-incoherent , ultrasilly -- and way , way ultraboring .",
      "MOV cleaves faithfully to its comic-book genealogy with a plot unobstructed by big words and images that rarely breach two dimensions . ultrasilly .",
      "the tale , beginning with narrated flashbacks that make it curiously seem like a sequel , essentially is an excuse for a seemingly endless series of MOV , uh , ultraviolent , action scenes .",
      "wimmer has created no logical framework for flashy , ultraviolent and frankly cheesy sequences .",
      "MOV is nice to gaze at but otherwise simplistic , senseless , and eminently skippable .",
      "MOV is all second act . there is no beginning to the story and no end ; it 's all middle . a non-sensical , hard to follow assemblage of action , completely devoid of any context .",
      "pic is hermetically sealed in a synthetic wrapping that 's so total -- sony 's top-flight high-def cameras , visibly low-budget cg work , exceptionally hackneyed and imitative action and dialogue -- that it arrives a nearly lifeless film .",
      "exactly what you expect -- a slick , slight , energetic video game of a movie that is far better than most will admit .",
      "her sword is red , her eyes are blue and her movie is horrible .",
      "anyway , we went to MOV so you wo n't have to . it was awful . next time you go , okay ?",
      "MOV and the recent resident evil films mark this compelling russian beauty as the unofficial queen of xbox-ready junk movies , which are fast becoming the new century 's equivalent of radioactive bug flicks .",
      "if you have no problem with an experience that feels like an adrenaline shot administered directly to your brain , then this is the place to start .",
      "the bad guys stride through spotless corriders in buildings where weirdly calm disembodied female voices say things like `` switching to emergency backup lighting system . '' if only i could have found the button for the emergency back-up better movie system .",
      "monumentally awful",
      "it 's a banner year for bad vampire flicks , so MOV is truly damned by this faint praise : it 's not the worst .",
      "whether six is a blessing or a boon to mutants or humans is one of the many things that are not clearly explained through all the flying bodies , flashing steel and grinding metal .",
      "cool martial arts and special effects barely make up for laughably atrocious writing and acting and an obvious sci-fi premise .",
      "derivative , adolescent tosh .",
      "some spectacular action , though obviously digital : free of risk , free of drama .",
      "the narrative is so jumbled that even the actors ca n't seem to keep track of what exactly is meant to be happening .",
      "despite the expository speeches draped over this like birthday bunting , the story remains largely incomprehensible .",
      "undemanding , unengaging , and glaringly unoriginal , MOV gives real comic books a bad name .",
      "really , you ca n't blame ms. jovovich .",
      "one of the worst movies of 2006 so far .",
      "the most receptive audience will mainly be enlightened to know that you can make a movie as thoroughly unprofessional as this one and still get it released in 3,000 theaters .",
      "woefully nonsensical from start to finish ...",
      "the repetition of the action scenes play like an avant-garde joke about the indistinguishable nature of hollywood fight scenes . think warhol 's soup cans , only with actors posing with swords .",
      "ultracrappy more like .",
      "although it masquerades as a futuristic action-thriller , MOV functions best as a multi-million dollar commercial for milla jovovich 's personal trainer .",
      "it 's not bad enough to be funny , but it 's not without its moments . most of those come when jovovich , not the best with a catch-phrase , answers some challenge with a put-down she should have practiced more in between personal trainer sessions .",
      "the yule log was way more entertaining .",
      "crank your brain to its lowest possible idle and you 'll still overthink MOV .",
      "wimmer borrows all his best ideas from other movies ... then spackles over his half-assed plot with a shiny aesthetic .",
      "overall , it 's a film that can best be thought of as the work of a more cerebral uwe boll .",
      "when i saw the trailer for `` MOV , '' i thought : well , here 's another pg-13 movie with a slender , beautiful heroine in exotic garb in a flick made for fan boys . '' i was right .",
      "wimmer ai n't no cassavetes .",
      "` aeon flux ' jr - nuff said",
      "flat-out awful in almost every respect , MOV will hopefully drive the final nail in the coffin of the sci-fi/action-babe genre .",
      "uwe boll would be proud of this movie . it 's pretentious and oh-so-serious . the tone of the movie is one of high art , but it stinks like a landfill .",
      "... inacreditрvel que o diretor do eficiente equilibrium seja o responsрvel por uma porcaria mal roteirizada , pavorosamente dirigida , repleta de efeitos visuais capengas e pжssimas atuaушes como esta produусo .",
      "MOV is absolutely worth a look -- if not a listen or a thought .",
      "an unholy combination of comic book and video game , ... so awful that you 'd swear it had been directed by uwe boll .",
      "the only redeeming feature is a production design so outrageously mad that you will genuinely have no idea what you 're watching for more than half the time .",
      "director kurt wimmer claims to have written MOV specifically with lead actress milla jovovich in mind . no , i do n't know what jovovich did to deserve this either ...",
      "just when you thought aeon flux could n't have been any more rubbish , along comes MOV to prove you wrong .",
      "unengaging , uninspired and unwatchable . a criminal waste of time and talent .",
      "lordy mama , the thing 's just unspeakable .",
      "if you want to break up with your significant other , take him/her to this turd .",
      "a garbled mess of whiz bang and would n't - that-be-cool",
      "do the kids today even like all these video-game/manga/sci-fi movies that clutter multiplexes ?",
      "a confusing jumble of sci-fi jargon and random plot twists , where the characters know perfectly well what 's going on but the audience does n't .",
      "the violence is presented in such a childish fashion , that it has all the impact of a pokemon battle .",
      "... shot two years ago ... and now being unceremoniously dumped into your neighborhood cineplex , which -- thanks to films like this -- has been cluttered with as much garbage as a skid row alley in recent months .",
      "it 's well known that writer/director kurt wimmer hates movie critics . MOV is the reason why .",
      "the experience is merely interminable , wholly forgettable , and without the requisite thrills and spills .",
      "wimmer is so brazen that he does n't even bother to pretend that there 's an original concept here : all his ideas are borrowed from other movies that borrowed from other movies that borrowed from the matrix , and he does n't care who knows it .",
      "kurt wimmer 's film epitomizes just about everything wrong with post-matrix , comic book - / video-game-inspired , hong kong-action-style sci-fi thrillers .",
      "MOV wants desperately to be a provocative , high-concept action thriller . it is apparently trying to say something about fear and terrorism , paranoia and racism . but it looks more like a shampoo commercial .",
      "... feels incomplete , as though the production ran out of time , money , or both .",
      "the special effects simply thrust MOV in an xbox 360 for action set-pieces that are kinetic and colorful but surprisingly unexciting . do we really care if she dies when she 's just going to be regenerated anyway ?",
      "the cheesy cgi effects look like they were done on a 15-year-old macintosh .",
      "MOV will be studied with great interest in the future - not for its quality or its artistic merit , but rather to discover how a turd like this was made .",
      "this film might actually include some of the worst deliveries that i have seen in any movie in a long time .",
      "great action ... but unfortunately , the characters had to open their mouths . that 's when MOV becomes ultra vapid ."
    ],
    "summary": "an incomprehensible and forgettable sci-fi thriller , MOV is inept in every regard .",
    "id": "19050014"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1201402-17_again",
    "reviews": [
      "you 've seen it done better .",
      "it 's as if MOV were conceived as a batch of three-minutes sketches . some of them are fine , many are awful , and they do n't hang together at all because the movie is so plastic and phony and willing to sell out its characters for the sake of a laugh .",
      "MOV takes a while to get cooking , and at times it just feels like a pale imitation of 13 going on 30 . still , it 's often breezily entertaining , partly thanks to efron , who certainly knows how to be cute .",
      "it could be better , it could be worse .",
      "follows the same tired , well-worn path as other comedies in the same genre , but gets a boost from zac efron and leslie mann .",
      "ca n't we just watch freaky friday again ? really , i 'd take either version at this point .",
      "zac efron , a man in need of a slightly better movie .",
      "not only avoids shooting itself in the foot , but occasionally makes the dodging look like dancing -- and thomas lennon steals the film .",
      "MOV is n't a sophisticated work of art , nor was it intended to be . it 's often silly , sometimes fun silly , sometimes too silly .",
      "if you 're looking for the performance that might one day be characterized as efron 's embarrassing breakout role , this is a good bet .",
      "a zany comedy about the unpredictable and tricky nature of love .",
      "a slack do-over fantasy in which zac efron , as a basketball star , looks baffled as to why he has n't been asked to sing and dance .",
      "efron , as a teen with the brain of a father , ably carries this featherweight movie .",
      "the picture charms easily and makes a decent pass at a heart . considering the director and the iffy premise , i think the idea of MOV being anything other than migraine-inducing is worth a few minutes of applause and smiley reflection .",
      "forget being too old -- zac efron is just too good for this .",
      "there 's evidence that the young heartthrob might make a decent leading man if only he 'd apply himself .",
      "MOV puts disney commodity zac efron into a recycled freaky friday plot and ends up with a surprisingly un-awful ` tween comedy .",
      "funny and lively , with a healthy dollop of sentimentality , it reassures us that all is not lost , except maybe our six-pack abs , as we descend into schlubby , dissatisfied middle age .",
      "the ancient body-switching premise is animated by a breezy script that briefly addresses some of its darker implications before returning to a celebration of adolescence .",
      "MOV is pleasant , harmless pg-13 entertainment , with a plot a little more surprising and acting a little better than i expected .",
      "parental content review",
      "a decent time-passer for adults , and essential for any girl under 12 .",
      "zac efron , looking cool , is movie enough for the makers of MOV , a halfhearted fantasy that stars efron in a role cryogenically frozen around the time of c. thomas howell 's '80s heyday .",
      "when MOV is n't pilfering from its betters , it 's engaging in the most pavlovian button-pushing .",
      "MOV makes xeroxes look original .",
      "many have wondered how they might live certain parts of their lives over again . MOV offers its own fantasy % u2014that you would n't want to change a thing , even if you could .",
      "zac efron shoots and scores in MOV which puts its own hilarious and heartwarming spin on a familiar premise and makes it work effortlessly .",
      "the movie manages to glide along engagingly and swiftly .",
      "if most of the summer fare is popcorn , consider MOV the cotton candy desert .",
      "MOV is meant to be a comedy but remains mostly mirth-free .",
      "keeps people and things moving fast enough so that you do n't have time to worry about the details , like the inanity of the story .",
      "MOV is yet another teenage flick that is completely out of my demo and completely unoriginal but delivers great laughs and an overall fun experience .",
      "this timelessly universal wish-fulfillment tale unfolds with endearing tenderness and a light touch .",
      "the filmmakers do n't give their viewers credit for a minimum level of observation and , as a result , have produced a sloppy , lazy motion picture .",
      "the situation is cleverly exploited for light laughs and the kind of sunny , undemanding entertainment that is easy to consume .",
      "it 's silly , but the generational love matches it entrains .",
      "i suppose i should be impressed that MOV turned out to be bad in a way i did not anticipate : it is awkward and creepy .",
      "MOV is good-humoured , pacy and exactly the right kind of entertainment for its target audience .",
      "a delightful , crowd-pleasing comedy radiating with a charismatic performance by zac efron . it 's pure , undiluted fun .",
      "efron is brilliant here , bursting with personality and showing a mastery of comic timing .",
      "though mann and perry are game , it 's efron who carries the movie .",
      "you need n't be a zac efron fan to enjoy the appealing MOV .",
      "efron has no edge . and although that edgelessness might prolong his career , it keeps MOV from having anything surprising to say about teenage life in 2009 .",
      "MOV is product , loaded with high fructose corn syrup so the girls will like it , and as meaningful as an afternoon at the mall .",
      "for me , MOV is mildly diverting . for the tweens who are its target audience , efron 's outside shot is a three-pointer .",
      "you know those movies that look like they 're going to be really insipid and then completely surprise you ? MOV is n't one of those .",
      "it 's not going to blow your mind or change your world , but MOV has a heart , a brain and a funny bone .",
      "if you ca n't figure out what happens , you 've never seen a movie . and if you have n't , please , god , do n't start with this one .",
      "the result is lumpy and irritating , but MOV regroups whenever efron is back on screen .",
      "though not as clever as 13 going on 30 or freaky friday , it 's also not as hokey as hannah . for a swoon-fest aimed at tweens , MOV has a lot going for it .",
      "MOV is a reasonably entertaining time at the theater , offering something both for youngsters ... and for their parents .",
      "efron 's adequate but completely anonymous work keep this from achieving true liftoff .",
      "it knows it has one thing going for it : teen idol zac efron . so it shows off that boy from beginning to end : shaggy hair , dreamy eyes , etc. ... '17 again ' is a virtual efronathon , and i ca n't imagine his fans complaining .",
      "the good news is efron can carry a movie on his own ; he just needs to be more picky about what he chooses ... despite some good scenes , the script is too lazy for anyone to really save .",
      "it 's cute and sweet and generally inoffensive .",
      "efron , whose biggest onscreen drawback is his ever-changing '60s mod hairdo , owns almost every moment , milking the minimal laughs available while playing up the material 's maudlin strengths .",
      "... ultimately fits comfortably within the pantheon of above-average body-switching comedies .",
      "while it 's not in the same classic league , the movie has a nice back to the future vibe to it .",
      "i 'd never be MOV .",
      "zac efron could n't ask for a more flattering breakout vehicle than the charming MOV",
      "derivative to be sure , but smarter and funnier than expected with some good life lessons along the way .",
      "'17 again ' demonstrates that effron has rightfully earned some of the rampant adulation that has come his way .",
      "finally admit to yourself zac efron may just have the stuff to make it big . do it . do it now .",
      "efron 's presence ca n't disguise a movie patched together by people who apparently did n't read beyond the pitch .",
      "mesa mesa sto syrfeto ton klise , an ton antekseis , ehei stigmes aprosdokita -lrb- kai abola -rrb- komikes , haritomena -lrb- kai sygkratimena -rrb- paihnidia me milfs kai cougars kai ermineies kalodehoymena aksioprepeis",
      "perhaps the movie should be called , `` the film you 've seen 17 times before , again . ''",
      "MOV manages to be very sweet and romantic for the most part , and despite the fetishizing of living in the past , it really more about being responsible for one 's choices and grateful for what one has .",
      "MOV manages to squeeze more than a little life from the old `` switch-movie '' trope , along the way transforming itself into a sweet and amusing comedy .",
      "efron makes th emost of the stale script , but there 's not that much to be made of it .",
      "you wo n't see much new , but you 'll enjoy every moment of it .",
      "the movie manages a few good jokes about inappropriate flirtations , but it never addresses the bigger questions of why the marriage went wrong or what mike is supposed to be doing about it .",
      "a high school fantasy where few classes are taken , tests are a figment of one 's imagination , and the students , all of them stock exaggerations , roam the hallways without a thought in their puny minds .",
      "it 's more entertaining than it has any right to be , and i do n't think i 'm just saying that because i was mesmerized by zac efron 's abs .",
      "grafting together pieces of big , freaky friday and peggy sue got married , among many others , `` MOV '' hits the usual plot beats . if only any of this were funny .",
      "it 's easy to dismiss MOV as well-worn teenybopper fluff , but there 's a shocking level of maturity here",
      "zac efron is a good looking kid who exudes a sweetness and a talent for comic timing . this film rests squarely on his shoulders and he proves capable of carrying it .",
      "with plenty of help from a fine supporting cast , efron deftly handles the fish-out-of-water hijinks and slips through more icky may-september romantic entanglements than an average season of friday night lights .",
      "among others , this comic fantasy borrows from 13 going on 30 , big and even it 's a wonderful life . but it also has some charm to it as well .",
      "afraid that pubescent shrieking and swooning will drown out critical plot points of this zany body-swap flick ? no worries ! MOV is essentially a flipbook of zac efron pictures with some sound thrown over it .",
      "has enough fresh charm to make up for the lack of originality .",
      "nothing new here .",
      "it relies primarily on charm and unabashed sweetness that perfectly suits efron 's easy grace .",
      "thomas lennon , best known as the short-shorted lt. dangle on reno 911 ! , steals every scene as mike 's dorky best friend .",
      "despite the predictable body-shifting premise and a heavy dose of sentimentality , this teen comedy is extremely enjoyable",
      "the premise may have been done and overdone but zac efron makes it somehow fresh .",
      "it must have taken the powers-that-be a brief 20-minute lunch session over a stale roast beef sandwich to conceive this woefully derivative teen comedy",
      "efron 's appealing within the confines of his limited range , but like the film itself , a severe case of blandness puts a lid on any breakout potential .",
      "look , if you go for the whole zac efron thing , all is well . me , i found his blandness to be a crippling flaw from which the movie had no prayer of recovering .",
      "innocuous eighties like high school fantasy sitcom with no cutting edge .",
      "there was nothing here that was particularly funny , new , or inventive .",
      "being 17 has never been so enticing ! guaranteed to lift your spirits , make you laugh and charm your socks off , this body switch comedy is wild , wacky and wonderful . if the crazy situations and characters do n't suck you in , charismatic zac efron will .",
      "a very enjoyable , and often fantastically funny , teen movie .",
      "check out MOV , an age-swap comedy co-starring matthew perry , only if you have daughters who will kill for a sight of heartthrob zac efron .",
      "MOV is a triumph of casting genius to rival the davis/crawford pairing in baby jane .",
      "enjoyable , frequently funny body swap comedy with likeable characters , a decent script and a superb central performance from zac efron .",
      "here 's the shocker : MOV is actually pretty good .",
      "so-so comedy will amuse young efron fans more than parents .",
      "efron seems to be on autopilot just going through the motions . his charismatic good looks will mesmerize the audience into believing he can act . besides a priceless smile and a few nifty dance steps , he excels at dribbling and twirling a basketball .",
      "as much fun as MOV has with its young-again reverie , the conclusions mike reaches are not fantastic , but , more accurately , adult .",
      "very little creative energy was expended in making this film .",
      "it 's a strange movie indeed that is all about a 37-year-old heterosexual male and yet is n't likely to appeal to any 37-year-old heterosexual males .",
      "this is n't the first `` body swap '' movie ever made .",
      "just funny enough to recommend , although other than some incestuous father-daughter sexual tension , there 's nothing particularly novel or memorable about this cliché-ridden variation on the time-travel comedy theme .",
      "i was disappointed .",
      "then there 's -lsb- matthew -rsb- perry . he is a full foot taller than -lsb- zac -rsb- efron , heavier , much different face % u2014 need i continue ?",
      "if you ever wondered what the hsm series would have been like without zac efron 's bad singing you have your answer in MOV",
      "the leads are charming , the comedy well judged and the script , however predictable , sure-footed , playing on notions of midlife nostalgia with grace and integrity .",
      "amusing , wholesome fun for young teenage swooners who will squirm with horror at the adults who ought to know better .",
      "an energetic but earthbound comic fantasy that borrows a few moves , if little inspiration , from big and it 's a wonderful life .",
      "though sweet and occasionally charming , the comedy is innocuous , formulaic and predictable , borrowing elements from big , peggy sue , back to the future .",
      "even with actors who echoed each other 's mannerisms , MOV would still be lame .",
      "though there are mistaken identity moments of mirth , the cheese factor unfortunately lets it down ...",
      "the surprise factor is that the film has just enough charm and good humour in its own right to broaden that demographic to a wider , recession-hit audience in search of undemanding , feel-good fun .",
      "a film most teenage girls will swoon over , and i guess i found myself being MOV in doing so too .",
      "three stars for its undemanding fun and occasional wry barb about lost youth . but , add one or even two more stars depending on how much bedroom wall space zac currently commands .",
      "zac has star quality and it starts to shine here . he 's got an exciting future ahead of him - and it 's not just amongst the tween audience .",
      "despite occasional misfires , this zac efron comedy earns its laughs and delivers its life lessons .",
      "i found him a sympathetic , and strangely believable , middle-aged dad .",
      "if you 've seen any of the `` body swap '' movies that were made in previous years , then there 's no need whatsoever to see MOV .",
      "yeah , if only he had n't taken care of the high school girl he knocked up , everything would have worked out better for him . that 's so wrong i ca n't believe it got through script development .",
      "it 's as if they had the idea and wanted to rush it out before efron got too old or too edgy to put in a film like this .",
      "highly derivative but still moderately enjoyable comedy ... mostly because of efron , who 's easily the best reason to see the picture .",
      "it 's an entertaining showcase for its star , and that 's all it really needs to be .",
      "efron , frankly , lacks the comic agility required for a role this nimble ; he 's as elastic as hard plastic .",
      "wholesome just is n't as wholesome as it used to be .",
      "MOV makes the '80s comedies on which it 's modeled seem positively cutting-edge by comparison .",
      "efron dominates the screen with his charm and his effortless comic timing ...",
      "the kid may not be the next sean penn , but he is definitely a movie star .",
      "MOV is a comically responsible way for efron to leave his teen roles behind and make his teen audience think about the adult decisions they now face .",
      "turns out there 's more to zac efron than the grinning , vacant marionette from the high school musical series .",
      "if you had any doubts about whether zac efron is major star material , just watch the first few minutes of burr steers ' MOV .",
      "a stinker of a comedy ... writer jason filardi would n't know a joke if it jumped up and bit him in the behind ... guaranteed 100 % laugh-free .",
      "zac efron is charming , sterling knight is a great young find , and second-chance comedies of grownups in teen bodies are timeless , so to speak . so why is this movie so creepy and pervy-seeming ?",
      "tween audiences may be susceptible to zac efron 's smile and basketball skills but i 'm sure their adult guardians will wonder what all the fuss is about .",
      "the idea of going back to high school is so overdone , there was even an entire episode of family guy that parodied it .",
      "if this is one small step for the actor toward becoming a leading man , it is , for hollywood movies , one more giant leap into infantilism ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it uses a well-worn formula , MOV has just enough zac efron charm to result in a harmless , pleasurable teen comedy .",
    "id": "770680214"
  },
  {
    "movie": "we_were_soldiers",
    "reviews": [
      "the role may call for a great presence more than a great actor , but gibson is both , and the movie is all the better with him as its center of moral gravity .",
      "fails to bring as much to the table .",
      "the least successful of a recent spate of ultra violent war films that ennoble the u.s. military",
      "a must-see for fans of thoughtful war films and those interested in the sights and sounds of battle .",
      "... it 's a competent film-based on real life experiences in vietnam by someone other than oliver stone !",
      "we really get to know some of these soldiers and their families in a way that goes beyond most war films . that gives the film additional emotional impact .",
      "the battle sequences in MOV are n't quite as head-spinning as in black hawk down -- but this film does a much better job of establishing the characters before they plunge into battle .",
      "an inspiring war movie with honorable intentions ...",
      "by comparison , oliver stone 's platoon plays like the experience of a sensibly outraged man worthy of our sympathy .",
      "this is a soldier 's action-war film , that eulogizes them as noble heroes in a questionable war that has turned into a nightmare .",
      "offers no new insight on the matter , nor do its characters exactly spring to life .",
      "as far as war movies go , this is the best studio effort since terrence malick 's brilliant 1998 picture , the thin red line .",
      "the sentimental cliches mar an otherwise excellent film . a powerful performance from mel gibson and a brutal 90-minute battle sequence that does everything but issue you a dog-tag and an m-16 .",
      "... a story we have n't seen on the big screen before , and it 's a story that we as americans , and human beings , should know .",
      "the only thing that distinguishes a randall wallace film from any other is the fact that there is nothing distinguishing in a randall wallace film .",
      "... the first film in recent memory that a major studio has chosen to release early in the year with palpable filmmaking passion and production heft .",
      "goes beyond the familiar .",
      "it is one of the most impressive performances of -lsb- gibson 's -rsb- career .",
      "wallace is so determined to realistically simulate combat that the big picture is lost .",
      "the story it tells is both forgotten and relevant , a neat trick .",
      "the movie is clearly diluted for mass consumption .",
      "... hides behind carnage in an attempt to seem weighty , but -lrb- should not -rrb- be taken any more seriously as a historical account than an average episode of `` hogan 's heroes '' .",
      "when staying true to its title -- which , thankfully , is most of the time -- this is an effective war picture .",
      "the vietnam generation has its own saving private ryan in MOV .",
      "the vietnam setting looks authentic enough , but the action is as inert and unpersuasive as gibson 's attempt to fashion bill mauldin poetry out of his $ 20-million-plus smirk .",
      "i 've said it before and i 'll say it again : just because it 's a true story , that does n't mean it 's a great one .",
      "a breathtaking but ultimately insubstantial fireworks display .",
      "there is such a broad scope to the film that it seems ready to topple over on itself , but it very rarely misses a beat .",
      "war is no doubt hell . the only question is , do we really need another movie to tell us that ? i think not .",
      "makes you cry for the hundreds of thousands of men and women who died so pointlessly with geoghegan . and their orphans .",
      "even the presence of a hollywood megastar like mel gibson does n't detract from the vividly authentic look and feel of the battle scenes .",
      "fails to make these powerful human experiences seem like anything other than tired war-film clichés .",
      "wallace keeps the tension racheted up tight , and he never shies away from the gore of war",
      "after suffering through MOV , i think i 've seen all the war movies i care to endure for quite some time .",
      "as i settled into my world war ii memories , i found myself strangely moved by even the corniest and most hackneyed contrivances .",
      "there are some surprising and good things about the film .",
      "wallace seems less like he 's been burning to tell a war story than he 's been itching to somehow tack one together",
      "for a movie that is based on a true story , MOV has a lot of war movie cliches .",
      "MOV will inspire you and touch you .",
      "supposedly authentic account of a historical event that 's far too tragic to merit such superficial treatment .",
      "the writer-director bestows honor -- generously , apolitically -- not only on the dead and still living american veterans who fought in ia drang , but also on their families , on their vietnamese adversaries , and on the families of their adversaries too .",
      "succeeds in conveying the horrors of war , the good intentions of soldiers , but little more .",
      "exposes a great hypocrisy about many war movies : we honor the lives of those men who died for our country by showing them getting shot , impaled , and blown to pieces .",
      "MOV ' battle action is as intense and unsparing as that of black hawk down , yet the movie is richer because the characters are more fully realized .",
      "crisply and efficiently made ... but ultimately its very old-fashioned earnestness makes it seem a little creaky , ... like a cinematic nostalgia trip .",
      "-lsb- h -rsb- ad i suffered and bled on the hard ground of ia drang , i 'd want something a bit more complex than MOV to be remembered by .",
      "perhaps a better celebration of these unfairly dismissed heroes would be a film that is n't this painfully forced , false and fabricated .",
      "these men deserve a medal , but their movie could use a rewrite .",
      "has an impact that transcends politics and some dramatic overreaching by writer-director randall wallace .",
      "captures the chaos ... , the grave danger breathing down the neck of every combatant , and especially the heroism that resulted .",
      "it 's unfortunate that wallace , who wrote gibson 's braveheart as well as the recent pearl harbor , has such an irrepressible passion for sappy situations and dialogue .",
      "the film succeeds as an homage to human spirit in the most shattering of circumstances .",
      "like the best war movies -- and like martial literature going back to the iliad -- it balances the dreadful , unassuageable cruelty of warfare and the valor and decency of those who fight .",
      "succeeds where its recent predecessor miserably fails because it demands that you suffer the dreadfulness of war from both sides .",
      "indeed , while the battle scenes aspire to the grisly ferocity of saving private ryan , this war saga often elicits as many howls of laughter as growls of anguish .",
      "... as directed by wallace , MOV is not a lightning-paced , emotion-filled war movie but a turgid , platitudinous work of calendar art .",
      "for a guy who started as a writer , wallace is surprisingly good at employing the visual impact of film .",
      "... a harrowingly realistic and gut-wrenching piece of filmmaking ...",
      "-lsb- wallace -rsb- can write a good fight -lrb- braveheart -rrb- , but he certainly ca n't shoot one .",
      "sledgehammer-simplistic ... piling on the technicolor carnage and employing just about every stock war film cliché imaginable .",
      "plays like an unbalanced mixture of graphic combat footage and almost saccharine domestic interludes that are pure hollywood .",
      "the first war picture in recent memory that owes more to john ford than to sony playstation .",
      "another in a long line of ultra-violent war movies , this one is not quite what it could have been as a film , but the story and theme make up for it .",
      "probably the best thing you can say about MOV is that it does justice to an awful conflict .",
      "this is an incredible story badly told .",
      "MOV es la voz de los soldados muertos que reclaman el haber sido enviados a defender un país , para luego ser simplemente dejados atrás .",
      "not that anything 's inherently wrong with a patriotic war movie , but there 's a distastefulness in the film 's simpleton view of mass suffering .",
      "mel gibson 's vietnam drama breaks under the weight of its contradictions .",
      "presenta los hechos de una manera que recuerda a lo peor de la derecha republicana , asemejándose a la patética y triste época del senador mccarthy y su ` cacería de brujas '",
      "it 's refreshing to see a pre-acid rock movie about vietnam .",
      "it is something of a tribute to wallace the director that the shamelessness of wallace the screenwriter does n't sabotage this mission altogether .",
      "yet , lest one think soldiers is rousing , be forewarned . it is patriotic in that it is loyal to its american soldiers , although it is surprisingly respectful to their enemy .",
      "though it falls short , it 's an ambitious movie that ranges from intense peaks to embarrassing lows .",
      "by attributing intelligence , bravery and above all , humanity , to enemy forces as well as to u.s. troops , MOV does itself proud .",
      "the intensely violent battle sequences have an undeniable emotional impact , but how much more of this can moviegoers take ?",
      "for much of its length , the movie consists of battle scenes . they are not as lucid and easy to follow as the events in ` black hawk down , ' but then the terrain is different , the canvas is larger , and there are no eyes in the sky to track troop movements .",
      "with MOV , hollywood makes a valiant attempt to tell a story about the vietnam war before the pathology set in .",
      "gibson is exceptional here in the leading role of moore ...",
      "writer-director randall wallace has bitten off more than he or anyone else could chew , and his movie veers like a drunken driver through heavy traffic .",
      "while some will object to the idea of a vietnam picture with such a rah-rah , patriotic tone , soldiers ultimately achieves its main strategic objective : dramatizing the human cost of the conflict that came to define a generation .",
      "despite moments of melodrama , gibson makes a charismatic , conscientious military leader , though the script leaves little room for the playfulness that sometimes colors his portrayals .",
      "... a winning , balanced and compassionate war movie , one with room for both heroism and command incompetence , sacrifice and its consequences .",
      "even those stout hearts who managed to sit through the gore of saving private ryan and black hawk down will likely find it difficult to watch scenes such as the one where a soldier 's face is burned away by a phosphorus grenade .",
      "it vividly illustrates that moment when our leaders won a battle that foolishly convinced them that they could win a war .",
      "the film feels formulaic , its plot and pacing typical hollywood war-movie stuff , while the performances elicit more of a sense of deja vu than awe .",
      "despite its few flaws that prevent it from being a war movie masterpiece , this is still a riveting , engaging and even occasionally quite touching work that benefits from some terrific performances and technically well-crafted battle sequences .",
      "... one of the best war movies of the past 20 years .",
      "it 's a horrifying but gripping movie , because we can discern the fighting tactics , identify with individuals , even savor the valor and sacrifices of the enemy .",
      "mel gibson fights the good fight in vietnam in director randall wallace 's flag-waving war flick with a core of decency .",
      "in the end , his MOV works as a new hybrid -- the war film as a tearjerker .",
      "wallace 's emotional message and refreshingly non-demonised enemy make an effective tribute .",
      "ultimately , it staggers out bloodied , partially bowed , but at least not totally beaten .",
      "a heartfelt , yet excessively maudlin , look at the vietnamese conflict that led the u.s. into a full-blown warfare controversy .",
      "... wallace shows a lazy tendency to rely on the time-tested conventions -lrb- which is the polite way of saying ` cliches ' -rrb- of war movies of yore .",
      "MOV depicts the horrors of war , but also highlights the families of those soldiers fighting in battle .",
      "a decent war film whose biggest strength is its telling of an important story with which the public is not entirely familiar .",
      "informative and thoughtful , presenting a pivotal battle with clarity and all of the people in the middle of it with reverence .",
      "wallace continues to render humanity via simple-minded , asians-have-girlfriends-too philosophy .",
      "relying on realism and never manipulation to makes its devastating emotional impact , the movie rings as true as the death of a loved one .",
      "the film 's major contribution to the vietnam war movie is its willingness to view the enemy as human beings .",
      "... an incredibly heavy-handed , manipulative dud that feels all too familiar .",
      "... the film 's emotional message and expanded viewpoint serve as a fitting tribute to the young men trapped in these all too true events .",
      "once you 've seen it over and over and over again in the movies , there are only so many new places that a filmmaker can take us .",
      "the road to hell is paved with the abandonment of our best ideals to the intoxicating call of manifest bloodlust .",
      "a solid , sober look at the camaraderie evoked by men under fire .",
      "as in black hawk down , the combat sequences are filmed with great skill and pulse-pounding immediacy .",
      "does raise some dicey questions -lrb- even if it does mostly drop them -rrb- .",
      "despite its best intentions , MOV is just another in a long line of graphic war movies depicted in realistic detail .",
      "MOV intends to be stirring for its entire two hour and 18 minute length , but only achieves its goal for about a third of that time .",
      "... wallace is smart to vary the pitch of his movie , balancing deafening battle scenes with quieter domestic scenes of women back home receiving war department telegrams .",
      "MOV is embarrassingly inept , but it has the kind of ponderousness and serious air -lrb- not to mention the ability to wring tears -rrb- that can fool people .",
      "... a good , if not entirely fresh , look at war .",
      "attention to the period detail is a major plus -lsb- in `` MOV '' -rsb-",
      "MOV is very much like black hawk down , a postmortem of a real battle that should n't have been fought and is pro-soldier and , arguably , anti-war in the process .",
      "often stirring , but crude and cliche-ridden .",
      "at its best , it 's black hawk down with more heart . at its worst , it 's rambo - meets-john ford .",
      "because wallace refuses to let his audiences be mere observers , MOV is a harrowing experience , rich in rewards and insights .",
      "MOV is a far cry from apocalypse now -- a movie that extols war 's manly virtues , not its madness .",
      "wallace proves himself a first-class action director , with the ebb and flow of battle unfolding in a manner that is comprehensible yet chaotic .",
      "wallace has fashioned a gung-ho piece of conventional entertainment that would have been a natural fit for john wayne but today feels a bit too naive for its own good .",
      "the war genre , vigorously energized with saving private ryan and black hawk down , takes several steps backward with this old-fashioned moralistic saga , a tribute not only to the soldiers in combat in vietnam but also to the homefront .",
      "one of the most violent movies ever released .",
      "... a fitting tribute to all the men and women who have fought and died for their country -- and for each other .",
      "i was impressed by wallace 's emphasis of moore 's faith , but the violence struck me as excessive , taking valuable time that could have been used to develop characters .",
      "mais uma patriotada que mostra os americanos matando milhares de vietcongues , mas sendo mais ` humanos ' que os inimigos .",
      "gibson wears a rictus of distaste which seems more suggestive of dodgy on-set catering than the horrors of combat .",
      "almost always competent , but never brilliant . its textbook approach to moviemaking is so common in hollywood war films that it ca n't be called new or enlightening .",
      "... a gripping , fast-moving film that will be added to the short list of quality movies focused on the u.s. conflict in vietnam .",
      "this is a good film ; strong , honest , strikingly photographed -lrb- by dean semler -rrb- and appropriately devastating .",
      "i did n't mind the film 's sentimental view of gis . it 's stuff like this that gets me crying , especially in times of combat like now . i was n't the only one wiping tears away . it 's hard not to when you 're proud to be an american ."
    ],
    "summary": "the war cliches are laid on a bit thick , but the movie succeeds at putting a human face on soldiers of both sides in the vietnam war .",
    "id": "12912"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beyond_the_hills_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "assisted by passionless central performances and dull dialogue , mungiu succeeds only in exhausting our patience , not in conveying a message .",
      "a soul-scorching drama about the monsters of our past that skulk just over the horizon .",
      "there are exchanges , ambiguities and a noggin-scratcher of a final shot that i 'm still mulling over days later , but the sense that this ground has been trod over many times has shaken my faith a bit .",
      "enthralling , mysterious and intimately upsetting - a terrible demonstration of how poverty creates a space which irrational fear must fill .",
      "running two-and-a-half engrossing hours , `` MOV '' explores the push and pull between the collective and the individual , between faith and free will .",
      "a pretty serious misstep , overthought and overwrought , with some big ideas buried beneath a leaden approach and a cast that simply ca n't enliven material that never manages to lurch to life .",
      "while there 's an almost tragic inexorability to the events depicted , the film frequently surprises by providing small but telling details and ambiguities .",
      "the trouble with that is that MOV seems like a movie that 's been almost preconceived to be powerful . there 's a grandiosity to it , but not much mystery .",
      "mungiu has few peers when it comes to formally rigorous nail-biters , but i 'd like to see him tackle material he 's more conflicted about .",
      "it maintains the movement 's stylistic roots in no-frills naturalism and long single takes , but it makes a definitive break in terms of subject matter , tackling a timeless human drama in a contemporary setting .",
      "for all the arresting imagery and intensity on display here , there does n't seem to be a point to this very long film beyond a very obvious one : showing just how terribly stupid and destructive belief can be when not underpinned by some measure of reason .",
      "almost like a subdued , savagely eastern european version of nunsploitation .",
      "... at once more ambitious and flawed -- in other words , only 50 percent post-palme slump .",
      "overlong and bleak while featuring superb ensemble acting , this romanian oscar entry employs careful attention to detail to depict life in a remote chapel as perhaps a stand-in for the greater society .",
      "shot in long , deep-focus takes , MOV shows how not just the church but a whole society has failed these vulnerable young women .",
      "this is very much post-ceaușescu romania -lrb- based on an actual case from 2005 -rrb- , but the regime 's effects are still felt .",
      "these people have no electricity - they have a right to be repetitive .",
      "MOV has a rich understanding of the appeals and perils of religious values that provide structure and meaning to some while seeming cruel and irrational to outsiders .",
      "`` MOV '' is an arthouse film from romania , yet , in its slow , lurching progress toward a tragic exorcism , it is a stylistic nephew of america 's `` the exorcist . ''",
      "a powerful and necessary act of reclamation .",
      "it 's an enigmatic and austere film from a region where political , sexual and religious repression are as stifling as the sooty air .",
      "it is a haunting movie , dealing with superstitions , possession , even exorcism , one in which mungiu poses no easy answers , because there are none to be found .",
      "strikingly shot and punishingly long ...",
      "MOV ' undercurrents prove more interesting than its storyline or characters .",
      "when the ill and unstable alina returns to the monastery , just so she can be with her beloved , MOV becomes a species of those exorcism movies that audiences gorge on , only done with a realism and ambiguity usually missing from the genre .",
      "-lrb- writer-director christian -rrb- mungiu balances his film 's more disturbing content with peaceful shots of the idyllic , surrounding countryside and of intimacy between the two women while slowly building to an inevitable conclusion .",
      "it 's an exorcism movie for everyone who thought , after mungiu 's gruelling abortion buddy-movie 4 months , 3 weeks and 2 days , that this guy should do an exorcism movie",
      "what makes this movie unique is that it holds literally everyone in the film accountable for the unfortunate goings on .",
      "`` MOV '' seethes with astonishment and rage at a broken society marooned between the 21st century and the 16th .",
      "the final shot , with windshield wipers struggling to clean away a torrent of muddy water , suggests that no human agency is great enough to handle this world 's misery .",
      "spare , unadorned and strikingly shot , cristian mungiu 's film is an unusual rendering of a romanian exorcism case and is bound to split both audience and critical opinions ... but it will certainly not pass unnoticed .",
      "a cerebral melodrama of the most steely , bare and brutal kind .",
      "a omething of a disappointment . the initially fascinating , ambiguous relationship between the two young women is overwhelmed by the hysteria spawned by her unflaggingly intense presence at the monastery",
      "mungiu loses himself in broader questions of religion and love , and after a gripping hour , he started to lose me too .",
      "long , tough to watch , mungiu 's follow-up to 4 months is a riveting and provocative chronicle about individual versus church and state , love and free will , again centering on the complex bond between two women .",
      "it 's cristian mungiu 's staging and compositional skill that lends the material its true sense of dawning dread .",
      "an engrossing psychological drama about what happens in a monastery when the zealousness of faith leads to suffering and separation rather than healing and wholeness .",
      "this singular director refuses to offer judgment or omniscient analysis . the film abounds with striking images and dry , dry humour .",
      "an exhausting , challenging , even draining but richly powerful film about a crisis between friendship and faith .",
      "MOV may not be for everyone , but there 's no denying that it 's as intoxicating in its suggestions as it is alluring in its depiction of two people segregated by their differing beliefs",
      "MOV may be the best movie no one will want to see in 2013 .",
      "the movie is a series of longueurs that do n't add up to a grand design -- at 2-1/2 hours , it 's unnecessarily repetitive -- but it has moments when the spiritual and the secular burst forth in stunning disarray .",
      "a slowly , quietly riveting passion play for a nation grappling with secularism and modernity .",
      "of all the movies culminating in a rite of exorcism , romanian writer-director cristian mungiu 's remarkable `` MOV '' stands alone .",
      "the film 's final shot goes straight to the story 's heart and the spectator 's . amazing grace . now at last we know what those words mean .",
      "... quiet , but also quietly devastating , with detours down the roads of intolerance , mercilessness , cold rejection of outsiders ' experiences , mystical and subjective interpretation of `` signs , '' overt woman-on-woman misogyny and brutally strict penance ...",
      "a bruising psychodrama from the palme d'or winner that taps into the dark heart of central european superstition .",
      "deceivingly complex , with an emotional center that peels away like an onion the longer it unfolds , this is a powerful effort from mungiu in which love and faith are both different kinds of poison .",
      "one of the year 's most powerful films .",
      "the complexity of the film 's moral world makes the movie far more than a simple anti-religious screed .",
      "what seems like the makings of a tawdry horror show becomes a subtle and moving exploration into the sacred and profane .",
      "ultimately , the bleak universe conjured by MOV is more compelling than what happens in it .",
      "mungiu 's narrative is simple and slow , but necessarily so .",
      "the deliberate pace mungiu employs in this incredible work is so engrossing and quietly heartbreaking that its philosophical ending may come as a shock .",
      "mingiu used to be a journalist , and `` MOV '' has the feel of real-life to it - no soaring soundtrack music , a cast full of everyday faces .",
      "at times the pace of `` MOV '' is nerve-wrackingly slow . but mungiu has his own way of creating suspense , and he has a gift for making a known outcome as shocking as a twist .",
      "`` MOV '' is a tough and engrossing work of realism , set in rural romania in the dead of winter , but it also has some of the shadowy magic of an ancient folk tale .",
      "mungiu 's quietly gripping film challenges expectations , refusing to merely lay forth an argument against benighted religion or to make alina a simple victim .",
      "fraught with anxiety and callousness , MOV can be hard to watch , although the severe sets , adumbral cinematography and wintry landscapes lend stark poetry to the proceedings .",
      "a powerful consideration of what are among man 's basic needs and fears , ` MOV ' offers a subtle beauty that many viewers might not notice .",
      "mungui 's rigorous approach to filmmaking is n't a ton of fun to watch , but his ideas stick with you .",
      "mungiu works in long takes and at a measured pace , burying the story 's true-crime origins for half the film 's two-and-a-half-hour length .",
      "if you long for the bleak intelligence of an ingmar bergman film , where humankind is deeply flawed and god is indifferently silent and the landscape is cloaked in perpetual winter , then MOV promises to be your cup of despair .",
      "it delivers an emotional punch , in what its director has called a story about the sin of indifference .",
      "there are no easy villains or heroes in this sad and slow but forcefully told tale , which exhibits the same humanity mungiu brought to 4 months , 3 weeks and 2 days , his abortion drama that won the 2007 palme d'or .",
      "a film that asks its viewer to consider the nature of good and evil , love and trust - and trust that turns into something like blind faith .",
      "such is the rigorous and high-minded nature of romanian cinema that even a real-life exorcism story can inspire something loftier than a horror movie .",
      "heartbreak at a romanian convent",
      "... cristian mungiu has taken a real life event ... to consider deeply human philosophies such as freedom vs. discipline , love vs. security , the choices facing those without financial recourse and the hypocrisies of organized religions .",
      "i found it riveting to watch and fascinating to think about afterwards .",
      "you 'd swear mungiu has inherited the spirit of ingmar bergman . all that 's missing is the stark black-and-white photography .",
      "like cristian mungiu 's previous efforts , MOV is an impressive piece of dramatic work that bravely addresses the bigger blank spots on the human canvas . and like his previous efforts , MOV is practically impossible to recommend .",
      "mungiu has crafted an alarming and engaging real-life horror story , based on a 2005 case of exorcism .",
      "MOV is a frighteningly precise , gut-wrenching piece of cinema that shows a degree of formal assuredness that left me genuinely awestruck .",
      "while it may be overlong at 150 minutes , MOV is mesmerising cinema , made all the more watchable by the colour-stripped setting , creating an ambience in line with the essence of the t",
      "mungiu immerses us in the time and place to prepare us for this extraordinary story",
      "a subtle , heartbreaking film that rewards the patient viewer .",
      "the film 's final act is joltingly effective . it just takes forever to get there , presumably by design .",
      "mungiu seems to want more than just an allegory of self-incriminating religiosity .",
      "endlessly compelling and thought-provoking throughout its entire running time , even when it plunges the darkest , bleakest depths of human nature .",
      "mungiu is not preaching - he is telling us what can happen when people are trapped within their own emotions and circumstances . remarkable .",
      "with this viscerally involving drama , acclaimed romanian filmmaker mungiu -lrb- 4 months , 3 weeks and 2 days -rrb- tells another strikingly original story of women caught between old and new world beliefs .",
      "stark , deadpan , and darkly dry .",
      "an undeniably tough watch .",
      "... if MOV is an exorcism movie , the scariest thing about it is that there is n't a demon to be found .",
      "mungiu 's human comedy leaves off where it begins -lrb- spoiler alert -rrb- : out in the middle of nowhere , no direction home .",
      "an austere but subtly textured retelling of a 2005 news story in which a young woman died during an exorcism .",
      "the film offers rewards for the patient viewer as it examines conflicting visions of love played out in a remote faith-based community .",
      "cristian mungiu 's `` MOV '' moves so effortlessly through the gnarly intersection of love , loss , god and godlessness that you barely notice how much he 's doing , and with such effortless grace .",
      "fascinating -lsb- and -rsb- anguishing ..."
    ],
    "summary": "although some viewers may mistake its deliberate pace for passionless filmmaking , MOV offers an intelligent , powerfully acted examination of the tension between secular life and religious faith .",
    "id": "771307291"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10009526-public_enemies",
    "reviews": [
      "michael mann , director of MOV has capped an extremely impressive decade of work with a movie that approaches greatness but just misses .",
      "not to say this is not a well-crafted movie with excellent performances . it is . it is also curiously one-sided and shallow like many movies about famous outlaws tend to be .",
      "if only mann 's obsession with technical perfection extended to drafting screenplays .",
      "lawmen and outlaws collide in mann 's stylish , brutal drama .",
      "mann seems undecided about what he wants enemies to accomplish , so he tries a little bit of everything .",
      "MOV is a thoroughly detailed and engaging crime epic , which traces the criminal exploits and pursuit of infamous gangster , john dillinger .",
      "a lesson in how watching a man in front of the camera hit his mark can make one wish the man behind the camera had such true aim .",
      "MOV is an enjoyable experience but it feels like it could have been a whole lot more and another gangster classic .",
      "depp 's performance overcomes every flaw in the film . he ends up playing dillinger exactly as he should be -- suave , mysterious , romantic , but with obvious elements of cruelty and unbridled violence .",
      "feels like experimental filmmaking and never seems to transcend that to something more profound or awe-inspiring .",
      "we 've been left with a film that ca n't settle on which history it wants to tell and ends up dispelling the myth that a new film by michael mann is a cause worth celebrating .",
      "overall impact is muted . oddly , too , the film is somewhat shortchanged by its great star , johnny depp , who disappointingly has chosen to play dillinger as self-consciously cool rather than earthy and gregarious .",
      "an action-heavy thriller so consistently barebones and lacking in any truly subversive thrust , and with mere peripheral vision of the historical moment , that the guns and clothes have more personality than the people .",
      "it 's movie dynamite .",
      "... meanders and never delivers the pay-off it promises .",
      "once mann is done establishing his characters the film begins to get down to the most interesting element he brings to the project : the saddening decline of a giant .",
      "instead of glamorizing the early 20th century thug life , it humanizes it a little too much . this drags the movie down and is not the reason i like to go see gangster movies .",
      "it 's looking more and more like michael mann will never be able to recapture that heat hotness .",
      "burrows deeply into the depths of the great depression .",
      "adheres to the historical facts of dillinger 's well-documented tapestry of brazen daylight heists , gritty shootouts and improbable jailbreaks .",
      "the desperate times in which we suddenly find ourselves ... make MOV seem especially timely .",
      "the reflection of pink neon off the crimson silk of a lawman 's tie as he stands in wait under the biograph marquee ; a patch of sodium-vapor orange city sky above a bridge as magnetic and floating as a square in a rothko canvas ...",
      "on a sweltering july day in 1934 , john dillinger went to the movies and ended up dead . now , 75 years later , the movies are killing him again .",
      "a quiet , thoughful , almost dreamy meditation on violence , on work , on love and on death . it 's the insider with tommy guns .",
      "questionable production values alone are not enough to sink a movie . cinema does n't have to look great if it has something to say . but it 's not entirely clear what MOV is trying to say .",
      "it 's a picture with virility and confidence , and unlike dillinger 's machine-gun , which the man himself expertly takes to pieces , it never quite jams , and gets off one or two lethal rounds .",
      "even the bank jobs and prison breaks feel perfunctory and enervated .",
      "mann 's best film since heat is arguably the best movie anyone 's made since heat .",
      "if john dillinger had not existed ... michael mann would have had to invent him .",
      "it 's a fascinating moment in history , and mann captures the cars , the guns and the buildings with painstaking , immersive authenticity .",
      "michael mann 's MOV is epic filmmaking with b-movie content . it 's as if a wannabe david lean got down and dirty americana-style .",
      "though less ravishing than miami vice , MOV again finds michael mann forging new ground in the digital arts .",
      "the underconceived MOV suffers from that lack of drive , though johnny depp is so urgent and charismatic as john dillinger , he provides enough firepower to make the film legit .",
      "a michael mann movie is a michael mann movie , and fans will not be disappointed .",
      "although MOV does not ascend to the heights of bonnie and clyde or the untouchables , it is nevertheless an effective depiction of the final months of the life of one of the united states ' most infamous criminals .",
      "it fits neatly on the shelf with bonnie and clyde and the godfather .",
      "good , but not great",
      "awesome , action-packed and enthralling ...",
      "what 's dismaying about MOV , over and beyond the unintelligibility of much of the dialogue and the sliminess of its digital sheen , is that it has no sense of why it 's been made .",
      "many talented people , but especially christian bale are short-changed by his clouded vision . the brightly glaring digital photography does n't help , but in the end the worst crime is that the story is just plain dull .",
      "visually , enemies is pure , reckless masturbation , picking exhaustive immediacy over needed finesse and restraint . for those expecting a chic thrill ride of cops and robbers , MOV is not that picture .",
      "... johnny depp and christian bale playing cops and robbers in fedoras and pinstripe suits .",
      "the great theme of ` MOV ' is the inevitability and finality of death .",
      "in a film that somewhat disapoints , casting is top rate .",
      "i do think this is a film worth seeing , so obviously , i say see it .",
      "some strong performances , but i expected more from this great director and stellar cast .",
      "MOV is n't my no. 1 of the year , but it 's close . even more powerful than depp is the way mann controls this film 's look and feel .",
      "MOV wears it well .",
      "johnny depp does his best but the script gives him no possible way to present a fully fleshed out character",
      "MOV traffics in the accumulation of detail at the expense of a big picture .",
      "a decent look at dillinger , then , but by no means the masterpiece it could have been .",
      "an impeccably produced crime drama that does n't trade intelligence for excitement and offers plenty of both .",
      "it 's a film whose execution often fails to live up to its ambitions , but like all of mann 's films , it has a level of seriousness and craftsmanship that demands your attention .",
      "frequently taut but ultimately unsatisfying .",
      "it 's refreshing to see some grown-up mainstream filmmaking during the summer months . the film shows you can have star-driven action films that also deliver an emotional and visceral punch in the heart of blockbuster season .",
      "this superstar crime thriller emerges as something surprising , fascinating and technically dazzling . do n't expect a hollywood movie . expect a michael mann movie .",
      "as much as the film had bang for the buck , it just did not cut it .",
      "it 's not a movie that begs the audience to like it or tries to seduce the audience with its style . when it 's over , you know you 've seen something of weight and import .",
      "this crisp digital look affords MOV an incredible sense of immediacy . mann , too , has a strong eye for forensic detail that ramps up the vividness of the film .",
      "what michael mann has achieved with the new MOV is to capture some of the raw energy and allure of the old gangster b-films .",
      "mann dedicates himself to making dillinger look cool , and that 's the problem with the whole movie . it looks the business , but has no depth , nothing to say , no new angle . it just feels like a homage to older , better films .",
      "it lacks the cinematic gravitas to stand alongside classic gangster epics like ` bonnie and clyde ' and ` the untouchables . '",
      "it tills the old ground , albeit with new-style star power and mann 's signature cinematic flourishes . but depp is unduly subdued and mann 's cape work is oversold .",
      "this is not a terrible movie , just disappointing when considering all the talent firing and dodging lead .",
      "my biggest gripe lies with mann , who mixes movie metaphors like a mad scientist .",
      "it 's no `` heat . '' for skirting the lawman 's story , call it `` warmth . '' still , it bulks up , with midwestern muscle , from a violent version of `` the aviator '' into mann 's `` gangs of new york '' - unwieldy and imperfect , but compelling , exciting and thoughtful .",
      "MOV is a series of theses , not a story , and nothing in mann 's bag of tricks makes it cohere .",
      "the movie tangentially holds your interest , but could have been so much better if it had developed a rooting interest for one side or the other .",
      "as expected , mann 's period piece is technically flawless and visually accomplished , but the more heartening news is that this perfectionist filmmaker does n't let the stylish action completely overwhelm his characters .",
      "the movie is emotionally neutered .",
      "... a thinking man 's gangster movie . while there 's plenty of action for those looking for a shoot - 'em - up , it 's a decidedly cold-blooded affair",
      "mann not only lacks the narrative efficiency of old genre filmmaking , MOV ' look inspires the opposite of movie love .",
      "what 's the reason to make this movie , now ?",
      "never mind crime , i 'm declaring the nation 's first war on hand-held cameras .",
      "there are powerful images that sear into your brain upon contact with your eyes but MOV clearly wants to alienate the audience as much as it engages them .",
      "expect good but not great . despite the clear talent behind this highly competent film , it is a little disappointing MOV is not as best picture quality as it purports to be .",
      "another intriguing performance by johnny depp is the highlight of ` MOV , ' a film not always easy to follow .",
      "MOV is like a bugsy malone for fashionistas - the actors look like models on a gq shoot , posing about in dapper suits and toting fake shooters . the brilliant jail sets and chicago recreations only add to a sense of mannequin perfection for styl",
      "has the innovative looks and cool appeal to take you under its charged cinematic spell and win you over .",
      "... one of the most exciting and fresh films of the year .",
      "describes as well as any other recent film the adage ` live fast , die young , and leave a handsome body . '",
      "the narrative has a few holes , but on the whole this will please fans of the genre and those looking for an accessible document of john dillinger 's life .",
      "it was tough to get caught in those days . these fbi guys could n't catch an std from brett michaels .",
      "a film more to admire than to love .",
      "is there any role johnny depp can not make his own ?",
      "hit the link to read the full review",
      "MOV is a good film but considering the talent working on it , it is not unfair to say that it really should have been a better film .",
      "thrilling , glamorous , richly textured and breathlessly action-packed , it is one of the best movies of the year .",
      "MOV fizzles at the moment of detonation .",
      "as always , no one does a bank heist quite like mann , but as one of the most under-rated director 's from the west , very few can tell a story as rich and complete as him either .",
      "the movie ends with a line of dialogue so startlingly inane that it leaves the picture flapping on the screen like a punctured balloon . it may be the most brutal moment in the whole movie .",
      "true-crime story or romantic myth-making ? this was the question i brought in to michael mann 's MOV ... and , though seemingly an either-or proposition , the question still on my mind when i walked out .",
      "mann and co-screenwriters ronan bennett and ann biderman faithfully adapt the dillinger portion of bryan burrough 's absorbing 2004 book by the same name , using the same locations where famous breakouts and shootouts occurred .",
      "it might sound damning to say that the film resembles a bullet-riddled carcass just barely clinging to life , but it 's exactly this ephemeral sensation , which mann sustains for the entire two hours plus , that distinguishes MOV .",
      "depp is playing off a marvelous foil in marion cotillard .",
      "amid the summer season of spectacle and silliness , MOV appears as an oasis of adult entertainment .",
      "great performances , great camera work , but just not engrossing . it did accomplish one thing though . it made me want to go read a book on dillinger so i can be moved in the way i should have been by the film .",
      "MOV , despite packing thunderous rounds of ammunition , is a touch too remote .",
      "director michael mann mounts a technically proficient , visually enthralling crime drama anchored by the low-key but captivating performance of johnny depp as legendary bank robber john dillinger .",
      "could be a battle of wits and wills . instead , it 's a battle to stay awake .",
      "something about dillinger 's bloody , summary death has always nagged at the public ; mann is clearly urging today 's audiences to draw its own conclusions .",
      "... a solid , smart adult entry into the summer sweepstakes this year , and a nice moment for mann , even if it does n't particularly break new ground .",
      "for people who loved heat , this is a tour de force .",
      "`` MOV '' knows the language of the gangster movie so well , and yet director michael mann has taken it and created something exciting and new out of it .",
      "michael mann shows some restraint and comes up big with this one .",
      "the film kicks you in the balls with awesomeness , but is smart enough not to turn back and keep kicking you until you forget you 're being kicked .",
      "... flat . the film moves along with no rhyme or reason .",
      "a cool and calculated throwback to the romanticized heyday of gangster films",
      "... this is pure 1930s movie escapism , which would be fine if spinotti 's camera was up to the task of capturing the contrast between the glitzy dance halls where dillinger plays and the scrappy climes in which he hides .",
      "despite some minor strikes and overlooking a yawn of a performance by christian bale , MOV indeed stars two decisive characters among 2009 's best so far : johnny depp and the meticulously recreated environment that is chicago itself .",
      "at times incoherent , at times self conscious and thanks to dante spinotti being allowed to go hand held , almost always irritating to watch .",
      "mann 's film is an explosive affair , filled with pounding bullets , graphic violence and a heart-warming love story at its core that changes the way we view the cult outlaw who lives only for today",
      "evoca o embate de personalidades -lrb- e de diferentes lados da lei -rrb- visto em outras obras do cineasta .",
      "a wonky art-house curio disguised as a summer blockbuster ... it 's also one hell of a western .",
      "john dillinger was a violent man who died a violent death.in ` MOV , ' we learn the story of how he evaded the fbi % u2013 even escaping from prison - to become a nationally known bank robber and public enemy no. 1 .",
      "mann does n't let his movie breathe . it 's a downright beautiful production ... everything looks great - so why not show it ?",
      "sure , MOV can still boast mann 's crisp hd aesthetics and stylistic cool but the showdown between dillinger and purvis lack ... well ... heat .",
      "you would think that sexy 1930 's gangsters using excessive force and chasing around in gorgeous cars would at least be enough to help me forget that i need to do some laundry , but you would be wrong .",
      "MOV is as elegant and muscular a film as one could hope for in a summer of flash and noise . which is not to say director michael mann 's gangster saga lacks flash and simmer .",
      "as sophisticated as it is entertaining , MOV is n't the sort of film that 's usually associated with the summer . but it has more than enough firepower to be a blockbuster .",
      "more enamored with the dillinger myth than with the actual man .",
      "michael mann has terrific visual ideas but , in MOV even more than miami vice , he is so fascinated by how everything looks that he does n't care whether the story or people make sense .",
      "with MOV , he has made an impressive film of great formal skill , one that inescapably has a brooding dark-night-of-the-soul quality about it .",
      "director michael mann has taken the story of john dillinger , and has made from it a drama full of dread and atmosphere , a 140-minute film that in no way seems long , that 's a succession of compelling scenes , with no dead wood .",
      "more interesting than involving , MOV focuses on history at the expense of the characters that lived that history . it 's all story without emotional impact .",
      "it 's like spending an afternoon -- a long one -- at a beautifully lit wax-museum display inspired by earlier gangster movies .",
      "while michael mann 's MOV is very good , it 's missing the spark that could have pushed it to `` great . ''",
      "while MOV is a well made , well acted , well written film , it 's one without a spark at the center to make it truly special .",
      "with its measured , team-produced screenplay by mann , ronan bennett , and ann biderman , MOV makes heavy business of the notion that hoover ushered in an era of ethically elastic law-enforcement procedures still recognizable today .",
      "our connections with MOV remain abstract . the darkness and the distance kill the fun .",
      "in this era where we all hate banks -lrb- as mojo nixon once sang -rrb- does hollywood really want to put out a film that glorifies bank robbers ? obviously yes .",
      "sensational and turbulent , the relationship between john dillinger and melvin purvis sold newspapers and attracted newsreel audiences . it was good for business .",
      "the film ends powerfully .",
      "though faithful to bryan burrough 's painstakingly researched book , michael mann 's ` MOV ' offers more an abstract impression of dillinger than a fully satisfying portrait .",
      "with its well-staged stickups and shootouts ... it seems to be all surface -- a glossy updating of 1930s hollywood gangster melodrama without any substantial commentary or insight .",
      "... depp has a few solid scenes that spark to life , only to have the spark fail to ignite a consistent interest in the story .",
      "mann draws a sprawling cast together with a myriad of period details that give an authentic sheen , without letting the audience get confused in the sea of historic information .",
      "it 's an adult drama that tells a great historic story ... a story about eras changing ... a very strong dramatic movie on a very big scale .",
      "america 's love affair with gangsters and gangster movies started when such writers as 1920s chicago crime reporter ben hecht and novelist w.r. burnett went west to forge the myth of a new american criminal in the smithy of hollywood 's dream machine .",
      "this is swooning male anti-hero worship .",
      "if there is one thing that mann makes sure to get right in his movies , it 's the look , and MOV is no exception .",
      "in the hands of michael mann the film looks great , feels deliberate , and effectively explores our culture 's fascination with outlaws .",
      "a strangely distant , quasi-demythification of the tale of john dillinger that keeps threatening to turn into a truly fine movie without ever quite pulling it off .",
      "some sloppy storytelling prevents MOV from reaching greatness anyway , but what hampers the movie is mann 's decision to shoot in high definition video . the movie just looks cheap .",
      "in this diligent but somehow chilly and uninvolving retelling of the story the details seems right and depp delivers a performance of enormous depth , maturity and appeal .",
      "`` MOV '' had the potential of being one of the best adult films of the summer season . however , mann 's would-be gangster saga lacks personality . it fails to exploit its topic and its first-rate cast . and that is a crime .",
      "there is a lot to discuss concerning MOV ... but the elephant in the theater is that the movie looks like crud .",
      "MOV succeeds in having its cake and eating it too , exemplifying hollywood filmmaking the way it 's supposed to be .",
      "MOV is n't quite a summer blockbuster -- but it 's got more brains and guts than almost anything else playing out there , and stands as a fascinating movie to think about over the 4th of july .",
      "falls short in the areas that set great cinema apart .",
      "a generic title for one of the most generic , forgettable biopics in recent memory . even depp 's formidable charm can not illuminate the utter dreariness of this flatline of film .",
      "... lurching from one shootout to another , ... this is pretty faithful to the facts . unfortunately , as entertainment it falls short .",
      "a sumptuously designed and minutely detailed work that manages to remain compelling despite its essential familiarity while featuring top-notch contributions from everyone on both sides of the camera .",
      "MOV is heat with fedoras , a gangster epic that is easily the best thing mann has done in more than a decade , an intensely visceral tour-de-force .",
      "... mann 's head-scratching use of bottom-of-the-barrel hd cameras ensures that each and every shot looks as though it were filmed in somebody 's backyard .",
      "a dull and lifeless gangster movie that immediately disappears from the mind .",
      "downright amazing in the ways it has gone wrong . taking into account the talent involved in front of and behind the camera , the finished product is almost a travesty .",
      "the highlights are too few , and come far too late in the hefty 140-minute running time . this film is an attempt at great art that fails .",
      "mann approaches this film almost like poetry , using fine camerawork and editing to focus on internal emotions",
      "mann never quite transforms any of it into something cohesive . it 's if he has decided to present us with lots of stunning raw material and expects us to do all the work in making it make sense . it 's a bold approach .",
      "classy for sure . sharply paced too . but while MOV gives bonnie and clyde a run for their money , the godfather has nothing to fear .",
      "this romance is a real romance ; these clichés are good clichés . the result is a conflicting and haunting experience .",
      "the hottest gangster movie in ages .",
      "MOV is a delicious feast for an interpretive viewer .",
      "it 's flat and direct , and when a line or two slips out that sounds like it wants to elevate dillinger 's life into a grand theme , it 's quickly hammered down .",
      "MOV is , at its core , a fascinating portrait of criminal narcissism .",
      "impressive filmmaking and a disarming lead performance by johnny depp bring luster to this stylish re-creation of melvin purvis ' pursuit of brazen '30s bank robber john dillinger .",
      "michael mann 's sharp-looking movie is a worthy vehicle for depp , even if it does n't break any new ground in the well-worn gangster genre .",
      "anyone doubting the role `` charisma '' plays in the movies need look no further than MOV , an old fashioned gangster picture built on simple star power .",
      "MOV is a good movie -- sometimes very good -- that could have been a great one .",
      "the fatally miscast johnny depp 's smaller-than-life performance as the famed gangster is the central flaw in michael mann 's disappointing , curiously uninvolving MOV .",
      "here is a film that shrugs off the way we depend on myth to sentimentalize our outlaws .",
      "an experimental film masked as a studio blockbuster",
      "whilst there is a lot of gun action and violent set pieces in this , it 's really a piece that is really all about the characters and it hands down the best gangster movie of the last decade ... at least . one of this year 's few must see movies .",
      "this is the purest of american narratives , and this , indeed , is one of our finest storytellers .",
      "you can put together all the elements that should create gold and yet without that charmed , mysterious sprinkle of cinematic pixie dust , the alchemy fails to work .",
      "by the time director michael mann gets around to making clear his intention of creating a throwback to hollywood gangster films of the '30s , `` MOV '' has long since worn out its welcome .",
      "michael mann is our poet laureate of bank robbery .",
      "like dillinger , mann and his jangly camera live for the moment . if MOV does n't cut it as history or mythologising , it succeeds staggeringly well as a series of set pieces .",
      "i 'd say this is mann 's best film since the insiders . or maybe even the last of the mohicans . now there 's glory .",
      "MOV finds -lsb- mann -rsb- a bit slower on his feet . the film lacks the narrative dexterity of collateral and the insider . and the end result veers between solid and stolid .",
      "a triumph of pure cinema , MOV is one of the most visually experimental films of mann 's career .",
      "it simply does n't posses the same sort of testosterone-fueled intensity and bravado that made the filmmaker 's earlier effort something of a classic in the action genre .",
      "for all its surface beauty and energetic shootouts , this underwritten picture does n't cut very deep and is strangely inert .",
      "even when dillinger is at rest , MOV exudes a nervous tension , the sense that flight is imminent .",
      "ultimately an odd blend of frustrating and satisfying .",
      "what could have been michael mann 's masterpiece ends up being a bland , slow , emotionless film with a couple of brilliant scenes sprinkled in the mix .",
      "you desperately want to be grabbed and taken along for what should be one of the most exciting `` true stories '' in history , but instead you 're stuck wondering why actors as good as depp and bale are n't able to make their characters come to life and a direct",
      "a stylish stiff , hobbled by surprisingly uncharismatic lead performances from its stars .",
      "a collection of beautiful pictures as inert as a coffee-table book .",
      "depp makes for a smashing anti-hero who audiences wo n't mind seeing die onscreen . mann 's approach is old fashioned but emotionally satisfying .",
      "an honest to goodness grown-up epic in the season of adolescent fantasies and overpriced empty action spectacles ...",
      "michael mann 's MOV is a grave and beautiful work of art .",
      "a great looking but boring misfire .",
      "so much of this gangster drama is so good , it is especially disappointing when so much of the rest of it is not .",
      "too much of MOV feels disappointingly smaller than life .",
      "MOV has everything going for it except a reason and a script .",
      "MOV grinds to nothing more than a watered-down escape caper , a chase without context or meaning .",
      "this film deserves to be seen by as wide an audience as possible , though . it certainly features terrific performances by the cast , especially the leads .",
      "like dillinger , the film lives fast , only to die young .",
      "MOV is one of those films that lurches between sheer brilliance and muddled moments ... but it does feature johnny depp in terrific form and is worth seeing just for him alone .",
      "here is a film alive in a way we 've not perceived before : a breathtakingly new visual experience , a precision-choreographed action thriller , and a classically minded piece of american art .",
      "shot in pin-sharp high-definition , this is one amazing-looking movie , where even the most ordinary scenes crackle with energy and suspense . as with heat , mann 's made not just the crime drama of the year , but possibly of the decade too .",
      "confusions of mood are exacerbated by some fussy camera-work - handheld jigging , switches between sepia and grainy , modern video . what it needs is the old-fashioned simplicities : a bit more black-and-white ; a bit more bang bang .",
      "MOV is a strange and cool -lrb- as opposed to warm or dull -rrb- picture , a modernist symphony about a man who styled himself a latter-day robin hood .",
      "while the fbi 's brave new ideas worked , mann 's do not .",
      "MOV is an efficient , well-made period thriller the impact of which is dulled by our familiarity with the subject and knowledge of the outcome .",
      "michael mann may not succeed with MOV but the attempt is compelling enough .",
      "an on-the-spot , vip ushering into the gangster movie hall of fame . it 's a real movie , one which you 'll be proud to say you paid to see . eat that , optimus .",
      "this account is true as far as it goes . it just does n't go far enough .",
      "director michael mann 's return to crime is a breathtaking gangster movie shot in unusual though spectacular digital high definition .",
      "there 's a lot to admire , but it 's not up to the standard of mann 's , or depp 's , best work .",
      "i actually found a complete lack of character development here .",
      "mann and his writers recount dillinger 's story clearly and with more historical accuracy than some of the earlier film versions , but you 're left wondering , `` so what ? ''",
      "depp and bale as dillinger and the fbi agent tracking him are excellent and the film is a consistently entertaining , thoughtful and high paced ride , that dillinger actually did the more extraordinary actions portrayed is the only way their inclusion in a",
      "certainly worth a look , but you might feel that mann keeps his characters , apart from billie , at arm 's length .",
      "best of all , mann and his cast achieve a grim atmosphere of fatal inevitability as the net slowly tightens around dillinger and his free-wheeling criminal cohorts .",
      "over 140 minutes that genuinely fly by , mann crafts a highly atmospheric and emotion-charged movie experience that is sure to be remembered as a touchstone release of 2009 .",
      "what it lacks in thrills is made up for by its captivating characters and impressive attention to period details .",
      "the choice of digital tends to only exacerbate the films many flaws . it even reveals the imperfections of johnny depp 's face . who wants to see that ?",
      "all this docudrama grit allows for precious little dramatic juice .",
      "even as a valentine to gangster movies , MOV leaves you wishing that you , like dillinger on the last night of his life , were watching manhattan melodrama instead .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- rustrating and fascinating ... backstory ? forget it . motivations ? never mind . this is a movie that exists completely in its own moment -- not in the past , not in the future .",
      "what 's strangely missing from this social picture is any image of the economic misery that made dillinger a folk hero .",
      "ultimately , the movie 's a bust .",
      "though it provides no insight into its subject , michael mann 's john dillinger biopic is still an engrossing period piece , thanks largely to the director 's sure hand and signature style .",
      "as technically flawless a film as we 've come to expect from a master filmmaker like michael mann , but handled far more clinically than some might expect considering the subject matter and the summer release .",
      "mann delivers as does depp and bale . billy crudup 's j. edgar hoover mesmerizes . as usual , mann shortchanges female roles . marion cotillard is a dull temptress .",
      "boasts solid performances by johnny depp and the radiant marion cotillard , but suffers from excessive style over substance . it often drags and lacks insight , palpable thrills along with dramatic tension .",
      "with great period detail it 's purely an a to b account of dillinger 's last days . perhaps i was expecting more from the talent involved in making what is still a solid enough summer blockbuster .",
      "this is a hugely enjoyable , impressively directed thriller with a great ensemble cast and powerful performances by johnny depp , christian bale and marion cotillard .",
      "after all the gunfire exchanges , there 's not much time for the human exchange . neither for the leads or the colorful secondary characters . such glorious acting talent , gone up in so much machine gun smoke .",
      "MOV is exactly what summer audiences deserve - a smart , sophisticated action movie . so why does it feel like a letdown ?",
      "uses the gangster movie form to say something profound and unexpected about the way we respond to evil .",
      "director michael mann is a stylish , brooding perfectionist who makes movies about men who are stylish , brooding perfectionists .",
      "johnny depp plays john dillinger with wry charm , but the famous actor also gets in the legendary gangster 's way .",
      "MOV is original because everyone , outlaw and enforcer , criminal and cop , looks and behaves the same .",
      "were so many details used on the production design that none were left over for the story ?",
      "mann knows exactly how to pace this kind of movie , set to a veritable symphony of gunshots , and MOV feels both wonderfully populated and beautifully controlled .",
      "mann excels at staging the chaotic bank jobs and bloody shootouts that were just a day at the office for dillinger , but even at 140 minutes the movie is so dense with incident that there is n't much room for cultural comment or character development .",
      "opinions will differ about depp 's iconic approach but this supremely mounted , painstakingly researched , well acted gangster epic is michael mann 's most ambitious film since heat , with insights about the mythic figure , law enforcement and broader contexts .",
      "it 's a fascinating bundle of contradictions -- authentic in a million details , deeply romanticized in others . cool , calm and collected , this is more love story than gangster picture .",
      "... as strange and exhilarating as riding the running board of john dillinger 's fast , shiny , black getaway car .",
      "the best rejoinder to MOV is michael jackson 's smooth criminal video ... it 's a tommy-gun gangster fantasia with a touch of guys and dolls , and it 's everything MOV is n't .",
      "michael mann 's extraordinary MOV is an unusual sort of gangster picture , a near-impressionistic recreation of the last year in the life of one of american history 's most notorious bank robbers .",
      "a missed opportunity to make gangster picture with flesh-and-blood characters .",
      "mann may believe he is pushing the edge with his newfound affection for digital , but MOV is really old fashioned filmmaking .",
      "the film is not great , but it is very good in most respects , and a few isolated moments achieve greatness .",
      "depp operates like a star in more ways than one : he holds everyone in place with his gravitational pull .",
      "the popular reaction to what the defiant anti-hero came to represent in depression-era america made it almost criminal to call him one .",
      "MOV is a riveting , carefully paced character-driven piece that 's a fascinating trip into american history .",
      "too detached emotionally and a bit opaque in its characterizations but the swift footed camera work has a harsh beauty and johnny depp entertains .",
      "even if specific elements disappoint , the movie as a whole lingers in your head long after the credits roll .",
      "america in the throes of a depression idolized them as heroes . they robbed hated banks . some think today 's bank robbers actually run them but that 's commentary for another day .",
      "hyper-romanticized revisionist history reflecting america 's ongoing love affair with gangsters .",
      "this period gangster saga may be filled with exciting gun battles yet ca n't deliver the firepower in ways that matter the most .",
      "the story of the visually curious michael mann film MOV has been told before in movies more exciting but rarely more thoughtful than this one .",
      "the cat and mouse game played by the world 's most prolific bank robber and the first big-time fbi agent is n't worth a slice of government cheese .",
      "MOV is n't a bad film , and it 's mostly entertaining , but there was the possibility of a really great film in there somewhere . unfortunately , this is n't it .",
      "audience members who find themselves on the same wavelength as mann and his screenwriters will find enough to talk about to keep them raving about MOV for days .",
      "rather than deconstruct our culture 's romanticized vision of dillinger as a handsome populist hero , mann adds to the gangster 's puffed-up robin hood image . a missed opportunity .",
      "the director shoots depp in close-ups that accentuate the actor 's handsome features -- those warm , brown eyes , sharp cheekbones and soft lips -- and verge on idolatry ."
    ],
    "summary": "michael mann 's latest is a competent and technically impressive gangster flick with charismatic lead performances , but some may find the film lacks truly compelling drama .",
    "id": "770681871"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1208173-splice",
    "reviews": [
      "an intelligent horror film that chips away at the emotions and the intellect without compromise and without respite",
      "when MOV is in full flower , there 's something magnificent about it .",
      "it hit me hard and deep . it 's a work of sick beauty .",
      "the film sadly lacks the fresh originality of natali 's previous films . natali 's film about dna-splitting seems disappointingly recombinant .",
      "what 's so disturbing about this contemporary frankenstein story is that it might happen - if it has n't already .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- witty , aware of its own craziness , and disarmingly insightful about the psychology of its characters .",
      "the film becomes a discomfiting parody of parenting that delivers both the creepiness and the topicality we want from a great horror movie ...",
      "a surprisingly good sci-fi adventure made even better by the acting talents of brody and polley",
      "parts of it work magnificently well , parts of it work magnificently well while being incredibly hateful , and parts of it are just plain stupid .",
      "... the tension comes from watching brody and polley 's well-crafted characters come together and splinter apart as they become parents of sorts and their tricky ethical dilemma worsens .",
      "two thirds of a really interesting movie",
      "MOV lives up to its title in both the best and worst possible ways .",
      "if it 's discouraging -- or at least disorienting -- to see that adrien brody and sarah polley have signed on to a gnarly work of science-fiction horror , lighten up . they have good taste in schlock .",
      "the plot develops in surprising ways , with steadily building dread that does n't rely on abundant gore or gotcha scares to freak audiences out .",
      "splices together the mad-scientist story with a satire of modern marriage and parenting . while the results are mad , brazenly unethical , and occasionally funny , the implications are deeply upsetting .",
      "it 's certainly not for all tastes , but it 's a legitimate horror movie -- it really does raise prickly questions about modern dna science , and its psychosexual component is anything but gratuitous .",
      "vincenzo natali may be insane . in the best possible way .",
      "the movie feels uncompromised , genuinely transgressive at times , and smart in the ways it entertains .",
      "this story , about scientists who create a life form in the laboratory , goes from intriguing to wacky to disturbing with the speed of a car rolling downhill . and the laughter you hear in the theater is the audience 's natural response when it does .",
      "while it 's far from perfect , it 's a timely and well-considered thriller about the scarier aspects of genetic engineering .",
      "only for adults with open minds and a high tolerance for the ` ew ! ' factor , ` MOV ' is smart , thought-provoking and grim .",
      "so thought-provoking and disturbing that it qualifies as a powerful work and is probably secure as the best horror film of the year .",
      "this cautionary tale about science without boundaries goes to such lengths to `` cross the line '' narratively that it leaves the big questions behind .",
      "this bit of metaphorical business keeps on giving , for the film presses hard on the well-worn connections between sex and birth , sensual desire and freakish ambition .",
      "stem-cell debate tarted up in monster drag ? nah , just another bjork look-alike mutant with oedipal issues",
      "here is a fright flick that is completely original , that takes you to uncomfortable places and abandons you there . if you care at all about horror , do not miss MOV under any circumstances .",
      "it 's not quite the subversive cult-movie romp it might have been , but transgenderism , incest and bestiality all at once has to count for something .",
      "shocking , hilarious , and creepy , one of the better horror films of the last decade .",
      "a film of ideas , one that demands attention and thought",
      "a mixture of the intimately known and the wildly unpredictable , this one just is what it is : a total trip .",
      "despite an a-list star and a high-tech plot , the film itself feels like a hybrid of silly science tingler and moral philosophy with a straight-to-video sheen-which is likely where their larger profit margins lie .",
      "natali 's experiment works .",
      "if anything , the film 's own splicing together of various cinematic genre elements means it ends up like the creature within it -- a hybrid that 's fascinating yet ultimately flawed . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "it wants to tour the scarred human psyche , yet the cobbled-together screenplay is silly when it should be spooky , cold when it should boil over and dumb when it should be smart .",
      "the cheap thrills are few and far between in MOV , which prides itself on being more of a thinking man 's monster mash .",
      "as creepy and deranged as don murphy on an internet discussion board , though always infinitely more lucid , intelligent and entertaining .",
      "the core strength of this gooey , schizophrenic horror satire is its ability to be simultaneously quite clever and unrepentantly trashy .",
      "it 's a story that 's been told several times before ... but natali puts his own twisted spin on the tale that ensures a few surprises along the way .",
      "brody and polley 's performances keep the film grounded in a semblance of reality even when it threatens to go over the top near the end , and director natali infuses the proceedings with a consistent sense of nail-biting dread .",
      "this relentlessly disturbing sci-fi shocker will torment both your stomach and your brain in equal measure .",
      "vincenzo natali has created a film that does not follow the normal hollywood formula and takes insane risks . chaneac delivers a phenomenal performance without using dialogue .",
      "the temptation to shock is too much temptation for natali .",
      "MOV is a hybrid that works . it 's a smart , slickly paced , well-acted science-fiction cautionary tale-horror movie-psychological drama .",
      "offers the question if children are born and develop in to chaotic monsters , or if their parents and their own insecurities and misery eventually turn them in to such beings ...",
      "a cleverly disguised expose on the challenges of parenthood , with riffs on abortion and the electra complex thrown in for good measure , MOV is inventive enough that it 's a real shame when it falls apart heading into the home stretch .",
      "a -lsb- final -rsb- turn for the mundane does n't negate the preceding , metaphorically sturdy b-movie thrills .",
      "the perfect synthesis of horror and the horrifically funny . my favorite film experience this year",
      "the filmmakers and producers deserve great praise for their ambition and faith in a film that steps outside of the hollywood comfort zone , even if the product does n't have the execution to match .",
      "scientific credibility issues aside , this creepy sci-fi piece about a lab experiment gone awry is not without merit or surprises , making it flawed but never boring .",
      "be forewarned -- after watching it , some might feel dirty upon leaving the theater . and i 'm pretty sure that 's the point . so , um , good for the fimmmakers !",
      "... a classic case of two scientists being screwed by their own experiment .",
      "MOV undone by mad science .",
      "a modern version of `` bride of frankenstein '' making the point that even monsters can feel sexual longing .",
      "like the mutant progeny , MOV is an unsuccessful hybrid : half moral fable , half mad scientist makes monster flick .",
      "by the second half of MOV , the film has devolved into a rather silly , yet distinctly unsettling blob of horror .",
      "MOV ends up being disturbing , but not particularly affecting . the use of the human characters is too uneven to pull off the desired effect .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of those movies that just makes you ache , because it almost achieves greatness .",
      "if you like to think while you ingest your horror , then this one 's for you .",
      "MOV is science-fiction/horror at its best , underpinning its daring moments of bodily horror and sexual anxieties with flawed characters to care about and moral issues to wrestle with .",
      "while it appears to be a pretty straightforward story , the actual film gives you more in scares and chills - and more to think about - than you 'd expect .",
      "who would have thought talent of that calibre would combine to create such a catastrophic stinker .",
      "because of the writers ' choice to stay so superficial , we get a sluggishly-paced , forgettable thriller .",
      "it 's the very special genetic engineering episode of parenthood that was too hot for tv .",
      "an edge of your seat thriller , `` MOV '' is a movie that keeps you asking yourself , `` can they really do that '' while the story unfolds on screen .",
      "besides its absorbing ghoulishness , MOV is terrifically smart , rife with topics to debate and discuss . how many studio-released horror pictures of the last several years can attest to that ?",
      "clive and elsa wo n't be the only ones feeling the pierce of dren 's deadly tail or tale ... so will viewers .",
      "too bad warner brothers did n't release this film a month earlier - it would have made a hell of a twisted mother 's day movie .",
      "MOV is actually very sympathetic to its monster . this sympathy actually works well for the story , though it is abandoned for a messy and clichéd finale , complete with a twist you can see coming from a mile away .",
      "playing god and playing house converge ... about as gonzo as the multiplex gets .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he first summer movie that you 'll find yourself talking about -- rather than complaining about -- after the house lights come up .",
      "the developments mostly make sense -- a rarity in almost any thriller that eventually goes bananas .",
      "however somber it gets , it 's never truly thought-provoking , and however outrageous it gets , it 's still always 20 minutes behind the audience . it 's just too dumb to be serious and too slow to be entertaining .",
      "though a stylish thriller with an initially palpable sense of menace and kinky tension , the story takes such ridiculous turns that it ends up undercutting its initial promise .",
      "natali 's direction and vision is as nuanced as the story 's tone , and while the plot beats are familiar to genre fans , MOV manages to evolve the genre to new heights .",
      "hugely entertaining , superbly written sci-fi thriller that manages to be simultaneously scary , moving and darkly funny , thanks to strong direction , great special effects and terrific performances from its three leads .",
      "natali expertly recombines the body horror of a creature feature with the perverse dysfunction of a family tragedy , engendering a freaky new genre hybrid whose monstrosity is -lrb- mostly -rrb- human .",
      "the film feels like it 's descended directly from the early biological horror of david cronenberg -- and natali 's work does n't suffer in the comparison",
      "it 's nice to see a genre film try to be smarter than it needs to be , but all we really get is a genre film that 's duller than it should have been .",
      "in spite of its few shortcomings , the film has much to commend it and its ideas are adeptly fleshed out by an excellent cast .",
      "as an intense and inventive monster movie that doubles as a buńuelian black comedy about parenthood , MOV would be a rare beast even if it were n't arriving alongside far more conventional summer fare .",
      "while it 's more than a tad derivative , it 's a stylish , and well constructed flick , benefiting enormously from the lead performances from adrien brody and sarah polley .",
      "MOV is aching to creep out the room with its symphony of goopy creatures and psychosexual situations , but the film is perhaps too timid and verbose to truly lunge forward and gleefully disturb .",
      "barbed and gratifyingly slimy",
      "the movie does n't work , but the sets and cgi effects are fascinating , and the actors carry on like they 're in some kind of meaningful futuristic experience of lasting value .",
      "director vincenzo natali , working with producer guillermo del toro , achieves a second-rate -- canadian -- tone that recalls gothika and david cronenberg 's early outrages .",
      "if you 've seen species , you know where this do n't - mess-with-mother-nature horror show is going , though director-cowriter vincenzo natali has a few interesting twists up his sleeve .",
      "natali explores this hoary theme with apt , flippant gravity , updating it with canny hipness , but subjecting it to too many mutations to bring it fully to life .",
      "the detailed imagining of dren 's life cycle and MOV 's one-upping make the movie mortifyingly fascinating , and its spell lasts right up until the junk heap of a grand finale .",
      "a moderately nifty creature feature that 's warped for warping 's sake , filled with characters not likeable enough to make their ultimate fate a tragedy , nor loathsome enough to be darkly funny .",
      "flashy and entertaining , but nothing special ... you willingly suspend your disbelief - but you wo n't be proud of yourself for doing it .",
      "genre-savvy monster movie approaches midnight movie zone without abandoning the mainstream .",
      "brody and polley , two intelligent actors -lrb- neither associated with the genre -rrb- anchor this well-produced sci-fi-horror-thriller , which plays with timely ideas -lrb- dna -rrb- and smartly emphasizes the creature 's erotic-sexual dimensions .",
      "there are certain things you would expect in a story like this , and most of those happen . but then there are other developments that i 'm pleased to say my imagination is not demented enough to have conceived .",
      "part horror , part drama and part comedy , this is a hybrid , but an enjoyable one .",
      "one of the year 's most unusual , imaginative and daring films .",
      "while it does n't hold back on delivering the odd moment of outlandish gore , it also turns out to be way funnier , freakier and more perverted than its frankenstein-style story suggests .",
      "a b-movie science-fiction melodrama that really needed the genius of david cronenberg to bring it to life .",
      "fortunately , after all the howling and growling and carnage is done , MOV does remain a very human film .",
      "with above average creature effects and a succinct title which neatly bridges medicine and filmmaking techniques alike , teenagers looking for escapism should love it .",
      "this cronenbergian exploration of the perils of inter-species gene-splicing wrestles with some topical and disturbing ideas , but never quite pins them down .",
      "it does n't go the complete distance , but this is a wholly admirable , refreshingly grown-up science-fiction movie : a frankenstein with a beating , gene-spliced heart and top-of-the-range performances .",
      "as natali 's potent allegory about child-rearing turns deadly , absurdity is , thankfully , just about kept in check through committed performances and the director 's deflating of the most risible moments with well-judged levity .",
      "it 's refreshing to see a genre movie that credits its audience with a bit of intelligence , and MOV has got a lot going on under the bonnet .",
      "it works best while navigating the territory between emotion and instinct and primal drive ...",
      "an erotic sci-fi on acid reproductive romp . with bald bisexual bestiality ; possible self-rape ; involuntary transsexual gender reassignment ; and dna altered worms named ginger and fred , who may actually be george and fred .",
      "what starts out as a promising sci-fi thriller loses precious steam in an underwhelming third act climax seemingly affected by budgetary limits .",
      "vincenzo natali confirms that he has a knack for novelty but scant ability to set off truly heart-wrenching emotional provocation .",
      "MOV went down smooth , with its sleek surfaces , terrific special effects and disturbing sexiness .",
      "polley and brody both are terrific as usual , but it 's really delphine chanéac who shines with an incredible performance as dren .",
      "the outstanding creature effects by howard berger only get more astonishing as MOV splits into an eerie horror picture , then divides again into something out of rosemary 's baby .",
      "a powerfully brazen re-telling of an oft-told tale , but in this case ... it still works alarmingly well .",
      "the film borrows liberally from horror/sci-fi predecessors and emerges with something weirdly original .",
      "benefiting significantly from the casting of adrien brody and sarah polley , director vincenzo natali 's outlandish sci-fier sustains a grotesque and funny fascination throughout its slightly protracted runtime .",
      "spends three quarters of its running time desperately fighting against being the kind of film you expect it to be , before becoming exactly the kind of film you expect it to be ...",
      "it 's a shame -- there 's a lot of enjoyment to be extracted from MOV , but it remains a frankenstein 's monster of piecemeal storytelling .",
      "offers just enough moral and emotional ambiguity to make for an engaging if occasionally icky movie-going experience .",
      "natali -lsb- takes -rsb- his film down some dark and disturbing paths , and even if you 're not overly keen about the destination , you have to commend him for daring to go there .",
      "a compelling and intelligent horror film which twists genre conventions to deliver something excitingly new .",
      "sci-fi horror turns feral in this misguided story about genetic engineering that morphs into more of a monster freak show than a story with genuine thrills",
      "i love the character of dren , which is nerd spelt backwards . i loved the relationship between her and her putative parents : adrian brody and sarah polley .",
      "the frankenstein story , a cautionary tale about ambition racing ahead of one 's talents , has potential for great pathos and tragedy , MOV opts for far less than that and only partially succeeds .",
      "MOV is most enjoyable when it embraces and revels in its science-experiment-gone-wrong cheeky horror persona .",
      "the dire consequences of meddling with nature have n't been explored quite so well for quite some time as in vincenzo natali 's MOV .",
      "MOV is a creepy , well-acted and memorable film -- one that could n't have been luckier to come out at a time when breakthroughs in genetic engineering and the creation of synthetic life are making news seemingly every week .",
      "the mad scientists of MOV make victor frankenstein look like a reasonable man .",
      "less a parenting allegory than a study in people 's perverse curiosity about the unknown .",
      "the climax is a pileup of sorts as the movie suddenly becomes an audience-pandering monster-in-the-woods creature feature .",
      "the movie carves out its own psychological terrain , pondering the emotional storms of both childhood and parenthood as relations in the little family grow ever more perverse .",
      "a classic cautionary tale that works simultaneously as a thriller , love story , and meditation on what it means to be a scientist in a time in which everything is suddenly possible -- at least in theory .",
      "more than a decade in the making , vincenzo natali 's provocative sci-fi/horror tale never quite lives up to the spectacular creepiness of its premise .",
      "the welcome return of one of horror 's more underrated filmmakers is marked by one of the most distinctive scientific horror films since cronenberg made it fashionable during the '80s .",
      "shooting with a cool reserve and a steely-blue color palette , natali keeps the film unsettling by using icky creature effects , but just as often by offering up grotesque caricatures of real-life parenting discomforts ...",
      "MOV transcends the horror genre and the expectations for what a film like this might be . it offers horror at its best : smart , provocative , beautiful , and terrifying .",
      "what if there were realms in which woman was not meant to meddle ? it 's not as progressive as it sounds . but you knew that already .",
      "it begins with such promise , a kinky modernist twist on a classical sci-fi morality tale . that it degenerates into conventional , genre horror is all the more disappointing .",
      "the film , much of which takes place in laboratories or at the couple 's isolated farmhouse , does n't deliver `` the usual . '' i was fine with that -- grateful , in fact . a little queasy in the stomach , but grateful .",
      "the script blends human psychology with scientific speculation and has genuine interest until it goes on autopilot with one of the chase scenes hollywood now permits few films to end without .",
      "despite its relative bravery in choosing not to embrace the grand guignol , MOV is a little too hit-or-miss to truly work .",
      "the creature effects are terrific , but the human protagonists are n't nearly so interesting , and the do n't - mess-with-nature message is too hoary to be made interesting with this feeble setup .",
      "morphing as often as the character central to its story , MOV is an unruly mix of science , morality , family dysfunction , horror and finger-down-the-throat gross-out ridiculousness .",
      "it 's impossible to buy the tight-pants reaction to dren when the rest of the film is so robotic . the more natali pushes the sexual nature of the material , the sillier the film becomes .",
      "with such ambitions , it deserves more than such a rote conclusion .",
      "natali has created a menacing landscape and a fresh approach to the monster-maker genre .",
      "... a sci-fi thriller filtered through an art-house lens ...",
      "the movie keeps raising new issues past the point where you 'd think the filmmakers would have run out of them .",
      "it 's a bird ! it 's a platelet ! it 's a hot bald chick !",
      "MOV '' is a hit-or-miss feature that leans slightly on the hit side . it tries to sound important , while titillating its audience .",
      "... mining horror out of moral quandary rather than mindless slaughter , MOV occasionally achieves a terrible beauty .",
      "part `` frankenstein , '' part `` freaks , '' the horror film/cautionary tale `` MOV '' is derivative and disturbing .",
      "a creepy , slick and initially provocative sci-fi thriller that eventually loses steam once its surprises , cleverness and imagination wane midway .",
      "an enduring lesson one takes from `` MOV '' is that you should never let the frontiers of human knowledge be pushed by scientists who drive an amc gremlin and wear ironic t-shirts .",
      "the film 's deliberately provocative premise is worked out in broad , lurid comic-book strokes , consciously calculated to shock the easily shockable and titillate the peculiar .",
      "while it 's certainly not for everyone , MOV is the creepiest movie to come out so far this year % u2013 and one of the better ones as well .",
      "a thoroughly repulsive science fiction-horror flick that slicks up its b-movie tawdriness with high-gloss production values and two otherwise classy stars .",
      "before the film devolves into cliché , director and co-writer vincenzo natali creates a potent and provocative thriller about gender politics and human impulses that ca n't be reduced to a science .",
      "the film is n't good , exactly -- natali struggles to keep the creepy and goofy elements in balance -- but it 's just weird enough to become a cult favorite .",
      "MOV is a genre picture that , almost without you noticing it , gets under your skin for both creepy crawly and emotional gains .",
      "part monster movie and part domestic drama . while the mixture does n't entirely gel , ... it 's a cinematic hybrid sufficiently intriguing to merit a visit .",
      "every generation needs a frankenstein , and this one opens up the pandora 's box of scientists playing god with intelligence and surprises .",
      "a must-see for sci-fi and horror nuts , even if natali throws away a perfectly compelling first two acts in favor of the big ` oh no they did n't ' ending .",
      "MOV teases us with greatness before settling in as a messy , but never dull , sci-fi thriller",
      "simply the best horror movie from a canadian filmmaker since the fly .",
      "it strives so hard to be more than it is and that is why it ultimately fails . could have been good if they left the pretensions at the door and went for straight horror . then the horrible 3rd act could be forgiven .",
      "MOV is just creepy . creepy creature , creepy scientists , creepy corrupt corporation .",
      "its sensibilities echo those of david cronenberg , another canadian who knew how to mix sly humor with queasy body horror .",
      "MOV is one of those rare creature features where the most menacing beings are the people .",
      "daring , disturbing and deliciously twisted .",
      "a good horror flick always does metaphoric battle with our interior demons , and MOV summons them in impressive numbers .",
      "what makes MOV morally compelling is n't the bioethics quandaries it raises so much as the way it delves into parenthood .",
      "regardless of the camp factor , you are only laughing because of its stupidity - not because it 's so bad that it 's good . halfway through , ` MOV ' mutates from tolerable to ridiculous .",
      "an engrossing , if flawed , techno thriller that never quite goes where expected , and that 's what makes it such a pleasant surprise .",
      "the horror genre needs more films like this one ; works made by filmmakers willing to take chances and deliver something to viewers that they would never expect .",
      "the director balances everything pitch-perfectly , from the performances to the hair-raising sound effects , and all the way down to images of the creepy , snowy woods during the film 's tense climax .",
      "it maintains a fun underlying technology , and the monster part does go places most studio films would n't dare .",
      "... uses its premise to raise intriguing questions about the moral implications of scientific progress , without resorting to a simplistic formula about mad scientists and monsters run amok .",
      "a sci-fi thriller that starts out fine but then descends into preposterous developments .",
      "the special effects and creature design , as good as they are , do n't exceed the acting by polley , brody and chanéac , who make it all seem entirely plausible and emotionally real .",
      "the movie is ridiculously over the top , inelegant and so defiantly crazy that it works , reminding you how fun gore and creatures that go bump -lrb- and grind -rrb- in the night can be .",
      "it 's hard to care about what 's happening , when you do n't care about the people it 's happening to .",
      "two wunderkind geneticists create a new lifeform that 's part human , part creepoid . it quickly evolves into something very cool , and so does this creature feature , with a great cast and only a few bumps in the final reel .",
      "MOV puts the frankenstein myth into modern terms ; why stitch together parts when you can genetically create a whole ? a whole what ? that 's the question this creepy-sexy horror movie wraps your head around .",
      "the cronenberg influence here is evident in mr. natali 's interest in the body and birth and in an initially subdued , near-narcoleptic atmosphere that helps build a nice sense of foreboding ."
    ],
    "summary": "it does n't take its terrific premise quite as far as it should , but MOV is a smart , well-acted treat for horror fans .",
    "id": "770682093"
  },
  {
    "movie": "duma",
    "reviews": [
      "kids and animals are often a risky combination , but put them together in a movie such as MOV and you have a winning team .",
      "a pleasing fable reminiscent of g-rated nature movies of the '60s and '70s , before kiddie cinema required cgi or hip cultural references .",
      "-lsb- ballard 's -rsb- pitch-perfect adventure will engage your imagination , no matter your age .",
      "i ca n't say enough about that magisterial cheetah .",
      "ballard may give us some lovely pictures here and startlingly alive images of africa 's wildlife . but the movie itself is stuffed .",
      "simultaneously innocent and sophisticated , this honestly emotional fable shows why every ballard film -- and his last was released almost a decade ago -- is a special event .",
      "ostensibly a children 's movie , but adults will want to see it , too .",
      "this soulful , piercingly beautiful story about a boy and his cheetah marks the welcome return to the screen of the director carroll ballard .",
      "carroll ballard still works in his ravishing , nearly pointillistic style of organic visual splendor .",
      "ballard treats the quandary faced by xan and MOV with a sure hand .",
      "a drama of uncommon beauty and emotional resonance about a boy 's journey to return his pet cheetah to its natural habitat .",
      "family films can be simplistic or condescending , but the joy of carroll ballard 's work is that it 's neither .",
      "grabs for the gut by stoking primal understandings about our loving but tragically distant relationship with the wild .",
      "cat fanciers and adventure lovers will like MOV , an engaging story of a boy and his cheetah .",
      "while it would hold up well against other routine kiddie-animal matinees , all through `` MOV '' i kept thinking of last summer 's -lrb- similiar but superior -rrb- `` two brothers . ''",
      "carroll ballard has created in MOV another remarkable story of people and wild animals set against a rugged landscape .",
      "it really is in the best sense of it , a good family film .",
      "like the eponymous cat , it 'll leave you feeling warm and fuzzy .",
      "when i saw it , ballard 's knack for boring small children was intact , but this time the movie is so dramatically inert that even the best-intentioned parents probably wo n't require their kids to sit through it .",
      "with ravenous alligators and lions on the prowl , MOV delivers familiar adventure , but ballard refuses to cater to cuteness .",
      "like its title character , MOV has been left to fend for itself by warner bros. , which is barely releasing it . a successful showing this weekend will prove that there really is an audience for this brand of thoughtful , literate family film .",
      "... leads us on a journey -- sometimes humorous , sometimes harrowing , always heartfelt -- that 's well worth taking .",
      "director carroll ballard makes only one type of movie -- family adventures that feature some sort of wildlife . to his credit , however , he does them pretty well .",
      "director carroll ballard ... not only captures stellar images of nature , but feels the call of the wild in his bones .",
      "chances are excellent that carroll ballard 's latest film ` MOV ' is n't playing in a theater anywhere near you . that 's a shame . it 's one of those rare children 's films that actually succeeds in delighting tots and their parents .",
      "exciting but never violent , deeply emotional but never saccharine , MOV is the sort of solid family film hollywood is always being criticized for not making any more .",
      "an old-fashion adventure yarn -lsb- and -rsb- an absolutely delightful throwback !",
      "this intelligent , beautifully made production is a welcome reprieve from such crass -lrb- if successful -rrb- family pics as are we there yet ? and the pacifier .",
      "-lrb- carroll -rrb- ballard -lrb- fly away home -rrb- is simply the best in the business when it comes to corralling wild animals into the constraints of feature films .",
      "a visually stunning and quietly moving film of rare beauty .",
      "-lsb- not the black stallion -rsb- , but at least as worthy as any other feature released in the last month .",
      "moving and marvelously entertaining .",
      "MOV offers a compelling look at a world filled with beauty and wonder , one that children as well as their parents deserve to see .",
      "despite the outstanding cast of humans , MOV is the star , and ballard obviously places a high value on exploring the real behavior of a cheetah , who is cute at times and potentially scary at others .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- ballard 's dime-store philosophizing gets schmaltzy , but the emotions seem heartfelt . and as he has done in earlier movies , he incorporates some spectacular backdrops .",
      "the awww factor of these sequences is huge -- and undeniable .",
      "ballard gets laughs where he 's supposed to , and thrills in all the right places .",
      "one of the better family films to come out in recent memory",
      "unlike many lesser movies aimed at families , this has heart , humor , thrilling adventure and stunning visuals .",
      "exactly the sort of movie parents starved for a good family picture in the theaters should be seeking out .",
      "a disarmingly charming throwback to such old-fashioned humans-and-animals adventure tales as born free and ring of bright water .",
      "MOV , and the sort of intelligent , visually rich filmmaking it represents , are endangered species .",
      "a thrilling and visually stunning entertainment that will excite and enrapture viewers of all ages .",
      "this is an old-fashioned adventure uncomplicated in its telling but rich in meaning . it belongs to a vanishing breed . treasure it while it remains .",
      "ballard 's new film not only scales much of the same terrain as fly away home and the black stallion but it also exudes their humanist power .",
      "surprisingly flat .",
      "i like it . maybe not as much as those other pictures , but enough to bemoan a system in which family films have been so geared to kids -lrb- and their parents -rrb- with a kind of attention deficit disorder that it 's inhospitable to a measured piece of storytelling .",
      "... stays wild at heart even as it tugs at ours .",
      "it 's an extraordinary film , and intelligent younger viewers in particular may be enthralled by it .",
      "it 's a crime what happened to the wonderful african wilderness movie MOV in 2005 . beautifully directed by veteran carroll ballard , MOV fell flat in the united states because of bad timing and abysmal marketing .",
      "a handcrafted masterpiece .",
      "enchanting coming-of-age story for kids .",
      "a pure children 's film with an exciting story , genuine characters , and deep messages about life , love , and loss .",
      "for those wishing they still made films like the black stallion , today is your lucky day .",
      "visually panoramic , a film that revels in making the expanse of a beautiful place palpable .",
      "it 's as good as this sort of thing gets , and deserves to be seen in a proper auditorium rather than on dvd .",
      "the film opens with some adorable cheetah cubs , so you 're instantly hooked , but there 's more to this than just a bunch of cute animals .",
      "too suspenseful for the youngest children , but for anyone older than 8 or 9 , it evokes nothing less than awe at the harsh beauty of the natural world .",
      "... a beautifully photographed journey that will thrill youngsters and strongly engage adults ."
    ],
    "summary": "this is an old-fashioned , richly textured family film that will appeal to children and adults alike .",
    "id": "8269"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1213205-prophet",
    "reviews": [
      "rahim , with only a few film and tv roles behind him , gives a performance of startling force and subtlety .",
      "gritty , accomplished take on the genre , but falls into rote patterns that are only slightly disrupted by a brief foray into the supernatural .",
      "although these are n't characters with whom filmgoers will have an instinctive rooting interest , rahim and arestrup imbue them with fascinating nuances and , in rahim 's case , surprising vulnerability .",
      "writer/director jacques audiard is an intensely focused filmmaker with a gift for getting us inside the heads of ambivalent young men .",
      "french director jacques audiard 's grim , disturbing prison picture slices through gangster clichés to hit raw nerve .",
      "in jacques audiard 's haunting prison drama a MOV , we watch a young man transformed by life behind bars .",
      "a really satisfying , meaty film .",
      "jacques audiard 's tense , brutal crime pic is a triumph of writing , acting -lrb- by a mostly amateur cast salted in just the right spots by professionals -rrb- , and scene-setting .",
      "a MOV solidifies director jacques audiard 's standing as a criminal mastermind whose work leaves genre classifications in the dust .",
      "a well-made gangster tale with parallels to brian de palma 's scarface .",
      "this is a class of movie that operates on a higher plane than its peers . i wrestled with it . but on some level it 's here to be wrestled with .",
      "the film is a ferocious coming-of-age tale beginning with the arrival of 19-year-old malik el djebena -lrb- french-algerian tahar rahim , who recalls the beautiful ruffians of caravaggio -rrb- in a hard-core french prison .",
      "if his two previous films suggested a director dipping a few toes in dark waters , un prophete marks the moment when audiard took the plunge .",
      "amidst the gloom , urgently summoning our attention , is one of the most impressive performances of recent times , by relative newcomer tahar rahim .",
      "one of the most riveting films in years , an instant gangster classic .",
      "an object lesson in how prison can serve as a finishing school for crooks .",
      "tremendously watchable cinema .",
      "a stunning cinematic experience .",
      "the film 's view of prison is unwavering in the brutality of both the environment and the candor with which it is presented .",
      "that rarest sort of movie , the kind that comes in on a huge wave of hype , and justifies every word of it .",
      "this is a moral movie set in an immoral world , one of those circle-squaring feats at which french drama and cinema so darkly excel .",
      "a MOV will be bracketed in years to come as a prison drama , but it will stay in the memory of those who see it as a character study , bristling with cross-currents of feeling and sharp observation .",
      "some of the story-telling is muddled , and no attempt is made to imbue the proceedings with any kind of morality . we are presumably meant to admire the leading man 's opportunism , resilience and ability to cast off and reassume his muslim identity at will .",
      "an emotionally draining but soul-stirring classic .",
      "like goodfellas without the visual fizz , or scarface played straight , this is , quite simply , one of the greatest prison films ever made .",
      "this blistering french crime epic is n't just the natural successor to city of god , with its sweeping plot , jawbone-shattering violence and trouser-troubling tension . it 's within spitting distance of the classics . the untouchables . scarface . goodfellas .",
      "deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as such gangster movie classics as the godfather , scarface , goodfellas and city of god .",
      "rahim and arestrup are both so outstanding that if this were an english-language film , they 'd probably be nominated for oscars , too . read more : http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/02/26/2010-02-26_short_takes_a_prophet_art_of_the_steal_y",
      "a MOV is one of the must-see foreign language films of 2010 .",
      "unnoticed , he takes in everything , and like yojimbo , but with more sycophancy than swagger , he learns to play contending sides against each other and come out a winner .",
      "the newcomer rahim is an enigma . what is he thinking ? i believe that 's the quality audiard wants . he 's a newly poured man , and when the mold sets , it happens inside .",
      "writer-director jacques audiard manages to replicate the godfather 's most elusive element , not the dark comedy or the operatic bloodletting , but the incremental corruption of a decent man into a willful , coldhearted killer .",
      "a MOV pushes its protagonist into circumstances he did not choose but in which he watches and learns and kills and eventually becomes all he can be , albeit criminally .",
      "... the film which should win the foreign language oscar , but which the notoriously conservative and sentimental voting pool will probably find too violent . it 's deserving to be remembered again this year .",
      "rahim 's star-making performance gives the film some sense of mystery and ambiguity .",
      "a MOV is as gripping as any recent film about crime and criminals , although its ill-focused attempts to incorporate elements of the supernatural -lrb- prophetic visions and ghostly apparitions -rrb- are bizarre and ineffective .",
      "it 's one quarter of a great movie . but , after its frightening opening act , the rest of the movie is remarkably ho hum and way too long . still it 's well worth seeing for its devastatingly intense first thirty minutes .",
      "director jacques audiard scores a triumph of the highest order with the defiant poetry of his vision .",
      "a highly original film made in a familiar context , and an exciting moviegoing experience you should n't miss .",
      "a feast of ideas , sensations and images that pull you into a world you never could -lrb- and never would want to -rrb- visit or inhabit . . expansive , encompassing and yet deeply personal .",
      "stephane fontaine 's hand-held lensing complements audiard 's in-your-face bravado .",
      "a MOV is a compelling piece of naturalistic filmmaking , claustrophobic and thought-provoking .",
      "the only major drawback to this otherwise excellent film is that the schemes between the warring factions can be somewhat confusing . but unlike a kingpin intent on conquering empires -- we ca n't have everything .",
      "a MOV is uncompromising in its style , story and characterizations .",
      "an answered prayer for those who believe that revitalizing classic forms with contemporary attitudes makes for the most compelling kind of cinema .",
      "it may be grim , but ultimately it 's a story of survival , both topical and timeless .",
      "a huge , sprawling meal of a film that feels like a new classic .",
      "french master jacques audiard has challenged the thus-far mostly middling cannes competition with a powerful prison drama that 's an old-fashioned bildungsroman in in-your-face , intensely realistic disguise .",
      "a MOV is an astonishingly detailed crime drama that could end up being this year 's gomorra , but although it 's arguably more accessible .",
      "a MOV is a compelling , forceful drama .",
      "successfully balancing art-film portraiture with a gangster picture 's plot , the film may be one of the more conventional movies in this year 's cannes competition , it 's also been one of the more satisfying .",
      "a MOV works both as hard-edged , painstaking detailed social realism and as a compelling genre entertainment .",
      "audiard 's sensationally directed set pieces and the quietly compelling performance by rahim hold interest throughout",
      "for all its gripping excitement as a thriller , and its grim realism as a sociopolitical exposé of life inside , a MOV is also concerned with the mysterious processes of education , assimilation and transfiguration .",
      "its gritty , realistic portrayal of life within the brutal corridors of prison is thoroughly riveting and makes another impressive addition to audiard 's growing filmography .",
      "at two and a half hours you might expect the film to drag , but audiard keeps the pace , ensuring that the film is nothing short of riveting .",
      "a gritty and tough depiction of a young petty criminal 's introduction to the ways of the world while serving a six-year prison sentence .",
      "it 's incredible . it 's gritty and powerful and ludicrously affecting . it 's full of complex characters and profound little arty sequences . it makes almost every other prison drama look like the escapist .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "stunningly directed and superbly written , this is a thoroughly gripping thriller with a terrific central performance from newcomer tahar rahim - it 's also one of the best films of the year .",
      "an intense performance by tahir rahim is at the center of a prison drama that conforms only slightly to the usual genre .",
      "a beautifully made but not completely intellectually satisfying mirror on contemporary french upward mobility .",
      "un prophиte s ` йlиve au mкme niveau que ces grands films auxquels il sera inйvitablement comparй tout en parvenant а s ` en dissocier pour imposer ses propres mйthodes .",
      "un intenso , brutal y formidable relato sobre el ascenso criminal dentro de la cбrcel como forma de supervivencia . excepcional labor protagуnica del casi debutante tahar rahim . no suele abundar cine como йste ; el crimen serнa perdйrselo .",
      "revela-se trбgico justamente por refletir uma triste realidade : a de que , antes de funcionar como centro de reabilitaзгo , o sistema penitenciбrio atua principalmente como uma excepcionalmente perigosa faculdade do crime .",
      "that rare film that tries to do too much , yet carries the heavy load of its themes with ease . audiard dreams big , and his movie is unquestionably a classic crime film , because it transcends all of the conventions of the genre .",
      "think goodfellas , but with gauloises and accent aigu instead of plates of spaghetti and accent pesci .",
      "a movie that stands with the best prison thrillers from any country ; a film that vividly illustrates the connection between prison and the violent , radical form of islam that keeps much of europe on edge .",
      "for the most part , this tough-minded tale maintains its distinctive edge .",
      "unsentimental and amoral , jacques audiard 's a MOV is a french gangster/prison thriller that nearly lives up to the flattery ...",
      "undoubtedly one of the finest films of the last year .",
      "a MOV begins as a gritty prison film and becomes an arresting gangster saga . it is a film with character , vitality , and humanity . in a MOV we are incarcerated in a powerful work of art .",
      "raw yet stylish , exhilarating but never overwhelmingly so , it 's the kind of muscular filmmaking that exudes authoritative power without reverting to histrionics . it also remains thoroughly alive to the way movies can excite on a primal level .",
      "this is an edge-of-seat masterclass in filmmaking techniques .",
      "a taut prison drama by crime-flick specialist jacques audiard .",
      "while a MOV might lack the ambiguity and the moral complexity to make it a classic of its genre , it is an excellent work by most standards .",
      "the rarest of crime films : one that turns us inside out with concern not only for malik 's physical safety , but for the safety of his soul",
      "... a journey of hard-fought survival told with an unforgettable verve and originality .",
      "... a riveting portrait of a prison education .",
      "an epic-styled comment on the practical side of getting through modern life , with spirituality and loyalty playing side parts to gaining raw skill .",
      "a blistering dramatic epic .",
      "a movie that has more in common with jean genet than frantz fanon , but there 's enough insights into white colonial domination of arab peoples to make this a cut above the standard prison melodrama . highly recommended .",
      "this is a brutal prison crime drama that shows the transformation of a small-time criminal into a big-time crime boss .",
      "but with its lush alexandre desplat score , deeply shadowed compositions , and fluid , understated camera movement , a MOV is distinctly an audiard construction .",
      "audiard 's fancy camera and music mannerisms are as trashy and superfluous as a michael mann movie : using `` mack the knife '' as a theme does n't match brecht but reveals audiard 's essential lack of interest in malik 's culture .",
      "whether audiences have the stomach for 150 minutes behind bars remains debatable , but there is no denying the persuasive power of a film that takes no prisoners and pulls no punches .",
      "it 's not a particularly new story , but as told by jacques audiard , un prophčte is electrifying , soulful entertainment , a beautifully told film featuring great performances and remarkable cinematography .",
      "a MOV is one of those rare films in which the moral stakes are as insistent and thought through as the aesthetic choices .",
      "the fourth film by the parisian-born audiard and though i 'm reluctant to call it his strongest , it is by every possible measure his most ambitious and his most fully engrossing",
      "thoroughly absorbing , exciting , even poetic .",
      "the central question of the prison drama - what does it mean to survive ? - is transposed onto the experiences of a young arab who arrives formless and frightened but determined to get by .",
      "the stuffed plot of this blue-hued prison drama spins out of control , and the director 's ` world as it is , as it plays out , ' complicates itself too much .",
      "a quietly stunning saga that won the grand prix last year at cannes and is a worthy oscar nominee for best foreign language film ...",
      "it 's visceral , compelling , and satisfying , a fresh take on an old genre .",
      "the reach of the film goes well beyond france and beyond europe : it might be the most gripping work of art this year , and not seeing it could seriously damage your interestingness .",
      "it 's not an easy film to watch . but some very strong performances and some smart material certainly help .",
      "a MOV is essential viewing for art-film buffs and crime-flick fans , but also for anyone who 's looking for a great story , terrific acting and masterful filmmaking .",
      "for the antihero , malik , the rewards do n't stop ; ` crime does n't pay ' is not the message of this ` MOV . '",
      "skillfully blending an ultra-modern visual style with classic storytelling elements , audiard has made the first true crime classic of the 21st century .",
      "audiard has talked about the prospects of a sequel to a MOV . with the foundation he has built here , it would be a welcome one .",
      "an epic crime saga , but a curiously claustrophobic one .",
      "renders the most striking and haunting scenes of 2009",
      "jacques audiard offers an accurate depiction of what goes on in the french prison system . the omnipresent camera always is in the right place . the sound effects and the production design are top drawer .",
      "grim and violent prison film .",
      "`` a MOV '' is cold and unsentimental , ratcheting up the tension slowly over its 154-minute running time . the violence is swift and brutal , like that opening murder and a claustrophobic shootout in an suv that 's impressively staged .",
      "another riveting insight into french thug life . the unsparing atmosphere - and tahar rahim 's star-making turn - will sweep you along .",
      "it 's this unpredictability that makes a MOV so gripping . the time also flies thanks to the brilliant editing , audiard expertly changing gear from quiet introspection to scenes as pulsating as any hollywood thriller .",
      "a riveting rise-of-the-underdog drama anchored by newcomer tahar rahim 's sensational lead performance .",
      "the gallic gangster tradition appears to be in rude health . audiard 's film is a triumph that deserves international recognition , but as with the likes of gomorrah , films that tell it like it is reap their own rewards .",
      "its similarity to pulp hollywood - in a festival context , a valuable antidote to art-house sprawl and drift - now makes it seem more rather than less generic .",
      "this is the work of the rarest kind of film-maker , the kind who knows precisely what he is doing and where he is going . the film 's every effect is entirely intentional .",
      "a MOV , jacques audiard 's masterful prison saga , will undoubtedly be considered to be one of the great films of 2010 , if not the coming decade .",
      "the sheer force of audiard 's direction can support such enigmas . it forces you , bullies you , persuades you to love his filmmaking style - even if not always to understand his motives .",
      "an unforgettable experience .",
      "the most memorable french crime movie since la haine .",
      "with a rich vein of brains , brawn and twists to constantly turn this film and its audience on their heads , une MOV is a truly compelling journey into the criminal world , that may well prove to be the godfather of its generation .",
      "rahim is an exciting , unpredictable presence , and arestrup 's césar has a stature that 's nearly shakespearean .",
      "a MOV does n't reimagine the prison movie so much as simply reenergize it through painstaking attention to particulars .",
      "unrelentingly intense from start to finish , jacques audiard 's bold examination of the modern-day french prison system hinges on its central character 's transformation from an ignorant submissive criminal into an intelligent dominant force .",
      "audiard has created another masterpiece , almost like his ` godfather ' trilogy if it were done over the course of one movie .",
      "the film is deficient in form and content-not naturalistic so much as neutered , less revisionist than rote .",
      "a pretzel of a motion picture , further augmented with a few surreal dreamscape touches and optical tinkering , but a MOV remains an accessible nightmare , with a near-masterful dosage of suffocation and brutality .",
      "first-rate french prison drama that , with the right marketing , could find a sizeable audience outside of the usual art-house crowd .",
      "the questions a MOV does n't neatly tie up are fascinating to ponder , and help make this gritty movie worthy of many of the accolades its received .",
      "jacques audiard 's film , which lasts two and a half hours , maintains an unflagging urgency , stalling only when the double-dealing grows too dense .",
      "the film never succumbs to the pitfalls of the prison-movie genre , and there 's something poetic about how audiard , in the midst of all this violence , manages to make a punch to the stomach seem like the most violent act of all .",
      "a MOV is long and sometimes grueling , but it never feels indulgent or excessive .",
      "the success of malik is sheer american dream via france : anyone can make it if they try hard enough . make it at what , of course , is always the question .",
      "it sometimes attains greatness -- mostly within the confines of its genre -- but it ca n't maintain its greatness .",
      "a prison film telling it straight",
      "how a does a timid boy become a violent gangster ? like this ... -lsb- h -rsb- arrowing and sharply ironic ...",
      "the astonishingly good french drama a MOV is the best prison/crime saga to come along in quite a while .",
      "audiard never overplays the new experiences facing malik , be they violent or touching . yet his tender regard for our complicated hero shines through .",
      "he 's michael corleone for our new ` post-racial ' era . the scarface obama .",
      "engrossing , amoral prison thriller and socio-political commentary .",
      "this is masterful cinema . kinetic , dynamic , absolutely riveting with stephane fontaine 's handheld camerawork just outstanding .",
      "a MOV is an extremely gripping and exciting film . the scenes leading up to moments of violence are incredibly tense and even through we know what is about to happen , the violence in this film is genuinely shocking .",
      "though it can sometimes feel like a prisoner in its own genre , moving in the same direction as several crime dramas before it , director jacques audiard , avoids cliche and grandstanding , and gives a MOV the intelligence and artistic flair to cha",
      "jacques audiard 's prison drama is a bracingly cynical antidote to the waftiness of much french cinema .",
      "it 's a conventional enough story , but audiard invests it with a kind of metaphysical dimension . in tone and style , it is a little reminiscent of the fine recent italian mafia film gomorrah and , like that film , will be talked about for many years to come .",
      "destined to be one of the finest crime films of all time . in a year with little top-class french cinema to be found , this is exhilarating , intelligent , gritty and ruthlessly surprising .",
      "the story of a poor , illiterate youngster of mixed blood whose parents had abandoned him and who has nothing , until he goes to prison for adults and slowly begins to make the most of his situation",
      "jacques audiard 's gritty film about prison life , corruption , discrimination , survival skills and ambition is tense , violent and full of surprises",
      "thanks to audiard 's instinct for casting and his willingness to get inside the head of his protagonist , the movie maintains a raw power .",
      "a modern french crime epic where the smudges and crossings out do not diminish the passages of great dreamlike power ."
    ],
    "summary": "featuring an impressive star turn by newcomer tahar rahim , a MOV is a french gangster film filled with arresting , immediate details .",
    "id": "770808780"
  },
  {
    "movie": "a_place_at_the_table_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "a documentary about the shocking extent of hunger in america , affecting 1 in 4 children .",
      "MOV is advocacy journalism at its best , lining up its facts , illustrating the widespread problem with a few trenchant and compelling cases , and offering solutions .",
      "in addition to the dismaying facts and figures is a fuller sense of what hunger can look like , and feel like , among the millions of americans classified as `` food-insecure '' ...",
      "so many of the words spoken in kristi jacobson and lori silverbush 's moving documentary about hunger in the u.s. , `` MOV , '' will haunt you long after the film is over .",
      "a film that should make you furious . it raises serious issues about our commitment to helping the least fortunate of our citizens .",
      "finding north is a useful , engaging and enraging movie that will enlist supporters for its cause .",
      "revealing little that a moderately informed viewer will not already know , the film shies away from the outrage and bare-knuckle journalism that this shameful topic deserves .",
      "the filmmakers vividly illustrate the power and depth of the long-spiraling problem of `` food insecurity '' by immersing us in the hardscrabble lives of a cross section of our nation 's poor .",
      "an explosive investigative documentary about the injustices emanating from agricultural capitalism , how it 's more about who gets to define what food is , and exactly who hugely profits from it .",
      "powerful docu explores the problem of hunger in america .",
      "fine but conventional documentary on the problem of hunger in contemporary america .",
      "... joined by an eclectic array of advocates and advisors to hit home the fact that , daily , millions of americans go hungry .",
      "one thing is clear from `` MOV '' : you can not answer the question `` why are people hungry ? , '' without also asking `` why are people poor ? ''",
      "MOV makes a strong case that hunger for one is a problem for all .",
      "MOV may bring to light a hunger epidemic the entire united states faces , but it also casts an even darker shadow on an already tainted world .",
      "directors kristi jacobson and lori silverbush wo n't blow you away with their filmmaking , but by focusing on people grappling with hunger right now , they make their message stick .",
      "filmmakers kristi jacobson and lori silverbush tackle a complex and seemingly intractable problem with every weapon at a skilled documentarian 's disposal .",
      "a good documentary that is good for you .",
      "as rich as we are as a nation - still - many of our citizens are , at best , malnourished . one in six says they regularly do n't have enough to eat .",
      "it specifically addresses our country 's hunger crisis . but it also speaks to larger hungers . hungers for independence , a dignified life , a better chance for ones children-in short , the american dream . see it and weep .",
      "jacboson and silverbush know how to make this potentially unpleasant news palatable and inspiring .",
      "america 's evil twins , hunger and obesity , connected and humanized in one vivid documentary .",
      "a tighter focus , or even just a voiceover narration , might have helped .",
      "food for thought .",
      "`` MOV '' presents a shameful truth that should leave viewers dismayed and angry : this nation has more than enough food for all its people , yet millions of them are hungry .",
      "as important and eye-opening a documentary as you 'll see this year , `` MOV '' makes it impossible to think of hunger as merely another symptom of a shredded social safety net .",
      "it is the food-chain equivalent of the trail of tears .",
      "tthe strongest point made by the film is that hunger is a problem endemic to our social system , and it 's a problem that will not be served up in a soup line , one meal at a time .",
      "as an info dump , table is admirably efficient , addressing everything from obesity to the limits of charity . as a film , it 's less compelling ...",
      "their stories are wrenching and provide a functional framework for the directors to make some important points about hunger in america .",
      "a graceless info-dump bracketed by interviews with activists and a handful of personal stories from suffering families around the country .",
      "directors kristi jacobson and lori silverbush explore the surprisingly difficult obstacles to ending a situation where about 1 child out of 4 faces insecurity over where to get a meal .",
      "directors kristi jacobson and lori silverbush cover a lot of ground in their heartbreaking documentary examining the hunger experienced by nearly 50 million americans , but at less than 90 minutes , it feels a bit overstuffed .",
      "moving and sad as an activist effort toward awareness .",
      "through their stories , jacobson and silverbush lens a broader picture of rampant hunger in a country that actually produces astounding amounts of food .",
      "a well-reported and devastating look at hunger in rural america .",
      "jacobson and silverbush invite interest with their regionalized looks at the circumstances of some very engaging individuals .",
      "hunger in america , seen through the eyes of its victims , with an emphasis on children . sobering documentary addresses a shameful problem .",
      "as moving as the real lives are , for a film clearly intending to be a call for action , hunger cries out for more journalism and not just depressing stories and statistics .",
      "more difficult to convey are the web of moral and political issues that surround the hunger crisis , and MOV proves its worth most by how it treats this wider set of problems .",
      "not much knew if you 've been following the news on a regular basis , but the doc punctuates the serious problem , finding hunger in the midst of plenty .",
      "a moving look at hunger in the u.s.",
      "`` MOV , '' a cri de coeur against hunger in america and governmental indifference , has only grown in relevance since its 2012 debut at sundance .",
      "it deserves to be seen , along with `` food , inc. , '' `` king corn '' and other muckraking food docs of recent years .",
      "provides plenty of moving case studies ... -lsb- but -rsb- it 's most useful for its prismatic look at the problem of american hunger , examining the problem 's recent history , its root causes ... and its inextricability from other national crises ...",
      "a shocking indictment of how people are starving in the land of plenty ...",
      "it does n't offer much in terms of optimism , but provides an eye-opening glimpse into a frequently overlooked social issue .",
      "impassioned doc examines the reemergence of widespread hunger in u.s.",
      "you do n't have to be a fan of info-graphics in social-justice docs to be troubled by one showing that the price of processed food has decreased in almost exact proportion to the rise in cost of fresh fruits and vegetables .",
      "the film explains with devastating simplicity why so many go hungry in a country with more than enough food to go round .",
      "filmmakers kristi jacobson and lori silverbush chip away at the topic until their message becomes unassailable .",
      "hunger in america is not about a shortage of food but an abundance of poverty . this is where the spiral spins downward .",
      "does a good job relaying the facts and why it 's become so difficult to overcome the problems but also an incredibly emotional film .",
      "the saddest story belongs to a single mother who got a full time job and is now off welfare , but ca n't afford to feed her children on her salary . this is one of those movies that will make you mad , or at least it should .",
      "the pic might lack style to keep it exciting , but its public service message hits on a vital issue that should concern all americans .",
      "an informative and often infuriating picture that deserves to be seen .",
      "tale of two americas documentary highlights the plight of the 50 million poor folks who go to sleep hungry every night .",
      "a smart , poignantly argued documentary -lsb- which -rsb- casts obesity and hunger as neighbors , and makes a persuasive case for important social investments .",
      "enlightening documentary that , hopefully , propels people to take action .",
      "presents us with the counter-intuitive idea that while americans may be among the world 's most obese people ... there is a surprisingly large segment of our population - nearly 50 million people - who are `` food insecure ''",
      "a must-see dispatch from the front lines of this struggle packed with sobering statistics and infuriating facts - among them , that one in four american children is chronically hungry ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a well-reported documentary that raises important questions about the state of hunger in america culture .",
    "id": "771267248"
  },
  {
    "movie": "akai_hashi_no_shita_no_nurui_mizu_2002",
    "reviews": [
      "eccentric , playful and boldly erotic .",
      "there 's not enough here to justify the almost two hours .",
      "imamura 's delight in the infinite oddity of men and women is goofy ; it 's also , at heart , reverent .",
      "combines a comically dismal social realism with a farcically bawdy fantasy of redemption and regeneration .",
      "a weird and wonderful comedy .",
      "all the allegorical oddity gets old , as does some running gag about a marathon runner .",
      "it 's an often-cute film but either needs more substance to fill the time or some judicious editing .",
      "veteran director imamura combines fish out of water stories with a weird metaphor for female sexuality in this sweetly quirky film which never quite gels",
      "nonchalantly freaky and uncommonly pleasurable , warm water may well be the year 's best and most unpredictable comedy .",
      "yakusho , as always , is wonderful as the long-faced sad sack ... and his chemistry with shimizu is very believable .",
      "a delirious celebration of the female orgasm .",
      "there 's ... tremendous energy from the cast , a sense of playfulness and excitement that seems appropriate .",
      "its initial excitement settles into a warmed over pastiche .",
      "yakusho and shimizu ... create engaging characterizations in imamura 's lively and enjoyable cultural mix .",
      "symbolically , warm water under a red bridge is a celebration of feminine energy , a tribute to the power of women to heal .",
      "charmingly bizarre slice of magic realism .",
      "simply does n't have sufficient heft to justify its two-hour running time .",
      "lurid and less than lucid work .",
      "many surprisingly funny moments as well as some of quiet beauty .",
      "a tasty slice of droll whimsy .",
      "yes , warm water is a shaggy-dog story , but one with a real heart beating beneath the sniggering .",
      "from blushing to gushing -- imamura squirts the screen in ` warm water under a red bridge '",
      "a charming , quirky and leisurely paced scottish comedy -- except with an outrageous central gimmick that could have been a reject from monty python 's meaning of life .",
      "like its bizarre heroine , it irrigates our souls .",
      "japanese director shohei imamura 's latest film is an odd but ultimately satisfying blend of the sophomoric and the sublime .",
      "i suspect many viewers will be disoriented and put off by warm water under a red bridge , but if you let go and enjoy the ride , you 'll find a sly comedy and a clever poem that 's worth cherishing .",
      "imamura has said that warm water under a red bridge is a poem to the enduring strengths of women . it may also be the best sex comedy about environmental pollution ever made .",
      "richly entertaining and suggestive of any number of metaphorical readings .",
      "a comedy that is warm , inviting , and surprising .",
      "a deep and meaningful film .",
      "seeing it as a westerner is an enlightening , even liberating , experience .",
      "there 's much tongue in cheek in the film and there 's no doubt the filmmaker is having fun with it all .",
      "the characters are interesting and the relationship between yosuke and saeko is worth watching as it develops , but there 's not enough to the story to fill two hours .",
      "we never feel anything for these characters , and as a result the film is basically just a curiosity .",
      "imamura 's ability to tell a story is something to behold , even in this impossible one .",
      "warm water under a red bridge is a quirky and poignant japanese film that explores the fascinating connections between women , water , nature , and sexuality .",
      "the relentless magical whimsy grows wearying .",
      "imamura 's embrace of the cental characters ' peculiar habits , predilections and appetites is his delicious and salacious way of celebrating their sexuality and individuality .",
      "a sweet and enthusiastic embrace of our biology and chemistry , and a delicious and salacious celebration of sexuality and individuality .",
      "this romantic fable , starring again the eel 's central couple , with strong meythical and sexual overtones , represents one of the japanese master 's lightest films ."
    ],
    "summary": "a whimsically engaging sex comedy .",
    "id": "20133"
  },
  {
    "movie": "about_a_boy",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's no use pretending MOV does n't have warmth and charm , because it does . but ... there 's a potential for something better still that never manages to get realized .",
      "some credit for that deservedly goes to grant . to his credit , he does n't stoop to his puppy-dog pander .",
      "a lot of the credit for the film 's winning tone must go to grant , who has n't lost a bit of the dry humor that first made audiences on both sides of the atlantic love him .",
      "less inventive than the one stephen frears put forward in high fidelity two years ago , but also more satisfying .",
      "this wickedly funny and surprisingly sweet film may be the perfect star vehicle for grant .",
      "to see a comedy with such warmth and tenderness offered up by the directors of american pie is surely a welcome bit of news .",
      "rascally hugh grant , a beyond-awkward little boy and the makers of american pie team up for a near-perfect comic delight .",
      "a safe harbor for anyone needing relief from the season 's cruder offerings .",
      "hoult is one of those amazing child actors whose faces serve as sheer membrane to their hearts .",
      "look , the novel MOV is so satisfying , you should read it now . afterward , you 'll have a really good movie waiting for you .",
      "it turns out that grant , once he finally shucked his irritating and not at all adorable nervous mannerisms , is quite a fine and ingratiating actor .",
      "contains a generous amount of humor , but it all stems from the film 's characters and the truth of its scenario and execution .",
      "by avoiding the syrup , MOV also avoids the banality of movies like as good as it gets .",
      "on my island , this is a great movie . full of wonderful humor and performances , with just the right balance of sadness .",
      "if the film has anything going for it , it 's nicholas hoult 's marvelous performance as the young boy .",
      "you ca n't help but shake the feeling that you were having more fun with the old , sarcastic , lying will .",
      "it seems grant does n't need the floppy hair and the self-deprecating stammers after all .",
      "movies like this are why i became a film critic in the first place .",
      "MOV is a great love story ... love of parent to child and child to parent , love of self , the platonic love of someone you never saw coming and ultimately , the love you thought you could never have and would never want , which changes you forever .",
      "in the end , the film comes over as a messy delight , thanks to the skill , generosity and good-sport , punching-bag panache of mr. grant 's performance .",
      "all in all , a nice breath of comedic fresh air as we get a witty , sweet , and hilarious british comedy with excellent performances from the versatile hugh grant and many others .",
      "grant grows a heart in hornby-book pic ; teens + .",
      "hugh grant hilariously redefines the word `` playboy '' in the first half of this film , then gets human , without losing his comic edge , under the influence of the title waif .",
      "will is a flintier , more sarcastic and impatient character than we 've seen grant play , yet there 's a core of decency about him .",
      "compared to high fidelity , the book and the movie , MOV seems resolutely uncool ... . but part of growing up may be admitting that such familiar comforts can also be immensely satisfying .",
      "MOV is better than a feelgood movie , it 's a feelgreat movie -- genuinely clever , affecting when you least expect it to be and funny from start to finish .",
      "this charming coming of age comedy , a tale with heart and social message , offers hugh grant his best role to date .",
      "MOV is an amusing film , full of bright lines and clever observation .",
      "like billy wilder with a british bent , `` MOV '' lithely dances around uneasy comedy - attempted suicide , fragile kids of divorce , childhood bereft of memorable experiences . but it never trivializes them , emphasizing life 's quality over its quantity .",
      "thankfully , this film is grounded and has a firm sense of reality and is consequently more affecting for it .",
      "it 's all the more amusing and affecting because of the spot-on perfect casting of hugh grant and newcomer nicholas hoult .",
      "i loved the novel and i love what they did with it .",
      "... the most irresistible romantic comedy of the year .",
      "like its lead character , MOV exists in a stale vacuum of time-killing routine .",
      "it wants to make you smile , and grin , and then laugh with recognition , and it manages all three , again and again .",
      "despite the aw-shucks subject matter , the film eschews sentimentality for a sharp mix of humor and honesty about finding one 's place in an imperfect world .",
      "a comical , heartfelt gem that sidesteps an easy maudlin tone for something more grounded in reality .",
      "MOV is sophisticated and nuanced , and every character is bursting with emotional contradictions .",
      "a buoyant romantic comedy about friendship , love , and the truth that we 're all in this together .",
      "what could have been an unctuous sitcom is instead an earthy , witty , enchanting look at a swinging bachelor who never knew what he was missing .",
      "grant , seeming to get better the further he 's allowed to extend his range , delivers a terrific central performance , as acerbic but more complex than his sexy snake in bridget jones .",
      "mainstream comedies should all be this funny and tender and deftly performed .",
      "this is a pleasingly skewed britcom that can be watched with mates or the other half . and , boy , is it funny .",
      "MOV is truly a love story , with dialogue and a story line that 's both pop and universally timeless , which is gold for moviegoers .",
      "grant 's puckishness has become overly packaged ; what 's new about him here is his spiky hairdo . this movie is built on an actor as well as a character who is too intent to be on his best behavior .",
      "genuinely funny and moving , this is both an endearing examination of masculinity and a challenge to male isolationism .",
      "even people who do n't usually like hugh grant will be charmed by him in the scrappy , slightly scandalous comedy MOV .",
      "... a thoroughly average piece of work ...",
      "if the story gets dangerously thin , grant is pretty well flawless . and collette , always good , is heartbreakingly believable .",
      "the directors paul and chris weitz -- the american pie brothers -- have tried hard not to make a tearjerker , and at its best the movie is knowing and tart .",
      "the weitz brothers succeed mostly because they are smart enough to let grant be grant and hornby be hornby . as in `` high fidelity , '' the script brims with pungent , quotable dialogue .",
      "grant has never been better , nor has he ever looked better .",
      "the film 's major setback is that it 's not as interesting as the characters are .",
      "... a surprisingly good film for just about everyone who is growing up or is just now considering it .",
      "credit should certainly go to relative newcomer nicholas hoult , who manages to strike all the right notes",
      "easily one of the best films of the year .",
      "without a doubt hugh grant 's finest on-screen performance to date .",
      "blows away the big-name competition with its incisive script , memorable characters and first-rate performances .",
      "it 's movies like this which have you leaving the theater with a grin on your face .",
      "ojalá todos pudiéramos hacer el ridículo así alguna vez , y mostrar algo tan propio como cerrar los ojos y cantar -lrb- o besar , para todo fin práctico -rrb- ...",
      "up-to-date , smartly written and performed and with no unpleasant aftertaste .",
      "the characters want to live and breathe , but the filmmakers keep trying to smooth off their edges .",
      "-lsb- the script -rsb- nicely conveys that classic hornby sense of intelligent men who exist with no culture , other than obsessive-compulsive pursuits which erode rather than advance their sense of self .",
      "using a stock plot , MOV injects just enough freshness into the proceedings to provide an enjoyable 100 minutes in a movie theater .",
      "a fun motion picture worthy of a matinee viewing after you 've memorized all of the lines from attack of the clones and are still busy waiting for men in black ii . it 's summer in hollywood ; did you expect anything more ?",
      "grant is certainly amusing , but the very hollowness of the character he plays keeps him at arms length",
      "the acid comedy of grant 's performance carries the film .",
      "kudos to ms. collette for bringing cheer to depression and suicide .",
      "that rare gem that tugs at the heartstrings with no manipulative sentimentality .",
      "-lsb- hoult -rsb- has range , humor , and he 's quite cute . haley joel osmat with a british accent .",
      "given the trajectory of the plot of MOV , it 's almost a miracle that this smart , painfully funny adaptation of the best-selling nick hornby novel never gives way to sentimentality .",
      "a shrewd -lrb- if uneven -rrb- hybrid of american savvy and british savoir-faire .",
      "miss this movie at your peril .",
      "grant carries the day with impeccable comic timing , raffish charm and piercing intellect .",
      "an honest movie about childhood that avoids sappiness and sentiment and goes in unexpected directions .",
      "featuring a fun soundtrack , terrific writing , just the right directorial touch and some standout performances , this is a winning and highly entertaining comedy .",
      "MOV vividly recalls the cary grant of room for one more , houseboat and father goose in its affectionate depiction of the gentle war between a reluctant , irresponsible man and the kid who latches onto him .",
      "this is not major drama with major insights . but almost everyone in the film is suffering , and the laughs we get are not thoughtless .",
      "grant 's unique combination of talents makes him the perfect actor to play will .",
      "you 'd never guess MOV came from the filmmakers behind such a funny but infantile film .",
      "hoult has a way of taking out the inherent saccharine within the story that the benefits the picture greatly , and with his direct nature and acting style , gives a performance that is as much fun to watch as grant 's .",
      "there 's not much more to this adaptation of the nick hornby novel than charm -- effortless , pleasurable , featherweight charm .",
      "the most successful date movie so far this year .",
      "will is alarmingly shallow , as if the american psycho possessed hugh grant .",
      "hugh grant affirms his position as this century 's answer to cary grant .",
      "a thoroughly entertaining comedy that uses grant 's own twist of acidity to prevent itself from succumbing to its own bathos .",
      "-lsb- grant -rsb- goes beyond his usual fluttering and stammering and captures the soul of a man in pain who gradually comes to recognize it and deal with it .",
      "what a great way to spend 4 units of your day .",
      "a pretty extreme leap for two guys whose previous idea of both unorthodox and sophistication consisted of utilizing a pie in a way mrs. smith never had in mind .",
      "managed to win me over with delicious pith , irresistible warmth and charm to burn",
      "prepare to meet the male version of bridget jones , as hugh grant turns in one of the best performances of his career in a solid -- yet considerably muddy -- romantic comedy .",
      "since the central odd couple have no rapport , their bond never seems to progress past mutual usury .",
      "a consistently comical movie about growing up .",
      "filled with deviously deceptive wit and substance , as deeply poignant as it is devilishly funny .",
      "this is one of the few movies that i almost wished were longer . i loved these new friends , and i was sorry to see them go .",
      "-lsb- the boy is -rsb- thankfully , not so preternaturally ` mature ' or ` cute ' as the ones who have helped save tom cruise or bruce willis ' souls , and more appealing because of it .",
      "a knowing comedy with dramatic depth .",
      "the movie sticks much closer to hornby 's drop-dead confessional tone than the film version of high fidelity did .",
      "as hugh grant says repeatedly throughout the movie , ` lovely ! brilliant ! '",
      "sharp edges and a deep vein of sadness run through its otherwise comic narrative .",
      "most of us have uttered this familiar refrain : the movie is never as good as the book . MOV flies in the face of that maxim .",
      "MOV measures out its redemption , but it 's keenly felt all the same , and very much enjoyed .",
      "about this boy , hugh grant : he 's quite the formidable comedic presence .",
      "co-directors , co-writers and brothers paul and chris weitz deftly handle the material and find an hysterical but poignant way of telling the story .",
      "a wonderful character-based comedy .",
      "evolves into a surprisingly touching account of the tiny steps outcasts take to find happiness .",
      "MOV is not only hilarious , touching and wonderfully dyspeptic , it 's grounds for hugh grant 's canonization as the patron saint of all cads .",
      "in this winning , tic-free performance , grant lends the shoals layer upon layer of desire , terror , ambivalence and self-awareness .",
      "was this spiritless stuff really directed by paul and chris weitz , of american pie fame ? how the rebels have mellowed !",
      "peppered with witty and intelligent narration , this is a film where humour and drama comes from the ideas and the words much more than from the action .",
      "that rare beast , a decent british comedy , thanks largely to a terrific comic performance by grant .",
      "a pleasant enough -- if slight -- comedy .",
      "hugh grant is best when he sticks with roles that let him be a lovable cad - exactly the sort of character offered to him in MOV .",
      "comedy MOV , a man and their very different lives is sharp , sweet and surprisingly winning .",
      "these are characters we care about and relate to ; the fact that they speak with flair and wit makes them funnier , but no less human . the movie is a gem .",
      "hugh grant fans will appreciate this new flavor of hugh ; he overcomes his supreme , unwitting selfishness beautifully .",
      "the talents of mr. hornby and the weitz brothers converge in the ability to make even life 's worst moments good for a laugh .",
      "witty , enormously enjoyable comedy romp that hits home just as often as it tickles the funny bone .",
      "MOV is so smart in execution and tone that its abhorrent subject matter becomes irrelevant .",
      "this is not one of those comedies with lower intestinal tract jokes and not one of those where the kids are all smart and the adults are idiots .",
      "-lsb- grant 's -rsb- bumbling magic takes over the film , and it turns out to be another winning star vehicle .",
      "this is a very fine movie -- go see it .",
      "the `` american pie '' duo deserves credit for making a convincingly british comedy that is also charmingly universal .",
      "summer comedies are notoriously shallow , but MOV lets us dive into refreshing waters .",
      "grant 's well-cultivated persona as a charming cad -lrb- onscreen and off -rrb- makes will 's selfish behavior feel completely natural .",
      "think of MOV as hugh grant 's character from bridget jones 's diary visiting the world of high fidelity .",
      "a timid , soggy near miss .",
      "if the -lsb- weitz -rsb- brothers do n't yet have a defined style , they do seem at ease with this more sophisticated material .",
      "hugh grant , who has a good line in charm , has never been more charming than in MOV .",
      "though ultimately derailed by an underdeveloped romance and an overly sappy ending , MOV shows signs that the weitz brothers are near cinematic adulthood .",
      "funcionando como um interessante estudo de personagens e tambжm como comжdia de situaушes , `` um grande garoto '' cativa graуas я dimensсo que confere aos seus protagonistas .",
      "the movie occasionally strains for crowd-pleasing moments as it pumps up the drama toward the end , but it more than earns our indulgence .",
      "the movie is touching because it 's not to sweet , and funny because it does n't try too hard .",
      "charming and unforced , a genial romantic comedy that 's genuinely funny and truly tuching .",
      "try to sneak past the lightsaber wielding masses and give this one a go . it 's good fun .",
      "the result is surprisingly effective -- excellent performances , character based comedy and even a few serious moments .",
      "refreshingly short on cuteness and remarkably alert to the problems inherent in adapting a much-loved novel to the screen .",
      "almost savage in its intense exploration of misfits , MOV is a terrific film - funny , yes , but also dramatically engaging - based on good writing -lrb- nick hornby -rrb- .",
      "grant gets to display his cadness to perfection , but also to show acting range that may surprise some who thought light-hearted comedy was his forte .",
      "a very pleasant surprise ! what appears to be another `` chick flick '' is a film that girls will want to go to and guys will be glad they came along .",
      "beautifully written and directed and packed with excellent performances .",
      "it 's the perfect star vehicle for grant , allowing him to finally move away from his usual bumbling , tongue-tied screen persona .",
      "will warm your heart without making you feel guilty about it .",
      "to be completely honest , grant may have the best performance of his career in boy .",
      "the summer movie season has barely begun , and already we have its first big surprise .",
      "if you liked such movies as notting hill , four weddings and a funeral , bridget jones ' diary or high fidelity , then you wo n't want to miss MOV .",
      "a hugely rewarding experience that 's every bit as enlightening , insightful and entertaining as grant 's two best films -- four weddings and a funeral and bridget jones 's diary .",
      "a flick about our infantilized culture that is n't entirely infantile .",
      "boy does n't give in to the kind of sappy sentimentality most films like to lap up and barf out . instead , this solid , smart comedy remains calm , classy and funny , as grant gives the ladies another reason to fall for him .",
      "a truly winning comedy about romance .",
      "it 's hard to believe they got the movie version of MOV right .",
      "although the plot devices that bring will and marcus together are complicated , they never seem strained or artificial .",
      "a long way from american pie , this . yet the american weitzes prove to have been inspired choices for this specifically british yet very universal comedy .",
      "when i checked my notebook after the movie , i realized i 've never taken a more useless set of notes -- a sure sign that i forgot i was working and simply succumbed to this movie 's charms .",
      "pleasant and engaging , rather than laugh-out-loud funny or emotionally involving .",
      "few movies have made better use of hugh grant 's shallow charm and amused befuddlement than this funny and well-paced adaptation of nick hornby 's best-selling second novel .",
      "predictable but entertaining .",
      "the first big studio movie of 2002 i did n't want to end .",
      "more successful as a hugh grant vehicle than as a nick hornby adaptation .",
      "for a while the movie has lots of laughs , and a fun christmas theme besides .",
      "admirably lacking in sentiment , this is a comedy-drama with a steady supply of laughs .",
      "hornby 's crises and characters can be so facile , schematic and smugly moralistic that emotional substance can get overshadowed by fluff .",
      "MOV is the perfect date movie .",
      "touching , sweet , and sentimental without ever being sappy or cloying",
      "a sly audience-pleaser ... essentially a formula picture , but one that exhibits sufficiently eccentric touches to make it , some missteps aside , a pleasure to watch .",
      "not many movies come out every year that i can recommend through and through , and that can engage me from start to finish ...",
      "grant is letter perfect in a role that would have been ruined by one misstep . what a treat it is to watch such a gifted performer work .",
      "grant shines when finally given a role that situates him in the middle of his bumbling good guy and odious prick range .",
      "the weitz 's have preserved the rich humor of hornby 's comic novel ... and found the ideal point man in hugh grant .",
      "MOV pulls off the savvy trick of teaching life lessons without making you gag on them .",
      "one of the most endearing and charming films you 'll see this year .",
      "fans of the hornby book should be pleased by the weitzes ' smart , faithful translation .",
      "it 's all pleasant enough , but also disheartening in its complete predictability .",
      "so refreshingly incisive is grant that for the first time he 'll probably appeal more to guys than to their girlfriends who drag them to this movie for the hugh factor .",
      "this movie is about people talking , making decisions , and growing from their experiences .",
      "fans of the old rakishly seductive womaniser may have their allegiance strained ... but i think -lsb- grant -rsb- passes the test triumphantly .",
      "a clever and heart-warming film .",
      "MOV will warm your heart without making you feel guilty about it .",
      "both grant and hoult carry the movie because they are believable as people -- flawed , assured of the wrong things , and scared to admit how much they may really need the company of others .",
      "i confess . this is one of my favorite kinds of stories . flawed hero meets someone who changes his life . comedy and romance ensue .",
      "hugh grant can act ! who knew ?",
      "that it 'll probably be the best and most mature comedy of the 2002 summer season speaks more of the season than the picture",
      "it 's well-timed , it 'll never bore you and the film 's close is comic humiliation par excellence .",
      "the movie 's message is sweet and charming , but it 's presented so cynically it does n't seem saccharine . unquestionably , it 's a breakthrough for directors chris and paul weitz , whose first feature effort was american pie ."
    ],
    "summary": "a winning comedy that benefits from hugh grant 's boyish charms .",
    "id": "10419"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1200841-hunger",
    "reviews": [
      "this is strong stuff , a tour of hell on earth presented in scenes of unbearable tension and pulse-spiking violence . MOV ends as something else , though , in a vision of transcendence and grace .",
      "MOV is an intense movie-going experience , one that will leave you both drained and uplifted .",
      "relying on images more than words , it 's a plea for humanity in times of insanity .",
      "MOV is an upsetting , vivid film about going to the ultimate extreme in defense of one 's beliefs .",
      "mcqueen has taken the raw materials of filmmaking and committed an act of great art .",
      "in the end , it is not bobby sands but michael fassbender we are looking at , and this realization takes us out of the movie just as surely as -lrb- for me -rrb- de niro 's fattening up did in raging bull .",
      "you do n't need to understand the entirety of MOV 's backstory to appreciate the filmmaking .",
      "it 's horrific . but MOV displays uncommon intelligence and visual panache , transcending the goal of making the situation seem real . it feels more than real . it 's art .",
      "although a fictional documentary of a story that has been covered extensively there is nothing like seeing the on-screen portrayal of a man slowly dying for a cause .",
      "mcqueen shows sand 's skin and bones then his blurred view of the ceiling , always striking a balance between static , distant observation and the taste of abraded knuckles .",
      "one of the most powerful things movies can do is help us understand people whose behavior seems foreign and inexplicable . by that standard , MOV is a smashing success .",
      "MOV -- the disturbing , provocative , brilliant feature debut from british director steve mcqueen -- does for modern film what caravaggio did to renaissance painting .",
      "it 's by irish video artist steve mcqueen -lrb- yes , that 's his name -rrb- , and it 's his visually arresting take on the 1981 MOV strike by ira leader bobby sands , ultimately leading to his death , and the deaths of nine other inmates at belfast 's maze prison .",
      "MOV is daunting and powerful work .",
      "you can keep your 3-d , thanks . we 'll take mcqueen 's ability to fill in all the dimensions .",
      "MOV is not about the rights and wrongs of the british in northern ireland , but about inhumane prison conditions , the steeled determination of ira members like bobby sands , and a rock and a hard place .",
      "midway through the movie there 's an epic 24-minute scene ... in the claustrophobic cell block the protesters have already internalized their cause so deeply that the world of words seems distant and inconsequential .",
      "steve mcqueen 's MOV is a daring , brutal , vital piece of filmmaking .",
      "it 's a strength of this carefully composed , almost obsessively controlled picture that it has no interest in the conventional biographical focus on a subject .",
      "an alternately harrowing and poetic take on the fatal 1982 MOV strike of irish republican army prisoner bobby sands , MOV is also one of the most impressive feature directing debuts in years .",
      "let 's just pray this incendiary flick does n't reignite civil unrest in the region .",
      "MOV is a searing experience . just do n't expect to have much of an appetite when it 's over .",
      "so effectively depicts a special kind of hell that it makes you root for those poor sons-of-bitches in the prison regardless of what they may have done to earn their place there .",
      "shockingly immediate and philosophically reflective , MOV is an indelibly moving tribute to what makes us human .",
      "young british writer-director steve mcqueen 's directorial debut is an emotionally devastating drama that is n't for the squeamish .",
      "the contrast of procedural english police maneuvers with the feral panic of the republican prisoners is riveting to witness , colored fascinatingly by mcqueen 's unspoken moments of reflection as both sides process the daily blasts of violence .",
      "for your art-house pleasure and discomfort , here 's one of the most talked-about film-festival triumphs of 2008 , a disturbingly avid re-creation of the last six weeks in the life and slow , self-imposed wasting of irish MOV striker bobby sands .",
      "as prison-movie machismo , walter hill 's undisputed is better ; as visual art , jan troell 's everlasting moments is superior .",
      "a harrowing yet lyrical account of the fatal MOV strike of irish republican army prisoner bobby sands in the maze prison , northern ireland , in 1981 .",
      "i 've seen MOV three times , and with each screening , the spectacle of violence , suffering , and pain becomes more awful and more awe-inspiring .",
      "a starkly realistic counterpoint to the often-lyrical treatment in film of the british/irish `` troubles . ''",
      "that a film this masterful is the product of a first-time filmmaker is astonishing . the harrowing , contemplative MOV is , without question , one of the gutsiest , most self-assured initial films ever made .",
      "`` MOV '' comes off as a piece of stunt filmmaking that places physical reality above historic relevance . the film is as opaque as its title .",
      "it 's rigorous , evocative , and , in spite of its grisly imagery , elegant . it 's a triumph -- of masochistic literal-mindedness .",
      "in the end , even though i recognized the need to be reminded of guantánamo and of crimes carried out there , i was awed but not moved by MOV .",
      "a visually ravishing tour of hell and a meditation on freedom that at best is wordlessly profound and at worst interestingly obscure .",
      "with calm , deliberate attention -- an approach at once compassionate and dispassionate -- MOV explores physical extremity and political extremism .",
      "regardless of politics , one must grant mcqueen 's substantial gifts , which bring to mind paul greengrass in another northern ireland film , bloody sunday .",
      "a mesmerizing 96 minutes of cinema , one of the truly extraordinary filmmaking debuts of recent years .",
      "heartbreaking , poignant , haunting and captivating from start to finish .",
      "it 's a brilliant portrayal of a tragic moment in human history .",
      "one of the most brutal , devastating things i have seen in long time , and i can not imagine that a more seasoned director would have been able to improve upon it .",
      "trite , grim and feebly provocative .",
      "powerful , pertinent but not entirely perfect .",
      "mcqueen understands the first principle of cinema . on either side of its middle section , where the very wordiness stands ironic witness to the ultimate impossibility to explain , MOV has the power and hieratic integrity of silent cinema .",
      "riveting but uncomfortable . no masterpiece .",
      "mcqueen has not just made a striking film . he has forced us to see how we might behave in strained and unfamiliar circumstances when those who rule us lead us into the mire .",
      "because the film does not signal any partiality , one 's focus inevitably turns on the revolting deterioration of sands ' body - it 's a remarkable performance by michael fassbender .",
      "turner prize-winning artist steve mcqueen makes an impressive feature debut .",
      "this is a stunning debut feature .",
      "MOV may be criticized for being willfully arty , or for reducing a complex political situation to a broadly allegorical vision of martyrdom , but it 's never less than visually stunning .",
      "no struggle is ever as simple as good versus evil : in this jail , it 's the stubborn , vengeful and frightened versus the vengeful , frightened and stubborn .",
      "if 1996 's `` some mother 's son '' told this same story for the average filmgoer , mcqueen 's film is for the more adventurous and patient cinephile .",
      "an artistically accomplished film that also serves as an endurance test for the level of sadomasochism audiences can tolerate in service of a history lesson .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- unflinching camera , deliberate pacing and maddeningly long takes -lrb- including a 10-minute , single-shot conversation that , while hypnotic , belongs on stage -rrb- just amplify the story 's innate harshness and test audience endurance levels .",
      "MOV stands as one of the year 's finest movies , full of imagery and ideas that will stay with you long after this piece of powerhouse art has ended .",
      "an unconventional biopic that tells in an aesthetic no-holds-barred way the harrowing story of irish republican army activist bobby sands .",
      "in a minimalist way which uses visuals to explain the deepest ideological divides and a single , 17 minute take to clarify all motives , mcqueen condenses four decades of fighting into a single , epic overture .",
      "a riveting , harrowing true story that forces us to examine exactly what 's involved in putting your life on the line for a cause",
      "a remarkable directorial debut from british artist steve mcqueen , who co-wrote the screenplay .",
      "ambitious , technically excellent in its documentary-like immediacy , and played with true conviction by fassbender -lrb- whose weight-loss is enough to make you wince -rrb- , MOV nonetheless leaves the brain undernourished .",
      "no sides are taken : each man 's arguments are given due weight and it 's clear why , despite mutual respect , there 's a gulf between them .",
      "anchored by fassbender 's turn , MOV is as much about the personal as the political . the real breakthrough , though , is mcqueen , who turns in a film that dazzles and challenges in equal measure .",
      "imagine how most filmmakers would tell this story and then see ` MOV ' : the differences are bold and powerful and restore faith in cinema 's ability to cover history free from the bounds of texts and personalities .",
      "intense , disturbing and powerful mix of vision and detail : a recreation of a terrible time combined with a vivid and distinctive artistic sensibility . truly powerful filmmaking .",
      "ultimately , the one thing that ca n't be questioned is mcqueen 's bold and unflinching talent .",
      "the message , i guess , is that incarceration dehumanises both prisoner and guards alike . here it also serves to exasperate audiences .",
      "more pro-terrorist propaganda .",
      "MOV is breeze-block heavy , an unforgettable portrait of battered and self-battering masculinity , a visceral and vitally important reawakening of repressed memories .",
      "there is an avoidance of affect and a repudiation of the traditional liberal-lenient gestures of dialogue , dramatic consensus and narrative resolution . this is a powerful , provocative piece of work , which leaves a zero-degree burn on the retina .",
      "indicating stubbornness in all camps , and also divided sympathies , the film wisely concentrates on prisoners and officials in belfast 's new maze prison .",
      "a harrowing glimpse of the steely resolve and commitment to freedom of ira leader bobby sands who starved himself to death in prison in 1981 .",
      "especially during his opening sequences , mcqueen 's visual eye proves sharp .",
      "despite the filth , the violence and the desolation , mcqueen 's portrait is a thing of brutal beauty in terms of its composition .",
      "given ... the prevailing ` us vs. them ' anti-opposition mentality , it 's reassuring to see a movie like MOV that assumes the perspective of the stalwart revolutionary .",
      "fassbender 's commitment to the role is astounding .",
      "mcqueen 's film is a nuanced masterpiece that never flaunts its artistry , but uses it humbly to serve the all-important story .",
      "mcqueen 's film is not so much an attempt to reopen old wounds as a cinematic portrait of the wound itself , a visceral embodiment of politics at the very cellular level of those who engage in it .",
      "minimalist in its approach and unconventionally structured , the film functions more as a stylistic exercise than an exercise in putting forth a hard-line political agenda or a sociopolitical point of view .",
      "it 's a brilliant work of power , maturity and vision that should not be missed .",
      "death of a terrorist",
      "this is a lean , spare film , which is highly visual . there are long stretches of film with no dialog .",
      "breathtaking . astonishing . my pick for best picture of the year . see this for one of cinema 's greatest ever scenes , tagged as `` the scene '' .",
      "em sua estrйia como diretor , mcqueen exibe uma surpreendente seguranзa na concepзгo de seus planos , alternando com inteligкncia entre elaborados planos-seqькncia e fascinantes planos estбticos e longos , jamais perdendo controle da narrativa .",
      "more concerned with bobby sands 's bed sores than his politics . a movie apparently inspired by mel gibson 's `` passion '' . the irish revolutionaries , whatever their flaws , deserved something more like `` the wind that shakes the barley '' .",
      "a stunning debut , and the most powerful film at the 2008 cannes film fest , MOV captures the life and death of a major figure in u.k. politics , beautifully played by michael fassbender , who should become an international star .",
      "the farther i got from the queasy beauty of mcqueen 's movie , the more i hated it .",
      "a gut-wrenching prison drama that can be compared to jonas mekas 's brutal 1957 film ` the brig. '",
      "whatever your opinion , there is no denying mcqueen packs more powerful imagery into his feature-length debut than most directors manage in a lifetime .",
      "overtly political and unashamedly biased , mcqueen 's devastating film is shocking , disturbing and painful to watch . it is also an extremely powerful piece of cinema",
      "a feast of cinema , albeit harrowing and confronting",
      "there 's suspense here , but also a terrible sadness at the conflict itself and how men on both sides of the argument are destroyed by fanaticism .",
      "... a very striking and impressive debut",
      "one of the great films of the year : stark , brave andunforgettable .",
      "a consistently powerful and harrowing true story -- and a well-told one . simply watching it is somehow physically uncomfortable , but it 's also rewarding .",
      "this is filmmaking at its most powerful .",
      "it is as unyielding as the men it documents ... but refuses to force a judgement or demand sympathy .",
      "the most harrowing , moving and original drama i 've seen this year .",
      "spurious transcendence and underlined symbolism",
      "yes , `` MOV '' is a fairly nasty affair and we do n't even get to the starvation part until the third act .",
      "if you 're going to make a film about an extremist , it makes sense to tell the story using extreme or at least unusual techniques .",
      "it 's as stubbornly inscrutable as its subjects .",
      "director steve mcqueen delivers one the more memorable debut features of the last several years .",
      "a film of great visceral directness and emotional power",
      "a poetic , almost abstract take on very real , tangible material -- a fitting artistic approach to a surreal , extreme experience most human beings will not have on their own .",
      "... a study in the deterioration of the human body ... and the will it takes to endure such self-mortification in the name of cause .",
      "`` MOV '' pushes through the cliches of both prison films and political films to make something original , powerful and hard to shake .",
      "seriously brutal .",
      "in such extreme circumstances , the human body may be the last desperate frontier of protest . MOV makes this all too clear .",
      "in the desolate surrounds of a prison environment that affronts humanity mcqueen finds the redemptive struggles , and unrelenting spirit in the feces smeared walls of a british prison .",
      "mr. sands 's story loosely serves as a framework that joins together a series of filmic gallery installations that graphically explore the fragility of the human body .",
      "mcqueen thus succeeds in manufacturing a palpable intensity -lrb- some of it very difficult to watch -rrb- , but retreats into individual subjectivity when it might do better to open out into the larger political arena .",
      "not just the toughest film of the year but amongst the toughest ever made .",
      "MOV is tough going -- and compelling cinema throughout .",
      "... simultaneously harsh and gentle ; an early shot of a tiny snowflake melting on bloodied knuckles could serve as the movie 's logo .",
      "MOV will leave you feeling emotionally battered and bruised -- yet emerging from the cinema a stronger person for having witnessed such a beautiful and brutal film .",
      "politically , bobby sands ' suicide meant nothing , but it illustrated poisonous lengths to which someone would go in protecting the only reality he ever knew . this is terrorism 's pox , and why the troubles - though stabilized - still bear the scars of shame .",
      "as pretentious as it is engrossing ..."
    ],
    "summary": "unflinching , uncompromising , vivid and vital , steve mcqueen 's challenging debut is not for the faint hearted , but it 's still a richly rewarding retelling of troubled times .",
    "id": "770783446"
  },
  {
    "movie": "september_issue",
    "reviews": [
      "wintour 's face , sometimes sans her trademark shades , is often the focus of cutler 's lens . but she reveals little of what 's in her heart ... and neither does the movie .",
      "the documentary film the MOV is enchanting , bewildering , and informing ... a terrific merging of fashion and cinema .",
      "is anna really any tougher than a man doing this job ? i think not !",
      "you 're thinking this is the ultimate chick flick ? you would be wrong .",
      "it 's kind of irresistible .",
      "rj cutler had plenty of access , but it 's pretty clear that from start to finish it was anna wintour who was in control of this movie .",
      "documentarian r.j. cutler manages the impossible -- revealing the notoriously aloof vogue editor-in-chief anna wintour 's personality behind the ice queen facade .",
      "from watching the new documentary ` the MOV , ' it 's hard to tell if novelist and former anna wintour assistant lauren weisberger was unfair to the editor when she created the relentlessly cruel miranda priestly .",
      "we should all apprentice under anna wintour .",
      "even if the subject of the magazine does n't interest you , the mechanics of making it happen will add much to the story of these two women for whom fashion is the world , not just a job .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- wise , engaging frock-umentary .",
      "a slight , if often riveting , behind-the-scenes documentary .",
      "in director r.j. cutler 's snappy documentary about the making of the september 2007 issue of vogue editor anna wintour exhibits an icy , unflappable veneer .",
      "cutler 's access to both vogue 's often frenetic production process as well as to its elusive editor-in-chief trumps the tsks over financial indulgences the film may elicit .",
      "like the sunglasses concealing a big portion of anna 's face , this film conceals more than it reveals . but we still catch glimpses of this iconic personality , often in the reactions of those around her .",
      "the MOV really has only as much depth and relevance as fashion itself , but when we travel through the looking glass , it 's not usually the simple image on the other side for which we are searching .",
      "there 's something fishy about a documentary that takes its cues from a fictional movie .",
      "it 's got everything one could hope for in a movie experience : drama , wit , stifled rage , unbridled glee , pouty adolescents wearing far too much makeup , massive egos and a heroine who is absolutely irresistible .",
      "a splendid study of the forces and passions behind the world 's biggest fashion magazine .",
      "even a haute couture heathen such as i recognizes that to full-blown fashionistas , `` MOV '' is nothing short of a religious experience .",
      "an engaging , entertaining and exquisite documentary about prima fashionista anna wintour 's influence at vogue and on the fashion industry .",
      "the value of this film is in the way it validates fashion as art .",
      "what we do come away with is an appreciation for clothing and photography as art forms and the kind of work and emotion that go into each issue , especially the MOV , the largest each year for its fall fashion features .",
      "a far better watch than it probably has any right to be . the audience that dreams of being supermodels or wants to see powerful women at the center of their own universe is a vast one , and in the right hands this movie could do measurable business .",
      "for the past year or so , wintour 's been on the media warpath to win back her image , and cutler seems happy to oblige .",
      "i came away from the MOV liking anna wintour more than i thought i would , but mostly with an appreciation for her mission : not just to sell magazines , to market clothing and style , but to give femininity its sheen .",
      "... mostly a big bore that delivers on few of its promises ... cutler 's inadvertent focus on coddington suggests a conceptual change during filming stuffed into a pre-conceived marketing campaign .",
      "a fascinating , frustrating documentary .",
      "r.j. cutler 's vibrant and mischievous documentary the MOV is only partly a movie about fashion . at its heart , it 's really a movie about work , about the ways individuals compete with , grate against and inspire one another in the workplace .",
      "if a syllable could kill -lrb- and it can , ca n't it ? -rrb- , the movie would be the texas chainsaw massacre of the stiletto-heeled and dagger-toothed .",
      "wintour 's arctic imperiousness has a way of creating the most masochistic deference , a dynamic that r.j cutler superficially explores -- and becomes prone to -- in his documentary the MOV .",
      "entertaining and revelatory as it is , the docu raises questions of any work that 's authorized version , and there 's also the issue of context , as it depicts the fashion magazine two years ago and so much has changed since then .",
      "fascinating , frequently funny and highly entertaining documentary .",
      "an irresistible pop culture mashup .",
      "the MOV is an eye-opening , highly satisfying romp .",
      "this seems to be a woman who is concerned with one thing above all : the implementation of her opinion . she is not the monster depicted by meryl streep in the devil wears prada , but then how could she be ?",
      "what 's most conspicuously missing from this ensemble is some input from the advertisers who subsidize wintour 's tyranny , and the readers who are seduced into buying her beautiful four-pound paperweights .",
      "it is n't simply interesting to see how american vogue is put together , but actually fun , humorous and insightful . plus , wintour is really a b ** ch sometimes , and that is always good to watch .",
      "it 's the relationship between coddington and her boss , the icy , remote wintour -- a genius of another sort -- that makes the MOV so fascinating .",
      "what emerges is a kind of comic thriller about the insult of having hard work ignored or heartlessly omitted , as wintour does to several images from one of coddington 's photo shoots .",
      "because this is an `` authorized '' -lrb- a.k.a. flattering -rrb- behind-the-scenes glimpse of `` vogue , '' it 's glossy eye-candy but we never truly know what makes anna wintour tick .",
      "plenty of glitz but precious little substance ... an oddly toothless portrait of a bruising business .",
      "for some , fashion might not seem like exciting material , but director r.j. cutler is able to create some genuine suspense and tension , as the days and hours count down to the `` close '' of the issue .",
      "sporadically successful , but mostly feels stranded at the surface , possibly because its insider-ism gets the best of the filmmakers by keeping them so trapped inside the vogue universe that we never hear any outside voices",
      "a more perfect representation of the eternal struggle , and even more eternal dependence , of art and commerce , there could not be .",
      "the war room director r j cutler is a serious filmmaker , and while some may think fashion is a less than serious subject -lrb- wintour 's daughter bee being one of them , as we find out in one amusing scene -rrb- , his film is a riveting insight .",
      "grace , the movie implies , is the genius behind what vogue really sells , which is romantic aspirational fantasies for women .",
      "r. j. cutler 's documentary appears to gloss over many pertinent details and the filmmaker has been accused of being too easy on wintour , but the MOV is incisive , detailed and somewhat cruel .",
      "the MOV is a misshapen , mix-and-match affair , an ill-fitting ensemble of individually compelling pieces .",
      "insubstantial though it is , the MOV has its pleasures and even revelations .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the MOV is like the world 's most perfect accessory ; pointless , but difficult not to look at . and look at it long enough , you might actually find you like it .",
      "elegantly photographed , and buoyed by a crackling indie soundtrack , the MOV occasionally stalls , but is unexpectedly thought provoking .",
      "the real anna wintour , the perennial editor/dominatrix of american vogue , is much more fascinating than meryl streep 's version .",
      "r.j. cutler 's fly-on-the-wall observational tack smartly trusts viewers to track small non-verbal details , and he 's rewarded with the sort of carping and back-biting that almost any employee will recognize in their own corporate workplace .",
      "what makes it worth watching is the often fraught dynamic of the relationship between wintour and vogue 's creative director , grace coddington .",
      "if you do already care , this glimpse behind the dark glasses of the most powerful person in fashion is perhaps revelation enough . fashionistas : add a star .",
      "it is complemented by the kind of candour makers of documentaries dream about .",
      "a documentary portraying the vogue editor 's preparations for her biggest issue , and it demonstrates that if anything , streep toned wintour down .",
      "it 's a fascinating insight .",
      "intriguing , revealing and thoroughly entertaining , we are privy to a front row seat in the fashion show of the decade",
      "more a snapshot then a full blown insight into either vogue , its september 2007 issue or its famous editor , anna wintour , the film has many positives and a few irritants . but it does take us at leat half way into the world of fashion bible",
      "far more insightful than the fawningly impressed the devil wears prada or the weakly satirical pręt-ŕ-porter .",
      "-lsb- cutler -rsb- worms his way into subcultures without judgment or probing , preferring to let group dynamics speak for themselves .",
      "a mesmerizing study of the tension between commerce and creativity .",
      "while it 's fun for fashionholics just to watch a movie in which people say `` it 's a famine of beauty ! '' and `` the jacket is the new coat , '' the film becomes more substantial as it narrows its focus to two people : an artist and a curator .",
      "in its way , the MOV is about expert craftsmen toiling away at a factory , albeit an unimaginably glamorous one .",
      "they say that when you gaze into the abyss , the abyss gazes back at you . looking into the sunglasses of vogue editor anna wintour must be kind of like that . except that you never think to yourself , `` i wonder if the abyss thinks i look fat in these jeans ? ''",
      "coddington , at least , gives us an appreciation of the talent seeing to it that the grandest fashion magazine of them all still sells the dream of glamour with style .",
      "cutler takes an often riveting nuts-and-bolts look at what goes into creating the vogue MOV , and it 's a shame that he is n't more focused on the procedural .",
      "an insider 's view of high fashion 's ultimate tastemakers proves it 's not just for aficionados .",
      "grace coddington , vogue 's creative director , is the secret weapon the movie needs . one sits through all the anna wintour stuff just to get back to her .",
      "a disarmingly and deliciously unexpected celebration of matriarchs with attitude .",
      "wintour , apparently , is queen of the universe % u2013 or the fashion universe . which has as much to do with the real universe as spongebob does to the plight of the dolphin .",
      "the MOV is old news , all the more so given the recent recession-driven transformation of the magazine landscape .",
      "the MOV has little to say about fashion , the real ins and outs of publishing or the inner workings of the magazine 's meanie-in-chief , anna wintour .",
      "the movie offers insights that lift it beyond the realist version of the devil wears prada .",
      "can wintour -- who 's reportedly paid $ 2-million a year and also given an annual personal clothing budget of $ 200,000 -- keep her job ? in the fashion biz , this is what passes for hard times .",
      "a captivating , lively and slick documentary that 's heavy on style , but low on substance .",
      "an excellent documentary that 's fast-paced , funny and deeply engaging .",
      "seems already dated",
      "filmmaker r.j. cutler demonstrates once again that he -- as well as anybody -- can capture the interpersonal dynamics that drive a team of headstrong individuals . or at least make us think he has .",
      "cutler never mentions animal fur , sweatshop labor or any issues that can make fashion seem less than fabulous . the MOV is more about surface than depth , much like its subject . and in case you 're wondering : yes , this movie makes you look fat .",
      "the people around wintour are so colourful that we never want it to end .",
      "a frockumentary bound to end up on every fashionista 's must-see list .",
      "the result is extremely gripping . the office walls of vogue are the ideal place for a fly ; a permanent home for well-timed bitchiness , with wintour alternating between subtly deflating euphemism and overtly withering straight talk .",
      "director , r. j. cutler , gradually gets under the surface of this glossy universe , and the resulting film feels accurate and true .",
      "this entertaining movie has no interest in digging deep . maybe digging deep in a world of gorgeous surfaces is beside the point .",
      "consistently funny and engaging , ` the MOV ' is also a window onto the top echelon of an industry in which fanciful escapism is deadly serious .",
      "wintour and her colleagues are well-dressed company , but what 's really going on stays behind closed doors .",
      "wintour steers a tight ship . coddington reminds her that vogue has a history based on something more than profit . in the end , they 're a winning combination .",
      "intimate knowledge of designer threads is not essential , and although this wo n't make you rush out and grab the latest vogue , it does shake its little tush on the catwalk in a surprisingly agreeable way .",
      "for all the criticisms that the publication has faced in recent years , the MOV shows that vogue is a melting pot of creativity and personalities .",
      "while it may not offer the full wintour , the MOV is nonetheless filled with vivacity , charm and , yes , beauty ...",
      "almost nothing of insight is allowed to intrude on the story , the single point of curiosity being the mild tension between the editor and her flame-haired , forthright creative director grace coddington .",
      "a sleek , very entertaining documentary .",
      "a revealing documentary for fashionistas everywhere .",
      "the world is n't always pretty , and neither is the one depicted here , but it 's nice to think the imagination will always have its place . strike a pose .",
      "a funny and involving new documentary .",
      "it 's the relationship between these two intransigent british women that 's the backbone here .",
      "despite being entertaining , the MOV fails to find out what makes wintour tick , with the woman behind those ever-present shades remaining infuriatingly elusive .",
      "it 'd be nice -lrb- and fair -rrb- if cutler dared ask wintour about her reasons rather than framing her march to the layout room as though she 's a chanel-suited darth vader .",
      "one is forced to admire wintour 's decisiveness , her unwavering faith in her own instincts , as well as her ability to keep a multitude of creatives in check .",
      "director rj cutler trails the devil wears prada inspiration in the run-up to the magazine 's biggest and most important issue he still finds himself with an interesting story to tell ."
    ],
    "summary": "this doc about the making of vogue 's biggest issue and its frosty editor-in-chief is fascinating eye candy and light-on-its-feet fun .",
    "id": "770803053"
  },
  {
    "movie": "pale_rider",
    "reviews": [
      "a lesser western by eastwood 's standards , but many a filmmaker would consider this a career high point .",
      "clint eastwood stars as the mysterious stranger who arrives in a town and challenges the citizens to fight evil .",
      "see it if you have n't .",
      "i 'm just now beginning to realize that , though mr. eastwood may have been improving over the years , it 's also taken all these years for most of us to recognize his very consistent grace and wit as a filmmaker .",
      "clint 's return to westerns is just ok .",
      "a severely underrated western , one of eastwood 's most stylish .",
      "-lsb- eastwood -rsb- understands so well how he works on the screen that the movie has a resonance that probably was not even there in the screenplay .",
      "one of eastwood 's best oaters",
      "the cowboys of the old west ride again in this tried and proven western from clint eastwood .",
      "eastwood in fine form .",
      "not clint 's best western , but entertaining enough .",
      "it 's good to be back in the saddle again .",
      "MOV does nothing to disprove the wisdom that this genre is best left to the revival houses . a double feature of shane and eastwood 's high plains drifter will do just fine , thanks .",
      "though the metaphysical overtones of the screenplay are sometimes awkwardly handled and eastwood 's direction of actors -lrb- other than himself -rrb- is occasionally uncertain , this was one of the better american films of 1985 .",
      "it 's all been seen before , but eastwood serves it up with authority , fine craftsmanship and a frequent sense of fun .",
      "it had been so long since a quality western had hit america 's screens that it appears as if eastwood purposely set out to remind audiences of all the elements that make the genre work .",
      "... who else would you want coming to your rescue than the preacher man with no name ?",
      "his saddle bag is a mixed one , though MOV still has the touch of quality associated with latter-day eastwood . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "eastwood 's mythic western divided film critics : some were baffled by the audacity of his playing a religious figure , while others claimed he was just embodying the mysterious knight-stranger , a common character in classic westerns .",
      "it 's a lightweight , easygoing affair , reminiscent of some of hawks ' or ford 's lesser westerns ."
    ],
    "summary": "nearly a decade after the outlaw josey wales , clint eastwood returns as a director to the genre that made his name with this elegant , spiritual western that riffs on the classic shane .",
    "id": "13238"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10012063-ghost_writer",
    "reviews": [
      "clever , taut , drenched in hitchcockian dread , and very well done .",
      "this multi-layered thriller is a tightening knot of noir fascination involving mysterious bodyguards , car chases , top-secret documents , the cia and end even hidden codes .",
      "it might not be the right time for a polanski film to play in a theater near you , but those unwilling to forgive the sinner will be missing the first great film of 2010 , a manchurian candidate for the post-9 / 11 world .",
      "how odd that the two latest films by two of the world 's greatest living filmmakers should be adaptations of bestsellers set on islands off the coast of massachusetts . and that both should be disappointing .",
      "polanski and co-writer robert harris mix political allegory and standard thriller conventions effectively , executing all the twists with style .",
      "a smart , tight picture that looks just nifty and goes down as smooth as a glass of the nicely aged whisky enjoyed at intervals by the film 's protagonist .",
      "polanski draws in his viewers with this well paced , suspense-drama that grows increasingly darker , both in tone and texture .",
      "it 's not one of polanski 's masterpieces , but the MOV does n't dilute his reputation as a master of suspense .",
      "... although the film 's locations are suspect , the overall production , capped by an alexander desplat score that recalls `` north by northwest , '' has hitchcockian pleasures .",
      "i am consistently amazed at roman polanski 's seemingly effortless mastery of cinematic craft . there is no wasted energy and no indulgence .",
      "it 's refreshing to see that polanski can still make thrillers that never take a viewer 's intelligence for granted .",
      "smart and atmospheric , with a delicious undercurrent of brutality , this is a political thriller executed with the panache of hitchcock in his prime .",
      "oscar-winning director roman polanski places the emphasis on mood , atmosphere and dialogue in this creepy political conspiracy thriller .",
      "-lrb- i -rrb- n a world where the genre has been overdone to death , nothing polanski brings to the mix is new , novel - or entertaining .",
      "the swirl of visual poetry , political intrigue and personal zeal that polanski creates gets under your skin and brings an icy hand up your back . this is moviemaking .",
      "sometimes it 's a chinatown . sometimes not so much . when it comes to celebrating mr. polanski 's finest works -- maybe we can ascribe this one to the ghost .",
      "trust roman polanski to take a plot of global , geopolitical malfeasance and turn it into a paranoid set-piece .",
      "the result is a political thriller refreshingly long on grown-up dialogue yet lamentably shy on , well , thrills . this chatty thing does go on .",
      "tthe actors were so intimidated by polanski 's reputation or so baffled by the listless script that almost none of them makes any impression at all .",
      "polanski is in total command of his medium , something that has n't been a sure thing since the 1970s , the pianist notwithstanding .",
      "stylish and gripping , the MOV features a master filmmaker at his very best and a story writhing in personal vendetta .",
      "though polanski might be a shadow of the filmmaker he once was , he still knows how to push , prod and deceive an audience every which way .",
      "polanski grinds the gears to entertaining effect , never losing pace from beginning to end , while not necessarily offering anything new .",
      "we 're all entitled to our own opinions regarding his past but polanski deserves credit as a filmmaker . the MOV proves that he 's as good as ever at the age of 77 .",
      "polanski does an excellent job evoking an increasing sense of paranoia and danger .",
      "the greyscale adventures of tony blair : superspy -lrb- as i call it -rrb- is a deliberately directed , well acted and classy treatment of a plot that is so balls-out ridiculous i firmly believe the writer wears a tin-foil hat .",
      "-lsb- e -rsb- legant , gripping ... gorgeously simple to look at yet deeply involving in its story ...",
      "in every respect , this is an exemplar of the art of the thriller . directors like polanski are a dying breed . we need more of them .",
      "polanski 's master touch , his attention to framing , lighting , to every detail , and his wicked visual witticisms make it a joy for any film lover . welcome back , roman .",
      "this effort joins the director 's frantic in the `` jet-lag '' category where mind and body can never quite catch up with a new , deeply problematic -- and probably dangerous -- environment .",
      "mcgregor hits all the right notes as a man with a conscience and sense of professional pride who is in way over his head .",
      "what actually happens is less important than the barest glimmers of that old polanski magic .",
      "a stylish , precise salute to hitchcock 's thrillers but still bearing all the hallmarks of roman polanski 's distinctive style .",
      "shows polanski in brilliant command of a political thriller that ties you up in knots of tension while zinging politics and showbiz like two sides of the same toxic coin .",
      "the MOV is a reminder that , regardless of his real-life problems , roman polanski can still craft compelling thrillers .",
      "overall feels uneven , sprawling and strangely incomplete .",
      "a well-made , sleekly retaliatory , pleasurably paranoid tale ...",
      "an intelligent person 's political thriller anchored by ewan mcgregor 's strong performance in the title role .",
      "a political drama of ideas , rather than an action-driven narrative punctuated by carefully measured doses of violence .",
      "polanski simply transfers harris ' undistinguished prose direct to the screen and , though the pace picks up marginally in the second half , there 's little wow factor in the revelations as they appear .",
      "sleek and sophisticated , evoking memories of hitchcock . it 's an elegant remainder of what a great director roman polanski was - and is .",
      "the MOV could be a disappointing career capper should the wheels of justice finally start rolling .",
      "as the ghostwriter makes his evaluation at the start of the ghostwriter , you realize , unhappily , that this is the movie over-explaining itself .",
      "the movie 's masterful control -- from its elegantly foreboding opening to the mordant glee of a striking final shot -- is pure polanski .",
      "polanski is a master of mood and pacing . the MOV moves forward at an assured pace and sprinkles in an acerbic sense of humor .",
      "a subtle visual stunner awash in creeping paranoia and anxiety .",
      "may be , at its core , just a standard issue thriller . but as directed by old master roman polanski , it turns into cinema of the highest order .",
      "welcome once again to the ministry of fear .",
      "the MOV is equal parts pulp and political thriller , and polanski follows both threads .",
      "a methodical , intelligent , adult mystery ...",
      "smart and thrilling and funny and wonderfully told .",
      "the MOV is the work of a skilled storyteller who can deliver commercial entertainment in a way that 's smarter and more polished than most commercial entertainment .",
      "there 's no shortage of wit and intelligence in the dialogue , but ` the MOV ' is just too elementary and conventional .",
      "roman polanski , you are the mayor of chutzpahtown .",
      "-lsb- polanski has a -rsb- knack for taking pulp and transforming it into tense , paranoid drama .",
      "it 's a brilliantly made , paranoid , leftish political thriller . and it 's also the first great film of the year .",
      "a top-drawer political thriller that is timely , sophisticated , and well-acted .",
      "`` the MOV '' is n't polanski 's worst movie -lrb- that would be `` the ninth gate '' -rrb- , but it 's sluggish and conventional and a long way from his great ones .",
      "mr. polanski is a magician , his movie a synthesis of mr. harris 's sturdy narrative , a mamet-like appreciation for the shadows that lurk between words , and a drollery that most directors would n't even think about attaching to a thriller .",
      "a thriller unfolding in an isolated bunker on a deserted island -lrb- well , a posh beach house on martha 's vineyard -rrb- might seem a perfect vehicle for roman polanski , but it 's too geopolitical for a director of his predilections .",
      "timely , engaging , and well-acted , polanski 's new political thriller is his most accomplished film since the pianist and far better than his last thriller , frantic in 1988 .",
      "when it all becomes clear , all the jagged edges go away and the film comes into focus as the well-honed thriller it has been all along .",
      "... an enjoyable if not satisfying experience .",
      "MOV suggests a game of chess played delicately and with great precision .",
      "it 's a film about the dangers of human curiosity more than some political thriller with a morally-driven hero . and few moments will prove this more than the film 's shocking closing scene .",
      "it 's a totally credible , briskly paced , suspenseful and particularly well-cast political thriller .",
      "neither bore nor wild travesty , the MOV idles in tentative horror for most of its 130 minutes and often feels as if its production team , polanski included , ca n't fully comprehend what they are putting to screen",
      "respectable adult entertainment with enough paranoia and off-kilter touches to satisfy longtime -lsb- roman polanski -rsb- fans .",
      "the MOV may not go down as one of polanski 's masterpieces , but if it does end up being his swan song , it 's the ideal denouement to a life and career of unsettling resonance .",
      "a squandered opportunity both to take on the real-life crimes of the iraq war and create genuine tension and suspense .",
      "the MOV is a smartly written poke at the notion that we miss the big stories that are right out in the open because , ultimately , we care about the wrong things .",
      "as tension and paranoia mount , one clearly sees how much of polanski 's personal life is on the screen .",
      "this is the 76-year-old polanski 's first contemporary thriller in two decades and his first film in four years . it 's an intelligent and deftly honed return to the genre , blending a contemporary plot and classic structure .",
      "a dark pearl of a movie whose great flair and precision make it polanski 's best work in quite a while .",
      "similarly plotted recent movies , like , say , edge of darkness , can only dream of being this good .",
      "a tight , taut , witty and highly theatrical entertainment , shot in shades of wintry gray , that will keep you guessing right through its final fadeout .",
      "polanski does a good job at keeping things tense , but comparisons with hitchcock are overly flattering ...",
      "polanski 's film is nothing short of a masterpiece by a filmmaker who has returned to the top of his game .",
      "taut and suspenseful in interweaving the fundamental pleasures of a good mystery with an astute critique of the current sociopolitical climate",
      "... an uneven yet refreshingly grown-up thriller that should satisfy polanski 's fans .",
      "polanski 's movie does a slow , methodical disintegration . more movies should do it that well . cliche is rarely done with such style .",
      "harris and polanski dole out the revelations carefully , and the dialogue crackles with both sophisticated wit and bare-knuckle energy .",
      "... even as we begin to see around the sides of this expertly executed paranoia play we can glimpse polanski 's genuinely dark view , a hard sad kernel of pessimism for the chances of the virtuous nameless against the entrenched brand names of power .",
      "it 's the kind of enjoyable , junky melodramatic mystery/roman-a-clef that any script doctor would be proud to admit having written .",
      "the masterful roman polanski builds tension with grace and elegance",
      "polanski is expert at keeping the audience guessing and turning the screws for maximum tension .",
      "intense , masterful political thriller ok for older teens .",
      "brosnan and williams are the real highlights , both such dynamos that you feel their absence and yearn for their return during the long stretches when mcgregor is mucking about on his own .",
      "the MOV is minor polanski but it 's one of the rare thrillers these days that plays up to you instead of down .",
      "this is a nice , stripped down , spare , modest little thriller .",
      "... a smart and satisfying mystery that relies just as much on substance as it does style .",
      "the mystery is unraveled a bit too conveniently , and the fatalistic chinatown ending feels more rehearsed than revelatory .",
      "does n't demand much from the viewer , but its smart dialogue , nimble syncopations , and tricky suspense are - while you 're there in the theater , in the dark - thoroughly satisfying .",
      "a shrewd , intoxicating slow-burn thriller . director roman polanski fashions a disquieting mood that hangs portentously over the proceedings like an inevitable tragedy foretold .",
      "the MOV , if not among roman polanski 's greatest works , is certainly among his most pleasurable .",
      "despite the pov and the reprehensible character of the director , this is an entertaining movie , reminiscent of the best of hitchcock in the '50s .",
      "too many scenes here are a bit perfunctory , but they 're balanced out well enough by the occasional directorial flourish or long moment of nicely sustained tension .",
      "with cheeky nods to old school faustian mysteries like sunset blvd. and the third man , the MOV is full of nail-biting suspense , dark humor , sexual tension and revelations hiding around every corner .",
      "polanski at 76 provides a reminder of directors of the past who were raised on craft , not gimmicks , and depended on a deliberate rhythm of editing rather than mindless quick cutting .",
      "... a smart political thriller ... oozing polanski 's trademark paranoia and claustrophobia which also manages to be topical as well as often wickedly funny .",
      "there are number of loose ends that are not tied up and some character motivations do n't add up . nevertheless , polanski polishes everything until it gleams . this is a very slick , good-looking production .",
      "-lsb- polanski 's -rsb- delivered yet another well-paced thriller anchored by a great lead performance that could easily serve as the brilliant finale to an equally brilliant career .",
      "what a well-told mystery . hitchcock must have been watching from above and smiling when ` the MOV ' was filmed .",
      "click to read full review",
      "polanski delivers his message about power and corruption in a subtle , engaging way , and delivers his message with a wry , humorous edge .",
      "shows off the director 's fine filmmaking craftsmanship and even though it lacks depth it is still one of his better films in recent years .",
      "it 's a mood piece that moves . the film clocks in at just over two hours , but it 's so enticing in its cold , rain-swept way , the sponge absorbing it is you .",
      "suspicion and insinuation seep from nearly every frame .",
      "the film plays slightly flat with little in the way of style that distinguishes it as the work of an auteur .",
      "mcgregor turns in his best work in recent memory , and polanski 's an expert at building the sort of intense atmosphere that leaves his audience in a state of edgy paranoia .",
      "polanski 's eminently suave town-car thriller relaxes willing viewers right into the director 's velvet grip .",
      "the intrigues , suspense , and reversals that follow this setup are best left to unfold at their own stately clip .",
      "from the second it begins , the MOV signals directorial authority and precision , subtly codifying the film 's existential style and substance .",
      "this is a real triumph in tone .",
      "a creepy , captivating thriller and the year 's first great movie .",
      "an entertaining , gripping and well made thriller .",
      "beautifully directed and superbly written , this is a thoroughly gripping thriller with terrific performances from ewan mcgregor , pierce brosnan and olivia williams .",
      "directed ably by polanski , the ghost is a cogent and chilling conspiracy thriller .",
      "polanski never lets things get too self-regarding , liberally sprinkling the script - co-written with harris - with some nice touches of humour from the novel and the change to the ending actually ties things up more neatly .",
      "the script shows butterfingers habits when it comes to narrative detail , and the final revelation holds little interest . but polanski 's approach is always magical . even when diluted , it casts a potent spell .",
      "the best thing i 've seen so far this year .",
      "the ghost is n't polanski 's best work , but it 's a more worthwhile project than the 2005 oliver twist remake , his only other movie since winning a best director oscar for the pianist in 2003 .",
      "polanski reminds us he 's an old hand at building suspense and , even though the plot spirals out of control at the end , the ghost remains deliciously unnerving .",
      "as when coppola made the rainmaker , perfectly adequate as it was , there 's a sense that polanski is comfortable plying his expertise : a decent professional job , untroubled by the virtues of art .",
      "the thread of black humour that runs throughout the film compensates for its occasional moments of madness . it 's a film just silly enough to be taken deadly seriously .",
      "an often-tense affair that comes with just the right amount of cynicism , a great cast , and one that treats the audience with a modicum of intelligence .",
      "polanski at near the top of his form",
      "in the total context of polanski 's hard life and grim ordeals ... the MOV constitutes a miracle of artistic and psychological resilience .",
      "it 's a slow build that hints at something big from the beginning but unravels nicely throughout .",
      "the MOV is tense , unsettling and deeply thrilling because of the way a master filmmaker looks at the world .",
      "polanski 's a master of carefully drawing you in that cold gray place where everything is wrong , no one sleeps well and secrets are hidden from the hapless main character until it 's too late for anyone to make it out with their lives or souls intact .",
      "for all of it 's mirroring of real life circumstances , the MOV 's shrouded revelations are ever transitory .",
      "the great thing about brosnan 's performance is that his character 's shadow looms over the entire film , yet brosnan never resorts to chewing the scenery or becoming a blair charicature .",
      "polanski 's skills are obvious in his compositions and patience , and a nervous energy hovers over much of the picture ... yet i consistently felt disengaged , like the pacing was mismanaged .",
      "i would not put the narrative conceit the MOV perpetrates in its final moments past a doped up high school sophomore in a screenwriting elective .",
      "though it will likely be overshadowed by the on-rushing summer blockbusters , the MOV offers something different and a welcome getaway from feather-lite narratives we 're all too used to in modern cinema .",
      "polanski 's most enjoyable film for a very long time .",
      "the MOV leaves you with a positive and intriguing feeling but suffered from odd character development which lessened the impact of the film 's powerful ending",
      "the setup is the stuff of fantastic political exploration , which makes the generic payoff all the more disappointing .",
      "creates a wondrous sense of tension with things half seen , half heard , making even the most pedestrian of settings take on the most sinister of aspects .",
      "not only is `` the MOV '' an uncommonly smart and efficient political thriller , it is also a roman polanski film through and through and , with the exception of `` the pianist , '' easily the best and most consistent thing he has done since `` bitter moon ''",
      "this is n't a movie to compare to chinatown or rosemary 's baby , but it 's entertaining , clever , very funny and largely unpredictable all the way to the end .",
      "like the swiss clocks that must have watched over his editing suite , polanski 's flick ticks away relentlessly -- at 128 minutes , the film does n't make us impatient for a second .",
      "hitchcock would approve .",
      "polanski polishes the lacklustre material and his impeccable style creates the illusion of suspense where our steady pulse tells us there is none .",
      "whether or not polanski fully grasps the moral of his own excellent film remains to be seen .",
      "a supple , amusing , lightweight entertainment graced with likeable performances and an effective , unobtrusive score .",
      "the result is certainly polanski 's best film in years and one can only hope his current legal woes - facing extradition to the us over his 1977 conviction in an underage sex case - do n't detract from a thriller that oozes intrigue and hitchcockian menace .",
      "it relies on an unusual premise , intriguing characters and expertly generated tension to involve us ; and that 's just what it does .",
      "a little long at over two hours , it 's still a tense and sinister journey through the dark side of politics .",
      "a routine thriller elevated by polanski 's direction and an a-list cast , who are never stretched .",
      "the director 's shrewd and witty approach to the material demonstrates his finely tuned sense of the absurd . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "brosnan , long past his james bond days , has ripened as an actor ; he 's outstanding .",
      "the element of paranoia polanski wove so well through movies like chinatown and rosemary 's baby is on full display here .",
      "you 're likely to be drawn in by the film 's sleek elegance alone and forget about its mysterious underpinnings .",
      "the story involves intricately crafted misdirection and political intrigue in a style reminiscent of david mamet 's spartan . the omnipresent machinations beckon a second viewing for a deeper read .",
      "from the chic austerity of the langs ' undisclosed location to the gradually revealed nexus between academia , politics and corporate influence , the MOV offers an unusually astute glimpse of power at its most alluring and corrosive .",
      "one of the first truly oscar-worthy films of 2010 .",
      "if the MOV has a fatal flaw , it resides not with the cast but with the truly hideous ending . ... it 's laugh-out-loud , groan-worthy bad .",
      "polanski infuses the action with the quality of a waking nightmare . he has the capacity to take a simple shot of a ship coming into harbor and give it a feeling of foreboding .",
      "considering that it 's been more than a decade since the ninth gate , you 'd think polanski would have had more in store .",
      "parental content review",
      "the brilliance of the ensemble acting here is perhaps polanski 's finest achievement",
      "the film is polished and deliberately paced with polanski 's professionalism and a strong cast compensating for a plot that does n't stand up to close scrutiny .",
      "a perfectly passable political suspenser with enough romanesque flair to satiate admirers . it 's a cut above his patchy previous effort oliver twist , but never troubles the heights reached by his finest ...",
      "-lsb- contains -rsb- a series of fundamentally dispiriting moments that are seemingly insulated from criticism by the polanski brand .",
      "it loses direction as harris ' rage is channelled through some clunky plot developments .",
      "with all the problems in polanski 's life -lrb- perhaps not undeserved -rrb- he can still turn out a gripping film .",
      "a slow-burning and elegant thriller firmly in the hitchcock mode but with shards of cynicism that are uniquely polanski 's .",
      "wily and wise , the MOV is in a way polanski 's a king in new york",
      "the film will probably be better remembered as a faithful screen adaptation of the robert harris political thriller .",
      "polanski 's fiendishly clever and extremely subtle touch is in every frame .",
      "verbose but lovingly toxic , the MOV nails a perfect pitch of paranoia with a distinctly retro flair , restoring some needed maturity to the bustling business of thriller cinema .",
      "a crisply made , well-written mystery with terrific performances from pierce brosnan , ewan mcgregor , and olivia williams .",
      "in the MOV one can imagine that polanski is channeling some of his present day dilemmas and demons . it is a stylistic thriller -- worthy of the 1970s -- by a very personal fugitive .",
      "as an exercise in craft , it 's surprisingly successful , thanks to the strong cast and the vivid depiction of a modern leader 's security apparatus .",
      "another director would almost certainly have bobbled this devilish mixture of paperback suspense , political chicanery , and jet-black comedy . in polanski 's hands , it 's an unholy pleasure : a diversion that stings .",
      "the MOV is a decent little mystery-thriller with some smarts and a good cast .",
      "`` the MOV , '' polanski 's stylish , ridiculously topical film noir about publishing and political cloak-and-dagger , is a velvety descent into a maelstrom of unease .",
      "so elegant , so deliciously scary , so masterfully controlled that you feel tingles of bliss even as your skin crawls .",
      "the MOV is terrific fun and rousing proof that there 's still vital life in an aging master filmmaker .",
      "MOV is not a delicate and clean weaving of film fabric . this is more like a patchwork quilt .",
      "seems pale , weightless and -- compared to the best paranoid thrillers -- surprisingly ephemeral .",
      "gostemos ou năo do cidadăo polanski , seus filmes continuam a ser obrigatórios para qualquer um que ame o bom cinema .",
      "an aggressive extreme seductress who is on the brink of nearly raping the gullible ghost , when cornering him in his tub with an offer of towels to dry his tush , does n't do the trick in this possibly covert bio .",
      "with the MOV , roman polanksi not only does his most assured thriller filmmaking since the mid-1990s , he also does some of his wittiest work in years .",
      "this lazily plotted and performed political snoozer has to be one of the most disappointing films i 've seen all year .",
      "filled with intrigue and tension . roman polanski uses all his skills to bring together the elements for a hit of suspense",
      "part detective story part political thriller , the MOV is built on recent world events in an imaginary scenario that is not so fanciful as to be incredible",
      "a stylish and capable thriller , but one that somehow ends up being disappointingly less than the sum of its parts .",
      "mr. polanski 's work with his performers is consistently subtle even when the performances seem anything but , which is true of this very fine film from welcome start to finish .",
      "while an intriguing political thriller , it disappointingly lacks the atmosphere of roman polanski 's previous masterpieces .",
      "it is good to see polanski exercising his gift for the sinister . it 's a spooky world he evokes here but its architecture does n't hang together , which is a great pity .",
      "the best thing polanski has done since the seventies , when he brought out the incomparable chinatown and the very fine tess ."
    ],
    "summary": "while it may lack the revelatory punch of polanski 's finest films , MOV benefits from stylish direction , a tense screenplay , and a strong central performance from ewan mcgregor .",
    "id": "770810665"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sunrise",
    "reviews": [
      "f.w. murnau 's MOV -lrb- 1928 -rrb- conquered time and gravity with a freedom that was startling to its first audiences . to see it today is to be astonished by the boldness of its visual experimentation .",
      "mr. murnau proves by MOV that he can do just as fine work in hollywood as he ever did in germany .",
      "reckless , romantic , and extravagant .",
      "murnau masterpiece ; gorgeously shot and acted .",
      "moody and melodramatic , a technical treat that grabs hold of the viewer and will not let him go .",
      "an example of true love styled to cinema perfection .",
      "this sexy melodrama and intense psychological thriller provides an original and satisfying mix of romanticism , artifice and realism .",
      "one of the finest examples of cinema 's artistic flowering at the cusp of the silents-to-sound transition ...",
      "an exuberant pioneer picture conceived on a big canvas , blazing an inspirational trail for just about everything hollywood has done since .",
      "a textbook of silent film techniques and astounding black-and-white cinematography ...",
      "one of the first psychological thrillers ever made , f.w. murnau 's silent MOV is as dark as they come .",
      "one of the select few films in history that show what the medium is capable of attaining at its highest , most exalted state .",
      "alternatingly romantic , joyful , sexy and terrifying",
      "f.w. murnau 's visual style adds depth and excitement to the drama , and humour .",
      "MOV speaks well of the silent screen and its cinematic powers .",
      "it 's a love story that 's more than just a tale of broken hearts and damp hankies . it 's also a landmark in the history of cinema that turns melodrama into high art .",
      "one of the most luminous experiences you will have in a movie theater .",
      "' ... many of the black and white scene stills could be displayed in the post-impressionist wing of the musee d'orsay '",
      "nothing will explain it or the experience of it . it simply has to be seen -- and that is as it should be .",
      "the status of MOV as the finest silent film ever made is threatened perhaps only by murnau 's own the last laugh .",
      "f.w. murnau 's first american film is a tour de force of silent filmmaking .",
      "f.w. murnau 's career-peak nova , the crowning film from that sacred , edge-of-the-abyss year of 1927 .",
      "one of those seminal works without which modern movies would n't exist ...",
      "in its artistry , dramatic power and graphic suggestion it goes a long way toward realizing the promise of this foreign director in his former works , notably faust .",
      "picturesquely soporific .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- unexpectedly harmonious marriage of german expressionism and hollywood romanticism .",
      "murnau 's visual mastery , his marriage of expressionism , visual lyricism and the daring technological ambition of pre-sound hollywood , shows silent cinema at its pinnacle .",
      "released in 1927 , the last year of silent film , it 's a pinnacle of that lost art .",
      "one of the last great silent movies .",
      "one of the finest romantic dramas of all time .",
      "if you need an introduction to silent cinema , f.w. murnau 's 1927 milestone remains a piercingly direct universal drama .",
      "rich , strange and gorgeous , f.w. murnau 's MOV shows what an artist of the late silent era could accomplish cinematically , backed by an open checkbook and fueled by the highest aspirations even in the simplest of morality tales .",
      "a movie in which every single moment is exactly right .",
      "it 's the brilliant imagery and ground-breaking techniques that make it such a timeless achievement .",
      "this is pure cinema : emotionally uplifting , utterly absorbing , sublimely refreshing .",
      "gives the modern viewer a way to look back at the history of cinema",
      "cinema at its most exhilarating .",
      "for his hollywood début , in 1927 , the german director f. w. murnau brought a slender story to life with a breathtaking display of cinematic virtuosity , creating one of the masterworks of the art form .",
      "murnau deftly balances the changes in tone , going from a deep foreboding to complete bliss , and using expressionistic techniques like forced perspective , wonky set design , and long shadows to project a huge range of emotion .",
      "MOV may not be the greatest film ever made -lrb- as the french critics once declared -rrb- , but it certainly is one of the most lyrical , stunning , and influential works in cinema history .",
      "MOV is often rightfully noted for its technical achievements but what is often overlooked is its emotional power .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1927 -rrb- is german director f. w. murnau 's american debut - his first project for hollywood 's fox film corporation . it was the first feature film",
      "MOV is an incredible achievement , and perhaps the greatest silent drama ever made ."
    ],
    "summary": "boasting masterful cinematography to match its well-acted , wonderfully romantic storyline , MOV is perhaps the final -- and arguably definitive -- statement of the silent era .",
    "id": "98818519"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gods_and_monsters",
    "reviews": [
      "... a filmic epiphany .",
      "this is a joy of a film , a throwback to the great human dramas of the hollywood that made hollywood ; where movies for everyman -lrb- even if dealing with not so-every-man -rrb- were invented . ''",
      "the james whale of this movie proves to be a dotty bore .",
      "ian mckellen shines in this well-acted drama about a mysterious hollywood celebrity .",
      "i ca n't remember the last time i was so emotionally pounded by a film ... ian mckellan is a god .",
      "a smart picture , if not a brilliant one .",
      "mckellen 's performance borders on brilliance .",
      "a truly good film with a great cast",
      "the whole thing still might have fallen apart if not for mckellen , who makes whale so fascinating that the film could have worked as a monologue .",
      "an example of a reasonably challenging film that does n't really accomplish what it sets out to do , but is nevertheless thoughtfully-conceived and contains a couple of highly enjoyable performances that keep it afloat .",
      "mckellen , nevertheless , provides plenty of electricity -- even if the monster never quite gets off the table and walks .",
      "whale , always the aesthete and snob , comments to an interviewer that the other frankenstein films were done by hacks .",
      "a movie of infinite patience",
      "`` MOV '' is a nearly perfect movie . when film historians write the cinematic history of this decade , it will surely be included .",
      "a richly textured movie that speculates about the last days of an iconic filmmaker while exploring the sometimes divine , sometimes monstrous landscape of obsession and desire .",
      "a deceptively simple story with a multiplicity of subtle insights",
      "mckellan somehow coaxes a real performance from brendan fraser .",
      "for all of the interesting possibilities inherent in condon 's source material , the single most important thing one learns about james whale , according to the film , was that he was a dirty old man .",
      "a daring experiment in cinematic biography denigrates into a mess of dream sequences and mini-flashbacks that left me more confused about the subject than before i arrived .",
      "a heartfelt and intelligent motion picture .",
      "the whole thing ... might have fallen apart if not for mckellen , who makes whale so fascinating that the film could have worked as a monologue .",
      "condon 's indie is narrwoly focused in depicting james whale 's personal and professional frustrations as an old man , but ian mckellen , who must have felt strong affinity with the openly gay director , gives an astonishingly sophisticated performance .",
      "not a complicated film , but warm and clever .",
      "an engrossing , unusual , imaginatively executed bit of psychological gamesmanship ...",
      "a parable worthy of mary shelley herself .",
      "catches a life and its relation to art . one imagines that james whale would not have turned over in his grave in horror .",
      "the film clearly belongs to mckellen , whose presence is what makes the film as affecting at it is .",
      "while condon may not quite have captured an accurate whale , he and his cast have brought a memorable creation to life .",
      "it may not be history , but what a glorious imagining it is .",
      "this movie is obviously a dream come true for condon , and he delivers it with precision , care , love , and intelligence .",
      "travels far beyond the usual chronological re-telling of highlights"
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a spellbinding , confusing piece of semi-fiction , featuring fine performances ; mckellen leads the way , but redgrave and fraser do n't lag far behind .",
    "id": "14535"
  },
  {
    "movie": "remember_the_titans",
    "reviews": [
      "i admired the way the screenplay , by gregory allen howard , does n't make boone noble and yoast a racist , but shows them both as ambitious and skilled professionals .",
      "taken on its own terms , it 's an agreeable entertainment , solidly crafted , wonderfully acted and often genuinely moving .",
      "... masked by the surface of a sports movie , but one where even the most obvious clichés -lrb- even the obligatory ` big game ' climax -rrb- come off without much criticism .",
      "an updated combination of rocky and any one of the `` conscience liberalism '' dramas of the '40s and '50s starring harry belafonte or sidney poitier",
      "this does n't probe very deep and belongs firmly in the warm and fuzzy race-relations stable but has just enough below the surface to muster a pass mark .",
      "with such volatile and interesting subject matter , we could have gotten more than a safe really good bad movie . we could have gotten a good movie .",
      "the acting in this film is good throughout , with washington , patton , bertier and harris being the standouts .",
      "it 's pretty bad .",
      "if viewed as a crowd-pleasing , feel-good sports movie , the film is an unqualified success .",
      "MOV is similarly solid ; its satisfactions are time-tested , a little worn but nonetheless durable .",
      "the film benefits from strong leads in washington and patton .",
      "n no pretende ser un análisis concienzudo ni una crítica determinante sobre los prejuicios raciales o sobre el poder de la motivación",
      "a wonderful crowd pleaser , and as long as you do n't expect too much of it or think about it too deeply , it will remain a favourite .",
      "it 's got denzel washington in it -lrb- generally a good sign -rrb- , it 's not just about gridiron , it 's not as predictable as you might think , and it 's actually rather good .",
      "the film is awash with emotional , poignant moments .",
      "because the makers of `` MOV '' have their hearts in the right place , it 's easy to forgive them for overstating their message .",
      "... while it does n't entirely capitalize on its homogenized premise , it avoids embarrassing itself by reaching too far .",
      "these titans are forgettable indeed .",
      "when the hard battle for integration is served up as a feel-good package , we 've all been bamboozled .",
      "generally this is a skilful film , subtle as can be expected from a major studio , with involving , detailed characterisations , and the best kind of tear-jerking moments -- those that earn the right to be there .",
      "seems too easy , too feel-good , too lush . there 's a theme-park feel to it , as if the powers-that-be had decided to open a rosa parks trolley ride at disneyland .",
      "toss it in the bin along with the replacements , but give it bonus points , at least , for having a social conscience .",
      "it ca n't help but seem like a somewhat sad day in film when mediocrity starts to look and feel good .",
      "if nothing else , deserves some kind of trophy for most bogus ` true story ' ever filmed .",
      "holds fewer surprises than a death match between a chicken and a caterpillar .",
      "this mix of sweat and uplift in the civil rights era does n't quite come off , despite some strong performances and the fact that it 's based on a genuinely inspirational true story .",
      "insufferable .",
      "well-intentioned but overwrought .",
      "one only wishes that the fervor depicted within the 100 yard markers could have successfully carried over to the racial issues being explored off the field .",
      "unless you find the idea of such an earnest , well-meaning mixture of rah-rah sports action , social commentary and maudlin tearjerker off-putting from the start , you 'll find that this example is professionally crafted and perhaps even momentarily stirring .",
      "the emphasis on the players ' developing mutual trust , is absorbing to watch and cleanly directed .",
      "inspiring football drama brings history to life .",
      "the crack-of-dawn jog to gettysburg is the only hokey hail mary in an otherwise smart , stirring sports film . consider `` titans '' a pg-rated , kindhearted drill for the brutal sadism that would win denzel washington an oscar for `` training day . ''",
      "the absence of innovation can easily be forgiven .",
      "the film is quite lightweight for the subject matter , but washington and company make it watchable .",
      "although there 's enough emotional manipulation here to fill a river with tears , it 's hard not to be swept up ...",
      "maybe it 's all true . but one is always a little discomfited when life , or a movie , imitates weary melodramatic patterns this slavishly .",
      "yakin 's hackwork is so slickly manipulative and preachy it has the tone of a politician 's tv commercial ...",
      "the leads , denzel washington and particularly will patton , are so good they occasionally make you forget the material is shameless .",
      "i must say i 'm becoming very impressed with jerry bruckheimer as of late .",
      "the acting and casting is top pick , highlighted by denzel washington 's fierce opinionating and single-mindedness . will patton is totally impressive in the way he remains sympathetic and complex .",
      "the result is the sort of deeply massaged truth that is n't stranger than fiction -- it 's worse than fiction .",
      "conservando la esencia combativa de una película de deportes , MOV es más que eso ; es una historia verídica .",
      "a good-hearted and sometimes surprisingly moving film that 's certain to earn high marks from family audiences and from fans of denzel washington ...",
      "MOV works just fine .",
      "football ends racism ? yeah , right .",
      "a wonderful crowd pleaser , and as long as you do n't expect too much of it or think about it too deeply , it will remain a favourite .",
      "a sprawling , muscular gridiron movie that , surprisingly enough , does n't have all that much to do with football .",
      "this film has an important message , well told .",
      "i 'd hate to fathom a film community dominated by bruckheimer material .",
      "once kicked , the ball deflates midway through the goal posts , and then lies there sagging for another 45 minutes .",
      "a pity that the script is so paint-by-numbers .",
      "the story is based on real incidents , but the uplifting tone is laid on so thick that it 's difficult to believe a minute of it .",
      "not as powerfully boring as gone in 60 seconds , less anti-erotic than coyote ugly , this is a civil rights tale for people 's court times -- the verdicts are speedy , vague and unconscionable .",
      "MOV resembles a sports re-run of game plans that once seemed fresh .",
      "a weird blend of malcolm x , stand by me , and rocky .",
      "beneath its rah-rah rhetoric and pigskin proselytizing , it 's no more provocative or thoughtful than a hallmark greeting card .",
      "... a highly manipulative , utterly predictable and greatly entertaining film",
      "... impossible to resist .",
      "the film tries its best not to point fingers and avoids the strawmen racists that are so easily shown in other movies .",
      "one of the most entertaining films of the year .",
      "MOV wo n't win any oscars and it wo n't explain the rules of american football but the glow will last the whole way home .",
      "a moving story with nice work from young actors wood harris and ryan hurst , among others , as the young men forced to see beyond skin color .",
      "the best performance here , though , is by will patton who infuses his coach yoast with the humanity that 's strangely missing from washington 's coach boone .",
      "will someone please make me a great football movie ?",
      "we 've seen this kind of sports movie a thousand times , but you know what , i like that movie .",
      "is perfecting the art of middle-of-the-road really what should be applauded in movie making today ?",
      "an effective ` feel-good ' movie that will play well to mass audiences .",
      "the movie is so well-acted , with will patton 's performance in particular so quietly engaging , that we have to give the ensemble credit for turning in an enjoyable and heartwarming film .",
      "it 's slick hollywood product , all right , but it also may be the most moving and entertaining movie so far this year .",
      "all heart , big muscles and not a whole lot of gray matter upstairs . still , once in a while , it shows itself to be just smart enough to make a key play .",
      "the contrivances of the screenplay do n't matter as much as they might because the interplay between the actors is so lively and believable .",
      "it ai n't art , but it 's entertaining on a thoughtless , populist level , so what are you gon na do ? give in , and let it tackle you , that 's what .",
      "-lsb- bruckheimer 's -rsb- latest production is , in some ways , a departure . not only is it based on a true story , it is also actually about something .",
      "the entire cast is excellent .",
      "the script is very good in convincingly portraying the way the teammates learn to trust one another , overcome their prejudices and even laugh at the absurdity of racism .",
      "the film is sufficiently populated with carefully drawn characters and infused with enough fire and levity to win you over even as you titter at its corniness .",
      "while male bonding surely can be a route to tolerance , in this case , it ends up looking painfully small-world-after-all-ish .",
      "denzel washington should have held out for a better script before he signed on to star in MOV .",
      "i did n't believe the movie , or my tears , for a second .",
      "it is masterful , packed with emotion and some humor . it is an inspiring movie that should not be missed .",
      "a veritable winner .",
      "the ensemble cast does its best to flesh out their cliched , symbolic characters .",
      "an emotionally-uplifting testament to the power of the human spirit .",
      "shows how radical respect - or , to use the religious term , reverence - is a flinty antidote to the virus of racial hatred and bigotry .",
      "after weeks of hating each other , the titans inexplicably seem to unite over a marvin gaye song and a contest where they rank out each other 's moms .",
      "while various critics have pointed out the film 's numerous historical inaccuracies , the social and political sugar-coating that takes place is even more disturbing .",
      "too bad the rest of the film is n't up to the exacting standards of its lead actors .",
      "boorish and flatulent .",
      "soft-edged and sweet .",
      "director yakin pulls all the right strings .",
      "boaz yakin gets uniformly winning performances from the little-known actors cast as the players .",
      "this film ... is distributed under the walt disney brand , which means that it 's supposed to be uplifting . usually it means that it 's for very little kids . fortunately , this is n't the case and parents should be able to sit through it without any problems .",
      "emotionally affecting tale .",
      "washington and the others score in this predictable but rousing film where the big victory is over attitudes .",
      "this feel-good walt disney pictures film hits all the right buttons and will make viewers stand up and cheer , laugh , cry and learn a thing or two about human nature .",
      "titans may prove that bruckheimer has a social conscience , but it ca n't hide his penchant for pandering .",
      "engagingly cast , with a lively soundtrack and glossy cinematography .",
      "an unabashed crowd-pleaser that never compromises its substance .",
      "a great sports movie with an excellent cast and a good message .",
      "the good news is that whenever the tear-and-a-smile stuff threatens to go overboard , the film pulls back and gives us another scene on the football field , and all the football scenes are strong .",
      "a stirring and gratifying ` true story ' which nonetheless plays like it was written by a computer and directed by someone consulting an instruction manual before every take .",
      "the fact that MOV ' finale is as exciting as any real-life contest makes the film more than just a good story well-told -- it 's a great game well-played .",
      "a well-packaged , well-acted , well-intentioned feel good movie that brings nothing new to the table yet still manages to pull you into its wonderful world of harmony .",
      "aside from its message-waving , pic dedicates itself to entertaining the audience via its military-style whip - 'em - into-shape training antics , the sort of thing that always goes down very easily .",
      "again and again , you have to be in awe of washington 's incredible talent as an actor .",
      "shines despite its problem areas , thanks to strong casting and the sincerity of gregory allen howard 's screenplay .",
      "a crowd-pleaser with a moral conscience .",
      "inspirational and moving .",
      "sturdy , gripping and well-balanced if somewhat artificial .",
      "it is meant to be a feel-good movie , and it succeeds at that .",
      "it 's another top-shelf performance for the incredible denzel washington , and it 's mui macho producer jerry bruckheimer 's best movie this year -- and i mean that as a compliment , i swear .",
      "it 's amazing how moving the film really is without seeming like sappy forced sentimentality .",
      "you 've seen it all before , but the competent repackaging will manage to tug at your heart strings anyway .",
      "unlike so many of bruckheimer 's recent productions , the film also has real heart and a worthwhile purpose for existing .",
      "a totally absorbing movie .",
      "unabashedly old-fashioned .",
      "a terrific entertainment , staged with a degree of conviction that often approaches the giddy .",
      "the movie manages to be moving and entertaining , and audiences will surely love it , but this is about as slick , predictable and manipulative as a movie can get .",
      "there are wonderful moments on the edges of the narrative , some beautifully choreographed football scenes , several excellent performances and the usual subtle brilliance from denzel washington .",
      "the film might not present anything new or particularly deep about its underlying , true-life story , but it 's near constantly engaging and almost always entertaining .",
      "the film is a lot about character and a little about football . not a single boring , slow , or unnecessary second . i loved it .",
      "a wonderfully stitched movie about a community overcoming racial prejudice via the crucible of its high school gridiron .",
      "this is one football flick that scores on and off the field .",
      "a sure script , solid direction , and another sensational performance by denzel washington .",
      "startlingly resonant yet unabashedly entertaining .",
      "a cheerfully uplifting triumph , that rare film that conveys emotion without sentimentality , and whose weaknesses are so overpowered by its strengths that you practically forget they exist .",
      "MOV overcomes the paint-by-numbers sentimentality , thanks to its appealing range of young characters and the largely unknown actors who play them .",
      "i 'll never forget the titans"
    ],
    "summary": "an inspirational crowd-pleaser with a healthy dose of social commentary , MOV may be predictable , but it 's also well-crafted and features terrific performances .",
    "id": "10238"
  },
  {
    "movie": "van_wilder_2",
    "reviews": [
      "the question comes to mind : how do you make a van wilder movie without van wilder ? the answer , after watching the end result , is you do n't . or at least you should n't .",
      "the rise of taj is relatively pointless in the scheme of things , but refreshing in what it -lrb- mostly -rrb- does n't resort to for laughs .",
      "the four-years-in-the-making , badly recycled -lrb- not to mention awful -rrb- sequel might stain the honor of the lampoon label if it had n't already produced several even worse films .",
      "crikey , it 's enough to give even stupid comedy a bad name .",
      "ryan reynolds did blade : trinity , people . if he thinks a sequel is beneath him , you 'd better believe it .",
      "the film 's incompetence is not limited to the writing , acting and directing . there are jarring jump cuts and continuity errors , and a laugh-out-loud eyeline mishap during a supposedly intimate conversation . one keeps expecting a boom mike to peek out .",
      "in an askew way , rise of taj is a better film than van wilder , but when encountering cinematic crap on this level , it 's hard to clearly distinguish the taste anymore .",
      "defines pedestrian filmmaking on every conceivable level , yet this embracement of mediocrity lends a surprising amount of legitimacy to its juvenile subject matter .",
      "the laughs are low , the breasts are high , and the film is instantly forgettable .",
      "as the movie itself is only occasionally entertaining , i invented my own competition : picking scenes from other movies that the MOV screenwriters ripped off because they did n't have any of their own ideas .",
      "penn , who also takes an executive producer credit here , wanders around halfheartedly attempting to make something amusing out of the limp shock-comedy antics , but it all just goes in one innuendo and out the other .",
      "it 's hard to fathom why this did n't go straight to video , or maybe even youtube .",
      "before a schmaltzy , earnest ending , taj manages to score with exactly one decent joke . it 's about british colonialism , it 's in the trailer and you can see it on the internet for free .",
      "some movies are hollywood 's version of littering : like half-eaten pizzas or rancid burgers , these flicks are tossed aside to rot in empty cinemas .",
      "dude , where are my laughs ?",
      "ill-conceived .",
      "MOV 's sense of numbing familiarity is not enhanced by director mort nathan 's apparent unfamiliarity with the entire filmmaking process .",
      "taj plays like a very bad combination of revenge of the nerds and harry potter .",
      "britain and india face off in national lampoon 's MOV : the rise of taj , a strained attempt to transplant the american campus comedy to more uptight shores .",
      "everything old is old again in this rickety extension of 2002 's already rickety van wilder .",
      "there was a hedonistic amorality and joyous celebration of privilege in the first van wilder that 's missing from its sequel . that 's fine with me . i hated that movie .",
      "as the nerd sidekick to campus wildman ryan reynolds in the original film , penn projected a geeky charm , but he 's not equipped to play the lead in a well-constructed movie , let alone salvage this stunningly mediocre chain of skits .",
      "penn is n't quite as charming here as he was in harold and kumar go to white castle , but he has a lot less to work with .",
      "the rise of taj never rises to the level of time-killer .",
      "in this sequel to the 2002 campus comedy , kal penn spends much of the running time acting like wilder i star ryan reynolds , which no actor with half a brain should be doing .",
      "this is the sort of film that thinks calling a beer a ` libation ' is a form of wit .",
      "at times , taj counsels his lovable losers with dr. phil-esque platitudes . other times , the movie is a booze and sex romp without the jokes or production quality to give the frat pack movies a run for their money .",
      "i have had knee-shaking , äss-skewering hemorrhoids that were funnier than this so-called comedy .",
      "how `` MOV '' somehow made it into theaters is baffling , because it 's every bit as unfunny and cheap-looking as its direct-to-dvd brethren",
      "rather than pushing the envelope , the movie draws pictures of boobies on the envelope and tries to pass that off as comedy .",
      "at one point i tried to force myself to fall asleep , just so i would n't have to sit through any more of it .",
      "... original star ryan reynolds wisely took a pass on coming back for more ...",
      "granted , it 's still **** , but with a sweeter odor than usual .",
      "penn sports little of the squirrelly charm evidenced by the original van wilder star , ryan reynolds .",
      "national lampoon recycles countless collegiate comedies for this spin-off sequel .",
      "penn is capable of so much more .",
      "from haphazard editing to clueless cinematography to godawful acting to gaping plot holes to zero laughs to low production values , this sorry sequel has all the earmarks of your classic ` take the money and run ' ripoff .",
      "lame , horrid sequel is even worse than the first .",
      "this is shocking only for its tepidness ; except for some raunchy language , it 's ready-made for basic cable .",
      "screw tara reid ! who needs her in this movie . we 've got a cockney girl with huge knockers .",
      "prefers to dwell in deep direct-to-dvd juvenility ."
    ],
    "summary": "a low-brow comedy , minus the comedy .",
    "id": "387384568"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mighty_wind",
    "reviews": [
      "though it may not be guest et al 's best effort to date , it 's definitely not a shabby one . fans of the troupe 's odd humor and scathingly accurate caricatures will find much to be pleased about here",
      "a MOV looks like it was n't a big challenge for guest and his ensemble cast of mockumentary regulars . but if this is what -lsb- they -rsb- can accomplish on cruise control all the power to them .",
      "a MOV is a decent comedy , but it 's also a teeny bland .",
      "without a familiarity with its characters , the movie plays out more like what it is ... than what it pretends to be .",
      "the humour is very dry , only occasionally absurd , and always extremely close to the bone .",
      "guest manages to create a movie that is funny and somehow more touching and heartfelt than his earlier work .",
      "... the movie never makes fun of its subject , but pokes gentle fun at some of the more eccentric folk involved in it .",
      "the film is merciless as it takes sharp aim with smooth , subtle style at many of the celebrity affectations that have been given a pass for too long now .",
      "there are fewer laugh-out-loud moments than in guest 's previous efforts , but the lost laughs are traded for a greater-than-expected amount of poignancy .",
      "after his previous windows on the absurd ... a MOV proves that guest has turned parody into an art form .",
      "ao substituir a acidez de seus filmes anteriores por um tom mais simpático aos personagens , guest perde parte da graça - mas , ainda assim , consegue divertir bastante .",
      "a MOV does n't blow . but as satire , it does n't sting much , either .",
      "where guffman and best found hilarious comedy in collisions of fractured personalities , MOV boasts only a few moments of inspired chaos .",
      "a witty , knee slapping hootenanny .",
      "director christopher guest teams up recurring cast members from his past ensemble comedies -lrb- `` this is spinal tap , '' `` waiting for guffman '' and `` best in show '' -rrb- for this immaculately executed comedy of folk music stereotypes .",
      "guest lets the characters talk at length , obliviously revealing their own quirks and neuroses .",
      "hilarious folk music mockumentary has some innuendo .",
      "one breathtaking moment of clarity between eugene levy 's mitch and catherine o'hara 's mickey gives way to an anticipated kiss during which you can practically sense the characters ' hearts thumping and their fictional contemporaries rooting for them .",
      "levy and o'hara have a wonderful rapport developed from their days on sctv ...",
      "a MOV might look like a pbs documentary shown during pledge month , but it 's actually one of the brightest comedies we 're likely to see this year .",
      "guest and levy have delivered another amusing , wacky , occasionally hilarious and even touching picture .",
      "guest juggles the characters with great nuance , humor and gentleness .",
      "-lsb- guest -rsb- may be a one-trick pony , but it 's still a damn fine trick .",
      "after the hysteria died down , i realized i was stuck watching a movie about fake folk bands .",
      "a MOV keeps the comedy in tune . even the flat humor comes off witty and sharp .",
      "while guest can make merciless fun of his subjects , he also embraces them , and even admires the odd little niches they 've carved out for themselves in the world .",
      "you 'll have to see a MOV twice : you 'll be laughing too hard the first time to hear all the jokes .",
      "there is no question that it is seriously hilarious and heartfelt , and will be even more so after repeated viewings .",
      "consistently amusing while you 're watching it , but it 's even funnier when you think back on it later .",
      "expect a few belly laughs , regular chuckles and 90 minutes of fluid entertainment .",
      "guest holds his wind characters on a pedestal of reverence . it 's a place these actors have earned .",
      "christopher guest 's mockumentaries work because they lampoon unlikely subcultures gently , while also offering humorous insights into the human condition in general .",
      "a kinder , gentler film that is still very , very funny .",
      "guest is sometimes guilty of leaning too hard on the ` mock ' in mockumentary , but that impulse is tempered by some genuine sweetness .",
      "guest and his troupe have made a perfectly enjoyable movie , but held to the high comedic standards of their previous two mockumentary adventures ... not to mention this is spinal tap ... a MOV is a bummer .",
      "the edge is missing from guest 's usual style .",
      "christopher guest and eugene levy have a jolly time poking fun at the folk fads of the 1960s and the nostalgia for the movement 's stars . many laughs are to be had by all .",
      "a MOV is appealing and moment-to-moment enjoyable but lacks the focus of guest 's earlier films .",
      "it is as accurate as it is funny .",
      "an unforced , affectionately mocking picture which might not generate a constant gale of laughter , but does invite a steady stream of smiles and chuckles .",
      "freshened immensely by pitch-perfect song parodies , a batch of hilarious faux album covers , nimble improv from the ever-marvelous cast , and a palpable love for the subject matter .",
      "you can sense a twinge of nostalgia underneath all the gags .",
      "funny is what these guys do best , with ` throwaway lines ' with more punch than many scripted comedies could ever hope to have .",
      "lacks the belly laughs of ` best in show ' but goes deeper and is sweeter .",
      "a passably amusing art-house lark ... but certainly nothing to sing about .",
      "a fine-grained picture that goes for the sideways laughs rather than the straight-ahead ones .",
      "this stuff is sporadically amusing but never laugh-out-loud funny because we never escape the feeling that the gang is coasting until a more worthy target materializes , a target they can lambaste with impunity .",
      "arrives as a breath of fresh air , for its smart ensemble , subtle wit and careful observation of humanity .",
      "seeing these superb comic actors again in yet another sharply written satire is enough to make you smile before they even open their mouths .",
      "breezy , funny and amazingly musical .",
      "in this hilarious , pitch-perfect comedy , guest and his longtime collaborator , co-writer and star eugene levy , have the quaint , golly-gee enthusiasm of folkies and their music in the cross-hairs .",
      "the sweetest and funniest of guest 's true-life fake-umentaries .",
      "it allows for a little tenderness blended in amidst the outrageous non-sequiturs and gut-busting one-liners . it is a film with heart as well as wit .",
      "not quite what it could have been , but it features enough priceless moments and catchy music to be well worth seeing .",
      "a MOV does n't blow . but it fails to conjure the type of comedic hurricane that fans of guest anticipate .",
      "viciously creative .",
      "a MOV succeeds at being witty and sincere like all of guest 's and co 's . previous efforts . this time , however , there is a layer of humanity on the power of innocence that makes this film unique .",
      "the characters in a MOV are annoying , petty , pathetic , neurotic ... and downright charming .",
      "deftly mixes equal parts hilarity , poignancy , and lively hootenanny gusto .",
      "the predictably skimpy plot is only the skeleton upon which the talented core group of players can lay their fleshy and muscular comedy .",
      "a picture with moments of singular lunacy but overall regrettably little bite .",
      "`` a MOV '' is like a breath of fresh air .",
      "the character actors are all superb , deftly weaving back and forth over the line between sympathetic human characters and eccentric caricatures , so laughter and sympathy are indistinguishable .",
      "despite its shortcomings , a MOV ultimately does work more often than not , sustained in large part by the music .",
      "with guest again demonstrating affection for the subjects he teases -- the humor is never mean-spirited , and some of the music is kind of fun -- his fans are likely to be toe-tappingly pleased .",
      "beguiling yet not so funny as -lsb- guest 's -rsb- best in show , this is spinal tap and waiting for guffman .",
      "perhaps , after best of show and the terrific waiting for guffman this is a bit of a letdown . but it 's still nice to leave a theater with a smile these days -- even though it would be even nicer to leave it laughing .",
      "christopher guest has proven himself to be the master of an entire genre of film . he owns the mock-umentary .",
      "... a feel-good comedy that 's breezy and completely entertaining .",
      "not only is the material amusing , it 's charmingly engaging .",
      "a comedy 's no. 1 job is to be funny , and a MOV succeeds at that . but many opportunities to become a more accomplished film are left blowing in the wind .",
      "the only way to make this on target is to love it a little and the only way to make it this hilarious and ultimately so surprisingly touching is to take up orson welles ' mantra to give the cast another mention .",
      "you do n't have to be an aging baby-boomer folkie-manque to laugh yourself silly .",
      "this time the director of waiting for guffman and best in show seems peculiarly tone-deaf in conducting his chorus of yuks .",
      "there are funny lines and amusing moments , but the actors are split into two camps : those who tiptoe too lightly around the subject and those who try really , really hard to be funny .",
      "bright , breezy and whimsical , a MOV will please guest 's fans .",
      "chances are you will laugh throughout the movie , but if you 've seen guest 's other movies , you may feel , as i did , that there 's something dutiful about your chuckles .",
      "guest 's previous films offer essential windows into the absurd and the lovable and , in its own way , so does his latest .",
      "good , but just a little out of tune .",
      "so low key it almost puts you to sleep .",
      "tuned just right for a droll satire of the folk music scene .",
      "rather bland through the first third , the second third picks up only a little bit , but that third third is sweet .",
      "there is no shortage of performers with comic skills in a MOV . what 's lacking instead is a visible premise for the satire and ridicule .",
      "it 's not that a MOV is n't funny . it is . but it 's also amazingly insubstantial . five minutes after it 's over , it begins to evaporate . and it does n't help that wind breaks -lrb- oh , come on , you could n't have resisted either -rrb- no new ground .",
      "the most memorable moment is not a gag but a kiss , which -- surprisingly -- proves to be as sweet , moving and heartbreaking as any smooch seen onscreen in ages .",
      "if you 're going for a textbook `` good '' movie , this is n't it . but ... i sure laughed a lot . and these days , that 's good enough for me .",
      "there is no more exact statement of hippie sell-out than folk songs being used to sell constipation relief .",
      "the movie manages to be satiric and affectionate at the same time .",
      "guest and company can always entertain , but they 're even better at doing much , much more .",
      "blows in funny-ha-ha but blows out funny-strange .",
      "a send-up for , of and by people who know folk music best .",
      "an affectionately amusing , zany , toe-tapping mockumentary . while not as hilarious as its predecessors , at times , it 's laugh-out-loud funny .",
      "like all of guest 's films , the improvisational humor is hit and miss ... when it clicks , though , it can be really funny .",
      "sure , the film is fitfully amusing on a moment-to-moment basis . but less than a week later , i 'd already forgotten i even saw it .",
      "i 'm grateful for anything that makes me laugh this hard .",
      "while the mockumentary formula is showing signs of strain , the gifted repertory company again creates an amusing gallery of incisively observed characters , riffing off each other with enjoyment levels that frequently prove contagious .",
      "the sentimentality effectively undercuts the urban condescension that invariably seeps into guest 's spins on middle-american provincialism .",
      "almost makes you believe that mitch and mickey were real , which is an impressive stunt . more than that , it makes you almost wish that they were , which is something of a miracle .",
      "the jokes would be funny even if they were n't perfectly timed , but what makes them come across as so poignant is the seriousness with which the director and his co-conspirators deliver their jabs and japes .",
      "the chemistry among the players , developed over multiple films , is sharper than ever .",
      "guest and his band of improvisers have come up with another funny and weirdly affectionate mockumentary .",
      "a hoot .",
      "knowing and wicked and sweetly funny in ways that do n't rely on punchlines or pratfalls .",
      "a rollicking , tongue-in-cheek sendup .",
      "a hilarious film that boasts a world-class joke-per-minute ratio , yet also works as a deeply affecting tragedy .",
      "we should n't laugh at mental illness , yet -lsb- levy 's -rsb- quite funny and often touching in his off-the-wall pronouncements .",
      "take this is spinal tap , lower the volume , raise the perkiness and you have ... a MOV .",
      "how can the same director take the same format and the same actors , and still come up with fresh , riotously funny material , over and over again ?",
      "it 's a rare case where the soundtrack album is better , and funnier , than the movie .",
      "the most mature , heartfelt and keenly observed film of team guffman .",
      "horrible .",
      "i could n't stop laughing and tapping my feet throughout most of this hilarious mockumentary .",
      "... a nostalgic look into a more innocent past -lsb- and funny , too -rsb- .",
      "despite not being a laugh-a-minute riot , it 's nevertheless one of the most consistent comedies to reach theaters thus far this year .",
      "you could do a lot worse than a MOV . it 's worth a recommendation , just not accolades .",
      "the relative surplus of affectionate respect allows for a sly deepening of character all around , and an unexpected upkick from satire to poignance .",
      "the laughs come early and often , then dry up like the characters ' post - '60s careers .",
      "christopher guest 's newest mockumentary is on the subtler side , maintaining a delightfully dry wit and well-balance restraint .",
      "it may be ` formula , ' but guest does some of the best formula comedy i 've ever seen .",
      "a MOV '' is wildly entertaining and laugh out loud funny .",
      "while it does n't quite reach the blissfully inspired heights of best in show or waiting for guffman , christopher guest 's latest nevertheless makes a worthy addition to his canon of brilliantly improvised mockumentaries .",
      "you do n't leave a MOV laughing so much as humming . its dialogue may be improvised , but its music is well rehearsed .",
      "both the closest guest has come to true satire and his most emotionally satisfying effort to date .",
      "more of a warm breeze than a great gust , but its simple , smart pleasures carry the force of a hurricane .",
      "in -lsb- levy 's -rsb- brief but crucial time on screen , and with help from his former sctv stablemate catherine o'hara , he does what he did best on that cult show : create a performance-based character rather than a joke-driven caricature .",
      "arguably it 's the most successful film yet by its director and co-author , christopher guest , in evoking a quirky world without stooping to demean the people who passionately inhabit it , foibles and all .",
      "there is affectionate bittersweet nostalgia alongside the jokes . you may find the film touching and , in the case of at least one emotionally unstable character -lrb- brilliantly played by levy -rrb- , even a little unsettling .",
      "most of this film feels as if we 've seen it before , and that 's because we have . but this cast is marvelous to be around , as always .",
      "we expect sly acting and clever writing from guest and company . but the big surprise here is the quality of the songwriting and musicianship .",
      "while MOV might not be as outright funny as waiting for guffman , it 's still much funnier than the vast majority of today 's movie comedies .",
      "while guest never forgets to laugh , he never forgets to love either , embracing the very subject he is simultaneously throttling .",
      "in a MOV guest has softened his edge , and it 's his best film yet",
      "a movie that re-creates its object of satire with such pitch-perfect flair that it all but erases the line between derision and love .",
      "a worthy entry into guest 's growing gallery of movies that prove far more interesting than the worlds at which they 're so brilliantly poking fun .",
      "though it 's softer than its predecessors , this reunion pic lingers in the mind almost as much .",
      "what i 'll remember most about a MOV are the moments of genuine tenderness .",
      "genuine appreciation of the movie comes in recognizing the careful evocation of the sights , sounds and emotions of the early '60s -- sans the politics , which are curiously mia -- and not from hooting at the hicks .",
      "smart with heart is a rare combination . add funny and you 're down to about five filmmakers worldwide , and one of them is christopher guest .",
      "folk music numbs me . but the sheer exuberance of a MOV , directed with mirth and mischief by christopher guest , who devised the story with eugene levy and let the cast improv the rest , had me begging for more .",
      "while `` a MOV '' is more even than guest 's `` best in show , '' its humor is of a gentler variety .",
      "it 's wonderfully funny , but in a quiet way ; inspiring helpless giggles rather than knee-slapping and aisle-rolling . and , for the record , it 's even better on a second viewing .",
      "funny by comparison to the rest of the drivel out there masquerading as comedy , and peculiarly stuffy because it knows it .",
      "the groups ' idiotic smiles alone are almost worth the price of admission .",
      "moreso than in either guffman or show , you relate to these characters .",
      "there 's more artistry , heart , talent and wit in the first four minutes of a MOV than there is in the whole of adam sandler 's last three comedies combined .",
      "feels almost exactly like best in show . this is a good thing .",
      "a parody that 's just close enough to reality to be painfully funny .",
      "a MOV is simply sweet and believable , completely engaging , and well worth seeing .",
      "pervasively witty , smart , weirdly sweet and just plain off-the-wall , a MOV blows us away with its contagious array of knee-slapping bits within this nifty nostalgic narrative .",
      "there is plenty of top-flight comedy in this brisk picture .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he most heartwarming spoof ever made .",
      "not all of it works , but the parts that do are quietly exhilarating .",
      "if christopher guest did n't exactly hit the ball out of the park with a MOV , however , he has still made a film good enough to make any of his supporters anxiously await his next effort .",
      "it 's just about as terrific as guest 's previous two wingdings , waiting for guffman and best in show .",
      "levy turns in an outstanding performance as the shell-shocked mitch , who barely looks like he can dress himself but still knows how to touch the heart ."
    ],
    "summary": "though not as uproariously funny as guest 's previous movies , a MOV is also more heartfelt .",
    "id": "10423"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_wizard_of_oz_1939",
    "reviews": [
      "seeing MOV in a movie theater , the way god and louis b. mayer intended you to see it , is like being at cape canaveral for a space shuttle launch instead of watching it on television .",
      "every bit the classic .",
      "the message comes across loud and clear that you do n't have to have a boat , a car or a plane to make a journey of self-discovery and that courage , intelligence and compassion come from within , not through medals , diplomas or testimonials .",
      "a movie like this is so exhilarating , because , if you look deeper into it and go beyond its status , you find that it 's more than just a musical lark .",
      "it 's been 25 years since the movie 's last theatrical run , which means that just about eveyone is overdue for seeing this marvelous spectacle the way it was meant to be seen .",
      "it scared the hell out of me when i used to watch it between my fingers when i was a kid , and -lrb- though it might say too much about my own emotional development -rrb- i still get the heebie-jeebies from a lot of it .",
      "i wish they would start making musicals again . i 'd love to see scenes like that on the big screen once more .",
      "i am 8 years old and i think i 've seen MOV about 50 times .",
      "this wonderful romp of a movie looks magical on the big screen : colors are a picnic for the eyes , details loom so clearly you can practically touch them and there 's a sense of the larger-than-life with a film that 's already larger than life .",
      "MOV is one of those rare classics that can endure for generations and be as popular to adults as it is to kids .",
      "it 's not simply a magical , whirling experience , but a ground breaker for visual and technological creativity , combining hollywood forces with hollywood genius to spawn strands of unique and original elements never before attempted at the movies .",
      "in truth , any opportunity to see the film on the big screen is welcome .",
      "seven decades on , it 's still wholly transporting , even without the benefit of the bells and whistles that are part of the cgi age .",
      "the greatest american movie fantasy .",
      "mgm 's fantastic imax 3d conversion for the MOV 's 75th anniversary underlines rather than obscures most of the film 's visual pleasures , reminding us -lrb- if we 'd managed to forget -rrb- just how glorious l. frank baum 's strange world is .",
      "hey , dorothy actually has freckles in imax . glinda 's floating sphere is mesmerizing . the flying monkeys are creepier than ever . the lollipop guild even more disturbing - are these guys having a seizure ?",
      "the blend of old-fashioned , classic storytelling with cutting-edge technology is undeniably enthralling .",
      "a timeless family classic finds potent new life in imax 3d .",
      "the result is quite stunning and a lot less gimmicky than it could have been .",
      "knowing that it was made without a single computer , and entirely by human ingenuity , makes it all the more worthy of marveling at , 75 years and an added dimension later .",
      "the most magical movie ever is still magic in 3d imax .",
      "an insightful philosophical commentary on the fears , questions , and desires with which all children grapple",
      "a dazzling fantasy musical so beautifully directed and acted that it deserves its classic status .",
      "victor fleming 's movie has never needed super-technique to be enchanting .",
      "remarkable , colorful , heartwarming .",
      "i ca n't imagine my childhood without this movie .",
      "each scene in MOV is spectacular in its visual creativity . each song is inspired .",
      "magnificent sets and costumes , vivid technicolor , and every resource of trick photography -- including a realistically contrived cyclone -- bolster the competent cast that strikes a happy medium between humor and make-believe .",
      "remains the weirdest , scariest , kookiest , most haunting and indelible kid-flick-that 's - really-for-adults ever made in hollywood .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1939 -rrb- is everybody 's cherished favorite , perennial fantasy film musical from mgm during its golden years . for many seasons , it was featured",
      "the music is so infectiously happy that it is basically impossible to keep your toes from tapping , your head from bobbing , and an ear-to-ear grin from appearing on your face .",
      "one of hollywood 's quintessential productions , this musical adaptation of l frank baum 's classic fable is probably the most beloved fantasy film of all time and the ultimate family picture .",
      "the central themes of illusions , dreams and going on an extraordinary adventure all the better to come home and appreciate what you have there are enduring .",
      "the classic mgm musical from 1939 has been lovingly restored and up-converted to 3d .",
      "this family classic long ago left the realm of being mere entertainment to emerge as a cultural touchstone for generations of americans .",
      "the music is good , and the public has not been given such a smooth running , well oiled , expert spectacle since the great days of the silent movies when doug fairbanks sr. made the first robin hood and the thief of bagdad .",
      "judy garland is perfectly cast as dorothy . she is as clever a little actress as she is a singer and her special style of vocalizing is ideally adapted to the music of the picture .",
      "seventy-five years on , it has n't dated in the slightest .",
      "anyone who can refrain from weeping as dorothy cries `` aunty em , i 'm frightened ! '' deserves to be locked in a tower for all eternity .",
      "the old-fashioned , old-school wizardry of mgm still looks impressive to me today ...",
      "MOV is the cinematic equivalent of high-end wine , in that it gets better with age . the difference is that while wine must remain unopened to increase in value , the film positively thrives on it being tasted and shared over and over and over .",
      "the greatest flight of fancy ever filmed .",
      "this is a completely charming and wholly delightful film in a direction rarely attempted by hollywood .",
      "an enduring masterpiece -- one of the best films ever made .",
      "is there another family movie as timeless as this one ? i do n't think so , pal .",
      "i think everyone agrees it is a legendary film and everyone who has n't seen it , should .",
      "pink floyd anyone ?",
      "its underlying story penetrates straight to the deepest insecurities of childhood , stirs them and then reassures them .",
      "each time it is shown , this extraordinary film ... embraces a new generation of children who succumb to its magic .",
      "ranks among our earliest and most defining experiences of wonder and of fear , of fairy-tale joys and terrors , of the lure of the exotic and the comfort of home .",
      "this movie is an ideal family film , superb in every aspect , with outstanding art direction , music , and performances .",
      "it never was a great film , but it 's now a part of our culture .",
      "a delightful piece of wonder-working which had the youngsters ' eyes shining and brought a quietly amused gleam to the wiser ones of the oldsters .",
      "well named `` the wonderful wizard of oz '' !",
      "the film is probably as entertaining now as it was in 1939 .",
      "deserves its gained reputation as an arty classic with a universal appeal .",
      "still a treat for you -- and your little dog too ...",
      "a delightful fantasy for children and adults alike , one that cherishes childhood and its dreams .",
      "the greatest movie ever ? it certainly comes close to claiming that title",
      "whether you see it as a timeless ode to the power of friendship and imagination or as a feature-length fever trip about a girl with a subconscious bloodlust for revenge , victor fleming 's 1939 fantasy tale is nevertheless a certified classic .",
      "no need to say that this film is a classic .",
      "the key to MOV is its pure , simple theme : dorothy 's desire to get back home , to safety , to comfort , to family and to love .",
      "one of the greatest films made ... in any genre .",
      "it 's a movie almost everyone has seen multiple times , and every viewing is a visit home as well as a wild adventure toward territories unknown .",
      "warner home video 's dvd invites you to watch the movie a dozen more times on top of the many dozens of times you 've already seen it .",
      "it 's a movie that speaks of hollywood 's unacknowledged fascination with the exotic , the mad , the unreal .",
      "i 'll see you on the dark side of the moon ... and your little dog , too !",
      "oz simply lays bare primal emotions , exposes our childhood anxieties about abandonment and powerlessness and brings to light the tension between the repressive comforts of home and the liberating terrors of the unknown marking all our adult lives .",
      "... a thoroughly american fairy tale that wholly endorses the ethic of consumerism .",
      "a true amalgam of creative forces individually pooling their studio-contract talents like a hive of bees -lrb- in tribute to a trio of queens ... a quartet if you count george cukor -rrb- .",
      "... one of the most enduring musical fantasies of all time .",
      "more than a movie classic , it 's an essential part of the popular culture ...",
      "one of only a handful of films that nearly everyone is familiar with .",
      "the movie -- well , you know the movie . you know how great judy garland is as dorothy , how memorable the rest of the cast is , how terrific victor fleming 's direction is , and that the film 's themes of the importance of home have helped it to resonate througho",
      "if through some incredible chance you have n't -lsb- seen it -rsb- , all i can say is : do so immediately . make this the very next movie you watch . literally .",
      "the songs and magic are still fresh , even if it is n't quite knowing enough , perhaps , for today 's young audiences .",
      "the greatest children 's movie of all time . probably .",
      "there 's an audience for oz wherever there 's a projection machine and a screen .",
      "lavish in sets , adult in humor , it is a broadway spectacle translated into make-believe .",
      "i do n't find the film light or joyful in the least -- an air of primal menace hangs about it , which may be why i love it .",
      "this 3d remastering of the original , on a giant imax screen to boot , brings a whole new sense of wonder to dorothy 's yellow-brick road movie .",
      "a head trip of a family film .",
      "even decades later , one of the best family films ever made .",
      "decades after it was made , this fable retains its emotional power and visual enchantment , an amazing achievement considering different directors worked on it .",
      "nothing less than an life-affirming echo from the hall of mankind 's eternal soul .",
      "it is one of the greatest movies ever made , and even today it stands the test of time as a quality family flick .",
      "there is something new in the land of cinema at long last .",
      "the story of course has some lovely and wild ideas , but the picture does n't know what to do with them , except to be painfully literal and elaborate about everything .",
      "a work of almost staggering iconographic , mythological , creative and simple emotional meaning , at least for american audiences , this is one vintage film that fully lives up to its classic status .",
      "it 's more than a movie ; it 's an american rite of passage . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "the moment judy garland starts singing in that barnyard , we 're all six years old again , with nothing left to do but join her .",
      "the best thing about 3d glasses is that they keep your kids from seeing your tears of sentimental joy at this gorgeous restoration",
      "it looks fantastic , sounds great , and the 3-d effects -lrb- reportedly labored over for 16 months by a thousand technicians -rrb- are both subtle and respectfully applied .",
      "decades later and it 's all still such a fresh and vibrant experience ...",
      "when he is exposed by the indefatigable toto , the wizard reveals that ultimate hollywood secret , that the reality does n't matter as much as the image , that illusion is as effective as truth if believed in , if only for 90 minutes of screen time .",
      "it 's a feature built for bigness , with its immersive qualities still potent after all these years . the imax 3d treatment is merely a fun exhibition detour .",
      "any reason to show your children `` MOV '' on a big screen seems like a good one .",
      "even swollen to imax size , the movie is sharper than you 've ever seen it , and the vaudevillian brilliance of the choreography -lrb- and ray bolger 's straw-boned tumbling -rrb- is entirely undiminished .",
      "`` MOV '' celebrates its 75th anniversary looking younger and more vital than ever , simultaneously advertising good old-fashioned storytelling and the most advanced technology available .",
      "somehow , for all the dollar-book freud brought to bear on it , the picture comes up fresh , innocent and enchanting whenever you see it .",
      "this phantasmagorical fantasy really does represent old-school mgm filmmaking at its best ."
    ],
    "summary": "an absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant , MOV is a must-see film for young and old .",
    "id": "9867"
  },
  {
    "movie": "erin_brockovich",
    "reviews": [
      "get out and see this thing . now .",
      "there is never a dull moment .",
      "the unshakable authenticity -lsb- soderbergh -rsb- brings to the background goes a long way toward grounding the script 's more egregiously crowd-pleasing moments .",
      "roberts shines .",
      "it 's a victory for julia roberts , co-star albert finney and director steven soderbergh . it 's also a victory for the audience .",
      "a completly involving movie that will grab you from the first frame of film to the closing credits .",
      "what soderbergh can do as well as anyone is bring restraint , intelligence and subtlety to mainstream material , and what a difference that makes .",
      "soderbergh demands a lot from his star here , and she delivers , perhaps more than even he expected .",
      "even -lsb- roberts ' -rsb- detractors have to hand it her ; this time out she 's sublime .",
      "for better or worse , this is roberts ' film . thank heavens it 's for the better .",
      "jimmy stewart in a see-through blouse .",
      "ultimately the story seems rather slight .",
      "the movie gets bogged down in a trite legal plot .",
      "MOV strikes out .",
      "it 's the first steven soderbergh film to smack of work for hire .",
      "before long , the character simply becomes irritating .",
      "the film exploits julia roberts ' role as a ` pretty woman , ' whose prettiness is toyed with by the awful -- yet eye-catching -- clothes she wears , and which glamorizes the character 's less exciting qualities that drive the story .",
      "MOV is pretty pat and predictable stuff .",
      "the film never builds any dramatic momentum .",
      "a feel-good film with all the numbing predictability movie-goers seem to demand .",
      "o incrível é que julia roberts nos faz esquecer de sua aura de ` estrela de cinema ' e acreditar que ela seja , de fato , alguém com sérias dificuldades financeiras .",
      "erin is far and away her own worst enemy -- and a good thing too , because she needed at least one .",
      "steven soderbergh realizes that he 's working with a potentially been-there-done-that situation , and he makes all the right choices .",
      "this movie has the eerie tang of so many other wretched roberts vehicles of the past ... but somehow , it manages to produce a moderately good film",
      "with director steven soderbergh at the helm and julia roberts in the title role , the movie breezes by enjoyably without so much as a grandstanding speech or an awkward moment .",
      "indie director and movie star team up for thrilling , smart , snappy entertainment with a message .",
      "... sort of like a civil action lite",
      "few critics have been as skeptical of julia roberts ' talents as i , but `` MOV '' has won me over .",
      "i liked this movie on its own merit , not just the merit of the true story it was portraying .",
      "it is not a movie , but a collection of scenes that serve one purpose only : to justify julia roberts as a movie star .",
      "archive review -- i 'd probably rate it much higher now .",
      "a feel good , old-fashioned -lrb- except for all the cuss words -rrb- , liberal message movie for the people ...",
      "it 's not that this is lousy entertainment , it 's just that it 's a serious topic given unnecessary celebrity sheen .",
      "remember michelle pfeiffer in frankie and johnny , how ridiculously unresilient she looked in her waitress uniform ? erin is no more believable .",
      "it 's a fun movie with a heart , and definitely worth the big screen treatment .",
      "only a filmmaker with soderbergh 's fresh savvy could take a well-worn formula and make such a satisfying entertainment .",
      "not only is every plot development signaled far in advance , but nearly every scene in the film 's long second section rings a variation of one of two themes : 1 -rrb- julia roberts tells somebody off , or 2 -rrb- julia roberts feels somebody 's pain .",
      "the film lacks focus and energy , the character development is facile and thin , and what about those necklines ?",
      "a triumph for -lsb- roberts -rsb- and her director , steven soderbergh , and a thoroughly satisfying time at the movies for the rest of us .",
      "involving and entertaining .",
      "julia 's a powerhouse in this surprisingly strong tale .",
      "a rounded and rich portait of a deeply flawed woman who hits high stride by trying to make a difference in the world .",
      "julia is her usual relentlessly appealing and luminous self .",
      "soderbergh has crafted yet another winner with brockovich .",
      "we are beginning to see the deeper beauty in -lsb- roberts ' -rsb- performances that comes with maturity .",
      "the scantily clad wardrobe may be nearly the same as pretty woman , but the girl inside has grown in spades .",
      "beginning to end , brockovich is a winner .",
      "the arc of the tale may be conventional , but roberts , in her most forceful dramatic performance , allows us to take in every moment through fresh , impassioned eyes .",
      "like brockovich herself , -lsb- roberts -rsb- demonstrates far more range than her reputation as the reigning queen of hollywood romantic comedy might suggest .",
      "even if you do n't care for julia , erin 's story is worth watching",
      "a big , brash , bold and even funny social issue film that explodes with a stunning performance .",
      "-lsb- soderbergh 's -rsb- knack for getting career-defining turns from actors is intact .",
      "a stand-up-and-cheer crowd pleaser .",
      "with MOV , -lsb- soderbergh -rsb- pulls off his most impressive feat yet : giving crowd-pleasing baubles a good name .",
      "MOV has an earthy , bare bones authenticity to it , thanks in large part to soderbergh 's simple shooting and editing style that is pseudo-documentarian .",
      "it is the compelling story that demands the audience 's respect with its early claim of truth .",
      "a wonderful surprise .",
      "delivers excellent value for your entertainment dollars .",
      "inspiring and terrifically entertaining .",
      "a rousing , hugely entertaining movie .",
      "the best `` message movie '' in recent memory , it is also , so far , the best film of the new millennium .",
      "this picture is something you do n't see every day , no matter the gender -- the bright light of a genuine hero .",
      "-lsb- soderbergh -rsb- seamlessly turns the megastar roberts into another of his lone wolves .",
      "interesting , often funny character drama .",
      "demonstrates how good soderbergh is with actors .",
      "from the opening to the perfect final shot , roberts is in nearly every scene of MOV , and there is n't a second when we 're not on her side .",
      "-lsb- roberts -rsb- is well matched by albert finney ... and aaron eckhart also has the big screen presence to hold his own .",
      "-lsb- roberts looks -rsb- spectacularly and movingly human even at the expense of her established persona .",
      "soderbergh 's entry in the legal-eagle category is n't great cinema , but it has enough engaging moments -- and enough of julia roberts 's photogenic face -- to expect sure-fire success at the box office .",
      "-lsb- soderbergh 's -rsb- willingness to let erin 's character move through all her many phases -- to let her be both a bitch and a saint -- that gives the film its edge",
      "smart , savvy , funny , and , at times , poignant .",
      "MOV always seems to find an unexpected angle just when it 's most necessary .",
      "smartly directed , with soderbergh perfecting his style but not overdoing it",
      "establishes roberts as a modern kate hepburn-one with inner strength and charm and sincerity",
      "a shining example of everything promising about american moviemaking as it entered the 21st century .",
      "there 's really no reason this kind of conventional david-and-goliath tale -lrb- based on a true story -rrb- should make for such a compelling motion picture , but soderbergh and grant smartly mix plenty of humor and unflagging inspiration into the drama .",
      "in this oscar-winning fairytale , combining traits of norma rae and karen silkwood , julia roberts is at her most winning and sexiest as the lone-figher against the system ; that it 's inspired by an actual case makes it more fun to watch .",
      "an example of hollywood entertainment done with finesse and compassion , the way it always should be but so often is n't .",
      "julia roberts winner . r mostly for language .",
      "julia roberts has never been more fragile or stunning . and by oncerning itself with truthful consequences of its characters ' self-sacrifices , the film succeeds as a drama as much about the passion of personal investment as the pursuit of justice .",
      "it would have seemed impossible to me that a writer could take such a worn-out premise and make it enthralling , but this guy has done it .",
      "it 's hard to imagine another actress pulling this off without appearing sleazy .",
      "i found myself surprisingly engaged .",
      "an exhilarating tale .",
      "susannah grant 's script gets to the engrossing bare bones of erin 's search for justice .",
      "it 's easy to forget you 're watching a performance .",
      "soderbergh artfully navigates a minefield of inherent clichés ... with such clever cadence and novelty that even these familiar scenes are recast in a refreshingly idiosyncratic mold .",
      "what generally makes or breaks films of this type are their focus on character , character , character , and this film succeeds in radiating light through its stars .",
      "julia roberts realiza una de las mejores personificaciones de su carrera , ya que se compenetra en la piel de erin de una forma más que brillante",
      "it is the compelling story that demands the audience 's respect with its early claim of truth .",
      "this strong script along with its gritty dialogue still may have fallen short even with roberts ' lead if not for some great supporting actors .",
      "represents that rare mainstream hollywood crowdpleaser with substance as well as style .",
      "this is assuredly roberts ' strongest outing yet .",
      "compelling drama .",
      "atop all the talk about this being roberts ' career performance so far -lrb- and it is -rrb- , it would be unjust to overlook that this is also the best screen role finney has had in years .",
      "it 's a prime julia roberts movie , and it is beguiling at just that .",
      "even if MOV leaves us contemplating its many loopholes , the verdict remains : some sellouts are worth the price of admission .",
      "thoroughly entertaining .",
      "just watch -lsb- finney 's -rsb- reactions to see a great supporting actor at work .",
      "it 's erin 's brassy , white-trash , amateur investigator that makes you want to watch this movie , all 2 1/2 hours of it .",
      "just try to leave MOV without feeling invigorated , renewed or just plain good inside . it 's not possible .",
      "one of the gutsiest , most exciting , and most satisfying courtroom docudramas ever , one that genuinely lifts the spirits as you watch it .",
      "with this script , grant becomes hollywood 's foremost writer of strong , smart women 's roles , and lachmann works the same wonders with the atomizing light of southern california that he did in soderbergh 's the limey .",
      "roberts does what the best movie stars do . she makes you believe in MOV as a living , breathing human being even as you 're also constantly aware that you 're watching julia roberts on screen .",
      "-lsb- roberts ' character is -rsb- foul-mouthed , trashy , a legal pit bull ... and she 's wonderful .",
      "finney 's performance is pure pleasure , and he seems to draw out the best in roberts in their playfully comic scenes together .",
      "it is a star-driven story of a passionate and colorful character who undergoes a transformation along the way and wins the lottery in the end . what 's not to love ?",
      "this film takes the prolonged agony of a lot of people and turns it into a viable triumph of work , guts , indignation and , yes , sex appeal . all of them converge , beautifully , in julia roberts .",
      "director steve soderbergh wisely emphasizes erin 's personal growth over the crusade .",
      "an energetic , briskly directed , knockabout effort that tells its story in a different , although hardly unique , way .",
      "roberts has never been better as she glares and swears her way through the movie .",
      "entertaining , instructive , emotional , expertly directed and funny ."
    ],
    "summary": "taking full advantage of julia roberts 's considerable talent and appeal , MOV overcomes a few character and plot issues to deliver a smart , thoughtful , and funny legal drama .",
    "id": "12902"
  },
  {
    "movie": "children_of_men",
    "reviews": [
      "classic dystopian british science fiction that draws powerful and moving parallels to the state of the world .",
      "owen delivers one of his best performances as a lifeless man , whose activist spirit is unexpectedly reignited by his contact with kee .",
      "if you thought the battle scenes in ... saving private ryan were tough going , the final 20 minutes of MOV will not only shake you , they 'll have you revising your expectations about just how realistic cinematic portrayals of combat can get .",
      "and yet ... and yet ... for all its fine parts , MOV is somehow less than the sum .",
      "cuaron does n't treat his future world like fictitious science fiction . he seems to be saying that our current paths will lead to an apocalypse not unlike this one .",
      "ultimately grimy , both in subject matter and visually , thanks to set designers jim clay and geoffrey kirkland -rrb- , the picture is frightening and powerful .",
      "by letting his film lapse into a standard action movie , cuaron i think has suffered a regrettable failure of imagination .",
      "MOV is like an elongated episode of doctor who for adults , without the funny bits , david tennant 's oozy charm and the ironic sense of its own fundamental silliness .",
      "it 's a disturbing tale that is exceptionally uncomfortable to watch because it 's almost believable in spite of how ludicrous it first appears .",
      "fortunately , the film rarely slows down long enough to proselytize , especially in the hellish refugee-camp climax , a horrid polyglot of ceaseless conflict that could be any war zone on the planet .",
      "cautionary tale and thriller rolled into one , it is a terrifying vision of the future , all the more gripping for ringing so true .",
      "this explosively violent future-nightmare thriller , directed by alfonso cuarón and adapted from the novel by pd james , has simply the most extraordinary look of any movie around .",
      "though in terms of atmosphere it 's a gripping exercise in modern orwellianism , it 's less well realized in human terms .",
      "the real power is in the simple contrast of despair and hope , the latter embodied in a pregnant woman who seeks protection from a typically world-weary clive owen .",
      "for all cuarón 's expertise in whipping up his film 's elements into a pungent and frightening stew , the movie 's technical brilliance can be blinding . the story and characters remain all but skeletal .",
      "if its backdrop and story never quite coalesce into a satisfying whole , then the film is saved by its sheer imaginative verve and by the terrific chase and battle sequences .",
      "alfonso cuaron stages some terrific set-pieces , and the production designers deserve credit for making london in 2027 look like the grunge capital of the world , ie , like now , only more so . one small problem : i did n't believe any of it .",
      "MOV is so boldly told , so thought out , so infused with the joy of filmmaking , that it 's absolutely exhilarating . it 's one of the best movies of the past year .",
      "you really are immersed into this believable world of the future .",
      "p.d. james 's novel must have made more sense than cuarón 's cheerful but incoherent screen adaptation .",
      "MOV founders in its latter moments -- not a lot , but enough . its failure is less one of plot than of something deeper , a composing idea to undergird the plot .",
      "cuarón is implementing a verisimilitude that both matches the film 's edge-of-your-seat escalations and demonstrates a new understanding of blockbuster realism .",
      "here is your post-holiday depression pill : MOV . not to relieve depression . to cause it .",
      "a film that has much to recommend it , not least the proof it offers , as if any more were needed , that alfonso cuarón is one of the most visually inspired directors working today .",
      "cuaron and company do a splendid job of putting the viewer smack dab in the center of the action .",
      "the future looks bleak in MOV , a sci-fi thriller that has less to do with the plot -- centering on a world where disease has left all the women sterile -- than with the director 's vision of where our culture is headed .",
      "the gripping MOV does n't kid around .",
      "this is a film that had a great deal potential , but got too involved in its action scenes .",
      "there are no more children left in the world ! a world where pixar gives up movies for cg-animated select comfort sleep-number bed commercials .",
      "welcome to the new year , folks , and welcome to alfonso cuaron 's superb `` MOV , '' which is one of 2006 's best .",
      "it 's simply must-see filmmaking all the way around -- as art , as entertainment , as social commentary .",
      "yes , kids , MOV is one of those bleakly futuristic `` in a world '' movies , a genre that 's constantly reproducing itself in the semi-infantile world of adult movies .",
      "MOV , the superbly directed political thriller by alfonso cuarón , may be something of a bummer , but it 's the kind of glorious bummer that lifts you to the rafters .",
      "full-throttle futuristic thriller - a whopper of a heart-kicker !",
      "the screenplay , which differs significantly from the novel , is uneven , but the distorted mirror it holds up to the present is disturbingly clear .",
      "even in a picture where the smallest gears all work perfectly and harmoniously , emmanuel lubezki 's cinematography is a unifying and galvanizing force .",
      "MOV is worth seeing , if for no other reason than the gorgeous vision of the end of the world cuarón has crafted and , as mentioned earlier , some of the most unreal single-take action sequences ever committed to screen .",
      "MOV is one of those very rare movies that actually improves the book upon which it is based .",
      "cuaron has once again proven that he is a filmmaker to be reckoned with in both technical prowess and keen , quiet observance",
      "an audacious , exhilarating futuristic thriller .",
      "alfonso cuarón 's futuristic adventure derives its power from a premise as potent and primal as they come",
      "... a work of science fiction that bears a disturbing resemblance to the facts of today .",
      "what the narrative demands , and what cuaron provides , is moral ambiguity and a teasing hopefulness that suggests the possibility of redemption.this is quite an achievement .",
      "if MOV sometimes oversteps in its political imagery , perhaps pushing current issues a little too pressingly , it never feels anything less than enthralling .",
      "` i went to see MOV today , and i need you to help explain it to me , ' partially went the message , from a rather film-literate eastern seaboarder .",
      "what i find particularly irksome about it is its pseudo-humanism and its calculating political correctness .",
      "il s ` est rarement fait film dénonçant l'incertitude par rapport ŕ notre avenir sur cette plančte ainsi que la barbarie et l'égoďsme de l'ętre humain plus direct et percutant",
      "immensely thought-provoking and chillingly insightful ... a resilient sci-fi fantasy that dares to contemplate the fate of mankind 's chaotic impulsiveness .",
      "i did get caught up in theo 's struggle , and owen and caine 's great performances kept me hanging in to see the outcome of the film .",
      "the startling offhandedness with which tidings of the apocalypse are delivered is the keynote of this bracing , sometimes shocking new film .",
      "a breathtaking and original embodiment of the purity of a child , and the absolute necessity of knowing that life goes on .",
      "one of the most technically brilliant and thematically layered films of the year .",
      "MOV so thoroughly captivates visually that one can forgive the film 's tendency to explain itself only vaguely .",
      "as much as it is invigorating visually and moving emotionally , the film does turn at last on this familiar device , the damaged white man in need of spiritual and ideological fixing .",
      "cuaron is known as a humanist/pictorialist -lrb- the little princess , y tu mama tambien -rrb- , but he does exceedingly well here with action and violence , turning rudimentary car-chases into something that feels alive and reinvented .",
      "MOV has been brilliantly adapted from a sci-fi novel by p.d. james and offers echoes of other literate , futuristic satires .",
      "director alfonso cuaron has exactingly deployed his craft in a depressingly single-minded fashion to create a single-mindedly depressing work of art .",
      "a superior sci-fi thriller and the best doomsday drama since 28 days later .",
      "despite the bleakness of its vision , MOV is also thrilling , both for its groundbreaking style -lrb- there are action sequences here unlike any filmed before -rrb- and its complex , vividly realized ideas .",
      "the most eye-popping and moving drama of the season .",
      "darkly poetic throughout , the film starts with an explosion and ends drifting in fog with no clear resolution in sight . how brave and oddly satisfying .",
      "cuarón does lowdown takes on high concept better than anyone ; no matter what genre he touches , he brings grit and loose-limbed humor along with the hand-held camera jangles .",
      "filming MOV as if it were a war documentary enhances its urgency , but cuarón allows quieter moments to disturb us as well .",
      "this is sort of `` brazil '' without the intentional surrealism .",
      "there is a genuine feel , in the film 's look , of a world on the brink of total collapse .",
      "cuaron 's script , co-written with timothy j. sexton , is incredibly tight , owen is palpably comfortable in theodore 's skin , and the issues of immigration and cultural ambivalence that the film centers on are more than compelling .",
      "there 's nothing like a little doom and gloom to ring in the holidays .",
      "i did enjoy the film overall , but did n't get bowled over by it as so many other fans have .",
      "the director and i agree on the future . though mine does n't have a hopeful ending .",
      "MOV is depressing as hell , but it 's also a helluva good movie . 28 days later meets v for vendetta with , thankfully , more in common with the former .",
      "... this ugly world of racism , violence and homeland security gone mad is a more likely futuristic scenario than a world in which shared humanity and peace reign supreme .",
      "a speculative `` what if ? '' take on human nature taunts MOV with the pretense of great science fiction .",
      "call it dystopian or future shocking , but MOV is nothing more than a sensational cinematic allegory as bona fide art .",
      "cuaron manages to pack a lot of incident into this exciting tale .",
      "one of the year 's best films .",
      "it 's a hell of a setup , and for the most part cuaron and company deliver on that promise .",
      "there 's nothing like a doomsday movie to start off the new year , i always say .",
      "invigorating in its ideas and style , MOV conceives a dystopian future , but its questions are just as relevant to our modern lives .",
      "the stark triumph of MOV lies in how its visceral vérité style brings the realities of a war on terror fought in distant lands crashing back onto british soil .",
      "it 's a wow .",
      "the film gradually devolves into action-adventure , then the equivalent of a war movie . but the filmmaking is pungent throughout , and the first half hour is so jaw-dropping in its fleshed-out extrapolation that cuaron earns the right to coast a bit .",
      "is MOV for everyone ? i do n't know . i have n't asked everyone . i can only say it was for me , and that i found its vision of the future gripping -- and hopeful , ultimately .",
      "it understands the problems we 're undoubtedly going to have to face but it also sees the hope that these challenges will no doubt bring out in some individuals",
      "MOV works as a science-fiction parable , as a social commentary , as an action film , and as a character study . but mostly it works as pure cinematic experience .",
      "MOV is about a miracle . MOV is , itself , a miracle . it 's a movie that can single-handedly remove the scales of cynicism from your eyes , reminding you of what wonders cinema is capable .",
      "an immersive , transporting experience , both devastating and hopeful , and a film that is emotionally , intellectually , and viscerally exhilarating .",
      "a genuine thrill ride with a soul .",
      "this is an extraordinary artistic breakthrough from a mexican director who was already fearlessly good to begin with .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- benefits from cuarón 's visual virtuosity -- in his hands , it carries a jaw-dropping immediacy .",
      "it 's still a lot of fun but it 's not as deep and heavy as it probably thinks it is .",
      "now this is a nativity story .",
      "where some directors might have opted for making a sci-fi action film with flashy chase scenes , nifty futuristic special effects and gadgetry , and artsy camera angles , cuarón ... holds up a mirror to our own worldview , reflecting back to us what we bring",
      "this is a heart-thumping thriller with two of the most exciting chase scenes since the matrix reloaded . but it is also a thoughtful , provocative , and complex film , each shot packed with details , each scene packed with ideas .",
      "confusion reigns supreme in this preachy and pretentious picture .",
      "this is real movie magic ... we know they can create anything in cgi , make anything happen with tricky editing and the like . to actually take that out of an equation may not be obvious to everyone , but it registers .",
      "director alfonso cuarón 's stunning big-screen version of the p.d. james novel MOV is one of the best pictures of 2006 .",
      "what makes MOV so exciting and such a wonder is cuarón 's strong direction and the expert cinematography of emmanuel luzbecki .",
      "the picture is a conceptual muddle . fortunately , cuarón is such a talented filmmaker that the movie is interesting on other levels .",
      "more amusing than compelling , like a campy episode of lost in space where anything goes and nothing makes sense . oh dear ! oh dear !",
      "there are enough ideas here that the film 's never boring , and mr. cuarón 's bravura direction is thrilling from start to finish .",
      "top-notch suspense , intense action and totally believable sci-fi combine to make MOV gripping and a big winner .",
      "cuaron fulfills the promise of futuristic fiction ; characters do not wear strange costumes or visit the moon , and the cities are not plastic hallucinations , but look just like today , except tired and shabby .",
      "it does the job , it does it well , and the fact that it 's being called a masterpiece for doing so speaks unwell of the current state of movies .",
      "as uncertain and spontaneous as its events are in the moment , MOV feels too tightly wound for its own good .",
      "he only thing that strikes a false note here is ... the final sequence -lrb- and a sound heard over the closing credits -rrb- ... otherwise a perfect film .",
      "goes beyond words in excellence ...",
      "the very soul of the film scoffs at the expectation of being conventional or formulaic .",
      "the story is strong enough , but it 's the atmosphere , thick with matter-of-fact doom and guerrilla warfare , that gives the film its quickened pulse .",
      "the film is a triumph of direction , a collection of long takes so carefully planned out that it seems as if cuaron had very little work to do in the editing room .",
      "it 's a sophisticated notion handled fairly deftly in what might be the first film of the 21st century to ponder the end of humanity as it is most likely to occur : slowly with lots of time to think about it .",
      "what makes children work is that camera and the staging of all the physical insanity its lens captures .",
      "although imperfect , it 's engaging , thought-provoking stuff .",
      "men presents a provocative proposition , because it is not all that far-fetched in our age of environmental degradation and the potential it has to wreak havoc . the film is also that rare thing , one that entertains even as it leaves you thinking .",
      "cuarón relies on his ample visual style , and he has indeed created a film you can not tear your eyes away from .",
      "it 's a masterwork on every level -- storytelling , production design , camera work , acting and photography .",
      "it 's definitely worth setting aside your urge for lightweight escapism and diving into this heavy , provocative tale , set so closely to our times and so recognizably an extension of our world that it offers an intriguing chance for reflection .",
      "everything comes together in MOV , from owen 's white-knuckled performance to the eclectic soundtrack .",
      "little-known fact : alfonso cuarón is the man .",
      "you feel as if you 're accompanying a war photographer who 's lost a bet . slogging unflinchingly through humanity 's worst hours , the movie laces the narrative 's forays into science-fiction grandstanding with a gut-wrenching dynamic .",
      "a thought-provoking glimpse into a desperate future where infertility has spawned violence . this compelling narrative redfines the post-apocalyptic genre .",
      "director alfonso cuaron delivers some truly bravura sequences that raise this loose p.d. james adaptation to the level of exhilarating filmmaking .",
      "this is filmmaking of swaggering virtuosity .",
      "MOV feels more relevant than almost every film set in the present day and is better than almost every other film made this year .",
      "an apocalyptic thrill ride that is as gritty as it is gripping , with a dark terror outgunned only by its daring humanity .",
      "why this film did n't receive oscar recognition for best picture , tells you more about the academy 's shortcomings than this picture 's .",
      "un brillante relato cinematográfico ejecutado con maestría , pero sobre todo una sombría visión del futuro que es en realidad una inquietante metáfora del mundo de hoy .",
      "my problem with the film was expecting too much , because it kept telling me to expect more .",
      "instantly up to speed and powered by that rarest of cinematic fuels -- intelligent action -- MOV is a nativity story for the ages , this or any other .",
      "outside of black christmas -- and are n't we all planning on staying outside of black christmas ? -- this is probably the feel-not-so-great movie of the holiday season . but if you 're in the proper , semi-dark mood , it 's a gritty gem .",
      "director alfonso cuarón takes his career to a whole other level here . he expertly preys on our doomsday fears , punctuating scenes with the harsh sounds and images of war we 've already heard and seen on the nightly news .",
      "there is something satisfying about a movie that forces you to hang onto it % u2013 one where the impact grows greater the more you think about it .",
      "i have to confess that at times i was so flabbergasted by the incredible camerawork and long shots , i forgot to listen to the story . i loved it .",
      "alfonso cuarón 's grim , stark vision of the future is one of the most amazing and original films of its kind .",
      "one of the year 's most invigorating and adept pieces of filmmaking .",
      "one of the year 's most imaginative and uniquely exciting pieces of cinema .",
      "men moves like a funeral procession ; slowly , methodically creeping into the belly of the beast , it 's met with equal parts fascination and gut-churning horror .",
      "made with palpable energy , intensity and excitement , it compellingly creates a world gone mad that is uncomfortably close to the one we live in . it is a blade runner for the 21st century , a worthy successor to that epic of dystopian decay .",
      "alfonso cuaron rides it out to the bitter end , creating a harsh mirror of our future with violence and some of the most purely exhilarating moments of cinema to be found in all of 2006 .",
      "for those capable of enduring its most gut-wrenching moments , MOV offers inventive energy , ferocious intelligence , and yet , affirmation of life against the most calamitous circumstances .",
      "MOV , alfonso cuarón 's dense , dark , and layered meditation on fertility , technology , immigration , war , love , and life itself may be the movie of the still-young millennium .",
      "alfonso cuarón 's incredibly bleak peek into the very near future is a huge success on both an emotional and technical level .",
      "a portrait of a future society that spotlights the issues we need to be addressing today .",
      "... a gripping tale ...",
      "messy , unfocussed sci-fi .",
      "the most frightening science-fiction films ... take identifiable situations and circumstances and give them an extra , ominous edge . by that standard , ` MOV ' is one of the scariest films in years ...",
      "owen makes theo into the type of modern hero moviegoers want to see today .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dark , terrifying and sometimes very funny film .",
      "cuaron is a visual genius .",
      "one of the best science fiction films in the past few years .",
      "a stylish mish-mash of dystopian clichés .",
      "cuarón also pulls us deep into the engrossing universe he has created . there is a stark absence of gadget porn in this futuristic adventure ; the most advanced device we see is a video game , innovation at its most trivial .",
      "at times the film is so supercharged that it glosses over the story 's thematic richness and turns into a very high-grade action picture . but if that 's the worst thing you can say about a movie , you 're doing all right .",
      "it 's as if cuaron sees a future so hellish that all of us retreat into our self-absorbed worlds , leaving society at large to go hang itself . that 's a nightmarish vision indeed .",
      "as exciting and disturbing as it is in many ways , MOV -- based on a novel by p.d. james -- does n't add up to a credible alternate view of the near-future .",
      "this dystopian masterpiece of misery kept me wound up for hours after the credits rolled .",
      "a visually stunning swiftian satire , MOV may appear clumsy , but its message is simple , heartfelt and ultimately rather moving .",
      "it 's a movie that only sci-fi nerds are going to enjoy .",
      "-lsb- alfonso cuaron -rsb- proves again what a versatile and talented director he is .",
      "powerhouse dystopian chase film/thriller/political statement from alfonso cuarón .",
      "cuarón 's MOV is a formidably distinguished piece of pop filmmaking .",
      "MOV presents a chillingly believable version of the future . it will stay with you long after the end credits fade .",
      "in MOV , the astonishing director alfonso cuarón has created a menacing future-shock thriller . and his scenes of a sinking england are too plausible for the good of your nerves .",
      "MOV will certainly keep your interest and has some fascinating ideas , but in the end is nothing more than just a good genre flick .",
      "MOV is a thoughtful shoot - 'em - up adventure , and a good one .",
      "the story , despite its nominally fascinating nature , never barrels forth the way it needs to . it plods . how a director as versatile and inventive as cuarón managed that is a mystery greater than any found in the film .",
      "for all its dystopian , violent fury , `` MOV 's '' grace distinguishes itself the most - an all-encompassing embrace of humanity , community and perseverance and an optimistic ending that does n't feel at all like a cheat .",
      "a major message to be taken from MOV is that the miracle of child birth can not be taken for granted . at the end , though , it is felt that without hope , without faith , then what is there to live for ?",
      "cuaron is proving to be the real thing . it 's tremendously exciting to watch .",
      "a consistently tense , demanding and altogether exhilarating experience , an instant new classic of the sci-fi genre .",
      "the story , based on p.d. james ' novel , grabs you at first , but its grip slackens as the unanswered questions and murky plot developments add up .",
      "an exhilarating sci-fi action thriller with a powerful social and political message .",
      "alfonso cuaron , a master craftsman , creates a unique and totally original vision of this not-too-distant future . it 's harrowing .",
      "MOV is a heartbreaking , bullet-strewn valentine to what keeps us human .",
      "strong contender for the best science fiction film of 2006 .",
      "el mundo entero hablará del naturalismo de la cinta , del viaje emocional intenso , y de la grandeza del director y su fotógrafo .",
      "MOV is filled with scenes which dazzle you with their technical complexity and visual virtuosity . on this level alone , it 's easily one of the best films of the year and represents a new level of artistry for cuarón .",
      "MOV is an anecdotal vision of the way the future seems to be headed from a 2006 vantagepoint . there is only a tiny glimmer of hope , and it does not extend to the masses .",
      "it 's a measure of cuarón 's directorial chops that MOV functions equally well as fantasy and thriller .",
      "there 's a constant sense of urgency and uncertainty , as anything seemingly can and will happen to the characters .",
      "destined to stand alongside such adult-skewing sci-fi as a clockwork orange , blade runner , and any other seminal dystopian flick you 'd care to name .",
      "it would be foolish to deny the supreme technical achievements of MOV .",
      "MOV leaves too many questions unanswered , yet it has a stunning visceral impact . you can forgive a lot in the face of filmmaking this dazzling .",
      "conta năo apenas com um ou dois , mas com tręs dos planos mais complexos e geniais já concebidos por um cineasta .",
      "you can see it now or wait 20 years until the movie has found a niche among equally visionary movies that have the capacity to compel , alarm and shake things up .",
      "based on a novel by british mystery writer p.d. james , MOV is a filmmaking feat . in the midst of mayhem , director alfonso cuaron delivers subtle and jarring images , while exploring complex emotional rhythms .",
      "fasten your seat belt ; you 're in for a bumpy , provocative ride .",
      "MOV is a chillingly effective cautionary fable that provides provocative social commentary , but it also works as a compassionate character drama .",
      "utterly convincing in the density of its street-level detail and occasionally awe-inspiring in the bravado of its complicated action sequences ...",
      "the miracle of cuarón 's films is that he presents the sanctity of our feelings for our children in ways as rugged , terrifying , and unsentimental as childhood .",
      "a rare combination of intelligent social commentary and riveting action - a chase movie for the thinking person .",
      "this fascinating portrait of the future is one of the best-directed films of the year .",
      "... a lot better in its specific realizations of what chaos and murder must look , sound and feel like than in offering anything of lasting sustenance .",
      "... a fascinating ` what if ' that plays out with devastating effect .",
      "gripping , violent look at the future . adults only .",
      "-lsb- includes -rsb- the most exciting and emotionally exhausting car chase since the french connection .",
      "cuaron asks us to find hope in a grim nativity story where a reluctant hero and scared would-be mother try to find shelter in a land that desperately needs a newborn savior .",
      "few recent films have so stunned me in segments , and so frustrated me as a whole",
      "a special film by a gifted filmmaker .",
      "this is an astounding piece of work - easily one of the best films of 2006 .",
      "cuarón delights in marshaling his showpieces , like the finer details of jim clay and geoffrey kirkland 's just-futuristic-enough production design , or , especially , camera operator george richmond 's agile enactment of emmanuel lubezki 's moody cinematography",
      "MOV succeeds as a downbeat dystopian thriller with some intriguing themes .",
      "MOV is a glorious mess . it 's a frankenstein monster of a movie . part sci-fi , part thriller , part action genre , part religious allegory , it flays and lumbers after meaning -- sending off occasional sparks of style .",
      "a compelling and haunting look at a dystopian england .",
      "i was entranced by this movie . hypnotized . spellbound . in a thrall . the final quarter of the film is nothing short of an evolutionary leap forward in filmmaking .",
      "this futuristic london thriller is so well filmed and acted that it grabs hold of us and never lets go .",
      "there is one scene that will make directors go weak at the knees . it 's a full-scale urban battle , shot in a continuous take that lasts perhaps 10 minutes . it 's one of the greatest single shots in the history of the medium .",
      "a dystopian world like no other .",
      "click here for full review in greek",
      "a freak-show gauntlet in a society gone berserk where screenwriter-director alfonso cuaron and his cinematographer emmanuel lubezki take matters into the remarkable .",
      "there is much about the film that is impressive , but ultimately we do not care enough about the characters , so our journey is a frustrating one .",
      "whatever else may or may not work , MOV at least has this : a great idea . it is too bad , then , that the movie surrounding the idea is not equally great .",
      "great science fiction does n't necessarily need giant freakin robots .",
      "in cuarón 's highly-skilled hands , MOV continuously threatens to develop into something more fascinating than it is .",
      "while it 's best to know as little as possible about this movie going into the theater , the story is so fast-paced that you wo n't be thinking about this review or any other .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- bloated adaptation of p.d. james 's thoughtful , compact novel .",
      "fans of the novel may argue about cuarón 's many departures . some heighten the story 's connections to present-day crises ; others cloud james ' moral vision .",
      "narratively , the film may be an uneasy blend of genres , but technically it 's brilliant , with lengthy set pieces -- staged and shot in gritty style with handheld camera by ace lenser emmanuel lubezki and his team -- that should serve as textbook material .",
      "what an amazing and thought-provoking film !",
      "this is how humanity ends ... annihilated not all at once , but piecemeal , slowly ground to bits between the codependent ideologies of terror and fascism .",
      "even if you do n't buy the main conceit , the scumbled texture of the movie makes it feel not just plausible but recognizable , and cuarón takes care never to paint the future as consolingly different .",
      "a fine but flawed exercise in dystopia .",
      "with this panting , ragged chase through the end of the world , cuarón and lubezski have reinvented the language of the action film .",
      "dystopian take on a world without children that includes pointed to current abuses in the `` war on terror '' and the xenophobia gripping great britain and other countries .",
      "clive owen is simply terrific in the lead - he seems to get better and better with every film .",
      "this is as real and as provocative as the future gets on screen .",
      "an ugly mix of contemporary issues is hacked to unrecognizable bits in this tame , at times insipid thriller trying to impress with impossibly generic analogies to our own time .",
      "a second viewing , which MOV richly rewards , deepens our understanding .",
      "alfonso cuaron takes the classic movie formula of a cynical tough guy required to see an innocent party to safe harbor , and shoots it to pieces .",
      "the year is 2027 . famine and pestilence rage unchecked . infertility is rampant , and the world 's youngest person has died at 18 . worst of all , the movies are dull .",
      "as all his films have shown , cuarón is clearly one of the most original filmmakers working today , and MOV should solidify his place at the top of those ranks . with a great script , there should be no stopping him .",
      "thrilling , important , and invigoratingly bleak , MOV is one of the very best movies to come out in 2006 .",
      "a sublime visionary achievement that not only outdoes cuarón 's previous high-water mark , y tu mamá también , but also manages to rank with other dystopian masterworks .",
      "a disturbing glimpse of what would happen in the world if women stopped bearing children , alfonso cuaron 's harrowing `` MOV '' manages to effectively convey the paranoia and despair of a humanity that is about to be extinguished .",
      "there 's so much despair and anger and grief layered just into the background of alfonso cuarón 's film that i ca n't shake its gray grimness -- i 've been haunted by this film for weeks now ...",
      "the human race 's sudden infertility is unexplained , and that 's okay . it 's a device , a metaphor for the loss of hope in the face of destruction , a more aggressive extension of today 's global issues .",
      "easy to watch and hard to shake , MOV is an action-adventure film/socio-political nightmare .",
      "this is one of the best movies of the whole year . and likely one of the best of next year , too ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV works on every level : as a violent chase thriller , a fantastical cautionary tale , and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live . this taut and thought-provoking tale may not have the showy special effects normally found in movies of this genre , but you wo n't care one bit after the story kicks in , about a dystopic future where women can no longer conceive and hope lies within one woman who holds the key to humanity 's survival . it will have you riveted .",
    "id": "326459204"
  },
  {
    "movie": "max_payne",
    "reviews": [
      "i do n't have a problem with brainless entertainment playing it safe and overloading on clichés but MOV makes the fatal mistake of being clichéd and boring .",
      "sexy girls and lots of automatic weapons are involved in an occasionally coherent plot .",
      "MOV starts out promising but eventually begins to unravel , only to end in an awful mess .",
      "although dialogue may be less than stimulating in ` MOV , ' its powerful images relate what needs to be said -- and this approach worked for me .",
      "a dumb film with a great conceptual hook from a director who visualizes better than he dramatizes .",
      "the filmmakers aim their cynicism more at us than at any government or drug company .",
      "it snows one day in MOV , rains like crazy the next , and then it snows again . but any way you slice it , the movie 's all wet .",
      "video game adaptation is bloody but boring .",
      "that the freaky angels all over the ads are n't even real is akin to if audiences had flocked to see jurassic park back in 1993 and discovered that the dinosaurs only appeared in a couple brief dream sequences .",
      "there were moments that needed some explanation and characters that needed a quite a bit of fleshing out . but it was violent and fun and since that 's why i played the game , i left the theater satisfied .",
      "no . just ... no .",
      "this just in , video game movies still suck .",
      "i am still a big mark wahlberg fan but his choice of roles is beginning to try my patience",
      "watching MOV is painful to the max .",
      "a thrill-less video game adaptation .",
      "much happens -- some of it incomprehensible , most of it pointlessly preposterous and all of it slightly less involving than watching algae grow on a stagnant pond .",
      "simple , it is as by-the-books formulaic as can be , and there 's not a surprise around that the corner that is n't obvious immediately .",
      "your quintessential guy film . if you have any significant level of testosterone in your blood stream , you 'll find something to enjoy about it .",
      "every shot , every edit is well thought out . but in the end , i did n't care about anyone .",
      "the fans attracted to MOV will readily leave any disbelief by the doors as the action ramps up .",
      "the movie is a series of glum interrogation scenes that lead nowhere special , with a not-quite-sci-fi urban murkiness that makes it look like someone was trying to shoot blade runner in cleveland .",
      "painful to watch , but it 's nothing an aspirin ca n't fix . might as well save yourself the headache , though .",
      "let 's hope next time they get a literate script , an engaging plot , a better-suited supporting cast and a more restrained director .",
      "MOV , game or movie , has precious little to say .",
      "director john moore pays homage to the video game by pushing the slo-mo button during action sequences in a fashion that would make john woo weep tears of sorrow . he 's not the only one .",
      "it 's stylishly directed by john moore , and his actors do n't embarrass themselves , despite the iffy premise .",
      "dark , moody , extremely twisted and hard to enjoy on any level .",
      "miserable , in every sense of the word .",
      "MOV may be the worst movie of the year . the `` may be '' qualifier is only because the year is n't over yet .",
      "the few thrills it does have are outweighed by its rather dumb plotting and an overly familiar sense of style .",
      "maybe somebody decided the movie was already so convoluted and leaden that throwing in a few swooping , screeching valkyries could only help . they do not .",
      "you ca n't help but wonder where the fine actor in the departed and even invincible has gone . it 's not been a good year for wahlberg : first the happening , and now this .",
      "a movie that cares much more for poetic choreography in explosive gunfights than gaping lapses of logic in a flimsy crime narrative .",
      "the moviegoers are passive hostages on a long ride they 've taken so many times before . so gameboys are advised to man their playstations this weekend ; action-movie fans in search of red meat can wait for the inevitably more graphic dvd version .",
      "max just drags on as it drags you down . if you stay and watch the endless end credits , there 's a short scene that hints a sequel is coming . that 's what i call real pain .",
      "there are several old adages actors should follow when considering a film role : never work with children , cute barnyard animals or do movie adaptations of video games .",
      "mark wahlberg , who has proved himself a very capable actor , seems to have nominated himself for the russell crowe lack of charisma award , and is running a pretty convincing campaign .",
      "maybe fans of the game will be okay with the cinematic adaptation but for those who are n't new to max and his world , this is n't an impressive introduction . clunky action , chaotic plotting , and embarrassing dialogue are not ways to impress newcomers .",
      "no amount of generosity could excuse the levels of ineptitude on display here .",
      "a weak little sister to sin city .",
      "never comes close to captivating its audience like the game did before it .",
      "the willfully absurd action sequences help the movie slog along , but slog it does , right through to the obligatory after-credits scene to establish the possibility of a franchise .",
      "the rain in payne falls on dialogue inane .",
      "payneful",
      "a detective story , a pharmaceutical miracle drug and winged creatures from some demonic dimension sprouting like weeds in the spring . too much and too artificial .",
      "imagine the constant gardener after a frontal lobotomy , and that 's basically MOV in a nutshell .",
      "based on a finnish shoot-em up video game , MOV is all style and little story , cheerless detective max -lrb- mark wahlberg -rrb- drifting through a washed out and snowy new york in search of his wife 's killer .",
      "it held my attention , which is more than i can say for some of the so-called `` art films '' that come out at the end of every year .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- ll -lsb- the -rsb- wide-open possibilities about where this story can go get so narrowed down into something banal and bleak and ordinary that you can hardly breathe with it ...",
      "this tired , neutered action thriller wo n't cause you max pain , but you might wince every now and again .",
      "i did n't hate MOV , but it 's hard to summon up strong feelings of any kind about something so slick , remote and vacuum-packed you barely feel you 've seen it .",
      "a massive waste of time and a glaring missed opportunity .",
      "MOV ? maximum payne in the butt more like .",
      "the occasional muzzle-flare of stylish violence , but that 's it . dull , depressing and dragging its knuckles at 100 minutes , MOV misfires and wahlberg 's leading-man jinx continues .",
      "john moore directs the hell out of the action , while jonathan sela 's glistening photography captures the snow and rain that fall on these bloody new york streets . but you 'd have to be on crack not to guess the ` surprise ' finale .",
      "among the best films adapted from videogames . say no more .",
      "mark wahlberg 's titular hero has n't cracked a smile in seven years . the surprise is that he makes the lonely cop seem half human with half a dozen words and a staggering amount of violence .",
      "the film combines ferocious self-importance with lashings of really nasty , unreflective violence .",
      "director john moore is clearly more interested in hot babes , body tattoos and slo-mo shootings than he is in story or characterisation . MOV offers min pleasure .",
      "no high-octane , fast-paced shoot 'em up this , MOV may well be the most tedious trip to a cinema you make all year . truly , the minutes pass like hours . it 's akin to one of those straight-to-dvd titles you only ever find in petrol stations .",
      "visually compelling and with a cast willing to make the effort so that we 'll take it seriously , this is a solid action film .",
      "an embarrassment to a genre that 's already delivered some of the worst movies of the last ten years .",
      "there simply has yet to be a decent film adapted from a video game . why studios persist is a testament to the lobotomised throngs who encourage them by paying to see this type of gleet .",
      "this intense action thriller will be recalled for its exciting visuals and relentless action rather than its acting .",
      "though the film 's action scenes wo n't win awards for originality , they ca n't be faulted for either their scale or love of slo-mo .",
      "the producers of movies based on video games must think their audience is nothing but easy-to-entertain morons . it 's the only explanation for a movie this dark , dull , and dumb .",
      "the film should have been about payne getting addicted to drugs , having a good heart , but doing really bad things to search for the man who murdered his family -- not this mess .",
      "wahlberg packs the talent to add depth to most roles . in this one , though , he does little more than mope around and blast away -lrb- video-game style -rrb- in this barrage of rapid fire .",
      "it boasts a stylish surface , but there 's nothing new beneath it .",
      "like other video game adaptations there 's barely a third dimension to any of the characters , but there 's spades of neo-noir mood .",
      "a critic can stay alert through movies that would put elephants into comas , but i doubt most people will stay awake for MOV .",
      "another laughably bad movie based on a popular video-game title .",
      "the emotional underpinnings and psychological depths of great detective fiction get tossed aside for a wallow in stylistic excess .",
      "it is stylish , slick , loud and empty as the producers wanted it to be .",
      "though the pg-13 rating of MOV limited the amount of violence , the film still succeeds mainly due to the dark , gritty and beautiful cinematography .",
      "given the effect MOV has , by the close you may feel that they 've misspelled the hero 's last name .",
      "MOV is content to be an efficient vehicle for the delivery of a familiar range of sensations , some of which almost rise to the level of feelings .",
      "moore artfully blends vidgame and film-noir aesthetics while editor dan zimmermanâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s measured rhythms yield a more coherent , less frenzied work than one might expect from the source material .",
      "it 's a one-dimensional detective noir rather than an exciting shoot-em-up .",
      "did wahlberg read the script , or was it hidden under the pile of money that the producers dropped at his door step ? ''",
      "as shiny and hollow as its used shell cases , MOV does n't have much to offer beyond a recycled noir attitude and a progressively violent , predictable story .",
      "simply terrible . an insult to gamers and action fans . frankly , it does n't even deserve notoriety as one of the year 's worst ; it deserves to be forgotten .",
      "eventually , max pieces together a conspiracy , but MOV spells it all out so obviously that the densest audience members will put the pieces together at least half an hour before the hero finally does .",
      "the movie is styled to death % u2014 it 's hyper film noir without the philosophical resonance % u2014 and it 's certainly something to see .",
      "a big reason why videogame-to-movie adaptations are currently batting .000 is that filmmakers work so hard at recreating a game 's look that they ignore the obvious problem of assembling a bunch of lame cutscenes into a story .",
      "andy samberg 's imitation of marky mark as barky bark is vastly more amusing than wahlberg 's latest action vehicle .",
      "a straight-up action picture , and a rather bombastic , familiar one at that .",
      "honestly , you find yourself rooting against payne 's survival , even with a good actor in the hollow role . there 's nothing inside the film 's sour , slovenly spirit of vengeance .",
      "a profound feeling of laziness hovers over the entire picture , suggesting that it was as joyless to make as it is to watch .",
      "give ` MOV ' the modest credit it deserves . it 's a gloriously dumb , over-the-top slice of convoluted pulp fiction , and far more entertaining than i would have expected .",
      "this action saga is driven into unintentionally self-parodic territory only a seven-year-old boy could reasonably stomach .",
      "unable to really turn chilly menace into tough , action-packed fun .",
      "a big nothing , not even hokey enough to watch for the sake of laughing at it .",
      "85 minutes long , rated pg-13 , released by fox , directed by john moore , and a screenplay based on a video game . that 's a recipe for disaster .",
      "... the resonance of the mythic imagery and potential of the premise creates a fascinating film in the margins of the pulp story in the foreground .",
      "nothing we have n't seen before",
      "the movie 's excellent design and mood almost -- almost -- outweigh the stupid story .",
      "MOV joins fox 's steadily increasing roster of entirely ineffective action pictures , alongside such underwhelming disappointments as hitman and live free or die hard ...",
      "as good as a couple of its action beats are , max still suffers from the heartlessness that makes games emotionally inferior to movies . nobody ever shed a tear over a video-game character 's death .",
      "the story , involving conspiracies , does n't always make sense . and the surprises are easy to predict ; director john moore does n't try to hide them .",
      "take in the pleasure , because MOV is the most beautiful video game adaptation yet .",
      "elegaic where it should be electrifying , dundering where it should be sharp , payne is lovely to look at and that 's about it",
      "what are you going to do ? it 's cool to be the first game to put players in control of a john woo gunfight , but to be yet another movie waving double guns in slow motion , not so much .",
      "slaloms between gritty action and comic-book noir before skidding out into overblown fantasy . the plotline is weak and stretched-out . as the end nears , the pacing gets choppy . but by then , MOV lost that important sidekick , minnie pleasure .",
      "MOV is a junkyard dog of a film that is true to its video-game roots even as it transcends them .",
      "hey , it 's chris o'donnell ! remember him ? in an actual movie that 's shown outside his own home ! on a big screen that is n't built into his own living room wall ! where the viewer has a ticket he did n't receive because of a dui !",
      "this trashy film is a case of big guns and small brains .",
      "as revenge films go , ` MOV ' is a little less than average .",
      "... even less of a story than the videogame on which it is based ...",
      "MOV is one of those ludicrous action movies based on a videogame that 's all style and little substance .",
      "there are guns blazing , mysterious winged creatures , a symbolic tattoo , an elusive blue elixir , an unresolved murder and big stunts , yet MOV is surprisingly lacklustre .",
      "i never trust a film in which the protagonists have conversations or even arguments in the pouring rain -- without umbrellas .",
      "this noisy , dull , structurally messy adaptation of the popular videogame is a step down in the blossoming career of the gifted actor mark wahlberg .",
      "MOV . epic fail .",
      "i yperstylizarismeni kinimatografikotita poy koybalaei o MOV os paradosi sta video games , sta ohi kai toso ikana na ti heiristoyn heria toy moore , metatrepetai oriaka se parodia , poy plakonei tin tainia toy me mia akathorista atheliti hlapatsa dithe",
      "loud and completely devoid of wit or interest , this empty-headed action movie looks terrific thanks to its big budget and heavily stylised visuals . but it 's impossible to care about anything that happens .",
      "badly written , poorly acted and surprisingly dull action thriller that substitutes loud gunfire for thrills and does n't bother to develop the characters beyond their video game origins .",
      "the moment of the film when you should be going `` oh my god i ca n't believe it , '' you 're thinking , `` i wonder if we could sneak into the end of beverly hills chihuahua . ''",
      "mark wahlberg shifts the dank micro-climate that is his charisma to MOV , a `` neo noir '' action thriller which means it snows a lot in murky new york .",
      "mark wahlberg glooms about the land in the latest computer-game makeover , a noir action thriller of such scowling , benighted violence that it could send manic depressives over the edge and make newcomers to that condition of us all .",
      "it would be far too easy to say that max pain sums up mark wahlberg 's latest lead role .",
      "if you can follow the plotlines of this swingeing approximation of the well-known video game of the same name , you are a better customer for john moore 's spectacular thriller than i was .",
      "this tired , neutered action thriller wo n't cause you max pain , but you might wince every now and again ."
    ],
    "summary": "while it boasts some stylish action , MOV suffers severely from an illogical plot and overdirection .",
    "id": "770706171"
  },
  {
    "movie": "haywire_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a tired spy thriller that meshes the three styles of steven soderbergh - pop , clinical and indie - into one messy , sometimes dull b-movie .",
      "... we just wait for her to click back into fight mode . her body language tells us more about her character than any dialogue exchange .",
      "steven soderbergh devised the film especially for his kickboxing champion leading lady gina carano , who kicks her way through a line of leading men , all coming off a poor second best .",
      "gina carano manages to display swift blows and quick thinking as well as masterful kicks to the guts of her enemies while retaining a sensuality that is just bold and absolutely irresistible .",
      "the movie is really only bursting at the seams during its fight scenes . instead of rapid-fire cutting to accentuate the danger , the camera just stops and pays witness to the action .",
      "if you 're a fan of the action-thriller genre , soderbergh superbly nails what thrills it takes for those films to work so well .",
      "the film does have style , but unfortunately the focus on that element seems to have come at too much of a cost .",
      "-lsb- soderbergh -rsb- may be unpredictable but his command of movie making is exhilarating and lord knows he 's never dull .",
      "it 's impressive that something so utterly familiar can feel this refreshing . this is le samourai for the steven seagal crowd .",
      "MOV is a bourne identity-inspired spy vs. spy action flick that is n't quite the kick in the head it should be .",
      "`` MOV '' stays true to its low-rent b-movie principles , right down to the fast , strong and quietly competent heroine at its center .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't a by-the-numbers action vehicle , it 's a crafty thriller that works to undo beat-em-up clichés . in short , it 's a livewire .",
      "it 's sheer escapism as we watch a gang of pros playing one tough guy after another . tough guys who will all drop like dominoes when the toughest one in the bunch ... is the one wearing the skirt .",
      "` MOV '' is a wannabe , or rather a wanna-b , and that b is for `` bourne . ''",
      "hand it to a wily indie veteran like soderbergh to find a fresh twist to an old genre : the fighting is n't faked , but the acting is .",
      "if things work out , carano will become a great big action superstar , and MOV is an extremely auspicious debut .",
      "carano acquits herself admirably , but the storyline eventually feels like a pretty weak excuse to hang a half-dozen action set-pieces from .",
      "while the plot is routine and familiar -- carano is framed by other spies and targeted for extermination -- the overall visceral effect is fascinating .",
      "gina carano 's attitude-free performance more than merits top billing .",
      "finally , finally , women have a truly powerful , kick-ass , take-no-prisoners , authentic female action star .",
      "the pleasure of this small , eccentric movie is the natural way carano hurts people - by , say , walking partway up a wall and climbing onto a man 's back , by sprinting toward the camera and flying into the human target standing in the foreground .",
      "five minutes of carano fighting , 85 minutes of half-baked espionage plotting that nobody , not writer lem dobbs or soderbergh , seems to care much about .",
      "a star is born . well , almost .",
      "a breathless , bone-crunching espionage thriller distinguished by its female protagonist , mallory kane , played by mixed martial arts star gina carano .",
      "watching carano kick , spin , flip , choke , crack and crush the fiercest of foes - mostly men about twice her size - is thoroughly entertaining , highly amusing and frankly somewhat awe-inspiring .",
      "`` i do n't wear the dress , '' explains mallory kane as she ponders the details of her next job . if she did , she 'd probably strangle someone with it .",
      "for what it aims to be , ` MOV ' is certainly a success . a pity it does n't aim to be much more than a brisk , mindless action flick with a butt-kicking heroine .",
      "can carano act ? well , she can express herself quite effectively by snapping a man 's neck with her knee .",
      "MOV is an arty grindhouse flick - now there 's an oxymoron - that would nicely fit on the bottom half of a double-feature bill . too bad double features are extinct , and instead drive-in prices we pay megaplex prices . MOV is n't worth that .",
      "it feels like somebody turned down the volume on a hard rock album so as to hear the details better -- for which relief , much thanks .",
      "soderbergh describes it as ` a pam grier movie made by alfred hitchcock . ' i 'd say it 's more like an espionage-driven coffy as directed by steven soderbergh .",
      "finds soderbergh keeping it simple , stupid , by filling the story 's hollowness with kick-butt action and elements of style .",
      "this walloping -lrb- literally ; everybody gets walloped -rrb- spy-action movie is built around carano , but the real fun comes from the international adventure and dream supporting cast .",
      "ultimately what the film looks like is ... that a bunch of actors really wanted to get beatdowns from an mma fighter .",
      "soderbergh does for this genre what he did with the heist movie in oceans eleven and its sequels .",
      "a wafer-thin pro-feminist spy thriller that thrives solely because we have n't seen its like before .",
      "there 's not much substance to the script beyond its adrenaline-fueled mayhem , but soderbergh still manages to assemble a top-notch cast and employ a stylish visual approach that make for an exciting ride .",
      "decent , but not original enough to match carano 's big screen debut -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "steven soderbergh 's MOV has all the trappings of an `` a '' movie , including a big-name cast and impressive international locations , but it never rises above the level of a `` b. ''",
      "formulaic thriller . at least the fight sequences are cool .",
      "superior genre pic .",
      "the whole point of this time-wasting farrago of idiocy is that women can cut , kick , slash , burn , maim and kill just like men -- and make bad movies that are just as stupid .",
      "the script makes no attempt to assert its plausibility or realism ; it is , instead , refreshingly frank about what it is , a simple , workable framework for the melees and mayhem .",
      "this uber-stylish treat may have low nutritional content , but the kinetic hand-to-hand combat fight scenes and soderbergh 's lethal skill are simply seductive .",
      "soderbergh rocks this genre and carano gives any male action star a run for his money .",
      "it may seem like this is merely an exercise in style and to be honest , it is . soderbergh 's clearly fascinated by the physicality of carano as a fighter and MOV 's sole reason for existence is to highlight those skills .",
      "a maze that keeps leading to surprising places .",
      "i bet soderbergh secretly considers this one of his favorite films .",
      "mixed martial-arts star carano puts major muscle , if minor acting ability , into this enjoyable action flick .",
      "steven soderbergh continues his occasional practice of using actors as found objects in his perfectly enjoyable formula action-thriller MOV .",
      "MOV rips along at a fair old pace , crunches all the right bones and is capable of drawing sharp intakes of breath during the fantastic fight scenes , so in that regard , steven soderbergh can call it a success .",
      "a lean and vastly entertaining picture .",
      "haywires shortcomings do n't detract from the minute to minute onscreen ride - featuring carano 's fresh -lrb- and uncompromising -rrb- action work .",
      "`` do n't think of her as a woman . that would be a mistake , '' says an s.o.b. late in this sexy , jazzy exercise , and he could n't be more wrong . the action film as a love letter to a lethal goddess .",
      "top-class mma star gina carano takes on the ass-kicking duties and boy , does she kick it well .",
      "there 's an awful lot of dreary and incomprehensible exposition to get through , and gina carano is not a charismatic leading lady .",
      "without gina carano , there 'd be no use for such a familiar , threadbare film to exist at all .",
      "wrong-headed in every way , it fails both as a spy thriller and as a throwback to '70s exploitation flicks .",
      "most importantly , the film announces the arrival of a bona fide action star in -lsb- gina -rsb- carano .",
      "beautifully conceived and executed and featuring a star whom it is virtually impossible to tear your eyes away from -lrb- even as she is tearing away at the eyes of others -rrb-",
      "a taut action thriller that is as briskly efficient and muscular as its heroine .",
      "MOV may not herald the arrival of the next great female action hero , but it 's a nifty bit of escapism from the january doldrums .",
      "carano and soderbergh have actually created a possible franchise in the character - like a tangible lara croft ...",
      "move over angelina jolie . machismo feminine style got an upgrade . gina carano is beautiful . built and bad . i 'm totally in love . and guys , i do n't think i 'm alone here .",
      "having grown accustomed to waif-like `` action heroines , '' it 's refreshing to witness an actress who can deliver a knockout blow - and take one - with some credulity .",
      "wow , what a movie ! `` MOV '' is a terrific action-packed adventure . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "soderbergh attempts to battle predictability with predictability , though it 's hard to argue with the movie 's sporadic concentration . when MOV wakes up , it 's a blast .",
      "with carano , soderbergh has created his own version of a girl with a tattoo without all the needless plot diversions , a hanna who 's all grown up and past fairy tales .",
      "if `` mission : impossible - ghost protocol '' was a fancy top-shelf cocktail , this is polish vodka , neat .",
      "it remains to be seen whether carano can do more than kick ass . but for now , she 's a compelling candidate to join the pantheon of female action stars .",
      "carano is wonderfully athletic , which is just as well , because she spends most of the film being wonderful athletic .",
      "carano may not be a born or a natural actress ; she is , however , an undeniable and heartening rebuke to the skinny-minnies hollywood favors over real women with curves .",
      "it is self-consciously and aggressively trivial , a feast for formalists who sentimentalize the gloriously cheap b-movies of the past .",
      "aspires to be a spy-action thriller but instead limps along as a ponderous , convoluted art-house film .",
      "carano is cool and in control , even after running , in real time , several blocks and pummeling a guy in an alley . but `` MOV , '' clean and no-fuss as it is , needs more action scenes to match carano 's game .",
      "you need a diploma in gobbledegook to know what is going on , never mind to care .",
      "stylistically it has some things going for it , but the characters and plot are so slipshod that you wo n't really care after about a half hour what 's going on .",
      "what makes this film stand out from the crowd is its insistence on making sure that the action is grounded in human physicality , internalised drama and the laws of gravity .",
      "MOV comes close to achieving soderbergh 's goal of creating `` a pam grier movie made by alfred hitchcock . ''",
      "what if you combined sex , lies and videotape , moody synth music and a butt-kicking babe ?",
      "some of the most uncomfortably fleshy action sequences in recent memory ... with coffee pots and flat screen televisions breaking in ways guaranteed to make all but the most strong-willed wince .",
      "soderbergh 's approach is a little too stripped-down - when you 're making a conventional genre movie , the absence of conventional genre elements becomes distracting in itself .",
      "standard spy-fi fare presented in a very atypical style .",
      "carano is strong , fast , relentless . she 's not much of an actress yet , but soderbergh hides her weaknesses well ...",
      "i 'd like to recommend it on the basis of carano 's skillz alone , but the remaining 80 minutes are just too dull .",
      "fierce and ferocious , filled with relentless , kinetic , if senseless , violent mayhem .",
      "gina carano ca n't act , has no on screen presence and the fight scenes looked fake .",
      "despite some thrilling combat choreography executed with flair by mma champ gina carano , steven soderbergh clearly phoned it in here .",
      "as with any great action movie , what we 're really here to see is the star showing off whatever skills got them on screen to begin with . and MOV never disappoints .",
      "there 's a good deal of pleasure to be had in the clockwork precision of her hand-to-hand combat , which soderbergh often shoots in profile to showcase her wall-climbing backflips .",
      "even in the midst fighting off a battalion of protective-gear-clad law enforcement officers , carano has a businesslike confidence .",
      "a vigorous spy thriller that consistently beckons the viewer to catch up with its narrative twists and turns . bordering on convoluted , it works best when in combat mode .",
      "`` MOV '' is a lean , clean production , shot and edited by soderbergh himself and utterly free of the incoherent action sequences and overcooked special effects that plague similarly scaled hollywood pictures .",
      "you do n't love movies if the sight of gina carano beating up every guy in sight does n't make you laugh , get happy and feel as if you 're getting your money 's worth .",
      "this is the best kind of action film : one in which we 're actually granted the pleasure of watching bodies move .",
      "yet-another tightly-directed , expertly-made work from a director who seems to know no other way .",
      "fun , low-tech action with a starmaking turn by gina carano .",
      "steven soderbergh has mashed , fermented and distilled a range of familiar seventies revenge-movie tropes into a cask-strength action thriller .",
      "there 's no deeper meaning to steven soderbergh 's thriller than what meets the eye , yet its lustrous surfaces offer great and guilt-free pleasure .",
      "if soderbergh wanted to showcase the possibilities inherent in ms. carano 's buff bod persona , he 's done a fine job",
      "from start to finish , serious fun .",
      "while she ca n't out-act angelina jolie , carano definitely looks comfortable onscreen . and she 's a lot more credible kicking butt .",
      "MOV does n't just start 2012 with a bang ; it sets the bar very , very high for every action film that 's going to follow in its footsteps this year .",
      "carano is her own best stuntwoman , but in the dialogue scenes she 's all kick and no charisma . the mma battler lacks the conviction she so forcefully displayed in the ring . she is not MOV 's heroine but its hostage .",
      "it 's all style and attitude , a snarl of a movie that begins in the middle of something and ends in the middle of something but gives us a ton of adrenaline-fueled pleasure in between .",
      "MOV may simply be a genre exercise for soderbergh , but few directors are able to flex their cinematic muscles as effectively .",
      "the perfect heir to ripley . fassbender 's scenes give the movie an alarming erotic jolt . you actually believe this woman can fight a man and win .",
      "in one memorable sequence she strangles a man , with only her thighs , and stares him down as she does it ... it 's a moment that can be taken many different ways , from high camp to trenchant observation on how the genders interact",
      "carano is nothing special as an actress - but darned if it matters when she 's supported by a killer screenplay , a sharp cast , and steven soderbergh 's unmistakably sly , mordant direction .",
      "... a compact thriller with more star power than the script requires and lots of action .",
      "... a made-to-order vehicle for carano ... soderbergh 's latest is a jazzy , ultra-cool espionage-payback thriller that makes up in pure adrenaline what it lacks in narrative heft .",
      "hey hollywood , here 's your wonder woman !",
      "an electrifying film of hand-to-hand combat with spatial clarity , a sensual charge and splendid fight choreography . simple pleasures , those , but ones rarely found in today 's onslaught of cgi-augmented battles and incomprehensible editing .",
      "hobbled by bad pacing and an anemic script , MOV should 've been a fun popcorn actioner showing off gina carano 's wonderfully brutal talents , which deserve a far more energetic and inspired vehicle .",
      "a punch or kick from carano looks and feels like it has real weight and power behind it , and the impact is a visible and visceral experience for the audience as well as for the poor guys onscreen .",
      "undoubtedly worth seeing for the terrific fight sequences , but it 's badly let down by a paper-thin plot and a script that , perhaps wisely , chooses not to test carano 's acting abilities .",
      "soderbergh plays with the action genre by planting a real fighter in the role of butt-kicking protagonist , and carano rises to the challenge .",
      "a go-for-broke action thriller that only gets more exciting the more grounded and real it feels .",
      "once you get over the novelty of watching mixed martial arts fighter gina carano beat up her male co-stars , the film has practically nothing else to offer .",
      "nifty spy actioner featuring impressive big-screen newcomer and martial-arts expert gina carano as a high-level , high-kickin ' intel operative for hire but not to mess with .",
      "this is not `` great '' soderbergh , regardless of whether one considers him as an auteur or a mass market entertainer . but it is `` good '' soderbergh , and that 's more than enough .",
      "steven soderbergh is becoming increasingly strong on convolution and weak on connection .",
      "where so many sporting champs turn out to be dramatic chumps , this is a supremely confident debut from a talent who packs charisma like punches . she 'll go far .",
      "as cartoonish live-action and photorealistic cartoons reign at the multiplex , all but obsoleting the laws of gravity , MOV puts the impact back into screen violence , brings it back to earth .",
      "if you just want a high-impact movie that lands every punch it throws , `` MOV '' will more than satisfy .",
      "soderbergh has delivered a hugely entertaining revenge thriller that has no right to be so dazzlingly-realised .",
      "it 's a fantastic minimalist action film where you actually get to see what is happening .",
      "MOV is as entertaining as a skillful cartoon . gia carano is road runner , and her adversaries are a bunch of wile e. coyotes .",
      "carano an action star to reckoned with in MOV .",
      "while it remains to be seen where carano goes from here in her film career , she certainly makes a memorable and quality first impression .",
      "if you were to look at it as an assembly of tough -lrb- non-action -rrb- leading actors being lined up to have the crap beaten out of them by carano - then it 's a total success .",
      "gina carano has a face that can hold a hollywood close-up and a fist that can hold your nose until it comes clean off .",
      "if you want to see a female action star in the making convincingly kicking the crap out of a succession of photogenic boys , this is the ticket to buy .",
      "as with ` contagion , ' soderbergh 's arthouse cool does more to dampen the appeal of the genre material than to validate , elevate , critique or refresh it . somebody show the auteur a cynthia rothrock movie , stat .",
      "MOV feels like a lot of people aimlessly running around for 90 minutes , kicking each other to the whimsical jazz score .",
      "MOV is really just a vehicle for carano to demonstrate her action chops , which she does with a vengeance , set to david holmes ' buoyant and badass score .",
      "when carano gets a good grip on one of her victims , it 's impossible to peel her off ; she 's like lethal duct tape .",
      "right up to the film 's comically abrupt ending , it 's all about mallory 's strength , speed and uncanny ability to survive . a dismissive cop , early on , refers to her as `` wonder woman '' ; turns out he 's not kidding .",
      "it 's -lsb- dobbs -rsb- and soderbergh 's idea of lizard-brain entertainment , and its pleasures are remarkably distilled .",
      "at least it feels fresh to have a kick-ass , intelligent woman in the leading role , who can take on and beat men at their own game .",
      "`` MOV '' feels like minor soderbergh : zippy , hugely entertaining and well-crafted as always , but not one of his more important films in the broad scheme of things .",
      "MOV is the kind of lucid thriller paul greengrass might make if he ever invested in a tripod .",
      "if only the structure of the story was as robust as carano , this thriller would have been hard to beat .",
      "` MOV ' is a pulse-pounding and fast-moving thriller .",
      "carano projects an intriguing aura in her dramatic-acting debut - part smoky , dark-haired sexuality , part bruiser , with an uninflected alto voice that cuts through crap .",
      "there 's shockingly little thrill in watching carano bounce off walls and pummel antagonists .",
      "gina carano is the real deal , holding her own against male counterparts like channing tatum , michael fassbender , and antonio banderas , and giving MOV a whole lot of punch .",
      "do n't worry about the convuluted plot : see it for a kickass performance by women 's martial arts champ gina carano .",
      "only steven soderbergh could produce a slick , modern , cineliterate deconstruction of the hollywood action caper that also manages to be a rollicking good ride .",
      "a slight genre exercise built on a spare , straight-to-video backbone and fleshed out with soderbergh 's experimental attitude",
      "do you ever get the feeling a director is just messing with you ? just because they can ? it 's not unusual to get that feeling during a steven soderbergh film , especially when he moves away from the intellectual driven art fare he favors .",
      "she 's not much in the acting department , but gina carano can punch , kick and pounce , all of which is more important than acting in steven soderbergh 's action flick .",
      "the limitations of the film are n't carano 's fault : admittedly , her emoting borders on the wooden side , but she does have charisma and a natural screen presence , neither of which should ever be underestimated .",
      "this spy action film features some great fight scenes and stunts . it is edited right down to the bone and the production is about as slick as anything in recent years . emotionally , however , it is on the cold side .",
      "... an action film with a female protagonist played by an actress with the cred that she could actually accomplish what she 's shown doing , and it 's a lot of fun .",
      "MOV is a pared-down , almost simplistic action movie , mostly designed to showcase the beauty and power of soderbergh 's new star , female mixed martial arts fighter carano .",
      "the story 's been done to death but not since the days of harry palmer has it been told with this much style .",
      "a jet-propelled action-thriller that has little time for wasted motion ... intense and intensely lean ... it 's that rarity - an action movie with intelligence .",
      "soderbergh takes the opportunity to write a trim visual essay on attack and retreat .",
      "you might think you 've seen this movie before-but you have n't seen it like this .",
      "though MOV is very much the sort of slick , sassy soderbergh we 've come to expect from the prolific director , it 's bogged down with a poor sense of story development and some less-than-clever plotting conceits .",
      "gee , is n't it cool how exciting a static shot with wonderfully composed action in it can be ? the climax creates awesome out of such simple presentation , it 's indie basics as hollywood blockbuster at work .",
      "hard , fast , brutal : soderbergh 's sucker-punch return to action knows what it 's about . not subtle or substantial , but it gets to work with flab-free focus .",
      "steven soderbergh 's action-filmmaking chops get a swift , vigorous 92-minute workout in MOV .",
      "uma thurman and angelina jolie move over , gina carano , a new riveting action star is born in soderbergh 's MOV , a globe-trotting spy thriller , which is silly and movieish but delivers the basic goods .",
      "this is n't just the best action film since bourne , it also exudes the sort of flair and cool of a 60s bond movie . a class act .",
      "MOV is about the simple joys of action film virtuosity , and soderbergh delivers .",
      "if anything , MOV is most closely linked to last year 's contagion , a kindred effort in style , theme , and value-marring detachment .",
      "a fresh , muscular payback movie shot through with soderbergh 's mischievous indie-spirit .",
      "nice to see ewan mcgregor and michael fassbender are still getting work .",
      "there 's a lot of fight in MOV , but very little punch ... -lsb- a -rsb- movie called MOV should have more energy , more exuberance than this . there no sense of play to be found ...",
      "although the movie is nothing more than a flashy debut showcase for the charismatic carano to show she can act and kick butt , that reason alone is sufficient for much popcorn to be consumed .",
      "one of the benefits is carano 's screen presence and an ability to kick booty approaching that of jason statham .",
      "while carano steals the picture in every scene she 's in , there 's not much left for the heavyweight male cast to get their teeth into .",
      "i really had a blast with MOV .",
      "for a director who jumps across genres and styles , some of soderbergh 's most satisfying moments come when he time warps to the '60s and '70s for inspiration , just like he 's doing here .",
      "a typically uneven effort from steven soderbergh ...",
      "like the limey , also written by MOV scribe lem dobbs , it 's the kind of film that hearkens back to lean-and-mean revenge movies like get carter and point blank .",
      "the violence is effectively tailored around carano 's undeniable skills ...",
      "though carano is n't without a certain glowering charisma , her flat line readings and apparent discomfort with dialogue-heavy exchanges make her seem like a refugee from a different , schlockier movie ...",
      "carano 's skill is the centerpiece here , although everyone adds a bit of sparkle to the brilliance .",
      "carano may not be a great acting discovery , but she suits this role just fine . she 's entirely credible as an action hero ."
    ],
    "summary": "mma star and first-time actress gina carano displays ample action-movie chops in MOV , a fast-paced thriller with a top-notch cast and outstanding direction from steven soderbergh .",
    "id": "771202905"
  },
  {
    "movie": "humpday",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV makes you squirm and think , in the best possible way .",
      "MOV surprises us from beginning to end . it 's a fresh take on the familiar topic of friendship -- and a wise one .",
      "ultimately devoid of anything much to say about sexuality or friendship .",
      "has moments of insight and cleverness , but it 's pretty threadbare in every sense .",
      "sadly , the most interesting characters in `` MOV '' are not the main focuses of the story .",
      "initially refreshing , witty and awkwardly funny , but it morphs into a shallow , tedious , lazy and ultimately forgettable comedy .",
      "transforms a thoroughly outrageous premise into a thoughtful study of the burdens of 21st-century masculinity .",
      "mumblecore comes of age with this smartly written and well-acted , grown-up version of a `` bromantic '' comedy .",
      "lynn shelton 's breakthrough bromance comedy is funny , sharp and true -- with no preachy sexual politics .",
      "few kinds of art are more boring than the insistently transgressive , and few movies are more boring than MOV .",
      "one of the best indie films of the year , MOV is a lighter descendant of ` sex lies and videotape , ' yet burrows just as deep into the male psyche and the human capacity for self-deceit .",
      "a homo erotic adventure which gives ` bosom buddies ' a whole new meaning !",
      "this low-budget art film about two straight men who drunkenly decide to shoot a porno together in the style of a low-budget art film is actually kind of touching , if you can get past the inherent credibility gap .",
      "what 's intriguing in this set-up is what the dare might teach the guys about the nature of sexuality .",
      "mumblecore meets screwball in ` MOV , ' an audacious character comedy that squeezes so much humor and pertinence out of its low budget and high concept that even the audience feels the pinch .",
      "shelton 's film takes a quantum leap in its funny and fearless third act .",
      "in its unassuming , offhand way , `` MOV '' gets the details of male friendship uncomfortably right -- the self-denials , the macho bluster , the constant comparisons about where that guy 's at in life versus me .",
      "possibilities are at least flirted with , if not realized , the results waver between interesting and tedious , only to come up with the inevitable lemon of a resolution .",
      "this film is not very believable , and it really does n't seem to go anywhere .",
      "it says very little about anything though promising to say much .",
      "shelton 's low-fi treatment helps soften it , but too many overcooked moments still seep through .",
      "a mumblecore bore about two heterosexual men , one living a conventional married life and the other a bohemian bachelor , who decide to make a gay porn movie on a dare . it would have been far more interesting , i 'm afraid .",
      "this audience-friendly indie sex comedy features almost no sex but plenty of nervous male bonding and a whole new angle on performance anxiety .",
      "though often very funny , writer/director lynn shelton 's film lacks some of the insight into the awkwardness of male friendship found in recent mainstream comedy hits .",
      "an intelligent , low-key look at male sexuality which is sensitively handled . what a pity , then , that the ending 's such a let-down ... or an anti-climax , you could say .",
      "shelton 's wry script , together with a troika of perfectly judged performances , transforms a set-up that has the potential to be endlessly distasteful into a wry , engaging version of the `` will-they-won ` t-they ? '' movie .",
      "forget the buddy movie and the `` bromance '' , this wryly provocative comedy takes man-love to a place of palm-sweating uncertainty .",
      "the questions are piquant , the answers droll and surprising .",
      "the film is also notable for tackling a daring subject in an original and intriguing way .",
      "more subtle and insightful than you might have expected .",
      "we 've had romcoms - now here 's the first of the homcoms . and i 've got ta admit it made me feel both happy and gay .",
      "shot in a disarmingly improvised style , it 's not clear whether this is a dramatic comedy or a very funny drama . whatever it is , it boldly faces one of the biggest taboos of american society : male intimacy .",
      "a tale of gay chicken slathered with a thick coating of verbal wandering , MOV is cute , well acted , but exceptionally trying at times , using an aesthetic reserved for realism to push across a trite frat house concept .",
      "those conversations were really memorable and really well executed .",
      "a pleasurable clash goes on in your head between your belief in the moment-to-moment sincerity of these two guys and your disbelief that they could ever go through with their plan .",
      "this is an excruciating dramedy of schadenfruede for the anything-goes hipness of the last decade and a half which has devalued contentment as a cop out",
      "i walked into MOV expecting grainy , hand-held art , and an episode of the the honeymooners broke out .",
      "while at times the improvisational dialogue sounds like audio filler , the three leads are poignant and perceptive . likewise shelton 's film , considerably more complex than those ` bros will be bros ' comedies of male bonding .",
      "MOV -lsb- captures -rsb- the lives of its protagonists more credibly than any hollywood-manufactured comedy of recent vintage .",
      "MOV succeeds by grounding its risqué premise in the awkwardness and humor of real people trying their damnedest to communicate . a lot .",
      "unfortunately , MOV is held back by the blandness of both ben and andrew . their friendship , which is supposed to be along the lines of the uneasy bond in the terrific old joy , never comes into focus in their dull , rambling scenes together .",
      "there 's more believable , raw humanity here than in michael bay 's entire oeuvre .",
      "the problem is not the farfetched contrivance of MOV , but how unmoored it seems from anything but self-satisfied cuteness .",
      "lynn shelton 's marvelous chamber comedy MOV butts up against the same sort of taboos as brüno , and in its fumbling , semi-improvised way , it 's equally hilarious and even more subversive .",
      "... a compelling and thoroughly original modern comedy .",
      "lynn shelton 's film % u2014a promising premise in search of a payoff with more nourishment than room-service steak and milkshakes % u2014frequently dazzles and delights , but once the look-alike boxers come into frame , the only verb left is disappoints .",
      "the sort of film that kevin smith must dream of making . it 's sweet , piquant , bold and intelligent , balancing its outrageous concept with relationships and conversations that are all too believable .",
      "one could only feel sorry for alycia delmore as the pliant wife of the silly husband , who goes along with his irritatingly neurotic friend 's idea .",
      "some nice performances highlight a strangely-paced exploration of the male identity and its inability to cope with unique situations .",
      "it 's attractively performed , fairly amusing and worked out in a convincing if predictable way .",
      "so what is MOV really about ? if anything , the power of women",
      "while the dare itself seems almost contrived to make the movie happen , what transpires afterward is a very universal experience for people who take stock of their lives for the first time after college .",
      "it 's a comedy that grows beyond any apatovian expectations and expertly avoids being an ode to ` gay panic ' a ` la i now pronounce you chuck and larry .",
      "... gives us a real feel for a friendship , its insecurities and the competition that results -lrb- especially in one of cinema 's most amusingly pathetic games of pickup basketball -rrb- .",
      "writer/director lynn shelton 's sexual sitcom is a lighthearted satire of machismo and insecurity where the laughs emerge from restless , uncomfortable silences .",
      "is there anything more stereo-typical than straight guys locked in a mutual dare ? well , here the stakes could n't be higher , or funnier .",
      "the script feels about ten re-writes short of being filmable .",
      "MOV is something surprising : a sharply observed slice of life , an entertaining example of the microbudget genre called mumblecore .",
      "if i wanted to hear would-be counter culture yuppies yell at each other i 'd hang out with my own loser friends .",
      "one thing usually that stands out in independent films is the amateurish acting , but that 's not the case here . every performance is right on the money and feels 100 % natural .",
      "there has n't been a mainstream movie since maybe `` the crying game '' that has so subtly brought up the possibility of a man 's bisexuality than `` MOV . ''",
      "there 's something surprisingly perceptive about the way the film looks at male relationships and friendships .",
      "getting to the showdown is a fine and funny journey .",
      "MOV is the reductio ad absurdum of the recent spate of bromance movies . ... it dares to ask what happens when a bromance evolves into a straight-up romance .",
      "consistently funny , as well as genuinely insightful about the way men relate to one another .",
      "MOV uses it absurd premise for maximum comic discomfort and its this approach that should have audiences unable to look away unless they are doubled over in laughter .",
      "alycia delmore gives a nuanced performance as anna , but it 's the dumb-as-stumps performances from duplass and leonard that make `` MOV '' a movie that you can laugh at as much as you laugh with it .",
      "more sophisticated than a brief plot synopsis indicates , and it is one of the most observant and intelligent movies ever about male relationships .",
      "with its easy-going pacing and consistently funny give-and-take , MOV is more than just a one-joke movie . it 's a perceptive comedy about masculinity .",
      "the title suggests a titillating , frivolous film , but it 's actually a serio comedy about socio-sexual taboos and the very nature of male friendship .",
      "MOV is the most accessible film so far to come out of the so-called mumblecore movement .",
      "MOV is like a peek into the brain of dudes and it 's either funny or discomforting depending on if you 're a guy or a girl . as a guy , i only prayed my wife was n't catching on .",
      "it 's funny and sweet and curious about the nature of dude friendship , although shelton , like her characters , equivocates a little too much about the eventual outcome .",
      "hilariously perceptive .",
      "MOV may not be the single best movie i 've seen so far this year -- though it 's certainly a contender for the title -- but it 's without doubt the most surprising .",
      "shelton shows great insight into the contradictory mind of the modern man .",
      "there 's more overanalysis here than in a week 's worth of the view .",
      "MOV radiates with the sheen of a film that has been thought out within an inch of its witty and insightful life .",
      "evolves so naturally it never feels outrageous .",
      "a film that promises to be an outrageous comedy exploring contemporary sexual mores winds up coming across as little more than this generation 's `` baghead . ''",
      "features excellent performances and a plenty discussion-worthy take on personal and marital boundaries -- and the way that the same thing looks different from various angles .",
      "MOV is funny , yes , but also observant and thought-provoking .",
      "shelton often seems hemmed in by the high concept , but she manages to worm her way out so expertly that when it 's over , the whole thing feels like it was built backwards , starting not with the premise but with the final , observant conversation .",
      "MOV just wrings every uncomfortable laugh from its premise then shudders to a halt : cut , end credits .",
      "a whip-smart , uproariously funny comedy which uses a `` bros will be bros '' dare as the in point to talk about the inevitable loss of self in long term relationships .",
      "shelton 's ability to get terrific performances out of an unknown cast borders on the astonishing .",
      "a surprisingly real male relationship examination .",
      "even if the movie does n't completely work , it 's apt to leave you talking about it for days .",
      "one of the big problems in MOV for this viewer is the characters , none of whom really engages a viewer 's imagination or emotion .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- startlingly good comedy that makes brüno seem barely daring .",
      "the scenes between husband and wife are spectacularly awkward and arresting , though the movie grows more dubious the nearer the guys get to their shooting session in a local hotel room .",
      "with astute and subtle precision , -lsb- director -rsb- shelton burrows deeply inside the psyches of her characters who do not want to admit that they 've changed considerably since they last saw each other a decade before .",
      "it kind of runs out of steam .",
      "shelton never follows up on the film 's satirical possibilities .",
      "unlike a lot of institutional raunch in today 's comedy , MOV finds laughs out of what is rarely made explicit between buddies .",
      "i find it interesting that that the two best films about men that i 've seen this summer -lrb- the hurt locker being the other -rrb- have been directed by women .",
      "a very good dissection of friendship , sexuality , ego , domesticity , and our perceptions about who we are and how far we are willing to go to prove that we are not so easily-defined .",
      "explores the dynamics of male camaraderie , sexual politics , and competitiveness .",
      "in scene after scene , MOV carefully raises the stakes until it hits a finale loaded with humor , tenderness , and delicious ambiguity .",
      "the film ends up being about not just a really idiotic dare , but about the bounds of friendship and the bonds of marriage -- and about much more besides .",
      "in MOV , andrew ca n't help but compete with anna , who has stolen his bro , or more precisely , his slowly receding notion of himself .",
      "the movie 's unblinking observation of a friendship put to the test is amused , queasy making , kindhearted and unfailingly truthful .",
      "can director lynn shelton sustain enough interest building up to the will-they-or-won ` t-they resolution ? yes , thanks single-handedly to the cast .",
      "it milks its edgy high concept for plenty of laughs , but it also does more . shelton has made a touching , quietly disturbing comedy about the way our minds can take us prisoner .",
      "... plays as if director lynn shelton watched kelly reichardt 's `` old joy '' and decided to turn it into a comedy . it 's abrupt ending plays like a filmmaker who has run out of idea .",
      "a warm and usually winning shoestring-budgeted effort that proves money does not equate to real talent .",
      "writer-director lynn shelton sweetly , mischievously tracks ben and andrew as they jaw , shoot hoops , roughhouse , and hug it out .",
      "ben -lrb- mark duplass -rrb- and andrew -lrb- joshua leonard -rrb- are two college friends whose lives have taken very different paths . while andrew 's gone globetrotting , ben settles down with a wife -lrb- alycia delmore -rrb- and a white picket fence . when andrew shows up at ben 's do",
      "ultimately plays as behavioral experiment and , slapping their stomachs and chests in nervous rhythm , its leads are prime specimens",
      "MOV typifies the low-level indie film where characters talk out silly ideas they do n't believe in anyway , just the pop confusion in their heads .",
      "what could have ended up as crass , cringy and possibly offensive actually results in a very funny and realistic treatment of the premise .",
      "what finally lifts ` MOV ' above macho junk like ` the hangover ' is its all-inclusive warmth : for all their adolescent self-delusion , shelton truly loves these characters . and after 90 minutes , so will you .",
      "immensely enjoyable , an insightful and humorous depiction of complicated , yet ultimately simple , male drives .",
      "MOV is a high-concept comedy made for low-budget money that might just be one of the funniest films of the year .",
      "the ending of the movie is an awful let-down , which is a shame : the film had been weirdly involving and alycia delmore is good as ben 's outraged wife .",
      "the film does a fair amount of squirming itself , but not before giving honest and hilarious thought to the carnal intricacies of the whole project .",
      "shelton has been tagged as an extremely adept chronicler of the associations between men . it 's fair to say that the director is good on relationships , period .",
      "writer-director lynn shelton has crafted a richly rewarding script that enables the viewer - with a minimum of effort - to buy into an idea which in lesser hands would flail impotently . as the guys say `` it 's beyond gay . ''",
      "fresh , funny and subtly insightful , this daring little indie bromance feels like the movie hollywood would n't have the balls to make .",
      "the farce that follows is both ridiculous and surprisingly real , mining a very rich seam of comedy while also making some very sharp points about male friendships and the often very blurred line between straight and gay .",
      "it 's interesting that MOV , a movie as sneakily taboo-nudging and subversive in a lot of the same ways as sacha baron cohen 's brüno , opens on the same weekend but with a lot less fuss .",
      "it 's also hilarious , which makes all that unspoken relationship drama a lot easier to explore .",
      "you have to give lynn shelton a lot of credit for trying to explore a part of the male lifestyle that often deliberately goes unspoken ."
    ],
    "summary": "observant and insightful , this indie comedy takes a different tack on the `` bromance '' but still makes a point without sermonizing .",
    "id": "770802769"
  },
  {
    "movie": "oranges_and_sunshine",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a powerful exploration and its subjects should be proud .",
      "jim loach 's feature debut presents the horrific injustice of forced child migration in a calm , measured manner .",
      "` sunshine ' a burning indictment of child abuse .",
      "the sincerity of feeling is unmistakable . so 's the flat-footedness of the writing .",
      "a chilling tale ? not when made into a maudlin , completely predictable , mainstream narrative movie by filmmaker jim loach .",
      "earnest , heart-tugging , social problem drama .",
      "yet another reality-based tale of a lone crusader who takes on past injustice , but a fairly good example of this overused genre .",
      "emily watson , who always brings a special grace to the screen , gives a multilayered performance to the role of margaret humphreys , who not only puts her own family dynamic at risk but finds herself physically threatened .",
      "the story is a stunner , and the format , propelled by watson 's deepening investigation , gives the movie energy .",
      "the result is a problem drama with more problem than drama .",
      "there are powerful moments , but there are also plodding ones , and too often one is left feeling that this might have made a rather better documentary than a drama .",
      "as you 'd expect from a man named loach , jim refuses to dress up the facts with melodrama and even keeps his landscape shots grounded in the reality of the emotionally unfulfilled .",
      "it 's an earnest , straightforward film that 's intensely moving and never sentimental .",
      "a disappointing attempt to illuminate a dark time in commonwealth history .",
      "it 's a pleasure to welcome one movie that wo n't damage your brain cells and actually has a story worth telling .",
      "this is a solid debut , but the hangover from loach 's tv past looks large on the big screen .",
      "jim loach 's sombre , painful film packs a hard punch ; harder than you 'd expect from the soft-focus poster .",
      "a shocking true story about child deportation to australia is told with delicacy and restraint in MOV , the directorial debut of jim loach , son of ken .",
      "emily watson gives the only believable performance in a film beset by clunky dialogue and torpid mise-en-scčne .",
      "moving if low-key , jim loach 's debut feature is proof that compassionate , socially conscious filmmaking runs in the family .",
      "... a bit plodding overall , its heroine more perseverant than passionate .",
      "a ` message movie ' told in staid , blocky fashion , as if already edited down for a hallmark-style tv presentation , and the lowest-common-denominator audience that medium occasionally implies .",
      "emily watson , a delicate english rose , has never seemed more sturdy than here .",
      "the script occasionally employs a clumsy voiceover , but later the same technique works wonderfully , pairing the most dramatic plot points with its most emotional monologues .",
      "once , very early on , the secret deportations have been exposed there are n't many new places for the film to go - just more scenes of an increasingly tired-looking emily watson trudging around with an armful of file folders .",
      "it 's powerful , gut-wrenching stuff , and it does n't need tarting up .",
      "how often have we seen well-intentioned movies become sanctimonious and lose their dramatic edge ? no such accusations can be leveled at jim loach 's MOV , an impressive film that ...",
      "the most powerful sequences in the movie are the linked vignettes involving margaret and the various grown-up children whom she attempts to help in their search for -- what , exactly ? closure ? catharsis ?",
      "making a true story of social injustice into a gripping narrative requires more imagination than is contained in this well-intentioned but uninspired effort .",
      "well-meaning but blandly executed , smothering potentially powerful scenes with earnest do-gooder-film moments .",
      "oranges and sunshines -lrb- so-named after the promise made to the children of their new life , far away -rrb- works best during its most intimate moments , when the actions of the past are put in context with the pain of the present .",
      "-lsb- d -rsb- eeply enraging ... yet before it 's over it becomes the kind of powerfully inspirational story that saves you from total despair over the unconscionable things that humans can do to each other ...",
      "with MOV jim loach has announced himself a distinctive cinematic voice who is able to handle complex and difficult subject matter with sensitivity and skill .",
      "a film that very carefully and empathetically shines a light on this tragic chapter of british and australian history .",
      "a triumph of storytelling on screen and puts us through the emotional wringer - as it should",
      "quiet moments of power ensue , but so too do the gently manipulative clichés - the plaintive piano score , the moments of false tension , the one-dimensional bureaucratic bad guys - that plague much issue-driven british cinema .",
      "rona munro 's script is a bit earnest and plodding , but watson 's blazing integrity as humphreys ensures the story still leaves the viewer reeling in outrage .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is a powerfully emotional drama with a terrific central performance from emily watson .",
      "the revelation of mistreatment , abuse and lies is powerfully handled in this dramatic and moving true story",
      "fundamentally dry and somewhat hamstrung by its own artful restraint , MOV nevertheless works on the basis of its riveting performances .",
      "jim loach follows in dad 's footsteps with a compassionate investigative drama about the wave of uk-to-australia child migration in the 1950s , and the many sundered families left in the dark .",
      "these stories of enforced separation could hardly be more upsetting , and hugo weaving , as one of the deportees damaged well into adulthood by his experience , gives a hugely affecting performance . cinematically , though , the film does n't really work .",
      "a powerful , admirably restrained , real-life drama .",
      "it has a few dips here and there , and the first act is unfortunately the weakest , but overall this is a story worth-telling , well-told .",
      "MOV is an equally confronting and tender story about loss of identity of abuse of power , as told through the heroic actions of a secular saint who stood up to those who had no voice .",
      "it 's a moving and emotionally draining docu-drama ...",
      "loach has made a film uncluttered by an obvious director 's stamp , peopled by sympathetic characters and driven by a desire to say something about the world without losing sight of human experience .",
      "a deeply moving study of emotionally scarred adults who were illegally deported as children to australia from britain in the 1940s and '50s .",
      "jim loach -lrb- son of ken loach -rrb- has his heart in the right place for his feature debut , but a plodding script and muted staging strangely strip away the emotional punch .",
      "you want to be moved more than you are by a film that does n't tap the emotions half as much as the facts . loach shows promise , though .",
      "the result is a plodding , overly tasteful procedural that holds up its hero as an incorruptible embodiment of goodness .",
      "while director jim loach knows how to bring trying tales of deprivation and abuse to a piercing emotional pitch , more admirable is his uncanny ability to harness the power of understatement .",
      "the movie belongs to hugo weaving and david wenham , both playing what one newspaper dubs `` the lost children of the empire , '' men broken by the appalling conditions that met them in their new homeland .",
      "if larger truths have been overlooked , the subject is still wrenching enough to make MOV an inspired work of dignity and purpose .",
      "the extraordinary true story of a social worker who exposed the notorious forced deportation of children from england to australia from the 1940s to the 1970s .",
      "sometimes the facts can get in the way of the drama , and that 's the central problem here .",
      "it 's all very stiff-upper-lip , when what the subject cries out for is a rant .",
      "as the story ricochets between britain and australia , the film often loses track of time and becomes fragmented as it struggles to integrate too many subplots . what holds it together is ms. watson 's calm , sturdy performance .",
      "it tells a startling story of how one persistent seeker after truth triumphed despite everything put in her way .",
      "director jim loach has done a beautiful job capturing the heart and soul of these characters .",
      "the film rightly draws attention to a horrible event in history . but unfortunately that 's all it does - and a decent documentary could have done exactly the same , much more nimbly .",
      "MOV packs a serious emotional wallop in its story -lrb- based on true events -rrb- of a nottingham social worker who uncovers a massive post-war scandal involving the british and australian governments .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "a powerful , deeply moving , understated account of a major social injustice that went unreported for many years ...",
      "while it 's brimming with righteous anger , it rarely connects emotionally .",
      "MOV is thrillingly efficient filmmaking .",
      "there are beautiful performances here from every member of the cast , and it 's much to loach 's credit that he handles this potentially sensational material with such restraint ."
    ],
    "summary": "grounded in a heartwrenching fact-based story , steered by loach 's sensitive direction , and led by a powerful performance from watson , MOV sidesteps its pacing problems and occasionally clichéd screenplay .",
    "id": "771036318"
  },
  {
    "movie": "end_of_watch",
    "reviews": [
      "... a maddeningly entertaining piece of pulp fiction , a solid b-movie artfully distressed for the sort of middlebrow audience that might dismiss dredd 3d as a cinematized first person shooter game . which means that film critics like me will love it .",
      "gyllenhaal and peńa work together like a well-oiled machine , as if they really had spent months or years in each other 's company . their dialogue feels raw and spontaneous .",
      "the extreme juxtaposition of a large and loving mexican family . . and the cold-blooded psychopathy of mexican drug cartels spilling into l.a. 's south central neighborhood ... really slams home the value of a life often treated cheaply .",
      "shallow down inside , `` MOV '' is a music-video frappuccino of quick cuts , sparkling banter , serial crises , grisly violence and tongue-jerk profanity .",
      "MOV is so inventive , and so anchored by two highly enjoyable performances , that it makes for one of the more singular , if not entirely successful , entries in a genre that often suffers from stale sameness .",
      "MOV is one thriller where the adrenaline rush , considerable as it is , is almost always put in the service of character . happily , the character on display turns out to be considerable , too .",
      "both actors are marvelous -- this may be the most nuanced and far-ranging performance gyllenhaal has ever given -- and writer-director david ayer is unapologetically frank about the dangers these men face .",
      "gyllenhaal and pena have the sort of buddy-movie chemistry film directors can only dream of capturing .",
      "intense , gripping , funny , and absolutely fantastic .",
      "i 'm not sure who appointed david ayer poet laureate for the lapd , but at least he takes the job seriously .",
      "it 's not a pretty job . but it 's a pretty awesome film .",
      "david ayer 's MOV is an excellent film , a smart and authentic cop drama filled with visceral thrills and genuine pathos . it is one of the best of its kind , and i can not recommend it highly enough .",
      "ayer 's new film is not as riveting as training day , but it 's well acted and dynamically directed , adding another honorable panel to the genre of the gritty , visceral urban policier .",
      "revel in the pace and passion of a film-maker policing a field that is now unquestionably his .",
      "jumpy and exciting .",
      "a serviceable cop flick with two solid central performances . two men riding around in a car is to david ayer what hands-on-wheat is to terrence malick .",
      "some of the intense , ultraviolent vignettes on the rough streets of los angeles are more compelling than others , but by not having a consistent narrative thread , the film builds only intermittent suspense .",
      "told in an often startling documentary style , `` MOV '' is a gritty police drama that benefits from another in a string of outstanding performances by both gyllenhaal and pena .",
      "a potentially powerful story about the lethal daily grind of patrolling south central los angeles that is wrecked by misguided aesthetics",
      "the real thing to focus on here is the chemistry between gylenhaal and michael pena ; it 's authentic . the action is god but it 's the scenes with them in the car that really help you understand them and their viewpoints .",
      "we get emotionally attached to these guys and we 're rooting for them to take down this cartel . . or at least survive until the MOV . eh ? see what i did there ?",
      "`` MOV '' is an impressive action drama and easily david ayer 's most impressive film to date , but just loses its momentum in its final act to keep it from being really , really good .",
      "the ingredients in -lsb- this -rsb- cop drama are as routine as a traffic stop . but director/writer david ayer -lrb- who wrote the electric good-cop/bad-cop training day -rrb- makes it work .",
      "like a knife in the eye , MOV cuts past the cliches of standard police procedurals , serving instead as a visceral ride-along with two thrill-seeking cops .",
      "gyllenhall and peńa have chemistry together and charisma individually .",
      "this character drama succeeds largely thanks to gyllenhaal and pena 's camaraderie as partners who are able to mock each other 's cultural differences but still be as close as brothers .",
      "the focus on incidental drama makes the basic police procedure thrilling .",
      "the milieu MOV introduces as `` once upon a time in south central '' may feel a bit old hat ...",
      "at its core , MOV is a buddy cop movie between gyllenhaal and peńa , who are each at their top of their game .",
      "a suspenseful , intense , and surprisingly touching ode to america 's inner-city peacekeepers .",
      "compared to an average episode of ` criminal minds , ' it 's pretty good .",
      "ayer 's bias shows an lapd comprised of immature people straight out of animal house who ca n't utter three words without two of them being the f word . that 's not the lapd i know .",
      "a muscular , maddening exploitation movie embellished with art-house style and anchored by solid performances .",
      "a series of snapshots from the working life of two hot-dogging but fundamentally decent l.a. police officers ... lifts it above cop-movie clichés .",
      "a reasonably sturdy cop movie undone by terrible visuals .",
      "there has n't been a whole lot of `` found footage '' worth finding in films made over the past several years , but writer-director david ayer snaps that streak with this unexpectedly magnificent police drama .",
      "material similar to what has been seen in the tv series `` southland '' but the acting of gyllenhaal and pena lifts it up .",
      "realism makes watch one of the year 's best films .",
      "MOV is like an episode of `` cops '' where the cops are also the people who make `` cops . '' that concept may not sound good , but it somehow did produce one of the most intense police dramas i 've ever seen .",
      "at times ayer rubs our noses , almost literally , in the devastating horribleness of it all .",
      "lapd thriller set in the violent inner-city section of south central .",
      "MOV earns a helluva lot of goodwill through the incredible chemistry of gyllenhaal and pena .",
      "it goes beyond gritty and realistic violence into a zone where hieronymus bosch collides with dante ...",
      "ayer manages to give a startling sense of a changing of the lapd guard as well as the forces they 're up against .",
      "it 's the bang-bang that glues us . we 'll have to save the nuances for another time . who needs moral ambiguity , anyway ?",
      "an intense , entertaining drama ... the movie 's best attribute is the strong chemistry between the two main characters .",
      "` adam-12 ' on steroids ... much of ayer 's picture has the feel of reality , but the last twenty minutes move into empty spectacle and heart-on-sleeve mawkishness .",
      "intermittently enjoyable but incredibly frustrating .",
      "MOV may disappoint those used to more run-n-gun fun , rather than the grounded , `` verite '' style ayer creates .",
      "MOV makes for an absorbing film ; authentic , unpredictable and affecting . exactly what you would expect from the writer of training day and harsh times ... just with added hidden cameras .",
      "a typically gritty effort from david ayer ...",
      "with its dizzying , jumpy camera work and constantly changing point of view , there is a dynamic sense of being there",
      "`` MOV '' feels new . fresh . immediate . watching it , it 's almost as though you 're seeing a cop movie for the first time .",
      "MOV avoids many of the conventions of other cop movies and goes its own way . but then it veers back to the easy , most conventional of modes . MOV is a moral tale that unfortunately misplaces its truth .",
      "david ayer 's tribute to the lapd and all who work in it , a buddy movie driven by a crime-fighting hero worship ethos with genetic links all the way back to the lone ran",
      "writer-director david ayer drives home the existential displacement that must come with being a cop on a dangerous patrol .",
      "writer/director david ayer is a filmmaker who clearly has an affinity to the lives of those who enforce the law .",
      "david ayer 's MOV is pure frat-boy fantasy , the video game to southland 's great american novel .",
      "writer and director david ayer manages to overcome the shortcomings of the genre , many of which are present here , with great chemistry between his actors and sheer momentum .",
      "insightful and intense , emphasizing not only the importance of brotherhood and teamwork but also the cinematic chemistry between gyllenhaal and pena .",
      "as social insight , MOV is useless , but as engrossing entertainment , it 's irresistible , thanks to ayer 's gift for dialogue , the relentless pacing set by film editor dody dorn , and gorgeous performances by gyllenhaal and peńa ...",
      "ayers aims for the adhd attention span of his netflix streaming demo and constantly confuses the issue .",
      "a fairly well-rounded film offering enough in terms of entertainment value to make up for any shortcomings .",
      "gyllenhaal and peńa 's relationship , a sort of heterosexual love affair , is depicted with a sense of tenderness and care that does not extend to the cartoonish villains that dominate the film 's lackluster final act .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of the best police movies in recent years , a virtuoso fusion of performances and often startling action .",
      "after so many films , not just ayer 's , where lapd cops are depicted as corrupt , homicidal or suicidal , it 's refreshing to see one where the boys in blue really are the good guys for a change .",
      "more like a pilot for a tv series along the lines of southland , an underrated series also about l.a. cops . indeed , this film is open-ended enough to be exactly that .",
      "a police drama with emphasis on the multicultural relationship between a hispanic cop and his caucasian partner . while they are culturally miles apart , they become brothers in blue .",
      "five months in advance of shooting for the lead actors to learn , digest and own the words . pays off bigtime !",
      "all it took was a director of david ayer 's ingenuity to bring the oft-maligned found footage genre back into repute .",
      "its impact becomes blunt and devastating , once ayer allows us to forget the irritating found-footage device .",
      "... breathes new life into the conventions of the cop-buddy movie ...",
      "not many character-oriented thrillers like this get made , however , so it 's nice to be able embrace the ones that do , if you can handle the eccentricities .",
      "the lo-fi visuals energize what otherwise would be a traditionally romantic saga of police sacrifice , heroism and tragedy .",
      "forceful and arresting , ayer 's follow-up to harsh times and street kings sees him confidently playing to his strengths .",
      "one patron at my screening reviewed the feature in the unique but still incisive manner of being sick all over himself ... MOV does the unthinkable and nearly inspires a tear or two . tears are always preferable to vomit .",
      "MOV is brimming with intensity and features two outstanding performances from gyllenhaal and pena .",
      "a gut-wrenching lapd drama",
      "from the brutal daily violence to the dramatic final act , `` MOV '' itself remains thrilling and uncompromising .",
      "winning enough to forgive some of its more egregious clichés , and exciting enough to ease up on its questionable found-footage logic .",
      "ayer clearly thinks he 's making a grittily realistic ode to the long arm of the law , yet only the more intimate scenes ring true .",
      "howls ... with a messy , human authenticity that transcends genre tropes to smack you in the face with beseeching truths about the contradictions of police work .",
      "MOV may not pass muster as a documentary but the actors more than sell the partners as brothers in arms .",
      "uneven but entertaining .",
      "unforgettable pair jake gyllenhaal and michael peńa give oscar-caliber performances",
      "this is a film propelled by the strength of its characters and how they relate to each other and their world . you ca n't help but care for them because the movie is so full of heart .",
      "`` MOV '' is a gritty brief apologia from writer-director david ayer for his less than complimentary los angeles copsploitation films `` training day '' and `` harsh times . ''",
      "macho swagger is justified by some adrenaline-producing encounters in cops vs. cartels drama .",
      "as a police drama and especially as a multi-cultural buddy movie , ` MOV ' makes for exciting fare .",
      "a terrifyingly real , surprisingly moving buddy-cop action-thriller that does n't let up . informed and open , gyllenhaal and peńa are both magnificent .",
      "tough , gritty , full of feeling and atmosphere , thanks to ayer 's authentic touch and the excellent performances of its cast .",
      "there 's nothing very new or profound in MOV , and yet that does n't mean there 's nothing to see .",
      "it 's a collection of cop-movie clichés but presented with sufficient flair and strong performances that the ride is enough , even if it 's on rails .",
      "the film has a kinetic energy that will please its target audience ; but it ultimately says nothing , and says it all too loud .",
      "MOV is elevated on the shoulders of its leads and their harsh reality ; until the filmmakers drop it on its head and reduce it to a frustrating ` hollywood ' cop film .",
      "MOV 's found footage pretensions tend to materialise when it has too few ideas .",
      "... one of 2012 's best action films .",
      "a solid action-drama that takes us inside the world of two likeable police officers and highlights the risks they face .",
      "the movie 's central message seems to be that any bad guy who hurts a cop better pray that the person who catches up with them is n't another cop .",
      "it 's a potent brew that demands to be gulped down , not sipped . taking time to appreciate the effort will only reinforce its needless limitations .",
      "MOV gives you the savage whoosh of being on a job that can get you killed .",
      "hollywood has seldom delivered a buddy-cop picture with this much potency .",
      "it 's every cop movie you 've ever seen but from a fresh angle : you go into each situation without a clue about its outcome .",
      "there are 6 million cop shows on television right now . on none of them have i heard two men speak to each other with as much natural affinity as these two .",
      "a lively , vivid piece of work .",
      "ayer brings a rough , aggressive energy to the picture , staying within the broad outlines of the buddy-cop formula but investing the characters with no-bull authenticity .",
      "it 's strong stuff , and it 's outstanding .",
      "for those who can handle ayer 's overuse of the shaky-cam approach on the big screen , MOV is satisfying and emotionally potent .",
      "so completely does filmmaker david ayer get you to invest in these characters that you 'll watch half the film with your hands over your face .",
      "deeply affecting , powerful film that 's a thrilling experience . highly recommended .",
      "it 's time to ride along with the lapd through south central , but this is no `` adam 12 ″ . it 's a realistic roller-coaster ride told with hand-held cameras and other devices .",
      "david ayer 's MOV is an unflinching cop drama that uses the handheld approach to heighten the drama and escalate the tension .",
      "what gives it life are the performances of gyllenhaal and peńa . they emerge as beacons of friendship in a bleak world of barred windows , barking dogs and strutting gangsters .",
      "i 'm still wondering who we 're supposed to assume was holding the camera during gyllenhaal and anna kendrick 's sex scene .",
      "MOV plays a lot like colors for the youtube generation .",
      "a visceral and strangely gripping story of police brotherhood .",
      "this jake gyllenhaal buddy/cop drama features some of the best on-screen banter in years .",
      "ayer and his cast appear to have so convincingly nailed the way these characters talk and act that you might not even notice the film slipping from workaday grit into out-and-out myth .",
      "the actors , both excellent , get right into ayer 's groove . so by the time we arrive at the unsparing climax , we really know and care about these guys .",
      "it 's david ayer 's attempt to breath life into a heavily run-down formula . and it works .",
      "visual vibrancy always trumps verisimilitude - shakicam 's reality effects are repeatedly problematised by the question of which character is filming what at any given time , especially when the answer , at least sometimes , would appear to be ` no one ' .",
      "srong on character and atmosphere but weak on story and excitement .",
      "the two leading performances are exemplary in their honesty and good-heartedness , with gyllenhaal in particular showing why he 's a star .",
      "writer and director david ayer has created a pair of real , untainted heroes - which makes this a rare cinematic treat you have to watch . end of .",
      "one to watch , but through narrowed eyes .",
      "its spiky authenticity and blunt moral power feel unimpeachable .",
      "gripping , impressively shot cop thriller that comes across as the nice guy version of the shield , thanks to a strong script and a pair of terrific performances from jake gyllenhaal and michael pena .",
      "some fiction movies knock politely on the door to gain attention , others kick it in .",
      "despite the violence and procedural detail , this is about as gritty as dixon of dock green .",
      "your action fix . in lesser hands the video-verite could be annoying . but ayer deftly incorporates it into the story .",
      "refreshingly resists adhering to an episodic encounter with a specific group ... it 's just two men protecting themselves and each other .",
      "what saves this cop show from its predictable tropes and cliches are terrific performances by jake gyllenhaal and michael pena , who 've got each other 's backs as actors and as `` brothers '' in law enforcement .",
      "MOV is a repellent movie , first for its shaky-cam conceit rendering much of the action incomprehensible , and finally for seeking to entertain viewers through the thuggish execution of a police officer .",
      "nerve-rattling in the best way , the sharp , visceral urban police procedural MOV is one of the best american cop movies i 've seen in a long time .",
      "it may seem like just another movie about the mean streets of south central and the blue knights that keep the peace , but writer-director david ayer focuses on the characters while slowly and subtly bringing the plot up from the background .",
      "by virtue of its style and high stakes scenario , MOV is impressively tense , but then so are most episodes of cops , which do n't suffer from the forced melodrama found here .",
      "gyllenhaal and peńa go beyond the cardboard cutouts that so many cop films these days seem made of , and cinematographer roman vasyanov makes the harsh california daylight seem like a bad vibe unto itself .",
      "... like a tony scott film made with less flair and cheaper equipment .",
      "the writer of `` training day '' and `` harsh times '' brings us ... a vivid series of impressionistic sketches of a year in the lives of two los angeles police officers .",
      "a strong sense of camaraderie sets this edgy police thriller apart from the crowd . and it 's also a change of direction for writer-director david ayer , who has explored the dark side of police corruption in training day , harsh times and street kings .",
      "both actors are first rate , their friendship palpable , their professional conduct -lrb- tempered by practical joking and youthful bravado -rrb- convincing .",
      "the street characters are played by a remarkable panoply of real-life types who speak in a thrilling , totally believable patois .",
      "planning on shooting your next movie handheld ? hoping for that realism dividend ? please read this first .",
      "it leaves you wondering -- who is filming the gyllenhaal/anna kendrick love scenes ?",
      "nicely balanced between savage violence and sweet human interactions , and it whips along at a brisk pace .",
      "gyllenhaal and pena are after a lived-in camaraderie and a street-level realism . pena , especially , succeeds ; you buy him every second .",
      "the performances here are so sharp that viewers may wish MOV has been shot by someone who knew how to find the right point of view for a scene and leave it there .",
      "if i was a big-city american policeman watching this , i would also wonder just whose side ayer is on . i 'd be more nervous about going to the work the next day . not less .",
      "ayers 's warmest film to date finds meaning and depth in its `` i love you , man '' exchanges and rarely goes too long without staging some daring detective work and videogame ultraviolence .",
      "ayer ... keeps wrecking the sense of realism he 's trying to build .",
      "gyllenhaal and the perpetually under-rated pena have a wonderful way of bouncing off one another and ayers is wise to make this the energy that drives the movie instead of mere violence .",
      "MOV was a surprise . i liked it a lot .",
      "MOV suffers from no end of sanctimony .",
      "gyllenhaal and peńa are on point from the first scene , playing off each other as if they 've been good friends for years .",
      "for the most part MOV is about nothing , which is to say it 's about life . specifically it 's a very real , sobering look at two people who happen to be cops .",
      "while ayer explores the life of the `` nice guy '' gangster cop well , `` MOV '' ca n't shake being a good film inside trapped in an ugly wrapper .",
      "there 's just something about the way that ayer has put it all together that makes it seem both familiar yet sometimes breathtakingly fresh . -lrb- full content movie review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "`` the major drawback is the handheld camera writer/director/producer david ayer employs . but i suppose it 's a small price to pay for a well-scripted , sharply-acted portrayal of l.a. city cops . ''",
      "'' `` MOV '' is often not easy to watch , but it will keep moviegoers glued to the screen -- guaranteed . ''",
      "well-written and well-acted , this cop drama is enlivened by the fraternal its relationships its two leads share .",
      "one of the best films of 2012 to date .",
      "a portrait of law enforcement under pressure that is as ennobling as it is gritty .",
      "gyllenhaal and pena have great chemistry together ... in their best performances to date .",
      "the best scenes are filmed inside the cruiser , dashboard shots that face inward instead of out , catching gyllenhaal and peńa in moments so playful and true they make all other buddy cops look bogus by comparison .",
      "a visceral story of beat cops that is rare in its sensitivity , rash in its violence and raw in its humor .",
      "when `` MOV '' works , it compels with an immediacy few filmmakers can hope to achieve . it 's worth stepping over the occasional indiscretions to get to the good stuff .",
      "once one gets past the obvious artifice and lack of internal logic in the execution of the gimmick ... it lends some legitimate immediacy to the proceedings .",
      "the shaky camera work -- often a gimmicky stylistic option -- is an effective choice here , both as a story element and a technique .",
      "writer/director david ayer gives us an authentic , sometimes shockingly gruesome ride along ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV has the energy , devotion to characters , and charismatic performances to overcome the familiar pitfalls of its genre and handheld format .",
    "id": "771271133"
  },
  {
    "movie": "xxx",
    "reviews": [
      "this essence of teen boy fantasy , `` the dirty dozen '' with one guy playing all twelve parts .",
      "embraces tattoos , leather pants , body-piercing , and gtos in the same way the james bond series embraces tuxedos , martinis , and aston martins",
      "you can watch , giggle and get an adrenaline boost without feeling like you 've completely lowered your entertainment standards .",
      "it 's x-tremely shallow but sometimes it 's x-tremely fun .",
      "MOV re-engineers bond for a savvier , more cynical generation .",
      "in MOV , vin diesel is pure beefy ego . his captors perforate his hide with tranquilizer darts in order to take him down - or , more likely , just to shut him up .",
      "-lsb- u -rsb- nrelentingly stupid .",
      "both MOV and its title character are devoid of personality , without even something like `` shaken , not stirred '' to potentially turn into a trademark .",
      "never mind that it 's often crude , gauche , and obnoxious . it never pretends to be otherwise , and in its flagrant honesty , it earns a strange sort of respect .",
      "MOV is the first time mozart and metal-rockers rammstein have shared a music credit since , oh , the minuet in f for keyboard back in 1762",
      "between the elaborately choreographed action pieces , the film feels like we 're just going through the motions .",
      "vin diesel vehicle about a bad boy turned secret agent is a perfect piece of popcorn cinema with style and a sly sense of humor .",
      "every defiantly over-the-top action scene -- from high-stakes car chases to fearsome drug busts -- seizes your adrenal gland and milks it like an epileptic farmer .",
      "luckily , diesel 's got the looks and a really cool gun . and that 's just xxx-cellent .",
      "this is pure summer razzle-dazzle , packed with jaw-dropping action scenes .",
      "can i admit MOV is as deep as a petri dish and as well-characterized as a telephone book but still say it was a guilty pleasure ?",
      "the racially ambiguous diesel cuts a fine action figure . he has the glacial swagger left over from his bouncer days and looks as if he 's been bench-pressing sylvester stallone since he was 12 .",
      "in the hands of a betetr director , this concept would have been a true world-beater ... the movie that all of us in the media have been hyping sight-unseen for months .",
      "despite its detriments , MOV is entertaining -- mostly for one reason : diesel .",
      "unfortunately , its efforts to pander to this pubescent demographic are often laughable .",
      "there 's no legitimate reason to confuse ` bad ass ' filmmaking with just plain bad .",
      "it 's big and noisy and full of stunts and action-hero moments . and , like a bond film , it 's not all that good .",
      "the ` top gun ' of its era : loud , overproduced , ultraslick and sorely lacking in such nuisances as complex characterizations , compelling antagonists or the element of surprise .",
      "MOV is a skin flick of a different sort . regardless of how many x 's there are in this movie 's title , it does n't manage to completely mark the spot .",
      "as subtle as an elephant waltzing around in a czech republic disco .",
      "succeeds on the sole basis of getting the heart pumping as one masterfully rendered , if hilariously over-the-top , action set-piece after the next is carried out .",
      "the movie delivers -- occasionally .",
      "diesel has what it takes to be the next bond except class -lrb- sigh -rrb-",
      "move over , james bond : vin diesel 's in the house .",
      "it is fun in a loud , cheeky kind of way .",
      "the first of doubtless several editions of MOV is ideally tuned to young guys with short attention spans who fantasize alternately about big guns and hot babes .",
      "pitifully written , with flagrant disregard for reality in the fashion of a spoof .",
      "a fun action adventure and a cool new entry to the spy movie genre .",
      "this baby is overloaded with mozzarella and plenty of phony-baloney goodness .",
      "here 's more expertly-made trash from director rob cohen .",
      "james bond-you 've got a problem . it took forty years , but they finally reinvented the secret agent franchise .",
      "as an action director , mr. cohen is competent , but this film -- which is pretty much as non-stop as an action movie can get -- needed a director with a little more finesse .",
      "despite the blatant rips , MOV 's storyline remains entertaining enough .",
      "vin diesel , every teen 's fantasy action hero .",
      "fun but deeply , ridiculously silly .",
      "with all the stimulating action sequences you can ask for , a touch of class and some fine comedic moments , you 'll leave the theater wanting more .",
      "not since the days when joel silver ruled hollywood and musclebound subliterates vied for supremacy on the big screen has the industry spawned a phenomenon as garish and confounding as vin diesel .",
      "okay , that 's it . my summer of movies has been completely pissed on .",
      "if dubya and dick cheney had made their very own post-9 / 11 patriotic propaganda movie for the teens they need as globalisation fodder , then this would be it .",
      "MOV seems like a missed opportunity -- not a commercial one , mind you , because the flick will no doubt make a mint -- but as an honest-to-goodness re-evaluation of spy flicks and their relevancy to an ever more youthful audience .",
      "cohen 's brainless bombast proves to be a perfect fit for this shamelessly , deliciously ridiculous reinvention of james bond-style spy shenanigans .",
      "MOV is cool , cool , cool until director rob cohen gets to the last act and has to make room between stunts to resolve the knuckleheaded plot .",
      "plotted like a first-person shooter but with vast savannahs of unidimensional exposition between the tar-oil fireballs and improbable stunts .",
      "triple x is a double agent , and he 's one bad dude . when you 've got the wildly popular vin diesel in the equation , it adds up to big box office bucks all but guaranteed .",
      "it 's a boom-box of a movie that might have been titled ` the loud and the ludicrous ' ... the pandering to a moviegoing audience dominated by young males is all too calculated .",
      "dumb buzzing testosterone fuelglow . ballistic fizzbang . blowdy up gud .",
      "james bond on speed .",
      "`` MOV '' so often gets the fun of the superhero genre exactly right that its faults are that much more tragic . it could have been so much more than it is .",
      "this is action without tension , explosions without the concussion .",
      "cohen throws in every spy cliché in the book and his directing shows no visual style whatsoever .",
      "take la femme nikita , make her training part of cage 's ` test ' , and plop the lot onto the hoary plot of bad company and you 've got MOV .",
      "for an action-packed , brain-dead testosterone fest , i have to admit rob cohen 's MOV is n't that bad .",
      "bond-inspired ? certainly . likely to have decades of life as a classic movie franchise ? let 's hope not .",
      "sporadically entertaining , this is nevertheless seriously hampered by a very choppy screenplay .",
      "the wondrous opening sequence was better than any bond film , and things were looking up until the characters started talking .",
      "MOV happily wallows in the fact that it 's 100-percent loopy , kinetic and silly .",
      "the filmmakers are so intent on bludgeoning their audience into submission that after 10 minutes you 've become numb .",
      "MOV is a dream role for an action star , and ... diesel is the perfect man for the job .",
      "really just boring",
      "a playstation game come to life , MOV is a movie almost exclusively dependent on the special effects department and the charm of its leading man , vin diesel . but it 's sound and fury signifying nothing .",
      "a thrilling ride with plenty of style and lots of unbelievability .",
      "let 's face it , even vin 's fake tats have more charisma than pierce brosnan .",
      "whew . i 'm exhausted !",
      "diesel is rambo by way of the village people",
      "let me say , for the record , that blofeld 's fluffy white cat posed more of a threat to james bond than triple x ever will .",
      "it 's the ultimate dumb but fun and stupid but often exhilarating summer popcorn flick .",
      "its scale and audacity , its brashness and vulgarity make it a pleasure from beginning to end -- or a guilty pleasure for those prone to guilt .",
      "MOV is james bond for the grunge crowd , an unapologetically silly adrenaline rush that is pure escapism .",
      "i wanted more substance to go along with flash",
      "essentially a dumb guy 's day in heaven .",
      "watching -lsb- diesel -rsb- ... is a lot more fun than staying with the ever-feebler pierce brosnan in his decrepit adventures as mgm tries desperately to keep the creaking bond franchise upright .",
      "rather than ` a new breed of secret agent , ' the makers of MOV have created a dumber version of rambo , and i have just one question : yyy ?",
      "for all the high-end stunts and tricked-out production design , much of the action comes off as curiously flat .",
      "director rob cohen and bullet-headed star vin diesel reunite for a sometimes jaw-dropping , mostly eye-numbing exercise in explosions and high-speed chases .",
      "if you like an extreme action-packed film with a hint of humor , then triple x marks the spot .",
      "the money shot in MOV is , like the rest of the film , all about out-bonding bond .",
      "the film gradually deflates , losing all of its quirks and edge until it becomes no more no less than your average james bond picture .",
      "diesel smolders as bad boy with spy toys xander cage .",
      "suit # 1 : sold . ok , set up the product placements . call motorola for a video cell phone doohickey . and have mtv play preview programs and ads on the hour .",
      "the harder MOV strives to be hip , the lamer it looks .",
      "this is a movie that wants to do nothing more than show its hero blowing things up , punching bad guys and wooing pg-13 hotties . for what it is trying to be , it 's good .",
      "it 's got the brawn , but not the brains .",
      "an xtremely xciting movie .",
      "it 's more fun than the sum of all fears , sexier than mission : impossible , gutsier and more macho than the wan bourne identity .",
      "the filmmakers might as well have given guns to those mountain-biking , sky-diving buddies from the mountain dew ads .",
      "one can safely turn off one 's brain and enjoy the ride without guilt .",
      "the joyful misogyny and almost pathological lack of pretension are both of the saving graces of MOV .",
      "a mediocre exercise in target demographics , unaware that it 's the butt of its own joke .",
      "the pretensions -- and disposable story -- sink the movie . and diesel is n't the actor to save it .",
      "this would-be ` james bond for the extreme generation ' pic is one big , dumb action movie . stress ` dumb . '",
      "for all its alleged youthful fire , MOV is no less subservient to bond 's tired formula of guns , girls and gadgets while brandishing a new action hero .",
      "it 's tons of fun , especially if you like your movies intense and your action heroes rough .",
      "all the amped-up tony hawk-style stunts and thrashing rap-metal ca n't disguise the fact that , really , we 've been here , done that .",
      "it 's hard to tell with all the crashing and banging where the salesmanship ends and the movie begins .",
      "it 's too ridiculous , too flatly acted , too action-packed , too , well , fun .",
      "diesel makes poor pierce brosnan , the current james bond , seem not only middle-aged -lrb- which , of course , he is -rrb- but also fussy , effete and sadly out-of-date .",
      "the sort of macho action joker that makes you either laugh or flee .",
      "more busy than exciting , more frantic than involving , more chaotic than entertaining .",
      "a hoot to watch so long as you do n't pick at the plot holes or forget to suspend your disbelief .",
      "... although this idea is `` new '' the results are tired .",
      "that avalanche , which diesel 's character causes on purpose , is one of the most impressive action sequences i 've ever seen .",
      "despite its raucous intent , MOV is as conventional as a nike ad and as rebellious as spring break .",
      "when it comes to genre movies , one man 's cliche is another 's convention , and where you stand on this issue will largely determine your opinion of MOV",
      "a movie that feels as if it has been assembled using census charts and market research conducted at taco bell .",
      "this is perhaps the silliest movie ever to certify the arrival of a major star since , well , the fast and the furious , the last cohen-diesel collaboration .",
      "totally idiotic .",
      "it 's just the same old fare : maybe a bit bigger and louder , with some impressive stunts , but still plagued by cliches , sloppy production , leaps of logic , bad acting and even worse dialogue .",
      "acción , chicas , estilo peculiar de un diesel que llena la pantalla con su carisma ...",
      "diesel 's a limited actor but a great performer - he just exudes cool . it 's his charisma -- coupled with the raw sex appeal of asia argento 's x girl -- that makes rob cohen 's movie tick .",
      "even in the summertime , the most restless young audience deserves the dignity of an action hero motivated by something more than franchise possibilities .",
      "none of this has the suavity or classical familiarity of bond , but much of it is good for a laugh . the problem with `` MOV '' is that its own action is n't very effective .",
      "i think diesel is a movie star-in-the-making : he 's got the shape and glare of an early stallone .",
      "vin may not yet be a bond , or a terminator , or even conan the barbarian . but he 's got presence and charisma .",
      "it may be stupid , but it knows it 's stupid , although it definitely drags in the middle and could have done with being twenty minutes shorter .",
      "determinedly xtreme sportz ! -lrb- tm -rrb- ... and really , is n't that a little 1994 ?",
      "the action is exhilarating but the dialogue is mostly hokey . diesel needs a film cleverly written around him , not one he can just readily get his arms around .",
      "mr. diesel may have the body of a thug , but his face betrays a vulnerability that makes him an unusually human action hero , like a teddy bear on steroids .",
      "it 's dumb fun slapped silly , a new franchise inspired by the bond films that 's not far from the porn its title promises ; the film is a veritable orgy of outrageous stunts .",
      "delivers enough furious energy to satisfy most action fans , and enough attitude and phenomenal stunts to compensate for the occasionally weak plotting .",
      "MOV is 3 times more fun than any 007 flick .",
      "a film with attitude , and an engine of ingenuity that is not likely to run out of gas anytime soon .",
      "the director piles on one expensive but impersonal action scene after another .",
      "when a movie opens with a hero driving a car off a bridge so he can videotape it exploding , and ends with a lesson against the dangers of smoking , you know something 's up .",
      "soulless and -- even more damning -- virtually joyless , MOV achieves near virtuosity in its crapulence .",
      "it 's a shame that vin diesel , cinema 's new millennium rambo , has selected such an under-written feature for his latest , breakthrough role .",
      "had an irresistable energy , a sense of tongue-in-cheek fun that seems to be missing from a lot of action movies .",
      "you ca n't give your movie the tagline ` a new breed of secret agent ' when the movie has nothing new . no , making the hero faux-ghetto and having his adversaries be punks will not cut it .",
      "memo to future screenwriters : keep diesel engaged in wise cracking commentary not in bold pronouncements such as `` i live for this -lrb- expletive -rrb- . ''",
      "a live-action video game adrenaline junkies will identify with and embrace .",
      "if you 're looking for a great summer action film that is pure enjoyment , MOV is absolutely your film",
      "like the film rating that the title recalls , children and adults should not be allowed admission .",
      "for all its ` not your father 's spy movie ' posing , it 's exactly like the later james bond pictures : predictable , lightweight and 100 percent disposable .",
      "there is n't anything very adult about MOV , an adolescent fantasy with big explosions",
      "call me a cold-hearted curmudgeon for not being able to enjoy a mindless action movie , but i believe a movie can be mindless without being the peak of all things insipid .",
      "they were right when they said , `` nobody does it better . ''",
      "it 's refreshing that someone understands the need for the bad boy ; diesel , with his brawny frame and cool , composed delivery , fits the bill perfectly .",
      "diesel can probably carry a piano , but it becomes pretty clear he has no business trying to carry a film . he 's as loose and funny as a totem pole .",
      "here is a movie in the grand tradition of the most exhilarating summer blockbusters ...",
      "the same pyrotechnic display we 've come to expect from action-heavy spy films , with the inability to be as edgy as it should have been .",
      "vin shows that he is the coolest movie star since steve mcqueen -lrb- and he even flies a motor cycle over a barbed-wire fence to prove it -rrb- .",
      "get ready , gang - this ai n't the '60s and MOV ai n't your daddy 's spy movie . this is the spy movie for the ps2 generation .",
      "MOV does the same thing to the bond film that james ellroy 's novels have done to the conventional detective novel : rendered it obsolete .",
      "the aaa of action , MOV is a blast of adrenalin , rated eee for excitement . and vin diesel is the man .",
      "all guts and no glory . great stuntwork despite physics .",
      "MOV is james bond for the new millenium .",
      "'' ... bring a container of aspirin to the theater and pop the cap far before the lights dim . ''",
      "you will bow down to -lsb- diesel 's -rsb- sovereignty as the action hero of the 21st century if hollywood has to stomp you in the back with its jackboots . and do n't think hollywood wo n't do that if it has to .",
      "it all sounds absurd , but in its best moments , MOV is infused with an authority that 's rare in action movies .",
      "while it may be fun to watch vin diesel blow things up and talk trash , he honestly deserves a better script to go with all that natural presence and athletic ability .",
      "everything explodes into a massive ball of flames for no reason at all . and this overblown fakery makes it impossible to buy into the film at any level .",
      "if young people are relating to xander cage , i 'm afraid for our future .",
      "MOV points the way toward the future of the action epic .",
      "diesel seems bored and embarrassed in this movie .",
      "now i know what MOV stands for : xtremely xcruciating xperience .",
      "it was bound to happen sooner or later . if the broccoli family refused to reinvent the james bond franchise , it was inevitably going to be reinvented for them .",
      "how willing are you to sit through another playstation-style movie where you ca n't reach for the controls ?",
      "if you like your movies loud and fast , this is the ultimate blast .",
      "i love a great action movie as much as the next person , and MOV is definitely that .",
      "cohen has shaken % u2013 not stirred % u2013 the ingredients of the bond formula , and instead of producing a dry martini has come up with something like a bottle of thunderbird .",
      "if you do n't mind parking your common sense at the door , you can enjoy MOV as a rock-the-house saturday night movie with enough high-voltage energy to power an entire suburb .",
      "cohen ... loads the film with pow .",
      "if this , as the filmmakers suggest , is the bond for the new generation , i want off this train called life right now .",
      "diesel looks like he 's having a blast on screen , and his gusto is infectious .",
      "ultimately , this is a movie as generic as its title .",
      "is the time really ripe for a warmed-over james bond adventure , with a village idiot as the 007 clone ?",
      "do n't walk into the theater expecting anything other than fist-pumping action .",
      "x-actly what you expect from the new hunky mega-star vin diesel . it 's fast furious and full of smirks and snarls !",
      "in its own punk way , MOV is as good as a good bond movie , and that 's saying something .",
      "in MOV , diesel is that rare creature -- an action hero with table manners , and one who proves that elegance is more than tattoo deep .",
      "james bond on steroids ? the only way this is entertaining is if you make up your own jokes about the laughable dialog while watching with your friends .",
      "for all its posturing , MOV essentially is a james bond movie refitted for the tony hawk crowd ."
    ],
    "summary": "it has an endearing lack of seriousness , and vin diesel has more than enough muscle for the starring role , but ultimately , MOV is a missed opportunity to breathe new life into the spy thriller genre .",
    "id": "11915"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dear_white_people",
    "reviews": [
      "a rickety contraption of issue-oriented talking points delivered by characters-centrally , four black students-who are constructed to fit the plot .",
      "arguably the most vital film to come out of hollywood in 2014 .",
      "the message gets a little scattershot and repetitive at times , but he hits his mark more often than not .",
      "the pitch on MOV is that it 's `` do the right thing for the obama generation , '' which is both an oversell and a disservice to justin simien 's witty satire about race relations on a fictional ivy league campus .",
      "dense first feature takes our racial pulse and finds it 's still irregular",
      "simien shoots satirical buckshot , missing as often as he hits , and the clunky framing device is pure amateur hour , yet he also displays an attention to character complexity that shows genuine promise .",
      "simien 's caustic message resonates at many levels : if you want to change the world , be sure to bring good snacks .",
      "welcome to the head-spinning gamesmanship of the obama era - and to the most elegantly candid comedy of racial tension since spike lee burst onto the scene 30 years ago .",
      "the film is concerned not only with the ways in which racism manifests itself , but the ways in which it tends to be effaced -- chiefly from the privileged who deny that race remains an issue .",
      "... satirizes the fact that our increasingly integrated culture has in some ways only heightened the reliance on dismissive shorthand .",
      "the film does n't aim to condemn the fools who believe racism in america has ended , but rather open a vast discussion of how the subject of race -- and merely identity -- in our country has evolved .",
      "i love this movie .",
      "works almost perfectly as a showcase for its cast and crew of mostly unknowns , demonstrating a considerable pool of talent waiting to be tapped for bigger and better things .",
      "one of the most vibrant , engaging debuts at this year 's sundance film festival .",
      "a delightful dissection of the ivy league that stirs the pot in the way most folks mean when they a call for a national discussion of race .",
      "an edgy premise and memorable cast make for a potent first impression .",
      "despite some melodramatic moments and an overabundance of characters and incidents , the film smartly pinpoints people 's universal need for acceptance and belonging .",
      "justin simien impresses with this debut - a social satire , exploring , debating and studying racial identity , and what it means to be black in contemporary america .",
      "simien 's script is at its funniest when at its most confrontational , touching on a number of keen , pointed observations on the subtleties of racism .",
      "MOV has both ambition and execution , with its satire sharpened , not dulled , by the characters and real emotions inside it .",
      "the cast is game and siemen 's trenchant observations are the mark of a filmmaker with something to say -- an increasing rarity in this day and age .",
      "more admirable than entertaining .",
      "a canny , complex and funny campus comedy movie that views race through the eyes of the millennial generation ...",
      "you have to see this movie , and talk about it , to believe it .",
      "as a first-time director , simien sometimes lets his script flirt with talkiness , but with dialogue this sharp and unpredictable , who 's complaining ?",
      "the film is n't as funny as it could be , largely because simien 's tone is n't as fueled by anger as -lsb- spike -rsb- lee 's films , but when he scores , it 's often a bullseye .",
      "sufficiently provocative to raise important issues and cheeky enough to remain entertaining while doing so .",
      "`` MOV '' may not be the best movie of the year , but it just might be the most important .",
      "the issues are more interesting than the characters , though simien provides a welcome and fairly trenchant -lsb- film -rsb- .",
      "here 's a race-based/race-baiting comedy that tackles issues of identity and sensitivity head on .",
      "while it veers toward smugness and self-satisfaction at times , the spike-lee-lite exercise nonetheless heralds a fresh and funny new voice on the scene in writer-director justin simien ...",
      "writer-director justin simien 's searing , sharp-edged , and wildly intelligent comedy about race relations on an american college campus .",
      "often the characters are just standing around talking at one another . after too many scenes like this , the film begins to to feel like a collection of speeches .",
      "one of the freshest , funniest , boldest debut films to come along in years .",
      "a lively and deeply funny course in race in america 101 : intro to white privilege .",
      "sadly , simien would rather introduce confrontational mischief than actually show his homework .",
      "MOV is a peeved film , a touching film , a thoughtful film , and a funny film all at the same time , but structurally it 's an exercise in developing tension .",
      "an astute and funny film built around an impressively layered script and an appealing ensemble cast that broaches the delicate issue of race in an honest , sensible way .",
      "MOV stares race relations right in the face with a combination of biting satire , understated anger , and a whole lot of thoughtfulness .",
      "tessa thompson steals the picture with the mostly radical rants of a character described as ` a lisa bonet wannabe ' .",
      "simien draws strong performances from his talented cast and has a clean visual sensibility . but he 's still sifting through the issues he raises and the movie suffers from his lack of conviction .",
      "this is n't a romantic comedy , it 's an all-too-realistic satire depicting an entire college ecosystem strung out and put on display from the top-down ; more school daze than bringing up baby .",
      "satire offers insightful , very edgy look at race relations .",
      "the film is called MOV , but it might as well be called dear everybody . it 's hilarious , and just about everyone will wince with recognition at some point in the film .",
      "smart , unique , and distinct , this feature wo n't be easy to forget .",
      "MOV -lrb- and members of all other races -rrb- , avoid this movie , as it does n't do much more for race relations than lars von trier 's nymphomaniac did for the issue of sexual addiction .",
      "however successful -lsb- the film -rsb- may be at capturing hearts and minds when it comes to social and political issues , it has the early indicators of being a small-scale cult classic .",
      "it will make some people squirm and might hurt some viewers ' feelings , but will likely make them laugh along the way . one way or another , it 's a film that will prompt plenty of conversation on the way home .",
      "that it comes as close as it does to successful satire is either a testament to simien 's talents or an indication of how starved cinema is for socially relevant comedy .",
      "not since spike lee 's early work has there been a movie so full of provocative ideas-and a sly sense of humor .",
      "there are no easy heroes or foils in this briskly cross-cutting ensemble piece , only blossoming adults and beleagured elders ...",
      "one of the sharpest and most audacious comedies of the year ...",
      "smart , funny , generally on target ... like early spike lee , only more polished",
      "much as in life - but rarely in movies - everyone is at least partially sympathetic . and everyone has a bit of a point .",
      "this sharp , stylish comedy does pack quite a punch when it hits its stride ...",
      "it 's been a while since a movie comedy dealt as directly and smartly with questions of racial identity as MOV does .",
      "clearly a work by a young director , the film comes at you with a torrent of sharp dialogue , multiple characters and a traffic jam of scenes and story points .",
      "MOV is a college comedy with cutting jokes and complex characters , as well an ace ensemble of young actors and a writer/director to watch .",
      "its jokes -lrb- and insights -rrb- about race , class and prejudice are provocative in the very best sense .",
      "if MOV is simien 's school daze , complete with academic setting and diy scrappiness , does that mean he has a do the right thing in him , too ?",
      "the movie finds real power in its climax ...",
      "as enjoyable and refreshing as it is , there 's a certain bite lacking in the delivery .",
      "stylish , sleek , sharp and almost glib , this terrific debut by writer/director justin simien is a streamlined satire that swaps subtlety for jaw-dropping honesty .",
      "MOV is less than the sum of its very polished parts -- a first feature that 's just impressive enough to be frustrating .",
      "although the tone is uneven , there are plenty of sharp one-liners ... and snappy cineliterate swipes at everyone from tyler perry to robert altman .",
      "sharp , snappy and often scathing , balancing a fine line between pointed barbs and broader laughs .",
      "simien helms with style to spare but makes sure the emphasis is firmly on substance , as he offers great insight into the contradictions and concerns of young black culture .",
      "here 's a film that refreshingly acknowledges various elephants in cinema 's crowded living room : racism , the interracial sex taboo and class war .",
      "there 's a lot in this prickly , snappily written feature debut that 's as invigorating as early spike lee .",
      "do the right thing - take a break from summer spectacle to check out this assured and eloquent indie .",
      "this is high-altitude satire that dares to press hot buttons while targeting and empathising with all , black and white .",
      "although the characters do n't lapse into stereotypes , neither are they sufficiently funny or fierce to engage us in the issues they raise . the movie is a windy debate , the kind that is suited for the safe confines of a college campus .",
      "the film 's bravery and open ending is credible , despite the dead spots , and that woeful self-seriousness that poxes student wit . you can hit the nail on the head a hundred times and still have a rickety structure .",
      "a witty movie and in many places a funny one .",
      "it 's a slyly provocative achievement and a serious calling card for its writer-director , justin simien .",
      "it holds a comic lens up to the love-hate relationship between the races in all its contradictions . and it is a portrait of post-racial america as the symbiotic clashing of opposite polarities .",
      "for this sort of satire to land , it needs pace and energy that the oddly whispery `` MOV '' lacks .",
      "`` MOV '' is a great title and a witty , provocative movie about a topic that could n't be more relevant .",
      "the funny , challenging MOV -lrb- which , sorry , definitely could be a hashtag -rrb- goes right for thoughtfully uncomfortable and stays there .",
      "a film that is unafraid to tackle a subject as difficult and complex as race - and does so with intelligence , courage and humor .",
      "MOV 's biggest flaw is its excessive ambition , and that 's a problem more movies could stand to have .",
      "as smart and fearless a debut as i have seen from an american filmmaker in quite some time : knowing but not snarky , self-aware but not solipsistic , open to influence and confident in its own originality .",
      "it 's true that satire is the perfect weapon of reason , and justin simien deploys it with resourcefulness , cool assurance and eagle-eyed aim .",
      "simien moves his characters and his ideas around like an expert general would on a battlefield , all while slowly ratcheting up the tension until the film reaches its party conclusion and blows up .",
      "there wo n't be a smarter or funnier screenplay this year -lrb- or more striking feature directorial debut -rrb- , and that is just the basis for this surprising , wonderful and quite definitive college film .",
      "i nodded my head in agreement many times while watching MOV , but i ca n't say i was ever truly compelled by the story it tells .",
      "the film takes a clear-eyed approach to the complex subject of racial identity and leavens it with wit .",
      "here 's a comic riff on race relations in the obama era that hits its targets far more than it misses .",
      "the complicated narratives do n't distract from what this film does best : make you laugh about the things that make you furious .",
      "justin simien 's MOV is an honest , funny and stylish satire of race relations in the obama age .",
      "refreshing , provocative , and powerfully topical .",
      "smart , gutsy and relevant .",
      "MOV succeeds because it delivers its message with common sense and wisdom instead of a heavy hand .",
      "a timely and important look at black identity and how it 's informed by by stereotypes in the media",
      "where it scores big is its wealth of ideas-visual , emotional , cultural-and its deep well of bitter , voice-of-experience rage",
      "MOV has its share of provocations about race but complex reality has overtaken its vision at a worrying speed .",
      "... a sharp , smart , ambitious satire of race , racism , privilege , prejudice , and power at an ivy league college that has drawn comparisons to spike lee .",
      "good films create buzz , but movies like MOV create conversations .",
      "the best moments get to the heart of simien 's thesis that what is supposed to be post-racial america is n't all that much different from what came before .",
      "even as the jokes cut deep , MOV does n't hesitate to get real .",
      "screenplay is tight , funny , smart and insightful , and -lsb- the -rsb- direction has just enough indie feel without becoming too self-conscious or preachy .",
      "this acerbic satire of contemporary racial politics manages to be provocative and articulate without turning strident .",
      "MOV is a strong debut for a newcomer director , who tackles sensitive racial and cultural topics with wit , sensitivity , and thoughtful commentary .",
      "this intelligent , funny , articulately hyper-verbal campus comedy-drama ... serves up tart satire ...",
      "simien has created anti-types that refuse to represent the black experience and crafted an assertive visual style .",
      "the dialogue is often sharp , occasionally clever , as simien explores the quandary of trying to fit in at the cost of losing your true identity .",
      "a film that 's as honest about the complexities and contradictions of identity as we 're likely to see in a movie theater this year .",
      "writer-director justin simien takes a sledgehammer to the rosy notion that we 've achieved a post-racial utopia - but he does it with great wit , bite and flair - in his debut feature , MOV .",
      "the hypocrisies , contradictions , tensions and opportunities of what naively has been described as the ` post-racial ' america of the obama era are examined with refreshing wit and candor ...",
      "as straightforward of a satire as MOV is , it also can be looked at as a symbol of the problems it is trying to tackle .",
      "the gags create a fuse to a firecracker finale ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV adds a welcome new voice to cinema 's oft-neglected discussion of race , tackling its timely themes with intelligence , honesty , and gratifyingly sharp wit .",
    "id": "771372054"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mother_and_child",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- a -rsb- well-executed , thoughtful look into the maternal connection and how it can destroy as much as it creates .",
      "there 's no shortage of talent in this ensemble drama about the bond between mothers and their children .",
      "emotionally engaging , sharply written and powerfully acted drama that commendably resists some of the expected clichжs .",
      "what keeps the whole thing from toppling into an abyss of unwatchable tv drama histrionics is a pair of dynamite performances from annette bening and naomi watts .",
      "this film is sure to make all but the hardest-hearted shed tears .",
      "an excellent ensemble makes the most of a multi-strand female-centred film that drifts very close to melodrama as it explores various aspects of motherhood .",
      "there 's pleasure and humour to be had in observing these troubled characters -lrb- and fine performers -rrb- as they navigate intimidating , unfamiliar territory ...",
      "MOV is too dutiful , overly sincere and its impressions are easily washed away .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "an emotional and intensely realistic examination of three women with ties to adoption .",
      "thick , saccharine pablum",
      "the tremendous cast is reason enough to give it a chance . bening , watts and washington are at their very best .",
      "an extraordinary film about adoption and the lives of three very different women on separate quests for love , nurturing , and personal fulfillment .",
      "it would feel overly theatrical if watts , bening , and washington did n't convey the vulnerability beneath every firm demurral , lacerating insult , and refusal to engage .",
      "the best thing about `` MOV '' is annette bening 's perceptive performance .",
      "it 's a case of three exceptional actresses -- annette bening , naomi watts and kerry washington -- constituting an ensemble of obviousness .",
      "writer/director rodrigo garcia has fashioned a clear-eyed look at motherhood at all stages .",
      "that garcia manages to spin three rich and complex yarns without ever losing hold of the main thread -- the deep and mysterious connections between mothers and daughters -- is evidence of a keen eye and an exceptionally curious mind .",
      "rodrigo garcia knew he was making a good movie , but did he really understand the kind of good movie he was making ?",
      "the leads have excellent support from jimmy smits , cherry jones , shareeka epps and s. epatha merkerson-plus , that most welcome rarity , a subtle turn from samuel l. jackson .",
      "the strong against-type performances of annette bening , naomi watts , and samuel jackson help an absorbing if very uneven script .",
      "the answers garcia offers are n't necessarily satisfying ; particularly for those who believe in adoption or -lrb- gasp -rrb- childlessness , but they are thought-provoking questions nevertheless .",
      "provides moments of genuine emotion and pathos , be you a man or woman , parent or childless .",
      "in a way , i was almost hoping that the three storylines did n't tie together at the end . each of them stands so firmly on its own .",
      "whenever we starts to lose patience with the story 's conceit , garcía and his actors hit a note of emotional authenticity that pulls us back in .",
      "a well-acted and effective drama -- when writer-director rodrigo garcia allows it to move along . /",
      "MOV has the pretence of being something more meaningful , but it 's really just a notch above soap opera .",
      "finely acted and measured in its subtly faith-based approach , rodrigo garcia 's MOV does not quite escape the limitations of its soapy genre ...",
      "what 's spot-on is the performances of the three lead actresses , annette bening , naomi watts and kerry washington .",
      "this movie packs an emotional wallop and women will get the most out of the way difficult decisions are reached in life-changing situations . bening gives her best performance in years and makes a remarkable transformation that deserves oscar consideration",
      "MOV reminds us how important the notion of lineage - of finding a discernible path through life that does n't just begin and end with ourselves - is to our personal identity , and the decisions we make in life .",
      "it 's a highly contrived affair with a barely concealed , deeply conservative catholic agenda , and it has the ring of a cracked bell calling the righteous to prayer .",
      "bening and watts are good enough to see it through , and it 's good to see jackson actually play his age for once .",
      "for the first time in a very long while , bening disappears into a character and turns in a performance that is n't about her shamelessly playing to the rafters to grab after oscar .",
      "there are tears aplenty before the three plot strands are brought - rather too neatly - together .",
      "thankfully , the cast raise it above hallmark standard , especially jackson with a performance that proves he does n't have to bring down great vengeance or furious anger to grab your attention .",
      "bening , consistently one of the best us screen actresses , is really the main reason to keep you watching .",
      "annette bening gives one of her most enigmatic and painfully frank performances yet that cuts direct to the core .",
      "garcьa may have a good movie in him ; iырrritu may have another -lrb- he once made amores perros -rrb- . but as collaborators they should be divorced and sent , like their characters , to far-flung corners of the creative planet .",
      "the producer is alejandro gonzрlez iырrittu , who has directed other karmic-coincidence dramas . this one looks mannered and gimmicky .",
      "like a math equation whose inevitability does n't diminish its crisp clarity of truth ... it unwraps its surprises in ways that pay off as the movie goes on .",
      "MOV is suffused with grief and loss . it 's also suffused with compassion and insight .",
      "three story threads finally intersect in a revelatory examination of what motherhood means .",
      "a believably unbalanced bening scores the movie 's true coup : karen 's revitalizing relationship with a sweetly persistent coworker -lrb- jimmy smits -rrb- is a rare example of hollywood doing right by midlife romance .",
      "one of the many pleasures in this exemplary film is watching the women grow and evolve , revealing more about themselves in each successive scene . fraught with pitfalls , the narrative comes together seamlessly .",
      "the combination of strong writing and note-perfect performances makes MOV one of those unforgettable films that should be amongst the year 's best .",
      "poses a number of intriguing questions about the nature of maternity , only to obscure them with a gloss that is equal parts sentiment and subtle but specious politics .",
      "woe , by the way , unto the good , decent men who cross these women 's paths . in the ovarian jungle of MOV , each gent is undervalued in his own way .",
      "when a filmmaker does everything right , as in rodrigo garcía 's MOV , you may be watching a masterpiece .",
      "rodrigo garcia 's reputation as a writer for and director of women will increase exponentially with MOV , an insightfully observed and exceptionally acted ensemble piece precisely about what the title suggests .",
      "MOV winds up with some very mixed messages .",
      "this is n't one of those lo-fi indie movies that sells out in the third act for a big bang . by the end , it 's what 's resolved as much as what 's not resolved that makes this story worth telling .",
      "the emotional breadth of these performances makes the flow chart predictability tolerable .",
      "a gently lathered soap opera whose bubbles burst nonetheless with expected timing and unwelcome force .",
      "these people are not easy to love , but they are fascinating to watch .",
      "this is a movie well worth your time and attention .",
      "garcia keeps his various stories flowing and in perfect balance .",
      "for the most part , garcia offers a sober , clear-eyed picture that 's populated with prickly personalities and unenviable situations , and he and his actors are brave enough not to flinch even during the most challenging interludes .",
      "as far as the stories are concerned , a couple of them are pretty good . but the nearly disastrous third section unravels the entire movie .",
      "does as much disservice to its stars as it does to the art of graceful cinematic storytelling .",
      "MOV takes us beyond our comfort zone as emotional boundaries are stretched and canvassed . it is an intriguing film , but there are flaws",
      "obviously , this is emotionally rich ground and garcia plows it perhaps a bit too heavily .",
      "naomi watts and annette benning give outstanding performances in this increasingly contrived and sentimental tale of mothers and daughters , and the joys and anguish that come with adoption .",
      "a beautifully nuanced script , bening at her best , and superb against-type performances by watts and jackson , make this a must-see film for , and about , women -- especially mothers .",
      "MOV -- which interestingly never makes an issue of race in its relationships -- is rewarding viewing , even if it 's not exactly feel-good entertainment .",
      "a powerful parable that uses the most primal of bonds to uncover the aching abyss of regret and the fundamental human need for connection .",
      "there 's something vaguely mystical -- and quite affecting -- about the way the individual paths of these women come together in MOV . intentionally or not , the movie is about the invisible hand of fate , or a higher plan , in our lives .",
      "with an emotionally raw script and top-notch performances , this provides an insightful look into the complex bond between MOV .",
      "like mother , like daughter : ice queens and overachievers",
      "the characters and the cast should deliver in spades , but the story falters , makes a couple of clumsy jumps and twists into contorted tangles with subplots that are mere distractions",
      "great dramatic acting by the three lead women , and it 's fantastic to see samuel l. jackson back in a strong supporting role .",
      "does the excellence of the second part make up for the rancid , unintentionally campy opening ? not for me , though perhaps others would be more forgiving .",
      "-lsb- garcia -rsb- lets the picture start to go soft in the middle , and teary melodrama floods in like water from a broken dam .",
      "a thoughtful and provocative film about the way we live now .",
      "MOV 's best moments come from its many small and wonderful character details .",
      "if garcia 's film never quite catches up with his ambitions for it , well , at least he 's trying .",
      "you 'll laugh and you 'll cry at what turns out to be rodrigo garcia 's finest work to date .",
      "you have n't seen women like this before . cruel , distant , unfriendly , and selfish . provocative and daring in its unsentimental approach to real life problems .",
      "this is well worth seeing for bening 's arresting , unpleasant performance .",
      "you 'll wonder if the message of the movie is that the process of adoption turns women into vicious hags . but that ca n't be right , can it ?",
      "though really nothing more than a high-toned soap opera , ... the extraordinary performances elevate the material far above its treacle-drenched roots .",
      "this is an actors ' showcase first , and clearly garcía enjoys demonstrating what this ensemble can do .",
      "with MOV , garca brings his finely calibrated sense of drama to the subject of adoption , which he handles with characteristic restraint and insight -- at least until the film 's maudlin , too-pat finale .",
      "something like a finely-written and - acted soap opera .",
      "so many stories come packaged in hyped genres that we can forget how much character can hold sway . watts , bening and washington -- along with a fine ensemble and a humane director -- make sure we remember .",
      "when jimmy smits holds out his hand , suddenly karen 's lifelong fury evaporates , transforming her into the loveliest woman ever known to man . what ? all this time , and all she needed was the touch of smits ' mitts ?",
      "the story sometimes stretches credulity , but the talented cast brings out the drama .",
      "MOV has what might be the first oscar caliber performance of the year .",
      "the film reminds us that character , not plot , is what binds us to a story . cutting between scenes of each in her unique environment , the movie tantalizes us .",
      "the fine actors show how we bond to those not related to us by blood -- and also how we love . bring kleenex .",
      "dealing with adoption from differnet perspectives , gracia 's film is timely , well acted tale that unfortunately gets too conventional and schematic as it goes along , explaining each and every detail ; even so , naomi watts and annette bening are splendid .",
      "not a single false note in this story of women 's vulnerabilities , loneliness , seeking , disappointments , all brought about by the adoption conventions .",
      "a two-hankie weepie for the family-values set , rodrigo garcia 's latest sudser worships at the altar of motherhood , a state that the writer-director posits as something like the essence of womanhood .",
      "this movie is cloaked in prestige and indie-cinema trappings , but it 's really not much different from the crappy middlebrow tearjerkers that hollywood floods our theaters with .",
      "garcía has achieved a scale and empathy that far surpasses his previous machinations without sacrificing the nuanced platforms he has granted actors all along .",
      "significant credit goes to these committed actors , who are forced to give speeches and make choices regularly at odds with authentic human behavior .",
      "you may not quite trust MOV -- its soft spots and fuzzy edges give it away -- but you can believe just about everyone in it .",
      "adoption drama probes complex anger , heartbreak , hope .",
      "still , stellar actresses annette bening and naomi watts rise above every impediment , delivering memorably luminous moments as MOV , separated at birth .",
      "the film is an actors ' showcase that bening makes the most of .",
      "MOV keeps the traffic moving smoothly , much more so than a movie like crash , because garcia writes characters rather than positions , and he knows that the silences between people usually speak louder than their words .",
      "though watts 's elizabeth brings a sense of darkness and unpredictability to the film , the hyperbolic flourishes and the melodramatic climax offset the actresses ' best efforts .",
      "this movie 's calm , steady control keeps a wide variety of good actors in the same universe .",
      "tender , heartfelt and intriguingly structured albeit occasionally melodramatic . annette bening , kerry washington and naomi watts shine in their captivating , raw and brave performances .",
      "a slick , ensemble melodrama that appears to touch on every female issue regarding motherhood , family and relationships .",
      "an obvious return to form for filmmaker rodrigo garcía ...",
      "it 's not an easy film of righteousness , but a trembling drama , with more venom than anticipated , salvaged by a few outstanding performances .",
      "the movie 's substance lies in its psychological profiles , and it 's as twisty and tortuous as any peek into the subconscious is liable to be .",
      "of all the performances , samuel l. jackson 's is the most surprising . it sometimes appears that the busy jackson will take almost any role to stay working . this film provides a reminder of his subtlety .",
      "a screenwriter 's butterfly flaps its wings and a chain of events is set into motion , resulting in the latest cinematic ensemble tale of connectivity and yearning . this one 's good , though .",
      "dynamite performances from annette bening and naomi watts ignite this strong drama from writer-director rodrigo garcia .",
      "... intelligent and aimed at a mature femme audience . in the end , it is all about closure .",
      "if you are a regular moviegoer who ca n't get enough of the daytime soaps , look no further than MOV . it has enough soapy story lines to fill out at least three daytime series for a month .",
      "writer/director rodrigo garcia is the son of famed colombian novelist gabriel garcia marquez , so maybe the filmmaker comes by all the magic and coincidence in his stories naturally .",
      "in the feature-length soap opera `` MOV , '' writer-director rodrigo garcia creates a multiple narrative about women , the choices - sometimes forced upon them - that they make regarding childbirth and the manifold repercussions .",
      "it 's tough for actors to be nuanced when the movie is n't , and these intriguingly jagged edges soon get smoothed out ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it occasionally veers into unnecessary melodrama , MOV benefits from a stellar cast and writer-director rodrigo garcia 's finely detailed , bravely unsentimental script .",
    "id": "770799466"
  },
  {
    "movie": "la_stanza_del_figlio",
    "reviews": [
      "often called italy 's answer to woody allen , nanni moretti takes a turn for the serious in the son 's room and acquits himself in first-rate fashion .",
      "captures a more realistic depiction of the effects of death on a family .",
      "while there will be those who applaud the film for generally steering clear of heavy-handed manipulation , the scenes nevertheless have a prefabricated , synthetic feel that prevent the material from being tangibly affecting .",
      "a deceivingly simple film , one that grows in power in retrospect .",
      "while events have necessarily changed perspectives on the film , it maintains a gentle , respectful sensibility .",
      "by daring to be honest and unsparing , the son 's room is meaningful .",
      "despite pitch-perfect performances , the craft of moretti 's direction and his honorable intentions , the son 's room was not especially moving .",
      "the nondescript characters and straightforward narrative contribute to an unusually clinical experience .",
      "ultimately succeeds by striking a universal chord on the subject of inconsolable loss .",
      "a hushed contemplation of the kind of senseless , all-too-frequent tragedy that leaves the survivors reeling and speechless .",
      "your appreciation of it will depend on what experiences you bring to it and what associations you choose to make .",
      "moretti 's compelling anatomy of grief and the difficult process of adapting to loss .",
      "it is in moretti 's nature to never be completely gloomy . yet in striving for greater seriousness , he has proven himself capable of far more meaningful work that the comedian in him has ever before demonstrated , or admitted to .",
      "moretti is interested in simple behavior , captured at a polite but insightful distance , and this quiet , subtly moving drama says more about the qualities that make us human with a whisper than most other movies can say with a shout .",
      "a down-to-earth , almost crude film - a simple record of pain",
      "the son 's room , possesses a quiet , haunting realism , fueled by an excellent script and assured performances all around .",
      "there are flashes of brilliance that separate the film from another melissa gilbert vehicle .",
      "what 's refreshing about this otherwise standard-issue story is its refusal to demand your empathy .",
      "often melancholy in tone , but it ends on a hopeful note that makes the emotionally charged trip worth the ride .",
      "we are given characters so gentle and so human that we become instantly fond of them .",
      "delicately distinctive ; it 's the kind of picture that stirs subterranean rumbles of empathy in us rather than flashy , gushing waves .",
      "without unduly twisting our emotions or making any demands on our tear ducts , one of the world 's most fluent filmmakers comes to terms with the ` divine and terrible radiance ' of grief .",
      "an incisive , cathartic drama about the fragile fabric of human life .",
      "a measured , decorous , at times pat film that manages to be quietly moving because it touches on something real .",
      "stands as a gentle reminder that while loss is inevitable , it need not be ruinous .",
      "infused with a moral and emotional ambiguity and moretti 's characteristic humanity , it 's a forceful and deeply affecting work .",
      "ultimately the project comes across as clinical , detached , uninvolving , possibly prompting audience members to wonder , ` what 's the point ? '",
      "... tells its story of grief with efficiency but not with a great deal of heart .",
      "stands apart for its raw , quiet emotion and its shattering sense of truth .",
      "a movie more to be prescribed than recommended -- as visually bland as a dentist 's waiting room , complete with soothing muzak and a cushion of predictable narrative rhythms .",
      "we 're all guilty of worrying about things that are completely unimportant ; this film is a wonderful reminder that we should n't .",
      "a decent and accomplished drama .",
      "moretti ... is the rare common-man artist who 's wise enough to recognize that there are few things in this world more complex -- and , as it turns out , more fragile -- than happiness .",
      "moretti and especially morante do ... a harrowingly good job of outlining their emotions .",
      "moretti does n't wrap the grieving , the angst , in melodrama . the facts are given . and the suffering is palpable .",
      "it 's one of the saddest films i have ever seen that still manages to be uplifting but not overly sentimental .",
      "told lovingly and for the most part realistically , the son 's room -- which won cannes ' latest palme d'or -- has moments of power within its quiet atmosphere , and showcases moretti 's moving performance .",
      "the son 's room is ... not an interruption in -lsb- moretti 's -rsb- career , but a leap upward to a spiritual epiphany graced with visual elegance and energy .",
      "the drama is played out with such aching beauty and truth that it brings tears to your eyes .",
      "a film ... whose studied deliberation comes perilously close to ponderousness .",
      "this is not an easy film . but it could be , by its art and heart , a necessary one .",
      "chances are , if you were impressed by in the bedroom , you 'll be even more taken by moretti 's wrenching little film .",
      "moretti plays giovanni , a psychiatrist who predictably finds it difficult to sustain interest in his profession after the family tragedy . too predictably , in fact .",
      "ranks with such films as in the bedroom , ordinary people , and terms of endearment in the sensitivity with which it observes the effect a child 's death on the remaining members of the family .",
      "heartbreakingly precise emotions .",
      "an honest and compelling film that effectively explores grief and the search for resolution .",
      "a gentle , compassionate drama about grief and healing .",
      "seeps into your consciousness , never letting go even when it 's finished .",
      "the best way to see the son 's room is to know the title and the location of the theater , and that 's all .",
      "this is a film brimming with detail and nuance and one that speaks volumes about the ability of the human spirit to find solace in events that could easily crush it forever .",
      "sometimes in a quite ordinary way a director can reach out and touch us .",
      "the son 's room is a triumph of gentility that earns its moments of pathos .",
      "while not as aggressively impressive as its american counterpart , `` in the bedroom , '' moretti 's film makes its own , quieter observations",
      "happily stays close to the ground in a spare and simple manner and does n't pummel us with phony imagery or music .",
      "surprisingly powerful and universal .",
      "the feelings it expresses hold an undeniable sense of truth and are therefore not easily dismissed .",
      "una obra maestra que sin embargo no será entendida , como ocurre en muchos de los casos en los que ...",
      "the film 's masterstroke is in balancing the family 's grief with the reflective , unceremonious gaze of an outsider .",
      "while the topic has grown heavier here , -lsb- moretti 's -rsb- touch has not , and that disparity is precisely what gives the film its sustained poignancy .",
      "instead of building character , -lsb- the son 's room -rsb- makes its points serially and plays like the outline of a b minus term paper in which the assigned subject is kubler-ross .",
      "benefiting from nicola pavani 's poignant scoring and the telling understatement of giuseppe lanci 's cinematography , it 's a lovely work , nonetheless , a welcome creative departure for a gifted italian artist .",
      "it 's rare for any movie to be as subtle and touching as the son 's room .",
      "more maudlin than sharp .",
      "a moving and weighty depiction of one family 's attempts to heal after the death of a child .",
      "moretti 's comedies and sarires are more interesting than this family melodrama about loss and grief , though he should be commended for making a touching and sensitive film that never descends into cloying bathos .",
      "with tender skill , -lsb- director -rsb- moretti illuminates samuel beckett 's familiar summation ` i ca n't go on -- i 'll go on . '",
      "a work of powerful understatement , artfully crafted and subtly acted .",
      "the son 's room addresses both death and life with honesty and respect .",
      "a thoughtful and haunting study of the ways a family copes with the unthinkable .",
      "the son 's room is a sob story that is too pat for my taste .",
      "proves once again that some of the best films do not come from america .",
      "nothing in the son 's room is conventionally sentimental or reassuring .",
      "the son 's room refers to every room this family will inhabit for a long time -- he 's an unseen , ubiquitous presence -- but they may learn to lead ordinary , even joyful lives again .",
      "i certainly found its depiction of a family affected by grief far more believable and effective than the strident dish-breaking , breast-beating of in the bedroom .",
      "occasionally melodramatic , it 's also extremely effective .",
      "the `` too-scripted '' pieces about weighty topics in la stanzo del figlio begin to take on the hue and cry of self-satisfaction ."
    ],
    "summary": "the son 's room is a moving and contemplative study of grief .",
    "id": "14559"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lizzie_mcguire_movie",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's really ... girly !",
      "... mindless situation comedy entertainment .",
      "it 's only a matter of time before lizzie discovers that `` love will lift us up where we belong '' but the MOV has already done its damage by then .",
      "its cute story and its adorable lead , hilary duff as lizzie , will eventually win you over .",
      "the adventure is a pointless bore ; it 's completely predictable and sends the wrong message .",
      "little more than an adolescent wish-fulfillment fantasy so familiar that it 's like pre-chewed bubble gum .",
      "a clever , agreeably weightless theatrical outing .",
      "the film is corny , predictable , and manipulative to the point that you feel like there 's electrodes attached from the screen to your brain , but , by the end of this film , i 'll be damned if i did n't feel genuine affection for it and lizzie in particular .",
      "if the hordes of screaming kids in the audience at the screening i saw are any indication , the MOV hits its mark .",
      "if you fit into its target demographic , ` the MOV ' is inoffensive fluff . if your age surpasses your shoe size , you 're better off re-grouting your tile .",
      "duff is a charming heroine who carries the movie cheerfully , if not gracefully-the pratfalls come early and often .",
      "director jim fall has orchestrated lizzie 's dream vacation with energy and humor .",
      "... -lsb- duff 's -rsb- a very charming young actress , but the material just is n't there .",
      "movie 's like this are n't supposed to be perfect in structure and form - they 're for 13-year-olds who do n't care that lizzie does n't speak the language or that her suitor 's italian has a hint of brooklyn in it .",
      "while the movie should prove to be manna from sit-com heaven for the show 's fan base of kids ages 6-14 , there 's not much here to excite accompanying parents .",
      "if you are older than this target group , you will find it rather boring and stupid .",
      "scrubbed so squeaky clean , you can eat off of the film stock .",
      "quick to capitalize on one of its assets , now that the 65-episode cap of lizzie mcguire has been fulfilled , disney has turned around and popped out a pay-per-view version .",
      "a fresh and fabulous cinderella fantasy , lizzie mcguire is a delightful charmer about a young girl who dreams of being a pop star .",
      "no one will claim that the pre-teen market is saturated with movies for girls , thus the MOV is a welcome addition that fills the bill ...",
      "a fantasy that teaches girls that popularity and material possessions are the most important things in life and will fall right into your lap if you 're adorable enough .",
      "the target audience will absolutely adore it .",
      "... the end result is an effort that 'll surely have a much more positive effect on fans than on neophytes to the lizzie mcguire saga .",
      "passable entertainment for the young teen set that 's far from memorable , but at least offers a few sparks of life .",
      "its tone is identical to the travelogue movies of the week that nbc used to spin from their hit sitcoms",
      "as driving-around-in-the-car-with-the-top-down , putting-on-your-lip-gloss , loving-life moviemaking , it 's all good .",
      "lizzie may be cheesy and disappointingly straight-laced but all in all she 's a bit of fun .",
      "for what it aspires to be -- and we 're not talking sense and sensibility here -- it works .",
      "as a consumable -- which is the entire point of it -- disney 's the MOV is something between taffy , tapioca and a gold brick smoothly entering the disney vault .",
      "looks like it was shot ultra-cheaply .",
      "is n't really a very good movie from an artistic sense .",
      "parents will adore this instructional , hopeful message . young duff buffs , like my 7-year-old companion , will be in a state of beatitude .",
      "a banal slice of fluff .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of junk food .",
      "innocuous but lethally bland .",
      "a daydream from a discount store .",
      "the success of the MOV , in which duff acts and sings while playing both her beloved character and an italian look-alike , is probably a slam dunk . that does n't mean it 's a great movie .",
      "does n't try to be more than what it is : a romantic fantasy caper .",
      "photographs rome in a casually homogonous way , just like every other live-action disney film .",
      "fans may be disappointed that some of the show 's secondary characters , like lizzie 's pal miranda , are awol from this prince and the pauper-style escapade .",
      "a smug , cutesy music video / fashion show for -lsb- hilary -rsb- duff .",
      "is this the latest cinematic renaissance known as the teeny tart movement ? in short , the MOV has all the significance and high-minded spirit of a vintage '70s leif garrett pin up poster covered in cobwebs",
      "as much as i like hilary duff and lizzie mcguire , they both deserved better than this underwhelming big screen outing .",
      "the movie has the same tone and feel as the cable-tv show and should thrill little girls everywhere . parents should do ok , too .",
      "frilly and sweet to a mind-numbing fault .",
      "nice and bland .",
      "the story is essentially flawed , and so is the presentation .",
      "i 'll be straight with you : you 're not going to love this movie . it 's not meant for you . it 's meant for little girls . and as a little girl , i would have loved it .",
      "-lsb- hilary duff -rsb- is n't ready for the big screen -- not without a movie big enough to share it with her .",
      "shockingly wholesome and lots of fun , lizzie 's just the kind of girl parents want their children to hang out with .",
      "even as bubble-gum moviemaking goes , this is one thin lizzie .",
      "a superficial escapist fantasy for fans of the show .",
      "though likely to induce a saccharine seizure for a general audience , the movie is perfect for a girls ' night out for mothers and their preteen daughters .",
      "weak scripting and amateurish camerawork scream lowest common denominator .",
      "director jim fall 's the MOV is not a movie at all ; it 's a 90-minute advertisement for hilary duff .",
      "hilary duff 's fans will not be disappointed and the parents that go along for the ride wo n't suffer too much - they might even enjoy the field trip .",
      "... yet another one to drop the kids off at while you get a few things done ...",
      "altogether a wasted opportunity from a disney organization which grows more sclerotic by the minute .",
      "good clean fun .",
      "the MOV is just the thing for all the kids out there who have come to know and love lizzie mcguire . anyone looking for a terrific movie the whole family can enjoy is advised to see holes .",
      "certainly , it 's foolish to expect much from kids ' films , but that should hardly be an excuse to create something as willfully inane and sloppy as the MOV .",
      "-lsb- borstein -rsb- is the only really delightful element in the movie ; everything else is simply slick and professional .",
      "the movie is sweet and fun and so much like the gidget movies i grew up with that i fully expected moondoggie to show up with his surfboard .",
      "little more than a series of mistimed gags and overused and overly cutesy animated ` asides . '",
      "it is good , clean fun and likely does not spell the end of western civilization .",
      "it beats the olsen twins . but not by much .",
      "those familiar with the popular and titular disney channel series will be satisfied .",
      "by filling in what the story lacks in originality with easy attractions like pretty faces , set to fluffy music , the filmmakers lose the outsider edge the lizzie mcguire franchise was built on .",
      "adolescent girls will love watching hilary do her thing .",
      "... a plot that would be old hat as a two-parter on a sitcom ...",
      "nothing in the MOV warrants the leap to the big screen .",
      "your humbled critic not only survived the movie , he also -lrb- gulp -rrb- enjoyed it and -lrb- double gulp -rrb- exited a convert to the hilary duff fan club .",
      "as with most big-screen transfigurations of small-screen fare , lizzie the movie inflates the franchise to the point where even the whimsical charms of lizzie the tv series seem bloated .",
      "cheesy . still , it could be worse . fans of the tv show are charmed by lizzie , and the movie is definitely all hers .",
      "if you happen to be the unfortunate parent stuck chaperoning a gaggle of tweens , here 's a survival guide .",
      "... screams special episode .",
      "` tweenybopper star hilary duff does little more than giggle -lrb- at cute boys -rrb- and gasp -lrb- at roman tourist attractions -rrb- her way through a wholly contrived trip to italy .",
      "the squeals of joy from the audience began as soon as hilary duff 's name appeared in the credits and quickly escalated into sounds only dogs could hear .",
      "ah , clueless . now there 's a good movie . here 's guessing the guys who wrote lizzie mcguire never saw it .",
      "so fluffy and sitcom shallow that it makes gidget goes to rome and its other many predecessors in the young-american - girl-goes - to-italy - and-falls - in-love genre look like high art .",
      "the filmmakers must have figured that because duff is so cute and lovable , a compelling plot was n't needed .",
      "an entertaining and effective expansion of the television series .",
      "if you 've never heard of lizzie mcguire , and you are n't being begged by an eight-year-old desperate to see the MOV , do n't go .",
      "the MOV is like the big , warm pans of homemade brownies your mom used to make : sweet , simple , familiar and , ultimately , satisfying .",
      "lizzie mcguire is the new gidget .",
      "the action is light and lively all the way , poking inventive fun at everything from nosy little brothers to clueless hotel managers and romantic romans who are n't as glamorous as they claim to be .",
      "what can we say ? we like her , we really really like her ."
    ],
    "summary": "harmless piece of fluff that ought to satisfy fans of the tv show .",
    "id": "10777"
  },
  {
    "movie": "men_in_black_ii",
    "reviews": [
      "while familiarity does n't exactly breed contempt ... there 's not much here we have n't encountered before . and did n't it feel a whole lot fresher the first time around ?",
      "MOV is an efficient entertainment , but it 's far from inspired .",
      "mib ii hits its marks reliably enough .",
      "MOV is just the sort of film that mainstream audiences expect to escape to during the sweltering summer months : it 's just funny enough , just clever enough , and it looks just slick enough to pass inspection .",
      "a lot of setup for too little payoff .",
      "whether verbal or visual , most of the few decent gags the sequel contains were already told twice in the original .",
      "a good-faith attempt has been made to duplicate the original elements , but the mix is wrong , bearings have been lost , the balance is off .",
      "it 's not nearly as fresh or enjoyable as its predecessor , but there are enough high points to keep this from being a complete waste of time .",
      "mib ii is faithful to its source film , which in turn sprang from a comic book . but this feels more like submission to formula than devotion to inspiration .",
      "harmless , forgettable , and simply uninteresting in comparison to recent action flicks like spider-man and minority report",
      "sillier , cuter , and shorter than the first -lrb- as best i remember -rrb- , but still a very good time at the cinema .",
      "director barry sonnenfeld and company retain much of the rubbery alien slapstick humor .",
      "after five years , the chemistry has curdled .",
      "if the first men in black was money , the second is small change . but it still jingles in the pocket . it 's fun lite .",
      "just sit back and laugh . a lot .",
      "there 's nothing about this lame sequel that was n't done better the first time around , which makes its brief 88 minute running time feel like an eternity in hyperspace .",
      "if you enjoyed the first one , chances are you 'll enjoy the second -- after all , they 're almost the same movie .",
      "es sólo ciencia ficción ; ver seres de otros mundos comportarse como humanos , con las mismas pasiones y deseos , con los mismos errores y desazones . sólo eso .",
      "MOV is the rare sequel that makes me yearn for a part iii .",
      "as bad a film as i 've seen all year",
      "ultimately , `` mib ii '' succeeds due to its rapid-fire delivery and enough inspired levity that it ca n't be dismissed as mindless .",
      "` you 'll laugh for not quite and hour and a half , but come out feeling strangely unsatisfied . you 'll feel like you ate a reeses without the peanut butter ... '",
      "the sly charm of the original film ... and the rapport between will smith 's cocky jay and tommy lee jones ' taciturn kay are recreated with only a few signs of strain .",
      "the humor is n't as sharp , the effects not as innovative , nor the story as imaginative as in the original . but it could have been worse .",
      "the predictable effort makes the movie seem longer than its audience-friendly 88 minutes , and the script deficiencies account for the high number of alien and human supporting players .",
      "MOV , with its agreeably slipshod feel , is even slighter than the 1997 original , but as summer blockbusters go , it 's shameless fun .",
      "extra-terrestrials conquer the movie if not planet earth in `` MOV , '' a film that proves how special effects and makeup master rick baker can overcome a lot of ills , particularly the lack of basic plot .",
      "they 're going through the motions , but the zip is gone .",
      "big-budget sci-fi comedy sequel is very much more of the same -- which is n't necessarily a bad thing .",
      "you 've seen it before .",
      "large budget notwithstanding , the movie is such a blip on the year 's radar screen that it 's tempting just to go with it for the ride . but this time , the old mib label stands for milder is n't better .",
      "while not horrible , MOV simply is n't as much fresh , entertaining or imaginative fun as the original .",
      "there 's not a spark of new inspiration in it , just more of the same , done with noticeably less energy and imagination .",
      "the problem with mib ii is that , like crocodile dundee , much of the humor in the original was in the setup .",
      "the hang-loose grodiness of -lsb- the men in black films -rsb- has its charms , and the ray-banned team of will smith and tommy lee jones , at its best , is good vaudeville .",
      "sonnenfeld did n't shoot for the moon , and he did n't hit the stars . he shot for the safety net of repetition and he hit the tragically ordinary .",
      "men in black 2 might be a retread of the first one , but i still say it 's worth seeing . the stars are great in this .",
      "... short , strained , and tired . just be sure to tiptoe out when you leave the theater so you do n't wake up tommy lee jones .",
      "if you have seen the preview , you have seen literally every funny moment .",
      "you 'll probably see worse films than MOV this year , but wo n't see many as disappointing .",
      "tauter , sharper , and more blithely hilarious than the original .",
      "robert gordon and barry fanaro 's script is so insubstantial it barely fills 80 minutes of running time .",
      "like most sequels men in black 2 does n't compare to the original .",
      "` the once-dynamic duo of tommy lee jones and will smith phones it in - and a by-the-numbers script all but hands them the receiver . '",
      "the mercifully short running time is either a result of thin material or an attempt to be over before viewers start questioning how very generic what they are watching is .",
      "`` MOV , '' has all the earmarks of a sequel . the story is less vibrant , the jokes are a little lukewarm , but will anyone really care ?",
      "if you loved men in black , chances are extremely good that you 'll like MOV a lot .",
      "it 's a franchise that should keep going .",
      "plot assumes little importance here . it 's those amazing creatures that count !",
      "men in black 2 is a true `` middle movie . '' it is still lugging the furniture from the original , but it is n't quite ready to break free .",
      "i thought the sequel is pretty similar in quality to the original . perhaps not as funny , but with better special effects and not quite as much slime .",
      "begins to get tedious after a while . fortunately , there 's enough fun here to make the rest of it worth while .",
      "like a jawbreaker that changes color ... miib : MOV delivers a quick buzz , lots of stuff to look at , and a totally nonnutritious joy that can only be attained with the aid of artificial flavorings and yellow # 5 .",
      "returning director barry sonnenfeld and stars will smith and tommy lee jones try to give us more of the same . but staleness has replaced hipness .",
      "the original men in black also had a slim plot , but the movie had comic verve and enjoyable byplay between smith and jones . the sequel dearly misses this jauntiness .",
      "was that movie nothing more than a tepid exercise in trotting out a formula that worked five years ago but has since lost its fizz ?",
      "as stale as last week 's white bread .",
      "there are a few laughs and clever sight gags scattered about , but not enough to make this anything more than another big-budget bust .",
      "... sit back and wonder at a system where a by-the-numbers sequel to a five-year-old effects-driven sci-fi blockbuster is adjudged a sure thing",
      "is it as good as the original ? given that what you 're in for is no longer the surprise it was when this concept emerged from the egg of originality , how can it be ? but that does n't mean you should n't expose yourself to the latest installment .",
      "less interesting second time around , this sequel suffers most from the diminished chemistry of the leads .",
      "the good -lrb- tommy lee jones -rrb- , the bad -lrb- johnny knoxville -rrb- and the ugly -lrb- cgi effects -rrb-",
      "without even a nominal attempt at a story line , it 's all in-jokes and cocky stares .",
      "a mixed bag of a comedy that ca n't really be described as out of this world .",
      "elaborate , sporadically amusing but awfully lightweight followup .",
      "it ca n't be said enough how much smith 's charisma and jones ' deadpan delivery almost save this movie and it 's to their credit that this movie is n't as bad as it should be .",
      "time passes , hope sinks and a theme emerges , unfortunately . MOV shows that only two kinds of women exist on other planets : shining saints and snaky monsters .",
      "`` MOV '' never matched the first film 's perfect blend of action , comedy , and sci-fi elements .",
      "in the absence of the first film 's rhythm , wit , and novelty , it 's a typically lazy , diminishing-returns sequel .",
      "a fiercely and aggressively bad movie ...",
      "crazy creatures , some scares , and loads of fun .",
      "about the most uninspired rehash of a popular hit i 've ever seen .",
      "... falls prey to the syndrome that affects many sequels : the apparently irresistible desire to replicate the formula from the first film .",
      "the down-home satire of how we cope with cultural difference has evaporated , replaced by jazzy effects that wear out their welcome by the halfway mark .",
      "a virtually identical remake of the 1997 blockbuster which offers almost nothing new .",
      "barry sonnenfeld owes frank the pug big time",
      "the filmmakers trot out all the same gimmicks , but they lose their charm when you know what 's coming .",
      "like a comic book on speed , it 's easy to be seduced by the exuberant energy and frivolous folly ... it 's 88 minutes of unadulterated , enjoyable nonsense . but the one thing the writers and director forget about is to tell a coherent story",
      "like most sequels , it takes what worked last time , repeats it and adds more characters , more stunts , more stuff in attempt to camouflage its sameness .",
      "packed to the gills with stale gags and humdrum computer-enhanced action sequences .",
      "mбs sarcбstica , divertida y demencial que su predecesora , es un buen ejemplo de lo que es el cine de entretenimiento puro y sin complejos .",
      "it 's a fluffy treat that does n't include anything substantial or wholesome , just sugar and msg .",
      "this is effective button-pushing sci-fi entertainment , but you wo n't need to be neurolized to forget it .",
      "it 's an 88-minute highlight reel that 's 86 minutes too long .",
      "if comic camp and big-budget special effects leave you drooling , MOV should offer welcome relief from the crushing summer heat .",
      "a cynicism-generator . suggests a big-budget scrounging for profit in almost every fiber of its being .",
      "i 've heard that the fans of the first men in black have come away hating the second one . i wonder why . they felt like the same movie to me .",
      "suas piadas sгo уbvias , seu roteiro й pouco inspirado e a direзгo de barry sonnenfeld й auto-indulgente e equivocada .",
      "yes , mibii is rote work and predictable , but with a philosophical visual coming right at the end that extravagantly redeems it .",
      "men in black was a witty parody of `` x-files '' paranoia and pop mythology . MOV is a parody of the original men in black , but not a witty one .",
      "good-naturedly cornball sequel .",
      "it 's not a ` bad ' movie per se , but it 's a lot like watching the first one over again .",
      "some motion pictures portray ultimate passion ; others create ultimate thrills . MOV achieves ultimate insignificance -- it 's the sci-fi comedy spectacle as whiffle-ball epic .",
      "here , director barry sonnenfeld continues to drift along with the same arrogant laziness that made his wild wild west worthy of inclusion in a time capsule honoring hollywood 's worst tentpole product .",
      "` MOV creates a new threat for the mib , but recycles the same premise .",
      "... the kind of movie you see because the theater has air conditioning .",
      "MOV is back but with less pizzazz than the first one .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here are a few laughs , but there are zero surprises ... when michael jackson makes a cameo as an alien , the only surprise would be that he is n't an extra-terrestrial",
      "men in black 2 recaptures the fun of a world overrun by aliens but then fails at being memorable , unable to set itself apart from its notable beginnings .",
      "smith and jones perform together as smoothly as if they never left the studio , and the script sparkles with very much the same fluorescence .",
      "the best thing about MOV is the talking dog .",
      "the problem with the sequel is that jones is missing from the action for too long .",
      "... less a sequel and more a remake ...",
      "the chemistry between smith and jones is among the best of cinematic comedy duos , and the aliens are quirky and often hilarious .",
      "where MOV falls short is in the writing , and this is a bit of a shock , considering that robert gordon scripted it .",
      "strange , zany , generally amusing and very likeable without actually being all that hilarious or surprising .",
      "if this is the best sequel that the men in black filmmakers could come up with in five years , then we 're lucky that they did n't rush the follow-up to the 1997 smash hit .",
      "the first film was laugh-till - you-can ` t - remember-what - you 're - laughing - at funny , while miib prefers gags that take a second or two to absorb but stick around the cerebrum a lot longer .",
      "just entertaining enough not to hate , too mediocre to love .",
      "there is undeniable fun watching the antics unfold but there 's nothing hysterical enough to warrant a return visit .",
      "most of the things that made the original men in black such a pleasure are still there .",
      "runs a quick 80 minutes and yet it still feels padded .",
      "the picture 's definitely entertaining , in fits and starts . it 's also joyless .",
      "it 's a tasty snack , but you 'll probably feel a little empty when it 's finished .",
      "this sequel to `` men in black '' has all the great creepy aliens , great conspiratorial camaraderie and great wild chases expected with this film , but somehow it 's all over before you want it to be .",
      "instead of the fresh comic concept of the 1996 blockbuster , we have a calculated piece of product : a lightweight , occasionally laboured copycat skewed to a younger children 's demographic to move the action figures and video sales .",
      "if you 're looking for a movie as good as the first , you 'd better rent 1997 's mib at the local video store .",
      "within the trivial , ingratiating scope of its ambition , though , the sequel is pleasant enough . this is a picture that demands nothing of its audience , and not much more from its stars .",
      "mib ii is so aware of itself as vaudeville spectacle that a pre-credit encore is inevitable .",
      "the mark of a respectable summer blockbuster is one of two things : unadulterated thrills or genuine laughs .",
      "there 's a polite , distant , strained sensibility to this inevitable sequel .",
      "... like most sequels , just is n't as good as the original .",
      "will smith and tommy lee jones seem to be simply punching their time cards this time around .",
      "while a lot of the inventiveness is still there , much of the funny is n't .",
      "the makers have forsaken the entertaining elements of the original and , instead , rehash old jokes and leave any life at the doorstep . i like frank the pug , though .",
      "this is a vapid and uninhabited wasteland of a film , a vacuum in which only a handful of product placements , shoddy cgi effects , and smug actors were ever meant to survive .",
      "the sequel has flickers of the original spirit , but it is like a fifth generation photocopy , a blurry reproduction rather than a re-imagined original .",
      "it 's kinda colourful and bouncy , and it features a lot of cool-looking aliens , but rather than expanding on the aesthetics of the first movie , it copies and dilutes them .",
      "i ca n't say it was the worst 88 minutes i ever spent in a movie theater , but i could just as easily have slept .",
      "what 's missing is the giddy sense of discovery that made the first movie so endearing .",
      "grab some popcorn , put your brain in neutral and enjoy .",
      "if you liked the first film , then you 'll like the sequel , but it 's neither as exciting nor as out-and-out funny as it should be .",
      "it is n't without a modicum of felicitous charms .",
      "there are plenty of crazy aliens , and a few jokes at the expense of the occasional celebrity . too bad none of it was really all that funny or even memorable .",
      "smith and jones pick up right where they left off , managing to recapture that same chemistry that worked well in 1997 .",
      "as summer escapism goes , you could do worse .",
      "mib = mab - mediocrity at best",
      "are they in it just for the money ? a silly question since the movie 's attitude is best summed up by tommy lee jones ' hangdog expression : tired and drained of energy ...",
      "if we do n't demand a standard of quality for the art that we choose , we deserve the trash that we get .",
      "it 's fun while you 're watching it , but you may well feel as if smith obliterated your memories of the flick five minutes later with his neutralizer .",
      "there is something perfunctory about the enterprise that suggests everyone is in it for a payday , and perhaps this is the reason the sequel is never quite engaging .",
      "fairly flat and joyless , more dutiful recreation than inspired rethinking ... comes across as second-hand goods .",
      "as with most sequels , the buzz of originality is gone , but sonnenfeld and his writers and actors are able to mine enough additional laughs out of the concept to keep fans entertained .",
      "mib2 shows sequel smarts in the most crucial area -- running time . bloated length has destroyed more sequels than sylvester stallone , and mib2 delivers its modest selection of goods in a brisk 82 minutes .",
      "although the sequel has all the outward elements of the original , the first film 's lovely flakiness is gone , replaced by the forced funniness found in the dullest kiddie flicks .",
      "devoid of momentum , magnetism and anything remotely resembling substance .",
      "in every way an improvement over the original men in black .",
      "eye-filling but curiously joyless entertainment .",
      "instead of inhabiting the same world of his original , the delightful 1997 men in black , or inventing a new world , this update kitschifies it , rendering it into a silly joke .",
      "mib ii is a movie that makes it possible for the viewer to doze off for a few minutes or make several runs to the concession stand and/or restroom and not feel as if he or she has missed anything . that 's because relatively nothing happens .",
      "as sequels go , the kid-friendly mib ii disappoints . the wit , drollness and cool of the debut installment are largely gone , as is the novelty of the original .",
      "the one thing this movie has going for it is chemistry and both smith and jones work extremely well together onscreen , forming one of those rare action-comedy partnerships that work .",
      "the MOV are back to save us from the out-of-this-world vermin . but who 's out to save us from the piffle of this sequel 's `` alien '' - ating existence ?",
      "everything that worked in the first movie basically falls flat here",
      "the good news is that it 's a lot better than the original . the bad news is that the original was n't anything to write home about .",
      "beyond the crowd-pleasing dog , frank the pug , `` mib 2 '' drowns in familiar territory .",
      "a welcome and nicely goofy bit of sci-fi froth with the occasional hint of genuine comic smarts .",
      "is `` MOV '' worth the price of admission ? uh , no . i wish i had spent the money on fourth of july watermelon instead .",
      "this might just be the slightest $ 100-million-plus-budgeted movie in history .",
      "there is much to relish about MOV . the movie has a solid , contemporary american sense of humor , which is to say , cynical on topics ranging from global warming to the vagaries of the postal system .",
      "lower your expectations . a lot . no , more than that .",
      "it 's stupid and silly , but funnier than the original - exactly what you 'd expect from a summer blockbuster .",
      "no more than a soulless exercise in repetitive summer blockbusting .",
      "you can go far on the undeniable charms of tommy lee jones and will smith , but not that far .",
      "a useless horror comedy for 2002 .",
      "though there is much to like , there 's very little to love in a movie that was clearly orchestrated to follow the path of least resistance so as to insure optimum protection of a very large budget .",
      "running a fast 88 minutes , it wo n't tax your seat or your brain . all you need to do is sit back and let the good times roll as aliens of all shapes and sizes entertain you .",
      "the sequel , for all its investment in digital effects and the efforts made to include jones and sonnenfeld -- is about smith more than anyone else ... and it 's true , he does make it look good .",
      "mib2 is a hilarious cosmic experience of meteoric proportions !",
      "men in black 2 is as joyless and strained as a sequel can get .",
      "if the plot were any simpler , it would n't exist .",
      "tommy lee jones now works in the post office . there we learn that while foul weather can not stop mail delivery , gray shorts and thigh-high socks can halt machismo dead in its tracks .",
      "sloppy .",
      "when a movie 's strongest quality is a fantastic , original concept , a sequel can be something of a self-defeating proposition .",
      "the original men in black succeeded primarily due to the fact that director and stars had very little to lose . enough time has passed now for the sequel where the principles seem to have way too much on the line to have any fun .",
      "MOV has sequel-itis something fierce . an ungainly , comedy-deficient , b-movie rush job ...",
      "it has all the elements that made the first movie fun .",
      "if you liked the first one , you 'll be okay with this one .",
      "this short , sardonic slapstick diversion simply recycles what succeeded before . frankly , i expected more .",
      "sonnenfeld gives us little more than a massive slimy serving of aliens on a sloppy summer platter .",
      "a galactic waste of time",
      "a smart , witty follow-up .",
      "even with its brief running time of 82 minutes , much of the extravagant but lightweight MOV seems labored .",
      "a textbook example of a redundant , middle-of-the-road summer sequel tailored to please the most easily entertained of moviegoers .",
      "with mib2 , -lsb- sonnenfeld -rsb- triumphs yet again in giving us a quick -- albeit silly -- cinematic fix .",
      "we watch and think , ` yeah . so ? what else can they do ? ' it 's not that it 's dull so much as that it 's familiar .",
      "this film is so full of special effects that it seems as if there are only about seven minutes of actual story-telling from which to decipher a plot .",
      "like a lot of the movie , the special effects are ` been there , done that . '",
      "MOV does n't replicate the blithely funny and hip attitude of the original .",
      "MOV could care less whether you believe in it or not , or frankly , whether you bought the ticket and spent your time on the concession line trying to buy goobers .",
      "the movie 's smart , funny and fairly forgettable .",
      "sadly , the movie has no new ideas worth mentioning .",
      "the acting is good , the direction is good , the special effects are great , only the jokes are a little flat and far between and nothing very original is offered up here .",
      "after you laugh once -lrb- maybe twice -rrb- , you will have completely forgotten the movie by the time you get back to your car in the parking lot .",
      "i thought it had some really funny moments , but maybe because it 's pretty much exactly the same as the first one , it seemed like it 's all been done before .",
      "this second men in black will likely be forgotten in a flash of light ."
    ],
    "summary": "lacking the freshness of the first movie , mib 2 recycles elements from its predecessor with mixed results .",
    "id": "10789"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bright_leaves",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a beguiling film . watching it is like spending time with an old , somewhat chatty but endearing friend .",
      "mcelwee 's best film since sherman 's march .",
      "MOV is not the kind of film that thetruth.com would use in its anti-smoking campaign .",
      "a meandering riff on the dangerous allure of smoking , and more interestingly a meditation on the way motion pictures can preserve our life experiences -- but only to a point .",
      "a gently provocative film diary about tobacco and its mixed legacy .",
      "the filmmaker narrates with droll , front-porch wit , and eases his way into the viewer 's heart by sharing a hefty portion of his own .",
      "classic mcelwee blending together the personal and the political in his native north carolina , to which he something of the same ambivalent relation that faulkner , another son of the south , had to mississippi .",
      "this is a highly personal journey , reminiscent of a smart , sardonic personal essay you might find in harper 's magazine or a quirky , savvy radio piece on npr 's ` this american life . '",
      "touches on serious matters with a sly , self-deprecating sense of humor that makes receiving its messages a pleasure rather than a chore .",
      "ross mcelwee ambles through one tobacco-related subject after another ... it 's too scattered all over the place to be truly informative .",
      "a rewardingly personal docu in which the filmmaker deftly uses his specific family legacy as a jumping off point for wry ruminations on american history , the tobacco business , public health and cinematic license .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- mcelwee is also the rare documentarian who allows for surprises-look for a giant rat in the background -lrb- you ca n't miss the scene-stealing dog -rrb- .",
      "-lsb- mcelwee 's -rsb- moviemaking skills and beguiling personality more than make up for his egocentric explorations .",
      "an utterly mundane miracle , a sampling of gentle insight and poetic retrospection quietly at odds with the exploitative culture around it .",
      "becomes both a mystery and memoir in progress and though the filmmaker does not find the truth he is looking for , it was clearly a quest worth undertaking .",
      "this rich , complex and surprisingly entertaining film also becomes a meditation on filmmaking and the parallels mcelwee finds between cinema and , of all things , smoking .",
      "deeply personal , morally alert , and highly entertaining .",
      "ross mcelwee shows just how far subtlety can go with his latest charming effort .",
      "this is one subject for which the passion of michael moore would be more appropriate .",
      "MOV leaves you feeling invigorated by the boundless curiosity , humor and high spirits of its creator .",
      "soft and unhurried as the life in a small carolina town , the film is likely to find some admirers because of that , if only among the most dedicated art-house set .",
      "who 'd have thunk that a freeform meditation on tobacco , family , and filmmaking would be so compelling ?",
      "it 's a gentle rumination on the contradictions , failures and delusions of everyday life . but mainly , it 's a quietly satisfying dose of reality .",
      "inevitably poignant but also often amusing and always deeply touching , this film is likely to stick in one 's memory for all its concerns , not just cigarettes .",
      "a weightless film . worse still , mcelwee 's languid tone makes his journey lack conviction .",
      "a multilayered film that gradually finds its focus .",
      "we 're right there with -lsb- mcelwee -rsb- when his search leads him to a cadre of colorful southern characters with personalities as rich as their drawls ; as long as the company is good , who cares that the expedition is getting lost on the side roads ?",
      "mcelwee , he of the wonderful sherman 's march , noodles delightfully around the south again , only this time in his native north carolina .",
      "the results are brilliantly amusing ; this is a movie that does n't make you feel stupid on the way out or like someone has been spraying you in the face while making his talking points .",
      "opens tediously slow , but grows on you , reels you in , perhaps like smoking itself . `` trance-like , seemingly suspending time . '' then , like smoking , finds difficulty quitting .",
      "eventually , we realize that moviemaking has replaced nicotine as mcelwee 's addiction : every so often , he has to step outside for a fix .",
      "like moore 's fahrenheit 9/11 and spurlock 's super size me , mcelwee 's MOV takes on a sizable foe -- in this case , big tobacco -- but with such grace and wit that his message never seems medicinal .",
      "twin concerns of family and place collide perfectly in mcelwee 's first film in seven years .",
      "you end up wishing it would amass into something more than the sum of its elements .",
      "the filmmaker 's rich , husky-voiced narration manages to shape this collection of half-formed ideas and observations into a tightly packed little roll-up that 's worth taking a puff on .",
      "a witty and sometimes touching tale of film , family and lung cancer .",
      "mcelwee plays a passive role , and his steady monotone keeps the viewer at an emotional distance from his personal issues .",
      "mcelwee forsakes the muckraking strategies of michael moore and nick broomfield in favour of a gentler , more ruminative style , resulting in a work that is remarkable for its warmth and wisdom .",
      "ostensibly about an epic betrayal , MOV spirals beautifully in a hundred different directions .",
      "blends nostalgia , economics , and personal reactions to new information at a perfect pitch that allows for laughter and deeply felt affection",
      "MOV is a smart , ethically rich , innovative and well-done documentary about the tobacco industry . family legacies and the pleasures of filmmaking .",
      "a transcendent documentary that swirls in a temporarily timeless haze of themes : imagined pasts , shadowy legacies , cinematic heirlooms and the bittersweet landscape of memory .",
      "detours never seem self-indulgent , just the flights of fancy of a creative intellect",
      "MOV mixes social conscience with personal journey in an even balance .",
      "the mysteries mcelwee sets out to solve are n't very involving , and his meandering style , while charming first and literate , becomes repetitive and yes , even a little dull .",
      "mcelwee 's autobiographical films ... are leisurely jaunts with a gentle humor that never mocks his subjects .",
      "ross mcelwee 's movies have the rhythms of a person who is writing -- considering this possibility , rejecting that one and ultimately making a decision .",
      "where most documentaries offer us facts to hold on to , -lsb- mcelwee 's -rsb- are obsessed with the mystery of things we do n't know and never will .",
      "it 's a meandering visit by a curious man with a quiet sense of humor .",
      "personal yet the opposite of egotistical , truthful yet playful , happily distractible yet patient , and above all grateful for those in the world he loves around him , mcelwee makes movies the way life might , ideally , be lived .",
      "mcelwee is digressive in the best sense . he takes the time to discover what people are like when they 're being themselves ; he wants to know where their lives are taking them , what byways they are going down .",
      "we are hooked into a low-tech but compelling dynamic -- between relatively static images and mcelwee 's sensitive , connective narrative .",
      "mcelwee is motivated less by political views , personal desires or preachiness than any documentarian i know . he 's motivated almost solely by curiosity , and everyone he encounters ... interests him .",
      "it 's a movie of odd juxtapositions and droll observations ."
    ],
    "summary": "a rich , eccentric documentary about both filmmaking and the tobacco industry .",
    "id": "21432"
  },
  {
    "movie": "training_day",
    "reviews": [
      "director fuqua keeps it slick and sleazy and stokes up the race some , but this only accelerates the movie 's deafening rush toward the top and ever over .",
      "thumbs up , without question . unfortunately , MOV could have been so much more than it is .",
      "this is n't a serious movie , despite denzel washington in full eruption and giving his calloused lines more weight and authority than they deserve .",
      "my guess is that the conceit was meant to be that denzel 's a bad guy , and that 's fun to watch . instead , this just adds another to his list of bad film 's he 's acted in ...",
      "cast against type as a corrupt cop , denzel washington , usually seen in noble and heroic roles , is nothing short of brilliant ; with some luck , he should earn an oscar nomination .",
      "marred slightly by an unsatisfactory climax , this is a cracking cop drama anchored by great performances and intelligent direction from fuqua .",
      "great performances , but for adults only .",
      "a surprisingly excellent movie with incredible performances ...",
      "the movie moves rapidly , is extremely violent and not entirely plausible .",
      "if he makes it through the trial by fire -- and a blandly twisting plot with no meaningful revelations or substantial themes -- hawke will get a promotion , but there 's nothing in it for us .",
      "-lsb- washington -rsb- was n't acting , he was grandstanding .",
      "when the characters start taking obscene amounts of physical abuse and coming back for more , it manages to help you take the film 's events less seriously ... something that would have helped from the start .",
      "... an obsequious vehicle where washington can strut his dastardly stuff in an otherwise penetrating but arbitrary streetwise adventure . personally , this undercover movie reviewing narc finds MOV a kind of tough pill to swallow .",
      "i do n't quite understand why screenwriters try to cram their more nuanced or interesting characters into something as conventional as the final act of MOV .",
      "as if the lapd needed any more bad publicity .",
      "a flair for tone and character , as well as capturing the look and feel of la rather than that of hollywood .",
      "all of the action takes place during a single day , and there 's enough action in this one short period to fill the entire career of a normal cop .",
      "if its content is over-the-top , well , it 's still engrossing .",
      "mostly insignificant -lrb- and overlong , clocking in at two hours when ninety minutes would have more than sufficed -rrb- .",
      "good to see denzel washington get the meaty villainous role he deserves .",
      "its events really are confined to a 24-hour period ... i 'm tempted to joke that too bad the running time was n't also .",
      "` are you wolf or sheep ? '",
      "is a case of synthetic sensationalism , a glorified star-image makeover that grows glossier and more monotonous as it goes along .",
      "washington , who just keeps getting better , is a sparking , snapping live wire in the role of detective sgt. alonzo harris .",
      "the film 's first half begins promisingly but the second is laughably far-fetched , and the ending is kind of a letdown .",
      "denzel and ethan play off each other like two highly combustible incompatible substances , predator and meat , keeping the manic flow of events playfully off course .",
      "rather than challenging us to draw the line between good and evil for ourselves , MOV does it for us , ruining the film 's main source of tension .",
      "by the time its drawn-out finale lurches to a screeching close , ` MOV ' has come to feel more like ` the longest day . '",
      "a sterling example of how to cover familiar territory ... and make it crackle with vitality .",
      "with a cast of washington and hawke in such an interesting premise , this film had great potential . too bad something went wrong .",
      "all of the buzz is true ! denzel washington 's performance in this movie is amazing .",
      "larger than life ... a classic tale of good vs. evil .",
      "it aims to be a contemporary l.a. confidential but crumples with a simplistic , unbelievable climax .",
      "i ca n't quite recommend the film .",
      "the loping 1970s meanderings of the film 's first acts reveal themselves as an insidious stupid plan so dependent on chance , even bond villains would n't risk such a ploy .",
      "there are a few rather unfortunate plot coincidences that undermine the tension the first half of the film , and with the proper conclusion already wasted , we wait impatiently for the standard movie-ish plot conventions to wind down to the end .",
      "the camera is frequently pushed in for extreme close-ups of the characters , sometimes as they 're just about to explode . it 's as if fuqua wants the viewer to feel the heat radiating from these people , to face them unguarded at point blank range .",
      "there 's an edgy , authentic rhythm to this gritty undercover cop drama that 's boosted by strong performances ... and then undermined by an appalling ending .",
      "abruptly shifts gears , switching from character-driven issue-oriented thriller to formula action-driven cop flick .",
      "a direзгo de antoine fuqua jamais perde o dinamismo , mergulhando o espectador em um incrнvel estado de tensгo .",
      "you are easily drawn into the gangsta lifestyle and the movie 's well written dialogue and briskly edited pace keep you interested .",
      "trashy cop-thriller entertainment of the highest quality : well-made and superbly acted , with washington in line for a possible oscar nomination .",
      "washington 's swaggering , larger-than-life portrayal dominates the film in a towering performance that may well win him another oscar nomination .",
      "denzel washington 's performance is tremendous ... really up there amongst the best of his career .",
      "gritty good-cop/bad-cop drama is elevated to greatness by denzel washington .",
      "while most critics have chosen to highlight washington 's performance as the standout , it would be unfair not to mention ethan hawke , who plays the rookie hoyt with a perfect patina of guileless enthusiasm .",
      "it is unfortunate that the script by david ayer is so riddled with pretense , but washington , hawke , and their supporting cast do all they can to play through .",
      "denzel washington delivers a remarkable performance in this enthralling and unique tale of a corrupt cop , completely transforming himself into an unexpectedly imposing threat .",
      "... an intelligent and riveting action movie that does n't rely on a lot of special effects to tell a genuinely interesting story .",
      "for those of us who rank denzel washington among the best actors america has ever produced , it is more a thrill than a shock to see him take on the showy , villainous role he plays in MOV .",
      "a bristling , cocksure ... exploration of vigilantiasm and the morally dubious world we plunge our officers of law into .",
      "even though MOV does n't resolve itself as well as it deserves and ends strictly cops-and-robbers style , it 's given us some great acting and something to ponder .",
      "the last 30 minutes or so land squarely in eye-rolling country . but washington 's performance is enough to put MOV over the top .",
      "MOV is mesmerizing entertainment , but it 's also a cop-out .",
      "denzel washington plays a villain for the first time ever , and his electrifying performance is the film 's most powerful element .",
      "an ordinary and sordid movie .",
      "denzel washington just keeps on getting better -- and he 's positively riveting in MOV .",
      "the movie is headed for a long , brutal and bloody payoff , one that may be too over-the-top for public consumption right about now .",
      "when denzel gets going , however , he sure does go !",
      "it 's ugly and disturbing , but what gets us through it and pulls us along is washington 's charisma , which he gleefully uses in a darkly seductive way here .",
      "having seen everything come together so beautifully , it almost physically hurts to watch MOV collapse into a pile of cop-movie tropes during the last 15 minutes .",
      "as impersonated by the evangelically thunderous washington -- who no longer acts with other performers , he acts at them -- alonzo feels about as ` street ' as a beverly hills ghetto .",
      "a taut -- if violent -- police thriller .",
      "giving alonso a melodramatic secret -- a reason for this particular behavior on this particular day -- trivializes the whole exercise .",
      "MOV has been made with style and confidence , but it does n't know whose side it 's on .",
      "the film works a bit better as a vehicle for washington , and it often gets by on his devilish charm . but it loses all its punch as he becomes more hissable .",
      "while MOV is a violent film , its brutality takes place in a believable moral universe and is n't just tossed in to give us a thrill .",
      "this movie is so racist that it 's almost possible to overlook the wholesale misogyny .",
      "not without its flaws but nevertheless still rather good .",
      "a pinball machine of sustained tension , washington textures his character brilliantly and surpasses popeye doyle 's brazen effrontery .",
      "washington plays alonzo like a con man with a one-two punch ... it 's tour-de-force acting .",
      "a taut , high-velocity film .",
      "in the end is less than fully satisfying .",
      "dares to be a cop movie based on character and not on pyrotechnics .",
      "it 's partly down to david ayer 's smart , shades-of-gray script and partly down to the gusto with which washington approaches this aggressively against-type role that MOV achieves its brilliance .",
      "unquestionably convincing , disturbingly realistic , and unflinchingly honest .",
      "washington 's performance is so good , in fact , that it may temporarily blind you from seeing that the movie has obscured its message .",
      "-lsb- denzel -rsb- washington and ethan hawke are so good that they easily stand out in a cop drama that is ... merely adequate .",
      "a rock-solid hollywood thriller that showcases a corrupt cop 's twisted abuse of innocence .",
      "washington is dazzling as alonzo .",
      "part of the appeal of MOV is , simply , watching washington be bad .",
      "denzel gives a blisteringly brilliant performance in this good cop/bad cop drama .",
      "even though MOV collapses into a slew of implausibilities at the end , it 's still one of the most continuously exciting of the recent big action movies .",
      "-lsb- washington -rsb- and hawke have great chemistry together and the two of them together are riveting .",
      "riveting and intense .",
      "those able to withstand the intensity and violence will be rewarded with solid acting by ethan hawke and a towering performance from denzel washington .",
      "is n't as good as it thinks it is , but it still has a lot going for it .",
      "what sinks MOV , eventually , is its growing implausibility .",
      "less a police drama than a cinematic force-feed , MOV is difficult to swallow and harder still to stomach .",
      "being bad brings out the best in washington , and his performance elevates MOV past its familiar street-cops scenario into something richer and far more engrossing .",
      "this gripping police drama from director antoine fuqua is relentlessly hard-boiled , with a calculated -lrb- and welcome -rrb- change-of-pace performance from denzel washington .",
      "`` MOV '' is a good film held back from greatness by the excesses of its script .",
      "as a conventional police drama , this is as good as a hollywood genre pic gets .",
      "the powerful story also lends itself to a broader interpretation than a simple contest between good and evil . the film is a tour de force .",
      "in a film that introduces such potentially powerful situations , its level of predictability and its misuse of its talented cast is simply disappointing .",
      "it does n't attend to its greatest asset -- the complications of this huge and ferocious character -lsb- alonzo -rsb- .",
      "as usual washington is astounding . he grabs the screen like a vise and never lets go .",
      "a razor-wire-taut -lrb- and extremely violent -rrb- exploration of what happens when good guys go bad , badder , baddest .",
      "reminds me of the films of the 1970s that were gritty and violent but that also showcased stellar acting , back before blood and intelligence became mutually exclusive in movies .",
      "an intense little movie with solid acting across the board , some ups , some downs and a thrilling ending , despite a couple of small flaws",
      "MOV gives up the goods , homes .",
      "fuqua brings a cinematic restlessness , street smarts and a touch of slick senationalism to this police thriller which all-too-soon becomes pedestrian , even sadistic , with an unsatisfying conclusion .",
      "director antoine fuqua forcibly sets the tension very high . he keeps pounding at the story , allowing harris to exhibit a ruthlessness that keeps us riveted .",
      "propulsive , elegantly written police thriller .",
      "denzel washington tears up the screen as the personification of corrupt evil ...",
      "washington plays the twisted character with a flair and sense of style that really fits his acting .",
      "played wonderfully against type by denzel washington , alonzo is the role that could win washington his long deserved best actor oscar .",
      "at once droll and incredibly intimidating , washington is a knockout .",
      "reverts pathetically into the tried and true formula of good cop versus bad cop .",
      "a tantalizing chess match waged between morale adversaries claiming to be from the same team .",
      "in antoine fuqua and dominic sena 's race to become david fincher , fuqua , with his colour-bleached urban noir MOV , pulls slightly ahead",
      "washington is one of those rare artists who can , seemingly , transform his soul .",
      "an entertaining , morally satisfying movie .",
      "a trivial , campy drama that obviously strives for dramatic respectability , yet is best suited as a `` sunday afternoon cable movie '' for undemanding fans of the cop genre .",
      "it was just too much slime to take in for one day , as somewhere after the first half of the film the shock scenes simply wore off and the film lost any dramatic effect .",
      "MOV is a tense , polished , well-made action thriller that suffers from bad timing .",
      "any issues with the material are made irrelevant by denzel washington 's volcanic energy and fierce conviction .",
      "starts off very well , gets increasingly better as it goes along , and then suddenly deflates as it shoots itself in the foot in the final stretch",
      "MOV is n't just one of the finest cops-and-robbers thrillers of recent years , full of devious twists and gut-grinding tension , but it also steers clear of convenient moral formulas .",
      "the hype preceding `` MOV '' makes expectations for the film high . it is , like washington 's performance , good not great .",
      "motivation is questionable , the script needed some more polish and some of the action is cartoonish .",
      "director antoine fuqua , whose credits include the unimpressive the replacement killers , keeps a kinetic pace with visually exciting immediacy .",
      "all you 're left with are the messages that -- surprise -- crime hurts everyone , and life sucks . you could buy a dmx cd and hear the same rap -- at least it would rhyme .",
      "MOV is explosive action , and all that stuff , and it 's a shame that the front and back halves of the movie do n't match up .",
      "ayer has woven a complicated plot in which even the seemingly most insignificant event will impact on the film 's harrowing climax .",
      "benefits from the best screen performance since glory by the mighty , mercurial denzel washington .",
      "to create a meaningful scenario , you must have a credible balance between good and evil . MOV self-destructs on its cavalier failure to honor that axiom .",
      "an eye-opening moviegoing experience .",
      "here 's a cop drama with some brutal smarts , rather than dumb brutality and smart-alecky one-liners .",
      "a glib potboiler torn from today 's screaming headlines .",
      "works best as a one-on-one contest between two quality actors playing characters with opposing points of view .",
      "there 's strong stuff here , a good meal for the appetites of life-on-the-line , action-craving audiences , especially those who enjoy seeing bad cops portrayed for the world to see .",
      "todos los días , en las calles de las zonas urbanas , en el interior de unos estados unidos muy distintos a los que vemos usualmente , la guerra está presente ...",
      "begins as a surprisingly interesting exploration of corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement , and then it just gives up .",
      "one of the most intriguing studio films of the year .",
      "a brutal , fierce , and tense police thriller , MOV takes a well-worn format and infuses it with freshness and verve .",
      "on a purely visceral level , MOV is easily the most exciting movie out there right now , but as a morality tale with anything large on its mind , it 's a cop-out .",
      "washington is absolutely riveting as alonzo harris .",
      "trama interesante llena de personajes tridimensionales y sustanciosos que seguramente harán pensar al espectador en los tiempos actuales que vivimos .",
      "-lsb- denzel washington -rsb- towers above the film 's petty failings , overwhelming them with his sheer presence and defying us to tear our eyes away .",
      "not just a cop movie",
      "an ethical chess game played out with fearsome , bloody pawns .",
      "for its kinetic energy and acting zeal , i enjoyed the movie . i like it when actors go for broke .",
      "denzel washington delivers his best work as a rogue cop on the streets .",
      "even when it falls back excessively on coincidence and contrived set pieces , even when it gushes irretrievably over the top in its final act , washington makes MOV sizzle .",
      "crumbles under the weight of truly insipid plotting .",
      "alonzo harris ultimately is a character whose plausibility ca n't withstand our scrutiny , but washington 's turn as him is a wicked performance to relish .",
      "director fuqua , mr. washington , mr. hawke and the rest prove that there 's nothing wrong with the urban-crime genre that a little energy ca n't cure .",
      "washington 's performance is that rarest kind of tour-de-force showboat .",
      "with its unflinching style , MOV can be hard to sit through at times . but it 's worth the discomfort for the adrenaline rush of the plot and washington 's compelling performance .",
      "there comes a point in every movie when it has to quit playing coy and let the audience know where it stands . once MOV takes that step , it begins to disintegrate before our eyes ."
    ],
    "summary": "the ending may be less than satisfying , but denzel washington reminds us why he 's such a great actor in this taut and brutal police drama .",
    "id": "12997"
  },
  {
    "movie": "billy_madison",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a sorry excuse for a movie , and director davis and star sandler should be very embarrassed .",
      "as one character tells billy in the finale : `` everyone in this room is dumber for having listened to you . ''",
      "yet another forgettable and asinine entry into the adam sandler oeuvre , MOV is ridiculous and stupid yet , ashamedly , made me laugh from time to time .",
      "like so many saturday night live skits , this film comes up with some interesting ideas but then does n't have a clue what to do with them . also like that show , this movie is just not funny .",
      "throwaway plot but enough funny `` sandler moments '' to satisfy anyone looking for some strange , cheap laughs .",
      "those unfamiliar with sandler 's antics may ... begin to find him annoying sometime between the appearance of the universal logo and the end of the opening credits .",
      "young teens will like brash , immature humor .",
      "it 's refreshing to revisit the jester in his screen infancy , when all he wanted was to boogie to a culture club hit , carry on conversations with hair care products , and sit on a sprinkler .",
      "this is adam sandler at his best , and his latest films are cheap grabs at what once came so easily to him .",
      "a vintage specimen of a master at the apex of his talents .",
      "wipe that smug grin off your face and go home .",
      "when you get that sandler 's comedic persona is meant to be annoying , like beavis and butthead or cartman , the laughs come thick and fast .",
      "the film should have featured more absurd and nonsensical elements .",
      "sandler 's best . edgy , satirical , bizarre and surreal .",
      "duh-m sandler , typical fare for him",
      "idiotic , amateurish - and really , really funny .",
      "adam sandler being a total idiot for an hour and a half . good fun .",
      "okay , the plot is inane , but it 's the basis of a series of really funny scenes .",
      "the best film sandler has done . wildy funny and appropriately over the top .",
      "só há uma coisa pior do que os habituais trejeitos -lrb- nada engraçados -rrb- de adam sandler : os roteiros que este escreve - e o segredo de seu sucesso nas bilheterias é um mistério maior do que o paradeiro de jimmy hoffa .",
      "better than it deserves to be .",
      "if you 've ever had a yen to relive the third grade , this must be the next best thing .",
      "typical sandler",
      "is this how one conducts a career these days ?",
      "director tamra davis and screenwriters sandler and tim herlihy scatter the bad jokes like fertilizer . nothing sprouts ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is typical early immature fare from adam sandler , even if it finds moments of inspired lunacy .",
    "id": "11546"
  },
  {
    "movie": "35_shots_of_rum",
    "reviews": [
      "establishes an immediate and intense fascination for its characters and their lives that it never for a second loses .",
      "35 MOV is a quiet and lovely new film by the french director claire denis .",
      "denis -- who has called the film a tribute to the great japanese director yasujiro ozu -- keeps dialogue to a minimum as she delicately examines how immigration is changing the face of france .",
      "a couple of MOV would have been a good idea before watching this slow-burning french drama - it would have livened things up .",
      "warm , affectionate and oddly absorbing .",
      "35 MOV draws its power from silences , glances , hugs and smiles - all of which speak more eloquently than any dialogue . it 's a profound , discreet , hugely touching work that resonates in the memory .",
      "understated , beautifully acted , and with an exacting soundtrack , 35 MOV goes down easily but packs a subtle kick .",
      "i liked these characters , and suddenly not having them in my life anymore , simply because denis has decided to start the closing credits , devastated me .",
      "the key events in this low-key film occur off-screen , but denis and regular cinematographer agnčs godard have the priceless ability to infuse the everyday with a magical dimension .",
      "35 MOV is visual poetry , but poetry that examines the human condition with insight and illumination .",
      "claire denis returns with a relatively simpler , more narrative-based feature , though without sacrificing any of her unique flow .",
      "several sequences have little to no dialogue but give us a rich , ambivalent view of the characters and their feelings ... . it 's a directorial risk that pays off with an indelible experience .",
      "one of the best films of the year .",
      "the magic of claire denis 's exquisite 35 MOV is that although so much is left unsaid , it 's one of the most emotionally eloquent films you 'll see this year .",
      "this is supremely confident film-making , determinedly un-formulaic and populated with believable , three-dimensional people .",
      "claire denis has assembled a simple yet achingly touching little drama . on the surface it looks as if hardly anything 's happening , but submit to the gently fluid style and it turns out everything is going on .",
      "denis magically evokes a liberal meditation on family , harmony , loyalty and belonging and their corollaries - loss , transgression , loneliness and separation - and achieves a sweet unity .",
      "this outstanding new film from claire denis demonstrates her fluency and mastery in the kind of movie-language that is rich , quietly complex and subtle - and very un-hollywood .",
      "characters tend not to say things that are explicit . we piece together bits of information from here and there , and we 're left to draw some conclusions on our own .",
      "the film 's placid , minimalist façade masks a complex story",
      "the overall effect of denis 's movie duplicates that unique and wonderful ozu effect .",
      "the kind of precious quiet film that rarely gets made and is worth savoring for its alluring inner beauty .",
      "a wonder of minimalism , claire denis ' 35 MOV ... quietly observes the lives of several africans living in a paris suburb .",
      "a sort of ballet of emotions , executed with weightless grace and poise .",
      "those acquainted only with claire denis ' more frenetic work will be surprised , and moved , by her contemplative '35 shots of rum/35 rhums . '",
      "denis sees human interactions with an uncommon clarity of vision . her great talent , as evident as ever in this , one of her greatest films , is her ability to allow an audience to see those relationships in the same quietly revelatory way she does .",
      "those who go into it expecting to see a smart character piece and those who are patient will find the well-acted feature rewarding , even emotionally satisfying .",
      "denis uses her typically moody , vague style to explore multicultural france with dark humour and warm emotion .",
      "... a character-based story told at a human scale by a director -lrb- claire denis , who also co-wrote the script -rrb- who lets the story develop at an unhurried pace ...",
      "claire denis , an acclaimed french director , makes films that defy the rules of hollywood .",
      "i 've seen films where superheroes shift alliances , and i only yawned . what matters is not the scope of a story , it 's the depth .",
      "offering a poignant , subtle , realistic yet poetic portrait of a father-daughter relationship , 35 MOV is another enchanting film from claire denis , whose work is still little known in the u.s.",
      "these people feel one hundred percent real , as well-written and completely defined as those living in the apartment next door to you right now .",
      "a gently affecting study of the relationships among a group of friends and family ... made up of small but telling details .",
      "modest in scope but very sure , rum goes down smoothly indeed .",
      "celebrated french filmmaker claire denis is a master of atmosphere and immersion .",
      "if every film about simple , quotidian issues was this daring in its execution ... world cinema would be in a much healthier place .",
      "it 's a beautiful picture but very quietly so , and definitely not for the adhd set .",
      "french director claire denis is one of the most magical filmmakers in the world .",
      "perhaps as a result of channeling ozu , denis 's incipient humanism comes through more directly than in her existentially forbidding the intruder or even her acclaimed , baroque herman melville remix beau travail .",
      "to fall in love with it , viewers only have to be receptive to a movie that examines the ties that bind with grace , wit and depth .",
      "precisely , rigorously , technically , 35 MOV is a masterpiece .",
      "the most adult film of the year .",
      "this deep devotion to physicality and wordless expression has been part of denis ' repertoire for some time but it has never been so soulful and seductive .",
      "depicts everyday details and conveys overarching emotional upheavals with a compassion and gentleness that 's quietly devastating .",
      "do n't miss this one .",
      "this film is the work of a cinematic master . writer/director claire denis handles the ebb and flow of everyday human existence with such tenderness and truth that her film feels like a great warm hug .",
      "the smallest detail is given due weight , and we feel we begin to know these people . the cast seldom puts a foot wrong . denis has never made a more resonant film .",
      "ingrid caven -lrb- ex-fassbinder diva -rrb- turns kitchen-sink realism to kitsch and surrealism europudding-style . credits reveal that the film had german co-funding . sometimes money talks and the language is gobbledegook .",
      "claire denis 's film-making is so elliptical you sometimes feel at a loss to know what 's going on , but the mood - cool , meditative , unhurried - beckons you along insistently .",
      "in spare , poetic fashion , denis shows each character drifting in different directions .",
      "bittersweet .",
      "all families do face life changes : children grow up , parents grow old , desire waxes and wanes . i 've rarely seen a film which captures the joy and sadness so well .",
      "superbly played and realised , this stays with you .",
      "denis declines to make concessions , she 's willing to show , refuses to tell .",
      "at times it 's so slow-moving , it 's more like 35 spoonfuls of treacle . but writer-director claire denis has a knack for picking out special moments of closeness .",
      "gazes wisely and humanely on our collective need to love , be loved , and ultimately let go .",
      "... about the bonds that keep us tied to people , places and things ... denis has a mesmerizing directorial style",
      "impressively directed , superbly acted drama , though the painfully slow pacing and relative lack of dialogue may prove off putting to some ."
    ],
    "summary": "this slow-moving french family drama is rich , complex , subtle and emotionally eloquent .",
    "id": "770796420"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mary_reilly",
    "reviews": [
      "the film is too mannered , too stuffy .",
      "dreary , stagy and dull .",
      "julia roberts ' performance was justly mocked , but the remainder of the film may be the most faithful version of jekyll and hyde ever made .",
      "psychological thriller that nibbles at the edges of the theme of sexual repression and its perils .",
      "i have nightmares about being forced to sit through ` MOV ' one more time .",
      "if nothing else , proves that when you take julia 's lipstick away , much of her appeal goes , too .",
      "-lsb- roberts 's -rsb- acting is of the melrose place/andrew shue variety , her eyes blank and mouth often agape -lrb- not unlike the photo of her used in the print ads -rrb- .",
      "certainly julia roberts ' strangest role , and she does an ok job .",
      "um filme intrigante .",
      "is it a gothic horror ? is it a psychological thriller ? is it a love story ? ultimately , it seems the filmmakers do n't even know the answer , and as a result MOV does n't succeed in any genre .",
      "MOV is roberts ' worst misfire to date , despite the fact that on paper it must have looked awfully good .",
      "MOV is haunting , not only because of its foggy , shadowy settings , but because of the questions it encourages us to ask about ourselves and others .",
      "unfortunately , your response to the bizarre story of terror and lust that dare not speak their name is pretty well limited to roberts ' response -- which is , in turn , limited by her technique .",
      "it 's a slight , moribund bugaboo , a bump in the night , and then nothing .",
      "as a study of repression , MOV has some great moments , but it seems director stephen frears was aiming for intense and brooding , and boring is what he got .",
      "my distaste for the movie comes not from disliking these scenes , but from being put to sleep by the boredom of the show .",
      "the story lacks purpose .",
      "MOV will undoubtedly leave many people cold , but i snuggled into its bleakness .",
      "with the exception of a couple of inspired moments , MOV is merely a curious variation of an often-told story .",
      "sluggish and interminable , MOV makes good on little of its potential to be disturbing and none of its chance to be emotionally involving .",
      "who would have thought that a movie directed by the talented stephen frears and featuring capable acting by john malkovich and a decidedly un-perky and un-made-up julia roberts would fall off the tracks and fail ?",
      "` boring ' is just about the worst thing a movie can be and MOV is boring .",
      "those expecting a traditional horror film may be disappointed . however , for those with an open mind , and a taste for the eerie , MOV may well be one to watch .",
      "MOV works as gothic melodrama because it understands the genre so well .",
      "a perversely courageous disaster that audiences will simply hate .",
      "director frears seems more interested in the atmosphere than the narrative ."
    ],
    "summary": "the movie looks good and has its moments . but , overall , the movie borders on boredom .",
    "id": "14651"
  },
  {
    "movie": "angela-2007",
    "reviews": [
      "a better grubby guy/hot chick fable than knocked up , certainly much more honest about its male-fantasy status",
      "the film looks terrific - besson shoots his beloved paris in gorgeous black and white photography that recalls both wings of desire and it 's a wonderful life , both of which angel-a happily steals from .",
      "angel-a is all icky fantasy .",
      "the beautiful black-and-white photography -- and disappointingly sappy ending -- are the only remotely sober elements here , thanks to besson 's loopy script and debbouze 's very funny turn as a loser who simply ca n't believe his luck .",
      "in essence , you get it 's a wonderful life meets wings of desire , swapping out the substance for self-help platitudes . if you can get past that , you can enjoy it as a 90-minute look at a lovely postcard .",
      "this parisian fable is a talkathon , affecting a silly toughness , but the sights are good to see again .",
      "for many people , including me , the visual virtuosity behind angel-a will be more than enough to get them over the storytelling bumps and the character inconsistencies .",
      "while ultimately there 's a repetitive quality to the film 's dialogue -lrb- the couple appear to be having the same arguments -rrb- , there 's still something pleasant and enjoyable in the performances .",
      "the -lsb- angel -rsb- turns out to be stuart smalley , parking andré in front of a mirror so he can tell himself he 's good enough , he 's smart enough , and doggone it , people like him .",
      "this movie will make you feel better about life in general , and , in particular , about paris , which has never looked more magnificent than in thierry arbogast 's cinematography .",
      "it 's a soggy affair , short on laughs and lacking chemistry between hero and heroine . but it 's shot in black-and-white by outstanding french cinematographer , thierry arbogast , and looks terrific .",
      "the script is such a showman 's bag of self-mocking clichés , empty tricks and metaphysical baloney , and the heart is never touched .",
      "good looking but tedious .",
      "besson conjures up some astoundingly gorgeous visuals , mainly a dreamy , neon-drenched , throbbing paris .",
      "clearly besson 's most personal film , a gorgeous and romantic travelogue of paris locations . rie rasmussen is quite glorious in her first major role .",
      "angel-a is a dear , surprising film - one of the best besson has put out into the world .",
      "angel-a shows how director luc besson can be french in a way that even the french might despise .",
      "a witty , edgy cross between amélie and it 's a wonderful life .",
      "luc besson 's characteristic flair for visual expression here manifests itself in the most subdued way imaginable .",
      "begins as playful comedy about a crook who meets a beautiful woman and ends as dreadfully dumbed-down remake of wings of desire .",
      "besson 's first behind-the-camera outing since 1999 's the messenger is as skeletal as his model-turned-leading lady .",
      "there 's little beyond the surface-deep pleasures of this talky distaff riff on wings of desire .",
      "beautifully shot and superbly acted ...",
      "besson excels at stories about rough characters who are saved through their relationship with a more civilized character -lrb- as in the professional and la femme nikita -rrb- . angel-a adheres to that paradigm , but it also has more soul , humor and warmth than those",
      "the strained fairy tale feels like writer/director luc besson 's effort to move beyond the pop giddiness of la femme nikita and the fifth element to a mature statement about issues important to him , but the effort overshadows the message .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- plot is warmed-over capra , and it 's no wonderful-life yarn .",
      "the sleek style and sassy attitude gets mired in a vague , soft-headed psychology of self-affirmation and daytime talk-show platitudes as the angel turns every encounter into a lesson in self-esteem and character building .",
      "luc besson returns to his roots in this delightful , funny and stylish fantasy . shot in gloriously crisp black and white , it 's also a bit of a throwback to the french new wave for its technique and dazzling location vignettes across paris .",
      "counterfeit art-house chic writ large -- a french film that fails to produce the ineffable charms of the yesteryear movies it brazenly imitates .",
      "you desperately want the story , and the characters , to make some kind of emotional sense . this , however , does not happen .",
      "besson 's sniggering conception of MOV as a pure spirit in the body of a high-end hooker is just juvenile , and andre is , frankly , a drag .",
      "as a drama , angel-a does not rank as a great movie , but as an homage to paris , it is sensational . for this viewer , at least , that is good enough .",
      "the overall experience of the movie is of something fresh . and while it inhabits a pretty rough world , of parisian gangsters and loan sharks , the film has a warm spirit .",
      "besson 's dialogue is often inane , occasionally sounding like it is copied verbatim out of a new age self-help manual .",
      "angel-a drops by most of the touristy parisian hot spots and , shot in the glorious black-and-white of henri cartier-bresson , makes them all look spectacular and gritty at the same time .",
      "even though it looks like art , it plays like schlock .",
      "a gorgeous-looking film whose crisp , black-and-white photography is unfortunately much more thrilling than its simplistic , cloying story .",
      "familiar situations and trite dialogue give this movie the feel of something freeze-dried and reconstituted .",
      "an intriguing drama about a quirky leggy blonde angel who comes to paris on a mission of mercy to show a self-destructive and petty man his worth .",
      "ultimately too slight a work on which to end a directorial career .",
      "ultimately angel-a never takes flight , weighted down by an overabundance of metaphysical clichés stolen from other films .",
      "the film settles into a laid-back groove that is , how shall we say , endlessly boring .",
      "besson is clearly aiming for something like a fairy tale , but a work this forced and self-absorbed can only end up feeling terribly earthbound .",
      "angel-a is one of the most gorgeous movies i have ever despised .",
      "... a visually sumptuous , dramatically inert fable ...",
      "the film is slickly constructed with a hip soundtrack and art direction , but its empty , a glowing travelogue for a beautiful city and two maudlin characters that are predictable and two dimensional . i love paris too but would rather see its reality ...",
      "MOV 's oprah-ish effort to change andre 's lying ways becomes a tedious mix of self-help and pop-philosophizing ... the film 's black-and-white look is two shades more complex than its gender politics .",
      "besson gives the movie a warmth and charm all its own ...",
      "if you 'd like a look at paris in all its splendour , look no further than angel-a . just be sure that in order to see paris in all its splendour you do n't mind sitting through a silly little comedy with a dopey ending .",
      "the movie does n't aspire to be anything but a lightweight pastiche that rehashes your memories of other , better movies .",
      "feels like a mash-up of it 's a wonderful life and xanadu , without the wholesome sweetness of the first and the campy excesses of the second .",
      "angel-a works as a romantic comedy about opposites meeting cute and desperate in the city of light , whose bridges and facades are nicely rendered by cinematographer thierry arbogast .",
      "to call angel-a unconvincing would be an eiffel tower-sized understatement .",
      "surprise , surprise - luc besson envisions a celestial being as a leggy , skinny super model .",
      "it seems besson can be sentimental about paris but he 's still not ready to get too romantic with people .",
      "it wo n't hurt you , and it 's easy on the eyes .",
      "visually arresting but flawed . its strongest asset is the stunningly poetic cinematography by thierry arbogast .",
      "angel-a never finds the heart in a promising it 's a wonderful life premise .",
      "genial performances and a pleasing plot are elevated to the stuff of cinematic majesty by thierry arbogast 's glorious monochrome photography , which recalls the parisian vistas of the nouvelle vague .",
      "the whole film 's easy on the eye thanks to the parisian summer setting , photographed in creamy black and white . if only the romance was n't so monochrome too ...",
      "a visually arresting odd-couple comedy that reveals itself to be , quite literally , it 's a wonderful life with a bimbo !",
      "an achingly sincere but protracted effort .",
      "a soggy affair , short on laughs and lacking chemistry between hero and heroine .",
      "full review in greek",
      "this lighter-than-air bauble proves a pleasurable diversion indeed -- as long as that heart beating inside your chest has at least a mild propensity for the romantic . bring a date .",
      "this would-be paris match-made-in-heaven proves to be less than idyllic thanks to the banal dialogue and self-consciously idiosyncratic performances .",
      "there 's as much credibility in this match-up as color on the screen .",
      "black-and-white looks good ; romance is colorless , that 's bad .",
      "nice as this quietly philosophical mood may be for besson , it 's a little wan for moviegoers , and following on the heels of arthur and the invisibles , angel-a seems less like a detour in his career than the beginnings of a wrong turn .",
      "if besson 's eye is MOV , though , his writing is andre : awkward , misshapen and earthbound . andre must learn a lesson in self-esteem that would have embarrassed capra -- maybe even oprah .",
      "-lsb- besson 's -rsb- attractive black-and-white ` scope compositions , strong paris locations , and effective handling of the actors makes this captivating throughout , and wholly undeserving of the drubbing it 's received from many critics .",
      "we all have our own view of paradise , but as long as besson has arbogast , his camera and those surreal bare parisian streets , his schlocky heaven enchants the eye , if not the mind .",
      "... the characters here are so unlikable that it 's hard to care what happens to them .",
      "what 's at once refreshing and disorienting about the way luc besson -- one of the most interesting international visionaries at work today -- handles the story is his attempt to de-romanticize one of the most idealistic and sublime formulas around .",
      "not an especially surprising or eventful story , it is , nevertheless , a reasonably satisfying little tale of a character down on his luck who finds out that life can be tolerable after all .",
      "as i watched it , i found myself wishing it were just a little loopier . but the picture is still seductive and pleasing .",
      "it 's a wisp of a film , recommendable for a lark , but not nearly as ambitious or entertaining as you 'd expect from besson .",
      "angel-a is a not very persuasive argument on behalf of heavenly intercession , but its co-star , rie rasmussen , will make you believe in intelligent design .",
      "besson ... cribs heavily from wings of desire and heaven can wait . if he had thought of it , he would have dressed someone in an anaheim angels jersey to elbow your ribs that much further .",
      "it 's not flashy or bold , and it might not do much for cinephiles who prefer inveterate risk-taking , but it is enjoyable as a largely sentiment-free meditation on friendship and personal growth .",
      "besson 's black-and-white angel fantasy is a weak homage to wings of desire , if that 's what he was shooting for .",
      "an ultimately dull nonaffair .",
      "it 's compelling largely due to its appealing cast .",
      "it 's too bad it took so long for the film to get here , because it 's not only the best part , it 's also the very end ."
    ],
    "summary": "the clunky dialogue and shallow characters fail to capitalize upon angel-a 's stunning , poetic cinematography .",
    "id": "312722700"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1071806-independence_day",
    "reviews": [
      "finally , science fiction the way it used to be : rousing , cosmically xenophobic and ferociously patriotic ... take that , space bullies !",
      "the most spectacular and intriguing sci-fi action film since the ` star wars ' trilogy . -lrb- published 7-6-96 -rrb-",
      "no brain , no pain , but a heck of a lot of fun .",
      "everything feels anti-climactic after the fireworks , but the moral is clear : it 's the end of the world as we know it . and we feel fine .",
      "no one who wants to see this movie needs me to recommend it to them , but if anyone wants to know , i say stay home and rent one of those other movies on video .",
      "forget government conspiracies about aliens -- what about the entertainment media 's conspiracy to persuade america that this movie does n't suck ?",
      "the earnestness , the effects , and the notion of a whole world forgetting its differences to defeat a common foe carry a certain charm .",
      "no matter how ludicrous and coincidental the plot gets , it never takes itself seriously .",
      "a gasping , bloated roller-coaster ride that veers from scenes of truly awesome destruction to stretches of numbingly bad melodrama and back again .",
      "at least mars attacks tried to be funny .",
      "the movie is like an advertisement for more defense spending .",
      "big , dumb , glossy blockbuster designed for mass appeal is massively appalling .",
      "one of the prime guilty pleasures of our time .",
      "so much about id4 is so old it 's inevitable that homesick audiences , eager for familiar scenarios , will embrace it as if it 's nothing but new .",
      "slightly derivative , but thoroughly crowd-pleasing .",
      "the picture is ultimately fun , thanks mostly to the colorful characters and the mock-hero ic spirit that kicks in full-throttle after the world has almost been destroyed .",
      "in space , no one can hear a frying houstonian scream .",
      "it has the big budget and sfx of a 90s flick , but it still feels like a 1950 b-movie , and not even a good one . now that 's sad",
      "the ultimate special effects spectacular .",
      "like cotton candy it 's a high caloric treat that 's always fun for the taste buds but little else .",
      "the build up is terrific , with enormous spaceships emerging from the clouds to hover silently over the world 's major cities .",
      "big , loud , shamelessly corny , and full of unapologetic sound of fury .",
      "it 's ambitious and competently put together , but with a little more ambition , it could have been truly great .",
      "as for the human characters , they give merely adequate back-seat support to the special effects that drive this big-budget thriller .",
      "MOV backs up the commonly-heard claim that movie success often has little to do with a good story and compelling characters and everything to do with big stars , big production values and good timing .",
      "it coulda been a contender .",
      "while the script is heavy on coincidence and melodrama it never fails to be fun .",
      "the film has a genial it 's - only-a-movie attitude that sets it apart , quite emphatically , from other blockbuster action movies .",
      "... made up of bits and pieces of every sci-fi flick ever made . i loved it .",
      "you know going in that MOV will have terrific effects and loads of action . but the filmmakers have also carefully crafted appealing characters and several good relationships , which they develop as the story unfolds .",
      "unfortunately , and perhaps not unexpectedly , it does n't live up to the hype .",
      "there 's precious little reward in plumbing the world-historical implications of the screenplay .",
      "the aliens , when we finally see them , are a serious disappointment ; could n't they think of anything more interesting than octopus men ?",
      "basically , this is almost perfect realization of the movie you eagerly anticipated when , as a kid , you saw some poster or coming attractions trailer for a 1950s-style alien invasion movie ...",
      "MOV restores order to the millennium .",
      "spending a scant four weeks on script versus 13 months on physical production , as happened here , does have its drawbacks .",
      "one quarter of a very decent albeit cliche alien invasion film , and three quarters an unwatchable adventure film .",
      "if i were a 10-year-old boy , i 'd probably think it was the coolest movie going .",
      "it 's the first futuristic disaster movie that 's as cute as a button . which , when all the special effects blow over , is what we americans like in a monster hit .",
      "insanely pompous and brilliantly exhilarating in equal measure .",
      "splendidly cheesy entertainment .",
      "maybe the moviemakers ' mission was to boldly go where everyone in hollywood has gone before : the bank .",
      "as unavoidably entertaining as it is hopelessly cornball .",
      "switch your brain down and enjoy it . and take along a barf bag for those excruciating american patriotic scenes .",
      "though the movie is n't too deep , it 's certainly a rousing state-of-the-art cartoon capped by an aerial-combat climax that , to its credit , is n't anti-climactic .",
      "what 's truly amazing about MOV is that it moves so quickly , has such a huge ` wow ! ' factor in terms of special effects and is loaded with so much humor and so many amusing characters that even purists wo n't complain .",
      "this one 's short on batteries .",
      "MOV is a throwback to traditional entertainment with an old-fashioned , gung-ho good time thrilled up by 90s-style state-of-the-art technology .",
      "i do n't care what the other critics that i respect say . this is a great film , and i am happy to be pushing it .",
      "MOV is hollywood 's poster child for the design-by-committee blockbuster .",
      "director roland emmerich has a knack for belaboring a point , explaining everything to us in dialogue and visuals often and repeatedly and over and over .",
      "does the hype monster id4 live up to its massive buildup ? in a word , no .",
      "MOV is woefully short on anything that rouses the imagination ."
    ],
    "summary": "the plot is thin and so is character development , but as a thrilling , spectacle-filled summer movie , MOV delivers .",
    "id": "11591"
  },
  {
    "movie": "der_tunnel_2001",
    "reviews": [
      "either as history at its most inspiring or moviemaking at its most exciting , the tunnel is a trip .",
      "it 's so well told that you 'll be biting your nails until the film 's final few minutes .",
      "it 's a gripping great-escape yarn of the sort we do n't see much anymore .",
      "the tunnel proved to be too exciting for mere broadcast",
      "richter gives a raw , frank but sophisticated account of the excruciating logistics of this great escape , and the appalling , inspiring blend of betrayal and courage that attended the group 's herculean efforts .",
      "a true story few people will know , and it 's told with a warm , crafty efficiency that makes for wonderful entertainment .",
      "well-cast and sporadically gripping .",
      "it is the kind of superbly crafted , intelligent entertainment -- a classic suspense thriller -- that nowadays is as welcome as it is rare .",
      "this true story about one of the many tunnel escape attempts under the berlin wall in the 60s provides all the excitement of an escape movie , given extra depth and resonance by its real life genesis ... a superb film",
      "richter makes wonderful if obvious use of the wall and the tunnel as built-in metaphors for our struggle for human connection and dread of helplessness and change .",
      "there are few moments when you 're not totally absorbed by the film .",
      "overlong and a bit overcooked ... but it 's also properly grueling .",
      "based on a true story from the late 1950s , this thrilling drama looks at the extraordinary lengths taken by a group of west berliners to dig a tunnel under the city 's barbed-wire border with east berlin .",
      "riddled with slow pacing , melodrama and viewer fatigue",
      "director roland suso richter maintains tension for 2 1/2 hours , even though the resolution is almost surreal .",
      "richter 's brisk direction keeps us riveted through the suspenseful finish of his vivid history lesson .",
      "genuinely gripping , balancing the travails of constructing the tunnel against the characters ' stories with considerable skill .",
      "roland suso richter 's darkly atmospheric film recounts the effort of a group of people to dig a tunnel under the berlin wall .",
      "it 's distressing to learn how much german television looks like a jerry bruckheimer movie .",
      "the film picks up steam as the tunnel nears completion -- thanks , in part , to a hollywood film crew that pays for the rights to the tunnelers ' story , providing them with the money to finish the project .",
      "as the edge-of-the-seat narrative unfolds , every performance is layered , every shot by cinematographer martin langer is effectively streamlined and a plot that could easily have been predicable ripples with suspense .",
      "though its story is universal enough to leap across cultural boundaries , it 's not deep enough to justify the leap to the big screen .",
      "the tunnel combines fact and fiction , but is never less than completely engrossing .",
      "if it were n't for subtitles , roland suso richter 's the tunnel would be indistinguishable from a polished made-for-tv timewaster from anywhere in the world such things are produced .",
      "it 's all a bit reminiscent of wolfgang petersen 's das boot -- different war , but a similar stylistic economy and claustrophobic mood ."
    ],
    "summary": "the tunnel is both a tension-filled thriller and a riveting history lesson .",
    "id": "19389"
  },
  {
    "movie": "restrepo",
    "reviews": [
      "by keeping the focus solely upon the outpost and the soldiers who lived and fought there , the co-directors effectively seal the film off from any external influence .",
      "the relative formlessness of MOV is , in itself , a kind of dramatic structure . it reflects the stop-start waywardness of war in general , and of this war in particular .",
      "the reaction of a soldier to the death of another - unvarnished , disbelieving grief so raw it 's difficult to watch - is among the most moving footage of war and its cost imaginable .",
      "sebastian junger 's chronicle of a fourteen-month mission in afghanistan 's korengal valley is n't much of a documentary , but the undeniably harrowing footage should be required viewing .",
      "the past few years have brought a lot of war documentaries , but MOV is the rare one that adds something new .",
      "valuable ... but misses a golden opportunity to intersect access and art .",
      "after the recent avalanche of pundit-filled advocacy documentaries about health care , failing schools and environmental collapse , it 's a bracing experience to be trusted to think for oneself .",
      "you ca n't help but share the feelings , many of them subrational , that coarse through the soldiers as they live a hellish year in a hellish place . that human element transcends politics , and it is the core of this vividly immediate film .",
      "chilling in its immersion .",
      "the directors push no agendas , but they also pull no punches . they show the soldiers in their bravest moments , most vulnerable and frightened moments , and even their most frighteningly bloodthirsty moments .",
      "first-rate stuff .",
      "it 's hard to watch the film without feeling a deep empathy for these guys , partly because they relate to the camera like it 's a comrade , not an intruder .",
      "deservedly taking the documentary prize at sundance , this details a conflict that seems to have no purpose other than to scar those caught up in it .",
      "powerful , terrifying and soulful , this real-life hurt locker is an intimate , often brilliant insight into combat and comradeship .",
      "the camera lingers on the soldiers ' smiles and tears and shows the human face of military tactics which reduce people to chess pieces .",
      "MOV gazes unflinchingly on those at the heart of a contentious conflict and renders their experience viscerally and -- most importantly -- humanely .",
      "MOV is an exercise in visceral intimacy .",
      "built around hand-held reportage , the film passes no judgement on the rightness or otherwise of the occupation . but the sense of bewilderment and futility speaks for itself .",
      "it is a scary , moving and troubling film .",
      "film does n't get more relevant .",
      "the directors were satisfied with telling us about a group of courageous , honorable young soldiers -- a salute these men richly deserve .",
      "... in some ways the most harrowing film i 've ever seen",
      "the film 's depiction is honest , but showcasing anything more engaging or important proves elusive .",
      "an unvarnished and unwavering look at 21st-century combat .",
      "the film provides insight into the soldiers and their environment , but it is its own paradox : the more it reveals , the more mysterious and puzzling the war becomes .",
      "a remarkable piece of documentary cinema . not only does it do pfc. MOV proud , but it brings home the fog of war more powerfully than any other movie in recent memory .",
      "at this point in all our middle eastern conflicts , we need more from a documentary than just a grunts-eye-view of the frustrating nature of the war .",
      "to say that the experience is powerful is putting it mildly .",
      "the results are uncomfortable and occasionally harrowing in their realism -- and utterly compelling .",
      "the footage junger and hetherington got is an incredible , boots-on-the-ground , soldier 's - eye view of combat .",
      "despite being a moving reminder to support our troops , MOV can not help but be `` exhibit a '' in the case against the unwinnable `` war on terror . ''",
      "reminds us that wars are fought by individuals , not faceless armies .",
      "its most emotionally raw moments are indicative of their military subjects ' exceptional comfort level with their observers -lrb- ... -rrb- the arid yet woody outcroppings high above the valley are an intriguing new terrain",
      "no one in MOV analyzes the war in afghanistan in political terms or even describes it in terms of goals larger than the day-to-day mission . and yet , simply by bearing witness , the movie is a call to action .",
      "MOV captures the physical trauma and psychological torment that forms the essence of the ` war is hell ' mantra , regardless of which flag you fight under .",
      "MOV succeeds as both a remarkable piece of cinéma vérité documentary filmmaking and a tribute to the soldiers who are put through hell .",
      "MOV avoids political discussion . it just revels in the heroism of these impossibly young , brave soldiers who follow orders that at times seem pointless because following them is what their country has asked them to do .",
      "everything about the way this film is shot , edited and packaged scream of a desire to show the war exactly as it is .",
      "`` MOV '' puts a new face on the war in afghanistan . a decidedly american face . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "though the movie tries not to make any kind of commentary , it 's clear : this is just another reminder as to the utter pointlessness of this war .",
      "while not without anecdotal punching power , the film nonetheless seems like a relic since it unfolds in a vacuum , willfully ignorant or silent on any of the factors influencing events on the ground .",
      "genuinely engrossing , harrowing and unflinching . it 's one of the most important , timely and provocative documentaries of the year .",
      "this real-action vérité is as tense as the beachhead sequence of ` saving private ryan ' and all the more emotional in that these are not actors in recreation .",
      "`` MOV '' does a terrific job of explaining why it 's difficult to come home from war .",
      "what we see is explosive , deeply moving and impossible to shake .",
      "MOV is relevant now more than ever .",
      "places audiences into the same groggy but frazzled rhythm as its combatants .",
      "their unsentimental portraits of platoon life match harsh deployment to fast , gentle camaraderie .",
      "has the spare , lyrical force of an elegy .",
      "a gut-wrenching , politically neutral documentary that spends more than a year with a platoon of american gis in a valley that 's been called the most dangerous spot on earth .",
      "makes it clear that the prospect of being outnumbered 10-to-1 can turn any kid with a sense of self-preservation into a fine-tuned killing machine .",
      "it 's doubtful you 'll ever see a combat documentary that channels the chaos of war as thoroughly as this one .",
      "america 's foolhardy occupation of afghanistan , in the interest of huge private military contracts and maintaining an oil pipeline that the u.s. media ignores , is examined in microcosm via one platoon 's deployment in afghanistan 's dangerous korengal valley",
      "the combat footage junger and hetherington got for MOV is unlike anything ever seen in a documentary ; it 's raw , relentless , and made all the more unsettling because neither the soldiers nor the audience can see who 's doing the shooting .",
      "the unspoken idea behind MOV is that we ca n't just measure the effects of a war in terms of lives lost . the lives remaining count , too .",
      "a documentary so real and unflinching -lrb- and at times deeply frightening -rrb- that it 's hard to watch , but it is one of those film experiences that you 'll feel glad about getting through .",
      "a strange mixture of extreme intimacy and remote distance",
      "a `` you are there '' for civilians immeasurably enhances our understanding of the soldiers ' point-of-view and toll in a frustrating war fought ridge by ridge .",
      "just how close the filmmakers were to the action , and the risks they took with the project , filter into virtually every scene . we hear the bullets whizzing past , breaking branches in nearby trees .",
      "this movie will stir your heart and open your mind . it 's a group portrait of practicing patriots .",
      "captures the complex human face of modern warfare .",
      "-lsb- achieves -rsb- level of visceral intensity that rivals the jacked-up , heart-in-mouth tension that was previously the preserve of the best fiction film-makers .",
      "it provides an admiring look at the brave soldiers eager to do the mission and return alive .",
      "a film that effectively captures the camaraderie , chaos and complexity of soldiers doing their best to win the `` hearts and minds '' of the local population .",
      "the madness of warfare is starkly presented here , as dozens of questions potentially run through the viewer 's mind .",
      "MOV comes closest of any film i 've seen to fully suggesting what being a soldier is like .",
      "with daredevil camera work and a real empathy for soldiers , this documentary film makes you feel like you are inside a g.i. 's uniform in afghanistan 's korangal valley .",
      "despite disclaimers by the directors that this is not a `` political '' movie , `` MOV '' is one damned good reason to get the hell out of afghanistan now .",
      "it 's all strong stuff , and about as far removed from a traditional hollywood all strong stuff , and as far removed additional hollywood war movie as you can get .",
      "if the only message you get out of `` MOV '' is that war is all hell , then the documentary has done its job . but if a viewer equates being pro-soldier with being pro-war , then the point of this movie has been missed .",
      "though hetherington and junger 's film does n't ultimately have anything new to say about the nature of war , it will nonetheless have a strong impact on those of us fortunate enough to have experienced combat only in its motion-picture form .",
      "try as it might to keep its distance from opinion and focus on the facts , MOV ca n't help leaving you with a sense of despair about the situation in afghanistan .",
      "stunning ... a harrowing , deeply troubling and thought-provoking film , but not a tub-thumping , didactic one .",
      "MOV deserves some highlighting as one of the very few films from our current `` war years '' that resonates after the lights go up .",
      "it 's raw and harrowing , and also surprisingly funny . and it makes hollywood war movies look ridiculous",
      "consider MOV the nonfiction hurt locker .",
      "hetherington and junger 's fair-minded chronicling of military experience remains a valuable piece of filmmaking , perhaps essential in reminding us of what warfare extracts from those who fight it .",
      "like most major war movies , `` MOV , '' a you-are-there documentary about a deployment of u.s. troops in eastern afghanistan 's perilous korengal valley , is an anti-war movie .",
      "a riveting , you-are-there , deployment to a godforsaken place where united states troops are pinned down by enemy fire almost every day ...",
      "the filmmakers call MOV an experimental film ; and in this case , the experiment was n't entirely successful , but it was definitely worth making .",
      "moving and extremely clear-sighted ... will live long in the memory .",
      "a boom in the distance takes on startling realness ... unfussy and unshakable , placing us in the center of a war zone to just watch what happens .",
      "a brutally raw documentary about gis manning an exposed outpost in the world 's most dangerous place .",
      "it 's an essential record not only of the afghanistan conflict but of men in battle",
      "in their just-the-facts approach , the filmmakers neither pass judgment on the platoon 's mission nor comment on u.s. involvement in afghanistan . in the filmmakers ' eyes , the men came , they saw , they did n't conquer ; they do reflect .",
      "watching such naked emotion seems almost indecent . is n't it a kind of voyeurism , well-intended or not ?",
      "junger and hetherington do n't try to put the war or the troops ' combat operations into context . they simply record what they and the soldiers experience . it 's a brilliant strategy .",
      "this is hard , hard duty . a 15-month tour . our admiration for these men grows . their jobs seem beyond conceiving . i can not imagine a civilian thinking he could perform them .",
      "MOV is n't always easy to watch , but it should be required viewing ... a needed smack of realism to help return focus to the brave men fighting for their lives and ours .",
      "`` MOV '' is the answer to a question that will surely continue being asked .",
      "it 's the best thing i 've seen in a long time .",
      "u.s. soldiers try to establish a base of operations in afghanistan 's korengal valley . rough-hewn documentary shows front-line fighting in vivid detail .",
      "visceral , immediate and experiential , this afghan war documentary puts the viewers right in the midst of action",
      "despite its remarkably intimate footage of war and loss , sebastian junger and tim hetherington 's documentary suffers from the same problem as the ongoing u.s. drama in afghanistan : a lack of narrative coherence .",
      "MOV is , on its own terms , a stunning piece of work , but to get even more from it you should buy junger 's book , war , which expands on the footage we see .",
      "if you 're a fan of war movies , MOV puts you on the frontlines and impacts you in a way you wo n't soon forget what you 've seen .",
      "in-depth account of army deployment in an afghanistan hotspot shows soldiering at its most rugged .",
      "getting to the end of this battalion 's tour is a tense , unnerving experience , divorced from a conventional arc and immune from even the most clichéd comments : a soldier calls being under fire `` like crack , '' and you nod vigorously .",
      "the warrior drama unfolds organically , without artificial suspense .",
      "by standing beside their subjects under fire , the filmmakers bring you to your own jarring encounter with the stress , adrenalin and shock of combat . should be mandatory viewing for every american .",
      "MOV ... gives you , as much as any film possibly can , a feel for what it is like to serve in a platoon deployed in combat .",
      "an example of photojournalism at its finest .",
      "this is n't the movies . it 's life .",
      "MOV is a bracing difference from the neatly packaged accounts that mainstream media coverage typically provides . you do n't have to be a hawk or a dove to appreciate its unvarnished honesty .",
      "directors tim hetherington and sebastian junger have come up with one of the most direct , searing documentaries in the history of us war in the middle east .",
      "in hewing closely to the rhythms of war , junger and hetherington forgo different considerations about war .",
      "if that intimate access had been married to a stronger narrative structure , MOV might have been a great film instead of just a collection of striking moments .",
      "this documentary from writer sebastian junger will leave audiences with a new admiration for what fighting men must endure .",
      "a look at both the tragic folly of war and the camaraderie of men under pressure , the documentary MOV holds both hope and horror .",
      "riveting , harrowing doc shows the war we ignore",
      "this fantastic first-hand account gives new meaning to the slogan `` support the troops . '' viewers will not soon forget the distinctive sounds of live ammunition being fired ."
    ],
    "summary": "forsaking narrative structure for pure visceral power , MOV plunges viewers into the experiences of soldiers on the front lines of the afghan war .",
    "id": "770856680"
  },
  {
    "movie": "world_trade_center",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a straightforward , respectful , carefully upbeat survival story and tribute to the victims , survivors and rescuers of that day five years ago that changed our world forever .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- humanist movie of enormous empathy .",
      "with this unflinching account of that day , stone has made the most important film of his long career .",
      "even when stone is clumsy , he at least seems to recognize that he ca n't possibly re-create the experience of these policemen : the best he can do is put it onstage , reminding us that this happened to someone else and not to us .",
      "the filmmaker and his colleagues have brought the sensibility of an old-fashioned hollywood disaster movie , and a mediocre one at that .",
      "stone takes one of the most tragic events of this century and focuses on the hope , humanity and determination that also held sway amid the darkness .",
      "stone slyly sneaks virtuoso moments into his story , bringing a modest elegance to a script that frequently feels creakily old-fashioned .",
      "the old stone was not exactly a bargain , but he was never this pious or this conventional .",
      "stone and berloff give us time to meditate on this disaster , finding optimism in its aftermath . no filmmakers will put together the whole puzzle surrounding that dreadful day , but they 've handed us a crucial piece .",
      "weighing in on `` MOV '' is difficult ; it 's well-crafted , but it 's also sluggish and meek .",
      "` MOV ' carries a gigantic emotional impact and seeds a bed of uplifting pride for the people of our nation .",
      "the whole movie has a lifetime movie of the week feel .",
      "leaves a sour aftertaste : it 's too little , too soon . ... even accomplished actors , sensitive screenwriting and impressive visual effects ca n't compete with the heartbreaking horror of the real world .",
      "just who the hell does oliver stone think he is ? -lsb- ... -rsb- -lsb- w -rsb- hen a director who routinely hits everyone over the head undertakes a movie about the world falling down on men 's heads , how can we not want to see what he makes ?",
      "well , MOV delivers the piercing pathos and reminds us once again that stone can make the transitional move and be both inventive and viably affecting .",
      "it 's an unabashed , feel-good hollywood movie , but sometimes that 's just what we need .",
      "perhaps the least likely candidate among american auteurs to make this particular 9/11 movie , oliver stone delivers a satisfying portrait of americans ' ability to weather the storm .",
      "whatever hints stone might be dropping , he has at least done a superb job of capturing on film what that awful day was like . there are missteps along the way , but for the most part , it works .",
      "strip away its 9/11 backdrop and oliver stone 's `` MOV '' is little more than a primetime domestic potboiler about a couple of nyc cops buried under rubble .",
      "as much as i tried to resist it , i found MOV to be genuinely affecting , even if stone relies too heavily on the soaring soundtrack at times .",
      "this as uncomplicated a movie as stone -lrb- born on the 4th of july , jfk -rrb- has made , and one of his most powerful .",
      "packs an emotional wallop . thankfully , it 's all earned and justified .",
      "there 's an over-earnestness at work here that 's beneath stone and that this story is powerful enough to do without .",
      "piercingly moving and utterly unpolitical , MOV holds us in a fierce grip .",
      "the resulting film plays more like a made-for-tv movie projected on the big screen than the product of one of america 's most dangerous filmmakers tackling a day of infamy .",
      "the world may not make sense anymore , but oliver stone , a warrior still , celebrating courage and endurance , has , in his own way , come home .",
      "collapses under its own weight of jerrybuilt melodramatics ... in stone and berloff 's emphasis on `` uplifting '' survival , the momentous 9/11 attacks are reduced to an innocuous event , complete with a happy ending .",
      "... a remarkable , restrained document of a galvanizing moment in american history",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- does n't pretend to encompass the entire catastrophe of 9/11 , and that is its great negative virtue .",
      "stone is n't cut out for making big , simple affirmative statements .",
      "the images of the smoking towers are already planted in our heads , but the hope and courage that enabled the cops ' recovery are not as well-known . stone deserves credit for leaving the conspiracy theories to others .",
      "sometimes , hokum works pretty beautifully .",
      "i think they ought to just give maggie gyllenhaal the oscar right now . she 's that good .",
      "the most controversial element about stone 's film is how conventional and simple it is . this is not necessarily a bad thing since the drama was consciously made as a celebration of cherished american values : courage , risk , strength , and faith .",
      "... MOV yields lovely and touching moments but proves a slow-going , arduous movie experience ...",
      "MOV is a film of hope set within a hopeless day . stone treats it with sincere reverence ...",
      "there is no oliver stone in `` MOV '' with the exception of an ill-advised appearance by jesus christ in lieu of his usual indian shaman .",
      "despite what you may have heard , MOV is n't entirely apolitical , just understated in its commentary .",
      "as a tribute to those who died , and survived , on sept. 11 , MOV is a scrupulous and honorable film .",
      "oliver stone has taken a public tragedy and turned it into something at once genuinely stirring and terribly sad .",
      "it looks at the tragedy on intimate , personal terms , with a sensitivity and restraint the macho provocateur has rarely revealed before .",
      "MOV feels like the respectful and tender beginning of a dialogue between filmmakers and audiences about a subject most would rather not revisit via their entertainment .",
      "although the conclusion is heavily sentimentalized , stone finds the common ground americans can rally around for relief from the devastation : we are , in the final analysis , good people .",
      "it is the humanistic approach of andrea berloff 's screenplay and nicolas cage 's powerhouse performance that determines the fate of this highly anticipated drama .",
      "MOV hits us where we live . and it reminds us how lucky we are to live , and love , and even struggle .",
      "perhaps stone 's greatest triumph is in his seamless recreation of ground zero . stone rises to the occasion , achieving greatness by creating the illusion of reality within the most surreal of environments .",
      "the movie 's real mistake is to take as its focus the single least unusual aspect of september 11 -- the fact that the murdered and wounded loved their families and were loved back .",
      "even without his box of political tricks , oliver stone remains the foremost cinematic shrink for america 's distress .",
      "it 's a reasonably entertaining movie , but it comes nowhere close to the sheer , heart-pounding terror of the ultimate 9/11 film , united 93 .",
      "destiny pervades the project , and anyone who expected stone to toe anything other than the company line was gravely mistaken .",
      "well-made and frequently harrowing , but the powerful sequences and strong performances are counter-balanced by an overdose of flag-waving sentimentality and some sub-par dialogue .",
      "port authority policemen john mcloughlin -lrb- nicolas cage -rrb- and will jimeno -lrb- michael peńa -rrb- were two of the first responders after the attack on 9/11/01 . when the buildings collapsed , they were trapped beneath the rubble while a search and rescue was attempted",
      "despite being true , it feels fictional : a distillation of human values rather than an objective chronicle . that 's not necessarily a bad thing ; to tell the truth , it 's rather comforting .",
      "this felt like an overwrought tv movie -- i do n't care if that 's unpatriotic , hey , i defended `` alexander '' !",
      "i 'd have preferred a more crash - esque collection of vignettes that explored a wider range of the 9/11 repercussions .",
      "MOV is about 9/11 in the same sense that gone with the wind is about the civil war .",
      "stone 's talents -lrb- and his occasional profundity -rrb- lie in juxtaposition and bombast , in a breathless , ragged montage .",
      "replace the real-life characters with two fictional guys trapped in a collapsed building , and what you 're left with is a 1970s-style tv movie-of-the-week , the sort that invariably starred the likes of christopher george and lee majors .",
      "in fact ... MOV is one of the few cinematic efforts that wants to accurately recreate the confusion and chaos that derives from unexpected disaster .",
      "... our perspective is filtered through the anger and pain that comes when we are asked to remember that life was n't always like this .",
      "i look at the screen and i do n't see john mclaughlin . i see nicolas cage with a moustache and an awkward new york accent .",
      "MOV is likely the one summer release you least want to see ... . but the fact is , -lsb- it 's -rsb- the one film you do n't want to miss .",
      "by personalizing the tragedy of 9/11 and checking politics at the door , stone mounts a first-class tale of strength and courage .",
      "... emotionally resonant and thoroughly compelling ...",
      "the fact that we all know what 's about to happen does not diminish the effectiveness .",
      "it 's about americans doing their jobs . it 's about americans seeing each other only as americans . it 's about the real promise of america , fulfilled .",
      "the movie 's gradual build-up from the mundane to the unimaginable contains some of stone 's most evocative and searing filmmaking .",
      "MOV is a commemoration of everyone who lost his or her life in the wreckage of 9-11 , but also something more . it 's a celebration of living , against all odds .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- modest , powerful film .",
      "no who , why or how about the terrorist attacks but plenty on home-life in new jersey .",
      "MOV comes close to being the self-serving hollywood production many had feared .",
      "MOV moves a little too slow - the pacing 's not quite right - but otherwise it 's a decent film and one that 's a fitting tribute to the best in people during the worst of times .",
      "it 's easily the best movie of the summer .",
      "stone and his superb team make us feel the scale and ` body heat ' of the event , the storm wave of panic , the enshrouding sense of a world gone lunatic . they have made an amazing visual and visceral homage to ground zero .",
      "MOV delivers to its audience a calculated dose of uplift and gooses us along to feel suspense here , compassion there and hope at the end .",
      "is n't just a fitting tribute to the specific people involved , it 's also a celebration of grace under pressure , and what is worth preserving from the chaos",
      "this is the right story that , i have a feeling , was told for the wrong reason $ .",
      "will & john : a fantastic story , beautiful & hope filled , one that should be told , but the set up of the film and title itself subtract from the power of the storytelling here .",
      "when asked my opinion after a screening of MOV , i was momentarily at a loss for words , a testament to the film 's potent impact ... ranks second only to the devastating united 93 as the most powerful film of 2006 to date .",
      "literally , everything united 93 was n't .",
      "if i had n't known that MOV was an oliver stone movie , i never would have guessed it ; in fact i might have ventured ron howard as the man behind the camera .",
      "rather than re-awakening and focusing our feelings from september 11th with its recreation , it plays on them to elicit a sentimental response .",
      "the discipline of the factual scenario laid out by the guy who lived it makes it worth seeing .",
      "a powerful movie experience , a hymn in plainsong that glorifies that which is best in the american spirit .",
      "the script , by newcomer andrea berloff , who worked with both couples to get the details right , has the sting of reality to work against any sugarcoating .",
      "a nearly pitch-perfect film that celebrates the ordinary heroes of 9/11",
      "underscored by the fragility of a plinking piano and well-timed flourishes to uplift , this heroic heartstring-tugger is ... unexpectedly affecting , so much that it 's able to hide its true face as a glorified movie-of-the-week .",
      "karnes ' announcement is an outsized , quintessentially stoneian moment , burdened with mythic meaning and , not incidentally , reintroducing the political context the film has so strenuously resisted .",
      "solid , respectful and moving .",
      "with so many lives affected , and so recently , by the tragic attack on new york 's twin towers , there are the obvious questions of taste and timing , as well as the notion that you ca n't possibly pay tribute to so many people . yet it is precisely these obsta",
      "stone does n't shy from bawling wives , gauzy sentimental flashbacks or rousing musical cues , but there 's little doubt that he could have gone more overboard .",
      "a tragedy in a vacuum , a story where two twinkles of hope blot out darkness , a tale of triumph that 's hermetically sealed and packaged for maximum feel-good consumption .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's much discussion about whether audiences are ` ready ' to see a mainstream movie about the events of 9/11 ... that 's your choice , but you 'll be missing one of the best films of the year .",
      "if you hold it up against stone 's masterpieces or united 93 , it ca n't help but feel disappointing . but on its own , it 's a gripping and emotional film .",
      "truth is stranger than fiction -- even in oliver stone 's hands . ` MOV ' is an honorable film .",
      "an expertly crafted , respectful piece of inspirational filmmaking .",
      "director oliver stone 's surprisingly conventional 9/11 film acts as an inspirational counterpoint to united 93 . there were many stories of courage that day , but trade center tells one of the few with an uplifting ending .",
      "wtc could provide a mass catharsis for american audiences much as united 93 did for those who saw that earlier film .",
      "an emotional and gripping two hours plus that rarely flags .",
      "i began to feel as if stone were singling out the ` decent ' people of america and making this story theirs alone .",
      "stone rolls out the victim card minus historical context .",
      "it 's 9/11 ingeniously structured as the basis of a beckett play .",
      "no particular reason to exist other than to garland itself with medals for telling an uplifting true story about good men .",
      "a loving , respectful , much-deserved tribute .",
      "MOV is not a great film . it barely passes as a good one . for a film that should have hollowed out its audience , i walked out strangely unmoved .",
      "for all its noble intent the film brings to celluloid life makes just about every fear anyone had about a hollywood treatment of the 9/11 tragedy .",
      "a questioning artist neutering himself for the sake of uplift",
      "a tentative mixture of tearjerker and disaster movie , cautious due to the requirement that it bear witness to the true-life heroism , staying within the tonal range that is sanctioned for american films depicting 9/11 .",
      "MOV is selfless filmmaking at its best . here , without frills or bombast or politics , is the day the world turned upside down . our faith in each other , stone 's movie tells us , is what helped right it again .",
      "MOV is the second major studio picture to weigh in on the events of sept. 11 , 2001 . it is a more limited achievement : a comfortably unsettling drama .",
      "-lrb- t -rrb- wo hours of watching head shots of two men buried and immobile in rubble ?",
      "it is not too soon for films about 9/11 , but it is never the right time to diminish the weight of tragedy in order to make it easier to swallow .",
      "the surprising thing about this commission job , directed from andrea berloff 's script , is not its factuality but its restraint .",
      "a life-affirming celebration of humanity -- of the possibility of kindness , teamwork , selflessness and love under the most horrific circumstances .",
      "there are some painful moments , but they are soon swept away by glimpses of the human spirit and unrelenting hope , something we all need to hold onto these days .",
      "a reader 's digest `` drama in real life '' composite picture , its epiphanies minor and its execution pure movie-of-the-week .",
      "mr. conspiracy theory himself brings us a conspiracy-free story that is absence of any villains ... and full of politically-correct anger .",
      "-lsb- oliver -rsb- stone gives us an old-fashioned suspense story that pays homage to bravery and survival .",
      "stone paints a grim and claustrophobic picture of the men 's nightmarish confines , but beautifully captures their bond and passion to survive .",
      "it manages to find the best in people in the worst of times . you got ta love that .",
      "shines a welcome light on a group of everyday heroes who , in risking their own lives to save others helped turn america 's darkest hour into their finest - and ours .",
      "it 's a beautiful movie , this despite the horror it depicts .",
      "MOV is a well-crafted , beautifully acted piece that 's better judged on its own terms than as , say , the definitive recounting of 9/11 . that film has yet to be made .",
      "MOV is moving , tender , and disappointingly shallow .",
      "they are n't superheroes . they are afraid . it 's ok to be afraid - to not be afraid would be stupid or insane . courage is feeling the fear and acting anyway , and that is what these men did .",
      "-lsb- stone -rsb- curbs his fanciful historical imagination here and concentrates on a character study of the four major characters . it is one of his best efforts .",
      "it is a movie that is both melancholy and uplifting , one that american audiences will embrace .",
      "stone demonstrates great deftness and restraint , along with tremendous compassion , in telling this story .",
      "noble intent and adherence to real events do n't necessarily add up to success onscreen ; it 's also often tedious and schmaltzy .",
      "MOV is beautifully acted down to the smallest role and exquisitely crafted -- it is all but impossible to tell the difference between the computer-generated imagery and live-action sequences shot in manhattan .",
      "if you did n't know better , you 'd swear that MOV came from another , more straight-forward filmmaker , such as steven spielberg or ron howard , instead of oliver stone .",
      "it shortchanges audiences when it comes to dramatic revelations that could have resonated on a deeper level . it telegraphs its emotions loud and clear , but somehow they do n't reach us .",
      "MOV is n't about foreign policy or hatred or even patriotism . it 's about the bravery and resilience lying dormant in all of us .",
      "it 's an affecting tale about the bonds between family , spouses and friends , and the will to survive .",
      "rather than manufacturing suspense , -lsb- wtc -rsb- creates consensus and catharsis , and is deeply moving in ways that recall the unity and decency we witnessed that day .",
      "wtc is very hollywood in the best ways : straightforward storytelling , artful performances , fantastic production values and camera work that serve the events being depicted above all rather than the director 's often loony aesthetic whims .",
      "a highly effective , old-fashioned , bigger-than-life american melodrama , full of heartbreak and heroism , tragedy and triumph .",
      "with its hollywood-ized -lrb- read : sentimentalized -rrb- look and feel and a script that plods along in places , stone 's safe center is just a fine film -- instead of a great one .",
      "it displays optimism , patriotism , emotional frankness and faith . detractors might call it sentimental . most of all , it exhibits no political slant whatsoever , injecting only heartfelt empathy for the day 's many victims and heroes .",
      "obviously , living through 9/11 even at a televised remove , we felt overwhelmed . now , sitting through the re-creation , we feel something altogether different and yet faintly familiar -- underwhelmed .",
      "stone does everything he can to do justice to the real-life people he 's depicting , and yet nothing he does can cover up the film 's single but overarching weakness : the personal story he uses to portray the larger event is limited in scope and impact .",
      "a failure at the most basic levels of cinema and its inability to make me feel anything , when any single still image of that day can induce the fear of god , is inexcusable .",
      "grueling but ultimately uplifting , MOV tells the true stories of port authority police officers john mcloughlin and will jimeno , who went into the MOV to save people and ended up needing to be saved themselves .",
      "we need to have these kind of movies come out to remind us what happened on that day",
      "well-intentioned but equally disappointing ... united 93 is harrowing and authentic ; this picture is earnest but old-fashioned , obvious and curiously plodding .",
      "not the conspiracy theory rant one would expect from stone , not at all . it 's not a great film , but a good one that was made with love .",
      "with a combination of painstaking detail and tactful emotion , -lsb- stone and berloff -rsb- keep hollywood sentimentality at bay to depict an event that is overwhelming on its own .",
      "a tedious and often emotionally manipulative opportunity to stand on a soapbox and wave the flag .",
      "there 's been talk of MOV bringing people to tears . after seeing the film , it 's hard to believe that they 're not tears of boredom .",
      "riveting .",
      "banal , tv-style dialogue threatens at times to sink a visual stunner .",
      "MOV is stone 's most potent motion picture since platoon , and may be the most accessible across-the-board since wall street .",
      "a different , and more focal , jumping-off point for the sort of spiritualism stone has tackled in past films . it 's occasionally voyeuristic and ineloquent at its conclusion , but it 's an honest story of human connection with great performances .",
      "given its topic and its timing , MOV had to be great to deserve your attention . it is .",
      "oliver stone 's take on one of history 's most notorious and devastating days is white-washed with the sentimental veneer of the lifetime channel .",
      "what did oliver stone make me think about ? in a nutshell , he made me remember that this country was built on the hearts and resolve of it 's citizens .",
      "it 's plainly evident that all of the filmmakers approached the subject matter with appropriate honor and respect . -lrb- in other words , this movie is no pearl harbor . -rrb-",
      "to sit before the film is to participate in a ritual of solidarity and redemption , to which the flimsiness of two-thirds of the movie is irrelevant .",
      "there are no histrionics , simply strong storytelling , involving us in the lives of two men , their families , and by default , the many whose lives were touched by this unforgettable tragedy",
      "so factual and earnest that it misses the chance to say something meaningful .",
      "-lrb- director oliver -rrb- stone has concentrated on one of the catastrophe 's stories and has fashioned it well -- with almost palpable physical detail , and with performances that never sink to exploitation .",
      "click to read full review in greek",
      "these are voices that deserve to be heard and that there are filmmakers like stone willing to hear them is more important than anything that might follow .",
      "it celebrates the courage of the rescue teams and the fortitude of their families while giving you a visceral sense of what it was like to be among them .",
      "it 's almost as if stone wants to ingratiate himself with the mainstream public that rejected his historical blockbuster alexander and win the approval of his right-wing critics .",
      "top praise should go to stone . after the overblown failure ` alexander , ' he made a wise decision to shoot an up close and personal script . less proves definitely more .",
      "oliver stone has made an honorable film , in other words , and almost the best thing i can say about it is that it does n't feel like an oliver stone movie .",
      "stone is unapologetic in his tribute to these people , and to his credit generally does n't allow any of his usual directorial ambition or stylistic excess to distract from it .",
      "in ten years -lrb- or even next week -rrb- , i do n't know that this will be seen as anything more than an average tv movie about a not-so-recent disaster .",
      "five short years after the attack , our wildly varied emotions - shock , sorrow , anger - require no manipulation . they 're too big for that - and maybe too big for any movie to contain .",
      "the storytelling is admirable , the focus is just right for anyone who prefers , if they have to revisit that day after all that despair , to see something good come out of the whole mess .",
      "some comedies appeal to our inner child , while some horror movies appeal to our inner masochist . oliver stone 's MOV poignantly appeals to our inner patriot .",
      "MOV approaches drama 's potent promise , finding in the story of two individuals and their families uncommon valor and common ground at ground zero .",
      "stone defies those who think of him only as a provocateur in making a compact and emotionally charged story that illuminates a sept. 11 tale few of us know -- and he does it with a respect bordering on reverence .",
      "stone taps into great reserves of undiscovered subtlety .",
      "you sense that stone is genuinely amazed by the resilience of these two men , and that helps temper the difficult subject matter .",
      "their film is gripping -- and should be : it has its tentacles around you from its stark title on . it 's a title that means so many things to so many people .",
      "salutes the courage and lovingkindness of those who reached out in the darkness to help others on september 11 .",
      "this is the movie about which you will ask , `` am i ready for this ? '' and the answer should be , `` yes . '' it is a movie about hope as much as it is a movie about loss .",
      "there 's no questioning the importance of this story , but it is a shame that stone has chosen to be so manipulative with our emotions .",
      "stone has delivered a beautiful , heartfelt and touching movie that celebrates the heroes of september 11th and will leave everyone in the audience with a lump in their throats and a few tears in their eyes .",
      "do i recommend seeing MOV ? yes , with reservations . it is a flawed film ...",
      "... elicits our sympathy , our sorrow and even our tears . yet the movie offers very little in return . which raises the question : is there value in suffering by proxy ?",
      "this account of the horrors of 9/11 feels counterfeit , compromised , and flat -- sadly , it is an ill-conceived and generally unaffecting tribute .",
      "there were all too many stories that day that did n't end happily . this is n't one of them .",
      "more for the ages than the times in which it was made .",
      "one thing would have made MOV better - having ann coulter next to me being forced to watch the new sept. 11 dirge with her eyelids taped back and her hands shackled to the seat - a la stanley kubrick 's a clockwork orange .",
      "MOV eventually stops feeling like a remarkable story of survival and more like a hallmark network presentation .",
      "stone 's message -- shrewder than other liberal campaigns of the last five years -- is undeniably political .",
      "the film 's sincerity makes it impossible to toss around accusations of hokeyness , either `` on paper '' or in one 's own mind ; context is everything , and in this context blunt assertions of heroism and near-sainthood are easy to swallow .",
      "sometimes this kind of writing can evoke unaffected sincerity ; other times , it seems merely trite , perhaps reflecting the inexperience of first-time feature screenwriter andrea berloff .",
      "beautifully acted and thoroughly myopic , the film manages to strip 9/11 of its context and scope , boiling it down to an intimate story of decent , ordinary people dealt a staggeringly bad hand and dealing with it , each according to his or her nature .",
      "if duty is the operative attitude here , inevitability is the inescapable result , and MOV ultimately finds itself as pinned down as mcloughlin and jimeno are .",
      "there is one scene of true brilliance and shattering impact as a mother waiting for news of her son -lrb- viola davis -rrb- recalls that the last time she saw him she scolded him for missing dinner .",
      "MOV is a movie packed with emotion . guaranteed , no one will leave the theater dry eyed .",
      "stone has n't made a movie for a 2006 audience ; he 's made one for 2036",
      "the movie may falter a little in the middle , but the courage -lsb- of the 2 men -rsb- and the rescue attempt in the final act are what you 'll remember and what makes this movie worth seeing .",
      "the one proactive character in the movie is dave karnes ... that 's the guy i want to see a movie about .",
      "... opts for a discreet , quiet and dignified way to show the tragedy and to take away from it something that was uplifting .",
      "when it sticks to the first-person account of its survivors , it is at its most riveting .",
      "oliver stone has gone against his famous character to make a syrupy and gruelingly flat cinematic ode to two brave policemen -lrb- john mcloughlin and william jimeno -rrb- ...",
      "in a sense , it is blatant , clichéd hero worship , but stone earns this impassioned interpretation through his care and respect behind the camera for the characters and the gravity of the situation .",
      "it 's not too soon for a 9/11 movie , but it is too soon for one that brings it up for no reason .",
      "somber and life-affirming , intense yet respectful , it marks the five-year anniversary of the terrorist attack .",
      "in an amazing turnabout ... stone fills the screen with a film from the heart instead of his conspiracy-filled mind .",
      "who wants to feel good about 9/11 ? i sure want to feel good about 9/11 !",
      "the movie means well , and we can appreciate the sentiment ; it works on the level of heartbreaking spectacle , but it does n't add more to our wisdom .",
      "for all its crude effectiveness as a true-life melodrama of survival , MOV does n't do much with 9/11 , except to sentimentalize it for popular consumption .",
      "are we ready for the feel-good 9/11 movie of the year ? mawkish , corny and brutally effective -- i liked it more than i feel comfortable admitting .",
      "the story of what they experienced is gripping and inspiring , but however true it is to their lives ... the way it 's told restricts what the movie can say about the larger tragedy .",
      "stone may be the bluntest instrument in hollywood 's arsenal , but watching his new film about the collapse of the twin towers , i found myself nostalgic for his chutzpah .",
      "in the end , all stone really seems to be up to is using sept. 11 to again mourn the loss of mythical white american innocence for what one assumes will be a predominantly white boomer audience . and no doubt turning a pretty penny doing it .",
      "i had the shapes of eight little crescents embedded in my palms after i saw `` MOV . '' because i was so riveted , so moved , that i actually dug my nails into my own hands .",
      "polls since ` jfk ' show a rise in the number of people who attribute kennedy 's assassination to conspiracy ; will polls in the wake of ` wtc ' show a bump in the percentage of americans who connect iraq with 9/11 -lrb- even though the film does n't make the link -rrb- ?",
      "... in muting his personality , stone has ended up with a tv movie % u2026 a particularly well-made , moving tv movie , but a tv movie nonetheless .",
      "even working within the restrictions of a pg-13 rating , stone brings fresh immediacy to the horrors of ground zero , and cage and peđa use small , telling strokes to make their characters come alive .",
      "despite my strong reservations , MOV is strongly acted and has sequences of undeniable power . at its best it shares with stone 's finest work a feeling for the imminence of death and salvation ."
    ],
    "summary": "as a visually stunning tribute to lives lost in tragedy , MOV succeeds unequivocally , and it is more politically muted than many of stone 's other works .",
    "id": "248007780"
  },
  {
    "movie": "afterschool",
    "reviews": [
      "with a lingering and often awkward style , MOV is ambitious but ultimately lacklustre .",
      "MOV presents modern youth in a cold light . it 's difficult to like but even harder to dismiss .",
      "at heart it 's another unpleasant existential crisis for another unpleasant schoolboy in another unpleasant american prep school .",
      "it 's an intriguing scenario , but what makes the film special -lrb- if at times slightly trying -rrb- is that it 's all artfully shot in an apparently artless manner .",
      "MOV , the almost frighteningly accomplished first feature made by antonio campos when he was 24 , is high school as horror show .",
      "an intelligent , often gripping , and intriguingly autobiographical drama of paranoia .",
      "the passing of time and the evolution of technology may give it an expiration date , but more likely , campos ' film stands to be an essential document of what it was like to be a young person in the late ' 00s .",
      "deserves credit for managing to make prep school seem like the most hellish place on the planet , but is at some points hard to watch for all the wrong reasons .",
      "though thin on story , the film shows poise and vision , using bleak cinema-realite techniques with chilling effect . campos promises to be heard from again .",
      "those with the patience to wait out mr. campos 's overindulgences will definitely leave MOV unnerved , which is probably exactly what he had in mind .",
      "the writer-director antonio campos uses his camera in catatonically slow movements , to varying effect : sometimes it feels probing , at others it looks like so much film school self-indulgence .",
      "this is certainly an original work , but not entirely successful in saying anything new about the way we watch `` reality '' today at second hand .",
      "the excellent script touches fascinating themes -lrb- notably the abject hypocrisy of the school staff -rrb- and also manages to convey a moment of pure emotional devastation more acutely than any number of hollywood teen flicks .",
      "this drama shows the growing skill of 25-year-old writer-director-editor campos . it 's also packed with important themes that are addressed both artfully and hauntingly .",
      "it 's sex , lies and videotape in a privileged high school as antonio campos casts a cold eye over the adolescent state of postmodernity .",
      "the fact that this is a film of few words only adds to its hypnotic , relentless pull .",
      "a morbidly fascinating prep school tragedy which also is a stylistically uncompromisingly vision of hypocritical america .",
      "unsettles without illuminating , marred by narcotic pacing and a blank lead performance .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- campos certainly demands your attention , and has it for most of the film .",
      "once made ... MOV proceeds to regurgitate its thesis with all the grace of a lumberjack leveling a redwood .",
      "gripped with an unnerving iciness , MOV has style and smarts , but campos never really manages to slice cleanly into his mega-relevant themes of voyeurism and violence , isolation and info-culture .",
      "the film has a lot to say about the effect of technology on teenage interaction , how schools repress individuality and how sexual awakening causes , rather than relieves , teenage angst .",
      "if there is one distinctive and promising voice to come out of the info-bite aesthetic of the youtube generation it is antonio campos , whose debut feature MOV puts an intriguing spin on the high-school tragedy .",
      "reminiscent of the alienation in classic antonioni films or the paranoia of michael haneke , the icy MOV is a little too self-conscious in its artiness . alternating between the fascinating and the tedious , it still worms its way under you skin .",
      "compelling performances and some stand-out scenes but this lacks the cohesive language of elephant , for example .",
      "a slow and suffocating experience . not that this is a criticism , because it 's exactly the feeling director antonio campos has tried to create .",
      "an arty drama that 's just a little too pretentious .",
      "MOV does feel like an interesting play on the idea of voluntary surveillance , but there 's no real emotional crescendo , no catharsis and no satisfying conclusion to robert 's angst , which is only ever skirted around .",
      "this is a major debut . a dystopic vision , yes ; but in comparison with the usual school high-jinks from us cinema - fiercely fresh and corrosively memorable .",
      "originality is perhaps the major missing component , but this still stacks up as a nifty debut with ideas and ambition to spare .",
      "perhaps it is the intent of MOV , to create such a distancing effect the viewer is forced to observe , perhaps even critique these young people 's experience . if this is the case , MOV is one long period of detention .",
      "campos has developed a style of his own , one that owes as much to video installations as it does to cinematic narrative .",
      "it 's both a supremely controlled exercise in form and tone and an intriguing exploration of the ways new technology intersects with age-old questions of dominance , control and individuality , particularly in the school setting .",
      "anthony campos -lrb- who was 24 when he made this jolting pic -rrb- captures the numbing psychic scramble that just might cause the youtube generation to go morally haywire . or become filmmakers .",
      "whatever happened to the analog days when kids found contentment by cramming phone booths , sitting on flagpoles or simply going steady ?",
      "antonio campos 's character study of a prep school social misfit named robert -lrb- ezra miller -rrb- is an intimate psychological journey into a coded juvenile mindset .",
      "antonio campos ' MOV plays like the creepy younger brother of kenneth lonergan 's margaret .",
      "the film examines such relevant issues as violence in school , voyeurism , and abuse .",
      "when not downright creepy , it 's quietly damning of an administration willing to point all the wrong fingers and play up all the wrong angles before brushing the matter aside .",
      "this is a little movie well worth checking out . the performances are very natural , and the themes are enticingly provocative .",
      "this ai n't elephant , even if it looks like one ."
    ],
    "summary": "antonio campos ` MOV is an intelligent , ambitious debut that boasts strong performances and plenty of ideas .",
    "id": "770792907"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dan_in_real_life",
    "reviews": [
      "the sort of movie that wears down your resistance until , finally , you feel as if something must be wrong with you if you do n't fall for the cheap theatrics of its story and the emotional manipulations of its characters .",
      "a wry , smart and perceptive dramedy about family and life 's other surprises .",
      "a comedy that 's at once overstuffed and surprisingly subtle .",
      "-lsb- binoche 's -rsb- complicated , heartfelt performance is the reason to see the film : when she 's around , she pierces the soothing gray nothingness with shafts of sunlight .",
      "it 's a nice film . there 's some nice touches to it .",
      "love hurts in cute -lrb- if predictable -rrb- rom com .",
      "the latest from hedges is in places touching and funny but rarely in the course of its 95 minutes does it look anything remotely like real life .",
      "if these people actually existed , i 'd suggest avoiding contact for fear of contracting terminal insipidity .",
      "astonishingly effective .",
      "now , everybody knows that steve carell is lovable .",
      "heartwarming , quirky and quietly affecting ... the overall package is peppered with an easy-going dosage of reflective schmaltz ... warm , inviting and actively spirited ...",
      "real life ? nah -- but the emotions are real .",
      "get him outside of `` the office , '' and steve carell is a lovable everyman .",
      "steve carell is the new tom hanks .",
      "unaffectedly joyful about what life has to offer",
      "MOV wants to offer it all -- a fine sentiment when a movie can pull it off , an example of trying too hard when it does n't .",
      "sweet family comedy trifle starring steve carell as the titular neurotic advice columnist suffering through an impossibly quaint family vacation . manages to be cute without being cutesy .",
      "it 's as if the producers of spanglish had asked adam sandler to do his opera man routine here and there .",
      "the movie is called MOV , but it 's a stretch worthy of reed richards to believe that anything in this tepid plate of idiocy would actually happen in real life .",
      "beneath its aw-shucks , wants-to-be-liked exterior , this is a bankrupt motion picture . it 's cloying , artificial , and not the least bit romantic .",
      "has about as much genuine feeling as a cheap greeting card .",
      "as resolutely plastic and formulaic as most half-hour network comedy pilots .",
      "it sounds corny , and it is -- as are many other of the goofy sequences that seem lame on paper but work in execution . but that 's family .",
      "director hedges 's signature trademark of broad comedy with family sentiment on display with reasonable success .",
      "a smart and sassy romantic comedy about two people who are surprised by love and forced to navigate its tricky waters in a large extended family setting .",
      "a bit more convincingly portrayed bitterness , though , would have made the movie 's laughs all sweeter in contrast .",
      "this is one of those `` feel good '' movies that really does make you feel good .",
      "the fastest way to clear a theater !",
      "` MOV ' showcases steve carell 's talent for dry sarcasm , clownish physicality , vulnerability and officiousness .",
      "the emotion is genuine and the humor is just sweet enough to leave you smiling .",
      "effortlessly breezy .",
      "as a surprisingly engaging romantic comedy starring an unlikely romantic lead , MOV warms your heart in all the right places . and makes you want to eat pancakes .",
      "the laughter from the audience was sustained throughout the film .",
      "a sweet , affectionate and emotionally genuine venture into that complicated crossroads of family tribal conflict and found love , however unavailable that sexy creature might be .",
      "it 's like the cream-and-sugar decaf version of the 40-year-old virgin -- sweet enough , but nothing that will keep you from dozing off .",
      "plot undermines otherwise solid performances and high quality production .",
      "to call this feel-good comedy conservative is to cede ` family values ' to the realm of politics , which , despite a vague npr-ishness to the characters , is something real life refuses to do .",
      "the setup of this comedy by director-cowriter peter hedges and some subsequent twists may be contrived , and the laughs are n't very plentiful , but much of the behavior seems real , and the able cast makes the most of it .",
      "bad movies invariably stem from bad ideas , and the worst of the several rancid ideas packed inside of MOV is that steve carell could be the new alan alda .",
      "MOV is a pretty warm , genuine comedy that succeeds , at least in part , because of some gutsy casting choices .",
      "a low-key , highly agreeable charmer .",
      "the kind of sentimental , patently false romantic pandering whose idea of resolving a scene is for everyone to engage in some cute form of eccentric group activity .",
      "MOV navigates its machinations with such laid-back assurance that it earns your attention , your respect and , ultimately , your heart .",
      "comfortable and enjoyable in an unpushy sort of way .",
      "a charming , though occasionally off-target -- and consistently tempo-challenged -- romantic comedy .",
      "nearly every scene feels true , as if lifted directly from your own family reunion .",
      "... not awful , but not up to the quality of the screwball comedies of the '30s and '40s ... there are smiles where there could have been guffaws .",
      "it 's a clever idea for a romantic comedy that presents a credible obstacle for two modern , would-be lovers to maneuver around for 90 minutes .",
      "why must so many family-friendly romantic comedies give us such wan , forgettable dialogue and predictable situations ? dan is derivative at best , and feels like filmmaking by focus group at worst .",
      "finally a really smart , really funny movie about the ups and downs of life , love and family .",
      "MOV is n't about real life . this is reel life , hollywood 's heightened-reality take on what might go on at a large family gathering where one woman is caught between the affections of siblings .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- f you can manage to get through MOV without falling madly in love with both binoche and carell ... then you 're a better man than i am , charlie brown .",
      "`` dan in only-in-the-movies life '' would have been an awkwardly long title , but it would have been a lot more appropriate .",
      "carell makes it worthwhile -lrb- dane cook almost makes it not worthwhile -rrb- .",
      "a movie nicely packed with pleasantly unpredictable surprises .",
      "... a thoroughly contrived romantic comedy that is spiked into the end zone by its engaging cast and shambling production design .",
      "for all its by-the-numbers plotting , MOV is winningly good-natured and funny .",
      "writer / director peter hedges likes to touch on deeper emotional truths , but he does n't have the courage to really probe his characters ' struggles in a meaningful way .",
      "alas , -lsb- hedges ' -rsb- forays behind the camera with pieces of april and now MOV indicate he 's got sundance intentions but a hallmark channel soul .",
      "carell seems to be at his best when he is put in awkward situations and is forced to make a fool out of himself , and there are plenty of those moments in MOV .",
      "carell and binoche are great fun to watch , doing just what the movie requires -lrb- not much , as scripted by pierce gardner and director peter hedges -rrb- and then some .",
      "i prefer a little more dysfunction in my dysfunctional family comedies .",
      "a creature made of gingerbread and hugs .",
      "what 's wrong with steve carrell ? his is one of the quickest falls from comedy to crap since chevy chase .",
      "una comedia romántica muy menor , predecible e intrascendente que desaprovecha por completo el talento de un buen elenco . una lástima .",
      "the most cloying family meeting since a very brady christmas",
      "no sooner than you 're stirred by something surprising or genuinely sweet , you 're shaken by another piece of shtick .",
      "carell , who is quickly building an impressive big screen resume , shines and brings the rest of the film up a few notches in the process .",
      "carell brings depth and sweetness to the role , showing us dan 's longing before dan can acknowledge it himself .",
      "the cozy , lived-in atmosphere created by the ensemble and the unlikely chemistry of carell and binoche are so genuine that you wish the rest of the film was just as effortless and authentic .",
      "even derek jeter strikes out once in a while , so steve carell was bound to have a stinker eventually , and MOV is it .",
      "thankfully , hedges keeps his focus and does n't allow the film to just become a series of sketches and syrupy confessionals .",
      "carell continues his march as this generation 's tom hanks , equally comfortable and at home in comedy or drama .",
      "the movie has its charms , especially the performances , but they 're not the charms of family togetherness and finding love after loss that the movie so sappily tries to pound home near the end .",
      "director peter hedges overloads his film with characters and then gives them nothing interesting to do .",
      "there 's nothing groundbreaking about MOV -- it 's a picture that could have been made 10 or 20 years ago -- and yet its easygoing , affable nature is exactly what makes it pleasurable .",
      "hedges might be making a basic peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich of a feature , but he cuts the crusts off the white bread because he knows that 's how we like it .",
      "i wound up enjoying most of what i saw , despite its familiarity and predictability . the film 's got a good heart .",
      "did n't really get it",
      "... ultimately succumbs to an egregious emphasis on inauthentic elements ...",
      "because it touches on the universal themes of loss and love so honestly , it is a film that feels authentic even in its many contrivances .",
      "it 's hilarious and painful as only real situations can be , and hedges directs his excellent cast , with sensitivity and wry humour .",
      "MOV is a film willing to admit that love is messy and that family , no matter how strained , is still the most perfect cauldron within which to ferment all those things that make life worth living ...",
      "it attempts to take a three 's a company situation and mix it together with a widower trying to raise three children . this is not cool .",
      "okay for forgiving romance fans , and a maybe-see for the rest of us .",
      "writer-director peter hedges -lrb- ` pieces of april ' -rrb- maintains a perfect balance between the comedy and the romance .",
      "it 's hard for a film like this not to come off as too sweet , but this grown up comedy manages in making it a real gem .",
      "MOV is an enjoyable if curious creature , a naturalistic ensemble comedy wed to a high-flown sitcom premise . it 's infused with a warm optimism that prevails even through the drama 's thornier patches .",
      "there 's not an iota of pretense here , not the slightest hint of hipster irony or of cynicism . it 's a movie about family , made by people who know about family , who believe in family .",
      "MOV lacks the nerve of genuine storytelling . it 's for moviegoers who would have preferred little miss sunshine if that movie had n't been so gosh-darn dark .",
      "MOV wants desperately to be loved . it includes a few laughs ... but with all its cloying , tone-deaf attempts at genuine emotional warmth , all it really deserves is to be avoided .",
      "add in a terrific soundtrack of original songs by singer-songwriter sondre lerche , and `` MOV '' is an unexpected and very welcome treat , a crowd-pleasing mainstream comedy with the soul of an indie .",
      "MOV is neither wildly farcical nor mockingly cruel , but rather , for the most part , winningly gentle and observant .",
      "there are some loud moments and big laughs .",
      "almost reflexively , the filmmakers skirt dan 's messier conflicts . but it is the moments when they do n't dance around the awkward issue of a brother falling for his brother 's girl that dan is the most poignant .",
      "the film portrays how good will is much harder to handle than evil .",
      "MOV is an odd title for a movie that has n't the slightest concept of real life .",
      "imagine what it would take to make an audience prefer dane cook over steve carell , then double it .",
      "MOV is neither bad nor particularly good . it 's simply more disposable , soon to be forgotten , entertainment .",
      "carell plays it fairly straight in a movie that hits high on the scales of comedy and romance , with just a dollop of dramatic reality . it 's almost as if he were playing , well , real life .",
      "MOV fires on so many circuits that at times it 's actually shocking how good it is . it tells a funny and emotional story without any of the sentimental shorthand found in most romantic comedies .",
      "carell ca n't rescue this sometimes-charming romantic comedy from its real problems .",
      "a mediocre and unbelievable romantic comedy .",
      "one character says she 's looking for something ` not necessarily hahaha laugh-out-loud funny , something human funny , ' and that 's what we get .",
      "sweet it is . remotely connected to real life , however , it is not .",
      "hedges imparts , in the space of an hour and a half , a real sense of this family 's history -- its rituals and its resilience .",
      "the heart is there , and the message gets you .",
      "as the author of ` what 's eating gilbert grape ? ' , writer-director hedges knows how to tell a story about kith and kin without smothering it in goo .",
      "a small but sweetly formed comedy of romantic misfortune that ca n't quite keep hollywood at bay .",
      "touching , tender and laugh-out-loud funny , this little rom-com will melt your heart then rebuild it afresh . it 's so warm and inviting , you 'll want to spend a week in its company . but you only get 99 minutes . treasure them .",
      "smoothly entertaining fare , but with a bit more nerve it could have been so much more .",
      "an off-centre rom-com with unlikely stars , this indie drama is neither too funny nor too romantic in its balance of laughs and tenderness . the perfect date movie for middle-aged romantics -lrb- and we mean that as a compliment -rrb- .",
      "it 's the unlikely chemistry between binoche and carell coupled with carell 's impeccable comic timing -lrb- watch out for the shower scene -rrb- that keeps you glued to the screen .",
      "drips with sentimentality .",
      "about as riotous as gassing yourself during a wet weekend in worksop .",
      "entyposiaka prosgeiomeno kai pisteyto -lrb- sto megalytero meros toy toylahiston -rrb- , me mia epistrosi glykopikroy glassoy panta paroysa , na kalyptei tis elleipseis stoys arhetypikoys perifereiakoys haraktires kai tis sporadikes symbatikes eksarseis toy eidoys",
      "it 's amiable enough , but the ickiness levels are too high and juliette binoche always looks uncomfortable in this shallow-end material .",
      "MOV is this year 's family stone , a pleasant enough diversion -- especially if your own family is driving you crazy -- but quickly forgotten .",
      "a surprisingly plain , sappy , even insipid comedy , considering the filmmaker behind it .",
      "mostly the laughs are based in behavior and character . carell once again displays the range that makes him something more than just another funny guy . binoche is so appealing that you immediately understand why dan has been smitten .",
      "smart , funny , character-based romantic comedy that 's full of good surprises .",
      "if what you want is a star-driven sophisticated romantic comedy that is successfully aimed at actual adults , the wait can seem like forever . until now .",
      "-lsb- carell 's -rsb- uncanny ability to make us care what happens to him salvages MOV .",
      "hedges is not the most subtle of storytellers , but his sincerity shines through , as does a certain gentleness . MOV is one of those films you cheer to succeed , even when it does n't come close to real life .",
      "the previews make MOV look like a tepid romantic comedy that makes little use of steve carell 's gifts . well , the previews are right .",
      "in the end , the commercial necessity of wrapping up a family comedy in less than 100 minutes seems to have trumped anything real about dan 's life .",
      "a sweet , mildly quirky romcom .",
      "it 's hard not to enjoy a heartwarming movie , such as MOV .",
      "the film is not just laid-back , it 's nearly catatonic .",
      "there is no mistaking hedges ' film for anything other than a saccharine corn-fest , but what keeps it from palling entirely is the strength of the ensemble performances , and the smartly understated writing .",
      "enjoyable , emotionally engaging and frequently hilarious comedy drama with a superb script and terrific performances from its ensemble cast .",
      "carell has continued to grow and mature as an actor .",
      "carell is appealing and the family drama plays out as something real that sort of sneaks up on you in a good way .",
      "romantic but gents , do n't let this deter you - it 's about a man , his journey , and his burdens , it 's a story of a husband and a dad and a brother and a man who used to be someone 's lover . bring a date .",
      "like a well-done produce pete sketch , carell peels back layers of banality covering the bitterness underneath .",
      "in the movie world , these characters might have been interesting , but in real life , they were too one-dimensional to make you want them to find true love .",
      "knowingly examines romance , parenthood , grief and betrayal , but succumbs slightly to simplistic sentimentality .",
      "steve carell 's pursed-lipped awkwardness and sweet buffoonery are both in fine form , but those endearing qualities are n't nearly enough to salvage peter hedges 's incorrigibly hackneyed film .",
      "a film of quiet but true pleasures , MOV affirms that there 's a real movie career still ahead for steve carell .",
      "despite sit-com touches and crowd-pleasing tendencies , hedges ' honorable follow up to his 2003 indie pieces of april is satisfying as a family saga and romantic dramedy due to central performance of steve carell .",
      "the plot tickles sitcom , but the film is a winner because carell and binoche follow hedges ' lead and keep it real . sharing their company really is a pleasure .",
      "an utterly charming crowd-pleasing comedy that adds another impressive performance to steve carell 's resume .",
      "this is his -lsb- carell 's -rsb- most assured and rounded performance to date .",
      "i came away thinking that it just might be the sweetest film of the year .",
      "am i a hypocrite ? sign me , MOV .",
      "confuses charm with childishness and romance with the sort of endless yearning in a badly written teen diary . then there 's the misogyny ... and after the film 's family values syrup is tapped out , its waspy judgmentalism remains .",
      "a multi-generational romantic comedy is a rare and precious thing to behold .",
      "it 's sadly just a mixed bag of hits and misses ...",
      "the plot depends on marie playing an excruciating , thankless role . it 's not original , but it certainly is depressing .",
      "ultimately it is carell who grounds dan in something close to real life .",
      "like the movie itself , carell 's performance does n't really give you a reason to leave home , but if you find yourself watching it , you will be pleasantly surprised . to a degree .",
      "aside from dan himself , nothing about the movie feels real .",
      "MOV is a comedy of faith that , in its wised-up feel-good way , restores yours .",
      "dan is a delightful motion picture , especially when it combats the fatigue of formula , trying to smuggle in astute characterizations between moments of traditional hollywood romantic comedy hoo-ha .",
      "if this is `` real life , '' then count me out .",
      "a complete waste of some wonderful talent .",
      "one could fill this entire space with the titles of films from which writer-director peter hedges nicks his story .",
      "... about as pleasant as a movie can get without actually being any good .",
      "easily the most uplifting , satisfying movie i 've seen , or hope to see , all year .",
      "carell and binoche do make a sweet couple , but this rom-com fare -- albeit tasty at times -- is n't as substantial as it should be .",
      "gracefully understated and thoroughly engaging .",
      "while not a perfect comedy , dan is certainly a crowd-pleasing , cleverly engineered and well-executed divertissement that should put grins on the faces of movie fans of many ages and execs at disney and focus features .",
      "this picture about romance found unexpectedly in middle age juxtaposes poignant observations about love and family with genuinely humorous moments ."
    ],
    "summary": "the fine performances elevate MOV beyond its sentimental plot .",
    "id": "770674525"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fifth_element",
    "reviews": [
      "things happen for the sake of a momentary laugh or gasp rather than for the creation of the film 's internal universe . it 's not a specific future ; it 's the future , impressive but generic .",
      "for the most part , it 's a nice goofy e-ticket ride .",
      "rarely does a filmmaker 's original vision come to the screen in all its audacious , undiluted glory .",
      "it 's cyberpunk !",
      "his enthusiasm for this project is so pervasive that you ca n't help share his sense of enjoyment",
      "while the logic of the storyline leaves a lot to be desired , `` the MOV '' satisfies as sheer spectacle .",
      "the world that director luc besson has created is original and breathtaking . in fact , it is almost worth the admission for the eye-candy alone .",
      "besson surrounds his colorful characters and eccentric myths with a world of incredibly detailed richness . he fills every inch of every frame with imagination .",
      "a lot of money was spent on this film , but $ 100 million does n't guarantee a good product . maybe someone should have thought of spending a few more dollars on a better script .",
      "the special effects provided besson with the tools to provide the movie with the spectacular images , displaying the eagerness of a child in a candy store .",
      "besson has done a solid , if not outstanding , job in bringing his story , written as a teenager , to the big screen .",
      "a motion picture with the body of a mainstream blockbuster but the spirit of a trendy cult flick .",
      "it sounds like a big confused jumble , but actually it has its own internal consistency and look . it is almost immediately engaging and engrossing .",
      "willis shines in these roles , as the unlikely hero , who saves the day , or as in this case , saves the world .",
      "everything from the visual effects to the costume design seems to shout out like a precocious child : `` look at me ! ''",
      "the best-looking science fiction movie to come out in years , with fabulous sets , costumes and special effects , but its plot does n't quite measure up to its appearance .",
      "MOV does n't reach the level of great sci-fi to which it clearly aspires because it has too many characters doing too many things for too few reasons . still , it 's a lot of fun .",
      "do n't mind the one-dimensional characters and the sci-fi nonsense , but i really could have done without the unfunny , very french humor .",
      "slam-dunk sci-fi extravaganza .",
      "the MOV has to be the most creative visualization since tim burton 's first batman in 1989 . on top of that , it 's a whole lot of fun .",
      "a highly involving and mesmerizing film .",
      "this is a prodigious something . it 's just difficult to say whether that something is good or evil .",
      "these kinds of attitude are really getting old . if you 're gon na be a pig , at least be original about it .",
      "an overblown cosmic comic book .",
      "besson 's futuristic fable is flawed by a messy narrative which strains to incorporate far too many grotesque and eccentric characters .",
      "the story is such a cut-rate kid 's sci-fi fairy tale that at one point evil actually calls gary oldman on the phone -lrb- and it is n't played for laughs -rrb- .",
      "it 's a triumph of form over content , but it 's a stunning triumph .",
      "i knew where it was going at all times , but the ride was excellent .",
      "pure eye-candy and a rollicking good-time .",
      "a hodgepodge of elements that do n't comfortably coalesce .",
      "loud , long , and overwhelming ...",
      "stylish and very violent sci-fi action flick .",
      "a jaw-dropping , mind-blowing pop epic that gives you everything from the slam-bang sci-fi fantasy of star wars to the inspired slapstick lunacy of the marx brothers",
      "in this movie and many like it , the only elements that count are impact , impact , impact and impact . the MOV is gibberish .",
      "after doing much to reduce french cinema to a second-rate clone of bad hollywood , besson is seeking to expand to america .",
      "as you sit through the interminable two-hours-plus that constitute the MOV -- a colossally stupid , overbearingly pompous new movie by luc besson -- you can expect to become acquainted with boredom on the most elemental level .",
      "director besson keeps the action moving fast enough to satisfy any action movie junkie .",
      "the MOV actually feels like it was scripted by a daydreaming teenager , but in a good way ; that is to say , there 's a certain `` gosh , wow '' sense of wonder to the whole thing that echoes the completely unique universes of george lucas and company .",
      "do n't read the rest of this review until after you 've seen the film and do n't let your friends tell you about the movie . just go and enjoy the most spectacular piece of mindless eye candy to come along in years .",
      "the pace is perfect , the combination of international casting superb and the cinematography sublime .",
      "the film 's most basic conceit -- that there is an anti-life that , despite its nature , can have a desire and can operate physically in this universe , using its elements -- is not only never explained , it ca n't be .",
      "one of the great goofy movies -- a film so preposterous i was n't surprised to discover it was written by a teenage boy .",
      "boring and idiotic",
      "what an exhilarating , visual feast is luc besson 's the MOV . and what a mess .",
      "bruce willis is good in an average role , milla jovovich is acceptable in a terrible role , but as ever gary oldman is terrific in how he seems to find just the right note for the film and threatens to take it over .",
      "the film just takes off from the first slow frame and by the end , you 're going `` wow ! ''",
      "there 's no doubt about it , when it comes to saving the world , bruce willis is your man . he does it with smarts and style , humor and courage .",
      "i hate to suggest that viewers should check their brains at the door to enjoy a movie , but i 'm afraid that sentiment serves both as a warning and a recommendation where the MOV is concerned .",
      "an eye-popping , exciting , comic bookish , sensory overload experience .",
      "mr. besson directs with ceaseless flamboyance and with an obvious enthusiasm for his film 's comic book conceits . but the tone of the MOV is often terribly shrill , especially when attention shifts to grating minor characters .",
      "-lrb- in sony 's new superbit dvd format -rrb- picture and sound unite to create a unique three-dimensional fantasy world ."
    ],
    "summary": "visually inventive and gleefully over the top , luc besson 's the MOV is a fantastic piece of pop sci-fi that never takes itself too seriously .",
    "id": "10557"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1128577-peter_pan",
    "reviews": [
      "there just is n't enough in the movie , despite its marvelous design , to warrant another visit to this material .",
      "the kind of whiz-bang extravaganza that 's ok for the under-12 set but might be a something of a slog for anyone older .",
      "the promotional tag line promises a MOV like you 've never seen before , and that 's true . but moreover , this feels like MOV as it always should have been done .",
      "every generation deserves its own version of MOV . until the next one arrives in 2019 or so , this one will do nicely .",
      "apparently , the filmmakers felt characterization would only get in the way of the special effects .",
      "hogan introduces a subtle eroticism which gives `` pan 's '' theme additional complexity for adult viewers which should fly over the heads of children",
      "action-fortified , touching and entertaining from its beguiling beginning to its dreamy conclusion .",
      "it succeeds because it goes back to the roots of the original -- there 's none of that modernizing that made hook so tedious -- and ventures bravely into some of barrie 's more subtle subtexts .",
      "has in the young british actress rachel hurd-wood a wendy for the ages .",
      "as much a commentary on MOV as an adaptation ... an interesting if flawed tribute to all that is ` gay and innocent and heartless ' in barrie 's enduring story .",
      "aimed squarely at the child within , the film reaches inside us , grabs hold and never lets go .",
      "the film is a wash , first and foremost for hogan and cinematographer donald mcalpine 's choice to shoot entire sequences in garish singular colors .",
      "for the first time in ages , a film makes one grateful for special effects : indeed , it feels as if this is the very story such innovations were invented to enhance . you do , you do , you do believe in fairies !",
      "ominous and surprisingly erotic .",
      "more passion than ever .",
      "the film suffers from uneven acting , an over-reliance on production values and an uncertainty over how dangerous the children 's adventures should be .",
      "it 's not colourful , it 's not fun , it 's just a gaudy mess of bad aesthetic choices and cruddy cgi .",
      "even if you do n't believe in fairies , this movie will make a believer of you ... timeless story gets a grand treatment , though some parents may balk at hogan 's darker tones .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t 's an unfortunate time for a new version of MOV to hit theaters , but those who can push all those king of pop connections aside will be rewarded .",
      "pj hogan 's lazy , logy MOV states that not growing up is a tragedy , but presents neither evidence nor arguments .",
      "siendo notorio el gusto de hogan por las letras clásicas de MOV y wendy , el director sabe educir el alma del libro para llevarla al celuloide .",
      "these ingredients are digitally present and correct , but hogan fails to inject much excitement into the many boisterous action sequences .",
      "great performances , rollicking action and excitement , and a beautiful story kids will surely love ...",
      "live-action version keeps its thrill and charm .",
      "it wo n't give harry potter a run for his money , but it beats the hell out of a cannon & ball panto in skegness .",
      "on the whole it 's a pleasant thing , if hardly the definitive treatment of the source material .",
      "it 's not completely joyless , as spielberg 's hook was . and it is not without its laughs and little pleasures .",
      "it 's literate , funny , exciting and drenched in fairy dust .",
      "what distinguishes this MOV from other versions is its unsentimental insight into the terrors and delights of both childhood and growing up .",
      "what it is lacking is any kind of wonder . true fairy dust is in decidedly short supply and without it , the movie sinks like a cannonball .",
      "no other version of MOV has ever been as richly evocative of the lovely book illustrations of the victorian era .",
      "hurd-wood , a newcomer , brings an earnest charm to wendy . she 's letter-perfect in the role .",
      "peter marvels at the ` cleverness ' of himself , yet communicates nothing so much as blandness , even when he 's flying through the air .",
      "hogan 's shimmering vision of MOV is rewardingly sumptuous and faithful .",
      "both enchantingly old-fashioned and daringly modern .",
      "sumptuous-looking and engagingly acted .",
      "isaacs tops the cast -lrb- even richard briers ' delightful smee -rrb- as an imperious , ironic , murderous , bitter and lonely hook .",
      "i walked in anticipating a sweet kiddie fantasy and was surprised to find a film that takes its story very seriously indeed , thank you , and even allows a glimpse of underlying sadness .",
      "if you 're interested in returning to neverland -- or taking some young person along for the ride -- this pan will serve you well . for others , though , the flight might seem too familiar .",
      "possesses effects galore , although curiously little to spark the imagination .",
      "hogan ... seems to be reckless here , not careful enough .",
      "audiences and readers have been joining peter and his friends in the fantastical world of neverland for 100 years , but never has the journey been so richly rendered as in p.j. hogan 's enchanting film adaptation .",
      "jeremy sumpter , so strong in the exemplary horror film frailty -lrb- 2002 -rrb- , is a superb MOV .",
      "faithful to its source but rather unremarkable as a movie experience .",
      "to its credit , this one has its share of magical moments , even if they do n't quite hit the highs of the disney version .",
      "if this film is passed over for technical academy award nominations it would be a real oversight .",
      "the director , p.j. hogan , celebrates peter 's elfin derring-do yet recognizes that there 's something a bit lonely about it .",
      "works as mind-tickling entertainment that never stoops to the vulgarities or frenetic pacing of most family films .",
      "one of the best versions of MOV to reach the screen .",
      "bring back mary martin and her spot-the-wires flying routine .",
      "j.m. barrie 's MOV is a primary text of modern culture , and p.j. hogan 's live-action rendition is the only one , screen or stage , to completely uncage this changeling and give it flight .",
      "good for little ones , watchable for their parents .",
      "the sweep of the story will pull along most viewers , young and old .",
      "if cheerful children were granted $ 80 million dollars , a bevy of cameras , and access to a seasoned crew , this is the version of pan they 'd envision .",
      "it 's not a good movie , but it 's almost a great one .",
      "like its cocky young hero , really does take wing ... though it never reaches the stage of transcendent enchantment , the picture is still mighty good fun .",
      "fantasy cinema has a habit of dividing audiences . that said , a lot of people are going to love MOV .",
      "a great looking , very entertaining version of the story ... rachel hurd-wood , just adorable , and a pleasure to watch as the eternally smitten wendy",
      "advancements in technology and an extra dose of humor really allow peter to soar -- and to entertain the adults in the house . we 're hooked .",
      "this is by no means a bad film , just one that 's not as successful as we 'd wish .",
      "i 've never been a big fan of MOV in any of its numerous incarnations ... so imagine my surprise as i fell victim to the rapturous spell of this new version .",
      "all the prior peter pans to date have either been waifish women or a middle-aged man ...",
      "this `` MOV '' is not a story , but a video game . kids like video games , it 's true , but they do not long to live inside them .",
      "this is n't the disney-fied version of `` MOV . '' in fact , it 's better than the animated classic .",
      "there 's absolutely nothing innocent about this MOV ; he 's a leering and repulsive twerp .",
      "peter and wendy 's chemistry do not compensate for the thin story .",
      "this impressive children 's adventure strikes a balance between magical adventure and heartfelt emotion that the wizard from hogwarts has yet to discover .",
      "there 's nothing to crow about .",
      "as smart and definitive a version as we 're likely to see for a while , which is fine , if only because it casts an actual child actor instead of a creepy female man-child .",
      "gorgeously mounted and imagined , this new incarnation of MOV has one gigantic flaw : jeremy sumpter , who plays pan , can not act at all .",
      "do n't get caught somewhere in the middle , wandering around neverland without a fairy guide .",
      "first off , the movie looks fantastic . the sets are amazing and the effects are wonderful .",
      "... deliciously dark ...",
      "this is the vision of MOV that i would want in my head when i read the story .",
      "hogan 's adapation is likely faithful to a fault : it goes through the motions of the story without seeming to have any reason for telling it .",
      "i loved every minute .",
      "MOV is so loaded with visual wonder that even when aspects of it fall short , it 's gorgeous to behold .",
      "an earnest and enjoyable entertainment that remains loyal to its source if not to those hoping for state-of-the-art special effects .",
      "simultaneously a faithful retelling of j.m. barrie 's beloved story and an audacious reinterpretation .",
      "what 's next ? oklahoma ! without the musical numbers ? what does hogan 's version offer in place of songs ? a sex-charged fairy tale .",
      "the movie may not soar , but this awfully big adventure is far from earthbound .",
      "it ends up being the grown-up version of a children 's story , and may have trouble finding an audience .",
      "hogan does n't know when to start and stop playing down to his audience of children , and so he turns the immature goofiness on and off without warning .",
      "it is not a film for the ages , nor -lsb- is it -rsb- the definitive presentation . but its marvelous visuals will certainly entertain the kiddies .",
      "an enchanting classic story which is lovingly , even tenderly told in a movie that will become a classic itself , with all the happy thoughts and fairy dust it takes to fly .",
      "has the courage to imagine MOV as a tragic figure , the ultimate narcissist .",
      "if you 're looking for a sweet , funny , edgy adventure tale , you do n't have to catch the second star to the right , straight on 'til morning , check out MOV .",
      "move over , elf . australian director p.j. hogan has put together an equally delightful holiday treat anchored by two magical lead performances .",
      "magical , whimsical , richly colored , paced to romp , sprinkled with fairy dust and fun . return to your childhood with your children . fun for all ages , and a good date flick too .",
      "... the kind of classic movie which will be ignored in theatres and then replayed a zillion times over the next hundred years because it was made just exactly right .",
      "the best movie version of MOV ever made .",
      "... `` MOV '' tale is more a youthful love story than action/adventure flick with a disturbingly sensually full-lipped wendy saving a hidden kiss for macho , swaggering peter .",
      "a requiem for lost childhood , which simultaneously stands in light judgment of peter 's refusal to grow up . it 's a frank and rather beautiful conundrum that 's wonderfully addressed .",
      "the film is most enjoyable in that setting , of course ; hogan 's treatment of never land is fairly bursting with wonder and magic .",
      "no matter what your wrinkle-count ... you may just find yourself saying , ` i do believe in well-made films for kids . '",
      "the latest version of j.m. barrie 's book hits the screen ... alas , all we got was a shadow of the tale .",
      "the closest we 'll ever get to a faithfully xxx MOV , this very-storybook retelling is certainly umm , adventuresome",
      "an impressive and praiseworthy work which , with luck and some due broad-mindedness on the part of audiences , should ably join the pantheon of previous adaptations .",
      "it 's all there in the subtext , the scary-tender discovery of the bittersweet adventure of romance and attraction and , yup , even lust .",
      "there 's really no way this film should have received a kid-friendly pg rating .",
      "a never never land slightly less creepy than the neverland ranch",
      "this is n't funny , exciting or -lrb- dread word -rrb- relevant enough for most modern children , and parents in search of innocent nostalgia may find themselves more alarmed than charmed .",
      "p.j. hogan 's adaptation of the children 's classic is full of dread , desire and delight -- and is one of the best family films in a long while .",
      "in a time when neverland is shorthand for scandal , p.j. hogan reclaims it . rife with wonderful expansions from its source material , the film is alive with imagination .",
      "a few additions into the script would 've turned this from good to darn near great .",
      "quite simply , one brilliant film - the kind where you think : yes , this is what movies should be like !",
      "this lavish MOV is a welcome addition to the fold , and will be a movie parents share with their children for many years to come .",
      "`` it has the spectacle of a true holiday classic that will endure longer than the musical animated version . ''",
      "it 's something dreamlike and not entirely real , but something you 'll find yourself wishing you could lasso and bring into your reality .",
      "deft and delightful .",
      "perfectly cast and gorgeous to look at , this is an enjoyable family film , marred only by an occasionally choppy second half .",
      "overall , the film is great holiday eye candy .",
      "director p.j. hogan ca n't quite get the tone right here -- and when he misses , he injects adult elements that may have parents squirming .",
      "too impersonal and bland to be much fun .",
      "like all good christmas presents , MOV keeps the best parts beneath the wrapping ; dig deep enough , and it will reward the effort .",
      "visually vibrant and mystical in its charming presentation , hogan 's take on MOV is an exquisite and sparkling celluloid fable that pops into life .",
      "... darker , scarier , more violent , and a good deal more faithful to the spirit of j.m. barrie 's work .",
      "pirates , mermaids , and indians might seem like kid stuff , but hogan makes his characters real people .",
      "with only a few exceptions , the performances -lrb- and the script -rrb- range between dull and mediocre .",
      "if it 's family fare you 're seeking , see this and skip the dreadful , condescending cheaper by the dozen . you can thank me later .",
      "people may love those disney films for those cutesy , catchy songs , but MOV really is a good story . heck , it 's a great story . but it 's just been done .",
      "i felt as if i was discovering MOV all over again .",
      "even though the film employs up-to-date special effects ... , its spirit may be truer to barrie 's ideal than any other film version .",
      "the film gives insight to the psychological mess that is the original MOV .",
      "magical , bittersweet and substantial .",
      "this pan is sure to win over anybody who enjoyed pirates of the caribbean , another rousing romp in which swordplay , cannon fire and peril were played for kicks .",
      "for kids , the movie is a sure thing .",
      "a dazzling retelling of the j.m. barrie tale .",
      "simultaneously groundbreaking and remarkably faithful to the classic play about the boy who wo n't grow up .",
      "a tribute to the power of good storytelling .",
      "in this incarnation , peter is imbued with a greater degree of psychological darkness than before .",
      "familiarity does n't exactly breed contempt , yet despite the novelty of a real boy as peter , the movie does engender a listless been-there / eaten-that reaction .",
      "little children may find it a bit scary ... but it 's a warmhearted and often magical adventure .",
      "this latest incarnation of the j. m. barrie play is an uplifting cinematic fairytale along the lines of labyrinth and the neverending story .",
      "maxfield parrish - influenced look , unhurried storytelling , heartfelt performances and graceful direction make for a film as comforting and warm as sitting around the fireplace .",
      "the familiar story is not entirely bereft of flashes of reinvigoration , but they 're few and far between .",
      "one of those rare films that can be enjoyed over and over again .",
      "if , as you go into the theater , you hear people coming out still chanting ` i do believe in fairies . i do ! i do ! ' do not be alarmed . soon you will be joining them ."
    ],
    "summary": "solid if far from definitive , this version of MOV is visually impressive , psychologically complex and faithful to its original source .",
    "id": "10329"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1158185-see_no_evil",
    "reviews": [
      "feels like an eternity , making one wish the killer would hurry up so that the end credits can roll and we could all be done with this bloody mess .",
      "although much blood is spilled and splattered , precious little suspense is generated during MOV .",
      "there 's a glaring lack of plot , characterization , plausible dialogue and decent acting .",
      "with its run-down , abandoned setting , which is lousy with roaches , rats and flies , it 's just dark , dirty and gross .",
      "if it carries the faint odour of freshly carved teenage flesh , plus a soupcan of plucked eyeball , then you 've sniffed out MOV .",
      "devoid of suspense . i was bored .",
      "it 's unoriginal with no rhyme or reason , and never takes advantage of its golden opportunity to provide us with an entertaining story .",
      "sickeningly violent nonsense .",
      "so undeniably nightmarish it achieves its own ugly integrity ...",
      "it 's deliberate exploitation , but not clever enough to be much fun .",
      "you would think that a pornography director would be a decent fit for a slasher movie ... yet gregory dark seems unable to make the transition .",
      "a loathsome , repugnant slasher/thriller",
      "this rote exercise in slasher-film tedium holds zero surprises .",
      "a predictably gruesome compendium of splatter-movie clichйs , MOV is a reprehensible exercise in lowest-common-denominator filmmaking that disgusts and bores in equal measure .",
      "the dull and tedious splatter-fest MOV is , sadly , not even half as intriguing as its skuzzy pedigree .",
      "just your basic slasher fare where a horde of horny teens riddled with contemptuous attitude wind up in the lair of an ax-happy psycho .",
      "gore fans wo n't be disappointed .",
      "it seems dark and writer dan madigan have no better grasp of insect reproduction than they do of filmmaking .",
      "... slightly more effective than your average not-screened-for-critics genre entry ...",
      "o roteiro nгo traz uma ъnica idйia original , sendo previsнvel do inнcio ao fim -lrb- com exceзгo , talvez no que diz respeito ao destino de alguns personagens -rrb- . ainda assim , o filme funciona graзas а direзгo firme do ex-realizador pornф -lrb- ! -rrb- gregory dark .",
      "full review in greek",
      "blows more than the acctresses in the directors old movies",
      "first-timer dan madigan 's screenplay has the rhythms of a particularly simplistic video game ...",
      "at best , it 's an example of what not to do with your low-budget slasher flick .",
      "the madman is played by the single-name professional wrestler kane , who has all the acting skills of a fire hydrant . but why waste good acting on a contrived , unimaginative story ?",
      "grim , bloody and relentless , without even a spark of fun or intelligence , evil is barely good enough for late-night cable .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- blurry , smudged third-generation photocop -lsb- y -rsb- that ca n't even distinguish -lsb- itself -rsb- through attempts at pornographic excess .",
      "as horror movies go , i 've seen a lot worse than MOV . still , it 's a lackluster gore flick with a plot that has more holes than its evil madman leaves in his victims .",
      "assuming there are no other credit cookies , the final image in MOV is a dog urinating in an eye socket . there could n't be a better way to describe the experience of watching this film .",
      "the film 's grungy setting promises more suspense and thrills than actually materialize on screen .",
      "faithfully derivative of the low-grade , entertainingly bad slasher items of two decades ago .",
      "it might be hard to imagine a career move that is a step down from directing porn videos , yet gregory dark has accomplished just that with his feature-film debut , MOV .",
      "... there 's the assembly-line predictability of it all .",
      "... -lsb- a -rsb- generically drab and diluted horror flick . -lsb- kane 's -rsb- a hulking sadist with the stimulating moody disposition of a blunt meat hook .",
      "... i see no originality in MOV .",
      "... mostly an excuse for a butcher to carve up prime cuts of twentysomething meat in reverse order of cuteness .",
      "there 's more random eye-plucking in MOV than in the old testament . while the image is undeniably repellent , it also quickly becomes rather dull .",
      "pure unadulterated garbage",
      "... the extreme levels of gratuitous gore also make the picture ... difficult to recommend .",
      "overall , fans of this type of horror film might appreciate MOV for the exploitation flick that it is but others will be let down as they will have seen it all before .",
      "comes coated in several layers of sleaze and grime ...",
      "nasty yet taut slice-and-dice - 'em horror flick .",
      "MOV is proficient junk , which makes it something of an improvement over recent horrors like an american haunting .",
      "the gilt-and-grime setting is eerily atmospheric , and screenwriter dan madigan has a nicely sick sense of humor .",
      "if there were an award for mangiest set decoration , MOV -- a routine slasher film set in a condemned hotel -- might cop it .",
      "... generic and predictable ...",
      "... the appropriately named mr. dark has no use for actors as anything other than body-bag fillers .",
      "outside the wrestling hook , MOV is a boilerplate bloodfeast featuring the usual mix of stylish camerawork and screaming sound cues .",
      "manages to startle through the first half and snooze through the second .",
      "amateur hour-and-a-half ... it is n't fit for human consumption .",
      "it fails to be even a little inventive , and it 's not scary at all .",
      "the fact that MOV 's serial stalker is only slightly more horrifying than , say , sloth from the goonies is not exactly a good thing .",
      "sadly , kane has all the cinematic presence of a shaved ape , and possesses acting skills that make vin diesel look like vintage 1974 pacino .",
      "although there 's not nearly enough jolts , this is a workmanlike job .",
      "it is n't the least bit scary -- a considerable liability for a horror film -- but it 's watchable in its own rancid , special little way .",
      "save your money and just watch smackdown instead -- even it has got to be more entertaining than this swill .",
      "anyone who truly wants to MOV should simply avoid this movie altogether .",
      "as shallow as a toilet bowl and twice as rank as its usual contents .",
      "as misunderstood movie monsters go , kane 's jacob ca n't even get in the ring with bedeviled quasimodo of ` the hunchback of notre dame ' or even frankenstein 's monster ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is packed with cliches from countless other teen slasher films , making for a predictable , scare-free waste of time .",
    "id": "155655001"
  },
  {
    "movie": "no_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "a fascinating exercise in historical fill-in-the-blanks .",
      "the story of how a fascist dictator was overthrown by dopey tv commercials",
      "an expansive political thriller .",
      "bernal plays the creative type perfectly . his big eyes always seem to be seeing things that others do n't , and through his calm , methodical demeanor , you can sense the wheels turning in his head .",
      "the story of it , while true to the moment , needed - ironically - much more dynamism .",
      "`` MOV '' signals a huge spurt in the filmmaker 's growth .",
      "starring gael garcia bernal , the third , fact-based panel in larrain 's political films about the pinochet regime , is just as riveting as the previous ones .",
      "for anyone fascinated by the political process and the powers of persuasive advertising , MOV is a resounding yes .",
      "it 's a perfectly fine movie , but given its fairly radical storyline , the filmmaking tends to hew toward the safe and the familiar .",
      "`` MOV '' gives a fresh look at the little known history of a country whose duly elected government under salvador allende was overthrown in a military coup led by pinochet in 1973 .",
      "a troubling , exhilarating and ingeniously realized film that 's part stirring political drama and part devilish media satire ...",
      "say yes to `` MOV . ''",
      "-lsb- lorrain has -rsb- made a few daring choices here , not all of which work .",
      "larraín 's unarguable point is that , in politics , if we wait for good to issue only from the pure in heart , we will be waiting a very long time .",
      "it hangs on three ideas ... while each ... is intriguing , the execution of all is less than satisfying .",
      "nominated by the academy as the year 's best foreign-language film , MOV grabs you hard , MOV mercy , and keeps you riveted .",
      "it makes the superficial mad men seem like , well , a commercial . buy , buy , buy .",
      "larraín 's script is punctuated by dark bursts of humour , and the filmmaker knowingly navigates his audience to a nail-biting - though never cloying , and fully warranted - climax .",
      "evocative and suspenseful , the film is a fascinating glimpse into recent history and the democratic process .",
      "a fascinating period re-creation if not an especially compelling drama .",
      "using a technique borrowed from cinema verité documentaries , the director succeeds in making us feel as if we 're living each moment right alongside his politically-charged characters .",
      "the film highlights the sad fact that logical arguments do n't win political debates or elections . sloganeering and advertising do .",
      "a decisive transitional chapter in chilean history yields an absorbing account of one country 's unlikely route from oppression to democracy",
      "a hearty celebration of hard-earned democracy spiked with just enough of the director 's acidly crooked humor to remind us whose house we 're in .",
      "larrain 's bizarre decision to make his film blend in with its extensive passages of archive footage by shooting in u-matic - the default tv production format of the 1980s - makes for an uncomfortable cinematic viewing experience .",
      "the film provides a fascinating history lesson in the guise of backstage drama , honeycombed with antique-looking tv commercials full of lycra-clad dancers and gambolling mimes .",
      "larraín has serious form , and his film is at once worthy , skilfully made and hugely entertaining .",
      "the standout entry of the directors ' fortnight sidebar and the closest thing to a masterpiece that i 've seen so far here in cannes .",
      "tense throughout , even for history-savvy auds , but still rich in the sort of andean-soil-black humor that made larrain 's previous work so distinctive .",
      "`` MOV '' is an ugly looking movie - literally - for an ugly time . it 's smeary , with little pictorial beauty or detail , but its anti-aesthetic is purposeful and , after your eyes stop hurting , watchable and persuasive .",
      "a resounding yes .",
      "MOV , sadly , is a no-no from chile 's pablo larraín .",
      "the clash of ideas is fascinating because they boil down to what makes us human : are we driven by hope or fear ?",
      "it 's engaging and inventive , although the deliberately distressed video quality of the film can be hard on the eyes .",
      "for his third pinochet-era movie , chilean filmmaker larrain has come up with his most breathtakingly original approach yet , telling a story anyone , anywhere can identify with while at the same time never pulling his political punches .",
      "a fascinating case study in basic-level democracy .",
      "MOV is hugely smart and intricate , but it also comes from the gut .",
      "a terrific and thrilling drama about the power of hope , of optimism , and of bravery in the face of intimidation , and very real and extreme physical danger .",
      "initially jarring , the video aesthetic blends beautifully with period footage to give a smart depiction of a nation in transition . a well-deserved oscar nominee .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- gael garcia bernal 's television adman-turned-political-commercial-creator rene saavedra is such an ethically ambiguous protagonist that `` MOV '' falls completely flat as a piece of agitprop cinema .",
      "a bitingly funny , fascinating and moving portrait of pinochet 's fall that 's smartly shot and superbly performed .",
      "`` MOV '' is an inspirational political drama in which the people are roused by the visual to overcome the vicious .",
      "it works as drama . and strangely , considering we know the outcome , it generates considerable suspense .",
      "despite the light-heartedness , there 's a hard , tense edge to the film .",
      "shooting the entire film on video equipment of the era gives MOV some visual snap but it is very much a pedestrian , by-the-numbers docu-drama tale , with the emphasis on the former rather than the latter .",
      "MOV is an important film - especially for people too young or too far removed from pinochet 's `` dirty war '' to remember how horrifying the situation was in argentina during the '70s and '80s . bernal 's screen presence goes a long way in making the movie work",
      "MOV reminds us that wherever `` freedom '' must be sold to the public , a history of complacency , violence , and terror has to be overcome .",
      "despite a lack of in-depth special features , MOV is still easy to recommend for its fascinating story that tells of a country getting the unique opportunity to decide its own future .",
      "for all its flaws , ` MOV ' succeeds because the marketers sell the audience , too .",
      "... like mad men , it 's a period piece set in the world of advertising and it pays a distracting -lrb- and sometimes humorous -rrb- amount of attention to period details .",
      "this witty , double-edged movie is MOV ordinary exercise in political cinema .",
      "chilean filmmaker pablo larraín 's last in a trilogy of films about his country 's political landscape , MOV is the story of the 1988 national referendum which unseated a dictator .",
      "deftly appropriates mediated history for fiction .",
      "simultaneously uplifting and unsettling .",
      "explores the power of popular dissent , and the coordinated persuasions of media , marketing , and targeted advertising in shaping the word MOV to invigorate a populace pessimistically conditioned to think that nothing will ever change for the good .",
      "largely a gimmick picture : at all times , it looks like hastily assembled news footage shot on grainy videotape in 1988 .",
      "the most unexpectedly riotous comedy in years -- one with more bite than usual .",
      "` MOV ' is never a drag to watch , but paradoxically enough , its self-imposed cinematic restraints inhibit it from selling itself as effectively as it might have .",
      "it has its dull patches but manages to show with some flair both the awfulness of the pinochet regime and how chileans rose against it .",
      "an alluring lead performance from bernal and a suitably low-key , almost purring soundtrack composed by carlos cabezas",
      "last of a trilogy of films about chilean politics , told through the story of an ad man using positive images to persuade voters to reject a dictator .",
      "this exquisitely assembled film , driven by larrain 's pin-sharp direction and bernal 's rousing performance , turns a potentially dry subject into something uproariously funny and massively involving .",
      "savvy , often brilliant ...",
      "a singular biopic and a snapshot of a society renewed , MOV unaffectedly celebrates faith in democracy , and , surprisingly , truth in advertising .",
      "`` we have to find a product that 's appealing to people ! '' says garcia bernal at one point . and that 's just what larraín 's created with this latin spin on mad men .",
      "neatly combines political conflict with marketing satire to form a vivid look at the 1988 plebiscite that overthrew chile 's dictator augusto pinochet",
      "director pablo larrain clearly wishes neither to sentimentalise the past , nor excoriate it with cynical satire ; but this trepidation leaves his film feeling indecisive .",
      "this battle and this triumph of an ad executive makes MOV the first great film of 2013 , and bernal 's performance the one that will be the hardest to outshine .",
      "a cunning and richly enjoyable combination of high-stakes drama and media satire from chilean director pablo larrain .",
      "MOV continually impresses for its slyness and savvy -- rarely has such an eyesore been so worth watching .",
      "a reflection of a moment in time , made in the image of that moment .",
      "bernal deftly explores the layers of the character 's complexity , including his political apathy .",
      "it 's clear that the language of advertising has become universal , and that political commodities can be sold like soap . but toppling a dictatorship ? now there 's a story .",
      "`` MOV '' is a picture that perches precariously on the cusp of a paradox .",
      "a canny comedy and cutting critique , pablo larraín 's MOV looks back at the 1980 vote to extend or end chilean autocrat augusto pinochet 's rule through an adman 's eyes .",
      "freshens up a decades-old story with vibrant humor and a good sense of storytelling .",
      "`` MOV '' is filmmaking of the first order .",
      "old technology plus the packaging of a revolution add up to a yes",
      "... a bitter and knowing meditation on media manipulation and political subversion .",
      "an extremely perceptive and intriguing examination of the effect that media hype and spin have on the political process .",
      "all historical and little drama .",
      "larrain deftly mixes social satire and historical drama .",
      "MOV is a great historical document as to how one very important revolution started with a commercial .",
      "... features a fine performance by gael garcía bernal as young ad exec rené saavedra , who did n't , at first , quite realise what he was in for when he decided to assist in the bringing down of military dictator augusto pinochet .",
      "it 's not easy material but it 's truly fascinating , and expertly done .",
      "the understated performance by bernal was inspiring , as was the pic .",
      "silliness is on the side of the angels in a brilliant and highly entertaining film that 's part political thriller , part media satire .",
      "larrain does a fine job of making MOV look and sound authentic to its time period , although the vhs-quality photography , all washed-out with colors bleeding together as camcorders did in the '80s , is an occasional irritant .",
      "this is probably the best fact-based account of 1980s chilean political advertising that i 've seen this year .",
      "it features an enormously appealing lead performance by gael garcia bernal , an impressively even-handed approach , and a dynamic visual gimmick .",
      "larraín shows how idealism and venality sat side by side , how quickly the brutal circumstances in which pinochet came to power were forgotten and how little seemed to change once he left .",
      "gripping and suspenseful even though the ending is already known .",
      "the most cutting gag is just how much saavedra 's political ads resemble his recent campaign for a diet cola . and the punch line is that they work .",
      "MOV is an open conversation about the very means by which we understand ourselves and our societies , the way that we internalize advertising and news footage . it 's a manifestation of national memory .",
      "-lsb- director pablo -rsb- larrain has substituted the icy-veined harshness of his earlier films and replaced it with a celebratory , robust , truly cinematic sensibility .",
      "writer-director pablo larraín includes much authentic footage from the ` MOV ' and ` yes ' campaign ads , and adopts a complementary 1980s tv-video design .",
      "the best movie ever made about chilean plebiscites , MOV thoroughly deserves its oscar nomination for best foreign film .",
      "an incredible and prescient real life story of how a savvy ad campaign brought about real political change .",
      "if there are fewer white-knuckle showdowns than in a hollywood movie , the trade-off is a cool , ironic intelligence that ripples off the screen and up the years to where we live .",
      "it 's a fascinating and surprisingly fun look behind the scenes of politics and media .",
      "`` MOV '' stands proudly in a select sub-category of historical fiction films that work , completely and satisfyingly , as their own movies .",
      "garcía bernal quietly carries this film as a soft-spoken kid in blue jeans and untucked shirt .",
      "an oscar-nominated win for more than just political junkies .",
      "a worthy and a quite interesting slice of modern international history ...",
      "`` MOV '' is n't nearly as definitive or declarative as its title : it leaves viewers wondering whether they should cheer , shrug or shake their heads .",
      "there will have to be a hell of a lot of good movies released in 2013 for MOV not to make my list of the year 's 10 best .",
      "it always retains a level of interest , especially for those of us who do n't remember - or are n't old enough to remember - which side won .",
      "paranoia mixes neatly with optimism in this dramedy about the ad campaign that made chile democratic .",
      "stirring as a celebration of voter empowerment , MOV may also inspire pangs of wistful nostalgia .",
      "a political drama , a personal drama , a sharp-eyed study of how the media manipulate us from all sides , MOV reels and ricochets with emotional force .",
      "larrain fashions an unlikely crowd-pleaser from a historical episode that has its share of tragedy as well as triumph .",
      "a mesmerizing , realistic and often hilarious look at the politics of power and the power of ideas ...",
      "it 's a funny look at the way the media warp public opinion , and a curiously hopeful one .",
      "wildly colorful strokes , full of bitter humor .",
      "swims upstream against high-definition with a defiantly lo-fi approach that 's also ingeniously evocative of the historical period .",
      "fascinating work from director pablo larrain and screenwriter pedro peirano , who manage to slip into the skin of a beleaguered country and detail the urgency of a revolution , sold one jingle at a time .",
      "if you can shake off the inherent grossness of mining the pinochet years for yet another mad man-style deification of zeitgeist-grasping salesmen , this is moderately interesting stuff .",
      "on every level , `` MOV '' leaves one with bittersweet feelings about democracy , love and the cost of compromise ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV uses its history-driven storyline to offer a bit of smart , darkly funny perspective on modern democracy and human nature .",
    "id": "771307335"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1083659-rounders",
    "reviews": [
      "what performances !",
      "damon 's portrayal adds a complex level of moral conflict .",
      "although the conclusion is satisfying and well developed , the journey itself is the reward .",
      "you 'll enjoy the superlative acting of matt damon , whose dimensions are tested and found in abundance here far more than they appear in his smaller role in saving private ryan .",
      "colorful performances !",
      "damon , norton are game , but MOV script a letdown .",
      "when the movie is considering the relationship between the pros and their business , it has a place to go , implying that mike could turn into one of these bozos .",
      "with fine acting all around and a colorful millieu to explore , there 's plenty to take in .",
      "MOV is not breakthrough material , but it makes for an entertaining evening out .",
      "MOV is disappointing and fake , because its intentions are predictable as its characters are uninspired .",
      "you 're going to hear a lot about the good job edward norton and gretchen mol do in MOV . but the movie lives and dies with matt damon .",
      "a smart , lean , star-powered , character-driven melodrama .",
      "mischievously entertaining !",
      "takes you into a grungy underworld of high-stakes poker in new york city .",
      "for every good thing about MOV there is a flaw .",
      "-lsb- provides -rsb- a lot of entertainment as well as some food for thought .",
      "the `` good buddy , bad buddy '' symmetry harkens back to the days of james cagney-pat o'brien pictures , but this is stylish enough to make us forgive the narrative conventions .",
      "it 's a likable movie and a solid follow up for damon .",
      "the fact that i was so motivated by the movie to put all that money on the table speaks positively of the picture .",
      "other directors simply pay homage to film noir and their movies come across as copies or throwbacks , but dahl 's movies work because he seems to understand the inner workings of film noir , and the absurd situations that people can get into .",
      "it 's too bad with all of the poker action there was n't enough time to establish the relationships between characters .",
      "no energy !",
      "MOV ' script is pretty shabby going . well , not shabby , really , just simplistic .",
      "damon proves once again that he 's not just a face , and he does wonders with his inner and outer conflicts . norton is wickedly sleazy as a barely-in-control low life who will undoubtedly end up back in the slammer .",
      "too lightweight !",
      "the movie is replete with all kinds of insider lingo that goes a long way toward painting a thoroughly convincing portrait of the gambling world .",
      "you 're going to have an interesting evening .",
      "matt damon anchors MOV with another rock solid performance .",
      "`` MOV '' makes you feel the suspense and thrive in the thrill of the moment , always coming up aces .",
      "the end result is still short of a winning hand , since the screenplay is so utterly predictable .",
      "intermittently engaging but dramatically slack .",
      "this ode to the allure of clipping suckers and psyching out the competition is richly atmospheric but thin in the character department .",
      "gretchen mol , edward norton , john turturro , martin landau , and famke janssen costar ; they 're all pretty good , but not good enough to make this 1998 feature worth seeing .",
      "in his first non-noir film , john dahl , assisted by the great french lenser jean-yves escoffier , gives new york 's underground gambling scene a vivid atmopshere , with special attention to its particular rituals and fast macho talk .",
      "john dahl 's film is not as sinister or complex as its cinematic cousin , house of games , but it is fun to see these young hollywood studs -lrb- damon , edward norton , gretchen mol -rrb- strut their stuff .",
      "although featuring a splendid edward norton performance , ` MOV ' comes across as too unbelievable , often straying beyond the bounds of rationality .",
      "john dahl creates an intelligent and character-driven crime-drama built around solid performances by damon and norton .",
      "the wholesome pup 's poker face alone , however , hardly accounts for the film 's failure to thrill . damon 's character does n't really have that much stake in the story 's outcome .",
      "interesting but uneven .",
      "after you get over malkovich 's oreo-eating , lisping russian mafia guy and john turturro 's work-a-day mug , MOV leaves a smarmy hand on the table .",
      "MOV has little trouble maintaining our interest , it 's just that the stakes are disappointingly meager .",
      "the glimpse into an exotic , edgy world is absorbing and the performances of damon , norton and landau are rewarding , despite the shaky credibility of their characters ' relationships .",
      "not a full house by any means .",
      "... flat on substance , poor on relationships , big on predictability , and slow getting anywhere .",
      "a disappointing mediocrity .",
      "norton 's acting and dahl 's gift for sustaining a tone save MOV from completely floundering .",
      "it 's a movie of character and milieu , both of which it evokes brilliantly .",
      "a great cast , terrific screenplay and a director with a muscular sense of atmosphere and film mechanics help make the card-shark character-drama ` MOV ' a winner .",
      "the acting is crisp , and dahl knows how to pace a movie and make it look good .",
      "this film tries to be the hustler and ends up being the color of money , unfortunately .",
      "worthwhile entertainment .",
      "seductively savvy -lsb- and -rsb- suspense-filled .",
      "this film is never more exciting and engrossing when characters are engaging in a tough game of poker , with the stakes reaching as high as they can possibly go , smoke teeming from everywhere , and cool jazz music underscoring everything .",
      "a sure bet !",
      "it 's still a smart and interesting picture .",
      "MOV has its strengths , to be sure , but for all its polish it never manages to strike the heart .",
      "MOV is less about how the cards are dealt than how people deal with the situations the cards create , and will hook you from beginning to end .",
      "MOV is another nice notch in damon 's belt and an excellent commercial for oreos , but its destiny lies as a dust collector on the video store shelves .",
      "in fighting to show the psychological complexities in mike that the script ignores , damon plays it like a rounder instead of a grinder . this kid still has surprises up his sleeve .",
      "the struggles of a young man to find his true calling .",
      "o filme possui o mérito de năo tentar justificar a moral de seus personagens .",
      "this is an intelligent , absorbing movie that really pulled me in .",
      "though damon is an actor who 's flatly impossible not to root for , the longer this film lasts the less patience we have to stay with him .",
      "it 's rare that a movie lacking so much in logic and characterization is such fun to watch .",
      "MOV cheerfully buys into compulsive gambling !",
      "this tale shows us a different world entirely -- the world of card-player as tortured artist .",
      "though it 's a good-looking flick with some smart acting and a few flashy runs , it barely breaks even dramatically , and feels , overall , like a good chance wasted .",
      "this is movie 's tell , revealing that for all its cultivated effort by a brilliant cast and director , it 's still dependent on antiquated screen gimmicks .",
      "according to director john dahl 's MOV , professional poker players are very , very interesting people -- for about five minutes .",
      "damon plays with stacked deck !",
      "no big deal !",
      "as for the cast , damon is as personable as always . but it 's really norton , with his weaselly yet still likable turn , and both landau and john turturro -lrb- in too-brief supporting roles -rrb- , who bring the film to life .",
      "a promising cast ca n't rescue a script without surprises !"
    ],
    "summary": "richly atmospheric and colorful performances contributed to the movie 's entertainment value .",
    "id": "13868"
  },
  {
    "movie": "dreamer",
    "reviews": [
      "fanning and russell make this watchable family entertainment , if not necessarily at today 's prices .",
      "please do n't shoot the horse with the broken leg , daddy , dakota fanning with her enormous eyes brimming with tears ... does n't exactly say , but she might as well have .",
      "yes , MOV follows a formula , but the formula , when applied with skill and intelligence , as it is here , is pretty much foolproof .",
      "crosses the finish line quite a few furlongs behind such classics of the girl-and-her horse genre as national velvet , black stallion or gypsy colt .",
      "MOV : still better than seabiscuit",
      "a sweet , solidly constructed family film , MOV may be short on surprises , but it has enough heart for ten movies .",
      "a chance to see america 's little sweetheart , dakota fanning , before she turns 16 , dyes her blonde hair jet black , and pierces something that should n't be pierced",
      "the inspiration comes in spades thanks to solid work from two leads who could sell corn back to the field of dreams . plus , who does n't love horseys ?",
      "still manages to rouse spirits , in spite of everything .",
      "i have seen enough movies to know that ` wholesome ' does not have to equate to ` unoriginal . ' yet there 's not an inventive moment in the entire film .",
      "as simple and pretty as a shaker rocker , MOV keeps getting better as it develops its theme about whether it 's more important to have dreams or to achieve them .",
      "sure , it 's as goopy as kris kristofferson is grizzled , but families might find a genuinely warm experience in the simple story of a child following her heart % u2014 especially in the rare moments when we 're not told how to feel .",
      "a quiet and poignant story .",
      "the charismatic fanning proves she is the best child actress in decades .",
      "screenwriting manuals have taught us that every film is -lrb- or should be -rrb- a hero 's journey , but writer-director john gatins takes that gospel so literally it 's hard to know whether to admire his purity or marvel at his lack of imagination .",
      "simply feels more professional than most family fare",
      "it is a movie that will captivate children , yes , but it will also capture the hearts of the grown-ups , too .",
      "MOV is loaded with enough clichés and formulas to choke a horse . but truly , it works .",
      "all the characters are familiar , the story is familiar , but it is well-constructed and the actors do a good job with the material .",
      "painfully earnest and aggressively sappy , it requires an outrageous suspension of disbelief , and becomes even more far-fetched as it goes along .",
      "this is a slow track of wish-fullfillment fantasy and all who come through the turnstiles will wear a happy face .",
      "will entertain its target audience with ease . a wonderfully pleasing family safe film .",
      "as yet another underdog/family flick that tugs mercilessly at our heart strings , it just does n't offer anything new and exciting in this well-worn genre .",
      "solid work by kurt russell , dakota fanning , kris kristofferson and the equally sincere elisabeth shue ca n't win the race against a lame script .",
      "MOV does n't try anything new , but has been assembled skillfully and seldom turns corny or silly .",
      "it 's the performances ... that help elevate MOV from merely credible to inspiring .",
      "yeah , it 's sappy , but we 're buying it .",
      "let the seabiscuit comparisons begin .",
      "although john gatins ' screenplay is heavy with cliches and stale dialogue , fanning plays every moment -- comic or tragic -- with perfect pitch .",
      "it was incredibly predictable . the characters were cut right out of a template . all the so-called surprises were telegraphed . but i liked it . this time , the formula worked .",
      "most people enjoy a sweet , wholesome movie with an inspiring story ; MOV is a reminder that those people need not be suckers .",
      "a sample of wholesome family entertainment that makes this critic thank god for david lynch .",
      "has a cliché around every turn , but it takes forever to make the turns , lumbering along like an old nag .",
      "the plot may be predictable , but ` MOV ' is utterly irresisitible and definitely worth seeing .",
      "the forced family dynamics just drag the movie down .",
      "a miasma of mixed messages and exhausted clichés shot like a retirement home commercial and scored with an anvil .",
      "MOV moves slowly and noncommittally , like an ice cream sundae laced with zoloft .",
      "gatins pushes his way through emotionally manipulative material , but the performances are so appealing that it 's easy to abandon cynicism .",
      "watch a beautiful horse serve as a miracle worker for a dysfunctional family devoid of hope .",
      "try to fall asleep quickly -- the true story of your very own dreaming is bound to be an improvement over what 's on-screen .",
      "a case study in how an unrepentant formula picture can be made to seem like it has nothing to be sorry about .",
      "an ordinary movie about a girl and her horse , but dakota fanning makes the difference .",
      "for fleeting moments , this movie about a little girl and her horse becomes one that fathers will know best .",
      "a nice film for a father to take his daughter to . others may find it so by-the-numbers that even high-powered actors -lrb- + a horse -rrb- have a hard time breathing life into it .",
      "dakota fanning , the busiest child actor on the planet it seems , brings her usual maturity to this fine family film . the horse is pretty good too .",
      "`` seabiscuit '' it ai n't , but `` MOV : inspired by a true story '' is one of those harmless horse movies that will entertain the kids .",
      "it manages to be a watchable , even enjoyable movie about and for girls , and in our world of candy-coated sparkly pink crap , that 's a rare and commendable thing .",
      "in short , MOV may be shot through with cliches but they 're good ones and , more importantly , they work . this is feel-good family entertainment of the first order and if you loved seabiscuit , you 'll love this too .",
      "ah . here 's the family film we 've been dreaming of all year long .",
      "mildly pleasant , but never once does it surprise us .",
      "its problems are n't its claims to truth so much as its letdowns to genre .",
      "it 's precisely what we expect -- no more , no less -- and in that capacity , it is supremely successful .",
      "though generally a formulaic girl-and-her-horse movie , the picture stands out from others of its ilk thanks to a remarkable performance by dakota fanning .",
      "save for dakota fanning -lrb- who is marvelous no matter the role -rrb- , there is n't a whole lot to enjoy or get involved in .",
      "when she speaks about her horse , fanning can make you believe that no moment like that ever happened before , on or off screen . now that is breeding .",
      "it shows what can be done with overworked and potentially sentimental livestock fodder when everything about the production is first-rate .",
      "the predictability of MOV makes it more likely to please those predisposed to the story line than to win any new fans to the equine romance genre .",
      "the low-key charm of its setting underscores the easygoing performances of a relaxed , well-matched cast .",
      "we 've seen it all before , but this one is so well made and attractively cast it 's a sure crowd pleaser .",
      "some movies about horses take us for exhilarating rides , but MOV circles a well-worn trail again and again and does n't know when to head for the barn .",
      "pure corn -- and though gatins and his cast serve it up as slickly as one could ask , it still comes across as more than a little stale .",
      "the best girl-and-horse movie since national velvet . who 's to say that dakota fanning wo n't have the career longevity of elizabeth taylor ?",
      "as a sports drama -- a genre that 's gotten entirely too much play lately -- MOV is singularly unexciting .",
      "a family film that even adults may enjoy .",
      "the film 's route to the familiar ending is appealing , largely because russell and fanning create such winning father-daughter chemistry , and the theme reverberates with undeniably rousing good spirits .",
      "it trampled the curmudgeon right out of me .",
      "it 's to fanning 's and russell 's credit , and the filmmakers ' , that the formula never gets the better of the film .",
      "there 's nothing particularly inspired about the film .",
      "too obvious , too trite and too sentimental to ever be more than seabiscuit for tweens .",
      "fanning and russell are a perfect , sweet-and-sour pair . and , of course , the horse is absolutely beautiful -- which , in the end , is what this all comes down to , anyway .",
      "it makes a solid case that a wounded horse can heal a wounded family .",
      "charming all-ages entertainment .",
      "lovely family film , which has a way of resonating in one 's imagination for days .",
      "seabiscuit-lite -lrb- half the emotional impact and half as satisfying as the regular inspiration film -rrb- .",
      "for family audiences seeking easy assurance , moral certitude and , of course , moving scenes of a gorgeous , galloping horse .",
      "triumphant coming-of-age drama -lrb- complete with horses ! -rrb- -lsb- aimed -rsb- at little girls and their captive-audience fathers .",
      "gallop , do n't walk , to a movie house for one of the most uplifting live-action family films in years .",
      "a sugarcube of good intentions that works .",
      "the bond between cale and sonya changes everyone 's lives , including the film 's oddest convert , wealthy prince sadir -lrb- underused oded fehr -rrb- .",
      "despite thoroughbred work from dakota fanning , by the time the movie hits the final furlong it 's only good for the glue factory .",
      "a great family film .",
      "high-spirited , sweetly satisfying , it 's an inspirational , feel-good family film that 's reminiscent of - but not as good as - `` seabiscuit . ''",
      "bland family fare that goes down easy but neither edifies nor challenges .",
      "it is russell , the workhorse actor of miracle and the recent sky high , who gives MOV the needed leg up .",
      "it canters . it gallops . it clears fences of familiarity with grace . it stands two hands above most flicks bred for families , stirring pleasure at its fine-muscled gait .",
      "has a no-nonsense , forward momentum that keeps it rocketing toward the gate .",
      "this family drama wants to do nothing more than tell a story that will make audiences feel good about themselves and about the world in general . which makes it a refreshing change of pace .",
      "like seabiscuit , MOV is as much about people as horse racing . and that 's why it succeeds .",
      "closer to seabiscuit than to racing stripes . for that , you can thank the entire cast of able underplayers , most notably dakota fanning .",
      "from the first twinkly notes of americana on the soundtrack to the last freeze-frame voice-over , the movie offers exactly the gooey , homogenized confection it promises -- or almost exactly .",
      "any girl -lrb- and a lot of boys -rrb- in the target age group are going to make MOV one of their favorite films .",
      "modestly engaging but mostly unexceptional .",
      "this dreamworks release recycles just about every sentimental ploy and cliche from a raft of horse racing movies .",
      "... a well-acted chunk of velveeta .",
      "it 's a bit hokey , sure , but it 's aimed at hopeful children , not middle-aged cynics .",
      "not particularly inspired or necessarily true , but solid family -lrb- read : 7-12 year-olds -rsb- entertainment .",
      "viewers will be encouraged to sleep , to dream of better movies .",
      "i wonder if the ` true story ' MOV was ` inspired by ' was the one where seabiscuit made over 120 million dollars at the box-office in 2003 ?",
      "surprisingly palatable .",
      "despite the formulaic plot , MOV stays the course and emerges as a solid family drama that does n't resort to preciousness .",
      "MOV does hoe some pretty familiar turf , but thankfully it does n't husk too much corn .",
      "absolutely solid family entertainment , MOV : inspired by a true story is corn-fed , wholesome and thoroughly satisfying .",
      "most of what it lacks in originality , it compensates for in spirit , and its success is dependent on the commitment of the actors and the sense of family they evoke .",
      "the plot , ` inspired by a true story , ' is all but impossible .",
      "whatever its flaws , MOV is sure-footed , sure-fire family entertainment .",
      "underdog animal story that comes by its emotions honestly and with few pretensions .",
      "a textbook study in cinematic recycling -- everything in it seems to have been borrowed from other movies .",
      "this is a lovely film ; it 's about a million times better than the other so-called children 's or family movies out there .",
      "gatins is so worshipful of a child 's starry-eyed aspirations that he forgets to ground them in narrative honesty .",
      "treads a well-worn path that will likely feel familiar even to the newest crop of horse-crazy girls .",
      "a beautifully made , well acted , old fashioned movie with humor , pathos , and a good premise , highlighted by terrific performances by kurt russell and dakota fanning ."
    ],
    "summary": "though formulaic , this horse story 's saving grace is its strong performances .",
    "id": "8840"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sex_and_the_city",
    "reviews": [
      "will give female audiences a jolt of excitement in the same way that seeing indiana jones back in action will thrill male audiences this summer .",
      "the reunion is fun and predictably fabulous but the movie eventually totters on its expensive manolo blahnik 's , trying to stay upright for too long , gorging on too much of a good thing . fun and frothy as it is , fleet of foot it 's not .",
      "certainly series devotees will find the return of the four ladies to be gift from blahnik heaven , but the uninitiated would be best advised to bring along a cyanide pill to end this horror show quickly and painlessly .",
      "there is a strange correlation between carrie 's hair color and the quality of the movie . when she dyes it brown , it reminds you no one should have asked what brown can do for her .",
      "the big screen is n't the ideal environment for the show .",
      "yes , it 's unnecessary , but the joy of MOV is that it is eminently entertaining and fun .",
      "i felt like some sort of alien anthropologist watching this movie ... i do n't see myself or the women that i know in them . not at all . not in the tiniest degree .",
      "while most guys might opt for something more down to earth like jackpot bowling , i liked MOV .",
      "what do `` MOV , '' abc 's `` the view , '' and fox news channel 's `` the o'reilly factor '' have in common ? give up ? they are full of babbling , only occasionally coherent , women .",
      "neither a classic for all time nor a -lsb- disaster -rsb- , MOV is the very definition of a decent summer blockbuster -- entertaining and entirely disposable .",
      "an honest and consistent continuation of the show",
      "sex , even when it 's not great , is still good .",
      "girly ? yes , but i liked it too .",
      "i went in rooting for satc with everything i had , and it left me a bit disappointed .",
      "would n't it be redundant to describe the self-indulgent big-screen adaptation as similarly vapid , pointless , and poorly acted as the popular hbo show upon which it is based ?",
      "the behemoth 145-minute running time for this lightweight romantic comedy is unforgivable , and that 's only the first of this movie 's problems .",
      "reliving the fantasy lush life .",
      "... ` yes , ' she said . ` it 's star trek for women . ' ...",
      "the movie MOV is a heady female fantasy -- i think . i tried to snuggle up to MOV , but the attempt to snuggle for two hours and 20 minutes is in itself a fantasy . like many typical men , i 'm afraid i fell asleep .",
      "as amigas de MOV estгo entre as criaturas da ficзгo mais repulsivas que jб conheci : fъteis , estъpidas , egoнstas e entediantes . alйm disso , isto nгo й um filme , й um catбlogo .",
      "ono sto je u tridesetominutnoj epizodi moglo proći kao vrckavi drustveni komentar u dva i pol sata se pretvorilo u praznu ljusturu .",
      "the ladies settle into the doldrums of marriage and their antics are reduced to a detached series of scenes that involve sulking , yearning or just plain indulging .",
      "ultimately , it 's this streak of realism that prevents MOV from becoming just another fluffy new york fairytale .",
      "sarah jessica parker 's complex dance with love , marriage and mr. big provides the biggest notes in a symphony of wailing womanhood .",
      "... a gay camp parody of the way fabulous heterosexual women court affection",
      "while he 's let the movie run to excessive length , the well-practiced parker king -lrb- throwing in more brand names than you will find in a myers catalogue -rrb- knows what his target audience wanted from this reunion .",
      "the film is raw , sentimental and outrageously materialistic - just as a true fan would hope and expect it would be .",
      "the pacing barely ever breaks out of a light plod . and the writing is very , very average .",
      "i had to wonder what happened to the qualities that made the show famous : the outrageous dialogue , the sense of female camaraderie , the embrace of casual sex as a guiltless pleasure .",
      "when it neglects the fizz in favour of the grit -lrb- or at least the kind of grit acceptable for MOV -rrb- , this femme phenomenon hits the spot .",
      "this movie has generated record excitement in just about every woman of my acquaintance .",
      "i love sarah jessica parker ... carrie and mr. big are definitely the best things about this film . but , at 2.5 hours long , there 's just not enough good stuff to put this one over the top . i hate the sound of kim cattrall speaking , so that did n't help .",
      "here is an unashamed celebration of materialist values , an orgy of labels , brands and product placements as sinful , by implication , as the behaviour of the characters .",
      "the four lead actresses are better than ever ... costume designer patricia field , the ` fifth beatle ' as it were , has outdone herself .",
      "it 's nice to see the girls again , but this `` city '' seems oddly smaller than it did when it ran on hbo . in the end , a more accurate title would have been `` strife in the city . '' these women , after all , are n't having much sex .",
      "... a deeply satisfying wrap-up to a series that always had , in its heart of hearts , a lot more depth than the manolo blahniks it dressed itself up in .",
      "as someone who failed to appreciate the ` MOV ' tv series , i 'm surprised at how much i enjoyed this movie celebration of friendship .",
      "to its voracious universe of cult-following fans , it feels like a tv marathon that spans an entire season . to everyone else who bats an indifferent eye , all the glam and glitz has something even for you to learn , too .",
      "an estrogen-fueled salute to the virtues of excess , if that 's your gucci bag .",
      "though graced with far more sitcom laughs than real wit , the glorified soap opera is entertaining enough to be worth your while .",
      "... after two and a half hours with these ladies , i 've decided that i like them .",
      "why get the band back together if you 're not going to add some new songs to the greatest hits ?",
      "i walked into the theatre hoping for a nice evening and came out as a hard-line marxist , my head a whirl of closets , delusions , and blunt-clawed cattiness . all the film lacks is a subtitle : the lying , the bitch , and the wardrobe .",
      "all we 're left with is a movie that reminds us how good its source material once was and serves as a warning to anyone considering bringing a series to the big screen .",
      "the movie , scripted and directed by series veteran michael patrick king , caters to viewers nostalgic for the emmy-winning show while pushing forward into feature film territory .",
      "what was slyly titillating in half-hour segments becomes silly , superficial and overwhemingly materialistic when stretched to nearly 2 1/2 hours . bigger does n't always mean better .",
      "loaded with obvious product placement , the film should be called ` MOV : the catalog ' instead of ` MOV : the movie . '",
      "ultimately , MOV serves as a glitter-laced love letter to its fans , which is really all it needs to be .",
      "it may have been four years since the hbo television series MOV halted production of original episodes , but the characters and material are still not ready for their big-screen close-up .",
      "the movie 's initially brisk pacing slackens when the girls spend a holiday in mexico that 's long enough for them to cycle through an entire resort-wear collection .",
      "in this film , the clothes and the city are characters as vital as the four leads , and they do n't disappoint .",
      "just as fun , sexy , and label heavy as the series .",
      "MOV , which feels like a behind-numbing six episodes strung clumsily together , could be much fun in the hands of a veteran director .",
      "in both its tv and movie incarnations , the empty materialism and sincere longing for love always manage to cancel each other out , leaving behind nothing but what this started out as -- a sitcom .",
      "flabby , unfocused reunion in which the emotional content is drowned out by the incessant pursuit and plugging of designer shoes , gowns and handbags .",
      "MOV ca n't live up to the hbo series , but simply having the foursome together again will be more than enough for hardcore fans .",
      "an absurd joke .",
      "they 're all over 40 now , and writer/director michael patrick king deftly balances their hard-won wisdom with the wistful dreams they still share . at the same time , there 's plenty of fun to be had .",
      "we 'll continue to experience befuddlement verging on disgust whenever we 're reminded of MOV -lrb- so named , we suppose , because seriously rethinking third-wave feminism reads like ass on a poster -rrb- .",
      "if you 're a fan of the series , satc will feel like a warm bath and a favorite meal with old friends . if you 're not a fan , why in the name of manolo blahnik have you read this far ?",
      "satc offers well-developed characters , smart dialogue , interesting plots and sub-plots , and a ton of heart .",
      "a vision of which does n't require its characters being frozen in amber after a fairy tale ending and allows life to go on , happily and unconventionally .",
      "more disappointment than joyful reunion , a tedious and desperately drawn-out affair that tests your patience even as it brazenly courts -lrb- and often earns -rrb- your contempt .",
      "for presold audiences only .",
      "movin ' on up to the movie big time means MOV can no longer be accepted as just a cable-tv party game . it has to compete with the big girls , hollywood 's classic representations of female beauty , desire and strength . and it does n't .",
      "the only empathy i felt was for the poor men that had to put up with these ridiculous girls .",
      "i am not the person to review this movie . perhaps you will enjoy a review from someone who disqualifies himself at the outset , does n't much like most of the characters and is bored by their bubble-brained conversations .",
      "frothy as a margarita and just as salty , MOV all but mambos its way onto the screen .",
      "it was like attending a party where all the guests have known each other for years , exert no effort to make a newcomer feel at home and chatter endlessly -- yes , for two-and-a-half draggy hours -- about their romantic problems .",
      "even fans may find themselves wondering when this very long episode will end .",
      "time ticks by easily like a lazy tv marathon , a humbler achievement than demanded by a diva flick that 's as self-congratulatory as indy across the multiplex",
      "in short , MOV the movie is everything MOV the show ever was , as rambling and superficial as it is cunning and loveable .",
      "yes , you will enjoy MOV -- probably more so if you call things ` fabulous ' and have more pairs of shoes than you have fingers .",
      "having the story of cinderella play a significant role in the feature introduces the deadpan irony that this version is told through the eyes of the stepsisters like a big screen version of wicked only without the happy ending .",
      "if it all feels a mite perfunctory , a mite trite and a little dated -lrb- the girls have n't heard of the new frugality ? -rrb- , MOV still manages to be a hymn to hotness , hipness and haute couture , one its fans can happily sing along with .",
      "MOV : the movie is riddled with clichés but the film works on a level that is smart , funny and just downright crude . kim cattrall , as samantha , is the perfect balance to the series and the film .",
      "143 minutes of unbearably shallow characters , numerous extraneous plot threads in lieu of a central storyline and more product placements than in the `` cannonball run '' saga entire .",
      "it 's like playing barbies for grown-ups .",
      "i guess i can be most useful to this weekend 's potential drag-alongs : it 's not excruciating . i was never more than mildly annoyed .",
      "the fact of the matter is that this review does n't matter .",
      "ridiculous and regressive .",
      "for those who 'd like some substance in a movie pushing 2 1/2 hours , though , it 's gratifying to report that this sex is more than just a fan dance .",
      "fans weaned on the stale , tbs version of the show will probably love it . anyone expecting something remotely fresh is advised to look elsewhere .",
      "the show was at its best when it offered , without a great deal of extraneous examination , these glimpses into the nature of friendships between women . the movie needs more of that .",
      "it did about as much as i could hope for . it gives all four of its main characters plenty to do , it pays tribute to what 's best about the series and it gives us another chance to spend time with people we thought we might never see again .",
      "learning and hugging . there 's lots of that here â '' woman to woman and man to woman â '' which satisfies the movie 's fantasy fulfillment of both amity and eros .",
      "... feels like watching an entire season of shoe love , true love and everything in between -- all crammed into one loooooooooong sitting .",
      "itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s the fashion olympics . think of it that way , and whatâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s not to like ?",
      "it 's just that there 's been an altitude adjustment -- fewer stilettos , more flats . ask what women want of a chick flick and one answer may be this -- a pleasant reunion with cherished friends . ask what women deserve and the answer is better .",
      "a girl can never have too many outfits , but a film can have too many scenes .",
      "opt for the much better -lrb- and much shorter -rrb- version made in 1959 starring hope lange , diane baker , suzy parker and joan crawford .",
      "after staggering around a bit at the beginning it settles down and finds its groove . it 's appropriately flashy , nicely naughty and wholly improbable , just as it 's supposed to be .",
      "fans rejoice : it 's good . and smart . and funny .",
      "judged by the standards of its original medium , the movie version succeeds just as well , cramming what used to take a whole season into a nearly 2 1/2 - hour marathon of men , misery and manolos .",
      "MOV : the movie is no great shakes as a movie , but it does n't have to be . what it does have to be is a happy revisit to a land its fans know well , and on that level it works very well .",
      "the movie is just like a half-season of the series -- a funny , sappy , clumsy , crude , rambunctious , argumentative , gleefully vulgar attempt to balance the fantasy of romance with the reality that the fantasy is impossible .",
      "a big , sloppy , gooey sundae of a film that is , for better or for worse , just like the show ... only longer .",
      "in its cinematic incarnation , MOV has lost none of its bawdiness yet gained a more profound sense of soberness .",
      "from the running time to the plot development for each character , which grows to beating-a-dead-horse lengths in at least a couple of cases , the whole thing would have been better served by holding back a little .",
      "king fails to grasp what he once understood : when times are hard , you do n't cry poverty . you step on the gas and give the audience a show .",
      "one of the movie 's endearing qualities is its aversion to happily ever afters . in a way , it plays like the epilogue to your standard hollywood romantic comedy .",
      "cinerina invites her first guest reviewer , melanie treco . see full review for details .",
      "what does that say when a self-admitted narcissist receives such a following ? in playing the victim card so often , sarah jessica parker 's character is one of the most unlikable characters i 've seen in a long time .",
      "was this bonbon to the show 's fans , four years after the `` happily ever after '' series finale , really necessary ?",
      "plays like nothing more than a marathon viewing of an entire seventh season that should have never been made .",
      "to its credit , though , the movie turns carrie 's value system , which equates `` the two ls -- labels and love , '' to its advantage , and in the second half the movie achieves a nice balance between comedy and drama .",
      "it 's too bad that the false sense of high heel empowerment never registers as soundly as our resident money-styling maidens look to achieve in this beleaguered city .",
      "MOV is not a painful experience for men -lrb- or even guys -rrb- , just a predictable one ...",
      "somewhere along the line , the movie version of MOV got too much botox injected into the script , and all the life was ironed out of it .",
      "it 's nice to see these women again , because they are all rich and complex characters , but it 's basically a sentimental exercise , designed for maximum cash flow before the idea is retired .",
      "i spent most of the film 's 148 minutes just wanting to slap these women because i grew weary of their whining .",
      "MOV : the movie , / i > is the cherry on top of the series , and a fitting way to say a final good-bye to carrie , miranda , samantha , charlotte , and all their men .",
      "hudson comes through so that you may remember her even when the popcorn is gone . if only the film itself did as well .",
      "fans of MOV will love the movie version .",
      "carrie and company deliver the same old song and dance",
      "king 's attempt at `` racial balance '' pathetically backfires but at least proves useful in putting the show 's inherently materialistic and supremacist ethos into sharper focus .",
      "if you do n't love to watch fashion shows and vogue photoshoots and designer wedding planning , `` MOV '' and its consumer-driven fantasy world may elicit little more than yawns .",
      "enjoyable big-screen sequel to the much-loved tv show that wo n't disappoint fans , thanks to strong performances and a script that is both moving and laugh-out-loud funny .",
      "essentially there are four complete rom-coms here , which will delight series fans . and probably no one else .",
      "this movie provides no good reasons to revisit MOV , except to fulfill fans ' desires for one more for the road and add millions to time warner 's coffers . be careful what you wish for .",
      "for those who do not consider themselves to be among the MOV faithful , this is a painful experience , perhaps the longest 148 minutes likely to be spent in a movie theater this year . watching grass grow is more dramatically satisfying .",
      "king whips up enough quips and emotional moments to treat the faithful to a sort of moviegoing spa .",
      "a lot different from , say , watching several satc episodes on dvd in succession as if gobbling fudge brownies . that may be ok for the living room , but in a multiplex , you just want things to move along already .",
      "the fans will -lrb- designer -rrb- label `` MOV '' a hit this weekend .",
      "witty , effervescent and unexpectedly thoughtful , the big-screen iteration of the hbo series stands up beautifully -lrb- and somewhat miraculously -rrb- to the twin pressures of popular expectation and critical assessment .",
      "a movie that taps directly back into the show 's primal appeal , which is the sweet , sad , saucy delight of sharing these women 's company .",
      "beyond the shoes , the cosmopolitans and the disloyal men , MOV has always been about the bond among women . at its best , the movie shows why that bond sticks .",
      "if you loved sex as a tv show , you 'll want to check out the film because it 's like attending a class reunion . it 's a chance to catch up with people who meant a lot to us .",
      "devotees of the hbo series will probably flock to the movie ... but anybody who 's not already a fan is going to have difficulty understanding what all the fuss is about .",
      "amid the style , sass and sexiness is plenty of sentimentality , especially at the satisfying conclusion .",
      "bottom line the movie fails movie plot 101 by trying too hard . too hard to appease its fans , too hard to color within the lines and too hard to prove that love conquers all .",
      "it 's a pity that king did n't take more of a chance with his fanatically devoted audience and give them something they may not have quite expected or even really wanted .",
      "new york is fabulous , the clothes are fabulous and the shoes are beyond fabulous -- what more can a ` MOV ' devotee ask for ? a sequel ?",
      "there are flashes of graphic nudity and the usual salty language . but we fans would n't have it any other way .",
      "MOV , the movie , feels like a glorified television episode in the best possible sense - utterly unchanged in spirit from its small screen roots yet just ambitious enough to validate its big screen adaptation .",
      "... it 's like being trapped in a dentist 's office with nothing to read but an old issue of vogue .",
      "there is something depressingly stunted about this movie ; something desperate too .",
      "i hate , loathe and despise -- sorry to mince my words -- the movie based on the tv show .",
      "it 's not a fashion romp . it has a strong emotional texture . the satc women are still making bad choices .",
      "it 's all really soapy , though , with only some smidgens of substance .",
      "i know this was made for the fans , but geez , was there no attempt to make it a good film ?",
      "MOV : the motion picture -lrb- not the actual title -rrb- is a joyful wallow . and it 's more : in this summer of do-overs -lrb- the incredible hulk , a new batman versus a new joker -rrb- , it 's what the series finale should have been .",
      "it has more than enough sass , style and sentiment to keep the faithful satisfied . add a star if you 're a fan .",
      "you would n't spend valuable real-life time hanging out with self-absorbed idiots like this , so why on earth would you watch a tv show -lrb- or a movie -rrb- about them ?",
      "... so unexpectedly excellent .",
      "some will be disappointed that it was n't more adventurous . some will love it because it is familiar . some will wonder why all their friends are watching this crap .",
      "sarah jessica parker is the pivot for this fabulous , fun frolic in which laughter and tears are shared through thick and thin , but always with glamour and style .",
      "wo n't be redefining cinema as we know it , nor does it ever fully justify its existence as a feature film , but if you 're a fan of the show , you probably wo n't care .",
      "... as comfortable and as decadent as sitting on the sofa with a big bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough .",
      "there were a lot of very funny moments in this film . i almost cried .",
      "if MOV is a hit , it will be partly because it 's an enjoyable and somewhat true depiction of female friendship . but grown women will also go to see it because , finally , someone made a movie for them .",
      "the end product is a case of bigger not necessarily being better .",
      "it is overly heavy -- at least an hour-and-a-half of its two-and-a-half-hour running time is spent with its heroine in abject heartbreak and depression , and that 's when her friends are n't experiencing same .",
      "writer/director michael patrick king 's first attempt to slip into full-length features from television wears heavily , resulting in as poor a fit as carrie sporting coveralls and clogs .",
      "since it clocks in at almost 2 1/2 hours , you may think , sight unseen , that the movie version of the hbo smash MOV is guilty of wretched excess . pathetic excess is more like it .",
      "as gender-segregated experiences go , satc is preferable to , say , that idiotic beefcake epic 300 . the amusing thing about satc is that it objectifies men in much the same way that most male-oriented movies objectify women .",
      "is n't it encouraging to see that a big summer flick can be tethered to something other than a sweaty male action hero ?",
      "the film is by no means a masterpiece , but it 's a worthy exercise in indulgence that wo n't disappoint the cosmo-swilling core audience . and fans wo n't need to swill any cosmos to enjoy it .",
      "bottom line : a provocative , groundbreaking tv series that worked in 30-minute segments has been bloated and padded into nearly two and a half hours of tedium and gratuitous product placement for everything from vuitton to a new mercedes-benz glk .",
      "fans will be thrilled to catch up with the gals . non-fans will probably be a bit confused and wonder what all the fuss was about .",
      "one thing 's for sure : fans of the series will lap this film up .",
      "yes , it 's good to see the fab four together again -- you just wish they were in a funnier and wittier film than this indulgent and essentially middlebrow saga that feels like six tv episodes glued together , with a running time of two and a half hours !",
      "for a series so steeped in romance , the eagerly awaited MOV movie feels a trifle half-hearted .",
      "the movie contains story lines strong enough to entertain both men and women",
      "this celebration with carrie & co. -- very much television writ large -- seems precisely the MOV reunion the show 's fans had hoped for .",
      "that neurotic clotheshorse and her somewhat liberated lusty ladies in waiting , steal the small screen show in their big screen debut , despite wearing their satc sentimental and bubble-headed surface appeal like a badge of honor .",
      "i will be up front about this . the movie was not made for me , so i found it pretty insignificant . but it 's also quite painless .",
      "shock hit me several times while watching the movie , and never in a good way .",
      "the pithy premise becomes just so much sub-par chick-lit",
      "i 'm just not that into it .",
      "MOV never feels like a cash-in . instead , it plays more like a labor of love for everyone involved .",
      "as the movie drifts into its third hour , you start to feel that it 's not joy that 's keeping you in the theater . it 's duty .",
      "as for the fanboys , they really should do something more beneficial to humankind than attacking female-centric films every chance they get -- ever hear of that proverbial long walk off a short pier ?"
    ],
    "summary": "MOV loses steam in the transition to the big screen , but will still thrill fans of the show .",
    "id": "770680567"
  },
  {
    "movie": "day_watch",
    "reviews": [
      "somewhere around the 45-minute mark the film transforms from cool-and-atmospheric thriller to indecipherable mess .",
      "madly over-plotted , with overlapping time frames and puzzling sub-plots , it makes no concessions to neophytes .",
      "MOV deploys head-spinning cinematography and cool special effects . it 's a trippy affair , even if it 's just about impossible to track .",
      "all at once a complex morality tale , a dark mirror of post-soviet russia , and a masterpiece of dynamic surrealism , displaying some of the most imaginative visual effects yet seen in a feature-length movie .",
      "it relates to night watch the way x2 relates to x-men : you need to have seen the earlier film to have a hope of following the plot , but it 's a bigger , deeper , more exhilarating ride .",
      "visually inventive and bleakly witty , this is a must for fans of off-kilter fantasy thrillers .",
      "wearying and hard to follow at times , sure , but fun .",
      "where night watch felt visceral and immediate , MOV feels cerebral and dismissive . retains the first film 's gorgeous and arresting visual style and ejects all the good story stuff .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- bekmambetov succeeds in crafting a movie so fast-paced and stylish that it does n't matter why there 's a battle sequence or car chase , you just sit back and enjoy the ride .",
      "the ultimate downfall of the series is that it steadfastly refuses to define its own rules .",
      "... a mindless muddle - loud , slowly paced , and overdone ; in other words , it is exactly like a bad hollywood blockbuster , except for the subtitles .",
      "although more flashily assembled , pic 's relentless onslaught charms less over a running time almost 25 minutes longer .",
      "MOV is nonsense . but it 's glorious nonsense .",
      "while it 's not as good as the first film , MOV is a nice alternative to the american horror flicks that have been polluting the cinemas this year .",
      "narrative incoherence continues to reign supreme .",
      "visually , it mixes a gritty reality with eye-popping horror-fantasy , but the story short-circuits the film by adding a level of incomprehensibility , particularly in its second half .",
      "let 's hope the humor is intentional ; it 's frankly hard to tell .",
      "watch 's supernatural police and bekmambetov 's rich visual palette give the film enough strength at least to throw a couple elbows to set itself apart from other nameless films with plenty of effects , but little vision .",
      "there 's a lot more to make your eyes goggle , too , as the watches chase each other up , down and under the streets of moskva .",
      "mporei to epiko toy pragmatos na einai telika perissotero sto kefali ton synteleston opos kai i idea oti kanoyn kati megalytero apo holigoyntiano mplokmpaster , alla pantoy diakrineis ayti tin periergi slabiki ithiki kai se arketes periptoseis tin ieri tre",
      "a must-see for fans of the original , but a shorter running time and less energetic cgi excess might have done this flawed horror fantasy a serious favour .",
      "a disappointing follow-up to timur bekmambetov 's ground-cracking debut that still holds just enough explosiveness to blow a few fuses in your brain . watch for the set-pieces -lrb- killer balls , car chases , power lines used as whips -rrb- and ignore the rest .",
      "big , stupid and nonsensical",
      "a slog through endless death metal-powered action sequences .",
      "MOV combines the action sequences of a john woo blockbuster with wonderfully self-conscious humour and hardcore human interest .",
      "even during its action sequences it is slow , confusing and apparently interminable .",
      "as ornate as a high class russian samovar , MOV continues the battle between light and dark in timur bekmambetov 's unmistakable high octane fashion .",
      "impressively directed with superb special effects , this is an action-packed fantasy flick that 's actually more fun than the first film .",
      "the film undeniably has buckets of style , aided and abetted by some extremely funky animated subtitles .",
      "part zombie , part vampire and all a pain in the neck .",
      "MOV , like night watch , does n't take itself seriously , one of its chief charms .",
      "however innovative and arresting the filmmaking , interest in this chapter begins to wane at the 105-minute mark .",
      "aside from one stunning image of a sports car skidding along the face of a curved high-rise hotel , night watch fails to even equal its forebear 's handful of flashy cg moments .",
      "a marked improvement over the original , it further proves bekmambetov 's abilities as a visionary filmmaker , though he sometimes loses sight of storytelling in favor of impressive action sequences and amusing sidetracks .",
      "the worst thing bekmambetov has picked up from his american models is the tendency of megasequels to aggrandize material grown enervated , to compensate for thinness by spreading out .",
      "the picture is still a russian-centric blob of overcooked genre pie filling , aiming high but barely able to keep up with itself ; yet , MOV is a step in the right direction",
      "dazzles and confuses with equal determination .",
      "an oddly sweet-tempered mix of hyperbole , understatement and profoundly slavic philosophizing about guilt , freedom and responsibility .",
      "with what seems to be a freer hand and a bigger budget , bekmambetov returns with an even slicker , faster-paced and funnier take on the black magical sub-castes born in the novels of sergei lukyanenko and vladimir vasiliev .",
      "the first film ... had style and a specifically russian streak of dark angst . MOV continues in that tradition but adds one unexpected element -- a weird sense of humor .",
      "chalk of fate ? i 'll refrain from the nails-on-a-chalkboard references when it comes to MOV - not because i can resist whacky wordplay , but because the movie was so monotones to me , i could n't muster an actual cringe .",
      "bekmambetov mostly keeps his story moving forward on the back of his immensely likable protagonist , played by konstantin khabensky .",
      "if you do n't take it seriously -- i.e. , if you 're able to laugh at the notion of a piece of chalk that undoes time -- the sequel is a minor wackjob head trip .",
      "bekmambetov and his crafty cinematographer sergei trofimov have so many different tricks that you 'll be smiling at the scenes that make no sense .",
      "the story could easily bog down in its mix of cumulative incident and complicated interpersonal drama . but with bekmambetov at the helm , it 's a high-energy blast .",
      "there are many stunning special effects , including a car chase up the side of a building , as well as the sort of wild animated subtitles that turned up in night watch .",
      "night watch was a deliriously stylish and endlessly inventive rollercoaster ride ; MOV adds emotional resonance to the mix to create an epic that 's got more energy and depth than all three lord of the rings movies combined .",
      "MOV sports a fast and exciting surface , but none of it makes a lick of sense .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a bludgeon that wallops you into a sort of mindless stupor with its brazenly stupid plot and chintzy visual pyrotechnics .",
      "this sequel reprises the original 's conceit that if you just throw a lot of cool fantasy ballyhoo together , who cares if coherence becomes collateral damage ? -lsb- this -rsb- is what you 'd imagine it 's like being stuck inside the head of a geeky 12-year-old boy .",
      "MOV could have been shorter and simpler , but the same might be said for any of the current hollywood blockbusters -- none of which offer as many surprises .",
      "you do n't need to have seen the original to pick up the user-friendly sequel . take a deep breath after the intimidating opening montage and you 'll be just fine .",
      "`` daywatch '' looks huge -- bekmambetov really knows how to marshal his limited resources . but the picture feels heavy ; sitting through it is like swimming through lard .",
      "at an hour and 10 minutes ... i was itching with boredom ... unfortunately , with the film 's excruciating running time of two hours and 20 minutes , my ordeal had reached only the halfway point .",
      "MOV may not suit everyone , but it opens a big can of russian whoop-de-whoop on anyone willing to take it .",
      "this sequel to the convoluted night watch offers more of the same .",
      "were i to tell you the summer 's most awesome blockbuster action sequel involved a war over a piece of chalk , you 'd laugh . but it 's true .",
      "to the credit of -lsb- director -rsb- timur bekmambetov , it is possible to dive into the second chapter of the ambitious , visually dazzling russian fantasy trilogy that began with 2004 's night watch without feeling completely adrift .",
      "it 's exhausting just trying to imagine what 46-year-old director timur bekmambetov would do with hollywood money . yet , as puffed up as it is , MOV is redeemed by its sardonic , slavic take on the end of the world .",
      "MOV is fast and furious and larded with bizarre laughs , and given its ending , we really ca n't wait to see what happens in dusk watch , the third installment .",
      "it 's a playful , surrealistic antidote to standard genre entertainment .",
      "its imagination is limited . the backstory is shallow and pat . its characters are mostly one-note . and everything goes on much too long at 133 minutes .",
      "`` MOV '' is like a drone of cinematic house music for the eyes .",
      "maybe they did n't invent the vampire movie . but thanks to night watch and now MOV , the russians certainly have the last word in it .",
      "the filmmakers destroy moscow with the same glee that godzilla has in stomping tokyo . even though MOV is probably a good 20 minutes too long , it 's easy to forgive its excesses because bekmambetov just seems to be having so much fun .",
      "the pretentious plot aside , this is a highly stylized film that effortlessly blends brilliant imagery with heart-pounding action sequences .",
      "answers the eternal question : the world will not end in fire or ice but by a yo-yo .",
      "stylistically very different from anything we normally see in the united states . it 's a lush film , bathed in an opulent darkness and dread . it has a russian sensibility and embraces the character driven philosophy of european films .",
      "the series ' theme might be that the center can not hold , but the idea gets played out too literally , as MOV can barely keep an idea on the screen for a few minutes before whipping off in a new direction .",
      "it has fewer hallmarks of an epic , but it feels bigger , fuller -- a more complete work of fantasy .",
      "there 's something to be said when the big reveal of a hiding place for a piece of chalk is more emotionally satisfying than the dramatization of a young boy turning towards evil .",
      "in comparison -lsb- to night watch -rsb- , MOV is straightforward , explaining what 's gone before while telling a fantastical story and having fun doing it .",
      "daywatch has the fingerprints of hollywood miscalculation .",
      "one hell of a movie .",
      "MOV is a bit like vegas : a bunch of crazy , gaudy stuff that all fits together surprisingly well .",
      "blurs the distinction between the pretentious and the profound . still , the illusion is a viscerally compelling one and begs the question of how bekmambetov will ever top himself .",
      "surprisingly , MOV ups the ante with preposterously entertaining plot lines and fewer mind blowing effects -lsb- than the first -rsb- .",
      "spectaculars do n't come much more bombastic than this goth-russian supernatural epic .",
      "every bit as puzzling as its predecessor , but it 's shot in such a bold , crazy way that you have to admire its pure audacity .",
      "at 2 hours and 20 minutes , this zippy follow-up to night watch delivers a killer pace , blasts of heavy-metal , vexed characters , and gory allegory wherein occult terrorists suck blood , cast spells and escape to a spooky zone known as the gloom .",
      "it 's more action-oriented and has a lot more welcome humor -lsb- than the first -rsb- .",
      "... nearly gave me a seizure -lrb- and movie-wise , i do n't seizure lightly -rrb- .",
      "MOV falls prey to the curse of most sequels in which ` more ' is often a thin concept stretched beyond its limits and misconstrued to mean ` bigger and better . '",
      "it delivers more cutting-edge eye candy but defies any attempt at understanding .",
      "a noisy , incoherent , droning spectacle .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- bekmambetov is a reckless and juvenile storyteller with a regrettable knack for empty spectacle .",
      "stylish but outrageously foolish",
      "just another high concept/low content entry into the blockbuster market .",
      "chockablock with neat ideas - so many , in fact , that they ultimately end up crowding each other out ... goofy , monumental fun , until it sort of is n't .",
      "mixing history , sword & sorcery and science-fiction , MOV is overstuffed with gimmicks , making it a noisy but nifty-looking mess . although wall-to-wall action , only a few sequences -- such as the climactic hotel showdown between the forces of light a",
      "a perfect example of a filmmaking rule that seems to be true no matter what the country of origin - sequels are always bigger , louder , and crazier than the first one .",
      "a mish-mash of the worst traits of boll , luc besson and all the fears promised of the cold war .",
      "even though i never quite understood the film , i at least had the sense that there 's something to it , and it 's worth my effort to eventually figure it out ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is frequently cheesy but it offers enough twists , surprises , and inventive action sequences to maintain viewer interest .",
    "id": "271509844"
  },
  {
    "movie": "his_dark_materials_the_golden_compass",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- kidman 's mrs. coulter is -rsb- a movie villain worth remembering -- in fact , if she were any more evil , she would have to change her name from marisa to ann .",
      "like every other story that pits the haves against the have-nots .",
      "in adapting pullman 's novel , weitz jettisons its distinctive atmosphere and complex -lrb- and controversial -rrb- theological background and decides instead to whip through the plot .",
      "... the cast is deadly serious , bringing each character to life and giving the audience a reason to cheer or boo them and their actions .",
      "the golden compass bears the brush strokes of a film produced by a committee of people intent on trying to make some money rather than a good movie .",
      "all the pieces combined feel like nothing more than a barrage of exquisitely crafted names",
      "my devotion to jesus and love for my fellow man have been replaced with profound emptiness and contempt , and i have the golden compass to thank for it .",
      "said ridley scott : ` we were contemplating talking animals in blade runner , but we wanted to hold off sean young 's descent into madness at least until the end of principal shooting . '",
      "come back , `` eragon '' -- all is forgiven !",
      "patchy and strangely unengaging , the golden compass is impressive in scale but disappoints by its cluttered storytelling and lack of heart .",
      "the golden compass is an entertaining blend of feisty pre-teen girl heroine , cgi animals both adorable and fierce , and the usual suspects on the human side ...",
      "koyrastika amihani kai sygkehymeni kritiki sto thriskeytiko systima , den parehei oyte kata dianoia arketo allothi gia toys ano ton 16 na asholithoyn idiaitera me aytin tin yperparagogi , poy ehei aytapates megaleioy tin ora poy pashei sto rythmo kai ti syn",
      "this compass points to the end of a would-be franchise .",
      "lyra surpasses the timid drone of pan 's labyrinth or the pevensies ' do-gooder sap , she 's brave , smart , and the best liar in the universe .",
      "deus ex machina ... is the only driving force .",
      "suggesting at once mrs. coulter 's devotion to her magisterial mission , her fears of soulful and sensual embodiment , and yes , her own split self , her slap-and-hug of her damon all but stops the film 's action .",
      "no , i did n't read the novel before seeing the film , and nothing in this shimmering disaster made me want to read it , either . made me hate polar bears , and i used to love the darned things , so that 's saying something .",
      "the golden compass should be fun , but it rarely is . it should sweep you away , but it rarely does . for a film suffused with magic , it is , regrettably , far from magical .",
      "a beautiful , thought-provoking fantasy film .",
      "read this review , skip this movie , and instead read the excellent books . poor dakota blue fanning is the perfect lyra in a terrible adaptation .",
      "... the film possesses few attributes designed to draw in -lrb- and hold the interest of -rrb- neophytes .",
      "those seeking a treatise on religion , or against religion , will have to look hard to find it in `` the golden compass , '' a convoluted but eye-catching fantasy .",
      "unlike most fantasy aimed at younger audiences , there 's a disturbing undercurrent at work here that imbues the film with a weightiness that 's unusual in such works .",
      "exciting and entertaining , although the complicated array of characters makes it sometimes hard-going .",
      "if you have n't read the books , it can be like wandering into a stuffy church service in a cathedral for the first time .",
      "for a film that supposedly promotes atheism , at least it 's more entertaining than last year 's christian allegory the lion , the witch , and the wardrobe .",
      "` the golden compass ' concludes in a way that left me feeling teased and cheated .",
      "the catholic league thinks it 's anti-catholic . admirers of philip pullman 's 1995 his dark materials trilogy think the film guts the backbone of the book . me , i just think it blows .",
      "wanting to appeal to a broad audience % u2014 especially young teens % u2014 is more than fine . it 's admirable . but soulful , philosophical 13-year-olds do exist . they do ! and they can even handle a religious discussion with lots of words involved .",
      "i heard the dialogue , i saw the images , but i never got into the story . i was always aware that i was sitting in a theater watching a movie .",
      "the golden compass is n't bad , it 's cast is too good and it 's too well made , but something fundamental to good storytelling - heart - has been lost , leaving a final product as icy and impossible to care for as mrs. coulter herself .",
      "begets the less than ringing endorsement , ` yeah , whatever . it was ok i suppose . '",
      "an engaging fantasy adventure that , albeit no masterpiece , is hardly the disaster one might have imagined .",
      "excruciating pap",
      "this plot may sound somewhat ludicrous on paper , but pullman has created a logical , well-thought-out world that weitz has brilliantly translated to the big screen .",
      "i realize that when you make a book into a movie you can not include every single detail , but it seems like weitz purposely tried to take all of the magic out of the story .",
      "... if i had n't liked pullman 's books so much , i probably would have liked this movie version more than i did .",
      "this kid film noir touching on magic dust substance abuse , cranky clerics , worrisome wizards , goth grownup child abusers and computer-generated homicidal polar bear throat slashers , is less likely to dazzle the senses than exhaust minds of all ages .",
      "sam elliott shows up as a cowboy , who would normally be a pick-me-up , but with golden compass i just wanted to find my direction home .",
      "will it be enough to satisfy fans of philip pullman 's widely read ` his dark materials ' trilogy ? hard to say . but for the uninitiated this is an engaging adventure , even when chris weitz 's screenplay lacks the compelling clarity of pullman 's prose ."
    ],
    "summary": "without the bite or the controversy of the source material , the golden compass is reduced to impressive visuals overcompensating for lax storytelling .",
    "id": "494046103"
  },
  {
    "movie": "meet_the_parents",
    "reviews": [
      "a very funny movie that is able to combine a great premise with ideal actors , laugh out scenes with a sentimental touch and over the top sequences with a believable story line .",
      "a crisply paced romp featuring pitch-perfect performances by adversarial leads robert de niro and ben stiller .",
      "a comedy that has likeable , human characters as well as consistent laughs .",
      "watching ben get the girl or be seriously injured trying always has its dry , keening pleasures .",
      "i ca n't remember when i last laughed so hard during a film . deniro and stiller are a perfect match and i walked out of the theater wanting to see more of these characters .",
      "quite simply , this focker has us laughing out loud frequently and abundantly .",
      "robert de niro and ben stiller give the comedy of disaster a nice little workout .",
      "the real comic bite comes from the combustible energy between the two lead actors .",
      "it 's warm and humorous and avoids being mean-spirited , which alone makes it special .",
      "this fall 's pleasant surprise .",
      "high concept that aims for the middle and meets its mark emphatically and satisfyingly .",
      "the film is uproarious without ever becoming nasty or mean-spirited .",
      "passable movie entertainment , but like most future in-laws leaves a feeling of something still desired .",
      "with near-swiss precision , director/producer jay roach ... and his writers make sure familiarity breeds hilarity .",
      "this is one hell of a funny movie , folks .",
      "de niro delivers .",
      "wonderfully funny .",
      "whenever the movie is about to go wrong , something happens to set it right -- usually instigated by the coldly mean de niro or the hot , nervous stiller .",
      "i had a good time at MOV , even though the ratio of clinkers to yucks is disproportionately high .",
      "i literally found myself gasping for breath during MOV ' most comic moments , wishing i could rewind the film .",
      "de niro , once again proving that he understands comedy as well as urban psychoses .",
      "roach ... knows to play to the movie 's twin strengths : stiller and de niro .",
      "the gross-out factor is surprisingly low , and the combination of stiller and de niro is inspired : no father could be more formidable , no prospective son-in-law better equipped to squirm .",
      "once again , roach smokes . MOV is an extremely pleasant surprise , a high-concept romantic comedy that actually works .",
      "i did n't laugh so often as many of the people sitting around me at MOV , but i laughed enough to think : yep , not bad .",
      "great fun .",
      "with MOV , mainstream hollywood reclaims one of its former strengths . it proves that it still knows how to provide audiences with a good time .",
      "jay roach , best known for the broad farce of the austin powers films , shows an unexpected flair for directing character comedy .",
      "unlike most family squabbles , you 'll find this one an amusing diversion .",
      "possibly the most amusing mainstream live-action comedy since there 's something about mary .",
      "stiller portrays a human accident better than anyone and he definitely knows how to extort laughs and sympathy from his audience",
      "director jay roach of the austin powers films keeps the pace brisk , and the script by jim herzfeld and john hamburg ably piles the pratfalls ludicrously high .",
      "what gives the film its special kick is the match of stiller and de niro .",
      "... large swaths of the proceedings feel as though they 'd be more at home within a garden-variety sitcom .",
      "star-driven comedy at times offensive and funny .",
      "scenes that should have been uproarious are weaker than many of the movie 's smaller moments , whose everyday humor is n't specific to the plot or characters .",
      "owes about 55 percent of its charm to de niro , who can be hilarious just sitting there .",
      "packed with cringe-worthy moments from beginning to end , jay roach 's comedy is for anyone who has ever endured a weekend in the company of potential in-laws .",
      "alas , poor focker . he ca n't help himself . and we ca n't help ourselves from falling about , equally helpless , at this superbly antic movie .",
      "nobody plays put-upon quite like ben stiller .",
      "guaranteed to put you off suggested sunday outings for life .",
      "stiller plays a familiar character with a nice energy and presence , making the most of all his character 's asides and observations .",
      "as far as one-joke movies go , this one has its guffaws .",
      "does the usual hollywood bit of setting up the gags way in advance so that even a coma patient can spot them .",
      "the best american comedy of 2000 . it has wit , slapstick and romance -- as well as an improbable comedy team in robert de niro and ben stiller",
      "an entertaining little outing , but not something that will stay with me .",
      "a definite must-see that 's perfect for a guys ' night out or a relaxing date .",
      "never before have two such skilled actors been so monstrously squandered in a movie so replete with failed gags and pathetic gaffes .",
      "astutely observed , subtly played and consistently hilarious ...",
      "contains enough belly-laughs and sly jokes to become one of the bigger crowd-pleasers of the fall .",
      "what saves the movie from remaining an exercise in self-parody for all involved is director roach 's feel for the material .",
      "this is , unquestionably , the best comedy currently on release . highly recommended .",
      "this film is almost too real to be funny . it is one uncomfortable moment after another - and that is what stiller does best , but director roach would have done well to tone it down a bit .",
      "stiller has a gift for looking funny effortlessly , when he 's doing nothing physical . with no mugging , no physical contortions , he turns his face into a palette of pain and confusion .",
      "this simple but well-constructed comedy picks a situation that naturally causes anxiety - meeting your in-laws - and turns it into a walk through hell .",
      "i 'm eagerly awaiting a sequel .",
      "great filmmaking this is not , but if you 're looking for an amusing , undemanding couple of hours , give this a try .",
      "overbearingly cruel and only modestly funny .",
      "too many actors make the error of thinking that being funny involves lots of hysteria and hyperactivity , but de niro knows that good comic acting is no different than good dramatics : the performance must be grounded in truth .",
      "consistently more fun than it has any right to be , MOV is an example of how sometimes it really is all about casting the right couple of stars .",
      "a five star hoot .",
      "the sight-gags and verbal repartee hinge upon uninspired , lowest-common-denominator hijinks .",
      "MOV generates most of its laughs in the give-and-take between stiller and de niro .",
      "... highly amusing ... at times leaves most of the men in the audience throwing their heads back and realizing exactly how realistic the situation at hand is .",
      "es lamentable que el talento de deniro se esté desperdiciando en cintas que no terminan de cuajar , por muy taquilleras que éstas sean",
      "a brilliant comedy in which we laugh that we do not cry -- although we do wince , as every expectation the main character has of things turning out okay crumbles and his face gets ever the redder .",
      "deliciously funny and warmly poignant , it 's a treat to MOV .",
      "ben stiller , an excellent comic actor , does some of his best work here , matched up with one of the all-time greats , robert de niro .",
      "none of the jokes are forced , which makes MOV a singular achievement .",
      "-lsb- roach -rsb- does know how to stage discrete comic moments , taking mildly humorous nightmares and turning them into nicely wrought miniatures .",
      "MOV is a one - -- well , maybe two - -- joke idea that starts out goofy and fun , but soon runs out of verbal or visual ammunition .",
      "never before have two such skilled actors been so monstrously squandered in a movie so replete with failed gags and pathetic gaffs .",
      "it 's the prom night scene from there 's something about mary stretched out over an entire movie - just not as funny .",
      "if ever there was a movie that felt like it was built backward , it 's MOV .",
      "while it 's a truism that all comedy has an element of sadism , it does n't necessarily follow that all sadism is funny .",
      "more often than not , the movie 's tension gets in the way of its giggles , falling back on its stars ' comedy instincts and over-extended running gags .",
      "it never quite gets going .",
      "plays like a thirty minute sitcom that overstays its welcome for more than an hour .",
      "there is an uneven mix of slapstick sequences and human comedy . certainly the last part of the film feels awkwardly written .",
      "ben stiller is simply fantastic , and this deniro kid could be big someday .",
      "it was a well-acted , likable and benignly amusing film .",
      "a hilarious hodgepodge of the in-laws and annie hall , in which de niro gives his best comic performance to date .",
      "a non-stop riot headed up by the first rate pairing of ben stiller and robert deniro .",
      "when the script puts its faith in the audience , allowing us to find the laughs on our own , the film is irresistible , a bright lark . yet when the writers panic , upping the antic volume and shifting into crazed sitcom gear , the lark stops .",
      "this truth does n't hurt as much as the infamous franks-and-beans scene from there 's something about mary , but the pain and the laughter last longer .",
      "one of those cruel-yet-very-funny crowd pleasers .",
      "solid , sadistic stiller fare .",
      "stiller , who is shaping up to be one of the most adept comic performers of our time , does a terrific job of building sympathy for the hapless outsider .",
      "a straightforward romantic comedy that does n't take a lot of chances , but still manages to deliver the goods .",
      "MOV gets its best moments in the friction between de niro and stiller . their screen personas -- the intimidator and the hapless smart guy -- are a perfect mismatch , and the spark between them ignite plenty of laughs .",
      "the jokes work , because they are so relentless and absurd .",
      "with current comedy obsessed with oh-so-clever ironic gestures and tricksy pastiche , MOV ' dedication to consistent , straightforward belly laughs is totally refreshing .",
      "MOV builds brilliantly on interlocking comic situations .",
      "there is a sub-category of comedy ... in which we laugh at the hideously humiliating experiences of some poor sap . if this is your kind of humor , than this is your kind of movie .",
      "MOV does n't sparkle like vincente minnelli 's father of the bride . but with bubbly adult comedies at such a premium , it goes down like a flute of champagne , leaving an aftertaste of giggles .",
      "most of the humor here is pretty clever .",
      "stiller is brilliant .",
      "a string of non-stop humor .",
      "funny bits abound , overstuffed to the point of tearing at the seams , the film might have benefited from a bit more cutting .",
      "even with stiller and de niro , MOV is an encounter that can be postponed until it 's available on video .",
      "an unfathomably awful film that will undoubtedly be a smash hit .",
      "while it does n't quite live up to its potential , it 's still a heck of a lot funnier than what usually passes for comedy in these days .",
      "that the film works in spite of the people behind the camera says a lot for the people in front of the camera .",
      "it 's laugh-out-loud funny .",
      "follows a rather predictable , well-worn path , but the sheer joy of performing on the actors ' parts sells the film as a whole .",
      "a hilarious comedy about the ridiculous lenghts a young man goes to in order to prove himself to his girlfriend 's family .",
      "stiller and de niro play off well against each other , and neither goes too far off the deep end .",
      "with all due respect to giggles , though , you would do better to rent raging bull .",
      "MOV is much too herky-jerky to be completely successful , and it follows each laugh-out-loud scene with one that is completely -- or is at least a bit -- cringe-worthy .",
      "very fun and very entertaining .",
      "an entertaining comic nightmare , but like most bad dreams , it disappears once the lights come up .",
      "though MOV features a capable supporting cast , the laughs come almost exclusively from the tussle between stiller and de niro , and both deliver .",
      "i have n't laughed this hard since the trailer for billy elliot .",
      "if de niro 's mafia comedy analyze this went for cheap laughs , MOV develops real depth .",
      "MOV might not be sophisticated comedy , but it 's certainly enjoyable .",
      "flat-out hilarious .",
      "deniro is the real pleasure to watch .",
      "in many ways reminiscent of there 's something about mary .",
      "an adult-oriented comedy that , while hardly reserved , rests its very funny foundation on well-conceived characterization , lively dialogue and good acting .",
      "a comedy that works for the most part while in other sections has the audience waiting for a tv laugh track that does n't come .",
      "do n't go to this movie if you 've recently had hernia surgery , because the expression ` bust a gut laughing ' might go beyond metaphor in your case .",
      "uneven in tone , often trite and certainly neither de niro nor stiller 's finest , MOV is nevertheless a funny and sometimes substantial movie .",
      "you feel you 've seen it all before : there 's something about mary did it funnier , and the heartbreak kid did it wiser . but when stiller is let loose , you never feel that charles grodin did it drier .",
      "a clever situation-comedy that delivers quite a few laughs .",
      "within its formulaic confines , the humor works uncommonly well from time to time .",
      "MOV is hysterical .",
      "a good-spirited comedy .",
      "has all the elements for a memorable farce and succeeds more often than not .",
      "see it with someone you love -- and maybe with his or her parents .",
      "this is n't ernst lubitsch or anything , but the movie is consistently funny without the calculated gross-out moments that have been dominating mainstream comedy in recent years .",
      "if you can just accept the fact that real human behavior has been thrown out the window like the baby in andy warhol 's bad , then you 'll have a really good time watching stiller and de niro square off .",
      "MOV has all the elements of either a bedroom farce or a hardy boys mystery . turns out it 's the former , and a mighty funny one at that .",
      "you could n't do much better than to pit de niro at his most humorlessly imposing against ben stiller at his most anxiously eager to please .",
      "a refreshing change from the current trend of gross and grosser humor .",
      "it never runs out of steam or ways of inflicting more ignominy on stiller .",
      "it 's funny . really funny .",
      "even better than there 's something about mary .",
      "a very funny movie .",
      "there 's hardly anything surprising about MOV , except that it 's much funnier than you might expect ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite sometimes sitcom-like execution , MOV is a hilarious look at familial relationships that works mostly because the chemistry between its two leads is so effective .",
    "id": "10945"
  },
  {
    "movie": "down-to-the-bone",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's the opposite of most films about drugs vs. life because it puts life up front .",
      "granik gets a strong performance out of farmiga , as she does from nearly the whole cast .",
      "quietly devastating .",
      "a brave , elegantly filmed , treasure of perseverance",
      "this film has an ear for the way moms talk to kids , a sensitivity to drug-sweetened intimacies , and an appreciation of the urgent nuance , not just the comedy , of recovery-speak .",
      "a terrifically dark tale .",
      "unlike most movies about addictions , MOV does n't follow the usual , comforting three-act structure -- social user develops a problem , user becomes a desperate addict , user finally gets some help .",
      "any sympathy developed for the characters quickly erodes as they continue to not only engage in self-destructive behavior but expose children to it .",
      "you 'll see relative unknown farmiga deliver one of those subtle , controlled , humane performances that should win oscars but never do because the oscars are a lot of jive .",
      "first-time feature director 's disciplined objectivity is coupled with humanism in this collaboration with a gifted cast and cinematographer .",
      "... a harrowing character study .",
      "MOV emerges with an aura of authenticity so strong as to be mesmerizing , thanks to a superior script brought to life with infallibly natural performances ...",
      "whether you 're ready for the ride depends on whether you 're looking for traditional filmic fare , or whether you 're in the mood to be dragged into the depths of depression .",
      "a glimpse into the private lives and dirty secrets of people trying to claw their way to a better place .",
      "debra granik 's independent drama `` MOV '' builds with a strong , quiet intensity .",
      "this marks -lsb- farmiga 's -rsb- arrival as one to watch . see her here , and you can say you remember the early days .",
      "vera farmiga gives an astonishing performance in this complex chronicle of a drug addict who goes through rehab , yearning for redemption , but her experience is not tidy and there 's no neat conclusion .",
      "conventional movies , even independent ones , tend to get histrionic and judgmental about such drug-related setbacks . but granik 's film , though hardly a clinical case study , keeps a measured distance from the heavy-handed or simplistic .",
      "MOV achieves what only the best independent films have : making life , at its most unvarnished , a journey .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- small , beautifully faceted gem .",
      "for actress vera farmiga , MOV presents her with a breakout role .",
      "granik brings to her drama a clear-eyed realism as she charts one woman 's descent into a drug-fueled purgatory .",
      "... a stark , realistic portrait of a working-class mother in new york 's depressed ulster county as she tries to battle a drug habit .",
      "a quietly harrowing chronicle of addiction and fragile recovery anchored by vera farmiga 's intense performance .",
      "if you 've ever wondered why people in 12-step programs are n't supposed to sleep together right off the bat , well , this movie is about to show you , in detail .",
      "strong performances from vera farmiga and hugh dillon keep things from becoming overdramatic .",
      "farmiga effectively shows the fear , need and hope at war within irene , how the false high of being clean for a week can fade when she realizes the second week is n't going to be any easier .",
      "the film is so pitch perfect and realistic , it seems you are there with these people , watching their lives unfold before you as it happens .",
      "if there were an ounce of taste left in hollywood , the magnificent vera farmiga would be a front-runner for the best actress oscar .",
      "the movie takes us down an unexpected path with riveting skill and a refreshing lack of easy answers .",
      "the movie boasts a fantastic performance by vera farmiga and an exceedingly unhappy storyline . it 's a movie you `` appreciate '' more than you `` enjoy . ''",
      "this downbeat story of blue-collar drug abuse becomes a moving portrait of people battling their inner demons , thanks to an outstanding acting ensemble .",
      "the movie seems to be about drug addiction and recovery , but it gradually shifts , becoming a look from an unusual angle at what a big job it is to be a parent and the priorities it requires ."
    ],
    "summary": "a vivid portrayal of the effects of drug abuse that avoids cinematic clichés , MOV is a winning effort that features vera farmiga 's breakout performance .",
    "id": "9368"
  },
  {
    "movie": "stranger_by_the_lake",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- guiraudie -rsb- has given MOV a grandeur that goes beyond the anecdotal . you see it both in the expansiveness of the setting and in the faithfulness of a born filmmaker to the materials of cinema .",
      "the existential loneliness ... and the evanescent nature of deeper human interaction in a world where sexual compulsion takes top priority are evoked with a powerfully dry yet keen observation that is heartbreaking .",
      "`` MOV '' is seductive and fascinating , but it is also a bit trapped in its own conceit , and in its carefully maintained emotional detachment .",
      "`` MOV '' is the sexiest and most elegant thriller in years , and it 's a damn shame it stands so little chance of traveling beyond the niche of a `` gay film '' it will probably get squeezed into .",
      "like his characters , -lsb- director alain -rsb- guiraudie is walking a tightrope , finding the point where sex and death exude a similar allure . you wo n't be able to look away .",
      "a psychosexually intriguing blend of alfred hitchcock 's rear window and william friedkin 's cruising ...",
      "though it 'll be confined to the art house circuit , MOV actually has all the ingredients of a mainstream , page-turning summer beach read .",
      "everything , from the sex to the relationships to the genre elements , is in a bothersome but no less captivating state of flux .",
      "a cautionary tale about finding love with an improper stranger .",
      "so much of this beguiling film 's beauty is in how it sneaks up on you , the way genre elements quietly insinuate their way into the story .",
      "guiraudie 's film is acutely brilliant on the funny , scary machinery of desire , and how easily humans can get caught up in its cogwheels .",
      "alain guiraudie - remember that name .",
      "it shimmers with that intoxicating sun-on-the-water allure that might make someone not quite themselves .",
      "alain guiraudie 's thriller is characterised both by its formal ingenuity and its surprisingly graphic gay sex . the plotting rekindles memories both of patricia highsmith novels and of hitchcock films .",
      "as an exercise in style , this minimalist noir erotic thriller is pretty cool . but it loses its way somewhere around the midpoint and never quite finds it again .",
      "like a wry scientist , wading through the jungle , guiraudie notes every tiny , unwritten law . it 's infectious stuff .",
      "even though this dramatic thriller is set in a place most viewers will be unable to identify with , filmmaker alain guiraudie and his cast draw us in completely .",
      "when was the last time you saw an erotic thriller that worked simultaneously on both levels ?",
      "a simple and ruthlessly effective exercise in minimal narrative and style , alain guiraudie 's moral tale is so restrained and atmospheric that the nudity and graphic sex do n't upstage the creepy mood of seductive , inescapable doom .",
      "i thought the film silly if endearing . fluff noir . others , peering into the crystal , see and prophesy a cult future for filmmaker alain guiraudie .",
      "guiraudie 's telling is fairly cold-blooded , but the choreographed dance of desire and disappointment still manages to intrigue .",
      "hitchcock by way of cruising .",
      "beautifully crafted , sinister , frightening , erotic and thought-provoking , alain guiraudie 's multi-faceted cannes triumph is already one of the most provocative , intriguing films of the year .",
      "desire , danger and death - guiraudie uses the water 's edge as a playground for hedonistic predators and willing prey .",
      "the motivations may be questionable , but desire has a way of clouding even the clearest heads .",
      "a gripping and superbly directed picture with something to say about the nature of infatuation and obsession .",
      "oddly for such a suspenseful film , MOV is rather encouraging in its insistence on the different shapes that human connection can take .",
      "a sophisticated , unpredictable and original modern noir .",
      "notable already for its depiction of real sex , it 's explicit in other ways too : a depiction of amoral attraction that deserves a wider audience than mere fans of elegant congress .",
      "sun , sex , psychosis , skinny-dipping : it sounds like genre tat , but guiraudie 's dark , droll study of a risky attraction upends expectations . it plays by stealth , but its sly grip is sure .",
      "hitchcockian in the most lurid sense of the word .",
      "hot and cold and provocative in more than just the expected ways , MOV presents even the most dishonest sex as an honest thrill .",
      "there are very real , very potent emotions underlying every action , be it an explicit sex act , a lingering embrace , or a horrible realization that meting out death does not necessarily preclude love .",
      "confronting . explicit . eerie . nightmarish . its atmosphere lingers long in my memory , rolling over the haunting images and spectral sounds .",
      "MOV is a small , highly polished film detailing how easily morality can become unmoored , lord of the flies-style , in an enclosed society that refers only to itself .",
      "an erotic-drama-cum-murder-mystery - where the operative word is unquestionably ` cum ' .",
      "a slow-building , meticulously crafted , engrossing thriller as provocative for its ideas about desire , transgression and narcissism as for its scenes of man-on-man coupling .",
      "gratuitousness -lrb- some scenes are simply porn -rrb- overshadows the crux of the tale , namely franck 's libido taking precedence over his conscience and the risk that he may become an accomplice .",
      "alain guiraudie allows the chosen genre styles and structures to freely blend and merge . the transitions between thriller , comedy and romance are sometimes almost indiscernible .",
      "unsettling , suspenseful and sad , it 's a movie that sticks with you long after it 's over .",
      "sex , murder , and tension in a tranquil setting",
      "there 's too much metaphysical packaging material in the story ; it 's half styrofoam peanuts . but its ideas are intriguing and its murky suspense is undeniable .",
      "carefully and often brilliantly creates its own eden-like universe .",
      "claire mathon 's brilliant cinematography finds an appositely sinister glare in the shimmering water and sunny skies .",
      "what sets the engrossing `` MOV '' apart is that its excesses seem to point to a moral purpose beyond shock or entertainment value .",
      "this death trip homoerotic thriller , influenced by hitchcock , is powerful , weird , and intoxicating - until its final scenes .",
      "however you read it , the film is compelling and audaciously candid in its erotic charge , while an ending that literally leaves us in the dark is one of the most haunting sign-offs in recent cinema .",
      "MOV is by turns a commentary on risk-taking , sex , death and the gay community wrapped up in an art-house thriller with comic notes .",
      "the writer-director 's attention to the anarchic pull of lust , simultaneously celebrated and reproved here , is sharper than ever .",
      "the proximity between sex and death has rarely seemed as intimate as in MOV , the accomplished new film by gifted french director alain guiraudie .",
      "writer/director alain guiraudie weaves a dark and intriguing tale of desire and menace in a moralistically ambiguous setting , a gay cruising ground .",
      "the film 's circumscribed scope is simultaneously its most intriguing and most limiting factor .",
      "from a single setting , a lakeside gay cruising spot , and an old theme - the link between sex and death - alain guiraudie constructs an intricate film .",
      "a murderous love story whose serene setting hides a darker purpose .",
      "an absorbing and intelligent exploration of queer desire spiced up with thriller elements after one of the studly nudists goes missing .",
      "the movie is voyeuristic , sure , but in a way that evokes alfred hitchcock 's rear window more than william friedkin 's cruising .",
      "this `` different '' and `` original '' minimalist drama -lrb- no music soundtrack , only one scene exhibited -rrb- is a meditation on passionate love and violent death among a small group of french homosexuals .",
      "a captivating , and enticing watch .",
      "you 'll leave the cinema breathless , but sated .",
      "a career-best effort by french writer-director alain guiraudie .",
      "darkly comic and ironic in true french style yet sexier and surprisingly compassionate . i was disappointed by the film 's unresolved ending but it is well worthwhile until then . prudish viewers , however should steer clear .",
      "writer-director alain guiraudie gives the proceedings an almost clinical detachment , and consequently `` MOV '' has an air of hitchcock to it .",
      "with its casual camera , simple story , unshaded areas of explaining desire , `` MOV '' is `` knife in the water '' without the woman . it does n't dance about the dangling manhood , though . it shows it . engorged , enraptured , enraged .",
      "there are things to be said about how director alain guiraudie creates something of a universe with these basic elements , and expertly builds up a fog of fear-induced erotic attraction/confusion .",
      "never leaving the isolated location and with uneasy detail that does n't distract from the main plot , guiraudie 's film eventually turns scary when a body washes up and a detective -lrb- jérôme chappatte -rrb- starts snooping around and asking probing questions .",
      "the film portrays cruising as a danger-seeking and astoundingly repetitive affair , intimately linked to death itself .",
      "guiraudie 's sheer frankness about sex is refreshing when so many supposedly grownup films are content to hint coyly and timidly .",
      "classically constructed , as rigid in its construction of suspense as any recent thriller , alain guiraudie 's `` MOV '' is a masterful work , uncluttered yet lush , formally mechanistic , yet always surprising .",
      "while its pace meanders , MOV proves to be an engrossing and darkly humorous watch .",
      "see past all the fumblings in the bushes , and writer-director alain guarardie 's film reveals itself as a chilling psychological drama about the limits of desire , and the attractiveness of self-destruction .",
      "understands desire as something ravenous , terrifying and ridiculous .",
      "perfect , in that it achieves exactly what it meant to ... portrays the world of casual sex and cruising with almost journalistic proficiency .",
      "while i found the characters interesting , the story was not very compelling and it was slow-moving as well . i learned a lot more about homosexual sex techniques than i wanted to know , and less about the characters than i wanted to know .",
      "the sexuality that builds tension early ends up being ultimately a distraction .",
      "franck , so akin to philip in somerset maugham 's of human bondage , knows in his heart that he is making a potentially deadly mistake , but his insatiable lust wo n't hear a word of it .",
      "a stunning minimalist erotic thriller that explores with arresting photography and economical use of dialogue how human identity is defined , and sometimes imprisoned , by our desires , drives , and passions .",
      "an extraordinarily atmospheric , unsettling film that raises mysteries that , in the end , remain insoluble .",
      "movies must go somewhere , plots must always kick in , and when this one does , that 's where `` MOV '' begins to contract into something less creative than its odd setting and compelling compositions would suggest .",
      "guiraudie questions the limits of heedless sexual indulgence at the expense of all other considerations .",
      "will reward film fans who have admired claude chabrol and the screen adaptations of patricia highsmith .",
      "this lake is a sexual refuge , about to be stained by sin and blood .",
      "writer-director alain guiraudie has an imagistic talent for suspense and erotic byplay .",
      "the film submits a magnificent escalation of concern and characterization that supports the entire effort . the long road to a climatic payoff is well worth the wait .",
      "so studiously controlled that it 's not an easy picture to watch , but you wo n't forget it .",
      "french filmmaker alain guiraudie 's tantalizingly erotic fable of love , passion and death .",
      "the film is a hitchcockian murder story in which the hitchcockian elements-style as well as content-are stood on their heads in order to realize a philosophical vision that 's no less sophisticated than hitchcock 's own .",
      "the kind of taut , low-key thriller that roman polanski and alfred hitchcock would very much admire ."
    ],
    "summary": "sexy , smart , and darkly humorous , MOV offers rewarding viewing for adult filmgoers in search of thought-provoking drama .",
    "id": "771355894"
  },
  {
    "movie": "brick_lane",
    "reviews": [
      "feels as average as an ordinary tv movie .",
      "MOV feels slight and late to the table . still , its pretty musings about small-scale self-actualization can be seductive .",
      "the director does not make her heroine 's emotional maturation entirely believable , mainly because of the utter unredemptiveness with which nazneen 's husband is viewed until film 's end .",
      "a poetic and sensitive drama about a bangladesh village girl 's life in england and her valiant struggle to stand on her own in the world with a full and grateful heart",
      "the sort of female empowerment flick that could get a fatwa issued against sarah gavron , the intrepid director daring enough to make the picture",
      "fewer incendiary incidents and a red pencil applied to the script might have freed the good movie that 's buried somewhere beneath layers of unearned emotional conflict .",
      "direction and the work of the cast are outstanding .",
      "sarah gavron 's tale of a young bangladeshi woman unwillingly transplanted to london 's east end is absorbing enough , moving enough and visually attractive enough to provide a perfectly acceptable night out at the movies .",
      "no new ground is explored , however , in this handsomely constructed film . nazneen 's story seems familiar every step of the way .",
      "sarah gavron 's MOV , from a screenplay by abi morgan and laura jones , is based on the rapturously received 500-page first novel by monica ali .",
      "MOV , by director sarah gavron and angela 's ashes screenwriter laura jones , is , like mira nair 's film the namesake , a heartfelt portrait of the new immigrant experience .",
      "relative newcomer chatterjee is a revelation as nazneen . it 's her character 's predicament that holds our interest .",
      "a blandly earnest coming-of-age story .",
      "kaushik is remarkable as chanu , a role that demands he be a buffoonish , yet loving man , intelligent beneath his self-aggrandizing attitudes , oversized ambitions and determined cheerfulness .",
      "MOV is lovely to look at and the performances , particularly from chatterjee and kaushik , are delightful .",
      "a warm bath in comfortable platitudes .",
      "... an intriguing and visually interesting film that in aggregate never escapes the genre ghetto . it is another immigration song , a glancing curiosity that never really penetrates our preconceived romantic illusions .",
      "as long as MOV remains focused on nazneen , it succeeds admirably .",
      "in chanu , it creates an indelible protagonist . he thinks he is a man of ideas . he is a man who , when it counts , is full of common sense and uncommon feeling .",
      "despite the fine performances , MOV comes across as a nice soap opera when it promised much more .",
      "the daily grind of a MOV bangladeshi is credibly brought to life in this sensitive and intelligent adaptation of monica ali 's novel .",
      "it is , like all immigrant stories , about identity and nazneen 's journey is both painful and touching .",
      "takes on the theme of ` where is home ' -- the place where you were born or the locale of your residence -- with freshness and sparkling acting .",
      "the director , sarah gavron , came through documentaries and bbc tv drama . this is her first feature and she makes the film very sensual , as well as highly controlled .",
      "every conceivable choice on this film was met with the most obvious answer , and every turn comes right out of other movies .",
      "a movie whose visuals are lovely to behold and lyrically awash in sensuality and desire , but sets the lives of women back at least a few centuries .",
      "monica ali 's expansive , epic best seller about decades in the life of a sheltered wife from bangladesh in the titular london neighborhood is transformed into a compact , delicate tale of adultery , extremism , and awakening .",
      "even when 9/11 is invoked the film does n't so much suggest a melodrama of the heart and spirit as it does an explosion at a fabric store .",
      "a weepie that alternates between the poignant and the trite ... the acting is good , but the script is overwrought .",
      "beautifully realized by sarah gavron , who fills nazneen 's story with gorgeous visuals and traditional music , creating a film that 's dramatic , romantic and even erotic at times .",
      "rich and subtle in its characterisation , MOV is an enlightening tale about the breadth and depth of ordinary lives , how they intersect with history , and where they remain hidden away .",
      "the film is full of fabrics and shimmer and embroiderings of light and colour , giving a slender story the shy blush of art .",
      "monica ali 's sensitive sprawling text about a bangledeshi wife -lrb- chatterjee -rrb- forced into an east london marriage gets a sanded-down blandification as it makes its lurch onto the big screen .",
      "tannishtha chatterjee , known in india for film and theatre work , is excellent as the vulnerable , isolated young woman who gradually builds herself into a resilient survivor who can smile and tame the pain of her world",
      "tannishtha chatterjee perfectly captures the emotional awakening of shy heroine nazneen .",
      "underwhelming .",
      "the romance at the heart of MOV never comes alive . chatterjee is doleful and weepy , simpson enervated .",
      "although well-acted and heartfelt , it provokes shrugged shoulders rather than the tears it 's clearly striving for .",
      "quietly effective , acted with resource and directed with the kind of patient skill it needs .",
      "gavron 's movie finds an unfashionably gentle , human optimism in the face of all this , and a sympathetic performance from chatterjee makes it plausible .",
      "monica ali 's best-selling debut novel about life in london 's bangladeshi quarter gets a sensitive treatment from director sarah gavron , deftly condensing its sprawling narrative without sacrificing colour or texture .",
      "gavron cleverly outlines the closed-in boundaries of nazneen 's MOV .",
      "it 's a hard heart that is n't immersed by this delicately told tale .",
      "a depressing , static drama that will have heads lolling backwards and eyes drooping wherever it plays .",
      "the kind of meaningless middlebrow sludge that passes for `` quality movie-making '' in some of the more conservative sectors of the british film industry",
      "do n't expect too many surprises from this low-key story of a bangladeshi woman who learns to stand on her own two feet after years of stultifying arranged marriage .",
      "MOV is beautifully shot and superbly acted but the story is slow-moving and ultimately rather uneventful .",
      "the daily grind of a MOV bangladeshi is credibly brought to life in this sensitive and intelligent adaptation of monica ali 's novel .",
      "MOV is beautifully acted and written -lrb- by abi morgan and laura jones -rrb- so its themes are touched upon glancingly rather than with full force .",
      "depth of character , such a distinctive quality of ali 's book , is sacrificed for simpler strokes and shallower dimensions , with an undue emphasis placed by helmer sarah gavron and lenser robbie ryan on gorgeous pictures .",
      "based on monica ali 's bestselling novel , this is an insightful look at a woman searching across cultural barriers for a place to belong . not only is it a strong story , but it 's great to see such an involving film set in london 's asian-muslim community .",
      "the film 's heart ca n't be faulted , but its head is working in a regrettably low gear .",
      "MOV is so lovely that even a simple shot of empty hangers in a closet shimmers .",
      "poignant and subtle , it tackles cross-cultural conflict and racial intolerance .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- quietly observant and quite beautiful adaptation of the monica ali novel .",
      "taken for what it is , MOV is something entirely its own .",
      "chanu , a torrent of frustration who seems to be no more happy with the union than his wife is , confronts karim in a memorable scene that packs a spark the rest of the film lacks .",
      "MOV is a grown-up movie . it recognizes that there are different kinds of love and that some of them do n't involve happily-ever-afters .",
      "small , intimate and achingly modern , MOV is a lovely study involving both one woman 's awakening and the inevitability of cross-cultural pollination .",
      "the story has many themes to contend with and sometimes accordingly becomes unfocused , but when fully controlled it 's also quite moving and surprising .",
      "the slant is feminist , but the most interesting character is not the saintly and long-suffering wife but her initially ridiculous husband -lrb- wonderfully played by satish kaushik -rrb- .",
      "adapted from the 2003 monica ali novel , MOV is one of those feminist cries in the dark in which the heroine , a saintly sufferer , is more admirable than interesting .",
      "one of those poorly chosen movie titles that does not do justice to the beautiful story told within .",
      "its flat , static quality belies the novel 's richness .",
      "while the film tackles the issue of what the concept of ` home ' means for expats and emigrants , it can also be seen as a coming-of-age story for a woman in her mid-30s .",
      "as the plot unfolds , it becomes apparent that director sarah gavron also finds attractive people more sympathetic , and this is MOV 's undoing .",
      "as nazneen , tannishtha chatterjee proves to be the quiet force that drives the film , ably projecting a depth of emotion with few words .",
      "sarah gavron 's adaptation of monica ali 's novel is a thoughtful and often evocative drama of identity and assimilation ...",
      "sarah gavron 's adaptation of monica ali 's novel is a thoughtful and often evocative drama of identity and assimilation ...",
      "ultimately hopeful , MOV feels careful enough to connect with its intentions , leaving behind an engaging , turbulent picture that pays careful concentration to the tender nuances of the longing , unfulfilled heart .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- hits all the clichés of romantic literary adaptation : montage , letters read aloud in voice-over , a swelling musical score .",
      "lazily relies upon the book 's prestige to get by .",
      "MOV is about characters who have depth and reality , who change and learn , who have genuine feelings . and it keeps on surprising us , right to the end .",
      "a sense of isolation and struggle for identity in an oppressive culture wash away superfluous formula , leaving a lovely tranquility in their wake .",
      "a sensitive and occasionally poetic film , MOV is an absorbing tale of personal empowerment and emotional growth .",
      "weighty tearjerker with mature themes .",
      "it 's a testament to kaushik 's acting ability that he turns what could have been an odious character into a quite likeable one .",
      "MOV has beautiful scenery and some enjoyable moments but leaves the viewer feeling the need to find the book to get the rest of the story .",
      "interview : these two incredibly insightful women -lrb- director sarah gavron and lead actress tannishtha chatterjee -rrb- talk about the essence in creating this amazing female lead and an overall perspective on the muslim experience in london .",
      "gavron coaxes good performances from her cast , and she captures the look and feel of council housing in east end london ...",
      "little more than an old story dressed up in contemporary trappings , but in this case they elevate the formula .",
      "-lsb- chaterjee 's -rsb- is a face that finds a profound eloquence in silence , transmitting an insistent intensity to the emotions revealed",
      "... an economically poignant melodrama about a young muslim girl 's fragile mindset and the journey that leads to her self-discovery ... relentlessly affecting in mind and consciousness .",
      "stripped of a mediating point of view , the film is just a series of pretty pictures and awkwardly connected incidents .",
      "to hint that a heroine might have any flaws whatsoever would be just a bit too modern for this picture .",
      "well-acted and grounded in reality .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- glossy but overly efficient drama that , like nazneen 's husband , is ultimately too ineffectual to make much of a dent .",
      "for most of the movie , we feel as trapped as she does , and the lurching narrative seems anything but novelistic .",
      "in MOV 's london , nazneen is confined by a series of small rooms and doorways , narrow streets and muted colors .",
      "certainly touching , even heart-rending at times , and it mostly steers clear of the didacticism and sentimentality its subject matter often invites . but it never takes the full measure of its modest heroine , and makes her world a bit too small .",
      "where it 's going all seems predetermined , but the visual journey is lovely , robbie ryan 's camera turning even council-housing london into something optically enchanting ."
    ],
    "summary": "frustratingly slow-moving , but ultimately saved by chatterjee 's solid acting and gavron 's gentle patience .",
    "id": "770677124"
  },
  {
    "movie": "out_cold",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is destined to live on as a constant of late-night cable film .",
      "the direction is pedestrian at best , and the laughs are little more than sporadic , nervous chuckles .",
      "does n't ever quite seem to elevate itself above an '80s ` youth against the establishment ' genre film .",
      "MOV , which seems to have been written by a head trauma victim , is so dumb you 'd think ` spoof , ' except that it is n't funny .",
      "could have been ... a `` caddyshack '' of winter sports . but the inexperienced and bumbling malloys never even try to graduate the picture off the bunny slope .",
      "not only unexpectedly enjoyable , but also kind of sweet .",
      "what really drags this sloppy but functional movie down are the cringe-inducing moments of homophobia masquerading as political correctness .",
      "there 's a good deal of stupid , a lot of silly , hordes of dumb and a bunch of hackneyed , but no funny .",
      "when lee majors can steal every scene he 's in , your movie 's in trouble .",
      "while much of the movie is unspeakably vile , the scenes of snowboarding action -- featuring stunt doubles , no doubt -- are undeniably impressive .",
      "dim-witted even by adolescent gross-out-movie standards .",
      "more caddyshack than casablanca .",
      "as in the old beach movies , a great deal of screen time is devoted to the astounding exploits of stunt doubles , who here are riding powdered snow rather than waves .",
      "the resulting film is an incoherent debacle , more likely to turn people off of the pastime it allegedly celebrates than win any converts .",
      "as if conceived during a dukes of hazzard shooting hiatus , MOV may be retro but it 's sans daisy dukes .",
      "like watching an hour-and-a-half-long mountain dew commercial .",
      "MOV is n't the worst movie ever made . it is , however , one of the most pointless .",
      "the title reflects the condition viewers are advised to be in while the picture unspools ... about as appetizing as an anchovy - flavored sno-cone .",
      "really the only highlight here is the unscripted outtakes that run before the closing credits .",
      "lame , sophomoric and pretty much what you 'd expect for a film such as this , MOV is likely to disappear from theaters about on pace with a snowball 's chance in you know where .",
      "no brains , no headache .",
      "MOV is like the caddyshack of snowboarding , just with a fraction of the laughs .",
      "i ca n't imagine why anyone would pay money to see this sorry excuse for a film .",
      "most will find this one as thin as the mountain air .",
      "it 's 90 minutes of agony , buried under an avalanche of gross-out jokes and goofy geeks .",
      "it sort of sucks , but you 'll still secretly have a pretty good time watching it .",
      "while the presence of pro boarders doing their thing might be a selling point for enthusiasts , the predominantly lame goings-on will leave others snow-bored .",
      "if you 've made a movie in which former tv star lee majors ... is the funniest person present , then you have surely made a movie that sucks a lot .",
      "even though no one in the film breaks a leg , MOV is as lame as it gets .",
      "the best that can be said of MOV is that it is generally more lame than obnoxious .",
      "funnier than it has any right to be and it 's generally enjoyable .",
      "basically a low-rent remake of the 1984 low-rent teenage sex comedy hot dog ... the movie .",
      "i would mention that MOV boasts some pretty impressive snowboarding sequences , but so do most tv commercials .",
      "how appropriate this overcooked turkey opened over the thanksgiving holiday weekend ! and i 'm here to give it a basting .",
      "what can you say about a movie that includes its outtake bloopers reel before the closing credits ?",
      "the title says all there is to say about this pathetic hunk of moron-bait .",
      "a formulaic and predictable film .",
      "in failing in every base it tries to cover , there 's no point in seeing MOV , for such preferable alternatives exist .",
      "MOV is basically porky 's in the snow , and it 's a pale imitation at that . you ca n't go into this movie expecting anything innovative .",
      "as if to justify a serious discussion of this comedy before dissing it , some reviewers have pointed out that it evokes casablanca .",
      "although its main plot is a disposable low-rent ripoff and its leading players generally bland and undistinguished , there are some truly amusing supporting characters .",
      "funnier than woody allen 's last four movies , more exciting than tarkovski 's the sacrifice , MOV will play best if your first legal beer is still far enough into the future to seem a vision of the promised land .",
      "just do n't waste your time or money .",
      "its only redeeming value is the killer snowboarding scenes .",
      "MOV is essentially a spineless , unfunny animal house . the pretence of plot is distracting and insulting .",
      "there 's really nothing to recommend about MOV .",
      "the result is so derivative , they should 've called it eskimo pie ."
    ],
    "summary": "a party movie that substitutes surfs for snow , MOV will leave viewers just that with its gross-out humor and sophomoric plot .",
    "id": "12847"
  },
  {
    "movie": "confessions_of_a_dangerous_mind",
    "reviews": [
      "rockwell is wonderful throughout , capturing barris ' inherent sleaziness and insecurity as well as , well , the vision of the man who could be called the godfather of reality tv .",
      "... so busy having fun it is n't burdened with being important -- though i ca n't think of another movie that has as many important things to say about ambition and failure .",
      "clooney 's version of a beautiful mind blends kaufman lunacy with a surreal story .",
      "the evil twin of a beautiful mind : take out the false life-affirming tone and moral clarity from howard 's movie , add some nasty humour and you get box-office poison .",
      "it does n't quite deserve the gong , but there are more fascinating acts than `` MOV . ''",
      "the scintillating aspect of MOV lies in trying to discern fact from fiction - or at least fantasy .",
      "peddles skepticism while offering up narrative absurdities so fanciful that they must be true .",
      "the movie is like a party that you ca n't remember attending the next morning .",
      "... an aggressively unpleasant comedy-a raunchy , bloodthirsty epic of self-flagellating sex guilt and apocalyptic self-hatred . it 's also about the host of the gong show .",
      "i got tired of looking at george 's butt in solaris , and i felt the same of rockwell here .",
      "rockwell is engaging and wildly funny",
      "... skillfully directed with flair and personality by george clooney .",
      "just is n't as weird as it ought to be .",
      "rockwell delivers a performance admirable in its hustling sweatiness .",
      "stealthily thought-provoking and brashly entertaining .",
      "a powerful and creative film .",
      "the movie is , finally , an enigma , not because of barris 's monstrous fibbing , but because it resists being experienced as satire for the sake of its own satirical integrity .",
      "brilliantly stylized to suggest its time period and the hero 's questionable , if dangerous , state of mind and fever-dreamlike recollections , confessions never fails to entertain and intrigue .",
      "instead of exploring this dangerous mind , clooney plays it safe , making his freshman film deadly dull as a result .",
      "clooney has everything under control here from the storytelling to the steady hand of a director with an eye of confidence for the cinema .",
      "this cynical , ludicrous , self-indulgent , dark comedy is like `` a beautiful mind '' on an acid trip as it chronicles chuck barris 's `` downward spiral of debauchery . ''",
      "the overload of murders and double-crosses make barris 's life seem more and more like the folly of a screenwriter 's imagination .",
      "a stunning sam rockwell 's ` fessing up anchors an imaginative film .",
      "MOV has the feeling of the kind of film from the 1970s that clooney studied before making this movie : loose , adventurous , witty , occasionally out of control .",
      "... should 've been a lot better .",
      "odd , but awesome ! george clooney 's directorial debut is simply spectacular . this is one smashing film !",
      "the movie feels like it 's going to be great , and it carries on feeling that way for a long time , but takeoff just never happens .",
      "MOV may not be in the citizen kane class , but george clooney 's first foray behind the camera does boast similarly bravura technique and an infectious sense of joy in the filmmaking process .",
      "MOV is freakin ' brilliant . sam rockwell gives a whack-you-upside-the-head dose of his talent !",
      "bounces around like the smarter and weirder older brother of spielberg 's catch me if you can .",
      "because of movies like this , nostalgia just ai n't what it used to be .",
      "... a one-note character study about an unhappy , insecure , delusional paranoiac , whose assassin gimmick wears thin almost before it gets started .",
      "clooney has made a stylish debut , wisely making his movie resemble the wacky game shows barris dreamt up .",
      "directing for the first time , clooney turns out to be a natural when it comes to parody ...",
      "os universos de chuck barris e charlie kaufman săo complementares . e igualmente fascinantes .",
      "MOV is the latest , and most promising evolution of clooney 's career ...",
      "a blast from beginning to end and shows first-time director george clooney is equal parts fearless , brilliant and perhaps daft . but an intriguing daftness it is .",
      "-lsb- clooney 's -rsb- debut can be accused of being a bit undisciplined , but it has a tremendous , offbeat sense of style and humor that suggests he was influenced by some of the filmmakers who have directed him , especially the coen brothers and steven soderbergh .",
      "an attractive , charming film that has fun with its period settings , its goofy plot and its off-kilter performances .",
      "this somber , draggy movie , which is nothing like the breezy , lunatic comedy its tv ads promise , takes barris ' claims at face value and plays them for stone-faced drama .",
      "the film may be a pleasure to look at , but in the end it 's so uninhabited it becomes a chore to watch .",
      "who would 've thought a movie about chuck barris could be so rich and entertaining ?",
      "the story winks at show-biz insider parody -- you might end up yearning for more quality time with bob eubanks .",
      "-lsb- clooney -rsb- and kaufman have crafted a truly bizarro masterpiece -- the kind made for instant cult status and midnight runs .",
      "thanks to clooney , MOV is colorful , fast-moving and fun , but never without its bittersweet hint of madness .",
      "maybe the title should have been confusions of a dangerous mind , though the confusion , in this case , can be pretty sublime .",
      "clooney 's direction sets a unique tone that lets us laugh at , hope for and pity barris as we tag along for a herky-jerky ride through his memories .",
      "confessions is n't a movie that deserves to be gonged . but it does n't quite merit the ' 516 dollars and 32 cent ' prize , either .",
      "not only intriguing as a story but great to look at , a marriage of bright pop images from the 1960s and 1970s and dark , cold spyscapes that seem to have wandered in from john le carre .",
      "i have to confess there 's nothing very dangerous going on in a comedy that is neither as twistedly weird as your average gong show contestant nor as arch as an interview on the newlywed game .",
      "a brilliant mix of television history , artistic license , and resilient self-inflation .",
      "clooney makes a sharply entertaining directorial debut .",
      "startlingly clooney shows great flair in his foremost engagement -- terrific formation , daring camera movements , creative storytelling .",
      "witty , smart and absurdly funny .",
      "rockwell lets us see all the joy , lust , self-pity , and rage with which barris gonged himself .",
      "rockwell is definitely the star of the movie . he 's brilliant within the limitations of the part , tapping into barris ' mannerisms and tics in an uncanny way .",
      "confessions may not be a straightforward bio , nor does it offer much in the way of barris ' motivations , but the film is an oddly fascinating depiction of an architect of pop culture .",
      "it 's tremendously clever , but ultimately pointless .",
      "this movie is full of surprises , starting with the fact that it 's one of the most dramatically successful film biographies in memory .",
      "comedy both surreal and silly , which comfortably fits the characterization of barris as a cynical yet pathetic sap who seeks fame and respect by trying to come up with tv-show ideas .",
      "an irresistible sham .",
      "une biographie mi-sérieuse , mi-comique au style indéniable .",
      "the problem with making a movie about a hollow man is that , when things start to get heavy , you 're stuck with nothingness at the core .",
      "while somewhat less than it might have been , the film is a good one , and you 've got to hand it to director george clooney for biting off such a big job the first time out .",
      "in his directorial debut , george clooney delivers a highly stylized biopic that showcases the confessions of an absurd mind rather than a dangerous one .",
      "not necessarily the overwhelming pleasure that i might 've imagined .",
      "if it 's true , how scary is that ? if it 's not true , it 's a great idea for a story .",
      "hypnotic in its lunacy and sorta plaintive in its depiction of blustery patheticness .",
      "the ingredients were there for MOV to become a cult classic , but the resulting film is a tedious hollywood yawner .",
      "as crazy a story as you might imagine it to be . it is also entertaining in a darkly comic kind of way .",
      "kaufman , clooney , and company have interpreted barris 's story beautifully , but it was a flawed story to begin with .",
      "chuck barris looks like saint mozart compared to today 's producers",
      "clooney impresses with his sure directorial hand .",
      "far less compelling than the trailer indicates-a film that you may not immediately ` gong ' while watching",
      "confessions is without a doubt a memorable directorial debut from king hunk .",
      "as director , clooney uses his visuals to create a great story . however , the script is more of a teether for charlie kaufman and is overwhelmed by taking the material way too literally .",
      "as a first-time director , clooney makes a huge visual impact , enlisting cinematographer newton thomas sigel to help create the film 's stellar look .",
      "the fact that confessions looks absolutely gorgeous and unique is merely icing on the cake . clooney and kaufman spin this yarn for all its worth , and in this day and age it 's worth quite a lot .",
      "it is the bizarre type of laughless comedy that only a film critic could admire . our packed audience was as silent as that at a funeral .",
      "rockwell is stunning in his first lead performance , and in any other year , this would be a showy enough turn to be a lock for an oscar nomination .",
      "this astonishingly stylish film also marks clooney 's debut as a director . and it shows such promise that it 'll leave you looking forward to whatever he decides to do next , even though he 'll have a hard time topping this quirky gem .",
      "an entertaining film , if not exactly an insightful one .",
      "clooney has made a remarkable , if unsettled and unsettling picture .",
      "confessions is n't always coherent , but it 's sharply comic and surprisingly touching , so hold the gong .",
      "go see it and enjoy .",
      "a satisfying trip for idiot box fans who like their kitschy television nostalgia mixed with a hint of imagination .",
      "MOV works best as a rollicking trip through the pop culture of the '60s and '70s .",
      "mr. clooney , mr. kaufman and all their collaborators are entitled to take a deep bow for fashioning an engrossing entertainment out of an almost sure-fire prescription for a critical and commercial disaster .",
      "... sort of a red velvet twin to steven spielberg 's pastel catch me if you can",
      "a dazzling , visually assured movie with elaborate set pieces that make you say , ` gee , how 'd they do that ? '",
      "a picture that is surely one of the oddest ever made .",
      "not quite as brilliant , quirky or insightful at it might have been or as some would like , the film nevertheless kept me interested and entertained most of the time .",
      "it 's a smart , stylish , eminently watchable movie that nonetheless feels a little empty at the end .",
      "in his promising directorial debut , clooney gets away with most of the flourishes he allows himself .",
      "is it an irreverent comedy , but without laughs ? or an espionage thriller without thrills ?",
      "a darkly enjoyable roller-coaster ride .",
      "almost as weird as barris himself .",
      "the movie makes a case for itself through sheer oddness and perversity .",
      "clooney , who on the basis of this movie has a big career ahead of him behind the camera , demonstrates a real flair for visual comedy .",
      "neither revelatory nor truly edgy -- merely crassly flamboyant and comedically labored .",
      "now as a former gong show addict , i 'll admit it , my only complaint is that we did n't get more re-creations of all those famous moments from the show .",
      "a good piece of work more often than not .",
      "add yet another hat to a talented head , clooney 's a good director .",
      "barris ' cia assassinations make a neat metaphor for indiscriminate cultural degradation and personal emotional failings , but neither rockwell nor clooney are successful in getting us to feel either love or loathing for the man",
      "fast and loose , leaving the string-tying to an audience savvy from years of immersion in an ever-festering , increasingly perverse cultural stew .",
      "there 's nothing terribly witty , clever , satirical , or irreverent about charlie kauffman 's screenplay .",
      "clooney 's direction successfully steals from the best of pal steven soderbergh 's work .",
      "a head-clearing , mind-blowing blast from the past -- one of the year 's best .",
      "clooney has not only made one of the best debuts since spike jonze 's being john malkovich , but one of the best films of the year .",
      "darkly funny , surprising and very enjoyable , there 's enough here to suggest that clooney should direct again .",
      "a genuine mixed bag , full of entertaining moments but also bogged down by clooney 's overwhelming desire to emulate his frequent screen collaborator steven soderbergh .",
      "clooney zips through a very funny first act , before becoming a little bogged down as the action enters john le carré territory .",
      "if for nothing else , go see rockwell 's performance . it 's about time for him to bust out into bigger and better roles , and if it happens , this movie will be why .",
      "marks an auspicious debut for george clooney in the role of director -- a job he already seems to be a natural at .",
      "clooney 's ambition renders denzel 's `` good will fisher '' / `` finding fisher '' debut pedestrian in comparison .",
      "the movie is n't out to answer questions , but to show you just how deep & intesting those questions can get . in the mean time , it 's damn entertaining .",
      "too succinct and too straightforward for its enigmatic subject .",
      "... a wacky movie about a wacky person , a film whose details we are never really sure we are supposed to believe . but perhaps this uncertainty is what makes it so engaging .",
      "clooney directs this film always keeping the balance between the fantastic and the believable ...",
      "both overstuffed and undernourished ... the film ca n't be called a solid success , although there 's plenty of evidence here to indicate clooney might have better luck next time .",
      "the concoction entertains from beginning to end , though the lessons of barris ' life are as slippery as his facts .",
      "reinforces the talents of screenwriter charlie kaufman , creator of adaptation and being john malkovich .",
      "the movie is compulsively watchable even if it never quite convinces you that it 's much more than a fanciful story .",
      "undeniably fascinating as it unfolds but ultimately not very satisfying .",
      "as a director , clooney does n't have an original idea to speak of , but he knows how to swipe the best indie-approved moves .",
      "you wo n't believe much of it , but you will laugh at the audacity , at the who 's who casting and the sheer insanity of it all .",
      "celebrity and pop culture are areas on which clooney is well-equipped to comment , but the other aspect of barris ' life -- clandestine meetings with shadowy figures who may simply be delusions -- leave him at a loss .",
      "throws out so much and so quickly that the hit-to-miss ratio is rather poor .",
      "a magnificent directorial debut ... sam rockwell is one of the best actors on the planet . original , bizarre , and consistently entertaining .",
      "even though MOV can be too hip and too glib in its attempt to wring universal truths from barris ' sordid delusions , any movie that stars both rutger hauer and the unknown comic is all right by me .",
      "one of the year 's most weirdly engaging and unpredictable character pieces .",
      "although delightfully overzealous , clooney 's field trip of loose-ended frivolity sputters aimlessly in our attempts to embrace a complicated soul being presented as a sympathetic human question mark .",
      "with this film , rockwell is now a leading man , a force in hollywood .",
      "un prodigio narrativo muy diferente a todo lo que suele producir hollywood , pero no por capricho de un director sino al servicio de una historia y de un punto de vista .",
      "noir fantasy with the pop funkiness of '70s game shows",
      "never mind whether you buy the stuff about barris being a cia hit man . the kooky yet shadowy vision clooney sustains throughout is daring , inventive and impressive .",
      "a film so tedious that it is impossible to care whether that boast is true or not .",
      "brimming with slightly self-conscious directorial panache , the movie zips between nearly three decades , fantasy and reality without ever really deciding how seriously it wants to take itself .",
      "directing a movie is no picnic , but i 'll be damned if mr. clooney does n't make it seem like fun .",
      "clooney directs it ! how could it be any good ?",
      "a terrific actor , a handsome movie star and now an accomplished director -- damn you , mr. clooney , for making it that much more unfair for the average joe likes of myself .",
      "an intriguing , bizarre and challenging film that invites us into a world filled with larger-than-life characters and strange occurrences .",
      "well-acted and well-written , for mature teens + .",
      "clooney wanted kaufman 's script delivered without corruption or softening . he has overcorrected and made a glum , almost listless movie .",
      "fact and possible fiction amble to a photo finish as one of pop culture 's nuttiest milestones .",
      "george clooney proves he 's quite a talented director and sam rockwell shows us he 's a world-class actor with MOV .",
      "there 's nothing dangerous about chuck barris ' mind . unfortunately , there 's not much interesting about it either .",
      "unfolds in a striking visual palette of washed out colors and deep shadows , almost as if we 're watching it on an old television set whose picture tube is about to burn out",
      "while the results are often stylish , interesting and humorous , the film unfortunately lacks focus and fails to resonate on an emotional level .",
      "the american film of the season -- and maybe of the year , or the last couple of years ...",
      "if nothing else , MOV ought to make sam rockwell a star .",
      "with a dedication to seamless scene transitions not witnessed since , maybe , 1992 's hoffa , clooney keeps the film light , and even a little fun .",
      "-lsb- the movie -rsb- makes up in vitality what it loses in veracity .",
      "it 's deftly written by charlie kaufman .",
      "by taking chuck barris seriously , charlie kaufman gets to the heart of the true gamesman that he was ; by not taking him seriously , george clooney has made a movie debut that is just a game .",
      "MOV is a delightfully wicked indulgence that plays with its audience just as much as it plays with its subject ."
    ],
    "summary": "rockwell is spot-on as barris , and clooney directs with entertaining style and flair .",
    "id": "13421"
  },
  {
    "movie": "steve_jobs_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "the MOV film we want , and deserve .",
      "i came away with the feeling that the filmmakers were practically implying that his early death at 56 was some kind of karmic payback .",
      "this is a swift and searing attempt to pull back the curtain on jobs and , in the process , investigate the relationship between the myth and the man .",
      "there 's something both sterile and overwhelmingly magnificent about MOV at the same time .",
      "sorkin 's long-held faith in the abilities of great men to lead humanity forward is transmuted by his lack of affinity for technology into something with more perspective and plangency .",
      "this is simultaneously sorkin 's most satisfying movie script and boyle 's most graceful work as a director .",
      "racing in high gear from start to finish , danny boyle 's electric direction temperamentally complements sorkin 's highly theatrical three-act study , which might one day be fascinating to experience in a staged setting .",
      "features an oscar-winning -lrb- in a year without a slavery or holocaust picture , just mail it to him -rrb- performance by michael fassbender",
      "a whirlwind tour through the computer age with a flawed human at its center .",
      "in many ways the film reflects its hero 's brilliance . it 's a scintillating construction , though one that sometimes feels like a product launch in its own right .",
      "fassbender delivers a mesmeric performance as jobs ...",
      "what 's most difficult about sorkin 's intricate fantasy is not acknowledging jobs ' darkness , but setting aside all hope of seeing the real man who inspired it .",
      "fassbender does n't really resemble jobs -lrb- until the end , when the mock-turtlenecks and new balance sneaks come out -rrb- , but he gives an enthralling performance as a man who truly changed the world .",
      "a typically sorkin-esque collection of high octane , highly literate , verbal jousts that manages the neat trick of exalting MOV while also crucifying him .",
      "MOV is a fascinating study of a man , explaining who he was but never making a judgment about who he is . the movie lets audiences compute that for themselves .",
      "kinetic & enigmatic - it 's extraordinary entertainment , eminently suitable for its iconic , yet inscrutable subject .",
      "rigorous cinema at its finest , wielding dialogue , setting , cinematography , editing and performance to create ... an `` impressionistic portrait '' of the face of apple .",
      "the film feels so electric while you 're watching , it 's hard to believe that after two hours , it does n't even get to the ipod , let alone the iphone .",
      "MOV mostly succeeds , crafting a human portrait of a tech leader who struggled behind the scenes to be greater than his failings .",
      "`` MOV '' is a buzzingly entertaining movie about an obdurate radical with a broken operating system who still managed to transform the world around us , how we communicate , and the course of technological history .",
      "exaggerated , transcendent , and brazen in its effort to entertain ... the best concert i 've been to this year .",
      "a fascinating character study .",
      "what sorkin and boyle have to offer is not a warts-and-all portrait but the suggestion that there is something heroic about a wart .",
      "if i feel i now know less about jobs than i did before , that may be a good thing .",
      "for a movie that resists the traditional biopic movie formula of career-high-and-low flashbacks -lrb- witness ashton kutcher 's disastrous `` jobs '' - now streaming on netflix -rrb- , `` MOV '' is a droning tone poem of a character-study .",
      "capably shot , well acted -lrb- notwithstanding kate winslet 's shape-shifting accent -rrb- , its score propulsive , if a little too insistent , it 's a finely crafted piece of work . but as a film , i found it nearly insufferable .",
      "aaron sorkin 's dazzling and dizzying screenplay is the star of this show which is blessed by crackerjack direction from danny boyle and a great michael fassbender in the title role .",
      "it 's not a conventional film and is anything but a biopic ... but once you buckle in for this ride , it will be one you wo n't forget anytime soon .",
      "aaron sorkin has created a larger-than-life monstre sacré who can rage across three acts of dazzling dialogue and constant movement like a latter-day lear .",
      "written , directed and acted to perfection , and so fresh and startling in conception and execution that it leaves you awed . fassbender rips through the role of the volcanic jobs . is he really that good ? hell , yeah .",
      "`` birdman '' for the tech sector .",
      "MOV is an arresting , razor-sharp piece of human drama that probes the slippery divide between persona and person .",
      "a triumph in terms of aaron sorkin 's screenwriting , boyle 's direction , the ensemble acting led by michael fassbender and kate winslet , and certainly set for awards attention ...",
      "the energy is relentless and the actors all more than meet the challenge of not only keeping up with sorkin 's trademark , rat-a-tat patter but also making it sing .",
      "there 's undeniable craftsmanship here , especially in fassbender 's confident and transformative performance , but sorkin 's script fails to shout and quip its way to anything approaching dramatic vibrancy .",
      "as sharp and slick as MOV is , it ends up feeling more interested in entertainment than enlightenment .",
      "MOV does n't reach the zeitgeisty highs of sorkin 's other tech-minded film , but goodness is everyone on board and running smoothly .",
      "like the man it profiles , MOV is easy to admire and difficult to love .",
      "from a performance standpoint , the film stands near the top of ensembles and individualized works seen in 2015 . fassbender approaches jobs with a familiarity . he finds sarcasm to be a second language , and repugnancy to be a way of life .",
      "to paraphrase the old company slogan ... . aaron sorkin thinks different .",
      "a mesmerizing and invigorating piece of filmmaking , with a high-wire aaron sorkin stamp all over it .",
      "danny boyle 's film ca n't help but land in the same hagiographizing place as nearly every single other great man biopic churned out by the studio powers that be .",
      "more a rorschach test than a film telling us what to think .",
      "incredible",
      "while you have to give sorkin and boyle credit for attempting an unconventional structure , it 's a choice that arguably only works thanks to the contributions of a stellar ensemble .",
      "compelling portrait of apple genius has lots of swearing .",
      "it is an interesting film for people who have seen many of the other movies and tv specials about jobs . this one is a different take and a very worthwhile and interesting one at that .",
      "as scathingly played by fassbender , jobs looks almost as sleek and perfected as one of his computers .",
      "looking for a film in which the drama rests on fighting over whether the original macintosh will say hello over the machine 's speaker ? then this is for you .",
      "fassbender looks enough like jobs that it 's not distracting , and he finds a voice for the character .",
      "it 's wonderful in spots , maddening in spots , and entirely too sentimental in its ending . but it 's also unquestionably worth seeing .",
      "it 's fitting , i suppose , that a movie about the complicated man behind apple be complicated as well and , in that sense , this adventurous danny boyle/aaron sorkin spin succeeds . but , is that dazzle enough ?",
      "a smart , hugely entertaining film that all but bristles with crackling creative energy .",
      "can you be a nice guy , and a great man ? MOV is the case in point , and `` MOV '' says no .",
      "boyle 's film is a short-sighted , albeit wonderfully acted and entertaining , look into the life of MOV that never quite captures a bigger-picture mentality .",
      "MOV and all of the characters around him fail to come to life in any absorbing fashion . they 're not real people ; they 're all hashtags .",
      "it 's a high wire act that might leave some feeling left behind . somehow , though , boyle pulls it off not by backing off the speechifying but by leaning into it and allowing it to sing .",
      "feels like a series of beautifully and meticulously crafted tiles in a half-finished mosaic ; you can admire the pieces but still come away feeling like you 've been deprived of the whole .",
      "an ingenious structure and aaron sorkin 's typically sharp dialogue elevate this exploration of the apple icon beyond the standard biopic .",
      "as a technical achievement , it 's interesting , if not perfect . but for a story of our time , i ca n't imagine anything better .",
      "an enthralling performance by michael fassbender fuels this brilliant , infuriating and richly unconventional take on the life of an american visionary .",
      "the tension between boyle 's restless energy and sorkin 's tendency to run in place drives the movie .",
      "a sensational film",
      "a damn near perfect effort with words and performances that will reign come oscar time .",
      "screenwriter aaron sorkin , who 's written about america 's great flawed men with such fire and hyperarticulate pathos that he 's threatened to become one himself , outdoes his work on the social network with an even sharper and more savage script .",
      "fassbender thrillingly commands MOV , a movie that takes care to entertain while also informing .",
      "it 's all too neatly staged to make for dynamic cinema , even if the dialogue does crackle with a delicious nastiness .",
      "danny boyle and aaron sorkin 's MOV is a fantastically entertaining cinema .",
      "this self-proclaimed apple hater was n't buying . but i admit the product still looks great .",
      "the trick to enjoying an aaron sorkin project is to never take it as seriously as he does . with the supremely entertaining `` MOV , '' the oscar-winning writer presents us with a charles foster kane-like figure and then goes on a hunt for rosebuds .",
      "MOV is an exciting piece of iconoclasm : a talky , charged thriller for the brain that offers an intimate interpretation of who jobs really was , even as it shrewdly undercuts many of the high-tech-saviour claims that have been made for him .",
      "though michael fassbender contributes an oscar-worthy performance , the fragmentary nature of this biopic is distracting .",
      "it 's a cliché to say that apple changed the world , but how and why did that happen ? `` MOV '' is robust and entertaining , but the answer it provides is incomplete .",
      "it is a formally audacious , intellectually energized entertainment , a powerful challenge to the lazy conventions of hollywood storytelling and a feast for connoisseurs of contemporary screen acting .",
      "neither hagiography nor hatchet job , MOV is a dazzling artistic interpretation of one of the modern techno-giants and a terrific piece of filmmaking ."
    ],
    "summary": "like the tech giant co-founded by its subject , MOV gathers brilliant people to deliver a product whose elegance belies the intricate complexities at its core .",
    "id": "771413488"
  },
  {
    "movie": "southland_tales",
    "reviews": [
      "southland is ridiculous in much the same way the austin powers movies are , but it 's played straight .",
      "it 's not hard to understand . it 's just who would care about what this is about ?",
      "unlike the world , MOV starts with a bang but ends with a whimper . richard kelly 's opus of a film is little more than sensory overload meant to look like a political statement on the state of privacy , the war , news and celebrities .",
      "one of the most confusing , ridiculous , pretentious and disastrous cinematic train wrecks i 've ever seen .",
      "richard kelly 's wildly ambitious and widely loathed MOV now seems among the most believable works of film futurism ever made in this country .",
      "an incomprehensible , self-indulgent mess of post-apocalyptic anxiety and political paranoia , a confusion of half-baked social critiques , pop-culture references , sci-fi whimsicalities , and anti-corporate satire straining for significance .",
      "it 's as though kelly has taken all his obsessions and interests and tried to jam them into one narrative , no matter how admirably diverse and incompatible they are .",
      "MOV really is a guy movie , right down to all the sci-fi , comic book and porn references ...",
      "the actors barely comprehend their lines . the pop-culture references are lame . nearly every moment falls flat . and it 's boring .",
      "by the time the movie rolls into its third hour , it 's exhausted most of its comic energy , leaving you disoriented and unable to remember much of what you just saw .",
      "a colleague recently burbled to me that MOV is `` the worst movie of the year , '' and i could not disagree more . yes , it 's astonishingly bad , but it 's far too demented to warrant that ultimate dishonor .",
      "imagine world populated entirely by donnie darkos . that 's MOV , and it takes only a few minutes for it to become completely unhinged .",
      "a gonzo , unsettling , semi-coherent , barnstorming near-masterpiece that had me glued to my seat in anticipation of witnessing how far this multi-dimensional funhouse of madness could go .",
      "there are so many ideas sliding into kelly 's swirling vortex of pop culture overload and apocalyptic forecasting that it 's understandable not to find coherence in it .",
      "kelly might yet develop into an important filmmaker , but this undisciplined effort demonstrates the downside of a creative mind with no filter .",
      "kelly seemed to have a lot on his mind when he assembled this movie , and it looks as if he put it together thinking it would be his last .",
      "ultimately no more than an agglomeration of such high-caloric , giddy treats .",
      "fitfully engaging but half-baked .",
      "this is how the review starts , not with overwhelming praise , but confused disappointment .",
      "in a world of mediocre , formulaic fare that is like everything else that has come before it , MOV stands invigoratingly apart from the crowd . it 's ballsy , fascinatingly different and thoroughly commendable .",
      "swings from dark comedy to political message film to science fiction , with occasional dips into noir , religion and even a musical number featuring justin timberlake .",
      "if donnie darko was kelly 's eraserhead , then maybe MOV is his dune , an unfortunate folly before a more substantial , velveteen blue period .",
      "MOV has a mood unlike anything i 've seen : dread that morphs into kitsch and then back again . it 's a film that tried my patience , and one i could n't shake off .",
      "pointless , rambling , and irritating .",
      "in its willful , self-involved eccentricity , MOV is really something else . kelly 's movie may not be entirely coherent , but that 's because there 's so much it wants to say .",
      "an example of a sophomore jinx encountered by radically experimental directors after their first effort proved to have more traction with audiences and critics than they had anticipated .",
      "as the follow-up to his debut feature , the unexpectedly enduring teen-movie/sci-fi hybrid donnie darko , writer-director richard kelly has crafted an even more ambitious and far-reaching story",
      "as in kelly 's previous film , southland 's flaws , and its scope , are magnificently earnest ; the guy is in way over his head , but his flailing is extravagant .",
      "unusual and extremely ambitious with an alternate reality that is entirely absorbing ; MOV is richard kelly 's magnum opus that only a small few are able to recognize . thankfully , those small few are pimps . and pimps do n't commit suicide .",
      "writer-director richard kelly throws a lot at the wall . the problem , if that 's what we should call it , is that everything sticks . that 's bad news for those who like some narrative clarity , and great news for those who enjoy bonkers wall art .",
      "dude , i have no idea .",
      "not much improvement over the vfirst , severely flawed version .",
      "has the galvanic pulse of a filmmaker trying things out , failing , and trying again",
      "the brilliance of MOV is inextricable from its flaws , if indeed they are flaws .",
      "this is not just another hodgepodge of a movie that 's all noise and excess ; writer / director richard kelly has a point here ; he has plenty to say .",
      "it 's the sort of experience you feel embarrassed about even though you had nothing to do with it , because it 's not just a mess , it 's a pretentious mess",
      "they 've left it late , but writer-director richard kelly -lrb- donnie darko -rrb- and his team have gone and scooped the independent 's worst film of 2007 award - against stiff competition , too .",
      "i hope kelly 's career survives MOV , unless , that is , he plans to make more movies like this .",
      "a subversive and annihilistic satire on america , lurching from black comedy to farce , from dramatic insight to superficial jokes",
      "sets up such a pretense of intellectualism it fools its audience into believing it 's on a plane they ca n't understand ...",
      "while donnie darko is a fine film regardless of your level of sobriety , richard kelly 's sophomore effort most definitely is not .",
      "when it 's not being obstinately stupid , MOV is just difficult to watch .",
      "i 'll give it this : MOV is never boring .",
      "the type of incoherent , indulgent muddle that can only emerge from the mind of someone who is quite talented .",
      "although it 's by any reasonable means a flawed film , MOV demands watching , if only for its cinematic achievements .",
      "entirely misdirected , and the film never gels or even makes sense",
      "the plot revolves around a film-within-a-film gimmick that , like the rest of the film , comes off only half-baked .",
      "MOV is one of the smartest , funniest , most audacious -- and most mournful -- films of the year .",
      "compared to the seemingly unsalvageable disaster kelly screened at cannes , this overcooked folly is a miraculous , frankensteinian resurrection . maybe this is grading on a curve , but i 'd always rather have an excess of ambition than the opposite .",
      "messier than a 2-year-old in a pool of pudding .",
      "kelly seems to think that to merely mention fallujah or global warming -- or to name a bank after karl rove -- is the same as actually having an opinion about them .",
      "it 's enough to make you hope that a full-blown musical is in kelly 's future .",
      "there 's enough happening here to fuel an entire tv series , with melodramatic excesses , wild mood swings and sitcom-style slapstick .",
      "somewhere beneath all the layers of idiocy are some good ideas -- if only kelly knew how to express them .",
      "with boundless ambition far exceeding his ability to tell a coherent story , kelly manages only an artistic apocalypse .",
      "... the lowest movie of the last nine years . there 's political satire ostensibly buried somewhere in kelly 's muddy cinematic slop , but you 'll never be able to stain it out . blech !",
      "MOV is a monumentally bad film , a landmark in 21st century cinematic awfulness . there 's no real meaning to be found here ; it 's all signifiers for half baked ideas that richard kelly never managed to turn into anything worthwhile .",
      "it 's a cautionary tale about the inevitable endgame of tasteless , artless , `` alternative '' culture .",
      "as the plot becomes more convoluted and the movie goes haywire , what saves it are its sardonic details .",
      "every time -lsb- writer-director richard -rsb- kelly manages to build up a halfway decent head of comic froth ... he blows it with some god-awful portent or `` statement . ''",
      "MOV contains stuff as uproariously out-there as anything in kubrick 's dr. strangelove and as unnervingly subversive as frankenheimer 's the manchurian candidate .",
      "reminiscent of the fiction of kurt vonnegut , with its mix of sci-fi mythology , absurdist humor and political outrage .",
      "the very incoherence of MOV is something like an argument , its many pieces and pronouncements a deconstructive challenge to world order .",
      "incoherent bluster that 's meant to be as much a satirical take on the post-9 / 11 world as dr. strangelove was on the cold war era , but fails miserably in every respect .",
      "MOV is a funny , audacious , messy and feverishly inspired look at america and its discontents .",
      "spending $ 12 and 2 1/2 hours -lrb- 30 minutes less than the cannes cut -rrb- on something as aggressively bad as MOV is not something i can recommend with a clear conscience .",
      "the movie 's failure to come together -- indeed to make sense for most of its 144 minutes , each one passing with the speed of molasses -- is a major disappointment .",
      "there 's barely a trace of substance to kelly 's fiasco , nor anything like a so-bad-it 's - good vibe .",
      "a rambling and incoherent vision of the near future , MOV proves a major disappointment from the talented richard kelly .",
      "consequently , i can recommend it to ` enhanced interrogation ' practitioners who are tired of waterboarding .",
      "you ca n't be both political and incoherent .",
      "even if the world kelly 's concocted always seems screamingly incoherent , you have to hand it to him . he 's made a movie of our messy times that 's too ambitious to settle for merely capturing the mess . it actually is the mess .",
      "immature , crude , poorly made and a waste of time .",
      "no amount of reworking could salvage what was a misbegotten and unfunny idea to begin with .",
      "a schwarzeneggerian actor , related to a political dynasty , has been kidnapped , replaced with a double , and -- i give up . a plot synopsis would require that the movie have a plot .",
      "fun graphics , beautiful photography and great special effects will not save this tedious and self-absorbed epic from a direct trip to the dvd bin . the horse is beaten to death and even the bottled energy ca n't bring it back .",
      "there 's too much sizzle and not enough steak .",
      "MOV finally emerges as an admirably bold dud . trying to sum up everything that 's wrong in the world in one kaleidoscopic go , it 's messy , misshapen and curiously muffled . seems the world does end with a whimper after all .",
      "by the climax , his truly ambitious , truly flawed film finally disappears into the ` time-space rift ' -lrb- or whatever -rrb- to achieve some sort of cosmic transcendence .",
      "a bold and sometimes garbled take on modern american politics , this nevertheless marks an effective and surprisingly funny comeback for a film that many deemed to be doa .",
      "frustrating and finally rather pointless .",
      "whether this is a demented b-movie or a comment on demented b-movies is hard to say . it is horribly fascinating , if not for the full 150 minutes .",
      "the film has a dated feel - it has more in common with 1960s-style wacky satire than the cutting edge of 21st-century cinema .",
      "a hypnotic disaster that 's truly fascinating - if only for all the wrong reasons .",
      "no doubt some will dismiss it as an overlong , incoherent mess , but others -lrb- myself included -rrb- will emerge , bleary-eyed and brain-battered , just wanting to see the whole thing all over again .",
      "if mulholland drive had a prettier , younger , and developmentally-challenged sister , it would be MOV .",
      "kelly has unquestionably given us a bold and challenging work that is alive and kicking in every frame .",
      "MOV resembles nothing less than a vintage godard , with a brainstorm full of ideas roiling and lurching and looking for purchase .",
      "there 's more . much more , all of it absurd and confusing . that is n't necessarily meant as a complaint .",
      "writer/director richard kelly misses the mark with this bubbling stew of images and ideas that never quite congeals into a viable film .",
      "MOV delivers equal parts overwrought tedium and mind-bending beauty , spiked with brilliant throwaway images that more than make up for kelly 's heavy-handed hot-button pretensions .",
      "a few scenes work , but many more do n't . MOV may be one feature film that will play better in bits and pieces on the internet .",
      "dizzyingly incoherent and subversively surreal , this sophomore effort from the man who made the great , strange donnie darko is certain to have its fans . i 'm not going to be one of them .",
      "apocalyptic thriller is too apoplectic for most .",
      "we 're plunked down in the middle of an apocalyptic mess . this time the mess is not so much addressed as embodied by the film itself -- but damned if it does n't roll around in your head a while .",
      "southland may be ambitious in its genre-defying abandon , sideswiping science fiction , satire , film noir and melodrama along the way , but it 's also exasperatingly convoluted , self-amused and politically sophomoric ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV , while offering an intriguing vision of the future , remains frustratingly incoherent and unpolished .",
    "id": "178779288"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lady_and_the_tramp",
    "reviews": [
      "the sentimentality is mighty , and the use of the cinemascope size does not make for any less awareness of the thickness of the goo .",
      "happily the cameo lowlife , an excellent manic beaver , the famously villainous siamese , and classic songs rescue the film from dumb animal sentiment .",
      "one of disney 's simplest and most delightful animated features",
      "... somewhat overrated ...",
      "a charming piece of vintage entertainment from walt disney , replete with wholesome family values .",
      "-lsb- it made -rsb- more money than any other film from the 1950s except the ten commandments and ben-hur .",
      "disney 's imagination seems at a low ebb , saddled with a shrunken , excessively naturalistic style in line with the diminished possibilities of postwar animation , and not yet graced by the inspiration that would redeem that style in sleeping beauty .",
      "the wider canvas and extra detail work reportedly meant an additional 30 % in negative cost . it was a sound investment .",
      "they do n't make movies like MOV any more . i know that 's a cliche , but it 's true .",
      "the vintage animation is brilliant , and disney has done a wonderful job with the transfer to dvd .",
      "while it 's not one of the strongest disney animated features , this one has enough strengths to keep it popular decades after its 1955 release .",
      "i just love hand drawn animation , it really brings to life all the characters in a very expressive way . the imperfections doing it by hand give everything a rougher edge but more heart .",
      "this tale -lrb- oh hah hah ! -rrb- of two canines in love has withstood the test of time to remain a family classic .",
      "in many ways it is closer to the man walt disney 's view of the world than any of his preceding films , especially the way it is filtered largely through his sense of nostalgia for the victorian era",
      "handsomely , seductively drawn , MOV owns its place in the canon ...",
      "share the love of `` MOV '' with your loved ones this valentine 's day .",
      "a somewhat dry , but very good disney animated effort punctuated by a few disney-defining classic moments .",
      "classic disney dogs paw their way into hearts .",
      "a wonderful blend of timeless romance , wholesome adventure , and breathtaking animation .",
      "walt disney has for so long parlayed gooey sentiment and stark horror into profitable cartoons that most moviegoers are apt to be more surprised than disappointed to discover that the combination somehow does not work this time .",
      "easily the most beautifully-animated piece to come out of the disney studios since the golden age ended .",
      "visual images on a 70 mm screen are bound to be stunning , but it takes a fun and good-natured story to back them up ; here , we have a premise that joins two opposites in a sweet love story as adventurous as it is fearsome and daring .",
      "with cracking music , a rollicking pace and dialogue that stands up to scrutiny , MOV really is among walt 's very best .",
      "the 50th anniversary dvd release of MOV shows you everything that is right and wrong with disney in one dvd package .",
      "parents used to having their kids explain films to them will have their hands full on this one .",
      "technically , disney has created nothing finer .",
      "charming and nostalgic .",
      "not only is MOV one of disney 's sweetest films , it 's one of their loveliest to look at .",
      "true disney classic animation with great score .",
      "classic disney animation , classic story . a wonderful film for childrena and adults as well .",
      "still cute"
    ],
    "summary": "a nostalgic charmer , MOV 's token sweetness is mighty but the songs and richly colored animation are technically superb and make for a memorable experience .",
    "id": "9395"
  },
  {
    "movie": "madagascar_3_europes_most_wanted_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "eye-popping and bounding with energy , this is fun for audiences of all ages .",
      "here is a family movie from which absolutely nothing is expected , and yet it 's one of the week 's best releases : a muscular , potent and very funny film .",
      "it is a disarmingly daft , anarchic romp that should leave younger children screaming with delight .",
      "the action zips along , the visuals dazzle and the gags zing . the best in the series so far .",
      "easily the best film of the franchise so far , thanks to a witty script , colourful new characters , lively animation , inspired direction and some impressive 3d work , not to mention some exceptional comic timing .",
      "it 's good to see that with a decent , fast-paced plot and some witty lines , the quality and entertainment value of the films has been maintained .",
      "you do n't have to be a child of four to enjoy this series , but it helps .",
      "`` the best of the madagascar films '' might not be the most ringing endorsement ever committed to newsprint , but dreamworks animation has finally found the franchise 's groove in this pyrotechnic third instalment .",
      "it 's a riotous circus you 'd happily run away to .",
      "this is that rare thing : a franchise that grows more winning with each instalment .",
      "the eye-popping , energetic `` madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted '' really is a three-ring circus .",
      "despite a script co-written by noah baumbach , `` madagascar 3 '' ca n't upgrade its own shtick , becoming a craven example of a fast-buck , no-fun family film .",
      "your brain goes breathless and giddy struggling to keep up .",
      "if you typically check the ingredients on the stuff you feed your kids , here is what you 'll find in `` madagascar 3 '' : jokes , katy perry music and less than 2 percent of character development and emotional warmth .",
      "cascading , colorful 3-d performance sequences are sufficiently dazzling that you 'll forgive the bajillionth soundtrack sampling of `` firework . ''",
      "is there any reason to seek it out if you do n't have kids to bring along or a desire to see every animated movie ever made ? not really .",
      "an over-the-big-top picture that will probably please toddlers and franchise fans but suggests that the series has pretty much run its course .",
      "my favorite of the `` madagascars . ''",
      "i have to give props to a movie that ascends from eccentricity to insanity without losing its footing .",
      "this is a movie that 's constantly in motion , with slapstick flair .",
      "a neon-saturated , high-flying trapeze act with enough frenetic funny business that it 's a wonder the folks behind this zillion-dollar franchise about zoo critters on the lam did n't send the animals to the circus sooner .",
      "`` madagascar 3 '' is all about exuberant motion , cute characters and gorgeous colors . it aims for the eyes , not the heart .",
      "grand family entertainment with substantial laughs and a thoughtful use of 3d ... has genuine spark , keeping the adventure speeding along while massaging the digestible plot .",
      "a riot of splashy colors , silly 3-d gimmicks , big , broad kid-friendly gags - and those professionally pesky penguins .",
      "america , after all , becomes the emerald city again in this movie 's eyes , and the promise westward holds fresh allure . that 's good enough for me .",
      "set at a frenzied pace meant to connote fun , it mostly feels like a frenetic spectacle .",
      "`` madagascar 3 ″ is the best of the series , bright , fresh , fun , and funny , with a terrific script co-written by `` the squid and the whale 's '' noah baumbach .",
      "kids will be stimulated . and , parents , you 'll enjoy the sights .",
      "shot in 3d , it uses the medium to its best advantage and the circus theme allows the animators to go wild with color . but `` 3 's '' best assets are its new characters .",
      "the franchise that began as a tame kiddie pleaser about four pampered zoo animals lost in the wild has matured and sharpened its teeth , perhaps thanks to noah baumbach ...",
      "one-ups its forgettable predecessors by actually being pretty good .",
      "a funny , snappy script and thrilling action sequences make this european adventure a trip worth taking .",
      "the clever lines and themes of friendship and finding home are almost completely overwhelmed here by the breathless pace and sensory overload ...",
      "what might be barely tolerable in a seven-minute short gave me the biggest headache since `` transformers : dark of the moon . ''",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- may be the best of the bunch , simply because it busts the leash that tethers it to anything resembling reality .",
      "this latest offering is better than the first two and is a rare example of a franchise that keeps improving as it goes . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "if you want to see a family film that tries to make kids laugh by throwing lots of loud scenes with obnoxious characters doing annoying things and features the latest crappy pop songs , then madagascar 3 is for you .",
      "one of those rare movies that 's magical for the entire family .",
      "a culture change is clearly taking place at dreamworks animation . hallelujah .",
      "exhausting , but still funny ; with actual jokes meant for viewers over eight . it 's not top-shelf booze , but irreverence wins out .",
      "a bright and breezy jaunt through europe that delivers enough laughs , action and thrillingly staged adventure to keep the young ones happy .",
      "this is the rare animated property that has consistently improved on its ho-hum origins .",
      "yes , it 's a cartoon , but it 's conspicuously unmodulated , with the volume set on high and the pacing all but pushed to fast-forward .",
      "this movie is so funny and sweet that it 's official : this series actually gets better with each installment .",
      "the kids loved it . the adults loved it . this means it 's a sure thing if you 're looking for a family movie outing . go check it out in 3d and everyone should be happy .",
      "fans of the original might react with more of an indifferent shrug to their latest travelogue .",
      "the first two madagascar 's were pretty boring and strictly for kids . with great 3d and a little more fun , adults you have permission to like this one .",
      "entertaining `` threequel '' has some mild violence , innuendo .",
      "from time to time the improbable occurs : a sequel outdoes its original .",
      "if you 're stuck with babysitting duties , you could do a lot worse than spend a zippy , silly and antic hour and a half with the continent-hopping animals in madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted .",
      "the film is grounded in the arcs of its beloved characters and presents some exciting new ones , fun settings , and funny dialogue .",
      "a fun and fast family entertainment .",
      "the screenplay , by eric darnell and noah baumbach , churns out the snappy witticisms with admirable creative gusto , but it whizzes along at such a frenetic pace that you 'll probably miss half of them .",
      "short and silly , it 's frenetically paced and visually dazzling , filled with high-flying acrobatics .",
      "it 's not a great film , but it 'll do for a silly summer lark ... oh , and circus afro !",
      "as the gags play out to their climactic showdown , this seems a fitting end to the series .",
      "madagascar 3 offers humor and heart in most all of the right places ...",
      "the wildly successful animated comedy series finally -- and , to be frank , very unexpectedly -- breaks from pleasantly watchable kid-friendly mediocrity to visually imaginative , consistently witty all-ages entertainment .",
      "... this one was rotten in 2005 and 2008 , and by now it 's really beginning to stink .",
      "with an impressive array of voice talent , dreamworks has created something truly special .",
      "contains more than enough adult humor to keep all of the parents -lrb- and critics -rrb- in the audience satisfied .",
      "the result is almost exactly as good as it needs to be - no better and no worse . where the norm is grimly assembled factory line products , that counts as a success .",
      "not only is it the best of the series so far , but it actually makes us look forward to the prospect of a part four .",
      "for now , it is a downright delight to sit back and watch the likes of the loony lemur king julien do anything and everything to entertain you .",
      "perhaps the spectacle overwhelms the characters at times but this is a fun addition to this particular series .",
      "fast , fun and glowing with neon delight , this third effort in the franchise is enough to encourage kids to seek out their own animal sanctuary .",
      "a vivacious 3d kaleidoscope of colour , dazzle and show , this third in the franchise simply bursts with joie de vivre , goofy humour and innovative ideas",
      "madagascar 3 works because it knows its strengths and hits them repeatedly by being loud , frantic and dazzling .",
      "bright , colourful and fun .",
      "genuinely funny and gleefully entertaining , its creators are n't afraid to throw everything they 've got at the screen to see what sticks - and a lot of it does .",
      "dreamworks have outdone themselves with the glorious 3d rendering in madagascar 3 , especially with the circus scenes , accompanied by the modern dance-pop soundtrack .",
      "easily the best of the series .",
      "better than its predecessor but worse than most other things .",
      "it has value only as a way to engage a very young viewer until his or her attention span expires .",
      "the story in madagascar 3 is functional , but the antically civilized spirit is infectious .",
      "deeply , engagingly weird .",
      "the combination of kid-friendly boingy action , annoyingly catchy musical numbers and cutesy , simplistic life lessons is never dull to the kindergarten-and-down crowd .",
      "the movie zooms along at a clip so quick , it sometimes overwhelms .",
      "the circus acts and the rehearsals , which are set to katy perry 's `` fireworks , '' make the greatest use of the movie 's 3-d capacities .",
      "eye candy so saccharine sweet it might send viewers into diabetic comas .",
      "it 's silly , and it 's lazy . and yet , again , it 's pretty funny .",
      "it 's a deluxe 3d journey that kids will love and many adults should hail as worth the detour .",
      "marks the spot where a shrill and unfunny kid franchise made the leap into hilarious and engaging family entertainment .",
      "in one magnificent chase sequence , the filmmakers pay tribute to the matrix , one of the moments that will endear this movie to the grownups in the audience .",
      "colorful , bright and wickedly smart in spots , ` madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted ' is an animated romp that will entertain adults and children , pop-culture fans and opera buffs in a wide swath of action and comedy .",
      "color , frantic action , cute animals and a half-hatched theme about rekindling passion do n't hit the target .",
      "whether you have kids , will never have kids , have to take your nephews , your nieces , or some random kid , you 're gon na be able to get though this movie . there is a lot of fun stuff in here for everyone .",
      "the movie is fast-moving enough to make you forget that it does n't make a lick of sense .",
      "refreshed and energized madagascar offering non-stop entertainment",
      "hilarious and wildly entertaining - the best in the series . bring on number four",
      "if you ca n't make a decent movie through normal means , relying on non-stop distractions to keep the thing humming along is n't the worst plan b.",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- e can only hope that this series of mediocrities , which has already spanned three continents , spares us the other four .",
      "is vomit ever a good thing ? ` madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted ' is cinematic vomit , and that 's a compliment .",
      "the film has a message worth grasping ; sometimes it takes a departure from your comfort zone to truly understand what you have in life and what 's important to you .",
      "a crowd-pleaser , and one that is better than it really has any right to be .",
      "the ghost of tex avery is alive and well in a frenetic sequel that does more than reheat and serve . madagascar 4 ? do n't bet against it .",
      "madagascar 's animals parody human characteristics to enjoyably madcap effect .",
      "it has a little something for everyone , from kids to adults , probably too much slapstick and chasing around , but a mature element as well that makes it worth watching .",
      "while it may blunder down the odd comedy cul-de-sac , madagascar 3 is often inspired and very , very funny .",
      "this overlong saturday morning cartoon boasts plenty animals but little magic .",
      "this typically frenetic but wearying series entry lacks the looney tunes efficiency of its predecessors .",
      "in what could have been an extreme reaction to a paranoid fear of going stale , the film 's directing triad - tom mcgrath , eric darnell and conrad vernon - have dialled up the crazy big-time ; the pace of mad3 is relentless .",
      "madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted is no better or worse than the earlier films . it 's been forged from the same mould and features the same brand of humour .",
      "in the third movie the madagascar gang joins a circus , and while the result is n't the greatest show on earth , it certainly is a lot of fun ... packed with silliness and festooned with 3-d effects worth the surcharge for a change .",
      "a riot of splashy colors , silly 3-d gimmicks , big , broad kid-friendly gags - and those professionally pesky penguins .",
      "the animation is grand , and the lovely images may be enough to send really young kids away happy . their parents might leave feeling they 've been taken in by some carny sleight-of-hand , though .",
      "madagscar 3 is less interested in plucking the last bit of meat off the series 's bones than with simply picking the lowest-hanging fruit .",
      "like a big-screen big gulp , this third installment of the billion-dollar animated franchise contains as much cinematic confection as an 85-minute movie can bear .",
      "powered by the impossible , high-flying stunts of its animal and human characters , madagascar 3 spirals , sashays , pirouettes across the european continent .",
      "... off-kilter wit and smarts to an animated bestiary that keeps you laughing while eloquently re-defining where home is .",
      "the level of visual and narrative sophistication on display is astonishing .",
      "madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted is a most welcome addition to summer and a great addition to a moneymaking franchise that seems as good as new .",
      "third chapter -lrb- and first in 3d -rrb- in the popular franchise benefits from fast pacing , bright colors , dazzling circus acts , vigorous villain , and some new charcaters .",
      "fans of the original and its familial sequel will love this colorful , vibrant excursion through europe .",
      "for a frantic , action-packed 80-odd minutes , it seldom puts a foot , paw or cloven hoof wrong .",
      "madagascar 3 : europe 's most wanted may arrive with low expectations , but it 's a pleasant surprise , sending its character barrelling across continents for a zippy , engaging 90-minute adventure .",
      "a sugar high that inevitably fades with time .",
      "sheer manic animated anarchy ... it 's as if the cool , smooth nonsense of the penguins ' outrageous schemes -- yes , they 're back too -- were allowed to take over the entire film ...",
      "the first-class 3d animation is better than the cliche-ridden script .",
      "instead of developing the characters or situations for comedy gold , the filmmakers instead just crank up the chaos . so while some scenes are both funny and visually impressive , this second sequel is simply too inane .",
      "hugely entertaining , ferociously funny .",
      "this is animation that never just goes through the motions but glories in its feats and so , almost certainly , will you .",
      "it may lack a little in charm and warmth , but the technical brilliance and decent use of 3d go some way towards compensating for the dimensions that the film otherwise lacks ."
    ],
    "summary": "dazzlingly colorful and frenetic , madagascar 3 is silly enough for young kids , but boasts enough surprising smarts to engage parents along the way .",
    "id": "771206971"
  },
  {
    "movie": "jurassic_park",
    "reviews": [
      "set a standard for cg-beasties that remained unmatche for many years , and still stands as one of the best of its kind",
      "great effects , a dime 's worth of headache-inducing story .",
      "the plot is equal parts westworld and -lrb- believe it or not -rrb- jaws 3-d .",
      "fads may come and go , but dinosaurs will always be cool ... a fact for which MOV should be eternally grateful .",
      "may be one-dimensional and even clunky in story and characterization , but definitely delivers where it counts , in excitement , suspense and the stupendous realization of giant reptiles .",
      "true , the dialogue and performances are feeble , but the thing is basically no more -- and no less -- than a nifty monster movie that delivers crackerjack thrills .",
      "you want great dinosaurs , you got great dinosaurs .",
      "in the end , MOV succeeds because it 's good entertainment .",
      "MOV does for live-action critters what who framed roger rabbit did for toons . in that sense , it 's a cinematic landmark , but in terms of plot and character , it 's about as well developed as godzilla .",
      "this is jaws with huge , scaly ridges . at times , it 's more frightening .",
      "a classic gets even better .",
      "still proves as thrilling as ever .",
      "MOV is an astonishing success in one sense and one sense only : it is the monster of all monster movies , guaranteed to challenge weak bladders , flutter heartbeats and win automatic oscars for the -lsb- tech crew -rsb- .",
      "despite the presence of all this acting talent , it is the film 's special effects , especially the work of `` dinosaur supervisor '' phil tippett , that carry the day .",
      "MOV is a masterpiece !",
      "spielberg is less assured in the department of character development and some of the actors give worse performances than the computer-generated creatures , but , with a landmark spectacle like this , who cares ?",
      "some things have dated - sam jackson would n't be allowed to smoke in the office ; everyone would have mobiles ; google earth would have kept the island from being kept a secret - but the power of the film 's pioneering cgi remain strangely undiminished .",
      "the 3d does n't add a lot to the narrative , but it 's still an exciting adventure into the mesmerizing world of dinosaurs and humanity 's godlike addiction to reviving the past .",
      "MOV is a how-to guide for structuring a multi-character disaster film .",
      "steven spielberg 's summer adventure is still one of the ultimate movie roller coaster rides .",
      "a strong candidate for steven spielberg 's best film ...",
      "MOV remains an incredible experience - one that never ceases to be entertaining . it 's not an entirely faithful adaptation of michael crichton 's popular novel , but the creative liberties it takes prove enormously ingenious .",
      "this is as close as any of us is likely to get to witnessing life in prehistoric times .",
      "the characters are n't much more well-defined than the anonymous victims of a teen horror movie ... the dinosaur effects , however , are absolutely stunning , and sometimes so natural that one even forgets to be impressed .",
      "no matter how old or cynical i get , part of me will always be that same 12-year-old boy , sat in rapture , watching dinosaurs rule the world .",
      "spielberg 's sci-fic adventure , his most commercially successful film to date , is defined by never before seen special and visual effects .",
      "MOV , like the director 's other work , is a technical marvel . the effects are great , and the movie 's new digital sound system -lrb- choose your theater carefully -rrb- creates the sensation that giant reptiles are breathing in your ear .",
      "the earthshaking footfalls of these lizard-kings are palpable and terrifying . spielberg 's crew of dinosaur-effects artists has conjured up a mesozoic menagerie whose realism outdoes anything in cinema history .",
      "a brilliant and dynamic piece of popular movie making , MOV has a lot more bite than bark .",
      "a cautionary tale about scientists and schemers messing with mother nature , the film makes its point . but it takes at least 30 minutes to get going .",
      "spielberg 's peerless twin gift has always been for making the fantastic seem real -lrb- close encounters , e.t. , the indiana jones trilogy -rrb- and the real fantastic -lrb- jaws -rrb- .",
      "steven spielberg 's MOV first introduced me to what movie magic can be .",
      "MOV has secured its spot as one of spielberg 's better effects driven films and still looks great a little over 20 years after its release .",
      "as an action film , as an auteurist vision , as a blockbuster , as a humanist statement ... it 's a masterpiece .",
      "terrifyingly realistic dinos run amok in sci-fi landmark .",
      "performances are top notch , the score is brilliant , and the special effects still hold up in what is easily one of steven spielberg 's supreme masterpieces ...",
      "one of the big screen 's very greatest thrill-rides .",
      "as one of spielberg 's purest suspense rides , it 's gimmicky , giddy , and still great value .",
      "steven spielberg 's dino-park thrill ride comes up eye-wateringly shiny in this rereleased version - even if its clunkier elements have become a bit more obvious with time .",
      "it 's not exactly brilliantly acted , except by the dinosaurs and raptors - there was n't time for the usual number of takes .",
      "the effects have barely aged and the joy is timeless . take a child who 's never seen it and watch their imagination expand before your eyes .",
      "a thrill ride worthy of a real-life amusement park .",
      "i loved every fascinating , suspenseful , frightening , skilfully calibrated minute of it .",
      "spielberg was wise to not rely entirely on computer images , rather blending the new technology with old-fashioned practical designs and the result is a film that looks far better than any modern tentpole blockbuster .",
      "a very welcome memo to hollywood that blockbusters do n't have to be stupid .",
      "MOV is the most self-reflexive blockbuster ever made ...",
      "this steven spielberg thriller remains one of his best films and one of the best summer blockbusters of all time .",
      "we ask for two things from big-budget thrillers like this : make us believe and make us jump . MOV delivers on both counts .",
      "the effects hold up 20-plus years later . so do the thrills . yes , ` jurassic world ' has its work cut out for it .",
      "as much as you can point to the t-rex attack as a master class in action filmmaking , this still leaves a mechanized aftertaste .",
      "the 3-d process adds not just dimension but depth - a technological extension of cinematographer gregg toland 's deep-focus innovations in the grapes of wrath and citizen kane . the change in perspective creates greater intensity .",
      "only time can tell which movies become classics . no matter how many ds you see it in , it 's safe to say that this one has earned the label .",
      "this is an immensely entertaining film , as long as you can overlook the many minor flaws that permeate its structure . -lrb- complete content details for parents also available -rrb-",
      "but really , what makes `` MOV '' great is that it is a steven-spielberg-master-class in constructing action set-pieces .",
      "`` MOV '' remains an absolute thrill from a spielberg in top form : funny , scary , fast-moving and full of just-right details .",
      "MOV in imax 3d may sound good on paper , but it is even better in actuality , a ridiculously fun re-release of one of american cinema 's most wildly entertaining films .",
      "i 'm a fan of this movie . it is thrilling , and the 3-d treatment is a nice enhancement .",
      "this movie does n't just stand the test of time , it transcends it .",
      "`` MOV '' is such an impressive technical achievement that it seems churlish to note that it accomplishes this at the expense of more substantive elements .",
      "`` MOV '' was impressive in 1993 . twenty years later , it 's flawless .",
      "the film is a classic and the chance to see it on the big screen again -lrb- or for the first time -rrb- should not be missed",
      "sentiment is explained by science as the family impulse that motivates so many steven spielberg stories is revealed to be an evolutionary imperative in this near-perfect action-adventure .",
      "-lsb- looks -rsb- better not only than effects-driven movies of the same period , but better , frankly , than half of what gets released nowadays .",
      "kids who love dinosaurs will love it . and who does n't ?",
      "confirms both spielberg 's mastery of cinematic thrills and the comparatively empty bombast of today 's summer tentpole movies , even the better ones .",
      "MOV shows us a director in transition , and the film captures his transformation in its own kind of cinematic amber .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- 3d -lsb- conversion -rsb- provides the definitive version of this classic film . MOV has been transformed with with artistry , nuance and sophistication , and it 's an absolute must-see during this brief run .",
      "the 3d effects had me nearly jumping out of my seat . some say hollywood is converting too many old films to 3d . but , `` MOV '' was the perfect choice . there 's nothing more fun than sharing a seat with a snapping dinosaur .",
      "spielberg treats us as he does his characters , leading us into a strange land and expecting us to make it out with all our faculties intact ; it 's a tall order , given the heart-stopping , bloodcurdling , limbs-numbing excitement packed into the second hour .",
      "it is as if time has passed the movie by . `` MOV '' remains solid entertainment , but the awe and wonder have faded .",
      "steven spielberg has tapped into the mother lode of human dreams and sense of wonder .",
      "... short on logic and certainly short on plot , but long on thrills and amazement .",
      "the problem with the film , plain and simple , is that it focuses all of its energies on the dinosaurs themselves .",
      "a little old-fashioned , now . but jeff goldblum in 3d ? enough said .",
      "that t. rex is worth the wait , but the wait itself is even more memorable .",
      "for all the ingenuity of the movie 's engineering , MOV does n't have the imagination -- or the courage -- to take us any place we have n't been a thousand times before . it 's just a creature feature on amphetamines .",
      "now a 20-year-old antique slapped with a superfluous 3d transfer , MOV still has the power to amaze .",
      "spielberg has gone on to weightier and more prestigious projects , but this thrill ride is one of his best and a masterpiece of the genre .",
      "have you always wanted to watch MOV through ian malcolm 's sunglasses ? then boy , is MOV 3d for you .",
      "a film that managed to terrify a generation of children one minute , leave them eager to hunt for fossils in their backyard the next .",
      "just as extraordinary as always ... even diamonds get a periodic polish .",
      "do the dinosaurs work ? indeed they do . does anything else ? not really .",
      "as pure spectacle , MOV works as well as anything else hollywood 's high-tech wizards have given us lately",
      "MOV 3d is like being reunited with an old friend ; an old friend that wants to eat you and maul you to death , but still . a classic is reborn in glorious imax with a vibrantly stunning use of 3d .",
      "while it 's not the most profound of spielberg 's works or the most entertaining from a popcorn perspective , it 's one of the most technically flawless movies he 's ever produced .",
      "the 3d is n't pushed on the audience , but it does reveal the amount of depth that spielberg actually put into the film 20 years ago .",
      "the thrill of seeing live dinosaurs on screen is not as acute today as it was 20 years ago admittedly , but there is still some 3d awe left in the creations that roared 65 billion years ago ...",
      "the enthralling man-vs . - nature parable based on the late michael crichton 's best-selling novel has n't aged one bit .",
      "a beast of a movie is gifted a superfluous-but-superb rouging of the cheeks , offering fanatics something new to study while newcomers will be ruined for any future television airings .",
      "the 3d conversion ruins everything , like the comet that killed the dinosaurs , making MOV the rare amusement i 'd prefer to revisit at home .",
      "if releasing the film in 3-d is the only way to get it back in theaters , then the gimmick is an acceptable addition . the 3-d is good . but when a movie is this near flawless , nothing is needed to make it better .",
      "there is nothing like experiencing this fabulous , larger-than-life , groundbreaking movie where it was meant to be experienced . and in 3d !",
      "the tasteful MOV 3d conversion injects new wonder and excitement into one of the most captivating adventure movies ever made .",
      "worthy , even though its a simplistic monster movie at heart .",
      "the excitement of MOV is in spielberg 's sense of timing , with the scene of the kids trapped in a jeep watching a cup of water tremble now a classic moment of cinema .",
      "cliché or no , there 's no getting around it - quite simply one of the greatest blockbusters of all time .",
      "MOV earns its spot in fantasy-film history .",
      "the definitive dinosaur movie .",
      "despite the ridiculous premise , MOV does an incredible job of showing us what dinosaurs might have looked and acted like .",
      "the biggest , grandest dinosaur movie ever .",
      "the roller coaster movie ride of the summer !",
      "overall i give the movie a *** rating and wish the dinosaurs would have eaten all of the people except for say a narrator in the first 5 minutes of the show .",
      "... is the movie worth all the hype ? partially yes , but mostly because of the special effects .",
      "the plot also conspires to harm the film 's general credibility .",
      "mr. spielberg has great fun with every last growl and rumble signaling the approach of danger ...",
      "you wo n't believe your eyes .",
      "an innovative , ingenious and spectacular sci-fi adventure . the special effects are truly dazzling .",
      "there 's more soul to be found in any kong close-up than in this film 's overplayed reactions .",
      "spielberg is still supreme as an action director , and when the t rex makes beefburger of the jeep , or the vicious ` raptors stalk their human prey , the film inspires wonder and awe .",
      "the well-selected cast is winningly sympathetic and entertainingly idiosyncratic .",
      "this is an exhilarating , sometimes terrifying monster of a movie that , once it gets you in its clutches , wo n't put you down again until the closing credits start to roll .",
      "this is the 2001 : a space odyssey of dinosaur movies , one whose special effects render previous efforts obsolete .",
      "spectacle triumphs over sense , but with effects this effective resistance is futile ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a spectacle of special effects and life-like animatronics , with some of spielberg 's best sequences of sustained awe and sheer terror since jaws .",
    "id": "10983"
  },
  {
    "movie": "omar",
    "reviews": [
      "timely subject matter and a compelling story ultimately win over uneven performances .",
      "a strong storyline about the west bank and its endless cycle of violence leaves interpretation up to the viewer .",
      "by focusing on an everyman , abu-assad immediately makes MOV 's claustrophobic lifetyle immediately relatable - which tinges his ultimate hardships with palpable dread .",
      "so this is what it 's like to be a young palestinian in the occupied west bank .",
      "a stirring drama set in palestine where an intense young man experiences the torment of distrust in his private and public life .",
      "paradise now and the battle of algiers explored why people under occupation resort to terrorism ; MOV turns its attention to the broader , more long-term consequences of living in oppressed conditions .",
      "palestine 's official submission for the best foreign language oscar is terse , tense suspense drama , and less overtly political than you might expect .",
      "-lsb- hany-abu -rsb- assad is getting better as a director , too . he handles scenes with a relatively light touch , and a foot chase has a certain action movie craft to it .",
      "despite a conventional narrative arc and lulls in the rhythm , the film is a powerfully directed look at hopes and relationships ravaged by the world 's most intractable conflict .",
      "`` MOV '' is a real thriller , a snake pit of plot twists , in which the perspectives shift , destinations change and the moral universe spins and sways .",
      "-lsb- u -rsb- ndeniably juicy packaging for what is , at its core , a good but not great crime drama",
      "bakri , a relative newcomer to the big screen , does a superb job of carrying a film in which he appears in nearly every scene .",
      "a riveting blend of thriller and romance elements , `` MOV '' grabs you from the very first image .",
      "`` MOV '' does not offer the promise of a just or satisfying resolution , a fatalism all the more devastating given its realistic methods and humane , understated performances .",
      "fresh take on thrillers and romeos-and-juliets set along the israel/palestine security wall ... imbues a social consciousness in a mystery containing an intimate secret .",
      "a taut palestinian thriller with romantic overtones that finds itself as a finalist for the best foreign film academy award",
      "abu-assad 's film , about informants and duplicity in the palestinian territory , is a must-see for those who value the cinema of commitment .",
      "bakri has charisma to burn , but the complexity of abu-assad 's previous movies is traded in for weak genre thrills .",
      "the strongest element here is the surprise-filled plot , and a standout performance from palestinian-american actor waleed zuaiter .",
      "all the actors have an easy confidence that 's vital for their frequent closeups , underscoring their humanity rather than their function as illustrations of a well-known conflict .",
      "with a cast consisting almost entirely of young , new , inexperienced talents , abu assad delivers an effective , credible , drama .",
      "the movie grips us partly because bakri 's performance is alternately casual and calculated .",
      "the virtues of `` MOV , '' a thriller about the palestinian conflict , are overshadowed by a one-sided political message .",
      "a shell game of betrayal and counter-betrayal set in the worlds of police informing and sectarian score-settling on either side of the israel-palestine divide .",
      "abu-assad brings raw , human emotions into the situation , adding a poignancy to this engrossing piece of cinema .",
      "a well done , captivating thriller .",
      "abu-assad cares about his characters and their wretched but thrilling situations .",
      "this gripping palestinian thriller evokes gillo pontecorvo 's the battle of algiers in its depiction of not only the psychological pressures faced by people under occupation , but the murky moral consequences of retaliating .",
      "it 's told with a stark , pitiless clarity that leaves you with fewer answers than before .",
      "hard-hitting moments abound amid the slightly tangled plotting .",
      "the same story could have been set in any period , but set in an urgent contemporary world this is alive to the major moral conundrums contained in the everyday .",
      "the somber MOV is n't as controversial as paradise now but it too gets behind the tv news bulletins to discreetly put a human face on what is often just more electronic noise . sometimes it 's the quietest voices that are really the loudest .",
      "a masterful filmmaker , abu-assad choreographs heart-pounding bourne-esque chase scenes ... while deftly marking the passage of time .",
      "MOV is romance and thriller . of course , trust is at the heart of the matter .",
      "we take MOV 's fate to be sealed from the moment he first meets his soft-voiced , salt-and-pepper-bearded , mandy-patinkin-on-homeland-looking interrogator .",
      "a deft blending of thriller and romance , `` MOV '' invokes everything from film noir to shakespeare .",
      "while one might certainly debate how persuasive the non-fictional implications of the story are , it 's difficult not to be moved by the fictional narrative that leads to them .",
      "-lsb- its -rsb- thriller machinations are merely a vehicle to deliver narrow-minded political preaching .",
      "the film works best as a straightforward melodrama set in an anything but straightforward world .",
      "turns a story of resisting military occupation into a politically one-sided , contrived reminder about the risks of irresponsible love triangles .",
      "watching someone learn to loathe is heartbreaking because it damns us all with a collective desire for revenge .",
      "... a razor-sharp thriller .",
      "abu-assad does a masterful job of showing , in these seemingly hopeless circumstances , the fragility of life .",
      "has all the electricity of a jason bourne movie but the truth of the palestinian people suffering under a brutal occupation . not to be missed .",
      "beautifully shot , complicated , smart , and undeniably intense ... well-deserving of its place as the palestinian nominee for this year 's best foreign language film .",
      "does n't provide easy answers as it builds its pressure cooker environment , putting primary attention on the personalities involved , allowing for a human perspective as it details acts of breathless survival and suffocating paranoia .",
      "from button-pushing palestinian writer/director hany abu-assad , who gave us the inflammatory paradise now in 2005 , comes an equally piercing , if less politically strident look at life under israeli occupation .",
      "bakri gives a richly detailed performance , often allowing his stoicism to slip and reveal the confused and angry young man within .",
      "abu-assad does not aim for the dardennes ' breathless immediacy . rather , the story is laid out in a lucid , diagrammatic way , like a mathematical proof that for someone in MOV 's position there are no right choices .",
      "this is a subtle political film : one that fully dramatises a situation and lets us think out its contradictions for ourselves .",
      "abu-assad is simply reflecting the ever-changing nature of his characters ' daily lives in a fraught and strange environment in which betrayal has become endemic .",
      "as in his golden globe-winning 2005 drama paradise now , israeli filmmaker hany abu-assad takes a complex , personal approach to a touchy political-religious situation in this palestinian love story .",
      "the end result is a nerve-rattling entertainment flavoured by vigorous , deeply felt polemic .",
      "a tense , involving combination of love story and thriller .",
      "abu-assad creates vivid , relatable characters , but like `` paradise now , '' `` MOV '' is more about a place whose people are so beaten down they ca n't see any way out .",
      "the young cast making their film debuts keep us guessing as to just who 's playing whom with the film itself playing like a more modestly scaled occupied territories version of `` casablanca . ''",
      "abu-assad 's tale is less a political thriller than it is a human story - although everything about its setting and circumstances is defined by oppression , surveillance , restriction , and control .",
      "a story of love and betrayal set against political tumult and violence in palestine , `` MOV '' is both classic and painfully present in its concerns .",
      "a tender love story , a haunting tragedy and an expertly crafted thriller with flawed , damaged and not entirely likable characters .",
      "helped along by an amazing cast of mostly first-time actors , `` MOV '' feels very fresh , due to its attitude , its approach , and the fact that it offers no solutions .",
      "director hany abu-assad 's film is tense and often thrilling , creating complex political issues through complicated personal struggles .",
      "writer-director hany abu-assad is more interested in the ideas within his slow-burn thriller than in plot machinations .",
      "it 's the sort of film that feels so authentic that even knowing it 's a fiction , the morning after seeing it , i found myself scanning headlines to see if there were any new developments .",
      "bakri has a simmering energy and stark humanity . . this thriller is about more than the sum of its parts .",
      "like most movies about the middle east conflict , MOV is ultimately about the futility of violence and how it feeds on itself .",
      "it is difficult to figure out which is the film 's more pressing theme - the power of love to change the course of a life , or the political and social realities of living in occupied territory .",
      "abu-assad captures the everyday reality of life in the west bank and the psychological cost of living constantly in a state of powerless anxiety and desperation .",
      "what makes MOV a remarkable accomplishment is that it also works brilliantly as a genre piece , keeping its audience at the edge of their seats for most of the running time .",
      "a harrowing , humane arabic-language import about life under occupation that 's part romeo-and-juliet love story and part twisty chess-pawn thriller .",
      "`` MOV '' eventually becomes a sun-scorched neo-noir - and the fade-out is an unforgettable jolter .",
      "... fares best in its opening half hour ...",
      "i do n't want to see the characters as freedom fighters or terrorists . i just want to see them as human beings . but the director uses them as political magnets to draw us toward his ideological sympathies .",
      "abu-assad offers no solutions here . instead he paints a portrait of the daily rhythms of the occupation , an endless conflict that has seeped into every aspect of life in the west bank .",
      "... an affective piece of filmmaking and garners empathy for MOV . the fact that the helmer gets such solid performances from newcomers is , in itself , remarkable .",
      "the story dishes out action and surprises without losing its political intent .",
      "a fraught film ...",
      "a hopeless tangle in the west bank",
      "multi-faceted , thought-provoking palestinian film could have used more heart , less brain",
      "knotty and tense for most of its running time , MOV becomes muddled in its closing minutes , conflating personal and political treachery .",
      "abu-assad has created a convincingly noirish hell that feeds on distrust and vengeance .",
      "as a thriller , MOV is quite on a par with the slickest action suspense film , and its twists and turns keep it compelling on a pure entertainment level ."
    ],
    "summary": "twisty and riveting , MOV is a well-directed crime drama with uncommon depth .",
    "id": "771355882"
  },
  {
    "movie": "batkid_begins",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV has the feel of a barn-raising gone global .",
      "the seams occasionally show , especially whenever the shy , overwhelmed miles grows tired or reluctant - or whenever the easily defeated villains start to look like so many overstuffed dolls - but it 's impossible to say `` no '' to this project .",
      "nachman 's documentary does a great job of showing the many pieces that came into place for miles ' moment , but it does n't look much at what 's underneath it all .",
      "the film will restore one 's faith in humanity , at least during its running time .",
      "it 's a rare documentary that showcases the absolute best of humanity .",
      "plucky , upbeat and utterly lacking in cynicism -- much like the epic day this make a wish event went down .",
      "nachman has structured her film to illustrate how coming together for a cause can be at least as , if not more beneficial for the adults who helped make a small boy 's dream come true than for the kid himself .",
      "MOV uses its unforced sentiment and real emotional depth to -lrb- at least temporarily -rrb- slay any misanthropic feelings or cynical thoughts .",
      "get ready to have your spirits lifted by MOV , the most heartwarming film you 're going to see this year .",
      "there 's a wealth of material to draw on , almost as if a documentary-to-be-named later was already on someone 's mind . in any case , nachman puts it all to good use , relaying the conception , planning , preparation and execution of the day .",
      "this is the kind stuff that you can not make up .",
      "though it 's easy to contrast `` MOV '' with `` dear zachary '' - tears of heartache replaced with tears of joy - both are about coming out of tragedy with a positive outlook for the future & rewarding the often thankless task of being a great parent .",
      "if watching `` MOV '' does n't move you , i seriously do n't know what will . and who does n't love a five-year-old superhero ?",
      "for one day , at least , the optimists among us could revel in the good-heartedness of people the world over .",
      "as a record of the event it 's amiable enough , but also a bit ragged and more than a little self-satisfied .",
      "everybody got a bit of childhood back , not because of what they got but because of what they gave .",
      "wholesome as heck , but with a sane and appealing message .",
      "tremendously heartwarming , positive docu for all ages .",
      "MOV is almost better than xanax . it 's like swallowing a little yellow happy pill with the bat signal on it .",
      "entertaining and wonderfully satisfying .",
      "the year 's most joyous and surprising movie",
      "any hope of meaningful reflection or insight is doused by a steady drip of often redundant and banal observations .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- humorous and touching new documentary .",
      "while it 's far from stellar filmmaking , there 's a winning positive tone to this misty-eyed documentary .",
      "nachman , for her part , diligently tries not to lose sight of the child at the center of it all .",
      "it 's refreshing to see a film that 's completely lacking in cynicism .",
      "unfortunately MOV is so rigidly upbeat that it begins to seem like one of those really cheesy hallmark movies on tv .",
      "the deeper we go into dana nachman 's unquestioning , feature-length cheerleading film , the more uncomfortable i felt about the reaction of one person to that magical and overwhelming day . miles .",
      "cynics can carp . let them . but do n't be one of them .",
      "with great cheer and good spirit , MOV tells a true story that will restore your faith in humanity .",
      "it tells the story in a powerful and uncomplicated way .",
      "if you have the opportunity to see batkid , i encourage you to buy a ticket . it wo n't change our world . but it could change us . then we can improve the world . batman would like that .",
      "`` begins '' journeys into the heart of charity and community support , clearing away the ugliness of the world for 80 minutes to bask in the glow of what was intended to be a block-wide event that eventually snowballed into a global phenomenon .",
      "there 's plenty of space for cynicism in this bitter , cold world , but MOV makes a fine case for an authentically rare mass moment of everyone acting like a decent person .",
      "at some point ... we notice MOV is also a way to call attention to other parties , massive silicon valley corporations that jump on the batkid bandwagon - including apple , twitter , facebook and , most suspiciously , uber ...",
      "bring kleenex .",
      "it 's great fun to watch , with even president barack obama getting in on the act , and batman begins can be enjoyed entirely on this basis .",
      "celebrates a city united for fun and goodwill , and the rare , pronounced sense of play and energy adults are capable of rediscovering , as do those who toil excitedly and hopefully to give miles ` a little bit of his childhood back . '",
      "`` batkid '' is a feel-good film , in the sense that the people who made this wish come true seem to feel pretty good about themselves . they certainly have a right to be satisfied : what they pulled off is impressive .",
      "the footage is simultaneously spectacular and intimate , with plenty of adorable-child moments .",
      "... too often feels shallow and superficial , missing a chance to provide depth and context beyond the basics .",
      "contagiously joyous .",
      "MOV is a story about good people doing better things , which makes everyone happy . why is this something we keep forgetting ?",
      "sweet , heartwarming and uplifting ...",
      "the film is n't really about young miles -lrb- whose cancer is today in remission -rrb- but about all of us , about our bottomless capacity to do good and our shared love of little kids , big dreams , and batman .",
      "the filmmakers lay on such a thick layer of schmaltz that you 'll need a cape and cowl of your own for protection .",
      "tears will be shed , many of them surely genuine . yet there 's still something about this oversize spectacle , and miles ' ultimate place in it , that gives nagging pause .",
      "a fascinating look at how a true event can become a media event - and how courting the media can have good and bad results so mixed up that it 's hard to know where the good influence stops and the corrupting influence starts .",
      "expands a two-minute viral video into a feature-length dry procedural of city permits , bitty bat costumes , street closures and savvy social promotion",
      "as a perhaps accidental commentary on the ephemerality of internet life , with events - even big ones , like the one captured here - coming into being then passing into oblivion , lost in the ever-towering haystack that is google , it 's fascinating .",
      "the editing is ruthlessly efficient , and some of the talking-heads scenes are dramatized via lively comic-book renditions that lend visual panache . all the characters grab you , not just the kid .",
      "it emphasizes just how much effort went into pulling the day together , and it 's a fitting tribute to the volunteers who went above and beyond to bring a little boy 's dream to life .",
      "this is not to diminish the incredible efforts put forth by many on that 2013 day . but if MOV is meant to chronicle those events , why does it seem so incurious about getting to the roots of how such a phenomenon occurred ?",
      "`` MOV '' does n't have answers for our many troubles , nor will it change the world , but it provides hope for humanity , and that 's something we surely need to see more of right now .",
      "almost all the talking heads are excited and proud , filling the film with a positive electricity . it 's a power that most docs of such simplicity just do n't have .",
      "marveling without questioning , the movie is content to package the phenomenon and coast on its feel-good wave . yet , somewhere around the midpoint , i began to wonder who was most thrilled by all this fuss .",
      "who would have thought that the week after inside out opened , another movie about a kid in san francisco would have me crying even more - and laughing almost as much ?"
    ],
    "summary": "sweet and unabashedly sentimental , MOV is an uplifting look at a selfless act that brought a city together .",
    "id": "771411935"
  },
  {
    "movie": "good_year",
    "reviews": [
      "what would happen if ridley scott directed under the tuscan sun and replaced diane lane with russell crowe ? you 'd have a MOV .",
      "escapist dilettantes may find a MOV light , breezy and charming but even the most rudimentary inspection will reveal the film 's sickeningly rotten core .",
      "do n't expect to be beguiled by a MOV . that would be like trying to warm your hands at an artificial fireplace .",
      "even judged by the not excessively demanding standards of middle-aged renovation fantasies , a MOV is n't much .",
      "it 's an ambitious experiment , and not a completely successful one .",
      "a MOV offers little return on your own $ 10 investment beyond the spectacle of scott misplacing his talents .",
      "definitely not vintage crowe ... he can do a world of things as a leading man , but cary grant -lrb- or tom hanks -rrb- he 's not .",
      "to quote a classic cinematic oenophile -- quaffable but far from transcendent .",
      "completely vacuous . a MOV is n't . it is n't even a good minute . it 's a romantic comedy without any laughs or any chemistry .",
      "i 'll write a MOV off as nothing more than a bad harvest .",
      "like spending two hours with someone who is tiresome but who thinks you should find him exceedingly charming .",
      "... a film with all the subtlety and bouquet of a screw-top bottle of wine purchased in the bargain bin of your local supermarket .",
      "pays homage to classic european cinema without being overly pretentious or particularly deep .",
      "scott tries to pump up this slender tale into something more meaningful : his tactic of choice is to bully us into always feeling something , which leads to an astonishing amount of clumsy comedy and overreaching sentiment .",
      "the humor is fast and witty - p.g. wodehouse on rocket fuel .",
      "it 's harmless . if by harmless you mean zombifying and cynical .",
      "magically transports us to the sensuous setting of southern france where memory , love , and a grand fondness for place conspire to alter the life of a selfish london trader",
      "slick and sweet but superficial and only occasionally intoxicating .",
      "... an airy , pleasant diversion for those who like light entertainment , solidly constructed . like a good table wine , it goes down easy .",
      "it does n't matter that the storyline of ridley scott 's a MOV is different from that of its inspiration - peter mayle 's book , a year in provence . but it does matter that the tone is flippant and that we do n't fall in love with the central character",
      "it 's no surprise that you can see a MOV 's plot twists and clunker of an ending from a mile away .",
      "in a MOV , crowe gets to make jokes and wisecracks that show off his boyishly mischievous comic timing .",
      "plonk is a britishism for cheap , low-quality wine -- not undrinkable , by any means , just nothing special . as much could be said for this film , lightly based on the helium-weight plonk of a best-seller by peter mayle .",
      "when did russell crowe morph into jimmy fallon ? you practically can see crowe screaming to the audience , ` do n't you like me ? i really really want you to like me . '",
      "one could do worse than to please one 's eyes with the pictures here , but that may be as far as any stimulation goes .",
      "as much respect i have for crowe as a dramatic actor , the painful truth is , comedy just is n't his forte .",
      "it 's light , airy , easygoing , idyllic and rather goofy .",
      "russell crowe may find himself discovering the simple joys of life in a MOV , but audiences will be checking their watches during this joyless attempt at comedy .",
      "there is n't a milliliter of honest feeling from start to finish , and precious little comedy or romance .",
      "the scenery 's about the only thing worth appreciating in this mediocre year .",
      "a simple repast consisting of sometimes strained slapsticky comedy , a sweet romance and a life lesson learned .",
      "you sense in every frame the strain to be lighthearted .",
      "one suspects it was a lot more fun to make this movie than it is to watch it .",
      "ridley scott 's obvious love affair with sunny and sensual provence ultimately makes a MOV worth watching .",
      "movies with predictable arcs rise or fall on their cinematic moments . fortunately , there are several in a MOV .",
      "a MOV is never less than visually ravishing , its warm , inviting vistas of the french countryside and its unhurried , pleasant vibe putting the viewer in the same frame of mind as max .",
      "a MOV may not be vintage stuff , but it goes down fairly smoothly .",
      "like a fragile provence wine left too long in the sun , ridley scott 's romantic comedy a MOV spoiled somewhere between the publication of peter mayle 's novel and this cockamamie adaptation .",
      "close your eyes . and now imagine the whole thing re-cast and shot by stanley donen back in , say , 1962 , with cary grant and leslie caron .",
      "a MOV , an innocuous , feel-good movie that reunites russell crowe with the director ridley scott , is a three-p movie : pleasant , pretty and predictable . one might add piddling .",
      "a MOV builds so much fairy-tale contrivance with such boisterous high spirits that it 's exhausting to keep feeling good about feeling good .",
      "a MOV is a chance for crowe and his gladiator director ridley scott to slow down and appreciate the good things , like beautiful women , good wine and a country home in france .",
      "a MOV is a bad movie .",
      "when i think of humor and lightness of touch , scott is about the last director to leap to mind , and crowe nearly the last actor .",
      "it 's pleasant stuff , going down about as easy as a vintage merlot .",
      "could be packaged alongside under the tuscan sun and sold with matching , his-and-hers fluffy bathrobes .",
      "... starts out as pleasantly predictable ... but bogs down ...",
      "a pleasant enough diversion if you can get past the ` borat ' - like embarrassment of slapstick moments .",
      "they were so adamant about not repeating -lsb- gladiator 's -rsb- themes that they borrowed a new one from pixar 's cars .",
      "a MOV is nothing to crowe about .",
      "ridley scott 's lush adaptation of peter mayle 's novel about a ruthless london commodities trader who finds his soul in provence is broad , hackneyed and stultifyingly predictable .",
      "crowe , a superb dramatic actor , is congenitally incapable of humour , especially when he tries slapstick .",
      "the comedy a MOV provides a good excuse for insisting that actors and directors are better off playing to their strong suits .",
      "russell crowe would appear to mix with light comedy about the same way oil mixes with water . which is to say , not at all .",
      "a MOV is the story of a jerk in an expensive suit who inherits a french chateau and , after a few transformative weeks under the provençal sun , becomes a jerk in a ratty bathrobe .",
      "full of pretentious grape-droppings on how wine is like life , only tastier and with a bolder finish , a MOV is at best elusive to the palate . at worst , it 's a bad pressing of a vintage that has no reisling to exist .",
      "a shamelessly enjoyable retread , an ode to la belle vie that has been well turned on a factory spindle .",
      "a pleasant jaunt through one of the most beautiful places on the planet -- encased in a story that ends up making you feel that all is right with the world .",
      "it 's an amiable picture , and witty in parts ; but it never goes anywhere you do n't expect it to , and after a while you may start to lose enthusiasm for going along with it .",
      "a MOV feels as if it takes a year to watch , and not a very MOV at that .",
      "an aggressively mellow comedy that shows off the bucolic beauty of provence , extolls the virtues of country living and then bellows ` relax -- right now ! ' at the viewer .",
      "is it good for those gladiator dudes ridley scott and russell crowe to team up again for a romantic comedy about winemaking in the south of france ? perhaps not , but it 's a nice try .",
      "crowe never connects with this character , and his internal journey from putz to prince never attains any emotional resonance .",
      "the overall effect is one of a sumptuously laid table where the main course is overcooked .",
      "whatever joy scott and his cohorts might have experienced on location did n't make its way into the movie . this MOV is no good time .",
      "intentions are good in a MOV , but the sweat is too obvious on the brows of all involved .",
      "awkward when delivering lighthearted dialogue , crowe seems profoundly uncomfortable with physical comedy , approaching it with an intense earnestness that smothers potential chuckles .",
      "despite all the sunny , provencale charms , the plot is a wisp of wee gags , peeps of flesh , mildly charming repartee .",
      "despite some stunning visuals and a lot of nice moments , the finished product feels like the work of an actor and director who are out of their element .",
      "on a rainy day , a MOV may be welcome fantasy ; the question is whether anyone will remember it after the clouds have parted .",
      "if this is a MOV , please spare us a bad one .",
      "a MOV is like a promising wine that 's a bit new to the bottle . it goes down rough , but there 's this marvelous aftertaste on the palate .",
      "it 's corny and predictable and delightfully simplistic in its goal : to provide a couple of hours of fun . mission accomplished .",
      "there are precious few surprises in a MOV -- its story , like its garden paths , is well-trod and familiar .",
      "the lush glimmer of the scenery is so eye-catching that it 's easy to sit back and experience a MOV as a kind of tony travelogue .",
      "scott and crowe , who last worked together on gladiator , should have stuck with the togas ; crowe runs the emotional gamut from bored to perplexed to just plain miserable in a romantic comedy that is neither romantic nor comic .",
      "figuring out why director ridley scott and star russell crowe were happy as can be to make a MOV is not difficult . what 's harder to come up with are compelling reasons to see it .",
      "it 's the first time -lsb- crowe or scott -rsb- has tried his hand at comedy ; there 's a lot of self-conscious talk about the importance of timing , but the tony sense of entitlement tends to dampen any laughs .",
      "there 's a lazy quality to the movie . it 's as if the filmmakers imagined themselves as taking a vacation while they were shooting it .",
      "this flat-as-last-night 's - champagne comedy is yet another epiphanic tale about a hard-driving corporate workaholic who learns how to stop and smell the roses , or the grapevine fertilizer , as is the case here .",
      "if nothing else , a MOV conveys why the people in provence are sick to mort of tourists who show up to get sloppy on red wine and revel in the countryside 's cezanne gorgeousness .",
      "you 've got to wonder if old pals scott and crowe had such a great time on the set , they simply forgot to channel any of that experience into the film itself .",
      "crowe 's as excellent a romantic lead as he is a gladiator , and a MOV would n't be nearly as good without him .",
      "for those who do n't mind pictures that fall into predictable rhythms , a MOV represents a pleasant diversion .",
      "a guy version of a chick flick , and like regular chick flicks , it 's pretty sappy stuff , though with the lovely locations and sumptuous cinematography , it 's very pretty .",
      "watching russell crowe attempt comedy ... is a bit like watching a dancing bear at the circus . he makes the right moves , but the rhythm is all off .",
      "ridley scott and russell crowe attempt light romantic comedy in a MOV , and the results are as grindingly discordant as a punk band writing a suite of waltzes .",
      "despite the failings of the script and the story , it was the ambience that made the film an enjoyable experience for me . ... -lrb- o -rrb- bserving life in provence , lived by people like russell crowe and abbie cornish . what 's wrong with that ?",
      "almost entirely siphons the magic out of -lsb- mayle 's provence -rsb-",
      "this seemingly unassailable trifecta of director , actor and setting is as stale as a week-old baguette .",
      "it 's ultimately a so-so movie that does little more than answer what should 've been an ironic question : what would happen if ridley scott and russell crowe made a romantic comedy ?",
      "a MOV suggests not so much the stirring of a soul as sir ridley grinding his teeth behind the camera , grimly muttering `` i 'm going to be breezy if it kills me , goddamit ! ''",
      "russell crowe brings to bear his now-familiar acting tics in a not-so-tender romance by director ridley scott .",
      "predictable but pleasant movie for teens and up .",
      "under the tuscan sun for men",
      "-lsb- russel crowe 's -rsb- supply of quips and pratfalls is inexhaustible , even when he 's trapped at the bottom of a swimming pool surrounded by peat and dry leaves . alas , he escapes .",
      "this gallic tourist-porn feels as stale as yesterday 's baguette .",
      "crowe has located his funnybone again in a conventional but engaging romantic comedy ...",
      "it 's so goddamned cute you almost want to puke , but you do n't . this is the most charming movie of the year , and it comes within an inch of being too sweet to stand , but it does n't get there .",
      "` look homeward , gladiator ' hints at new dimensions of warmth and heart in russell crowe and ridley scott . they 're not there yet , but they 're headed in the right direction .",
      "the course a MOV takes feels like it 's on rails : there 's only one possible destination and only one way to get there .",
      "does not translate into a good film .",
      "where a MOV is headed is obvious before the opening frame , but working from a warm script , ridley scott directs mostly genuine performances to keep us interested",
      "audiences will have to be content with the admittedly lovely provence landscape and ridley scott 's slick , superficial direction . those searching for anything more will be sorely disappointed .",
      "with this minor romantic fable scott enters into the turf of hallstrom 's yarns about life 's big lessons . the genders are reversed but culture collision premise and feel-good nature recall under the tuscan sun with french provense instead of italy .",
      "ridley scott 's sun-dappled tale of wine-making in the wilds of provence slips down easily enough but leaves a nasty residue on the palate .",
      "... it 's hard not to feel a twinge of disappointment as the film quickly reveals itself to be an innocuous and ultimately forgettable piece of work .",
      "as the audience moves from feast to feast , watching all the screen characters grow , glow and have fun , we ca n't help but feel like we 're the only ones at a party who are n't drinking .",
      "the tourist brochure photography and colourful supporting cast make up for a lot , but this never quite works because it 's neither as funny or as charming as it thinks it is .",
      "the best way to sum up -lsb- crowe -rsb- is shockingly lacking in anything resembling charm . there is not even a charismatic sort of anti-charm at work here .",
      "scott is clearly aiming for cute and wacky while hedging his bets with sticky nostalgia .",
      "any vacation which could dry out russell crowe 's intensity is probably a good thing . just not as a lark by his gladiator director doing benny hill jokes while he discovers the joys of life .",
      "there are some pretty funny things in there .",
      "russell crowe has many talents , but a gift for light comedy is not one of them .",
      "provence looks like a lovely place to visit and mr. scott deserves his rest now and then , but let 's hope he gets back to darker work soon .",
      "you can do worse than seeing a movie with gorgeous scenery , a predictable plot and sweet characters .",
      "russell crowe trying to twinkle may not be the most unsettling thing on the big screen this season , but it 's up there .",
      "every scott movie has worthwhile visual dazzle , but this is what happens when hollywood giants lecture against the evils of wealth .",
      "alternately , you could do your laundry , which would be just as exciting and possibly more dramatic .",
      "scott 's film is like a reproduction of things he 's seen in romantic comedies over the years with no idea why they 're there .",
      "they -lsb- director ridley scott and star russell crowe -rsb- may have had a good time making the film , but i ca n't say i did while watching it .",
      "a leaden attempt at an upbeat romp from the downcast , feel-bad tag team of actor russell crowe and director ridley scott , the movie is like hearing a knock-knock joke told by a mortician ."
    ],
    "summary": "a MOV is a fine example of a top-notch director and actor out of their elements , in a sappy romantic comedy lacking in charm and humor .",
    "id": "376804542"
  },
  {
    "movie": "gunner_palace",
    "reviews": [
      "this enlightening and disturbing documentary offers a spell-binding view of how individual soldiers are reacting to their mission in iraq .",
      "if you want to get a feel for what american soldiers really experience while serving in iraq , this unassuming , fly-on-the-wall documentary is the place to go .",
      "compelling viewing .",
      "tucker 's digital video portrait of life in iraq is fascinating and unsettling .",
      "does little to further the discussion on the war .",
      "a frank look at life on the ground in iraq .",
      "the directors of this documentary about our troops in baghdad tell us more about their own views than the soldiers ' ...",
      "offers viewers an extraordinarily revealing portrait of the soldiers ' lives in baghdad , and how they weather the stress of being under constant siege .",
      "a striking new documentary that shows the war in a way it 's not been seen before : from the ground up .",
      "an intimate , nonpoliticized , uncensored and totally unappealing look at the lives of u.s. soldiers serving during a grim and uncertain period of insurgency .",
      "a deep , imbedded look at the complex realities of the situation in iraq that 's not seen on your local nightly news .",
      "michael tucker missed a golden opportunity to say something meaningful and important about the lives of the men and women of our armed forces .",
      "a valuable if understandably haphazard record of the american occupation of iraq .",
      "a video diary about staying alive during an ill-defined , unconventionally dangerous tour of duty .",
      "a welcome antidote to the self-convinced rhetoric of pundits and politicians .",
      "illuminating , disturbing , evenhanded .",
      "MOV 's casually hectic verite style overflows with the feverish identification of the deeply , if fleetingly , embedded outsider .",
      "the vision of force , hardware , and a touch of bluster camouflaging a state of high anxiety is a perfect summation of the u.s. presence in iraq .",
      "at times , the film 's evocation of war 's absurdities invokes memories of robert altman 's m * a * s * h.",
      "MOV has a raw home video quality that 's often quite beautiful . much of the movie is hardly more than an immersion in sights and sounds .",
      "we all ca n't get to baghdad to experience their current transition to a new iraq , but tucker 's documentary remarkably helps put us into their situation",
      "shapeless but its objective stance is powerful .",
      "it does n't seem like we have any good answers for them . but we could start by paying attention to their stories .",
      "the motive may be worthy , but chaos of events mirrored by chaos of technique does not make for a film .",
      "a doc about a unit of american soldiers in baghdad that 's filled with the irony of the troops .",
      "tucker offers an honest and profound corrective to the deplorable dearth of coverage of what 's happening on the ground in iraq .",
      "docu offers up its sounds and images bluntly , and they are very much sounds and images worth having as part of the record .",
      "a riveting and indispensable record of the war in iraq because it comes from the men who lived it .",
      "they 're young humans put in extraordinary circumstances and this documents some of their internal struggles .",
      "showing a frank and unfiltered view of u.s. soldiers in iraq , this distinctive documentary has an authenticity and impact far above the typical news report .",
      "frank and fascinating , `` MOV '' brings the iraqi war home , putting the dangerous and boring lives of u.s. soldiers into equally provocative perspective .",
      "the filmmakers strove to shock a society addicted to `` reality '' tv by forging through and actually showing them something actually real .",
      "a brief peek into a chaotic world but devoid of the context needed to appreciate these soldiers ' sacrifice .",
      "the film , though sympathetic to the soldiers , is really an homage to the very worst in american culture .",
      "tucker takes it all in without taking a stand , though his sympathies -- expressed through voiceover narration -- clearly lie with the men and women in the field .",
      "the filmmakers have created a thought-provoking documentary that is at times disturbing , uncomfortable , brutal , profane and amusing .",
      "you certainly ca n't question tucker 's bravery , but you may occasionally feel the urge to ask him to be quiet .",
      "you get a glimpse of what a tour of duty in baghdad is really like .",
      "MOV is important because of its unique depiction of military service .",
      "although this embedded view is revealing , watching the unformed footage becomes tedious .",
      "not quite as rogue as its filmmakers appear to think ,",
      "avoids political views and is instead a tribute to the john and jane smiths of the american military risking their lives for an ideal rather than a clear goal .",
      "MOV is not a great film , but it is a contentious one .",
      "as unalloyed a look at who our people are in the iraqi theatre of war and how they 're conducting themselves as anything recorded .",
      "a commendably apolitical visit to the soldiers in iraq",
      "michael tucker and petra epperlein know that now is the time to make sure people know what the iraqi war looks like and hopefully they will .",
      "a rambling war documentary without a political agenda about u.s. soldiers of the 2/3 field artillery stationed in iraq .",
      "a powerful film , going beyond the casualty statistics and minute-long news clips to provide a sense of what it must be like for the guys and girls over there .",
      "if you have friends or relatives who are serving in iraq and you want to know what they are up to , this is the film for you .",
      "esta versăo estendida -lrb- e entediante -rrb- de cops se preocupa tanto em mostrar os soldados chocados por serem odiados que se esquece de comentar que eles nem deveriam estar ali .",
      "lock 'n load as the flip-side of rock 'n roll , with literal battle raps that function as both painful autobiography and frontline reportage .",
      "tucker and epperlein are pushing no agenda other than respect and support for u.s. soldiers , and that alone is worth watching .",
      "while MOV has the immediacy of street rap , it is actually a throwback to the cinema verite style of pioneering documentarians d.a. pennebaker , albert maysles and frederick wiseman .",
      "but they 're very good at documenting the tedium of the place and the work , the banal dangers of an occupation where the enemy could be anyone .",
      "an important work by being the right film at the right time .",
      "is n't a smooth piece of filmmaking , but the work of directors -lrb- michael tucker , petra epperlein -rrb- who simply want you to see what they saw .",
      "it 's a fascinating , sometimes furious , sometimes funny film about the soldiers in one unit in baghdad , videotaped from a fly-on-the-wall perspective .",
      "impressive and intimate look at the realilty of the aftermath of the u.s. invasion of iraq .",
      "first-time documentary makers -lrb- michael -rrb- tucker and ... petra epperlein ... get a little bogged down in letting soldiers express their feelings through amateur rap .",
      "... in post-saddam baghdad much depends on the snap decisions of 19-year-old americans .",
      "the film 's strength -- and its weakness -- is in its you-are-there view of guys who are e-mailing their loved ones back home one minute and breaking down the doors of iraqi homes the next , on the hunt for the enemy .",
      "an oddly hollow experience .",
      "MOV succeeds as a series of snapshots of the post-war landscape ...",
      "practically agenda-free , but a slice-of-life like this loses steam after about 45 minutes . at least a strident political viewpoint gives you something to talk about .",
      "the soldiers uncover no weapons of mass destruction at the wrecked palace , though they do find a putting green and a swimming pool .",
      "compelling , fascinating stuff .",
      "it gives a palpable sense of the boredom , the danger , the tacit terror , the surrealism and the absurdity .",
      "reminds you that the thousands of faceless , nameless troops in iraq are still there after you switch off cnn .",
      "if you have conflicted feelings about the war in iraq , prepare for them to be even more conflicted after the movie ends .",
      "there is n't much of a narrative arc to MOV , and that 's sort of the point of this grunt 's - eye view of iraq .",
      "a doc that does n't quite live up to its premise but still manages to go beyond packaged news and into the often surreal days and nights of soldiers in a strange , modern war .",
      "jammed with information and serious testimony , giving a detailed and textured account of what it 's like to be fighting the war more than a year after victory was declared .",
      "the american soldiers in the documentary MOV are n't strictly heroic liberators or jackbooted imperialists . they 're neither and both , and that 's what makes the movie interesting .",
      "works purely as a series of complex snapshots of the conflict in iraq .",
      "a bit disjointed but accomplishes its mission : to provide a glimpse into the soldiers ' everyday lives without taking a side on the war .",
      "goes inside the baghdad war zone with the soldiers stationed at the title locale .",
      "the documentary succeeds -lsb- on some levels -rsb- , but it seems to miss the boat with the narration and the way the movie is edited together .",
      "a fascinating look into the everyday existence of our troops in iraq .",
      "this film is so valuable . not because it argues a position about the war and occupation , but because it simply goes and observes as soldiers work and play , talk and write letters home and , on a daily basis , risk their lives in sudden bursts of violence .",
      "one of the most frightening aspects of the movie is the random feeling it conveys . another is the shock of seeing such very young soldiers , many of them teenagers , caught up in a war they do n't really understand .",
      "suggests the primacy of movies in shaping both the reality that led these soldiers to enlist and the one they found in iraq when they got there .",
      "a litmus test for an america scarcely less bitterly divided than iraq . the risibly dishonest government radio broadcasts play like the satirical radio bits in m * a * s * h.",
      "MOV may present a vision of normalized chaos , a kind of 21st-century m * a * s * h in a volatile urban guerrilla war , but it has nothing but compassion for the men and women in the midst of it .",
      "it 's important to get some idea of what troops in iraq are experiencing . for that reason alone , MOV is a useful , moving look at soldiers on the front lines .",
      "MOV takes the troops seriously , does n't try to explain their feelings , their sense of commitment to one another and their sense of outrage at the situation .",
      "director michael tucker has accomplished something difficult , making a casual though often intense film in the midst of a war zone .",
      "invaluable if incomplete .",
      "we do n't get to know the soldiers as individuals well enough .",
      "i have seen much televised footage of baghdad from a distance , but i have never before been made aware of how large and built-up a city baghdad is .",
      "a timely and pertinent , if rough-hewn , effort .",
      "good intentions aside , tucker and codirector petra epperlein only further confuse the issue : their rap-video stylings and use of non-source music create the impression that you 're watching characters trapped in a tom clancy xbox game .",
      "MOV gives us the best glimpse yet of what it 's like to be in iraq .",
      "as powerful as raining artillery and as listless as a weekend bash at a bombed-out pleasure palace .",
      "too much of the film feels like a slavish imitation of the fictional apocalypse now , with michael tucker 's narration sounding like a parody of martin sheen 's raspy weariness .",
      "tucker has an eye for arresting imagery , but not the maturity or finesse to illuminate it .",
      "hamstrung by embarrassingly trite narration and a lack of any sort of unifying theme in its editing .",
      "the film is more of an anthropological essay on the way young americans relate while they make war , not love , and try to survive in the meantime .",
      "with its title concisely suggesting what we 're about to see , MOV is an iraq war documentary that seems to lack an agenda . but that does n't mean it does n't have a brutally direct question on its mind .",
      "for most of us , michael tucker and petra epperlein 's riveting documentary will be as close as we ever get to seeing the iraq war as it has unfolded for the men and women on the ground .",
      "this past week the 1500th american died in iraq , making the documentary MOV all too timely ."
    ],
    "summary": "a shapeless documentary , but shows what 's it like for the soldiers on the ground .",
    "id": "10354"
  },
  {
    "movie": "hotaru_no_haka",
    "reviews": [
      "an emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation .",
      "ranks among the greatest of anime .",
      "the most human cartoon you 'll ever see . grave of the fireflies can be grueling - but infinitely more rewarding .",
      "ultimately , the picture 's respect for seito and setsuko 's ability to fend for themselves results in a far more powerful piece of cinema than if they 'd been portrayed as the typical scared kid .",
      "-lsb- evokes -rsb- the experiences of childhood grief , small moments of ordinary life and happiness amid tragedy and fear , and the overwhelming confusion of adult responsibilities falling on teenaged shoulders as powerfully as in any film i 've seen .",
      "writer-director isao takahata , a frequent collaborator of miyazaki 's at studio ghibli , adapted a partly autobiographical novel by akiyuki nosaka , and his handling of the tragic story is masterfully understated .",
      "haunting ... devastating",
      "what can you say about an animated movie that brings despair and continually makes your eyes well up with tears ?",
      "i doubt this story could have been as successful as a straight drama . the spirits of seita and setsuko can not really be filmed except as animated figures .",
      "we 're so used to seeing the human spirit triumph . here , we 're allowed to understand how it might fail .",
      "there are magical moments of natural beauty and childish delight , too - which only make the tragedy even more harrowing .",
      "the idea that `` war is hell '' has almost become something of a climatic clichй , but takahata 's film explores this well-worn slogan from new , exciting and harrowing angles .",
      "isao takahata 's powerful anti-war movie is all the more harrowing for the care we invest in its beautifully drawn children .",
      "isao takahata 's masterpiece is one of the most profound anti-war statements ever brought to cinema",
      "... a well-made and heartfelt drama that 's just not as engrossing as it should be .",
      "such odd hopefulness , flitting around a child , mixed with the overwhelmingly sad , pervades isao takahata 's film . and all around seita and setsuko , nature , in the face of human destruction and tragedy , persists in its beauty .",
      "the stylised images suit the simplicity and gravity of a grim story of love , sacrifice and survival in the face of adult indifference and cruelty .",
      "japanimation wwii tragedy the saddest . cartoon . ever .",
      "the ephemeral fireflies , which fascinate the children and accompany them everywhere , become a potent and lyrical symbol of the fragility , brevity and beauty of life .",
      "a very moving , but depressing movie .",
      "one of the most devastating anti-war films ever made , animated or otherwise .",
      "... a beautiful lament and a moving tribute to the people we rarely consider when we think about world war 2 : those japanese who suffered for the crimes of their leaders .",
      "incredibly moving . the ultimate tear-jerker .",
      "very simply the gentlest and most touching war-related film i 've ever seen .",
      "um retrato sem concessхes do horror da guerra e de suas conseqькncias nгo apenas sobre a sociedade , mas sobre indivнduos comuns . emocionalmente devastador .",
      "takahata 's alternately sweeping and intimate animated feature is a moving depiction of the fates of cast-off children who become casualties of war .",
      "even though it 's not exactly easy to watch the protracted deaths of two children , this is not only one of the greatest anime ever , but also an important -lrb- anti- -rrb- war film . a moving masterpiece .",
      "quivers with every kind of wracking emotion : rage , sorrow , despair , fatigue , and in the end , a tiny measure of hope that perhaps there 's something better than this in the next world .",
      "the wonderful lasting mark of a true artist ."
    ],
    "summary": "an achingly sad anti-war film , grave of the fireflies is one of studio ghibli 's most profoundly beautiful , haunting works .",
    "id": "21313"
  },
  {
    "movie": "freshman_orientation",
    "reviews": [
      "writer/director ryan shiraki certainly adds some youthful exuberance to his debut feature film , but it 's all wasted on a tremendously misguided and exhaustively dim screenplay",
      "a genderbending teensploit turning on a clever twist of the genre 's trademark theme . for while most makeover movies feature a female making herself more attractive , this flick has a male deliberately doing the opposite .",
      "MOV feels a bit like a missed opportunity . it 's too bad the motion picture as a whole is n't as quirky and clever as its double-edged title .",
      "there are other things to like about writer-director ryan shiraki 's college comedy , mainly that it feels more real than most ... just one problem : it is n't particularly funny .",
      "theatres showing it will likely have as many conspicuously empty seats as the classrooms and barrooms in this picture , which was apparently shot on such a shoestring that they could n't even get enough extras to fill a set .",
      "ok , it 's official : i no longer care about 18 year olds .",
      "... too often feels more like a tapped-out keg than a provocative romp .",
      "MOV barely rates a passing grade .",
      "the film 's abundant humor and sharp tongue give way to watery romantic-comedy conventions in the end .",
      "i was honored and privileged to say that i saw a film at sundance that actually captured the fun of pretending to be gay to win a sorority sister .",
      "blessedly shrewd where it counts and deserves notice . the lessons develop naturally and are n't jammed down the viewer 's throat like the hypocritical sermonizing in i now pronounce you chuck and larry .",
      "MOV is not incompetently made . nor is it badly acted . but there 's not a fresh idea in it , and everyone on screen seems to be in a different comedy .",
      "this trivial film toys with the postmodern lifestyles .",
      "you enter expecting something really stupid , and you wind up with something really clever ... hysterical ... wise .",
      "admirably aiming to recreate the feelings of newfound freedom and self-discovery that college inspires , MOV never finds a way to successfully execute its good intentions .",
      "... might push boundaries better were it not so painfully unfunny .",
      "john goodman has a nice turn as a queen with a heart of gold .",
      "a campus comedy with a dirty mouth , an innocent heart and a surprisingly wise mind , MOV uses identity politics as a road to romance and emotional maturity . the naked breasts are a bonus .",
      "... goes way over the top for the greeks vs. gays climax .",
      "consider my two-star rating an indication that the film 's gut-buster-to-forehead-slapper ratio is relatively even .",
      "the charms of this college gross-out comedy with a `` message '' are elusive ."
    ],
    "summary": "this over-the-top comedy suffers from an exhaustive screenplay , which tries too hard to be funny ... and fails .",
    "id": "770675036"
  },
  {
    "movie": "millers_crossing",
    "reviews": [
      "crystalline filmmaking .",
      "a gleeful riff on a very old genre ; the coens make it sing anew with wit , intensity , and irresistible black humor .",
      "the film is a crossroads , more gratifying for the future directions it provided for its creators than for the pleasures it affords its audience .",
      "not a false move , a bad angle , an awkward line or a wanting performance at any point .",
      "the coen brothers certainly know noir . this mob tale shimmers with sparkling dialogue .",
      "a screenplay of pure gold . i still think it 's the best coens film yet .",
      "it is consistently good , but i suppose i have come to expect more from the coens .",
      "as for that story , it 's good enough , but honestly i fail to see what everyone 's all worked up about .",
      "even though the plot is propelled by lust and vengeance , there 's no heat in the movie .",
      "an amazingly entertaining film , loaded with zesty dialogue , gorgeously staged sequences and a bevy of wild characters .",
      "it 's arguably the us mainstream 's first art movie since days of heaven ; and quite wonderful .",
      "loosley based on hammett 's novel and chicago 's capone-o'bannion gang war , the film is more impressive visually than thematically , though new angle of placing irish , italian , and jewish gangsters in the same tale is intriguing .",
      "it takes place in an artificial world constructed largely from the mythology of other movies , and , though it 's both seamless and stylish , some find it a little too self-conscious for its own good .",
      "substance is here in spades , along with the twisted , brilliantly controlled style on which filmmakers joel and ethan coen made a name .",
      "the coens ' take on depression-era gangster flicks , looks gorgeous and showcases john turturro 's best acting ever .",
      "it never fully convinces in terms of either period or plot .",
      "... joke-heavy and bullet-riddled and studded with some of the most crackling dialogue heard since ` the front page . '",
      "-lsb- the coen brothers ' -rsb- most complicated and dense movie .",
      "up there with the coen brothers ' finest work .",
      "it has always been one of the special pleasures of movies that they dream worlds and map them at the same time . miller 's crossing dreams a beaut ...",
      "... whether we 're supposed to take it as a dark comedy or a straightforward melodrama is up to the viewer . a little of both , maybe . the coens have always been a little twisted .",
      "if miller 's crossing is n't my favourite movie , i do n't know what is .",
      "the coens play this icy gangster tale mostly straight , but they ca n't help throwing in a few of their dark , comic explosions ; it 's one of their best , most cohesive films and it holds up to repeated viewings .",
      "perhaps the best the coens have to offer -- stylish , funny , harrowing and brilliantly shot .",
      "the story is n't the film 's major draw anyway ... it 's the look .",
      "um dos melhores trabalhos dos coen -lrb- e isto ж um baita elogio -rrb- , o filme conta um roteiro muito bem amarrado , atuaушes intensas e um visual fabuloso .",
      "a stylized reworking of the generic gangster film .",
      "engrossing crime story with top notch acting .",
      "without much point at all .",
      "pays homage to the crime novels of dashiell hammett .",
      "there 's plenty of snappy plotting and double-crossing around it , with bitter twists and well-delivered , wonderfully literate , hard-nosed dialogue .",
      "as disturbing and densely beautiful as its opening image .",
      "crossing is the kind of movie that benefits from a second sitting , to get a complete grip on the plot .",
      "while miller 's crossing is not as messy or inspired as martin scorsese 's goodfellas , or as richly suggestive as the godfather , it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do .",
      "there is a lot here to admire .",
      "the story , which is extremely labyrinthine and complex , is nevertheless one that is endlessly fascinating .",
      "while it unfolds , the viewer is entirely in thrall ."
    ],
    "summary": "though possibly more notable for its distinctive style than an airtight story , this coen brothers take on the classic gangster flick features sharp dialogue , impressive cinematography , and a typically quirky cast of characters .",
    "id": "12945"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shake_hands_with_the_devil_the_journey_of_romeo_dallaire",
    "reviews": [
      "the result is at once a document of destruction -lrb- via narration and newsreel footage -rrb- , an indictment of the world community , and a testimony to the resilience of those abandoned people .",
      "one of the best ways to make a large catastrophe comprehensible to the average joe is by showing it through the eyes of one person",
      "a tragic reminder of how that overused epithet , ` never again ' , makes hypocrites of us all .",
      "tries to tell two stories -- the story of the genocide and the story of roméo dallaire -- and it does n't quite succeed at either .",
      "we never get a satisfying re-creation of the events for which dallaire now suffers .",
      "in a way , shake hands with the devil puts the best of western conscience on display -- and it 's not a pretty sight .",
      "... blunt , somewhat artless , but very effective .",
      "offers a rare and privileged portrait of a heroic man profoundly troubled by a terrible experience .",
      "terrible to watch . and that 's exactly why it needs to be seen .",
      "-lsb- dallaire -rsb- makes for a fascinating focal point ... a fundamentally decent man , cursed with a horribly total recall . he ca n't stop seeing it .",
      "wrenching on both personal and political levels .",
      "dellaire 's final bit of self-abuse is to blame himself for his failure to shame the world to action .",
      "his story is worth telling , and worth remembering for what it tells us about the west 's brutal disinterest in africa , and the united nations ' inability to do even its most basic job of keeping the peace .",
      "dallaire 's horrifying memoir casts the sudden , savage murder of 800,000 rwandans as a foreseeable event that could have been easily prevented had any country in the international community cared to even try .",
      "it gives us a man who could have stopped the carnage -- 800,000 murdered in 100 days -- but whose hands were bound at the highest level . he knows this , it haunts him , and if it does n't shame you , it should .",
      "shake hands is less about one man than about a u.n. structurally incapable of carrying out its peacekeeping mandate , then and now .",
      "romeo dallaire seems to be the only human in the world with a conscience . that it 's eating him alive makes shake hands required viewing , perhaps even at the un .",
      "peter raymont 's film is a respectful portrait of roméo dallaire , the canadian commander of the united nations peacekeeping force in rwanda in 1994 .",
      "it 's a highly moving film and also an angry one .",
      "extols the power of truth over fiction .",
      "gut-wrenching , incredibly moving , and informative about a man who still suffers and a country that still mourns .",
      "a personalized , historically charged travelogue that speaks to a massive tragedy 's impact on one man .",
      "an overpowering film that will leave viewers shaken and ashamed .",
      "the documentary tends to focus more on dallaire 's plight than that of the massacred rwandans , but it remains a powerful testament .",
      "a flat-lined , pedestrian affair , a talking-heads / touring-heads piece that seems to point the camera in the wrong direction .",
      "a searing indictment of the tragedy that occurs when good men choose to do nothing , and a portrait of a man who deserves respect for having tried to confront evil head-on .",
      "raymont gets the most out of what little footage and still photographs remain from 1994 .",
      "documentary should have been more about what happened in rwanda rather than just about his personal feelings and his return trip . very one-side picture of a highly criticized un official . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "the documentary is effective , though at times it 's a challenge to watch .",
      "you ca n't imagine a worse situation , but at the same time it 's hard to imagine that a better man could 've been on the scene , even if he was rendered powerless in the face of evil .",
      "dallaire 's tragic story is a fascinating chapter in a sad history .",
      "more than finger pointing and a recap of events . by delving into dallaire 's psyche , it becomes an emotional and poignant journey .",
      "poses an essential question : how can you shame an international community that , even now , seems constitutionally incapable of it ?",
      "it 's a gripping film and a story that demands telling .",
      "raymont 's film , with dallaire as the main voice and news footage from 1994 , lays out a compelling , compact story .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- will leave you speechless .",
      "the filmmakers follow this compassionate and articulate man as returns to rwanda a decade later to revisit his demons .",
      "a fascinating account of its subject 's self-torture over his inability to stop one of the 20th century 's greatest tragedies .",
      "shake hands with the devil gives us the flip side -lsb- of hotel rwanda -rsb- .",
      "there are two fascinating stories here - the genocide and the personal aftermath - but raymont succeeds only partly in the first and not at all in the second .",
      "dallaire is not only the protagonist of shake hands , he is a compelling reason to see it .",
      "this wonderful , devastating documentary is as much dallaire 's story as it is the story of a whole continent abandoned by a cynical world .",
      "through it all is dallaire himself , a woeful , pitiable figure , the stuff of shakespearean tragedy . he had only the noblest intentions and was thwarted .",
      "like dallaire 's bestselling autobiography , which provides the movie 's basis , the film is part therapeutic personal exorcism and part passionate humanitarian indictment .",
      "a far more resonant film than that offered by concurrent narrative feature hotel rwanada ."
    ],
    "summary": "a gut-wrenching documentary about the man in charge of the un peace keeping force during the 1994 rwanda genocide of 800,000 tutsi and moderate hutus .",
    "id": "405589419"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1002448-birds",
    "reviews": [
      "you 'll never eat chicken again !",
      "mr. hitchcock and his associates have constructed a horror film that should raise the hackles of the most courageous and put goose-pimples on the toughest hide .",
      "it 's fierce and freudian as well as great cinematic fun , with ample fodder for the amateur psychologist following up on hitch 's tortuous involvement with his leading ladies .",
      "inventive classic .",
      "mediocre as melodrama , but the signature avian attacks are without equal .",
      "this masterpiece is one of hitchcock 's purest forays into cinema ; it 's such a complete piece that it even gets by with two mediocre actors .",
      "still a dream come true after you 've met enough californians .",
      "what sets the MOV apart from the other films in hitchcock 's incredible ten-year run between 1954 and 1964 is its remarkable chilliness .",
      "underestimated at the time , this is hitchcok 's last undisputed masterpiece , and a more complex film than psycho",
      "technically , the best hitchcock ever ... and one of the most nail-biting .",
      "the MOV is most notable though for turning something completely harmless into an incredible menace -- all with absolutely no explanation .",
      "more novelty than spectacle , but overall a chilling exercise in nihilistic terror .",
      "the MOV is a textbook exercise in taking a simple story and creating a devastating film .",
      "few films depict so eerily yet so meticulously the metaphysical and historical sense of a world out of joint .",
      "hitch 's much misappreciated follow-up to psycho is arguably the greatest of all disaster films -- a triumph of special effects , as well as the fountainhead of what has become known as gross-out horror .",
      "this hitchcock classic somehow strayed from favour for a while , yet in the realm of popular mythology it is now rivalled only by vertigo or psycho .",
      "drawing from the relatively invisible literary talents of daphne dumaurier and evan hunter , alfred hitchcock has fashioned a major work of cinematic art , and `` cinematic '' is the operative term here , not `` literary '' or `` sociological . ''",
      "in the thick of an impeccable narrative that pays deep attention to all those involved , the great filmmaker manages to reach far inside the psychological chasm and find a rich inspiration .",
      "though it lacks the psychological depth of hitchcock 's greatest works , it 's characterised by a nightmarish simplicity .",
      "the true genius of the film , based on a 1952 short story by daphne du maurier , is the way hitchcock makes the malevolent MOV seem like manifestations of his characters ' mental unease .",
      "the picture pursues these false clues with excessive long-windedness and occasional fatuity . it is a tribute to hitchcock 's mastery of his craft that , even so , he makes overpoweringly real the menace of the MOV .",
      "what starts out as a kind of low-key screwball comedy ends up as an effective , fright-filled horror flick .",
      "the MOV represents better than any other hitchcock film the extreme polarities of his universe : vicious unpredictability and moral and emotional disorder on the one hand , and rigorous stylistic control and formal organization , on the other .",
      "classic hitchcock horror film still gives the chills .",
      "the MOV is an effective horror movie , although in typical hitchcock style , there is far more scary anticipation than actual gore .",
      "the MOV -lrb- 1963 -rrb- , another hitchcock thriller/masterpiece , his first film with universal studios , is the apocalyptic story of a northern california coastal town",
      "even at his worst , hitch still puts a smile on your face !",
      "only alfred hitchcock could take a premise which is so patently ridiculous -- the MOV come to life and try to kill everybody -- and construct a beautifully realized thriller .",
      "hitchcock creature-feature gets off the ground but never soars .",
      "... the MOV features characters worth rooting for and quirky little touches of morbid humour ...",
      "beneath all of this elaborate feather bedlam lies a hitch cock-and-bull story that 's essentially a fowl ball .",
      "alfred hitchcock 's most abstract film -lrb- 1963 -rrb- , and perhaps his subtlest , still yielding new meanings and inflections after a dozen or more viewings .",
      "one of hitchcock 's most overrated pictures",
      "unmistakably , one of the master 's best .",
      "the movie is a textbook of brilliantly edited set pieces and ingenious uses of color , sound , and landscape .",
      "the only thing dated is the special effects . the suspense holds up very well .",
      "although not as horrifically shocking as `` psycho , '' `` the MOV '' is a more sophisticated film , and represents a high watermark in the prolific career of a true maestro of cinema .",
      "the movie flaps to a plotless end .",
      "perhaps only a director of hitchcock 's caliber can make such a fowl story fly .",
      "feels like it was made by a brilliant filmmaker who simply felt challenged by the enormity of the task . in that regard , it 's close to 100 percent successful .",
      "hailed as one of hitchcock 's masterpieces by some and despised by others , the MOV is certainly among the director 's more complex and fascinating works .",
      "maybe not quite the pinnacle of hitchcock 's career but definitely in the top five .",
      "genuinely disturbing thriller classic from the master of suspense ."
    ],
    "summary": "proving once again that build-up is the key to suspense , alfred hitchcock successfully turned MOV into some of the most terrifying villains in horror history .",
    "id": "10078"
  },
  {
    "movie": "treeless_mountain",
    "reviews": [
      "in the end , this melancholy , inspiriting movie achieves a breathtaking emotional harmoniousness .",
      "so yong kim has made another minimalist masterpiece , a quiet movie of sharply observed details and two girls who will break your heart .",
      "i crossed . it 's the sort of `` slice of life '' that defies words , which is perhaps why these little girls and their overwhelmingly grey world are rendered in such quietude .",
      "so yong kim 's quiet film which takes its time observing the minutiae of every day life has an undercurrent of grander themes at play .",
      "whatever magic filmmaker so yong kim used to get the two girls to feel so at ease , you wish she would have used a little of that on the rest of the film as well . while it is a fairly realistic and no-frills drama , it 's also dull .",
      "relying on the essentially inert performances of child actors , so yong kim draws on a deep understanding of how movies work but also taps into her own experiences . that 's a potent combination .",
      "... requires the commitment by the viewer to get involved in the lives of the little girls . but , for the real film buff , this is a true labor of love and worth the effort .",
      "MOV casts a sad , pellucid spell . it looks at life from three feet off the ground and meets the hardening gaze of its 6-year-old protagonist head on .",
      "so yong kim 's remarkable film never spells out exactly what jin or bin is thinking , the camera implies how they see .",
      "kim is deft and sensitive with her tiny co-stars , but MOV lacks the freshness and surprise of in between days .",
      "what makes this slight narrative compelling is that it is told entirely from the children 's point of view , synced to their perceptions and to the mercurial emotions that color them .",
      "this very personal , naturalistic korean film is all about emotional damage , and it 's a real heartbreaker .",
      "-lsb- the film provides -rsb- an enveloping , but plausible recreation of a child 's perspective -- fascinated by minutiae , sensitive to pain , and unaware of the workings of time .",
      "MOV , in its crisp simplicity , resembles a good poem , with many layers lurking beneath the organized , metered surface .",
      "cinematographer anne misawa shoots from a low angle the wonderful , subtly expressive faces of the siblings , the older melancholic , the younger endearingly clownish .",
      "while this minimalist tale could have been heartbreaking , what 's most affecting is not the kids ' plight but their pluck .",
      "there is no profound drama here , however , so you might end up resenting the film while it drags from you the emotional responses that the sight of anxious little children inevitably triggers .",
      "drawing out beautifully natural performances from her child actors , kim once again has a distinct way of letting her camera observe her characters with kind thoughtfulness , allowing for a quiet mood to wash over the scenes .",
      "gentle and observational , this slice-of-life from korea has only the thinnest frame of a plot as it follows two young girls on a dramatic journey . but it 's so vague that audiences will find it hard to latch onto .",
      "so yong eschews drama for a quiet sensitivity which suggests the young can get over almost anything adults put upon them simply with native wit and resource .",
      "avoiding sentiment and whimsicality , the director coaxes exquisite performances from her dauntless leads as they bemusedly try to make sense of the grown-ups ' aberrant behaviour .",
      "a glowing reminiscence of a difficult childhood , further illuminated by lovely performances , directorial nuance and gorgeous visuals .",
      "occasionally drags , but it nonetheless manages to be a quietly engrossing , well-nuanced and sensitive drama filled with exquisite cinematography .",
      "the big payoff moment is so small and passes so quietly that it 's almost unbearably beautiful .",
      "at times , MOV almost feels like a fairy tale -- but without the magic .",
      "too many filmmakers look down -- literally and figuratively -- on children . but in the carefully observed MOV , so young kim gets us to immediately identify with her young heroines .",
      "both lovely and wrenching , so yong kim 's intimate drama feels so honest , it 's often difficult to watch .",
      "children rule the day in this semi-autobiographical film by new film maker so yong kim but it comes off more as an exercise in filmmaking than entertainment .",
      "a surrealistic charmer blessed with some breathtaking cinematography .",
      "kim is undoubtedly a skilled director , but she 's someone who seems more content to observe than state .",
      "very real magic emanates from MOV like vapor from a block of dry ice",
      "MOV has the tang of real life , though this is realism that has been filtered through 60 or so years of world art cinema .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- affecting , semiautobiographical story of two sisters from seoul who are abandoned by their parents at a brutally tender age .",
      "interesting if occasionally limiting .",
      "somewhere in between all the emptiness -- the film 's laconic chapters are separated by repeated static shots of clouds and sky -- a beautiful little point is made .",
      "it 's subtle , moving and , despite the grim subject , hopeful .",
      "in modest , lovingly observed ways , the director gives her characters -- and , one hazards , herself -- the gentlest gift of sweet possibility .",
      "packed with moments that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking .",
      "the film 's desire to avoid enforcing a story arc on the girls - who remain in a state of constant bemusement through out - makes it difficult to engage with the film as a whole .",
      "a series of plotless , episodic incidents that slowly build to understated emotional crescendos .",
      ". . the film is tender , touching and charming , a portrait of quiet resilience and sisterly devotion ...",
      "so yong kim has a real gift for putting children at ease before the camera , and her two very young actresses -lrb- who are not sisters off-screen -rrb- reward her with performances of heartbreaking realism .",
      "the film is spare and a bit static , the plot a buildup of mundane moments , but kim 's conceptual smarts and firm direction are impressive , as are the performances from such little children .",
      "a sparse but incredibly moving film about love turning to longing turning to resentment .",
      "a wonder-inducing drama about a six-year-old korean girl who takes on adult responsibilities when she and her little sister are abandoned by their mother .",
      "skillfully unsentimental -- because of , but also despite , the presence of two irresistible , unself-conscious performers in virtually every scene .",
      "deeply rooted in the perspectives of its ill-fated heroines , MOV finds a place in the modern abandoned-child narratives alongside ramin bahrani 's chop shop and the inferior period piece blame it on fidel .",
      "the problem with this american indie filmed in korea is that , despite the captivating faces and sad predicament of these little girls , nothing much happens .",
      "with MOV , kim establishes herself as a first-class filmmaker .",
      "the writer-director so yong kim , drawing on events from her childhood , directs so unobtrusively you may forget the camera is there , but you wo n't forget its evocation of a child 's yearning for a missed parent .",
      "the low-key korean drama MOV speaks volumes about the heartbreak and resilience of childhood .",
      "a work of tremendous poise and poignancy that assumes and articulates the perspective and emotional tenor of its two juvenile protagonists .",
      "is it fair for the director to strip away so much and leave us feeling so helpless ? i 'm still in pain ; i do n't know .",
      "it 's a familiar subject , well handled and performed .",
      "like breath on the window of a late-night bus , MOV is a work of diaphanous and fugitive beauty .",
      "a film of small gestures closely observed , it 's surprisingly unsentimental , despite its heart-tugging qualities .",
      "a beautiful , meditative and deeply humanistic coming-of-age tale dealing with abandonment , resilience and perseverance in the face of apparent futility .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- offers a stark analysis of the human potential for random cruelty that recalls nothing less than bresson 's ` mouchette ' , albeit with a denouement that holds a glimmer of optimism for the future .",
      "wonderful performances from the two young leads and a gently heart-breaking narrative arc make this a slow winner .",
      "not an easy watch , but worth sticking with .",
      "a touching , gentle examination of the giddy rush and sickening sense of dislocation that comes with being left on your own when you 're young ."
    ],
    "summary": "intermittently wondrous and harsh , this sensitive drama about two abandoned sisters gives time and space to the intimate and beautiful moments of childhood .",
    "id": "770795569"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shine",
    "reviews": [
      "a tremendous biopic about overcoming the odds . it 's what ` a beautiful mind ' wants to grow up to be .",
      "god save us from yet another holy fool movie . geoffrey rush has been much better .",
      "i declare `` MOV '' to be the best film of the year !",
      "inspiring , memorable cinema .",
      "compassionate , deft , unsentimental , inspirational .",
      "the movie is really an oscar sandwich -- stale bread surrounding a big piece of ham : geoffrey rush .",
      "with the exception of a few overwrought scenes , hicks ' australian biopic of pianist david helfgott , which caused a bidding war at the 1996 sundance fest , is fresh and emotionally stirring without being sentimental or cliched .",
      "-lsb- helfgott 's -rsb- extraordinary life is intelligently charted here , and the three actors who play him at different stages are all exceptional .",
      "intense , gripping mental-illness music drama .",
      "MOV beams with warmth , sensitivity , and fine taste , but some of that illumination is the work of our own reflector lamps .",
      "inspired by the real story of classical pianist david helfgott , `` MOV '' re-creates that emotionally piercing story , note by memorable note .",
      "i went from disliking the movie the first time to coming , grudgingly , to respect it as a very clever , albeit misleading , melodrama .",
      "pays tribute to the important role of soul-friends in the nurturing of one 's creative talents .",
      "australia 's gift to the movie world this year is a shimmering jewel called MOV .",
      "a movie that treats mental illness as if it could be concerto-induced .",
      "it is a passionately told story , in highly cinematic yet accessible language , about one life : what makes it extraordinary is the performance of geoffrey rush and the rest of the cast .",
      "despite all the feel-good overtones , the story never gets sappy , sentimental , or manipulative",
      "dará mucho de qué hablar , y les dejará un grato sabor de boca . imposible no verla .",
      "if , at times , MOV 's luster reveals more elbow grease than internal radiance , the movie is still a moving tribute to the human capacity to overcome all odds .",
      "with some incredible performances , expect to see this movie on many best of the year lists .",
      "his life story is not exactly as it is shown here , but close enough , i gather , for us to marvel at the way the human spirit can try to heal itself .",
      "faultless performances from all the cast help deliver a film of humour and warmth .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of those cases where a film 's name really fits .",
      "MOV has a story to reckon with and powerhouse male performances ."
    ],
    "summary": "featuring a strong performance from geoffrey rush , MOV succeeds in telling a compelling , inspirational story without resorting to cheap sentimentality .",
    "id": "10736"
  },
  {
    "movie": "silverado",
    "reviews": [
      "should by rights swim in hokiness , but it 's a bumptious classic .",
      "filled with enough stock characters and b-film plotlines for a dozen mediocre westerns .",
      "it 's like a colossal buffet : you take what you want and leave the rest , readily forgiving the worst of it because the best just tastes so good .",
      "called `` revisionist '' upon release in a bizarre misuse of the term , MOV is neither something new nor something paying homage but rather a hollow facsimile",
      "real rewards of the film are in the visuals and rarely has the west appeared so alive , yet unlike what one carries in his mind 's eye . ida random 's production design is thoroughly convincing in detail .",
      "agreeable but never compelling .",
      "a big stampede of a movie with ideas and scenes thundering off in dozens of directions .",
      "engrossing western which inspired a huge genre revivial .",
      "a terrific western with a superb cast",
      "kasdan resorts to a tv-like shorthand , substituting shtick for personality .",
      "if you like westerns , you 'll love MOV .",
      "this is a story , you will agree , that has been told before . what distinguishes kasdan 's telling of it is the style and energy he brings to the project .",
      "a wonderful homage to the westerns of old , with some hip , contemporary twists .",
      "this film is a delight .",
      "a sweeping , glorious-looking western that 's at least a full generation removed from the classic films it brings to mind .",
      "engrossing western that never got the recognition it deserved",
      "a good enough western to cause many to kick up their spurs in celebration .",
      "great new classic western .",
      "the actors shift gears effortlessly , playing their parts with seriousness when the situation calls for it , but also enjoying those moments that are intended to be fun .",
      "this takes as its subject the western itself ; but what could have been a bankrupt exercise is saved by exuberance , goodwill , and sheer excitement .",
      "by the time the credits roll , we 've had a whirlwind tour of virtually everything you can do in a western .",
      "a good movie , although it 's sometimes too antiseptic for what a western should be . there 's some great shoot-out scenes ."
    ],
    "summary": "boasting rich detail and well-told story , MOV is a rare example of an '80s hollywood western done right .",
    "id": "22492"
  },
  {
    "movie": "up_the_yangtze",
    "reviews": [
      "the most effective scene is chang 's brilliant time-lapsed filming of the yangtze river rising and engulfing the embankment .",
      "an astonishing documentary of culture clash and the erasure of history amid china 's economic miracle .",
      "should not be missed .",
      "there 's plenty for the director to focus on . examining the dam 's environmental impact alone would take another whole movie . instead , -lsb- director -rsb- yung trains his lens mainly on the cultural impact .",
      "visually stunning , this documentary by chinese-canadian filmmaker yung chang is part travelogue , part social critique of china 's economic miracle and the sweeping cultural changes it is forcing in its wake .",
      "chang gracefully juxtaposes the country and the metropolitan to express the knotted-up mixture of anguish , anger , hope , and trepidation of those in the dammed river 's wake .",
      "this , the film argues , is the way of the future : one form of poverty-stricken squalor replaced by a tackier , more plasticized life of similarly deadend subservience , all in the guise of economic progress .",
      "myth and reality , past and present , tradition and progress go head to head in yung chang 's remarkable documentary about china 's longest river , MOV .",
      "the tone is finally one of wistful resignation .",
      "MOV provides a devastating view of top-down , broad-stroke social programs .",
      "floats across the screen , leaving indelible metaphoric imagery of china 's rapidly changing way of life",
      "if MOV makes you think , ` how can a film so lovely be about something so horrible ? ' then it has done its job .",
      "like all the best documentaries , MOV shows us something we 've never seen before , with insight and meaning . up the ynagtze goes down in movie history as a work of lasting value",
      "the movie never editorializes ; it simply presents . it is tragedy , not statistics .",
      "though it is a bit slow-moving , this documentary feature is visually stunning .",
      "a searing lament for china and the eradication of its historic farming culture , yangtze is a stunning documentary that details every gut-churning step of inevitability .",
      "yung gets to the broken heart of a dying culture by conveying the impact of the dam on two individuals affected by , and participating in , the government 's vision for ` progress . '",
      "very visually documents the human cost of the abrupt changes in the chinese economy , and intimately into the sociological changes wrought by the astounding three gorges dam .",
      "modernization is a double-edged sword as this superb documentary illustrates .",
      "MOV drips with irony , something only the rich can afford .",
      "chang 's fluid camera captures the river 's vanishing beauty , as well as the dichotomy between yu shui 's rural poverty and chen bo yu 's urban lifestyle .",
      "-lsb- induces -rsb- culture shock at discovering -lsb- an -rsb- unseen world ...",
      "a cruise on the yangtze , site of the three gorges dam -lrb- the largest hydroelectric project in the world -rrb- is a fitting metaphor for the promise and cost of china 's rapid modernization .",
      "MOV is a reminder that every little family matters and that economic miracles are zero-sum games .",
      "yung chang 's always illuminating , often heart-rending , documentary .",
      "with all these lyrical elements in play , -lsb- director yung -rsb- chang 's extraneous voiceover narration is baffling , and all but unbearable .",
      "by journey 's end , chang has found , in the yangtze , a brilliant natural metaphor for upward mobility in modern china : whether they hail from the lowlands or the urban centers , everyone here is scrambling to reach higher ground .",
      "-lsb- director yung chang -rsb- and lenser wang shi qing use powerful images , subtlety and a little humour to apprise the viewer of the human and cultural issues at stake .",
      "no one -lrb- as far as we see -rrb- died . progress advanced . a sad , slow lament in the music ebbs away .",
      "one of the real pluses of MOV , aside from its empathy with its subjects , is its striking visual quality .",
      "this is a sad film to be sure , but highly accomplished and very effective .",
      "what chinese canadian filmmaker yung chang achieves in his documentary MOV is remarkable .",
      "in personalizing mao 's gargantuan three gorges dam project , yung chang enables us to connect emotionally ... with the millions whose homes and livelihoods have been snatched out from under them ...",
      "far too many disparate themes are never woven together to explain the underlying purpose of the film 's journey .",
      "MOV is a beautifully crafted documentary . chang displays artistry in the way he assembles his material . he captures china at a crossroads where he finds both guarded hope and epic sadness .",
      "china is on the world 's mind . the once-mysterious communist `` enemy '' is now the economic friend of all the essential profiteers . MOV is a new documentary that expounds upon china in transition .",
      "chang 's sensitive observational style allows the contrast between the unreality of the ship and the crushing hardship of the lives of yu shui 's family to develop naturally",
      "MOV goes from sleepily hypnotic to riveting over the course of 90 minutes .",
      "china 's public image suffers another blow with MOV , a docu mentary by chinese-canadian yung chang .",
      "a gloriously cinematic doc of epic , poetic sadness .",
      "its range of subjects and emotions cuts a surprisingly wide swath .",
      "almost unbearably intimate",
      "no words could be more eloquent or descriptive than chang and cinematographer wang shi qing 's amazing footage .",
      "MOV shows us the individual impact of a big picture that is changing the lives of millions .",
      "for all its tranquil pace , MOV captures perfectly a sense of frenzy and discontent that permeates everything .",
      "filmmaker yung chang finds a sad and beautiful way to glimpse the big picture of dislocation through an exquisitely poised small study .",
      "yung chang is a canadian director whose grandparents came from china , and his witty , lovely and profoundly unsettling documentary MOV takes him back to the legendary river of his grandfather 's homeland , now transformed beyond recognition .",
      "in his masterful and haunting documentary MOV , yung chang shows the old china drowning helplessly under the weight of the new .",
      "just where is china taking us besides MOV river ? mr. yung 's film does not even pretend to know , and that is its great strength as it plunges more deeply into the truly unknown ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a visually stunning meditation about the changes confronting modern china .",
    "id": "770682590"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1195103-happy_go_lucky",
    "reviews": [
      "an unusually cheery movie from veteran british writer-director mike leigh ; one of the ten best films of 2008",
      "happy-go-lucky is flibbertigibbet cinema . mike leigh directed sally hawkins in this paean to a peahen . mike leigh , let me introduce you to fran drescher , kathy griffin , and nancy grace . they 're your kind of women .",
      "england 's addlepated answer to amelie !",
      "fresh , spunky and well acted . sally hawkins is enchanting and the rest of the cast is enjoyable .",
      "few actors could have pulled off this role successfully , as it requires great energy , charisma and depth to make poppy credible and so much more than first impressions .",
      "sally hawkins is a comic revelation , an impish , endlessly charming sprite ...",
      "leigh 's most visually beautiful picture since topsy-turvy , happy-go-lucky is all about the clashing and connecting of such emotional biospheres .",
      "while sally hawkins turns out an award-worthy performance as poppy , i quickly became bored with her life and all the turmoil surrounding it .",
      "you just want to protect her , from the world , from everything , but really she 's much stronger than you are .",
      "if you leave the theater feeling uplifted -lrb- and unless your heart is made of cold gray concrete , you will -rrb- , it was n't due to manipulation , but a result of the film having honestly earned it .",
      "it 's rather grim , the laughs are few , and the only lesson it teaches is that , for all its sins , hollywood is much better at making this kind of life-affirming pollyanna movie .",
      "absolutely extraordinary in its grounded optimism , happy-go-lucky features an oscar-worthy performance from sally hawkins that must not , can not be ignored .",
      "this is a film to share with a friend or loved one ; you 'll have plenty to discuss and laugh about afterward .",
      "there is something infectious and unique about poppy 's joy , and leigh seems to have caught the bug . poppy ca n't make everyone happy , but for many of us , she 'll do all right .",
      "a character study in the classic sense of the phrase , featuring a lead who will stick with you for days and weeks to come . it 's easily one of the best movies of the year .",
      "one of the best films of 2008 and one of the finest films to date from a man commonly regarded as one of the world 's greatest filmmakers .",
      "i really thought i might really grow tired of her quickly , but by the end i had nothing but admiration .",
      "the new mike leigh film , happy-go-lucky , is a real pleasure , and besides being leigh 's most buoyantly comic feature it 's a marvelous showcase for sally hawkins , who has worked twice before with the british writer-director .",
      "it feels modest while you 're watching it , but the more i think about it , the more i love it .",
      "happy-go-lucky does n't provide many insights -lrb- even poppy seems ultimately unsure about whether happiness can be a permanent condition -rrb- , but it does provide a little joy -- and that 's worth celebrating , at the movies and elsewhere .",
      "yes , sally hawkins does an amazing job , but she also plays a type of person that the majority of us ca n't stand . it 's beyond poppy 's positive outlook .",
      "the intentions of this oddity are muddled , but the small portraits of ordinary people choosing their path through the daily range of depression and delight are fully alive .",
      "leigh pushes the story in a more interesting direction , asking whether people find happiness or simply will it on themselves .",
      "mike leigh , cockeyed optimist ?",
      "leigh 's creation is fixed and unchangeable , admirably optimistic as a person but completely unengaging as a movie character .",
      "she is charming and funny , and her blithe , carefree spirit actually comes across as a legitimate way of dealing with life -- or , at the very least , as being better than some of the alternatives .",
      "british director mike leigh has made the first great comedy for our new depression .",
      "sally hawkins , in a blinding , oscar-worthy piece of acting so good you barely see it , plays poppy , a perpetually upbeat elementary schoolteacher in london .",
      "i 've never used this cliché in a review before , and god forbid i ever use it again , so pay close attention : happy-go-lucky is the feel-good movie of the year .",
      "it 's a powerful argument for optimism .",
      "indeed , playing someone sunny without making them totally irritating might be more of a challenge than portraying lady macbeth , and hawkins makes poppy 's good cheer pragmatic and personable .",
      "strange but wonderful ... up there with some of leigh 's best movies , driven by riveting performances from sally hawkins and eddie marsan .",
      "the trouble is that the movie in which poppy does , in fact , exist never quite rises to her level .",
      "poppy is upbeat -- so relentlessly upbeat that it wo n't take long before you 're wondering just how the director plans to wipe the smile off her face .",
      "the buoyant tone of leigh 's latest , happy-go-lucky , is such an unexpected and welcome change-of-pace . for his part , leigh is just as grumpy as ever , but he has produced a motion picture that can best be described as optimistic .",
      "writer-director leigh , maintaining a deceptively freewheeling tone throughout , creates a comedy that 's also something much more .",
      "the sunshiny primary-school teacher nicknamed poppy -lrb- sally hawkins -rrb- in mike leigh 's exuberant comedy happy-go-lucky is the kind of relentless optimist one might worry about in real life .",
      "it is a rare blessing to have movies like happy-go-lucky and rachel getting married arrive back to back .",
      "at the very least , the spectacle of poppy 's devotion and desire , not to mention her all-around sunny disposish , left this viewer feeling unaccountably happy -- at least for the moment .",
      "we take mike leigh 's gifts for granted , knowing the collaborative nature of his filmmaking will inevitably produce something brimming with humanity . yet what the director and cast do with this character study is miraculous .",
      "this is writer/director mike leigh 's best film since 1993 's `` naked '' and , in a sense , its photo negative twin - female centric as opposed to male , light vs. dark , optimistic vs. nihilistic ...",
      "there are times during happy-go-lucky where poppy is entirely endearing and others where she comes off as the bubbliest of emotional terrorists , but leigh never emphasizes one facet as paramount over another .",
      "oddball and ingenious .",
      "i want to believe in someone like -lsb- poppy -rsb- . i want to believe life can be approached from such an uncompromisingly joyous perspective .",
      "as refreshing as it is to find a movie that leaves you smiling , it 's something much rarer to discover a film that makes you think about what a commitment to happiness really means .",
      "an oddball british movie that makes a courageous attempt to profile a woman who lives up to the title , always , in every situation .",
      "it 's a small , radiant gem in a movie season cluttered with rhinestones . you leave the theater feeling both clearheaded and buoyant .",
      "director mike leigh creates an air-headed vision of inner contentment in the guise of 30-year-old british primary school teacher and student driver poppy -lrb- played by sally hawkins -rrb- .",
      "as poppy likes to say , it 's lovely .",
      "cute but inconsequential , pleasant to a degree but so willowy that it hardly seems to exist at all .",
      "one of the best portraits of an enthusiastic person ever put on the screen .",
      "he may be taking a breather , but this is still a mike leigh actors ' showcase ; expect to hear more about sally hawkins -lrb- and the amazing `` en-rah-ha '' eddie marsan -rrb- as oscar season approaches .",
      "happy-go-lucky is triumphant proof that a creative middle way is always possible .",
      "like poppy herself , happy-go-lucky is deceptively simple , thoroughly charming and always surprising .",
      "i was ready to give it a negative review , but when the movie turned out to have a point , i realized that it was kind of brilliant .",
      "the movie is n't witty or memorable , but it keeps you on edge , and it 's the first war-on-terror film to weave its anti-u.s. politics so deeply into the narrative that the characters do n't need to speechify .",
      "-lsb- leigh 's -rsb- legitimately uplifting film benefits from its own refusal to unduly sentimentalize or moralize .",
      "this adeptly-made movie will wake us up to how cynical we really are -lrb- in comparison to mike leigh 's the title character -rrb- .",
      "hawkins ' poppy charms us even as she makes us concerned about what all the giggling is covering up . she is , after all , a very sympathetic case study .",
      "deceptively lighthearted , mike leigh 's new film offers a sober , poignant look at the difficulties of maintaining happiness in our harsh modern world , boasting a towering , oscar-worthy performance from sally hawkins .",
      "a lighter register than most leigh films , but the content is as psychologically and dramatically rich as ever .",
      "a wonderfully life-affirming tale of a woman who always looks on the bright side of things ... -lsb- which avoids -rsb- either comic caricature or teary treacle .",
      "coming from the man who made his name as a director of often grim social-realist films such as vera drake , all or nothing and secrets & lies , mike leigh 's happy-go-lucky strikes one as a film fantasy .",
      "the british actress sally hawkins delivers a nervy , utterly captivating tour de force performance in happy-go-lucky , mike leigh 's transporting new film .",
      "expertly directed by mike leigh , happy-go-lucky is not only joyous but substantial .",
      "sally hawkins been in movies before , including leigh 's `` vera drake '' and woody allen 's `` cassandra 's dream , '' but this is her star-making role . she was named best actress at berlin 2008 . i will deliberately employ a cliche : she is a joy to behold .",
      "i kept hoping miss happy-go-lucky would get cancer .",
      "mr. leigh has executed a richly exuberant entertainment for our troubled times , and deserves still another of my honorary oscars for his astoundingly skillful effort .",
      "happy-go-lucky is n't one of leigh 's epic social canvases like secrets & lies or even topsy-turvy ; rather , it 's an edgy character study whose message only gradually emerges .",
      "happy-go-lucky is some sort of cinematic proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder .",
      "frivolity is used as a tool to unmask anger and leigh 's mastery has never been more apparent than in the creation of his richly layered characters",
      "at 65 , director mike leigh proves an old dog can turn new tricks .",
      "it 's an exhilarating film , one of the best he has given us .",
      "in the end , hawkins ' vivid characterization alone justifies happy-go-lucky . the hamfistedness of the script sadly undermines what probably should have registered as a towering performance .",
      "... a slightly uneven yet thoroughly engaging slice-of-life effort from writer/director mike leigh .",
      "poppy is almost a real person , waiting for us somewhere in london , humming to herself and wearing her favorite tan boots .",
      "this gangly brunette is bananas , and the music on the soundtrack is perfectly in sync with her kooky mode of social expression , so that she suggests mary pickford as well as polly jean harvey .",
      "hawkins is delightful , connecting with the audience when a lesser actress would have been merely cloying in the role .",
      "in the factory-farmed blandness of the movies , happy-go-lucky has a strong , real taste .",
      "very funny and , despite the lack of a central plot , finds surprising truth in its characters .",
      "there are no house-call abortionists or down-on-their-luck families who only find hope in the next pint , just a chipper finsbury park bird who always looks at the brighter side",
      "the opening scenes of mike leigh 's latest slice-of-life dramedy happy-go-lucky introduce a protagonist who appears psychologically disordered at worst , and highly annoying at best .",
      "happy-go-lucky does n't condemn the optimistic way poppy approaches life . it 's wondering why there are n't more people like her .",
      "thoughtful comedy 's charm outweighs mild iffiness .",
      "i do n't know how mike leigh does it .",
      "has feel-good factor in super-abundance .",
      "watching mike leigh 's sublimely fresh happy-go-lucky , you could be forgiven for wondering what the rest of humanity is so depressed about , anyway .",
      "happy-go-lucky is closely tuned to the pulse of communal life , to the rhythms of how people work , play and struggle together .",
      "so joyous and uplifting that you just want to pluck it off the screen , put it in your pocket and carry it around with you .",
      "your tolerance for it all will depend heavily on whether you consider hawkins ' mannered performance insufferably cloying or irresistibly charming .",
      "like anyone given over to giggling more than griping , poppy - and as an indirect result , happy-go-lucky - slowly becomes addictive .",
      "initially , the new mike leigh film , `` happy-go-lucky , '' is so overbearing , it 's a turn-off . but b the end of it , you might be calling it `` up with poppy . ''",
      "i found poppy to be annoying , bordering on the delusional , but of course i 'm a big old crab .",
      "stop the presses ! a favorable portrayal of a happy person in a movie !",
      "a cute but shallow and generally sloppy enterprise .",
      "the inexplicably overrated , overbearing and overly improvised tale of peppy poppy",
      "the scenes between poppy -lrb- sally hawkins -rrb- and driving-instructor scott -lrb- eddie marsan -rrb- have real bite .",
      "happy-go-lucky is n't just a film that demonstrates the goodness of humankind , but makes you believe in it as well .",
      "almost like viewing a nature documentary . i could imagine david attenborough 's voice : ` see here this woman whose way of positively viewing life can grate on those around her . '",
      "the main character in happy-go-lucky will drive you to distraction . but just try looking away .",
      "a delightful comedy that sinks its teeth into your heart with unexpected power .",
      "a light-hearted look at a free spirit , with some funny and thought-provoking moments .",
      "a film that should be required viewing nationwide . a good blast of fresh air that sweeps you off your feet .",
      "fresh , funny and uplifting . a zingy , irresistible sorbet of light-footed comedy and everyday humanity . only hardened churls will roll their weary eyes at hawkins ' gusto . leigh 's most open and optimistic film since life is sweet .",
      "an improvisational comedy drama , it 's very funny and establishes hawkins as a major talent to watch .",
      "happy-go-lucky might have sit-com spin-off potential , but like one of poppy 's driving lessons , it lurches around , grinding gears , and ends up back where it started .",
      "it 's a funny film - a surprise perhaps after ` vera drake ' - and , crucially , it aches with truth .",
      "mike leigh draws a bravura performance out of sally hawkins , and she in return makes poppy one of leigh 's best characters yet - up there with the likes of vera drake or beverly from abigail 's party .",
      "` enormous crowd-pleaser ' and ` directed by mike leigh ' were not phrases this critic ever thought he would be putting together in the same sentence , but leigh 's happy-go-lucky is exactly that .",
      "the character of poppy is an entirely original female film protagonist , sort of a british working class version of annie hall .",
      "the way these two characters react to each other while staying completely in character displays leigh 's method the way nothing else can .",
      "is it possible to enjoy the company of the world 's most irritating woman ? mike leigh 's surprisingly sunny dramedy makes a pretty good case that , in fact , it is .",
      "the key to enjoying the film , a minor effort by leigh , is warming up to poppy . her bubbly personality may be too much for some . she 's like a walking , talking smiley face .",
      "it is a decidedly clear-eyed exploration of the challenges of being happy . and , as such , it 's both an enjoyable comedy and a fascinating character study .",
      "wwpd % u2014what would poppy do ?",
      "it was a film the secret would want me to see .",
      "poppy , memorably played by sally hawkins , is one of those individuals who sees every glass as half-full .",
      "happy-go-lucky ultimately charms -- just like its dizzy , disarming heroine .",
      "no list of the year 's best performances should be made without -lsb- sally hawkins -rsb- .",
      "a picture so seemingly light that it might be hours -lrb- or even days -rrb- before you realize how deep and rich it really is .",
      "as surprising as it is delicious with an indelible performance by new star sally hawkins .",
      "as usual , leigh 's trademark extended rehearsal process pays off with vivid characterizations from ensemble cast .",
      "sally hawkins ' enchanting performance is yet another example that leigh 's trademark technique is working .",
      "leigh finally discovers the entire other half of human experience that he 's always ignored , and in the process directs his best film since secrets & lies .",
      "for the most part , the british comedy-drama happy-go-lucky lives up to its title .",
      "... the rare movie that seems better the more you think about it .",
      "se taksideyei me aksiozileyti anesi kai finetsa , se mia eidylliaka fantasiaki ensarkosi tis endedeigmenis antidrasis ki antistasis toy anthropoy , apenanti sta mayra synnefa tis morntor poy skepazoyn ti zoi toy",
      "that smile is so winning it 's almost transcendent -lrb- kind of like julia roberts ' smile , back when she used to smile -rrb- . but it 's hawkins ' depth that ultimately sells the film 's premise .",
      "in this bleak economic climate , are you looking for a glass that 's half-full instead of half-empty ? here 's a lighthearted , life-affirming comedy to be thankful for .",
      "one of leigh 's most upbeat films , as well as one of the best .",
      "here 's what makes mike leigh 's films so good : we expect , since we 're watching a movie , that we 'll eventually see the other side of these characters .",
      "hawkins wears her grin in almost every scene , but she gives us hints that this dizzy 30-year-old is deep , as are the disappointments that might have caused poppy to don this mask . it 's a performance of sustained , childlike wonder and adult wit .",
      "cheerleaders for melancholy have often linked it with profundity . but it 's leigh 's achievement to show that happiness , too , can have its depths , and even its darkness .",
      "what it 's ultimately about is n't poppy 's unflagging cheerfulness , but about how she uses her cheerfulness to cling on to an increasingly precious commodity : hope .",
      "roguishly insightful and quietly riveting , happy-go-lucky is innocuously entertaining in its free-wheeling spirit ... methodically merry-minded and meaningful ...",
      "an upbeat seriocomedy about an ever-smiling eternal optimist .",
      "a winning character study by the king of chronicling the british working-class , mike leigh .",
      "mike leigh seems to have had a great time writing about this woman who uses her sunny attitude as armor against life and more surprisingly finds that it works for her .",
      "scenes that would be throwaways in most films -- girls gabbing on their night out , a walk by the seaside -- have been set up to tell us a lot about the people in them , if we 'll only pay close attention .",
      "any character who bears even a slight resemblance to robin williams ' insufferable patch adams deserves no less a fate than being simultaneously electrocuted and beheaded at film 's end , yet here 's writer-director mike leigh bucking some formidable odds .",
      "and , boy , do you pull for her , because if the indomitable poppy ca n't find what she 's looking for , then there 's no hope for the rest of us .",
      "poppy is not a contradiction of but an artistic first cousin to leigh 's previous heroine , vera drake ; both are open , fearless , unselfish and compassionate women , trying to craft the best life possible out of the potentially dreary material of existence ."
    ],
    "summary": "mike leigh 's latest partially-improvised film is a light-hearted comedy with moments that bite , and features a brilliant star turn by sally hawkins .",
    "id": "770685591"
  },
  {
    "movie": "homeward_bound_the_incredible_journey",
    "reviews": [
      "having suffered with my human through the dim-witted beethoven and the dreadful bingo , i found homeward bound to be a breath of animal-oriented realism , voice-overs or no .",
      "as an episode of the wonderful world of disney , it would be fine , but as a major motion picture , it 's disappointing .",
      "it has a certain craftsmanship and an undeniable charm , and if you find yourself watching it with a child you may end up liking it almost as much .",
      "matters are accomplished by director duwayne dunham with fairly professional skill .",
      "even the most televisionally overstimulated will likely enjoy this boy-and-his-dog movie -- which also happens to be a girl-and-her-cat movie too .",
      "an unexpected delight .",
      "it 'll leap up at you , lick you in the face , then curl up in your lap and stay there , soft and warm and content .",
      "so damn incredible , it put me to sleep .",
      "not a perfect film , but generally one that should please adults and children .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- delightful remake .",
      "entertaining sequel w/perhaps first of big star voiceovers .",
      "totally uncorrupting .",
      "this film is clever even with its human actors , dispensing with the first film 's animal-loving hermits and playing up the importance of a cute , newly typical american family .",
      "this film will appeal to anyone of any age who does n't have a heart of stone .",
      "adventurous animal tale will have kids riveted .",
      "brighter and breezier than many movies starring humans nowadays .",
      "a sprightly little entertainment that should enthrall tots without straining the patience of their parents ."
    ],
    "summary": "disney 's remake of the incredible journey successfully replicates , and in some ways improves upon , the simple charms of the original , with its cross-country animal odyssey sure to delight kids .",
    "id": "9431"
  },
  {
    "movie": "blue_car",
    "reviews": [
      "a diverting study in the rolling disaster of adolescence , gathering speed and danger as it goes .",
      "the strength of the movie -- which makes sure to show the pressures its characters face , so that all of them are weak but none of them is a villain -- is its recognition of the strength within meg .",
      "it 's that central dance between teacher and student that makes the movie both hard to watch and worth your attention -- a subtle waltz of power in which it 's difficult to tell who 's leading until too late .",
      "the story is so well-acted and honestly written that after a while it stops bothering us that we know where it 's going .",
      "we 've seen this unhappy scenario played out many times before , but seldom with a better eye for detail .",
      "the film is strengthened by the two leading performances .",
      "it 's rare that a movie makes a viewer experience the psychodynamics of an encounter so profoundly -- usually theater is a better medium for that -- but moncrieff has exceptional skills .",
      "certainly no feel-good flick of the summer . but it 's always tough and honest .",
      "even with its drawbacks , MOV remains an intimate , thoughtful drama , with a performance no one is likely to forget .",
      "has the feel of a novel in which the characters linger in one 's memory well after the book has been read .",
      "a quietly devastating song for our lonely age .",
      "intimate , honest , if occasionally contrived .",
      "it 's a writer-director 's important debut and a giant leap to leading roles for a brave actress .",
      "incorporates every stereotype of ` sensitivity ' and ` angst ' without ever approaching a genuine emotion .",
      "strathairn 's portrayal of a flawed man is so moving and bruckner 's meg so painfully true -- a breakthrough performance -- that thoughts of lolita are left far behind .",
      "MOV is a beautifully crafted and well-acted drama about the tug and pull of yearning in the lives of a tormented young eighteen-year-old poet and her high school english teacher .",
      "it 's rare that a first-time director demonstrates such a sure hand , but moncrieff is the real deal .",
      "one of the rare female coming-of-age stories in which the overall sense of authenticity more than compensates for the narrative lapses .",
      "no mere run-of-the-mill coming of age tale but a complex , poignant drama of a teacher-student relationship exquisitely acted .",
      "thanks to bruckner and strathairn , who 's queasy beyond the call of duty , this is one indie that resonates well beyond the end credits .",
      "... perhaps slight of budget but full of heart , soul , and a ton of acting talent , all well stirred by a new director who has expertly transferred her story of family failures and teen dreams to the big screen .",
      "moody , thoughtful drama is a brilliant debut for new actress agnes bruckner and a triumph for veteran david strathairn .",
      "the movie unfolds , wobbling between scenes that feel fresh and genuine and others that feel seriously overfreighted with ethical judgments .",
      "a convincing piece of drama that makes teen angst look like a perfectly reasonable reaction to events .",
      "a valuable cautionary tale .",
      "... this film is so smart ...",
      "the movie crams a hell of a lot of dysfunction into its 88 minutes ... rare are the movies that convincingly depict a small child going mad .",
      "a beautifully crafted and painfully sincere movie that makes most dramas about teenagers seem about as real and relevant as american pie .",
      "for the most part , MOV succeeds in fulfilling meg 's assignment to ` touch the hidden nerve . '",
      "the performances here top-notch across the board .",
      "handles a difficult subject with an admirable mixture of sensitivity and frankness .",
      "a teacher-student tangle that uses its so-called lifeness as a beard for interactions that veer from everyday surreal to hauntingly injurious .",
      "its refusal to come alive as a film , rather than just a good piece of writing , ultimately strands its good intentions .",
      "a coming-of-age tale acted with such honesty , and directed with such quiet understanding of its troubled characters , that its nearly unrelenting grimness takes on a poetic quality .",
      "from the rain-streaked windshield to the unaffected line readings from a stellar cast , there is not a shot in MOV that does n't ring true .",
      "as bitterness piles upon disappointment piles upon loneliness , MOV stalls under the weight of its emotional baggage .",
      "i did n't like MOV , and the only thing i found appalling is how blatantly predicable and pseudo-daring the supposedly appalling stuff is .",
      "an affecting look at one talented girl 's efforts to survive in a world of confused and selfish adults .",
      "a well-intentioned coming-of-age film anchored by two indelible performances but weakened by an overabundance of drama .",
      "MOV is n't an easy ride , but it 's worth taking .",
      "easily my favorite american independent movie since you can count on me .",
      "moncrieff -lrb- who studied acting -rrb- has such a fine cast that she makes the nuances come together as the portrait of a brief , piercing time in peoples ' lives .",
      "worth watching for the coming-out party of agnes bruckner , a relative newcomer who shows her mettle with an extraordinary performance in this very ordinary tear-jerker .",
      "an impressive first effort from ms. moncrieff , but the eternal aristotelian in me finds it depressing to watch characters always walking around in moral quicksand .",
      "karen moncrieff 's evocation of the awkward , clashing relationships ... and her clear-eyed look at the idealization of an inspirational teacher by a student in need of a daddy have an unsettlingly honest feel .",
      "MOV boasts great talent in bruckner , straithairn and moncrieff ... -lsb- but -rsb- that talent is n't enough to get over the obstacles in the movie 's second half .",
      "borrows heavily from her television soap experience but does n't collapse totally into the banal",
      "... leaves strathairn 's possible predator frustratingly out of focus .",
      "moncrieff unfolds the tale with the bare-bones grace of an expert novelist , making subtle connections but never telling the audience how to feel .",
      "sad , spare coming-of-age story .",
      "a cozy , well-made vehicle without the capacity to carry everything that writer-director karen moncrieff piles into it .",
      "the false notes at the beginning give way to a darkly satisfying coming-of-age drama , capped by a truly cathartic poetry reading .",
      "story provides such a poignant and believable characterization of meg that it easily touches your heart .",
      "in its studied , naturalistic way , the movie can nonetheless resemble a week of oprah sobfests .",
      "MOV may not be in the category of a classic , but it 's certainly not a total wreck -lrb- more like a fixer-upper that 's serviceable -rrb- .",
      "this film is ultimately disappointing if not only for the lack of originality in the final scenes .",
      "strathairn works miracles by finding the humanity in a deeply flawed man . and bruckner is an amazement , piercing the heart without begging for sympathy .",
      "moncrieff offers a rare , unromantic take on female adolescence as sharp as a razor : it cuts right to the bone .",
      "ms. moncrieff 's low-key directing is matched by fine acting from agnes bruckner as meg and david strathairn as her mentor .",
      "there 's nothing particularly original about the plotline , but the execution is pretty good and may be enough to keep you in your seat .",
      "the film raises predictability to new levels .",
      "if three-dimensional characters , a well-rounded screenplay , doomed love and dramatic insight ` do it ' for you , this film is sure to stimulate .",
      "not unlike robert j. siegel 's swimming , this little gem plays out an awful lot like adolescence .",
      "-lsb- MOV contains -rsb- a fantastic -lrb- and most likely star-making -rrb- performance by agnes bruckner and a script that never strikes a false or phony note .",
      "a most impressive writing and directing debut for karen moncrieff .",
      "a fine first film , and one you wo n't easily forget .",
      "when meg looks mournfully over a box of scattered pictures -lrb- lighting the corners of her mind , no doubt -rrb- , MOV , already maudlin , suddenly and terrifyingly becomes purple rain .",
      "a moody , almost somnolent film in which good performances outweigh the oppressive subject matter .",
      "an unflinchingly honest coming-of-age portrait .",
      "it 's an incredibly strong debut reinforced by astonishingly good performances by all the principals .",
      "an overtly earnest , mopey first feature .",
      "painful to watch , yet it never sinks to melodrama .",
      "moncrieff grabs us with details and dialogue so authentic ... that she often makes us feel as if we 're standing on our toes and peering in the window of one of our neighbors .",
      "ms. moncrieff 's mature direction distills nuanced performances from her actors to tell a well-balanced , compelling and enlightening story with refreshing candor .",
      "vivid performances ... the film 's warmly luminous look and the richly rendered view of a troubled but talented teen 's struggles with the adult world sustain the film .",
      "cuts both ways : the poetry and the acting were hot , the story and the cinematography were not so hot .",
      "... falters because it hews too closely to the witless cant of the average guy as a potential sex criminal .",
      "though the story is fragile , bruckner 's superlative acting registers meg 's feelings with the dead-on accuracy of an emotional geiger counter .",
      "moncrieff , though seemingly incapable of lacing a story with surprises , writes snappy dialogue .",
      "the truest depiction i have ever seen on film of how children grow up with divorced parents . hollywood blockbuster hype notwithstanding , this is actually the must-see movie of the summer .",
      "i found this movie fascinating -- but not an easy one to sit through . it 's seems excruciatingly real .",
      "at the film 's center bruckner more than holds her own , beautifully capturing the anger , uncertainty and yearnings of an unhappy kid impatient for her ` real ' life to begin ."
    ],
    "summary": "a cautionary tale that rings true .",
    "id": "15792"
  },
  {
    "movie": "croupier",
    "reviews": [
      "an alternate and superior british version of rounders with elements of reindeer games and hilariously unnecessary voiceover narration thrown in .",
      "clive owen conveys a sharp , cynical intelligence that rolls off the screen in waves whenever he widens his glittering blue eyes .",
      "the choice of clive owen as the star is a good one . he 's got the same sort of physical reserve as sean connery in the bond pictures .",
      "with its fascinating , multi-layered plot , intelligent screenplay , and subtle-yet-undeniable tension building , MOV is an engrossing , stylish thriller that never threatens to wear out its welcome .",
      "actor clive owen proves to be powerfully unflappable -- a working-stiff james bond , whose understated intensity draws you into the movie and refuses to let you leave .",
      "do n't let MOV go by without a look .",
      "seldom will you see a film so well crafted , and you will likely go a long way to find performances even half this good , especially owen 's and mckee 's .",
      "owen is superb .",
      "stylish but cold .",
      "MOV also offers an intriguing look at the writing process and the allure of writing , which in part is the ability to pull strings .",
      "not since 1971 's get carter has british director mike hodges made a movie as deep , dark and compelling as this thriller .",
      "wonderfully wry and suspenseful .",
      "it 's a real surprise to watch hodges examine the humanity of his characters instead of just having them run around and kill each other .",
      "MOV is taut , tense and enthralling , as smart and surprising as its protagonist .",
      "it 's more of an art movie than a thriller , but it 's still gripping , persuasive , unsettling stuff .",
      "for once here is a british film that is both tough and intelligent , and so well-researched that it will probably tell you more about how casinos work than had it been a documentary .",
      "... a model of what might be accomplished by a capable director working on a small budget - namely one of the best films of the year .",
      "one of the very best movies of this beloved and sleazy genre .",
      "for refusing to lie down and let his film die and for returning some much needed cred to british cinema , hodges deserves another roll of the dice .",
      "clive owen 's breakthrough role",
      "ultimately , it 's the finely drawn characters , the unusual setting and a completely engrossing story that make this one a winner .",
      "far more successful at the gambler 's rush than matt damon 's schoolboy lessons in rounders , MOV is worth taking a chance on .",
      "MOV is a stylish , riveting dramatic crime story , loaded to the gills with subtext , character development , and plot twists you 'll be puzzling over all night .",
      "a spare , seductive , almost novelistic suspense drama .",
      "one of the most exciting discoveries of the 2000 floating film festival .",
      "it 's a testimony to how well MOV works for 90 % of its running time that the train wreck of a conclusion ca n't derail the whole film .",
      "MOV is a thriller without car chases or explosions which works as an intense , swiftly-paced winner .",
      "this is an overlooked noir thriller ...",
      "it 's amazing the level of suspense that hodges builds as jack/jake intermingles with other people .",
      "clive owen is like man heroin ... he gets into your blood and gets addictive !",
      "a quite satisfying examination of a man caught between his need to feel and his fear of feeling too much .",
      "viewers who stick with it will be rewarded , not only by owen 's masterful turn , but by hodges ' prickly , not-quite-a-surprise ending .",
      "as for director hodges , he has made a thinking man 's thriller that comes up aces .",
      "for 95 percent of the way , it is an engrossing tour of an attractively seamy side of life and a fascinating character study , despite having a novelist for a hero .",
      "airless , mannered mess .",
      "it 's very cool . it 's only kind of good .",
      "clive owen impresses in this monochromatic card-sharp drama .",
      "with a sleek look and feel , the movie has stylish atmospherics and a detached approach that is a far cry from the typical in-your-face hollywood production .",
      "a pleasant surprise .",
      "the real star of MOV is hodges , whose ability to create gripping tension and icy humor makes every second of his film infectiously watchable .",
      "polished and adroit ado about next to nothing , hodges 's film owes everything to owen , who nails the vaguely unsavory , unreadable , half-lidded hunks that inhabit every profitable entertainment-industry outpost .",
      "gambling and gamblers are a movie staple , but MOV comes at the sport and its population from a fresh and , finally , rewardingly wide perspective ."
    ],
    "summary": "the writer slumming for human truths and real experience is a common enough story , but this cool-headed and slick thriller provides a gut-churningly compelling backdrop to a look at our darker sides .",
    "id": "17214"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mumford",
    "reviews": [
      "the film never manages to build into the clever comedy it initially seems destined to be .",
      "i was never engaged in the film 's story nor did i care about its main character .",
      "it simply lacks the kind of audacity , confidence and substance that was the hallmark of kasdan 's best work in the '80s .",
      "it 's hard to tell what drew kasdan to imagine MOV - the town and the man - since the flimsily whimsical , rambling result never declares its intentions .",
      "there are cute moments and some very nice performances . all that 's missing is a movie .",
      "neither funny , heart-warming nor star-powered enough to motivate the public to turn out in very large numbers .",
      "this pleasant romantic fantasy is slight enough to go straight to cable -- to network , even .",
      "simply a nice film . but that 's not as much of a compliment as it sounds .",
      "MOV is such an instantly forgettable piece of work .",
      "MOV does n't go very far or deep in detailing our impostor 's road to redemption .",
      "the performances are disarming and MOV is the kind of comedy that grows on you if you give it a chance .",
      "writer-director kasdan has a nice way with his oddball crew .",
      "MOV is so carefully visualized in lawrence kasdan 's new film that you 'd sort of like to live there .",
      "MOV is a movie full of insightful moments , and some of them are even pure therapy .",
      "after watching MOV , i not only felt a little better , i was downright happy .",
      "a restful , realistic remedy for the past summer 's wild ride .",
      "... a sweet fable that reminds one of the work of frank capra or preston sturges .",
      "not to be mistaken for any movie that has a gun in it .",
      "kasdan makes good use of all the actors involved , and each one hits the right note -- dean , davis and lee are particularly good .",
      "the great performance comes from davis who - not surprisingly - takes an increasing amount of MOV 's attention .",
      "MOV is agreeably entertaining , peppered with rich laughs and very nice actorly touches .",
      "the film is quite well acted , notably by dean .",
      "it 's witty , entertaining , often funny as hell and even , at times , surprisingly wise about the human condition .",
      "it turns the tricks of psychology into duplicitous high play .",
      "this film is smart , but also entertaining -- made to go with popcorn , a cola and , well , prozac .",
      "director lawrence kasdan 's MOV blends likable characters with a humorous , gentle look at small town life .",
      "an excellent ensemble effort .",
      "it 's a cozy film with fun characters , fine dialogue and an inspiringly warm and fuzzy theme .",
      "humongously entertaining .",
      "this eccentric fairy tale with the feel of our town has a number of remarkable performances , chiefly those of loren dean .",
      "hope davis deserves much of credit for making MOV work .",
      "kasdan 's new comedy , MOV , is so wonderfully odd , even spiritual , that audiences wo n't be able to do anything but smile .",
      "some viewers may find themselves bored , confused and turned off , especially in the first half .",
      "an intellectually vacant and pointless excursion to a town that is almost frightening in its artificiality .",
      "there is a curious absence of development in this film .",
      "kasdan fans are better off renting body heat .",
      "there was nothing fantastic about this fantasy film , not even the fantasy .",
      "not even the master mirthmaker in kasdan can save dean or MOV from bouts of mediocrity .",
      "let 's see , no stars , little action , but a fine little script . hey , do n't they call that a ` play ? '",
      "imperfect .",
      "veteran writer-director lawrence kasdan knows his film history .",
      "after so many gross offenses committed in the name of comedy lately , here 's a film whose humor rests on the audacious assumption that you , the moviegoer , have a brain .",
      "clever dialogue .",
      "a satisfying feel-good experience that challenges , the film affords us the opportunities to self-examine and laugh openly , and often simultaneously .",
      "a likable semi-screwball comedy .",
      "a movie filled with gems !",
      "the MOV character requires an actor who does n't try too hard , and loren dean does n't .",
      "somewhere in the middle , when we hear MOV 's real history , we stop laughing and we never start up again .",
      "director lawrence kasdan 's small-town fable beguiles .",
      "... it ends up being little more than a mellow tour of quirky characters that are better as representatives of different personality types than actual characters we believe in .",
      "MOV may look okay on your television some dead afternoon , but it is n't a movie .",
      "great characters , but for older teens and up .",
      "continues kasdan 's slump into mediocrity .",
      "an endearing portrait of a wounded healer who uses his own experiences of pain and compulsivness to help others .",
      "simple and sweet , but unforgivably trite .",
      "a film without conviction , about a town full of people with problems without depth , aided by a guru without soul .",
      "the performances are uneven .",
      "a frustrating , mundane piece of filmmaking that only serves to emphasize the spottiness of kasdan 's post-body heat output ."
    ],
    "summary": "memorable moments are few and far between .",
    "id": "14871"
  },
  {
    "movie": "amores_perros",
    "reviews": [
      "this is first-rate filmmaking , horrific and tender , raw and lyrical .",
      "it has an underlying warmth that elevates it to greatness .",
      "there are n't many films coming out of hollywood that work on this many levels .",
      "the structure lacks purpose , the film struggles to justify its two-and-a-half-hour running time and the faint-hearted might find it a little gory .",
      "the production is first rate on all levels .",
      "the filmmakers offer little hope for these characters .",
      "`` MOV '' is simply a great film .",
      "nominated for an oscar as best foreign-language film , it 's a movie that 's all over the lot -lrb- and interestingly so -rrb- .",
      "in a single film , director alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu balances stories and moods as diverse as canine breeds .",
      "the occasional juxtaposition of human copulation and dog-on-dog violence makes for a pretty sophomoric metaphor . otherwise , the movie 's perception is on target .",
      "a tightly edited , wildly energetic paean to the trauma of relationships , between people and between people and their dogs .",
      "seething , unsettling .",
      "compels almost effortlessly , and skilfully conceals its thefts -lrb- from tarantino , mostly -rrb- , easy ironies , and insubstantiality .",
      "an extraordinary cinematic feat .",
      "it may not have won the oscar , but this is ... an ambitious and thrilling work .",
      "inarritu and his cast are able to make the audience care for these deeply flawed characters and share their often intertwined feelings of pleasure and pain .",
      "we end up completely fascinated with and at least partially caring about characters that otherwise would be decidedly less than sympathetic in any other situation .",
      "give me los olvidados instead , but this pumped telenovela is very much the film kieslowski would have made had he followed buыuel 's lead and gone to mexico .",
      "you will walk away reeling from the jolt to your senses .",
      "-lsb- inarritu -rsb- may well be the millennium 's first new master film maker .",
      "please for the love of everything holy , go check this film out .",
      "richly dramatic and resonates with complex emotions .",
      "a harrowing portrait .",
      "an eye-opening feat of technical prowess and storytelling .",
      "stylishly gritty .",
      "an impressive film debut",
      "inventively restless and relentlessly potent .",
      "`` a compelling , savage breakthrough for mexican cinema ''",
      "embodies all the excitement we looked forward to after the dog days of pulp fiction .",
      "has the patience to glean real emotions from surreal situations and the intelligence not to offer up fake closure .",
      "definitely fierce and most definitely human .",
      "divided into three chapters , pic is cunningly constructed and , until near the end , briskly paced .",
      "iырrritu 's characters are full of life and earthy flaws , and things that are too much for them to comprehend .",
      "the level of violence is so gratuitous and so disgusting that i picked up my coat several times and started to walk out , something i almost never do .",
      "apart from the first story , the film just does n't live up to its promise .",
      "succumbs to the dangers of such a fractured narrative practice : too much bravado , not enough soul .",
      "amores feels like the first classic of the new decade , with sequences that will probably make their way into history .",
      "in his eager passion to fill MOV with explosive imagery , iыarritu nearly drowns his audience in visual excess .",
      "amores would have been an amazing enough film , but learning it 's alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu 's directorial debut is a little like getting the wind knocked out of you .",
      "MOV es una historia de amor sin mensajes moralistas o edificantes . simplemente es una experiencia inolvidable",
      "for its more earthy treatment of celestially-inspired repayment for our sins deserves serious consideration by the academy .",
      "a harrowing , powerful and often disturbing movie about three seemingly unrelated stories that collide after one horrific car accident in mexico city .",
      "it is that rarest of features that shows a deep understanding of people , truly cinematic storytelling technique and brilliantly choreographed fight and chase scenes .",
      "... it is a hyperviolent movie against violence ; a graphic portrayal of infidelity in the name of marriage ; a tale of murderous sibling rivalry in the name of family .",
      "solidly engaging , supersized 2000 mexican drama .",
      "dozens of shoddy imitators have done nothing to disguise the wit of its narrative construction .",
      "screenwriter guillermo arriaga and director alejandro gonzalez inarritu exert such control over the story that even a cute doggie disappearance develops into a toilet-trained take on `` the telltale heart . '' warts and all , `` MOV '' is love , actually .",
      "recalling reservoir dogs and pulp fiction - but edgier than both - this is a hell of a first film . for all its bonecrunching savagery , it 's also a fundamentally moral work .",
      "one of the most honored and most expertly articulated mexican films of recent years .",
      "gonzalez inarritu 's sinfully enjoyable epic roars in on a wave of blood , gunshots and dog barks .",
      "MOV signals the bold , audacious , fiercely human and ultra-violent feature directorial debut of inarritu , a gifted mexican director bound to make a mark on international cinema .",
      "energetic and powerful , MOV captures the surreal culture clashes of mexico city to the beat of contemporary sounds , from salsa to mexican rock .",
      "gonzрlez iырrritu spares no detail in his telling , creating an ambitious , starkly realistic movie that just happens to be way too long .",
      "just keeps coming at you , switching characters , tones , and rhythms to keep you off-guard .",
      "ferocious and beautiful .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- sense that even hair-trigger lives , always poised on the edge of self-destructive lunacy , deserve to be sympathetically understood is MOV ' redeeming grace .",
      "for those willing to submit to its terrible charms , it may be the single most important debut to come out of the americas in years .",
      "an invigorating film , without a doubt .",
      "you know you 're in the hands of a gifted storyteller .",
      "it finds the human beauty that spills out of the knife wounds .",
      "MOV is more than just a strong debut ; it 's good , gritty filmmaking .",
      "has the feel of an instant classic , a melodrama with an exacting precision and a visceral , propulsive energy .",
      "once seen , it 's impossible to shake from the mind .",
      "the work of a born filmmaker .",
      "an exhilarating debut .",
      "never fails to be smart , engaging , audacious and haunting .",
      "the raw , propulsive vigor of inarritu 's dances of death on the streets of mexico city mark him as a director who 's suddenly very much on the cinematic map .",
      "ablaze with a raft of vital portrayals and rich in meaning and implication .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a one-two gut punch . in a good way , that is .",
      "a film of tremendous complexity and depth , a galvanic force that sends the mind reeling .",
      "an overpowering and original piece of bravura filmmaking that constitutes one of the most breathtaking and impressive directing debuts in years .",
      "often thrilling , if overwhelmingly brutal .",
      "a film with something to say and a remarkably adult understanding of human passion and the crazy places it leads us .",
      "a potent reminder that life is brutal and brief , and that bonds between people are much easier to sever than to tie .",
      "may be the most repellent great movie you will ever see .",
      "a fiercely brilliant film of such wrenching impact , nonstop drive and unpredictability that watching it becomes an exhilarating ride .",
      "almost entirely a surface phenomenon , fascinating to look at but pretty empty beneath a raucously mesmerizing exterior .",
      "six-degrees - of-separation has never felt so merciless and ironic",
      "iыarritu keeps us involved in at-times tune-outable material .",
      "a sophisticated , stylish , fast-moving piece of work .",
      "though unflinching in its savagery , MOV is always compulsive viewing .",
      "inarritu 's talent may be derivative , but it 's applied to a setting he knows well and whose vibrancy he 's keen to convey .",
      "MOV es una cinta capaz de pegarnos intensamente en la mirada pero tambiжn en el espьritu .",
      "directed with energy and ferocity by eye-opening newcomer alejandro gonzalez innaritu .",
      "the biggest strength of MOV is its display of humanity at its worst when it is driven by primal attachments .",
      "fresh , shocking , violent , romantic , profane and profound , MOV is a revelation , a jolt of cinematic power and a bracing act of faith .",
      "a good and extremely ambitious first effort .",
      "it 's good and good-looking and features one of the best soundtracks in years ... but it 's also slick and schematic , weak on feeling and overly indebted to tarantino .",
      "astonishingly powerful debut film from director inarritu - brilliantly shot , superbly acted and deeply heartfelt , this is one of the best films of the year .",
      "it is a raw , intermittently brilliant film that heralds a sort of renaissance in mexican film .",
      "seemingly uneven , questionably overlong , indisputably intriguing",
      "MOV -lrb- love 's a bitch -rrb- is a great new film from mexico that proves that somebody , somewhere , is still making upsetting , enthralling movies .",
      "this searing mexican film depicts the toxicity of human betrayal .",
      "a strange range of humanity that , if nothing else , provides some much-needed alternatives to typical mexican stereotypes .",
      "always clever , and devastating in its depiction of human nature .",
      "a head-on hit -- and a tasty treat for lovers of tarantino-style feasts of fine visual excess .",
      "fierce , loving , and electric , this movie 's got bite as well as bark .",
      "it 's worth a trip to the arthouse ... that is , if you have a strong stomach .",
      "a truly stunning film , both horrible and beautiful .",
      "punishingly overlong .",
      "cannily balances the melodrama with starkly naturalistic detail .",
      "a stunningly made film , raw and authentic , with the ability to get way under the skin .",
      "first-time director alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu has taken an original story and fashioned it into a tale that is gritty , multifaceted , and brimming with edgy performances .",
      "the stories never come together in a way that really enlightens , but that 's not to say the film is anything less than entertaining .",
      "even with its flaws , it will be hard to find a film with as many complex characters inhabiting its world as this .",
      "it 's a truly prodigious piece of work , resembling a career summation far more than a maiden voyage .",
      "the performances here are , again and again , natural and convincing , with many of the actors making their debuts .",
      "grabs our attention ... innaritu is a clever visual stylist .",
      "filmmaker alejandro gonzalez inarritu conveys an urgency and a compassion that ultimately make this grim picture strangely uplifting .",
      "an ambitious multi-plotted portrait of overlapping lives in contemporary mexico city , MOV rarely relaxes its grip .",
      "one of the more exhilarating movie thrillers of late ."
    ],
    "summary": "the brutality of MOV may be difficult to watch at times , but this intense , gritty film packs a hard wallop .",
    "id": "12947"
  },
  {
    "movie": "treasure_of_the_sierra_madre",
    "reviews": [
      "the characters here are probed and thoroughly penetrated , not through psychoanalysis but through a crucible of human conflict , action , gesture and expressive facial tones .",
      "the film plays as a morality fable , showing that the deadliest dangers to man are in his soul and not from the external dangers .",
      "greed , a despicable passion out of which other base ferments may spawn , is seldom treated in the movies with the frank and ironic contempt that is vividly manifested toward it in treasure of sierra madre .",
      "an all-time classic ; bogart wonderful , but walter huston steals the show ; a timeless treasure not to be missed .",
      "the intense heat , thirst and near starvation suffered by the three main characters may prove wearisome to some women patrons . males will best appreciate this ` red meat ' fare .",
      "uma fabulosa atuaзгo de humphrey bogart -lrb- completamente esquecido no oscar daquele ano , numa das maiores injustiзas que a academia jб cometeu -rrb- .",
      "much of the film 's strength comes from director john huston 's pen and attention to detail .",
      "... so good that writing about it is embarrassing .",
      "sierra madre is one of the most lush black & white films ever shot . you 'll never look at a gila monster the same way after seeing it slither across the sand in this film .",
      "... one treasure of a movie .",
      "a powerful morality tale whose humour is as black as the heart of its central character , but as humane as the men who survive their brush with greed .",
      "huston must have thrown everything he had into this impossibly rich film , packed with grit , passion , adventure and heartbreak .",
      "an unconventional western and a serious drama",
      "bogart is phenomenal as fred c. dobbs , a decent guy destroyed by his lust for gold , and the film itself is one of the immortals of cinema .",
      "a finely-crafted western-style character drama where greed and paranoia drive desperate men over the edge .",
      "this is one of the most visually alive and beautiful movies i have ever seen ; there is a wonderful flow of fresh air , light , vigor , and liberty through every shot .",
      "humphrey bogart gives one of his best performances in john huston 's chronicle of greed and crime , for which walter huston -lrb- john 's son -rrb- won the supporting oscar ; years later jonn 's daughter won the oscar .",
      "transcends the medium to become a mandatory viewing experience for anyone that identifies themselves as a human being , period .",
      "humphrey bogart 's maniacal fred dobbs is one of moviedom 's great characterizations , a conglomeration of cunning , greed and paranoia .",
      "an all-time masterpiece of characterization , structure , pacing and storytelling in general",
      "there 's a quite enjoyable yarn buried under the hollow laughter .",
      "true treasure of cinema , terrific on all counts .",
      "riveting , downbeat , and surprising , a gripping adventure and one of hollywood 's most resonant morality tales ... a smart , remorseless story of gold , greed , guns , and guile .",
      "an undeniable classic , but far from perfect .",
      "treasure of sierra madre is one of the best things hollywood has done since it learned to talk ; and the movie can take a place , without blushing , among the best ever made .",
      "this is so brilliant that the only real effect of the other versions is to make you want to watch the original again .",
      "john huston has rarely been in better form than in this 1948 study of gold fever and worse obsessions among an unlikely trio of prospectors ...",
      "a pure classic .",
      "the movie is a classic .",
      "the movie has never really been about gold but about character , and bogart fearlessly makes fred c. dobbs into a pathetic , frightened , selfish man -- so sick we would be tempted to pity him , if he were not so undeserving of pity .",
      "arguably john huston 's greatest film , this powerful study of masculinity under pressure retains its power .",
      "the MOV -lrb- 1948 -rrb- is a classic tale of the elusive search for gold in the sierra madre mountains by a trio of ill-matched"
    ],
    "summary": "remade but never duplicated , this darkly humorous morality tale represents john huston at his finest .",
    "id": "18253"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shortbus",
    "reviews": [
      "is this movie just an excuse to film a bunch of people having sex ? as far as i 'm concerned , yup .",
      "what makes MOV unusual for an american movie is that it is n't frightened of sex , it does n't reduce the act to insensitive frat boy gyrations , and it does n't employ it as a bludgeoning weapon .",
      "a film that 's thoughtful and exuberant , achingly sad and wildly funny .",
      "... in the end it will be remembered for proving that the most important sexual organ is the brain .",
      "a movie that 's not quite porn enough for the skin-flick fans and not substantial enough for filmgoers who seek a film that somehow combines sex , heart and intelligence .",
      "rises above late-night basic cable trash thanks to the courageous cast and mitchell 's accomplished direction .",
      "few arthouse directors have put real sex to such narratively constructive and credibly , humorously human use .",
      "i would like to commend mitchell for making a warm , funny and very human film about people who do n't just want sex but want to enjoy sex with someone they love . what a concept !",
      "wearing its controversy-courting eagerness to shock on its sleeve , the film aims to challenge taboos , but comes up short .",
      "the explicit sexual content may be too extreme for some but this is a thoroughly enjoyable , frequently hilarious romcom that deserves to be seen .",
      "the kind of film that keeps rick santorum up at night .",
      "... the end result -lsb- is -rsb- a movie that has little to offer all but the most avant garde viewer .",
      "simply brilliant .",
      "the sex is repetitious , leaving little to the imagintion .",
      "the graphic sex is certainly inventive and enthusiastic but fails to shed much light on character .",
      "walking a fine line between high camp and serious dissection of sexual mores of new york 's hip crowd , straight and gay , MOV is a sexually explicit film that reflects mitchell 's determination to break taboos .",
      "mitchell , despite appearances , is more interested in what makes his characters tick rather than their physical peccadilloes .",
      "playfully and provocatively entertaining for roughly the first half , but loses staying power thereafter when investment in the uncompelling characters ' problems is requested .",
      "its sexual provocations aside , the film works best as an idealized portrait of a specific time and place , a hipster bohemia where everyone struggles to find meaning in the everyday acts of living .",
      "it 's a grand ambition , only partially realized . but watching mitchell try makes for an exhilarating trip .",
      "more than a stunt ... a sincere film that explores cynical sexual discord and hopefully concludes that forgiveness and sexual healing can repair the disrupted currents of modern urban life .",
      "i ca n't believe that the same person who wrote and directed the brilliant `` hedwig and the angry inch '' made the ludicrously bad `` MOV '' .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- spends a lot of time in those messy gray areas , discovering how sex can clear things up or make them cloudier",
      "porn is porn , even if it 's somewhat artistic .",
      "if the brush strokes are sometimes a bit sloppy , the grand design of MOV endears .",
      "if mitchell 's attempt was to bring moments like this to the mainstream of nonchalant intimacy , he fails since the sex scenes have the atmosphere of exhibitionism more than an expression of love or feeling .",
      "not surprisingly , the graphic sex on display in MOV has eclipsed all other considerations , including the fact that it 's a fairly interesting movie .",
      "mitchell adds his quirky auteur touch -lrb- most notably with a series of 3-d animated cityscapes that look almost handmade -rrb- , and the result is eminently more satisfying .",
      "MOV does n't quite delve as deeply as it ought into its characters ' emotions : it has more breadth than depth , perhaps due to its improvisational methods .",
      "it runs out of energy before the end .",
      "full review in greek",
      "another telling example -lrb- `` the brown bunny , '' `` anatomy of hell , '' bellocchio 's `` devil in the flesh '' -rrb- that hardcore sex seems better suited to hardcore sex films .",
      "this is a film for the adventurous . a colourful and wondrously imaginative sexual adventure that integrates humour , symbolism and emotion",
      "despite the movie 's matter-of-fact approach to -lrb- and depiction of -rrb- graphic acts , the point is n't the sex , it 's the genuine emotion generated by the actors , who helped develop their roles with mitchell .",
      "you know something is amiss when the spiky-haired dominatrix is a more relatable character than the movie 's ostensible leading lady .",
      "simply a terrific movie -- the most courageous -lrb- not just because of the sex -rrb- , inventive , moving and captivating film i 've seen this year .",
      "one woman 's quest for the perfect orgasm may strike sophisticated viewers as the stuff of sexual farce at best , but sook-yin lee 's sofia brings both emotion and eroticism to the proceedings , and for this mr. mitchell should be commended .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- will give adults who are n't put off by zoo-naked sex more to talk about , even in disparagement , than anything showing at the cineplex .",
      "i must admit i found MOV to be an unsuccessful hybrid -- effective neither as porn -lrb- it 's often strangely unerotic -rrb- nor as art or storytelling .",
      "despite the buzz about its hard-core hanky-panky , writer-director john cameron mitchell paints a bland , bleak portrait of navel-gazing new yorkers driven by carnal pleasures -- or lack of them .",
      "a wild , surging burlesque of free-flowing sexuality you 're more likely to see on the internet than in a movie theater .",
      "it 's actually a rather sweet and sharply funny ode to sexual liberation , and i suppose it would n't make sense that a film celebrating the freedom for consenting adults to say `` yes '' would say `` no '' to showing it .",
      "the premise of this story is pretty fascinating but it seems that it gets diluted , not enhanced by the sheer amount of sex . i would be fakin ' it if i recommended this movie .",
      "suffers from a vague , ad lib-y script and a cast that , while hardly shy , is n't exactly charismatic .",
      "there 's no real prurience or eroticism , but the movie does have an aura of self-gratification ...",
      "offers poignant and comedic insight into sex and relationships through some very honest , forthright performances .",
      "mitchell 's gift as a filmmaker is to take people who seem way out and show us they 're actually looking for the same things we all are .",
      "at a time when american moviegoers have become numb to the rampant , mainstream pornography of violence , it 's refreshing to see a non-mainstream movie that wears its heart and lust on its sleeve , and has anything but violence on its mind .",
      "surprisingly sweet and unabashedly graphic .",
      "indulgent , immature , self-preoccupied and downright silly a good deal of the time , MOV manages to make sex look like no fun at all .",
      "obviously , MOV is n't for everyone . but adventurous filmgoers will find here an entertaining , funny and , yes , moral look at sex , love and all the stops in between .",
      "MOV ' surprisingly sweet , compassionate tone never flags , helping the movie overcome its own flaws .",
      "MOV feels uninhibited but uninhabited , a clinical schematic exercise in the intercourse of human events .",
      "the actors , while physically supple , ca n't draw us through mitchell 's sketchy script .",
      "MOV strains at times with its acrobatic , real sex and search for bigger meanings . but beneath those elements lies a kind , open heart .",
      "lancingly funny , brash and alive , this hotsie-totsie peeper aches for love , and the gay fire of pre-aids partydom .",
      "a rather sweet , wistful little movie that just happens to have a lot of explicit sex in it .",
      "gets points for originality of design , but as is often the case with scripts written by committee , the execution is dramatically uninteresting .",
      "the characters ' lack of any real substance -- it 's really only all about attitude -- make one gradually lose interest until the next in flagrante delicto moment .",
      "a project that has brains as well as bravado . it 's also very funny , which helps to diffuse much of the nervousness that its graphic sex scenes might inspire in viewers . ... an imaginative , involving and ultimately touching story .",
      "incredibly sexy without being titilating , this is a very well crafted flick that deserves a bigger audience than it will inevitably receive .",
      "fetishists are people , too !",
      "MOV flips through varying moods with overall success , fleshing out the characters who show flesh .",
      "there may be a variety of erotic practices on parade here , but the film leaves viewers with few real insights into either human nature or sexuality .",
      "director john cameron mitchell -lrb- `` hedwig and the angry inch '' -rrb- flaunts cinematic tradition with a raucous sex comedy filled with truly shocking sex acts that underscore his vision of new york as a playground of debauchery .",
      "MOV is not , above all , ` dirty . ' what it is , in fact , is a nice movie , one of the nicest to come down the pike since march of the penguins .",
      "this is n't an exploit into pornographic ideals , but a movie with genuine ideas that are completely freed from political correctness .",
      "genuinely enlivening",
      "well-stocked with witty lines , funny situations and credible , intelligent character insights .",
      "as the loving story unfolds in the second and third acts , you realize that no mere porno would ever go this far into the emotional realm of its copulating couples .",
      "MOV is sexually explicit , yes , but it is more about the people portrayed and how they cope with their ever-changing lives as they find themselves .",
      "on its own , the movie feels , while engaging , provocative and hugely watchable -lrb- and you 'll have to trust me on this , not simply because of its genuinely daring sex scenes -rrb- also slightly tentative and vague .",
      "MOV is very funny , and quite moving at times . there are some neat low-budget stylistic touches as well .",
      "all manners of sexual behavior ultimately detract from a poignant message about the slim and subtle connections between physical and emotional love .",
      "the reality of the film is that it 's just an obvious and tedious melodrama about lovers negotiating the minefields of emotion and sex , and not quite connecting .",
      "if -lsb- mitchell 's -rsb- goal was to integrate actual sex into fictional characters ' lives in ways that are not distracting , a reality check is in order .",
      "a sweet , very funny , volcanically romantic comedy-drama about relationships in post-9 / 11 new york city .",
      "the film proves that nudity and unbridled sexuality alone are not enough to entertain .",
      "yes , MOV is all about hooking up , but in emotional as much as sexual ways . that 's what makes the movie engaging , and sometimes even moving .",
      "the premise -- a roundelay of new yorkers looking for connection , or to escape it -- feels tired .",
      "do n't try this at home .",
      "a fun ride with a satisfying finish . appropriately enough .",
      "i kid you not , ` heartwarming ' is the best word to describe it .",
      "it would have helped had the characters in MOV been a little more interesting than the sexual positions in which they frequently find themselves entangled .",
      "-lsb- mitchell -rsb- reclaims sex -- filming it , watching it , talking about it , doing it -- as something both deeply funny and transcendently human : a revolving door that leads to the senses and to the heart .",
      "it 's more than a porno movie with a plot . the reality of the heart manages to always temper the allure of the flesh . ultimately , mr. mitchell shows us that sex does n't mean a whole lot without a deeper connection .",
      "... the largest and most impressive organ on display in MOV is the movie 's heart .",
      "rankly sentimental ... though the prudish should definitely steer clear , what ultimately derails MOV is that it 's actually far less daring than it pretends to be .",
      "bajo la piel de una pel % ufffdcula sexualmente muy expl % ufffdcita hay un delicado y sensible estudio de personajes , sus relaciones , sus frustraciones , y una irreverente y fresca mirada a la nueva york pos-11 de setiembre .",
      "the hallmarks of a true collaboration between the director and his actors are everywhere , and their performances are what raise the film above any of its shortcomings .",
      "if you want to explore the ideas of love and emotional permeability while seeing a narratively complex world of sexual self-exploration to which few are privy , then this is the movie for you . otherwise , run for your life .",
      "sex and the self-centered .",
      "mitchell worked with his cast to develop the various stories and the improvisatory effort may not have resulted in a mike leigh sort of drama but it has yielded wondrous moments . the cast is very good with the best performances coming from lee as sofia -lrb- w",
      "um raro exemplo de produзгo norte-americana que encara o sexo com maturidade , o filme й um estudo de personagens com sucesso apenas moderado , jб que nгo consegue desenvolver todas as subtramas com o mesmo cuidado ou interesse .",
      "oozes hardly more than body fluids in its telling tale .",
      "everything comes to a head in a touchy-feely climax -lrb- if you catch our drift -rrb- where , ironically , it is n't the strong sex but all the singing and handholding that 's the real turn-off .",
      "a gleefully subversive but over-simplistic rude little indie that 's starting to gain cult status .",
      "everybody has a right to pursue what makes them happy , so long as they do n't hurt anyone else in the process . that 's a sweet notion , but not a particularly deep one . the movie 's all skin and heart ; very little brain .",
      "the whole experience is enough to make one give thanks for the missionary position , and heterosexual complacency in surely not the reaction MOV was looking for .",
      "mitchell uses a dubious but vividly aestheticized tableau of new york city to sweep in and out of the lives of characters whose problems are so weakly articulated they hardly inspire sympathy .",
      "the movie is so open about sex , and approaches it with such affectionate bewilderment , that it feels like an anomaly in our so-called sex-obsessed culture : i 've felt sleazier looking at ads for captain morgan 's rum .",
      "-lsb- mitchell 's -rsb- greatest innovation may be stripping on-screen sex of its heavy symbolic freight and letting it be as silly , serious , intense or detached as the people having it .",
      "john cameron mitchell 's ode to the joy and sweet release of sex also manages to be a sincere , modest political venture that finds humor where you might least expect it .",
      "positively orgasmic",
      "as with brokeback mountain , though , it 's not the sexual content that seems revolutionary ; it 's the mainstream friendliness .",
      "following mitchell 's delightful 2001 rock musical hedwig and the angry inch , the director 's MOV is another marvelous mix of very adult , very overt themes and images coupled with a sense of childlike innocence and awe .",
      "never amounts to more than a case of hardcore triviality .",
      "MOV has the potential to become one of the films that redefine audience expectations , a watershed that divides other movies with similar themes into before and after . it 's that good .",
      "MOV is perhaps the most wittily and gleefully performed feature film to contain actual sex scenes .",
      "mitchell 's energy and occasional ingenuity make MOV an engaging viewing experience , provided you can stomach it .",
      "on one hand ... -lsb- MOV -rsb- is a libertine 's dream ; on the other , it 's a deliriously moral film .",
      "the boldest provocation of mitchell 's sweet , tender and gently funny film may be its exuberant celebration of community and togetherness at a cultural moment rife with fatalism and disconnect .",
      "mitchell has stated that his goal with MOV was to make a serious film that incorporates hardcore material . to an extent , he has done that . the problem is it 's not a good movie .",
      "it 's not art , it 's not shocking and worst of all , it 's not even particularly new .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- takes place in a fantasy new york -lsb- ... -rsb- between two temporal landmarks : september 11 , 2001 , and the blackout of 2003 -lsb- ... -rsb- through brownouts and breakdowns , mitchell posits a place of healing and humor and light and lots and lots of sex .",
      "MOV is chipper , it 's fresh , it emits a distinct musk of controversy . i 'll take the longbus .",
      "while it may not be the tour de force of mitchell 's directing debut -lrb- hedwig and the angry inch -rrb- , this risky project is still a lot of fun .",
      "prozac porn ."
    ],
    "summary": "the sex may be explicit , but mitchell integrates it into the characters ' lives and serves the whole story up with a generous dose of sweetness and wit .",
    "id": "336025614"
  },
  {
    "movie": "antz",
    "reviews": [
      "without a doubt , the animation is vibrant and electrifying ; it 's only the story that lacks .",
      "i sat there in stone silent disbelief , wondering what the studio thought they were doing .",
      "it is truly a film for the entire family and a portend of the road the new dreamworks studio is creating .",
      "the casting is priceless and something any adult will appreciate .",
      "MOV works best just showing off its prodigious voice talent and playing lightheartedly with the curious possibilities of a buggy world .",
      "a delight , loaded with wit , style and charm .",
      "thank goodness the seven-year-old in the theater seats wo n't have a clue about the dialogue . what would happen if they gave z a chance and refused to comply with everything their mommies and daddies want them -lrb- for their own good , of course -rrb- to do ?",
      "it is hipper and funnier than anything disney has put out for years .",
      "my only complaint : the ants inexplicably look like they 've been carved out of wood instead of looking real .",
      "MOV takes a huge step forward for computer animation !",
      "MOV crawling with detail , humor , woody allen style .",
      "the computer animation is first rate and filled with the kind of `` wow ! look at that ! '' wizardry that is eventually going to make toy story look about as technically sophisticated as south park .",
      "the voice acting is excellent !",
      "charming , fun !",
      "it 's a weird thrill to hear allen 's kvetching schtick without having to look at his increasingly saggy , pathetic face .",
      "there are still moviegoers who dream of seeing woody allen in a comedy like his early ones ` when they were funny . ' well , the film is here , but no one expected it would be .",
      "it 's fresh , exhilarating , funny , able to tell an old story in a beguiling new way !",
      "distinctive , delightful !",
      "dreamworks skg 's first stab at animation is good enough to make mickey mouse proud .",
      "kids may be puzzled by rebellious worker ants chanting marxist slogans , but their parental guides may welcome the relief from the prevailing blandness of family films .",
      "this computer-animated comedy is much smarter than you 'd be led to believe .",
      "ultimately , it is difficult to mine warmth from a story about an ant colony ; worse , the only real guffaws come from allen doing allen .",
      "it 's a well-written , witty tale , expertly executed !",
      "MOV is about the relief felt by star actors freed from the constraints of their physical selves and the egos that go with them .",
      "this fully computer-animated feature with a phenomenal voice cast delivers a pleasurable 83 minutes of fantasy .",
      "a marvelously crafted , technologically amazing and downright fun tale !",
      "that 's ant-ertainment !",
      "the script , although a little too short -lrb- bringing the film to about an hour and 20 minutes , more or less -rrb- , is sharp and witty , and the story really works .",
      "MOV is a dazzling , witty tale that will appeal to children and adults alike .",
      "amusing and inventive .",
      "has a smart script that will keep adults equally as entertained , if not more , as the young ` uns .",
      "this is an undeniably unique motion picture .",
      "hormiguitaz es un claro ejemplo de lo que va a tener que luchar disney para mantener su estatus de excelencia",
      "MOV is crawling -- you 'll excuse the pun -- with classic movie comedy .",
      "MOV is , quite simply , a delight .",
      "... a spectacular computer-animated cartoon that is sure to give disney 's upcoming a bug 's life a run for its sugar grains .",
      "there 's plenty of action in this computer-animated comedy , but it 's no match for toy story in humor and originality .",
      "how often have you been happy to find ants marching in your own back yard ? this may mark the one and only time .",
      "star-studded , gloriously animated , beautifully written , this cartoon will appeal just as much , if not more , to adults as to children .",
      "more story , less silly antics . maybe then i 'll be inclined to put down my can of raid .",
      "a woody allen movie , with all the adult laughs , esteem issues and other accouterments that come with it , and a great kiddie flick , complete with the requisite warm and fuzzy character-building lessons .",
      "a few chuckles here and there , and a semi-interesting story line , but nothing too outstanding .",
      "... the message of MOV is this : freedom of choice is important , but one should use their freedom to be decent , responsible , humble , and helpful .",
      "the philosophical debates that centre the film are rather complex for little ones , but give us older ones something to talk about .",
      "a film of small , transient pleasures , diminished slightly by the clunkiness with which it wields it pat , disney-esque self-determination moral .",
      "truly one of the most extraordinary visual achievements in film history .",
      "allen provides plenty of comic relief , and the computer-generated animation is pretty impressive .",
      "it enters into a microscopic world and makes it into a world so vast and threatening that comparisons with star wars are not unjustified !",
      "the kids will like it . you 'll laugh .",
      "visually , it 's more impressive than disney 's toy story . on a script level , it was developed as much with a mature audience in mind as with the usual pre-pubescent crowd .",
      "a clever and appealing piece of work !",
      "the innovative animation is awesome !",
      "MOV is brief enough , clocking in at 83 minutes , but its story is too predictable to make an impact even in such a short space .",
      "a dazzling delight !",
      "... beautiful and visually appealing , but uninspired in the script department .",
      "most live-action movies are n't this entertaining .",
      "the film breaks new ground in its dazzling re-creation of life from an ant 's - eye view !",
      "in some ways this is starship troopers , as seen from the other side .",
      "an excellent piece of work !",
      "what really works is the dialogue , which is fast and funny and helps carry the action through the slow spots .",
      "a clever , funny , fascinating to watch film that could have been more .",
      "succeeds at pushing the technology as well as and offering intelligent family fare that wo n't leave adults bored . great fun .",
      "has enough of a story to keep a child engaged and a script clever enough to keep an adult amused .",
      "the computer graphics in MOV are imaginative and remarkably detailed !",
      "by any standard , the film is a remarkable technical achievement .",
      "exciting , often hilarious and frequently wondrous film ... adults who live in fear of seeing non-disney animated movies would be well-advised to overcome their prejudices .",
      "a engaging and awe-inspiring animation once again elevates shrek 's world to fantastic heights , and the laughs are just as freewheeling as we have come to expect .",
      "great effects , but surprisingly violent . lacks kid appeal .",
      "though the story is standard formula kids ' fare , the allen presence brings an adult swing to it , making it more than passable for both .",
      "visually striking and dynamically shot , this has strong characters and no shortage of incident .",
      "appeals to your daydreams when you were a kid and you wondered about the daily physical hassles of an ant .",
      "the artwork is spectacular , vocal performances uniformly capable and the jokes appealing to both adults and children .",
      "uma formiga que deseja ter um pouco de individualidade ? puro woody allen .",
      "it 's a perfect picnic , without the pesky human interference .",
      "this is actually one of the most clever and fun films i 've seen in ' 98 .",
      "the filmmakers seem to have deliberately snubbed the traditional audience for animated features .",
      "hilarious stuff , superbly achieving that elusive goal of being entertaining kids fare and having a lot to offer the adults .",
      "the best thing about MOV , i 'll say it right away , is gene hackman -lrb- general mandible -rrb- . just for him , it 's worth seeing MOV .",
      "allen is certainly more lovable here than he has been in any of his own films for years , and he has delicious chemistry with the unlikely stone and stallone .",
      "the american myth of individualism as an antidote to conformity comes across loud and clear in MOV . here freedom is glorified as the central virtue of life",
      "... a visually stunning film , embracing varied and sympathetic characters and a surprisingly coherent story .",
      "MOV is refreshingly naughty and nice .",
      "a kids ' movie that will leave grown-ups quoting the best lines to one another ."
    ],
    "summary": "featuring a stellar voice cast , technically dazzling animation , and loads of good humor , MOV should delight both children and adults .",
    "id": "10718"
  },
  {
    "movie": "last_exorcism",
    "reviews": [
      "a mockumentary with a blair witch project-like shaky hand-held camera .",
      "superior storytelling mixed with masterful misdirection . the devil is -lrb- quite literally -rrb- in the details .",
      "then it comes , the make-or-break ending that had a theater full of teenagers on a saturday night commenting on its stupidity . i joined them in spirit .",
      "... precisely the sort of disposable trash horror film that we 've come to expect at the end of the summer ...",
      "horror flick fans will struggle with the preacher , a camera guy and the producer sticking around as the possession gets more frightening and more violent . but that 's horror .",
      "a nice little late-summer surprise , a horror film with a shred of intelligence and uncommonly good performances .",
      "a thoroughly enjoyable thrill ride , enough to keep you scared when you go home and try to go asleep with all the lights out and the house going bump in the night",
      "daniel stamm 's the MOV is one of the most interesting and accomplished horror debuts of the last few years .",
      "the MOV takes the best elements from ` the exorcist ' and ` the blair witch project , ' but the ending is scary for all the wrong reasons .",
      "riddled with poor lighting , inappropriate use of music , and a plot you could fit in a tea cup , `` the MOV '' has all the appeal of a glorified , but poorly shot , student film .",
      "self-possessed performances elevate this creepy but half-cocked faux-doc .",
      "satan stalks the bible belt , as the occult locks horns so to speak , with free lance forensics , family dysfunction , and more sociopathic urges . and a not too hip lucifer who thinks he 's offering a doubting demon buster man of the cloth a ` blowing job . '",
      "does n't need any viral campaign . it 's a good movie .",
      "it 's hard to be frightened by something when you 're too busy laughing at it .",
      "a smart horror film will fatten its pigs before the slaughter , and the mock doc the MOV feeds its prize hog nicely .",
      "with a small , well-chosen cast , sly script , and slippery , ambivalent characters , the MOV gives a welcome titty-twist to the demonic-possession movie revival .",
      "as taut and economical a horror film as i 've seen in a long time ... a gripping little movie that will give you the willies .",
      "the best thing about this film is the way it continually subverts our expectations .",
      "the MOV makes first-rate use of religious doubt and religious extremism to concoct a novel horror-thriller clever enough to seduce unbelievers while satisfying the bloodlust of its congregation/fanbase .",
      "a worthy addition to the horror climate .",
      "the movie loses points for being one of the later examples of a now-familiar genre , but it does have a highly charismatic flawed hero in fabian 's cotton marcus .",
      "for the most part , the MOV is an unconventional and fairly satisfying horror film .",
      "the MOV is as much a mystery about our faith in religion -lrb- and movies -rrb- as it is trying to make us squirm in our seats .",
      "the movie loses points for being one of the later examples of a now-familiar genre , but it does have a highly engaging and charismatic flawed hero , as well as a fine performance by television actor patrick fabian .",
      "the MOV refuses to conform to expectations by remaining ambiguous about the exact nature of the horror at hand instead of plunging straight into fx-laden freakiness .",
      "an unusually restrained and genuinely eerie little movie perched at the intersection of faith , folklore and female puberty .",
      "the film is like enjoying a beautifully tender filet mignon where every bite is delicious . but , at the end you find a disgusting fungus-filled toe nail on the plate .",
      "it 's fun and it will have you jumping out of your underpants .",
      "stamm creates an anxious psychological horror that 's vaguely familiar yet refreshingly original .",
      "the MOV is one of the scariest movies to come along in a long time -- until the last five minutes or so , when it completely falls apart .",
      "why should i care if no effort or skill is used to generate sympathy for the film 's characters or make us identify with them . `` the MOV '' is a film without a heart .",
      "demons and rednecks form a terrifying tag-team in this creepy ` exorcist ' / ` blair witch project ' mash-up .",
      "a muddled pass at realism , with scoring cues helping to goose the suspense , a cast of established actors indicating up a storm when they sense the camera is locked on them , and a general cheating of angles to capture the dark magic .",
      "director daniel stamm and his screenwriters studiously keep a lid on the proceedings , only letting short puffs of steam escape as the tension mounts .",
      "the more hellish the story gets , the sillier and less involving the movie becomes .",
      "a modestly chilling , drawn out affair in which the characters and possible `` scientific explanations '' are more interesting than its predictable final destination .",
      "it 's about the dark side of piety -- the cultish wrath that can emerge out of the high and the mighty . at the center of it all , once again , is a teenage girl 's gnashing wrath .",
      "sturdy entry in the ever growing horror mockumentary genre ... benefits from better acting and more clever ideas than usual in the typically one-note films .",
      "creepy , disturbing fun ... and very surprising in the way it handles the subject matter differently than how it 's been handled in the past .",
      "i really liked the MOV . surprised the heck out of me .",
      "resorts to a clichéd and over-the-top ending that negates all of the effective ambiguity that made the middle third of the film so nail-bitingly tense .",
      "is `` the MOV '' this generation 's version of `` the exorcist '' ? no , it comes across more like an unholy hybrid of `` the blair witch project '' and `` the exorcism of emily rose . ''",
      "although the ramshackle closing moments leave something to be desired , overall the MOV has done a decent job of creating tension without becoming too telegraphed .",
      "it pulled the rug out from under me . i left surprised and smiling .",
      "a creepy , smartly written and very entertaining low-budget chiller .",
      "the prospect of journeying to hell and back seems less daunting than sitting through another horror yarn made in the faux-documentary style of the blair witch project , but the MOV proves to be a pleasant surprise .",
      "though sharply uneven and marred by a compromised ending , this cheaply-made horror flick still manages to be creepy for half of its time and provocative in its ideas about religion , faith , and the very medium of film .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- bsolutely worth seeing ... if only for the intriguing debate to be had afterward , if it would n't be an even stronger film were the last five minutes or so to be chopped off .",
      "the terror it evokes is of such a primal nature , that it is not easily thrown off , burrowing relentlessly into the very marrow on one 's bones , and into the deepest , darkest part of one 's psyche",
      "for the first three quarters of its running time , the MOV positively purred and then , as it rounded the final lap , the film completely ruined any good feelings i had for it with a diabolically stupid ending .",
      "this is the rare horror film that would have been entertaining even if nothing scary happened .",
      "the pseudo-documentary premise is paper-thin at the outset and wears out long before botko and gurland 's script lurches toward the dumbest and least plausible solution to the mystery .",
      "the MOV is fueled by the arrogance of its smarmy outsider , the expert who knows everything except what an ass he is .",
      "suspenseful , surprising , somewhat terrifying and clever despite its rushed , lazy conclusion .",
      "it 's human-scaled horror , which is rare enough these days , and enough of it works that the MOV lingers long after the debate about what is or is n't `` real '' wraps up .",
      "a tense and generally understated chiller that might creep you right the hell out .",
      "a decently constructed little horror pic that had me constantly amused and entertained throughout , be that from regular and haunted house type laughs and scares . -lrb- parental review also available -rrb-",
      "but producer eli roth 's the MOV does n't reconcile the real identity crisis : a script that ca n't stop making jokes , undermining the scary stuff with too many giggles and not enough shrieks .",
      "horror movies these days are so often frivolous -- formulaic larks calculated to provide mechanical thrills . here 's one that delivers an experience .",
      "it 's difficult to find an ending for horror movies . often the getting there is the fun . that 's especially true here .",
      "if you ignore the marketing , this is actually a clever and creepy -lrb- if ultimately pointless -rrb- little thriller possessed by the soul of a horror movie .",
      "every generation gets the devil it deserves , and this faux documentary pulls few punches in its nihilistic depiction of religious belief vs. religious disbelief .",
      "a lean and witty variation on the documentary-gone-wrong theme .",
      "the purity of the docu conceit falls apart thanks to the intrusion of a spooky score and deliberately eerie camera shots .",
      "does n't know how to integrate its sillier supernatural elements into the realistic format .",
      "it 's not just the hand-held camera that will shake you up . the MOV gives you good reason to be very afraid of the dark .",
      "the cast is effective , with everyone sliding believably into their roles .",
      "a horror film for the christian fundamentalist set , the MOV employs the aesthetic of the blair witch project for a musty demonic-possession tale that promotes strict , anti-modern doctrinal faith as the most righteous path .",
      "boasts a steadier camera , a smarter screenplay and a more fascinating lead performance than -lsb- the blair witch project had -rsb- .",
      "that this comes via minimal special effects is admirable , but the movie also cheats a bit : tinkly piano music is layered onto the spooky moments , which kills the faux-doc `` realism .",
      "in its eagerness to deliver familiar genre pleasures , it somehow misplaces its soul .",
      "suspense is nil , phoniness abounds ...",
      "at my tent revival , i 'll pray the MOV goes platinum .",
      "while daniel stamm does n't reinvent the form with the low-budget pseudo-doc the MOV , he exploits it well .",
      "it 's like director daniel stamm and his crew realized they were treading awfully close to making a film with real depth and edge that horror audiences might hate , and they just could n't pull the trigger .",
      "an ill-considered , laughably dumb coda sequence only compounds exorcism 's numerous problems .",
      "the MOV pulls off its sweetly scary magic trick with great style and panache .",
      "satan gets behind the MOV in a fiendishly clever plot that starts out creepily enthralling , then collapses in a heap .",
      "it 's easy to sum up what 's wrong with the MOV -- nothing happens",
      "more than a decade after the blair witch project turned the mock-doc format into a horror cliche , this low-tech horror show uses it to chilling effect in this story of cynicism vs. things that go bump in the night .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "a perfectly acceptable , rather low key addition to the horror-mockumentary genre , following a fraudulent pastor who 's decided to allow a camera crew to film one last job extracting the devil from an innocent girl .",
      "the MOV is a rare reminder that the genre label `` horror '' derives from the word horrifying , not horrible .",
      "if you 're not too found-footaged out after two paranormal activities in the past year , the MOV is sure to be good for a bad , shaky-cam fright or three .",
      "unfortunately the predictable and unoriginal finale undermines the overall impact .",
      "the conceit of the premise is entirely plausible and there is enough character establishment in the preparatory scenes to build engagement on a deeper level.what 's more , it has something of a twist at the end",
      "the climax owes a debt to a seminal 1960s horror film which it would be unfair to name -- suffice it to say the comparison does n't do the MOV any favours .",
      "the viewer is placed squarely in the position of anonymous documentarian in this charmingly comic , ably performed , surprisingly sincere and often chilling first-person funhouse of a film .",
      "unfortunately , at about the half-way point , the brittle mood so carefully created by the single-camera coverage is broken by multi-camera editing and the overlaying of creepy music , just like in standard horror fare .",
      "a man very much of these times , cotton is that rarity in the horror genre : a genuinely intriguing character .",
      "the MOV stirs up a caldron of handheld-camera technique , faith-challenged drama and solid acting for a suitably squirmy tale of demonic possession .",
      "the scenes of nell 's possession have been done before , but it hardly matters in light of the attention to character in the MOV .",
      "fabian never makes a false move . neither does stamm , who understands that what 's left off-screen is often more terrifying than what 's on it .",
      "the finale is where the biggest problems come in , but director daniel stamm is fully capable of ratcheting up a sense of eerie disquiet and mounting tension .",
      "the MOV 's cynical take on faith is worse than pandering , it 's ineffective .",
      "` the exorcist ' meets ` the blair witch project ' and gives birth to ` rosemary 's baby ' ... a cheesy horror movie in the now commonplace verite style that manages a few easy jolts but overall is n't very scary .",
      "it never loses sight of its characters and making sure that the audience remains invested in them through all the hell that follows .",
      "mostly good fun if only for the sentiment expressed by a colleague and shared by a big contingent of horror fans : `` i 'm always up for a nice exorcism movie . ''",
      "i like that director daniel stamm tries to con me with faux supernatural realism in the same way cotton tries to con the girl he 's `` exorcising . ''",
      "oh come on now ... this is garbage .",
      "exorcism genuinely frightening despite ending",
      "a spare demonic possession drama that wrings plenty of spooky and often amusing engagement out of its set-up , but is crucially undone by editorial choices which betray its mock-doc framework .",
      "the devil remains in the details as to whether this ends up being just another film about satanic goings-on , or a work of multi-layered charlatanism designed to give us , in return for our money , precisely the cathartic treatment that we desire .",
      "slow-burning and well acted it 's intriguing without being especially terrifying ...",
      "`` the MOV '' starts out as a sharp religious satire but kind of forgets that when angling for `` paranormal activity '' scares .",
      "the denouement is a letdown , but the faux-documentary premise brings a fresh twist to a tired horror subgenre .",
      "at last , a possession movie for lapsed horror acolytes to believe in .",
      "yet another blair witch wannabe , the MOV sets up a relationship between on-screen speakers and `` you , '' addressed as such .",
      "any film that forges as unruly a connection as this one does with its audience deserves some applause , especially when the film belongs to a genre where all too many of its peers come across as rote or as thoughtlessly , remorselessly heartless .",
      "the method is well-worn and the subject-matter familiar , but this is a smart , scary little picture .",
      "the credibility of faux-documentary filmmaking relies on clear plotting and convincing , semi-improvised acting .",
      "the opening 20 minutes offer a brilliant insight into the world of an evangelical minister who is being filmed for a documentary .",
      "anyone with a decent knowledge of horror flicks will surely recoil in terror at how terribly several masterpieces of the genre have been shamelessly ripped off .",
      "the latest entry in the pseudo-documentary horror film sweepstakes , the MOV has its terrifying moments and its silly ones .",
      "the proliferation of similarly framed horror movies makes this one feel all the more derivative and overly familiar",
      "something that helps distinguish the MOV is the care with which it sets out its stall .",
      "the direction and performances are solid enough to hold the attention right up to the maddeningly mishandled ending .",
      "very much an exorcist for our times .",
      "what follows is a masterclass in merciless , gut-twisting terror . but the MOV also knows when to hold back .",
      "the only thing finally astonishing about the MOV is its goofiness .",
      "it 's quite refreshing to see a horror movie with high-quality performances like patrick fabian and ashley bell deliver here .",
      "a few good scenes , and a decent performance by fabian , but standard hokum for the most part .",
      "a clever , small film that depicts showman-preachers and horror movies with a wink and nod , the MOV spends most of its 88 minutes staying a cut above the average horror flick .",
      "the characters are better than in any of the other pseudo-documentary films .",
      "when i left the theater , i was exhausted and freaked out and totally bejeezus-less .",
      "another cheap horror film dressed up like a documentary .",
      "stamm effectively crafts a dozen or so marvellously creepy moments . audience faith in the existence of decent horror films is reaffirmed .",
      "ultimately comes across as a bizarre coupling of this is spinal tap and rosemary 's baby .",
      "draws on the blair witch project and the exorcist to supremely creepy effect .",
      "-lrb- the film -rrb- is at its best when it poses as many practical as theological explanations...thought-provoking and intense until the over-the-top , blair witch-y finale .",
      "despite some solid acting from fabian and bell the convoluted plot becomes silly and predictable at the end .",
      "these are very assured strides into the mainstream from director daniel stamm , and he 's certainly guaranteed himself a few enticing offers when the time for his next film comes around .",
      "eli roth-produced frighter looks neat , but that 's it",
      "brilliantly directed , superbly written and genuinely scary , this is a hugely enjoyable horror flick with a terrific , star-making central performance from patrick fabian .",
      "satan stalks the bible belt , as the occult locks horns so to speak , with free lance forensics , family dysfunction , and more sociopathic urges . and a not too hip lucifer who thinks he 's offering a doubting demon buster man of the cloth a ` blowing job . '",
      "neither as good as i 'd hoped , nor as bad i 'd feared -- nor as unintentionally funny as the trailer -- the MOV is a pretty good little horror picture .",
      "the finale may come out of nowhere -- you probably wo n't see it coming -- but this can -lrb- un -rrb- happily join the blair witch project and paranormal activity as superior horror .",
      "a textbook example of fumbling the ball on the goal line .",
      "hardcore gore-hounds will be disappointed by the lack of flashy special effects , but the MOV is more concerned with psychological chills and succeeds admirably in evoking them .",
      "does a great job of sustaining tension by distracting you with -lrb- get this -rrb- interesting characters and a novel approach .",
      "if you make a film about exorcism , you better be ready to be compared to one of the best films ever made . surprisingly , the film holds its own in that regard .",
      "the seams are obvious in this faux documentary , but the thrills are fairly genuine .",
      "its mature focus on characterization really sets the film apart .",
      "even if you take `` the MOV '' on its own terms , you 're going to be in for quite an uneventful movie .",
      "a fairly absorbing pseudo-documentary demonic-possession flick with all the bodily contortions and jittery camerawork you 'd expect .",
      "it 's disappointing -- if not exactly surprising -- when at the halfway point the film turns into the linda blair witch project .",
      "the MOV is completely boring , devoid of any scares , tension or unease and has one of the worst endings ever . avoid at all costs .",
      "the MOV is a tasty slice of religious themed exploitation of little innovation , yet with plenty of thrills .",
      "... ultimately fares a whole lot better in its first half than in its second ..."
    ],
    "summary": "it does n't fully deliver on the chilly promise of its blair witch-style premise , but the MOV offers a surprising number of clever thrills .",
    "id": "770874813"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1211619-remember_me",
    "reviews": [
      "the relevance of the film 's title only becomes clear at the film 's ill-conceived end , in a dragged out sequence that totally overshadows the film 's already flakey premise . the best thing that can be said of the film is that it is well intentioned",
      "if it is to be remembered , it 'll be for all the wrong reasons .",
      "the modestly scaled film delivers some moving and affecting moments amid a preponderance of scenes of frequently annoying people behaving badly .",
      "a strong romantic drama in which robert pattinson and emilie de ravin really shine .",
      "there is much to be impressed with here .",
      "tween and teen girls will weep in the cheap seats , while adults will be narked by the ending , a shameful piggyback on a national tragedy , which will further the career of the heart-throb .",
      "MOV provides some mild domestic spats and lots of picturesque male brooding , but it 's a pallid and oddly exploitative affair .",
      "it is the cinematic equivalent of a mournful track from a cool indie band until we get to that awkward finale .",
      "pattinson 's young female fans are likely to find this film less unbearable than anyone else . but even they may find the big emotional climax , which exploits a major terrorist disaster , cheap and pretentious .",
      "r-patz shows he can act , standing toe to toe with the fine chris cooper and looking like james dean in comparison to the annoying tate ellington , who plays tyler 's `` comedy '' flatmate .",
      "much better than you might expect .",
      "a sleepy weepie with an 11th-hour reveal which is a trifling reward for enduring the soapy slusher that precedes it .",
      "screenwriter will fetters stretches 30 minutes of drama to almost two hours of screen time , relying on the actors to scowl and brood while they wait for something to happen to their characters .",
      "even before the manipulative final act , this film will get on the nerves of most viewers with its over-serious tone and sentimentalised plot",
      "this shameless romantic drama tries to wring tears out of susceptible audiences by exploiting one of the most infamous , tragic moments in america 's recent past .",
      "-lsb- pattinson is -rsb- like luke perry doing james dean in the dreariest john hughes movie ever made : some kind of terrible .",
      "pattinson 's hero is well drawn , emerging as yet another descendent of holden caulfield .",
      "if you thought new moon was genius , this movie will be your casablanca .",
      "the whole thing plods along to you-know-what , which would probably provoke a pretty good ethics-in-storytelling debate if were n't so overtly manipulative , mawkish and dependent on a moment too emotionally obscure for MOV 's target audience .",
      "an endless parade of melodrama blind with rage and completely irrational .",
      "there are no less than four tremendous performances in the film .",
      "robert pattinson 's hair will get the teens in for this mopey new york romance , but goodness , do they have a shock in store .",
      "until the end , the film works as a look into lives under stress looking for redemption , and for that , it 's difficult to write off the whole for a relatively tiny sliver .",
      "`` MOV '' is only slightly more than forgettable , but its good intentions and good performances ca n't make up for a central romance that feels more rushed than real thanks to the triumph of casting and celebrity over chemistry and charm .",
      "put it this way , coulter , there are over 3000 true stories you could have told , and this film may insult every single one .",
      "... leaden and lifeless , everything keyed to the lugubrious brooding of pattinson 's hilariously bad performance ...",
      "pattinson divides his time between get-even mating , wall sex and addressing grade school bullying by terrorizing a classroom full of mean girls while tossing their desks around . which comes off as even scarier than his obsession around sucking necks .",
      "arrogant in forcing a large-scale weight to a story and characters much too flimsy to deserve , much less support , it .",
      "sometimes the worst filmmaking choices are those in which the good intentions can still be felt .",
      "pattinson broods the whole time in this only okay film .",
      "a teen-pleasing , low-key indie romance with one of the most demented final twists ever .",
      "pattinson , while unlikely to win over doubters , acquits himself well enough to suggest a career beyond moody bloodsucking .",
      "if MOV does well at the box office , it will in no way be a reflection of the film 's merits .",
      "dear oh dear , the problems and the acting-out with which the wealthy must content .",
      "MOV actually does know exactly where it 's going . it just takes too long to get there .",
      "MOV is a sweet and sombre melodrama of two wounded souls finding hope and love in pre 9/11 new york .",
      "without providing proper context to justify the citation of this devastating chapter in history , the twist exposes mr. fetters as a mere lazy opportunist .",
      "the shamelessly exploitative ending simply knocks it down another peg , ironically turning `` MOV '' into a film that will fade from memory pretty quickly .",
      "thoughtful and a step above the typical romantic drama .",
      "it 's a mope-a-thon that rivals new moon for downbeat moodiness .",
      "a disappointingly schamltzy romantic melodrama that will not do much to promote robert -lrb- twilight -rrb- pattinson 's career as legit actor .",
      "i hate this movie . i hate it a lot .",
      "live in the moment . carpe diem . get busy livin . we get it , already .",
      "overwritten and overcooked , MOV still manages a few explosive sequences between pattinson and pierce brosnan .",
      "even if you disapprove of just where the film goes , the story building up to the final climatic twist is moving and real .",
      "allows -lsb- robert -rsb- pattinson to be a livelier , looser presence on screen than he is as edward cullen , but the broody star still does n't show much range .",
      "a tearjerker piled on a tearjerker ... a gloomily mawkish , manipulative soap opera that uses the sad historical context in a way many will consider offensive .",
      "... too overripe in the melodrama department for modern audiences , but it features some credible acting and a ten hanky weep for those in the mood .",
      "a romantic drama about the tender bloom of love in a garden of death , grief , and great loss .",
      "pattinson 's and de ravin 's charisma elevate what could have been a dreary affair , though the final sucker-punch is arguably unnecessary .",
      "with any luck , robert pattinson 's naysayers will be silenced after they take a gander at his convincing , even magnetic work in MOV , a romantic drama more interested in character nuance than story innovation .",
      "parental content review",
      "overloaded with hair-trigger melodrama that leaves the its cast in a permanent state of hackneyed hysterics . and oh yeah , they go `` there '' and there 's nothing we can do to stop that locomotive .",
      "full of hot air .",
      "for me , -lsb- the ending -rsb- was enough to tip the already teetering scales into a `` thumbs down . ''",
      "`` MOV '' is a movie with an urgent message . the message is : please consider seeing another movie .",
      "MOV is best low to the ground , modestly picking apart neuroses and grief . taking matters to pointlessly epic proportions only reinforces just how anemic the rest of the picture is .",
      "a turgid excuse for a perceptive character study/romance that pins its hopes on a twist that is not so much a jolt as an affront",
      "the positives are trampled by the heavy boots of poor plot points , a trumped-up third act conflict and an emotionally exploitative ending that is , quite simply , appalling .",
      "i hate the ending . i hate it . i hate it . i hate it . i hate it more than kim basinger hates alec baldwin . i hate more than garfield hates mondays .",
      "after the first hint of what 's coming -- which crops up less than 10 minutes into the movie and then does n't let up -- the foreshadowing becomes so distracting that , by the time the darn thing goes off , there 's only a sense of relief .",
      "time for a quick game of one of these things is not like the others : marlon brando . james dean . robert pattinson .",
      "romantic , angst-ridden melodrama , aimed specifically at pattinson 's young female fans .",
      "MOV represents robert pattinson 's attempt to prove he can do more than sparkle like a faux vampire , but the case he presents is not convincing .",
      "limp and witless . a romantic drama with all the body of chicken noodle soup .",
      "the film 's tone is all wrong , the pacing is dead and the veering between sex , sadness and sado-masochistic violence is enough to give you motion sickness . it 's a bad movie .",
      "MOV is a touching love story , but its broader tale of familial relations packs a greater emotional punch .",
      "so many terrible things happen to the people in allen coulter 's MOV that when the last awful twist comes -- something so resounding and meaningful that it instantly , horribly cheapens the rest of the movie -- you 're almost numb to it .",
      "the final scenes of the film are bold and provocative . i salute that , but they also left a bad taste in my mouth .",
      "somewhere the heart that must anchor a romantic drama has gone missing . we do n't so much feel the relationships as see them .",
      "the commercials make it seem like a typical angst-filled college romance and , in large part , it is . but in the end , it becomes something more , but describing exactly what would do a disservice to its often subtly crafted story .",
      "a seemingly inconsequential action at the climax becomes a profound life-changer , giving each character 's journey an unpredictable -- and i would argue , contrived -- conclusion .",
      "if MOV is remembered for anything at all , other than being yet another robert pattinson vehicle , it will be for its over-the-top ending , which ranks high amongst the most shameless jerkers of tears ever unleashed upon lachrymose teens .",
      "it 's all weepy drool until the twist ending , which turns it shockingly offensive .",
      "there 's no shame in exploring tragedy through art . but exploiting it to make your very ordinary movie feel more important ? that 's another story .",
      "it turns out robert pattinson sparkles after all . -lsb- t -rsb- he script shimmers with sensitivity and a meticulous attention to emotional detail ...",
      "only slightly edgier and no more sensible than a nicholas sparks story .",
      "MOV is a far more accurate barometer of robert pattinson 's acting chops than that teen vampire franchise .",
      "the film gets bogged down by plot points that plod toward an event of devastating proportions .",
      "this mawkish trash is bad enough even before it stoops to using the sept. 11 terrorist attacks for sympathy . unforgivable .",
      "in MOV love means never having to say you 're sorry , particularly to the audience .",
      "there 's a sense of construction to MOV that undercuts its emotional impact , and emotional impact is pretty much all this film is shooting for .",
      "a small , dense chamber study of unhappy people looking for hope in the darkness , often literally .",
      "there are enough layers to the drama in MOV that makes it hard to immediately discount or dismiss it as frivolous teen girl fare .",
      "pattinson gets to sink his teeth into something more than posturing .",
      "ambitious but overwrought , with a polarizing final act .",
      "the finale manages to be tasteful and exploitative at the same time . it touts forgiveness while being mildly infuriating . such is the danger of borrowing from the enormous to merely entertain . if that .",
      "... in a matter of minutes MOV goes from something that might have been memorable to a wholly unnecessary disappointment .",
      "it takes a lot to act horribly troubled for no obvious reason and have an audience buy it . amiable as he is , pattinson does n't attain that in MOV .",
      "an insignificant film that desperately wants to be significant . still , thanks to a decent cast and mostly solid direction , it manages to be at least moderately entertaining through its running time .",
      "dark , disturbing romance not for twilight 's preteen fans .",
      "a simple romance for swooners that wins points for noting that two lovers bring with them a clashing mess of family and friends",
      "-lsb- the ending -rsb- shamelessly exploits a real-life event , an iconic moment whose heartbreak far eclipses anything this cheap melodrama contrives .",
      "pattinson has gone from brooding , adoring bella , saving bella , and trying not to kill anyone to brooding , adoring ally saving various people , and trying not to kill anyone .",
      "robert pattinson is charismatic and charming in much of `` MOV , '' but the bad news for his fans is they have to content themselves with good work in a ridiculous film .",
      "what was a well acted , heartfelt love story of two wounded souls finding each other and learning to heal is obliterated in one vile , manipulative swoop . this ending was n't deep or thought-provoking ; this was a sucker punch .",
      "the ill-conceived climax will strike the easily manipulated as deep but will cause most discerning viewers to recognize it for a cheap trick that should come with some sort of trigger warning before it unfolds .",
      "the script calls for several scenes with gut-wrenching , hard-core emotional outbursts . they 're so bad they 're embarrassing . robert pattinson should stick to sulking .",
      "sadly , the most memorable aspect of the film is a groan-inducing surprise ending that trivializes a horrific catastrophe and reminds viewers how vapid the rest of the movie is .",
      "... too manipulative to set itself apart as truly original , but too emotionally invested to be completely dismissed .",
      "robert pattinson can really act when he is supported by a great cast . as the film reached it 's climax i slowly moved my hand over my mouth in shock .",
      "robert pattinson 's star vehicle runs out of gas",
      "calculated and ham handed",
      "the new yorkers who inhabit this overwrought melodrama with a mega twist are so self-centered that the message -- life should be savored , not squandered -- gets lost .",
      "in `` MOV , '' robert pattinson , the producer and leading man , displays genuine acting chops as a `` rent '' - related cousin of the `` rebel without a cause . ''",
      "if this movie is playing at a theatre near you , you might want to consider moving somewhere else .",
      "a movie that surprises in many ways , one being how much better it is than expected .",
      "the fact is , MOV is a well-made movie . i cared about the characters . i felt for them .",
      "the more you wait for the biggest plot development of the last decade to reduce everybody 's problems to a hill of beans , the more MOV starts to make you feel cheap .",
      "-lsb- q -rsb- uietly charming and coarsely handsome , a sensitively observed story about young people in love seen through a keen eye for the unglamorous side of new york city that we do n't often see on film these days ...",
      "slaps , screams , and airborne fire extinguishers thoroughly destroy the film 's air of mopey sincerity to bits .",
      "there 's a distinctly bittersweet undertow to the picture that draws you in and helps you overlook the film 's weaknesses .",
      "a movie with all the hyperventilating hysteria of a 1960s teen-tragedy pop song and all the disposability , too .",
      "bless you , r.patz & co. , because this gloriously steaming pile is officially in the bad-movies-we-love pantheon .",
      "a distasteful meal that pattinson 's partisans might mistake for profundity .",
      "anyone longing to watch pattinson do his best james dean will see it in this deliberately paced story set in the summer of 2001 .",
      "more tacky and preposterous than the worst blockbuster phone-in .",
      "i laughed the hollow laugh of a cynical old movie critic during the eye-rolling final scene , which is certainly not meant to be funny .",
      "... pattinson 's magnetic work as the protagonist plays a significant role in cementing MOV 's mild success ...",
      "-lsb- the lead -rsb- character appears to consist solely of his reluctance to shave and his massive cigarette habit that is given more screentime than most of the named characters .",
      "MOV is charged up with stormy melodrama . pattinson 's various fan contingents should eat it up ...",
      "ultimately rendered unwatchable by an unbelievably crass ending that is both manipulative and reprehensible .",
      "the drama -- a far cry from the vampire stories of twilight -- allows pattinson to show broader emotional range . but the script is rife with clichés , and the sex is so artily lit it seems direct from cable .",
      "i kept expecting pattinson to scream , ` you 're tearing me apart , ' or claim that he ` coulda been a contender , ' which , unfortunately , he never does .",
      "remember asks too much of its audience .",
      "robert pattinson proves he can do more than fanged heartthrob , but while the film should sate his legion fans til their next twilight fix , there 's not a lot here for the rest of us .",
      "be warned , if you 're vulnerable to outrageous , cringe-inducing implausibilities -- not least the ludicrous stand-up row between tyler and his father in the latter 's twin towers boardroom -- you 'd best give this one a miss .",
      "decently shot and directed as it is , it lacks any real flame .",
      "best forgotten .",
      "when the film finally goes for broke with that ambitious , colossally misconceived finale , a tremendous emotional investment in these characters is necessary to pull it off -- and even then , its prospects would be questionable .",
      "although clearly it was mapped by a team of consultants , MOV is a horrific misstep in the branding of robert pattinson .",
      "allen coulter directed this morose and sluggish drama , which gets more mileage from pattinson 's anguished profile than from will fetters 's thunderously overwritten screenplay .",
      "shame on them !",
      "angst-ridden , wanna-be tear-jerker - featuring robert pattinson as another tortured , brooding james dean-type - does n't come close to earning its big payoff ."
    ],
    "summary": "its leads are likeable , but MOV suffers from an overly maudlin script and a borderline offensive final twist .",
    "id": "770814773"
  },
  {
    "movie": "inglourious_basterds",
    "reviews": [
      "you absolutely have to see this film if only for waltz ' performance as landa -- it 's the most inspired , carefully nuanced and perfectly pitched performance of the year .",
      "throw a dozen outrageous characters at the screen and stick them in equally shocking plots and sub-plots and see what sticks . with MOV everything sticks .",
      "` subtle ' is not a word in tarantino 's lexicon . at the film 's heart is a fatal attempt to conflate fact with fiction and a celebration of vengeance that 's misplaced and embarrassing .",
      "an entertaining yet uneven movie that provides comedy , drama and some interesting psychological twists and turns , but never quite delivers on that ` men on a mission ' promise .",
      "the film is by no means terrible but those things we think of as being tarantino-esque , the long stretches of wickedly funny dialogue , the humor in the violence and outsized characters strutting across the screen , are largely missing .",
      "tarantino swaps fact for pulp fiction ; quentin tarantino has made a glorious , silly , blood-spattered return .",
      "it 's a film that 's only interested in film , a masterclass in gorgeously-constructed self-pastiche . tarantino desperately needs an editor willing to trim his indulgences .",
      "with a confidence typical of its director , the last line of MOV is , `` this might just be my masterpiece . '' while that may not be true , this is an often dazzling movie that sees qt back on exhilarating form .",
      "damn gud fun",
      "christoph waltz delivers one of the most brilliant portrayals of a villain i 've seen since anthony hopkins transformed himself into hannibal lecter .",
      "by far the best world war ii film i 've ever seen .",
      "... the more knowledgeable you are about wwii history and 20th century pop culture , the more you will appreciate this tarantino absurdity . what a wildly violent and memorable absurdity it is .",
      "quentin tarantino has finally made a movie that means something , though i think that 's happened entirely by accident ...",
      "this is a film with blood in its veins , a heart in its body and a red hot engine in its chassis . it is alive with ideas and a geniune belief in the power of film to express them .",
      "a whole lot of movie , but it 's also technically mature filmmaking to a thematically juvenile end .",
      "a film geek 's revisionist history of the third reich 's death knell as portrayed by the quentin tarantino players .",
      "`` basterds '' is very audacious with comic book-like characters and dialogue , a b-movie sensibility and a serial-like disdain for logic .",
      "quentin is back with his best film ever - a rip roaring action adventure wrapped up as a fairy tale of sorts",
      "i got the feeling that shock , confusion , and even disgust greeted the misinformed jewish patrons itching for rapture .",
      "tension , twists , humor , and it 's constant . this is the best adult ` once upon a time ' i can think of .",
      "just like 100-degree plus weather and muggy conditions , it 's been a miserable summer movie season but fortunately quentin tarantino is ready to cool us off with a welcome refreshing dose of quality entertainment with his latest ingenious work ` inglourious",
      "MOV is as much fun as you can have in a cinema without embarrassing an usher or making your popcorn too salty .",
      "-lsb- quentin tarantino has -rsb- whacked history over the head and cut away all the boring bits , leaving behind a blood-drenched war epic like no other .",
      "satire and sanctimony -- tarantino rules .",
      "basterds is not great tarantino but it 's solidly good tarantino , and that 's sweet news for his fans .",
      "that is n't the way the history books tell it , but after seeing this overripe wonder you may prefer tarantino 's take .",
      "this spaghetti-western-inspired war film is a watchable mix of the good , the bad and the ugly .",
      "ideological sentimentality is not a charge that could be made against tarantino , but his film thereafter , though consistently gripping , is uneven and fractured .",
      "these basterds blend into a much richer story , a hugely entertaining one with stars you do n't immediately see shining .",
      "tarantino 's wartime fantasies may leave history in the dust , but his movie is a surprisingly satisfying contribution to movies about the holocaust .",
      "quentin tarantino is like a kid in a candy store reinventing wwii ... -lsb- with -rsb- a wallop of a climax that reimagines a cinema auditorium as a holocaust gas chamber by way of the throne of the great and powerful wizard of oz .",
      "waltz as an actor proves to be the best match for tarantino 's dialogue since samuel l. jackson -- his ability to mix casual chitchat with a dark undercurrent of menace -lrb- in three different languages , no less -rrb- makes him a mesmerizing presence .",
      "despite the injection of content from a variety of directions , basterds lacks the crackly excitement of tarantino 's other efforts , mainly because he ca n't seem to tie the whole package together .",
      "vintage tarantino returns to the big screen and he 's brought all his trademark moves with him .",
      "it has been a problem in the past that tarantino 's voice could be heard in the lines he wrote , but the mesmerising waltz takes that gleeful relish of language and presents it as a vital aspect of landa 's professional pride .",
      "a failure so complete that it is infuriating as opposed to merely disappointing",
      "MOV will be loved and hated , sometimes in the same scene , eventually leading to at least grudging admiration .",
      "if you really like movies , chances are you like tarantino . and if you like tarantino , chances are you 'll like MOV .",
      "it may be an unexpected adventure of unusual proportions and design , but it 's still the most glorious adventure of the summer .",
      "at the end of the day , basterds is a series of strongly made , if expertly -lrb- over -rrb- written , pieces that never really come together into one coherent whole .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- gets by on typical tarantino gumption .",
      "tarantino 's ensemble converses at length in basement taverns and cinema lobbies and war rooms , and the best exchanges are tricky , chesslike psycho-verbal games of subterfuge .",
      "this has to be regarded as the most unusual movie of the year . the movie is imaginative and so full of curveball ideas that you ca n't wait to see what will happen next .",
      "as entertaining as it is audacious , a film that showcases tarantino in top form and boasts a multitude of characters who could easily carry a movie of their own .",
      "amongst all the filmmakers working today , no one inspires more passionate discussion , debate and analysis than quentin tarantino .",
      "quentin tarantino is back on form with a bang with what might just be his finest film yet .",
      "nobody but tarantino could have made MOV and , in a homogenising culture such as hollywood , that 's worth celebrating .",
      "... a wartime opus whose shortcomings upon first viewing are as immediately recognizable as the fact they will after many more of them prove to be virtues ...",
      "strip away tarantino 's pulp fiction and his love for post-modern pastiche and the film is a slice of entertainment grounded in moral seriousness .",
      "a brutal , audacious , triumphant piece of filmmaking that hits harder than a baseball bat to the jawbone .",
      "the true moral universe in which the film unfolds is that of the spaghetti westerns ... : a world in which the strong are above the law and the way to tell the good guys from the bad guys is not by their acts but by the kind of hats they wear .",
      "is this tarantino 's masterpiece , as the movie 's final shot not so subtly seems to suggest ? i believe it 's one of them . in the end , we 're left with superior storytelling from one of cinema 's most talented practitioners .",
      "intermittently-inspired world war ii epic ... the thread of the drama is left disjointed and the focus ever-changing .",
      "it 's a violent wish-fulfillment fantasy , and if such a thing is necessarily immoral , then MOV is immoral . but it 's also -- necessarily -- a provocation .",
      "a sprawling feast of a movie that 's by turns funny , exciting , outrageous and just plain exhilarating , MOV actually is the event it was touted to be .",
      "this is filmmaking at its bravest , and whether tarantino is a genius or a fool , he does nothing by accident .",
      "tarantino is much less interested in the gory possibilities of the premise than he is in old-fashioned suspense and tension",
      "... a rollicking , wish-fulfillment revenge fantasy about getting hitler that is presented with a graphic novel ambiance punctuated with moments of brilliant tension .",
      "... dont expect a pure action adventure . thats not what this ones about .",
      "enough action and ghoulish humor to offset all the boring `` my dinner with fritz '' pace-killing scenes , adolescent slasher gore , misogyny and bush-cheney-inspired anything-goes war rules .",
      "generally thrilling , even if some stretches of conversation tend to the long side .",
      "the cameo by rod taylor and the references to yvette mimieux -lrb- the stars of ` the time machine ' -rrb- are the tip-offs : this is tarantino 's celebration of cinema as time machine -- a device that can erase the years and , on an imaginative level , change the past .",
      "the stylish MOV means next to nothing , but its pure outlandishness draws eyes to the screen .",
      "fierce , fascinating , literate , ballsy , shocking , whimsical , devastating , brazenly inventive , and nothing less than wholly hypnotic .",
      "inglorious basterds is an entertainment but an uneasy one ; it represents 153 minutes of bravura stalling , after which its creator loses interest and walks away .",
      "one of the best war movies of the decade not because it 's about war , but because it 's about war movies .",
      "tonally schizoid and rife with anachronisms -lrb- a david bowie song on the sound track , out-of-era vernacular -rrb- , tarantino 's third reich folly is utterly exasperating .",
      "MOV is sporadically enjoyable , but it 's also a dismal squandering of a once-promising talent .",
      "MOV is sprawling , flawed and hugely self-indulgent . it 's also hugely enjoyable .",
      "MOV constantly challenges its viewer 's emotions , making us question whether or not we should be feeling the compassion , hatred , or empathy that we do .",
      "do n't go into MOV expecting a serious wwii film and you 'll probably end up having fun with it .",
      "for anyone who has been hoping to see tarantino back at the top of his game , the must-see movie of the summer has finally arrived .",
      "tarantino seems to have gotten high on the fumes of his own -lrb- admittedly addictive -rrb- creation here and just not known when to quit .",
      "lively and literate , MOV feels fresher than any tarantino film in a while . even so , smart as his writing is , it would n't kill him to see a blue pencil now and again .",
      "this exploitation epic is a unique beast that molests history , wrong-foots expectations and royally entertains . the movies ' coolest basterd is back on his game .",
      "parental content review",
      "once again , tarantino refuses to deliver something easily dissected or discussed , something that has made him one of the most polarizing filmmakers of the last two decades . if only there were more like him .",
      "despite the trailer 's first impressions , MOV is much more than brad pitt with a funny accent and a few hitler-stache cameos .",
      "tarantino engages with the power of language , not only spoken but cinematic language in particular . he relishes the way movies speak to an audience , the manipulative power of cinematic dialect to tell facts differently , and how film language can replace m",
      "bravura filmmaking at its finest .",
      "the dirty dozen it most definitely is not . it 's a war movie like no other , a 21st century film nerd 's take on the 20th century 's most tragic chapter . cinderella 's slipper and sherlock holmes ' pipe are among the unlikely delights in qt 's best film to date .",
      "it 's not quite on par with the genre-busting pulp fiction , but tarantino 's seventh film is just as assuredly paced and remarkably more mature .",
      "who could possibly resist a world war ii movie with a climax that somehow manages to work in exact visual quotes from not one , but two brian depalma movies ?",
      "` i 've had no issues in working with the weinsteins . they 're ma boyz ! , ' tarantino exclaimed in our chicago interview both with anticipated media training but also with genuine indebtedness to the brotherly duo . ` they 're coming back in a big way . '",
      "after two and a half hours , it 's impossible to question the greatness within but hard to ignore what also makes it his most laboring and flawed feature to date .",
      "a war film about war . that 's rarer than you think .",
      "christoph waltz matches lecter , vader , and the wicked witch of the west with a performance that shows off his fluency in english , german , french , italian ... and evil .",
      "tarantino fans , among many others , will have a great good time .",
      "the story is wildly , daringly imaginative , the sort of thing that very few filmmakers could even conceive , let alone execute .",
      "there are no pure heroes or villains in tarantino 's vision of wwii , just varying degrees of the dredges of humanity in a time and place where the shadows have free reign .",
      "it 's a meditation on movies , but also an exploration of the art of seduction .",
      "there 's a feast here , particularly in the amazing opening , an unexpected essay on king kong , and performances by pitt , laurent , and waltz . it 's just been placed on a huge table with no consideration of whether it adds up to a meal .",
      "exciting , if uneven , exhilarating in the theme of jewish empowerment and righteous revenge .",
      "tarantino 's finest effort , the best movie of the year to this point , and a sure-fire contender for best picture , plus several acting honors .",
      "the film serves up revenge with a whopping side of ` merry . ' looking at the sunny side of the strasse , christoph waltz ' giddy col. landa throws 1 hell of a nazi party , practically skipping in his jackboots .",
      "tarantino seems to be scrutinizing his obsession with the cinema by cleverly placing it into an apt historical context .",
      "tarantino understands that the key ingredient in a thriller is the suspense ... it 's the tension that thrills you , that makes you squirm and feel totally alive to the moment .",
      "a bold , gory and glorious cinematic fest liberally doused with humour , satire and entertainment value",
      "be prepared for unsettling shifts in pace and tone , be prepared to be shocked and amused , to laugh and guffaw and to be always surprised in this comic fantasy which is cheeky enough to reinvent history and has audiences clapping as it does so",
      "a spellbinding picture that helps prove the superiority of historical fiction over documentaries .",
      "a glourious rude mix 'n match of subtitles , nazi scalps , guerrilla cinema and testicle blood-soaked subterranean french cellar saloon shootouts , the film is a vintage qt western european western . in other words , tarantino 's wwii heartfelt warsploit rocks .",
      "a tense , thrilling , brilliantly acted and superbly directed war flick that just might be tarantino 's masterpiece .",
      "even though it 's long and indulgent , this is a deeply entertaining romp , crafted to perfection by tarantino and his amazing cast .",
      "a fundamentally silly piece of fiction and far too few occasions when tarantino manages to produce the kind of spectacular cinematic moment combining character , script and editing that first signalled him out as a virtuoso director .",
      "qt is rediscovering his form : basterds is a tense , punchy and darkly funny film .",
      "what really makes MOV stick out like a royale with cheese ... is its sheer playfulness . tarantino does digress , as is his wont , but these are not the irritating indulgences they were in kill bill .",
      "if the accomplishment of this first scene were upheld throughout then we might have a masterpiece on our hands . alas , it is uneven as well as unpredictable .",
      "whirled around the floor of a story that goes absolutely nowhere , contains no human verities , has no significant heft as historical drama , yet still proves , now and then , an entertaining piece of pop disco art from the cinema 's most talented tease .",
      "when a man makes a movie this good , you can forgive him the occasional indulgence .",
      "his latest is too long , too talkative and a touch too self-indulgent . but it 's a heck of a lot better than anything he 's done since pulp .",
      "the endless twists and turns coupled with tarantino 's trademark black comedy help take the edge off the violence a little .",
      "as relentlessly audacious and engrossing as anything within quentin tarantino 's flawless body of work ...",
      "magnificent",
      "a piece of bravura filmmaking , a scrumptiously over the top revenge fantasy that melds high comedy with tragic melodrama for pure hypnotic effect . i 've never enjoyed a tarantino movie more .",
      "some of it is good ; much of it is preposterous . in trying to meld comedy and tragedy it entertains fitfully and requires more patience than most tarantino films do .",
      "tarantino 's best movie to date turns out to be his latest movie , which clashes together history and fantasy , intentionally echoes back to many of the world war ii movies that came before it , and uses them to inform it .",
      "a brilliantly made , polarizing affair .",
      "if you love quentin , get ready for a hell of a ride !",
      "this is a revenge fantasy where the non-jewish tarantino wants us to cheer on the violent jews because - as we see - their victims more than deserve their fates .",
      "... a long , strange pop artifact , studded with instant-classic moments and sealed with a legitimately great image ...",
      "at times MOV is arguably the best picture of the year , full of the joy and verve and filmmaking prowess that has so marked mr. tarantino 's best work .",
      "the final impression of the movie - that it 's crass , juvenile and profoundly distasteful - overrides its more enjoyable moments .",
      "quentin tarantino 's extremely witty revenge fantasy MOV may be the most fun you 'll have at the movies this summer .",
      "by turns surprising , nutty , windy , audacious and a bit caught up in its own cleverness , the picture is a completely distinctive piece of american pop art with a strong euro flavor that 's new for the director .",
      "this unashamed slice of second world war hokum finds quentin tarantino in mischievous form as he takes on the second world war with the driving force of a roller coaster ride .",
      "call it pulp war fiction -- likely to divide critics , tarantino 's wwii fable interweaves little fact with much fiction , serving as a vessel for his playful , self-reflexive , postmodern commentary on a genre he knows and admires .",
      "after some indulgent side trips -lrb- grindhouse , deathproof -rrb- , quentin tarantino is back to form with this world war ii fantasy fiasco . it 's mad , it 's bad and it 's thoroughly entertaining , with some of the most disciplined storytelling tarantino has produced .",
      "glorious .",
      "tarantino tries his hand at an international ensemble with some rather ` inglourious ' results .",
      "every film that quentin tarantino makes is a cinematic event of mammoth proportions , and this one is no different . it lives up to the director 's brilliant international reputation and accordingly so does he .",
      "hysterically fun and gloriously excessive , quentin tarantino 's latest is right up there with pulp fiction and kill bill .",
      "f**k i loved this movie !",
      "in an age when everyone rushes to remake old movies and old tv shows and comic books and toys and whatever , quentin -lsb- tarantino -rsb- decided to remake world war ii . and this time ? it ends right .",
      "quentin tarantino is starting to remind me of late-stage kubrick .",
      "every moment of genre-mashing , basking in the glow of left-field sound cues or funking up a scene 's rhythm with unexpected edits has been a dress rehearsal of sorts for MOV .",
      "whatever MOV lacks as a satisfying whole , it makes up for in the sum total of its assertive parts .",
      "for all its visual bravura and occasional bursts of antic inspiration , it feels trivial , the work of a kid who ca n't stop grabbing his favorite shiny plaything .",
      "the movie is an ungainly pastiche , yet on some wacked-out jungian level it 's all of a piece .",
      "MOV is not boring , but it 's ridiculous and appallingly insensitive-a louisville slugger applied to the head of anyone who has ever taken the nazis , the war , or the resistance seriously .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- bleakly comic revenge fantasy ... -lsb- that -rsb- is , hilariously , all about acknowledging the power of cinema : have your revenge , but have it on film ...",
      "ballsy , brash and utterly committed to the revolutionary power of cinema , MOV is a completely remarkable film .",
      "scenes like the showdown in the tavern and the movie-premiere finale are as imaginative , energetic and , in their own weird , brutal way , beautiful as cinema gets .",
      "tarantino 's signature nastiness and his juvenile delight in shocking the audience undercut the movie 's larger purpose .",
      "quentin tarantino does it again . again .",
      "war reduced to pop entertainment should at least be easy to swallow , but this stuff keeps getting stuck in our craw . the trash that tarantino used to elevate he now imitates .",
      "simply another testament to his movie love . the problem is that by making the star attraction of his latest film a most delightful nazi , one whose smooth talk is as lovingly presented as his murderous violence , mr. tarantino has polluted that love .",
      "all the trademark tarantino flourishes are here -- the joyous splaying of gore ; the self-referential dialogue ; the artful artificiality and the juxtaposition of humor and violence -- but they do n't add up to much .",
      "the pop-art auteur 's least-focused film to date , a rambling wreck of shrewd ideas and cinematic influences that never interlock into their own identifiable movie .",
      "the movie is fun -- tarantino makes clever use of language and the mechanics of making and projecting movies -- but his ability to juggle multiple storylines is n't as sure as it was in pulp fiction , which basterds resembles structurally .",
      "one basterd of a movie ... who wants to hear quentin tarantino dialogue in a foreign language , thus having to read it ?",
      "tarantino has a created a more moving tale about the jews and the nazis during world war ii than , for example , last year 's much more reverent defiance , which was actually based on a true story yet came off as shtick .",
      "its biggest flaw , though , for those who care about such things , may be its moral attitude . that might seem a stodgy thing to bring up in the context of a quentin tarantino movie , but it takes such center stage that it needs to be examined .",
      "97 % mature , solid , suspenseful , respectful , artistic , violent , sophisticated , tremulous , funny , surprising",
      "why is basterds such a colossal disappointment ? it 's mostly because tarantino indulges all of his worst impulses as a filmmaker and ignores what he does best .",
      "by letting his brilliant dialogue-centered screenplay showcase his superb cast and keeping the gory violence in check , this fictional wwii saga is tarantino 's masterpiece . who knew ?",
      "t 's so rich in cinematic value , it 's difficult for me to understand how a film critic could fail to be impressed by it .",
      "everything else -lsb- except the basterds themselves -rsb- works so beautifully",
      "it fails as conventional war movie , as genre spoof , as trash and as pulp .",
      "an unrealistic over-the-top madcap ww ii drama that seamlessly mixes violence , vulgarian comedy and cinema lore .",
      "gloriously directed and written , ` MOV ' is a must for quentin tarantino fans .",
      "pretentious ? narcissistic ? gory ? what 's not to love ?",
      "austrian actor christoph waltz creates the most compelling big-screen villain since heath ledger 's joker . an oscar-worthy performance .",
      "sensationally entertaining , relentlessly suspenseful and thrilling with a terrific ensemble cast and wickedly funny and witty dialogue . tarantino fans rejoice !",
      "if only quentin tarantino the director were n't so completely in love with quentin tarantino the writer , MOV might have been a great movie rather than just a good movie with moments of greatness .",
      "there will be blood .",
      "energetic , inventive , swaggering fun , quentin tarantino 's MOV is a consummate hollywood entertainment -- rich in fantasy and blithely amoral .",
      "even if you wish tarantino would calm down a bit and rely more on his considerable skills at straightforward storytelling , this world war ii saga is undeniably suspenseful , violent and entertaining .",
      "as is often the case with tarantino 's post-1990 's output , great scenes are adrift in an undisciplined sea of ugly-spirited , juvenile self-indulgence .",
      "tarantino 's most polished work to date .",
      "like all quentin tarentino movies , this feverish jews-take-out-the-nazis-during-world-war-ii movie is really all about quentin tarentino . not that that 's necessarily a bad thing .",
      "world war ii was more serious , complex and horrifying than all this comic embellishment , but if i sound critical , i apologize in advance . i had a helluva time watching MOV .",
      "qt manipulates wwii horror into hip pornography -- jewish revenge looks just like the sadism in eli roth 's hostel movie . our political and moral responses are discombobulated .",
      "MOV is a mixture that some will think is a masterpiece ; others will think it an audacious hodgepodge . i think i 'm among the latter .",
      "inglourious is slow , dumb -- and in a first for qt in his cinema savant career -- incompetent .",
      "it 's nasty and exhilarating stuff .",
      "one of the best performances of the decade in one of the most entertaining movies of the year .",
      "i do n't know if i 've ever seen a revenge fantasy so willfully messed up , sometimes offensively so , that still manages to be worthwhile for whole sections of its 2 1/2 hours . the opening is as good a sequence as tarantino has ever created .",
      "although MOV is not the best representation of tarantino 's genius , he can do no wrong , even if it is sometimes misguided and laborious .",
      "tarantino perfectly balances brilliantly written dialogue with completely insane violence . i was pumping my fist in the air the entire time .",
      "everything with brad pitt and the basterds is awesome . the rest of the movie stinks .",
      "a nerve-jangling , suspenseful , violent , rollicking good time .",
      "as it progresses , it increasingly takes its cues from ernst lubitsch 's great nazi farce to be or not to be , except eventually even wackier and less realistic .",
      "gutsy , pleasurable and very satisfying . packaged together by the amazing quentin tarantino , this film will slap you in the face and say : `` damn good , what a way to end the summer ! ''",
      "năo importando a qual gęnero pertençam ou que história estejam contando , os filmes de quentin tarantino giram primordialmente em torno de duas coisas : o cinema e o amor que o diretor sente por este .",
      "hitler is introduced in a cape like a comic-book villain , so moral relativism clearly is n't part of the plan . with its intentionally brash rewriting of history , MOV is what quentin tarantino 's back-half of grindhouse should 've been .",
      "it 's great in parts .",
      "simply tarantino 's best . a very intelligent script that combines war movie elements with some pointed observations about violence in movies and in society .",
      "quentin tarantino 's dual loves of vengeance and cinema have never had a purer expression than the face of a jewish cinematheque owner projected oz-like onto the smoke of nazis aflame .",
      "un divertido disparate sobre tema serio que es , en definitiva , una celebración y reivindicación del cine como espectáculo . gran trabajo del austriaco christoph waltz en el papel de hans landa .",
      "tarantino 's world war ii epic is both bloody and talky .",
      "tarantino 's visual style and flare for the fantasy make for an intriguing and colorful world war ii drama .",
      "superbly acted and well constructed , each scene is paced to a chaotic climatic frenzy .",
      "the film might not be tarantino 's masterpiece but it is his most entertaining and exhilarating effort since pulp fiction .",
      "it 's a second world war fantasy made up of bits and pieces of second world war movies and reassembled into a wordy pastiche that is irresistibly absurd . it 's positively inglorious .",
      "a smart , sophisticated and perplexing blend of wisdom and attitude that takes bold risks , sneers at convention and then still has enough audacity to rewrite the history books for one last daring climax .",
      "in this film , wwii was settled in a movie theater -- a notion that obviously feels appropriate to anyone who loves old movies as much as this director .",
      "the intricate plot offers a wealth of opportunities for scene-stopping showpieces of all kinds , from epic spectacle to intimate character work .",
      "personally , i wearied of tarantino 's breathless shtick long ago , but i must admit i enjoyed MOV more than anything he 's done in years .",
      "basterds has multiple plot strands that eventually converge in a spectacular finale , which takes place , fittingly , in a movie theater in paris .",
      "it 's a lot to take in . but in the end , tarantino leaves you wanting more .",
      "watching tarantino pull out his filmmaking toys and play with each of them is a thrill .",
      "the dialogue is fabulous .",
      "tarantino crams enough movie-loving passion into the film to keep you not just entertained but occasionally riveted . above all else , it 's a really enjoyable ride .",
      "with MOV , quentin tarantino has made his best movie since pulp fiction . he has also made what could arguably be considered the most audacious world war ii movie of all-time .",
      "this is a seriously provocative film .",
      "this rollicking epic harks back to typical wordy tarantino fare , with the added explicit violence that 's to be expected from this cult director .",
      "not enough scalps . while it 's good and there are fun elements it 's rather dialogue led than jam-packed with action .",
      "what i like most about MOV is its unpredictability .",
      "with its exploded notions of heroism , torture-rack dramatics and kamikaze gusto , it 's a fiendishly entertaining flick .",
      "watching wwii through the eyes of quentin tarantino is infinitely more fun than the real thing ; the results are unforgettable .",
      "an accomplished work that can be partially described by its title , MOV is absolutely glorious .",
      "a brawny , rollicking mash-up that is a passionate exploration of the power of filmmaking from one of our finest directors and writers .",
      "quentin tarantino seems to be hanging on to a lost world of moviemaking . he may be nuts . but he 's a nut who cares .",
      "one of the best films of 2009 , and another home run for tarantino .",
      "quentin tarantino 's once blazing career continues to sputter thanks to his alternately brilliant and baffling basterds .",
      "revel in the glourious-ness that is MOV , writer/director quentin tarantino 's marvelously skewed take on wwii .",
      "tarantino does not set out to make a war film like any one you have seen before . instead , he 's going for a genre mish-mash to deliver a unique film in and of itself .",
      "a delirious pastiche of wwii movie tropes via the naughty nazi pictures that flooded italy in the night porter 's wake ... tarantino knows exactly how vulgar it is to spin pulp entertainment from the iconography of mass murderers , and how bracingly",
      "tarantino 's scenes go on and on because he 's in love with the sound of his character talking . this gets especially maddening in inglorious basterds because much of the dialogue is in german , so the words are three times as long .",
      "in this year of bland , boring , vision-less studio films ingourious basterds is a fun , inventive breath of fresh air that i just wanted to keep breathing in and hold as if my life depended on it .",
      "tarantino assembles his complicated plot and multitude of players with only occasional allegiance to history . as a result , all bets are off , making the film and its twists harder to predict .",
      "not only does it have all the tarantino hallmarks -- crackling dialog , dark comedy , graphic violence -- but it 's also got brad pitt and dead nazis . entertaining ? immensely .",
      "wwii revamped quentin tarantino style , MOV succeeds as the ultimate fantasy revenge story , a kill hitler which stands as one the best works in the career of its influential filmmaker .",
      "dialogue is sharp , the imagery mesmerizing and both come together to create a wildly entertaining film . impossible to watch without wanting to be a basterd yourself .",
      "despite some of the scenes dragging on too long , MOV is still a lot of fun , altering history for the better as the nazis feel the force of redemption .",
      "tarantino is at times like a flamboyant , egomaniacal orchestra conductor , gesticulating wildly and turning to the audience to make sure we know that the show 's about him .",
      "shows how most of us turn to film for both fantasy escape and an avenue to make the abstract past tangible , enough to even possibly , and powerfully , replace actual history .",
      "MOV is worthy of dr. strangelove .",
      "pure tarantino with the brash pop culture flourishes and disbelief suspension that entails , yet fine performances and memorable characters show real heart and thought behind MOV . i had a blast .",
      "... rarely have i ever been as satisfied with a film as i was with this one ... -lsb- but -rsb- you should know what you 're going to see ... heads are bashed in with baseball bats and people are brutally murdered . if that 's not your thing ...",
      "the film 's real star is christoph waltz , who steals the show as jekyll & hyde inquisitor hans landa . he is a screwball menace , giggling one moment then strangling you the next",
      "austrian actor christoph waltz triumphs , heroically , over tarantino 's brash , cine-drunk tall tale .",
      "mr. waltz 's dynamic performance contrasts satirical and dramatic hues , effectively charismatic and repulsive at once .",
      "MOV is quentin tarantino 's crash .",
      "it 's these fine sequences that can make you truly regret tarantino 's snarky , in-joke impulses , not to mention his arrogant -- perhaps even dangerous -- lack of concern with the story 's moral dimensions .",
      "an amalgam of tension and frivolity and movie-love and wantonness and sleight-of-hand and mastery and glee .",
      "landa is such a wily and despicable concoction that , in movie terms , he 's almost impossible not to like . and therein lies part of my problem with this movie .",
      "i 'm tempted to say tarantino has done it again , but i doubt anyone has ever done anything like his dazzlingly original world war ii movie , MOV .",
      "inglorious basterds is a meatier movie mash-up than his recent run of flicks , but it 's still first and foremost a platform for tarantino to indulge his very particular whims .",
      "what is not to like about dispatching armed and angry jews to kill nazis during the second world war ?",
      "will basterds polarize audiences ? that 's a given . but for anyone professing true movie love , there 's no resisting it .",
      "clocking in at 2 hours and 32 minutes , it is unforgivably leisurely , almost glacial , a film that loses its way in the thickets of alternative history and manages to be violent without the start-to-finish energy that violence on screen usually guarantees .",
      "may indeed be morally troublesome , but unlike , say , death proof , it 's also fiendishly entertaining .",
      "it 's a patient , layered , stupefying doozy of a motion picture . once again tarantino has come to bend the staples of cinema , and the results are characteristically spectacular .",
      "a well made film featuring one of the great performances of the year ...",
      "the picture contains all the things his fans like about tarantino -- the wit , the audacity , the sudden violence -- but this movie 's emotional core and bigness of spirit are new .",
      "quentin tarantino 's MOV is a big , bold , audacious war movie that will annoy some , startle others and demonstrate once again that he 's the real thing , a director of quixotic delights .",
      "a celebration of film as its own entity , beholden to nothing but its own creative impulses .",
      "it 's crazy , nasty fun , and pure unadulterated tarantino .",
      "effort still matters and originality is too damn scarce to lightly dismiss . MOV has plenty of both to spare .",
      "the movie 's tone is dangerously close to triumphant , without the necessary satire or feeling to keep it from being smug and potentially offensive .",
      "they 're inventing a new junk-food product line for MOV - the white elephant supreme .",
      "like a bat to the head , it 's not too subtle , but you ca n't help but watch .",
      "although the actors are flawless , it is tarantino whose name will go hand in hand with the film -- he is by the modern definition of the word an `` auteur . ''",
      "there is absolutely no one like tarantino . i think he 's capable of anything . it 's almost too much power for one filmmaker to have .",
      "with MOV , he 's managed to make a movie that will polarise more than ever ; its lack of immediacy will frustrate casual audiences ; its unfocused story will likely upset the qt hardcore .",
      "tarantino devotes roughly equal time to discussing the cinema of g.w. pabst and dramatizing the gory scalping of dead nazi soldiers . it 's just that kind of movie .",
      "despite failing to achieve epic greatness -lrb- or moral relevance -rrb- , inglourius basterds is a helluva cinematic experience , rewriting the fall of the third reich in a way few directors would ever dare .",
      "the experience is like savoring a box of imported french chocolates , only the last one is filled with the wrath of god .",
      "for all its originality , this hall of mirrors is the closest tarantino has come to making a film with old-fashioned , movie-movie appeal .",
      "waltz will be unknown to most american audiences -- he was certainly unknown to me -- but he 's nothing less than sensational as the silky , polyglot ss officer charged by the fuhrer to root out the remaining jews in france .",
      "the film is long , certainly , but it 's never dull ; it 's violent , of course , but hey , world war ii was a violent business and war movies were never like this before .",
      "a two and half hour film made up of only a handful of beautifully crafted scenes . superbly exagerated characters in high intensity moments . this is classic tarantino .",
      "something close to an ideal tarantino flick , an impertinent and often tasteless epic that rewrites wii history as a fairy tale for gonzo genre kicks .",
      "do n't be put off by all the explicit gore , for it is ultimately vindicated by the flick 's disturbing , self-referential way of delivering a thought-provoking message not only about war , but about our insatiable lust for movies about war .",
      "i think this is a key work in tarantino 's career , because it shows that he can pull off a masterpiece without resorting too much to his well-established bag of tricks .",
      "it 's a lurid , wide-screen fantasy of how things might have gone if sergio leone or sam fuller had called the shots .",
      "... an old-fashioned world war ii movie showing war as fun adventure updated by graphic violence , abetted by tarantino 's chimerical speculation .",
      "this is the most fun i 've had at the movies all year , and if you do n't mind a little nazi killin ' , you might just come out thinking the same .",
      "qt has let loose completely : flashes of cine-genius curdle with crude , crazy juvenility , although it does n't stop this being his most purely enjoyable film since kill bill : vol . 1 .",
      "landa is a man you will love to hate . his performance is a credible candidate for a best supporting actor oscar . he is the best thing in this patchy , overlong but ridiculously enjoyable return to form for the bad boy of american cinema .",
      "tarantino 's finest film since pulp fiction .",
      "tarantino likes action , but more than anything he likes seeing actors delivering the dialogue he wrote for them . in the case of the surprising , original MOV , we are happy to indulge him .",
      "basterds is not as the closing dialogue suggests , a masterpiece , but even an off-day tarantino can still impose shock and awe .",
      "MOV not only knows that it is a fictional movie , but also that it is being watched by an audience , and herein lays its greatest achievement .",
      "basterds is n't a deep film -- honestly , what tarantino flick is ? -- but it has moments as sharp as a bayonet and as perverse as war itself .",
      "basterds is his fullest , richest and most complete novel . -lsb- tarantino -rsb- presides over the tough material with the confidence of an artist who is done trying to impress everyone with gimmicks .",
      "for all its stylistic flourishes and interlocking storylines , MOV is , at its bullet-riddled core , a bloody good war movie , twisting and twisted and full of wordy shrapnel but no less kickass for it .",
      "an insane destruction of the war film",
      "is there another american filmmaker who takes such joy in telling stories and spinning cinematic spells as quentin tarantino ?",
      "MOV is a social marker as startling as easy rider was in its day .",
      "it 's so hollow and protracted that it transforms mayhem into monotony .",
      "MOV transcends the war genre to become its own kind of unique picture : a bloody blast of pure movie bliss .",
      "so long as you do n't mind twisted history and elaborate riffs on genre convention , you should find that there 's much to savor here , not least waltz 's magnetic villainy .",
      "many tarantino movies are female revenge fantasies , in which strong women plot the deaths of men who wronged them . in shosanna and bridget , the writer-director has fashioned two of his steeliest , most principled femmes fatales .",
      "tarantino is the most fearlessly inventive filmmaker alive -- but we knew that . and while MOV is never anything less than ridiculously entertaining , it 's nothing tarantino has n't done before .",
      "quentin tarantino has become the third coen brother .",
      "it 's a long but entertainingly showy melodrama full of cineaste jokes , tricksy wordplay and references to film-makers gw pabst , leni riefenstahl and sergio leone .",
      "how does one do justice to a movie as warped , wacky and way out there as ` MOV ' ? truth is , you ca n't . that 's how glorious this bastardized version of world war ii history becomes .",
      "a work that is experimental , offbeat , and most distinctly of a unique voice is a welcome rarity .",
      "raises a host of fascinating questions about the nature of justice and vengeance , and how these things are understood in both the jewish and christian traditions .",
      "this film is n't about world war ii , it 's about world war ii movies , as gleefully recounted by a giddy kid who 's eaten way too much sugar .",
      "how welcome , then , that basterds , while no masterpiece , manages to get at something more than its creator 's too often frivolously exercised visual intelligence and esoteric preoccupations .",
      "a pretty good war movie that is audacious , occasionally fun and too in love with its own voice .",
      "the film 's infamous ending offers tarantino 's most pronounced metaphor for cinema .",
      "MOV is naughty , apocalyptic fun -- tarantino 's version of a war movie , with history rewritten to avenge the guilty in ways that satisfy his pop-art cinephilia .",
      "MOV is almost as deliriously entertaining as a remixed hitler tantrum .",
      "it 's talky , foul-mouthed , over-the-top and probably too long by at least a half hour . however , those who enjoy tarantino 's brand of off-the-wall filmmaking and those who can withstand this film 's constant assault on their sensibilities will be just fine .",
      "the outcome is gory and glorious ."
    ],
    "summary": "a classic tarantino genre-blending thrill ride , MOV is violent , unrestrained , and thoroughly entertaining ,",
    "id": "770671947"
  },
  {
    "movie": "timbuktu_2015",
    "reviews": [
      "passionately humanistic as poetic , an urgent and timely portrait ... of sufi muslim culture and everyday life antithetical to the extreme fundamentalist definition of islam .",
      "a film that deliberately expresses its outrage with religious oppression , offering moments of humour and , at times , startling beauty .",
      "jihadism is perpetually ablaze in the news , but the mauritanian movie MOV , a nominee for the best foreign film oscar , gives those who suffer its condemnations a searingly human face .",
      "sissako achieves the daunting task of humanizing the villains by playing on audience expectations and preconceptions .",
      "an emerging star in african and world cinema , -lsb- sissako -rsb- is a talent every film lover should note .",
      "`` MOV '' is culturally deep , visually ravishing , utterly heartbreaking work .",
      "there 's no oasis to be found in this film 's arid landscape . peaceful co-existence is just a mirage .",
      "MOV is a transfixing meditation on faith , occupation , and man 's fallacies in the face of god . abderrahmane sissako presents an unnerving situation and elevates it into a fascinating microcosm .",
      "rather than shock , sissako envelops us in a heavy sadness as beauty and happiness is destroyed by the same species who had created it ...",
      "a masterful and heartbreaking account of religion trumping humanity .",
      "a transcendent political poem as intellectually rigorous as it is beautiful .",
      "this is the clash of ancient and modern , of rulers and ruled , of rabid dogma and the joys of daily life . it is a portrait of the ugly folly of imposed ideology , a too-common condition for far too many .",
      "well made , well told story , complete with humor",
      "the film is a magnificent document of secular humanism .",
      "the performances are hushed and memorable . cinematographer sofian el fanicaptures the beauty of this desert land . amine bouhafa 's score is its own act of gorgeous grace and defiance .",
      "wants us to slow down and think about what we 're seeing .",
      "... a sharply observed yet sensitively rendered examination of patriarchal society and religious extremism that does n't resort to heavy-handed political posturing .",
      "what sticks with you in writer-director abderrahmane sissako 's devastating portrait of brutal , didactic rule is the indestructibility of the human spirit .",
      "a piercingly relevant study of life under the rule of islamic jihadists .",
      "even though the atrocities committed by radical jihadists dominate the headlines and airwaves , few in the west know what it 's like to live under their reign . MOV ... is a moving , haunting and beautifully shot peek behind the closed cultural curtain .",
      "a lovely if sad story of contrasts one will not soon forget .",
      "... a better distillation of the struggle between freedom of expression and the urge to repress than any documentary collage of talking heads and archival footage could ever be ... a song of fury , a lyrical and forceful indictment of the enemies of joy .",
      "it is a film suffused with compassion as it celebrates the inner strength and quiet defiance of individuals at the mercy of a world where a shared humanity becomes the first casualty when intolerance and hatred take hold .",
      "shot with a brilliant eye for composition by sofian el fani , MOV is an essential work ; it 's a vital plea for understanding , compassion and peace that is marked by a deep wisdom and humanity .",
      "sissako creates an interrelated series of characters and tableaux giving us scenes from the life of a traumatised nation .",
      "exceptional human filmmaking .",
      "it has some of the same comic absurdism that ran through chris morris 's four lions , but the satire is combined with lyricism and a sense of mounting tragedy .",
      "abderrahmane sissako watches as traditional life , in harmony with a beautiful landscape , is destroyed by the invaders ' rules and sharia .",
      "... sissako 's film takes place on a simple , human scale that contrasts the absurdities of the militants ' penchant for extreme and abstract values with the human scale of the villagers ' lives .",
      "director abderrahmane sissako , a muslim from neighboring mauritania , has made a movie that is worthy of comparisons on several levels to terrence malick 's wheat-field tragedy `` days of heaven . ''",
      "abderrahmane sissako may not be the most prolific of filmmakers , but he is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and ambitious writer-directors working in film today , and quite possibly one of the best .",
      "MOV inarguably stands on its own merits as a distinctive film told with both authenticity and artistry , that makes human and visceral the kind of stories that most western eyes read only as news headlines , if that .",
      "the rebels are too flatly characterized for the religious conflict to deepen , and sissako 's other main story line , tracing a deadly feud between a fisherman and a cattle farmer , adds little to the movie 's political thrust .",
      "it may approach the subject of religious fundamentalism in a somewhat passionless manner , but MOV is still a thought-provoking , highly topical tale that surprisingly seeks to entertain as it educates .",
      "a spiritually powerful critique of islamic fundamentalism and the havoc it causes in MOV in 2012 .",
      "although the interlocking tales end in technical tragedy , there is yet a feeling that spirit will win out , like nature and the cycle of a gazelle that opens and closes .",
      "MOV is frightening and frustrating viewing . you 're watching the noose tighten over an entire town , and at times , it will cause you to gasp .",
      "the film 's criticism is n't primarily rooted in satire , but rather in fury and condemnation for those who seek to be gods while shamefully feigning to follow and praise one god .",
      "it is a tragedy , yes , but a very human one , with an overall caustic , almost nihilistic absurdity running throughout .",
      "sissako may be preaching to the converted here , but he does so with elegance , intelligence and beauty .",
      "sissako , with a few blunt-force exceptions , usually refrains from showing violence , preferring to juxtapose cruel acts with poetic images .",
      "MOV connects these disparate threads together with a poet 's ease and a delightful grace .",
      "a breathing , bleeding response to a genuine human rights crisis that does n't view tragedy as a zone exempt from beauty or humor .",
      "sissako 's precise , economic , style looks almost monastic , but unsurprisingly obtains a far more powerful effect .",
      "the release of `` MOV '' could not be more timely , although the sad truth is that , nowadays , almost any time would do .",
      "in the hands of a master , indignation and tragedy can be rendered with clarity yet subtlety , setting hysteria aside for deeper , more richly shaded tones . abderrahmane sissako is just such a master .",
      "MOV is a hard film to forget and once again brings sissako to the center stage of african cinema .",
      "sissako 's vision is so offhandedly seductive , it 's a while before you realise what a threat is gathering , and from where .",
      "thoughtful , nightmarish , unblinking , and a most worthy best foreign language film oscar nominee .",
      "absurd ? that 's precisely the point of a film that sets up a dialectical opposition between islam and fundamentalism . absurd and bloody .",
      "an unflinching , quietly furious exploration of life under radical islamist rule . it also makes a point about power that even nonextremist , democratically elected leaders would do well to keep in mind .",
      "a nuanced , humanistic portrait of a town besieged by jihadists , its images of violence suffused with almost surreal dreaminess .",
      "through the filmmaker 's poetic vision and rich grasp of the milieu , MOV becomes politically perceptive and emotionally authentic , depicting visceral trauma without hysterics and eye-opening truths without didacticism .",
      "even when the film tips over into violence , sissako never denies the hostile occupiers their humanity , even when the traits they represent are jealousy , pettiness , and hypocrisy .",
      "it manages to ravish the heart while dazzling the eye simultaneously , neither at the expense of the other . it 's a work of art that seems realized in an entirely organic way .",
      "avoiding stereotypes , the movie shrinks larger political and religious battles down to the people of a desert town - city dwellers and nomadic tuareg people out in the dunes - being forced to change by a handful of halfhearted oppressors .",
      "`` MOV '' deserves every accolade it gets .",
      "the kind of mature polemical filmmaking that ca n't help but seem singular , because few political-issue-type directors try it , and even fewer get it right .",
      "eye-opening but never didactic , sissako 's beautifully shot film immerses us in a reality we usually experience as no more than a headline .",
      "sissako 's gorgeous fourth feature reflects upon the role religion currently plays in africa , and the foundational clash of cultures that shaped the continent .",
      "this unforgettable tragi-comedy shows a cross-section of ordinary mali people trying to live normally while being harassed by swaggering jihadists toting kalashnikov rifles .",
      "a film that 's a mix of tones , of satire and melodrama and tragedy , that somehow jells .",
      "a movie about real people sinking into an abyss as unrelenting as the sand surrounding them . it offers no easy answers or hopeful pleas , but it demands to be seen .",
      "an extraordinary accomplishment , a heartbreaking , visually spectacular and largely accessible work from a cinematic master who is more than ready for international attention .",
      "the film throbs with humanity , and abounds in extraordinary images ...",
      "not particularly useful to those who want good-vs . - evil ` moral clarity , ' but it 's useful to everyone else .",
      "a provocative , sometimes satiric drama about the sort of islamic extremists who make life , especially in the outer reaches , so treacherous these days .",
      "-lsb- sissako -rsb- has made a film of unforgettable anger , yet tempered his outrage with humor , compassion and visual poetry .",
      "sissako captures his story with poetic precision rather than gritty realism . each shot is deliberately composed , and the transitions to new scenes follow a unique rhythm .",
      "MOV is bracingly original and unexpected-a welcome shock to the system for american moviegoers who 've grown used to seeing prosaic melodrama in topical or torn-from-the-headline movies",
      "this is a film in which small pieces stand in for a daunting and horrifying whole .",
      "what we end up with is a film that adeptly meshes political anger with strong traditional narratives .",
      "a film that 's guaranteed to resonate for years to come .",
      "sissako 's film offers a fearlessly poetic response to the jihadist occupation ; its tone is never preachy and it is beautiful to watch .",
      "a mesmerizing political tone film of our times about intolerant islamic fundamentalist taking control of a muslim community in MOV .",
      "the movie makes sure to never forget that these are all people , stupid , flawed people ; the banality of evil is so prevalent here that you 'll occasionally laugh just to keep from cry .",
      "what makes it so unusually compelling as a protest film is that it 's also a richly poetic work of cinema - witty , beautiful and even , sobering though it is , highly entertaining .",
      "visually surprising to all the surroundings . . forcing us to see it from a new perspective and ignoring the routine and what is familiar .",
      "seldom has a film about a subject as grim as this been so generous in its sympathy not just for the victims of a brutal system , but also the oppressors , often confused befuddled souls , who know not what they do .",
      "there are few filmmakers alive today wearing a mantle of moral authority comparable to that which sissako has taken upon himself , and if his film has been met with an extraordinary amount of acclaim , it is because he manages to wear this mantle lightly .",
      "MOV is an essential film for these medieval , 21st century times .",
      "dazzling and morally devastating ...",
      "`` MOV '' is a terrific film , a quiet work of savage truth .",
      "in providing audiences a chance to bear witness to unspeakable suffering as well as dazzling defiance and human dignity , sissako has created a film that 's a privilege to watch .",
      "what daily life is like for locals living under the jihadist rule of insurgents : repressive , humiliating and too often tragic .",
      "masterful ...",
      "abderrahmane sissako 's sad , handsome film is a response , a supplement , and a protest to the horrors that flash by on the news .",
      "the film 's approach is meticulous and unwavering .",
      "elegantly artful , maddeningly truthful .",
      "terrible things happen in MOV . there are also moments of striking poetry and subtle humour ."
    ],
    "summary": "gracefully assembled and ultimately disquieting , MOV is a timely film with a powerful message .",
    "id": "771380509"
  },
  {
    "movie": "me_and_you_and_everyone_we_know",
    "reviews": [
      "a film brimming with unexpected moments , bristling with creative energy and filled with humanity and compassion .",
      "these characters are sympathetic .",
      "it 's an oddly affecting piece that manages to say something about isolation and loneliness in its own peculiar way .",
      "this is the good stuff you wade through years of outwardly similar dross to get to -- though its distinctiveness is n't immediately apparent .",
      "here 's a perfectly twee little romance all but smothered in a blanket of indie ` edge . '",
      "... july is playing on very dangerous ground here , making potential child molestation into comic plot points .",
      "if todd solondz were a humanist , he might make something like performance artist miranda july 's winning debut feature film .",
      "a charmingly odd movie about the adventure life has to offer , even in the form of department stores , hope chests and goldfish .",
      "an intriguing piece of humanistic cinema .",
      "so pure in its commitment to the world it has created , so fascinated by its bizarre characters and their idiosyncrasies and so wide-eyed and curious about life 's possibilities that it is utterly unlike the work of any other filmmaker .",
      "july 's suspiciously contrived awkwardness notwithstanding , the picture is at its best when it cleaves to her experimental video aesthetic ; framing the mundane with the wonder of a child-like perspective .",
      "much of this is far too precious - it 's mostly for adults who impulsively put socks on their ears , as a character does here .",
      "this wobbly low fidelity romantic comedy is filled with distinctly unlikable characters and an unsubstantiated use of child sexuality that further clouds the film 's morally rudderless course .",
      "breaks through its own whimsical stylisation to touch you in unexpected and mysterious ways .",
      "a clever screenwriter and inspired director , july takes us places no other filmmaker has ever visited .",
      "precious with a capital ` p. '",
      "micro budget , no-name cast , but a movie with boundless imagination .",
      "MOV is as unexpected as life itself .",
      "with a film like MOV there is much to talk about afterward , and half the fun is in its dissection .",
      "in a time in which the big screen is cluttered with retreads of old tv shows ... july 's film is an oasis of offbeat observations and provocative humor .",
      "the film conjures a heightened reality where characters verbalize their thoughts , desires , and impulses without submitting them to the usual filters first ; july takes in their foibles unblinkingly and folds them into an awkward , heartfelt embrace .",
      "as in the center of the world , july 's focus is on people 's deformed longing for human connection .",
      "july 's handmade movie is so unique and so true to the artist 's elementally feminine self , both in form and in content -lrb- it also picked up a batch of awards at cannes -rrb- , that it 's impossible not to respond strongly to it .",
      "so strangely charming that you ca n't help but warm up to -lsb- miranda july 's -rsb- wonderfully odd view of the world ...",
      "performance artist miranda july hits a grand slam as the writer , director and star of her first film .",
      "that rare first-time gem that does everything remarkably well",
      "truly independent , which is to say offbeat , daring , and the kind of offering hollywood will never come close to embracing .",
      "at times funny , sinister , quirky and bittersweet , july 's film is also obvious , contrived and too precious by far .",
      "exceptionally solondz-esque ; incredibly impressive .",
      "characterized by an ensemble of rich and delicious characters and witty , unexpected dialogue , july 's script is also marked by a deep affection for children .",
      "MOV is a real treasure in the guise of yet another sundance dramedy -lrb- dare i say romantic comedy ? -rrb- about quirky characters populating a quirky world .",
      "this first feature by multimedia performance artist miranda july is a hit-and-miss affair . it has moments of unexpected , offbeat comedy , but most of the time neither the characters nor the situations engage the viewer .",
      "MOV brings a fresh perspective to age-old human dilemmas : the longing of children to become adults , the yearning of adults to recapture the innocence of youth , and the difficulty of finding true love at age 7 or 70 .",
      "there 's a spell of magic and sense of wonderment in miranda july 's `` me and you , '' the most original , charming , and visionary film at sundance this year .",
      "the writer-director-star is so aggressively ` alternative ' that she 'll have the gyllenhaals diving for cover , however her peculiar handle on humanity proves quite engaging .",
      "it seems quite possible that me and you marks the arrival of an artist who may affect -- disturbingly yet helpfully -- films and audiences to come .",
      "the uneven romantic drama veers from raunchy comedy situations to making keen observations about desperate folks .",
      "an extremely enjoyable film that is by turns funny , moving and genuinely romantic .",
      "a journey from sexual innocence to youthful curiosity , middle-aged disconnection and finally death in the magical simultaneity of screen time .",
      "life-affirming ; a wonderfully serene treat of a film that you 'd be sorry to miss .",
      "a terrarium of a movie , characterized by many charmed moments ...",
      "a symptom of a gently transgressive spirit , a souvenir of an encounter with a playful spook .",
      "july 's tender , original movie is a wonderfully uplifting experience .",
      "click with it and there are elements to enjoy , but the title suggests a universal significance the film ca n't supply .",
      "just as its calculated , self-conscious quirkiness threatens to become unbearable , the film suddenly pulls off a perfectly calibrated grace note so unexpected that it 's almost breathtaking .",
      "how bearable you 'll find -lsb- the film -rsb- has everything to do with your tolerance for stylized indie poetry , played mostly in a quirky , anesthetized deadpan .",
      "a strangely affecting and often very funny meditation on modern-day alienation .",
      "the dialogue is so contrived , the characters so self-consciously quirky that me and you often feels like a parody of an indie movie .",
      "you laugh now and then , but mostly you smile -- at the simple connections people make , at the guileless screenplay , at the general tone of wonderment and love for mankind .",
      "gorgeously loopy .",
      "very personal , very funny vision of performance artist miranda july .",
      "miranda july 's MOV is a film that with quiet confidence creates a fragile magic .",
      "a wonderful film",
      "not just creepy and unsavory at such moments , but pleased to be so .",
      "commercially , this ifc release is better suited for the ifc channel .",
      "a graceful first step in what is sure to be a long and wonderfully imaginative evolution .",
      "while miranda july 's first feature film might be classified as romantic comedy , it introduces the playful qualities of installation art to the conventions of narrative cinema .",
      "the acting is marvelous , all the way down the line .",
      "a vanity project by a moderately talented artist that has moments of real brilliance in it .",
      "an effortlessly feel-good movie .",
      "proudly quirky and optimistic",
      "takes a couple of neat swipes at the pretentiousness of the art scene , but as a commentary on the difficulty of connecting in contemporary society , it 's too precious by half .",
      "a refreshingly original and touching film about the incredible loneliness of isolated individuals in this digital age of so-called connectedness .",
      "many other characters also weave in and out of the story , which is sometimes sweet and ingenious , extremely explicit about adolescent sex . and occasionally too clever for its own good .",
      "july 's tender view of these characters borders on the sentimental .",
      "MOV brings a fresh perspective to age-old human dilemmas : the longing of children to become adults , the yearning of adults to recapture the innocence of youth , and the difficulty of finding true love at age 7 or 70 .",
      "set in a down-at-the-heels suburb that might be called anywhere , america , the movie looks for connection in the oddest places , and , with an emotional impact out of all proportion to its gossamer touch , finds it .",
      "refreshingly weird romance .",
      "in her roles as writer , director and star , july brings to the project a freshness of vision and tone that makes it feel as if nobody has done this sort of thing before .",
      "totally original yet filled with familiar human frailties , everyone leaps off the screen to become one of those rare movie-going experiences that linger in the part of the brain reserved for celluloid memories .",
      "an introspective , observant film with a deeply warped sense of humour .",
      "july 's fertile imagination fills -lsb- the film -rsb- with incidents , many of which are charming and perceptive , some of which fall embarassingly flat .",
      "hums with compassion for its outlandish , lonely but always sweet characters .",
      "... a playfully offbeat , willfully wide-eyed tale of lonely , inarticulate people looking for connection in a disconnected world .",
      "delightfully light on its feet , suffused with a knowing humor that is more sweetly careworn than cynical .",
      "july 's oddball vision grows on you , and i found myself looking forward to her next film .",
      "the sparks of brilliance littered throughout miranda july 's debut feature are just that -- sparks .",
      "it helps a great deal that the wispy , flower-like miranda july appears in her own film , as her adorable , blue-eyed presence warms what would have been a cold ... experience .",
      "walks a thin line between sincerity and pretension , but ultimately deals with enough issues head-on to make the occassionally excessive quirkiness forgivable .",
      "generally maintains a lovely humanism .",
      "establishes a fragile tension that 's both disquieting and hopeful but its poetic nature is abstract in the extreme .",
      "the debut film from performance art crossover miranda july delivers an unlikely blend of irreverence and optimism . for all its dark humor and fringe qualities , the movie never descends into easy misanthropy .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- ruly art : uncomfortable in the incisiveness of -lsb- its -rsb- observations , aggressively attuned to the ordinary ...",
      "an original , elusive , heartfelt , funny-sad little movie that does n't intend to change the world but kinda does .",
      "first-time feature director july 's success has a great deal to do with her bold embrace of childhood and its gnarly truths .",
      "a film of indescribable and often unmentionable charm , MOV is one of those completely unexpected artistic experiences , a work from an unknown with such a compelling , unique perspective that it boggles and inspires .",
      "director miranda july just might be the year 's most exciting film discovery .",
      "it 's funny , insightful , and makes you want to call up miranda and say , ` macaroni ' -lrb- which means ` i get you ' -rrb- .",
      "a comedy/drama that is unusually attuned to the halting , tentative way people connect with each other .",
      "good builds , bad follow-throughs .",
      "july is a delightful discovery , as both a filmmaker and a performer .",
      "although MOV requires patience on the part of the viewer -- to get past the faux naivete of its grown-up characters , to get past its deadpan arty tone -- miranda july 's feature debut is worth the time .",
      "a film that bubbles with unique thought , trembling pain and immersive conversation .",
      "one leaves the theater grateful to have shared the time with these characters on-screen , but hoping we wo n't meet them in the lobby .",
      "performance artist miranda july has long trafficked in short pieces , and it shows : her feature-length debut is packed with arresting images , moments , and single lines of dialogue .",
      "july , who also wrote the script , is a keenly observant filmmaker .",
      "it 's a sturdy piece of writing wed to an utterly unique visual style .",
      "frequently too sentimental and self-consciously adorable for my taste .",
      "july is without a doubt a brave new talent in the creatively beleaguered world of american cinema .",
      "for me and almost everyone i know , july 's wispy film will only be a quirky diversion .",
      "a movie that 's sweet without being sugary and quirky without being insufferable .",
      "a film that may take more than one viewing for its offbeat brilliance and tender sweetness to become fully apparent .",
      "july , who is staggeringly beautiful in a way that has more to do with greek mythology than it does pop culture , has also sculpted a debut feature of astonishing , exquisite grace .",
      "easily the year 's most imaginative movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "miranda july 's debut feature is a charmingly offbeat and observant film about people looking for love .",
    "id": "12863"
  },
  {
    "movie": "never_say_never_again",
    "reviews": [
      "the rank pall of opportunism hangs over this sorry rogue enterprise from producer kevin mcclory , as he tries to assemble the component parts that make up a bond movie and fails .",
      "connery",
      "bond gets worse as sean gets older .",
      "ah , yes , james , it is good to have you back again .",
      "connery , brandauer and kim-sexy !",
      "aside from some minor flaws , the film is a surprisingly standard bond film , one that could easily be integrated into the `` official '' franchise with very few adjustments .",
      "brandauer is a great bond villain , and the role still fits connery like an old tux .",
      "the action 's good , the photography excellent , the sets decent ; but the real clincher is the fact that bond is once more played by a man with the right stuff .",
      "it 's a major disappointment that , having lured back the original 007 , the film makers could n't offer him something better than this drawn-out , hackneyed story .",
      "as dull as dishwater .",
      "MOV is the best acted bond picture ever made , because it clearly surpasses any predecessors in the area of inventive and clever character delineation .",
      "it 's not a rap against roger moore to say that this film seems to bring james bond back to life . sean connery did , after all , define the character .",
      "sean connery is still up to par as james bond in the latest adventure of agent 007 .",
      "the plot , which owes much to thunderball , lurches badly at times , but the wild action set pieces , decked out in gals , gadgets and glib lines , are there to be cherished .",
      "a fitting farewell to 007 's most enduring embodiment : as much a playful send-up as a loving final embrace .",
      "can we just consider 1983 a lost year for james bond ? first , `` octopussy , '' then sean connery 's return in a depressing dilution of the 007 brand - one that ends with a fourth wall-breaking wink indicative less of arch fun , more of bored indifference .",
      "i know bond fans were furious about this movie cause it was n't an eon production , and i think they 're wrong . they should be furious at it because it 's a horrendous film .",
      "the slick production values impress and barbara carrera and klaus maria brandauer are good value villains , but irvin kershner appears to have nodded off in the director 's chair .",
      "in MOV , the formula is broadened to accommodate an older , seasoned man of much greater stature , and mr. connery expertly fills the bill .",
      "an ugly , unwanted epilogue -lsb- to connery 's bond -rsb- , in which the character who was so iconic and perfect is reduced to a self-conscious joke .",
      "after a 12-year hiatus , sean connery is back in action as james bond . the new entry marks something of a retreat from the far-fetched technology of many of the later bonds in favor of intrigue and romance .",
      "like being trapped in a dream inside twin peaks",
      "it 's an aging and unenthusiastic connery who returns to play bond , who does n't have the physicality to do justice any more to the demanding muscular role .",
      "connery was perhaps wise to call it quits the first time round .",
      "there is a special place in movie hell for MOV . not that it 's particularly bad -- though it 's hardly good -- but because it 's such a cheeseball experience with a strange and horrible pedigree .",
      "connery proved plenty fit for one more outing ... a likeable but somewhat mediocre adventure handsomely mounted in the traditional bond style ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "gone is the excessive gadgetry that mars bond films , and , as a result , the characters are more prominent and colorful .",
      "it is good to see connery 's grave stylishness in this role again . it makes bond 's cynicism and opportunism seem the product of genuine worldliness -lrb- and world weariness -rrb- as opposed to roger moore 's mere twirpishness .",
      "connery has style , if not quite the energy quotient -lrb- he was 53 at the time -rrb- -- some nifty editing and a redundant dance routine make him look good .",
      "without absolute conviction , no action film can survive : if there 's no belief , there 's no danger .",
      "... one of the most sophisticated of the bonds .",
      "although this movie is n't perfect , it is good enough that you truly wish connery had never said never again .",
      "the film 's photography is pretty slick and the stuff in the bahamas in particular has aged very well ."
    ],
    "summary": "while the rehashed story feels rather uninspired and unnecessary , the return of both sean connery and a more understated bond make MOV a watchable retread .",
    "id": "10555"
  },
  {
    "movie": "wendy_and_lucy",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a short , sweet film with a premise as plain as they come : a girl and her dog drift into town .",
      "dramatic arc is an elegant structure revealing the laws of emotional physics",
      "is MOV the bicycle thieves of the new recession cinema ?",
      "i ca n't think of a more generous or humane filmmaker than kelly reichardt .",
      "agonizingly slow-moving and it has a bare-bones plot in which nothing much happens .",
      "the very definition of a small film , MOV nonetheless packs some serious wallop thanks to a quietly extraordinary performance by michelle williams .",
      "such is the resonant magic of kelly reichardt 's remarkable little film , one of those exercises in minimalism where every word matters , every shot counts , until the kernel expands and a whole world emerges in 80 brief minutes .",
      "even at 80 minutes , the film is like a short story that 's a couple of pages too long . but the experience sticks with you , thanks largely to the actors .",
      "MOV , a minimalist character study starring michelle williams , is a deft , compact piece that makes every shot and moment count .",
      "MOV is a drama about loss . it 's entirely character-driven , so not much of anything happens in the story , and yet it 's a completely harrowing film .",
      "a spare and incredibly moving portrait of life on the fringes of contemporary america",
      "kelly reichardt 's MOV is another illustration of how absorbing a film can be when the plot does n't stand between us and a character .",
      "whether she 's warily cleaning up in a service-station restroom , or staring at the trains that offer a different travel option , or establishing her rapport with lucy , williams bravely explores the soul of a creature who 's both gentle and determined .",
      "given the woeful lack of inner life for young women in american movies , williams 's single gesture of fatigue and partial defeat in MOV is momentous .",
      "this is survival , revealed in all the blunt details of a documentary portrait and the simple power of -lsb- michelle -rsb- williams ' unadorned , oscar-worthy performance .",
      "MOV is a delicate and compassionate portrait of someone living precariously on the edge , and it asks us to respond to their predicament with kindness rather than indifference .",
      "older audiences are hailing this slim story of a hand-to-mouth transient limping her way to alaska as an insight into gen x 's unmoored ennui . it 's like they 've watched the kite runner and now think they understand afghanistan .",
      "-lsb- wendy 's -rsb- story works on an empathetic , functional level , and it thankfully resists extreme turns of any kind , though that lack of distinction also contributes to the generalization of both her character and this particular scenario .",
      "you have to admire wendy 's determination to keep forging ahead , little by little , despite the seriously disappointing setbacks that keep coming her way .",
      "like reichardt , williams does a lot with very little , culminating in a bittersweet , quietly moving finale .",
      "-lsb- michelle -rsb- williams delivers the goods and deserves the attention this fine role is getting .",
      "the movie , for all its morose impassivity , is beautiful and haunting .",
      "this quiet , unfussy film feels more important than a whole host of glossy blockbusters , raising urgent yet easily ignored questions about the often unforgiving economic environment of which everyone forms a part .",
      "the film is exquisitely realized , with a tremendous , naturalistic performance by michelle williams at its heart .",
      "writing this review gave me more appreciation for the film as a work than i had while i was watching it . perhaps it was intended to be more like a lovely poem or a painting .",
      "paints a frequently affecting snapshot of a rudderless young woman in difficult straits , -lsb- though -rsb- its homespun approach never achieves a transcendent effect .",
      "thanks to an extraordinary performance from michelle williams and an exceptionally deft hand from her director , this low-budget and loping little film is a genuine heartbreaker .",
      "relentlessly solemn movies like MOV are why recession-plagued americans paid $ 33 million last week to see paul blart , mall cop .",
      "although the film itself is uneven and unresolved , there is no question that michelle williams delivers a career high performance as a desperate woman whose only companion is her faithful dog .",
      "deliberately paced -- slow , even -- it 's nevertheless an amazing , timely parable for increasingly desperate times .",
      "williams 's low-key , heartbreaking turn speaks volumes about the economic savagery of modern america , where even the companionship of a pet has a price beyond some people 's means .",
      "here 's one movie that will make you want to go home and hug your dog .",
      "this sort of austere , elliptical portrait of the downtrodden owes much to the italian neorealism made internationally famous by scriptwriter cesare zavattini and director vittorio de sica after world war ii .",
      "perfectly paced , with the many long silences you get in real life , kelly reichardt 's film is undone by a fatal plot flaw involving the dog .",
      "sensible people will see the film for what it is : waiting for dogot without beckett ... but you can not argue with dog lovers : they see in a vacuum of nothingness an existential nirvana .",
      "williams , with pageboy haircut and a martyrishly sad face , is quite lovely as this lost soul , while writer-director kelly reichardt catches something poignant in the windblown spaces of the american north-west .",
      "the story is told with a merciful lack of sentimentality , while williams 's performance seems totally natural . added to that , reichardt paints the smalltown scene with an attention to detail that a lot of other films miss .",
      "superbly directed , brilliantly written and emotionally engaging drama with a terrific central performance from michelle williams .",
      "kelly reichardt 's third film is another small story revolving around seemingly banal events which , like its predecessor old joy , builds into a moving cry of despair for its alienated lead character .",
      "one of those rare but keen pieces of art that engage and reflect the human condition with no apparent effort at all .",
      "a modest yet deeply felt road movie about an idealistic young drifter , her faithful canine and the wide-open spaces of the pacific northwest .",
      "after seeing these two films from reichardt , i ca n't wait to see what she does next .",
      "it 's easy to admire to williams ' performance , without ever feeling compelled to cry .",
      "michelle williams does her best but she can not prevent kelly reichardt 's MOV , a weak tale about being broke and on the road in rural america , from dwindling into boredom .",
      "a soulful tale of anomie in america .",
      "for all its virtues , MOV seems like the most overrated of art movies .",
      "a moment snatched from time , from a life coming from nowhere in particular , passing through interchangeable cities on a road map - and not bound for glory .",
      "a compassionate account of an enterprising young woman on her way to alaska to find work who falls into peril due to a series of unforeseen circumstances beyond her control .",
      "slow , ponderous , meticulously rendered realism that will appeal to specific audiences of slow , ponderous , meticulously rendered realism , with a heart .",
      "this is a low-budget movie with a limited release which deserves to be seen simply because it features one of america 's best actresses on fine form .",
      "nothing much happens in it , but it is still gently absorbing and oddly memorable .",
      "the classic indie-sundance idiom of reticent performance , affectless dialogue , stonewashed colour photography and plain , sans-serif lettering on the credits .",
      "MOV is a sweet , slight and beautifully crafted film .",
      "this brilliant , desperately sad steinbeckian fable from american director kelly reichardt . it 's reichardt 's third full-length feature -lrb- ` old joy ' was in cinemas last year -rrb- , but only her first masterpiece .",
      "MOV is quiet , deliberate filmmaking . see it knowing you will witness an idiosyncratic take on storytelling by a fundamentally independent filmmaker .",
      "the indie drama is a slow-motion exercise in economic frustration , as a young woman with already limited options sees her few choices evaporating around her .",
      "the current economic crisis has turned this fictional story of one woman 's string of bad luck into a tale that seems real and relatable .",
      "criminally overlooked this awards season , this modest indie is a treat .",
      "the simple construct yields such a rich world is a triumph , thanks in no small part to director kelly reichardt 's hawk-like narrative focus and good casting sense .",
      "MOV is an old-school indie portrait of a woman in a desperate situation . it 's quiet -- virtually silent in parts -- and at just 80 minutes , it makes its point without overstating it .",
      "MOV 's minimalist aesthetic relaxes rather than taxes our awareness , allowing it to linger over minute details , which , in turn , become monumental developments .",
      "in happy sum , reichardt is one more of the current american directors , most of them still young , who are endowing our film world with pleasure and hope .",
      "i expect there will be more stories like MOV 's in the coming months and years . the wonder will be if they articulate their compassion and distress with such unforced eloquence .",
      "the climax is a heartbreaker , and in its haunting finale the movie recalls no less than mervyn leroy 's depression-era classic i am a fugitive from a chain gang .",
      "it 's a really simple story , but humanity , companionship and will power are n't that complicated either .",
      "MOV -- with its simple shots and edits and an elegantly musicless soundtrack -- proves you do n't have to be flashy to be compelling .",
      "MOV is a little masterpiece about the painful realities of life among the have-nots during tough economic times .",
      "MOV refines reichardt as a poet of the overlooked american working class .",
      "even as wendy 's desperate situation magnifies every triumph and setback , williams remains a remarkably grounded presence . it is quite likely the year 's best screen acting .",
      "decency is heartbreakingly trampled by strict , hard-nosed , boot-straps logic and the kind of hippie freedom nostalgia of movies like easy rider is quietly blown away like dust .",
      "though it does n't feature old joy 's air america radio call-in greek chorus , kelly reichardt 's follow-up MOV is nonetheless a somber politicized lament for hardscrabble lives struggling to exist on the economic precipice .",
      "... slowly-but-surely grows on the viewer ...",
      "it 's an arthouse marley & me , a one-woman/one-dog grapes of wrath and an americanized umberto d with a score comprised of williams ' occasional humming .",
      "the second coming of the great depression already has a version of the grapes of wrath .",
      "it 's a quiet , undemonstrative movie but the points it makes go far , far beyond the breast-beating of more political film-makers .",
      "it is only marginally more absorbing than watching paint dry .",
      "its effortless evocation of poverty 's emotional brutality could hardly be more topical .",
      "it 's easy to mistake the film 's luxurious pacing and other minimalist filmmaking techniques for self-indulgence and navel-gazing introspection .",
      "the performance ranks right behind melissa leo 's amazing thespian turn in `` frozen river . ''",
      "williams and patton and the folks of this corner of oregon serve up a slice of `` indie '' that , if it does n't reach the level of `` inspires , '' at least feels timely and true .",
      "MOV is a film of small details and unassuming craftsmanship . it may be too slight for some , but if you let it get under your skin , it packs a devastating emotional coda .",
      "what comes across more powerfully is the sense of alienation and the simple tragedy of a human being whose only meaningful connection to the world comes through her friendship with an animal .",
      "within the confines of this minimalist -lrb- with a microscopic m -rrb- picture , there are sequences so vital , timely and of-the-moment , so powerful and well-observed and precise , the effect can be emotionally overwhelming .",
      "MOV follows in noble traditions but steadfastly refuses to breach the poetry of its predecessors . despite michelle williams 's best efforts this is a very long , obvious , opaque 80 minutes .",
      "told sparely and with deliberate pacing , it 's a profoundly tender , deceptively simple story .",
      "` MOV ' is the best feel-bad movie of the year .",
      "america is about to see a sharp upturn in hard-luck stories , which makes kelly reichardt 's small-scale drama MOV sadly timely .",
      "a beautiful performance from michelle williams anchors this gentle examination of modern life",
      "it 's a resonant little mood piece that packs a great deal into a small compass .",
      "williams is fascinating to watch on screen ... but a strong performance does not necessarily an entertaining movie make , and there seems to be little point or purpose to this .",
      "keenly observational and quietly poignant , MOV is a personalized hymn to economic strife and the sort of everyday financial demands that keep one from getting the leg-up they need .",
      "... timing with the current economic crisis makes wendy 's plight an everyman 's and the poignancy and fate of human kindnesses and transgressions make `` MOV '' feel like a northwestern `` umberto d. ''",
      "a prime specimen of american independent cinema .",
      "modest but cosmic .",
      "MOV takes place mainly outdoors and registers the natural beauty of the pacific northwest with unostentatious affection .",
      "if you 've ever lost a pet dog , or found yourself at the wrong end of an irreparably diminished bank account , MOV is the kind of film that will break your heart .",
      "for thoughtful filmgoers , this is a very timely and affecting study of what happens as one by one social props are stripped away and ties are broken .",
      "the narrative has been pared to the bone , and that was a problem for me . we know nothing about wendy , who she really is , why she left indiana , what she hopes to do in alaska -- apart from find a job .",
      "kelly reichardt 's devastating little film has attracted a lot of admiration since its debut at cannes last year , partly because of its timeliness .",
      "this is not a saccharine , marley & me-type tale , but a wrenchingly ordinary story , emotionally manipulative in its own way -- i know my heart was in my throat -- about poverty in the land of plenty .",
      "... an american bicycle thief , a simple , powerful film about the oppressive indignity of being poor in a wealthy country .",
      "-lsb- williams -rsb- does n't have to say much to convey the deep wells of hurt that wendy 's carrying around , and they 're all the more poignant for remaining unspoken .",
      "a year from now it wo n't be a blip on my conscious mind . if someone mentions it to me , it 'll register as ` oh , yeah , that depressing movie about the woman and her dog . '",
      "like a worst-case-scenario , indie-movie cliché , MOV throws every bone it can at the screen",
      "exquisitely simple , this pearl of a film is an ode to freedom .",
      "the affecting , minimalist film MOV proves that small-town dramas are n't dead , but small towns , at least in the mellencamp-idealist sense , are .",
      "an interesting film that needs the audience to serve as a mirror for wendy 's travails and emotions .",
      "director reichardt appears to owe a debt to the dardenne brothers ' similarly themed , palme d'or-winning rosetta , getting her intense effects from the point-of-view camera as much as from williams 's strong performance .",
      "a `` grapes of wrath '' for our age , even better than ford 's masterpiece in some ways since it disdains melodrama and delivers a more realistic view of the human condition under poverty and homelessness . a truly great movie .",
      "MOV is like lassie come home directed by antonioni .",
      "to her credit , ms. reichardt never allows her camera to become a voyeuristic witness to a young woman in distress . instead , it remains focused on a largely indifferent american landscape of strangers in perpetual motion to nowhere .",
      "michelle williams memorably radiates an authentic , embattled humanity in kelly reichardt 's tale of a girl and her dog .",
      "for all that the plot is minimal , it provides a non-judgmental look into the life of a woman who , while not undergoing a life-or-death ordeal , is facing something no less soul crushing .",
      "everything about this small indie feels smart , just right , and well-acted .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- thoroughly contemplative and reflective small scale feature . tender and relentlessly subdued in its low-key poignancy ... quaint yet -lsb- a -rsb- gut-wrenching narrative .",
      "with the right marketing MOV could find a small and dedicated arthouse audience that could turn this simple heart warmer into a modest box office hit .",
      "a car breaking down , a lost dog , a town with no jobs -- these are mundane points in a mundane america , but they are wendy 's world in its entirety , a floating world that we glimpse briefly before it moves on .",
      "if you liked `` into the wild '' you might have half a chance of getting into this extended melodrama . but beware , the story has none of the interesting characters and double the lameness .",
      "reichardt seems to be challenging us to ask ourselves questions that the occluded , stricken , mysterious wendy ca n't or wo n't ask . questions like : how did we get here ? and what do we do now ?",
      "MOV is too laconic to be mistaken for a social drama , but it 's set in a land whose harshness seems to a require a stronger critique than reichardt 's vignettes .",
      "it 's a deceptively easy , effortlessly lovely film .",
      "reichardt , working as she did in old joy from a short story by jonathan raymond , is unwilling -lrb- as she was in old joy -rrb- to either romanticize or condescend to her characters ' self-willed marginality .",
      "the pace of real life is the rhythm that drives reichardt 's beautifully minimalist film .",
      "kelly reichardt spends the 75 minutes of MOV weaving an intimate , narrowly focused story of unanchored life on the road and just how tenuous such an existence is .",
      "bruises while barely raising its voice",
      "if MOV is n't the most dynamic movie around , at least its tone and approach are sure-footed and appropriate .",
      "MOV gets under your nails , which is to say , it 's the stuff of life .",
      "reichardt serves her cause best when she forgoes the melodrama and focuses on the humanity , as well as the inhumanity , of the situation .",
      "director co-writer kelly reichardt ... has fashioned a cautionary tale for the ages .",
      "somewhere between a cautionary tale and a simple character study , reichardt 's film belongs to that part of all of us that finds hope on the other side of the horizon .",
      "simple story , beautifully told .",
      "though a less satisfying effort than old joy , MOV exhibits reichardt and co-writer jonathan raymond 's deftly subtle touch and both writers ' compassionate take on how deeply poverty settles into their characters ' bones .",
      "reichardt is a gifted visual composer and a dream with actors , but a little from this filmmaker goes an awfully long way . wendy steps further into reichardt 's cinematic meditation , yet shows her straining to reach lofty emotional goals .",
      "grim to the point of tedium",
      "surprisingly gripping little movie about a drifter in a small oregon town looking for her lost pooch , features michelle williams in a raw nerve of a performance .",
      "turns the slimmest of narrative threads into a powerful meditation on the emotional cost of living .",
      "-lsb- with -rsb- very basic storytelling , we 've got to be given a reason to care and it never happens .",
      "this indie film is slow and downright boring at its core .",
      "in a minimalist film of muted emotions , michelle williams gives as lovely a performance as a moviegoer could ask for . it 's a portrait of a life going grievously wrong , or one that 's never been right .",
      "MOV renews the spirit of american independent film . its minimalism has a purpose , its sentiment seeks honest feeling when it could have been used for easy manipulation .",
      "everyone who sees it is likely to remember it . it grows on you .",
      "it 's difficult to think of a movie more relevant to this moment in american life than MOV . it 's also difficult to think of a movie that more movingly conveys the plight of people caught in such a fix .",
      "stark , heartbreaking and blunt in its notion that , even in these troubled times , sometimes the love of a four-legged best friend just is n't enough , MOV is a dog movie for grown-ups .",
      "none of this would work without williams ' painfully authentic performance . she plays wendy as a gentle but self-possessed young woman who combats despair and fear with solemn defiance .",
      "MOV is the blues , pure and simple .",
      "the final scenes will tear your heart out , but perhaps not in the way you expect .",
      "even when her character keeps her emotions firmly in check , williams invests the role with heartfelt , heartbreaking feeling .",
      "williams can hit the notes ; she 's slight , thin-legged , a serious waif . we can worry about her easily enough . the problem is that nothing sticks out more than poised acting in a naturalistic film .",
      "evanescent and intangible , it dissolves into the air , leaving something tragic and mysterious behind .",
      "the film ends on a devastating farewell , but also imparts important empathy to wendy : although she 's at the bottom of the barrel , there are those still inescapably trapped beneath its weight . this is the downbeat , dejected truth of pure pennilessness .",
      "MOV -- a film that might have seemed faintly academic six months ago -- becomes an anxious expression of its historical moment .",
      "in current times , the film 's blank canvas and broadly sketched melancholic tones serve as an empty vessel for those who would like to turn the personal into the political .",
      "MOV is a glimpse at a portion of society rarely captured so eloquently or heartbreakingly on film . do n't miss it .",
      "for all its arthouse starkness , it packs a wallop . michelle williams ' performance is incandescent .",
      "a small , spare , and genuinely beautiful film , very much the spiritual descendent of italian neorealism",
      "does n't have any real surprises or insights and often drags , but at least it has a few heartfelt moments that leave you feeling quietly moved .",
      "whether bad things are happening to wendy or good , every one of them feels beautiful and human and true .",
      "the victories and insights gained in MOV are hard-won and small in stature , but they linger on the mind .",
      "if it was so simple to make , `` MOV '' wouldnt be the best american feature film of 2008 . which it is .",
      "it does n't sound like much , but reichardt and co-writer jonathan raymond create a loose universe in which the characters actually seem to be moving through time , waiting , making decisions , cursing fate , eating , sleeping and waiting some more .",
      "breathtaking . with the sort of calm that only comes from the suppression of panic , MOV identifies the strength in weakness , and the weakness in strength .",
      "a quiet heartbreaker with a keen sense of the reality of lives like wendy 's .",
      "reichardt , who directed old joy , does n't so much tell a story as paint a finely detailed portrait of human suffering in this miniature marvel .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- reichardt has an excellent sense of proportion : she does n't try to do too much , but what she does do is fully realized . animal-lovers are hereby advised to bring the kleenex .",
      "america is full of people like wendy carroll , the young woman at the center of director kelly reichardt 's small , supple new film MOV .",
      "MOV is a slow and meandering film , in no rush to get anywhere , least of all to anywhere important .",
      "calling MOV spare is a monument to understatement . it 's a drab , low-budget , unadorned film , often lacking the requisite elements that lend movies their motion : plot , conflict , character development , or even a soundtrack .",
      "even at 80 minutes , this feels like a chihuahua padded out to great dane proportions . it 's far too hangdog to find much of an audience .",
      "as much as you can quibble about how the message is delivered , reichardt never fails to get it across .",
      "the film works powerfully as both a wrenching character study and a mournful commentary on the economic desperation of rural americans .",
      "with quirky support from will patton 's caustic mechanic and walter dalton 's sympathetic security guard , this is a bittersweet triumph .",
      "michelle williams is in every scene of MOV , and ably carries that burden -- with her dark pixie haircut and cut-offs , she looks frighteningly vulnerable , an indie urchin stuck in circumstances both dire and mundane .",
      "coming from any other filmmaker , MOV 's relatively clear-eyed and unsentimental tale of woe might be considered a minor triumph , but from one of reichardt 's unique talents , it is something of a letdown .",
      "beautifully painful .",
      "wendy serves as both detailed portrait and metaphorical expanse . her pain is specific but also vague , her loss exact and all-encompassing .",
      "reichardt does her best to make the grim story feel organic , bringing a muted , hypnotic stillness echoed by her marquee star . but given our nation 's woes , it 's likely viewers will cut MOV the teensiest bit of slack that it needs ."
    ],
    "summary": "michelle williams gives a heartbreaking performance in MOV , a timely portrait of loneliness and struggle .",
    "id": "770784409"
  },
  {
    "movie": "under_the_sand",
    "reviews": [
      "unlike many of hitchcock 's films , which ascribe female mental disorders to simple causes , MOV leaves much of the lead character 's psychology open to discussion -- and is stronger for it .",
      "rampling , that magnificent , coolly alluring fiftysomething siren , manages to make all sides believable .",
      "it 's hard even to describe the movie without making it sound trite . rather , by showing behavior , the film gets at the emotional truth that underlies it .",
      "thoughtful , serious , and compelling",
      "an airlessly insular film , with too much concentration on minute details .",
      "full of writer/director françois ozon 's lightly perverse touches and skewed vision of humanity , and all the more emotionally engaging because of it .",
      "performed so straightforwardly , so seriously , and its characters are shown to be so intelligent , that it never seems a freakish supernatural tale .",
      "at the age of 33 , ozon has made a film with insights and compassion one might more reasonably expect from a director twice his age .",
      "it 's rampling 's wonderful performance , walking a thin line between hope and delusion , that gives the film its fundamental essence .",
      "i loved the subversive nature frosting ozon 's other films , i found myself scratching my head after MOV .",
      "charlotte rampling 's performance , alone , is worth the price of admission ...",
      "this beguiling film ... is blessed with a wonderfully complex performance by charlotte rampling .",
      "a compelling anatomy of grief as a solo journey through sorrow .",
      "this is a mournful , moving piece of filmic poetry .",
      "rampling , working in french , remarkably delivers what is perhaps her deepest , most effortlessly nuanced performance .",
      "the acting is tremendous .",
      "ozon ... displays a rare talent for being able to reveal life 's interiority in unusually palpable terms .",
      "it crawls under the skin by placing you firmly in the shoes of the mourner .",
      "where rampling really bares herself is in the emotional revelations and rawness she delivers in just about every screen .",
      "characters will do or say something that seems inexplicable until ozon provides a context , and suddenly it all makes sense .",
      "an absorbing , visually poetic portrait of one woman 's subconscious refusal to come to grips with loss and grief .",
      "ozon shoots it all with such haunting economy and breathless intimacy , and rampling acts it with such candor and recklessness , that the film keeps lingering in your mind after you see it .",
      "ozon 's sensitive and imaginative handling of the story is matched by charlotte rampling 's deeply melancholic and vulnerable performance .",
      "astute and penetrating .",
      "MOV is vaguely disturbing , in an emotional sense , at all times .",
      "MOV lifts the phantom-spouse syndrome to the level of art , yet another dimension for this popular form .",
      "a beautiful and challenging film .",
      "charlotte rampling is delightfully sincere and believable in her subtle performance .",
      "the film takes you slowly and confidently to the labyrinth of denial that often accompanies horrific loss .",
      "a stately and reticent portrait of arrived-at bereavement ... and the capacity for self-delusion -lsb- anchored by -rsb- the beautiful and talented rampling , enjoying her largest , most interesting role in some years .",
      "a measured yet deeply enthralling character study of loss and loyalty .",
      "quando o filme chega ao fim , podemos até năo saber muito mais sobre o desaparecimento de jean , mas certamente nos aprofundamos na complexa psiqué de sua esposa .",
      "rampling carries MOV with her assured turn as the dolefully loyal marie .",
      "though flawed , this is a mature discussion of loss , denial and sanity that engages both the audience 's heart and its head .",
      "... this picture demands -lrb- and rewards -rrb- close study ...",
      "instead of being intriguing , this art house snoozer just becomes tedious .",
      "a quiet , oblique , and finally mesmerizing work of psychological incision .",
      "a delicate and devastating film .",
      "ozon may not be the next truffaut -- not yet , anyway -- but he shows a deft touch here .",
      "a deliberately and gracefully ambiguous movie .",
      "an effective and moving account of the power of grief and denial .",
      "a wonderfully acted psychological study of a woman whose husband goes for a swim and disappears .",
      "marie increasingly appears like the beach in the film : beautiful but vacant .",
      "pairs the psycho-sexual oceanographics of ozon 's `` see the sea '' with the emotional turbulence of liv ullman 's `` faithless . '' and charlotte rampling is simply stunning .",
      "an authentic study of loyalty and loss .",
      "quietly haunting .",
      "rampling has never been as beautiful , not to mention as emotionally naked , nuanced , and affecting as she is here .",
      "`` MOV '' is best seen as a showcase for a fine actress at the height of her capabilities .",
      "a full-bodied , gripping film about the nature of trauma , memory and moving on .",
      "rampling continues to reinvent sexual desire .",
      "rampling shows a veteran 's craftsmanship in evoking her patented compound of icy reserve and skittish disquietude .",
      "ozon gives the movie to ms. rampling , whose performance is like a perfectly executed piano étude .",
      "a sensitive and subtle meditation on aging , loss and bereavement .",
      "rampling is superb as a woman pushed to the edge of madness by grief .",
      "both of these ozon films can do what few directors have mastered . they can make us feel exactly what the director intends , without overt or obvious cues .",
      "each of the elements in MOV is beautifully integrated and each in support of what is essentially an extended aria of loss and devotion .",
      "as long as you do n't mind the lack of unsettling content , viewers should find the film to be an interesting story with a terrific lead performance .",
      "it 's what we do n't see -- what goes on inside the head of a middle-aged female university professor -- that makes this methodical , meditative drama about grief and denial so seductive .",
      "evocative and resonating with pain and hope",
      "overall , sand is alive to the senses .",
      "-lsb- rampling -rsb- provides us with moments that you wo n't easily shake .",
      "charlotte rampling , given the chance to portray an older , yet still sexual , woman runs with it",
      "while ultimately the picture is somewhat frustrating as simple narrative , rampling 's extraordinary performance makes it a powerful depiction of grief .",
      "as the film exposes the haunted frailty beneath bourgeois exteriors , MOV marks the advance of ozon from promising auteur to artful interpreter of the human condition .",
      "a stark and surreal , non-literal and non-linear journey through the sand dunes of loss and denial ."
    ],
    "summary": "rampling carries the film with her finely nuanced performance of a woman coping with her husband 's death .",
    "id": "17562"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bad_teacher",
    "reviews": [
      "diaz 's game charms are semi-squandered on a script that 's two-thirds filler . not quite detention , but on thin ice .",
      "it 's brisk , puerile fun with added charm thanks to the game cast . a bit like watching your teachers make twits of themselves .",
      "where the screenplay mostly falters is populating the school with unproductive supporting characters .",
      "screenwriters gene stupnitsky and lee eisenberg fare better here than with their first film , `` year one . '' but like i said in my review of that film , if these guys are truly penning `` ghostbusters iii , '' they have a lot to learn .",
      "diaz has a girlish charm that means she gets away with a series of cynical pranks , even though she 's not quite as big and clever as she thinks she is .",
      "cameron diaz eats the screen in MOV and the screen says `` thank you '' .",
      "kasdan bundles together a mishmash of high-school movie clichés and off-colour toilet humour , with the flimsy plot and faltering pace providing far too few laughs .",
      "broader than bad santa and less consistently funny , it 's still gleefully rude , crude and often a lot of fun .",
      "`` MOV '' immediately brings `` bad santa '' to mind and suffers by the comparison .",
      "MOV is more like a rebellious teen acting out against her parents than a truly rotten to the core degenerate kid . i guess you could say it 's kim kardashian instead of being lindsay lohan .",
      "a fitfully amusing comedy that promises far more outrageousness than it actually delivers .",
      "there 's a dark , acid-tongued comedy to be made from this premise with these characters , but this bland `` teacher '' just is n't bad enough .",
      "if you 've never seen bad news bears , bad santa , or one of a dozen other better movies about adults being mean to kids , maybe you 'll think this is funny .",
      "cameron diaz is the reason charter schools exist .",
      "diaz performs with gusto , but the screenplay does n't give her many funny things to say .",
      "diaz is absolutely fearless in portraying a character with almost no redeeming features .",
      "a high-school satire that is reasonably funny , though far from sure how badass it really wants to be .",
      "a disappointing , surprisingly unfunny comedy that fails thanks to a lazy , poorly structured plot , an uneven tone and a refusal to commit to its basic premise .",
      "diaz shows off her comedy chops , displaying the kind of sunny charisma -lrb- despite the hangovers -rrb- that has charmed audiences since there 's something about mary .",
      "if you can see past the dismal sexual politics of `` MOV , '' which i could n't , you might applaud the gall of a film that expends so little effort in forcing us to like its central character .",
      "MOV should be held back for bad comedy . it 's the kind of movie that after the first ten minutes , one decides whether to leave or stay hoping for one or two chuckles that might come .",
      "provided you 're in the mood for salacious fare , this titillating teensploit does deliver the requisite number of raunchy rib ticklers to be worth the investment for the testosterone-driven demographic .",
      "a great supporting cast is n't enough since diaz and timberlake just are n't funny .",
      "both bad santa and the bad lieutenants -lrb- keitel and cage -rrb- were really bad , but they were entertaining . cameron diaz 's MOV , elizabeth , is neither .",
      "this is a case of a movie not being `` bad '' enough to be good .",
      "joins the depressingly long list of movies that are simply hard to get worked up about one way or the other .",
      "if its master plot is utterly predictable , the way it unfolds is unapologetically cartoony and weird .",
      "its trash-can humor is tasteless , no doubt , but hey , that does n't make it unpalatable .",
      "would ` bridesmaids ' have worked if audiences had been asked to sympathize with a meaner version of rose byrne and root against kristen wiig ?",
      "ms. diaz has found her down-and-dirty element in the kind of broad comedy that threatens to get ugly and more or less succeeds on that threat .",
      "a nice idea poorly executed , underpinned by a script with too few laughs and an unsympathetic heroine .",
      "makes a homecoming bonfire out of schoolroom pieties and drags heroic-educator yarns into the boy 's bathroom for a swirlie .",
      "MOV is n't slick enough to make the grade . diaz gets a gold star for effort , but it 's punch 's chipper miss squirrel , as bushy-tailed as her namesake , who steals the film .",
      "and you thought santa was bad .",
      "... a failure of dishearteningly monumental proportions ...",
      "diaz manages to make MOV much more enjoyable than its mediocre script deserves",
      "falls down is in its flippant approach to an idea that does n't have any traction beyond a tv skit , about a morally bankrupt teacher in high heels trying to pay her way to a boob job",
      "completely unfunny and utterly unpleasant .",
      "ultimately , MOV is easy to like precisely because it does n't try very hard to be liked .",
      "attitude divorced from any insight or even coherence , mere posturing at best .",
      "i was wary going in , as i tend to be whenever a hollywood movie announces through its advertising how `` outrageous '' it 's going to be . the only outrageous thing about MOV is that director jake kasdan and two writers who earned an ...",
      "has every opportunity to turn mawkish but stays pitch black instead .",
      "the one element of MOV that 's consistently strong throughout is diaz 's ferocious star turn .",
      "this film strains so badly to be a black comedy that it does itself an injury .",
      "twenty minutes in , you 'll begin to feel like you 're in detention .",
      "it 's a basic but amusing farce gifted with enough sharp lines to carry you through the lean patches .",
      "it 's worth a look alone to see ex-real-life partners diaz and timberlake 's former favourite sex position re-enacted - or just for diaz in all her glory ...",
      "MOV could have dared to push the 15-rating further , and it probably would have been funnier as a result , but on the back of a refreshingly irreverent turn from cameron diaz , the flaws are easy to forgive .",
      "the film 's main stock-in-trade is the kind of faintly bizarre , offbeat gags that you might find in a decent us sitcom - which is no bad thing and also makes sense given the writers ' office pedigree .",
      "a character so unpleasant and so self-centered , you watch her with the same repelled fascination usually aimed at a rattlesnake .",
      "the acting is uniformly on the button , but the script is patchier .",
      "it feels like MOV is crossing a line , and not just by a toe but hurdling all the way across . good for everybody involved .",
      "without more consistent laughs , the satire curdles on contact , removing the whole point of the character 's bad behavior in the first place .",
      "it 's a great idea , however the execution 's not very impressive .",
      "once again , the judd apatow-influenced school of witless comedy reinforces that we should bust a gut laughing at virtually the lowest of low humor . this is funny ? no .",
      "even though the picture is far from perfect , i was never less than amused . the terrific cast and some individual bits of comedy were enough to keep me invested .",
      "this is the type of story that would prompt a teacher to demand better character development , a stronger conflict and a bigger climax . if i had to give it a grade ? a shaky c , and that is being generous .",
      "... more a succession of increasingly salacious sketches , most capped by diaz dropping the f-bomb . indeed , diaz may establish some kind of record for onscreen profanity by an actress .",
      "hard to root for such a selfish lead , but `` MOV '' has just enough politically incorrect humor to warrant a grade of b.",
      "when it hits , like a hysterically raunchy dry humping scene , MOV is a funny overachiever , though with a bit more effort it could 've have won gold stars .",
      "if you 're looking for a funny comedy about a cynical , hard-partying school teacher transformed by his students into a paragon of pedagogical awesomeness , skip MOV and go rent school of rock instead .",
      "cameron diaz looks like she 's having a blast in her best role in years .",
      "it 's not often a movie features a cast of characters with absolutely no redeeming qualities , but `` MOV '' really hits that one out of the park .",
      "kadan 's direction is adequate with everything competently done , but there 's nothing here that manages to make you laugh out loud . could someone tell the current crop of hollywood filmmakers to find some new jokes ?",
      "the problem is n't that diaz 's character is such a mean-spirited person , it 's that her motives for being that way are completely contrived.it might have been a good short film , but that 's about it .",
      "in the end , despite how thinly-plotted the film is , there are several laughs to be had , and that goes a long way .",
      "MOV does n't quite get an f . but an acceptable c + is pretty fair .",
      "a raunchy comedy that promises , from its title to its casting , a `` bad santa '' riff on a sacred institution ... but they do n't deliver .",
      "crass , charmless and not especially funny , MOV is like a school kid trying to be cool .",
      "a raunchy unpleasant comedy that wastes its talented cast .",
      "cameron diaz eats the screen up in MOV but ca n't withstand the enormously dim-witted script .",
      "tries too hard , and seems inanely pleased with its own not very dirty jokes .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- ucceeds due to the sheer determination of its towering lead performance ... diaz and her supporting cast routinely spin gold out of innocuous moments with blunt force dialogue delivery and physical determination .",
      "lift the bonnet , unfortunately , and this movie 's engine is too sputtering and feeble to get it anywhere .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- film asks us to identify with a woman who behaves rather heinously , while it relies on her mean-spiritedly outrageous behavior to sustain all 92 minutes .",
      "it 's no bad santa , but MOV brings just enough naughty behavior to the table to make it a decent watch for viewers tired of pg-13 timidity .",
      "foul - and not even funny .",
      "while there are problems with ... a failure to maintain a consistent tone , diaz is never less than exhilarating in a guilty pleasure way , even when hunched over her desk with an expression of glazed , disheveled contempt . actually , especially then .",
      "never fully clicks because the anti-hero protagonist never really becomes a sympathetic figure even when she sort of redeems herself .",
      "MOV gets a shiny new apple thanks to a raunchy turn by diaz",
      "a frustrating mix of smart flash and smirking impudence .",
      "because the plot is thin and preposterous , the success of `` MOV '' depends on the performances of the cast . this is where things get ugly .",
      "kasdan and company miss the opportunity to connect elizabeth 's venality to the greed and materialism that her pop consumer students absorb daily .",
      "sure , diaz ' character does n't undergo some clichéd redemption , but she does n't evolve in any other way , either .",
      "the classroom comedy `` MOV '' could have been sent to detention for copying off of `` bad santa , '' but it 's brazenly funny in its own right - until it turns into a goody two-shoes .",
      "for a one joke movie MOV plays a lot of attention to details .",
      "this movie is what you do when you have never been to school or do n't like education . or movies , comedies , women , breasts , sex , or dodgeball .",
      "`` MOV '' keeps threatening to become entertaining without quite getting there , but it took me a while to realize how truly awful it is .",
      "barely makes the grade in either humor or provocation .",
      "a jolly , joke-filled escape",
      "in an era when schools are scandal zones , it 's disappointing how timid a movie called MOV turns out to be ... this movie needs more crassness in the classroom .",
      "MOV is hardly a perfect picture , but in the context of every other comedy on the summer movie landscape - from the faux empowerment of bridesmaids to the neurotic frat-guy heteromania of the hangover part ii - it feels revolutionary .",
      "MOV is a promising concept in need of more promising material .",
      "diaz is funny , all right , but she is no miracle worker , so she ca n't erase the movie 's slow spots or make it feel shorter than its 92-minute running time -lrb- it feels much , much longer , never a good sign for a comedy -rrb- .",
      "this fitfully funny but mostly dull misfire defines exactly where the line can be drawn between truly subversive humor and lazy cynicism .",
      "as film school assignments go , MOV is a potentially `` a '' topic with a `` c '' result that would require considerable remedial writing to upgrade .",
      "the film is fast and often funny . and while it 's not for children - really - i bet the adults who just spent a school year with them are going to love it .",
      "yes , the plot is lacking but it is the lack of any socially redeeming qualities makes cameron diaz MOV as seductive to us as she is to diaz .",
      "although you should be prepared for its raunchiness , it starts off as brightly as matilda on steroids .",
      "you 'll be hot for hot teacher",
      "there are just enough laughs in this movie to almost make you forget that there 's very little supporting them .",
      "has no appreciable arc for any of the characters and if it was n't for the work of jason segel who appears to have shown up with his own script , this would have been an even more brutal affair .",
      "MOV is , for the most part , pretty good .",
      "cameron diaz is now officially on my roster of hot talented actresses who should stop being in romantic comedies so much .",
      "`` MOV '' is a pulled punch , a pot-smoking/kid cussing/teacher copulating farce that is less than the sum of its parts .",
      "sets back feminism a few centuries , but who cares . because if we 're talking self-criticism of the species , some women are let 's face it , what can only be termed female chauvinists . and diaz reinforces every single negative female stereotype with relish .",
      "surprisingly likable for a movie populated exclusively by idiots and jerks .",
      "content to beat the same three jokes into a meaty paste , trusting diaz 's appearance will keep eyes on the screen while the film 's winded sense of humor is swiftly choked out , never to recover .",
      "though sporadically funny , this blackish comedy would have been far better had it been a lot darker ... settles for sitcom-level shenanigans and mild raunchiness before coasting into an ending that effectively cops out .",
      "MOV , worse movie ... this summer comedy is an underachiever that should have been held back .",
      "the concept titillates - an oversexed , drug-abusing , foul-mouthed , does n't - give-a-s -- woman put in charge of a classroom - but the result is drab , obvious , and disappointing .",
      "MOV is n't subtle in its `` borrowing '' from its clear inspiration , but it is savvy .",
      "kasdan and writers gene stupnitsky and lee eisenberg construct the film as a series of set pieces , some funnier than others .",
      "MOV is n't really bad enough . the r-rated elements do n't jibe with the otherwise pg-13 tone of the film .",
      "filthy and unredeeming in all of the right ways , MOV is a worthy successor to the benchmark black comedy bad santa -lrb- without being at all the same -rrb- .",
      "are actresses like diaz and punch really cool with punishing material based on the worst male-invented stereotypes of the way women deceptively control men and compete with one another ?",
      "MOV delivers a watchable comic performance from diaz - including a charity school car wash in denim hot pants - and some real laughs .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- refreshing breath of just-so-wrongness ... -lsb- t -rsb- he -lsb- sly -rsb- , overarching joke that this is not , in fact , an attempt to outgross the grossouts ... but is instead a parody of romantic comedies .",
      "the movie 's nods to the bare-bones economics of educators ' lives are subversive and admirable .",
      "diaz has the sass and confidence to make the character funny , even when the material is inconsistent . . there are worse ways to spend your time .",
      "a labored comedy .",
      "it does n't quite go all the way into dark comedy but it 's unapologetically cynical and that makes for good laughs .",
      "its comic rhythms are out of whack , and sloppy continuity and unfilled story blanks suggest ample post-production surgery on a pic that commenced shooting more than a year ago .",
      "it 's probably a coincidence that two of our most beautiful and sexiest stars -lrb- julia roberts is the other , in larry crowne -rrb- play foul-mouthed , heavy drinking teachers in high - concept comedies .",
      "the best lines were harvested for the trailer -- so if you 've seen that , you 've seen it all .",
      "everyone loves an anti-hero , but usually there 's something redeeming about the character that makes you want to root for them in the end . not so much in MOV .",
      "shame the flick 's just a one-note joke because , sight unseen , MOV had me at the title .",
      "diaz , always a deft comic , makes the most as this potty-mouthed party girl whose age is bearing down on her .",
      "i 've always liked cameron diaz , who brings a spark to every part she plays , but she 's only as good as her material , and MOV is bad news for her and her fans . i was wary going in , as i tend to be whenever a hollywood movie announces through its ...",
      "there are plenty of quality gags seeping through from the margins .",
      "has its lewd funniness , though not often enough to make it worthy of not only bad santa but , more to the point , school of rock .",
      "diaz lets her wardrobe and bad attitude do the work for her , but she 's left high and dry at the end of the film when it abruptly tries to redeem elizabeth 's bad behavior .",
      "a comedy that wants us to cheer for a nasty and self-absorbed teacher who breaks all the rules .",
      "raunchy diaz , timberlake comedy aims low , misses the target .",
      "simply serves hollywood formula , while pretending to be above it .",
      "although the script could be better , this is still a fairly entertaining film .",
      "`` MOV '' is exactly the one-joke movie that you probably expect it to be , but there are enough variations and shadings of that one joke to sustain its brief running time -- just barely .",
      "by no means terrible or unbearable , though it 's slightly disappointing after the brilliance of kasdan 's previous movie .",
      "we 're not on elizabeth 's side , or anyone else 's , really . we 're just watching a film try to pass off misanthropic blunt-wittedness as `` edge . ''",
      "a refreshingly raucous comedy that comes surprisingly close to completely living up to its lack of conviction ...",
      "a brainless comedy to escape from the grind .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- for the first time since her unforgettable appearance in the farrelly brothers ' 1998 gross out comedy `` there 's something about mary '' cameron diaz fulfills her comedic promise .",
      "an amusing but wholly forgettable assemblage of scenes , some very funny , others thankfully brief , that you should absolutely catch bits of when it is on cable .",
      "vainly strives for outrageousness via dry-humping , nude-pic blackmail scams , and desperate cracks about blacks , jews , and `` orientals . ''",
      "diaz , costars jason segel and justin timberlake , and a sharp supporting cast -lrb- lucy punch , phyllis smith , thomas lennon , john michael higgins -rrb- manage to deliver a crappy good time , mercifully devoid of any heart-tugging teacher-student subplots .",
      "have talented actors ever struggled so much to so little avail ? ms. diaz sells her lines like a street vendor peddling fake timexes .",
      "having decided not to risk offending us , it could at least work a little harder to earn our affection .",
      "this puerile exercise in bad taste has all the appeal of a bratty child trying to shock the dinner table by uttering some mild profanity .",
      "diaz 's MOV might not give an f , but just about scrapes a b - herself .",
      "it 's a comedy tour-de-force from diaz , backed up by great performances all round .",
      "it 's good for a few laughs but in the end neither outrageous nor accurate enough .",
      "this is one of those comedies that terribly misjudges the reverse appeal of its central character .",
      "while ` MOV ' offers a few laughs here and there , it 's far from the head of its class of raunchy , r-rated comedies . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "when the end arrives at the 89-minute mark the immediate reaction is that it was too slight by a half and a lot safer than expected .",
      "there 's so much wrong with the basic setup of -lsb- the film -rsb- that it never really gets a chance to be as funny as it could be .",
      "viewers sick of being force-fed inspirational lessons who are looking to mentally flip the bird at authority , this will hit the spot .",
      "the film 's rhythms are disjointed , and there are tedious patches and gaping holes in the story . no one bothered to create anything beyond a vague outline of a superficial character .",
      "are you a fan of comedy based on the sole premise that it is funny to see a beautiful woman make outrageously crude and narcissistic statements ? go watch sara silverman .",
      "it provides a compact runtime -lrb- oh , how i 've missed you , 90-minute movie -rrb- and a quality laughs/minute ratio .",
      "the picture does n't inspire or reward high expectations , but it raises smiles .",
      "the main problem is that hollywood finds it next to impossible to break out of the mold of the `` likeable '' characters .",
      "we 're more concerned with the mock-shock screenplay futilely in search of a story , and the characters that could have been created on an etch a sketch .",
      "the ill-shaped script is an affront to the gods of plausibility .",
      "ena biastiko kai xiliopathmeno trabhgmeno sxoini kwmikoy romantzoy , panw sto opoio prepei na balei prwtagwnistria kai yposthriktikoys ermhneytes na kanoyn akrobatika gia na gemisei h eytyxws syntomh diarkeia toy panhgyrioy toy",
      "gross-out comedy big on cheap laughs , short on depth",
      "the story is predictably thin and the jokes suitably unsophisticated , but the clever characterisations help this paint-by-numbers comedy limp over the line to `` watchable '' .",
      "weirdly ill-conceived . diaz is good and very believable as ... the most dislikable character i 've encountered in a film in a long time ... -lsb- which -rsb- makes for a lousy movie .",
      "the only way to understand this movie 's argument about performance pay is to imagine wisconsin governor scott walker watching it .",
      "she 's not somewhat bad , she 's not repentantly bad and she 's certainly not sympathetically bad . nope , she 's just plain ol' bad . and that is a thing of rare beauty .",
      "... more interesting -lrb- albeit disheartening -rrb- for what it seems to say about public-school teachers ...",
      "this is too easy , but i 'm going to do it anyway : MOV ? bad movie .",
      "somehow , surprisingly , without things ever turning schmaltzy , we end up caring about this selfish , foul-mouthed teacher , even if it 's just a smidgen . and in hindsight , that 's a pretty impressive feat .",
      "while a few of diaz 's scenes with timberlake and his gift for the deadpan seem as if they 're going to amount to something , the script 's dialogue fails them .",
      "lazily written and indifferently directed , but a fitfully engaging showcase for a handful of razor-sharp comic talents .",
      "i did n't think diaz could be humiliated more than she was in `` knight and day , '' drugged and shipped as luggage , but i was wrong .",
      "cameron diaz 's fem spin on billy bob thornton 's bad santa should have added up to raunchy fun . sadly , it only took about 10 minutes to wipe the smile off my face ."
    ],
    "summary": "in spite of a promising concept and a charmingly brazen performance from cameron diaz , MOV is never as funny as it should be .",
    "id": "771030879"
  },
  {
    "movie": "john_carpenters_ghosts_of_mars",
    "reviews": [
      "slides instantly into the realm of the forgettable .",
      "i kept looking for the silhouettes of joel , tom servo and crow from the dearly-departed mst3k to appear in the bottom right corner of the screen .",
      "a rather dull zombie movie with pretensions of being a police drama .",
      "there is camp comedy , although it is not clear how much of the silly stuff is intentional and how much is the result of the inept dialogue and abysmal acting .",
      "occasionally veering into that so-bad-it 's - good category ... mostly ghosts of mars is just so bad .",
      "all basic stuff , and yet carpenter brings pacing and style to it , and natasha henstridge provides a cool-headed center .",
      "a laughable gorefest and a leading contender for the title worst film of the year .",
      "the one intriguing thing about john carpenter 's ghosts of mars is how such a dreadful screenplay could have made it onto celluloid .",
      "arguably the horror/sci-fi director 's most routine movie .",
      "sci-fi at its worst : bad enough to be funny , yet loud and obnoxious enough that it ca n't even be enjoyed as unintentional comedy .",
      "a less than functional retelling of mr. carpenter 's b-picture classic assault on precinct 13 with a bit of his film the fog .",
      "when there 's no hacking going on , pretty much nothing happens except waiting for hacking to commence .",
      "carpenter seems unaware of just how many unsolicited laughs he 's generating .",
      "instead of ghosts of mars , this movie should be called ghosts of john carpenter , because it 's the palest possible imitation of the kind of movies he made in his better days during the '70s and '80s .",
      "a lackluster retread of last year 's pitch black .",
      "it delivers to expectations , more or less , but it 's never amazing .",
      "this is easily the worst movie set on mars -- or anywhere in a milky way .",
      "it is disheartening to see someone with -lsb- carpenter 's -rsb- talent stealing from himself .",
      "ghosts of mars may be nothing more than drive-in blood and guts , but it 's satisfyingly executed .",
      "the ` acting ' by lead stars ice cube , natasha henstridge , jason statham and pam grier is more wooden than a pinocchio puppet show .",
      "ghosts of mars , hah . more like turkey of mars .",
      "falls into a classic carpenter quagmire , unable to follow through on many of its intriguing ideas .",
      "in space , no one can hear you groan , since sound does not carry in a vacuum . theaters showing ghosts of mars will not have this advantage , so the film 's inanities will be audible and visible .",
      "it 's more than a little sad to realize this is what carpenter 's career has come to .",
      "henstridge ... has neither the heft nor the acting chops to carry the film .",
      "dulls the viewer with a parade of second-hand thrills .",
      "it starts as enjoyable b-movie pulp , degenerates to camp , then turns into laughable lunacy , as a martian-style marilyn manson exhorts zombie troops through endless scenes of slaughter .",
      "stands on its own by sheer directorial verve and a fascinating flashback structure .",
      "the dialogue is stilted , the acting is mediocre and the special effects are too .",
      "it 's distressingly amateurish and hackneyed to the point of absurdity .",
      "hey , if you 're a fan of mutilation , dismemberment and decapitation , have i got a movie for you !",
      "sloppy and derivative .",
      "the mars movies keep coming , and they are n't getting any better .",
      "becomes one big yawn of uninspired battle sequences , half-baked plotting and ultra-clunky dialogue leading to a lame , tacked-on coda .",
      "a dull , depressing exercise in amateurism from a filmmaker in serious decline .",
      "what 's almost charming about carpenter 's new film is that he does n't seem concerned about providing auds with their weekly fix of new screen effects but instead prefers his space adventure on the funky side , even if that means the funk gets ridiculous .",
      "if you 're looking for a mindless sci-fi/action/horror flick , this is one you may want to check out .",
      "a hapless mishmash of poorly constructed dialogue and ill-conceived action sequences .",
      "in a summer of really rotten movies it still stands out for its wretchedness ... has the air of something falling several rungs below straight-to-video standards .",
      "though ghosts of mars is watchable and even exciting , it 's not one of -lsb- carpenter 's -rsb- best .",
      "i can not fathom why carpenter would want to brand his name to this movie , akin to leaving fingerprints at the scene of a crime .",
      "this movie is cheesy , it 's fun , it 's loud and it 's not trying to be 2001 : a space odyssey ... it 's low-grade entertainment and it works !",
      "those going in hopes of the over-the-top fun of carpenter 's last picture , vampires , will leave sorely disappointed .",
      "a muddled mix of wayward rock video , sci-fi schlock and blood-splattering horror .",
      "listen up , you hard-core sci-fi addicts . we 're going for a ride -- and i do mean ride .",
      "a combination of sloppy movie-making and poor storytelling .",
      "another strong outing for carpenter , a b-movie that knows its place , delivers its goods , then gets the hell out of our face .",
      "if the director continues to make films like this , the delights he once offered will be nothing but a distant memory .",
      "a chafing film filled with an abundance of plot problems .",
      "it loves being quick and dirty , and it wants you to love it too . that honesty can be hard to resist , even when the film itself starts to falter .",
      "i 'm not the type to bash a `` popcorn movie '' for not being macbeth , but even b-movie genre fare needs to be held to some kind of standard .",
      "the most disturbing thing about an aggressively tame production is the suspicion that john carpenter has been taken over by one of his own mindless zombie martians .",
      "there 's a great deal of promise in the outline of the tale , but somewhere along the line , the execution went awry .",
      "it 's hard to call this a thriller , since there is nothing thrilling about it .",
      "a '70s zombie picture with the posturing bravado and buddy-movie elements of an '80s sci-fi/action picture",
      "there 's a difference between a simple plot and a stupid one . carpenter 's is a no-brainer , but it 's executed with flair , talent , and few lapses in logic .",
      "... no logra superar ese status de ser una película pasajera y punto ...",
      "carpenter 's work is recognizable as human art , but art untarnished by the sheen and polish of a global popular culture .",
      "one of the movie 's first images is a flashing ` auto pilot ' sign , and that 's how it seems to have been made .",
      "the acting is so pallid that you 're never sure the cast members quite get the jokes .",
      "one heaping plate of sci-fi cheese , a film that looks like it got lost on its way to the video shelves and ended up in theaters by mistake .",
      "someday we 're all going to look back on this one and l-a-a-a-augh .",
      "little more than a heavy-metal music video . on mars .",
      "as `` ghosts of mars '' movies go , john carpenter 's is probably the best .",
      "... there is an artificiality to the whole thing that never lets you forget you are watching a movie .",
      "starts out as a fairly effective sci-fi horrorshow , then quickly devolves into a mindless action movie",
      "written , directed , and edited with the offhand shoddiness of a day worker thinking about his evening beer .",
      "it 's like watching a john carpenter greatest-hits reel done by a rank amateur .",
      "once you 've seen one beheading or similarly bloody killing , you 've seen them all , and that 's all of any vague interest that carpenter has to offer here .",
      "you 'll wish you were on mars and not on earth suffering through this movie .",
      "the monsters were just not scary .",
      "a complete and utter disaster",
      "original movies on the sci-fi channel have better production values .",
      "more mars lacks than mars attacks and an outing for carpenter die-hards only .",
      "a turd wrapped up in a nice bow is still a turd .",
      "ghosts of mars is not carpenter at his best . it may very well be carpenter at rock bottom .",
      "mad max heads for the angry red planet on a pitch black night of the living dead .",
      "cheesy d grade popcorn guilty pleasure ...",
      "a rather sturdy modernized mash-up of assault on precinct 13 and escape from new york .",
      "the whole planet looks like a wwf halloween special . it 's the night of the living martians !",
      "i guess john carpenter the careless purveyor of slime and hokum is the only john carpenter we 've got , and that 's better than none at all .",
      "provides a full-fledged blast of undiluted b-movie zest .",
      "sci-fi fans will also recognize this plot from `` pitch black '' and `` red planet , '' both of which are superior to this film .",
      "schlocky , sluggish shoot - 'em - up .",
      "it 's big , gory , ugly fun , just the way you want it to be .",
      "there 's no reason on earth , or mars for that matter , for anyone to waste their time , money or energy in seeing this film .",
      "a flawed but worthy effort from an auteur whose near-misses are more entertaining than many others ' hits .",
      "carpenter has brought his curatorial care to the nuances , and the movie achieves wipeout energy .",
      "a tired and dispiriting affair that takes forever to get going ."
    ],
    "summary": "john carpenter 's ghosts of mars is not one of carpenter 's better movies , filled as it is with bad dialogue , bad acting , confusing flashbacks , and scenes that are more campy than scary .",
    "id": "14088"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rv",
    "reviews": [
      "i think at this point somebody needs to tell robin williams that the whole white-guy hip-hop routine was played out around 1997 .",
      "been there done that .",
      "the best joke is that the MOV in question gets 4 miles to the gallon . with mileage like that , not even hollywood is going to be able to afford the next road-trip film .",
      "how fallen is the mighty robin williams , to plummet from the quality of `` one hour photo '' to `` MOV , '' a nearly unbearable movie .",
      "what follows plays a lot like national lampoon 's vacation , only without that film 's refreshing sense of cruelty",
      "exceedingly juvenile and strained of any colorful imagination not to mention hopelessly lame , MOV is a colossally clunky vehicle in every sense of the word .",
      "a workmanlike family comedy with enough pratfalls and poo jokes for tykes and enough sentimentality for parents .",
      "MOV works up an ingratiating sweetness that partially compensates for its blunt predictability and meager laughs .",
      "a family film that is only sporadically funny .",
      "if robin williams is seeking a return to comedy glory , MOV is not the vehicle that will take him there .",
      "none of the four leads are particularly interesting ... -lsb- and robin williams ' -rsb- performance is disheartening",
      "MOV travels the comic highways similar to those driven by national lampoon 's vacation 's griswolds , but the insufferable munros leave us wishing they 'd befall a fate more like that of the stranded family in the hills have eyes .",
      "williams simply ca n't do much of anything with the forced and recycled material other than occasionally say ` my bad . ' indeed .",
      "far more silly than sublime , but it has its moments .",
      "MOV is a well written comedy and welcome evidence of williams ' talent as a comic actor .",
      "not unbearably terrible , just thoroughly mediocre .",
      "if the words `` robin williams family comedy '' strike terror into your heart , then you may be pleasantly surprised by MOV , because for once he 's not playing a blubbering man-child .",
      "of course , it all winds up with absurdly contrived lessons about family bonding , including a climactic soliloquy by williams that 's barely short of laughable .",
      "williams ' virtuoso hijinking and daniels ' huggy bearish bonhomie save this from complete ignominy , but we 've seen it all before .",
      "surprisingly palatable family comedy ...",
      "a genuinely terrific main cast makes it all work within the confines of its all-ages intent .",
      "... never quite as bad as it probably should have been ...",
      "a disappointment for both robin williams and men in black director barry sonnenfeld , this vacation-from-hell plotline quickly grows tedious",
      "robin williams has n't been this funny in many moons .",
      "when it comes to this road-trip comedy , the question is n't ` are we there yet ? ' it 's : ` is it over yet ? '",
      "this is an ugly , desperate , witless little movie that , even if you happen to like it , will evaporate from your memory in the time it takes to flip the channel .",
      "i really hated it",
      "there are some sequences where you will love the characters and others where you ca n't stand them . hmm , maybe MOV is close to the real thing after all .",
      "sonnenfeld tries to do for recreational vehicle vacations what airplane ! did for air travel . and , as evidenced by the film 's many big laughs , he mainly succeeds .",
      "in MOV , the downwardly spiraling career trajectories of robin williams and director barry sonnenfeld intertwine like the ropes of a tangled parachute .",
      "it probably sounded like a swell idea in the pitch meeting .",
      "robin williams tricks us into believing he can control his inner maniac beyond the film 's first 15 minutes ; when he fails , any hopes of MOV going off-formula are dashed .",
      "though sonnenfeld is credited as the director , no one seems behind the wheel of this comic wreck , which bypasses williams ' funny antics and takes the low road through a torrent -- literally -- of potty jokes .",
      "the movie will simply make a few million bucks and vanish , relegated to the darker closets of blockbuster and netflix , and historians will politely forget about it out of respect for the careers of those involved .",
      "the spirit of chevy chase rides again",
      "munros survive dirt-encrusted pratfalls and exploding stink bombs to become the world 's happiest family , we realize that this desperate movie ca n't even convince itself it 's funny .",
      "outsized huckster idiocy ...",
      "by the end , the crudity is so excessive , it makes national lampoon 's vacation look as sophisticated as the accidental tourist by comparison .",
      "r.v. is n't just a bad movie ; it 's more than that , it 's symptomatic of a kind of bad movie that seems to be proliferating like cinematic cockroaches .",
      "invariably , each summer vacation movie can be judged by the quality of its obligatory gag related to going to the bathroom in the wilderness or amid the complications of foreign plumbing ."
    ],
    "summary": "an unoriginal and only occasionally funny family road-trip movie , MOV is a mediocre effort that not even the charisma of robin williams can save .",
    "id": "152552346"
  },
  {
    "movie": "venus_in_fur",
    "reviews": [
      "while the extraordinarily talented polish-born director rarely falters in translating the source 's theatrical strengths , his MOV feels oddly impersonal , lacking the trademark touch of polanski perversity .",
      "polanski seems to revel in defeating the limitations imposed by this stagey project , which may be among the most personal of his career -- a movie that laughs at pain and sex and the absurdity of life even as it acknowledges life 's terror and wonder .",
      "`` revels in deception . ''",
      "in both style and substance , `` MOV '' feels tossed off , a finger exercise to get polanski warmed up for another project .",
      "it 's an actor 's pic , and they both come through with grand performances .",
      "desire makes buffoons of us all . now strike dear mistress , and cure his heart .",
      "polanski makes an intriguing battle of the sexes out of a filmed play",
      "perhaps he is more drawn to mr. ives 's quasi-feminist rationalization of sexual fetish than sacher-masoch 's explanation of it as mastery over repressed feelings , and somehow sees parallels between the play and his own sexual felony .",
      "as the pair comport themselves between the play 's text and their differing interpretation , polanski ruthlessly makes unsentimental play of their fevered , increasingly furious attraction . carnage ensues .",
      "the shifting power dynamics -- between the characters and the roles they are playing -- are enthralling .",
      "`` MOV , '' a whip-smart dissection of gender politics via some teasing s&m , is arch . so arch in fact that it is surprising it 's a roman polanski film .",
      "ever the alchemist , roman polanski continues his quest for the process whereby theatre is transmuted and reforged into film .",
      "a tale of destruction and creation bolstered by two intense and noteworthy performances .",
      "seigner 's and amalric 's ability to move seamlessly between play and film dialogue reflects not just acting ability but years of experience as working performers .",
      "the couple 's movie-long pas de deux , during which time a reversal of roles takes place and the inner thomas is exposed to the world -lrb- us -rrb- , is staged with delicious irony and ingenuity by mr. polanski",
      "fleet , funny and ferocious",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- rare filmed theater piece that leaves you smiling , thinking , and maybe a bit hot and bothered , to boot .",
      "the film has a creepy allure but , as movies featuring full-bore sexual gamesmanship often do , it wears thin .",
      "seigner 's décolletage is a constant detraction because her breasts upstage both actors , even though some may argue that they are the best part of the film .",
      "it 's a shrewd game of cat and mouse , showcasing polanski 's ability to work his actors and to pace the drama with a minimum of frills . it does n't get more bare-bones than this , and yet there is never a dull moment .",
      "you 'd be hard pressed to imagine a more seemingly perfect match of director and material than roman polanski and `` MOV . '' too bad it is n't a wickeder , subtler , more imaginative movie .",
      "if you did n't see the play onstage and do n't know what you 're missing , this MOV has its demonic , masochistic charms .",
      "polanski 's film is wonderfully light on its feet - it never feels hemmed in , though it also never leaves the space in which it begins - but it lands its punches .",
      "roman polanski 's been making films about psycho-sexual mind games for decades , and when his opening shot poses his stage director next to a very phallic cactus , you know he 's at it again .",
      "if you 're looking for a vivacious and magnetic performance , you ca n't do much better than emmanuelle seigner for this year so far . that 's likely your main and only reason to catch it .",
      "MOV never forgets to be playful and fluid , always moving , shifting gears , and surprising .",
      "is imagination more real than actuality ?",
      "roman polanski delivers a soupçon of entertaining insouciance .",
      "what is surprising is how little polanski juices the material with his usual devilish touch .",
      "polanski 's direction of his performers is assured . his camerawork is precise . and the power games - moving , shifting , constantly surprising and inescapably , queasily conflating art and artist - hold us in their thrall .",
      "while -lsb- emmanuelle seigner has -rsb- never been this commanding , she 's always had a cool intelligence , even in the delightfully disreputable ` bitter moon . '",
      "an exercise in moviegoing pain .",
      "one of the delights of mr. ives 's play , and of mr. polanski 's nimble rendering of it , is the way it jumps in and out of the play within .",
      "MOV is a rather amusing delight , but its pleasures rarely transcend those of a surface-level , kinky pas de deux between two superb performers .",
      "the director navigates an enclosed space with cinematic flair , his dynamic camerawork assuring that the talky proceedings never feel especially `` stagy . ''",
      "thankfully , there 's real depth of feeling and playful perversion shared between seigner and amalric , who give already unusual material a wicked spin .",
      "polanski 's direction of MOV is masterful-a pleasure in and of itself-but seigner is the star attraction here , giving one of the best performances of her distinguished career .",
      "roman polanski . sadomasochism . what could possibly go wrong ?",
      "it 's tricky , tasty and tense ... seigner holds her own - and then some - opposite the subtly expressive mathieu amalric .",
      "polanski orchestrates this cat-and-mouse game with devilish delight , dancing around ives 's play as if it were a pagan bonfire , jabbing at it with his figurative pitchfork .",
      "it is hard to avoid the suspicion that polanski is treading water before starting work on a `` proper film '' .",
      "expert writing , directing and acting help this offbeat drama discover some powerful new themes in a novella that has been scandalising western society since it was first published in 1870 .",
      "polanski has given seigner a gift of a part : she 's brazen , energetic and extremely funny in an ultimately scary way .",
      "a devastatingly funny , exhausting picture that could potentially confound , but just about frantic and witty enough to hopefully prompt one universal reaction : `` christ , that was bloody enjoyable . ''",
      "this is polanski 's second theatre adaptation in a row after carnage , and at the age of 80 he shows no signs of slowing down . it 's easily his most enjoyable film for some time .",
      "like emil jannings in thrall to marlene dietrich in the blue angel , amalric 's director is a figure of comedy and pity -- and seems to relish his own sexual humiliation at the hands of this unlikely venus .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- here is an energizing spoonful of soup-to-nuts fetishism , with teasing desert courses strewn throughout .",
      "polanski revisits his kinky past with this stage adaptation that cuts close to the bone .",
      "brave and clever , it 's an enjoyable piece of arthouse expertise .",
      "this pungent comedy set in combat 's erogenous zone is polanski at the top of his game .",
      "a playful polanski serves up a rich and provocative discourse on sexual politics and gender bias with this pithy and extremely witty two-hander bolstered by the exceptional leads .",
      "a fascinating study of power games , sexual manipulation and textual interpretation , driven by dazzling performances from emmanuelle seigner and mathieu amalric .",
      "heavily reliant on the skills of his two actors to keep us engaged . fortunately , the two actors are both on top form .",
      "while polanski the filmmaker might flirt with submissiveness , you can always sense him lurking behind the camera , safe-word at the ready . cut !",
      "roman polanski playfully deconstructs sexual power relationships in this ribald , talky two-hander .",
      "too rarified to break out the arthouse circuit and missing the star wattage of carnage or the ghost , this is nonetheless essential viewing for polanski fans .",
      "if the film never quite escapes its theatrical provenance and setting , it 's still a bracingly bumpy ride .",
      "a little overwhelmed by its own self-indulgence and contrivance , which ultimately seeks in damaging your enjoyment of the overall piece .",
      "polanski 's unavoidably stagy adaptation of david ives ' celebrated broadway play is an enjoyably witty two-hander , confined to its theatre setting , yet with much to say about gender roles in the world beyond .",
      "it 's theatrical but increasingly fascinating as an arrogant director -lrb- mathieu amalric -rrb- auditions an actress -lrb- emmanuelle seigner -rrb- for a stage version of the titular novel about sexual submission .",
      "mathieu amalric is perfect as the director 's alter ego as a director , but emmanuelle seigner 's vanda is truly superb .",
      "has roman polanski lost his movie mojo ?",
      "a mature film but not an elderly one",
      "it 's witty , perceptive , penetrating , beautifully made , ties in with other polanski works and feels like one of the filmmaker 's most personal films .",
      "roman polanski proves his dexterity once again with this dark , mystifying , and anything but simple two-character , single-location film .",
      "a grand seduction staged in an intimate space .",
      "`` MOV '' is about the mysterious games men and women play , and seigner and amalric are up to it .",
      "fun , sexy , playful , and edgy , it also features two wonderful performances from emmanuelle seigner and mathieu amalric .",
      "what plays out is roller-coaster ride of shifting identity and sexual brinkmanship ... mischievous and sadistic by turns , it becomes a deadly serious battle of the sexes .",
      "every good movie offers its own pleasures . roman polanski 's adaptation of david ives ' play offers us a unique set of them : the moments an actor transitions ... the script ... is good , but what you 're really watching is the acting .",
      "polanski 's film feels curiously uninspired in discussing much more than the very base text .",
      "a film that joyously revels in blurred lines , venus in furs sees polanski return to his bold and fiercely original best .",
      "polanski 's MOV is neither profound nor erotic -lrb- at least not for this viewer -rrb- but it is wonderfully witty and a generous gift from the director to his two stars .",
      "by expertly embellishing the theatrical , polanski has made MOV thrillingly cinematic .",
      "polanski knows the jig is up : this is a beautifully framed mounting of a play , filmed elegantly with simply composed shots .",
      "roman polanski is in playfully perverse form with this nimble pas de deux adapted from david ives ' stage hit .",
      "`` MOV '' finds roman polanski transferring a new york stage hit to the screen with maximum fidelity and facility , and a minimum of fuss .",
      "after years of respectable filmmaking , it 's refreshing to witness a reinvigorated roman polanski willing to once again delve deep into seedy psychodrama .",
      "hugely entertaining .",
      "sexual desire , jet-black comedy , kinky mischievousness , an air of tense claustrophobia : it 's all there in MOV , and even if the movie is n't particularly deep , it 's a constant playful delight .",
      "MOV is n't quite as demented as polanski 's earlier comedies , but it 's an invigorating walk through the maze of fantasy-in a realm where 50 shades of gray is wreaking havoc , it has relevance , and brains .",
      "s&m dance or feminist tract ? late career breather ... or polanski answering his harshest critics ? a cagey two-hander with tour-de-force turn by the sexy seigner .",
      "a playful-yet-serious rumination on sexual gamesmanship presented through a form of theatrical artifice that polanski embraces while giving it cinematic polish .",
      "music by six-time oscar nominee alexandre desplat should inspire the senses , too , if somehow the moves of seigner -lrb- the real-life mrs. polanski -rrb- do n't do enough for you .",
      "`` MOV , '' the disturbing and provocative roman polanski film of david ives ' broadway play , portrays a power struggle between the object of obsession and the eye of the beholder .",
      "`` MOV '' is a stellar achievement .",
      "like `` carnage , '' `` the pianist , '' `` rosemary 's baby '' and more , roman polanski 's latest is a creepy exploration of claustrophobia and perversity that should not be missed .",
      "MOV is essentially a weightless skit , a parody of those hoary old archetypes of man and woman . but it 's also a tribute to seigner , who seizes the gift of a role that allows her to be sexy , funny and imposing .",
      "the two-hander plays like a crackling fire",
      "a funny , sensual experience that speaks uncomfortable truths about what constitutes and dictates male-female relationships .",
      "wickedly smart and wickedly playful , roman polanski 's adaptation of david ives ' tony-nominated MOV works on so many levels , it 's almost dizzying .",
      "it 's the concept that 's a bit chewed-over .",
      "never underestimate roman polanski .",
      "rarely do you see a film with just two characters , but amalric and seigner have so much control over themselves that they keep you entranced throughout the entire 96 minutes .",
      "there are books about gender , power and identity politics , but as captivating as this story .",
      "the haunted-house lighting is a perfect match for the claustrophobic intimacy of this two-hander - and camouflage , perhaps , for the fact that `` MOV '' remains more play than film .",
      "one thing that makes the dialogue-heavy movie so compelling -lrb- and also something that polanski does so well -rrb- is an undercurrent of dread .",
      "whether you like it or not , roman polanski is a great artist , and even the minor films of his fugitive decades glimmer with the claustrophobia and sardonic bleakness of his greatest work .",
      "pay attention to the camera , and you will see that polanski is a clinician . he is in the thrall of no one .",
      "maybe you see where all this is going . but even if you do , getting there is still good , queasy fun .",
      "a tasty light hors d'oeuvre rather than a full meal .",
      "... beneath a brittle veneer of verbal dash and cleverness this stagebound adaptation has little insight to give us into anything except the sexual hubris of an aging man , and frankly , we 're not sure we give a damn .",
      "as always with polanski , the narrative 's eccentricities are cloaked in an expert veneer of classicism ."
    ],
    "summary": "provocative , funny , and brilliantly acted , MOV finds roman polanski in top late-period form .",
    "id": "771356219"
  },
  {
    "movie": "no_end_in_sight",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV offers an emphatic , well-supported answer to a question that has already begun to be mooted on television talk shows : who lost iraq ? .",
      "a damning appraisal of america 's handling of the iraq war .",
      "the larger picture presented here will likely be old news , although it will jab the memory and still will shock .",
      "want to kick start a drinking problem ? just give MOV a look , and you 're assured a cold , dark night ingesting anything nearby that will sooth the post-viewing depression .",
      "the anger that fuels ferguson 's film is felt in nearly every frame .",
      "the most compelling and least partisan of all the iraq documentaries .",
      "rehashes information you already knew and tries to inflate trivia into scandal .",
      "a valuable summary of a variety of missteps that have led to the current debacle .",
      "does n't offer startlingly new information , -lsb- but -rsb- its calm , methodical presentation of the evidence is a solid contribution to ... the american public 's understanding .",
      "its message should be dispassionately studied by anyone who presumes to care about the future of this country .",
      "for anyone who 's wondering why we 're still stuck in iraq , give this quick 100-minuter a whirl and get filled in .",
      "bleak , dry and marginally repetitive , `` sight '' fails to answer with clarity why bad decisions were made .",
      "the most important film of the year thus far and , more significantly , the most comprehensive , clear-eyed account of the iraq debacle and the arrogance behind it that we have .",
      "you really should see this movie , even though it will make you sick .",
      "a tidy summary of the tragic mistakes made , and the brutal arrogance displayed , by the bush administration in its prosecution of the iraq war .",
      "it 's a film that only begins to take baby steps in telling what went wrong and how insane it is to stick with such a bad war policy .",
      "... a movie that will make you angry or sad . it provides no escape or transport from , but rather deeper engagement with , the regrettably real world .",
      "ferguson consults not the administration 's political opponents , but the very experts that the u.s. government selected and sent into the baghdad fray ...",
      "this is a movie about the very officials who boasted ` i do n't do quagmires ' -lrb- then-defense secretary rumsfeld -rrb- , but who had n't actually done the planning or simple reading of other people 's plans that might have avoided that very fate .",
      "the movie 's larger points are sobering and relevant , no matter how many times they 've already been made .",
      "watching the film , which is well-organized but utterly artless , one wonders who , exactly , it 's trying to sway .",
      "charles ferguson 's film may be the best , and the final word on the subject .",
      "a horror show guaranteed to make you mad",
      "well-constructed and well-researched documentary which methodically lays out the groundwork for what went wrong in iraq .",
      "no end is sight is the product of a calmly systematic desire for knowledge , and as such , does not offer solutions , only profound insight .",
      "by the time MOV gets to a late chapter titled `` things fall apart , '' you 'll believe that call could have been made a long time ago .",
      "a thorough , level-headed examination of the bush administration 's failure to properly prepare for , and execute , the war .",
      "it does n't matter if you 're a news junkie or clueless about current events , you need to see this movie .",
      "there 's no shortage of opinion , but what ferguson is aiming for in this fascinating 102-minute dissection is a professional critique of foreign policy .",
      "a persuasive argument that the inception of , and response to , the iraq war perverted america 's ideals and intellect . its moderate temperament hides obvious roars : remembering outrage is all that will keep this from again occurring unopposed .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- ferguson delivers the calm , meticulous survey of u.s. policy that legions of critics of michael moore 's fahrenheit 9/11 have been waiting for .",
      "yet another doc that socks it to the current administration 's foreign policy -- this one most effectively .",
      "should be required viewing for anyone who thinks the iraq war is progressing according to plan .",
      "if you want take the leap from disbelief and confusion to a clearer , empowering understanding of how we arrived at our current predicament , then political scientist charles ferguson 's documentary MOV is highly recommended .",
      "soberly narrated by campbell scott , the film is a meticulous , thoroughly engrossing lesson in how not to win friends -lrb- or wars -rrb- and influence people -lrb- or potential terrorists -rrb- .",
      "a systematic and rigorous history of the iraq war to date .",
      "the film is methodically edited , interspersing tales from the ground with policy wonks , decisions with consequences , until it paints the administration into a corner .",
      "a damning critique conducted with surgical precision , ferguson 's sundance festival prize-winning film is arguably one of the most comprehensive and rigorous docus about the failures of the bush administration vis-a-vis the iraq war .",
      "a documentary that rues the fact that the us was not able to impose its will on the iraqi people , but never questions the right to do so .",
      "a blistering , on-point expose of the movers and shakers who paved our way into a senseless conflict .",
      "this is the iraq war documentary that covers all bases ... just listen to the silence of those who refuted fahrenheit 911 .",
      "... ferguson 's take has the precision and seriousness of purpose of a sniper 's bullet while moore 's is a homemade shrapnel grenade .",
      "... the saddest , scariest horror movie i 've seen in years .",
      "ferguson 's case is so confidently built that it seems unassailable ...",
      "you know the iraq war is going badly . what you may not know is how it also started badly .",
      "we all need to learn a few lessons from this and ratchet up our outrage .",
      "as one of the interviewees put it succinctly , there is no light at the end of the tunnel .",
      "even dedicated news junkies will gain new understanding of a campaign with MOV .",
      "the best documentary to be made about the war in iraq .",
      "the film is not anti-war but anti-arrogance and anti-idiocy .",
      "this one is not just a series of personal , one-sided attacks , as moore 's film seemed to be . instead , filmmaker charles ferguson uses interviews with former bush administration officials , journalists , former soldiers and others to make his case .",
      "absorbing documentary that dissects the mind-numbing incompetence that has defined this white house .",
      "you 'll leave the picture shaken and stirred , knowing that if the right people were in charge , this whole iraq thing could have worked . to call this film a `` must-see '' is an understatement .",
      "charles ferguson holds this fact to be self-evident : that the chaos in iraq is the direct result of a handful of bad policy decisions made very early in the war .",
      "the most riveting film of the summer , and also the saddest .",
      "narrated with a detached , grim authority by campbell scott , ferguson 's film is surely the most nonhistrionic cinematic explanation of our current geopolitical woes yet seen .",
      "a clear-eyed appraisal and condemnation of bush administration war policies as seen through the eyes of people in a position to note the disastrous choices that left a country in chaos .",
      "MOV makes one thing clear : were it not so bloody , the war in iraq would be destined to become a case study in the nation 's business schools .",
      "this is depressing stuff , brilliantly presented .",
      "we need to hear the story again and again , for no amount of rage and disbelief can turn what the bush administration did into someone else 's problem .",
      "organized , concise and plain as day , `` MOV '' is necessary viewing for audiences the world over .",
      "leaves you furious at an administration of armchair warriors , yet it offers the catharsis of cold , hard truth .",
      "-lsb- w -rsb- e need ... a multi-volume/reel history -lsb- of -rsb- the unprecedented stupidity and mendacity of the bush administration , and charles ferguson 's infuriating documentary could be volume one .",
      "will have you alternately slapping your forehead in stunned disbelief and shaking your head in disgust .",
      "essential viewing for any patriot .",
      "lucid , concise and devastating .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- may be the best and saddest film of the year so far .",
      "MOV , the latest iraq documentary , is the first to attempt a detailed historical overview and probably the only one with the potential to reach across partisan lines , a true rarity in the sphere of political filmmaking .",
      "although this is ferguson 's first feature -- he paid for it himself -- it 's a masterfully assured piece of filmmaking .",
      "first-time writer-producer director charles ferguson is a noted think-tank scholar who is less interested in casting partisan blame than figuring out just exactly how such a colossal debacle came about .",
      "remember the scene in a clockwork orange where alex has his eyes clamped open and is forced to watch a movie ? i imagine a similar experience for the architects of our catastrophe in iraq . i would like them to see MOV .",
      "if any movie can rid americans of ` iraq war fatigue , ' it 's charles ferguson 's muscular documentary MOV . it provokes potent new feelings of outrage and catalyzes fresh thoughts about the right way to run a government , especially ours .",
      "a raft of documentaries have come along since the start of the war , some of them accusatory , some investigative , some empathetic , nearly all of them skeptical . none is better argued or more searing than MOV .",
      "ferguson is admirably tenacious in assigning blame for the boneheaded mistakes that have doomed iraqi reconstruction .",
      "MOV will leave you floored , agape and enraged anew .",
      "the point of -lsb- ferguson 's -rsb- film seems to be that even though the invasion was unnecessary and wrong , it still could have turned out much better than it has , and he tries to pinpoint key errors during the first weeks and months after march 2003 .",
      "MOV is the most coolheaded of the iraq war documentaries , the most methodical and the least polemical . yet it 's the one that will leave audiences the most shattered , angry and astounded .",
      "its list of interviewees includes a number of insiders once deeply involved in the bungled aftermath of america 's invasion of iraq . it also includes some shocking , on-the-ground footage from the war that has not been seen elsewhere .",
      "it comes across as something of a horror story : this happened , it was a fiasco -- and now there might not be any way of fixing it .",
      "masterfully edited and cumulatively walloping .",
      "charles ferguson has designed MOV to sink in .",
      "... words speak even louder than visual evidence in charles ferguson 's lacerating analysis of america 's occupation of iraq .",
      "... his -lsb- ferguson 's -rsb- brilliant and riveting documentary about the bush administration 's failures in iraq , is at once the most devastating cinematic postmortem on america 's colossal blunder in the middle east , and the most sober .",
      "so MOV is hardly another partisan anti-war doc . instead , it 's a cogent , often infuriating explication of how the execution of the war went awry .",
      "it 's a furious , if quietly stated , indictment of the president and all his men in the debacle that our adventure in iraq has become .",
      "ferguson 's inquiry into the war does n't spend much time on the ground , but it features a tense round-up of talking heads and finds an effective weapon in their shared tone of frustration .",
      "this essential documentary is a clear-eyed , coherent dissection of how crucial decisions were made in the first weeks and months following the american invasion of iraq .",
      "while this incriminating documentary makes a convincing case against the white house , it arrives a bit belatedly , at a juncture when john mccain is just about the only loyalist left still sipping the bush kool aid .",
      "ferguson 's debut doc is a brilliant piece of investigative journalism ."
    ],
    "summary": "charles ferguson 's documentary provides a good summary of the decisions that led to the mess in post-war iraq , and offers politically interested audiences something they 'd been looking for : a lowdown on the decision making .",
    "id": "528361371"
  },
  {
    "movie": "attack_the_block",
    "reviews": [
      "cornish 's film stands on its own and also fits comfortably into a proud cinematic tradition ; it owes nothing to any antecedent , and yet feels like the latest in a lineage of crowd-pleasers .",
      "a fresh and funny twist on the alien-invasion epic .",
      "MOV strains somewhat to deliver a climactic moral , but the way it slyly shifts our sympathies to moses and his crew -lrb- at the expense of another species , granted -rrb- without overplaying their deprivation puts more serious-minded indies to shame .",
      "evokes far more childlike spielbergian wonder than this summer 's similar super 8 .",
      "an elegant , deliciously wrinkly action film loaded with humor , racial tension and gloopy violence .",
      "a low-budget adventure with propulsive energy and plenty of laughs .",
      "there could be a few more scares and laughs , but it 's a blast to be drawn into this urban ecosystem that is , to us yanks , itself a bit alien .",
      "it enhances a sense of the world rather than peddling distraction from it .",
      "an entertaining thriller in the tradition of 1970s b-action films , with an unknown cast , energetic special effects and great energy .",
      "snappy and confident , funny and exciting - an alien space-horror comedy that will engage even those who think they 're beyond this sort of thing .",
      "minor characters strive to be known as props and mayhem , and MOV deserves the former for the wicked way it creates the latter .",
      "if MOV does n't cut quite as deeply as cornish , in the movie 's first third , hints that it might , at least it 's powered more by modest smarts than by excessive , wasteful amounts of dough .",
      "MOV is quite a brilliant debut by joe cornish , the type of fun genre flick that we just do n't see that often anymore .",
      "the monsters of the popular imagination are called upon to save us from imaginary monsters .",
      "an infectiously larky extraterrestrial invasion movie that respects the genre conventions while spicing the brew with distinctive local flavor .",
      "inevitable comparisons with j.j. abrams 's similarly themed `` super 8 '' favors writer/director joe cornish 's seemingly effortless ability to extract laughs and shocks from an alien invasion .",
      "the argot , drugs and council-estate setting may put some audiences off , but they would be missing a socially conscious , energetic horror comedy that 's scary and very funny .",
      "MOV distinguishes itself from its genre compatriots by prizing theme and place over referentiality and hip , out of the box `` grindhouse '' - ness .",
      "MOV has an agreeably scrappy early john carpenter dark star/assault on precinct 13 vibe , rich in moral ambiguity and gleeful , smartass genre-mashing .",
      "MOV is exactly the kind of distinctly homegrown product that the british film industry should be making .",
      "while i enjoyed the film , i did leave the theater feeling it 's been slightly overrated .",
      "with tremendous assurance and utter lack of condescension , cornish puts his young cast playing the council-block kids at the very centre of the action . he directs them tremendously well and they reward him with performances of charm and energy ...",
      "MOV is essentially an action thriller and as such is effective .",
      "this pitch perfect blend of sci-fi action , comedy and social commentary winds up a gleeful delight .",
      "writer/director joe cornish has young wannabe gangstas battling aliens in a hilarious , action-packed combination of monster movie and underclass teenage story . trust !",
      "when the going gets tough . MOV hangs as tough as any modern thriller should .",
      "fighting aliens with these diverse , street-smart , slang-slinging little criminals is all the more fun for fighting them in the block : a fantastic funhouse of a battlefield , providing plenty of room for extremely witty and well-shot action sequences .",
      "one of the year 's smartest and most giddily enjoyable films .",
      "there 's a lot more going on than meets the eye in this slick , exciting , uk monster movie .",
      "a solidly executed example of the genres and conventions it intelligently satirizes .",
      "fish tank meets skyline in this hilarious and arresting british sci-fi comedy .",
      "the story unfolds visually for the most part , and the body language is enough to keep us informed . it just does n't quite meet expectations for a movie that has an interesting premise",
      "cornish and his effects team work magic with the creature designs . i wo n't spoil their look here as their eventual reveal provides quite a payoff , but it 's an ingenious , scary , and memorable movie monster they 've created .",
      "this wonderfully talented filmmaker will get to the serious stuff later in what is sure to be his long career . right now , he seems far more interested in crafting a good-time scare , which he achieves superbly .",
      "it successfully combines action with wit , social commentary and comedy .",
      "MOV is a fast-paced and inventive action/science-fiction film with an unconventional set of heroes .",
      "deserves the praise it 's received .",
      "there is n't a single thing i would change about the film 's brisk 88-minute running time .",
      "this year 's best tribute to e.t.",
      "cornish raises the stakes and the emotional investment of the characters , making MOV more effective in all of the different genres its trying to pull off at the same time .",
      "the best science fiction movie of 2012 .",
      "pits street kids against aliens in a fast-paced battle",
      "like a brit joe dante , debuting writer-director joe cornish both respects and rattles the genre , and he transforms his low budget into a virtue .",
      "employs a terse set-up and sparse characterisations to rein in any sentimentality and stress the ambiguities of its rich political and allegorical depths .",
      "it fizzes and sparks , but sputters too much to really catch light .",
      "i 've seen this year 's district 9 and it is called MOV .",
      "one of the year 's most dynamic , stunning and timeless blockbusters .",
      "some may complain about cornish 's readiness to assault your eyes and eardrums with zero warning , but a few loud bolts from the shadows still should n't result in anyone walking away unimpressed .",
      "cornish deconstructs our preconceived notions about the people we live with and around , and then he blows them all up , figuratively and literally .",
      "brit comedian-tv presenter joe cornish emerges fully formed as an exciting new writer-helmer with his enormously appealing debut feature .",
      "while it lacks originality , MOV zooms along with energy and deadpan humor .",
      "here is a shaggy monster movie that pulls double-duty as a satire of class and ethnic barriers , and how those barriers quickly disappear when we are forced to fight for our simple survival .",
      "MOV wants us to believe that its heroes are n't all that bad ... once you 've given them your wallet .",
      "cornish makes a feature debut here that 's almost as stunning as when his pal -lrb- and executive producer -rrb- edgar wright invaded the cineplex with `` shaun of the dead . ''",
      "so if you only go see one movie this weekend , please make it MOV . see it twice in fact . let 's encourage good filmmaking .",
      "a throwback monster movie made by people who clearly adore the films they 're referencing .",
      "employs its sci-fi tale to wrestle with issues of race and class structure -- the sort of deep thought lost on hollywood kingpins like michael bay , whose idea of sensitive racial exploration was to create amos 'n' andy robots for that transformers flick .",
      "-lrb- i -rrb- t 's the ready reinvention of the whole alien invasion conceit that becomes MOV 's greatest artistic contribution .",
      "the coolest part of `` MOV '' is how it does a switcheroo with the thugs , initially encouraging us to think they 're rotters and then showing us there 's more to them than meets the eye .",
      "few movies this year have been as all-out fun to watch as this one .",
      "a very strong british monster movie and a great idea , and ode to south london , to base it all in a council block .",
      "it 's a blistering debut .",
      "blending laughs , thrills and sci-fi chills with aplomb , cornish 's debut is nothing less than - yes ! - the new shaun of the dead . believe , bruv .",
      "utter blocks .",
      "this energetic mix of kidulthood and critters is insanely entertaining ; we ca n't wait to see what cornish will direct next .",
      "however much goodwill you chuck at it , this is n't quite the instant cult classic you want it to be . but now and then it 's as blinding as those alien gnashers .",
      "this is , in terms of its central plot , a pretty straightforward monster movie , but it has a very distinctive character .",
      "a fun slice of nostalgic geek cinema that effortlessly blends action , comedy , horror and sci-fi to create an instant genre classic .",
      "it is one of the purest film pleasures i 've encountered in a while , and the only real problem i have with it is that i want a new joe cornish movie tomorrow .",
      "snarling alien monsters are up against a teenage gang of south london hoodies in joe cornish 's pacy , amusing and at times frightening action-adventure romp .",
      "`` MOV '' demands to be seen simply because it is a thrill - a pulse-raiser whose perfect construction and pointed wit make it one of the year 's most exciting films .",
      "the movie 's amateurishly made . but the script is full of little surprises .",
      "one of the greater imports to hit america since `` shaun of the dead . ''",
      "MOV has a cast of nobodies , the cheesiest special effects this side of velveeta , and it 's the best sci-fi movie you 'll see this summer .",
      "the inky , somewhat shapeless beings are n't any scarier than your typical muppet . which is kind of a problem when you 're offering an r-rated thriller .",
      "MOV attacks the alien invasion genre with wit , energy and a cheeky insolence that makes it out of this world .",
      "an energetic genre ride with social ambitions about race and class .",
      "this is the uk version of super 8 .",
      "this is a snarky , humorous movie about blasting aliens to bits , but if you 're looking for more , you wo n't be left hanging .",
      "the ` hood , the bad and the ugly",
      "there are stylistic flourishes reminiscent of both steven spielberg and john landis but this is firmly cornish 's show , a smoothly crafted sci-fi comedy horror that cleverly walks the line between laughs and scares .",
      "first-time feature filmmaker cornish invests plenty of energy and humour into this alien invasion thriller",
      "poses a tongue in cheek question - `` what 's scarier , hostile extra-terrestrials or black youth ? '' - and then riffs on the sad reality that many people would say the latter .",
      "MOV lingers with you . cornish is a formidable filmmaker and boyega is an outstanding talent .",
      "there are some parts of london that maybe aliens should n't be too eager to invade .",
      "MOV balances scares with laughs incredibly well and features solid performances from everyone in the cast . gruesome aliens and a great setting that features outstanding action scenes all make for a very fun ride .",
      "a creatively unconventional invasion movie let down by its utterly unlikeable heroes .",
      "skilled , heartfelt entertainment done well .",
      "an adrenaline thrill ride cult action film that gets over as an unlikely sci-fi film .",
      "while all signs point to ` culty ' for this film , it actually has all the mainstream appeal of a brilliant comedy and a terrifying supernatural horror .",
      "with knowing nods to such genre classics as critters and gremlins , the warriors and assault on precinct 13 , cornish has created his own gang-banging , creature-feature gem .",
      "does require a huge suspension of disbelief at times - alien presence aside - and a massive dollop of absolution ...",
      "a blast of imagination and wit and sheer nerve , an alien invasion movie twice as entertaining as the ones hollywood has churned out all summer , made at a fraction of the cost .",
      "the power of MOV comes from smacking down cinematic clichés , not just the ones we 're familiar with but the ones its protagonists know well , too .",
      "even though cornish is a noted comedian in england , the focus here falls squarely on the action . sure , there are a few laughs , but they 're born of the characters and their situation , as their ` hood is transformed into an extraterrestrial war zone .",
      "an impressively energetic directorial debut , bolstered further by -lsb- cornish 's -rsb- own remarkably efficient screenplay .",
      "it 's exciting , and there is plenty of gore for fans of that sort of thing , but one wishes the mix of horror and comedy leaned a little more to the horror side of the equation .",
      "has energy and some laughs , but in the end suffers from a familiar threadbare quality .",
      "points for thinking outside the slimy-gooey-monster box .",
      "... an entertaining monster versus man actioner but it is not new or fresh . and , the monsters are nondescript , making them a simply an obstacle for the street fighters , not a threat to the world .",
      "it 's a doozy , offering tight and imaginative camerawork , electric thrills , and a sharp , twisty script that plays like a social satire .",
      "the british film 's quick humor , stunning visuals and a story that 's entertaining , dense and timely make it the year 's best extraterrestrial invasion .",
      "MOV is n't a great movie , but it 's fueled by a sense of energy that still makes it somewhat irresistible regardless of its -lrb- sometimes far too obvious -rrb- flaws .",
      "balancing big laughs and big shocks , MOV is a brilliant first film by anybody 's standards .",
      "MOV is enthusiastically yoof .",
      "cornish plays loose and fast with conventions of the genre and he does n't think twice about sacrificing some of his young protagonists to the creatures to underline the clear and present danger .",
      "this is n't just a bad film , it 's a film that 's plain wrong . shame on everyone involved .",
      "MOV is a mini marvel , and the most promising sci-fi debut since moon .",
      "i kept hoping michael caine 's harry brown would appear ready to teach them a lesson or two the hard way .",
      "a familiar situation is cleverly exploited , the characters gradually become individuals , and the admirable moral is that actions have consequences .",
      "boldly innovative while still flashily acknowledging those that have come before - this is a movie that should -lrb- and deserves to -rrb- foster a cult audience .",
      "this has the smarts of the best sci-fi and the action to go with it : it 's aliens meets assault on precinct 13 .",
      "the picture is a little unpolished - characters get lost , tension slackens off - but cornish pulls off his preposterous premise with flair .",
      "reprises scores of films , but despite an unusual combination of story with setting and characters , adds nothing in the re-doing and sports hokey creature effects .",
      "irreverently funny without ever being spoofy ... the one-liners are hilarious , and cornish has a deft touch at weaving social commentary on urban gentrification into the narrative .",
      "apparently , british comedian/writer joe cornish was paying considerable attention while he played bit parts and hung around the sets of his friends ' films shaun of the dead and hot fuzz .",
      "perhaps one of the highest compliments i can pay MOV is that it feels like a movie that might have played on a double bill with gremlins back in the early '80s .",
      "science-fiction buffs seeking a change of pace and fans of british pop culture should n't miss it .",
      "the line for this future cult hit starts here . get in it before your friends tell you to .",
      "on its surface , `` MOV '' is about unlikely heroes saving the world from an alien invasion . but those aliens ... are a metaphor for all the obstacles moses and his mates face every day ...",
      "it 's wall-to-wall sci-fi pop-culture bric-a-brac , yet it feels organic . there 's something more at stake than the fate of a movie-ish earth .",
      "unfortunately , `` MOV '' makes two crucial mistakes : it does n't have great monsters . and it does n't have great heroes .",
      "this spunky , low-budget british action-comedy proves once again that a smart script can breath new life into even the most tired of subjects .",
      "joe cornish directed his own script , which suffers from thin characterization , weak dialogue , and a confused ending .",
      "this movie wants and needs to come at you like a beast in the dark . allow it .",
      "entertaining tale of london housing-project youth battling vicious aliens should emerge as a cult hit .",
      "that the film treats marginalized youths with real respect while delivering such a raucous and inventive spin on horror comedy is the most welcome kind of cinematic miracle .",
      "a perfect genre gem , a movie that works a crowd the way a great song works a crowd . paced beautifully , written smartly and shot with style and energy .",
      "a playful approach to the genre can be far more satisfying than hollywood 's tendency to play it safe .",
      "a clever blend of sci-fi and comedy , which pits toothy furball space invaders against young south london thugs .",
      "pulsing with a rowdy energy , the film works as both a sci-fi horror flick and a teen adventure film .",
      "overall , the movie 's low-rent british specificity is a plus because the unique milieu provides a unique set of problems for the earthlings to overcome .",
      "in the vein of `` shaun of the dead '' but a lot less fun ...",
      "delight .",
      "these are the kinds of indie movies we want to see , where it 's the ideas that stand out .",
      "MOV may emerge as one of the summer 's sleepers .",
      "writer-director joe cornish 's charmingly zippy debut wants to be taken seriously while evoking a childlike sense of marvel , or at least early-blockbuster nostalgia . -lrb- is this the inner-city companion to super 8 ? -rrb-",
      "cornish has made a very accomplished debut ; an exuberant genre mash-up , part sci-fi , part action movie , part comedy , executed with tremendous energy and flair .",
      "there are enough laughs to qualify as black comedy , but it 's also scary enough to be thrilling .",
      "a slick horror comedy , block contains a few fatal flaws that weaken its sense of cheery violent fun . it 's difficult to root for a bunch of alien-busting kids when they all deserve prolonged spankings .",
      "... the filmmaker keeps things moving to such an extent that the incoherence of the dialogue eventually becomes a non-issue ...",
      "a mainstream film that refuses to pander to audiences , but instead works hard to win them over . as the kids probably no longer say : respect .",
      "cornish draws superb performances out of his inexperienced central quintet , especially john boyega -lrb- taciturn moses -rrb- and alex esmail -lrb- livewire pest -rrb- .",
      "exciting , entertaining , and rewarding .",
      "a genuinely great film .",
      "it 's a mash up of gremlins , e.t. , a stoner comedy and a monster b-movie , delivered with a visual nod to 1970s teen gang films and reflecting the comedy smarts of , well , joe cornish .",
      "it plays like the rabid love child of john carpenter 's assault on precinct 13 and stephen herek 's critters ... and i mean that as the highest compliment .",
      "a hilarious , slam-bang series of chases and battles that cross `` gremlins '' with `` assault on precinct 13 '' ...",
      "the cast is splendid , the script quick-witted and the action satisfying .",
      "a bit like goonies and war of the worlds filtered through the original english version of skins",
      "too goofy to be frightening and too lame to be funny or amusing , the picture ultimately turns into an interminable waste of time .",
      "it 's surprising this thing ever got released .",
      "this fabulously inventive debut feature , written and directed by the british comedian joe cornish , never flags .",
      "there is much to commend in this genre-bending first feature .",
      "joe cornish 's entertaining feature debut is an intriguing idea and has some nice moments but it also suffers from a problematic approach to its characters and is neither as funny or as scary as it should have been .",
      "MOV 's attempts to straddle horror and comedy are doomed : it 's neither scary nor funny enough .",
      "there 's some ok dialogue when the kids are n't talking gangster and a well-shot , pretty exciting climax ."
    ],
    "summary": "effortlessly mixing scares , laughs , and social commentary , MOV is a thrilling , brisky-paced sci-fi yarn with a distinctly british flavor .",
    "id": "771203801"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1098149-patriot",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's never boring , and it 'll sweep you up in its momentum if you give it a chance .",
      "whether protecting his brood or his nation , gibson is the quintessential american stoic .",
      "a riveting , slick , graphically violent piece of entertainment .",
      "the MOV delivers what it promises .",
      "a spectacle that could cause its audience to rise up against the dull treatment of this marvelous episode from history teachers .",
      "a rip-snorting good flick that breaks the cinematic jinx against revolutionary war stories .",
      "the fight scenes are careful , powerful , stunning , and quite realistic .",
      "the MOV delivers , for the most part , effective , populist entertainment .",
      "having fought the british centuries before in braveheart , gibson brings the same intensity to the MOV .",
      "it wisely focuses upon common folk rather than prominent figures .",
      "the MOV is best when it focuses on gibson . unfortunately , half the time it focuses on ledger .",
      "it 's the plot that 's hackneyed .",
      "often melodramatic and manipulative but it is solid , involving filmmaking so one willingly takes the ride it offers .",
      "bloody , overlong and straining for significance ...",
      "a big-budget epic of the american revolution , with mel gibson , of all people , leading the charge .",
      "while his hero is conscience-stricken about killing , emmerich sure enjoys serving it up in generous helpings .",
      "many graphic battle scenes , not for all teens .",
      "has its moments",
      "if i 'd known there was going to be this much gagging sentimentality , i 'd have brought a vomit bag .",
      "the main irony , of course , lies in the film 's title , which suggests that the absurdly flag-waving activist should be taken at face value despite the ample evidence that defending his country is the last thing on his mind .",
      "it 's the best film ever made about the revolutionary war .",
      "no better than anyone should have expected , which is to say that it is n't any good at all .",
      "the MOV becomes just another , albeit better , emmerich picture :",
      "those who like to think for themselves will find the MOV dishonest and manipulative .",
      "emmerich choreographs the action with breathtaking precision .",
      "the rough-and-tumble of american life during the revolution and one brave man 's struggle against his own violence .",
      "the MOV comes across strong with some excellent supporting performances , oftentimes breathtaking cinematography and a plot that , like it or not , does tap many emotions .",
      "the MOV pays handsome tribute to the sacrifices of men who deserve to be remembered .",
      "every moment leads naturally to the next , and the overall effect is thrilling .",
      "it boldly asks what you 'd be willing to sacrifice to gain that freedom . and what more could you ask from a fourth of july movie ?",
      "this is worth the price of admission , and even at almost three hours , your butt will not hurt .",
      "for gibson , who is in virtually every scene , it is an acting tour de force .",
      "effectively blends brutality and gentility , but ca n't find the right mix between hollywood clichés and the revolution 's complex history .",
      "see this movie , then go home , raise the flag , set off some fireworks , and char some meat .",
      "a typical hollywood product that aims to get the adrenaline rushing and tug at the heartstrings , but does n't much care about how shamelessly it goes about doing so .",
      "it repeats the formula of exclusionary representation , conceiving american history as the domain of whites , where blacks , free and slave are left on the sidelines , local color for more ` heroic ' characters .",
      "the rules of summer movie-making wreck the MOV .",
      "reflects our wish to redeem ourselves through sacrifice . but that entails more than briefly nodding to our flaws , magnifying what we like best about our past , and waving it around , hoping the euphoria will resolve any contradictions .",
      "like the war itself , it 's too long and too bloody ; unlike the war , it does n't pay off in the end .",
      "what makes the MOV exhausting , despite its handful of blood-boiling sequences , is the way it numbingly resembles other movies .",
      "... beautiful to watch , exciting to experience , and totally without consequence once it 's over .",
      "a tough , high-minded work of seriousness -- those who turn their noses up at emmerich 's name will be surprised at the amount of integrity he allows the MOV to hold .",
      "there 's not much to get excited about .",
      "a gruesome hybrid , a mix of sentimentality and brutality that suggests a lethal weapon movie directed by norman rockwell .",
      "a movie of cornball sentiment , humorously anachronistic dialogue , and expensive colonial williamsburg sets .",
      "the MOV has the look and feel of an epic , but none of the actual feeling that would make it memorable leaving it to rank as a major disappointment .",
      "gibson gives a mechanically precise but soulless performance in which he seems more concerned with how he looks than what his character is thinking or feeling .",
      "its makers and star have produced a hackneyed piece of patriotic gore .",
      "i had an ugly feeling when i left the theater , like someone was trying awfully hard to sell me on patriotism .",
      "the period décor and costuming and production design may be in the overhoned hollywood classic style , but the plotting is pure melodrama .",
      "so the result -- in spite of the puffy white shirts , mussed ponytails , 13-starred american flags and nameless slaves -- feels more like 1996 .",
      "there 's no majesty , no tragedy , no feeling here ; it 's all fx and costuming and casting directors .",
      "the fireworks amount to little more than a fizzle .",
      "gibson gives the part his all , but he ca n't create a coherent character : the movie wo n't let him .",
      "the next time dean devlin and roland emmerich decide to crank out another of their manipulative popcorn epics , i hope they 'll stick to aliens and giant lizards and leave our history alone .",
      "it seems certain that whatever extraordinary ingredients are necessary to fashion a 1776 home run , this movie does n't have them .",
      "i particularly disliked the manipulative way the film used martin 's children as the primary vehicle to raise the dramatic stakes .",
      "robert rodat 's script is specious and false on every level .",
      "it 's not being unpatriotic to wish for a better , more original movie .",
      "the film is undeniably handsome ... but no cliché is left unturned .",
      "yet for its real virtues , the MOV is never completely satisfying .",
      "the film feels preachy , hollow , and -- in its celebratory staging of violence -- flatly hypocritical .",
      "it pummels history into a series of rousing or disgusting moments .",
      "big , dumb , predictable , too long .",
      "... an honest depiction of warfare that focuses on characters and symbols .",
      "make no mistake about it : the MOV is a cartoon , even if it does have real people playing the parts .",
      "by the time martin begins waving around a gigantic american flag to rally his supporters for one last clash , the film has become so mechanical and jingoistic you might just as well be watching `` declaration of independence day . ''",
      "emmerich 's battle scenes may look authentic to anyone who has ever stared hard at a history book , but in every other way the film is long , empty and bogus .",
      "it 's near sadistic how the film has him going though so much tragedy and self-questioning , but gibson delivers emotionally .",
      "it 's a spectacular , well-made epic that i just could not enjoy -- at least not after the first hour .",
      "a stunning-looking , undeniably compelling but empty-headed shoot 'em up .",
      "its convictions may be half-baked , but it has the courage of them .",
      "o filme apresenta claros indícios de que roland emmerich está amadurecendo .",
      "la película está muy bien realizada , pero , por desgracia está realizada al más puro estilo hollywood .",
      "huge , handsome and compelling in scope , but also , unfortunately , convoluted and historically inaccurate -- not to mention looong .",
      "as long as it stays on the battlefield , the MOV is a brutishly compelling broad-canvas entertainment .",
      "see it , enjoy it , and try not to think too hard about what might have been .",
      "i enjoyed the strength and conviction of gibson 's performance , the sweep of the battle scenes , and the absurdity of the british caricatures .",
      "it 's a cornball epic , but it sweeps you along against your better judgment .",
      "i would like to say to devlin and emmerich that they have hereby been forgiven for godzilla .",
      "a grand yarn with a sense of the weight of history and an awareness that the winners are often those who have lost the most .",
      "deserves a salute as the first hollywood epic about the american revolution to successfully blend ferocity and feeling .",
      "there 's some good stuff here -- far more than one would think , considering the source -- but it never quite puts it all together .",
      "the american revolution - in comic book form .",
      "it 's for the consumers of delicious made in america hokum .",
      "watching this movie is like watching fireworks in some grandly appointed public place .",
      "simply looks amazing from the first frame to the last .",
      "the MOV approaches the grandeur of the better john ford films , echoing the master 's blend of action , humor , sentiment and patriotic idealism .",
      "the MOV is a huge , bloody , 2-hour-and-40-minute battle epic , lavishly appointed and beautifully shot .",
      "while it 's easy to sound cynical in describing this paint-by-numbers plot , the MOV is , by and large , well-made and enjoyable .",
      "gibson is the main draw , and he provides ample reason for that with an on-fire performance that exceeds the limitations of the material .",
      "the look and premise of a south carolina farmer should be far enough away from the tartans and kilts of scotland that this film will be able to stand ably on its own in the public 's eye .",
      "gibson has proven he can do this kind of stuff with his eyes closed and he is rounded out by a fine supporting cast .",
      "this is n't just some ordinary war movie .",
      "a walloping entertainment .",
      "a solid effort for everyone involved .",
      "contiene los elementos básicos de toda cinta épica : una estrella en el rol principal , hermosas mujeres y grandes batallas",
      "the MOV comes across strong with some excellent supporting performances , oftentimes breathtaking cinematography and a plot that , like it or not , does tap many emotions .",
      "the storyline remains engaging to the very last shot .",
      "exciting and entertaining as any good summer blockbuster should be .",
      "gibson gives a fine , emotionally charged performance as the brave and often tormented hero .",
      "for all its adherence to formula , the MOV is certainly handsome and effectively rousing in small but resounding ways .",
      "it has everything you want in an epic .",
      "a good film ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV can be entertaining to watch , but it relies too much on formula and melodrama .",
    "id": "12954"
  },
  {
    "movie": "scary_movie_5",
    "reviews": [
      "a pitiful grab bag of awful with a torturous sense of humor , crash landing a formerly inoffensive franchise into hostile friedberg/seltzer territory .",
      "if airplane ! was mad magazine at its absolute best , a real genius work of insanity , scary movie v is an issue you do n't bother trying to get back after the teacher confiscates it .",
      "the `` scary movie '' franchise has never been known for its highbrow comedy , but this latest installment feels especially juvenile and pointless .",
      "there are opportunities to have a good time with this film , if you are a forgiving sort .",
      "spoofing movies ranging from black swan to mama to paranormal activity , this installment of the profitable series is woefully , painfully unfunny .",
      "spoofs always break the rule of half-mocking something stale , but i had no idea we needed a minimum amount of time needed before a reference .",
      "these movies grow shorter and less funny by the year .",
      "when you find yourself wishing there was more lindsay lohan in a movie , you know it 's bad . MOV is so bad that a dj spinning a pizza instead of a record is what passes for a sight gag . or a woman having sex with a microwave ...",
      "if it 's even possible , MOV is worse than its predecessors , reaching all new heights of stupidity and fall-flat comedy .",
      "the best part of MOV -- not counting the part when it 's over -- comes near the beginning .",
      "like so much of this whole series , the mere mention of a familiar pop culture figure or title is supposed to be hilarious .",
      "MOV must be some kind of psychological experiment . perhaps the filmmakers sat in a lab , rubbing their temples while wondering aloud how awful they could make a movie and still score at the box office .",
      "a hate crime against cinema , a ringing indictment of the depths commercialism will go to in search of the lowest common denominator .",
      "yap yap yap yap yap ...",
      "i have been to funerals a lot less sad than this laughless 85 minutes . -lrb- complete content details for parents also available -rrb-",
      "MOV is a dumbed down and hollow version of the franchise formula - resulting in an idiotic -lrb- and unamusing -rrb- attempt at parody that is tedious not fun .",
      "do n't . do n't go see this . do n't subject yourself to this . do n't subject your brain to this . do n't give these people your money and encourage them to make more of this .",
      "it 's crude , gross and probably wishes it was offensive but comes across as just lazy , limp and unfunny .",
      "a boldly uninspired torrent of halfhearted slapstick , interminable poop jokes , and pointless pop-culture references , a veritable tsunami of idiocy .",
      "railing against scary movie v for diminishing the series ' standards would be as effective as criticising brooke hogan for disgracing her proud family name . and yet , the fifth instalment of the scary movie franchise does do that .",
      "MOV is a reprehensible excuse of a comedy and should barely be considered a film since it 's of such poor quality . they do n't make a dunce cap big enough for individuals this idiotic .",
      "the writers are on auto pilot once more , relying on the `` it 's familiar , so it must be funny '' routine ...",
      "the only thing scary about ` MOV ' is the thought of a sequel .",
      "this franchise has steadily gotten worse and worse with # 5 being the all time low .",
      "this is a big waste of time , drawing one more gasp out of a series that should have given up the ghost long ago .",
      "enough . please .",
      "another pointless exercise that only served to make me deeply examine why comedy was ever funny . next time , i 'd rather just laugh .",
      "even if you chuckle occasionally at this , it 's hard to see how anyone would want to pay to see it .",
      "this is the first scary movie in seven years , but the formula remains unchanged , with a thin storyline linking spoofs of hollywood hits .",
      "it says a lot about the film that the only half-laughs to be had come from charlie sheen and lindsay lohan .",
      "the inexcusably desperate `` MOV '' is this once-prosperous series ' death rattle .",
      "surely we have a responsibility to audiences in need of laughter , and surely we can do better than this .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- numbingly inane if cheerfully up-to-the-minute new entry in a franchise presumed to have breathed its last seven years ago .",
      "85 or so minutes of random nonsense from filmmakers so clearly dispirited by their mercenary assignment that they seem to be running out the clock from the very first frame .",
      "you know that friend of yours , the one who ca n't tell even the simplest joke ? watching him struggle for 85 minutes would still be funnier than this movie .",
      "this is the sort of movie where you feel bad for sheen and lohan , because they had n't actually hit rock bottom until they agreed to appear in it .",
      "a film composed almost entirely of jokes that were much funnier when you read them on twitter years ago .",
      "lacking a single honest laugh , this is shoddy by comparison with the other scary movie sequels ... which throws it in a pit with transylmania , breaking wind and stan helsing .",
      "the scariest thing about MOV is that it actually made me chortle less than some of the silly horror flicks it 's trying to spoof !",
      "for the art-house crowd , who may , i suppose , stumble drunk into the wrong theater after too much chardonnay , there are nods to black swan and 127 hours .",
      "if i ever have to watch another scary movie film , i 'll give up on writing , cinema , and society forever .",
      "this vapid , vulgar insult to the intelligence could n't possibly have been tested on any focus groups . can we all now agree that we 've reached the cinematic saturation point with the rapidly-expiring , scary movie franchise ?",
      "it 's supposed to be funny , but you 'd have an easier time reading a zombie 's pulse than you would finding a single good laugh ...",
      "the latest installment of the slick , highly profitable parody franchise .",
      "a laughter vacuum whose race to parody the likes of mama and the new evil dead remake did n't stretch to writing actual jokes .",
      "the filmmakers border on sophomoric desperation , achieving a measurable shred of humor only in the outtakes during the closing credits .",
      "put it this way , there 's a spoof of `` rise of the planet of the apes '' in which gorillas throw their feces at the wall to see if it sticks , and you ca n't help wondering if this is actual documentary footage of the script meetings .",
      "like a sharp stick in the eye",
      "MOV is so bad , it makes a haunted house look like a seltzer/friedberg comedy .",
      "you must have a better way to spend that $ 13 ."
    ],
    "summary": "juvenile even by scary movie standards , this fifth installment offers stale pop culture gags that generate few laughs .",
    "id": "770771666"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10009225-body_of_lies",
    "reviews": [
      "high production value and solid performances lay enough of a spit shine on an otherwise dingy pile of drivel .",
      "as a movie seeking to tell a story , MOV is a confused jumble .",
      "russell crowe 's portrayal of an overweight , amoral cia honcho in the middle east thriller MOV is mesmerizing , chilling , disturbing to the bone and one of the best performances of the year .",
      "MOV is an a-list project with b-game results .",
      "given the giga-talent involved -- virtuoso visualist scott , the departed 's william monahan adapting washington post columnist david ignatius 's novel -- i was hoping for something more substantive than syriana-meets-spy game .",
      "on this basic premise builds a complicated story plied with onion layers of perspective and cunning .",
      "a stumbling block for myself as a big , fat american who does n't understand all the nuances of middle eastern politics is that the movie was often hard to follow .",
      "even if MOV lacks a huge emotional wallop , it dishes plenty of food for thought .",
      "this is a little too slick and commanding for its own good ; despite crowe and dicaprio 's best efforts , their characters keep getting flattened by the steamroller narrative .",
      "-lsb- ridley scott -rsb- has few peers at keeping a complex script clear and tightly focused ...",
      "neither the location-based verisimilitude of ridley scott 's shooting style nor the estimable middle east expertise of source-material author david ignatius can disguise MOV as anything other than the contrived phony-baloney it is .",
      "dicaprio -lrb- not crowe -rrb- is in top form in scott 's fast-moving , visually vivid but dramatically uninvolving noirish geopolitical thriller that despite problems conveys the point that in the new war on terrorism information , not weaponry , is the key variable .",
      "dicaprio gives the role plenty of brio , while crowe -- who reportedly gained 50 pounds to play the morally and physically sloven office spook -- is agreeably obnoxious .",
      "both complicated and compelling , MOV offers an audacious glimpse at the hypocrisy and religious furor fueling a struggle most americans recognize only as a political catch phrase -- a ` war on terror . '",
      "dicaprio and crowe , who both deliver excellent performances , may nevertheless be overshadowed by the outstanding turn by british actor strong .",
      "dicaprio helps turn what could have been a dry-as-sand middle eastern thriller into a compelling suspense film that questions the ethics of espionage and counterterrorism without turning sanctimonious or screedlike .",
      "the movie is an urgent current-events thriller that falls somewhere between syriana and the bourne movies .",
      "... no matter how energetically the characters tear around the desert or barrel through the teeming souks , we remain underwhelmed .",
      "yet in spite of the movie 's high-tech veneer and its top-billed stars , MOV is depressingly inert .",
      "MOV is smart , sophisticated and hopelessly uninvolving .",
      "crowe 's a delight as a crafty deputy dawg from arkansas ; mark strong 's hani has an iq to match his gq . surprisingly , the only undernourished part belongs to dicaprio .",
      "despite the dog-eared set-ups and situations , MOV also has a lot going for it .",
      "director ridley scott delivers a passable spy movie that has nothing to say about this region ; he may as well have been directing from a monitor in his hotel suite .",
      "ridley scott does not reflect on causes , only on operations . MOV may engage the warrior techno-geeks , but its amorality is uninvolving .",
      "MOV proves as generic as its title .",
      "while this film 's themes seem to address issues of terrorism and cia meddling , and the powerful cast suggests we 're in important movie territory , the result is essentially just a routine spy thriller : entertaining but forgettable .",
      "over-directed , frequently dull and ultimately disappointing thriller that wastes the talents of its two leads and strands them with a tedious script that somehow manages to be both confusing and overly simplistic .",
      "a complicated movie about the war on terror with two terrific performances and a terrific director .",
      "perfectly workmanlike , unimpeachably prestige-y , achingly contemporary , and a near-complete failure as revelation",
      "good solid far-fetched multiplex action-adventure fare in the bondian mode , with awe-inspiring technology and just enough moral philosophizing laced through it to give the mind a little something to chew on .",
      "just because it 's really dense and layered does n't mean it 's good .",
      "characters act and react with inexplicable intents and the story evolves in a manner that defies linear or random templates and certainly anything that might keep us engaged emotionally or psychologically .",
      "thanks to its high-talent pro lineup , MOV passes the time well , even if it does n't necessarily enrich it .",
      "a cut above some of the other recent spate of middle east-set thrillers .",
      "mr. scott 's professionalism is , as ever , present in every frame and scene , but this time it seems singularly untethered from anything like zeal , conviction or even curiosity .",
      "... should seem ripped from today 's headlines . instead it plays like a typical cat and mouse spy movie with top notch production values and a tacked on romantic angle .",
      "i 'm not much of a mathematician , but you can say this one is crowe scott dicaprio = disappointment",
      "it 's a film directed by one of the best directors in hollywood , written by one of the best writers and has two of the best actors around . how could you go wrong ?",
      "like the intelligence officers it portrays , MOV uses double-crosses and slight of hand to conceal a fairly formulaic story and a climax as offensively conventional as it gets .",
      "by the end , MOV is revealed as just another big-budget movie designed to cash in on the real-enough middle east conflicts . it 's a gangster movie without cops and criminals .",
      "some show is made of plunging the viewer into a dense cloud of moral ambiguity , but this is mostly smoke and mirrors : while the american heroes may employ some dubious tactics , the justice of their cause is never in doubt .",
      "the complex plot is rendered with clarity and precision , the action scenes are very well staged , the suspense is palpable , and the performances are first-rate .",
      "-lsb- c -rsb- lever and subtle and demands that you pay attention , and rewards you for doing so ...",
      "russell crowe has finally realised he 's just an ordinary fat guy now , and taken a role he can accurately portray .",
      "MOV is an extremely well paced , tightly wound , and intensely violent thriller . there is no damnation or congratulations here . as russell crowe muses as the end : `` no one is innocent ''",
      "a compelling , nail-biting spy thriller .",
      "it has none of the sweep of , say , syriana , as if that mattered to the audience it 's gunning for .",
      "visually , the film is quite striking . few modern filmmakers handle desert landscapes as well as mr. scott .",
      "short on thrills and shorter on political insights",
      "... -lsb- ridley -rsb- scott 's most entertaining and involving effort since 2001 's black hawk down .",
      "it does n't help that those action scenes all blend together , relying overmuch on speeding convoys of big black suvs and surveillance planes that can see you picking your nose from miles up .",
      "a certain rawness and despairing urgency is never quite achieved for the message the film wants to deliver , and so it remains a well-intentioned , well-produced , yet generally unmemorable entertainment .",
      "passable entertainment -- but definitely not on par with the usual dicaprio , crowe , or ridley scott output .",
      "MOV ca n't quite make up its mind whether to be an all-out thriller or a savvy political drama with something relevant to say about muslim fundamentalism and the american response to it .",
      "but it 's something of a penance to sit through , a token handwringing over american dirty tricks that 's just another opportunity for scott and co to blow stuff up .",
      "if the starry but soulless crime flick american gangster was n't enough to convince you ridley scott was a man past his prime , check out MOV - a starry but soulless terrorism movie .",
      "MOV lacks the epic sweep of gladiator and the emotional pull of thelma and louise . but it 's enormously competent , with a couple of fine supporting performances from crowe and strong .",
      "visually the film is so undistinguished it may be time for the maker of blade runner to be subjected to that film 's voigt-kampff test , to determine whether the current owner of the name `` ridley scott '' is real or a replicant .",
      "for all the enthralling visuals and action , the film feels garbled .",
      "scott , at heart , is a pyrotechnician rather than a political philosopher . sometimes , during the scenes when he shows graphic acts of torture , he seems like a two-penny shock merchant , too .",
      "MOV is big and bombastic , confused and irritable - a 20th-century blockbuster struggling to adapt -lrb- too little , too late -rrb- to a 21st-century terrain .",
      "syriana , this ai n't . ridley scott 's latest misses the scope , texture or depth to dig into the moral mess of the war on terror . but this entertaining techno-thriller feeds greedily off star performances from leonardo dicaprio and mark strong .",
      "with high-class acts to match the hi-tech savvy of scott and his trusty crew -lrb- cinematographer alexander witt , editor pietro scalia , composer mark streitenfeld -rrb- , this is as taut and engrossing a couple of hours as you 'll experience all year .",
      "MOV is certainly one of most well-crafted and intellectually engaging political thrillers to come along this year .",
      "the movie has the fungible quality of the kind of book you buy for an airplane trip and toss as soon as you arrive .",
      "anyone who actually sees MOV will have a hard time taking it as seriously as audiences took scott 's black hawk down .",
      "what begins as a movie suggesting the moral complexity of counterterrorism ends up feeling very much like a thriller as generic as its title .",
      "an unfocused , almost pointless spy thriller .",
      "easily the smartest film to date about the post-9 / 11 ` war on terror . '",
      "after ridley 's less-than-stellar stretch including matchstick men , kingdom of heaven , a good year and american gangster , expectations are medium at best and MOV does nothing to raise them .",
      "anchored by an amazing performance by leonardo dicaprio and little else , MOV limps along for over two hours , never amounting to more than a decent , if derivative nailbiter .",
      "as disturbing as it is compelling , ridley scott has outdone himself with his first modern-day political thriller , delivering his strongest movie since black hawk down .",
      "the film lacks the urgency and , ironically , the intelligence required for something along these lines to succeed .",
      "MOV is the movie syriana and the kingdom wanted to be .",
      "obnoxiously typical , and only its pointlessly convoluted series of double crosses in the middle even gives it the semblance of drama .",
      "MOV has nothing to say about geopolitics , the action scenes are formulaic , and dicaprio is rarely on the screen with crowe , who coasts through the most puzzling performance of his career .",
      "it works better as an action-adventure , thanks to ridley scott 's knack for tightening the screws on the intensity .",
      "... a forgettable spy non-thriller ...",
      "exciting enough while it 's unfolding , but it lacks an original element and there are n't enough scenes where crowe and dicaprio are playing off each other .",
      "a respectable second-rank thriller -- intelligent but muddled , action-packed but thoughtful .",
      "MOV may not tell us anything we did n't already know about the way the us does business in the middle east , but it 's compelling nonetheless .",
      "the new ridley scott thriller , `` MOV , '' is a misfire , but not an embarrassment . so , that 's positive , i guess .",
      "there always seems to be a gunfight , torture , or fireball explosion to keep you mindlessly entertained .",
      "lies is a turgid middle eastern thriller , firing blanks as an action submission and presenting a wet match to light the fire of political discourse .",
      "a passable friday night flick .",
      "MOV clicks along at an engaging pace , legibly limning its multitude of characters and even throwing in a good bit of wry humor .",
      "oscar voters leery of voting for -lrb- gasp ! -rrb- comic book movie , ` the dark knight , ' for multiple accolades come award season finally have another option with the release of ` MOV . '",
      "a bewildering mishmash of double-crosses , cover-ups , and cliches , monahan 's treatment unfortunately undermines some terrific performances and a solid outing for director ridley scott .",
      "MOV is most alive while relishing the surveillance and communications tools abused by hoffman , tools that supply him military intelligence , but not the smarts or scruples to effectively use it .",
      "it 's solid filmmaking that , bafflingly , leaves little to talk about on the way home .",
      "a thriller that reveals the latest twists and turns in the war on terrorism .",
      "MOV nearly goes too far . as it is , this heavily political thriller becomes too serious and much too dark at times , and it does n't seem to be serious enough when it really counts .",
      "so many like-minded films have beat it to the punch that there 's nothing new to offer audiences . the talents of all involved have been wasted , and so has our time .",
      "what distinguishes the book with gripping realism may not be so apparent in the cinematic context . still , for spy calculus , action , and character realization , i assign you to see it .",
      "if you 're looking for a high-tech , old-fashioned racist b-western , you 've come to the right place , pilgrim .",
      "yes , there are a couple of chase scenes , but scott rarely shifts into high gear .",
      "more gripping to watch in the moment than enjoyable to recall at its end .",
      "the macho swagger of these us espionage interlopers around the planet has all the finesse of a wrestling ring , while imperialism is made to come off as really sexy . MOV : an amman gangster .",
      "MOV grants ferris the usual moral rightness -- even as he 's committing questionable acts , he means well .",
      "a timely game of cat and mouse that benefits from the performances by its two leads .",
      "like alec baldwin , russell crowe is way more fun to watch when he 's fat .",
      "dicaprio 's solid , though i wonder if a real cia agent could get away with looking so earnest every second . crowe has the right idea , in addition to all the fun : just throw it away , throw it away and pretty soon you build yourself a clever characterization",
      "so much of MOV lumbers along in a lazily predictable manner .",
      "` MOV ' is an adults-only story about espionage and the politics of war .",
      "ridley scott delivers an involving if sometimes meandering spy thriller and gets in some choice digs about the paralyzed state of american intelligence in the post-9 / 11 age .",
      "for the most part , this is a pretty solid thriller that combines government mumble jumble with some pretty exciting action sequences .",
      "violent spy thriller more about style than story .",
      "MOV is an expertly made , well-acted movie , and that makes it worth seeing , but it 's not what it could have been .",
      "a tight , first-rate espionage thriller that casts a bleak light on american involvement in the middle east .",
      "is n't it time someone did a serious cost-benefit analysis on the filmmaking partnership of russell crowe and director ridley scott ?",
      "curiously lightweight ... escapes neither the slick histrionics of a typical studio blockbuster nor the clumsiness that afflicts movies with political messages .",
      "it 's no surprise that leonardo dicaprio and russell crowe are so good in MOV , ridley scott 's thrilling film about the war on terror , its costs and its frustrations .",
      "makes the threats , the obstacles and the explosions seem shatteringly real .",
      "MOV contains enough you can believe , or almost believe , that you wish so much of it were n't sensationally implausible .",
      "its generic attributes -lrb- and title -rrb- notwithstanding , scott 's film may be the sharpest and most perceptive of all the post-9 / 11 thrillers -- and also the most purely entertaining .",
      "MOV is n't half bad , sprinkling in well-shot action and some moments of genuine suspense .",
      "` MOV ' is a tense , deftly paced meditation on america 's role in the middle east , and if it 's not quite a war movie , it offers somber insights into the bush administration 's campaign against terror that recent thrillers like ` the kingdom ' have not .",
      "there 's just not much being said in ` MOV . ' when it comes to novel ideas , everyone gets left out in the cold .",
      "that ridley scott guy , he directs things pretty good .",
      "` MOV ' ends up being a mostly chaotic movie featuring lead characters it 's hard to care about .",
      "bloated and far-fetched , it 's filled with two-and-half-hours of meandering meaninglessness .",
      "MOV could 've been one of those gag trailers at the beginning of tropic thunder .",
      "i 'm usually not crazy about thrillers , but this one had me engaged from start to finish .",
      "dicaprio plays a hero with terrible judgment , while crowe hams up a pointless part to the detriment of the movie .",
      "gets across a palpable sense of iraq fatigue . which is another way of saying it invites the audience to see the talking-chihuahua picture instead .",
      "it 's basically just an excuse for leonardo dicaprio to play jason bourne while scott once again turns his technical expertise towards making morocco look pretty .",
      "it 's an exciting movie , done in the flashy , breath-catching hyper-visual mode we expect from scott . but in the end , it gets bogged down ...",
      "while action-adventure conventions take precedence over socio-political analysis , visceral kicks are in short supply , a situation that throws the film 's tendencies toward stale misdirection and goofy melodrama into sharp relief .",
      "the plot devolves into a potboiler , reduced to a series of sequences wherein dicaprio and crowe can posture with the requisite machismo",
      "the hollywood surge still is n't working .",
      "collaborating with a director who does n't give a damn , dicaprio and crowe have made a political action flick totally without emotional impact .",
      "MOV moves so fast you do n't notice its oddball structure .",
      "MOV is a riddle wrapped in an enigma served with a side of mystery meat . it 's very watchable , with some entertaining action beats , kind of a syriania as scripted by tom clancy , a the kingdom with a little less c.s.i.",
      "working from a screenplay by william monahan , scott takes rusty '80s clichés from the days when we were playing nuclear chicken with russia and retrofits them to the post-9 / 11 world . he exposes how weary those old spy tropes really are .",
      "it 's a wonder that MOV squanders all of those ingredients in a dry , convoluted mess .",
      "like blade runner , the film reminds us of the corrupting nature of power , and how those who look down on others often fail to understand the consequences of their actions .",
      "though MOV hews a bit too closely to convention , it still engages throughout thanks to dicaprio and director scott .",
      "for those who care about there being more to a thriller than pointless car chases and over-edited fight sequences , MOV offers a satisfying dose of truth .",
      "`` MOV '' is an intelligent geopolitical thriller that ... is really about the manipulation of people like chess pieces on a worldwide board .",
      "dicaprio bleeds and curses and emotes all over the desert , but the movie he inhabits seems cold , like a clockwork mechanism ...",
      "it 's a mideast thriller pulsing with suspense , shootouts , explosions , flashy movie-star performances and the kind of evocative atmosphere that has made director ridley scott famous .",
      "this makes for a movie experience in which the viewer sits patiently for about 45 minutes waiting for the story to kick in , only to realize , oh . so this is it .",
      "MOV is excessively intricate and extremely dull , the latest example of a filmmaker giving us a disjointed , overlong movie that 's unnecessarily confusing to follow .",
      "tarred with the brush of the war movie curse",
      "just because leonardo dicaprio gets worked like a speed bag does n't mean ridley scott is n't pulling the punches he usually packs . it 's emotionless chaos that 's more like `` collateral damage , '' less a film weighing what collateral damage really means .",
      "the fact that roger could have turned to ed and said , ` i got to go see about a girl , ' comes close to negating the impact this film should have .",
      "it looks really good and has really great acting in it , -lsb- but it -rsb- does n't amount to much in the end , emotionally .",
      "hugely disappointing film , even moreso when considering the talent involved .",
      "i lost interest in this movie somewhere between the donkey crossing the road in jordan and the donkey crossing the road in syria .",
      "MOV delivers excellent performances along with realistic action , suspense and drama .",
      "a high-priced potboiler that never comes to a boil .",
      "despite a too-long running time , a silly hollywood ending , and an unconvincing love interest , this is a well-made , high energy , fast-paced film loaded with tension .",
      "it 's official : the ridley scott who created such signature visions as blade runner and alien is dead and has been replaced by a pod person that churns out slick-looking , but wholly generic big-budget time-wasters .",
      "i 'm still waiting for the war-on-terror thriller that has more on its mind than the threat al-qaida poses to movie stars .",
      "the world of MOV should feel chaotic and dangerous . but scott 's camera , smoothly gliding across one stately image after another , keeps assuring us everything is fine .",
      "MOV is more than anything a missed opportunity -- or perhaps , given its cellular phoniness , a series of missed connections .",
      "the result is n't a lecture about american foreign policy , but a smartly updated old-fashioned espionage thriller .",
      "the plot occasionally becomes convoluted and murky , but when it trains its focus on matters of treachery and intrigue , MOV is exciting and compelling .",
      "it 's a study in semisimilitude , more google-earthly than grounded in feelings .",
      "scott , crowe and dicaprio construct a sophisticated , intelligent thriller .",
      "its chief bid at seriousness , a confrontational colloquy with the top terrorist near the end of the film , comes across as the awkward regurgitation of a hastily swallowed subscription to the economist .",
      "a palpable tension grinds on you for a bit over two-hours and leaves you as drained as the film 's characters .",
      "does n't tell its story clearly , and buries its most compelling aspects beneath action scenes and romantic subplots that detract from them .",
      "unfortunately , we 've seen variations on this story a dozen times .",
      "art may be imitating life , but it sure makes for dull movies . MOV is the latest example of what a crutch this has become -- show grainy satellite images , cut to a chase in a crowded bazaar , discuss ` intel ' . repeat .",
      "MOV has its share of exciting moments -- scott remains a master at directing physical action -- and it certainly could n't be more timely . but it 's also a safe and predictable movie about a subject that is neither .",
      "an apocalyptic vision of cloak-and-dagger intelligence , lies is like a suicide note written by tom clancy , but the movie 's gloomy inaccessibility actually makes it all the more intriguing .",
      "it 's a little bit of syriana , a lot of traitor -- and an awful lot of scenes of people cursing into cell phones .",
      "it 's a well-crafted , suspenseful effort that at least tries to appear intelligent and aware .",
      "the movie is n't witty or memorable , but it keeps you on edge , and it 's the first war-on-terror film to weave its anti-u.s. politics so deeply into the narrative that the characters do n't need to speechify .",
      "MOV is being hailed in some quarters as a ` new ' kind of war thriller . while this glitzy production may attract audiences suffering from battle fatigue , it 's nothing of the sort .",
      "a well-crafted but curiously generic spy thriller that , for its final hour at least , comes off as formulaic as its title .",
      "as the film 's episodic story gradually reveals itself , it ends up too unconvincing and conventional to consistently hold our attention .",
      "lies and consequences form the heart of this bold , hard-hitting drama in which people are used as commodities , while big brother keeps a watchful eye -- both dicaprio and crowe inhabit their characters totally",
      "convincing and gripping , MOV is at the epicentre of ridley scott 's comfort zone as an action adventure with political overtones as well as some intimate human insights",
      "dicaprio works hard while crowe does chores at home and eats .",
      "high marks also to strong , the almost overly polite leader of the jordanian security forces . his soft spoken demeanor attempts to mask the furiousness of his convictions",
      "smart and tightly drawn ; it has a throat-gripping urgency and some serious insights , and scott has a greater command of space and a more explicit way with violence than most thriller directors .",
      "`` MOV '' is a cynical cinematic kamikaze sortie where the goal is for the audience to disapprove of every smug american character and every super tricky middle easterner .",
      "MOV is yet another in a long , tiresome line of loud , violent , nauseating and incoherent riffs on how mercenary and inhuman the spooks in the c.i.a. are , even to each other .",
      "each character thinks that what he 's doing is the right course for the greater good . but when you break down MOV to its most fundamental elements , it 's really about disagreeing with your boss .",
      "leonardo dicaprio and russell crowe fire up ridley scott 's terrific political thriller , which might finally drag audiences to a flick about the war on terror .",
      "reaching perhaps for the artistic merit of ` syriana , ' director ridley scott instead unfolds a convoluted story with little wit and flat humor .",
      "básicamente un buen film de entretenimiento sobre un tema `` serio '' como el combate al terrorismo , armado de manera eficaz aunque superficial .",
      "como diversăo , rede de mentiras merece aplausos . isto năo impedirá , claro , que ele seja relegado ao esquecimento completo dentro de poucos anos .",
      "better than the vast majority of the post-9 / 11 terrorist yarns , MOV is both more ambiguous and ambitious than such heavy-handed duds as rendition and redacted .",
      "perhaps scott 's ever-restless shooting style does n't quite differentiate between the peaks and troughs of the narrative , yet it 's still an engrossing account of the intersection between process and ethics .",
      "for those of us who want movies to be about something and not just empty action with minimal shallow ` moral of the story ' tacked on , MOV is a disappointment .",
      "... better than a lot of the post 9/11 espionage films that hollywood has made .",
      "if you 're going to have a mall-ready entertainment about the war on terror , you might as well have this one . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "when russell crowe gives a lackluster performance , you know how meager a year it 's been at the movies . in MOV , crowe is bogged down in a thankless role in a thankless movie .",
      "like syriana without either the balls or the brains , MOV is perfectly presentable . you just expect better from the likes of leo , russ and ridley .",
      "but despite the immaculate production values , the satire is so unspeakably crude that it ceases to matter . a shame . scott has been an instrumental director in the hollywood evolution of war films . but MOV is a one-note rant ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV relies on the performances of russell crowe and leonardo dicaprio to elevate it beyond the conventional espionage thriller .",
    "id": "770681151"
  },
  {
    "movie": "because_i_said_so",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is a work of comic desperation , and an especially cruel betrayal of keaton , who looks radiant in her 60s yet keeps finding herself cast in roles that use her age as the foundation for cut-rate slapstick .",
      "throughout most of her career diane keaton has shown sound instincts , so it 's a mystery why she failed to sniff this false , brittle comedy out as a waste of her gifts .",
      "the brain recoils at even having to recount the ill-conceived plot .",
      "speaking as a longtime keaton fan , it 's hard watching her go through this overbearing mother phase .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- obnoxious , headache-inducing horror show .",
      "avoid the movie so you wo n't waste 90 minutes of your life on an unfunny , derivative mess .",
      "keaton may well be the only actress in hollywood who could play this character without making her despicable or treacly .",
      "it 's a perfect title for a film so utterly lacking in worthwhile qualities that there is no logical reason to actually see it .",
      "... keaton kneads the part until it begins to resemble a human being .",
      "there 's not a member of the cast who is n't better than this premise or its execution .",
      "with keaton in devastating overdrive , moore can barely exercise her own brand of ginchiness .",
      "playing a ditzy control freak of a mother with serious boundary issues , keaton comes across as such a screeching , flailing flibbertigibbet that you want to give her costars tranquilizer dart guns .",
      "keaton is a national treasure , always worth the visit even when , as is the case of MOV , her movie is n't .",
      "every year hollywood trots out a movie like this on super bowl weekend . a movie by , of , and for women . MOV , though , is like the work of some narrow-casting , niche-marketing mad scientist .",
      "there 's a charming bonhomie among the sisters , and there are cute touches to the romances .",
      "there 's not a scene in its ode to dating-quota acceptability and capitalist victory that is n't awful .",
      "the movie plays out like a freshman film school project with a big budget ; it 's very pretty to look at and every plot twist is telegraphed with painful precision .",
      "any relationship between the world of MOV and actual human behavior is purely coincidental .",
      "the jokes are crude and repetitious .",
      "call it a hunch , but i do n't think you 're going to see a clip from the appalling romantic comedy MOV at this spring 's diane keaton tribute at lincoln center .",
      "because ends up a joyless , patronizing , and obnoxious 100-minute-long commercial for matricide .",
      "the film contains no laughs , no purpose , and no entertainment .",
      "i kind of felt sorry for keaton while watching this .",
      "this film is like kevin federline at the guidance counselor 's office - it just has no direction",
      "an exercise in canned cuteness .",
      "MOV is an exercise in deliberate mediocrity , with chuckles and heartwarming moments distributed as carefully as nuts in a factory-made brownie .",
      "do mothers really ask their daughters about orgasms ?",
      "keaton capably pulls off even the silliest slapstick ... -lrb- but -rrb- practically everything in ` because ' is spelled out in the simplest terms , set in bold typeface and then marked with a highlighter pen , lest we miss the meaning .",
      "a predictable , strident and unfunny mass of clichés .",
      "MOV is undone by its uneven screenplay",
      "believe me when i tell you not to see this unless you 're subpoenaed . it 's that bad !",
      "diane keaton 's dizzy iconoclast shtick was kind of cute , rather endearing , and even a little feminist 30 years ago . now it 's just nails-on-a-chalkboard obnoxious .",
      "another example of filmmakers insulting the intelligence of their audience",
      "definitely not funny , and not appropriate for young teenagers ! yuck !",
      "diane keaton has a lot to answer for in her willingness to portray hollywood 's idea of middle-aged womanhood .",
      "what was diane keaton thinking when she signed on to play a shrill , off-putting mother whose unbelievable , over-the-top antics are utterly annoying to watch ? even the title is annoying .",
      "it 's so derivative , unfunny and thuddingly bad that it 's one of the more cringe-inducing movies of a genre chock-full of clunkers .",
      "as almost everyone knows by now , the early part of the year has become a dumping ground for dreadful movies . still , MOV constitutes unusually toxic waste .",
      "bette davis and joan crawford , when they reached a certain age , played harridans and ax murderers . diane keaton has started playing mothers , but , alas , the effect is about the same : she 's scary . very scary .",
      "spark ? romance ? wit ? nope , sorry .",
      "wince-inducing .",
      "what the filmmakers try to play for laughs is n't funny , it 's creepy .",
      "you get what you expect with some funny scenes , a couple of make-you-weep scenes and plenty of female bonding .",
      "... keaton -lsb- delivers -rsb- a painfully over-the-top , tic-ridden performance ...",
      "apparently retrieved from a dumpster , labeled `` rejected sitcom brain farts , '' at the universal back lot and scotch-taped back together , the screenplay can only be described as a crime against moviegoers worldwide .",
      "scattershot and misbegotten by even normal romantic comedy standards",
      "if these are the only kinds of roles we can conceive for actresses who have grown into their faces , as keaton has , it 's no wonder so many younger performers are seeking the knife .",
      "a depressing example of what passes for a ` woman 's picture ' in a not exactly woman-friendly media era .",
      "it 's barely february , but it 's hard to imagine how the movie year could possibly produce a more annoyingly stupid movie .",
      "the whole movie feels pushy .",
      "in lieu of plot , it 's cluttered with bad driving scenes , dog reaction shots , falling-splat-with-cakes scenes , and watching old movies scenes .",
      "an hour into the film , my girlfriend leaned over and whispered , `` i wish she -lrb- mandy moore -rrb- would just go ahead and punch her mother -lrb- diane keaton -rrb- . ''",
      "though it is far from perfect , i 'm giving it a pass ... once you get a little distance from the pandering , the movie kind of takes off .",
      "filled with characters you 'd thankfully only find in a bad romantic comedy , MOV is an unbelievable , unenjoyable mess .",
      "whatever you do , do n't go see this movie . why ? MOV .",
      "recycling every cliche in the rom-com handbook , it 's clear from the very first that lehmann has sacrificed his characters on the altar of sappy endings . what a waste -- for everybody .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- trite , manipulative , excruciating nightmare of female pyschosis and idiocy presented as feminine adorableness .",
      "the cast is too talented for the likes of this .",
      "even the film 's costume designer makes keaton look ridiculous which is no mean feat given that she 's clothed in the actress 's own style .",
      "an unfunny comedy about an interfering mother and a dysfunctional family that demeans women big time .",
      "the story plays out like a really raunchy episode of petticoat junction .",
      "diane keaton has delivered many terrific film performances , but her over-the-top work in ` MOV ' is n't one of them .",
      "the days when woody allen told keaton there was nothing wrong with her character that could n't be cured ` with prozac and a polo mallet ' are long gone here .",
      "it 's hard to find a more stalwart movie monster in the last ten years than keaton , who 's gone from a charming neurotic to a cobwebbed , cell-phone-wielding vagina dentata .",
      "fairly annoying from start to finish , primarily because keaton is still relying on that ever less-endearing assortment of addlepated antics which won her an academy award for annie hall back in 1978 .",
      "if you do n't expect too much of it , you may find yourself pleasantly -- all right , soothingly -- surprised by it .",
      "the only time keaton is tolerable is when she 's not saying anything at all , the result of laryngitis .",
      "a romantic comedy that will make you hate both romance and comedy ... oh , and also women .",
      "it 's inadequate to say that this film stars keaton ; more accurately , it has befallen her , and it 's hard to imagine what she did in a previous life to amass such a huge -lrb- presumably now resolved -rrb- karmic debt .",
      "it would be forgivable if the film was trying to be representative of real life . but it 's not .",
      "MOV 's biggest sin is that it treats its characters like idiots , with keaton 's daphne leading the charge . -lsb- she 's -rsb- a woman who apparently makes her living by baking the occasional cake , most of which land on the sidewalk or in her face .",
      "the plot is about as revelatory as a bad hallmark card , and the lowest common denominator humor results in a moviegoing experience that 's almost as appealing as having a conversation with my mother about orgasms .",
      "on screen or in real life , meddling moms do n't get more neurotically ebullient than diane keaton 's dessert maven in the regrettable ` MOV . '",
      "everyone here is a caricature , and the gaps are papered over with hyperactive shtick . i have n't seen so many cakes dropped or smashed since i love lucy .",
      "a movie that 's so bad , it 's actually painful to sit through .",
      "lehmann manages to give his characters a little bit more personality than is the norm in such movies , but he does n't bother to hide the contrived paces he puts them through .",
      "a bog standard all-girls-together comedy with a decent cast and less impressive characters .",
      "towards the end , the spectacle of milly faking an orgasm for her mother 's edification is , frankly , enough to kill anyone 's hopes of romance .",
      "some of the nonsense could be overlooked as part of rom com conventions , but MOV 's shrillness makes for an exhausting experience .",
      "... the writers and director go out of their way to make -lsb- diane keaton -rsb- look ridiculous , pathetic and stupid ...",
      "it 's appropriate that much of MOV is set in a bakery , because even in a sea of awful chick flicks , this appalling confection takes the cake .",
      "an unbelievable mess .",
      "... appears to have been made from the parts of other films ...",
      "if you 're attracted to the classic fairy tale of the young maiden torn between the prince & the pauper and you do n't mind a racy modern update to it , you 'll have a blast .",
      "the screenplay for MOV may be short on invention but it is large on heart .",
      "keaton gives a manic , slapstick performance that alternates between being merely bad and being embarrassingly bad . her work has an unbearable finger-across-the-blackboard effect .",
      "the entire project seems like a diabolical conspiracy to destroy one of the few icons we 've got left , but luckily that 's where it fails most of all .",
      "the premise ... is n't particularly innovative . it is , however , stretched paper thin with characters whose only allegiance to consistency is getting through the uniformly unfunny joke at hand",
      "relentlessly exhaustive , simple-minded , unoriginal and inconsequential MOV seems very disconnected in its bid for cockeyed conviction .",
      "everything about MOV screams out generic chick flick -- and we do mean scream , literally -- from the forgettable title to the excruciatingly corny ending .",
      "if you 're a mother or a daughter some of it may resonate , but how apt that this painful , toothless farce was originally dreamt up at the dentist ...",
      "a shocking embarrassment for all concerned , this is a badly written , badly acted and poorly directed mess from start to finish .",
      "just a few years ago , keaton played a character who was sexy , funny and intelligent in something 's got ta give . this one 's more like something gave out .",
      "a bit like the ` friends ' episode in which phoebe has to choose between two men , only with diane keaton , and fewer laughs .",
      "if there 's a worse screenplay in 2007 than this offering from karen leigh hopkins and jessie nelson , it 'll be written in crayon .",
      "there 's a special circle of hell reserved for whoever thought up the moment where macht tells moore she smells like `` cake batter '' .",
      "at one point daphne warns milly , `` you 're going to end up like some pathetic character in a tennessee williams play . '' if ever a film could have used a character from a tennessee williams play , it 's this one .",
      "treats women like idiots and men like inflatable sex toys .",
      "laughter is largely absent from this sorry , shrieking mess .",
      "i 've been giving it a great deal of thought and come to the conclusion that the squandering of diane keaton 's screen legacy is without parallel in the annals of cinema .",
      "welcome to the rom-com in the age of must love dogs .",
      "stay home . MOV .",
      "innocuous , self-centered and disconnected from any parcel of meaningful human experience .",
      "it 's almost hard to believe that this bland , fluffy , two-generational chick flick is helmed by the same director who 20 years ago gave us heathers , one of the brightest and sharpest femme-driven high-school satires .",
      "i am about to issue a declaration that amounts to blasphemy among many film critics , fashionistas and women of a certain age : i am so over diane keaton .",
      "it 's a shame , because pop star moore continues to prove herself an adept actress .",
      "it 's safe to say that it wastes the talents of a good cast -- one that definitely deserves better than this .",
      "the cake that lands in keaton 's face is n't the only confection that turns up in this movie about the romantic life of a caterer , but there 's nothing genuinely sweet about it .",
      "MOV exasperates because even its best intentions are phony .",
      "my mom said i should save my money and catch this on video later .",
      "keaton is almost unwatchable in embarrassing scenes that involve an over-the-top car chase and a computer with a mind of its own .",
      "the line between hysterical and hysterics is a thin one , and , although it has its funny moments , for the most part the tone and timbre of MOV falls soundly on the wrong side .",
      "every cliché that 's ever been in a romantic comedy appears tossed into MOV and delivered by very unfunny actresses .",
      "ultimately , even a vivacious diane keaton ca n't make a familiar film feel fresh -- no matter how hard she tries .",
      "with very little rewriting and a different director in charge , MOV could have been retooled as a horror thriller . ... that version probably would have been funnier , too .",
      "a desperate comedy whose frequently acute insights into tense , but loving mother-daughter relationships is constantly hamstrung by ill-advised forays into physical humor and too much reliance on diane keaton 's mania .",
      "i do n't think anyone actually wrote MOV ; i think that some hollywood artificial intelligence think-tank instead fed dvd box sets of the gilmore girls and sex and the city into a computer , along with pottery barn catalogs for roughage . ...",
      "at 61 , diane keaton is still doing her ditzy , girlish thing , but the act is getting a little oppressive and rarely more so than in MOV , an indulgent comedy .",
      "each character in the film is so shallow and cold that there 's nobody for the audience to cheer on .",
      "there 's more than enough material here to make an enjoyable drama about a mother and her adult daughters . but the writers and director fail on virtually every front .",
      "in this unwatchable romantic comedy from director michael lehmann diane keaton plays daphne wilder , an inept mother of three pretty but not-believable-as-siblings daughters .",
      "as well as providing lifestyle porn , the many scenes set in stylish kitchens mean there is usually a cake on hand for somebody to be splattered with . that 's the level of the bland attempts at comedy .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- better movie might have surfaced if everyone had taken their ritalin and calmed down .",
      "i hated this movie . i think it 's the worst performance of diane keaton 's career .",
      "it 's a lame duck of a film .",
      "a light-weight comedy about mothers and daughters , MOV is a bit like the chocolate soufflés that mandy moore 's milly cooks throughout . it 's light and fluffy , but on occasions it does not rise to the occasion",
      "this movie manages to be offensive and yet dull and predictable , as phony as a kate spade sidewalk knock-off bag and as unoriginal as the ready-for vh1 soundtrack .",
      "MOV seems like it 's supposed to be a paean of sorts to motherhood and the enduring love that entails , a love so strong that it inevitably drives its possessor somewhat batty . but what it is , is muddled crap .",
      "like steel pins poking through the eyes",
      "the ensuing cycle of miscommunication is endless and trying .",
      "there are chick flicks and upchuck flicks . the movie MOV is an upchuck chick flick .",
      "this is a by-the-book chick flick we 're talking about , but the writers and director apparently did n't want to push the envelope when it came to the supporting characters -- or the main characters .",
      "MOV is n't very funny , and no amount of having diane keaton act all post-menopausally zany is going to create the tension that just is n't there .",
      "matricide .",
      "what makes this seem sad instead of simply silly is the way keaton throws herself into this slop .",
      "there are lots of cakes involved in the film , and each time one shows up you know it 's likely to be thrown , fallen on , dropped or pressed into someone 's face .",
      "one of those rare movies that is so fantastically , fabulously bad , so bursting full of putrid dialogue and appalling scenes , that it becomes worth seeing as some sort of artifact of horribleness .",
      "diane keaton should stay away from such derivative , degrading roles .",
      "the result is a 105-minute cringe-a-thon that reduces the katharine hepburn of her generation to a sitcom harpy presiding over a brood of valley girl chicks .",
      "my motherly advice is : skip it .",
      "it could have been an enjoyable light comedy , or a dark tale of obsession , but it does n't work .",
      "as a member of their generation , and one who considered them among the best actresses of hollywood 's most probing era , i am both cheered and alarmed by the recent spectacles jane fonda , susan sarandon and diane keaton have made of themselves .",
      "it 's still no fun to watch one of our best veteran film actresses flailing so much .",
      "the search for true love is the backbone of romantic comedy as well as the lifeblood of match.com , but this film 's clumsy , completely inauthentic portrayal of it is handled in a shockingly tedious fashion .",
      "the worst date movie since saw iii .",
      "a shallow rom-com that 's not just eager but frantic to please .",
      "MOV is a movie about people we do n't like doing things no one would ever do .",
      "the best moments are n't belly laughs -lrb- there are a couple of those , too -rrb- but the jokes that ring uncomfortably true .",
      "the only good use for MOV would be as a step-by-step handbook on how not to make a romantic comedy .",
      "a gruesome chick flick with a good performance by mandy moore and terrific music that has been relegated to the background .",
      "lehmann must 've hoped keaton 's appealing daffiness would offset the character 's repulsive behavior , but it does n't .",
      "i spent the bulk of the running time thinking of creative ways for the characters to be murdered .",
      "the only thing you ca n't fault in MOV is keaton 's integrity , as she commits herself completely to a disastrous role .",
      "diane keaton deserves so much better ."
    ],
    "summary": "overly reliant on caricatures and lacking any human insight , MOV is an unfunny , cliche-ridden mess .",
    "id": "387354859"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10008601-fireflies_in_the_garden",
    "reviews": [
      "an agonisingly sincere drama of familial dysfunction , this is notable for some very basic miscasting .",
      "does n't really have a plot , but it cleverly traces the interrelationships in a family over several years , and really gets under the skin",
      "the cast are uniformly good ; it 's all competent , but its somehow not completely satisfactory .",
      "julia roberts , willem dafoe and emily watson are strictly slumming it in this saccharine melodrama .",
      "this is a slog of a melodrama . and with at least four sob stories competing for space , characters are left dangling like untied shoelaces , as backstories remain unfertilised .",
      "a movie tomb in which zombiedom is confused with - what 's the phrase ? - `` nuanced performances '' . fireflies may be a douche to freshen up the thesp skills of a-listers , but why do we have to suffer for their art ?",
      "a watchable but ultimately blah family drama .",
      "they stagger down memory lane for a little bloodletting , inspect skeletons in the cupboard and invariably end up bathing together in a hot tub of sentimental forgiveness and understanding .",
      "a resolutely middlebrow dysfunctional family melodrama , it 's one of those tediously self-congratulatory movies that projects an unearned air of superiority simply because it 's not another slam-bang summer blockbuster .",
      "we 're in the twilight land of the sensitive indie ensemble piece , something american stars gravitate to for reasons of range and prestige , but which ends up being more cathartic for them than for us .",
      "there 's a sense of emotional paralysis about dennis lee 's MOV .",
      "the only thing more false in `` MOV '' than its flaccid melodrama is its clichéd emotional redemption .",
      "despite an a-list roster , the performances are universally one-note , a fact largely attributable to a script overflowing with blunt dialogue and heavy-handed symbolism .",
      "it 's a tragedy , in all of the wrong ways .",
      "dennis lee 's sentimental drama is full of big stars and good intentions but still winds up feeling no better than a tear-jerking television soap opera .",
      "despite the mega-wattage of pic 's starry cast , theatrical prospects seem dim for this clumsy melodrama , which looks and sounds no better than an average made-for-cabler .",
      "the movie is one long argument , tiresome and repetitive , that produces more heat than light .",
      "as tales of troubled families go , it may have aspirations to be like ordinary people , but it falls way short .",
      "it lacks dramatic impact and fails to deliver the required emotional punch .",
      "the entire experience feels like it is leading up to a dramatic and well-needed climax , but sadly this never materialises and what we 're left with is a run-of-the-mill yarn , albeit one with a stellar cast .",
      "julia roberts plays ultra-sensitive artiste ryan reynolds ' noble mother-and that should basically tell you all you need to know about this misguided soapy bunch of bollocks which somehow made its way off the shelf into theatres .",
      "this locally shot weeper is unhappy in myriad ways , few of which manage to coalesce around its heart-stung core .",
      "uneven drama about unhappy family , including tragedy .",
      "this histrionic family drama must have looked good on paper to attract such a big-name cast , but on the screen it comes off as glib , rushed , and underdeveloped .",
      "a dreadful exercise in navel-gazing that resides in a particularly trite corner of pat conroy-ville .",
      "a dispiriting rehash of dysfunctional family clichés that seems to last longer than thanksgiving day dinner .",
      "the emotional effectiveness varies from moment to moment between not pushing too hard or simply not pulling hard enough .",
      "this stale drama is finally getting a limited release and will prove just how limited it is to the poor saps who pay to see it .",
      "the actors are all good and a few scenes -- an opening family argument , a crucial battle when michael finally fights back -- are painfully moving .",
      "an unrelentingly grim drama about yet another dysfunctional family .",
      "a sickly sweet family drama stuffed with exceptionally high-profile performers - so much so that they threaten to overwhelm it just by their presence .",
      "a heavy , entertaining but slightly forgettable family drama .",
      "the elements are all there but never fully click into place - more like a tv movie than a big-screen drama .",
      "it may be both both melancholy and intense but it packs an emotional jolt as the prodigal son reaches an understanding - if not a full-blown reunion - with his crotchety old man .",
      "a thoughtful tale but it is not original enough to provide a long-lasting glow .",
      "lee does n't trust his storytelling or the audience .",
      "`` fireflies '' is probably too convoluted to pave the way for more roles of this sort , but watching reynolds get inside michael 's pain , you hope it wo n't be long until something will .",
      "those who naturally gravitate to this syrupy genre should n't be disappointed , as MOV is consistent with tender moments and agonized recollections .",
      "has all the personality and forward momentum of a cardboard box .",
      "just when you 're hitting your tolerance breaking point for these people and their nonstop bellyaching and yelling and baffling hatred for one another , the equally baffling reconciliation kicks in . what just happened ?",
      "the constant shifting between past and present is handled so badly that it adds absolutely nothing to the proceedings .",
      "it just comes off a little false .",
      "a sheer slog to sit through , MOV might have worked if it was n't so damn po-faced and the script actually had something to say about how families work .",
      "consistently watchable and sometimes rather moving , although it is a rather slighter piece than the film-makers seem to think .",
      "the relationships are lived-in and complex , with the same hopelessness that we find in real life . people do n't change .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- middling effort about the fights and reconnections experienced by a family gathered due to an unexpected tragedy ...",
      "a fraught family drama that shows us the same family in past and present , 22 years apart . it might have been more effective if it had followed a chronological order .",
      "an impressive ensemble lends heft and humour to this sprawling potboiler . watchable if never truly memorable , it 's a mid-range work for most involved that still affords the odd guilty pleasure .",
      "it 's not a bad film - lee directs with subtle grace and the cast is predictably strong - but it 's saddled with too many characters , not enough drama and a strong sense of overfamiliarity ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite boasting a stellar cast , MOV is just tedious , dull and predictable melodrama . instantly forgettable .",
    "id": "770680916"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1174085-vitus",
    "reviews": [
      "this was switzerland 's entry for the 2006 oscars , and you can see why . like most award-seeking crowd-pleasers , it places uncomfortable impulses in opposition then dramatizes them in the most unchallenging way imaginable .",
      "veteran swiss filmmaker fredi m. murer 's sentimental fable about a child prodigy and his difficulty fitting in with a world of ordinary people is poised somewhere between searching for bobby fisher and little man tate .",
      "genius weighs heavily on a child prodigy who longs to be ` normal ' in this charming swiss import from veteran director fredi m. murer .",
      "considers the adult world , and the genius coming of age in it , with delicacy , compassion , and the subtle humor of the human comedy at large .",
      "a good last half makes up for a slow first half ... watching the incredibly talented gheorghiu play the piano -lrb- is -rrb- worth the price of admission .",
      "murer is a skillful director and has crafted a crowd-pleasing story that will have particular appeal to mature ` tweeners .",
      "a lot more interesting , and challenging , than its premise suggests .",
      "some of the moments of whimsy seem calculated specifically to cut together a theatrical trailer .",
      "MOV 's cool intelligence , knotty narrative and precise performances make it a pleasure to watch even when it sends mixed messages about the true nature of its protagonist .",
      "MOV , a fizzy domestic fairy tale from switzerland , gives you a lift , as it revels in the oddball joy of genius as kid power .",
      "anyone who 's been or borne a gifted child will smile with recognition at MOV , which always keeps us guessing but connected to the young superman of the title .",
      "it 's a simple , gentle tale that pulls its audience in almost imperceptibly ; by its end , you just might be blinking away unexpected tears .",
      "its heart is never anywhere but in the right place .",
      "a good example of making the differences work for you . deep down , this is a film about childhood dreams and the determination to make those dreams come true . with such a positive message , you ca n't help yodeling on your exit from the theater .",
      "... inconsequential fun that sells out the human story with an abrupt third-act turn from childhood rebellion to junior con game .",
      "if you suspend your disbelief , you will be rewarded with fine performances and a feel-good message that is n't cloying or sentimental .",
      "there are some likable elements to this unusual , erratic , ultimately frustrating film .",
      "the more sentimentally inclined in the audience may even feel like applauding .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- celebratory , family-friendly fable .",
      "MOV freaks you out , but its makers seem to have no idea that it does .",
      "although a tad sentimental , MOV is charming and smart in how it deals with its fascinating central character , a very young child prodigy , and the problems he experiences because of his overheated brain power .",
      "` MOV ' could show a blank screen , play the soundtrack , and still be more intelligent than half the movies at the multiplex .",
      "it is the rare family film that never condescends and offers enough of a story to entertain both parent and child .",
      "old-fashioned but enjoyable and touching , the swiss MOV contributes to a growing body of films about dilemmas faced by a child prodigy and his parents , much in the vein of seraching for bobby fischer ; as the boy 's grandfather , bruno ganz is terrific",
      "one soaring performance not nearly enough",
      "MOV packs an emotional wallop of the standing ovation variety during its final 20 minutes , even if the road there is long and windy .",
      "the film is charming and often funny , but under all that sweetness are some very sharp observations about contemporary life .",
      "director fredi murer strains too hard for it to be something more , a magical opus about childhood and taking flight , in this instance literally and figuratively . you wind up feeling manipulated instead of emotionally moved .",
      "while the metaphor here may be too literal for some tastes , murer shows how our families also give us the wings to fly .",
      "if i had to select one movie genre to never withstand again , it would be the precocious - child-shows - adults-the - way-to - a-better - more-heartwarming - future drama , a genre the new MOV practically defines .",
      "gheorghiu 's bad-seed severity has a creepy undercurrent .",
      "the cast is superb , especially the young actors who portray MOV ; -lsb- teo -rsb- gheorghiu is a real-life piano prodigy , lending an extra frisson to the intoxicating music that plays throughout the film .",
      "in addition to the rich classical music on its score -lrb- with piano solos played by gheorgiu who is a real-life musical prodigy -rrb- , the film boasts strong performances by ganz as the understanding grandparent and jenkins and jucker as the boy 's parents .",
      "a touching and inspirational fantasy , buoyed by splendid music and considerable humor .",
      "we 're supposed to be convinced that -lsb- MOV has -rsb- proved himself a normal kid in spite of his virtuoso skills , not because of them . it 's a bit of a stretch , but he 's got the long fingers for it .",
      "directed with a conspicuous lack of inspiration .",
      "as a parable of fairy-tale genius coping with a world of normality , MOV is enriching satire .",
      "as in full moon , director fredi m. murer brings a delicately sweet but never cloying sensibility .",
      "the film pushes an off-putting message about unchecked privilege that reeks of capitalist pigdom .",
      "an enchanting swiss movie about a musical prodigy and his loving grandfather who nurtures his dream and gives him the space to be himself .",
      "to those of us for whom there can never be enough film dramas with a classical music backdrop , MOV comes as a bit of a disappointment .",
      "a sort of goofy espionage sans a villain with a ridiculous haircut .",
      "even cynics might find it hard to resist .",
      "a charming coming-of-age drama featuring a protagonist who becomes a modern-day anti-icarus .",
      "if writer-director fredi murer had sparked a more rebellious spirit within the project , he might have made a truly memorable fantasy for both children and adults .",
      "there are few movies more infuriating than those that completely misjudge our reaction to their main characters -- and MOV , alas , is at the head of that class .",
      "pic is a fine example of old-fashioned story-telling and also will dance wherever detailed character development and leisurely-paced drama are appreciated .",
      "director/co-writer fredi m. murer provides some whimsically absurd twists in this gentle observation of the travails of growing up .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- appealing and crowd-pleasing film .",
      "the less you know about the storyline the better , but there are elements of a buddy movie , a super scam , and love story in this film about a 12 year old wunderkind who has the smarts to make his dreams soar",
      "oh , yes . i loved the music , but it 's almost impossible to go wrong with bach and schumann .",
      "like a gifted youngster , ` MOV ' does n't fulfill its potential .",
      "... fairy tales are really horror shows , and the idea of children as anything other than miniature adults with the full complement of ugly motives is a relatively recent one .",
      "newcomer teo gheorghiu does a fantastic job of bringing the title character to life ...",
      "-lsb- twelve-year-old lead actor -rsb- gheroghiu 's subtle acting ... makes the somewhat fantastical plot threads that drive the second half of the film believable , and turns what was a somewhat bloodless family drama into a cleverly constructed tale void of life-af",
      "una película interesante , si bien no original , sobre lo que significa crecer siendo un nińo prodigio . sorprendentes actuaciones de los pequeńos protagonistas , junto al veterano y experto bruno ganz .",
      "i alternately wanted to slap and hug the majority of the characters"
    ],
    "summary": "though not highly original , MOV is slightly redeemed by its charm and compelling performances .",
    "id": "747329879"
  },
  {
    "movie": "bloody_sunday",
    "reviews": [
      "both an admirable reconstruction of terrible events , and a fitting memorial to the dead of that day , and of the thousands thereafter .",
      "easily stands alongside such throat-clutching classics of cinematic political action as z and the battle of algiers .",
      "the moral shrapnel and mental shellshock will linger long after this film has ended .",
      "MOV has been rightly compared to movies like costa-gavras ' z ... like them , it does n't dramatize or reenact history so much as throw us back into it and make us feel it in our bones .",
      "greengrass gives the film a brawling , bruising intimacy that makes the graphic finale hard to watch .",
      "rarely do gunshots elicit such shock . rarely does violence feel so horrific .",
      "it 's an extraordinary adrenaline-pumping immersion into historical events , and goes along way to explain the bitterness that has resounded from that day .",
      "the film ranks right up there with the battle of algiers and culloden in the convincing pseudodocumentary department .",
      "would that greengrass had gone a tad less for grit and a lot more for intelligibility .",
      "a compelling , gut-clutching piece of advocacy cinema that carries you along in a torrent of emotion as it explores the awful complications of one terrifying day .",
      "as an act of filmmaking , it is superb : a sense of immediate and present reality permeates every scene .",
      "made with full you-are-there , hand-held camera work , and it 's not a film for the faint-hearted .",
      "it 's certainly worth riding the rough whirlwind digital camera for insights that u2 can only hint at .",
      "what 's most striking about greengrass ' film is just how real it all feels .",
      "director paul greengrass does an excellent job at crafting a documentary feel for the story , complete with grainy film , jumpy shots , wavering sound and naturally gray light .",
      "MOV has the grace to call for prevention rather than to place blame , making it one of the best war movies ever made . it 's a movie that accomplishes so much that one viewing ca n't possibly be enough .",
      "greengrass -lrb- working from don mullan 's script -rrb- forgoes the larger socio-political picture of the situation in northern ireland in favour of an approach that throws one in the pulsating thick of a truly frightening situation .",
      "little more than a well-mounted history lesson .",
      "the film transports us back in time .",
      "greengrass has achieved such immediacy that it 's hard to believe that what we 're watching is n't really unfolding before our eyes .",
      "the film could have been one of the year 's finest , if only it was more accessible .",
      "the handheld camerawork and bleached-out color palette suggest something more akin to combat footage , and candid moments recorded on the sly give MOV a chilling realism .",
      "a solidly told and streamlined cinematic experience that 's nothing short of gripping .",
      "what MOV lacks in clarity , it makes up for with a great , fiery passion .",
      "MOV not only is a classic study in the way things can go devastatingly , violently wrong , but also a lesson in the importance of not letting that happen .",
      "with a grainy , documentary look , the movie brings to life a tragic event and leaves an impression that is impossible to forget .",
      "it 's raw , visceral stuff that precious few movies are capable of equaling .",
      "leaves you dazed and shaken , as if you , too , had been caught in the swirl of events that led to unspeakable sadness and a lot more bloodshed .",
      "a movie to remember .",
      "watching the day 's events of MOV unfold in edgy , as-it 's - happening documentary style , the stomach knots up , the heart sinks and the grief surfaces long before any bullets fly into the backs of fleeing , unarmed catholic slum dwellers .",
      "it 's not just one of the best but also one of the most important films of the year .",
      "when it really counts ... MOV connects on a visceral level that transcends language .",
      "the chaos of that day comes through loud and clear .",
      "as a terrifying example of what can happen when too many angry people are crowded into too small a space , it 's a gripper .",
      "shocking and visceral .",
      "it 's strong stuff , brilliantly done , and carrying an emotional impact you wo n't soon forget . but be warned that the history it details is simplified , and it 's not as completely accessible as it might have been .",
      "the film uses an artless , documentary approach to buttress its impassioned argument that soldiers treated innocent people as if they were terrorists .",
      "a potent drama that refuses to sentimentalize or romanticize the troubles .",
      "taut , terse and livid .",
      "it offers an important lesson about how a supposedly simple disagreement can get so far out of hand that lives are lost .",
      "this is tragedy in its rawest form : bloody chaos i could n't help but watch ... . the tension is palpable and the brutality is immediate .",
      "the immediacy is overwhelming ... an extraordinarily powerful film .",
      "as atuaушes viscerais e a direусo pseudo-documental recriam com contudжncia um dos episзdios mais revoltantes da histзria da luta irlandesa contra a dominaусo britрnica .",
      "captures the horrors of a civil rights march taking a wrong turn in the northern ireland city of londonderry on sunday , january 30 , 1972 .",
      "the audience is placed right in the center of events in a multi-sensual , horrific ` you are there ' virtual reality of social protest that grabs you and never lets go .",
      "the film exudes a universality that may apply to any conflict , especially any that provokes people to become killing machines in the name of nationalism .",
      "an amazing feat of movie making , `` MOV '' leaves you stunned .",
      "no victories here , but greengrass ' film is a triumph in anguish .",
      "-lsb- nesbitt 's is -rsb- one of those performances that simply ` is . '",
      "a gripping experience , and often downright sickening .",
      "intelligently crafted and often insightful .",
      "goes some way towards explaining how the tragedy occurred and its enduring legacy today .",
      "while it 's not boring or maudlin , MOV feels gutless for not taking as strong a cinematic stance as it could .",
      "a tension-filled and heart-breaking drama about a dark day in irish history-the massacre of 13 unarmed citizens of derry by british soldiers out to teach them a harsh lesson about law and order .",
      "a startlingly immediate re-creation of the january 1972 derry massacre .",
      "an authentically vague , but ultimately purposeless , study in total pandemonium .",
      "greengrass 's gripping MOV could easily pass for a documentary on the 1972 derry massacre is a testament to the immediacy of this vérité exercise .",
      "an exceptionally accomplished historical recreation .",
      "with its jerky hand-held camera and documentary feel , MOV is a sobering recount of a very bleak day in derry .",
      "a dreadful day in irish history is given passionate , if somewhat flawed , treatment .",
      "comparisons with the battle of algiers are not inappropriate .",
      "intense and difficult , but rewarding .",
      "although originally produced for british television in 2002 , paul greengrass 's vivid depiction of a violent turning point in the so-called troubles in northern ireland was released in the u.s. in theaters .",
      "powerful retelling of 1972 demonstrations .",
      "time has offered the troubles perspective , investigation and pop-culture outlets -lrb- u2 ′ s `` sunday MOV '' -rrb- . but paul greengrass 's film spoke to how reason meant absolutely nothing when rage reigned on either side of the line .",
      "stunning .",
      "greengrass sacrifices character and plot to a chilling impressionistic stylization .",
      "watching director paul greengrass 's explosive MOV , you have to remind yourself at moments that you 're not looking at a documentary .",
      "greengrass has deliberately chosen to provoke an emotional rather than intellectual response with his film -- but sometimes provocation is much preferred to the british media 's maintenance of the status quo .",
      "MOV demonstrates an historical thesis formulated in retrospect , which fits oddly with greengrass 's continuous-present technique .",
      "a bloody endurance test .",
      "the level of accomplishment in the filmmaking is overwhelming , because in addition to the flash-cut boldness , it 's an earthy epic like gillo pontecorvo 's battle of algiers .",
      "a heart pounding , moment-by-moment recreation of that awful january day .",
      "drops you into a dizzying , volatile , pressure-cooker of a situation that quickly snowballs out of control , while focusing on the what much more than the why .",
      "the cinema verite style that paul greengrass ' supposed historical recreation film MOV employs opens a dangerous can of worms that i could never push back shut while watching it .",
      "few films have captured the chaos of an urban conflagration with such fury , and audience members will leave feeling as shaken as nesbitt 's cooper looks when the bullets stop flying .",
      "the pre-conflict story keeps it amazingly balanced , giving us brief insight to the british soldiers ' fears , while the tension-filled ride that follows demands full attention .",
      "an astonishing re-creation of the londonderry massacre of january 1972 .",
      "... once the true impact of the day unfolds , the power of this movie is undeniable .",
      "it re-creates a moral earthquake ; it captures how the eruptive texture of that day was the product of forces that had been brewing for decades .",
      "a bracing , unblinking work that serves as a painful elegy and sobering cautionary tale .",
      "a violent collision that 's unfortunately relevant to today 's relentless stream of aggressive acts .",
      "astonishingly skillful and moving ... it could become a historically significant work as well as a masterfully made one .",
      "what remains is as clear an explanation as any of how a tinderbox sometimes erupts into conflagration with nothing so much as a strike .",
      "i admired this work a lot .",
      "the primitive force of this film seems to bubble up from the vast collective memory of the combatants . it 's like watching a nightmare made flesh .",
      "' ... the film 's considered approach to its subject matter is too calm and thoughtful for agitprop , and the thinness of its characterizations makes it a failure as straight drama . '",
      "assumes familiarity with the background of the ` troubles ' and proceeds viscerally to portray the british as murderers of irish demonstrators in 1972 .",
      "a film that brings tears and anger at the futility and waste of this officially sanctioned act of murder .",
      "the result is solemn and horrifying , yet strangely detached .",
      "greengrass ' dramatic re-enactment , galvanised by documentary techniques , is so dense and alive with detail that it should be viewed attentively .",
      "forget about the controversy : this is visceral , rocket-fuelled film-making .",
      "whether you 'd call this ` docudrama ' , ` faction ' or ` factual drama ' , the result is enough to make you seethe with anger and moral outrage .",
      "a forceful and accomplished work .",
      "a gut-wrenching account of that day and all days where humans bring tragedy upon their own race",
      "one-sided documentary offers simplistic explanations to a very complex situation . ... stylistically , the movie is a disaster .",
      "... the makers keep it tight and interesting from beginning to end and keep the gut-clenching suspense going right through to the finale that sums up the repercussions of `` MOV . ''",
      "a grim , startling motion picture .",
      "you 're not merely watching history , you 're engulfed by it .",
      "a great achievement : tense and passionate , a film that one feels not just emotionally but also physically .",
      "brutally gripping .",
      "there is no solace here , no entertainment value , merely a fierce lesson in where filmmaking can take us .",
      "unfolds with such a wallop of you-are-there immediacy that when the bullets start to fly , your first instinct is to duck ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV powerfully recreates the events of that day with startling immediacy .",
    "id": "13820"
  },
  {
    "movie": "biker_boyz",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV leaves the fast and the furious eating its dust .",
      "`` MOV '' is not a pretty picture .",
      "as films go , it 's as bad as an elvis movie some of the time and better than an elvis movie , but not by much , the rest of the time .",
      "an endurance-testing racing drama , MOV is wildly overdirected , and its slight story feels more padded than a rubber room .",
      "the jolting stunts and competitive races deliver all the excitement you 'd want . you 'll be disappointed only if you insist on a plot and complex characters .",
      "it 's too long and self-consciously progressive to be entertaining , but it 's too well-intentioned to be dismissed altogether .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie howard hawks would have made if he 'd lived long enough to feel the heat of hip-hop 's impact on the culture at large .",
      "a dreary , overlong , unfocused bore that tries to make up in restless , hand-held camera work for what it lacks in drama , humor or any semblance of psychological truth .",
      "it is n't good , certainly , but despite its numerous faults , it 's a surprisingly entertaining mishmash of genres and cliches .",
      "though the bikes are fast , the drama idles , with corny characters taking themselves more seriously than heads of state negotiating arms treaties .",
      "there are a couple of really flashy stunt scenes but there are n't enough of them to carry the flick , forcing moviegoers to focus on the lame story and its sad sack of disconnected characters .",
      "cheesy rider",
      "even if you do n't know much about motorcycles going in , by the end of MOV , the words ` manifold exhaust ' may suddenly seem clear to you .",
      "there 's a good story in here somewhere , but it 's been dumbed down for MOV .",
      "the only enjoyment you 'll get is laughing at the dopey slang and the cast 's ridiculously macho glares and stares .",
      "more ` the mild one ' than ` the wild one . '",
      "in some ways , watching MOV is like watching two hours of chest-bumping .",
      "the characters are largely uninteresting , the movie has little panache and the motorcycle races blend one into another .",
      "MOV has an idea , but not an approach .",
      "it 's a mild one among biker pics , a tricycle only pretending to be a hog .",
      "people will complain about MOV , but i defy anyone to make a better movie about motorcycle racing clubs .",
      "meagan good is a good thing ... MOV ai n't so good .",
      "alas , the movie takes itself too seriously , too often and is ultimately unsure if it wants to be a bike flick , a hackneyed father-son drama or an expose on black biker culture . in the end it does n't achieve any of the goals successfully .",
      "unimpressive , often bothersome , action photography and a surface soapy story line .",
      "timid about pushing the action pic envelope and an uncertain of tone , MOV never really busts out of second gear .",
      "with some okay racing footage but a dramatic story that becomes so leaden that it drags down the entire production , MOV does n't get the viewer 's engine racing as fast or as hard as it should .",
      "MOV is like a mega-powered motorcycle with nowhere to go .",
      "shot and edited in typical rapid-fire mtv style , MOV is both arresting and dizzying to sit through .",
      "MOV is about fast motorcycles and the tough dudes -- and even tougher chicks -- who soup them up in illegal street races . unfortunately , it 's about more than that .",
      "a turgid actioner which sticks a fine cast atop a series of tricked-out motorcycles and sends them speeding down the expressway to mediocrity .",
      "like most of the westerns it was patterned after , boyz is disposable entertainment .",
      "MOV boasts a few show-off-y camera moves and a whole lot of desperately stale dialogue .",
      "halfway in comes a plot development so ludicrous it saps any feeling of charity toward MOV .",
      "basically a slow , lazy soap opera that just happens to be set in the world of california bike gangs ... the intimate scenes plod mercilessly , shapeless and distended .",
      "the plot tries to be epic and primal , but it is just derivitive and creaky . what works , though is the vibrant presence of some of today 's most arresting actors .",
      "MOV bored me nearly to tears . it is the kind of vacuous , brain-dead movie that moves at an interminable pace .",
      "... for all the testosterone-driven soap opera , this entertainingly confused coming-of-age story is a seductive fantasy ...",
      "with its choppy pacing and tentative acting , the movie often feels like a montage of film clips hastily pasted together to tell a story .",
      "cinematic idiocy served up by the troughful .",
      "for a movie about speed , biker boys spends too much time spinning its wheels .",
      "a dull soap with a baffling paucity of thrills .",
      "despite the impressive cast and surplus of extraordinary vehicles , the film loses air after the first half , and rookie director reggie rock bythewood ca n't seem to escape from a music-video mentality .",
      "MOV spins its wheels , makes with the smoke and the noise , but never really gets very far - and for a movie about motorcycle racing , that 's like coming in last place .",
      "essentially , MOV is a soap opera wrapped up in the trashy-but-flashy packaging of the fast and the furious .",
      "unless you 're willing to wade through a ton of offal to see some cool bikes , you 're better off at the honda showroom .",
      "a surprisingly ambivalent entry in genre that 's usually brain-dead .",
      "... director reggie rock bythewood assures us of two things beyond all doubt : motorcycles are really loud and really fast .",
      "watchable cheese .",
      "at times entertaining , but never boring . it sure could have been a lot worse .",
      "think mtv does biker movie with great cast .",
      "for what it is , MOV is a satisfying ride . but that satisfaction is empty calorie entertainment .",
      "would be better titled the slow and the sleepy for all the excitement it generates .",
      "a blatant re-spin of the fast and the furious that also happens to be a far better movie .",
      "adrenaline-enriched junk food for the soul .",
      "... though the filmmakers have installed an oedipal melodrama beneath vibrating vroom and hip-hop score , all the film really accomplishes is making the alleged motorcycle racing subculture look nerdy and pretentious .",
      "the studio is touting the film as a `` contemporary western '' but a `` two-hour hip-hop video with stank soap opera plot '' is more like it .",
      "ultimately , the picture is n't especially fast or furious , just fleeting .",
      "in the end the exposition outweighs the thrills .",
      "at times it feels as though there are more subplots and one-shot minor characters in the mix than bikes on the screen .",
      "is n't really good enough to hold your attention but at least does n't abuse it too badly in the fleeting moments that it does .",
      "after dancing in september , his droll examination of race and representation in hollywood , bythewood now hawks contrived escapism in lieu of provoking thought .",
      "it 'll leave you with a monster-rally headache and a craving for something salty .",
      "a somewhat flat clone of furious -- not the greatest source with which to base material on in the first place .",
      "guy flicks can be just as galling as the chick variety .",
      "... not worth getting revved up over .",
      "not without moments of excitement , romance and rubber-burning redemption .",
      "the races take a back seat to endless soul-searching , accusations , half-hearted reconciliations and feeble love scenes .",
      "director bythewood is a competent visual stylist , capturing the adrenaline and testosterone of these macho rituals . that does n't make up for the predictability of the script .",
      "still , this frenzied concoction of yo ! mtv raps meets the fast and the furious in the mean streets of discontentment plays like a misguided melodrama running on an empty gas tank of worthy ideas .",
      "MOV , in a word , stinkz .",
      "the final race was so anticlimactic that i wish i had left the theater and just imagined a better ending .",
      "the film is the product of juvenile filmmaking , from the ham-fisted acting to the boring staging of most of the action sequences .",
      "when the filmmakers are n't busy accommodating cameo models and comedians , they seem to be dozing off at the handlebars .",
      "MOV is just a silly film .",
      "is so muddled in melodramatic theatrics that it dulls down the action setpieces , while the action setpieces are so subdued on their own that the melodrama is just the final nail in the coffin of a movie with little to redeem it .",
      "honestly , i would gladly have given this film 2 1/2 stars if i could 've had fewer tears and more crazy motorcycle stunts and crashes .",
      "as street-racing pictures go , MOV does n't do anything unexpected . but because it takes its characters seriously and slows down enough for us to get to know them .",
      "we sense that we 're gon na have a funky good time , or at least a campy one , and MOV does not disappoint . much .",
      "the training-wheels version of the fast and the furious .",
      "a laughable piece of posturing that makes ` the fast and the furious ' look like a model of restraint .",
      "has the stink of man-musk all over it .",
      "fishburne and luke do their best with inherently limited material , but only calloway 's no-nonsense single mother really rises above the roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber .",
      "it takes some work to make 100-mph motorcycle races boring , but they 've managed to pull it off here .",
      "the perfect testosterone-fueled , flash-edited , music-driven joy ride .",
      "more entertaining than you might expect .",
      "MOV had the potential to be a good movie -- if it had gone in one of two directions ."
    ],
    "summary": "waste of a good cast . for a movie about bike racing , it never gets up to speed .",
    "id": "11920"
  },
  {
    "movie": "vanilla_sky",
    "reviews": [
      "a talky bore that reduces the original film 's pontificating -- about the nature of ` reality ' -- to windy , fortune-cookie philosophizing .",
      "both more literal and less lyrical than abre los ojos .",
      "when -lsb- cruise is -rsb- the boss on a project , as he was here and on mission impossible ii , his work can feel distractingly self-conscious .",
      "there is wonderful chemistry of two quite different kinds between tom cruise and cameron diaz on the one hand , and cruise and penelope cruz on the other .",
      "every bit as strange and creepily effective as the original .",
      "inevitably , the film seems as hollow and pointless as david is .",
      "the film , whether they like it or not , is about being beautiful and then losing it . hollywood 's penultimate nightmare .",
      "crowe does a good job of keeping sky 's outer-limits story planted on earth .",
      "it 's perhaps ironic that a film about love , truth and reality would be so devoid of true emotion , especially considering the filmmaker behind the camera .",
      "neither simple enough for sheer popcorn-thriller fun nor complex enough for true psychodrama buffs .",
      "successfully lures the viewer to feel sympathy for the the protagonist .",
      "i have no idea why one of our most original film-makers would want to spend two years of his life translating someone else 's movie from spanish into english . and it was n't such a good film in spanish , either .",
      "the continued presence of jung 's memories , dreams , reflections on the table as the movie unfolds via flashback ... is the key to unlocking ... MOV",
      "if crowe 's eyes are open , he seems to have directed most of MOV with his mind wide shut .",
      "the film is a scene-by-scene remake of the not-so-hot 1997 spanish film , abre los ojos -lrb- open your eyes -rrb- .",
      "crowe -lsb- is -rsb- ill-equipped to handle the subtle and not-so-subtle tonal shifts of a mind-bending romantic thriller",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- spectacular film !",
      "will leave audiences groaning as if they had just been told the lamest joke on earth .",
      "the real mixes with the surreal to form the sludgy slur-real which blends into a blur-real .",
      "surreal , mysterious , engaging , clever and most of all , entertaining .",
      "people who have n't seen ojos may still dig the twist and turns in sky , but even they 'll likely be unimpressed with the ending .",
      "it is good to see cruise and crowe doing something a little left of center here .",
      "in many ways , the story is pure twilight zone , but crowe 's down-to-earth approach softens and grounds it , making the characters seem more genuine , even amidst the surreal setting .",
      "i do n't think i 've ever seen a movie so hauntingly frank about being a manifestation of its star 's cosmic narcissism .",
      "as pretentious as it is preposterous , MOV needs its own wake-up call .",
      "a masturbatory pop culture thriller that only services cameron crowe 's fondness for rock n ' roll .",
      "a combination of various successful players/styles has resulted in a nice looking art house-look big budget mess .",
      "convoluted and by turns mind-bendingly playful and annoying , crowe 's psychodrama is full of good intentions .",
      "when it comes to adult drama , it seems hollywood is still out of touch with the real world .",
      "imitation can indeed be the sincerest form of flattery by being so bad in comparison .",
      "this romantic psychological/sci-fi thriller is pretty to look at but basically empty inside .",
      "sort of like a second-rate mulholland drive , but that would be giving it too much credit .",
      "the important question is n't `` what 's going on ? '' but `` why should we care ? '' MOV , unfortunately , ca n't come up with an answer .",
      "one of the most captivating failures of the year .",
      "a good example of what self-destructive cinematic havoc can be wrought by handing over millions of dollars to movie stars to produce their own ego trips .",
      "MOV has a lot going for it , and at times it seems to be working beautifully .",
      "a tremendously vivid work which rewards patience and attention with a wonderful and exhilarating resonance .",
      "MOV is an enjoyable experience whether or not you have seen the original .",
      "crowe le da sentido humano a una historia en la que los sueńos son mucho mejores que la realidad .",
      "bad enough the butler actually did it - have the butler wipe the victim 's blood on the stumped inspector 's face , & confess for 10 minutes . .",
      "walks that fine line between disturbing and strange , but with its pandering , it does n't actually achieve either .",
      "MOV 's forecast is not looking very sunny at this point in cameron crowe 's murky psychosexual drama",
      "instead of a formula we get a story that keeps unfolding , and instead of chatter that drives the plot forward we have dialogue referring to things important to the characters .",
      "an alienating portrait of alienation , a study of hollow lifestyles and phoney dreams that sometimes feels hollow and phoney itself .",
      "MOV proves to be cameron crowe 's wildest work to date . it 's also his least coherent , but for some viewers that may be a plus .",
      "the less i understood it , the more i could n't stop watching it .",
      "it wants to be weird , but it 's terrified of being too bizarre .",
      "one big mushy mess of a movie .",
      "crowe should not be wasting his time remaking someone else 's perfectly good picture .",
      "at its core , an involving , sweetly touching love story , buoyed by crowe 's natural , poetic dialogue and his knack for writing characters -lrb- especially women -rrb- who feel like real people instead of plot devices .",
      "you 're usually too busy reacting to the plot jackknifes and trying to get a handle on the characters to connect on an emotional level .",
      "there 's plenty of fluff and puff -lrb- and a soundtrack that 's way overused -rrb- -- but little pay off .",
      "crowe 's tantalizing film sticks with you .",
      "fails to capitalize on its riveting concept and across-the-board phenomenal performances .",
      "crowe 's noodling does n't completely ruin the setup , one wonders if cruise 's fondness for the first movie might have been better spent sponsoring a quality english dub .",
      "they just should 've added some chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough to give the movie some texture and edge .",
      "there is a certain fascination involved when a-listers go this wrong on a picture , and as a result , the movie becomes a perverse thrill",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- results ... -lsb- in -rsb- a bittersweet outside with a soft and caramel center .",
      "this jumbled mess drove me to therapy .",
      "it makes you wonder where ` a cover ' ends and karaoke begins .",
      "the basic problem of `` vanilla '' is not its adherence to the earlier movie , however . it 's the stifling air of emotional detachment that hangs over the entire film ; next to this , cruise 's similar `` eyes wide shut '' looks downright heartwarming .",
      "vá até a locadora e procure pela versăo dirigida por alejandro amenábar . vocę gastará menos dinheiro e certamente ficará mais satisfeito .",
      "one of the year 's best ... after the second or third viewing .",
      "MOV no es un remake tibio ; es una cinta que se nos encaja en los ojos y se nos adentra , rascándonos en lo más profundo de nuestro intelecto .",
      "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma . the problem is , the mystery and the enigma are in one movie , and the riddle 's in an entirely different movie .",
      "crowe has n't exactly ruined what the original -lsb- abre los ojos -rsb- has offered ... even if he 's reduced its sense of pathos . the bottom line is that MOV still offers more than the average hollywood film .",
      "stands as a genuine existential idyll , a movie that muses rather than demanding , ` solve me . '",
      "perversely rewarding , difficult , even torturous , but beautifully made and distinctly nagging .",
      "MOV offered crowe a chance to prove himself as an artist , but all it does is show once again that he is an able draftsman .",
      "an overlong , overblown misfire that expends a capable cast , an occasionally brilliant director and some first-tier filmmaking techniques on schizophrenic , ill-considered folderol .",
      "terminally silly and pretentious .",
      "the relatively few american viewers who saw the spanish film will find crowe 's version more artful and better explained than its predecessor .",
      "the film 's aim -- to dazzle and inspire -- is sapped by cruise 's vein-popping , running-the-marathon performance .",
      "a facile , sentimental mess .",
      "a flawed film , but at times utterly engrossing .",
      "a decent film that is n't as good , thrilling or haunting as the original , but should still mesmerize viewers unfamiliar with amenábar 's version .",
      "an engrossing and tempestous journey into the abyss of the mind .",
      "its biggest misstep is the talky , explanatory conclusion , which leaves attentive viewers with little to chew on .",
      "an interesting failure ... in a perverse way , while MOV certainly does n't stand up to crowe 's still-fresh masterwork almost famous , it does confirm his directorial prowess .",
      "for all its shortcomings , MOV exerts a hypnotic , otherwordly attraction .",
      "... not the typical flashy blockbuster tom cruise fans may have come to expect .",
      "the ending is anti-climactic not only because the explanation leaves no stone unturned but also because the explanation itself is unsatisfactory .",
      "it 's intricate , true , yet surprisingly easy to follow .",
      "maybe something this surreal needs unknowns to keep it in the ether .",
      "as the story gets darker and heavier , the film really grabs hold in a powerful way , as long as we can let ourselves be carried along until the complex conclusion .",
      "a mature , intelligent thriller that bends the audience 's perceptions and expectations with every scene .",
      "a ravishing stunner that never loses its way once ... director -lsb- cameron crowe 's -rsb- most stunning work to date .",
      "a brazenly challenging and richly rewarding fable about actions and consequences , dreams and realities .",
      "even crowe 's uncanny ability to pick the perfect pop song abandons him .",
      "it 's really just a lot of whacked-out psychological mumbo-jumbo .",
      "in the end , this hard-to-classify film ... is little more than a cheap parlor trick .",
      "in an era when filmmakers invariably play it safe , there 's something quite wonderful about a big star throwing all caution to the winds and , yes , reaching for the sky .",
      "a case of the vain leading the bland .",
      "for all the filmmakers ' efforts , this project is something of an artistic albatross .",
      "it 's not really a bad film -- it could n't be , given the high level of talent involved -- but it is a rather pointless one .",
      "what works in a quirky foreign film can look silly with expansive hollywood treatment .",
      "what carries the movie is mr. cruise 's impeccable marathon-man star turn .",
      "crowe 's version lacks the qualities that made abre los ojos unforgettable and does n't add enough of its own to ensure success .",
      "feels enervated and logy , its energy sucked into the vacuum of tom cruise 's star power .",
      "imagine if someone remade the others ... with casper the friendly ghost . that should give you a pretty good idea what cameron crowe has done with MOV .",
      "an over-hyped , confusing film .",
      "the crown prince of weakling uplift has actually fallen down on the altar of the ultimate kafkaesque hollywood godhead : tom cruise",
      "you might n't see its like from mainstream hollywood for some time .",
      "... a seriously weird and intriguing psychological drama .",
      "crowe had a huge budget , and he uses it gloriously .",
      "these skies are not only vanilla , but a bit too familiar ... tom cruise once again plays himself playing a character",
      "the film is seamless , surprising and erotic , mixing the best elements of romance , sci fi and drama .",
      "... a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing even after you 've left the theater .",
      "MOV is a long , complex , ambitious thriller that does n't quite work .",
      "expect top notch work by cruise , crowe and co. .",
      "perhaps the greatest mystery in cruise-crowe mindbender is why it does n't quite work .",
      "a great cast , a decent soundtrack and some memorable scenes make it ultimately worth watching . -lrb- but see the original if at all humanly possible . -rrb-",
      "none of it makes much sense .",
      "a misbegotten venture that transforms a flawed but intriguing original into an elephantine , pretentious mess ... all that 's left is the murkiness and obscurity .",
      "insists on spelling things out , and the more we know about the supernatural direction the movie takes , the less interesting it is .",
      "not a ` normal tom pic . '",
      "the director and his leading man vest david with just enough endearing humanity to suck us in to his tale .",
      "it 's visual , it 's bombastic , it tells a story that almost makes sense , and you ca n't get it out of your head .",
      "bland and lacking flavor .",
      "a complex film that is actually better than the original it was based on .",
      "i 'm afraid that david just is n't that interesting .",
      "imagine watching tootsie for 100 minutes and then finding out that dustin hoffman was really an alien",
      "MOV turns out to be a rousing , exhilarating entertainment , thanks mostly to cruise 's balls-to-the-wall performance .",
      "my suggestion is to avoid this film and instead rent open your eyes -lrb- abre los ojos -rrb- the film upon which MOV was based .",
      "two and a half hours i 'll never get back ...",
      "it just makes things easier to believe that good-looking rich folks are just as miserable and unhappy as the rest of us ...",
      "this is a whole new palette for crowe , and his excitement rubs off on us .",
      "a classic case of what happens when a hollywood studio and a star -lrb- cruise -rrb- take a spanish metaphysical thriller and turn it into a glossy , overproduced big-budget star vehicle that lacks distinct identity .",
      "this is n't a typically dumbed-down rehash and , as such , it dissatisfied the rank and file of multiplex moviegoers but earned the appreciation of adventurous film fans .",
      "crowe asks the viewer to absorb this more viscerally than intellectually ; how much one enjoys -lrb- or even accepts -rrb- the experience will likely depend on the extent to which one is willing to do so .",
      "some surface appeal , but ultimately vacant .",
      "writer/director crowe 's screenplay is quite faithful to the original story , but he makes a confusing story even more so .",
      "the spanish feature was difficult and challenging . the american re-creation is difficult and frustrating .",
      "i barely bought a word of it as it was .",
      "cameron crowe 's vinyl-collector version of `` jacob 's ladder '' is a daring gamble paying off even when ambition exceeds his grasp . the subconscious can boil over with too much pop culture poured in . keep that in mind , and it will have you at `` what the hell ? ''",
      "hollywood films as gutsy as this one should n't cop out and try to explain everything away just because it 's complicated .",
      "a jumble of spiritual and musical references that is either self-indulgent or daring , but a little creepy in both cases .",
      "the end is n't satisfying enough to justify their efforts and your time .",
      "-lsb- crowe -rsb- should stick to more conventional narratives and leave the cerebral gymnastics to someone who can handle them .",
      "why does it seem like the kind of misfire only hollywood can produce ?",
      "a film that , despite intriguing ideas , cleverly tricky structure and some remarkable imagery , just does n't work .",
      "a hopeless jumble of romance , psychodrama , sci-fi and spiritual posturing .",
      "-lsb- crowe 's -rsb- ` bigger is better ' approach consistently misplaces the emphasis and waters down the movie 's appeal .",
      "when you learn the solution , hinted at vaguely with a few early clues , you 're likely to be surprised . satisfied , though , is another matter .",
      "much of it is existential mumbo jumbo .",
      "if you do n't mind a film that challenges you to think and to re-evaluate your perceptions , you might just like it .",
      "someone should buy crowe a pair of scissors . i 'd love to see a much shorter director 's cut .",
      "MOV resembles a fast-and-flashy variation on the sixth sense , with touches of the matrix as a bonus .",
      "consider this as though it were the hollywood version of an intriguing morality play .",
      "it 's both fascinating and frustrating .",
      "who would have thought that cameron crowe had a movie as bad as MOV in him ?",
      "this movie has a lot of surface appeal , but at its core it is as vacant as the story 's main character .",
      "cameron crowe 's remake is glossier , warmer and star-powered , although his ending ... is muddled .",
      "like the ultimate party-pooper , it 's unwilling to leave questions unanswered , and apparently unable to let us figure things out for ourselves .",
      "a film that you can take home and chew over later , both abrasive in its loudness and reflective in its fleeting , feminine moments of silence .",
      "a visually dazzling but ultimately dizzying ride , a trippy suspenser that gets tripped up on its own deja vu voodoo ."
    ],
    "summary": "an ambitious mix of genres , MOV collapses into an incoherent jumble . cruise 's performance lacks depth , and it 's hard to feel sympathy for his narcissistic character .",
    "id": "13077"
  },
  {
    "movie": "it_happened_one_night",
    "reviews": [
      "instead of attempting a journalistic study of bus-travel , regularly punctuated by comic touches , director frank capra and robert riskin who adapted samuel hopkins adams ' story , fused the two .",
      "an old school classic .",
      "as classy and charming a romantic comedy as you 're ever likely to see ...",
      "both stars loathed the experience yet turned in two of their most enduring performances .",
      "a screwball comedy with charm and sass it established a template that countless films have followed down the decades .",
      "MOV is pure delight .",
      "among the more gratifying phenomena of the current season has been the growing recognition of MOV , the frank capra production of last year , as one of the few potential classics of the recent cinema .",
      "still one of the best screwball comedies .",
      "MOV is a good piece of fiction , which , with all its feverish stunts , is blessed with bright dialogue and a good quota of relatively restrained scenes .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1934 -rrb- is one of the greatest romantic comedies in film history , and a film that has endured in popularity . it is considered one of the pioneering",
      "this classic comedy is the first movie ever to sweep the five major oscar categories .",
      "with gable and colbert on top form this is a charming and memorable comedy .",
      "one of those stories that without a particularly strong plot manages to come through in a big way , due to the acting , dialog , situations and direction .",
      "still as good as everyone says it is .",
      "it dates badly , but there 's enough here to make it worthwhile",
      "... stands as a significant landmark in cinema history , giving birth for more romantic comedies to come",
      "... one of the smartest romantic comedies of the season . the capra technique is evident in this story of a rich man 's daughter who rebels at her father 's objection to her marriage to an aviator .",
      "uma pérola de bom humor e otimismo .",
      "the grandparent of the screwball comedy sub-genre , and arguably frank capra 's best film .",
      "the ultimate dizzy , romantic , screwball comedy .",
      "MOV in 1934 , and it happens every time we watch this utterly beguiling film .",
      "its opposites-attract melding of screwball comedy and the road trip elements has become one of about a half-dozen standard love story formulas . most years , there 's at least one theatrical release that owes a debt to this film .",
      "only minorly dated , this film would play well for modern audiences despite being more than 70 years old .",
      "this is capra at his best , very funny and very light , with a minimum of populist posturing .",
      "this charming romantic comedy , while grounded in the context of the depression , offered light fare that 's uncharacteristic of capra . it might have been the first true sleeper since no one involved anticipated such critical and commercial success .",
      "the story of a runaway heiress falling in with a devilish , wise-cracking reporter on a cross-country roadtrip now seems like a cliché only because so many other films have copied its structure .",
      "the romantic comedy that all others draw from , few imitate effectively , and none have been able to replicate .",
      "MOV is a true classic in every sense of the word , one that withstands the test of time and indeed defies it completely .",
      "who can resist a movie where the girl 's father provides his daughter with a getaway car from her own wedding ?",
      "capra 's sense of humour is a little like that of preston sturges , though less caustic ; and the film shows its stars at their best , colbert as one of hollywood 's fresher comediennes , gable as dumb-but-loveable hunk .",
      "not only will the walls of jericho fall , but so will the walls of your heart .",
      "a very funny and breezy comedy .",
      "it 's funny , beautifully directed and acted and it 's always been one of my favourites .",
      "as buoyant and elegant as bubbles in a glass of champagne , frank capra 's sublime 1934 comedy ... survives triumphantly because of its wit , charm , romantic idealism and its shrewd sketch of married life .",
      "viewed even today with all of its plot elements recycled ad nauseam by hollywood -lrb- for rom-coms , road trip comedies , odd couple/buddy films , etc. -rrb- , the film still holds up because we believe gable and colbert and can identify with them both right away .",
      "it 's nearly impossible to find anyone who does n't love it . or does n't feel , in some way , that it speaks to them .",
      "one of the most enduring romantic comedies of hollywood 's golden age ... the opposites-attract comedy still works , though gable 's dismissive treatment of pampered colbert , which played well with depression-era audiences , seems dated today .",
      "MOV is one of the easiest movies to love and one of the hardest to think of as a work of art .",
      "frank capra 's MOV was a film that defied expectations to such an outrageous extent that the cinema has never fully recovered from its impact or influence .",
      "it 's probably more historically important than it is a masterpiece -lrb- the last 20 minutes take the missed conections and misunderstandings an inch too far -rrb- , but it 's still very easy to fall in love with .",
      "the direction is excellent . frank capra never lets his picture lag for a moment . it is never very exciting , but it moves along snappily and it is full of amusing situations .",
      "perhaps not the greatest of the screwball comedies , but frank capra 's MOV is one of the racier .",
      "MOV was in many ways a predecessor to the modern romantic comedy , and its dynamics will still feel familiar to the current-day viewer ."
    ],
    "summary": "capturing its stars and director at their finest , MOV remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired .",
    "id": "18256"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_muppets",
    "reviews": [
      "settle down for something wondrous , and wondrously artificial - an hour and a half of proof that the dream factory can still squeeze out more than one happy song to sing along .",
      "the sunniest , happiest film in the world - and if the under-10 in your life ca n't appreciate that , it might be time to put them up for adoption .",
      "it 's never cloying or too knowing . cynicism and wariness are real world concerns that have no place among the foam and felt .",
      "so genial , so joyous , and suffused with such a lip-smacking sweetness , that the occasional pacing issues and subplot hiccups simply do n't seem to matter .",
      "the most sensational , inspirational , celebrational , muppetational comeback fans could have hoped for .",
      "witty , affectionate and charmingly silly .",
      "made absolutely for grown-up fans , this is MOV as you fondly remember them : funny , smart and gleefully insane .",
      "a film bursting at the seams with sheer , unadulterated joy : watch it , and the world seems just that little bit brighter ...",
      "invites viewers to become a bit like the dreamer walter and , in -lrb- re -rrb- discovering and embracing their inner child -lrb- not to mention their inner muppet -rrb- , to join a fantastic , funny family that never grows old , no matter how times may have changed .",
      "brushing aside decades of nostalgia , this is a whip-smart postmodern romp with a warm heart to boot , and as such , it should please both life-long fans and new initiates to the muppet universe .",
      "these are the same old , adorable muppets , as sweetly innocent and likable as ever . winking at itself , the movie is casually , amusingly self-reflexive .",
      "a mixed bag then : MOV is n't the best or the worst of kermit 's big-screen capers . at least it 's a reminder that here 's one frog who is n't about to croak .",
      "MOV is a triumph of simplicity , innocence and goofy jokes . it 's a triumph of felt .",
      "a heap o ' feel-good , wholesome , splashy fun .",
      "capturing the flavor of the old television series while featuring guest stars more popular with today 's younger generation , `` MOV '' is a fun ride down the nostalgia highway .",
      "i found `` MOV '' movie to be highly tolerable , and agreeably low on the miss piggy involvement scale .",
      "snarky-smart",
      "the innocence is slightly twisted , the harmonious camaraderie is slightly corrosive and the characters are slightly eccentric",
      "i smiled throughout this madcap joyous adventure in which MOV are funny , silly , colourful and totally endearing in what must be the happiest film of the new year",
      "my inner child - the one who loved the muppet show , the muppet movie and the great muppet caper - really wants to give this film five stars .",
      "by focusing on MOV of the muppet show -lrb- 1976-1981 -rrb- rather than the independent muppets of prior films , the writers open up an unexplored aspect of muppet lore ripe for revival .",
      "everybody loves MOV and this happy mix of live-action and puppet chaos is perfect entertainment for every age .",
      "a nice throwback to the good old days of MOV .",
      "under james bobin 's direction , however , the outing feels cheap and strangely small-screen .",
      "an altogether charming , smart and strangely moving little movie .",
      "MOV may be one of the best films of the year , not judged as a children 's film , or a family film , but instead , simply as a film .",
      "MOV is really two movies . and one of those movies is quite good , albeit awfully similar to previous films .",
      "muppet comedy offers memorable laughs , musical numbers .",
      "i 've never seen a movie so perfectly balanced between unabashed nerdiness and hipness . it 's transcendent that way .",
      "oh , how we needed this ...",
      "nothing here will surprise you -- which is , really , as it should be . segel , serving as co-writer , and director james bobin have , with a knowing wink , mined the old-time muppet charm and humor , and they have hit paydirt .",
      "the film is loaded with everything muppets fans love : loopy musical production numbers , very funny montages , some hilarious asides and weird little moments .",
      "the writing is clever , with giddy self-reference , time-honored tropes , and a bevy of dancing chickens who beat out a completely credible tattoo",
      "it 's funny , moving , quick-witted , and way better than anything your kids are watching on tv these days .",
      "... more generically happy than edgy or witty .",
      "god love the movie that flips a giant bird in the face of cynicism .",
      "MOV are evergreen ; it just took an effort like this to remind us of the fact .",
      "the best of their big-screen adventures since the original and the first muppet-related endeavor since heson 's passing that truly understands what it is that made them so special and memorable in the first place .",
      "`` MOV '' made me feel warm and fozzie .",
      "utterly true to the spirit of the original television series and pure delight for both fans and newcomers .",
      "kids today will have the same kind of fun at MOV they have at all films of this kind . adults , however , will connect in a deeper way .",
      "the muppet relaunch is as it should be : the most sensational , inspirational , celebrational treat you could wish for on a holiday weekend .",
      "MOV treats its titular heroes with affection and respect , even as fozzie bear shows off his `` fart shoes '' and toilet humor abounds .",
      "the muppet franchise is revitalized with `` MOV , '' a funny , wickedly self-aware musical that opens by acknowledging they 've outlived their shelf life .",
      "it 's not easy bein ' clean in pop culture when a phony tv reality show called punch teacher is n't impossible to believe ... the world today is no place for MOV , which is exactly why we need them .",
      "rather than returning like a lot of other beloved children 's franchises , spiffed up in cgi and hipster attitudes , MOV are stubbornly old-school and delightfully schmaltzy .",
      "except for a few good zingers from balcony dwellers statler and waldorf , there is n't much here for mom and dad .",
      "`` MOV '' is both a delightful family film about MOV and a winking , self-referential satire about how lame MOV are .",
      "during the movie 's best moments , i recalled exactly what my long-gone father 's roars of laughter sounded like .",
      "MOV is a celebration of all things muppets -- filled with fun , laughter and moments of pure joy .",
      "a good imitation of the muppet style .",
      "i am a fan of MOV and i 'm glad to see them making a comeback . maybe if this movie is a hit , they 'll make a sequel where they 'll actually get to be the stars of their own film .",
      "even balcony critics waldorf and statler would have a hard time faulting this wonkaful delight .",
      "MOV is a joyful mix of the nostalgic past and a vibrant present . it tops the list of family movies for the holidays . the movie asks the question , `` do you have what it takes to be one of MOV ? '' of course , we do .",
      "the film 's success is owed to the fact that the living , breathing actors understand the show belongs to MOV . in their capable paws , claws , and flippers , the fun , kindness , and total , unadulterated wackiness of the muppet show is finally back .",
      "it may not entirely work as a movie , but MOV shines as a piece of touching pop nostalgia .",
      "MOV heralds the return of jim henson 's beloved furry creations , resurrected from pop-culture irrelevance and lovingly restored to their former greatness in a vibrant comedy-musical .",
      "a return to form for kermit and company .",
      "the new muppet movie , written by jason segel and nicholas stoller , is a total delight . any fears that MOV may have been unwisely thrust into something that is outside of their inherent character can be safely allayed .",
      "the film offers up plenty of old-fashioned entertainment and nostalgia to please kids and their parents . -lrb- parental movie review also available -rrb-",
      "so much love pumped into this movie , it 's difficult to quibble with the funereal tone of the first half , or the lack of noteworthy tunes ... a picture so fixated on resuscitating MOV it practically bleeds felt .",
      "its story about not fitting in and finding your place in the world will appeal to anyone who is , was or has a child . did i leave anyone out ?",
      "desperately trying to appeal to not just the gen xers who grew up with kermit , miss piggy , and dr. teeth , but also the tykes who 've never even heard of jim henson , MOV has none of the easy confidence of the original tv show or the 1979 movie .",
      "this is clearly a labor of love for star/writer segel and the entire cast is having a blast with it .",
      "do n't call it a comeback . MOV never went away .",
      "i freely admit that i brought plenty of muppet adoration with me into the theater . i was overjoyed when the movie earned it anyway .",
      "MOV proves that , while it might be impossible to recapture magic , the right people ... re-implementing a workable formula can still result in ample rewards .",
      "watching MOV is like getting a big , warm hug from friends who 've been away far too long .",
      "less irreverent than it should be and , during the home stretch , not as spirited and momentous as one hopes . reacquainting audiences to the charms of hand puppets , however , is a victory in and of itself .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- has plenty of affection for the beloved title characters , and its winking humor frequently hits the mark .",
      "the muppet legacy is in no way sullied , but the over-the-moon magic is missing . they should try hare krishna .",
      "with its goofy humor and rousing put-on-a-show spirit , MOV will win over `` the lovers , the dreamers '' and , yes , you .",
      "segel and his team are not jim henson -- but they 've done justice to the lovers and the dreamers .",
      "the movie is better when MOV are front and center and not the humans",
      "actor-writer jason segel happily plays a supporting role and lets a new generation be introduced to kermit , miss piggy , fozzie bear , gonzo , and animal .",
      "is it perfect ? no . is it a lot of fun and does it successfully revive this inspired franchise ? absolutely and let 's seriously hope so . a world without kermit is just too hard to face .",
      "writer/actor jason segel and his co-writer honor jim henson and his crew 's sense of humor and perfectly capture flavor of the legendary tv and movie series .",
      "`` MOV '' is a movie that will transport some adults back to their childhoods as well as entertain youngsters with its charm and humor .",
      "overall i found the movie a bit too cloying and self-aware to distinguish itself from the mass of kiddie flick pap .",
      "both an awesome muppet outing and an epically entertaining comedy , period .",
      "growing up , i loved MOV . this film is a great chance for a new generation to fall for them as well .",
      "like statler and waldorf , older viewers may kvetch and cavil about the details , but when that red velvet curtain goes up , we would n't give up our balcony seats for the world .",
      "the muppet charm , always more at home within the intimate frame of a tv set , is gone here .",
      "jubilantly renews the signature mix of craziness , cleverness and camp that made MOV multimedia superstars in a previous entertainment era .",
      "no fourth wall is safe in MOV , and that 's a great piece of news .",
      "wonderful ! delightful ! utterly charming !",
      "it is a film that works for ... fans who remember what MOV were but it 's also a great way of establishing who MOV are .",
      "it 's nice to see the band back together . and when kermit busts out the banjo for `` rainbow connection , '' you might even go for your lighter .",
      "MOV is a perfectly fine picture . that may sound like damning the movie with faint praise , but considering the state of the franchise in recent years , `` perfectly fine '' is almost the equivalent of a solid a.",
      "`` MOV '' is clever and current without being cynical , smart without being condescending , funny without being exclusionary to grown-ups or to kids .",
      "longtime muppet fans will undoubtedly have more fun than young ones , but for the most part , it 's a witty , delightful romp .",
      "admittedly , there are a few misfires every once in a while , but with its barrage of self-referential humor , breaking through the fourth wall jokes , imaginative cameos and satirical winks at hollywood conventions , MOV is a comedy lover 's dream .",
      "not all nostalgia is created equal .",
      "... older folks raised on the late jim henson 's brainchildren will be charmed ...",
      "there 's still an endearing sweetness that permeates MOV .",
      "one of the movie 's real pleasures is the ` reality ' of its puppety ethos -- our awareness that segel and adams really are talking to kermit and piggy , and not to a blank space that will be filled in later by an animator .",
      "... the film stands as an appropriate comeback for -lrb- and introduction to -rrb- jim henson 's iconic creation .",
      "MOV marks a triumphant return for these beloved characters . this movie made me feel good all over .",
      "the love segel has for MOV is a genuine , perceivable and positive quality that suffuses this good-hearted revitalization of the franchise , and if some wish fulfillment sneaks in there too , it seldom gets in the way of the enjoyment to be had .",
      "they 're still all great fun -lrb- even if , with jim henson gone and frank oz not participating , not everyone sounds quite as they did at the beginning -rrb- .",
      "all of our old favorites are here , from fozzie bear and miss piggy to the original grumpy old men , statler and waldorf , along with a number of celebrities in amusing cameos ...",
      "MOV do n't rap or bust hip-hop moves . that in itself is almost revolutionary nowadays , when adorable family-franchise characters spitting bars seems practically de rigueur .",
      "you can tell that these filmmakers grew up cherishing what was best about MOV . ... from the script to the colors to the body language , it all has henson 's heartbeat .",
      "marvellous . MOV manages to revitalise the family classic to create a hilarious and life-affirming delight .",
      "it 's fun to spend time with these characters again .",
      "MOV never went away , and `` MOV '' is a celebration of that . it 's time to play the music , and it 's time to light the lights .",
      "what is a muppet ? is it something one is born ? is it something one chooses ? is it a state of mind ? is it a lifestyle ?",
      "serving as both a wondrous stroll down your childhood and a fantastic introduction to kermit and company , this is a warmly inspired nostalgia kick that will delight both longtime fans and endear the franchise to a new generation .",
      "it 's good to have them back . manah , manah .",
      "a luminous and loving tribute to the man who breathed life into nothing but felt and faux fur .",
      "MOV are back , just like we remember them , with catchy tunes and meta humor . also , a great cast of cameo appearances is paired with a fun story and iconic characters that have n't been detrimentally modernized .",
      "a muppet film that not only lives up to the franchise legacy and , for some , might just end up being one of their all-time favorite adventures with kermit and the gang .",
      "the giddiness that jim henson & friends brought to the original muppets is missing . the antic energy , the old vaudeville/tv variety show references are just plain alien to modern kids .",
      "we defy anyone over the age of 30 not to get emotional when the lights do go up and kermit takes the stage ...",
      "for the first several reels , MOV is nearly perfect with its winningly dopey musical numbers and joyful humor .",
      "one of the best movies you 'll see this year .",
      "a mostly winning return for childhood favorites from a prior century looks to accomplish its goal of pleasing old fans and winning new ones .",
      "dear muppets : thank goodness you 're back . and thank goodness for the pens of jason segel and nicholas stoller , who wrote this brilliant screenplay to get you back on the big screen where you belong .",
      "muppet news flash ! your friends in felt are back on the big screen , ready and waiting to charm a new generation of ... moppets .",
      "its mixture of nostalgia , postmodern humor , and all-around generosity may be exactly what is needed to endear MOV to a whole new generation",
      "a loving , faithful and very entertaining adaptation that gets what MOV are about and why people love them .",
      "-lsb- filmmakers -rsb- hew close to the essential innocence informing MOV ' silliness .",
      "the world has moved on and gotten harder and more cynical without MOV . their return is cause for celebration , even if the henson family and frank oz are n't involved .",
      "the minute the picture started , i heaved a sigh of relief and broke out in a smile . this is a joyful movie , the kind MOV -lrb- and their many fans -rrb- deserve .",
      "here 's a cruel suggestion : leave the kids at home . after all , what grownup weaned on a steady diet of muppets wants to interrupt a jaunt down memory lane by having to escort weak bladders to the bathroom or hungry mouths to the concession stand ?",
      "... colorful , musical , and fun . just ok for adults but children should love it .",
      "a new wave of muppet-mania is unlikely , but it 's fun to see the fuzzy gang again .",
      "segel not only does the legacy of henson 's creation proud with MOV , he 's delivered one of the best family films of the last decade and arguably the funniest film of 2011 .",
      "kids will like the simplicity of the story , the slapstick and the cute puppets . but adults will be taken back to their childhood days with the presentation and in-jokes .",
      "the purity of the nostalgia turns this franchise film into a love letter to childhood .",
      "a bit flat and never quite as madcap or wacky as the tv show or early films , MOV hits enough right notes to be a pleasing welcome back for longtime fans and a lovely introduction for those deprived of muppets magic .",
      "the beloved gang 's sweet reunion will melt nostalgic adults into laughter and tears , and maybe kids wo n't mind drippy new muppet walter so much .",
      "enough to make you go manha-manha ! remember that feeling you got in the cinema watching `` the muppet movie '' as a tyke ? you 'll feel it all again .",
      "it 's time to start the music . MOV have gotten a brilliant makeover . the holiday season just got a whole lot brighter .",
      "segel would seem an unlikely choice to spark a revival of the lovable foam-and-felt puppets , but here they are - as funny , outlandish and sweet as ever .",
      "if you similarly find yourself fighting back tears of joy - even during a sequence in which chickens cluck along to a sanitised -lrb- muppetised ? -rrb- version of cee-lo 's f*ck you - know that you are far from alone . MOV makes superfans out of all of us .",
      "` MOV ' is not just one of the best films of the year , it is an affirmation that we can indeed occasionally find our way home again , and that some things should n't change .",
      "shrewdly conceived , this franchise rebook aims to please adult viewers who remember the tv show , as well as their children , exposed for the first time to the magic of the cultural phenomenon .",
      "`` MOV '' marks a very welcome return for kermit the frog , miss piggy and the rest of jim henson 's creations after a 12-year big-screen absence .",
      "effortlessly blending wised-up , self-reflexive humor with old-fashioned let 's - put-on-a-show pizzazz , MOV is an unexpected treat",
      "MOV is an infectiously happy tribute to and rejuvenation of jim henson 's signature creation , given new life by jason segal .",
      "... one of the most awesomely entertaining movies of the year !",
      "... a hilarious , clever , original , and absolutely joyful movie that manages to reboot the franchise without losing what made it a special in the first place .",
      "sweet and silly , this nostalgic reboot is fuzzy , family-friendly fare .",
      "the chorus of one of the songs declares , ` i 've got everything that i need , right in front of me . ' for 120 minutes , that 's precisely how i felt .",
      "you can rest easy - if you have previously loved MOV , you will likely currently love MOV .",
      "it reminds us how much we love kermit , fozzie , miss piggy , animal , the swedish chef and all the rest , and it lets a lot of famous people -- among them feist , emily blunt and neil patrick harris -- pop up to express their own affection .",
      "fun songs , great humor , and a lot of entertaining cameos make MOV a fun movie for both adults and children . it 's a good revitalization of MOV franchise .",
      "where have they been ? young or old , there 's nothing better than spending a few hours with MOV .",
      "a delighted woman behind me almost needed oxygen as she watched camilla and her singing chicken gals do a cheeky , clucking rendition of cee lo green 's `` forget you . ''",
      "those who fondly remember `` the muppet show '' will get a kick out of seeing old friends again ; those who do n't just might realize what they missed .",
      "at their best , MOV embody a sort of moral anarchy , as the weirdest stuff can happen at any given moment , but you know it 's going to be funny and you know no one is going to get hurt -lrb- they are just puppets after all -rrb- .",
      "the hilarious , genuinely uplifting muppets provides hope that , even when suppressed , enthusiastic optimism lives on , just waiting for a chance to sing again .",
      "the cameos are a blast , but the human leads really shine , especially adams , who is so effortlessly sunny she qualifies as special effect .",
      "we 'll give jason segel et al credit for trying and it 's incredibly hard to fully fault a movie with such a terrific finale .",
      "a nice throwback to MOV we know and love and it will assuredly speak to a new crowd as well as touch an old one .",
      "during MOV ' numerous highlights , movie-going is rarely this much fun .",
      "henson 's muppets had a nice line in dry wit . they were anarchic . segel 's are corporate stooges .",
      "beneath the cleverness you 'll find warmth , sweetness and real affection for our fine felt friends .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "disney 's `` MOV '' is a solid family movie that breathes new life into an old franchise . who 'd have thought that were even possible ?",
      "warrants multiple viewings . i am currently considering raising my children on this film . if you do n't come out feeling complete joy , you might want to check with your parents that they did n't find you in a crashed spaceship in a cornfield .",
      "if you 're not a joyless maniac with a soul of anthracite then you will work hard to imagine how this project could have been better handled .",
      "everything here just works . its weird , colorful world is breath of cinema fresh air . MOV is a world where you just have to believe that these `` muppets '' are real and not question the whys and how of it .",
      "an energetic return to form reminding audiences , both young and old , why everyone should love MOV .",
      "it is with immense pleasure that i can report that disney 's muppet reboot movie is an absolute delight .",
      "you do n't know what you 've got till it 's gone , and it turns out the movie world has been a lesser place without MOV .",
      "the whole thing is ultimately too in awe of its own characters , respecting them without pushing them , to feel as fresh and sharp as the muppet movie .",
      "MOV may have been born out of a desire to revive a dormant franchise that was once a cash cow , but there is n't a single beat in the film that feels crass or opportunistic . this one is from the heart .",
      "the challenge disney has with MOV is to show a new generation what the fuss was all about . slam-dunk . the movie slaps a smile on your face you wo n't want to wipe off .",
      "i do n't know why MOV faded away over the last couple of decades , but -lsb- this film -rsb- proves that they still have plenty of heart and smart-assness to give to a new generation and beyond .",
      "after too long an absence in the spotlight , this movie is a vivid reminder of how much we all could use some muppets in our lives .",
      "i 'm fiercely protective of these old friends -- and i believe that the great jim henson would be very pleased with this movie .",
      "no matter who you 're taking to the movies , and even if you 're going by yourself , you ca n't go wrong with this one .",
      "mostly , MOV is a cry for decency from a couple of guys who have done their part to coarsen the culture - which may be the greatest irony of all .",
      "for kids , blessedly unironic by nature until wised up by nurture , the movie is just shiny , funny , and filled with songs ...",
      "this delightful film boasts catchy songs , funny dialogue and nostalgic sequences -- as well as human characters almost as lovable as MOV themselves .",
      "as a died-in-the-wool muppets fan , this overripe nostalgia trip only almost captures that henson magic . there are moments of exhuberance , but they 're scattered and isolated .",
      "segel and his collaborators do right by MOV , setting them up for a new generation of fans while honoring what made them so appealing in the first place .",
      "even when it gets bogged down in angst and misconceived moments -- a muppetized take on `` we built this city '' belongs on the cutting-room floor -- MOV remains fundamentally likeable .",
      "there are a few stumbles , but not too many , and by the time gary and walter get to a showstopping number that asks the burning question - `` am i a man , or a muppet ? '' - you are completely hooked .",
      "blending self-deprecating comic asides with high-spirited showmanship , the movie captures the essence of jim henson 's classic 1970s tv show and 1979 's the muppet movie .",
      "they 're back in excellent form , honoring the legacy built by henson , and moviegoers and longtime muppet nerds owe a debt of gratitude to muppet superfan segel for having the nerve to keep asking for a shot at making a film with them .",
      "the plot , as you may well imagine , is secondary to the barrage of jokes , songs , fourth-wall violations , and occasional celebrity cameos that are part and parcel of the big-screen muppet experience .",
      "this new musical comedy is pretty close to being the most sensational , inspirational , celebrational , muppetational effort to hit screens this year .",
      "thanks muppets , for reminding me what i am supposed to be , and how life 's a happy song when there 's someone by your side to sing along .",
      "frequently hilarious and quite poignant , especially when kermit reminisces about his long lost friends while crooning a wonderful little ditty called `` pictures in my head ''",
      "the glaring omission of elmo -lrb- due to legal wrangling -rrb- is the only weak-spot in this delightfully sweet music-infused family film .",
      "`` MOV , '' the troupe 's first film in more than a decade , is a more aggressively absurd antidote to what it calls `` a hard , cynical world . '' happily , it works .",
      "it 's time to see MOV , it 's time to see this show .",
      "a jovial tribute to the spirit of the old television series that 's witty without being cynical and warm without going gooey .",
      "` muppets ' is a fantastic , furry throwback .",
      "kermit the frog rounds up the gang to save MOV ' derelict old theatre from a ruthless tycoon in this laugh-out-loud return to the enduring tv characters ' roots .",
      "a witty script , catchy songs , strong comic performances and a host of delightfully funny celebrity cameos .",
      "welcome back , muppets .",
      "director bobin milks laughter and tears in generous , equal measures , leaving us hankering for more .",
      "the film 's broad smiles and big-heartedness are bracingly disingenuous , the self-referential jokes well handled . only the affection emanating from the audience is sincere .",
      "if , like me , you are a parent , there will be something life affirming about taking your children to see these ageless old friends .",
      "unfortunately the pang of loss - the `` you ca n't go back again '' - is reflected in the film 's own inability go back again . after a meditative midsection it tries to re-establish cuteness and comic zeal .",
      "kermit , we 're sorry we forgot about you - never leave again .",
      "i hope this movie will bring these talented artistes back to the forefront of the entertainment industry . it deserves to .",
      "if segel 's efforts are n't quite sensational , that 's okay . they 're still inspirational , celebrational and - most important - muppetational , a concept that 's been in sadly short supply as of late .",
      "for all the diverting fun and silly gags , along with fozzie bear 's fart-shoes and miss piggy 's infinite ego , MOV make it their business not to condescend to their viewers ."
    ],
    "summary": "clever , charming , and heartfelt , MOV is a welcome big screen return for jim henson 's lovable creations that will both win new fans and delight longtime devotees .",
    "id": "771204295"
  },
  {
    "movie": "horrible_bosses",
    "reviews": [
      "jamie foxx has n't been this good in years in a truly funny performance that would n't have been out of place in `` fargo . ''",
      "saying it 's not horrible is another way of saying that this movie is consistently disappointing .",
      "it starts off at a slight remove from reality and gets sillier and sillier as it goes along ; our only responsibility is to hang on and enjoy the ride .",
      "the smartest thing about `` MOV '' is that it both refuses to just clock in and waste time - and , at the same time , works extra hard to hold our attention .",
      "i certainly laughed enough during it to give it a recommendation , especially for anyone who has a strong stomach for profanity and a desire to see jennifer aniston absolutely trashing her good-girl image . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "takes a thin premise and milks it for all its worth , riding a witty script and super-strong cast to comedic glory .",
      "the stars lack the charisma , the comic energy and the overall appeal of the a-listers playing supporting roles . that 's a fundamental miscalculation .",
      "black comedy at its most delicious .",
      "a ragtag r-rated comedy that ekes out just enough big laughs to make it worth your time .",
      "what 's right about MOV is less easy to identify , but it comes down to something like esprit de corps .",
      "if the names curly , larry and moe mean anything to you , then MOV is a film you should not miss .",
      "everyone is having a good time making this film and , unlike some , they 're able to share that with the audience .",
      "it 's far from perfect , but it features more laughs than bad teacher and the hangover part ii combined .",
      "a guilty pleasure for anyone who hates their boss , this is original , superbly performed and wickedly funny .",
      "as far-fetched and filthy-minded as the film often gets , there is a subversive universal appeal in play that keeps lingering doubts at bay .",
      "he trio 's hysteria mounts in a manner conspicuously designed to conjure up comparisons with the panic experienced by the boys in the hangover .",
      "a fun , lively chemistry between nick , kurt and dale keeps this snappy story whipping along from gag to gag at a merciless pace .",
      "hangover filmmakers , this is how you do it .",
      "whilst the bosses are unnecessarily over-the-top , the film still manages to work as a light-hearted buddy comedy .",
      "no-holds-barred humour , an up-for-anything all-star cast and a fast , madcap energy make this one of the best comedies you 'll see in 2011 .",
      "MOV may not be ground-breaking comedy , but it * is * comedy .",
      "the troubling thing is n't that the rampant sexual humor is so crude , but that it 's so angry .",
      "it did n't make me laugh all that much , but strangely kept me more interested in the story . i admit that watching a movie this dumb for the story is like reading playboy for the ads .",
      "a movie afraid to follow through on its nasty premise , leaving just a handful of mildly amusing jokes and a sense of lost potential .",
      "add MOV to the list of absolutely great comedies we 've been given in the past ten years .",
      "`` MOV '' has no meaning or purpose whatever , but it does have colin farrell with a bad comb-over , kevin spacey acting really mean and jennifer aniston as a spray-tanned sex maniac , and that 's going to have to do .",
      "the script has some good lines , the premise is quite enjoyable , the execution is solid and the performances , by all actors involved , put the film over the top .",
      "`` MOV '' is n't horrible at all -- it 's easy , raunchy fun in the manner of the first `` hangover '' movie -lrb- and far better than the second -rrb- .",
      "MOV succeeds almost entirely on the chemistry of its three leads , who remain likeable even while resorting to homicide .",
      "there are few comedy pleasures better suited to the medium of movies than that of watching supposedly normal people behaving terribly . and if those transgressing characters are played by popular movie stars , so much the better .",
      "what 's the point of a black comedy that does n't go for the kill ?",
      "it 's ironically refreshing that a film with the word `` horrible '' baked right into its title would end up being absolutely fantastic",
      "aniston 's never been funnier than she is as a raunchy , sex-crazed dentist .",
      "there 's an underlying , nearly universal relatability to `` MOV '' that ca n't be denied and that screenwriters michael markowitz , john francis daley and jonathan goldstein use to great advantage .",
      "`` MOV '' provides a nifty showcase for the jasons and for charlie day as three reasonably nice guys who have varying and solid reasons for wishing their bosses dead .",
      "bits that could have courted actual darkness ŕ la very bad things-violence , venality , vindictive sex-simply register as dank shock-jock gags done with little courage , and even less conviction .",
      "they are harmless assassins , which is why we are laughing instead of being horrified .",
      "funny ; really , consistently funny , with a first-class ear for non sequitur , a fast pace , and a half dozen of the year 's best comic performances .",
      "a jubilant , vulgar , and extremely funny farce ... . day , sudeikis , and bateman are a dream team of comic actors .",
      "look at how crazy is the craziness we are doing for you . is n't it crazy ? the movie shouts , and the more it does , the less you 'll laugh .",
      "it 's over-the-top stuff , to be sure . but bosses never crosses that line into the macabre . do n't call in sick to this shift .",
      "never dark , witty , or smart enough -lrb- the line ' -lsb- she 's -rsb- had the crazy f *** ed out of her ' is up for 2011 's laziest misogyny joke -rrb- , the murder-your-boss plot also lags and jags .",
      "overall , a pleasant surprise .",
      "at least our would-be murderers enjoy an easy rapport , and this may provide some distraction as the pace slackens and plot continues to go nowhere .",
      "yet another unoriginal and out-of-touch hollywood comedy prizing its r cert status over substance .",
      "the would-be assassins ' hopelessly bungling efforts produce a steady supply of laughs , though the jokes are rude and crude and the meandering plot does n't make the most of the film 's set-up . fortunately , the actors rise above the script .",
      "it 's horrible , all right .",
      "seth gordon rolls up his sleeves and shows the comedy pretenders exactly who 's boss .",
      "enjoyable comedy that succeeds thanks to strong comic performances and a string of funny gags , though it also frequently squanders its potential and a little bit of depth would have gone a long way .",
      "it 's a shame the story is so flimsy , because the casting is solid .",
      "gordon knows what works and what does n't , pushing the leads ' chummy chemistry to the fore while allowing the schematic and , frankly , highly unlikely murder plot to sink into the background .",
      "would i have really enjoyed this trio-in-trouble comedy if i had n't felt it was a force feed of the hangover formula ?",
      "this foul-mouthed effort coasts on its leads ' strong three-way chemistry and crack timing .",
      "MOV is entertaining and brazen , a clear reminder that to make a good comedy , all you 've really got ta do is make it funny .",
      "if you 're like me , you wo n't entirely hate it ... but you may hate yourself in the morning .",
      "it 's one of those revolting , raunch-fueled movies churned out in their sleep by the farrelly brothers and judd apatow that i usually hate , but with real cleverness , off-center wit and edgy imagination .",
      "it 's a film that 's wildly , brazenly stupid -- but also , you know , fun .",
      "no point lamenting the missed opportunity for a really dark satire , because they were never going to make that movie . at least this trio kept it entertaining .",
      "although the premise is far-fetched and the plot at times ridiculous , there 's enough comedic firepower in seth gordon 's film to carry you over the rough patches .",
      "the movie sounds like a high-concept commercial comedy , but it 's quite funny and the whip-smart script contributes to the level of enjoyment of the cast .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- a much more successful bromance comedy than `` the hangover 2 , '' `` MOV '' benefits from the volatile comic mixture of chemistry between its actors , as well as a genuinely quirky script .",
      "the screenplay ... goes about the expected route in regards to the protagonists ' superiors ... but it 's in the central characters ' actions that the film truly finds its edge .",
      "sustained by recession-era resentment fantasies , strong plot structure , and a bunch of top comic performers enjoying themselves so much it is impossible not to join them .",
      "a film as coarse , bluntly obvious and irritatingly self-conscious as its title , only nowhere near as funny .",
      "whether it might have meant delving into grimmer thriller territory or bending toward more courageously incendiary humor , the finished cut screams out for a clearer , firmer , fuller vision .",
      "another movie for fans of rude/crude humor",
      "the talented cast and colorful vulgarities work overtime to cover for a lack of coherence , but they can only distract for so long .",
      "MOV is without question the funniest movie released so far this year , and the slyest raunch-com to date .",
      "day , who was the best thing about last years rom-com `` going the distance , '' is hilarious here .",
      "hollywood , ever-sensitive to the heated scent of the national zeitgeist , is in the business of trotting out movies that greedily feed on subliminal obsessions .",
      "considering how many other summer comedies deserve to be fired for cause and walked out of the building by security with their stuff in a filing box , MOV does the job well enough .",
      "MOV is the most repellent example yet of a trend for hollywood to rely on the lowest common denominator from the first frame to last .",
      "it 's not very tightly plotted or precisely scripted but the three leads have lots of obvious camaraderie and energy together - confirmed in a bloopers reel after the end credits - which help to keep the film moving along .",
      "gordon has the good sense to simply step aside here , letting his cast goof around and bounce off of one another like so many rubber balls .",
      "it 's tempting to label MOV a post-hangover comedy . for all i know it may have been in the works before that box-office smash saw the light of day , but it emits the same vibe , even if it does n't go to the same extremes ...",
      "i must be lagging in comedy trends . first i missed the boat on full frontal male nudity , now i 'm just catching up on sexual assault humor .",
      "is n't there some little corner of hollywood that still believes in the sweet and charming ?",
      "the sub-porky 's style humour elicits a few guffaws , but a little more wit and subtlety would have helped .",
      "these bosses can not justify either murder or lasting comic memories , fatally compromising a farce that could have been great but ends up merely mediocre .",
      "a hugely satisfying sacrificial culling of those at the top ... makes for a seriously refreshing tonic after a hard week 's graft .",
      "the skilled comedian bateman has the best moments , underplaying when all about him are going over the top .",
      "with stellar comic timing from the entire ensemble and a dark streak of edgy humor with just enough wit to make it not seem cruel , this is one of the straight-up funniest movies of the year .",
      "even though its satirical edge is tempered by slap-stick gags , the movie will employ your funny bone without challenging you to think too deeply .",
      "here is a curveball for a comedy home-run . but at its best , MOV is a blooper .",
      "probably is n't horrible enough to excite younger viewers and will certainly not attract anyone else .",
      "what passes for comedy here does n't have a chance against a thesis so scary and sad .",
      "the funniest film since the hangover . the ideal cast makes the outlandish premise work in this silly , clever summer comedy , as shrewdly played and hilarious as they come .",
      "like the hangover , the genius of MOV lies in the fact it takes the simplest of concepts and builds upon it with hilarious non-stop laughs .",
      "on the frat-comedy tolerance scale , this noir-comedy just about breaks even .",
      "a lightweight , mildly ribald farce that offers some stray laughs , smothered in a morass of ` three stooges ' - style dumbness .",
      "basically , `` MOV '' is a handful of characters and a comic situation in search of something to do for 100 minutes .",
      "though sporadically funny , this revenge comedy about emasculated males in the workplace is more talk when it should go balls-out insane .",
      "watching good actors let their hair down can be fun , but watching them let their standards down is n't .",
      "you 'll get your laughs , but you 'll also wish it had gone for the throat in the end .",
      "it 's been argued that movie comedies no longer have jokes . i would go one step further . the similarly titled -lrb- and similarly sloppy -rrb- bad teacher and MOV barely even have stories .",
      "the best workplace comedy since `` office space . ''",
      "a lot of low-stakes humor , occasionally brought off by a mostly ingratiating cast .",
      "as raunchy as `` bridesmaids '' and `` hangover 2 '' but missing the good characters ; these guys are just stupid .",
      "a crowd-pleaser",
      "the leads , and the bosses , provide fleeting pleasures .",
      "it 's not as dark as you imagine , but it will get you grinning .",
      "i will watch bateman , sudeikis and day do anything , especially kill their bosses .",
      "-lsb- has -rsb- absolutely no idea what to do with a really swell concept once it gets past the exposition stage .",
      "the characters in MOV are defined by their quirks , which are spelled out in boldface .",
      "watching these three chuckleheads plot their revenge never stops being entertaining .",
      "smarter ideas about revenge , politics and labor are all off the table , and that 's weird for a movie where the title promises angry catharsis for everyone who 's fortunate enough to even have an employer to hate in the first place .",
      "a foul-mouthed , anatomically obsessed and downright fun black comedy .",
      "there are laughs elsewhere in this crude comedy , but the film lights up the most when supporting player jamie foxx shows up and steals every scene he 's in .",
      "it may not be the funniest film of the year , but it 's the only really funny one opening this weekend . surely a little gratitude is in order .",
      "heavy on action , light on character depth and utterly over-the-top , MOV is best approached by removing the veneer of plausibility and , to paraphrase the title of a far lesser jennifer aniston picture , just going with it .",
      "the movie 's amusing enough , and its plot twisty enough , that you can gloss over the half-baked elements .",
      "if you 're bright enough to count your change at the popcorn stand , you 're too smart to see `` MOV . ''",
      "`` MOV '' is like a loud water-cooler routine that you 're forced to endure before suggesting to your crass co-workers that they should get back to work .",
      "here 's a hit-and-miss farce that leaves you wishing it was funnier than it is . why ? because it wussies out on a sharp premise . because it wastes a killer cast that 's ready to rock it .",
      "this moronic screenwriting through swearing does little to generate laughs and only would appear to represent creative freedom or boundary pushing to a cast used to working under television censorship laws .",
      "if you 're looking for a bit of undemanding fun with a few really good laughs , you could do a lot worse than this .",
      "i 'm not kidding when i tell you i have worked for a reasonable facsimile of each of the ` MOV ' depicted in this grownups-only movie .",
      "another frantic bad-boy comedy , with a good premise rendered depressingly inane by characters whose behavior barely makes sense .",
      "the movie 's main thrust is lowball wish fulfillment , which comes too cheaply .",
      "a mess .",
      "MOV is a sloppy film that wants to be an edgy black comedy but does n't come close to pushing the envelope enough .",
      "an affable , entertaining comedy ...",
      "this is a story for which plausibility took a running jump off a belief-suspension bridge .",
      "it 's refreshing to see that some writers still like to turn an intriguing situation into one where laughs can flow naturally as opposed to attempting to force them out with extremely bad jokes .",
      "with this cast , and this concept , it 's just a shame that `` MOV '' pulls up just when it should be taking off .",
      "a star-studded black comedy for anyone who 's ever fantasised about killing their boss .",
      "a ramshackle assembly of recycled characters and conflicting tones , duct-taped together at odd angles .",
      "this vulgar comedy is mediocre at best with some fun performances but few jokes that actually work .",
      "funny enough to give america 's embattled working folk an outlet for their frustration , and america 's employer classes a bad case of nerves .",
      "rides the entertaining pitch for the entire runtime -- without attempting to offer some kind of deeper insight or social commentary .",
      "MOV is very funny and features a great cast that exudes wonderful chemistry .",
      "colin farrell is a comedy genius .",
      "MOV offers a reminder that adherence to formula may not be among the signal virtues of comedy , but -- provided the jokes are funny -- it 's no great vice either .",
      "while not likely to become the ultimate in `` i hate my job '' fury a la office space , it offers enough bitter laughs to be fun .",
      "the raunchy comedy about a trio of fed-up employees who exact revenge on their freak-show employers wickedly doles out the just deserts , and that 's what it makes it so much fun .",
      "the movie has just enough raunchiness to identify it as a 2011 comedy , just enough cleverness to admire , and just the right camaraderie among its three male stars , which turns out to be the movie 's greatest strength . bateman plays straight-man ...",
      "wonderfully mean-spirited , one sick joke piled atop another ... farrell 's cheesy , coke-head boss is the real surprise . foxx has a great time in a role that can be taken as a knowing goof on the street-smart hit man .",
      "the coarseness would n't be so bad if at least the steady stream of obscenities were funny . but there is , after all , an art to talking dirty .",
      "MOV wo n't make you forget `` office space , '' but you 'll be laughing too much to mind .",
      "energy , chemistry , timing , and a palpable sense of raunchy fun .",
      "as they say , the best laid plans go oft awry . so what transpires in a comedy about the worst-laid schemes ? these guys do n't seem built for premeditated murder but are perfectly capable of mayhem .",
      "director seth gordon gives us few thrills , little danger and no growth-potential .",
      "fun , throwaway , unofficial remake of the classic 1980 workplace comedy nine to five .",
      "as sloppy and unbelievable as the movie is , it is at times very funny -- a series of ridiculous setups to get these three talented comic actors in uncomfortable positions so they can make us laugh .",
      "while it may only be an average comedy , derivative of better things , these days it appears we have to be thankful for what 's available .",
      "squanders a promising dark premise and attractive production values for puerile gross-out humor , ` shocking ' sex talk , lazy plotting and a desperate and almost literal deus ex machina ending .",
      "a subversively prescient black comedy",
      "to trio toy gordon badizei se diadromes klasikoy buddy movie , arwmatismenes me mia tzoyra apo noyar doloplokies , gia na sthsei tis kwmikes eksarseis poy soy exoyn apokalypsei edw kai kati mhnes ta trailer",
      "flawed , and not nearly as dark as it could be , but MOV excels if only because of the fun performances and great chemistry of the cast .",
      "horrible movie . one of the five worst films of 2011 .",
      "... an ingenious though not quite original premise , genuine wit and a fantastic cast .",
      "forget the hangover : part ii and bridesmaids . MOV was the funniest movie of this past summer .",
      "i laughed , but even as i laughed , i was frustrated by the potential that feels unfulfilled .",
      "it could almost be argued that MOV ' general middle of the road , vanilla , just-good-enough nature is actually on purpose , a reflection of the lead characters ' own qualities .",
      "two-thirds of a funny movie , MOV takes its irresistible premise an admirable distance before pulling a wrong way corrigan and heading in an alternate direction ... still , there are plenty of laughs to be mined .",
      "after watching this trio of bumbling schemers get in and out of trouble with a series of crazy shenanigans and listening to the filthy dialogue , you will feel like taking a long , hot shower to wash away any recollection of sitting through this garbage .",
      "do n't miss MOV",
      "an overindulgence in coarse language exposing profanity as the hobgoblins of small minds and unimaginative scripts .",
      "for something like MOV to sparkle , the actors have to shine ... and shine they do .",
      "yet another comedy dud of 2011 .",
      "the complete comedy that achieves the near-impossible -- consistent hilarity from beginning to end .",
      "the laughs in this film come fast and furious . bateman , sudeikis and day are absolutely perfect together .",
      "it should be titled horrible comedy .",
      "outrageously crude , silly farce that works because of the cast 's comedic timing .",
      "those bosses , man ... they 're horrible .",
      "bateman , day and sudeikis are ideally cast , and have the good timing of comedy pros .",
      "gordon and company really killed it .",
      "this nastily funny , ultimate wish-fulfilling black comedy should prove a hit with summer audiences , all too glad to be out of the office .",
      "spotty in its commitment to the darker elements of the material , but damn if this is not an example of actors taking control of nearly every scene and turning it into one of the more consistently funny efforts of the year .",
      "bateman , day and sudeikis have a natural camaraderie on-screen , and it 's fun to ride this runaway train as events careen forward .",
      "MOV is consistently funny , but it lacks the driving pace and frenetic energy that it so desperately needs .",
      "it may be 9 to 5 stripped of its feminist bite and much of its dark potential , but it 's still a fun ride through the sketchier neighborhoods of the working man 's mind .",
      "this is a fantasy along the lines of 9 to 5 : coarser , less realistic about corporate culture , but just as much a fantasy of revenge for everyone humiliated or exploited by a supervisor .",
      "even its most reprehensible characters - like farrell 's superbly nasty autocrat , whose first act upon taking over the company is to order sudeikis to fire all the fat people - brim with perverse joie de vivre .",
      "slow-witted , clumsy and almost pathologically reliant on crude name-calling for laughs ... MOV represents the lowest end of the comedy spectrum .",
      "gordon , who made the terrific documentary `` the king of kong , '' is still a little wobbly when it comes to fiction . fortunately , his outstanding cast steadies all but the most uneven moments .",
      "the screenplay is a hit and miss ; but there are some laughs .",
      "... laugh out loud funny .",
      "MOV is not the kind of comedy that delivers many gut-busting laughs . you know the guffaws i 'm talking about - the ones that leave your sleeves completely saturated from dabbing away the tears that stream down your face . but ...",
      "MOV takes a dark premise -- three buddies band together to off their bosses -- and rings it for a solid , steady stream of laughs .",
      "uneven , but funny .",
      "MOV follows the precedent set by such earlier crime-gone-awry comedies as ruthless people -lrb- 1986 -rrb- , throw momma from the train -lrb- 1987 -rrb- and bottle rocket -lrb- 1996 -rrb- with gut-busting gusto .",
      "if this year 's hit `` bridesmaids '' is the woman 's answer to the male-driven , r-rated comedy , then `` MOV '' is a strong rebuttal .",
      "when added altogether , MOV gets the job done but is not recommended for advancement .",
      "still , day 's scene involving a mountain of cocaine is hyperspeed-hilarious , farrell 's unhinged , irrational fuming is marvelously cretinous , and aniston 's fully committed sex-addict sexpot act is wickedly absurd .",
      "` MOV ' appeal clocks out early",
      "... nonstop profanity , raunchy sex scenes and general tastelessness ... also absolutely hilarious ...",
      "the plot is ... flimsy and the three screenwriters struggle to bring the murderous mayhem to a satisfying conclusion .",
      "made with the same kind of raucous , raw energy the first hangover film delivered , MOV dares to go for broke and is deliciously bold , over-the-top and vulgar",
      "adult without being crass , goofy without being stupid , bosses is one of the funniest films of the year .",
      "if the film works at all - and it mostly does - it 's because of bateman 's performance -lrb- speaking of sympathetic : he could have played patrick bateman and made him seem adorable -rrb- .",
      "la broma más o menos funciona siempre que uno no espere una obra maestra de la comedia -lrb- no lo es -rrb- ni una ácida crítica sobre las relaciones laborales en el mundo corporativo de hoy -lrb- tampoco es el caso -rrb- .",
      "i laughed frequently , probably to the detriment of my self-respect .",
      "a popcorn comedy you should n't be ashamed of wanting to see .",
      "acaba entregando sua falta de confiança na própria qualidade em seus créditos finais , que trazem a marca inconfundível de uma comédia sem graça : erros de filmagem .",
      "if the r rated comedy were a man , and it would almost certainly be a man , then he 'd be a lad ; a boy ; an overly gregarious , beer soaked , open shirted alpha with a rapacious sexuality .",
      "seeks approval by establishing a sloppy routine of shock and improvisation , slapping viewers with pedestrian acts of misbehavior when something far more macabre was in order .",
      "director seth gordon and his trio of screenwriters needed to give this script another wash or two . but once the movie hits its stride , it 's a decent enough laugh-fest to garner a marginal letter of recommendation .",
      "jason bateman , charlie day , and jason sudeikis are pals who decide to knock off their miserable bosses , and their conspiracy leads in all sorts of unexpected directions in this crowd-pleasing , occasionally funny farce .",
      "`` MOV '' is funny and dirty in about that order .",
      "the laughter is mean but also oddly pure : it expels shame and leaves you feeling dizzy , a little embarrassed and also exhilarated , kind of like the cocaine that two of the main characters consume by accident .",
      "cleverly structured , `` MOV '' works in spite of its cruder , scrotum-centric instincts .",
      "a safe pitch down the middle in a genre better left to those capable of throwing curveballs .",
      "moving on from terrorists as the reigning stock villains , to those who mercilessly dictate whatever the content of your weekly paycheck . and clocking in at theaters none too soon as get-even office drudge gore , on the heels of this economic crisis .",
      "red band trailers do n't suggest how low this movie stoops for laughs , or reveal how diabolically it turns the 9 to 5 fantasy of murdering an employer into screwball hilarity . think of the hangover as directed by alfred hitchcock and get the idea .",
      "it may not be the summer 's funniest comedy -lrb- that would be bridesmaids -rrb- , but it 's safe to say it 's the most killer one ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's nasty , uneven , and far from original , but thanks to a smartly assembled cast that makes the most of a solid premise , MOV works .",
    "id": "771041149"
  },
  {
    "movie": "eyes_without_a_face_1962",
    "reviews": [
      "a masterpiece of poetic horror and tactful , tactile brutality .",
      "outre as it is , never tires as hypnotic , touching , ghastly fun .",
      "franju conjures images -- sometimes gory , sometimes poetic , sometimes fantastical -- that genuinely haunt : the essence of the cinema distilled .",
      "les yeux sans visage -lsb- is -rsb- a balance between cruelty and tenderness that has rarely been attempted in cinema .",
      "among the most disturbing horror films ever made .",
      "enduring , accomplished",
      "it 's a fine b movie , but not worth the $ 30 list price .",
      "it 's not a masterpiece but it certainly is n't forgettable .",
      "has a baroque beauty rarely seen in the horror genre ... the haunting final images are worthy of poe or cocteau .",
      "MOV has the staging and rhythm of noir , and , up until one incredible scene , employs horror with implication and ambiance .",
      "-lsb- director franjau -rsb- concentrates on weaving an incredibly frail spell and keeps it wafting in just the right spaces throughout the film ; the beautiful black-and-white , cinemascope cinematography helps a great deal .",
      "the perfect halloween treat .",
      "poetic , strange , but distanced",
      "this marvelously bizarre film was a chilling mixture of art and schlock .",
      "sends a chill that extends from the cheekbones through the eye sockets to the back of the skull .",
      "MOV is a classic anomaly , out of step with its time -lrb- and any other -rrb- , with mysteries that lingered long enough for critics finally to be intoxicated by them .",
      "a terror tale that 's as poetic as it is horrific .",
      "georges franju 's monstrous masterpiece delivers horror sans face but with a huge heart .",
      "one of those rare horror films that induces discomfort by showing practically nothing .",
      "MOV is a perfect example of how cinematic poetry can transform a seemingly disreputable movie genre .",
      "this classic is poetic , disturbing , appalling , as emily dickinson saucily spoke of the undertaker , the ` man of the appalling trade . '",
      "-lrb- the film -rrb- made audiences faint and critics bristle with some of its grisly depictions .",
      "the influence of georges franju 's horror classic MOV looms large , more than half a century since its release .",
      "wedding lyrical beauty to a gruesome scenario , it bridges the chasm between arthouse poetry and exploitation voyeurism .",
      "awesome for its time , but a little awkward today , this straight-talking shocker deserves regard rather than reverence .",
      "a compelling and clinically brilliant combination of french art film and shock horror .",
      "a classic of twisted gothic enchantment .",
      "both a horror movie and a dreamy art film without peer .",
      "ends up occupying uncharted territories somewhere between the gothic horrors of frankenstein , the fairytale lyricism of la belle et la bete , and the charnel-house realism of franju 's own abbatoir-set documentary le sang des betes .",
      "it has some queasy scenes , but unclear progression and plodding direction give this an old-fashioned air .",
      "sharp as a scalpel , soft as a caress , this is a weird masterwork .",
      "in its sedate , measured virtuosity , eloquently haunting imagery abuts the queasily naturalistic . it 's both beautiful and grisly , lyric and sinister .",
      "as absurd and as beautiful as a fairy tale .",
      "this is a truly haunting horror movie .",
      "a marvellous movie in the fullest sense .",
      "it infects your dreams with dread and desperation .",
      "amazingly , all the excesses and derangements of filming since that time have not muffled the dream force of franju 's vision .",
      "like a nightmare that never ends , this is a vision of madness , loneliness and , yes , horror that , once seen , demands to be viewed over and over again . it is that haunting , and that good .",
      "a modernist horror film infused with the spirit of the silent avant garde",
      "franju constructs an elegant visual work ; here is a horror movie in which the shrieks are not by the characters but by the images .",
      "a blood-curdling picture directed by georges franju at an even , distant pace that builds tension to an almost unbearable level .",
      "long before plastic surgery became the vogue in beverly hills , a 1960 horror classic proved its power to destroy the relationship between a father and daughter .",
      "told with the surrealism of a jean cocteau film and with the fanciful style of `` metropolis '' and fritz lang , this is a great classic that warrants discovery , or re-discovery !"
    ],
    "summary": "a horrific tale of guilt and obsession , MOV is just as chilling and poetic today as it was in 1959 .",
    "id": "770698712"
  },
  {
    "movie": "arbitrage",
    "reviews": [
      "between this cast and the conviction jarecki brings to the table , the film feels incredibly accomplished for a first feature .",
      "between gere matching wits with a police detective played by tim roth and him having to explain himself to the steely sarandon , MOV is never dull .",
      "jarecki invests his film with a great sense of pacing and tension . it 's a well-crafted plot , effortlessly juggling financial and family drama , with a colombo-esque complication nipping at its heels .",
      "the stakes of MOV never feel quite high enough , no matter how good it all looks .",
      "two movies in one - only one of which is good . despite it 's flaws , gere is incredible in the performance of his life .",
      "contrivance does indeed flare up , but that 's part of the fun , all the more reason for a fat cat to squirm and sweat over the course of a week in his life and 100 minutes of running time .",
      "jarecki , it 's clear , has the talent to make shrewdly pleasurable hollywood movies . here 's hoping MOV is the first of many .",
      "MOV is competing between the narrative form of the corporate thriller and the inherent corruption and irresponsibility of those embedded in the industry . unfortunately it breaks even .",
      "tim roth turns in a momentous performance as a detective in a movie showing that billionaires do not always have it made .",
      "` MOV ' switches genres mid-movie and pulls you every which way dramatically but never connects you to any emotions that matter .",
      "a crisp , procedural-type throwback to 1980s-style financial world thrillers about rich men behaving badly and skirting danger .",
      "for all the satisfying ironies that are dished up ... some of what we 're served is hopelessly naive .",
      "MOV is the story of one rich man 's downward spiral where both sides lie to try to get what they want but both walk away empty handed . it all results in a standstill that is about as thrilling as a staring contest .",
      "MOV avoids lazy , anti-corporate talking points to tell the thrilling story of a man drowning in his own greed .",
      "inadvertently pandering on just about every level , except for the end credits , which are quite likely intended to rapidly vacate the theater for the next screening .",
      "if there were a movie about mitt romney , no one other than richard gere could play him .",
      "whether there is even the possibility of redemption at the end is part of what makes the film so gripping .",
      "richard gere turns in a fine , nuanced performance of a very complicated character , robert miller , head of a hedge fund who made a bad financial bet on a russian copper mine .",
      "contains the kind of conventions that are fun to revisit with a skilled director and a game cast .",
      "not worth a trip to the theater , but it might be worth catching on tv some day you 've got nothing better to do .",
      "MOV is a rewarding , thought-provoking movie that deserves to find a wide audience .",
      "this is a gleaming movie about a man with his back to the wall , facing disgrace on several fronts and the possibility of exchanging his armani suit for prison garb .",
      "an absorbing character study that teases some vicarious revenge on a perfidious member of the billionaire 's club .",
      "richard gere is terrific and the supporting cast do superb jobs in this fascinating exploration of greed , justice and the law .",
      "MOV is the kind of classily put-together film that actors , filmmakers and grown-up audiences frequently complain no longer gets made .",
      "it 's the way gere and director nicholas jarecki create sympathy for the devil that makes this so gripping .",
      "as we follow the increasingly frantic gere down his nightmarish rabbit hole , the picture takes a satisfyingly cold , amoral stance - less critique and more cynical observation .",
      "aside from gere 's performance , there 's really not much to see here .",
      "a wall street-thriller blending elements of chappaquiddick with a pinch of john edwards and a whole lot of bernie madoff .",
      "like something straight out of 1992 , nicholas jarecki 's debut feature MOV ... is a small scale , high-gloss thriller that feels like wall street 's cousin .",
      "nicholas jarecki 's MOV is at once a beautifully complex , effortlessly compelling legal thriller and a heated , passionate political allegory , working wonderfully on both levels .",
      "but MOV crackles back to life when gere is on screen racing around new york city frantically trying to keep his house of cards from collapsing down around him .",
      "richard gere is the only real reason to see ` MOV '",
      "with a story like this , you need strong , compelling performances and wow did we get them . richard gere , along with michael douglas , is my favorite rich guy . they 're 1 and 1a and in this richard gere is beyond watchable .",
      "the real standout is tim roth as a streetwise new york city detective who 's seen it all and can spot a liar a mile away .",
      "it moves a little slow , but for me it had me from the get-go . i wanted to know what 's gon na happen next ; surprised when the film took it 's various turns and it made me realize that i never wan na be this rich , way too much responsibility .",
      "straddling the line between celebration and vilification of its nasty protagonist , MOV plunges into the world of corporate fraud with chilly detachment .",
      "an elegantly crafted potboiler that fires on all cylinders , giving gere his juiciest role yet .",
      "for the first two acts , jarecki paces out the story 's various twists and turns quite well .",
      "giving the tale an extra dose of reality is richard gere .",
      "`` MOV '' becomes far more complex than just dramatized anti-corporate polemic , or even a simple fall from grace .",
      "primetime dramas share similar plot points , but gere elevates the proceedings with a positively commanding performance - his finest in ages .",
      "mediocre at best .",
      "i 'm not sure any five pages of this script by director nicholas jarecki hold together .",
      "if not for gere , whose ever-wearying performance suggests a man who is as fed up with himself as we are of him , this could have a very different movie .",
      "a well-crafted dramatic thriller with a rare braininess and a deeply unsettling undercurrent .",
      "features an exceedingly dapper richard gere in a series of nice suits and handsome close-ups that serve no purpose other than to remind us how exceedingly dapper richard gere looks in nice suits and handsome close-ups .",
      "the director 's first stroke of genius is in convincing you to empathize ... with robert , the puppetmaster who seduces everyone around him ...",
      "MOV overcomes some pulpy plot twists and a little anti-corporate sermonizing to become a brisk tale of a financial wizard whose sins have returned to collect a debt .",
      "here 's an old-fashioned thriller-cum-morality play that trades in compelling characters and sharp storytelling .",
      "like gere 's machiavellian tycoon , MOV 's flaws only start to appear under close scrutiny .",
      "what elegant pulp this is , and how inelegantly i gobbled it up .",
      "we are persuaded to root for miller , even when he is betraying the people he loves best . you 'll feel dirty , and well you should after a few hours in this company .",
      "richard gere delivers such a charming , layered performance that he overcomes a contrived plot that piles too many financial and personal crises on the central character .",
      "writer-director nicholas jarecki , making his debut picture , has delivered a satisfying , grown-up drama , if not the definitive film about the financial crisis .",
      "MOV is a slick , intelligent psychological thriller that works to connect public and private immorality .",
      "an old-fashioned treat .",
      "golden globe-nominated gere gives a cool and charming performance and is ably supported by susan sarandon and tim roth .",
      "gere is matchless in this kind of role . the lacquered crinkle of the smile ; the corrugated silk hair ; the eyes deep-pouched and glinting like coins in a rich man 's wallet .",
      "he 's been an officer and a gentleman , an american gigolo and mr pretty woman , now richard gere is back in a smart and stylish thriller , MOV .",
      "a shrewd satisfying thriller with a magical twist in gere 's performance . instead of a demonized tycoon - bernie madoff as satan - we see a fully-realized character .",
      "richard gere 's performance in the sinfully entertaining MOV is too good to ignore . at 62 , he is at the peak of his powers .",
      "the main reason to see MOV is gere , whose steady improvement with age -lrb- he just turned 63 -rrb- is not remarked upon enough .",
      "there 's a touch of hitchcockian flavor to the MOV 's cat-and-mouse thrills , yet the film clearly announces that there 's now a third gifted jarecki brother -lrb- in addition to eugene and andrew -rrb- to contend with in the moviemaking business .",
      "its best attribute is gere 's performance . he has n't been this good in ages .",
      "`` MOV '' gets away with a few crime-flick cliches because it 's also a thoughtful character study .",
      "even if you 're put off by their hot-and-cold-running-cashmere lifestyle , it 's ultimately impossible not to be moved by a daughter who is heartbroken when the father she worships betrays her .",
      "gere does his best to give MOV an agitated energy , but jarecki 's fatalism works against the film .",
      "although it never ties together as securely as it should , MOV carries itself with a confident sense of gloom and panic , keeping the mysteries at hand persuasive despite storytelling that flames out instead of building ominously .",
      "paced like a slick '80s thriller but themed for millennial relevance , `` MOV '' splits the difference with a confidently cruising gere .",
      "the screenplay , written by first-time director nicholas jarecki , keeps us guessing , which is one of the best compliments one can pay to a movie of this sort .",
      "the latest ` richard gere under pressure movie . '",
      "these wall street magnates ... they 're taking their hits as the villains of the day in post-enron , post-aig , post-lehman brothers , post-bernie madoff america . the breed is getting its just condemnations , but ...",
      "savvy , slick and suspenseful financial thriller .",
      "MOV is the latest in a long line of movies with touches of alfred hitchcock 's dna . the film reverberates with themes such as deception , ethical ambiguity , and the impact of fate .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of those films that does n't rely on flourish to succeed , and in the end , it 's probably better off without it .",
      "the rich show they are different in this superb thriller in which honesty and dishonesty are bedfellows ... a sophisticated film that grapples with many issues ranging from the superficial to the nitty gritty",
      "it boasts solid performances from gere and sarandon , yet feels overly familiar , even predictable , at times .",
      "this is n't very effective as a thriller , though it 's a provocative fable about our ambivalent feelings toward financial elites .",
      "playing a character that 's almost entirely unsympathetic , gere demonstrates the outward charm that 's allowed miller to accumulate his wealth and status , as well as the abyss-staring soul his showmanship conceals .",
      "rather than seeming pat , jarecki 's straightforward cynicism is pointed and purposeful .",
      "`` MOV '' is a fine showcase for the silky talents of richard gere , who 's so smooth here you could spread him on toast .",
      "a tense and chilling horror story for financially fraught times .",
      "it could readily be mistaken for the work of an experienced and justifiably self-confident filmmaker with a nose for newsy stories , a knack for telling them tersely , and a gift for directing actors",
      "unfolding in somber tones and among hard surfaces , MOV has the slickness of new bank notes and the confidence of expensive tailoring .",
      "mr. gere is one of cinema 's great walkers , graced with a suggestively predatory physical suppleness , and he slips through the movie like a panther . he 's the film 's most deluxe item .",
      "the movie wants to be an instant sidney lumet classic along the lines of `` serpico '' or `` prince of the city , '' but it does n't have the roots . it 's new money .",
      "MOV as a title may confound audiences , but maybe that 's the point . an inner circle shop talk , insider trading manipulation of money , this wall street noir intimates a secretive financial world from which most of us are excluded and manipulated .",
      "`` MOV '' is a mirror on the audience , making us realize that we 're complicit , if only vicariously , in some crimes which we ought to deplore .",
      "slick and suspenseful ...",
      "juicy , smart , engrossing financial thriller boasts assets aplenty in its portfolio .",
      "gere 's very good at making robert 's compromises seem more human than horrid . he portrays the philanthropic , philandering patriarch with his customary twinkle .",
      "tense , taut , suspenseful , and richard gere is fabulous .",
      "first-time writer and director nicholas jarecki has given gere a juicy , complex character in billionaire financier robert miller , and he just runs with it .",
      "gere makes robert 's amorality appealing , which in itself conveys jarecki 's message about the seductive nature of wall street corruption .",
      "gere 's performance never takes the obvious route , but instead parries with self-delusion , noble instincts , and the moxie that made miller what he is in every sense",
      "any cinema venture featuring richard gere and susan sarandon is sufficient reason to invest a couple of hours .",
      "the best part of gere 's overall `` je ne sais quoi '' is the fact that the man can act .",
      "this is n't a film that invites you to identify with its leading character ...",
      "competent , glossy thriller gussies up the familiar and articulately updates to the new gilded age ... but with uncomfortable sympathy for the man at the pinnacle of the 1 % .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- republicans will love this movie . it will make everyone else want to hiss .",
      "if the film covers well-tread territory -lrb- a morally bankrupt player trying to prolong his own influence -rrb- , it does so with pinpoint control of mood and theme .",
      "jarecki 's film has a great performance at its center ...",
      "enough of all this whining about the millions of regular people ruined by the financial collapse of 2007 - how about a movie sympathizing with one of the unfortunate guys responsible ?",
      "first time feature film director-writer nicolas jarecki gives us an assured debut and a film that is more than a calling card , it is a full-blown introduction to a career that can only get better and better .",
      "sex , wealth , paternal swagger-all of the colors come out of gere in a showstopping performance .",
      "gere is so charming , so irresistible when he 's on top of the world - when he 's got all those plates humming in unison - that he kind of makes you root for his character to get away with it all .",
      "nicholas jarecki 's screenplay may remind you of one of those paperback thrillers people devour , but his savvy direction and richard gere 's best performance in years make the movie as a whole wonderfully satisfying entertainment .",
      "richard gere , always reliable but underestimated actor , gives one of his strongest , most dominant performances in jarecki 's taut thriller , one that should finally garner him oscar nomination .",
      "MOV is a classy soap opera with a charismatic louse at its center , without margin call didactics , or the misplaced empathy of the company men ... . it 's simply good trash . you get the feeling that j.r. ewing would approve .",
      "you will learn more about MOV from this review than you will from MOV .",
      "a tight thriller that shows -lsb- its -rsb- handsome star in fine form as a morally bankrupt financier playing fast and loose with ethics and the law .",
      "a well-cast richard gere is terrific as shady hedge-fund magnate robert miller .",
      "he simply evades and bargains . it 's tough to say what audiences are supposed to do with that .",
      "a walk down the seamy side of wall street is pulled out of the shredder by gere 's performance , but only barely .",
      "a tense , well-acted debut from nicholas jarecki",
      "jarecki 's feature debut is handsome and assured , with flashes of insight and the pleasures of a decent procedural . given the brains and talent invested in it , however , MOV should 've yielded greater dividends .",
      "when it 's over , you feel the same chill as its characters , pondering the cold , thin line that slices like a razor between striking it rich and losing it all .",
      "this terrific , character-driven new york story about big money , bigger liars , high finance and low , low morals is the best of the recent rush of fine films inspired by the gfc .",
      "it 's a juicy narrative that will keep you interested but it does feel a little staged .",
      "for this story to work , writer/director nicholas jarecki had to include enough back doors to fill the scare floor at monsters inc. for a week .",
      "in the end , the moralism of `` MOV '' feels glued-on rather than earned .",
      "gere has always excelled at portraying smooth , elegant men who know a little more than everyone else in the room . but in MOV he 's playing a different note : desperation .",
      "basically a high-toned soap opera , the lick but shallow movie is entertaining enough on a lowbrow level .",
      "an ethically revealing film about a new york billionaire who 's a member of the winning-class .",
      "gripping and provocative . . does n't go quite where you expect . it may not be as sharp-edged as margin call , but it comes close .",
      "the depiction of money as the ultimate motivator should inspire most viewers to mutter , ` what else is new ? '",
      "gere 's best shot at an oscar ?",
      "i enjoyed it , even as i hustled here and there to keep up with its wall street argot . the writing 's juicy and effective , and the actors have fun with it .",
      "hitchcock called his most familiar subject `` the innocent man wrongly accused . '' jarecki pumps up the pressure here by giving us a guilty man accurately accused , and that 's what makes the film so ingeniously involving .",
      "... a tightly written , sharply acted melodrama with a tiffany gleam .",
      "writer/director nicholas jarecki makes his feature debut with this refreshing movie , a combination of intelligent , grown-up writing and entertaining , audience-pleasing filmmaking .",
      "part thriller , part character study , and it moves swiftly and confidently , with many details that feel exactly right .",
      "a muddled tale of a corporate high-flying huckster brought low .",
      "a ripping tale of high finance and low ethics , MOV keeps its stocks continually on the rise due to a genuinely brilliant lead performance from the much-maligned gere .",
      "gere gets the role he has been suiting up for ever since he was first designer-dressed for a murder rap in american gigolo .",
      "all of the characters are pretty darn unlikable . but when they 're played by such a capable cast in such a tightly constructed story , you may not mind so much .",
      "richard gere is in top form in this smart , layered and thrilling financial drama .",
      "his moral guidelines are just as complicated and self contradictory as our own",
      "aided by one of gere 's better performances , rookie nicholas jarecki directs with an acute perception of pace which makes this film exceptional .",
      "nothing about the plot is novel , but the film easily maintains a low simmer that picks up in the final act , as miller has to fight to keep his sinking ship staffed .",
      "financial crime can be difficult to follow and dull to relate ... but nicholas jarecki keeps the paper stuff straightforward and the action interesting by bolting it on to a more conventional thriller plot .",
      "not a huge amount happens , though suspense does eventually build .",
      "this may be the role that gere has been suited for since he first threw on the armani for american gigolo .",
      "gere 's charm offsets his character 's amorality in what 's both slick entertainment and cautionary fable .",
      "ethically driven storytelling at its best with an outstanding richard gere delivering one of his best performances .",
      "it 's the kind of role that fits gere perfectly these days , his somewhat blank face gradually hardening to the audience as we become increasingly aware of the moral void under the surface .",
      "with his burrowed eyes , perfect hair and flawless wardrobe , gere brims with a regal air and unsettling chilliness in his best role in more than a decade .",
      "gere does n't give robert a remarkable amount of depth , but he certainly plays his damaged , agonized soul for all it 's worth , even as the movie views him from a coolly removed distance .",
      "there are holes in the plot , to be sure , but somehow we do n't mind , because for all the unbearable tension of jarecki 's script , the central attraction here is the man in the arena .",
      "it 's appropriate that MOV gets its american release while our country is knee-deep in the fight over the fiscal cliff and the future of our financial institutions ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is both a tense thriller and a penetrating character study , elevated by the strength of a typically assured performance from richard gere .",
    "id": "771266208"
  },
  {
    "movie": "tucker_and_dale_vs_evil",
    "reviews": [
      "a terrific , no-budget picture teeming with guffaws , but it could 've gone a lot further . i sincerely hope there are more tucker and dale adventures to come . horror needs their blissful southern-fried bewilderment .",
      "an allegory of our times , with a belabored message of tolerance punctuated by impalings and other grisly deaths .",
      "tucker & dale vs. evil is a canadian-made horror spoof that delivers both comedy and gross-out thrills .",
      "a long overdue rebuke to genre laziness and hollywood snobbery .",
      "while its subversion of the well-worn `` hillbilly horror '' genre may be a one-note gag , that note is played pretty durn well . a clever , bloody , and unexpectedly sweet romp .",
      "what i responded to was the cleverness of the parody , which far exceeds a one-joke idea , its expert execution -lrb- especially for a first-time feature-film director -rrb- and the wonderful performances of its two leading actors , alan tudyk and tyler labine .",
      "if it does n't quite go the distance , ` tucker & dale vs. evil ' earns enough laughs along the way that it should be an amusing ride -- especially for fans of slasher flicks -lrb- or those who have always thought the genre was totally ridiculous -rrb- .",
      "it 's a sometimes-hilarious send-up of slasher movies that buries a surprising amount of sweetness under buckets of gore .",
      "the deaths are inventively splatterific , the one-liners hit often enough , and labine and tudyk make for an engaging and likeable team .",
      "tucker & dale vs. evil is too slick and too cute ; tudyk and labine are terrific comic actors , but the movie might 've been better served by less-recognizable faces .",
      "at its heart , it 's really just a one-idea premise stretched out to feature length , but the lovable duo of tudyk and labine and an endearing layer of sweetness under all the blood make it a fully enjoyable comedy of -lrb- t -rrb- errors .",
      "it 's time we all toss our nine bucks into the proverbial woodchipper -lrb- do n't ask me what proverb -rrb- and spit out enough money to make tucker & dale and other truly deserving , truly funny indie flicks a blazing success .",
      "this is a horror comedy designed to tickle horror fans who have grown frustrated with the often predictable formula of the genre they love .",
      "pass the pickled eggs . it 's ` hee-haw ' meets ` friday the 13th . '",
      "gently subversive and disarmingly good-natured ...",
      "its closest cousin is probably shaun of the dead , though shades of the evil dead series crop up as well . that 's fine company to keep , and i 'm happy to report that tucker & dale vs. evil ultimately earns it .",
      "students of the little movie glossary may find it funny how carefully `` tucker and dale '' works its way through upended cliches .",
      "one of the more enjoyable horror-comedies to come along since the original scream .",
      "a mordant comedy of errors that juggles the clichés of its genre with a buoyant impudence . and blood . a whole lot of blood .",
      "without a doubt the funniest movie of the year .",
      "uses its reversal of the standard roles in rural horror to fantastic comedic effect .",
      "it 's not as clever as , say , `` shaun of the dead , '' but it 's good for some laughs .",
      "we see a script and some underexposed actors who were lucky to find each other .",
      "essentially a student film offering nothing but absurdly contrived coincidence .",
      "there 's even a message under all the body parts : people are individuals , not just easy regional stereotypes .",
      "the movie takes this idea and runs all the way with it , allowing audiences to catch on at their own pace .",
      "it 's an easy crowd pleaser with its humor , heart and guts .",
      "this is one of those rare genre comedies that near-perfectly balances its blend of grue , guffaws , and gag reflexes .",
      "from the very first moment we understand where tucker & dale vs. evil is going , the smiling starts",
      "while it 's not quite a home run , there 's a lot to enjoy about tucker & dale vs. evil . it 's got its heart in the right place , and hey , it 's just nice to root for the hillbillies for once in this scenario !",
      "a razor-sharp homage fueled by a clever script and hilarious performances from its stars .",
      "if this is n't one of the funniest horror pics ever made , i 've got to get out more often .",
      "a hilarious comedy of errors , and a savvy inside-out reconstruction of -lsb- an -rsb- all-too-familiar subgenre .",
      "MOV , much like the titular characters , is daft and does n't much care for subtlety , but smart horror fans will laugh their way through this well-acted , subversive horror-comedy .",
      "tucker and dale has no ambitions beyond entertaining ; luckily it 's pretty good at it .",
      "craig and co-screenwriter morgan jurgenson reverse the menace in their hilarious deconstruction of the genre .",
      "has way more than the average serving of laughs out loud , and even has a few of those laughs that go on and on , that hurt your gut .",
      "tucker and dale is n't a spoof of the genre it 's parodying -lrb- in this case , hillbilly slasher movies like wrong turn -rrb- , but rather a razor-sharp homage fueled by a clever script and hilarious performances from its stars .",
      "surprise , it works .",
      "tudyk and labine work so well together in this that i hope there 's a sequel .",
      "great hillbilly horror comedy !",
      "eli craig 's feature debut celebrates genre conventions while turning the traditional view of horror-movie heroes and villains upside down .",
      "t&d offers good-natured , confidently executed splatstick whose frequent hilarity suffers only from peaking too early .",
      "the gore is epic and the self-destruction all the funnier when it appears inevitable .",
      "typical expectations are upended in the horror-comedy tucker & dale vs. evil , eli craig 's feature directorial debut and an endearingly cheeky tribute to suspense and slasher classics .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with a one-joke horror/comedy -- provided you keep the joke spinning for 90 minutes . this flick -lrb- somehow -rrb- does .",
      "take note , those of you in hollywood making awful satire . there is a right way to send up a genre , and this is it .",
      "genuinely brilliant .",
      "film fans who believe there 's no way they could ever cheer for rednecks -lrb- a lifetime of deliverance and the texas chain saw massacre will do that to a person -rrb- will sheepishly smirk as they find themselves rooting for the rubes holding center stage here .",
      "just about as rip-roarin ' a horror comedy as we 've seen in a while .",
      "clever horror/comedy hybrid of the kind that sam raimi used to make and that so many have tried to produce in recent years but have fallen remarkably flat . there 's nothing flat about this clever genre flick . for the right audience , it 's pretty great .",
      "this goofy , over-the-top tale of college students on a camping trip warring with two local west virginia hillbillies lacks a core identity .",
      "silly one-joke spoof horror/comedy about rednecks and college students together in the woods .",
      "beginning psychologists take note - hillbillies and college kids may kill each other , but the greatest assets in maintaining the peace , on both sides , are hot coeds .",
      "oh , dear . oh , my . oh , goody . this is one of the funniest things i have ever seen , a clever , witty , surprising splatter comedy to rank with evil dead ii and shaun of the dead ...",
      "the timing is impeccable , the gags are wonderfully tasteless .",
      "the final acts of MOV find the movie falling into the trap of using the same conventions ... it so jovially and brutally skewers prior .",
      "strikes an enjoyable tone of congenial gore .",
      "it 's neither particularly funny in its desperate rural dumbness , nor is it much of a genre piss-take .",
      "... deft/daft mix of authentic feeling and sharp parody , belly laughs and visceral dread , makes tucker & dale vs. evil a keeper ...",
      "`` evil '' fails to triumph . utterly .",
      "a salutary , very funny and pleasingly moral movie .",
      "this subversion of the texas chainsaw massacre and wrong turn tropes is reasonably clever and delivered with requisite tongue in cheek .",
      "a neat reversal of the kids-in-the-wood genre that 's genuinely funny - and quite bloody as it turns out .",
      "make no mistake , `` tucker & dale vs. evil '' is a total lark , yet it 's also very clever . real thought and ingenuity were brought to its making , and it shows .",
      "as with most single-joke movies the plot runs out of steam , but it 's still a fun and memorable ride .",
      "topsy-turvy hoot delivering a grim and confident fiasco full of clever contradictions and a couple of likeable champions of the hour in tucker and dale",
      "by the time the action-packed , thoroughly tedious climax rolls around , tucker and dale vs. evil has established itself as a missed opportunity of disappointingly epic proportions ...",
      "i doubt that anyone who is n't well familiar with slasher movie tropes will completely understand all the jokes ... but they should at least get a couple laughs out of it .",
      "if you 've seen your share of teenagers getting sliced and diced out in the boondocks , chances are you 'll be tickled pink by this tale of a couple of good-natured bumpkins who are mistaken for serial murderers .",
      "beats a dead horse all the way to the glue factory .",
      "everyone seems to be having a jolly good time , though i 'm still not sure what they 're satirizing .",
      "although attitude is more important than plot in spoofs like this , tucker & dale 's storyline does have the right sort of momentum .",
      "there is nothing very deep about this movie , but it is surprisingly funny for a slasher film .",
      "MOV is deliciously fun satire -- and , once all the blood has been spilt , offers an interesting riff on the line between hero and horror villain .",
      "here 's something you do n't see every day : a genial , politically correct splatter comedy .",
      "... a far-fetched but bloody fun film that does n't talk down to its target audience so much as it celebrates fans of the genre .",
      "an instant cult smash , get tucker & dale facing against the wolfman , bubba hotep or alien -lrb- or predator -rrb- immediately .",
      "tucker & dale vs evil feels as if it knows exactly what it wants to be - a throwaway friday night horror film with enough laughs to balance the gore .",
      "smartly directed , brilliantly written and featuring a pair of terrific comic performances from its two leads , this is a thoroughly enjoyable comedy-horror that 's laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish .",
      "it 's a good joke , but one that inevitably flags over 90 minutes .",
      "genre staples and stereotypes are slain only for convention to wreak revenge ; but it 'd sure be sweet to follow the loveable lugs on another misadventure .",
      "co-writer/director eli craig deconstructs nearly every slasher horror movie cliché dating back to `` the texas chainsaw massacre '' for a gross-out laugh fest that works better than it has any right to .",
      "who could n't love a man who awkwardly approaches a girl , hoping to strike up a conversation , with a scythe in his hand ? how can a guy who washes his wounds with beer not be endearing ?",
      "genuinely funny . a life lesson in never prejudging a man just because he 's skinning a squirrel .",
      "it 's a rare treat : a horror/comedy with heart and style .",
      "despite its crowd-pleasing nature , tucker & dale remains overly broad and one-note throughout",
      "hillbillies of the world unite !",
      "if you 're seeing this as the midnight movie it 's destined to best be experienced as , you could safely drift off after the 45-minute mark ...",
      "a farce of misunderstanding first , body-count nightmare second and at nearly all times a refreshingly upending horror-comedy bromance .",
      "a hillbilly ren & stimpy",
      "it 's fast , it 's funny , and it works .",
      "few things are more annoying than a movie that does n't stick to its over-the-top convictions .",
      "relying mostly on a single gimmick , the slasher comedy presents a high degree of difficulty for both the director and actors . their earnest efforts keep the repetition from becoming ponderous .",
      "... while the film 's yucks are mixed with r-rated gore , the movie eventually runs out of steam , its themes not explored and satirized quite as well as they could have been .",
      "it thrives on tucker and dale 's winning personalities , and the chemistry so evident in the shrewd coupling of tudyk and labine , veteran performers who rarely enjoy top billing but make the most of it here .",
      "a droll sendup of the killer-in-the-swamp genre that gets funnier as it rolls along ."
    ],
    "summary": "like the best horror/comedies , tucker & dale vs. evil mines its central crazy joke for some incredible scares , laughs , and -- believe it or not -- heart .",
    "id": "770812374"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1158404-nathalie",
    "reviews": [
      "as a rather naughty slice of erotica it works brilliantly , with ardant and béart making a fascinating partnership .",
      "underwhelming ending and all , MOV ... remains a powerful exploration of jealousy and desire .",
      "a decent import with a nice ending -- and you could n't ask for better acting talent .",
      "french sexual politics may not resonate with american sensibilities",
      "a final big ` twist , ' which should be no surprise ... , sets everything to right again , a case of french marital therapy by way of the red shoe diaries .",
      "the film 's considerable eroticism is all in the atmosphere and the dialogue .",
      "deals with the impleasantries of sexual behavior without submitting to the level of cheap softcore theatrics .",
      "worth a look , especially if you appreciate the very particular and sometimes peculiar charms of contemporary french cinema .",
      "a stylish , sharply observed erotic mystery .",
      "it is n't engaging enough to really work and the direction lacks the imagination that might have breathed some life into it .",
      "the performances are better than the material deserves , but , even so , there 's often no tangible friction between the female leads .",
      "a woman -lrb- fanny ardant -rrb- hires a prostitute -lrb- emmanuelle béart -rrb- to seduce her unfaithful husband -lrb- gérard depardieu -rrb- in anne fontaine 's seductive and intriguing film .",
      "MOV is intricate , provocative , cleanly acted , but it 's never entirely convincing -- and never more so than in the table-turning climax .",
      "beguiling and surprising .",
      "between the leonine ardant , the streets of paris , and the nearly hypnotic score by michael nyman , the sophisticated MOV oozes with elegance .",
      "exceptional performances and the oh-so-frenchness of the complications produce an erotic tale that plays like the best gossipy story you ever heard about people you thought you knew .",
      "MOV ... offers compelling food for thought , with a little visual stimulation thrown in on the side .",
      "... the conceit works beautifully with the right personalities , talented and uninhibited , engaged in its execution .",
      "well-mannered , though never dull",
      "talky , but with an interesting performance by depardieu .",
      "viva la anti-feminism !"
    ],
    "summary": "a seductive french import that portrays adult issues of jealousy and betrayal with strong lead performances and considerable french charm .",
    "id": "337789861"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mio_fratello_e_figlio_unico",
    "reviews": [
      "although the movie never quite dispels the sense of being dated -lrb- it could have been made anytime in the past 40 years -rrb- , it 's a memorable , often moving timepiece .",
      "the fey illogic in the title of my brother is an only child hints at the style of this funny-sad film , which flips from dark to light moods and back with suave , unpredictable dexterity .",
      "though it 's well-cast and convincingly captures the look and feel of its era , the film loses steam as accio 's story meanders to a predictable conclusion .",
      "director daniele luchetti 's strategy is to personify the long-standing divisions of his homeland in a pair of siblings , but make the characters so vital that we do n't feel we 're being browbeaten with political allegory .",
      "this smart , engaging film shows how much political convictions are often rooted in the inchoate passions and early disappointments of youth .",
      "in a sense , the movie is about accio 's appreciation of the practical limits of ideology and the practical uses of rebellion , and it 's a poignant realization .",
      "the rough-and-tumble tone is bitterly entertaining but in the end does n't contribute to a convincing historical portrait , and a pileup of half-baked resolutions spoils the buzz .",
      "tells a familiar story in a familiar way with conviction and no small amount of talent on both sides of the camera , though it 's hardly essential .",
      "one hardly needs to have grown up italian in the '60s to feel a pang of nostalgia watching my brother is an only child , daniele luchetti 's tale of small-town brothers .",
      "the film 's biggest failure is n't accio 's constant contentiousness , nor the story 's dense political center . rather , it 's the script 's tendency to wander .",
      "despite its charged historical backdrop , -lsb- director -rsb- luchetti keeps my brother light and snappy without sacrificing narrative tension .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- luchetti understands that the soul of italy is found in its disparate people -- its brothers -- and particularly in its cinema tradition . luchetti strides in the footpath of giants .",
      "if the political backdrop is not alienating , accio 's actions might be . as he swings from one side of the pendulum to the other , he remains at arm 's length",
      "my brother is an only child is a politically charged family drama set in italy in the 1960s and 1970s -- think the best of youth -lrb- director daniele luchetti collaborated with that epic film 's writers -rrb- at a more butt-friendly running time .",
      "-lsb- actor -rsb- elio germano vitalizes the film : he 's hyper-reactive , flickering between brash , bashful , playful , and awkward -- offering a swiss army knife performance that 's diverse and yet totally unified .",
      "a spunky , memorable , and emotionally touching italian film about the quest for personal transformation through politics .",
      "it is almost a relief to find some ideological clarity in a film that unfortunately ends in complete political disillusionment on all sides .",
      "luchetti 's craftsmanship is evident in the movie 's fluid on-location cinematography , excellent production design , and its wonderful period score .",
      "what makes my brother is an only child so alive and entertaining is how it dramatizes the endless tug-of-war between political conviction and personal experience -- the way the lines twist and blur and finally implode .",
      "my brother is an only child moves so playfully and briskly you may not notice its glibness , which may have been director daniele luchetti 's intent .",
      "yep , it 's your typical shouty italian movie , though this time presented with sharp humor and an effortless cinematic verity by director daniele luchetti .",
      "fast-paced , well-acted and acute about sibling rivalry , the film nonetheless fails to leave a strong impression .",
      "it 's an engrossing political love story , with a strong sense of the shadings within the daily lives of these characters .",
      "the performances are astonishing , perhaps enabled by the flawless script .",
      "this is such a lovely film from writer/director daniele luchetti , nostalgic perhaps , but with that indefinable italian whimsy that takes serious political themes and undermines them beautifully .",
      "daniele luchetti 's fluent , heartfelt italian picture is the story of two brothers born after the war , who come of age in the 1960s and drift apart in the paranoid , violent , sour political atmosphere of italy in the 70s .",
      "actors germano and scamarcio turn in magnificent , multilayered acting jobs .",
      "a merry swirl of vital , passionate performances .",
      "the film , which argues that blood brotherhood is stronger than political brotherhoods , vibrates with their youthful energy and ardor .",
      "`` only child '' is both funny and heartbreaking , and incredibly adept at shifting between lighter and darker tones .",
      "despite the awards pedigree , the drama is a bit of a slog at times , with accio taking seemingly ages to come of age , but nobody said growing up was easy .",
      "the linkage in this movie between politics and family dynamics is a point well taken , but the movie -- whose sense of frenetic activity going nowhere is captured by luchetti 's buoyant camera -- does go on and on before anyone learns anything .",
      "although familiarity with italian politics helps in appreciating this film , anyone can enjoy this energetic tale of a house divided .",
      "my brother is an only child is a lively minor addendum to the grand tradition of italian fraternal cinema .",
      "the best thing about the movie are the performances , all of which are outstanding ; in particular , angela finocchiaro , who plays the long-suffering mother , is superb .",
      "my brother is an only child is a buoyant , handsomely crafted film .",
      "the film 's early affability eventually wears out , and a sharp turn into deadly seriousness feels out of place .",
      "you do n't need a degree in political science to love this film ... the film entertainingly demonstrates that the bonds of blood are stronger than those of ideology .",
      "a coming-of-age story about a young man who - like the era he was born into - has no idea how to come of age , except by violent fits and starts , in all directions , to varying ends , and ready to change course whenever the mood strikes .",
      "surprisingly funny , good-looking and a true showcase for the talents of rising star elio germano .",
      "that it clicks is largely due to the daredevil chemistry of the actors playing the brothers , who can be a handful whenever they 're together .",
      "manages to evoke , but never trivialise , the mad , internecine conflicts of recent italian political history",
      "it 's vibrantly shot throughout , with the handheld camerawork well suited to conveying accio 's impulsive behaviour .",
      "sometimes , under a torrent of social pressures , water runs faster , if not thicker , than blood , and even the strongest bonds drown in the flood .",
      "made in the tradition of italian films documenting the effects of shifting political contexts on personal and family lives , luchetti 's intelligent work at once pays homage to and belongs to seminal films by bertolucci -lrb- before the revolution -rrb- and bellochio",
      "luchetti directs with a light touch that recalls the italian comedies that were popular -- in the u.s. as well as europe -- during the period it portrays .",
      "engaging , sharply directed drama with a strong script and superb performances , though you occasionally feel you 're missing out on a deeper meaning .",
      "works best as an italian dramedy with its history used as window dressing and any original thought kept happily to itself .",
      "a handsomely-made , brightly charming pleasure .",
      "a fine and engaging study of two personalities , seemingly in sharp contrast , that prove awfully alike in the end .",
      "handsomely shot and astutely cast , my brother is an only child should achieve the same attention and success accorded to the best of youth , whose scriptwriters worked with luchetti on this one .",
      "if some of this sounds like stereotypical italian behavior , and if in fact my brother is an only child has a weakness for abrupt and melodramatic plot devices , it has other virtues that make it truly satisfying .",
      "in this lively drama of rebellion and revolution , emotion is even more inflammatory than politics .",
      "politics takes a back seat in a jaunty comedy of a pair of brothers , one communist and one fascist , who come to a fraternal understanding too late .",
      "my brother is an only child reminisces with improbable yet affecting fondness over the adolescents behind the - isms that would shape post-war italy .",
      "helmer daniele luchetti keeps the mood light and winning .",
      "thanks to the captivating performances , this is well worth checking out ."
    ],
    "summary": "luchetti takes advantage of the storyline 's historical context without sacrificing his cast 's fine performances or the script 's light wit .",
    "id": "770676334"
  },
  {
    "movie": "uptown_girls",
    "reviews": [
      "can two lonely hearts come together as one , rendering them best friends ? i do n't care , and neither should you .",
      "between this and i am sam , someone should call protective services on behalf of young fanning .",
      "-lrb- brittany murphy -rrb- is capable of so much more than becoming another reese witherspoon , wasting her talents for a fat paycheck .",
      "the movie turns fanning into a line-spewing automaton rather than a real human being .",
      "... obvious , pandering , prat-falling silliness that gets about a 20 % return on its talent investment",
      "an utterly vacuous bit of fluff ... one of those clumsy concoctions in which every element rings false and all the seams show .",
      "or maybe the film is so fun because we actually get to see dakota fanning slap the living **** out of brittany murphy at coney island .",
      "it may be junk food with high sugar levels , but the inspired teaming of rising young actress brittany murphy and precocious tot dakota fanning makes you forget those hazardous sweeteners .",
      "the audience is left with nothing else to do but give a collective yawn of impatient indifference",
      "i 'm a fan of both murphy and fanning ; but this film might be one they 'll leave off their resumes .",
      "yakin shuns caricature . his affection for all his feckless characters , even fanning 's narcissistic mom -lrb- heather locklear -rrb- , is evident .",
      "combine two mannered performances with a script intent on achieving maximum cuteness , and you 've got one wince-inducing sugar rush .",
      "like an evil , terrifying version of the odd couple .",
      "can two over-pampered but fundamentally lonely persons of the blonde female persuasion bond meaningfully with each other while shopping ?",
      "the ending is so forced that it betrays the movie 's potential .",
      "in truth , this is n't nearly as bad as it sounds . fanning is really good and murphy gives as good as she gets .",
      "if you 're a fan of treacly , superficial stories about completely unlikable people forming friendships , or if you like pratfalls , then this is the movie for you .",
      "while the movie hits on a bunch of emotional topics , the dialogue veers into the mawkish far more than necessary .",
      "though i found mr. yakin 's direction unexpectedly imaginative , and the script often incongruously subtle , i could n't get into the spirit of all the whimsy , the reason being the surprising lack of charm in the two leads .",
      "it is a confusing experience-a film unsure of what it wants to be",
      "murphy has n't adjusted her expressions to her newly emaciated appearance , which makes her attempts to be twinkly and adorable a little grotesque .",
      "contrived and amateurish .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- horribly misguided movie .",
      "a consistently strained effort .",
      "it 's possible that MOV will supplant gigli as the summer 's biggest joke .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- ungainly manhattan fairy tale .",
      "a colorful , creative , deliciously frolicsome romp .",
      "it 'll take more than a spoonful of sugar to make this medicine go down .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- comedy with no laughs .",
      "the screenplay is by the numbers .",
      "an embarrassingly silly exercise that mostly serves as a platform for brittany murphy to model a fab wardrobe and glam hairstyles .",
      "a light , occasionally charming and reasonably well-crafted tale about a transforming female friendship .",
      "the film is close to a disaster in its remarkably rigid formula .",
      "MOV lacks the urban specificity that helped to make the world of henry orient such an uptown-girl classic , but it works up a sentimental tug that should moisten the eyes of many a moppet and mom .",
      "it 's really just a pastiche of scenes , most which are n't interesting .",
      "a collection of cliches and test screening results , put together in no particular order .",
      "MOV is supposed to be funny and emotionally wrenching , and the film certainly is , but for all the wrong reasons .",
      "for a comedy , it 's surprisingly laugh-free and for an oh-so-message-laden tale of spoiled-gal redemption , it 's irritatingly sincerity-free .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- standard variation of the princess myth .",
      "when MOV is released on dvd , its commentary tracks should consist of a single looped phrase : ` we 're truly sorry . '",
      "there 's nothing wrong with MOV that not seeing it wo n't fix .",
      "murphy 's performance has a kind of ineffable mischievous innocence about it .",
      "so shiny and sweet , it 's too bad director boaz yakin could n't squeeze more originality into it .",
      "haphazardly slapped together without an original bone in its anorexic frame .",
      "yakin and the great cinematographer michael ballhaus give the afternoon such a primal , heartbreaking sadness that you feel like you 're watching lillian gish in a d.w. griffith melodrama .",
      "it 's all too , too cute and too , too forced for words .",
      "brittany murphy ... once again flashing come-hither lips , hair , legs and everything else when her dark eyes would do just fine .",
      "director boaz yakin ... keeps shying from the darker material like a studio-trained racehorse , heading for the safer turf of slapstick and schmaltz .",
      "what MOV amounts to is two creeps yelling at each other for 90 minutes .",
      "takes an extremely obvious comic situation ... and misses the easy laughs by miles .",
      "this alleged comedy is so tedious that it feels twice its rather slight length .",
      "fanning 's black rage caused by the very unfunny matters of parental neglect and the impending death of a loved one grates against the film 's driving purpose as lightweight fare .",
      "a creepy , depressing and leering ` comedy ' that 's a virtual collection of ` what were they thinking ? ' moments .",
      "like a linty old sour ball . it starts off a bit gritty and leaves a sickeningly sweet aftertaste .",
      "if you own a statuette that declares , ` i wuv you this much , ' you 're the target audience for this sickeningly sweet girl-power pic .",
      "not an especially raucous comedy , but it is an unfunny , rhythmless one .",
      "though murphy is radiant , and her laughs are infectious , her free-spiritedness is thrust in our face like a pointy object in a 3-d movie .",
      "when MOV is n't trying to play up its wacky high jinks ... it stoops to the kind of psychological character development films this shallow should really avoid like the plague .",
      "about a young woman who goes to work for and eventually befriends the most obnoxious child ever to exist on this planet .",
      "in the end , it 's ` moo ' the pig , that comes off looking the best here .",
      "horribly misguided",
      "` el resultado es bastante mediocre , pues la cinta es bastante predecible y francamente aburrida '",
      "... an incredibly formulaic setup that would be more at home in a made-for-tv movie starring patricia heaton and that little girl from seventh heaven .",
      "whether you buy MOV or not will depend on whether you 're willing to go along with its utterly contrived and formulaic plot .",
      "the sheer charisma of the performances - from a screwball murphy and a caustic fanning - manages to float a sentimental script that frequently fizzes where it should pop .",
      "a lame , predictable comedy .",
      "fanning practically dares the audience to throw sharp objects at the screen with her thoroughly obnoxious performance .",
      "brought down with emotional manipulation , melodrama , and just a bi-polar mood .",
      "what communicative compromise is there -lsb- for yakin -rsb- to go from personal , gritty and well-made films , to such a vapid commercial plea ?",
      "brittany murphy and dakota fanning ca n't rise above a weak script in this riches-to-rags tale ; `` uptown '' is low-rent .",
      "absent any sort of support from the screenplay , murphy and fanning are forced to engage in a cute-a-thon .",
      "a saccharine and shamelessly manipulative piece of fluff .",
      "everything has a blurry , much-edited quality , and the story lines do n't mesh .",
      "you can snicker and enjoy all at once .",
      "it 's excruciating , a film of forced humor and fake , grating sentimentality , featuring two lead performances that elicit neither affection nor empathy .",
      "there 's more than a hint of desperation to murphy 's characterization .",
      "the turn from frothy comedy to offputting pathos would be a jarring tone shift , if the movie had any consistent tone at the outset .",
      "brittany murphy pulls off a few slapstick sight gags here , but nothing to compare with her hilarious pratfalls in ` just married . '",
      "unfortunately , the emotionally resonant moments between murphy and fanning are few and far between .",
      "brittany murphy 's flighty , foolish trust-fund princess in manhattan vies for the honor of the most annoying screen character of the year .",
      "you 're going to forget this one as soon as you finish watching . and if you do n't , it will probably be because you want to complain about how uninspired and unoriginal it is .",
      "entirely unoriginal and unbelievably predictable , but director boaz yakin knows how to create kodak moments for the crowd that desires such fare .",
      "a weird , unsuccessful and by all accounts unreasoned blend of styles -lsb- that -rsb- seems shot and edited together by two entirely different people .",
      "... a disaster .",
      "cute little girl playing dress-up -lrb- and dakota was n't bad either -rrb- - this may not be classic cinema , but it fits nicely into the guilty pleasure category .",
      "a modern fairytale that loads up big-time on the girly trappings but does n't give you much in the way of plot or characters or even plain old sense .",
      "none of it is handled with any emotional believability or grace .",
      "the sort of film that shuffles along sleepily , dazedly , barely aware of what it 's doing and hardly caring whether the audience is still following it or not .",
      "brittany murphy and dakota fanning make for a winning combination , and their characters ' sometimes dark journeys do not always take the most obvious route to the inevitable happy ending .",
      "the film has a weird foot fetish . the part where she was barefoot on the city streets actually grossed me out . now she 's going to put those feet in her bed with all the city dirt all over them . ewww .",
      "before you waste any money , let me remind you that bad movies do happen . even uptown .",
      "locates fanning 's ` maturity ' in a fear of germs that comes off as borderline psychotic , and murphy 's childlike free spirit in her apparent inability to avoid walking into walls .",
      "several decent movies are screaming to get out of `` MOV . ''",
      "worth going uptown for .",
      "a reworking of what ever happened to baby jane ? with fanning in the davis role and , say , emily osment in the crawford one might be a smart bet for some forward-thinking producer .",
      "gives chick flicks a bad name .",
      "this is one sad , dull film .",
      "murphy creates a rather fascinating chemistry with fanning , who resolutely absconds with the film as a controlling tot from hell , a fun-killing spinster trapped in a prepubescent body .",
      "brittany murphy is top billed , but nine-year-old dakota fanning almost makes the cloying , predictable film interesting .",
      "you can feel the screenwriters run out of ideas early on ."
    ],
    "summary": "with two obnoxious lead characters and an uneven screenplay , MOV fails to charm .",
    "id": "10731"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1000642-all_quiet_on_the_western_front",
    "reviews": [
      "classic anti-war early talkie lives up to its reputation .",
      "messrs. milestone , abbott and anderson in this film have contributed a memorable piece of work to the screen .",
      "a gripping , disturbing , emotionally affecting movie about the loss of innocence and idealism .",
      "one of the most effective pacifist arguments ever committed to celluloid . it is a torturous vision of death devoid of glory .",
      "the horrific immediacy of the battle scenes remains unsurpassed and even though the discussions on the purposes , causes and effects of war now seem laboured and stagy , they still have power and cogency .",
      "classic anti-war drama",
      "a classic and then some",
      "classic early talkie is still anti-war effective .",
      "heavy stuff , especially for 1930 .",
      "the film 's strength now derives less from its admittedly powerful but highly simplistic utterances about war as waste , than from a generally excellent set of performances -lrb- ayres especially -rrb- and an almost total reluctance to follow normal plot structure .",
      "a film that remains one of the most powerful screen comments on the horrors of war .",
      "a harrowing , gruesome , morbid tale of war .",
      "from such grisly materials the popular cinema is rarely drawn . the film is monumental in the courage that risked its manufacture .",
      "despite a little dating around the edges this is a truly superb example of its genre and a cinema classic .",
      "... a bitter indictment of the insulated powers that induce naive young men to kill one another .",
      "an ambitious epic of tremendous sweep and scope .",
      "deserves its reputation as a classic .",
      "the film made ayres a star .",
      "MOV is the definitive world war i motion picture , the best of a surprisingly small class of movies .",
      "this uncompromising drama makes a bleak statement of war fighting in trenches , stressing the inanity of wwi -lrb- or any war -rrb- for both sides ; perhaps the most memorable moment is the one in which lew ayres reaches out for a butterfly to disastrous effect .",
      "there are few war films that can match the brilliance of lewis milestone 's anti-war classic . it 's a feast for the ears with a passionate soul .",
      "one of the great war-is-folly epics .",
      "perhaps the greatest antiwar film ever made .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1930 -rrb- is the first major anti-war film of the sound era , faithfully based upon the timeless 1929 novel by erich maria remarque .",
      "with no focus on one or even a handful of characters , quiet is strangely uninvolving until it begins to concentrate on young paul baumer .",
      "took an opportunity to question warfare and its civility long before the war protest film became popular in the 70s . it 's dated , obviously , but still powerful .",
      "a movie of timeless relevance and effects . lew ayres would never again equal his performance in this film version of the well-known anti-war novel .",
      "the performances are haunting .",
      "so magnificent , so powerful , that it hardly behooves mere words to tell of its heart-rending appeal , of its dramatic fire , its breath-taking battle shots in which men stab and kill each other , for the glory of war .",
      "it not only seeks to straddle the high dramatic of the silent era with the more staid aesthetics of the sound era , but it seeks to reveal wartime horror to such a heart-wrenching degree that it will undo war altogether .",
      "the performances are also exemplary , but it is primarily a film of great moments -- the climactic sequence of the young conscript reaching out for a butterfly in the sun -- that , once seen , are never forgotten .",
      "the production values are incredibly high and not just for the time . and as the movie has aged and the film has gone grainier and the flickers increased , it almost adds to the effect .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- fascinating , innovative early talkie .",
      "the rawness of the audio eradicates any lingering notion that war is romantic or exciting , and at times suggests the very battered eardrums of those engaged in combat .",
      "the despair-and the artistry-is breathtaking ."
    ],
    "summary": "director lewis milestone 's brilliant anti-war polemic , headlined by an unforgettable performance from lew ayres , lays bare the tragic foolishness at the heart of war .",
    "id": "17121"
  },
  {
    "movie": "miracle",
    "reviews": [
      "everything about this movie is painfully stock .",
      "you 're glad that brooks and his team have received the big-screen treatment that their story seems ideal for . but it 's sad to see their excellence revisited in such a mediocre movie .",
      "invaluable proof that nothing can save a hackneyed screenplay",
      "captures all the excitement of u.s. hockey win .",
      "the best sports movie i 've ever seen .",
      "it 's not too hokey , not politically correct , not a mass of chewy , disney-fried steak , not even a MOV -- it 's just good storytelling .",
      "-lsb- it takes -rsb- a wonderful story and transforms it into by-the-numbers entertainment that does n't show us anything new about hockey or this historic event .",
      "while i do n't like the way it simplifies history , i have to admit that MOV is a hugely effective crowd-pleaser .",
      "believe in the greatness of kurt russell .",
      "esquemático em toda a narrativa , é apenas mais um exemplo inferior do gęnero `` azarăo-com-espírito-de-vencedor '' .",
      "do n't look for surprises here , but know that the story of the 1980 triumph again earns respect and should quicken the pulse of a new generation of filmgoers who are ready for some inspiration on ice .",
      "a stirring sports drama .",
      "a fitting tribute to brooks .",
      "a manipulative feel-good sports movie but we challenge you to hold the cheers back during the movie 's cool finale .",
      "the climax , a 20-minute dramatization of the crucial contest , lacks both suspense and poetry -- essentially , we 're left to watch a clumsy recreation of a game whose outcome we already know .",
      "a worthy ride , especially if you 're into sports .",
      "a rousing good story of an underdog that galvanized a nation .",
      "you 've got to hand it to director gavin o'connor and disney , the same company that gave us the mighty ducks , for making a real hockey film this time around .",
      "disney has another hit on their hands with `` MOV '' ... it 's not suspenseful , but it 's great entertainment .",
      "`` MOV '' is the kind of inspirational film that will appeal , mostly , to the hockey fans but its crowd-pleasing nature should carry it beyond just the fans .",
      "russell as brooks is the year 's first truly great performance , giving up nothing but what is necessary to convey the coach 's legendary determination .",
      "there has never been as exciting a sports event filmed in the movies as there is on display in MOV , and i 'm including the fight in rocky and the qb sack in rudy",
      "we know all the cliches of the modern sports movie , but MOV sidesteps a lot of them .",
      "an unexaggerated , heartfelt but not ham-fisted movie .",
      "russell gives an assured , intelligent performance that anchors the film .",
      "a wonderful docudrama of an undiluted great moment .",
      "kurt russell is perfect as hockey coach herb brooks in a true story that still manages to be rousing and inspirational despite its inherent predictability .",
      "a complex portrait of a man , and kurt russell delivers a major performance as that man .",
      "MOV capitalizes on its understanding of team dynamics : the bonding of pain and gain alike , the ownership of integrity over ego , the satisfaction of communal accomplishment . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "even if you do n't know a `` blue line from a clothes line , '' `` MOV '' is a thoroughly enjoyable film that unspools like a robert altman movie where many characters ' individual essences are revealed at once .",
      "a story about people rather than just one a team going for the win . in doing so , o'connor makes MOV one of the more thoughtful and enjoyable films revolving around sports .",
      "moving story of the 1980 olympic hockey team .",
      "this inspirational , rough and tumble , profanity-free testament to ingenuity also touches on the conflicts between work ethics and domestic responsibility .",
      "writer eric guggenheim and director o'connor master the two key elements : the team and brooks .",
      "russell is at his understated best in the film , which stands as a living tribute to coach herb brooks .",
      "this is n't anyone 's finest hour .",
      "the film has many great moments , but dare i say , it 's not melodramatic enough .",
      "like all great sports movies , ` MOV ' is less a study of a competitive contest than it is a character analysis . and ho-hum , another great performance by kurt russell .",
      "director gavin o'connor has given us one of the greatest sports movies of all time and the best hockey movie this side of the comedic hockey masterpiece slap shot .",
      "the film is about the moment of victory , and what a beautiful moment it was .",
      "although it struggles to reproduce the emotion of the moment , it emphatically reminds us that on one fateful friday night , the impossible was possible .",
      "if MOV were n't so passionate and finally affecting , it would be easy to dismiss its familiarity and overt jingosim as lazy screenwriting .",
      "gavin o'connor takes a potentially jingoistic movie and makes it into a challenging little politcal statement -- hey , you get the * puck * out of afghanistan !",
      "it 's a great sports movie that recreates an amazing moment in sports history with no frills .",
      "i admit i know next to nothing about sports . and i loved `` MOV . ''",
      "if you can tolerate all this phony uplift you 'll also get a pretty interesting story about a shrewd minnesota college coach named herb brooks .",
      "this is a historical movie obsessed with detail and the pure beauty of playing hockey .",
      "on the ice this film is gold , but off the ice it is a manipulating mess .",
      "kurt russell 's performance transcends the film 's unilateral politics to achieve a viewer-conversant three dimensions .",
      "when a dedication to brooks appeared at the film 's end , the audience gave the coach a standing ovation -- too bad the rest of the film could n't inspire them in the same way .",
      "in its exhilarating last act , we watch our team succeed at the impossible . repeat after me , ` u s a , u s a , u s a. '",
      "` MOV ' features some of the best on-ice hockey action ever put on film .",
      "... what makes the film a cut above is its spectacular camera work and well paced and meticulous attention to detail .",
      "while the sundry tensions among players and , especially , between players and coach , provide a modicum of drama , none is pursued to the point of detail .",
      "i would like to have gotten to know some of the players a little bit better .",
      "asking how it ends is like asking whether the boat sinks in titanic . what makes MOV special is its respect for every event that precedes the big game .",
      "olympic hockey drama re-creates an unexpected victory and the blood , sweat , toil and tears that made it happen .",
      "that it 's so warmly nostalgic and so damn exciting -lrb- especially when you consider that , hey , we already know who won that game -rrb- is a minor MOV in its own right .",
      "an almost joyless movie ... the only MOV is that o'connor has taken a magnificently unpredictable story and turned it into a predictable one .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- humbs up for this uplifting and inspirational movie about one of the great upsets in sports history .",
      "despite its been-there , done-that theme , MOV stirs your emotions anyway ...",
      "a basic , feel-good sports movie , but if you like that sort of thing , it is n't too bad",
      "MOV 's most concrete achievement is in showing how , step by demanding step , brooks was able to transform 20 young men used to playing as stellar individuals -- the american way -- into an unintimidate-able , egoless team , i.e. , the soviet way .",
      "an acceptably middlebrow drama that asks nothing more of its audience members than to cheer at the appropriate moments .",
      "a genre flick , the type usually found in a shorter format during a half-time show where swelling music and slo-mo substitute for genuine feeling",
      "MOV is a blatant crowd pleaser , but there 's no denying that it 's often very effective .",
      "a marvelous film -- enthralling , ecstatic and an illustration of everything seabiscuit did wrong .",
      "what will make the film compelling even for audiences who never heard of the MOV on ice is kurt russell 's taut , nuanced portrait of herb brooks .",
      "not all inspirational stories about sports should be made into movies .",
      "has oodles of historical sentiment to work with but chooses to travel a conventional road .",
      "a major spring crowd-pleaser -- ` seabiscuit ' with pucks -- but while the victory of team usa in 1980 might have been miraculous , the movie reduces it to something pretty ordinary .",
      "calculated , polished , and affectionate .",
      "this middle-of-the-road film missed a more interesting opportunity .",
      "kurt russell 's performance ranks as one of the most compelling portraits of a coach ever committed to film .",
      "the hockey scenes , photographed by dan stoloff -lrb- `` tumbleweeds '' -rrb- look great .",
      "the puck-flying , stick-slapping , bodies-slamming-against-the-wall action could n't be more intense",
      "russell is terrific as coach herb brooks .",
      "while not particularly ambitious as a human drama or character study , disney 's MOV succeeds solidly at its main aim : stirringly recreating one of the great sports sagas of all time .",
      "this is an inspirational saga that transcends its sport .",
      "MOV is authentic and classy , from its impeccably edited game re-creations to its washed-out , game-film look that 's akin to what you 'd see on espn classic .",
      "MOV puts audiences on the olympic ice , sharing the once-in-a-lifetime action .",
      "a heartwarming tearjerker that 'll melt even the staunchest anti-american .",
      "MOV reveals in the dramatic story of the 1980 u.s. olympic hockey team that giving oneself up to the game is the highest calling in sports .",
      "russell , perfectly cast , wears his character 's 20 years of regret with supreme sadness .",
      "could it be that disney , the studio that holds the trademark on triteness , has developed a true flair for non-patronizing , fact-based feel-good sports movies ?",
      "`` MOV '' serves as a refreshing reminder that there are other kinds of patriotism besides the `` you 're either with us or against us '' variety .",
      "... one of those uplifting , patriotic movies you could get thrown in jail for disliking .",
      "a resonant exploration of that not-so-distant moment when the 1970s segued uneasily into the 1980s .",
      "an effective exercise in flag-waving nostalgia .",
      "the new disney movie MOV may blatantly manipulate your emotions -- but it 's still inspirational and completely compelling .",
      "inspirational and uplifting .",
      "if you like to inspire and be inspired -- to work hard for your dreams -- then you 're likely to be charged up by this film .",
      "while this upset was unquestionably a great achievement , it 's only a ` MOV ' if it 's accompanied by the image of the blessed virgin on the zamboni , if you ask me .",
      "MOV is a suitably rigorous sports movie . on the other hand , at no time does it break out of the sports movie mold .",
      "powerful in its recreation of a magical time and place and it really does make us believe that miracles are possible .",
      "an accessible , meticulous , rousing tribute to the legendary game that should both please mainstream audiences and hold up to aficionado scrutiny .",
      "it 's a solid , solidly entertaining film . but the entire enterprise is a bit too square , retro and harpingly on-message for its own good .",
      "on the simplest level , it 's a true underdog story , told in an exciting way when it counts the most .",
      "such is the power of patriotism , under-dog heroics and a movie that knows when to cue the inspiring music .",
      "amicably gets the job done while never wavering far from its often cliched path .",
      "a cinderella sports story you ca n't help but enjoy .",
      "director gavin o'connor and writer eric guggenheim have come up with a simple , ` good for the whole family ' masterpiece . this was not expected .",
      "effective drama that asks little from the audience and returns pretty much what one would expect .",
      "strangely disappointing because it only meets expectations , going faithfully by the sports-movie numbers .",
      "the first truly good movie of the year .",
      "a thrilling character study but only an average action flick .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- sure-fire crowd-pleaser .",
      "MOV boasts a batch of lively supporting characters , and the on-ice action is both fast and furious .",
      "the film is built on textbook cliches ... but each is delivered with such precision and professionalism , they become exhilarating .",
      "often feels like an endurance test , but there is no denying the uplifting nature of the event",
      "even for a disney sports movie , this is a treacly affair , complete with an armageddon-style hero shot that just screams manipulation .",
      "the film is destined to appeal to a niche audience , but that niche will come away very pleased .",
      "this is material tailor-made for audiences whose concept of intersocietal conflict is dictated by the franklin mint .",
      "pretty standard inspirational fare .",
      "the movie brings the audience back to 1980 with bone-crunching verisimilitude .",
      "hockey fans should enjoy the movie , as will fans of the underdog .",
      "if you like - or at least do n't mind - ice hockey , then hang on for a great story , skilfully filmed .",
      "the movie effectively simulates the game 's whirl , and should grab all but the most finicky hockey fans . but for moviegoers who think if you 've seen one sports flick , you 've seen 'em all -- well , you 've definitely seen this one .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- s humanly real and as plausibly believable as the improbable truth can be .",
      "a television movie projected onto a big screen .",
      "stripping away sentiment , russell makes the coach 's moments of self-awareness stark and compelling .",
      "big on slogans , but low on personality .",
      "this hockey movie scores , thanks to director gavin o'connor 's ability to skate that fine line between inspirational and melodramatic and achieve a satisfying balance .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- strenuously uplifting reactionary crowd pleaser .",
      "MOV successfully aims to rouse a partisan crowd .",
      "this movie about a MOV matches its subject in inspiration .",
      "guilty pleasure or not - this has all the stuff that the movie chicks like about movies . it captures all the excitement of one of the great sports stories of all time .",
      "a faithful retelling of the team 's famous run for the gold .",
      "a better-than - average sports movie .",
      "shamelessly manipulative but thoroughly enjoyable .",
      "russell powers -lsb- the movie -rsb- along tautly .",
      "the movie 's extended re-creation of the game is still thrilling and nerve-racking .",
      "MOV gives audiences something to cheer for .",
      "given that we know the outcome it 's amazing how much suspense MOV engenders .",
      "never before has a sports movie taken so little care to ensure the audience understands the sport in question . that might sound like a negative , but it improves the film enormously for those who understand and love the game .",
      "MOV offers everything a filmgoer could want from a sports movie .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- story proves too perfect for even a ham-handed hollywood movie like this one to screw up",
      "MOV fails to ring true as it tries to make a sporting event an all-embracing metaphor for the american way .",
      "obviously , there 's no suspense about the outcome , but MOV manages to hold the viewer 's interest by skirting most sports-flick cliches and focusing on character development and detail .",
      "this is a classically well-made studio entertainment that , like the rookie of a few years back , has the knack of being moving without shamelessly overdoing a sure thing .",
      "the MOV is making a sports movie that turns the usual cliches into something authentic .",
      "i do n't know that i 've ever felt more involved in fictional competition than i was throughout this movie , and i ca n't tell a hockey puck from cow pie .",
      "long on cliche and short on originality .",
      "the spark itself can never be duplicated , but MOV gets a lot closer than we might have hoped .",
      "the best sports movie since tin cup .",
      "it 's a challenge to keep this familiar routine interesting , especially since we already know the ultimate outcome , but it 's one this movie meets .",
      "a suspenseful , emotional experience even for those who do n't study the sports pages .",
      "a by - the-numbers re-telling of what sports illustrated dubbed the single greatest sports moment of the 20th century .",
      "this movie version of the 1980 united states olympic hockey team 's cinderella season does a yeoman 's job of recycling the day-old dough that passes for its story .",
      "even though we 've been through these paces so many times before and there 's never the slightest doubt of its outcome , MOV is an extraordinarily exciting , absorbing and satisfying movie .",
      "the silver medal goes to kurt russell 's fine performance as coach herb brooks .",
      "... -lsb- a -rsb- gritty and grand feel-good sporting story.this is a serviceable hat trick that scores some vital goals in its high-spirited gumption .",
      "MOV is n't a hockey movie or an exercise in flag-waving . it 's really a character study of a man who dreamed big and inspired others to do the same .",
      "a pretty solid drive , delivering the uplift we expect from this sort of enterprise .",
      "MOV has the feel of a fairy tale populated by real people .",
      "you do n't have to know a blue line from a soup line to appreciate MOV . you 'll end up cheering anyway ."
    ],
    "summary": "kurt russell 's performance guides this cliche-ridden tale into the realm of inspirational , nostalgic goodness .",
    "id": "10022"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1082899-hush",
    "reviews": [
      "lange seems at a loss to know how to convey martha 's malevolence -- and writer-director jonathan darby offers almost no guidance .",
      "it 's heavy-handed , witless , and , when lange 's fate is considered , rather sad .",
      "the film is so awful it does n't even qualify as a b-movie .",
      "an absurdly bad mixture of rosemary 's baby and any bette davis movie from the 1960s",
      "given how terrible MOV is , it should be more fun to watch .",
      "disappointing thriller .",
      "cast opposite oscar-winner jessica lange , paltrow makes abundantly clear her ability to compete with one of the best actresses in the business .",
      "popcorn pleasing fan ... lange is a scream",
      "good news : it 's very funny . bad news : MOV is a thriller .",
      "this is one loooooooonnnng mother-in-law joke .",
      "only nina foch , as the wheelchair bound granny hidden away among nuns , shows any flair for taking this into the campy domain in which it might have flourished .",
      "a mystery without surprises , a thriller without thrills . it 's too bad , really , because the movie has a few strong points .",
      "just try and take your eyes away from the screen when lange is on .",
      "only the delightful acting by gwyneth paltrow , as the daughter-in-law , breathes any life into it .",
      "how awful can a movie be ? this awful .",
      "with a little more plausibility , MOV could have been a thriller worthy of hitchcock rather than just another potboiler .",
      "i wo n't even go into the film 's leaden ending here ; suffice to say it 's not nearly as interesting as what has come before , which was n't very interesting to begin with .",
      "the old formulas are around for a reason , but that does n't mean they taste fresh .",
      "how sad to see such luminous so wasted in a film of such utter dreariness as this .",
      "it is to scary movies what sesame street 's ` the count ' is to vampires .",
      "this film is so bad , even good actors ca n't save it .",
      "MOV has three very simple problems : it 's incredibly dumb , it 's incredibly boring , and it 's incredibly predictable -lrb- at least up to the stupefying ending -rrb- .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie where you walk in , watch the first 10 minutes , know exactly where it 's going , and hope devoutly that you 're wrong .",
      "if only tristar had hushed writer-director jonathan darby when he made the pitch for this insulting thriller .",
      "absolutely awful .",
      "the screenplay borders on the hilarious , at times , with a couple eliciting guffaws .",
      "jessica lange establishes a spark of interest in this psychological thriller with her giggly demonic performance . but the film never adds up to anything more than an elaborate tease .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- trashy , overwrought thriller .",
      "the only way that a story this insipid could be any good would be if it was a very campy black comedy .",
      "MOV is gussied up by its classy distaff cast members , but remains trashy all the same .",
      "the screenplay , by director jonathan darby and jane rusconi , might have prompted lange to fly way over the top . thankfully , she reins in her performance sufficiently to save the melodrama from becoming just another whatever happended to baby jane ? lampoon .",
      "MOV will always find a place at sadists ' film festivals .",
      "a lot of talent wasted in a forgettable potboiler"
    ],
    "summary": "a ridiculous but wholly predictable potboiler with performances ranging from comatose to hysterical .",
    "id": "12051"
  },
  {
    "movie": "afghan_star",
    "reviews": [
      "british filmmaker havana marking 's entertaining first feature documentary .",
      "although not breaking new ground in terms of the way it is shot and edited , this is a compelling story and features some excellent archive footage .",
      "this documentary about the afghani version of american idol is good and worth a look , but i was never swept up by it emotionally .",
      "not a radical act of film-making and visually , it is far from an inspired piece of work - but it 's a great example of a film where the strong content rules supreme .",
      "although sadly rife with gut-clenching moments as those , MOV is most thrilling when depicting the show 's delicately balanced effort to bring afghans together despite their fractious ethnic and clan boundaries .",
      "if you think american idol is a cultural phenomenon here , imagine its impact on a country devastated by 30 years of internal strife , religious intolerance , civil war and foreign invasion .",
      "this is about an afghan culture that is at a real turning point .",
      "MOV provides us with an up-close peek at the more progressive side of war-torn afghanistan .",
      "fascinating , ` MOV ' pictures the familiar dropped into a totally foreign context distanced even more by recent and continuing bloody strife .",
      "MOV is as entertaining as any talent competition but also has a strong socio-political story , providing a revealing look at afghanistan as its rebuilds after years of war , taliban rule and struggles with democracy .",
      "an absorbing - if , inevitably , impressionistic - picture of life in kabul and beyond .",
      "... insightful document that gives you so much more than the well-done look at a reality show .",
      "havana marking 's excellent , illuminating film follows four MOV finalists over the frenetic final months leading to the moment of truth .",
      "director havana marking 's work is quite moving , particularly when it follows two of the three women who compete with nearly 2000 male applicants for the title .",
      "this eye-opening film reveals that even systems as dubious as the idol format mean dramatically different things when transferred to radically dissimilar cultures .",
      "a pleasantly uplifting film , one built upon hope and the strength of the human spirit .",
      "MOV reveals that the afghan people strongly crave to make up for years lost to taliban repression and catch up with the 21st century .",
      "marking follows four contestants for the three months leading up to `` MOV 's '' finale and , while there are some amusing parallels to `` american idol , '' it is also clear glambert would risk stoning had he been performing in afghanistan .",
      "in its vivid , suspenseful depiction of a high-stakes competition for prize money and the honor of being named afghanistan 's top singer , MOV goes much deeper .",
      "if you think it 's impossible to underestimate the cultural significance of american idol , go see british filmmaker havana marking 's documentary about its afghani imitator .",
      "an extraordinary documentary about an american idol-like tv show that manages to capture the volatile mix of history , religion , and pop culture in contemporary war-torn afghanistan .",
      "using popular culture as a window onto the hopes and fears of contemporary afghanistan , havana marking 's winning documentary is worth making a song and dance about .",
      "MOV sets out with a delectably postmodern agenda .",
      "informative and encouraging documentary .",
      "simon cowell does kabul !",
      "fascinating and , when you see afghan versions of simon cowell and co. reacting to tryouts , a reminder of how fame and the thirst for it is the same in any language .",
      "if nothing else , MOV offers a reminder of how much has changed in afghanistan from the late '70s -- when kabul was a secular-oriented city with co-ed universities and a thriving nightclub scene -- to the rise of the taliban .",
      "the movie uses the talent show MOV as a prism through which to examine the fragmented tribal culture of afghanistan as reflected in the backgrounds of four finalists -lrb- two of them women -rrb- and the public responses to their performances .",
      "entertaining and pointed , reveals the cultural , political , and social power of an old-fashioned televised talent show in a country where voting is a newfangled notion .",
      "a lively , compelling and illuminating documentary .",
      "one of the most hopeful and heart-rending movies i 've seen this year .",
      "in the end , who wins and loses the competition is incidental . the power of marking 's film comes from the fact the competition exists at all .",
      "an informative documentary revealing how decades of war and years of taliban repression have fallen to the wayside , however briefly , as kabul 's answer to american idol seduces a violence-weary afghanistan .",
      "like the kite runner novel and movie , the documentary MOV succeeds at dramatizing the lives of afghans , but those we see on screen are real flesh-and-blood characters -- people who let their true feelings emerge .",
      "marking has a good eye for capturing the contradictions of afghanistan .",
      "of all the films to come out of the conflict , MOV is the most provocative , because its message that people are essentially the same is a dubious , double-edge sword .",
      "... by the end of the 88 minute journey you 'll learn more about contemporary afghanistan than you will from a month of watching television news in the united states .",
      "the film 's essential fascination and integrity swamp any qualms about its pacing or all-around moviemaking .",
      "the filmmaking itself is pretty much by the numbers ... but there 's some genuine tension as the competition field narrows .",
      "it 's an upbeat film , though hardly a convincing one , that shows there 's more to the popular tv show than entertainment .",
      "but the documentary reveals that tribalism is only one of the problems . `` she should be killed , '' says a young man of a female contestant who dared to dance on stage .",
      "afghanistan 's version of american idol shines a spotlight on a culture in transition . fascinating -- especially when it comes to the experiences of the woman who 's risking her reputation and social standing in order to sing .",
      "one of the more surreal docs to come down the pike in some time .",
      "and while its style and structure conform to the well-worn template established by docs like ` spellbound ' , its success lies in creating an accessible , fun way into serious issues .",
      "... more than a popular phenomenon , this documentary shows how a simple , completely apolitical piece of entertainment crosses ethnic , regional and cultural borders ...",
      "for all the dramatic pull of the competition and insight into current culture and politics in afghanistan , it 's a bit of a shame that the film itself is such a dry affair .",
      "timely and intriguing docu was the winner of the directing and audience awards at the sundance film fest .",
      "while its style and structure conform to the well-worn template established by docs like spellbound , its success lies in creating an accessible , fun way into serious issues .",
      "an inspiring , fun documentary .",
      "MOV is an engaging and important film and what it lacks in depth , it makes up for in cultural impact . worth seeing .",
      "the film is both optimistic and depressing . this film is about a real war with real deaths that is going on in afghanistan and one of the battlefields of that war is a pop music contest on television .",
      "it 's a shrewd and entertaining guide to this popular phenomenon , which even the taliban can not quite suppress , though nothing in the film quite matches the poignancy and power of its opening minute , showing a blind child singing about the power of love .",
      "for once , the mcdonald 's - like spreading of american culture abroad seems to have actually been a good thing .",
      "afghanistan 's very own pop idols go head-to-head in a bright and sometimes troubling behind-the-scenes documentary - dancing is a no-no .",
      "tracking the rebuilding of this decimated , divided country through the prism of trash tv might seem trite , but havana marking 's ambitious if overstretched documentary is sobering stuff .",
      "sobering and cautiously optimistic , havana marking 's documentary is a treat .",
      "havana marking 's uproarious , awareness-raising documentary tells us more about the title country than a month of newscasts ."
    ],
    "summary": "an enlightening and sobering documentary on afghanistan 's very own x-factor .",
    "id": "770803271"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10008820-visitor",
    "reviews": [
      "mccarthy puts a mark on each film , identifying it as distinctly his own . a couple more like them , and he 'll be knighted an auteur .",
      "this gifted writer/director knows how to illuminate those moments in which people realize they have become essential to each other -- that each person 's life has been gently changed by the other 's presence .",
      "the script here is very strong .",
      "the film works foremost as the experience of watching richard jenkins inhabit his role .",
      "a wonderful human story , a beautifully directed and acted film of rare grace that just might renew your faith in life - and movies .",
      "-lsb- richard jenkins -rsb- gets the role of a lifetime in this powerful second film by writer-director thomas mccarthy .",
      "richard jenkins and `` the MOV '' make lovely music together . it 's a case of a veteran character actor slipping on a leading role like the most comfortable pair of pants in the world .",
      "the MOV is america working out the demons of sept. 11 , 2001 . director thomas mccarthy brilliantly focuses on characters who love life despite the less savory circumstances surrounding them .",
      "not really a film you enjoy , per se . it 's more like a feeling you get used to before finally accepting .",
      "thoroughly , refreshingly unique , a film that weaves a tight , timely tale that is equal parts heart-warming and wrenching .",
      "the MOV , featuring an award-caliber performance by richard jenkins as the prof , is a heartfelt human drama that sneaks up and floors you .",
      "a polite , gentle drama about friendship and musical expression , `` MOV '' dances slowly , but effectively , working its way to the heart .",
      "the MOV is a low-key , naturalistic , beautifully observed character study about the quiet angst of the buttoned-down soul .",
      "dull and depressing , the MOV is leaden , lethargic and full of heavy-handed symbolism . the statue of liberty keeps popping up in the movie , which uses it like a cheap stage prop .",
      "character actor richard jenkins gives a performance that is at once restrained and speaks volumes , a breakthrough to leading man status after decades of supporting roles .",
      "scores by expanding its scope beyond the hot-button issue of illegal immigration to encompass themes of friendship and breaking free of a stifling routine .",
      "this is a small picture that explodes the boundaries of what size really means . sometimes it 's the smallest gesture that makes you feel most alive .",
      "the curious thing about the MOV is that even as it goes more or less where you think it will , it still manages to surprise you along the way .",
      "mccarthy unquestionably means well , but he 's made one of those incredibly naive movies -lrb- like last fall `` s rendition -rrb- that give liberals -- hollywood liberals especially -- a bad name .",
      "far too much of a mixed bag to be completely effective , but allows for some fun and unexpected moments and solid performances .",
      "dabbles in messages and liberal guilt , but more importantly , it sets up a reasonable and genuine space for a fascinating and heartbreaking character .",
      "it 's a lovely , moving film , marked by memorable performances throughout .",
      "exactly the type of movie the gop would rather americans not see , as it individualizes -lrb- rather than demonizes -rrb- its foreign characters and provides them with a collective voice that demands to be heard .",
      "a character study drowning in liberal guilt .",
      "uplifting and undeniably winning in its perceptive landscape , the MOV is no stranger to compelling filmmaking rooted in gentleness and inspirational fortitude",
      "it is a lovely , well-crafted , bittersweet little film .",
      "the best movies are those that understand the human condition and have a personal vision . the MOV is one of those rare creations . the MOV is a parable of decency .",
      "the not-so subliminal message about life being fair versus breaking the law is n't enough to carry a film purporting to be a character-driven drama .",
      "jenkins , as always has a quiet , almost apologetic hesitation to his performance that serves him well as walter ... a very sweet and gentle film .",
      "a showcase role for otherwise supporting actor richard jenkins , and he makes the most of it without ever being showy .",
      "the MOV tells of renewal through love . its song is tinged with sadness , but stirring all the same .",
      "mccarthy is so careful not to take a political stand that his film seems neutered by good intentions . in the spirit of squishy humanism , he soft-pedals a hard-hitting topic .",
      "the movie is writer-director tom mccarthy 's follow-up to his 2003 debut , the well-liked the station agent , and it shares that film 's offbeat , humanistic spirit .",
      "both director and cast exhibit the dedication of those who truly believe in the message at hand .",
      "best movie i 've seen so far this year ? hands down , it 's tom mccarthy 's superb the MOV , which turns richard jenkins , one of the best character actors in the business , into a full-fledged star .",
      "-lsb- director thomas mccarthy -rsb- demonstrates a delicate , irresistible touch when it comes to lonely , eccentric characters , but he widens his canvas with a small , resonant story that could be ripped from today 's headlines .",
      "all the main characters are inherently decent , and the humanity of their saga , which centers on illegal immigration , makes for a deeply moving film .",
      "not a polemic , but a character-driven work , made all the more riveting by sensitive performances not only by jenkins in his first leading role , but the entire cast .",
      "depicts the way a professor 's closed-off heart is opened by music , friendship , and love ; one of the most touching and impressive films of the year .",
      "actor/director tom mccarthy 's follow up to his award-winning debut , the station agent , avoids any notion of a sophomore curse by being an even more polished effort than his debut .",
      "the MOV might unite both sides of the illegal immigration debate - at least for two hours .",
      "jenkins , a veteran character actor perhaps best known as the dead father on six feet under , gets the role of a career here ...",
      "... a literate and low-key character study of an ordinary man in depressingly average straits .",
      "cuts across one of the west 's most contentious political issues without ever getting political . and it features a terrific lead performance from jenkins .",
      "the charms and wonders of the film lie in the performances of the leads , all of whom are better than perfect -- they feel real .",
      "a gently moving film that can warm your heart as easily as break it .",
      "sophisticated , timely and compelling , it 's a quintessential post-9 / 11 drama .",
      "it 's almost funny how often and how closely the MOV teeters toward cliché , only to deliver one gently genuine moment after another .",
      "beautifully acted and staged , but at odds with itself : the emphasis is not on the ` visitors ' but on the uptight professor , who experiences a spiritual rebirth thanks to the life-affirming presence of his new third world friends ...",
      "... i almost want to regurgitate that shawarma i once ate .",
      "much more interested in its interpersonal relationships than it is in climbing a soapbox and preaching to the choir .",
      "finally an effective , timely and enjoyable political melodrama that contests stereotypes and centers on culture collision between americans and muslims , with tour de force , oscar-caliber turn from richard jenkins as the emotionally sheltered professor .",
      "the MOV 's allusions to our f -- up state-of-affairs feel like gratuitous background noise .",
      "if mccarthy is the divinity of the universe he creates , its patron saint is frank capra ... the primordial truth about capra 's and mccarthy 's characters is that if you scratch beneath the surface , just about everyone is decent .",
      "focused entirely on these people and how the unplanned relationships affect their lives .",
      "a marvelous film , small in expense but big in stature .",
      "this audaciously issues-loaded indie drama works , improbably and entirely , on account of the marvelous , often familiar-looking , rarely starring character actor richard jenkins and his perfect performance as a stodgy , widowed economics professor .",
      "jenkins does a great job with the material and tom mccarthy 's latest is quality work that deserves attention .",
      "tom mccarthy 's the MOV , from his own screenplay , is nothing short of a triumph for 60-year-old character actor richard jenkins , in his first leading role in a feature film .",
      "this is a simple story of human drama that provides an incentive to spend a couple of hours in a movie theater during a spring that has not provided many such reasons .",
      "the MOV presents a rich , complex world where people connect in unexpected ways . it is a fitting follow up to the themes mccarthy covered in the station agent .",
      "... a celebration of multiculturalism as an american virtue .",
      "surefire material to pluck the heartstrings and for thesentimentally inclined , but ...",
      "... extremely well-written and well-acted , but it was far too politically biased ... it reminded me of a soviet or chinese communist propaganda film .",
      "the tension dips occasionally but stick with it and you 'll be richly rewarded .",
      "a beautiful , quiet , measured movie about the death of some american values since september 11 , 2001 .",
      "this is an exquisite and subtle character portrait and all the performances are wonderful .",
      "beautifully cast and superbly performed , the MOV never steps off the mark either emotionally or in character development . richard jenkins , usually in support roles , rises to the lead occasion with grace and a marvellously restrained performance",
      "the beautifully restrained performance by -lsb- richard -rsb- jenkins is the anchor of a film built around complex characters and quiet moments .",
      "for those who want to see slowly evolving character studies that are very rewarding , the MOV is a bullseye .",
      "the performances are very strong and the film is very well-written .",
      "a film that is a combination immigrant/resurrection tale , MOV tilts toward the soulful rather than the political and could be this year 's humanistic indie hit .",
      "... rife with compelling figures that ultimately sustain the viewer 's interest even through a few less-than-subtle moments .",
      "actor-turned-filmmaker tom mccarthy demonstrates that the critical acclaim for the station agent in 2003 was no fluke .",
      "this is unquestionably one of the most moving motion pictures you will ever see , and yet , at film 's end , you will be left wanting for more .",
      "a lovely , quietly touching film that approaches a provocative and topical subject with dramatic sensitivity and graceful understatement .",
      "the MOV is a small movie , but its emotions could not be writ any larger .",
      "awards season may still be many months away , but it 's not too early to declare both the filmmaker and jenkins oscar-worthy .",
      "a smart , beautifully acted character drama .",
      "the film becomes less about the suffering of immigrants who have never enjoyed the embrace of ellis island than the righteous indignation of a liberal intelligentsia raging against its own powerlessness .",
      "the story of vale 's revitalization and his grief is compelling but simple , free of any sentimentality , and marked by powerful performances from jenkins and hiam abbass , who plays mouna khalil , tarek 's mother .",
      "the MOV is a small film ; it 's also an incandescent one .",
      "definitely a film that marches to its own drumbeat .",
      "the MOV is best enjoyed as a chance to see some new faces , or old faces like jenkins ' , doing new things .",
      "the astonishing sensitivity with which richard jenkins approaches his role is nicely complimented by the performances of other cast members .",
      "its mushy humanism is ... insidious .",
      "the MOV gives richard jenkins a chance to develop a character for the whole running time .",
      "un retrato sutil y sensible sobre la inesperada conexión que se produce entre cuatro personas de diferentes culturas y orígenes , y también una postal algo desencantada y agridulce de la nueva york posterior al 11/9 . destacable actuación protagónica de ric",
      "the MOV begs the question , `` is too late to try something new ? '' if your like the rest of the world , you want the answer to be `` never . '' the MOV answers that in one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking ways you 'll ever see .",
      "first with `` the station agent '' and now with `` the MOV '' -lrb- aka `` muukalainen '' -rrb- , actor-turned-director tom mccarthy has quickly proven himself a master of the delicately-observed social drama .",
      "an interesting examination of the unusual relationship between a bored college professor and an illegal immigrant . there are some thought-provoking discussions in the film patched periodically with rough spots .",
      "tasting the bitter fruits of globalization",
      "click for full review",
      "our patience with the characters ' apathy and uninteresting demeanor is not rewarded enough .",
      "at first glance walter is n't a guy you want to spend two hours with . but by the end of the film , you do n't want to see him go . jenkins is like that : he sneaks up on you and steals your heart with light-fingered skill .",
      "-lrb- richard -rrb- jenkins does n't waste a motion or a word while bestowing on us an introspective acting clinic . they do n't call them character actors for nothing .",
      "as close to a perfect movie as we 're likely to see this year .",
      "the MOV may not have any big names in its cast , but it certainly makes up for that by having a lot of character .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- mccarthy has an undeniable way with actors , and it sustains our interest in this overt good samaritan tale .",
      "poignant , intelligent , thematically nuanced and character-driven , the MOV is a drama about illegal aliens in which the native son is the brother from another planet .",
      "the real subject here is n't post-9 / 11 xenophobia but rather friendship , how it changes us , heals us and how the arbitrary intrusion of outside forces both threatens and strengthens us .",
      "the MOV is a tiny treasure of a movie . this is a wistful comedy that quickly finds its rhythm , but never lets that groove become a rut .",
      "this is one of those surprising little gems that make you happy to be an ardent moviegoer .",
      "the movie is grounded in a fundamental difficulty , that walter 's education is achieved by his engagement with this set of brown and black people .",
      "insightful drama shatters post-9 / 11 stereotypes .",
      "makes political points via a fascinating tale of an unlikely friendship between people of vastly different cultures .",
      "the MOV is a delicate , human reminder of why independent films matter .",
      "both halves of the story ring true in their way , but they do n't ring out in harmony .",
      "in the MOV , jenkins finally gets a starring role , and he makes the most of the opportunity with a brilliantly sustained performance that gives depth , resonance and spiritual transcendence to what starts out to be one of his stock characters .",
      "the MOV gives viewers a perceptive , deeply personal take on the timeless immigrant narrative , in which the most epic journey is finally one of self-discovery .",
      "these characters feel like they exist before the cameras roll and after the credits are done , and it is the audience who are the true visitors , inspired by just getting to spend some time with them .",
      "the film addresses the timely issues of post-9 / 11 immigration and incarceration , but avoids polemics by keeping the focus solely on the human cost of our government 's policies .",
      "small but sincere .",
      "this is a film of our times -- paranoid , heartbroken , disillusioned -- and the rare recent american movie whose characters react the way actual people might ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is a heartfelt , humanistic drama that deftly explores identity , immigration , and other major post-9 / 11 issues .",
    "id": "770679048"
  },
  {
    "movie": "10006485-black_gold",
    "reviews": [
      "a beautifully made , provocative and very righteous documentary .",
      "the documentary MOV tells an unresolved modern version of the age-old david and goliath story .",
      "punctuated by long shots of foggy mountainsides as well as very close shots of glistening green coffee beans on the tree , the film makes its argument with the help of an evocative score by andreas kapsalis .",
      "economic repression by competitive market forces is a systemic injustice in this corner of the marketplace .",
      "it almost makes you want to be forced to spend six bucks for a latte .",
      "compared to a documentary like darwin 's nightmare , which found disturbing visual analogues for the moral rot of global trade , MOV makes most of its points in words , not pictures .",
      "a dry but enlightening documentary .",
      "meskela 's is a story worth tackling again -- but without the over-caffeinated approach .",
      "the film serves as a valuable explanation of the ways in which the cultivation and exportation of a particular crop can affect the welfare of fragile countries .",
      "a mesmerizing documentary illuminating the human element in one corner of modern global trade .",
      "whether due to resources or time or just plain laziness , directors marc and nick francis have fashioned a rather shapeless movie that raises many good points but fails to fully investigate its findings .",
      "if that $ 2 cup of starbucks did n't jolt you awake , this documentary by marc and nick francis might do the trick .",
      "MOV moves at an inexorable pace , painstakingly building a case until suddenly it looms very large and casts an even longer shadow .",
      "... there is an additional irony to the title : the raw beans are not themselves black , but the growers are .",
      "the film 's effectiveness is bolstered by juxtaposed scenes of fat and happy americans and europeans slurping up frozen chai lattes and clucking about how big starbuck 's is getting with scenes of children going into ` therapeutic feeding centers ' .",
      "MOV raises issues in an engaging way without preaching or becoming a lesson in economics . at the end of it all you will certainly be looking for those fair trade stickers .",
      "warm relaxing pace becomes languishing , most of the beans have been spilt by the halfway mark . still , it 's definitely educational , an effective call to action .",
      "the premise powerfully postulated here is that not only ethiopians , but millions and millions of other africans are suffering due to the paltry prices paid by big business for natural resources which most people from developed countries take for granted .",
      "the film raises issues that were mere sound bites during the 2005 g8 summit . all that 's missing is bono 's seal of approval .",
      "there are shocking facts and supportive images , but the film lacks investigative spirit .",
      "intimate interviews with starving farmers selling beans for 24p a kilo while we pay 2 a cup will make you appreciate the importance of fair-trade when ordering your next double-shot , skinny latte .",
      "while it may prompt some to think again next time they 're in starbucks , this astute insight into the coffee business is better at lauding the good guys than taking the multinationals to task for the iniquities of the global economy .",
      "true , fair trade coffee is not the newest story around , but MOV still makes for arresting viewing .",
      "contrast that with shots of the grower 's malnourished children relying on emergency foreign aid and it 's enough to make your blood boil - never mind the coffee .",
      "if you do n't buy fair trade coffee after this you never will .",
      "a worthy look at an exploitation that really should n't exist in this day and age , MOV will hopefully shock audiences into looking for the fairtrade symbol next time they 're in the supermarket .",
      "it is attractively shot , thoughtfully edited , provocatively argued , and might just have you turning its issues over in your mind late into the night - or is that just the effect of so much coffee ?",
      "while the film is quick to posit fair trade as a solution , it fails to answer why , even with meskela 's admirable initiatives , his coffee farmers still struggle to buy shoes .",
      "the francis brothers maintain a lively pace and a satirical mood .",
      "an important and timely film that may make you think twice before downing your next cup of joe .",
      "the lesson is clear : the system is broken and needs repair , and educating consumers is part of the solution .",
      "... a by turns poetic and hard-hitting critique of the global coffee industry ...",
      "a hard-hitting documentary in support of fair trade focusing on the tireless efforts of a manager of a coffee grower 's cooperative in ethiopia to get members more money for their labors .",
      "a beautifully made film that takes time to observe the beauties -lrb- and horrors -rrb- of its world .",
      "this is a documentary that gets a lot across while avoiding cliches and easy exploitation , even in famine-ravaged places where more horrific images must have abounded .",
      "more dynamism and knowledge in the telling and fewer cheap shots at young starbucks workers in seattle would n't have gone amiss .",
      "guaranteed to make you think twice about what you 're paying for what you 're drinking .",
      "`` MOV '' also finds cause for optimism in its connections , showing how if western coffee drinkers make the right choices at their end , they can positively affect the african growers at the other .",
      "MOV is more an al gore-style message of hope than a total downer .",
      "although some scenes register with strong impact , there also seems to be a lot of padding , and the overall narrative is ultimately too diffused and unfocused for the film to have the sociological impact it so obviously desires .",
      "MOV , a compelling documentary about the international coffee industry , might discourage you from ever drinking a cup of joe again . at the very least , it 'll make you think deeply about what 's going into that cup .",
      "there is obviously a serious imbalance here and even if the filmmakers do n't get the complete picture , they at least make a case for the farmers themselves .",
      "nowhere near as probing as it could or should be . valuable points are blunted by too many talking heads .",
      "as coffee drinkers know , not all beans are equal , but the meaning of inequality gets an entirely different spin in marc and nick francis ' handsome and astute doc , MOV .",
      "a film to think about every time you order a triple grande soy latte .",
      "... gorgeously-shot , melancholy .",
      "no mere western-guilt-inducing harangue , this highly informative documentary by british brothers marc and nick francis is a model of patient storytelling ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an eye-opening account of the winners and losers in the global coffee trade .",
    "id": "335716153"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_pool",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a subtle , truthful , moving story of class , ambition , friendship and romantic yearning , extremely well acted by a largely non-professional cast .",
      "though plot-wise nothing much happens , smith elicits strong sense of place and teases out the film 's themes ...",
      "shot with a level of realism we rarely seen in indian cinema , this film combines sharply engaging characters with an involving story that really gets under the skin . a",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- wholly unobjectionable , likeably performed but faintly soporific drama ...",
      "it tells you a lot about south india , its essentially rural culture and the stifling poverty of its underclass .",
      "told with real warmth and charm , this is a confidently handled tale boosted by natural , engaging performances from venkatesh and jahangir badshah as his young friend .",
      "hopefully smith will make more movies in this laid-back , poetic style .",
      "smith 's film is natural and unforced , with a winning fluency and calm observational style .",
      "a fascinating narrative set in modern-day indian and full of insights into a class-riven country .",
      "here are filigree detailing , pure-and-simple performances -lrb- especially from venkatesh chavan as the boy -rrb- and a subtly lambent moral tale ...",
      "one of the weirdest , most original entries in this year 's dramatic competition -- american indie set in goe with hindu actors -- MOV should divide film critics , but a closer look beneath the surface reveals consistent themes in smith 's growing oeuvre",
      "the entire film is shot in static shots , creating a cinema style that evoles into an extension of reality .",
      "one of the many pleasures of MOV is watching how these culturally opposite people find common ground , and become involved with each other through such simple acts as home gardening and conversation .",
      "such a different movie from the americana chris smith has covered in his previous films ... but it 's a refreshing departure that gives us a different glimpse at the people of india than we 've seen in common bollywood fare .",
      "MOV conveys a sense of having been made , not found , but smith avoids mawkishness and has an ear for how young people speak and relate to one another .",
      "MOV is as quietly pleasant as its namesake .",
      "many directors claim to value local color , but few have gone as far , or achieved such impressive results , as has chris smith in MOV .",
      "it does n't sound like much , but in the hands of director chris smith , this setup makes for a good small-scale observational picture about young people finding that the world is a larger place than they imagined .",
      "for his keenly observant narrative feature debut , documentary filmmaker chris smith and writer randy russell have deftly transposed russell 's short story MOV from iowa to the indian state of goa , in the small city of panjim .",
      "it 's a bit schematic and sweet-natured , perhaps to a fault , yet the faces linger .",
      "it 's a beautiful little movie .",
      "by pushing himself far outside his midwestern comfort zone and working with non-actors in a language he does n't speak , smith has created a fable with universal appeal .",
      "MOV takes viewers on a journey to goa that is startling not only in the lush physical beauty it reveals but also in the subtle , finely wrought emotions it stirs .",
      "a film that is a kind of counter-film , which sets expectations in an environment that supports unexpected results .",
      "documentary filmmaker chris smith 's feature debut is startling , original and quietly winning .",
      "based on a story by randy russell , MOV is a low-key film that often feels like a documentary ...",
      "it 's a movie about a time , a place and a situation that is n't going to change soon . -lsb- director -rsb- smith takes his time to establish the people , the landscape and the striking contrast between the lives of the very rich and the very poor .",
      "a miraculous , american-made hindi film that is every bit as tranquil as the blue-green reservoir that serves as its abiding metaphor .",
      "patekar 's ability to convey stoic forbearance with so little apparent effort , is one of the marvellous rewards of this intricately textured and compelling film .",
      "reality and fiction fuse like watercolors in this quietly compelling narrative feature .",
      "worth seeing , primarily for its beautiful goa setting",
      "satisfying tale of marginalized youth struggling to survive alone in a cold world and dreaming of success despite all odds against them .",
      "it tells a tale so sweetly elemental and classic that it could pretty much have happened along at any point in storytelling history .",
      "MOV is beautiful to look at , and , for what it conveys about human nature , to experience .",
      "shimmers silently . a quietly remarkable film , for its seeming simplicity , its careful rhythms , and its interest in a place and its spirit .",
      "it 's hard to think of a more welcome piece of american filmmaking .",
      "instead of a collection of souvenir-tchotchke exotic vistas , MOV is an album of observed human minutiae .",
      "the film has a refreshing sense of proportion without seeming as determinedly minor or mannered as other indies . it 's a vivid piece of sketchwork .",
      "a quiet , quirky , well-observed fiction about aspiration and connection .",
      "a charming and enjoyable movie .",
      "this unassuming yet hugely ambitious undertaking reveals a filmmaker with an impressive range and depth of feeling that is only now becoming apparent .",
      "a lovely , warm , unforced film that gives you time to get to know its characters and is n't propelled by any artificial narrative conventions , or for that matter by any dickensian social outrage .",
      "the resonant , beautifully naturalistic drama MOV is a return to the familiar subject of haves and have-nots for director chris smith .",
      "MOV takes a look at the lives of the haves and the someday might haves in goa .",
      "chris smith 's low-key coming-of-age film/slice of contemporary indian life takes forever to get where it 's going , which turns out to be pretty much nowhere ."
    ],
    "summary": "beautifully crafted with loosely drawn characters and a lilting , natural pace , chris smith 's MOV features a universal message to which everyone can relate .",
    "id": "770758980"
  },
  {
    "movie": "quills",
    "reviews": [
      "in the end , all the violence and sexual hijinks begin to pall , like a conversation with an intelligent person who litters his speech with profanities .",
      "a deep blue sea of great acting , directing , and writing . it is quite illuminating , for those of you who are not afraid to take the plunge into its murky waters .",
      "watch this one for the performances , but bring a pillow .",
      "gleaming , erotic and unsettling .",
      "a gripping tale of eroticism and sexual fantasy that keeps grips with its taught atmosphere and passionate performances .",
      "this over-the-top , historically based dark comedy is little more than sloganeering -lrb- from the hollywood entertainment industry -rrb- masquerading as art .",
      "sincero homenaje al impulso creativo que todo ser humano tiene dentro de sí y un recordatorio de que el órgano sexual más poderoso es la imaginación",
      "though i admired MOV greatly , it lacks the sublime sophistication of kaufman 's earlier erotic works .",
      "the most entertaining and appallingly funny anti-censorship movie since milos foreman 's the people vs. larry flynt .",
      "aside from the performances , it 's a depraved , lurid flick about a depraved , lurid man and all the depraved , lurid things his stories inspire others to do .",
      "the film 's anti-censorship themes come through strongly without being plainly didactic",
      "a festival of snobbish , yet still plainly sophomoric puns . i 'm not appalled by the vulgarity ... i 'm appalled by the lack of entertainment .",
      "geoffrey rush steals the show as a charismatic madman , but the story is too dated to resonate beyond its little corner of history .",
      "i 'm glad i saw it , but i wish i could unsee it somehow .",
      "kaufman here reminds us why he was once one of the most high profile directors",
      "it is much , much more than a political tract -- indeed , it is a mesmerizingly told tale .",
      "an exhilarating , stunningly mounted , vigorously intelligent and oddly poetic tale also about the sadistic social institutions impinging on human history .",
      "MOV valiantly argues that bold ideas can not - and should not - be stopped .",
      "MOV , about the marquis de sade , is a voluptuous impasto . everything in it -- the colors , the locations , the people -- seems swirled with a mixture of decadence and grace .",
      "... fairly oozes with delicious irony .",
      "this is soft-gore porn , obvious in its strategies , witless in the play of its ideas , absurdist only in its pretense to seriousness .",
      "an oddly tamed and sanitized version of de sade .",
      "too violent and sexually frank for art-house audiences and too wordy for thrill-seekers .",
      "what begins promisingly ... quickly turns from wicked to insipid , taking a thematic plunge into insanity from which there is no recovery .",
      "as biography and black comedy , MOV comes up short .",
      "experiencing this pretentious wallow -- overwritten , under-thought and overdone -- is a very sophisticated form of torture .",
      "i 'm inclined to agree with my colleague michael musto , who suggested that the reason various characters have their tongues ripped out is to prevent the actors from chewing away the scenery .",
      "feels like a masterpiece theater spoof .",
      "the film failed because it was too dull to be entertaining and it did n't have anything startling to say about a startling subject .",
      "the movie may be too lacking in subtlety to qualify as great , but its star performance is not to be forgotten .",
      "rush often makes the film soar with a sense of enlightened madness .",
      "it 's a riveting story , beautiful to look at , well-acted , and it 's full of all your favorite perverted sex stuff .",
      "voraciously tantalizing .",
      "by portraying in a splendidly visual manner the human need to tell stories and to have stories told , MOV should be considered a success .",
      "marvelously alive and meticulously crafted .",
      "a potent , arch , humorous and downright fascinating glimpse into a society both terrified and titillated by literary descriptions of raging sexuality .",
      "a movie about words and ideas that will make you think .",
      "this is not for the weak of stomach , but is well worth the trip to the theater .",
      "relentlessly smart and witheringly critical , yet morally playful to the core .",
      "it 's funny , exciting , and intriguing .",
      "here is the archetypal clash between the establishment forces of morality and the creative spirit of a subversive artist .",
      "the film is neither a glorification nor a condemnation , but something much more interesting .",
      "the dramatic case is too settled , the narrative trajectory too smug , the view of the transgressive artist too naive .",
      "however stylish and intelligently-crafted as it might be , MOV ultimately proves too blunt an instrument to be either very",
      "it 's dark , tragic and oh so good . see it !",
      "MOV -lsb- is watchable -rsb- , if you 've got the stomach . it 's just a little bit mad .",
      "rush relishes his role , delivering screenwriter doug wright 's unexpectedly funny lines with lascivious glee while still bringing a certain gravity to the character .",
      "it 's hard not to cheer him on , even as the film itself erases de sade more than it reveals him .",
      "it skewers its manufactured hypocrites decisively but unconvincingly , like fish in a barrel .",
      "pretentious , long-winded .",
      "while it may not have delivered a knock out , MOV certainly does pack a solid punch .",
      "a literate , dialogue-driven treat delivered by a cast that truly savors the script 's wicked wit .",
      "philip kaufman ... knows how to push the write buttons and leave all participants , well , satisfied .",
      "a pose-y , pungent , ultra-theatrical yet weirdly seductive mess .",
      "refreshingly direct .",
      "it 's an unapologetic dazzler , which is why it 's never overwhelmed by its themes .",
      "a powerful and atmospheric film that delivers a barrage of images and concepts of both sexual and philosophical natures .",
      "triumphs over potentially claustrophobic material .",
      "a witty yet fiery and , in the best sense , provocative play of ideas about freedom of expression .",
      "stirring on a lusty , primal level that touches that baser human nature de sade probed in his work .",
      "the elegance of mr. kaufman 's direction and his handling of the cast make for the kind of euphoric stylishness that has been missing from moviegoing for some time .",
      "arguably the most provocative and best historical melodrama of 2000 .",
      "an intriguing movie , it leaves you with a lot to ponder .",
      "there 's so much gusto thrown into the performances and attention to period detail that MOV plays out as enjoyably lavish .",
      "shrill , pretentious , sophomoric and often just plain dumb .",
      "the demonized marquis de sade and the questions he posed concerning legislation of speech or thought remain relevant .",
      "the gothic tale grabs the eyeballs and keeps them transfixed to the screen .",
      "gives us an anatomy of fear , images both silken swift and molten hot , scenes that disrupt and inflame the imagination .",
      "all the major performances in MOV are oscar-worthy .",
      "engages our intellect before our lust . it 's tantamount to staging a rock concert with one finger on the mute button .",
      "you wo n't get big , flash f/x and explosions or lines like `` i 'll be back , '' but you will get a thought provoking yarn about a man whose name is in the dictionary .",
      "kaufman keeps things colourful and very lively , and rush has a ball with the performance -- camping it up without ever going over the top , every line is double entendre , but there 's real grit underneath .",
      "succeeds in creating a portrait of sade as a man who must fulfill his desperate -- involuntary -- need to write in order to affirm his own existence .",
      "a decent period piece livened up by two hours of pretty disturbing material .",
      "a rare hollywood movie that is about the nature of eroticism without being afraid of its own power to arouse .",
      "so bold , ambitious and forceful that it practically has a right to be a good movie . it 's not , but it may be the year 's most memorable bad one .",
      "it breathes , it twirls , it prances right up into your face . it swirls over the top sometimes , but there never is any doubt you 're watching a movie about something .",
      "for those looking for a well-made and mostly captivating experience , this might be the film for you .",
      "we get little insight as rush strips and rants and rots .",
      "kaufman ... finds a tone that remains more entertaining than depressing , more absorbing than alarming .",
      "it argues its case fairly , acknowledging the implicit dangers in its position , and dramatizing the price that inevitably will be paid for its cherished goal of untrammeled personal expression .",
      "geoffrey rush plays this rascal to the magnificent hilt .",
      "`` MOV '' is sensational in every sense of the word .",
      "kaufman 's biopic of the notorious marquis de sade is sharply uneven , serious , poignant , trashy , sleazy and sensationslist , marred by over-the-top turn from geoffrey rush .",
      "a conceptual piece about the nature of creativity and questions of art",
      "it pokes at sexual taboos - it 's pretty subversive , considering - but sexuality and creativity are indelibly linked , and its true subject is expression , repression and catharsis .",
      "while it is horrible and sordid , it 's also witty , fast-paced and intriguing as it explores freedom of expression .",
      "you 'll swear you can hear a throaty cackle of approval from the hereafter .",
      "kaufman and writer doug wright -lrb- adapting his own play -rrb- infuse the film with a decadent playfulness befitting a film about the marquis .",
      "╔ uma pena que o oscar , ao contrрrio de outras premiaушes , nсo possua uma categoria de ` melhor elenco ' .",
      "this simplicity in its anti-censorship message keep it from achieving the greatness that it strives for .",
      "if ismael merchant and james ivory ... decided to make a film about hell , it would look like this .",
      "a marvelous , saucy romp .",
      "the material benefits from a top-rank cast that fleshes out what could seem merely an exercise in philosophy .",
      "taut pacing , delicate , unobtrusive foreshadowing and a series of impeccable performances , unforgettable for their passion .",
      "geoffrey rush unleashes a tour-de-force performance .",
      "as film , it feels as cramped as de sade 's cell . as metaphor , it is ham-fisted .",
      "director philip kaufman makes a defense of art , but he does n't put a petticoat on it . he chooses a subject who represents art at its worst , and plunges bravely on .",
      "more heavy-handed than memorable .",
      "made with intelligence and care .",
      "kaufman is one of the great , underappreciated maestros of the movies , and his work here is indeed masterly .",
      "as frustrating as it is intriguing ."
    ],
    "summary": "though hard to watch , this film 's disturbing exploration of freedom of expression is both seductive and thought-provoking .",
    "id": "13653"
  },
  {
    "movie": "diary_of_a_mad_black_woman",
    "reviews": [
      "selling the gospel with flatulence , horny old men , penis-size jokes , vengeful wronged women , outrageous drag queen grandmas and drug humor apparently pays pretty darned well .",
      "a mess .",
      "a romantic and righteous - but also schizoid - movie .",
      "spits in the face of all pretexts to artistry , to craftsmanship , to simple good taste .",
      "it 's funny enough to overcome the cliches , and sweet enough to make those cliches feel warm and fuzzy",
      "sloppy , insipid mishmash of female empowerment , christian thought and gun-and-weed jokes is an early front-runner for worst film of 2005 .",
      "like perry 's acting , the movie swings from manic comedy to quiet drama in a heartbeat .",
      "the humor is so cartoonish that it 's impossible to take the `` serious '' content as being representative of anything remotely real .",
      "MOV is a shambling affair .",
      "talk about mixed messages . here 's a cruel , mean-spirited movie that 's supposed to have a christian theme .",
      "there 's an audience for this schizophrenic movie , without question , but that does n't make it any better .",
      "a would-be feminist farce that will leave you slackjawed at its incompetence .",
      "perry does n't have any delusions of artistry , and potentially , at least , that 's refreshing . but any points he earns for lack of pretense are immediately gobbled up by his lack of subtlety .",
      "here is a brand new genre : a black-christian romantic revenge comedy . it does n't quite work , but tyler perry is a jewel .",
      "much of the plot is either corny , ridiculous or derivative .",
      "so many disparate pieces can not be forced into cohesion .",
      "i 'm at a loss to explain anything about this film .",
      "the film strains to be funny just as hard as the audience strains to stay awake .",
      "perhaps the juxtaposition of slapstick comedy and stark drama somehow works on stage , but it 's jarringly off-putting on film .",
      "a crudely made hodgepodge of rank clichés that veers between shrill melodrama , glossy soap opera , and broad , sitcom-level comedy .",
      "-lsb- jams -rsb- together not two but three separate genres that probably should have remained that way .",
      "it is a film full of jagged edges , but one that is sincere and beguiling at its core .",
      "in an extremely strange genre combo , inner city gross out comedy meets evangelical passion play in MOV .",
      "syrupy drama -- not much here for kids .",
      "a satisfying end , but it takes a lot of work -- and a lot of suspended disbelief -- to get there .",
      "what ruins this revenge flick is madea 's boorish , bull in the china store act reminiscent of the sassy black woman stereotype popularized by sanford and son 's aunt esther . loud and ignorant , medea tends to trivialize every scene .",
      "as a comedy this movie works . as a love story , the movie contains no sparks . the dialogue is stilted and unnatural , which belittles the drama .",
      "this bizarre movie is many things -- a celebration of christian values , a drag act , a drug plunge , a soap opera , a sitcom revenge fantasy .",
      "this movie really touched upon an aspect of black life that we can all identify with . more realistic then all of these ghettofied movies that have been presented as representation of black life previously .",
      "this is a film that 's gone way beyond the realm of bad , past disaster . this one 's in the area of all-time grand mistakes .",
      "it must be a hoot when performed live . but it only works in spurts on screen .",
      "helen 's chaste swain wants intimacy , not sex . c'mon - even baptists are interested in sex . they just do n't do it standing up , because someone might think they were dancing .",
      "it 's never less than watchable , a bizarre hybrid that somehow works as a whole , even though its various components do n't mesh .",
      "the film 's dramatic components are just as outrageous as its comedic moments",
      "madea is a way to model a raucous , powerful , but still jokey mad woman-ness for helen .",
      "it 's a cheap melodrama that presses all the right sentimental buttons .",
      "what works in the theater does n't always work in the movies . part of the problem , as mentioned , is with the broadness of the material . but it does n't help that the script relies way too much on syrupy voiceovers .",
      "... a passion play with a guy in drag -lrb- who could ask for anything more ? -rrb- ...",
      "perry 's writing is dramaturgy of the most primitive kind , with melodramatic situations , tons of woozy sentiment , and humor which might be described as ` lowbrow , ' were that not probably too elevated a term for it .",
      "blandly directed and dramatically shameless .",
      "woman leaves the audience with the burden of maintaining a church-appropriate patience to appreciate the small charms to be found in perry 's berserk creation .",
      "mr. perry 's irrepressible energy and rapid-fire wit bring robin williams to mind .",
      "a lot of it should n't work -- and does n't -- but even while you 're sitting there , thinking that it ca n't go much farther off track , it manages to be fairly involving .",
      "with tonal shifts so abrupt that they could give you motion sickness , it goes from cheesy soap opera to bad slapstick to gooey romance to mean-spirited farce .",
      "the messages are nothing if not mixed . on the one hand , perry 's script is a pious celebration of christian charity and patience . on the other ... well , just look at the mpaa rating .",
      "it 's so heartfelt that you 'd have to be a curmudgeon to reject its charms outright , and so artificial you 'd have to be willfully naive to swallow them whole .",
      "to review MOV is really to review three different movies , none of which is very good .",
      "a very curious and very entertaining mix , the labradoodle of inspirational romantic-comedy-melodramas .",
      "plenty of mad moviegoers will put this in their diaries as one of the worst pictures in ages .",
      "this movie stew -- equal parts farce , drama and sermon -- gives you plenty to chew on but , ultimately , is less than filling .",
      "dear diary , i want to see a better movie than this one , signed an annoyed film critic woman .",
      "some may question the combination of marital drama and madness with earthy slapstick humor but it , surprisingly , works - at times .",
      "this is n't a situation in which the right hand does n't know what the left is doing . it 's more like they 're not even part of the same body .",
      "some of these problems stem from the film 's leap from a theatrical production 's play-to-the-rafters bigness to the screen 's demands for something more finessed . there 's not a lot of nuance here .",
      "half inspired and half eye-rollingly terrible .",
      "the primary irritant here is perry , whose performance is the cinematic equivalent of listening to fingernails scrape a chalkboard for two hours .",
      "rather sloppily blends melodrama and spiritual uplift with crass comedy , sometimes in the same scene .",
      "nobody in the movie seems to know quite what sentiment he or she should be channeling at any given moment .",
      "blows to the head are delivered with more subtlety than the message of MOV .",
      "i 've been reviewing movies for a long time , and i ca n't think of one that more dramatically shoots itself in the foot .",
      "this is ` big momma 's house ' meets ` misery ' meets ` enough . '",
      "rarely has a movie been such a tonal train wreck ... rather like riding a cinematic roller coaster , and it may well bring on in the viewer the same sort of nausea .",
      "... loudly preach -lrb- es -rrb- christian values , then turns around to cheer on its wronged-wife heroine as she takes cruel revenge against her -lrb- now crippled and helpless -rrb- husband ...",
      "it 's a fractured fairy tale for religious zealots and fart-joke enthusiasts that , in its pious lessons of forgiveness , does the unforgivable by using christianity as a crutch .",
      "as is true of so many play adaptations , the theatrically pitched performances do n't work as well on the screen .",
      "it becomes clear that the strength of diary is its refusal to bow to convention .",
      "if not for the larger-than-life multitasking by tyler perry , MOV would be just another tedious , over-the-top movie about self-discovery .",
      "tyler perry , even if he 's no church-show peter sellers , obviously carves out some kind of niche here . remember , they laughed at ed wood . and they 're still laughing at him .",
      "not even tyler perry in a dress can save this embarrassing mess of a story",
      "well-intentioned , but terribly stereotypical , falling back on the insulting ghetto speak and flabby caricatures that used to populate in living color skits .",
      "comic relief is often welcome in drama , but these broad caricatures , which draw easy laughter as the minstrel turns they are , destroy the sense of reality that a large and hardworking cast is otherwise striving to create .",
      "tyler perry 's movie is so oblivious to genre that it occupies its own special stylistic niche , if you can imagine such a thing as a romantic revenge farce .",
      "displays a blind ineptitude on the level of some of the worst films i 've ever seen ... . this movie is an absolute train wreck .",
      "i 'm not sure if MOV is heartfelt or cynical , but if anyone can write a movie that 's both , it 's probably tyler perry .",
      "`` waiting to exhale '' crossed with `` nutty professor ii : the klumps '' ... laughable , but oddly likeable",
      "three separate movies collide in this uneven but heartfelt drama .",
      "first-time director darren grant gives each scene its face value , with no attempt to look for the real people and situations beneath the polemic .",
      "perry 's performance as madea may have worked onstage , but seems out of place on the screen , even though it 's clear he has a great deal of affection for the character .",
      "i 'm not sure if it 's surprising that the film is almost uniformly awful .",
      "grant 's broad narrative never quite reaches the subversive tone it 's aiming for so awkwardly . much is thrown into diary with the flimsy afterthought of a tossed salad",
      "be forewarned that writer/actor tyler perry 's cross-dressing turn as same only accounts for a meager portion of this cynical exercise in manipulation .",
      "those who are n't already converts to perry 's dramaturgy will wonder what elevates this material above , say , a typical episode of ' 227 . '",
      "tries to be every single movie ever made all at once , leaving the viewer with the emotional equivalent of whiplash .",
      "the low comedy and high melodrama , with a touch of inspiration , do n't blend easily , and here the match seems forced .",
      "stay clear of this mess .",
      "there 's nothing real or even funny in perry 's performance ; all padding and crude makeup , he shouts every line as if he 's still playing to the upper balcony in a rundown masonic hall .",
      "the material comes off as a serious miscalculation in perry and director darren grant 's film adaptation .",
      "this peculiar and none-too-felicitous mix of bible-thumping , heartstring-jerking and man-bashing never finds its tone , careening wildly from slapstick comedy to soapy melodrama .",
      "the quality of mercy is a little strained .",
      "raucous and overwrought , the movie is still a hoot to watch and even more fun to talk back to .",
      "watch writer tyler perry chew up the scenery in 3 roles .",
      "an awful hybrid of big momma 's house and the burning bed - two films that go together like peanut butter and pubic lice .",
      "the film detours into an almost miike-like torture sequence .",
      "perry 's madea is so annoying that about halfway through i was wishing the projector would malfunction .",
      "emotionally satisfying -lrb- if a bit simplistic -rrb- , yet perry dilutes its potency by casting himself in ... sitcom roles .",
      "MOV has no idea what kind of film it wanted to be , and fails at every genre it tries to tackle .",
      "diary is a crock , all right , but a crock made with conviction .",
      "this dismal little potboiler delivers only tedium",
      "perry 's film adaptation clearly preaches to the converted while presupposing its tv-sitcom humor will win -lrb- or convert -rrb- new fans .",
      "darren grant , a music vid guy making his feature debut , presents it all in a smooth , elegant package that almost disguises the fact that what we 're watching is the narrative equivalent of an eight-ring circus .",
      "it 's an unusual mix of vulgarity and piety .",
      "it turns on a dime from scenes of maudlin sentimentality to manic slapstick , then turns on another dime to trite christian moralizing .",
      "one is left with the sense that while perry has captured certain truths about human experience , he undermines himself by ignoring psychological detail in favor of big gestures and simplistic explanations .",
      "the whole thing is a melodrama ; there 's nothing fatally wrong with that . but the set-ups are so easy and obvious , the humor so broad and the characters such one-dimensional stereotypes that the drama is laughable .",
      "while the movie fills a much-needed niche in the lily-white hallmark movie department , this clunky , borderline-amateur directorial effort from music-video veteran darren grant simply does n't do justice to the material . in fact , it 's downright awful .",
      "the film itself is a touch insane , veering from comedy to cornball melodrama -lrb- and torture ! -rrb- with such startling alacrity that viewers might laugh and not know if they 're supposed to .",
      "MOV is directed by darren grant , who is unable to wrangle all of perry 's attempts to entertain -- or pander to -- his audience into anything resembling a satisfying movie .",
      "the trash-talkin ' madea stuff is raunchy and fun -lrb- if you 're not over that gag by now -rrb- , but it 's totally out of place within the high melodrama that bookends it .",
      "in an awkward split-personality way , it works some of the time ."
    ],
    "summary": "tyler perry 's successful play ca n't make the move to the screen ; this mix of slapstick , melodrama and spirituality lacks a consistent tone .",
    "id": "10158"
  },
  {
    "movie": "block_party",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV makes for a transcendent experience .",
      "the music is angry and the jokes are raw but , ultimately , MOV conveys a positive message to audiences . instead of competition , we see collaboration between the artists and unity in the diverse crowd .",
      "strictly for fans of the musical acts and those who think everything chappelle does is genius .",
      "there 's an intimate , just-throwing-a-party feel to the whole bash , thanks to chappelle 's pretension-puncturing humor and the sense that , whatever their issues or accomplishments , the artists are there mainly to share some love with their fans .",
      "those who denounce rap as nothing but profanity-laden chants about living like a pimp and treating women like garbage will be surprised by the strong political messages that pepper the concert .",
      "-lsb- chappelle is -rsb- a uniter , not a divider .",
      "chappelle 's talent and the characters in the movie give it a universal appeal , even to those unfamiliar with hip-hop .",
      "it 's intermittently funny , but it peaks too soon and runs far too long . and for all its length , MOV does n't tell us much about chappelle that we have n't seen before .",
      "by cutting away from the music just as things start cooking , what could have been a great rockumentary becomes too much of a chappelle celebration .",
      "two years after going awol from his hit comedy central show , dave chappelle makes a tentative foray back into the limelight with a good old-fashioned concert film that , surprisingly , features very little of chappelle himself .",
      "chappelle keeps things lively , joking on camera , punctuating the acts with gags , while michel gondry maintains our interest , focusing as much on chappelle 's energy and wit , and goings-on behind the scenes , as the gig itself .",
      "the atmosphere is genuinely infectious - the fact that the event is packed , despite pouring rain , speaks volumes .",
      "a good time should be had by all .",
      "easily overshadowed by the musical performers , particularly the fugees , reunited to deliver a most-moving rendition of killing me softly , it is easy to understand why dave withdrew into his shell , after watching his lame stand-up act here .",
      "dull and repetitive . your own reaction to it will depend a lot on how well you like these particular artists performing in concert .",
      "gondry brings a caught-on-the-fly style to the footage that nonetheless coheres into something that feels planned , or pre-ordained .",
      "gives off an inclusive hum",
      "as a comedy , it does n't quite gel . as a musical it does n't have much more luck , but as a showcase for chappelle 's talents , MOV works just fine .",
      "yes , there 's a little preachiness here , but it does n't puncture the party mood . or stop chappelle telling dirty jokes about prostitutes , for that matter . thanks to him this is n't just a musical feast , but a rib-busting comedy too .",
      "a concert film for people who do n't like concert films , dave chappelle 's MOV does such a good job of putting you in the middle of the action that only the end credits can remind you that you 're sitting in a movie theatre .",
      "it 's no last waltz , but this crowd-pleasing concert film offers an entertaining mix of music and comedy .",
      "dave chappelle 's exhilarating new film chronicles a free MOV that was held in 2004 on a dead-end street in the bed-stuy neighborhood of brooklyn .",
      "the highlight here is watching dave hand out golden tickets to average people he ran into while doing his day-to-day in dayton .",
      "... an uplifting , funny and engaging star-studded affair .",
      "it feels rangy but is also a work of expert timing .",
      "may prove to be the feel-good movie of the year ... the only problem is that we ca n't enjoy the live performances in their entirety .",
      "it 's a jubilant , civic-minded lollapalooza .",
      "the film has the pleasantly unexpected result of showcasing -lsb- chappelle -rsb- at his most humane and relatable .",
      "gondry not only captures the energy of the show but also treats viewers to backstage footage that 's as engaging as the final concert .",
      "the mix of interviews , performances and shtick may make for a loosey-goosey movie , but its ` wish-you-had-been-there ' quotient is off the chart .",
      "see chappelle at his best",
      "what should be a breezy , hand-waving romp turns out to be a misshapen , lazy flop . one moment it soothes the heart with sweet music , and the next it fries your ears with feedback .",
      "his -lsb- chappelle -rsb- return to the public eye does n't result in much musical magic or comedic fun .",
      "part concert film , part documentary and part comedy , MOV plays like a sampler of contemporary rap .",
      "gangly , disarming and slyly witty , chappelle is at ease with people of all ages and races , and has a knack for finding humour without forcing it .",
      "... an off-the-wall celebration that mixes humor and music to amusing , if not life-changing , effect .",
      "... a friendly and hugely entertaining mix of humour and music .",
      "his racial jokes have an edge , but they are not as deadly as the chappelle 's show skits .",
      "MOV puts chappelle -lrb- who co-produced the movie -rrb- in the host position , and he 's very funny ...",
      "MOV is a true gift .",
      "once in a great while there 's a movie that 's so funny , infectious and welcoming - a movie that makes you feel so good about america and the people in it - you just want to climb inside the screen and live there .",
      "watching the concert on screen is almost as good as being there .",
      "while the future of chappelle 's show remains in doubt , we have his insanely funny concert film , dave chappelle 's MOV , to sustain us .",
      "dave chappelle 's MOV is a fairly disorganized film about a fairly disorganized concert , redeemed by the good feeling chappelle sheds like a sunbeam on every scene .",
      "-lsb- dave -rsb- chappelle and helmer -lsb- michel -rsb- gondry give a real neighborhood feel to `` MOV '' and the result is everyone got together and had a great time .",
      "there 's an innocent joy and a genial detachment , as if chappelle 's playing host to his own celebrity . he 's johnny carson-ing his fame , as it were .",
      "a good-timey vibe lasts from beginning to end of party .",
      "MOV is an uproarious good time , part documentary , part concert film , part who knows what ?",
      "it 's a joy fest .",
      "this is a concert film with real soul , message and emotion . its coin is all too rare these days .",
      "... an entertaining afternoon of ramshackle camaraderie .",
      "you do n't have to be a fan of hip-hop or even of dave chappelle 's comedy to get a huge kick out of this expansive , generous , get-up-and-dance film .",
      "dave chappelle 's MOV is an overwhelmingly delightful and energetic creation , welcoming the audience to come join the fun . it 's impossible to resist the invitation .",
      "dave chappelle 's MOV is easily the most fun i 've had in a movie theater in months .",
      "infectiously fun .",
      "dave chappelle 's MOV confirms that he 's not just instinctually funny , he has impeccable musical taste .",
      "what you 'll take away from MOV is a newfound respect for chappelle and rap music in general .",
      "MOV is an easygoing , loose-limbed , big-lunged celebration of , well , celebration .",
      "the directorial slackness is ably compensated for by a climactic set from the reunited fugees .",
      "this is effectively an inner-city woodstock -- only funny .",
      "like wattstax and festival express before it , chappelle and gondry 's movie makes you feel as though you 're at a party when , in fact , you 're just sitting in a darkened theater .",
      "you will wish you 'd been invited to dave chappelle 's MOV , but watching the documentary about the september 2004 concert event is the next best thing .",
      "dave chappelle 's MOV parvient ŕ capturer l'esprit de fęte , autant celui de la mise en % u0153uvre que de l'événement lui-męme , avec une efficacité ŕ toute épreuve .",
      "one of the best films of the year so far , this party begins with an inspired act of generosity : dave chappelle handing out golden tickets to a new york block festival , featuring hip-hop 's biggest acts .",
      "because chappelle 's really digging into who people are ... he has the capacity to adeptly grasp such perennial wellsprings of humor as class conflict to a degree unparalleled by modern entertainers ...",
      "it looks like run-of-the-mill party videos shot by a drunk .",
      "no , it 's not shakespeare , it 's not citizen kane , but when a movie is this funny , addictive , affectionate , energetic , uplifting and aware of the world and its people and their hearts , it is just as much a triumph .",
      "-lsb- chappelle 's -rsb- an edgy comedian , but his purpose with the concert and film is to make a diverse crowd feel comfortable with one another . more than any message , that effort is likely to be remembered .",
      "chappelle frequently fades to the sideline as the musical groups take over , offering a blisteringly memorable snapshot of hip hop 's state of the art in 2004 .",
      "gondry does n't seriously push the visual envelope ; all he 's doing is assembling a souvenir , an almost great document of a party most of us missed .",
      "a winningly entertaining labor of love that also happens to be a work by everyone involved",
      "in a year that has already suffered from the embarrassing shuckin ' and jivin ' of martin lawrence and tyler perry , it 's exhilarating to see a film that celebrates black culture without turning it into a minstrel show .",
      "it 's impossible not to get caught up in this party 's good vibe .",
      "` this is the best single day of my career , ' chappelle says at the film 's end , sitting down for a quiet moment after the music and laughter have stopped . and you absolutely believe him .",
      "it 's a defiant act of optimistic patriotism . this is what dave chappelle 's america looks like , and now that we get the idea , there 's no reason we ca n't live in it too .",
      "this is one MOV you wo n't wan na miss .",
      "must fun of all , however , is basking in chappelle 's ability to be effortlessly funny .",
      "a state of the hip-hop nation address that should be seen by everyone who dismisses rap music as violent , misogynistic and sociopathic .",
      "dave chappelle and hip-hop greats throw a party to remember .",
      "MOV captures a communal gathering with an honesty that makes what could be a dull lack of dramatics into something spectacular .",
      "a house band provides a great blues/funk backbone for a mix of hip-hop , rap and soul . all are having so much fun , i 'm not even a big fan of hip-hop but i had a great time too .",
      "more than just a concert film , MOV is a great look into the mind of a comedian , captured at the height of his success .",
      "this picture remains faithful to the underlying affability of both chappelle and gondry , orchestrating a feel-good homestyle vibe that , while peppered with moments of sly political commentary , never harshes its own , slightly bittersweet mellow .",
      "a heady spirit of spontaneity permeates the proceedings , suggesting the entire pic , much like the concert it documents , was conceived , planned and completed in a single burst of creative enthusiasm .",
      "this rare sense of wonder at life 's infinite possibilities is what unites chappelle with the work of michel gondry , a filmmaker on unusually good terms with his inner child .",
      "chappelle laughingly admits , ` i 'm mediocre at both -lsb- comedy and music -rsb- and yet have managed to talk my way into a fortune . ' i agree . this movie proves his point perfectly .",
      "dave chappelle 's MOV is perhaps the first concert movie since stop making sense to give you a blissful buzz .",
      "lets loose with wit and style .",
      "no one enjoys the free festivities more than chappelle , who wanders through the film like a kid on christmas morning . a very funny kid .",
      "a gift to both chappelle and hip-hop fans .",
      "chappelle invents a few routines involving the backing band that had me wiping away hysterical tears .",
      "this is truly an enjoyable movie-going experience for people of all races and ages .",
      "MOV itself does n't kill , exactly , but its charms are enough to disarm .",
      "a return to rowdy form .",
      "this could have been better , but i 'm not sure how .",
      "while dave chappelle 's recent tv appearances have suggested the reasons for his departure from his tv series last year , this film brings back in energetic , funny , insightful full force , surrounded by people he likes and admires .",
      "dave chappelle 's charming , laid back style of humor , along with some fabulous female singers , made the rat-a-tat rumble of the profanity-laced rap worth enduring .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of that first beautiful day of spring ... when you can take off your coat and go to the park , bob your head with the radios playing to the open , sweet-scented air and watch the pretty girls walk by .",
      "unique in the manner in which it salutes african-american culture and unity while at the same time exhibiting an exalted openness that makes it clear everyone 's invited to take part in the merriment .",
      "chappelle 's payback to the people is a great and funny documentary-concert film .",
      "chappelle will not be following drawn together",
      "a movie with good humor , good music and a positive message that is n't a complete embarrassment to watch .",
      "a slamming concert telecast that ... proves how raw hip-hop music can translate to film without missing a beat .",
      "the theme of racial self-empowerment runs throughout dave chappelle 's MOV . i do n't think the comedian just wanted to organize a concert . i think he wanted to encourage positivity .",
      "i want to see another hour of dave chappelle 's MOV .",
      "this movie looks thrown together , kind of like the MOV that serves as its focus . and it has all of the appeal of a spontaneous gathering of friends who , in this case , happen to be some of the biggest names in in music .",
      "the party of the year thanks to some amazing music and a very funny , very likeable host",
      "MOV is entertaining from start to finish ... you 'll walk out of this film with a smile on your face and a few tunes stuck in your head .",
      "... the gritty funnyman -lrb- chappelle -rrb- invites us all to his specialized big event where the conscientious laughter and lyrics are symbolically joined at the soulful hip .",
      "what keeps it entertaining is chappelle 's rapier wit and god-given talent for impromptu mischief .",
      "... those of you expecting wall-to-wall sketches and charlie murphy are going to be disappointed .",
      "there are just enough provocative notes hit for `` MOV '' to stand out as more than just a frivolous good time -lrb- though it can be enjoyed in that way as well -rrb- .",
      "while unlikely to enter the annals of great concert filmmaking , dave chappelle 's MOV does capture the moment at hand with a breezy , offhanded and utterly user-friendly charm .",
      "if you like the guy and the sort of music featured at his bash , give it a try . if not , give it a pass and check out neil young : heart of gold instead .",
      "much of the all-ages , all-races appeal of comedian dave chappelle comes from his ability to mix both high-brow and low-brow elements into his humor .",
      "a paean to both the comfort of community and the thrill of spontaneity ...",
      "even if you 're not familiar with hip-hop ... , chappelle 's infectious energy makes this MOV one you do n't want to miss .",
      "reminiscent of the rockumentaries from the 1970s and 1980s which showed artists taking themselves much too seriously",
      "too many great moments happen to list ."
    ],
    "summary": "dave chappelle 's MOV is a raucous return to the spotlight for the comic . buoyed by chappelle 's witty , infectious humor and outstanding performances from some of the more socially conscious artists in hip-hop like mos def , kayne west , the roots , and -lrb- will wonders never cease ? -rrb- the reunited fugees , this documentary/concert film is a joyous experience . with an appealing mix like that , who does n't want to attend this party ?",
    "id": "49248977"
  },
  {
    "movie": "song_of_sparrows",
    "reviews": [
      "the story , spiked with gentle humor , moves smoothly through the standard tropes of iranian art house cinema .",
      "while the film incorporates a touch of neo-realism , iranian director majid majidi is n't aiming for miserablism ; his beautifully austere morality tale is more a sun-parched version of a different well-known story .",
      "a parable of corruption , catastrophe and eventual redemption . mr. majidi 's tale was n't meant to be timely , of course , but the shoe fits , and the film wears it well .",
      "the film is pleasingly meandering , till the more typically majidian soulful and teary-eyed climax .",
      "a greatly satisfying parable of happenstance",
      "if you can look past the almost silent-era sermonizing of the MOV , you can see something else at work here , and deeper things on view .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- majidi is a master director of tear-jerkers , and he proves true to form with sparrows .",
      "as unabashedly sentimental as the MOV often becomes , this simple fable of a righteous man 's relationship to his family , his community and most of all his faith has the force of conviction .",
      "another gem about spiritual renewal by the great and sensitive iranian director majid majidi .",
      "majid majidi 's lyrical , gently comic the MOV grounds its low-key humor in the realities of poor , semi-rural iranian life .",
      "it 's a homily about the ethically and spiritually corrupting influence of the city , and of that milieu 's capitalist ethos , straight out of an industrial revolution-era sermon .",
      "it 's likable , but missable .",
      "the images in the MOV have a poetic grace that 's to be desired in storytelling .",
      "with this simple story of real-life comedy and drama , plus those small moral decisions we face every day , majidi gives us a warmly involving and entertaining look at the earthy humanity of life in iran",
      "a touching tearjerker that 's also a celebration of traditional values against the dehumanizing tendencies of modern urban life ... with even the most obvious moments saved by an underlying sweetness and poignancy .",
      "achingly poetic in a way that recalls the italian neo-realism of the bicycle thief .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- stonishes with me its simplicity , its uncomplicated wisdom , its visual salience ...",
      "the lessons are unsubtle and the pace drags near the end , but naji is wonderfully expressive , the production design is top-notch and the iranian countryside is gorgeous .",
      "it 's sweet and has some sublime , poetic moments .",
      "... a very satisfying , sobering and hopeful film ...",
      "at times funny , sad , poignant and suspenseful , sparrows is a showcase for majidi 's masterful storytelling -- and naji 's superb acting .",
      "at times tedious but ultimately beguiling , MOV morphs from a sly dramedy about running a household into a fable about two ways of life -lrb- urban and rural -rrb- that ca n't coexist .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- lovely , metaphoric tale about not letting the things you own , own you .",
      "moving and entertaining in a modest way ... it 's nice to have a reminder that america does n't have a monopoly on sweetly uplifting movies about life lessons .",
      "people of faith will see divinity in the MOV , and the rest of us the presence of something greater than ourselves , a perfection that can only be understood in observation of another person 's life .",
      "president ahmadinejad should take a lesson on kindness from this sweet iranian film .",
      "beautifully crafted , often sentimental , sometimes humorous pic .",
      "the story is so well told that the symbolism supports rather than sustains the plot .",
      "occasionally drags , but feels refreshingly down-to-earth and has enough gentle humor , striking visuals and thought-provoking use of symbolism to be mostly compelling and amusing .",
      "the MOV is a sweet and uplifting humanistic fable that celebrates the joys of community and pastoral life over a harried and materialistic urban existence .",
      "this is the fourth collaboration for naji and majidi , and the actor and director feed off each other creatively , pushing the boundaries of the characters each time .",
      "a leisurely and lovely picture , well worth seeing .",
      "from a cross-cultural perspective `` the MOV '' gives essential voice to the impoverished peasants of rural iran .",
      "the goldfish flopping in the sun is an image typical of majid majidi 's films , fable-like and seemingly simple even as it is also complex .",
      "takes place a half a world away in a land of ostrich farms and refrigerators delivered ... on the back of a motorbike , but karim 's foibles , his worries and joys , will be recognizable to anyone ...",
      "it is somehow congenial to feel that we are watching a tale that could have been told elsewhere .",
      "delicate and sturdy ."
    ],
    "summary": "a heartfelt , affecting parable , the MOV is another gem from iranian director majid majidi .",
    "id": "770789923"
  },
  {
    "movie": "8-12",
    "reviews": [
      "there 's no clean way to boil the characters of 8 1/2 down to their psychoanalytical essence .",
      "fellini has made many masterpieces , but this 1963 oscar-winner is arguably one of his most brilliant and influential films , boasting a seminal performance from marcello mastroianni .",
      "gets to the core of creativity",
      "... a delightful piece of filmmaking full of imaginative flights of creative delirium and accomplished with wit , verve , style , grace , and a tongue-in-cheek joy .",
      "it 's fellini 's last black-and-white picture and conceivably the most gorgeous and inventive thing he ever did .",
      "here is the author-director picture par excellence , an exciting , stimulating , monumental creation .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- fascinating and highly-influential masterpiece from federico fellini .",
      "unless fellini 's problem has been preying on the mind of the viewer , he may not care to take on the director 's doubts and confusions .",
      "somehow , the movie is more than the dated crisis of a naval-contemplating artist . it 's about the inability in all of us to make sense of our lives , put it all together and come up with something meaningful .",
      "-lsb- fellini -rsb- is that rare sort of artist who can be loved , revered and just barely tolerated , all at the same time .",
      "amiably spiking all criticism through a gloomy scriptwriter mouthpiece , fellini pulls a multitude of rabbits out of the showman 's hat .",
      "a true masterpiece",
      "he effect is sometimes confusing -- but always beautiful -- and eventually intertwines to a singular life-confirming realisation that cuts through the madness and embraces it .",
      "its opening -lsb- has -rsb- perhaps the greatest dream scene of all : marcello mastroianni 's guido stifled in a silent traffic jam , onlookers gazing blankly at him as he rises through the sunroof of his car , high into the sky . the rest of the film is n't too shabby .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- brilliant , sumptuous semi-autobiographical account of the creative process .",
      "the ensuing decades have brought forth a deluge of bogus masterpieces , and fellini 's , by comparison , holds up rather well .",
      "if a fellini fan , this one is a must see .",
      "a marvellous and immensely personal piece of self analysis , which journeys into the heart , mind and soul of its illustrious director , frederico fellini .",
      "a carnival of the soul .",
      "marcello mastroianni becomes an avatar for the great italian director federico fellini in the surreal cinematic self-interrogation that takes place in 8 1/2 .",
      "it exerts an irresistible pull .",
      "this is a complex and painfully honest study of a man in a personal and professional crisis .",
      "at least half-kidding most of the time , it 's a playful nervous breakdown , alight with ideas and joy .",
      "8 1/2 is probably the most potent movie about film-making , within which fantasy and reality are mixed without obfuscation , and there 's a tough argument that belies fellini 's usual felicitous flaccidity .",
      "a sprawling anything-goes portrait of the artist and the creative process in crisis .",
      "in terms of execution i can not remember a more brilliant film .",
      "a seminal work of cinema .",
      "a wonderfully self-indulgent meditation on creative blocks and personal crises",
      "8 1/2 is widely regarded as federico fellini 's masterpiece , though it is an abstract admittance of failure . -lrb- the film , however , has few faults it does not itself admit - a benefit of a film containing its own critic -rrb- .",
      "here is a piece of entertainment that will really make you sit up straight and think , a movie endowed with the challenge of a fascinating intellectual game .",
      "one of the undisputed classics of modern international film .",
      "most overrated film of all time .",
      "fellini 's flights into the surreal are his self-examination and confession . alas , unlike bergman , his confession is without moral rigor ; he wants to be indulged , not absolved .",
      "astute beyond words .",
      "fellini was so incredibly creative that when he was mentally blocked , he turned his inner struggle into a phenomenal masterpiece of introspection .",
      "fellini 's manic , larger-than-life 8 1/2 rules as the king of all italian movies .",
      "8 1/2 is the best film ever made about filmmaking ."
    ],
    "summary": "inventive , thought-provoking , and funny , 8 1/2 represents the arguable peak of federico fellini 's many towering feats of cinema .",
    "id": "18384"
  },
  {
    "movie": "country_strong",
    "reviews": [
      "it stumbles from scene to scene , theme to theme and trope to trope . if you want it to make sense , however , you 're out of luck .",
      "the movie 's well-acted . almost everything else about `` MOV '' is weak .",
      "this less show than tell , sudsy when not bland make-believe musical can best be described as a , well , bad hear day . and likewise full length feature promos for a couple of actresses suddenly turned singers .",
      "an insight-free showcase for haphazard clichés , with a title that sounds like deodorant for cowboys .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- deeply , dangerously earnest take on truth and beauty in trouble .",
      "it shows that gwyneth knows the spangly high-powered joys of country music . too bad that in MOV , she 's too busy acting out the hysterical and mostly nonsensical sorrows .",
      "`` MOV '' is one of the best movies of 1957 , and i mean that sincerely as a compliment .",
      "ultimately it 's too meandering and uneven to ever truly tug at your heart .",
      "both sincere and cynical in its view of country stardom , it makes you forgive all of its false notes simply because the talent plays them with conviction .",
      "several good performances are left adrift , as the characters roam from scene to scene , singing -lrb- quite well -rrb- as they go . even as a sort of long-form music video , it 's disjointed .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's solid workmanship and an authentic emotional muscle in this movie . i was startled to find myself overwhelmed , eventually , by its ragged charms and its rough-edged vision of female power and pain ...",
      "boozing , cheating , weeping , backstabbing , pill-popping -- MOV plays more like a honky-tonk jukebox than a movie .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- mixed bag of a country music comeback fable .",
      "if the point of MOV was to prove that gwyneth paltrow can sing , then mission accomplished . you do n't need to sit through this two-hour melodrama to confirm that .",
      "feste struggles mightily to instill meaning and grandeur in MOV , but her initial efforts to sidestep cliché often result in confusion before she simply gives up and opts for melodrama .",
      "the world of pandora was more believable than this whitewash .",
      "like the overwrought lyrics of a classic country ballad , MOV is movie manipulation of the highest order",
      "the film is very depressing and melancholy that you have a hard time finding the entertainment factor . that is until you get the music .",
      "much like the deservedly-maligned `` burlesque '' with cher and christina aguilera , `` MOV '' is merely a trite story that gives paltrow and her co-stars a chance to show off their vocals .",
      "january is always a tough month for movies . unfortunately , `` MOV '' just made it that much tougher .",
      "MOV stumbles , and has some slack in its silences , but it takes its world , characters and songcraft seriously ...",
      "most of the effort seems to have gone into the original music , which is pleasant but not memorable , and too little on creating believable , multidimensional characters .",
      "even a paltrow fan -lrb- i remain one -rrb- would have to concede that her willowy frame and perfect skin do not betray a lifetime of vodka-swilling and throwing up in hillbilly bars .",
      "as predictable and soulless as an over-produced country power ballad .",
      "paltrow is a poster girl for the virtues of yoga and a macrobiotic diet - which makes her far too healthy-looking to play the troubled , booze-sodden singer at the heart of -lsb- this -rsb- sudsy romantic melodrama .",
      "no saving grace here .",
      "some killer tunes plus a genuinely believable turn from glee star paltrow make MOV a show worth catching .",
      "the good news is that paltrow can sing ; the bad news is the mawkish and one-paced drama she 's playing in .",
      "the backstage shenanigans and tear-stained soap opera are all too predictable in MOV but the performances lend it conviction and the soundtrack has enough heart and soul to endear it to true country music fans .",
      "this is a cheesy soap opera that dearly wants to be a country and western all about eve . the songs are n't too bad ; the dialogue is .",
      "for me it 's a no .",
      "i hated , loved , hated the movie . in that order .",
      "more country pop than country classic , MOV puts its characters through the dramatic wringer ... but only skims the surface of their emotional minefields .",
      "it almost works as a decent if familiar story of comebacks and setbacks -- but then one bottle goes crashing against the wall and the emotional investment all but flies out the window .",
      "keeps gwyneth paltrow in an irritating state of teary distress , and makes one long for the same numbing cell of bottle-clutching isolation that alcoholism gifts to the lead character .",
      "as far as i can tell , the moral of MOV seems to be : mothers , do n't let your kids grow up to sing country music . good advice . that said , the music is easily the best part of the movie , and i do n't even like country music .",
      "why do i have to listen to meester caterwaul throughout the movie and tim mcgraw -lrb- one of the biggest music stars on the planet -rrb- does n't even pick up a guitar ?",
      "it just lacks coherence , that 's all . oh , and a point . oh , and any sense of fun . oh , and a guy who looks like heath ledger in brokeback mountain -- no , wait , it has that , never mind .",
      "if you like a spectacle , whoo boy , you have found your perfect match .",
      "it 's too bad that ms. feste did n't ditch the female victim bit and make a movie about a survivor .",
      "... incompetent filmmaking with nonsensical narrative jump cuts , silly dialogue and characters who sway from one extreme to the other with no central balancing emotional core .",
      "so filled with mixed messages , misguided plot turns , and consecutive false denouements that , by the actual end , it finally comes off as nothing but an infuriating betrayal .",
      "hedlund has a surprisingly rich singing voice , the mahogany tones giving depth and stature to an under-written character .",
      "`` MOV '' comes to spontaneous life from time to time , despite maudlin devices and manipulative set pieces .",
      "but holy `` coal miner 's daughter , '' the results are borderline disastrous , unintentionally funny and strung together with canned parodies of country music .",
      "when it 's not forcing you to stifle a laugh , there are moments when the unwavering sincerity of the cast add up to some decent scenes .",
      "what saves `` MOV '' from drowning in its own tears are the leads , all four of whom imbue feste 's unabashedly clichéd script with some genuine humanity .",
      "if you 're going to make a bad film , at least make it short .",
      "there 's so much going on in `` MOV , '' with a new theme or plotline emerging every 10 minutes or so , that it feels like an entire season of a tv series has been crammed into two hours .",
      "`` MOV '' is a title that calls to mind a pickup truck . only in a work of science-fiction would it suffice as a description of gwyneth paltrow .",
      "the musical numbers offer some of the strongest moments in `` MOV . '' the story 's offstage dramas , however , are like a country song with every other verse removed .",
      "the many tunes in MOV are of such astounding banality , it 's as if they were written by caged chimps as they were driven through nashville on the way to a medical research lab .",
      "while the melodrama is ladled on fast and thick at times , it is performed with sufficient conviction that we are drawn in rather than left on the outside laughing at it .",
      "gwyneth paltrow is a beautiful , gifted actress with a lovely singing voice , but she 's never been more miscast than she is in MOV .",
      "patsy cline . loretta lynn . gwyneth paltrow .",
      "this country music drama boasts solid performances and a few catchy songs , but its ending might have you singing the blues .",
      "a movie that is n't smart enough to realize how stupid it really is .",
      "this overlong melodrama has all the dramatic grace of a wrecked-my-truck , lost-my-girl song-and about as much emotional heft .",
      "you watch `` MOV '' wishing you were watching `` crazy heart , '' and wondering whether gwyneth paltrow read the script all the way through , and wishing bridges would turn up to show the folks how it 's done .",
      "that rare ensemble piece in which all four principals are not only compellingly drawn but handled with an astute sense of dramatic balance .",
      "a country music drama with a big heart but not enough focus , MOV tackles fame , artistic expression , addiction and love , although none of them deeply enough .",
      "feste could do with less cowbell .",
      "does n't come close to matching any of the legion of films set in the country music world , from `` coal miner 's daughter '' to `` walk the line '' to `` crazy heart . ''",
      "maybe if you love the music it does n't matter what the story is , but it does show irresponsible lack of restraint dealing with serious drama .",
      "themes and cliches plucked from countless country lyrics fuel a thoroughly unconvincing show business story about a larger-than-life , crash-and-burn star and her unruly entourage of self-serving personalities .",
      "there are some lovely songs , and a handful of great ideas , just dying to bust out of MOV , but the cream gravy that coats every corner of this chicken-fried valley of the dolls smothers almost everything it can .",
      "a rare specimen in our postironic age : legitimately unintentional camp .",
      "shana feste 's screenplay seldom rises above the level of daytime tv ; the only actor who triumphs over her trite dialogue is tim mcgraw in a nonsinging role as paltrow 's husband and manager .",
      "if feste actually believes that this show is country nirvana , she has no business making a country movie .",
      "MOV weak in the story department .",
      "the story 's shifting perspectives and sympathies -lrb- the distinctions between the ` authentic ' singer-songwriter and the ` pop ' vocalist prove ambiguous -rrb- result in a music-centric work that feels more honest -lrb- while being less entertaining -rrb- than ` crazy heart . '",
      "a perplexing blend of threadbare narrative tropes assembled without any imagination or , crucially , any fun .",
      "oh , my goodness . it 's the first lifetime movie network flick to hit the big screen !",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- y the time MOV ends , it has largely defeated the feel-good buzz from its subplots involving puppy love and charity .",
      "the downer plot with a predictable ending never rises above television tearjerker movie of the week , but the songs are enough to recommend to fans of this genre .",
      "hedlund 's got a hell of a voice , rotgut-ragged , and whether he 's crooning or wooing , whatever he 's selling , and no matter how cornpone , i 'm buying .",
      "a fairly turgid new drama that is anything but subtle , anything but surprising , but somehow it 's truthful and honest , and the characters get under your skin .",
      "disappointing country music drama that fails to hit the required emotional high notes , thanks to a confused , cliché-riddled script , poor direction and an unconvincing performance from a badly miscast gwyneth paltrow .",
      "writer/director shana feste is clearly indebted to the oscar-winning crazy heart and robert altman 's epic nashville , but the script all too often stumbles into mediocre soap-opera territory .",
      "c&w lovers will lap it up - look out for some stellar nashville cameos - and there 's big-lunged uplift to see you through the cornball plot turns .",
      "paltrow gives it her best but is so conspicuously doing country . we 're meant to believe she has spent half her life staring into a vodka bottle , but she glows like she 's just stepped out of a yoga retreat .",
      "like last year 's crazy heart , this film traces the journey of a struggling addict country singer . and while the film is somewhat sentimental and simplistic , it features some strong acting that manages to draw us in .",
      "this enjoyably ott drama-with-songs-in-it was monstered in january by american reviewers , who were maybe expecting a highbrow , subtle and meditative drama in which gwyneth paltrow is an alcoholic banjo player .",
      "with so many storylines battling for supremacy , MOV never conveys who these people are and is often inconsistent in portraying them .",
      "a decade after duets , a singing gwyn proves she can still reach the high notes . shame the melodrama plays strained and unoriginal .",
      "there are real issues here that need to be explored -- the neurosis of fame and its consequent personal and relational stresses -- but MOV gives them only surface treatment .",
      "strong in intent but wobbles under the lights .",
      "misconceptions concerning show biz , rehab and addiction abound in this disappointing melodrama about a country megastar on a downward spiral . but its fine cast is not to blame .",
      "if not for the music , MOV would barely be a wimper at your neighborhood multiplex .",
      "it 's a relief when paltrow 's character bursts into song . that 's the only time when she 's not pitching fits to beat the band ... making the band , and the audience , extremely grateful .",
      "the soundtrack includes mostly new tunes , but the only country song that kept racing through my increasingly bored mind was willie nelson 's `` wake me when it 's over . ''",
      "every actor does a good job , but they rely on songs to tell a story instead of the screenplay . and i have no idea why i would root for any of them .",
      "the engaging cast in MOV helps us almost forget about shana feste 's disappointing script and irrational ending .",
      "it all gets more and more ridiculous as event piles up on event , leading to a turn of melodramatic excess that defines a new sort of pornography that has nothing to do with sex , but is obscene nonetheless",
      "remember when country music meant something to narrative filmmaking , when a tortured , soulful song put to film could document the doubts and dimensions of an entire generation ?",
      "catchy tunes , robust performances -- but you can see every backstage-melodrama-cliche coming two scenes away .",
      "paltrow 's got the pipes , but garrett hedlund steals MOV out from under her .",
      "when the starting point is a world in which even the toughest guys wear their hearts on their sleeves , the trick for filmmakers is how to walk the line without getting stuck in the muck , and that is a problem the filmmaker has n't yet figured out .",
      "paltrow and mcgraw are good , and so is the music , but garrett hedlund is the breakout star !",
      "for a script that promotes artistry over stardom , love over fame , MOV falls back on cinematic tropes that saddle the film with an unfortunate predictability .",
      "gwyneth paltrow must be a great actress because , as country singer kelly canter in MOV , she seems totally unaware of her insurmountable blandness .",
      "the movie is n't worth the scuffed cowgirl boots it 's scooting around in .",
      "a bizarre cut that finds kelly and beau riding a freight train just adds to the sensation that we 're witnessing a film career off its rails .",
      "MOV is a country music melodrama , but i 'm not sure which country . certainly not one with a deep south region where songs come from the heart , not radio trending surveys , and where folks know the smell of manure means do n't step in it .",
      "the plot is like a bad country song that just wants to pile on the heartbreak and the clichés .",
      "... wallows in the weepy glitz of country music ... without once tapping into its true grit .",
      "unfortunately weak .",
      "corny and cliched",
      "... MOV 's downfall stems from its almost egregiously deliberate pace ...",
      "it 's got enough melodrama and full-volume diva-meltdown histrionics to blow a movie like burlesque out of the water .",
      "not exactly brimming with the essence of country music",
      "some may cynically scoff at MOV 's rollercoaster of feelings , yet it 's almost completely appropriate considering the high drama present in the lyrics of country music .",
      "this canned corn falls far short of the inspiring story of triumph and tragedy it wants viewers to buy .",
      "though the plot is almost formulaic , `` MOV '' has two things going for it : talented actors and great music",
      "a rawer , realer , and far more believable and compelling portrait of a self-destructive country artist 's attempt at recovery than crazy heart .",
      "a little like modern country music - odd moments of sincerity , heart and authenticity peek through the plastic , the hype and the manufactured hokum .",
      "while paltrow belts out the title anthem with conviction , it is the younger performers who sing more intimate , and moving , numbers that advance the story rather than merely stating it .",
      "feste captures the heightened reality of performing before a massive crowd , when audience expectations and jumbotron screens can blow delicate emotions up to monstrous proportions . the problem is everything else .",
      "if mcgraw had been armed with a microphone , perhaps the movie could have gained something in symmetry ; if kelly had a grounding in social history , perhaps she could better be believed .",
      "the movie has its moments , but the characters are fuzzy around the edges ...",
      "after a while you find yourself giggling uncontrollably as paltrow lurches through her scenes .",
      "it takes a while for MOV to make up its mind what it wants to be about , and it takes even longer for it to figure out how to get there as the conclusion drags on and on , searching for a point .",
      "what a horrible way to kick off 2011 .",
      "MOV has a bit more to recommend it -- the music most of all -- but it 's still a tough slog through emotional swamplands .",
      "MOV is dead on arrival .",
      "a hackneyed backstage soap opera ... with all the subtlety of the lyrics of the country-western songs that fill the soundtrack .",
      "... the soundtrack sounds like they 're doing the same song over and over . the melodies and lyrics apparently change , but to the non-fan they 're indistinguishable .",
      "well-acted drama deals with alcohol abuse and more .",
      "the actors all grit teeth , chew mouthfuls of mushy cornpone and attempt to make something of this , despite a cheese-ball script and pretty perfunctory direction , both by shana feste .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- disjointed drama filled with one-dimensional characters and melodrama so lifetime movie-esque that it careens into unintentional comedy ."
    ],
    "summary": "the cast gives it their all , and paltrow handles her songs with aplomb , but MOV 's cliched , disjointed screenplay hits too many bum notes .",
    "id": "771203530"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_dilemma",
    "reviews": [
      "howard slowly escalates the tension to an unexpected but deeply satisfying pay-off , and the film 's final scenes demonstrate yet again that he is one of the few mainstream directors who can make dramatic symbolism work on a big canvas .",
      "the true dilemma of this misguided seriocomedy lies in the filmmakers ' confusion as to whether they 're making a side-splitting bromance -lrb- nope -rrb- or an unsparing , warts-and-all look at screwed-up relationships -lrb- sort of -rrb- .",
      "even though MOV fails as a whole , there 's enough ethical brain teasing and character-based conflict to warrant an unenthusiastic recommendation .",
      "`` MOV '' is never dull , but it 's also a mess .",
      "suffers from the mistaken impression that it 's a comedy . instead , it 's merely a template for comedy , handed to a group of people who obviously had no idea what to do with it .",
      "the latest comedy to explore the ethics of male friendships , MOV relies on the enthusiastic performances of its unique cast to see it through .",
      "the problem is that , like its primary characters , the film itself is emotionally damaged , trying too hard to be likeable and coming across too serious and dysfunctional for its own good .",
      "a dark spirit pervades this vince vaughn/kevin james buddy movie that stifles laughter .",
      "MOV is quite enjoyable until its characters stop behaving like rational adults and start acting like they 've just realised they 've got a film to finish .",
      "it deals with a serious issue of problems in a marriage , but it does so in such an ignorant , clumsy , sophomoric way with a sexist point of view that it loses any value , either morally or in terms of entertainment .",
      "lacking any great surprises , this story meanders along trying to prolong MOV for as long as possible .",
      "unsettling and so off tone that we wonder if we are supposed to be laughing at this at all .",
      "director ron howard , usually a surer touch behind the camera , seems out of his element here , unable to bring anything into clear comedic focus .",
      "the story may wander , and bears none of howard 's usual hallmarks , but the talent involved ensures MOV offers more than just your average date movie .",
      "the man who grew up on sitcoms and then made agreeable diversions like splash and parenthood seems to have lost his comedic touch .",
      "shockingly dark , the focus of `` MOV '' is less about cheap laughs and more about the absurd humor of existential loneliness .",
      "this film is familiar territory to director howard -lrb- `` parenthood '' -rrb- but , as always , he finds a way to get the right performances from his actors ...",
      "even for an experienced director like howard , there are just too many problems to get around .",
      "MOV for audiences is whether they would appreciate this slight , threadbare film but for the indefatigable energy of vince vaughn ?",
      "howard tries desperately to balance the comedy against the screenplay 's tense domestic melodrama ... and mostly fails .",
      "a movie that struggled to find a name never chooses a tone .",
      "MOV marks the latest step in ron howard 's attempt to recapture his past glory as a populist filmmaker , and apparently that involves making a terrible vince vaughn comedy .",
      "the filmmakers just do n't know what to do about the ladies .",
      "i realize it 's only january , but MOV is already in the running for worst movie of the year . it will be a hard one to top . or bottom .",
      "catch your best friend 's significant other cheating do you confront them ? ignore it ? or like ron howard , make your dilemma into a two-hour comedy and name it MOV .",
      "if you 're in the mood for some vince vaughn fast talking that 's better than average , MOV will work for you .",
      "meant to bridge the gap between chick flick and frat house fare , it is bound to annoy both intended audiences ...",
      "a morality play about friendship and telling the truth that fizzles into a sour and tedious comedy .",
      "do you trust this movie to tackle the issue with fairness and brains ?",
      "MOV requires a director willing to indulge the dark comedy to its fullest . one name that style does n't bring to mind for the job is ron howard .",
      "surely this balancing act involving both heartbreak and humor will polarize those who would prefer that the film stick to one or the other .",
      "some great chemistry between the central duo is undone by a plot that is so frustrating you will want to chew off your arm . it 's so frustrating that the ending is a palpable relief .",
      "in spite of the talent , MOV misfires",
      "feels like a throwaway effort by everyone involved .",
      "an intriguing marital dramedy that rides the line between great and awful , often undone by lazy editing .",
      "... far too sedate and uneven to make a wholeheartedly positive impact on the viewer .",
      "MOV is built upon an inherently false premise . in its heart it knows this , so it expends all sorts of energy trying to throw sand in the eyes of viewers , obscuring this fact for the sake of ` zaniness . '",
      "the male leads look comfortable in roles that approximate to their usual comic personas and each deliver chuckle-worthy moments .",
      "MOV is steadfast in its blockheaded moral code , one optimized for maximum pratfalls and foolishness .",
      "... so aggravating , that is so stupid in its set-up and narrative execution that it makes you want to throw things .",
      "a very poor effort from a talented group of people , this is a terrible movie wrapped in a glossy package .",
      "this dilemma -- and its resolution -- feels real and true , even when it 's playing things for laughs .",
      "the january movie burial ground claims another victim . rip .",
      "friendship comedy veers into serious territory .",
      "can we ever truly know someone ? can we even answer the question ? probably not , but MOV gets credit for trying .",
      "torn between establishing itself as a bromantic comedy or a relationship potboiler , the movie meets the requirements of neither . it is unsatisfying in general .",
      "how did ron howard get attached to this train wreck of a movie ? howard 's track record as a director has been hit or miss ... but never this deeply , disturbingly miss .",
      "the script by allan loeb careens all over the place without ever coming to rest on anything interesting .",
      "allan loeb 's sharp script throws up enough complications and smartly rounds out the characters ... to ensure the tension is sustained without upsetting the juggling act of laughs and life lessons .",
      "cack-22 .",
      "... clumsy , unfunny , disgracefully sexist .",
      "there are more laughs in schindler 's list",
      "it 's safe and boring",
      "ends with 20 minutes of apologies , a round robin of regret that downshifts the film 's sputtering energy into park .",
      "a surprisingly honest take on relationships with terrific performances by the four leads . a shame it has been mis-advertised as a wacky comedy , because it is much better than that .",
      "ron howard delivers an unconventional romantic comedy that 's actually about something .",
      "the only thing missing from this slight comedy of misunderstandings is mr. furley - and a scene set in the regal beagle .",
      "it 's about as crappy as the trailers make it seem - and if you found them as painful to sit through as i did , you should avoid this like the plague .",
      "let 's have a toast for vince vaughn , shall we ?",
      "this excruciating exercise in indecision sometimes feels like a glum comedy , sometimes like a silly drama . but it never , ever achieves anything like a coherent , consistent tone .",
      "bromances being what they are , vince 's sharp pang of disappointment might have been worth pursuing but , ron howard being who he is , not a chance .",
      "oh , there 's a dilemma all right -- your choices are clunky comedy or fumbled drama in this new vince vaughn vehicle .",
      "there may have been a very good comedy in this scenario , or even a serious drama , but all we end up in here is no man 's -- and no laughs -- land .",
      "the film is hardly a disaster . it has some effective comedy and a sense of reality but it 's not the kind of engrossing package that ron howard usually delivers .",
      "MOV is directed by ron howard , a man who can be relied on never to miss an obvious move . yet , the film just keeps getting darker and darker , and vaughn keeps pushing it that way .",
      "there is some good drama in the resolution , but this ai n't the drama version . they had their chance to make a drama and they made the wrong choice .",
      "this is n't a date movie ... unless it 's a blind date that you realized you did n't like during dinner and want to ensure there will be no second date .",
      "a risky failure : a ron howard-directed so-called buddy comedy with vince vaughn and kevin james that evolves into a weird , clumsy psychodrama about adultery , addiction and dishonesty .",
      "who ever thought that ron howard could make a cult film ? this movie is a mess , but it 's an intelligent and affecting mess .",
      "is it too soon to pronounce something ` the worst film of the year ? '",
      "a sour and tiresome comedy ...",
      "a humourless mess .",
      "a comedy without laughs , and a drama without tension .",
      "clearly director ron howard -lrb- cocoon , frost / nixon -rrb- was striving to make a black comedy drama , but instead has created a film that 's merely cynical and depressing .",
      "a not so bad bromance .",
      "vaughan 's behaviour is so crass and silly as to lack credibility .",
      "yes , there are a handful of interesting insights into friendship but when the film aims for funny it falls flat and the faltering romance between vaughn and connelly is never developed nearly enough to make us care .",
      "this collapses into comic mayhem , falling-out-of-trees slapstick , snore-bore misunderstandings and a sizeable distance between laughs .",
      "where 's the comedy that has been promised to us for months and months ? MOV is meaner and more dramatic than i was anticipating , and more than it should be .",
      "while vaughn proves he 's still got the fast-talking bravado that makes him so bewilderingly watchable , neither his quick wit nor his chemistry with kevin james can transform `` MOV '' into the gold standard of buddy comedies .",
      "you 'd think there 'd be room in a 118-minute semi-comedy for more comedy , but apparently not .",
      "if you must see `` MOV , '' see it on a plane .",
      "though MOV refers to a singular predicament , the film miscalculates its total number of problems ... particularly with regard to its grab-bag of styles running throughout .",
      "there 's no `` dilemma '' here at all - just a simple disappointment .",
      "there is much to say about the love that , except in comedies , dare not speak its name - the kind between straight men . `` MOV '' says enough of it to be interesting .",
      "as painful as the scenes are in which these four people try to figure out how to move forward , there 's also plenty of humor because the characters ' reactions feel like the way real people might behave in embarrassing situations .",
      "MOV is a disappointing misfire .",
      "mediocrity hangs thick around MOV , like a fog hugging a beach .",
      "... stretches patience , common sense , and anyone 's ability to stomach vince vaughn rambling his way through an eternally long two hours .",
      "MOV never stops being a movie , and never starts being a good one .",
      "it 's clear when a film is being tonally dishonest with itself , and this is what overpowers the positive traits that the film has to offer .",
      "as it is , MOV just feels like a big bowl full of ingredients that never makes the jump to a finished recipe .",
      "a dismal dramedy in which the comic bits are n't funny , the more serious parts heavy-handed and contrived , and the scenes that try to mix the two tonally muddled .",
      "kristen wiig plays a character on saturday night live that ca n't keep a secret . man , could this movie have used her .",
      "universal pictures is pushing ron howard 's new film as an all-star comedy . for me it 's about a 2-starrer .",
      "those expecting a trademark vince vaughn wedding crashers-style laughfest will be disappointed-and those who hate vince vaughn wedding crashers-style laughfests will be surprisingly impressed .",
      "dilemma rests on the same structural foundation as episodes of three 's company , when mr. roper thought he heard shenanigans through the kitchen door . a simple conversation would clear things up .",
      "what `` MOV '' ultimately does best is create a platform for vaughn to drag that iconic character of his into full-blown adulthood .",
      "a few months back , director ron howard started catching flack with glaad when trailers for his newest film included vince vaughn calling a car ` gay . ' he better be prepared for heavy artillery fire when people actually see the whole movie .",
      "while it feels a bit unbalanced at times , MOV still proves to be a sincerely clever comedy .",
      "MOV never quite finds the right tonal balance , although its dramatic moments are certainly more potent than its comedic ones .",
      "likely to please no one , neither the comedy seekers drawn in by james and vaughn 's mugs on the poster or the more sophisticated grown-ups who hear the movie is darker than you expect .",
      "the real dilemma in the sadly unfunny `` MOV '' is that several different movies are going on in director ron howard 's first nondrama in 11 years .",
      "there is a dark but funny , likable but truthful movie that could be made from this material , maybe even with the same cast . but best efforts or not , MOV is n't quite it .",
      "... this is quite a bit more engaging and emotionally challenging than one had much reason to expect .",
      "ron howard has made some great films . `` MOV '' is not one of them .",
      "a comedy that seems terrified to acknowledge its darker , more sinister self , it 's like an overmedicated patient or an addict in dread of relapse .",
      "amusing romantic comedy about how the titular dilemma nearly torpedoes the relationships that bond two upwardly mobile chicago couples .",
      "conversations about relationships and business are couched in the language of american sport : game seven ; playoffs ; red zones ; end zones ; sports stars ; ice hockey . is this the only way men can talk to each other ?",
      "the film is n't without its flaws - it 's inconsistent , and characters seem to drop in and out - but its serious treatment of its characters and their problems makes it much better than it probably has any right to be .",
      "a titanic wreck that makes you wonder if anyone was at the helm . the plot 's lost in a bermuda triangle of exhausted-formula , genre-muddle and hackneyed storytelling . bromance , dark drama , slapstick , and rambling , wanna-be-funny speeches get mixed up .",
      "as cumbersome and drawn out as a slowly deflating tire , this cinematic collision between vaughn 's celebrated funny-surly persona and howard 's earnest pedigree is a bore -- and a serious miscalculation .",
      "howard tries to have fun with a touchy subject but the good drama gets in the way of his lame jokes .",
      "rather less fun than a badly executed coronary bypass .",
      "finding humor in this humorless situation is MOV .",
      "there are some laughs and pleasures to be found here .",
      "this cinematic collision between vince vaughn 's celebrated funny-surly persona and ron howard 's earnest pedigree is a bore -- and a serious miscalculation .",
      "hollywood gloss will paper over a few of MOV 's problems but you 'll leave the cinema more feeling indifferent than anything else .",
      "the film retreats from its troubling message about the mystery of human nature and turns into a conventional celebration of male friendship . vaughn is clearly prepared to push himself further , but howard can be relied upon to play it safe",
      "the ugly emotional mess is so respectfully handled that the story resonates far beyond its comic designs .",
      "good performances in an interesting attempt that ultimately fails . wrong fit for director ron howard .",
      "unfortunately , ronny and nick 's bromance takes over , and james has neither the comedy chops or wildness to keep up with vaughn .",
      "the film spends too long dancing around the problem 's possibilities , but barely addresses the potential of the solution .",
      "the failure to establish which world these characters live in becomes more problematic as the film goes on .",
      "what distinguishes MOV ... is its resounding unfunnyness , its emotional dishonesty , and the general unlikability of its cast of characters .",
      "`` MOV '' does n't have the nerve to explore the movie 's downbeat soul , and settles for cheese and slapstick .",
      "it 's rare for a director as reliably down-the-middle as ron howard to let his movies go too far out on a limb , but MOV is a wild ride , thrilling when it is n't a calamity .",
      "the movie is not all that deep , but it does go further than many of its kind in acknowledging the hurt and difficulty that are the deep wellsprings of any comedy worthy of the name .",
      "it waits around for the chatty vaughn to decide what he 's going to do , ping-ponging between mean humor and bland sentimentality . the one bright spot ? the performance of channing tatum .",
      "there are lackluster movies vince vaughn can charm into being better . there are mediocre scripts ron howard can will some life into . MOV just is n't one of them",
      "a dilemma in more ways than one .",
      "a lack of focus leaves this film neither funny enough to be a comedy nor astute enough to be a drama . although it 's clearly trying to be both , there 's nothing about the story or characters that grabs our attention .",
      "such defining efforts as cocoon and apollo 13 seem light years away for ron howard ...",
      "badly written , poorly directed and painfully low on laughs , MOV struggles to find the right tone and ultimately fails to convince on an emotional level ...",
      "if it had been a complete drama or a complete comedy it would have been a better film . the schizoid approach just did n't work .",
      "the tone flits , sometimes uncomfortably , from vaughn-fuelled laugh-fest to relationship drama , but it 's a winner compared to many of the clunkly comedies out there .",
      "it lacks faith in its story , characters and audience .",
      "perhaps the late blake edwards could have found a balance between slapstick and psychodrama , but ron howard ca n't get the pacing right , and allan loeb 's script is even wordier than the one he wrote for wall street : money never sleeps .",
      "among howard 's infrequent misfires , this is one of the most disappointing .",
      "director ron howard and the gifted actors are defeated by a misguided film , which suffers from identity crisis , disappointing as a male buddy comedy and/or more serious account of the nature and limitations of friendhsip .",
      "at the very least , i can now say that i know what `` lady wood '' is .",
      "how are the mighty fallen ... unavoidably second-rate ... a likable guy goes completely bonkers , and it is n't funny ... tatum charmingly steals his scenes with vaughn , revealing how limited the actor is ... definitely aimed at males , the movie is quite misogynistic .",
      "ron howard movies inspire that rare kind of allergic reaction : they 're so unremarkable they 're actually frustrating .",
      "-lsb- vince -rsb- vaughn and -lsb- kevin -rsb- james usually headline comedies that aim low and achieve little , but MOV aims high and somehow achieves even less .",
      "ostensibly a comedy , this movie ca n't quite decide what it wants to be when it grows up .",
      "the introspective themes are n't fleshed out to their fullest potential , but it 's interesting to watch howard depict bothered people with a semi-lighthearted tone , instilling the film with a promising , if unfulfilled gravitas .",
      "heads toward easy jokes and easier sentiment , with a side of painful product placement .",
      "the jokes , when and where they can be found , are puerile , and continually give vaughn the movie-star catbird seat .",
      "a film with an identity crisis : an awkward hybrid of comedy and drama that 's never sure of which avenue to pursue .",
      "this is the sort of set-up that would have been perfectly nailed in a single episode of friends .",
      "a suspenseless marathon of misguided male loyalty . nothing 's funny . nothing 's real .",
      "despite flashes of insight and humour , MOV 's ham-fisted mishmash of bromantic set pieces and warts-and-all relationship drama makes for uneasy viewing .",
      "the pejorative use of the word `` gay '' that got MOV in hot water is still in the movie , and stands as one of its funnier lines . not that there 's anything right about that .",
      "one would not think that an issue of infidelity , a main character struggling with addiction and a flailing business proposition would be the recipe for a laugh riot .",
      "even with veteran director ron howard behind the camera , proceedings too often veer off in the wrong direction .",
      "junk-food cinema in its most elementary form . if you 're lucky you 'll have forgotten everything about this film by the time you leave the building .",
      "pious , intense and often hectoringly implausible , the movie runs on empty while making loud `` vroom-vroom '' sounds .",
      "it 's just a failure , full stop ."
    ],
    "summary": "it boasts a likable cast and an interesting premise , but MOV ca n't decide what to do with them ; the result is an uneven blend of cheesy slapstick and surprisingly dark comedy .",
    "id": "771041141"
  },
  {
    "movie": "xxx_state_of_the_union",
    "reviews": [
      "like an actual state of the union address , there is nothing in state of the union you have n't encountered already .",
      "... going for the hip hop-loving teen market -lrb- both city and suburbs -rrb- that is more than willing to drop big money on flashy hubcaps , flavor-of-the-month cds and crappy movies .",
      "there is n't a fresh moment in the entire 100-minute running time . the tediousness is impossible to dispel .",
      "the plot swings between pathetically implausible and aggressively stupid .",
      "if this sequel is any indication , the next xxx will be subtitled ` bigger , louder , dumber . '",
      "the stunts and explosions are effective , but the dialogue and characters are not .",
      "this flashy atrocity , clearly a lost cause from the first five minutes , offers viewers no option but to assume crash position and brace themselves for the worst .",
      "the only thing that really matters is whether the action scenes push the envelope -- and they do n't , especially compared with the extreme sports style of the first xxx .",
      "like the original , it 's ultra loud and often looks like a playstation game . but when the fast and furious bludgeoning and blow-ups wane , the screen may as well be tuned to channel zero .",
      "this new xxx has a story that may break all recent records for rampaging cliches and utter nonsense .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t is certainly true that there is not a lot of talking -lsb- here -rsb- ... because it would only interfere with the unbelievable number of vehicle explosions ...",
      "it 's sterile , juvenile , brazenly bad . it will make money . it will be forgotten by the time you get to the bathroom .",
      "its action scenes are too absurd and too computer-generated to produce any kind of rush . the dialogue , not just amateurish , fails even to approximate something resembling human interaction .",
      "a crisp adventure that grows increasingly audacious -lrb- the story climaxes with a huge battle waged in the capitol -rrb- if only lightly enjoyable .",
      "it 's even louder and dumber than the first xxx -lrb- 2002 -rrb- , but if watching things fall down and go boom in a very big way makes you cheer , you 're in luck .",
      "so devoid of craft , it looks as though it were filmed by robots .",
      "you 'd need a crane to suspend your disbelief .",
      "implausible actioner too noisy and clunky .",
      "call it seven days in may i please have a screenplay ?",
      "i do n't know about the state of the union , but the state of this movie franchise is gosh-awful .",
      "peter strauss is taking a few moments from his busy schedule of gardening with miracle gro , which evidently is not miraculous enough to conjure the `` w '' in `` grow . ''",
      "this is that rare b movie that 's rooted in gut-level stirrings of power and retaliation .",
      "a completely generic action film with nothing to hold your attention and no one for you to care about .",
      "crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrap !",
      "a self-consciously dumb political thriller is n't given room to do much .",
      "just what we need , a chubby , surly , incomprehensible action hero .",
      "the non-stop gratuitous violence/explosions/crashes are so implausible that this tedious thriller resembles an arcade video game .",
      "somewhere vin diesel is laughing all the way to the bank .",
      "chintzy effects work and quasi-military quasi-thrills actually bring to mind a cheesy late-eighties action picture , albeit with less appalling politics",
      "you always have the option of giving yourself a lobotomy before seeing this . if you do that , you just might like it -lrb- or even understand it -rrb- .",
      "seems more like a combined auto show/fourth of july celebration for firebugs than a movie .",
      "intellectually as dumb as a door post , but ice cube provides enough fun .",
      "now , rather than looking tough , former nwa badass ice cube simply seems constipated , and rather than being intimidating he is strangely ingratiating .",
      "` rather then saying the film strikes out i think i 'll use a little bowling jargon to sum it up : `` xxx '' is a turkey ! '",
      "it has just enough sociology , and is wholly dismissive of physics and logic . still , the last half-hour 's unbridled action raises it to the original 's enjoyable-trash level .",
      "so primitive , it must have been written in lizard blood on animal skin .",
      "embarrassingly amateurish .",
      "any movie that has the president quoting tupac had an idea somewhere along the way .",
      "a childish movie of the shoot 'em up/blow 'em up/here come the flame throwers and the cool-looking weapons genre .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- his is that oddest of creatures , the blue state action movie .",
      "one of the most uninspired and misconceived big-budget action flicks i 've ever had to sit through .",
      "no one expects brilliant writing in a movie like this , but there are limits -- or there should be .",
      "a colossal bore .",
      "it 's not awful or terrible ; it 's just generic .",
      "as for female characters , in the xxx franchise , there are only two types of women : the ones with big breasts , and the ones with even bigger breasts .",
      "is it too late to toss ice cube 's name into the hat in the new james bond sweepstakes ? i 'd be down with that .",
      "it may sound strange to say that this is another boring action film , but it 's true .",
      "... panders to african-american audiences , giving them white caricatures no better than the mammies and bucks of hollywood 's segregated days .",
      "the plot is `` ice '' thin and ice cube ca n't hold a candle to van diesel in my opinion . if you like a lot of car explosions and action packed scenes you will like this movie .",
      "explosions abound , along with expository dialogue and a ham-tastic triad of performances from sam jackson , willem dafoe , and peter strauss .",
      "... remains nothing more than a nonsensical and noisy diversion that wallows in its glossed-over big-budgeted b-movie banality .",
      "xxx : state of the union is an action movie for liberals , and as far as empowerment fantasies go , it 's a hoot .",
      "viewed on its own trashy terms , it succeeds brilliantly .",
      "atй mesmo vin diesel , astro do pavoroso operaзгo babб , percebeu que este projeto era ruim . preciso dizer mais ?",
      "the result is so infantile it might as well be based on the doodles of 8-year-old schoolboys .",
      "not only is cube amerikkka 's most wanted , he also our fattest -lrb- note : not `` phatest '' -rrb- action hero . they should have named his character xxxl .",
      "... an unimaginative , derivative , and ultimately dull riff on the bond series .",
      "ice cube makes an appealing lead and no-one ever mentions that he might be a little on the tubby side to really cut it as an action hero .",
      "xxx : state of the union falls flat because lee tamahori directs the action scenes with the grace of a bull in a china shop .",
      "aims low and hits the bull 's - eye with enough firepower to sink the bismarck .",
      "delivers the no-thinking-required , over-the-top goods , with some surprising digs at the original film providing the icing on this tasty bit of cinematic junk food .",
      "there 's not a single scene in this film that does n't provide at least one unintentional guffaw .",
      "a big , dumb action film that exceeds low expectations .",
      "full review in greek",
      "well , they sure blowed 'em up good in xxx : state of the union . and they pimped many rides . xxx is a car nut 's fantasy .",
      "youngsters and action junkies wo n't mind the film 's ridiculous gadgets , secret tunnels and hairsbreadth escapes , but everyone else will have to check credibility at the door .",
      "xxxcruciating !",
      "in light of the cinematic abomination that is `` xxx : state of the union , '' vin diesel made the right choice by refusing to do another `` xxx '' movie unless rob cohen continued to direct the franchise .",
      "you are supposed to walk away entertained , and i did .",
      "the only similarity that cube and diesel share is that they both appear to have ditched their birth names and pulled their new ones out of a hat .",
      "did i enjoy this movie ? only in a dumb mindless way . it has whatever made the original xxx entertaining , but a little less of it . does it make the slightest sense ? of course not .",
      "plays less like a sequel to xxx than a parody of it and the whole action genre .",
      "succumbs to a depth of directorial incompetence not seen since the likes of megaforce",
      "i have a perfect way to recreate the xxx experience at home for cheap : simply run headfirst at top speed into a brick wall . popcorn optional .",
      "cacophonous , ridiculous , and overblown , but it got on my good side .",
      "in the words of comic lewis black , `` do n't think about it for more than two seconds , or you 'll have an aneurysm and your head will explode ! ''",
      "opens explosively and never lets up , with lee tamahori -lrb- die another day -rrb- in full command of the action and simon kinberg an equally astute writer with a flair for linking socko action set pieces with terse characterization .",
      "ice cube brings his trademark charisma and street sensibility to a film that would n't be nearly as entertaining without it , though he gets considerable help from better-than-the-material-deserves performances by jackson and dafoe .",
      "there 's no wit or imagination , just the thump thump thump of exposition and explosions .",
      "kinberg and tamahori should be sued for movie malpractice .",
      "to say that tamahori -lrb- die another day -rrb- panders is to understate his capacity for bread-and-circus-style filmmaking .",
      "a humorless foray of noise and fast-cuts signifying nothing much .",
      "with ice cube at the wheel , it delivers all the adrenaline a junkie could ever want . just do n't pay too much attention to anything else going on in the movie .",
      "functions less as a movie than an overactive adrenal gland .",
      "any excitement over the many exxxplosions is overpowered by the fact that just about everything here is totally implausible .",
      "the most gratifying thing about xxx : state of the union is that nobody wastes much time on character , motivation , plausibility , dialogue or sex -- all that slow stuff that drags down ordinary movies .",
      "this is just a warm-up as the summer movie season gets an early start . big , loud and stupid , xxx : state of the union is n't so much a sequel as a preview of coming attractions .",
      "there is hardly a word that escapes from anyone 's mouth that is n't plain moronic . there are loads of big boobs though , both figuratively and literally ... good times .",
      "this dim-witted action-thriller might go down better if its presidential-assassination storyline were n't in such bad taste and if its attitude were n't so misogynistic -- and if its attempts at humor were more than lame one-liners .",
      "this is garbage , fun garbage at times , but action-bang trash nonetheless .",
      "i flat-out defy the filmmakers ... to logically explain the course of action in the movie .",
      "this is better than its predecessor , but it still lacks something . it 's too clean , sanitized and artificial looking , a film like this needs to get down , dirty and grimy .",
      "so generic and derivative ... that it 's hard to turn your brain off and even enjoy the action .",
      "xxx : state of the union is better than the first entry , which is sort of like saying a mallet to the scalp is better than a hammer .",
      "darius stone has no unique abilities : he 's just mean , tough and dogged .",
      "there are really only two kinds of big-budget action movies : stupid , and good and stupid . surprisingly , xxx : state of the union is good and stupid .",
      "the plot holes in this new xxx are xxxl - big enough to drive a tank through .",
      "so full of self-aware speechifying , howlingly bad verbal pissing contests , and audacious bulls ** t plotting that it almost flies as a parody of itself . almost . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "the sequel , rather than being big and dumb , is just dumb .",
      "one of the best sequels ever made without the star of the original ... the only reason to criticize is if you just do n't like big , unrealistic action .",
      "ok you do n't expect a sequel to 2002 's brainless xxx to be an action masterwork , but this is so preposterous that it feels like an overblown spoof of the original .",
      "xxx is a subversive film , zipping through an action film in minutes to sideswipe audiences with messages about politics and cinema that may make it the surprise of 2005 .",
      "despite its title , xxx : state of the union is neither pornographic nor political .",
      "a dumbed-down , pumped-up takeoff on ` seven days in may ' ... basically brainless pulp -- and even at that , not very well-executed pulp .",
      "a salt-lick for under-hung jackasses .",
      "burdened by ice cube and sunny mabrey masquerading as actors , awful , loud rap music and idiotic stunts , this clearly qualifies for the stupid genre .",
      "... a movie mixed into a video game mixed into a soundtrack mixed into an urban test market report ...",
      "the movie appears to have employed a super nintendo as its screenwriter , and it boasts all the elegance and character development of a transformers episode .",
      "xxxcrement . if it were n't for ice cube 's charismatic bad attitude , state of the union would be downright unwatchable .",
      "xxx : state of the union is occasionally fun to watch , if only to see just how much suspension of disbelief your brain can take .",
      "xxx : state of the union is a rip-roaringly funny action flick . that may not be what the producers , director , writer and stars intended , but that 's what 's up there on the screen .",
      "summits that elusive pinnacle of stupidity -- the one where a bad film crosses some indefinable event horizon of moronics and becomes weirdly awesome . you may find yourself laughing harder at state of the union than at any comedy you see this year .",
      "there are bound to be pictures bigger , dumber and more punishing than this one released during the summer , but at least the warm weather also will bring a wider range of alternatives .",
      "there 's no believing that big daddy darius stone -- a rather lumpy ice cube , who looks like he 'd get winded walking up a flight of stairs -- could save the country .",
      "perfectly mindless fun , where the emphasis is on the mindless .",
      "the part of me that was n't rolling my eyes really wanted to know which media bad boy would be next in line .",
      "this sequel careens wildly between the uninspired and the absurd , building up to an earsplitting , freakishly over-the-top finale that seems born either of desperation or a bender that would make hunter s. thompson proud .",
      "mostly an excuse for cramming as much gratuitous violence as possible into a pg-13-rated flick running only 92 minutes .",
      "the chases , shootouts and explosions in this deafening , lamebrained wreck of a movie make the road runner cartoons look like national geographic specials .",
      "james bond 's producers are n't going to like die another day director lee tamahori delivering a sleeker , more contemporary thriller than he made for them .",
      "plain , old , rancid trash , as careless as it is despicably wasteful . if xander cage had to die , the xxx series should have keeled over with him .",
      "the producing team behind this sequel to xxx has apparently decided that the only place to go is over the top way over the top .",
      "the film 's story remains as defiantly impervious to logic as its hero is to bullets .",
      "this could be the ultimate video-game movie , in that it sees the world entirely in terms of gigantic explosions that take place regularly every few minutes and which no one in the narrative seems to consider in any way out of the ordinary .",
      "at least this movie seems more aware of its trashiness than national treasure was . it 's therefore freer to have some off-the-cuff fun the way steven seagal 's more tolerable vehicles once did .",
      "this xxx seems to know exactly how stupid it is , and this kind of self-knowledge helps nudge it toward the guilty pleasure bracket , even if it never quite makes that leap .",
      "as a rating , xxx is used to warn people away from objectionable material . for this movie , it 's more like zzz .",
      "ice cube keeps the action-movie franchise alive with a pleasing one-two punch of humor and burly physicality .",
      "most of the movie is standard action fare , but the political commentary is interesting when it 's allowed to surface ."
    ],
    "summary": "even more absurd and implausible than the first xxx movie , state of the union is less inspired and technically competent than its predecessor .",
    "id": "19"
  },
  {
    "movie": "devils_backbone",
    "reviews": [
      "a compact , tension-filled examination of desperation and dread .",
      "the gorgeous tennysonian aecidia of the film is such as to explain if not entirely forgive its occasional failures of immediacy",
      "no se trata sólo de una cinta de fantasmas sino de una narración de atmósferas , de inquietud , de miedos confesados y otros no confesados ...",
      "with the devil 's backbone , guillermo del toro pulls an amenábar by deftly mixing bone-chilling dread with sophisticated war commentary .",
      "a stylish ghost story .",
      "mr. del toro has generated powerful feelings , even in such digressions as the execution of members of the international brigade from many nations .",
      "the devil 's backbone reverses expectations by telling its doom-laden gothic narrative in broad daylight and baking sunshine .",
      "this eerie thriller grabs hold of us and never lets go .",
      "an engrossing ghost story set against the backdrop of the spanish civil war .",
      "the picture also shares an iberian-flavored compatibility with the others by alejandro amenábar . both directors know when to reveal their ghosts and when simply to suggest them so quietly as to pleasurably levitate neck hairs .",
      "this is a great thriller . the supernatural aspect complements the regular one , with fine acting by the kids .",
      "if you can imagine victor erice 's classic spirit of the beehive as made by the young bunuel for roger corman , you might just get the flavour of del toro 's spanish civil war ghost story and psychodrama .",
      "haunting and unsettling .",
      "the devil 's backbone stands out because of its rich desert-dust palette of golden brown , but otherwise takes no discernable visual stance .",
      "a haunting film in every sense ... a picture that engages the eye , the heart and the mind with equal success .",
      "beautifully filmed , written and acted .",
      "it 's a striking film and further good news for the spanish cinema , too few of whose films open here .",
      "blending terror with tenderness , guillermo del toro has crafted something both traditional and original : a sun-kissed gothic horror .",
      "it 's a schoolboy ghost story , the kind best told after lights-out .",
      "pure , uncut del toro . the filmmaker accomplishes riveting scenes of suspense and scares he honestly come by , sticking the landing of every effect he attempts . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "... a hopelessly erratic piece of work .",
      "calling the devil 's backbone a ghost story is an unfair simplification of an exquisitely crafted film ... if you must label this film as horror , then it 's a horror film with a soul .",
      "a weirdly poetic film .",
      "though it fails in its final reels to capitalize on its early promise , pic is still stylish , accomplished and tremendously enjoyable fare .",
      "besides being genuinely creepy , it is also surprisingly moving . it is , quite probably ... the saddest horror movie ever made .",
      "in the end , backbone is about showing off a horror film director 's tools of trade .",
      "the devil 's backbone has been compared to the others , and has the same ambition and intelligence , but is more compelling and even convincing .",
      "like the others , it presents a taut , scary tale of hauntings and madness , while going its predecessor one further with a sobering meditation on the horrors of war .",
      "it stands alongside this year 's the others as a coolly accomplished ghost story that does n't have to resort to screaming teens .",
      "this haunting , melancholy tale is anchored by luppi 's sad , quiet performance",
      "del toro 's directorial sure-handedness makes you settle back for an elegantly creepy ride that has some shockingly unsafe stretches .",
      "it 's fun to watch del toro confront death and fear with such energy and humor .",
      "after a leisurely first half , the devil 's backbone becomes utterly spellbinding , its tension mounting in steady increments .",
      "a carefully wrought , atmospheric tale that takes its ghosts seriously and treats its audience with respect .",
      "even if it waves its psychological and political implications like a flag , it at least takes a stand against mindlessness .",
      "the slow pace and problematic exposition keep it from succeeding on any level .",
      "del toro piles on the baroque oogie-boogieness to give us an intense feeling of approaching evil .",
      "we feel these people 's anguish on a viscerally personal level .",
      "del toro risks ponderousness of pace and symbolism -- of an oppressive artiness -- to be true to his bleak vision , which is so compelling , unpredictable and unique that the devil 's backbone really works .",
      "sublimely atmospheric but erratically chilling , ... it 's too hung up on being more than just a ghost story .",
      "a seductively corrosive horror story that also potently suggests the ways war can shatter childhood .",
      "working again with cinematographer guillermo navarro , who used sepia filters for an old photograph feel , mr. del toro creates an eerie , unnerving mood and maintains it to the end .",
      "what gives the story resonance is the tenderness and sacrifice and even innocence del toro reveals amid the savagery .",
      "for those who can stomach this kind of thing , -lsb- del toro has -rsb- delivered a haunting work of art that will stay with you for some time .",
      "a ghost story that fails the scare test miserably .",
      "whatever the film 's final stretches lack in scares it compensates for in humanity .",
      "relies on atmosphere and specific situations to generate tension , and it 's smart enough to let that tension build slowly .",
      "a ghost story that 's not only evocative and original , it 's a pleasure to watch .",
      "creepy , meaty , crafty and fun .",
      "let 's just say -lsb- del toro -rsb- knows how to create tension .",
      "its unique setting , multi-layered plot and strong artistic voice clearly make it worthy seeing , particularly if you enjoy well-made and well-told spooky films .",
      "sure to give you a serious case of the creeps .",
      "... sends chills up the spine ...",
      "when you leave the theater you may find that the sad yet timorously hopeful story has gotten under your skin .",
      "this is one weird film by a film maker to watch ... closely",
      "just as he did in mimic and cronos , mexican director guillermo del toro crafts a horror film with deep thought and insight .",
      "it builds , not so much logically as viscerally , until you feel you ca n't escape .",
      "the director 's strong visual imagination and the fine performances keep us riveted .",
      "del toro provides enough atmosphere and character to elevate it above mediocrity",
      "del toro has a well-known affection for oozing , awful , and also gorgeous images .",
      "one of those rare films that can frighten you without feeling the need to be flashy about it .",
      "creepy and compelling and beautifully shot .",
      "-lsb- del toro -rsb- understands how war can bring out the strangeness in people 's perceptions ; fear , as the patriarch played by federico luppi says , makes you see things .",
      "the chills and suspense and graphic violence are leavened with the horror that comes from knowing the victims -- and knowing they are undeserving of their fate .",
      "it has a couple of classic horror moments that will have audiences jumping for the ceiling , but even more ambitious and rewarding is its examination of the horrors of reality .",
      "a ghost story with political allegories , it 's a compelling tale about the effect of war on children .",
      "with the way hollywood embraced antonio banderas , there 's no telling what eduardo noriega could do if he learns english .",
      "the acting is clunky , and the story is straight-to-midnight-movie stunted and not very believable .",
      "a supremely elegant film .",
      "you 'll see how a talented filmmaker sustains suspense with a small budget , few special effects and relatively little gore .",
      "the devil 's backbone is a ghost story that would probably be scary even if the phantoms who inhabit it were n't around .",
      "the work of a great stylist with a uniquely disturbing attraction to , and vision of , the frontier between life and death .",
      "it seems to want to badly too scare us to make it wholly effective as a political allegory .",
      "satisfies every requirement of its graveyard genre while remaining anchored in real danger , pain , frailty and human dignity .",
      "backbone is a creeper , but with so much more on its mind than recent examples of the genre it almost hurts to make the comparison .",
      "an extraordinarily powerful film , filled with chilling moments and evocative characters .",
      "a well-crafted , white-knuckle cinematic journey .",
      "captures the fear , confusion and bravery of these boys in a way that is both beautifully ethereal and violently tangible .",
      "-lsb- del toro -rsb- finds real substance in shadows and whispers , in the terrors that reside at the back of the mind .",
      "the most polished work that del toro has created in some time .",
      "a ghost story this hypnotically effective is cause for celebration , particularly if you 're a horror fan patiently digging through the scrap heaps looking for something worthy of your time .",
      "del toro has produced a remarkable story that has the feel of authenticity .",
      "weaves a web of ideas and connections .",
      "it 's not a film that the 1-2-3 moviegoers will likely enjoy because it is quite leisurely paced and methodical , but if ghosts , inventive legends , wicked atmosphere and subtitles do it for you ... this export is sure to get a rise out of a few of the little",
      "there are a couple of excellent plot twists in the devil 's backbone , but what makes the film so haunting is del toro 's confident direction .",
      "guillermo del toro 's the devil 's backbone is a really cool ghost story with an extraordinary human and political dimension .",
      "although spooky , the devil 's backbone becomes weighed down by perhaps one too many subplots .",
      "what del toro provides with the devil 's backbone is the recognition that evil exists within the most routine of circumstances . that knowledge is as old as humanity 's belief in the fantastic , and just as powerful .",
      "you may find that images from this movie clamber back into your memory weeks after you see it , and give your spine a chill .",
      "del toro 's elegant pacing and gothic touches imbue the proceedings with a cool mystery .",
      "though the whodunnit takes a fairly predictable course , the spanish civil war background adds powerful narrative and symbolic weight , while the striking imagery is simply poetic .",
      "it 's a horror flick , and a creepily good one , that also functions as an allegory of the war that still haunts spain seven decades later .",
      "this moody ghost story follows generally familiar lines despite its unusual historical setting , but it 's imaginatively filmed and builds a sense of brooding emotional power .",
      "the devil 's backbone augments its abundant creepiness with an equally powerful poignancy .",
      "an elegant , emotionally fraught ghost story",
      "makes the mistake of revealing too much too soon ... however , the film excels in most other areas .",
      "a visually appealing daylight ghost story ...",
      "a freakshow royale .",
      "a treasure of artistic elements and genres synthesized together in a flawless cohesion of cinematic and visual poetry .",
      "if only for its technical aspects , this would rate as a pleasurably superior supernatural psychological thriller , with polished but subtle special effects , painterly , atmospheric cinematography and vivid performances .",
      "so much better than del toro 's studio efforts , with a masterful command of sound and and colour that is breathtaking .",
      "an entertaining and atmospheric revenge tale .",
      "a finely acted , atmospheric period piece with a strong streak of mystery and the supernatural . both chilling and rewarding .",
      "atmospheric in detail , the film 's visuals are its strongest point .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- elegant , spooky story .",
      "a politically resonant ghost story by one of the masters of the genre .",
      "throughout , del toro has composed vivid and riveting images that he has combined with a engrossing story .",
      "no more and no less than a story of terror well-told .",
      "an expert , sunlit chiller audaciously predicated on an unquiet historical memory .",
      "mr. del toro provokes your screams and shudders , but he also earns your tears .",
      "a beautifully crafted melodrama with rich settings , wonderful actors and skin-prickling horror .",
      "creepy , complex and expertly crafted .",
      "a genuinely scary , exquisitely shot -- and very well-acted -- ghost story/political allegory .",
      "genuine creepiness , drafted by one of the prime purveyors of intelligent horror .",
      "rich with psychological and political implications that never obscure its fundamental creepiness ."
    ],
    "summary": "creepily atmospheric and haunting , the devil 's backbone is both a potent ghost story and an intelligent political allegory .",
    "id": "15721"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sophie_scholl_die_letzten_tage",
    "reviews": [
      "how young people confronted the nazis . an inspiration for people struggling against war , arbitrary government and ultranationalism today .",
      "we have n't seen a comparable clash between a principled heroine and a determined , malevolent villain since agent starling matched wits with hannibal lecter in the silence of the lambs .",
      "... a worthy subject , but it does n't translate into much more than good tv drama .",
      "the scholls were obviously courageous people . it 's a shame this film is n't more of a tribute to their bravery .",
      "o estilo quase documental assumido pelo cineasta intensifica o drama da situaзгo e nos leva a apreciar ainda mais a coragem e a forзa dos ideais de uma jovem admirбvel -lrb- e jentsch oferece uma atuaзгo apaixonante -rrb- .",
      "as sophie , julia jentsch is so good , so coolly passionate and unaffectedly moving in her pursuit of justice , the performance transcends the workmanlike trappings of the film itself .",
      "rothemund gives us his sophisticated filmmaking only in the finale , which is devastating in its briskness and fury .",
      "... the orderly and clean drama is more like theater than history come to life .",
      "sophie scholl : the final days does n't use any cinematic flourishes and embellishments ; it does n't need to .",
      "rarely has bravery been presented with such reserved dignity .",
      "the subject matter apart , the film is a meticulously crafted drama , observing and recording the events , setting mood and creating a sense of time and place that further deepen our involvement .",
      "while scholl 's virtuous life makes her eminently worthy of her own biopic , it does n't necessarily make her the most interesting subject for a movie .",
      "full review in greek",
      "the realization that we are , in many instances , listening in on actual proceedings gives the film an immediacy that no dramatist could hope to match .",
      "compelling in its depiction of quiet heroism , this testament to the power of passive resistance is made all the more authentic and poignant by the superbly controlled performance of julia jentsch .",
      "jentsch keep -lsb- s -rsb- up a subtle , restrained performance while the movie nazis around her are screaming themselves red in the face . she succeeds beyond all expectation .",
      "the film has an immeasurable fascination that makes us look on as voyeurs and wonder how we might have reacted during such desperate times .",
      "although sophie scholl is noteworthy for its performances , it will undoubtedly fail to capture the popular imagination here .",
      "a very tense study of the last days of nazism , and a worthy homage to a true heroine ...",
      "a claustrophobic bio-pic which telescopes tightly on the torture of the fearless activist till her demise after less than a week in the hands of hitler 's sadistic interrogators .",
      "the movie reminded me of one of those books for young readers that skims the surface , taking care to avoid any material that might contradict or confuse .",
      "with the exception of a melodramatic musical score , director marc rothemund never missteps , filming the remarkable true story with restraint and skill .",
      "the director , marc rothemund , has kept the unbridled horror of the nazi period carefully tamped down ... the prospect of inescapable doom that hangs over the heads of the three main characters is horrific enough .",
      "the sentence against her is carried out with startling promptness ; because of the movie 's title , we are not surprised , but we are jolted .",
      "-lsb- jentsch -rsb- creates a deeply human portrait of a courageous young woman at a moment when that kind of courage seemed in terribly short supply .",
      "rothemund and screenwriter fred breinersdorfer have locked themselves into an episodic structure that offers virtually no nuance .",
      "highly personal and wrenching story .",
      "elegant in its moral and artistic simplicity",
      "offers the rousingly cathartic spectacle of a young woman who stood up and did what the country has been accused for 70 years of failing to do : to its face , she told hitler 's third reich to shove it .",
      "a powerful , valid and worthy exercise , to be sure . but not emotional , and emotions are the fuel of cinema .",
      "julia jentsch conveys strength and vulnerability in equal measure ; it 's easy to understand how she could rally or provoke people when she stands up for what 's right .",
      "sophie scholl : the final days wants to avoid the sentiment that is inherent in the details of her tragic demise , but in doing so , it 's leeched the emotional power out of her life and death .",
      "sophie has rightfully collected several awards and should continue to do so , not only because it 's a well-crafted and beautifully acted film , but because it relays an urgent message .",
      "the film holds us rapt not through narrative suspense but through the eerie and demanding spectacle of profound moral courage , of a powerless good person in collision with absolute evil .",
      "hinges on a superb centerpiece performance by julia jentsch .",
      "rothemund 's film , like last year 's downfall , benefits from its scrupulous treatment of history and generally restrained performances .",
      "this seeming psychological incongruity made sophie more human and more heroic to me , as well as more worthy of the deep respect that george bernard shaw and danish filmmaker carl dreyer expressed for saint joan .",
      "everyone must see this film , because while we 're not yet at the point at which college kids who distribute flyers criticizing a warmongering government are being executed for their political agitating , we can not ever , ever get to that point .",
      "plays like one of the better `` law and order '' episodes .",
      "german actress julia jentsch is phenomenal in the lead role , bringing a vulnerability to a character perhaps a bit too perfect on the page .",
      "one of a very few films that accomplishes one of the rarest and most valuable of cinematic achievements : it makes heroic goodness not just admirable , but attractive and interesting .",
      "... jentsch draws you into it until you find yourself so involved , you may be astonished .",
      "sophie scholl has a certain quiet dignity that wins its audience popularity honestly .",
      "there is little sense of what sets this seemingly ordinary girl apart and gives her her steely resolve .",
      "sophie scholl : the final days may sound like a history lesson , but do n't be fooled . it 's a horror film .",
      "while the film does n't dig deep , or hit particularly hard , it neatly achieves its modest goals : presenting a real-life heroine in real-life terms . a film this fictionalized rarely feels this much like fact .",
      "jentsch is a mesmerizing presence in the role of this incredibly strong young woman , as is mohr playing a man whose humanity and political beliefs are at odds .",
      "sophe scholl : the final days is an oddly economical , exceptionally detailed and , finally , horrifying movie that surprises one with its cumulative power .",
      "sophie scholl - the final days is a worthy work that presents valuable new information about the case .",
      "as befits a film about a woman who took much of her strength from religious conviction , jentsch 's performance seems to be lit from within .",
      "sophie scholl is a powerful story .",
      "straightforwardly scripted , it 's not difficult to imagine this earnest and conventional retelling as if it were an original playhouse 90 production .",
      "the film is a shattering experience fueled by -lsb- julia -rsb- jentsch 's electrifying performance .",
      "sophie scholl : the final days does a good job of catching the heady optimism of youth , and the fearless dedication to a lost cause that only the true believer can muster .",
      "sophie scholl perpetuates the celluloid mythologizing of the second world war , filtering the banality out of real events and people , replacing them with heroic posturing .",
      "sophie scholl : the last days is a traditional and competently made film ; julia jentsch 's steely performance is brilliant .",
      "a career-defining performance by julia jentsch drives this riveting german thriller",
      "this gripping true story conveys what it must have been like to be a young , smart , idealistic dissenter in nazi germany , where no dissent was tolerated .",
      "finely controlled ... a docu-drama of seriousness and integrity .",
      "a compelling and deftly acted portrait of a female freedom fighter against the nazi war machine in 1943 germany .",
      "the film has a serious , urgent tone , but not a preachy or strident one .",
      "the narrative is tight and compelling , claustrophobic in scope , with acting performances that chill in their understated anxiety and courage .",
      "through it all , jentsch is a beacon of bravery and resolve in the darkness of a totalitarian machine . if any actor in an english-language film has given a better performance in the past year , i 'd like to see it .",
      "i found this oscar-nominated film overlong and ultimately disappointing .",
      "the film holds few surprises , though it builds a remarkable level of suspense during the fait-accompli interrogation scenes , and is a well-intended commemoration of a courageous young woman .",
      "there 's a resonance to sophie scholl that crosses borders and approaches the timeless .",
      "there 's no moment of release , no instant of sudden redemption in this powerful , moving , and altogether devastating film .",
      "though scholl 's inquisition and trial are harrowing , there 's too little sense of what sort of person scholl was . we can only grasp at air and guess what it was inside her that drove her to forsake her life in favor of a higher purpose .",
      "... to shorten the discussions between mohr and scholl would have been to miss the point . she makes her lasting impression on mohr , and us , not by violence , or cacophony , but by the persistence , patience and persuasiveness of her intellectual discourse ...",
      "-lsb- sophie and hans -rsb- embody the adolescent faith that any political action is better than none , and the movie could n't treat them more glowingly if their actions had been effective .",
      "director and writer take pains to adapt nazi interrogation records into an accurate and well crafted tale of civil courage and a selfless portrayal by julia jentsch .",
      "marc rothemund 's treatment is oppressively dull and unimaginative .",
      "the true story of the anti-nazi heroine scholl , who was captured , interrogated and exceuted in 1943 , is brough to the screen for the third time with tact , intelligence , and accuracy but no dramatic excitement .",
      "rothemund 's drama is gripping , the acting carefully and convincingly nuanced , and the plot masterfully paced .",
      "captures the faint but nonetheless discernable strain of feminist camaraderie and religiosity that served as complementary components of scholl 's insurgent anti-nazi `` idea '' of liberty and equality for all .",
      "a story of commitment that makes up for lack of glitz with currency of message .",
      "as ideas are shot back and forth , ` sophie scholl ' becomes an admirable , but not entirely successful , morality play .",
      "julia jentsch gives a brilliantly nuanced performance as sophie , a fun-loving girl who likes marmalade and schubert but also happens to be a rare beacon of conscience in totalitarianism 's dark night .",
      "powerful and moving",
      "it is powerful , straightforward , utterly without pretense and very , very moving .",
      "contains a riveting dialogue between an anti-war german woman and a not-so-rigid gestapo agent .",
      "the film 's claustrophobic intensity and emotional punch certainly deserve to be cheered .",
      "the film itself may be very classical in its approach -lsb- but -rsb- the sheer power of jentsch 's performance and sophie 's own words make this film an absolute must-see .",
      "sophie scholl 's is a story well worth telling , and this movie is one well worth checking out .",
      "a true-life story told in the perry mason style , this german gem uncovers a slice of european history that many of us were unfamiliar with .",
      "the courage to act as she and her colleagues did in the worst possible scenario should inspire anyone , of whatever political stripe , to speak out before it gets to the point where her story could possibly be a true one .",
      "devout but no saint , sophie was one of those people whose moral gravity -lrb- helped by a wonderful family -rrb- bears witness for humanity when that is most needed .",
      "a disturbing film about courage , idealism , youth and the grim mechanics of mankind gone mad .",
      "those with the courage to stick with director marc rothemund 's fact-based drama will discover a wrenching , infuriating and ultimately uplifting experience .",
      "the film 's notions about the importance of free speech and the proliferation of ideas are obviously important -- it 's a message that needs to be spread in our own uncertain times .",
      "frank and frightening .",
      "electrifying ... as serenely played by jentsch , sophie is a heroine made radiant by the blinding truth of her moral convictions .",
      "interesting story , but the movie does nothing to stand out from the crowd"
    ],
    "summary": "a film that begs the audience to reflect upon their own courage and strength of character in light of this young heroine 's daring story .",
    "id": "19050024"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1197228-earth",
    "reviews": [
      "for fans of wildlife programmes , MOV will be nothing new - it is , after all , a re-cut version of the bbc series planet MOV -- but this is a wildlife film at the very top of its game .",
      "MOV opens with a dazzling scene of the planet from space and then flits around the globe to give us equally astonishing shots of animals in survival mode and at play .",
      "for most of the way this is an eye-popping , not blood-curdling , experience .",
      "... if not exactly innovative , at least breathtaking on a how-in-the-world-did-they-get-that-shot level .",
      "setting new standards in precision wildlife photography , `` MOV '' remains little more than eye candy . a playboy magazine of the planet MOV .",
      "what this is , in fact , is the live-action version of the opening of the lion king , celebrating the ` circle of life . '",
      "MOV caters to a younger audience , keeping its biological and environmental lessons at a basic level of understanding .",
      "i did n't learn anything but it 's fun , which i did n't expect . animals do stuff . i do n't see how it 's an overall ecosystem but whatever .",
      "the production values of this film are very good , but it wanders away from its three main storylines often enough that it may not hold the attention of children .",
      "it 's not only a good watch but is informative .",
      "disney puts truth in the drawer claiming that `` changing weather patterns '' cause drying rainforests , when it 's the destruction of the rainforest that is causing the changing weather patterns .",
      "it just feels like cheating . this is the exact footage used in the `` planet MOV '' series . i even miss the full disney treatment . no cute names given to the animals ? how will you sell more stuffed animals ?",
      "the voice of darth vader , james earl jones , narrates this lively and majestic nature documentary that traces a year in the life of our planet by way of some its most enchanting species .",
      "it might seem awfully mean to critique a nature documentary released by walt disney on MOV day -- but that 's exactly what i 'm about to do .",
      "as a movie made with kids -- and mass consumption -- in mind , MOV labors under some frustrating limitations . but as a palatable , engaging reel of incredible nature photography , it has few equals .",
      "parental content review",
      "this ` MOV ' is so beautiful .",
      "if nature 's what you crave , you 'll have more fun sitting on your porch and watching mosquitoes impact with a bug zapper .",
      "a top-drawer documentary that provides the perfect occasion for families to celebrate together the wonders , diversity , and miracles of nature and animals .",
      "it never quite lives up to the level of filmmaking set by the disney nature films of yore .",
      "enriching , informative and noteworthy , MOV explores the wonderment of our neighboring species and the behavioral observations that ensue in glorified curiosity .",
      "a well-made doc that will prompt the viewer to think , ` is a vulnerable animal better off safe in a zoo or with risks in the jungle ? '",
      "spectacularly photographed , gracefully edited , and effectively matter-of-fact in demonstrating the effects of of climate change .",
      "fundamentally a condensed trailer for the bbc 's portrait of the globe 's myriad habitats , the film offers a skimpy but reverential portrait of the intertwined relationship between the environment and its inhabitants .",
      "it is as beautiful a film as i 've seen in some time .",
      "stars mother nature and the photography deserve standing applause .",
      "this is a film that does n't know when to shut up and gaze in wonder .",
      "spectacular footage and a low-key ecological message make this first release from the disneynature label a valuable family offering .",
      "full of great , gorgeous footage . beautiful enough to forgive disney for hannah montana : the movie .",
      "it really is impressive to see these images so up close on a big screen .",
      "our responsibility to protect this ecosystem underscores every image ; watching is submission to our call of duty . yet , MOV feels compromised where planet MOV was not",
      "breathtaking . take a break from the gridlock , concrete and steel jungle that defines most of our lives . these are some fantastic , wo n't believe your eyes , animal shots .",
      "a welcome throwback to the days when walt himself would personally supervise such earth-friendly fare as the living desert and the vanishing prairie .",
      "every bit as majestic and eye-opening as the title infers .",
      "MOV is 85 minutes of graceful animals , scary animals , funny animals , and excruciatingly cute baby animals . a better family-friendly nature film ca n't be found .",
      "dazzling wildlife docu has a few intense moments .",
      "nature can be cruel , children , but damned if it is n't seriously photogenic .",
      "it 's such a joy to see this footage on the big screen -- even better than hi-definition tv -- that you may want to suffer the slings and arrow of an outrageous soundtrack just for the opportunity to see what 's on the screen .",
      "there 's no question that , given the option , planet MOV is the way to go . this movie will do in a pinch , however , and it is impressive -- provided you find a way to block out the voiceovers .",
      "when a subject is as big as all outdoors , the big screen has some advantages .",
      "spectacular ! remarkable in every way , even better than the 2005 oscar winner , ` march of the penguins ' , this is a breathtaking motion picture achievement .",
      "this is , after all , the circle of life , and while it 's kindly to watch adorable creatures partake in adorable behavior -lrb- polar bears sliding around in snow ! -rrb- , the reality of existence is far more dangerous .",
      "has lots of stunning visuals and wonders of nature to behold , but ultimately lacks insight and never really achieves the exhilarating heights and palpable poignancy of march of the penguins .",
      "the disney connection marks ` MOV ' as a worthy heir to the oscar-winning ` true-life adventures ' the company produced from 1948 to 1960 ...",
      "if your family enjoys this kind of entertainment , do yourself a favor and rent the bbc 's `` planet MOV '' from which most of the spectacular footage was lifted .",
      "the beauty of the landscape , the beauty of the animals , it 's all irresistible .",
      "this MOV is beautiful and worthwhile .",
      "the many filmmakers spent five years on this impressive project . they 've given us glorious images of an MOV that most of us have never seen . let 's hope that the means to understand it will be included on the dvd .",
      "a wide-screen wildlife documentary in which the cycles of birth and death , migrations and seasons , are captured in stunning -- absolutely stunning -- ways .",
      "with its little-bit-of-everything approach , MOV sometimes feels more like really glorious wallpaper than a satisfying story . but there 's no arguing with those images . they 're fantastic .",
      "it 's very instructive and hey , where else can you see footage like this ? on animal planet , the discovery channel , the national geographic channel , etc. , just about every night .",
      "MOV succeeds well enough as spectacle .",
      "it 's not that this lovely-to-look-at nature documentary is bad : it 's just that it 's completely redundant as a film .",
      "jones ' narration is both warm and authoritative . if mufasa ca n't make kids care about the MOV , it might be a lost cause .",
      "no other movie -lrb- documentary or feature film -rrb- has featured as many `` wow ! '' moments as this one does in quite some time .",
      "this MOV does n't really have anything new to say , but it does present some newly entertaining ways of saying it .",
      "a splendid wildlife documentary .",
      "entertains as much as it educates",
      "feels like a thin introduction rather than a rich tapestry .",
      "MOV is at its best when it goes beyond presenting awe-inspiring beauty to elicit a sense of wonder and empathy for our fellow creatures and of global responsibility toward our fragile planet .",
      "a gorgeously photographed storybook .",
      "as a virtual tour of what MOV day is about , kids ought to be entranced . if it helps them get greener , even better .",
      "MOV is n't especially informative or original . but it is packed with beauty and wonder .",
      "featuring edited moments from the popular planet MOV as seen on discovery channel , apparently disney 's idea of going green is to recycle film footage for theaters .",
      "MOV is a film of epic proportions which carries a lot of intensity and stunning visuals but drags a little in the beginning before picking up some steam .",
      "this spectacularly shot doc gives our big , blue planet her due , with rare peeks at exotic creatures and thrilling action scenes .",
      "what it does well is so remarkable that by the time the credits roll you likely wo n't want it to end .",
      "with such a photogenic and charismatic cast , how could MOV miss ?",
      "think of MOV as being akin to a greatest-hits collection of a beloved rock band . the context is gone , but the reason for the renown remains .",
      "this first release from disney 's self-explanatory new arm , disneynature , is at the very least peripherally concerned with the planet and its dwindling prospects , but the real renewable resource here is the groundbreaking planet MOV miniseries .",
      "in a sea of hollywood formula , artifice and escapism , here is an invitation to wonder , awe and gratitude .",
      "directors alastair fothergill and mark linfield mostly avoid speaking directly of social issues . instead , they let the visuals and the animals ' plights underscore the importance of maintaining a healthy ecosystem .",
      "for adults , MOV misses the mark of riveting storytelling . MOV crams in the dramatic adventures of several species -lrb- including penguins -rrb- -- with the result that it comes up short on telling one really good story .",
      "as a spectacle disney 's MOV is right out of this world .",
      "-lsb- the directors -rsb- know how to craft a sequence -lrb- lions and elephants uneasily drinking at the same water hole -rrb- , have an eye for the telling shot -lrb- baboons mincing across a flood plain -rrb- , and mercifully avoid making the fauna look human .",
      "take a bow , mother nature .",
      "for a round-the-world trip , it feels a bit like a budget bus tour .",
      "for a generation too young to remember national geographic specials and disney 's true-life adventures , -lsb- this -rsb- should be an exciting journey through our natural world .",
      "... the images that are captured by the filmmakers are so stunning and breathtaking that you would really be doing yourself a disservice if you did n't see them up on the big screen .",
      "do n't let the fact that this film is re-edited from existing footage stop you from seeing it . it is quite simply breathtaking on the large screen .",
      "this film is for those so buried in gadgets and the gap that the MOV , at its roots , has become something foreign .",
      "MOV may be the most striking collection of nature photography i 've ever seen . it is n't flawless , but it is a one-of-a-kind treat .",
      "a gorgeously photographed nature documentary that does n't have enough happy moments and has far too many tragic ones .",
      "it 's impossible to not come away with a renewed respect , appreciation and awe for this place we all call home .",
      "when disney gets involved in making things green , we 're talking about the color of money .",
      "MOV hits all the right notes , and if disney corners the market on nature documentaries and creates an annual cinematic event of this caliber tied into MOV day , so be it .",
      "solid docu about global-warming informs rather than preaches .",
      "a beautiful mix of humor , heart and spectacle that puts the studio that invented the true-life adventure back in touch with its wild side .",
      "reminds us that no matter where you are , this third rock from the sun of ours is a gorgeous thing .",
      "like arctic tale , this is a great looking and interesting view of nature . also like that other 2007 film , MOV falls short of being truly memorable .",
      "those familiar with the discovery series planet MOV wo n't find anything new here , but the james earl jones-narrated movie is fine on its own ."
    ],
    "summary": "with its spectacular and extensive footage , MOV is both informative and entertaining .",
    "id": "770672740"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1212694-blind_side",
    "reviews": [
      "if frank capra was still around , director john lee hancock might have had to fight him for the job .",
      "if someone were telling you this story , you might say , `` wow . that 's something . '' even so , the narrative is not quite big enough to bear the weight and significance that writer-director john lee hancock tries to attach to it .",
      "parental content review",
      "works in its own simple way because we believe and connect to these characters .",
      "it is easily bullocks best performance over a career that spans two decades .",
      "speaking of being blindsided , the MOV is good enough to make me almost forgive sandra bullock for all about steve",
      "lewis ' earlier and even better sports book , moneyball , also is in a turbulent journey toward the big screen , but after this film , he may hope it never gets there .",
      "... had its heart in the right place , but in order to have a shred of believability , it needed more grit . the tuohys are cardboard saints with a big bank account and oher is their big lump of clay .",
      "this movie is smarter than it had to be , which gives its emotional core even more of punch .",
      "` the MOV ' may not make the all-american sports movies team , but it plays with plenty of heart .",
      "in the movie the MOV , truth is sacked and authenticity is fumbled -- all in the name of cheerleading . the MOV is not true -- it is a crowd-pleasing white wash .",
      "i really wanted to like john lee hancock 's the MOV . in fact , i wanted to love it .",
      "... presents the upbeat family-film playbook with no surprises , but if you 're in the mood for a feel-good flick , this is an excellent choice .",
      "the pile-on of big emotional moments , accompanied by big music , is overwhelming . this is a movie demanding to be loved .",
      "subtlety is horse-collared in john lee hancock 's disappointingly lifetime-ish sports film . it lacks the subtlety or nuance of his `` the rookie '' and is borderline offensive in spots , but sandra bullock easily delivers her career 's best performance .",
      "veers a bit close ... to capra territory , but its sure , honest touch carries it effortlessly into the end zone .",
      "has quite a lot in common with precious , although this is a much more mainstream movie with a more white-liberal perspective",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- his utterly unsurprising , unchallenging feel-good flick mostly ignores larger social concerns in telling its implausible tale ...",
      "if ever sandra bullock had oscar nomination potential , it comes in her canny performance as a southern republican with a heart of gold .",
      "the black kid is the macguffin around which revolves the affected lives of white people .",
      "the movie glosses over the deeper issues of the tale , ones dealing with race , poverty , privilege and ethics , opting for the feel-good quick hit that makes the overall experience unsatisfying .",
      "what makes the MOV a thanksgiving treat is director hancock 's subtle touch and admirable refusal to yield to sports movie clichés , something he did previously with the rookie and remember the titans .",
      "... it reminds us that initial impressions can be deceiving .",
      "the MOV is a terrifically touching , thoroughly entertaining film .",
      "i should hate this movie with every ounce of my being -lrb- and that 's alot of ounces -rrb- . yet , it has a certain charm that draws you in like the girl next door .",
      "judging by the awful trailers , i did not think in a million years i would see a wonderful true story that perfectly balanced comedy and drama . bullock was fantastic .",
      "surely post-recession america will turn out in droves for this cinematic version of a hug . but should they ?",
      "the film is played with a focus on low-key charm and quiet drama , and there 's a warm , human sense of humor .",
      "blond , brisk and all business , -lsb- bullock is -rsb- easily the best thing about the film , which otherwise slumps into a cloying , condescending morass that does n't do her fine work any favors .",
      "it 's hard to overlook that while michael 's benefactors are white , the villains in the movie are black .",
      "bullock may have found her erin brockovich in tuohy , commanding the screen with grit and determination in an oscar-worthy role if ever there was one .",
      "another uplifting and entertaining feel-good , fact-based sports drama .",
      "missed opportunities and surface gestures aside , hancock draws affable , energetic performances from all concerned .",
      "its m.o. is n't understanding or identification , just white self-congratulation .",
      "sandra bullock renders a strong performance as the feisty southern belle in this inspirational sports saga , but the film is too conventional and does n't offer a deep look into the psychology of the players or the interracial subtext .",
      "institutional racism as inspirational melodrama , it 's regressive entertainment , our very own triumph of the will .",
      "do n't turn a blind eye to `` the MOV '' as it is one of the best films this year !",
      "a movie that inspires . sandra bullock is refreshingly different and gives a superb performance . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "hardly the most daring , profound or clever picture of the year , but certainly one of the most touching .",
      "if not for sandra bullock ... the MOV would have drowned in its own mediocrity .",
      "incessantly positive because it 's about good deeds and its ripple effects .",
      "sandra bullock finally reaches her potential in this heart-warming true story , ... a terrific movie .",
      "MOV uses old playbook to jerk tears .",
      "we all want big mike to be saved from the life so many are stuck with . i 'm simply shocked bullock was up to the task of doing the saving . yes , it appears i was blindsided .",
      "the kind of film that works on you while you 're watching it , but is finally like a second helping of dessert that leaves you feeling ever so slightly sick afterwards .",
      "syrupy sports drama uplifts but glosses over deep issues .",
      "a movie made up almost entirely of turning points and yet curiously devoid of drama or suspense .",
      "take a real-life story like the MOV , which on the surface sounds pretty sappy , and turn it into something honest , heartfelt and surprisingly inspirational .",
      "a hollywoody realization of a great real life triumph . has its faults , but nicely directed , acted and edited , on the whole .",
      "bullock 's the main reason to see the film : she 's believably feisty and funny as an ex-college cheerleader turned into a strong-minded , nra card-carrying southern belle with whom you should not mess .",
      "to paraphrase a quote from an ex-nfl coach , the MOV is what we thought it would be , but it 's also a whole lot more .",
      "there are so many ways this film could have gone badly , but writer/director john lee hancock has taken michael lewis ' book of the same title and made it into a believable , non-sentimental movie .",
      "see it for the heartwarming story it is , and for sandra bullock 's best movie in quite a while .",
      "a feel-good sports drama about the intersection of race and athletics , with solid if unremarkable performances that strains just a little too hard for social relevance",
      "recycles the charitable messages of other religion-based films , from `` facing the giants '' to `` fireproof , '' but presents them in an accessible , mainstream package .",
      "zanatski korektno djelce u kojem poku % u0161aji da se filmu pred kraj `` napumpa '' drama nisu previ % u0161e uvjerljivi",
      "it 's guaranteed to make you feel all fuzzy and warm inside and the saintly bullock makes up for the disastrous -lrb- and razzie award-winning -rrb- all about steve .",
      "watching the MOV , i felt my emotions being stage-managed , but once or twice i got something in my eye .",
      "generally enjoyable , but it is n't until the credits roll that you 'll realize what a major sentimental impact it has on you .",
      "a nice-as-pie story that lacks any real tension or drama and threatens repeatedly to veer into sappy territory , yet somehow , just through foolhardy `` goodness '' , manages to be consistently enjoyable -lrb- if a little slight -rrb- for its two hours .",
      "the MOV 's heart is in the right place -- how could it not be , it 's got so much to go around -- but that 's about all that is . there 's a good story in there , one that 's probably worth experiencing , but load up on insulin before you go .",
      "while the MOV constantly threatens to deteriorate into sentimental saccharine , it never does . bullock 's accent grates at first , but she bonds well with mcgraw",
      "una cinta amena , sencilla de digerir y apta para toda la familia , una fábula de la vida real de las que pocas veces suceden y cuando lo hacen , son dignas de llevarlas a la pantalla .",
      "sports movie carefully sidesteps the issue of race and stereotypes",
      "it often feels like a republican curative for precious .",
      "although based in reality , john lee hancock 's tale never seems more than just a more serious version of tv 's different strokes or webster .",
      "if a hallmark greeting card could throw up , the puke would come in the form of the MOV .",
      "the movie 's title refers to the area of a football field that the left tackle protects , but it could easily refer to an audience unaware of its prejudices .",
      "its superficiality keeps it from being the moving story it could have been .",
      "sandra bullock shows her acting talent in this uplifting movie that entertains on all levels",
      "potentially culturally offensive and overly schmaltzy , the MOV instead threads an almost impossible needle , pulling off a surprisingly moving and inspirational story of compassion , self-discovery and hope .",
      "unfortunately , it had to battle against the dumb , romantic juggernaut new moon . sandra bullock and company will give you many more moments of enjoyment than any lame hormonally-challenged vampire-werewolf can offer .",
      "for many african-americans , the MOV will be familiar with its elements of ` the great white hope ' and ` the magical negro . ' but , this is a true story . you ca n't hate a story for being true , even if it might channel legendary hollywood stereotypes .",
      "oherâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s life is meant to make us feel good , and it mostly does . but how good we feel about his story is proportional to how blind weâ -lrb- tm -rrb- re willing to be about how itâ -lrb- tm -rrb- s told .",
      "yes , this feel-good sports/biographical drama is predictable and by-the-numbers . yet for the most part , this cinematic `` comfort food '' goes down pretty well .",
      "however obvious , the MOV is touching -- despite its habit of dropping major character notes into the melody without warning .",
      "... an affable -lrb- if entirely unremarkable -rrb- piece of work ...",
      "it 's a feel-good movie that could have been a more intellectual , honest exercise , but it 's still a feel-good movie that works on its own terms .",
      "the problem with a story that 's almost too good to be true is that someone in hollywood will try to make it better .",
      "what a drag that , one year into obama 's presidency , american films remain so careful about depicting black actors .",
      "the MOV is only ambitious enough to be a solid , earnest -- if long -- crowd pleaser .",
      "`` this feels way too manipulative to be taken seriously ''",
      "upon seeing -lsb- bullock 's -rsb- oscar-worthy performance is `` finally ! '' followed quickly by , `` why the heck did it take so long ? ''",
      "the filmmakers pay lip service to the story 's racial undertones without ever really rocking the leaky boat .",
      "it 's a cute , touchy-feely crowd pleaser that wants nothing more than to wrap audiences in a warm holiday embrace . in a sense , it achieves that goal , but it is overly sentimental in a lifetime movie kind-of-way .",
      "we never learn why leigh anne is so fearless , but bullock is the force here . mcgraw is an amiable anchor to her bull-by-the-horns portrayal .",
      "it speaks of faith , hope and charity with the down-to-earth tones and rhythms of a high school percussion band in a thanksgiving day parade .",
      "hancock mostly restricts the story 's scope to its heartwarming bits and begs off any serious investigation of race . the reason , of course , is that this is n't that kind of movie . but i could n't help but wish that it were .",
      "here is a movie that honours a downtrodden financial , racial and political minority : rich , white southern republicans who carry guns and are n't afraid to threaten black people with them .",
      "shows that america , for all its loudhailed christianity , does n't really need god at all . it just needs sandra bullock and her like .",
      "bullock turns in a terrific , ball-breaking performance . unfortunately , the rest of the film is painfully patronising .",
      "you have to keep reminding yourself that the MOV is based on real events . it seems much more like a cannily concocted , sugar-coated fairytale designed to inspire and uplift .",
      "a photoshopped image of reality that is bland , parochial , and stereotypically acted by a cast who have nothing like the subtlety and range of trey parker 's puppets from team america : world police .",
      "enjoyable , mass-market crowd pleaser that allowed sandra bullock to win an honorable best actress oscar as the republican spitfire who takes up the cause of a homeless teenager who just so happens to also be an outstanding left tackle .",
      "the MOV wears its heart on its shoulder padding for the entire 128 minutes and eventually , the wholesomeness of the characters , pulling together for a common cause , wins us over .",
      "some will find it overly sentimental but it does succeed in pulling at the heartstrings - and sandy proves she really can act .",
      "sandra bullock is two for three in 2009 .",
      "it 's all a bit too pat and convenient , and sadly , a little bit racist .",
      "a few momentary hiccups aside , the film plays out in sickly-sweet fashion , relentlessly shoving the touhy 's self-righteous values down the audiences ' throat and never bothering to consider the wider social ramifications ...",
      "a sports drama that 's more about the melodrama and less about the sport .",
      "it 's clumsy , obvious film-making but then if you buy into it , well , it 's kind of lovably basic in its emotional button pushing .",
      "oher 's miserable start in life should n't have happened , but it did -- and the MOV is a film that should n't work , but does .",
      "you will be moved , but at the price of any nuance or complexity .",
      "it 's a celluloid version of paul mccartney and stevie 's wonder 's ebony and ivory , one in which pious , infantilizing didacticism masquerades as humanitarianism .",
      "there are several good scenes , even if you can spot the oscar / trailer clips a mile away , such as when one of leigh anne 's stuck-up friends remarks `` you 're changing that boy 's life '' and she replies , `` nope . he 's changing mine . ''",
      "quite how sandra bullock deserved an oscar for her one-note turn as bleached supermum leigh-anne is a mystery , since it transforms a potentially worthwhile character study into a grandstanding star vehicle .",
      "the movie 's obsessed with the tuohy clan 's constant kindness towards mike , and the social knock-on effects for them . but it barely gives a second thought to the poor sod 's own struggle with suddenly finding himself a charity case .",
      "bullock has pulled a blinder herself . it 's a doughty performance , and worth singling out .",
      "it does the crowd-pleasing act almost perfectly .",
      "bullock is certainly likable , but the fact that her performance -lrb- let alone the movie itself -rrb- is considered oscar-worthy is ludicrous .",
      "though not without its racist undertones , -lsb- the film -rsb- manages to take an inspiring story and use it to compose an entertaining and compelling tale ...",
      "the film is also up for an oscar but will surely fall into the `` it 's an honour just to be nominated '' category . still , it 's an enjoyable film and arguably bullock 's best .",
      "whether the movie was worthy of oscar consideration is another matter , but there is little doubt it is uplifting and inspirational .",
      "can not be denied its to-be-reckoned-with sincerity .",
      "the fact that the MOV is a terrible movie must be approached gingerly .",
      "there are several ouch-worthy moments like this in the MOV , but they are spaced just far enough apart not to devalue the real worth of michael oher 's story .",
      "with far less potential than precious , superior production values and the willingness to tell the story in a straightforward way prove to be the right formula .",
      "it pushed my outrage buttons like no movie since those ghetto-bots in transformers 2 admitted they did n't know how to read .",
      "hancock tugs at the heart strings and wrings the tear ducts with the same ruthless efficiency as a superbowl playbook .",
      "un drama sencillo y humano , inspirado en una historia real , cuyo principal atractivo es sandra bullock en un ligero cambio de tono . no es el primer drama en el que participa , pero sí su labor dramática más convincente hasta la fecha .",
      "it 's so clichéd and so patronising and there 's more than a whiff of racism .",
      "some situations seem very contrived , but ultimately there 's no doubting that bullock has created a memorable character in leigh anne .",
      "writer-director john lee hancock wisely lets the true story of michael oher speak for itself .",
      "especially effective is the gently comic interplay between the solemn michael -lrb- aaron has little dialogue but speaks volumes through his expressive eyes -rrb- and bullock 's pushy southern mama , who has a firm grip on tough love and usually gets what she wants .",
      "writer-director john lee hancock has turned oher 's remarkable life into a hollywood fable that trades difficult truths for easy clichés .",
      "sarah palin is n't the only gun-toting , ex-cheerleader , conservative christian sports mom back in the news . this week also gives us sandra bullock as leigh anne tuohy ...",
      "in probably her best performance ever , sandra bullock is downright brilliant . as in crash , bullock proves again that she is much better at drama than comedy .",
      "bullock adds two extra dimensions to her usual one-dimensional , cutesy , addle-brained personality and gives the performance of her life .",
      "a mostly heartfelt , compelling and inspirational albeit occasionally contrived sports drama .",
      "i believe the real leigh anne tuohy did a wonderful , selfless thing and i told her so when i interviewed her . she deserves a better movie to be made about her .",
      "... could wind up giving inspirational sports pictures a good name .",
      "the movie contains enough humor and heartbreak -lrb- though next to no dramatic tension -rrb- to make it an engaging if undemanding experience .",
      "i sure wish sandra bullock would get out of the business of making crappy rom-coms and make more movies like the MOV ...",
      "some true stories , however pleasant , just do n't make for interesting movies .",
      "without adding too much cheese , director john lee hancock channels genuine emotion from the michael lewis book -lrb- and the reality -rrb- that prompted this moving chronicle .",
      "if you 're looking for an uplifting sports story , this one , familiar as it is , manages a winning score .",
      "insightful , inspiring and football-themed - what could be timelier for thanksgiving ?",
      "feels less like a true story than a synopsis .",
      "the tender interaction between leigh anne and michael sustains the blind tension , not plastic acts of tragedy or insensitive supporting characters . too bad leigh anne was n't allowed in the editing room to knock some sense into hancock .",
      "there 's real ambiguity in the oher case , but writer-director john lee hancock papers over it ; it 's possible to see the tuohys as generous , caring people without brushing off their less-altruistic reasons for sponsoring oher .",
      "director john lee hancock defuses class resentment by making sure that everybody in the family is as adorable as possible ...",
      "the MOV fumbles a remarkable , true story of an african-american product of the west memphis projects who ended up at a christian school and in the care of a wealthy white family , and then went on to professional football glory .",
      "a wonderful feel-good fact-based sports story about the gifts of nurturing love and a redefinition of family values .",
      "some will doubtlessly dismiss the MOV as another example of a heroic white person saving a black victim but , although there is an element of truth in that perfunctory description , it misses the point .",
      "the so-called `` feel-good '' film functioning as a well-timed balm for the conflicted soul of white america . but rather than a clear-eyed look at the disparity between upper-crust suburbs and a cross-town ghetto , we get gloss of the highest order .",
      "what the MOV offers is a kind of liberal hollywood version of conservative values : all rock-solid valor , all the time .",
      "it 's a wonderful role for bullock , who delivers her best performance yet",
      "the story is told in the recognisable hollywood manner , polished and packaged , but that does n't detract from its impact . . it also tackles some of the darker materials of the story",
      "a gratifying yet grounded drama whose exemplary cast propel the action and tug at the heart-strings . recommended .",
      "it 's just blinkered middle-class pandering at its most shameless .",
      "all bullock 's films promote an edifying sense of human experience -- she has an instinct for what people like to see -- and that gift makes the MOV the perfect , god-sent antidote to precious .",
      "ultimately , race has nothing to do with the truth of the emotions this film elicits from an audience . it 's a solid movie , whether you 're color blind or not .",
      "in every scene , oher is instructed , lectured , comforted , or petted like a big puppy ; he is merely a cipher .",
      "john lee hancock 's quasi docu-dramatization of michael lewis ' book ... scores well in the basics of bringing this inspirational story to the screen but fumbles the chance for greatness due to the preponderance of one-dimensional characters .",
      "if sandra bullock were n't already a star , a star-making turn this would be .",
      "` the MOV ' is an emotionally uplifting tale in which sandra bullock excels in her best performance since ` crash . '",
      "ok , sandra bullock . i publicly forgive you for the ghastly ` all about steve . '",
      "even if it were n't true , the MOV would be a special film .",
      "while terrorism thrillers may be high on hollywood 's to-do list lately , movies about escape from the rumored terrors of ghetto life by unusually large people , may not be far behind .",
      "an antiseptic answer to precious designed for the tweener demographic .",
      "yes , it is one of the more tired genres around , and no , it 's not as good as the book . but `` the MOV , '' is a nice surprise - a heartfelt drama that tells an amazing story remarkably well .",
      "will never be remembered as one of the best sports films , but it may go down as one of the feel-good movies of the year and possibly as sandra bullock 's best .",
      "writing is real-life strong , directing perfect , bullock makes you believe she has lived this life , and mcgraw can give up the road . he 's got an effortless charm .",
      "despite being factual strains credibility .",
      "hollywood nearly ruins a great true story like the MOV by piling on the schmaltz .",
      "you 're going to be crying by the end .",
      "a living tribute to fundamental christian motivations , although the point is hammered home with an extraordinarily soft touch : love thy neighbor .",
      "football may the thread that runs throughout , but the movie is much more interested in the tale of how oher left behind a life of poverty , violence and foster-home despair to become a champ on the gridiron .",
      "serves its purpose by making the audience tear up in some moments and cheer in others . it 's a total button-pusher , but it does so in a very good way .",
      "it 's certainly a heartwarming tale and bullock delivers a big , ballsy performance as the indomitable tuohy - but oscar-worthy ? what were they thinking ?",
      "as a fable about the power of giving , it hits pretty hard .",
      "the movie is very familiar -- you 've seen it all before -- but it succeeds at achieving its modest goals .",
      "the movie is done with crispness , vigor , down-home humor , and an over-all tang of good feeling , but the pushing of buttons is the work of extraordinary calculation .",
      "director john lee hancock 's only aiming for a crowd pleaser , and by not challenging the established playbook for inspirational sports dramas , he 's no doubt got one .",
      "the MOV is less interesting for its milquetoast biopic character than for sandra bullock 's inherently likable wealthy do-gooder .",
      "` the MOV ' inspires despite average filmmaking that 's incapable of probing deeply enough into the story 's racial dynamics .",
      "the MOV is less interesting for its milquetoast biopic character than for sandra bullock 's inherently likable wealthy do-gooder .",
      "except for a few crude exchanges , the MOV is almost as squeaky-clean as an old disney movie . unfortunately , it can also be just as cute and condescending .",
      "hancock sands down the rough spots of oher 's story , but he also polishes to a glow the family ties that grow between oher and the touhys .",
      "sing it together with me my brothers , thank the lawd for he created the white man that he might teach them po ' negroes the value of good christian chariddy .",
      "the MOV , which has reportedly made close to 200 million dollars , is based on a true story -lrb- the operative word is `` based , '' of course -rrb- .",
      "the movie 's a pretty conventional feel-good sports drama in many ways . but bullock and aaron give it heart that transcends the genre .",
      "while it 's possible to be enormously entertained and moved by the MOV , it 's also possible to harbor a twinge of misgiving .",
      "bullock is back - when she tells coach cotton how to play michael , she 's like a clove of garlic in an onion bag .",
      "it 's the deft , simple manner in which the story is told that brings it all together into a feel-good movie that rises above its inherent clichés",
      "by avoiding excessive cliche and maintaining a simple and optimistic attitude throughout , and with a healthy dose of comedy , `` the MOV '' ends up being one of the best sports films of recent years .",
      "slimy",
      "writer-director john lee hancock wants to say something meaningful about racism , but he ca n't even get the football parts of his film right .",
      "there 's potential there for cloying , movie-of-the-week formula , but hancock deftly dodges it . the MOV ends up being a tear-jerker , a heart-warmer and a crowd-pleaser all in one .",
      "takes what could have been a cliché three-hanky tearjerker designed to assuage white guilt and turn it into something deeper and more meaningful",
      "overall a sweet tale of a kid being given a chance when he seemed all but lost , and the performances of bullock and aaron . it 's worth a look .",
      "... an unabashed feel-good movie and one of the best of its kind in recent memory .",
      "what saves the movie , insofar as it is saved , is the absolute commitment of the filmmakers ... all of whom either do n't notice or do n't care how very pwecious their scenario is .",
      "in a year that produced garbage like `` the MOV '' , you have to wonder how much progress has been made in hollywood since `` gone with the wind '' .",
      "the MOV is a big budget , well crafted and finely honed ... movie of the week ."
    ],
    "summary": "it might strike some viewers as a little too pat , but the MOV has the benefit of strong source material and a strong performance from sandra bullock .",
    "id": "770808362"
  },
  {
    "movie": "how_to_survive_a_plague",
    "reviews": [
      "both gripping and wrenching - not to mention thrilling ... recalls a slice of recent history that is in danger of being lost .",
      "dispensing with voiceover narration , MOV is instead a compilation of first-person remembrances , a time-toggling polyphony emphasizing both individual struggles against illness and collective action-the we of me .",
      "beautifully inspiring and , obviously , also a great cautionary tale .",
      "it can feel inchoate , dropping the viewer in the middle of events without much context , and it exacts an emotional toll . but its raw quality also makes it compelling viewing .",
      "when it 's over , this documentary lingers as a testament to extraordinary human bravery . it stands as one of the most heartbreaking and suspenseful sagas of the year .",
      "if the movie expresses equal measures of sadness and outrage , it is charged with the exhilarating excitement felt by soldiers on the front lines of battle .",
      "an exceptional portrait of a community in crisis and the focused fury of its response .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- unflinching look at the activists ' mistakes and acheivements , their regrets , their very solemn pride at a victory attained at so high a cost .",
      "tune in to the passionate voices in david france 's brilliant documentary ...",
      "should be invaluable to every frustrated movement , as both a road map and a reminder of how vital personal activism remains .",
      "we grow familiar with the names and faces of many of the leaders in the movement . some look directly into the camera and say they expect to die of the disease . some are correct .",
      "MOV conveys the urgency of activists who were fighting for their lives .",
      "an indispensable and moving piece of filmmaking .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- glorious ode to the supposition that a small group of committed people can change the world ...",
      "as this stirring , scrupulous doc reveals , the members of act up fused the fervor of revolutionaries , the tenacity of trial lawyers , and the rage of the dispossessed to change the very shape of the epidemic .",
      "plague offers an instructive lesson for occupy-era rabble-rousers : only when coupled with a knowledge base will your sound and fury signify anything .",
      "it ca n't be long before we see the hollywood version .",
      "a moving treatment of a deeply personal subject -lrb- france 's own partner died of an aids-related illness in 1992 -rrb- , and an enthralling depiction of a seriously fired-up popular movement .",
      "an important , moving doc about how lgbt activism taught a community to shun silence .",
      "david france has made an absorbing film to document that moment of immense implosion , called MOV .",
      "a documentary on the impact of a passionate group of dedicated and creative individuals in raising awareness of the aids epidemic .",
      "moving and essential .",
      "at once a fascinating history and a compelling call to action .",
      "from a terrible epidemic comes a beautiful documentary .",
      "the film is a tribute to political activism and the power of people to change the world .",
      "must-see : timely , relevant , and informative , this aids docu about act up is satisfying on any number of levels , thematically , politically , and emotionally .",
      "i do n't doubt that anyone who has had a brush with aids , lost a friend or even a hero like queen 's freddie mercury , will find what is already a socially curious , medically fascinating and politically charged film an unmissably emotional experience .",
      "this inspirational , unexpectedly hilarious film is a patchwork of archival footage that takes us up to the present day .",
      "it all adds up to not just a document of the time but a blueprint for today 's activists .",
      "a compellingly watchable portrait of a battle fought under that most memorable rallying cry : `` silence = death '' . bravo .",
      "david france 's documentary about the 1980s/90s american gay community and its leading role in discovering `` combination therapy '' - the anti-hiv magic bullet - will be inspiring among audiences from the g20 .",
      "well-made and featuring an astonishing amount of on-the-scene archive footage , this is a powerfully emotional and hugely inspirational documentary that demands to be seen .",
      "nominated for the oscar , this documentary is one of the most involving and moving films you 'll see all year . at its core this is a movie about how a decent society should behave , even to the point of helping people who hurt themselves .",
      "one of the most important documentaries in years or decades ...",
      "this raw and passionate aids treatment doc suffers from a simple lack of focus .",
      "it 's no whitewash : important activists from the era admit how much time was lost through internecine squabbling , as well as the struggles they faced against the pitiless anti-gay rhetoric of their political opponents .",
      "this amazingly well-done , admirably dry-eyed documentary about a true human victory over what was once a universal death sentence might well be the year 's finest .",
      "this astonishing assemblage of archive material from the ground zero of the aids crisis is more than a history lesson - it is a rousing , essential study of human survival .",
      "a nightmarish clash comes to life in this devastating montage of inflamed voices , their rage infusing the very grain of '80s videography .",
      "a heart-wrenching portrait of one of the saddest , most heroic chapters in american history .",
      "france and his crew have sculpted years of old broadcast-news stories and home videos into a narrative that is impressionistic in its scope but coherent in its feeling .",
      "this is a moving documentary , as hopeful as it is tragic .",
      "a riveting look at lgbt protesters during the aids crisis - and an object lesson that if the revolution is going to be televised , it 's good to have the revolutionaries holding the cameras .",
      "probably the most moving doc of the year , both devastating and uplifting at the same time , and i ca n't recommend it enough .",
      "MOV presents a cast of characters who must continue fighting , for what 's at stake is the very real , very imminent threat of their own deaths .",
      "hindsight allows david france 's stirring MOV a concise overview 's clarity and an epic narrative shape , with a happy ending to boot .",
      "a major addition to the body of work chronicling the aids epidemic , this is a passionate account of the hard-won breakthrough in making hiv a manageable condition .",
      "presents a valuable template for how grassroots activism can temper societal prejudice and challenge governmental indifference in the face of a mysterious and remorseless killer .",
      "a raw history , often cluttered and sometimes repetitive but , when strategies fail along with immune systems , deeply affecting .",
      "what making a difference is really all about !",
      "the film puts us right in the moment of the height of the crisis better than any documentary ever has .",
      "a brilliant blueprint on how to spark a revolution . the activists who were highlighted in this film are american heroes to us all - gay , straight , black , white , male or female .",
      "mostly the film toggles between two emotions - the high of watching brave people go to war , and the low of seeing so many of them fall , as entire communities are destroyed .",
      "france , drawing on a wealth of video footage from inside the organization , turns that decade of rage , despair , and tenacity into an inspiring tale of effective political action .",
      "filmmaker david france ... methodically reconstructs the critical period in the fight against aids from 1987 to 1995 . -lrb- it -rrb- emerges as the better documentary -lrb- than this year 's `` united in anger '' -rrb- if only due to its slightly more comprehensive perspective .",
      "a cinematically sophisticated documentary that actually finds a way to be an intelligent and admirable work of art in addition to its more overt sociological implications .",
      "an exquisite collection of archival films graphically portraying the passions pf demonstrators that resulted in the release of drugs to counteract aids .",
      "one of the most powerful , fascinating and saddest documentaries of the last several years .",
      "the title does n't necessarily convey this , but `` MOV '' is an inspiring and hopeful documentary .",
      "a powerful reminder of the ability of committed men and women to agitate , organize and create real change in the world .",
      "compelling , important and inspiring documentary about the fight against aids .",
      "`` MOV '' captures a saddening , maddening era that seems like far too many lifetimes ago .",
      "MOV is thorough almost to a fault .",
      "... compelling as a recent historical document , but also has contemporary resonance in its depiction of the influence of activism on social causes .",
      "a serious , moving and sometimes astonishingly well-organized documentary about the history of aids activism .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- powerful , messy and tremendously moving documentary ...",
      "plague is n't the history of a disease so much as the history of a movement , and a portrait of those who refused to suffer passively .",
      "`` MOV '' thoroughly examines the history of the aids crisis and the dedicated members of an activist group -lrb- act-up -rrb- capable of adapting to the lessons it learned along the way .",
      "this documentary by david france persuasively argues that one of the greatest grassroots activist campaigns of modern times was the act up movement ...",
      "ultimately , the story presented by the former reporter for boston 's defunct gay community news is one of hope ."
    ],
    "summary": "angry , powerful , and stirring , MOV is a brilliantly constructed documentary about the activists who pushed for action to combat the aids epidemic .",
    "id": "771267253"
  },
  {
    "movie": "scratch_2002",
    "reviews": [
      "not only an exuberant portrayal of hip-hop 's self-healing , it 's a compelling meditation on the future of making music in america .",
      "there 's plenty of footage here of some of the world 's best djs at work , and it 's impressive , even for someone uninterested in the genre .",
      "the notion that hip-hop is much more than rapping is a persistent theme , and anyone seeking a solid introduction -- or re-introduction -- to that ever vibrant culture should n't miss it .",
      "a nifty portrait of a minor , but intriguing , element of popular culture .",
      "one of those terrific documentaries that collect a bunch of people who are enthusiastic about something and then figures out how to make us share their enthusiasm .",
      "illuminating if overly talky documentary .",
      "a good documentary can make interesting a subject you thought would leave you cold . a case in point : doug pray 's MOV .",
      "it 's a smart , funny look at an arcane area of popular culture , and if it is n't entirely persuasive , it does give exposure to some talented performers .",
      "an engrossing and infectiously enthusiastic documentary .",
      "mixes likeable personalities , inventive photography and cutting , and wall-to-wall toe-tapping music to paint a picture of a subculture that is at once exhilarating , silly , perverse , hopeful and always fun .",
      "the message of such reflections -- intentional or not -- is that while no art grows from a vacuum , many artists exist in one .",
      "a fine documentary can be distinguished from a mediocre one by the better film 's ability to make its subject interesting to those who are n't part of its supposed target audience . judging by those standards , ` MOV ' is a pretty decent little documentary .",
      "`` the turntable is now outselling the electric guitar ... ''",
      "an energizing , intoxicating documentary charting the rise of hip-hop culture in general and the art of scratching -lrb- or turntablism -rrb- in particular .",
      "if you , like me , have never been convinced that spinning and mixing other people 's records requires a musical skill , these guys will educate you as they twiddle and tweak like amped-up octopi .",
      "immersing us in the endlessly inventive , fiercely competitive world of hip-hop djs , the project is sensational and revelatory , even if scratching makes you itch .",
      "triumphs by profiling a vibrant , underground culture that is as innovative as it is misunderstood .",
      "it 's a story of turntablism that will appeal to both newcomers and dj diehards .",
      "it 's all stitched together with energy , intelligence and verve , enhanced by a surplus of vintage archive footage .",
      "those moviegoers who would automatically bypass a hip-hop documentary should give `` MOV '' a second look .",
      "a determined and carefully made but ultimately unsatisfying effort .",
      "pray 's subjects can wander off into arcane dennis miller-esque rants , but he manages to hit the high points and most of the major personalities .",
      "you do n't need to be a hip-hop fan to appreciate MOV , and that 's the mark of a documentary that works .",
      "even as it pays earnest homage to turntablists and beat jugglers , old schoolers and current innovators , MOV is great fun , full of the kind of energy it 's documenting .",
      "pray has really done his subject justice .",
      "see MOV for the history , see MOV for the music , see MOV for a lesson in scratching , but , most of all , see it for the passion .",
      "engaging documentary .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- s entertaining as it is to watch the wheels spin back and forth , it 's a closed world . viewers not already acquainted with hip-hop and deejay culture might feel a little lost here , like watching a foreign-language film with no subtitles .",
      "thanks to so many articulate djs and terrific footage , the documentary is a must-see for hip-hop fans ...",
      "exciting documentary .",
      "time with this diverse group of record-spinners makes you appreciate them as the groundbreaking musicians they are .",
      "pray has managed to create a historical document accessible enough for novices and credible enough for aficionados .",
      "nothing short of a respectful testament to the ingenious creative drive of the outsider .",
      "edited and shot with a syncopated style mimicking the work of his subjects , pray turns the idea of the documentary on its head , making it rousing , invigorating fun lacking any mtv puffery .",
      "pray 's film works well and will appeal even to those who are n't too familiar with turntablism .",
      "does what a fine documentary does best : it extends a warm invitation into an unfamiliar world , then illuminates it fully and allows the larger implications of the journey to sink in unobtrusively .",
      "... pray does n't have a passion for the material . he nonetheless appreciates the art and reveals a music scene that transcends culture and race .",
      "should appeal to more than just hardcore hip-hop fans .",
      "you 'll be left with the sensation of having just witnessed a great performance and , perhaps , give in to the urge to get on your feet and shake it .",
      "dense , exhilarating documentary ."
    ],
    "summary": "whether you know anything about turntablism or not , MOV makes for fun and informative viewing .",
    "id": "13509"
  },
  {
    "movie": "nightmare_on_elm_street_2010",
    "reviews": [
      "the production is n't nearly as creepy as the original and the new invention of freddy 's secret cave is an opportunity for psychological horror squandered .",
      "all we can think of is how much we miss the robert englund freddy . man , that guy knew how to have a killer good time .",
      "this would-be franchise reboot seems haunted by its reliance on genre conventions .",
      "the film does have positives including a strong performance from jackie earle haley but ultimately fails in delivering tension and scares .",
      "by focusing on the monster instead of teen iniquities and daring to move past innuendo into fact , this nightmare surpasses its predecessors to out-menace them all .",
      "simply put , it 's not very scary , and its efforts to do right by the material forget the most basic reason for going to see films like this .",
      "traffics in overly familiar scare tactics , setting up predictable false alarms and telegraphing in advance just when freddy will pop into the frame and utter one of his labored witticisms .",
      "the jump scares , given a little extra oomph by the ever-looming possibility of a double wake-up , do what they 're supposed to do . they make you jump .",
      "to the audience suckered into paying to see this , here 's why your generation sucks .",
      "new freddy , no new scares in this tepid reboot of the MOV franchise .",
      "nice try , but they probably should have just left the original MOV as is .",
      "when producers michael bay , andrew form and bradley fuller go to sleep tonight , it 's a safe bet that their dreams will be tormented by wes craven and robert englund sporting gloves with bladed fingers .",
      "never has the lure of the recognizable been more obvious than in this familiar yet forgettable reboot of wes craven 's 1980s horror franchise .",
      "the movie takes itself way too seriously , like a medieval times waiter acting scared of a cell phone .",
      "the vintage teen-scream thrills , once so fresh , now seem stale .",
      "somewhere , wes craven is laughing up his sleeve , and robert englund is grinning . it 's nice to know that you 're irreplaceable .",
      "the set pieces are well created and jackie earle haley does a fine job -lrb- do n't forget , he 's not only dealing with the character but with the knowledge that robert englund will always be associated with the role -rrb- .",
      "drab leads and a lack of any sort of fevered investigative pop make this nightmare come across like a boring , gory junior detective procedural .",
      "haley is a solid replacement for englund as the murderous freddy . he is particularly effective in the scenes of freddy 's earlier life . although his talent was put to better use in `` watchmen '' this role should give him employment for years to come .",
      "save yourself the ticket price and buy the original on dvd and see what a true fright is .",
      "lacks imagination , story , good acting and a reason for being .",
      "people have dreams and either get their guts ripped out or do n't get their gets ripped out . and then , after 90 or so minutes are used up , the movie finds some weak pretext for ending .",
      "this moody , lifeless movie rips off lines , scenes , dream sequences and character kills from craven 's film ... while draining them of energy , suspense and meaning .",
      "the not-very new nightmare is indebted to the illogic of dreams , but determinedly dumb about using it .",
      "the remake has dumbed-down its source to a genre it always transcended : the slice-and-dice , snip-and-quip gore film .",
      "the a MOV remake is intelligent , well-acted and great-looking . but if you want to be scared , you 're out of luck .",
      "there are a lot of things wrong with this remake of a MOV , not least of which is that it was made at all .",
      "the new nightmare is a straight , shiny , honorable remake .",
      "the basic feeling you get out of this thing is ` been there-done that ' .",
      "thanks to the film 's re-imagining of freddy as accused child molester , an uncomfortable veneer of ickiness looms that makes it hard to truly enjoy ...",
      "eye-glazingly pointless and totally underwhelming .",
      "bayer 's nightmare is 95 minutes of non-stop crap dialogue , crapper acting and the crappest expositional nonsense i 've seen since the lovely bones .",
      "jackie earle haley 's krueger is a blast , but the child-molester twist is more depressingly clinical than dream-logic harrowing .",
      "as pointless remakes go , this is by no means the worst of them , thanks to a decent cast and a liberal use of shock and gore , though the 2010 freddy is significantly less scary than the original .",
      "at least they gave freddy a back story - that 's a good thing . that it made no sense - that 's a bad thing .",
      "let 's start by naming a few things scarier than the new `` a MOV '' % u2013 golden retriever puppies , rainbows , chocolate chip cookies , `` cloudy with a chance of meatballs , '' and flower gardens .",
      "the remake is a better movie than most of the later entries in the powerhouse franchise , but it 's not a patch on wes craven 's 1984 original .",
      "haley does what 's required of him -- which mainly consists of growling and grimacing beneath layers of make up -- but there 's nothing at all memorable about his performance",
      "what we are left with is a higher body count and a faster pace , but no tension . ... welcome to the low-impact world of modern franchise horror pictures .",
      "memo to freddy : how can we miss you if you wo n't stay away ?",
      "parental content review",
      "this is even less inspired and imaginative than the friday the 13th reboot and makes rob zombie 's halloween films feel like the work of an auteur .",
      "for a film about the dangers of falling asleep it tried damn hard to make the audience nod off .",
      "like many horror fans , i approached viewing the recent remake of the post-slasher classic with extremely low expectations . not low enough , though !",
      "... it has nothing new to say and works with an original that did n't need remaking .",
      "i did jump a few times , and i liked haley 's dour malevolence , but overall , the new MOV is a by-the-numbers bad dream .",
      "there 's really no reason to see this dreadful picture ; better to rent the 1984 feature .",
      "freddy 's back -- and he 's slicker and more sinister than ever .",
      "for fans of the nightmare franchise , and slasher films in general , the new version does exactly what you want and not much more .",
      "ultimately , the remake plays out more like the parade of increasingly daft sequels that milked the last drop of blood out of the krueger franchise .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "haley 's krueger does n't just look like a deeply unhinged burn victim out for gruesome revenge , he is a complete embodiment of evil . and it 's terrifying .",
      "this is just nightmare 9 and you can believe this is the real backstory they never told you before , not that nonsense about the three flying heads .",
      "a nightmare just like the ones we 've seen before , which is probably why it feels more tiresome than terrifying .",
      "to summarize this angry rant : boring , cliché , too serious and a waste of an icon .",
      "jackie earle haley is an excellent successor to the original 's robert englund . freddy krueger is n't just scary again , he 's the most disturbing he 's ever been .",
      "in six months ' time , no one will remember this movie . when it 's shuffled off to dvd , most of the copies will end up in a landfill .",
      "mindlessly entertaining , slick and stylishly creepy albeit deficient in real surprises and visceral scares . it 's a cut above the recent slew of horror remakes .",
      "the MOV reboot has more in common with the later , lame-o sequels than with the one it is technically remaking .",
      "incredibly bland and unimaginative . it 's slow , tedious , and kind of pretentious . fails to answer the existential question - why do i exist ?",
      "if not for its title , and the memories it conjures up ... the film would n't have enough of an impact to last through the end of the credits .",
      "anoes does n't reinvent the wheel , but there 's a solid story with striking death scenes , and that should please the more pragmatic fans on both sides of the demographic .",
      "welcome to 2010 , freddy krueger . you were scarier in 1984 .",
      "... an unintelligible mess , as if this remake of the slasher-genre favorite is its own dismembered victim .",
      "freddy 's back , in all his gory glory , but revisiting him ... is less likely to inspire an attack of night terrors than to elicit a bored yawn , followed by a restful sleep ...",
      "entirely devoid of personality , music video director samuel bayer is unable to handle the flow of a feature film , stuttering from dream sequence to dream sequence without cohesion .",
      "it does n't get any worser than this .",
      "scarred by bad makeup , subpar acting and overall inept storytelling , a MOV is a bad dream for fans of the original 1984 movie or anyone who enjoys well made horror films .",
      "on film or dvd , freddy is terrifying for about 15 minutes % u2014 one reel tops . after the first couple of appearances and a kill or two , he is ho-hum .",
      "we all know freddy krueger -lrb- whether we 've seen this franchise or not -rrb- so we 're miles ahead of these static teenage characters , and just waited for them to catch up .",
      "no , it is n't necessary . but in this remake , jackie earle haley does a nice job as our favorite knife-fingered terror in `` a MOV . ''",
      "this is what happens when gossip girl has a character with a blemish problem and a stripe-savvy fashion sense",
      "those who are old enough to have fond memories of the original are probably too old for this nightmare .",
      "it 's the bay touch you feel in the way actors register as body count , characters go undeveloped , and sensation trumps feeling . a nightmare , indeed .",
      "its primary effect is to leave you less thrilled than simply asking what 's the point in remaking something if you ca n't improve on the original ?",
      "do not , let me repeat that , do not , watch the new a MOV .",
      "after giving a great performance in `` watchmen , '' what was jackie earle haley doing in this film , besides making a buck or two ? extremely disappointing remake and creepier than the original , but not in a good way . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "a bland , unncessary return to freddyland",
      "it 's all efficiently done and gory but director samuel bayer adds so little to the old familiar scare story that you wonder why they did n't just save a bob or two and reissue the robert englund original .",
      "to call the film patterned to fit would be a blazing understatement .",
      "a recurring nightmare .",
      "though no worse than the raft of terrible elm street sequels , this remake misses some of the surreal and anarchic low-budget energy craven brought to his film -lrb- not to mention johnny depp -rrb- .",
      "the MOV is not how scary -lrb- or not -rrb- the film is , but how it destroys the franchise .",
      "never quite answers the most essential question for any remake : is this really necessary ?",
      "the so-called `` re-imagining '' of a MOV is n't a nightmare so much as it is a series of missed opportunities .",
      "perfectly symbolic of the laziness and lack of ingenuity inherent with much of today 's plastic hollywood moviemaking .",
      "it 's the moments when bayer goes off-book that are most effective , using modern special effects to augment the dreams in ways that were n't possibly back in the day , on a budget .",
      "as an exercise in `` re-imagining , '' to use hollywood 's favorite rehash euphemism , this nightmare is mostly stale goods .",
      "haley 's a fine actor , but he was far scarier in the suburban drama little children . and englund 's unpredictable presence is definitely missed .",
      "this new nightmare is almost completely redundant , but freddy 's blades remain sharp enough to guarantee haley 's job security for at least a few years .",
      "like a cover band with more stagecraft than talent , a MOV looks good recycling `` greatest hits '' moments but fails to capture the excitement of the original .",
      "if there 's anything new to be added , the new nightmare does not do it .",
      "2010 's nightmare is n't just flawed , but without any merit whatsoever , amongst the worst of platinum dunes ' cinematic abortions and as bad , if not worse , than freddy 's revenge and freddy 's dead .",
      "it 's not a good film , but if you 're feeling jaded and just want to watch a demonic killer pound his fist through the chest of some hapless , cardboard teenager , then this might just scratch that itch .",
      "is there any movie franchise that cries out less for revisiting than a MOV ?",
      "this trip to elm street will give you nightmares , but not the kind they anticipated .",
      "compared to the flamboyance of robert englund in the 1980s , jackie earle haley as the crazed freddy krueger is more lumbering man-child than demonic daddy .",
      "only a nightmare for fans of the franchise .",
      "this is the worst yet from michael bay 's horror production company platinum dunes , which also brought you rubbish re-makes of halloween and friday the 13th .",
      "in this outing , however , wesley strick and eric heisserer 's screenplay pulls no punches about freddy 's vicious sadism and paedophilia and , seriously , there 's no fun in that .",
      "haley just ai n't no englund , no matter how much he tries .",
      "an expectedly worthless horror-movie remake from michael bay 's production company ...",
      "lo % u0161e odra % u0111ena indigo-kopija originala , od strane ne ba % u0161 iskusnog videospota % u0161a samuela bayera",
      "good luck staying awake .",
      "... like watching a brilliant garage band 's sparse , smart singles turned into loud , expensive , overproduced karaoke sing-along versions with the same notes and lyrics but none of the passion and power .",
      "a MOV will give me bad dreams of studio executives counting up their filthy lucre made off of a generation willing to accept this sort of spoon-fed garbage and not of the monster they 've so completely neutered by this point .",
      "a tightly wound experience that gets even more tense as it builds toward its shattering finale .",
      "stylish remake is n't as good as the original , but it has enough genuine scares to merit a mild recommendation .",
      "i do n't hate the new a MOV on principle . i hate the new a MOV because it sucks .",
      "the film cops virtually every memorable image from the original , but loses the depth that gave them power and the sense of place that grounded them .",
      "bayer 's stylish visual direction does little to detract from the fact this is essentially the same movie with far too many visual nods and little to differentiate it or set it apart from the original .",
      "while the 1984 film has aged , its now-familiar jolts still pack more punch than this pic 's recycled ones , which sometimes register so tepidly as to cause snickers .",
      "a flat , lifeless remake that 's totally unnecessary , except of course to the studio executives who want to extract still more profit from the property .",
      "the real nightmare is the tragic lack of creativity in this new look of one of the genre 's greatest characters .",
      "i still like the characters from the first film , and these kids were cardboard shadows of them .",
      "so generic , so lazy , and so forgettable they may as well have `` we 're not even trying '' plastered across the bottom of the screen .",
      "it replaces the fascinating context of freddie krueger 's existence with a seemingly endless exercise in violence and unrelenting pain .",
      "many people have already made the mistake of holding this film up to the original , expecting it to be just as good , but it just is n't . however , taken on its own , it 's still an entertaining horror film and an interesting take on the material .",
      "an homage to craven 's vision that is believably earnest in execution and completely faithful in spirit .",
      "this elm street reeks of a rushed cash-grab , as even the most reliable of clichéd shocks fail to register on the fright-o-meter .",
      "this flimsy remake is a nightmare and unworthy of your time .",
      "mara and gallner make an attractive couple on the lam and haley , as freddy krueger , hams it up to an almost alarming degree .",
      "haley offers a darker , meaner take on the iconic character .",
      "it 's well-made and rattles along at a fair old pace , predictably leaving the way open for another 130-odd deaths in the inevitable glut of sequels .",
      "whereas wes craven 's '84 original kept you unsure as to whether you were witnessing dreams or reality , director samuel bayer 's remake color-codes the transitions . how helpful !",
      "he 's survived six sequels , a grudge match with jason voorhees and a terrible tv spin-off , but this remake may finally finish freddy krueger once and for all .",
      "freddy kruger deserves better and so do we .",
      "where the original was joltingly inventive and disturbing , this is just second-hand fright .",
      "the real problem with a MOV 2010 is : it 's really unbelievably dull .",
      "this is the worst yet from michael bay 's horror production company platinum dunes , which also brought you rubbish re-makes of halloween and friday the 13th .",
      "while haley makes for a decent freddy , other members of the cast kill the party .",
      "the remake of a MOV only serves to tarnish the legacy of the original franchise , substituting any creative flair with bogstandard writing and direction .",
      "surely the point of any remake is to find something new in the material that brings it to a new audience . but all these filmmakers have done is rehash the groundbreaking original into another lifeless , cliche-filled slog .",
      "i 've seen far worse horror remakes , but let 's not grade on too much of a curve : this nightmare offers dutifully grinding thrills of a routine sort .",
      "it 's a movie that starts slowly , and only starts moving us to the edge of our seat in the third act , adequate for a horror picture , but no more .",
      "there has n't been this unnecessary of a back story since ron howard felt the need to dramatize the childhood of one mr. grinch .",
      "nancy who ? freddy did what ? what 's the razor glove about ? these kids have parents ? bayer 's more interested in the lighting design than he is winding a dazzling tale of mental invasion and teen paranoia .",
      "freddy 's 2010 makeover made him look like a burn victim meets a na ` vi creature from ` avatar . ' also , for a movie that is about its characters fighting sleep to survive , it 's a shame ` elm street ' induces a few rem-driven naps .",
      "using blasts of shrill , high-decibel noise in place of actual scares has become a common horror-movie tactic , the cinematic equivalent of botox , silicone , and penile-enhancement surgery .",
      "i stared at a MOV with weary resignation . the movie consists of a series of teenagers who are introduced , haunted by nightmares and then slashed to death by freddy . so what ?",
      "the novelty has long since worn off , and cheap , generic scares are all that are left .",
      "in a way , freddy finally makes sense in this version of elm street , but robert englund 's original freddy is still preferable to haley 's pervy groundskeeper willy .",
      "too many more remakes as dull and bland as a MOV could kill off horror movies for good .",
      "where craven 's film was campy , bayer 's movie is just plain dark .",
      "look at it this way : at least you wo n't fall asleep .",
      "far more disturbing than entertaining .",
      "the result of the new nightmare is , at best , a kind of stand-off between predictability and competent execution .",
      "samuel bayer 's remake of wes craven 's a MOV may be about repressed memories coming back in horrific ways , but it ironically ends up one of the least memorable films of 2010 to date .",
      "a MOV is a movie about people trying not to doze off . having just watched it , i know how they feel .",
      "dream killer freddy krueger made a generation of moviegoers scared to fall asleep . too bad his return to the big screen is such a snooze .",
      "you 'd think jackie earle haley as pedophile freddy would kill . oh , hardly .",
      "a MOV may be the most unneeded movie of the year . and that 's saying something .",
      "while it 's visually appealing , the new elm street fails to sustain momentum or create much genuine tension .",
      "after the incompetence exuded by samuel bayer here , i feel confident in saying it is time to put his feature film career to sleep for good .",
      "as the various teenagers fight to stay awake , you may find yourself doing exactly the same .",
      "unadventurous , devoid of personality and completely lacking any semblance of imagination , samuel bayer 's new nightmare is a textbook exercise straight out of generic horror remakes 101 .",
      "the bastard film of 100 idiots .",
      "the bottom line is that it is n't just elm street that 's affected ; you 'll find a nightmare on any street that 's housing a theater with the misfortune to be playing this monstrosity .",
      "caso existisse , freddy krueger poderia usar este filme como um ótimo recurso para levar suas vítimas ao sono .",
      "a film that shows they 're not even attempting creativity because with horror fans lowering their standards more and more , why should they even try ?",
      "photocopies much of wes craven 's original 1984 classic , but makes senseless changes that destroy the story 's night-terror integrity .",
      "complete lack of imagination .",
      "does it matter that the plot is little more than a cynical , machine-tooled retread of the 1984 original ? debut director samuel bayer was not hired to dismantle the franchise but to shoot it afresh .",
      "the idea that repressed or concealed knowledge of child abuse can emerge years later to traumatize victims and family members has rarely had more currency , but this slack remake is neither persuasive nor scary .",
      "we watch a bunch of twentysomething catalog-model types with last names for first names impersonate high schoolers who keep getting slashed up in their dreams .",
      "fails to mimic or update with any competence .",
      "one dreary jump scare after another , without a moment to breathe , show something revealing about one of its doomed teens , or deliver a single line of dialogue that is n't dully and directly on-point .",
      "as is the case with most remakes , this one is pretty pointless .",
      "ol' cusinart hand is back in a MOV , a pointless , unimaginative `` re-imagining '' of wes craven 's cleverly conceived slasher movie .",
      "for all his calculated bumps in the night and shots of creepy-looking preschoolers moping around a boiler room , bayer misses the little things that made the original so hard to forget . craven was right to keep his distance from this one ."
    ],
    "summary": "visually faithful but lacking the depth and subversive twists that made the original so memorable , the MOV remake lives up to its title in the worst possible way .",
    "id": "770785488"
  },
  {
    "movie": "kung_fu_hustle",
    "reviews": [
      "part live action cartoon , part love letter to the cinema , MOV is one of a kind .",
      "i can only assume stephen chow 's MOV is the first chop-socky extravaganza to lift entire passages of dialogue from jean renoir 's rules of the game .",
      "you do n't take any of this seriously for a minute , but you ca n't take your eyes off the screen .",
      "chow 's aesthetic demands an appreciation of the absurd : the events are often silly even as the ideas and feeling behind them are not .",
      "for all his cleverness and flights of fantasticated fancy , the director proves himself an unabashedly romantic filmmaker , and there are n't enough of those .",
      "the heir apparent to jackie chan , -lsb- stephen -rsb- chow creates a world where kung fu comedy fuses with a roadrunner cartoon and the matrix ...",
      "a film that is not only very entertaining , but also emotionally satisfying for a broad international audience .",
      "as ... shawn of the dead did for zombie pictures , MOV does for chop sockey : both honor and spoof the genre that spawned it .",
      "not so much hustle , a lot of kung fu , and a surreal cartoon ride inbetween .",
      "what makes chow unique , perhaps even revolutionary , is that he is the first movie comedian to consistently make hilarious use of digital effects .",
      "a kung fu parody that 's also a terrific kung fu movie .",
      "does the plot spin out of control ? you bet . but dumb fun this smart is a gift .",
      "martial arts action as jaw-dropping as crouching tiger , hidden dragon or the matrix filtered through ` the three stooges ' and ` looney tunes '",
      "MOV delivers as an action-comedy-musical . its fiendishly entertaining most of the time , but its flimsy plot is a just an excuse for chow 's histrionics",
      "chow , perhaps the first action star and filmmaker to be as influenced by classic cartoons as by the karate-chop balletics of human movement , directs like a gonzo fusion of tarantino and tex avery .",
      "viewers will discover that the film has something to offer nearly everyone , whether they are a novice or a black belt in kung fu cinema .",
      "an almost exhaustingly inventive action comedy that uses every available trick .",
      "a delirious-verging-on-surreal send-up of kung fu attitudes and traditions mutated with a tex avery cartoon .",
      "simple ideas resound the loudest in hustle , never the overtly choreographed fights or blistering visual effects . chow is at his best when it 's just him to contend with .",
      "... half homage to old kung-fu movies , half sheer comic goofiness ...",
      "the laws of physics no longer apply , if they ever did ; characters leap , run at neck-breaking speed , bash each other through several walls with one blow .",
      "while those who ca n't stand long fight scenes might find it a bit tiresome , everyone else is going to consider this a sweet , light-hearted martial arts treat .",
      "a film that is geared simply , straightforwardly and , above all , honestly to providing absolute entertainment .",
      "so disarmingly eager to please that only a stone-faced kung fu purist could object .",
      "gravity takes a backseat to levity .",
      "keeps the gags flying almost as rapidly as the fists .",
      "a smart and very funny action comedy that will really knock your socks off .",
      "the ever-shifting genre of martial arts films takes on yet another variation with writer/director/actor stephen chow 's cgi spectacle infused comic kung fu adventure .",
      "chow is a genius in generating extraordinary drama from the familiar .",
      "slapstick silliness and martial artistry of the highest calibre .",
      "... the knockdown hilarity of it all made me wonder where this subgenre of martial-arts action flick might be heading . a lot of it is riotously funny .",
      "the latest film from hong kong 's reigning comic star and director , stephen chow ... is a celebration of hong kong action cinema that mocks gravity , both emotional and physical .",
      "being a movie critic is like being a prospector : after almost 30 years of exploring terrain , you can stumble upon a streak of pure gold you 've never seen . from the looks of MOV , stephen chow is a mother lode .",
      "it 's a wild laugh fest where anything goes and often does so at the speed of light .",
      "ridiculous ? nah . MOV is sublime entertainment .",
      "at times , MOV feels like too much of a good thing .",
      "so filled with crazy energy that it seems to leap off the screen , MOV is the most wildly inventive , purely entertaining and cuckoo-cool flick to hit movie houses this year ...",
      "if anything , this hustle is more frantic , more frenetic , more cartoonish - and more enjoyable - than filmmaker stephen chow 's previous film , shaolin soccer .",
      "like a meal prepared by an extreme chef , ` hustle is more than a bit of a mess . it still tastes like nothing you 've ever had before .",
      "it may not be a classic , but ` MOV ' is a playful , unpredictable comedy , overflowing with the impishly clever personality of its maker .",
      "stephen chow 's peculiar vision of an action - comedy - musical - drama . for over-the-top excess , this takes pride-of-place .",
      "with everything bigger and grander in chow 's singular universe , it 's easy to overlook one small detail ... that MOV is less satisfying than its predecessors .",
      "absurd insanity that would make even jackie chan gasp",
      "derivative , repetitive , and over the top to the point of weariness .",
      "... like a smorgasbord of high-pitched artistry and homages ...",
      "a technically expert and visually seductive tour de force from someone who is very likely the funniest man in asia .",
      "avoids the slickness and self-congratulatory winks of many other comic action films .",
      "wildly funny and inventive , a giddy re-imagining of martial-arts flicks that might be one of the most audaciously entertaining films of the year .",
      "not only is it hilariously funny , but it 's also a fiendishly entertaining -lrb- albeit somewhat cartoonish -rrb- action movie .",
      "chow 's screen persona lies somewhere between the poise of bruce lee and the comedic timing of pre-hollywood jackie chan , with a little looney toons thrown in for extra kick",
      "MOV will not only please martial-arts fans , it 's witty and energetic enough to engage those who usually ignore such choreographed asian dust-ups .",
      "MOV is inventive , wild and completely pointless .",
      "chow has created a hyper-animate fantasy world that honors kung fu movies as it satirizes them , and the similarities between it and a cartoon are entirely intentional .",
      "a slaphappy cartoon in any language ... thaaaat 's all , folks .",
      "... has a nasty streak that is at odds with the otherwise genial mood chow creates .",
      "there 's nothing in MOV you have n't seen before , but you 've never seen it put together in quite this way .",
      "hatchet fu , shotgun fu , flowerpot fu , harp fu , cobra fu , disco fu , zen fu , kubrick fu , road runner fu , geezer fu , bullfrog fu . MOV features every type of fu except déjŕ fu .",
      "though i applaud kung-foolery and find chow nimbly hilarious , MOV 's shotgun marriage of slapstick and brutality is unnerving in the make - 'em - laugh , make - 'em - gag manner of quentin tarantino .",
      "the action is so absurd and clever that it taps the funny bone more than the adrenal glands .",
      "must we say it ? do the hustle .",
      "low-brow but involving , and never predictable , this is a feast even for those who ca n't stand subtitles .",
      "MOV , from asian star stephen chow , is the sort of total entertainment package that tends to exhilarate the viewer or grind him down into a spent grist of weariness . or even both .",
      "toss into a blender kill bill , roadrunner cartoons , the matrix films and the complete three stooges and jackie chan collections , and push purée . pour the result onto a movie screen and call it MOV .",
      "rockets forward on creative sparks of pure adrenaline and excitement we rarely find outside of carnival rides .",
      "retrieving the martial arts movie from the gentrified middlebrow tastefulness of movies like house of flying daggers is only one item on MOV 's agenda .",
      "but for all its stylishness , verve and moments of visual poetry , the relentlessly punishing slapstick and overall cruel tone left me cold .",
      "MOV is destined to be the next crouching tiger , hidden dragon -- a subtitled movie for people who do n't do subtitles .",
      "with hustle 's release on 2,000 u.s. screens this week , americans get to see what 's so funny about chow . the laugh 's on them for not noticing him before .",
      "broad , low farces with little story and stuffed with epic fights built on plainly impossible , plainly faked gags , they 're still a stitch .",
      "when i saw the woman drop a flower pot on her husband 's head , a scene straight out of the bank dick , it struck me that chow was channeling w.c. fields .",
      "brilliantly original and very highly recommended .",
      "those looking for martial arts magic here will find they 've been hustled , too .",
      "with a delirious mix of the sublime and the silly , hong kong comedy king stephen chow sing-chi has taken the kung fu comedy genre to new heights of chop-socky hilarity .",
      "imagine a movie in which wile e. coyote , jackie chan and the three stooges share top billing . that 's MOV .",
      "a chop-socky on f/x steroids that 's devoid of genuine inspiration or involving character development .",
      "it 's quite possible that we can hand the title most-fun movie of 2005 to this romp .",
      "like shaolin soccer , the film is positively insane , a genre-defying spectacle of postmodern signs colliding at rates seemingly faster than the speed of light .",
      "the supreme battles are brushed away by the ultimate battles and the ultimate battles are pushed aside by even more absolute battles .",
      "stephen chow masterfully blends and bends genres like no other , and hustle is no exception .",
      "-lrb- kung fu -rrb- hustle is a rapid-paced conglomerate of action and laughs , mixed with special effects that look like they were lifted from a warner bros. cartoon .",
      "a full-on-the-mouth , sloppy-wet kiss to hong kong martial arts movies .",
      "hilarious , thrilling , toon-like martial arts flick that 's an absolute joy to watch .",
      "the second half suffers somewhat , but only in the sense that the inspired gags slow down to one or two per frame . more , please , and soon .",
      "MOV is so over-the-top that it could break sly stallone 's wrist and stall his big rig circa 1987 ...",
      "it 's a short , sharp , shock to the cinematic system that 's virtually impossible to dislike , and if you do n't leave the theatre grinning your face off , then , buddy , movies just are n't for you .",
      "a nonstop orgy of madcap martial arts mayhem .",
      "stephen chow 's giddy genre grab bag of a movie is infectiously silly , breathtaking and easily the most exhilarating pure kung fu movie in years .",
      "... it 's a shame about the r rating : most of these fights are so cartoony that there 's no reasonable danger of children copying them , and they 're sure to enjoy the movie .",
      "the film mercilessly mocks martial arts films to such a divine degree that it manages to transcend the genre .",
      "giant action sequences , funny characters , and , my favourite , a giant hand carved into the earth , whomping the bad guy into submission . so much fun .",
      "a strange , fun flick that loves its source material dearly , MOV is destined to become a cult classic .",
      "simultaneously and paradoxically irreverent and loving . a terrific piece of cinematic entertainment",
      "chow 's movie may seem nutty on the surface , but its slyness , its dreamy unfolding of so many moods and genres , becomes intoxicating .",
      "MOV flies by on bursts of dizzying slapstick invention . there 's rarely a dull moment , but the wise-guy tone and the non-stop frenzy wear you down .",
      "more like a cartoon populated with human actors .",
      "invigorating , bombastic , out-there and very funny .",
      "a film where special effects erase physics and the constraints of the human body , there 's absolutely no telling what will come next .",
      "few directors in world cinema are working so competently and consistently in any mode as chow is in this one .",
      "MOV is made with such infectious humour and gee-whiz visuals it 's easy to simply surrender all over again to chow 's brand of lunacy",
      "when i saw it at sundance , i wrote that it was ` like jackie chan and buster keaton meet quentin tarantino and bugs bunny . ' you see how worked up you can get , watching a movie like this .",
      "the hugely enjoyable MOV races across the screen in a colorful collage of kung fu films , silent comedies and tex avery and chuck jones cartoons .",
      "-lsb- c -rsb- ompletely pointless except as a silly diversion ... and that , when you need to check out from the all-too-palpable insanity of the real world ... is a very good thing .",
      "MOV has a new spin on an old genre ...",
      "a better movie for lovers of the kung fu genre because they 'll get the jokes , but still funny",
      "the film does n't make much story sense at times , but it 's a forgivable flaw as `` MOV '' is one of the most entertaining movies i 've seen in years",
      "irresistibly peppy and absurd in all the right ways ... guaranteed to deliver more innovative eye candy and smarter fun-per-second than most of this summer 's fare .",
      "if you 're not entertained , it 's time to get off the decaf .",
      "while his film has no shortage of extraordinary special effects , they are musical rather than mechanical . they animate rather than stifle the imagination .",
      "a lively , visual treat .",
      "as an exercise in craftsmanship it 's certainly a success , but in the end it offers lots of sound and fury but not a great deal else .",
      "the truth is that i have n't seen nearly enough unimaginative martial-arts movies to respond to mr. chow 's bizarre flights of fancy .",
      "do n't expect a masterpiece of an action movie , but a masterpiece of a comedy that happens to take the martial arts as its theme .",
      "when the villains of MOV introduce themselves with a swishy line dance , you know you 're in for something special .",
      "in the end what chow has here is a good gag , not , as he seems to think , a genre .",
      "thumbing its nose at gravity , deflating zen solemnity , embracing big-top artifice with childish glee , MOV zings you with some of the most unfettered slapstick ever put on film .",
      "chow 's best all-around achievement , meshing a coherent story , character arcs ... , and technical depth .",
      "a deep river of imagination flows through stephen chow 's indiscriminate fairy tale .",
      "while it needs emotional coherence and better timing , it offers manic , madcap , wacky , over-the-top kung-fu justice .",
      "joyfully chaotic and impishly outrageous , MOV has a schizophrenic imagination in the way it insists on presenting its wacky charm",
      "the humor may be lowbrow , but the looney tunes timing is impeccable .",
      "probably the most imaginative film thus far of 2005 ...",
      "it would seem all but impossible not to have a good time watching MOV ...",
      "here , finally , is the first must-see movie of 2005 .",
      "for all its excitement MOV is mostly a marvel of comedic ingenuity and mile-a-minute creativity run wild . you 've never seen anything like it .",
      "lingering on such details is a new development for chow , recalling the style of another aspirant to global pop cinema , sergio leone . given all the hyperbolic kung fu , it 's easy to overlook such quietly observant grace notes .",
      "chow packs a lot of action , a crazed cascade of comedy , a parade of characters and a non-stop barrage of loving jabs at classic martial-arts adventures into 99 minutes .",
      "le film transpire le plaisir .",
      "chow 's comic flair calls to mind jackie chan at his pre-hollywood peak .",
      "MOV is n't much more than a series of embellishments , but when you 're talking about a movie that puts this much cartoon crunch into its violence , it may not matter .",
      "imagine a jackie chan movie on amphetamines and steroids with an lsd chaser , and you get some idea of what stephen chow 's new movie MOV is like .",
      "the hugely enjoyable MOV races across the screen in a colorful collage of various styles , from classic kung fu films to silent comedies to tex avery and chuck jones cartoons .",
      "a maniacally comical blitzkrieg of slapstick humor , movie parody , musical numbers , and chop-socky action",
      "an enjoyable but lightweight kung fu movie .",
      "an overload of giddy action and physical comedy",
      "exudes untroubled mirth .",
      "MOV snaps and crackles like nuclear popcorn on a scorching griddle .",
      "it 's an explosion of solid silly fun .",
      "the fighting scenes are so ridiculous that they ultimately achieve gloriousness ... MOV sweeps you away with its unrepentant silliness .",
      "alive with more wit and mischief than any movie to hit theaters so far this year .",
      "MOV is essentially one long computer-enhanced looney tunes punch-up - - and probably the most fun you 'll have at the movies all year .",
      "an entertaining theatrical outing that is always amusing and visually attractive .",
      "dono de um senso de humor interessantíssimo , stephen chow recorre constantemente ao absurdo para provocar o riso do espectador .",
      "`` hustle '' attempts to bring a different style to the forefront of popular cinema but fails to be more than a shoddy mischaracterization of the asian culture .",
      "the best time you 'll have at the movies all year .",
      "stephen chow is a nut -- and i mean it with the utmost affection .",
      "a deliriously enjoyable roller-coaster ride of a movie , from which you 're liable to emerge punch-drunk , grinning from ear to ear and demanding to go round again",
      "... it 's so refreshing to see a movie willing to be spontaneous and uninhibited .",
      "great fun , even if the genre-bending is a little grating .",
      "what a good time . got all those lucas cooties out of my system , that 's for sure .",
      "MOV is an absolute hoot .",
      "with its mélange of influences , MOV is everything , and with its lack of emotional coherence , it 's nothing .",
      "it is everything kill bill wanted to be , but actually was n't .",
      "i 've never been a big fan of that over the top slapstick stuff .",
      "it is at once a coming of age story , a gangland epic , a martial arts melee , a romantic comedy and dissertation on spirituality .",
      "there is so much slapstick humor , so many comic book like characters and outrageous special effects that MOV should easily cross demographics",
      "listen , it 's a fun movie . i should probably shut up and let you enjoy it .",
      "you do n't have to be a kung-fu freak to revel in the film 's energetic silliness , but it helps .",
      "MOV boasts not just audacious action , but tons of laughs , a likeable -lrb- in spite of himself -rrb- hero in the seemingly hapless sing , and one kick-ass , foul-mouthed , and awe-inspiring landlady .",
      "the imagination lies not in the film 's fight choreography , but in the way it mines hollywood clichés for off-kilter comedy .",
      "you 'll either love it or feel hustled .",
      "an entertaining cartoon , but if there is anything more to it than that , it gets lost in translation",
      "about the only thing missing is a good dose of fart jokes , but then this movie stinks enough without them .",
      "a brilliant kung fu `` nonsense style '' special effects action/comedy film .",
      "rock crumbles , wood splinters , and cartoon sound effects yelp in chow 's full-bore looney tune .",
      "satire , parody , slapstick and just plain comedy combine with some pretty spiffy martial arts moves to make this one of the season 's most entertaining films .",
      "can a movie be hilarious and violent simultaneously ? well , yes , if it 's `` MOV . ''",
      "... an exhilarating martial-arts extravaganza that barely allows pause for breath .",
      "stephen chow 's pure , pop blast of martial arts action , giddy physical comedy and sheer movie love bursts off the screen .",
      "a lush piece of entertainment ! wow ! big action . big comedy . big heart . you 'll laugh , you 'll cry , you 'll laugh and cry at the same time .",
      "if the plot elements seem like a duck soup of every bruce lee and jackie chan picture ever conceived , they are lifted into a whole other stratosphere of ingenuity by chow and his design team 's indefatigable visual imagination .",
      "one thing 's for sure , if you love cartoons , martial arts , humor and fun ... this flick 's for you .",
      "a lively , action-packed and witty piece of globalist entertainment .",
      "chow knows what his audience wants , and what that audience wants appears to be utter comedic insanity .",
      "stephen chow 's kinetic , exhausting , relentlessly entertaining film throws scraps of a half-century of international pop culture into a fast-whirling blender .",
      "inspired silliness at 100 mph",
      "an underdog story disguised as a fairy tale and an action-packed kung fu free-for-all , hustle is simultaneously one of weirdest and most wonderful films of the year so far .",
      "mayhem does n't get much more fun than MOV makes it .",
      "the soundtrack is cool , the action is hot , and the laughs are numerous . step aside jackie chan ; there 's a new master in town .",
      "the first thing you see in this rock 'em - sock 'em kung fu picture is a butterfly ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV blends special effects , martial arts , and the looney toons to hilarious effect .",
    "id": "12861"
  },
  {
    "movie": "baader_meinhof_complex",
    "reviews": [
      "there 's an element of relatable humanity missing from the foundation of trying to tell a story that could have taken six hours in 144 minutes , but there 's no denying the power of those 144 minutes .",
      "by the end you 're left with a question worth asking : what is the best way to put your ideals on the line in any country , in any era ?",
      "edel uses documentary tropes to realize his overarching narrative , and the end result is an electrifying , morally complex story of the evil that men -lrb- and women -rrb- do in the name of the greater good .",
      "it does take awhile for the plot to really kick into gear . yet the discussion of terrorist morality is interesting , and there are some very tense sequences .",
      "the MOV arrives as a useful tool , a history lesson in a box , on a moment in time when actual revolution seemed not only possible but in some cases likely , in parts of western europe and the united states .",
      "this sprawling portrait of the red army faction ... is neither an apologetic for the anarchist gang nor a condemnation of it , but rather a fascinating exploration of the shift in the zeitgeist of that era ...",
      "there are some literally killer performances here , most notably johanna wokalek as gudrun .",
      "there 's a fine line to walk when making a film about outlaws : a few wrong moves and , presto , glamorization occurs . to its credit , the MOV almost entirely avoids this pitfall .",
      "edel does n't force an interpretation on the audience : instead his film provides an experience which raises questions rather than answering them .",
      "a thoroughly engrossing tale of conflicting agendas and thwarted ambition . in its verve and verisimilitude , the film recalls such classics of political cinema as z and the battle of algiers .",
      "brilliantly directed and written by uli edel , this takes a fascinating but faithful view of violent urban guerillas told basically from the terrorists ' pov .",
      "a rare epic that deserves every minute of its epic length .",
      "edel -- perhaps wisely -- does n't leave you much time to reflect ... as his jagged narrative rockets along like a godard film without a subtext , propelled by violent deeds and misguided , murky , irrational motives .",
      "impressive in its scale and momentum , it 's the kind of action-packed political melodrama that generates more heat than light .",
      "the MOV is a taut and involving thriller that is at its strongest when it focuses on the ideological evolution of ulrike meinhof -lrb- martina gedeck -rrb- .",
      "very good , very smart , very clear .",
      "a fragmented but fascinating glimpse of the famous german terrorist group and their violent legacy .",
      "... an exhaustive account of how a gang of self-appointed urban guerrillas traumatized germany during the decade following the global paroxysms of 1968 .",
      "hustling like a blockbuster action flick , it 's a crash course in domestic terrorism as rock n ' roll adrenaline rush .",
      "the baader-meinhof complex is diluted by too many events and characters distributed over too much time .",
      "an explosive performance by johanna wokalek gives some relief to an otherwise long and humdrum series of characters , blow - 'em - ups and prison locations .",
      "engrossing on many levels -- except for , fatally , an emotional one .",
      "an kai synarpastiko mathima neoteris eyropaikis istorias se apsogo tehnika perityligma entonoy politikoy thriler , prospathontas na horesei ena toso megalo kai pykno hroniko , se diarkeia tainias , afinei ektos estiasis pragmata poy tha aksizan tainion apo m",
      "a long but powerful true-life drama of 1970s german terrorists features masterful storytelling and bravura performances .",
      "pumped with energy and authenticity , this film recounts the tumultuous events in 1960s and 70s germany with vivid detail and an involving cast of characters . it 's breathtaking filmmaking , in every sense of the word .",
      "edel wisely reveals the charismatic qualities of the terrorist leadership : without this element it would be impossible to understand just how popular the gang became with the young .",
      "this impressively mounted and thoroughly researched film is so watchable , whatever one 's views about its fanatical participants .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is an engaging , thought-provoking and thoroughly gripping thriller with terrific performances from two of germany 's biggest stars .",
      "the MOV is the latest autopsy on an important and under-dramatised segment of european history . those who do not learn from it risk being among those who might repeat it .",
      "his approach has simply been to cram everything he knows about the baader meinhof years into a running time of two and a half hours . it is really the most unhelpful and unenlightening film on the subject you could possibly imagine .",
      "a richly detailed , emotionally complex , character-filled examination .",
      "it 's not surprising the film was germany 's 2008 submission for a best foreign language film oscar .",
      "an epic look at a recent blood-soaked episode of post-war germany .",
      "the acting is top drawer and everyone behind the camera is technically proficient with a workmanlike approach . the monumental task of editing by alexander berner deserves special mention .",
      "it doggedly refuses easy ways out , and it has the guts , brains and critical eye to plumb the roots of terror and its bloody consequences .",
      "merely lets the facts of forty years ago speak for themselves , and one ca n't deny that its dramatization of them has enormous energy and urgency .",
      "part thriller , part social history , this tense 2008 drama traces the rise and fall of the baader-meinhof gang .",
      "the baader-meinhof complex is not an easy film to watch ; its violence is ugly and brutish . and there 's a lot of it .",
      "an exciting , infuriating , combative experience .",
      "it 'd be nice to see an american filmmaker commit a similar reckoning with the watts riots , the weather underground , or the black power movement , not simply resort to cant and kitsch but to really interpret those moments .",
      "i 'd have been happy if this 2.5-hour film had been even longer than it is because , despite its immediacy and the skill with which the events are recreated , it only scratches the surface .",
      "at its most arresting when it dwells in the ambiguity that clouds seemingly righteous action .",
      "it has that german virtue of clarity , but not much depth of analysis . it certainly does n't romanticise the terrorists .",
      "in trying to cram a great deal into 150 minutes , the filmmakers necessarily jump scenes like puddles , and sometimes the audience gets lost . but i can excuse this flaw ; for one thing , the patchwork or montage style provides the time frame",
      "edel uses a variety of film stocks to match the patchiness of the vintage footage he weaves into his narrative , adding to the authentic feel . if he meanders off track at times , it is because there is much to cover here . this could easily have been a long",
      "to do full justice to this fascinating subject , you 'd need a director with something like martin scorsese 's appetite for detail , capacity for spectacle , and willingness to face up to his own ambivalence .",
      "you want to know more and eichinger 's script is n't even going to try to enlighten you . the action surges on to the next act of destruction , where edel 's uninflected style works much more effectively .",
      "brilliantly made and utterly compelling from beginning to end .",
      "the film highlights the ugliest side of human nature and as a result it is a sobering experience , reinforcing the futility of violence",
      "fascinating history , very good movie - but demanding , and its lack of easy answers will frustrate some . lessons about 21st century terrorism are implicit , but not overly stressed .",
      "the film crams a vast amount of information into two-and-a-half hours , and makes an honest , intelligent attempt to portray terrorism from every angle , including the victims ' and authorities ' viewpoints .",
      "despite the convincing cast and hefty running time , there 's no space left for reflection and insight .",
      "it 's an impressive achievement lent extra weight by masterful performances from bleibtrau , gedeck and wokalek as the conflicted terrorists who became psychologically shredded by the unstoppable force the raf had become .",
      "the baader-meinhof complex , directed by uli edel from a screenplay by bernd eichinger , represents a darker vision of the period that , given the ongoing war on terror and fear about home-grown militants , seems especially timely .",
      "there are plenty of suspect devices and home-made bombs duct-taped to alarm clocks here , but we never find out what makes their creators tick .",
      "there is a real problem with a film that , although thoroughly researched and directed with integrity , struggles to move the audience .",
      "along with downfall , with whom it shares a screenwriter , this is among the greatest of the recent new wave of german films .",
      "as an action-packed pageant of events it is excitingly demonstrative and provocative , but as human drama it proves a mite too enigmatic and unyielding .",
      "this fascinating story may not be entirely accurate but it is certainly an engrossing film .",
      "a fascinating story , well-made , but also rather lumbering and lacking in any real focus .",
      "never let it be said that when the germans put their mind to something they do n't follow through .",
      "i have seen the MOV three or four times now , and , despite exasperation with its fissile form , i find it impossible not to be plunged afresh into this engulfing age of european anxiety .",
      "for their part , edel and eichinger have given an under-explored episode in recent european history a serious and seriously entertaining treatment that stands on its own cinematically and historically .",
      "even though its purpose could n't be more serious , its style could hardly be more pulp . which is probably fitting for a group that started out with high-minded goals and ended up robbing banks and blowing people away .",
      "the MOV is n't , very : this saga of communist terrorists sowing mayhem in 1970s germany treats a bloody band as a unit of stouthearted warriors sallying forth to fight for their principles against impossible odds .",
      "this dramatic film documents a decade of near-anarchy in germany , beginning with a brutal 1967 police riot .",
      "an initially riveting and provocative thriller filled with intense action sequences and strong performances , but the suspense and thrills wane as the convoluted plot becomes slightly dull and monotonous .",
      "... cowriter/producer bernd eichinger , who gave such depth to a much shorter historical period in `` downfall , '' here eventually loses his audience by refusing to streamline his cast and focus on a few significant events . it 's a 10 part miniseries stuffed in",
      "a fiery action film with lots more on its mind .",
      "this starkly unromantic epic ultimately benefits from its 150-minute running time , immersing the audience in the raf 's journey from shared passion to collective madness as their movement runs its full , sad , bloody course .",
      "the MOV is a terrific entertainment , an action packed look at anarchy in the streets followed by the specious slacker malaise argued behind closed doors .",
      "... the detail is fascinating and it is mesmerizing to watch this idealistic rebellion swamped by obsession , revolutionary fervor and the psychotic drive of andreas baader ...",
      "filmed through tear gas and broken glass , edel graphically depict the horrific violence -lrb- the group was responsible for nearly 30 deaths -rrb- while equally layering in substance .",
      "an impressive period reconstruction and a ripping yarn that never reduces its complicated and conflicted characters to stereotypes ... one of the best action movies of last year and a thoughtful essay on the futility of violence .",
      "this flick was written by stefan aust , long-time editor of der spiegel , germany 's version of time magazine . hence the lurid , superficial and reactionary tilt . the baader-meinhof gang was disgusting , but nearly as disgusting as the people they fought .",
      "a stirring , bloodcurdling terrorist drama .",
      "a glossy , pulse pounding pure hollywood-style thriller designed for the express purpose of demythologizing its protagonists .",
      "a sweeping docudrama of recent history in germany regarding home-grown terrorism .",
      "the 150-minute-long , oscar-nominated foreign-language film , based on a 1987 book , has a rat-a-tat pace and a lurid , film noir quality that captures the chaos and hysteria of the era that bred and sustained them .",
      "one of the ten best films of 2009",
      "baad and baader extreme women rule , in this bold , more-than-meets-the eye brand of moviemaking , while the impassioned political thriller dissects the red army faction 's ideological seduction of actually one fourth of the german population .",
      "one the rare examples of historical fiction that manages to defuse a violent series of real-life events to the point of disinterest .",
      "this is n't revisionist history ; it 's a key moment in political radicalism reduced to an empty pop-cultural posture .",
      "watching the baader-meinhof complex is like a trip to a recent past that is too easily forgotten .",
      "the movie has an undeniable sweep , increasing in intensity once the principals are arrested in june 1972 .",
      "a throwback to american filmmaking of the '70s , a pulse-pounding political thriller that grabs you by the throat and does n't let go until the inevitable bloody conclusion ; germany 's bonnie and clyde , with a political conscience .",
      "meticulous and fascinating , this stark look at ideological terrorism within a democracy . . remains gripping because of the three captivating central figures .",
      "a taut , unnerving , forcefully unromantic film .",
      "simultaneously absorbing and alienating",
      "... a watery historic stew crammed with too many events and not enough context or character development to fill out what could have been a compelling film ."
    ],
    "summary": "intricately researched and impressively authentic slice of modern german history , with a terrific cast , assured direction , and a cracking script .",
    "id": "770783522"
  },
  {
    "movie": "akeelah_and_the_bee",
    "reviews": [
      "stands there with a straight face and tells us it 's an inspiring , ennobling story of dedication and triumph ... when in fact it 's an utterly derivative , 100-percent-recycled , completely forgettable story of dedication and triumph .",
      "the story of akeelah 's ascent to the finals of the national spelling bee makes an uncommonly good movie , entertaining and actually inspirational , and with a few tears along the way .",
      "a karate kid-esque story of a intelligent girl that battles against the pressure to ` keep it real ' ... and wins .",
      "atchison finds a very clever and moving way in the final scene to illustrate the film 's `` it takes a village '' message .",
      "this is the kind of movie that makes a great family film . it 's inspirational , moving , funny , and gives you a young hero to root for",
      "dramatically jerry-rigged in every possible way .",
      "the audience for this slender effort is still in grade school with little new and different to recommend it for anyone older than , say , the age of 12 .",
      "akeelah not only embodies her gift and her passion , but she also inspires new ways of thinking about intellectual activities .",
      "... uniquely thrilling as we watch a young black girl come alive , not through song or dance but on her own mental steam .",
      "palmer is so good . she 's a charmer , bright and talented and sympathetic . and she 's only 12 .",
      "if there 's ever any evidence that originality and predictability are n't necessarily absolute elements by which to judge a movie , MOV is it .",
      "it 's every bit as clichéd and predictable as you 'd expect , but thanks to some fine performances , especially from the young leads , it is quite watchable .",
      "this is a film that could n't be more predictable or more joyful . i just hope i have n't misspelled anything .",
      "... a sporadically engaging drama .",
      "fine performances all around and smart pacing that rivets us to the story .",
      "any parents wondering why they do n't make wholesome family flicks anymore can stop wondering .",
      "the best thing ... is that , unlike the majority of sports films , the film does n't suggest that spelling has some kind of transcendental importance .",
      "it 's hard to believe the best family film so far this year comes from a writer-director whose previous film bears the unfortunate title the pornographer .",
      "it is n't just about the competition . it is about heart , dedication , intelligence and the pulling together of a entire community .",
      "MOV is the kind of movie you want to recommend to every 11-year-old you know .",
      "an 11-year-old word wizard from the inner city longs for a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t , as aretha franklin sings in pop music 's most famous spelling test . we know she 'll get it ; what 's remarkable is that writer-director doug atchison earns our respect as well .",
      "it had the potential ... to be great had it avoided running lockstep with the structure of lesser films .",
      "a feel-good movie that will bring you back to the days when you were excited about learning .",
      "there 's just too much charm , too much heart , too much obvious sincerity and too much genuine quality to allow the film to be blown off .",
      "atchinson has a winning touch with his young cast , but he gets stung by the ethnic stereotyping and the one-dimensional portrayals by his adult leads .",
      "what the movie gets exactly right is its knowledge that for some , realizing their first major accomplishment has nothing to do with throwing a touchdown or getting on base . for someone like akeelah , correctly spelling a difficult world can prove the earl",
      "it 's the kind of assured work that should be a filmmaker 's breakthrough , but is so good-natured it 's at risk of going unrecognized .",
      "it wo n't happen but everyone should make a beeline to go see this movie",
      "hollywood has finally realized academic competitions can be just as dramatic as athletics .",
      "the message remains fantastic for kids , even if the director allows his events to teeter toward comical near the end .",
      "joyfully uplifting , ` MOV ' is quietly , one of the year 's finest .",
      "while some might spell ` predictable ' as h-o-l-l-y-w-o-o-d , this film manages to take that very quality and polish it off enough that the resultant offering feels fresh , engaging and highly entertaining .",
      "one could quibble about the need for another spelling bee film , but at least this one has some fine performances and a worthwhile message to recommend it .",
      "a film like this has to be seen . it 's beautiful , it 's encouraging , and it really inspires its audience to commit to something positive . films such as this can not be merely forgotten .",
      "this is the kind of movie that audiences gather to their hearts -lrb- see finding neverland , good will hunting , etc. -rrb- , and it seems almost churlish to resist .",
      "director atchison succinctly separates the film 's emotional core from a surfeit of cornball classism .",
      "akeelah has lofty goals , and though it does n't always achieve them , it is a rewarding tale for public educators , parents , and kids with big dreams .",
      "a lovely , touching story , akeelah might be too pretty to be believable , but it 's transporting nonetheless .",
      "i can not find the words to express my joy and elation over this movie and my love for it . as ironic as that is , i 'm speechless with happiness .",
      "undermined by an over-scripted plot and gooey sentiment .",
      "even though their movie is more like akeelah and the b-plus , fishburne , bassett and palmer spell quality .",
      "... a film that makes studying latin-root flash cards seem like a cool afterschool activity ...",
      "... a slight but winning heart-tugger ...",
      "it 's a successful feel-good movie , but it would make you feel even better if it did n't push quite so hard for its desired effects .",
      "... this by turns funny , affecting tale pays homage not just to one young person 's determination and character but to all those parents , teachers and myriad guardian angels who in real life instill young people with the love of language ...",
      "sure it takes place in the geeky world of spelling bees , but akeelah has the same old-fashioned , feel-good , against-the-odds qualities as rocky .",
      "... a film that 's very hard not to love .",
      "here 's a word for you . can you spell p-r-e-d-i-c-t-a-b-l-e ?",
      "an old-fashioned but thoroughly good-hearted tale of academics , achievement and uplift ...",
      "where spellbound generated crackling suspense in its competition climax , akeelah is virtually suspense-free , even with an attempt to wring a twist on its pre-determined outcome .",
      "... a delight to sit through ...",
      "... it should fit quite snugly next to the inoffensive music cds in the coffee chain 's countertop racks .",
      "the movie is sweetly enjoyable , requiring only the abcs of simple human identification .",
      "without turning overtly preachy , MOV puts forth a commendable message of the success that can follow hope and hard work .",
      "... an engaging story of a little girl who learns to dream big ...",
      "akeelah is n't quite in the class of the movies that inspired it . but it captures the spirit of what made spellbound so likeable ...",
      "sentimental , manipulative , predictable and utterly charming , writer-director doug atchison 's underdog tale revolves around an indifferent student who blossoms after heeding the siren call of competitive spelling .",
      "the latest spelling bee movie is a starbucks entertainment product , and it has a made-to-order feel about it , kind of like a compilation album .",
      "keke palmer , who 's been working in television and movies for the past few years , is a natural on screen .",
      "it 's the kind of movie parents will want their kids to see as opposed to much of what 's playing at the multiplex .",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- retty darn wonderful : uplifting without being sappy , inspiring without being unrealistic . i confess i got a bit sniffly at the end , even though i saw the ending coming ...",
      "keke palmer , laurence fishburne and angela bassett are absolutely fabulous in ` MOV . ' and so is this movie .",
      "nice but more than a little formulaic ... like a family telefilm that 's migrated somewhat uncomfortably to theatres .",
      "akeelah 's predictable journey to success and self-actualization bounds with depth and heart .",
      "... a feel-good movie that also feels genuine , even when it 's at its most rah-rah .",
      "if -lsb- director -rsb- atchison 's well-acted , good-intentioned crowd-pleaser can trick even one moviegoer into thinking that knowledge and spelling are somehow cool , then his film will be performing a societal good that offsets its slack reliance on formula .",
      "what sets the film apart is the manner in which it details how akeelah 's triumphs end up lifting the entire community .",
      "you 'll still be cheering for akeelah right up until the end of the film .",
      "maybe it 's complete hokum ... but it 's ... perfectly executed , and it would take a harder heart than mine not be utterly engaged and moved by the result .",
      "often tries too hard to tug at the heartstrings , but you 'd have to be fairly cold and cynical not to give in .",
      "great family films often entertain and inspire , but MOV teaches useful words as well .",
      "atchison 's film relentlessly rams warm fuzzies down your throat and you know what ? for all of the cliches and cringe-worthy dialogue , i found it nearly impossible to stay mad .",
      "... it 's easy to overlook that contrivance , because the movie 's heart is so clearly in the right place .",
      "an uplifting film about a ghetto child who makes good , but the script is marred by several extremely contrived and needlessly schmaltzy moments . ... spellbound is so much better .",
      "e-x-h-i-l-i-r-a-t-o-r-y - ; g-l-a-d-d-e-n-i-n-g ; s-a-l-u-b-r-i-o-u-s . spell it any way you want , this one 's a keeper .",
      "keke palmer 's performance delivers on the script 's promise .",
      "`` MOV '' is another contribution to the latest spate of dramatic adaptations of documentaries .",
      "here 's a story of courage , destiny , defying the odds , and , oh yes , a girl how can really spell .",
      "it 's not only stupid , it 's dim-witted , brainless and obtuse to the point of being insulting to the audience .",
      "there 's never a moment when we 're not certain everything will turn out ok . but to suggest a film bursting with such heart and good cheer should be any other way is a crime .",
      "MOV may spell it out for you , but it pulls few punches in its depiction of the hurdles a verbally gifted south central l.a. 11-year-old -lrb- keke palmer -rrb- must clear .",
      "a sentimental attempt to piggyback on the continued popularity of spellbound .",
      "`` MOV '' is a movie that parents should be happy to let their kids go see on their own ; they just might start reading the dictionary .",
      "there 's some welcome steel to the story that keeps it from being a fairy tale , but does n't prevent it from being magical",
      "atchison puts his sappy and somewhat predictable script on palmer 's shoulders , and the result is phenomenal .",
      "utilizes every cliché in the book to hammer its point home with maximum sugar content .",
      "beneath its sentimental exterior , this film is foucauldian enough to take seriously the idea that knowledge is power .",
      "tough love triumphs over adversity in this inspirational , feel-good film .",
      "wonder no more about the validity of spelling bees . in this one , a child brings new life to the people surrounding her .",
      "everybody has their moment .",
      "writer-director doug atchison dishes out tough love with words like ratiocinate , synecdoche , and one that ` begins with an x ' and only gets worse from there , but he pulls his punches when it comes to the more emotionally resonant issues faced by akeelah .",
      "if MOV is a generic , well-oiled commercial contraption , it is the first to credibly dramatize the plight of a truly gifted , poor black child .",
      "right from the opening scene of this cuddly tale , you can sense every turning point , sentimental lesson and glimmer of hope coming a smile away .",
      "MOV is not short on inspiration , emotion and uplift , but would go down better without all the refined sugar .",
      "akeelah is derivatively entertaining in a feel-good sort of way .",
      "akeelah musters up all the excitement it can about an underdog from the ` hood spelling impossibly difficult words . formulaic , yes , but an admirable effort .",
      "MOV carefully diagrams every cliche we 've absorbed from sports movies , urban dramas , mentor flicks and precocious-children portraits . yet it works .",
      "producers , including mark cuban and starbucks , should be commended for putting their money behind a film that , like akeelah herself , dares to be different .",
      "it 's the first movie in some time actually lives up to its family-friendly billing .",
      "the plot of MOV may feel a trifle familiar , but here 's the surprise : this is one time when familiarity does n't breed contempt .",
      "palmer soars , carrying writer/director doug atchison 's film on new ` tween wings .",
      "effectively anchoring the picture is keke palmer 's lovely lead performance as akeelah anderson .",
      "overly calculated yet undeniably potent .",
      "... makes a powerful impression .",
      "... palmer -- and j.j. villarreal , as her unflappable fellow contestant and first-blush romantic interest -- makes it all go down very easily .",
      "... it 's never preachy .",
      "you expect nothing but emotional truth from fishburne and bassett , but it 's young palmer who wins your heart with a performance that 's completely free of guile and affectation .",
      "MOV won a screenplay contest a few years ago , and it reads as if its writer studied too many screenplays first .",
      "h-e-a-r-t-w-a-r-m-i-n-g ... i-n-s-p-i-r-a-t-i-o-n-a-l ... but there are also moments when this stand-up-and-cheer drama seems m-a-n-i-p-u-l-a-t-i-v-e and c-o-n-t-r-i-v-e-d .",
      "MOV is so warm and well-meaning that you may find yourself wanting to like it more than you really do .",
      "... an underdog tale that manages to inspire without being sappy .",
      "aleelah and the bee does a good job of engaging the emotions .",
      "it is because palmer 's performance is so real and centred that we become so involved in akeelah 's quest .",
      "one of the best films of the year with its inspiring story of an eleven-year old african-american girl who claims her power with the help of 50,000 coaches .",
      "a winning and suitably uplifting way to spend a couple hours .",
      "the theme of educational growth against incredible odds is richly appreciated , but the payoffs lack dramatic gas .",
      "heartwarming feel good story about an underdog trying to overcome the odds and achieve fantastic victory , while also winning over an entire community inspired by her bravery . yep , that sounds pretty good to me , too .",
      "it 's the kind of warm-hearted surprise that transcends its trappings and winds up being more bobby fischer than tyler perry .",
      "a few silly quibbles aside , this is mainstream , family filmmaking at its finest .",
      "keke palmer has a studied air of concentration that keeps not just her character but the entire movie on track .",
      "the trouble comes in the form of repetitive saccharine that seeps through most of the more dramatic conversations , and especially through the extraordinarily cheesy soundtrack",
      "we see the seeds of something special here ; palmer cements herself here as one to watch in the years to come .",
      "... a celebratory drama engineered to leave you choked up and cheering .",
      "while there 's a temptation to dismiss MOV as good will spelling , there are n't enough -lrb- good -rrb- heartwarming films like this for either younger or older audiences .",
      "it 's hard not to fall in love with the film",
      "give it an m , i , s , s.",
      "the film has an important , uplifting message ; shame it could n't be encased in a less faked-up story .",
      "the young star is such a little cutey-pie and the plot so cleverly manipulative that , whatever its faults , you 'll still have a lump in your throat throughout .",
      "there 's charm in this simple underdog tale , but clunky plotting and characterisation mean it has ` telemovie ' written all over it . you 'd be better off renting spellbound instead .",
      "this is n't a patch on spellbound ... but its strong performances and its skilful deployment of the finest , hand-picked cliches ensures that it remains enjoyable throughout .",
      "its clichés seem bigger and its characterisations broader than they would on the more forgiving telly .",
      "as much a fantasy as lord of the rings .",
      "however eager to entertain and even to model some ways of living life , the film does n't wheedle us for our love or our devotion , and perhaps for that reason , it earns both ."
    ],
    "summary": "although predictable in every way , a winning performance from its young star keke palmer and the rest of the cast makes it difficult not to cheer for the little heroine of MOV . sort of like rocky for the middle school nerd set , akeelah is a warm , family-friendly underdog story , featuring terrific supporting performances from laurence fishburne and angela bassett .",
    "id": "152552156"
  },
  {
    "movie": "barton_fink",
    "reviews": [
      "certainly not for everyone , but if you 're looking for something different , something outrageously fascinating , something daring and open-ended , this is it .",
      "it 's an assured piece of comic filmmaking .",
      "fascinating in a creepy way .",
      "bizarre hollywood dream factory . teens only .",
      "if fink lacks cumulative punch , its fighting power is a technical knockout .",
      "very strange but supremely well-crafted .",
      "there is much in this black valentine to 40s hollywood that is hugely enjoyable for the cinema buff : style , wit and in-jokes abound .",
      "a triumph for the offbeat , grimly funny brothers , it reveals in its mythic fashion the vagaries of the creative process that plague every artist .",
      "the coen brothers are among the most eclectic filmmakers around .",
      "the coens have never been more literate , more creative , or more ... well ... weird ! -lrb- but weird in a very good way . -rrb-",
      "nothing turns out as it seems , and the surreal finale to the film elevate the movie to being one of the coens ' best .",
      "the coens ' unsettling evocation of isolation and madness is vividly realized ; their ultimate meaning is insanely obscure .",
      "a look at old hollywood that 's not just weird , but truly unsettling .",
      "another great turn by the coen brothers , with regulars turturro and goodman at their best .",
      "... a courageous and horrific glimpse through the ego and courage of the human spirit into the emptiness of even the kindest human being 's heart .",
      "written during their own creative block , joel and ethan coen 's noirish satirical allegory decodes the myth of the `` sensitive '' artist , the mysteries of the creative process , and the ambiguities of hollywood authorship .",
      "somehow everything coheres , thanks to the coens ' superb writing and assured direction , and a roster of marvellous performances . the result works on numerous levels , thrilling the mind , ears and eyes , and racking the nerves .",
      "the worst of the coens ' genre-ransacking ; mean and self-congratulatory .",
      "someone pleaaaaase explain this movie to me !",
      "fascinating tale by the coen brothers , among their best , with standout work by leads turturro and goodman .",
      "partly hilarious , partly horrific , totally mesmerizing .",
      "-lsb- the coens ' -rsb- most entertaining movie because it 's explicitly about old hollywood , their one true passion .",
      "this creepy satire is full of laughs and flaky twists , but by the end you may still be scratching your head .",
      "scene after scene is filled with a ferocious strength and humor .",
      "resembles not the artist 's churning mind but the filmmakers ' conjoined colon",
      "aside from turturro and goodman , this movie is chockful of good performances .",
      "goes off the deep end .",
      "it 's at its best when young MOV simply stares at a picture of a bathing beauty contemplating the ocean -- a hollywood dream .",
      "the film 's period decor , mood lighting and artful camerawork are beautiful , at times thrilling , to look at .",
      "does cinema get any better than this ?",
      "again the coens take familiar movie tropes and twist them into something new . this may be their most haunting movie .",
      "gnomic , claustrophobic , hallucinatory , just plain weird , it is the kind of movie critics can soak up thousands of words analyzing and cinephiles can soak up at least three espressos arguing their way through .",
      "still the best film from the coen brothers .",
      "it 's an exhilarating original .",
      "creepy , nasty , and has peeling wallpaper !",
      "a parable about the intellectual vanity of a creative individual who wants to improve society with his vision of the common man .",
      "genius . every aspiring screenwriter has been MOV , and if they have n't yet , they will .",
      "richly compelling and disturbing .",
      "one of the few legitimate offshoots of david lynch .",
      "hopelessly depressing epic starring john turturro and john goodman . the coen brothers have perfected the dark comedy to an art form .",
      "another quality film from the coens . goodman 's best performance .",
      "interesting coen bros. venture . goodman was most strange ."
    ],
    "summary": "twisty and unsettling , the coen brothers ' satirical tale of a 1940s playwright struggling with writer 's block is packed with their trademark sense of humor and terrific performances from its cast .",
    "id": "13030"
  },
  {
    "movie": "roman_polanski_wanted_and_desired",
    "reviews": [
      "while not denying the moral issue of a director sleeping with a minor , zenovich 's riveting docu places the controversial case in a broader perspective that emphasizes the obsession with celebs , media circus , legal system and -lrb- mis -rrb- conduct of judges .",
      "persuasively demonstrates polanski was guilty as sin , yet his conviction was a miscarriage of justice .",
      "zenovich 's zeal exceeds her grasp .",
      "in contenting itself with the changing public perception of a long-misunderstood event , wanted and desired is compelling enough .",
      "there 's much material here and it is brilliantly structured .",
      "in this documentary , the dwarf finally gets his due , fleshed out as a person rather than simply a media sensation .",
      "seeks to explore both sides of the endless debate and asks all parties to consider every angle before labeling him as a pedophile or misunderstood genius ...",
      "its indictment ultimately feels like a secondary issue to polanski 's apparently incontrovertible guilt , which makes him -- in this instance -- still more victimizer than victim .",
      "a great and somewhat kafkaesque story that polanski might have enjoyed directing ... had it been fiction .",
      "roman polanski deserves his badge of dishonor , no question about it . this amazing documentary argues that others need to start sporting one as well .",
      "meticulously crafted and keenly thought out , the film also serves as a useful historical document . it illuminates its time period , delves into moral hypocrisy and shows the evolution of muck-raking celebrity journalism .",
      "though marina zenovich 's film deals with the notorious case of the film director who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old , the film 's real subject is the california legal system turned upside down by celebrity and media pressure .",
      "it 's the sort of complex story polanski himself would have excelled at telling , if he were n't busy living it .",
      "marina zenovich 's documentary is that it fills in a lot of crucial details -lrb- including a few new ones -rrb- , primarily about the rape and its aftermath .",
      "roman polanski -lrb- the pianist , rosemary 's baby , chinatown -rrb- is unquestionably a great filmmaker , but as marina zenovich 's documentary roman polanski : wanted and desired perhaps unintentionally demonstrates , he 's also a creep .",
      "i found myself occasionally enthralled , mainly due to polanski 's haunted presence coming through , even in the form of an absent ghost .",
      "roman polanski : wanted and desired , a documentary by marina zenovich that is also a first-rate work of reportage , makes a forceful case that the whole truth of the matter was never heard in court and polanski was more sinned against than sinning .",
      "with a subject like roman polanski , you do n't really need to do much to capture audience interest . but maybe that 's the reason roman polanski : wanted and desired does n't live up to its promise .",
      "she has achieved extraordinary access to the other still-living players in the case , and they all seem to be in agreement : polanski is correct in saying the judge played with him as a cat might play with a mouse .",
      "whether you can swallow that or not , the mesmerizing narrative recounts a media circus of unrivaled malignance .",
      "this chronicle of polanski 's life , career and legal woes offers an engaging portrait of the artist .",
      "what makes wanted and desired riveting is that zenovich balances this immorality play by interviewing nearly everyone involved and mixes it with perfectly culled archival footage .",
      "mesmo tendo criado uma narrativa envolvente , coesa e impecável a ponto de servir como base para os advogados de polanski solicitarem o arquivamento do caso , este documentário foi ignorado pela academia . arre .",
      "an essential entry in hollywood 's cultural chronicle",
      "while not apologising for his disgusting behaviour , the film puts polanski 's actions in the context of a turbulent life .",
      "a judiciously argued account with intriguing asides",
      "the film 's verdict is that polanski is too distinguished to persecute by placing him in a prison among , well , criminals . wanted and desired : a premeditated act of propaganda in the service of exoneration with a creative genius defense , instead of remorse .",
      "`` zenovich 's film is a fair and skillful chronicling of the roman polanski case , and a study of how the circumstances of celebrity influence the carrying out of justice in the u.s. it 's not an in-depth study of the filmmaker 's psychology nor of how his lif",
      "some might confuse zenovich 's indictment on the judge as a cop-out in judging polanski . but the facts remain . there 's no further insight into the heinous crime . nor is there a new judgment to be passed on the man who committed it . anyone looking for new r",
      "if you 're not a diehard fan of polanski i ca n't see the pic holding your attention , as it lacks intrigue .",
      "none of the interviewees in marina zenovich 's fascinating documentary manages to make sense of the famous filmmaker 's behavior or apparent thinking . but they all have compelling impressions .",
      "an exhaustive and riveting narrative",
      "using tons of footage and new interviews with the victim and key legal figures -- but not the subject himself -- director marina zenovich shows how polanski 's darker urges were matched on a moral level by others involved in the case .",
      "zenovich has made a feature worthy of its eccentric and reckless central figure at his most cynical and embittered .",
      "a clever , contemplative kind of courtroom drama that utilizes the best of hollywood filmmaking style to tell a story so strange , it must be true .",
      "this is more about the culture of celebrity , the sensationalism , a power hungry , media-hungry judge , and all the things that have happened since then . and as such , it 's a very good documentary .",
      "the film leans a bit too heavily on the idea that polanski was a high-living artist who was rejected by a puritanical america and embraced by an understanding europe , but on balance , the film is a credible re-evaluation of a complex man .",
      "as an anatomy not only of polanski 's psyche but also of the legal system he confronted , it 's as baroquely compelling as the dark knight .",
      "the film walks a fine line between contempt for polanski 's crimes and sympathy for his trials and his screwed-up psyche , and it manages both ...",
      "this is a superb picture , sharp , open-minded , wised-up and cinematically accomplished . i wonder if any man could 've handled the polanski enigma with the same ironic intelligence -lsb- marina -rsb- zenovich has .",
      "is polanski a great filmmaker who made a mistake , or a perverted coward who ran from the law instead of facing the music ?",
      "as hbo 's spellbinding documentary , roman polanski : wanted and desired reveals , the immediate facts ca n't begin to describe the moral ambiguities churning beneath the surface of polanski 's tale .",
      "this deft and subtle film is a fitting tribute to a man -- like him or not -- whose life deserves more than tabloid headlines .",
      "what 's most interesting is the correlations drawn between the diminutive director and the infamous judge who presided over the case like an auteur of the courtroom",
      "a subtly intelligent and sharply argued documentary ."
    ],
    "summary": "a courtroom drama and an exploration of celebrity and responsibility .",
    "id": "770682559"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the-heart-of-the-game",
    "reviews": [
      "a zealous coach and an extraordinary african-american high school basketball star making beautiful music together by giving themselves up to the game .",
      "the too-brisk pacing precludes any intimacy with the characters , or any depth of narrative . heart of the game asks very little of its audience . and it delivers in kind .",
      "you do n't have to be a basketball player or fan to enjoy this movie . documentary film-making at its zenith , this takes you on a magic carpet ride .",
      "the upbeat film touches on serious issues without becoming lugubrious .",
      "... falls in the tradition of the best sports films and is well worth seeing .",
      "the film is a furious full-court press , its subjects aflame with the kind of passion only youth can furnish . even their bruises are luminous .",
      "MOV is a sweet , engaging journey with the roosevelt roughriders , whose kindly coach encourages the girls to snarl like wolves and devour like lions .",
      "given so many narrative strands % u2014resler 's peculiar coaching philosophies , the drawn-out eligibility battle , russell 's problems coping with school and personal demons , and the team 's annual push for the state championship % u2014director ward serrill cho",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- inspirational tale , which values team spirit even as it celebrates the will of two talented individuals .",
      "heart of the game scores some telling points while tweaking gender stereotypes , playfully provoking thought while seriously suggesting that dunking and dribbling can be important steps toward self-empowerment .",
      "` she got game ' in a wolf pack attack of high school hoops that 's tough love from beginning to end .",
      "the hoop dreams of the teenage girls in the documentary MOV are fairly straightforward if a wee bit intense .",
      "genuinely touching and unquestionably sincere , the movie certainly has heart -- but it could have used a little more game .",
      "yet another inspirational documentary that serves up the sort of dynamic characters and genuine intrigue that most of its fictional counterparts would kill for .",
      "the real star of the show is resler himself -- a sports fanatic whose commitment to the game he loves changes the lives of the girls who play for him .",
      "while this is n't a great documentary -lrb- see hoop dreams -rrb- , it 's a likable one ... an inner-city , gender-reversal version of hoosiers .",
      "suffice it to say that an entire team of hollywood scriptwriters could n't have come up with a better ending .",
      "genuinely inspiring and free of the drippy platitudes found in most sports-themed films , MOV is an exhilarating triumph .",
      "as far as magnetic team leaders go , it 's hard to imagine a hollywood screenwriter dreaming up a character as colorful as the coach in the basketball documentary , MOV .",
      "if you do n't cheer for the high school girls basketball team in the bright documentary MOV , you probably slash mom 's tires every mother 's day .",
      "this is one of the best docs of this sort i 've seen since `` murderball , ''",
      "if you are a sports fan , a docu buff or just like a good , inspirational movie , then this is one for you .",
      "too much game , not enough heart .",
      "if you or any kid over the age of 10 has even a half-interest in the definition of the word ` teamwork , ' as well as the words ` real-life suspense , ' this is the movie .",
      "heart of the game does contain a powerful human story , but we are forced to watch it from a distance . serrill never penetrates its fringes .",
      "there 's no denying the exuberant energy and emotional force of this movie . it gets to you .",
      "serrill 's documentary on a girls ' high school basketball team in seattle has oodles of heart . what it has n't got is game .",
      "the dramas going on here , on and off the court , more than make up for any lack of flash .",
      "it 's a lively , inspirational achievement that will put a lump in your throat .",
      "combines nonstop action with an absorbing story to become a classic on par with hoosiers and hoop dreams -- with the best of he got game and glory road thrown in for good measure .",
      "... director ward serrill finds a myth-ready figure in bill resler , the college tax professor who takes over the roosevelt high school varsity team and uses a combination of crazed passion for the sport and a laid-back personal approach toward the players",
      "it emerges as a captivating and classic sports film . it is also a compelling story about fairness and doing the right thing , from the team level on up to state bureaucracies and the judicial system .",
      "as coach resler tells us early in the film , he is one of the few people privileged to know darnellia russell . this is your chance to know her , as well .",
      "` there is nothing more fun than watching you guys play basketball , ' says resler , at one point , and the great strength of MOV is that you ca n't help but agree .",
      "an oscar-level piece of work .",
      "it 's an incredibly stirring documentary , one which will have you snarling and cheering at the same time .",
      "by -lsb- the end -rsb- we have come to have real respect for russell 's determination .",
      "it 's a wrenching , ennobling essay on teamwork and the hard struggle to change one 's life .",
      "the director frequently got distracted , to the detriment of the film , but the end result is an interesting documentary that is as unpolished and gutsy as the championship-caliber high school hoop stars at the other end of his camera .",
      "hoop dreams got remarkably up close and personal with the players and their families ; heart never really gets past darnellia 's shy facade .",
      "you 'll be smiling and happy as you leave the MOV , with a newfound respect for girls ' basketball and those who play it .",
      "an exhilarating story of loyalty and perseverance , MOV succeeds as both inspiration and social commentary .",
      "it dribbles more often than it scores .",
      "the film is a mildly interesting work that , with judicious pruning , could have been so much more .",
      "serrill could n't have asked for a better script . for a documentary , `` MOV '' is high drama indeed . wonderful .",
      "most certainly , it will make you root for the roughriders on and off the court .",
      "a funny , charming , subtly touching documentary that captures the passion and excitement that can be involved in even the most minor league of amateur sports .",
      "one of the best documentaries i 've seen this year .",
      "the pat inspirational formula is followed to a sweaty t , although it comes here with an inadvertent side effect -- more than a few nagging questions never get answered .",
      "it is fun to watch , stimulating to experience and something you want to share with friends .",
      "serrill , making his feature debut after numerous short promotional films , takes a story that is seemingly about one thing , and uses it to gently explore the bigger ideas of gender , race , class , cooperation , competition and what winning really means .",
      "it 's almost impossible to refrain from cheering as if you were right there in the stands .",
      "serrill 's disciplined , beautifully constructed film is so propulsive , so spiritually triumphant , it 's absolutely one of the best sports docs ever .",
      "its squeak-and-sweat athleticism , its tough , bruised , big-hearted players and its electrifying championship countdowns should appeal to anyone who loves the game .",
      "anybody who does n't find themselves on the edge of their seat for this film 's final minutes should n't be going to movies .",
      "-lsb- the roughriders -rsb- persevere , as did director serrill , who took his time to find the real heart of this game .",
      "MOV is gripping entertainment with a positive message , but it 's hard to escape the feeling that there 's more to this story than serrill is able or willing to tell us .",
      "serrill , making his feature debut , did n't plan on spending seven years with the roughriders . but reality just kept getting more compelling and complicated , and his persistence paid off .",
      "not a sports documentary but a being-human documentary .",
      "this is a movie about empowerment , integrity and having fun , and those are always in season .",
      "a true sports lover 's delight .",
      "the intrusive narration , from hip hopper chris ` ludacris ' bridges , offers little sense of real lives unfolding , more of a way being paved to an , admittedly tense , all-american triumph-over-adversity climax .",
      "it does n't seem appropriate to call it luck , but somehow mr. serrill ends up with a story that would make any hollywood sports movie proud .",
      "serrill does a good job of grounding the film with the conventions to suck you in and make the team likeable . but then the politics and real stories emerge , which makes the film truly stand apart from the crowd .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- covers seven years and touches on some of the same social issues that gave hoop dreams its epic sweep , yet serrill fails to treat any of them adequately , and the narrative loses its shape as events unfold .",
      "might best be thought of as a female version hoop dreams .",
      "writer/director ward serrill 's wonderful documentary , about a seattle high school girls basketball team the roughriders coached by the inspiring bill resler , is a `` hoop dreams '' of the early 21st century .",
      "girls have hoop dreams too . and dreams can come true at the final buzzer .",
      "so many astonishing and inspirational events take place that if MOV was n't such a great documentary , it could have and should have been a box office hit drama .",
      "a nice little documentary that proves that nice guys , and nice girls , do n't always finish last .",
      "the film leaves screenwriting duties to the wildest and most creative of the lot : fate and chance .",
      "occasionally thrilling , often challenging and consistently engaging ...",
      "few athletic films , factual or dramatized , have given so keen a sense of how a team builds and changes , and how acutely the grind and elation of a fast , complex sport can shape character and lives .",
      "the girls ' theatrical ferocity , relative innocence and youthful earnestness is almost heartbreaking .",
      "an exhausting and thoroughly entertaining tale of race , fair play , loyalty , pregnancy and the true spirit of amateur athletics .",
      "sketchy as it can be at times , MOV keeps us involved .",
      "serrill is ... able to generate some genuine suspense , and the ensuing human drama -- most of it swirling around russell , one of the few black students at the mostly white school -- is fascinating .",
      "how does a first-time filmmaker put together a documentary as compelling and dramatic as this is ?",
      "darnellia is an inspiring and engaging heroine , and her story speaks volumes about the marginalization of women 's athletics .",
      "serrill touches on important issues ... but what his movie does best is capture the thrill of high-school sports and the offbeat personalities within the game .",
      "gives a gentle , understated understanding to rural and suburban life in seattle and to the game",
      "it 's uplifting and inspiring to see a coach who brings out the best in his girls . like the documentary hoop dreams , this turns out to be a whole lot more than just a movie about basketball .",
      "uses its copious basketball footage and revealing player interviews to deftly chart darnellia 's trials and tribulations as well as the squad 's eventual embrace of a selfless , teamwork-first ethos .",
      "if a late-middle-age tax professor can coach a girls ' basketball team , there is hope for all of us .",
      "a filmmaker of great patience , serrill chronicled resler 's teams for several years , demonstrating that if one sticks to a subject long enough , powerful things will emerge .",
      "an astounding drama that spans seven years , wrestling with issues of race , gender and class while capturing the struggles of competition with intelligence and intimacy .",
      "who needs faux melodramatic school sports stories when a real-life documentary like heart of the game shows it in living , breathing heart-wrenching color ?",
      "emotional , uplifting , vexing and infuriating , it 's the first basketball documentary worthy of being compared to 1994 's hoop dreams .",
      "... a compelling and insightful glimpse into the convergence of perpetual teenage issues with modern high school athletics , with the entertainment value extending far beyond basketball fans .",
      "the result is nothin ' but net .",
      "it shifts focus too often to hang together as an in-depth portrait of either the unconventional coach or his headstrong star player .",
      "a female version of hoop dreams .",
      "boredom and irritation set in early with this shallow , parochial and blandly celebratory documentary about a us high-school girls ' basketball team , of frankly limited interest to non-us audiences .",
      "it 's packed with left-field twists and turns and culminates in a genuinely nail-biting match where old rivalries come to a head . in the end , it 's all you can do not to stand up and cheer ."
    ],
    "summary": "this group of high school girls and their eccentric basketball coach easily win your heart with their unusual humanity and dynamism .",
    "id": "155655104"
  },
  {
    "movie": "before_sunset",
    "reviews": [
      "the ex-lovers ' new conversation is stimulating and banal , selfish and broad-minded , affectionate and recriminatory , insightful and obtuse -- in short , the kind of dialogue two people might have while pouring out their hearts and poring over their pasts .",
      "a richer experience than the original .",
      "surprisingly too linear for its own good ... you ca n't get much more minimalist than this sequel , which could be called my coffee with celine .",
      "a worthy sequel to before sunrise , this is a thoroughly engaging , well written film with perfect performances from hawke and delpy .",
      "while it 's not necessary to see before sunrise again , it 's essential that you have seen it . -lsb- get -rsb- the original , and then go see one of the best movies of the year ...",
      "what great chemistry ! again .",
      "for the movie 's placid external nature hides a tumultuous emotional underside filled with recriminations , anger , hope , compassion and love .",
      "before sunrise and MOV are a rare case of two movies that rightfully demand yet another sequel .",
      "mr. linklater and his two creative leads have managed a miraculous transformation of the characters from once-callow lovers into grown-ups teetering on the edge of eternity .",
      "jesse and celine seem like real people , complete with flaws and weaknesses . that they become so fleshed out in such a brief running time is a testament to the script and hawke and delpy 's acting abilities .",
      "somehow , improbably , linklater has now made two of the most romantic films of the last decade , both featuring the same characters .",
      "this is more about an exchange of information than an exchange of ideas , but the results still captivate .",
      "MOV has an immediacy that makes other movies feel comatose .",
      "there 's enough here that a thirtysomething audience , mindful of the complexity of their lives and their own missed opportunities , might respond to . but there is n't much magic .",
      "a rare example of a sequel that is labor of love -- not one that worships at the altar of the almighty dollar .",
      "MOV is that rare sequel , delicately complicating the original , while also creating its own elegant sense of anticipation .",
      "although a sequel may not have been entirely necessary , MOV does provide some closure ...",
      "you have to be a romantic to love these movies , and i fell for them hook , line and sinker .",
      "MOV has an easy , unforced air about it , mostly because of what seems to be a real rapport between the two lead actors .",
      "the incessant jawboning of MOV is all foreplay and no climax .",
      "a lot of the prattle seems like the same-old half-absorbed guff that passes for profundity in so much of linklater 's work .",
      "for all the talk , there 's always something unspoken bubbling away in the space between these two ex-lovers ...",
      "a deep investigation of attraction is what made `` sunrise '' so special . in sunset , it 's the profound , frustrating feelings of regret and anger over missed opportunities , which makes this drama ready to boil over at any moment .",
      "an immensely satisfying sequel that carefully treads the line between the comic and the tragic while detailing the pros and cons of maturity .",
      "linklater 's method , in an age when critics celebrate the egomania of m. night shyamalan and quentin tarantino , distinguishes him as gen x 's most literary director .",
      "through the verbiage and the dubious equation of realism with truth , MOV instills profundity -- maintaining an optimism and sobriety about life after 30 .",
      "a late date movie that gives young love a good name . more sequels , please .",
      "this is simply a wonderful piece of film-making .",
      "linklater gives his characters something we rarely get in real life : an opportunity to resolve the sense of loss and regret created by a blown chance at love and happiness .",
      "MOV may be the most unusual sequel this summer , but it 's certainly the sweetest and one of the best .",
      "exceptionally smart and tenderly romantic .",
      "one of the neat things about MOV is that delpy , like her character in these movies , dropped off the radar after sunrise . seeing her again is like seeing her through hawke 's eyes .",
      "the film ultimately depicts thirtysomething melancholy just as effectively as its predecessor portrayed gen-x romanticism .",
      "it tells of a love affair so heady it generates goose bumps , yet the story unfolds with such unfailing honesty that its characters become people we know , their actions and words a reflection of our own experiences .",
      "it eats at you , just like renewed love .",
      "this sweet film is a genuine treat , even if there 's little plot , no antic mayhem and its 90-minute running time is mostly consumed by nonstop , sometimes pretentious dialogue as celine and jesse meander together through pretty paris neighborhoods .",
      "as drama , it does n't hold up , and the screenplay 's so loosely structured it almost seems improvised , but the affection that linklater has for jesse and celine is so palpable that the movie coasts by on charm .",
      "it has earthy -lrb- and therefore sexy -rrb- urban locations , a splendid originality of voice , a loose and distinctive visual style , and it sends audiences out humming with the realness and beauty of it all . ... but it should have been twice as long .",
      "the naturalistic dialogue is a masterful bit of writing .",
      "hawke and delpy are splendid . they love these characters , and why not ? they wrote them .",
      "i 'm not sure if it 's the actors or their conversation that makes the film appealing , maybe both , but it works in a sweet , thought-provoking way .",
      "una película sobre la frustración de crecer , sobre la constatación de que la felicidad es un concepto extrańo que se disfruta mucho más como posibilidad que como meta .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- n experiment can be valuable without being successful .",
      "of course i liked it a lot , i almost loved it . i mean , i often felt like i loved it , but i 'm not sure i really did or i 'm not sure why . it 's , like , a hard movie to argue with .",
      "o resultado é que este é , ao lado de brilho eterno de uma mente sem lembranças , um dos melhores filmes do ano . e , também como aquele , um dos mais românticos .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- charming , intelligent romance",
      "here 's an unusual sequel to an equally unusual film from nine years ago .",
      "if you enjoy intelligent dialogue and believe in love , then you 'll enjoy this film .",
      "morally ambivalent about the importance of the family unit and personal responsibility ... uninvolving dialogue , uninspired directing , deficient acting .",
      "una experiencia de vida inigualable , una historia enriquecedora , un final inolvidable y perfecto . magistral , una obra maestra .",
      "there is something uniquely unforgettable in the way linklater , hawke and delpy -lrb- equal collaborators on the script -rrb- find nuance , art and eroticism in words , spoken and unspoken .",
      "a love story for the adult who dares to dream .",
      "features beguiling performances and a heart that most anyone can relate to .",
      "the beauty and grace of MOV is its unparalleled ability to capture the idiosyncratic rhythm and cadence of everyday dialogue .",
      "it may be a non-stop talkathon but , at least this time around , he 's not so obsessed about making his plane .",
      "linklater does an admirable job of keeping things flowing by having his protagonists walk through picture-postcard streets and hop on a boat taxi for some lovely moving travelogue shots to hold interest .",
      "a hugely successful experiment to see if a movie can captivate an audience with a conversation between two people in real time .",
      "the splendid sequel to an overlooked gem .",
      "the dialogue captivates without ever feeling forced or cinematic ...",
      "linklater , delpy and hawke have sustained a flawless performance -- one that 's warm , thoughtful , funny , sexy , charming and in all ways alive .",
      "however , between delpy , hawke , and linklater , a script was born and once again the couple meets , this time in paris , this time for far fewer hours -lrb- and in real time -rrb- .",
      "at the risk of overhyping 80 minutes of intimate real-time , this is the soul of generosity , a beautifully vibrant and big-spirited film .",
      "i was charmed , engaged and moved by the delightful MOV , and without having re-seen the earlier picture , it has been upgraded in my mind in the light of the new one .",
      "a gemlike minimalist triumph -- deeper and more provocative than its predecessor .",
      "ethan hawke and julie delpy have reconvened to bring us this belated , yet very welcome sequel .",
      "MOV retains most of what was engaging about the first movie : it has its gentleness , its romanticism and , most importantly , its idealism . what it has lost is the sense of mystery .",
      "the characters eventually manage to get beyond their existential ennui and incessant talking to something approaching romance .",
      "the final 25 minutes of MOV , starting with excruciatingly honest admissions from both parties in a car backseat , are the best filmmaking i 've ever seen .",
      "being able to have such a lengthy conversation without edits or a change in camera angles makes the performance by these two actors that much more impressive .",
      "that MOV complements and in many ways surpasses its predecessor is but one of the great accomplishments of this wonderful film .",
      "having seen MOV twice , and before sunrise again in between , i ca n't say which film is better . both seem to fulfill an ambition jean-luc godard expressed in the 60s -- to achieve ` the definitive by chance . '",
      "before sunrise captures the exhilaration of connecting with another person ; MOV moves forward from there , burrowing into territory that 's more complex and dangerous , but also perhaps more vital .",
      "jesse and celine are perfectly likable , sympathetic people , and seeing them begin to fall in love ... is a reasonably satisfying experience .",
      "the result is a complicated and thrilling game that , unlike some diversions we have had lately , does not debase the words `` romantic '' and `` comedy . ''",
      "one of the season 's must-see efforts . all of the studio-produced , mass-marketed romances out there , take note : this is precisely what a love story should be .",
      "captures the reality of two people falling in love in a way no vacuous , titanium-clad , polished-to-within - an-inch-of-its-life hollywood romance can .",
      "an 80-minute conversation with a freshness , a surprising urgency , and two characters full of desire , faults , and - still - hope .",
      "linklater has done a brilliant job at keeping it all contained .",
      "how often does a visual medium make such an elegant argument about the beauty of language , even as it asserts its right to tell a story and move us with its vision ?",
      "for all its modesty , lingers in the mind like an unresolved relationship or a life-altering , if random , moment .",
      "a fictional romance with a factual feel , a near-documentary quality that makes it difficult to distinguish the actor from the role .",
      "for my money , sunset tops the first installment because it involves characters who have more life under their belts . nothing like a few years to clarify a personality .",
      "richard linklater 's before sunrise gets a sweet , sad and touching sequel after almost a decade .",
      "romantic sequel hangs together for 80 minutes , and not just 3 minutes at a time",
      "may be the best movie of the summer .",
      "if you did n't like before sunrise , filmmaker richard linklater says , you 'll hate MOV . but if you treasured the original , you 're sure to prize the ` romance for realists ' sequel .",
      "a small masterpiece .",
      "a savvy sequel that should speak to anyone who 's let that one great love slip away .",
      "emotionally , it 's a high-wire act as dazzling as any of the cgi effects that pack all those big budget blockbusters .",
      "the apparent slightness of the picture is deceptive ... it has surprising depth , and it 's definitely worth a trip to the theatre to get reacquainted with jesse and celine .",
      "a modest masterpiece of modern romantic temperament and trepidation .",
      "MOV is one of the best romantic dramas of the year with a very intelligent and seductive performance by julie delpy .",
      "in its own small way , ` MOV ' is a perfect film ... there is not a single scene in this film that i would want to change or alter in any way .",
      "we get completely self-absorbed discussions from a couple of frickin ' actors .",
      "hawke 's ruefulness seems more than earned here -lrb- and , thus , genuine -rrb- ; delpy 's callow winsomeness has ripened to a ruddy sheen .",
      "jesse and celine come to life again in ways that are sad and beautiful , funny and profound .",
      "what ultimately makes MOV so special -lrb- and maybe the most resonant , least self-conscious ` great movie romance ' of its era -rrb- is its deep-rooted honesty -- the way it takes the bitter with the sweet and somehow leaves us feeling elated .",
      "a film of luminous delights .",
      "a simply amazing film -- touching , sexy , smart , sad and , beyond all , passionate about the value of time and love .",
      "its perfection can be summed up in one line : ` i like that . it 's more real . '",
      "says more about the mystery of love and attachment than any overblown hollywood romance that comes to mind .",
      "you do n't need to have seen before sunrise to appreciate MOV , but as a one-two cinematic punch on the subjects of love and aging these films have few equals .",
      "consists of a conversation , albeit a complex one that covers work , romantic love , sex , yearning , memory , commitment , compromise , coincidence , disappointment , passion , men , women , the passage of time and songwriting .",
      "hawke and delpy are credited with writing some of the dialogue , presumably as improvisations . they manage to be both natural and intense , and their characters feel real , even if the situation does not .",
      "this real-time reunion is entertaining , engaging and strongly emotional .",
      "some laughs , some tears , a wonderful song and an absolutely perfect ending .",
      "allows you to watch two deeply engaged and engaging performers moving verbally through delicately negotiated layers of delight , apprehension , desire and surrender .",
      "by the end , you are either in love again or you never were .",
      "-lsb- r -rsb- eally top notch work here .",
      "thanks to the actors ' chemistry and paris , MOV has an irresistible pull .",
      "there is no way for jesse and celine to ever recreate their vienna fling . the real question is whether they should bother trying .",
      "i seriously doubt that anything left on 2004 's roster can compete with this remarkable new masterpiece from richard linklater . it 's easily the film of the year .",
      "forget spider-man 's tussle with doc ock . forget shrek 's trek to far far away . and forget harry potter 's latest attempt to endure the snipes of snape . for me , the sequel to see during the summer of 2004 is richard linklater 's MOV .",
      "a deeper , darker , altogether more memorable experience . it does n't extend the characters so much as fulfill them .",
      "an unabashedly romantic film with an ending so perfect it took my breath away .",
      "all one could wish for in a sequel -- it enriches , glosses , and completes the original .",
      "this movie is basically a yakfest , but an incredibly fluid and involving one ...",
      "hawke is irritating , but the picture does exude romance .",
      "well acted , very well written , well told , and bears yet another ending that will keep audiences wondering .",
      "linklater , hawke and delpy have collaborated on the script , resulting in an enthralling snapshot of life from the point of view of two like souls who spark by just being in each other 's presence .",
      "shooting in long takes , linklater and his actors -lrb- who get co-screenwriting credit -rrb- allow the conversation to curlicue effortlessly from literate banter to matters of the heart , and sometimes to places in between .",
      "charming , talky romance for older teens and adults .",
      "as a romance streaked with regrets , obligations and fears , `` sunset '' builds to a wistful , perfect conclusion - a fadeout infused with the idea that a memory 's never finished as long as you 're alive and one of the loveliest last-line exchanges of all time .",
      "the film takes a miraculous healing turn at the end , and the characters rise above their ruefulness , and use it as a springboard into hope",
      "... a superior sequel that accomplishes everything that one might 've hoped ...",
      "a stone-cold masterpiece .",
      "it 's a lovely , beguiling little film a rare treat during this overheated season of blockbusters . it 's also an unusual example of a follow-up that does n't seem forced , but expands effortlessly on the original .",
      "the reunion has some lively moments , but a great deal of slow walking and fatuous talking about love , married life and sex .",
      "a fluid , engaging , charming , frustrating , funny , and lively movie .",
      "a verbose , invigorating gem . there has n't been a brighter , better , more spry and alive relationship picture in years .",
      "the chemistry between jesse and celine -- and hawke and delpy and , for that matter , linklater -- is as immediate as it is appealing .",
      "a jaw-droppingly beautiful and moving film , as defining a moment for its generation as its predecessor .",
      "this 80-minute reverie unfolds like a piece of emotional origami into a seductive , playful and engaging bit of conversational foreplay .",
      "the best movie of the year so far .",
      "thanks to fine writing and two very good actors , filmgoers get another insightful look at the nature of love . paris , also , has seldom looked so fresh and beautiful on screen .",
      "i found myself hoping that linklater , hawke and delpy would revisit these characters in another 10 years . and perhaps again in 20 years .",
      "films about romantic relationships do n't get any better than richard linklater 's MOV .",
      "elegant , engaging and much-appreciated follow-up to the original film .",
      "MOV is a quiet , introspective little film that reverberates with more emotion and more human realness than any cgi enhanced cinematic event could ever hope to .",
      "MOV is all talk , and audiences will be listening intently to every word of this smart romance",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- erfectly perfect ... so charmingly simple a film , so absorbing and ambitious in its simplicity . i love , love , love this movie .",
      "frankly , i wanted to stand up , shout `` get a room '' at the two characters , and do something more interesting ... like watching paint peel .",
      "there 's not much on the surface , for sure , but its undertow is seductive and ferocious .",
      "for a film that 's all talk and no action , it 's a pretty romantic love story .",
      "-lsb- linklater 's -rsb- best , most mature work to date and perhaps the most daringly subtle film of the year .",
      "it quickly becomes a bore , full of feel-good nonsense and half-baked philosophies from delpy and hawke 's self-important syllogisms .",
      "it 's a movie to cheer lovers and movie lovers alike -- an enchanting midsummer cocktail for two , served at dusk on the banks of the seine .",
      "MOV is better , perhaps because the characters are older and wiser , perhaps because they have more to lose -lrb- or win -rrb- , and perhaps because hawke and delpy wrote the dialogue themselves .",
      "even if you have n't seen the original , MOV engrosses you , as hawke and delpy pull you into the lives of jesse and celine merely with the power of their words .",
      "this is a wonderful movie .",
      "an intelligent , engagingly honest study of love lost and , just maybe , regained .",
      "a great character study that i hope to see continued in another decade or so , with real conversations , true feelings and romance throughout .",
      "this lovely film does an exemplary job of conveying the manner in which the freedom and naivety of youth inevitably fall by the wayside , leaving only cherished memories .",
      "enthralling and moving .",
      "while the movie appears to be a simple romantic drama , filmmaker richard linklater uses those trappings to explore some weightier topics -- in this case , ruminations on the meaning of destiny , especially when it comes to romantic relationships .",
      "what is to all intents and purposes 80 minutes worth of stolen moments , turns out to be one of the most rewarding films of the year",
      "the sequel no one needed is a surprise pleasure : witty , heartfelt , and true .",
      "a vibrant emotional epic .",
      "the experiences they talk about are like so many sound-bites ; they have n't internalized the wisdom that the words suggest .",
      "proves itself well worth the nine-year wait , and for a sequel so squarely rooted in the first film , it stands lightly on its own two feet .",
      "though it is sometimes maddening , the movie 's prodigious verbiage is also enthralling , precisely because of its casual disregard for the usual imperatives of screenwriting .",
      "all told , -lsb- linklater is -rsb- one of today 's most versatile american filmmakers , and MOV finds his light shining as brightly as ever .",
      "the one thing i hope for after seeing `` MOV '' is that linklater and his stars will visit us again in eight or 10 years time",
      "one of the most amazing aspects of `` MOV '' is how conversation alone is made so suspenseful . if this movie were a book it would be described as a page-turner .",
      "the bad news is that MOV is not as delirious an experience as its predecessor . the good news is that it 's wonderful anyway , and in ways that tell us something about our romance with before sunrise .",
      "a film that in its joy , optimism and aesthetic achievement keeps faith with american cinema at its finest .",
      "romantic , real and as generous as it is vulnerable , the art of conversation has rarely been so acute , honest and revealing .",
      "deft at exposing the cracks in the psychological foundations we build for ourselves as we approach middle age ."
    ],
    "summary": "filled with engaging dialogue , MOV is a witty , poignant romance , with natural chemistry between hawke and delpy .",
    "id": "12908"
  },
  {
    "movie": "macGruber",
    "reviews": [
      "... very funny , though not for the prim or prudish ...",
      "perhaps a satire of nicolas cage 's jerry bruckheimer movies .",
      "the latest r-rated movie aimed at the funnybones of 12-year-old boys .",
      "if one joke clanks , the next one is n't long behind . the result is a brisk 88 minutes that ensures that if you did n't like it , your suffering was at least brief .",
      "more pistachio disguisey than austin powers , this cheapjack comedy is nowhere near as ingenious as the man it sends up .",
      "relies heavily on its lowest common denominator foul-mouthed jokes , which includes sticking a piece of celery where no vegetable belongs and macgruber having sex with his dead wife while they are both standing up .",
      "macgruber is patchy , underwritten and frequently lazy but the performances are good and there are enough big laughs here to compensate for its inadequacies .",
      "leading man will forte will make you pine for the graceful savoir faire of a jack black or an adam sandler .",
      "surprisingly , lots better than extended fart jokes",
      "a film that poses a philosophical question fundamental to our inquiry here , namely : `` why does this exist ? ''",
      "it 's ridiculous , crude and , most importantly , jaw-achingly funny .",
      "cut loose from the skit structure , screenwriters forte , john solomon and director jorma taccone seize upon a richer template , that of the ridiculous big-screen action-comedy refined by the beverly hills cop movies .",
      "macgruber alternates quick bursts of laugh-out-loud funniness with long dry stretches . it is n't exactly good , but for audiences in search of nothing more than a few silly chuckles , it should prove good enough .",
      "macgruber is clearly incompetent , so we expect his dim-witted schemes to fall flat . that they do , in stunningly predictable fashion , speaks to the movie 's lack of imagination .",
      "the movie scores a few laughs with its startling use of bloody r-rated violence , and there are enjoyable turns by kristen wiig -lrb- as macgruber 's sidekick -rrb- , val kilmer -lrb- as the international bad guy -rrb- , and powers boothe -lrb- as the good guys ' commanding officer -rrb-",
      "forte plays it commendably straight as a malfunctioning chuck norris while the cliches of the genre - obsession with manhood , a gurning megalomaniac and maverick methods - are soundly nailed .",
      "... everything here that does n't feel ripped off from other spoofs plays like a middle school playground reenactment .",
      "... succeeds neither as an action flick nor as a balls-to-the-wall comedy ...",
      "stretching a one-minute snl spoof into 90 minutes is bad enough but gearing this raunchy , r-rated mockery to 14 year-olds wo n't pay off until it hits homevideo .",
      "throwaway but genuinely funny throughout , macgruber plays like hot shots : part trois or a live-action team america : world police -- a summer six-pack movie that makes up for in laughs what it lacks in longevity .",
      "will forte , who has n't starred in a movie before and looks extremely unlikely to do so again , lacks the slightest vestige of credibility or charm as macgruber . he also cowrote the script . let 's just say comedy is not forte 's forte .",
      "macgruber might be a wildly uneven ride , but it does n't outstay its welcome and lined up against other saturday night live productions it 's hardly the worst of the bunch .",
      "despite the occasional laugh , strong performances from phillippe and the ever-reliable wiig and the most ridiculous sex scene since team america : world police , jokes that are funny within the first five minutes became stale at an alarming rate .",
      "forte is likeable as the renegade good guy but the humour relies too heavily on blatantly telegraphed sight gags and villains with rude-sounding names .",
      "if you 're a fan of the snl sketch , you 'll like what you see here , though newcomers might be left asking why they bothered to adapt it for the big screen at all .",
      "after a few promising opening gags , inspiration soon begins to fizzle out ; the film ends up looking less smart than the material it 's supposed to be parodying .",
      "unexpectedly , this feature-length cash-in on a mildly popular american comedy sketch is more fun than most of this year 's bum-awful blockbuster crop put together .",
      "from one of saturday night live 's lamest recurring sketches comes one of its funniest spinoffs .",
      "the film goes by in a wash of uninspired action and unmemorable comedy ; the daffy , mock ingenuity of the original sketch is long gone , and macgruber 's ineffectualness has degraded into flat-out incompetence , with far fewer comedic rewards .",
      "instead of any actual comedy , this film merely resorts to easy gross-out mayhem .",
      "macgruber short on comedic ammo .",
      "while it 's very funny that this short sketch was made into a movie , the movie is short on laughs .",
      "oddly for a movie so obsessed with male nudity , there 's also a number of gags relying on homosexual panic .",
      "the thing that stands out about the film is just how raunchy it is - it 's probably the dirtiest material ever connected to the `` saturday night live '' brand in its 35 years .",
      "some of these two minute sketches look a little thin at 87 to 92 minutes .",
      "kudos to wiig for creating an actual character : shy , scared , much smarter than she knows . sadly , not smart enough to reject this rudely-fashioned piece of junk that even macgyver would have refused to handle .",
      "the first movie based on an snl sketch that neglects to incorporate the essential elements of that sketch-which are , after all , the only reason for the picture 's existence .",
      "it certainly has some laughs . and of course it has explosions .",
      "a `` sleazy does it '' production that looks like it was improvised on the spot with a lack of conviction by a bunch of naughty 12 year-olds desperate for attention .",
      "it 's not just him badly defusing bombs over and over . it 's much stupider -lrb- and smarter -rrb- than that .",
      "this comedy is an absolute waste of time and easily the worst movie of 2010 .",
      "my advice ? wear gloves , a surgical mask , and get the proper inoculations before entering the theatre . it 's the first sexually transmitted comedy of the year .",
      "bereft of any kind of laughs or remote giggles when not blatantly ripping off the austin powers mold ...",
      "big-screen snl skit explodes with crass humor , sex , blood .",
      "this feature length version quickly outstays its welcome with uninspiring jokes and schoolboy humour .",
      "it 's further proof , as if any were needed , of snl producer lorne michaels ' contempt for the audience .",
      "it achieves wit in a realm where stupidity is too often deemed sufficient .",
      "an avalanche of scatalogical humour and lame jokes that make the austin powers films look like masterpieces by comparison .",
      "will forte , director jorma taccone , and the sublime kristen wiig triumph with their own brand of unique , risky lunacy",
      "macgruber is by no means a work of genius , or a piece of art , or even very good . but forte and company have managed to make crude and lewd dunderheadedness laugh-out-loud funny here and there , and that , i guess , is something of an achievement .",
      "there 's a conceptual flaw at this movie 's heart : by the very nature of the sketch , macgruber ca n't succeed on the big screen .",
      "you need a great character to make a bad thing good , and the action comedy macgruber is sadly short on great characters .",
      "while it would be unfair to saddle macgruber with the `` worst snl movie of all-time '' moniker -lrb- i can think of at least two that are more painful to endure -rrb- , its place on the vaunted 2010 worst 10 list is assured .",
      "more of a functional than revelatory success . still , there 's undeniably a woolly , shambling charm here , particularly in the contrast between forte 's blustery performance and wiig 's tight-lipped , nervous energy .",
      "the new macgruber movie is n't smart enough or focused enough to qualify as a parody . instead , it merely tries to keep the audience constantly off-balance with increasing amounts of shock humor .",
      "its core joke is decades late , and any nostalgic retro-pastiche the richard dean anderson show might have held in american culture has been thoroughly used up already by the simpsons and a 2006 super bowl commercial for mastercard .",
      "another `` snl '' skit stretched into a full length movie ; another dud from lorne michaels",
      "... -lsb- succeeds -rsb- as a laser-sharp parody of all stripes of cliché-laden action blockbusters -lsb- and -rsb- as a consistently hilarious bad taste farce .",
      "not only does it fail to engender any laughs , but its ostensible targets pretty much make their own gravy anyway .",
      "macgruber ! did they really make a movie out of that one-joke `` snl '' character ? macgruber ! can a 90-second sketch become a funny feature film ? macgruber ! well , it 's no wayne 's world but at least it 's not it 's pat . macgruber !"
    ],
    "summary": "it too often mistakes shock value for real humor , but macgruber is better than many snl films -- and better than it probably should be .",
    "id": "770814361"
  },
  {
    "movie": "twilight_saga_breaking_dawn",
    "reviews": [
      "tepid when it needs to be steamy , and the pace is excruciatingly sluggish",
      "a half-human and half-vampire fetus is no easy pregnancy . will bella die ? will the baby die ? where 's dakota fanning ? where 's lautner 's shirt ? who cares ? it 's ` twilight ' ! the cast could speak an alien language for two hours and fans would be happy .",
      "nothing i say is going to discourage even one fan from forking out the dough to see this awful -lrb- for non-fans -rrb- film .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- was supposed to be climactic . instead , it 's the most jumbled and tonally confused movie yet .",
      "`` tbd-1 '' is smartly directed by bill condon -lrb- `` gods and monsters , '' `` dreamgirls '' -rrb- in a straight forward manner that keeps the film from bogging down in its last act .",
      "this is the one where things start to get silly .",
      "the climactic clash between vampires and werewolves is over in a brief flurry of fangs and fur . what little action there is , however , is so poorly staged by new director bill condon that you 're actually relieved there is n't more .",
      "the twilight saga : breaking dawn part 1 might be the most beautiful and well made bad film in history .",
      "` twilight ' is to real horror as cotton candy is to real food , but only if the cotton candy is spun out of arsenic and crystal meth .",
      "one of the glummest , lifeless movies of the year , it is gray and bleak , even when the sun is shining .",
      "at least jacob seems to understand the contradiction inherent in the insistence that coldblooded undeath is just another lifestyle choice .",
      "director bill condon , prostituting himself , flirts with teen porn ...",
      "romanticizing an intimate relationship that leaves bruises and scars is a particularly terrible idea in a film aimed at girls . talking about this is tiresome , but then so is putting it in the movie .",
      "whatever momentum the third film had in this series , it 's gone . once again , it 's an average soap opera .",
      "bella makes her way toward `` the kingdom where nobody dies '' by being rather ingeniously resilient , completely predictable and frustrating , punished and punishing . she 's 18 , again and still .",
      "bill condon gives the series ' fans what they have shown they want : uneven storytelling , maudlin dialog and decidedly one-note performances .",
      "terribly broken .",
      "this slow-moving film has long periods of inaction and generates little suspense , making it the worst film in the `` twilight saga '' films so far .",
      "for a movie about life-sucking vampires and flesh-ripping werewolves , there sure is an inordinate focus on the birds and the bees .",
      "twilight series nears the end",
      "this penultimate `` twilight '' film is the best in the series so far . it 's languorous , romantic , moody , and , in the end , horrifying .",
      "an eventful but bloodless first half of the smash series ' finale .",
      "all the more disappointing , then , that a story so pregnant with dramatic possibilities should wind up feeling like such an unconsummated opportunity .",
      "the performances in breaking dawn are largely soapy and melodramatic , especially from lautner and to a lesser degree pattinson .",
      "fails to inject its few key scenes with any life thanks to a woeful script , poor direction and lacklustre performances , though fans of the franchise should be used to that by now .",
      "really a half-film , and the boring half at that . such is the nature of things dubbed `` part 1 . '' it 's a film about things that will inevitably happen , but do n't until the next , more important part .",
      "kristen stewart is really pretty good here , although like almost all actresses she believes pregnant women rub their baby bumps unceasingly .",
      "pattinson again stands around looking pale and soulful , while lautner gets to act more , which is maybe not such a good thing .",
      "as maddeningly uneven as it is , breaking dawn boasts some of the strongest moments yet in a largely lackluster franchise .",
      "`` breaking dawn '' is the series in its fullest victorian flower . but with bill condon directing , the pacing is all wrong . it 's `` pride , prejudice , and zombies . ''",
      "whenever certain actors take the lead and set the pace of the dialogue , time itself begins to crawl backward and the breaking dawn begins to feel like yesterday 's breaking dawn , or last tuesday 's .",
      "the acting 's better than it 's ever been , but with the best will in the world , this ca n't get past the fact that the story 's demented .",
      "though director bill condon is new to the series , both he and returning screenwriter melissa rosenberg have an excellent grasp of their audience 's desires , and are determined to meet them in good faith .",
      "this one draws you close and keeps you there - and , for those of us who have n't read stephenie meyer 's novel , delivers some surprising turns of plot .",
      "almost sort of liked it .",
      "tedious and toothless and feels at numerous moments more like a saturday night live spoof that a proper continuation of the series .",
      "it wo n't disappoint the legions of `` twihards '' who turned out for midnight friday shows at theaters all across the country , including the quad-cities .",
      "twilight series dims - non fans stay away",
      "dawnfinally gives viewers something to sink their teeth into .",
      "screenwriter melissa rosenberg continues her long tradition of scripting staggeringly banal , subtext-free dialogue and grasping at the profundity of her betters by quoting poetry in the prologues .",
      "how else to explain a wedding gown designed by carolina herrera in a town where the average gown is designed by cooter and otis herrera .",
      "drags along too slowly to give it much impact and instead engenders little more than impatience",
      "it goes without saying that this is silly stuff played for maximum solemnity , because that 's the twilight series in a nutshell . you either love it with every fiber of your being or dismiss it as pathetic pap for simpering virgins .",
      "bella é a candidata ideal a uma arrasadora depressăo pós-parto . mas com um marido sexualmente ambíguo e um melhor amigo pedófilo , quem năo seria ?",
      "there 's less cringeworthy dialogue and condon does a better job visually telling the story , but it 's hard to make a riveting two-hour film when the main conflict seems completely arbitrary .",
      "ok , twilight fans ! come and get it ! your second-last instalment in the saga is being served just the way you like it : drab to the eye , bland on the palate , and room-temperature at all times .",
      "a rather good original idea has dwindled into self-parody .",
      "after all that foreplay , the new twilight saga is a limp anti-climax .",
      "the series is finding momentum as it nears its finale .",
      "the picture sidesteps all opportunities to depict the novel 's nuttiness ... in an intriguing manner and sands down all the edges to leave us with yet another generic melodrama , in which not a single moment rings true .",
      "the script is flat , cliched and repetitive -lrb- `` you did this ! '' yells jacob . `` i love her ! '' pleads edward -rrb- - which might not matter necessarily as it was n't much better in the predecessors .",
      "this weekend , millions of people around the globe will be conned into handing over their hard earned cash to see a film with no plot , no action and no climax .",
      "the wolves speak with bizarre half-human , half-canine voices that put me in mind of scooby-doo .",
      "the twilight films manage to cleverly blend melodrama with supernatural thrills , and while the film is not without its silly moments and cringeworthy dialogue it does deliver the drama and emotional highs we have come to expect .",
      "the vampire drama of twilight is all about the romantic agony of eternity , and this franchise feels like it 's going on for ever .",
      "director bill condon has undoubtedly delivered the best of the series since catherine hardwicke 's first installment a few years back .",
      "the latest and best of the movies about a girl , her vampire and their impossible , ridiculously appealing - yes , i surrendered - love story .",
      "as a stand-alone movie it 's a mixed bag . but it progresses the story of beloved characters with a reverence for the source material that will doubtlessly please twi-hards , ushering in a finale that promises to be darker still .",
      "lautner , who lasts approximately 8 seconds before tearing off his shirt , suggests more than ever that the casting director mistakenly told him he would be playing a robot .",
      "here comes the bride , all dressed in white . here comes the groom , mister hunky mcdoom .",
      "despite expectations , the gifted director bill condon is unable to put a peronal signature on this tale , resulting in another disappointing movie to be poorly reviewed but fully embraced by the fans .",
      "two things are certain : it is one of the worst movies of the year , and it is going to make an awful lot of money .",
      "hands its reigns over to oscar-winning filmmaker bill condon and , not coincidentally , produces the franchise 's sturdiest installment .",
      "the dialogue is , of course , ridiculous and the acting ranges from stiff to mopey . but moments that should be pulsating with tension are usually hilarious because the special effects are still just so distractingly cheesy .",
      "the absurdity quotient of the movie begins high and rapidly escalates to bedlam .",
      "condon can only do so much with the material at hand -- especially in this case , where maybe an hour of plot is stretched out to 117 minutes .",
      "in the context of america 's continued puritanical obsession with sexual repression , the `` twilight '' movies come across as so much kool-aid propaganda .",
      "they have saved the best for last . this movie is totally romantic and its three leads are at their best . this will delight ` twilight ' fans and bring in new converts .",
      "breaking dawn starts to confirm my theory that twilight is just a tamer version of the story of o.",
      "put a stake in this franchise .",
      "it 's precisely three shots in that taylor lautner takes his shirt off , if that 's your thing , and in all honesty i do n't suppose that there can possibly be a more legitimate reason to see the movie .",
      "the storyline reached a new depth and is everything every fan will desire .",
      "banal , bloodsipping installment to this far-fetched fantasy .",
      "suggested solely for twilight diehards , this underwhelming , unfunny melodrama amounts to little more than an uneventful setup for next year 's grand finale .",
      "a wolf council with dubbed growls may be the most ludicrous scene of the year , but a rumble with chic vampires punching cgi werewolves comes close .",
      "condon is directing breaking dawn -- part 2 . let 's hope he realises it is broken and that he does fix it .",
      "the sexless , bloodless , padded and plodding breaking dawn , part 1 is the worst twilight movie to date .",
      "a stylistic addition to a series about an impossible romance , the power of family and the lengths people will go to in order to fight for what they believe in .",
      "bella shifts from her intended stance of antiheroine to something close to antimatter in the twilight saga : breaking dawn part 1 .",
      "yes , i know , twilight fans love the twilight saga . but they -lrb- you ? -rrb- deserve something better to love .",
      "one is also grateful for the film 's finale ... which is genuinely brilliant . there , i said it .",
      "this is meyer 's worst offense -- her disturbingly victorian attitudes about sex and love , which this particular movie falls modestly in lockstep with , even though it concludes years of cinematic foreplay .",
      "the worst part of these movies has always been the moments when those mumbly lovebirds find themselves in a meadow , gazing off into the distance as they dreamily part each other 's hair . there 's a lot of that sort of moony-eyed action in breaking dawn .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- oddly joyless affair centred on an 18-year-old girl voluntarily destroying herself from the inside out , this might work as a standalone horror piece with a stronger directorial hand . as a so-called epic love story , it leaves a bad taste in the mouth .",
      "it 's all a lot of fun . for some movies you do n't need intelligence , you just need faith , gullibility and a state of happy surrender .",
      "easily the weakest entry in the series , it 's the fault not just of a director who seems to find difficulty connecting to the material , but of a cast that seems to be looking forward to the close of the franchise a whole lot more than fans are .",
      "to his credit , condon takes this risible material as seriously as possible and makes the proceedings as stylish and creepy as he can .",
      "the source material is hopeless , that 's all there is to it ; and the instruments at the director 's disposal -- from the cast down through the crew -- are thoroughly mediocre .",
      "sex and abortion are the main topics of this installment , which tips between dullness and total camp .",
      "a boring mess that exists only to milk the fans that made the series a success , but is so unsexy and just plain weird that even the most devoted twihards stand to be disappointed or grossed out , or possibly , both .",
      "color us stoked that a twilight movie even strays into evil-fetus territory .",
      "the last twenty minutes of breaking dawn are so harrowing that it 's possible to forget that most of the acting is soap-operatic -lrb- the guy who plays carlisle is aging to look like liberace -rrb- and the dialogue from hunger .",
      "in director bill condon 's skilled hands , this instalment proves more intimate , confining its action to kids in rooms wrestling with the consequences of their own crushes .",
      "yet another rather odd and protracted stepping stone to the ultimate finale ... it 's a done deal for meyer and co who are laughing all the way to the bank .",
      "the occasionally amusing twilight saga finds a new low with the dramatically inert , painfully dull breaking dawn part 1 .",
      "the most engaging twilight movie yet .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- hey play chess a lot before they have sex . and after , too .",
      "can someone please , for the love of god , tell me why everyone falls in love with this woman ? what does she do ? what are her hopes and dreams for the future ? ca n't stand bella . when she and edward are not on camera , i like the movie well enough .",
      "... as far as shameless cash-grabs go , breaking dawn : part 1 is far easier to stomach than certain other franchise-extending installments -lrb- eg the star wars prequels -rrb- .",
      "it 's the most imaginative picture in the franchise , and i say that as a fan of the first picture , catherine hardwicke 's twilight , an irony-free adolescent romance that took the idea of teenage erotic fantasy seriously .",
      "easily the worst of the mostly awful twilight films",
      "you ca n't blame a film based on a book for adhering to the book 's idiotic storyline . you can , however , blame it for sucking as a movie .",
      "twilight is n't a saga , it just sags .",
      "considering that this is the book where stephanie meyers 's sexual repression finally lets rip in a totally weird tale ... the movie adaptation is often akin to watching paint dry with lousy cgi effects and a thoroughly insipid musical score .",
      "the good news ? now that all of the tedious exposition has been gotten , glacially , out of the way , `` part ii '' will probably be terrific .",
      "to my taste , savvy hollywood veteran bill condon debuts as director of the two-part twilight conclusion in satisfying fashion , delivering a voluptuous if often inert spectacle that splits the difference between high camp and decadent romance .",
      "it may be impossible for anyone but existing fans to take this seriously , but for the unconverted , it 's still a legitimately engaging , gape-worthy nutso spectacle .",
      "breaking dawn - part 1 as a whole feels stretched-out , as if the filmmakers realized belatedly that there was n't enough material in the book to sustain two movies . -lrb- there is n't -rrb- .",
      "condon delivers the most authoritatively directed twilight film so far , which only brings into sharp relief how tonally incoherent its story is .",
      "the action sequences are ludicrous , the werewolves mostly just bounding , then bounding again , while the vampire trick of just moving ever so fast soon becomes just ever so tiresome .",
      "stretches a 50-minute story into almost two hours of lustful glances , bitter recriminations and cgi-heavy battles between bloodsuckers and their werewolf rivals , all underscored with a soundtrack of angst-ridden rock and pop .",
      "a film dealing with vampires , werewolves and forbidden love should be exciting to watch , yet this one moves along slower than a snail 's pace .",
      "the earth moves for bella and edward moves heaven and earth to save her ... fans will be satisfied by the romantic nature of things , although the scale narrows with considerably less bite from the vampires and a shortage of werewolves ' snarls",
      "it raises more laughs at the back of the stalls than hairs on the back of the neck .",
      "if you 're on neither team edward nor team jacob , however , nothing in ` breaking dawn ' will win you over .",
      "th diarkeia ths tainias apoteloyn paratetamena solarismata dianohtikhs kathysterhshs , kai paratetamena solarismata egkefalikhs dyskoiliothtas",
      "a freak show of bodily trauma , with a great gooey gob of pedophilia slapped on the end of this feature , which requires another visit to the multiplex in a year 's time to complete . i 'll make sure to update my shots beforehand .",
      "darker , sexier , sharper - a neat next step .",
      "i do wonder if seeing bella turn into a near anorexic with a face that 's bordering on gollum might have subliminal implications for some vulnerable teenage girls .",
      "after the enjoyable previous instalment , to my mind the best in the series , director bill condon 's film is a step backwards in quality .",
      "of the four twilight movies , breaking dawn -- part i has the most going on and the most going for it .",
      "fangirls , you have nothing to be ashamed of .",
      "it 's all drawn-out and flat -lrb- even more so than is typical for the franchise -rrb- , delivered at a slow , plodding pace that seems designed solely to stretch things out to two hours .",
      "it 's like `` roadhouse '' for women . as irresistible as it is ridiculous .",
      "a satisfying culmination of emotions that have been building in this supernatural fantasy saga as bella the human and edward the vampire marry and face a critical decision .",
      "will condon 's movie convert agnostics to stephenie meyer 's twilight cult ?",
      "it makes you wonder if splitting the book in two parts was such a good idea .",
      "it breaks my heart to tell you that `` breaking dawn '' is broken .",
      "sexy , silly , scary and stupid , the movie 's tonal balancing act amounts to an evil dead for tween romantics .",
      "condon pulls it off about as well as anybody could .",
      "if you insist on seeing the entire , seemingly never-ending 117 minutes , though , you 're going to spend at least 87 of those minutes bored out of your mind .",
      "what remains is the total conviction that the ludicrous scenes are dead serious and fiercely meaningful . the result is not quite a laugh a minute , but close .",
      "the fourth book is so expansive that the filmmakers made the right call in splitting it into two parts . stewart , pattinson & lautner have come to be genuine embodiments of the three major characters . the pacing is spot on with a. . .",
      "i 'm curious to find out what happens next , if only to see if it 's as bafflingly weird as part 1 suggests .",
      "let 's hope they can wrap everything up with a better film than this one .",
      "critiques really have no weight when it comes to films like this . the haters are gon na hate , the fans are gon na love , and everyone else will check the movie listings and their own wallets before deciding if this is the best option for a night on the town .",
      "the wedding might delight fans the way some people marvel at watching a royal wedding . but that 's another phenomenon that i do n't quite understand .",
      "it 's not even fun bad like the trashy vampire 's kiss . it 's just bland , slow , and boring to those of us not on team edward or team jacob .",
      "a surprisingly entertaining romp .",
      "for a film that revolves around the needs of and desires of creatures who are slaves to their hunger for the red stuff , breaking dawn is bloodless .",
      "director bill condon may have been hampered by the original material , but he does nothing to help it along .",
      "breaking dawn part 1 is such a slow-moving , overstuffed chore of a movie , it is barely even worth calling a `` bridging film . '' all you do is wait and wait and wait .",
      "throughout the series , meyer 's lurid take on teenage passion has shone through as one of the ugliest and most insidious messages ever sent to its target demographic .",
      "in several scenes , characters play chess , but the film itself is as complex as `` chutes and ladders , '' and just as suspenseful .",
      "if there was ever a franchise that plays like a tv soap opera with a climatic ending that leaves the audience wanting more , it 's this one . if you have seen the previous three films , then you go into ` breaking dawn - p1 , ' already hooked in from the start .",
      "what becomes clear is that while the bisecting of j.k. rowling 's hefty tome was artistically defensible , here , there 's no such creative imperative .",
      "there really is no polishing a twilight movie , which by design will have to be both silly and terribly boring .",
      "this latest twilight is a freakish hybrid : part medical horror , part cheesy victoria 's secret catalogue shoot .",
      "this is a well-made film , though sometimes unintentionally funny .",
      "there are a few reasons the twilight saga : breaking dawn -- part 1 is probably the best of the twilight films .",
      "for those of us who are not twilight fanatics , or even fans , or could not care somewhat less than less , the arrival of part 1 is not cause for trumpets blaring . but i would imagine that even those who line up for this film will be somewhat let down .",
      "sexy honeymoon , disturbing pregnancy dominate latest movie .",
      "by any normal standard , this is a terrible movie , with stilted dialogue and leaden pacing -- every 15 minutes or so , the action stops for a musical montage involving slow-motion handsomeness . but the twilight saga stopped being normal a long time ago .",
      "here 's hoping breaking dawn part two gives us more of what part one provided in the final 30 minutes than what it forced viewers to endure to get there .",
      "endearingly bizarre , and featuring the usual fan-service in the form of topless hotties running through forests - you just wish it was a slightly better movie , given the hammer horror promise of the pregnancy premise .",
      "as a movie , this is n't terrible ; none of them have been , really . each film has gotten a director who has tried to do something simple and honest with meyer 's tormented material .",
      "dialogue howlers and largely soapy , melodramatic performances abound .",
      "this film was made for the fans as they 're going to be the only ones able to appreciate it , despite it not having any redeeming qualities whatsoever .",
      "breaking dawn - part 1 transfers pivotal events from the source material to the screen but fails to translate those events into a competent two-hour movie experience .",
      "these movies have become one big joke , with hokey acting , slapdash visuals and kindergarten dialogue . it felt like such a parody that it might as well have been directed by those jerks who made disaster movie and epic movie .",
      "the worst film in the `` saga . '' utter camp .",
      "for those still in possession of their wits , this film is not only the worst of the twilight flicks so far , but just about the most melodramatic and insipid movie i 've ever watched .",
      "i ca n't even begin to parse all the creepy , anti-sex , body-horror abortion issues bubbling around the ugly subtext .",
      "the twilight saga has n't matured along with its heroine . in fact , the latest movie regresses a bit , delivering more filler , less feeling and crummier cgi than last year 's eclipse .",
      "breaking dawn - part 1 and the upcoming part 2 were both directed by dreamgirls ' bill condon , who keeps the lunacy moving apace .",
      "if i can say anything for the film , it 's that it delivers exactly what the legions of twi-hards want and expect -- or what ` team edward ' wants , anyway .",
      "entertainingly bad . in fact , it 's the funniest movie we 've seen this year even though it is n't a comedy -lrb- we think -rrb- .",
      "meyer 's subtext transitions from being pro-abstinence into anti-sex . it 's one thing to gussy up teenage anxieties over the loss of virginity ; it 's another to punish bella 's deflowering with death .",
      "melodrama reigns in this supernatural soap opera , even though author stephanie meyer 's tale takes a decided turn toward the weird and violent .",
      "so party on twi-hards , you have no apologies to make for your love of this pulpy , romantic saga ; just do n't take it personally when the rest of us decide to party elsewhere .",
      "honestly , you can sneak into the movie an hour-and-a-half in and not miss anything .",
      "it all goes wrong just when it should go right .",
      "... a bad film , a self-aware one , for sure , but a bad one none-the-less .",
      "the bloated franchise 's worst film without question , the fourth `` twilight '' popcorn flick is a futile exercise on the disappointment of anti-climactic waiting . it does n't sparkle or shine . it flickers , and then disappointingly dies .",
      "is this really what twilight fans want ? two characters drooling over and on each other for half the movie and not much else ?",
      "it is very focused on the idea of not pissing off the fans by getting it wrong . as a relative outsider , i found that this mentality sucked all the life out of the film .",
      "there 's plenty of stupidity ... from talking wolves and geisha-like vampire make-up to the most uncomfortable newborn baby moment this side of a serbian film .",
      "as much of an homage to old timey experimental shlock horror as broad blockbusters can get ... i recommend twilight virgins see bd1 as a stand-alone work .",
      "a story about an abusive boyfriend 's attempts at wrestling a girl from her friends , family and one prospective healthy love interest , and her burgeoning realisation that her man is a monster .",
      "it 's essentially one insufferably long pregnancy sequence sandwiched between a sweet wedding and gruesome birth",
      "a torturous slog through endless pages of bridal wet dream magazine .",
      "sappy melodramatics are constantly on full display , the performances are distractingly exaggerated and the dialogue is so ridiculously cheesy it could force kraft to file for bankruptcy ... yet , for some odd reason , i was kind of entertained .",
      "the worst entry in the series thus far , twilight : breaking dawn part 1 is a toothless vampire film which plays slave to its tween demographic .",
      "the tagline states , ` forever is only the beginning ... ' after viewing this lifeless pap for mere minutes , we realize that it 's not a slogan at all . it 's a warning .",
      "some nice moments , but not enough of them .",
      "it 's based on a series of truly idiotic novels which , whilst works of an evil marketing genius , are artistic pollutants . try and avoid getting dragged along to this one .",
      "shamelessly cheesy , drawn-out and over-the-top as it is , the twilight saga : breaking dawn - part 1 is big , bombastic popcorn entertainment that knows exactly what the fans want , and delivers it in epic style .",
      "the finished product allows the audience to take it as as seriously as it takes itself and/or laugh at its inherently ridiculous retro romance . no matter which side you 're on , you wind up winning .",
      "exposes the weakest parts of what many fans acknowledge is the most problematic of the four books , with too much focus on some of the story 's most outlandish absurdities .",
      "at this point in the story , the characters ca n't simply be innocent in order for the plot to work - they have to be naďve . edward cullen is 120 years old . he has no excuse for being naďve .",
      "stretches forty-five minutes of material to two hours in order to satisfy the ignorant two-parter conclusion .",
      "appalling by pretty much every measure .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he movie resolves everything of any obvious importance by the end , so , again , what 's the point of this story ?"
    ],
    "summary": "slow , joyless , and loaded with unintentionally humorous moments , breaking dawn part 1 may satisfy the twilight faithful , but it 's strictly for fans of the franchise .",
    "id": "771040381"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1208882-cove",
    "reviews": [
      "i 've seen hundreds of horror movies in my time , and i 've never seen anything quite as disturbing as the final sequences of the MOV .",
      "staggeringly exposes the high-to-low complicity of many hands in the international captivity trade , though mostly it stands as a testament to one man 's activist spirit and a reminder of how all social progress comes from the passion of the individual .",
      "tells you with its heart all you want to know about why it 's necessary to free the dolphins from captivity and slaughter .",
      "it turns out that was n't a smile on flipper 's face .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- impassioned piece of agit-prop , which goes to great lengths to penetrate taiji 's tight security to expose this problem in gruesome detail .",
      "a powerful , important and extremely well made documentary that demands to be seen .",
      "an involving and persuasive film that remains frustratingly one-sided as it bandies about unsubstantiated accusations , fails to follow up on key issues and leaves you wanting to know much more .",
      "part-espionage thriller , part-documentary .",
      "in this new , post-michael moore age of documentary filmmaking as lucrative big-screen fare , a documentary that educates without condescension , informs without bias and entertains without losing its focus is a valuable commodity .",
      "if the MOV is n't in the running for next year 's best doc oscar , there 's something terribly wrong with this world . gripping exposé , harrowing horror-thriller and devastating agitprop , it takes us to `` a little town with a big secret '' .",
      "facts , stats and grim archive footage help build up a convincing if one-sided case , but it is the film 's revelatory covert recording that encapsulates the true power of documentary cinema .",
      "one would imagine , and hope , that an oscar nomination beckons .",
      "it has the breathless pace of a bourne movie , but none of the comfort of fiction . this is documentary filmmaking at its most exciting and purposeful .",
      "the MOV offers a lot to think about in terms of the future of fishing , and psihoyos ' gift for using fiction-feature conventions does make a seemingly unpalatable subject entertaining .",
      "think ` guerrilla journalism ' ... the MOV is not polite , and it is not demure ...",
      "the movie is a trojan horse : an exceptionally well-made documentary that unfolds like a spy thriller , complete with bugged hotel rooms , clandestine derring-do and mysterious men in gray flannel suits .",
      "self-aware and just a little too coy",
      "MOV is a stirring call to arms , providing the damning dolphin massacre argument forcefully and creatively . i ca n't say the film will change the world , but it certainly will make those trips to sea world more awkward .",
      "... an ecological thriller cloaked in a gripping documentary that lays bare a world travesty .",
      "the effectiveness of the MOV also comes from its explosive cinematic craft , its surprising good humor and its pure excitement .",
      "the MOV is properly enchanting , horrifying , and rousing , but it comes dangerously close to making the narcissistic case that dolphins deserve to be saved because they 're cute and breathe air like we do .",
      "casting a very wide net , this powerful polemic is simultaneously a love letter to a beloved species , an eye-opening primer on worldwide dolphin captivity , a playful paranoid thriller and a work of deep-seated -lrb- if sometimes hot-headed -rrb- moral outrage .",
      "the great strength of this documentary about the covert killing of wild dolphins in japan is its aesthetic : artful edits , zippy music , even a few jokes . radical stuff for an eco-documentary .",
      "a gripping , powerful and heart-wrenching expose ... activist filmmaking at its best .",
      "this outstanding documentary is as exciting as a thriller .",
      "this documentary is also as well made as anything released all year , blending hard facts , cold scientific reason plus the thrills of a hollywood spy movie to terrific effect .",
      "a confirmation of human dignity in the face of the unspeakable . text `` dolphin '' to 44144 . now .",
      "restrained and harrowing .",
      "there 's an effective thriller element to this vividly assembled doc .",
      "the MOV stands out from the crowd due to the readily apparent awfulness of the event it depicts .",
      "this film virtually creates a new genre : the horror doc . it 's a gripping and compelling film about something utterly unthinkable .",
      "a taut , thrilling documentary that plays out like a heist movie while never overshadowing its message or activist credentials .",
      "the film makes its case graphically , to say the least , yet muddies its bloody waters with an excess of artifice and a dearth of facts .",
      "the film works as a morality tale , a thriller and more .",
      "one of the most important and heroic pieces of work i 've ever seen ... the year 's most exciting film -- as well as a documentary that ca n't help but leave you upset and outraged .",
      "some ghastly imagery may deter fainthearted moviegoers , but this is a movie that deserves to be seen by the widest possible audience .",
      "the MOV 's story of a quiet village in japan that specializes in clandestine dolphin slaughter is quite consciously structured as a thriller by director louie psihoyos who won an audience award for it at sundance .",
      "two fins up for the MOV , a documentary that whales on evil japanese fishermen who kill dolphins for lunch meat .",
      "damn fine propaganda film !",
      "this film is less a work of journalism than a call to activism ; movies like the MOV , to a certain extent , preach to the converted .",
      "a bold , captivating , riveting and well-edited documentary that finds just the right balance between entertaining the audience and provoking them intellectually as well as emotionally .",
      "a real life spy thriller led by marine activist richard o'brian that is also a genuine and heartfelt plea for the marine environment .",
      "overflowing with research and passion , the MOV is an environmental horror story that exceptionally combines brains and beauty .",
      "the mysteries at play in the MOV begin at the surface and then , like the dolphin pods the film shows zooming around coastal japan , go way deep .",
      "every once in a while it 's good to see a movie that makes the blood boil .",
      "a thoroughly shocking documentary that exposes the secret slaughter of dolphins in taiji , japan .",
      "presenting its compelling case with exceptional cinematic craft , the MOV is one of 2009 's finest documentaries to date . be sure to see it .",
      "a quite stirring call to arms against the senseless , copious murder of animals .",
      "... an engrossing bit of cinematic agitprop based on the exhaustive efforts of dolphin activist richard o'barry .",
      "scratch the good-looking surface and the MOV 's contentions start to look very wobbly .",
      "skillful , unsparing and blessed with a great protagonist , the MOV is smart enough to stir up as much interest in its cause as who killed the electric car ? did with the shuttered ev1 , provided its post-festival word of mouth continues to build .",
      "this documentary is the most exciting espionage thriller of the year .",
      "the real grabber in director louie psihoyos ' attention-demanding documentary is the tortured soul of dolphin trainer richard o'barry , a marine mammal specialist at berkeley 's earth island institute .",
      "a nonfiction film innovatively packaged as a thriller , the MOV is the best documentary of the year so far and a thrilling , disturbing ride .",
      "for a generation that grew up with flipper and the day of the dolphin , the tense , powerful new documentary , the MOV , is a horror movie .",
      "the MOV is a thriller in a classical sense . it 's the first of these movies to tell a story with more than stock footage and on-camera interviews . it also smartly refracts a major ethical , ecological problem through the prism of guerrilla events .",
      "a gripping thriller about dolphin trafficking , the MOV is an eco-mentary that 's as passionate and persuasive an argument for change as an inconvenient truth .",
      "the MOV focuses on that mission : impossible more than anything else , and the dirty dozen style makes it by far the most exciting documentary to come along in years .",
      "there are many documentaries angry about the human destruction of the planetary peace . this is one of the very best -- a certain oscar nominee .",
      "heart-pounding and fascinating ... fearless documentary filmmaking packed with horrifying moments .",
      "in between the exciting sequences of the team setting up equipment and being nearly captured , the MOV includes interviews with persuasive sea life experts and not-so-convincing local japanese authorities .",
      "an unabashedly activist , one-sided piece of cinema , but a very effective one that probably wo n't find wide distribution , though it should .",
      "it wo n't be a big hit in japan , but this film is easily one of the best documentaries i 've seen in awhile . okay , it 's one-sided , but who really wants to defend the slaughter of dolphins ? i think this film will be a major contender in awards season .",
      "its a sloppy , shamelessly pandering film that will work well as an activist tool .",
      "the MOV is one of the best in a growing class of nonfiction films",
      "it 's a true-life horror story as frightening as anything seen on the big-screen all year .",
      "it 's horrifying and eye-opening , but i 'm not sure it tells quite the story its makers think it does .",
      "directed by louie psihoyos , this well-intentioned documentary exposes the harvesting of dolphins by japanese fishermen , yet its theatrics suggest a cross between reality tv and mission : impossible .",
      "thrilling , impassioned and suspenseful as a spy caper , the MOV could launch a new sensibility for environmental documentaries .",
      "it 's not often that documentaries pack as much suspense as action flicks -lrb- and even rarer that one does so without re-enactments -rrb- , but the MOV is a mighty exception .",
      "it is filmmaking not just in the service of the environment , but in the service of a victim , and while that victim may have flippers and fins , it is straight from central casting .",
      "the MOV plays like the james bond version of an environmental doc . it could also be viewed as a horror movie for the carnage it depicts . yet it 's quite simply one of the year 's best movies .",
      "the MOV exposes the dark secrets that underpin the world 's dolphin mania .",
      "informative , exciting , and surprisingly emotional ... its goal is to alert the world to the abuse and consumption of dolphins .",
      "the end of the MOV is as rousing as anything from hollywood . manipulative ? sure -- but is n't that fitting ?",
      "a baby jumps in the forefront of the slaughter and one can only imagine its horrified panic - this is a dolphin holocaust and it makes one 's blood boil at man 's capacity for cruelty .",
      "what makes the MOV so powerful is that it 's not just an ecological horror show -- it 's a real-life thriller that 's as suspenseful as anything cooked up by hollywood .",
      "the MOV does n't always give you the facts you want . yet its images of blood in the water are worth a thousand preachy words .",
      "a suspenseful , compelling indictment of japan 's deadly dolphin-exploitation industry .",
      "a documentary that mixes advocacy journalism with the suspenseful thrill of a caper .",
      "documentaries do n't get more compelling than the MOV , a film that plays out more like a thriller than environmental advocacy .",
      "it 's both an educational work of art and a classic espionage tale .",
      "psihoyos and his team got the footage they were after -- thanks to meticulous planning , lots of furtive sneaking around and the judicious placement of underwater microphones and cameras disguised as rocks .",
      "beyond the high-stakes game of cat and mouse , the film explores the mysterious relationship between humans and dolphins and the unexplainable connection between our two species .",
      "the film is paced like a thriller , written as an expose and intended as a call to arms for ecologists , animal lovers and moviegoers around the world .",
      "it 's an exemplary and incendiary instance of documentary filmmaking as real-world advocacy .",
      "there are five minutes in this documentary that ought to be mandatory viewing . the entire 90 minutes is utterly compelling , but the five alone are worth the price of admission .",
      "the MOV is advocacy filmmaking at its best , a project whose success will not be measured in box-office dollars , but by the waves it creates .",
      "horror film , spy thriller , disaster movie , corruption expose and more , the MOV is a gripping and devastating indictment of japan 's barbaric and secretive dolphin harvesting program",
      "there is nothing simplistic about this story , nor the range of emotions we experience as our journey skids from fascination to devastation .",
      "an activist thriller -- part caper flick , part environmental cry to the world -- that will set your heart racing , while breaking your heart at the same time .",
      "... an absolutely essential piece of work that deserves to be seen by as wide an audience as possible .",
      "it 's thrilling , chilling , amusing and moving , and if i could think of any other sensations that rhymed , the MOV would surely be those as well .",
      "it 's extremely disturbing and will upset many viewers , but it gets the message across . this could have been the year 's best documentary if it was n't for the meandering middle section .",
      "part thriller , part undercover spy story and all activism , this is a brilliantly put together documentary aimed quite consciously at winning the hearts and minds of the world by exposing the dreadful slaughter of dolphins in a quite MOV in south-eastern",
      "in effect , by looking at nature the MOV shows us what it means to be human .",
      "the result is quite horrific . no-one could be unmoved . but at the same time i did back away from the campaigning elements of the film .",
      "it is put together so smartly you can almost feel the urgency - from the patient set-up , which lays on the information and statistics without getting boring or too preachy , to the horrific finale .",
      "it is overwhelming , compelling and very depressing . in short , the MOV does its job very , very well .",
      "this tense doco covers many disturbing issues at the same time capturing incredible images at great personal risk .",
      "film as a tool for social awareness and change is perfectly valid . the problem is we know the film 's agenda going in .",
      "as the subject of a documentary , this grim enterprise distinctly lacks the warm and fuzzy appeal of the march of the penguins . so director louie psihoyos ingeniously reinvents his film as a spy caper .",
      "the scenes centering on the slaughter and the aftermath are horrifying ; michael vick would doubtless get -lsb- excited -rsb- watching them , but most normal people will be properly repulsed .",
      "visceral enough to inspire action , no matter your politics .",
      "there are certain films that you 'll never be able to erase from your memory , and without a shadow of a doubt the MOV is definitely one of them .",
      "despite -lsb- the MOV 's -rsb- special pleading , it 's unclear why these -lrb- admittedly beautiful and interesting -rrb- creatures should be treated any differently from cows .",
      "by any measure , this is a horror film : graphic , shocking , uncompromising . the horrors , moreover , are real : the annual slaughter of thousands of dolphins in a secluded MOV in japan , where they are trapped in nets and hacked and speared to death .",
      "the MOV is guerrilla journalism at its best . structured and paced by director louie psihoyos as a thriller/caper movie , it brings audience-grabbing cinematic conventions to work in telling its story of dolphin genocide",
      "part thriller , part natural history lesson .",
      "this is the definite frontrunner to win the oscar for best documentary . the movie makes a persuasive argument that dolphins are intelligent beings that do not belong in captivity .",
      "brilliant , compassionate and dramatically involving , this is documentary at its best .",
      "unapologetically subjective , and a piece of social activist cinema all the way , but also thrilling and truly heartbreaking , the MOV is pieced together like a steven soderbergh heist flick , not some staid non-fiction film .",
      "one of the year 's best documentary films , a stirring call to action against the slaughter of dolphins in japan .",
      "sounded like something i did n't want to see : a preachy nature documentary . but the actual film is much more daring and memorable .",
      "too much drama , not enough documentary .",
      "the MOV does what every great documentary with a cause should : it educates , entertains , and inspires audiences to take action .",
      "one of the most suspenseful documentaries ever made , `` the MOV '' marries ecological espionage to a frightening domino effect of imperialism , political corruption and a socio-environmental disregard .",
      "a-team adventure needs a fifth column",
      "then there 's the redemptive human drama . o'barry , acting like a modern-day ahab after a spiritual awakening , the self-realized incriminations etched into his face , is the driving force of this film .",
      "i do n't think i can go to marine parks anymore .",
      "no hollywood film , fiction or non - , can ever prepare you for the reality of what goes on in that MOV . please do n't show this film to young children . devastating and excellent .",
      "adding to the film 's strength is its central figure , who is akin to a modern-day vigilante superhero ... all o'barry is missing is a mask and costume ."
    ],
    "summary": "though decidedly one-sided , the MOV is an impeccably crafted , suspenseful expose of the covert slaughter of dolphins in japan .",
    "id": "770802994"
  },
  {
    "movie": "varsity_blues",
    "reviews": [
      "van der beek 's understated performance and caan 's hotdogging are refreshing enough to raise MOV above its clichés .",
      "MOV eventually fizzles out badly !",
      "already a prime candidate for 1999 's worst !",
      "depicts just how difficult it is to stay true to yourself and your dreams when the call of celebrity comes knocking at your door .",
      "in addition to the fulfillment of endless high school male fantasies , it also recycles every football and sports movie cliché known to man",
      "an utterly formulaic teen sports , sex and suds potboiler !",
      "cheap zirconium garbage",
      "... slick , well made , and well acted , but it takes no chances . seems a wasted opportunity .",
      "... someone could make a very interesting , nuanced film about the exalted place that high school football holds in some parts of texas ... this is n't that film .",
      "van der beek and voight weigh in with convincing performances .",
      "a serviceable 1990s teen flick .",
      "if you 're a teenaged girl , then `` MOV , '' which stars `` dawson 's creek '' mega-heartthrob james van der beek , might well be the greatest film ever made .",
      "a better picture than you might expect , given that it was produced by mtv pictures -lrb- who created last year 's debacle ` dead man on campus ' -rrb- and directed by brian robbins , the man who previously brought ` good burger ' to the screen .",
      "a paint-by-numbers story that offers no surprises and a hero and villain etched in white and black with few shades of gray .",
      "the football scenes are involving , the acting is up to snuff , and there is something about those last days of high school that remains a solid background for even the most familiar of stories .",
      "cliches withstanding , MOV can be enjoyable if you check your brain at the popcorn stand .",
      "captures the craziness of high school football !",
      "slickly enjoyable !",
      "the football action is rough , intricate and involving .",
      "while there are some undeniable false notes , there 's also quite a bit on screen that works .",
      "excellent casting !",
      "it delivers the goods in a fresh manner .",
      "formulaic , predictable , yet guiltily satisfying .",
      "the action scenes and performances by voight and van der beek make this a game effort .",
      "anyone who misses the heyday of the afterschool special will certainly enjoy this banal tale of self-fulfillment , juiced up with enough alcohol and sleaze to earn an r rating .",
      "scenes work , but they do n't pile up and build momentum .",
      "although there are signs of more intelligence lurking about , they 're so obscured by the inane sophomoric material that few will recognize they even exist .",
      "i was never exactly bored while i was watching it , but i hasten to add that i was rarely ever entertained .",
      "an unappetizing mix of raucously vulgar comedy and teen-angst melodrama .",
      "has n't an original bone in its rib-crushing body !",
      "the movie panders to its teen audience with typical crudeness and excessively lewd behavior .",
      "tired , corn-fed storyline and generic , plug-and-play direction !",
      "although the film takes a worthwhile detour or two , it ultimately finds its way back to the well-worn track of its genre .",
      "uninspired !"
    ],
    "summary": "this is a predictable football movie that lacks intensity .",
    "id": "13150"
  },
  {
    "movie": "i_served_the_king_of_england",
    "reviews": [
      "this inventive , charming picture-perfect picaresque tale of an ambitious young czech rascal scrambling in the pre-nazi and wartime eras marks a welcome and victorious return for jiri menzel , whose last major conquest was his 1967 oscar-winning debut , c",
      "amelie meets the pianist in MOV , one man 's surreal journey through 30 years of czech history .",
      "the pseudo-sensuality is annoying and the supposed absurdism and satire are flimsy .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- delightful , lighthearted satire , a quirky story of fantasy , wealth and pretty women with exposed nipples .",
      "MOV plays like a combination of life is beautiful and forrest gump .",
      "tasty enough but inoffensive even when it should offend , provoke , startle .",
      "the world it depicts is too dangerous and too lovely to classify .",
      "the movie is filled with wonderful moments , set pieces of absurdity , and a richness of humor . but underneath , menzel and hraba have a wry and sometimes painful story to tell of the history of their country in the 20th century .",
      "in the end , MOV is doomed to fail by comparison . ironically , they are comparisons that the film itself keeps making .",
      "`` MOV '' is like an endless feast , featuring one spectacular course after another . somehow , you never get so full that you want to push yourself away from the table .",
      "transforming the calamitous past into the springboard for sexy , satirical fantasy , menzel tells his tale through the experiences of jan dite , a waiter fixated on his dream of becoming a hotel owner and millionaire .",
      "MOV might not suit charlie chaplin , were he alive today . but chaplin 's visual gusto complements this precisely timed and profoundly reverent ode to silent cinema .",
      "with equal parts ribaldry and revelry , menzel tells the story of the manchild who rises from street vendor to waiter to hotelier .",
      "the moral translates darkly and it translates well .",
      "the film 's whirl of history can be a bit vague at times , but that 's a forgivable fault when your senses are so delightfully overwhelmed .",
      "a young man 's plans to become a hotel magnate are thwarted by the fickle finger of history in this comical eulogy for czechoslovakia .",
      "the movie is far too slow-moving , and young jan 's trysts with the beautiful women become repetitive .",
      "czech writer/director jiri menzel , in an effort to maintain a lighter spirit to the movie , tends to gloss over many of the atrocities committed during this time .",
      "celebrates the pleasures of life while acknowledging its tragedy and absurdity ... its attitude might be described as good-natured fatalism .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- surrounded by and infused with the potential for meaning but feels like a lark : a bit of nothing whistling past the graveyard of 20th century european history without a thing to do but indulge itself .",
      "working from a novel and script by bohumil hrabal , director jiri menzel again achieves a seriocomic triumph , as he did with his oscar-winning 1966 adaptation of hrabal 's closely watched trains .",
      "most movies of this kind would lead towards redemption of sorts . menzel prefers quiet introspection to loud conversion , and that 's both a strength and weakness of this movie .",
      "there 's a mystical quality to king of england , a political satire that softens its barbs by locating them in the middle of a fable .",
      "the trouble with MOV is that it 's sometimes bizarre and clever and often visually wonderful , but you never forget that you 're watching a movie . and it does go on .",
      "... full appreciation requires both a grasp of european history and an appreciation for stories which have many layers of meaning .",
      "MOV should be a brilliant picture , one last testament to the intertwined sensibilities of two brave artists . should be , but is n't .",
      "MOV ends up a curious combination of raunchy merriment and malignant undercurrents .",
      "do away with the clever style and you 're still left with a rousing picaresque of life 's beautiful-sad ironies .",
      "veteran czech director jirí menzel serves up an epic in miniature , one apolitical man 's magical realistic journey through life during the shifting sands of wwii europe .",
      "a robust and ribald picaresque tale told with comic élan and philosophical panache .",
      "there is hardly a moment in this new film in which you are not aware that its absurdist view of the human condition was shaped by traumatic 20th-century events .",
      "jiri menzel 's new film has more visual verve than any film currently in release , with or without computer effects",
      "forty years after his breakthrough , menzel has returned with MOV , and it 's like he never left .",
      "the film remains a strange comic fable about finding happiness in the most outlandish of places .",
      "jiří menzel 's MOV is a czech national epic served up with champagne and truffles .",
      "... has loads to say about ambition , greed , hedonism and redemption and does it with intelligence and wit .",
      "MOV may not be a totally riveting movie , but it is , in its gently insinuating way , a curiously rewarding one .",
      "surprisingly sexy and delightfully playful , england will do nothing less than revitalize your faith in movies .",
      "menzel 's crowdpleaser flies lightly through heavy topics such as nazism , sudeten germans and communism , with more than a wink to silent comedy .",
      "scoring high for creativity , the story of the fantastic life of urban nomad and unwilling bolshevik jan dite gives us too little to hang on to . this is hard work for a laugh .",
      "the film 's strength % u2013 it 's whimsy % u2013 is also its weakness , with menzel often letting his guard drop and letting the novel run away with the screenplay . but it 's diverting and it 's unique .",
      "a funny and charming take on the basic horatio alger model , deepened by the filmmakers ' invocations of the history of cinema and the national character of czechoslovakia .",
      "this magical realist memoir of the small men -lrb- and women -rrb- in history is a sprawling carnivalesque treat - as tall and refreshing as a tankard of czech beer and with the same bitter aftertaste .",
      "a comedy-drama with a lot of slapstick , combined with a history lesson about an important chapter of world war ii and beyond .",
      "an extravagant , visually stunning feast of sensory delights , jiri menzel 's winsome comedy , set in world war ii-era prague , pirouettes along a beguiling but treacherous line between horror and whimsy .",
      "the minor protocols and major assaults of the characters are fused , paradoxically , by a truly lyrical talent .",
      "though the pervasive air of light-hearted irony sometimes feels incongruous , the movie is never slow or dull , thanks to a playful series of slo-mo fantasy sequences .",
      "in the end it 's those amazing , nutty set pieces , coolly guided by the veteran director , that make it all worthwhile .",
      "using the absurd díte to indict ambition , passivity , and willful ignorance , `` MOV '' is a familiar sort of comedy , equal parts farcical and musical .",
      "funny , vivacious and profound without being earnest , this is an utter delight .",
      "this episodic , picaresque film is one delightful surprise after another , a complete joy to watch .",
      "barnev gives a deftly chaplinesque performance ... but díte never really finds any meaning or lessons in the choices he made , and neither will the audience .",
      "czech director jirí menzel casts a wide net in this fanciful tale of life , love and the relentless march of time .",
      "a brilliant , witty and profound tragicomedy that reflects on recent czech history with a highly imaginative , darkly humorous and strongly sensual tone .",
      "by the time it crosses the finish line the film has nearly stopped dead .",
      "a darkly humorous , exquisitely performed and filmed story of a czech everyman against the backdrop of the nazi and communist domination of czechoslovakia .",
      "a bitingly effective satire ... a lively scamper through decadence , desire , and the conflation of food and sex such that has n't been seen in cinema since tom jones",
      "dite 's limited awakening is neither tragedy nor the kind of bitter , fatalistic farce seen in lina wertmuller 's seven beauties .",
      "dite is a wonderfully sweet character who leads an interesting life . when the closing credits roll , you 'll be glad that you were able to vicariously go along on his little adventures .",
      "why ca n't americans make comedies as playful but serious as jiri menzel 's MOV ?",
      "a return to form and a comeback for menzel : his first film in over a decade , an adaptation of hrabal 's 1974 novel , displays the serio-comedic and poignantly humanistic perspective that has informed the czech director 's best work .",
      "a film as unique as this is a gift that should n't be ignored . and if menzel once again finds the audience he deserves , we wo n't have to wait years for another .",
      "charming to the max , served unfolds in czechoslovakia when it was ruled by the germans and , later , the soviets .",
      "an elegant , ironic fable with literary origins -lrb- a novel by bohumil hrabal -rrb- that belongs to a distinctive middle-european artistic tradition with a puckish spirit that sometimes seems sweet and at other times ruthless .",
      "you are swept away by the beauty of individual moments and by barnev 's extraordinary performance , which beautifully serves MOV .",
      "combining the imaginative visuals of jeunet and greenaway with the quirky characterizations of kaurismaki ... a sumptuous feast of delicious food and sexy women .",
      "slower than a glacier , despite prolific female nudity , this is a waste of two perfectly good hours .",
      "it 's a film filled with wicked satire and sex both joyful and pitiful .",
      "story has been shrewdly yet passionately shaped for the screen .",
      "this splendid late-career offering emanates fairytale enchantment with touches of magic realism .",
      "the new film is so leisurely paced and overly long that what means to be at once charming yet darkly satirical lapses into tedium and barely comes alive .",
      "while it 's not exactly humming with narrative tension , menzel 's light touch and self-deprecating tone make for an engaging ride illuminated by some very sharp moments of truth .",
      "menzel has crafted a visual extravaganza .",
      "the deft physical comedy is a pleasure , though the leering chauvinism becomes more embarrassing as the movie progresses .",
      "enjoyable , superbly directed and frequently funny wartime adventure with a superb central performance from ivan barney .",
      "writer/director jiri menzel 's ambitious filmic adaptation of bohumil hrabal 's picaresque novel about a diminutive czech waiter with dreams of becoming a millionaire and of owning his own hotel , is a rich black comedy steeped in wartime experience and sexu",
      "the movie 's main appeal is its special comic flavor -- a zesty fusion of picaresque adventure , absurdist whimsy and chaplinesque grace ."
    ],
    "summary": "with charm and an eye for life 's bittersweet moments , czech new wave master jiri menzel paints a picaresque story with whimsy and intellect .",
    "id": "770673745"
  },
  {
    "movie": "spy_kids_3d_game_over",
    "reviews": [
      "any children 's movie so giddily entertaining and inventive can be forgiven for occasional lapses in logic , plotting and acting that may perturb adult viewers .",
      "it 's ironic that , for a 3-d flick , spy kids 3-d is rather flat .",
      "a pale shadow of the first spy kids , as emotionally barren and irritating as the video game it takes place within .",
      "the story is flimsy , simple-minded and often nonsensical , compounded by some obtrusively abysmal supporting cast choices .",
      "the film itself is practically a saturday-matinee tribute to the atari hall of fame -- from tron to q * bert -- and almost reproduces the druggy , hyperactive 2-d world of nintendo .",
      "the game may be over , but i 'm sure the sequels will live on - as long as they stay fresh and fun , that 's not such a bad thing .",
      "the story is tedious , and the dialogue can sound hokey to adult ears .",
      "while there 's a certain rough charm to the handmade virtual reality world -lsb- rodriguez -rsb- creates , the movie still has the undeniable drawback that it causes a headache .",
      "the clever action and throwaway flights of fancy come close to making it worth the 3-d headache .",
      "more fun that the second movie .",
      "if you ca n't push the envelope forward , you can still succeed by pulling it back -- to the 1950 's . ` house of wax ' anyone ?",
      "-lsb- the best part of the movie is -rsb- sylvester stallone , enjoyably ridiculous as not only the toymaker but three other goofy-looking dudes !",
      "few films exploit the merchandising angle as cynically as spy kids 3-d : game over .",
      "the 3-d finale of robert rodriguez 's cutesy children 's franchise now stands as frontrunner for 2003 's most mindless and physically offensive moviegoing experience .",
      "the all-cgi , cartoon-inspired game f/x are undeniably cool in three dimensions ... but rodriguez aims lamentably low in almost every other aspect of the movie",
      "the quaint subgenre of 3-d cinema gets a dazzling dust-off .",
      "demonstrates that few are immune to the corrosive effect that technology can have on story , character , and sense .",
      "without 3-d , spy kids 3-d has almost nothing to hook an audience .",
      "though not nearly as good or as clever a film as its predecessors , kids will most likely find spy kids 3-d : game over a fitting conclusion to the trilogy .",
      "there 's nothing here to match the silly run-amok creativity that marked the first .",
      "spy kids 3-d wraps up the series with a bang .",
      "once again , multitasking mad dad robert rodriguez has served up the most inventive sequel of the summer .",
      "no matter how shaky the acting gets or how threadbare the plot becomes , spy kids 3-d always gives you something wonderful to look at .",
      "exists as an excuse to fulfill some sort of cinema prophecy that every movie spawning a sequel shall thereby finish as a trilogy .",
      "this is really just an excuse for blink-and - you 'll - miss - them appearances by characters from the previous two films .",
      "imax this is n't .",
      "as with an amusement park ride , you may feel dizzy when it 's over , but you 'll want to give it another go .",
      "two-d or 3-d , this spy kid would be dull in any dimension .",
      "if you loved the first two spy kids movies , all the more reason to take a pass on spy kids 3-d : game over .",
      "for those who like a plot along with their car races and lava surfing , it 's game over , quickly .",
      "a harmless disappointment , hampered by the thin story and a surprisingly dreary looking video-game setting , heavy on the floating platforms , cartoony future-cityscapes and goofy gadgetry .",
      "rodriguez may have overreached his abilities with this film .",
      "a technicolor dream come true for 10-year - old film - goers .",
      "game over .",
      "starts off with a burst of energy but becomes tedious midway through .",
      "the main problem , apart from being trapped in a bad video game , is that the movie , cheeky but mindless , and so expensively pointless , is n't about anything .",
      "spy kids 3-d is kind of exhausting , and the many-tiered virtual reality universe numbs the mind after a while . but rodriguez manages to work in some nicely cornball messages .",
      "it 's kind of cute , and younger kids will like it .",
      "no one can say spy kids 3-d is n't clever in its usual gnomic fashion . but one gets the feeling that this time around , rodriguez lets the gimmicks do most , if not all , of the work .",
      "a good example of complex hollywood wizardry placed in the service of sharp , intelligent family entertainment .",
      "all gimmick and precious little cleverness .",
      "an enjoyable , noisy romp that trots out all the gimmicks that have made the format fun since its first brief crest of popularity in the early 1950 's .",
      "watching juni and carmen dodge enemies and jump from platform to platform is about as fun as watching someone else play videogames .",
      "it 's the matrix meets tron meets jimmy neutron , with all the cheery -lrb- if not cheesy -rrb- evanescence of a jolly rancher commercial . i mean that as a compliment .",
      "kids will adore this movie -- even more than the harry potter series .",
      "... spy kids 3-d is a good time at the movies ...",
      "it 's the gimmick that sells . this movie without 3-d would be three times more boring .",
      "while the visuals have gained a dimension , the story has lost one .",
      "this one is so niggling and forgettable , it may not even be worth seeing to begin with , in any dimension .",
      "rodriguez somehow keeps his franchise afloat with an old gimmick .",
      "... just about the most anti-climactic way to end a series ever .",
      "a movie that aims for the fun and sensation of being inside a video game , but not a whole lot more .",
      "if you do n't like this movie , you 're not allowed to watch another movie ever again . you dork .",
      "spy kids 3-d : game over is the clumsiest of the trilogy , but robert rodriguez still manages to insert just enough thrills and surprises to make the effort worthwhile .",
      "in ` spy kids 3-d , ' the charm of fascinating storytelling gives way to the encroachment of technology .",
      "hello eyestrain ! 3-d always was and still is a bad idea .",
      "this third installment follows up on the thrills and dazzling visuals that charmed audiences in the first film .",
      "differs from its predecessors in some important -- and occasionally unfortunate -- ways .",
      "... something between ` tron ' and ` the matrix , ' though with a cheery warmth in place of the chilly dysphoria .",
      "while it is easily the least of the three films and not quite as focused or ingenious as the previous installments , it still has an endless amount of creativity behind it and while kids will eat it up without question , there is enough ingenuity to provide",
      "while inferior to its predecessors , the third spy kids is the first 3-d movie able to hold its own as a 2-d film .",
      "as sheer dumb spectacle , spy kids 3-d is n't wholly without merit . too bad rodriguez can no longer be bothered to offer family audiences more than that .",
      "wwhhaatt aa rruusshh ... . hey ! put on your 3-d glasses , unless you want to read double .",
      "the special effects may be in 3-d , but the story is flat , and there is very little of the quirky humor of the first two .",
      "the silly sensation is fun , even for victims of the short-lived 1980s 3-d revival of comin ' at ya ! and jaws 3-d .",
      "eye-candy , but fun . no down time , but had some trouble with the 3-d .",
      "rodriguez 's diy monomania ... is laudable in theory , but in sk3d he may have unwittingly found a twin in the toymaker , trapped in his own creation .",
      "rodriguez has n't lost touch with life 's playful side . let 's hope he never does .",
      "robert rodriguez continues to pillage from past adventure genres , but the experience is about the boundless creativity of kids ' dreams , not retro nostalgia .",
      "while the film as a whole is still good fun , it lacks the freewheeling glee of the first two .",
      "retains the homemade virtues that made the earlier installments such an un-selfconscious , pleasingly clunky delight .",
      "... watching in 3-d is annoying and watching in 2-d is pointless . kind of a losing situation .",
      "a loser in any dimension ... as if one stallone was n't bad enough , rodriguez gives us three of them .",
      "where rodriguez falls short ... is in relying on the computer generated special effects to make up for problems in the script .",
      "the 3d stuff works really well .",
      "spy kids 3 is much sharper and funnier than the second outing , but the missing pieces , namely the parents and sister , are sorely needed .",
      "kids will love it , but adults may find it flat .",
      "rodriguez knows how to evoke the imagination in children with such an enjoyable family yarn .",
      "robert rodriguez 's 3-d computer-aided kid flick bytes off more than it can chew .",
      "`` tron '' for the oughts ?",
      "plays exactly like a live-action video game . that 's meant as a compliment , not a criticism .",
      "i like the movie , but hate its presentation .",
      "a painless diversion , but also an undeniable rush job that makes enough misguided storytelling decisions to place it as the worst of the three spy kids flicks .",
      "spy kids 3-d : game over is about as vibrant as a penny arcade hit by a sudden power outage ... is indeed one grand video excursion that needs to be unplugged .",
      "did anyone else get a pair of those cool glasses ?",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t 's not really a movie , it 's a video game that does n't work .",
      "it 's depressing to see that one of the few franchises built on teaching lessons is now just a summer popcorn movie .",
      "-lrb- rodriguez 's -rrb- gimmicks have improved , but the heart of the series is gone .",
      "easily the weakest installment in the popular kids ' series ... one can only hope that the subtitle is more than just a reference to the virtual reality game at the center of the very thin plot .",
      "wait until it comes out on broadcast tv . it 's not worth paying for .",
      "though rodriguez 's seeming one-man operation is somewhat impressive in concept , the results are decidedly inferior to most action/adventure fare .",
      "certainly the least of the series because it continues the slide in character development that began in the second movie",
      "although the effects were fun , i kept asking myself : `` would i like this movie if it were in 2-d ? '' the answer was no .",
      "the story and characterizations are the weakest of the three movies in the spy kids series . still , its not a bad movie for kids who have never seen a 3-d movie .",
      "i can only hope this episode turns out to be what it feels like : a very unfortunate , very rough bump in the road .",
      "it 's the charisma of the child stars which carries the picture . and the infectious energy of the creator , whose frothy franchise has now run its course .",
      "i 'm quite ready for rodriguez to return to the adult world with once upon a time in mexico this fall .",
      "what 's disappointing is that , unlike before , filmmaker robert rodriguez is more passionate about the film 's machinery and less so about its motifs .",
      "i was too bored to be properly angry , and too disgusted to be properly lulled to sleep . robert has betrayed us all .",
      "it?s a blast -- fun for the whole family .",
      "do n't go unless you 're in a good mood and you want to re-live a silly movie technique from your childhood . in the right frame of mind , this movie can be a blast .",
      "with 3d glasses on or off , it does n't measure up to its predecessors .",
      "the 3-d is crap . and rodriguez should have had more sense than to make juni the star of the show .",
      "even without the 3-d , set pieces such as a high-octane race and a faceoff between two giant robots would be surefire adrenaline rushes .",
      "if the old red and blue 3-d glasses make your eyes hurt , you may have to skip this one , but that 's the only bad thing you can say about it .",
      "a movie so awful that those headaches spurred by the film 's shoddy optics effects seem minor by comparison .",
      "like any gimmick , once the initial intrigue of the 3-d has been satiated you 're left looking at game over like you would with any other . and once you start looking at -lsb- it -rsb- like any other film you quickly realize it 's boring .",
      "rodriguez 's movie still has enough shiny objects popping off the screen to make it a satisfactory summer distraction .",
      "who needs kids when the child inside us all can be reincarnated by a filmmaker like robert rodriguez , who has somehow managed to crank out and release a spectacular trilogy of imagination in a mere three years",
      "a refreshing and imaginative sequel that 's better than the original .",
      "an orgy of 3-d delights ... if you 're ten and like video games , you 'll think this film is a gift from god .",
      "plot and themes have gone completely out the window in favor of more eye-candy ... as it is , it 's a passable distraction .",
      "daryl sabara is the new action hero . he 's tougher than vin diesel , smoother than the rock and cooler than keanu . at least robert rodriguez makes you think so .",
      "... an entire amusement park of a movie , powered by adolescent daydreams and superhero fantasies and running on state-of-the-art digital technology .",
      "everything looked irritatingly fuzzy to me , less 3-d than too-blurry .",
      "it 's like an ed wood movie , so earnest and so desperately sure of itself in all its nutty , clueless glory , so obviously flown in from another planet at great expense .",
      "it 's never been good to have to enter a movie with a pair of cardboard glasses in hand . sadly , spy kids 3-d continues that trend .",
      "although rodriguez did write the script , he must have done so in level one of his brain .",
      "this fast , fun-filled family film will literally reach out and grab you !",
      "-lsb- rodriguez has -rsb- never been very good at endings , and the final 20 minutes of this new film are among his most rushed and least cohesive .",
      "ready for more fun with kid spies juni and carmen cortez ? hope so , because they 're back , and this time in 3-d .",
      "it 's a fun ride with a cute message . and yes : even parents can enjoy it .",
      "the 3-d effect is n't as breathtakingly crisp as it is in james cameron 's ghosts of the abyss for the imax format , but it 's still a blast to experience , especially for first-timers .",
      "this one , which puts the viewer right inside the video game with juni , is also fun , although not quite as endearing and surprising as the first two outings .",
      "a flat and dreary disappointment .",
      "it 's a quintessential summer film , especially if you 're 8 years old and in the mood for a quick dose of mindless fun .",
      "game over is exactly that : a popular franchise run , if not into the ground , at least one beat beyond where it should have ended .",
      "spy kids 3d races from set piece to set piece , but the combination of speed , clutter and clatter make the movie a little too forgettable ."
    ],
    "summary": "the movie will be found wanting if one is not taken in by the 3-d visuals .",
    "id": "10461"
  },
  {
    "movie": "backdraft",
    "reviews": [
      "blazingly good cinema ... the performances first rate , the action , never lets up",
      "the three separate elements do n't quite gel , but the overall experience is still a fine bit of moviemaking .",
      "howard delivers exactly the kind of thoroughly entertaining commercial enterprise you might expect , only this one comes chock-full of breathtaking pyrotechnics allowing the ridiculous posturing of the two leads to take a back seat .",
      "the spectacular fire sequences , which must have been hellish to film , are powerfully enveloping on screen , thanks especially to the eerie effect of the title .",
      "mocked by some , for reasons i ca n't fathom , i find it to be howard 's strongest film . excellent cast .",
      "howard 's burning ode to firefighters and the professional and personal lives they hope to conquer with devotion and defiance . a drama that convincingly spreads itself like a roaring blaze .",
      "the fire sequences are stunning , and the build-up to them , complete with blaring sirens and bellowed conversations , has an aggressive immediacy .",
      "exciting firefighter adventures with all-star cast .",
      "an extremely old-fashioned tale about heroic firefighters -lrb- rival siblings ... -rrb- with some good special effects , this is a typical ron howard picture in its middlebrow sensibility and sentimentality .",
      "simultaneously overblown and threadbare",
      "great effects , the fire is a living , breathing entity .",
      "nice action movie . great effects .",
      "amazing effects/stunt work !",
      "typical over-produced , lowest-common-denominator ron howard film",
      "-lsb- the scenes involving fire -rsb- are so good they make me recommend the movie anyway , despite its brain-damaged screenplay .",
      "director howard is so mesmerized by the flames , he squirts formulaic lighter fluid over everything .",
      "MOV is sure to do for fire what the poseidon adventure did for water .",
      "a patchwork concoction of other -lrb- better -rrb- movies , but the gung-ho ensemble keeps it all afloat .",
      "MOV may not be a very good movie , but it sure is great entertainment .",
      "the film exploits chicago 's terrain of ethnic neighborhoods , political turf , and glorious modern architecture , but it has trouble when it comes in close to the personal level .",
      "MOV has some of the raw filmmaking excitement that has been missing from howard 's recent work .",
      "visually , pic often is exhilarating , but it 's shapeless and dragged down by corny , melodramatic characters and situations .",
      "ron howard 's film is one of smoke-eaters , crispers , and torches ... and it bestows a renewed respect on a profession all too often taken for granted .",
      "absolutely fantastic setpieces strung along an absolutely dimwitted script .",
      "manipulative ? yes . but damn , citywide funerals , a cranked score , and some baldwin blue steel redemption poses clears away any irksome storytelling dissatisfaction .",
      "ron howard popcorn-muncher is sappy , not smokin ' .",
      "it 's spectacular , yes , but that 's not all . not only do the firefighting scenes evoke a feeling of gritty authenticity , but the fire itself really does seem to be alive .",
      "visually speaking , the film does pretty well with fire-as-spectacle , less well with everything else -lrb- howard tends to trot out fuzzy-toned spielbergian backlighting on any pretext -rrb- ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's not particularly deep , but MOV is a strong action movie with exceptional special effects .",
    "id": "13033"
  },
  {
    "movie": "chaser",
    "reviews": [
      "na hong-jin 's feature debut is a bleakly frantic psycho-noir , furiously edited , ferociously performed - and despite allying itself to the serial killer genre so beloved in the west , it is distinctly korean in its settings and references .",
      "some of the tension drains from a slow middle act , but it remains a gripping tale of sleuth-work and moral awakening .",
      "it runs so fast and twisted a course through a range of tones and genres that just trying to keep up will leave the viewer as breathless as the monstrous protagonist - and it has a real social conscience to boot .",
      "it announces na hong-jin as a filmmaker willing to go to places that even most so-called horror movies would shy away from .",
      "it 's twisty , provocative and impressively grim , a sort of asian-extreme manhunter for the strong of nerve .",
      "it 's atmospheric but derivative , and i did n't find the denouement 's christian imagery convincing .",
      "watching the korean film the MOV is like chewing diamonds - you know there 's something of value in there but mostly it 's just a mess of pain and blood .",
      "this playfulness , however , backfires massively in the second half when coincidence and unforeseen consequence conspire uneasily with bloody , messy results .",
      "south korean first-timer na hong-jin offers nasty thrills , manic foot chases and some genuinely subversive riffs on the police procedural .",
      "unlike the directors of infernal affairs , hong-jin refreshingly fuels his philosophical engine with montage .",
      "click to read full review",
      "... finds its tonal footing in the final third , when jung-ho makes the transition from darkly comic clown to film-noir anti-hero .",
      "easily the best cop thriller since the departed .",
      "i 've more or less had it with this stuff , but the film is distinguished by the grubby velocity of his foot chases , and the effectiveness of its craft -lrb- not to mention the unglamorous resolution of at least one character 's fate -rrb- .",
      "a gritty , stylish crime thriller that 's initially suspenseful and compelling , but eventually becomes pedestrian , unsurprising , preposterous and even somewhat tedious .",
      "the MOV is an expert serial-killer film from south korea and a poster child for what a well-made thriller looked like in the classic days .",
      "a sizzling film noir that evokes the disillusionment of a once self-confident `` tiger '' economy .",
      "the pessimism of na 's slick debut rings false .",
      "a grisly serial-killer thriller that develops into a howl of outrage at the ineptitude of the system .",
      "an impotent thriller about an insane serial killer , incompetent cops and an irritating overweight sweaty pimp .",
      "but the MOV delivers as a piece of cinema rather like seven did - it does n't let up for a moment .",
      "this is expert filmmaking at every level , continually adding engaging subtext that touches on family pressures , blind self-interest and warped justice .",
      "it 's hard out here for a detective turned pimp in the thrilling import the MOV",
      "uma obra madura e complexa que insiste em desafiar as idéias pré-concebidas do espectador do início ao fim .",
      "shifts its tone effortlessly between white-knuckle suspense and investigatory drama",
      "it runs long at over two hours but it is expertly directed , shot , edited , and acted .",
      "a good example of a film grabbing the audience by the collar , only for the audience to shake themselves free , the MOV is a promising fusion of detective thrills , sweaty-palmed horror , and black comedy that ultimately does not hang together .",
      "in between moments of chisel-hacking horror there is some impressively dark humour and top-notch acting . but be warned - emotionally this movie will reach deep into the pit of your stomach and wriggle your guts about before wrenching them out ."
    ],
    "summary": "a frantic and taut korean serial killer thriller . one classy , if bloody and messy , gut wrencher of a movie .",
    "id": "770686074"
  },
  {
    "movie": "centurion",
    "reviews": [
      "a darned entertaining outing from a director who knows action and does n't share hollywood 's fear of period pieces that do n't involve greek gods .",
      "centruion is an exciting and intense action/adventure film with fantastic fight scenes and strong acting .",
      "with a raucous , gruesome tone , this roman-era british action movie takes us back in time in such a vivid way that we often feel a bit queasy while watching . if the story were stronger , we 'd be glued to the screen .",
      "michael fassbender can carry a movie .",
      "auteur cinema of a very narrow stripe , this personalizes a familiar genre to advance a singularly pessimistic view of humanity .",
      "the sight of a technologically superior occupying force coming a cropper in hostile foreign territory inescapably brings modern afghanistan to mind .",
      "features a commitment to craft that helps overcome issues of storytelling by providing a visceral , violent experience designed to get you in your gut and bones more than in your heart or head .",
      "director neil marshall thrills yet again setting forth his own vision of the gladiator epic that pays tribute to the classic tropes of the sub-genre , but is concurrently a revenge film and journey in to darkness ...",
      "if i believed in the concept of `` guilty pleasures , '' i 'd classify MOV as one , but i think i maybe just kind of enjoyed it .",
      "it 's a cat and mouse game where we are stuck rooting for the cat even though it killed and raped thousands of mice .",
      "marshall shows off the breathtaking landscape , but with interiors , he populates the ale houses and encampments with cliches .",
      "bloody well done .",
      "rousing if slightly predictable .",
      "unpretentious swords-and-sandals film crafts a tight survival drama out of roman empire lore .",
      "MOV is part heroic mission film , part curious wartime picaresque . it 's also a product of marshall 's idiosyncratic idea of period fidelity .",
      "a gritty , grueling , bloody adventure , with exciting action-set pieces and a dogged refusal to assign white and black hats .",
      "even for the seasoned gorehound , marshall 's films hack off body parts you 've never seen hacked off before -- or ever thought you 'd want to .",
      "lean , riveting , and taking no prisoners .",
      "there are , by my count , six standard types of violence in film these days : tarantino , comic book , scorsese , martial arts , horror and stupid . that 's right : stupid . for an example , look no further than MOV .",
      "beautifully shot by sam mccurdy -lrb- `` the descent , ' `` doomsday '' -rrb- , `` MOV '' is a throwback to the great roman legionnaire and gladiator movies , but with prosthetics and `` 300 '' - style digital makeup effects .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he only new thing marshall brings to the roman empire subgenre is gross-out aesthetics .",
      "mixes a thoroughly honorable high-mindedness with frequent and jarring examples of torture porn",
      "... a bloody , gritty , simple chase film that gives michael fassbender a lead role that could easily turn him into a viable action hero in big hollywood films",
      "MOV feels more like a video game than a movie . and it works fairly well on that sensory-overload level , except it 's a video game you ca n't play .",
      "sack , pillage , repeat . heads will roll . and bounce . and be stuck on pikes .",
      "characters are not deep or unique , but the action is plentiful and quick-cut , realistic in overall combat chaos with individual hand-to-hand not lingered on .",
      "for all its analogies to afghanistan , iraq , vietnam , or wherever , the underlying thrust of MOV is its celebration of bloodlust .",
      "far more entertaining , and infinitely less cumbersome , than its recent big-budget hollywood counterparts .",
      "really little more than a boys ' adventure tale done in a style more gruesome than most ... too intense and nasty to be sheer dumb fun , and too silly and formulaic to be taken for a serious historical epic .",
      "my appreciation for MOV is fairly simplistic ... and amounts to little more than its success as a bloodbath with an appropriately cynical outlook and a cornucopia of brutality displayed with skill .",
      "a fast-paced and action-heavy period piece that focuses on what matters most in a saturday afternoon matinee : the good stuff .",
      "enjoyably trashy swords-n-sandals action thriller , enlivened by strong performances from an excellent cast and a suitably gory approach to the fight scenes .",
      "without any real character development , by the time the closing credits draw in , you wo n't care less about any of the characters , which for a film with a plot so linear , is a fatal flaw .",
      "while there 's a terrific battle near the start as the romans are ambushed by the locals , the realisation soon dawns that this is a deeply average chase movie .",
      "it may be cheese , but it 's of a fine vintage .",
      "marshall has cast a dream team of character actors and upcoming stars as supporting roles ; the cameraderie and banter between the men is realistic , funny and rude .",
      "while some of the blood-spilling action scenes could have benefited from a little more dramatic shaping , it 's a mostly satisfying effort .",
      "gory , and tempered with just enough ancient political influence to give it substance , `` MOV '' is a more gratifying experience than ridley scott 's recent britain-based adventure `` robin hood . ''",
      "MOV makes a decently mounted action movie in which only the uniforms and weaponry differentiate it from iraq or afghanistan . maybe that 's the point of it . but you still have to pen a script .",
      "this is exercise-bike cinema : energetic , relentless and tipping towards monotony .",
      "MOV is a curious mixture of gladiator , braveheart and apocalypto , but not nearly as good as any of them .",
      "MOV is certainly atmospheric but the brutality and beheadings make it disappointingly monotonous .",
      "what have the romans ever done for us ? raped and pillaged mostly , according to a film that also appears to want us to root for them . bizarre",
      "MOV treats arterial sprays like sex and the city treats shoes .",
      "anachronistic dialogue , happenstance plot turns and characters so thinly conceived as to be interchangeable all but counteract cinematographer sam mccurdy 's otherwise stalwart cinemascope work .",
      "marshall is big on desaturated imagery , which imparts to the film 's copious amounts of hemoglobin the look of squid ink .",
      "MOV wraps itself in talk of duty and honor , but really it 's just another cinematic death-trip .",
      "the film has a resigned bitterness , hard to shake off , that feels right for the experience of tough guys , from whatever period of history , who find themselves at the tattered edge of what they take to be civilization .",
      "... fine for a midnight screening or a saturday matinee -lrb- although it 's too violent for kids -rrb- but does n't hold up under close scrutiny .",
      "the real fate of the 9th legion may never be known , but i 'm sure whatever happened to them was more interesting than this movie .",
      "a pre-chainsaw extravaganza where the romans talk like james bond and the picts have better military backgrounds than the american generals who invaded afghanistan .",
      "MOV is like ` gladiator ' directed by freddy krueger",
      "marshall 's film has a good helping of subtle smarts , but he is more concerned through most of the running time with carnage and bloody thrills .",
      "it 's good to see marshall taking on another genre , and he certainly does n't disgrace himself : MOV could have a certain cult appeal , a bit like his apocalyptic oddity doomsday .",
      "there is an air of soap-on-location here , a sense that everyone has just trudged from a lunch of pasta bake and a quick scan of the tabloids . you know all the best lines were being had off camera .",
      "though it 's technically impressive and has an epic sweep , the lack of suspense and emotional involvement makes this little more than a chase movie in ancient garb .",
      "with raw material this strong , it 's odd more of it did n't end up on screen .",
      "no amount of relentless forward momentum , head-smacking violence or cgi-enhanced blood-letting can disguise the anaemic characterisation and obvious contrivances .",
      "a gritty , brutal chase movie that 's more about swords -lrb- and spears , and axes -rrb- than sandals -- although it could have done with a lot more character-meat on those bones .",
      "soon , the action begins to feel monotonous and marshall 's answer is to pick off more victims ...",
      "this hideously violent , formula one chase movie lacks the novelty of mel gibson 's apocalypto as well as its equally-deserved 18 certificate .",
      "west 's macho swagger makes a neat complement to fassbender 's steely resolve , while kurylenko compensates for her lack of verbals with a feral ferocity only hinted at in quantum of solace .",
      "filmed in cold , steely greys and blues , it 's at its best during the numerous action setpieces , particularly close-quarter , hand-to-hand combat where the butchery of axes , knives and spears is shown in all its gory glory .",
      "a solid , no-frills-all-skills combat piece that does not outstay its welcome . well worth a try , if only to push clash of the titans from recent memory .",
      "MOV is n't perfect but marshall does bring a fresh spin to the sword-and-sandals genre giving it a modern sensibility ; from rapid-fire action sequences to no-nonsense parlance .",
      "300 perpetuated the myth that the best way to survive life was to either shout at the top of your lungs or fight in slow motion . MOV simplifies that formula by eliminating the shouting and just gives us the gory deaths , mostly at normal speed .",
      "though seemingly content to be a b-movie director , neil marshall heads further into c-list territory with MOV",
      "the director 's preference of gore over plot points kept me from ever being able to take it seriously",
      "neil marshall reaffirms his status as a contemporary `` king of the b 's '' with another straight-up genre flick that 's low on budget but high on fun .",
      "the violence is numbing , and the hand-to-hand combat of the final standoff is especially tedious , despite the camera 's best attempts to force some energy into the scene .",
      "the filmmaker floods the film with blood and growls , creating a mighty clang of history and gore . it 's herschell gordon lewis 's i , claudius .",
      "there 's a flat prettiness to the film , and -lsb- marshall 's -rsb- attempt to explore group tensions comes asunder , despite the talents of michael fassbender and domenic west , with some awfully clichéd dialogue .",
      "after directing dog soldiers and the descent , marshall was hailed in some quarters as the wunderkind of british horror . then he blotted his copybook with the futuristic thriller doomsday . MOV is another backward step .",
      "the men get lost in the muddy palette of earth tones ... and the staccato strobe-vision of battle scenes that simply confuses the action , and the story along with it .",
      "-lsb- not a heavy-hitter drama -rsb- but the blood flows freely , the fireballs rage , and the slings and arrows are deadly accurate . what 's more , the ending rocks - best downbeat finale i 've seen in a long time .",
      "the film is better than some entries in the historical war genre . it 's clearly chasing some of the denarii that came to 300 , a much more ridiculous and violent film .",
      "the salty dialogue is modern in idiom , but not obtrusively so .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "bloody good r-rated fun . a perfect film to kick back and watch with a couple of beers and buds !",
      "nasty scenes are set off by some breathtakingly beautiful scenes in the wintry scottish mountains , and a few tender moments , very few",
      "MOV is n't an especially memorable film but it 's certainly a very enjoyable one .",
      "with MOV , writer/director neil marshall channels mel gibson to create a suspenseful and blood soaked chase picture , while michael fassbender convincingly delivers on his promise of future greatness .",
      "marshall takes the ultra-violent and grim goings on with deadening seriousness , but the temptation to see it all as a rather bad joke is only emphasised by the anachronistic dialogue .",
      "over time , marshall 's interest in period brutality becomes a grinding obsession .",
      "it offers riveting storytelling , gorgeous cinematography and scenery , loads of gore , and a politically complicated history lesson .",
      "it 's certainly not art , and it is not for the squeamish , but at least it does what it sets out to do .",
      "flaming arrows , spears , and knives have no problem finding their way to the back of a mouth . the profanity is delightful . and the general atmosphere is grim . the movie just is n't terribly inspired .",
      "gory and loud",
      "by turns heroic , fearsome , funny , fateful and , oh , so brutal , with swords hacking off heads at every turn .",
      "occasionally marshall provides a back story to fill out a role , but too often that 's how it comes off : as filler .",
      "this is one exciting and efficient tale -- a hearty-ho of a guilty pleasure .",
      "the movie 's distinguishing feature is its grim fatalism , rare for a pure action movie .",
      "there are beheadings , slit throats and eviscerations aplenty , but marshall 's real distinction is in the way he crafts a brawny action film without losing his own head in the process .",
      "no one can claim the bloodshed was toned down in the quest for a pg-13 -- and i consider that to be a positive quality .",
      "who to root for ? in the end , that ambivalence is part of the fun .",
      "questions arise . when exactly was eye makeup invented ? why do screenwriters still , after life of brian , give roman characters names like virilus ?",
      "most of the characters are so characterless that you ca n't tell who they are when they get impaled or beheaded , and you ca n't remember who they used to be after they 're dispatched . not that it matters .",
      "when it comes to crunchy impalings and messy arterial geysers , marshall 's a maestro .",
      "if you 're in the mood for a guilt-free rush , this is just the thing : an all-out action film that wo n't leave the viewer feeling ill-used . fans of gonad cinema , hark .",
      "it 's prime b-movie material put through the ridley scott cuisinart .",
      "new rule : only one decapitation per ancient action movie .",
      "though there 's not a lot of night action , you 'd think the whole thing had been shot during an eclipse . apparently the visual shorthand for 1st-millennium england is murkiness .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- highly enjoyable action-adventure ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's a bloody geyser of neil marshall 's typically stylish b-movie action , but MOV is too focused on hacking and slashing to deliver original dialogue or interesting characters .",
    "id": "770809514"
  },
  {
    "movie": "four_lions",
    "reviews": [
      "while tackling politically sensitive subject manner , this daring satire manages to offer both hilarity and poignancy .",
      "be warned : this is the blackest comedy you 'll see all year . some may find it in bad taste . then again , if there is one thing that fanaticism hates it 's the sound of laughter .",
      "from the ludicrous to the tragic , MOV is a bit of a hit and miss affair , churning jihadism through the mincer of satire . when it scores a hit , it 's very funny ; when it flops , it just fizzles",
      "the film has mined a treasure trove of stupidity in the jihad as waged by men who are committee . or rather , who should be committed , on the grounds of inanity",
      "an appealing mix of witticisms , pitch-black social commentary and dimwit farce .",
      "more than anything , the film works as a conceptual prank , a parody of the supposedly universal cliches of `` humanist '' cinema .",
      "at its best , the film is very serious because it asks us to think about how such men are created . it 's not uniformly successful , but it 's far from being just silly or offensive .",
      "i think chris morris is a bit too clever for me . i did n't find this film funny at all , except for a couple of moments .",
      "at the heart of MOV is the idea that we should perceive fanatics as humans , rather than demons . there is much to be said for this ...",
      "one could compare this to south park , but at the risk of hyperbole , this may also be the war on terror 's very own dr. strangelove",
      "the film wisely does n't try to explore the roots of religious fanaticism and how it can manifest as murder : instead , it simply accepts the world as it is and focuses on the ridiculous .",
      "the film left me with a slightly empty feeling that all morris has accomplished is getting me to split my sides in the face of something wholly terrifying , and that 's ok - even necessary - for now .",
      "the first feature , written and directed by satirist chris morris , may seem profane to some , but if you 're doomed by watching it , at least you 'll go down laughing .",
      "the overall result is decidedly uneven : there 's most certainly something for everyone but the lack of an overarching vision is readily apparent .",
      "there are definitely some laughs in this film . but more often than not the film is an unfunny attempt to examine mindless extremism using humor .",
      "a dark farce sitting somewhere between `` dr. strangelove '' and `` duck soup . '' it will blow you away .",
      "chris morris 's jet-black farce maintains a queasy balance between character-based comedy and incisive political commentary for its entire running time .",
      "if the things we fear most are the best fodder for black comedy -lrb- think dr. strangelove -rrb- then MOV , a veritable three stooges-esque comedy about westernized jihadis , is on fertile soil indeed .",
      "it 's difficult to imagine a movie this boldly provocative about the underworld of violent jihad , much less one that actually inspires laughter .",
      "-lsb- morris 's -rsb- new comedy has a provocative , ticklish premise -- five north england muslims become suicide bombers , but ca n't decide who or what to take with them .",
      "there 's a weird muppet show vibe to the task that involves sublime reaction shots and actual casualty , capturing an extraordinary tone of absurdity that gives the film a special wink .",
      "morris shows how the familiar elements of organization dysfunction -- gross incompetence , petty rivalry , etc. -- afflict even jihadists .",
      "you laugh until the laughter turns to ashes in your mouth . and then you laugh some more .",
      "morris and his writers-four of them in this film as well -- like to torture logic with absurdist dialogue , and some of their gang 's escapades are amusing rather than laughable . yet `` MOV '' lacks a moral base .",
      "this ` jihad of the mind ' may be close to plausibility , but protagonists and film self-destruct . in jumpy unnecessary close-up , the ` MOV ' gang merely staggers from one pratfall to another .",
      "it 's not your usual comedic fodder , but the director and co-writer 's extensive research and profound intellect elevate the film above mere farce .",
      "an ambitious , uneven new farce that dares to mock the motives and personalities of four suicide bombers who plan to attack the london marathon .",
      "when it works -- and it does n't half the time -- it 's as if monty python were back , putting its merrily imbecilic stamp on the dark world of terrorism .",
      "a brazenly comic , fatally inconsistent romp that tries to destroy radical fundamentalism with ridicule .",
      "will be remembered less for its politics than its general bravado",
      "both laugh-out-loud funny and as serious as a bullet through your artery .",
      "... unfortunately , director chris morris 's film is far less incendiary than it thinks it is . `` MOV '' plays like the three stooges plus one .",
      "MOV would like to be scandalous ; the best it can manage is being intermittently amusing .",
      "i admire anyone for having the nerve to try something like this , and i especially admire morris for pulling it off in such a breathtakingly funny way .",
      "pitch black comedy laughs in the face of fear and compassion simultaneously .",
      "like a mix of the three stooges and abbott and costello ... this ultra-dark british comedy is a blend of slapstick and smart bad-taste humor . this ultra-dark british comedy",
      "there 's something strangely humanizing and even faintly humanistic about the film 's depiction of would-be holy warriors who wrestle with the same anxieties , fears , and hopes as the rest of us .",
      "` MOV ' truly is one of the best and most original comedies of the year .",
      "though chris morris 's very funny movie revolves around a cell of hapless would-be terrorists , its chief concerns , and strengths , have little to do with ideology-and everything to do with comedy .",
      "MOV is well acted , and the dialogue is howlingly funny .",
      "whatever the flaws of MOV may be , the movie neither coasts on multicultural smugness masquerading as openness -lrb- of the `` they have their reasons '' variety -rrb- , nor does it reach for any cheap philosophical answers .",
      "gradually , the madcap farcical tone of `` MOV '' gives way to something darker , as it becomes clear that morris intends to follow his characters ' pathological aims and motivations right to the end of the road .",
      "a delirious satire of british jihadists .",
      "an audacious premise gets dangerously unstable execution in MOV .",
      "daring and potentially offensive , this hilarious satire may be too biting for its own good .",
      "chris morris is still the most incendiary figure working in the british entertainment industry .",
      "further proof that the brits nail `` topical '' comedy earlier and better than anyone . a true original -- and funny .",
      "when MOV premiered at a festival in january , some reviewers complained that the mix of laughs and atrocities made them feel uneasy . way to miss the point , chumpos .",
      "does making jihadists seem semi-lovable twerps do anything , ultimately , but trivialise the conflict ? perhaps if the film were funnier , we would n't look for reasons why comedy and global cataclysm seem a less than perfect match .",
      "brilliantly written , superbly acted and frequently hilarious , this is a hugely enjoyable , jet-black comedy that gets a surprising amount of comic mileage out of its supposedly taboo subject matter .",
      "morris is not only demystifying the eponymous boogeyman , he 's poking sticks at it , and laughing all the way .",
      "guaranteed to offend a lot of folks across the political and belief spectrum , but consistently funny and horribly to the point .",
      "some may feel that the subject matter should be off-limits to comedians , but there 's nothing new about cinema mocking a dangerous enemy -- just look at charlie chaplin 's classic the great dictator .",
      "cutting satire is expected with morris , but it 's the heart that 's the biggest surprise here .",
      "some scenes are hilarious ; some are too loopy or uncomfortable to provoke laughs ; all strive to achieve something genuinely unusual and essentially true .",
      "it 's truly an incredible piece of work , and something that needs to been seen , and actually feels essential . it 's truly , for better or worse , a film of our times .",
      "terrorism is a fact of modern life . there is n't a lot we can do about it , so we may as well laugh about it .",
      "these guys are not charming ; they 're horrifying in their ignorance , and they cause real damage . but there 's a weird relief to be found in the opportunity to laugh ourselves sick at their expense , if only for an instant .",
      "brilliantly incendiary .",
      "what 's surprising about the film -- apart from the fact that it 's funny and that anyone would dare make it -- is that it 's willing to follow this group all the way .",
      "brilliant , risky , controversial stuff anchored by great characters whose ignorance only reminds that you sure do n't have to be a genius to blow yourself up .",
      "the comedy divides cleanly into dark , violent slapstick -lrb- much of it hilarious -rrb- and more routine gags highlighting the fanatical characters ' foolishness and incompetence .",
      "it 's an exceedingly dark comedy , a wicked satire , a thriller where the thrills center on the incompetence of the villains . it 's fueled by both merriment and anger .",
      "brilliantly funny ; one of best comedies of the year .",
      "the jihadis ' absurdity is rooted in real life , but morris does n't trivialize the danger they represent .",
      "the film 's attempts to not just humanise but to make us like the bombers undermines the comedy .",
      "not as funny or as controversial as many would have expected , but there are still many moments of chris morris genius here that will have you thinking about it for a long time after the credits end .",
      "a howl of funny and frightening fury that takes aim at the idiocy of jihadists while never letting us forget their lethal potential .",
      "in the end , morris 's attempts to explore the boundaries of humour is exploded by a lethal combination of furtive political correctness and transparently terrible taste .",
      "morris has created a film so relevant to our current political climate that many will feel guilty just for watching it .",
      "you may have qualms and reservations about MOV but it will make you laugh and it might even make you shed a tear . it is comedy without a safety net . a comedy of terrors .",
      "treating a taboo topic with broad comedy is dangerous business , as it risks trivialising something serious while offending rather a lot of people . fortunately , these filmmakers are smart enough to get away with it .",
      "a dark comedy about muslim suicide bombers was always going to be a contentious endeavour , but in the qualified hands of satirist chris morris it proves bewilderingly effective .",
      "dodgy subject matter aside , MOV is hit and miss .",
      "a thing of such valour that it ought to be required viewing for the naturally timid , the politically cowardly , the ethically unquesting , the morally shallow , and as a bit of a tonic for people who are too certain of what they already think .",
      "the funniest gags are simultaneously the most awful , the kind you feel bad laughing at but you just ca n't stop .",
      "a comedy of errors and terrors ? who woulda thunk it ?",
      "chris morris has indeed made a broad heartwarming comedy about five bumbling jihadists living in london , suicide bombers just waiting on their call to service . and it is painfully funny .",
      "impending doom is rarely this much fun to watch .",
      "MOV is full of funny and fearless humor that , like its protagonists , takes no prisoners . it 's also the best movie of the year thus far .",
      "i 'd say `` MOV '' is intended to be , not a jihad satire , but a satire of the idea of a jihad satire , of the belief that humor of even the edgiest variety can effectively be troweled on to any topic to make it accessible , to humanize or defang it .",
      "amid all the laughs in MOV , there 's plenty to think about , particularly since morris keeps the film grounded in well-researched reality , stocked with characters who are built from real-world examples .",
      "MOV is n't just the funniest movie of the year-it 's also one of the smartest .",
      "the movie falters with an inconsistent tone .",
      "the director , chris morris , has been successfully making tv and radio comedies for 20 years . but he falters in this , his first feature . he 's taken what might make a funny sketch and forced it to run more than an hour and a half .",
      "not my cup of tea .",
      "really , these guys are just knuckleheads . and the movie is full of outrageous laughs .",
      "once you get over the initial novelty , you 're left with a movie that alternates between lame sitcom-style gags and muddled social commentary .",
      "parts of the film are very funny and parts are misfires . but even on the misfires one almost feels one should laugh just to support the very idea of the film .",
      "if you can appreciate farce through annihilation and death a la stanley kubrick 's ` dr. strangelove or : how i stopped worrying and love the bomb ' or kurt vonnegut 's ` slaughterhouse 5 , ' then ` MOV ' is probably a very good movie for you",
      "a comedy -lrb- ! -rrb- about inept suicide bombers",
      "it proves that everthing is a laughing matter . think of this as a condition orange comedy .",
      "MOV is more interesting than riotous . consider it an example - a well-paced , clever and understated compassionate example - of a filmmaker wrestling with fear .",
      "relating MOV to the brilliant dr. strangelove -lrb- 1964 -rrb- -- as some have -- is like relating a firecracker to a nuclear weapon . and the firecracker sometimes does n't even go off .",
      "it offers a hilarious , pitch black comedy that suggests we can never protect ourselves from stupidity and incompetence .",
      "a film you expect to be funny given the comedic talent attached , but surprisingly it is also strangely moving as well .",
      "a bitter , brilliant take on a world that is both ludicrous and nightmarish .",
      "a provocative gem that does n't glorify terrorism as much as it does smart , courageous filmmaking .",
      "MOV is about as funny and ferocious as films come . never before has the phrase ` you 'll laugh ; you 'll cry ! ' seemed like such a genuine , ominous threat . chris morris ' confronting satire is not for the faint-hearted .",
      "funny , smart and original , MOV has a lot to say without ever hitting you over the head or standing on a soapbox .",
      "in MOV , five complete morons keystone kop their way toward terrorism and their 72 virgins ...",
      "it 's howlingly funny in parts ; sad in others . it does get real . and , in its own way , shows the lunacy of jihad .",
      "this one goes out to anybody who likes their comedy , dangerous , thought-provoking and , above all else , funny .",
      "the murderous schemes of laughably fallible humans , the film suggests , are no less tragic for being absurd .",
      "the film is tasteless and offensive . it will be especially offensive to jihadists . it is also very funny .",
      "home-grown jihadists as wankers . how very british .",
      "it is like the old joke about a dog that walks on its hind legs . it does n't matter that it 's not done perfectly ; it 's just a wonder that it 's done at all .",
      "writer-director chris morris walks that razor-fine line separating comedy and tragedy by mocking terrorists without mocking the horrors of terrorism itself .",
      "... a welcome antidote to cultural hysteria .",
      "-lsb- it is -rsb- a biting , laugh-out-loud funny satire that dares to poke fun at jihadi terrorists and one of the blackest , funniest comedies in recent memory .",
      "MOV does n't always reach satirical perfection , but it comes fairly close .",
      "the comedy is as black as can be , both silly and sharp ... it just does n't quite succeed in its dr. strangelove-inspired goal .",
      "MOV is merciless in its mission to find humor where few would dare seek it .",
      "the amount of edge to this edgy comedy and morris 's chutzpah for demanding that the film 's tone and its uneasy ending remain intact throughout the film 's financing .",
      "is it insensitive ? jaw-droppingly so . but it 's also tremendously funny , and after years of achingly serious movies about the war on terror , it ca n't help but feel cathartic to unleash a few belly laughs at the whole mess .",
      "brassy burlesque careens between droll humor and slapstick stunts until it implodes upon itself during a prolonged and extremely uncomfortable climax .",
      "one of the funniest movies of the year .",
      "the very existence of MOV is an act of audacity ; the fact that it 's also smart , humane , and frequently hilarious is nothing short of a miracle .",
      "i think it 's appalling in all the right ways . while its lingering aftertaste of ashes in the mouth is unmistakable , i 'd argue that the subject warrants it .",
      "might this not have worked better , and conjured more startled outrage , as a mock documentary on tv ?",
      "a rude , edgy , rough indie comedy - hilariously funny until near the end , when reality begins to destroy the characters ' slapstick universe .",
      "an absurdist satire that 's smart enough to follow its deluded losers all the way to the bloody end .",
      "morris ' plan seems to be to make an irresistible farce at the intersection where christopher hitchens ' god is not great meets the three stooges .",
      "`` MOV '' is a daring , brilliantly conceptualized film , but like the bumbling bombers of the title , the execution tends to be hit-and-miss .",
      "it manages to tiptoe through the minefield -- almost a literal one -- that it lays out for itself , thriving on a back-and-forth momentum that skitters from worrisome turns of events to ludicrous outbursts and outcomes ."
    ],
    "summary": "its premise suggests brazenly tasteless humor , but MOV is actually a smart , pitch-black comedy that carries the unmistakable ring of truth .",
    "id": "770813276"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shall_we_dance",
    "reviews": [
      "lopez has the simultaneous gift and curse of being exactly as good as her material ; she fully inhabits the solemnity of paulina without overshadowing the central conflict .",
      "miscast , misguided and woefully misbegotten , this clumsy american remake of the deftly delicate 1996 sleeper hit from japan is too blah to bludgeon .",
      "the original remains the standard , and it 's a far deeper work , but this paint-by-numbers project manages to get by on its good humour and undeniably entertaining ensemble cast .",
      "it 's a surprisingly acceptable variation on a theme .",
      "turns a sweet , lilting story into a clunky , clichéd and tedious movie sitcom .",
      "takes a small , exquisite japanese movie and turns it into a big , stupid american movie . still , it must be said that as glossy and overproduced as the thing is , it 's a good big stupid american movie .",
      "a cozy star vehicle for jennifer lopez and richard gere .",
      "where the original soared , the new version hugs the ground . it 's like the difference between fred astaire 's dancing and richard gere 's .",
      "while its situations are never hugely believable , this long-delayed remake is otherwise a consistently delightful comedy of character and a surprisingly strong showcase for its stars .",
      "this mildly entertaining bauble will disappear from your memory even before you 've dislodged the last popcorn husks from your back teeth .",
      "a comedy with two left feet .",
      "a sleek hollywood crowd-pleaser , more movie than art film , but its makers have wisely stuck not only to the spirit but often even to the letter of the original .",
      "a pleasant , uncomplicated , adult night out -- an event nearly as rare as a new romantic hollywood musical .",
      "there is n't even any exciting dancing here , and what hoofing there is has been heavily edited , usually with the dancers ' feet cropped off .",
      "the central idea -- that losing yourself in a small , private world can help you to better engage the larger world -- is n't lost in translation .",
      "it 's an intelligent , funny , mature comedy that wears its heart on its sleeve and makes you care about the inner lives of ridiculously privileged human beings .",
      "feels more american in origin : like dirty dancing iii : the viagra years .",
      "runs the constant risk of dissolving into extreme silliness , but its continuous small-change pleasures and general sweetness grow in aggregate .",
      "a treat on two counts . first and foremost , it is a wildly entertaining and companionable film . second , it is blessedly unpretentious .",
      "the clark character holds us because gere makes us understand the frustration of a guy who simply needs a new spark to rejuvenate a good but stale life .",
      "a listless , hollywooden affair populated by generic characters that are either blandly underdeveloped -lrb- in the case of the leads -rrb- or drawn with tired broad strokes .",
      "this g-rated version of unfaithful suggests middle-aged men and women can have their cake as long as they just rub up against it but do n't eat it .",
      "lopez is badly miscast and apparently insane .",
      "you will walk out with a huge smile on your face and a spring in your step",
      "it does n't so much dance as it hops around on the screen .",
      "the cultural nuances of the original have been lost and in their stead is the sort of deep insight into the human condition that can most readily be found in a fortune cookie",
      "the dynamic pacing , plentiful dancing numbers , and charismatic actors ensure that even -lsb- more demanding viewers -rsb- will find themselves pleasantly diverted .",
      "it 's shamelessly direct in its emotional targeting , but in a gentle , inoffensive way that will appeal to viewers who prefer the old storytelling formulas to the more sensationalistic contemporary approach .",
      "a totally delightful film overflowing with passion for life , love -- and ballroom dancing .",
      "the best parts of MOV have more in common with best in show than strictly ballroom .",
      "very nearly as good as the original , a funny and unexpectedly touching story of a middle-age man finding inspiration in ballroom dance .",
      "it wants so badly to curry date-night favor , it never risks doing anything that would make for a memorable move .",
      "this american version does n't have the same exquisite magic and profound understanding , but it is charming in its own way .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with MOV ? exactly , except that it makes absolutely no sense .",
      "a funny , well-acted adult tale about the difficulty of holding onto happiness .",
      "sure , it 's idiotic fluff . but it 's vaguely watchable idiotic fluff .",
      "sayonara sushi , hello turkey .",
      "a mostly faithful remake of the 1996 japanese film of the same name . that movie was enchanting ; this one is innocuous .",
      "invigorating , hopeful , funny and perfectly consciously corny at times .",
      "when the movie focuses on gere 's marriage to susan sarandon and how honesty can save love , dance will sneakily kick-step its way into your heart .",
      "terrible film , terrible film .",
      "films about dance are so often memorable and inspiring ; but despite this one 's star wattage , or perhaps because of it , it does n't win the contest .",
      "lopez 's pout does n't convey tragedy as much as brattiness , as if the catastrophe in paulina 's life was that she had missed out on a clearance sale at her favorite shoe store .",
      "instead of class , we get crass . instead of living characters , we get lazy stereotypes . instead of light effervescence , we get a lead balloon .",
      "exemplifies its distributor at its most blatantly opportunistic -- plundering the recycling bin for a no-brainer cash-in .",
      "a reasonably diverting piece , even if it 's a distant also-ran to the charming japanese original .",
      "a melodramatic nightmare marred by poorly contrived situations and emotionally weak characters",
      "a movie that ca n't decide whether to frown or twirl .",
      "MOV opens so promisingly that it 's a big disappointment when the picture suffers crucial missteps that throw off its entire rhythm .",
      "peter chelsom 's one of the rare few these days who can truly create a world on film .",
      "conventional as it may be , MOV ? offers genuine delights .",
      "it 's a shame ... when the leading man 's muse spends much of the film looking like all she could possibly inspire is an easter island-style statue .",
      "feels engineered the way women 's magazines too often do : to deliver the feel-good without burdening us with too much feeling or thought .",
      "more neatly wrapped up and packaged to sell , but it has n't been destroyed . indeed , it has its charms .",
      "its missteps turn the delicate footwork of the original into a clunky thud .",
      "the japanese original is great , but if you do n't like reading movies - this is a wonderful substitute partner . it 's fun , fabulous , and makes you want to hit the dance floor !",
      "asks us to return to the days of yesteryear , when we would accept cary grant as a country bumpkin and marilyn monroe as an ugly duckling . these days , that 's asking too much .",
      "let 's just say a lot has been lost in the translation .",
      "waltzes us into a world where interesting emotional realities give way to stock responses .",
      "lopez ... lords over the movie like a narcissistic devil .",
      "this is a thoroughly likable flick , one that will have even the most rhythmically challenged schlub leaving the theater with a bounce in his step and twinkle in his eye .",
      "too bad the title lost in translation , which aptly describes much of the story of the MOV ? remake , was already taken .",
      "` the rumba is a vertical expression of a horizontal wish , ' says j. lo . then again , so is sleepwalking .",
      "the new dance is a lukewarm hollywood t-ball game , where the only goal is to please every potential audience member out there in the great unknown .",
      "you 're better off being a wallflower .",
      "stanley tucci is the reason to see MOV ?",
      "the original is about the restorative power of dance . the remake is about working a rap number into the movie so kids will buy the soundtrack .",
      "MOV is n't half the movie its predecessor is , but it succeeds on its own terms .",
      "good-natured fluff .",
      "the movie tries hard to duplicate the original 's mood and story , but , like gere or lopez , is too much of a visual knockout to rope us in .",
      "masayuki suo 's charming social comedy has been remade into romantic fluff ... the result might be described as blandly pleasant .",
      "american remake of japanese romance is a slight , sweet charmer thanks to a great ensemble cast .",
      "a movie with no particular reason to exist , which is not to say that it 's all bad ... couples looking for an enjoyable date-night flick could do worse .",
      "no matter how good they are as actors , years of exposure make it difficult to imagine gere * as a klutzy sad sack ... or sarandon being mousy and nonconfrontational .",
      "this is a film that probably should n't work , but does . MOV ? sure , just do n't slip on the sloppy tears or the butterlike popcorn topping .",
      "wishy-washy ... fluctuates between two opposing opinions of gentlemen in soft shoes .",
      "gere , a strong supporting cast , and a great soundtrack save this romantic comedy from the dog pound .",
      "a sugarcoated american remake with all the same charms , but also the same flaws .",
      "the beat for much of the music is difficult , if not impossible , to hear . if you 're a dancer , or like to watch good dancing , this is very disappointing .",
      "gere is a pleasure , smiling and spinning and high-fiving his two classmates -- played by bobby cannavale and omar miller -- and the movie is happy and extremely likable .",
      "the studio turned a cute little charmer into a slapstick sitcom .",
      "this loose remake of the japanese hit film is disappointing in many respects , including the acting .",
      "... a tuxedoed richard gere is still one of the sexiest men on the planet",
      "insipid ...",
      "possesses a sunny optimism that filmgoers do n't regularly see .",
      "american filmmakers have -lsb- again -rsb- hammered something beautiful down into unremarkable mush . still , it honors marriage more than any film in recent memory .",
      "... if you 're not prepared to watch richard gere pulsate for 106 minutes , you 're not going to have much fun with this picture .",
      "MOV ? stumbles into a tight corner between comedy and romance , failing to satisfy on either count .",
      "` what woman would n't want a handsome husband showing up at work in a tuxedo , holding one perfect rose ? '",
      "a sweet , well-meaning pass at a story that just does n't translate -- you 're gon na get stuck watching it with your mom or your girlfriend every time it shows up on tnt .",
      "goes too far in its slapstick efforts to please mainstream audiences , but there 's no denying the genuine appeal of -- and i ca n't believe i 'm actually writing this -- richard gere and ballroom dancing .",
      "the entire feature feels poorly motivated and low on energy . there 's clearly something missing .",
      "largely forgettable because the central love story , between a married couple played by richard gere and susan sarandon , has nary a spark .",
      "the cast is promising , but this remake of the popular japanese movie falls flat , with more ` sound design ' than delicious music , more slick film editing than graceful ballroom gliding .",
      "this version of MOV ? tosses circumspection out of the window , milking every ounce of sentimentality , pathos and thrift-shop idiosyncrasy from the story line .",
      "so supple is this story about the man with two lead feet who walks into a dance class and then waltzes out of his midlife funk , that it pretty much survives the transplant from its tokyo zen garden to a windy city rose arbor .",
      "a doubly tired remake : first of the infinitely better 1997 film from japan , and second of virtually any cliche you can imagine from situation comedies .",
      "the movie not only shows you the longing felt by its characters , it draws you in to sharing those feelings with them . you want them to find their steps and rhythm .",
      "an unwieldy mess that gives every impression of having been made under a mandate to fill the miramax crowd-pleaser slot .",
      "the filmmakers are n't afraid to lay on the schmaltz , especially at the end , but it never gets so heavy that MOV ? does n't step lively .",
      "it 's hard not to get caught up in this film , despite its many flaws , primarily because gere makes for a sympathetic figure , a middle-aged man just wanting to feel something new in the autumn of his life .",
      "sit this one out and chalk it up to a misstep for everyone .",
      "a small movie that 's been supersized .",
      "sensible viewers are unlikely to relate .",
      "` take this film for what it is ... light , cheery , and amusing . '",
      "some moves in MOV require a leap of faith , but there 's a really heartwarming love story in here somewhere .",
      "... one of the most romantic films of the year .",
      "under the clunky direction of peter chelsom , while forced to mouth inane dialogue by audrey wells ... a swell bunch of troupers get mangled in a monsoon of clichés .",
      "chelsom zestfully follows the original almost step-by-step -- including a clumsy plot turn that should have been left off the dance card .",
      "if you can put yourself in a non-cynical frame of mind , MOV ? has a sweetness that is hard to deny .",
      "a satisfying picture about something that everyone can identify with : a yearning for more .",
      "MOV ? never seems to rise above its syrupy premise and ballroom antics .",
      "the movie has a zippy script by audrey wells ... as well as a supersized order of funny supporting characters .",
      "as a whole , MOV ? is enjoyable .",
      "richard gere slips into his dancing shoes again for a romantic comedy of sorts that 's anything but swift on its feet .",
      "i do n't know how they did it , i expected it to blow , but it worked , i swear to you it worked . great script .",
      "audrey wells ' badly flawed adaptation of the original screenplay tries to bridge -lsb- the -rsb- cultural gap but it does n't work",
      "cute . waltzes right past `` airy '' on its way to the sugarland express . keep your insulin handy .",
      "MOV ? , an americanization of a popular 1996 japanese film , is an old-fashioned feel-good fantasy that piles on the euphoria .",
      "a polished , feel-good movie that will be most appreciated by those who went back for second helpings of my big fat greek wedding .",
      "a warm-hearted , light on its feet , entertaining movie",
      "a warm , honestly observed study of middle-age awakening becomes a vehicle to pull j.lo 's caboose .",
      "MOV ? gives us characters whose lives are transformed by the beauty and joy of dancing without ever showing us how .",
      "there are good movies about the transformative power of dance , but all this one does is parade stock characters around and hint at tiny changes they 've made in their lives .",
      "an adorably benign -lrb- if slow -rrb- date movie .",
      "the screenplay does not allow the dance to overshadow the human core of the story - clark 's search for fulfillment , for the missing piece to make his life complete .",
      "filmgoers lured by nice notices , marketing magic and the teaming of richard gere , jennifer lopez and susan sarandon will be charmed and entertained and spread that all-critical word of mouth .",
      "-lsb- gere 's -rsb- need to telegraph sappy good-heartedness with every shot drains away all trace of eroticism .",
      "there are so many appealing performers in MOV ? that it 's a crime the director , peter chelsom , and the screenwriter , audrey wells , have n't given them more to do .",
      "a charming , well-cast and acted comedy about the glamour and romance of dance .",
      "the perfect date movie for all ages .",
      "occasionally charming but ultimately forgettable bit of fox-trot fluff .",
      "director peter chelsom can not capture the sublime melancholy which pervaded the original , instead going for a straightforward crowd-pleaser",
      "MOV is a chick flick jack-in-the-box . in the beginning it elicits wide appeal ... then suddenly morphs into lifetime fare ...",
      "gere is the true star here ! my wife liked this film so well she saw it four times . i had to see it twice to truly appreciate it .",
      "a hokey , poorly acted , and disappointing remake of the irresistible 1997 japanese film .",
      "director peter chelsom pulls off the unexpected and actually produces a passable , if not entirely successful film .",
      "it 's a sweet story sabotaged by routine characters and dumb plot turns .",
      "you may want to sit this one out .",
      "perhaps an american version of this film could be done well , but it would have required a lot more thought ... as well as the recasting of the three leads .",
      "inevitably this film will be compared to its predecessor , and it simply ca n't win .",
      "this excellent and acclaimed cast is shoved into a film whose screenplay should have alerted them that it 's not ready to go before the cameras .",
      "touches to make ` hip ' what should be an unabashedly square story -- such as the casting of nick cannon in a supporting role and an out-of-nowhere cameo by ja rule -- more jar than gel .",
      "cute romance that is marred by homophobia .",
      "american studios are , quite simply , incapable of the subtlety and understatement that made the japanese original such an unforgettable classic .",
      "the 1996 original is classier , deeper , more poignant . a ginger rogers to this beyoncé .",
      "it 's rather cute , but only the truly girly will fall for the decidedly officer and a gentlemanly denouement that injects a belated sexy note .",
      "not as good as the original , but enjoyable nonetheless .",
      "os personagens vivem crises de identidade que soam reais graças ŕs boas performances de seus intérpretes - e isto coloca o filme acima do que permitiria seu material .",
      "offers attractive , inoffensive characters and a smattering of broad laughs , but it fails to use its potential to explore weightier themes such as john 's mid-life crisis ."
    ],
    "summary": "the cast is warmly appealing , but with the loss of cultural context and addition of big-name celebrities , this american version loses the nuances of the original .",
    "id": "10228"
  },
  {
    "movie": "theres_something_about_mary",
    "reviews": [
      "what a blessed relief is laughter .",
      "a guilty pleasure .",
      "get ready for some big laughs from a deeply flawed , but very funny over-the-top piece of comic anarchy .",
      "i was completely and utterly bored by it .",
      "irreverent and demented , but sweet",
      "a giddy symphony of rude and raucous low humor .",
      "sensational , sicko fun -- you wo n't believe your eyes -- and just the thing to shake up the creeping conservatism that is draining the vulgar life out of pop culture .",
      "... sophomoric , politically incorrect , exaggerated , overdone , and trivial . yet it 's as hilarious as anything ever filmed .",
      "i have n't laughed this hard at any 1998 offering to-date .",
      "the movie is a sick pleasure .",
      "the funniest movie i have seen in a long time .",
      "there 's something about mary does n't approach the witty anarchy of movies like animal house , the naked gun , or hairspray .",
      "everyone falls for mary -- why would n't they ? -- and no one is spared from the farrellys ' razor sharp raunch .",
      "one of the weirdest romantic comedies around , combining scatalogical and no-taste humor with naivete and sweetness .",
      "... there were also moments when i was actually bored .",
      "two very entertaining hours -- something that hollywood comedies these days fail to deliver to the audience , with or without references to certain bodily fluids .",
      "... dillon 's pat , in an effort to win mary 's affections , poorly attempts to ape her compassion for the handicapped by referring to them as `` retards '' and `` goofy bastards ...",
      "remarkable for all the sick and politically incorrect sight gags it gets away with in its rule-breaking romp through the supposedly sacred laws of what makes people laugh , and what does n't .",
      "it was the raunchy comedy that raked in the headlines and had audiences shaking their heads in offended laughter , then coming back the weekend after , dragging in friends by their arms .",
      "crude , offensive , sexist -- and embarrassingly hilarious .",
      "comparing this to other movies that were actually funny is insulting .",
      "some people do n't know when they 've taken a joke too far .",
      "is it worth seeing ? well , not if you want something genuinely witty .",
      "stand warned .",
      "gross-out laughs with heart .",
      "i laughed so hard throughout most of it , it was getting difficult to breathe .",
      "i was n't completely won over with so much comedy that depended on making fun of someone else 's problems .",
      "sometimes tender , mostly wildly over-the-top , the farrellys have managed to make a movie at least ten times funnier than `` dumb and dumber . ''",
      "there 's something about mary is the funniest movie to come along since liar liar .",
      "a gut-busting blast of tasteless tomfoolery .",
      "deliciously wicked , hilariously entertaining and outrageously funny , there 's something about mary is a real charmer .",
      "when it 's not mean spirited , tastelessness can be riotously funny . and this is a gag-a-thon of hugely funny proportions .",
      "i may have gasped a little , and that 's pretty much the intended effect .",
      "sure it 's ridiculous . sure it 's in generally poor taste . so what ?",
      "romance never seemed more deranged .",
      "mary is reminiscent of the crazed , hellzapoppin ' style of the marx brothers .",
      "this film is remarkably intelligent and totally honest about an intriguing topic , the topic of obsession .",
      "positively reeks of tastelessness and lack of common decency .",
      "asquerosamente divertida .",
      "cameron , with her unique beauty and unquittable smile , has a way of grounding the most ridiculous situations .",
      "if the sight of a large chunk of a man 's private parts caught in the teeth of a zipper is funny -- and i 'm not saying it is n't -- then have i got a movie for you .",
      "um dos filmes mais politicamente incorretos que já vi em toda a minha vida .",
      "i was n't just laughing , i was howling like a madman , like the rest of the audience .",
      "a nonstop series of outrageously funny incidents characterizes this over-the-top comedy about infatuation .",
      "the farrellys have the gift for generating laughter from discomfort and vice versa , an insight commonly misconstrued as bad taste .",
      "though the plot of this film is trivial , what makes it succeed is the sheer outlandishness of the comedy .",
      "you may also want to keep -lsb- a -rsb- washcloth handy , just to stifle those embarrassing aftershocks of laughter .",
      "the farrellys work so hard to be outrageous they end up sacrificing story , characters , even comedy , to achieve maximum gross-out .",
      "-lsb- the filmmakers -rsb- , out of some hyperactive reflex , grab at any joke they can get , like toddlers trying desperately to spear fish in a creek -- a shallow creek .",
      "the trouble with the farrelly brothers is that in order to get a laugh , they dump on everybody and everything .",
      "you know how you go see a film that 's been hyped up the butt and no matter how good it is , it 's never as good as you expected ? trash that theory . no matter how hyped this movie becomes , you 'll enjoy it immensely .",
      "there 's something about mary is the funniest comedy i 've seen in this decade .",
      "overall , a cute comedy with a decent premise .",
      "there is hardly a moment in the picture that is not laughable .",
      "i do n't remember the last time i laughed as hard at a movie .",
      "there 's ` something ' about mary , all right .",
      "moments of boring idiocy mixed with moments of inspired hilarity .",
      "it 's not every day that you hear screams of laughter coming from a movie theatre .",
      "nearly every character came alive in the film .",
      "the performers all fall effortlessly into their slapstick roles .",
      "a fast-paced , hilarious comedy .",
      "the final outcome seems hopelessly arbitrary .",
      "this reprehensible and deeply unfunny film is obviously critic-proof .",
      "there are some scenes of stand-out hilarity that will actually leave you in pain .",
      "this comedy made me laugh . uncontrollably .",
      "gauche , garish , and gross , a prime example of the coarsening of our culture and of the art of comedy in film . it 's also pretty darn funny . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "i laughed at this movie , but i also felt a little shell-shocked afterward .",
      "farrelly bros ' classic is full of gross-out laughs .",
      "the movie managed to walk a line between raunchy , gross-out comedy and a romantic comedy .",
      "crudely made , somewhat overlong and larded with plenty of things that do n't work , pic stands as proof positive that a comedy can be far from perfect and still hit the bull 's - eye if it delivers when it counts in its big scenes .",
      "despite my earlier reservations about bobby and peter farrelly , they 're progressively winning me over , partly because they keep getting better .",
      "this one is dumbest . and funniest , as if that matters even a little bit !",
      "wrackingly funny .",
      "a romantic gross-out comedy : what a concept !",
      "puerile , politically incorrect , rib-achingly funny and strangely insightful .",
      "there 's plenty to enjoy in the performances .",
      "anyone who can tap into the farrellys ' truly sick and twisted wavelength will find a mother lode of laughs .",
      "political correctness takes a vacation .",
      "there 's something about mary may be many things , but dull and routine are n't among them .",
      "the masters of bad taste have managed to create a surprisingly good film .",
      "for pure , unadulterated , rude , crude , stupid , disgusting , scatological puerile humor , you ca n't do better .",
      "really one of the most enjoyable comedies of the year .",
      "high-energy delight ."
    ],
    "summary": "there 's something about mary proves that unrelentingly , unabashedly peurile humor does n't necessarily come at the expense of a film 's heart .",
    "id": "17462"
  },
  {
    "movie": "all_about_the_benjamins",
    "reviews": [
      "violent , vulgar and forgettably entertaining .",
      "i had a blast .",
      "in this refreshingly shameless celebration of money and expensive stuff , director kevin bray grabs every retro action-film cliché .",
      "bray is completely at sea ; with nothing but a savage garden music video on his resume , he has no clue about making a movie .",
      "the script clumsily jumps between action and comedy , never successfully blending the two .",
      "as violent , profane and exploitative as the most offensive action flick you 've ever seen .",
      "filled with low-brow humor , gratuitous violence and a disturbing disregard for life .",
      "it 's fun to watch the stocky , scowling ice cube and skinny , jittery epps play off each other .",
      "tedious and hackneyed , you would have thought that new line cinema could have invested a few more benjamins into getting a workable script before filming commenced .",
      "this general territory has been worked pretty thoroughly by eddie murphy , tucker , and martin lawrence , and under the circumstances , it 's hard for epps , ice cube and company to add anything new .",
      "falters when it takes itself too seriously and when it depends too heavily on its otherwise talented cast to clown in situations that are n't funny .",
      "the action quickly sinks into by-the-numbers territory .",
      "everything is off .",
      "why not just go back and watch 48 hrs instead to see how this sort of film is done right .",
      "one helluva romp , borrowing the florida milieu of bad boys but injecting it with the stylish sass of guy ritchie 's british crime capers .",
      "the comedy is tepid , the action is dopey and even the violence is boring and occasionally cruel .",
      "a slam-bang extravaganza that is all about a wild-and-woolly , wall-to-wall good time .",
      "one of those films that seems tailor made to air on pay cable to offer some modest amusements when one has nothing else to watch .",
      "riddled with so many bullets and tasteless jokes that it swiftly loses momentum .",
      "there is a general air of exuberance in MOV that 's hard to resist .",
      "it works remarkably well as a mindless diversion .",
      "goes a long way on hedonistic gusto .",
      "director kevin bray excels in breaking glass and marking off the `` miami vice '' checklist of power boats , latin music and dog tracks . he does n't , however , deliver nearly enough of the show 's trademark style and flash .",
      "the heroes become more loathsome as the story progresses .",
      "for much of its running time , MOV is good , sleazy fun .",
      "there 's no question that epps scores once or twice , but it 's telling that his funniest moment comes when he falls about ten feet onto his head .",
      "it 's refreshingly low-tech , more like a '70s action movie than a modern-day one .",
      "cube 's charisma and chemistry compensate for corniness and cliche .",
      "this is to ice cube what `` crossroads '' is to britney spears , a vanity vehicle designed by a star who has very little sense of how people behave in real life .",
      "plays like a knockoff of michael bay 's already derivative and much more fun bad boys , only with even less plot .",
      "its generic villains lack any intrigue -lrb- other than their funny accents -rrb- and the action scenes are poorly delivered .",
      "with its lackadaisical plotting and mindless action , MOV evokes the bottom tier of blaxploitation flicks from the 1970s .",
      "i could go on and on about how funny this film is , because it is truly great comedy .",
      "this one is a waste of your washingtons .",
      "they failed to get a consistently funny script or a director capable of effectively staging an action scene .",
      "violent film for ice cube . he can do better .",
      "it 's often a sloppy and muddled tale - but there are much worse ways to spend a random 90 minutes .",
      "hit and miss as far as the comedy goes and a big ole ' miss in the way of story .",
      "it plays like a by-the-numbers action flick that happens to have a few funny lines in it . it is barely watchable .",
      "directed by kevin bray , whose crisp framing , edgy camera work , and wholesale ineptitude with acting , tone and pace very obviously mark him as a video helmer making his feature debut .",
      "the home-run performances of cube and epps are handicapped by inept and illogical action sequences .",
      "unremittingly over-the-top and brutal , MOV is as cunning as it is crude .",
      "cinematic junk food ... but it 's fairly tasty nonetheless -- at least by the admittedly undemanding standards of this hackneyed genre .",
      "may be more genial than ingenious , but it gets the job done .",
      "... in no way original , or even all that memorable , but as downtown saturday matinee brain candy , it does n't disappoint .",
      "i was expecting much worse from the film , but it actually was a nice change from stupid urban comedies like how high .",
      "witless but watchable .",
      "really all about the bullets , which fly by the hundreds through this lifeless action/comedy .",
      "from the opening scenes , it 's clear that MOV is a totally formulaic movie .",
      "ice cube gives a likeable performance in a terminally lame movie .",
      "no worse than average pop-culture throwaway .",
      "spend your benjamins on a matinee .",
      "something puddles to nothing in this relentless miami sun .",
      "the action clichés just pile up .",
      "someone should tell director kevin bray that miami vice has been cancelled .",
      "one groan-inducing familiarity begets another .",
      "the comedy is clumsy ; the violence vicious .",
      "cube stays in his laconic , dead-eyed mode with occasional arcs into overacting , while epps plays it chris tucker on a sugar high all the way .",
      "a rather average action film that benefits from several funny moments supplied by epps .",
      "mugging , not robbery , is the name of the game .",
      "thanks to ice cube , benjamins feels an awful lot like friday in miami .",
      "the lead actors share no chemistry or engaging charisma . we do n't even like their characters .",
      "while it has its amusing moments , the uneven pace , underplotted scripting and over-reliance on improvisation eventually take their combined toll .",
      "yeah , they 're keeping it real . real stupid .",
      "many of benjamins ' elements feel like they 've been patched in from an episode of miami vice .",
      "slick , quick , rude and exuberantly crude .",
      "surprisingly mean-spirited , and it 's downright nasty in its level of violence .",
      "it keeps your attention mildly engaged . but just that .",
      "works overtime on expletives and gratuitous violence .",
      "an entertaining , if somewhat standardized , action movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "a sloppy , poorly directed action-comedy , MOV is too derivative and gratuitously violent .",
    "id": "13892"
  },
  {
    "movie": "addams_family",
    "reviews": [
      "great translation of the classic television series .",
      "creepy and funny",
      "basically plotless , this big-screen transfer of the cult tv series has some good vignettes and some good performances by anjelica huston , christina ricci and others .",
      "ooky the addamses may be , subversive they ai n't ; it plays like a paean to the nuclear family .",
      "the quality of humor varies from very black to very silly .",
      "close but no banana ; except sublime raul julia",
      "the film 's aimlessness and repetitiveness eventually become draining .",
      "i suppose there 's a certain kooky charm , but talk about dated ...",
      "has just enough dark comedy to make it memorable .",
      "still sonnenfeld 's best film .",
      "at times this can all become a little silly but sonnenfeld manages to rein the film in before things get too ridiculous .",
      "more than merely a sequel of the tv series , the film is a compendium of paterfamilias charles addams 's macabre drawings , a resurrection of the cartoonist 's body of work . for family friends , it would seem a viewing is de rigueur mortis .",
      "truthfully , it 's hard to imagine a better screen adaptation of this queer household . addams would have been proud .",
      "the story does n't really matter . what matters is the laugh quotient , which is very high .",
      "an otherwise very funny scene featuring thing amounts to an extended ad for federal express , and the rap beats from hammer 's new album boom from passing cars in several scenes -- nothing will date this movie faster .",
      "there are a lot of little smiles in the MOV , and many chuckles and grins , but they do n't add up to much .",
      "the plot is a threadbare thing indeed .",
      "funny feature film version of the classic tv show , and just as ghoulishly hilarious .",
      "despite inspired casting and nifty visual trappings , the eagerly awaited MOV figures as a major disappointment .",
      "cinematographer-turned-director barry sonnenfeld and screenwriters larry wilson and caroline thompson have n't solved the problem of how to construct a film around a one-joke concept .",
      "an extended collection of one-liners and not much more .",
      "ooky the addamses may be , subversive they ai n't ; it plays like a paean to the nuclear family .",
      "they 're creepy and they 're predictable ? mysterious and rather tame ?",
      "a twisted treat .",
      "deliciously sick and delightfully cast .",
      "dark comedy with macabre humor for teens ."
    ],
    "summary": "the movie is peppered with amusing sight gags and one-liners , but the disjointed script does n't cohere into a successful whole .",
    "id": "12675"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1021244-thing",
    "reviews": [
      "horror movies do n't get much better than this .",
      "crackling !",
      "the original has been built up to classic scale , but carpenter 's remake is actually far scarier and equally thoughtful .",
      "because this material has been done before , and better , especially in the original the MOV and alien , there 's no need to see this version .",
      "the MOV may be a tad too careful and schematic to stand shoulder with carpenter 's very best films .",
      "great entertainment . just try not to take it too seriously .",
      "if it 's the most vividly guesome monster ever to stalk the screen that audiences crave , then the MOV is the MOV . on all other levels , however , john carpenter 's remake of howard hawks ' 1951 sci-fi classic comes as a letdown .",
      "john carpenter equaled the unrelenting suspense of halloween with this nerve-racking remake . carpenter 's the MOV is one of the all-time great horror films .",
      "russell 's sub-eastwood heroics hardly compensate for the absence of all characterisation , while bill lancaster 's script boasts the most illogical climax any monster movie ever had .",
      "underlining every frame of the MOV is an anticipating dread : the characters -- and the viewer -- sense the potential menace of an enemy they can not see .",
      "i never got into this . very slow , dated special effects , and obvious exploration of the paranoia theme .",
      "i was riveted from beginning to end ...",
      "pointless remake of the 1951 by the usually overrated john carpenter",
      "this is one of those rare remakes that remains faithful to the premise of the original but does something unique with the concept .",
      "genuinely scary and full of tension , and populated by one bad-ass monster .",
      "director carpenter makes effective use of his source material - there is a real sense of paranoia and real tension hanging over onscreen proceedings ...",
      "this is one of those great films which inspire inarticulate awe within your humble narrator rather than verbose declarations of praise .",
      "carpenter 's direction is slow , dark , and stately ; he seems to be aiming for an enveloping , novelistic kind of effect , but all he gets is heaviness .",
      "it 's a paranoid masterpiece , and that rare remake that improves upon the original .",
      "a magnificent cabinet of grotesqueries , one of the decade 's great works",
      "i 'll say it : the single greatest horror movie ever made .",
      "it personifies the definition of `` popcorn entertainment '' - that is , the kind of film that relishes the thrill of its many ambitious moments without seeking total transcendence .",
      "something close to an absolutely perfect exercise in how to construct a thriller .",
      "i discovered what it was to love a movie that was relentless in its desire to be unpleasant",
      "the MOV is a peerless masterpiece of relentless suspense , retina-wrecking visual excess and outright , nihilistic terror .",
      "... stays truer to its source material , john w. campbell , jr. 's 1938 novella who goes there ? , than the 1951 howard hawks-christian nyby feature the MOV from another world .",
      "... reading this as a cold war allegory is doing the movie a very big favor . in reality , this is a film about tentacles and teeth and eyes and orifices and goo , goo , goo .",
      "the claustrophobic group becomes the perfect petri dish in which to create an environment of fear , paranoia , and betrayal .",
      "films like this make me hope against hope that , some day ... one day ... the real john carpenter will return .",
      "mr. carpenter has demonstrated that he can make good , comparatively plain , old-fashioned scare movies and effective suspense thrillers , but he seems to lose his own head when he combines two or more genres , as he -lsb- does here -rsb- .",
      "wild , gruesome and outrageous",
      "contains everything you could want to know about horror filmmaking .",
      "the strong cast brings the somewhat underwritten characters to vivid life , and the elaborate special effects -lrb- designed by then 22-year-old rob bottin -rrb- set a high standard for films that followed .",
      "a work of pure suspense unseen since the days of hitchcock , expertly blended with some of the most gruesome effects ever conceived . the MOV is a brilliant horror film by any standard .",
      "a bit too heavy on the shock effects , but far scarier than most average horror films .",
      "an accomplished horror movie .",
      "the MOV is a masterpiece : a black comedy , monster movie , conspiracy thriller and whodunit .",
      "the MOV is one of -lsb- carpenter 's -rsb- greatest moments , creating a terrifying atmosphere of claustrophobia , suspense and paranoia . and kurt russell is as good as he 's ever been , wearing one of the best beards in movie history .",
      "carpenter 's rethinking of producer howard hawks ' classic is an honorable attempt to hew closer to the original story .",
      "not just an excellent remake , it 's an excellent movie , and an almost perfect horror movie ...",
      "shows more originality , wit and invention than possibly any other film you might call a remake ... as influential as alien for its blend of action , sci-fi and chilling horror .",
      "the special effects ca n't hope to be as creepy to our seen-it-all eyes as they were to the film 's first viewers , but we can still enjoy the monster 's unique weirdness , and the story is a rock-solid yarn .",
      "it 's pretty scary and entertaining stuff , though i always get the feeling that nothing in it lives up to the tremendous opening section ."
    ],
    "summary": "grimmer and more terrifying than the 1950s take , john carpenter 's the MOV is a tense sci-fi thriller rife with compelling tension and some remarkable make-up effects .",
    "id": "13831"
  },
  {
    "movie": "paperclips",
    "reviews": [
      "touching and inspiring .",
      "paper clips may be so-so moviemaking , but it 's great reality .",
      "you will never look at the familiar little fasteners the same way again . this is an incredible 87 minutes in a movie theater on several levels .",
      "affectingly documents an example of caring , concerned students and the inspiring educators who lead them .",
      "paper clips is n't the slickest documentary you 'll ever see , or the shrewdest or the most dramatic . but it could be the most moving .",
      "a small , heartening slice of life that feels like a crucial step toward something bigger .",
      "the project is chronicled eloquently in paper clips , a documentary about how a few kids can make a difference , one paper clip at a time .",
      "the story becomes more about the collection of the paper clips and less and less about what the paper clips represent .",
      "low-key but inspirational .",
      "it 's difficult to watch this and not get swept away by the emotion of their journey ... it 's not a perfect documentary , but it 's a very moving one .",
      "it would be easier to forgive first-timers elliot berlin and joe fab for their offenses against good documentary filmmaking if they were n't messing up such sure-fire material .",
      "there 's no denying the iron grip of the movie 's message .",
      "certainly not the tribute these kids and adults deserve .",
      "somebody forgot to tell elliot berlin and joe fab that a noble cause does not a movie make .",
      "paper clips is two movies : the movie its makers think it is , and the movie it actually is . one of them is pretty good .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- heartfelt , if rather repetitive , documentary .",
      "segments shot in hindsight pale in comparison to the actual , effective , and emotional recollections of survivors who come to whitwell to share their past with the school .",
      "the tennessee middle school 's story is worth hearing , but rather than a feature-length documentary , it 's best suited as a short tv newsmagazine package .",
      "patiently told and lovingly made .",
      "it 's hard to find fault with the motives of the teachers and the kids . their determination and results are admirable .",
      "a moving experience .",
      "documentaries do not rise or fall on their production values ...",
      "this is a modest film with a big heart that leaves you thinking that anne frank got it right : basically people are good .",
      "paper clips is a nice social interest project , but not much of a documentary .",
      "for the documentary to shift credit to the paper-clip project as a reason for receiving the speakers is tantamount to fraud .",
      "the message attached is genuine and worth listening to",
      "who knew a movie that seeks to remind us of one of the greatest horrors in human history could be so unintentionally hilarious ?",
      "docu is the best introduction to the holocaust for tweens .",
      "interesting and frequently moving documentary but it misses several opportunities to widen the scope and make some important points .",
      "the film is constructed simply , even amateurishly , but the power of what 's being done comes through loud and clear . the material is far better than the movie .",
      "you have to be a pretty cynical not to be a little moved .",
      "it 's a remarkable story , and well worth seeing , particularly for its handful of genuinely affecting moments .",
      "compassionate , inspirational documentary about `` a journey that begins in the brain and ends in the heart '' ...",
      "has powerful moments , mostly courtesy of the holocaust survivors , but the interviews and narration sound overly coached , and ... the film is given to repetitive overstatement .",
      "where other documentarians look for a charismatic personality to enliven their films , berlin and fab focus on the community as a whole .",
      "what makes paper clips so powerful and moving is the way everyone in the film seems affected by the whitwell project . the students change . the teachers change . the townspeople change .",
      "paper clips is n't very well shot , but the kids ' hearts and compassion come through quite clearly nonetheless .",
      "symbolism is hard to swallow , and it 's near impossible to relate to these paper clips as souls , especially when they are talked about in terms of collecting and counting and displaying .",
      "not a sophisticated or very challenging film , nor should it be . it is straightforward , heartfelt and genuine .",
      "the events depicted in paper clips are by turns heartwarming , horrifying , amazing , and exactly the type of real-world improbability that the documentary form was created for .",
      "it 's nice , and occasionally affecting , but also fairly pedestrian .",
      "nothing more sophisticated than a cheery newsmagazine segment with a seriously confused point of view and no desire to engage the audience honestly .",
      "there is something quite heartening about watching these kids earnestly guide others around their memorial , which was four years in the making .",
      "this film of middle school students who managed to create a holocaust memorial is so self-congratulatory it tugs against the gravity of the holocaust itself .",
      "a worthwhile record of an admirable undertaking , but a little less sentiment and a little more edge might have produced a stronger film .",
      "it should be judged on the basis of its intentions , which are good , its aspirations , which are spectacular , and its morals , which are beyond compare , rather than its aesthetics , which are mediocre .",
      "the best way to appreciate joe fab and elliot berlin 's documentary is to ignore the mood-bullying music , cheesy narration and plodding style so you can focus on the touching story at its heart .",
      "despite its flaws , the movie does have some valuable lessons to teach and uplifting words to share .",
      "will always succeed with audiences because it documents an a-level grass-roots effort . but as filmmaking , the disappointment is that it manages only c-level vision .",
      "this is an illuminating and moving film , not about the holocaust so much as it is about compassion , learning , respect , and change , essential viewing for families .",
      "attests to the transforming and far-reaching power of a simple idea ."
    ],
    "summary": "a touching , though somewhat flat , documentary that follows a homogenous class of white protestant eighth graders as they learn the importance of tolerance by erecting a monument to the 6 million victims of the holocaust .",
    "id": "290360293"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_illusionist-2009",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a mood piece , and that mood is melancholy .",
      "both a modest homage to its writer and a melancholy look at a lost world .",
      "tati and chomet are saying something complex but true here , testifying to the necessity of fakery while acknowledging that illusions can be cruel . the result is one beautiful movie -- and no less so for making a strong case that beauty is a lie .",
      "a cliché-riddled nostalgia trip .",
      "touching , beautiful drama about the magic of friendship .",
      "although the plot is slight and the film 's ending may polarize viewers -lrb- some will find it poignant while others may think it cynical -rrb- , `` MOV '' makes for enjoyable viewing as well as a loving tribute to a cinematic master .",
      "if the triplets of belleville was a rollicking , proudly eccentric adventure , then MOV is something much more bittersweet , a love letter to silent showmanship and a lament for its obsolescence on both stage and screen .",
      "if 2-d animated films soon become relics , MOV will be one of the final treasures of the art form .",
      "from a technical perspective , chomet 's work is uncanny ... but -lsb- he -rsb- only captures the form of tati without much of the function .",
      "a return to the possibilities of animation as fantasia , with its multiple tones , varied episodes and restless invention , timelessly realized .",
      "simply magical .",
      "as much as the film is a love poem to tati 's style of comedy , it is also a love poem to the city of edinburgh . chomet has turned scotland into a dreamland , bathed in a radiant , beautiful light .",
      "after this , you may never want to see cgi again .",
      "almost flawless except for one thing -- it never connects emotionally .",
      "as un petit bonbon this is a successful film ... memorable on its own , however , it is n't .",
      "MOV may be best viewed in the end like a magic trick itself : initially impressive sleight-of-hand that can frustrate once it becomes apparent just how little there might be behind all the smoke and mirrors",
      "a true masterpiece of visual enchantment .",
      "modestly charming alternative to the animation norm",
      "the movie is almost entirely wordless -- much of what dialogue there is comes in grunts and grumbles reminiscent of the way adults speak in charlie brown cartoons -- meaning lots of dreary mimed gags .",
      "sylvain chomet 's animated feature began as an act of devotion and became a thing -- a fable , a tone poem , an elegy -- of ethereal beauty .",
      "an adroit blend of 2 - and 3-d , the latter cgi for cityscapes and mechanical vehicles , its visual depth reinforcing foreground characters and by contrast adding emotional depth to them .",
      "brilliant animation , but story awash in preciosity .",
      "one of the funniest movies of the year has just about the most heartbreaking finale of the year , and the turn from one to the other feels not only unforced , but absolutely necessary .",
      "where belleville was a delightful mission , MOV is a nostalgic pout ... twinkly and bittersweet like a glass of wine on a winter afternoon .",
      "gorgeous , and full of bittersweet whimsy , MOV is animator sylvain chomet 's follow-up to his oscar-nominated the triplets of belleville .",
      "MOV is almost a silent movie , save for amusing sound affects , snatches of garbled dialogue and a beguiling piano score that inspires deep reflection .",
      "MOV beats with the affection of this makeshift father and daughter and the passion of its makers that one can feel in their hand-drawn lines .",
      "`` MOV '' represents the magically melancholy final act of jacques tati 's career .",
      "chomet has offered monsieur tati as fond a farewell as anyone can hope to give or receive .",
      "i was quite taken by its small , quiet rhythms -- but it should not be confused with a tati film .",
      "a very happy marriage of tati 's and chomet 's distinctive artistic sensibilities .",
      "this is not a kid 's cartoon and the terrific 2d drawing coupled with the wonderful , warm and touching adapted story is definitely aimed at film buffs everywhere . but , everyone else should see it , too .",
      "edinburgh 's skyline has never looked so good , and if the city did n't exist it would be hard to believe somewhere so beautiful was real : if locals are n't inspired to take a walk up north bridge or down victoria street after this , they never will be .",
      "french animator sylvain chomet 's MOV is a gushing love letter to edinburgh , its unique geography , architecture and distinctively pale , wintry light .",
      "bittersweet , moving and utterly beautiful : a love letter to cinema and to scotland .",
      "while there 's no doubting chomet 's creative genius , or that of his subject , MOV ultimately adds up to less than the sum of its parts .",
      "tati thought anything could be funny , and while chomet runs with that idea as a director , he challenges it as a storyteller .",
      "every frame has been meticulously fashioned with detail and depth .",
      "i wish MOV were funny , but it is n't . that would make up for , or distract from , the arch nostalgia .",
      "dialogue is minimal , and the animation is old-fashioned yet distinctive , in keeping with the story .",
      "plot and character are slight , and the film has the manners of a silent picture . but this magical edinburgh dream is a thing of beauty and some sadness .",
      "less hilariously crowd-pleasing than the triplets of belleville , -lsb- this -rsb- is a masterful story full of sharp wit , bittersweet emotion and startling tenderness",
      "the lovely edinburgh backdrops , shot with marvellous attention to light and weather conditions , only partially compensate for a story that 's sluggish and uninvolving .",
      "for fans of tati and students of animation , MOV probably represents some kind of nirvana . for everybody else , it 's a chance to enter a magical , dream-like world created by the genius of these two artists .",
      "there is such charm and enchantment on display here that the film is hard to resist .",
      "the gentle delights range from the depiction of late fifties ' edinburgh with the milky light and gothic-influenced architecture , to the clever evocation of tati 's bumbling , comic rhythms .",
      "the dialogue is multilingual but largely incidental to the action ; the physical comedy is gracefully rendered and often magical .",
      "the slender story demands nostalgia and sentimentality the way a horror film requires blood .",
      "a poignant , lyrical , and beautiful film suffused with a wistful , bittersweet resignation about the passing of time",
      "watching `` MOV '' is like peering through a rippled windowpane onto a past that knows it 's disappearing .",
      "in all , it 's a charming chanson in a minor key , and if you zero in on chomet 's visual grace and his blooming cinephilia , then it 's more than enough .",
      "you do n't have to know much about jacques tati or how movies are made to appreciate it . but if you do , you 'll be heartily amazed .",
      "a gentle , wistful tale of two people who briefly become a family , `` MOV '' is both a tribute to the french filmmaker/comedian jacques tati and a final word from him .",
      "if hollywood animation is a little too sweet and juvenile for you then MOV is the perfect antidote .",
      "this is a remarkable movie : lovely , slow-paced and almost silent , rich with pathos and deft comic gestures .",
      "comparing content , originality and style , sylvain chomet could be the best of them all .",
      "anybody willing to forgo the rapid-fire approach of most of today 's animated pictures should find this gentle , warmhearted fable a quiet charmer .",
      "the story has a delicate bittersweet tone much too rarely present in contemporary films .",
      "in a spartan eighty minutes , layers of visual , narrative and character detail are fluidly conveyed , doubly so for a film that contains no dialogues .",
      "despite its humor and its distinctive , winning look , it 's still a difficult film to like .",
      "charming and graceful , MOV tells a gorgeous tale of love and loss with delicate whimsy and tender humor .",
      "the film ends on a note of graceful , heartbreaking beauty that tati would have admired for its lack of sentimentality . a lot of what precedes that ending , though , is precious and slight and a little too fanciful .",
      "chomet adapted an unproduced screenplay by jacques tati , whom tatischeff resembles and , in a meta moment , sees when he ducks into a theater showing tati 's mon oncle . it is just one simple amusement in a lovingly crafted film of plenty .",
      "the real reason little ones might not enjoy MOV is that it 's simply not intended for them . it 's a poignant tale about regret , generosity and ungratefulness .",
      "the exquisite illustrative signature style of sylvain chomet leaves a haunting impression in this whimsical tale about an illusionist who delights a young girl with magic",
      "... a glorious revival of the neglected art of near silent comedy .",
      "an elegant and emotional elegy for a bygone era .",
      "an 80-minute , hand-drawn animated french film without dialogue and with one of the most depressing finale acts ever committed to celluloid : this is MOV . it 's also some sort of divine masterpiece .",
      "there 's plenty of crack-a-smile humor , but the underlying mood recalls the diminuendo stretches in a jacques tati film .",
      "pictures speak louder than words , and what ` MOV ' speaks loudest about is the notion that what we do for a living is not nearly as important as how we choose to do our living .",
      "hand drawn animation that is as soft and charming as the film itself .",
      "director sylvain chomet manages to rouse a lot of smirks and smiles through the small nuance and inferences that were tati 's signature .",
      "whilst they hardly say a word , i felt much sorrow for these two lonely characters and the changing world in which they find themselves .",
      "funny , sweet , nostalgic and ultimately heartbreaking .",
      "chomet makes good use of incidental showbiz characters , acrobats and ventriloquist in particular . he also includes some spectacular sweeps of urban scapes , revelling in the mastery of his craft",
      "a quiet declaration of love - for the urban vistas of the 1950s , for sleight-of-hand enchantment , for pen-and-ink animation and for a legendary french filmmaker who exited the stage before telling his daughter the magic word .",
      "a french import that 's long on grace notes and wry humor , it eschews flash and opts for heart to great effect .",
      "the illusionistis magical in more ways than one .",
      "it 's not much of a story , but the delights of `` MOV '' have little to do with plot .",
      "here 's a quiet , poetic , droll and ultimately deeply moving animated dramedy that creeps up slowly and leaves you devastated .",
      "the story has enough sentimental schmaltz to grease a locomotive .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- good tribute to a good filmmaker , but also a good film on its own .",
      "a lovely appreciation of tati and a loving , bittersweet look at the end of the 1950s , before entertainers like the magician of the title were displaced by rock bands and other more visceral acts .",
      "a minimalist , melancholy homage to jacques tati - a sweetly sad tone poem that 's filled with bittersweet nostalgia and exquisite imagery .",
      "the best reason to see MOV is the art , which is a perfect match to the film 's mood as well as its celebration of old-fashioned entertainment .",
      "tati 's masterful mime easily inspires an animated treatment , recapturing his graceful comic body language and ` no subtitles required ' international appeal .",
      "MOV is absolutely mandatory viewing for aspiring animators and filmmakers . -lrb- in terms of pacing , scoring , editing , and narrative , it 's a film school unto itself . -rrb- for the rest of us , however , it 's simply magic .",
      "it 's beautifully drawn -- really drawn , with hardly any computer effects -- and has an elegiac tone and bits of quirky humor . but it would n't win a footrace with a snail , and the narrative amounts to nothing .",
      "when the shadow of fluttering book pages on a wall seems to become a bird in flight , the prosaic becomes transcendent , in contradiction of the film 's stated insistence that magic is n't real .",
      "like taking a trip back in time to a place where jokes do n't beat you over the head with their wry , nod and wink irony , MOV caters to a more mannered , more quixotic age .",
      "it 's a lovingly crafted film that smoothly alternates between being bittersweet and simply sweet , yet the occasionally aloof visual style frequently keeps it at arm 's length from our emotions .",
      "if sylvain chomet 's MOV is n't a masterpiece , it will do nicely till one comes along .",
      "feels transported from a time and place perceived as simpler and more innocent , but which actually was less complex only on the surface .",
      "MOV is the next best thing to a new tati movie .",
      "... in its antique colored light and the stubborn persistence of its uncomputerized 2-d , -lsb- it -rsb- evokes a quality of feeling that toy story 3 did not ... it 's not just that we outgrow our toys ... sometimes the world outgrows us ...",
      "gentle , affectionate , whimsical , but deeply felt and with an arrowhead of emotional pain .",
      "silence has rarely been so telling .",
      "like chomet 's `` the triplets of belleville , '' it 's a lovingly crafted animated film that invites the audience to luxuriate in the hand-painted visuals , to chuckle at the small jokes stuffed into the corners of the film .",
      "mostly worth seeing for its elegant `` old school '' cels . however , the relationship between the elderly magician and the girl who tags along with him is never very moving despite all the intentions of the screenwriter and director .",
      "a beautifully crafted , nevertheless slight animated feature .",
      "it gets a little too submerged in pathos for its own good sometimes , though , and could use a little more humor with its nostalgic tone , -lsb- but it 's -rsb- an expressive and lovely film .",
      "... a delicate and delightful piece of old-fashioned hand-drawn animation where character is in body language and personality in the `` performance . ''",
      "the story is rather cold and uninvolving , but the very look of the movie is striking and never dull .",
      "so wistful it just about dissolves as you watch it",
      "a remarkably uncomplicated story -- a beautifully uncomplicated story , really -- about the love between daddies and their little girls .",
      "to give tati his posthumous chance to express a very sad story may have been chomet 's only true course , and , to be honest , the film is beautifully , thoughtfully realized .",
      "in this world of fleeting phenomena , chomet himself proves to be the ultimate illusionist ... magicians may not exist , but chomet has managed to bring the dead to life .",
      "a cherishable experience , with some lovely mood music , virtually no dialogue and a sense of past animated glories that keeps its undoubted whimsy afloat .",
      "this `` MOV '' does not star a goateed edward norton romancing luscious jessica biel while rufus sewell fumes , royally . but it is a bit of magic nonetheless .",
      "the first animation masterpiece of the decade . at first , french ennui meets highland cheer ; every frame teems with delightful detail . by story 's end , the illusion of new romance proves more spellbinding than the romance of old-time illusion .",
      "for its 80 minutes , the movie creates the illusion that not just tati but his form of cerebral slapstick lives .",
      "even so , MOV shifts gears too abruptly into an aggressively dour ending . it 's as if the movie 's grudgingly fanciful quality must come with a punishment .",
      "proves mired in an adult sense of melancholic loneliness and loss .",
      "a breathtakingly beautiful achievement in every way .",
      "the unusual partnership between two french filmmakers-sylvain chomet and the late jacques tati-results in a beautiful , touching feat of movie magic .",
      "mature fans of truly artistic animation will get more out of the movie than younger audiences .",
      "sylvain chomet resurrects an unrealized , melancholy jacques tati script with the bittersweet beauty of hand-drawn animation .",
      "... captures the low-key slapstick spirit of the french great , while also being a mournful reminiscence on the death of vaudeville .",
      "`` the strength of 2-d ... is it vibrates and it 's not perfect , just like reality in fact , '' the director has said . here 's a perfect demonstration of that aesthetic truth .",
      "i 'd suspect tati felt a serious bond to the illusionist-we 're never told his name-an elderly magician who retains a good bit of talent , but finds that the world has mostly lost interest in what he has to offer ."
    ],
    "summary": "an engrossing love letter to fans of adult animation , MOV offers a fine antidote to garish mainstream fare .",
    "id": "771035391"
  },
  {
    "movie": "incredibles",
    "reviews": [
      "deliriously smart escapist fare .",
      "as a die-hard red sox fan , the highest praise i can give pixar 's latest is that it held my full attention after a madcap and largely sleepless victory parade weekend .",
      "that the MOV is so polished and assured comes as no surprise . the question is , will pixar 's formula ever get old ?",
      "brad bird 's richly imagined , retro-moderne homage to the superhero-fueled daydreams of his youth creates a vibrantly original mythology .",
      "here 's another example of pixar 's mastery of popular animation .",
      "a departure for pixar : longer and a bit grittier ... and created by someone outside the pixar family . ... but the movie 's central elements are pure pixar .",
      "a standard issue superhero adventure ? probably not the most original thought that 's ever crossed -lrb- pixar 's -rrb- collective minds .",
      "one of the year 's most visually dazzling and emotionally satisfying adventures .",
      "the MOV is the finest of pixar combined with the best parts of spider-man , superman and batman ... plus it 's pretty damn funny too .",
      "certainly the animated movie of the year and , for my money , one of the best times you 'll have at the movies all year .",
      "like elastigirl , pixar shows it can be pulled in many directions and snap back into shape , invariably vanquishing any challenger that stands in the way .",
      "a visual feast , a funny , entertaining thrill ride that 's the best creation yet from the animation juggernaut better known as pixar .",
      "not only does ` the MOV ' advance the art of animation , it takes the genre out of the ballpark .",
      "the folks at pixar animation studios ca n't seem to make a bad movie .",
      "a brilliant satire on modern american life .",
      "hilarious , slightly scary and endlessly inventive .",
      "original adventures such as the MOV are the ones that will have families watching them over and over and over again , over the years .",
      "brad bird has crafted a sleek and original homage to the derring-do of our most cherished superheroes .",
      "the setttings in the MOV are endlessly inventive , the action exuberant , the laughter frequent and the characters a bottomless toy box of delights .",
      "what is incredible in the MOV is the computer imaging .",
      "`` this is a blast to watch ! the bursts of color are phenomenal , and the action is fast and furious . ''",
      "`` the film has a fair amount of humor , but without the special effects , which are dazzling , at times , it 's a pretty ordinary story . ''",
      "provides all the wonder and excitement to be wrought from the superhero genre while making fun of itself in gut-busting ways .",
      "a first-class animated feature .",
      "when it comes to animation , it does n't get any better than this .",
      "flies high above the crowd for its worldly wit and compassion for humankind .",
      "still indicative of a genre in its infancy , nowhere near as steadfastly classic as the cream of the cell-animated crop . brilliant stuff , but not outstanding .",
      "exemplary mixture of top-notch storytelling , visual razzle-dazzle , accessible humor , and involving action .",
      "the `` comics '' of the 21st century -- in the fullest sense of the term . if you do n't love it i 've got a nice flat for you on mars . meanwhile , there 's a new bonanza on the block .",
      "a movie with the sweet soul of toy story and the boisterous spirit of spy kids .",
      "pixar has delivered its first pure action picture , while still managing not to lose sight of its preoccupation with family .",
      "made with so much wit , such cinematic savvy , and such a brilliant instinct for the way real bodies move through space , that it has more ontological authenticity than a lot of films featuring people who actually exist .",
      "a laugh-out-loud funny , adrenaline-fueled romp .",
      "it 's hard to imagine anyone not being utterly enthralled by the timeless charms and dazzling animation prowess of the MOV .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- unprecedented film that is not just a grand feature-length cartoon but a grand feature .",
      "one of the year 's most clever and visually arresting computer-animated films .",
      "easily the best and brightest family-friendly movie of the year .",
      "pardon me for the joel siegel moment , but it 's all pretty fricking incredible .",
      "a brilliant blend of fast-paced comedy , dazzling visuals and heartfelt emotion that put most other contemporary films-animated or otherwise-to shame ...",
      "bird 's intricate , colorful and super-kinetic action is a cyber equivalent of eye candy . it 's also loaded with empty calories .",
      "an unfortunate use of pixar magic to tell a tired story in a typical world .",
      "est immédiatement devenu mon film de pixar favori .",
      "a film so miraculous and so far above its competitors that the academy award for animated feature film is no longer a contest .",
      "disney and pixar 's latest animated collaboration is nothing less than ... incredible . it 's hard to come up with another adjective ... **",
      "this remarkably entertaining and meaty motion picture is all eye candy and goofy entertainment for children , but underneath lies a biting denunciation on a number of contemporary topics .",
      "mix x-men with true lies and spy kids then add the retro design of the powerpuff girls all tied together with the magical technology of pixar ...",
      "a hilariously fun romp through the everyday lives of comic-book superheroes .",
      "a family-friendly rallying cry against conformity , far more daring than the tastelessness that passes for daring in team america , but undercut by excessive length .",
      "it 's a great and memorable romp that will leave your family feeling super .",
      "pixar 's done it again , etc. , etc. . it 's almost boring at this point .",
      "succeeds not only as a straight-forward action picture with suspense and excitement , but also as a touching and funny story about the importance of family and individuality .",
      "wow . i mean , really -- wow !",
      "funny and frantic ? sure -- but the MOV is also one of the greatest adventures the movies have given us .",
      "brace yourself for something more sophisticated and ... adult . the MOV is not cut from the same touchy-feely ... mold as toy story , monsters inc. or finding nemo .",
      "amazing , amusing action-adventure .",
      "the MOV is the coolest movie ever made . it rolls marvel comics , james bond and jonny quest into the ultimate saturday morning cartoon sugar buzz .",
      "i sincerely hope that there 's an MOV 2 somewhere down the road . these characters are too endearing and way too much fun to be left hanging at the end .",
      "a class act and a heck of a lot of fun .",
      "simply put , the MOV is !",
      "in addition to being riotously funny , the MOV is also extremely exciting .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- goes beyond the pretty visuals and the slam-bam action to get us under the skin of a family trying hard to be something they 're not .",
      "it 's the thrilling , personal storytelling that elevates -lsb- the film -rsb- into not just the best animated movie of the year ... but also one of the best movies of 2004 , period .",
      "los increнbles es lo mбs parecido que vas a poder encontrar a una montaсa rusa -lrb- ... -rrb-",
      "explodes with humour , ingenuity and a freshness .",
      "luckily , the genre has not submerged completely and , with the help of films like `` the MOV '' , hope for a solid future is within the audience 's grasp .",
      "` divertida , honesta y extremadamente inteligente , es un claro ejemplo del nivel de arte que puede llegar a alcanzar el cine . sencillamente inolvidable '",
      "remember about four months back when almost every movie critic on the planet was proclaiming spider-man 2 the best superhero movie ever made ? yeah , well they were all wrong .",
      "the MOV has humor , thrills , and adventure , but most of all it has heart .",
      "the often wry and pointed dialogue reminded me of the glory days of radio .",
      "bird 's satiric take on suburbia , conformity and forced notions of equality is surprisingly sophisticated and biting for an animated feature , matched by a visual panache that is often breathtaking .",
      "a genuine laugh riot .",
      "a visual stunner .",
      "a spirited state-of-the-art riff on vintage james bond movies and the superhero ethos of the 1950s and '60s .",
      "entertaining from start to finish .",
      "the MOV , the latest animated wonder from emeryville 's pixar animation studios , will intrigue adults as well as 7-year-olds . in fact , the adults might be more intrigued .",
      "the MOV is beautiful to look at , but even more lovely beneath the computer-generated surfaces .",
      "an exceptional film in many ways .",
      "a real banshee of zip and zoom -lrb- and often terrific design -rrb- , the MOV takes off excitingly whenever it moves fast .",
      "bottom line , the MOV has some great funny moments , but it also tells a decent story - and that 's the catch when making any kind of movie .",
      "even by pixar standards , the MOV is unexpected , a mold-breaking computer-animated adventure that pleases the eye , bends the mind and , ultimately , lifts the spirit .",
      "at 115 minutes , this is the longest computer-animated cartoon ever , and the setup might test the patience of younger viewers . but what a payoff !",
      "it 's a treat .",
      "stunningly animated , if somewhat derivative , story of an ordinary , extraordinary family .",
      "with their best film to date , the pixar team has taken the animated feature into realms of narrative and visual design never before seen .",
      "a masterfully crafted entertainment that devolves into an overlong , overly loud , and disappointingly stock shoot 'em up .",
      "you must take your family to see this in the theater . you can only really appreciate it on the big screen .",
      "kids will love it and want to see it again and again . adults ... probably will too .",
      "one of these days , pixar is going to take a misstep , but now is not the time .",
      "` the MOV ' is highly enjoyable",
      "й irфnico que alguns dos personagens mais complexos do ano tenham surgido nгo em uma produзгo estrelada por atores de carne-e-osso , mas sim por figuras criadas em computador .",
      "had the picture been written half as well as it was drawn , i suspect it would have proven at the very least twice as super .",
      "... a terrific , smart and thoroughly engaging family film .",
      "not vintage pixar , but it 's way ahead of most of its competition .",
      "as a collegue told me ... it 'll do disapointing box office ... only about half a billion ... see it .",
      "as always , pixar excels with its animation , but what makes this family film even more appealing is the smartness of the script , which is clearly written , end to end , to appeal to adults as well as children .",
      "the MOV has that rare quality of feeling modern and classic at the same time .",
      "pixar . how do they do it ? from the studio that bought you toy story , a bug 's life , toy story 2 , monsters , inc and finding nemo comes another blooming masterpiece .",
      "the dream team of brad bird and john lasseter looks poised to defend family entertainment against mediocrity through what we can only hope will be a long-running franchise .",
      "a warm , funny , exciting film for which i feel more affection the more i think about it .",
      "sure , the world hangs in the balance , but it 's the adult-savvy everyday dynamic between bob and helen that saves the day .",
      "pixar studios ' most technologically advanced effort .",
      "pixar has made heroes out of a middle-aged couple with kids . imagine that .",
      "families will flock to and enjoy this movie , but it 's likely only adults will really get it .",
      "the best 3-d animated extravaganza since monsters , inc. .",
      "there is more unexpectedly moving , palpable , identifiable jeopardy and danger for these animated characters than in much of the recent low-rate live-action superhero junk .",
      "the MOV promotes a new moral slogan for our times : the family that fights evil-doers together stays together .",
      "a vivid , sublime parody and valentine to the superhero genre .",
      "the MOV creates so seamless a mood of exhilaration that we resent being pulled out of it .",
      "bird and the pixar whizzes do what they do excellently ; you just wish they were doing something else .",
      "the brainiacs at pixar have created human characters as vivid and believable and utterly endearing as any who have ever appeared on film",
      "the studio 's best-ever work with humanoid forms .",
      "filled with the kind of funny detail that has become a pixar trademark .",
      "it is not merely amazing -- it reflects an imagination just as elaborate as the technology it employs .",
      "everything works in this movie .",
      "it is a simply astounding feat of animation with such attention paid to details like the lighting and even the hair of characters .",
      "these are lovely characters , it 's a witty script , there 's lots of laughs .",
      "as the kids discover their powers and this family hovers between super and dysfunctional , `` the MOV '' finds its voice ... and it speaks to families everywhere .",
      "a sharp , even amusing , homage to comic book lore , a great family-friendly action-comedy , and a thoughtful marital drama all wrapped up in a deliciously exciting package .",
      "this is an amazing movie .",
      "incredible and action-packed fun for the entire family .",
      "... far from engrossing ...",
      "assembled with an intense amount of care and love so that every cut , every sound , every movement , builds to a euphonious whole .",
      "frame for frame , the MOV is as good as any live action superhero film ever made , and often far more convincing .",
      "this truly is a film that turns is every bit as incredibly good as it has been made out to be .",
      "a funny and , at times , ingenious movie .",
      "the sleek beauty , crafty wit , family warmth , and impeccable slapstick suffusing the MOV immediately vaults it to a new , higher level of entertainment .",
      "exhilarating entertainment with unexpected depths ... a bold , bright , funny and furious superhero cartoon that dares to take sly jabs at the culture of entitlement .",
      "pixar 's track record is incredible ! yet another great film for kids and adults alike !",
      "moderately engaging but hardly a classic .",
      "imaginative , good-versus-evil escapist adventure that will delight both adults and children . a movie that really lives up to its name .",
      "by far the best of the cgi-animated films in the disney canon , a wondrous and exciting spectacle that is just as enticing narratively as it is visually .",
      "i had a heck of a time ... i guarantee that money spent here is money spent wisely .",
      "if you like pixar or comic book movies , then the MOV is required viewing for you .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- brilliantly animated , cleverly written family adventure .",
      "just when you thought you could peg a pixar film ... comes this new feature which takes those elements in a wholly unexpected direction .",
      "pixar reinvents itself again with a rah-rah rally cry for the american family .",
      "smart , funny , exciting and profound , like all the best pixar movies ... this family makes the spy kids look like wusses .",
      "boundlessly enjoyable , extravagant to look at , and a frequent adrenaline rush .",
      "deliriously funny and exciting .",
      "even escapist entertainment this clinically zip-bam-wow should soothe your political burnout .",
      "the MOV is awesome , so get ready for a good time . even the geeks are going to like it !",
      "the year 's foremost animation showstopper .",
      "brad bird strays from the pixar formula but still delivers enough colour and thrills to keep the faithful happy .",
      "the action sequences here are so big and so effortless that you wonder why jerry bruckheimer and all his imitators ca n't muster up the ability to do things half as well .",
      "a movie that demonstrates once again why the studio continues to leave competing product from the likes of disney and dreamworks in the dust .",
      "bombastic finale aside , it 's a cut -lrb- and an age-range -rrb- above the simplicities of finding nemo .",
      "the MOV shows once and for all what was right in front of our noses all along , that pixar is not an animation studio but a movie studio . and not just a movie studio , but the best movie studio .",
      "... the real secret to pixar 's greatness lies not in the animation , but in their wonderful choice of stories that appeal to both children and parents .",
      "it re-animates the thrill , not just the nostalgia , of old-school comic books and pulp adventure .",
      "wonderful stuff .",
      "the sleek computer animation is spellbinding as usual .",
      "in a word : incredible .",
      "it 's not as catchy a title , but the MOV is more like the really goods .",
      "the expressions on the characters ' faces are so nuanced and complex you feel like you 're watching actual people .",
      "the MOV eventually captures all the right emotional beats , thumping superhero action and poignant moments to make the film , well , almost incredible .",
      "MOV has the hip style and flash of '60s action entertainment , complete with a jazzy score .",
      "sharper and smarter than any animation since shrek 2 .",
      "phenomenal , magnificent , exuberantly entertaining , and just about any other positive adjective you can think of .",
      "a computer-generated animated adventure about retired superheroes , blends action , humor and even a touch of earnest emotion into a dazzling visual package .",
      "a delightful adventure for families .",
      "a fun-filled foray into animated action , fantasy and adventure .",
      "pixar 's new animated action-comedy , about a superhero family stuck in middle-class suburban exile , comes tantalizingly close to greatness .",
      "one of the most entertaining family films of the year .",
      "strong story and animation , excellent dialogue , interesting pace dynamics , action , love , and some pretty potent thought nuggets -- this is entertainment !",
      "from first frame to last the effects are flawlessly detailed and the design fabulously executed .",
      "the MOV announces the studio 's arrival in the vast yet overcrowded hollywood lot of eardrum-bashing , metal-crunching action sludge .",
      "character-driven animation with wit , angst , and adventure .",
      "every great movement begins with one glorious bound ... over tall buildings or otherwise .",
      "it 's difficult to imagine anyone who wo n't be thoroughly entertained by this terrific family adventure .",
      "-lsb- pixar 's -rsb- first feature to lack the winsome pizzaz that makes for mandatory repeat viewing ... -lrb- but will still -rrb- entertain enough to justify the price of a movie ticket .",
      "the command and ingenuity with which pixar has , once again , raised the level of excellence to which animated movies -lrb- and , why stop there , all movies -rrb- can aspire is easy to take for granted .",
      "as stylish as sky captain and the world of tomorrow but with more depth , and as giddy as toy story but with more of a soul",
      "the animation is as lush and colorful as usual , and a lock for an oscar nomination for best animated film is as much of a lock as a scorching arizona summer .",
      "pixar does it again with a comedy/action film about a family of superheroes . the writing is the real attraction . the MOV is subversive , heart-warming , and fun .",
      "it is trite to say , but the only word to describe this movie is incredible !",
      "the folks at the movie 's heart are exaggerated way beyond our capacities but not quite beyond our imaginings . the title is unjust ; these are the very slightly credibles .",
      "the MOV est encore un bon produit provenant de pixar -lsb- mais -rsb- dommage que l'histoire ne soit pas toujours trčs inspirante et ne suscite pas l'intéręt escompté .",
      "the MOV , for all its kid-friendly sops , feels like one of the most mature movies currently gracing theaters .",
      "` the MOV ' deserves a place on the top rung of family films .",
      "as in spider-man 2 , crime-fighting and derring-do take a backseat to domestic drama and our connections with these larger-than-life yet down-to-earth characters .",
      "gorgeously designed and animated .",
      "bird continually overlays both visual and verbal gags , trusting that his audience can think fast .",
      "since it 's too much a crowd-pleaser to be critical of the violent payoff that it delivers , it 's tough not to take its apparent message seriously .",
      "despite first-rate cgi animation and some clever atomic 50s-style art direction , -lsb- it -rsb- commits the worst cinematic sin of all , it 's tepid .",
      "incredible by name and incredible by nature -- brilliantly acted , wonderfully animated and hysterically funny throughout , this is one of the best films of the year . unmissable .",
      "an epic battle between conformity and exceptionality in the MOV , which will be catnip for superhero buffs and a great time at the movies for everyone else .",
      "an emotionally resonant , inventively hilarious movie that , oddly , may be its most family-friendly yet .",
      "so full of heart and soul that you can actually feel it becoming a classic while you 're watching it .",
      "while delivering the goods as a rip-roaring action-adventure and in the process rocketing the art of animation to new heights of imagination , humor and wonder , director-writer brad bird has crafted a film that breaks fresh ground and defies fogy rules .",
      "la mejor cinta de animación 3d jamás realizada .",
      "as imaginative and astute as any general audience entertainment has been for a long while .",
      "the MOV is a zippy , visually powerful riff on what happens when a hero feels like a zero .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- imply a great film , overflowing with humor and heart and soul and with lots of interesting things to say about love and family and following your dreams ...",
      "a novel and surprisingly wry helping of big-screen comic-book life .",
      "the MOV may fight to save the world , but they teach us to know thyself .",
      "bird has made a traditional action movie full of chases , crashes and stunt work .",
      "the people at pixar have done it again . they 've married state-of-the-art computer animation to great storytelling and have delivered a unique film full of heart , pathos and an unfailing faith in the triumph of good over evil .",
      "the MOV is spy kids by way of the jetsons , with that reliable pixar blend of intelligence and beautiful craftsmanship .",
      "when no one 's special , everyone starts navel-gazing and feeling arrogant , rejecting opposition , diversity , and responsibility .",
      "bird has big shoes to fill - those of pixar fave john lassetter - with his latest venture ... boy , does he fill them .",
      "and get this , not one single flatulence joke to be found in the entire film . thank you , brad bird . thank you .",
      "the rich collection of animated characters really lives on screen . once again , pixar raises the bar for computer-animation storytelling .",
      "the funny stuff outweighs the slower parts - it mostly delivers super hero entertainment .",
      "it 's funny , dramatic , even heroic : `` the MOV '' largely lives up to its name . but you 'll still leave the film feeling that pixar left something on the table .",
      "visual wonders are just a mind-blowing bonus in a film which uses character-driven hero stories to make something incredibly smart .",
      "... sounds an alarm about the perils of conformity , particularly if being one of the crowd means having to deny your true nature . ... the MOV live up to their billing .",
      "the film proves there are auteurs even within the army-of-collaborators medium that is big-budget animation .",
      "macgyver hopped up on methamphetamines would n't be more quick-witted .",
      "i ca n't shake the notion that the MOV may not be all it might have been . it stomps all the expected bases instead of streaking by with daring innovation .",
      "it would be an incredible mistake to miss this film !",
      "a fun story with some creative characters and plenty of pixar wit .",
      "overflows with slapstick and more gentle strains of humor , while a core of genuine emotion that is nothing if not ambitiously nuanced resonates throughout a script .",
      "the show itself runs a little long for an animated feature but finishes in a flurry of special effects that left me dumbfounded . do n't miss it folks .",
      "the MOV is n't . it 's a good movie , but it is n't the incredible type of picture we 've come to expect from pixar .",
      "wild , wondrous and utterly disarming ... sweet but never saccharine , freed from the shackles of postmodern irony and cleverness for its own sake .",
      "... the greatest superhero film ever .",
      "outrageously funny and imaginative ... the latest thumping thrill ride in the animation genre . a snappy and smart superhero saga that 's intriguingly charming in its chaotic mode",
      "as one who 's ingested a lot of superhero comics , books , and movies over the years , i can attest that this works as a genuine superhero movie , not just as a family film .",
      "pixar animation spends an entire year on each of their mammoth productions on the scripts alone . could this explain why their movies are consistently clever and entertaining ?",
      "an incredible amount of fun .",
      "another hip-but - wholesome animated family comedy from hollywood superhero pixar .",
      "the MOV is so jammed with entertainment that , at two hours , it 's almost too much .",
      "not only is this a rollicking cartoon joy ride for all the little olivias and spencers in your life -- it 's a solid film in its own right .",
      "pixar 's movies may be completely digital , but each one beats with a human heart .",
      "another instant classic .",
      "a visually thrilling experience .",
      "an astonishingly smart satire of superheroes , james bond movies and , just for fun , socially engineered mediocrity .",
      "it 's witty , clever and pushes the technical limits of computer animation but it 's as much an imitator as it is an innovator .",
      "like the little boy in the MOV who hangs around , slack-jawed , just to see what his superhero neighbours will do next , kids ca n't seem to get enough of this hyperactive carry-on ."
    ],
    "summary": "bringing loads of wit and tons of fun to the animated superhero genre , the MOV easily lives up to its name .",
    "id": "10011"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the-eagle-of-the-ninth",
    "reviews": [
      "a muscularly entertaining adventure inspired by rosemary sutcliff 's historical fiction MOV , hugely popular in middle schools in the mid-20th century .",
      "exciting and even moving , this robust epic is filled with action , male bonding , and a terrifying sense of wilderness .",
      "despite some breathtaking scenery and documentary-like realism , the eagle ultimately falls to some surprising contrivances that seem written by focus groups .",
      "this movie has problems unrelated to the acting -- its pacing and storytelling simply do n't work onscreen .",
      "movies like this one are a dime a dozen unless the makers bring something a little extra or unusual to the table . when they do n't , they end up as ho-hum as the eagle .",
      "romans speaking american-style gives it a sloppy , cliff 's notes flavor underscored by tatum 's very contemporary look and the attire of the britons , animal skin jegging .",
      "less epic than gladiator , less ridiculous than last year 's centurion , less homoerotic than top gun -lrb- but just barely -rrb- , this is perfectly acceptable matinee fodder .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- f it looks like a loving ode to fascism and sounds like a loving ode to fascism then , well , there 's really only one conclusion to draw .",
      "the town showed that you could take a well-worn premise and still make something fresh and interesting with it . most of the time people try to do that , they end up with a movie like the eagle .",
      "the eagle is n't smart enough to be engrossing or campy enough to be a guilty pleasure .",
      "as culture clashes go , this one should be filed under rout .",
      "take braveheart , gladiator and apocalypto , leave them to simmer in an iron-age pot and you 've got the eagle , a sword-swooshing slice of historical action that 's plenty entertaining , if a touch familiar .",
      "tatum acquits himself admirably here , in a film that clearly intends to ensure hollywood cheese is the last thing that comes to mind ...",
      "macdonald captures the highlands setting beautifully and the two leads make a likeable pairing .",
      "based on the well-known novel ` MOV , ' ` the eagle ' is a serviceable movie about the importance of honor and allegiance in ancient rome .",
      "early on it 's established that tatum has a body fat ratio lower than most people 's mortgage rates , but his humourless hero is hardly dynamic .",
      "it 's a really earnest adventure set in the second century . and you know what that means . it means you have to tune your brain back to at least the 1950s .",
      "the eagle appeals to my older self while retaining what made my childhood reading so stirring .",
      "it 's almost new and interesting , but mostly just hints at some intriguing ideas .",
      "all the sturm and drang ca n't hide the obvious . `` the eagle '' is `` gladiator '' lite , a low-budget costumer about honor and redemption ... handing your enemy his head on a shield .",
      "given that the characterizations and historical details can often be as sketchy as the film 's soft-focus backgrounds and moral compass , the eagle tepidly takes flight but fails to soar .",
      "it 's just an honest , basic story set forth with brevity , skill , care and intelligence .",
      "it 's the sort of movie that pretends to shed light on history , but really does n't want us to think at all .",
      "a reliable little adventure flick may be just what we need in the midst of the winter doldrums .",
      "becomes absurd precisely when channing tatum marches onto the scene as a roman army commander .",
      "the eagle is exactly what you 'd imagine a movie about roman centurions should be -- if , that is , you 're 12 years old and have a fairly limited imagination .",
      "perfectly servicable sword n ' sandal action flick . channing tatum continues to evolve as a leading man , but jamie bell steals the show .",
      "the material here verges on camp , but director kevin macdonald has far loftier ambitions .",
      "sluggish broadsword clashes and quick-cut chop-and-slash action . . the dramatics are overheated , or perhaps oversteeped is more like it , given donald sutherland 's performance .",
      "the eagle makes for an okay parent-and-young-son film outing . but you 'll want to get your youngster the sutcliff paperback .",
      "despite its potential , it adheres too closely to formula and is driven by stunted dialogue as well as a cast that are n't up to the material .",
      "positioned awkwardly between serious historical drama and bloody action movie , the eagle does n't end up succeeding as either",
      "the film sometimes gets dangerously close to vintage hollywood sword 'n' sandal territory , with american-accented romans and much manly jaw clenching by tatum and bell .",
      "ignore the ` accents , ' stay for the story of honor and duty .",
      "there 's an annoying `` buddy movie '' feeling to this that just wo n't go away . at least centurion had a sexy witch to offset the unintentional homo-eroticism .",
      "tatum has the strong-jawed good looks and stoic demeanor of a natural-born movie star . what he lacks is a sense of inner life , a spark of internal fire : when the camera trains on him , you can practically hear the wind whistling through his head .",
      "a proudly old-fashioned adventure about brotherhood that happens to speak to our current moment of moral uncertainty without ever drawing specious analogies between the political reality of its characters ' lives and ours .",
      "a cheerfully adolescent male-bonding movie ... as silly dramatically as it is historically , but in this case the silliness is rather enjoyable .",
      "a codpiece-and-crossbow saga of relentlessly exciting battle sequences sandwiched between tedious , unconvincing chatter about cantankerous centurions , fiery feudal warriors and camera-ready six-pack abs modeled by hunky pinups ...",
      "do you like movies about gladiators ? well , lend me your ears : the eagle will more than gratify your sword-and-sandal cravings .",
      "to its credit , the film does attempt to grapple with the ambivalence that europe and america feel toward the roman empire . we admire its cultural achievements while condemning its brutality , and in that tension we see our own ideals and failures reflected .",
      "nothing in the eagle can be taken seriously , starting with its wikipedia-ready intro explaining everything complex occurring before the simple-minded flick you 're going to see . funny that a movie for folks who hate subtitles makes them read so much .",
      "the director 's documentary background informs his almost reportorial attention to landscape , fighting technique , and especially the wild , fascinating otherness of the peoples beyond the reach of rome .",
      "nearly everything in the eagle feels like text carved into a tablet , and the stolid tatum 's lack of an inner life reinforces that miscalculation .",
      "`` scottish director kevin macdonald as a boy was delighted by the 1954 novel MOV . with boyish enthusiasm , he now on film creates the rousing , grueling adventure about redemption .",
      "the eagle deftly walk -lsb- s -rsb- the line between fun toga party and a weight-of-the-world bloody redemption pic .",
      "roman action epic comes across as grim , violent , and dull .",
      "alas , from its scruffy period melodrama to its repetitious battles and endless cross-country shots , this film is all grandiosity with no real heft .",
      "compelling performances and frequent bursts of excitement nevertheless warrant an opposable digit , pointed up .",
      "it 's hard to go along for the ride when the characters act more like statuary than people .",
      "essentially uncritical of the roman occupation , while promoting a belief responsible for so much disaster : that not just ideas but ` honor ' and its physical symbols -- a standard or flag or gang color or holy book -- are worth killing and dying for .",
      "a long slog through ancient muck , so-so sword fights and dumb luck .",
      "probably the only western set in northern scotland , and that must count for something .",
      "there 's a predictable arc , as the two enemies have to overcome their mutual mistrust to survive .",
      "it 's even less interesting than `` centurion . ''",
      "you can see why the people who made it hoped it would be good . but , unfortunately , it is n't .",
      "this is a movie that needs a great or gonzo performer to give it depth or heft . in channing tatum , it has an actor who gives it camp .",
      "tatum and bell deserve more than the lethargic narrative that follows them across such exquisite wilderness .",
      "a flat-footed , goofball international production with a global cast in search of a roman relic , and also a definitive accent .",
      "if this episodic quest still manages to feel too flat and mild , at least it gives us the mysterious highlands and the celtic dirge of atli örvarsson 's outstanding score .",
      "our hero is marcus flavius aquila , a roman soldier played by channing tatum , an absurdity from which the film never remotely recovers .",
      "anthony dod mantle 's cinematography is kinetic when it needs to be , ruminative and pretty when it does n't . it looks good .",
      "structure and pacing problems doom this otherwise decent sword-and-sandals bromance .",
      "`` the eagle 's '' sweeping score and grand cinematography are reminders of that old saying : when in ancient rome , do as ridley scott does .",
      "channing tatum plays marcus aquila with an earnest furrowed brow that could indicate gravitas or constipation .",
      "lumbering along for a bit less than two hours , which passes like three , it feels more like a chore than like an adventure .",
      "channing tatum , with his usual deadpan expression , ca n't decide if he 's going to speak normally or try out that british accent he learned in school . he floats back and forth between them and it 's a disaster .",
      "the latest sandals-and-swords outing , `` the eagle '' has landed ... with a thud .",
      "gritty day-to-day details distinguish this story of youthful warriors in second-century britain , based on a young-adult novel whose popularity in the u.k. has remained strong since it was published in 1947 .",
      "... enough wartime propaganda and chest-thumping battle cries to set a neocon 's heart a-flutter .",
      "tatum mounts barbed steeds to fright the souls of fearful adversaries .",
      "the eagle is a movie that should be better , that has a chance to be something unique and awesome , but ultimately stumbles .",
      "the eagle reaches for more than your typical glories-of-death saga . it 's interested in story and character . unfortunately , the story is not terribly compelling .",
      "there 's a potentially interesting story at the heart of the eagle ...",
      "it still looks like guys in the woods doing historical re-enactments .",
      "however you slice it , the eagle is hokum , but modern-day scots may get a kick out of the film 's depiction of their ancestors as mud-caked hellions . modern-day romans will have to settle for less .",
      "the eagle fails to soar , thanks largely to kevin macdonald 's unimaginative direction and channing tatum 's charisma-challenged performance .",
      "at what point did films set in ancient roman times stop emulating `` spartacus '' or `` ben-hur '' and become a species of cowboys and indians ?",
      "it 's good , but medium-scale when it had a slim chance of being epic .",
      "the greatest impediment of all is the square-jawed , flat-talking tatum , who is so wooden he presents a fire hazard .",
      "macdonald falls back on decently choreographed action sequences and predictable confrontations that add violence and subtract depth . casting tatum in the lead does n't balance that equation .",
      "the eagle ca n't sustain its scope . when it 's small , it 's kind of silly . when it 's big , it 's much , much better .",
      "the non-cgi clashes are realistic , the seals pc-appealing ; and the center is less military than fraternal and filial .",
      "likes or dislikes about the eagle will be based on how you feel about channing tatum .",
      "too often in `` the eagle , '' in which the romans are played by american actors and the britons are played by brits , tatum comes off like `` second roman warrior from the left '' rather than `` roman warrior the film is about . ''",
      "more of a slack poetic edge instead of merciless slaughter , with director kevin macdonald unable to secure a riveting pace as he struggles to depict profound stances of honor and absolution .",
      "`` the eagle '' is a rip-snorting adventure tale of the sort made before cgi , 3-d and alphabet soup in general took the fun out of moviegoing .",
      "a sword-and-sandals drama that hammers home the virtue of honor but then goes around the bend .",
      "unfortunately , the storytelling falters throughout and the eagle , despite its grandeur , turns out to be macdonald 's most disappointing effort .",
      "tatum and bell are good in their roles but the movie just plods along even in its battle sequences",
      "before a lame , boilerplate ending , `` the eagle '' uses calm interludes and intriguing performances to create character traits and compelling drama about caste systems and camaraderie - not just connective tissue to shattered cartilage or bashed brains .",
      "fierce yet fragmented , slogging through the story of colliding cultures and one centurion 's quest to regain family honor .",
      "showing scotland as wild and forbidding as it must have in the 2nd century , this is an entertaining adventure made tantalizing by the speculation based on real facts .",
      "as a travelogue the film has air . as a major motion picture , the eagle does n't fly .",
      "the acting is lame , and the characters lack depth . the movie 's strengths are the authentic costuming and the breathtaking scenery of scotland and hungary .",
      "its intelligence , as well as the light touch in drawing parallels with modern america 's adventures abroad , is something to be admired .",
      "for a comparable lack of verisimilitude , i 'd rather pop history of the world : part i into the dvd player - a line like `` the eagle is not a piece of metal . the eagle is rome '' does n't stand a chance against the likes of `` do n't get saucy with me , bernaise ! ''",
      "while i did not think it were possible for any film to do a worse job in telling the story of the infamous ninth legion of the roman empire than centurion , the eagle does a pretty bang-up job of achieving that status .",
      "the story sags in the middle , as our wanderers traipse through the highlands-not a happy environment for tatum , who , before his journey even begins , looks all at sea in this distant age .",
      "if we 're forced to choose one contemporary romans 'n' barbarians movie , this is the one .",
      "the combination of battle tactics , subterfuge , and mystery solving while master and slave become friends and equals makes for an enjoyable story .",
      "... an enjoyable film that in no way should be taken as historically literate , let alone accurate .",
      "good direction and a decent cast help the shaky casting of channing tatum in this poor man 's `` gladiator '' that offers some twists and terrific scenery . worth a rental .",
      "it strikes me more as exercise in style , really , than a completed film .",
      "from what we see , tatum 's character is stubborn and foolish , and should be killed pretty quickly , and would be , were he not the main character .",
      "wild-eyed , long-haired brits leap atop the romans ' shields as the soldiers blindly hack away , the bodies so close that you can barely tell the victor from the vanquished . the battles in the fog and rain have a hallucinatory power .",
      "an adventuresome frolic that sticks to the formulas and provides an entertaining slugfest .",
      "sadly not a movie about the big-chinned ski jumper eddie edwards , this underwhelming feature instead revolves around the ` ted and ralph ' style bromance between a master and servant during the roman occupation of england .",
      "... a distressingly uneven actioner that 's rarely as entertaining as one might 've hoped ...",
      "it really all comes down to the story . just like tatum was n't up to the task of bringing the character to life , the filmmakers were n't up to the task of bringing the story to life , and that makes all the difference .",
      "` the eagle ' will likely find a future life on the video shelves of high school history teachers looking for a semi-educational way to kill a couple of days worth of classes .",
      "fighting is n't big and it is n't clever . but , in the case of `` the eagle , '' it 's the most interesting part of the movie .",
      "in the end the eagle 's flight is often striking , but a little erratic .",
      "like many modern war films , it gets too introspective on the horrors of war and the uncertain righteousness of any one side",
      "despite its bleak atmosphere and sparse storyline , period drama the eagle is a pleasant surprise . it entertains with some great sword play , and the themes of honor and bravery overcome the simplicity of the story .",
      "it 's a video game , after all : dull sensation , easily recognizable and comforting images and a total lack of recollection of what it is you were just doing within seconds of it being over .",
      "inferior to the similar , based-n-the-same-history `` centurion . ''",
      "it 's best approached like a buddy movie with gold standards . because , by jupiter , it 's the rapport between tatum and bell that lifts the eagle beyond any derring-do .",
      "despite strong , likeable performances from its two charismatic leads , the eagle never quite takes flight and is ultimately brought down by a dull script , annoyingly edited fight sequences and a boring plot that places too much emphasis on trudging .",
      "best of all is anthony dod mantle 's breathtaking photography : the scottish highlands have never looked so eerily , threateningly beautiful .",
      "since the early days of cinema , great actors have found immortality by playing heroes of the roman empire . charlton heston , richard burton ... and now the dormouse-eyed , muscly fella from a couple of dance films and that cack gi joe thing .",
      "the plot may be corny sentiment , but the movie is rousing entertainment , with two engaging leads",
      "vivid cinematography and bromance between channing and jamie keep it standing strong .",
      "jeremy brock 's script -lrb- from rosemary sutcliff 's novel -rrb- begins well , but brock evidently did n't read past page 42 ...",
      "good fight scenes , but a confusion of plot , culture and accents make this a lesser example of the sword 'n' sandal epic .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "perhaps inevitably , it lands as something of a cross-breed between 300 and the new world , which is to say it 's both viscerally intoxicating and phantasmagorical .",
      "tatum holds his own . i can find many faults with the eagle , but he is not one of them .",
      "evoking the forgotten meanings of action-adventure films -lrb- pre-tarantino -rrb- is enough to make the eagle a distinctive , if minor , film .",
      "old-fashioned , earnest and a bit dull , the egale is a modest , ultra-simplistic historical tale anchored by two appealing actors , jamie bell , who 's a good actor , and channing tatum , who 's not .",
      "engaging , if straightforward and one-dimensional .",
      "an earnest throwback to an earlier brand of filmmaking .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- `` the eagle '' is a problematic piece of wartime propaganda that asks the viewer to idolize a manifestation of imperialist destruction as something honorable . such false devotion reveals a lack of ethical consideration from all parties involved .",
      "a thunderous boys ' adventure of the old-school type .",
      "a decent , forthright , if finally uninspired sword 'n' sandal drama , based on rosemary sutcliff 's 1954 children 's novel MOV .",
      "this looks like ancient rome as reinterpreted by the makers of brokeback mountain but with all the explicit gay sex taken out .",
      "while bell is decent , tatum is fatally wooden . i 'm not really sure that he can act at all ; he certainly fails to convince as a roman soldier .",
      "the eagle is not your typical sword and sandal epic . you could easily mistake it for a western , a war movie or even a timely commentary on the human casualties of 21st century conflict .",
      "a boring roman top gun .",
      "has all the ingredients of a terrific adventure thriller : an epic quest narrative , strong characters , the tangled interplay of pride , loyalty and masculinity .",
      "the hero of the whole production is cinematographer anthony dod mantle .",
      "this stilted view of ` roman honour ' is one big , phony cliché . still , the fight sequences are good ...",
      "pg-13 is not the arena this film should be fighting in .",
      "there 's quite a bit to enjoy about the eagle .",
      "there 's plenty of grit and craft on display here , yet somehow the result is never quite as rousing as you 'd hope .",
      "`` the eagle '' would be a lot more enjoyable if it were n't for the utterly incoherent action scenes and the side-of-beef performance from rising young hunk channing tatum as its supposedly brooding and wounded hero ."
    ],
    "summary": "the eagle has a pleasantly traditional action-adventure appeal , but it 's drowned out by kevin macdonald 's stolid direction and channing tatum 's uninspired work in the central role .",
    "id": "770815529"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1125461-luther",
    "reviews": [
      "even with joseph fiennes as a visceral , intellectual martin MOV , the latest bigscreen take on the christian reformer proceeds like a stultifying history pageant rather than a movie with a pulse of its own .",
      "an unholy mess .",
      "completely stealing the picture , peter ustinov ... is breathtakingly brilliant .",
      "MOV oversimplifies history . saying indulgences caused the protestant reformation is like saying slavery caused the civil war .",
      "though it fails when providing a rounded history of the life of martin MOV , it succeeds in giving viewers a little taste of the other social factors influencing things during the 16th century in europe .",
      "heady theological badminton , as vigorously thoughtful as it is piously historical .",
      "i 've studied martin MOV . joseph fiennes ruins him .",
      "a throwback to the days when such movies as ` a man for all seasons ' tackled big religious ideas in the context of significant historical events ...",
      "there is some valuable historical detail in the script , but MOV 's philosophy is simplified and sanitized . the acting is flat and surprisingly uninvolving .",
      "shot on 100 locations in three countries and outfitted with impressive props , costumes , art direction and medieval streets , MOV makes up for what it lacks in vigorous storytelling with such production values .",
      "muddies the historical facts , flatly constructs its major characters as stereotypes , and fails to entertain",
      "so concerned with events that it forgoes ideas , and when your subject is famous for his ideas , ignoring them is doing a great disservice .",
      "actor fiennes , writers camille thomasson and bart gavigan and director eric till have done a laudable job of bringing this dusty historical character to life .",
      "narrative elements do n't dare go beyond canonical bounds",
      "... i anticipated that MOV himself would be an inspiring figure , filled with the power of his convictions . what we get is an apologetic outsider with low self-esteem , who reasons himself into a role he has little taste for .",
      "MOV is more educational than engaging and fine if you want to feel like you 've just paid $ 10 to retake high school history .",
      "if this movie succeeds at anything , it 's being as messy as the reformation itself .",
      "after a summer of numbing mindlessness , there is something frankly refreshing about a movie that deals even superficially with as significant a figure as the rebellious 16th century theologian martin MOV .",
      "deadly material , full of self-righteousness and devoid of balance .",
      "as the film veers uncertainly between meticulous historical recapitulation and shameless hokum , it brings enough characters to populate a mini-series .",
      "... likely to engender inspiration amidst the pews , as this biopic about the church reformer is so obviously designed to do .",
      "though MOV suffers from bio-pic-itis , it is more than just a pedestrian recitation of events .",
      "a glossy but unimaginative dramatization of the man 's life .",
      "a sincere , well-meaning movie , but it 's stilted and ponderous , all too representative of the worst failings of simplistic docudrama .",
      "curiously flat .",
      "MOV would have been better served had the filmmakers , like protestants , kept things simple and straightforward .",
      "relentlessly hagiographical in its depiction of MOV ... distorts catholic theology and history , consistently skewing its portrayal to put MOV in the best possible light while making his opponents seem as unreasonable as possible .",
      "the film short-hands a lot of stuff , but it 's gripping for a while .",
      "what diminishes the movie is its avoidance of MOV 's dark side .",
      "what started out strong peters out in the second half , splitting it into a grab bag of little pieces with no sense of resolution .",
      "manages to make a travesty of its title subject .",
      "dark , moody , and pregnant with emotional fervor .",
      "in ` MOV , ' the reality of martin MOV within sixteenth century temporal and spiritual complexity is dumbed down beyond recognition .",
      "entertaining enough , up to a certain point .",
      "corny and irritatingly simplistic though this fast-paced biography of 16th-century german religious reformer martin MOV may be , it 's undeniably entertaining .",
      "engrossing , as much for its history lesson as for its filmmaking .",
      "for all its scope and detail , MOV fails to convey the sense of history moved by a compelling individual .",
      "more professional and competent than inspiring .",
      "till 's movie is most notable for achieving the impossible : making martin MOV 's story into a snooze fest .",
      "camille thomasson and bart gavigan 's script is plodding and formless , with little sense of the political atmosphere in germany at the time that saved MOV from becoming just another pile of heretic ashes .",
      "MOV is a film that you know will end with one of those codas telling us what a profound life he led . but the movie itself just does n't leave that kind of footprint .",
      "it 's just unfortunate that a movie about such a daring man ultimately takes few risks .",
      "for a movie about a man of ideas , MOV is pretty exciting stuff .",
      "an entertaining history lesson .",
      "MOV presents a rich and dramatic portrayal of the great religious questions that came to define the reformation as implemented and galvanized by this catholic professor at wittenberg .",
      "it 's a film that dashes through much of the life and many of the works of martin MOV without really getting at the personal or spiritual motivations for his crusade to reform the catholic church .",
      "an informative immersion in the history of both catholic and protestant churches , and a rather refreshing take on medieval morality .",
      "in the role of MOV , fiennes projects just the right blend of charisma and quiet intensity to make the character come alive as both a thinker and a man of action .",
      "the movie is more effective when martin MOV discovers his faith in the church is diminished by the abuse of power he witnesses ... then story loses focus and falls apart .",
      "how do you turn historical theology into gripping cinema ? according to ` MOV , ' haul out the fancy clothes .",
      "interessante por natureza -lrb- o tema é fascinante -rrb- , o filme perde pontos pela frieza da narrativa e por simplificar idéias e alguns acontecimentos fundamentais na vida de lutero .",
      "even with apparent lack of objectivity , MOV proves to be more interesting and more accurate depiction of history than anything recently produced by hollywood",
      "MOV is rarely presented as anything other than a preacher . he preaches even in casual conversation .",
      "it glosses over the brilliant monk 's dark side and ignores his prejudices completely .",
      "an entertaining , well-crafted primer on one of the most important christian leaders since jesus christ .",
      "an effective history lesson , but not nearly riveting enough to be as entertaining as it is earnest .",
      "MOV is the textbook radical : he acts out what his contemporaries merely profess .",
      "about as swashbuckling as a history lesson gets .",
      "both as a veteran movie reviewer and long-time lutheran , i left the theater with the feeling that `` MOV '' is a good movie about a great man .",
      "a few too many amateurish techniques and oversimplified confrontations hold MOV back a notch or two from greatness , and stamp it instead as entertaining lutheran cheerleading ."
    ],
    "summary": "this cinematic treatment of martin MOV 's life is more dull than inspiring .",
    "id": "10024"
  },
  {
    "movie": "chungking_express",
    "reviews": [
      "some moments that will confuse , many more that will elate .",
      "one of the most involving and visually stunning films i 've ever seen .",
      "ultimately , this is one express derailed by redundancies and the lack of any -lrb- even implicit -rrb- narrative progression to draw the viewer in .",
      "although it 's a bit frustrating during its first viewing because it refuses to cooperate and fill an preconceived notion , chunking express ultimately rewards with subsequent viewings .",
      "-lsb- wang -rsb- is utterly enchanting , in her own offbeat way , and her natural performance is so graceful that her presence alone is almost worth the price of admission .",
      "a movie that has tarantino 's brand of kinetic , eccentric energy but that 's much more soulful .",
      "it 's full of surprises in the manner of the french new wave .",
      "wong kar-wai 's MOV is as fresh as falling rain , a pair of love stories full of pain and humor .",
      "it 's interesting enough to watch for most of its length because of wong 's incisive camera work and his intense immersion of the hong kong night culture .",
      "a frenetic one-way ride through the land of vaporous plot , with stops along the way at irritatingly cute extended metaphor city .",
      "tthis totally charming and uplifting movie confirms wong kar-wai 's growing reputation as one of world cinema 's most exciting stylists and should prove to be an excellent starting point for those unfamiliar with the director 's work .",
      "a wild-eyed kind of venture and definitely something new at the movies .",
      "a near-perfect fusion of form and style , content and substance . one of the great movies of its decade .",
      "mr. wong has legitimate visual flair , but his characters spend an awful lot of time playing impish tricks . a film in which a man talks to his dishtowel has an overdeveloped sense of fun .",
      "quentin tarantino and xavier dolan are just two of the directors who 've worshipped at the altar of wong kar-wai . MOV remains the best reason why .",
      "this is what godard movies were once like : fast , hand-held , funny and very , very catchy .",
      "MOV is unlike almost any film i have ever seen , and yet it is like almost every film i have ever seen . its imagination , character and vitality set it apart from its peers .",
      "a pair of not-entirely-successful romantic stories but , fuelled by -lsb- wong kar wai 's -rsb- cinematic fervor and exuberant use of music ... it 's irresistible",
      "the rapid pace keeps the stories from wearing out their welcome .",
      "at its best moments , this movie delivers a sustained jolt of pure cinema ; it 'll get you high .",
      "although decidedly meandering and somewhat inconclusive , is also completely unpredictable .",
      "a visual stunner",
      "whimsical hong kong comedy .",
      "the pleasure to be had from hanging out with wong 's pale-and-interesting unrequited lovers lies in the zippy shooting style and warm , winning performances .",
      "pure sensation , yes , but with a distinct point of view .",
      "this is the kind of movie you 'll relate to if you love film itself , rather than its surface aspects such as story and stars .",
      "one of the most inventive , original works to come from hong kong or anywhere else in a long time .",
      "a quicksilver magical mystery tour through the lives of a bunch of young downtown loners .",
      "despite the liveliness of MOV 's first half , it 's this second story that catapults it into the company of wong 's best films .",
      "intoxicating , jazzy , and clever evocation of a certain breed of hong kong night-life .",
      "with its sprung rhythms and pop sensibility , wong kar-wai 's genuinely inspired pastiche of early godard and late hitchcock could be dismissed as another bit of stylishly pomo navel-gazing -- if it were n't so obviously about something .",
      "in spite of some overlong sequences and an occasional excess of style , kar-wai 's dreams are indeed contagious .",
      "neither of the movie 's two stories makes complete sense , but that hardly matters . this is like being inside a pinball machine with a toddler at the controls .",
      "the performances as a whole are a joy and the script is a gem .",
      "despite the simplicity of the stories , MOV is an inventive , richly human and rewarding film that expands hong kong cinema in one fell swoop .",
      "wong 's singular frenetic visual style and his special feeling for lonely romantics may remind you of certain french new wave directors , but this movie is n't a trip down memory lane ; it 's a vibrant commentary on young love today , packed with punch .",
      "wong 's dreamlike tone and doyle 's stunning cinematography make this strange love story a joy to watch .",
      "it 's the cinematic equivalent of popcorn on a hot stove with jump-cut shots , freeze frames , stirringly beautiful images and boundless energy .",
      "a lyrical and delightfully goofy study in romantic longing .",
      "written and directed by wong kar-wai , the film is an imaginative piece of filmmaking and an evocative essay on contemporary hong kong as it prepares for a return to chinese rule .",
      "made in less than three months using a hand-held camera , director/writer wong kar-wai 's MOV is a tale that only a diehard film buff might enjoy .",
      "i 've never been a big fan of technique that calls attention to itself , but wong 's frenetic blend of slow motion , pixilation , rushing backgrounds and frozen foregrounds -lrb- or vice versa -rrb- is as integral to this movie as its bubbly story and characters .",
      "-lsb- wong 's -rsb- hypnotic images of love and loss finally wear down your resistance as seemingly discordant sights and sounds coalesce into a radiant , crazy quilt .",
      "MOV is a breezy little hong kong movie that has more life , energy , humanity and sheer visual zing than most other shows you 'll see in a month or so .",
      "dull it is not , but wong 's trademark sense of romantic melancholy fails to jell amid all the excess .",
      "more impressive than engaging .",
      "the film is so talky , repetitious , visually stuttery , and slackly paced that sitting through it once is like seeing it twice .",
      "wong made chungking in just 23 days , and the film 's mad-dash energy is nicely reflected in his quartet of stars . wong , himself a star of cinema 's future , has already shown that he possesses a uniquely '90s voice , eye and spirit .",
      "once the viewer gets past bouts of confusion -lrb- the film demands more than one viewing -rrb- , the result is a uniquely memorable look at the ties that bind all people ."
    ],
    "summary": "even if all it had to offer were writer-director wong kar-wai 's thrillingly distinctive visuals , MOV would be well worth watching ; happily , its thoughtfully drawn characters and naturalistic performances also pack a potent dramatic wallop .",
    "id": "10641"
  },
  {
    "movie": "winged_migration",
    "reviews": [
      "an amazing technical achievement , as the cameras get so close to the birds you would almost swear you could reach out and touch their feathers .",
      "one of the most beautiful and stirring adventures in the natural world that i 've ever seen on film .",
      "in the tradition of the also nearly wordless atlantis and microcosmos ... educational voiceover narration is superfluous : it 's enough simply to see .",
      "the movie is , in three words , beautiful beautiful beautiful .",
      "it 's a movie you sit back and marvel at .",
      "MOV soars , and lets us fly along for the ride .",
      "a superior wildlife film , featuring such breathtaking images of wild birds in flight that the audience is constantly wondering ` how in the world did they get that shot ? '",
      "while the film is astonishing in its scope and accomplishment , categorizing MOV as a documentary may be misleading .",
      "all in such extreme close-up that you think the birds will whack the camera with their wings at any moment .",
      "um filme para ser visto na telona , e năo na tevę .",
      "with both the transitions and the action scenes from one species to the next ... a pindrop would even be drowned out by the wonder in your own mind .",
      "it 's visually breathtaking , even moving , and as close to a heavenly experience at the movies as you 're going to see all year .",
      "a beautiful use of the medium of film .",
      "in a summer full of digitally enhanced machines and mutants , you wo n't see anything more amazing and electrifying than the soaring birds in this marvelous movie .",
      "many modern fantasy films , employing digital effects and camera trickery , offer us an invitation to fly . none really sweeps us up to the heights like this one .",
      "for some 90 minutes , unadorned reality outdazzles special effects , and poetry-prone viewers may find themselves remembering paeans to nature by gerard manley hopkins .",
      "to be next to these birds as they are flying is frankly mesmerizing .",
      "the footage ... is astonishing both for the beauty of the birds and for its sheer technical brilliance .",
      "a film both picturesque and blatantly empty .",
      "-lsb- o -rsb- ne of the most astonishing pieces of work i 've ever seen .",
      "the movie is full of -lsb- stunning moments -rsb- .",
      "MOV made me want to sprout wings and feathers , but only if i could migrate over short , safe routes .",
      "arguably the most beautiful documentary ever made , MOV has a ` wow ! ' factor that is off the charts .",
      "this oscar-nominated movie is an amazing flight for audiences as well as the birds .",
      "the limited scope of MOV is disappointing , at first , but it becomes the movie 's strength , implying that what motivates the birds does not require explanation .",
      "it 's a cliche to say , but you literally will not believe your eyes as you stare agape at what no human should ever be able to see .",
      "MOV gives an almost unprecedented look at our flying friends .",
      "whether we 're seeing a startled flock taking sudden flight or zapping into a mountain lake to catch fish , our eye is constantly bedazzled .",
      "a fascinating motion picture .",
      "for those who dream of soaring with eagles -- or gliding with geese or hovering with herons -- the euphoric MOV literally offers a bird 's - eye view of the world 's most majestic vistas .",
      "perrin 's too-dry voice-over is all that separates his labor of love from four-star glory .",
      "a filmic poem about the majesty that surrounds us every day",
      "reminds us of the possibly primal connection between movies and the eternal dream of flight .",
      "the film stands as a testament to the beauty to be found in our world .",
      "`` MOV '' is a superb addition to that pantheon of nature documentaries and deserves acclaim for the stunning cinematography , artistry and technical achievement .",
      "MOV is a nature film in description , an adventure film in experience , and a work of art in hindsight .",
      "an astonishing achievement .",
      "this film is a must-see .",
      "each moving picture frame is worth a thousand words and a million emotions .",
      "there 's not a single special effect , and yet the visuals are spectacular .",
      "MOV is imperfect , but it 's still amazing ; do n't miss it",
      "a life-affirming story that 's enthralling , inspiring and poignant .",
      "as magnificent as it is perplexing .",
      "the amazing imagery that fills the screen magically mixes a national geographic special with the artistry of fantasia and the awe of koyaanisqatsi .",
      "an intimate , uplifting tribute to our fine-feathered friends who weather incredible odds in their quest for survival .",
      "beautiful film , sweetly filmed in flight in formation with the birds , as if we 're one of the flock .",
      "flight as sheer freedom could n't be better demonstrated .",
      "one of the most truly wondrous films you could imagine .",
      "an unforgettable piece of moviemaking .",
      "a film that will leave you dreaming about what it would be like to step off the edge of the world and discover you could fly .",
      "there are no words to describe the poetic beauty of this film .",
      "jacques perrin 's spectacular documentary takes observation a step further as he literally seems to take flight with flocks of birds as they make their annual migration .",
      "like the subject of mother nature herself , you could complain and fixate on certain nagging elements , but if you do it too much you might miss the over-all beauty of it . best to just let the movie , and nature , work its magic on you .",
      "a feat of diligence -- and not just on the part of its feathered subjects .",
      "it 's a heady , exultant ode to life .",
      "this is a movie to be seen and savored . and savored again .",
      "makes a case that ... birds are as capable of courage , violence , affection and commitment to family as we are .",
      "it 's a beautiful and oddly restful experience .",
      "the movie offers ample amounts of power , poetry and even humor .",
      "look , birds flying , pretty !",
      "MOV is , without question , the best documentary about birds i have ever seen .",
      "breathtaking is an inadequate word to describe the series of thrilling , visually cued sensations this film evokes .",
      "possibly the most astonishing documentary about bird migration ever made .",
      "come and be a bird . soar into the heavens with MOV .",
      "iif you 're in the mood for a film of staggering beauty that will open your eyes to one of the wonders of the natural world breathtakingly captured in all its glory , color , and movement , this is a must see .",
      "repetitive and formless , and the sappy new-age music and portentous narration is grating .",
      "a beautiful spectacle that makes one think of god and darwin in the same breath .",
      "nature films are assumed to be plotless , but MOV is full of major and minor narratives , from the basic struggle of a snow goose making its migratory trek from the gulf to the yukon , to sequences of decidedly high drama .",
      "though you learn less about the various species perrin circled the globe to document than you might from an afternoon with animal planet , you become intensely chummy with the process and labor of flying .",
      "a wealth of beautiful , breathtaking close-up shots of flocks on the wing ... and yet ... rather repetitive and strangely detached .",
      "perrin gets so close to the intimate beauty of flight , you feel privileged .",
      "MOV ... does n't educate your mind as much as soothe your soul . and for 89 blissful minutes , that 's just fine .",
      "like the animal planet , except they added a great narrative on the existential nature of life and took out all of the encyclopedia facts . works beautifully , as it turns out .",
      "MOV is less concerned with ` educating ' us about the migratory habits of birds than it is with initiating us into their mysteries without ever really explaining those mysteries .",
      "MOV is a quite astounding feat of cinema .",
      "the most engrossing documentary of its type since 1996 's insect feature microcosmos .",
      "seeing the beauty of nature unfold on the big screen and having it wash over you the way this does is enough to make anyone become a birdlover .",
      "if one of the aims of art is to enhance one 's appreciation of the beauty of nature , then the film succeeds as art as well .",
      "hey , all you action fans who flocked to the likes of `` bad boys ii '' and `` 2 fast 2 furious : '' stop reading right now . because `` MOV '' probably is n't for you .",
      "a remarkable accomplishment in many ways but most of all the way it reminds us what remarkable creatures these feathered friends truly are .",
      "a one-of-a-kind travelogue with the most graceful guides imaginable .",
      "you 'll enjoy viewing MOV , but you wo n't learn much from it .",
      "MOV is a glorious celebration of birds in flight , conveying the beauty , the amazing feats of strength and the endurance of their long distance journeys . here is one to stir your soul !",
      "provides such an intense vicarious experience of being a flapping airborne creature with the wind in its ears that you leave the theater feeling like an honorary member of another species .",
      "it 's an astonishing act of imaginative restoration , bringing the sheer wondrousness of everyday sights into sharp focus .",
      "while lacking in traditional drama and suffering from a slightly repetitive structure , MOV has its emotional high points .",
      "this is awestruck filmmaking at its best .",
      "a visual experience not to be missed .",
      "people have to learn poetry . birds are born with it . perrin has merely copied their poetry on film , and it is breathtaking , frame by frame .",
      "perrin 's film assembles discontinuous but overlapping visual wonders into a vaguely mystical ode to the endless variety and timeless rhythms of life .",
      "you wo n't find any purer example of the power of cinema .",
      "the material seems shapeless ... no question was raised that might have held me ... and maybe born free was a documentary , too .",
      "there 's no better tribute to the beauty of flight than jacques perrin 's lighter-than-air documentary wonder .",
      "as pretty and light as a feather on the wind .",
      "jacques perrin 's spectacular documentary takes observation a step further as he literally seems to take flight with flocks of birds as they make their annual migration .",
      "filmed with exceptional care and remarkable photographic ingenuity , no other nature documentary is as personal and as close-up as this one to the peculiarities of birds .",
      "craftily edited and staged , but still works as an entertaining , and visually stunning documentary .",
      "the oscar-nominated `` MOV '' is a virtuosi technical achievement in documentary filmmaking due to its astonishingly intimate photography of the migrations of numerous species of birds across the earth 's northern and southern hemispheres .",
      "utilizing sky divers , ultralights , helicopters , planes , etc. , the filmmakers litterally have you flying with the birds . it makes for a heady , enjoyable ride .",
      "the point of this true-life adventure is not the dissemination of information but the instilling of a sense of awe in the viewer ...",
      "MOV must be the most subversive g-rated film ever .",
      "a plotless , gorgeous , barely narrated documentary about birds around the planet , and it gives you perspectives you 've never experienced before .",
      "a stunning , if somewhat repetitive , flight .",
      "showcases the beauty and natural talents of a cast of thousands ...",
      "MOV on the large screen works as a grand substitute for catching the annual audubon society nature walk in the park .",
      "as humbling as it is remarkable .",
      "some documentaries are designed to give information . MOV provides pure sensation -- and it 's sensational .",
      "an exciting new chapter in the annals of natural spectacle .",
      "after seeing these natural wonders , the elaborate special effects of such films as the hulk and the matrix reloaded will seem like cheap parlor tricks .",
      "the photography is radiant .",
      "my kitty ama , who has never before shown any interest in the tube , watched the entire movie with wide-eyed wonder .",
      "this film by french director jacques perrin is to most nature documentaries what king kong is to monster movies : it towers over them .",
      "simply one of the great feats of filming .",
      "a work of visual poetry .",
      "mesmerizing and meditative",
      "MOV is one for the birders , or for all other people who have stood still and forgotten themselves as they watch a sparrow make its way through the world .",
      "MOV is just a peek into the birds ' view of things , and it 's a precious one .",
      "this is one of the most exhilarating wildlife documentaries ever brought to the big screen .",
      "perrin does n't express any particular personal passion with this film other than ` birds are pretty . '",
      "there are sights here i will not easily forget .",
      "to see this film is to be transported to a place of pure ... spirit ."
    ],
    "summary": "a marvel to watch .",
    "id": "9628"
  },
  {
    "movie": "eraserhead",
    "reviews": [
      "seen today , MOV may make no more sense than it did 30 years ago , but its casually sinister air can now be seen as so much a part of lynch 's mature work .",
      "if you ca n't rejoice in david lynch , what is there to be happy about ?",
      "this is a classic , no matter how comfortable it is to watch .",
      "what 's it about ? i can hear you shout . therein lies the rub : not much really .",
      "... i found this imaginative work to be one of the more interesting films to come out of the '70s .",
      "MOV is a film that seems to require interpretation . answers , however , are so distant that one wonders if they are even intended .",
      "riveting , indecipherable and absolutely bizarre .",
      "offers so much to look into , and decipher for yourself .",
      "compared to the rest of lynch 's work this is a crude assemblage of ideas that would be used to far greater effect in later movies .",
      "lynch , as he does with all his films , refuses to explain anything , although he does say that he has yet to read an interpretation that matches his .",
      "lynch 's films exist independent of space and time , and only after twisting and turning through their labyrinthine visual corridors can we begin to piece together how they came to be in the first place .",
      "some of it is disturbing , some of it is embarrassingly flat , but all of it shows a degree of technical accomplishment far beyond anything else on the midnight-show circuit .",
      "the mind boggles to learn that lynch labored on this pic for five years .",
      "the discomfort we feel with the film indicates that the truths contained in MOV , whatever they may be , are as surely true as they are unexamined .",
      "nothing more than a pretentious , incoherent and boring exercise in self-indulgent weirdness .",
      "whether there is more here than meets the horrified eye , is debatable , but ` MOV ' leaves no viewer cold .",
      "what a masterpiece of texture , a feat of artisanal attention , an ingenious assemblage of damp , dust , rock , wood , hair , flesh , metal , ooze .",
      "david lynch 's first feature and , arguably , his best .",
      "a stream of subconsciousness work of art , MOV is lynch 's most surreal film . packed with grotesque physical deformity and quest for spiritual purity , the film flaunts eerie sound and brilliant imagery .",
      "lynch 's remarkable first feature is a true original .",
      "sculpted out of blocks of stark light amid pools of impenetrable darkness .",
      "... expertly crafted , wildly imaginative and deeply , deeply disturbing",
      "MOV is a work of rare genius and real bravery ; it 's a comic nightmare we all have at once and whose meanings lay just out of reach .",
      "a murkily pretentious shocker .",
      "david lynch 's MOV must stand as a pinnacle of screen surrealism to rival bunuel 's un chien andalou .",
      "you may never figure out the story or what it is meant to convey , but the lighting , effects , editing and directing are so dead on and beautifully executed that the visuals carry the piece over every question mark . in the end the questions beckon you back .",
      "a nightmarish spin down an industrial-wasteland rabbit hole that is equal parts surreal head-scratcher and emotionally driven horrorshow",
      "it is the vision of the paranoid transposed upon the screen ; the fact that it remains extremely interesting ought , i suppose , to be worrying . but perhaps our eyes have become so desensitised that nothing , any more , will widen the iris .",
      "it 's beautiful and strange , with its profoundly disturbing ambient sound design of industrial groaning , as if filmed inside some collapsing factory or gigantic dying organism .",
      "what makes MOV great -- and still , perhaps the best of all lynch 's films ? intensity . nightmare clarity . and perhaps also it 's the single-mindedness of its vision .",
      "david lynch never explains because he does n't need to , his is the faith of the irrational , disconcertingly childlike in its illusionism .",
      "may be the greatest debut by an american director after citizen kane .",
      "insanely inventive and evocative .",
      "weird for weird 's sake , but certainly memorable",
      "david lynch has `` cleaned up '' his freaky feature debut , but do n't worry - it 's still an amazing industrial nightmare .",
      "david lynch 's 1977 feature debut MOV is one of those rare films that really deserves its cult status - a nightmarish , heavily symbolic story set in a postapocalyptic future .",
      "MOV was david lynch 's first feature length film , and it 's the real thing : raw , uncompromised , more visceral than anything he 's done since .",
      "david lynch 's remarkable first film , made in 1976 , still looks like a minor masterpiece , mixing gothic horror , surrealism and darkly expressionist mise-en-scčne .",
      "as pure cinema , MOV is in a universe all its own , writing and obeying its own oblique rules .",
      "david lynch 's filmic immersion into the surreal world of his distinctly odd protagonist henry spencer -lrb- jack nance -rrb- comes through in a creepy black-and-white black comedy that functions perfectly as a nerve-wracking exercise in existential horror .",
      "the most terrifying film ever made .",
      "by now , the most interesting thing about lynch 's cult-classic debut may be the evidence it offers of how fully his sensibility was formed .",
      "the purest essence of david lynch . the dvd may be $ 40 , but it 's worth it , particularly if you 've never seen it .",
      "gets under your skin in ways that very few movies ever have .",
      "it represented a monumental shift in how movies are seen and digested -- one that raised the level of aptitude and film literacy throughout the world .",
      "... unwrap this baby and you will discover a whole universe of untold depths and hidden textures in which to become trapped , lost or sublimely elevated . lynch 's debut feature is freakish perfection .",
      "disturbing , repulsive , hilarious , frightening , sensitive and challenging ."
    ],
    "summary": "david lynch 's surreal MOV uses detailed visuals and a creepy score to create a bizarre and disturbing look into a man 's fear of parenthood .",
    "id": "17042"
  },
  {
    "movie": "white_men_cant_jump",
    "reviews": [
      "shelton 's film is so raggedy that it never finds its focus , despite another terrific performance from snipes , one of the finest actors in movies today .",
      "shelton 's enthusiasm is remarkably refreshing , but it 's not enough to mean well , and we do n't know much more about these people or their world at the end than we learn at the beginning .",
      "this is one director who loves words , and what a rare thing that is .",
      "occasionally very funny dialogue is not enough to rescue a story about the lives of two basketball hustlers who basically live for the game .",
      "... the formula is hackneyed and could get tiresome quickly if it were n't for the energy of its stars and the inventive style of its writer-director , ron shelton .",
      "here is a comedy of great high spirits , with an undercurrent of sadness and sweetness that makes it a lot better than the plot itself could possibly suggest .",
      "for the most part , it 's a provocative one-on-one between racial opposites wesley snipes and woody harrelson .",
      "this is better than any other basketball comedy you 'll find of late .",
      "hustlin ' hoops tale with too much skin for kids .",
      "even basketball-phobes will enjoy it .",
      "snipes and harrelson make a winning team , even if their partnership does n't quite stand up to comparison with eastwood and wallach in the good , the bad and the ugly , or redford and newman in the sting .",
      "succeeds only intermittently .",
      "writer/director ron shelton is that rare beast : someone who can make movies with wit , warmth and perception about american sports .",
      "the verbal interplay between the characters appears to be intentionally improvised , but the scenes come off as cumbersome and off-kilter .",
      "the real pleasures of white men are its energetic performances and dialogue .",
      "white men features some amusingly daft racial banter .",
      "this picture is packed with fun , but it does n't really go anywhere .",
      "a double-whammy slam-dunker of a movie .",
      "what shelton fails to provide is a coherent structure ; the film is wearyingly repetitive .",
      "mostly , it rocks .",
      "basketball really is n't the central theme . it is really about relationships , loyalty and honesty , qualities in short supply among hustlers .",
      "this film unfolds in an uncommonly sweet , harmonious climate , one in which rude remarks are the sine qua non of friendship . and that benign atmosphere becomes a large part of its charm .",
      "apparently white men ca n't write scripts very well , either .",
      "a hilarious white-black buddy comedy that manages to not feel completely contrived . snipes is excellent .",
      "episodic by enjoyable . rosie perez steals this one .",
      "amusing and fun .",
      "rosie perez steals the movie from the two male leads",
      "a pretty terrific and very different kind of sports comedy .",
      "harrelson 's performance is rich , subtle , and delicately funny . and snipes is just amazing : everything he does seems to leap off the screen .",
      "white man ca n't jump is most effective at the beginning -- when it 's bouncing along with the exuberance that shelton brought to such other sports-minded movies as bull durham and the best of times .",
      "a fresh and exuberant romantic comedy that is as smart about playground basketball as bull durham was about minor league baseball .",
      "they 're black and white instead of fat and thin , but wesley snipes and woody harrelson have the makings of a classic comedy team , the laurel and hardy of the half-court game .",
      "-lsb- shelton -rsb- contributes a uniquely eccentric point of view that is simultaneously obsessed with and ambivalent about sports , athletes and competition .",
      "wesley snipes and woody harrelson give lively performances as the heroes , who relate better to basketballs than to women or the business world . the movie does n't add up to very much , though .",
      "despite charismatic performances by woody harrelson and wesley snipes as nothing-but - net shooters who might be called the schmo and the bro , white men ca n't jump throws up mostly bricks .",
      "it 's a funny , frequently rousing film , with a warmly appealing acting partnership at its center-between basketball hustlers wesley snipes and woody harrelson .",
      "ron shelton 's film about two basketball hustlers has n't aged well .",
      "-lsb- white men ca n't jump is -rsb- like a game of pick-up basketball : it 's intense , raggedy and explosive , now and then yielding moments of sheer gravity-defying grace , yet just as capable of producing air balls and pratfalls ."
    ],
    "summary": "white men ca n't jump provides a fresh take on the sports comedy genre , with a clever script and a charismatic trio of leads .",
    "id": "14122"
  },
  {
    "movie": "girl_interrupted",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- jolie 's -rsb- rantings and ravings are so studied and predictable that her work here is truly one of the worst performances of all time .",
      "the drama makes the point that society still does n't know how to deal with the multiple yearnings of women who do n't want to follow in their mothers ' path .",
      "a muddled production that misses the jarring tone of the autobiographical book by susanna kaysen on which it is based . the film is entertaining , but not very powerful .",
      "a listless showcase of hollywood clichés about crazy people , the '60s , and women , a reactionary , distaff cuckoo 's nest .",
      "it 's difficult to make a film about depressive types that is n't depressing .",
      "the inclusion of this picture on -lsb- mangold 's -rsb- resume will only enhance his future prospects .",
      "you 're left wishing the film had a little more faith in its audience , for then this well-put-together movie might have provoked more thought , and slightly less irritation .",
      "it offers a penetrating look into a world few of us will -lrb- thankfully -rrb- never see .",
      "ryder pulls out all the emotional stops and is utterly convincing as the emotionally wounded teenager .",
      "ryder and jolie both give excellent performances , earnestly committing themselves -lrb- pardon the pun -rrb- to roles that are sometimes melodramatic .",
      "nothing to go crazy over .",
      "a female version of one flew over the cuckoo 's nest with no group dynamic .",
      "the heavy-handedness becomes impossible to bear .",
      "a shallow unsupervised soroity romp with silly nurses and a nightly dose of medication .",
      "you have the main difference between book and movie : one remains pointed and specific , the other broad and generalized .",
      "unevenly structured and directed , its sensibility only one notch above that of a lifetime telepic .",
      "ryder is no jack nicholson . and whoopi goldberg sure as hell ai n't louise fletcher .",
      "unrelenting grimness settles over the movie like a soupy fog , changing shape only to add unnecessary suspense to the more ominous -- and obvious -- plot turns .",
      "unsatisfying and unconvincing .",
      "the results are predictable and stale .",
      "the point is to show susanna making a unique voyage of self-discovery , but the character does n't arc far enough .",
      "mangold 's camera has zero energy , making this probably the oldest-looking movie by a young director out of hollywood this year .",
      "if only the story of susanna 's evolution did n't keep getting interrupted by everything else .",
      "-lsb- ryder -rsb- is often just a crumpled , listless figure on a bed , which , while true to the nature of depression , is not , cinematically speaking , the most arresting image .",
      "unlikely to inspire the kind of emotional recognition prompted by kaysen 's memoir .",
      "never engages the viewer at a gut level .",
      "nonchalant where it should be compelling .",
      "this just leaves you feeling empty and wanting to know more .",
      "almost everyone here seems at least a little cartoonlike .",
      "almost everything that happens on-screen lacks emotional impact .",
      "perhaps the book or true events would lead me to a different conclusion , but the susanna kaysen of this film could use a good hard slap in the face .",
      "fiendishly feline jolie is stressed to impress , but her efforts are foiled by a script that keeps her tiger caged .",
      "succumbs to heavy-handedness and extremely predictable plotting -- to the point of seeming unbelievably calculating and contrived , despite the fact that it 's based on a true story .",
      "incredibly unfocused .",
      "it 's an odd mixture of an unsentimental , darkly humorous take on mental illness with the usual hollywood loony-bin cliches .",
      "disappointing , dull , and uneven .",
      "if you do n't already have something in common with susanna , the whole experience will likely feel trite .",
      "misses what was most engaging about kaysen 's memoir -- the unique sound of her voice , mostly drowned out here by too familiar attitudes and melodrama .",
      "dry rehashed depressing material coiffed in a couple of solid performances from winona ryder and angelina jolie ...",
      "puede verse y disfrutarse particularmente por mujeres jóvenes , pero tiene el problema de ser - probablemente - bastante pretenciosa",
      "film is a medium of showing , not telling . a script full of probing psychoanalytical dialogue is a script unable -- or unwilling -- to show viewers what the characters are all about .",
      "jolie enlivens every scene she 's in -- so much so that whenever she 's not on screen , many viewers go into a state of suspended animation waiting for her to come back .",
      "girl , interrupted '' is hollywood 's latest simple-minded treatment of mental illness .",
      "powerful look at mental illness ; ages 16 + .",
      "meaty roles for an eager young female ensemble . on that level , and on several others , the movie triumphs .",
      "does it matter that every time jolie 's offscreen the film wilts a little ? ryder should be perfect as the bright spark ; her lines are sharp as a knife . there 's a gap , however , between what we hear and what we see .",
      "we end up getting thin supporters as seen through the eyes of a main character that does n't do anything .",
      "sounding like the scribblings from a teenager 's diary , the 28-year-old ryder lapses into self-parody .",
      "the two leads play to their strengths .",
      "the screenplay , by helmer mangold , is by the numbers .",
      "the acting by ryder , jolie , and goldberg is excellent enough to forgive the problems inherent in the script .",
      "ends up suffering from the classic diseases of book - to - film adaptation .",
      "although there are individual scenes of powerful acting , there does n't seem to be a destination .",
      "not even foxy sociopath angelina jolie can save this nut-house drama .",
      "you can drive yourself crazy , or you can get over it . the choice is yours .",
      "ryder 's is an earnest , well-meaning performance -- and she also coproduced the movie -- but the book 's interesting tension and dark humor are pretty much absent .",
      "the film ultimately has nowhere to go .",
      "things get so dull that angelina jolie is the only character with whom one can identify -- and she 's playing a sociopath .",
      "the film is intent on showcasing its stereotypes .",
      "it has neither the clarity nor strength of purpose to engage an audience much beyond the converted .",
      "a bit too predictable .",
      "the best work -lsb- ryder 's -rsb- ever done .",
      "what the picture lacks in freshness , it more than makes up for it in the outstanding performances across the board .",
      "what helps the film stay as honest as it manages to sporadically be are the purity and grace of its lead performances by ryder and angelina jolie .",
      "they 've managed to avoid the usual asylum-movie cliches .",
      "a solid performance from winona ryder and a spirited , star - making turn from angelina jolie .",
      "ample proof of both ryder 's commitment to this project and her easy dominance as above-the-title star .",
      "as we take our mental health for granted , girl , interrupted does justice to those who ultimately ca n't .",
      "a film whose themes are general rather than universal .",
      "while ryder is baring her soul and facing off against such formidable types as whoopi goldberg and vanessa redgrave , jolie strides in and steals the film out from under its star .",
      "girl , interrupted really is a one flew over the cuckoo 's nest for the younger generation . it 's almost uncanny . but even as such , it works .",
      "compared to most movies about mental illness , it 's really a remarkably sane approach .",
      "when jolie 's onscreen , everyone else might as well lie down and play dead .",
      "acted to perfection .",
      "thought-provoking and realistic .",
      "sincerity of acting can cover -lrb- or expose -rrb- the holes in a movie , and when the sincerity comes with the big , button eyes and cute chopped hair of winona ryder , the basic tendency of an audience is to simply go with her , and so with the film .",
      "while it 's no one flew over the cuckoo 's nest or even on a par with frank perry 's fragile porcelain puzzle , david and lisa , the film has its strengths .",
      "a melancholy , haunting journey into the particular madness known as adolescence .",
      "jolie steals the movie .",
      "the film generates real empathy , without too much let 's - laugh - at - the - crazy - people humor or too much stereotyping .",
      "a movie with a lot of studio polish .",
      "` some advice ... never stick your finger out at a crazy person '",
      "well acted .",
      "simply one of the best films to deal with mental illness ever to be made in this country .",
      "in winona ryder 's case , MOV is a showcase in which her brittle , angry portrait shows she has graduated from ingenue to actress .",
      "sensitive , well-acted .",
      "excellent performances",
      "there 's a lot of tear-streaked hooey here , to be sure , but jolie makes up for it in spades and lazy , crazy sensuality .",
      "girl , interrupted is mangold 's singular take on the home-front movie : the way he sees it , some women also served time .",
      "i have to admit two of my least favorite actresses starred in this and i still loved it .",
      "winona ryder and angelina jolie further cement their reputations as two of the most gifted young screen actresses today .",
      "it 's difficult to imagine any actress today bringing more sentience and intelligence to -lsb- ryder 's -rsb- role .",
      "lisa does enough screaming to land jolie her first oscar nomination .",
      "girl , interrupted is solid .",
      "above all , through its searing character studies , girl , interrupted provides genuine and gripping insights into aspects of humanity which are revealing , extraordinary and sometimes very funny .",
      "it 's the one-upsmanship that jolie constantly beats ryder down with that makes this film even remotely interesting at all .",
      "artfully crafted and well acted , and it deserves special praise for sidestepping cliches .",
      "director james mangold works well with a strong cast , using a lot of close-ups to allow the actors to express their characters ' emotions .",
      "a well intended , but dramatically flaccid tale of a young woman 's struggle to find sanity , independence , and integrity .",
      "shrewd , tough , and lively .",
      "one flew over the cuckoo 's nest with a girl-power punch of thelma and louise ."
    ],
    "summary": "angelina jolie gives an intense performance , but overall girl , interrupted suffers from thin , predictable plotting that fails to capture the power of its source material .",
    "id": "13028"
  },
  {
    "movie": "being_there",
    "reviews": [
      "sellers uses simple looks and gestures to bring light to some very serious situations . at many points it 's like he 's in a trance , truly embodying chance .",
      "it 's perhaps the great comic actor 's most emotionally moving role .",
      "ground zero for the cult of sellers .",
      "a placid , poignant , well-kept secret of a movie .",
      "whether MOV is an indictment of our narrow view of the world , a celebration of empty-headedness or all of the above , `` life is a state of mind , '' and ashby 's film is a gift to treasure . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "... one of the shrewdest , funniest , and most touching sociopolitical satires in movie history .",
      "so anti-tom hanks it ai n't funny .",
      "peter sellers ' peculiar talents are ideally suited to the role of the idiot savant , and despite the oscar going to co-star douglas , his is the standout performance of a fascinating , funny film .",
      "jerzy kosinski 's modern fable gets a terrific translation to the screen due to his tight screenplay , capable direction by ashby , and a marvelous performance by sellers , one unlike any other in his career .",
      "a highly unusual and an unusually fine film .",
      "satire is a threatened species in american film , and when it does occur , it 's usually broad and slapstick , as in the mel brooks films . MOV , directed by hal ashby , is a rare and subtle bird that finds its tone and stays with it .",
      "the overall tone is one of light drama , and it 's only through its situations that it becomes a sly , witty statement on society , politics and pop culture .",
      "a very funny and thought-provoking movie that can be seen as a fairy tale , a political story , and a religious parable on the nature of identity in a media age .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1979 -rrb- , subtitled `` a story of chance , '' is a provocative black comedy -- a wonderful tale that satirizes politics , celebrity , media-obsession and television .",
      "everything forrest gump should have been and was n't .",
      "peter sellers absolutely shines in one of the 1970 's finest comedies .",
      "one of those movies that always seems fresh and relevant . in fact , this is one instance where the work seems more relevant to our own era than it did during its own time",
      "hal ashby directs MOV at an unruffled , elegant pace , the better to let mr. sellers 's double-edged mannerisms make their full impression upon the audience .",
      "what emerges in the end is a strange ambiguity of attitude to the american political system and a hollow humour about cultural values . the cinema of cynicism , really .",
      "no one seems to know what to do with the allegorical undertone of jerzy kosinski 's script , but as a whole this 1979 film maintains a fine level of wit , sophistication , and insight .",
      "brilliant ashby classic , peter sellers ' best .",
      "in an oscar-nominated turn as a simpleton who rises to the top , peter sellers renders a remarkable performance in ashby 's satirical fable , one that does n't rely on make-up , accent or impersonation .",
      "sellers ' best",
      "a vital statement on our tv reality , on how we develop our heroes , and on how power perpetuates itself",
      "sellers at his most restrained -- and he 's superb",
      "sellers is the book",
      "if you are going to see only one peter sellers movie , see dr. strangelove , but if you 're going to see two , then MOV also belongs on your must-see list .",
      "while the story is utterly ridiculous , since not everyone would be fooled all the time , it still works as a charming work of fiction .",
      "amazingly poignant performance by peter sellers .",
      "a product not of ashby 's essential modesty but of kosinski 's essential egoism .",
      "a gumpish plot ? perhaps , but MOV is much more subtle and enigmatic than that .",
      "peter sellers gives a stellar performance .",
      "hal ashby 's satirical parable on the way the usa surrenders itself to homespun evangelicalism gives peter sellers the role of a lifetime .",
      "the movie 's main effect is to confirm how versatile sellers has always been .",
      "even in a chilly movie like this , deaths have resonance -lrb- whether they 're on camera , or off -rrb- .",
      "here is a comedy that valiantly defies both gravity and the latest hollywood fashion ."
    ],
    "summary": "smart , sophisticated , and refreshingly subtle , MOV soars behind sensitive direction from hal ashby and a stellar peter sellers performance .",
    "id": "10184"
  },
  {
    "movie": "station_agent",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- a -rsb- tender , insidiously funny rendering of a life experienced at chest level .",
      "despite its humble nature , the film is downright uplifting without being vulgar , flashy or embarrassing .",
      "as touching and original a movie as you 're likely to see this year .",
      "in an age when nearly every movie is just like another , it 's worth noting that the MOV has a character we 've never seen before .",
      "there are n't many movies with characters as involving as in the MOV , and for that alone , it 's worth seeking out .",
      "but if you want to see three people flower emotionally in a way you have never seen before , you should enjoy this film .",
      "superb filmmaking that really touches a nerve yet never manipulates or condescends to the audience for a second .",
      "all of the actors are a great pleasure to watch .",
      "a magical slice-of-life whose small-scale nature is part of its effervescent charm .",
      "this year 's you can count on me .",
      "a diminutive movie with a big , yet unsentimental heart ... as compelling and charming as the remarkable peter dinklage makes the lead character .",
      "that `` the MOV '' is such a beautiful and enjoyable film despite its tv movie of the week sentiment is a tribute to the fine assemblage of actors .",
      "the MOV takes a simple theme -- loneliness and the inability or unwillingness to connect -- and makes it both funnier and more touching than you could imagine .",
      "a quiet joy , with sensitive performances of breathtaking delicacy .",
      "a beautiful story of three broken people , who learn how to live all over again .",
      "-lsb- p -rsb- uts ever so fine a point on the piquance of what it means to be alive and human and made of inconvenient flesh and blood .",
      "this human drama may be a big showcase for small actor peter dinklage , but it 's much more than a one-man show . ...",
      "it 's a wonderfully simple story about feeling like a geek and realizing that you 're not alone .",
      "feels more original and fresh than it is",
      "the MOV is a fine and funny film that explores all the curious ways in which friendship can abound , express love , and turn us around .",
      "there 's a lot to discover in the MOV . new faces , terrific acting , gentle directing and more than a few geeky train facts .",
      "a jewel of a film .",
      "the best advice to filmgoers who appreciate smart , mature , humanist movies is , simply , go .",
      "dinklage 's face and demeanor , his sense of solitude , ballasts some of the film 's loonier episodes . there 's always something on his mind , and you 're always wondering what it is .",
      "yes , this is a comedy , but it 's also sad , and finally it 's simply a story about trying to figure out what you love to do and then trying to figure out how to do it .",
      "... a nice little film about a reclusive little man .",
      "a small , smart movie that goes a long way toward making a lasting and tender impression .",
      "a slower-moving but powerfully absorbing drama .",
      "a film of small pleasures .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- blessedly serene comedy .",
      "a charmingly simple character study",
      "peter dinklage details fin?s solitude in single glances , but his countenance also warms to eventual friendship . it?s an attenuated , reserved , realistic performance ? bolstered when we learn fin is silent because shouting only summons repressed rage .",
      "a quiet joy with breathtaking performances .",
      "there is n't a character , location or situation in the MOV that could exist anywhere other than in a screenplay .",
      "a pleasurably quaint tale .",
      "charming fable about three misfits who overcome personal and social isolation and learn the meaning of friendship and community in the unlikely place of rural new jersey",
      "great acting , great script and competent directing fuel a truly good work of art not to be missed .",
      "... a sweet art film that is unapologetic as it is memorable . peter dinklage 's performance is poetic and pure as any you will ever observe on screen or off .",
      "the movie has humor that 's not derived from ridicule and an appeal based on the idea that relationships can be a comforting buffer in an often cruel world .",
      "... watching these friends interact is what the movie is about , not what they look like , not what they do , not what they talk about , but how they feel toward one another .",
      "... indie flavor-of-the-month patricia clarkson is so predictable in her quirky style that you can set your watch by her .",
      "mr. dinklage projects both size and intelligence in the fascinating reticence of his face .",
      "it might almost be a subgenre : the accidental family film . it 's enjoyable and a welcome break from the studio pictures , but it 's familiar to you even as you 're watching it .",
      "this is a gem of a movie that , like its protagonist , boasts a fiercely independent spirit full of discreet optimism and deadpan humour .",
      "go see the MOV . it 's one the year 's best films and i sincerely hope that it is not overlooked .",
      "as comforting , a bit hokey , and predictable as a cbs sunday night movie , this intimate film should play well on television .",
      "the brilliance of peter dinklage 's performance as the ironclad loner is that he does n't much care",
      "it 's the MOV 's meditation on the smaller things in life that make it such a big deal .",
      "a little gem .",
      "illustrates much of what is good and some of what is bad about american independent cinema .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- beautifully sincere , character-driven film .",
      "shows how effective proximity can be in creating new friendships",
      "slight , sweet and smart , it 's a modest crowd-pleaser that does n't make you feel like a yahoo for cheering , and it displays a mastery of tone that the big boys would do well to study .",
      "there are as many sharply observed moments as there are surprisingly funny ones .",
      "like the best sort of short story , the MOV captures lives in fleeting , but telling , moments .",
      "a small movie with a big heart .",
      "a humorous and touching tale about unexpected friendship .",
      "each of these characters has a generic , can-be - summed-up - with-one - character-trait quality , and there 's no compelling reason for them to exist or for their stories to be told .",
      "an old-fashioned story about belonging .",
      "this exemplary debut film by writer-director thomas mccarthy has a fine sense of comic timing and a rare generosity of spirit .",
      "carefully and lovingly documents the ways in which these characters fill their time and grow closer .",
      "the kind of film that 's sentimental but not sloppy , that invites you into its warm heart without offending your cynical head .",
      "the MOV is funny , respectful , and best of all , hopeful in nature .",
      "the MOV 's gentle wit and hard-won insights feel like the product of someone who has observed the world around him with an empathetic eye .",
      "an offbeat charmer .",
      "like a good novel , the MOV presents characters who seem like they will continue on their journey , even after we have left them .",
      "... one of my favorites ...",
      "writer / director thomas mccarthy has done a fine job of exploring loneliness , alienation and opening up to the world - and without sounding a single false note in the process .",
      "... experience this wonderful movie as soon as possible .",
      "mccarthy 's impressive directorial debut reflects , like few other films in recent memory , the feeling that we are n't alone , no matter how much we might think we want to be .",
      "it is about treasuring life -- sometimes even cheating death -- and it manages to warm hearts in its own uncompromising way , rarely cheating and never belittling .",
      "rarely has friendship -- honest , genuine friendship -- been portrayed so truthfully , with the gentle humor that belies real intimacy .",
      "a masterful film and a bracing movie experience .",
      "this sweet tale of unlikely friendships is buoyed by the marvelous performances of its star triumvirate",
      "thoughtful , not agonizingly lengthy , and extremely subtle without being pretentious ; like ulee 's gold , except with trains instead of bees .",
      "in this good natured study of humanity , writer-director tom mccarthy assembles a small group of such disparate characters and backgrounds you 'd think he was trying to say something about the extreme social possibilities that thrive in america .",
      "the word ` lovely ' comes to mind in assessing this intimate , character-driven piece about a man who tries to get away from people but finds to his luck that he can not .",
      "while many movies reintroduce us to the same old types , the MOV is an original -- you 've never seen these people on screen before , and it 's a pleasure to make their acquaintance .",
      "these are genuinely felt and vulnerable characters , each with a reason to feel swept to the outer margins of society .",
      "the MOV features characters so insufferably quirky their relationship could only exist in indie-wood .",
      "in a way , this is the anti-farrelly brothers movie .",
      "' -lsb- the MOV -rsb- is quietly effective , touching one moment , hilarious the next '",
      "so modest , unassuming , and in touch with the way human beings interact with one another that it 's almost impossible not to appreciate or enjoy .",
      "i do n't remember a more unusual , or more loving , movie than `` the MOV . '' ever .",
      "if you 're feeling a bit lonely , or if you just want to see an extraordinary film , pay them a visit . i do n't think you 'll be disappointed .",
      "one of the 10 best films of 2003 .",
      "a dull and obvious film posing as a subtle character study .",
      "it is warm and at the same time real . this is a film the viewer can settle into and be comfortable .",
      "it 's just a marvelous , unforced character study about a group of individuals gradually becoming a community .",
      "... i was checking my watch every few minutes?even though i knew that i wasn?t wearing one?just because it gave me something to do .",
      "could run two additional hours and you 'd appreciate the bonus time spent with this quirky relationship study and its endless charms .",
      "a splendid human drama about making the sorts of connections that do n't require a dial-up tone .",
      "it feels less like a modern motion picture than some odd poem long lost and then discovered in another age , a timeless , ageless gem of hard-resined emotions melting into real life .",
      "the MOV never leaves its sleepy patch of new jersey . but when it 's over , you know you 've been somewhere .",
      "witty and engrossing .",
      "mccarthy ... gives this spare character drama the emotional locomotion it requires to travel between loss and hope , one inch at a time .",
      "it 's a small film about a small man , but it makes a big impression .",
      "mccarthy evokes the loneliness of finbar 's life using simple stretches of silence and a series of long shots that call attention to the man 's small stature .",
      "like many a sundance film , the MOV is something less than its festival buzz , but it 's an often-gratifying vehicle for several likeable and talented actors .",
      "it 's dinklage who ensures that the film skirts mawkishness .",
      "it 's something special .",
      "high-concept elements ca n't obscure how tired the surrogate family storyline is .",
      "powerful film about the unspeakable awkwardness of life",
      "strange , often funny film .",
      "it 's a wonderful picture that hides its sprawling aspirations in a modest package .",
      "a movie with an intellectual existence both on and off the screen , as well as an emotional resonance that is difficult to shake .",
      "-lsb- the MOV -rsb- brings a fine sense of place , a saving humor , and a delicate appreciation of the way we sit tight on our hurts and losses , or run from them in order to avoid further pain .",
      "the MOV does not overwhelm you . rather it envelops you like a warm embrace from a loving relative or close friend .",
      "the MOV avoids exploitation for a sincere examination of the value of friendship .",
      "gravity dictates , friendship provides in the wonderful , unlikely camaraderie of the MOV .",
      "when the movie ended , i felt as if the characters were my friends , and i wished i could be up on the screen with them ...",
      "a triumph .",
      "in its own way and on its own terms , the MOV arrives at exactly the destination it set out for .",
      "here is a film with talent , sophistication , humor , and sensitivity rolled into a joyous , grief-cleansing , heart-lifting 90 minutes .",
      "such is the beauty of the way this simple film draws you in that when it ends after only 88 minutes and the credits start rolling , you want to demand more .",
      "a little gem of a movie .",
      "i liked it .",
      "you 'll be glad that you chose a movie with such genuine characters who had such a heartfelt story to tell .",
      "first time writer/director tom mccarthy has an innate sense of timing , exhibiting an instinctive flair for spare filmmaking .",
      "peter dinklage gives a priceless performance that is high in stature .",
      "for 88 all-too-brief minutes , we get to hang out with very companionable people , eavesdrop on their small talk and come to know them intimately , perhaps more intimately than we can get to know our own family members .",
      "the powerfully understated charmer , the MOV , is nothing more - and nothing less -- than the quiet study of a gently unfurling friendship between three misfits .",
      "observant and whimsical , -lsb- mccarthy 's film -rsb- often has a slyly humourous , lively tone . but this is not a lightweight movie ... . the MOV is an affecting drama .",
      "full of small lovely scenes , the movie is most comfortable just hanging out , observing its characters with an uncommon sweetness and respect .",
      "... -lsb- an -rsb- impeccably heartfelt and intimate charmer ... highlighted with a mature and touching element of sentimentality .",
      "it 's a gem to savor .",
      "dinklage does what a good actor should do : he uses his life experience ... to make his character ring true .",
      "... one of those little films you remember in a big way .",
      "this sundance winner deserves every accolade it 's earned so far for the way the director and his cast sidestep the script 's inherent obstacles of eccentricity and whimsy .",
      "a surprisingly funny film .",
      "a sweet and genuinely quirky delight .",
      "a very likable but -- make no mistake -- modest first feature .",
      "psychological percipience accompanied by gentle and droll humor",
      "you 'll want to schedule a stop for the station .",
      "it 's a small film , rather insubstantial when you boil it down to its essentials , but it benefits greatly from its three strong lead .",
      "deft and funny .",
      "a delicate , thoughtful and often hilarious take on loneliness ."
    ],
    "summary": "a sweet and quirky film about a dwarf , a refreshment stand operator , and a reclusive artist connecting with one another .",
    "id": "13001"
  },
  {
    "movie": "harry_potter_and_the_deathly_hallows_part_2_2011",
    "reviews": [
      "the filmmakers thankfully remember that we 've journeyed so far with these characters and so they trust that we , the audience , will understand the poignancy and meaning of the events that are unfolding .",
      "it 's the perfect conclusion to a wonderful , decade-long love affair with harry potter .",
      "unlike nearly every adaptation hollywood produces , the harry potter films , taken individually or as a whole , are worthy-epically worthy-of their literary source material .",
      "lopsided and rushed .",
      "a wholly-satisfying finale to what is unquestionably the greatest coming-of-age saga ever committed to film .",
      "` the wand chooses the wizard , ' says john hurt , whose own wand has n't made any choices since its scaffolding collapsed after bea arthur died .",
      "for a grand finale to a truly epic , good-natured franchise , this is a perfect goodbye that 's very hard to beat .",
      "the magic is n't over . far from it .",
      "one of the saga 's richest in character development installments , nicely rounds up the story without straying from its first half 's tone and look , other than the uneventful and at times problematic use of 3d",
      "while ` deathly hallows : part 2 ' brings closure to the sprawling saga , the primary reason to see the film is because it 's entertaining .",
      "we 're a long way from the hijinks and humour of earlier episodes . be prepared instead for a dark and thrilling ride .",
      "by staying true to the book 's themes , fans immersed in rowling 's world will be more than satisfied , and should be advised to bring a tissue .",
      "it 's hard to imagine fans leaving the final potter film with deep disappointment in this satisfying conclusion .",
      "an unbelievably satisfying bookend that is not only yates ' finest entry yet , but one of the best films in the series .",
      "this potter movie is the greatest , a fantastic end to a monumental series .",
      "end of an extensive journey , hauling a weight of finality that 's bittersweet . still , there 's much to celebrate here , with the picture a stirring , magnificent conclusion to a marathon wizarding odyssey .",
      "it 's a classic to stand the test of time .",
      "this is the way the harry potter saga was meant to end .",
      "it 's been a rocky road , but this final stop is among the series ' best entries .",
      "fans can rest assured -- without wishing to spoil any of the major plot lines -- that their patience will be paid off fully , and some , in the final epic harry potter chapter .",
      "the entire series of potter books and motion pictures has been leading us to this final showdown between harry and voldemort . it could easily have been a letdown . but the fight here between good and evil is more than satisfying . it 's thrilling .",
      "with its accelerated rhythm , relentless flow of incident and wizard-war endgame , part 2 will strike many viewers as a much more exciting , involving picture than the slower , more atmospheric part 1 .",
      "an outstanding capper to the most lucrative film franchise of all time .",
      "you need a deep grounding in potter-lore to make the slightest bit of sense out of it , but that wo n't be a problem for most people who see this film .",
      "this is monumental cinema , awash with gorgeous tones , and carrying an ultimate message that will resonate with every viewer , young or old : there is darkness in all of us , but we can overcome it .",
      "so long , harry . it 's been magic .",
      "will bring both chills to the skin and tears to the eyes .",
      "a triumphant , spell-binding finale for the hogwarts wizards .",
      "represents big budget filmmaking at its finest and long-form storytelling at its most emotionally rewarding .",
      "it 's a great sense of hope and affection that you 're left with in the end , regardless of j.k. rowling 's recent hints of an eight book on the cards ... as for the 3d , it adds very little",
      "... when the film finally ends , when those last few images play out , it is more than satisfying . it is triumphant .",
      "the film 's subdued dramatic finale - resonant as it is with themes of sacrifice , the responsibilities of power , friendship , hard-won wisdom - easily ranks as one of the most memorable and moving in recent franchise movie history .",
      "it 's wonderful . epic and heartbreaking and just as grand as it needs to be .",
      "with shifting loyalties , unlikely heroes , truths revealed and a little help from friends , `` harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 '' winds the series up in a most-satisfying fashion .",
      "everything a summer blockbuster should be but rarely is - a whip-smart , slam-bang piece of entertainment where we deeply care about the fate of the central characters -lrb- and many subsidiary ones who return for their last bows -rrb- .",
      "the effects are amazing , the pace and action are outstanding - what more need be said ? a dazzler of a finale .",
      "deathly hallows part two ably demonstrates david yates ' perfect understanding of the potter story .",
      "be sure to arrive at your seat with plenty of popcorn -- and tissues . you 're going to need both .",
      "an emotional , have-a-hanky-handy experience for many viewers as characters they 've come to know , love and care about make their collective exit .",
      "deathly hallows part 2 's most evocative moments generally have him thinking about death , not just his own , but also others ' .",
      "it makes a fitting conclusion to a series that most of the film-going public has been following for over a decade .",
      "even contrarians for whom the incredibly popular series has been an uneven road will admit that in this final stop , a team of talented filmmakers have saved their best for last .",
      "the protacted ending pt 2 . though it 's hard not to be grateful that `` it all ends '' this one is a modest success .",
      "the successful run of a franchise such as this is truly a rare feat in hollywood . take a bow , folks .",
      "back in the first movie , mr. ollivander told a young harry that we should expect great things from him . with the cinematic conclusion ten years later , he 's been proven right .",
      "director david yates , who has helmed the final quartet of movies , assuredly oversees the cycle to its finish .",
      "... as the ads suggest , it really does all end here for both the genuine and stimulatingly fictitious kids who have grown up dealing with the fulfilling assortment of thrills ... horrors , action and laughs so easily generated in the `` potter '' movies ,",
      "a very substantial fantasy film , perhaps even beyond the level of one of the lord of the rings films . with one major omission the series comes to a satisfying and frequently spectacular conclusion .",
      "we might not want to say good-bye to harry potter and his friends , but at least getting to see them off with a film of this caliber eases that feeling of loss just a bit .",
      "part 2 is never not good , but that 's small comfort when anticipating greatness .",
      "this is a terrific , smartly designed adolescent adventure , visually rich , narratively satisfying , and bound to resonate for years to come .",
      "it works its own kind of magic , the kind that comes from a great story , well told .",
      "there has never been and may never be again a story so electrifying over so many pages that has been so devotedly and expertly translated to the screen .",
      "considering that it began with genial formula of spell-casting and flying broomsticks , the phantasmagorical imagery and violence in the eighth installment is fairly adult .",
      "less committed filmgoers probably wo n't be quite as enthused -- potter has long been a franchise constructed to please readers of the books first -- but should be sufficiently entertained nonetheless .",
      "deathly hallows part 2 sends harry off into the pop culture pantheon on a thrilling high note . well played . well played indeed .",
      "the final installment of harry potter 's journey into spiritual maturity as a selfless magician who is willing to sacrifice himself for others .",
      "the citizen kane of whiz-kid film franchises reaches an emotional and exhilarating end .",
      "the thrilling conclusion to a phenomenal cinematic story 10 years in the telling , harry potter and the deathly hallows - part 2 is proof that authentic movie excitement is its own form of magic .",
      "an abbreviated , yet exhilarating finale that is equally satisfying as it is bittersweet .",
      "to say they 've saved the best for last would be an understatement . it 's a finale that 's truly magical in every way , and easily the best harry potter movie yet .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- after the rambling first-half effort of the final harry potter installment , the filmmakers get down to business to give the franchise a generally rewarding send-off .",
      "it 's not the best in the series but it 's a worthy enough conclusion . i had the same thoughts when i read the final book a few years ago .",
      "harry is , and always was , the boy who lived , and these books and films were about him coming to terms with the enormous obligations of that title , and realising that the burden of life is carried by all .",
      "the sublime supporting cast , brought back if only for glimpses here , remind us that the series is a luscious , perhaps unparalleled showcase for this generation 's most endearing british actors .",
      "in the end the thing works like , well , magic ...",
      "deathly hallows part 2 is n't just a proper sendoff , but maybe the best argument for adapting these books to film in the first place .",
      "a fitting capstone on a fabled film franchise for the ages !",
      "not that part two of harry potter and the deathly hallows is bad , you understand ; it 's much better than i expected , given the mediocrity of the series in general and the fizzle of part one in particular .",
      "a worthy farewell that packs in as much action as its seven predecessors combined and manages not to stint on the emotional beats . harry potter leaves us as a quiet , bespectacled , corduroy-wearing hero for the ages .",
      "there 's not much to say about this movie . if you 've read the books , you 'll go and see it and love it . if you 've seen all the other films , you 'll go and see it and love it .",
      "love , loss , courage , hope and humour -- deathly hallows offers them all in what proves a worthy finale to the potter saga .",
      "director david yates and screenwriter steve kloves seem to be in complete harmony as they wrap up subplots , give minor characters a time in the sun and head the lead characters into the final showdown .",
      "the final film has been labeled the ` epic conclusion ' and i was elated to discover that it did n't disappoint .",
      "harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 is everything any potter fan could want and more . it brings one of the most successful movie franchises to a thrilling conclusion .",
      "these films are campbell 's `` hero 's journey '' ... star wars to a generation of kids afraid of being thrust so quickly into adulthood-a reality all too close to home for the post-9 / 11 generation .",
      "that both the beloved characters and the film series itself manage to emerge victorious from the fray after over 10 years is truly something to celebrate .",
      "after ten years , eight films , and close to 20 hours of engaging storytelling , harry potter 's cinematic saga is finally complete -- and the last act is just as compelling , if not more so , than the first",
      "just adequate .",
      "the showdown is full of drama , horror and even humor , with supernatural detours given a winking kubrick-style spin by director david yates .",
      "offers up exciting action set pieces and a rousing finale to the somewhat overlong series .",
      "watched as a stand-alone film it 's likely to strike newcomers as completely mystifying , but committed and even semi-committed fans will surely welcome it as a worthy climax to the most successful film franchise in history .",
      "-lsb- ends -rsb- the series on an action-packed and character-driven note that works on most levels .",
      "i can merely pay illiterate , honest homage to the costumes , special effects and set designs , which are all fantastic . and to the actors , hamming and over-egging as if it is all day breakfast season on mount thespis .",
      "this harry has something the others do n't -- the power of goodbye . that helps this film be the best of the series .",
      "the harry potter films , like the boy wizard himself , have had their creative ups and downs , so it 's especially satisfying that this final film , ungainly title and all , has been worth the wait .",
      "it has been extraordinarily fun , and now the decade-long saga has reached its grand finale . the best has been saved for the last .",
      "goodbye , harry . you certainly know how to make an exit .",
      "it comes to an end with class , dignity and a fair amount of relief on the part of yours truly .",
      "come the conclusion , tears no doubt will be shed , probably by those more devoted than i. whether they cry because of overwhelming emotion or in mourning an era 's end , i 'm not sure . probably both .",
      "the final instalment , deathly hallows part 2 , is a bravura duel between good and evil . it 's also a cathartic , occasionally clunky nostalgiafest .",
      "it 's a bittersweet end as the final adaptation of the beloved books hits the big screen . expect tears , both from nostalgia and some truly amazing storytelling .",
      "radcliffe retains an endearingly owlish demeanor . but he also captures the quiet determination of a young man determined to confront his life-or-death destiny -- making the world safe for good folks , wizards and muggles alike -- with admirable aplomb .",
      "it 's always hard to predict how a work of art will age over time , but i have the feeling that , like its three young leads , the harry potter series will turn out just fine .",
      "tears are shed for the lost , cheers are raised for the -lrb- often unexpectedly -rrb- brave and noble , and , in the movie 's final moments , there is a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment rarely achieved in filmmaking .",
      "it unspools like gangbusters .",
      "the most enduring aspect of the harry potter films , and the reason this one works , is the acting of its three young leads .",
      "all too soon , in the words of the tagline , ` it all ends ' . spectacularly . emotionally . and wanderfully .",
      "now that the harry potter series is over , maybe the truth can be realized : this has been the dullest franchise in the history of movie franchises .",
      "of course , if the films have n't won you over by this point , this one is unlikely to make you a convert , but for the millions of fans who 've grown up with potter , it 's good enough to make saying goodbye a tougher proposition .",
      "it 's harry potter as a full-tilt action picture , yet unlike the mind-numbing action of transformers , here you feel totally invested in the protagonists ' plight .",
      "it 's a pleasant irony that , just as the first installments of rowling 's oeuvre were better suited to page than screen , the final installments have reversed the relationship .",
      "`` harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 '' ends the series on a triumphant note . it is a memorable and moving conclusion that will leave you wishing for more .",
      "if you 've been a devoted follower of the potter saga in print and at the movies , you 'll come away from this final chapter with a feeling of catharsis and , perhaps , a slightly damp handkerchief .",
      "i am a fan of both the books and films and it is sad to say goodbye to the boy wizard so many have grown up with . but at least he gets the send-off he deserves -- with a 3d blast of visual wizardry .",
      "i ca n't think of anything which has made me feel happier or more privileged than this incredible , rich , and infinitely touching body of work .",
      "the series deserves a hearty round of applause",
      "satisfying",
      "ten years . eight movies . evil vanquished . it 's done .",
      "harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 caps the series with visual panache and emotional punch . it 's a fitting finale to an unparalleled cinematic accomplishment .",
      "fusing spectacle and emotion into a thrilling final chapter , director david yates ensures that the series goes out with a bang . finales do n't come much grander than this .",
      "this is such an entertaining , beguiling , charming and exciting picture . it reminded me of the thrill i felt on seeing the very first one , 10 years ago .",
      "spectacularly epic , poignant end to a magical series .",
      "in the 10 years since harry 's first big - screen close-up , the spell has never been broken . and we muggles have been made better for the magic .",
      "it 's a rare film that manages to be both spectacular and sweet .",
      "this is a masterful and worthy final chapter in one of the best franchises ever put to film .",
      "fantastic ! emotional ! its a full blown out war !",
      "i could n't help feeling rather bereft as i left the cinema . but harry is the boy who lived , and he will live on in film for many years to come to delight new generations .",
      "a finale that 's as moving , spectacular and engaging for both die-hards and casual fans alike .",
      "it 's virtually non-stop action , though director david yates , who has taken good care of these final four , ever-meaner potter adventures , does a very crafty thing , following adapter steve kloves ' screenplay .",
      "yates and kloves find the grand scope in rowling 's book , and mine it for all the excitement and pathos it 's worth .",
      "as a standalone film , it delivers intense and engaging action . though , i could n't help but feel a bit underwhelmed by the final battle sequence we have waited ten years to see .",
      "it 's completely satisfying on the level of an fx-driven summer blockbuster . but most importantly it 's satisfying on the level of a great drama .",
      "a truly magical finale .",
      "a bad teacher visual buffet best consumed as dazzling hocus pocus . mixing fantasy , freud and freaky father figures with serpentine metaphors , unruly male role models , an oedipal wand in search of a wizard , and stolen kisses during incidental fleeing .",
      "my , how the children have grown -- and the movies too .",
      "the best was saved for last .",
      "harry potter and the deathly hallows , part 2 puts a triumphant capper on a decade of pottermania .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- his is simply a great flick : powerfully emotional , profoundly resonant , scary and funny and intense and wholly enrapturing . it 's a great time at the movies , entirely apart from its harry-potter-ness .",
      "defined by darker mood and greater gravity than previous chapters , this film concludes the series on a high note that should please viewers and get serious attention as oscar contender .",
      "possibly the weakest entry in the series .",
      "if these movies have done nothing else , they have shown great skill in playing directly to a target audience , never swaying from that mission , and doing it exceptionally well .",
      "delivers precisely what most viewers will be looking for : battles , suspense , revelations , and , most importantly , a fitting , emotionally satisfying conclusion that is entirely in keeping with rowling 's novel .",
      "thank god it is finally over .",
      "ralph fiennes is awesome in this movie .",
      "the series now has the power to deserve comparison to the lord of the rings .",
      "a fitting farewell for all the zillions of harry potter fans ; not the best hp movie but one of the best .",
      "radcliffe -lrb- and yates -rrb- shine in the final hour .",
      "there 's visual overstatement , stone-heavy exposition , self-seriousness -lrb- masquerading as maturity -rrb- , cgi-laden plot -lrb- falling short of spectacle -rrb- , and predictable action sequences .",
      "... yates and company deserve credit for delivering the goods -- generally .",
      "the film expertly balances physical action and emotional development , loud moments and quiet ones , and it 's that balance that makes it such a satisfying and proper finish .",
      "as we age , we all begin to understand that the world is filled with great sadness , fear and tragedy . harry potter understands that to confront those realities with a heart that is open to love and friendship is truly an adventure worth having .",
      "an equally thoughtful and thrilling installment , perhaps the franchise 's best .",
      "the greatest potter film of them all .",
      "director david yates and screenwriter steve kloves seem to be on the same page in building intensity and flawless execution . this concluding swan song goes out with a bang rather than a whimper . there were no dull spots that dragged the story down like ...",
      "one of the most faithful adaptations of any source material i have seen , in this series or outside of it ... if only hollywood would make more movies like this .",
      "the `` kids '' , radcliffe , grint and watson , have all grown into terrific actors , which is vastly important given the material they must elucidate .",
      "it 's a bit difficult even for me , a casual admirer , to reconcile that the series has come to an end .",
      "in the end , it 's the incredible inventiveness of rowling 's concept that makes it a ca n't - put-down book series with a not-to-be-missed movie series following closely behind .",
      "harry potter is n't about the wand choosing the wizard ; it 's about what education should be about : transforming imagination into reality .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- bungles key moments that have built-in dramatic weight from the book with ordinary staging and a breakneck pace . many of the movies , including this one , have merely summarized the books rather than actually interpreting them .",
      "nothing can compare to the experience of reading j.k. rowling 's books , which have been expertly condensed and interpreted by screenwriter steve kloves , but given the need for compromise i think they 've done justice to the author 's intentions -lrb- if not ...",
      "while `` deathly hallows : part 2 '' offers long-promised answers , it also dares to pose some eternal questions , and it 'll stay with you after the final chapter has closed .",
      "the continuous flow of the two movies will hopefully be molded into a single 4-hour plus experience on blu-ray -lrb- where eduardo serra 's cinematography will really pop -rrb- and solidify its place as one of the best final chapters of any movie franchise ever .",
      "even if you 're not a big fan of the series , harry potter and the deathly hallows - part 2 a mixture of solid storytelling and excellent craftsmanship make it -- maybe not a new bar for adventure filmmaking -- but a worthy entry and conclusion .",
      "ao longo de uma década , a série harry potter transportou crianças de 5 a 90 anos de idade em uma viagem intensa , imaginativa , envolvente , tocante , divertida , inteligente e deliciosa .",
      "spectacular but also emotionally affecting , it 's a fitting capstone to a series that remains unmatched , despite many attempts over the past decade to imitate its magical formula .",
      "the movie puts a spell on you .",
      "words have an inexhaustible magic , wise old albus dumbledore proclaims in the final stanza of author j.k. rowling 's epic harry potter series . as it happens , the same must be said now for the eight films adapted from her books .",
      "some will complain that the film does n't explain anything , blithely assuming you 've read the books , and simply plows ahead . good .",
      "a satisfying wrap-up of the series , with an especially effective performance by alan rickman .",
      "director david yates and screenwriter steve kloves guide the story to a graceful and satisfying end . the movie 's final moments are the equivalent of the half-jubilant , half-mournful thrill you get when you close the cover of a book you 've savored .",
      "it 's almost a good thing to have a lousy deathly hallows part i to get all the explaining out of the way , and leave all the good parts for a kick-ass part ii .",
      "it 's almost impossible for the convergence of good and evil to meet inflated expectations . what matters here is that the story is told clearly and with faithfulness to the book , and that it resolves a conflict that has simmered for a decade .",
      "like the previous seven movies , `` harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 '' obliviates the line between art and craft , but the witchcraft conjured for this satisfying finale is uniquely generous .",
      "harry potter 's epic journey ends with power and majesty . for 10 years , we 've waded through oceans of exposition and endured ever-burgeoning layers of new characters and mythology to absorb . all building to : this .",
      "it hardly matters that deathly hallows part 2 is neither the best film of the series , nor the perfect conclusion to it . it 's what it represents that 's significant . and that 's the end of an era .",
      "a dazzling , stirring capper to a once-in-a-generation movie franchise .",
      "the eight-part saga comes to a close with an action-packed finale that neatly ties up the strands of the whole series and also manages to give its actors some meaty scenes to play with .",
      "everything comes together ; the chamber of secrets , the basilisk venom , parseltongue , polyjuice potion , the castle ghosts ... there 's no fat here .",
      "how do you compete with young harry , young ron , and young hermione ? you ca n't . they 're ones of a kind . good night sweet princes and princess .",
      "the technical wizardry on display is perfectly crafted and fires the imagination like never before .",
      "so the wait was worth it . the eighth film of the seven-book series sees harry potter finally waving a wand in anger at his nemesis lord voldemort , and is not a disappointment .",
      "ten years and eight films after the boy wand-twirler 's cinematic adventures began , the saga resolves in ways suspenseful , romantic and thrilling .",
      "the movie ... manages to be a worthy ending to what has become one of the greatest film franchises ever released .",
      "part 2 ends up being a worthy note for this decade-long franchise to go out on with a satisfying conclusion to bid farewell to these enduring characters .",
      "this incredibly satisfying and emotionally moving finale is frosted with sprinkles of just about every bit of harry potter lore you can think to name .",
      "yates strikes a beautiful harmony to make the most of the storytelling and the technology .",
      "thankfully , yates gives us one wonderful final voyage with harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 , a smashing , melancholy , and thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the eight-film saga .",
      "the seven films to date have earned almost a billion dollars each , so it 's obvious their followers are legion . but this is also a series that takes itself seriously , never more so than in this , the deathly finale .",
      "radcliffe 's interpretation of harry has been exemplary , truly amazing when you think about it .",
      "this enthralling film ends the series on a high note , exceeding expectations and delivering a fine conclusion to the films .",
      "delivers the action-packed finale fans have been hoping for and the required emotional kick , even if it ca n't quite convincingly pull off the various romantic couplings .",
      "harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2 is a bittersweet parting for the boy who lived , an excellent finale for the popular boy wizard who has captured the hearts of so many people .",
      "passable , well-acted , but not one of the best films of the series .",
      "a towering achievement , a staggering , out-of-nowhere pop filmmaking triumph on par with the dark knight , the return of the king and spider-man .",
      "a movie with no beginning and no middle but two-plus hours of thundering , momentous ending ...",
      "my hunch is that your reaction to this haunting , magical final installment will mirror your reaction to the book .",
      "the finale is a great british triumph , twice as good as its predecessor , highly recommended . a happy ending , as i think it 's known .",
      "there 's no doubt about it : harry potter ends on a high .",
      "it 's so detailed and mature that there 's really nothing left for us to do but put down our round spectacles and our wands and return to our far less fascinating muggle existence .",
      "here at last , in the final chapter , the harry potter franchise rouses itself toward something approaching greatness ... after eight installments , this last harry potter film finally left me wanting just a bit more .",
      "`` a worthy conclusion to the series , providing numerous worthwhile payoffs to j.k. rowling 's wizard saga . ''",
      "sharply directed and appropriately tear-jerking , imbued with the gravitas of such an epic finale .",
      "a well-rounded , entertaining and satisfying conclusion to this epic series . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "begins with a bang and does n't stop .",
      "a satisfying roller coaster ride that harry potter fans have been waiting for since the beginning .",
      "the movie still looks drab , dark and blah but yates has finally made a harry potter movie fans can be proud of and sends this franchise off on a high note .",
      "exactly what it needs to be : artfully filmed , tautly paced , just sentimental enough .",
      "with nothing left to tell , the grand finale to the harry potter saga holds nothing back .",
      "an exciting , appropriately epic and emotionally satisfying finish .",
      "it 's been a long journey , but in all of those undertakings , MOV succeeds with incredible resolve .",
      "what fun to feel like a kid again . i had a marvelous time .",
      "this movie is impressively staged , the dialogue is given proper weight and not hurried through , there are surprises which , in hindsight , seem fair enough , and `` harry potter '' now possesses an end that befits the most profitable series in movie history .",
      "bear with the slow start and what you get in this bookending instalment 's latter two acts is more pathos , exhilaration , and sheer entertainment value than anything else in the entire eight-film , ten-year saga . potter has certainly saved the best for last .",
      "this rich , graceful film is like seeing rowling 's novels through a shimmering , magic mirror . a magnificent , nearly-flawless finale , warmly emotional without being sentmental .",
      "130-minutes of unfocused , supernatural-themed sludge .",
      "what a way to go out .",
      "pretty much an open goal given the inevitable payoff that concluding a story some seven films in the making was always going to bring , director david yates though has helmed a very impressive film , and the best of the whole series .",
      "... good enough , which is a succinct way of describing the eight-movie franchise as a whole .",
      "epic battle ? please . director david yates moves at only two speeds : super-charged yet not impactful and labored , faux-majestic stillness .",
      "a fitting , expertly made final chapter , freighted with hard-won emotions , shot through with a sense of farewell , and fully aware of the epic stakes involved .",
      "j.k. rowling 's boy wizard gets a spectacular , yet not entirely satisfying finale .",
      "david yates and his crew have hauled harry potter and friends out of the vale of depression where they languished during the previous film and pitched them into an exhilarating series of cliffhangers .",
      "director david yates has finally found an ideal combination of exposition and emotion in his fourth consecutive potter project . writer steve kloves ... neither wastes a word nor leaves out any essentials .",
      "yates gives this final harry potter production the majesty it calls for",
      "it 's a fight to the death , as good and evil whip out their wands and cross swords amid the ruins of what used to be the hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry .",
      "this is exactly what you would expect - a perfect and exciting ending for those who have been following the franchise . those who could n't care less probably stopped reading ages ago .",
      "while swept up in the desperate search for horcruxes , yates allows us to feel once more as though we are very much in the middle of things , but , alas , it was a trick and a false hope , because in the end ... it was , irrevocably , the end .",
      "for the most part , harry potter and the deathly hallows : part ii picks up right where part i , the franchise 's shining beacon on a hill , leaves off .",
      "a wonderfully rich adaptation of the final book 's last act , but the central focus on the three leads might leave some fans disappointed , especially those seeking a more thorough adaptation .",
      "ending the light fantastic",
      "what truly unifies this ten-year , eight-film saga is the sense of kinship with its lead trio of young wizards .",
      "from any perspective-technical , emotional , storytelling - `` deathly hallows : part 2 '' is a smashing success .",
      "for the most part , the final movie delivers the combination of emotional intensity and rousing battle sequences befitting the end of a phenomenon that evolved from an unexpectedly popular children 's book series to an era unto itself .",
      "fiennes and rickman get the actorly moments they 've been building toward for so long , and the film is most fun when it sticks to mechanics : roller coaster rides , battle scenes , close calls .",
      "set pieces so spectacular you 'll sit in awe at what the british film industry can achieve these days",
      "thematically , like any good myth , the harry potter story comes full circle , with a heroic homecoming and the promise of more adventures , if only in our imaginations .",
      "not the be-all and end-all of its series , nor of summer blockbusters ... think of it instead as the lingering farewell to a fun ride .",
      "harry potter , yeah , it 's not bad .",
      "the potter films have gotten darker , both literally and figuratively , with each installment , and the predominant tones of deathly hallows part 2 are grey and black .",
      "while it 's all too easy to poke fun at the film 's earnestness and clunky dramaturgy , one ca n't deny that it holds the audience in the palm of its hand throughout .",
      "when the movie was over , a young boy sitting behind me said , `` that was great ! '' he was satisfied , and rightly so .",
      "in deathly hallows part 2 radcliffe shows us the man harry 's been forced to become . it 's a real performance , layered and even moving .",
      "a fitting final chapter .",
      "this splendid final hp film uses special effects to full advantage , thereby increasing the thrill of watching harry and his friends try to defeat the evil lord voldemort .",
      "a fitting finale and bittersweet good-bye to the boy wizard who is no longer a boy .",
      "-lrb- director david -rrb- yates and screenwriter steve kloves have lovingly transported -lrb- rowling 's -rrb- vision to the most satisfying finale , truly grand , in film history .",
      "if ever there was a critic-proof film , this is most certainly it - but , pleasingly , it 's so good that it does n't have to be .",
      "... a mostly satisfying coda , with nostalgic 360 return to hogwarts ... potter faithful will find a sizable lump in their throats as the music wells and intrepid threesome take their places in carefully staged tableaux .",
      "deathly hallows - part 2 is everything a potter fanatic could want in a franchise capper .",
      "the potter universe , magical as it is , is more grounded in heart and soul than many fictions . you do n't read harry potter to escape , you read harry potter to find your way .",
      "merely translating the events of the novel would have been easy , but deathly hallows part 2 - like all its predecessors - invests the story with a cinematic life all its own .",
      "the film 's greatest success may lie in its balance of breathless action and heart-rending emotion .",
      "the final episode overwhelms with its cgi effects , yet somehow manages to be surprisingly moving in the way the epic harry potter story is brought to a satisfactory conclusion .",
      "more than ever , radcliffe is asked to take control of the screen as his boy wizard faces his own demons before finally facing voldemort , and the talented thespian is up to the task , holding nothing back in an ofttimes ferocious performance .",
      "this , the final chapter , is a remarkable achievement : as piercingly true as it is astonishingly magical .",
      "every bit as rewarding - and flawed - as its source material , this final installment of the harry potter series is pure movie magic .",
      "part 2 is a magnificent finale for this fantasy opus , one that pays ample justice to harry 's long-in-the-making showdown with he who must not be named , a battle in which life and death , the past and the future , precariously hang in the balance .",
      "it 's a solid capper for this monumental series .",
      "if you do n't know what a horcrux is , then you 're at the wrong movie .",
      "casual fans of the film series will find this final outing extremely satisfying while the more serious fans are going to absolutely love it .",
      "radcliffe 's potter is an abominable creation , capturing the dogged determination of jason voorhees , ability to infiltrate the hero 's mind of freddie krueger and penchant for casual animal cruelty of dora the explorer .",
      "this installment clocks in as the shortest harry potter film yet , but it sacrifices little in terms of thrills and tears , and has some seriously cool special effects .",
      "it 's a bucket of maraschino cherries and whipped cream after no supper . it 's a two-plus hour climax without an ounce of foreplay . a fireworks grand finale without a single sparkler cooling off in uncle joe 's pabst can .",
      "hpatdh 2 works like a charm . a funereal charm , to be sure , but then , there 's no time left for larks .",
      "... the greatest showdown between good and evil since luke skywalker and darth vader mixed it up in `` return of the jedi . ''",
      "the harry potter movies are n't really movies . they 're the world 's most expensive book illustrations .",
      "harry potter and the deathly hallows , part 2 is a fine finish to a franchise that most , including myself , wish would never end .",
      "the messianic aspect of harry 's purpose-driven life comes to the fore ... making this an action-packed , adventure-laden rewrite of the easter story ...",
      "it all ends . and to be sure , it 's a fitting end for the storied franchise .",
      "... a brilliant finish to the series , an action-packed finale with elements of darkness and beautifully integrated moments of humor and heroism .",
      "como cierre de la franquicia seguramente no decepcione a casi nadie . no hace falta ser un gran fanático para esperar esta culminación con ansiedad , e incluso para emocionarse .",
      "this is a massive , tentpole , franchise movie with impeccable good taste -- its most essential , surprising and exhilarating ingredient .",
      "i think what works best about this final film is how surprisingly moving parts of it are .",
      "for 10 years and eight films we 've gotten to watch these young actors grow as people , as performers and as characters . it has been a true coming-of-age saga , in the fullest and most moving sense of the term .",
      "as they say , all good things must come to an end . but in this instance , you can take solace in knowing the fat lady can belt out one heck of a final note . thanks for the memories , harry potter . we 'll miss you .",
      "this hp 7.2 makes a great case for lifting the entire third act out of a picture and just making that your sequel .",
      "it 's successful at giving its audience the feeling that they have shared an experience with these characters for almost ten years , and that their farewell is bittersweet .",
      "one of the best of the eight films deathly hallows : part 2 might indeed require a scorecard for the uninitiated , but for those in the know , it 's a more than suitable ending for a decade-long journey that was truly magical .",
      "this is pretty much a delight from start to finish that will thrill and touch audiences and leave them wanting more even as it concludes everything in an extremely satisfying and graceful manner .",
      "you might fear that several of these characters wo n't be emerging alive at the end of the tale . is it wrong to say you 'd be right ?",
      "as strong an anchor as anyone could ask for , bringing this beloved saga to a rousing and irresistible conclusion .",
      "the final chapter ends with an epilogue that puts a lump in your throat and makes you want to watch them all again from the beginning . that 's the definition of a classic .",
      "fasten your seat belts . harry potter and the deathly hallows : part 2is an emotional roller-coaster ride .",
      "the film flies along , a pace underscored by the fact that it 's the shortest of the series . yates straps the audience onto a rampaging beast and offers an edgy , nervy ride .",
      "the best possible end for the series that began a decade ago .",
      "the grand finale of the harry potter saga brings narrative and emotional closure by finally delivering the grand confrontation all the previous films were building toward .",
      "with its heartening final note of hope and renewal , deathly hallows -- part 2 provides an altogether fitting finale to a series that has prized the fans above all .",
      "there are moments of wit , fear , imagination and grace that one remembers over the years , but they are scattered among the long drawn-out , meandering narrative .",
      "it is not often that we can chart a series over 10 years featuring the same child stars as they grow into adults . this phenomenon gives deathly hallows 2 a particular poignancy .",
      "a fitting , shocking , exciting , mind blowing experience even the haters and contrarians will begrudgingly admit is pretty awesome .",
      "the final harry potter movie , above all others , supplies radcliffe with the gravitas of not just an epic story come to completion , but some real dramatic heft . not so bad for a hogwarts dropout .",
      "as far as spectacle goes , this final chapter of the harry potter franchise has plenty of it with showy special effects and a rich and alluring density that once again overshadows the narrative",
      "well done , harry ! you 've saved the best for last .",
      "what 's best about yates 's direction of the adapted screenplay by steve kloves is that it never loses sight of the emotional interplay and struggles of its characters .",
      "it 's with a heavy heart that we say good-bye to harry potter , but in crafting what may well be the best blockbuster of the season , the boy wizard has gone out with a suitably spellbinding bang , and one that will leave a lasting impression on cinemagoers .",
      "it may not contain many of the series ' most comic , surprising or quotable moments , but it does succeed in bidding adieu in fine fashion to some of this century 's most popular fictional characters .",
      "while it 's unfolding , this is just terrific fun : eye-scorching , ear-battering , heart-pounding cinema of pure spectacle .",
      "exciting , gripping and touching , the action-packed final instalment sees this tremendously successful franchise end on a high .",
      "cinematographer eduardo serra underscores the sense of dread with a rich charcoal palette , and the outstanding cgi and 3d effects make the otherworldly threats more corporeal .",
      "we 'll miss you , harry . but oh , what a way to go out .",
      "the fast-paced , spectacular conclusion ties the final knot in the narrative thread of this spellbinding series .",
      "though it does indeed hurt to say goodbye , almost all potter fans will agree this emotion-charged farewell has been handled to perfection .",
      "part ii gets everything right to send off harry on a cinematic high .",
      "the grand finish , if not always inspired , feels necessary . in a sustained , imaginative way , this is the best of any movie series .",
      "it certainly went out making its presence felt , but in my opinion , though there were explosions aplenty , a few deaths , and everyone inevitably ended up with who they should , i felt it ended with more of a fizz than a bang .",
      "sadly , though , the finale is n't the spectacle the series really deserves , and i feel fans will gloss over the film 's dull points and poor direction in favour of facing the reality that ` the deathly hallows part 2 ' is an average affair .",
      "the film is strong enough to have the unusual effect of improving its predecessors in the memory simply by association .",
      "as to the three principals , they 've grown up with the potter saga and have done so reasonably gracefully .",
      "deathly hallows -- part 2 lives up to the standard set by its predecessors , remaining true to their spirit while also delivering an epic battle royal between harry -lrb- daniel radcliffe -rrb- and lord voldemort -lrb- ralph fiennes -rrb- .",
      "i must confess to being completely unmoved by the harry potter phenomenon . the books strike me as derivative and bland , and the film versions are , if anything , even worse .",
      "when the time comes to face harry 's fate , radcliffe confidently , casually shows how much he 's matured as an actor .",
      "i for one am glad to see harry potter come to a close . it was one of the most reliable film franchises ever to go beyond a trilogy , even at its spottiest , and i imagine that an entire generation will look back on it with fond memories .",
      "when yates gets it right , deathly hallows : part two roars with majestic otherworldly oomph .",
      "a pyrotechnic wonder , a superb feast of visuals , innovative design and fabulous camerawork . and the eager fans cheered and clapped at the sydney premiere , even if i did n't"
    ],
    "summary": "thrilling , powerfully acted , and visually dazzling , deathly hallows part ii brings the harry potter franchise to a satisfying -- and suitably magical -- conclusion .",
    "id": "770687943"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1019187-sleeping_beauty",
    "reviews": [
      "despite being understandably technologically eclipsed ... MOV still possesses an ageless technirama charm and joie de vivre that 's hard to find in many modern children 's films .",
      "viewing it again for the first time in five years is like being reunited with an old friend .",
      "suffused with celestial metaphors and flights of visual fancy informed by pre-renaissance art , the economical story is played for cosmic pathos and staged as pagan ritual .",
      "is this the point when disney animation lost its charm ?",
      "very very 1950s , both in outlook and execution , but still brimming with wit and powerfully moving at times .",
      "maleficent is one of the crowning achievements of the disney villain factory .",
      "magical !",
      "it may be disney 's purest cinematic fairy tale ...",
      "the picture is so misanthropic that its happy ending feels more coma-dream than fairy-tale resolution",
      "not exactly the type of movie you sing along to",
      "taken as a childhood adventure , you ca n't get much better than this film",
      "the animation is -- as with all the early disney 's -- jaw-droppingly good .",
      "at once modernist and classical , disney 's MOV takes characters who look like paper cutouts from magazine cartoons and sets them against backdrops that look like expensive wallpaper patterns .",
      "a vision of artistry and pure entertainment , `` MOV '' will never , ever grow old .",
      "technical wizardry apart , it 's the supporting characters that make the difference , in this case the trio of plump guardians flora , fauna and merryweather , and iconic villainess maleficent the wicked fairy .",
      "MOV is a masterpiece that looks and sounds better than ever on blu-ray , and with an outstanding selection of fascinating special features , this is a release that is easily labeled a must-own .",
      "disney classic is delightful but sometimes scary .",
      "has poor party etiquette ever been so costly ?",
      "has grown better with age .",
      "one of the handful of disney features that can be rightfully called perfect .",
      "this was the most expensive animated film to date , and every penny was on the screen .",
      "the hero and heroine are sugar sculpture , and the witch looks like a clumsy tracing from a charles addams cartoon .",
      "although this rarely achieves the heights of classics like snow white and dumbo , it still has its moments .",
      "mary costa 's rich and expressive voice for the title character gives substance and strength to it .",
      "... a fine family film .",
      "a great-looking , colourful old-style classic .",
      "the masterpiece of the disney studios ' postwar style .",
      "MOV has been regarded as a minor classic for too long . this restored edition should reinforce that it 's a classic , period .",
      "disney 's last great fairy tale adaptation for more than thirty years , until beauty and the beast ... a worthy successor to snow white and pinocchio .",
      "the colors are rich , the sounds are luscious and magic sparkles spurt charmingly from wands ."
    ],
    "summary": "this disney dreamscape contains moments of grandeur , with its lush colors , magical air , one of the most menacing villains in the disney canon .",
    "id": "21442"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beats_rhymes_and_life_the_travels_of_a_tribe_called_quest",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's rapaport 's mistake to spend so much time and energy unpacking something so much more obvious , and so much less interesting , than tribe 's music .",
      "the film serves both as a welcome document and reminder of the group in its prime , while also creating a portrait of lives still in motion , grown men trying to move on from yet respect the work of their younger selves .",
      "a phenomenal documentary .",
      "there 's nothing new about the bickering between lead rappers q-tip and phife , or their redundant breakup-and-reunion cycle . it helps that these lyricists are our key narrators , so at least they add wit and humour to their brief history .",
      "the movie gets the beats and rhymes down pat , but the life part is a little messy . oh well , two out of three ai n't bad .",
      "it 's a doozy .",
      "good vibes propel what is a fairly straightforward account of the band 's formation , album output , and acrimonious breakup .",
      "the emotional honesty rapaport captures on screen comes off as real , a cut above standard-issue behind the music drama in terms of believability .",
      "the band 's politically charged hits still sound as fresh as when they were recorded , and their side projects may have improved with age . i had to download jungle brothers ' `` black is black '' the minute i left the theater .",
      "there are scenes toward the end of the movie that hint at a fuzzier tomorrow for tribe , but you leave appreciating the music as it was , not hoping for anything else .",
      "i approached `` beats , rhymes & life : the travels of a tribe called quest '' with a music lover 's curiosity and a film lover 's fondness for documentaries . i was not disappointed on either count .",
      "rapaport , in his feature directorial debut , does an admirable job recounting the group 's formation and dissecting its dissolution .",
      "a surprisingly concise and eloquent look at hip-hop itself , abetted by analytical contributions from some of the genre 's most popular artists .",
      "somewhat against the odds , rapaport manages to parlay his access and sycophancy into the plaint of a concerned fan : please , fellas , squash this .",
      "as an introduction to a tribe called quest and a history of a very particular side of hip-hop , this is pretty hard to beat .",
      "you 'll definitely leave the movie hoping -lsb- a tribe called quest -rsb- will work out their differences to make more music together sometime in the future .",
      "even those who never joined the cult of a tribe called quest will find this clear-eyed chronicle of their career irresistible .",
      "an adoring , though enlightening , look at the tumultuous run of the influential hip-hop group .",
      "that mood of musical unity , of a sonic movement , is incredible , vibrantly recounted in beats . it 's more than just a documentary , it 's a time capsule of hip hop originality and confidence .",
      "this authorized documentary is more of a celebration of the legendary queens quartet than a serious exploration of their art . but considering how brilliant they were at their peak , it 's hard to disagree with the general sentiment .",
      "warning : the bassline ron carter contrived for the classic cut ` buggin ' out ' is about as easy to dislodge from your brain as a ` night gallery ' earwig .",
      "maybe i 'm just a sucker for good old fashioned hip-hop , but i found michael rapaport 's totally-by-the-numbers music doco -lsb- beats , rhymes & life : the travels of a tribe called quest -rsb- absolutely compelling .",
      "this documentary therefore did exactly what a good music doco should do : brought people like me up to speed and , according to reports from more serious hip hop fans in the audience , provided lots of information that was n't previously well known .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- t might have been nice if the documentary had worked a bit harder to find a real internal narrative .",
      "while it 's uncertain if a tribe called quest will ever get back together and play again , it 's quite certain fans will love and appreciate beats , rhymes & life : the travels of a tribe called quest as their final encore .",
      "rappaport covers a huge spectrum of voices and opinions , and the themes he explores get into personal relationships -- something everyone can relate to .",
      "rapaport , clearly a fan , is able to capture both the ongoing love and the tension within the band .",
      "director rapaport captures these intimate dynamics with startling depth , and the band members provide candid interviews that are amazing in their honesty and emotional insight .",
      "`` beats , rhymes & life '' is a must for hip-hop heads . others will either be won over or left wondering what all the fuss is about .",
      "while indulging in plenty of back-in-the-day remembrances , the film also creates a vivid image of the hip-hop that -lsb- a tribe called quest -rsb- loved and also could n't wait to subvert .",
      "rapaport deserves credit for making a movie that 's neither exploitative nor puffy , and in which we find ourselves rooting for these two friends to get over themselves and work things out .",
      "but unlike so many movies about the rise and fall of successful bands , this one manages to capture the thrill of discovery that a tribe called quest enjoyed , at least in their early years .",
      "if you want to know what hip-hop is all about , this ` rapumentary ' is a fine place to start .",
      "it tells a real story that is both complex and coherent , putting atcq 's impact on the level of what dylan and the beatles provided in their respective moments in musical history . and the argument is well made .",
      "respectful but not idolatrous , this is one ` behind the music ' piece that even those who have never heard of the group can appreciate .",
      "thanks to a particularly even-handed job by director michael rapaport , the story emerges as compelling , even for non-fans in the audience .",
      "a combination of timing , access , a visual aesthetic that reflects atcq 's afrocentric `` surface philosophy '' -lrb- as the crew 's look is described -rrb- and , most importantly , story-conscious editing elevates the doc above the norm .",
      "even if you think you do n't like hip-hop you may find yourself captivated by the musicality of a tribe called quest , and that alone is reason to watch this documentary ...",
      "rapaport gets at the dynamics of a group that struggles even now to get along well enough to get paid - again .",
      "despite accusations of nearly succumbing to spotlighting beefs over beats , the film comes off as an honest representation of a great group that 's not to be forgotten .",
      "the movie 's value is in informing and illuminating , not provoking .",
      "it 's difficult to get a grasp on just what audience this documentary is made for .",
      "either mandatory rap-nerd masturbation material or the most boring movie imaginable about that group with the song you liked in middle school .",
      "there is a love/hate relationship within a tribe called quest",
      "even as the band implodes , `` beats '' flows as smoothly as q-tip on `` verses from the abstract . '' it 's the tension between the group 's core members that really propels the film forward .",
      "an outstanding effort , and one of the more honest band biopics in recent years .",
      "an entertaining discussion backed by awesomely laid-back tracks ... chronicles a creative , jazz-influenced scene of hip-hop heads that saw the music as the cake , not the icing .",
      "rapaport smartly focuses on the yin-and-yang duo of q-tip and phife dawg , the group 's lead rappers , and a fascinating study in contrasts .",
      "tribe 's music takes a backseat to power struggle and personality conflict .",
      "a reminder , part `` behind the music '' and part something better , that even artists professing love and togetherness have a hard time keeping it going .",
      "rapaport , a longtime quest fan , clearly admires tip . he 's just too forthright a storyteller to bury the tale of the quartet 's acrimonious unraveling .",
      "a hip-hop version of the rolling stones ' ` gim me shelter ' and one of the best music docs to come out in recent years . whether you love hip hop or not , this is a documentary not to be missed and one that will not be forgotten .",
      "... is a galvanizing documentary capable of sending audience members out on personal musical quests of their own .",
      "a welcome blast of '90s nostalgia , taking us back to a time - and a sound - that pulsates with optimism .",
      "starts out rather conventionally and builds into one of the most engaging music docs in years .",
      "-lsb- the film -rsb- gives the seminal early '90s hip-hop group as stylish and intimate a treatment as fans could hope for , paying as much attention to the music in question as it does to the characters who made it .",
      "even as an `` 18 months later '' epilogue ensures us that everything 's hunky dory , this is one surprisingly grim celebration of a group rapaport obviously loves .",
      "seminal hip-hop act gets due praise in solid bio-doc ."
    ],
    "summary": "this documentary focuses less on the music and more on the personality clashes and in-group tensions to great , compelling effect .",
    "id": "771267578"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_conformist",
    "reviews": [
      "this film nevertheless touches some issues that seem universal even today .",
      "trintignant gives a mesmerizing performance as someone wrestling with his inner demons .",
      "the headier aspects and new wave stylings do make it worthwhile .",
      "trintignant gives a legendary performance .",
      "an eye-watering testimony to the erstwhile dash of international cinema .",
      "one of bertolucci 's best films , MOV makes a provocative connection between repressed sexual desires and fascist politics .",
      "the exquisite reverie of a death dance -lrb- political and sexual -rrb- , filmed by a wizard of barely sublimated eros .",
      "juggling past and present with the same bravura flourish as welles in citizen kane , bertolucci conjures a dazzling historical and personal perspective .",
      "the movie is pure magic as story , as drama , as photography , as conviction , as everything except its ideas .",
      "bertolucci never made another film that even came close to MOV",
      "ravishing to the eye but less than fully satisfying to the mind .",
      "a visual masterpiece thanks to storaro 's keen eye and bertolucci 's assured direction .",
      "bertolucci 's reckless , youthful skill -lrb- he was 29 -rrb- and storaro 's ravishing photography hold it together .",
      "-lsb- bertolucci 's -rsb- application of stunning cinematic beauty to an ugly character study could be cited as proof that filmmakers do their best work when they 're young .",
      "more like a symphonic poem than a movie . your breath is taken away by its baroque compositions .",
      "bertolucci 's masterpiece was controversial due to its psycho-sexual approach to the fascist protag and to history , but the film 's spectacular visuals and sensual texture , were recognized by all crirics .",
      "storaro and bertolucci have fashioned a visual masterpiece in MOV , with some of the best use of light and shadow ever in a motion picture .",
      "the brilliant mix of ideas , the audacity and originality of approach , the sensualist delight in the ravishing play of light and shadow -- all these remain , as bracing and inspirational as ever .",
      "the unsettling blend of images and ideas in this movie can not satisfactorily be disentangled or decoded , and it 's the very strangeness of bertolucci 's masterpiece that has made it so influential in cinema history .",
      "bertolucci 's boldest and most expressive film ...",
      "few films really deserve the term ` masterpiece , ' but this one does .",
      "photographed by vittorio storraro , it 's a mйlange of the sensual haziness of '70s european art-house fair and the high-contrast , anxious angles of film noir",
      "the one and only quintessential all-time masterpiece that trades , extensively , on its ideal viewer 's knowledge of the history of 20th century interior design .",
      "it 's a superb performance by trintignant , whose presence is the film is physically passive even as he tries to play the confident , intellectual leader of men .",
      "it 's yesteryear remembered with a combination of nostalgia and repulsion , a queasy combination that defines the film and gives it a kind of hideous allure .",
      "visual splendor reigns supreme in bertolucci 's dazzling historical dreamscape",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- beautiful , complex , massively layered adaptation of the alberto moravia novel .",
      "MOV is celebrated for cinematographer vittorio storaro 's tumbling autumn leaves , but its emotional impact involves a tumbling soul .",
      "the art house meets hollywood neo-noir in bernardo bertolucci 's MOV , a film that is n't recognized enough as the masterpiece that it is .",
      "there are excesses in the film , but they are balanced by scenes of such unusual beauty and vitality that i could n't care less .",
      "one of the most referenced and extraordinary films in cinema history .",
      "MOV is n't just a triumph , it 's one of the greatest movies ever made .",
      "a beautifully imagined portrait of moral and political cowardice .",
      "bertolucci 's film has the compelling quality of a bad dream .",
      "one of the finest sex-and-politics thrillers ever made , blending sharp humour with riveting suspense .",
      "all hail the revival of one of bernardo bertolucci 's best films .",
      "`` MOV '' is bernardo bertolucci 's immaculate work of cinematic art about the conflicted mindset of a man who carries out mussolini 's fascist ideology .",
      "talvez o melhor filme de bertolucci , esta obra-prima magnificamente fotografada por storaro й tгo formidбvel em sua construзгo estйtica e narrativa que cada praticamente todo plano se presta a anбlises longas e profundas .",
      "one of the all-time greats , with a flabbergastingly deep mastery of time and space .",
      "the film still holds an overwhelming power to startle and grip . if that 's not a measure of a classic , i do n't know what is .",
      "... seems every bit the masterpiece it was when first released by paramount .",
      "a great film , drunkenly beautiful and deeply disturbing .",
      "... remains his most intriguing -- probably his best -- film .",
      "as striking as bertolucci 's classic looks , there 's even more powerful stuff in the storytelling .",
      "probing , unsettling and visually compelling , MOV treats its audience as adults , never opting for easy closure .",
      "a powerful story well acted by a fine cast , it does n't have the moral outcome you might imagine . an absorbing drama with a different , albeit downbeat , twist to it ."
    ],
    "summary": "a commentary on fascism and beauty alike , bernardo bertolucci 's MOV is acclaimed for its sumptuous visuals and extravagant , artful cinematography .",
    "id": "136193252"
  },
  {
    "movie": "full_metal_jacket",
    "reviews": [
      "although initially received with bewilderment , MOV now stands among the key works in stanley kubrick 's exploration of identity and its problematic nature .",
      "one of the finest war movies of all time ... at least of the few hundred i 've seen .",
      "an examination of humans at their worst that 's grounded in very specific circumstances but has universal resonance .",
      "many call this the best war film ever , and they 're not totally wrong .",
      "kubrick 's uneven but haunting take on vietnam . featuring two truly unforgettable performances from r. lee ermy and vincent d'onofrio .",
      "incredibly realistic and immensely enjoyable .",
      "the film 's most gut-wrenching horrors occur in the first half , thanks to the regimens imposed by real-life drill instructor lee ermey .",
      "kubrick does vietnam . not perfect , but still powerful .",
      "MOV , ice and wildfire , order and chaos , is intellectual war , hard thought .",
      "the director is ruthless in his depiction of combat and the process by which these soldiers come to realize that they are , like it says on the side of matthew modine 's helmet , born to kill .",
      "albert camus once urged that men be neither victims nor executioners . this film shows how in vietnam , american soldiers were both .",
      "extremely graphic , violent vietnam war film .",
      "kubrick again turns his unsparing eye to the dread of existence ... of a godless universe ... of moral frailty and civilization gone wrong ... -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "less about the vietnam war than about how the marine corps turns its recruits into killers .",
      "it still stands as a timeless meditation on war and its effects .",
      "there is a real fear at the heart of this monstrously armored , desperately defensive film .",
      "what gives this story its power is not really its originality , but the relentlessness of kubrick 's black-comic vision and the tightness of his focus .",
      "it still qualifies as one of kubrick 's most underrated pictures , and it 's second only to apocalypse now as the best vietnam war movie ever made .",
      "it 's a great piece of filmmaking , diminished only by a second act that fails to live up to the first act of the marines in training .",
      "the movie warrants a response that is perhaps the closest thing possible on film to witnessing the mayhem firsthand .",
      "the best movie ever made about the american experience in vietnam happens to have been filmed by an american expatriate living in britain .",
      "r. lee ermey so owns the screen that the movie loses a fair bit of energy once he 's gone .",
      "never as coherent as you want it to be , but the images are often indelible .",
      "not kubrick 's best , but often powerful , particularly for r. lee ermey 's performance .",
      "kubrick 's bleak anti-war satire is surprisingly conventional in form , but rolls like thunder in stretches .",
      "though shot in the u.k. and thus lacking authentic look and feel , kubrick 's contribution to the vietnam war films is a powerful chronicle of the military as a bureaucracy that turns young innocent men into machine-like killers .",
      "... uses a full range of cinematic language to comment on an institution that `` eats its own guts '' as it destroys foreign cultures .",
      "-lsb- kubrick 's -rsb- third best .",
      "incredible first act ; disappointing third act",
      "a perversely fascinating movie -- one that answers no questions , offers no hope and has little meaning .",
      "visually poetic , darkly humorous , uncompromisingly brutal , and subversive in every way , MOV is easily one of the best war movies without being remotely similar to your standard issue war flick .",
      "kubrick 's harrowing , beautiful and characteristically eccentric new film about vietnam , is going to puzzle , anger and -lrb- i hope -rrb- fascinate audiences as much as any film he has made to date .",
      "although the elements of the story are simple and precise , kubrick infuses a dreamlike , fatalistic quality .",
      "MOV is a great motion picture . be warned , however , that it is harsh and explicit .",
      "it may seem too spare , too clinical , its moments of war even too familiar for some . but , aiming for minds as well as hearts , kubrick hits his target squarely .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- strangely shapeless film from the man whose work usually imposes a ferociously consistent vision on his material .",
      "it is humanity as flawed system -- the faulty meat run through the grinder of war .",
      "... a justifiably iconic war film .",
      "MOV is not a realistic film -- it is horror-comic superrealism , from a god 's - eye view -- but it should fully engage the ordinary movie grunt .",
      "no amount of stylistic analysis , however , is likely to explain why a man would devote more than three years of his life to making a war movie in which violent death is n't meant to move us . does kubrick really think we 're not callous enough about war ?",
      "one of kubrick 's foremost triumphs , a genuinely challenging and uncomfortable war film",
      "if a film does n't give us people , it has to offer a substitute -- an idea , a style , a vision . MOV comes up blank .",
      "while its message is simple -- innocent young americans are taught to be machine-like killers -- its technique is extraordinary .",
      "relentlessly harsh in its images and language , MOV is nonetheless the most artful film yet made about the vietnam war .",
      "if his considerable achievement in this long - awaited film falls short of his olympian standards , there is a reason that ought to give kubrick some satisfaction . the world has caught up with kubrick and what he has to say .",
      "no one who sees MOV will easily put the film 's last glimpse of d'onofrio , or a great many other things about kubrick 's latest and most sobering vision , out of mind .",
      "the best american cinematic critique of the vietnam war",
      "kubrick 's direction is as steely cold and manipulative as the régime it depicts , and we never really get to know , let alone care about , the hapless recruits on view .",
      "-lsb- kubrick 's -rsb- genius , and perhaps burden , is to see the insanity in us all and to make it seem so terrifyingly normal .",
      "this is the most tightly crafted kubrick film since dr. strangelove , as well as the most horrific ; the first section alone accomplishes most of what the shining failed to do .",
      "an intense , schematic , superbly made vietnam war drama .",
      "that first half is jaw-droppingly good .",
      "it may not be the best film kubrick ever made , but it 's still kubrick , meaning it 's better than almost anything else in cinema .",
      "kubrick seems to be directing his vision beyond the reality of the vietnam war to issues far more universal and timeless .",
      "somehow after the decadence of barry lyndon and a philosophical look at horror in the shining , stanley kubrick settled into a film of unrestrained vitriol and aggression .",
      "a hardy kubrikian effort that warms on you with repeated viewings .",
      "as taut and disciplined as its characters , MOV ranks with dr strangelove as one of kubrick 's very best ."
    ],
    "summary": "intense , tightly constructed , and darkly comic at times , stanley kubrick 's MOV may not boast the most original of themes , but it is exceedingly effective at communicating them .",
    "id": "16673"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1075984-iron_monkey",
    "reviews": [
      "fans of martials arts flicks will enjoy this one . but it 's no crouching tiger .",
      "if asian martial arts movies interest you even a little bit , you 're going to want to see MOV .",
      "a rollicking , comic-book robin hood plot and more furiously entertaining fight scenes than the ones in ang lee 's solemn martial-arts art movie .",
      "MOV is a masterful film that deftly bounds over crouching tiger , hidden dragon .",
      "a cinematic marvel to behold .",
      "pure ballet , pure candy for the eyes .",
      "what raises it above the level of conventional children 's pulp entertainment is yuen 's dazzlingly choreographed acrobatic high-wire work .",
      "if you 're a fan of the genre , this is a must .",
      "yuen tosses off nimble , elegantly witty solutions to life 's most vexing problems regarding rooms full of bad guys who wo n't take thwak for an answer .",
      "while the story and characterizations are weak , the action is as good as you 'll see in any film .",
      "perhaps the best thing that can be said for MOV is this : even when all else fails , it is never dull .",
      "many of the action set-pieces from crouching tiger show up here in embryonic form , but overall this is a much less serious movie geared to niche action audiences .",
      "think of MOV as the potboiling cousin of crouching tiger , rather than its most honoured forefather , and you 'll be on the right wavelength .",
      "the fights are spectacular and the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking .",
      "-lsb- yuen 's -rsb- fights are innovative and intense , whether they 're a whirlwind one-on-one duel or one of many struggles featuring multiple combatants .",
      "this is a kung-fu flick , with amazing bits of fighting , of course , but it also kicks ass in that figurative sense : it 's fast and funny and elegant",
      "it 's pure matinee-style entertainment with enough laughs , adventure and action to captivate anyone capable of reading the subtitles .",
      "the film is smart enough to play up its melodramatic moments with assured authority .",
      "martial-arts myth-making at its best .",
      "a film like MOV is basically aimed at audiences who want elaborate fight sequences and fidget at the dialogue in between . it 's for the fans , not the crossover audience .",
      "its production values may not be as good as when ang lee or the wachowski brothers are behind the camera , but the creative vigor of its originality , distilled in a pure and unadulterated form , is simply exhilarating .",
      "MOV 's plot may not contain any surprises , but almost every scene is loaded with lively humor and innovative combat .",
      "while all the actors are quite engaging , the real star of the film is yuen wo ping 's action sequences .",
      "a nonstop period actioner that ranks alongside once upon a time in china .",
      "for novices , this is a fine introduction to martial arts features .",
      "a whole lotta punchin ' , kickin ' , swingin ' , proddin ' , shovin ' , jammin ' , iron monkeyin ' and ass-kickin ' fun !",
      "as good as `` crouching tiger , '' but without the austere air about it , this movie is pure , unadulterated fun .",
      "despite it 's tonal split personality , MOV is a fun hong kong martial arts action-comedy that offers a heck of a climax .",
      "with dashes of comedy , some simple yet effective twists of myth and complex combo after combo of slick , hyperkinetic action by yuen woo ping , this funky monkey never lets down its guard .",
      "the action here is peerless . but seen after crouching tiger -- in which yuen 's martial-arts mastery was equaled , and balanced , by the story -- you might find yourself wishing for a little hidden monkey .",
      "it 's funny , heroic , exaggerated and , most of all , energetic ; the film speeds along as though afraid to lose the audience 's attention for even a moment .",
      "monkey ends up being 86 minutes of action with none of the character depth that made crouching tiger an international sensation . you see it for its punch-outs the way you see riverdance for its stomping .",
      "everything that happens is ridiculously predictable , but it is staged with such dynamic forcefulness that we savour the stunts as if watching an ancient ritual .",
      "strength lies in its fight sequences , brilliantly choreographed dances made possible with the aide of well-placed wires .",
      "modestly successful on its own terms , but simply does n't stand up to comparisons with the infinitely more substantial crouching tiger , hidden dragon .",
      "the action is flabbergasting .",
      "action fans who like their kung fu in period costume and with little blood will likely think they 've struck the motherlode .",
      "it has n't aged a bit .",
      "yuen wo ping strings together one eye-popping action sequence after another .",
      "it works as a prequel in hark 's wong fei-hung saga , a once upon a time in china : episode one , if you will",
      "not only visually brilliant , it 's funny too .",
      "contains some of the most inspired martial arts sequences ever put on film .",
      "unlike some other hong kong films , the humor actually translates rather well here .",
      "the story is fairly generic , but plot has as little to do with the pleasures of kung fu movies as story lines do in musicals .",
      "highly entertaining escapist fare .",
      "in a year without a decent action movie , this 8-year-old chinese genre film kicks the butt of any american blockbuster you can name .",
      "as with other , similar movies , you do have to buy into brazen pulp operatics to get through it . still , there 's a rough-hewn energy to the movie 's pre-digital flying-fist sequences that all but neutralizes the unapologetic hokum .",
      "as in crouching tiger , you 'll find much of the action breathtaking and beautiful .",
      "the battles are as hilarious as they are stunning , full of kung fu and shaolin trash talk , blindingly fast punches -lrb- achieved by under-cranking the camera , thus speeding up the motion -rrb- and breathtakingly inventive fight choreography .",
      "it 's got more wit and heart , more eye-dazzling adventure , and more poetic depth than most big hollywood movies .",
      "not only has nothing essential been compromised , but the film seems crisper , cleaner and better organized than i remember .",
      "a breathtaking pleasure certain to build anticipation for yuen 's future directing efforts on this side of the globe .",
      "crouching tiger , hidden dragon was like fusion food , chinese for western tastes . now , get ready for the real thing .",
      "... quite possibly the best action film of the year .",
      "sometimes it 's nice to sit back and enjoy the fireworks , and this movie has lots of fireworks .",
      "some of the best fight sequences one can expect to see in this genre .",
      "while purists may balk at not getting yuen woo-ping 's complete `` vision '' here , MOV manages to make its case , even within the mangled material provided .",
      "woo-ping is as unembarrassed by the hokiness of his narrative as he is by that of his unending combat enactments , which you can accept as intentional stylistic exaggerations .",
      "now here 's a violent movie that the whole family can enjoy .",
      "some of the finest martial arts displays imaginable , and it does n't take itself seriously",
      "despite its seemingly constant action , the focus was way too light for my liking , resulting in a film that 's often more corny than it is enthralling .",
      "imaginative , clever and heart-stopping .",
      "once again , the lesson is : no matter how well done , action is rarely enough to sustain a whole movie .",
      "a crackling cantonese action caper in the tradition of robin hood , zorro , batman et al. .",
      "the joy of watching this kind of stuff lies in the choreographical invention and creativity -lsb- and -rsb- the speed and dexterity of the combatants .",
      "certainly nothing great from a serious filmmaking perspective , the picture is a great deal of fun to behold .",
      "it does n't have much in the way of plot . but this high-flying tale about a robin hood/zorro figure boasts spectacular action sequences that make story irrelevant .",
      "hark and yuen serve the legend well with their vastly creative fight scenes and nimble camera work .",
      "if you missed it back in 1993 . hey , even if you did n't miss it , here 's your chance to see it on a big screen again .",
      "in a movie where the action never lets up , this little tiger is too busy leaping , kicking and whirling to do much crouching .",
      "whether you 're scampering like a monkey or pouncing like a tiger , this genre is still a lot of fun on the big screen .",
      "with its slapstick tone and cartoonish action , MOV is probably appropriate for all but the youngest martial artists .",
      "MOV embraces its shaolin roots , complete with fighters who announce their special moves -lrb- `` shaolin golden palm ! '' , `` shadowless kick ! '' , `` flying sleeves ! '' etc. -rrb- .",
      "dances quite nicely to the invading kung fu tune .",
      "there 's really only one reason to see this film -- the fights . they truly are spectacular .",
      "thrilling choreography makes this hong kong fantasy a comedic delight .",
      "although the fights are performed with great technical proficiency , they are quite repetitious . ... the rest is slapstick that is overacted with a vengeance .",
      "people will finally understand why overseas audiences yawned when they saw crouching tiger .",
      "the final duel , fought on burning poles and involving at least a half dozen olympic skills , is dazzling .",
      "an engaging action film that sports some of the most impressive onscreen martial arts of the last decade .",
      "sit back , give up thinking for ninety minutes , and revel in this burst of wonderfully naive hong kong nonsense . you 'll be glad you did .",
      "both a dazzling martial arts action film and a rousing period adventure ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV may not have the poetic lyricism of crouching tiger , it makes up for it in fun and energy .",
    "id": "12833"
  },
  {
    "movie": "flintstones_in_viva_rock_vegas",
    "reviews": [
      "falls from interestingly loopy to tiresome .",
      "a sad , strange , dismal thing to inflict upon a child , let alone their parents , who 've taken them with something like , say , fun in mind .",
      "it 's not delightful or funny or exciting , and for long stretches , it looks exactly like hapless actors standing in front of big rocks and reciting sitcom dialogue .",
      "what 's with the film 's odd preoccupation with such adult themes as class , money , and sex ?",
      "um , no surprises here . better than the original .",
      "full of leaden one-liners and dull puns .",
      "this brightly colored , lowbrow comedy is so dumb it could get lost on its way to the take-up reel , and it 's proud to be dumb . but it 's also clueless : who makes a movie about dating aimed squarely at 10-year-olds ?",
      "anyone who hated the first movie will almost certainly hate this one too .",
      "as entertainment for kids , or for adults , it misjudges its audience by at least a millennium .",
      "viva rock vegas yabba-dabba-doesn ` t.",
      "a convoluted mess that will likely appeal to neither the young nor the old .",
      "the cast from the first flintstones movie has gone off to break rocks somewhere else .",
      "if you need a quick cartoon high , and a few cheap laughs , before the real summer movies begin , viva rock vegas is your temporary fix .",
      "a pleasant surprise .",
      "there are still some pretty funny lines and gags .",
      "not bad , not bad at all .",
      "it 's dumb , screwy and proud .",
      "kids will love the crowd-pleasing depiction of an entire prehistoric world , complete with an adorable baby dino -- and loads of great sight gags and puns .",
      "all you really need to know is that it 's an idea that should never have been tried once , much less twice .",
      "the jokes are pathetic .",
      "the prequel is like eating a second helping of underdone bronto burger and being kept awake by the resulting indigestion-induced dali-esque nightmare .",
      "kids are certain to love the MOV , but mom and dad wo n't mind going along -- it 's a yabba-dabba-delight .",
      "if you liked the first flintstones movie , you will love this one .",
      "this prequel packs a few more laughs than its 1994 big-screen predecessor .",
      "look beyond the perfunctory dinosaur flatulence jokes , and viva rock vegas is really quite sweet and clever .",
      "livelier , it feels more like a cartoon .",
      "the MOV stumbles at its outset by setting up an adult premise inevitably undone by the film 's aspirations to family entertainment .",
      "kids under 10 who love the cartoon , are apt to really enjoy this movie . adults who remember the show with fondness , will find it easier to take than many kiddie matinees they have suffered through .",
      "the MOV is cute and funny , with plenty of slapstick and cuddly creatures for the kids and enough adult wit to keep parents reasonably amused .",
      "the casting is nearly perfect .",
      "plays like an episode or two of the tv show , stretched out to fill an hour and a half or so .",
      "the new flintstones movie is bad . prehistorically bad . neolithically bad . bad enough that you should take your youngsters and run in the opposite direction to my dog skip .",
      "the key to appreciating the MOV is low expectations .",
      "we need another live-action flintstones like we need a club to the head .",
      "the first live-action movie of the flintstones in 1994 was a tyrannosaurus wreck , a production design in search of a story . now director brian levant has made a prequel ... that 's almost as dumb .",
      "much like a hunk of rock candy -- sort of interesting-looking but ultimately none too fulfilling .",
      "you 'll find yourself scanning the screen for interesting geometric shapes ... since the script wo n't hold your attention .",
      "an hour and a half of pure agony .",
      "nothing new or clever is employed in viva rock vegas .",
      "viva rock vegas is nothing more than eye candy , and not a very tasty piece at that .",
      "forsaking story for sight gags and brief comedic moments , the film simply does n't have enough of them to compensate for a lame and lackluster plot .",
      "here 's one that should have stayed buried under a rock pile down at fred and barney 's quarry .",
      "if you are a kid -- or the parent of a kid -- this movie may , in fact , be your best bet out there . but if you are neither , viva rock vegas is much more of a gamble .",
      "ultimately , the flintstones leaves one as cold as marble .",
      "it is better than the original .",
      "fun and funny ."
    ],
    "summary": "the prequel to the first full-length feature set in bedrock , viva rock vegas is a surprising improvement over the flintstones . aimed towards an audience of adults and children alike , critics feel viva will appeal to a broad range of viewers .",
    "id": "12255"
  },
  {
    "movie": "shallow_hal",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is the most endearing portrait of outcasts since last year 's ghost world .",
      "the key to enjoying MOV is to discard as many expectations as you can about a farelly brothers film .",
      "when the final act descends into preachiness , it 's nearly earned the indulgence .",
      "in delivering their message , the farrelly brothers seem to have compromised their nothing-is-sacred comedy spirit , but at least their hearts are in the right place .",
      "there 's just about enough charm and laughs here to keep farrelly fans happy . even the fat ones .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- insulting new comedy from bobby and peter farrelly .",
      "the film is not as funny as their best , but fascinates in the discomforting way it foregrounds the brothers ' normally buried , facile moral dialectic .",
      "the farrellys take an artistic step backward with this soft , disappointingly sentimental comedy about the true nature of beauty ; they seem to have forgotten their roots in the outrageous and gross-out .",
      "with the relatively untested black coming on awfully strong , the lack of directorial finesse lets the enterprise down , creating some clunky scenes and dead air where laughs might have been expected .",
      "romantic comedy is pretty tame for farrelly bros. .",
      "paltrow 's performance alone is worth seeing , but the rest of the film ca n't shed its dead weight .",
      "black proves himself to be leading-man material .",
      "not a side-splitter by any means , and certainly not worth more than the price of your every day video store rental .",
      "hypocritical and condescending in ways its makers seem completely oblivious to .",
      "uneven , but paltrow 's performance alone is worth the price of admission .",
      "the only crudeness here is in the uninspired filmmaking and a washed-out look .",
      "the oddest part of all this is that it 's not very funny .",
      "it 's as if the movie was strained through a colander to remove all the humor .",
      "if , like the farrellys , you want to challenge stereotypes about the plus-sized , then why not give the job to a plus-sized gal ?",
      "in order to make sense of their premise , the farrellys end up endorsing the very idea of beauty they 're supposedly trying to attack .",
      "it has moments of sweetness , and moments of hilarious comedy ; but when it comes down to it , the tendency to use gross-out tactics makes it hardly worth sitting through .",
      "although the ad campaign makes it appear the movie is an outrageous attack on the obese , in truth `` hal '' saves its sharpest jabs for the small-minded and mean-spirited .",
      "in the end it might be a little too nice for its own good , but by then we 've fallen for these people hook , line and sinker .",
      "no comedy classic , but the farrelly brothers are on the right track here by bringing heart into their filmmaking . ` MOV 's ' deep message surprised me .",
      "do n't expect me to say this too often , but i hope the farrellys maintain their immaturity , if only because they do it so well .",
      "there 's something about this well-meaning and even engaging new film from bobby and peter farrelly that does n't quite work .",
      "amor ciego pretende ser moralista , lo que choca con los farrelly , para quienes significa un retroceso en su carrera , que de por si no tiene nada de extraordinaria .",
      "while saying that appearances do n't matter , the farrellys prove that appearances are everything .",
      "disguised as a gross-out comedy simply in order to get made , it 's a heartfelt portrait of living in our own skin .",
      "si lo que buscan son guarradas gratuitas y humor corporal , quizá salgan contrariados , o hasta algo confundidos con el tono moral y la idea central que expresa la película .",
      "sadness saturates every frame of peter and bobby farrelly 's MOV like a melancholy tune .",
      "as much a fracturing of the romantic comedy genre the way shrek splintered disney fairy tales into a thousand pixels .",
      "when -lsb- black 's -rsb- on fire , it does n't take much directorial talent to simply leave the camera on him and let him go to work .",
      "a message movie of such surpassing stupidity that the message does n't seem to have gotten through to the people who made it .",
      "oddly sweet , soulful and even , egads , well-intentioned .",
      "against all odds , there 's something about MOV .",
      "together black and paltrow create an air of believable charm to make this fantasy work .",
      "the farrelly brothers have done themselves proud with this movie . they 've shown us their inner beauty .",
      "so intent on driving home its worthy if not mind-blowing message that it becomes surprisingly conventional .",
      "we 're warmly encouraged to feel the hurt that rosemary constantly lives with , made vivid by a notably touching , sensitive performance from sylphlike paltrow .",
      "we 've seen so many crummy comedies that try to be there 's something about mary or something like this . and the farrelly brothers come to the rescue and show us how it 's done .",
      "two fine performances and the thought-provoking subject matter raise it above the level of a disposable comedy .",
      "a comedy that is as lame in its storytelling as it is in its physical execution .",
      "tackles the beauty mythos with both humor and sensitivity that may surprise those who think only of body-fluid jokes when they think of the farrellys",
      "hilarious in parts , sickeningly sentimental in others , MOV has the farrellys trying to expand their range , with only mildly successful results .",
      "the farrelly brothers retreat to a gentler mode -- and , in the process , a far less funny one .",
      "the farrelly brothers are fresh out of ideas with this dull effort , a kind of farrelly lite . they have replaced intentional bad taste with the unintentional sort .",
      "this time they 've added some heart and insight and cut back on the gross-out humor .",
      "the concept of beauty being only skin deep is referred to several times , yet is buried under the unrelentingly unpleasant parade of `` rhino '' gags .",
      "the film itself is little more than a series of fat jokes .",
      "a comedy that struggles to be both naughty and nice and is effectively neither .",
      "one problem with the movie is that instead of the characters themselves being funny , the jokes in the movie happen around them .",
      "MOV is a good date movie : good for screening worthless potential mates . funny and sweet .",
      "a big part of what makes the movie successful is the combination of black and paltrow ; he gives the movie its humor , while she gives it some heart .",
      "a sweet , wispy little romantic comedy .",
      "the moral of the story , according to the farrellys ? date a fat chick , and supermodels will flock to your door .",
      "not only light on laughs but discomfitingly didactic in its disgust .",
      "in the farrellys world , inner beauty is the same as outer beauty -- otherwise , they 'd have found a lovely fat girl to play rosemary .",
      "i almost hate to have to say this but the farrellys might be better off going back to their rude-and-crude roots instead of mucking around with this sensitivity business .",
      "if you need your messages wrapped around a 2x4 and pounded relentlessly against your willing skull , this is the movie for you .",
      "makes the case for restricting the farrellys to mere gross-out movies .",
      "an ill-conceived , slovenly executed and disingenuous comedy .",
      "the film 's silly charm rests in the solid appeal of the two lead actors .",
      "lives up to its title , an inch wide and an inch deep .",
      "the movie 's inner-beauty message might fly better if the jokes did n't pick on the people with whom the farrellys are supposedly empathizing .",
      "timing is everything in comedy , and this one has no idea where it 's going half the time .",
      "a tender-hearted , feel-good romance about not taking everything in life at face value ... -lsb- paltrow -rsb- gives an alternately heartbreaking and comical performance .",
      "plainly uninspired , but it 's hard to say how much such a view is just a reaction to the surprisingly less-then-manic pace and the absence of non-stop outrageousness .",
      "paltrow is pretty gosh-darn terrific .",
      "filled with poor acting , lazy jokes , and awkward moments .",
      "a sweet , somewhat dumb romantic comedy that 's almost impossible to actively dislike .",
      "the farrelly brothers have become smart and smarter !",
      "a nearly laughless , woefully under-written romantic comedy that flaunts its political incorrectness only to conclude with an insultingly insincere sermon .",
      "i had to binge on a big bag of reese 's pieces just to stomach the boredom .",
      "... feels like the farrellys are taking us to a circus sideshow , hoping we will laugh at the workers inside and then be ashamed of ourselves .",
      "by preaching that beauty comes from within while simultaneously leering at slender examples of the female form and poking fun at the portly , MOV undermines its own message .",
      "an apology -- even a comedic one -- for naughty behavior is n't as much fun as the naughty behavior in the first place .",
      "as with cameron diaz in there 's something about mary , bobby and peter farrelly and their film are saved by an actress who 's a very good sport .",
      "may be the best farrellys movie yet , even though it does n't live up to the pair 's usual level of uproarious , crass comic genius .",
      "the movie is truly , if not deeply , two-dimensional .",
      "it gets away with fat jokes at the same time it seems to be on the side of the angels and inner beauty .",
      "is n't as small-minded and superficial as some might expect , but it 's also not as funny or charming as some are probably hoping .",
      "all this sweet , inoffensive stuff is actually pretty boring .",
      "the movie 's valuable message that we must look beyond physical appearances to find the heart within ... is drowned out by the din of loathsome idiots mocking physical appearances .",
      "something of a cop-out , lacking the courage of its convictions .",
      "this is a wildly uneven farce .",
      "sentimentality swamps much of the comedy as bobby and peter farrelly go for the heart rather than the solar plexus .",
      "an uneasy blend of the naughty and the nice in which the two ingredients fail to mesh ... the result is n't bad ; it 's just not good enough .",
      "there 's no quarrelling with the theme , and the laughs are gentle and surprisingly tasteful .",
      "a fun and sweet movie that guys and gals will enjoy .",
      "the end result is n't so much a blind taste test for the male pig than it is a subversive jab at the fragile male ego and the moral sightline .",
      "as long as the concept does not offend you , MOV should successfully entertain and charm you .",
      "hal : `` if you can see it and smell it and feel it , who 's to say it 's not real ? ''",
      "if you 're planning to see MOV with the expectation it will be as funny as the farrelly brothers ' kingpin or dumb and dumber , you may be in for one of the year 's biggest disappointments .",
      "i 'm always skeptical of moral lessons from hollywood -- especially lectures about the beauty of fat people from writer-directors whose last three films have starred ... stick-thin types .",
      "anyone seeking dumb and dumber yuks will be waiting a long time .",
      "wickedly funny but heartfelt and , like hal , far deeper than first glance would indicate .",
      "paltrow 's intelligence has the effect of adding weight , as it were , to a thin visual joke .",
      "who among us does n't need to be reminded now and then how dumb and hurtful it is to judge people based on how they look ?",
      "the farrellys had a golden chance to be creatively , satirically , usefully offensive -- and they wimped out .",
      "works far better than it would ever seem possible and even delivers some genuinely touching moments .",
      "dull , torpid , lugubrious , insufferable and just plain icky .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- farrelly brothers have finally taken on a heavy subject -- but so little of it sticks to the bone .",
      "what can i say ? you 've just got to root for this couple .",
      "there 's nothing wrong with the moral of `` MOV '' ... the problem lies in -lrb- the -rrb- maddeningly obvious approach .",
      "it 's big-hearted , and it 's funny .",
      "created in the broadest strokes imaginable , MOV lacks even a vestige of subtlety and is rarely so much as amusing .",
      "the at-times-screamingly-funny comedy does a surprisingly good job of turning some societal misconceptions on their ear .",
      "often very funny , but it is also surprisingly moving at times .",
      "if you 've seen the trailer , you 've seen the best of the movie , and there is n't really that much good stuff to go around .",
      "-lsb- the farrelly brothers -rsb- have struck gold with what is easily their most broadly accessible and technically accomplished work to date .",
      "sweetness , not grossness , should be the way these brothers go in the future .",
      "there are enough moments of demented comedy to make you aspirate your popcorn , but by the end you may find yourself , with some amazement , sniffing back tears .",
      "platitudes aside : is encouraging morbid obesity really a good thing ?"
    ],
    "summary": "while surprisingly sweeter and warm-hearted than previous farrelly outings , MOV is also less funny and more bland .",
    "id": "10941"
  },
  {
    "movie": "statement",
    "reviews": [
      "this ludlum-esque political thriller ... might be funny if it was n't exploiting such a serious topic as the holocaust .",
      "the film is rather unbelievable , even though it 's based on real-life tales of the vichy milice .",
      "the MOV elicits more yawns than gasps and plays like a second-rate rerun from sunday afternoon television .",
      "` rome , ' ` paris , ' ` provence , ' ` london ' -- labels like these pop up so often in the MOV you 're not sure if you 're watching a movie or reading a map . but a map would be more compelling .",
      "this is a creaky , obsolete sort of film , not an instant classic , but an instant antique .",
      "little more than a rote pursuit thriller .",
      "seems more an excuse to attack a target than an exercise in solid storytelling .",
      "ends up being tedious .",
      "plodding and predictable .",
      "not all roses , but it 's a decent , well-made thriller of the sort that we do n't get much anymore ... it 's tempting to say that we 're getting caine 's best work only now .",
      "it 's a shame that a film with this much potential could be turned into such a dull , pedestrian affair .",
      "all jewison has to offer us is an exquisitely packaged reminder of the catholic church 's collaboration with the vichy government . but why distort history when your sole purpose is to offer a history lesson ?",
      "... the thrilleresque aspects ... are most pleasing .",
      "the film operates well as a thriller and probably goes further than intended in extracting sympathy for its reprehensible protagonist .",
      "em funзгo de sua prуpria premissa , apresenta questхes йticas interessantes .",
      "`` the MOV is that rare , unassuming movie that has much to say and is so daring in its message that it is a wonder it has seen the light of day ''",
      "for the most part , though , there really is n't enough suspense or drama to make the MOV more than an occasionally chilling civics lesson .",
      "confused at its core and too befuddled to make that a virtue .",
      "caine bounces back and forth almost randomly between pitiable and detestable , following the dictates of a formulaic plot .",
      "a listless melodrama that smothers its own potential ."
    ],
    "summary": "the movie bores despite a splendid performance by michael caine .",
    "id": "14932"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_arbor_2010",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's an appalling indictment of family dysfunction but there are shards of optimism , particularly the noble actions of the self-sacrificing couple who acted as foster parents for the adolescent lorraine .",
      "it 's a powerful story , but muddled by the nagging distraction of having these voices lip-synched by actors .",
      "barnard has created a modernist , compassionate biopic : a tribute to her memory and her embattled community .",
      "original mixture of techniques makes this documentary provocative yet moving .",
      "brings the dunbar story to life through a technique known as `` verbatim theater , '' in which actors lip-synch testimony from the real people they 're portraying .",
      "moving , bold , unconventional and impeccably staged , MOV is a worthy tribute to a powerfully artistic voice .",
      "barnard 's boldest move is to unveil the irresponsible chaos of the playwright 's private life , and to make us wonder if the art was worth the suffering , after all .",
      "intense , startlingly creative ... bio-doc ... and searing portrait of destructive inheritance of addiction and domestic violence within ... one family ... and neighborhood .",
      "from the sublimely ridiculous to the simply sublime , MOV exists at the intersection of life and art , reality and performance , documentary and fiction , and it explores that terrain in a way no other movie quite has before .",
      "an epic piece of theatrical detachment",
      "the format suggests such films as `` synechdoche , new york '' or `` american splendor , '' but barnard has gone beyond them , also instilling a theatrical element befitting her subject .",
      "it 's an even handed and responsible profile that recognises the playwright 's important contribution to british theatre without turning away from the vulnerable and flawed human being that she was .",
      "the film 's strange way of meandering off its original topic is never resolved , but even with its deficiencies MOV is always intelligent cinema .",
      "the peanut gallery might say clio barnard 's genre-bending MOV is a mixed-up moving target , but it 's strikingly honed in on its subject : the lauded writer and loathed matriarch andrea dunbar .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- exquisitely crafted docudrama .",
      "the only weakness in this captivating film : too much screen time given to the trials and travails of dunbar 's half-pakistani daughter , lorraine , a heroin addict still suffering from the disinterest of her late mum .",
      "this is a fiercely intellectual piece of cinema that still manages to grab your heart and punch you in the gut .",
      "... riveting stuff , all the more so since it 's `` real . ''",
      "ms. barnard illustrates in heartbreaking fashion how the cycle of familial neglect , low self-esteem and self destruction completely ruined lives that were once so full of promise .",
      "what emerges is a curious mix of avant-garde technique and social-realist case study , equally indebted to barnard 's art-world-video background and dunbar 's own close-to-the-bone writing .",
      "for the morbidly curious , it 's mesmerizing . but it 's also a singularly watchable story for the strange , and strangely fitting , way in which it 's told .",
      "british poor adrift in turbulent ` arbor '",
      "documentaries often toy with the conventions of non-fiction storytelling to the detriment of their content , but clio barnard 's innovative MOV provides a welcome exception to the norm .",
      "numerous celluloid experiments have fudged reality and fiction lately , but few are as formally inventive or socially revelatory as MOV .",
      "is the film a drama ? or a documentary ? we 're not sure .",
      "this film , which may seem like a niche-interest documentary at first glance , is rich in structural and stylistic innovation of great importance to the genre .",
      "a compelling insight into a challenging woman , given an extra dimension by some brave if occasionally dubious directorial flourishes .",
      "MOV is not an easy film , but it 's a rewarding one .",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- `` MOV '' is a groundbreaking cinematic achievement .",
      "a mother-daughter tragedy presented in a cinematic hall of mirrors , MOV aestheticizes its grim nonfiction narrative with mixed results .",
      "regardless of which aspects of the film catch your attention , you can prepare to be heartbroken by what you see .",
      "a fascinating montage of reality and reenactment that reveals the inner truths of andrea dunbar 's life and work , shows living conditions of the working poor in northern england , and gives rise to contemplation of the importance of artistic expression .",
      "like a ken loach drama stripped to bare bones , `` MOV '' springs to life in the bright bitterness of dunbar 's prose , showcased in alfresco performances of contentious scenes from the play .",
      "tough , worthy stuff .",
      "barnard revisits the foredoomed career and tragic afterlife of this slum-born self-educated writer to electrifying effect , shooting mainly on location in bradford , with actors lip-synched to actual recordings of the people they portray .",
      "a bold experiment that does n't quite work .",
      "the emotional core of the film holds fast , which is the only thing that matters , however fictional or factual the film appears to be .",
      "with this bracingly original debut feature , artist barnard creates one of the most involving and moving documentaries in memory . stylistically mixing filmmaking approaches , she engulfs us in a fiercely inventive movie experience .",
      "a powerful tale not easily shaken off .",
      "MOV is a factual documentary that uses fictional techniques to retell a sad truth : the cycle of poverty and violence and addiction is vicious and near impossible to escape .",
      "a remarkable film : conceptually acute , brilliantly realised , impossibly sad .",
      "the style of the film is often brilliant and always arresting , especially when dunbar 's work is performed by lively local actors on her desolate former stomping ground .",
      "revealing , moving and entirely individual .",
      "MOV is one of the most imaginative and compelling documentaries seen in recent years .",
      "this is a deeply resonant piece of filmmaking that leaves you sure of one thing -- there 's always more than one truth ."
    ],
    "summary": "smart and inventive , MOV offers some intensely memorable twists on tired documentary tropes .",
    "id": "771210479"
  },
  {
    "movie": "legend_of_bagger_vance",
    "reviews": [
      "despite some engaging performances and good scenes , it 's by far the least original , and least accomplished , of the six redford-directed films .",
      "it 's a feel-nothing movie , too calculated and cautious to locate anything that might resemble a genuine or spontaneous life moment .",
      "its aspirations are rarely realized .",
      "even if bagger vance were n't saddled with the year 's most inept premise , redford 's direction would have destroyed it .",
      "call it caddying miss damon . i call it 18 holes of boredom .",
      "you have a film that basically says , ` eh , what 's the big deal ? '",
      "redford is so fascinated with the mythical qualities of the novel 's premise ... he does n't realize how anemic the tale really is .",
      "why should we care about rich people exploiting the poor to save their fortunes during the depression ?",
      "if it 's such a feel-good movie , why does it feel so bad ?",
      "a knuckleheaded period piece anachronistically strewn with new age platitudes .",
      "it 's predictable and manipulative , but even the most hardened cynic might feel a bit floaty inside .",
      "the competition sequences on the golf links , with the splendid camera work of michael ballhaus , and exactly the right amount of digital tweaking , are the real revelations of this film .",
      "a memorable experience .",
      "it offers pleasures of a kind that fewer and fewer films even seem to remember , much less aspire to .",
      "it is enjoyable in spite of its heavy sentimentality .",
      "those who embraced field of dreams ... will probably flock to this one , and the hard-core golfer might find it a thrill to see robert jones and walter hagen recreated with such care and devotion .",
      "not over the top great , but decidedly above average .",
      "a strong , memorable film , filled with rich dialogue and vital camera work .",
      "a movie that speaks well and truly to essentials in the kind of unhurried terms that most modern movies do n't even dare to espouse .",
      "a soothing , attractive film to watch .",
      "a sort of half-hearted fantasy that is rarely ever involving .",
      "offers plenty of pretty sunsets and new agey gobbledygook but very little reason why one should have an emotional investment .",
      "yawn .",
      "you ca n't blame a filmmaker for radically altering a text as inherently uncinematic as the MOV . redford , however , alters it to the point that you wonder why he bothered to make it at all .",
      "a trifling story strung out to great length without much narrative drive , tinged with some disturbing racial undertones .",
      "the film 's metaphorical message feels silly and pretentious , partly because every character is a stereotype , but particularly because it ca n't transcend its heroic tone .",
      "the problem is that it 's about golf .",
      "the principal characters , forced in the bright light of the fairway to work not just as allegory but as viable , identifiable human beings , become ludicrous .",
      "this movie ai n't perfect , but will smith sure is .",
      "an appealing and artful reminder of redford 's taste and skill .",
      "big , sprawling and brimming with the milk of human kindness , bagger vance is an enjoyable , old-fashioned film .",
      "a good story , lovingly told , and beautiful to watch .",
      "certainly easy enough to sit through and when it clicks in certain scenes , it feels just right .",
      "a magic-realism golf pastoral , a stunningly lovely film with few faults .",
      "redford successfully evokes the power of myth .",
      "guiltlessly corny and whimsically melodramatic",
      "an eminently likable film , full of eminently likable stars playing eminently likable characters . it seems to have delusions of being a deep , meaningful piece of work , but if you disregard that false notion , there 's nothing not to like about it .",
      "it handles a sports movie the way billie holiday handled a trashy song , by finding the love and pain beneath the story .",
      "production and costume design are first rate .",
      "supernatural is not much better than subhuman : hollywood is still , in the year 2000 , disinclined to let black actors play human beings .",
      "director robert redford shows his age -- and we mean this in the best possible way -- with this old-fashioned movie in which the virtues of honor and sportsmanship are made vibrant and real .",
      "it 's a decent way to waste an evening or afternoon .",
      "-lsb- redford -rsb- tells this superficial fairy tale with warmth and expert care .",
      "unabashedly good-natured and unapologetically larger than life , and will smith may be the perfect choice to play a character too good to be true .",
      "it should be noted that the movie works uncommonly well for what it is ; what 's aggravating is the lost opportunity .",
      "a tender , well-acted , and most of all controlled and adult yarn whose mythic roots could scarcely be lost on any viewer .",
      "a spiritual journey ... that compels junah to give up his depression , confront his demons , cope with his fear , and learn to trust his inner voice .",
      "the production values are admirable .",
      "it 's the kind of dialogue that does n't really work on paper . miraculously enough , it makes perfect sense on the big screen . even if you do n't buy it .",
      "-lsb- smith 's -rsb- graceful presence helps turn what often feels like 18 holes of touched by an angel into an ultimately engaging sweet conceit .",
      "-lsb- redford -rsb- turns a solitary , often romanticized sport into a shimmering life metaphor .",
      "technically superior , beautifully acted , thought-provoking and engaging in terms of story and drama , and , for the most part , realistic and funny in terms of dialogue .",
      "a beautifully photographed , otherworldly fable .",
      "a lightweight , modestly engaging yarn .",
      "if you 're open to the spiritual message , it does resonate in an intriguing way .",
      "overflows with a love for the game of golf that saturates every frame .",
      "the film is visually stunning . its images will stay with you long after their meaning has vanished .",
      "will smith gives his character a believable charm and dignity .",
      "a hallmark card kind of beauty and poetry , printed on flimsy paperboard and worth $ 2.50 at most .",
      "besides the confused romantic subplot and the trite utterances of the title character , leven never manages to disclose anything meaningful about golf itself .",
      "lays up a little short in the character development department .",
      "redford 's populism keeps clashing with the movie 's elitism , and the friction produces way more suds than sparks .",
      "a flat , even somewhat dull fantasy that is n't nearly as deep as it thinks it is .",
      "it aims only at our heartstrings and tear ducts , when it could have touched our minds and consciences .",
      "much of what happens , regardless of whether its supposed to be touched by magic , seems patently phony .",
      "for all the wood-paneled southern opulence , manicured fairways , and glowingly golden sunsets on display , there 's nary a whiff of anything that will stick to your ribs .",
      "it 's the little things than count in films too . little things like giving us some real characters to care about .",
      "it 's a fable , you see , and fables rarely have any substance . and being populated by stick figures , they are rarely compelling .",
      "redford should have spent more time thinking about his characters than about the meaning of it all .",
      "the men and women inhabiting this motion pictures are types , ciphers , and mouthpieces for slogans , not individuals we can believe in and care for .",
      "five , six ... fifty-seven ? yep , you too will be counting the holes left in this drip of a period piece .",
      "leaves an impression like dew on a fairway : pretty to look at , and very quickly gone .",
      "a soggy , soporific exercise in hamfisted uplift .",
      "granted , it 's not fair to bring a 21st-century sensibility to reading a historical situation , but this historical situation is considerably cleaned up , no matter how you look at it .",
      "the script as now feels like a bunch of dots with the lines between them missing .",
      "weighed down by too many clichés and missed emotional connections .",
      "lends its personal epiphanies an air of ivory tower -- or , more specifically , country club -- triviality .",
      "tries too hard to find its way into your heart .",
      "accepting the zen of golf is easy . it 's the MOV and a callow will smith as a mystical golf guru that 's hard to swallow .",
      "instead of taking on a life of its own , redford 's film reminds you of ones you 've seen before . legends deserve better .",
      "some people will find it simplistic and cliched .",
      "benign , banal , and sometimes boring inspirational drama .",
      "uplifting feel-good drama from director robert redford - chock-full of flaws and easy to criticize , but nonetheless enjoyable .",
      "eastern theology suffers the same fate as western theology in today 's hollywood , which gave god a minimal role in the prince of egypt .",
      "the movie does contain some heartfelt performances .",
      "sit this one out . please .",
      "... most decidedly a fantasy , and the rules for fantasy are that the controlling intelligence behind the fantasy gets to change the rules at any time",
      "robert redford 's beguiling drama reminds us even the most hopeless causes can be turned around through the power of positive thinking and perserverance , if we 're willing to embrace the possibility of success instead of the probability of failure .",
      "it 's so utterly vague and mystical -- or , to be unkind about it , so slow the movie itself seems to be suffering from a hardening of the arteries .",
      "why ... would someone of redford 's proven abilities waste his time on something this frivolous , this negligible -- this out of touch ?",
      "the MOV has pretty actors , pretty words , and some pretty pictures , but is a pretty dull movie .",
      "so meticulous in its craftsmanship and so earnest in its storytelling that it feels both physically and spiritually airbrushed .",
      "in 2000 , the best year yet for the greatest black golfer -lrb- or just golfer -rrb- in the game 's history , tiger woods , hollywood chooses to give us a black hero as ... caddy .",
      "it 's about life . it 's about getting in touch with your spirit . it 's about the oneness of everything . it 's also about a black character who only exists for the purpose of helping a rich white guy get over his self-pity .",
      "apple-cheeked damon is miscast as the tortured , dissolute protagonist , and will smith is as unctuous as a game show host .",
      "gopher . explosives . gopher ... explosives . gopher ! explosives ! there . now you know exactly what was running through this critic 's mind during the MOV .",
      "most of the racial issues inherent in the setup of bagger vance are so painstakingly submerged that they barely register .",
      "the film has no thematic or dramatic weight to justify the effort .",
      "a thoroughly watchable fable about life , the universe and everything .",
      "while everything about bagger vance looks stunning , its perfectionism comes at the price of genuine drama .",
      "another lusciously produced , emotionally clammy redford enterprise -- forced , phony mythmaking filled with tinged sunsets and full moons .",
      "a picture of exquisite ambience .",
      "la cinta es melosa en grado superlativo , sin embargo tiene momentos emotivos que encantarán al auditorio -lrb- me incluyo , me incluyo -rrb- .",
      "quando a história chega ao fim , a impressăo que fica é a de que lendas da vida percorreu um longo caminho e năo chegou a lugar algum .",
      "the MOV takes a dry , sluggish and eerily zombie-like hobby and makes it even less interesting .",
      "there were times when it carried me away .",
      "el resultado final es una cinta pobremente dirigida , muy bien fotografiada , con una que otra secuencia llamativa , pero que carece totalmente de vida .",
      "pretentious piffle .",
      "the real contest for audiences is weathering the tonal shifts and forgiving the screenplay 's shallow depths and weak undercurrents .",
      "they give us plenty of golf , but not nearly enough reason to care about the golfer .",
      "relies on a ritualized filmmaking style that leaches -lsb- redford 's -rsb- story of excitement .",
      "though it 's sweet and likable to a fault , it 's also a movie that never seems heartfelt or deep .",
      "it 's gorgeous and then it 's over .",
      "another mythic bore from director robert redford .",
      "more mushy than mystical .",
      "all involved bring such potential and talent , that only a poorly chosen script can be blamed for this pathetic little film .",
      "it succumbs to a simplistic plot and a suffocating overload of sentimentality , at times so sweet it could give mr. rogers diabetes .",
      "a film which looked great and felt good , but ultimately did n't say much to me ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite the talent involved in the MOV , performances are hindered by an inadequate screenplay full of flat characters and bad dialogue . also , not much happens , and some critics are offended by how the film glosses over issues of racism .",
    "id": "12753"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_rover",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the great guy pearce performances -- mean , minimalist , and without a trace of vanity",
      "MOV is a hugely stressful tone poem in which on-screen characters are constantly being shot and killed by off-screen characters ... -lsb- it -rsb- at least makes for a better cormac mccarthy movie than the counselor did .",
      "bleak but beautiful . an arty , ultra-realistic take on the post-apocalyptic genre .",
      "anyone who lived through the past 40 years , with its cycles of economic crashes and fuel crises , might see this as a plausible horror scenario .",
      "`` MOV '' is bleak and gorgeous and has a soulful center thanks to pearce .",
      "the central performances are excellent if not capable of being too finely cut given the meandering , dare i say roving , narrative .",
      "like many a late 21st century western -- regardless of the land of its origins -- MOV asks what happens on the downslope of manifest destiny ? as hot , parched and heated as the atmosphere is , the answers are chilling .",
      "whatever -lsb- michod 's -rsb- screenplay lacks in terms of explicit dialogue or narrative complexity , however , it makes up for in subtle , reflective details and sun-scorched tension .",
      "a beautifully shot , hyper-violent , post-apocalyptic twin peaks car movie starring a mud-caked murderous road hobo that either needs to be more articulate or more absurd , but sort of gets caught in between .",
      "MOV is so intentionally vague and shapeless , it does n't leave much of an imprint other than pattinson 's odd , melancholy performance .",
      "a brooding and intense journey into a graceless world , with robert pattinson delivering a fascinating , career defining performance in the process .",
      "offers little to separate it from the likes of mad max , the road , or numerous others mining the same ground .",
      "while the film does n't really deliver anything new to the dystopian sub-genre of action-dramas , it works , for the most part , in being a contemporary western of sorts . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "where animal kingdom kept dragging us towards its dark , dead centre - often against our will - MOV just warns us to keep our distance and leaves it at that .",
      "the desolate parable of brooding outback justice plays out as though cormac mccarthy has reimagined mad max 2 for the 21st century , with late-model cars and breathable-fibre costumes .",
      "MOV is not meant for everyone , but it 's worth consideration if you do n't mind getting lost in david marchad 's bleak australian future for a couple hours .",
      "this role proves pattinson has serious acting chops . he 's mesmerizing , as is guy pearce : always a versatile actor who nails every look , glance , and eye twitch .",
      "-lsb- director david -rsb- michôd 's bravura is an intimidating reminder that he 's ahead of the audience every step of the way .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- film is as bleak and unsparing as the world 's end premise demands . it 's also utterly transfixing from start to finish and elevated by the unexpectedly superb pairing of stars guy pearce and robert pattinson .",
      "while MOV lacks the narrative thrust of animal kingdom , it has potent things to say and allows michôd to demonstrate a different set of filmmaking skills .",
      "elements that might otherwise be genuinely discomfiting are rendered silly by how much effort michôd puts into living up to genre conventions .",
      "the reveal is eye-rollingly bad , a moment of affected profundity michod 's long , winding road trip never earns .",
      "some may find its ultimate reveal much ado about nothing , a long , violent road leading to a joke . others will find deeper meaning about what we hold dear and how man 's destructive impulses will find him obliterating the very thing he 's sought .",
      "pattinson transcends his career-strangling straightjacket with a dynamic performance - do n't go back now ! does guy pearce ever make a wrong step in picking films ?",
      "the familiarity of the setting and everyday items clashes with the armageddon atmosphere and the eerie soundtrack to make a strangely creepy setting .",
      "there are 102 minutes here , and not a single one lacks tension .",
      "as much a modern existential western as a science-fiction drama in the manner of ` mad max . '",
      "director david michod 's follow-up to his acclaimed debut , animal kingdom , is effective in an elemental way .",
      "MOV is more than just the darkest timeline version of pee wee 's big adventure . it 's an examination of the human condition .",
      "michôd 's predilection for the long takes that bridge the middle and end of the film could have been tempered , or introduced earlier . suddenly morricone becomes malick , and the tempo slows a little too much .",
      "it 's bound to remind viewers of the mad max/road warrior movies with its silences and baking-hot open spaces . when characters do speak , the language sounds lyrical and sometimes profound .",
      "it has such a nihilistic nature and lack of resolution that rather than high stakes , there 's nothing at stake .",
      "somber , sinister , grimly sparse australian western , filled with pointless bloodshed and explicit violence .",
      "a psychological post-apocalyptic tale of a loner on a quest across barren australia to take back his stolen car from a gang , MOV is the mad max film david lynch never made .",
      "yet another post-apocalyptic , dystopian vision , this one from animal kingdom auteur david michod , nasty , minor and dazzling .",
      "a desolate , dark and thought-provoking film that explores the aftermath of societal collapse in the australian outback .",
      "robert pattinson 's stare is almost thousand-yard enough to make the film 's sense of tragedy feel downright greek .",
      "while some of the film 's ambiguity is welcome - we 're never told why society has fallen apart , it 's just a sadly acceptable given that it has - a good deal of it is disappointing .",
      "this is a significant step down from animal kingdom ...",
      "easy to watch at arm 's length and easier to shake off . it 's overbaked art-pulp .",
      "michod 's arresting and tense film -- part thriller , part warning of dystopia -- is played with ferocious restraint by guy pearce .",
      "has the feel of the fascinatingly aimless late '60s westerns of monte hellman . so you 'll need patience to appreciate it .",
      "a movie that offers successive temptations to walk out of it .",
      "what separates his film from the numerous what-if examinations of the genre known as post-apocalyptic is a focus on the human condition instead of setting .",
      "a film shot in 100-degree-plus heat that chills the blood as well as the soul .",
      "the skeletal story of MOV is a case of too much bone , not enough meat .",
      "MOV is ultimately less interested in what 's driven the world to ruin than it is in life amid the wreckage , a place as dangerous to the soul as the body .",
      "pearce seethes with searing , desperate energy that 's beautifully matched by pattinson 's mumbling , cautious attempts at optimism .",
      "the violent , nihilistic and tedious revenge drama emerges as this year 's standard for meaningless .",
      "is n't the equal of michod 's previous film , but it shows that he 's hardly a one-hit wonder , but rather a filmmaker of vision as well as finely tuned technique .",
      "cinema is rarely so menacing and provocative . MOV is that desired bit of sour in a summer full of cinematic fluff .",
      "what makes `` MOV '' more watchable than the average self-conscious genre exercise is pearce , who exudes such weary authority and palpable vulnerability that he 's sympathetic even in the film 's most brutalizing moments .",
      "there 's a thin line between the iconic and the generic , and `` MOV , '' a grim post-apocalyptic drama from down under , wanders back and forth across it in an adrenaline daze .",
      "it 's not just the lack of dialogue but a thin story that keeps this nihilistic tale from conveying a convincing sense of suspense . too many details are withheld to keep the audience captivated .",
      "a beautifully shot post-apocalyptic fever dream that might have worked as a short but is inconsequential as a feature film .",
      "you might call it a morality play , if there were any morality to speak of at play .",
      "this tough , violent and starkly impressive thriller succeeds in its main aim , which is to keep the viewer on the edge of the seat .",
      "ridiculously stark .",
      "a tense piece of narrative restraint that makes its bullets and death as scary as they should be .",
      "the finale is the one melancholy moment in an austere , violent story .",
      "MOV fascinates and frustrates in equal measure , with michod withholding details of plot and character so thoroughly that a nihilistic fog sets in .",
      "at moments , under burnished yet offhanded light , `` MOV '' is literary machismo of a high order . and at others ? we 're watching michelangelo antonioni 's `` mad max . '' -lrb- this is not a bad thing . -rrb-",
      "grim , dry and pointless , MOV is a tense thriller set in an australian wasteland that ends up wasting a terrific performance from guy pearce .",
      "the scarcity of expository background took me a few minutes to adjust to . but part of `` MOV 's '' mission is to keep us off-kilter ; making us question and seek out answers about what 's happened before .",
      "this minimalist gem affords a chance to see ex-twilight star robert pattinson at his dramatic best .",
      "MOV is one of those compellingly nasty visions of the future that has plenty to say about humanity -- whether we want to hear it or not .",
      "a pervasive sense of bleakness soon swallows the movie whole .",
      "if there 's one thing this violent metaphysical drama emphasises it 's that heart is , when all else fails , a man 's best friend .",
      "... continually seems to evoke other sources , from cormac mccarthy 's literate savagery to any number of westerns , particularly john hillcoat 's phenomenally bloody the proposition .",
      "the desolate country is alluringly evocative , but michôd relies too heavily on atmosphere when we need meaningful action .",
      "long on menace , often violent and consistently fascinating .",
      "there is both too much story and not enough .",
      "blood is spilled , as is to be expected in a film that explores a world on the brink of ruin , but each death echoes through the story the way the hero 's gunshots echo across the outback .",
      "pattinson appears to have picked the role precisely because it will send his twilight fans screaming out of the theater",
      "guy pearce is n't as physically formidable as clint eastwood or charles bronson in leone 's classics , but he 's just as determined and dangerous .",
      "while it 's never less than compelling , the characters here are ciphers -lrb- particularly a deeply troubled young man played by a grunting robert pattinson -rrb- and the violence feels wearingly familiar .",
      "take an immensely talented director , a first-class cinematographer , a collection of decidedly gifted actors and film them . tack on a musical soundtrack that bristles with originality and what do you have ? in the case of MOV , not much .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- he only note michôd is interested in playing is the nonstop reminders of how terrible this world is ... but there 's at least a sort of subtle vibrato to the note .",
      "MOV '' fails because michôd has gone for style over substance -- a mistake that turns the movie into a wasteland .",
      "MOV does have a central nervous system that crackles and pops with suspense , but in the end it 's not enough to jump-start the lack of narrative .",
      "michôd never freely opens up as to what is going on in the larger world , opting instead to give hints and clues and allowing the audience to create its own interpretation as to why things fell to pieces .",
      "the destination does n't feel worth the journey .",
      "an evocative , moody road movie through the australian outback that 's as sparse and dry as the desolate landscape it traverses , its deliberate rhythm punctuated by short periods of shocking , bloody violence .",
      "writer-director david michod -lrb- `` animal kingdom '' -rrb- likes his violence , but what he 's really offering here is an odd bond between two severely damaged men who have little in common beyond the damage .",
      "michod 's minimalist approach to MOV is both its chief asset and biggest shortcoming . it 's a respectable essay on survival , loneliness , trust and loss . but also one that ponders to the point of ponderousness .",
      "for much of its first half , MOV cruises on grit and atmosphere . ultimately , however , i struggled with the mysteries of what was motivating these central characters .",
      "michôd not only stints on the big backstory but is sometimes weak on story .",
      "forget `` gritty . '' `` MOV '' is so rank that if you cut yourself on it , you 'd need a tetanus shot .",
      "a truly grim film . super grim . did i mention its grimness ?",
      "what MOV lacks in story development , it makes up for with compelling tension , mystery , and acting finesse .",
      "guy pearce gives a riveting performance in `` MOV , '' full of quiet rage , ruthlessness and single-minded determination .",
      "it 's impressive for its ingenuity in suggesting , on a relatively low budget , a 21st century in which the world monetary system has disintegrated , leaving every man for himself .",
      "a bleaker , less colorful descendant of the mad max films , replacing the rollicking action of that franchise with a mood of nihilistic despair .",
      "despite the dense dust-caked atmosphere and a spiky , unnerving score by antony partos , michôd 's film adds up to little more than existentialist moaning punctuated by the occasional gunfight .",
      "a sterling example of the new australian noir .",
      "the movie 's overall cast of gloom - no one here has cracked a smile in years - contributes to a leaden aura .",
      "i think it is spare-genre filmmaking . it is really , really well done .",
      "there 's a purity to the utter lack of rationale here ; this , combined with michôd 's way with a landscape , makes for a passable guy-picture masquerading as something deep .",
      "the idea that there are moral laws at work in the universe exceeding our man-made attempts at justice is a great one , worthy of a great film . one day , hopefully , michod will make it .",
      "the movie barely amounts to more than a homage .",
      "in revealing two men trying to get in touch with the shreds of their shared humanity , -lsb- director -rsb- michôd offers a startling vision . you 'll be hooked .",
      "brutal as it is , MOV evolves into a strange kind of buddy movie . squint and you might be watching a nihilistic rain man .",
      "michod provides little insight into his lethally purposeful avenger , save a rueful musing on the value of guilt and the need to dwell on your sins ... when he 's not blazing away with fatal abandon .",
      "that final surprising coda -lrb- it surprised this reviewer , anyway -rrb- goes some way towards making sense of the whole mad enterprise .",
      "for the first 10 minutes , director david michod 's down-and-dusty outback drama looks like a winner . and then the wheels come off .",
      "MOV is an impressively staged and remarkably acted drama ; while it might not hit the same heights as michôd 's debut animal kingdom , it 's another fine film out of australia and one all involved can be proud of .",
      "there 's plenty to admire , but little to care about .",
      "a cautionary tale with deceptive genre trappings , MOV is an unconventional , challenging but rewarding watch with riveting performances and assured direction .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dour , inert vision of the future - a disappointing follow-up to michod 's cracking 2010 debut , animal kingdom .",
      "excruciatingly intense and prone to explosions of violence .",
      "if cormac mccarthy had written mad max or sergio leone had shot a spaghetti western in australia it might look something like MOV .",
      "-lsb- it has -rsb- all of the excitement of being trapped in the desert without a map , watching a cow skull turn to dust .",
      "pattinson impresses with a pared-down performance in an extremely pared down film . this is one of those australian post apocalyptic road movies that keeps almost everything under its bonnet .",
      "MOV equals only sporadically the fraught tension of michôd 's debut , animal kingdom -lrb- 2010 -rrb- , but its horrors feel baked-in and genetic .",
      "this is a story that had potential , but michod 's unwillingness to develop any of it only leads it down the path to becoming another small , forgotten film that no one 's likely to take any notice of .",
      "might be described as an anti-high noon .",
      "the atmosphere usually gets airless as the action does n't rove so much as drift and slow-zoom from moody moment to straggly episode . any sharp-eyed insights into these godforsaken characters or their fallen society are few and far-between .",
      "a scabrous , tightly drawn chase drama -- even if , ultimately , the narrative does n't lead anywhere particularly new .",
      "bleak , brutal , and ultimately pointless , the film stars guy pearce as a man whose car is stolen and who wo n't rest until he not only gets it back but also punishes , with extreme prejudice , the dirtbags who took it .",
      "the final scene is a clear picture of how regardless of the lawless land , principles and honor means everything .",
      "... does n't deliver the same kind of genre-rattling excitement as most similar efforts , but from scene to scene , moment to moment , it 's an enthralling watch .",
      "it 's the steadiness of MOV that is its most defining feature , a sense that you 're perambulating towards an inevitable showdown and just along for the ride .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- dark , dreary and dull `` mad max in neutral ''",
      "between this and his work for david cronenberg , pattinson is suggesting his career post-twilight will sparkle like edward cullen 's skin . michod , meanwhile , confirms he 's a filmmaker of considerable talents .",
      "MOV is dark and engaging , with superb use of the heart-stopping landscape around the flinders ranges , but it could be accused of mannerism .",
      "desolation accomplished .",
      "while this atmospheric australian outback thriller has plenty of edgy action , it 's also meandering and arty , refusing to fill in the details until filmmaker david michod is good and ready .",
      "a movie of few words , fashioned like the best westerns .",
      "michôd 's sweet spot is the intersection of high and low , the place where genre clichés bleed into unpredictable and nuanced storytelling .",
      "a disappointing film that loses dramatic momentum after an arrestingly grim first act .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- journeyman 's doomsday ...",
      "i felt there was a bit of muddle , and the clean lines of conflict and tension had been blurred : the dystopian future setting does n't add much and has n't been very rigorously imagined .",
      "it has a desolate beauty all its own , and a career-redefining performance by robert pattinson that reveals untold depths of sensitivity and feeling in the erstwhile `` twilight '' star .",
      "fusing a hybrid of quasi-apocalyptic influences into a work with a pungent character of its own , MOV suggests something like a cormac mccarthy vision of australia halfway between today and the road warrior times .",
      "guy pearce excels in a difficult role and robert pattinson is believable and entertaining as his partner on this oft-beaten track through a dystopia of our making .",
      "the existential angst feels tapped out .",
      "despite familiar cinematic tropes of post-civilization , grim and violent emphasis of desolation and destruction make this a thrilling road trip through outback 's near future .",
      "there 's no denying guy pearce 's talent , but MOV is still a dog .",
      "`` MOV '' is a minimalist dystopian drama with more plot-holes than plot .",
      "... generates enough character-driven suspense to overcome its familiar genre trappings .",
      "this is an intense film . music is kept to a minimum . conversation is kept to a minimum .",
      "the deadpan irony of the final sequence feels like the punch line of a mournful but very thin joke .",
      "alternately violent and tedious road movie of the post-apocalyptic variety that remains watchable thanks to some odd touches and an interesting performance from robert pattinson .",
      "like clint eastwood in his spaghetti westerns , pearce does all his acting with his eyes . and it 's riveting . but michod 's script gives him little to depict beyond sadness and angry brooding .",
      "david michôd does a superb job of immediately luring the viewer into the spare narrative ...",
      "even with all the misery michôd ca n't resist injecting some humour , which works well as a counterpoint to teasingly lighten the mood .",
      "an evocative journey , lean and pitiless and occasionally gut-wrenching .",
      "MOV 's primary fault lies in its uncharismatic anti-hero .",
      "michôd 's first feature , animal kingdom , was a fierce and pungent portrait of a brutish melbourne family but MOV is a slower , slighter and glummer fable , mistaking malevolence for significance .",
      "there 's a lack of articulation in -lsb- michod 's -rsb- story that there 's little in the way of a theme to make MOV compelling . that 's frustrating , because a movie this nihilistic and driven should be about something .",
      "it 's not a pleasant movie , but MOV twists genre tenets to expose the need for connective tissue that lies somewhere beneath the dark depths of men 's souls .",
      "if guy pierce is as good as ever , it is the startling performance by pattinson that nearly steals the show .",
      "sweaty-palms time .",
      "of mice and men at the end of the world -- that 's the general turf of MOV .",
      "rey is dull-witted and childlike , and although pattinson might be over-busy at times , his twitchy performance makes an effective contrast with his co-star .",
      "a fascinating movie , flawed but occasionally brilliant , and it 's also not at all the film we were expecting .",
      "pattinson , who cronenberg sometimes seemed to use specifically because of a certain blankness -lrb- particularly in cosmopolis -rrb- , gets a weird and meaty role and turns out to know what to do with it ."
    ],
    "summary": "fueled by engaging performances from guy pearce and robert pattinson , the tension-filled MOV overcomes its narrative faults through sheer watchability .",
    "id": "771312867"
  },
  {
    "movie": "beverly_hills_cop_2",
    "reviews": [
      "this ultraslick , laughless sequel suffers from axel foley 's personality overhaul into a complete jerk .",
      "skip this one and go back to the first ` cop . '",
      "perhaps the pinnacle of eddie murphy 's career .",
      "fun sequel",
      "not as good as the original , but fast and funny enough to suffice fans",
      "been there and done that better .",
      "the film seems ... to be a precisely timed affair : so many seconds for this , so many for that , and the natural flow of the story be damned .",
      "-lsb- nothing -rsb- really , except a delivery system for murphy . but murphy in those days was appealing enough that this proves to be very nearly sufficient .",
      "pointless , hateful sequel .",
      "not quite as frenetically fun as the original , but murphy still works his game .",
      "what is comedy ? that 's a pretty basic question , i know , but cop ii never thought to ask it .",
      "murphy still has energy and charisma to spare and raises the performances of the more subdued actors that surround him .",
      "just interested in being more bhc ; nobody really bothered with quality control ."
    ],
    "summary": "eddie murphy remains appealing as the wisecracking axel foley , but beverly hills cop ii does n't take him -- or the viewer -- anywhere new enough to justify a sequel .",
    "id": "13834"
  },
  {
    "movie": "sweetgrass",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is an unexpectedly intoxicating documentary , unexpected because it blends high artistic standards with the grueling reality of one of the toughest , most exhausting of work environments .",
      "mostly wordless and better for it ... `` MOV '' is best when focused on the sheep .",
      "what starts out looking like a 4h film soon develops narrative power , and a rough natural humor . you 'll be hearing bleating in your sleep for days , which is more pleasant than it sounds .",
      "in an extraordinary series of tableaux that are alternately idyllic and severe , MOV defies the conventions of what most of us regard as a documentary film .",
      "should adequately serve as a modestly diverting meditation on the changing scene in america .",
      "suggests the opening chapter of 2001 by way of au hasard balthazar .",
      "call me old-fashioned , but i find the spectacle of hundreds of sheep descending a mountainside like the conquistadors at the beginning of werner herzog 's aguirre , wrath of god more impressive than all the vistas of avatar 's pandora .",
      "if you 're used to the add pace of modern filmmaking , MOV will probably drive you crazy . if you can adjust , it could widen your soul .",
      "even viewers caught unaware of just how natural this documentary is could easily find themselves mesmerized by its unique charms .",
      "there are audience rewards for sticking with the herd and its lonesome cowboys .",
      "if there 's anything we can learn from the creatures here , it 's that any day in which you do n't get stripped of your coat or eaten by a bear is probably a good one .",
      "so i have to admit , the first few notes i took while watching the documentary `` MOV '' consisted of writing `` wow , that 's a lot of sheep ! '' over and over again .",
      "an intoxicating audiovisual experience and a sprawling story that encompasses nothing less than the seasons , birth and death .",
      "entertaining , despite its slow pace and general lack of dialogue and music . it is plain , but strong .",
      "MOV is a film of record about the american west . it documents , pays tribute to a fast-fading way of life . you want ` true grit ? ' this is it !",
      "a documentary of uncommon elegance and abstract expression ... what always impresses about the movie is its here-and-nowness .",
      "the movie is decidedly no frills , and it both lives and dies by this strict adherence to its protocol .",
      "MOV is probably the definition of niche , but one dedicated to some of the highest ideals of film : it brings us information from a place we 've never been , and with a rapturous innocence .",
      "i have no doubt that , come the end of the year , MOV will be on the `` 10 best '' lists . it is that memorable for pictorial , cultural and even moral reasons .",
      "it would be foolish not to experience this film .",
      "unadorned by narrative or score , it 's an unsentimental portrayal of a fading way of life and the peaceful creatures under its charge .",
      "as it progresses it begins to strike a subtly elegiac , unsentimental tone ...",
      "the talk is sheep . and normally , i 'd say baa humbug to sitting down with lambs for 90 minutes . but any apprehension . abates under the power of a documentary that 's as beautiful as it is informative .",
      "-lsb- the directors -rsb- portray something indelible by capturing the rancher 's old-hand ways .",
      "this beautiful and hypnotic documentary shows the agony and the ecstasy of herding sheep up into montana 's beartooth mountains for the summer pasture .",
      "if avatar was last year 's best-looking film , 2011 's award may well go to a documentary shot for small change concerning sheep . no , really .",
      "the images , including sheep on the move up near vertical hills , are remarkable , the landscape spectacular , the unsentimental account of back-breaking , backside-aching work impressive .",
      "a tenaciously observed and a quietly absorbing ethnography about a pair of shepherds leading some 3,000 sheep on a 150-mile journey up into montana 's absaroka-beartooth mountains for summer pasture .",
      "a fascinating portrait of a vanishing way of life .",
      "extraordinary piece of visual anthropology that is as beautiful and involving as it is informative about a threatened way of life .",
      "though the breathtaking vistas of big sky country in ilisa barbash and lucien castaing-taylor 's unforgettable sheep-herding documentary come close to heaven , it 's telling that ac/dc 's `` highway to hell '' can be faintly heard .",
      "this slyly transcendental documentary consists of long , mostly wordless takes of sheep , cowboys , and the divine montana mountains they wander through for 200 miles .",
      "as subcultural anthropology , it 's unassailable . yet the often ugly-looking dv aesthetic dilutes the cumulative effect .",
      "an interesting documentary about the last large sheep drive in montana with cowboys who are not romanticized",
      "filmmakers ilisa barbash and lucien castaing-taylor rigorously follow the cinema-verité creed : no sonorous morgan freeman voiceovers , no explanatory intertitles until the finale , just carefully observed reality .",
      "pat , the elder -lsb- cowboy -rsb- , speaks to them in sing-song and calls them his girls . his waking call : good morning , sheep sounded like the reason these filmmakers thought the grass was sweet .",
      "to put it simply : the imagery speaks louder than those filming it .",
      "minimalist and hypnotic , a catalog of observations about the primal relationship between man and beast , and the still-daunting challenges of the western landscape .",
      "an intriguing but overly demanding portrait of rural montana that concentrates on sheep and their herders .",
      "castaing-taylor 's lensing -- from sheep staring into a camera to panoramic views of the gorgeous landscape -- is pleasing to the eye .",
      "instead of rounding up information , this documentary about an arduous sheep drive across montana is driven by the beauty of the landscape .",
      "for those willing to pay attention and get into the rhythms of this stubbornly unconventional movie , the rewards are substantial .",
      "the movie celebrates a particular lifestyle and it 's an homage to a dying tradition -- a slice of history that 's fascinating to witness .",
      "MOV ' unbroken shots of often-repetitive activity have a beguiling quality to them , their very monotony encouraging a deeper absorption and reflection , but hard facts are n't easy to come by .",
      "the first essential movie of this young year .",
      "i liked it for 15 minutes or so , and then i found it intolerable .",
      "it 's a gorgeous and , believe it or not , riveting documentary ... about sheep .",
      "it may not be your thing , but MOV is unlike anything you 'll see in a theater this year . it bravely strays from the flock .",
      "leaves behind the domain of ethnography and becomes a work of art .",
      "self-flagellation never felt as good as filmmakers head to the high country for the last experience of the good old days .",
      "an excellent introduction to the rigors of ranching life , this documentary nevertheless exploits americans ' romantic views of the west .",
      "memorably captures a dying way of american life , a marvelously untrammeled american landscape and at least two animals -- men and sheep -- that despite their millennia-long domestic relationship still have a spark of wildness in them .",
      "dust off your chaps . oil your saddle . stock up on liniment . you 're about to go on the last montana sheep drive over the beartooth mountains in the western documentary `` MOV , '' and it 's an experience you 're not likely to forget .",
      "with rugged reverence , MOV depicts the final sheepherder drive into montana 's beartooth mountains .",
      "that rare art form of documentary verité , castain-taylor 's camera acts as a silent observer showing the rigorous trip these men have taken for many years .",
      "the filmmakers ' motivation could n't be clearer : they needed to capture a way of life that may soon exist only on film and in memory .",
      "the men who inhabit the land and herd the sheep grow in stature and remain with the viewer after ` MOV ' is over .",
      "MOV showcases an elemental intimacy between man and animal ."
    ],
    "summary": "at once tender and unsentimental , MOV gracefully captures the beauty and hardships of a dying way of life .",
    "id": "770811074"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1001577-badlands",
    "reviews": [
      "achingly evocative of a time when hollywood had the courage to invest in complex and morally ambiguous films and an indisputable masterpiece of american cinema .",
      "makes for classic , troubling yet fascinating cinema .",
      "the superb performances from sheen and spacek are as memorable as malick 's vision of something akin to hell .",
      "the unique , lilting music would subsequently crop up in true romance , though tarantino 's generation has yet to dethrone MOV as the most haunting of all couple-on-the-run movies .",
      "malick 's film , full of striking cutaways to the burning-sun horizon and the harsh landscape 's solitary creatures , comes to operate at an overpoweringly chilling remove .",
      "days of heaven put terrence malick 's intuitions into cogent form , but this is where his art begins .",
      "terrence malick 's first masterpiece . essential viewing .",
      "this first , magnificent , outpouring of the sporadic genius of cinema 's equivalent to jd salinger , terrence malick , still seems terrifically modern .",
      "an unmissable reissue for terrence malick 's gorgeous and troubling debut .",
      "terrence malick 's thriller MOV -lrb- 1973 -rrb- , is rightly revered as one of the most astonishing debuts in cinema . its reissue is a wonderful chance to discover why .",
      "minimizes the inherent sensationalism of its material with a deliberately slow pace , and malick constantly undercuts the potential thrill of on-screen violence by rendering it awkward , vicious , and ugly",
      "among the great american crime movies , 1973 's MOV stands alone .",
      "unfortunately , movies about banal people are often banal themselves .",
      "terrence malick is truly a one of a kind filmmaker .",
      "sheen works an abundance of meaning into a very small space , so we at least recognize this doomed , erstwhile child as all too human , and appropriately dangerous .",
      "i ca n't pin down the exact moment i realized that i was watching something special .",
      "MOV -lrb- 1973 -rrb- is the remarkable and impressive directorial debut from twenty-nine year old director terrence malick",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- terrence malick 's self-penned feature debut is a haunting road movie pitched in '50s americana . the film 's razor-sharp tone of poetic irony is unique .",
      "the movie is just as free , experimental , and unsure of itself as its main characters are , and thus fits like a glove .",
      "this tender treatment does nothing to alleviate the horror of the atrocities committed .",
      "in the fall of 1973 , one could see signposts of cinema 's future in mean streets and the exorcist , yet with this youthful pair of proto-indie dreamers , malick was paving a whole new road . it turned out to be the path most traveled .",
      "it 's a testament to bruce greenwood 's acting that adan never becomes entirely as insufferable as the words that come out of his mouth .",
      "one of malick 's most resonant notions in MOV is that everyone confronts mortality in his or her own way .",
      "malick has come to be known and revered as a cinematic poet and philosopher , as a filmmaker who explores big ideas , but in MOV in particular he also shows a knack for off-kilter humor .",
      "in his debut , terrence malick is an uncanny creator of pearlescent forms , a very stark balladeer , mark twain 's coolly ferocious heir",
      "incredibly beautiful , of course -lrb- you may have heard that malick movies are famous for their landscapes -rrb- , but it 's not `` just '' beautiful .",
      "... the first of malick 's many screen edens , all of which inevitably come to a violent end .",
      "malick 's dreamlike murder story is still haunting .",
      "terrific , chilling debut by sheen .",
      "a groundbreaking seminal folk tale about aimless youths .",
      "stunning .",
      "like bonnie and clyde , MOV could be seen as a poetic ballad or folktale , but unlike that film , it does n't romanticize its protags , instead using distancing devices such as sissy spacek 's affectless narration .",
      "bonnie and clyde without the freud , but with a darker , more incomprehensible underbelly .",
      "terrence malick introduced his odd yet highly compelling filmmaking style in this 1973 feature .",
      "written , produced and directed by terrence malick , pic is his first feature and it 's an impressive debut .",
      "MOV is an arena for apathy , both in regard to the characters ' depictions and their subjective emotions .",
      "a fantastic debut by malick , who has never lived up to the promise since ."
    ],
    "summary": "terrence malick 's debut is a masterful slice of american cinema , rife with the visual poetry and measured performances that would characterize his work .",
    "id": "11145"
  },
  {
    "movie": "howls_moving_castle",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's not miyazaki 's best work , but it is leagues beyond any traditional 2-d animation out of 3-d-mad hollywood lately , and more beguiling than anything disney 's done in ages .",
      "a gorgeous , life-affirming piece whose anti-war message is particularly timely .",
      "emphatically passionate and fraught with greater meaning .",
      "the visual power of miyazaki 's animation is as strong as ever , but it 's all for naught when you ca n't make heads or tails of the story on screen .",
      "glitches in storytelling and stunt casting can not overshadow the wondrous sights that miyazaki doles out for our approval .",
      "the story works on many levels , including as an anti-war fable , but its central theme is about the matchless power of love .",
      "while there 's no denying miyazaki 's visual flair and tip-top draughtsmanship , i found myself less than enchanted by the mile-high convolutions of the plot , and frankly bored by the final half-hour .",
      "miyazaki 's expertise at drafting , along with his eye for detail and ability to infuse a story with heart , results in a wonderfully entertaining film .",
      "howl 's moving castle moves -- in short , choppy , jumpy jerks that will never make anyone forget how fluid the truly great hand-drawn cartoons look by comparison .",
      "with such an unfocused , impenetrable center , the film grows dull .",
      "confirms that miyazaki is one of the most brilliant practitioners of the cartoon feature form ever .",
      "a parade of weird characters comes onstage to do their turns , but the underlying plot grows murky and , amazingly for a miyazaki film , we grow impatient at spectacle without meaning .",
      "... only the most die-hard fans of director hayao miyazaki will find something here worth embracing .",
      "even a lesser miyazaki effort is superior to 99 percent of its american contemporaries",
      "a regression for miyazaki from his last two films in almost every sense .",
      "movie magic is only as powerful as the imagination that casts it . japanese master hayao miyazaki 's imagination is the most creative in animated filmmaking .",
      "this movie often soars , blending a childlike sense of wonder with sophisticated emotions and motives .",
      "howl 's moving castle is a wildly imaginative and artistic adventure , but one that is n't easily understood .",
      "the latest animated tour de force from the japanese director hayao miyazak is a fitting introduction to one of modern cinema 's great enchanters .",
      "miyazaki once again takes the breath away with his bizarre imagination and richly painted scenes .",
      "as much of a hand-drawn treat as spirited away , chock-full of numinous sunsets , fabulous organic machinery and gratuitously delightful touches .",
      "the hand-drawn animation is breathtakingly gorgeous and there 's a huge amount of detail that will reward repeated viewings .",
      "youngsters and miyazaki fans will coo at the world 's depth and rich surreality , but opaque plotting , and a tendency to mope with sophie whilst howl is off affecting events let the momentum of the first act vanish into thin air .",
      "a terrific little fantasy that will arouse one 's childlike curiosity .",
      "a compelling story is the main ingredient missing from howl 's moving castle .",
      "there is giggling , belly-laughing , and gasping to be done watching howl 's moving castle .",
      "miyazaki 's animated adaptation of jones ' book is a charming and thoroughly absorbing treat .",
      "if you 're in the market for a brilliant piece of family animation you 'd be hard-pressed to find anything better this year .",
      "positively sings with color and light .",
      "there are some truly inspired moments , although this new animation from japanese writer / director hayao miyazaki never reaches the heights of the brilliant spirited away .",
      "howl 's moving castle is a hayao miyazaki film through and through , but the film 's meta momentum is bound to disappoint fans of the director 's more conventional work .",
      "miyazaki exerts a strong command over a wide-ranging story line and skillfully seduces the viewer into deciphering the subtle motivations of the characters .",
      "a treasure . its wonders come so constantly that one can almost start to take them for granted .",
      "in animé , miyazaki has secured the high ground .",
      "after about 20 leisurely minutes , i swore that i could watch this movie forever , or at least several times over .",
      "the straightforward narrative constantly seems at odds with miyazaki 's dreamy landscapes and fanciful flourishes .",
      "the film is an organic , childlike wonder , fabulously unpredictable and seethingly inventive .",
      "technologically adept , fevered imagination .",
      "howl is often impish -- the slimy black things the witch of waste sends after howl wear panama hats -- but miyazaki never panders to moviegoers with eddie murphy asides .",
      "magical send off , but overstays and over-resolves just a bit . that said , some gorgeous imagery , charming to look at , and a cast of endearingly animated characters .",
      "the inhabitants of miyazaki 's enchanted universe understand that spirits are as much a part of everyday life as the fishmongers and soldiers and airplanes crowding the confines of the movie frame in set-piece scenes of spectacular detail .",
      "a miyazaki film could n't breathe in a world already populated and established . it exists on its own as a fantasy whose only constraint is that it has to eventually end .",
      "a floatingly delightful fairytale with its heart set on repealing the law of gravity .",
      "it is so intriguing .",
      "miyazaki 's vision is an extraordinary one , and howl 's moving castle confirms his fascination for transformations , for dangerous journeys and strange adventures .",
      "the film , as expected , is a feast for the eyes .",
      "-lsb- miyazaki -rsb- may have made better films than howl 's moving castle , but it still exhibits his amazing imagination and astonishing detail .",
      "there is little of the magic and japanese flavour of such miyazaki masterpieces as spirited away .",
      "howl 's moving castle is japanese and anime , and therefore automatically more artistic than its us counterparts . the right cultural cachet gives you a lot of leeway .",
      "like tiepolo , miyazaki is a winged artist who flies in his own space , taking gravity with him . he can put us into a childish stupor of anticipation , then satisfaction . his vision is so free that it captivates .",
      "howl 's moving castle is a graceful fantasy that builds on the strengths hayao miyazaki displayed in princess mononoke and spirited away .",
      "miyazaki is n't interested in the jolts of surrealism so much as imbuing his audience with the idea that reality can change at any moment , and change back just as quickly .",
      "unnerving and quietly profound .",
      "the visuals cast a spell as wondrous as those that the wizards in the movie create , so the film is well worth seeing .",
      "miyazaki may not have achieved the level of spirited away , but he 's still ahead of the curve .",
      "speaking of enchantment , that 's the ultimate thing missing from howl 's moving castle . that and soul .",
      "there is no story , or rather , there 's no force to the story , which meanders almost casually this way and that for no apparent reason .",
      "this magical adventure delivers the goods .",
      "miyazaki is like a soulful cartographer of the soul , mapping our inner landscape , leaving us bedazzled .",
      "a wise and wonderful parable of the passing moments of life , and dealing with both the advantages and burdens that make us individuals .",
      "there 's a word for the kind of comic , dramatic , romantic , transporting visions miyazaki achieves in howl 's : bliss .",
      "another stunningly beautiful and beguiling work of animation from japan 's hayao miyazaki .",
      "the story is old-fashioned ... much like a grimm fairytale , complex and with a dark edge .",
      "howl 's moving castle may not be miyazaki 's best work , but anything he gives us is something to be cherished and enjoyed .",
      "miyazaki and his team of crazy geniuses at world-renowned studio ghibli have once again produced an animated film of joy and beauty .",
      "a visual delight and a reminder of the continuing power of two-dimensional animation done right",
      "it 's miyazaki 's most difficult work to get a grip on .",
      "strange and beautiful , `` howl 's moving castle '' is the latest anime offering from hayao miyazaki .",
      "it is worth seeing a second time simply to focus on the incredible artistry .",
      "it 's the combination of the characterizations , the of truths dropped here and there in the dialogue , and the sheer visual dazzlement that truly make the film what it is .",
      "puts forth a sensitive and well-meaning story that makes sense for today 's troublesome world .",
      "japanese filmmaker hayao miyazaki continues to show there 's still a world of wonder to be found in traditional hand-drawn animation .",
      "meanders so listlessly that its details become less and less charming . miyazaki 's storytelling style resembles that of a breathless young tot who 's fearlessly exercising his newfound powers of expression .",
      "howl 's moving castle is one animated epic that has it all : poetic intensity , potent storytelling , vivid and surprising characters , and intoxicating powers of visual imagination .",
      "miyazaki , now in his mid-60s , has a refreshing and persuasive way of relating youth to old age and callowness to wisdom . rather than presenting them succeeding each other and fighting for supremacy , he shows them coexisting peacefully .",
      "the procession of enchanting and spectacular images is intoxicating .",
      "absurdly engaging narrative and surreal visuals .",
      "... heartfelt humanism once again enlivens the filmmaker 's craft , yet this time around the film seems quieter , more charming and eccentric than awing .",
      "the film is beautiful to look at , with stunningly rendered landscapes and fanciful creations .",
      "in the animated worlds of hayao miyazaki , the border between the domestic and the magical , between the everyday and the astounding , lies no further away than the nearest broom closet or backyard .",
      "a feast of images and ideas for those who still cling to the idea that animation ought to be every bit as expressive as anything that begins with a blank page , a sharp pencil and an unharnessed imagination .",
      "miyazaki continues to astonish with the sheer artistry and breadth of his vision .",
      "there 's also a pervasive , intoxicating sense of enchantment . it 's magic .",
      "no amount of description can prepare you for the visceral nature of the visual astonishments miyazaki has created .",
      "charming , peculiar , and occasionally ingenious , howl 's moving castle tilts between fantastical beauty and philosophical pondering .",
      "the film gains a sense of visual wonder almost completely freed from the strains of a narrative-driven film .",
      "another work of great imagination and beauty from hiyao miyazaki .",
      "palaces and shimmering lakes , warplanes and fire sprites all come to life at the breath of miyazaki 's graphic genius .",
      "a stunning example of a pure , disorienting dream logic that cinema provides all too rarely .",
      "howl 's moving castle is a perfect epitome of miyazaki 's work , in all its strengths and weaknesses : it 's filled with heart-felt themes ... but how these elements connect on a plot level is subjugated to how beautifully they are rendered on screen .",
      "a handsome fantasy movie with only a nod in the direction of the rich , all-encompassing humanity and emotionality of miyazaki 's greatest work .",
      "a richly inventive and enchanting delight .",
      "the incredible imagination of spirited away director hayao miyazaki runs wild once again in this delightful animated adventure .",
      "by turns funny , exhilarating and touching , it lacks only one thing : the spiritual and metaphysical depth that made spirited away such a haunting experience .",
      "a strange delight awash in visual splendor , understated humor and clever body-and-soul transmogrifications among its bonny band of weirdos .",
      "fantasy tale from master animator hayao miyazaki is a feast for the senses ... that makes no sense .",
      "increasingly hard to follow , with too many dull patches along the way .",
      "too abstruse for general american audiences . but if sheer animated beauty is up your alley , miyazaki 's latest is an inviting daydream , easily worth your time .",
      "even a lesser miyazaki effort is superior to 99 percent of its american contemporaries .",
      "docter 's english vocal cast make `` howl '' possibly miyazaki 's funniest outing without diluting any of miyazaki 's artistry .",
      "miyazaki does n't push children down a familiar path . he takes off the training wheels and dares to ask young viewers to imagine alongside him .",
      "it 's like a combination of beauty and the beast and the wizard of oz with an extra dose of comedy - not a bad mix for an entertaining fairy tale .",
      "this is a film meant for more mature youngsters , teens and adults and is best viewed on the big screen .",
      "it 's entrancing , with more magical and laugh-out-loud moments than any other animated feature so far this year .",
      "so richly detailed and colorful that one almost aches from the beauty .",
      "it 's almost a disappointment that a miyazaki film engages the eyes better than the brain , but it 's hard to be disappointed with images this radiant and gorgeous .",
      "the world 's leading animator has come back with a movie that 's even more complicated and just as visually dazzling and heartfelt .",
      "not only flies over the head of anyone whose expectations have been stunted by animated hollywood fare , it soars .",
      "i 've seen the best anime movies of my generation destroyed by bad writing .",
      "when it comes to magnificence in anime imagineering , miyazaki continues to be the man .",
      "if you 've yet to take the anime plunge , this is a fine place to start ; if you 're an old hand , you will not be disappointed .",
      "miyazaki has an appeal that crosses generations . adult audiences are drawn to the depth and variety of his vision , but so are kids , and for exactly the same reasons .",
      "miyazaki 's latest epic -lrb- and that 's just what it was ... epic -rrb- lived up to every expectation .",
      "miyazaki 's stunning animation and characteristically vivid colors make the film a visual feast ...",
      "miyazaki has done better , and his epic style might get the best of him in this film a bit . still , it is nonetheless a journey worth taking .",
      "if it were n't for `` wallace & gromit : the curse of the were-rabbit , '' `` howl 's moving castle '' would be your winner for this year 's academy award for best animated picture .",
      "as a lover of fantasy and sci-fi books and movies , this cartoon appealed me to with its detailed plot and unique world .",
      "few other films , or indeed filmmakers , would dare take a scene in which two elderly women struggle to climb a staircase and turn it into an extravagant and memorable set piece .",
      "another example of how this film maven easily holds the crown in the sadly ever-shrinking traditional animation genre .",
      "a delightfully fanciful movie with engaging storytelling , visual wonders , and such worthwhile themes as contrasting wisdom and perspective with age .",
      "the risibly cloying closing scenes are likely to nix any remaining goodwill , blotting out such delicate early touches as a stroll through the air far above a town square .",
      "those who appreciate miyazaki 's artistry will find much to savor , even in a work that may not rank among the director 's best .",
      "with its bold screen-filling imagery , this is definitely a movie to be relished on the big screen .",
      "dazzlingly imaginative , carefully observed , and suffused with a rare generosity of spirit .",
      "so good that it shames virtually every animated film made since miyazaki 's last film , spirited away , graced movie screens in 2002 .",
      "at its best , howl 's moving castle offers a rich fantasy of adolescent escape , of romance in the old and epic sense .",
      "the film is at its worst when trying to outright engage you and at its best when it does n't pay the audience much mind .",
      "one of the summer 's tastiest treats ... a beautifully wrought , intoxicatingly dreamlike parable of personal and social maturation .",
      "the director 's grasp of animation techniques is as impressive as the depth and substance of his imaginary worlds .",
      "an insanely creative work .",
      "the weirdest dream or acid trip you 'll ever experience , broadcasted on the big screen by a team of creative craniums",
      "it 's hard to imagine a film more imaginative and creative than this latest work from the world 's premier animator .",
      "miyazaki 's work is so refreshingly engaging , even his recycled ideas seem as if they spring brand new from his kaleidoscopic imagination .",
      "the whole thing has the heavenly whimsy of ludwig bemelmans ' illustrations from the classic french children 's books .",
      "it 's miyazaki all the way .",
      "the world it gives us to live in , for a couple of hours , is pure magic . it is one of those places we might wish never to leave .",
      "choppy story lines and threadbare characterization often hamper live-action adventures , and mr. miyazaki 's newest anime endeavor suffers from similar handicaps .",
      "exhibits an alice in wonderland puckishness in its characters and their absurd situations , and an underlying spiritual calm -lsb- unlike -rsb- the usual animated franticness .",
      "miyazaki 's engaging touch for the surreal counterpoints the film 's antiwar message nicely .",
      "if you like anime even a little , prepare to be stunned .",
      "do n't wait for video . see howl on the big screen .",
      "what i love so far about miyazaki is how he never fails to take advantage of the fact that his entertainment medium of choice is animation .",
      "the moving castle alone is worth the price of admission .",
      "while the plot of howl 's moving castle does n't always take off , miyazaki 's flights of artistic fancy dazzle , frame by exhilarating frame .",
      "yes , there are moments of great beauty here , but boy , the story could have used some editing .",
      "a beguiling , visually fanciful diversion",
      "one of the most unusual and involving animated epics ever put on screen .",
      "far from being a masterpiece of storytelling like its predecessor was , it is instead a perfectly acceptable , pleasantly diverting fairy tale for old and young alike .",
      "the story ... carries a weak narrative thread that gets lost in the shuffle of magic and mayhem .",
      "an overly familiar affair that will strain young attention spans with its plodding lessons about greed -lrb- it 's bad -rrb- and nature -lrb- it 's good -rrb- .",
      "the characters are reserved and distant ... the objects -- a flame , a scarecrow , even the machines -- seem to have more personality than the humans .",
      "for the first time , the master 's wondrous imagination feels slightly ... familiar .",
      "one of the best films of the year with its rousing treatment of caretaking , aging , anti-war sentiments , and the bounties of the heart .",
      "miyazaki 's gift for wonder , an ease with fantasy that makes enchantment second nature , is so great it obliterates differences in language .",
      "an eye-popping , mind-bending phantasmagoria from one of the greatest living film artists .",
      "the tireless volley of ideas and inventions make this a delight that should connect with kids and adults in both dubbed and original-language versions .",
      "it benefits from miyazaki 's abundant visual imagination , which fills the screen with eye-dazzling wonders .",
      "another charming and inventive fairy tale every bit as good as -lsb- miyazaki 's -rsb- past offerings .",
      "prepare to be thoroughly enchanted . prepare also to be challenged in ways that few current movies bother with , live action or otherwise .",
      "the visuals are stunning , bursting with vivid colors and surreal inventiveness .",
      "decades from now howl 's moving castle will be looked back at as a classic .",
      "prepare to be dazzled : hayao miyazaki is back .",
      "the story grows more complicated -lrb- sometimes too much so -rrb- but the heart , humor and luscious , mostly hand-drawn animation remain constant .",
      "what you get , above all , is some enchanting flashes of classic miyazaki and the nagging sense that something essential is missing .",
      "although his latest film , howl 's moving castle , features astonishing imagery , it 's a less complete package than spirited away or its predecessor , princess mononoke .",
      "a very good fantasy epic about life , war , and a young learning to live through old age .",
      "despite the muddy narrative ... it 's the more intimate character relationships that ultimately make howl 's moving castle work as a whole .",
      "even if the plot leaves something to be desired in terms of explanation , it can be followed if you stay on your toes . either way , howl 's moving castle is a marvel to watch .",
      "i 've only recently started scratching the surface of japanese animé as an art form , an acquired taste still , but it is works of full wonder and beauty like this one that keep pushing me into acquiring it .",
      "howl 's moving castle is a visually wondrous , invigorating work of breathless invention and grandiosity , full of hushed pastoral glens , zeppelin blitzkriegs , whimsical machines , and blobs that wear straw hats . and it 's not miyazaki 's finest .",
      "what a moveable feast of delights ."
    ],
    "summary": "exquisitely illustrated by master animator miyazaki , howl 's moving castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well .",
    "id": "75428742"
  },
  {
    "movie": "birdman_2014",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's a quasi-religious fable about a man haunted by the past and facing a profound moral and existential crisis in the present , and it 's a dazzling display of virtuoso cinematic technique and showboat performances .",
      "lubezki 's cinematography , paired with antonio sanchez 's jazzy , percussion-heavy score , creates an atmosphere of explosive tension that lingers strongly , even throughout MOV 's more satirical and fantastical beats .",
      "MOV , more than most , seems a film that deserves a second viewing , not only to admire the work of keaton and his co-stars , but to delve into its many layers .",
      "MOV is a tour de force , a heady mix of dark comedy and psychic meltdown with energy vibrating from every frame .",
      "iырrritu serves up a truly fanciful production that is long on characterization but woefully short in the realities of the theatre .",
      "MOV has wings , for certain , even if you find the feathers sticking in your throat now and then .",
      "michael keaton 's performance as ex-leading man riggan thomson sees this former star reborn .",
      "it 's a film no one expected but one for which we 're utterly grateful .",
      "while keaton is a tour-de-force , fight club star ed norton is similarly rejuvenated as co-star mike .",
      "even if you do n't like MOV , you will be unable to forget its unique ability to disguise meticulous , well-rehearsed craftsmanship as irresistible improvisation .",
      "inspires renewed faith in what we used to go to the movies for - original storytelling , enveloping escape , heart-stopping camera work and enough `` wait , what 's going on here ? '' to keep us intrigued from beginning to end .",
      "it places regurgitated ideas into the mouths of gifted actors , then drops them amid a kooky story that plays like an elaborate distraction from what little the film actually has to say .",
      "above all , iырrritu 's `` MOV '' is a celebration of cinema . it 's an audacious achievement that floors just above every aspect of film witnessed in 2014 .",
      "MOV or -lrb- the unexpected virtue of ignorance -rrb- is a running jump off the cliff of cinema into a dream-state free fall , where you wait for that dreaded moment of impact , only to wake in a chilly sweat .",
      "virtuosic camerawork and a stellar ensemble of actors more than make up for the occasional moment of portentous twaddle in alejandro g. inarritu 's latest - and maybe his best - film .",
      "the director , alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu , does n't tell us what to mock-or , at any rate , he knows how readily we mock what tempts us most . his film is alive to needs that never die .",
      "led by a fantastic michael keaton , MOV is a deeply thoughtful and darkly hilarious meta dissection of egotism that satirizes the entertainment business with a compelling visual style that is all its own .",
      "perhaps we can consider films like babel the necessary ashes from which MOV had to rise and hope alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu 's ascendance continues .",
      "it 's a relief to see keaton in a role worthy of him .",
      "MOV - which iырrritu wrote with nicolрs giacobone , alexander dinelaris , and armando bo - feels as broadly ambitious as babel , his most widely watched work to date , but without the crushing burden of self-importance .",
      "how can you not be in awe of the sheer physical achievement , of the intricate choreography of the actors and the camera , of the gung ho performances ? when it ends you go , `` whew ! '' it 's a triumph of vacuous virtuosity .",
      "it 's an ambitious and beautifully executed experiment . it 's a technical wonder that will be examined for decades to come . above else , it 's a hell of a good time .",
      "` MOV ' is an unusual cinematic duck . a weird brew of backstage comedy , theatrical satire and surreal sequences , it is told impressively in very long takes that , at times , tax the viewers ' patience .",
      "whether or not riggan is in fact possessed of divine abilities-iырrritu offers contradictory clues along the way-birdman puts on clear display the indisputable superpowers of its cinematographer , emmanuel lubezki .",
      "to make a movie that risks such obnoxiousness and have it turn out this great is close to a miracle , and also one definition of true artistry .",
      "a daring piece of filmmaking that 's as refreshingly original as it is wildly ambitious .",
      "it 's a white elephant of a movie that conceals a mouse of timid wisdom , a mighty and churning machine of virtuosity that delivers a work of utterly familiar and unoriginal drama .",
      "michael keaton is a great actor , and he may at last have found his great role , in `` MOV . ''",
      "MOV provides a thought-provoking and inventive exploration of artistry , family , and the difference between power , popularity , and prestige .",
      "it 's pretty plumage that gets ruffled along the way .",
      "there are many things by which one should be amazed in alejandro g. iырrritu 's MOV , so let 's start with the most obvious : iырrritu and oscar-winning cinematographer emmanuel lubezki have constructed MOV to look like one continuous , two-hour take .",
      "MOV exists in that realm of cinematic thought where condemning whatever is currently popular in mainstream film is considered intellectual bravery ...",
      "`` MOV '' is a film-lover 's dream , as it gives you everything you love about movies and then mocks the rest .",
      "it 's the kind of daring , accomplished work that critics and oscar voters notice -- along with all the other delectable cinematic elements to behold in MOV .",
      "iырrritu is a magician of transference ; he strong-arms the audience into sharing riggan 's racing heart rate and roiling gut-feel .",
      "MOV is a raging , exhilarating howl of a satirical comedy .",
      "backed by a dynamic ensemble , a strikingly bold sense of direction and captivating original story , this is endlessly enjoyable and one of the year 's true standouts .",
      "so few movies attempt to do anything really fresh that the arrival of a picture that attempts to do several such things triggers a reflexive jubilation .",
      "equally remarkable is co-writer and director innaritu 's ability to keep it all whole , constantly coming at us , and innovatively funny .",
      "... the tedious offense of idiots calling you an idiot .",
      "michael keaton nabs the role of a lifetime in alejandro gonzalez iыarritu 's wonderfully strange look at an aging actor fighting to stay relevant .",
      "punctuated by dark comedy and occasional flights into the surreal , it 's daring on a technical level , thought provoking and vastly entertaining .",
      "one of the most unexpected and richly enjoyable larks of the cinematic year , even if the director 's occasional grasps for profundity threaten to puncture the fun .",
      "MOV is a strange , beautiful and loony story about passion and pain but also a crazy cool celebration of filmmaking , movie magic and all of the glorious reasons why we love watching motion pictures .",
      "-lsb- innaritu -rsb- is having fun as he winds his camera through the labyrinthine bowels of the theater like a starstruck fly , and he wants you to have fun , too .",
      "keaton 's intensely focused performance probably is the best of his life . some especially moving scenes achieve almost physical impact .",
      "billy wilder once said : `` if you 're going to tell people the truth , be funny or they 'll kill you . '' i 'm guessing mexican writer/director alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu would agree .",
      "as a flight of fancy , MOV swoops gleefully on artistic tropes and tics , but it never soars .",
      "extraordinary across the boards .",
      "an ambitious failure ...",
      "a brilliant and incredible look at the actor 's experience , and a world that 's lost its ability to distinguish between famous and talented .",
      "the late-midlife crisis of a fading hollywood star is the basis of this surprisingly profound and extraordinarily kinetic satire about life and success in the age of social media .",
      "you want to latch onto MOV 's scruffy neck and fly wherever it goes , even if it 's too close to the sun .",
      "i want to like MOV more , but i do n't have to ; it 's already so pleased with itself .",
      "the director 's surrealist portrait of modern times and the cult of celebrity is brilliant on so many levels that even the occasional downdraft ca n't keep `` MOV '' from soaring .",
      "a movie with ambitions as high-flying as its superhero but a success rate decidedly lower to the ground .",
      "this is a funny film , an absurdest comedy with great acting , solid writing and interesting visual effects . it is also a remarkable technical achievement in terms of acting , cinematography and editing .",
      "to suggest that it had me eagerly leaning forward the whole time while feasting on its immeasurable details would be downplaying my enthusiasm .",
      "MOV flies very , very high .",
      "both hollywood and broadway take their lumps in `` MOV , '' a compelling tale that 's a backstage drama , a character piece , a stab at magical realism , and much more .",
      "a tour-de-force media satire that is scattered in so many directions that it ends up wearing out its welcome",
      "hollywood keeps trying to convince us with each new blockbuster that we 've `` never seen anything like this before . '' in 2014 , it took a technically-audacious yet inexpensive backstage satire for that sentiment to actually ring true .",
      "what this extraordinary work does best is drop us into the mind of an actor beset by insecurities , vanity-project hubris , and that inner critic who simply wo n't shut up , whisking us up into a dazzling , dizzyingly subjective whirlwind .",
      "makes you question what 's real and not , but does n't follow through . two thirds of a absolutely brilliant film that in the end made me want to throw a brick through the screen . goes completely off the rails .",
      "here is a biting dissection of people whose egos must be big enough to compensate for their soul-crushing insecurities .",
      "i do n't expect to see a lot of movies like this , nor do i want to . it would n't be as special otherwise .",
      "a jaw-dropping stylistic wow that spins , pirouettes , turns inside out , and miraculously stays aloft for two hours .",
      "does it dip ? a time or two . does it take vivid flight ? absolutely .",
      "it 's a lot of things-a backstage drama , an absurdist comedy , a quasi-autobiographical revelation , a self-aware jab at blockbusters , a wannabe social-media age satire , and a piece of technically superior magical realism-but one thing it is n't , is subtle .",
      "a novel riotous risk-taking black comedy on the whims of showbiz .",
      "a true work of art commenting specifically on the market that led to its creation .",
      "iырrritu displays a flair for comedy and shows off great technical skill but his high wire act always has that carnival barker in the background .",
      "this weird , often bleak meta-whatsit might be the closest gonzрlez iырrritu can come to escapism .",
      "but the film 's running gag - narcissistic , insecure and attention-starved actors - eventually becomes woefully one-note .",
      "sterling performances , a thought-provoking premise and a gimmick that does n't feel at all like one .",
      "light as an anvil , MOV is a sometimes dazzling , often infuriating act of gaseous virtuosity . i was never sure if i should applaud or roll my eyes . a lot of the time i was doing both .",
      "whatever the film ` MOV ' is this unsettling black comedy , might be the greatest comeback by an actor in film history .",
      "some of the big ideas about drama and about the viewing public hit home , and some get mired in soap opera .",
      "it 's all a bit satirical . or maybe not . look , over there , shakespeare in a superhero cape !",
      "... if you 'd prefer to re-watch tim burton 's ` batman ' than anything that wins an academy award , ` MOV ' is not the movie you 're looking for .",
      "admirably daring and filled with wonderfully vivid performances , MOV also feels at times more like an exercise in style than a genuine emotional experience .",
      "the theater world 's eloquent answer to black swan 's equally-surrealistic exploration of ballet .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is the smartest thing keaton 's done in years . and i loved him in robocop !",
      "a spellbindingly unique experience that will leave you dazed and exhilarated .",
      "for those going with the flow , it should not matter that , as in the stageplay within the screenplay , not everything fits together according to strict logic . if you believe you can fly , why then you can .",
      "inarritu unquestionably has an ax to grind and he has honed the edge .",
      "the film ultimately reveals itself to be a delirious slice of meta-fiction that both sends up and sincerely explores the monstrous egos and thin-skinned mania that drives people to perform .",
      "iырrritu 's inability to take it down a notch makes him uniquely unsuited to the backstage film , which requires an offhand deftness that is n't in his limited repertoire .",
      "an amazing movie that delves into the worlds of theater , film and celebrity , directed with great skill and passion by alejandro gonzalez iыarritu .",
      "while i love all the smoke and mirrors , and keaton 's herculean oscar-bait comeback beside norton 's ripping supporting performance , by the third act , i lost traction . i began to wonder : what was the there there ?",
      "with a glint in his eye and a ` caw ! ' on his lips , michael keaton takes the unexpected opportunity that is MOV and soars with it .",
      "one of the most cinematically and thematically ambitious films you 'll see all year .",
      "an uneven , heavy-handed blend of darkly comic satire , drama and magical realism saved by strong performances and an ambiguous ending that leaves enough room for interpretation .",
      "there should be nominations and awards for all involved - best picture , director , actor , supporting actress , supporting actor , screenplay and cinematography .",
      "where to begin in tackling the numerous excellent qualities that make up the moviegoing experience known as MOV or -lrb- the unexpected virtue of ignorance -rrb- ?",
      "above all else , MOV is tender , raucously funny and deeply tragic .",
      "one of the most compellingly acted and intellectually stimulating movies of the year .",
      "at certain moments , watching it felt like inhaling laughing gas mixed with helium .",
      "the sheer brilliance of iырrritu 's technique fills us with stunned admiration , even as the messy state of riggan 's head and keaton 's taut pugnacity inspire shock and awe .",
      "intense and immersive , it 's an exhilarating visual experience for those who enjoy highly imaginative cinema .",
      "keaton has tapped into something truly special and deeply personal here and emerged at the helm of a movie that 's a hall of mirrors that reveals a lot about us all .",
      "derails our expectations of narrative and performance in the first few minutes , and keeps it up for nearly two hours .",
      "keaton 's eternal antsy-ness is on magnificent display .",
      "surprising us most just when we think we know exactly what 's coming , combining humour , pathos , drama , magic realism and a potential bag of oscars , MOV is virtuoso filmmaking",
      "filmed like a play but choreographed like a dance , MOV is cinematic ballet .",
      "a flawed , but undeniably thoughtful , treatise on how art and commerce collide in current pop culture .",
      "hugely ambitious , rambunctious , loud and thrilling ; it takes risks at every step , and while not all pay off , most do in spades . it 's not always funny but when it is , it 's hilarious . it is also highly original - and that always deserves credit .",
      "you are unlikely to see a better american film this year .",
      "a superb examination of the pursuit of validation",
      "a journey of crisis and transformation as an ageing actor -lrb- michael keaton -rrb- battles colleagues , family and friends , but mostly his own powerful inner demons .",
      "MOV is a one-trick pony of a movie , but what a trick . the technical achievement alone is immense .",
      "michael keaton is astounding in this brilliantly conjured piece of stream-of-consciousness cinema by mexican director alejandro gonzalez inarritu ... prepare to be enthralled , dazzled , delighted and disturbed .",
      "the humour and drama of MOV are a slick delivery vehicle for a philosophically detailed existential crisis story , with life imitating art imitating life .",
      "the MOV / batman thing is a cool hook that ties in well with the public perception of keaton 's career .",
      "michael keaton soars in this savagely funny , strangely sweet , sad and utterly brilliant new york-set comedy from alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu .",
      "the perfect synthesis of technical acumen with an actor at the height of his powers .",
      "destined to be voraciously talked about and studied for years to come . perhaps it is imperfect , but it is also unmistakably great .",
      "showy work , persistent in its effort to remind the audience that they 're watching intricate craftsmanship , not necessarily an intimate study of a mental breakdown .",
      "a strange , jagged-yet-fluid movie , wrapped in an entertainment industry satire , that 's extremely direct in its frustration . also : every performance is fantastic .",
      "a savage satire of hollywood celebrity gone to seed ... delivered with an irresistible degree of cinematic panache .",
      "one of the best movies of 2014 .",
      "lots of films claim to be different . `` MOV '' is .",
      "`` MOV '' vividly evokes a time of equal parts possibility and terrifying uncertainty , and makes a persuasive case that , when the ground is shifting beneath your feet , the best thing to do is to take flight .",
      "a funny , frenetic , buoyant and rambunctiously showboating entertainment in which mr. iырrritu himself rises high and then higher still .",
      "`` MOV '' proves that a movie - the grabbiest , most kinetic film ever made about putting on a play - can soar on the wings of its own technical prowess , even as the banality of its ideas threatens to drag it back down to earth .",
      "watching alejandro gonzalez iырrritu 's multilayered `` MOV '' is like unfolding a piece of intricate origami ; it keeps opening in unexpected directions .",
      "MOV , though , becomes funnier and more poignant the longer it lasts .",
      "giddily watchable , a chain of firecrackers driven by gonzрlez iырrritu 's surprising and heretofore entirely untapped facility with comedy .",
      "it 's a near-seamless concoction of onscreen surrealism that would make the likes of terry gilliam , michel gondry , and spike jonze green with envy .",
      "every frame of this movie is spectacular .",
      "i ca n't think of a movie with as much to say about the warped symbiosis between show business and society - scorsese 's the king of comedy included .",
      "michael keaton is a solid lock for the year 's best male actor , his supporting cast is incredible and alejandro gonzalez inarritu 's play-like film is a must-see .",
      "hope is the thing with feathers , but ` MOV ' is the thing that requires feathers , tantrums , corridors , dressing rooms , digital effects , prowling camera movements and a dubiously punctuated pretentious subtitle to tell its story ...",
      "sure , MOV is a stunt . but that stunt pays off beautifully .",
      "regardless of his connection to the role , keaton is transformative and mesmerizing , altering in moments almost every audience preconception .",
      "it all looks exactly like an answer to the question of what would be next from the guy who won an oscar for the cinematography in gravity .",
      "the brazenly off-kilter comedy offers a blistering look at how an industry rat race can decimate a man 's self-worth .",
      "even if it does n't live up to its festival reviews or its crazy possibilities , MOV serves so many heady moments it qualifies as a bona fide happening .",
      "mexican filmmaker alejandro gonzalez inarritu continues to reject traditional narrative structures with this whizzy , ambitious exploration of celebrity , art and commerce .",
      "alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu , director of such ethereal dramas as babel and 21 grams , counterbalances the wicked backstage comedy with surreal flights of fancy , pondering the gulf between dubious celebrity and artistic immortality .",
      "a daring , startling piece of work . and not only for what inarritu manages to show . but for what keaton is courageous enough to reveal .",
      "may be hard to wrap one 's head around , but it 's easily one of the most thought-provoking films of the past ten years , maybe more .",
      "like all great art , it 's a journey into the heart of psychological darkness that sheds a luminous light .",
      "there 's some great black comedy here , at times spectacularly cruel . the whole , however , is at least half an hour too long and stymied by pomposity .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- perches adroitly between dark humour and darker despair and injects a familiar story of mid-life crisis with fresh vitality and emotion thanks to vivid flights of an intensely cinematic fancy .",
      "brilliantly acted , sharply written and astonishingly shot , this oddball drama is quite rightly being tipped for oscar glory .",
      "MOV or -lrb- the unexpected virtue of ignorance -rrb- is the sort of movie that ends up on a person 's favourite-movies-of-all-time list . it 's really that fresh .",
      "-lsb- keaton gives -rsb- a take-no-prisoners performance that 's as fearless , as exhilaratingly insane , as the movie that barely contains it .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is jubilant , a fantastic extended riff about people who righteously desire not just success , but a life that looks and feels like a work of art . and that 's a particularly relatable theme , in 2014 .",
      "it is exhilarating moviemaking , an out-of-the-blue masterwork that ranks as one of the best films of not just the year , but the decade , the century .",
      "iырrritu turns the film into a high-wire act - live , unpredictable , light as air , yet also fatalistically locked on course . while it 's going on , you 're glued to the impossibility of what you 're seeing . once it 's over , you ca n't believe what you saw .",
      "it 's a dizzying film , a swirl of sadness and humor and frantic thought . it 's also deceptively simple .",
      "manic energy and overriding sense of fun ... the lunatic performances by keaton and norton are the highlights .",
      "this tale of insecurity and reinvention in the backstage world of broadway wring laughs from cringeworthy moments of frantic desperation .",
      "it 's a pleasing irony that this study of one actor 's search for honesty has been concocted using a repertoire of visual sleights of hand . a philosophical rumination it may be but that does n't prevent it from also being an adrenalised delight .",
      "a movie that , while ultimately less satisfying than i hoped , features two breathtaking star turns : one from its lead actor and another from that camera , wielded by the indisputably magical emmanuel lubezki .",
      "a fantastical exploration of inner dialog and existential dread",
      "by grounding his soaring fantasy in a traditional story , alejandro gonzalez inarritu has created his most accessible , magical film yet .",
      "this is keaton 's film and he truly soars as the eponymous MOV .",
      "a miserable load of deranged , deluded crap masquerading as a black comedy ...",
      "the result is one of the best times you 'll have at the movies this year-which might even be the best movie this year .",
      "-lsb- the -rsb- full title is MOV or -lrb- the unexpected virtue of ignorance -rrb- , but rest assured , the more you know , the more fun it 'll be .",
      "it 's at different times harrowing , tragic and uproariously funny , featuring career-best performances from five or six different actors .",
      "noises off ! by way of jean-paul sartre .",
      "at the heart of ` MOV ' is a gallery of sharply-etched performances , with michael keaton , who leads the way , being well-matched by zach galifianakis .",
      "excellent , mature dramedy about failure , success , identity .",
      "the single take gimmick is the heart of what 's wrong with MOV - it 's cool , it 's catchy , it 's well done , it 's screamingly obvious and eventually pointless .",
      "part backstage melodrama and part screed in the name of art , MOV is nearly as frazzled as its protagonist ...",
      "MOV is a true original ; a work of technical wizardry , virtuoso acting , and compelling storytelling unlike anything we 've seen before .",
      "a smart , full-pull filmmaking masterpiece that soars simultaneously on a number of levels .",
      "a triumph for keaton and inarritu . mind-blowingly original .",
      "the ambiguous line it walks between them may prove frustrating to some . but anyone who prefers their film fare to be anything but off the rack should prepare to be dazzled .",
      "in MOV , ignorance goes viral .",
      "michael keaton is superb in a role that he can surely relate to , and director alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu crafts a film like nothing you 've ever seen before .",
      "one of the wildest , funniest , most heartbreaking and purest performances on film . ever .",
      "MOV takes advantage of every facet of keaton 's talent , from his knack for absurdist comedy to his seemingly effortless ability to tap into graceful profundity without making a big show of it .",
      "... precisely the sort of movie farber would have called white elephant art , with its aspirations for oscar glory and high-minded talk about the nature of art ... . i do not presume to tell you what iырrritu is trying to say with it .",
      "keaton grabs hold of his role and tears into it with a witty blend of pure crazy and subtle nuances as needed .",
      "MOV , with a terrific star turn by michael keaton , is one of the best movies of 2014 .",
      "MOV is everything you want movies to be : vital , challenging , intellectually alive , visually stunning , emotionally affecting .",
      "we already have the best movie of 2015 . i mean , i have n't looked at the schedule for the upcoming year but there 's probably not much else coming out , right ?",
      "a self-indulgent and generally tedious luvvie comedy where smug has been substituted for smart . it 's a bit like those mediocre films pumped out by woody allen in the 90s .",
      "for all this admirably odd film 's virtues , its pretensions do let it down at times .",
      "annoying , obnoxious , and almost suffocatingly self-satisfied ... and still just about as much giddy cinema-dork fun as you can possibly imagine .",
      "MOV has its merits as a commentary about fame and loss . it is a finely concocted curiosity . but , we must objectively decipher whether MOV soars or just manufactures an illusion of flight .",
      "you 're unlikely to feel too much sympathy towards these self-absorbed characters and so iырrritu 's approach is to simply have fun with the scenario .",
      "frenetic , splenetic and dizzyingly inventive .",
      "some fresh takes on midlife crises , celebrities in america , and the wild popularity of the social media .",
      "a technical tour de force , a beautifully performed and smartly scripted black comedy that will leave its audience keen to head back for more ...",
      "a bold cinematic stretch , from its snare-jazz soundtrack to a climax regrettably stretched too far . the line between iырrritu 's genius and riggan 's madness gets crossed once too many , but no matter . MOV has 99 virtues and ignorance is n't one .",
      "hubristic , humble , heartfelt and hotheaded , `` MOV or -lrb- the unexpected virtue of ignorance -rrb- '' is phenomenal .",
      "-lsb- inarrity -rsb- uses pain much the way john cassavetes did the anguish in ` love streams ' : as a way of anchoring a chaotic , often very funny comedy-drama that 's much more on the former side .",
      "is it a redundancy to complain that MOV lacks soul ? maybe so .",
      "the seamless tracking shot is the perfect device for depicting a cultural atmosphere defined by never quite knowing where depiction ends and real life begins . MOV forever .",
      "but even when -lsb- MOV 's -rsb- pinballing chaos threatens to alienate the audience , keaton 's fearless , manic but tender performance draws us back in .",
      "i 'm jazzed by every daring , devastating , howlingly funny , how 'd - they-do-that minute in MOV . powered by michael keaton 's pinballing tour de force , iырrritu 's cinematic whirlwind is an exhilarating high . no true movie lover would dare miss it .",
      "for michael keaton , MOV is some kind of gift from the movie gods , a license to have his cake and messily devour it too .",
      "this is a nutty , chewy , wildly ambitious film that leaps tall buildings in a single take .",
      "there 's no question that the film gets at various flavors of modern madness with an intensity that can be punishing , but never less than fascinating .",
      "michael keaton flies high in this outstanding comedy-drama .",
      "the crackpot MOV on some level tells a relatable story of one person 's attempt to get , for once , something right , while functioning as a useful cultural critique of the disconcerting inextricability of commerce from art on stages and screens .",
      "at its heart , MOV is a character drama , and it 's going to naturally appeal to anyone who has worked with actors .",
      "perhaps the most incisive and funniest hollywood take on broadway since mel brook 's original `` the producers . ''",
      "alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu 's MOV is so good , so profoundly entertaining , so confident that it makes you wonder whether the other iырrritu -- the director of such weighty magazine spreads as 21 grams , babel , and biutiful -- was a fraud all along .",
      "keaton reminds us what a fine actor he could always be .",
      "visually urgent , inflected by humor and enriched by savvy performances , the film succeeds on a surface storytelling level and as a deeper exploration of culture -- high , low and whatever sub-floor twitter fame occupies .",
      "MOV represents not just keaton 's fictional apologia but also his defiant , nearly heroic comeback .",
      "explodes with visionary ideas , adopting the language of dreams to explore and upend the very idea of storytelling .",
      "one of the most thrilling pieces of film craft that i 've seen so far this year .",
      "riggan is a gift of a meaty , unflattering role for any middle-aged actor , but feels absolutely tailored to keaton 's strengths , and highly attuned to his career trajectory .",
      "you ca n't help liking the mind or minds that thought the film up ; you would n't want to close it ; and you can bet money on seeing michael keaton , here in blisteringly inventive form , in the best actor suspects ' line-up on oscar night .",
      "it 's very rare you find a film unlike any you 've ever seen before , but MOV , co-written and directed by alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu more than fits the bill .",
      "this thing flies , and even if its audience is reduced to looking up and pointing skyward , that 's a pleasure in itself .",
      "is MOV an indictment of hollywood for playing to the crowds ? that would be odd coming from a movie stuffed with camera gimmicks , eye candy , dirty jokes and stunt casting .",
      "it is a work of magical realism , or perhaps moderate insanity . and it will take your breath away .",
      "what gives the film its magnetism is the eerie weightlessness of iырrritu 's camera , gliding through walls and through time in a dreamlike stream-of-consciousness .",
      "it 's undeniably thrilling to watch gonzalez iырrritu and keaton aiming so high . whenever they 're brave enough to leap into the unknown , `` MOV '' soars .",
      "a triumph on every creative level , from casting to execution ...",
      "the characters in MOV do n't always find redemption , but iырrritu 's faith in people has never felt more real .",
      "a near-total fiasco from a filmmaker bent on impressing the world with his prodigious talent .",
      "MOV is an overwhelming experience , a satirical assault on the senses that 's hard to believe even as it 's seen .",
      "despite its pretensions to be something more , the picture is most entertaining as a backstage farce .",
      "just as modern cinema seems resigned to cape-fluttering repetition , along comes something truly original . how often can you say that now ?",
      "iырrritu 's film is n't half as clever as it thinks it is .",
      "an incongruous , edgy and brilliant film from alejandro inarritu , whose dark comic tones agitate the unfathomable world of the creative actor . it 's a mind-blowing affair",
      "propelled by a jittery jazz drum score by antonio sanchez , MOV hurtles at breakneck pace between farcical backstage comedy and neurotic fantasy .",
      "laments the current state of the film industry through a fantastic , intimate and trippy journey into the artist 's mind , where the battle between integrity and celebrity takes no quarter during an era of blockbuster movie dominance .",
      "make no mistake , there is magic here , and MOV is definitely a must-see film .",
      "what keaton is up to here definitely issues some harsh demands . however , the pay-off is well worth sticking around for .",
      "MOV works best and lives longest in the memory , not as a formal experiment , but as an excellent trawl though the psyche of insecure actors .",
      "the easy joke is that while many are touting `` MOV '' for best picture , it 's undoubtedly the front-runner for most picture . this is not a film in need of creativity , passion or energy ; what it needed was restraint , consideration and direction .",
      "by focusing on the specific problems of a man undergoing a midlife meltdown , MOV delivers an incisive commentary on celebrity culture , ambition , social media and fractured families .",
      "most of all , ` MOV ' is a directorial triumph for alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu , who also helped write the screenplay . -lrb- this is -rrb- a serious movie fan 's movie .",
      "MOV is a scalpel-sharp dissection of hollywood , broadway , and fame in the 21st century . but more than that , it 's a testament to keaton 's enduring charisma and power as an actor .",
      "MOV is a plummeting descent into the depths of one tainted man 's former glory while he wrestles with every aspect of his life to recapture everything he used to be . the film is slightly daunting , completely hilarious , and impeccably acted .",
      "one of the best movies of the year , and one of the most telling performances ever put on film",
      "despite iырrritu 's tin ear for humor , inaccurate views of new york theater , and blatantly petty grievances , MOV not only engages , it occasionally compels .",
      "full of strange references , self-reflexive jokes and a cast of actors playing actors , it 's a maze of mirrors that shifts under your feet like a theme park ride .",
      "a cinematic masterpiece . this is brave , original and ingenious film-making .",
      "a rollicking meeting of hitchcock 's rope and jimmy kimmel 's couch , MOV sizzles , scintillates , teases , taunts , barks , brays , preens and careens as a simulated single-take of almost two hours , sending up showbiz and its shallowness .",
      "`` MOV '' is a very unusual movie-going experience . for that matter alone , it 's worth a trip to the cinema .",
      "challenges , surprises and dazzles while still working at the edges of a frazzled mind .",
      "while it might not be for everyone 's tastes , those who love movies about hollywood , broadway or just the desire to do something worthwhile with one 's life will likely eat this up . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "`` MOV '' is a film that warrants a second viewing , if only to experience the nuances of the director 's style and unique approach to his craft .",
      "my , but the new alejandro g. inarritu movie , MOV , has some fascinating things going on .",
      "a four-alarm smug assault stops MOV from being the classic it might have been .",
      "the movie is technically brilliant , it 's beautifully acted and it 's an order of magnitude more amusing than anything the downbeat inarritu -lrb- `` 21 grams , '' `` babel '' -rrb- has made to date .",
      "the magic of MOV is that it is utterly unique while never becoming completely alien .",
      "in keaton 's riveting , intimate yet larger than life performance , he never needs to say `` i used to be big . '' it 's in his `` MOV '' eyes , first scene to last .",
      "... both ambitious and provocative is its examination of the relationship between art and celebrity .",
      "MOV may be the most artistically riveting movie i 've disagreed with thematically .",
      "MOV may well be one of the saddest , strangest , and most rewarding trips to the theater you 'll make this year .",
      "with its cast as counterweight , MOV moves from a clever ouroboros to a passion project , rendered with confident artistic flourish .",
      "the more panicked and manic riggan becomes , the higher MOV soars .",
      "while the script is funny and the characters interesting , i was n't particularly entertained by the inclusion of MOV . or least by so many inclusions of MOV .",
      "it 's rare that a film can succeed on so many levels , but MOV soars .",
      "put it all together and you 've got the year 's most original movie to date .",
      "the effect is that of a single , continuous take . it 's balletic and bravura work from cinematographer emmanuel lubezki ... but just as the camera floats along , so too does much else in this self-consciously clever film .",
      "this is a strange and beautiful and unique film , one of the best movies of the year .",
      "the reason this scalding industry satire works as well as it does is because it has a grounding in some fairly uncomfortable truths about the movie business even as the plot indulges in flights -- literally -- of fancy .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is audacious technically , and so meta it may well blow your mind , but it is also weird , maddening , wearing and exhausting ."
    ],
    "summary": "a thrilling leap forward for director alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu , MOV is an ambitious technical showcase powered by a layered story and outstanding performances from michael keaton and edward norton .",
    "id": "771372602"
  },
  {
    "movie": "you_cant_take_it_with_you_1938",
    "reviews": [
      "kid-friendly capra classic stars a quirky family .",
      "a classic case of good old-fashioned american optimism .",
      "easily the no. 1 cinema comedy of 1938 .",
      "demonstrates capra 's skill at tweaking the heartstrings as well as the funny bone .",
      "the comedy moves smoothly and briskly under capra 's canny method of direction .",
      "please see this one . heck , see any frank capra movie .",
      "if you have n't seen it , make a point of catching this capra classic .",
      "it 's a grand picture .",
      "its stage origins might be all too obvious , but the excellent ensemble cast makes it an enjoyable breeze , and the in-laws meeting scene is farce comedy at its best .",
      "the tempo is generally fast and there are no sudden spurts or sharp letdowns .",
      "it 's one of those movies that 's just so enjoyable , you 're disappointed when it ends .",
      "you ca n't take it with you does reveal the liberation offered by non-alienating work and examines the matrices between class and gender , as few other films do .",
      "capra in top comedy form .",
      "jimmy stewart 's legendary career was just beginning when he co-starred in this frank capra classic , a warm , heart-tugging best picture oscar winner .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- splendid frank capra classic .",
      "the cast is appealing , particularly stewart and arthur , but it 's not enough .",
      "frank capra 's zanny comedy about a family of eccentrics is well-acted by jimmy stewart and jean arthur as the romantic couple and a large ensemble that included spring byington and others .",
      "a family of misfits proves that you do n't need money to be happy together .",
      "the usual sentimental corny uplifting melodrama from director frank capra .",
      "an entertaining , if saccharine film , packed with enough loony activity to keep the laughs coming from start to finish .",
      "one of the most lovable characters in movies is lionel barrymore 's vanderhoff . he 's a smart , carefree guy who magically changes people 's lives and gives them hope !",
      "very good , but not great , version of a good , but not great , play .",
      "the pace is fast and furious and the scales tip quite forcefully on the side of living for the moment .",
      "a fairly decent capra , a bit stagebound and undeserving of its best picture oscar .",
      "you ca n't take it with you was a tonic to a depression-weary country beginning to right itself economically .",
      "to this day , there 's rarely been a more joyful celebration of the unconventional than you ca n't take it with you .",
      "there are still some laughs and entertainment to be found here , but forget about fidelity to the original ."
    ],
    "summary": "it 's predictably uplifting fare from frank capra , perhaps the most consciously uplifting of all great american directors -- but thanks to immensely appealing performances and a nimble script , you ca n't take it with you is hard not to love .",
    "id": "17136"
  },
  {
    "movie": "time_bandits",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's amazing how the homemade special effects of this comparatively low-budget picture are still effective today -- even more so than many computerized effects .",
      "this is the film grail longed to be .",
      "creeped me out as a kid . holds up well .",
      "more weird fun from terry gilliam",
      "it 's ... well , imagine ` willow ' on crack .",
      "amazingly well-produced . the historic locations are jammed with character and detail . this is the only live-action movie i 've seen that literally looks like pages out of heavy metal magazine .",
      "a cheerfully irreverent lark -- part fairy tale , part science fiction and part comedy .",
      "sheer genius !",
      "from the moment a white horse leaps out of a boy 's closet and into his bedroom , this terry gilliam fantasy has you hooked . breathtakingly original and with a surprisingly touching cameo by sean connery .",
      "perhaps the greatest characteristic attributable to MOV is its sense of invention . the movie does so many things , all of them well .",
      "gilliam opts for an acerbic and often nasty tone that risks offending the very audience at which it purported to be aimed .",
      "it 's a strange and weird and wonderful mix of boy 's own adventure , python-esque humor , and grim irony , all wrapped in tall tales , ancient myths , and historical figures .",
      "as an adventure tale to enjoy with your kids , you could do much worse than MOV - you just ca n't expect the depth of gilliam 's more adult works .",
      "MOV is one of gilliam 's more chaotic films , which is really saying something , but his six time-bandits fill the screen with fractious energy .",
      "this is an enterprising project in free-form cinema ; it 's just not very entertaining .",
      "ex-python gilliam is one of the great conjurers of cinema , and this film is proof of his ample and unpredictable talent .",
      "an intoxicating dose of children 's entertainment of the rarest and weirdest and most delirious kind .",
      "frequent bursts of twisted humour , several flashes of horror and a ton of first-class brit cameos combine to ensure their movie never ages .",
      "adults will get this movie , but kids wo n't .",
      "fun fantasy has a bit of bite .",
      "gilliam fills the screen with bizarre images , and directs with a breathless ingenuity .",
      "for a kids film this is pleasingly dark with gilliam delivering as much classical fairy tale as knockabout comedy .",
      "when you can count the laughs in a comedy on the fingers of one hand , it is n't so funny .",
      "this film is unusually dark for a modern children 's film . at times a grimly comic fairy tale , MOV offers little reassurance . it 's a tough world out there -- even in our imaginative life . perhaps that is why we need heroes so badly .",
      "over praised but imaginative sci-fi/fantasy from monty python minds .",
      "the film is resolutely , passionately antiadult , yet much of the humor has an adult sophistication and edge to it ; this is one kids ' movie that does n't condescend .",
      "a smart and imaginative fantasy with appeal for the whole family is always cause for celebration ... MOV rivals roald dahl in its surrealism and satire . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "one of the greatest of children 's fantasy movies",
      "it 's a film for kids that adults really will enjoy . a feast for the eyes with great gags and an intelligent and well realised morality .",
      "MOV remains fantasy 101 , and a must-see for people who enjoy this kind of fare .",
      "MOV is probably terry gilliam 's most accessible film . brazil will always be known as his greatest artistic achievement , but for sheer entertainment MOV is one of his best .",
      "hollywood would n't have touched this subject matter with a three-foot barge pole and for this alone the movie should be commended . that it also happens to be a very funny and well-made movie is a bonus .",
      "the film 's charm rapidly wanes , as it becomes clear that we are bearing witness to a comedy with few jokes and an adventure movie without a sense of joy .",
      "director terry gilliam 's entire career has been spent as an endearing fight against convention . this is his most stalwart example , as the principle cast is comprised of midgets .",
      "it 's generally a lot of clever fun -- and if there is a supreme being , we can only hope he 's like ralph richardson ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a remarkable time-travel fantasy from terry gilliam , who utilizes fantastic set design and homemade special effects to create a vivid , original universe .",
    "id": "11922"
  },
  {
    "movie": "rush_2013",
    "reviews": [
      "despite the numerous eye-rolls ... one ca n't deny -lsb- the races -rsb- are marvelously shot",
      "as racing films go , ron howard has crafted a winner . when you consider the other entries in that particular cinematic category , however , that 's not saying much .",
      "there is plenty of racing footage , which helps , but too much of the time , `` MOV '' relies on tv announcers to supply context .",
      "rarely , if ever , genuinely thrilling no matter how fast the race cars zoom around the tracks , and the interpersonal scenes are just as pedestrian .",
      "MOV is far more than a sports story - to the point that it is absolutely unnecessary to have any familiarity with the sport at all to be enthralled and entertained by its drama .",
      "this is no mere thrill ride by two real-life rival speedsters , although it is certainly that . the film also provides a sobering look at what it takes to be a true champion .",
      "the on-track action is blistering , the filmmaking sure-footed -lrb- even as cars fishtail into catastrophic crashes -rrb- , the characters bigger than life .",
      "easily -lsb- ron -rsb- howard 's most visually impressive film , MOV is a turbo-charged action drama that 's highly entertaining .",
      "MOV teeters on the edge of being a really good film , but despite some fantastic source material , it never fully seizes the opportunity .",
      "-lrb- howards -rrb- latest film is yet another jewel in the crowns of one of the finest filmmakers of the past quarter century",
      "` MOV ' ranks among the best movies about auto racing ever made , featuring two great performances from the leads .",
      "howard 's good sense on MOV is to repeat his frost/nixon success by surrounding himself with superior writing and acting talent",
      "MOV is pure ` print the myth ' stuff -- but since both its heroes really are myths , it gets away with it , with more grace and vigor than you might expect .",
      "thuddingly obvious and proud of it , MOV is a slick , breakneck entertainment .",
      "`` MOV '' does for racing what `` rocky '' did for boxing .",
      "this is still an exciting story about competition , but without that stirring moment of humanity that helps sports movies win over the audience , MOV comes up a lap short .",
      "it 's a duel of dualism , with audiences leaning into the corners to decide whether to ally themselves with hunt 's hedonism or lauda 's hard-headedness . howard 's triumph is that the choice is never an easy one .",
      "one of the best looking and sounding films of the year on top of being one of the most exciting .",
      "hemsworth and bruhl quickly develop a rapport , and even though they do n't share much screen time together their relationship as lauda and hunt is convincing , funny , cool , and often emotional , and the same goes for the rest of howard 's -lsb- movie -rsb- .",
      "a start-to-finish winner by director ron howard about two race car drivers who start out as enemies and after many years find themselves in a place that neither of them could ever have imagined .",
      "morgan 's talent for dramatizing recent history remains unimpaired , the race scenes are harrowingly exciting , and howard gets fine performances from all , especially brühl in a showcase breakout role .",
      "an entertaining movie with two solid performances that only occasionally stalls because of its sometimes heavy-handed treatment of hunt and lauda 's differences .",
      "howard chooses a few moments to let the film breathe , but for the most part - aside from a clunky first-person narration that book-ends the film - he propels MOV from scene to scene with a momentum that never lets the thing drag .",
      "howard and his cinematographer anthony dod mantle do a marvelous job of showcasing this fast and furious sport .",
      "solid performances from brühl and hemsworth ground this exciting sports story with a likable mix of charisma , reverence , and speed .",
      "ron howard has brought this story to life with unbridled energy , transforming each race into an adrenaline-charged vignette that could serve as a master class in staging and editing action scenes .",
      "if you 're not a fan of formula one or any other form of auto tracing -- as i am not -- it does n't matter . howard 's movie is tense , thrilling and funny , and extremely well acted .",
      "typically slick , both overstated and undernourished when it comes to the drama . all the same , MOV makes for a pretty good fall night at the movies : fast and furious , but not too stupid .",
      "what makes `` MOV '' stand out is its emphasis on character rather than racing . by focusing on the men rather than the machines howard shows us the high cost of achieving championship status .",
      "MOV may be the best movie about car racing ever made .",
      "MOV stands proudly as another remarkable showpiece of the 59-year-old filmmaker 's underrated talent in crafting everyman art .",
      "this is a deeply adult drama , not least because howard shows the costs of being so driven in a sport in which a driver is encased in a potential fireball .",
      "stripped-down characters and skeletal dramaturgy limit this movie about the real-life formula 1 racing rivalry of james hunt and niki lauda , but harrowing track scenes and an affecting second half provide some vivid compensation .",
      "despite the corny shots of the recreation of the start of the nürburgring race , this not overwhelmed by the racing scenes . it is mainly a character study of the two men who are competing with each other , and it is fascinating .",
      "like frost/nixon , MOV demonstrates how two rivals can unite in a symbiotic relationship that becomes a perverse pleasure for a viewer to behold .",
      "armed with a solid script and two great actors , howard 's chief contribution is keeping the movie clipping along .",
      "i 've seen brühl in several german-language films , and i 'm not surprised that he 's perfect as the monomaniacal lauda , but hemsworth is the revelation here .",
      "in another movie , either of these men -- the arrogant hunk , the frozen robot -- might have been our villain . but screenwriter peter morgan -lrb- `` frost/nixon '' -rrb- has a deeper insight .",
      "MOV is n't bad , exactly , but it 's like a standard-issue male action programmer that somehow crept in from an earlier era .",
      "it wo n't matter if you 've never cared about racing before . just sit back and enjoy howard 's latest exhilarating effort based on the real life story of one of the most competitive rivalries in sports history .",
      "both of these characters are poorly defined , notable only for their extremes .",
      "why is it we rarely see male dingleberries ? MOV feels more like a advertisement for f1 racing than a movie with characters i cared about .",
      "MOV will reel you in with its heart pounding racing sequences , but the film will win you over with its compassion . absolutely exhilarating , amusing , and passionate to the very end , MOV is a film that has no right to be as good as it is .",
      "it 's nice to see a film for the guys that does n't feature anorexic chicks in leather hoisting huge guns or fighting robots destroying metropolises . good on you , ron howard .",
      "if you give ` MOV ' the opportunity to take you for a spin , i think you 'll be glad to go along for the ride . -lrb- full content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "there is a certain romance to men risking death for fame and glory , but try as it might this movie ca n't manage to dive beneath this superficial level .",
      "chris hemsworth and daniel bruhl are perfectly cast as hunt and lauda .",
      "... one of howard 's best . maybe it was going back to the era of his directing debut , 1976 's eat my dust , and revisiting its subject matter -lrb- fast cars -rrb- that kicked howard 's aesthetic drive into gear .",
      "exactly as middlebrow and mainstream as most of howard 's oeuvre . . chatter about it as an oscar contender is simply laughable .",
      "howard and writer peter morgan squeeze sufficient dramatic tension out of the opponents ' wildly different temperaments , while acknowledging their shared sense of purpose and conviction .",
      "fast , slippery , stormy and dangerous .",
      "there 's a distinct possibility that you do n't know or care a lick about formula 1 racing . after this sexy thrill ride , you will",
      "hunt and lauda 's face-off is like the confrontation of wartime flying aces : there is low life expectancy , yet they are not competing for national honour but specious glamour and cash .",
      "even if you do n't know your formula one from baby formula , director ron howard has fashioned a powerful drama that will thrill even novices to the sport .",
      "contains plenty of hairpin curves , but its most welcome twist is the way it reverses expectations in its presentations of the rival drivers , hunt and lauda .",
      "the thriller tells us all we need to know about the real-life champion formula 1 rivals in the early 1970s .",
      "howard opts for excitement over subltety in his formula one movie . why not ?",
      "considering the subject matter , MOV delivers the expected visceral jolts ; what 's surprising is how endearing it is , even when its two protagonists are behaving like little more than boys with very fast toys .",
      "ron howard understands how to frame intense action sequences , but frequently lacks the emotional leverage to avoid cliché .",
      "... a satisfying biopic that gets the job done efficiently and without much fanfare",
      "howard and morgan call the movie MOV , and that 's pretty much what it delivers , to no greater purpose than one of those five-hour energy shots you can buy at a deli counter , but certainly with no less of a kick .",
      "as well as brandishing his usual mastery for pacing gutsy dramas , -lsb- director ron -rsb- howard 's command over his division of digital artists results in some great sequences once the action moves to the track .",
      "really snappy entertainment , and the great art of making slick entertainment for adult audiences has been too long forgotten .",
      "do you have to love racing to love this movie ? absolutely not . ron howard and screenwriter peter morgan deliver a pulse pounding sports movie that thrills and illuminates .",
      "exciting , exhilarating and enthralling , even for those who are not into automobile racing .",
      "brilliantly captures the exhilaration that comes from facing death head-on . it 's also an ode to joyous rivalry .",
      "by the time the final lap of `` MOV '' starts , we 're up for the ride .",
      "despite its strengths , the telling of this counterintuitive tale about the mysterious ways cutthroat competition can enrich lives never manages to be completely convincing .",
      "fine filmmaking , a smart , visually engorged , frequently thrilling tale of boyish competition - inspired by a true story . at heart it 's `` amadeus '' on wheels , only this time salieri is the austrian .",
      "MOV satisfies our lust for both grand character combat and deadly gearhead spectacle .",
      "MOV 's changing sympathies keep the outcome in doubt , and stage the final contest breathlessly , while sticking to the facts .",
      "as cars spin and shimmer in the rain at the climactic and astounding grand prix in japan , we never lose sight of what 's human and striving behind the wheel .",
      "mr. howard does n't just want you to crawl inside a formula one racecar , he also wants you to crawl inside its driver 's head .",
      "for all of his michael mann-aping moves here , howard ca n't commit to the theme , and lets the ending flounder under a kind of fist - pumping triumphalism that sits uneasily with what came before .",
      "the performances are outstanding . hemsworth and bruhl are perfectly cast and do awards-worthy work , especially bruhl who has the more dramatic part .",
      "the off-track melodrama is occasionally formulaic , but this is nevertheless a compelling portrait of two rivals at the height of intense competition - and easily the best fictional representation of motor sport cinema has ever seen .",
      "`` MOV '' is the kind of hollywood studio production that has sadly become all too rare - a smart , exciting , r-rated entertainment for grown-ups that quickens your pulse and puts on a great show .",
      "anyone who can get to the theater on two legs , or four wheels , should see it on the big screen .",
      "... it is brühl who gives the more complex and moving performance . his blonde-haired , good-looking enemy might be far more colorful and exciting , yet there is something about rooting for the underdog .",
      "these are classic frenemies ; their tale deserves more gas in the tank .",
      "it 's not only one of the better racing films , it 's one of howard 's best .",
      "MOV 's greatest strength is the rivalry that drew howard to tell this story to begin with , and the gifted actors who bring it to life .",
      "an extraordinary true story makes for a smart , adult , thrilling movie .",
      "yes , it 's formulaic ; but thrillingly so . yes , it 's more accessible than arty ; but it 's still a handcrafted film .",
      "no rooting interests , no inspirational speeches , no nonsense about the triumph of the human spirit : `` MOV '' plays against conventions and is all the more rewarding for it .",
      "seabiscuit on wheels",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- ron howard 's fast-paced portrait of one of formula one 's fiercest rivalries is a hyper-compartmentalized affair .",
      "MOV provides an exciting sporting spectacle but more importantly , it makes a few thought-provoking observations about the value of a great rivalry .",
      "the dramatic events of the 1976 formula one championship are played out as superficial rivalry between james hunt and niki lauda .",
      "in most films about car racing , the story seems to be neglected , an afterthought . not so in this excellent drama about the rivalry between two great race car drivers .",
      "ron howard , working with danny boyle 's favored cinematographer anthony dod mantle , has made perhaps his most visually arresting work in three decades behind the camera .",
      "works reasonably well in its hollywoodized way .",
      "lacks an emotional punch , but the racing scenes are exceptionally well-filmed .",
      "ron howard adds another winner to his resume with this hip , cool-running crowd pleaser that 's also a terrifically made movie all-around .",
      "an overrated racing picture that literally goes nowhere fast .",
      "ron howard 's by-the-seat-of-your-pants aesthetic makes the slower , darker sequences feel hurried and bland , especially when stacked up next to the racing sequences .",
      "with MOV , howard has not only made one of his best films but has also proven that the combination of car racing and movie need not be a lemon .",
      "MOV is howard 's most exciting , compelling , and utterly entertaining film in years , and feels like a movie made by a much , much younger filmmaker .",
      "an exhilarating surprise from a director who 's been playing it safe for most of his career . like his heroes , he takes a risk and wins .",
      "a thoroughly magnificent film on every level , with astonishing performances by chris hemsworth and daniel brühl ; one of the very best films of 2013 .",
      "the end result plays like a fast & furious film for bafta voters .",
      "bright , brash and unashamedly formulaic , this is thrillingly accessible fare ...",
      "a hugely amusing , relentlessly cheeky squabble between teutonic roundheadness and roast-beef cavalier .",
      "hunt , played with a cavalier swagger by hemsworth , finds nobility in the danger . brühl 's lauda takes a far more calculating approach . on the eve of a race , hunt will be cavorting with models and air hostesses ; lauda will be huddled with his mechanics .",
      "MOV is basically a foursquare sports film , enlivened by whiplash-inducing , crisply edited racing sequences but otherwise pretty ordinary .",
      "there 's no mistaking thor star chris hemsworth as the dashing , boozing , vomiting , smoking , blond god of the track , james hunt . if he ever becomes james bond - as he should - he 'll make daniel craig look like an over-developed hamster .",
      "howard shoots the race scenes brilliantly - they a little tony scott in terms of over-saturated colour and jump cuts , but it 's an effective treatment ...",
      "it dips into the style , excitement and vibrancy of the sport and recreates the 70s atmosphere with a real sense of the period outside the crash barriers .",
      "MOV hits a few potholes , but in the end it reveals the psyches of two men who only feel alive when they 're cheating death .",
      "... an incisive character study cloaked in a thrilling , adrenaline-fueled sports picture .",
      "ron howard and peter morgan are a pair to draw to - and ` MOV ' deserves to draw an audience .",
      "MOV has set the bar remarkably high for any filmmaker who dares to attempt a movie about formula one in the future .",
      "good racing movie but with ron howard directing i expected more .",
      "without a doubt , one of the most overrated films of 2013 .",
      "the best biopics make the viewer understand why the subject is important to them , even if it 's not . they find a universality in the topic that sucks you in . MOV never does that .",
      "with fine performances , extraordinary evocations of key races , a sweaty '70s feel and a celebratory aspect as we fondly remember two diehard nutters , this is n't called MOV for nothing .",
      "MOV will find your inner petrol head as you 're faced with the reality that there 's a knife 's edge between death and glory .",
      "a fine tale about two men intrinsically linked by opposition who agitated each other into the history books",
      "hemsworth and brühl make hunt and lauda into memorable figures , and it is telling that , by the end , i genuinely wanted them to like each other , but still appreciated the fact that they maintained their air of mutual animosity .",
      "there is an essential decency to all howard 's movies , and MOV is no different .",
      "it 's a winner .",
      "a collection of strategic choices that has the emotional impact of shopping for tires .",
      "even those who know how it all transpires will be on the edge of their seats as the track battle mounts to a heart-pounding climax .",
      "these men and their intertwining tales are so compelling that even viewers completely unfamiliar with the sport will get caught up in this slick and stirring drama .",
      "like the jackie robinson biopic 42 , MOV addresses a story so compelling , so essential to its sport 's history yet inspiring beyond that it is amazing modern hollywood has n't told it before .",
      "howard proves that directing action is one of his underrated strengths . the racing scenes are dynamic and easy to follow , with a sheen that brings the 1970s into sharp relief .",
      "`` MOV '' fulfills the need for speed , and then some .",
      "MOV is at its heart the ultimate guy flick , about two vastly different guys whose hatred for one another was only surpassed by their desire to be the best .",
      "this is entertaining enough , but ultimately it 's spuriously triumphant oscar-baiting fluff .",
      "its two stars -- chris `` thor '' hemsworth and daniel bruhl -- elevate this quick-start feature with clearly drawn characterizations possessing such conflicting contrasts that they act as dramatic additive fueling this story .",
      "even though the truth is not as black and white , writer peter morgan and director ron howard set up the lauda/hunt rivalry as the classic battle between opposites who hate each other .",
      "the racing scenes are dizzying . quick-take point-of-view shots alternate from various spots inside the car and on the track , while engines roar away . the stakes for each race are clearly set out , and the result is thrilling .",
      "peter morgan 's script , an object lesson in soberly effective economic writing , lends what could become two rigid stereotypes a pulsing emotional dynamic that hemsworth and bruhl flesh out to keenly dramatic effect .",
      "MOV falls short of greatness due to a final layer of artifice lacquered over the screenplay : that 's the peter morgan difference .",
      "a thrilling , adrenalin-fuelled ride that recreates 1970s track-side action with aplomb .",
      "exhilarating racing action punctuates this true story , which sharply traces the rivalry between two formula one champs . it 's superbly well-shot and edited , with engaging performances from the entire cast .",
      "car culture fits quite nicely in the ron howard catalog , and MOV allows the filmmaker to get back to that milieu .",
      "this is howard 's most assured film ; it brims with life - and death - and he executes it with a degree of precision and confidence that mirrors the approach his characters take toward living , that of being constantly on the edge .",
      "howard pulls off a dramatic switcheroo in `` MOV . '' he presents characters in competition , one a golden god , the other a repellent ratso - and by the end , we root for ratso .",
      "but rather than being about the cars and the game , MOV is more about the personalities that dominated formula one racing in the 1970s .",
      "MOV is not a particularly deep film . but more importantly , it is not a film that mistakes itself for deep . and this self-knowledge makes MOV , in some ways , a wiser film than many that aspire to loftier goals .",
      "the british hunt is maverick to the austrian lauda 's iceman , the michael to his sonny , the id to lauda 's superego .",
      "sight , sound and story all fuse into an impressively cohesive whole that help the movie zoom past the finish line after shakier beginnings .",
      "exhilarating in parts and immensely moving in others , MOV will trigger a host of emotions from the viewer !",
      "mostly a lot of noise and nonsense , a garish enterprise that almost - though not quite - trivializes the tale .",
      "a smartly assembled film fueled as much by surprising moments of heart and humor as it is by high-octane , pedal-to-the-metal sports action .",
      "with an undeniably effective immediacy , `` MOV '' is a solid , but rather cold , biopic about two equally detached personalities .",
      "delivers the adrenaline MOV the title promises , but thankfully it does more than that , providing an engrossing -- and ultimately stirring -- human story as well .",
      "hemsworth and brühl are outstanding . their story is what drives the movie , two men different in every way except for their unyielding desire to win .",
      "`` MOV , '' while never dull , rarely feels dramatically alive ; it hits its marks dutifully and darts onward .",
      "it 's not just about cars , though -- it 's about how we interact with people different from ourselves , what we learn from them , and how those experiences can enrich our lives . as a result , MOV is worth the trip .",
      "howard gives an epic , swinging story an appropriately epic , swinging treatment . you will likely race home afterward .",
      "MOV breaks the mould ; its racing scenes are thrilling , and the personal dynamics in the pits and away from the track genuinely intriguing .",
      "aided by two punchy lead turns , an oscar-worthy script and stunning in-car footage , howard 's race film delivers top-gear drama . a piston - and heart-pumping triumph .",
      "not just one of the great racing movies of all time , but a virtuoso feat of filmmaking in its own right , elevated by two of the year 's most compelling performances .",
      "a thrilling film that is driven by energy , intelligence and conviction .",
      "once the film takes to the race track nothing matters except the roar of the engines and the bloody-minded determination of two very different but equally charismatic individuals .",
      "the lead actors shine in an engaging look at the two fierce rivals who battled it out for the formula one championship in 1976 .",
      "their attempts to defeat each other behind the wheel are often suspenseful , but the depiction of their off-track lives is mostly generic .",
      "ron howard scores",
      "one of the best films of the year",
      "a movie that reminds us what a great storytelling medium film can be .",
      "it 's excitingly assembled and moves like a bullet , highly engaging and nerve-wracking when it needs to be and light on its feet elsewhere .",
      "MOV is one of the fastest , most enjoyable rides you will take this year .",
      "a compelling , high-octane thriller , literally and figuratively !",
      "one of the best films this year - or any year . certainly the finest film about auto racing i 've seen because it focuses on the human element .",
      "the script is another peter morgan special . like , say , the queen and frost/nixon , it 's a speculative duet built around a moment of newsworthiness .",
      "morgan knows his stuff behind the wheel , but also is smart enough to realize the more compelling drama comes off the track .",
      "it rarely deviates from formula , but MOV wins big , delivering the most exciting f1 footage created for film . like hunt , it is sexy , funny , full of thrills . like lauda , it is intelligent , a bit blunt , but ultimately touching .",
      "ron howard 's film about the 1976 formula 1 season , is n't just an enthralling film , an exciting cinematic spectacle full of drama and adrenaline-fueled racing sequences . quite simply , it 's a film that manages to be , well , magical .",
      "MOV is an outsize hollywood spectacle about two outsize personalities in conflict , a sleekly assembled thrill machine that makes up in excitement for what it lacks in nuance .",
      "if you do n't already know the story of that season , lucky you ; even now , it exerts a ridiculous thrill .",
      "it was immediately apparent that there was a slick formulaic surface clinging to this cinematic road trip . and for me , that was a turnoff .",
      "decisively earns the commendation of `` sweaty palm movie of the year . ''",
      "it 's nicely played by an eclectic cast and directed like a european drama rather than a big american epic .",
      "an easily engaging film , MOV is well acted and adrenalised by characters you respect . top gear , indeed .",
      "MOV is a fast-paced tour de force that will entertain audiences until ron howard waves his checkered flag , displaying a wonderfully memorable performance by chris hemsworth , and an even more remarkable turn by daniel brühl .",
      "howard -- who began his directing career with the fast-car drive-in classic `` grand theft auto '' -- has an aficionado 's ear for revved engines and whooshing chassis .",
      "a grand prix movie for people with no interest in auto racing or , for that matter , in cars at all .",
      "a refreshingly positive approach to the sports genre , celebrating the best parts of competition and refusing to wallow in the worst .",
      "howard keeps his cameras small and all over the cars , to show us dazzling machinery in motion , the ground whizzing by in a blur underneath . playing to his own strengths , though , he keeps this a movie about character .",
      "unpredictability , originality , ingenuity , and a little bit of personality elevates the great from the good . ... without those elements , MOV feels more like a walk . it 's conventional . it 's safe . it 's the ron howard of movies .",
      "the action is like a pure shot of adrenaline , but there is also blood and oil and smoke when disaster strikes ...",
      "howard chose the wrong race car driver . thanks to hemsworth 's natural , easy-going charisma , it is an almost sexy movie with flashes of the lead character 's flaws .",
      "in a way , `` MOV '' is a philosophical drama about the varying ways men move through the world . it 's just a really fast drama .",
      "perfectly titled",
      "-lsb- ron howard -rsb- displays an enthusiasm and love for the subject that has n't been part of his filmmaking style for a long , long time .",
      "MOV not only effectively presents a balanced view of the rivalry between two race car drivers but manages the difficult task of taking formula one racing , an inherently non-cinematic sport , and translating it to the screen .",
      "you spend at least half the movie on the edge of your seat , and not just because you 're rooting for someone to win or lose .",
      "howard 's most accomplished film to date .",
      "the film is outrageously enjoyable .",
      "MOV distinguishes itself by utilizing precision rather than power : namely , by focusing on its characters rather than the cars they race .",
      "it 's a nervy movie , supported by two exceptional performances from hemsworth and bruhl , who show a commitment to character dignity and the unsteady steps of blossoming respect , making only spare use of overpowering cliche .",
      "working from a very clever script by peter morgan -lrb- `` the queen '' -rrb- , mr. howard does n't pick sides . he lets two distinctly abrasive characters rub up against his viewers , chafing them into gear .",
      "one thing 's for sure with this film : you carry the `` MOV '' out of the theater .",
      "MOV has an elemental simplicity about it . two men in competition , driven -lrb- so to speak -rrb- to win . they are enemies . but they need each other , too , and as they roll around at 170 m.p.h. , they come to understand why .",
      "no doubt the racing is the high-octane fuel that powers the story , but it 's the dueling personalities on opposite sides of a shared death wish that puts `` MOV '' on the pole for the upcoming oscar race .",
      "MOV has some well crafted racing sequences , but the two lead characters are a pair of the biggest jerk faces ! good direction does n't mean anything when you could n't care less about its unlikable , egotistical characters .",
      "a worthy successor to ` grand prix ' and ` le mans . '",
      "no need to MOV right out and see this one . barely made fresh in my book . other than the last half-hour , this one has zip for tension , action or interest .",
      "you do n't have to be a formula one fan to recognize that MOV captures the urgency of the race and the intimacy of a great rivalry with incredible craftsmanship -- all you need to do is buy a ticket .",
      "MOV may begin as a two-man race , but brühl 's lauda wins by a landslide .",
      "if you really hate sex , fast driving , drinking and norse gods smoothing chassis than you will absolutely despise MOV .",
      "a solid film , but one that remains more interesting than intense .",
      "an awe-inspiring story filled with nail-biting , fast-paced racing scenes ... right up there with some of ron howard 's best films .",
      "magnificently entertaining drama that gets everything right ...",
      "the rare sports movie that 's compelling as both a drama and a spectacle .",
      "-lsb- it 's -rsb- about auto racing ... but it 's much more interesting in showing how two men compete with each other without losing their souls in the process .",
      "working from an atypically cornball script from top shelf screenwriter peter morgan , -lsb- howard and grazer -rsb- offer up a slick but rote sports drama that rarely rises to the fiery level of the real-life personalities it portrays .",
      "extremely entertaining . ron howard 's best movie in years ."
    ],
    "summary": "a sleek , slick , well-oiled machine , MOV is a finely crafted sports drama with exhilarating race sequences and strong performances from chris hemsworth and daniel brühl .",
    "id": "771313374"
  },
  {
    "movie": "biutiful",
    "reviews": [
      "bardem 's subtle , passionate performance is nothing less than perfection , combining his character 's contradictions with grace and clarity",
      "`` MOV , '' built around an immense performance by javier bardem , is yet another , albeit sparer , iырrritu gloom-fest .",
      "MOV is one of those rare films that is so gorgeous and so splendidly acted that you are tempted to overlook the fact that it is not even close to a great film .",
      "watching bardem occupy , embrace and ultimately own a multifaceted role like the one he plays in `` MOV '' is a rare treat , and an absolute joy .",
      "if there existed an award for pointless , dreary and depressing movies , MOV would sweep the board .",
      "there 's something liberating about gonzalez inarritu 's hubris -- his insistence on treating his characters the way god treated job or jesus rather than downscaling his ambitions to fit the mumblecore-influenced context of the current ` art ' film landscape .",
      "MOV blesses you with the opportunity to see soul exposed , courtesy of bardem 's performance ...",
      "MOV is a love story about the bonds of parenthood with pinpoints of redemptive light amid the darkness .",
      "boasts quality of acting and an overall intensity level that make up for a lot of narrative shortcomings .",
      "what iырrritu gives us is not a beautiful world or an amazing world . it is simply the world , and therefore , by definition , beautiful and amazing - and painful , awful and mysterious .",
      "it 's a seedy profile of globalism and exploitation , but , by inarritu 's standards , not too bad .",
      "despite a commanding , oscar-nominated performance by the always-interesting javier bardem , there 's a quality of manufactured misery to `` MOV '' ...",
      "gonzрlez assembles uxbal 's situation -lsb- in a way -rsb- that warps the sincerity of MOV into something that feels overtly manufactured .",
      "art-house cinema does n't come more long-winded . it 's pointless and the worst kind of liberal hand-wringing .",
      "on its way to profundity , inarritu 's film ends up getting tangled in its own histrionics .",
      "all in all , it feels like director/co-screenwriter alejandro gonzalez inarritu is daring us to say , `` uncle , '' and i was there within about 10 minutes .",
      "inarritu 's take on fatherhood , love , and immigration is a bit of a melodramatic downer , but javier bardem is brilliant .",
      "an overloaded agony parade of a film that 's such a grim march to devastation that it should be hard to watch . and , ok , it is . but with bardem at its center , it 's like watching a lush train wreck .",
      "-lsb- bardem -rsb- draws from a deep , deep well of love , pain , and who-knows-what-else .",
      "`` MOV '' is devastating .",
      "one day inarritu may produce a masterpiece . for now , he 's given us another film where the whole does n't equal the individual parts .",
      "it 's the kind of film that congratulates the viewer on her tolerance for the spectacle of unrelieved misery .",
      "dark , despairing and soulful , it 's elevated primarily by javier bardem 's searing performance .",
      "piling one garish note on top of the next ... MOV might have been tolerable if it had been played for black comedy , or at least soap operatic excess .",
      "it 's bleak , certainly , but not despairing , although it is indicative of the film 's tone that one final , redemptive act is rendered ambiguously through dirty glass .",
      "bardem 's performance makes it not just bearable but rich and compelling .",
      "there 's no denying iырrritu 's striking images do the job of creating a deliberately oppressive atmosphere , but without bardem , any human connection would be lost .",
      "MOV is mushy and self-important and the subplots inarritu adds to it only dilute the film further , while also pushing it 's running time to a watery two and a half hours .",
      "iырrritu 's previous films have been multilayered narratives . here , he sticks to a single , admittedly richly vibrant milieu and a central character who appears in virtually every frame .",
      "bardem is compelling but MOV is unrelentingly bleak .",
      "it would be impossible to list the oscar-worthy performances of 2010 without highlighting javier bardem in MOV .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- ultimately gives us a story of hope , and from bardem , a performance of staggering depth , unquestionably one of the year 's best .",
      "looking for a dark and depressing movie for the holidays ? you 'll find it in MOV , the riveting work of two talented spaniards : director alejandro gonzalez inarritu and actor javier bardem .",
      "inarritu is as visually talented as any filmmaker working today , and MOV -lrb- which was shot by rodrigo prieto -rrb- is relentlessly detailed . but it 's also leaden and contrived .",
      "its portrait of a man with nothing who must deal with the end of everything while trying to safeguard his children has moments of power and poetry .",
      "bardem is the only reason that MOV is impossible to fully turn away from -- he 's the beacon who lights the way in this otherwise overmanipulative , overreaching mess of a film .",
      "ultimately even bardem ... ca n't rescue what 's essentially a long dirge from feeling manipulative and forced .",
      "MOV is by no means the passion of the christ but it certainly shares the cynicism and self-righteous obsession with suffering that typified mel gibson 's well-shot abomination",
      "MOV is even more morbidly obese than babel in terms of soggy ideas , elephantine with miserabilist humanism and redemption jibber-jabber .",
      "the high level of craft ca n't sustain the movie as its script -lrb- written by inarritu with armando bo and nicolas giacobone -rrb- becomes increasingly hectoring .",
      "bardem 's acting really is a thing of beauty , hard-edged but mournful , fierce and vulnerable at once . but , too often , that jewel of a performance gets swamped by inarritu 's heavy-handed themes .",
      "inarritu 's chief subject is the human soul . he 's a cartographer of that unseeable yet profoundly felt dimension of our existence . i suppose that makes some of us uncomfortable . i suppose that is his purpose .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "the film is almost too broken and painful for most audiences to be able to experience uxbal 's pain . it 's all here , and laid on a bit too thick .",
      "what to say of ... a hard going , unpleasant film with a disconcerting undercurrent of xenophobia that is impeccably performed and -lrb- mostly -rrb- well crafted ? ... no , seriously , i 'm asking for your help .",
      "iырrritu stage-manages collisions of intersecting lives and conflicting agendas , and studies the wreckage for clues to what it says about the rest of us .",
      "gonzрlez iырrritu sigue siendo un estupendo realizador , pero abunda en clichжs y marcas de estilo que saturan y alargan la pelьcula . javier bardem , como casi siempre , estр excelente .",
      "go back to the editing room , alejandro : there 's a great movie rattling around somewhere in there .",
      "uma experiжncia deprimente que se esforуa ao mрximo para manter o espectador angustiado , apelando para todo tipo de infortщnio para garantir que saiamos da sala de projeусo impressionados com o peso dramрtico da narrativa .",
      "bardem shuffles through the film as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders . he gives a touching performance , worthy of the academy award nomination he received .",
      "the film is beautifully photographed and incredibly effective . holding it all together is a brilliant central performance by javier bardem .",
      "the bataan death march of art-directed miserablim . and to what end ?",
      "ugliness as `` art . ''",
      "this bloated drama is redeemed by its focus of a man caught between two distinctive and memorable worlds .",
      "unwatchable without javier bardem 's affecting , devastatingly committed performance , MOV plunges the viewer into a shapeless , sprawling character study that functions as nothing less than a punishing reminder of how rotten the universe can be .",
      "bardem and iырrritu draw you in to a story that says so much about not only its individual characters but also of life , exile , love , family and death .",
      "bardem faultless , inarritu not so much",
      "even though this movie piles it on , i can see its positive values and the potential it would have to reach the hearts of its audience .",
      "MOV is an exploration of fatherhood , guilt , culpability and mortality .",
      "excellent performance by javier bardem lifts a movie that often drags .",
      "MOV does n't seem to have much to say about all this sadness , except that death , like love , makes us want to be better people .",
      "MOV is an acting tour de force on javier bardem 's part , wrenching more for his performance than for a story that otherwise seems a little too cluttered , unformed , and familiar .",
      "` MOV ' is not one of the year 's five best films , but javier bardem 's performance may very well be .",
      "MOV is , in its own bleak way , beautiful .",
      "a thing of biuty .",
      "excesses aside , iырrritu 's fresh focus and tactile direction pack a palpable punch here .",
      "bardem does compassion and torment in layers of subtly like no other ... in a story set in the most austere of surroundings , rather than the usual flighty love affair .",
      "lyrical , poetic and heartbreaking , `` MOV '' is not for everyone . it 's a troubling , exquisite vision of human contradictions .",
      "with the exception of an otherworldly prologue that remains mysterious well into the film , MOV is an unusually linear feature for iырrritu , but no less involving or challenging than his previous works babel , 21 grams and amores perros .",
      "the success of the film lives and dies with bardem , for while it is moving and dramatically potent , the grim reality of iырrritu 's well-thumbed worldview may have proven too unwieldy in the hands of a lesser actor .",
      "bardem proves himself to be one of the finest actors now working in any language .",
      "watch bardem here -- his eyes speak heart-rending volumes .",
      "javier bardem 's performance in MOV is so arresting that it almost obscures the movie 's many flaws . but not quite .",
      "iырrritu has a delicate yet searing sense of intimacy , which cinematographer rodrigo prieto captures with hand-held determination .",
      "when life is less inviting than death , the eye of the beholder is inclined to look away .",
      "the movie is so well assembled it almost fools you into thinking there 's something profound beneath its surface , but there 's no way to get under without going through .",
      "an impressionistic , poignant portrait of a man on the fringes of barcelona , forced to relinquish earthly things before his time .",
      "undoubtedly one of the most disappointing cinematic experiences to come around in quite some time ...",
      "the ambitious mexican director alejandro gonzαlez iραrritu boldly explores one man 's encounter with death and his yearning to provide a legacy for his children .",
      "javier bardem once again proves his dexterity at creating complex flawed characters that are obsessively watchable .",
      "themaically and visually dark and relentlessly grim , MOV is ultimately rewarding due to the towering performance -lrb- honored in the cannes film fest -rrb- of javier bardem as a family man dying of cancer .",
      "this gritty , sometimes overdone portrait of a father 's fight for survival is redeemed by a monumental javier bardem performance and a generallly authentic sense of humanity .",
      "bardem is superb , but this is a slog , lurching despite high-pressure editing and utterly oblivious to how the harsh-poetic compassion from amores perros has hardened into a rather gloating hunger for suffering .",
      "javier bardem displays the intensity needed to put over a seedy character determined to redeem himself when afflicted with a terminal disease .",
      "impressively directed and superbly written , this is a beautifully shot , powerfully emotional drama with a terrific central performance from javier bardem .",
      "the filmmaker overloads his story with highly charged themes , resulting in a movie that feels almost arbitrarily heavy with misery of almost every conceivable type .",
      "bardem gives a terrific , organic performance , providing a much-needed intuitive quality to an overly-planned work . he gives the movie soul , and even beauty .",
      "in lesser hands , this could have been clumsy and preachy but , while it 's certainly leaden at times , bardem keeps it on track with quiet , compelling dignity .",
      "am i the only one who sensed trouble when the painfully methodical spacing and timing of the opening titles suggested the heaviest , most medicinal tragedy of this or any other year ?",
      "oppressively bleak , intermittently powerful , a loud lunge at themes better quietly pondered , it 's a heavyweight dramatic experience in good ways and bad .",
      "love javier bardem . not so thrilled with MOV .",
      "iырrritu wants to run us ragged - physically , spiritually , emotionally , it 's all the same to him . and he 'll empty his complete cinematic arsenal to do so .",
      "this elegiac fable has such compassion and moral purpose that it 's possible - necessary , perhaps - to forgive its lapses into clichж and contrivance .",
      "the sheer tidal force of the film sweeps it along , and it is speckled with moments of poetry and unarguable brilliance .",
      "in conclusion : life is turrible .",
      "rarely has an actor anchored a wobbly movie so confidently as bardem does here . he displays an astonishing range of emotions , from love to anger to shock and horror , with a conviction that is something close to awesome .",
      "it 's difficult to walk away feeling like you just watched a great film , which it is . the sustained mood of pathos boils over at some point , with empathy giving way to claustrophobia . you want to get out of the slums as much as the people living there do .",
      "in the end , you may be forgiven for thinking the film is another collaboration between gonzαlez iραrritu and guillermo arriaga .",
      "a punishingly contrived and deterministic saga .",
      "soulful , tragic and made with loving care . but it 's also so gloomy that you 're not sure who to recommend it to .",
      "MOV is not a tragedy . it 's a straight-up travesty .",
      "from one scene to the next , as is his custom , mr. gonzalez inarritu creates a feeling of raw , sprawling intimacy .",
      "thanks to powerful performances and tight storytelling , ` MOV ' is a moving meditation on hurriedly getting one 's life and head straight in the final moments .",
      "in spite of fine work from bardem and αlvarez , MOV is an irritating , oppressive 150-minute dirge , not the step forward iραrritu 's dissolved partnership with arriaga seemed to promise .",
      "a friend misread the ad for MOV as `` pitiful . '' he was n't wrong .",
      "iραrritu has dealt with death before in `` 21 grams , '' but this film , buoyed by a magnificent performance by bardem , is full of soul , a spiritual reflection on the human condition .",
      "are you a glass is half empty , or glass if half full kind of person ? well it does n't matter , because alejandro gonzalez inarritu is going to break that glass and slit your wrists with it .",
      "simultaneously intensely personal and profoundly universal , MOV shows there can be grace , and yes , even beauty in death .",
      "a towering performance from javier bardem is the leading light in this poetic tragedy from director alejandro gonzрlez iырrritu in which a man finds redemption in the quagmire of his life",
      "the film , whatever its intentions , winds up just being deeply depressing and , at nearly 2 1/2 hours , it 's a very long slog indeed to the finish .",
      "this cinematic journey of one man along the boundaries of life and death is an extraordinary work of genius .",
      "the film seems ponderous , weighed down and elongated by an overactive poetic sensibility",
      "what a film ! javier bardem has always been impressive and convincing , but he 's never been better than this .",
      "strikes a wrong chord .",
      "it 's the human centipede for people who think they 're too fancy for the human centipede .",
      "the fleeting line between life and death is explored in MOV , a well acted yet depressing portrayal of a man in purgatory .",
      "javier bardem was oscar-nominated for his performance and the film got a nod for best foreign-language film , but do n't let that fool you ; it 's a stodgy , self-important slog .",
      "it has bardem giving the performance of his life in a story which many actors would not have touched with the proverbial barge pole .",
      "iырrritu 's fourth film is only kept from the verge of self-parody by bardem 's soulful , understated performance .",
      "we need a break from iырrritu 's needlessly fractured , misery-and-mishap-laden parables of hectic modern life in a shrinking world full of desperate people .",
      "if the film were any more portentous , it would be laughable . in the event - partly redeemed by bardem - it is merely stupefying .",
      "what drew me into the film and engaged my sympathy was the presence of bardem himself .",
      "MOV is a pretentious and maudlin indulgence in melodramatic overkill . in short , an oscar nomination for bardem .",
      "picture spins about , hitting a few sublimely quivering beats of frustration and confession before it loses itself to pretension and trivial displays of surrealism . there 's a remarkable film in here somewhere .",
      "gonzalez inarritu spends two and a half hours torturing his protagonist , but by the end it 's the audience that feels defeated .",
      "iырrritu 's film wo n't work for everyone . yet , it offers consolation that , in a world of numbing , overwhelming anguish , human feeling is still possible .",
      "iырrritu has made a modern classical tragedy and , in javier bardem , he has found his first authentic hero ; a character caught up in an intricate web of events he can not extricate himself from .",
      "bardem depicts the character with a feral grace that ranges from extreme sensitivity to explosive volatility . it is , no doubt , one of the most versatile and engrossing performances of the year .",
      "like babel , it takes some interesting ideas and belabors them for well over two fidgety hours .",
      "bardem gives a terrific , organic performance that gives the movie soul , and even beauty .",
      "inarritu , not content to just lay it on thick , smothers his canvas with self-important gloom .",
      "the movie 's mood might well have proved unendurable were it not for the proud and sympathetic presence of bardem .",
      "all that useless beauty and depth of emotion floats aimlessly in iырrritu 's needlessly over-complicated , self-consciously tricky narrative .",
      "MOV is a harrowing , battering experience at the movies . although titled with a word scrawled by a child on her drawing , the movie is steeped in ugliness .",
      "mr. iырrritu does a commendable job with the imagery and story vignettes ... however , he never completely and smoothly connects all the threads .",
      "the parts are often better than the whole here though . iырrritu gives us lovely , aching moments and bardem is compellingly watchable . yet when it 's all over you feel drained but a bit empty .",
      "iырrritu is far from untalented -- amores perros had sequences as powerful as anything in the films of luis bunuel -- but misery has become his shtick .",
      "javier bardem cuts a tragic figure as a dying barcelona lowlife who traffics in illegal immigrants and communes with the dead .",
      "somewhere along the line , we 've lost the ability to appreciate a film as deeply felt and intuitive as alejandro gonzalez inarritu 's MOV .",
      "the film just does n't come together , and all the well-meaning social criticism and award-winning emoting from bardem ca n't change that fact .",
      "this cannes festival competition entry may be too dark and depressing for mainstream audiences , but it is clearly the heartfelt and very personal achievement of a master filmmaker with a potentially award winning performance from its star .",
      "its scant emotional rewards ca n't shake off the sense of a prodigiously gifted filmmaker stuck in a grim rut .",
      "proves iырrritu as a talent in its own right ... it 's good to be able to say that , with MOV , iырrritu is four for four ."
    ],
    "summary": "javier bardem 's searing performance helps to elevate MOV , as does alejandro gonzαlez iραrritu 's craftsmanship , but the film often lapses into contrivance and grimness .",
    "id": "770807659"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1207748-katyn",
    "reviews": [
      "if polish , german and russian sound roughly the same to you -lrb- and i ca n't tell them apart from klingon -rrb- then you 're in for two long and confusing hours , friendo .",
      "a moving and powerful film .",
      "though it would be hard to call it life-affirming . it is too riven with grief and horror for that , too aware of what poland has suffered for it to be anything but a deeply sombre memorial .",
      "impeccably shot and edited , this harrowing drama digs into the mystery of the murder of some 12,000 polish officers in the early 1940s , which the soviets falsely blamed on the nazis . it 's extremely grim , but well worth seeing .",
      "wajda 's own father died in this tragedy , and there is a palpable feeling of personal liberation here as he finally gets to exorcise his demons .",
      "an intriguing mixture of the monumental and episodic ...",
      "superbly directed and powerfully emotional , this is a harrowing wartime drama that demands to be seen .",
      "MOV is a sobering experience , at times harrowing . it 's also extraordinarily compassionate , even as wajda vents his rage about what happened and the lies that followed .",
      "the picture is shot with the visual scope demanded by a narrative that aims in some sense to define an entire nation .",
      "the great filmmaker 's urge to show generations of his countrymen what they were told not to think about is what moves him , and while `` MOV '' rises above didacticism , you can feel the director keeping his emotions in check throughout .",
      "austere treatment of a terribly personal wwii tragedy keeps this polish elegy at arm 's length .",
      "some sequences sear the mind .",
      "a stunning , epic film .",
      "with MOV -lsb- wajda -rsb- shows himself to be a skilled ringmaster still capable of handling the film 's many elaborate scenes .",
      "has sweep and conviction and , most rewardingly , a long-overdue revelation of historical truth .",
      "a richly absorbing and intensely painful drama with a tremendous , mostly female cast .",
      "with exceptional commitment and artistry , wajda 's politically engaged filmmaking vividly brings poland 's tortured travails through the 20th century to the world 's attention .",
      "the power of this film comes not through the personal , although that is there , it comes through the tapestry woven by wajda about that history , the exquisite recreation of the era culminating in a most dreadful and powerful final sequence .",
      "the film as a whole is characterised by its sweeping grasp of history , and is movingly couched in a powerful human story .",
      "director andrzej wajda , who contributed to the screenplay , treats the topic with as much gravitas as you would expect , but it occasionally feels like a history lesson",
      "beautifully crafted with superb cinematography and design , the film maintains its mood perfectly , setting us down in the insecure world of poland at war",
      "a touch hard to tell what 's going on at times , the film comes into its own towards the end as it portrays with shocking candour the genocide that still reverberates in eastern europe to this day .",
      "this is an important film that packs a powerful emotional punch almost 60 years after the main events .",
      "with its mournful score , muted cinematography and restrained performances , this is a work of sober commemoration , though the climactic depiction of the mass killing is justifiably harrowing .",
      "mainstream attempts at melodrama , sweeping crane shots and a charlotte gray gloss unbalance wajda 's desired mood .",
      "wajda employs a full range of sweeping shots and orchestral cues to ramp up the emotion , although he 's often guilty of sacrificing the intimacy of character for the grander narrative of history .",
      "MOV is a solemn , troubling film that makes necessary demands on its audience .",
      "wajda has achieved something truly memorable : the film reminds you that cinema can be the preserver of the truth 's smallest details , when a run of excellent pictures can finally tell a story the world was waiting for .",
      "this powerful , heartfelt and important drama from one of the great names in world cinema deserves to be seen .",
      "MOV is solidly , skilfully told . but away from these living-graveside scenes , wajda 's own artistic bones seem too well-upholstered at 83 .",
      "wajda tries too hard to detach himself from this personal drama and instead turns in what often feels like a piece of forensic archaeology .",
      "while never less than fascinating , MOV alternates between scenes of tremendous power and sequences most kindly described as dutiful . it 's as if the artist is never certain whether he is making this movie for himself , his father , or the entire nation .",
      "as a portrait of hell on earth , katyń deserves to be seen by anyone with a feeling for history , however horrifying it may be . actually , it puts just about every other horror movie to shame .",
      "wajda has assembled a really amazing ensemble cast to realize an excellent script ... beautifully shot by pawel edelman with some truly gorgeous sequences .",
      "MOV is a powerful corrective to decades of distortion and forgetting in polish history .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- wajda has brought some small measure of rest to their names , to poland , and to history .",
      "andrjez wajda , whose father was one of the officers killed in MOV , uses the event to explore some of the unhealed wounds suffered by the poles in world war ii .",
      "oscar-winning polish writer/director andrzej wajda is now 83 years old . but he thankfully has n't lost his ability to outrage viewers for all the right reasons .",
      "this was the film wajda wanted to make all his life .",
      "the principal success of wajda 's stately , widescreen and exquisitely shot film lies in its sober attempt to mirror the fragmented truth of a genocide .",
      "this may not rank among his greatest masterpieces , but it 's exciting to see that wajda still has a devastating , defiant work in him .",
      "wajda 's intensity and passion , as well as his intelligence and craft , are unmistakable from the very first sequence . virtually from the first shot .",
      "MOV is remarkably concise and -lrb- if one may say this about a cinematic commemoration of mass murder -rrb- elegant .",
      "an example of how a master filmmaker can make the past -- in this case a world war ii-era massacre -- possess a bracing immediacy . polish director andrzej wajda 's film earned an oscar nomination last year despite its departure from every hollywood con",
      "it is serious film-making of the most noble intent and it strenuously attacks the state ideologies that continue to legitimise war crimes .",
      "delivering an emotional punch to the gut in the final reel , this engaging account of an under-reported tragedy will remind you how cinema can still rise to the occasion and go beyond the empty bangs and flashes of tent pole releases .",
      "as definitive withdrawal from iraq inches ever nearer into our finger-crossed view , elliptical confrontation of military trauma is once again becoming fashionable in american cinema houses .",
      "wajda , as you would expect from a director with an illustrious career who has lived through the turbulent and changing times of his homeland , proves himself adept at showing individuals at the mercy of history .",
      "it 's a story of personal legends -- unknown soldiers and civilians . as wajda deliberately unravels their various narrative strands , like a desperately ripped flag , a national tragedy does n't cease ; it haunts .",
      "it is filmed with simplicity , a purity of intent .",
      "the subject , the 1940 massacre of polish officers and intellectuals by the soviets , merits attention , but though personal -lrb- wajda 's father was a victim -rrb- , MOV is just a decent , far from great , melodrama due to helmer 's curiously cold , detached approach .",
      "in its headlong rush to declare its own importance , it forgets to be whatsoever engaging . though a decently-crafted film , it is resolutely airless and leaden .",
      "though certainly not wajda 's strongest film , MOV is perhaps his most affecting since his 1970s to '80s heyday .",
      "a gritty political thriller , with a laser-like focus on those moments when poland was undone by mounting circumstance .",
      "whether or not `` MOV '' is one of wajda 's masterpieces is a subject for discussion ; it 's clearly the work of a master filmmaker , possibly at a late peak of his long career .",
      "the great polish director andrzej wajda musters the power of classical filmmaking and personal emotional investment to dramatize a stunning atrocity long covered up .",
      "this plays almost like an academic master class , meticulously exploring the event 's ramifications but only catching full fire at the end .",
      "andrzej wajda has spent much of his long career dramatizing major events in polish history , and this poignant feature depicts the circumstances surrounding the soviet union 's massacre of thousands of polish officers in the spring of 1940 ."
    ],
    "summary": "masterfully crafted by an experienced directorial hand , MOV is a powerful , personal depiction of wartime tragedy .",
    "id": "770679896"
  },
  {
    "movie": "3_iron",
    "reviews": [
      "for the most part they achieve a delicate balancing act , mixing near-silent comedy with an old-fashioned sense of whimsy .",
      "an original and stylish film that is nothing if not in a class of its own -- call it a zen thriller .",
      "3-iron , the latest import from a resurgent south korean film community -lrb- oldboy -rrb- , is only a chip shot and a short putt away from perfection .",
      "it 's difficult to imagine an american director making 3-iron , yet the intimate , south korean drama has worth beyond cultural borders .",
      "it 's actually quite satisfying , in a weird , magical-realism sort of way that manages to disturb and confound as much as it appeases the romantic .",
      "kim works with the barest of materials but returns the viewer 's attention to the pure visual pleasure of filmmaking .",
      "emotionally charged love story .",
      "... nary a word is spoken -lrb- directly , at least -rrb- between the two leads and , instead of being ponderous or pretentious , it gives the film a light , airy feel .",
      "moves from a strangely spiritual reality to a really strange spirituality -- and leaves its best parts behind .",
      "a mesmerizing , offbeat , violent , playful yet serious parable .",
      "more art than entertainment , in that it requires an audience to complete it",
      "a thoroughly curious combination of tension and eroticism .",
      "here is where things get murky , intriguingly so .",
      "seems more ghostly than ghastly , a movie with a life all its own .",
      "it 's a simple story , but do n't underestimate the power it has to engage you .",
      "a lyrical , sporadically violent tale of love on the run that gradually turns into something spooky , poetic and disarmingly gentle .",
      "delicate and subtle .",
      "a peculiar film with some inconsistencies , slow parts and redundancy -lrb- there 's really no need for multiple break-ins -rrb- , but it has the virtue of unpredictability .",
      "just unbelievably good .",
      "a hypnotic , almost wordless love story about transience physical and spiritual .",
      "as repellent and repellently opportunistic a piece of work as the various shock-horror provocations that helped to launch -lsb- ki-duk 's -rsb- worrisome career .",
      "kim ki-duk 's touching and improbable love story is pleasingly mysterious without being too difficult and a little gimmicky but not annoyingly so .",
      "finally touching in its simplicity .",
      "what is meant to be profoundly puzzling can start to seem just theatrically silly .",
      "it 's a love story without all the verbal hooey and it hits harder than most .",
      "an oddly funny love story about dispossessed soul-mates who ultimately unlock each other 's hearts .",
      "so lyrical is the movie in its wordlessness that it is practically a dance piece . and for a movie essentially without dialogue , it gives audiences plenty to talk about .",
      "artful and engrossing , but the hero 's insolent silences get to be a pain .",
      "an unusual original story that 's rooted in a buddhist parable .",
      "surreal",
      "their speechlessness gives this love story a ghostly , unsettling vibe , depriving us of a key way we usually get to know movie characters .",
      "quiet , mysterious , sometimes violent , ultimately close to sublime .",
      "it 's a tribute to kim 's masterful mysteriousness that you are never quite sure what your exact reaction should be , as well as the fact that it 's all highly intriguing rather than inscrutably annoying .",
      "beautifully staged an performed , a sly wit with the camera work , an almost silent presentation of a lovely story .",
      "3-iron matches apparent simplicity to a beguiling inscrutability and ends with the most beautifully bizarre menage a trois to have been seen since takashi miike 's gozu .",
      "evanescence is the movie 's most distinguishing characteristic .",
      "what happens is less important than how it 's happening , a film of subtle moments , with feelings and thoughts conveyed almost wordlessly , 3-iron is both artificial and profound .",
      "... μεθυστικοί ρυθμοί και εκκωφαντικές σιωπές ...",
      "3-iron est un autre bel ajout ŕ l'univers plus serein de kim ki-duk .",
      "lo mejor de esta fascinante y extrańa película es todo lo que dispara en el espectador en su intento por encontrarle un significado .",
      "the stillness of the film sticks with you ... sometimes we speak volumes without saying anything at all .",
      "the attention kim pays to the spirit world is obsessive and alluring , but his view of flesh-and-blood women and victimhood is still a problem .",
      "this enigmatic and in some ways maddening motion picture has the power to haunt every viewer it reaches .",
      "while his film is refreshingly paced , ki-duk 's subpar ending may leave audiences in the rough .",
      "the oddly mystical , utterly material 3-iron -lrb- bin-jip -rrb- opens with a set of images and sounds almost too close to identify .",
      "it 's really a point of departure , though , toward bloodier precincts .",
      "a movie meant to be taken on faith more than anything else . the more you can grant it , the greater the reward .",
      "you realize that you 've been more hypnotized than intellectually involved . the movie is nothing like a think piece , just a clever diversion , like a glossy action movie .",
      "kim creates an offbeat -lrb- and almost entirely wordless -rrb- romance between misfits and finds beauty and tranquility in this strange form of domestic bliss .",
      "the quirkiness does get a little tiresome , even though director kim ki-duk and cinematographer jang seung-beck are able to capture some eerily beautiful images .",
      "... something close to a fairy tale , without the pessimism or irony that pervades much of kim 's other work .",
      "a subversive and boldly creative korean film about a silent young man who travels light , falls in love , and turns into a liberator .",
      "odd but intoxicating ... an entrancing , uplifting fable that invites you to luxuriate in its hypnotic tempo and almost magical ambience .",
      "a poignant love story that seems to exist off the map of the real world , living in the blank spaces vacated by others .",
      "captures raw realities about modern life while telling a genuinely touching romance using virtually no dialog .",
      "a lovely little movie that nonetheless feels slight even with its metaphysical subject .",
      "for all its pretense , 3-iron is never pretentious and is so beautiful to look at .",
      "what is so engaging about the film is the way its director , ki-duk kim , manages to keep our interest intensely focused on the couple .",
      "in the actors ' wordless portrayals , kim creates an entire world made up of gestures -- from the small to the sweeping , the logical to the enigmatic , the hilarious to the hurtful .",
      "an uncanny spiritual exploration of the unlikeliest of great loves .",
      "it takes talent to entice an audience without any dialogue . in the case of south korea 's kim ki-duk , he 's not just good at silence ; his oddball artistry depends on it .",
      "an engrossing , if demandingly obscure , watch .",
      "3-iron may not be a horror movie , but it is still haunting .",
      "3-iron is a romance of tenderness and increasingly poignant silence .",
      "the change in tone , from swiftly destabilizing drama to outright fantasy , feels less like kim provocatively switching gears , and more like he 's painted himself into a corner .",
      "-lsb- b -rsb- eautifully , expressively quiet ...",
      "a lovely and sublime romantic drama ; sometimes strange , but always riveting",
      "wings of desire ... in reverse",
      "very cool , very original , and very recommendable for people into off-beat romances .",
      "i was bored half to death by it .",
      "this korean import boasts good performances and lovely imagery , but it all feels a bit gimmicky .",
      "alternately witty , caustic , tender and endlessly imaginative and unpredictable , this latest film from one of korea 's most idiosyncratic and prolific directors is as confident as its resourceful hero , tae-suk .",
      "comedy and drama intertwine with believability and power .",
      "an unusual romance with minimal dialogue .",
      "a delicate tone poem for your eyes .",
      "unfolds on an abstract , almost dreamlike level outside the bounds of traditional narrative .",
      "raises questions that are more frustrating than provocative .",
      "kim ki-duk 's happily unhinged drama comfortably occupies the middle ground between his baroque thriller the isle and his meditative spring , summer ...",
      "a strange , marvelously romantic escapade about an unusual young man with an even more unusual pastime .",
      "belongs to the ghostly romance genre of such films as the ghost and mrs. muir and last life in the universe , but ki-duk 's film has its own , haunting imprimatur .",
      "`` 3-iron '' mesmerizes .",
      "no one has ever thought this deeply about golf as a contact sport , not even the guys who make adam sandler movies .",
      "if the snail 's pace does n't send you to sleep , you 'll be rewarded with a tender and unusual love story .",
      "kim 's wittiest effort to date , with a wordless performance by jae hee that recalls keaton and chaplin ."
    ],
    "summary": "a tender and moving romance from spring , summer , fall , winter ... and spring 's director kim ki-duk .",
    "id": "13874"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1068832-sense_and_sensibility",
    "reviews": [
      "-lsb- MOV is -rsb- ... the first film of jane austen that i can remember having enjoyed .",
      "the sensibility may be a bit off , but there is more than enough sense involved in this mid-atlantic austen to make up the difference .",
      "MOV is a triumph , and a film to be treasured .",
      "a host of fine performances support the great screenplay , photography and editing of the film .",
      "this is a film devoid of egotism but full of soul , an intelligent work of art that is not afraid to get wacky at times .",
      "enchanting screen interpretation of jane austen 's first novel .",
      "we need no further proof that this material is ageless .",
      "though old-fashioned , this version of austen 's popular book is most enjoyable due to ang lee 's skillfull helming , emma thompson 's astute screenplay , which deservedly won the oscar , and excellent ensemble headed by thompson and kate winslet .",
      "seeing a world that seems kinder , gentler , nobler and simpler to our own can have its own theraputic value .",
      "enduring love , heartbreak , undying passion and bitter betrayal . what more could you ask from jane austen , and for that matter , from a film ?",
      "a memorable film that brings out everything we love about these kinds of stories .",
      "thompson is amazing in her mostly quiet way .",
      "the film is packed with pleasing performances by stage-trained actors .",
      "an exuberant , well - crafted film that gets the audience involved on a gut level .",
      "it 's bliss .",
      "a soap opera of the highest caliber .",
      "told with deft skill and a pleasantly humorous romantic touch .",
      "a triumph for taiwan 's most famous director , ang lee .",
      "a heartfelt story , filled with rich characters and compelling events .",
      "the movie is good fun , boasting a dozen vivid characters and two that moviegoers will take to heart .",
      "a lush and witty telling of jane austen 's novel .",
      "this is as lively as costume dramas get .",
      "for once , thompson turns in a gimmick-free performance , and the rest of the actors range from fine to fabulous .",
      "a stylish , witty and substantial adaptation of jane austen 's novel .",
      "i ca n't say i remembered this 1995 feature too clearly a couple of days later ; but i certainly had a good time as i watched it .",
      "thompson 's script manages the neat trick of preserving the necessary niceties and decorum of civilized behavior of the time while still cutting to the dramatic quick .",
      "thompson and winslet give fine performances ably supported by the rest of the ensemble .",
      "a little funny , a bit sad , an all-around entertaining .",
      "a little funny , a bit sad , and all-around entertaining .",
      "unlike most of the usual rolling hills , costume period drama , merchant-ivory type , century-old novel movies , MOV succeeds quite handily .",
      "thompson is outstanding , but her supporting cast is just as impressive , if not more so .",
      "wonderful adaptation of jane austen 's novel .",
      "rickman 's small moves , his lowered eyes , his slight grimaces , are often quite breathtaking .",
      "a movie for all romantic ages that wo n't even dispirit singles .",
      "demonstrates how little humankind has evolved in matters of the heart .",
      "i do n't want to see another movie for the rest of the year . to do so would be to spoil the joy i experienced in seeing MOV .",
      "the best film of the year .",
      "MOV is an enjoyable film , and yet it left me somehow unsatisfied .",
      "what a glorious time is had by all in this wonderful adaptation of jane austen 's novel .",
      "MOV is funny , expansive , and a delight to spend company with .",
      "thompson 's script hits its peak by keeping austen 's voice yet finding the satirical smirk behind it .",
      "a glorious return to old-fashioned filmmaking at its best .",
      "exquisitely detailed and impeccably acted .",
      "MOV is an absorbing , delightful , and nuanced movie ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an uncommonly deft , very funny jane austen adaptation , marked by emma thompson 's finely tuned performance .",
    "id": "10042"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lake_placid",
    "reviews": [
      "very funny ; unconventionally effective !",
      "it is very , very silly and funny , not to mention scary in all the right places .",
      "MOV is worth paying full admission price alone just to see golden girl sweetie betty white feed a blind-folded cow to the croc and cuss out the feds .",
      "there 's a special look that actors get - avid yet resigned - when the movie they 're starring in is so bad it practically billboards their stalled careers .",
      "... even though everything in sight defines cinematic repulsion , that does n't mean you still ca n't have a good time .",
      "not as imaginatively campy as tremors and certainly far from as suspenseful or unnerving as jaws .",
      "where `` godzilla '' makes the head hurt , `` placid '' splashes up a bit fun . a solid `` b '' movie .",
      "the best ` monster under water ' pic since the original jaws !",
      "the funniest film of the summer !",
      "an odd , derivative , but sporadically likeable film .",
      "about the only thing that rescues MOV from drecksville is kelley 's flair for sarcastic dialogue .",
      "pullman once made a career playing bumbling idiots , but now he seems to play only dashing leading men . he was better at bumblers .",
      "without the sarcastic wit of television mega-talent of david e. -lrb- `` emmy '' -rrb- kelley , this lowbrow horror entry might have been titled lake flaccid .",
      "a dumb , forced attempt at camp horror !",
      "laughably stupid , only fitfully scary .",
      "far from being a great film , but it 's a guilty pleasure for sure .",
      "steve miner directs this shaggy-dog movie that wonderfully reveals the strange and the wondrous in all of god 's creations .",
      "if you want some mindless entertainment then go see this , if not , wait for the video .",
      "an almost mystifyingly bad movie !",
      "best of all it 's got pullman , fonda , platt , and gleeson and it 's very , very funny .",
      "briskly paced and snappily written , it 's the only movie currently in theaters that is completely free of pretensions .",
      "MOV combines humor and thrills with remarkable deftness .",
      "an ideal summer movie !",
      "dull , jokey , and insubstantial !",
      "a genial , if grisly , example of the hallowed summertime genre .",
      "` i 'm rooting for the crocodile , ' announces betty white . the line is funny and revealing : the film is smart enough to admit the monsters are usually the most interesting characters in these movies , but it 's also smart enough to make the people interesting .",
      "well worth the watch if only for its attempts to inject levity in what 's just a simple nature run amok horror comedy .",
      "you either find the nasty-minded writing amusing or you do n't , and there 's nothing left for the film to draw on if you do n't .",
      "the whole movie 's a giant croc .",
      "while portions of the film do work pretty well , you ca n't help but wonder how much of an improvement a little variation would have had on the entire project .",
      "it stinks so bad that buntzen lake , where this bogus effort was partly filmed , probably still reeks .",
      "an old-hat but somehow still fresh horror-comedy that wins its audience over by the personalities onscreen .",
      "it 's neither jaws-scary nor tremors-funny , but genre-movie fans in 1999 did have a chance to feast on the year 's talkiest , most neurotic horror movie . they respectfully declined .",
      "a passable yet unspectacular horror effort ...",
      "surprise to say , the film is actually , by turns , both scary and funny , although seldom at the same time .",
      "terribly mediocre .",
      "a talky , marginally entertaining monster movie .",
      "while MOV has some of the oddball wit found in kelley creations such as ally mcbeal and picket fences , the movie feels remarkably undeveloped .",
      "ludicrous premise and slim thrills !",
      "an aggressively cheesy horror movie with a tongue-in-cheek script and an ensemble cast upstaged by several million dollars in digital effects .",
      "what 's missing here is mr. kelley 's stock in trade - a three-act script with snappy dialogue .",
      "the cast is game enough , but they can not elevate the weak material beyond the watchable junk level .",
      "as dramatically substantial as `` ally mcbeal '' is skinny !",
      "is ` lake flaccid ' too obvious of a pun ?",
      "it 's not a bad little flick , although there 's nothing in it to prescribe it for the big screen . a solid rental to be sure .",
      "instead of wearing out its welcome with a dozen false endings like so many thrillers do , ` MOV ' simply shakes you up , lets you go and leaves you laughing .",
      "MOV could easily have been made as a pg-13 movie , or perhaps even a pg . but the better to tempt teen-age audiences , it talks its way into an r.",
      "filled with just the right measure of special effects ; has talk which is clever , witty , sharp , edgy .",
      "has an easygoing sense of fun , along with one of the more memorable movie monsters of recent years .",
      "a funny film !",
      "a hip , caustic creature-feature with an unexpectedly snappy , comedic bite !",
      "MOV is n't so bad that it 's good ; it 's so bad that it 's really bad .",
      "this is just a variant on ten thousand other huge-creature-tryin ' - to-kill-me movies .",
      "nonsensical drivel !",
      "different , funny ."
    ],
    "summary": "faux horror schtick fails to elicit any laughs or scares .",
    "id": "16700"
  },
  {
    "movie": "music_of_the_heart",
    "reviews": [
      "one of the year 's most heartfelt movies .",
      "it may be premature to think craven just does n't spark outside the horror genre , but there 's nothing here to suggest the opposite .",
      "another utterly bland lump of hollywood crapola .",
      "MOV is nothing if not a change of pace , and , unfortunately , craven does n't appear entirely comfortable in these new surroundings .",
      "a woman at the end of her rope after she is deserted by her husband finds a path of the heart that enables her to share her gift with the world .",
      "craven sends the audience out feeling happy and inspired -- which is the very reason why one would buy a ticket .",
      "an inspirational story that finds its harmonies not without their share of dissonant notes .",
      "there really is a roberta guaspari , but this dull , wanly repetitive teacher movie fails to bring her story to life .",
      "what saves this movie from being a lifetime channel tour-de-force is , of course , the winning performance by streep .",
      "some movies you want to see . some movies you need to see . MOV is one of the latter .",
      "in a time when cynicism is everywhere , and is constantly reflected back to us in our cinema , music from the heart delivers a powerful statement about the value of music and the strength in all of us to survive and excel .",
      "MOV virtually sings with warmth and inspiration .",
      "the disappointment in MOV comes from a strangely fragmented narrative that never quite commits to a central story .",
      "an inspiring crowd-pleaser .",
      "sweetly sentimental , undeniably humane .",
      "whatever the female equivalent of mensch is -- womensch ? -- meryl streep is it , and she really has it down in MOV .",
      "meryl streep received yet another oscar nomination for this conventional biopic of the harlem music teacher , directed by no other than horror maestro wes craven .",
      "meryl dominates the proceedings . she simply disappears into the role , and the movie , for all its educational impulses , becomes about watching her do it .",
      "the vacuous but well-meaning pic is poorly executed and seems as if it were a tv movie .",
      "touching story about a determined teacher has mature themes .",
      "the standard plotline of a teacher bearing the torch of liberal enlightenment to an educationally bereft group comes off rather dubiously here .",
      "the inspiring true story of teacher roberta guaspari is given a conventional treatment in this decidedly uninspiring drama .",
      "does n't revolve around a self-centered main character or possess the schmaltz of mr. holland 's opus .",
      "novice writer pamela gray has pumped this already-amazing story full of melodramatic embellishment and , in so doing , all but ruined its impact .",
      "audience-pleasing music certainly is , but whether it comes from the heart or directly from the tearducts is another question .",
      "you might be able to tell what direction the movie 's headed in , but you 'll never outguess streep .",
      "las personas que han estudiado música o han practicado la docencia , podrán entender la problemática que plantea craven en su película",
      "MOV does n't take you anywhere you have n't been before , but it 's still an enjoyable ride .",
      "entertaining and uplifting .",
      "makes a good case for its message , about the value of music education and the eternal precariousness of its funding .",
      "estefan has co-star billing and is even featured on movie posters , but has only a few minutes of screen time and nothing much to do .",
      "a generic story of triumph as unengaging as it is unbelievable in its details .",
      "meryl streep takes what could have been a one-dimensional character and elevates her above soap opera status and makes her interesting and appealing .",
      "even if MOV brings a tear to your eye , you may still kick yourself for falling for such nonsense .",
      "a derivative , formulaic piece of pseudo-inspirational melodrama .",
      "for its first three laps , this inspirational - teacher movie moves too slowly , even with the head start i give inspirational - teacher movies .",
      "surely there 's a way to put such familiar material up on the screen without lapsing into clichés ; but craven does n't find it .",
      "the problem with this film is that director wes craven is so intent on telling the story , its very seamlessness becomes a drawback .",
      "streep makes guaspari 's metamorphosis from self-pitying victim to impassioned activist seem effortless and , while a pro might spot flaws in her musicianship , her playing certainly looks and sounds genuine .",
      "the tone of inspirational uplift is familiar from movies like stand and deliver and mr. holland 's opus -- which is to say , it 's familiarly awful .",
      "solid raw material , but the execution is overcooked : the kids are cutesy , and meryl streep as roberta is hyperaddled and indecisive about which outer-borough accent to affect .",
      "MOV is an inspiring film if you allow it to be , and one that deserves your heart 's embrace .",
      "MOV is a first-class treatment of an extraordinary story .",
      "meryl streep delivers a polished , virtuoso performance that could earn her another well-deserved oscar nomination , while angela bassett , gloria estefan , and aidan quinn deliver strong support .",
      "i 've always had a soft spot for teacher movies , and this one is high on my list .",
      "this is really a showcase for streep , who makes the well-trodden formula sing anew .",
      "the movie 's big payoff is largely earned , and does not spoil what is a genuinely inspirational movie .",
      "it is a pretty good film with strong performances by meryl streep and angela bassett .",
      "this movie has an amazing finale .",
      "oddly enough , this film is just as powerful as any of craven 's horror films and can evoke strong emotion and sentiment , if you let it .",
      "streep is such a compelling presence .",
      "moves with more dexterity than most dedicated-teacher flicks .",
      "to see streep 's prickly pear of an instructor blossom along with her struggling students is a rare joy .",
      "most movies claiming to be based on fact pour on the melodrama , but this one basically just sticks to the real story , which has all the emotional wallop that 's needed .",
      "MOV is a story of the heart - one that gives a little reassurance about human nature .",
      "i smell another oscar nomination .",
      "all other credits are pro , with a special nod to peter deming 's subtly nuanced camerawork .",
      "the key to meryl streep 's fine performance is that she makes guaspari unheroically ordinary . ultimately that makes her even more extraordinary .",
      "streep 's extraordinary performance makes this the rare inspirational movie that actually is , well , inspirational .",
      "an inspirational , pleasantly diverting but markedly familiar family movie .",
      "based on a true story , this one 's got plenty of heart .",
      "music is a calculated but effective film .",
      "largely manages to skirt mawkishness through its utter sincerity and no-frills approach .",
      "yet another irresistible performance by meryl streep .",
      "if you can get past the sticky title , `` MOV '' is a nicely crafted , uplifting story of perseverance and triumph , made real through the acting prowess of meryl streep .",
      "boring as it may have become for meryl streep to show up for awards ceremonies , count on her to be doing it again .",
      "a movie that tells a story not from some hollywood swifty 's febrile imagination , but rather from life .",
      "music is n't much more than elementary sentimentality .",
      "some people will warm to MOV , and for those people the idea of criticizing the film will be like kicking a puppy .",
      "MOV is mr. holland 's opus dumbed down and clichéd up .",
      "why make a big , glossy hollywood movie of this story ? the 1996 documentary , small wonders , already captured the magic of roberta and her devoted students .",
      "not exactly what we 'd hoped for , but no worse , i think , than could be expected .",
      "the main problem with `` MOV '' is that it 's devoid of drama , making it an extremely difficult film to pigeonhole .",
      "unintentional humour , soapboxing , and slack direction mar MOV 's second half .",
      "overwrought tearjerker , directed without a shred of subtlety ."
    ],
    "summary": "meryl streep 's depiction of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things transcends , inspires , and entertains .",
    "id": "10485"
  },
  {
    "movie": "babe_pig_in_the_city",
    "reviews": [
      "laden with more useless pork than a congressional bill .",
      "... a completely new experience for the audience and the film 's characters , and virtually , one of the best sequels that has ever come along in the past decade .",
      "where babe was warm , gentle , and cuddly , pig in the city is fast paced and antic .",
      "-lrb- imagine the mouse chorus -rrb- `` a disappointing nightmare ''",
      "miller 's confident , technically astounding direction produces challenging ideas at every turn .",
      "babe has all but lost its bearings .",
      "it 's a nice change of pace to find a sequel that does n't merely try to remake the original , but babe : pig in the city lacks any of the original 's endearing gentle spirit .",
      "a sequel that lacks the quiet beauty and subtlety of the original !",
      "this dark sequel to the 1995 hit has virtually none of the bucolic charm displayed in the original .",
      "this film may scar impressionable children for life !",
      "we found the conflict of the film 's lighthearted fun and its dark and menacing danger too incongruous for its own good !",
      "darkly funny !",
      "this is the family film of the year and should not be missed .",
      "grounding all the mayhem in emotional priority is the little pig that could .",
      "the new saga basks in imaginative charm !",
      "more magical than the original !",
      "even more fun than the original !",
      "sumptuous !",
      "babe needed a sequel as much as citizen kane or casablanca .",
      "would anyone go for a sequel to the wizard of oz that catapulted dorothy and toto into the world of once were warriors or escape from new york ?",
      "darker than the original , not for very young kids .",
      "it 's george miller 's masterpiece , maybe even the best commercial film of 1998 .",
      "has no small amount of merit , especially in the areas of production and costume design , but ... -lsb- not -rsb- in any meaningful way a successful or even appropriate follow-up .",
      "carries its predecessor 's torch into darker , quixotic territories , bursting at the seams with folkloric witticism and hellzapoppin ' imagery .",
      "... paints a bleak picture of humanity . not to mention , shall we say , animality .",
      "despite its g-rating , the movie includes numerous scenes of animals in peril , including a pit bull that nearly hangs himself , a crippled dog that gets thrown into a wall and a goldfish that almost suffocates ... happy holidays , kids !",
      "this is the stuff of dickens , told on the scale of blade runner and brazil , with the madcap spirit of the great muppet caper .",
      "an amazing accomplishment . george miller brings the same approach to this sequel as he did with the mad max trilogy : do n't re-make , re-invent . a work of genius .",
      "do n't let this movie get away from you .",
      "sequel is n't quite hog heaven , but it 's meaty enough .",
      "a surrealistic spectacle !",
      "a charming , funny story !",
      "most definitely not a movie for young children",
      "brilliant !",
      "universal should have left well enough alone , heeding the immortal closing words of farmer hoggett in the original .",
      "it may not be as fresh as its predecessor , it still begs a look-see . as the year winds down , this is one fine holiday ham that should be savored , not skinned .",
      "so distressingly dark , grim , and cynical it 's likely to make kids cry !",
      "babe : pig in the city is mostly a joyless sequel to the joyful original ."
    ],
    "summary": "not quite as good as the original and has some dark subject material that might not be appropriate for children .",
    "id": "9994"
  },
  {
    "movie": "summer_hours",
    "reviews": [
      "the actors all find the correct notes . it is a french film , and so they are allowed to be adult and intelligent .",
      "it 's a quiet but heartfelt film that has a lot to say about the allure of the past and the inevitability of change .",
      "you wo n't find filmmaking more assured , commanding and evocative than that of MOV in its opening scenes .",
      "a sweet pearl of a french film , MOV may work as a perfect antidote for those seeking refuge from the summer blockbuster season .",
      "the texture and flow of MOV , the supple quality of the acting , the fluid camerawork isolating this or that observer while life flows on and domestic crises ebb and flow -- it all comes together as formidably detailed and easy-breathing cra",
      "if this enjoyable film is substantially more satisfying than those predecessors , it 's also far less daring , a straightforward extended-family drama in the mode of last year 's -lrb- more engrossing -rrb- art-house highlight a christmas tale .",
      "it is certainly a success , thanks in large part to the lovely performances from the three leads .",
      "quietly and keenly observed .",
      "berling , binoche and renier all play off each other effortlessly , and MOV makes you feel comfortable spending time with their family , too .",
      "one realizes the real dramatic conflict is between the past , which must be honored , and the present , which must be lived .",
      "MOV , in spite of its potentially dowdy subject matter , is packed nearly to bursting with rich meaning and deep implication .",
      "one of my favorites of the year is this wonderful french family ensemble film ...",
      "beautifully photographed by eric gautier who captures the joy of life 's fleeting moments as if ready for one those new revolving image frames .",
      "has exquisite cinematography and an initially intriguing plot , but that does n't compensate for its bland and meandering screenplay that lacks palpable dramatic tension and fails to bring any of its characters to life .",
      "it 's a lovely meditation on how objects carry history , reflect our decaying bones , and sometimes outlive us , and it 's a nice change of pace for olivier assayas .",
      "in the end , assayas , shooting the film with relaxed , flowing camera movements , gives his love not to beautiful objects but to the disorderly life out of which art is made .",
      "it 's all very civil and inexorable -- unlike a stateside version ; we know there will be no last-minute car wash or concert fundraiser to save the estate .",
      "the magic of MOV is that even in its elusiveness , it gives us something to hang onto .",
      "this exquisitely subtle family drama finds writer-director olivier assayas in a deeply contemplative mood .",
      "even for a french drama , MOV is so slow as to be practically still .",
      "MOV drags in the middle , but its final scene is almost overpoweringly tender and beautiful , offering a hopeful rejoinder to all the prior scenes of family members shedding their shared legacy .",
      "assayas ' film has more than a few lofty questions concerning art , nostalgia , and the national culture but he understands that ultimately history and culture are far more personal than one can imagine",
      "as dramatically uneventful as these passages are , there 's a kind of beautiful truth in them .",
      "this bittersweet meditation on familial bonds , the passage of youth and the merits of tradition is deeply nuanced and strikes just the right emotional notes .",
      "lots of films are called haunting , MOV truly is .",
      "una serena y quizás dolorosa reflexión sobre el paso del tiempo , los vínculos familiares , los recuerdos y la inexorabilidad de la muerte .",
      "filmmakers rarely capture the passage of time as elegantly and powerfully as assayas does here , and his achievement is all the more pleasurable because it 's so unassuming .",
      "a perfectly , magnificently sad film that dwells on the ravages of time while simultaneously celebrating rebirth .",
      "MOV , director olivier assayas ' tender , sun-kissed , chekhovian drama , brims with life and loveliness even as it meditates on the loss of childhood .",
      "as brightly alive a movie as the season will offer .",
      "too chatty to be ascetic , MOV is nevertheless almost ozu-like in its evocation of a parent 's death and the dissolving bond between the surviving children .",
      "for andré téchiné and patrice chéreau , who have specialized in probing/expansive family melodramas , MOV would be a trifle . for olivier assayas , it 's almost a masterpiece .",
      "... an astute study of intra sibling relationships magnified by inheritance issues and the globalization of modern life .",
      "hats off to olivier assayas 's plain yet hauntingly beautiful MOV , a true -- albeit nonsecular -- meditation on art and eternal life .",
      "a brilliantly acted and bittersweet chekhovian drama about family , art , memory , globalization and impermanence .",
      "the last thing i expected from the mad genius behind boarding gate is a chekhovian chamber drama whose mantra could be essentially reduced to : posterity cares .",
      "assayas presents a contemplative etude on the passage of time and the markings of material and spiritual loss .",
      "anyone who discovers more to this movie than ` much talk and little action ' will develop a rapport with the characters . they are reflections of us , and therein lies their ability to compel attention .",
      "a beautifully understated movie about family ties and the sadness and nostalgia that objects can evoke .",
      "carefully directed generational drama with deep emotional undercurrents .",
      "introduces everyday characters , presents them with a set of everyday concerns and lends the decisions they make a gravitas that even they do n't quite understand .",
      "a quietly observed chekhovian drama about the effects of globalization on a french family .",
      "maybe this beautiful film will be too slight for many , but it 's certainly one of the better french films of the last year .",
      "a fractured , ultra-naturalistic and detached examination of the significance of memory and the value of objects , explored through the story of three siblings dealing with their mother 's death",
      "the cast is outstanding ; the three siblings , played by berling , binoche and renier , deliver an ensemble performance of great complexity , yet with clearly defined characters .",
      "i loved every minute involving isabelle sadoyan 's ... loďse , the old housekeeper , who understands that a vase , irrespective of how beautiful or valuable , is nothing without the flowers that make it a work of art",
      "this is a mature film by an accomplished director .",
      "MOV is a delicate , provocative film , and for those of us thinking about what we leave the next generation , a timely one .",
      "MOV meanders along as a restrained mood piece , and is quite good and moving in parts , but it 's just plain flat in others .",
      "MOV examines sentiment and attachment , but it is an unsentimental work , a film that lets some secrets remain undisturbed and does not insist on confrontation .",
      "a subdued , chatty and poignant family drama .",
      "n MOV , olivier assayas 's gently provocative rumination on family and possessions , a trio of siblings wrestles with the problem of what to do with the old homestead once mother is gone .",
      "intense yet airy",
      "a lament for the lost luxuries of time and space .",
      "supposedly a meditation on globalization and family ties , but to this reviewer it is much more of a french art movie version of antique roadshow .",
      "assayas ' script is more allusive than demonstrative , with a distinct whiff of eric rohmer in its conversational blocks separated by fadeouts .",
      "the sheer banality of the proceedings -- appraisals ! attorneys ! -- threatens to rob those few poignant moments of their own dramatic value .",
      "surprisingly wonderful , as if assayas finally found a space in which to stretch out .",
      "a keenly observed , typically high-quality family drama of the sort only the french seem capable of making anymore .",
      "offers the sense that what is now being dismantled was itself the result of people who in their own way had rejected an earlier past .",
      "exploring the different facets of an extended family 's inheritance , olivier assayas ' film is beautifully observed and finely nuanced - but its relative slightness suggests that less need not always end up being more .",
      "assayas expresses the melancholy of childhood 's ultimate end as well as globalization 's reconfiguration of traditional notions of self , family and history .",
      "parts of MOV feel very much like real life , which is both the film 's strength and its ultimate weakness .",
      "MOV is undeniably in touch with the way we live , eminently respectable , and a tad forced .",
      "the acting is superb and the cinematography is top drawer . french films are not shy about tackling real-life issues in a meaningful way",
      "it 's not sentimental . yet it 's devastating .",
      "evocative look at a family trying to decide what to do with its treasures .",
      "where a hollywood film of a family feuding over a fabulous estate would surely end with a slapped face and an infantry charge of lawyers , assayas 's work concludes with a smile and a shrug . life goes on . what else can it do ?",
      "echoes of so many other great binoche movies : the haunted quality of blue , the meditative tone of flight of the red balloon , even the celebratory mood of dan in real life .",
      "MOV is a slow , beautifully photographed film about what we value -- in the emotional and material realms .",
      "performances in this small and profoundly eloquent film are superb , yet none redirects attention from assayas 's earnest meditation on the ravaging effects of a shrinking world on family traditions and entrenched personal relationships .",
      "bound up in this haunting , moving meditation on a family in transition are implicit questions about globalization and the relationship of art , life and culture , the past and the future .",
      "... leisurely paced but intensely gripping film - which does n't lend itself to facile capsulization - follows three generations of a french family as they prepare for the imminent death of their matriarch",
      "has the feel , if not the look , of an old man 's film , a meditation on the passing of time .",
      "-lrb- ... -rrb- MOV is assayas 's best film set on home turf-the one that best puts things in perspective and loudly proclaims that one must know how to shed dead skin to go on living .",
      "olivier assayas 's new meditation on french domestic life , the wisely ironic MOV , begins with children 's games and ends with adolescent partying and pairing off -- that is , the real business of life",
      "the -lsb- movie 's -rsb- concern might feel a little old-fashioned ... but in this film it 's reasonably , solemnly , and levelheadedly expressed .",
      "the film and its characters are smart , sincere and fully alive in ways we rarely have the opportunity to see .",
      "the film resonates with emotions as authentic as the details . ... and it asks us to ponder what makes the objects in our lives meaningful .",
      "manages a sense of genuine poignancy that never becomes sticky or sentimental",
      "a well-constructed film about the end of a life and uncertainty about the future .",
      "a subtle , flawlessly acted , keenly observed family drama and poignant meditation on memory , identity , and history in the age of postmodernism and globalization .",
      "this is a well constructed , tender , authentic story .",
      "i think you should see MOV .",
      "assayas has made a masterpiece with the restrained strokes of a contemplative and intelligent artist .",
      "thoughtful and evocative .",
      "bittersweet , quietly poignant and emotionally resonant but without tears , it 's a film about art that becomes a work of art itself .",
      "MOV begins with an energetic treasure hunt . it ends reminding us how our lives are spent learning and unlearning what is to be treasured .",
      "as delicate , even effervescent , as any story about the dissolution of family ties could possibly be .",
      "deeply moving in its subtle journey through regrets , memories , and the profound affection that inanimate objects can inspire in us ...",
      "while the ideas are worth considering , director olivier assayas moves the story at an escargot 's pace , and the characters are gossamer thin .",
      "this is a movie that , for all its once-over-lightliness , stays with one . given what it 's about , and the intelligence of its makers , how could it not ?"
    ],
    "summary": "olivier assayas ' contemplative family drama handles lofty ideas about art and culture with elegance and lightness .",
    "id": "770782156"
  },
  {
    "movie": "mission_impossible_ghost_protocol",
    "reviews": [
      "if we are watching hunt caught , like the western world , in an inexorable downward spiral , we may crane our necks to watch the carwreck , but also wonder if this uneven franchise remains roadworthy .",
      "bird relishes the chance to play with real people - the central suspense sequence , in which hunt scales dubai 's burj khalifa one-handed , is dizzyingly effective , particularly in imax - and the pace rarely slows .",
      "a fast-paced , globe-trotting adventure that offers blasts , brawls and buildings of equally spectacular scale .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol is the best film in the franchise so far .",
      "the film never forgets the truism that this genre can do wonders in papering over its cracks simply by letting you have a good time .",
      "-lsb- there 's -rsb- a sense of humour and self-awareness that was absent from the earlier pictures ; though it occasionally feels like run-off from bird 's ingenious superhero satire the incredibles , it 's hard to deny that a little bit of pixar goes a long way .",
      "all the iconic elements of the mission : impossible franchise , from the instantly recognisable musical motif to the tech and gadget-heavy modus operandi of the team are harnessed to the max in this high tension edition",
      "even those allergic to cruise would struggle to resist his magnetism grinning one-handed from the highest skyscraper in the world , cool as a cucumber , ripped as celery .",
      "retaining the series ' innate goofiness while taking the action and emotional stakes to new highs , this is the best mission : impossible yet .",
      "the best mission impossible of them all , everything about this fourth film in the movie franchise is big with breathtaking , extravagant stunts and a thrilling , large scale plot to match",
      "`` ghost protocol '' fails to provide thrills unique enough to truly celebrate , even if it still offers a `` mission : impossible '' that 's worthwhile for audiences to accept .",
      "a lot of credit goes to cruise here , who 's succeeded over these four films in making ethan hunt into a strangely intriguing alter ego .",
      "solid entertainment .",
      "m : i4 proves to be a sugar rush of pure , unadulterated entertainment . even with a running time of two-plus hours , there 's not an ounce of fat .",
      "what the script lacks in plausibility - almost everything - it compensates with all-guns-blazing fun .",
      "a truly awesome slice of action cinema .",
      "ay what you will about his personal life : tom cruise is a genuine movie star . he 's extremely talented and his timing is impeccable . just watch him in his latest outing as special agent ethan hunt in ` mission : impossible - ghost protocol . '",
      "... a perfectly watchable -lrb- yet undeniably overlong -rrb- entry in an almost remarkably consistent series ...",
      "by turns eye-watering , knee trembling , heart-pounding and rib-tickling , this gravity-defying blockbuster is what popcorn was invented for . chomp away !",
      "perhaps we should n't expect too much in the way of character in this kind of thing - but action always seems more fun when it 's done by real people .",
      "this franchise has never dazzled with brilliance but it certainly baffles with something else . mostly it 's video game-style violence ... occasionally pausing for necessary exposition that at home would be times to rest your thumbs .",
      "-lsb- bird -rsb- takes an eye-popping approach to the genre , creating a guilty pleasure romp that balances corny plotting with muscled-up fun .",
      "manages to be a pretty good time for much of its overgenerous 132 minutes .",
      "tom cruise 's ethan hunt returns to save the world , again .",
      "it 's easy for these special-effects extravaganzas to get weighed down by all the effort that goes into blowing up cities and hot-wiring supercomputers , but `` mission : impossible - ghost protocol '' feels light on its feet .",
      "if the hoodied cruise evokes a touch of eminem-level moodiness in the posters , it 's with good reason : stopping a maniacal supervillain may be on the docket yet again , but this time around ethan hunt has gone emo .",
      "if tinker , tailor , soldier , spy was too cerebral for you , this movie should make you very happy .",
      "if the m : i films are immune to the tarnish on the cruise brand , it 's precisely because their spectacle requires us to be impressed by ethan hunt , not to like him .",
      "`` ghost protocol '' is a less a film than a vanity license plate writ large - a throwback to when all an action film needed was a bogus concept , chase scenes and a roman numeral in a title .",
      "in imax form , at least , it 's thrilling , with a strong cast fighting a silly plot .",
      "ghost protocol is never cartoonish but it is incredibly animated .",
      "the eye-candy - from high-tech gadgets to gorgeous people - has only been ratcheted up . and so has the excitement .",
      "... a witty and exciting thrill ride that may be the most fun of the entire series .",
      "the wait for a great action movie is finally over . mission : impossible - ghost protocol is pure popcorn of the highest , most flavorful order , and it 's good for you , too .",
      "after the infectious fun of jj abrams ' m : i 3 , which sparkled with the wit and charm of his espionage series alias , the fourth installment is a thudding disappointment .",
      "this action-packed roller coaster of a movie seamlessly pulls you in and does n't let go . on the rare occasion it slows down , it quickly sends your heart pounding and pulse racing again .",
      "bird is an interesting choice for the franchise and , as it turns out , a pretty inspired one .",
      "while brad bird 's direction is not nearly as fleet as his cv in animation would lead one to hope , it 's not without its pleasures either .",
      "with a fun group of characters and cool set pieces that take advantage of the imax format , it always manages to entertain despite the rather lazy central plot that may have been more effective say 25 years ago .",
      "after two lazy , near unwatchable sequels , the mission : impossible juggernaut gets a bit of a kick in the pants from iron giant and incredibles helmer brad bird .",
      "whatever the movie 's shortcomings , director bird more than compensates with a bullet train of action and an arsenal of cool gadgets . maybe making cartoons has expanded his conception of what 's possible in a live film .",
      "mission : impossible -- ghost protocol could very well be the series ' best installment .",
      "it has a few very good ideas , and then , the rest of it is totally lackluster .",
      "brad bird 's mission made me feel like a kid again .",
      "... a good-size barrel of fun .",
      "still does not have the hang of what made the tv show so good .",
      "cruises on the wow ! factor .",
      "snagging oscar-winning animation director brad bird to fill the director 's chair proves to be an inspired choice -- and , upon thought , a bit of a no-brainer .",
      "the screenplay does n't rely too much on gimmicks to advance the plot . instead , the plot is also character-driven to an extent . there are interesting dynamics going on in the mission impossible team .",
      "director brad bird juices and gooses the whole affair with edge and excitement , new energy , humor and heartbeat , and a terrific feel for big , bold , audaciously daring sequences that beg for the biggest screen available .",
      "great stunts and not a dull moment ,",
      "... everything that worked in the third film amped up to eleven . it 's about the team , it 's about the mission , and it 's about time .",
      "cruise 's conviction and sheer sweat carries the day .",
      "the real mission is to renew a stale franchise , and here ghost protocol largely succeeds , on the strength of good action scenes - including an imax-enhanced dubai skyscraper dangle by cruise - and the good humour of a well-chosen cast .",
      "unlike most movie series , this one has actually improved with each new installment ... this fourth entry ... is the best yet , a breathtaking , globe-trotting action yarn that pulls out all the stops .",
      "so preposterously entertaining that it makes watching other recent hollywood action spectacles feel like work .",
      "# 4 may very well be thought of as # 1 . incorporating easy humor , compelling characters and jaw-dropping action , this is some xmas eye candy .",
      "this is cruise 's show and the actor brings the role a startling athletic grace and becoming maturity . if someone asks you what a true movie star is , point to cruise .",
      "just as newly gritty heroes seem to have run their course -lrb- fingers crossed -rrb- , cruise and bird are doing their damnedest to maintain the escapist thrills that we as audiences will always choose to accept .",
      "ghost protocol is big and brassy , doing many of the things its predecessors did but , in the words of nigel tufnel , turning them up to `` 11 . ''",
      "spy franchise returns for more action-packed thrills .",
      "it 's a movie of dazzling individual parts that do n't come together to fully satisfying effect in the final stretch .",
      "making a smooth transtition from animation to live-action , bird has directed a fast-moving , largely enagaging , well acted -lrb- especially by renner -rrb- actioner , which is the fourth and most entertaining of the franchise .",
      "fueled by tom cruise 's propulsive , sometimes literally death-defying performance , this fourth installment is arguably the strongest of the series .",
      "something goes wrong and the entire kremlin blows up . ` the wattage of my smile has overpowered the antiquated russian electrical grid , ' explained tom .",
      "film number four has found its optimum screen display , its best director for the job and its sense of humour while increasing the gadgets and death-defying stunts .",
      "... great cinematic entertainment .",
      "bird manages the escalations from the preposterous through the more preposterous to the most preposterous with skill and wit ...",
      "succeeds in dishing up exactly what you would expect : state of the arts stunts , non-stop action , and a series of clearly laid-out heists and chases that go awry in all kinds of creative ways .",
      "watching tom leap from a hospital window on to a passing truck , i could n't help but worry : tom , those knees wo n't last forever .",
      "ghost pulls off the impossible .",
      "so exciting you have to remind yourself to breathe .",
      "`` mission : impossible-ghost protocol '' is sheer hurtling mechanism-and it 's great silly fun .",
      "better than the tower climb is the scene in which hunt infiltrates the kremlin with , essentially , a high-tech magic trick ; the playfulness of the effect demonstrates the usefulness of bird 's background in the astonish-the-audience culture of animation .",
      "ghost protocol is a very good thrill ride and cruise is better than he 's been in a long time .",
      "... 2011 's most consistently entertaining effort .",
      "the script wo n't take home any awards but you wo n't care once you 've seen the unrelenting action sequences . my eyes were glued to the screen and my heart rate definitely increased !",
      "it 's been five years since hunt got married and tried to retire in the third edition and bird , whose entry is n't quite as quickly paced as one might expect , nonetheless gets the franchise back on track by both looking forward and back .",
      "it 's fast and furious the whole way , and there 's a lot to look at .",
      "instead of feeling chaotic and exhausting , as movies that seem to feature nonstop action often do , this one is breezy and invigorating , the action fluid and logical .",
      "this is cruise and company 's greatest mission so far .",
      "after sitting through a year littered with underwhelming sequels , it appears one of the best of the year has been saved for last .",
      "i do n't think i 've seen a more fun straight-up action movie in ages ... director brad bird -lsb- has made -rsb- an astonishingly confident and distinctive leap from animation to live action ...",
      "back when cruise just seemed like a generic , smiling , handsome guy , ethan was dull . now that he comes off in public appearances as slightly crazed and reckless , we project that onto the character too ; and it 's for the better .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol is top-notch popcorn entertainment , chock-full of dazzling stunts and heroic moments , played out at a near-hysterical pitch .",
      "the formula for the action scenes includes a drop of buster keaton for every two drops of james bond .",
      "starts fast and rarely lets up .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol is easily the best of the lot .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol is good , and occasionally brilliant , but the plot is threadbare , lacking the layered story lines and emotional core that brad bird 's big three animated films have in spades .",
      "pixar filmmaker brad bird tackles his very first live-action feature and , without so much as appearing to break a sweat , ably puts to shame most veteran directors who have made a living in the action genre -lrb- that includes you , michael bay -rrb- .",
      "the best stunts of the year and crackerjack mastery of pacing .",
      "nothing more than an excuse to show us the most precarious situations imaginable , and that it does in spades .",
      "possesses the requisite number of expertly choreographed how 'd - they-do-that scenes , as well as some terrific supporting performances from `` mission : impossible '' veterans and newcomers .",
      "bird does make the impossible seem credible without also making it look mundane a well .",
      "the star of ghost protocol is bird .",
      "-lsb- bird 's -rsb- fresh touch gives breathless energy , tremendous excitement and , above all , humor to what could have been a wearying genre exercise .",
      "mission impossible - ghost protocol was was made for imax . it blows up the mission impossible force 's stature . it also blows up part of of the kremlin . as well as reason and logic . but who cares ? it 's mission impossible .",
      "... it 's pretty much state-of-the-art .",
      "the skyscraper scene in imax is worth the price of admission . one of the most exhilarating movie experiences of the last few years .",
      "i 'm thinking it , so i might as well say it : mission : impossible - ghost protocol is no fast five .",
      "i would n't say ghost protocol makes the most of bird 's skills as a dramatic storyteller , but as a talent in service of entertainment above all else , he rises to the occasion .",
      "one mission too many .",
      "an effectively enthralling back-to-basics action thriller",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- big , shiny , ever-moving toy of a movie .",
      "the seams are showing badly . . aside from blocks of exposition about the various code words , this movie is chopped up into a collection of action packages .",
      "wall-to-wall action in a spectacular , if repetitive , fourth series entry .",
      "all the gizmos and technology on display in m : i 4 are probably impossible based on current science . but , wow , do you ever get the feeling that this neat stuff is very doable at some point in the future ? i sure do .",
      "the action scenes more than make it worth watching , preferably in imax to really take in that spectacular skyscraper scene in its full glory .",
      "... an opening prison escape appears to be modeled after a busby berkeley musical number , of all things .",
      "pixar vet brad bird directs the best mission : impossible yet . see it on the biggest screen possible for maximum impact .",
      "it 's cruise 's daredevil bravado that provides the film 's standout episode , a sequence of hair-raising , palm-dampening , gob-smacking suspense that sees him clinging to the side of the world 's tallest building .",
      "a smoothly rhythmed piece of work , moving at a pace sufficient to bypass inconvenient questions .",
      "a knockout , tense action picture that proves there 's plenty more life left in the mission : impossible franchise .",
      "while the script occasionally flirts with weightlessness , bird 's ecstatic camera and some brilliant casting - to say nothing of cruise 's selflessness as a stuntman - make this a tentpole sequel worth getting behind .",
      "brad bird passes his audition for a career as a live-action director . and ghost protocol more than makes its bones as an argument for why tom cruise should continue in this role as long as his knees , and his nerves , hold up .",
      "... one of the best action adventures of the year if you 're willing to suspend your disbelief for most of the picture .",
      "forget transformers : dark of the moon and fast five , mission : impossible - ghost protocol is the best action movie of 2011 ... by a mile .",
      "powered by cruise 's moxie , mission : impossible -- ghost protocol proves that in a hollywood action-ride culture drenched in fake adrenaline , it 's cathartic to encounter the real thing .",
      "while ghost protocol is an above-average piece of studio fare , i had hoped for something a little more distinctive from -lsb- bird -rsb- .",
      "take off your thinking cap and munch on extra buttery popcorn . the fourth installment is candy for the brain , a straightforward action flick that does n't disappoint .",
      "the best action movie of 2011 . -lrb- content review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "easily the best in the series since the original and a genuine spectacle with set-pieces that will knock even the most jaded viewers for a loop or two .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol was directed by brad bird -lrb- the incredibles -rrb- , whose first stab at a live-action feature preserves the buzzy exhilaration and carefree absurdity of a cartoon .",
      "bird is a great storyteller , with a good grasp of pace , and a crisp , bright tone , and the new movie benefits from his guidance .",
      "ridiculously exciting -- and i mean that in a good way .",
      "manages to keep you on the edge of your seat for the entire 133 minutes .",
      "it 's a rousing gasp machine that gives the flagging franchise the kick in the pants it sorely needed , and it marks the most impressive segue from cartoons to features since pee-wee 's big adventure .",
      "for action buffs desperate for a hit to jump-start their hearts , here 's a mission impossible to refuse .",
      "` excuse me , mr. brad bird ? would you be interested in directing a bond film next ? '",
      "brad bird , making his live action debut , is determined to treat his cast as if they are animated figures in a spectacular landscape where the rules of nature do n't apply .",
      "this fifteen-year-old franchise - with more downs than ups in the balance - is a long way from done .",
      "ghost protocol packs more white-knuckle tension than any action film this year .",
      "they really got the ` mission ' part of mission : impossible right this time ... delivers the awesome for the holidays .",
      "one of the year 's biggest surprises : a third sequel to a franchise whose heyday is long in the past , featuring a star who 's pushing 50 and a director who 's not even supposed to be able to do live action .",
      "easily the best of the series , filled with extravagant international locations and fantastical action set-pieces , at least two of which are genuinely jaw-dropping .",
      "ghost protocol is a blast from the opening to the non-surprising ending . humor is a must when the suspension of disbelief is required and much suspension is required here .",
      "cruise is a filmmaker capable of delivering the kind of action few others would dare to imagine . and ghost protocol delivers .",
      "enjoyable action blockbuster with superb set-pieces , a witty script , assured direction from pixar 's brad bird and a trio of terrific performances from tom cruise , simon pegg and jeremy renner .",
      "cruise `` does his own stunts '' . these include the smirk , the hair-toss , the head jut , the finger-jab and all the other cruise athleticisms we know and , if hard pressed by hollywood , love .",
      "a largely successful attempt to reboot the moribund franchise that turns out to be probably the most entertaining installment since brian de palma 's series opener from 15 years ago .",
      "brad bird 's first foray outside of the world of animation is pretty much great , certainly in the top tier of 2011 's ` splodey action pictures .",
      "this is one of the most insane action movies i 've seen in years . something intense is happening almost every single second of its 132-minute running time .",
      "-lsb- bird -rsb- applies the pacing and spatial freedom of a ` toon to a live-action thriller .",
      "exciting , witty and action-packed , this is one of the best mi films . i 'd say it was mission accomplished .",
      "far more entertaining than the latest bond .",
      "one of the best mission impossible flicks with several adrenaline - pumping action sequences .",
      "proving there is a way to make a big budget franchise installment that feels vibrant , alive , and like more than just a pathetic retread of what has come before , ghost protocol delivers with breakneck pace and stellar action choreography .",
      "rockets forward in enthralling -- and ultimately exhausting -- fashion",
      "it 's undeniably fun .",
      "bird has done a stylish and involving job here , turning in an entertaining production that 's got considerable visual flair , especially in its action-heavy imax sections .",
      "the scene in which -lsb- cruise -rsb- crawls up the building 's exterior to reach the 130th floor could make birds afraid of heights . it 's that high , and that gripping .",
      "it 's not the generic plot that 's so memorable , even though its convolutions are clever enough , or the cast of mostly interesting characters , but the surreal swirl of form and color that frequently fills the enormous screen .",
      "though not quite as front-to-finish satisfying as j.j. abrams ' mission : impossible iii , bird 's installment nonetheless rocks .",
      "in its way , the movie has old-hollywood elegance . the scope and sets are vast , tall , and cavernous , but bird scales down for spatial intimacy .",
      "there 's a good chance you 'll get so caught up in what they 're doing , you wo n't even notice how stiff and inhuman the actors appear .",
      "bird shows he can handle exotic locales and action sequences of james bond-like proportions .",
      "enjoyably daft fare with enough sci-fi tech and desirable clobber to keep you cooing until the credits .",
      "mission : impossible -- ghost protocol is n't about geopolitical realism . it 's about keeping your palms clammy with acrophobia -lrb- imax , baby -rrb- and your pulse at a certain rhythm while good guys do their best to keep the world turning .",
      "slightly goofy , deliriously fun and exciting as hell .",
      "watching cruise as hunt climb the tallest building in the world stands out as one of the greatest scenes in movies in 2011 .",
      "as usual with the series , the movie combines a plot line a toddler could understand with gadgets that would baffle an engineering ph.d. .",
      "a passable - and forgettable - franchise entry .",
      "hits an action bull 's - eye",
      "team effort makes 4th mission fun -lrb- and not too serious -rrb-",
      "it 's kind of flat , inert - occasionally spectacular but not all that exciting .",
      "spectacular . bird knows how to film an action scene , and cruise knows how to star in one . it 's a winning combination .",
      "bird chose to accept the right mission for his leap to live action ...",
      "a big-boned , bombastic summer-style action movie served up as a christmas treat for fans suffering winter withdrawal pangs for such fare .",
      "succeeds in its mission , delivering one of the most entertaining , testosterone infused adventures of the year .",
      "gets back to action basics with globe-trotting , nifty gadgets , high-flying stunts and less loquacious villainy .",
      "cruise has matured and so has his elaborate spy game , dialing down the gritty paranoia to make room for audacious missions of survival and retrieval , finding plenty of invention and elasticity left in the franchise .",
      "the most exciting action flick of the year , by a huge margin .",
      "this film exists purely to dazzle and thrill , and by that measure , it delivers expertly , never lagging despite a lengthy 133-minute running time .",
      "the literal and figurative high point of mission : impossible -- ghost protocol comes at about the halfway point , in and around the tallest building in the world in dubai .",
      "brad bird made his name with two brilliant animated films , the incredibles and ratatouille . mission impossible 4 is his first live-action film , and it confirms that he is a first-rate director .",
      "ghost protocol is a picture calculated to extract maximum profits from a global audience , and surely it will succeed .",
      "along with many other things , the fourth mission : impossible movie also functions as a primer on how to use imax technology to immerse an audience .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol is the kind of lean , mean , fearless action movie that chugs along at such a high tempo , you realise when leaving the cinema that you 're actually running .",
      "brad bird takes the series up a notch with enjoyable character dynamics and a straightforward but still intriguing story featuring plenty of unique action set pieces .",
      "mission : impossible-ghost protocol may be nothing ground-breaking but it is the best example of how to make a skillfully made action film that works because of all the right elements that are blended together to create pure adrenaline bliss .",
      "proves that there 's still a lot to be said for formulaic action when it 's handled with such aplomb . the best in the series thus far .",
      "` mission : impossible - ghost protocol ' is the most consistently entertaining , most laser-focused entry in the series so far",
      "it 's truly difficult to imagine anyone not clutching his or her armrests for dear life during this vertigo-inducing scene .",
      "finally an action movie that recaptures the fun and adventure of old .",
      "boasting an exotic trip around the world , an engaging script , funny dialogue and spectacular stunts , `` ghost protocol '' is an adrenaline-rush adventure on a grand scale .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol provides slick high octane espionage thrills while upping the ante in the stakes of good vs evil action theatre .",
      "in his first live-action film , -lsb- brad -rsb- bird gives us a cleaner , clearer , smarter and better action film than michael bay has in any of his nine straining , slapdash efforts .",
      "it leaves x-men : first class , captain america , and the rest of 2011 ′ s glorified saturday morning cartoons in its dust . i want to take this ride again .",
      "action films tend to get repetitive , especially sequels . it 's refreshing to find an excellent , original and engaging one .",
      "`` mission : impossible - ghost protocol '' is the best film in the series since the original . it 's a fast-paced thrillride that 'll keep you thoroughly engaged as it hops from one amazing sequence to the next .",
      "best line of 2011 delivered by jeremy renner : `` that 's it . next time i get to seduce the rich guy . '' why is mi4 so terrific ? i screamed out in the theater : `` the pants are gon na rip ! ''",
      "o bird energa daneisthke kai merikes selides apo to skhnothetiko biblio toy nolan , me pio ofthalmofanh kai dhlwmenh , th pisth pws to imax , kai oxi to s3d , mporei na epanaferei ayth thn apostomwtikh kallitexnikh flasia",
      "the cinematography is rewarding enough for a travelogue . the good guy vs. the world with a hateful bad guy is involving . this is another film where you should just leave your brain at home , relax , and enjoy it .",
      "welcome to the post-pixar action movie .",
      "it 's a great mix that feeds an action junkie 's need for death defying stunts but reminds us how dangerous it all really is so that we remain engaged in the tension of the scene .",
      "exhilarating , nerve-wracking , vertigo-inducing , action-packed popcorn picture , filled with spectacular feats of derring-do .",
      "it 's actually pretty entertaining ... but a certain genericness is creeping in .",
      "a mature tom cruise is in top form here , displaying a relatively-sophisticated savoir faire in lieu of the easy boyish charm that 's served him so well in the past .",
      "this is some star trek level techno-nonsense , but the locations , stunts , and ambient batsh * ttedness of the entire endeavor provide ample distraction .",
      "could be the poster boy for disposable films .",
      "the characters in the movie enjoy saying the phrase ghost protocol , and so do i.",
      "`` mission : impossible -- ghost protocol '' is a terrific thriller with action sequences that function as a kind of action poetry .",
      "the plot is simply an excuse to show off all that whiz-bang technology .",
      "bird brings a scary amount of assurance to ghost protocol . his action scenes are clean , coherent , thrilling , and visceral ...",
      "massively scaled and ingeniously executed , ghost protocol delivers the action goods in genuinely awe-inspiring fashion .",
      "mission : impossible - ghost protocol is a blast .",
      "expectedly , this breathless white-knuckler delivers some of the most convincing action set-pieces in recent memory , but it 's the performance of tom cruise in his meal-ticket role of ethan hunt that resonates the loudest .",
      "a nonsensical , dazzling jumble of wild action scenes and formulaic characters .",
      "it runs faster , goes bigger , and tells stories better than nearly any action film this year .",
      "a legitimately great action film , a thrilling and fun bit of exquisitely crafted escapism . it might be the best in the series , and it 's without a doubt the best since the first film .",
      "what we 're looking at here is basically a delivery system for action set-pieces , and boy howdy , this one has some doozies ."
    ],
    "summary": "stylish , fast-paced , and loaded with gripping set pieces , the fourth mission : impossible is big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works .",
    "id": "770863873"
  },
  {
    "movie": "cinderella_man",
    "reviews": [
      "a godsend to anybody who yearns for cinema to be a bringer of good tidings .",
      "` MOV ' wrings every bit of emotion out of a tried-and-true underdog storyline . fortunately , it does so with considerable style and heart .",
      "only our predisposed investment in the lead players manages to make the proceedings not too painfully bland .",
      "a solidly entertaining movie - but russell crowe is basically playing seabiscuit .",
      "paul giamatti steals the show as braddock 's smart - *** trainer and manager , joe gould . maybe it 's his oscar comeuppance .",
      "a movie of great delicacy of feeling ... -lsb- t -rsb- he truth of the story tugs irresistibly at your heart .",
      "opie makes a statement about the grand divide between the rich and the rest of us .",
      "not matter how hard the script tries to turn braddock into a symbol of american perseverance , crowe never portrays him as anything more than a human being .",
      "... on my top 10 list so far this year .",
      "scene by scene , -lsb- mae -rsb- reminds us that jim is handsome , strong , ... and always right . the film celebrates masculine resolve that blocks out feminine counsel and concern .",
      "glorious hokum .",
      "... pre-digested , pre-approved ... has the bullying ` stamp of quality . '",
      "in lesser hands , braddock could seem a bit dull or unimaginative . but crowe revels in subtle character detail , making braddock real . crowe projects the complex gravitas of a person of depth as well as decency .",
      "oscar host chris rock was on to something when he suggested that only russell crowe should be allowed to star in hollywood period films .",
      "so determined to make the audience stand up and cheer that it forgets how to generate anything lasting , other than sheer old-timey nostalgia .",
      "the film just delivers on every level , not only as one of the great sports movies in recent memory but as a truly inspiring and thrilling comeback story .",
      "ron howard 's depression-era ode to second chances and noble contests , filmed here last summer , is not just another boxing movie or just another picture . it 's a completely absorbing and artfully made fairy tale that just so happens to be true .",
      "howard sees braddock 's story in simple , black-and-white terms ; howard loves braddock because there 's nothing not to like . viewers who remember max baer may , however , take issue with the way the film treats this charismatic fighter .",
      "honestly , how can you not root for a movie about a depression-era underdog prizefighter who beats the odds and wins it big ? it seems anti-american or something .",
      "howard has got but a single message to deliver here -- boxer braddock as the populist american hero of the depression era - and he beats us over the head with his uplifting haymaker until we 're crumbled on the canvas and crying for mercy .",
      "if you can imagine frank capra doing his version of raging bull , you 've got a good idea of what MOV is like .",
      "MOV is the most heartfelt boxing drama because it is more than a boxing story .",
      "it 's a thrilling story , all the more amazing for being true .",
      "easily the best american film so far this year .",
      "all that said , i 'm still scoring the film pretty high because ultimately i was entertained , enjoyed crowe 's performance ...",
      "the bad news for cynics like me is that the film not only succeeds in its manipulations but is also , in essence , true .",
      "russell crowe is the new meryl streep ... all he has to do is be in a movie in any given year and he 's a lock for an oscar nod .",
      "audiences looking for uplifting , quality entertainment should love `` MOV . ''",
      "mature and unsentimental . crowe 's commitment to truthful acting triumphs along with bierko 's breakout role as his tormenter .",
      "crowe 's touching portrayal is instrumental in recruiting the audience 's sympathies from the get-go .",
      "it seems that ron howard has done it again . he keeps on getting better and better ...",
      "about as subtle as an uppercut to the chin .",
      "bierko has to be an instant front-runner for the best supporting actor oscar .",
      "as of may , 2005 , this depression-era drama is the best picture of the year - with flawless acting and production values . it 's a must-see !",
      "caught up as the film 's righteous center , jim is sustained by his concern for his bland and underwritten family .",
      "... is n't quite the dream come true it might have been . it lands more than a few punches . but none of them 's a knockout -- and neither is the movie .",
      "this is a rousing , thrilling and inspirational biopic from a director and a star who have now collaborated on two academy award level films .",
      "65 years after john ford 's wrenching the grapes of wrath , hollywood seems to have concluded that the great depression was , in fact , a pretty great time to be alive .",
      "howard has taken one of the greatest comeback stories ever and turned it into a cloying bit of fluff",
      "crowe delivers an oscar-caliber performance in an emotionally powerful film .",
      "i found myself completely thrilled by the action .",
      "a superbly acted , beautifully shot , highly engaging drama that ranks as one of howard 's best efforts .",
      "MOV takes the almost impossibly perfect elements of the saga of underdog boxer james j. braddock and fills it with emotional gravitas , wrenching danger and a panoramic sense of american life during the great depression .",
      "it lands a few solid punches , but never achieves anything close to a knock-out .",
      "proves that there 's always room on the shelf for another riveting , elegant boxing film .",
      "the first film in terms of oscar hopefuls this year that can truly be considered a contender .",
      "beautifully portrayed by russell crowe and renee zellweger in the kinds of well-judged performances that presume goodness without straining to convince us of it , they 're a couple whose shared moral compass guides them unerringly .",
      "the beautiful truth of this story is smeared over with cornball sentiment .",
      "we needed heroes in the 1930s , and we need them today , and MOV is the unashamed story of a hero .",
      "most directors shy away from the time that oscar voters forget . ron howard must be getting bolder .",
      "when was the last time you saw a truly feel-good movie about men beating the crap out of each other ?",
      "an exquisitely crafted , stately drama ... that never surprises , never takes risks , never delivers beyond expectations .",
      "crowe adds another masterful performance to his incredibly diverse portfolio .",
      "... a by-the-book , retro hollywood production - which brings with it both virtues and problems .",
      "if you 're the sort of occasional moviegoer who feels they do n't make 'em like they used to -- well , you 're right . except that howard and russell crowe have just proved you wrong .",
      "the new ron howard movie , `` MOV , '' begins precisely where pop culture is currently at its happiest -- smack in the middle of a boxing ring .",
      "to be an audience-grabber at the heart is not always a pointless concept , and here the director and writers prove that the formula still has a few kicks to it .",
      "powerful evocation of great depression",
      "... wo n't ever be considered among the great boxing movies . but it does captivatingly encapsulate the guts and gumption that made braddock such an inspiration ...",
      "... has the ability to balance formulaic schmaltz with enough genuine emotional uplift , avoiding easy sentimentality , which will leave all but the grouchiest cynics cheering .",
      "this is howard 's best work since apollo 13 and , if it were n't for the rough spots in zellwegger 's acting , it is arguably a better film .",
      "a rousing fable about a decent , goodhearted man achieving great heights",
      "a humbling and stirring account of an upstanding american hero .",
      "hot , steaming hokum briefly creeps into the film , which alternates between fairytale and grimy reality . russell crowe anchors it with another captivating chameleon turn .",
      "the storytelling is fluid and gripping .",
      "howard may have replicated the family scenes as accurately as if he 'd found film from a camera hidden in the walls of the original braddock apartment , and yet the movie ca n't shake the sense that the scenes away from the boxing ring are somehow false",
      "braddock only wants another shot at boxing to buy milk for the kids . cue the heavenly choir .",
      "in many ways this unambitious but heartfelt drama comes as a welcome breath of fresh air , especially now , when theaters are filled with dark and dreary features , the kind of heartless , soulless hollywood constructs that glut the summer each year .",
      "for crowe , it adds to the winning streak that started with l.a. confidential and has continued virtually unabated since , and is marked by smart choices and solid performances .",
      "with russell crowe in literal fighting trim and a splendid supporting cast , this is a boxing pic built on classic lines , and one of the best movies of the summer .",
      "like its hero , it stubbornly gets the job done .",
      "the fight scenes hurt , not because they 're edited like quicksilver or nimbly staged -- they are -- but because we are made to care so deeply for the title character .",
      "if you used to love the movies , MOV will remind you of the movies you loved .",
      "crowe 's performance as this seabiscuit of the sweet science will no doubt make the middleweight MOV a contender -- an oscar contender .",
      "a grand piece of old-fashioned hollywood filmmaking that is easily the best movie of the year so far .",
      "director ron howard does n't pull any surprise moves here , yet the movie gets more and more gripping with each punch .",
      "a very good film .",
      "the thing that ultimately makes it a classic in the pantheon of american movies is the way it reveals something about the idealism , strength , grace and grit of the american dream .",
      "it might not move your soul , but it at least puts a smile on your face .",
      "if you do n't mind experiencing some feelings , this is an exceptional film .",
      "sure , it 's obvious and corny . but there 's something lovable about this dated movie and its adorable characters . basically , imagine if seabiscuit did n't suck .",
      "the events are strong enough to keep us gripped , even though the writing and direction are flat and bland .",
      "tips the scale as an ambitious middleweight ... if it does n't quite go the distance , it still may blow you away with a powerful combination of grit and realism .",
      "just an o.k. vintage fight movie .",
      "well-acted but textually mediocre .",
      "when it comes to schmaltz , no one does it better than opie cunningham .",
      "the first oscar contender of 2005 , and one of the few movies where it 's ok for a man to cry -lrb- it 's about sports , so whip out that hanky , big guy -rrb- .",
      "at this point in 2005 , are you really going to complain about a well-made , well-acted , formulaic sports movie ? me neither .",
      "oh sure , it 's a good movie , but only by process of elimination : you like it because there 's no reason not to like it .",
      "tears are likely to be shed at the end of MOV , but thanks to crowe and howard you wo n't know how or where the sucker punch will be coming from .",
      "scorsese 's raging bull initiated the stylistic flourish of flashbulb punctuation for a flying punch , but howard turns it into virtually his entire mise-en-scene .",
      "the film by which -lsb- director ron howard -rsb- should henceforth be measured .",
      "the rhythms are so familiar it threatens to numb the mind . one at once admires the skill behind it while feeling guilty about falling for it yet again .",
      "depression-era boxing story gets a good -- not great -- envisioning from ron howard and features good lead work from russell crowe .",
      "apes the rocky series , lifting bits and pieces from all five installments ... i begged for baer to shout in his best mr. t voice , ` i pity the fool '",
      "moves with footwork that would make the real james j. braddock proud .",
      "the joy is in the playing , and ron howard pulls out all the stops like the organist at the old madison square garden .",
      "nada mais é do que um repeteco de alma de herói , apenas substituindo o cavalo seabiscuit por james j. braddock .",
      "... giamatti steals every inch of celluloid he can get his hands on ...",
      "it is an amazing story brought to life by gifted people and it will make you feel good without making you feel guilty for doing so .",
      "es un cuento de hadas necesario para el cinéfilo que tiene que padecer películas pretenciosas o agresivas . el mundo necesita héroes , aunque sean de celuloide .",
      "the feel good bomb of the year .",
      "the best actor oscar race starts now .",
      "a superficially rousing portrait of depression-era legend james j. braddock .",
      "intensely moving and superbly crafted ... russell crowe 's portrayal of boxer james braddock , is nothing short of brilliant . .",
      "no ofrece nada nuevo y , a pesar de su impecable factura técnica , aburre hasta la exasperación con su mezcla de previsibilidad y cursilería .",
      "the boxing sequences here are better than those of martin scorsese 's bar-setting `` raging bull . ''",
      "so far , this great drama directed by ron howard and starring russell crowe is the summer movie season 's real champ .",
      "... seabiscuit crossed with million dollar baby without the messy moral questions .",
      "in telling the story of heavyweight champion jimmy braddock , howard creates a hero who 's not operating out of a pumped-up sense of himself .",
      "so square it makes the original rocky look cutting edge and million dollar baby positively avant-garde by comparison .",
      "` the film is ... as rich in depression-era authenticity as such a picture gets , complete with a palpable air of social decay and personalized despondency . '",
      "it 's a contender movie that you do n't have to wait until christmas to see .",
      "to say that this is the finest effort ever for the director of apollo 13 and a beautiful mind is to praise an orchestration of true magnificence .",
      "the story follows an arc similar to another depression-era tale , ` seabiscuit , ' but ` MOV ' is markedly better and less sentimental .",
      "MOV is a fine production , but the film lacks spark where it needs it most : the boxing ring .",
      "ron howard 's MOV is the best american film since another movie that revolved around a boxer , clint eastwood 's oscar-winning million dollar baby .",
      "no opportunity for sentimental editorializing goes unseized .",
      "an endearing story that will keep you at the edge of your seat , the edge of a cheer , the edge of a tear .",
      "has the misfortune to feel like a `` seabiscuit meets million dollar baby '' send-up .",
      "crowe delivers powerful punch . `` MOV '' first oscar-contender of the year .",
      "entertaining and affecting , but an oscar movie this is not .",
      "slick and rousing entertainment it may be , but MOV is far from great cinema .",
      "it 's seabiscuit with fists . enjoyable , well-made , heartwarming best picture fodder that overcomes its achingly predictable story thanks to oscar-worthy performances from crowe and giamatti .",
      "comparisons to eastwood 's oscar-winning `` million dollar baby '' are not only expected but welcomed , since `` MOV '' is -lrb- surprisingly -rrb- just as good .",
      "crowe is at his best in the ring and while it 's hardly surprising that he 's a convincing bruiser , he also manages to make a rather one-note character compelling .",
      "el hombre detrás de la leyenda , el caballero detrás de la bestia , el miserable y hambreado detrás del campeón . sublime .",
      "though the film is technically first-rate , it 's little more than a theme-park version of the depression with a hero with less personality than the equine star of seabiscuit .",
      "the changes made to baer 's personality simply strike me as unnecessary here , not to mention poor filmmaking .",
      "crowe goes against type in rendering braddock as a man full of humility and generosity .",
      "a very solid cast , one of the most reliable directors in hollywood , and one of the most malleable subjects in film make MOV one of the best films of 2005 thus far .",
      "the final justification that russell crowe is without a doubt one of the best actors to come along in years .",
      "the affection for braddock and his story can be felt in every frame and heard in every word .",
      "it ai n't no rocky , but it ai n't half bad .",
      "as for the fights themselves , howard brings nothing new to the canvas . like the movie as a whole , they work fine enough , even while encased in leaden certitude .",
      "howard 's movie skillfully delivers that primal , heart-pounding satisfaction that is the promise of all boxing tales .",
      "handsome , manipulative , simplistic . it packs an uplift that bludgeons you into submission .",
      "MOV plays like a movie actively hunting for awards . but it 's also a pretty darn good story .",
      "having russell crowe in a movie makes a huge difference .",
      "a cross between seabiscuit -lrb- because of the depression -rrb- and rocky -lrb- because of the sport -rrb- , yet a fine enough film to stand on its own , even if the production falls short of both in terms of its emotional punch .",
      "MOV is a contender , but it 's not exactly a knockout .",
      "MOV may not be subtle , but it 's reminiscent of the well-crafted popular entertainments of hollywood 's golden age , blarney and all . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "sharp acting within a sepia-toned technical knockout .",
      "crowe 's burly poignancy hits you foursquare in the ribs -- right above the ticker . this feels old-fashioned , pure and meat-and-potatoes simple . it 's an irish stew movie .",
      "a tad bipolar , MOV 's still remarkable film making ... russell crowe is again , master and commander of what it is he does so well .",
      "ron howard and his splendid cast have made a spellbinding movie that joins million dollar baby , as well as raging bull , the first two rocky pictures , and fat city as one of boxing cinema 's all-time heavyweight champs .",
      "howard 's relentless and flat-footed attack on our sympathies slips into monotony . the first half drags on for longer than it should , as we 're told over and over that people were poor , very poor . depressed even . because it was the depression .",
      "ron howard 's film about the heavyweight boxer james j. braddock is a shamefully ingratiating old-fashioned weepie .",
      "pardon its dust , and you 'll be rewarded with a moving story of a time gone by , and of an unexpected hero .",
      "forget boxing , this has good moral values , applauding marriage and commitment and personal responsibility with the best representation of the great depression ever filmed .",
      "actor russell crowe , who looks like he stepped right out of the 1930 's , can apparently do anything and costar zellweger has never been more appealing ...",
      "crowe deserves better than this -- so do you .",
      "the conventional wisdom is that howard is a sentimentalist who needs crowe to give his films edge . i prefer to think of the director as one in the handful of hollywood filmmakers who still know how to make mass entertainment not based on a comic book .",
      "a powerful combo of history , sentiment and knowing how to ring an audience 's bell . the choice of this man to portray , and the man who portrays him are the knockout punches .",
      "it 's schmaltzy -- but it 's schmaltz veined with foie gras .",
      "MOV wants to be a rousing crowd-pleaser and it probably is , even if howard has to keeping shouting at the audience to know when to be pleased and aroused .",
      "a grossly manipulative tale of an underdog who comes out on top , but one so skillfully manufactured that it effortlessly -- and pleasurably -- carries you along .",
      "there is nothing to discover and nothing to feel .",
      "i could n't find enough superlatives to describe `` MOV , '' an astonishing film that 's simply perfect .",
      "if it all feels just a little bit like a movie set in the depression that 's cobbled together from depression-era movies , that 's not necessarily a bad thing .",
      "we 're in an almost irony-free zone , where everything is exactly as it seems , and no subtexts are available for subtext-fanatics .",
      "how exceptional a film actor is russell crowe ? so exceptional that in MOV , he makes a good boxing movie feel at times like a great , big picture .",
      "ron howard and russell crowe have once again combined their efforts to create a big hollywood biopic that exudes the strong whiff of oscar bait .",
      "an exciting film that is rarely seen outside of december .",
      "most serious movies live in a world of cynicism and irony , and most good-hearted movie characters live in bad movies . here is a movie where a good man prevails in a world where every day is an invitation to despair .",
      "howard hurts our ability to enjoy this good story by pushing its plot points too insistently .",
      "i 've never seen a boxing movie that has so convinced me i was seeing a pro bout both real and sustained .",
      "... for the more mature audience that would rather a good story than copious f/x , `` MOV '' will fill that particular bill .",
      "crowe has grit and gravitas to spare , and trims his gladiator and master and commander : the far side of the world caricatures down to pug-nosed , cauliflower-ear size .",
      "with the narrative focus dissipated by trying to show us how much it all mattered back then , it makes it impossible to show us how much it matters now .",
      "MOV captures the essence of the braddock experience . crowe confirms himself as the new brando . ready to respect opie yet ?",
      "comforting and familiar -- and certainly , 2005 has been weak enough to welcome such qualities -- but the best picture of the year ? come on , folks , get a grip .",
      "there probably is n't a filmmaker anywhere , other than the redoubtable steven spielberg himself , who 's as adroit as howard at grabbing the mass viscera and squeezing it at just the right intervals .",
      "at the center of all this richness is another irresistible star turn by crowe . as his oscar-winning performance in gladiator proved , no contemporary actor is better at conveying an uncluttered personal integrity and nobility of spirit .",
      "its charms are skin-deep and rote , technically proficient and signifying very little .",
      "not only is MOV howard 's best movie , it is also his most personal and deeply felt .",
      "a fine alternative to the louder and more brainless summer movies competing with it -- an excellent drama that relies on heart and action instead of schmaltz and melodrama .",
      "at moments it almost had me , but for the most part i just felt cold and watched with all the interest of a disgruntled spectator .",
      "as entertaining and uplifting a film as we 'll get all year .",
      "and as far as cinderella 's pumpkins go , though the movie ends with braddock 's boxing triumph in hollywood 's notorious freeze-frame approach to history , both braddock and baer went on to be decked by joe louis .",
      "stirring and inspirational in the best and worst senses of these terms , this fact-based melodrama is stamped by the middlebrow sensibility of both director ron howard and writer akiva goldsman .",
      "the fight scenes have a stinging authenticity and , although at 144 minutes it outstays its welcome , this is howard 's best film since apollo 13",
      "the film wallows in the poverty and degradation of crowe and his family , which is a real downer for a supposed feel-good movie ...",
      "crowe gives another solid performance , and paul giamatti -lrb- sideways , american splendor -rrb- adds to his shining reputation as a top character actor by playing braddock 's lippy manager , joe gould .",
      "i have never rooted for a sporting event in my life like i rooted for braddock . i was on the edge of my couch , balled fists on my knees , praying he would prevail ... superbly edited , beautifully shot , sensitively acted , and with fantastic grit and texture",
      "i only wish howard could have shaped this and the other performances a little , toning them down or leaving a bit of a rough edge .",
      "kudos to the excellent paul giamatti as well as craig bierko , paddy considine , bruce mcgill and canadian veterans chuck shamata -lrb- the priest -rrb- and nicholas campbell -lrb- the sports columnist -rrb- .",
      "-lsb- t -rsb- here 's an undeniable power to MOV , and it 's down to the intense and gripping performances of russell crowe ... and paul giamatti ...",
      "as touching , thrilling , and inspiring as they come - and a welcome return to the kinds of films that make you leave the theatre feeling better than when you entered .",
      "rings of formula but has moxie to spare .",
      "despite the tale 's dusty pedigree , ron howard spins a ticket-worthy two-plus hours of movie-movie entertainment .",
      "captivating in a believable way .",
      "MOV consistently delivers less than it wants to by trying for more than it should . the movie tells the story of braddock 's life as redemptive fairy tale , fitting the fighter for a glass slipper that ends up being the movie 's glass jaw .",
      "a rousing picture and a genuinely inspiring one ... one cinderella story that goes the distance without turning into a pumpkin , and fully earns its happily ever after .",
      "howard has tapped into a glorious true-life story and wisely chosen crowe , an unparalleled actor , to embody the hero .",
      "a worn-out goodwill version of rocky that either deserved a less-banal filmmaking approach or did n't need to be made at all .",
      "MOV bids for audience approval at every turn .",
      "while some of its boxing scenes are brutal , ` MOV ' is more about hope and the positive values of life .",
      "what a relief when an inspirational movie actually works .",
      "it 's hard to guess how much of the beautiful science academy members can take , but let 's worry about that next february .",
      "a serious , warmhearted and rousing diversion .",
      "one of the best films of the year , it speaks to the heart and models a working-class hero whose riches have nothing to do with money .",
      "if there were ever any doubt that russell crowe is the greatest screen actor of his generation , MOV should put matters to rest .",
      "this is an utterly predictable , thoroughly manipulative and thunderously obvious movie . i would n't change a frame of it .",
      "MOV is a movie about the indomitability of the american spirit , and those are always far less interesting than movies about actual people .",
      "it will give you hope .",
      "the specifics of past-due notices and hunger pains are as important to howard 's story as the prizefights and the period detail .",
      "easily the best mainstream hollywood drama so far this year ."
    ],
    "summary": "with grittiness and an evocative sense of time and place , MOV is a powerful underdog story . and ron howard and russell crowe prove to be a solid combination .",
    "id": "670"
  },
  {
    "movie": "midnight_in_paris",
    "reviews": [
      "woody 's last picture , 2010 's you will meet a tall dark stranger , managed to sneak onto my year-end `` 10 worst '' list , so color me stunned that MOV exudes both charm and cleverness in equal measure .",
      "this comedic masterpiece by one of america 's legendary filmmaking geniuses is a fitting companion to `` paris , je t'aime '' and like a fine wine should be savored by allen 's legion of loyal cinephiles .",
      "ao abordar a insatisfaзгo do protagonista com o presente em funзгo de seu romantismo irrecuperбvel , o veterano diretor garante o sucesso temбtico de meia-noite em paris .",
      "` MOV ' is rewarding if not fully satisfying and indicates that , now closer to 80 than 70 , the writer-director has found peace with life as he finds it .",
      "allen in top form with MOV .",
      "woody allen 's most entertaining comedy in years ...",
      "paris : c'est magnifique",
      "woody 's most inspired comedy in years . charming , and very enjoyable - even if you 're not normally a woody allen fan .",
      "this is n't a good woody allen movie . no , this is one of the great woody allen films .",
      "let 's face it , woody allen makes some bad movies or at least only slightly entertaining movies . he might have been great in the past but that day has long gone .",
      "celebrates the timeless allure of the city of light to the cinematic image without apology but it never goes as far as to overstate that allure",
      "the idea has likely been in allen 's head since forever , but it 's arrived at the right moment .",
      "though it never ventures past the tourist quarters of paris , this is one of woody 's most handsomely photographed movies .",
      "MOV is as light as a soufflé , and almost as sweet .",
      "here 's a sentence i never thought i 'd write again : woody allen has made a wonderful new picture , `` MOV , '' and it 's his best , most enjoyable work in years .",
      "... a charming bon-bon , a bookend to his `` purple rose of cairo . '' but it is also a refreshing take to hear the septuagenarian filmmaker who has shown a predilection for embracing the past push an alter ego so firmly into the future .",
      "it 's an entertaining trifle that is at least as engaging as , and perhaps more likeable than , a majority of the filmmaker 's recent excursions .",
      "while not the laughfest that was vicky christina barcelona , midnight reveals a different side of woody allen , one that 's kinda magical .",
      "glorious , sophisticated , very funny . allen knowingly toys with romanticism as manhattan meets purple rose of cairo , with paris and the 20 's instead of ny and the depression .",
      "entertaining enough , but unmistakably the work of a later , lesser era .",
      "a trifle filled with nostalgia and fantasy touristy fare .",
      "as befits woody allen , MOV . is chock-full of cultural homages : hemingway and stein are just a small sample of the legends allen parades onscreen .",
      "a beautiful little jewel of a movie , and i 'm thrilled to realize that woody allen still has films this good inside of him .",
      "go in blind , and let it gobsmack you into euphoria .",
      "`` MOV , '' a parable about romanticism and nostalgia , recalls early owen as much as early woody .",
      "a few rough patches aside , i found MOV to be a delight",
      "what an enchanting movie - almost as enchanting as its location .",
      "this is -lsb- allen 's -rsb- most satisfying film in decades , a film with wit and ideas that is primarily about romanticism , illusion , and nostalgia .",
      "in the end it 's about seeing through the illusion of nostalgia and yet not being disillusioned -- about cherishing the past , while living in the present .",
      "literate and funny , light-hearted yet frequently eloquent",
      "enjoyable and funny and lovely to look at , not all we could ask from allen , but the kind of fanciful and well-acted movie he still does better than anybody .",
      "a deceptively light time-travel romance , MOV uses fairy-tale devices as a way to get to the filmmaker 's familiar , real-life-sourced themes .",
      "a woody allen classic with paris as an enchanting backdrop , some appealing characters , and a potpourri of witty one-liners .",
      "a comedy for smart people . allen 's humor prizes cultural literacy , a rarity in these times . it 's magical , in all the right ways .",
      "this is prime woody allen -- insightful , philosophical and very funny .",
      "in a film so ripe with temptations for posturing , exaggeration and satirical overacting , nobody is anything less than natural , unpretentious and funny as hell .",
      "it is marvelously romantic , even though - or precisely because - it acknowledges the disappointment that shadows every genuine expression of romanticism .",
      "the tone is a welcome throwback to ... `` the purple rose of cairo '' and the other fantasy-tinged films he made in the '80s . it 's also the funniest film he 's directed in 10 or 15 years .",
      "having sampled london and barcelona in recent films , woody allen continues his grand tour of european cities with MOV , an ingratiating , tourist-oriented exercise in nostalgia for a city that does n't exist .",
      "the groupie-like celebration of allen 's doubled-up cultural insecurity and ambition represents a global degradation of culture standards .",
      "for my money , the best allen movie in 10 years , or maybe even close to 20 ...",
      "light and gimmicky , self-reflexive and shallow , allen 's time-travel romantic comedy is an amusing , occasionally witty love letter to paris the city and the myth .",
      "it 's far too ponderous . still , it 's not wholly terrible , and that 's not something you can say about allen 's films very often these days .",
      "as cinematic froth , MOV passes the time prettily enough . but neither its characters nor its sense of place really stands up in the light of day .",
      "sweet , sentimental , and vibrant , woody allen 's `` MOV '' rightfully points out that yesterday 's frolicking bar might be today 's laundry mat ... but we can always visit the good times in our memories .",
      "... as second-tier allen goes , it is a lovely reminder of just how effortless he can make it all seem .",
      "sporadically entertaining , light , shallow , self-plagiarising .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- work of genius ... -lsb- b -rsb- ecomes the butt of its own gentle joke ... one that wraps up a paralyzing self-awareness in a redemptive self-deprecation to , finally and splendidly , laugh with great good humor at itself .",
      "as on-screen allen stand-ins go , wilson is definitely one of the more effective ones , recognizably channelling those allen neuroses within his own established persona and distinct comic rhythms .",
      "woody allen seemed to have lost his fizz as a filmmaker of late - and then he uncorked the sparkling MOV , a comic fantasy with all the effervescence of vintage champagne .",
      "woody allen 's comedy MOV is a superior late-period work precisely because it appears that age and wisdom have finally allowed him to discover that his romantic streak can acknowledge his realist/cynical side without succumbing to it .",
      "an accomplished film that 's as entertaining as it is deliciously offbeat .",
      "watchable , and on a certain level , it 's quite enjoyable .",
      "-lsb- woody -rsb- allen brings his fantasy to life with such affection and joy that he transports us into his dream come true as a shared fantasy .",
      "a surprise treat from woody allen who has spent too much energy selling his films to mainstream audiences ...",
      "einai apo aytes tis tainies poy se xaideyoyne epibrabeytika sto kefali , h anamesa sta mpoytia , giati exeis akoysta ton cole porter kai ton f. scott fitzgerald",
      "allen wants you to love paris as much as gil does and wants to show you the magic , the romance and the spark the city holds for him .",
      "it makes us happily remember the movies we thought allen was n't able to make anymore , even while the filmmaker reaches into the past to add one more great one to the list .",
      "woody allen 's beleaguered heroes have never been reluctant to indulge in a little fantasy to get what they want .",
      "the fact that allen never explains how bender bends time is a wise choice , there 's no bogging down of the narrative which allows the flick to keep skipping along at a effervescent pace .",
      "nostalgic fluff -lrb- for all its faux rejection thereof -rrb- , but it 's my brand of fluff",
      "souffle light and long on charm , one of allen 's wittiest and certainly his most literary",
      "the blend of charm , magic , wit , and characterization come together to make this an engaging and intellectually stimulating experience . this is a great film and one of the best of the year thus far .",
      "it 's attractive and easy to slip into , but -lsb- allen -rsb- did n't put enough thought into the design , and it soon falls apart .",
      "it lacks the humor of annie hall . it lacks the depth of manhattan . but it manages to entertain , mainly as an homage to paris - a romp through the city 's intellectual and artistic history .",
      "i continue to be utterly taken with MOV .",
      "it 's charming and smart , and riddled with little joys .",
      "mr. allen 's habitual romanticizing of the wealthy has grown stale and is especially problematic in this recession .",
      "breezy and casually profound , with a killer gimmick that keeps on giving .",
      "woody allen has found the right time and the right place with `` MOV , '' his lightest , funniest and most-satisfying movie in a long time .",
      "woody allen 's parisian fantasia time-travels around the city of light with great fun and affection . it has n't the depth -lrb- or heart -rrb- of manhattan , but it 's a delirious ride .",
      "has a beauty , a frothiness and a wink-wink sense of humor that 's enlivening .",
      "rather surprisingly ... midnight is an absolutely terrific film , fleet and brisk and as charming as it wants to be .",
      "this supernatural comedy is n't just allen 's best film in more than a decade ; it 's the only one that manages to rise above its tidy parable structure and be easy , graceful , and glancingly funny , as if buoyed by its befuddled hero 's enchantment .",
      "with MOV , allen may convince even those who have given up on him that there 's life in the old dog yet .",
      "woody allen 's latest film is a pleasant , if very undercharged affair , which unashamedly basks in every last cliché about paris as a city of artists , intellectuals , gourmands and lovers .",
      "a witty and whimsical big screen bon voyage , with the director 's guy cinderella body double geek on board . as woody time travel meets tourist traps , and flying coach to paris with head in the clouds , turns into eventual pumpkins for all .",
      "MOV is a welcome addition to the allen oeuvre , an affectionate love letter to france that 'll leave you grinning at its silliness and sweetness from ear to ear .",
      "woody allen 's time-travelling comedy MOV is a valentine to paris and an absolute delight .",
      "allen 's best , or at any rate by a considerable margin his most pleasurable , since at least sweet and lowdown .",
      "one of allen 's most charming projects in years , despite all odds .",
      "it is less that allen is repeating himself with `` MOV '' than that he has once again crafted a work , about the enduring and ephemeral power of the artist , in his own image .",
      "what 's wilson doing in a woody allen movie about a b-list screenwriter who time-travels from the present to the jazz age ? disarming the audience with his wistful joie de vivre , that 's what .",
      "it succeeds because allen 's muse is completely activated , unlike last year 's time-waster you will meet a tall dark stranger , in which thought ran no deeper than the title joke .",
      "-lsb- allen 's -rsb- most purely delightful film in many years .",
      "minor ... a one-sided infatuation that always looks fancy , thanks to darius khondji 's exquisite parisian cinematography , but is n't as fanciful as its dreamy foundation suggests .",
      "a fantastic manipulation , taking viewers to a tranquil place of immense culture and beauty while studying the enticing ease of nostalgia . and here 's something i never thought i 'd write again : owen wilson is marvelous here .",
      "MOV is a terrific picture -- an appealing , bubbly , intelligent fantasy made by a director in an unusually playful mood .",
      "MOV is light , quick and pleasant , the kind of movie that boomers , their parents and their kids will eat up like cheese fondue .",
      "amusing , whimsical , time-traveling cinematic celebration of the iconic city of lights",
      "allen will probably never rekindle the magic of his earlier movies , -lsb- but -rsb- he comes pretty close with MOV .",
      "it 's a charming , fanciful comedy in the vein of `` bullets over broadway '' and `` the purple rose of cairo , '' the kind of movie i honestly thought woody had lost the knack for . but you can never count him out .",
      "... the most fun to be had at a woody allen movie in a long time .",
      "at a time when wedding parties gone wild is the plot du jour in movie comedies , it 's reassuring to know that woody allen 's cerebral absurdity is still intact .",
      "it is n't a bad movie . it has some good jokes . the gimmick of the film does have its charms ... for a while .",
      "allen and wilson dip their toes into the golden age",
      "allen 's 41st is slender but entertaining",
      "` MOV ' is a dream woody allen , and most importantly you , wo n't want to wake up from .",
      "woody allen soars in MOV . he suggests that no matter what era you 're in you are unaware of its value , so you look back and see a better past . and the past , of course , is a selective illusion .",
      "MOV is allen 's strongest movie in at least 10 years , a fantasy about delusion rather than a deluded fantasy itself , but it 's no masterwork .",
      "maybe if i paid more attention in high school english i 'd get it .",
      "allen seems to be paying attention in a way he has n't always done in recent films , and has found a way to channel his often-caustic misanthropy , half-comic fear of death and anti-american bitterness into agreeable comic whimsy .",
      "pure woody allen . which is not to say great or even good woody , but a distillation of the filmmaker 's passions and crotchets , and of his tendency to pass draconian judgment on characters the audience is not supposed to like .",
      "midnight it paris is an amusing and elegantly constructed love letter to paris , rich on romance , humour and culture and driven by a nicely pitched performance by owen wilson as a would-be writer in-love with the city and its cultural past .",
      "like a swoony lost chapter from paris , je t ` aime agreeably extended to feature length .",
      "woody allen 's latest venture takes him into new territory and moving locations has inspired him to deliver one of his strongest premises in years .",
      "a comic gem with an exquisitely photographed paris forming an elegant backdrop .",
      "woody 's in good form and paris looks glorious in this droll time-traveling fantasy .",
      "fresh and fast-moving , light but deeply-felt , a work of charm , imagination , and even surprise .",
      "wilson , as a man who 's trying to right the course of his off-track life , turns out to be a surprisingly good fit for allen 's signature rhythms .",
      "`` MOV '' finds allen in a larky , slightly tart and altogether bountiful mood , giving filmgoers a movie that , while unabashedly funny and playful , provides a profiterole or two for thought .",
      "it 's the funniest comedy he 's delivered in years .",
      "i want to shake each and every one of these actor 's hands .",
      "a very cute , whimsical idea even if it is not completely developed .",
      "allen 's most insightful and enjoyable screenplay since the mid - '90s , MOV is a lovely summer surprise .",
      "allen 's self-directed criticism of nostalgia worshippers could still come off as hypocritical , but his inventive approach instead results in one of the most charming , funny , and genuinely likable films that he 's made in years .",
      "bittersweet whimsy pervades the biting humor as allen once again examines the subject of romance and the bumbling , self-destructive ways people go about trying to find it and then to hang on to it",
      "easily woody allen 's most enjoyable work since small time crooks and his most lovely since everyone says i love you .",
      "it may be an obvious punch line ... but MOV , with its charming , imaginative sense of fancy , still manages to cull some truth out of it .",
      "directed with the wan functionality that has become allen 's trademark , the movie is a somewhat stale bonbon with a delicious time-travel center .",
      "a clever and fun cinematic postcard that can transport susceptible romantics to the city of light .",
      "`` MOV '' is a bonbon to ease the craving for allen 's earlier , funnier films .",
      "woody allen 's unhurried tribute to the art , passion and power of the written word and to paris is fabulous . his best film in a decade .",
      "gil still believes in magic and golden ages and idolizes the writers and artists of the lost generation the way some boys worship kobe bryant and peyton manning .",
      "it 's an entertaining and sometimes hilarious film that belongs squarely in allen 's `` hit '' column .",
      "considering allen has n't made an unqualified success since 1999 's sweet and lowdown , it 's easy to shrug off MOV ' occasional fumble when weighed against so much cleverness and canniness and , bien sűr , irresistible charm .",
      "MOV is a loving embrace of the city , of art and of life itself .",
      "a charming , lighthearted little lark of a film .",
      "though wilson is considerably younger , blonder , more handsome and more gentile than the woody we know , he 's somehow a natural in the role anyway .",
      "woody allen attracts promising players and does nothing with them .",
      "the opening and closing moments of `` MOV '' are visually resplendent . the movie in the middle gets in the way .",
      "those midnight excursions for gil are what movies like this one are for us , an emotional vacation that , if we are lucky , inspires respite , clarity , and renewal .",
      "woody allen 's latest movie gift ... combines blithe romantic comedy with fantasy , adds a touch of insight and wraps it all up in a beautiful parisian bow .",
      "a movie that 's loving and wistful and often hysterically funny .",
      "while allen may not be reinventing any wheels , he still has it .",
      "a sweet-natured trifle , as flavorful and as thin as a crepe .",
      "a delicious trifle for anyone who has ever dreamt of bantering about the cinema with luis buńuel or lounging at the piano to hear cole porter sing `` let 's do it . ''",
      "`` MOV '' makes you yearn for the time when brainy larks were n't a once-a-year occasion .",
      "very funny and deeply charming , MOV is a living dream about feeling at home somewhere else , with someone else .",
      "cotillard makes for a generic muse , and the grass-is-always-greener theme creaks , but paris might still be woody 's new manhattan .",
      "wilfully silly and heart-warming , this film is very easy viewing .",
      "nostalgic and achingly beautiful , this is allen 's best since husbands and wives .",
      "recent allen films have tended towards the perfunctory , often looking like a succession of clumsy first takes . in MOV he is relaxed and confident .",
      "allen at his sentimental best .",
      "bravo , monsieur woody !",
      "MOV radiates positivity with its call to live life to the full and in the now .",
      "MOV is allen 's most charming , romantic and funny film in a long time .",
      "beguiling , bewitching , enchanting , enthralling ; woody allen has offered us a glimpse into his imagination , exorcised some -lrb- rather amiable -rrb- demons and shared with us one of the frothiest , funniest and most heart-warming films in years .",
      "call it a fantasy or a rom-com or a satire or a travelogue - with this film , allen 's fearlessness declares he is past whatever label people place on his work . if you still feel the need , call it a love story - with a city , a memory , an art and a self .",
      "if you do n't leave the cinema with a smile on your face , i 'll be very , very surprised .",
      "allen 's finest film since 2005 's match point and a comedy to boot .",
      "MOV finds exactly the right groove for its story and stays there . it 's a winner .",
      "it 's fun and it 's most welcome .",
      "light , assured , and utterly charming : woody allen 's sublime gifts are still intact .",
      "after a run of loose , uneven films , allen hits the right notes in this funny , astute comedy about artistic creation and personal dreams . and wilson turns out to be one of the best on-screen allen surrogates in years .",
      "sadly , this movie made me want to go back in time to a glorious period in new york city in the 1970s and '80s when a filmmaker named woody allen ruled the movie world .",
      "if allen 's next stop on his euro tour is anywhere near this enjoyable , consider our bags packed .",
      "in the face of a decade of cynical misanthropy , the optimistic and effervescent MOV is allen 's most purely enjoyable work in years .",
      "beautifully shot , wonderfully acted and superbly written , this is a hugely enjoyable , frequently funny and sweetly surreal comedy that marks a long-awaited return to form for woody allen .",
      "like much of allen 's best work , this is an ensemble film with a terrific supporting cast .",
      "a delightful piece of fantasy escapism that should entertain both art house crowd and mainstream viewers if they give allen and the track record of his previous films a second chance . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "with everyone having fun , both in front of and behind the camera , it 's hard for a viewer not to find the whimsy contagious .",
      "our hero has found his groove among the lost generation and , for us , there 's some amusement to be had in sharing gil 's thrills -- it 's like stepping into a classic comics version of a moveable feast .",
      "jaunty romcom mines adult themes of marriage and career .",
      "as a conceit , the visit with literary celebrities may be thin , and the episodes are brief and sketchy , but wish fulfillment is part of the movie 's charm .",
      "sweet , not altogether satisfying variation on the fantasy-becomes-reality conceit he used in his depression-era the purple rose of cairo .",
      "as confections go , this one is pure meringue , sweet and melting . and mostly air .",
      "a frail conceit that allen fills out with humor that 's surprisingly obvious and broad ... a mildly diverting fantasy , executed without much style .",
      "woody allen must have had a great time writing this screenplay .",
      "wilson is a surprisingly good conduit for for the -lsb- woody -rsb- allen persona .",
      "woody allen sketches out a roundelay that tackles with warmth and a playful intelligence the gulf between heart and head in matters of nostalgia and love .",
      "there is breezy comedy to be made of a youtube-age writer meeting the icons and idols of a bygone , classical era , but allen goes deeper , expanding on his time-travel device to make unexpected and unexpectedly generous observations .",
      "`` MOV '' holds a springtime sense of romantic desire . so much the better if you happen to walk out of the cinema , as i did , onto a rainy urban street after seeing it .",
      "the story and dialogue are funny and striking ; the costumes exceptional ; the ambience superb . wilson , cotillard , and stoll give award-quality performances .",
      "MOV is charming and clever , at times wickedly astute and hopeful .",
      "his assembly of a beautiful montage of parisian scenery that precedes the opening credits sets the unique tone allen chases to perfection .",
      "it 's passable woody waffle designed strictly for fans .",
      "i find this upfront fantasy to be his funniest , most agreeable comedy in years .",
      "although the film suggests that we should enjoy the present for all it 's worth , we have a great time enjoying this brief episode in a literate and beauty-filled past",
      "filled with light-hearted fancy and a dazzling cast , woody allen 's latest film is a magical stroll through a magnificent city",
      "so light and breezy you might not recognize this paris postcard comes by way of the ever-relevant woody allen , who mixes time travel and nostalgia to delightful effect ...",
      "the magic of paris and the mystique of an era gone-by are the stars of MOV - woody allen 's best film for years",
      "MOV is clever , watchable , mildly entertaining and quite amusing . unfortunately -- after its initial gimmick -- it 's also pretty predictable , and amounts to a lot less than the sum of its parts .",
      "it 's not a bad film -- it just could have been a lot better .",
      "this combination of whimsy and romance is , for me , much more successful than allen 's previous european city film , vicky cristina barcelona .",
      "the most acceptable woody allen film in a long time .",
      "the time flies by , which is always a good sign . when it ends you realise that the plot is fairly insubstantial , but it 's still a watchable , enchanting 90 minutes .",
      "only first-time visitors to paris are in for disappointment : it simply ca n't live up to this .",
      "a delightful exercise in wish-fulfillment , the picture is one of the most unashamedly romantic of allen 's career - if not the most - with hardly a trace of his cynical , caustic and darkly ironic take on the world .",
      "MOV is a breeze : a bauble , but a jolly one .",
      "just when woody allen seemed to have written and directed himself out , he comes up with his biggest hit .",
      "MOV contains sequences happier than can be described .",
      "an effervescent , witty and absorbing tale lost in time ... allen rekindles his character love affair that made him such a satisfying film-maker a couple of decades ago ...",
      "it could have been shot down a country lane in rutland , but allen naturally preferred the charms , history and passions of paris for a story that 's both timeless and topical .",
      "witty , featherlight and openly sentimental , this is woody 's love letter to paris and the most relaxed , likeable movie he 's made in years .",
      "a well put together exercise in the pleasures and pitfalls of nostalgia ...",
      "smart , funny , whimsical -- one of the best romantic comedies in recent years .",
      "this is not the best by woody allen but it sure is clever and entertaining and paris looks great .",
      "as a filmmaker , allen has grappled with the temptations of repeating himself instead of forging a fresh path . you can feel that conflict here , and watching him work it out is exhilarating .",
      "above all , allen manages to capture something warm and wonderful about the love of a city , similar to the feeling he captured about new york in his early films annie hall and manhattan .",
      "owen wilson , an unusual choice , is fine here and the great supporting cast , from the present day characters to the actors who play the noted writers and artists from yesteryear , all relish their roles and are a joy to watch .",
      "a sweet and lively story , and a nicely packaged new outing from a past master who has done little more than repeat himself for at least two decades .",
      "... strikes a nice balance between starry-eyed romanticism and cynical detachment .",
      "a huge part of the charm of MOV derives from the finely calibrated casting , long one of allen 's superpowers as a director .",
      "i had a smile on my face from the moment woody allen 's latest film began , with an idyllic series of parisian street scenes set to the music of jazz great sidney bechet ... and the film maintained that lovely quality all the way to ...",
      "in woody allen 's beguiling and then bedazzling new comedy , nostalgia is n't at all what it used to be -- it 's smarter , sweeter , fizzier and ever so much funnier .",
      "allen 's new `` MOV '' is a lot like his earlier , funnier movies . and it 's far and away his sunniest effort since `` mighty aphrodite . ''"
    ],
    "summary": "it may not boast the depth of his classic films , but the sweetly sentimental MOV is funny and charming enough to satisfy woody allen fans .",
    "id": "771040308"
  },
  {
    "movie": "broken_embraces",
    "reviews": [
      "above all , `` MOV '' shows how deeply almodóvar is in love with movies , not just as things to be watched and enjoyed , but to be felt deep in the bones .",
      "gives us few reasons not to stay to the ending , but the ultimate revelation of blanco 's pain ... disappoints .",
      "a very worthy close-out for his remarkable output of the last decade .",
      "a cliche-ridden exercise that never exhibits any real heart and focuses on characters who never come alive , it also never comes close to living up to the promise of the names in the credits .",
      "in almodóvar , the past is reckoned by characters of the present , a layering over which we revel .",
      "almodovar dives into this knotty , plotty mess the only way he can - with utter abandon and what might be best described as a kind of artful recklessness .",
      "the end result is less than the sum of its parts , a smoke 'n' mirrors melodrama that peters out just when it should be revving into high gear .",
      "the unbeatable oscar-winning combination of legendary spanish writer/director pedro almodovar and international superstar beauty penelope cruz makes this lavishly mounted melodrama a cinematic gem .",
      "sex , cinema and fate -- three of pedro almodovar 's favorite subjects -- are lovingly examined in his MOV .",
      "by this point , the phrase ` un film de almodovar ' connotes a genre unto itself , as identifiable by its themes , character types and visual trademarks as a western , hammer horror movie or vintage screwball comedy .",
      "it 's fair to say that MOV is n't one of almodovar 's best films , but it 's still something of an interesting failure and remains worth seeing .",
      "perhaps not as dazzling as almodovar 's masterpieces , this film is still an involving and sleekly well-made melodrama .",
      "its indulgent meta-filmic reverie and willingness to toy with film noir convention is a rare delight .",
      "it may be a tad too long and a wee bit self-indulgent . but with sumptuous production design and great acting , it 's all done with almodovar 's usual flair and perfect taste .",
      "while the movie as a whole is thoroughly engrossing and all the movie references and subplots involving the cinema world undoubtedly enrich his story , this is a pretty minor film from the filmmaker .",
      "stylistically compelling but thematically familiar , almodovar 's 17th film is a summation work in which he reworks ideas , characters and genres that had intrigued him for three decades without breaking new grounds , though penelope cruz is mesmerizing .",
      "the sense is of an ageing director taking stock : exploring his cinematic roots , imagining his future and working through it all to emerge counting his blessings at the end .",
      "a solid if unspectacular return to cannes .",
      "feels like a mixed bag of smart ideas and nods to other pictures , rather than a coherent , distinct work of art .",
      "in his maturity , -lsb- almodovar -rsb- remains a distinctive stylist and a dazzling film-maker with technique to burn . yet while his new film MOV parades his many virtues , it treads water rather than breaks new ground .",
      "while the writing is n't as sharp or as funny as it is in almodovar 's best movies , so be it -- it 's a hell of a lot sharper and more interesting than most of the mass-produced movies coming out of hollywood .",
      "this meandering melodrama is too fractured , too soap opera-ish and is just too odd ... even by the oscar-winning , spanish filmmaker 's usual standards .",
      "i must be completely dazzled by pedro almodóvar 's current skills as a filmmaker because i really enjoyed MOV even though i had several reasons not to .",
      "the broken field running of the film 's time line requires each viewer to reassemble the story in his head .",
      "um dos piores trabalhos de almodóvar , aqui totalmente entregue ŕ auto-indulgęncia , ao melodrama barato e ŕs caricaturas -lrb- o que năo é novidade -rrb- , mas sem a sensibilidade costumeira que normalmente contrabalança seus excessos .",
      "pedro almodovar reteams with penelope cruz , and you have your review right there .",
      "almodóvar and cruz fail to engage this time around .",
      "continues the director 's streak of reliably elegant , original works , making the case , once again , that there are few other european directors working today who can match his particular blend of thought-provoking , artful , yet wholly accessible cinema .",
      "the entire third act is anticlimactic and forgettable , and one has to wonder why mr. almodóvar has to let his penchant for melodrama ruin a well executed noir .",
      "though the film offers nothing new for the eyes , its wordiness ultimately acts as a complement rather than a drawback to almodóvar 's masterful storytelling .",
      "a vibrant , mature love letter to the making of movies , the meaning of movies , and the dark-eyed muse penélope cruz ...",
      "equal parts comic melodrama and film noir , and twice as fun as it ought to be , MOV boasts more bifurcations than any two hitchcock classics .",
      "held together by the extraordinary force of almodovar 's cinematic personality .",
      "a rollicking struggle that , in the hands of consummate ringmaster almodóvar , is a joy to watch .",
      "for all of his elegant homage , reflection , and beautiful treatment of cruz , almodóvar 's actual storytelling gets a little hoary",
      "crafted with the confidence and ambition of a master filmmaker , but that 's not quite the same as the product of a filmmaker at his peak .",
      "almodóvar lost his nerve when he acquired expensive technique . inspired by buńuel and de palma , he used to match them . now , his once underground satires are just expensive tearjerkers .",
      "like a well-crafted novel , MOV takes its time revealing its true intentions ... an emotional time bomb , packed with passion , color , romance and tragedy .",
      "a riveting sit , due to the filmmaker 's incredible storytelling gifts , and the cast , who articulate a dreamy series of toxic encounters with sniper-like precision , tightening almodovar 's noose with exceptional skill .",
      "cruz does n't coast on her beauty in MOV , and she has the kind of role that can be difficult to flesh out .",
      "not every time a filmmaker and his muse collaborate is it going to be a cause for celebration . MOV is a perfect example of that disappointing truth .",
      "there 's not another filmmaker working today -lrb- or perhaps ever -rrb- who believes so strongly in the extremes of melodrama .",
      "in almodóvar and cruz we have a real collaboration of artist and inspiration that only seems to improve and deepen over time .",
      "perhaps almodovar and film noir simply do n't mix .",
      "the latest from pedro almodovar is a melo-tragicomedy so twisty that it eventually twisted the interest right out of me .",
      "pedro almodovar 's latest movie is positively drunk in its desire for handsome actors and beautiful actresses , gorgeously art-directed sets , suspense , comedy , ironic flashbacks , tragic romance .",
      "it 's both ridiculous and ridiculously romantic , which is an apt description of a work shaped like a heart and structured like a pretzel .",
      "all of the actors do good work , but as is often the case in almodóvar films , the women own the movie .",
      "the story is twisted and complex , yet it emerges as sleek and unfussy . the characters ' actions are grandly melodramatic , but the movie is close and intimate .",
      "with gloriously noir production design , the film is sculpted around cruz ' breathless beauty and radiant talent -- but the story , as well as the other actors , suffer from almodóvar 's inattention .",
      "as long as almodovar keeps investing such thought and energy in his work , he can play with whatever themes he desires .",
      "una obra auto referencial que es , en definitiva , la menos inspirada en la etapa reciente de almodóvar . sigue siendo un director inquieto , en más de un sentido audaz e inconformista , pero esta vez no conmueve .",
      "MOV welds douglas sirk melodrama to the most gracefully unsettling elements of alfred hitchcock , wrapping both in the stylish , hushed elegance that 's become almodóvar 's trademark since his mid - '90s reinvention .",
      "it 's an easy film to like , but to love it you have to have spent your entire life learning everything about the world from other films .",
      "penelope cruz is a treat for the eyes , and so is her latest film , pedro almodovar 's sizzlingly sexy film noir MOV , a love letter to the magical power of movies to mend broken hearts .",
      "mr. almodóvar 's love of movies informs every frame of this beautiful film . when harry 's fingers explore the dotted landscape of a braille script , they bespeak the writer 's unbroken embrace of language and drama .",
      "pedro almodóvar 's latest is perfectly titled : it 's a big , swoony kiss that does n't quite connect with the passion he intends . but fans of the spanish auteur -- or his muse , penélope cruz -- will find plenty to love .",
      "stylish almodovar drama is too mature for teens .",
      "a self-reflective melodrama about filmmaking and revenge .",
      "there is the beloved and the lover . the first moves in shining beauty , and the second envies every ray of light that has the gift of kissing her . this is how it is in obsessions . it 's how it is in the movies , too .",
      "leaves the viewer in a contradictory state , a mixture of devastation and euphoria , amusement and dismay that deserves its own clinical designation .",
      "almodovar 's latest feels a bit lackluster after his recent string of excellent films , but it still contains some inspired , cinema-on-cinema sequences .",
      "it all adds up to an entertaining mash of suspense and melodrama .",
      "vicky cristina madrid !",
      "while it may not be almodóvar 's greatest work , it still stands well above most other films in terms of intrigue , intelligence and innovation .",
      "a rich , tangled and layered work whose lurid , sensual style -- and seething and ebbing score by alberto iglesias -- is like lava cooling upon the volcano below .",
      "the experience can be heady and delirium-provoking , but hey , that 's cinema for you .",
      "this melancholy romance is the first almodovar feature i 've ever really liked , an expertly fashioned melodrama that steers mercifully clear of his usual puckishness and star-mongering .",
      "there are moments of hitchcockian uneasiness , accentuated by cruz 's typically stellar performance and her disturbingly close resemblance to audrey hepburn -lrb- which lends a feeling that this delicate flower could be crushed in an instant -rrb- .",
      "parental content review",
      "one failing in the film is how boring it is to watch cruz pretend to be a bad actress . the comic movie within a movie , which borrows from women on the verge , is n't funny .",
      "stylish and sly , an engaging exercise that gives us less than meets the eye .",
      "almodovar could 've played it entirely for laughs , with a flick of his wrist and a tonal adjustment . it 's best he did n't , though . the movie putters near the end , but it 's a film lover 's delight .",
      "while it lacks the punchy comedy of volver and the aching sadness of bad education , MOV remains a real treat for fans of the director .",
      "cruz is creased and bent by the pressures the movie 's hectic plot pounds her with . she is never less than ` perfect ' , but she also deeply human and no longer impossible ... and that 's movie magic .",
      "a cubist soap opera with enough time-shifted twists and turns to induce travel sickness , MOV is a distinctly disposable offering from almodovar . nevertheless , even his throwaway efforts would be considered absolute keepers by most filmmakers .",
      "spain 's best-known living director pedro almodovar ranks among the modern masters of melodrama -- as he demonstrates once again in MOV",
      "the beauty of MOV is the joy almodóvar brings to his storytelling . the movie is as personal and rewarding a contribution to his remarkable body of work as all about my mother and talk to her .",
      "while cruz acquits herself capably , this is , necessarily , an exercise in virtuosic superficiality .",
      "even though it may not stand among almodóvar 's best , it 's still a wildly enjoyable , sumptuous , and rewarding film .",
      "the work of a filmmaker at the peak of his powers and is one of the few genuine must-sees of the season .",
      "amid all this dazzling artifice , the film 's most authentic source of power comes from its star .",
      "all the performances in MOV are brilliant , none more so than from cruz -lrb- who is maturing in almodovar 's films into a classic actress -rrb- and homar -lrb- a smooth , cultured presence on screen -rrb- .",
      "almodóvar enthuses MOV with the love of movies and moviemaking .",
      "... always an interesting filmmaker to watch .",
      "for the first time since the 1990s , i think that the director has put together a film without quite understanding why it is urgent for him to do so .",
      "MOV is a voluptuary of a film , drunk on primary colors , caressing penelope cruz , using the devices of a hitchcock to distract us with surfaces while the sinister uncoils beneath .",
      "it is an artifact of evanescent love , preserved for the ages , a memento mori of all that is lost , like the films of rossellini and almodóvar , and like cinema itself .",
      "hollywood has become strangely squeamish about sex . that 's never been a problem for pedro almodovar , who reminds us early on in MOV why his movies have become a refuge for grown-ups seeking sexual candor .",
      "when film makers start making films about film makers , you begin to worry that they 've run out of inspiration .",
      "more sub-sirk-ian soap from pedro almodóvar , who was once a must-see filmmaker .",
      "a homage to past masters like hitchcock and sirk , done up in irresistible almodovar style ... as a directorial love-letter to films and filmmaking , it 's an absolute winner .",
      "it is ironic that , of all almodovar 's films , MOV is the biggest budget and the greatest length , yet it is also the dullest . his devoted fans will be delighted , but those who enjoyed volver will be disappointed .",
      "penelope cruz is as hot as ever in almodovar 's noirish tale of raging jealousy .",
      "in no ways is MOV a bad movie , but it certainly ranks low on almodovar 's list of brilliant films . that said , almodovar at his worst is still genius .",
      "seems a touch too long , too airless , and too content with its own contrivances to stir the heart .",
      "a gift for all scholars writing a thesis on almodóvar . though , for the rest of us less academically bent , pedro 's latest is a paean to hollywood of the '50s , passion , and jealousy , all topics he 's handled with much more wit and panache in the past .",
      "... what we see here is a flawed sampler of comedy , noir , melodrama , and luscious compositions .",
      "stylish , satirical and intriguing , surreptitiously exploring themes of ambition , jealousy and betrayal - and penelope cruz dazzles .",
      "of all the films of movie-mad pedro almodóvar , MOV is his most gloriously movie-mad .",
      "old-hat tropes under a superficially stunning veneer .",
      "click for full review",
      "pedro almodóvar 's MOV is a lush , deeply romantic noir dense with nods to films past , yet it plays as if it sprung fully formed from the director 's unconscious .",
      "intriguing , well-structured and mildly engaging with strong performances , but its balance of comedy , melodrama and romance feels slightly uneven and contrived .",
      "is n't as finely tuned as almodóvar classics like `` women on the verge of a nervous breakdown , '' which `` girls and suitcases '' is clearly covering , but fans of the director 's work will find much to indulge in .",
      "a sumptuous and saddening feast of noir massaged in minute detail by the master of women in trouble .",
      "if you somehow were n't already sold on the ridiculous gorgeousness of penélope cruz , this should do the trick .",
      "MOV remains fixed on the ways that men seek control of the not-so-elusive lena .",
      "it -lrb- tm -rrb- s a sheer indulgence for almodvar and just as indulgent for his fans .",
      "while it does n't pack the emotional heft of director pedro almodvar 's most moving films , such as volver , it is stylish and arresting , with powerful performances and a compelling , if at times contrived , story .",
      "even beautifully executed , formally flawless constraint does not quite suit almodovar .",
      "pedro almodovar 's `` MOV '' is a rapt essay in film-noir atmosphere -- the classic black-and-white fog of desperation , treachery and impending disaster -- which has been translated here in carefully calibrated color .",
      "entertaining enough with visuals to die for , but definitely not as emotionally rewarding as some of this director 's other recent pictures .",
      "despite first-class performances - from cruz , gomez and homar - almodovar 's narrative appears laboured , offering none of the surprises that lent vim and vigour to his earlier outings .",
      "while some of almodóvar 's films are out-and-out heartbreakers - perfect storms of melodrama , storytelling and extreme living - this is a more cerebral , self-reflective and noir-ish affair .",
      "pedro almodóvar is a film-maker so innately talented that even when half-cocked , as he is in MOV , he can somehow produce a movie that is effortlessly superior to most features .",
      "an intriguing film of great intelligence and formal beauty .",
      "gorgeous and seductive , if pitched at almodóvar fans and perhaps a touch long . those drawn by cruz 's divadom will wonder why it takes so long to get to her - though she is wholly dazzling when it does .",
      "like an elaborately woven cobweb , it 's a marvel but so full of holes that it 's all too easily swept from memory .",
      "almodóvar 's natural affinity with women -lrb- particularly women who are forced to act tough -rrb- enables an easy balance of noirish grit and that high melodrama which has become his trademark .",
      "MOV is a film in which the director demonstrates a continuing , virtuoso fluency in a cinematic language that he himself invented . it 's an embrace i want to submit to .",
      "MOV is a riddle , wrapped in a mystery , inside a slightly overindulgent parade of gushing film references .",
      "tending to meander at times , there 's still plenty to enjoy if typical almodovar multiple narratives do n't confuse you .",
      "in MOV , his vibrant new mixed genre thriller , he is out to entertain and intrigue . almodovar also wants to tell us something about desire and his love of cinema .",
      "the sure cinematic hand of pedro almodóvar falters and fumbles here as he attempts to fuse together a melodrama with a thriller plus something of a spiritual journey for his central character , mateo ... superbly portrayed by lluis homar",
      "pedro almodovar delivers yet another visually rich and quirky viewing experience with the release of his 17th big screen feature .",
      "sorry , pedro , but this tepid trudge through the shallow stuff of men is most remarkable for being such a dramatic under-performer .",
      "MOV is almodovar on autopilot .",
      "hypnotic beauty and emotion reveal the spanish director to be still at the height of his powers .",
      "even though it may not be almodovar 's best film , it is still eminently watchable and thoroughly enjoyable .",
      "the writer-director is up to his old tricks , creating an onion of an experience -- a movie within a movie within a movie , irony in each layer , poignancy that stings and whimsy that bites .",
      "with its themes of revenge , sexual obsession , love and jealousy , pedro almodóvar follows his own tried and true recipe for grand melodrama ... characters spin complex webs . it 's engaging and involving , although it is not almodóvar 's best work",
      "the director is toying with us , he knows it , and he knows we know it . this is n't a dud , it 's just a small disappointment .",
      "can pedro almodóvar make a bad film ? the answer seems to be no , even when he might be accused of trying . MOV has a mazy plot in which a poor director would lose himself fast .",
      "the spanish director 's noirish touches are a delight to behold and there are few film makers who can touch him for sheer visual artistry .",
      "the film may lack great depth , but it is a visual treat about films within films and packed with top performances .",
      "precious , pointless and tediously self-aggrandising .",
      "his films can be uncomfortably navel-gazing , and that 's the case in this somewhat maudlin contemplation of the woes of film-making and the life artistic .",
      "the director 's previous films ... are all , in some way , about cinema - but this need is especially acute in MOV , which eats its own tail .",
      "your eyeballs will relish almodóvar 's movie-movie cocktail , but it 'd be nice to see him serve up some fresh flavours . despite the tactile direction , there is n't enough to resonate post-film .",
      "-lsb- almodovar -rsb- frames with the greatest passion and , here , with muse penélope cruz dominating a story of erotic obsession , he surpasses himself .",
      "one of the most challenging and visually accomplished films of almodóvar 's long career ."
    ],
    "summary": "pedro almodovar 's fourth film with penélope cruz is n't his finest work , but he brings his signature visual brilliance to this noirish tale , and the cast turns in some first-class performances .",
    "id": "770770202"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_help",
    "reviews": [
      "this tiny slice of the south works as a summer diversion that works out what used to be worked out by reading a good paperback .",
      "though structurally messy and visually shapeless , MOV deserves to be seen for its novel subject and thematic concerns , and pleasure of watching good acting .",
      "with its focus group-tested quotient of laughs and tears targeted to lowest-common-denominator audiences , writer-director tate taylor 's vulgar MOV is as much a piece of assembly-line hackwork as any transformers sequel .",
      "if only MOV accepted more of davis ' help , we might have a work of art on our hands instead of another condescending , half-baked history lesson .",
      "what was once a perfect summer book has now become the perfect summer movie .",
      "a superbly adapted story with extraordinary performances from an ensemble cast . it is as inspirational as it is powerful . and it is laced with rich humor throughout .",
      "MOV polishes the civil rights era like its heroic maids shine the silverware ... it 's a movie of terrific performances and rousing comeuppances , with a side order of cornpone for the soul .",
      "provocative and powerful , it 's a multi-racial , multi-generational ` must see . '",
      "MOV demonstrates the conned intelligence of the `` post-racial '' and `` postblack '' obama era , where the anxieties of unequal yet mutually beneficial black-white relationships are conveniently , speciously , put behind us .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is , in some ways , crude and obvious , but it opens up a broad new swath of experience on the screen , and parts of it are so moving and well acted that any objections to what 's second-rate seem to matter less as the movie goes on .",
      "although the story is uplifting and the characters heroic , MOV feels like a missed opportunity to explore the inner lives of these women and the culture that sustained them in any kind of artful or insightful way .",
      "there are small moments in the film though that make you long for a movie that is not so deep-dish serious and self-conscious .",
      "it serves as an enlightening and deeply affecting exercise in empathy for those who 've never considered what life must have been like for african-americans living with inequality a full century after the emancipation proclamation called an end to slavery .",
      "the # 1 best-seller is brought lovingly to screen .",
      "no artistic ambition , but the film is an even more effective , big warm bath of a crowd-pleaser than the megaselling novel . davis and spencer raise the maids above caricature .",
      "is the movie version of `` MOV '' better than the book ? yes , it is , primarily for one reason : the book does n't have viola davis in it .",
      "occasionally the sentimental sweep of the picture threatens to overwhelm , but taylor manages to pull it back in time .",
      "truth and reconciliation between blacks and whites in mississippi belatedly achieved , like a dream deferred .",
      "`` MOV '' is filled with good acting and better intentions .",
      "we do n't need to see white characters feeling guilty or oppressed to understand that the verbal and emotional abuse committed against ` MOV ' is wrong .",
      "high school creative-writing-class ironies of all kinds abound in MOV .",
      "like the blind side , this salves white guilt by scapegoating the wrong villains , crediting the wrong heroes , and exploiting the victims .",
      "a tribute to african-american maids in the south during 1963 and their courage in telling their stories as a form of grace under pressure .",
      "writer/director tate taylor takes care to balance the at-odds themes of shameful social injustice , female bonding and outright comedy in this tale about african-american maids in 1960s jackson , miss. .",
      "appalling , entertaining , touching and perhaps even a bit healing , MOV is an old-fashioned grand yarn of a film , the sort we rarely get these days .",
      "with powerful performances given by viola davis and scene stealer octavia spencer , the film is an emotionally , moving drama that remains highly entertaining .",
      "while the book 's minor -- but crucial -- details are often overlooked , the major themes are thrust on screen with forceful simplicity , as if taylor does n't trust us to understand the stakes .",
      "MOV pulls its punches just when it has the audience on the ropes and makes you wish the filmmakers had been as brave as aibileen and minny .",
      "MOV brings a chick-flick sensibility to a serious subject , which is more daring than it might sound . it 's also incredibly refreshing .",
      "a splendid entertainment -- a film that makes us for root for the good guys , hiss at the bad and convulse in laughter when good wreaks vengeance with a smile .",
      "MOV belongs to viola davis .",
      "MOV will make you laugh , yes , but it can also break your heart . in the dog days of august moviegoing , that 's a powerful recommendation .",
      "`` MOV '' has viola davis going for it , and she is more than enough .",
      "it manages to be poignant at times , though it 's not as emotionally connecting as it could be .",
      "MOV not only has its cake and eats it , it makes short work of the fried chicken , grits and sweet potato pie , too .",
      "in dramatic terms it works a treat .",
      "it tackles a challenging , inflammatory subject in the corniest , safest way possible .",
      "terrifically performed , with enough humour and heart that you 'll ignore its flaws .",
      "suffers from an obsequious lust for stereotypes .",
      "i was disappointed at the end to realize the picture was fiction not fact but perhaps that 's a tribute to the authenticity writer-director tate taylor achieves in this beautifully realized picture .",
      "this coming of age tale is deeply affecting , magnificently acted and truly enlightening ... are truly inspirational women who are an absolute joy to spend time with .",
      "there are some magnificent elements here ... the downside is the mawkishness and the rambling narrative structure .",
      "the running time of 146 minutes takes too much wind out of aibileen 's sails , but her tear-jerking dignity in the denouement is marvellous to behold .",
      "a cunningly -- but not cynically -- manipulative picture ... that makes the canny mix of drama , sentiment and comedy a more palatable brew than it has any right to be .",
      "MOV is historical kitsch , but thanks to a great cast it 's a good old time .",
      "shot like an inductee in the hallmark hall of fame , MOV covers an ugly era in superficial gloss that 's only punctured by the particulars of mississippi race law or hiring practices that are a mere hairsbreadth away from slavery .",
      "while it may not always be subtle , it pulls off a rare feat of sincerity .",
      "the movie is n't perfect ; it sometimes shows its stitching . but mostly it 's a stirring salute to subjugated women who hold their heads high .",
      "MOV is davis 's movie , and it 's about time .",
      "now comes the inevitable movie , which , in the hands of writer/director tate taylor , does a novel about injustice an injustice itself : it turns lite into featherweight .",
      "any number of these performances may be remembered come awards season .",
      "there 's something lived-in and genuine about this infectious melodrama .",
      "some adaptations find a fresh , cinematic way to convey a book 's spirit but `` MOV '' does n't .",
      "a cloying racial melodrama that pulls its punches .",
      "tate taylor 's film is n't heavy on preaching , nor is it overloaded with saccharine sentiment . rather , it has a real bite to it .",
      "one of the best films of the year .",
      "the interesting setting and solid themes , all brought to life with warm visuals and top-notch cast , elevate this above its flat parts and the occasional feeling you 're watching a sub-par tv series .",
      "it irks me when a film deals with issues that are actually important in an unsubtle and sentimenalised way .",
      "we shake our heads , tut , and sympathise with the diversity-loving skeeter . how much better a film would this have been if we were forced - yes , even unwillingly - to see a bit of ourselves in hilly ?",
      "as regressive as it is well meaning .",
      "MOV brings together several themes that are not in themselves new to us but bear repeating often , especially when told with such sensitivity on one hand and power on the other ... mature cinema with something to say",
      "a beautifully observed and inspiring film",
      "held me in its firm but phony grasp by viola davis -lrb- whose dripping nose is becoming as much a recognizable acting tic as meryl streep 's upturned hand on her forehead -rrb- and these other powerhouse actors .",
      "written and directed smartly by tate taylor , it 's a movie in the mold of weepy chick flicks , but with more brains and gumptions than we 're used to .",
      "a solid piece of entertainment , but it could have been something deeper and richer , with a little more effort .",
      "`` MOV '' is an unforgettable feature about a past that should rightly be remembered as a blight on this nation . it is a film that at times will make you flinch and squirm , but ultimately , make you applaud the courage of these remarkable women .",
      "satisfying entertainment that 's going to seem like heaven to those who have had their fill of cowboys , aliens and superheroes .",
      "a ` she said , she said ' array of gossipy catfights targeting snobby southern belles . but that lets the men off the hook , while locating the scourge of jim crow segregation almost entirely among these demonized upper crust desperate housewives womenfolk .",
      "almost succeeds solely on the strength of its acting , but MOV can not escape the central hypocrisy that should have been easy-as-pie to fix .",
      "in an age of 3-d eye abuse and increasingly base and smutty comedies , here is a film that celebrates the human spirit and delivers a true cinematic experience . -lrb- full content parental review also available -rrb-",
      "a rare and important film where every single performance stands out . the film finds a perfect balance between telling a tough story and keeping it very entertaining !",
      "davis is the aretha franklin of acting , but this is another clichéd civil rights film . there is a dash of ` the long walk home ' and a strong helping of ` driving miss daisy . ' ` MOV ' was n't impactful enough to be offensive .",
      "... stockett 's long time friend tate taylor , who adapted her screenplay and directed the film -lrb- and cast his roommate of four years , octavia spencer , as minny -rrb- , has n't betrayed her , only the editors of the trailer have .",
      "MOV 's greatest strength lies in showing how the truth-no matter how difficult it is to tell at times-has the power to unite , to heal , and sometimes even to set us free .",
      "it 's a heartfelt effort and soundly performed , but it does n't have the depth or nuance to sustain its long running time .",
      "a chore to sit through . at 146 minutes long , there is absolutely no excusing the running time ... a panoply of lazy bromides .",
      "a civil rights drama that artfully dramatizes the love for one 's enemy espoused by martin luther king .",
      "not perfect , but it is very good , and very moving , with some wonderful performances .",
      "in MOV , lying is a way of life . if the maids lie as a function of their employment , their employers lie in ways at once subtler and more blatant .",
      "superbly cast and effectively scripted , MOV has been designed to forge a direct connection with the viewer on an emotional level .",
      "it 's well crafted and performed and well , if all the ends tie up a little too neatly and every single sub-text is spelled out , that 's hollywood for you .",
      "the acting , period detail and luminous cinematography make up for some of the over-sentimentalised moments .",
      "if you get to the end of this movie without tearing up at least once , please check for a pulse ; you might already be dead .",
      "a better movie than you might think it is .",
      "taylor gives skeeter and celia 's problems ... more significance through the use of visual storytelling , while the titular caste is left simply to orate their own .",
      "well-told and touching , with oscar-worthy performances by viola davis and octavia spencer .",
      "mississippi 's burning , but it 's nothing a little race-transcending grrrl power wo n't cure .",
      "this is a case where the dynamic between the white and black characters informs the premise of the film , and they gain strength and courage from each other . this is no one-way transaction .",
      "for every obvious turn MOV takes , there is davis , the ideal counterweight .",
      "aims for `` to kill a mockingbird '' significance , but lands in `` steel magnolias '' territory .",
      "tate taylor 's knowledge of the south and his intense devotion to faithfully delivering a film worthy of kathryn stockett 's book shows in every frame of this moving drama .",
      "a warm and sweet song of hope -- and chocolate pie -- that pushes all the right buttons .",
      "`` MOV '' definitely worked on me as a consummate tear-jerker with a terrific cast , and it 's pretty much the summer 's only decent hollywood drama .",
      "lifetime channel movie with paternalistic liberalism bordering on paula deen malignity .",
      "a great story and a wonderful cast combine to make this drama a must-see .",
      "is it really appropriate for us to all stand up and applaud this courageous , fictional white girl ?",
      "taylor 's palpably meandering sensibilities are exacerbated by an almost comically overlong running time ...",
      "transcends its comfort-food-for-oprah 's book club wrapping to get at something deeper , the gray in a story that seems so far removed as to be utterly black and white . ''",
      "octavia spencer 's minny provides the movie 's funniest moments , especially when she gets her own back on former employer hilly with an audacious reprisal that proves that revenge is indeed a dish best served cold .",
      "if you think the summer has been lacking in sophisticated adult entertainment , do n't worry , ` MOV ' is on the way .",
      "outstanding performances and a delicate approach to racial tensions make this film a cut above other inspirational period dramas .",
      "la película realmente triunfa en la exploración de la complicidad y solidaridad que se establece entre mujeres solas , quebradas , necesitadas de oportunidades e inconformes con los moldes sociales preestablecidos .",
      "i found it surprisingly enjoyable . and i suppose that 's the greatest compliment i could give the film : i did n't hate it , even if i was dreading it going in .",
      "despite a few stray moments that ring false , this is an intellectually engaging , emotionally satisfying drama .",
      "many of the conflicts play out as expected , and bryce dallas howard 's racist housewife proves to be about as subtle as cruella de vil . but interesting subplots abound -- i particularly liked the relationship between minny and her insecure employer celia .",
      "simplistic at times , and flirts with manipulation , but it 's also a deeply touching and well-acted film .",
      "too many good intentions , too many sub-plots , too many histrionics .",
      "a well acted but soft pedaled view of the south in the 60 's .",
      "has its own revolutionary atmosphere , refusing to divide the world into , pardon the expression , black and white . without intricacies of the relationships , without the emotional stakes that those intricacies represent , the film would fail monumentally",
      "viola davis is truly the beating heart and bleeding soul of the film , and without her tate taylor 's film would hardly leave the audience with the rather startling and haunting impact it does at its conclusion .",
      "a southern gothic comedy-drama with wickedly observed performances and a story arc that feels absolutely epic , despite the modest , domestic setting .",
      "there are not enough superlatives to describe the best ensemble acting of the year . the cinematography , costumes , interior designs & musical score are top drawer . you need to have a supply of tissues handy , because tears will readily flow and ...",
      "mainstream crowd pleaser MOV is a well-cast tearjerker set in a fake 60s mississippi . viola davis , jessica chastain and octavia spencer give oscar-worthy performances .",
      "to `` MOV , '' the possibility of the children growing up as clones of their parents is n't a consideration . it 's all about loving the innocent . but , it 's a dilemma .",
      "this is a generally family-friendly affair which is n't interested in getting its hands too dirty .",
      "some will scoff that it covers familiar territory or that the message should have been angrier and louder ... but there is beauty in its lack of heavy handed sermonizing .",
      "as hard to dislike as it is to truly admire , this artfully manipulative issue movie knows where its strengths lie ... and most of them lie in viola davis .",
      "a quiet but powerful film that really does have oscar written all over it .",
      "aimed at heart and conscience , novel and film have their overdone moments but remain worthy of close attention .",
      "brimming with believable , likeable women characters and set against the turbulence of mississippi in the 1960s , ` MOV ' is almost as good as kathryn stockett 's novel .",
      "`` MOV '' is refreshing and possibly the best film of the year .",
      "a faithful , heart-warming adaptation that will satisfy fans of the book , divert the uninitiated and tickle the academy 's fancy .",
      "the movie is facile , not a little patronising , and it ends up as crude and sentimental .",
      "like its characters , it has its faults . but overall , it is a movie of imaginative sympathy that gets into the skin of its characters , into their hearts , and , ultimately , into ours .",
      "MOV works best in its quieter moments .",
      "i was drawn into the characters and quite moved , even though all the while i was aware it was a feel-good fable , a story that deals with pain but does n't care to be that painful .",
      "while my neighbor had used up her hankie supply by the end of the movie , i left dry-eyed and disappointed .",
      "fans of the best-selling novel can rest easy : the warmly engaging book has been made into an equally affecting movie .",
      "despite its subject matter , it 's a carefully manicured , almost genteel piece of moviemaking . the film is paradoxically both rousing and lulling .",
      "a beautiful story , beautifully told . no acting ensemble this year has featured so many awards-caliber performances .",
      "an involving drama with respect for its characters that has some important points to make about race and gender and the transformative power of stories .",
      "the best thing about MOV , tate taylor 's film version of kathryn stockett 's runaway bestseller , is the boffo cast .",
      "above all , though , it 's an actors ' movie . perhaps the highest compliment one can pay them is that even the caricatures seem rich .",
      "MOV is a nicely cast but otherwise pedestrian adaptation of kathryn stockett 's best-selling 2009 novel .",
      "thanks to a talented cast -- starting with leads emma stone , viola davis and octavia spencer -- the movie is often entertaining . but MOV should have been challenging too .",
      "tate taylor has taken a book of real depth and turned it into something crude and shallow ...",
      "a masterful emotional epic with equal parts crowd-pleasing joy and shattering , complex pain",
      "poignant , thought-provoking civil rights tale .",
      "`` MOV '' takes us on a pop-cultural tour that savors the picturesque , and strengthens stereotypes it purports to shatter .",
      "thanks to the divine cast , it mostly succeeds .",
      "after a very ordinary start , ` MOV ' genuinely surprises with amazing performances from octavia spencer and jessica chastain .",
      "largely succeeds in finding good ol' fashioned entertainment value heavily laced with social uplift",
      "simplistic film that does n't ask too many questions and does n't give too many answers .",
      "in the end everyone fits neatly into the film 's view of a world filled with racists and nitwits on one hand , and courageous , color-blind strivers on the other .",
      "it 's camp for people who want to feel like they 're seeing something educational and uplifting between the guffaws .",
      "if you lived through that time , it is incredible to contemplate how much has changed -lrb- and how much has n't -rrb- over the years , not only in race relations but in attitudes toward women . that 's part of the fascination of watching MOV , which ...",
      "there are moments when the film leans on traditional stereotypes , but what redeems it is the ability to expand those stereotypes into more complicated and layered portrayals .",
      "wonderful performances by all , but especially emma stone and bryce dallas howard , overcome a clumsy , heavy handed script that lacks ingenuity .",
      "tries to stuff too much into a single movie , but it 's good , solid mainstream moviemaking -- and that 's not such a bad thing .",
      "a strongly issue-based story gives a terrific cast plenty to play with in this hugely engaging drama about the american south in the 1960s . and while the film kind of skims the surface , it 's a story that still needs to be told .",
      "well intentioned and likeable , i would have loved this one had its take on the women of 1960 's mississippi been a little less , pardon the expression , black and white .",
      "MOV is an exhilarating gift , a deeply touching human story filled with humor and heartbreak , and sublime performances from viola davis , octavia spencer , emma stone and co. .",
      "the uneven racial terrain of the film likely wo n't stand in the way of multiple nominations for some truly outstanding performances throughout the movie .",
      "the message is delivered in a whispered hush , but you will hear it . because it 's true what your parents said when you were young . sometimes , a whisper carries farther than a shout .",
      "this is one shameless tear-jerker that earns its sniffles .",
      "both taste and perspective will inform whether viewers will find MOV a revelatory celebration of interracial healing and transcendence , or a patronizing portrait that trivializes those alliances by reducing them to melodrama and facile uplift .",
      "laughter , which is ladled on thick as gravy , proves to be the secret ingredient -- turning what should be a feel-bad movie about those troubled times into a heart-warming surprise .",
      "though the story is good and the performances are even better , MOV is really no different than disney 's typical inspirational crowd-pleasers , even if it offers a more unique take on the civil rights movement .",
      "part moving drama , part sappy tale of female camaraderie , MOV is an overall entertaining morality play buoyed by a well acted ensemble cast featuring a ferocious bryce dallas howard .",
      "the film presents the thorny , emotionally charged material with respect and abundant good humor .",
      "there 's not a human response that is n't framed as either an `` awwww '' moment of lady-bonding , a you-go-girl punchline or a begin-weeping-right-now command . so that 's pretty exhausting .",
      "while it 's a little too disney-fied for my tastes , viola davis and octavia spencer make it worth seeing . both should be remembered during oscar season .",
      "it 's not a particularly original story and not sold with much integrity . a few wonderful performances aside , MOV is a maddeningly distracted film , occasionally flirting with utter irresponsibility .",
      "a well-acted , well-written , and quite excellent reminder of where we 've been .",
      "fine actresses sharing thick pressure cooker air : davis inhales , stone fumes , spencer erupts .",
      "viola davis gives an outstanding performance , but the adaptation lacks bite",
      "if you lived through that time , it is incredible to contemplate how much has changed -lrb- and how much has n't -rrb- over the years , not only in race relations but in attitudes toward women . that 's part of the fascination of watching MOV ...",
      "not only superior to the novel that was its inspiration , it also may be the most surprising movie of the year , with more than a dozen indelible , distinctive characters ...",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- this is an appropriately moving film that never bows to sentimentality . what you feel is real . by all means , see this wonderful movie .",
      "sounds kinda like mississippi burning meets steel magnolias , does n't it ?",
      "stone , davis and spencer forge something quite beautiful , a sense of sisterhood and equality that unfolds with ease and grace , never feeling forced or untrue to their era and circumstances .",
      "if you are willing to accept that this is an exploratory snapshot that seeks to confine itself to the times it is portraying and leave any consideration of modern-day echoes to the conscience of the viewer , this is a good story , well told .",
      "yes , it gets a bit sentimental . yes , some ` ya-ya sisterhood ' friendship clichés creep in . yes , it glosses history . but it 's also heartfelt , hilarious and the cast is a dream-team topped by viola davis .",
      "well made , superbly written and emotionally engaging feel-good drama that 's destined for oscar glory in some form or another thanks to across-the-board terrific performances from a wonderful ensemble cast .",
      "a guaranteed tear-jerker that serves as a decent reminder of america 's very own apartheid , it 's fine as a slice of history . as a story though , it 's sadly underwhelming .",
      "if movies that 're all men and no women can be universal , so can this one . this is the shawshank redemption .",
      "part conscience-searing history lesson , part shamelessly manipulative melodrama , tate taylor 's adaptation sinks its teeth in early and never lets go ... do i hear oscar calling ?",
      "sure , it 's corny , but it mostly works .",
      "the whole thing 's about as subtle as a size 11 in the ear and leaves you with no real idea about who these characters really are .",
      "it 's a feel-good , revenge-seeking satire , the kind that makes you want to shout ` go girl ! ' from the cinema aisle .",
      "a robust piece of storytelling , a fountain of fiercely good , fem-centric ensemble acting , and a refreshing change of pace from raunchy romantic comedies and bulked-up superheroes .",
      "a chick flick for do-gooders , MOV suffers from a malady common to the discrimination drama : its treatment of inequality is more condescending than the prejudice it aims to remedy .",
      "when an important message is delivered through cardboard cutouts , it 's akin to a tyler perry production of `` guess who 's cooking the dinner . ''",
      "despite some hollywood touches , MOV gets big help from its solid cast , namely viola davis .",
      "even if you wanted to complain about the film being too melodramatic or cute those complaints are washed away by powerful and compelling performances .",
      "MOV is mississippi-lite . this does n't mean it 's not an entertaining movie : it is quite enjoyable . it just means it avoids authenticity .",
      "has all the subtlety of a baseball bat to the head with the phrase , `` racism is wrong '' written on it .",
      "MOV is a high-functioning tearjerker , but the catharsis it offers feels glib and insufficient , a barbie band-aid on the still-raw wound of race relations in america .",
      "as in many reductive period pieces , there are no real characters here , just archetypes , namely reactionary cretins and sensitive souls who anticipate modern attitudes .",
      "the performances in this movie are so spectacular that it made my analytical eye fill with tears for the triumphs and sorrows of the people on the screen .",
      "while it 's too long and too timid , MOV is still a wonderful , evocative indictment",
      "whatever MOV loses in complexity , it often makes up for in empathy .",
      "MOV has so much heart it 's easy to feel both sorrow and enjoyment while watching such an emotional film .",
      "lushly produced , sunny drama about the dark reality of entrenched segregation and racial prejudice in early - '60s jackson , mississippi .",
      "it 's ... the black actresses who own this - as they should - and help lift it above well-intentioned melodrama .",
      "we are all invited to revel in the shadenfreude , but in between the snickering , it 's worth pondering whether the film has perhaps lost its way . was ` MOV ' really intended as a revenge fantasy ?",
      "it has an overmodest debutante 's aversion to any ugliness .",
      "`` MOV '' comes out on the losing end of the movies ' social history . the best film roles three black women will have all year require one of them to clean ron howard 's daughter 's house . it 's self-reinforcing movie imagery .",
      "the fantastic performances make it a real winner of a movie , one that entertains and moves you regardless of gender , age or race .",
      "save for ms. davis 's , the performances are almost all overly broad , sometimes excruciatingly so , characterized by loud laughs , bugging eyes and pumping limbs .",
      "we get a fairly typical hollywood flattening of history , with powerful villains and disenfranchised heroes .",
      "`` MOV '' avoids the trap of recasting a story of black struggle into the story of a white savior .",
      "the film manages to retain a tension that 's often rewarded with a humorous release . it may sometimes be a little too clean around the edges , but do n't be fooled by the light ."
    ],
    "summary": "though arguably guilty of glossing over its racial themes , MOV rises on the strength of its cast -- particularly viola davis , whose performance is powerful enough to carry the film on its own .",
    "id": "771205918"
  },
  {
    "movie": "doa_dead_or_alive",
    "reviews": [
      "charlie 's angels , survivor , american gladiators and girls gone wild are just some of the bad influences on hong kong action director corey yuen 's laughably silly adaptation of the video game doa : dead or alive .",
      "charlie 's angels 3 it ai n't , but big up to director corey yuen for crafting a splashy and appropriately trashy fighting flick that chicks can cheer for .",
      "doa was the right title for this , acronym-bending or not .",
      "there was a time when movies like doa : dead or alive lurked sheepishly at schoolboy height on video store shelves , spines straining to accommodate the charms of their actresses .",
      "doa : dead or alive aspires to be nothing more than a sanctuary from thinking .",
      "call it the guilty pleasure of the year for me . hell , it 's a heck of a lot more entertaining than charlie 's angels : full throttle .",
      "while the teen target audience may be convinced that this is exciting , the rest of us will leave the theater exhausted and with brain cells thoroughly fried .",
      "corey yuen and his writers have adapted their dubiously titled doa : dead or alive from the video game series of the same name -- apparently convinced that the scraps of backstory originally scribbled by the gamers were plenty .",
      "if corey yuen believed in truth in advertising , ala snakes on a plane , this flick would have a name like jiggly babes kick butt . the stuff that post-pubescent dreams are made of .",
      "smarmy , lasciviously trashy , butt-kicking bikini-jiggle fest",
      "the über-villain is played , very tragically indeed , by poor eric roberts , brother of julia , and he walks and talks as if his head has been used for kickboxing practice .",
      "ignore .",
      "a film that boys aged 12 to 15 are going to lap up thanks to endless shots of valance and her curvy co-stars in their swimsuits . but with a plot even flimsier than the bikinis , there 's nothing here for the rest of us .",
      "tăo divertido quanto acompanhar , por 90 minutos , duas pessoas jogando videogame sem jamais podermos participar da brincadeira .",
      "as eager as anyone with a joystick in his hand , and sets up fights in quick succession , only occasionally taking a breath for a spot of volleyball among the contestants",
      "the film 's pretty much nonstop fighting , mostly in very little clothing , with the flair you expect from a master choreographer like yuen . it 's awesome .",
      "an ideal vehicle for yuen , who is a dab hand at filming imaginative hand-to-hand combat sequences .",
      "yes , this is a genuinely terrible film . but it 's also good fun .",
      "not all is bad . in sum , doa is rarely good but rarely dull . this is in large part because the three leads each have some degree of transcendental charisma .",
      "you know what to expect with paul ws anderson onboard as producer .",
      "praise be to director corey yuen for delivering one of the year 's purest entertainments -- the best butt-kicking pg-13 bikini jiggle fest since the first charlie 's angels flick .",
      "unquestionably brain-dead , but also a great example of unpretentious , second-gear celluloid , generated quickly , cheaply -- and for the fun of it .",
      "d.o.a. : dead or alive can easily be described as ` hot chicks kicking ass in string bikinis . ' and there 's nothing wrong with that .",
      "the action has more to do with digital effects than true martial artistry , and is targeted squarely at adolescent boys too young to rent porn and gamers too lazy to yank their own joysticks .",
      "a videogame-based movie that 's so bad , you wo n't believe it was n't directed by uwe boll !",
      "like mortal kombat with more exposition ... they 've already got the tight , muscular bodies glistening with sweat , rain and various forms of mist , kicking ass in their underwear ... so why so much story ?",
      "pic is so insubstantial that it practically evaporates on screen .",
      "if junior high school boys wrote a cheesecake syndicated tv show and spun it off into a movie , the result would be doa : dead or alive .",
      "it 's got hot babes in bikinis kung-fu fighting - what more do you want of a movie ?",
      "if you 're a 15 year old boy , this stands every chance of becoming your favourite film in the entire world . at the very least it 's the best movie adaptation of a video game so far .",
      "the performances are so wooden that things improve when eric frickin ' roberts turns up with a bad wig .",
      "d.o.a. is meant to be a high-flying , low-cut , bloody-knuckled diversion , not a eugene o'neill adaptation . the picture gets the bone-breaking footage just right .",
      "yuen 's propensity for impossible computer-generated slow-mo combat action wears thin .",
      "a metaphorical training bra for ogling boys - along with second childhood dirty old aged men - doa gives new meaning to females hooking up and hanging out , when it comes to airborne upper body intimate wear and its gravity defying plastic contents alike",
      "this film knows its genre and its audience .",
      "let 's hope some special form of punishment awaits the man or woman who came up with the idea of basing movies on video games .",
      "it 's all about as thrilling as watching the countryside whiz by in the car .",
      "there is enough masturbation fodder here to keep many 11-year-old kids who have yet to find daddy 's porn stash very happy .",
      "doa might as well stand for `` dead on arrival . ''",
      "if you only ever see one bad movie about warrior chicks who meet on a tropical isle for a fight contest , make it doa : dead or alive .",
      "doa is a bad , cheesy and cheap production that nevertheless has enough goofy appeal to warrant watching with your buddies ...",
      "quantcast the plot is but an excuse for a series of elaborately choreographed fight sequences featuring a combination of digital and wire work that somehow manages to feel completely fake despite the obvious physical exertions of its well-trained cast ."
    ],
    "summary": "with a ridiculous plot and comical acting , checking one 's brain at the door is required before watching doa : dead or alive .",
    "id": "301427003"
  },
  {
    "movie": "spy_who_loved_me",
    "reviews": [
      "as always , story and plastic character are in the service of comic strip parody .",
      "as the bond series moved deeper into the 1970s , the emphasis moved away from the inventive scripts that made the best sean connery films fine examples of the spy genre and toward the kind of feats of daring and visual spectacle .",
      "in a tremendous film that shows moore 's bond still has the old razzle-dazzle , `` nobody does it better '' is n't just a theme song . it 's a forceful and fun statement of purpose , and `` spy '' offers the franchise the definitive jolt it so sorely needed .",
      "the MOV is not as good as i remembered it . all of its chases and action were much better in my memories . in reality , they 're a bit lackluster .",
      "1977 's 007 still gettin ' lucky in underwater lair .",
      "the best combination of japery and seriousness , without descending into the clowning that would be a part of all but one of moore 's subsequent adventures -lsb- as bond -rsb- .",
      "never did top that first stunt .",
      "overwhelmed with its cartoonish absurdity .",
      "the ostensible hero is just a fleshy blur .",
      "it may not be fleming but it is terrific fun .",
      "... pulled roger moore from the shadow of his predecessor and established him as a bone fide bond .",
      "one of the best bonds ever made .",
      "un clásico , con espías hermosas , persecuciones submarinas , y el toque de bond .",
      "from the adrenaline-inducing pre-credits ski chase to the gun battle as the crew of two submarines attempt to take a hollowed-out supertanker from an army of bad guys , the action sequences soar .",
      "roger moore may not be the toughest of the bonds , and he may not be the wittiest , but he is the smoothest .",
      "is there no end to bond 's skills ?",
      "the best bond movie of the moore era",
      "with its comic edge , this is one of the better bonds .",
      "the best of the roger moore bond films has much to praise .",
      "the bond series begins a downhill slide into camp with this one .",
      "it 's bond with roger moore , and this is one of the best of his .",
      "one of the better moore outings .",
      "not the best bond , but not the worst either .",
      "the film moves along at a serviceable clip , but it seems half an hour too long .",
      "007 lives in the best of the moore bonds ...",
      "... the first truly original bond movie , this one is actually more tightly constructed than several of the adaptations and remains consistently surprising and witty .",
      "the film has its moments -- kiel 's indestructible heavy racks up a good score -- but the rest is desperately weak .",
      "this is near-camp and its success sent a strong message to its producers about what audiences wanted to see : bigger , bolder , louder , sexier .",
      "not only roger moore 's best , but one of the few bond films that can stand apart from the series as a superb action movie .",
      "one of the best of the moore bonds , this is non-stop , gloriously excessive entertainment .",
      "of roger moore 's seven james bond pictures , the MOV stands out as the best ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it hints at the absurdity to come in later installments , the MOV 's sleek style , menacing villains , and sly wit make it the best of the roger moore era .",
    "id": "10855"
  },
  {
    "movie": "control",
    "reviews": [
      "though it comes off as a rather familiar and superficial story of a rocker 's rise and fall , it has enough style -- and ... intensity -- to compensate for its paucity of substance .",
      "the dull , obvious ending does n't quite erase the successes of the first half , but it 's a close one .",
      "MOV honors its subject 's eternal self-doubt by honing in on that truth and leaving the legend to others .",
      "MOV is that rare greatest-hits package that makes you want to go back and explore a band 's entire discography , and moreover , that razes the cliches and renders their history as new , fresh and interesting as when it originally happened .",
      "a tragic and overtly personal story about an ultra-sensitive artist of the 70s who finds his instincts push him beyond his comfort zone , and where guilt overtaxes his innate sense of decency .",
      "credit the filmmakers for not mythologizing curtis . however , he just might be a bigger enigma after watching MOV .",
      "methodical and cool , this film is more artful sonnet than fanzine rave .",
      "cinematographer martin ruhe 's stunning black and white photography recalls the early beatles days , stuart sutcliffe 's doomed artist reborn in the post punk era .",
      "though it follows the usual biopic formula , corbijn 's stark , black-and-white widescreen visual scheme restores some of the story 's real power .",
      "corbijin understands the essentials of the story . he succeeds , with riley 's help , in exhuming a flesh-and-blood person from the myth that ian curtis has become .",
      "MOV '' has an unmistakable pulse : a wiry , electric tension between the extraordinary spectacle of curtis at maximum surge and the dented ordinariness of which his undear life , like ours , was mostly composed .",
      "a work of art disguised as a rock-star biography , it 's an evocative portrait of an iconic outsider and the place that he tried to transcend .",
      "though curtis is hopelessly dysfunctional , photographer-turned-filmmaker anton corbijn makes us achingly aware of the singer 's talent , the haunting poetry of his songs and how , living in the gloomy culture he did , his passing was virtually inevitable .",
      "riley delivers a tremendous performance , not so much a mimic as a wholesale recreation of another human being .",
      "a film that perfectly captures the essence of the legendary and influential cult band joy division and its tragic lead singer , ian curtis .",
      "there is nothing here that fans of the genre wo n't have seen many times before but some of the elements are so brilliantly done .",
      "the film nails both the malaise and creative vigor of curtis ' short , bruised and chillingly relatable life .",
      "sam riley , a newcomer to the big screen who portrays curtis with eerie accuracy , has the stringy , underfed looks of a schoolboy in the midst of a sudden growth spurt .",
      "MOV is a brilliant feature debut by corbijn , and a compelling portrait of the life and art of the late ian curtis .",
      "even if you 're not a joy division fan , it 's a compelling movie by a new director worth keeping an eye on .",
      "somber , sad and compelling .",
      "it features lots of music from that time , and it has decent performances , but it fails to make the case for its fallen star .",
      "after decades of acclaimed rock-and-roll photography and music videos , it 's not surprising that anton corbjin 's first feature film is about a musician ; what is surprising is how well-crafted , sympathetic and good MOV ultimately is .",
      "corbijn 's movie is shot in a stunning high-contrast monochrome , perversely turning macclesfield 's grimness into grandeur . it effortlessly revives a british cinematic style that you might call beautiful realism .",
      "corbijn has done his research during 30 years as a photographer , striking a realistic balance between farce and tragedy .",
      "a steady and moving memorial to a man who rarely felt comfortable in his own skin .",
      "the extraordinary achievement of MOV is that it works simultaneously as a musical biopic and the story of a life .",
      "joy division has the movie that , for better or worse , lives up to the myth .",
      "curiously flat and unrevealing .",
      "director anton corbijn seems determined not to let the music get in the way of the human story , and his fervor goes too far .",
      "MOV suffers a bit from a touch of dry art-house-movie self-consciousness . but that 's easily offset by the deeper soulfulness through which the film patiently reveals curtis ' full , almost oracular gifts and the cost of his ordinary burdens .",
      "MOV is never less than completely engaging . the film is visually mesmerizing .",
      "the movie examines a life -- and a death -- without getting deep about it . the result is oddly exhilarating .",
      "riley gives a star-making performance as the complicated curtis , and gets more points for convincing director corbijn , who has shot the film in moody , monochromatic wide-screen black-and-white .",
      "a good movie that falls short of greatness by aping too well the behaviour of its subject -- occasionally brilliant , sometimes mundane .",
      "curtis ' story is scant and unremarkable , filled with every rock 'n roll cliché save for drug addiction , but corbijn treats it as though it 's some sort of epic .",
      "it 's not as overwhelmingly dark and depressing as might be expected . MOV is not particularly sunny , but there is some well-timed humor and it 's well-acted .",
      "film is a powerful historian , especially one as compelling , dazzling and emotionally riveting as MOV .",
      "the movie has the same emotional directness as a joy division song .",
      "corbijn creates an extremely empathetic atmosphere , and riley ranges richly and deeply over a whole world of emotions -- which , yes , includes massive continents of depression and hopelessness .",
      "the film 's examination of curtis ' seeming passivity `` from a distance '' grants his mythology % u2014as damaged , resistant rock star % u2014a kind of nostalgic weight .",
      "where many biopic actors simply dress like the subject and re-enact his or her life , riley truly conveys ian 's heart and soul .",
      "MOV is easily one of the finest films ever made about the collision of music , madness , and the human heart .",
      "even if you have no interest in joy division , this picture is worth seeing for the unsentimental empathy and passion of the moviemaking .",
      "sam riley is fascinating as curtis , a hypersensitive young man hobbled by his incurable disease , and samantha morton is poignant as his put-upon wife .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- absorbing and ultimately harrowing look at ian curtis ' short , unhappy life .",
      "a wobbly construction of facts , but as musical bio-pics go , it has real cinematic personality and avoids most of the painful clichés that tend to shadow these productions ... you can sense deborah 's script-approval fingerprints all over the material .",
      "tells me more than i care to know about the ill-fated singer with a personality like talcum powder and songs fit to make the depressed even more depressed .",
      "part of the reason this film works so splendidly is that , given its ending , it does n't have the luxury of pretend redemption .",
      "smashes the music biopic mold by portraying the star at its center not as a mythological creature , but as a real-life , messed-up kid in over his head .",
      "more expressive than gus van sant 's `` last days '' about a tragic music figure , but incrementally so .",
      "MOV humanizes curtis while acknowledging that he could be remote and even cruel in his selfishness and despair .",
      "joy division fans have already embraced MOV , a film biography of short-lived lead singer ian curtis . those of us who did n't follow the 1970s english band or the post-punk scene around it may feel less invested .",
      "riley gives a great performance , and director corbijn 's direction is deceptively perceptive . one of the year 's best .",
      "the monochromatic palette suggests the kitchen-sink heyday of 1960s british cinema ; fittingly , ` MOV ' is at its best when it concentrates on the quotidian .",
      "a film about creative and emotional burn-out that says more about the fragility of the soul than any montage of ticket sales and ` sold out ' signs could ever muster .",
      "a terrific film about a complex human being .",
      "suicide and the lives of artists are two of the toughest subjects for cinema to grapple with , and ` MOV ' squares up bravely to both .",
      "truthful , tragic and utterly compelling , MOV is a must for any film or music fan .",
      "renowned photographer , graphic designer and music video director anton corbijn makes an auspicious film-directing debut with a stunning biopic about joy division singer ian curtis that is irreproachable .",
      "a stylized biopic of joy division 's ian curtis -lrb- poignantly played by sam riley -rrb- , which captures the punk and post-punk eras , centering on the singer as a tormented , romantic man , who loved two women equally .",
      "MOV goes past the clichés of punk rock-god gloom to offer a snapshot of alienation that 's shockingly humane .",
      "has some trouble taking off before finally finding its way to a haunting conclusion .",
      "a film that must be seen by any true joy division fan , but also entertaining enough as an introduction to this influential band and its troubled singer .",
      "distinguished by its close connection to its subjects , coupled with unexpected flashes of irreverent humor , the film is as emotionally charged as the music it celebrates , which has been cited as an influence by everyone from nine inch nails to u2 .",
      "MOV seems an honest tribute to a haggard ghost . it 'll inspire many a young viewer looking for tips about the workings of self-torture and famous doom .",
      "a gorgeous and well-acted movie that does n't have quite enough substance to sustain its two hour running time .",
      "commits the crime of turning curtis into just another music legend .",
      "MOV is like a wake where the guests forgot to bring the booze and , for the most part , have nothing very nice or even particularly interesting to say about the deceased .",
      "you do n't watch this movie , you live it .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- intimate look at a tragic footnote in entertainment . a moody yet strangely melodic concoction about creativity and confusion in an overwhelming abyss of artistic isolation",
      "parades so many smart , savvy strategies for avoiding the typical music-bio pablum that it 's particularly dispiriting when the middle and end of the film so dully and incorrigibly embrace those very clichés .",
      "far from the fierce social consciousness of mike leigh , MOV 's images , if not its equally arresting performances , suggest a kitchen sink scrubbed clean .",
      "one of the finest character studies of the year .",
      "the exquisite images are continually underscored with an almost lynchian creepiness .",
      "some of riley 's musical performances are electrifying . this would not be a bad movie at all , except for the infuriatingly romantic portrayal of suicide .",
      "ian 's trapped between insurrection and guilt , and so is corbijn 's film which mires itself in the artist 's bourgeoisie dramas without figuring out how they influenced his music .",
      "the film overcomes the central miscasting of samantha morton .",
      "the way ian curtis blocked his onstage movement mirrored isolationism in his home life . he clasped the microphone stand like a drowning man would a life preserver , but he could n't stay afloat in dreary waters of his own creation . a seamless rock biopic .",
      "film % u0107e stoga biti shvatljiv samo onim gledateljima koji detalje povijesti `` joy divisiona '' i curtisovog % u017eivota imaju u malom prstu , a to su , dakako , najokorjeliji fanovi .",
      "MOV never gets any closer to the mystery than when the music plays . too bad it cuts the songs short , returning to the banalities they were meant to shatter .",
      "the film leaves you with the impression of an almost painfully innocent young singer , for whom alienation was , alas , far more than a pose .",
      "MOV does justice to curtis ' legacy but fails to make any further grasps for significance .",
      "um filme repleto de planos magnificamente compostos e que se tornam ainda mais impactantes graças ŕ impecável fotografia em preto-e-branco de martin ruhe .",
      "positioning art as a necessary surrender to a creative force which removes the self dangerously from existence and society , MOV intimately connects in tragic yet euphoric ways to the mixed blessing of the radically unleashed musical imagination .",
      "tender and heartfelt , MOV is a technically accomplished and emotionally poignant portrayal of a modern icon made human again .",
      "gripping and desperately moving .",
      "the film ends , as it begins and largely unfolds , in a blaze of affectlessness . this is anomie as art .",
      "MOV is a tremendous memorial .",
      "as touching a biopic as you 'll see all year , MOV is about the loss thereof . riley and the band excel , as corbijn essays a mood both timeless and period-precise . at two hours , it -lrb- just -rrb- outstays its welcome , but rarely misplaces a beat .",
      "a quiet , intelligent , beautifully shot yet oddly distant biopic of post-punk 's dark prince . the legend remains intact .",
      "the film is touching because it is very honest .",
      "beautifully shot , superbly directed biopic with a great script and a terrific performance from newcomer sam riley .",
      "curtis recalls a time when pop music was about more than ring tones , digital downloads or social networking . a time when there were n't thousands of cable stations and games consoles , and music played a huge role in shaping imaginations .",
      "the grim black-and-white grain that director anton corbijn shoots in is both beautiful and intimate . and the performances are spot-on - none of the cast put a naturalistic foot wrong .",
      "MOV is a haunting , evocative drama that stands as a fitting homage to the performer , his music , and his era .",
      "corbijn 's film serves as an undeniably powerful vehicle for newcomer riley ; his looks and his vocals are a dead ringer for curtis ' , and the anguish he brings to bear on the last weeks of curtis ' life is frighteningly palpable .",
      "riley makes a perfect curtis , and corbijn 's finely shaded recreations of classic joy division performances are so exciting that the movie could 've been nothing but fake concert footage , and it would 've been every bit as moving as the filmmakers intended .",
      "it simply rocks . in every way , an exceptional film . this is one of those rare gems you must not miss .",
      "MOV keeps you riveted in ways that 24 hour party people does n't ; primarily because of the investment of craft and conviction by all concerned .",
      "at least MOV does right by the doting wife , typically given the shaft in these movies as simply victim and toss-away , here played as heartbreakingly courageous by two-time oscar nominee samantha morton -lrb- third times the charm ? -rrb- .",
      "story-wise , this picture does n't break new ground ; this is a tale that one can find littered throughout the pages of history both recent and long ago , but the way corbijn has presented it gives it a freshness and fervor that makes it worth sampling .",
      "newcomer riley is a revelation himself . he 's the physical spitting image of curtis , thin with fragile features , and his impressions of curtis ' violently jerky stage mannerisms are dead-on .",
      "instead of painting a tiny , cramped picture intended only for the elite , it opens up one small corner of the world for everybody . MOV is proof of the way the music of someone else 's life can suddenly and magically become your own .",
      "where MOV might have been literal-minded and sentimental , it is instead enigmatic and moving , much in the manner of joy division 's best songs ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is a work of art , thanks to its evocative black and white cinematography and sensational performances from sam riley and samantha morton . even those not familiar with joy division can still appreciate the beauty of the film .",
    "id": "770671983"
  },
  {
    "movie": "code_unknown",
    "reviews": [
      "even if it 's a bit ` foreign ' and arty , it 's also consistently gripping , thoughtful , powerful stuff , assembled in an unusual way that catches us off guard and never preaches .",
      "packed with provocative ideas and fragments of provocative ideas .",
      "the emotional landscape is observed with detachment ; you have to connect the almost hidden dots to empathise with the characters or form the message , and it 's hard .",
      "MOV is a film that will thrill connoisseurs of alienation and loneliness , and i say that with the utmost sincerity .",
      "despite the film 's bressonian rigours , its emotional force should finally give the lie to haneke 's reputation as a coldly academic film-maker .",
      "-lsb- haneke 's -rsb- socio-political condemnations assume an aggressively hectoring tone .",
      "michael haneke 's only attempt to be emotionally salient .",
      "the director toys with the entire idea of unlocking the code of violence , the small and individually insignificant elements that add up to tales of either joy or horror .",
      "an interesting concept ... -lsb- but -rsb- one doomed by a lack of characterization , MOV remains a jumble of unknowable elements .",
      "worthy , challenging , heavily art-house-centric feature that explores ideas of immigration , communication , xenophobia and representations of reality within fiction .",
      "MOV gets at the ache and angst of the human condition in ways that shiver with telling detail and the machinations of real life . it 's powerful .",
      "manages to disturb , getting under your skin whether you want it to or not .",
      "at the center of the film -- the real reason it was made -- is binoche , one of the genuinely radiant presences in movies today .",
      "awash in ravishing images ... that will haunt you long after you leave the theater .",
      "a truly absorbing drama .",
      "this french-language film is fiercely intellectual and thoughtful .",
      "thankfully a step backward from the moral abyss represented in funny games .",
      "while it alludes to themes concerning xenophobia , communication and social responsibility , ultimately the film amounts to little more than a collection of stark , uneven vignettes .",
      "tackles contemporary cosmopolitan ennui with unfailing sensitivity and perceptiveness , and that more than makes its stories worth knowing .",
      "haneke has a sure way with actors -- allowing them to seem to be living rather than acting their roles -- that matches his ability to capture the rhythms and routines of everyday life with a graceful , unstudied ease .",
      "it 's a film that will constantly offer new twists and will live for years to come while most other films die away .",
      "though it has some lovely moments , code refuses to be cracked .",
      "this sliced and diced curio -lrb- think manchevski 's before the rain as directed by godard -rrb- tackles entirely too much to ever really be about anything .",
      "this is a brilliantly done art-house film , offering a detached view of immigration according to the way an outsider sees it .",
      "una maravilla de múltiples lecturas , y no todas triviales ...",
      "european cinema at its very best .",
      "too self-consciously obtuse , enigmatic and ` meaningful ' for its own good , it demands far more than it gives back in return .",
      "the most intellectually stimulating and emotionally provocative piece of european cinema of recent times .",
      "MOV is an unusual example of a movie that is socially aware , but that is thankfully equally aware of how tiresome moralising and preaching can be .",
      "a searing , structurally ingenious look at racial tension on the streets of paris .",
      "a procession of long virtuoso takes that typically begin and end in the middle of actions or sentences , constituting not only an interactive jigsaw puzzle but a thrilling narrative experiment .",
      "the violence , in short , remains unseen , but that makes it no easier to bear ; what lurks and wails behind a wall is , for haneke , the most reliable wellspring of dread .",
      "with virtually no music and very little expository dialogue , this is one of the rare films with enough faith in moviegoers to let them figure things out for themselves .",
      "haneke brings his usual dark sensibility to bear on the multifaceted story , expressing the fractured quality of modern city life through scenes that wander through a labyrinth of missing links and lost connections .",
      "if some of the political theorising is somewhat naive and the direction is occasionally manipulative , the acting , particularly from juliette binoche , is superb .",
      "this film , from austrian director michael haneke , is one of the most uncompromisingly difficult and challenging of the year .",
      "all this unrelenting bleakness would be fine if it went someplace interesting , but the film 's themes never coalesce into anything beyond basic existential angst .",
      "a chilling picture of urban disillusionment , MOV 's strength is its insistence that , to be realistic , it can not give easy answers .",
      "this film proves that hate is indeed both a mystery and a moron whose presence looms large in cities all over the world .",
      "unfortunately , -lsb- haneke 's -rsb- often too cryptic , which leaves viewers still trying to make connections when they should already be reacting to the moral lessons implied by them .",
      "the film 's episodic structure finally proves maddening .",
      "though it 's difficult to call the film a success , it 's certainly beguiling .",
      "even more impressive is the way haneke evokes violence without showing it , and whips up tension and dread without music or any of the manipulative tricks so popular among hollywood filmmakers .",
      "haneke 's most expansive and , oddly , hopeful work -- not a gaze into the void , but a fierce attempt to scramble out of it .",
      "beautifully shot and acted , particularly by juliette binoche .",
      "as an intellectual exercise , it 's quite distinguished . as a drama , its reach exceeds its grasp .",
      "the wonderful binoche ... hot-wires what could have been a coldly intellectual film .",
      "it does n't endorse narrow-mindedness , but instead , uses it as a topic to illustrate just how brilliantly broad-minded filmmaking can be ."
    ],
    "summary": "though challengingly cryptic at times , MOV still manages to resonate .",
    "id": "20825"
  },
  {
    "movie": "x_men_3_the_last_stand",
    "reviews": [
      "stand falls pretty far , pretty fast , winding up for all the bombast rather wan and pedestrian .",
      "it feels a lot like x-men : the diluted tv adaptation .",
      "it 's not about pyrotechnics -- it 's about the characters , doofus .",
      "the last stand moves , it amuses a while , and it ends .",
      "a couple of mutants die in x-men : the last stand but not nearly enough to save this boring mess .",
      "this is the third film in the series , which means that on three occasions now we 've been presented with the same story , featuring the same conflict , leading to the same false resolution , a smiley-happy joining of hands at the edge of an abyss .",
      "the nuance and complexity of character that made the first two x-men movies more compelling than the typically mindless summer blockbuster are gone in x-men : the last stand .",
      "ratner just sucks all the emotional energy out of this oversize fx coloring book ...",
      "x-men : the last stand more or less stands on its own legs , but the degree to which one is engaged really depends on one 's familiarity with the first two films .",
      "billed as the climax of a trilogy , the third and weakest chapter in the x-men series is a blatant attempt to prove there is still life in the franchise .",
      "here 's your blaring headline in the daily bugle : ` x-men squash spider-man like a bug . '",
      "` what it lacks is the rich layering of character details that made the previous films soar beyond genre filmmaking . '",
      "the third time is definitely not the charm",
      "an acceptable -- albeit mindless -- sequel that should placate fans of the series .",
      "it is a shell of its predecessors , a technical exercise that is utterly devoid of substance .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- distinctly dull offering .",
      "-lsb- i -rsb- found myself strangely moved by the sense of relationships , friendly and unfriendly , coming to an end in a dull return to normality in the world of humans and mutants .",
      "... hums along at a brisk pace and should appeal to fans of the series . it manages to wrap up some stories while leaving others open for future films .",
      "magneto is the source of terror , although how much can you fear a villain with `` neat-o '' in his name ?",
      "my mutant power -lrb- and the boxoffice tingle of $ 199 million in one week -rrb- tells me `` the last stand '' is anything but last . it 's not even likely to be penultimate .",
      "of the three x-episodes , ratner 's is the least involving .",
      "x-men : the last stand brings the mutant superhero trilogy to an immensely satisfying conclusion .",
      "how many distinguished veterans of the royal shakesepeare company does it take to make a bi-g-budget trashy movie ? well , two .",
      "the last stand is n't awful , but ratner lacks singer 's subtlety and ability to cleanly navigate convoluted story lines crammed with super-powered characters .",
      "although it 's never boring , x-men : the last stand is routine and unimaginative in a way the first two are not .",
      "ratner seems incapable of infusing his overly busy story with nuance , depth or the wonderful wry humor that connected us so thoroughly to these characters in the first place , and so their sacrifices never register .",
      "the overpopulated , visionfree movie contains barely enough moments to satisfy both casual fans and fanatics -lrb- who should definitely stay through the closing credits for a final , pivotal revelation -rrb- while leaving each wanting more .",
      "what matters to discerning fans is whether respect for the material is balanced with solid , intelligent filmmaking , and those qualities are going downhill fast .",
      "the intensity that the director of rush hour -lrb- ! -rrb- brings to the marvel comics-based mutant saga makes me begin to come around regarding hollywood 's unlovable wunderkind .",
      "oppressive overkill can suck the life from any hallowed institution . even , dare say it , the x-men .",
      "it 's a serviceable commercial film , never boring and mostly fun . only the comparison to its predecessors makes it seem wanting .",
      "it does n't live up to its potential , but there are moments here and there where everything gels ...",
      "x-men : the last stand expands on the themes of discrimination and alienation explored in the first two films , and still retains the franchise 's signature kick-butt action features .",
      "x-men : the last stand is an uninspired hodgepodge .",
      "there 's much to enjoy here -- ratner 's pacing is fluid and fast and the film rushes along its busy , cluttered way with something approaching melodramatic snarkiness -- but it 's also terribly busy and cluttered .",
      "anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or a pariah will identify with the engaging themes of this rousing adventure .",
      "singer 's absence is felt but not fatal . by adding too much new blood ratner loses some of the original dna , but with its nifty set-pieces and a few nasty surprises , x3 's still a worthy enough sequel to ensure it 's no last stand .",
      "despite all the grand gestures of climax and resolution , there 's a pronounced sense of autopilot ; the only person who seems to be having a good time is ian mckellen as the scheming magneto .",
      "as might be expected , the last stand pretty much looks and plays like the first two x-men films , though perhaps with more noise and babe action and a little less glum .",
      "this is x - men kids , one does not expect ` a twelfth night ' deep yarn to play out before you . and on this point , x-men does not disappoint ; minimal brain-space required to follow the bouncing mutants",
      "taking over from the more cerebral bryan singer , ratner is unable to maintain the emotional intensity that has made this series so deeply epic . but he sure knows how to put on a show .",
      "the last stand , though the weakest in the franchise , is often a kick to watch ; you keep wanting more of these characters .",
      "x-men : the last stand -- reputedly the last in the series -lrb- we 'll see -rrb- -- still manages to be an eye-filling fantasy extravaganza and a big crowd-pleaser .",
      "it does work on both levels .",
      "like the x-men film series itself , it got more right than it did wrong ...",
      "howlingly bad cliches , transparent exposition and plot holes large enough to contain the continent of africa -- with room left over for ratner 's judgment and an artichoke .",
      "it 's not just a matter of its failing to live up to the standard set by the second film ; it 's that it is n't good enough by any standards .",
      "this is a stupid , hateful , ignorant movie , one of the very worst comic book films ever made .",
      "there are plenty of boneheaded decisions plaguing x-men : the last stand ... yet there 's also enough of merit to earn it a passing grade .",
      "all the wreckage does n't make the choices seem more informed or more resonant . they just seem louder .",
      "noticeably less time is spent on building atmosphere and personalities ; more footage is dedicated to high-impact stunts and lavish visual effects .",
      "incoming director brett ratner is interested in one thing and one thing only : action . and he 's very good at it .",
      "there were moments when i considered whether this is brett ratner 's best film . it 's really too flawed to allow the word `` best '' to be used . how about , `` it does n't suck ? ''",
      "x-men : the last stand is popcorn entertainment best left , except for the fans , as a curiosity for dvd rental .",
      "rather than deepen the group dynamic , ratner 's movie is just overcrowded .",
      "it 's ripcord filmmaking , with paint-by-numbers emotionalism . while -lsb- ratner 's -rsb- preoccupation with surface thrill still makes for a generally pleasing comic book movie , it shortchanges the depth we 've come to expect from the x-men franchise .",
      "a story that is as absorbing as the special effects and stunts .",
      "perfectly completes and extends the first two films and confirms this franchise 's place in the pantheon of all-time great hollywood trilogies .",
      "michael bay 's schindler 's list .",
      "a fast and furious smorgasbord of sound and fury , adding up to little in the long run , but , yes , fun while it lasts .",
      "perhaps the most surprising aspect of x3 is that it 's curiously boring .",
      "x-men : the last stand is the first blockbuster of the 2006 summer season that has n't caused me to shake my head with disappointment . it delivers pretty much what 's expected .",
      "a sufficient conclusion to the series singer started , but any connection these films had to the original comics has faded away .",
      "brett ratner has taken the reins , and though the picture is not without its wow-inducing , sfx-driven moments , that potent x-factor is considerably diminished in singer 's absence .",
      "a wham-bam sequel noticeably lacking in the pop gravitas , moody atmospherics and emotional weight that made the first two marvel comicbook adaptations so rousingly successful .",
      "not as cool as the first two , but worth a look just to see vinnie jones as juggernaut run through things .",
      "i suppose it 's asking too much of ratner to impart some kind of visionary flourish to the proceedings . but without it , these comic-book movies all tend to look the same .",
      "never really achieves its full potential ... does n't live up to the expectations set by the previous movie .",
      "my least favorite of the three x-men movies , but definitely not a disaster by any means ...",
      "a thrilling third chapter that delves deeper thematically while expanding the universe of franchise characters . thus far , it 's simply the most x-citing film of 2006 .",
      "unless you 're already dedicated to the x-men , the last stand wo n't really hold up .",
      "the latest x-men flick , packs all the punches ...",
      "a worthy successor to the first two films .",
      "are mutants going to savor their special unique natures or are they going to try to be like the `` normal '' population . it could be an intriguing idea , but the film does not develop the issue in any detail .",
      "but the main problem with the film , one that keeps it from reaching the highest elevations of popcorn entertainment , is its lack of real emotional resonance .",
      "ratner haters and comic book purists should probably stay home - a fun superhero popcorn movie that delivers nearly two hours of solid entertainment",
      "director brett ratner 's slack , good-enough-for-government-work vibe is all-pervasive . these mutants deserved a finer farewell .",
      "a noisy and active but ultimately mediocre experience that probably wo n't be the last of its kind .",
      "what a comedown , after the weirdly beautiful things singer and his technicians did in the first two movies .",
      "the climax finds the president announcing all is well during a broadcast over fox news -- a bit of corporate in-house promotion that apparently is not intended to be ironic .",
      "although the series is beginning to look too familiar , this one at least maintains its breakneck pace .",
      "x-men : the last stand is far from perfect , but it does manage to move in the direction of a crowd-pleasing thrill ride without completely lobotomizing itself .",
      "yes , ratner 's music-video attention span and inability to linger on a shot ... blunts the impact of some of -lsb- the -rsb- big emotional moments . nonetheless , he liked singer 's films as much as you did , and he has n't tried to fix what ai n't broke .",
      "though it 's not the best installment of the series , with many , many present flaws , it sure is a very entertaining film ...",
      "nothing really feels at stake other than box-office opening-weekend numbers",
      "it 's the first halfway decent summer movie so far .",
      "sillier than the singer versions , ratner 's movie is also -- for this less-than-reverent x-men fan -- more satisfying .",
      "x-ecrable .",
      "it 's kinda lame . there 's slightly more to it than that , but basically , that 's what x-men : the last stand boils down to .",
      "a mostly fun movie , but also one not given the full emotional room to breathe that it has over the course of the trilogy earned .",
      "the cgi is indeed magical . but watching this , i thought maybe we 've seen too much magic . maybe what we really need , even in summer action movies , is n't to see magic , but to feel emotion .",
      "frankly , it 's surprising that director brett ratner , best known for the rush hour movies ... was the man at the helm . it turns out the skeptics were wrong .",
      "judging by this third and purportedly final installment , the x-gene has been tapped out .",
      "in this season of one disappointing blockbuster after another this one , at this point of time , looks good in comparison .",
      ".",
      "the movie is what it is -- escapist enjoyment , if only for a short while .",
      "if you 're really into exciting special effects , then this is the movie for you .",
      "brett ratner delivers the action but the punch does n't stand up to the previous two films .",
      "le potentiel y était pour un film grandiose et tout ce que fox nous a offert est un film d'action un peu plus réussi que la moyenne .",
      "the weighty main themes of alienation , discrimination , responsibility and the sense of fear still resonate , it 's cheap production values and lame directorial efforts by ratner made it hard to connect with the film . left me feeling cold and disheartened .",
      "it 's gratifying to see the x-men movies be about something rather than just trying to be mindless action thrill rides .",
      "a fun and entertaining summer popcorn flick .",
      "had the filmmakers spent as much time to developing the story as they did to lame in-jokes and an annoying post-credits coda , x-men : the last stand would n't have seemed like an inferior clone of the previous mutant masterpieces .",
      "ratner tries desperately to mimic the style and substance of singer 's movies , but imitation is all it is .",
      "there 's more drama , backstabbing , temper tantrums and shocks in the last stand than in a season of `` dynasty '' . so far , it 's the best event movie of the year .",
      "this is the last stand : be grateful for small blessings .",
      "a quagmire that not even a mutant of the highest caliber can extricate him - or herself from",
      "... the logical conclusion to every comic book story arc : all hell is breaking loose ... -lrb- but -rrb- what kind of final epic confrontation is less than two hours long ?",
      "aa tighter focus might have enhanced the set-up 's latent allegorical powers , and its emotional resonance .",
      "a fitting end to the trilogy and a very good film .",
      "ratner clearly has superpowers : he 's made the series ' feeling and humor disappear .",
      "characters fight , and characters die -- and those who survive are quite clearly marked as winners or losers . timeless playground debates are settled at last .",
      "watching the actors is like watching elton john try to make out with anne heche . they go through the motions in a totally disingenuous display , except wolverine does n't break out into an impromptu `` rocket man '' to ease the awkwardness .",
      "x-men and x2 brought unusual complexity and depth to the comic-book movie genre . x-men : the last stand , though a mile wide with mutants , is about an inch deep .",
      "its concept hinted at real greatness , but the end result is never anything more than average .",
      "does n't require its audience to be fans of the comic books or even to have seen previous installments ... stands on its own as a solid piece of entertainment",
      "the series seems a little like a car stalwartly puttering along despite the fact that its fuel gauge is firmly planted on `` e '' .",
      "maybe the da vinci code needed mutants , or halle berry in tight leather pants to make it better .",
      "to anyone more discerning , and certainly to those fans who cherished the way the first two movies took pains to honour what made the x-men such special mutants , the final blowout will seem like a blown opportunity .",
      "begins to unravel in displays of silliness and a lack of drive that fails to payoff all its ideas or reach the level of excitement expected for such a final showdown .",
      "take the last stand as all surface , relentless comic book amusement , and it 's a vastly agreeable sit .",
      "x-men : the last stand has the deepest metaphor yet and fully explores the ensemble cast 's reactions to it .",
      "something of a letdown considering the quality of the first two films",
      "a good action spectacle , and there 's nothing wrong with that .",
      "this is n't so much a movie as it is a solicitation to lower one 's expectations ...",
      "it 's fun enough to be worth seeing , but it 's nowhere near as slick , action-packed or entertaining as its predecessors .",
      "a dazzling movie about fireball car missiles , a guy who can turn into a killer-quiller porcupine , and accepting others different from us .",
      "... thanks to lowered expectations ... and in a season of economically disastrous disaster movies , the mere fact that this memorial day juggernaut is not a catastrophe should spell good news for a depressed industry .",
      "... a fast and enjoyable b-movie ...",
      "i liked it . everyone was angry , really tense , and emotionally charged up . and , they got rid of the dead wood . hated the blue beast .",
      "if i 'm going to be grabbed by a comic book adaptation , it will be a single , old-school action hero with a complex back story and sense of drama , like superman or batman .",
      "singer 's touch is missed , but there 's still a lot to enjoy here .",
      "sacrifices socio-political relevance for flashy pyrotechnics and visceral pleasures galore .",
      "`` x-men : the last stand '' is a comic book movie that crams in a stunning number of characters while still managing to map out significant emotional underpinnings .",
      "segue de perto a linha bem-sucedida de seus antecessores , utilizando a saga dos mutantes para estabelecer uma inteligente alegoria sobre a própria sociedade em que vivemos .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- ratner makes a hash of the story and characters his predecessor brought to such complex , sympathetic life , delivering a pumped-up exercise in mayhem , carnage and blunt-force trauma .",
      "as they say , three 's a charm and though this third film in the `` x-men '' franchise lacks some of the intellectual and emotional gravitas of the first two , it still delivers a powerful punch in terms of action , effects and imagination .",
      "the last stand is a hugely ambitious picture , and it would have been far more successful if ratner had scaled it down to focus more on the interaction between the characters .",
      "with dozens of mutants all fighting for their right to be different -lrb- and fighting each other for screen time -rrb- , the story is spread too thin .",
      "a dreary species of empty pomp and circumstance , far too similar to many of its summer movie brethren and disappointingly dissimilar from its superior predecessors .",
      "it 's a mutant smorgasbord , and most of the characters suffer as a result . ` we need more mutants in leather , ' i can hear a studio exec yelling . ` and give them tattoos too ! that way we know they 're bad guys ! '",
      "true , ratner is no singer , but in the last stand he delivers the goods with gusto .",
      "for all the sound , fury and spectacle , the film feels vaguely hollow and unsatisfying .",
      "the stunts are non-stop and we marvel at them all . yet the heart of this third film about the mutant marvel comic characters is overtaken by splashy effects .",
      "there 's a lot going on in this film % u2013 - too much , really ...",
      "the film exists solely to give the comic book guys of the world a chance to see all their favorite action figures , life size and in full form .",
      "as usual , character development is dashed off in quick sketches while mutant powers are shown in all the lavish detail that $ 200 million worth of computers can generate ; the thrill may dissipate over time , but it 's great fun while it lasts .",
      "exciting and filled with edge of your seat action that gripped me until the very ending .",
      "a surefire kiddie crowd-pleaser , given the teeny-bop penchant for over-stimulating computer game warfare .",
      "it may be just another superhero movie -lrb- or several of them , all frantically playing out at the same time -rrb- , but it delivers everything you could want from the genre several times over .",
      "the results are less than x-citing .",
      "it has no passion , no connection to where we are now , and in a series whose stories have heretofore spoken dark truths about american intolerance , that matters .",
      "it 's mainly the last stand 's feeling of treading water that bugs the most . although it 's certainly a watchable movie , the franchise has led us to expect much more than that .",
      "the action is non stop and the special effects jaw dropping , with a scene involving san francisco 's golden gate bridge an incredible highlight",
      "a good if undistinguished capper to the trilogy .",
      "i ca n't say i was entranced this time round .",
      "let 's hope this is n't the last we see of these mutants .",
      "at least ratner knows how to handle both action and drama on screen , even if subtlety and substance fall by the wayside .",
      "... is blessed with a whopper of a dichotomy that carries the film even in its most unremarkable moments .",
      "the main downfall of x-men : the last stand is also its biggest guilty pleasure : watching just how many mutant baddies they can throw on the screen .",
      "somewhat clunky",
      "its action-packed but lacks that certain mutant angst .",
      "watching ratner struggle with his enormous cast makes one appreciate the economy with which singer established even minor supporting characters .",
      "it 's harmless eye candy with a fast pace and lots of color , which is fine , but based on what came before it , x3 really should have been a little more than just `` harmless eye candy . ''",
      "ratner , who directs for the seventh time with this film , seems to be getting better by trial and error , and he turns in a rather terrific first half .",
      "i 'll probably enjoy it better than the potentially disastrous superman returns in june .",
      "the last stand is fitfully entertaining , but lurking at the edge of almost every frame is a reminder that you 're watching a genre exercise with no real talent or affection at its core .",
      "this is an enjoyable blockbuster and not the disaster that many feared .",
      "when other mutants approach leech , their special talents vanish . it 's much the same effect ratner has on actors .",
      "although last stand remains entertaining , it has the slapped-together look and feel of the first film .",
      "` the last stand ' needs its new characters more than the previous two films did because it fails to develop the ones it has inherited .",
      "the x-men have survived mutation , persecution , and supervillainous foes hell-bent on their destruction . but can they survive brett ratner ? well , no .",
      "ratner has taken a series characterized by subversive wit and intelligence and put it in a bland box -- it could be worse , but it could n't be less distinctive .",
      "a full-fledged mutant jamboree , but one that blunts thematic and character development in favor of narrative expediency .",
      "the battle sequences , always the least exciting , most obligatory feature of the first two movies , seem to have something at stake -- namely the lives of the characters . my heart goes out to heroes who believe a summer movie is worth dying for .",
      "the big action scenes are well-staged -- especially the climactic battle royale in which jean/phoenix strides through the chaos like carrie at her prom .",
      "last stand offers fans some astonishing pleasures ... but also many stings of opportunities lost .",
      "whilst those involved did n't save the best for last , they have delivered a film worthy of the title and an entertaining little vehicle to boot",
      "sadly , `` x '' did n't mark the spot convincingly this time around . ratner directs with all the urgency of a nervous nellie with a bladder problem .",
      "operatic in scope , especially in its rousing ending , it has a simple and easily accessible plot . this class a popcorn flick is also a heck of a lot of fun .",
      "the last stand is as good if not better than x2 .",
      "let 's hope this really is the last stand ...",
      "una cinta veraniega indudablemente , que vale cada átomo mutante o no , del boleto pagado ; una muestra de que el cine comercial puede ser entretenimiento puro con ocasionales pinceladas de humor negro y vida real .",
      "full review in greek",
      "the final -lsb- i -rsb- x-men -lsb- / i -rsb- film fails to live up to the expectations of its predecessors but remains a fun and surprising feature .",
      "ratner has met with much skepticism from fans afraid that he would botch the franchise . he actually makes this an enjoyable summer blockbuster that generally lives up to the predecessors .",
      "disposable entertainment that passes the time with flickering images of flashy camera cuts and explosions before disappearing from memory before the popcorn is digested ...",
      "while the movie takes itself seriously , not to say solemnly , it 's really an occasion for funny , frightening metamorphoses and spectacular effects .",
      "the last stand is a pretty spectacular action movie ... -lsb- even -rsb- if it does n't quite achieve the enchantment of the earlier films ... mckellen , stewart and jackman are once again magnetically expert .",
      "despite its title , this is n't the end of the `` x-men '' series . `` x-men : the last stand '' leaves you wanting more . and its finale is the perfect set-up for just that .",
      "x-men marks the real start of the summer-movie season .",
      "the weakest of the three . but being the only major release of the week , it looks like it will be a success no matter what anybody says .",
      "if x3 is truly the end of the franchise ... at least it leaves the table ahead of the game ... if not a triumph , then a modest and palpable success .",
      "where singer played up the real-world parallels inherent in the franchise 's premise , ratner clearly feels more comfortable when things are going boom .",
      "wolverine takes it personally when hit below the belt with a sucker punch . as a paying audience member , so should you . it 's a vending-machine movie all the way , with none of the mood , charm or style that has preceded it .",
      "look out , it 's porcupine guy ! his hugs are lethal ! and there 's `` angel , '' who ... flies around a lot with his shirt off .",
      "ratner , right at home in the superhero world , orchestrates the frenzied final battle with a melodramatic gone with the wind grandeur .",
      "maybe they thought it they threw enough money at ratner , he could use it on magical special effects that would cover the fact that there 's no character development .",
      "x-men : the last stand is spectacular but alienating : a high-flying high-tech product that impresses but fails to move you .",
      "i liked the action , i liked the absurdity , i liked the incongruous use and misuse of mutant powers , and i especially liked the way it introduces all of those political issues and lets them fight it out with the special effects .",
      "for a movie that promotes unity , it is awfully splintered in its storytelling . it lacks a core plot to link the set pieces and create a sense of momentum .",
      "without the first films ' textured relationships , the story becomes just another episode of orange fireball cinema .",
      "action - and issue-packed .",
      "-lsb- the last stand is -rsb- by far the daftest of the lot , and the one in which the stars ' contractual fatigue is evident in the number of major characters who meet their demise before the first couple of reels are up .",
      "this is interesting stuff . so why does the last stand feel driven to dumb itself down , as if embarrassed by its own ideas ?",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- thoroughly enjoyable mutant-palooza conclusion to the x-men series .",
      "the cleverness of the basic idea , stitched together by credited writers zak penn and simon kinberg from story arcs in the comics , gets lost in all the commotion , while the characters get reduced to , well , cartoon versions of their former selves .",
      "x-men : the last stand is punctuated with wows , the most awesome -- the sort that makes you elbow your seatmate and breathlessly say ` ai n't that cool ' -- coming in its mutant smackdown finale .",
      "when the movie works , it really works .",
      "like the first two films , this one crackles with action , delves smartly -lrb- but not smarmily -rrb- into social relevance , and salts in enough humor to make all the vaporizings and razor-izings feel a bit more festive .",
      "x-men : the last stand has shifted the shape of the franchise from pretty good , if uninspired , to terrifically entertaining .",
      "when x-men : the last stand works , it is primarily because it does n't lose sight of the emotions that fuel the fire .",
      "what we do get is a blast , and the writers have the balls to let good characters die",
      "when jean grey starts gasping , ` kill me ! ' it 's like she 's the voice of the franchise ...",
      "for once , i cared about these characters ; perhaps because their plight is one shared by so many in the real world who want conformity at any price ... it gave me all i asked .",
      "thankfully there are no nipple caps to be found on wolverine 's costume ...",
      "until its numbing finale , last stand is actually a fairly interesting and timely look at the ethics of bio-engineering .",
      "sin llegar al nivel de las anteriores , esta tercera parte entretiene aunque está más basada en la acción que en sus personajes , rasgo fuerte de la saga .",
      "written and directed without a hint of subtlety , it 's filled with enough fast-paced carnage to justify the inevitable ` x-4 . '",
      "at this stage , fox should seriously consider either retiring the franchise entirely or giving it a rest before reinvention .",
      "the last stand , which contradicts its subtitle with the cheesiest sequel tag of the year , slumps as soon as it introduces its plot gimmick .",
      "it 's a good-enough movie -- not nearly as good as the first two cinematic installments in the x-men saga , but good enough to get the job done .",
      "the spectacles linger in the imagination , but the rest is pretty easy to forget .",
      "the three-quel is a talky d -lrb- n -rrb- a vinci code , devoid of pacing and rife with inside jokes .",
      "i do n't think anyone 's going to call the last stand poetic , but it passes quickly and -- when it counts -- delivers enough of the summer-movie goods .",
      "certainly this one does n't stack up favorably with the first two movies , but the third cinematic x-adventure is far from the worst superhero film ever made -- even lately .",
      "though this third film , directed by the ham-handed brett ratner -lrb- rush hour -rrb- , slides into overstuffed narrative complication and self-parodying quippiness , the pop mythology remains intact , even vital .",
      "in last stand , -lsb- director brett -rsb- ratner displays his formidable technical skill , but he lacks the sense of timing and character development that made the first two films a success .",
      "but can the series hold together for another sequel ? given the final few scenes , i 'd say it 's not quite time to x out the x-men ."
    ],
    "summary": "x-men : the last stand provides plenty of mutant action for fans of the franchise , even if it does so at the expense of its predecessors ' deeper character moments .",
    "id": "155655020"
  },
  {
    "movie": "x_men_first_class",
    "reviews": [
      "for all its many little foibles , x-men : first class , is surprisingly well-handled and directed ; surging forth with the drama and intensity of a global-looming threat .",
      "summer blockbusters do n't get much better than this .",
      "in some glorious zone between mad men and thunderbirds comes this x-men prequel , as kinetic as it is character-driven , and full of ridiculous retro pleasures .",
      "with spectacular effects and an engaging story , x-men : first class is a standout period adventure film that just happens to be about superheroes .",
      "x-men : first class manages the neat trick of staying true to the superhero legend while also creating something fresh and exciting . this class graduates with top marks .",
      "in truth , the film is a very conventional summer potboiler repackaged in reasonably pretty , moderately crisp wrapping paper . in short , not quite groovy enough .",
      "for reasons arising from the way the x-men film franchise has developed , this is the first marvel movie set in the period when the characters were created , and thus able to embrace the rat pack cool that was part of their original charm .",
      "that first class also offers up a decent narrative about the importance of self-love , family bonding and friendship gives it extra dimension -- even if the overall dramatic range only goes x to z.",
      "the film is ultimately undone by that old paradox of hollywood movie production : if you are given enormous budget , you have to spend every penny .",
      "this blazing `` pre-boot '' breathes new life into the sagging franchise",
      "someone remind captain america to bring its a-game , because the bar just rose a little higher .",
      "x-men : first class is easily the most entertaining of the five x-men pics so far .",
      "add a split screen montage sequence that uses solid black lines for separation in true 60s style , saucy banter and some self referential wit and you have a solid piece of stylish filmmaking .",
      "x-men : first class is a movie more focused on the long-term financial health of the franchise than the short-term benefit of simply making a good movie .",
      "any film that sees professor x downing a yard of ale before chatting up girls down the pub has classic written all over it .",
      "the first such film since 2008 's the dark knight that has something on its mind other than lavish effects and high decibels .",
      "it uses the themes of the previous movies to build an intelligent , fast-paced , and highly entertaining prequel .",
      "the result is one of the best marvel adaptations , packed with action , humor , retro 1960s style that 's both campy and sexy and a revisionist history lesson that puts the x-men at the center of the cuban missile crisis .",
      "i know there 's no mention of mutants in the wikipedia entry of the cuban missile crisis , but after watching this movie , you could almost believe there should be .",
      "it 's all vastly superior to brett ratner 's scorched-earth x-men : the last stand , of course . but new blood and swinging sixties milieu aside , x-men : first class never finds a fresh way to sell the same message we 've been hearing since the first x-men .",
      "the great strength of the x-men series is the way it taps into the feelings of all teenagers of being mutants . it is a natural part of that time of life to feel alienated and isolated , a bit horrified with the changes they are going through .",
      "brings the fun back to the x-men franchise .",
      "this origin story abandons the coming-out-of-the-closet motif of the previous x-men films to embed a racial metaphor within its marvel comics superheroics , ` alternate history ' science-fiction and james bond-esque cold war intrigue .",
      "easily chimes in as the best , most engaging and visually impressive x-film so far .",
      "xavier 's mutants go all prequel on john f. kennedy 's presidency .",
      "instead of being all about people discovering or earning their new powers , x-men : first class is all about the relationships . and it is a much better movie for it .",
      "an origins tale that 's a true comic novel of a movie , `` x-men : first class '' boasts cgi action and character development that provides a nifty origins foundation for the series .",
      "but mcavoy and especially fassbender do make the film worth seeing . maybe the more accurate and descriptive title might be x-men : special ed or remedial mutant class so you do n't go in with high expectations .",
      "cartoonish , and not always in a good way , this installment still provides a metaphor for the outsider in all of us .",
      "among the year 's more pleasant surprises in terms of blockbusters and would-be blockbusters is matthew vaughn 's x-men : first class .",
      "mr. vaughn does n't bring conviction to the story 's identity politics -lrb- say it loud , i 'm mutant and i 'm proud -rrb- , but he gives mr. fassbender and mr. mcavoy room to bring the brotherly love .",
      "by combining a healthy respect for the property with a playful sense of fun , it ends up being one of the most intelligent , effective superhero pictures yet .",
      "i do n't know how anyone unfamiliar with the x-men can come away from first class and not think lensherr/magneto is the protagonist of the film .",
      "lacking a single memorable joke or striking image , first class is as perfunctory and passionless as would-be franchise resurrections get .",
      "simply put , it 's a well-made flick that should entertain the masses and one that certainly reinvigorates what was beginning to be a waning franchise . -lrb- parental full content review also available -rrb-",
      "new decade ; same ol' same ol' .",
      "we all love a good creation myth . that 's partly why x-men : first class is such fanboy fun .",
      "superhero film has action , thrills , tough moral questions .",
      "it 's a strangely talky motion picture that tries to advance several philosophical themes ; these would have been more interesting if we were n't already aware of how they will play out in the `` future '' x-men trilogy .",
      "a fourth movie that feels like a first .",
      "the finest comic-book flick since 2008 's the dark knight .",
      "erik/magneto , as played by michael fassbender , is , well , magnetic .",
      "this has been robustly and intelligently directed by vaughn .",
      "this x is on fire .",
      "smartly grounds the genre 's pop-fiction and flashy effects in an era of clashing superpowers and political paranoia . and refreshingly refuses to say it 's so super being human .",
      "it speaks to the pathos in front of and behind the camera that so much is done with so lethargic a script .",
      "looks and feels like a very cheesy cold war-era b movie ...",
      "not only the best x-men film to date , but the best superhero flick yet .",
      "first class might even be too good for its predecessors ' comfort . an unintended consequence of its sure handed grip on character is the retroactive tarnishing of the original films .",
      "in a summer unfortunately glutted with superhero movies , every one an origins story , x-men : first class not only eclipses its competition , but also each of its franchise predecessors .",
      "its attributes and weaknesses can be broken down into two categories : the relationship between professor charles xavier -lrb- james mcavoy -rrb- and magneto -lrb- michael fassbender -rrb- , and everything else",
      "in matthew vaughn 's pitch-perfect , fluid , sparklingly edited movie , we learn about demons . and would n't you know it ? it 's all about jewish revenge .",
      "a richly layered , intelligently worked-out prequel , it melds a dozen back stories , globe-hopping thrills and historic political confrontations , yet it never packs too many sardines into the tin .",
      "x-men : first class is an uncommonly polished and sophisticated superhero movie in which the characters are so strong you sometimes forget you 're watching a story about telepaths and men who can bend steel with their minds .",
      "with x-men : first class getting the heavy lifting out of the way , the sequels will presumably cut loose -- but it wo n't be easy for them to have this much fun doing it .",
      "it 's intelligent and emotionally resonant , explosive and eye-dazzling . factor in a zeitgeisty , hot-list cast and first class is likely to be one of the summer 's best biggies .",
      "first class largely does what it sets out to do , by turning out another crowd-pleasing comic-book film designed to bring in new fans while gratifying the old ones .",
      "the prequel none of us thought we wanted turns out to be more of a fun time than anybody expected .",
      "wow . that was really , really good .",
      "january jones ... in a james-bond-style white catsuit , probably sums up the tone of the film as it should have been the whole way through .",
      "works so well on multiple levels",
      "first class is ultimately a success , because not only does it reward fans , but it redeems a series that gave the superhero genre its start .",
      "an action blockbuster with rollercoaster thrills and laughs that has a fundamentally intelligent core .",
      "the film features michael fassbender in a pivotal role . that 's enough to lift it above the mechanics of the routine .",
      "fans of the movies should appreciate how matthew vaughn has established characters they love in a unique setting with a strong cast and set pieces as big and impressive as the other movies .",
      "a droplet of vintage bond dna , a molecule of mad men cool , fused with the vibrant , adrenalised spin on superheroics he injected into kick-ass",
      "the mutants-in-motion x-men : first class is a fun ride . it helps that james mcavoy and michael fassbender have charisma to spare .",
      "the big ideas and battles come off thoughtfully and handsomely .",
      "reboot brings youth , wisdom , and a politically open mind to the summer action flick",
      "this prequel offers a good deal of fun",
      "the characters are well-drawn and the story is compelling . the acting is solid and the special effects and action scenes are well-done .",
      "what 's next ? how about a flick where the d-day assault on the beach at normandy is led by the teenage mutant ninja turtles .",
      "the entire film is a hackneyed exercise .",
      "it reinvigorates the series with a sense of purpose and direction . it 's exactly what the professor ordered to make the heroes of ` x-men ' seem super again .",
      "gruelingly antiseptic ... an exercise in the ill-paced , the redundant , and the flat-out boring .",
      "serviceable but seems more dutiful than dynamic , and is muddled by all sorts of random false notes .",
      "in laying out the x-men backstory , vaughn has done lots of things right . in the first half , in particular , he 's conscious of keeping the story grounded on a modest , human scale that is n't overshadowed by booming special effects .",
      "it 's big , bright , savvy , and so expansive you 'll undoubtedly leave feeling you got your money 's worth .",
      "a stylish , often violent , mostly entertaining prequel that never outstays its two hours-plus duration and suggests that there may be some life in the franchise yet .",
      "vaughn nicely balances character development and historical resonance with the demands of a large-scale action movie .",
      "factor in top-notch special effects and a spectacularly gripping finale , and you 've got one of the best action releases of 2011 .",
      "based in vegas , flashing mutant sideburns and mostly mustering an evil grin , bacon is less of a super-villain and more of an atomic wayne newton .",
      "the scene where the mutants stand on a beach and mentally duel by causing both american and soviet missiles to shuttle back and forth in the sky is ... hilarious , i was going to say , but no , i should consider this scene more devoutly .",
      "a superb , stylish piece of modern mythology .",
      "-lsb- x-men : first class -rsb- looks fabulous , demonstrates a highly evolved pop movie sensibility and is the best x-men movie since singer 's x-men -lrb- 2000 -rrb- .",
      "although this fourth film -lrb- if you do n't include the wolverine spin-off -rrb- is not as good as x2 , it 's absolutely a step in the right direction .",
      "good effects and themes overcome a glaring plot hole .",
      "the best `` comic book '' movie i have seen in some time . good cast , good acting , good special effects - the whole production was first class .",
      "take the superpowers out and you have a pretty good foundation for a bond or mission : impossible . and that 's a pretty revolutionary idea for the comic book niche .",
      "this entertaining prequel is more like james bond meets the dirty dozen than a comic book story about mutants with superpowers .",
      "by concentrating less and less on the humanity of the story as the film progresses , and more and more of cheap tricks and flat supporting roles , -lsb- it -rsb- shortchanges itself and the audience",
      "matthew vaughn guides the film with a sure hand , allowing plenty of room for the dramatics to unfold without getting too dark or serious",
      "i 'm generally sick of remakes and relaunches and reboots , but this revamped x-men origin story is kind of fun .",
      "x-men awkward but rights itself in the end .",
      "talk about jazzing up a tired-out franchise . x-men : first class does that and more .",
      "very nicely envisioned with impressive spfx , until the climactic 1962 battle which jumps -lrb- or teleports past -rrb- the shark . still , it is the best of the `` x-men '' films",
      "while the whole film is professionally executed and goes down smoothly enough , the underlying stupidity of its subject matter ca n't help but show through in the end .",
      "explosive and adventurous origin story , a prequel that takes the superhero outsiders back to their roots .",
      "if there is to be yet another x-men movie in the future - though i have to say that now might be the time to call it quits - then a solo effort with fassbender 's super-nasty magneto would be the way to go .",
      "though `` first class '' has its share of well-honed action sequences , it shines in the same way the previous films did : through fine casting and carefully crafted characters .",
      "an exceptionally strong , smart , stylish , vibrant and fresh reboot of the x-men franchise .",
      "a solid , sturdy comic book movie that combines x2 's showmanship with the first x-men 's strong narrative throughline .",
      "a large and talented cast manages to make more than a dozen characters pop , but still this is the michael fassbender show .",
      "there is new hope that the guy originally chosen to close this series has reinvigorated a reboot that could be destined for its own trilogy .",
      "`` x-men : first class '' ? more like coach , actually .",
      "the best superhero movie since the dark knight . an excellent balance of fun and serious , high-stakes excitement .",
      "a collage of camped-up , sometimes cockamamie , cold war moments .",
      "x-men : first class brings freshness and savvy to the x-men franchise . like star trek , one of the best movies of 2009 , the latest x-men is able to invest its popular series with an entertaining vitality that one might not expect .",
      "not only does it revitalize a series on subjective life support , but it actually makes one giddy for where this entire idea can -lrb- and will most likely -rrb- go .",
      "it 's the life of the young and restless mutants in the sixties . ` x-men : first class ' managed to tarnish the franchise even more than 2009 's ` wolverine . '",
      "a rare blockbuster that actually busts some blocks .",
      "matthew vaughn -lrb- `` kick-ass '' -rrb- breathes more life into the second marvel franchise of the summer than the series may have ever had in the first place .",
      "it 's risky to reinvent an established series with a new cast and a different setting than fans are accustomed to ... but the folks at marvel have gambled and won . despite its flaws , x-men : first class is an effective reboot of the once-solid series that ...",
      "even though it sounds a wee bit silly , it all unfolds brilliantly onscreen under the guiding hand of director matthew vaughn .",
      "a grade-a popcorn machine that revs on all cylinders : action , character , wit , even a welcome degree of warmth and intelligence .",
      "x-men : first class '' is an intelligent action flick -- a strong summer offering that contains all the elements of a successful seasonal feature .",
      "a dark and emotionally complex movie for grownups , this prequel to the marvel comics x-men franchise is exactly what its title suffix says .",
      "revitalizing the series with fresh blood and new ideas , `` x-men : first class '' is an altogether superior motion picture -- grander , better written , and more dramatically sound .",
      "gets to the heart of what has been lacking from the previous entries of the adventures of the team of super-humans who fight ... for tolerance and equality .",
      "yet another superhero movie ... but hold your groans , people - this one is pretty damned good .",
      "nerd tears came streaming down my face everytime michael fassbender took the screen for his epic performance . entertaining , fun , action-packed and thankfully not in 3d !",
      "it 's hard to make a lot of lofty claims for x-men : first class , except this one : it 's good .",
      "a thrilling , exciting and hugely entertaining work that both fanboys and newbies will enjoy in equal measure",
      "the best comic book superhero movie since the dark knight .",
      "even without making the honor roll , `` x-men : first class '' has earned a pass for future semesters .",
      "a bright , bold and fun take on marvel 's mutants .",
      "the last 1/2 hour of first class , after 100 minutes of hyperventilating cross-cutting and `` meanwhile back at ... '' scenes , is where the film excels .",
      "the pacing is remarkable -- breathless at times -- as scenes swirl between international locations , fueled by henry jackman 's score that growls like a rock-opera orchestra .",
      "both silliness and sap increase as the film rolls along , but the big action scenes are handled well , and it never becomes ridiculous enough to undercut the cool , shaken-not-stirred vibe of its first half .",
      "all of this earlier part of the film , in which the young mutants discover each other and learn to control their powers , is engaging and amusing , smartly filmed and scripted . the second half , however , outstays its welcome .",
      "as x-men movies go , this one has a lot to recommend it by virtue of the acting alone .",
      "why be so harsh and long-winded about a superhero movie ? because it 's an ambitious superhero movie .",
      "ultimately , though , this is a story about xavier and magneto , and mcavoy and fassbender do not disappoint .",
      "director matthew vaughn 's franchise reboot or prequel or whatever it is has some artificial flavors but also some natural advantages in james mcavoy as the learned telepath professor x and michael fassbender as his tormented friend magneto .",
      "lack of dramatic ground work leads to the uninspiring finale : a moment of caped and cowled menace made dismayingly , ineptly comic .",
      "the series appears healthy again . groovy .",
      "even with its few missteps , x-men : first class represents a major step in the right direction for the series .",
      "gripping , intelligent , richly characterised and superbly performed , the latest entry into the comic book cinematic landscape is nothing short of utterly brilliant .",
      "one of the most energetic superhero movies to come along in ages . the summer of 2011 has a new king !",
      "bears more in common with ` the spy who loved me ' than any of the previous ` x-men ' installments , or any other comic book flicks , for that matter , and is all the better because of it .",
      "além de envolvente do início ao fim , preenche as lacunas deixadas pelos anteriores de forma intrigante , despertando a vontade de revę-los a fim de reavaliar o que lá acontecia sob a luz dos incidentes aqui ocorridos .",
      "incredible special effects and surprisingly good acting make for a thoroughly enjoyable prequel .",
      "mutants are born again in fox 's kinetic adventure .",
      "... a nice reminder that you can throw all the high concepts and action choreography and special effects you want at something , but unless you tell a good story , tell it well , and create engaging characters , none of that matters .",
      "it turns out even cash cows can moo intelligently .",
      "with a talented cast and gifted director , x-men : first class meets the standards set by the first two movies , while standing alone as a stylish and sexy entry into the ever expanding comic book sub-genre .",
      "represents a successful reboot and a welcome return of the summer blockbuster .",
      "it 's remarkable how many things `` first class '' gets right , whether it 's the decision to have characters speak different languages as the film 's frequent globe-trotting dictates , or the casting of fassbender and mcavoy .",
      "it 's x-men : muppet babies ! as a prequel , x-men : first class is fantastic .",
      "after `` thor , '' this makes marvel comics two-for-two so far this summer movie season .",
      "the best summer blockbuster of 2011 so far .",
      "some comic book flicks work . others do n't . this one does .",
      "has its eye-popping spectacle moments .",
      "it 's the best x-men film since the original , and while it 's no match for either the dark knight or the 1978 superman , it still ranks among the top 10 movies to date in this specialized genre . it 's that good .",
      "x-men : first class '' is a meaty comic book spectacle movie you can sink your teeth in .",
      "this blockbuster superhero movie is the best and brightest of the franchise . a definite must-see drama on a large screen that wipes out the disasters of `` last stand '' and `` wolverine '' and seamlessly ties back in to the first two movies .",
      "the film is just as filled with smaller moments that excite and entertain in equal measure .",
      "in a genre that too often produces mindless retreads , it overdelivers . and yes , lots of things blow up , too . welcome to summer .",
      "what a thrill-packed , rip-roaring adventure it is .",
      "i 'm not sure if this fifth x-men movie officially qualifies as a `` reboot , '' but it sure injects some life back into a series that fumbled its third and fourth entries .",
      "this rarity in prequels and sequels - a film that makes you want the next chapter of the -lsb- x-men -rsb- to be made - is going to be huge at the box office . i am glad to say , this one deserves it .",
      "sure , the revisionist history , plot device is troublesome , but the film 's digital effects provide enough spectacular action and levitation eye candy to soothe any blue beast .",
      "although this movie definitely has prequel-itis -- lots of setup , not enough action -- it is still compelling and fun from beginning to end .",
      "i hate it when a movie set during an earlier decade gets that decade 's details wrong .",
      "a solid x-men adventure with the fresh take on superhero concerns , but it also feels rushed , racing to hammer in its position as the first film of the saga , often forgetting to kick back and simply enjoy the vast mutant view .",
      "a palatable and appealing prequel to the popular mutant superhero series .",
      "there is bad acting by good actors , terrible acting by bad actors , consistent overacting by kevin bacon , whose mutant villain would twirl his mustache if he had one , and plenty of bad dialogue from all involved .",
      "the x-men franchise always had a lot on its mind compared to most of its superhero brethren .",
      "too bad that first class torpedoes its lofty intentions with flights of idiocy so wrongheaded as to be almost endearing .",
      "vaughn and his co-scriptwriters temper the tension and the spectacle of the big set pieces with dashes of humour that will have the fanboys chuckling ...",
      "in every sense this is genuinely first class .",
      "you 'll like `` x-men : first class '' even if you do n't like superhero movies .",
      "revives the flagging franchise with this globe-trotting iteration , infusing it with new life and dazzling visual effects .",
      "an efficient and emotionally affecting character-driven spectacle that is enhanced but not overwhelmed by its elaborate action scenes .",
      "like daniel craig in `` casino royale '' or , staying in the genre ' , hugh jackman in the first `` x-men '' film , fassbender leaps off the screen in what is sure to be a star making role .",
      "does what few franchise films do today : it takes risks , offers surprises .",
      "... fun , fast-paced , and distinctly retro ...",
      "first class flirts with inclusion among the best marvel projects to hit the big screen .",
      "`` x-men : first class '' is n't anywhere close to being a genre classic like `` spider-man 2 '' or `` the dark knight , '' but it is good enough to rejuvenate a franchise stuck on idle .",
      "director matthew vaughn has shaken the cobwebs off the franchise and confidently delivered this prequel as a first class blockbuster .",
      "does n't redefine the franchise so much as restore what 's been missing ever since -lsb- bryan -rsb- singer left the director 's chair .",
      "this grandiose globetrotting fantasy boasts plentiful action spectacle and effective character-based drama set in an age of civil unrest and cold war paranoia .",
      "this is the origins film every fan of the x-men comics or films wanted and the perfect tonic for those disillusioned by the recent instalments .",
      "a fun rejuvenation of the franchise and one that will surely have fans wanting even more .",
      "it 's the love story of charles and erik .",
      "matthew vaughn 's new inspired-by-canon film takes l'essence du x and seals it in a petri dish with cells from 1960s adventure pictures .",
      "impressively directed and superbly acted , this is a thoroughly entertaining superhero prequel that gets everything right , delivering thrilling action sequences , state-of-the-art special effects and an intelligent script that 's both moving and funny .",
      "while the context of matthew vaughn 's slick ` x-men ' origin story feels like it 's been filched from the notepad of a gcse history student , there 's no shortage of breathtaking spectacle elsewhere .",
      "x-men : first class may not be perfect but it far excels what one could reasonably expect from a summer blockbuster , and it will leave viewers hungry for more .",
      "it may not be subtle , but it is a return to what made the series so good in the first place -lsb- and is -rsb- the first x-men movie to contain some truly spectacular action/special-effects set pieces .",
      "a marvelous achievement , and one that fixes the mistakes bryan singer made ...",
      "x-men may not take your breath away - director matthew vaughn is a kinetic director but he lacks personality and still ca n't handle emotional beats - but it has enormous pulp watchability .",
      "the result is a weird and unstable experience , and i wish i could say i gave in to the lightweight escapism .",
      "it 's as absurd a piece of alternative history as tarantino 's inglourious basterds , but much less fun .",
      "`` x-men : first class '' delivers everything you could possible want out of a summer blockbuster . if only all of our mindless entertainment could be this well done .",
      ". . it 's director vaughn who emerges as the true hero here -lrb- the less said of january jones ' leaden performance , the better -rrb- , using a breathless pace and off-kilter compositions to mask the story 's many gaps in logic .",
      "it 's evident how much detail and time the cg team has invested into making the audience believe what they see is real .",
      "i do n't think the cinematic world really needed a new go-round of x-men movies , but i liked this one so much that i can actually say i 'm looking forward to another .",
      "michael fassbender has screen presence and emotional acuity to die for but this prequel is all prologue , no payoff .",
      "preaching mutant pride with endearing fervor , `` x-men : first class '' proves to be a mutant in its own right -- a zestfully radical departure from the latter spawn of a sputtering franchise .",
      "in most respects it 's a solid effort that maintains the integrity of this rather earnest series .",
      "this ambitious origin story of the marvel comics mutants sets the action against the backdrop of the cuban missile crisis and achieves an uneasy peace between the serious and the campy .",
      "superhero movies have erred recently in trying to make themselves respectable . vaughn 's `` first class '' is not one of them .",
      "features a spectacular mix of well-choreographed action , revisionist history , themes of tolerance , and great performances . this will be one of the best movies of this season .",
      "not `` first class '' , but it 's ok . a pity , all the same , that promising young actors such as jennifer lawrence -lrb- winter 's bone -rrb- and nicholas hoult have been burdened with silly characters and even sillier make-up .",
      "`` first class '' happily delivers on the escapism and rich narrative texture the best of its predecessors have promised .",
      "-lsb- some -rsb- ludicrous but endearing moments of bro-bonding are all that sets this otherwise stock-issue superhero movie apart from its mass-produced brethren .",
      "fassbender 's performance as magneto makes me feel how i wanted to feel about anakin in any of the star wars prequels .",
      "`` x-men : first class '' recaptures the character-driven strengths of the first two films in this superhero series -- while adding a surprising dash of '60s spy-movie style .",
      "mcavoy and fassbender are a casting triumph . these two have , yes , real star magnetism , both individually and together : they 're both cool and intense , suave and unaffected , playful and dead serious about their grand comic-book work .",
      "there 's something to be respected about a film that does n't spend most of its time in mindless action",
      "as x-men films go , this one gets the job done and is certainly better than last stand or wolverine . but there are still just too darn many x-men .",
      "a first-rate action film with great special effects and an effective origin tale to tell -- perhaps the best of the x-men series so far .",
      "with so many characters to introduce or reintroduce , vaughn has a lot of ground to cover , and he does it in a way that at once feels retro and modern .",
      "comic-book lovers , fans of alternate history , and fantasy-prone moviegoers in general are all sure to find something to love about x-men : first class .",
      "one of the five worst films of 2011 . inexplicably acclaimed , incredibly dumb .",
      "this new entry to the `` x-men '' saga will please fans and non-fans of the comic book heroes alike , shaking things up by giving us a little something new from the franchise .",
      "matthew vaughn still proves that he 's a terrific and entertaining filmmaker , while still retaining a distinct style .",
      "these days at the movies , one tends to give a lot of thanks for small favors .",
      "while it never reaches the intelligence or character richness of the first two x-men films , it 's still the superior superhero spectacle of 2011 to date .",
      "as a story of the founding of the mutant academy , first class delivers on the double meaning of its title , twice .",
      "smart , witty and fun . perfect summer viewing and a worthy entry to the higher echelons of the marvel cinematic pantheon . a fine reboot for the franchise and i 'd happily look forward to another blast from the x-men past .",
      "smartly scripted , smoothly directed and well-acted . not just the best film in the series , but the best adaptation of a marvel comic title yet",
      "i 'll admit that i was completely jazzed .",
      "first class takes the x-men story back to its roots and is just the kick in the pants the series needed . it is smart , spectacular , never cheesy , often thrilling and always incredibly entertaining .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- tylish and snazzy to look at but also effortlessly cool in attitude . with its sleek smoothness , this could almost be a lost early james bond flick that 's been rediscovered ...",
      "the best praise i can give x-men : first class is that it 's a wonderful movie , not just a wonderful x-men movie or a wonderful marvel movie or a wonderful superhero movie . it 's a damn good film , full stop , all other genres and ghetto-izations aside .",
      "it does n't feel like a superhero movie , being more interested in the characters ' struggling with their outsider status than kapow ! moments . you do n't get people this rounded in your standard oscar flick .",
      "a slick piece of pop entertainment marked by smarter than average characterizations and some solid performances -- especially from fassbender , who showcases an appealingly dangerous , quicksilver charm .",
      "although the filmmakers have packed far too much into the storyline , there 's first class action , superb special effects and a nice sprinkling of humour in a plot whose heart rests in the bond between professor x and magneto .",
      "a blast of colorful and passionate enthusiasm with just enough weight to matter .",
      "taking the story back to its roots , vaughn has made some shrewd decisions , reflected in the superb cast -lrb- mcavoy and fassbender stand out -rrb- and the use of cold war context , which evokes the early , much admired james bond pictures .",
      "x-men : first class is a rock-solid piece of storytelling .",
      "we know that story so well , and yet somehow vaughn has made it feel fresh and new again .",
      "for the first time in a while , the prospect of another x-movie does n't make me uneasy .",
      "x-men : first class walks the line between reality and fantasy to create something special .",
      "as successful -lsb- a reboot -rsb- as j.j. abrams ' ` star trek ' was ... a summer blockbuster that 's actually worth the price of popcorn .",
      "it lacks the crossover appeal of the best in its genre , such as superman , spiderman 2 or batman begins . all the same , this is the classiest of the series and one of the better summer blockbusters so far .",
      "undone by a frustrating mire of multiple plots , overreaching special effects , leaden ancillary players and world-ending military standoffs that have all the tension of a water balloon fight .",
      "the magic is missing from x men : first class , and without it , the film 's just an average superhero movie with a dark side and a groovy bond-era paint job .",
      "with all the blue-haired , flying , screaming , mind-melding hi-jinks this film has to offer , you 'd think it would be able to squeeze in a few novel bursts of fun .",
      "a potent reminder of what jazzed us about bryan singer 's first two x-men and the marvel comics that spawned them .",
      "i can live with his approach but it feels like vaughn was afraid to pull the curtain back and truly expose the mutants ' fragile state . he 's kept things simpler , easier to handle .",
      "uneven , occasionally silly -- true , but it 's still an improvement over 2006 's x-men : the last stand .",
      "there 's just so much you can do with lines like `` you 're not alone , eric , you 're not alone '' and `` the president 's about to make his address ! '' before you get sucked into the vortex .",
      "i suppose it 's foolish to expect verisimilitude in a comic book movie -- especially one as entertaining as this proves to be . besides , they 'll have other chances to get it right , now that x-men : first class has regained its mojo .",
      "that it comes with a real sense of charm , warmth and fun -- long since strangers to this particular franchise -- is a bonus .",
      "vaughan , singer and their team bring together a new x-men holy trinity -lrb- mcavoy , fassbender and lawrence -rrb- and turn the tide on a franchise that had delivered two point blank shots to fans heads with the last stand and origins .",
      "a chintzy rush-job with just enough good moments to make you wish it were better .",
      "the climax is the biggest letdown , a giant hash of crosscutting and unremarkable -lrb- in an era in which we 've seen everything -rrb- cgi .",
      "a smart , first-class superhero tale that blends action with character and expands a comic book subject to the epic proportions of a shakespearean tragedy .",
      "good , clean summer movie fun where the money they spend is up on the screen - with actors and effects",
      "a competently made , sporadically entertaining superhero action movie that will make a lot of money for marvel and fox .",
      "as visually impressive as x-men : first class can be , vaughn is a natural storyteller and he never loses sight of what the big picture is .",
      "magneto used to be a globe-trotting bond-a-like and xavier was a beer-chugging ladies man ? admit it , ian mckellen and patrick stewart suddenly seem much more interesting .",
      "all you 'd expect from an x-men film -lrb- or spin-off , or prequel -rrb- , but not all you 'd hope for . it smacks of rush and compromise , but there 's thankfully enough to make you feel optimistic about the series ' future once more .",
      "entertaining enough for a saturday night , and much more satisfying than the last x-men ' offshoot , the woeful wolverine .",
      "oh my god , i ca n't believe how good x-men : first class is . it 's so good , i held my pee for at least 90 minutes because i did n't want to miss anything .",
      "in a sea of sloppy sequels -lrb- pirates 4 -rrb- and rote remakes -lrb- hangover 2 -rrb- , x-men : first class stands out for simply being something different -- good .",
      "second class at best .",
      "the film in general handles its narratives well , but it does feel like the screenplay wants very much to get everything in place for a sequel by the time the credits roll .",
      "just when -lsb- vaughn -rsb- starts to have a little fun , you can practically feel him pull back , lest he get too campy or weird . or fun . at least slashfiction fans will find a treasure trove of sequences -lsb- with -rsb- fassbender and mcavoy to inspire some saucy material .",
      "as an in-depth exploration of the relationship between two of the genre 's most interesting characters , it 's well , alright , yes , it 's first class . roll on sophomore year .",
      "with its early-1960s cold-war setting , megalomaniac villain and lissome babes in mini-skirts , x-men : first class could , in places , pass for a connery-era 007 spy thriller .",
      "a truly exciting and apt prequel ... with some outstanding performances from mcavoy and fassbender that go to fuel an even greater buzz for a post-prequel meeting of gifted minds .",
      "the notion of a period-piece comic book movie , which could fancifully reshuffle historical episodes , has great potential , but neither the cast nor the filmmakers aim for the sort of period detail that would have made the premise interesting .",
      "fassbender , mcavoy , lawrence , bacon and the mutants they play make this something more than just an ordinary superhero flick .",
      "audacious , confident and fueled by youthful energy , this is a surefire summer winner for a wide global audience .",
      "it 's slightly overlong and its message of `` geek empowerment '' feels overfamiliar but for fans x-men : first class delivers with aplomb ."
    ],
    "summary": "with a strong script , stylish direction , and powerful performances from its well-rounded cast , x-men : first class is a welcome return to form for the franchise .",
    "id": "771041145"
  },
  {
    "movie": "grizzly_man",
    "reviews": [
      "treadwell produced home movies with some of the most spectacular images of the wild that one is likely to see .",
      "notable for its depiction of nature as alien and unforgiving , frightening in its cold majesty .",
      "... herzog continually overstates his own film 's significance ...",
      "herzog 's obituary to eco-warrior timothy treadwell is often intriguing but ultimately feels oddly -- and sadly -- senseless .",
      "this is shaping up to be another great year for documentaries and this is one of the best .",
      "wait for video ... thirty minutes of this would have been mesmerizing . over three times that amount is just repetitious .",
      "as unsettling as it is fascinating .",
      "what makes MOV remarkable are the edited tapes that at first seem to show a man at peace among nature , and then later reveal the startlingly fragile state of that man 's mind and persona .",
      "MOV is a haunting and fascinating portrait of so much that is worth exploring : the implacability of nature , the hubris of human endeavor and the line between supreme dedication and madness .",
      "as a filmmaker , in herzog 's opinion , treadwell was without equal . but as a naturalist , well , let 's just say that his canteen had sprung a leak .",
      "the movie holds the same intriguing and absorbing appeal as john krakauer 's non-fiction bestseller into the wild .",
      "MOV works on many levels and , while not perfect and a little lopsided , it is definitely worth the time and effort to watch .",
      "herzog allows us to make up our own minds as we watch this lost soul on his fervent , increasingly desperate search for love , spirituality and fame .",
      "in the most amazing scene , treadwell gets up close as two male bears do battle over a female , and notes with delight that one of the bears ` did a number two ' during the fight .",
      "though herzog 's approach is chillingly fascinating , it makes this film less about an unusual life than about a bizarre death .",
      "it 's not great filmmaking but it is amazing film .",
      "much of the fascinating wonder of MOV comes as herzog attempts to understand treadwell , a process that raises more questions than it answers .",
      "MOV tells one heck of a story , and it leaves us shaking our heads in amazement and disbelief .",
      "i guess the movie is fascinating in a train-wreck kind of way , but i was n't sure if the documentary is a tribute to treadwell or just exploiting a tragic accident .",
      "a portrait of a cracked american original , but one man 's brokenness proves oddly moving .",
      "MOV is the strange , sad and mesmerizing tale of a man who wanted to be a bear .",
      "although the film has sympathy for its subject 's idiosyncrasy , herzog makes it clear that he strongly disagrees with treadwell 's sentimental view of nature .",
      "a shakespearean character study that packs the sheer terror of the blair witch project .",
      "a documentary crew , a horrible massacre and found footage reassembled to yield insight into the final moments of the luckless victims -- it 's all there in the riveting MOV .",
      "a profound , fair-minded , astonishing cinematic work , and maybe the most gratifying and complete documentary release since bowling for columbine .",
      "amazing documentary .",
      "incredibly , herzog still manages through his masterful editing and curious narration to come up with something akin to his personal and singular vision .",
      "his film is a subtle and deeply moving tribute to a flawed idealist who saw kinship in bears ' eyes , where herzog sees only the abysmal indifference of nature .",
      "MOV approaches greatness for all the things it touches on and the one thing it resists .",
      "sublime .",
      "herzog is even more fascinated by -lsb- treadwell 's -rsb- contradictions , his blind passion , and his inflated sense of privilege ...",
      "a disturbing and provocative tale of obsession , bravado and self-invention that leaves you open-mouthed for all kinds of reasons .",
      "a fascinating , evenhanded study of a strange man killed by his life 's calling .",
      "whatever you finally conclude about treadwell , herzog has made a one-of-a-kind movie .",
      "we 've already seen the fantastic march of the penguins and murderball , but MOV also needs to be included in discussion of possible oscar contenders",
      "a character study of a passionate , driven , eccentric man , who , for herzog , embodies the tragic impossibility of the human condition .",
      "a small masterpiece of a documentary that takes us into the heart of a complex darkness : the mysterious land of alaska , the world of grizzly bears and , most significantly , the soul of timothy treadwell .",
      "a shockingly complete image of a civilization-phobic lost boy , idiotic and heroic in close-to-equal measures .",
      "treadwell 's journey was no less bold or reckless than ... earlier herzogian tales and certainly no less enthralling .",
      "timothy treadwell is , indeed , the perfect werner herzog subject",
      "a heartbreaking cautionary tale for those who `` love '' nature more than they `` understand '' it .",
      "chilling",
      "uma das maiores obras-primas da carreira de um cineasta que vem conquistando , ao longo dos últimos 44 anos , um lugar mais do que merecido entre os ícones da sétima arte .",
      "as a character critique it is hardly a mauling , for herzog is too sophisticated a thinker , too respectful towards his subject , and altogether too humane to tear treadwell apart for a second time .",
      "an amazing , provocative and ultimately creepy film .",
      "like so much of herzog 's work , both narrative and documentary , this is an engrossing look at obsessive behavior gone terribly awry .",
      "treadwell , a failed tv actor , is presented as someone desperate to give and receive love . that he went to such extremes is tragic , but also , in herzog 's sympathetic eyes , deeply human .",
      "remarkable beauty and wonder",
      "did we really need the poorly staged interviews and confrontations ... ?",
      "herzog 's stirring , thought-provoking documentary meditates with exceeding insight into the mind that drove the man .",
      "werner herzog forgoes judging timothy treadwell 's disputed methods or questionable mental state - letting viewers decide based on footage that suggests treadwell essentially sought some sort of transmutation from flesh to fur .",
      "poignant , powerful and unforgettable .",
      "fascinating documentary about obsession , insanity and , well , bears , this is by turns moving , disturbing and laugh-out-loud funny .",
      "a tremendous achievement , despite its niggling flaws .",
      "at turns fascinating and banal ... a film that dances around vital questions about the human condition that it is barely able to articulate , let alone address .",
      "fascinating as both nature documentary and as a portrait of a narcissistic monomaniac , utterly in keeping with herzogian type .",
      "he was enough of an amateur to be relaxed and unselfconscious , yet enough of a professional to generate all this outstanding footage , and quite rightly herzog declines to patronise or make fun of him .",
      "after having gorged on nonfiction films that tell us what to think , werner herzog 's MOV is an improbable palate cleanser , allowing us to not know what to think and encouraging us to admit as much .",
      "part punk wildlife doc , part diary of a twisted soul , part cautionary tale , MOV is a complex , unique and engrossing journey into the murky recesses of an unhinged mind .",
      "makes us feel like kids at a punch and judy show wanting to shout out `` behind you ! ''",
      "not really a nature film -lrb- unless maybe human nature ? -rrb- . i just could n't help but feel it was more opportunistic than inspired . i left feeling somewhat manipulated .",
      "the life and death of grizzly bear expert treadwell become an inquiry into the mysteries of wild versus human nature and the fine line between altruism , obsession , and madness",
      "in treadwell 's hearbreaking tale , herzog finds a near-perfect encapsulation of his career-long obsession with investigating man 's thorny relationship with nature .",
      "herzog ... has created something unique and unforgettable .",
      "in a way , MOV is the ultimate nature documentary , for it chronicles the nature of man as well as the nature of animals .",
      "a brilliant portrait of adventure , activism , obsession and potential madness that ranks among helmer werner herzog 's strongest work .",
      "... fascinating ...",
      "the loss of life will touch everyone who witnesses how a singular set of delusions and social coping factors bring it about .",
      "devious manipulation attempting to change the reputation of a madman from an apparent coward who lured his girl friend to her death into a hero urging her to escape .",
      "a mesmerizing portrait of a man who staged a 13-year dance with death .",
      "the results are by turns fascinating , horrifying , and maddening .",
      "... an absolutely fascinating portrait of humanity at its most brutally honest , and is so much more than merely a cautionary tale .",
      "perhaps in treadwell , herzog sees a reflection of the mad conquistador of ` aguirre the wrath of god . '",
      "a psychological smorgasbord .",
      "bear ambition",
      "german auteur werner herzog pieces together the remarkable footage treadwell left behind into a superb portrait of a fractured obsessive living literally on the edge .",
      "exceptionally powerful documentary",
      "out of those 100 hours of footage , a filmmaker could have made dozens of possible documentaries . the one that herzog chose to make is a compelling , crazy near-masterpiece .",
      "sad story of misplaced trust in nature .",
      "a documentary unlike any other that tells its story in a manner that 's at once inevitably tragic , pathetic and even downright silly .",
      "funny , sad , horrific , philosophical , poetic , sometimes all at the same time . this is an amazing piece of cinema .",
      "fascinating juxtaposition of an eccentric nature lover with an intellectual german filmmaker , the bears taking second place in interest .",
      "what do you get when you match a failed actor , ex-addict and former medieval times waiter with a wild grizzly ? lots of trouble ... and a good story .",
      "this is a riveting film , made all the more fascinating because it 's true .",
      "beautiful and bizarre ...",
      "MOV is many things , including a much more resonant and complex portrait of tv-poisoned narcissism than tarnation .",
      "compelling material from start to finish .",
      "herzog 's pretentious manipulation of the material turns what might have been an interesting nature film into a biased character study .",
      "a story of astonishing beauty and dark turmoil .",
      "as revealing about herzog as about his subject , the movie is brilliant , poetic , and utterly unique .",
      "by the time MOV ends , you hope the grizzly bear that ate him took its time .",
      "it is both a cautionary tale and an homage to a life lived on the edge of a psychological precipice .",
      "compelling , disturbing documentary .",
      "not for the faint of heart .",
      "-lsb- treadwell -rsb- left behind 100 hours of some of the most astonishing nature footage ever captured by camera .",
      "a chilling reminder that an outwardly pure and innocent desire to get closer to the wild can easily cross the line into the stupid , the selfish and the downright dangerous .",
      "an alternately gripping and funny-charming nature film and psychological study .",
      "if MOV timothy did n't die , the film most likely would not have been made .",
      "flows like snowmelt due to herzog 's opinionated narration and dramatic interviews",
      "treadwell emerges as a compelling figure , even when his childlike babbling at the bears sounds like the sound of the affirmations offered by the stuart smalley character on tv 's saturday night live .",
      "herzog finds a real-life figure to rival the outsized characters of his greatest films , aguirre : the wrath of god and fitzcarraldo .",
      "a mesmerizing work of disturbing power and unease .",
      "... herzog 's heroes are simultaneously engrossing and repellent .",
      "what really elevates MOV ... is the tension between the gloomy european 's view of nature as indifferent and unresponsive to man 's best intentions and the manic american 's fevered , hopeful embrace of what would ultimately kill him .",
      "the movie here is treadwell 's footage -- some of it beautiful , much of it difficult to watch .",
      "we 're spared the sounds -lsb- of treadwell 's death -rsb- , but haunted by our own mental image , one more example of the individual 's capacity to create his own reality .",
      "a film that 's at once beautiful , horrifying , tragic , uplifting , grimly humorous and unutterably sad , and it 's among herzog 's very best .",
      "a mesmerizing documentary by werner herzog about a young man obsessed with grizzly bears in the alaskan wilderness .",
      "MOV is unlike any nature documentary i 've seen .",
      "MOV is by turns hilarious , scary , touching , beautiful , bizarre , fascinating and always thought and argument provoking .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- fails to establish treadwell as much more than a serious headcase , let alone a titanic figure .",
      "a startling insight into the man and his demons ... he believed himself to be the bears ' protector ; it never occurred to him he was crossing a line that was strictly taboo .",
      "herzog is still the only person who could have made MOV . his admiration for treadwell has its limits , but he understands , better than most directors , what it means to follow dreams into the belly of the beast .",
      "herzog , who remains immune to treadwell 's projections and to his self-regard , works here as a poet of the first order -lsb- in ruskin 's hierarchy -rsb- .",
      "a haunting documentary about the fine line between devotion and delusion that deepens our appreciation for both animal and human nature .",
      "herzog comes across as the worst kind of cinematic jackass-the filmmaker who does n't trust his own work to speak for itself .",
      "the movie 's greatest draw remains the vivid , complex portrait herzog paints of a man who could have easily been dismissed as a freak .",
      "a rich , well-crafted documentary that offers a rare glimpse at someone who respected mother nature but refused to live by her rules .",
      "offers the best that non-fiction films have to offer , where the filmmaker is able to interact with , rather than simply react to , his subject ...",
      "-lrb- werner -rrb- herzog , showing his courage as a filmmaker , lets -lrb- timothy -rrb- treadwell ramble on way beyond the point of awkwardness .",
      "veteran director werner herzog finds factual subject matter that feels right up his thematic alley in MOV .",
      "a troubling and invigorating film from werner herzog , the brilliant german director who approaches treadwell 's story with equal parts sympathy and skepticism .",
      "works on multiple levels -- all riveting .",
      "it 's an uncompromising character study of a man who found peace , and ultimately death , among some of the most dangerous predators on the planet .",
      "MOV has the creepy voyeurism of going through a dead man 's pockets .",
      "wild kingdom was never like this ... in herzog 's bizarre rerun , treadwell gets to be the star of his own movie . the only thing he had to do was die .",
      "MOV is a truly provocative essay .",
      "transcendent and absorbing , depicting our place in the universe with ferocious honesty and unflinching strength .",
      "director werner herzog handles this difficult material with exceptional skill .",
      "herzog is primarily interested in treadwell the filmmaker , but you 'll likely be fascinated with him as a human being .",
      "it 's amazing stuff : treadwell the amusingly overeager bear-man vs. herzog the cold-eyed chronicler of human excess ."
    ],
    "summary": "whatever opinion you come to have of the obsessive treadwell , herzog has once again found a fascinating subject .",
    "id": "3620"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1153719-syrian_bride",
    "reviews": [
      "a classic case of a film without a focus .",
      "comes by its sweetness honestly . and while multinationalism is no guarantee of quality , this film is a true multinational affair .",
      "though too schematic and too intent on resolving all its prickly family issues , the MOV nonetheless packs an emotional punch .",
      "it seems to line up every conceivable cultural , sexual or religious fender-bender it can for maximum conflict . but at the same time , israeli director eran riklis and palestinian co-writer suha arraf use the device to reveal touching human complexity .",
      "i like everything about the MOV except the title . and , in the grand scheme of things , that 's no big deal .",
      "all politics is personal , but rarely has that credo been illustrated so winningly as with eran riklis ' delicate comedy about the maddening intersection of families , cultures and borders .",
      "the movie charms while making a bold statement about the borders that governments and individuals construct to keep each other apart .",
      "as enjoyable a piece of cultural satire as any that 's come out of this highly troubled region .",
      "the real interest in the film enters by the side door , through supporting characters .",
      "it all comes together in a potent cinematic mix , one that lends a deep humanity to a part of the world in dire need of greater understanding .",
      "this israeli effort is a humanistic drama -- shot through with believable , everyday comic moments -- that personalizes the political agenda in the middle east .",
      "the film becomes so dreary that it feels like a funeral .",
      "the inability to communicate becomes , in the MOV , a problem both political and personal .",
      "there is comedy of an absurdist sort in the film by israeli director eran riklis and palestinian screenwriter suha arraf .",
      "the ensemble cast is generally strong , but -lsb- hiam -rsb- abbass , who played the mother of one of the suicide bombers in paradise now , is a standout .",
      "-lsb- director eran riklis -rsb- has much to say about the invisible lines that separate people , and rein in dreams .",
      "tackling serious issues with humor and understanding , the film portrays mona 's woes as a microcosm of the entire mess in the middle east .",
      "a thoughtful and engaging film set in the turbulent golan heights .",
      "this israeli film gives us an honest look at situations we never see in the news . it may have too many flaws to be a good film , but for its content , it is a winner .",
      "while the film 's depiction of bureaucratic frustrations and familial woe are universal , the characters themselves can be difficult to warm up to and often seem as arid as their surroundings .",
      "an engrossing absurdist comedy .",
      "political dramas and soap operas do n't have much in common , which makes this hybrid as surprising as it is entertaining .",
      "an extraordinary israeli film that is unlike any other wedding film ever made !",
      "unrelentingly pedantic , it 's also utterly humorless .",
      "riklis performs a delicate balancing act , juggling a half-dozen plotlines , each of which is made vivid by his terrific cast .",
      "the best israeli film since late marriage , this classic wedding saga about a complex political situation on the syrian-israeli border never loses sight of its humanism",
      "it 's a lovely little film that puts a big , big bite on some very large issues .",
      "it is written , directed and acted with real compassion and sympathy for the humanity of its characters , no matter who they are or on what side of these multiple issues they turn out to be .",
      "eran riklis 's tightly wound film is about a bride-to-be trapped between syria and israel .",
      "it exudes affection , for its characters and their culture as well as the unprepossessing beauty of the scrubby terrain that holds them in thrall .",
      "-lrb- t -rrb- he triumphs still are affecting , the setting is compelling and some of the human moments amid the political circus and culture wars are downright moving .",
      "in the assured , jean renoirlike , sympathetic handling of director riklis -lrb- zohar -rrb- , individuals deserve empathy while the socio-historical forces crushing them demand scorn .",
      "reps generous-hearted ensemble storytelling .",
      "amal becomes the heart of the MOV and abbass its most poignant treasure .",
      "the MOV manages the rare feat of blending the personal and the political in pitch-perfect fashion .",
      "the MOV becomes an overtly political movie , but with all its loose threads and random directions , it feels more like the pilot for an unmade miniseries .",
      "eran riklis and his co-writer , suha arraf , take impressive care to create a sensitive and thoughtful examination of each character -lrb- and country 's -rrb- deeply held bias .",
      "riklis uses her wedding day and various other family crises as a way of examining the larger problems that plague people living in the middle of the trouble .",
      "the lapses are eclipsed by an abiding empathy toward his characters .",
      "eran riklis ' remarkable film explores the combined effects middle eastern geopolitics and age-old repressive conventions have on a 25-year-old bride .",
      "what do you suppose happens when a woman in the golan heights decides to marry a man on the other side of the syrian border ? what happens is an international incident ."
    ],
    "summary": "a humane and empathic work , the MOV depicts the personal impact of politics upon individuals .",
    "id": "9271"
  },
  {
    "movie": "wild_wild_west",
    "reviews": [
      "the effects are done well , but we are long past the era in which good special effects alone could carry a movie .",
      "MOV is as clumsy , contrived , heavy-handed and leaden as the 80-foot-tall metallic robot at its center .",
      "extremely stupid and incompetent .",
      "it 's shallow , predictable and completely overblown , but it 's also good-natured and reasonably fun .",
      "an elaborately overpriced , over-hyped , and overproduced shell of a movie that will make history only as one of the screen 's more self-indulgent box-office bombs .",
      "point the finger of shame at the crack staff of writers .",
      "the summer 's best reason to count popcorn kernels , unless you find yourself counting sheep first .",
      "wild wild worst , worst worst west , vile vile west -- i have n't decided which is my favourite alternate title but they all apply to this hulking , overblown piece of celluloid garbage .",
      "basically , what you see in the trailer is what you get , and nothing more .",
      "leaves you wondering how things could have gone this wrong for a team of first-rate talents .",
      "it was if the cinema had been turned into a laugh-free zone .",
      "it just feels tired .",
      "like a botched chemical equation , these seemingly perfect ingredients combine into a fizzle .",
      "amazingly , this film is pretty much just as bad as the critics have made it out to be .",
      "although most of the jokes fall flat and the action is n't all that creative , what 's missing most from the film is a sense of wonder and magic .",
      "jump on the bandwagon , because it 's really that bad .",
      "this monument to the vacuous excesses of chequebook cinema highlights the desperation of those who throw money at the screen hoping it will buy them a blockbuster .",
      "the film is lean , but not mean , and entertains , mostly , from beginning to end .",
      "this is not so much a review as an inquiry into memory , as i attempt to recover the one tiny redeeming virtue .",
      "MOV is sadly a big disappointment considering the great team behind it .",
      "sad , desperate attempt at quirky action/comedy .",
      "... has style to spare , a few laughs and some imaginative touches . also like ` avengers ' it has stars who look like they 'd rather be somewhere else , a lack of verve and a script that takes the long road to nowhere .",
      "the most hollow of the recent hollywood offerings .",
      "sonnenfeld 's cheerful irreverence keeps it reasonable .",
      "sonnenfeld 's sardonic voice appears to have been trapped in the web of the giant iron spider that rampages through the last part of the film .",
      "some very talented people stub their collective toes quite elaborately and expensively in MOV .",
      "i was n't prepared to see such inanity from will smith .",
      "do n't say i did n't warn you .",
      "the film aims low and still misses .",
      "having seen MOV , a retro-sci-fi western comedy that tries to get laughs from a double amputee in a steam-powered wheelchair , i must ask : where 's the rest of the movie ? the funny part ?",
      "MOV is a farce that 's occasionally funny , often in a rather laboured way , occasionally thrilling and more than occasionally puerile .",
      "as monoumentally stupid and aggressively anti-fun as the film 's rancid reputation would have it be .",
      "too many elements remain unexplained , and it ca n't really take four screenwriters to come up with this for smith , while he 's battling five assassins : `` that 's it ! no more mr. nice guy . ''",
      "western action-comedy set in bordello ; lots of gunfire .",
      "... a sporadically amusing yet disastrously overblown adaptation ...",
      "a film where the concept came first and the script -- and everything else -- seems to have finished a poor second .",
      "the gimmicky , light-hearted 1960s tv series comes to the screen as an ungainly , clanking , gooey box of eye candy , a vehicle for star will smith and special effects supervisor eric brevig .",
      "the latest in a tiresome stream of adaptations of old television shows .",
      "... it has so many gadgets and gizmos in it that it sinks under its own weight .",
      "the movie 's problem is that it 's a cartoon , offering no emotional involvement with its characters and no dramatic imperative .",
      "west seems at times like zorro by way of 20,000 leagues under the sea , but it has neither the charm of the former nor the vigor of the latter , and none the insouciance or wit of the original show .",
      "this film is fun most of the time .",
      "though MOV 's story never comes together -lrb- what salma hayek 's character has to do with anything is a mystery -rrb- , it generates a good amount of laughs .",
      "the ace in the hole in MOV is shakespearean kenneth branagh as the villain , loveless .",
      "the script is serviceable and sporadically amusing but lacks spark and polish ; the pacing feels not brisk but downright brusque .",
      "e a história ?",
      "gets by on sheer style , as well as the irrepressible likeability of its star will smith .",
      "a giant , bombastic flop of a movie .",
      "i figured the screenwriters would rape the show for its best elements , then stoke it with paint-by-numbers action and effect sequences , and i was right .",
      "the action plods , the characterizations are thin and inconsistent , and worst of all the comedy 's not very funny .",
      "the future of the nation and the life of a president are at stake , but no one expresses fear because they 're too busy being cool .",
      "there are six writers and eight producers listed in the credits . is it any wonder that it feels like an amalgamation of mismatched bits and pieces ?",
      "MOV has six screenwriters and between them they could n't come up with one good idea or one decent line of dialogue .",
      "so we have a light comedy full of racial slurs and cripple jokes where the hero hunts down the mass-murderer who killed his parents .",
      "the sheer fun generated by the characterizations will provide enough entertainment value for the average moviegoer .",
      "if every cloud has a silver lining , my lining is that my year-end worst list is one film closer to completion .",
      "i recommend you suspend any whiff of disbelief and enjoy sonnenfeld 's hammy sci-fi western , set in the late 1860s .",
      "smith 's hip-hop aloofness and kline 's master thespian routines do n't mesh .",
      "terribly lame humour do n't help .",
      "it makes for a satisfying summer moviegoing experience .",
      "the plot and action are so preposterous that it 's jarring when the movie tries to introduce serious business .",
      "the contempt for the audience displayed in MOV is breathtaking .",
      "all looks and little substance , the film is visually appealing but clearly shows that the same detail was not applied to its story .",
      "while its television counterpart will continue to live on in syndication , this version is headed for boot hill .",
      "there 's so much going on at every moment that the movie keeps you going on visual stimulation alone , and that kind of pleasure should never get short shrift .",
      "a stylish , witty , imaginative diversion .",
      "it is not a good film , but it is n't a disaster like last year 's `` the avengers , '' either .",
      "in this noisy , joyless , bizarrely static fiasco , every element on screen seems to let the air out of the one before it .",
      "will smith , what were you thinking ?",
      "MOV is a comedy dead zone . you stare in disbelief as scenes flop and die . the movie is all concept and no content ; the elaborate special effects are like watching money burn on the screen .",
      "clunky and ungainly .",
      "the wild , wild west is a rambling wreck from computer tech and a helluva souvenir - that is , for those interested in artifacts representing the american movie at its worst .",
      "had the filmmakers spent a 10th as much time honing the script as they did on the nifty art direction , MOV could have been something more than gibberish with a colorful candy coating .",
      "messy , mean-spirited !",
      "an almost complete waste of time , talent , money , and giant mechanical spiders .",
      "the most special effect in the movie is the incandescent star power of will smith .",
      "moderately amusing .",
      "the clanky screenplay is downright dopey .",
      "will smith is a mighty star , so fabulously charismatic and adorably self-confident that he almost overcomes the blatantly dumb plotting of barry sonnenfeld 's version of the old robert conrad tv series .",
      "MOV is fun and funny where it should have been wild and wilder .",
      "there 's no denying that the picture is a mess ; but speaking as someone who finds the ` blockbuster rhythm ' to be generally stupefying , there 's some pleasure to be had in tuning in those rogue notes .",
      "i did not laugh once during this entire picture .",
      "mild mild mess",
      "it was fun .",
      "fun , special effects , and action right up to the climax where `` www '' wanes into a `` b + '' .",
      "MOV is hardly flawless , but it 's lots of fun nevertheless .",
      "this is exactly the right kind of movie fun for a scorching hot summer day when your brain is too tired to think and will settle for being amused .",
      "few things are potentially more dangerous to the health of a studio picture than giving a director and a star enough rope to hang themselves .",
      "whenever the action threatens to become thrilling , it is undercut by silliness .",
      "ruled by increasingly ghoulish special effects , it leaves reality so far behind that its storytelling would be arbitrary even by comic-book standards , and its characters share no common ground or emotional connection .",
      "the western deserves better . so do smith , kline and branagh . so do hayek and sonnenfeld . and maybe even , heaven help us , so does the wild , wild west .",
      "how can studios pour millions of dollars and masses of talent into that a project that inspires such apathy ?",
      "a wild , wild mess !",
      "it 's often hard to tell what 's going on -- where , when , and why .",
      "even if it 's not an outright bomb , the film is still a huge disappointment , considering the level of talent involved .",
      "it is n't funny , and it is n't exciting .",
      "a thoroughly misconceived mishmash of pop attitude , nostalgia and james bond-style gadgetry turns the fondly remembered western tv series into a monumental misfire of a summer action movie .",
      "no-surprises , entirely by-the-numbers plot .",
      "if you do n't think kevin kline in drag is funny , wait 'til you see will smith in drag -- it 's even less funny .",
      "it 's like an artemus gordon contrivance that wo n't quite work .",
      "it is an obnoxious , sexist , crude , disgusting , and dead-in-the-water series of lame actions and insipid character situations .",
      "a totally derivative pastiche ... plenty of lame jokes !",
      "the quintessential cotton candy movie : it 's pleasant , brightly colored and the minute it 's done it 's as though it were never there .",
      "MOV deserves only one wild .",
      "heaven knows he gives it his best , but not even the smart , sexy and immensely likable smith can save this awful barry sonnenfeld picture from the oblivion it surely deserves .",
      "a mountain of bad writing , a confusing plot , atrocious jokes and surprisingly bad special effects .",
      "an insanely over-hyped dud .",
      "handcuffed to this blockbuster of all blockbusters and sprawled in our reclining seats , we pass the time counting familiar scenes from other movies .",
      "the credits for MOV are mostly exemplary , and yet the screenplay is swill .",
      "forget all the ruinously expensive special effects . they 're not worth a minute of your time , much less two hours of mind-boggling mediocrity .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is this year 's godzilla , avengers and spice world all rolled into one . it 's the disappointment of the summer , the worst tv adaptation in recent memory and , almost needless to say , a fiasco of cosmic proportions .",
      "it will probably make buckets of money , but as this summer 's action movie , MOV only gets mild .",
      "the curse of the recycled tv series strikes again as director barry sonnenfeld manages to transform a mildly amusing mid - '60s tv show into a bloated big-screen bore .",
      "the script is remorselessly smutty , the one-liners are below average and the giant mechanical spider climax endlessly drawn out , but the wildly inventive gizmos give entertainment value and draw a shield over the numerous flaws .",
      "a hundred or so minutes of missable anti-entertainment .",
      "MOV might once have had aspirations of becoming a grand hollywood entertainment . along the way , though , it turned into something far more routine , a slick and predictable piece of moviemaking that 's ultimately routine and humdrum .",
      "those expecting the quick wit and inventiveness of the television series will certainly be disappointed , as will those who expect the hip suavity that one usually gets from any performance by will smith .",
      "for pure summer escapism , you could do far worse .",
      "it 's exasperating . best to give a miss to a movie whose title should be mild , mild zest , or just failed , failed jest .",
      "unfortunately , smith 's abundant charm is squandered by making him play second fiddle to a bunch of dumb machines that look like rejected maquettes from a star wars brainstorming session .",
      "for maximum entertainment , a movie ca n't afford to waste so much time being its own carnival barker , relentlessly trying to drum up interest .",
      "wild , wild west poses this not very pressing question : can a comedy costing something north of $ 100 million hope to succeed solely on the basis of special effects , cross-dressing and a vertically challenged villain ?",
      "in the tradition of such unwatchable blockbusters as armageddon , con air , and godzilla comes MOV , yet another cinematic spruce goose that illustrates how bigger is rarely better .",
      "the movie is exhausting , utterly without feeling , and pointless -- though smith looks great in his western outfit .",
      "the result ? a cautionary tale about boys and their toys and what happens when a star , will smith , and a director , barry sonnenfeld , are given way too much money to play with .",
      "a smith blockbuster is as much a fourth of july tradition as parades , barbecue picnics and patriotic speeches , but MOV is a wet firecracker .",
      "bolstered by a subtly funny supporting turn by kevin kline and a scenery-chewing performance by kenneth branagh , smith carries the movie with his signature ease ."
    ],
    "summary": "bombastic , manic , and largely laugh-free , MOV is a bizarre misfire in which greater care was lavished upon the special effects than on the script .",
    "id": "11293"
  },
  {
    "movie": "village",
    "reviews": [
      "spoiler right here : ben stiller is in the woods .",
      "what will moviegoers think when they realize they 've actually bought a ticket to an atmospheric but mostly mellow romance that delivers only a few jolts ?",
      "a frustrating , self-indulgent exercise in twilight zone trickery that leaves the audience holding the bag , wondering what happened to the picture they paid money to see .",
      "the MOV shows that -lsb- m. night shymalan -rsb- has matured both as a storyteller and a filmmaker .",
      "the MOV is a colossal miscalculation , a movie based on a premise that can not support it , a premise so transparent it would be laughable were the movie not so deadly solemn .",
      "more trick than treat .",
      "let not the bad movie be seen . it encourages them .",
      "all this craftsmanship and a very fine performance by howard , however , is in the service of a story that unlike shyamalan 's previous films contains no underlying themes or ideas .",
      "while the MOV might not blow the door off its hinges in terms of frightening you , it does something more significant : it leaves the door ajar , beckoning us to enter a different realm .",
      "might have made a good 20-minute short or twilight zone episode .",
      "dangerously dour .",
      "i 'm not sure exactly why i 'm protecting the shocking twist , because it certainly does n't deserve to be protected .",
      "the MOV is not completely awful , but it comes closer than one would like to admit .",
      "the would-be surprise only makes you rethink the reason you went to see the movie in the first place .",
      "MOV idiot .",
      "in a time when hollywood is more interested in remakes and sequels than in original movies , shyamalan continues to tell new stories . and he 's really good at it .",
      "thought-provoking thriller too intense for some .",
      "gripping , creepy , and very well acted with a great breakout performance from bryce dallas howard ...",
      "m. night shyamalan keeps the story vague enough to work up to his plot twist , and while i wo n't reveal it here , i will say that i do n't think the payoff is worth it .",
      "shyamalan remains ever the master of mood and of unseen , inchoate menace ; he can give depth and gravity to scenes that in other hands would be either boring or ridiculous .",
      "shyamalan can stretch out a moment like a master guitarist ... yet here his skills are put to service in the form of a laborious rather than meticulous charlatan end-around .",
      "shyamalan did not set out to be a cinematic o. henry , and what some might call the `` obligatory surprise '' in the MOV is what i would only call a new level to the interest .",
      "so close to being a feature-length ` twilight zone ' episode that i would n't have been surprised if rod serling had strolled out ... especially since shyamalan sees dead people .",
      "most of ` the MOV ' meets all of shyamalan 's requirements for a do n't - leave-to-get-popcorn movie .",
      "the payoff in ` the MOV ' is not one of creativity and purpose ; it 's one of convention and betrayal .",
      "shyamalan 's carny act already feels like it 's decades old .",
      "shyamalan wants his audience as brainwashed to the truth as his characters , but as the final twists deliver the only thematic interest , it 's a dreary ride getting there .",
      "an eloquently suspenseful film .",
      "those who give themselves to this film , beautifully lensed with a fine performance by newcomer howard , will have the pleasure of rewinding the early reels in their mind .",
      "feels as if shyamalan is coasting .",
      "it 's the lack of a genuine wizard behind the curtain that robs the MOV of much of its suspense , but the movie has merits that go beyond goosebumps .",
      "m. night shyamalan 's portentous period thriller wrings some efficient thrills from these clichéd elements , but collapses under the weight of a labored and unsatisfying ending .",
      "must be seen multiple times to fully experience the choices shyamalan makes with his camera , one of the most versatile perspectives of any filmmaker working today .",
      "this is n't a spooky and clever supernatural thriller at all , but a thoughtful , challenging allegory that stops at nothing short of a statement on the human condition .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan is -rsb- in complete command of his forces , more subtle and sustained .",
      "this is bad , amateur work given a superficial veneer of professionalism .",
      "what seemed so interesting and unconventional about the plot grasps for an ending , spinning the film in a direction that is forced , rushed and incongruous with all that preceded it .",
      "dumb 's the word .",
      "for those who like the director 's body of work , appreciate the twilight zone , and have a high suspension of disbelief threshold , the MOV is likely to satisfy .",
      "this movie is as big a hoax as the notorious sci fi channel faux documentary the buried secret of m. night shyamalan .",
      "the MOV pours on creepy atmosphere , but this dud is too intent on delivering its liberal ` message ' to actually deliver the kinds of scares it promises in the terrific trailer .",
      "even if the MOV is one of his lesser works that , like 2002 's signs , does n't stick to the ribs , it still gets the wheels spinning in one 's mind .",
      "every MOV needs an idiot -- and m. night shyamalan is hoping it 's you .",
      "shyamalan , as usual functioning as writer , director and producer , plays on our expectations like a virtuoso while subverting them .",
      "shyamalan deftly turns a familiar fairy tale into an eerie scary tale .",
      "the MOV is probably shyamalan 's subtlest movie and his least scarificating .",
      "comes close to matching the intensity and surprise of shyamalan 's biggest hit , the sixth sense .",
      "it 's being sold as a massively scary movie , but all that 's really scary is that a talented cast -- which also includes judy greer , brendan gleeson and adrien brody -- could be lulled into thinking shyamalan 's script was anything but obvious nonsense .",
      "though it 's not as contrived as 2000 's unbreakable , the MOV disappoints .",
      "shyamalan 's least satisfying post-sixth sense effort .",
      "up until somebody gets knifed in the gut , the MOV is about as interesting as an episode of upn 's amish in the city -- without the city .",
      "go in with a snide attitude , desperate to see the sixth sense director fail , and you 'll leave with your prejudices underpinned . better to embrace the experience and allow shyamalan to show off his sublime gift for suspense .",
      "in this election year , our cinemas have been overrun by insincere communities headed by dissemblers-in-chief .",
      "the MOV is both atmospheric and beautifully shot , but the end result is deeply disappointing .",
      "made with such elegance , atmosphere and wonderfully mannered performances it will nestle deep inside your head , refusing to budge .",
      "another voluptuous piece of tension and shyamalan 's best work since the sixth sense",
      "unfortunately , the chills here are poorly thought out , and the plot twists are more predictable than interesting .",
      "... does n't even begin to ignite the protrusive passion that trademark shyamalan films are known for ... a solitary thrill-maker in search of an imaginative spark",
      "shyamalan 's best film to date .",
      "shyamalan made a big impression with his out-of-the-blue twist in his first blockbuster , but now i wonder if he 's capable of anything else but twists .",
      "high on foreboding atmospherics and low on goosebumps .",
      "there is no doubt that shyamalan is a gifted director who knows how to push audience buttons , but heavy-handed horror shows like this one make the man behind the camera seems less an artist than a huckster .",
      "it 's tedious instead of provocative and so unconvincing as to be preposterous .",
      "the MOV does n't quite return shyamalan to the heights of the sixth sense . but it 's close enough for discomfort .",
      "the MOV is a film wherein the whole is sadly less than the sum of its eerie parts .",
      "it 's not very scary . and absent the skin-crawling , hair-raising magic that usually attends a shyamalan movie , the MOV is a bit of a long sit .",
      "it sets a scary sylvan atmosphere but provides few frights and lots of unintentional chuckles .",
      "sure to divide , if not downright piss off a lot of people . personally , i loved it .",
      "a faux thriller , so filled with camouflage and manipulation that when the big twists are finally revealed , the entire film loses any true sense of value .",
      "-lrb- shyamalan 's -rrb- twofold objective is to tell his story while keeping the audience off-balance , so they do n't know for sure what 's around the next corner .",
      "movies are far too expensive to waste your hard earned money on this mess .",
      "i , too , think the war on terror is hypocritical b.s. , but i do n't go around making badly-written movies about it .",
      "... here 's the answer to the biggest question you 'll have after the movie is over : no , you ca n't get your money back .",
      "while the MOV may not ultimately be considered one of shyamalan 's best efforts ... it still bears his unique mark for understanding the human condition .",
      "it 's as disappointing as thinking you are about to get on a fast roller coaster , strapping in tight , and then being sent through `` it 's a small world . ''",
      "admiring a con man 's skill does n't make me any less enraged when he 's ripped me off .",
      "literate and visually expressive .",
      "in crafting a film about the ways fear can manipulate -- are there really creatures of mass destruction in the woods ? -- shyamalan gives the film a metaphorical weight that goes deeper than goose bumps .",
      "the MOV pales next to the crackerjack ghost story of the sixth sense but excels far beyond the psychobabbling in unbreakable .",
      "as a failure , the MOV is certainly interesting , but a failure it stubbornly remains .",
      "for my money , this undeniably talented writer-director has been repeating himself with steadily decreasing potency ever since the wonderful the sixth sense , and his latest excursion does nothing to buck the trend .",
      "significant and unforgettable .",
      "the MOV is shyamalan 's weakest story .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan -rsb- has n't lost his eye as a director , but the story is a mess , boring at first and then becoming progressively sillier until it loses complete credibility .",
      "a sometimes engrossing shocker with a surprise ending that is n't especially shocking or surprising .",
      "shyamalan 's films have become life support systems for his twists .",
      "definitivamente no será recordada entre lo más selecto de su filmografía , pero si gustan del género y del sudor frío , esta es una obligada .",
      "the MOV est la premičre réelle déception provenant de shyamalan .",
      "how i wanted to flee the dreadful ` MOV ' after its first 20 minutes . what happened ? it 's the story . it 's the direction . it 's shyamalan .",
      "es el típico ejemplo de cómo una película puede -lrb- o intenta -rrb- manipular a su audiencia y hacerle creer que va a ver una cosa cuando en realidad se trata de otra bien diferente .",
      "the color red is forbidden because it attracts those we do not speak of - except , apparently , for all of the red herrings shyamalan has left strewn about",
      "the film 's biggest disservice is shyamalan 's uneven , confusing script that concludes with a surprise , but a dismal one .",
      "the MOV is an enormous disappointment -- not because the ending is so banal , but because shyamalan has become a director who no longer trusts his talent .",
      "a powerful tale of isolationism , a desire for innocence and hope , and a fear of the unknown .",
      "a well-meaning , half-hour twilight zone episode stretched to the outer limits of a two-hour feature .",
      "shyamalan deveria abandonar a carreira de roteirista e dedicar-se apenas ŕ de diretor : seu talento é grande demais para ser desperdiçado em tramas cada vez piores .",
      "the MOV does n't pack quite the punch of the sixth sense , but it 's equal to shyamalan 's last two films .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan 's -rsb- most meditative and lovingly rendered offering thus far , if also his least fun .",
      "forget the twist at the end and concentrate on the love story for that is where the magic lies .",
      "would i see it again ? i may never go to any shyamalama-ding-dong movie again .",
      "shyamalan 's MOV provides an open window into his gifts - and flaws - as a top-flight director",
      "overall - an average film . a clever story is realized in a rather bland way . sort of a `` little red riding hood '' seed planted in the mind of m. knight .",
      "... une fable simpliste et naďve ...",
      "shyamalan should consider a chicken-or-the-egg question of his own making : what comes first , the plot or the plot twist ?",
      "in his quest to outsmart his audience and outdo his previous films shymalan has become , dare i say it , predictable .",
      "hollywood 's worst argument against homeland security since the terminal",
      "slow , silly and pretentious .",
      "shyamalan should certainly be given credit for wanting to make films that dare to inject some philosophical ponderings -lsb- but -rsb- the MOV is a concept , not a film .",
      "it 's splendor in the grass meets the blair witch project . you can take that any way you 'd like to",
      "gorgeously made and amazingly atmospheric , but the sprawling cast and skill ca n't make up for a certain thinness in the plot .",
      "cancel your newsweek covers , shyamalan just flopped off the road to becoming the next hitchcock .",
      "a high-camp mélange of brontë 's wuthering heights and skinner 's walden two , the MOV may be the year 's worst film .",
      "... the combination of shyamalan 's natural gift for storytelling and the strongest ensemble cast he 's ever featured is impossible to resist .",
      "the MOV needs a shot of viagra ... needs to be scarier , more sinister , more shocking , and more emotional .",
      "... this gothic thriller is regrettably about as terrifying as an episode of pbs 's frontier house .",
      "shyamalan is a master of mood , tone and style , like hitchcock , and keeps the scary bits off screen , which in this desensitized world , makes them all the more frightening .",
      "... a sleepy hollow-like folk tale that is light on character development and heavy on symbolism and suggestion .",
      "... an enigma to which each viewer must bring something and from which each viewer will most likely take something away . in my case , i brought a lot more than i took away .",
      "it is not a bad film , despite its goofy plot , thanks to top-flight acting .",
      "-lsb- the love story -rsb- between the two young , uncorrupted stars suffuses the entire movie and has made me forgive , if not forget , the movie 's flaws .",
      "a timely mention of the ways that violence begets violence , and in how effective terror can be in keeping people under control .",
      "shyamalan ca n't brings himself to abandon the familiar . until he does , however , he 's just going to keep coming back with diminishing returns .",
      "it 's hard to care about situations that have been designed only to obscure the ultimate twist .",
      "picturesque , slightly haunting but silly in a frustrating way .",
      "what really lurks within those woods is -lrb- fear not : no spoilers here -rrb- a very mixed bag .",
      "still one inventive , scary and heartfelt movie .",
      "if you 're willing to follow shyamalan wherever he goes in his inquiry into how the us got so terrorism-fixated , he leads you into provocative , if uneven , territory .",
      "this feels like the work of a more mature filmmaker , one who 's less hung up with proving his own cleverness",
      "a bewildering disappointment .",
      "a supernatural thriller for adults .",
      "a timely , powerful , and surprising drama about the dangers of a fear-based culture and the soul-stirring power of love .",
      "in his latest foray into the realm of the supernatural , m. night shyamalan turns an artful gothic tale into a homework assignment .",
      "the film has a strong , sometimes jolting musical score . but the song that will go through many viewers ' minds is never sung in the movie . it 's that old peggy lee standard , is that all there is ?",
      "a film of great elegance and skill that 's often delicious to watch , but its surprises do n't surprise ; in fact , they fall a little flat .",
      "i see a dead movie ... though it 's designed as one of shyamalan 's trademark puzzlers , the only real surprise is how stilted and hokey it is .",
      "shyamalan remains a stilted screenwriter , but roger deakins 's cinematography is spooky , creepy , eerie all the way .",
      "the MOV often wavers , but it never completely fades away .",
      "far more interesting as a trip than a destination .",
      "thriller is hardly the word for this tedious exercise in clue-hiding .",
      "yields more genuine rewards in retrospect or on subsequent viewings .",
      "the movie starts off as a psychological thriller and then turns into a tale about the transformative power of love . neither of these two story paths , alas , is particularly riveting .",
      "a maddeningly miscalculated hack job .",
      "-lsb- the characters -rsb- are victims of the outer structure -- the plot , and its requisite rug-pulling , becomes the focus , overshadowing the characters the audience had invested in .",
      "not only is the MOV not credible , its shallowness makes it dislikable .",
      "the MOV proves two things : -lsb- shyamalan -rsb- is a master of the old-school film craft that emphasizes atmosphere and character over action ; and he is riding a one-trick pony and that poor pony is nearly dead .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- genuinely spooky stories that 'll rattle you to the bottom of your popcorn tub .",
      "the MOV is m. night shyamalan 's best work since the sixth sense .",
      "-lsb- shyamalan -rsb- looks only to sideswipe the audience with twists , even if they do n't hold up to close scrutiny .",
      "discerning filmgoers will be able to see the film for what it really is : an embarrassing and underhanded attempt to manipulate the emotions of the audience .",
      "a monumental disappointment . i love shyamalan 's films but this one is only cable worthy .",
      "offers the ultimate conundrum . a complex motion picture that demands a second viewing , yet does n't offer enough that 's scary or emotionally resounding to be worth the first .",
      "shyamalan surpasses his best to deliver an utterly accessible and totally enthralling film , one of the most original works to hit the big screen in recent years .",
      "i must admit that i was always intrigued by this movie and , despite the weakness of the film 's revelation , fascinated by the final destination that shyamalan had in mind .",
      "problem is : the tame , third-act plot payoff just is n't worth the build-up and does n't come as much of a surprise if you listen carefully to the dialogue .",
      "the film is so plodding and the climax so...anti-climactic , that any lessons the audience has learned are forgotten as soon as their eyes start rolling in disbelief .",
      "... shyamalan 's storytelling is always an attempt to connect with an inner child that wants to believe in a lie both plausible and fantastic . `` the MOV '' is no exception .",
      "while the pictures are pretty and the whole enterprise takes itself ever so seriously , the MOV is not nearly as frightening as it thinks it is .",
      "if ever there was a movie designed to convince the audience into thinking it 's wasting its time , the MOV is it .",
      "when night falls",
      "we are propelled back to the 19th century and meet an interesting cast of characters .",
      "so meaningless and distanced in its details that it hardly stands a chance of wooing even the most willing fellow traveler .",
      "do n't go to the MOV to be surprised , shocked , waylaid or titillated . go to think hard about the human project .",
      "an enraging bit of nonsense that is made all the worse by shyamalan 's apparent delusion that he has created something extraordinary .",
      "let 's face it . shyamalan knows how to wield the cinematic fear factor . ... maybe he 's just running out of things with which to rattle us .",
      "the heart of the movie is bryce dallas howard as ivy . every moment she is on screen is fresh , touching , and real .",
      "when you find yourself bored and wishing a movie would speed up and get to the twist ending already ... well , that 's not a particularly good movie , now is it ?",
      "shyamalan has followed his own template , but neglected to fill in the most important parts . the movie is a disappointment .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- rustrating and tedious and then -- bam ! -- slams the audience with the knowledge that they 've been had , and maliciously so .",
      "the film is rarely suspenseful , frequently cheesy and oftentimes dull . shyamalan did n't even bother to rip-off good movies , this time .",
      "gets off to a sluggish start and then takes a while to get to anything jump-out-of-your-seat-worthy .",
      "the ghosts of sixth sense continue to haunt shyamalan ... for the first time he has created characters we ca n't identify with , living in a world we ca n't relate to .",
      "unlike his earlier films the MOV unravels before your eyes , saving you from feeling you 've been made a fool of at a later point , and is thus a great time-saver .",
      "shyamalan extends a decent 30 minute twilight zone episode into a two hour endurance test",
      "`` the MOV '' is n't a place for everyone to visit .",
      "you want to shut down the action and demand an explanation . where are these people ? why are they behaving this way ? what do they know that we do n't know ?",
      "the most beautifully crafted stupid movie i 've ever seen , and a pitiable act of self-sabotage . it is n't healthy for a young filmmaker to decide he 's become his own genre .",
      "the big twist at the end does n't quite sustain the weight of the previous two hours ' build-up",
      "maybe m. night shyamalan should forget this whole `` plot twist '' business altogether ...",
      "disappointing , puzzling and implausible even for shyamalan 's usually sensical world .",
      "despite her lack of actual sight , ivy can see people 's `` colors , '' and while she wo n't tell lucius his color , you might presume it 's not the `` bad '' one .",
      "another mediocre lunacy from the overrated m. night shyamalan .",
      "i can read the signs . i have a sixth sense that m. night 's winning streak is not unbreakable - the MOV is the proof .",
      "what the MOV says about human behavior is more chilling than any plot twist .",
      "a grimm brothers fairy tale taken to the outer limits .",
      "a good looking and well-paced oddity that 's marketed as a thriller ... but manages to stand on its own legs as a touching romance",
      "in his desire to repeat a previously winning formula , shyamalan this time delivers a dud .",
      "shyamalan 's plotting is spotty , especially in the less-than-satisfying finale , but his textural touches are strong .",
      "shyamalan 's most mature and least showy film to date .",
      "shyamalan 's best film since the sixth sense .",
      "there will be worse movies this summer than the MOV , but few ultimately as silly .",
      "a more interesting movie than those two most recent shyamalan films .",
      "in the end , the MOV poses a thoughtful parable about bliss and ignorance . for shyamalan of late , that 's a twist .",
      "... my least favorite m. night shyamalan film so far .",
      "for those who just want a good scare , rest assured the best -lrb- and worst -rrb- of it comes across as wait until dark meets the blair witch project .",
      "... the film is saved by its acting - most notably bryce dallas howard 's outstanding performance ...",
      "if it takes a MOV to raise a child , it takes a megalomaniac writer-director to raise an idiot movie .",
      "every bit as rich and unforgettable an experience as the sixth sense .",
      "shyamalan has yet again been able to create an eerie and foreboding atmosphere that always has you suspecting something sinister is just about to happen .",
      "shyamalan , far from being a master of suspense , has n't yet figured out that the shadowy things you glimpse out of the corner of your eye are always scarier than those you 're allowed to gaze upon directly .",
      "... one of the most idiotic , preposterous stories ever contrived by a major filmmaker .",
      "i take perverse pride in admitting that they caught me totally by surprise .",
      "shyamalan is on the top of his game for the most part , it 's just the inane ending that drops the film down into mediocrity ."
    ],
    "summary": "the MOV is appropriately creepy , but shyamalan 's signature twist ending disappoints .",
    "id": "10191"
  },
  {
    "movie": "eat_drink_man_woman",
    "reviews": [
      "what makes a movie like this work is how much you care for the characters , and each one here is very well-drawn and fully dimensional .",
      "a spicy , well-written comedy about family , food and independence .",
      "lee and his fine ensemble of actors will soon enfold you in a journey of delightful twists and turns . and in the end , a family you 'll long remember .",
      "MOV may not just amuse and entertain you . it 's likely to make you very hungry , too-perhaps for more than food .",
      "that guarantee of good taste is , finally , a bit of a downer ; there are plenty of surprises , but no hint of risk .",
      "a remarkably assured comedy-drama of domestic life in taiwan .",
      "mildly charming .",
      "the study of social manners and suppressed feelings became lee 's specialty .",
      "ambitious and entertaining .",
      "ang lee 's two-generational soap opera displays the most elaborate food preparation and the most delectable meals since like water for chocolate .",
      "the creatively decorative food presentations upstage the soap opera story .",
      "the food metaphor never carries weight , and the characterisations are too shallow to lend the film emotional punch .",
      "this film is stunningly involving , and it just races along from revelation to revelation .",
      "but by the end , i felt that lee had , so to speak , stuck a little too closely to the recipe : his movie is moderately enjoyable in a been-there , done-that sort of way .",
      "what makes lee 's films so engaging is the generosity of spirit that he extends toward all of his characters .",
      "lee 's MOV is tender without being mushy , sweet without being syrupy -- and surprising in ways that can only make you smile .",
      "a vivacious comedy about families and how to survive them .",
      "although the prime influence on lee 's stately style and several of the film 's themes is the japanese genius yasujiro ozu , there is more than a hint of woody allen in this complex ensemble comedy .",
      "what makes this a lee film-and one of his best-is how well he and his co-writers understand all the relationships , and what 's going unspoken .",
      "this is a startlingly superior piece of craftsmanship , with the flavour of life and richness of the script conveyed via uniformly wonderful performances .",
      "a richly textured comedy about the tensions across two generations of a confucian family , MOV typifies the filial focus of lee 's early work",
      "a wise and touching piece that matches movies like babette 's feast and like water for chocolate in its depiction of food as a source of spiritual nourishment .",
      "the colors and textures are totally indescribable . keep watching the show ; resist the urge to leave and go to the closest chinese restaurant !",
      "the results often yield unknown surprises and treats .",
      "wonderfully seductive , and nicely knowing about all of its characters ' appetites .",
      "unlike the food , the movie 's central drama takes a while to heat up , but offers lovely rewards at the end .",
      "superb interweaving of the motifs of food and the search for love",
      "solid but sometimes slow drama . i prefer the update `` tortilla soup . ''",
      "a warm and keenly observed character piece , filled with mostly exceptional performances .",
      "serves up a rich gallery of sharply defined characters .",
      "the movie 's main appeal -- beyond stomach yearnings caused by its cuisine -- comes from the actors , who infuse their archetypal roles with comedic appeal .",
      "MOV is a delicacy but also something more -- something like food for the heart .",
      "the personalities in this well-drawn family combine to produce subtle new flavors -- and in the end , no one is spiced as you 'd imagined they 'd be .",
      "an enjoyable comedy-drama , perhaps a bit on the light side .",
      "who said foreign films ca n't be fun ?"
    ],
    "summary": "a richly layered look at the complex interactions between a widowed chef and his daughters , ang lee 's generational comedy MOV offers filmgoers a tasty cinematic treat .",
    "id": "17093"
  },
  {
    "movie": "limits_of_control",
    "reviews": [
      "at 15 minutes , it might be deemed an interesting experiment . at one-hundred and 15 minutes you have a film that tests the limits of the audience 's control to stay awake and in their seats .",
      "one character talks about molecules moving around in ecstasy , and i think this film has that kind of mystery .",
      "with the MOV , -lsb- jim jarmusch -rsb- has come up with a dud .",
      "it will frustrate many viewers , and it often frustrated me , but there 's something about it that keeps your gaze , despite the self-indulgence of much of the filmmaking .",
      "the MOV are simultaneously intimate and global . and isaac de bankolé 's face reveals just as much as you can know .",
      "-lsb- jarmusch -rsb- is making some kind of a point . i think the point is that if you strip a story down to its bare essentials , you will have very little left . i wonder how he pitched this idea to his investors .",
      "however artsy it may be , a movie that jerks the audience along from beginning to end is not a good one .",
      "like many of his films , jim jarmusch 's the MOV will test the limits of its audience 's patience . patience , though , is often rewarded , and so is attentive listening and watching .",
      "it may seem perversely appropriate that a picture that 's mostly about waiting should make you wait for something to happen , but what may be artistically defensible is n't necessarily pleasurable .",
      "the medium is the message in this slow but sure road piece . little action and almost no dialog emphasize the seductive photography and make a film that keeps moving in spite of itself .",
      "folly of the most pretentious order , the MOV is a meaningless stylistic immersion from the typically on-point and perceptive jim jarmusch .",
      "christopher doyle 's fine cinematography ca n't compensate for a lack of narrative acuity .",
      "for all its cinematic references , -lsb- the movie -rsb- seems impatient with the need to tell a narrative at all , as if its secret wish were to be a photography exhibit , or an album of half-connected songs .",
      "... seems like a purposefully opaque version of a shaggy dog story , in which the joke is on the listener , for sitting through the telling .",
      "it just feels tired and recycled -- the referencing of rimbaud and blake , the flagrant hipsterism that here falsifies rather than refreshes ... the above-it-all attitude toward connecting on a human level .",
      "unfortunately , the whole seldom adds up to the sum of its illustrious parts , and jarmusch 's trademark deadpan quirks seem to have gotten lost in the translation .",
      "watching `` the MOV '' is like looking at an art instillation that dares you to lower your expectations to its level . the game is fixed .",
      "plods along with a self-seriousness that borders on parody .",
      "this is one of those movies that 's too cool to have a plot .",
      "the MOV feels like a dream i had after a slightly off paella and way too much bad wine .",
      "the MOV casts a hypnotic spell that will entrance some viewers -- myself included -- while leaving others searching for the nearest exit .",
      "the lone man remains inscrutably cool from beginning to end . he is is nothing more a hit man for hire who likes his coffee just so .",
      "this indulgent exercise in audience torture deliberately avoids every beat of an espionage thriller .",
      "feels tedious , bland and pretentious . it 's the kind of film that 's more appropriate to be studied shot-by-shot in film school for its expert camera techniques and other production values instead of experiencing it with a movie theater audience .",
      "it 's unfair to call jim jarmusch 's the MOV the emptiest movie ever made , but i wrote that in my notebook as i struggled to stay awake .",
      "this screed against big government and technology in favor of bohemianism , music , film and painting by way of searching for one 's own reality may be pretentious ... , but it is also a cinematic puzzle that will divert film geeks .",
      "a bad-ass film , probably the most overtly and self-consciously bad-ass film jim jarmusch has made .",
      "... a torturous , boring , nonsensical monotony .",
      "jarmusch gives us a film designed to test the limits of our patience .",
      "this may well be the most longwinded , boring and pretentious film ever made .",
      "a ponderous and pretentious thriller that 's noticeably light on thrills .",
      "plot is n't in it . this is an essay in style , in which a great american director is transplanted to southern spain .",
      "jarmusch 's film captivates stylistically , and at least some credit 's due to his less-is-more plotting . but extensive introversion leaves it gasping for air , almost vanishing up itself .",
      "the showdown has the feel of mission : impossible remade for the ica crowd and what might have been a cheeky distraction for 90 minutes is just plain tedious approaching the two-hour mark .",
      "this is a demanding film that will no doubt fuel the art-house naysayers , yet set against a vivid spanish canvas jarmusch 's poetic pretensions become not only explicable but palatable as well .",
      "if you need a working definition for bad jarmusch , look no further than the MOV , which functions more as a wilful act of self-pleasuring than worthwhile experiment .",
      "jarmusch 's characteristic indifference to narrative excitement makes it hard to love - and may indeed return you to being agnostic .",
      "you have to take sides . go see the film , go judge . either this is plotless rubbish designed to inflame tabloid newspapers . or it is the future of cinema , and jarmusch has got there before the rest of us .",
      "for those who expect a coherent narrative that moves at a reasonable pace , director jim jarmusch 's latest movie is likely to confound and annoy .",
      "jim jarmusch 's dada meander , shot by christopher doyle , is empty and excruciating -- that 's really all you need to know .",
      "instead the film is like a series of sun-saturated french impressionist paintings , so beautifully is it shot by cinematographer christopher doyle and so soft-focus is its narrative .",
      "with the MOV , jim jarmsuch gets tangled up in his own deadpan .",
      "this subversion of the classic film noir , rather than conjuring air so thick you could cut it with a knife , is instead so thin that the lack of substance may simply send you into a drowy state . the MOV , or rather the limits of patience .",
      "director jim jarmusch tests the limits of our patience with this indulgent , minimalist exercise that all adds up to nothing .",
      "too much of the MOV feels canned and airless , so stifled by jarmusch 's obsessions that it loses all sense of surprise .",
      "a nondramatic work best appreciated as a pure image-and-sound event .",
      "the tiring repetitiousness of ` MOV ' may prove too much for many viewers .",
      "a pretentious and tedious tale of a killer on a mission .",
      "offers an astonishingly sensuous experience",
      "by surprising us with repetitions , jarmusch suggests that we should n't take these events as literal , traditional storytelling . this is play -- serious play .",
      "nothing more than jarmusch 's worst film since night on earth .",
      "... a zen gangster film , a mandala that scatters itself at the end . its very quietude and uneventfulness force you into the moment every moment ...",
      "it 's a film , jim , but not as we know it : a meandering bad trip through a gorgeously shot spain that 's really only accessible to tenacious jarmusch enthusiasts .",
      "a work of dazzling formal discipline that riffs on the simple notion of repetition and variation .",
      "cool , handsome , self-assured ... but , as the existentialists might say , what 's the bloody point ?",
      "it 's beautifully wrapped in art , philosophical musings , mystery and film lore .",
      "this shallow conundrum is at once a dull thriller and a humourless comedy , the sort of colossally self-indulgent and boring film that only a successful and revered director could make - or be allowed to make .",
      "it 's bold , confrontational cinema that will , as its author intended , have you questioning at every turn just what it is you expect from a modern movie , and more importantly , why .",
      "while it 's probably too meandering and vague for mainstream cinemagoers , this offbeat thriller is a terrific example of jarmusch 's subtly cheeky tone , plus gorgeous christopher doyle cinematography and a terrific cast .",
      "a crime thriller with the crime and thrills taken out .",
      "stylish but stilted , beautiful but tiresome , it becomes a film that simply tests the limits of your patience .",
      "the MOV gives off the scent of a thriller but the general odour of an art movie purposefully going nowhere .",
      "watching the MOV and thinking about the MOV are two very different endeavors . both have their pleasures and neither is simple .",
      "this enigmatic journey is beautifully photographed by christopher doyle , and for a while it 's intriguing and amusing in its very offhand way . but soon you realise that there 's really nothing here .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "a beautifully shot , sharply written and quirkily enjoyable thriller that plays like a jim jarmusch reboot of point blank .",
      "the maddeningly enigmatic MOV , the new film by the minimalist director jim jarmusch , tackles the sort of subject that is usually the basis for a tasty thriller -- the odyssey of a hired assassin -- and strips it of almost everything that usu",
      "the MOV is hard work for the audience yet by degrees rewarding , captivating and fascinating .",
      "for those who prefer substance over style , the MOV has little to offer beyond the tedium of a half-baked storyline with undeveloped characters .",
      "the MOV is a shaggy dog story , but it 's leaner and less precious -lrb- and more beautiful -rrb- than the past few jarmusch films .",
      "the soul shivers at the film 's cold beauty .",
      "jim jarmusch disappears so thoroughly into his elliptical style that he 's made an impossibly obtuse , arid film .",
      "jim jarmsuch has been responsible for many of the dullest hours ever spent at the movies . his new the MOV is no different .",
      "this is an empty , boring sedative by jim jarmusch , a writer-director with not enough talent to be either .",
      "unwaveringly rhythmic",
      "the magic of limits is that jarmusch has used rigorous formalism to construct what feels like a loose , dreamy continuum of ideas .",
      "jim jarmusch 's latest - his best since dead man -lrb- 1995 -rrb- - practically begs for dissection and analysis , but it 's better , perhaps , to read the film 's many repeated symbols , sayings and actions as mood enhancers rather than intellect stimulators",
      "the MOV , even with its flow of star cameos -lrb- tilda swinton , gael garcía bernal , a frenetic bill murray -rrb- , is a listless long pause that rarely refreshes .",
      "while some will find jarmusch 's tale -lrb- if one can call the dialogue-poor film a tale -rrb- pretentious , others will adore its artistic sensibilities .",
      "seems to exist neither in complete reality or complete fantasy .",
      "a filmmaker who is always cerebral and occasionally very soulful , jarmusch -- fascinating even at his most tepid -- could do better to have a lot more red blood flowing through his recent work and a little less ice water .",
      "cooler than you 'll ever be , and more irritating , jarmusch 's star-infused indie overload strives to divide audiences . mission accomplished .",
      "there 's a wonderful sense of intrigue throughout as we jump into the skin of isaach de bankolé 's lone man protagonist as he follows obtuse clues that point him towards his unknown quest",
      "you could say it 's a movie version of a su-do-ku puzzle , which contains a series of small puzzles that make up one larger puzzle",
      "jarmusch has decided to make a film composed of things he likes for a variety of reasons , few of which have anything to do with the art of telling a story .",
      "i was carried along , delighted with the sound and imagery , and happy to play jarmusch 's mind games . if cinema is like that for you -- sound and image first , story second -- then this film could pleasure you as well .",
      "the most minimal film yet from jim jarmusch and while it 's fascinating to a degree it becomes somewhat tiresome eventually when you realise it 's not really going anywhere .",
      "it just becomes so repetitive and so self-conscious , so self-referential and film referential , and i finally ended up feeling that this film was way too clever for me .",
      "the MOV is two hours of beautifully framed and shot wtf -- a dream i 'm pretty sure i 've never had .",
      "paint drying . photosynthesis . rush-hour traffic . all these activities would be more entertaining to watch -- and probably speedier -- than jim jarmusch 's the MOV .",
      "jim jarmusch takes no prisoners , especially from his audience , in his quest for art house glory .",
      "every time something seems to be happening , jarmusch tips us gently back into sleep mode . it 's enough to make you long for a sip of one of the countless espressos the nameless man enjoys .",
      "this is not a hollow motion picture , just an inert one , displaying a puzzling atlas of abstraction that seems sincere enough ; there 's just not a single reason to care about any of it .",
      "this is indulgent filmmaking at its most pretentious .",
      "the movie 's main pleasure lies in the early scenes , which mix the filmmaker 's familiar deadpan humor with an antonioni-like sense of arid emptiness and conundrum .",
      "the film , while being sold as a hit-man drama , is really just a series of vignettes , with bankolé 's blank slate character encountering various people in spain .",
      "though beautifully shot by cinematographer christopher doyle , the movie 's self-awareness cramps its awe .",
      "distracted by the minutiae of the rituals he has constructed , jarmusch seems unconcerned about making a point , or even constructing a coherent story .",
      "for the impatient viewer , jarmusch 's pulpy , poetic exercise will probably feel hopelessly , unintentionally parodic , prompting disdain and derision . consider yourself warned -- not everyone 's going to go for this business . but i did .",
      "this interminable trifle from indie icon jim jarmusch aims to be the last word in ironic cool , but it comes across as the work of a fatigued dilettante .",
      "i once saw an exhibit at an art museum that was a separate room where the noise and light would increase until you could n't take it anymore . similar feeling here .",
      "the film may be ahead of its time -- or it may just be an elaborate put-on .",
      "-lsb- the shots in the MOV are -rsb- beautiful to look at , but it all goes nowhere in a movie that 's all simulacra -- all form and theory with no substance , like a shiny disco ball that reflects everything but is still empty inside .",
      "what a drag it is to descend from coolly blank to boringly meaningful .",
      "let its craft wash over you . go with its flow .",
      "it is an elusive , beautifully shot movie , and the more i pondered it , the more i was fascinated by the questions it left in its puzzling , mysterious wake .",
      "it 's exactly the film jarmusch wanted to make , but it 's also smug , excruciating , borderline pointless . you could call it a deliberate effort to invert the conventions of the thriller ; you could also call it , more rightly , a self-deluded disaster .",
      "the fun here is in the experience of simply watching and listening , each of equal importance .",
      "should be re-titled `` the limits of a moviegoer 's patience as a mystery man eats paper while showing amazing restraint lying next to a naked girl '' .",
      "the MOV contains all the wonderful things that only jim jarmusch can do but lacks some of the necessary things that jarmusch either ca n't or wo n't do .",
      "the eerie displacement of being at large in alien territory is the guiding emotion in jarmusch 's movies , and in none more so than this one .",
      "this is an off-the-wall , unlikely thriller , but i found it very intriguing .",
      "jim jarmusch is a national treasure , and the MOV is his first stinker .",
      "it is a film full of nothing . why is anyone supposed to watch it ?",
      "if you force-fed horse tranquilizers to the bourne identity , you 'd end up with something like MOV .",
      "where i see thrilling structural and formal exploration , another viewer could see so much pretentious twaddle , and that 's a perfectly reasonable response .",
      "jarmusch has taken the idea of a caper , drained it of plot , action and suspense , and set it against an absurdist background , where every symbol , person and incident should convey meaning but does n't .",
      "while `` the MOV '' is a curiously unsatisfying work as a whole , especially when coming from a filmmaker of jarmusch 's stature , it nevertheless contains a number of undeniably engaging elements ."
    ],
    "summary": "a minimalist exercise in not much of anything , the MOV is a tedious viewing experience with little reward .",
    "id": "770784006"
  },
  {
    "movie": "epic_movie",
    "reviews": [
      "friedberg and seltzer 's most staggering achievement is rendering `` MOV '' free from laughs .",
      "the gutter-brow auteurs who helped write the first scary movie and created date movie milk their lame sketch-comedy minds for yet another punishingly uninspired skewering of hollywood hits .",
      "the latest spoof from knucklehead screenwriting team and first-time directors jason friedberg and aaron seltzer .",
      "the film never becomes anything of its own , however ; it merely jumps from spoof to spoof , often with tenuous transitions .",
      "an amateur-hour game of spot that reference , intended for people who crack up simply at the mention of anything topical .",
      "MOV strays so far from the solid fundamentals of filmmaking that it calls the very foundation of humor into question .",
      "how can you make fun of such self-aware subjects as borat or johnny depp 's winkingly fey jack sparrow ? who has n't already noticed tom hanks ' bad da vinci code hair ? and really , is there anything left to say about samuel l. jackson and those snakes ?",
      "everything you loved about the past couple of years ' blockbusters , only much less entertaining and with a lot more urination .",
      "go rent blazing saddles instead .",
      "... juvenile at best and flat-out lame at worst ...",
      "click to read review -lrb- though i have no idea why you 'd want to -rrb-",
      "desperately unamusing comedy that lurches clumsily from one tedious spoof to the next , under the mistaken impression that just referencing a film is enough to get laughs .",
      "the most excruciating , unfunny film you 'll see this year ... if not your entire lifetime .",
      "epic in its crapness .",
      "next to MOV and date movie , the scary movies are french cuisine .",
      "... another perfect storm of not funny .",
      "because nothing in the universe is funnier than watching jack sparrow or willy wonka break out into hip-hop gyrations .",
      "one of those throw-everything-at-the-screen-and-see-if-anything-sticks movies ... in this case , nothing does ... all terrible -- puerile , vulgar and unfunny .",
      "too simple , too vulgar and too obvious to be funny movie . it 's not even chuckle movie or giggle movie . it 's in your face , with most humor centered around taking characters you recognize and just making them dumber",
      "none of it makes much sense and none of its funny , and to see such truly talented performers like coolidge , willard and kid-in-the-hall kevin mcdonald , who appears briefly as a seedy , middle-aged harry potter , is merely depressing .",
      "bad taste and worse jokes abound . MOV 's humor is n't tired ; it 's comatose .",
      "thankfully , the crude , scatological parody MOV , unlike the movies it sends up , is short .",
      "what was the last studio picture this bad ? maybe 2002 's the adventures of pluto nash . i 've seen more talent in my cat 's last dump .",
      "on january 26th , i have witnessed what is assured to be the worst film i will behold all year .",
      "pity -lsb- the producers -rsb- could n't find anything funny to do once they 'd built the sets , and found dead ringers for anna paquin , paris hilton , p. diddy and jack black .",
      "friedberg and seltzer are nothing if not intrepid and they jump right into his willy wonka and his captain jack sparrow , landing with such a leaden thud that they should be nursing their wounds for the rest of their lives .",
      "you know a movie parody is in trouble when you ca n't quite figure out the frame of reference for the parody .",
      "the parody is not a bad genre , as the early zucker films showed us . it 's just been put in the control of bad filmmakers .",
      "this one is a typical time-waster for teenagers or others with disposable income and underdeveloped taste .",
      "sucks",
      "sucks like a black hole .",
      "maybe these movies are popular , but it seems they just keep getting more inane with each variation on the theme .",
      "a painful regurgitation of memorable moments from recent hollywood blockbusters , the spoof film MOV is almost entirely devoid of laughs .",
      "raunchy blockbuster spoof is over the top , dumb .",
      "it plays out like an overlong comedy central skit lurching for the next laugh without any remorse for the gross misfires in between .",
      "this movie is like a sneeze of bad jokes splattering its germs into the air we all breathe .",
      "there 's very little that 's epic about MOV . while the film has plenty of fun , it 's little more than a late-night comic sketch stretched to feature length .",
      "i 've always loved parody . it 's too bad that garbage like this is what passes for it these days .",
      "friedberg and seltzer are completely tone-deaf when it comes to the art of film parody , conjuring none of the adolescent brilliance of airplane ! or even the good-natured irony of 2001 's not another teen movie .",
      "funnier than date movie , not as funny as scary movie 4 . -lrb- is -rrb- a `` free '' page on myspace the new indicator that -lrb- a film is -rrb- pretty cheap all around ?",
      "it is just too bad that the film is n't called miniscule movie because that is a better description of this epic-less piece of garbage .",
      "MOV is a comedy that is so spectacularly bad in so many ways that it 's almost awe-inspiring -- at every point in the film , every creative choice seems to have been made for precisely the wrong reason .",
      "it could be worse , but that 's not saying much .",
      "despite all the scatological high jinks on display , most of the satire is affectionate rather than merciless .",
      "a laugh-deprived misadventure .",
      "the makers of MOV have just discovered the existence of urine , vomit and pimples , and declared them hilarious .",
      "woefully unimaginative , obvious and numbing ... MOV is lazy and toothless in its inability to satirize material that does n't need the hysterical microscope .",
      "thankfully , at 90 minutes , MOV is anything but epic . unfortunately , there is little else to be thankful for in friedman and seltzer 's latest and most meagre lampoon .",
      "in this latest and tiredest friedman/seltzer puff piece the law of diminishing returns persists .",
      "can a picture really be considered a parody if it merely parrots rather than satirizes its source material ?",
      "look what happens without the wayans brothers ' pens .",
      "what makes MOV such an unpleasant endurance test is n't its rampant stupidity or slavish reliance on crude humor -- it 's the sheer laziness on display throughout .",
      "unfortunately , this film fell flat and its filmmakers seem to have lost the ability to translate the humor in a satirical way .",
      "satire points up and emphasizes truths that have gone unnoticed , punctures pretension and tweaks the self-important . audiences laugh at the unexpected revelation of truth . MOV does none of that .",
      "the real problem with MOV is that while it does a decent job imitating films , it never bothers to make fun of or have fun with them .",
      "when you start thinking that the taco bell pitchwoman is perhaps too good for the material , you know the script has some serious problems .",
      "what you miss most is the shamelessness and wit that anna faris and regina hall have brought to four installments of scary movie . in lieu of those two , there are exploding pimples , a tongue frozen on a pole , and industrial-strength projectile .",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a tapeworm , this delivers few laughs beyond the initial chuckles of recognition .",
      "jason friedberg and aaron seltzer must be stopped . for the last 10 years , this filmmaking team has created a series of spoof movies so feeble , shoddy and unfunny that they may be part of a diabolical , manchurian candidate-like plot .",
      "extravagantly -lsb- expends -rsb- elaborate sets , special-effects , music , costumes and actor look-alikes for the sake of a few lame gags and a legion of crotch-kicks .",
      "at times there is no visible difference between this and the fictitious film *** , the two-hour , single-take , academy award-winning shot of a flatulent gluteus maximus from mike judge 's idiocracy .",
      "writer-directors jason friedberg and aaron seltzer seem to think a half-baked imitation of the original constitutes instant comic gold ."
    ],
    "summary": "a crude comedy with nothing new or insightful to say about the subjects it satirizes .",
    "id": "425849224"
  },
  {
    "movie": "soul_surfer",
    "reviews": [
      "like its main character , it really comes alive when it catches the waves .",
      "though it flirts with saccharine sunday-school uplift , there 's a redeeming core of sincerity in this story of real-life tragedy and perseverance .",
      "a movie of easily digestible truths and canned inspirational messages , taking every possible easy route though a story that could have used a few more thorns .",
      "an earnest family movie that practically drowns in uplift and good intentions .",
      "somewhere not far beneath the glossy pop skin of MOV , the true story of bethany hamilton is struggling to get out .",
      "a solid inspirational story that takes seriously a couple of things often made trivial in popular entertainment : surfing and religion .",
      "the best moments come when robb 's all-purpose toughness experiences vulnerable doubt . these moments are flickers , but they 're bright and human .",
      "this is an inspirational sports drama stuffed full of christian values and cgi that draws the eye in ways both good and bad .",
      "the movie feels emotionally distant , as if director sean mcnamara was so busy setting up gorgeous surfing footage that he forgot to bring the story to the audience .",
      "that `` MOV '' rates as a giant leap for this team speaks well about the conviction the movie 's actors bring to the material as well as the respect afforded the hamilton family and their faith .",
      "there are good stories and there are good movies . MOV is a good story .",
      "earnest sports biopic tugs at heart despite cliches .",
      "an inspiring tale , even when true , does n't necessarily make for an inspiring movie .",
      "surprisingly i came out of MOV without that sticky sweet feeling you get from too much schmaltz and only a strong desire to see annasophia robb in more moves and carrie underwood in far fewer .",
      "a by-the-numbers biopic about young surfer bethany hamilton .",
      "for plenty of family viewers , this film will catch a wave .",
      "slick , visually exciting , inspirational christian drama based on the true comeback story of a teen surfer who loses her arm to a shark .",
      "it 's bethany and alana 's friendship - its sturdiness and vulnerability , its laughs and sincere apologies - that rules the day .",
      "hamilton is played , blandly , by anna sophia robb , and her devoted parents , less bland , are played by dennis quaid and helen hunt . the surfing footage , much of it shot off the coast of kauai , is not bland at all .",
      "on-the-nose dramatically but marked by invested-in performances , feel-good movie of genial deification MOV should play quite well in red state rural and suburban areas .",
      "its presumed audience would be surfing enthusiasts , teenage girls , and religious conservatives - particularly christians - who wish to see a movie reflecting their values .",
      "shamelessly pandering to the elusive christian family audience , a committee of 18 producers and seven writers has removed nearly every trace of grit from this airbrushed portrait .",
      "should be especially engrossing to young girls eager for purposeful role models and be especially appealing to parents seeking wholesome but not inane entertainment for their daughters .",
      "although the question of why god allows bad things to happen is sometimes handled clumsily , it is approached sincerely , and it clearly points to the difference faith can make .",
      "robb delivers an intensity and ferocity that would make kobe bryant quake in his sneakers , which makes up for a simple story and film .",
      "feels like a tv movie , something you 'd see on lifetime or we - with the exception of the surfing footage itself .",
      "given the heroic subject , the movie is as thrilling as a dish of rice pudding , a made-for-tv-style effort that rides a wave of religious sentiment into theatres .",
      "the film is not perfect - the narration is unnecessary , the surfing special effects look cheap and carrie underwood is unsteady in her cameo - but it 's moving , anyway .",
      "the flaw in the storytelling strategy of `` MOV '' is that it does n't make bethany easy to identify with . she 's almost eerie in her optimism . her religious faith is so unshaken , it feels taken for granted .",
      "the swells of inspirational storytelling sometimes threaten to swamp the underlying inspirational story .",
      "... an inspiring story , extremely well told .",
      "an uplifting and utterly traditional exploration of faith in the face of death that also happens to have some terrific surfing footage and carrie underwood .",
      "as inspiring as expected .",
      "MOV seems simply too sugar-coated to be true .",
      "ah , paradise -- the opening credits end and bethany heads out of the water to church , a tent on the beach where carrie underwood is singing . wait ! carrie underwood ?",
      "director sean mcnamara 's relentlessly shiny , happy outlook crosses the line between believable and artificial by about the 10-minute mark",
      "like bethany 's sunshine filled life , once a great white takes the talented girl 's left arm , the film takes a dramatic turn in both tone and artistic execution .",
      "hamilton 's story is a human one with spiritual underpinnings , yet to the detriment of the inherent drama , the filmmaker tells it the other way around .",
      "beyond the hollywood gloss and pg rating , there is no denying the power of this gritty true story about a teenage champion surfer who defies the odds to get back on her surfboard and win again after losing her arm in a shark attack",
      "it would be a lie to say that this movie rises above sports film clichés .",
      "clearly bethany was quite a girl but this film prompts one simply to say `` amen '' .",
      "the film is sincere and even a little sanctimonious in the way it depicts hamilton 's family , strong christian values and work with post-tsunami orphans in phuket .",
      "a well-intentioned , big-hearted , wannabe-crowd-pleaser that just happens to be so incompetently made that it might be rejected by oprah 's channel .",
      "a solid and inspiring story about faith and family .",
      "all that separates this from made-for-tv territory is another strong turn from gifted young lead annasophia robb .",
      "the best faith-based film ever made , an uplifting , entertaining and wonderfully-acted account of surfer bethany hamilton 's life before and after a shark bit her arm off in the waters off her favorite hawaiian beach .",
      "it 's ultimately let down by some heavy-handed sentimentality , an over-abundance of bible-bashing and some dodgy cgi sequences .",
      "a well-meaning , handsomely staged biopic of the top hawaii-based surfing star bethany hamilton who lost her arm to a shark in 2003 at the age of 13 ...",
      "sure , the film has its mawkish moments , but it 's a remarkable , well-intentioned tale that deserves to ride its wave rather than to wipe out on it .",
      "essential viewing for any injured armed forces veteran or contender for next year 's paralympics .",
      "an inspiring true-life story gets a less-than-inspired film dramatization .",
      "you wonder why this movie is n't a documentary , rather than a synthetic feature film with the heroine 's arm digitally removed .",
      "this inspiring movie about courage and faith offers a wonderful role model for everyone -- not just teenage girls .",
      "MOV is a rare film these days , truly heartwarming and inspirational . the performances are wonderful and true and the movie itself is exciting and lovely to look at . it 's a perfect family film .",
      "an inspiring story about the amazing bethany hamilton , with some terrifc surfing footage . why oh why did it have to be drenched in disney channel cheery ?",
      "it may seem overly brave and religious but remember it is a true story .",
      "the movie glides by easily -- like surfing looks -- which is the result of genuine and strong filmmaking craft .",
      "robb makes an appealing screen presence ; the dodgy effects work on her shape-changing stump ? not so much .",
      "the film offers motivational catch phrases instead of any real insights into hamilton 's character or the religion that the film constantly reminds us is so central to her life .",
      "the brazenly cheap look to the special effects sends the film into mst3k territory , and it 's certainly the most hilariously awful surprise attack by a shark since samuel l. jackson got devoured by one in deep blue sea .",
      "this would have made a better documentary than a live-action re-creation . still , ` MOV , ' despite its flaws , tells the real-life inspirational story of bethany hamilton , a professional surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack .",
      "just goes to show that the gospel is n't always right . faith clearly does not assure a good movie .",
      "`` MOV '' aims for the sophisticated true-life uplift of `` 127 hours , '' but plays more like `` gigdet loses an arm . ''",
      "annasophia robb is too subdued as the teenage heroine ; one might expect more affect from a young woman fighting to overcome disability and return to competitive surfing .",
      "there 's nothing overtly disastrous about MOV , and its christian worldview is , if anything , too timidly touched upon .",
      "a simpering , insipid wannabe-tearjerker that rings so false it 's amazing that its story is actually true",
      "the true story of a talented hawaiian surfer who demonstrates great courage in the face of a setback to her dreams and discovers how she is meant to serve .",
      "hamilton 's life is already uplifting ; there 's no need to add more melodrama .",
      "this movie relies on cheese when it could have striven for heart .",
      "plays like a commercial for inspiration . basic events have been recreated , but actual feeling has been replaced by montage after montage after montage .",
      "there 's a beatific quality to annasophia robb 's performance as bethany : it 's as if the character is being canonized onscreen rather than plausibly feeling her way through a massive loss .",
      "the true story of one-armed surfer girl bethany hamilton keeps its balance in MOV , a kind-hearted coming-of-age drama with killer waves .",
      "sappy melodrama , clumsy dialogue and heavy-handed proselytizing derail the inspirational story of teen surfer bethany hamilton .",
      "nearly every conflict is built on market-tested platitudes of empowerment and registers as insincere .",
      "MOV is so spiritually sincere that complaining about its flaws could be an expressway to hell .",
      "MOV has enough integrity and surprise to lift it past a few canned moments , creating a substantial film when a cinematic disaster was all but assured .",
      "too bad that no-talent director sean mcnamara and a committee of screenwriters have dumbed down MOV to a simplistic mishmash of youth fellowship homily and hawaii tourism ad .",
      "MOV takes that story of complex emotions , determination and faith and turns it into overly simplistic mush .",
      "what does it mean that this sports melodrama made for tweens shows more craft and heart than most of the year 's grown-up hollywood fare ?",
      "MOV , while formulaic in design , is an authentic and heartfelt movie .",
      "the sincere message -- perseverance is essential when faced with life 's setbacks -- is a good one , but the movie is a bit of a chore to watch .",
      "unless you like your inspiration in heavy-handed doses , you might be better off watching the real thing - on youtube .",
      "in the end , the platitudes take over completely , but the inspirational story is still worth telling .",
      "an amazing true story for sure , but this earnest dramatisation is so wholesome , it feels like being stuck in a never-ending activia advert .",
      "a succession of would-be rousing clichés .",
      "the film that follows is thin and frothy , though watch out for that final sentimental upsurge . it could drag and lift you against your will .",
      "with a tale this strong , what could go wrong ? pretty much everything , as it turns out , with the story buffeted into oblivion by a tidal wave of syrup .",
      "a surf film employing massive amounts of cg is incredible for all the wrong reasons .",
      "it 's clear that quaid learned nothing from jaws 3 .",
      "faith-based ... with its sports-movie structure and hollywood production values , MOV is a creditable crossover picture ; it just could 've done with more nuance . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "inspiring true story wipes out on underdog clichés and waves of melodramatic hollywood cheese .",
      "it 's a compelling tale of surf and survival .",
      "does nearly everything you expect it to , but it does it more likably and satisfyingly than you might think it would .",
      "its bubbling optimism and spectacular scenery are hard not to like .",
      "... incredibly satisfying -lrb- and surprisingly suspenseful -rrb- ...",
      "whether or not the theatrical arena was the appropriate medium with which to tell bethany hamilton 's story is up for debate , but it is nonetheless one that deserved to be told .",
      "bethany 's determination and faith are remarkable . it 's too bad this movie made a brave young woman 's life appear like an unremarkable soap opera .",
      "the surfer 's story is so made-for-cinema that a complete wipeout seems almost impossible . and yet the filmmakers come pretty close .",
      "sports fine performances from annasophia robb , dennis quaid and helen hunt .",
      "as a portrait of a spirited , resilient athlete , the movie succeeds best , unafraid to face its heroine 's daunting challenges directly .",
      "MOV is the kind of sturdy , satisfying family drama that does n't get made very often anymore . but even beyond that , at crucial moments it shows there 's actually a brain behind the camera ."
    ],
    "summary": "there 's an amazing true story at the heart of MOV -- and unfortunately , it 's drowned by waves of hollywood cheese .",
    "id": "771037147"
  },
  {
    "movie": "room_237_2012",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV evokes the appeal of conspiracy theories while refusing to endorse or completely disavow them .",
      "i do n't necessarily buy any of these alternate readings , but the passion these people bring to their theories is such that you 're at least willing to meet them halfway .",
      "it works like a kubrickian da vinci code , and it lures you into seeing the shining as a kind of feature-length zapruder film .",
      "the rapturous responses seem over-the-top for this modest , entertaining , visually clever film . the fun is arguing with its subjects ' looney theories ; rewatch the shining first .",
      "... theory-drunk ... hydra-headed exposition of the joys of deep reading and a boundary-pushing experiment in fair usage of copyrighted material .",
      "i found myself torn between wanting to see the shining again immediately and never , ever wanting to see it again .",
      "the effect of MOV is intense . it 's a deep dive into the rabbit hole of semiotics , designed to train viewers to become alert to what they 're really seeing .",
      "for film buffs who love to debate cinematic subtext , the documentary is both exciting and riveting . it 's also just plain fun .",
      "ascher 's unique and unforgettable film is a tribute to movie love . i could n't have liked it more .",
      "maybe they 're all right . or wrong . it ca n't be settled . what matters is that people are still crazy about the beauty of a beautiful movie about going crazy .",
      "what emerges from MOV is not a denigration of conspiracies , but a kind of celebration of our ability to create patterns where -lrb- perhaps -rrb- none exist .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- strange , frustrating , occasionally fascinating doc ...",
      "inelegant in the way it assembles all this stuff ... but anyone who 's ever obsessed over the subtext of a beloved movie will find it amusing .",
      "MOV is about bringing a text to life through an active , prolonged , playful , or even tortured relationship to it . it 's a document of immersive obsession .",
      "do n't watch this film and expect an authoritative critical analysis of the film ; watch it and explore the distorting , drug-like pull that some art can exert on its audience .",
      "`` the shining '' is the perfect launching pad for a movie about obsessive film theorists because kubrick attracts theories like lint and this film is perhaps his most stubbornly mystifying work .",
      "it has the same entertainment value as listening to a late-night radio host indulge his listeners on roswell , area 51 and 9/11 . everything sounds completely crackers , until it all makes crazy sense .",
      "the human brain is a marvellously suggestible organ .",
      "an intellectual exercise , and an entertaining one , especially for those who do n't want to label the shining as just a ghost story .",
      "a curious and entertaining documentary .",
      "tells us more about ` the shining '' than we ever thought possible , though not a single interpretation voiced in this doc could be accurate .",
      "guarantees a whole new perspective on the 1980 movie , while making any future viewing of the shining immense fun with all this fresh information to process and flashes of madness to sort out . it 's a hypnotic documentary .",
      "a delightfully odd film , but also an enjoyable one for film fans .",
      "steadily , MOV becomes a rare kind of bird : a critical analysis that leans not on unquestionable authority but creative speculation .",
      "the doc positions the shining as a comparably coiled , thematically overflowing microcosm -- standing in for cinema , for history , for obsession , for postmodern theory buckling under the film 's heft .",
      "the wave of hype about this movie has already started . to which i 'd offer this thought : bull **** .",
      "a bunch of obsessives obsessing about an obsessive movie maker 's obsessive movie .",
      "... brings the realms of film theory and conspiracy theory a bit closer together .",
      "weird interpretations of stanley kubrick 's ` the shining ' concocted of wacky conspiracy theories and urban legends .",
      "for kubrick aficionados or fans of `` the shining , '' rodney ascher 's fine toothed combing of the 1980 horror film is intelligent , clever , and incredibly engrossing ...",
      "think of it as trekkies for the horror set .",
      "amusing and interesting if you 're a fan of the film ...",
      "... a fascinating glimpse into one-track nit-pickery , at least as entertaining as the whole `` kennedy had a secretary named lincoln , lincoln had a secretary named kennedy '' spiel .",
      "using interviews , archive footage and a creepy original soundtrack , director rodney ascher ponders what makes kubrick 's film such a draw among geeks and conspiracy theorists .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- intriguing documentary ...",
      "astonishing playful and idiosyncratic cult film documentary by la filmmaker rodney ascher .",
      "wow ... the shining just got ten times better !",
      "MOV probably wo n't convert you into a believer of any of the theories expounded , but it will make you want to watch the shining again . and when you do , you may well do a double take when you see danny 's apollo 11 sweater .",
      "if nothing else , it will make you see the film in a whole new light .",
      "a picture as riveting as being buttonholed by the ancient mariner ...",
      "kubrick was himself a detail obsessive , and that fact makes these theories very seductive .",
      "and there 's you thinking that the shining was just a scary movie about jack nicholson going nuts in a big , old hotel in the middle of nowhere . ha ! think again .",
      "-lsb- it has -rsb- a feel as strange as it 's subject matter .",
      "it 's great fun to explore geeky theories about stanley kubrick 's iconic horror film the shining , even if most of them are too spurious to take seriously .",
      "you may well have concluded that these people have too much time on their hands but some of the arguments are strangely persuasive and MOV will fascinate film buffs .",
      "what kubrick himself would have felt we ca n't know , but it might have been exasperated .",
      "misery-style uber-fandom meets david icke conspiracy freakery .",
      "king famously hated kubrick 's version of his book , but , considering the effect the film seems to have had on impressionable minds , he might approve of ascher 's amusing study .",
      "a wacky , sometimes hilariously esoteric deconstruction of the subliminal messages and hidden meanings in stanley kubrick 's the shining .",
      "MOV is an extremely fascinating film to watch whether you believe it or not .",
      "one of the great movies about movies .",
      "there 's enough real evidence supporting the theory that kubrick was a genius , and that 's pretty entertaining all by itself .",
      "kubrick fans will take ` shining ' to ` MOV . '",
      "kubrick fans and movie geeks will want to check this film out as soon as possible",
      "you know when `` MOV ″ starts getting really scary ? when the people in the film start making sense .",
      "termitic film nerds could chow down for years on the wood chips .",
      "it 's an essay about the human need to reject the notion of a random universe and find order and meaning in existence . these people are developing their own creation myths , with kubrick the mastermind responsible for the intelligent design .",
      "watching it makes you feel like you 're attending a really entertaining film class where your classmates confidently let their freak flags fly .",
      "`` MOV '' evolves from an ode to movie love at its most delirious to a wry examination of the crackpot mind at work .",
      "... all about the work of criticism - finding fresh avenues of delight .",
      "`` MOV '' could become an essential companion piece to `` the shining '' from now on . for those who see both , it will be impossible to think about one without the other .",
      "hopefully ascher will continue this trend by examining all the hidden tricks , gimmicks and stylings of other brain-twisting cinematic treats as they can provide genuine insight into the work of a director . even if it 's all just nonsense .",
      "there 's something quite charming about ascher 's refusal to outright dismiss his subjects ' hallucinations .",
      "an unusual documentary .",
      "ascher 's hugely enjoyable docu-collage of shining theories embraces ambiguity but proves that kubrick 's deep chiller is worth the revisits .",
      "aka `` bizarre and fascinating crackpot theories regarding stanley kubrick 's the shining . ''",
      "MOV is less an analysis of the shining , and more an analysis of the analysers .",
      "rodney ascher 's wonderfully wacky and vividly compelling clip-a-thon documentary goes a long way to explain why kubrick 's work has such an impact .",
      "lovingly obsessive",
      "a celebration of kubrick , filmmaking and fandom . a must see for any fan of the shining",
      "best jab at academia since jose padilha 's secrets of the tribe .",
      "you do n't have to buy any of the nutty theories in MOV to appreciate what director rodney ascher has accomplished .",
      "it 's nuts , in the best possible way .",
      "some of the interpretations seem more of a stretch than others but all are entertainingly presented by director rodney ascher . -lrb- the movie -rrb- serves as a testament to stanley kubrick 's cinematic mastery .",
      "as fascinating as it is frustrating",
      "the credibility of these theories ranges from faintly plausible to frankly ridiculous , but ascher is n't interested in judging them ; his movie is more about the joys of deconstruction and the special kind of obsession that movies can inspire .",
      "it 's about the human need for stuff to make sense - especially overpowering emotional experiences - and the tendency for some people to take that sense-making to extremes .",
      "MOV is an extended riff of the `` paul is dead '' variety . but , you know what ? sometimes a guy moving a table in the background is just a guy moving a table in the background .",
      "the results can range from enlightening - kubrick did like to mess with things - to embarrassing . but it 's never dull . `` MOV '' shines .",
      "it is nice to see a doc that makes you smile instead of making you angry . anyone who is a fan of stanley kubrick will eat this up .",
      "powered by a deep and abiding affection for both the shining and kubrick in general , MOV is an amuse-bouche of remix culture .",
      "by capturing the giddy thrill that comes from decoding difficult films , MOV says something profound about being a cine-fanatic .",
      "a documentary that compiles the theories , frequently hilarious , rarely persuasive , about subliminal imagery in stanley kubrick 's film ...",
      "a celebration of kubrick , the shining and the thrill of watching , analysing and loving film . it 's the best movie about a movie we 've seen in ages .",
      "for all its shallowness as a work of cultural criticism , -lsb- it 's -rsb- an awful lot of fun to watch .",
      "even when the conspiracies are at their wackiest - yes , someone suggests watching the shining backwards - the documentary remains genially intrigued .",
      "a documentary as idiosyncratic as its tireless contributors , MOV is first and foremost an ode to film fandom in all of its gleeful obsessiveness .",
      "lots of what they say is bonkers ; all of it is engrossing .",
      "entertainingly illustrated documentary that plays like a collection of fascinating film essays - you may not be won over by any of the arguments but you 'll never watch the shining quite the same way again .",
      "what 's attractive about ` MOV ' is how it demands that we look more closely at films , and think about motives and subtexts .",
      "ascher does his damnedest to make it visually and aurally interesting , and lets his chosen voices speak without judgement .",
      "it 's a terrifically imaginative and superbly executed examination of kubrick 's masterpiece , and it 's an interesting comment on the nature of film appreciation in general .",
      "the idea of collating these people 's ideas in a feature film and dragging them off the internet and into the light of a projector beam is an intriguing one , but at over 100 minutes it 's fair to say that most peoples ' interest will wane before the end .",
      "-lsb- it -rsb- may be the surpassingly eccentric-and enormously entertaining-film that kubrick deserves .",
      "i suspect that ascher 's intention was to dynamize an academic exercise , but these constant , sundry inserts render the tone as corny and glib as a vh1 special .",
      "this is sure to amuse you if you get a bang out of the claims that paul mccartney died in 1966 and dark side of the moon was intended as a soundtrack for the wizard of oz .",
      "`` MOV '' is an act of uncommon devotion to cinema , embracing the notion that movies are best defined by what happens to us as we watch them - how our own beliefs and experiences dictate our interpretation of what we 've seen and heard .",
      "a fascinating doc that will get both film geeks and conspiracy theorists alike drooling , it all but guarantees you 'll never watch the shining quite the same way again .",
      "a diverting excursion for lovers of kubrick 's films ... even if , at over a hundred minutes , it does go on a bit long .",
      "their imaginings are not far removed from the deconstuctionist gobbledygook that has hammerlocked academic film and literary scholarship . but here at least the gobbledygook is entertaining .",
      "confounding , eye-opening , and often hilarious .",
      "listening to fanatics go on and on about their fixations can be kind of fun . for a while , at least .",
      "i found most of what 's actually put forth in the film interpretively ridiculous . but i 'm just one theorist among millions , and the film worked for me anyway .",
      "the thrill 's in the thinking about little pieces of cinematic language as words contributing to a two-hour essay .",
      "would it be hypocritical to say that i loved `` MOV , '' even thought i felt like 75 percent of what was said in it was completely hooey ?",
      "a journey down a rabbit hole worth taking , as the film immerses us in alternately fascinating , compelling , absurd , and frightening theories about what , exactly , the shining is -lrb- or might be -rrb- about",
      "MOV is both an ode to the subversive nature of the movies and a fascinating insight into clashing obsessions in its most lurid form , even when its stylistic choices seek to destroy the experience .",
      "i ca n't buy into the notion of stanley kubrick faking apollo 11 's moon landing but he definitely helped shelley duvall fake a movie career .",
      "`` anything you say , lloyd . anything you say . ''",
      "as amusing as the movie is , i think in the end that ascher misses the labyrinth for the trees .",
      "`` MOV '' is movie so chunky and sweet you can eat it with a spoon .",
      "this documentary will entertain everyone from film junkies to conspiracy theorists and those who like to debunk them as ascher spreads his net to include everything from the most provocative ideas to blatant bunkum .",
      "this geek gossip is made even more captivating by the fact that nobody will likely ever know whether any of it is true .",
      "the theories proposed in the doc `` MOV '' are n't eye-opening . they 're laughable .",
      "unique and at times profound , MOV is a reminder of how much kubrick left for us to appreciate in his work , and how the greatest films always leave something more to be discovered with each viewing .",
      "the beauty of MOV , however , does n't lie in the validity of any one of the commentators ' thoughtful -lrb- and occasionally well-informed -rrb- speculations , but instead in that mysterious grey zone between an artist 's intentions and audience interpretation .",
      "hilarious , bizarre and provocative . you 'll never look at the shining the same way again",
      "a thrilling testament to the fact that art is - and should be - open to interpretation .",
      "like any great puzzle , the shining is a lot of fun to try and solve .",
      "a strange and enduring testament to kubrick 's cinematic legacy , as well as a fun way to look at a horror classic in a whole new way .",
      "a beautifully edited , deeply strange compendium of what different people have read into a single film .",
      "part of what makes `` MOV '' fascinating to watch and think about -lrb- beyond other people 's loopiness -rrb- is that it shows how works of art become encrusted with their reception .",
      "this movie about a labyrinth with a monster at its center is itself a labyrinth , -lsb- ascher -rsb- tells us ; better leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind you if you hope to get out ."
    ],
    "summary": "mysterious and provocative , MOV is a fascinating journey into the world of obsessive cinephilles .",
    "id": "771267278"
  },
  {
    "movie": "eight_men_out",
    "reviews": [
      "more intelligent than exciting , this is a rare gem among baseball films .",
      "he gist of t ` the situation is probably captured accurately .",
      "given the inevitably knotty plotting , the message is oddly unrevealing , although the film features more than enough intelligently , wittily scripted moments to remain a fascinating insight into a crucial episode in the souring of that old american dream .",
      "for anyone who appreciates artistic integrity and is interested in genuinely independent films , the prolific and highly personal work of john sayles is essential viewing .",
      "one of the best sports movies of all time .",
      "for mr. sayles , whose idealism has never been more affecting or apparent than it is in this story of boyish enthusiam gone bad in an all too grown-up world , MOV represents a home run .",
      "why do people like baseball ? -lrb- no answer required . -rrb-",
      "-lsb- sayles -rsb- makes the audience an expert on the era and the incident .",
      "sayles serves as a historian in this deft sports drama . one for the ages .",
      "i think it 's the best basball movie i 've ever seen .",
      "one of the best baseball films ever made ; an intelligent tragedy .",
      "it 's a period re-created with a whoosh of energy and a redeeming vein of irony .",
      "the ensemble performances are of such a uniformly high caliber that our interest in the story never wavers .",
      "does a fine job in getting to the details of the baseball scandal .",
      "sayles deftly re-creates the forces that drove men at top of their class on the diamond to take bribes : big-time crime in chicago and heartless management in the head office .",
      "unfortunately , the movie 's didacticism returns in the lengthy and somewhat tedious courtroom ending dealing with the aftermath of the series .",
      "it 's a sad and compelling piece that is totally convincing and does n't require a knowledge of baseball .",
      "the tone of MOV is reminiscent of the droll irony of john huston 's considerations of the vanity of human wishes and the corrupting power of money .",
      "the light shed on this dark period of sports history makes MOV essential moviegoing . but what makes it heartbreaking is watching the toll taken on champions betraying their talent on a field of honor .",
      "MOV never gathers much authority ; the old themes have been hung on a rickety structure that constantly threatens to collapse .",
      "the story is lumpy in spots , but fine performances and expressive camera work carry the day .",
      "MOV is the best sports film since the natural .",
      "not like the usual baseball pictures , where we 're rooting for the team to win",
      "if john sayles were a ballplayer , they 'd call him lefty -- not for his pitching arm but for his politics . the devoutly liberal filmmaker 's political point of view is certain . it 's his dramatic focus that sometimes gets fuzzy .",
      "it 's an insider 's movie , a baseball expert 's film that is hard for the untutored to follow .",
      "this serious movie puts some points on the scoreboard with its messages about gamblers who corrupt the sport and players who drag the game through the mud with their greed .",
      "sayles 's best film .",
      "baseball fans might find this marginally absorbing ; for anyone else it 's as conscientious and stylistically pedestrian as sayles 's other films , and a mite overlong to boot .",
      "strong performances help -- especially from david strathairn -- but it 's not the great american sports drama it could have been .",
      "men out plays like an american gothic , sowing the seeds of wrath .",
      "a fascinating survey of the events leading up to the scandal and the sad results that followed .",
      "in an ensemble movie like this one , an actor who grabs too much of the limelight can throw everything out of focus . the cast sayles has assembled understands the value of teamwork .",
      "a treat for baseball fans but might bore others .",
      "in 1988 , writer-director john sayles made his most ambitious film to date with this intelligent chronicle of the 1919 sports scandal , cast with some of the best actors around -lrb- strathairn , cusack , sweeney , sheen -rrb- .",
      "sayles ' excellent film is more of a human tragedy than a sports movie -- meaning that even those with a limited knowledge of baseball should find it fascinating stuff .",
      "sayles often seems like a man who , trying to stretch a single , gets caught between bases and is desperately trying to evade the rundown .",
      "sayles gives the film an intelligent , well-researched , nostalgic tone with plenty of quiet moments to round out the excitement .",
      "sayles not only depicts the circumstances that led to the fix -lrb- most notably sox owner charles comiskey 's legendary tightfistedness -rrb- , but he also re-creates the games in great detail , making the best possible use of an athletic cast .",
      "perhaps the saddest chapter in the annals of professional american sports is recounted in absorbing fashion in MOV ."
    ],
    "summary": "perhaps less than absorbing for non-baseball fans , but nevertheless underpinned by strong performances from the cast and john sayles ' solid direction .",
    "id": "10171"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1193743-step_brothers",
    "reviews": [
      "MOV is hit-and-miss , but it made me wish that the usual american comedy of ` how stupid can we get ? ' had this much rage .",
      "MOV immediately dirties its sitcom-ready path with humor that 's largely filthy and occasionally flat-out weird .",
      "totally bereft of humor , an insult to the intelligence of anyone over the age of reason , reprehensibly crude , this is worse than stupid .",
      "though its comedy is nearly as undisciplined and juvenile as its heroes , MOV generates a fair number of laughs . surprises ? not so much .",
      "when did comedies get so mean ? MOV has a premise that might have produced a good time at the movies , but when i left , i felt a little unclean .",
      "ticking away just beneath MOV ' freely associative surface is a fairly astute commentary on how we define such abstract concepts as ` growing up ' and ` making something of yourself . '",
      "nudie magazines , dog poop , words like ` mangina ' -- if these are a few of your favorite things , MOV is the comedy for you .",
      "ferrell and reilly get more mileage out of juvenile pouting and bickering than any other performers i can imagine , but that 's about as far as this goes .",
      "this one 's strictly for ferrell , mckay , and reilly -- and for those of us who really , really like them .",
      "... not as inspired as talladega nights , but it has its own deranged sense of glee .",
      "`` hilarious . ''",
      "yet another inspired attempt to mine his particular brand of repressed juvenile humor , but this time -lsb- ferrell -rsb- goes a little further with a sly commentary on the elusive definition of `` growing up . ''",
      "long live brennan and dale . a funny , raunchy comedy that likely will transport grown men back to their childhoods while watching it .",
      "MOV is no bringing up baby .",
      "brideshead revisited , it turns out , deserves a revisit .",
      "it 's a movie that makes you wonder if hollywood even remembers how to make comedies anymore .",
      "will ferrell is n't yet as irrelevant as mike ` the love guru ' myers or eddie ` meet dave ' murphy , but it 's telling that when seth rogen makes a brief cameo appearance here , he seems to be doing the much more famous ferrell a favor .",
      "ferrell and reilly have such chemistry together , and their ability to go over the top makes this film utterly ludicrous , horridly uncomfortable and ridiculously funny .",
      "i could n't stop laughing at the damn thing .",
      "there 's a good subject for satire here , the extended adolescence of american kids . but satire presupposes maturity , or at least some perspective .",
      "i thought i knew funny , but i was mistaken . before the blessed light of MOV entered my life , i knew not the sweet comedic splendors of live burial , bunk-bed catastrophe or a minivan family singing ` sweet child o ' mine ' in four-part harmony .",
      "watching people act like kids is annoying . now everyone can join in the un-fun with MOV , will ferrell 's latest summed-up-in-one-line concept comedy that tests our patience so much more than his previous movies did .",
      "there is no plot , no sense , symmetry or structure to this train wreck .",
      "this is ultimately ferrell and reilly 's show , and although the two actors have played plenty of stooges in the past , they 've never done it with quite the same abandon they do here .",
      "if you put the collected works of will ferrell , adam mckay and judd apatow in a pot , boiled off the excess and let the remainder cool , you 'd have something very much like MOV .",
      "ferrell and reilly do the man-child thing again , only this time it 's r-rated and not quite as funny .",
      "a one-joke comedy that might have made a decent recurring sketch on saturday night live , digested in five-minute doses .",
      "it is pure silliness , illogic , and unpredictable deviant behaviour played out at a pitch that achieves a kind of joyful note .",
      "do not go to MOV looking for anything remotely meaningful , sincere or spiritually enhancing . go for a laugh . it 's got plenty of them .",
      "the unraveling is n't as smartly written as the setup . and because the characters beyond the parents and boys are n't as finely tuned , the film starts to lag .",
      "MOV is stupid . childish . moronic . simple . juvenile . silly . just ridiculous . man , is it funny .",
      "nothing in the movie feels politically correct or focus-grouped .",
      "if this movie does n't make you laugh , you might want to give up on comedy altogether .",
      "the consistently funny MOV flails with such determination it might make you believe in the redeeming , endearing power of immaturity .",
      "not the best in the mckay/apatow canon , but still ... it 's funny .",
      "early in MOV , dr. doback tells his son `` dale , i think that it 's time we both made a few changes . '' would that screenwriters adam mckay and will ferrell had taken that advice to heart .",
      "you 've seen this schtick a million times before , but you 'll be too busy laughing to care .",
      "reilly jumps into his role with the zeal of a method actor -- no fear about sporting tiny underroos for the bulk of his screen time -- but he sometimes comes off as more scary than funny .",
      "it 's all over the place , and it will make you laugh when you least expect it , but maybe not so much when you do .",
      "that the film itself never attempts to achieve more than the humor enjoyed by 12-year-old boys may make it ironic , but it does n't make it funny .",
      "unlike old school or anchorman , this is n't a will ferrell movie that you 'll want to watch over and over or quote back and forth with your friends .",
      "will ferrell and director adam mckay founded the acclaimed `` funny or die '' website . on this movie , i vote `` die . ''",
      "i must dedicate this review to my friend debbie . because over the years , she and i have had many conversations about the real-life `` man boys '' we have known .",
      "ferrell and john c. reilly further prove that they 're a perfectly matched comic pairing .",
      "do n't be fooled by the family-friendly collapsing bunk-bed trailers ! this is a crude , grossly vulgar , comedic rumination on contemporary parenting and sibling rivalry .",
      "the movie slowly begins to descend into a vacuous state because the contrived script really has no place to go .",
      "there 's enough inventive hairy chested peter pan pretend preteen malice and ballsy kid impersonation , to sustain the laughs for the duration . think superbad with ample doses of talking dirty sibling revelry .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- atirizes the trend that 's all the rage now : men wallowing in adolescence through their 30s ... -lsb- h -rsb- alf the other movies we 've been assaulted with over the last few years have actually seemed to celebrate that horror ...",
      "` look , they 're grown men ! and they behave like children ! ' lather . rinse . repeat .",
      "with exhibitionist will ferrell finding another excuse to expose himself in a movie , he 's leaving himself in danger of going down in cinematic history as the man who nude too much .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- massively gross , massively funny comedy .",
      "ferrell , the hollywood star most notorious for going naked in his movies , shows off only his belly , and that for a teasing second . for most of the rest of the time , you 'll be reveling in , or enduring , one more exhibition of grown men playing children .",
      "a movie of unrelenting idiocy featuring boorish behaviour , unrealistic character development and ludicrous plotting .",
      "the concept is inherently funny , but the plot grows thin and the laughs grow fewer once the premise is established .",
      "it 's not subtle , not the cleverest thing apatow has put his name on . but for lowdown , cheap and dirty laughs , it 's pretty hard to beat reilly and ferrell , riffing , trashing and trash-talking each other for 94 mostly mean , sometimes manic minutes .",
      "though ferrell and reilly bring puppyish enthusiasm to scenes in which the overgrown boys bond , the shift to friendship leaves MOV with nowhere to go .",
      "stupid , crude and hilarious , MOV works by sneaking past our better judgment .",
      "it does n't rank high in the lowbrow-comedy genre that has produced legitimately smart entries such as the 40-year-old virgin or knocked up , but it does succeed as a token contender by delivering real laughs at the expense of intelligence and decency .",
      "although the comedy is a little messed-up and childish itself , it still delivers a few good laughs .",
      "MOV is less ambitious than anchorman or talladega and taffy-stretches a sketch-comedy premise .",
      "ferrell 's brennan is as dumb as his george w. bush , as enthusiastic as a spartan cheerleader , and as convinced of his own importance as ron burgundy .",
      "a passable comedy about two immature guys on the cusp of middle age , one which bears the marks of producer judd apatow .",
      "goofy , bawdy , and full of slapstick physicality `` MOV '' takes advantage of the natural comic chemistry between will ferrell and john c. reilly to generate a coming of age comedy that 's funnier than any of will ferrell 's recent outings .",
      "mckay keeps his comedy from straying too far into adam sandler turf by limiting the overt sentimentality and not letting the melodrama overwhelm the gloriously crass dialogue and intentionally childish conduct of ferrell and reilly who work well together",
      "will ferrell and john c. reilly are essentially playing the same person , which is the movie 's fundamental , irreparable flaw .",
      "one more step in the infantilization of american comedy ... its vulgarity is exceeded only by its stupidity , and it glorifies both .",
      "there 's something brilliantly stupid -lrb- or stupidly brilliant -rrb- about the sight of ferrell and reilly in vintage '80s t-shirts smacking each other around like steroidal kids , though it 's the little things that make their complementary performances thrive .",
      "while your tolerance for MOV will rely upon your willingness to find moronic behavior and potty-mouthed dialogue funny , i must admit that the film had me laughing consistently almost the entire way through .",
      "like toothpaste from a tube , every last laugh is squeezed from this absurd premise , where both men pushing forty act like they 're 14 . surprisingly , it 's enough to make it work .",
      "thanks to their ability to convincingly portray adults who have never emotionally advanced beyond their pre-adolescent years , ferrell and reilly perfectly inhabit these obnoxious yet hilarious characters .",
      "when MOV is funny , it 's hilarious . but when it is n't funny , the second hand of your watch sounds peculiarly loud .",
      "unremittingly juvenile and irredeemably funny .",
      "on its own terms , MOV is hilarious . but it 's a shame that the filmmakers did n't have more faith in the audience . why resort to gross-out tactics when your premise is strong enough to allow for a more sophisticated approach ?",
      "there is also a general sloppiness to the screenplay , which introduces elements that have no real pay-off .",
      "no one can play a 40-year-old obliviously immature man-child like will ferrell .",
      "ferrell has the world 's greatest job . studios pay this guy enormous sums of money to stay in constant touch with his inner idiot , while mere mortals struggle day-in and day-out to keep our secret buffoon in check .",
      "it 's clear that much of what is on the screen is there because writers ferrell and mckay found it funny , not because it serves the plot .",
      "a sometimes amusing , occasionally hilarious summer laugh fest .",
      "director adam mckay is a veteran of the judd apatow school of r-rated gross-out gooniness , but this latest installment in the canon is decidedly underpowered .",
      "the engine that drives this flick is the chemistry between mr. reilly and mr. ferrell . the two obviously delight in each other 's company , and it feels good and is funny to watch .",
      "has one joke that it beats into the ground : 40-year-old men acting like petulant 9-year-olds . luckily , ferrell and reilly were born with no shame or sense of personal dignity , and they give good tantrum .",
      "... seems to have never evolved beyond the basic concept stage .",
      "there is enough humorous material in MOV to keep you laughing some of the time , but do n't expect to see anything more than a juvenile comedy that borders on the line between mediocre and good .",
      "MOV is outrageous enough to acquire a cult . complete with male nudity and dog poop , it 's like a midnight movie you can catch at a matinee .",
      "MOV is like watching someone get kicked in the groin for 90 minutes , but it still makes us laugh .",
      "it 's certainly not terrible but it 's one of the most disjointed major comedies in recent memory , adopting a ` kitchen sink ' approach and allowing its stars to run rampant with the high concept , a tactic which yields mixed results .",
      "playing like an overlong dvd version of one of his earlier , funnier , pg-13 films , MOV finds will ferrell diving into raunchier , coarser terrain .",
      "there 's so much unpredictable comedy in MOV , and humor is so much better when you ca n't see the jokes coming from a mile away .",
      "it 's hard to find their repetitive antics amusing when they continually destroy the lives of the well-meaning parents who coddle them .",
      "it takes roughly 45 minutes for the film to start formulating some semblance of plot , but it 's too little too late .",
      "... a flat , desultory piece that relies too much on the presumed comic chemistry between its co-stars .",
      "... as much fun as being locked in a room with a pair of sexually precocious brats .",
      "in MOV , nancy -lrb- mary steenburgen -rrb- is the ideal audience , the girl who ca n't fathom the anti-nuances of masculine ritual .",
      "if you like judd apatow 's bawdy r-rated comedies and ferrell 's inspired silliness , MOV may be the most riotously funny film this side of knocked up",
      "a meagre , occasionally funny affair .",
      "there are exactly two scenes in MOV featuring anything resembling comic inspiration and neither of them rests on the film 's two stars .",
      "it 's hard to deny how absolutely hilarious MOV really is . you may feel guilty as hell for laughing at it , but it definitely does earn its cheap and childish giggles",
      "noisy , fitfully amusing , ultimately tiresome havoc .",
      "exhausted is how many audiences members will feel after squirming through such a repetitive , one-joke comedy .",
      "easily the funniest movie adam mckay has made to date .",
      "despite some obvious flaws , ` MOV ' remains a hugely enjoyable , well-constructed slice of lowbrow saturday night entertainment , leaving ferrell 's position as the reigning king of us comedy secure for a while longer .",
      "it 's no anchorman , but it 's several steps in the right direction .",
      "digestible if you can stomach the crude nostalgia . a disaster if you expect art and crafts .",
      "you 'll have seen a lot of this before but that wo n't be a problem for lovers of ` big ' comedy and die-hard ferrell fans .",
      "adam mckay 's movie hits inspiration often enough to overcome its pedestrian plot , and the sight of ferrell bawling like a baby somehow gets funnier each time .",
      "this goofy comedy is a dvd rental only .",
      "you 'll laugh a ton , but you might also feel that you can have too much of a good thing .",
      "yet as ferrell and reilly babble , yell , and clobber themselves silly in the -lrb- fruitless -rrb- pursuit of laughs over 97 excruciating minutes , anyone who manages to complete this moronic marathon with them deserves a medal .",
      "enjoyable comedy that wrings maximum laughs from its one-joke premise , thanks to terrific comic performances from ferrell and reilly .",
      "it 's turning out to be a vintage year for dud comedies - the love guru , get smart , zohan . now we have MOV tripping up on the catwalks of comedy .",
      "full of riffy , improvised moments and a couple of jaw-droppingly raunchy sight gags , the comedy follows a typical buddy-movie arc -- conflict and loathing giving way to bonding and brotherhood , or step-brotherhood in this case .",
      "as step brother plays out , the expected comedy about perma-boys ferrell and reilly blends with a borderline horror-movie about the poor parents who are stuck with them .",
      "... a largely plotless exercise in grown men behaving with the juvenile irresponsibility and self-centered obsession of spoiled children .",
      "reilly and ferrell take the average material and elevate it to funny .",
      "ferrell shows there 's only so many times you can milk the same cow before the milk spoils .",
      "neither are merely satirizing the late '80s string of age reversal comedies . instead in their own bizarro way have a charm that results in their commitment to the premise .",
      "story ? who needs a story ? we 've got miles of film with will and johnny ad libbing ! it 'll be great !",
      "it may not be the most sophisticated film around but every once in a while , you need an unabashedly juvenile goof to sort of clear the pipes and this one gets the job done .",
      "ferrell is the third best teenage boy i 've ever seen but john c. reilly may be the greatest comic actor of our generation -- he 's fearlessly earnest and incapable of mugging .",
      "MOV is a very up and down comedy but when the film is riding the upside , it is high-class laugh out loud hilarity that pushes that r-rated envelope in a good way .",
      "no step brotherly love here ... he -lsb- farrell -rsb- gets not funnier with each succeeding movie .",
      "MOV is a movie about adults acting like children , by adults acting like children , for adults who like to act like children .",
      "one thing spoils the mood : for all the joy that ferrell and reilly take in brawling or whimpering like two-year-olds , immaturity is still seen as something to be overcome .",
      "despite valiant efforts from a seasoned cast , it fails to deliver the expected laughs .",
      "painful to watch , this will ferrell vehicle is crude , infantile and unfunny as it hovers around its one-tone premise in which two grown men behave like kids % u2013 and vile ones at that",
      "between occasional guffaws and more frequent hand-over-mouth , oh-my-god moments , i started to think about where american comedy has come from and where it 's going .",
      "sporadically funny , and ridiculous enough to keep some fans happy ... but even a solid cast ca n't sustain one joke this long .",
      "there is a plot , but it only exists to give ferrell and reilly some focus for their juvenilia . while this sounds like a negative comment , it 's actually not .",
      "for a while their stupid rivalry , insults and petulant displays of outrage are funny , but like the talented child who wo n't be quiet for a second , the act eventually begins to grate .",
      "dude , the film so totally happens to be great .",
      "a middling movie that provides just enough laughs to keep you watching , the whole thing feels two or three rewrites short of completion .",
      "most of all , it is great to see ferrell beating his addiction to sports comedies , following semi-pro , blades of glory and talladega nights .",
      "despite a few hilarious supporting players -lrb- especially kathryn hahn as the miserable wife of brennan 's overachieving brother -rrb- , -lsb- the movie -rsb- runs out of steam well before the closing credits .",
      "starting at infantile and regressing hysterically from there , MOV flies on the comic chemistry of will ferrell and john c. reilly .",
      "the majority of the gags , as crude as they can be , hit the mark and the interplay between will ferrell and john c. reilly keeps the film from becoming a repetitive bore .",
      "you know you 're in trouble when the george w. bush quote you open your movie with -lrb- `` families is where our nation finds hope , where wings take dream '' -rrb- gets the evening 's biggest laugh .",
      "few films are worse to sit through than comedies that do n't work . MOV is one of those .",
      "has something that manages to hold it all together : the inspired pairing of will ferrell and john c. reilly , two actors smart enough to play dumb and make it work .",
      "it 's hard to believe that two people could reach middle age acting like grade-schoolers , and not in a funny way , either .",
      "thank god that when he became a man , will ferrell never put away childish things . his MOV is so childish it seems to arrive in diapers , and that 's not bad ; it 's good .",
      "with a few tweaks , the picture could have actually been about 12-year-old step-brothers , and been better for it .",
      "once the shock from some of the more noxious jokes wears off , the movie just turns annoying and repetitive .",
      "this is n't your adam sandler watered down comedy . it 's raunchy , vulgar , rude , mean-spirited , and funny as hell .",
      "a major letdown .",
      "when a 23-year-old male anchorman fan would rather see a romance with jenkins and steenburgen than an r-rated comedy with ferrell , you know something went horrible wrong .",
      "it 's nice to have will ferrell back , and not as , say , a sex-addicted curling champ from liechtenstein with a testicle that has n't descended and an appetite for funyuns . a riotous movie that delivers on its promise thanks to expert improvisation and squirm",
      "despite being perhaps mckay and ferrell 's weakest film yet , it 's still a mckay/ferrell film , and that 's enough .",
      "MOV signals another era of american comedy : it 's the sort of thing that will assist future scholars in crafting histories of 21st-century stupidity .",
      "while the movie in general is sloppy and unwieldy , the gags -lsb- ferrell -rsb- pulls off with co-star john c. reilly deliver lots of big laughs .",
      "heightened suspicions of the decline of civilization became inescapable this past friday when adam mckay 's MOV oozed its way into theaters .",
      "another step down in will ferrell 's career path",
      "do n't watch it on an airplane , do n't check it out on cable , do n't walk past the bargain basement bin where it 's been sold .",
      "... surpreendente que , em meio a tanta estupidez , o filme seja realmente engraçado e consiga criar dois personagens tăo carismáticos , chegando a incluir , aqui e ali , momentos que , de uma forma sutil , se revelam tocantes .",
      "it 's one joke , already predictable , and it gets old fast .",
      "you know you 're in trouble when the cleverest parts of your movie are the ironic t-shirts , worn unironically ... -lrb- but -rrb- a bonus is deserved by the person who dug up the pablo cruise shirt .",
      "MOV is a rowdy , rambunctious , fitful , against-the-wall comedy . will ferrell , john c. reilly , and director writer adam mckay heave comedy , like spaghetti , against the wall . about half sticks ; the other half makes a real mess .",
      "mckay and co. manage to pull off a strangely heart-warming finale .",
      "foul-mouthed ferrell comedy is n't very funny . no kids .",
      "you only needed one look at the poster for MOV to know exactly what this film would be like .",
      "MOV is unashamedly dumb , unoriginal and downright offensively childish . but are n't these the very same reasons why people like these movies ?",
      "seesawing from the gleefully stupid to the desperately stupid , MOV is an indicator that the judd apatow juggernaut has made one too many trips to the well .",
      "somewhere between unashamed vulgarity and juvenile sweetness lies this surprisingly touching tale about two man-children .",
      "some are touting this as the grown-up version of superbad . wrong . that earlier film was excellent . `` super bad , '' as applied to MOV , is a super understatement .",
      "the trick to the men ii boyz comic genre -- where grown men are simply older , pudgier versions of their teen selves , struggling to find their place in the world -- is to find the surprises and payoffs within the peter pan syndrome .",
      "MOV touches inspired insanity intermittently , it never stays put , resulting in a picture of pleasing bedlam , but never consistent bedlam .",
      "though mckay and his cast make the most of the material , MOV is constrained by its one-joke concept .",
      "... flat-out entertaining ...",
      "only occasionally funny and about three times as long as the material justifies , it 's boring and just a little bit embarrassing to sit through .",
      "stepbrothers is the best comedy of the year and that 's not saying much .",
      "it 's definitely not highbrow humor . but we do n't expect ponderous meaning or dovetailed subjectivity from an apatow film , now do we ?",
      "this should represent the nadir of ferrell 's efforts , but the truth is that he 's done worse .",
      "much of their nonsense is undeniably funny .",
      "kudos here to both leads , who manage to channel their inner child to their adult personalities .",
      "another standard comedy where you can get exactly what you have seen before . i was hoping for more this time and sad to say i was disappointed .",
      "at once hilarious and frightening .",
      "you do get to see ferrell 's ball sack , which might be a draw for some , but otherwise it 's a mess . ferrell and reilly bicker and it should be better .",
      "possesses one and only one gag : watching middle-aged men acting like 12-year-olds with exceedingly dirty vocabularies ... easily the least-enjoyable of all the ferrell vehicles .",
      "the aggravation created by so much stupidity on parade , with so few honest laughs , had me squirming in my seat ."
    ],
    "summary": "the relentless immaturity of the humor is not a total handicap for this film , which features the consistently well-matched talents of will ferrell and john c. reilly .",
    "id": "385330691"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1155470-date_movie",
    "reviews": [
      "it 's loud and obnoxious , but too full of itself to be interesting and not sober enough to be truly offensive . -lrb- unrated -rrb-",
      "far less smart and often less funny than the films it ridicules .",
      "there 's nary a laugh to be found in this relentlessly idiotic parody of popular romantic comedies , which manages the difficult feat of seeming overlong at just 80 minutes .",
      "looting the key scenes and plot points of hit movies is the bread and butter of spoof comedies , but the script for MOV is about as funny as dry white toast .",
      "it 's painful .",
      "everything 's reduced to an inane fart or ejaculation joke .",
      "it 's hard to see through the utter mess that is MOV enough to evaluate its acting , but hannigan seems to be at least serviceable .",
      "there 's not a single laugh to be had .",
      "more shocking than hilarious , this spoof of the teensploit genre offers just enough funny moments to earn this critic 's seal of approval .",
      "-lsb- mocks -rsb- movies that were much funnier than this one .",
      "friedberg and seltzer 's philosophy seems to be - make fun of other movies first , worry about our own movie second . of course , that means their movie is no good",
      "alyson hannigan makes an adorable lead , but MOV only succeeds in making you feel sorry for her and wishing that someone would cast her in a proper romcom .",
      "these are sight gags best appreciated with a blindfold .",
      "director seltzer and his co-writer jason friedberg throw everything they can at the audience in the hope of generating laughter , but the only chuckles i heard arose when a screamy , apparently unchaperoned little wild child took a spill .",
      "-lsb- alyson -rsb- hannigan 's spirited performance is one bright spot in this tasteless and sophomoric spoof of more than a dozen movies .",
      "take your date to this laugh-less stinker and it may be your last .",
      "better break this date .",
      "this is a deeply rubbish film .",
      "there are stereotypes in romantic comedies and it would seem that a satire of those stereotypes could make for a very funny movie . but that would require actual thought and wit .",
      "mss hannigan , who had she not currently been in a hit tv show , might have had her career destroyed by this turkey .",
      "there 's no level of dumb a person can be that 's too stupid for MOV .",
      "it is ultimately an exercise in redundancy , since there 's little point in creating a comedy that sends up other comedies . the end result is more a knockoff than a parody .",
      "it 's not enough to just make the reference . you 've got to make something funny out of the reference .",
      "sticking it to every ethnic group and sexual preference possible , MOV is , at least , an equal-opportunity offender .",
      "the movie sputters along on borrowed gags without improving them .",
      "for anyone over 12 years old , this is a date to be missed .",
      "the movie is not a parody or even a spoof . instead , MOV is under the impression that if it mentioned a romantic comedy or uses the same exact joke from a movie , then it 's funny .",
      "it 's not terrible . it 's not offensive . it 's just ... nothing .",
      "basically , this drawn-out vehicle is the equivalent of a defective whoopie cushion without the funny sounds ... plays like a string of cheesy late night sketches .",
      "the dismaying thing about this spoof of chick flicks is the lack of satirical perspective : you ca n't do irony while assuming the audience knows and cares about nothing beyond a few hit romantic comedies .",
      "the american moviegoing audience is , by and large , made up of deranged howler monkeys .",
      "if a film could suffer from attention deficit disorder , MOV would be it .",
      "repulsive and repugnant film , filled with bet-we-can-make-you-puke moments , it basically dares you not to run out of the theater screaming .",
      "the whole thing unravels like a long night of trivial pursuit .",
      "dudes , does a spoof count as a spoof if it 's dumber and more obvious than the thing it 's spoofing ?",
      "lower your expectations or drink a lot before you watch it .",
      "poor alyson hannigan somehow retains her dignity throughout , even in the face of ridicule and material that could n't have seemed good on the page , let alone during shooting .",
      "the kind of brutally painful movie-going experience generally associated with the lesser efforts of rob schneider .",
      "you 'd be much better off watching any of the films that MOV parodies than you would be watching this one .",
      "as an entertainment consumer reporter , i can save you money right now . do n't by a ticket to see this movie ! it 's only february but it 's a contender for one of 2006 's worst .",
      "calling it ghastly would be an act of kindness toward this woefully unfunny take-off on the cliches of hollywood romantic comedies .",
      "the targets here are hollywood 's bubbleheaded romantic comedies , but director aaron setzer -lrb- who co-wrote the script with jason friedling -rrb- does n't satirize the genre 's familiar tropes so much as merely re-stage familiar scenes .",
      "it 's terrible . it 's awful . it 's terawful .",
      "it might make you laugh . just do n't go if you want to think . you could really hurt yourself .",
      "this thing does n't have a script . it has a year 's worth of `` in touch magazine '' thrown into a blender with some crotch humor and a joke about beating up a homeless man as a way to spend a romantic evening .",
      "a lame pastiche of hollywood romances .",
      "the filmmakers do n't seem to know when to cut a gag short and get on with things -- every joke is stretched to the point where it ceases to be funny anymore .",
      "this spoof comedy makes no attempt at being clever with its parodies . instead , the writers assume that the audience will be tickled just to recognize the movie references presented almost verbatim .",
      "MOV takes already funny movies and makes them completely unfunny .",
      "MOV still labours under the mistaken impression that exaggerated mimicry alone is enough to entertain .",
      "the fact is , this movie is just not funny .",
      "its plot is thin , its characters are undeveloped , and its acting is hiltonesque . but the biggest problem with MOV is that it just ai n't that funny .",
      "MOV has a nascent sense of the absurd but does n't know what to do with it .",
      "the comedy seems to have been more typed than written , in that the point of such parody , which is to -lrb- 1 -rrb- borrow characters from other works and then -lrb- 2 -rrb- do something funny with them , has pretty much been ignored , at least as far as -lrb- 2 -rrb- goes .",
      "it takes a certain gall to pass off mere references as jokes .",
      "... as terrible and slipshod a film as one could ever imagine ...",
      "get it ? it 's just like that one scene you saw in that one movie , but with poop !",
      "it 's kind of amazing that a joke-a-second comedy like MOV does n't contain a single laugh , but what 's there has been so thoroughly focus-grouped and market-tested that no joy escapes the vacuum .",
      "so bad they should have called it scary movie 4 .",
      "like the worst blind date you ever had",
      "cat flatulence , worn-out jokes about jennifer lopez 's anatomy ... did i say there was a movie here ?",
      "this is a movie that thinks a hit in the gut is a perfectly suitable punch line ; as such , watching it often feels like enduring repeated blows to your own solar plexus .",
      "you have to be hungry for comedy that 's salty and loud , that hits your palate with all the delicacy of hot grease . if you 're in that mood , a handful of these jokes will likely be just what you crave .",
      "note to the writers of `` MOV : '' it 's not enough to reference a bunch of date movies . in order to spoof of romantic comedies , you have to write a screenplay that 's funny . and this is n't .",
      "this crass drag of a dud at best manages to elicit just a couple of half-hearted chuckles over the course of its 80-minute allotment .",
      "MOV is pretty terrible , not because it 's so awful to sit through , but because of how much better it could 've been in more competent hands .",
      "i laughed a lot at this thing . and i did n't feel as stupid for doing it as maybe i should have .",
      "it 's a uniquely unappetizing combination of unfunny material and unfunny performances .",
      "they manage to miss just about every target .",
      "any movie that tries to parody kill bill and dodgeball in the same scene is ok by me .",
      "torturously unfunny and thoroughly aggravating ... the year is still young , but do n't be surprised if ` MOV ' is the worst film of 2006 .",
      "if their goal was to make a spoof film with heart , the end result has an irregular beat at best .",
      "it 's just february , and we 've already found a film worse than bloodrayne . i did n't think it would happen that fast , but here we are .",
      "this would-be spoof of romantic comedies falls prey to the misconception -- common in modern american humor -- that to make reference to something is the same thing as parodying it .",
      "in addition , there is n't much depth to the story or the characters , but that is the point . they are making fun of other characters in several different movies so you probably wo n't walk out of the film still thinking about the story line .",
      "nothing is actually ever satirized , just referenced , and some sequences are so badly executed they 're completely incomprehensible .",
      "it 's a perfect storm of not funny .",
      "alyson hannigan deserves better . in fact , we all deserve better than MOV , a slow-witted assembly of every MOV joke we 've already seen .",
      "while the premise of a gross-out spoof of such movies may sound like a good idea in theory , it does n't make a lot of sense in practice .",
      "having oprah scold you while a dentist performs a root canal on you with no novocain on live national television would be more fun than sitting through this .",
      "um filme feito por idiotas com a esperança de que seus espectadores também sejam .",
      "MOV is stupefyingly unfunny in its attempts to mock romantic comedies , celebrities , reality tv shows and anything else that pops into the heads of its creators .",
      "leave your brain at the ticket desk and MOV will likely appeal . bring it with you and you may as well have stayed at home .",
      "the kind of spoof that does n't so much `` poke fun '' at its targets as it does `` lazily reference '' them ."
    ],
    "summary": "in an attempt to parody rom-com cliches , MOV ultimately makes a mockery of itself , with juvenile toilet humor and empty pop culture references .",
    "id": "19049972"
  },
  {
    "movie": "last_chance_harvey",
    "reviews": [
      "perhaps not the most mesmerizing of love stories , MOV submits one of the most richly acted illustrations of attraction found this year .",
      "MOV certainly wo n't rank among the better script selections made by this impressive cast .",
      "besides being old pros who could elevate such schmaltz in their sleep , hoffman and thompson have a genuinely sweet chemistry , which is the exact and only reason to seek this one out .",
      "a slight and implausible romance that nonetheless has moments of charm , thanks to its stars . unfortunately , that 's not quite enough .",
      "feigns serious interest in the trickiness of later-in-life love while indulging in corny humor and even worse bathos .",
      "one reacts to joel hopkins 's MOV with about the same level of revulsion directed at its titular character by the people around him .",
      "a wonderfully romantic movie that you do n't have to be in your 40 's or older to appreciate and enjoy .",
      "MOV is a standard-order romantic comedy with a couple of unusual ingredients that make it worthy of notice .",
      "entirely satisfying , and a perfectly worthy use of 100 minutes . there are points in life when it does not do to ask any more of a film than this .",
      "dustin hoffman is subtly brilliant , emma thompson is tremendous , and writer / director joel hopkins deserves our thanks for creating such a gentle , wonderful film .",
      "a poignant comedy-drama of two lost souls who , as in ` marty , ' find each other .",
      "sometimes all we really want from a movie is to spend some time with beloved actors . -lsb- blu-ray -rsb-",
      "what i say to people who ask me , `` what did you think of it ? '' i just say i loved it .",
      "the false note might have been a more appropriate title . for director/writer joel hopkins 's tale of second chances does n't ring true from start to end .",
      "MOV is too lightweight to be annoying , but it 's too formulaic to be memorable and too safe to be in any way meaningful .",
      "MOV is a hopelessly optimistic film that you could quite comfortably take your gran or your mum to see to brighten up their day .",
      "originality 's thin on the ground ... but realism is n't the target here - warm and fuzzy feelings are .",
      "a low-key , predictable but no less enjoyable romantic comedy .",
      "both are about one notch off in their impersonation of `` ordinary '' people - it reminded me of streep and de niro in falling in love . nothing offensive about it , apart from its sense of london geography .",
      "MOV is the week 's six-hankie offering . imagine richard curtis remaking an affair to remember : maudlin amiability is the game 's name .",
      "what makes this simple romance watchable is the fine observational comedy .",
      "thompson displays a tart but looser-than-usual wit , and hoffman is also genuinely funny and endearing , no small feat after the unsettling spectacle that was mr. magorium 's wonder emporium .",
      "it 's well done by the two leads , who register as real enough to rescue the movie at almost every turn from mawkishness and predictability .",
      "writer-director joel hopkins should thank his lucky stars that hoffman and thompson are on board . some of the story and dialogue are hokey , but the actors overcome those obstacles .",
      "sort of a before sunrise for the sunset years , this quiet romantic comedy takes a cinematic chestnut and somehow infuses it with a sense of rue and regret that makes it seem new .",
      "how refreshing to be in the hands of a filmmaker who does n't follow a diagram he found in the pages of `` seven easy steps to a boffo screenplay . ''",
      "MOV is a tremendously appealing love story surrounded by a movie not worthy of it .",
      "sappy , sentimental and redeemed only by the quiet radiance and fidgety intelligence of its leads , MOV is a fantasy about mopey middle-agers getting a second chance at love .",
      "falling in love has never been so dull .",
      "-lsb- hoffman and thompson 's -rsb- talent and experience allow them to make MOV more than it might have been .",
      "this is as tepid as two-hours-in-the-cup old tea .",
      "while not the most believable of screen couples , the pair 's acting chops mean you wo n't notice that too much while the plot chugs along at a reasonable pace , helped by some occasionally amusing gags .",
      "this good-natured london-set rom-com for the over-40s is delightfully performed and gently amusing , but it ca n't shake its need for schmaltz and sentimentality .",
      "but while the film tilts progressively further towards the chick-flick -lrb- most notably with a clichй-of-clichйs trying-on-dresses-to-music scene -rrb- , some witty moments make this a high-living title in a low-rent market .",
      "MOV deserves supreme praise for being a vessel that allows cinemagoers to bask in two wonderful turns by dustin hoffman and emma thompson .",
      "this bittersweet , autumnal heartwarmer about two middle-aged people getting a last chance at love and happiness exceeded my personal tolerance factor for gloop and gush - but not by too much .",
      "MOV is a funny little thing - a perfectly sincere july-to-september romance with barely an ounce of irony in its dna , just a lot of optimism and good-humoured smiling . it 's refreshing , in its unforced way .",
      "MOV is an absolute gem of a movie and the perfect antidote to all the big budget vehicles that are on release right now . magical .",
      "it fails to be as likeable , despite being beautifully acted by dustin hoffman and emma thompson .",
      "it 's always nice to see pros at work . but while there 's nothing wrong with unabashed fluff , you 'd expect something more substantial from two such seasoned campaigners .",
      "hoffman 's undimmed star power papers over the script cracks in an otherwise polished vehicle for his and thompson 's talents .",
      "hoffman and thompson prove you can never be too old to make memories and their romance is certainly one to remember .",
      "watching them dance effortlessly through this film is a reminder that two actors at the absolute top of their game can weave magic even in a slightly predictable example of a wholly formulaic genre .",
      "emma thompson : easy airport pickup .",
      "to fully appreciate it , you need to be on playing-field level with harvey and kate . you need some miles on the love odometer .",
      "decently avted by hoffman and thompson , this is a middlebrow , tv-like melodrama that goes out of its way to show the possibility of new romances and new beginnings at any age .",
      "acaba conquistando graзas а doзura de sua histуria e , principalmente , em funзгo do carisma e do talento de seus sempre admirбveis protagonistas .",
      "they do n't often make romances like this , so tell your mum - or granny !",
      "a delightful confection that leaves you with a great big smile of contentment .",
      "the problem lies in a sloppy screenplay and direction that 's too slick to be credible . added to that , while thompson often makes acting look natural , hoffman these days makes natural look like acting .",
      "undemanding , observant and beautifully performed , this is richard curtis-lite with added reassurance : no challenging questions here .",
      "nimble dialogue , a brace of insightful moments and a slightly chocolate-box view of our city , lend ` MOV ' a warmth and wisdom which outshine the more timeworn elements of the screenplay .",
      "the nightingale of mature romance sings a haiku tune for dustin hoffman and emma thompson in a good-spirited romantic comedy that worthy of their naturalistic performances .",
      "the more mechanical bits of the script weigh the film down .",
      "charming and sentimental , delightful celebrating the hope for midlife love .",
      "i was expecting a grand film , with fireworks and bells , but was disappointed to say the least .",
      "hoffman and thompson are each good enough to bring out a glow in the other .",
      "hoffman and thompson make it sublime , a genuinely pleasant 90 minutes spent with two thoroughly engaging characters .",
      "MOV is a pleasant if predictable romance . we need more romantic films featuring middle-aged couples .",
      "hoffman and thompson team to weave movie magic via a vintage romantic roundelay .",
      "a great film ? by no means . but if you take it as the pleasant -- and blessedly non-shrill -- romance it is , there 's a good bit to like .",
      "MOV is the sort of insipid romantic comedy that , had it starred a pair of 20-somethings or 30-somethings , would be instantly dismissed by one and all .",
      "a lightweight romance for the senior crowd , MOV does nothing in particular , but it does it fairly well thanks to stars dustin hoffman and emma thompson .",
      "there 's no denying that hoffman and thompson do have a believable chemistry . you just wish they were exploring that in a more original and captivating movie than this one .",
      "writer-director joel hopkins resorts to a fair amount of contrivance to stress their sadness , and the story dutifully follows the standard boy-meets-girl arc , though in this case the boy is a little too old to be chasing women around airports .",
      "writer-director joel hopkins adheres to the timeworn hollywood pattern with clumsy determination , never daring to freshen the romantic comedy formula .",
      "there are moments to treasure , but they 're small and delicately crafted -- actors ' moments .",
      "wthout an expansive vision or invention , a small-scale film can feel even smaller than its cast of dozens .",
      "middle-aged romances are , sadly , hard to find on the silver screen , so it 's with some hesitation i pronounce MOV not up to snuff .",
      "some directoral slight of hand combines with a pair of professional performances to make this unbelievable love story believable .",
      "one of those simple , gentle movies that does n't really do anything remarkable but features two performances strong enough to get nearly any audience member over the generic attributes of its screenplay .",
      "so much more touching , fun and substantive than the silly , formulaic romantic comedies starring younger , hotter box office stars .",
      "falling in love can happen at any age . ` MOV ' emphasizes this romantic theme while having a bit of fun doing it .",
      "why is it when these movies star women , they 're relegated to lifetime , but when a man 's problems helm the ship , they 're immediate oscar contenders ?",
      "... it 's a pleasure to see mature portraits of adult characters who put their vulnerabilities on the line .",
      "MOV is nothing you have n't seen before . it 's just done with older actors , a bit more poignancy , and a bit more class",
      "this is the type of film that lives or dies solely on the strength of the chemistry generated between the lead actors and in that regard , the end result is a success thanks to the efforts of hoffman and thompson",
      "minor in both key and purpose , joel hopkins ' MOV is a pleasantly hopeful film about the possibilities of late happiness .",
      "it 's wonderful to watch young people falling in love for the first time . but it is even more wonderful to see people falling in love for the last time .",
      "a great movie for that day when you need a bit of comfort and love .",
      "even though i could n't separate dustin hoffman from the harvey character , it is still a perfect little flick that makes you smile when you leave .",
      "there 's not a believable minute in the 92 minutes of MOV , but dustin hoffman and emma thompson smooth over most of the problems just by showing up and doing what they do for a living .",
      "parental content review",
      "elevated considerably by fine lead performances from dustin hoffman and emma thompson .",
      "what 's in it for emma ? and the answer is ... not much .",
      "the result ? lots of entertaining chitchat .",
      "watching hoffman and thompson tentatively discover each other is joyously tender .",
      "the chemistry between hoffman and thompson is wry , warm and just prickly enough to keep the whole endeavor from sinking in on itself in a soppy souffle of sentimentality .",
      "nothing earth-shaking happens in MOV . it 's just a chance to see two really great actors deliver a middle-age love story .",
      "just about everything works in this small and surprisingly hopeful film , with beautifully attenuated performances by dustin hoffman and emma thompson , who slip into the characters hopkins has sewn for them like an old sweater .",
      "though the story does n't quite live up to the cast 's pedigree , it at least provides the rare pleasure of a blossoming romance between two people older than kate hudson or ryan reynolds .",
      "hoffman just kills whenever harvey owns up to his mediocrity and tiny failures . he and thompson give this underwhelming story a genuinely human core .",
      "you ca n't take a script flimsy enough for a kate hudson and matthew mcconaughey vehicle and expect a couple of real thoroughbreds like thompson and hoffman not to shred it to pieces .",
      "hoffman and thompson together almost act their way out of the material , but even these major talents ca n't reboot the willing suspension of disbelief .",
      "MOV is a movie for which the happy ending is the wrong ending . let 's say our two middle-aged lovers make a go of it , you can already see them bickering over the price of produce and which early bird dinner to split .",
      "... manages to break through its admittedly hackneyed structure to become a surprisingly charming piece of work ...",
      "MOV gives dustin hoffman his first crack at a killer lead role in a decade .",
      "the romantic chemistry that flows between the two great leads is worth the price of admission .",
      "sometimes it 's nice to be reminded that romance is n't only for the young .",
      "thompson is in fine form as usual and watching her and hoffman go tit-for-tat is a genuine treat .",
      "two stars of this magnitude deserve better , and so do we .",
      "i saw movie stars make a good movie great , because they know how . emma thompson is the best actress alive today . full stop .",
      "the proceedings are almost painless , the acting/mugging is acceptable , especially if you adore the stars , and the message is quite applaudable : no matter how over the hill you are physically or mentally , cupid still has an arrow left for you .",
      "joel hopkins should be given 20 lashes with a wet noodle for ripping off every prototypical moment in truly romantic films .",
      "an unambitious romance aimed at grown-ups , it deserves the handful of champions it will find , but probably not the oscar campaign it 's heading into .",
      "despite fine work from its two leads , MOV ca n't overcome its hackneyed script .",
      "sure , it 's predictable at times , and maybe even a little sappy , but overall it 's a sweet movie about genuine human emotion .",
      "writer/director joel hopkins is smart enough to focus entirely on the two lead actors and there is enough veracity in their seasoned faces to keep the drama comfortably on track .",
      "a lumpy , sentimental inconsequentiality that clumsily strikes many familiar surface keys of melancholic regret and fumbles away a chance at something darker , and more arresting .",
      "MOV is an easygoing trip abroad . it features two relaxed pros playing acting tennis -- hitting graceful lobs to each other , and then artful returns .",
      "these practiced charmers wring every effect they can think of from the corny material thrown their way .",
      "not even acting legends dustin hoffman and emma thompson could , er , rise above ... a script drowning in a tide of situation cliché , precious coincidence and more saccharine than a diabetics convention .",
      "it is worth an hour and a half to watch those two charm each other with literary quotations , ballroom dancing and moments of unexpected vulnerability .",
      "all this gloomy masochism is made palatable because of the performers . and yet we must ask : is this any way to show off two of our finest actors ?",
      "these two actors are so strong that in the end we are left with a sweet and a tender movie .",
      "hoffman and thompson create a sweet , romantic story that grows on you with every frame of film .",
      "stars dustin hoffman and emma thompson are so disarmingly charming that even the most treacly moments work an emotional magic .",
      "a predictable yet sometimes effective sentimental romantic comedy about two older people finding love .",
      "sentimental poop .",
      "charmingly perceptive and gently elegant in wit and warmth ... MOV is quirky and quiet while boasting steady performances by leads hoffman and thompson .",
      "an appealing romantic drama that proves it is never too late to turn your life around by taking a risky leap into the dark .",
      "we want the characters to help us sigh dreamily while the credits roll . harvey provides that plus relatable emotion , endearing comedy , and stellar acting .",
      "carried out with a rare intelligence for the genre , MOV is proof-positive that a firm handle of material can make anything seem revitalized and fresh .",
      "so mild-mannered it only occasionally registers a pulse",
      "slight but utterly charming .",
      "it 's a small , sweet , old-fashioned charmer .",
      "almost inevitably , hoffman and thompson are charming . even they ca n't turn hopkins ' thin story into a credible tale , though .",
      "this mundane romantic comedy is notable for one reason only : its leading couple .",
      "a potent reminder of just how appealing a film can be when it finds exactly the right tone and performers .",
      "writer/director joel hopkins ' unforced dialogue and the two lead performances make ` MOV ' come across as tasteful and true .",
      "the sentimentality crowd will sup it up but my tougher-love wish was for these two to find better chances to explore their considerable talents .",
      "if nothing else , MOV proves that you 're never too old to be the subject of a zany trying-on-dresses montage , but considering the prestige of its leads , that 's a minor victory at best .",
      "comedy , drama and romance embrace each other warmly in this richly layered story about two outsiders who discover that today is tomorrow ; a love story for a grown up palette .",
      "starts out like a tragedy , but lo and behold , this tale of woe turns into a nice little romantic comedy .",
      "mr. hoffman , now past 70 , and ms. thompson , inching toward 50 , still retain enough buoyancy to keep the picture afloat . and the rest of the cast kicks in with flawless ensemble support .",
      "thanks to the grace and skill of thompson and hoffman , MOV manages to rise above its plot and deliver quite a bit of pleasure .",
      "it 's wafer-thin and groaningly predictable , but it 's also absurdly touching .",
      "this is a very small film , and the basic plot is extremely familiar . luckily , two wonderful actors give the material distinction .",
      "a real treasure of a film , its tone perfectly pitched , its dialogue absolutely right and delivered with performances that will remain in our hearts and minds for a very long time",
      "some movies you want to hang for their contrivances , others you 're able to overlook in spite of them . joel hopkins ' `` MOV , '' from his own script , is the latter .",
      "MOV simultaneously functions as a valentine to the city -lsb- of london -rsb- and an intensely personal character study",
      "a small film given distinction by a pair of remarkable , and remarkably contrasted , actors .",
      "without -lsb- emma -rsb- thompson 's valiant efforts , MOV would be too dismal for cable ; with them it 's simply a trifle .",
      "there 's something irresistible about watching two people fall in love , even in contrived , sniffle - and sometimes gag-inducing films like MOV .",
      "MOV is a good chance to see two superb actors having their way with wafer-thin material .",
      "a gentle , modern-day love story for those who believe it 's never too late to find romance . good idea , but even such consummate pros as dustin hoffman and emma thompson ca n't make it soar .",
      "plays like a bad kate hudson romantic comedy , but with much better actors .",
      "this love story is entertaining despite hoffman 's excruciating acting in the pickup scene and the film 's rampant derivativity ."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV is an above-average story that graduates to potent romantic drama based on the chemistry and charm of its top-notch performers .",
    "id": "770784001"
  },
  {
    "movie": "adventureland",
    "reviews": [
      "no matter what your age you 're going to love this one .",
      "the film 's main concern is the characters , and they 're a genuinely tarnished , genuinely appealing bunch .",
      "a brilliant portrait of post-adolescent angst that looks and feels like the great film that john hughes never quite got around to making",
      "MOV is the perfect coming-of-age story with great performances and a beautifully written script .",
      "a joy ride filled with trials and tribulations of angst teens just trying to deal with life .",
      "the only real nostaglia on display -lrb- much like the overplayed rock soundtrack of the park 's speakers -rrb- is the feeling that you 've just seen and heard this story all before .",
      "MOV is a surprisingly sweet and irreverent tale of summer jobs and summer love . it reminds you how the hearts of teens and young 20-somethings flutter up and down just like the rusty deathtrap roller coasters they 're looking after .",
      "the plot 's romantic rhythms ... leading to the inevitable reconciliation are right out of the hughes playbook",
      "characters like james and stewart 's em feel out of place for their own reasons , and consequently provide just enough perspective for us to remember the absurdity of the culture around them , but never with disdain .",
      "is being smart hip again ?",
      "the relationships and exchanges feel like real life rather than gimmicky , over-the-top scenes from other r-rated comedies .",
      "the youths of superbad were a little bit younger , a little more likable , their dirty-virgin wit more hilarious -lsb- than in MOV -rsb- .",
      "... a refreshing take on `` the teen turmoil scene '' where the uncertainty and inherent fear of a gifted mind is explored with the legitimacy of doubt and disappointment .",
      "mottola 's script perfectly captures man 's lifelong pursuit of often-unattainable coolness . and cool girls .",
      "flat-out wonderful - an irresistable coming-of-age comedy that 's smart , funny and wise .",
      "parental content review",
      "if his plot falls into a predictable pattern , mottola is able to work some attractive variations with his strong cast .",
      "it rang pitch-perfect : poignant and honest , with such a keenly felt eye toward period detail",
      "it 's the rare movie that is almost too realistic and too down-to-earth .",
      "it all inspires a sense of affection that makes it easy to love .",
      "without recourse to frilly cuffs or a montage to a flock of seagulls ' greatest hit , it plays the '80s card for something heartfelt .",
      "MOV is reminiscent of indie movies like breaking away , dazed and confused and clerks . you could put it another way and say it 's not very original . yet , watching the movie , you 're too swept up in james 's problems to care .",
      "as a sweet-natured character comedy - and a subtle exercise in generic boundary-pushing - this is a real charmer .",
      "its gentle charm and effortless eloquence personified by its winning lead , MOV is only marred by a rote final reel .",
      "the whole enterprise is infused with a quality of feeling , an integrity , that is rare in such a commercial film .",
      "a tremendously funny and touching coming-of-age story , which he has set in the 1980s with a sprinkling of nicely chosen cultural references .",
      "like all films that strike a chord , you 'll find yourself replaying your own memories as the credits roll on a comedy that fires the heart .",
      "some may scoff at MOV for sailing too close to a tried and tested story formula , but it 's funny , heart-warming and more meandering and whimsical than you 'd expect from a mainstream hollywood comedy .",
      "an indie romcom which does n't pile on the contrived quirkiness and instead concentrates on being believable , smart and sweet .",
      "wisely , mottola does n't try to reinvent the comedy wheel . he 's simply taken the plot-free route of superbad , made the like-for-like swap of jesse eisenberg for michael cera , upscaled the romance , downsized the slapstick .",
      "it 's cute enough , and it 's clear that mottola loves every one of these characters , even reynolds ' lecherous connell . the problem is that it ends up being somewhat lightweight .",
      "the film is n't especially funny but it is tenderly amusing and rather sweet , eschewing many of the clichés and recourse to calculated whimsy that undermine so many offbeat boy-meets-girl flicks .",
      "MOV is one of the most consistently funny , consistently well written , consistently well acted and consistently appealing movies i 've seen in a very long time .",
      "as a universal tale of the post-adolescent experience , MOV is knowledgeable and wise , virtually every bone in its body an honest one .",
      "mottola 's made a movie that will work like a voodoo charm on a small-but-dedicated audience : onetime slackers who 'll not only dig the soundtrack but , probably , be sure to get it on vinyl .",
      "a sweet , funny and mature drama . it has more tenderness and much less crassness than what its lousy , deceptive trailer leads you to believe . kristen steward shines in a raw and tender performance bursting with charisma .",
      "the story has the feel of one plucked from experience , and mottola fills the movie with authentic little touches .",
      "greg mottola 's semi-autobiographical coming of age comedy is as smart and perceptive as they come .",
      "the most pleasant cinematic surprise of 2009 .",
      "with a cast that believed in one another and a writer-director who believed he did n't have to follow up superbad with superevenbadder , MOV is the kind of adventure we could all use more of .",
      "i 'm sure the film will have a certain appeal to a certain audience , namely other college-aged kids in crappy jobs struggling to learn about life and love .",
      "fairly thoughtful romcom masquerades as a raunchy indie .",
      "do all movies around this theme have to have the same character ? he 's -lsb- jesse eisenberg -rsb- interchangeable with every other angst-driven finding your way in the universe kid .",
      "there is n't nearly as much comedy as you would expect based on the previews . there 's nothing wrong with that , except the created void is n't really filled with anything , and that ending is just bad .",
      "feels a lot like mottola 's almost famous .",
      "one of the best , most satisfying teen-oriented coming-of-age comedies to come along in awhile .",
      "MOV stays strictly on the games side of the amusement park , happily ambling along with no real dips or climbs .",
      "`` MOV '' is the sort of film that seems simultaneously slavishly derivative of countless other coming-of-age stories , but also admirably personal and specific .",
      "a film that rates right up there with hollywood 's best romances . kristen stewart deserves an oscar nomination , as does writer-director greg mottola .",
      "a refreshing retro comedy with depth recommended more for the message and the romance than for the shock value of its raunchy moments .",
      "MOV throws a lot at us , but not enough of it sticks .",
      "MOV is loving towards its characters but also brutally honest about them . sweet and funny and real , and definitely one of the best coming of age movies in years , if not ever .",
      "writer/director greg mottola 's followup to his hit superbad is the most utterly and engagingly human youth comedy i 've seen in ages .",
      "mottola manages to avoid the cliches and create characters with warmth and specificity and -- that rarest quality in movies of this genre -- some grace",
      "the film , written and directed by greg mottola , plants its flag in thoroughly explored territory , but that familiarity turns out to be integral to its loose and scruffy appeal .",
      "-lsb- director mottola -rsb- coaxes a set of uniformly credible performances from his ensemble cast , and makes effective use of a soundtrack that 's as eclectic as the characters .",
      "while MOV may shift moods suddenly and meander , the highlight is eisenberg 's ability to endearingly convey gawkiness and mortification .",
      "mottola also wrote the screenplay , which is most fresh and honest when dealing with supporting characters .",
      "there 's no shortage of felicitous lines or interesting performances , yet the movie , like the amusement park of its title , feels constructed from familiar parts .",
      "mottola gets a surprising amount of mileage out of a formula that is running on fumes , his dialogue is sharp , and the lo-fi , indie-film quality of the piece feels consistent with the spirit of the rundown theme park , or vice versa .",
      "ottola is better known as the director of superbad , but this film is a far more mature work , and not just in terms of its humour . his screenplay hits the right notes between irony and sentimentality , and though not laugh-a-minute , is full of warm small mo",
      "thanks to the talented ensemble cast and mottola 's deft touch with tone , this is n't just some teen comedy aiming at the easy set piece or the gross-out gag .",
      "deserving of citizen kane status in its insight , emotional depth , and yes , entertainment .",
      "though it may not rock with quirkiness or roll with side-splitting humor , MOV still is a respectable slice-of-life film .",
      "MOV finds much of its comedy in its often brutal honesty .",
      "observant , soulful , often achingly attuned to clashing emotions",
      "add to this some winningly low-key performances , a slacker sensibility that refuses to subscribe to the american dream , and some genuine laughs , and you have a film that feels both wise and real .",
      "clearly , writer/director greg mottola has plenty of good ideas and an inclination toward quirky movies just slightly off-centre .",
      "a gentle humour permeates throughout but , like the fair when it comes to town , it is all very nice but unremarkable at the same time .",
      "MOV is one of those american rites-of-passage movies that so effortlessly nails what it 's like to be young that watching it is liable induce hazy sensory flashbacks .",
      "born from the trauma of reaganomics , the teen films of the '80s had the same awareness of the gulf separating the haves and have nots .",
      "the '80s - centric atmosphere means that viewers over a certain age will probably connect to the material to a greater extent than their younger counterparts . in fact , the nostalgia factor might be enough for some people to overlook MOV 's flaws .",
      "an early 2009 favorite .",
      "... a weak coming-of-age story that 's simply unable to bring anything new to the well-worn genre .",
      "an appealing coming-of-age tale with a ring of truth to it . in some respects , it may remind you of the better john hughes films .",
      "MOV refreshingly inhabits a world without clear-cut heroes or bad guys , just richly realized characters struggling to get by .",
      "though james is a passive hero , eisenberg plays him with such earnest charm that you root for him .",
      "eisenberg 's a good young actor who can make intelligence and decency sexy ...",
      "... has an undercurrent of tragedy that makes it feel more authentic than most others",
      "provides the opportunity to spend time with two very smart , likable characters played by two smart , likable actors -- more than enough reason to check it out .",
      "MOV would love to be `` this generation 's ferris bueller '' . but if you set your teen movie an entire generation ago , it 's not going to be this generation 's anything . instead it 's going to be a challenge-free nostalgia binge - at best .",
      "sweet-natured , frequently funny coming-of-age movie with a superb script and delightful comic performances from a terrific ensemble cast .",
      "a charmingly nostalgic and endearing picture of late-teenhood in the '80s .",
      "one from the heart , a clear-sighted love letter to his own teenage tribulations . starting out in high spirits then skewing more serious , it 's a funny , poignant , bittersweet treat . get in line ...",
      "it 's beautifully written and sensitively acted , it 's got a killer soundtrack .",
      "much like its anti-hero , MOV is at first too gauchely intelligent for its surroundings , then learns to merge the best of what it is and what it is n't . gentle is the new gross , it seems .",
      "superbad director greg mottola casts an affectionate eye over the 1980s with a gentle but effective comedy .",
      "a little charmer .",
      "it is a coming-of-age picture which seems not so different from any other but hits delightfully odd notes thanks to mottola 's terrifically smart script and a cast of mostly eager young actors .",
      "while this has its longueurs and is not without clichés , it is also a richly enjoyable , witty , well observed piece of nostalgia .",
      "content to occupy that middle ground where insights are authentic but far from revelatory and comedy is more amiable than riotous .",
      "a funny , touching and honest film about a serious 22-year-old neither embarrassed by nor exulting in his lack of sexual experience .",
      "-lsb- mottola has -rsb- done his job in making the work feel authentic , funny , and like a breeze to sit through .",
      "regardless of the well filled-out cast and the fact that it 's structured like a comedy , MOV just is n't funny . there really are n't jokes and the overlong running time is mostly given to a standard budding romance .",
      "a coming of age tale based loosely on the experiences of writer/director greg mottola , MOV is a surprisingly dense teen flick yet its unfortunate forays into religion bashing undermines its overall effect .",
      "it 's a bit slight and rambling , but also manages to engage us due to the sharply drawn characters",
      "MOV is ultimately an interesting but flawed mixture of mottolla 's early indie sensibility -lrb- the daytrippers -rrb- with some of the more mainstream teen comedy elements of superbad .",
      "MOV 's young cast is strong , and , when the film works , it captures the languid limbo of post-adolescent confusion and longing .",
      "it 's a film of overwhelming goodwill . you 'll like everyone in this movie , and you 'll leave the theater thinking they would probably like you too .",
      "the messages -- about silver linings in lousy jobs , the collision of hormones and heartstrings , and the adventure of discovering who you really are and what you really want -- ring honest and true , for any era .",
      "eisenberg has a quirky , sensitive cool that distinguishes him from the slew of teen or almost-teen movie ranks of the moment ...",
      "MOV mixes the intimate , indie vibe of daytrippers with the absurdist screwball streak of superbad , to winning effect .",
      "MOV is not as uproarious as superbad , but has a little more heart , and is a cut above most one-crazy-summer teen movies .",
      "it 's the sort of flavorless , willfully quirky , occasionally amusing slice of suburban boredom that , for years , has given the sundance film festival its soft , gooey center .",
      "with a keen affection for his own formative years , filmmaker greg mottola has crafted a funny and spunky amusement .",
      "a little warmer , a little funnier and a lot more truthful than the last 20 or 30 of its ilk .",
      "MOV is a confident return to the kind of teen comedy that 's funny without being raunchy , youthful without being juvenile , and reflective without hitting you over the head with anything heavier than an amusement-park whac-a-mole mallet .",
      "the real challenge for MOV -- a sweet , surprisingly tender romantic comedy set at a pittsburgh amusement park -- is to confound expectations .",
      "MOV is one of the best films of the year because it sticks by its own heart .",
      "although this '80s flashback has an appealing sheen of sweetness , it sticks so closely to the rhythms of remembrance that it lacks dramatic impact . we 've heard this story too many times before .",
      "the poignant sense of transience be it of MOV 's short summer season , or the more subtle shifting of relationships , is beautifully realized here",
      "MOV never fully digs into its potentially provocative mutual-use premise , but with its easygoing , lived-in charms and nice supporting performances , there 's certainly a lot more good than not in the film .",
      "MOV tells a bleaker story than the audience might expect , but for the most part the coming of age drama is sincere and honest .",
      "MOV turns out to be one of mottola 's more original creations , a down-at-the-heels establishment that epitomizes everything that 's sad and tacky about that period in american culture .",
      "perfectly written , perfectly cast and perfectly brilliant , ` MOV ' is as good as it gets .",
      "the heart of MOV lies in the emotional microcosm of the amusement park , a place that delivers its share of laughs and lust but turns out to be not all fun and games .",
      "it 's fantastic to observe MOV reach out and seek a timeless youthful uprising feel , but the film 's eventual realization is a crushing disappointment .",
      "greg mottola 's auto-biographical coming of age story has plenty of heart and although the elements of a first-love plot with all its complications are not new , the script is a good one with detailed , compelling characterisations .",
      "the movie 's rewards outpace its flaws by a mile and give us another reason to follow the career of a gifted young lead actor .",
      "there are still puke jokes in ` MOV ' as there were in ` superbad , ' but it 's nice to see that mottola can help viewers get in touch with another body function , the beat of a heart .",
      "a lovely and hilarious reminder that the bittersweet days at the tail end of youth are as potent a topic as ever .",
      "MOV does n't quite soar -- it lopes along affectionately . but for nostalgia junkies , it 's one from the heart .",
      "it 's fantastic to observe MOV reach out and seek a timeless youthful uprising feel , but the film 's eventual realization is a crushing disappointment .",
      "a period piece that makes up for its lack of dramatic heft with small moments filled with nostalgia and warmth .",
      "the movie is well cast .",
      "MOV adds appreciable humanity to the genre , improving the adolescent egotism inflected by dazed and confused and the vulgar excesses of superbad .",
      "yet another quirky coming-of-age tale , it 's amiable enough but rather lackadaisical , and generates neither the laughs nor the insight needed to set it apart from the pack .",
      "MOV may be targeted at teens , but it 's a sophisticated film that just happens to be about unformed people and their raw emotions .",
      "director greg mottola , who made the rather wonderful superbad , is back now with a sweeter story , more quietly funny , again about a hero who believes he may be a virgin outstaying his shelf life .",
      "the plot mechanics are a drag because MOV is at its best when it 's in laid-back , hanging out mode .",
      "as you would expect from mottola 's new film , the film features plenty of sex talk , awkward situations , bodily fluids , pratfalls and drug humor . as you might not expect , the film is decidedly tamer than `` superbad ,",
      "less superbad , more freaks and geeks -- it 's one to treasure .",
      "MOV is no superbad . to mottola 's credit , though , it 's obvious that the director is deliberately trying to avoid repeating the same formula .",
      "while many movies have danced the `` it was the summer where ... '' tango before , few have done it with such grace , guile and good humour as MOV .",
      "MOV as a film never really takes off % u2013 some things are resolved , other things happen that make things change , but it always has this vague sense of only being exposition and pretty soon the movie will begin .",
      "there 's an honesty about this film that 's at times painful , but mainly it 's just funny and very sweet .",
      "while ultimately MOV never quite delivers the punch , or the laughs , that it promises , it has a bittersweet nostalgia that works .",
      "mottola has n't concocted the funniest summer comedy ever , but he may have given us one of the wisest .",
      "most films about the sex problems of young people are puerile and offensive . mottola 's are distinctive because he cares about his characters , and because he knows them at first hand .",
      "if MOV was an amusement park ride , it would be the ferris wheel . both are amusing but tame , alluring but forgettable .",
      "sometimes , a critic is going to connect with a movie , even one they can admit has some major problems , because it so mirrors their own expereinces .",
      "filled with likable actors and 1980s pop songs , MOV ambles , entertains and ... ends ... without ever trying to be more than a tribute to odd jobs , unlikely friends and hanging out .",
      "MOV earns its edge-of-adulthood sweetness and has characters with real hearts under their goofy t-shirts .",
      "MOV is n't as clever as kicking , and not nearly as hilarious as superbad , but it 's still a sweet little memory ache , a proustian cookie co-flavored with semiotics and whitesnake .",
      "yes , you 've seen much of it before , and the nervous james character is now officially a cliché . but stewart makes you care anyway . this , folks , is an actress .",
      "the movie does a very good job of capturing the teens and their times . everything feels right , from the ups-and-downs of late '80s rock , to the way kids really behaved .",
      "the laughs in MOV are n't as outlandish as those in superbad , but they seem more based in experience and truth .",
      "it proves mottola has a sweet sensibility for intimate grins , as well as broad yuks .",
      "the movie does n't bog down in despair . mottola has quickness , savvy and flair ; he never lets you forget there 's an amusement park to run .",
      "there 's no mistaking mottola 's sincerity or his talent .",
      "the only adventure here will be for kids too young to know what ` coming of age ' means . and they ca n't get into an r-rated movie .",
      "the thunder that follows the superbad lightning .",
      "those expecting another ` superbad ' may be surprised to discover that ` MOV ' is nothing of the sort . it 's far more grounded , populated by thoughtful , unaffected characters whose misadventures ring true . it is also , to date , the year 's best film .",
      "a worthy effort , several cuts above the teen comedies that came out of the era it depicts while managing to capture it thoroughly .",
      "mottola gets credit for trying , and once again depicting teenagers with a thought or two in their head , even if sex and drugs are , as always , the main agenda .",
      "i 've seen mottola 's movie twice , and both times , it has inspired feelings of joy , sadness , and a profound yearning for the unrecoverable past .",
      "like a john hughes movie directed by francois truffaut ... gangly , deeply felt and just lovely .",
      "here 's that rare youth flick where it 's actually believable that the geek gets the girl .",
      "while MOV fits squarely into the that-was-the-summer-that-changed-everything genre , it showcases its characters with such grace that you do n't mind the familiarity of the story .",
      "-lsb- mottola -rsb- does n't always find the right tone in trying to cover such varied terrain , but you have to admire him for trying inject some substance into what can be a predictably mindless genre .",
      "uneven and downright bumpy at times , MOV is a reflective look at life in the 80 's , backed by a terrific soundtrack and enough chuckles to justify two hours of your life .",
      "has just enough oddball gags and adolescent humor to fill a two-minute trailer , but its heart and soul are deeply invested in the slightly shaky , awkward , geek-chic moroseness of indie-art dramedy",
      "` MOV ' is a sweet , heartfelt coming-of-age drama with loads of sensitivity and bigness of heart .",
      "its strength lies in the power of its characters , each of whom is flawed but also very compelling .",
      "this is like watching a home movie of someone 's summer job - and that someone is bland and boring .",
      "it was very easy to believe in this beauty and the beast story , thanks to a wonderfully written script by greg himself ... really , it is wonderful .",
      "audiences expecting another dumb wallow will be startled , and i hope enlivened , by this movie 's core of feeling .",
      "a talented cast and a great soundtrack .",
      "seems to be the first ` teen ' comedy inspired by the recession , even if the downturn depicted here is the hard-times reagan year of 1987 ...",
      "the story is semi-autobiographical , but has a gentler touch than his prior work on superbad , and certainly relies less on slapstick episodes .",
      "eisenberg and stewart end up making the most heartbreakingly honest couple we may see on screen all year .",
      "apart from the consistently funny lines and situations that flow through the movie , there 's an unusually perceptive appreciation of the part that music plays in people 's lives .",
      "MOV , greg mottola 's tale of coming of age in pittsburgh in 1987 , has the note-perfect melancholy of a classic young adult novel .",
      "MOV is the comic roller coaster ride of 2009 .",
      "like its models , this is funny , smart , and complacent .",
      "with MOV , mottola is using some of the stock from his superbad triumph to make the kind of personal film he should be making , that he probably would have liked to have made in the years following daytrippers .",
      "MOV is what you might call stealth comedy . the laughs are few but they sneak up on you and really deliver .",
      "thanks to an exceptionally deft touch , mottola manages to capture the absurdity and anguish of young adulthood , while never sacrificing meaning on the altar of crude humor .",
      "one of mottola 's best jokes involves falco 's `` rock me amadeus '' ... -lsb- i -rsb- t 's hard to imagine a better use of nostalgia : to remind us of the many things we miss from a particular time , and the one reason we would never , ever want to go back .",
      "i liked MOV a lot .",
      "MOV feels like a sweeter , more personal riff on superbad .",
      "MOV unspools as a rather ordinary account of youthful summer misadventures that goes down easily thanks to a sparky cast .",
      "jesse eisenberg 's heartfelt performance is the main reason to see this ultra-familiar youth tale of first love , in which most of the characters are types and all the adults stereotypes .",
      "MOV , is a total delight , with a winsome and terrifically textured cast who seem both like young-adult archetypes and recognizable human beings .",
      "wants to be one of those great john hughes movies , but it does n't have the poignancy to pull something like that off .",
      "the theme park setting seems obvious for over the top comedy , but mottolla 's tightly written script plays it more believable than ridiculous .",
      "i think this is a sweet movie .",
      "this little charmer is so infectious i almost wished i had been the one stuck with a bunch of other kids working in a dead end summer job . oh wait , i was .",
      "greg mottola follows up superbad with another sweet and funny -lrb- though far less foul-mouthed -rrb- coming-of-age comedy .",
      "sweet but bittersweet , funny without working at being outrageous , MOV is a finely etched character comedy smart enough to touch any audience .",
      "the heart of mottola 's autobiographical paean to young male mortification lies in the one-on-one scenes between his able leads , jesse eisenberg and kristen stewart .",
      "what makes the movie such an unexpectedly potent little number is that MOV comes to stand for stagnationland ; the real roller coaster -lrb- i.e. , life -rrb- is just outside the park .",
      "a sharp , insightful , charming motion picture .",
      "superbad followup with superbored minimum wage recession youth in standard kid romance . but given dramatic intensity by method actress extraordinaire kristen stewart , as sullen side dish to flirty ryan reynolds ' main squeeze spouse .",
      "like the confused social period of the reagan era that the story inhabits , `` MOV '' is an awkward comedy that makes you wish it were a lot better .",
      "a loping comedy of displacement that snaps off dozens of easy laughs without breaking a sweat ...",
      "the best part of MOV is the acting ... but the direction and writing limit the actors . mottola , who directed and co-wrote superbad -lrb- 2007 -rrb- , chooses the easy way , backing off anything threatening in his amiable movie .",
      "light , easy to like and more forthright than one would expect",
      "this is as close to a pure '80s valentine as anyone has made since the 1980s .",
      "sweet-natured , amiable and appealing .",
      "captures the uncertain feelings certain teens have in becoming young adults .",
      "-lsb- director greg -rsb- mottola and his crew seem wholly disengaged from any kind of cinematic vocabulary ... but it 's impeccably written , there 's little doubt about that .",
      "i had really hoped we 'd moved beyond the era of movies about boredom . once people realized that mundane lives are n't actually entertaining , i thought they 'd stopped making them .",
      "it captures perfectly that feeling of weightlessness just before impending adulthood . at once a personal and generational film , it also carries a poetic kind of melancholy that 's unique to movies of its kind , save for maybe say anything or dazed",
      "MOV is as tidy and predictable as it sounds . and it falls into that annoying trap that seems to plague this sort of film , relying on an unrelenting '80s soundtrack to set tones and cue plot points ."
    ],
    "summary": "full of humor and nostalgia , MOV is a sweet , insightful coming-of-age comedy that will resonate with teens and adults alike .",
    "id": "770684787"
  },
  {
    "movie": "firehouse_dog",
    "reviews": [
      "it may not set the box office on fire , but this canine caper is more agreeable than your average underdog tale .",
      "... so overstuffed with heavy themes and convoluted plot lines that it barely manages to squeeze in the requisite gags about canine flatulence .",
      "a likable but ungainly mutt of a movie .",
      "the innocuous family film MOV runs 111 minutes , which puts it a solid 21 minutes over what should be the legal limit for this sort of thing .",
      "a quality dramedy that knows how to satisfy its target audience . rexxx is talented in tricks and stunts , but this is josh hutcherson 's film all the way .",
      "wo n't go down in the books as one of the great canine movies of all time . and it would be far more enjoyable with commercial breaks .",
      "like a loyal pet , MOV ends up being a fun family experience all ages will enjoy .",
      "despite every expected turn of events , this is a real hero story .",
      "-lsb- the dog -rsb- looks like a cross between a rat and a llama . and he burps , farts , and even poops on dinner .",
      "MOV has good fire action , an engaging cast and enough vividly shot turns , surprises and bowwow reactions to hold the firm attention of pet lovers from age 5 on up . go fetch .",
      "` MOV ' is sure to please most youngsters despite its silly scenes showing an irish terrier 's pampered life as a movie star .",
      "despite a clunky start -lrb- and pedestrian filmmaking -rrb- the story has enough humour and heroics to amuse viewers of any age .",
      "it 's got a formulaic plot , the jokes are middling , and ... the acting 's nothing to write home about , either . it 's acceptable -lsb- for kids -rsb- , if disposable .",
      "is it impossible to make an exciting , warm-hearted live-action movie for kids that does n't insult the taste and intelligence of adults who take them to theaters ?",
      "MOV is n't quite the equivalent of the 1999 talking-infant bomb baby geniuses , but at times it 's close enough for discomfort .",
      "MOV goes into the marginally watchable category , aimed as it is toward the middlebrow family trade , preferably dog owners with their own sparky slopping up the station wagon windows .",
      "in MOV a pampered hollywood pooch trades his movie-star lifestyle for a run-down firehouse sadly in need of a mascot .",
      "scruffy , spirited , family-friendly comedy with too many flatulence jokes and pooch-related puns .",
      "... the movie is n't particularly bad , but it 's utterly and absolutely insignificant .",
      "this larger-than-life cartoon of a trained dog has more character than the two-legged co-stars .",
      "MOV should be put to sleep before it can do the same to audiences .",
      "most of the film sits firmly in a comfort zone of fart jokes and dogs doing cool tricks .",
      "almost two hours of tedious vulgarity , which leaves plenty of time to feel sorry for greenwood , whose efforts to deliver a warm , subtle performance are regularly upstaged by poo jokes and bratty hijinks .",
      "to me it does n't mesh well .",
      "there were plenty of fart jokes and dog burps to make my kids laugh .",
      "rin tin tin would never have okayed a script like this .",
      "perhaps the lesson to be learned is that just because we can use computer technology to give dogs goofy faces , that does n't mean we should .",
      "it 's not animated.it 's not disney.it 's not moronic.and , sadly , that might mean that the entertaining , worthwhile `` MOV '' could go missing .",
      "we 're forced to endure plenty of scatological gags and treacly exchanges between shane and his distant dad as the film imparts an obvious message about the frivolity of stardom .",
      "once it figures out it 's more drama than comedy , MOV does the job .",
      "throws most of its well-chewed bones to the youngest of patrons and treats ticket-purchasing parents like hydrants .",
      "it 's about a boy and his dog , and also about firefighters , and so i do n't see how it 's possible not to have warm feelings toward it .",
      "an entertaining family comedy full of both tricks and trickery .",
      "MOV is a wholesome throwback to a time before computer animators made animals talk and penguins hogged the glory .",
      "breezy , silly and energetic , this canine frolic wo n't win top prize at crufts , but it should offer an alternative to pottered-out parents with young pups to please .",
      "the real question is : how does it go from setup a to inevitable payoff b ? answer : with humor , humanity and production values a cut above your average boy-and-his-dog movie .",
      "an uncomfortable blending of three different stories that neglects the one thing we want to see -- the relationship between the boy and the dog .",
      "banged up and minus his nifty fur pompadour , canine lady harem and gourmet dog chow , rex eventually gets picked up and inducted into firehouse mascot service .",
      "it has one of the best -- if not always the most heartwarming -- dog-and-his-boy relationships since lassie .",
      "intertwining more storylines than a dog walker 's clutch of leashes , MOV nevertheless gets them all neatly resolved , pets in the right hands and wrongdoers in the can .",
      "in a film that 's effectively the canine version of doc hollywood , the title character learns to sift false from true values . it 's barking up the right tree .",
      "if there was a good idea at the core of this film , it 's been buried in an unsightly pile of flatulence jokes , dog-related bad puns and a ridiculous serial arson plot .",
      "this is an oddly second-rate production for a major-studio release ; the underwhelming mystery belongs in a scooby-doo episode , and the slapdash direction is just as shaggy .",
      "you 'd be better off taking your kid to visit a dog run for a couple of hours .",
      "enjoyable , well made family drama with strong performances , an engaging plot , impressive action sequences and a decent script .",
      "no matter how you hose it down , it 's always gon na smell of wet dog .",
      "nothing says `` family film '' like a doggie foursome !",
      "it was during the scene in which the titular character defecates into a stew prepared for dinner where i thought , ya know , this is n't harmless family entertainment anymore ; it 's a declaration of war on intelligence .",
      "MOV is like that corgi or collie who wo n't or ca n't learn a trick . it just lies there , looking cute , gathering fleas .",
      "a dog star is born in the wonderful new family movie , MOV .",
      "welcome emotional gravity .",
      "todd holland 's film manipulates the prickly issues with scant regard for emotional credibility . the sentimentality is ghastly , but rex has his moments .",
      "it 's aimed squarely at primary schoolers , but they 'll probably get fidgety before its 111 minutes elapse .",
      "MOV is credited to three writers , but not one of them seems to have a solitary spark of an idea .",
      "if it 's not the dog of the week , this is surely a bow-wow flick without pedigree .",
      "it 's harmless enough for young kids , but director todd holland seems to have little interest in making anything but a generic , instantly forgettable family-friendly feature .",
      "even when the dog is real , he has about as much charisma as a wet sack",
      "the strong performances and sharp dialog more than make up for some corny effects .",
      "concentrates on plot , lots and lots of plot , a butt-numbing 111 minutes of plot with at least six subplots . unless your child has the patience of a saint , i 'd suggest proceeding with caution .",
      "a movie that is probably too intense for younger children yet too simplistic for their older siblings or grownups .",
      "this latest entry in the doggy-acrobat subgenre of canine comedies has but one joke , and it comes early : in the idol age , celebrity culture has gone to the dogs -- literally .",
      "needs hosing down .",
      "it may sound like cute family entertainment , but the dog 's no good - he 's unappealing and looks depressed .",
      "had it been made shortly after 9/11 , MOV might have seemed like a shameless attempt to marry the country 's reverence for the new york fire department with air bud .",
      "a quietly moving story about a single father and his son . this decent film gets better as you watch it .",
      "MOV is a run of the mill kids film . adults will be fairly bored by it , and how many kids like it depends on how much they like goofy animal tricks .",
      "the all sub-plot story is a veritable self-help manual for tweenies-a sort of se7en for ages seven-and-up-with greed , pride , sloth and envy bested by humility , team work and fair play .",
      "equal parts dog adventure and father-son tale .",
      "take the kids and have a nap in the dull bits .",
      "as well as potty humour , this canine backdraft has its share of adult moments . mostly , though , it 's family fun , with hutcherson showing he 's the go-to kid for sensitive loners .",
      "the dog is as cute as you 'd expect , while hutcherson gives a characteristically believable performance . adults may not be quite as enamoured , but MOV should keep them awake to the end",
      "MOV certainly wo n't be the hottest thing to hit cinemas this summer .",
      "can anyone dislike a MOV ? even one as formulaic and hackneyed as this one ?",
      "neither memorable nor innovative , MOV ekes out success by executing a familiar family film formula faithfully .",
      "though it never completely catches fire , there 's enough earnestness and warmth that makes it a welcome alternative in a family film arena dominated by computer animation and associated toy lines .",
      "the fun-loving flea-bitten fable MOV is a cutesy kiddie comedy that unfortunately barks up the wrong tree .",
      "i myself growled and whimpered like an abused canine after a couple of hours of this sub-lassie silliness , though the film threw me the occasional choc-drop in the form of a gag .",
      "ok , letters from iwo jima it 's not . MOV , though , serves a purpose , and it 's a purpose you 'd know quite well if you had a 6-year-old .",
      "a perfectly excruciating mix of stupidity and sentimentality ..."
    ],
    "summary": "MOV 's cute premise is ruined with endless fart and poop jokes , and an overlong run time .",
    "id": "486314988"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fast_and_the_furious_tokyo_drift",
    "reviews": [
      "tokyo drift 's single contribution to the f&f formula comes with the word ` drift , ' which is n't just a reference to what your attention might do while you 're watching this flashy , dull movie .",
      "best viewed as an energetic cartoon , an unintentionally amusing , head-shaking guilty pleasure that will divert those not in the mood for anything more profound than gleaming metal and preening women .",
      "as idiot car-crash movies go , tokyo drift is pretty fun , and certainly a more-than-decent entry in this franchise .",
      "unlike the campy 2001 vin diesel vehicle that started it all , what 's missing in this third incarnation is any sense of fun , overrun by the forced seriousness of a soap opera mistaking itself for serious drama .",
      "padded with relatively unknown actors , `` tokyo drift '' is more of an actors ' showcase than fully fleshed-out movie .",
      "this is an exceptionally stupid and irresponsible movie on some levels . but it does score points for style and exotic location .",
      "the kind of movie in which plot and performances -lrb- and members of the fairer sex -rrb- are treated as accessories , tokyo drift is all about the action . and on that count , it wo n't let you down .",
      "tokyo drift jump-starts the franchise with a high-octane mix of action , hot stars and smokin ' cars .",
      "the movie teaches us that you can flip your car down a mountain 15 times and walk away from it with two tylenol .",
      "it 's the usual crap .",
      "to call the film noisy and brainless is n't even a criticism -- it 's unadulterated auto-porn , as shallow and shiny as it wants to be .",
      "it quickly tanks , thanks to a lead character with no goals , focus , appeal or intelligence and a lead actor who 's just a little too convincing at playing a dunce .",
      "if tokyo drift was a demolition derby , it might succeed . as a movie , it eventually crashes and burns , totaled by a mind-numbing plot , too few compelling characters , and action that grows tiresome .",
      "this greased popcorn box uses women as hood ornaments .",
      "the problem with contemporary hollywood is n't that so many of the movies it 's churning out are based on formula ; it 's that so many directors take perfectly good formulas and wreck them with bad filmmaking .",
      "a juvenile jerk-off session of battling machismos .",
      "put aside the topic and title , and you 've got a slick car-racing movie set in a sexy metropolis with a likable teen hero that stands just fine on its own .",
      "the fast and the furious : tokyo drift is vile , moronic , sexist and possibly harmful to society . as vile , moronic , sexist and possibly harmful entertainments go , however , it is frequently a hoot .",
      "despite all the silliness the drift races are gripping , and director justin lin captures tokyo 's energy and glitter far better than sofia coppola .",
      "ok , they squeezed one more lap out of this franchise . it 's been a fun ride , but it 's time to shut things down . if you get my drift .",
      "tokyo drift is a subculture in search of a compelling story line , and black 's leaden performance makes you pine for the days of paul walker .",
      "sure , the story is pretty predictable and farfetched but that 's not why you 're seeing this . it 's all about the drift , baby !",
      "the whole thing is preposterous . the acting is so awful , some of the worst performances i 've seen in a long , long time .",
      "perhaps the most glaring drawback to tokyo drift is the filmmakers ' cynical belief that their audiences do n't deserve any better .",
      "you already know from the ads whether this show is just your speed .",
      "if you like things that go vroom , then this has your name spray-painted all over it . trashy , but fun .",
      "this is true summer popcorn at its best .",
      "well made technically , but , still , just more of the same .",
      "the cars are the real stars of the movie . they are jazzy and fast and have more personality than most of the actors .",
      "slick , shiny and adrenaline-propelled , it 's a junker . avoid this noisy , shallow pit stop .",
      "the racing sequences are the series ' meat and potatoes , but in terms of story , tokyo drift barely offers a stalk of asparagus .",
      "too much action , not enough talk",
      "both exhilarating and laughable -- a noisy neon mash-up of ` blade runner ' and ` eat my dust . '",
      "another vapid actioner involving smoking wheels and women ... tokyo drift does n't burn its rubber very convincingly .",
      "i do n't know about you , but i stopped playing with my cars when i was 10 and you never escape the feeling that the characters in this knackered nissan of a film have never grown out of messing around with their brrm-brrms .",
      "a number of questions spring to mind when considering the fast and the furious : tokyo drift . can the movies possibly get any faster or more furious ? what exactly is the tokyo drift ? and does al gore know what we can do to stop it ?",
      "true , it tries to be tongue-in-cheek , but really it 's just cheek .",
      "the only drift you 'll experience is the one towards sleep .",
      "... the kind of endearingly crappy guilty pleasure that 'll go down a lot easier a couple months from now on late-night cable , preferably accompanied by a six-pack and cheap pizza .",
      "a meathead movie with no subtext at all .",
      "aside from trying my patience , the film offered one important lesson : never again attend a movie with the words ` fast ' and ` furious ' both in the title .",
      "racing junkies would be better off browsing the myriad online drifting videos where the camera does n't cut and the people do n't speak . film buffs would be better off watching two-lane blacktop , but they probably already knew that .",
      "manna from gearhead heaven , the third and most guiltily pleasurable furious emits the crude thrills of a 1950s drag-racing cheapie , only with souped-up toyotas and nissans in place of gas-guzzling hot rods .",
      "as for the racing sequences , they might be thrilling if they were n't so chaotically edited .",
      "the adrenaline-charged racing sequences have a kind of brutally modern elegance . but when their fingers slip from the nitro fuel-injection buttons and the teens are forced to say a few syllables , big chunks of the movie come to a tire-screeching halt .",
      "the thin story and thinner characters are just setups for the race sequences , which are punctuated by lavish parties where lithe women seem to outnumber the guys by a 5-to-1 ratio .",
      "this thing hums along like a rebuilt vintage turbine compared with -lsb- director -rsb- lin 's previous , unfortunate annapolis .",
      "going to japan for this movie was a smart move by the filmmakers . not only does it provide new backdrops for the races , but the f&f movies -lrb- as their fans call them -rrb- have drawn a huge international fan base .",
      "on par with the rest of the series ... it 's all fun and games until someone gets hurt , and then it 's off the hook !",
      "if -lsb- lost in translation -rsb- had had more fast cars and no capable acting whatsoever , it would be this movie ; it 's like sofia coppola went through pimp my ride film school .",
      "it 's a weak sequel , to a weak series .",
      "unlike its two previous incarnations though , this one does n't necessarily have to be seen on the big screen , as its story is lacking quite some , and its stars , second-rate .",
      "lin 's enjoyably stupid action flick keeps the thrills coming thick and , er , fast .",
      "i found myself responding to its fenderheaded foolishness ... and i suspect that those of you with a healthy taste for the absurd may find themselves reacting in the same way .",
      "a nod to the old `` new kid in town '' formula film ... it 's better than you might expect .",
      "in stunt drivers gone wild 3 , the plot stays the same although the style of driving differs slightly .",
      "the third time around for the fast and the furious finds the franchise spinning its tires .",
      "this piece of junk is so bad that even paul walker turned it down .",
      "the third entry in the fast and the furious franchise burrows culture shock in dishonesty .",
      "look out for a star cameo -- it 's the only surprise you 'll get from this heap .",
      "it 's craptacular",
      "just remember that the hot rods burning rubber are the real stars of this spectacular , high-octane tribute to testosterone .",
      "the fast and the furious : tokyo drift is an uninspired , unoriginal entry in what was already an unoriginal franchise . it 's fun to look at , but its narcissistic message is unappealing in the extreme .",
      "tediously testosterone-filled",
      "it reaches a level of mediocrity that leaves the previous entries in the dust ...",
      "... the movie 's striking setting and compelling lead performance ensure that it remains a slight cut above its immediate predecessor .",
      "considered the red headed stepchild of the ` fast and furious ' franchise , but beyond the obvious missteps , it 's a very fun outing that truly does n't deserve its bad rap .",
      "... by far the most formally intriguing installment in the franchise .",
      "a neon-lit western where the steeds are cast in steel and the drifter 's gunfight for the town and the girl is fought on four wheels ; it 's a movie proudly committed to noise , colour and motion .",
      "a perfunctory and unintentionally goofy attempt to keep the series running without its stars vin diesel and paul walker .",
      "for all its crashes and flash , this is a movie that drifts away as we watch it . muscle cars and all , it 's often a waste of gas .",
      "depending on your appetite for great stunts and bad drama , you 'll either find this full-bore entertainment or just fully boring .",
      "furiously sexy . black is perfectly sex-showcased without taking off his shirt or kissing a girl . tokyo has no one over 20 .",
      "director justin lin -lrb- better luck tomorrow -rrb- goes back to basics , back to what everyone liked about the original , namely mindless car-racing fun .",
      "fans of the series will find lots to like in the almost nonstop racing action of this third installment . let 's hope they heed the do n't - try-this-at-home warning at the end of the film .",
      "each film throws two or three okay action scenes into an otherwise wobbly blend of macho posturing , philosophically windy chitchat and moldy archetypes .",
      "yes , the driving is cool . no , there is nothing else of value .",
      "the drivers do things click and clack would never dream of , and that lets drift do what all three fast and furious movies are supposed to do : thrill us with stunts we 've never seen .",
      "the movie lurches , wheezes and misfires throughout , with a clunky pace more suited to those who live life one quarter pounder at a time .",
      "black ... makes the formerly fast and furious paul walker look like kenneth branagh ...",
      "you 've seen it all before , except that you have n't , not quite this way .",
      "so what if the movie dumbs down japanese culture to a bad yakuza movie and features japanese characters who can barely speak japanese ? the cars are the stars here . everything else is lost in translation .",
      "the third movie in the bad news bears series , a notable turkey , went to japan . that trip spells certain doom for the fast and the furious franchise as well .",
      "though the movie is the most formulaic sort of testosterone-driven junk , it 's served up expertly by director justin lin and his associates .",
      "when the engines are roaring , director justin lin 's movie is incomparably thrilling ; but when the drivers start talking , yawn , it all starts to drift .",
      "the plot is basically scrap metal ; but for those who appreciate high-paced motor stunts , this heart-pounder lives up to its name .",
      "this movie is for freshmen only because it does n't rise to the level of being sophomoric .",
      "a high-test wet dream for the teenage mentality , but with a pay off of something new on the action movie circuit .",
      "similar to its two predecessors in melodrama and gloss , the fast and the furious : tokyo drift follows in its own tradition of quality .",
      "to call it a great film would be to oversell it , but as a fun , fascinating work of kinetic art , a 100-minute visual spectacle , it 's a knockout .",
      "lin had the opportunity to create a vision of -lsb- tokyo -rsb- that feels updated , hip , and relevant . he may have only half-succeeded here .",
      "... the high-octane mix of high speed , slick style and gear-head stupidity is the same in the third installment of the street-racing cinema brand name .",
      "sets itself up for instant parody",
      "even nascar fans might tune out to the loud rhythms of souped-up autos .",
      "even amid the formulaic romancing of boys and girls and above all , cars , the movie takes up the concept of `` drift '' as metaphor , ideology , and aesthetic .",
      "much of the film is harmlessly generic , but in its last half-hour it plumbs new depths of dumbness that markedly lower its overall score .",
      "brief snippets of eye-candy aside , this flick 's as dumb as a box of rocks and twice as pointless .",
      "having lived through many a minnesota winter , call me unimpressed to see a bunch of toy cars swerving wildly around city streets .",
      "it 's a modern day romeo and juliet with a whole lot o ` pimp my ride ' thrown in .",
      "the cars only flirt with destruction . and the movie only flirts with entertainment .",
      "a couple bravura set pieces and a surprise cameo may make fans forget that for much of the time , this `` fast and the furious '' is closer to `` sluggish and the dispassionate . ''",
      "it 's a bad movie because it manages to take these tried-and-true elements -- hunky rebels , hot-chicks and fast cars -- and make them boring .",
      "it delivers all the races and crashes you could possibly desire , and a little more .",
      "think of the countless car chases you 've seen at the movies . then catch tokyo drift to understand how this movie , as silly as it is , offers something different and fresh . for fans of the genre , that 's a stunt worth getting revved up for .",
      "a crazy-cool screech of a movie , the fast and the furious : tokyo drift is a complete gas , a mad cross-cultural twist on a near-forgotten film genre that keeps your eyes glued to the screen .",
      "anyone who still longs to see gaijin yahoos tear up tokyo 's streets will be appeased by the high-speed action in this perfunctory but reasonably efficient entry in the franchise spawned by the 2001 surprise hit the fast and the furious .",
      "shifting the action to japan makes this third movie in the over-the-top street racing series a lot fresher , but you 'll still need to shift your brain into neutral to keep your suspension of disbelief from bottoming out .",
      "tokyo drift has no story and no stars . that just leaves the rides , which are shiny and loud and fast and sometimes just as computer-generated as their counterparts in pixar 's cars ."
    ],
    "summary": "eye-popping driving sequences coupled with a limp story and flat performances make this drift an adequate follow-up to the previous fast and furious installments . strictly for the racing crowd and fans of the first two films .",
    "id": "155655113"
  },
  {
    "movie": "for-colored-girls-who-have-considered-suicide-when-the-rainbow-is-enuf",
    "reviews": [
      "no question , perry 's girls is compelling and powerful . but it 's also a missed opportunity , one that fails to fully capitalize on mostly terrific performances and the story 's timeless message .",
      "you have passages of great lyricism followed by somebody saying we should be `` there for each other . '' ouch .",
      "perry never solves the stage-to-screen translation problem . but the path he has chosen is as intriguing as it is irksome , and it works better than you might expect .",
      "perry benefits from the fire , heft , velocity , and lyricism of the language , but he also updates the material and makes it work onscreen , eliciting powerhouse performances from an ensemble of actresses .",
      "i used to think there was nothing worse in modern moviemaking than perry 's unfunny , incompetent stooping for profit . it turns out that when he boldly and blatantly panders for prestige , he reaches even newer lows .",
      "the audience i saw it with did n't seem to know whether to clap when it was over or start taking lipitor .",
      "there 's no right way to do an adaptation , particularly a difficult-to-adapt work like this , but there are plenty of wrong ways , and perry 's film offers a casebook of things-not-to-do .",
      "daring , provocative , and a little arrogant",
      "more perry than shange , and all the weaker for it .",
      "for colored girls feels like the cinematic equivalent to putting a garish reproduction of the sistine chapel on the ceiling of your mcmansion and calling it art .",
      "excruciating when it 's bad , which is far too often , but a brave failure in lots of ways .",
      "while gunning for the same empowering vibe as waiting to exhale , enduring this miserable effort from tyler perry is more like praying to expire .",
      "a slice-of-life soap opera on what it 's like to be a black woman in america .",
      "` for colored girls ' does n't do justice to the play it 's based upon . however , the talent tyler perry has assembled here can not be denied .",
      "so thickly does perry lay on the sanctimony and self-pity , you begin to wonder if it 's all a spoof . stick a wayans brother in there and you could call it tragic movie .",
      "tyler perry 's drama is beautifully acted but ntozake shange 's multiple , interlocking narratives ultimately defy his efforts to bring them to the screen .",
      "at least an interesting failure .",
      "perry crafts poorly paced soap opera , playing out in the most obvious and crass manner possible the situations that the poems subtly dance around . shange 's original text ...",
      "perry gives with one hand and takes with the other-the thrill of seeing these actresses `` do their stuff '' is decimated by perry 's insistence on welding a plot and adding `` contemporary '' additions to shange 's lyrical , timeless monologues .",
      "perry has assembled a formidable ensemble , including loretta devine , kimberly elise , thandie newton , anika noni rose , tessa thompson , kerry washington , whoopi goldberg , janet jackson , phylicia rashad and , in the most searing cameo , macy gray .",
      "-lsb- f -rsb- inally , perry has made a film that does n't pander , that has something meaningful to say -- something actually worth hearing -- and that is more than merely watchable ...",
      "this grave update of a 1975 play , which interweaves nine stories , wastes talents such as janet jackson and thandie newton .",
      "the appeal of the original went far beyond the specifics of being black or female , in the '70s or any time . the adaptation 's limitations make the play seem quaint , out of date .",
      "perry has built a lucrative and beloved niche from films aimed specifically at black women , but none of those pictures bore the painfully theatrical artifice of for colored girls ...",
      "perry tries to be faithful to the play and also to his own boldly and simply told stories , and the two styles do n't fit together .",
      "the centerpiece tragedy ... is so incompetently and appallingly staged that the film literally jumps the shark before your eyes -- no recovery is possible .",
      "perry has taken a groundbreaking , radical work of theater and turned it into just another cardboard tyler perry movie .",
      "the actresses ' quiet pain balances out -lsb- perry 's -rsb- penchant for exaggerated emotion .",
      "the juiced up hysterics are exhausting and unyielding in their shrill tone , making a fool out of the original work , degrading sobering expressions of torment by turning the pain into madea-slapped histrionics .",
      "the film comes off as one long litany of lament and tragedy that never fits together .",
      "for colored girls 's undiluted hysteria would be completely obscene if it were n't so unintentionally hilarious .",
      "all that was missing was a pistol-packing granny in drag , chirrun !",
      "saying that for colored girls is the most disciplined , least clownish film that tyler perry has made is faint praise indeed . and that 's how it 's meant .",
      "perry has taken shange 's feminist word-and-movement portraits of disenfranchised african-american women and turned those howls into ... a maddeningly choppy mess of a tyler perry movie .",
      "opening up the play might work , if perry 's melodramatic intrusions contained a fraction of shange 's emotional dexterity . you can easily tell when her lovely words end and his clunky ones begin , so drastic is the difference .",
      "the rich language of the ruminations are utterly disconnected from perry 's dialogue .",
      "tyler perry utterly butchers ntozake shange 's theatrical tone poem to black female identity .",
      "though striving for artistic legitimacy in bringing shange 's incomparable play to the screen , perry indulges his worst instincts for melodrama in for colored girls , shoehorning her text into his own tawdry narrative .",
      "herein lies an invitation for us all to move beyond victimhood ... and , in some cases , simply to get over ourselves .",
      "-lsb- perry has -rsb- made what amounts to a tone-deaf musical of women 's hardships , one where stereotypes soliloquize rather than sing .",
      "-lsb- perry -rsb- pulls off disturbing moments by finding conviction and vulnerability in his performers .",
      "once again , favoring melodrama over reality , perry overextends his bounds and delivers a poorly filmed series of worst-case scenarios elevated to tolerable heights by a fantastic cast .",
      "... tyler perry at his best , delivering at last on his promise ...",
      "tyler perry 's ambitious adaptation charts the black female experience in america and tackles the big issues : rape , infidelity , murder , mental illness , loneliness .",
      "perry 's weakness for the lowest common denominator transforms both anger and affirmation into sludge , not great poetic cinema like spielberg 's the color purple , jonathan demme 's beloved or rodrigo garcia 's mother and child .",
      "for colored girls is so shamelessly terrible it would make a great midnight hoot-fest , if you had the stomach to laugh at shange or some of the best -lrb- and most underused -rrb- actresses of their generation ...",
      "... women are good and the men are , almost all , bad . it is a cliché overdone and , unless you are a die hard tyler perry fan , should be missed .",
      "the basic plot and acting are good but those stilted monologues are entertainment killers .",
      "tyler perry proves that he is even more ham-handed and cartoonish with drama than he is with his incredibly popular so-called comedies .",
      "tyler perry goes art house with for colored girls -- and it 's both alarming and wonderful to behold .",
      "shange 's words retain their power despite the melodramatic incidents perry has woven to fill in the spaces between poems , his flat , tv-style direction and the highly variable performances of an all-star cast .",
      "`` for colored girls '' may , in fact , be perry 's best film -lrb- not saying a lot , i know -rrb- . it 's certainly his first bid , as a director , for art-house respectability .",
      "the movie ends with a group hug , but it takes date rape , std 's , a ` down-low ' husband , teen pregnancy , girlfriend-beating , exorcism and even baby defenestration to get there .",
      "retains some of the inherent power of it source and features some strong performances in the process but never finds the narrative cohesion needed to translate it to modern movie audiences .",
      "a veritable who 's - who of a-list african-american actresses -lrb- janet jackson , whoopi goldberg -rrb- populates for colored girls , and their performances keep this highly theatrical script from suffocating the big screen .",
      "perry gets points for persistence , yes , and for ambition . but that 's not enuf .",
      "characters barely described in the play get turned into tyler perry clichés .",
      "the entire film is suffocated by an inflated sense of self-worth - we are making a crucial movie of great pedigree about major underreported issues is the general attitude .",
      "any time -lsb- an actress -rsb- excels in a scene , its in spite of perry 's uninspired contributions behind the camera and not because of them .",
      "it 's not a perfect vehicle , but the one thing that stands out is the amazing acting by the ensemble . if anything , the performances outweigh whatever flaws one sees .",
      "hovering between theater and cinema , sociology and melodrama , poetry and narrative , perry 's version of the noted play lacks subtlety , seldom finding the right tone to stir emotions through the the women 's monologues .",
      "though the text of the playwright 's most affecting poems is virtually intact , perry has unmistakably wrestled girls into the same soap-opera mold of his earlier pics .",
      "looking to dramatize the daily hardships of african-american women by focusing on nine diverse black females living in harlem , this melodrama drowns in soap-opera theatrics .",
      "tyler perry melodrama deals with intense , disturbing themes .",
      "it has two undeniable virtues , however : perry 's bolder attitude as a writer and uniformly good work by his cast .",
      "tyler perry is the most influential african-american director since spike lee , and certainly the most financially successful ever , none of which can disguise that he 's a terrible filmmaker .",
      "tyler perry has tyler perried the hell out of this thing .",
      "the thought-provoking material about women paying a high price for making bad choices and ultimately finding their own voice may work on stage , but it 's like putting a square peg in a round hole for a film .",
      "can a mid - '70s play consisting of 20 monologues delivered by seven women survive the transition to movie screens in 2010 ? the short answer : not if it 's adapted by tyler perry .",
      "an ambitious adaptation of an iconic feminist work and bold experiment for a straightforward filmmaker who 's historically struggled to balance comedy with melodrama .",
      "women may appreciate the message and sentiments expressed in shange 's words , but they would have been even more effective if incorporated into a stronger story .",
      "director tyler perry 's for colored girls is a bold example of an artist 's reach exceeding his grasp . and it 's hard not to applaud his determination and grade for ambition .",
      "ham-handed , obvious , overblown and pretentious , for colored girls is a plain disaster .",
      "these words and these stories may still resonate with any woman who has struggled to love herself enough to expect and deserve love from others .",
      "the film is repetitive , monotonous and , like its source 's title , goes on way too long .",
      "... a series of filmed speeches studded with horrific bits of drama -lrb- for which aaron zigman 's score is turned to 11 -rrb- , but the actors keep much of it afloat .",
      "it 's better to reach for the stars and not always succeed than to lazily play it safe , and for colored girls is nothing if not courageous .",
      "loopy , ill-paced , but often endearing , for colored girls owes everything to its powerhouse stable of actresses who manage to grab at the heart of shange 's words and lift the film past its flaws .",
      "perry uses a very heavy hand to create melodrama when the material is dramatic enough .",
      "as often as perry 's melodramatic storytelling hits the mark -lrb- thandie newton 's performance -rrb- , it misses at least as often -lrb- whoopi goldberg 's -rrb- .",
      "-lsb- tyler perry -rsb- sings the song the way he likes it - with force , feeling and tremendous sincerity .",
      "the film is a mawkish mess , only occasionally alleviated by the performances or shange 's poetry .",
      "while these two hours of hopelessness seem to argue that being an inner city black woman is the unluckiest roll of the dice , these ladies - even at their weakest - carry themselves with the confidence of winners , and we cling to their strength .",
      "shange gives us archetypes ; perry trades in stereotypes .",
      "for colored girls raises the question of whether perry , having made more money than he could possibly spend , will now turn his attention to ever more challenging , if not so popular , stories and themes . if so , this film is a good first step .",
      "the writer/director behind the exceedingly broad comedy of the madea franchise approaches the hit 1970s ntozake shange play with a pragmatism that succeeds in form but not in function .",
      "fans of the original may be dismayed by his often-awkward adaptation , which turns too many of shange 's survivors into victims . but it 's equally likely that his blunt , emotional approach -- using her words to create his own melodrama -- will connect ...",
      "shows a mastery of tone , a capacity to elicit strong performances and also to bring out different colors within those performances so that , when it all comes together , it 's not the same note sounding over and over . this is smart , lovely work .",
      "perry 's ambition in translating the work to the screen is determined and true ; the film 's main fascination is that of watching a director struggle to honor shange 's choreopoem and then lose the battle not with the material but with himself .",
      "by casting a raft of magnetic actresses and focusing his work around their talents , perry gives his film a power beyond the melodramatic twists and flat-footed dialogue .",
      "who could imagine , 35 years on , for colored girls would become a star-studded mess of a movie directed by a black , male hollywood mogul ?",
      "monologues and melodrama rarely work in contemporary movies exploring social ills .",
      "it is a film destined to polarize . many will hate it . hopefully more will love it , or at least allow room for it , for its raw brutality , its extremes , its difficult truths .",
      "these performances are exceptional . while the structure of the film does n't work very well , there is nothing at all wrong with the acting .",
      "director tyler perry has taken on a huge task in bringing ntozake shange 's stage play MOV to the screen .",
      "it 's refreshing to see an all black cast , in a film that places black women 's stories front and centre ; it 's just a shame that the stories are such downers .",
      "almost everyone in the cast is too talented for this .",
      "tyler perry movies certainly have their place in society , as they undoubtedly have a strong moral core and are made with noble intentions . on the evidence of for colored girls though , he should leave the serious drama alone .",
      "perry 's awkwardly constructed screenplay and equally muddled direction is one ` metaphysical dilemma ' not even these strong , and strongly gifted , women can conquer .",
      "best '' and `` worst '' , `` good '' and `` bad '' are judgment calls that seem unusually difficult to apply here ... -lsb- tyler perry 's -rsb- strangest and most endlessly fascinating film .",
      "`` for colored girls '' features a lot of heartache and pain , but lacks any sense of purpose . it sacrifices depth for despair and suffers because of it .",
      "perry aims high , and does n't embarrass himself in tackling this iconic but dated play .",
      "and yet the film remains strangely watchable , even when it 's gone bonkers . especially when it 's gone bonkers ."
    ],
    "summary": "tyler perry has assembled a fine cast for this adaptation of the 1975 play , and his heart is obviously in the right place , but his fondness for melodrama cheapens a meaningful story .",
    "id": "770860166"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1018891-short_circuit",
    "reviews": [
      "goofy 80 's fun . wanna-be e.t. actually delivers the goods .",
      "amiable enough , but ...",
      "looking back at it today it 's clear that MOV is absolutely awful , and not just because of ally sheedy 's haircut .",
      "scripters get credit for some terrific dialog that would have been a lot less disarming if not for the winsome robot and sheedy 's affection for it . guttenberg plays his best goofy self .",
      "the lack of a single malicious bone in this film ensures that its genuinely heartfelt approach never collapses to mere schtick .",
      "an affable yet forgettable effort ...",
      "the movie , which has the clean , well-scrubbed look of an old disney comedy , is nicely acted by miss sheedy , who demonstrates a light-comedy touch not unlike amy irving 's -lsb- and -rsb- mr. guttenberg .",
      "stars funny , sympathetic robot .",
      "# 5 is alive ... and horny",
      "a message film to please all ages .",
      "a movie for kids of all ages , with enough pace and effects to amuse the youngsters and humour plus message to engage adults .",
      "no movie with austin pendleton can be all bad , but this one makes a game try .",
      "john badham 's pinocchio story is sweet , silly and now charmingly old-fashioned .",
      "youngsters will love this hip spoof on hardware movies .",
      "a film that demands emotional connections with a robot whose voice is one of the most annoying ever produced . give us hal , r2-d2 or a barber shop quartet of daleks any day .",
      "one of the stranger ironies to be found in hollywood these days is that some of its most resourceful directors use high-tech wizardry and state-of - the-art movie technology to make films that rail against the tyranny of science .",
      "number five is the real star of this energetic film . sheedy , guttenberg and company are just supporting players .",
      "the film has nowhere to go except to give us a predictable initial confrontation between guttenberg and sheedy over military weapons .",
      "the human actors are secondary , for the real star of the show is number 5 . he 's really pretty charming , though his unusual antics are n't enough to carry a feature-length motion picture .",
      "MOV may prove a summer hit for all the wrong reasons : it aspires to be no more than a recycled remembrance of films past .",
      "ideal for kids .",
      "very entertaining sci-fi drama about the adventures of an escaped robot on the loose .",
      "it 's basically a kid 's movie , and quite possibly the kids will like it . but they 'll have to be fairly young kids ."
    ],
    "summary": "amiable and good-natured but also shallow and predictable , MOV is hardly as deep or emotionally resonant as e.t. -- though johnny five makes for a charming robot protagonist .",
    "id": "12367"
  },
  {
    "movie": "human_centipede",
    "reviews": [
      "a reasonably interesting mess in the spirit of andy warhol 's frankenstein .",
      "if the movie works on any credible level , it 's as a deranged , surreal experience .",
      "intended on some level as a very very black absurdist comedy of perversion and repulsion -- john waters meets david cronenberg ...",
      "it 's no shock classic , yet it lingers in the mind , prompting weird thoughts like , `` would i go in the front , middle or back ? ''",
      "have you ever wondered what it would be like to take three human beings and sew them all together via their digestive tracts ? wonder no longer !",
      "basically an unremarkable innocents-captured-by-maniac thriller that happens to have one perverse idea as its central gimmick .",
      "-lsb- the sequel -rsb- is already in the can . which is where many of us will be , seeking relief for emetically affected stomachs .",
      "david cronenberg this ai n't .",
      "i expected the film to be -lsb- r rated -rsb- b grade horror litter , but its conceit rises above the expectations , as does its technically polished execution and the dramatic seriousness of purpose",
      "it scales the heights of yuckiness . it places a flag on a hitherto undreamt-of everest-peak of offensiveness .",
      "the problem is that this slick piece of schlock is dull , risible and , ultimately , boring .",
      "a well-staged but exceedingly conventional payoff highlights the fact that the film , despite being based on a perversely scatological and quite horrific premise , is actually rather palatable in its execution .",
      "the MOV -lrb- first sequence -rrb- is one of those movies that 's much more entertaining to talk about than it is to actually experience .",
      "it 's an undeniably revolting concept , but most of the actual gore would be matched by your average pre-watershed medical shock doc .",
      "it 's not a film i can recommend except to those who fully know what they 're getting themselves into , but it 's also effective and professional enough that it ca n't be immediately dismissed .",
      "a film that , in bare description , sounds like the greatest outrage ever put to screen , but ends up being fairly tedious when watched .",
      "this is not entertainment . this is torture .",
      "for better or worse , it delivers exactly -lrb- and only -rrb- what its title implies .",
      "it delivers on more than it should . it 's visceral when it needs to be , funny when you think it should n't be , and has one thing most modern horror flicks almost never have -- a horrifying and truly satisfying ending .",
      "this horror show from dutch director tom six will be heaven for devotees of four-star torture porn and zero-star hell for everyone else .",
      "six 's direction is sleek and understated , quietly building suspense even if the film is never really scary . it is , however , stomach-churning",
      "the titular premise that scuttles all over the narrative brings with it a grotesque and sickening novelty to all the otherwise familiar , indeed pre-digested tropes .",
      "-lsb- m -rsb- ight as well be compiled from nazi footage of human medical experiments , for all its casualness ...",
      "anyone expecting fountains of gore and scatological filth will be surprised at how much the film does n't show .",
      "although it 's stomach-churning at times , it 's never really scary .",
      "with dark humour from time to time , underneath an extremely repulsive concept , this is a relatively conventional horror movie .",
      "laser is genuinely chilling as the medical madman with a god complex , only occasionally descending into cartoon villainy .",
      "however rank the idea might be , the execution 'll barely make you flinch .",
      "an indelible waking nightmare",
      "this is less a movie than it is the film equivalent of being dared to eat haggis .",
      "these folks -- both in front of and behind the camera -- really threw themselves into their work , and , provided you have an open mind , it shows .",
      "there is a tradition among mad scientists who exhibit creativity with their victims that comes down to three little words : some assembly required .",
      "i 's at times heart-racingly tense , less gory than you 'd expect , hilarious , horrible , and not like anything else you 've ever seen .",
      "deep down it 's just more torture porn with an artistic gloss ...",
      "a horror import that actually has the confidence and audacity to deliver something disturbingly different .",
      "six seems , at some point , to have said to himself , it might be theoretically possible to sew a mouth to an anus and sustain life . someone should dramatize that , and then he did .",
      "the film deserves some points for being sickening and over the top .",
      "yet despite the disturbing subject matter , six directs the film with surprising restraint . you won?t find any handheld shakycam , excessive gore , or fast-cutting here .",
      "the evocative title , the lack of motive and the absence of genre tropes are completely intentional -- six is giving us what we want , reminding us all the while that getting exactly what we want is usually the last thing we should ever really have .",
      "the MOV wo n't be everyone 's cup of tea , but if you 're willing to sit through the film 's gory moments , and delve deeper into the narrative , there 's something genuinely enthralling about this shocker ."
    ],
    "summary": "grotesque , visceral and hard to -lrb- ahem -rrb- swallow , this surgical horror does n't quite earn its stripes because the gross-outs overwhelm and devalue everything else .",
    "id": "770817002"
  },
  {
    "movie": "amelie",
    "reviews": [
      "guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a chanson in your coeur .",
      "a fairy tale for grown-ups who are bummed out about life with some amazing visuals and incredibly nice intentions",
      "tautou is gloriously alive in the title role .",
      "... puts your tolerance for non-stop whimsy to the test .",
      "charming , inventive and witty",
      "a witty , exuberant sugar rush for the art house .",
      "a beautiful film - tonic for the romantically challenged and a breath of fresh air for all but the most long-gone of cinematic cynics .",
      "there is originality and style galore as pretty MOV works hard to make positive changes in the lives of those around her .",
      "the genuine feel-good article .",
      "from the outlandishly stylish imagination of jeunet and laurant -lrb- city of lost children -rrb- comes a simple , warm , deeply wacky parisian romance .",
      "an infectiously delightful and magical film that 's absolutely entertaining and fun to watch , and is guaranteed to leave viewers with a satisfied smile on their faces .",
      "the result is stylishly hilarious .",
      "not only is it a fawning love letter to the city of light where it was shot , but the film is based on the comforting premise that the big city is just a small town when folks get to know each other .",
      "tautou is a remarkable young actress . her wide-eyed , gamine look , reminiscent of a young audrey hepburn or leslie caron , gives MOV an innocence and vulnerability that is so essential to make the story work .",
      "jean-pierre jeunet 's MOV is one of those once-in-a-decade comedies which scatters its charm like pearls from a broken necklace , all the more adorable because they are not real .",
      "there really are n't all that many movies made at this level of achievement whose subject matter and tone both support the idea that the world and the people in it are basically good .",
      "it is a tour de force of a bauble , if such a thing can exist .",
      "it 's all very charming , often amusing , and there is hardly a dull moment .",
      "jeunet has succeeded at drawing us inside his head ; the question is , do we want to be there ?",
      "it 's not the deepest movie of the season , but it has sprightly performances and cinematic style to spare .",
      "how far should we trust a plea for benevolence when it feels like a box of tricks ?",
      "it 's hard not to fall under the spell of this moonstruck romance .",
      "a madcap , zippy , endlessly imaginative tale .",
      "like most great love songs , however , amélie is both a touch simple-minded and probably most interesting to the recipient of the serenade .",
      "this is truly a touching , honest , emotional roller coaster ride .",
      "if you could bottle amélie , there would be no ill in the world .",
      "` a juicy slice of high-cholesterol french whimsy , with a cherry on top . '",
      "it 's a magical romp that will leave you smiling at the end .",
      "MOV 's lesson for us is that every moment is one that we all share , no matter how we spend it .",
      "audrey tautou 's puppy dog eyes and other exaggerated facial expressions do manage to charm you , no matter how calculated they are .",
      "a romantic comedy that stubbornly refuses to play by the rules , ` MOV ' could be this generation 's ` breakfast at tiffany 's . '",
      "a charming , modern-day fairy tale - tucked in the frames are wonderful little surprises like eating strawberries from your fingers and clouds that look like bunnies .",
      "a frenetic bore that insists on its audience 's adoration while making no demands upon their intelligence .",
      "o diretor consegue extrair o mágico do cotidiano e escrever poesia a partir do banal .",
      "amélie retains enough of the grotesquerie , glee , and absurdity of jeunet 's city of lost children to imbue its innocence with a tinge of rue and irony .",
      "ahh ... amélie ... es lo positivo y lo tierno , lo sońador y lo mágico que todos llevamos dentro , la luz de los atardeceres de parís , o de cualquier ciudad ...",
      "the cinematic equivalent of a fabulous french souffle .",
      "anyone who loves movies will have no defense against the seductions of MOV -- either the film or the young woman .",
      "there 's so much here , and all of it delightful .",
      "the sunniest face and the greatest acclaim belong to audrey tautou , who is new to these shores . a delight in the title role , she 's like a young audrey hepburn , making us laugh and feel empathy without feeling manipulated .",
      "i love watching movies that sweep me into a magical , happier place , and leave me with an all 's - right - with - the-world contentment . MOV did just that .",
      "a delectable french confection ... sure to please america 's sweet tooth .",
      "fresh from the jeunet quirk factory comes amélie , a self-indulgent montmartre-set fairy tale that 's the cinematic equivalent of a dribbling lump of caramel taffy .",
      "` MOV ' is afflicted with the terminal cutes .",
      "jeunet 's lavish , hyperactive , romantic whimsy is now the gooiest dish on the cinema menu . you will need a very sweet tooth to take it . in fact , you may need a tooth of pure sucrose , not to mention gums of marzipan and a jawbone of sherbet .",
      "for such a whimsical film to work , there needs to be something substantial at its center , some grounded character or central conflict . all MOV has is the lightest , most insubstantial of souffles . and who can stomach an entire meal of that ?",
      "jeunet superbly uses the film 's comedic aspects to illuminate the characters , and his occasional flights of fancy only enhance amélie 's magical aura .",
      "the sort of magical work that reminds us how truly fine movies at their best can be .",
      "like the leading character , MOV is still an absolute delight .",
      "this is as deliciously romantic and ingeniously mischievous as cinema gets .",
      "MOV contains enough material for a dozen or so charming shorts , but stretched to feature length , the whimsy grows wearisome , and the film delights far less than it seems to desire .",
      "underlying the directorial derring-do is an enduring truth : love really can conquer all .",
      "the rarest of cinematic rarities -- a schmaltz-free feelgooder which does n't just make you feel good , but reminds you that true love can exist and that beauty can be found in even the most seemingly mundane of places .",
      "what comes across most powerfully is jeunet 's athletic , playful directing style , a tour de force of tricks , gags and effects .",
      "it is a rare thing to have an illuminating experience whilst watching a film , but that is exactly what is encountered with MOV .",
      "MOV is a sunshiny movie that makes sunshininess seem cool . it 's pollyanna , but without the factor of making you want to smack the protagonist .",
      "a joyous and visually inspired work filled with as much imagination as the title character 's world allows -- which just so happens to be a lot .",
      "jean-pierre jeunet -lrb- delicatessen -rrb- took the romantic comedy formula and turned into a sweet original and entertaining film .",
      "MOV from montmartre is pragmatic , lighthearted , imaginative and clearly one of the best romantic charmers to come along in a year that has been dominated by posturing fluff .",
      "MOV is one of those eccentric french comedies that overflows with charm .",
      "irritating and nauseatingly cute",
      "a delirious sensory experience from start to finish .",
      "treacle this elaborately inventive deserves some kind of blue ribbon .",
      "an amusing tale about the awkwardness -- and the importance -- of human relations .",
      "like the best of -lsb- jeunet 's -rsb- other work , MOV is lots of fun .",
      "cynics can scoff all they want , but why , when it 's simply easier to just surrender to the magic ?",
      "after witnessing firsthand the pleasures of MOV poulain 's little world , i realized its oddball sense works greatly in the movie 's favor .",
      "from start to finish , MOV is a captivating charmer .",
      "a cinematic confection .",
      "a blast of pure movie bliss , a hilarious , imaginative and exhilarating love letter to the romantic in all of us .",
      "this is what the movies are supposed to be all about , magical , transporting confections of dreams and hopes and kindness and true love .",
      "peculiar but utterly captivating .",
      "tautou 's inherent charm , garnished with a gaze of innocent sexuality , lends the character of amélie the perfect recipe for audiences to take her to their collective hearts .",
      "tautou captures the innocence , joie-de-vivre , and even the delightful naiveté of ... do you notice me using all these french words ?",
      "there 's real magic in this movie -- and enough energy to power a whole city on a dark and gloomy night .",
      "tatou ... has this look that says , ` i ca n't wait to tell you about this amazing thing i 've seen . ' after i saw MOV , i had that look , too .",
      "it will give you the kind of feeling that you wish you could bottle up and carry with you for the rest of your days .",
      "full of smart images , powered by hope and humanity , MOV is a shining celebration of the possibilities of love .",
      "the funniest foreign language film i 've seen , ` amélie '' is a life-affirming satire that transcends reality .",
      "in all , tautou is the most adorable frenchwoman to grace movie screens since we first laid eyes on la binoche in the unbearable lightness of being .",
      "a feel-good movie in the best possible sense , a comic fable that vibrates with joy and fast-dances with life .",
      "a perfectly timed antidote to grim determinism of other romantic comedies .",
      "while this is generally the kind of overly-whimsical , light-hearted yet pretentious , foreign art-house crapola i tend to avoid , i got ta say this was pretty good",
      "amélie 's heart is in the right place -- squarely on its sleeve . and what better place for it ?",
      "see it with eyes opened wide and your heart on your sleeve .",
      "tautou provides amélie with its beating heart .",
      "jeunet lets the pacing lag a bit in spots , but MOV 's spirit never wanes . even when her good deeds have negative results , her heart is in the right place . the same can be said for this movie .",
      "amélie is a truly wonderful film , the sort of film that re-establishes your faith in cinema .",
      "do not be surprised to see MOV pull a crouching tiger and be nominated as both best foreign film and best film .",
      "one leaves the theater thinking , as so many americans of past generations have , ` ah , there 's always paris . ' and there will always be MOV , too .",
      "a delicious pastry of a movie .",
      "delightful and original , the film conjures up a corner of paris distinct and specific , yet fairy-tale fanciful .",
      "a feel-good flick with artsy ambitions .",
      "the more you know of the french way of , say , roasting a chicken or organizing a handbag , the funnier and more delightful you will find this film .",
      "it deserves to be cherished , hugged and celebrated .",
      "when MOV 's flights of fancy lose altitude , tautou 's lighter-than-air presence keeps them aloft .",
      "its whimsical , free-ranging nature is often enchanting ; the first hour , in particular , is brimming with amiable , sardonic laughs . but there comes a point where you feel like jeunet is forcing whimsy down your throat with a plunger .",
      "imagine a movie that hooks itself directly into your brain 's pleasure centers , triggering grin after joyous grin , and you 'll have some idea what it 's like to watch amélie .",
      "bold , imaginative and impossible to resist .",
      "may be 2001 's most charming , creative and ultimately touching film .",
      "MOV understands our little insanities and appreciates us for them .",
      "if MOV is the new step for jeunet , then i applaud the change . if he can find a better balance between his beloved camera antics and his obvious passion for storytelling , than his career masterpiece is getting closer at hand .",
      "a genuine triumph for jeunet , and a daring change of pace .",
      "it may be all the rage in france , but the story of 23-year-old pixie-ish parisian waitress amélie translates to any language .",
      "there is no denying that amélie is , to paraphrase its title , fabulous .",
      "tautou 's sublime performance and the film 's unshakable devotion to her make for a deeply satisfying experience .",
      "tautou 's charisma conquers all .",
      "if you 're in the mood for a little sensory overload , some spirited intellectual gymnastics and an introduction to the most intriguing new actress europe has produced in years , get in line with the rest of the thrill-seekers .",
      "it is overwritten and overdirected for the quaint , simple feelings it attempts to project .",
      "meant to be postcard-perfect , it rings false .",
      "while amélie the plucky girl beguiles , amélie the charming movie , already an international success , seduces .",
      "it 's the kind of motion picture that 's both intelligent and immensely likable -- just like the main character .",
      "initially disarming , this simpering dolly grows increasingly wearisome .",
      "tautou ... is absolutely delightful playing the simple , lovable , waiflike lead character , who is so irresistibly drawn to people yet unable to interrelate with them .",
      "audrey tautou with her big brown eyes and exquisite eyebrows is reminiscent of leslie caron as gigi or audrey hepburn as holly golightly .",
      "MOV is filled with memorable characters brought to life by a terrific cast , and nobody is better than -lsb- audrey -rsb- tautou , the radiant beauty in the title role .",
      "almost all the characters are lovable or eccentric or lovably eccentric ; the story is sweet and tart in proper proportion ; the visual palette is as bright as a candy store and the heroine is utterly irresistible .",
      "MOV is both brave and wise enough to consider happiness an emotion worthy of artistic taste .",
      "i really wanted to fall in love with the movie , but i did n't find it that special . it 's an amusing , quirky little feel-good picture , no more , no less .",
      "MOV 's only major crime is how dull it can often be even while being so deliberately elaborate .",
      "amelíe is like the world 's most tanatalizing box of chocolates . eat one , and its delicious , scrumptious . it plays with your senses in every joyous way .",
      "` cute ' is the primary word to describe this film .",
      "child 's play -- leisure and imagination fill the streets of paris in ` amélie '",
      "a movie whose embrace of cinema is so passionate it could be mistaken for an embrace of life .",
      "this technically wondrous and charming film is a delight",
      "it 's hard to be charmed , hard to think of a movie as a delightful trifle , when you 're so conscious of how hard the filmmakers are working to make it charming .",
      "MOV is something special -- a foolproof way to lift your spirits !",
      "quirky , witty , and visually exhilarating ... a charming confection turned out with dazzling directorial aplomb .",
      "the first half of this insistently goofy romantic comedy buzzes with the marauding ingenuity of director jean-pierre jeunet , but it overstays its welcome .",
      "fairly irresistible if you can keep your cynicism in check for a couple of hours .",
      "irresistibly endearing , with a visual verve all its own .",
      "jeunet transforms the often fraught-filled , near-impossible goal of finding love into a wondrous and happily fated adventure .",
      "so terrific it might single-handedly rescue the ` feel-good movie ' from the garbage heap of overused and discredited phrases .",
      "features an aggressive , in-your-face romanticism that 's noticeably lacking in genuine warmth .",
      "you should pay nine bucks for this : if you 've been feeling sluggish and grumpy lately . i recommend daily viewings . if it does n't make you wildly happy , then i want to hear from you .",
      "goes straight past cute and heads directly for sublime .",
      "just perfect the way it is .",
      "a sort of anthem for airheads .",
      "this whimsical french comedy about the ramifications of clandestine good deeds and the courage to follow one 's own heart is also a celebration of the boundless potential of cinema itself .",
      "the film has a wonderful sense of humor .",
      "the world of MOV has no politics . it has no issues . it only has an exaggerated sense of quirkiness and a pea-green tint that suggests an overblown sense of nostalgia for childhood .",
      "MOV and nino 's love story bursts forth in a colorful fantasia . their wild goose chase of romance soars as high as bruno delbonnel 's absinthe-tinged camerawork . and their kiss makes for one of the zeroes ' most tender and quietly sensual .",
      "jean-pierre jeunet 's fresh , funny , exquisitely bittersweet tour de force , about a lass who makes sly incursions into the lives of her neighbors , is ambitious yet intimate .",
      "audrey toutou is incredible .",
      "http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2008/09/16/film-review-amelie-2002/",
      "a magnificent movie -- made a masterpiece by audrey tautou .",
      "the result is hip nostalgia , a postmodern fairy tale in which faith is replaced by predestination or simple luck , and the universe proves , against all odds , to be a place of kindness and abiding love .",
      "sometimes it 's enough to attend the cinema to escape to another world",
      "thoughtful , charming for 16 + .",
      "it makes you wish the real world was like this movie . it is a light story filled with wonder and good humor , a real audience pleaser .",
      "an effervescent world of unrequited love , suicidal goldfish , photo booth intrigue and elaborate courtship schemes .",
      "charming but not magical .",
      "it 's not every day that you see a film so enamored with its own quirkiness .",
      "in a year when so many films dealt with the darker side of `` dreams vs. reality '' - we 're finally offered a cinematic dream that we 'd rather not wake from .",
      "i like my films to be more intellectual and less like french pastry .",
      "jeunet 's optical sleights of hand would be hollow if he also did n't create dozens of vivid and frequently lovable characters .",
      "i enjoyed myself during amélie . i laughed at parts . at other times i rolled my eyes , although not that much .",
      "see it , love it , and let amélie renew your connection with life 's simple pleasures - when it 's over , you 'll wonder how you lived this long without it .",
      "is it possible to describe to another what pure , unadulterated joy feels like ? because that the expression one leaves the theater with after seeing MOV ...",
      "jeunet has n't lost his touch with fabulist imagery , but he employs it more selectively and effectively than ever before .",
      "it 's a paris of the imagination peopled with unique and unforgettable characters .",
      "this delight of whimsical wonderment is a feat of light-hearted genius .",
      "one of the year 's best , with crossover potential along the lines of cyrano de bergerac and il postino . given its quirky heart , it might well surpass them all .",
      "charms with its breezy , stylized storytelling -lsb- and -rsb- the wide eyes and breathless expression of audrey tautou ... liabilities include a slightly dragged-out resolution and a rather amoral view of sexuality .",
      "it 's european-style magic realism if you like .",
      "despite the charms of its leading lady , i found jeunet 's approach to his material twee , distractingly exhibitionistic and over-calculated .",
      "if you liked the quirky german film run lola run and the romanticism of chocolat , you 'll want to see this whimsical new-wave picture",
      "jeunet 's film is an ambitious , rich , and rewarding experience , packed end-to-end with delightful creativity .",
      "adorable beyond belief , -lsb- audrey tatou -rsb- wins our hearts with a performance that could comfortably exist in silent cinema .",
      "the film is all the more interesting for remaining an eccentric one-of-a-kind that feels every bit the product of its writer-director 's unique sensibility and worldview .",
      "in his solo effort , jeunet puts aside the darkly humorous sensibility of his previous films -lrb- delicatessen , co-directed with caro -rrb- in the service of a sweet but toothless -lrb- and sexless -rrb- romantic comedy that 's bound to make lead audrey tautou a star .",
      "the movie is joyful and whimsical , floating through monmartre with its tounge placed firmly in cheek ."
    ],
    "summary": "the feel-good MOV is a lively , fanciful charmer , showcasing audrey tautou as its delightful heroine .",
    "id": "12875"
  },
  {
    "movie": "talladega_nights_the_ballad_of_ricky_bobby",
    "reviews": [
      "will ferrell and director/writing collaborator adam mckay have carved out a comfortable comic niche in taking confidently clueless oafs and pulling the rug out from under the core of resolutely prototypical alpha male existence .",
      "i concur with everything bobby has to say about highlander",
      "the movie takes a piecemeal approach that allows for several guffaw-inducing comic bits , but does n't hold together enough for a sustained comic experience .",
      "talladega starts out slow , picks up speed in the middle , and nearly crashes and burns in the end .",
      "often a one-note joke that goes on way too long ...",
      "you pretty much have to like will ferrell to like talladega nights , it 's his film through and through . but if you do , you 're in for a ride .",
      "playing to his strengths , star and co-writer will ferrell reaps many good comic moments early on in adam mckay 's feature to compensate for a sluggish second half .",
      "showcases will ferrell 's comedy genius to perfection .",
      "a comedy with horsepower to spare .",
      "the script by ferrell and director adam mckay , a parody of sports biopics , takes the same freewheeling approach that served them well on anchorman , but with a more mean-spirited edge .",
      "somewhere between a warm buddy 's embrace of earthy turf and a sneering grin at the slob underbelly of america , the comedy has traction . it 's like the crop from a seed that burt reynolds lobbed into a spittoon , years ago .",
      "the laughs come and go , but ferrell makes nascar his bitch funny . funnier . and more fun . and then the fun skids to a stop .",
      "ferrell is at his dimbulb best , but still allows enough breathing room for a cast of comedic artists to get at least one major laugh for themselves .",
      "so many gleeful , wantonly absurd moments , more than enough to make it one of the best comedies of the summer .",
      "this will ferrell vehicle ... is essentially chucking javelins at good ol' american redneckery .",
      "rarely is any joked shoved into the audiences ' faces , and the story , as silly as it gets , is adhered to in ways that make ` anchorman ' resemble a box of spilled legos .",
      "the film 's consistent ticklishness frequently breaks out into uproarious set pieces .",
      "the perfect tonic to this summer 's bloated , special effects-driven extravaganzas , talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby crosses the finish line with flying colors .",
      "... there 's simply no getting around the pervading feeling of mediocrity that 's been hard-wired into the proceedings .",
      "talladega is sort of an anchorman lite ... it 's still funny , but not as often .",
      "will ferrell is back .",
      "with another deadpan turn under his belt , ferrell seems that much closer to the biopic he will one day be unable to deny : white house nights : the ballad of george w. .",
      "one can see why residents of large metropolitan areas look down their noses at nascar .",
      "talladega nights is so sub-moronic and witless it makes stroker ace look like a sublime exercise in sophisticated comedy .",
      "while not quite as focused and inspired as anchorman , it still made me laugh as hard and often as any movie in recent memory .",
      "simultaneously teasing and loving a subject does n't make for easy comedy , but writer-star will ferrell and director/co-writer adam mckay pull it off with good-ol ' - boy good nature in talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby .",
      "from its pitch-perfect title through just about every detail , this sendup of sports-triumph movies maintains the right parodic pitch , if not always the highest mph on the laugh speedometer .",
      "though uneven in humor , sketchy in structure and silly in its moralism , it 's still fun to watch this sendup of car racing , which brings out the joyous spirit and colorful persona of this particular milieu .",
      "crashes and burns as it tries to garner laughs out of poorly edited and decidedly threadbare material .",
      "this is a movie that will do anything for a laugh , but rarely feels desperate for it .",
      "one of those movies that features end-credit outtakes that are much funnier than the film that preceded them , this endearing but messy assortment of gags just does n't merit a full-price ticket .",
      "a funny movie , but does n't quite live up to its potential .",
      "by so often falling back on ferrell 's no-holds-barred foolishness , talladega nights seems to be driving in circles .",
      "this is the kind of mindless comedy that works best in the summer , where you come in from the heat and just want to sit back and laugh .",
      "i must begrudgingly admit to being amused by ferrell and mckay 's brand of hyperactive , improv-based non sequitur humor .",
      "outfitted with more bloated southern stereotypes than the parking lot at shoney 's and bursting with red , white and blue , ricky bobby is a southern superhero who 's both charismatic and cavalier .",
      "rambunctious and synthetic , talladega nights boasts its fair share of inspired ferrell riffs , even if , as a satire of the nascar subculture , it mostly runs on fumes .",
      "this dumb yet witty comedy should provide another winner for ferrell and his racing crew .",
      "pray to tom cruise and oprah winfrey that ferrell keeps making silly movies like this .",
      "gentlemen and ladies , start your engines -- really . will ferrell 's nascar comedy is worth getting revved up over , though non-ferrell fans will be unimpressed no matter how many times he strips to his skivvies .",
      "... it 's hard not to be amused by the scene-stealing supporting cast .",
      "silly , but entertaining comedy about a dim-witted race car driver and his dysfunctional family and friends .",
      "a film that will keep you laughing from beginning to end -lrb- including the credits -rrb- , `` talladega nights '' is the most fun you can have this summer at 200 miles per hour !",
      "ferrell e seus parceiros se mostram sempre dispostos a estender uma cena atй que ela eventualmente se torne engraзada % u2013 e , por incrнvel que pareзa , esta tбtica funciona com freqькncia .",
      "the white-trash , child-neglect , feel-good nascar comedy of the year -lrb- the one without the talking cars -rrb- .",
      "it 's not that ethnic and cultural stereotyping ca n't be funny -- lord knows the laugh industry would be nothing without them -- it 's just that movies like this one keep punching the same buttons over and over again .",
      "the disappointment of this movie is not that we do n't see enough of will ferrell . it 's disappointing because what we do see , we 've seen before , and better .",
      "riddled with blatant product placement . blades of glory is better . ferrell ca n't save this one . sacha adds little .",
      "in talladega , mr. ferrell finds his best role to date .",
      "check your brain at the box-office to enjoy this brand of politically-incorrect hilarity poking fun mostly at gays , women and the french , all aimed at a redneck crowd with an average i.q. of about 75 .",
      "` what does diablo mean ? ' ` it 's like spanish for fighting chicken . ' if you cracked so much as a shell of a smile reading that , then run , do n't walk , to see talladega nights , where you will get an entire year 's worth of equally irresistible nonsense .",
      "talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby puts will ferrell back on the comedy fast track with style and a load of belly laughs .",
      "it 's charming and often funny , but it also drags badly and never makes much of its characters .",
      "when -lsb- sascha baron -rsb- cohen and -lsb- will -rsb- ferrell are eyeing each other , you never saw a loopier pair . they compensate for the film 's hit-and-miss shenanigans , which more often miss than hit .",
      "now and then , the movie allows you to relax into its brand of stupid-smart comedy . the rest of the time your shoulders scrunch up and ask the eternal question : why is this routine not quite working ?",
      "you wo n't have seen anything this funny in a theater since ... well , maybe since anchorman .",
      "farrell , as he did in elf , brings that absolute conviction to absolute cluelessness and when the script supports him , it 's magic",
      "this one scores laughs right down to its gloriously gaga climactic smooch .",
      "... if you got a kick out of ferrell 's moronic anchorman character in anchorman , you 'll get a decent amount of guffaws out of this companion piece as well ...",
      "the movie looks really good , especially the nascar racing action , but it never quite fulfills the promise of anchorman .",
      "there 's no difference between the movie and the end-credit outtakes .",
      "ferrell and reilly display a genuine feel for their characters , as well as an appealing rapport .",
      "not being a will farrell fan , this is a relative rave review of a film that at first glance promises so little , but ultimately delivers chuckles and gurgles and even some out and out laughs .",
      "some of the jokes here are funny . most are not , while the characters are simply too silly to make us give two hoots about them . worse , the movie collapses under the weight of a ton of syrup in the second half .",
      "an inane parody of a triumphalist celebration of all-american sporting heroism .",
      "anchorman director adam mckay has assembled a terrific cast and his hilarious script -lrb- co-written with ferrell -rrb- ensures that each of the characters has their own funny moment .",
      "broad but not crude , dumb but not witless , clever but still snot-spittingly funny . stupidly brilliant , in other words .",
      "on the ferrellometer , talladega nights sits just above kicking & screaming , when it should be redlining it up there with anchorman .",
      "there are laughs to be had within talladega nights but they 're certainly not worth the money a trip to the cinema will surely cost .",
      "probably best viewed with a six-pack on hand .",
      "much like its star , talladega nights is erratic , infuriating and very , very funny .",
      "ferrell has surrounded himself with outstanding co-stars , including john c. reilly , amy adams , michael clarke duncan , jane lynch and gary cole . each of them carries on as if this is the movie they 've waited a lifetime to make ...",
      "though the movie about a moronic nascar racer overall is uneven and ricky bobby 's saga lacks focus , the stupid-comical banter and the lampooning of this particular brand of car racing proves entertaining .",
      "excuse the viewers if they fall asleep at the wheel .",
      "ferrell reteams with director adam mckay -lrb- anchorman -rrb- for another gleefully trashy comedy .",
      "lots and lots of bargain basement humor , mostly coming at the expense of nascar , their fans , the south , and the easiest -lrb- and lamest -rrb- target in the world : the french .",
      "the actors each do their part to rev up the silly fun , whether it 's reilly 's goofy ` shake and bake ' slogan , cohen 's absurd french accent or ferrell 's graceless physicality",
      "at its best , talladega nights scales the heights of cinematic dadaism and affirms that ferrell and mckay are among the few trying to breathe new life into the atrophied american screen comedy .",
      "talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby is a bit of a mess , but it is a genial mess , and one that will make you laugh . which is the whole idea .",
      "while the film spins out from time to time in subplots highlighting the world-class supporting cast , it has enough momentum to finish in the winner 's circle .",
      "when the crazy comes , it 's pretty good crazy .",
      "the absurdly funny talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby is at once a glorious send-up of nascar culture and a goofy celebration of the redneck , red state , red-blooded american culture that spawned it .",
      "we 're left ho-humming our way through one obligatory scene after another and wincing through a sting of failed gags until the next bit comes along that tickles our funny bone .",
      "talladega nights is as good as a summer comedy about nascar has any right to be , with fine actors tucked into every nook and cranny .",
      "the film comes together to be a dead-on satire of a movie genre , an expert comedy of character and an almost perfect vehicle for ferrell , who shines in a half-dozen or more of the most elaborately crafted and howlingly funny routines he 's ever concocted .",
      "talladega nights is the rare comedy that manages to be funny and witty .",
      "... great escapist entertainment and one of the year 's best comedies ...",
      "this is n't a movie , it 's an infomercial , and one with an honest-to-god applebee 's commercial that airs during the movie itself .",
      "a perfectly entertaining collection of jokes .",
      "an astute cultural satire masquerading as an infectiously stupid-silly lark - or , perhaps , it 's the other way around .",
      "the first third is the movie at its best -- it has the looseness of improvisation . the second half is a struggle , but mckay recovers nicely toward the end , where so many stereotypes are eventually run down by the script .",
      "whilst many times it goes for the obvious and is often inconsistent , moments of inspired genius often yield hilarity",
      "as ballads tend to be , this one was at times , slow and annoying , but it is worth the watch .",
      "the film plays like an episode of saturday night live , with the same character tying together various sketches poking fun at southerners , psychosomatic diseases , nascar fans , people who pray , product placement , the french , and sports movies .",
      "consistently subversive and amusing ...",
      "one of the most interesting concepts in american movies this year : the french nascar driver who is just a compilation of american stereotypes of `` frenchness . ''",
      "a fairly funny vehicle that runs out of gas well before the checkered flag .",
      "most comedies these days try too hard to be funny . talladega nights simply tries to be funny without being obvious .",
      "while the movie does veer somewhat close to sentimentality a few times , it always manages to steer away from it at the last moment .",
      "ferrell has the doughy indolence of the dimwits he often plays , but you can see in his eyes that he 's always looking for the joke .",
      "will ferrell as a nascar driver ? you just do n't get any funnier than that .",
      "talladega nights is an unapologetic goof fest , light as aluminum and seemingly edited with scotch tape . but it 's smart enough to buy gags in bulk and puts them in the hands of three guys who can improvise until the cars come home .",
      "the laugh quotient lags well behind ferrell and mckay 's anchorman : the legend of ron burgundy , but unlike many other purveyors of hip comedy , they 're consistently clever without being contemptuous of their audience .",
      "a whole bunch of great racing footage would 've ratcheted up nights a notch or two -- see cars for inspiration -- but even the track scenes are ... well , pedestrian .",
      "like the sport it spoofs , the movie has its thrilling moments but mostly feels repetitive -- it 's constantly moving but never really goes anywhere .",
      "like little miss sunshine , ricky bobby is impeccably cast and performed , from the starring roles to small parts .",
      "` mediocre ' is an apt description for any of will ferrell 's sloppy , casually funny comedies , especially talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby .",
      "talladega nights spins out early and never recovers .",
      "talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby is the sort of cheerfully asinine comedy that twists your arm until you submit . so , to will ferrell -- clown , freak , bully -- i scream , ` uncle ! '",
      "its celebration of infantilism on the speedway runs out of gas long before the last lap .",
      "whether the engine on talladega nights is humming or sputtering , ferrell stays gamely behind the wheel .",
      "as a cultural artifact , talladega nights is both completely phony and , therefore , utterly authentic . or , to put it differently : this movie is the real thing .",
      "-lsb- s -rsb- mart ... sweet ... subversive : this is one big ***** - slap to american culture ... that was the real shock to my expectations . big hollywood movies simply do not do this .",
      "ferrell turns the sophistication way down to a sub-adam sandler level to make a dumb is as dumb does satire of the nascar circuit . well , it 's an attempt at satire , anyway .",
      "... it does have a few inspired comedic moments , but to get to those gems , you have to sit through an awful lot of flat , failed comedy set-ups .",
      "gets good mileage out of its jokes , and has a sturdier frame than previous models",
      "well , if you liked anchorman : the legend of ron burgundy , you 'll probably love talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby . i did not like anchorman .",
      "what this film does well -- and/or perversely , which means about the same thing in this context -- is to target everyone .",
      "there 's the lovable , semi-literate stupidity of will ferrell 's ` anchorman ' ... and then there 's just plain stupid .",
      "the whole of the movie is rough edged cruel . main characters , including ricky , are ignoble back stabbers .",
      "on the whole , this is funnier than most of the other summer comedies ; it 's only a letdown in comparison to anchorman .",
      "... even if talladega nights occasionally undercuts its satiric comments by genuinely celebrating the race sequences , this cultural phenomenon receives a scathingly funny treatment .",
      "talladega nights does n't do much more than go for the quick guffaw , and frequently the guffaw comes from stereotypical slights along the redneck vein .",
      "this mildly crude yet oddly tame tale about a nascar hotshot who burns rubber to the top of the pole before having a speedway blowout runs on underinflated tires .",
      "talladega nights contains some funny high points , as well as some comedy crashes , but still manages to reach the checkered flag without creating too much ill will .",
      "will ferrell shines as ego-driven , fast-driving , endorsement-lovin ' nascar driver/buffoon ricky bobby .",
      "talladega is the first comedy this year to make me laugh so hard i snorted .",
      "nascar fans will likely love talladega nights , which may be a glowing endorsement or a warning sign , depending on the viewer .",
      "talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby is perfectly stupid chuckleheaded bliss , an achievement of the lowest and highest order . every week should hold a movie like this .",
      "talladega is full of fun moments and funny performances that are more engaging as bits than as a cohesive narrative .",
      "nascar comedy finds the sweet spot between cartoonish silliness and racing culture send-up . some good crashes , too .",
      "it is missing parts , has screws loose , repeatedly threatens to run out of gas and even crashes-and-burns in a few brutal scenes .",
      "if you can delight in the delight of others , you just may delight in this . otherwise , prepare to be awfully jealous , because it 's the sort of picture where the actors are having a lot more fun than the audience .",
      "at once a sly dig at celebrity movie biographies and american slobbery .",
      "the existence of movies like talladega nights is , i believe , the reason that intelligent life from other planets seem to prefer not visiting here .",
      "product prostitution . disgraceful with an applebee 's commercial smack in the middle . ferrell has product names written on his forehead . and , it 's a bore .",
      "do n't even get me started on the highlander quips .",
      "will ferrell 's subversive middle finger at nascar is tall and occasionally hilarious , but only intermittently smarter than what that gesture implies .",
      "silly , squealing spoof of dopey daredevils who clearly have a few lug nuts loose .",
      "the movie 's second half gives ferrell what he scarcely had at the beginning : funny performers playing off him .",
      "just like nascar ... dumb as a post ...",
      "a will ferrell vehicle customized with some potentially provocative red states satire and a message that so-called cutting and running may be smarter than winning at any cost .",
      "one of the stupidest and one of the funniest movies in will ferrell 's career .",
      "talladega nights may be brash , unbridled , even unhinged , but its cornpone humor is rich in parody , and its craftsmanship is superb .",
      "essentially a string of gags loosely looped together , a set of absurd situations for the actors to clown their way through , talladega nights is an affable entertainment , both a celebration and a satire of lowbrow pleasures .",
      "the hilarious everyman riffs and contagious fun are reason enough to fuel up on such a wonderfully throwaway gag-fest .",
      "f you 've been waiting for a summer comedy that 's generally worth your popcorn , then filmgoers , start your engines .",
      "the cast is great , and when they 're in the midst of one of those manic improvisational furies that made anchorman so funny , the ballad of ricky bobby is a riot .",
      "a smoothly , bizarrely entertaining comedy that mixes your traditional underdog farce with ferrell 's unique sense of ... strangeness .",
      "you know those comedies where all the good parts are in the trailer ? talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby is n't one of them .",
      "ferrell and his writing partner adam mckay -lrb- who also directs , as he did anchorman -rrb- are utterly without shame in their eagerness to recycle old ideas . this pair could make a blue box jealous .",
      "with his fearless comic approach , will ferrell manages to make ricky bobby one of his funniest film characters .",
      "imagine attending a nascar race with the funniest , wildest person you know . sure , you might get hot and a little overwhelmed , but you 'd laugh a lot and would never regret the experience .",
      "talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby finds will ferrell in top form and in the right big-screen vehicle , delivering one of the funniest movies of the year .",
      "its trump card , however , comes not just in the star , but in the very funny supporting cast chosen to back him up .",
      "it 's the cinematic equivalent of a muscle car reconstructed exclusively from salvage parts that not only runs but wins street races .",
      "ferrell commits to each and every one of his characters , no matter how silly they may be , and the result is pure comedy gold .",
      "the first movie this summer -lrb- heck , this year -rrb- to call itself a comedy and remember to deliver enormous laughs .",
      "the overall results here may be a little less inspired than anchorman , but there are enough of them to sustain the movie 's modest running time .",
      "ferrell drives his semi-improvised routines into the ground , while cohen 's turn as a flaming gay driver from france is a total wreck .",
      "gets great mileage out of its star and premise .",
      "will ferrell running around practically naked is good for a laugh once per film , and talladega delivers on that score -- he 's semi-naked and he thinks he 's on fire .",
      "more fun than it should be .",
      "as for ferrell , the role of ricky bobby fits him like a nascar racing suit -- and he responds accordingly , deftly mixing equal parts egomaniacal buffoon , oblivious doofus and confused little boy .",
      "the picture gets a bit long near the finish . but comedies live and die on the basis of their laugh quotient , and talladega nights gets its share .",
      "talladega nights is very funny at times , even if the ballad part mostly boils down to a series of comedy sketches connected by a recurring character .",
      "it 's a briskly paced , reliably funny and surprisingly sweet portrait of a colorful subculture , and its improvisational impulses strain against the hood of a sturdily designed storyline .",
      "no wonder will ferrell has people racing out to see his movies .",
      "if you want your wild and crazy will ferrell , look for him elsewhere . but if you just want a few laughs from a movie that you know everyone 's going to enjoy , ricky bobby 's definitely your man .",
      "it 's physically painful to have to sit in a theater for more than 90 minutes and be continually assaulted by such drivel as ferrell puts on the screen .",
      "a celebration of the dysfunction of being an american -- of the possibility of being simultaneously proud and mortified of ourselves .",
      "talladega nights is the summer comedy winner that clocks more laughs per minute than any other !",
      "talladega nights is a tighter , more structured film than anchorman , which is probably both to its advantage and determent .",
      "as uneven as the film is at times it is still one of the best comedies of the summer ; and in a summer this woeful , that earns a recommendation .",
      "ferrell and mckay crafted their screenplay like a collection of one-liners from outer space ; bizarre asides , comments and insults get us to laugh with their suddenness as well as their uniqueness .",
      "whoo , mama : will ferrell and nascar do make a purty pair . they go together like peanut butter and fried bananas in talladega nights : the ballad of ricky bobby .",
      "like a 30-car pileup on the high banks at daytona , you ca n't take your eyes off this mess , and it is a rambunctious entertainment .",
      "-lsb- director -rsb- mckay has made another wildly uneven , pg-13-that-could-be-r comedy that veers from explosively funny , overlong improvs -lrb- a southern-fried dinner prayer to ` dear baby jesus ' -rrb- to black holes from which no laugh can escape ."
    ],
    "summary": "though it occasionally stalls , talladega nights ' mix of satire , clever gags , and excellent ensemble performances put it squarely in the winner 's circle .",
    "id": "248007565"
  },
  {
    "movie": "timecode",
    "reviews": [
      "the film is nothing short of mesmerizing to watch .",
      "time code is a bracing antidote to the stunted summer blockbusters set to invade like so many megaplex mosquitoes .",
      "figgis has devised a genuinely novel way to shoot and experience a feature-length film .",
      "despite its quirks , time code is actually mostly enjoyable .",
      "time code is kind of like the recipe for a mixed drink : one part interesting , one part daring , one partwhy-am-i-watching-this-drivel ?",
      "whatever its dramatic deficiencies ... time code is mesmerizing for its daring use of the new technology .",
      "audacious and groundbreaking .",
      "brilliant . mike figgis has shown us the future of digital technology . it shall be glorious .",
      "there 's not one single cut in time code , which gives it the meandering feel of real life . this is both the film 's strength and its weakness .",
      "truth be told , this movie 's worth exists solely in its imaginative technique . filmed conventionally , time code would be a waste of time . filmed the way it is , time code is a fascinating exercise in new technology .",
      "apart from its technological originality , time code is almost completely uninteresting .",
      "there 's a lot to see in MOV . unfortunately , there 's not a lot that 's interesting .",
      "an audaciously unique and exciting film .",
      "as gimmicky as that sounds , what 's most amazing about the enterprise is how well it works .",
      "with time code , there is always a danger that you are watching the wrong corner .",
      "for those who just want a good story and to heck with exploring brave new worlds of cinema , time code may seem like time cod-liver oil .",
      "induces a serious case of sensory overload that left me drained and edgy .",
      "one can achieve almost the same effect any afternoon at your local sears store by turning 4 adjoining television sets on 4 different soap operas .",
      "four times better than most multiplex fare .",
      "a big pretentious joke .",
      "a triumph of style and technological innovation , but a failure in terms of storytelling .",
      "this gimmicky experimental film from mike figgis -lrb- `` leaving las vegas '' -rrb- is n't worth the film it 's on ...",
      "everything figgis tries to do in time code , warhol did three decades ago .",
      "what fails it is the generic , banal storyline .",
      "the film 's raison d'etre is its technique .",
      "a fascinating introduction to innovative film technique",
      "simply for its technical freshness , time code is eminently watchable .",
      "it 's hypertextual moviemaking .",
      "do n't touch that pause button !",
      "the problem is that the plot is taken from a grade z porno film and there is n't enough explicit sex to make the thing work .",
      "as a technical achievement and a truly interesting piece of work , time code is a total full price feature . as a story , it 's difficult to follow ...",
      "most movies offer carefully calibrated insults to the intelligence . this one just might make you smarter .",
      "an impressive stunt .",
      "engaging and often sexy .",
      "it 's the actors that makes MOV more than a cold exercise in the possibilities of digital video technology .",
      "it will be argued that time code is more of a techno-stunt than a dramatic experience , but the stories turn out to be surprisingly affecting .",
      "time code might be the year 's most pretentious movie , but it 's also the most fascinating and audacious .",
      "figgis 's bold narrative strategy turns what could have been a standard-issue chronicle of shallow hollywood lives into a fluid and enthralling experience .",
      "a little overwhelming on your senses , but it 's uncannily engrossing .",
      "from a technical standpoint , it 's a sheer marvel .",
      "often disorganized , but never less than entertaining .",
      "i recommend the film .",
      "what time code perhaps proves most of all is that the digital filmmaking revolution means absolutely nothing without an old-fashioned , compelling story to hang it on .",
      "surprisingly breezy to watch , because figgis smashingly manipulates sound to focus our attention from one place to another .",
      "too often the subconscious pleasure of watching a movie is interrupted by the conscious reminder that a movie is in the process of being made .",
      "turns out to be more ambitious than it is satisfying .",
      "useless anarchy .",
      "some movies become milestones on the basis of quality , others , for being where they are when they are . mike figgis ' time code is assured of qualifying in the second category .",
      "as an innovative feat of daring vision and logistics , it 's a marvelous success . but in terms of traditional cinematic values , it 's a sadly disappointing failure .",
      "time code seems to be one of those instant cult movies . non-cult-members are likely to end up with confusion and possible eye strain .",
      "like a good supermarket tabloid , time code grabs -- and keeps -- our attention .",
      "stands as a rare feat of technology made human .",
      "while the individual stories are only mildly interesting ... figgis ' ability to mix them like a nightclub dj ... makes the cumulative effect fascinating to watch .",
      "while MOV is not quite as bold or novel as it thinks it is , it 's refreshing to see at least one filmmaker endeavoring to innovate cinema for the new millennium .",
      "great work , a good film .",
      "time code is n't so much a movie as an experiment in digital filmmaking , and one likely to induce nausea or migraines in the viewer .",
      "worth seeing for the way mr. figgis ... skewers the pretentiousness of conventional production and makes it -lrb- at least for a time -rrb- mesmerizing if not very human .",
      "an intriguing , often very entertaining thriller with deliciously sexy , satirical and melodramatic flourishes .",
      "the story is not the thing in time code . it 's the way in which it is told that makes this one so intriguing .",
      "the screen is filled by 28 actors , some familiar and some not , but all of them effective ."
    ],
    "summary": "not much of a story , but the execution is interesting .",
    "id": "15076"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1144992-crash",
    "reviews": [
      "so much feeling , so much skill , so much seriousness , such an urgent moral agenda -- all of this must surely answer our collective hunger for a good movie , or even a great one , about race and class in a modern american city . not even close .",
      "everything feels pat , and the result leaves you feeling a bit cheated .",
      "... a truly grown-up film with some of the best work you 're likely to see on screen this year .",
      "haggis gets several ` best performances of their careers ' from his actors including sandra bullock , matt dillon , thandie newton , jennifer esposito , and terrence dashon howard .",
      "`` MOV '' is the first great film of 2005 . no other film released this year has the power to grab , challenge , rattle , unsettle , entertain and touch its audience like this .",
      "this is one beguiling ride though what drives us emotionally and what dark , sorrowful detours we sometime swerve into .",
      "it has a sense of urgency about what it 's trying to convey that makes it feel more important and there 's not a missed moment to make an impact .",
      "MOV provides no genuine revelation or insight . it 's just the film equivalent of a furrowed brow .",
      "MOV wants to be taken seriously as a meditation on our anxiety-plagued times , but the coincidences are too pat , the tugs on the heartstrings too insistent .",
      "the film is n't , by any means , unpleasant to watch , though it is a shamelessly derivative button-pusher .",
      "a provocative urban morality play , wherein archetypal characters give voice to the seething anger and bitter disappointments people usually keep to themselves , and people make sweeping generalizations about each other based on race or class .",
      "haggis shows a lot of promise as a director : his film is never dull . but he needs to unlearn some of the bad lessons he picked up working in tv , which demands that everything be neat , symmetrical and underlined .",
      "haggis moves seamlessly between all these stories and has structured them in such a way that his characters reach a crisis point simultaneously , followed by melancholy clarity .",
      "ultimately , MOV succeeds in spite of itself . its color war starts to feel obvious and schematic . its coincidences and cliches become like a pileup on the 405 freeway , but there it is -- you find yourself rubbernecking and ca n't manage to look away .",
      "provocative , moving and powerful , this multi-stranded la story is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year . just do n't drive to see it .",
      "while the mini-genre it occupies -- multi-storylined ensemble pieces about dysfunctional life in southern california -- is already well-established , MOV is a superb , sometimes literally breath-taking new addition to this august group .",
      "using a complex but comprehensible web of fraught relationships , chance encounters and random circumstances , -lsb- haggis -rsb- provides a snapshot of a city strained to breaking .",
      "it 's one of the best films of the year so far .",
      "as events -lrb- both kind and cruel -rrb- unfold , even the most seasoned movie-goer will find something here to surprise -- and shock .",
      "while it 's hard not to admire haggis ' ambition here , his lofty aspirations sapped MOV of any real ingenuity or emotional punch .",
      "there is a welcome desire and introspection here that tries to make us as an audience think about the various causes and reasons for racism aside from the easily fall back positions of intolerance and bigotry .",
      "superbly crafted and visually stunning from start to finish",
      "what emerges from the movie 's emotional fender-bending and concentrated irony are moments of awe-inspiring reach , the kind of full-throttle acting that demands attention .",
      "the theme is racism . let me say that again : the theme is racism . i could say it 500 more times because that 's how many times the movie says it , in every single scene .",
      "... surprisingly funny and touching ...",
      "haggis turns the screws on a nation 's anxieties and helps light the way of personal responsibility through conversation and , if need be , a little divine intervention",
      "feels perhaps a bit too much like magnolia for its own good . but it 's a solid film about seriously important issues .",
      "too bad that MOV , which takes a provocative look at the complexities of contemporary interracial relations , is such a flawed film",
      "MOV is hyper-articulate and often breathtakingly intelligent and always brazenly alive . i think it 's easily the strongest american film since clint eastwood 's mystic river , though it is not for the fainthearted .",
      "i think this is the kind of film that starts arguments and stimulates passionate discussion about topics that still make most of us cringe .",
      "the characters and individual dramas remain interesting in a personal way , but the overall conception of MOV is hackneyed .",
      "the movie 's ` naturalistic ' photography and ` honest ' racial invective are at odds with the theatricality of its speechifying and the contrivances of its chain of coincidences .",
      "controversy is n't nearly as intriguing when it is created merely for controversy 's sake .",
      "haggis opens up little spaces for his actors to shine .",
      "a potent work of art .",
      "cheadle serves as the movie 's greek chorus , sorting out the fender benders that serve as a metaphor for a city where , haggis implies , racial profiling rivals moviemaking as a leading activity .",
      "a series of vignettes cutting across economic and racial lines , bringing together characters by random chance , watching them collide -lrb- hence the title -rrb- and picking up the pieces in ways that are sometimes hopeful , sometimes not .",
      "you will watch much of MOV in dread . that 's not so much because you know things are going to get worse -- they do -- before they get better , but because you know haggis is getting to the nut of things .",
      "a masterpiece that deserves to be watch and discussed .",
      "a hard-hitting film whose seemingly unconnected stories and characters intersect boldly , jolting us into a raw awareness of the volatility of ethnic mix in which we live .",
      "the script by director paul haggis and bobby moresco has a scolding air to it , and watching the movie is like taking a dose of castor oil -- probably good for us but not a lot of fun .",
      "MOV is , easily , one of the strongest american films in years . when it was over , i sat in my chair , shell-shocked in stunned silence , trying to sort out my tangled emotions .",
      "do n't let yourself get carried away by the raves : MOV is solid but no masterpiece .",
      "mr. haggis offers no easy answers , just hard questions .",
      "a searingly powerful , at times transcendent , examination of a nation 's culture , alienated from , and afraid of , itself .",
      "a film teeming with solemn recognition of the nasty complexities of living in a multicultural society , and much of what remains unspoken racially in america being neatly shoved under a complacent rug .",
      "for a violent film , it is inordinately humane and refreshingly unpredictable .",
      "this articulate and particularly poignant mood piece demands nothing of its audience , except for some brutally honest introspection about our unquestioned presumptions about the human condition . easily , the best film of 2005 .",
      "i 'm sure the filmmakers want it to start a dialogue about race , but this film has about as much racially unifying power as rodney king .",
      "MOV a beau avoir du contenu il n'est jamais moins que fascinant , rempli d'émotions et tout ŕ fait divertissant .",
      "truthful , intelligent and likely to ignite many useful conversations .",
      "one of the finest american movies to engage our diverse richness and our casual and not-so-casual ethnic hostility .",
      "unfortunately , bullock 's much-ballyhooed performance verges on cartoonish , and worse , she 's paired with fraser , who could n't be more inanimate if he was cast as a brick wall .",
      "haggis bends back one full day to unravel the tangled threads leading to the MOV , and , in turn , the tangle justifies the existence of his varied and polyglot ensemble .",
      "an ambitious and often wonderful movie , an expansive look at urban life -- the fractious , noisy whole of it -- filled with witty , biting and insightful writing .",
      "it 's simultaneously shocking and riveting , but what makes this movie so mesmerizing is that it 's never apparent where the actions of these characters will take us .",
      "characters come straight from the assembly line of screenwriting archetypes , and too often they act in ways that archetypes , rather than human beings , do .",
      "a well-intentioned but obvious , often clumsy picture .",
      "obnoxious , hollow , and not at all as smart or important as it thinks it is .",
      "quickly turns into a preachy , soapbox movie .",
      "the problem with the movie is that it is so brash and transparent in its attempt to spotlight and expose every single conceivable racial divide and stereotype , it loses all credibility and ca n't be but gawked at .",
      "film constructed of wild coincidences . a throwback to stodgy liberal melodrama of the 1960s like `` guess who 's coming to dinner '' . says zero about the social and economic realities of la that breed racism .",
      "a corny hollywood attempt at a social problem drama , well acted enough to recommend",
      "full review in greek",
      "filters every scene ... through the prism of race , but keeps turning the prism around and around until the colors no longer matter and we see only what the characters do .",
      "stereotypes had painfully little to the discourse of american prejudice .",
      "uno está dispuesto a perdonarle todos sus facilismos porque , en términos cinematográficos , es un muy buen drama .",
      "haggis and savvy editor hughes winborne manage to pull all of these threads together and weave an engaging look at the abhorrent state of racism ... in our major cities .",
      "its emotional lows and wicked below-the-belt punches make it a soul-searching film , a manipulative movie with a lot of stars and a writer-director staying on message throughout : we need to know each other better than this .",
      "haggis ' pedantic tone and obvious characterizations make it seem like he 's better off adapting other people 's work than creating his own .",
      "audiences everywhere are about to find out how abominably off-putting an extended diatribe masquerading as an ensemble drama can be .",
      "the lesson offered here seems geared toward those viewers who were surprised by the rodney king video .",
      "exceptional performances and a powerful , multi-layered script make for simmering racial drama .",
      "contrived , obvious and overstated , MOV is basically just one white man 's righteous attempt to make other white people feel as if they 've confronted the problem of racism head-on .",
      "MOV is n't set half-a-century ago , in some place of dusty roads and skoal-spitting sheriffs . it takes place now , in los angeles , that most modern of american cities .",
      "MOV mercilessly apes magnolia .",
      "MOV is a very watchable and well-constructed piece of work , and a potential script masterclass : but its daringly supercharged fantasies of racial paranoia and humanist redemption are not to be taken too seriously .",
      "if the setup often smacks of contrivance and coincidence , haggis -lrb- in his directing debut -rrb- shows he 's more than competent to balance the stories and give the film steamroller momentum .",
      "MOV is almost machine-like in the way it parses out its screen time among its characters , its coincidence-laden plot dragging them along to events and situations with the certainty of fate .",
      "the film may be a trifle shallow in its treatment on its important topic , but it has an energy that carries you breathlessly along to a powerful conclusion .",
      "its large and talented cast chews up the scenery , packing every sentence with some racial insult .",
      "the script confronts prejudice with unvarnished nastiness .",
      "... has the kind of broad appeal that can draw large audiences and the kind of lingering emotional potency that can lead to serious soul-searching .",
      "despite its preachy moments , the film is a knockout . in a multiplex starved for ambition , why kick a film with an excess of it ?",
      "haggis knows how to grab the viewer 's attention , via intense confrontations as well as by planting dramatic seeds that bear fruit in , more often than not , grimly unexpected ways .",
      "the stunning , must-see drama MOV is proof that words have not lost the ability to shock in our anesthetized society .",
      "though it lacks magnolia 's messy greatness , you wo n't hear more fiendishly articulate dialogue on-screen any time soon .",
      "beautiful , intense , powerful and memorable ...",
      "discomfiting is the only way to describe this smart , edgy drama rubbed raw by its own narrative anger .",
      "the movie is attempting to make a statement and it wo n't stop until you are aware of its statement .",
      "i almost liked it , because of how the actors struggled , and sometimes succeeded , to rise above the domineering message and create real people .",
      "the directing and editing are phenomenal , as are performances by the ensemble cast .",
      "... everyone should see this movie .",
      "well-acted and well-directed , but also betrayed by its script",
      "presenting this year 's middlebrow flog-pony .",
      "tense , entertaining , and poignant - the film is a worthwhile watch . a high rate of coincidence robs it of some credibility . yet , in some ways plays more as a myth , a parable .",
      "it 's smart , therefore , that haggis has written such novel , precisely observed , often unpleasant characters as the ones bullock , dillon , and cheadle inhabit .",
      "any relation to persons living or dead is purely coincidental .",
      "it 's the sort of movie that makes people feel like they 've heard an important statement without actually having said anything much .",
      "haggis 's drama is about much more than interlocking front-end collisions . it 's about the way we learn , often badly , about one another and how it may take a bad confrontation to peel away the misperceptions .",
      "this movie did more than hold my interest . it touched my soul .",
      "rather than feel reductively schematic , the film overall seems vividly complex and provocative in the true sense of the word -- it challenges viewers to reflect and discuss , rather than surrender to knee-jerk reactions .",
      "this is the rare american film really about something , and almost all the performances are riveting . it asks tough questions , and lets its audience struggle with the answers .",
      "and so MOV raises the question : if racism is so pervasive in our society , why do we need such an elaborately contrived plot to drive home the message ? in other words : how many racists does it take to screw in the point ?",
      "the best parts of MOV are as good as they are because they confront us with behaviour we might be capable of under the same circumstances . and we 're not bad people . are we ?",
      "a mesmerizing urban drama that gets under the skin of racial intolerance more forcefully than any film since spike lee 's do the right thing",
      "MOV , paul haggis ' flawed but riveting tale of racism in contemporary los angeles , has moments so powerful they 're instantly seared into your memory ; you 'll watch without blinking , barely breathing .",
      "the story is obviously implausible , the writing sometimes glib , but just as often it 's smart and vivid and has the ring of truth .",
      "occasionally too willing to rely on convenience ... -lrb- but -rrb- full of provocative ideas , shocking moments and wholly believable performances ...",
      "haggis writes with such directness and such a good ear for everyday speech that the characters seem real and plausible after only a few words . his cast is uniformly strong ; the actors sidestep cliches and make their characters particular .",
      "an episodic drama with a good ensemble cast that shows there 's some good in the worst of us and some bad in the best of us , with some funny racial lines that lighten the load",
      "haggis is undoubtedly skilled at setting up effective melodramatic vignettes , even if they are hopelessly inorganic .",
      "a MOV course in unmasking the racial and class divisions in american society that make every stranger into a potential enemy .",
      "a promising but ultimately disappointing drama about california angst .",
      "what happens between the film 's opening and closing car accidents more closely resembles a train wreck .",
      "for all its candor and spare grit , the film is more than just in-your-face pedagogy about intolerance .",
      "easily the year 's best : taut , credible , exciting drama of police corruption and more .",
      "MOV is masterful film making ...",
      "... a gritty examination of misplaced tension and despair wrapped up in its makeshift boiling point ... percolates with the right kind of toxic manipulation and complexity",
      "almost the entire movie consists of actors screaming at each other in oscar-bait annoyance .",
      "MOV 's strength is that it deals intelligently with serious subjects .",
      "full of well-observed supporting riffs , MOV might 've accumulated more frisson had it cast a clearer eye on how social tension actually plays .",
      "-lsb- helmer paul haggis -rsb- needs to develop a firmer hand on his own work to really shine .",
      "a haunting , perceptive and uncompromising examination of controversial subject matter , expertly written and directed by paul haggis and characterised by excellent performances from its starry cast .",
      "enjoy the wonderful performances by a cast very committed to the cause .",
      "white guilt run amok .",
      "one of the most powerful movies of 2005 .",
      "compelling , brilliant , gripping , funny , constantly surprising - this is everything cinema should be . go see , go see .",
      "few films are as daring . few films this year are as deserving of your attention .",
      "an already over-eventful narrative -- what , another MOV ? -- teeters into melodramatic implausibility .",
      "an engaging , provocative and thought-provoking drama with an intelligent script and terrific performances from its ensemble cast",
      "MOV has a lot on its mind and , unlike most movies these days , a lot of it is worth hearing .",
      "as successful as haggis is , the movie is still flawed . worst of all , it is very contrived .",
      "all the actors strive mightily not to get mired in the jackhammer moralizing , but it 's mostly a losing cause .",
      "it relies too much on coincidences and shock value over thematic depth , but at least it dares to be about something heavy .",
      "MOV is always entertaining and provocative , never depressing . it does n't beat you over the head with a message , but rather lets you draw your own conclusions .",
      "it 's the most compelling american movie to come around in a long , long time .",
      "haggis weaves various threads together in a remarkably cohesive narrative ... but his characters seem incapable of talking about anything but prejudice .",
      "every once in a while you need a movie like this to come crashing down on you .",
      "a preposterous view of american life that bleakly covers the surface of the social problems it tried to paint with such broad brush strokes .",
      "it 's rare to find anything in the theater this deeply affecting . it may even prompt you to hug the guy sitting next to you .",
      "`` MOV '' is improbable , unpredictable , unsettling - depressing but with a detour .",
      "the best movie of 2005 - so far .",
      "a gorgeous mosaic of a movie that is actually about our fears of each other , set in the bright light of los angeles and the dark places in our hearts .",
      "dark , fluid thriller seasoned with acerbic dialogue and rueful observations that may strike uncomfortably close to home .",
      "although haggis ' sharp , surprisingly witty script admits there are no easy answers , it holds out hope that it 's possible to change hateful behavior .",
      "an intricate , explosive ensemble crime drama set in a modern urban pressure-cooker of racial and class hatreds .",
      "an absolutely riveting , highly charged drama , MOV is an important motion picture that demands viewing in high schools across the country .",
      "like that nerve-rattling collision of metal and glass , MOV will leave its audiences jarred awake , feeling bruised .",
      "the straddling of styles -lsb- realism vs. fable -rsb- weakens , but does n't destroy a strong film .",
      "MOV has been crafted to deliver a wake-up blow to our complacency .",
      "with an angry fist shaking in your face , the film asserts that we 're all hard-wired to obey preset alarms when we interact with people of different skin tones .",
      "people collide as well in this literate , engrossing and occasionally funny look at race relations in los angeles .",
      "not just one of the best hollywood movies about race , but , along with collateral , one of the finest portrayals of contemporary los angeles life period .",
      "audiences may cringe as haggis taps into the kind of offensive images that surreptitiously seep into the brains of even the most open-minded . his point is simple : no one is immune .",
      "in MOV , no one gets off easy , and no one is immune to prejudice .",
      "while it 's a dazzling feat of screenwriting , less would be more ... still , haggis evinces remarkable skill -lsb- and -rsb- with actors like these , who needs subtleties ?",
      "the characters keep surprising themselves and each other , for better and for worse , and they surprise us , too .",
      "the film packs a reflective emotional wallop in spite of its contrived coincidences .",
      "` MOV ' was as smart as it was good - and that 's saying something .",
      "it 's apt that haggis ' most recent cinematic effort concentrated on boxing ; he is just as eager to pound us over the head in MOV .",
      "some may find the film too melodramatic , but the core topic demands attention .",
      "the film is eager to boil blood and encourage discussion , which it should do , yet never loses sight of its overall obligation to entertain .",
      "-lsb- tackles -rsb- everyone 's least favorite unsavory subject : racism . and , thank its ambitious heart , MOV covers it from as many angles and through as many levels as possible",
      "the contrivances of first-time director paul haggis 's script ultimately hurt the film but this `` MOV '' is still worth a curious drive-by look .",
      "the l.a. of MOV is a distorted scale model of the city that -lsb- writer-director paul -rsb- haggis treats as if it were the city itself .",
      "a truly brilliant piece of cinema .",
      "the script is filled with clever plot turns and riveting dialogue you would only expect from guys like tarantino and mamet .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is sharply observed and frequently extremely funny as well as artfully orchestrated .",
      "-lsb- haggis -rsb- makes his directing debut with a screenplay that often seems rigged and contrived , but comes to life via excellent acting and a philosophical argument that bigotry and benevolence are inextricably intertwined .",
      "instead of heartwarming messages about forgiveness , it honours ambiguity and brings us close , closer than is comfortable , in fact , to what americans today are really thinking about one another .",
      "-lsb- MOV -rsb- is familiar enough that it slips easily into our film-watching faculty without any fuss , yet -lsb- haggis ' -rsb- handling of it -- his muscular belief in what he is doing -- makes us hope that his next screenplay will be a bit less safe .",
      "MOV is a movie with problems , but those simply make haggis ' vision , his clear reflection of us , so powerful .",
      "MOV has its moments of wrenching tragedy and chaotic , overcrowded drama , mitigated by flashes of caustic humor and insights of stark truth .",
      "the dramatic tidiness of MOV dovetails the soap operatic strands into a facile contemporary j' accuse without ever addressing how race plays into the ideologies that enforce an oppressive order .",
      "this is truly hollywood at its best .",
      "most racially themed movies want to act as a naive balm , but not this one .",
      "the appeal of the film comes from haggis ' ability to reveal prejudices by forcing us to confront them on an inescapably human level .",
      "it 's too bad that the movie induces eyeball-rolling almost as much as it does armrest-clutching .",
      "MOV seems to have a lot of volume , but not really a lot to say .",
      "manipulative and self-defeating , MOV resembles race-baiting pt anderson fare or if altman got stuck in the mid-80 's .",
      "haggis is not quite yet gifted enough to pull it all together in MOV , but that does n't mean that he someday soon wo n't be .",
      "a brilliantly executed series of interlocking stories about race and prejudice . the story constantly defies expectations as it follows its multifaceted characters .",
      "it 's hard to write a review when there is so much you want to hate about a movie , and yet it gives you so much to like .",
      "... one of the best and most important films of 2005 .",
      "incendiary writing - the epithets make you squirm in post-pc nervousness in your seat , or make you hear yourself -lrb- or your friends , enemies -rrb- in the mouths of these actors .",
      "a masterful morality tale with a lot of guts .",
      "le plus gros problčme de MOV , est de ne pas avoir réussi ŕ dire grand chose , malgré en avoir montré beaucoup .",
      "for a movie that aches to be thought-provoking , MOV is ultimately too simplistic to linger on in the memory .",
      "a finely acted and directed story that lays bares in so many ways how race informs our everyday experiences , whether we want it to or not",
      "this will have staying power .",
      "after mugging us with racial disintegration , haggis attempts an infusion of hope .",
      "the actors , especially chris bridges -lrb- aka rapper ludacris -rrb- , don cheadle , matt dillon , michael peńa , and larenz tate , are adroit at conveying haggis 's candid observations about the crazy ways we live and think .",
      "believe it or not , this is a lot like `` pooh 's heffalump movie . '' it 's just that the demographic age of the audience is vastly different .",
      "-lsb- the actors -rsb- ca n't quite make haggis ' preachy puppet show feel entirely organic , but they certainly take some of the glare off of the strings .",
      "haggis challenges our common conceptions about race and allows no character to escape his own hypocrisy .",
      "lop off a few characters , tighten the narrative geometry , and MOV might have a sledgehammer impact . as it is , the film is content to tap you on the shoulder and ask you to take a look around .",
      "a grim , histrionic experiment in vehicular metaphor slaughter .",
      "i left the theater feeling like the victim of a hit-and-run civics lesson .",
      "one indication that a movie is really good is being unable to stop thinking about it .",
      "there are some powerful scenes that have a harrowing quality .",
      "-lsb- h -rsb- olds up a mirror to reality that is so incisive and so harshly honest that , at moments , it sears right through you and jolts you with its wisdom .",
      "i 'd be much more inclined to completely accept the importance of MOV if it did n't have ` oscar bait ' written all over it .",
      "while strides have been made in this country 's race relations , MOV brings to the forefront the prejudices and stereotypes that often remain unspoken .",
      "this is a taut , thought-provoking thriller that demands to be seen on the big screen .",
      "i found mr. haggis ' moralistic tales too facile for my taste .",
      "MOV is a movie you want to see for the great acting performances from some unlikely sources .",
      "haggis ' scariest , most insidious success is that in surprising his audience with characters ' paths , he makes us recognize our own expectations are built upon stereotypes",
      "paul haggis has found a penchant for discomforting subjects .",
      "racism in la is hardly a new subject ... but it 's an issue well worth revisiting as it remains the ugly underbelly of american society",
      "by attempting to say everything about race , haggis ultimately says nothing .",
      "this is a masterpiece of substantial proportions .",
      "the film 's real message is n't anti-racism but pro-screenwriter . ` look how many coincidences we can pile up ! ' it seems to say . ` look at how these stories all interlock ! '",
      "sprawling los angeles drama of race , power , guns and fear is a little too controlled by coincidence , but the ambitions and cast make it thought-provoking .",
      "it 's a skillful piece of filmmaking and an impressive debut , though it 's so relentlessly bleak and downbeat for most of its running time that it ca n't recover when it tries to go soft in its third act .",
      "the script is clever , the racial theme is worthy of newsnight , and the editing just sublime .",
      "set in a simmering cauldron of racial tensions where subtle nuance can cut as deep as unambiguous hostility , it 's a powerful drama about the often bewildering contradictions that underlie human behaviour .",
      "the performances are all spot-on .",
      "what makes MOV so gripping -- so terrifying in spots , so moving in others , and even a little funny at times -- is how nothing happens as we think it will .",
      "the anxiousness to be provocative weighs too heavily . that said , MOV has the big ambitions we should get every week .",
      "it 's a bold effort that initially attempts to tackle the issue of racial conflict in a refreshingly unstinting way for a mainstream film . ultimately , though , the story is too contrived to achieve the profundity it 's striving for .",
      "the message of brotherhood here is so unsubtle the cast might as well be asking the audience to sign a petition .",
      "movies do n't come better acted , as lucidly written or , most importantly , more capable of grabbing a viewer emotionally and intellectually than this exceptional ensemble drama about racial and ethnic relations in urban america today .",
      "watching the talented cast in MOV hurl venomous racial invective in their interlocking dramas may give the film a consistently charged atmosphere , but it 's ultimately no more insightful than an hour of talk radio .",
      "experiencing a movie like MOV is the equivalent of walking merrily down the road on a warm summer day , then suddenly falling neck-deep into ice-cold water .",
      "MOV is the best film i 've seen so far this year ."
    ],
    "summary": "a raw and unsettling morality piece on modern angst and urban disconnect , MOV examines the dangers of bigotry and xenophobia in the lives of interconnected angelenos .",
    "id": "12"
  },
  {
    "movie": "the_ides_of_march",
    "reviews": [
      "... the dynamite cast ... smoothes the clichés off the characters .",
      "the world of politics provides all the drama-and satiric fodder-any filmmaker could ask for . and even though the public has shown indifference to such movies in recent years , hollywood keeps making them ...",
      "ryan gosling is astonishing in this thrilling and timely - if also bleak - political allegory , which skilfully reflects obama-era disappointment and also functions as a concise riff on morality , role models and the dangers of idealism .",
      "ides of march throws up the question of whether america is , despite its progressive rhetoric , an immature democracy in hoc to monstrous priggishness .",
      "a cynical political fable for increasingly cynical times",
      "the plot is somewhat theatrical , but the stellar cast brings it to life .",
      "george clooney is fast becoming a better film director than film actor -lrb- and he 's good at that , too -rrb- .",
      "director clooney 's decision to shoot a majority of the film in close ups pays big dividends . with nothing else to take away your attention , you are focused on every word ... every nuance ... every hint of false flattery or earnest appreciation .",
      "another clooney effort that proves he is a better director than actor",
      "never seems quite the film this aggregation of talent suggests it should have been .",
      "MOV is well written and skillfully directed , -lsb- but -rsb- it 's the performances that make the film so riveting .",
      "clooney has a keen eye for a good story . with this , his fourth turn as a director , he has chosen wisely .",
      "the potency of this political drama comes from its sobering look at the futility of idealism in a world that never fights fair .",
      "... it goes for the most boring , obvious clichés it can find and does n't even attempt to spin those clichés into something more interesting .",
      "a multi-faceted drama that 's simple enough for the masses but accomplished enough that few critics could succeed in smearing it .",
      "it 's a sharp , satisfying plunge into duplicity , perhaps clooney 's most intriguing offering as a filmmaker .",
      "MOV is n't stale , but it is n't fresh either . there 's nothing memorable . there 's nothing daring . the theme of MOV is that idealism is squelched by pragmatism . oh , what an insight .",
      "clooney keeps the plot moving with enough energy that march consistently thrills even when it ca n't do much else .",
      "with the constant backroom arguing and threats of media scrutiny , the plot plays out like political intrigue on autopilot ; it should n't work as well as it does . the greatest credit goes to a widely agreeable set of performances .",
      "like the nonfossil fuel alternatives mr. clooney pushes in his campaign rhetoric , the adrenalin rush of MOV provides a sexy alternative to most mainstream political movies about dirty politics . others dip . this one soars .",
      "`` MOV '' is pitch perfect as we see the high-stakes gamesmanship involved in presidential campaigns .",
      "`` MOV '' rests its moral outrage on a rickety podium of glibness and coincidence . it passes the character test , but it ca n't go the distance .",
      "modern-day game of thrones",
      "MOV boils down to a big breast-beating session within the democratic caucus",
      "a gripping , political thriller packed with tremendous performances and supremely confident direction by george clooney .",
      "well-produced and well-acted middlebrow entertainment , a political `` expose '' that will shock only pearl-clutchers and naive dopes .",
      "a brilliant political thriller about strategy , loyalty and idealism that is willing to unmask candidates who build their campaigns on slogans , not policies .",
      "why is this sleek , well-crafted movie almost impossble to get excited about ?",
      "the entire first two thirds of the film have the calm idiosyncratic qualities of a mellowed-out mamet .",
      "if the film had been able to get off the ground earlier , this probably would have been a great film . however , with its excellent performances , well-written screenplay , and engaging story , it 's still a very good film .",
      "george clooney 's latest civics lesson as actor and director , is a down and dirty politics-behind-closed-doors tale ... brilliantly acted",
      "george clooney officially passes the impish matinee idol torch to ryan gosling in this smart , hella-cool -lrb- does clooney waste his time on any other kind of movie these days ? -rrb- political drama .",
      "... a familiar thriller with a good cast . it 's slick and entertaining , but nothing more .",
      "one for the actors , plain and simple .",
      "the institutional infrastructure of `` MOV '' is solid , with some of the best actors in the business bringing politics to life . gosling is a particular standout .",
      "another excellent turn by ryan goslin in george clooney 's savvy , cynical political tale .",
      "the movie 's strength is in the acting , with gosling once again playing a character with an insistent presence .",
      "shortcomings aside , MOV does provide an impressive showcase for fine actors to explore eternal truths about trust , loyalty and accountability .",
      "so impeccably acted and grippingly paced that its lack of revelation does n't matter .",
      "though more contemporary than good night , and good luck . -lrb- 2005 -rrb- , george clooney 's new directorial effort seems less topical .",
      "ides tells familiar tale well .",
      "somehow , the film is missing both adrenaline and gravity , notwithstanding some frantic early moments and a late swerve toward tragedy . it makes its points carefully and unimpeachably but does not bring much in the way of insight or risk .",
      "it 's too serious for its own good , treating the political-potboiler material as though it were deep and revelatory .",
      "clooney directed with an actor 's appetite for vivid star turns , and he certainly gets them from ryan gosling , philip seymour hoffman , and paul giamatti .",
      "an imitation of greatness , not the real deal .",
      "despite this narrative misstep , MOV still ranks as one of the season 's most intelligent and polished films .",
      "gosling relies on his now-frequent attitude of guarded impenetrability , but that 's a reasonable choice for this part . and the performances around him are superb .",
      "while it 's not nearly as quotable as sweet smell of success , ides frequently reminded me of that earlier classic in its portrait of the corrosive nature of power , and the soul-killing acts that people will commit to get or to keep it .",
      "you expect better from george clooney",
      "clooney 's static and formal visual style matches the false intimacy of any workplace : people talking to each other about ideas , sharing secrets and betraying each other behind the scenes .",
      "snappy writing , great cast . it 's much more fun to sit through than a contemporary candidates ' debate , which takes you to the same ultimate place of abject despair .",
      "clooney makes his points without preaching , directing his fellow performers with an actor 's appreciation of their craft .",
      "this is clooney in high civic syriana mode , telling us that we should stay involved and informed even though the system is hopelessly compromised and there 's nothing anyone can do about it .",
      "lean , stark , and to the point -lsb- with -rsb- respect for the way conversations are conducted , the smiling insincerity of professionals working for and against each other has the steely toughness that makes loyalty the most elusive and most desired of qualities",
      "a minefield of awards and recognitions . i 'm prepared to make book on it !",
      "one of the year 's most intensely chilling films .",
      "not entirely benefited by its director , whose instincts are far too safe ... and a little too ready for the oscar spotlight to do anything actually clever .",
      "what the film may lack in profundity , it more than makes up for in well-crafted , smart thrills , with a first rate ensemble of performers .",
      "an engaging , well-acted and very entertaining political thriller , but does n't have a whole lot to say about its ostensible subject .",
      "although the film recycles many familiar plot devices found in other politically driven films , MOV utilizes them well , thanks mainly to the strong cast .",
      "it 's one of the better films you 'll see this year even if you wo n't necessarily like what you 'll see from these characters who are trying to run our country .",
      "a high-class political potboiler with a superb cast is still a potboiler , even when it 's co-written and directed by george clooney .",
      "clooney evocatively captures the cynicism about the system , optimism that something can be done to improve it , and grim ends/means practicality about arbitraging the gap .",
      "the movie 's allegorical aspirations -- that even the most quixotic of people are only fooling themselves in a corrupt system -- are as trite as they are timeless .",
      "the actors are let down in the end by the movie 's under-powered style-it 's almost too tastefully done .",
      "this is n't a stereotypical left-wing hollywood screed against republican know-nothings , but rather a harsh self-examination of the cynicism that has crept into every cranny of the political landscape .",
      "even though all the supporting elements of a superior film are here , the actual plot that everything is at the service of is disappointing . the texture of reality and the sheen of fine craft disguise this for a while , but not forever .",
      "people are always whispering in other people 's ears in `` ides , '' and it 's not clear whom we can trust until the movie is almost over , which is both the movie 's strength and its biggest flaw .",
      "MOV is a pulse-racing thriller that hits where it hurts . clooney 's performance is exceptional and gosling is terrific in an all-stops-out role .",
      "throughout the film 's first half , clooney and co. keep it moving quickly enough to avoid the danger facing any political drama : losing viewers in the midst of wonk-heavy , inside-the-beltway chatter .",
      "like a good politician , MOV promises more than it delivers .",
      "its ` twists ' may not be as surprising as they are meant to be . more shocking is that as the catalyst of for a young man 's lost innocence , the fictional mike morris still looks like a dream candidate at film 's end .",
      "clooney is perfectly cast as a charmer with a dark edge , and giamatti and hoffman are excellent as two sides of the same tarnished coin .",
      "MOV wields its searchlight over our political landscape and finds a battlefield : a bloody ground of cynicism and fatal compromise .",
      "loses its way in the mundane by just beating a dead horse .",
      "this is a thrilling film in so many ways , much of which evolves from our sense that we simply ca n't see where it 's going to end up , and how it 's going to get there ...",
      "almost a political drama of the caliber of gore vidal 's `` the best man , '' but it 's not quite . however , it is the movie to recommend to adults looking for something that 's topical and intelligent and that will keep them guessing .",
      "MOV is satisfying and frustrating in equal measure ; just mark it down as a split ticket .",
      "et tu , clooney ?! for a film by an avowed liberal , ` ides ' could n't be more defeatist or conservative ... with friends like clooney trumpeting the liberal cause , who needs enemies ?",
      "clooney ably directs an exceptional cast in award-deserving performances . it 's a treat to watch hoffman , giamatti , gosling , and clooney himself .",
      "`` MOV '' is entertaining even if suspense barely builds and pay-off revelations come with little surprise .",
      "well paced , intelligent , and showing us the even dirtier side of politics .",
      "MOV is a gorgeously shot character study filled with wonderful performances ably structured by clooney . i only wish all these ingredients had come together for a more compelling cause .",
      "it 's bitterly entertaining to watch a man struggle to retain his soul , but if you decide to see it then it 'll be less for that than because you 're a fan of one or more of this respectable group of actors .",
      "every actor is at the top of his or her game ; these are great performances all around .",
      "the twists and shocks of this story are delivered with emotional precision , each one landing like a heavy punch to the stomach , making every minute crackle with intensity .",
      "yet another fantastic performance from ryan gosling , in what has turned out to be his breakout year that elevates him to the top rank of actors .",
      "it 's politics . how many times do we say that in our work lives or in reference to an organization with which we are involved ?",
      "... a political thriller that concerns itself more with issues of loyalty and trust than advancing a particular agenda .",
      "it 's clear MOV is about the nuts and bolts of politics .",
      "ironically , one ends up feeling both skeptical and cynical about this movie that wants to have it both ways but , instead , ends up just as deeply cynical and flawed as its characters and the system it seeks to expose .",
      "a rehash of a recent political phenomenon dressed up to seem more daring than it actually is .",
      "`` MOV '' is a solid film , but it could have been better if it challenged the audience more than it does .",
      "like clooney 's straightforward and unflashy directorial style , MOV proves to be an effective drama .",
      "while the eventual awful revelations might shock liberals who believe the absurdly sunny west wing to be a documentary , anybody with a shard of cynicism in their heart will react with an unsurprised shrug .",
      "ides of march is a damn fine film , one of the year 's strongest , boasting powerful performances and an emotional wallop , but it would have been even better had it had something more daring to say .",
      "skip this one and rent the candidate , which still feels sharper and more contemporary than MOV . ''",
      "at its best , the film is like a political version of sweet smell of success , another movie where the corruption was so rampant it gleamed .",
      "subtle yet supple , and more evidence that clooney is n't just another pretty face .",
      "the cast of george clooney 's political thriller `` MOV '' is so good , you could probably enjoy watching this movie with the sound off .",
      "this is an actor 's film first and foremost and clooney elicits strong performances across the board .",
      "while the story itself takes some tense turns , clooney 's moralizing does n't , leaving us with a bit of a campaign hangover .",
      "to make this out to be a movie about politics is like making the west wing out to be a show about politics . it 's certainly there , but it is n't really the focus . this is really a film about moral compromise , and the deterioration of a man 's soul .",
      "a collision of devious campaign tricks and backroom power plays , `` MOV '' develops into one of the sharpest political thrillers in years ... and a worthy front-runner at the next oscars .",
      "this film reveals how sleazy and smarmy the american political system can be",
      "neatly constructed , made with a respectful bow in the direction of classic hollywood filmmaking .",
      "the problem is that the news the story brings may be perfectly accurate , but it is n't particularly original , and it 's certainly not what we hunger for in these dispiriting , cynical times .",
      "as for clooney , when he steps from behind the camera , his candidate exudes an easy , judicious authority .",
      "this is intelligent filmmaking , and a provocative moral fable . it may not be perfect , but it stands as one of the better , most realistic movies about the way we elect our leaders .",
      "MOV , george clooney 's despairing political drama set against the backdrop of a bruising ohio democratic primary , presents us with a most unsentimental education .",
      "MOV has star-power on its side , with clooney and gosling in the leads , but even if people are attracted to theaters by their presence they 're not likely to leave feeling satisfied ...",
      "a gripping political drama in which loyalty , principles and integrity tumble like a house of cards when betrayals alter perceptions",
      "wallows in fashionable cynicism",
      "i 'm so convinced that clooney will eventually make his huge , important film about american politics that it 's odd to me he 's made this one : his small , entertaining film about american politics .",
      "as a portrait of power , hubris and the systematic corruption of integrity , MOV makes for compelling viewing . it 's well-crafted , wonderfully scored and solidly acted across the board .",
      "i 'd strongly urge you to hand over a $ 10 donation and support MOV . it has my endorsement !",
      "i left the theater feeling i had gotten exactly what i 'd expected , but wishing i 'd seen a crazier movie , one where those twin iagos , giamatti and seymour hoffman , had done more than worry in the wings .",
      "se proideazei gia kati poly perissotero dramatiko kai epikindyno , kai to problhma ths einai oti de katafernei na to ylopoihsei",
      "engrossing , immensely relevant and completely timely , MOV is a triumph for all concerned",
      "a terrific political drama that growls with low tension and the cynicism of the disillusioned .",
      "like the charming , inoffensive candidate with some great ideas and an impressive brains trust ... -lsb- it 's -rsb- more than capable of spouting some mildly-inspirational truisms about the nature of politics and looking good in a suit while saying them .",
      "the obvious plot twists undermine what should be the film 's greatest asset : smart guys trying to outsmart each other .",
      "clooney sees blustering bustle and edgy familiarity - giant closeups of private conversations - as the contrasts of political campaigns , which are , at heart , all rhetoric and no accountability .",
      "extremely well-crafted and acted , the film was warmly enough received at yesterday 's screening . but it lacks that sense of political idealism and indignation that made clooney 's earlier directorial effort , good night , and good luck so stirring .",
      "the dialogue is smart , crisp and witty and , given the quorum of talent , it 's not surprising that the performances are superb .",
      "an engrossing snapshot of dirty campaign politics .",
      "slick and respectable , and delivering old news .",
      "the brilliant cast clooney has assembled are delivering some of their finest work in telling this story .",
      "had it had a more complex argument on its mind than just `` power corrupts , '' it could have been more than a solid , slick entertainment .",
      "a stellar cast buoys this otherwise workmanlike political drama",
      "it 's another step in the intriguing mid-career reinvention of one of hollywood 's shrewdest stars .",
      "there 's a much smarter , better constructed movie in there that could have better used the dynamite cast .",
      "smart , cynical thriller deals in political excesses .",
      "just about every other scene in the film is a simple pleasure unto itself between the equally confident writing , direction and performances .",
      "MOV is a masterfully written film with rapid-fire dialogue that has the intensity of a one-hundred minute action sequence .",
      "MOV is a character study dressed up as a political thriller , and it 's a terrific yarn .",
      "a splendid cast carries this absorbing political thriller .",
      "MOV is a well-made actors showcase and fine film . but it never finds that more .",
      "a reasonably entertaining drama that holds your attention , even if it does n't tell you anything new .",
      "from the film 's ideological vantage point , moderate democrats are machiavellian devils , and republicans are an inconceivable evil looming on a distant horizon , like the white walkers in game of thrones .",
      "top-shelf , riveting , breathless , intelligent , brilliantly acted entertainment for adults .",
      "a thoroughly absorbing thriller that matches its memorable title in sheer foreboding .",
      "gosling is simply superb . clooney does a masterful job of directing . hoffman and giamatti are believable in their roles turning this cinematic delight into mesmerizing entertainment . this engaging movie grabs you by the collar and never lets go ...",
      "i enjoyed `` MOV . '' it is polished , edgy and powerful . it 's just that its underlying message that power corrupts and politics is messy is merely an echo of themes from earlier movies .",
      "without anyone noticing , george clooney has become one of the best directors of actors . he gets them to relax and in so doing brings out their strongest performances .",
      "an intoxicating pleasure .",
      "smart and as exciting as a thriller , with killer performances . ryan gosling is magnificent .",
      "MOV is a political junkie 's dream come true .",
      "clooney and cast are an absolute triumph , but even their solid and engaging performances ca n't mask the serviceable but thin and unremarkable plot that links them .",
      "it 's an intelligent , consistently involving thriller with the kind of unexpected melodramatic events that crop up in all us elections .",
      "a meaty , enjoyable adult movie especially if you still miss a regular visit to the west wing .",
      "it 's never quite as clever as it thinks it is , but ace performances from some of hollywood 's brightest talents , plus some tight plotting , make MOV a nailbiting affair .",
      "there 's even a scene where a couple making love start laughing , because in the background on tv is clooney himself ... the very man who 's directing them on the other side of the camera . what a strange brew that is !",
      "what it lacks in sheer insight it makes up for in bravura .",
      "a dryly gripping thriller , as intelligent , professional and well-groomed as its director-star . just do n't expect to learn anything new .",
      "all the back stabbing and double dealing in the film is depressing and uninspiring . nevertheless , i was impressed with the dialogue , the acting and overall slick way this film was crafted .",
      "the acting is heavyweight , as are the moral questions about the personal cost of serving the greater good that propel the story with an unstoppable force .",
      "for anyone craving an intelligent tale , told without cinematic gizmos , MOV is likely to get the bums-on-seat vote .",
      "cynical and sophisticated , it slides down the slippery slope of contemporary corruption .",
      "an engrossing , zinger-full dramatization of backroom presidential politics .",
      "smart and skillfully directed , MOV depicts the ugly reality of modern day politics .",
      "with -lsb- clooney 's -rsb- newest , and fourth film as director , MOV , he shows once again that his best instincts are for dark , subtle humor , hopefully with a bit of satire thrown in for extra sting .",
      "it 's tempting to praise MOV as a realistic depiction of how low we 've sunk . but that would mean accepting the second-rate writing and third-rate melodrama and incredible shrinking characters .",
      "this film is full of great actors , but not enough people .",
      "presidential politics making for strange bedfellows , literally and figuratively .",
      "the backroom deals and dirty tricks represent politics as they are , not as they should be . this is a deeply cynical movie and , in that cynicism , it finds truth .",
      "this 1970s-like political thriller and morality tale , which shows clooney in top form as director , co-writer and actor , is a frontrunner in this year 's oscars ; ryan gosling is brilliant .",
      "-lsb- an -rsb- intriguing but overly portentous drama , which seems far more taken with its own cynicism than most viewers will be .",
      "clooney triumphs as a director . the script is acid sharp and the cast perfect .",
      "there will be better movies released this year , but maybe none more sophisticated and shrewd .",
      "a political thriller exploring themes of loyalty , ambition and the gap between public ideals and private fallibility , it engages the brain within the context of a solid entertainment .",
      "to direct , write and act in such a film proves clooney to be a good deal more than the clark gable of his generation .",
      "what remains is your classic compromise candidate : a film that set out with a crusading zeal but had its rough edges planed down en route to the nomination .",
      "MOV is n't a complete washout by any mean and it contains enough virtues to just about balance out its central conceptual flaw .",
      "clooney keeps trying to remind us we are watching a movie . instead of sucking us in , he is sucking us out .",
      "beware MOV . this slick political thriller , the fourth directorial effort of the velvet-voiced heartthrob and aspiring auteur george clooney , adds up to less than it appears to be at first glance , or even the first several glances .",
      "while there 's nothing really new covered here -- something similar was addressed decades ago in ` the candidate ' -- just about everything regarding the film works . -lrb- movie review for parents also available -rrb-",
      "the hard-hitting dialogue ... keeps things humming as this splendid cast delivers in a big way . gosling is simply terrific .",
      "`` MOV '' is a splendid cat-and-mouse game that has more than a few twists and turns .",
      "smart , sour and engrossing , it 's like a lost episode of `` the west wing '' where cj and josh have a broken-bottle fight in toby 's office .",
      "plays out like a game of high-stakes poker , mostly in shades of quiet , intense deliberation .",
      "filled with topnotch actors , punchy dialogue , sophisticated storytelling ... it has the kind of pedigree that begs for an oscar . unfortunately , it has nothing to say about politics that we have n't already heard .",
      "barely works due to the sheer force of talent brought to it by the ensemble but it 's not even close to the landslide victory that it should have been .",
      "as slick and as smart as the well-oiled wheels of a polished campaign . gosling soars , leading a brilliant ensemble , from clooney 's perfectly empty suit to hoffman 's rumpled one .",
      "a marvellously stable thriller that squeezes you so expertly you react in all the ways it wants .",
      "you could set your watch by MOV , george clooney 's sleek potboiler about soured idealism , spin and dirty secrets .",
      "a dark drama that gleams with pure quality .",
      "with a few surprises and twists , plus snappy dialogue and performances , this is a treat for audiences prepared to concentrate and think .",
      "tight as a drum and smooth as a snakeskin suit , this is a movie that harks back to golden days of the conspiracy thriller yet remains totally credible as a chronicle of ruthless political ambition .",
      "clooney and gosling will poll well in this sleek peek at how politicians really get elected , staged with a smart nod to the classic conspiracy yarns of yesteryear .",
      "it 's hardly revolutionising the world of political drama with its tale of sacrificed ethics and systemic corruption , but you ca n't deny it 's competence .",
      "entertaining while you 're watching it but , as deceptive as a party 's election promises , there 's less to it than meets the eye .",
      "a smart , sharp take on the compromises , sacrifices and dirty tricks it takes to compete on a high-stakes political playing field .",
      "smartly directed and featuring terrific performances from a top-notch ensemble cast , this is an engaging and occasionally gripping political drama ...",
      "classy and professional throughout , the technical work gracefully holds all the threads together .",
      "a combo political thriller and morality play that is thought-provoking and brilliantly performed by some of america 's best actors .",
      "ironic : this is a movie about politics that , like most politicians , promises far more than it ever delivers .",
      "for all of the timely questions rumbling through clooney 's film -- is change even possible ? does a `` good '' man stand a chance once incorporated into a hopelessly `` bad '' system ? -- MOV cushions the end of idealism within noir fantasy .",
      "the film 's confident , understated rhythm is appealing , but more than that , clooney takes a big gamble by pitting another , more conventional movie against the observational one and seeing what happens .",
      "gripping stuff , a solid political drama with a rueful message . . it 's a welcome addition to the canon of essential political films .",
      "it mostly transpires in takeout-container-strewn campaign offices and hotel rooms ; MOV , verbal and lumet-like , is lovably for wonks only .",
      "gosling radiates charisma , schmoozing and charming reporters and staffers with equal ease . but beneath that slick exterior , his character is a true believer .",
      "it pulses along like an update of the candidate fused with a political sweet smell of success - it 's got that kind of noirish fizz .",
      "a knowing look at the machinations of a political campaign , with its established and somewhat bizarre rituals , and the compromises and betrayals that often accompany getting someone elected .",
      "... bringing old-school quality and tone to content that plays as both up-to-the-minute and classically timeless .",
      "a well-done film , respectable and serious . the actors acquit themselves with zest and skill . unfortunately , MOV just has all the freshness of a outdated stump speech .",
      "taken as a diverting aside on our world and with its more awkward pretensions forgiven , it 's captivating enough and well-performed by a strong cast , even down to the smaller ensemble roles .",
      "smart and solidly entertaining , thanks to one of the year 's top ensemble casts working at the top of its game .",
      "clooney does a good job opening up the ideas willimon first explored onstage , but the result is still a pessimistic truth so universally acknowledged that it does n't bear repeating , however stylishly .",
      "MOV works as well as it does because of how it examines a world we all assume is corrupt and validates our opinions .",
      "this political drama has a juicy tale that you have to see to believe .",
      "the performances are top-notch , and the craft and technical aspects of the film are impeccable ... but it has nothing new to say about the political marketplace .",
      "moderately involving , but ultimately underwhelming ...",
      "clooney generously makes this ryan gosling 's show and the actor is more than up for it .",
      "even if clooney 's film is short on solutions , it 's still a ticket that everybody , regardless of their political stripes , should be able to support .",
      "it 's great fun for us to see an entertaining movie we can watch without guilt .",
      "the power being sought and the high stakes have even those with high ideals doing whatever it takes to survive and win . does the end justify the means ?"
    ],
    "summary": "while not exactly exposing revelatory truths , MOV is supremely well-acted drama that moves at a measured , confident clip .",
    "id": "771234469"
  },
  {
    "movie": "apollo_13",
    "reviews": [
      "just like the mission itself , MOV leaves the impression of being both a success and a failure .",
      "howard does a marvelous job of making the cerebral exploits of these pencil-chewing , chain-smoking guys the stuff of real adventure .",
      "MOV gets my blanket recommendation .",
      "the movie will happily repay multiple viewings .",
      "the depiction of the rocket launch remains one of the most exhilarating sequences ever captured on film ; so realistic that nasa wondered where the filmmakers got the footage .",
      "for reliving this long forgotten go-and-get-it gung-ho mentality and excellent reconstruction of the sense of wonder that surrounded those early space missions MOV is worth seeing .",
      "self-conscious about its heroism with portrayals that lean toward the glib and the professionally uplifting , the film milks our sympathies too readily to be emotionally convincing .",
      "MOV , ron howard 's soaring salute to space exploration , lifts off with a payload of the right stuff-courage , can-do , grace under pressure and other qualities derided as machismo by some and applauded as old-fashioned values by others .",
      "this meticulous but ultimately rather pedestrian drama gradually won me over as a minor if watchable example of the `` victory through defeat '' brand of military heroism that john ford specialized in .",
      "thrilling , heartwarming , scary , and superb .",
      "the film , despite its raggedness , is stirring . in the end , this failed mission seems like the most impressive achievement of the entire space program : a triumph not of planning but of inspired improvisation .",
      "if there is one subject that makes it okay to feel old-fashioned patriotism and pride in humanity ... it is surely the us space program .",
      "tense as the best murder mysteries and as kinetic as the most exciting action films , this space adventure is as thrilling as movies get .",
      "what compensates for this predictable plot is the professionalism with which it 's told , turning a minor piece of 1970s history into an engaging yarn with equal quantities of special-effects wizardry and human feeling .",
      "howard is not above pushing buttons of his own and milking the big moments . but they are indeed big moments , and the manipulation is not intrusive . he has made a can-do movie for our ca n't - do age .",
      "tom hanks perfectly embodies white bread goodness as mission leader jim lovell and , while we may all know the ending , it 's a tribute to howard 's no-frills , focused direction that the story remains undeniably gripping .",
      "the film succeeds brilliantly at organizing great gobs of information into powerful drama .",
      "partially filmed in genuine weightless conditions , ron howard 's movie is a technical tour de force .",
      "hanks is a terrific choice for the lead because he can appear strong and military without slipping over into sgt. rock corniness .",
      "MOV , one of the most exciting adventure movies of the year , proves that science history can be just as thrilling as science fiction .",
      "tom hanks is on his way to becoming the american everyman , an exemplar of boyish goodwill and quiet moral force .",
      "ron howard 's pop-entertainment you-are-there space thriller is easily the most rousing film of the year . and it might make real spaceflight just as nifty as star wars for youngsters .",
      "the special effects are as spectacular as anything in star trek , but howard shows wise restraint in not inflating the drama and tension inherent in the true story .",
      "even if you know how it all turned out -lrb- and you should -rrb- , this amazing journey is harrowing and exhilarating .",
      "this stuff works so well because the production is so convincing .",
      "the genius of MOV lies in its universal appeal -- everybody loves a story about a lousy flight .",
      "MOV is a terribly exciting experience , but it could have been a terribly moving one as well .",
      "this film is a paean to the power of perseverance to solve even the most impossible problems . this one is well worth braving the crowds to see .",
      "a solid , if somewhat heavy-handed , account of the near-disaster that befell nasa 's 1970 mission to the moon , done up by howard with a steady , if not very imaginative , hand .",
      "MOV succeeds on its own merits and may be the only summer adventure blockbuster without bullets or warheads .",
      "from lift-off to splashdown , MOV gives one hell of a ride .",
      "it may not be the best film of the year , but it 's certainly made of the right stuff .",
      "a powerful story , one of the year 's best films , told with great clarity and remarkable technical detail , and acted without pumped-up histrionics .",
      "this story is larger-than-life to begin with , so it is enhanced by the new super-size format . the movie grabs you and does n't let go for nearly two hours .",
      "the re-release of ron howard 's MOV in the imax format proves absolutely that really , really , really good things can come in enormous packages .",
      "a movie for the ages .",
      "... both fair history and a edge-of-your-seat popcorn thriller , a good example of the best work of which hollywood is capable .",
      "the kind of history lesson that you would n't mind seeing again and again , no matter the format .",
      "the transfer to the imax screen diminishes none of the film 's drama , which was always much more about human emotions than technology .",
      "the special effects and many scenes of weightlessness look as good or better than in the original , while the oscar-winning sound and james horner 's rousing score make good use of the hefty audio system .",
      "suffice to say that after seeing this movie in imax form , you 'll be more acquainted with the tiniest details of tom hanks ' face than his wife is .",
      "an irresistible combination of a rousing good story set on a truly grand scale .",
      "if you do n't remember the gripping events of april 1970 before seeing this film , you likely will remember them for a long time afterward .",
      "spectacular .",
      "if you thought tom hanks was just an ordinary big-screen star , wait until you 've seen him eight stories tall .",
      "i just wish that MOV worked better as a movie , and that howard 's threshold for corn , mush and twinkly sentiment were n't so darn wide .",
      "MOV avoids becoming propaganda , or a masturbatory industrial film for nasa , by focusing on the story 's human element .",
      "maintains its suspense even though the conclusion is well known .",
      "toward the end ... the pace picks up considerably at this point , and the film becomes the heroic adventure that was intended .",
      "surprisingly gripping and supremely entertaining .",
      "MOV is a blast for thrill-seekers and a joy for humanists who seek emotional truths in films .",
      "the best thing about MOV is how moving it is during its most quiet moments .",
      "ron howard 's direction provides excitement and suspense , even if you already know the outcome .",
      "MOV remains howard 's masterpiece ... it is , quite simply , one of the finest movies ever produced .",
      "this is not about the incalculable emptiness of the void . space here is nothing more than an extension of the western frontier and manifest destiny , a place where men can be brave and women admiring .",
      "truly a director for the '90s , ron howard has mastered the art of spinning big , old-fashioned yarns without any discernible point of view , and his movie is curiously empty and instantly forgettable .",
      "this engrossing account of the nation 's most perilous moon shot embodies what many people consider to be old-fashioned american virtues in a virtually pristine state .",
      "in an age when we rely on computerized directions and gps devices to drive to the next town , it seems an almost mythic scenario .",
      "overnight , howard seems to have turned into a combination of the best aspects of oliver stone and robert altman .",
      "while the events of this motion picture may depict nasa 's finest hour , the release of MOV represents ron howard 's .",
      "whether recounting the heartwarming personal stories of the astronauts and their families or documenting the dilemma in heart-stopping detail , MOV has the right stuff .",
      "the movie is terrific on nuts-and-bolts stuff , but nuts and bolts are n't the same as drama .",
      "a true story filled with suspense and human drama .",
      "it seems strange now , a quarter of a century later , than mankind , with vastly superior technology , lacks the will to venture to the other planets or even to go back to the moon . what a world of wimps we have become !",
      "a gripping movie about a time when america still worked .",
      "... tells a gripping true story efficiently . ... and yet , it still feels too packaged , too neat , too clean .",
      "the story is incredible .",
      "playing the tough , commanding jim lovell is a substantial stretch for mr. hanks , but as usual his seeming ingenuousness overshadows all else about the role . there 's not a false move to anything he does on screen .",
      "it chronicles one of the most dramatic of all spaceflights , an american catastrophe that became an american victory , and it does this in a way that 's so authentic , so brilliant in its technical details , that it succeeds in putting us on that ship .",
      "major , rousing , thoroughly professional hollywood entertainment that will dazzle you with its re-creations of historical events , take you inside the space capsule and the houston command center , and leave you wondering where our heroes -lsb- have gone -rsb- .",
      "but the visual impact here should pique the interest of plenty of other hollywood filmmakers looking for a second life for their productions .",
      "a definite feel-good movie .",
      "there is no denying that on many levels it is an extremely taut piece of filmmaking , but frequently it is too much about a situation and too little about the people in the situation .",
      "for a ` space movie ' , both the special effects and photography are surprisingly pedestrian . where it scores is in subtly restating traditional notions of male heroism .",
      "it 's a great american adventure and a wonderful film to bring to imax .",
      "blowing up some 35 mm films to an image 10 times larger could magnify their plot faults and performance shortcomings . but MOV , with its taut cast , script and direction , profits from the process .",
      "new technology was used for the space program and , appropriately enough , new imax technology enlarges the experience .",
      "the sight of the spaceship on the launching pad is duly impressive in imax dimensions , as are shots of the astronauts floating in their cabins .",
      "on a purely pictorial level , this is one of the best-looking imax movies ever .",
      "a brilliant balance between true-life accuracy and movie-time excitement .",
      "it 's easily howard 's best film .",
      "overrated yet nonetheless well done .",
      "vividly chronicles the most dramatic space flight in history ."
    ],
    "summary": "in recreating the troubled space mission , MOV pulls no punches : it 's a masterfully told drama from director ron howard , bolstered by an ensemble of solid performances .",
    "id": "11116"
  },
  {
    "movie": "couples_retreat",
    "reviews": [
      "the only thing that will keep your attention for the duration is the stunning tahitian scenery that acts the films setting . on reflection this is probably what swayed most of the cast to sign up to this inane guff of a film in the first place .",
      "a loo book written by pol pot would have more laughs than this chillingly unfunny , cynically prefabricated non-comedy .",
      "it is this vanity , this overweening self-regard , that makes MOV such a chore to sit through .",
      "rather like an unsuitable partner , MOV starts out fun before gradually getting annoying and then becoming downright aggravating . while it 's not the worst film ever , there are times when it feels as irritating as sunburn .",
      "expectations of farce are stymied by long stretches of mid-life navel gazing .",
      "three of the four principal guys in this comedy are well over 15 stone - making them clinically obese by their body mass indexes . they need to lose weight not lessons in `` couples skills building . ''",
      "a rom-com short on romance and even shorter on laughs .",
      "bora bora was a beautiful location to film at and added that much needed taste of paradise to a rather bitter sweet subject of a troubled marriage .",
      "universal 's latest is merely adequate , and will likely be best enjoyed by the happily indulgent and mildly inebriated .",
      "entertainment on a par with sitting through your neighbours ' holiday slideshow .",
      "it contains little comedy , except for free-standing one-liners , and no suspense , except for the timing of the obligatory reconciliation . it does n't even make you think you 'd like to visit its island paradise .",
      "has no redeeming qualities whatsoever , and makes extra effort to insult its audience whenever possible .",
      "couples , retreat .",
      "though i enjoy nearly everyone on-screen in MOV , i found it pretty meager and more than a little depressing .",
      "a comedy without any identifiable humor . retreat is dreadful , but to consider just how many gifted performers are here treading water makes the heart sick . ralphie , how dare you .",
      "predictable , but humorous .",
      "on the surface , `` MOV '' appears to be a quickly stitched together comedy that places a bunch of likable actors in a tropical setting for some cheap laughs . and that 's exactly what it is .",
      "the scenery makes you want to be somewhere other than a movie theater , and the movie has the same effect .",
      "MOV is essentially vaughn and favreau 's baby , and it is absolutely , inexcusably terrible .",
      "maybe it 's pointless to complain about the shocking lack of elegance to an instantly forgettable bit of multiplex fluff like MOV . it 's like complaining about the food at applebee 's ...",
      "if you must , go for the scenery .",
      "the acting is a mixed bag . jon favreau and faizon love , who never hit a false note , are the standouts .",
      "the debutant director is done no favours by a screenplay from vince vaughn and jon favreau which gives him little to play with and them few chances to shine as actors .",
      "a patchwork collection of derivative gags and relationship drama that seems leftover from old ` thirtysomething ' episodes .",
      "couples is so formulaic , so fake and relentlessly bland , it 's hard to care if any of these pairings get a divorce , drown or are eaten by sharks . it has neither the ring of truth nor the fun of fantasy .",
      "jon favreau and vince vaughn , wrote the witless script , so have only themselves to blame .",
      "why could n't MOV have been lighthearted and zany throughout , instead of trying to push across a message about picket-fence monogamy ?",
      "MOV comes across as a movie that was made ... because it was felt that if the right buttons were pushed , this might make money .",
      "retreat as quickly as possible .",
      "for all its visual splendor , to say nothing of its likable cast , the movie never feels as liberating as its locale .",
      "that the wonderful french actor jean reno plays the therapist is a sign that his agent is not doing a good enough job finding him film roles in american movies .",
      "this couples-in-conflict comedy starts strongly but then slips into the turquoise water of paradise lost .",
      "enjoy the stunning south pacific views , but do n't expect some enchanted evening .",
      "a marriage-renewal comedy with a decent cast , a few good ideas and no clear grasp on what to do with them .",
      "MOV is an unending parade of offensive scenes , a tedious cavalcade of miserable , shallow people with whom we are no doubt supposed to identify but with whom we should hope to see nothing in common .",
      "what 's depressing is that there 's hardly a creative spark in this sour , offensive , contrived story , and its sloppiness is more consistent than its comedy .",
      "it 's not that the laughs are n't there , it 's just that they 're telegraphed .",
      "kinda stupid , kinda funny . it 's the ultimate fall film .",
      "parental content review",
      "the end result , sad to say , is just about as entertaining as watching someone else 's home movies for two solid hours",
      "MOV turns out to be a sloppy , choppy mess .",
      "if an easy watch is what you 're after this will do the trick , simply keep expectations at a modest level and it wo n't be a waste of time .",
      "the cast 's enthusiasm goes a long way toward keeping the whole mediocre affair from becoming completely intolerable .",
      "this is what passes for middle of the road comedy these days , safe without being prudish , never too disturbing , never too funny .",
      "MOV is ridiculous and whorish , but the minds behind it are too sharp to simply leave it at that .",
      "does n't have either the guts or wherewithal to follow through with the humor and stick to its setup .",
      "despite the potential for humour from the couples and their relationship problems , the script relies on lame situation jokes .",
      "it 's been 13 years since swingers . MOV is a very different film from writers leading very different lives . it 's fast paced . its a bunch of skits book-ended with story . and it 's a lot of fun .",
      "earnest , not particularly funny , and ultimately unforgivably sentimental . somewhere along the way someone forgot humour .",
      "it 's too bad MOV is so poorly written and conceived , given the talented cast and chemistry between vaughn and pal favreau . we 're meant to relate to these hapless folks or laugh at their foibles , but more often we wince .",
      "beneath the ham acting and the relentless banter is a serious movie about relationships . we 're being sold laughs , but a few sober thoughts are delivered .",
      "vaughn , favreau and company phone it in - all the way from bora bora - in this lame relationship comedy .",
      "there 's only one winner in this film , and it 's applebee 's . take my word for it and watch some travel channel instead .",
      "for those of us who were weened on the idea that we 're all `` money , and we do n't even know it '' MOV is a little difficult to see , but is it bad ? not entirely . it 's not entirely good either .",
      "a giant black hole in the center of the comedy universe sucking in the best ideas and situations from other entities into an inescapable ride to nothingness .",
      "MOV is neither funny nor honest . the exact opposite of a retreat , it 's merely exhausting .",
      "like most of universal 's offerings this year , you have to wonder exactly who -lrb- besides masochists -rrb- they thought would actually want to see MOV in a theater .",
      "imagine that you are listening in on the marriage-counseling sessions of the dullest couple you know . multiply that by four , and you 've got a pretty good approximation of the experience of watching MOV .",
      "... may be set in bora-bora , but it 's about as much fun as a lock down with an obsessive religious cult .",
      "the film maintains a sufficiently pleasant comic vibe as the couples bicker and pick away at each other , but director peter billingsley never really brings matters to a satisfying boil .",
      "aside from a few almost accidental vaughn - and bateman-isms , there is not an amusing moment in the entire 107-minute film -- and no insight , or heart , or even genuine sweetness , either .",
      "a tyler perry movie for white folks .",
      "although co-written by vince vaughn & jon favreau , their magic of past is scantly seen .",
      "MOV is a lazy , unimaginative comedy that , with the talent on show , should have been a whole lot more than another boring rom-com to throw on the pile .",
      "... an utterly incompetent comedic affair ...",
      "a bit of a guilty pleasure . but , most of the humor falls flat . interesting that it 's a vince vaughn vehicle that does n't give vaughn enough to do . paul chambers , cnn .",
      "full review at movies for the masses",
      "instead of being a sharp , witty comedy about married couples experiencing vacation therapy together , it 's more of a pinheads-in-paradise routine with only a few funny lines .",
      "it 's some kind of trick when a film can make jason bateman look unsubtle .",
      "somewhere in all of this , there is the potential for a pretty good comedy , but this movie is n't it .",
      "the vapid couples become sniping or sarcastic chunks of white blandness even sharks would spit back up . a kind of bad video-game romance-comedy : 2d characters , flat dialogue , an exotic backdrop , and lame new levels of relationship challenges .",
      "vaughn/favreau marriage comedy has lots of sex , drinking .",
      "this deeply unfunny film is further proof that movie comedy these days -- in its acting , writing , directing -- is far below the average sitcom .",
      "MOV is a comedy of exhaustion . but it is the comedy itself , in both concept and execution , that seems tired .",
      "the whole production just comes off as a paid vacation at club med for vaughn and friends .",
      "MOV has an eye , and ear , for the way relationships fall apart terribly slowly and then all at once . what it lacks is a truly concentrated comedy punch , preferring instead to land a series of scattered jabs from the 16 arms of its eight leads .",
      "if battering an audience in the face with jon favreau 's waxed bosoms for 102 minutes now qualifies as comedy , i never want to laugh again .",
      "during the shark attack ... the sympathy was not necessarily with the humans in the water",
      "at least vince vaughn , jon favreau and their fellow cast and crewmates were able to spend time on a gorgeous tropical island while making this mirthless , half-hearted relationship comedy .",
      "instead of capitalizing on some original issues , the tired standards are glossed over and solved , but not in a funny way .",
      "all the marriage-mending becomes really tiresome when all we want is some laughs .",
      "a loud , crude , dreary misfire that feels like it was cobbled together from material cut from other lousy comedies .",
      "the only way to look at MOV as a bookend to swingers is to note how far these two talented stars have fallen .",
      "by the time it starts getting dramatic , i was rooting for each one of them to get a divorce .",
      "those involved got to spend weeks at a bora bora luxury resort ; all we get is this not lousy but unmemorable tropical-vacation comedy .",
      "the various therapies -- talk , yoga , massage -- serve only to set up tired insult humor and smarmy sight gags .",
      "the capable cast is stuck in a movie that 's rated pg-13 , with flabby , middle-age pacing .",
      "a few funny lines and ideas emerge here and there , but MOV mostly feels repetitive and overlong at nearly two hours . you would n't mind getting voted off this island .",
      "thanks to vaughn , favreau , and the stray sharp lines that pop out of everyone else , the film at least offers the lively sound of egos that still know how to swing .",
      "couples , a sputtering if sporadically amusing misfire , packed a lot of actors off to a pretty location and gave them nothing funny or deep to do .",
      "MOV plays like the nba all-star game : what seems like a dream-team exhibition of pros at the top of their game too often turns into an undisciplined mess .",
      "ultimately comes off as merely an excuse for stars to take a vacation on the studio 's % u2014and moviegoing public 's % u2014dime .",
      "if you feel like a date movie with a little romance , big laughs , witty dialogue , appealing characters and a spectacular location , this is not it ... -lsb- an -rsb- embarrassment and an insult to audiences who might be conned into thinking it 's escapist fun .",
      "to avoid paying for a holiday to hell , do n't see MOV . a prime contender for 2009 's worst film , this star-studded but startlingly drab `` comedy '' is the kind of terrible trip you pray will be over long before it 's time to go home .",
      "ever go on a vacation where most of the people around seem to be having more fun than you ? then you already know what it 'll feel like to visit MOV .",
      "has nothing to offer but a lively ensemble cast and beautiful scenery while falling flat as a comedy that 's painfully low on laughs and high on juvenile , asinine and uninspired attempts at humor .",
      "while billingsley acquits himself well in the directing department , it 's the script that finally sinks -lrb- this film -rrb- .",
      "there are also scenes , the disjointed kind that wander off aimlessly in the vague hope of finding a movie , not to mention a laugh .",
      "vaughn and favreau sprinkle in a couple of hilarious jokes throughout but that does not save this formulaic , cliché and horribly paced comedy",
      "MOV is a comedy/drama mix , but it 's mostly the comedy parts that work .",
      "the `` retreat '' in the title is surely a warning to any potential ticket buyers .",
      "trouble in paradise . that 's the overly familiar premise of this sun-poisoned comedy .",
      "you know those comedies that hit a little dry spell and have a hard time recovering ? MOV has one that lasts about , oh , 90 minutes .",
      "greatly silly and unexpectedly wise at times .",
      "this intermittently funny tale of four couples undergoing relationship therapy struggles hard for its occasional laughs .",
      "billingsley does a good job on selling the beauty of the island , but only a serviceable one in telling this story . then again , there is n't all that much to tell .",
      "we just keep wishing they would get out of the way and let us enjoy the pretty scenery .",
      "mean , miserable married men . not funny . a toddler easily steals the movie .",
      "the former swingers settle for standard gags in the moderately amusing MOV",
      "the twosome that sparks most agreeably is vince vaughn and jon favreau . ... the humor is n't always highbrow , but it works .",
      "the secret to a happy marriage involves falling in love over and over again with the same person . ` MOV ' offers an amusing illustration of that old saying .",
      "we have another durable candidate for a slew of razzie awards ... vaughn plays the same persona in every movie . he has a blustery , cocksure swagger on the outside while hiding his deep-seated insecurities .",
      "with couple 's retreat , we 're hoping for a wedding crashers redux we can turn into a date night . but all we get is something else to bitch about .",
      "i feel no pity for vince vaughn and jon favreau who co-wrote the piece . for their co-stars ... we hope this career-killer is worth the paycheck .",
      "tawdry and tedious , ` MOV ' is a retread of the almost equally unfunny ` license to wed. . '",
      "mandatory marriage counseling ruins vacation in battle-of-the-sexes sitcom .",
      "MOV is like watching somebody 's boring vacation videos , except that they 're filled with big stars .",
      "this is one of those films , like last week 's whip it and so many others of late , that looks like it was a lot fun to make . it 's just not all that much fun to watch .",
      "sadly for us though , favreau and vaughn are likely to continue their profitable relationship for some time to come .",
      "if it were a send-up of couples therapy and its absurd language the film would at least be about something , but it has n't even that much intelligence .",
      "the script for this comedy is so half-baked that we begin to wonder why it was made at all . not only is it resolutely unfunny , but it never dips beneath a superficial examination of relationship cliches .",
      "vince vaughn and jon favreau further damage their credibility -lrb- though not their bank balances -rrb- with another lazy , underwritten comedy .",
      "about as much fun as having a holiday ruined by bickering , self-involved couples , this is one romcom you really should retreat from .",
      "a trip to the innermost circle of comedy hell .",
      "a comedy deserving to be buried up to its head in sand , drizzled in cooking oil and then left to fry until crispy .",
      "fewer laughs than the average episode of itv 's benidorm .",
      "... truly dismal ... this is a movie to avoid .",
      "director billingsley , who once played ralphie in 1983 's `` a christmas story , '' should have picked up that old bb gun of his and blown the hell out of the script before he ever signed on to make a movie out of it .",
      "before booking a ticket , i urge you to retreat .",
      "every time the performers insinuate some fresh response , the concepts close in on them . i began to dread even the funny bits , because i knew director peter billingsley would milk them to death .",
      "the cast got to spend a month shooting on bora bora . so that explains why they 're in the movie . why you 'd spend good money for a ticket to watch them have all the fun and not have any fun yourself passes understanding .",
      "MOV is a pleasant , undemanding , middle-of-the-road comedy , and really , were you expecting anything else ?",
      "the only really funny moments in MOV are bits that were clearly ad-libbed by the film 's stars , vince vaughn and jon favreau .",
      "watching MOV cowriters favreau and vince vaughn play schlubby husbands is like showing up to your high school reunion to find that the once-sharply dressed cool guys with the fake ids are now fat and bald . and married .",
      "it 's hard to know if more convincing relationships would have made a difference in a movie so committed to funny accents and potty jokes , but at least it would have shown some effort .",
      "yes , there 's pointed human comedy to be mined from the very real stresses of married life , but this bonehead idiots-in - paradise farce raises issues only to gloss them over .",
      "might be funnier with several rum punches in hand .",
      "after traveling to eden with the shallow , self-involved , unpleasant twits that populate MOV , you 'll be wishing they 'd all have packed their bags and gone straight to hell , instead .",
      "MOV leaves a good cast stranded without a script , although the cast is n't in much of a position to complain .",
      "it 's one bland scene after another , played at medium pace with middling creativity , punctuated with a near-desperate attempt at a laugh",
      "offers nothing new to the tropical vacation comedy ... not even the funniest bits from the commercials really stack up to much of the cast 's weakest work to date .",
      "hugely disappointing , painfully unfunny comedy that completely wastes its talented cast and then compounds the misery with a dismal script .",
      "floundering , only intermittently funny . wait for the dvd .",
      "it 's too easy to say that peter billingsley shot his eye out with this inept comic trifle , but ... well , he shot his eye out .",
      "couples , retreat : this movie has the power to make any date feel as endless and soul-sucking as the lifetime 's worth of defective , hateful marriages that doom the film 's protagonists .",
      "good for some laughs and some likable characters ; vaughn and favreau stand out while bateman fades into the background",
      "the actresses are so wasted , they 're even demoted to fifth , sixth , seventh and eighth billing under every one of the dudes . at least the guys are n't having fun either .",
      "it 's hard to imagine that the thoroughly mediocre and paint-by-numbers romantic comedy `` MOV '' was written by the same guy who brought the world swingers 15 years ago .",
      "a tyler perry movie for the rest of america , without so much melodrama",
      "although it has its moments , MOV is n't so much a movie but rather a giant excuse for some real-life bffs to hang out in south pacific .",
      "a bit like getting relationship advice from a clown . a really , really unfunny one ."
    ],
    "summary": "despite a talented cast and some reliably pleasant interplay between jon favreau and vince vaughn , MOV leaves viewers stranded in an arid , mirthless comedy .",
    "id": "770803584"
  },
  {
    "movie": "basic_instinct_2",
    "reviews": [
      "stone 's performance is so deliriously over the top that it turns almost every line she speaks into high camp .",
      "MOV is never stupid , but it is insipid and lurid in all the ways you would expect it to be .",
      "to get to those shots of stone 's chest and thighs , however , the audience has to wait through a two-hour story that 's so tedious that the audience may walk out before stone eventually liberates herself from her clothing .",
      "numbingly dull when it is n't unintentionally laugh-out-loud funny , this pitiful sequel has almost none of the cheesy/sleazy appeal of the 1992 blockbuster . michael douglas stayed away , and so should you .",
      "it does n't know whether it wants to be a skin-e-max soft core porno or an episode of a primetime cop drama . it 's unfulfilling as neither and ends up as an awful hybrid : we 'll call it csi : cleavageville . i take that back : csi : faux cleavageville .",
      "-lsb- ` MOV ' -rsb- has to hold the record for the most times the ` f ' word has been used , not as an expletive , but as an action verb .",
      "the mysteries of sharon stone are long gone .",
      "stone 's every line of dialogue , every gesture , every hussy lip smack screams ` i 'm too sexy for this movie . ' and it 's often hilarious .",
      "the rest of the film may be murky and dull , but physically , it 's hard to take your eyes off stone . she 's absolutely stunning .",
      "you may come out of the theater complaining how ridiculous it was , but you wo n't be bored .",
      "surely they ca n't be serious . this is so bad it must be camp . under heavy pancake makeup , sharon stone gives a bad mae west imitation , a performance not to be missed by any camp-follower",
      "ludicrously , hilariously entertaining .",
      "it 's the sort of movie some people call a guilty pleasure , although i do n't see any reason to feel guilty about a movie that is so much fun .",
      "stone is simply awful , replacing the sexy insouciance from the first film with a beady stare that would seem more appropriate coming from a dead codfish than a calculating nympho adept at playing twisted mind games .",
      "in pretty short order , the entire film goes off course and sinks , taking its lead actress with it .",
      "where is the suspense part ? there is no suspense part . suspense demands clarity of motive and action , and this screenplay never provides it .",
      "like many sequels this is actually a remake , and it suffers from the law of diminishing returns .",
      "stupefyingly lackluster .",
      "ao tentar recriar a ambigüidade do original , revela só a fragilidade de seu roteiro , que , pela -lrb- falta de -rrb- qualidade , poderia ter sido escrito pela própria catherine tramell .",
      "a pale shadow that is imminently unworthy of even a raised heartbeat .",
      "leaves you bored , bothered and bewildered",
      "another low in hollywood 's descent into virtual flesh-peddling ... stone proves that she 's still basically a `` star '' only to the extent that she strips .",
      "vamp or mind-vampire , a stylishly empowered stone distracts from incredulity until an ill-conceived climax drowns it in a british harbor of excess miscalculation .",
      "MOV , with sharon stone once again in the seductress role , is a sordid tale of lying liars and pants on fire .",
      "absurdly overheated and unforgivably dull , MOV is the accidental comedy sensation of the year to date .",
      "embarrassment , thy name is MOV .",
      "in a better movie , this grand-dame performance might have been fun , but it 's surrounded here by an impossibly dull and unsatisfying whodunit plot and unintentionally funny dialogue .",
      "the only real suspense in MOV is whether stone will or wo n't reprise the scene that she once absurdly claimed she was tricked into doing .",
      "she 's the freddy krueger of this two-film franchise . the fact that a middle-aged woman serves this function , and that the money shot is not some hideous-prosthetic-face reveal but a look at stone 's flawless breasts in a jacuzzi , makes a tired point : in 20",
      "most sequels are unnecessary , and this one does nothing to break the pattern .",
      "MOV is basically the same movie as its predecessor . only there 's no michael douglas . and the setting has changed from the united states to europe .",
      "but most of the conversation in the lobby will revolve around who designed ss 's clothes and jewelry . that 's the way ms. stone wants it , and that 's the way it is .",
      "MOV seems aimed at two audiences : men in raincoats in dark theaters and graduate students in film studies .",
      "praising her -lsb- stone -rsb- for flaunting herself is like applauding george foreman for climbing into another ring or tv commercial whenever someone holds out a paycheck .",
      "MOV is an obvious attempt to revive a stalled acting career .",
      "dead serious and stone idiotic , the only basic instinct in evidence here is desperation .",
      "trust your basic instinct and avoid the worst sequel since staying alive .",
      "we 're not in the 90s anymore .",
      "everything about this movie is bad .",
      "you 've been here before when it was fresher .",
      "it 's left to david thewlis as a know-it-all cynical cop to walk away with the whole film . he brings a mischievousness and wit to a movie sorely lacking in both and offers a fine example of what this sequel should have been .",
      "with her raunchy innuendo and near-parodic sexuality , stone seems to be coming on as the mae west of film noir .",
      "morrissey 's performance is much better than the film really deserves - he pulls off a complex blend of pride and barely suppressed rage whilst still remaining sympathetic .",
      "i wo n't say i did n't enjoy it ; this is the kind of film that begs to be talked back to , that satisfies our highly developed taste for schadenfreude .",
      "michael caton-jones directs with bland disinterest , but stone hams it up with the campy relish of a drag queen doing faye dunaway in mommie dearest .",
      "a veritable cold shower of a sequel to 1992 's softcore spectacular .",
      "-lsb- a -rsb- garish , deliciously awful sequel .",
      "this movie rocks ... by boldly embracing the preposterousness at the core of its story right away , and then moving on to more important things like ultra-nasty sex -lsb- and -rsb- hyper-lurid dialogue .",
      "sure , the old broad looks pretty good in the film , but who would n't with fake boobs and a lacquer finish of make-up an inch thick ?",
      "campy melodrama fails to hold any interest 14 years later .",
      "if paul verhoeven 's film was a potent if hard to swallow sex-and-blood pop cocktail , this london-set sequel is a cup of thin , tepid tea .",
      "MOV is trashy and stupid , and not really in a fun sort of way .",
      "using the same basic plot as 1992 's original , bi2 feels less like a sequel than a remake whose shelf life has expired .",
      "the only real intrigue comes in the film 's risky flirtation with high camp .",
      "the original movie lacked sense , but it did possess that sizzle . this one has neither .",
      "but this time around , stone portrays catherine tramell more like a desperate old floozy than a take-no-prisoners man-eater , and there 's no doubt she 's the evil one -- which takes almost all the fun out of it .",
      "in the end , this is a movie that makes the original basic instinct look good . and in a way , that 's quite a feat .",
      "going to go down in history as not only one of the worst sequels of all time , but also one of the worst films of all time . come video , it may just have an ` alan smithee ' credit festooned to its title sequence .",
      "MOV is something the original never was -- boring ... an obvious front-runner for the 2006 razzies and stinkers .",
      "not without a lingering element of guilty pleasure but ultimately just another walk in the park for the mad dame catherine .",
      "there 's nothing erotic or thrilling in this supposed erotic thriller , just a lot of talky filler that leads absolutely nowhere .",
      "okay , it 's awful . but i liked it . stone `` acts '' -lrb- if you want to call it that -rrb- with a campy sneer as morrissey heroically carries the movie . rampling is a goddess .",
      "few expected MOV to be very good , but no one expected it to be this boring .",
      "the 14-year-behind-the-scenes story of making this sequel is far more interesting than anything that 's onscreen , including sharon stone 's nudity and sex in a rooftop jacuzzi .",
      "stone chews on the scenery , and a few co-stars , in a ferociously over-the-top performance that almost makes the silliness worthwhile .",
      "at this point , there are inflatable toys that are livelier than stone , but how can you tell the difference ? MOV is not an erotic thriller . it 's taxidermy .",
      "other than its deliriously trashy intro and a loopy twist ending that questions reality itself , MOV is way too restrained in every sense .",
      "but the movie is a baroque little mystery of so little mystery or consequence that you 're literally sitting there waiting for the next full body cavity search .",
      "the film 's hilarious intended subtitle , risk addiction , sadly did n't make it to the release stage , but there are still enough variations of it in the final shooting script to make for a fun drinking game when you rent the dvd three weeks from now .",
      "the movie is very campy , but strangely , not very much fun .",
      "bi2 should have been a gloriously excessive collision between the lurid and the ludicrous .",
      "while there was little doubt that the sequel would be the awful movie that it is , bi2 compounds the injury by , basically , taking forever to get to what little good , lurid stuff anyone coming to the movie wants to see .",
      "sadly , nothing following lives up to the prurient promise of this sequence , as the film becomes a monotonously talky , gloomy affair .",
      "poor sharon stone . she 's still big ; it 's the erotic thrillers that got small .",
      "... a script that is so full of cliche 's that i actually knew the end of the film 10 minutes before it ended .",
      "full review in greek",
      "we actually do n't see very much killing at all -- except , maybe , that of the careers of morrissey and stone .",
      "silly , shock-pandering lines like that nearly sink the film to showgirls level .",
      "in spite of sharon stone 's hearty encore performance as the ultimate femme fatale , `` MOV '' falls unbearably flat .",
      "jedan od rijetkih primjera kada je publika pokazala kako , za razliku od hollywooda , ipak ima pojma o nekim stvarima",
      "this is psychoanalytic fable rewritten as pulp fiction . perhaps that 's why it 's so ludicrously entertaining .",
      "as a stand-alone film , this does n't work ; but viewed through the prism of the original , it offers some twisted , self-conscious pleasures .",
      "if you 're trying to reinvigorate the art of the stylish thriller , the movie you come up with needs to be stylish and it needs to be thrilling . MOV , written by leora barish and henry bean and directed by michael caton-jones , is neither .",
      "stone does n't so much enter and leave the film of her own volition so much as she 's carted on and off like hannibal lecter , the difference being that she 'd rather sit on your face than bite it off .",
      "the 1992 phenomenon was creepy , tense and sexually charged in a bold yet tawdry way . this sequel lacks even a shred of those elements .",
      "its only chance was to go full-on camp , as intentionally tawdry , exploitative and trashy as possible . who thought that the best approach was to actually take it seriously ?",
      "shaped by basic commercial instincts , with at least 17 distributors lined up to carve the yum pie in global release , this heavy-breather may prove stone 's last hurrah .",
      "of all the things MOV threatened to be -- titillating , cheeky , outrageous -- who would have thought it would turn out boring ?",
      "despite all the heavy breathing and mood lighting , MOV is so dull that you might find yourself easily distracted by side issues .",
      "what MOV is missing , besides any of the trashy good fun of the original , is a subtitle . here 's a suggestion : a girl 's guide to dressing for her shrink .",
      "the signposts signalling the film 's raunchy direction are clear , and stone -lrb- looking fabulously sultry in true hollywood style -rrb- slips in and out of her clothes with disarming fervour ... sequel tries to turn up the heat , but never reaches boiling point .",
      "this film is unable to involve , entertain , or titillate . basically , it stinks .",
      "stone 's purring , snarling , bedroom kink is embarrassing .",
      "stone , whose portrayal of mature sexiness was breathtaking in last year 's broken flowers , is so over-the-top here that tramell appears to be channeling cruella de vil . or maybe carol burnett vamping as `` nora desmond . ''",
      "in MOV the manufactured thrill is gone .",
      "MOV is more elaborately plotted than the original , and the result is even worse : horribly over-the-top dialogue , gratuitous nudity and no suspense whatsoever .",
      "if your own basic instinct is to avoid this movie , then you probably should go with that .",
      "when catherine finally picks up her beloved ice pick , it 's more like she 's showing you a photo of an old friend than an old potential murder weapon .",
      "the biggest problem with MOV is that it 's not the worst movie ever made . it 's a shame ; at least then , it would have some significance .",
      "the laughs to be had in this deliciously awful sequel are all unintentional . a bummer for film buffs , but a ball for fans of the misbegotten .",
      "MOV is as dull as a blunt ice pick , watering down the original film 's knockout cocktail of kinky sex and bloody murder into a timid , tepid thriller .",
      "MOV , for all its implausible plot devices , poverty of motivation , occasionally lethargic pace and fragrant dialogue , is a subversive piece of cinema .",
      "as a showcase for sharon stone 's physique , MOV is a rousing success . in every other respect , it 's a colossal failure .",
      "stone delivers her lines with slinky grace , but there 's no helping out a plot with as many doggedly transparent twists as this one .",
      "as with the first film , bi2 abounds with red herrings and misdirection , and comes up with an equally ambiguous did she or did n't she ? ending . but there are problems here beyond its staleness .",
      "it 's been 14 years since the original basic instinct , and time -- and the miracles of beauty technology -- have been kind to stone . not much else about this movie holds up .",
      "MOV is n't bad , exactly , but it lacks the entertaining vulgarity of the first film .",
      "sharon still maintains she never knew her ` v ' was being photographed in the original basic instinct . ` i figured the hair and makeup team between my legs was just a perk . '",
      "if you 've seen the trailer , you 've seen all the sex ; actually , you 've even seen more than is actually in the film . a threesome in the trailer is non-existent in the final cut .",
      "those hoping for either a sizzling -- or an unintentionally hilarious -- good time will be disappointed by this inexplicably dull sequel .",
      "stone 's vampy , thumb-on-the-turntable performance is the most hideous bit of creaky past-prime tarting-about since mae west was dropping the same dusty come-ons .",
      "trust your instincts . listen to that little voice inside that whispers this sequel has ` bad idea ' written all over it .",
      "-lsb- l -rsb- eaves very little for fun here beyond guffawing at the outrageous caricature of dangerous sexiness that pop culture inflated -lsb- catherine -rsb- into ...",
      "there 's simple trash and enjoyable trash ; this movie wants to be the latter , but alas it falls into the first category .",
      "the long-gestating follow-up to paul verhoeven 's 1992 blip on the zeitgeist screen is a disaster of the highest or perhaps lowest order .",
      "spatting one-liners and sucking on cigarettes , the vampy , campy sharon stone does bette davis proud in this reasonably fun but ultimately empty suspense/thriller . proceed at your own risk !",
      "alas , the trashy fun does n't last . MOV is trash all the way through , no doubt , but it 's not much fun .",
      "for all the sex and slicing , the most shocking thing about it is how dreary it is .",
      "even the ice pick looks like it really does n't want to be there .",
      "a cause for temporary erectile dysfunction .",
      "in this erotic-free film , as the dead bodies pile up , nothing is more dead than the movie itself .",
      "stone is at it again in MOV , directed this time by michael caton-jones . it 's a considerably less successful film , being sold on the tasteless hope that maybe stone will flash filmgoers once again .",
      "unenjoyable , unerotic , i daresay unwatchable .",
      "could be a career-killer of the most combustible variety .",
      "it would be nice if we could have as much fun as she is ...",
      "it is said that the reason there were so many years between the first basic instinct and its sequel is that sharon stone was waiting for just the right script ... she did n't wait long enough .",
      "ms. stone 's character is bad , but sexy . the movie wants to be sexy , but it 's mostly just bad .",
      "MOV would be a magnificent exercise in transcendental camp ... were it not for the pleading , deluded look behind its leading lady 's ice-blue eyes .",
      "usually when you want a movie to be so bad it 's funny , you can count on someone connected to the basic instinct franchise . alas , they have let even their extremely forgiving audience down .",
      "you 're just hoping for some good trashy fun ... that 's why it 's such a surprise when the movie turns out to be just plain boring .",
      "an utterly hilarious piece of camp trash that elicited more laughs from me than ` she 's the man , ' ` larry the cable guy ' and ` date movie ' combined .",
      "simply is n't bad enough to be any good",
      "instead of moving like an enchanting vision of lust , stone stomps through every scene with the subtlety of a clydesdale , and her hair looks like it was stolen off a raggedy ann doll",
      "basic instinct created a disingenuous ego monster who has hypocritically disowned the very thing which made her a household name to begin with and yet here 's a sequel that nobody but her was waiting to get made .",
      "MOV is n't quite the spurting geyser of sexual excess that the original was , but it has a sense of reservation and a rather graceful desire for worth that makes it an acceptable distraction .",
      "here is a movie so outrageous and preposterous it is either -lrb- a -rrb- suicidal or -lrb- b -rrb- throbbing with a horrible fascination . i lean toward -lrb- b -rrb- .",
      "the question on everyone 's mind is ` does she look good at age 48 ? ' oh yeah ... make no mistake , she does .",
      "-lsb- this -rsb- is one of those guilty pleasures that , in your heart , you know you should loath but ca n't help being amused by the kitschiness of the writing , acting and direction",
      "... a relentlessly cheesy , over-the-top sexual thriller that has all the provocative luster of an inner thigh rash ... -lsb- a -rsb- botched , stillborn psychological fable .",
      "the final score : ice picks 1 , crotch shots , 0 .",
      "the most gratifyingly god-awful guilty pleasure since catwoman , another gem co-starring sharon stone",
      "sordid and ludicrous , it 's a steamy stink-bomb !",
      "the plot , already mired in nonsensical backstory , collapses with the late-inning introduction of a tired metafictional device -lrb- not to mention a wildly lunging usual suspects twist -rrb- .",
      "basically predictable .",
      "for many people , the only reason to see MOV is to find out if stone uncrosses her legs again . she does n't .",
      "MOV has a stylish look and a few sexy moments , but the plot goes from confusing to implausible to absolutely ludicrous in the final sequence .",
      "base . ick . in stink ."
    ],
    "summary": "unable to match the suspense and titilation of its predecessor , MOV boasts a plot so ludicrous and predictable it borders on `` so-bad-it 's - good . ''",
    "id": "133759604"
  },
  {
    "movie": "senna",
    "reviews": [
      "kapadia has so winningly captured the essence of the man that the realisation that MOV 's demise is imminent makes for stomach-tightening viewing ; the director 's construction of the footage from that fateful day is precise , frame-perfect filmmaking .",
      "the narrative of his career and its sudden , tragic ending , is like a classic story from mythology",
      "kapadia has made MOV , perhaps predictably , into a hagiography",
      "-lsb- video -rsb- you could n't hope for a more exciting and informative introduction to formula 1 racing than through this fascinating biopic about brazilian race car legend aryton MOV .",
      "director kapadia needed to find a way to make MOV 's story meaningful to viewers who are n't interested in MOV , cars or racing . no such luck .",
      "even nonbelievers in MOV 's sport and church will find it difficult to visit kapadia 's cinematic shrine without emotion .",
      "MOV is a stirring snapshot of a charismatic , immensely talented man driven to be the best , even if the risks of chasing such success were fatal .",
      "one of the most fascinating , yet sobering views on the sport of auto racing .",
      "succeeds in establishing universal themes despite its seemingly niche subject matter .",
      "this is unmissable , transcendent cinema and one of the best movies of 2011 so far .",
      "there is simply not enough material to make a compelling movie , even though mr. kapadia appears to have used every last frame of footage from the formula one archives .",
      "you do n't have to know a thing about formula 1 racing to become engrossed by `` MOV . ''",
      "the film is two things : a discreet hagiography of the handsome , soft-spoken MOV , who was only 34 when he died in a 1994 crash at the san marino grand prix in italy , and a compressed , esoteric slice of formula one history during his 10-year ascendance .",
      "if you 're a fan of formula one , you 'll enjoy seeing this footage on the big screen , but unlike the great sports documentaries -lrb- hoop dreams , when we were kings -rrb- , this one offers little to those not already versed in the subject .",
      "MOV is considered one of motorsporting 's greats , but asif kapadia 's film also makes it clear he was a sort of artist , his talent accompanied by an unquenchable thirst for excellence and a belief that racing offered him a connection to god .",
      "a compelling documentary about a champion formula one driver and his unusual life of passion for the sport .",
      "kapadia expertly contrasts episodes of adrenaline-rush speed with moments of reflective slow motion to capture the addictive thrill and danger of the sport , as well as the personal values of the humble , spiritual sportsman .",
      "in short , this is a brilliant , intimate , compelling film about MOV , but it 's not the whole story .",
      "this is documentary filmmaking quite unlike any other : a tale of triumph over adversity , of victory and tragedy , visually presented as riveting , explosive drama . MOV is essential viewing .",
      "surely the most thorough look at the art and passion of auto racing yet made .",
      "a documentary made with panache , cogency and cornering skills ...",
      "impressively directed and brilliantly edited , this is an utterly riveting documentary that 's by turns thrilling , awe-inspiring and deeply moving .",
      "a hauntingly beautiful piece of cinema , this is an action film , sports documentary and tragedy all in one .",
      "it 's a consummately produced sports documentary and a credit to the power of research , but no more .",
      "the film 's masterstroke is its exclusive use of archive footage , with no visible talking heads or modern-day interruptions .",
      "complete ignorance of , or even indifference to , the sport wo n't disqualify you from being utterly gripped , moved or charmed by asif kapadia 's film about legendary brazilian f1 champion ayrton MOV .",
      "shattering in the gentlest way , edited with rare care , it 's an affirmation of all the bonds MOV forged in his life - with his family , colleagues , the people of brazil . to emerge unmoved is just about inconceivable .",
      "this may not be the most innovative documentary , nor the most probing -lrb- it fails to mention MOV 's marriage or ex-fiancee -rrb- , but it is intelligently assembled and avoids hagiography .",
      "formula one fans should love it . more tellingly , so should everyone else .",
      "a worthy paean to a true talent .",
      "`` MOV '' is a documentary with the pace of a thriller , a story of motors and machines that is beyond compelling because of the intensely human story it tells .",
      "a celebration of a singular spirit in an impure sport .",
      "though largely side-stepping his personal life , kapadia goes to some lengths to highlight the importance spirituality played in MOV 's sporting success , a theme at least as old as chariots of fire . select .",
      "... an acutely felt and emotional movie , an exceptional personal portrait ... also a sad reminder of just what the stakes are for these guys each and every time they get behind the wheel .",
      "before finalising any `` best of '' list for 2011 , i 'd strongly suggest you see this film .",
      "kapadia creates a full picture of a talented driver -lrb- rain on a track was a good omen for him -rrb- and his humble family , and the country that embraced him at a crucial time in its history .",
      "their pain translates through the screen not just because it 's real , but because kapadia tells a story here that inspires genuine empathy for it .",
      "`` MOV '' is such a vivid and powerful film about a larger-than-life personality that i hesitate to criticize it , but racing aficionados will notice a heavy and perhaps inevitable degree of hagiography .",
      "even if you are not an aficionado of motor racing this very good documentary is the story of high drama and the young star at the centre of it .",
      "i 'm not an aficionado of motor racing , not at all , and yet i found this absolutely compelling and i think that 's the mark of a good documentary .",
      "since most of it is essentially tv footage , it does n't feel hugely cinematic . but formula one fans will find it essential viewing",
      "flawed and reluctant to dig too deep , but also a lyrical , haunting and nerve-wracking portrait : the thinking man 's true-life top gun -lrb- with cars -rrb- .",
      "`` MOV '' is an interesting biography not only because it limits itself to 15,000 hours of video already on record , but also since it is far less about the man than the driver .",
      "fine documentary about one of auto racing 's greats will please fans and make some new ones .",
      "within the expertly edited archival construct , kapadia maintains a respectful but less-than-adulatory view of MOV himself , and a caustic assessment of formula one and its then-president jean-marie balestre .",
      "`` MOV '' premiered in countries where he is a household name , but the doc is designed to be every bit as enjoyable for viewers whose only exposure to auto racing is nascar .",
      "-lsb- director asif kapadia -rsb- allows his documentary gaze to fall upon the sport of motor-racing in this thrilling exploration into the life of a man who aimed to do as much for those less fortunate as he than he did for the sport .",
      "no , nascar coverage on tv never looks as good as this .",
      "MOV is not only one of the best films of this year , or of the last 10 years . it is one of the best films of all time .",
      "... a surprisingly deft examination of the power of faith ...",
      "MOV stands as a triumph of -lsb- its makers ' -rsb- knack for story craft and their ability to sort through a staggering volume of material and piece it together into a unified , powerful narrative .",
      "if we define a classic documentary by its ability to transcend niche subject matter and engage all audiences , then the exhilarating and unbelievable MOV is one of cinema 's recent best .",
      "while this documentary is unreeling , we 're definitely along for the ride . but there 's no aftertaste , except for that of burnt metal .",
      "a model of documentary storytelling efficiency .",
      "though the film seemingly had a good ambassador for the sport , astounding racing footage and was well-presented , the subject matter never fully engaged me .",
      "you do n't have to be a formula 1 nut to enjoy this enthralling documentary ... asif kapadia 's film MOV is so skillfully put together that its portrayal of a complex , charismatic and fascinating figure will grip even those with no interest in the sport .",
      "as immersive as documentaries get .",
      "kapadia has , quite daringly , decided to rely completely on primary materials - although occasionally we hear the voices of after-the-fact observers , what we see is what happened then .",
      "there are some thrilling you-are-there sequences shot inside the racing car from his pov as he zooms around the tracks . it 's like watching a video game made real .",
      "the film simultaneously hurls you into the highly-charged world of formula one and the private emotional space of its complex protagonist .",
      "racing emerges as both central and somehow irrelevant , a conduit for a tale of a man struggling to achieve some sort of grace , and crashes that could easily belong to a rubbernecking tv show are instead loaded with tragic significance .",
      "a brilliant example of how good editing can successfully carve out a compelling and exciting story from the hours and hours of available footage .",
      "those who , like me , do n't get the point of racing in general might glimpse an insight into the compulsion from the film 's hypnotic driver 's - eye views , but more so from MOV 's own testimony .",
      "you 've never seen anything like MOV , partly because the footage is 100 % authentic . not one piece of fakery was added , not even new talking heads .",
      "a compelling story still to be told , but political maneuvering within the sport and the one-upsmanship , technological tinkering , corner-cutting , negligence or cheating that possibly caused MOV 's death , are hinted at but given short shrift .",
      "my interest in watching men drive machines in ovals is limited , and in this documentary the title character mostly comes across as an uninteresting dope .",
      "real life eclipses fiction in delivering a tale that combines heroism , villainy , suspense and a surprising amount of emotional resonance .",
      "what makes `` MOV '' essential viewing is the propulsive education it provides in one of the world 's most popular sports , and the introduction it provides to an extraordinary athlete and human being .",
      "it 's 100 percent pure adrenaline , and phenomenally entertaining .",
      "MOV is a really good movie , and i 'm a little bit more into racing than i once was .",
      "it 's stripped of narration , talking heads , and anything else that might threaten to slow it down .",
      "the sound and fury of motor racing is given a spiritual makeover through the eyes and actions of a legend behind the wheel . his name : MOV .",
      "even if you ca n't tell formula one from grecian formula , MOV is pretty exciting stuff .",
      "most interesting for the way its construction builds on the inherent austerity of auto racing .",
      "the new documentary MOV has all the full-throttle momentum and sweeping emotion any big-budget feature could hope for .",
      "kapadia is working with an embarrassment of riches , but to his credit he selects wisely , and has the good sense to keep the talking heads off the screen .",
      "MOV feels a touch too short to be fully realized -- but then again , so was ayrton MOV 's life .",
      "kapadia 's access to archival footage is impressive ; the coverage is sometimes staggering .",
      "engrossing ...",
      "MOV is earnest , eloquent , and impossibly charismatic , and his rocketing ascension through the ranks of professional drivers - gunning his car at more than 200 m.p.h. down the straightaways - is something to behold .",
      "even if it does leave us with questions , the way kapadia has woven together his material leaves us with little doubt that ayrton MOV was one of the greats , both on and off the track .",
      "the movie 's assemblage of audio interviews poured mostly over astounding race footage is fit for a shrine .",
      "racing absolutely takes skill and knowledge , but MOV does n't say anything about what made MOV so brilliant at driving fast in a circle .",
      "plays like a narrative feature , juicy and alive , with enough kinetic excitement to hook the formula one-ignorant -lrb- me , i knew next to nothing about the subject -rrb- , let alone racing fans worldwide .",
      "-lsb- MOV 's -rsb- is a compelling and human story , albeit a tragic one . there 's no need for it to be sugar-coated for it to remain inspiring .",
      "`` MOV '' is a documentary that does the job it sets out to do . i wish it had tried for more .",
      "there 's not an ounce of fat or a wasted shot throughout .",
      "`` MOV '' is carefully edited and makes sometimes spectacular use of extensive home movies and videos .",
      "it 's hard to see how anyone would n't be absorbed by this fascinating film about a formidable driver and man .",
      "i simply did n't care about it , and unless you already know who MOV is and are curious to know more , i doubt if you will , either .",
      "undeniably gripping stuff .",
      "a psychologically intriguing if at times too hagiographic portrait of a man who often held pole position in his profession and felt nearer to god because of it .",
      "exhilarating in the extreme .",
      "kapadia fosters a distinct ` you are there ' feeling for the races by composing his visual storytelling entirely of vintage footage , mostly derived from the formula one archives .",
      "as sports documentaries go , ... excellent , though in a fairly conventional way .",
      "you do n't have to know anything about car racing at all . instead , you simply have to like a great story , one that has all the elements : drama , inspiration , competition , victory , defeat , betrayal and , looming above it all , tragedy .",
      "uses an astonishing wealth of racing and interview footage - including film shot by in-car cameras during races - to chart in a compelling way the dramatic rise and heart-rending end of the brazilian legend .",
      "the film is a snapshot in time of an imperfect , interrupted life more than a gateway drug to racing enthusiasm .",
      "`` MOV '' is a streamlined piece of filmmaking , completely immersing the viewer in MOV 's world and never losing momentum as it moves from one breakneck race to another .",
      "it 's impossible not to be impressed by how director asif kapadia and writer manish pandey have managed to craft a biographical film completely out of archive footage .",
      "captivating , chilling , and surprisingly sublime .",
      "ayrton MOV was a phenomenon , and as such , he was filmed , interviewed , and photographed repeatedly throughout his career , images now assembled as the documentary MOV .",
      "there 's no doubt MOV was a great driver , but this competently executed highlights reel does n't tell us much beyond that .",
      "... an entertaining , absorbing and inspiring documentary celebrating a champion 's talent .",
      "even those with no interest in formula one - and i count myself amongst such people - will be captivated by this phenomenal motion picture .",
      "`` MOV '' is simply the greatest sports film i have ever seen .",
      "as well as being a great driver , MOV also comes across as being a big personality and a man who showed his emotions .",
      "fascinating and profoundly moving .",
      "a viscerally exciting and intellectually stimulating documentary .",
      "there are aspects of MOV 's life that are left untouched here but that is a small reservation about such a dynamic and captivating documentary .",
      "fittingly , it maintains a propulsive momentum from the start , and the decision to avoid any interview segments , which would have disrupted its gripping flow , is one of the director 's smartest moves .",
      "even those who regard motorsport with indifference or hostility will get plenty out of this .",
      "stitched together from often blurry footage , it 's an engrossing and poignant tribute to one of the sport 's legends , even if we know how it ends .",
      "a fascinating biography that will appeal to more than just fans of fast cars .",
      "there are some nail-biting in-car point of view shots as the drivers career around circuits at high speed . we 're used to seeing similar footage on our tv screens every race day but on the big screen you get a real feeling of the speed these guys reach .",
      "even those bored to death with people going round and round in ever-faster cars can appreciate a veritable legend of the track ."
    ],
    "summary": "even for filmgoers who are n't racing fans , MOV offers heart-pounding thrills -- and heartbreaking emotion .",
    "id": "771219922"
  },
  {
    "movie": "fly_away_home",
    "reviews": [
      "daniels , in a scruffy beard and wearing the apologetic look of a divorced dad who has n't visited his kid enough , has n't been this good in a long time .",
      "from bumbling infants to majestic adults , a flock has n't been this charismatic onscreen since hitchcock went bird-watching .",
      "cuteness galore , terrific aerial shots , and a healthy dose of environmental awareness .",
      "it 's a movie about dreamers that , for once , does n't make you feel like a sap for buying into their dreams .",
      "it 's a genuine delight and a definite thumbs aloft for kids of about six upwards .",
      "the predictability of all this might be more palatable if the characters were better developed or more appealing .",
      "beautifully directed by carroll ballard , the film is a celebration of the creative ways human beings and animals can serve , assist , and love one another .",
      "the tender beauty of carroll ballard 's `` MOV '' goes well beyond what might be expected from a movie about things that hatch .",
      "its aerial scenes are wondrous , beautiful as symphonies , and worth the price of admission alone . count as a bonus the skilled , heartfelt performance from the teen-aged star and from mr. daniels as her resourceful dad .",
      "a great adventure made all the more enjoyable because it is based on a true story .",
      "somehow makes the story of orphaned geese entertaining .",
      "story of a girl and her geese is complex entertainment for kids and grown-ups .",
      "anna paquin proves again what an expressive , soulful actress she is , and daniels ' madcap dad is a winning study in hippy ingenuity and indefatigability .",
      "a lovely and unjustly forgotten family film .",
      "thrilling , touching adventure for animal lovers .",
      "the dynamic between daniels ' vigorous , if self-involved , artist father and paquin 's initially sullen , eventually self-discovering teenager is warmly and believably conveyed , with both thesps doing strongly individualistic work .",
      "beautiful looking and well acted , but lacking in the kind of tension that marks a well-told tale ."
    ],
    "summary": "well-acted and beautifully filmed , MOV offers heartwarming entertainment for moviegoers of all ages .",
    "id": "12447"
  },
  {
    "movie": "lethal_weapon",
    "reviews": [
      "yeah , i know , i know : it 's considered an action classic and routinely pegged as one of the best `` buddy cop '' films , but it 's always held just marginal appeal for me -- besides , compare it to die hard , and its `` classic '' status seems even more ludicrous .",
      "what does it say that i loved it as a boy of fourteen ?",
      "thanks to a peculiar chemistry and a terrific script , mel gibson and danny glover lift this movie above mere tv-cop fodder .",
      "implausibility is a large part of the entertainment in this romp par excellence , with each overblown set piece becoming ever more ludicrous .",
      "as action-adventure , it 's pointlessly puerile , a movie where the heroes are so childish they try to one-up each other with fancy shots at the pistol range .",
      "nothing , however , can really prepare audiences for the generally good , though offbeat , performances , gritty action and serio-comic exploits of the good guys vs. the bad guys .",
      "at center is the first big , juicy mythic-hero part gibson has had since mad max .",
      "-lsb- gibson and glover -rsb- make a great team , and some of their early adventures are exciting . but the film runs out of gas as it turns into an extended chase sequence .",
      "the story , which proceeds with inevitability , is enlivened by donner 's rousing action sequences .",
      "what this premise needs is a serviceable plot , but screenwriter shane block has n't provided one . indeed , for an action thriller , MOV is unacceptably slow .",
      "granted , the film does n't feature the most interesting story-line to come across a movie screen , but that does n't matter all that much because we 're having a whole bunch of fun watching the chemistry between glover and gibson ...",
      "gibson is truly frightening as the cop about to go into orbit , and glover is a standout as the down-to-earth lawman with very much to lose .",
      "from a distance , MOV might appear generic , but a closer look reveals something special .",
      "mismatched cops spar in violent '80s action hit .",
      "a phenomenally successful , noisy , violent buddy movie .",
      "what a concept ! mad max meets the cosby show full review",
      "the pace never slows , the jokes never miss and the stunts never disappoint in this macho-dream of an actioner .",
      "the best buddycop film ever",
      "empty glitz in search of a style .",
      "MOV is a film teetering on the brink of absurdity when it gets serious , but thanks to its unrelenting energy and insistent drive , it never quite falls .",
      "a pistol-packing , snap-crackling blow-out .",
      "MOV is big , dumb fun , and often genuinely funny and exciting . it 's no sin to enjoy it .",
      "it moves along at a frenetic pace , providing excitement galore , so long as you do n't stop to think about it .",
      "... MOV remains one of those rare 1980s action films that passed the test of time .",
      "i 'm a guy who is bored by shootouts and chase scenes . i 've seen it all . but this movie thrilled me from beginning to end .",
      "a vivid , visceral reminder of just how exciting an action film can be .",
      "in this classy all-action thriller , mel gibson oozes charm the way his victims ooze blood .",
      "admittedly , it pretty cool to see martin riggs burst through the door the second the bad guy says `` there 's no more heroes left in the world '' despite having just received brutal electric shock torture that will leave you cringing with shooting discomfort .",
      "-lsb- video essay -rsb- screenwriter shane black 's approach to creating unconventional characters for `` MOV '' created a new template for the buddy movie genre , which dates back to the silent era of laurel and hardy .",
      "the best in an overrated series thanks to gibson 's intense performance as a suicidal cop .",
      "the buddy-cop movie that set the standard for all to come .",
      "the film is all fast action , noisy stunts and huge , often unflattering close-ups , but it packs an undeniable wallop .",
      "a buddy action movie that 's actually extremely well-acted , especially on gibson 's part .",
      "still remarkably entertaining .",
      "undeniably one of the best 80s action flicks , next to commando and die hard .",
      "undistinguished , but entertaining"
    ],
    "summary": "the most successful installment in a phenomenally successful series , MOV helped redefine action movies for the 1980s and 1990s .",
    "id": "17397"
  },
  {
    "movie": "1078955-game",
    "reviews": [
      "sure , it strains credulity , but it 's clever , well-paced and builds to a spectacular -- if not altogether satisfying -- conclusion .",
      "good looking , tightly controlled thriller . an exhilarating ride that prepares the ground for fight club .",
      "regardless of how far one chooses to buy into the MOV -- and the ending ambiguously suggests that it could go on and on -- there is no doubt as to fincher 's staggering expertise as a director and his almost clinical sense of precision .",
      "`` the MOV '' is a thrilling end run of deception in which a master manipulator is masterfully manipulated .",
      "-lsb- n -rsb- ifty filmic style and crackpot sensibility .",
      "well-written , expertly paced , and undeniably riveting , the MOV is perhaps most impressive in the way it strips down the nicholas van orton character . the whole process is very layered and each layer breaks down nicholas even more than the last .",
      "this is one of those movies that 's so tightly written and densely plotted , it leaves no room for error -- or viewer queries . unfortunately , the questions will start flying even before the picture 's over .",
      "this 1997 thriller is fairly entertaining nonsense if all you 're looking for is 128 minutes of diversion . but if you 'd like something more from david fincher , the director of seven , do n't get your hopes up .",
      "the film 's ` message ' about complacency transformed by chaos and uncertainty is hackneyed ...",
      "a solid original screenplay -- one of the best out of hollywood this year .",
      "the MOV is something more than a stylish thriller , though it dishes up style and thrills in abundance .",
      "a crowd-pleasing pip most of the way .",
      "it 's genuinely clever , and builds to a spectacular -- if not altogether satisfying -- conclusion .",
      "an unusually imaginative thriller that bends its offbeat plot into so many twists that you actually have to pay attention -- something few hollywood movies demand nowadays -- to understand its evolution and enjoy the multiple payoffs at the end .",
      "douglas disintegrates beautifully against the pressure of a constant and unknown threat , played out by a deliciously sinister support cast .",
      "the movie is saved from its numerous plot holes and logic lapses by fincher 's unrelenting directorial style and a strong central performance by michael douglas .",
      "david fincher has emerged as one of the most provocative filmmakers of the decade .",
      "david fincher directs this claustrophobic thriller with visceral punch and stylistic vitality .",
      "once again , fincher settles for artifice over art .",
      "the rocky blur between reality and fantasy aspires to be a hitchcockian after hours , but at two hours plus , the MOV gets played out early on .",
      "you know how some films could be great or have indeed some great moments , but for some reason , are disappointing ? this piece is exactly in that category .",
      "the picture provides douglas with one of his best roles . if he does n't quite reach the bizarre heights he achieved in falling down , the MOV makes its own demands .",
      "the MOV is one of those films that requires the viewer to suspend his disbelief to a great extent , but offers pretty good entertainment in return for that effort .",
      "somehow the movie remains defiantly fresh even as it almost proudly proclaims the plots of all the movies it imitates .",
      "douglas is the right actor for the role . he can play smart , he can play cold , and he can play angry . he is also subtle enough that he never arrives at an emotional plateau before the film does , and never overplays the process of his inner change .",
      "as it 's unspooling on screen , the film is hugely entertaining , but there are several significant plot holes that grow wider the more closely they 're investigated .",
      "douglas , who delivers a new shade of cruel elegance each time he plays another urbane monster , is the ideal star for this vigorously contrived thriller .",
      "fincher is still working on the assumption that he has better things to do than entertain an audience . which would be fine if he were n't drawn to such schlocky material .",
      "we are drawn into the maze , and while we are emotionally caught up in some of the more violent action sequences , we simultaneously use our gray matter to try to figure what it 's all about .",
      "congratulations should go to fincher and screenwriters john d. brancato and michael ferris . tension and suspense in movies are relatively easy to achieve , but inventing a satisfying ending is not .",
      "the MOV is an intensely exciting puzzle-gimmick thriller , the kind of movie that lets you know from the start that it 's slyly aware of its own absurdity -lrb- which is why it can then get away with it -rrb- .",
      "it 's like the most hideously overproduced episode of the twilight zone on record , complete with a last twist that pretty much reduces what came before to soap bubbles .",
      "as a thriller , the MOV is the work of a craftsman , but be warned : do n't even try to think much about the plot lest it break down before your very eyes .",
      "it 's a slight diversion , but it is certainly entertaining .",
      "even if ... the MOV is a bit skimpy in characterization and its plot is highly implausible -lrb- make that incredibly implausible -rrb- , the movie is still a lot of fun simply because of its ability to shock and surprise .",
      "david fincher takes the audience on a breathless , harrowing ride whose considerable pleasures are measured in dread and discomfort .",
      "the MOV is the best movie to mess with your mind since the usual suspects .",
      "fincher 's worthy and equally dark follow-up to seven .",
      "this is the most thrilling thriller in a long while . well , since se7en .",
      "the show takes one tricky turn after another . just when you 're sure you 've got it figured out , you do n't .",
      "the MOV is an exercise in plotting rather than characterization ; as a result , we do n't much care who wins or loses .",
      "the best feature is its unpredictability .",
      "the MOV is a mind twisting thriller that keeps you guessing up until , and including , the end .",
      "if this is david fincher 's idea of selling out , i hope folks are buying . we may be looking at the emergence of this generation 's hitchcock .",
      "entertaining and bold , the MOV scores high in the tall tales for grown ups stakes .",
      "if ... you find yourself thinking of simple solutions to hero 's dilemma every five minutes , that 's a pretty lame thriller . in the MOV , it 's more like every two minutes .",
      "it 's not for everyone and it does n't make much sense when you stop to think about it , but it 's still a lot more fun than parcheesi .",
      "director david fincher again demonstrates his superb sense of moody style , but the script , by john brancato and michael ferris , eventually reduces to a kind of visual and moral psychobabble , a surprisingly banal finale ."
    ],
    "summary": "the ending could use a little work but this is otherwise another sterling example of david fincher 's iron grip on atmosphere and storytelling .",
    "id": "15651"
  }
]